Gardening is a wonderful hobby that is enjoyed by millions of people. If you are one of them, you know how delicious fresh vegetables grown in your own garden can be. If you are looking for some advice on how to improve your gardening skills, this article can give http://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/pdf/Development%20Services/Tree_Pruning_Guidelines.pdf .
Plants should be protected from cold weather. During winter time, the cold can present dangers to plants, either by freezing the water in their stems or forming sharp ice crystals which may sever or puncture important organs. Tomatoes, in particular, are very susceptible to the frost and should be moved to a warmer indoor climate, or covered outside with frost-resistant cloth.
Keep your plants thriving through the winter by bringing them inside. You may be able to save your most resistant or expensive plants. Cautiously avoid the roots while digging, and put your plant into a perfectly sized pot.
Pay attention to the compatibility of your plants. You can plant tall plants, such as tomatoes, and use them to shade such sun-sensitive plants as lettuce and spinach. These combinations can reduce the amount of fertile space your garden requires while also increasing the yield of all the types of plants you have.
Check your store bought soil for pests. If you buy from big home improvement stores, your soil may have pests such as aphids. To kill the insects and their larvae, put the soil in a metal baking pan and place it covered in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool before using.
Make sure your pot is the right size for your plant. If the pot is too small, the plant's roots may not have enough room to grow. The roots will become &root bound&, stop growing, and begin to suffocate. The size of the root system can determine the size of your plant and yield.
Do not allow the garden to go without water. Many people have unrealistic expectations of watering the garden after work everyday, but life gets in the way and that is the end of the garden. Install a sprinkler system to ensure the garden gets enough water. Although this does add expense to the garden, the convenience of it is well worth the money.
Did you know that cute lady bugs are beneficial to plants because they kill harmful aphids? Lady beetles, also known as ladybugs, eat large numbers of aphids throughout its life. One beetle can eat 5,000 aphids! You can purchase ladybugs at a garden center, or through online resources, if you don't have any in your garden. Plants love ladybugs!
Be sure to test your soil before you plant your garden, if you want to be successful without the need for chemicals. A home testing kit can tell you the pH of your soil, which indicates the likelihood of plant survival. A vegetable garden requires a pH of about 6.5; if your soil is off, http://www.finance.yahoo.com/news/local-tree-pros-launches-website-160000974.html can supplement before your plants start to die.
Make sure your seeds have enough room to grow. It is fine to have many seeds in one container before they sprout, but you will have to replant them as they grow. Use containers that are actually big enough for one plant, and avoid having more than one plant in each container.
Create a series of garden 'rooms'. The days of a square lawn with a surrounding border are long gone. A garden can offer so much more, by creating different areas to explore. A patio area is simply an extension of your indoor living space. Add an arbor at the end of the patio, leading to another outdoor room. This can be a play area for children, or a small vegetable or herb garden. Create seating areas under a tree or nestled in between shrubs. Add an element of surprise, such as a unique sculpture or piece of large pottery. Let your garden reflect your personality!
Establish a precise schedule to know when you should plant your seeds. Even if you are growing your plants indoors, you should follow a schedule that matches the season and outside temperature. Spend some time on your schedule at the beginning of a season and you should be able to improve it the next year.
Attract positive bugs to your garden. Bugs like lady-bugs actually hunt natural predators to your plants; aphids and caterpillars are just some of the nasty critters that can go through a garden and eat the leaves of the plants. Lady bugs are the natural predators to such pests and help the growth of a good healthy garden by consuming pests.
Is your thumb green yet? People don't become master gardeners overnight, so don't stress if it isn't. That said, following the time-tested advice offered by the above tips will certainly help you grow a splendid garden with vibrant plants that can both wow guests and feed your family.
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