Well, now is as good a time as any. You may have several questions on how you should begin and what you need, and this article is the perfect resource for you. The ideas and tips below will get you started and on your way to a successful garden.
Shoveling clay is very difficult and lots of work because the clay is hard and sticks to the shovel, making it tough to handle. Make your shoveling job easier by lightly coating a shovel with a layer of wax, then buffing the surface. Either car wax or floor wax will work just fine. The shovel will glide through the clay and as a bonus, your shovel will be resistant to rust.
Turn the handles of your garden tools into measuring rulers. Tools that have long handles such as rakes, hoes and shovels can be used in place of a measuring stick. Place the handles on the floor to measure the distance between them. Use a permanent marker to label distances. Now you have easy access to a long ruler whenever you are gardening.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is essential to the growth of plants because of its role in photosynthesis. Often, plants achieve better growth when they are surrounded by high levels of CO2. The best way to obtain a saturated level of carbon dioxide (CO2) is to use a greenhouse. Higher CO2 levels can provide optimal conditions for growing plants.
Bulbs will give you wonderful flowers that you can enjoy in early spring and right through the summer. Bulbs are usually very hearty and very easy to grow, and bulbs will grow year after year. Keep in mind that different bulb types bloom differently and at different time periods, so when you choose a bulb plan accordingly, you can have your plant blooms lasting spring into summer.
When you are mowing your lawn do not cut it too closely to the dirt. If you leave a bit more height, the grass roots will get deeper, making your lawn stronger. If you keep your lawn too short, the roots will not go deep enough to survive in case of a heat wave.
When you grow veggies in a garden, you need to ensure they get at least six hours of good sunlight each day. Almost all vegetables need this much sunlight, so that they can grow correctly and in a shorter amount of time. This also rings true for some of the flowers.
Boiling away unwanted weeds is an odd, but productive method used in many gardens. The safest herbicide that you can probably find is a cup of boiling water. Pour boiling water over the weeds to kill them, but make sure not to pour the water over any plants you don’t want to kill. Boiling water damages weed and plant roots, so be sure to avoid the plants you don’t want to eliminate.
Try to keep your plants aerated and dry, every day. Parasites and pests are attracted to excess moisture on the plants. Fungi are parasites that are common in the plant world. You can control fungi with fungicides, but you must remember to use it before you notice any problems in order for it to work.
Buy a wheelbarrow and kneeling stool to work with in the garden. Working on the ground for long periods of time can be painful on the knees, so a small garden stool can really allow you to work in comfort. Also, horticulture can involve a lot of heavy lifting and moving items, therefore a robust wheelbarrow can make that aspect much easier.
Use smarts when watering your garden. A soaker hose will save you time because you won’t have to individually water each plant, like you do with a regular nozzle, or a can that you need to constantly refill. Use low water pressure for your hose so that you do not cause harm to the tender members of your garden. Let your soaker hose run for a few hours while you do other things.
Make sure that you wear appropriate clothing when you garden so as to avoid any sun damage. Make sure you wear a wide brimmed hat along with sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen. Utilizing the correct sun protection makes it less likely that sunburn will occur and decreases the chance that skin cancer will develop.
Organic Garden
One way to encourage an organic garden to be sustainable and healthy is to put aside a section to stay undeveloped, thus encouraging wildlife to approach it. Most likely, you will find your organic garden producing better once your property is home to the insects, birds, and other wildlife that plants rely on for pollination and the production and dispersal of seeds.
Don’t underestimate pine as a great mulch. Certain plants are acidic, and thrive in acidic soil. If you have some of these plants, then pine needles are an easy way to add acid to their bed. Cover your beds with two inches of needles; acid will be dispersed into the soil as they decompose.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds work great mixed in with your soil. Coffee grounds are filled with nitrogen, that is a nutrient required by plants. It is best for your plants to use coffee grounds that are part of a blend of ingredients in the compost or soil you are using for your plants, rather than directly adding coffee grounds to your garden plants.
You should now be well prepared to start your very own garden. Most horticulture techniques apply to most plants but if you want to grow a singularly difficult flower, find specific information. Ideally, you will be able to start horticulture with much greater success after using these tips.