Last week, I talked about soil, and how it’s teeming with life. Good soil is a major factor in having a healthy, successful garden each year.
Two more things that are also needed for a healthy garden are sunlight and water. I know you’re thinking “Duh! That’s obvious.” Hey, I didn’t say I was reinventing the wheel here. I’m just telling you what it takes to garden successfully. Lol
The sun, it’s light and heat, are vital to a plant’s well-being. Plants use the sun to make food for themselves and oxygen for us. They need it and lots of it. So as tempting as it is to put that garden near a tree so you can weed in the shade. Please don’t! Most warm season plants need around 8 hours of sun per day. So put those plants where they can be loved by the sun most of the day.
Next is water. Watering a garden is one of the things I struggle with regularly. I never get up early enough to water before it gets too hot. Then, with 8 little ones, it’s difficult to get out to water at sunset. So, keeping my garden hydrated and healthy is something I have to work on.
It’s always best to water the base of your plants. While overhead watering systems are convenient, they can cause too much moisture to hang around leaves which leads to mildew. So, it’s best to just water near the soil and not on the plant.
It’s also important to water gardens regularly (every 2-3 days) and more when it’s super hot outside (every day). These are just suggestions however. Your garden will speak to you and tell you exactly what it needs. You just have to listen to it.
Soil, sun, and water is essentially all you need to grow a great garden. I just thought for a moment “Isn’t it amazing how just about all living creatures need the same things to grow and thrive?” The same thing that goes into creating an abundance for us in our gardens is exactly what we need to grow and thrive as well. We are so much more connected than we think.
Naja Coles
I’m most importantly a follower of Christ by who’s blood we believe there is salvation. We believe in biblical Truth only. Being led by the Spirit of God, we seek to raise our family by that Truth. I am a wife of 8 years, and mom to 8 wonderful children ages 6 years-1 year. We have been homeschooling for 2 years officially (7 if you include preschool). I enjoy music, gardening, and learning to live a healthy, non-toxic lifestyle.
Matthew 4:17