The top five things to know for first time gardeners!

One of the many wonderful things about living at our luxury retirement communities in Georgia is the opportunity to explore your love for botany and gardening in our amazing community gardens. Not only is gardening a perfect way to spend time outside during the beautiful Georgia spring, but it is also proven to be a fantastic activity for your mental and physical well being.

With years of experience in our community gardens, we have created a list of our top recommendations for any of you looking to start a garden this year or just learn the basics. Keep reading for our top five Gardening tips for spring!

Know Your Zone

The first and most important thing to know when starting your garden is knowing which zone you live in. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is a great indicator of how well specific plants and produce will grow in your area, and when the best time to plant is. With that in mind we always recommend location yourself on the zone map before you start planting!

Choose your location

Gardening doesn’t have to be challenging and can be done in a raised bed or in the ground. Whichever option you choose however, you will need to ensure that your garden gets ample sunlight throughout the day to ensure that your plants will thrive once sewed. Typically this means establishing your garden anywhere that is south, southeast, or southwest facing. Before you set up a permanent location, we recommend watching your surroundings for a few days to determine where the best permanent spot will be that gets plenty of sunlight throughout the day!

Check When to Plant

The zone you are located in will determine when to plant in your area. Because climate can vary based on location, knowing when to plant which crops will help ensure success, especially as a first time gardener. There are many guides online that can help you determine what to plant and when, but we always recommend heading over to your local nursery and asking the experts! Not only will they know what works in your area, but it also helps support a local business!

Don’t Overdo It

As a first time gardener it can be really exciting to dive in and want to start growing all of your own plants and produce. While we love this enthusiasm, for those of you new to gardening we recommend starting small and expanding your garden over time. Trying to maintain too many crops can be very time consuming and if you aren’t quite ready to dedicate that much time to your plants it could ultimately lead to disaster (or at least dead crops). With that in mind we recommend finding several plants or crops that will grow well in your area (based on your zone) and starting there.

Enjoy It!

Gardening is a wonderful hobby that is meant to be fun and pleasant. While it is easy to feel defeated when a crop doesn’t grow or one of our plants dies, that is all part of the learning process of starting a garden. Our number one piece of advice is to enjoy the entirety of the experience and remember that you are learning as you go!

We love helping our residents enjoy the wonderful experience of working in our community gardens and can’t wait to see what they grow. Our talented chefs even incorporate some of their garden treasures into the meals at our communities!

For more information on our retirement communities in Georgia, or to schedule a tour of our community and beautiful grounds, contact one of our team members today!

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