Gardening not only benefits you physically and emotionally, it can also feed your family and drive a business. With the right knowledge, you can properly take care of all your horticulture needs, which means that you won’t make small mistakes, such as buying the wrong seeds for your type of soil, or big mistakes, such as buying expensive equipment that you don’t really require.
The handles of your tools can double as clever rulers. Tools with long handles such as hoes and rakes can double as measuring sticks. Lay your handles on the floor, and put measuring tape right next to them. Label the distances onto them using a permanent marker pen. Next time you work in the garden, you can have a larger ruler with you!
Having healthy soil in your garden is your number one defense against pests! The healthier the plants you grow, the more resistant they’ll be to illness, fungus, or bugs. Starting with soil that is in good condition can yield the best plants.
Climbing plants and vines are great for covering fences and wall structures. These versatile plants can grow over fences to enhance the fence’s appearance. Often, climbers grow quickly, so you’ll get the effect you want by the time the season changes. They can also grow through existing shrubs or trees, or be trained to cover an arbor. There are those that have to be fixed to a support, but others will find a surface to cling to all on their own through twining stems or tendrils. Reliable varieties include wisteria, honeysuckle, climbing roses, clematis, and jasmine.
Analyze the soil before you even get started with working in a garden. A soil analysis is inexpensive and can be used to figure out which nutrients should be added to provide a healthy garden environment. Before you ruin any crops, make sure you do this. Soil can be analyzed at a lot of cooperative extension offices, so make sure you plan accordingly.
Plant cool-weather edibles in the fall. A hollowed out pumpkin can become a festive container for kale and lettuce. To use the pumpkin as a planter, it is important to prevent it from rotting. To do this, you simply spray the entire inside and any edges with a gardening spray called Wilt-Pruf. This is done after you’ve opened the pumpkin at the top and removed the insides. Finished? Now you’re all set for planting!
Always make sure to mow your lawn to the appropriate length, always making sure that the cut is not too close. Higher grass has deeper roots, meaning a healthier lawn that will be less likely to dry out. If you keep your lawn too short, the roots will not go deep enough to survive in case of a heat wave.
Two items you need to invest in when working in a garden are a wheelbarrow, and a kneeling stool. Spending too much time on the ground working can be quite hard on your knees, and a gardening stool can help alleviate this, plus make things more comfortable for you. Horticulture also usually requires that you transport heavy loads, such as dirt or mulch, and a wheelbarrow will make this much easier to do.
If you have children, plant strawberries, especially everbearing strawberries, in your organic garden. You will find that they enjoy participating in gardening if they are allowed to pluck the fresh berries and eat them straight from the earth.
Flower Beds
You should utilize around three inches of mulch that is organic in your flower beds. Mulch discourages weeds and helps retain moisture while adding nutrients to your flower bed. It will also increase the visual appeal of the flower beds.
You will need the correct information, lots of patience, and the ability to spend time working outside. But soon you will see the work begin to pay off, as the garden begins to grow.