How To Start Gardening In Rural And Urban Areas?

Gardening has been a popular subject nowadays as the events around the world have shown how important it is to be able to grow your own vegetables and fruits. Leaving aside the international problems, if you want to know how to start gardening in your backyard or at your apartment, then in this guide we will learn something special.

By the end of the blog you will exactly know what you need to do and how you will be doing it. As you are starting with planting, we would suggest you keep these two things in mind.

• Gardening is a game of patience, so keep your cool.
• You won’t get desired results right away. So, be persistent.

When you understand these two things, then you are ready to proceed. So, wear your gardening gloves, because we are about to learn How To Start Gardening.

Key Points

Principles of Gardening: Understand key factors regardless of location, including space availability, sunlight exposure, weather conditions, soil quality, and water supply.

Urban Gardening

• Plan and designate a gardening spot with good sunlight.
• Choose suitable plants based on indoor or outdoor conditions and desired outcomes.
• Utilize online platforms for plant delivery and gardening supplies.
• Opt for growing containers like grow bags for apartment gardening.

Rural Gardening

• Begin with demo planting to understand plant needs.
• Segregate fields for different crops and consider crop rotation.
• Select a variety of plants considering space and weather conditions.

Gardening At A Glance

The first thing that we have to tackle is the location you are from. Rural people have their own style and ways of gardening and urban people have their own. However, the principle remains the same. So, before segregating rural and urban gardening, let’s learn about the principles.

Principles of Gardening

These principles are not scientific principles, and can vary based on numerous factors. However, we will do our best to make you understand some basic factors that you need to keep in mind while gardening, be it in rural areas or urban areas.

Space Availability

• The first thing is availability of space. While starting with gardening, you have to first consider the space available to plant. For example, people in rural areas have lots of space, and according to that they will start gardening. Whereas, urban people do not have such space, so they have to carefully plan what and what not to plant.

Sunlight availability

• Most of the rural areas have sunlight most of the time of the day. Sunlight is an important part in plant growth. And several plants heavily rely on direct sunlight to prepare their food. 
• In urban areas, if you are located in a crowded area, it can be difficult to give your plant ample sunlight. So, be mindful of the sunlight you are receiving. Or you can also choose artificial lighting options.

Weather Condition

• India is a vast country with not only diverse culture but also diverse environment. The environment and climatic conditions in the north vary greatly compared to south. 
• This will result in differences in the choice of plants you plant. Some plants like, apple, saffron are mostly grown in colder regions. Whereas, coconut, mangoes are grown in warmer regions. So, be mindful of the climatic conditions while planting.

Soil Quality

• Another important factor is soil quality. Most urban areas have exceptionally poor quality soil, due to industrialization and poor waste management system. This overtime results in degrading the soil quality. So, if you see, most soil is just dust with zero nutritional value to the plant. Moreover, if you use those soil, they will have little to no aeration, which can lead to root related diseases. 
• The same problem is not much prevalent in rural areas as it has seen less human activity and also has loads of good microbes. So, if you are in a place with poor quality soil, you can use other items like coco peat, vermicompost and mix it with current soil to make it good for planting. 

[Also Read: Best Gardening Kits For Kids]

Water Supply

• Water is an essential part in the growth of plants. No plant can survive without water for long. However, just giving them water isn’t enough. It has to contain nutrients that will help plant in its growth. 
• Rural areas have water resources available to them like rivers and streams, and these are already loaded with minerals. But in urban areas, you have to add external nutrient solutions to provide appropriate nutrients to your plants. There are many nutrient solutions available on the market which you can use to feed your plant. 

How To Start Gardening In Urban Areas?

If you are living in an urban area, then here are steps that will help you in your gardening journey. So, here is how to start gardening in Urban areas.

Plan and designate a gardening spot

• Start with choosing a planting spot. In apartments and flats, there are very limited spaces for you to plant. However, if you are plantaholic like many of our followers, your whole home can become a planting spot. But for the starters let’s begin with choosing a spot. Ensure the spot receives good sunlight for most part of the day. You can also use grow bags or pots for planting and move them under sunlight.

Choose your plant

• Next step is to choose your plant. Now, there are many types of plants, but for now let’s classify them into indoor plants and outdoor plants. Majority of indoor plants survive in indoor conditions. Plants like, rubber plant, areca palm, peace lily, etc.(use coupon code SNOWDEAL10 and get 10% off on the orders) can easily survive in indirect light. 
• On the other hand, outdoor plants like roses, hibiscus and many other flowering plants prefer to stay in direct sun. So, choose the plant that suits your apartment’s condition
• You also have to consider which type of plant you want. For example, you want a plant to bear  fruits and vegetables, or for showcasing. Based on that you can also choose the right plant. 

Make use of online platform

• The best pros of urban gardening is its online availability. Many websites like Kyarii, Nursery Live, Amazon, etc. provide online plant delivery to home gardeners. You can also get a variety of fertilizers and manure for your gardening needs delivered right at your door steps.

Choice Of Growing Container

• In apartments the best way to plant is in grow bags or containers. You can fill them with soil mixture and plant them. Another benefit is you can also transplant them to another spot if you feel like it. 

How To Start Gardening In Rural Areas?

Rural areas usually have abundant space, so you can plant several plants altogether. So, here is how to start gardening in rural areas.

Demo Planting

• Demo planting means to plant a particular crop or plant in a small area to see how well it does. As they may require different needs, you can better take care of them if you are starting with small. Once you get a hang of it, you can easily progress with other varieties of plants.

Segregate Fields or Spaces

• Now to start full-fledged planting, segregate your fields. Do crop rotation to maintain the quality of the soil. You can also make special places for flowers and trees that will elevate the overall appeal of the house. 

Choose your plants

• As you have vast space, you can choose more plants for your field. You can mix and match various flowering plants, fruits and vegetables for an allure and benefit to your family. Be sure to be considerate about the weather condition, as some plants are not tolerant to excess water or heat. 

End Note

Whether you are living in an urban area or a rural area, if you really want to start your own garden, then start right away. You may not have complete information, and you may (definitely you will!) kill some plants, but don’t get demotivated, as once you get a hang of it, you will enjoy the process and the fruits of your work.

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