Gardening can be very useful, rewarding and fun. No matter what you grow in your garden, you will find great joy in horticulture. This article can lend you a helping hand, and give you important pointers about horticulture and growing things.
Use perennials resistant to slugs and snails. Slugs and snails are voracious eaters that can destroy a plant literally overnight. These pests are especially attracted to tender sprouts and to delicate, soft leaves. Certain perennials are unappetizing to slugs and snails, especially those with tough, hairy leaves or an unappetizing taste. Achillea, euphorbia, helleborus, heuchera and campanula are good choices that slugs don’t like.
Bring some plants into your home to protect them against winter weather. This is especially useful if you have a particular plant that you love or was expensive. Use caution when digging around the roots of your plant. You need to keep the root structure intact for it to thrive after being potted.
Before you even place the first plant in your garden, you need to check the composition of your soil. You can actually get an analysis of soil for a little fee, and with the report you get back you can figure out how to create a vibrant garden by enriching it properly. A Cooperative Extension office can provide you with this service, saving you learning on your own by trial and error.
If you have a vegetable garden, it is crucial they are kept in a spot with at least six hours of sun each day. Pretty much any vegetable you plant in your garden requires sunshine for this duration. It allows them to grow in the proper manner and also much faster. This is true of some flowers.
Coffee Grounds
If the soil in your garden has a high concentration of alkaline, try mixing some coffee grounds into your garden’s soil. The coffee grounds are an inexpensive way to give some acid back to the dirt. The greens and vegetables need the proper balance and will grow bigger and stronger with the right mix.
Do you like mint, but not how they ruin your garden? You should plant the mint in a rather large garden container or pot instead so you can monitor growth. You can even plant the container in the ground. That way, the roots won’t be able to escape the container, and the plant won’t overrun your garden.
Irises should be divided. You can increase your stock of irises by dividing up overgrown clumps. Uproot bulbous irises if the flowers have wilted. The bulbs will split up naturally in your hand, and when replanted, will often flower the next year. Cut rhizomes into pieces with a knife. Throw away the center after carefully cutting new sprouts from the exterior. A strong offshoot is needed on every piece that you decide to plant. Replant each one immediately.
Look for evergreen variants that produce berries. Your yard will then have bright spots of color all year round, which is especially cheerful in the winter when all of your other flora is bare or colorless. Some plants that will provide color in the winter include the American Cranberrybush, the American Holly, the Common Snowberry, and the Winterberry.
To make an interesting English garden, mix various plants and plant heights in the same bed. Using plants that all grow the same height result in a flat and uniform looking bed.
You can help your plants resist disease by spraying them with aspirin water. Dissolve one aspirin and a half for 2 gallons of water. Spray your plants with the water if they have a disease. Try to apply the mixture to the plants at least once in each three week period.
When your seeds sprout, they will not be in need of the warmth they needed to germinate. Your seedlings should be moved away from any heat source. This also includes removing any plastic that you had covering the plant or container. Watch your seeds carefully to know when you can take these steps.
Gardening is a rewarding and pleasurable hobby. There is just something about growing your own flowers and vegetables that is very fulfilling. If you heed these suggestions, you can enjoy gardening more than ever.
Originally posted 2013-11-06 21:00:59.
