Growing your own fruits and vegetables is an easy thing to do if you use proper techniques. It will show how much you care about the plants you grow, and your desire to ensure they are as healthy as possible. This is a valuable attitude. Just as with any hobby or skill, there is always room for improvement. The following advice will help you out.
In order not to shock your plants, you have to gradually accustom them to the change of temperature and conditions. Place them outside in the sunlight for an hour or two on the first day. Slowly, day after day, you can leave your plants outside for a little longer. The plants should be prepared to move outside permanently at the end of this week.
Shoveling clay is very difficult and lots of work because the clay is hard and sticks to the shovel, making it tough to handle. To make working in clay easier, rub the shovel with floor or car wax and then buff it with a cloth. This will make your task easier because the clay won’t stick to the shovel. It will also keep your garden tool from rusting.
Do not plant perennials that are prone to snail infestation. If slugs or snails find their favorite perennials in your garden, they’ll snack all night. When you wake up in the morning, there will be very little left of your plants. They gravitate towards perennials with smooth thin leaves, particularly on younger plants. Slugs and snails will leave some perennials alone, particularly those with a bad taste or tough, hairy leaves. Excellent varieties include heuchera, achillea, euphorbia, campanula, and helleborus.
Try using annuals and biennials to add color to your flower beds, and brighten them up. These flowers grow quickly and can be planted at any time during the year. If you want to maintain a flower garden all year or you want to add new flowers to reflect the changing seasons, annuals and biennials are for you. If there are gaps between the perennials and shrubs you have planted in a sunlit area, try filling those gaps with annuals and biennials. Notable collections include sunflower, marigold, hollyhock, rudbeckia, cosmos, and petunia.
When gardening, be watchful of stink bugs, particularly in the fall. This insect will gladly devour your tomatoes, beans, and peppers, as well as a variety of other fruits. If you don’t treat them, they can do a lot of damage in your garden.
When mowing your lawn do not cut it as short as possible. If you leave your grass kind of high, your roots will be deeper and your lawn will be stronger and not dry out. If you have short grass, you will have short roots and you will dry out your grass.
Try to keep your plants aerated and dry, every day. Parasites and pests are attracted to excess moisture on the plants. A common parasite to plants is fungi. Be sure to prevent the growth of fungus with a spray that will inhibit their growth.
If you are new to horticulture, make sure you read and follow all the directions on any tool or chemical you use. Otherwise, you are likely to have skin irritations flare up, which can be extremely painful and uncomfortable. Following instructions for the use of harsh chemicals can keep you safe from serious injury.
You possess the products, tools and skills to use these tips to better your garden. That is all well and good, however, you must put them to use. Learning is a constant process, so use the insights gained here to enhance your skills in organic gardening. Learning something new can always help with any hobby.
Originally posted 2014-05-02 18:51:51.
