The summer sun shines through the blinds, casting a warm blanket upon your feet. Outside, the birds chirp lividly while the bees eager buzz from flower to flower. As temperatures climb to a humid 85 degrees speckled with light rain showers, you know it's the right time to fulfill your gardening desires. Whether you're going for a simple boxed garden bed or a complete crop field, starting your new hobby takes dedication and constant maintenance. However, the yields of beautiful tomatoes and eggplants grown straight from your backyard will be all worth the while.
1. Consider the soil quality.
The first aspect of having a thriving garden is soil quality. The soil must be the correct texture: a mixture of sand, silt, clay and organic material. Prepackaged and sold at your local hardware store such as Home Depot or Ace, Miracle-Grow is a cheap yet effective soil brand. Through personal experience, when the soil was first deposited, it had a fresh odor and soft feel along with a deep brown color As a beginner, this will help you achieve the perfect garden soil combo with years of composting and sifting!
2. How much sunlight is needed?
Though it depends on what you're going to plant, sunlight is critical as it is the main source of food for your plants! We've all heard the process of photosynthesis and how plants convert sunlight into sugar molecules for energy, but the type and amount of sunlight is also a major factor. On average, plants should receive six to eight hours of direct sunlight. Try to avoid planting in areas with trees or bushes since sunlight moves as the Earth rotates, minimizing your plants' precious source of life! A wide open space and flat land is the ideal location.
3. Amount of water differs for every plant.
Similarly, different plants need different amounts of water. The best hours to water are early in the morning so the plants will have time to absorb the water before evaporation begins with the rising sun. Additionally, it is recommended that you water from below the top of the plants, around the roots. Watering overhead can cause diseases such as fungal infections due to high moisture content and can virtually burn the plants as sunlight is refracted on the leaves. Finally, too much of anything is never good, so make sure you only water as needed!
4. These are the types of fertilizers to use.
Don't get me wrong. A home-grown garden is supposed to have free of the commercial chemicals and hormones! On the other hand, fertilizers are needed for some cases, but in this case, you will only be using organic fertilizers made from natural materials. Fish Immersion with Kelp is a commonly used fertilizer. It is cheap, mild and effective. Made from fermented fish, its natural component naturally ward of wandering pests and provide extra nutrients. On the downside, it must be applied frequently, so prepare to get your gloves on! Another example is "Garden Tone." It had different varieties for different plants, such as tomato and pepper tone. Filled with an organic balance of magnesium, potassium, nitrate and calcium, it can protect from diseases such as Blossom End Rot that attacks tomatoes.
As a beginner, you need to have plants that are highly adaptable, easily maintained and conveniently disease resistant. Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and cucumbers are some of the most commonly grown veggies. During this summer, my family and I have been blessed with buckets filled to the brim of ripe, sweet tomatoes, crispy cucumbers and fiery hot habaneros.
Here are four plants to get you started!
5. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are known to be highly adaptable crops able to be paired with a multitude of dishes ranging from pizza to soup. Heirloom Tomatoes come from a long line of family grown crops that have not been genetically engineered, yielding one of the most valuable pure breeds. They come in a variety of colors, sizes and tastes. Don't be intimidated by the cracks that commonly follow a newly formed tomato as our perception of "fresh veggies" consist only of the perfectly shaped chemical balls at the supermarket. The taste, texture and longevity are incomparable. Lemon Boy, Cherokee Purple and Pink Brandywine are other delicious bites.
6. Eggplants
From my garden, the Ichiban Japanese variety is by far the best eggplants I have ever tasted. The mineral rich skin and flavorful flesh have gone great with my mother's famous noodles, or you could simply dash on some soy sauce and sesame oil to create a tasty and refreshing summer meal. These grow In the slightly sunlight and are rather disease resistant. These are mostly found in Asian supermarkets and are renowned for fine cuisine. The Listada De Gandia is yet another eggplant imported from Spain. This is rarely seen in the United States and has a very special color and taste that cannot be found anywhere else.
6. Gourds
Surprise! This vegetable is not often found in American cuisine but have made a recent recurrence. Bottle Gourds, a cylinder shaped melons, have light-green smooth skin and white flesh, commonly known as the calabash. It has many healing properties and acts as an antioxidant. Its combination of vitamins and minerals have earned this produce a top rank in many ancient cultures, especially in Africa and China. With very low maintenance, the Bottle Gourd's only downfall is that they take up a lot of space as their leaves are one to two feet wide and can create a mass to over 10 feet, covering any poor shrub from sunlight. Other than that, you've got a new delicious dish waiting.
7. Peppers
Now, you're all set to start your gardening hobby once and for all! With the perfect materials, delicious produce and a handful of determination, I'm sure everything will turn out great. Good luck, happy gardening and lettuce turnip the beet!
