Tag: garden tools

Growing A Garden For The Whole Family To Enjoy

TIP! Healthy soil will also assist in your battle against pests. Healthy and well-nourished plants will be hardier and therefore better able to prevent pests from taking hold.

It may seem like horticulture would be hard to learn, but the truth is that you can get started with horticulture quite easily. The tips you will find below will pave your way towards gardening success.

Stink Bugs

TIP! For flowers throughout the spring and the summer, be sure to plant some bulbs. Bulbs are easy to grow and hearty, and they keep growing in years to come.

When gardening, beware of stink bugs and other insects, particularly in the autumn. Stink bugs enjoy gardens, and are especially fond of fruit, tomatoes, beans and peppers. If not taken care of, these pests can damage the garden, so take steps to cut down their population.

TIP! Prior to planting a garden, think through what you want to do. Doing so means you can remember where each particular plant is when you start seeing sprouts arise from the earth.

If you want your garden full of flowers spring through summer, plant bulbs. Since bulbs are easy to grow and resistant to poor weather conditions, they will grow without fail year after year. Different varieties of bulbs flower at varied times and if you make the right choices you can have blossoms from early spring through late summer.

TIP! Do you love fresh mint leaves but hate how they quickly grow to take over your garden? Control their expansion by confining them to a large pot. If you prefer, you can even place the container in the ground, but the pot’s walls will prevent the mint from spreading and being a nuisance in your garden.

Come up with a gardening plan before planting anything. Doing this makes it easier to keep track of where you planted what when you first start to see sprouts. With a plan, you will also be less likely to lose track of small groups or individual plants within a large and ambitious garden.

TIP! Make sure that you divide your irises! Increase your iris population when you divide up overgrown clumps. Try to life the bulbous irises when foliage begins to die.

Take extra care of any fragile shrubs that are known to drop their leaves in the autumn. Cold weather significantly affects these plants, especially if they are in pots. Tie the tops tightly together, and cover the wigwam with a sheet or blanket draped loosely over it. Using fabric, rather than plastic, allows air circulation and prevents rotting from moisture build up.

TIP! A green garden needs to begin with seeds, not plants. When starting a new garden, the most environmentally friendly way is to start from seed.

Fertilizer in the garden is a must. Manure can be effective, though you should use products which minimize pathogens. You have many different choices for fertilizer; choose whichever is best-suited to your plants but definitely use one.

TIP! Fertilizing your garden is essential. Manure is probably the best fertilizer.

To draw good insects to your garden, plant heather. Heather is desirable to bees; when heather emerges in early spring, it can be a source of nectar. Heather beds are also attractive to bugs such as spiders and ground beetles that will kill pests. Because of this, don’t forget to protect your hands when pruning heather beds.

TIP! Controlling pests can be quite challenging when trying to grow a healthy, hardy vegetable garden. Don’t spray any harsh chemicals on your vegetables because you will be eating them later on.

Include your kids in growing an organic garden. Gardening helps your children learn about biological processes and serves as a social activity that helps the family grow closer while eating healthier.

TIP! If you have problems keeping the dog out of the garden, spray things like aftershave, perfume or other scents on the grass surrounding the garden. Your dog will find more interesting scents to explore elsewhere and leave your garden alone.

Asprin will actually help your plants out by killing diseases. Dissolve 1 aspirin per gallon of water for a plant disease fighting solution. Next, coat the plant with the aspirin mixture by spraying it on the leaves. Use this method to spray your plants every three weeks.

TIP! You can attract the insects you need by planting heather. Heather will attract bees early in the spring as well as other beneficial insects.

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. A cut can become infected if dirt is allowed to enter the cut while horticulture. The key is to use bandages capable of covering cuts in their entirety.

TIP! Take care of your knees when you’re gardening. Bending over for extended periods can be harmful to your joints and muscles.

