How to Start a Garden in Your Tiny Home Backyard

Gardening is a wonderful hobby to take on. It gets you out in the sun, physically active, and gives you the chance to help create something. All of these things are of great benefit to your health. While you may be more accustomed to the idea of expansive gardens, that isn’t the only way to go. You can start a garden in the backyard of your own tiny home.

Build a Garden Bed

No matter what size your garden will end up being, you need to set aside or create some space for it in some way. Carving out a plot in your yard can be a good option, especially if you build a garden bed. You can build one yourself out of wood if you enjoy a good DIY project. Once you have your frame built, you’ll need to remove the grass from the area where you intend your garden to be. At that point, you’ll be ready to start adding soil, watering, and planting.

Think about What You Want to Grow

Before you regularly get started with the planting part, though, you need to think about what you want to grow. Do you want a flower garden? Some attractive shrubbery? What about a produce garden? Maybe you want a blended garden with flowers and vegetables. There are a ton of different options when it comes to choosing what to grow. Of course, if you want to have a good chance of success, it’s important to take into account what growing zone you live in, what grows well in that zone, and when to plant. It’s always worth considering growing plants that are native to your area, as these tend to require less maintenance and do well in your typical climate conditions.

Get Your Soil Ready

After you’ve got your plan figured out and you have your frame built, it’s time to get the soil ready for planting. Quality soil is typically composed of a mix of nutrient-dense soil and compost. Depending on the type of soil you have, you may need to look into additions that can help balance their nutrient composition. This will help you create soil that can help nourish your garden and make it thrive.

Protect Your Garden

Gardens may seem idyllic from the outside, but the reality is much harsher. Your garden is under constant threat from weeds and pests. If left unattended, these threats can easily overwhelm your garden and destroy it. Think of yourself as not only your garden’s cultivator but also its protector and guardian. You can naturally suppress weeds by using mulch in your garden. Adding a mesh frame over your garden can help protect it from rodents and birds. Make sure you take a close look at your plants regularly to spot and remove any insects and bugs that might try to make a meal of your garden.

Plan for Different Growing Seasons

Figuring out what you want to plant is only the beginning of the research you need to do if you want to have a successful garden. After you’ve figured out what you want to plant, you need to learn when to plant them. The year is often broken up into different growing seasons, with some plants living their best lives during cooler spring temperatures, while others thrive in the summer heat. To have a great garden throughout the year, you’ll need to know what grows best and when. That can help you create a plan that allows you to plant portions of your garden in stages, ensuring beauty and vitality throughout the seasons.

Spacing Your Plants

One of the reasons why it’s so important to have a plan for what you want to plant is because each type of plant has its own needs in terms of space between itself and other plants. Some plants don’t need much space, while others are a lot less willing to share. Take space requirements into account as you plan out what you want to plant and where you want different elements of your garden to go. Keep in mind that as you plant your seeds you may initially space them closer together than what the spacing for the mature plants would dictate. As your garden grows from seed to seedling, you’ll need to thin your plants to make sure each aspect of your garden has the space it needs to thrive.

Pick the Right Spot for Your Plants

In addition to making sure you’ve appropriately spaced your plants, planning what you want to have in your garden is essential for making sure you know the best spots to place them. Different plants have different needs in terms of sun exposure. Full sun vegetables need lots of sun while others do better in the shade. Keep in mind the exposure your plants will have to the wind and rain as well. If the plants you’ve chosen for your garden need more shelter, you’ll need to plan their positions around that as well.

Remember Vertical Space

Most people tend to think of gardens as horizontal endeavors. If your backyard is like your home in terms of the amount of available space, you may find yourself far more limited than you would like to be. In that case, consider trying your hand at vertical gardening. You’ve probably got a lot more vertical space than you do horizontal space, so this can be a great way to let your inner gardener loose. There are plenty of plants that thrive in vertical gardens, so you don’t need to feel like you’re limited to just a few choices. Get creative and let yourself innovate. You may find you enjoy this new take on gardening.

Gardens can be cultivated in virtually any amount of space, given some creativity and innovation. If you want to successfully start a garden in the backyard of your tiny home, start by doing some research and creating a plan. That will help you figure out what to do to cultivate a successful garden that will be a true joy.

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