Garden Tools That Save You Time

~ craigb

TIP! Use climbers for covering fences and walls. These types of plants can climb anything, which makes them perfect for covering up a wall or fence that needs to be hidden.

There’s a lot more to gardening than most people realize. If you want a natural garden, you will have to find out about things such as natural bug repellent or pH balances of a soil. It can be difficult to switch to organic horticulture methods for a beginner. Read on to find some tips to make gardening in a clean, organic fashion a little easier and more fun to do!

TIP! When winter arrives, transfer some plants into the house to save them. It’s a good idea to save any expensive plants or those that will thrive in indoor heat.

A good way to ensure that your seeds sprout effectively is to start them in smaller pots and then transplant them once they reach the seedling stage. They are then more likely to survive and to become thriving, mature plants. In addition, it offers you a smaller time frame between plantings. Once you remove the most recent mature plants from your garden, the seedlings are immediately ready to be planted.

Measuring Sticks

TIP! Let your new seeds soak in a dark spot overnight. Use a small container filled with water to nearly the top and place several seeds in it.

Your tool handles can double as measuring sticks. Tools with long handles, such as rakes, shovels or hoes can work as great measuring sticks. Just run some measuring tape right on the floor next to the handles. Next, use a Sharpie to accurately label the distance between each one. Now when you go to work in the garden, you will have a ruler that is large at your fingertips!

TIP! Try growing wheat grass or cat grass in the area of the plants your cat wants to eat. You can also put something on top of the soil around the plants that has an offensive smell to cats, such as mothballs or citrus peel.

Plant a variety of flowers to keep your flower garden colorful and interesting. Annuals and biennials can add excitement and interest to your flower garden every season. You can use biennial and annual flowers to brighten the bed, and let you change how it looks. In addition, you might need something to fill empty spaces in your flower garden. Fill gaps with annuals or biennials. Just make sure the flowers will get enough sun to thrive. Notable collections include sunflower, marigold, hollyhock, rudbeckia, cosmos, and petunia.

TIP! Don’t mow your grass too short. If you leave a bit more height, the grass roots will get deeper, making your lawn stronger.

The first thing you should do when planning a garden is test the soil. You can get a soil analysis, and if you find your soil needs a supplement, do it! A lot of extension offices will offer this service and it is worth it so you know what your soil needs.

TIP! Don’t plant a garden without planning it. This way, when the sprouts start shooting up, you can recall where you planted each plant.

Fall edibles are a wonderful addition to your garden. Rather than putting standard clay vessels into use when planting crops of lettuce and kale, think about using pumpkins instead. Cut an opening in the top of your pumpkin, scoop out the inside, and spray the entire thing with Wilt-Proof. This will prevent rotting. When this is finished, you are now ready to plant.

TIP! Your garden can really benefit from evergreens featuring berries. They will provide a splash of color in the drab and dreary winter months when a lot of other plants have lost their colors.

Grow some wheat grass or catnip for your cat to eat instead. Alternatively, you can try putting mothballs, citrus peel or anything else with an odor that cats find distasteful in the soil surrounding the plants.

TIP! When it comes to harvesting your vegetables, know when the optimal time is to do so. For the optimum flavor, be sure to follow the guidelines for planting and picking.

If you have many low-growing plants in your garden, get yourself a pair of horticulture knee pads. The amount of time that you spend gardening on your knees can make your knees hurt by the time you are done. Purchase a great pair of knee pads; they will provide a cushion for your knees while making gardening more comfortable.

TIP! Scent the grass around your garden with old perfume or discarded aftershave to prevent your dog from wandering into your garden. This kind of scent is going to mask the scents your dog is attracted to.

A touch of organic mulch will boost the potential of the vegetable plants in your garden. The mulch will help keep the dirt around the plants more moist. An added benefit is that it also inhibits weed growth. This will save you tons of time from pulling out tons of weeds.

TIP! Any time that you are gardening in direct sunlight, dress appropriately to prevent skin damage. Clothing should keep your skin covered, and don’t forget to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

It can be tough to keep insects and other plant-ruining crawlies from infesting your garden. You can’t use chemicals as they’re the last thing you want to be eating when you enjoy the fruits of your labor. You can prevent pests from appearing in the garden by adopting a vigilant attitude. If you happen to notice them early on, you can control them just by physically removing them from your plants with your hands.

TIP! You can create a great English garden by mixing types and sizes in one bed. Using plants that all grow the same height result in a flat and uniform looking bed.

If you want to keep dogs our of your garden, take some aftershave, old perfume, or any other scented item and spray the grass around the area. This will help mask the scents that attract your dog, and will make your garden a less interesting place for your pet to be.

TIP! Cover your muddy shoes with plastic bags. This way, you can get in and out quickly, and get back to work in the garden.

A mixture of aspirin and water can protect your plants from common diseases. One and one half aspirin crushed and added to a two gallon container of water will be a great help for your plants. The solution can then be used to spray the entire plant, and will offer protection naturally. Spraying should be one time every three weeks.

TIP! Leave plenty of growing space when you plant your garden. It’s common to not think about how much space a plant will need once it’s full grown, and you don’t want to crowd your garden.

You must always take care of your knees when working in the garden. It is not good to bend from a standing position for a long period of time. You can kneel instead to help keep your back relaxed while tending to your plants. You can kneel on a knee pad so that your knees are more comfortable.

TIP! Organic gardening is harder than relying on chemicals, but the results are worth it. While chemicals offer an easy solution to many common gardening problems, the organic method is far healthier for you and everyone you share your food with.

If you’re working to build a sustainable organic garden, try leaving a portion of your garden untouched so that the wildlife will be able to thrive. As the natural wildlife begins to flourish, the various insects, birds, and other natural life around will all blend together and actually assist your garden as it begins to grow.

TIP! Each year, you should rotate the plants in your garden. When the same plants occupy a spot in your garden for many years in a row, it can lead to the development of fungi and disease.

Now, you shouldn’t get your hopes up and believe that a few tips are going to turn you into an instant professional gardener. However, these tips are a great starting point if you do plan to grow organically. As you implement these tips and hone your skills, you’ll be a professional green-thumb-holder in no time.