By: Zoe Corella
There are a many types of home gardening which include raised bed, in ground, and container gardening. My back yard came with a raised bed garden built in, so that is the method I chose, but you can do whatever is accessible to you.
In a raised bed you have a wooden box that contains soil and holds your plants. In ground gardening is where you plant your plants directly into the flat soil outside. And container gardening is when you plant a plant into a pot.
It is very important to look up what plants are in season for your area. Here is a link to a guide on when to plant in California!
After seeing what’s in season, decide what you will plant! You can choose to plant fruits, vegetables, herbs, palms, succulents, house plants, flowers, etc. There are so many options out there so you can really make your garden unique!
Home Depot sells plants that have already been started for very low prices. Since it was my first time trying gardening I bought a medium sized tomato plant from Home Depot for $6. Be careful when selecting plants from big stores like Home Depot, as some of them might be damaged.
It is also important to buy potting soil for your new plants. Whether you start from a seed or a pre-started plant, they will need nutritious soil. I bought a bag of potting soil from Home Depot for $7.
You may also consider investing in some fertilizer for your plants. If your growing veggies, you could look into some fish and seaweed fertilizer (careful, it smells really bad!). I bought a fish and seaweed fertilizer for my tomatoes and peppers for $12. Make sure not to over-fertilize your soil because the sodium can erode your plants and do them more damage then good (sadly speaking from experience). Also, if your staring from a seed, seedlings don’t need fertilizer for the first month of growth!
Although it is exciting to have new plant babies, it is important to not over water them, as they can turn yellow and eventually die (also speaking from experience).
And lastly, be mindful of what kind of lighting your plant needs! Excessive light can fry your plant’s leaves, and not enough light can leave your plant droopy and sad.
Gardening has brought me joy, relief, and a bit of frustration, but most of all it is teaching me to have patience. In a time where everything is centered on instant gratification, gardening will really humble you. I have found gardening a very effective means of self care. It is sometimes difficult for me to care for myself like I do for others. But while gardening I like to imagine that I am watering and caring for myself, and this has been a truly special and healing experience for me.