Preparing the soil for your perennial garden is easy. Use your spade in a slicing motion to cut a flap of turf. Carefully turn the flap over, then cover the area with a three-inch layer of untreated wood chips. Wait for a few weeks and plant new perennials in this area.

Garden Tools

TIP! Organic material piled three inches deep is an effective mulch in your flower gardens. Doing this keeps weeds down, keeps the moisture in your plants, and gives more nutrients to the plants.

Keep your garden tools close at hand to make the most of your gardening time. You should use a large pail and wear sturdy pants that have several pockets. Have shears, a trowel, gloves and other commonly used garden tools portable and easy to access.

TIP! The space you leave in between your plants is an important measurement when it comes to gardening. Do not underestimate the space that plants need to develop their root systems.

Use approximately two or three inches of natural, organic material as some mulch in every single flower bed. By doing this, you can lock in moisture, discourage weed growth, and nourish your plants. This will also make your flowers appear beautiful and finished all year long.

TIP! Include both green and dry plant refuse in your compost. Green plant material comprises leaves, weeds, spent flowers, grass clippings, and fruit and vegetable waste.

Get added value from your property. Landscaping increases your house’s curb appeal and give you a good return for the money invested. Investing in plants can raise the value of your property by 20%, or sometimes even more. Different plants thrive in different environments, so be sure to invest in plants that are low in moisture, and will flourish in your garden.

TIP! For the best results when growing an organic garden, you should shake your seeds up a little bit. After planted, make sure you agitate the seeds at least twice daily, using your fingers or even a Popsicle stick.

Not as bad as you thought, correct? Like all subjects, horticulture is a vast world which has a lot of information available to sift through. Sometimes, you just require a clue about where to start so you can begin taking action. With any luck, you’ve received that from this article.

Bring Nature To You With These Horticulture Tips

TIP! You can use the wooden handles of your tools as measurement sticks. Handles of things such as rakes, hoes or shovels make excellent measuring instruments.

Gardening can be therapeutic and stress relieving. Knowing the type of soil, equipment, and when you should plant the seeds are common horticulture questions. Read this article for some great gardening tips.

TIP! If your plants have a powdery mildew, don’t use expensive chemicals on them. Combine baking soda with a small dollop of liquid soap and add it to water.

Try planting seeds in pots, and then transferring the seedlings to your garden. They are then more likely to survive and to become thriving, mature plants. It also lets you have tighter control over the planting periods in your garden. When you take out the prior set of adult plants, your seedlings will then be prepared to go in.

TIP! Let your new seeds soak in a dark spot overnight. Put some seeds in a container and fill the container to the brim with water.

Make garden tools do double duty as handy makeshift rulers. Tools that can be used for more than one task are quite handy to own. Lay the handles of said tools on the ground where it is flat and there is no interference, such as gravel, and stretch a measuring tape along one side. Label the distances onto them using a permanent marker pen. You will never find yourself looking for a ruler thanks to this simple tip.

TIP! If you want to grow vegetables in you backyard, it is vital that you place them in an area where they could get roughly six hours of sun on a daily basis. This allows the vegetables to grow quickly and healthily.

Stinkbugs can be a nuisance in the garden. These bugs are known to be proliferate in the cooler fall months. Stinkbugs are most prevalent on tomatoes, beans and peppers. If not managed well, they can wreak havoc on your garden.

TIP! To help young plants, try pouring boiling water on top of nearby weeds. Boiling water can be considered as an herbicide, and it is a safe one.

The best way to start a garden is from first principles: seeds. Once the plant is healthy enough, replant it in your garden with the appropriate type of soil. Seeds eliminate the waste of plastic containers from nurseries which rarely get recycled. There are some nurseries, however, that send their plants out in organic potting materials.

TIP! D

Learn the proper way to handle chemicals, and the right way to use garden tools. If you use your gardening chemicals wrong, you can abrade or even burn your skin. Protect your plants and yourself by knowing how to correctly use all of your horticulture implements.

