Whether you have a large backyard or a cozy balcony, your space has the potential to be a lush garden of flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Here's what you need to know to succeed with backyard gardening.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Gardening in urban areas has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. City folks have embraced backyard gardening and even dabble in urban homesteading in their quest for organic and locally sourced produce.
According to NPR, the pandemic has led more Americans to start gardening than ever before. And in Canada, a recent Dalhousie University study found that over half of Canadians grow at least one fruit or vegetable in their backyard gardens.
Maybe you're setting your first gardening goals, trying apartment homesteading, or learning how much to plant to feed your family.
Whatever the case, don't wait to secure your family's food supply by following these backyard gardening basics.
Maximize Your Space
Using every inch of your space will help you maximize the plant volume and variety. If you have a small area like a balcony or terrace, vertical gardening might be your home gardening solution. It will let you grow more plants than your square footage traditionally produces.
Need more ideas for a small backyard garden? Look up.
Examples of vertical gardening include hanging baskets, window boxes, trellis, and even clay pots stacked on rebar. You can also grow your vegetables and enjoy time in a cool backyard garden.
Whatever the size of your gardening space, ensure it receives direct sunlight. You want at least 5 - 6 hours of direct sunlight daily and some protection from the wind.
Plants in a vertical garden tend to dry out a little faster because they are more exposed to the wind and sun. Keep your plants well-watered and protected from harsher elements while they're small.
Interested in building your own vertical garden this spring? Check out Oklahoma State or the University of Florida's in-depth resources about creating different types of vertical gardens.
And by the way, you don't need to spend an arm and a leg to get the backyard garden look you want. Get creative and look for backyard landscaping ideas on a budget.
Learn About Nutrients
Whether you are planting in a garden bed or pots, always be aware of the nutrients in your soil. In your backyard vegetable garden, rotate the planting area of certain crops each year or two. That way, the natural nutrients in the soil don’t become depleted.
If you live in a densely populated urban area, be wary of planting directly in your yard's soil. The soil in urban areas may be contaminated with harmful toxins, most notably lead, arsenic or mercury.
These toxins are the unfortunate byproduct of pollution in the 20th century. For example, lead was spewed through our cities by gasoline fumes before the introduction of unleaded gasoline.
Use one of these basic soil testers to test your soil for the basics, like pH level and moisture. However, this simple test won't detect contaminants.
To test for toxins, take a sample of your soil and research nearby universities or government agencies that perform soil testing. Most will do it for free.
Some people prefer to build raised gardens to avoid the issue of contaminated soil altogether. A raised garden allows you to fill it with fresh soil, like a cold-frame garden or a cinder-block garden.
Get Composting
Learn how to create the best at-home composting system.
Adding compost will help regenerate nutrients in the soil. It also provides a useful way for you to dispose of old leaves, kitchen compost, animal manure, and other organic matter.
Compost or fertilizer should also be used for potted plants since the soil in a self-contained vessel has a limited source of nutrients.
Best Plants for Backyard Gardening
Once you’ve designed the layout of your garden, it’s time to choose what to plant. The ideal plants for your backyard garden will depend on the local climate, growing season, and other factors, so make sure you know the growing requirements of the seeds you plant.
Certain fruits and vegetables, such as cucumber, tomatoes, beans, carrots, and lettuce, are great for beginners because they’re easy to grow and produce a high yield in a small space.
Are you planning your vegetable garden to secure your food supply or cut costs to become more financially self-sufficient? If so, you'll first need to determine how much to plant per person.
If you want a continuous harvest, stagger your planting cycles so you always have some fresh edibles ready to go. Also, make use of your garden's natural features and microclimates.
Tip: Got a problem with deer? Plant hot peppers for a deer-proof garden.
Keep Detailed Backyard Gardening Records
Now that you have decided when and what to plant start keeping detailed records of your garden. You want to keep track of where and what you planted and the date from seed to harvest.
Detailed record-keeping using a free garden planner allows you to track your successes and make room for improvement year-over-year.
You will start to notice certain varieties of plants doing better in your garden than others, which will help you decide what to plant the following year.
As with any garden, you should always watch for birds and critters eager to eat your tasty plants before harvest.
Depending on the layout and plant varieties, a simple gardening mesh over your plants will do the trick.
Another simple way to deter most animals and insects is to sprinkle cayenne pepper around your garden or mix it with water to spray on your plants.
Don't Use City Water in Your Backyard Garden!
Lastly, avoid using tap water in your garden. The chlorine in city water can burn your plants and have other adverse effects.
Use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden; you will always have natural, accessible water ready to use.
If you don’t have space for one, fill up a container with tap water and let it sit outdoors for a day or two. Most of the chlorine and chemicals will settle or evaporate.
Following these backyard gardening basics makes starting your own easier than you think.
Remember to plan it out, pick the right seeds for your conditions, and keep good records of your trial and error. Your garden will only get better year after year.
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