Well, now is the perfect time. You may have questions, but don’t worry, this article can help. It contains some great information, and before you know it you will be on your way to growing an amazing garden.
Turn your tool handles into convenient rulers. Tools with long handles such as hoes and rakes can double as measuring sticks. Place the handles on the floor to measure the distance between them. Then, transfer the measurements to the handle using a permanent marker. Next time you are working in the garden, you will have a large ruler at your fingertips!
Consider planting slug-proof perennials. Snails and slugs are garden nightmares, and only need a single evening to obliterate a plant. Snails and slugs like to eat perennials with smooth and thin leaves, especially if they are young plants. Some varieties of perennials are not preferred by snails and slugs, particularly perennials that have hairy, tough leaves or a taste that isn’t appetizing. Some perennial families that snails and slugs won’t eat include achillea, campanula, and helleborus.
Baking Soda
If you start to notice some powdery mildew growing on your plants, there is no need to waste money on expensive chemicals. All it takes is a liquid soap, water, and baking soda mixture. Spray this on the plants once per week until that mildew goes away. The baking soda is harmless to your plants and a very effective remedy.
For showy flowers throughout the spring and summer, plant plenty of bulbs. Most bulbs are hardy and require little to no care in order to develop into beautiful perennials that will reappear each and every year. Different varieties of bulbs flower at varied times and if you make the right choices you can have blossoms from early spring through late summer.
It is a good idea to pre-soak your seeds in a dark environment overnight. Place some seeds into a small container, then fill it with water until it is almost to the top. This hydrates your seeds and jump-starts their growth. The seeds will have a better chance of surviving and maturing.
When mowing the lawn, don’t mow the grass all the way down to the root. If you let your grass grow, the roots will go deeper and make your lawn more resistant to dryness. When you cut the grass too short, the roots are often not deep enough, which causes your lawn to have dry patches of brown, discolored grass.
Think about putting some berry-producing evergreens into your landscape. These help to give your garden nice looking color, even during winter when most vegetation is colorless. A few examples that you could go with include the American Holly, the Winterberry, the American Cranberrybush, and the Common Snowberry.
Learn the ideal times for harvesting your vegetables. There is a specific time to pick every sort of vegetable in order to maximize its taste and cooking utility. For instance, peas and zucchinis are tastiest when picked young. However, tomatoes should be as ripe as they can be when pulled from the vine to ensure the best taste. Take the time to learn when your produce will be at its best for harvesting.
It can be tough to keep insects and other plant-ruining crawlies from infesting your garden. Since your vegetables are meant to be eaten, refrain from spraying them with harsh chemicals. Frequently check your garden for pests. By noticing them at an early stage, you can simply pluck them away from your plants with your fingers.
Water your garden carefully. Instead of watering each individual plant with a can or hose, utilize a soaker hose, which can water all the plants at once. To avoid damaging delicate plants, you should water them with low pressure. Keep the water turned on for about two hours; while your plants are being watered, you will have time for other activities.
Hopefully, you now feel a bit more prepared to start off on your gardening adventure. Even if you thought you knew how to grow a garden properly, you definitely do now. The above tips have hopefully spurred some great ideas that you can use in your own backyard to create a garden you can be proud of.