Basic Guide: How to Start Gardening for Beginners

Choosing the Right Gardening Style

When starting a garden, choosing a gardening style that suits your living space is crucial. Each style has its own advantages and limitations, depending on the space conditions and the purpose of planting. Below are some suggestions to help you select the most suitable gardening style for your space and needs.

1. If You Have a Large Space: Traditional Soil Garden is the Ideal Choice

A traditional soil garden is a method of planting using natural soil, without the need for complex systems or specialized equipment. This style is best suited for large garden spaces such as yards, vacant lots, or home gardens.

Advantages:

• Spacious Area: A traditional soil garden allows you to plant a variety of plants, from vegetables and flowers to fruit trees and ornamental plants.
• Cost-Effective: This is the simplest and least expensive gardening method, requiring only soil, seeds, and some fertilizer.
• Natural Growth: Plants can grow freely, allowing you to create a green and natural garden space.

Disadvantages:

• Time-Consuming Care: Regular watering, proper fertilizing, and weed and pest control are necessary.
• Dependence on Soil Quality: If the soil is not good, you will need to improve it and take extra care.

If you have a large area and wish to grow a variety of plants, a traditional soil garden is the ideal choice. With a large space, you can also create an attractive garden, planting not only vegetables and flowers but also incorporating landscaping features or even fruit trees and perennial plants.

2. If Space is Limited: Container Gardens or Vertical Gardens are Suitable

Living in an apartment or townhouse with limited space makes traditional gardening difficult. However, with container gardens and vertical gardens, you can still create a green space without taking up much room.

Container Gardens:

In container gardens, you use pots, tubs, or boxes to grow plants. This style is perfect for small spaces like balconies, rooftops, or even apartments.

Advantages:

• Space-Saving: Container gardens don’t take up much space; you can plant vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants in compact pots.
• Easy to Move: Plant containers can be moved to places with the best sunlight or brought indoors during rainy or cold days.
• Easy Care: It’s easier to manage water, nutrients, and soil quality in each pot.

Disadvantages:

• Limited Planting Area: Due to space constraints, you cannot grow large plants or those with deep roots.
• Frequent Watering: The soil in containers dries quickly, so you need to water more frequently than in traditional gardens.

Vertical Gardens:

This is an ideal solution when you want to maximize the use of space in a small area. Vertical gardens use frames or shelves to hang pots or grow climbing plants.

Advantages:

• Optimized Space: Vertical gardens help you use vertical space, providing planting areas without occupying much floor space.
• Aesthetic Appeal: They create a green and beautiful living space, enhancing the aesthetic value of your apartment or rooftop.

Disadvantages:

• Initial Investment: You’ll need to invest in frames or supports to set up the vertical garden.
• Care Needs Attention: Plants in vertical gardens require careful attention, as water and nutrients may not be as easily distributed as in soil.

For limited living spaces, container and vertical gardens are perfect options to create a refreshing green space right in the heart of the city.

3. If You Prioritize Fresh Vegetables Indoors: Choose Hydroponic Gardens

If you want to grow fresh vegetables indoors without using soil, hydroponic gardening is the perfect solution. Hydroponic systems use nutrient solutions to nourish plants instead of soil, allowing you to grow clean vegetables indoors without worrying about pests or weeds.

Advantages:

• No Soil Required: It allows you to grow plants indoors without worrying about soil quality.
• Clean and Safe Vegetables: Hydroponically grown vegetables are less affected by chemicals or pests, making them ideal for those who require clean produce.
• Easy to Maintain: Hydroponic systems can automatically water and supply nutrients to the plants, saving you time on care.

Disadvantages:

• High Initial Investment: You need to purchase hydroponic kits or design your own system, which requires an initial investment.
• Technical Knowledge Required: You need to understand the hydroponic system and how to adjust the nutrient solution to ensure healthy plant growth.

If your goal is to have a source of fresh vegetables indoors without using soil and with easy maintenance, hydroponic gardens are the best option. You can grow leafy greens like lettuce, herbs, or spices within your living space

Essential Factors to Prepare Before Starting a Garden

To start a successful garden, it’s crucial to prepare the basic factors carefully. These preparations not only help create a favorable environment for plant growth but also ensure that you can maintain and care for the garden in the long run.

a. Space

Determining the Location:

Before starting, you need to choose the planting location that meets the light and ventilation requirements. Plants need natural light for photosynthesis, so selecting an area with adequate sunlight is essential. Locations such as rooftops, balconies, or backyards are great options if they receive enough sunlight. However, pay attention to factors like the sun’s direction, as some plants require direct sunlight while others prefer shade.

Space Size:

Choose an area that suits your needs and ability to care for the plants. If space is limited, container gardens or vertical gardens might be suitable options. If you have a large area, a traditional garden bed is a perfect choice. Consider the space required to plant the types of plants you desire and take time to assess your ability to care for them in that area.

b. Gardening Tools

Basic Tools:

To effectively care for your plants, you will need to prepare some essential tools. These tools help you work quickly and efficiently. Basic tools include:

• Shovel: For digging, mixing soil, and making planting holes.
• Rake: For loosening soil, removing weeds, or gathering soil.
• Pruning Shears: For trimming branches and promoting healthy plant growth.
• Watering Can: To water plants evenly and maintain the necessary moisture levels.

Optional Tools:

• Gloves: Protect your hands from scratches and dirt while gardening.
• Fertilizer Bags: To easily and accurately apply fertilizer.
• Shade Nets: Used to protect plants from intense sunlight during summer, especially for shade-loving plants.

c. Soil and Fertilizer

Suitable Soil Types:

Soil is a crucial factor that determines plant growth. Depending on the type of plant, you can choose the appropriate soil. Common soil types include:

• Loam Soil: Suitable for most plants, retains water well, and has high nutrient content.
• Sandy Soil: Drains well, ideal for plants that need well-drained soil like tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Nutrient-Rich Soil: Choose soil that contains plenty of organic matter, helping plants absorb essential nutrients.

Choosing Fertilizer:

Fertilizer provides necessary nutrients to plants. There are two basic types of fertilizers:

• Organic Fertilizer: Worm castings, manure, or green fertilizer are natural and safe for plants. They improve soil quality and provide long-term nourishment.
• Synthetic Fertilizer: Easy to use and provides all the nutrients plants need. However, it’s important to apply the correct amount to avoid damaging the plants.

d. Water

Ensuring a Stable Water Source:

Plants need water to grow, so it’s important to ensure a reliable water source. Unclean or inconsistent water supply can negatively affect plant growth.

Using Drip Irrigation or Watering Can:

To save water and maintain even moisture for plants, you can use drip irrigation or a watering can with a mist nozzle. These methods help water plants efficiently and prevent root rot.

e. Choosing Plants

For Beginners:

If you are new to gardening, start with easy-to-care-for plants that grow well in simple conditions. Plants like lettuce, tomatoes, chrysanthemums, or cacti are great choices. These plants require minimal care and adapt easily to various soil types and environments.

Research Plant Characteristics:

Before planting, take time to learn about each type of plant you want to grow. Understand the plant’s light requirements (how much or how little), its water needs, and the time it takes to harvest. Knowing the specific needs of each plant will help you care for them better and ensure effective harvests