Reducing Stress By Growing A Home Garden

Posted on January 7, 2013 in gardening

Gardening can be an extremely relaxing hobby, and one of the best things about it is that it is easy on the wallet. Horticulture can also help bring families, friends, and neighborhoods together. Children in particular love to learn exactly how a seed develops into a flower or vegetable. This is a wonderful opportunity to teach your children about nature and help them to develop an appreciation for the great outdoors. This article is packed with tips you should use to improve your garden, perhaps with the help of the people you care about.

TIP! During fall, you should plant cold weather vegetables. Try planting your fall veggies, especially leafy greens, inside of a pumpkin! Once you cut an opening at the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the insides, spray the inside and edges with Wilt-Pruf to keep the pumpkin from rotting.

Choose plants that will give you the most yield at harvest time. In most circumstances, a cold-tolerant or disease-resistant hybrid will have a higher yield when compared to a more traditional variety.

If your plants have a powdery mildew, don’t use expensive chemicals on them. Put a little baking soda and some dish soap in water. Spray this solution on plants once weekly until the mildew is gone. The baking soda is harmless to your plants and a very effective remedy.

TIP! Pest control is very difficult if you are dealing with your veggie garden. You want to avoid spraying harsh chemicals since the vegetables are meant for consumption.

Keep your plants dry and aerated daily. Excess moisture on a plant will invite unwanted parasites or diseases to the plant. A common parasite to plants is fungi. Proactively treat fungi through the use of fungicidal sprays and treatments.

Horticulture is a great way to relax. Countless methods of unwinding from the stresses of life exist. Many find that gardening is a great method for achieving this. Horticulture only requires a small investment and you will get so much more out of it. The best return on your investment is the feeling of happiness and tranquility from growing your own greenery.

TIP! Always fertilize your garden. Manure can be effective, though you should use products which minimize pathogens.

Store autumn leaves in plastic bags for use as compost when you plant your garden. You can do this in the fall after you rake up all the leaves. Put the bagged leaves somewhere that is warm. In the spring, your leaves will be a good addition for your compost pile.

Having healthy soil in your garden will help your plants avoid insect pests. Healthier plants are stronger, which in turn can help the plants you grow to become more resistant to disease and bugs that can harm them. High-quality soil that is low on chemicals is key. It’s the first thing you should think about when planning on growing your garden.

TIP! Vegetable plants should be planted where they can benefit from a minimum of six hours of sunlight every day. Many vegetables need about this much sun to grow quickly.

Bumble bees are great helpers in your garden, because they assist in pollinating your plants. However, some types of bees can be harmful such as the carpenter bees that eat through wood to create their nests. Generally speaking, bees help your garden so it’s best if you leave them alone.

If you’re a new gardener, it is vital that you follow the instructions when it comes to your chemicals and tools. You might end up damaging your plants or getting a skin irritation. Following instructions for the use of harsh chemicals can keep you safe from serious injury.

Beneficial Bugs

Don’t use broad-spectrum pesticides in the garden. These pesticides can kill the useful insects that work as predators to pests. Beneficial bugs usually have more sensitivity towards pesticides than bad ones. Therefore, if the number of beneficial bugs drops, the problem with pests can get bigger. Your problem will only get worse and you will find yourself using more pesticides.

TIP! Maintain a schedule that charts the steps required for a successful garden. A planting calendar will tell you the type of plant you need to plant in every season.

Use care when you are watering the garden. You can save time by using soaker hoses to water more than one plant. Keep the water running slowly so it doesn’t spray up onto the plants’ leaves. Watering your garden for a couple hours while you are working on other tasks is an efficient use of your time.

Plan your garden, and plant with fall colors in mind. That doesn’t have to be the case. the most colorful foliage appears in the fall. There are a number of trees that provide exuberant displays of color, such as Dogwood, Beech and Maple. When you choose shrubbery, try hydrangea, barberry, or cotoneaster.

TIP! Choose a plant to use for a focal point. The best garden designers always use a focal point that draws the eye.

The correct soil can make a big difference in how your garden grows. Find out more about the plants you like and which type of soil is best. You can also make an artificial area with one variety of soil.

Be careful so that you do not under or over water your plants. Too much water can cause the roots of the plants to actually rot and your plants will die. Too little water can kill your plants as well. Keep close tabs on the moisture level of your garden soil, and adjust it as needed.

TIP! You may be able to re-pot some plants to bring indoors for the winter. Perhaps save the most resistant or expensive plants.

When winter arrives, you could save some plants by placing them inside your house. You may be able to save your most resistant or expensive plants. Remember to be gentle when digging up your plants; carefully dig away from the roots and gently place the plant into a container.

Some plants benefit from being re-potted, however others are sensitive to the disturbance re-potting inflicts on their roots. To see if a plant should be re-potted, turn it upside down, tap the bottom of the container and see if it falls out. If a lot of roots are visible, use a new pot. If the roots you see are minimal, or you can’t see them at all, there is no need to upgrade the pot size.

TIP! Look for targeted pesticides instead of using popular but damaging broad-spectrum products. These kinds of pesticides kill the helpful insects that destroy the pests.

You can use these hints whether you garden alone, or with family and friends. If you use this information, you will find yourself enjoying horticulture as a very rewarding pastime.