For many people under the age of about 50, gardening is something the generation before did. They had room to do it. And time. But as the world has built upon itself time and time again over the past few decades, we find new housing in popular towns and cities being built with little or no green space. Of course, the occasional friend or relative will get up to a bit of 'gardening' on the kitchen window sill, growing a few peppers perhaps, and good on them. But for those of us who do have a little space and do want to develop more of a green thumb than a texting thumb, there are a few pointers that can set you on your way.
First, we must mention that not all gardening is clean sailing, with issues over the safety of some products making the news headlines recently. Information like this can give you an idea of the situation.
The Sun Shines Where it Shines
The sun moves across the sky throughout the day. Actually, the Earth rotates, giving the impression of a moving sun, but I digress. This means that before you begin any gardening project, you need to be aware of exactly where the sun does and doesn’t shine in your garden. This is important because some plants prefer the shade. See, we’re already learning some great gardening tips!
Soil is Key
If you fed a lion nothing but lettuce, you’d soon have a pretty sickly lion. Getting the food right for plants is equally as important, and that begins with nutrient-rich soil. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that whatever soil came with your house is probably perfect for the exact expectations you’re going to place on it. Soil is cheap. Buy good soil.
Know Your Zones
The world is split into horizontal bands, or ‘hardiness zones’. These things aren’t made up for the fun of it. They reflect the different climates that exist the further north or south you go from the equator. The advice here is simple: do your research. This introduction is far too short to go into all the details of the various zoning requirements of all the world's plants. Suffice to say that once you discover your zone, you will be able to buy plants that work well in that climate range, increasing the chances of your plants living long and happy lives.
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