TIP! Broad-spectrum pesticide is not a good garden choice. Broad-spectrum pesticides will kill insects that are helpful to your garden as well as the harmful ones.

Buy a wheelbarrow and kneeling stool to work with in the garden. It is important to protect your knees when you are kneeling in the garden, and a foam kneeling pad will help with that. As well, gardening can involve some heavy lifting and moving, so a strong wheelbarrow can really make that aspect much more effortless.

TIP! Water your garden carefully. Utilize a soaker hose.

Plant things that will give you color for the fall. That doesn’t have to be the case. When it comes to brightly colored foliage, fall is an amazing time of year. There are many variations in leaf color with different varieties of Maple, Beech and Dogwood trees that can give you lively yellows and deep crimsons. Barberry, conaneaster and hydrangea are all wonderful choices in shrubs.

TIP! Before planting your favorite perennials, you must first prepare the ground. Take your spade and work up a thin layer of soil.

Make sure that you wear appropriate clothing when you garden so as to avoid any sun damage. Clothing should keep your skin covered, and don’t forget to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you cover up from the sun, you are less likely to become burned or get skin cancer.

Include your children in your efforts to organic horticulture. Gardens are terrific teaching tools for kids, and provide great opportunities for interaction, growth, and instruction on healthy living.

TIP! Use an old laundry basket to gather your vegetables and fruits. The basket will make a great strainer when you wash your vegetables.

Try to put an aspirin in the water to get rid of plant diseases. One and a half aspirin, dissolved in two gallons of water, can be a great addition to your plants. Next, coat the plant with the aspirin mixture by spraying it on the leaves. Use this method every three weeks.

TIP! Your soil will be healthier if you add mulch. The soil will be efficiently protected.

If you’re thinking about growing your own organic garden, then you might want to consider keeping a bit of your property undeveloped; this way wildlife can flourish. Your cultivated garden spaces will benefit from the various insects and wildlife that will inhabit and pollinate the undeveloped space.

TIP! Always give your garden the benefit of looking beneath the upper portions of a plant. Make sure that the root system is healthy when you buy tomato seedlings and that the starts are healthy looking as well.

For in-home organic gardeners, you are looking for an ideal temperature of around 60-75 degrees for your plants. Young plants need a temperature within that specific range to grow. If you don’t like keeping your home that temperature in the winter, you may wish to consider getting a heat lamp, instead, to keep your organic plants the correct temperature.

TIP! Use a soaker hose to water your garden. Because the water in these hoses seeps out slowly, it goes directly to the roots of the places and leaves the leaves dry.

Horticulture is very rewarding, but only after one has the tools and know-how to do it effectively. Your garden will start giving you enjoyment after you realize you have the abilities to make it happen. Heed our tips and you’ll have your own stunning space.

Grow Fresh, Organic Produce With These Tips

TIP! You will need to properly lay sod. Get your soil ready before you lay the sod.

A lot of people feel horticulture is difficult to do, but it can be easy if you are aware of what to do. The right information can help anyone become a master gardener. Explore this article to find some helpful tips that can take you to master status in your garden.

TIP! You must gradually introduce your plants to changing conditions and temperatures, so you do not shock them. Place them outside in the sunlight for an hour or two on the first day.

To keep your plants from getting shocked, you need to gradually introduce them to changes in temperature and conditions. Try placing them outside in sunlight for about an hour or maybe two the first day. Throughout the week, you should leave your plants out for a little longer each day. Once the transition is complete, your plants will probably be able to tolerate the outdoor conditions.

TIP! Set your mower blades higher, so you don’t cut the grass too short. Keeping grass with a little more height makes it healthier.

Make garden tools do double duty as handy makeshift rulers. Tools with long handles, such as a shovel or rake, are absolutely perfect for this job, and make your workload a little bit smaller. On the floor, simply lay out the handles, then take a tape measure and run it next to them. Next, use a Sharpie to accurately label the distance between each one. Now when you go to work in the garden, you will have a ruler that is large at your fingertips!

