How to Turn Your Backyard into Your Very Own Farmer's Market
If you’re lucky enough to have a yard, don’t let the space go to waste. Make use of valuable green space by starting your very own market in the back. Too many people opt for trampolines or fire pits that get used a few times and then are left to waste away. Gardens are the perfect personal or family project that lives and breathes right along with you. There’s something so satisfying about growing your own garden. You see the fruits of your labor literally growing before your eyes. It’s a daily project that requires effort and also gets you a bit of good exercise. Friends and family love to join in and can each be given their own special plot. Home gardens are the perfect idea to increase neighborhood bonds and learn what it takes to put food on the table. If things go your way, you can even open up your own backyard farmer’s market to sell produce. Taking the leap into home gardening isn’t easy, though. It takes preparation to avoid disappointing failures. Here are some useful guidelines to creating your own backyard farmer’s market you can enjoy year-round.
Plan the Garden Layout
Proper planning will give you the best chance of success with a garden. First, put things down on paper or in a computer so you know what to do when it’s shovel time. Watch your backyard over the course of a few days to see how the sun moves through the yard. Select spots that get the most sunlight during the day. Plants need between six and eight hours of sunlight each day to grow well. Be careful not to plant seeds near any deck chairs, trees or other items that could obstruct the sun.
Next, you’ll need to decide how to partition the garden. It’s always wise to keep similar vegetables or herbs near each other. It’s easier to make sure they’re getting the right amount of water and care. Some plants do well in close proximity and others need space, so make sure you research how far apart each needs to be. If you’re going to use containers for your garden, it makes things easier by keeping each kind of plant in its own pot or planter. A beautiful garden layout, paired with a skillfully edged lawn, will turn your backyard into a paradise.
Choose the Right Containers
Some plants do well with a lot of heat, and others wither and die. Different containers, depending on the color and material, absorb and repel heat differently. What kind of container you choose will have a huge impact on how things grow. Tomatoes, for instance, need to be placed in a five-gallon container with room to install caging to help it grow tall. Other plants, like strawberries and beans, have shorter root systems that do well even in shallow window-style containers. Other plants, like lemon trees, will grow over the course of years, and will likely need to be transplanted from one plant into a larger as they get bigger to accommodate large roots.
Tending to Your Garden
Unfortunately for some, gardens involve more than tossing in seeds and water. If only it were that simple. Homeowners that get into gardening grow to love tending to their gardens. That means weeding, fertilizer and insect prevention. Weeds will likely be the most time-consuming chore. They need to be picked once they pop up, so make it a regular habit. Weeds can take up valuable room in containers and strangle fragile seedlings. A water-soluble fertilizer should be applied once a month after planting to keep things nice and healthy. Once things start growing in your garden, insects will take notice. There’s nothing like a free meal that someone else is doing all the hard work to make grow in one place. Just keep an eye on if bugs are coming out in numbers to get to your fruits and vegetables. There are a ton of eco-friendly insect repellents that can be used on plants to keep critters away. If you’re dealing with larger animals like rabbits or raccoons, then you’ll have to get creative with fencing to keep them out.
Learn the Ropes and See Real Success
It’s probably going to take some time to get things growing in a rhythm, but pretty soon you should be able to count on the season and your efforts to time the produce right. Before you know it, you’ll be headed to the backyard to snatch up a lemon or squash for dinner. It’s the ultimate farm to table experience. Your friends and family will be impressed, but the benefits don’t stop there. People who get really into gardening are often surprised by how much a backyard garden can yield. Once you get into a good rhythm and know how to get the most out of your garden, you’ll be swimming in cauliflower and cucumbers.
That’s when the real fun starts. You are ready to open up your own backyard farmer stand. Set up some tables under a canopy and make some signs and put your produce on display. The customers will come at first because they’ll think it’s fun, but they’ll come back because nothing beats super fresh produce. Backyard farmer’s markets are even sprouting up in large cities like Chicago and Seattle as people embrace urban farming. You’ll be able to pocket some cash to keep your hobby going and neighbors will love the eco-boost you’re providing the community.
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