How To Have A Garden You Can Be Proud Of

~ craigb

TIP! Make garden tools do double duty as handy makeshift rulers. Tools with long handles, such as shovels, hoes and rakes can be made into measuring sticks.

Gather some ideas for planning your garden, whether it will be for home or commercial use. If you ascertain beforehand exactly what you need, you will not be throwing away money on unnecessary items, or plants that are not suited to your environment.

Baking Soda

TIP! Annuals and biennials are an excellent way to add a splash of bright color to your flower gardens. By utilizing quick-growing biennials and annuals, not only will you be brightening up your flower bed, you can also alter its look each season and each year.

When powdery mildew appears on your plants, you should not rush out to purchase a costly chemical treatment. Rather, you should mix a bit of baking soda with a small quantity of liquid soap in water. Spray this onto your plants about once per week or until it subsides. Baking soda treats the mildew effectively and gently and it won’t damage your plants.

TIP! Bring some plants into your home to protect them against winter weather. You may want to save the most beautiful or expensive ones.

When winter arrives, transfer some plants into the house to save them. This is especially useful if you have a particular plant that you love or was expensive. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.

TIP! You can plant wheat grass or cat grass near the plants that the cat eats. You could also place something that will cause your cat to go away from your plants, such as citrus peels or mothballs.

Don’t mow your grass too short. Keeping grass with a little more height makes it healthier. This allows the roots to grow more deeply and makes the blades of grass more resistant to becoming dry and discolored. Short grass leads to more shallow roots and will result in more brown, dried-out patches.

TIP! If you have many low-growing plants in your garden, get yourself a pair of gardening knee pads. Spending lots of time on your knees while gardening can injure them and create lasting pain.

Before you plant a garden you should plan it out. Having a planting plan will help you correctly identify the young plants once they start to sprout. Another benefit is that you won’t lose the little plants in a big garden patch.

TIP! Using boiling water to kill weeds is both efficient and organic. Boiling water can be considered as an herbicide, and it is a safe one.

Tender deciduous shrubs are very fragile, so protect them. If you have a few potted shrubs, they should be shielded from the wintry weather. The tops should be tied together, and the wigwam should be loosely covered with a sheet or blanket. This method is preferred to wrapping a plant in plastic, since it promotes circulation and prevents rotting.

Gardening Knee

TIP! To keep dogs from disturbing your garden, spray some old aftershave, cologne, perfume or other strongly-scented products in the dirt or grass surrounding it. This will help to cover the scents that are attracting the dog, and make it less of an appealing place for your dog to be.

If your garden contains lots of short plants, purchase some gardening knee pads. Long hours tending your garden can leave your knees sore and achy. Cushion your knees with a pair of gardening knee pads.

TIP! Heather can be planted to attract useful insects. Bees like it because it gives them nectar in the springtime.

Instead of leaving clumps of irises intact, divide them so that your flowers can grow in a more healthy manner. Increase your iris population when you divide up overgrown clumps. Once the foliage has died off, lift out your bulbous irises. The bulbs will automatically split in you hand, and will likely flower the year after being replanted. Cut rhizomes into pieces with a knife. Get rid of the center and keep the new pieces you cut from the outside. There needs to be a minimum of one healthy offshoot on each of the new sprout sections. Replant your new rhizome pieces as soon as you have finished the cuttings.

TIP! Plant strawberries for your children. Children love to pick their own fruit right out of the garden, and will be more willing to help with the process if they get something out of it.

Natural materials or some other plants can be used in your garden for keeping away pests. For example, slugs can be deterred by the presence of marigolds or onions. Wood ash also makes a great insect deterrent; simply use it as mulch around your shrub and tree seedlings. You can avoid using pesticides that contain harsh chemicals if you employ these techniques.

TIP! While gardening you must make sure your knees are protected. Bending over from a standing position is something many people cannot do.

Be aware of the optimum time frame for harvesting vegetables. Each kind of vegetable should be picked at a specific point for maximum flavor. For example, baby peas and zucchini taste best when they are picked young. Yet, in reverse, tomatoes must wait for prime-ripeness before they are subject to being picked. It’s best to learn when the harvest time is for your vegetables.

TIP! Take the necessary time when planting seeds. First, add moisture to the soil where you will be planting.

The water that is leftover from the steamed vegetables is great to pour over them. For gardenias and rhododendrons, try putting your used coffee grounds or tea bags in the soil so they may acquire the acid they need for proper growth. Chamomile tea can be used as an effective fungicide for potted plants.

TIP! Try to keep plastic bags on hand to cover shoes that are muddy. This allows you to keep going, getting back to your garden quickly.

You don’t have to plant just for spring and summer. Consider what are often beautiful colors in the fall. But, that does not have to be the case! When it comes to brightly colored foliage, fall is an amazing time of year. Maple trees produce yellow and red leaves, just like Beech and Dogwood trees. When choosing shrubs, think about cotoneaster, hydrangea or barberry.

TIP! Within your composting heap, ensure that there is an equal split of dried and green plant materials. Green plant mulches include everything from fresh grass clippings, to unwanted vegetables, to recently pulled weeds.

Use gardening as a way to relax and recuperate. A plethora of paths to individual relaxation and inner peace exist. Of these, horticulture is by far one of the most enjoyable and easiest to start. The cost is low and the reward is often high. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect is the sense of peace and calm that comes from nurturing your plants.

TIP! One unusual tip in organic gardening, is to “pet” your seedlings often. Use your hands or a piece of cardboard and lightly ruffle the seedling about one or two times a day.

Indoor plants need an environment that is between 65 and 75 degrees. Warm temperatures encourage plant growth. If your thermostat is normally kept lower in winter, you can use a heat lamp to keep your plants warm enough.

TIP! Gardening is not only a great hobby, but also a way to feel at peace with the earth. Organic gardening will accomplish that feeling even more so.

If you plan to raise organic plants inside, you need to think about how much light they will get. If your windows are small or receive little light due to their positioning, a plant that requires little sunlight will be more comfortable and healthy. You can also get special lamps if you want a different kind of plants.

TIP! You need to mulch your flowerbed and garden using at least 3 inches worth of organic material. This affects your garden in a variety of ways, including enriching the soil, locking in moisture, and improving the overall appearance of the garden.

When a seed actually sprouts, it doesn’t need to be in as warm an environment. It’s important to move the plants away from any heat source as they grow larger. Plastic films should be removed on the containers, as that helps to keep out humidity and warmth. Watch the seeds so you can know when you do this.

It simply requires some research, some work, and some patience. All your hard work will be worthwhile when things start to grow.