If you are a novice gardener, have no fear. You can still have a beautiful, hearty garden that you can be proud of this spring and summer. A&N Lawn Service, Inc., Pittsburgh’s premiere landscape service and garden center has a few tips to get you started.
Choose What You’d Like to Grow
The first tip is deciding what you would like to grow in your garden. Sometimes, beginners are so excited to get started that they plant every fruit, vegetable and herb they can find. Unfortunately, if you or your family won’t eat one of those crops, then your time and effort was all for naught. In addition to choosing crops you can enjoy, you need to choose ones that will do well in your region. Contacting experts at a garden and greenhouse center or lawn service near you, such as A&N Lawn Service, Inc., can help you determine the best plants for your area.
Determine the Location for your Garden
There are three things to help you pick the perfect location for your garden: the amount of sunlight required, access for care and the amount of foot and animal traffic. Greens, herbs and root vegetables can grow well in partial shade, but most fruits and vegetables need full sun. Choose an area that is easy to access for watering and picking, so that caring for your garden is simple. Be aware of children, wildlife and pets that may wander in your yard and ultimately, in your garden. You will want to choose a spot that doesn’t see much traffic.
Decide on the Type and Size of Garden Bed
It is best to plant your crops in beds or blocks rather than single rows. Then you can place plants in rows within the garden beds. This allows you to maximize growing space with limited walkways. Start small, so that you don’t have an overgrown garden that is difficult to tend to. Remember, seeds are small, but full-grown plants can get very large.
Invest in Garden Tools
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get great gardening tools, but you also don’t want to purchase plastic ones that won’t last you a season. Check out A&N Lawn Service, Inc.’s garden center in Pittsburgh for basic gardening equipment to get you started.
Test and Build your Soil
Before building your garden, you will need to know something about the soil you intend to use. Does it have basic nutrients? Is there a chance of contamination? Is your soil acidic, alkaline or neutral PH? Some of this can be determined by looking at the soil, but it may require a home or professional test.
Obviously plants need healthy, disease-resistant soil to grow and produce the fruits and vegetables that you had hoped for. As a rule of thumb, the majority of plants require a deep, well-drained, fertile soil rich in organic matter.
Seeds or Transplants
Depending on what you plan to grow, you will need to determine whether it is best to plant the seeds directly into the ground or as transplants. If you are not comfortable with growing your own transplants, stop by your local garden center in Pittsburgh to see what types they have.
Plant with Care and Nurture your Garden
Be sure to follow the instructions that come with your seed packets or transplant containers. They will direct you on the correct planting method. After you have planted your crops, make time in your schedule to tend to your garden. Weeding and watering are important, but be careful not to over or under water your plants. Plants need about one inch of water per week during the growing season.
Lastly, don’t forget to have fun. Enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor.
Pittsburgh Garden and Greenhouse near You
Pittsburgh’s A&N Lawn Service, Inc., located on Reis Run Road in Franklin Park, can help you with all of your gardening needs. The knowledge provided by the garden and greenhouse’s team is invaluable to the beginning gardener. In addition, A&N Lawn Service, Inc., has a variety of seeds and plants for sale. Stop by A&N Lawn Service today or call us at 412-931-9230.