Most of the secret to eating healthy and as green as possible is self-management and self-sufficiency. Therefore, having your own garden at home is perhaps much simpler than you think and it will not cost you money. That is why we tell you which are the best plants to start a garden at home and everything you need to make your own garden without problems.
How to start a garden at home?
To have your own garden at home, you just need the right information to take your first step. You should also know the keys to carry out the activities required for sowing and, of course, harvesting. Another important point is that growing your own at the beginning requires a lot of dedication and a lot of time. However, when the plants are fully grown, this will be greatly reduced.
What is needed to have a garden at home?
Anyone has the possibility of developing their own garden at home, since a large space is not required. So if you have a small spot on the balcony or a few pots hanging from the window, it will be more than enough. Essentially, you will only need to have three things:
A pot or container to place the soil:
If you live in a small house or an apartment, you can create a home garden using a few crates, small pots, baskets, and you can even use old containers. With 40 cm of depth it is enough for the plants to develop their roots correctly and have a good growth. But remember that the containers must have holes in the base to promote drainage.
Compost and soil:
This is so that the plants get all the nutrients they need for their development.
Seedlings or seeds:
You can choose either of the two options, but the most recommended are seeds of organic origin.
On the other hand, and if you have the availability, you will need to have other implements that will make the task of planting easier. For example:
– Trowel for pots
– sprinkler
– Watering can
– Gloves
What are the best plants for a home garden?
Now that you know what you need to make your own garden at home, what you should do at this time is choose the plants that you will use for your cultivation. There is a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and vegetables, but not all can be grown in the same climate. For this reason, we will show you which plants are best for a garden at home.
Tomatoes
Among the most popular plants for growing at home are tomatoes, a fruit that originates from Latin American countries. Specifically in various areas of Peru, Ecuador and northern Chile. Despite the fact that it is a fruit, people around the world cultivate this plant as a vegetable to prepare countless foods. But not only that, it is also very simple to grow, making it perfect for a home garden.
If you grow your own tomatoes and compare their flavor with one that you have bought in the market, you will notice that they have a very different flavor because they are organic. It is a food that offers many advantages for your health, since it contains many nutrients. Such as phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A, C, vitamin E and antioxidants, etc.
Tomato plants require a site with a lot of light and irrigation with a small amount of water, it being recommended that it be twice a week. Also, when placing them in the ground you must do it deeply, since it produces quite long roots. Regarding the leaves, it is important that you prevent them from touching the ground, otherwise they may develop diseases.
Peppers
This is one of the perfect plants for a home garden to grow in hot climates, as it is highly sensitive to cold.
As with tomatoes, pepper plants require a place with a lot of sun. Ideally, they should be sown using seeds and at a distance between each plant of approximately 40 cm. Of course, you must water these plants constantly, once you have grown the fruits, you will enjoy all the nutrients they have to offer you.
Cucumber
Cucumber is an excellent companion for salads, as you well know, and there is nothing better than having your own crop to enjoy them.
To sow them, it is recommended that you use seeds, they need a fairly warm climate, although they obtain greater development when temperatures are quite high. Therefore, this is an extremely cold-sensitive plant.
Regarding the soil, it needs enough depth for root production and loose soil. Besides, it is important to offer enough organic matter as food and watering must be frequent.
Onion
The onion is a food that is used for multiple preparations, of which it is consumed from the bulb to its leaves. It is considered one of the most important vegetables in the world.
It is a plant that grows very well in warm temperatures, but tolerates low temperatures. In the same way that it happens with the plants that we have mentioned, the onion needs a lot of sunlight.
It is best to plant them in soil that is loose and has a lot of organic matter to feed on. For their cultivation, there are several ways in which you can plant them. The first is through direct sowing with seeds, the second is by transplanting using small seedlings, and the third is by planting small bulbs.