TIP! Do you enjoy fresh mint, but don’t like how they engulf your garden in their growth? Rein their growth; you can do this simply by planting mint inside a larger garden container or pot. Then, you can plant the container into the ground.

Take the time to remove weeds. Unwanted weeds fight for the same nutrients that more desirable plants do, and they also are unsightly. For this task, try using white vinegar. The acid in white vinegar kills weeds. You may also be using plants that need that very same acid. Mix white vinegar and water into a spray bottle instead of pulling the weeds by hand.

TIP! Protect the soil around your vegetable plants with an inch or two of organic mulch. The mulch will add beneficial moisture to your soil.

Fill your garden with bulbs if you want to enjoy beautiful flowers through the spring and into summer. A hardy perennial addition to your garden, bulbs will continue to delight every year. Remember that different bulbs will bloom at all different times of the year, so if you are careful to choose the right bulbs, you will see blooms in the early spring, and have flowers all the way to late summer.

TIP! Give them a boost by watering them with the cooled water that is left after steaming vegetables. If you grow rhododendrons, azaleas or gardenias, increase the acid in your your soil by working in coffee or tea grounds.

Pre-soak your seeds to keep them healthy. Place a small amount of seeds in a little container, while filling it to the brim with water. This will keep seeds hydrated and help them to grow faster. This increases the chances of survival for the seeds.

TIP! You can spray scents such as after-shave and cologne around your garden to deter your dog. Using this will cover up the odors that your dog likes and will cut down on the intrigue of your landscaping for your furry friend.

Try to keep your plants aerated and dry, every day. Many diseases, as well as most parasites, prefer moisture. Fungi commonly afflict a number of plants. Fungus can be handled with sprays specifically formulated for fungi control, but you must treat the area with spray before seeing any kind of problems.

TIP! Make sure that you wear appropriate clothing when you garden so as to avoid any sun damage. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun.

A green garden needs to begin with seeds, not plants. As a green-friendly gardener, you always want to use seeds to start your new plot. It’s better for your garden, in particular, because transplants have high failure rates; whereas, sprouting a seed and growing a plant in the same conditions is better. Additionally, it’s better for the environment, because the plastic pots used by most greenhouses are generally not recycled and are cluttering landfills.

TIP! Get your children interested in helping with your organic garden. Gardens are terrific teaching tools for kids, and provide great opportunities for interaction, growth, and instruction on healthy living.

Keep your garden fertilized. If you decide to use manure, which is great for your plants, choose a pathogen free commercial product. There are a number of options for fertilizer, but the truth is that what you use is unimportant; you just have to remember to use something.

TIP! Plant ever-bearing strawberries for your children in the organic garden. For kids, there are few things as fun as picking fruit fresh from the garden.

Learn the proper way to handle chemicals, and the right way to use garden tools. If you ignore them, you can irritate your skin in most painful ways. Prevent issues, and use your garden chemicals safely.

TIP! To keep your houseplants happy during the day, your thermostat should be set anywhere between 65 and 75 degrees. They need the temperature to be that warm so that they can grow.

Give them a nutritious drink by using the water that you boiled your veggies in. It is also possible to utilize coffee ground or tea to make the soil more acidic for gardenias, rhododendrons and other plants that prefer acidic soil. Chamomile tea can be used as an effective fungicide for potted plants.

TIP! You should always take spacing into account when placing plants in your organic garden. You can easily underestimate how much space the plants need until they begin to grow.

Plant things that will give you color for the fall. This does not have to be so. When it comes to vivid foliage, autumn offers the best opportunity to view it. Maple trees can range from beautiful reds and yellows in addition to Beech or Dogwood trees. Some vibrant shrubs include hydrangea, barberry, and cotoneaster.

