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A Garden for EveryoneIntroduction More than 81% of Americans have a garden for cultivating vegetables and plants. Apart from the advantage of being able to raise crops for food, gardening also helps to reduce stress as it provides opportunities for mild exercises. Gardening can easily be started by the disable and elderly even if they have never done it before. To make it easier, the disable and elderly ones can begin with raised beds and containers. Those that live in apartments and small backyards find it excellent to garden with containers and planter gardens. Planning the garden Before setting out to plan the garden, it is important to consider the strength of the gardener. This is necessary to avoid preparing more than what the gardener can naturally handle. Gardening is meant to be an interesting activity and sometimes suitable for recreational activities. The planters and garden beds should be prepared to enable easy access. The most appropriate dimensions for a raised bed is as follows:
The width of the raised bed is usually between 2-4 feet while the length should be according to the desire of the gardener. While measuring the length, it should be such that the gardener can work with without being tired. As a result, bed lengths of 10-20 feet are recommended. The benefits of container, planter and raised bed gardening Containers and planters can be used to grow plants and flowers in less advantaged areas such as roof tops and porches. Planters and containers are easy to use and they provide great satisfaction. They can be added or removed at will without any logistic preparation. Planters and containers can be used to add beauty to the garden. The height of a planter or container entirely depends on the gardener. They can either be permanently or temporarily fixed. They are also important for their ease in changing soil and improving their soil texture. Since they are mobile, the effect of weather can be controlled on plants and flowers that are grown in them. Garden requirements Flowers need about 6 hours of full sun while vegetables will do well with 8-10 hours of sunlight. If the sunlight is minimal, growing shade tolerant plants will be better. Water is also very necessary in the garden especially when planters and containers are used. If possible, an irrigation system should be built for the planters and containers. Fertilizer is another important garden requirement. Fertilizers should be mixed with the soil before transferring into the planters or containers. It is important to make proper mixtures of the fertilizers in the soil. If this is difficult, buying prepared soil from stores is recommended. The gardener also needs organic mulch for the soil to suppress weed growth, prevent water evaporation and provide organic nutrients as it decays. Landscape fabric is also useful to prevent weeds although it does not have any nutritional value for the soil. Accessibility The entrance to the garden should not be less than 3 feet wide so that gardeners who require the use of a wheel chair will easily get in. If ramps are made, their slope should not be more than 8% and they must have edges. Drainage can be provided by making porous surfaces with 2% slope. Pathways should be smooth without bricks, bumps or natural grass. Benches, chairs and tables should be placed in a close, shady area to provide needed rest and shade from the sun. Precautions If there is need to work under the sun, hats and sunscreen must be worn. However, it is better to avoid working under the sun if the gardener is not feeling very healthy. It is also very important to take in consideration any presciptions the gardener may be taking to avoid an adverse reaction with the sun. More information about gardening can be gotten by following the links below:
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