Carrot
This is also one of the simplest plants to grow, and as you well know, it has many beneficial properties for your health. In the case of carrots, you should concentrate on keeping the soil moist, but when you see that they have started to grow, you can reduce the watering a bit.
Unlike the plants that we have mentioned, the carrot needs a cold or cool climate for its development. It requires a soil with a lot of organic matter and sufficient drainage. But it should also be located in an area with plenty of light.
There are two ways to grow carrot, through the seeds or using the top of a carrot that you are going to eat. Seeds are always recommended, but if you can’t get them, you can cut the top of a carrot, germinate it in water and then pass it to the ground.
Spinach
Among the plants for a garden at home that we have mentioned, this is undoubtedly one of the most recommended when you have very little space. However, it must be remembered that each of the plants must be separated by at least 30 cm.
It is a plant that needs a soil with a lot of moisture, although it is capable of tolerating any kind of soil, as long as it contains a lot of organic matter. With regard to light and temperature needs, it should be in a cool place without receiving much sun.
Leek
Being a family of onions, the leek is a food that you will surely want to grow in a garden at home. They are plants that need the sun, they adapt very easily to any climate and above all, they are highly resistant to cold.
The land you have chosen to plant your leeks must be very loose and with enough organic matter. Remember that humidity is important for the development of the plant, avoiding soils with compacted or hard soil.
The leek is very easy to grow, you can choose to acquire small seedlings for transplanting. You can also cut the roots of any leek you want to cook and place them in water to germinate before placing them in the ground.
Basil
Basil is an excellent condiment for sauces or even to prepare salads. But in addition to that, if you plant basil you can enjoy its delicious aroma and it will serve as a repellent for flies as well as to ward off other insects.
It is not too complicated to grow basil plants, since you can do it from seeds or cuttings. In addition, they do not need a lot of space to develop, so using pots will not cause problems. Of course, you must provide them with a place with enough light and compost as organic matter to feed on.
Another key is the humidity in the soil, since if it is dry it could be detrimental to the plant and the crop will be of very low nutritional quality.
What is the importance of having a garden at home?
There are many reasons for you to encourage yourself to have a garden at home and among the most important are the multiple benefits for your health. But in addition to these, we will mention others that should be taken into account:
Personal satisfaction:
Having a garden at home requires a lot of dedication and effort, it is an activity with which you will get a lot of gratitude for everything you have harvested. Therefore, you will feel satisfied by enjoying organic foods that are the product of your work.
Health benefits:
As you well know, chemical products are frequently used in industrial crops, which, if absorbed by the plants, generate food that can be harmful. Therefore, by not using those kinds of products, you will get much healthier food.
Energy saving:
Plants in a home garden help create completely natural thermal insulation. This considerably reduces the consumption of electrical energy in the home.
Economic savings:
If you grow your own food, you will obviously be reducing expenses that you will undoubtedly notice over the months. So the importance of having a garden at home is becoming more and more evident.
home garden ideas
As we have already mentioned before, the most important thing for a home garden is the containers and, of course, the plants. The latter is an essential factor, since you must choose plants that are not too large once they are fully grown. An example of this is tomato plants, leeks, carrots or spinach.
An excellent idea for when it comes to home gardens, are vertical gardens. They are very good options if you do not have enough space in your home. But how do you make a vertical home garden?
How to make a vertical home garden?
If you live in an apartment or small house, but you have a small balcony or wall where you notice that there is a lot of sunlight. It will be a great place for a vertical home garden, even if you only have a few meters of space, it will be more than enough.
The orientation of the wall for a vertical garden is also important, specialists advise that the gardens point to the south. With the use of a compass you can determine the best location to start with this type of orchard.
Once you have determined the space you want to use for the garden, you have to select the containers that you will use as pots. For this you will not need to invest money, with plastic containers that you do not use, it will be more than enough.
Keep in mind that just as their name indicates, these orchards must be placed vertically. So the pots cannot be very large, as they need to be fixed directly to the wall.
Now it’s time to choose the fruits or vegetables…