As a beginner gardener, the very first thing you need to do is to decide where the garden will be placed.
When space is limited, the container garden is the best choice or you could use small raised beds. When space is not a problem, you have to consider harvesting, weeding, planting and more. You also have to think about the best zone to start a garden, how much life you will have access to and more.
Since gardening can be stressful if you do not know much about it, progrow.co.uk recommends the following when you think about where the garden should be placed.
Location
Physical location has to be considered. In order to make a very good choice, you have to think about some important things. These are:
- Urban Or Rural?
This can drastically influence the decision. Country living often means that you have access to many open areas for sun availability, plot planning and your plants. It is not at all difficult to create a larger garden than what you initially thought because of the extra space. However, this does not mean you need to fill the entire space.
In an urban setting, more factors have to be considered. There are also extra challenges because urban spaces are smaller, just like available growing space. Soil availability is reduced and light is limited. That is why you often need to be very careful when you plan the garden.
- Zone
The growing zone that you live in and the way in which it is affected by the local weather are very important, just like garden placement. Growing zones are different from one another based on elevation, longitude, latitude and how far they are from a suitable water source.
Obviously, you can check the zone on a map but you can also calculate the high and low temperatures around your home with a thermometer. This should be done in advance. You need to know how the temperatures are affected by obstacles and wind so you can build a wall whenever it is necessary.
- Shade vs Sun
Most vegetables thrive when there is full sun exposure and need indirect or direct light in order to produce and grow. The advantage of this is that there are plants that will struggle when a lot of heat is produced so you can control placement. This is very easy to do with a barrier.
If there are areas that have deep shade, most vegetables should not be planted there. Remember that all plants need light when they grow. Due to this, aim for your vegetables to gain full access to a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight. When this is not possible, you should only plant the crops that properly tolerate shade.
Final Thoughts
In many circumstances, it is difficult to choose a proper location for your vegetable garden. If you have any doubt, the best thing that you can do is discuss it with an experienced gardener. You will surely find one that can help you near where you live.
