Gardening means having fun and making friends when you’re over 50!

Once you enter your 50s, many people will spout a lot of doom and gloom about a mid-life crisis and all of the assorted problems that come with it. However, if you manage to play your cards right – this will actually be one of the most fun times in your entire adult life! Now, more than ever before, you can afford to let your career take a back seat and focus more on your hobbies and the stuff you enjoy.

Sure, the current coronavirus pandemic might cast a shade upon your notion of fun; but there are still ways to enjoy yourself in isolation as well. For instance – those who live in suburban areas are lucky enough to have access to a backyard; an area that could become a beautiful oasis of nature, with the right pair of hands. Do you want to have fun gardening, and perhaps become good friends with some of your fellow neighbors? Don’t worry, you won’t need much prerequisite knowledge to get started on a rudimentary garden; we’ll give you the basics right here.

Planning

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably enthusiastic about getting started on your gorgeous new garden. And all of that is a possibility, but don’t start looking for equipment and plants just yet. Before you do that, you need to realize that, although this is a hobby; you still need to do some thinking and planning before you start landscaping.

Take a look around the space you’re going to use for plants, and think about how you want this new garden to appear. Where will each of the plants go? And what kind of sunlight do they need? Will all of them be easily accessible for watering? Are there any nearby animals that might spoil your fun? All of this is stuff you need to consider before getting your seeds and tools.

Once you’ve got the seeds and plants that you want to grow in your garden, place them in some soil before firmly rooting them in the ground. That way, you’ll still be able to make adjustments to your heart’s content, until you’re fully satisfied with how you’ve arranged everything. Believe us, this is much simpler than replanting them at some point down the line.

Equipment You’ll Need

These days, due to the COVID-19 situation, going down to the hardware store whenever you feel like it is probably not an option. With that in mind, you need to think about all of the tools you’ll require beforehand, and minimize your out-of-home excursions as much as you can.

And make no mistake, good gardening will definitely require a multitude of tools. And the variety and the number of different tools will depend on the scale of your gardening efforts. For example, if you’re looking at nothing more than some lite container gardening, that’s both affordable and easy to start. You’ll need a couple of towels, a watering can, soil for your pots, and the containers themselves.

Of course, larger gardens will need stuff like rototillers for full soil preparation; so make sure you decide precisely what you’re after before you go out to buy equipment. If you’ve got friends and neighbors that tend to gardens on a similar level, feel free to ask them what kind of stuff they keep in their sheds; you never know when you’re going to learn something new, and improve your communal spirits!

Soil Preparation

If there’s one thing that matters for a proper garden, it’s quality soil. That’s why you need to be certain that your plants will be growing in soil that’s both drained enough, but can still retain moisture that your plants will need. This is what truly fertile soil looks like. If you find an area with nutrient-rich soil, your plants will take root quickly and always have enough water.

Adequate Mulch

When you’re planting your garden vegetation, you should take care to leave some room around the plants that don’t contain mulch. While it’s great for getting preventing weed growth and keeping moisture in the ground, it can also attract pests; something you don’t want too close to your plants.

Weeds

Even if you haven’t been an avid gardener up until now, you’ve probably taken steps to always keep your backyard at least tidy, if not particularly bustling with plant life. In that case, you know that the biggest problem for any kind of gardening is weeds; preventing them, and getting rid of them.

As you’ll soon realize, regular gardening is essential if you want that photo-worthy backyard that will be the envy of the neighborhood. In that case – let the weeding become a regular habit for you whenever you’re doing something around your garden. And once you start doing that, don’t be lazy; the weeds need to be removed root and stem. Otherwise, they’ll just regrow after a short while.

Gardening Schedule

Yes, most people don’t think that gardening is something you need to plan out thoroughly. But even if you’re in your 50s, you’ve probably still got a job to think about. And even if you manage to score a comfy early retirement, you’ve probably got other obligations and chores to think about besides your garden. With that in mind, we recommend planning out your garden maintenance and fitting it inside your usual schedule. Remember, your garden is both a time and monetary investment; one that you don’t want going to waste because of simple neglect.

So, learn about what every one of your plants requires, and make a calendar of the assorted chores you need to complete in order for them to thrive.

Finally, Remain Patient

Tending to a beautiful garden is something that doesn’t just take a lot of dedication and hard work; it also takes time. With that in mind, you need to remain patient and keep at it even if the initial results aren’t what you had expected. And that wraps it up. Stay safe, folks!

Have you been gardening during your time at home? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this page. We want to hear from you!

Emma is a gardener, a bookkeeper, writer, and mother of three. She is spending her time mostly in her garden. When she is not there, you will find her working on developing her own line of homemade natural skincare products. 

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