How to Feed Your Family With a Backyard Garden
Food is only getting more expensive – not to mention increasingly laden with pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals involved in commercial food production. Using your backyard space to grow fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to avoid chemicals, save money by preparing healthy food when you work from home, support the environment, and improve the quality of meals your family consumes.
And it doesn’t take much to get started, either. With a shovel, a few packets of seeds, and plenty of patience, your family can enjoy a fresh harvest next year! Here are some tips and resources from Best Garden Sites to help you start planning a productive garden for the coming spring.
Prepare Your Backyard
Make use of the fall and winter to prepare your yard and garden for planting come spring. This is a great time to do some landscaping and pick out a spot for your garden!
- Examine the properties and landscapes available in your area for inspiration about what plants might work well.
- Look for local landscapers near you for help creating a welcoming and functional outdoor space.
- Talk to your landscaping professional about incorporating elements of native landscaping for a garden that’s well adapted to your local climate.
- Choose a garden location in your yard that gets 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight every day.
- Make sure you keep those receipts, since any work you do might have the added benefit of raising your home's appraisal value!
Improve Your Garden Soil
Working in your garden can be an excellent way to relax, and it can also provide other benefits, too.
- Test your soil to find out which additional nutrients you need to promote plant growth.
- Amend your soil in the fall by adding raw organic material like shredded leaves.
- This is also a good time to add compost to your soil. Consider starting a compost pile in your yard if you haven’t already.
- Add mulch before winter to discourage weeds from growing and prevent soil erosion.
Using Your Garden
- Use your garden to offer a variety of learning opportunities for your children.
- Start with beginner-friendly vegetables like bush beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and summer squash.
- Consult online resources like Home Garden Hero for tips on dealing with common pests.
- Find plants that are appropriate for your regional climate. Discover how various plants can be turned into wonderful handcrafted gifts and products.
Growing a backyard garden is a great way to spend more time outdoors, get more use out of your yard space, and produce fresh food for your family. The fall and winter months are the perfect time to start planning your garden. Do some landscaping, prepare your soil, and start thinking about what you want to plant.
Best Garden Sites is here to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Let us know if you have any questions!