If you are planning on growing some vegetables or flowers, we have a few tips on building a garden for the New Year.
Although the weather outside at this time of year doesn’t really encourage growth, if you have any aspirations to grow anything in the coming year now is the time to start preparing. You won’t be able to put anything into the ground for several months still, but if you are thinking about creating or building a garden for the New Year, you should think about what you want to plant and how you want to plant it.
You’ll also need to decide on how much of a garden you want. If your ambitions are low, you can dedicate a small piece of your yard to growing select vegetables, or you can get help and create a larger setup involving a greenhouse or an outside area with some form of irrigation. You can even build something more ambitious. But whatever you choose and whenever you choose to grow it, now is the time to start making plans (be sure to consult seasonal guides to know what you can plant and when).
Keep it Simple
If you want to grow just a few vegetables you can stake out a small area in your front or backyard and simply start digging – or at least plan to dig. The ground will probably remain too cold to properly dig until spring, but you should start thinking about where you want it to go.
Once you have an area in mind, you may want to think about a border of some sort, for aesthetics if nothing else. Bricks make an easy and stylish border, although a raised plastic border half buried can serve too. Decorative stones are a good addition as well, but they will raise the price.
Once the weather warms up enough, you should dig down several inches, enough to clear out any weeds. Once that is done, you can add landscape fabric to prevent them from coming back. Fill the rest with new soil and plant when the season begins. If this is your first foray into gardening, choose plants and flowers that are sturdy and can thrive without much help. Save the delicate vegetation for when you feel more comfortable.
Elevated Garden Beds
A simple and effective way to create a garden is to build raised garden boxes. These boxes can be placed anywhere in the yard, and with a bit of paint, they can even offer some color to a yard.
Once the garden box is complete, it’s easy enough to put down some landscape fabric and fill the box with soil. After that, you can plant whatever you want, weather conditions permitting. The size of the box is up to you, but it should be a big enough box to grow enough vegetables to justify the effort, but small enough that it won’t crack under the pressure and the weight of the soil. Choose the wood you use wisely and reinforce it.
Create a Full Garden Outside
While it’s easy to think to yourself that all you need for a full garden is the space, there’s more to it than that. To really have a full, working garden you also need to factor in things like drainage, irrigation, proper lighting, and a well-planned plant/harvest cycle.
You’ll need plenty of space to pull this off, enough to grow multiple types of vegetables. You may also need special garden tools and growing apparatus. That might include tomato cages, wires for vines, and more. You will also need to consider access. Create stone or tile pathways in and out of the garden to avoid stomping through mud and potentially over growing vegetation. You may want to consult with an expert before attempting this type of set up.
Convert Another Room
If you really want to garden year-round, you might consider converting an existing room, or part of a room into a nursery. Basements and attics work well, as will garages (although the temperature might be an issue), but you will need special equipment and the time to continually monitor the new growth. If you have a room that receives plenty of light and isn’t already in heavy use, you might be able to turn it into an indoor garden with a little work.
Vegetables might be difficult to grow – or at least more difficult to grow than they are worth – but growing flowers indoors with a proper hydroponic setup can help develop new variations and crossbreeds. There will be plenty of additional costs though, including a significant bump to the electric bill. But if you have an area with light, you can keep it simple and install or place metal shelves that won’t trap light, hanging baskets, and even indoor garden boxes. Just make sure the floor can get a little messy if necessary (this shouldn’t be a major problem, but you won’t want to use carpet).
Build a Greenhouse
If you want to go up a notch, maybe up several notches, then you should consider building a greenhouse.
There are several types of greenhouses, and you’ll need to take into account the weather you typically receive and how long you intend to garden. Greenhouses can be used year-round with a little bit of effort, but you’ll need to combat the temperatures. To do so you’ll need access to power in order to run heaters, and that also means you’ll need good drainage – you do not want to run heaters near standing puddles of water.
Once you have a greenhouse built, then you need to determine how the vegetables should be planted. You can use garden beds, dig directly into the ground, build shelves to place vegetation, or a combination of them all. From there just keep an eye on your project and you should be able to grow year-round.
Consult the Experts
If you need to do any landscaping for your yard or you want to build something to help with your growing, you might want to consult an expert. Contact Fleschner Construction now to see how we can help!