TIP! To get the most from your composting efforts, aim for a 1:1 ratio of dried materials and green plant products. Green plant material includes grass clippings, spent flowers, vegetable and fruit waste, weeds and leaves.

During the hotter parts of the day, vegetables are softer, which means even picking them gently can cause them damage. Use garden shears to remove your vegetables from the vine to avoid damaging the plant.

TIP! Using organic produce from organic gardens which are free of pesticides is a great benefit. Though this is certainly a great thing for the health of your loved ones, it is important to watch for additional pests and insects that may be present.

When gardening, it is critical to shield your knees as much as possible. Many people experience back pain and stiffness from bending over and working in the garden for extended amounts of time. Kneeling down on the ground is a more comfortable way for many people to tend to their horticulture chores. You can get a knee pad to place on the ground to kneel on so that you do not feel pain in your knees.

TIP! Annually rotate your garden. If you keep planting the same thing in a particular area every year, it can cause a buildup of disease in the soil.

As mentioned earlier, it is not difficult to become an expert gardener if you educate yourself. With just a little good information, you can find out all you need to know regarding gardening, and making your space a masterpiece.

Organic Gardening Guidelines That You Must Know

TIP! Consider starting your plants in pots and then planting the seedlings in your garden. They are then more likely to survive and to become thriving, mature plants.

Now is a great time. You maybe, though, are wondering where to begin. This article is a good place. Listed below are some tips that will help you get started with your horticulture aspirations.

TIP! Analyze the soil before you even get started with working in a garden. For a small fee, a soil analysis can be obtained – based on that report – the soil can be properly enriched to support a vibrant garden.

Turn the handles of your garden tools into measuring rulers. You can convert any large handle tool, such as a hoe, shovel, or rake into a measuring tool. All you have to do is lay them on the floor then use a measuring tape to measure their length. Use a bright permanent marker and label the distances. Now you will always possess a large ruler ready for your use in the garden.

TIP! CO2 is essential for growth. Plants are more likely to thrive in environments where high levels of CO2 are present.

When powdery mildew appears on your plants, you should not rush out to purchase a costly chemical treatment. A great home remedy is to mix baking soda with water and a little bit of liquid soap. Spray this solution on plants once weekly until the mildew is gone. This is a natural solution for ridding your plants of mildew safely.

TIP! If you learn that your soil has a high amount of alkaline, mix some used coffee grounds into it. Coffee grounds are an affordable means of adding acid to the soil so that it is pH-balanced.

Consider growing wheat grass or cat grass near the plants your cat enjoys eating. Alternatively, you can try putting mothballs, citrus peel or anything else with an odor that cats find distasteful in the soil surrounding the plants.

TIP! If you are looking for an all-natural, organic way to weed your garden, consider “boiling off” the weeds. The safest herbicide that you can use in your garden is a simple pot of boiling water.

Try to have a plan with your garden. That way, if you see your plants beginning to bud but can’t recall what they are, you can refer back to your plan to refresh your memory. You are also less likely to lose smaller members of the larger garden in the overall mix.

TIP! Try planting berry-bearing evergreens in your yard. These help to give your garden nice looking color, even during winter when most vegetation is colorless.

Make sure you protect any tender deciduous shrubs. If you have tender shrubs in pots, they need to be protected in the cold weather. Tie together the tops, and then use a sheet or blanket to cover the wigwam loosely. This method works better than covering your bushes in plastic, allowing air to circulate and preventing rotting.

TIP! To help them out, try poring leftover water from steamed vegetables on them. Try adding used coffee grounds to the soil around plants that grow in acidic soil.

If your garden contains lots of short plants, purchase some horticulture knee pads. The time that you will have to spend on your knees in your garden can cause you unnecessary knee pain. Your knees can get supported with a decent pair of gardening knee pads.

TIP! Create a space perfect for any perennial garden with this easy method. All you need to do is use a garden spade to slice under the turf, flip it over, then spread wood chips over the area about three to four inches deep.

