Every gardener dreams of having a thriving garden. For some, this is a reality, for some it isn’t. If you want to achieve your dream of a beautiful garden, there are a few things to learn. While gardening is a lot of hard work, it’s a fun way to spend your free time. Some basic tips will help make your work more efficient, making both the process and result more fun.
Are you one of the millions who loves some fresh mint leaves, yet you absolutely hate the way they tend to take over any garden they are planted within? Rein in their growth by planting the mint in a large pot or garden container instead. You can bury the container so the top is flush with the ground if desired, but the container’s walls will prevent the roots from spreading so that the plant won’t take over your entire garden.
Snails can be sprayed away with a mixture of ammonia and water. Both ingredients are safe for any type of plant you may be growing in your garden. Its effect on snails, however, is deadly. The snails will no longer be able to harm your garden. Spray the mixture on your garden daily until you see the snail population die off.
Although there are countless annuals that thrive in warm weather, there are a few that prefer the colder months. These plants may need to be trimmed if they are growing too much during these months. These plants will bloom again after several weeks and be beautiful against the brown winter foliage. Consider annuals such as petunias, snapdragons or dianthus.
Keeping pests out of a vegetable garden can be difficult. You want to avoid spraying harsh chemicals since the vegetables are meant for consumption. One way to keep pests at bay is to remain diligent about your garden. If you catch the pests early, the best removal technique is just to take them off your plants by hand.
Think about putting some berry-producing evergreens into your landscape. The berries will provide a boost of color to your backyard, even during the colder months when most of the other vegetation has been drained of their color. Plants which you can purchase that offer color during the winter are the Winterberry, the Common Snowberry, the American Holly, and the American Cranberrybush.
Maintain a schedule that charts the steps required for a successful garden. A calendar used for planning can tell you when each plants grows in each season. Used properly, it will also be your go to tool for proactively preparing ahead of time, including timing what types of seeds to buy and when in the year is best to purchase them. There are many software applications that can help you do this. Or, you can be really old-fashioned and use paper.
Prior to planting a garden, think through what you want to do. This helps you remember where each plant was planted before they begin to sprout. You can also avoid losing the smaller plants, or in larger gardens, the small plant groups.
Always take the time to get the weeds out of your garden. Weeds can kill a precious garden. To help you do this, you may want to consider using white vinegar. That’s right, you have safe way to get rid of weeds right there in your kitchen cabinet. Spray white vinegar onto those troubling weeds.
Water is crucial to a healthy, beautiful garden. Every living thing needs water to survive. The sun will dry out the soil if you do not water your garden regularly. By neither over or under-watering your garden, it will stay its healthiest.
To keep your plants from getting shocked, you need to gradually introduce them to changes in temperature and conditions. Place them outdoors in the sun for about an hour or two on the first day. Then over a weeks time, slightly increase their time outside. By the weekend, the plants can make that big move without a problem!
Clay Soil
Clay soil is hard and will also stick to a shovel, making it difficult to work with. To ease the digging, apply some car wax or floor wax to the head of the shovel and buff. The wax will enable the clay soil to simply slide off the shovel, and will also prevent the shovel from rusting.
During the hottest hours of each day, your vegetables become too soft, and even gentle harvesting will cause damage and bruising. Make sure to chop the vegetables off the vine, but be careful not to twist them. Twisting can actually damage the plant.
Transform your gardening tool handles into clever measurement rulers. Larger handled tools like rakes, hoes, and shovels make great measuring sticks. After laying the handles on the floor, run the measuring tape along beside them. Label the distances on the handle with a marker pen that will not smear or fade away. When the need arises to measure something while in your garden, the measuring tool you need will literally be “on hand,” sketched into the handles of your tools.
Take care of your knees when you’re horticulture. Many people find it difficult to bend over for extended periods of time when standing up. Kneeling is a good way to reach plants without causing back stress. Use a pad to kneel upon and protect your knees from possible pain.
An easy, inexpensive way to give them nutrients is to pour the leftover water from your steamed vegetables into the soil. You can also use tea or coffee grounds to acidify soil for plants such as rhododendrons and gardenias. Chamomile tea can be effective if you have problems with fungus in your garden. Simply sprinkle it on the affected plant.
With these tips, you’re better equipped to grow the most beautiful garden you can imagine. In learning how to create your dream garden, you’ll also be growing as a person. That’s because learning how to nurture your plants will not only help you reach the goal of having a great garden, but it will help you learn to nurture yourself.