The cost of living is high, and the cost of our sedentary, hyper-industrialized lifestyles to the environment is higher. Over time, we have come up with different ways to help tackle the latter issue. From paper bags to steel straws, humans are doing now, more than ever, to try and save the environment.
Something that addresses both the aforementioned problems, however, is a home garden. Home gardens can be beneficial for many reasons. Be it to add a tinge of color to your view, or growing veggies that you use in your cooking, there is seemingly no reason not to get a home garden if you have the space.
Even if space is a concern, many are now investing in new-age tech like building vertical gardens to cope with space limitations.
The most important step in any new task is the preparation. Here are some points you should keep in mind while you embark on your home garden journey.
Consider the Environmental Conditions Around You
Shopping for anything, including a home garden, is an exhilarating affair. But before you head out to the seed store, consider the location you are living in, and what flora will thrive in those conditions.
Several factors affect plant growth, including the temperature, humidity, the amount of sunlight there is, and more. Taking these factors into account will help you lay the foundation for a thriving garden.
Choosing Fertilizer and Herbicides
Choosing the right type of fertilizer for your home garden is essential. You also have to consider additional factors like your own health, since some fertilizers and herbicides have been found to have adverse effects on human health. Take the Roundup Lawsuit for example.
Roundup is a herbicide or weed killer previously designed for commercial use, with the company later releasing versions for personal use. It was found that the primary component in Roundup, called glyphosate, is linked to an increase in cancer risk.
TorHoerman Law notes that the lawsuit is filed against BayerAG and Monsanto with claims that the company knowingly misled customers, failing to inform them about the risks their product carried.
The Roundup lawsuit payouts and settlement amounts highlight how serious the toxic effects of Roundup were. Estimates for the settlement amounts for those suffering from cancer stand at $160,000 on average, with individual payouts ranging from $5000 to $250,000.
Another point to note is that while chemical fertilizers are absorbed by plants much quicker, organic fertilizer takes a few weeks to get going.
Picking Between Seeds or Transplants
Going the seed route appears fairly straightforward. You pick up seeds for the plants you want, and into your garden patch they go. However, there are a few factors to consider. While seeds can be more affordable, they don’t always successfully sprout. Alternatively, some seeds could take a long time to sprout.
Some home gardeners choose to germinate their seeds before they go into the soil. There are many ways to do this, though a common method followed is using a paper towel.
Wet your paper towel before placing the seed in it. Now, take the paper towel and place it in a ziplock bag. Place the bag somewhere warm and monitor your seeds for sprouting. Once you have germinated seeds, you can go ahead and lay them in the garden.
Keep in mind that this process might be equally effortful if you have a relatively bigger garden.
The second method is using transplants. Known as transplanting, this method includes taking a sapling, or full plant and moving it into your garden. You can find these plants at your local nursery. Here, the nursery has done some of the hard work for you, and you can simply relocate your saplings to their new home.
Transplanting is beneficial in cases where plants are not easy to germinate. Tomatoes and peppers are a good example. They can, however, be more expensive than direct seeding.
Getting a Soil Test
Getting a soil test is considered to be a great way to ensure a healthy garden. Common soil contaminants like arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cadmium, and others can make the soil toxic and put your health at risk of cancer and other health effects over time. Contaminants like asbestos, lead, and petroleum products are also common culprits.
Bad soil isn’t good for your plants either. Polluted soil has high amounts of salinity, rendering it unfit for healthy growth. Even if plants manage to grow from this type of soil, consuming them could have adverse effects on your health.
You can also look to ascertain the amount of organic matter, sand, and clay in your soil. You can use this information to determine the pH level of your soil and take steps to remedy any deficiencies.
A soil test can be acquired by paying a small fee via your local USDA cooperative extension service office.
Conclusion
A home garden is a great way for you to eat healthy (as long as you use organic materials), save some money, and have a lovely view to look out to each morning. While home gardens tick a lot of boxes, they take a bit of initial effort, and a trial-and-error process to get things going.
If your garden is not sprouting in the first go, do not give up. Take a step back, and try again, until you have successfully grown the home garden that you want.