Does the grass look greener when you look to the other side? You probably want to know if your neighbor just has a green thumb, or a more practical method to keep his garden in such good shape. In truth, having a great looking garden does not require any secret techniques. All you need is the proper information on how to correctly care for your plants. This article will help you along in the process of learning to care for your garden.
A handy trick is to turn the handle on a tool that you use often into a makeshift ruler. Tools with long handles, such as a shovel or rake, are absolutely perfect for this job, and make your workload a little bit smaller. Lay the handles of said tools on the ground where it is flat and there is no interference, such as gravel, and stretch a measuring tape along one side. Mark the measurements with a permanent marker. Next time you work in the garden, you can have a larger ruler with you!
Consider planting slug-proof perennials. Snails and slugs are garden nightmares, and only need a single evening to obliterate a plant. Snails and slugs have a good time destroying perennials that are young and have tender and smooth thin leaves. Some perennials, however, leave a bad taste in slugs’ mouths or are difficult to chew through because their leaves aren’t tender. Several good choices include heuchera, campanula, achillea, and euphorbia.
Cover fences and walls with lots of climbers. Climbers have many different uses and spread quickly. No need to worry if a bush or tree is in the way, as climbers can grow through them. Also, they can match the shape of an arbor. Sometimes the plants will require being tied to supports, but some climbers will attach themselves naturally. Excellent varieties include honeysuckle, wisteria, jasmine, climbing roses and clematis.
Before you even place the first plant in your garden, you need to check the composition of your soil. Many nurseries offer a soil analysis service, which will tell you what nutrients your soil is lacking and what you can do about it. Many Cooperative Extension offices will provide this service, and it is well worth knowing exactly what the soil needs to avoid ruining a crop or two.
Split up the irises. If you divide the overgrown clumps of flowers, you’ll find that your stock grows proportionally. When the foliage has died off, it is time to harvest the iris bulbs. If you split the bulbs that you pull up, and replant them, they will bloom the following year. Divide rhizomes with a knife. Throw out the center and cut pieces on the outside that are new. Each piece should retain a minimum of one sturdy offshoot capable of spurting new growth. Set your cuttings into the ground right away.
Start your garden by planting seed in small pots. When you begin a garden, it’s most eco friendly to do so with seed. Seeds eliminate the waste of plastic containers from nurseries which rarely get recycled. There are some nurseries, however, that send their plants out in organic potting materials.
If you want the best tasting vegetables, learn about the optimum time to harvest them. For the optimum flavor, be sure to follow the guidelines for planting and picking. Some vegetables, such as zucchini and baby peas, should be harvested when they are relatively young. Tomatoes, though, are tastiest when they have been allowed to ripen on the vine as long as possible. So, be aware of the best harvest time to pick your veggies.
Have your gardening tools near you to minimize the time spent searching for them. For example, you could use an over-sized tote bag or an apron with multiple pockets. Keep gloves, small pruning shears, a trowel and any other tools handy in order to increase the quickness of the work that goes into your garden.
It is common knowledge that grounds from brewed coffee are good for soil. They contain nitrogenous nutrients which are essential to plant growth. Nitrogen is a nutrient that will help your plants grow taller and bloom faster, so use those coffee grounds, extra compost, or diluted urea to make this happen.
You can make a raised bed with untreated wood, brick, or stone. Choose a wood that is resistant to rot and does not contain any chemicals. Several species of trees yield suitable wood. Locust, cypress, and cedar are among the more commonly used rot resitent woods. In order to avoid toxic substances from getting into the ground and perhaps into your vegetables, avoid using treated wood to enclose or demarcate different sections of your vegetable garden. If the ground cover you’ve used already contained treated lumber, line it with a barrier of some form.
Adopting organic gardening methods may take more effort than traditional approaches, but the payoff is considerably worth it. Chemical giants claim miracles, but those miracle crops come at a price to whoever eats the produce.
Water based on the current climate and the season. The amount of water a plant needs depends on the soil type, time of day and the water’s quality. Dry soil in a humid climate can accelerate the growth of unwanted foes, such as a leaf fungus. This is a perfect example of where your watering schedule would be adjusted to provide moisture in the peak hours of each day. Instead, the roots should be thoroughly watered.
The advice in this article shouldn’t be difficult to understand and learn from. You simply need to know some basic approaches and then you can carry those techniques into your garden. You need to pay close attention to how your plants fare after changing up your techniques. If your thumb turns out to be brown rather than green, take corrective action. A garden that is the pride of the neighborhood will be well worth the time it takes.