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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Starting a garden at home can be a daunting task at first, but when you have enough space and sunlight it is actually very rewarding.
“You know that you are in the fresh air and that you exercise a lot in good health. Sometimes these benefits outweigh the costs of making your own products, ”says Wendy Wilber, coordinator of the UF / IFAS state gardener.
When it comes to financial costs, master gardener Wendy Wilber says it depends on how big your garden is and how many different plants you want to grow. She recommends starting with something small, like an herb garden.
After estimating the cost, you may also want to take a look at the space that you are planning to use.
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“The first thing you want to do is make sure you have six to eight hours of direct sunlight. You also want to be near a water source. We mostly have very sandy soils in this area. Maybe you want to improve the soil with organic matter like manure or compost, ”says Wilber.
Growing your own produce can save money in the long run, depending on how successful it is. Lots of people claim they lack a green thumb, but Wilber encourages people to give it a try.
“You learn from your little mistakes and then you can go ahead and actually have a really good garden after you’ve got some experience,” says Wilber.
While you may not have enough space for a field and fork farm and garden, you can start small with something like tomatoes or even pumpkins.
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