Gardening basics

It's that time of year when it's fun to be outdoors. Why not take grow some greens? Richa Pant in Lucknow guides you in the first of a series of articles

The weather is cooling by the day. What better time than now to start a garden. Gardening is one of the coolest and most popular hobbies around.

It gives you a real sense of satisfaction when you see the plants, flowers or vegetables you have planted growing and flourishing. (It gives you an excuse to wear silly hats that keep the sun off your neck.)

You can even invite your friends and have fun gardening together and hanging out with other gardeners who will appreciate your silly hats!

Gardening is a passion, and at the end of the day you will find that your soul has been nourished and your spirit rejuvenated. Not to mention that you will be showered with praise by others for the beautiful garden you have created.

The First Step:

Planning Your Garden
Any time is a good time to start a garden. But planning is essential before you start. A well-planned garden is easier to care for. It saves time later and is more 'fruitful' and productive than an unplanned one.

Start small. Small is a relative term, because even in an area of only 100 square feet, even your balcony, you can plant a lot more than you think.

For example, a large flowering tree, a smaller flowering tree, a few shrubs, dozens of foliage plants, a few flowering plants and some lawn cover.

Small gardens are easy to manage, and by starting on a small scale you'll quickly learn gardening basics such as weed control, pest and disease control, watering requirements, etc.and so on without being overwhelmed. As your confidence and abilities increase, so can garden size.

Sketch a garden plan on paper: This will give you a guide for planting. It will be the master guide for your garden project ahead.

Mark your territory: To mark the perimeter of your garden, use a string attached to stakes, or use a garden hose. To keep grass from growing into the garden, use a border - plastic, metal, wood, stone or even a plain trench will serve this purpose.

Location: Try to situate your garden in an area that gets at least six hours of sun a day, preferably like a spot that faces either south or southeast, and gets at least six hours of sun a day. Your garden should also be conveniently placed near the house and a water source, and away from big mature trees as their roots could invade your soil.

Air circulation: Avoid keeping plants beside solid walls or fences, to reduce the likelihood of fungal diseases.

Layout: Determine which areas enjoys full sun, partial sun or shade. You'll be choosing plants according to their requirements. For example, plants with green foliage generally prefer shade, while those with flowers prefer sunlight.

Tools: Buy basic garden tools including pruners, a shovel, rake, pickax and hand trowel.

Visit the garden regularly: If you just spend 10 minutes a day wandering around your garden - say, early in the morning - you'll form an invaluable bond with everything that grows.

And along the way, you might stop and pull a few weeds, see a plant in need of water, spot some pests, etc.

The writer is a freelancer based in India