Gardening has its ups and downs. Being in the midst of a thriving garden, refreshes many people, while the stresses involved in maintaining the garden, bother them to no end. This article serves to lessen those stresses, with some straightforward pieces of advice to help your gardening experience.
When removing and replanting perennials, it is important to replenish the soil as well. If you remove a large number of perennials, and then replant them without adding additional compost and soil, the bed will be lower, reducing drainage and air circulation. Also, the compost will replace nutrients that have been used up by previous growing seasons.
If you have plants that are tall, support them with stakes. This will prevent tall plants from drooping over when click this site 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.
When removing and replanting perennials, it is important to replenish the soil as well. If you remove a large number of perennials, and then replant them without adding additional compost and soil, the bed will be lower, reducing drainage and air circulation. Also, the compost will replace nutrients that have been used up by previous growing seasons.
Collecting and preserving autumn leaves is a fun gardening project, especially for the kids. Generations of kids have used the &wax paper method& to preserve fall leaves at peak color - with a little help from Mom. Just select colorful thin leaves that don't have a high water content and place them between two sheets of wax paper. Place a cloth - like an old tea towel - on top of the waxed paper &sandwich& and have Mom slowly run a hot iron (no steam) across the cloth. Peek underneath to see if the wax paper is melting and bear down hard to get a good seal. http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/pruning-trees-shrubs/ may seem cloudy while it is warm, but it should dry clear as it cools. Enjoy your pretty display of colorful leaves!
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.
To make birds stay away from the produce you're growing in your garden, tie mylar balloons near your plants. These will scare away the birds and keep your fruit and veggies safe until you're ready to pick them. Silver balloons or balloons that sparkle in the sun make especially effective bird repellents.
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.
It is important to use a strong and quality sunscreen when gardening outdoors. It is very easy to get burnt on the back of your neck, tops of your arms or on your legs while you are gardening. Sun block will help to prevent sunburn and will lessen your chance of getting skin cancer through sun exposure.
If you are growing tomatoes, you should make sure you have them in a place where they can get ten hours of light at the minimum during the summer. Otherwise, your tomatoes will not grow properly. You also want to have space in between your tomato plants so that the air can circulate.
When you have an abundance of seeds from your garden, a helpful way to store them away without drying them out is to use old, nylon stockings as a storage bag. After you add the seeds to the stocking, simply tie a knot at the top and hang the stockings in a warm, dark place to store until spring.
<img src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/4b/85/92/4b8592ed4cdcefe8fc841a1f12778774.jpg" />
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.
Having an organic garden in your backyard, doesn't mean that you will be constantly tied to it. On the contrary, gardening in an organic way can be more satisfying than any other method, because you are more in tune with nature, and the plants themselves. Use the ideas from this article to see just how easy it can be.
ryanduane Community Member 
|
|
