Even a window box or a few containers can be a starter garden.
Even if you don’t have a sunny backyard or patio, you may be able to grow parsley, mints, garlic/green onions, chives, or even small tomatoes this way. 5 US gal (19 l) buckets can be easily converted to gardening containers by adding a layer of pebbles to the bottom and drilling 3 or 4 1⁄2 in (13 mm) holes on the bottom for drainage. [3] X Research source
Fallen leaves Weeds (preferably before they go to seed) Grass clippings Old fruit and vegetable trimmings Don’t use anything containing oil, fat, meat, grease, feces, dairy, or wood chips. [5] X Research source
The pH (acidity versus alkalinity) of your soil should be somewhere between 5. 5 to 7. 0 for plants to thrive. [6] X Research source If your soil is too acidic (below 5. 5), buy dolomite or quick lime to add to the soil, then retest. If your soil is too alkaline (above 7. 0), add more organic matter, like peat moss or compost, then test the soil again.
Adding a few cups of compost or peat moss will help soil that drains too fast and soil that drains too slow. For a less scientific test, moisten your soil and grab a handful of it. The soil should hold together, but fall apart when you poke it with a finger. If your soil holds its shape or falls apart without a poke, add more organic matter (compost or peat moss) to improve its drainage.
It will nourish your plants without chemical fertilizers. It is easier to get shovels into—and weeds out of—enriched soil that isn’t packed hard. It is softer, so plant roots can penetrate more easily and deeply. It will help water and air spend the right amount of time in contact with roots. Clay soils can be heavy and will stay wet for a long time. Sandy soils can drain water too quickly. Compost mitigates both conditions.
Be sure to buy seedlings that haven’t bloomed yet, and make sure to ask if they’ve been treated with chemicals. To be a true organic garden, your plants should be completely free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Plant thickly to prevent weed growth. Companion plantings can fill in spaces in vegetable gardens, too, and will help you make the most of a small space. Spaces that are planted thickly enough will discourage weeds from growing between plants that you want.
In the meantime, they control weeds, help to moderate soil temperatures, and slow evaporation, meaning that you can water less.
Watering in the evening isn’t ideal, as it keeps your plants wet overnight and encourages mildew. It’s still preferable to watering in the middle of the day, though. [12] X Research source
Use a hoe and keep it sharp. Try a Dutch hoe or scuffle hoe instead of a conventional gooseneck style hoe. Hoe each area frequently enough to keep green weeds down. Hand weed to remove the roots of perennial weeds that grow back. Also hand weed carefully around established plants, to avoid uprooting the plants you want. Try heat to control weeds in cracks, in the form of steam, a heat gun, boiling water, or even a small blowtorch, carefully applied.
Putting out seed for birds[14] X Research source Adding compost to your soil to attract worms[15] X Research source Planting alyssum, sunflowers, lemon balm, and parsley to invite beneficial insects[16] X Research source
Instead, you might opt for natural solutions to rid your garden of pests, like spraying them down with soap and water or neem oil.
