Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Many people would agree that one of the most rewarding endeavors is growing their own garden. There is nothing like the feeling of planting something, watching it grow, and then getting to enjoy the fruit of your labor. This article will share some useful gardening tips to help make your garden grow.
Selecting bulbs. Most bulbs are sold during their dormant period. Buy them as early as possible before they start to produce roots. Most spring flowering bulbs will begin to grow roots by early fall, and by planting them early, you will ensure that they have time to establish themselves. look at here will deteriorate if kept out of the ground too long. Don't buy any bulb that is soft or mushy, or appears to be diseased.
If you have plants that are tall, support them with stakes. This will prevent tall plants from drooping over when they are heavy with blooms, which can look very messy. Support climbing shrubs with a lattice to keep the rambling vines under control and to prevent them from invading another plant area.
Be sure to water your garden daily. Without daily water, your garden may quickly turn sour. If the idea of pulling out a hose daily is too much for you to stomach, consider installing some sort of sprinkler system. There is a cost, but it can save a lot of headaches and actually pay for itself via a healthy crop!
Make a handy twine dispenser from old clay pots. To always have gardening twine ready to use, take an old clay pot, and place it in your garden where you want your twine dispenser to be. Then place your ball of twine in it, and turn a second clay pot upside down. Thread the twine through the drainage hole of the upside down pot and place it on top of the bottom pot. You now have a handy dispenser!
Reduce the need for pesticides in your garden by planting native crops. Native plants will have a better resistance against the bugs and bacteria of your area, and will be better equipped to compete with native weeds. Native plants will attract beneficial native insects, such as ladybugs, which can naturally control pest problems without the need for chemicals.
When you are trying to decide your plant watering schedules, make sure you are testing your soil regularly. Persistent over-watering is just as likely to kill your plants as under-watering. An easy way to check is to put your fingertip in the soil, if it is moist, do not add water.
Dish washing soap can repel insects. If you find insects ravaging your garden, fill a spray bottle with water and add a squirt of dish soap. Spray the foliage of your plants and watch the insects flee. They will leave your garden alone until the soap washes away. Simply reapply as needed.
Knee pads are a gardener's friend when caring for plants low to the ground. Gardening is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable; you don't want to finish every gardening session with aching, throbbing knees. Having a good pair of knee pads will cushion your knees in comfort.
If you don't have the space to grow a garden in the ground you can still enjoy the benefits of gardening by using containers. Almost any plant can be grown in a container and many plants now are specifically designed for container growing. With a large container you could have a mini-garden right on your porch.
Do not give your garden too much fertilizer. Providing fertilizer to your plants allows them to better make food from sunlight. Too much fertilizer, however, can cause your plant to grow too fast, which prevents it from fruiting or flowering. The excess chemicals left in your soil can wash away and pollute the local ground water.
To make the most of your garden, it is important to irrigate the land properly and conservatively. While some might be tended to nourish their gardens with too much water, this is not only a waste of water, but is not helpful for your plants. Ensure you water your plants moderately for the healthiest garden possible.
It may seem tempting to want to use chemicals on your organic garden, but these will do more harm than good, along with defeating the purpose of an "organic" garden. If you think about, all of these types of pollutants run off and contaminate whatever they touch. By keeping your soil healthy, you won't need any chemical fertilizers anyway.
For the best results, use these tips wisely but generously. Having a truly breathtaking garden is something every gardener dreams of, and it's not as difficult a task as it seems either. Learning tricks like the above and paying attention to your garden's individual needs are what you need to do if your ultimate goal is a garden that turns heads and brings a flutter to every plant-lover's heart.