Owning your first home comes with a host of new opportunities – one of which might be to cultivate a garden space.
As exciting as this may be, taking on the responsibility of maintaining a garden can also feel overwhelming to those without any gardening experience. Thankfully, by keeping a few key considerations in mind, novice gardeners will have no problem growing a great garden.
READ: DIY | Budget-friendly garden project
For the beginner gardeners who are hoping to get their hands dirty, RE/MAX of Southern Africa shares some tips on how to grow a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing garden that will help boost property values.
Consider long term growth
A common mistake is to plant vegetation too close to the walls of the home. When the plant grows, its roots can cause damage to the home’s foundation or its branches could damage the walls. Although a plant might start off small, it is always important to consider how large the plant will grow over the long term.
Orientation of the home
Different plants will require different amounts of sunshine and shade. Find out which side of the property is north facing as this side of the home will receive the most amount of sunshine. When purchasing plants, be sure to check whether the plants prefer sunshine or shade.
Water-wise plants
In dry climates such as South Africa, it is preferable to plant water-wise plants such as succulents. To help keep the soil moist for longer, spread a layer of mulch over the garden beds. The mulch will also help prevent soil erosion, which can become a problem, particularly in windy areas such as coastal suburbs.
Think low-maintenance
Keeping a garden well maintained can take a lot of time, but leaving a garden unkept can cause damage and lead to costly repairs. Make your own (and a future buyers) life easier by planting low-maintenance plants that do not require too much special treatment or regular pruning.
“Having a well-maintained garden can be a serious drawcard for future buyers. Having your own private outdoor space is becoming less available as more modern developments move towards apartment or complex living. Those who do have outdoor space could add great value to the property if they put a little effort into making it as appealing as possible,” says Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.
READ: Why gardens and braai facilities are a strong selling point
For those who are searching for a home in which to start their first garden, Goslett recommends reaching out to your nearest RE/MAX Office. “You might be surprised what you are able to find within your price bracket. Agents might also know of listings before they reach the property portals, so they can show you homes you might not have seen otherwise. If owning a home with a garden is on your wish list, make sure your agent knows and let them take the stress out of finding the perfect home for you,” says Goslett.
In addition to creating your own home garden Home-Dzine shares tip on how to establish your own herb and salad garden.
A lot of people think about establishing a home herb or kitchen garden but that's about as far as they go. Summer is just around the corner and we will be looking forward to a crisp, fresh salad to accompany meals on the braai, or wanting fresh aromatic herbs to add to savoury dishes. If you are keen to grow salad greens and herbs in the kitchen or on a balcony, here are some tips to get you started...
Not everyone has the space outdoors to a vegetable or herb garden, but a kitchen garden will take up almost no space if it is mounted in front of a sunny window. Soon you will be able to enjoy picking organic salad greens and herbs as and when you need them.
Grow salad greens and staples indoors
Growing lettuce, tomatoes and onions indoors is not difficult using a shelf with containers along your kitchen windowsill. If you don't have a sunny place in the kitchen, nowadays it’s easy to set up grow lights to provide the right amount of light for healthy growth. And if there's no space for a window garden, perhaps you can look at the option of a window box on the outside of the window.
Grow lettuce indoors
Lettuce does not need large pots, since their root system is not aggressive and won't take up a lot of space. A 10cm diameter flower pot is more than sufficient for a single lettuce.
Fill up your plant pots with a seedling mix. This is far better than plain garden soil and it contains nutrients to get seedlings started.
Place a lettuce seed in each pot and watch them flourish in no time. Once they reach the right height you can start picking leaves from the outside and let the lettuce continue growing.
If you sow seeds regularly - say every 2 weeks - you will have a continuous supply of lettuce that should see you through the summer.
Grow onions indoors
While you can grow all types of onions indoors if the conditions are right, it is far better to only plant spring onions for a kitchen garden. These take up far less space and will grow quicker than bulb onions.
Spring onions don't require large pots but you can use larger pots and plant more spring onions in each one. Make sure to leave plenty of room when sowing seeds so that each plant has room to grow.
A quality seedling mix instead of soil will provide all the nutrients the seedlings require for good growth.
Grow tomatoes indoors
Just like lettuce and onions, you can grow tomatoes indoors in the same way. It's a fact that tomatoes grown indoors under the right conditions will be far less prone to attack by pests and diseases.
Unlike the other salad staples, tomatoes will require a larger pot, say around 20cm in diameter, to accommodate their root system. They will also require room to grow in height and a support system.
Start with an enriched, well-drained soil and only pop a single seed in each pot. If you want a continuous supply of tomatoes, have more pots available for planting.
Tomatoes love a sunny spot and, like all the above, a regular watering.
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