An activity that can be enjoyed by a varied and large selection of society is gardening.  People can do gardening just about anywhere that you can find some soil, light and ventilation to grow a plant. You can do gardening in large plots of land, in small containers, in hanging baskets even in pots on your windowsill.  And not only that, you can grow a wide variety from flowering plants to vegetables.

The beginner gardener frequently has visions of large expanses covered with the plant of the gardener’s dream.  If the beginner wants to experience the taste of fresh vegetables, picked at their freshest, right from the plant, the beginner might envision a large area filled with a variety of vegetables, all at their best.  Those who want to begin flower gardening may have dreams of that same large area, covered in colorful blossoms.  Whatever the beginner dreams of doing, they generally don't have any idea of the work that it takes to accomplish their particular gardening dream.  The gardener might not even realize that all the plants in that beautiful vision can’t be grown in the same plot at the same time!

It's generally accepted the the beginner gardener should start small.  The beginner also needs to plan the gardening tasks. How much time is available to spend on the garden?  How much area in their garden is available to grow the the plants they want?  Will the plants even grow in that particular area?  Though many plants may have a variety that can be grown in any geographic location, the new gardener must recognize that growing a form of a citrus plant will be more difficult in Alaska than it will be in Florida.  A plant that likes water and a humid climate will not do well in a dry area unless the gardener is willing to do the work required to create that environment for the specific plant. 

When starting a gardening project, the beginner gardener must analyze the soil that is available and then decide what needs to be done to improve that soil.  If necessary they need to make it appropriate for the plants that they have decided to grow.  Some plants prefer an alkaline soil, others prefer an acid soil.  Some plants do better in soil that drains well, others aren’t so picky.  If the beginner gardener doesn’t investigate the soil and the needs of the plants, any gardening project is not going to turn out the way they ha d hoped.  Any beginner who wants to start a garden should find a good reputable local nursery / garden center and question the staff as to what needs to be done for the particular plants in a particular situation.  Armed with all this information, a beginner gardener has a better chance of producing a beautiful and successful garden.

The Gardener