Building a small garden in your backyard isn’t as hard as you might think

Today’s guest post comes to us from Ann Katelyn of SumoGardener.com, and she writes about building a small garden in your backyard. She covers everything from soil preparation, seeds, choosing an optimal location and much more.

One of our first posts on Windy Pinwheel was about building a raised garden bed in your backyard, so this one strikes us very near and dear to our hearts.

Thanks for the great post about building a small garden in your backyard, Ann.

Enjoy.
– Will

Tips to Build Beautiful Small Gardens Quickly

Are you thinking of building a small garden in your backyard? Did you know that it is possible? If you are one of the many people considering building a small garden in your backyard, then knowing the tips to building beautiful small gardens quickly is essential, for you to be able to start planting your seeds and growing them immediately.

Having your garden, no matter how small or big it is, is fun because you get to grow the plants that you like. It ‘d be good to look out the window and see how beautiful your backyard is with all the colorful flowers that you have. No matter how small or big your yard is, you will surely be able to get the garden that you want for yourself to build your own personal oasis of relaxation when you look out into your yard.

Here are the tips to build a beautiful small gardens quickly:

1. Think of the type of garden you want
   The first thing that you need when building a small garden in your backyard is to decide about the kind of garden that you want for yourself. You can opt to have a garden that is full of vegetables, or you can also choose to have flowers in your garden. Of course, if you prefer to have both then you should know that it is necessary for you to divide your garden into two parts, for you to be able to have an area to plant your vegetables and flowers.
   

   

2. Choosing an area in your backyard
   The next thing that you need to do is to select an area in your yard where you want to start growing. It is important to choose an area where the soil is rich and one that can easily drain. You need to avoid areas in your backyard where the water is taking too long to drain, as this only means that plants will have a hard time growing since the soil is clay or too soggy.

   Now, if you don’t have good soil in your backyard then creating raised beds will do. Raised beds, like this one on Amazon will also allow you to grow vegetables and flowers and are usually built on the top part of the soil so you can control the quality of your soil that you are using.

3. Start Designing the Small Garden
   Since you only need a small garden, this means that you don’t have to use your entire backyard when building a small garden in your backyard. You need to create your garden depending on the plants that you are going to grow as it will usually dictate the amount of space you need. For instance, if you are growing vegetables, you need to make sure that you will be able to harvest them once they fully ripen.

   For flower gardens, on the other hand, it would be best to choose flower colors that will look great together and fit perfectly. You may also choose to create a pattern out of the flowers that you are planning to grow. Of course, don’t expect them to bloom all at once, especially if you plant different types of flower seeds. So, plan for that when building a small garden in your backyard that focuses on flowers.

   

4. Preparing the grden supplies
   Now you can start preparing the garden supplies that you need when building a small garden in your backyard. Of course, this includes the gardening soil, seeds, topsoil, soil fertilizer, compost, soil tilling stuff, spade, shovel, garden hose, and fencing materials if needed. You will need all these things to prepare the garden for the planting, which is why it is necessary to get them before you even start planting the seeds that you have in mind.
   
5. Preparing the soil in Your garden
   The soil tiller should be used to break the garden soil that you have. It would be best to work the ground to up to 12 inches in depth. You also need to make sure that the ground is loose and don’t have clumps that are large. Any solid objects that you see should be separated from the soil that you want to be prepared for planting and fertilizing. Using soil mix or mulch are quick ways for planting in garden beds.
6. Start planting your chosen seeds
   

   

   Now that you have prepared your small garden, it would be the best start digging holes using the spade. Always make sure that the holes are an inch apart from each other and as deep as possible.

7. Fertilize the soil as needed
   Applying fertilizer will depend on the plants that you have planted in your garden. You can check the packaging of the seeds and learn whether or not it needs to be fertilized more often. The reason behind this is because there are plants that require a lot of fertilizers, while there are some that don’t require too much.
8. Watering your garden well
   

   

   Of course, for your plants to be able to grow well, you need to water your garden generously. Some people prefer watering by a sprinkler since a sprinkler will ensure that you will be watering every part of your garden.

We hope you find these helpful when building a small garden in your backyard beautifully and quickly, so you can instantly start planting the vegetables and flowers that you want when creating the backyard oasis of your dreams.

About the Guest Post Author

Ann Katelyn is the owner of SumoGardener.com. She has dedicated most of her life to a passion for gardening. It is the subject she enjoys the most. Since then, she is committed to developing her website to be the best guidance when it comes to taking care of flowers and plants. She is seeking to become an expert on plants found in desert areas, tropics and even in Mediterranean climates. On her site, you can expect to find information about gardening, the best tools and materials to use and even information about the seasons and weather conditions.

Gardening with kids can be an experience rich with learning, fun and quality time for your entire family. It can be as simple as a few containers of flowers all the way up to a full vegetable and fruit garden that feeds your entire family.

When: Spring through Fall

Where: Your own backyard, patio or a community garden

What: Growing your own vegetables, flowers, fruits, herbs, etc. can be a fun adventure but can also take a lot of time and teach your children patience while they wait for everything to grow. Have your children keep a weekly log of the changes they see.

How to dress and what to bring: Make sure you cover up with sunscreen and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Grab a pair of comfortable canvas or leather gloves and shoes that clean up easily.

Need to know:  The seasons in Northern Nevada can vary each year.

Extra Extra: For some extra fun, get your children smaller size shovels and a little watering can so they can help.

Dad’s Take: Dads can get into the mix by building something with our own bare hands.

“Arrh, arrh, arrh!”

For starters, try building a raised garden bed. Some detailed plans can be found at www.sunset.com. We build one in our own backyard. Take a look at the results below in our gallery.

Website/Contact Information: http://www.nvdm.org