What better time than now? It can be overwhelming knowing where to begin, so this article will help guide you towards getting started. Listed below is some very valuable advice that will help tint your thumb green, and bring you gardening success.
Clay soil can be very hard to work with, and you will often find that it sticks to the shovel. To ease the digging, apply some car wax or floor wax to the head of the shovel and buff. The clay easily slides off the surface while keeping the end from getting rusty.
Beginning your garden with healthy soil is your first defense against pests! Healthier plants are stronger, which in turn can help the plants you grow to become more resistant to disease and bugs that can harm them. To boost your garden’s prospects of giving you the healthiest possible plants, make sure you begin with premium soil devoid of salt-accumulating chemicals.
Check the nutrients in the soil before you plant your garden. Many nurseries offer a soil analysis service, which will tell you what nutrients your soil is lacking and what you can do about it. A Cooperative Extension office can provide you with this service, saving you learning on your own by trial and error.
Try growing wheat grass or cat grass in the area of the plants your cat wants to eat. You can also try to offend the cats sense of smell with orange rinds or mothballs.
Knee Pads
If you have many low-growing plants in your garden, get yourself a pair of gardening knee pads. Gardening can really put a lot of pressure on your knees that will leave you cramped and uncomfortable. Investing in a comfortable pair of knee pads made specifically for gardening can really reduce the pain you may feel from the pressure of being on your knees for extended periods.
There are several all-natural ways to keep pests out of your garden, including certain plants. A border of marigolds or onions around your veggies can prevent slugs. You can also mulch around trees and shrubs with wood ash, which drives away insects. Doing these things can ensure that you do not need potentially harmful chemicals.
If you want to grow peas, consider starting them indoors instead of planting them outside. If you were to plant them inside first, the seeds should germinate better. This will also make the seedlings hardier, which will help them resist diseases and pests. Once the seedlings are sturdy enough, they can be transplanted to their rightful place in the garden.
Make sure you read instructions on products and tools before using them. If you ignore them, you can irritate your skin in most painful ways. Protect yourself and follow all instructions.
Plant with fall season color in mind. That need not be the case though! The foliage in the fall probably exudes more color than any other season. There are a number of trees that provide exuberant displays of color, such as Dogwood, Beech and Maple. Cotoneaster, barberry and hydrangea can provide vibrant color if you are considering shrubs for your garden.
Choose a specific plant to become your garden’s focal point. In a well designed garden you should have a focal point so that your eyes will stay there. Quite often a distinctive plant works well as a point of interest.
Make sure to water your garden properly. You can save time by using soaker hoses when watering plants. By doing this, you won’t need to water your plants individually. Make sure that your water pressure is set to low, so that no harm will come to any tender plants. Watering your garden for a couple hours while you are working on other tasks is an efficient use of your time.
You never want to do any gardening with open wounds, so make sure everything is completely healed up before you begin; otherwise, you run the risk of your cut being exposed to dangerous chemicals and dirt. Your cut could get infected if you’re dealing with grime and dirt when horticulture. Bandage all cuts completely, using bandages that cover and seal cuts.
Try to work in your garden at least a short time each day. If you can’t get out in your garden every day, there are still a number of things you can do to keep things from falling into disarray during your absence. For example, snatch out a weed or two whenever you pass by the garden, such as when you take your dog out for a potty break.
Laundry Basket
When it’s harvest time, you should utilize a basket that you put laundry in to carry your veggies. The laundry basket will function as a makeshift strainer for the fruits and vegetables. While your freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are still in the basket, rinse them off and any excess water will run off through the laundry basket holes.
Now you are prepared to start gardening. If you thought you knew everything you needed to know before, you might be surprised how much your knowledge has grown with just a simple article. These tips should help get you going in the right direction so that your garden is extremely successful.