APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS… AND WEEDS HERE IN CHICAGO. IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON STARTING A GARDEN, WE HAVE SOME HELPFUL TIPS TO HELP EVERYTHING YOU GROW BLOSSOM AND BLOOM.
PLAN YOUR LAYOUT
BEFORE YOU PICK UP THE SHOVEL AND START THROWING SEEDS INTO THE GROUND, TAKE SOME TIME TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPACE FOR YOUR GARDEN. FIND A PLACE IN YOUR YARD THAT GETS 6-8 HOURS OF SUNLIGHT EACH DAY AND ONE THAT IS CLOSE TO A WATER SOURCE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO PLANT DIRECTLY INTO THE GROUND OR USE RAISED BEDS.
USE THE RIGHT SOIL
DON’T USE POTTING SOIL OR SOIL YOUR LANDSCAPER LEFT LYING AROUND. WE RECOMMEND STARTING WITH A GOOD ORGANIC VEGGIE MIX, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON STARTING A VEGETABLE GARDEN.
AS YOUR GARDEN GROWS EACH YEAR, FORTIFY YOUR SOIL WITH ORGANIC FERTILIZER, LEAF COMPOST, OR COMPOSTED MANURE. BY ADDING SEVERAL INCHES OF THESE LATE SPRING AND EARLY FALL, YOUR SOIL WILL BE ENRICHED AND THE GARDENING PROCESS WILL BE SUSTAINABLE.
TEND TO, BUT DON’T OVER-TEND TO YOUR GARDEN
MANY FIRST-TIME GARDENERS MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE. THEY WILL WATER THEIR GARDEN TOO OFTEN, PULL “WEEDS” THAT ARE ACTUALLY SEEDLINGS, AND OVERUSE FERTILIZER.
TO ENSURE A GREAT CROP, YOU’LL WANT TO WATER OFTEN–ABOUT THREE TIMES A WEEK. HOWEVER, IF THE PLANTS ARE SEEDLINGS, YOU’LL WANT TO WATER THEM TWICE A DAY TO HELP ENSURE PROPER GROWTH.
MAKE SURE THE SOIL STAYS MOIST AND FRESH, NEVER DRY. BUT, DON’T BE AFRAID TO SOMETIMES LEAVE YOUR GARDEN BE.
HAVE FUN
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS TO HAVE FUN WITH YOUR GARDEN. DON’T COMPARE IT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS’ GARDENS OR THINK OF IT AS A SPORT. SOME YEARS YOUR PLANTS WILL FLOURISH, OTHERS YOU’LL SEEM TO FAIL, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS ENJOY THE TIME YOU SPEND CREATING, PLANTING, AND TENDING TO YOUR GARDEN.
HAPPY PLANTING, CHICAGO!