Garden tips for beginners

Starting a new garden is really exciting but before you dive in, first decide where the garden should be and what you want to grow. Planning ahead for your garden is so important as it will save time and money.

• What are your aims/needs for your home? Is your goal container growing, growing herbs, a kitchen garden, chooks, fruit trees, a flower garden, a relaxation or meditation place or a kid’s play area?
• How many hours each week could you spend on your garden? It’s a good idea to create a garden that can be cared for in the time you have available.
• Do you know where there’s sunshine in the garden? Aim for about six hours of sunlight each day.
• Where’s the water tap located? Make sure it is nice and close to your garden to make it easy to access water and hoses.
• If you are growing a kitchen garden, what fresh foods do you enjoy? It is always a good idea to make a list.

The answers to these questions will help with your garden planning and it’s important to know these things before you start digging in. If you have a plan of your property, make a few sketches in pencil on the plan to mark out where you’d like the gardens to be placed. Give some thought to this as you may find there’ll need to be a few adjustments made before you start building the gardens.

What to keep in mind as you grow

• Dream BIG! Include everything that your family would like to have and mark it on your plan.
• Start small and work in a way that you can manage, remembering how many hours can be dedicated to your gardens.
• Always consider the environment and make sustainable choices. Reduce the use of chemicals and non-organic fertilisers. Try growing organically — it’s the best for us and the earth.
• Set realistic goals.
• Learn as much as you can, which includes making mistakes as well as learning from your mistakes.
• Enjoy yourself — this must be FUN, not a chore.
• Get the kids involved! Your kids may love to garden, so get their hands dirty and grow yummy food. They’re also more inclined to eat something that they’ve grown themselves.

Once you have a simple plan of where you’d like the garden to be and what you would love to grow, you can then start creating your beautiful gardens… That’s when the fun begins!

More gardening tips

Grow your own herbs
Start your own DIY winter veggie patch
Grow herbs indoors