Harvest Green - Take ‘Thyme’ to Freshen Up Your Garden

Finding ways to get out of the house for sunlight, fresh air and exercise are important right now. Doing so safely is as easy as heading out to your backyard where gardening offers all three.

Working on your garden — or starting a new one — keeps family members from being cooped up in the house, is educational for children and reduces anxiety. Don’t have a spot in your backyard for one? No worries. Container gardens provide all of the benefits but take up less space.

Here are some tips for experienced and newbie gardeners:

Start With the Soil

Healthy plants start with nutrient-rich soil. Contacting your local nursery is a great way to find out what type of soil is prevalent in your area. They can also recommend the best mulch, soil and compost options for the plants you want to grow. Enchanted Nurseries and Landscapes in Richmond will deliver what you need or you can place an order for curbside pickup. Or consider starting a compost pile of your own.

Where’s the Sun?

Before you choose plants, see where the sun shines on your garden patch. Different plants need varying amounts of sunlight. Too much sunlight will burn the foliage, while too little will keep them from growing. Choose plants that thrive in your conditions. A spot that receives eight or more hours of direct sunlight is a perfect place to grow vegetables, fruit trees, and most flowers. Part to full shade is ideal for growing plants like perennials, ferns and small trees that are naturally found in the forest’s understory.

Choose Your Plants

Gardening centers are considered essential businesses so most nurseries are open right now. Call Enchanted Garden and Frank’s Nursery as well as the gardening sections of Walmart, Lowe’s and Home Depot for help selecting the best plants for your garden. Herbs are a great choice as they are easy to grow. Spring flowers add a cheery note. Green beans, melons and okra are all easy and fun to grow. Want some tips? Harvest Green farmers have plenty of them.

Plants for All Seasons

Don’t just purchase spring plants. The flowers will fade and the veggies will soon be harvested. Keep your garden growing all year long by choosing a variety of plants.

Control Pests

Aphids, slugs and other pests can eat your veggies faster than you can. Keep them under control naturally with a variety of products that will keep them away without adding toxic chemicals. You can even make your own. 

Create a Container Garden

Whether you want to jazz up your patio or give kids their own mini gardens, pretty containers are great places to grow everything from flowers to fruit trees. Use a variety of plants with colorful flowers and attractive foliage to build up layers of different heights. Remember to water them, use a time-released fertilizer to keep plants healthy and trim dead blooms. Not good at remembering to water? Plant drought resistant succulents.

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