Having a beautiful garden is the dream of many a homeowner. No doubt, you have had those dreams as well. Even if you think that you do not have a green thumb, you can make small improvements in your garden by following some practical advice. You can start by reading these suggestions:
Controlling pests is essential to a high yield garden. There are a variety of products available on the market that will kill any invasive pest in the garden. Many http://www.123peppy.com/play/terrace-decor organic pest controls have been perfected over the years that work very well, although they can be more expensive than chemical alternatives. With a quick internet search one can find many safe home remedies for pest control too.
Have your soil analyzed by a laboratory for a small fee so that you know which nutrients you need to add. Many college agricultural departments or cooperative extensions will provide this service for just a few dollars. Once you have the report, head to a farm supply company and buy what you need.
Be realistic about the types of plants you can grow in your garden. If a particular plant has failed you in the past, don't try it again. You need to right kind of climate, soil, and sun/shade ratio for certain plants. If you don't have it, no amount of effort will make those plants a success. Choosing realistically will increase your yield while decreasing your effort.
Make sure your pot is the right size for your plant. If the pot is too small, the plant's roots may not have enough room to grow. The roots will become "root bound", stop growing, and begin to suffocate. The size of the root system can determine the size of your plant and yield.
Be sure to water a tomato patch no more than once every five to seven days. However, when you do water, be sure to give the ground a thorough soaking. Tomatoes do best if the soil is wet deeply, unlike many plants which prefer a light misting more often. Also, be sure to water the ground, not the plants.
Save the water when you cook pasta for use in your garden. If you have ever boiled pasta in water, you have seen the cloudy state of the water when you drain the pasta. This water is loaded with starch, which is quite nutritious for plants. Make sure to let the water cool thoroughly, as hot water can damage and even kill plant roots.
For areas with high alkaline, mix coffee grounds into the soil. This is an easy and inexpensive method to increase the acidity of your soil. This can help your veggies and greens look more vibrant and taste better!
Make sure you water your garden daily. If you or someone else can't do it every day, you may want to look at setting up a sprinkler system. The convenience of having a sprinkler system outweighs the cost of it. This way your garden will be watered every day.
When planting your bulbs, have you ever wondered what end of the bulb should be pointing upward? Even though the growing end will naturally grow towards the warmth of the sun, being planted in the right direction will make it easier on the growing shoot. If a bulb has a pointed end, the end with the point should be planted upward since it contains the stem. Long tubers and rounded corms are more difficult to figure out which end to plant upward. If they still have dried roots attached, plant that end downward.
Choose specific plants for dry soil. Light and sandy soils have many advantages: they warm up quickly in the springtime and drain well after wet weather. The downside is they can quickly become very dry in the summer, and plants have to work hard to extract enough moisture to survive. Certain plants are very tolerant of dry conditions, as long as they are given a helping http://able2know.org/user/amenagermamaison/ hand when young. Once established they do well with very little water. These plants include alyssum, cosmos, hebe, lavender, rosemary, sedum and veronica.
A great tip when opening up your own organic garden is to mist your mix with a spray bottle. If you do not have a spray bottle, then set your trays in water. This is needed so that your mix will get the proper amount of moisture from below the surface.
Treat your roses! To naturally remedy black spots on roses in your organic garden, use milk! For some unknown reason - using a 1:2 ratio mixture of milk and water - has been shown to get rid of black spots! Use a spray bottle to apply the mixture directly to the leaves of the affected plant.
Prior to working in the garden, make sure any cuts on your hands heal completely, or shield any cuts from contact with chemicals and dirt. Cuts that are infiltrated by soil or other substances have the potential to breed serious infections. Bandage all cuts completely, using bandages that cover and seal cuts.
Use a soaker hose to water your garden. A soaker hose allows the water to be absorbed directly in to the soil, rather than disbursed in to the air. This helps to conserve water, a valuable resource. Plant leaves also stay dry, which means you get to avoid pesky fungus problems.
One way to improve the output of your organic garden is to prune the non-fruiting branches of your plants. Once the growing season is well underway and you can see where your fruits and vegetables are growing, eliminate stems and branches that are not carrying any fruit. This helps your plants focus their efforts on the fruit-bearing branches.
Encourage bees, wasps, ladybirds and other beneficial insects. These insects are vital in an organic garden. Bees are nature's most efficient pollinator, and wasps and ladybirds prey on destructive insects in the garden. Ladybirds are particularly effective at ridding your plants of aphids. To attract these beneficial insects, plant companion herbs and flowers around the edge of your vegetable garden.
Get rid of slugs and snails in the organic garden. As small as they are, slugs and snails can eat entire plants in one night. They thrive in moist conditions below 75 degrees. The best (and possibly most humane way) is to use beer traps to rid your garden of slugs and snails. Simply place stale beer in a shallow pan, the lip of which should be at ground level. The slugs and snails are attracted to the beer and will crawl in. This way they will leave this world happy and inebriated.
From the simplest of gardens to the most grand, there are always rules of thumb that will help ensure you get the best possible results from your garden. By following the tips and advice from this article you will be well on your way to enjoying the fruits, and vegetables, of your labor.