A green garden needs to begin with seeds, not plants. The most “green” way to create a new garden is starting from seeds. Since plastics that are in nurseries aren’t recycled very often and therefore usually wind up in landfills, you should begin with seeds or purchase from the nurseries that use natural materials in their plants’ packaging.

TIP! Do you want to kill weeds without using commercial chemicals? A layer of newspaper, several pages thick, placed over the ground will do the trick. Without light, there can be no weeds.

Learn the proper way to handle chemicals, and the right way to use garden tools. It may seem simple enough, but not following it could lead to chemical burns and skin irritations. Always follow packaging directions to ensure your body’s safety.

TIP! Try using a beer trap to naturally eradicate slugs from your organic garden. Bury a canning jar so that the open mouth and the soil top are level.

Have one plant be the most interesting eye-grabber in your garden. In any good garden design, a focal point will grab the eye and hold it there. It is usually a type of plant that stands out from the plants surrounding it.

TIP! Use untreated stone, brick or wood to build raised beds. If using wood, make sure it’s naturally rot resistant and untreated.

If you’re planning on horticulture inside, the first thing you should consider is an adequate light source. If you’re living in a home that doesn’t receive much sunlight, you should consider growing plants that thrive in environments with low to medium amounts of light. If you want to grow a plant which requires more light, you can invest in grow-lights.

TIP! One thing that sets organic gardening apart from conventional gardening is that commercial pesticides are not used. While this is good for your family’s health, you will want to be sure to check even more for bugs and other pests.

A good thing to know when it comes to your organic garden, and running it, is to, a couple times a day, lightly ruffle the seedlings with cardboard or your hand. However odd this may sound, research shows that this touching encourages seedlings to grow better than they would without touching.

TIP! Add mulch into your garden, you want to use at the very least organic material of three inches. You will ensure your garden will be nourished by keeping moisture inside the soil, thus creating a neater appearance of your garden, and repelling weed growth.

Grow garlic in your organic garden. Wait until early spring or the fall to plant cloves in a moist soil. Plant them approximately 4 inches apart at a depth of 1 or 2 inches beneath the surface of the soil with the pointed end facing upward. Garlic stalks can be used as they grow for chives or scallions in any recipe. Harvest the garlic bulbs when the tops of the plants turn brown. Make sure you put the garlic in the direct sunlight for days so that the skin will harden. Store them in a cool place, tied in bunches or loose.

TIP! Make you garden diverse. A larger variety of plants in your garden will attract more wildlife.

When organic gardening, it is important to know how properly make an ideal bed for your plants. A spade can be used to slice under your turf. Once you do this, flip it upside down and cover this area with around three or four inches of wood chips. Leave it for a few weeks and work it up so you can plant.

TIP! Try planting your organic garden in the shade. You will be happy to learn that gardens of this type are relatively easy to maintain.

If you’re preparing to add a new shrub or tree to your organic garden, it’s best that the hole you plant them in looks a bit off-balance. If the hole that you create for them has any “glazed” sides that were caused by a shovel, then it may restrict the root from penetrating into the nearby soil.

TIP! When it comes to an organic garden, the types of plants able to grow naturally are virtually endless. Acid-loving plants really love mulch.

An organic garden doesn’t have to be restricted to a few types of plants. You can grow anything. Most acid-loving plants enjoy mulch. Pine needles are an excellent choice for mulch material for these plants. The needles will decompose and deposit natural acids in the soil.

TIP! Use at least 3″ of organic material to mulch flowers and trees. This will hold moisture in the soil allowing you to conserve water and it also retards the growth of weeds.

After reading this article, you should be on the right path to having your own garden. You might have already thought you knew quite a bit about gardening, but now look! Hopefully, the suggestions here were helpful in getting you started in the exciting world of horticulture so that you eventually will become an expert gardener.