Make A Wonderful Garden With These Tips!

~ craigb

TIP! Many times when digging in clay soil the clay will adhere to the shovel, which will make it much harder to dig. To make digging clay soil easier, try applying a light coating of wax, either car wax or floor wax, and then buff off and commence digging.

A garden is not just something you do to decorate. There are many benefits that gardening can provide you, besides the satisfaction of seeing your garden looking its best. It plays a significant part in a gardener’s life by bringing calmness, accomplishment and a connection to nature. The harder you work at it, the more benefits gardening will bring you.

TIP! Consider planting slug-proof perennials. Slugs and snails can decimate a plant in one night.

If you see mildew that is powdery, stay away from expensive chemicals to treat it. Put a little baking soda and some dish soap in water. Spray this on the plants once per week until that mildew goes away. Do not worry about your plants; the baking soda cannot harm them.

TIP! Take the time to remove weeds. Weeds can be extremely detrimental to your garden.

Grow some wheat grass or cat grass next to the plants your cat seems to prefer. You could also repel your pet by planting rosemary or placing citrus fruit peels around your garden.

TIP! Tempt your cat away from the plants he has been bothering by planting catnip or wheat grass near them. In addition, you could put an item on the soil’s top around the plants which has a smell that cats hate, such as citrus peel or mothballs.

Good green gardens begin from seeds, not plants. Starting with your own seeds is more environmentally friendly than buying plants from a nursery. Many of the plastics used for horticulture simply end up going in the trash and clogging land fills. An environmentally-friendly garden is started with seeds or plants grown in organic pots.

TIP! When mowing the lawn, don’t mow the grass all the way down to the root. Higher grass has deeper roots, meaning a healthier lawn that will be less likely to dry out.

Try to pour a bit of leftover water from your steamed veggies on 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. If you are having problems with fungus, you may find that sprinkling Chamomile tea on the plant is effective.

TIP! Vegetables should be placed in a spot in your garden that will get about six hours of sun every day. This allows the vegetables to grow quickly and healthily.

Choose a plant as a focal point. You need a focal point that can catch your eye in garden design. Usually this focal point is a luscious plant that is distinctly different from the plants and scrubs that surround it.

TIP! Deciduous shrubs and young trees need to be protected. Cold weather significantly affects these plants, especially if they are in pots.

A mixture of aspirin and water can help your ailing plants. Dissolve one aspirin and a half for 2 gallons of water. Simply spray your plants with the mixture, and this will help them fend off various diseases. Use this method to spray your plants every three weeks.

TIP! Plant for fall color. This does not have to be so.

Coat your flower beds with a few inches of an organic mulch. Mulching is the perfect way to lock in moisture, nourish soil, and to keep away weeds. As an added bonus, a nice mulch can help make your garden look more finished.

TIP! If you have a cut on your hand, take the time to make sure it is either healed or completely covered before you put your hands in the soil. If dirt and grime get into a cut while gardening, it may become infected.

Slugs are a nuisance that can be easily remedied with the use of an organic beer tramp. Take a glass jar and bury it in your garden, making sure that the lip of the jar is even with the soil. Next, fill the jar with beer until there is only one inch left below the mouth of the jar. The slugs will be attracted to the beer, and will then become trapped within the jar.

TIP! When planting seeds, make sure to take your time. Begin by adding moisture to the soil.

A raised bed can be built with untreated wood, brick or stone. If you choose wood, ensure that it has not been treated with a sealant or other chemicals. Cypress, locust and cedar are all very good choices. Consider the chemicals that will leach out of the wood before choosing anything that has been treated. Remember the affect that such chemicals will have on your plants and soil. If you must use treated wood, consider using a liner to keep chemicals out of the soil.

TIP! As the seeds sprout, they’ll need less warmth. As they begin growing you can move them farther away from heat sources.

Mulch is necessary for a healthy soil. The soil can be greatly enhanced by adding a good layer of mulch to it. Mulch will keep the soil at an ideal temperature and protect the roots. Mulch also slows the rate at which water evaporates, which improves your soil’s ability to retain moisture. It also doubles as weed control.

TIP! Be efficient when working in your garden. Don’t waste thirty minutes looking around for a tool.

One of the benefits of organic produce over commercial produce is that it is not spayed with any toxic pesticides. This is healthier than other alternatives, but you need to still check for diseases and bugs regularly.

TIP! Tuck away some plastic grocery bags and use them to slip over your muddy boots. This way, you won’t break momentum by fussing with your shoes, and you’ll be quickly back in the garden to finish your work.

Gardening is not only a great hobby, but also a way to feel at peace with the earth. Organic horticulture will accomplish that feeling even more so. When you garden organically, you see the entire process from the beginning to the end. The whole process becomes more clear, and you appreciate all the earth offers you.

TIP! Pine can be a wonderful mulch. Some plants are more acidic, and prefer soil that contains higher acidic levels.

You should rotate your garden every year. Fungus and diseases will appear if you have the same kind of plants in the same place from one year to the next. These things can get into the ground, and attack plants the next year. Changing your planting layout will allow you to avoid costly problems and have large, bountiful plants.

TIP! Consider the climate and season when watering your plants. Other factors that influence how much you need to water include time of day, soil factors and how hard your water is.

Grow garlic that is organic. Wait until early spring or the fall to plant cloves in a moist soil. Plant your garlic cloves around 1-2 inches into the ground, making sure the end is pointed up and they are four inches from each other. While they are growing and still green, the shoots can be used like scallions or chives. The bulbs of the garlic are ready for harvesting when the very tops of them begin to brown. You should dry them outside in a sunny spot for a couple of days to harden the skin. They could be stored in an area that is cold, tied or loose in bunches.

TIP! Excessive amounts of water makes it harder for plants to get the nutrients they need from the soil. Don’t go ahead and water your garden if the weather report predicts rain that day.

An organic shade garden is a lovely idea. These gardens are low maintenance, which will make many happy. They require little watering, and not much work or time. Although your plants will grow slower because of this, there also won’t be as many weeds to pull.

TIP! A soaker hose is the best choice for watering an organic garden. This special type of hose allows water to slowly ooze out; the water then directly targets the roots and spares the leaves.

Take the information you’ve gleaned from the tips presented here, and make your garden live again. You’ll be glad you did when you see your plants alive and blooming. Horticulture is something that can change your life, if only you will let it, so get to it.