How I Started Gardening?

How I Started Gardening? It is a question looking at how far I’ve grown plants in my simple garden. I always dream of having a home garden since I was a child. A dream came true when we live in the province of Cavite. 

 

 

Supposedly, our family will be living in Bulacan. We got an end unit townhouse at Sta. Maria, Bulacan via Pag-ibig Housing. We’ve made the process of home improvement and construction of the house extension. But, along the way came an issue with the contractor and the internet connection. It seems like Bulacan is not our home destiny.

 

So, How I Started Gardening? Being heart broken with our first home, we find another one. Thankful that we have chosen a conducive place for our family. It is far better than the previous house. 

My husband and I love gardening. It started when we moved to Cavite more than six years ago. We rented a house and lot before. My husband is the one who begins to plant.

 

Initially, he planted vegetables that are easy to grow. He grew Okra, Pechay, Kangkong, Mustasa, and Green Pepper. Gardening is so relaxing.

 

Subsequently, our love for Mother Nature grows. When we moved to our new humble abode, we had a landscape for a simple garden. The plants grow vigorously through time. Gardening became a part of our healthy lifestyle. We planted trees seedling and now they are as big as our two-storey house. I have a countless collection of different plants. From trees to flowers and ornamentals down with herbs, we can’t believe we managed to grow it.

 

At this time, my husband and I have grown different kinds of plants. It was actually me who pursue more passion in gardening. My goal is to have a sustainable garden. With that goal in mind, I started learning more about gardening. I read books and try to ask several gardeners on how they grow their crop.

 

Grateful that I was able to attend a Planting seminar. We were taught the natural way of planting using organic fertilizers. Knowing that a friend of mine is also a certified Plantita, I invited her to attend. Together, we learn the holistic approach in natural gardening using organic fertilizers. 

 

It was an amazing experience at Sancturio Nature Farms in Indang Mendez, Cavite. The organizers are generous in giving us different seeds to grow and we even brought home some cuttings from the farm. Love it! We are excited to try all the things we learned and we did it.

 

Following all the things we learned from the seminar, our plants grow healthy. We are now growing all-natural fruits and vegetables at home. It is a truly sustainable growing your own food. A fresh and real food from farm to table. 

 

Start a garden with the basic. If you like to plant vegetables, just what my husband did, begin with the easy to grow plants such as Okra, Pechay, or Kangkong. Prepare a garden soil or a well-drained soil, invest in basic garden tools, try to follow instructions on how to plant the chosen seeds. I recommend using a Vermicast as an organic fertilizer to your plants, water daily, and place in a morning sun.

 

Then, we joined Urban Container Organic Gardening on Facebook headed by Sir Don Bustamante. It was a helpful Facebook group for plant enthusiasts. Our knowledge about plants became broader as we discover new plants and how to care for it.  Because I love herbs, I also joined Herb Growers Philippines. From there, you will learn more about herbs and how to take care of it.

 

What is the Secret to Having a Green Thumb?

When I asked skilled gardeners and plant growers, they always answered that there is no such “Green Thumb“. The life and growth of the plant depend on how you take care of it. A rule of thumb that to grow a plant, you should water it regularly. Provide a good sunlight, feed with natural fertilizers as their food, and learn the appropriate care to grow them. 

 

Moreover, you should learn the proper way to grow a certain plant. You should learn the recommended season when to plant it. One should know the kinds of soil and type of fertilizers to use for flowering, fruiting, and for growing leafy vegetables. There are a lot of things to learn from gardening. I am always grateful that I have started it off.

 

Above all, gardening is a way of giving back to our Mother Earth. Our mother nature with its plants give us clean air to breath, good shelter with its wood branches, protects us from flooding and soil erosion,  and most importantly, it provides us healthy foods for wellness.

 

Take part in gardening! Start Now!