If you are new to gardening, then the best place to start, is with a small garden.  A small plant bed, about 25 or 30 feet square is ideal and will provide enough room for about 30 plants.  This will give you the chance to try out your green thumb and if you find that you enjoy your gardening experience, then you can always expand and increase your plantings.

  The next thing you need to do, is to choose a site. Gardening should be done in an area, that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day.  Try to stay away from large trees, that take the water and nutrients from your plants. Keep at least three feet, from any fences, or buildings.  In hot climates, it is a good idea to choose a place, that will provide a bit of shade from the intense afternoon sun.  It is possible to have a healthy garden, with even ten to twelve hours of sunlight, provided  the type of plants, are able to withstand it. While soil can always be improved, with the use of fertilisers and compost, it is still better to find a site with good soils.  Avoid areas that have rocky soil, steep slopes, full of roots, or areas where water stands through poor drainage.

 
  Now comes the fun part. You have to start digging.  Gardening is not a clean hobby, you’re going to have to get some dirt under your nails.  First remove the rocks, debris and any grass and weeds, then dig the patch to a depth of about one foot.  Level up the soil and add compost, or minerals if the needed.  Turn the soil well and break up any clods. If your soil is too acidic, add lime. If it is too sandy, add peat moss.  A very handy tool, is a soil tester. This will tell you the condition of your soils and what they need. Plants will thrive in slightly acidic soil. This can be achieved by adding a little fertiliser.

  If you bought seeds, then plant them according to the directions, on the packets.  If picking plants from a nursery, choose ones with green, healthy looking leaves and stems and healthy roots.  Put the smaller plants towards the front of the bed and the larger ones in the back.  The key to a successful garden is planting the right way, at the right time.  Wait until the frosts are over, before planting.  If you are planting seeds, the package will usually tell you, exactly when you can plant them, to achieve maximum growth.
  Once you have prepared the soil and planted, make sure your plants receive enough water, as this is essential to their growth.  Hand watering with a can, is fine, if you only have a few plants.  Other options include hoses, sprinklers, or even timed sprinkler hoses.  Watering is more effective during the cooler parts of the day.  The amount of water required, depends on the type of plants you selected, but most require about an inch, per week.  During the hottest periods, plants will be need watering, about three times per week.

  One of the most helpful things to add to a garden, is mulch, or compost.  Just a few inches of  organic mulch, will improve fertility and help the soil to retain moisture.  Wood chips, grass clippings, leaves, manure and pine needles, are all things that can be used as mulch.
Derek and Sally Robson are up and coming, South African internet marketers, with a vision of empowering all fellow South Africans and non U.S folk, to have equal opportunity and success on the internet. They have started a string of sites, resources, courses and articles, as part of Dersalsites. Some of these include:
 
http://www.derek.elitecoachingclub.com/

 http://www.dersal-ebooks.com/
 
http://bagsofmoney.bravehost.com/

 http://dersalblog.blogspot.com
 
  Note: If you are South African, or if you live outside the U.S and you feel the same pressures as us, please find the link below and read our articles on South African and non U.S internet business. http://www.squidoo.com/southafricanbusiness/
 
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