Purchasing a home in The Woodlands Hills provides countless opportunities to engage in nature. Every home has easy access to over 10 miles of trails that ribbon through the trees, eight themed play parks, including spaces for quiet reflection and our world-class amenity center that includes a yoga lawn and a dog park. With the start of the new year underway, why not add learning something new – like starting a garden – to your New Year’s resolution list? With your hands in the dirt of your own backyard garden, you’ll be interacting with nature up close, every day. While temperatures may be cooler outside, taking a few steps now can help you achieve a flourishing springtime garden full of color, invigorating scents, and tasty produce.
START SMALL
If the idea of preparing the earth with rich soil or building a garden box seems daunting, keeping things simple at first may be the way to go. Growing tomatoes and herbs in pots is a good first step to providing your family with fresh, homegrown food. Remember to choose pots that are large enough for your desired plant and that also provide good drainage. Choosing plants that will give you instant gratification, such as chamomile for making tea is another option, especially if you’re planting in pots. Planting odiferous herbs and flowers such as rosemary, basil, and lavender will also engage your sense of smell.
MAKE A PLAN
Sketch out your ideas and decide which vegetables or flowers you’d like to grow. Visit your local garden center to purchase seeds and seedlings. They can also suggest the appropriate food and feeding schedule for the vegetables you choose. Start by sowing seeds indoors until the threat of frost has passed. Using egg cartons and planting seeds in each cavity is an easy, cost-free way to get your plants started. Check seed packages to learn the best time to transplant seedlings outside.
LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION.
Choosing the right space in your yard is essential for success. In The Woodlands Hills, many backyards can be shaded by surrounding trees. Ensuring your garden receives at least six hours of sunlight will be necessary for plants to flourish. If this spot is near a water source, all the better. It’ll make your watering schedule much easier to maintain. Consistent watering is necessary to grow healthy plants.
BE POLLINATOR FRIENDLY
Some plants are self-pollinating, such as tomatoes, peppers, okra and beans, but others require nature’s pollinators. Adding colorful plants such as marigolds or nasturtium will attract bees for pollination. As an added bonus, these flowers also serve as a natural aid, helping to control other pests. One friendly insect in the garden is the ladybug. She’s a garden guest you’ll want to keep around as she enjoys snacking on leaf-eating culprits like aphids and spider mites.
It’s exciting to watch as the first bits of green emerge from the soil. With added sunshine, water and a little attention, your garden will provide hours of enjoyment. Sometimes things do go awry, and that’s okay. This is, of course, a learning journey. Why not start a garden project with a friend or neighbor? Sharing your successes as well as your struggles will help to speed up the learning curve, plus it’s always more fun to try something new with your bestie. Together you can figure out how to resolve a bunny feasting on your garden, or a bird enjoying more of your tomatoes than you do.
The days may be shorter with temperatures that frequently remind us that it is, in fact, winter, but now is the perfect time to start thinking about your spring garden. Starting a garden will provide you and your family with vine ripe fruits and vegetables and ways for you to learn about soil, sunlight, and pests.
In The Woodlands Hills, it’s easy to engage with nature. With the start of your backyard garden, you’ll connect with nature in a more personal way. Nurturing your seeds from planting to harvest, you may just end up nurturing your body, mind and soul.
This January, resolve to learn something new, and find your connection in The Woodlands Hills. For more information on amenities and new homes offered in the community, visit thewoodlandshills.com .
