Home & Garden

Gardening can take place in a number of different environments. The best gardeners often take years honing their craft, turning their yards into oases of gardening. However, you may not want to take years to become an expert. The best thing you can do is start reading tips that others have learned. One shortcut that can work in creating optimal soil is by creating gardens within the bags of soil that you buy at the home improvement store.

Figure out where you want your garden to grow. Consider such things as exposure to sun and wind, likelihood of having rain fall directly on it, and susceptibility to damage from having traffic come through — for example, you don’t want to put the garden right next to the teeter totter. Once you’ve figured all of that out, go to the store and buy your bags of potting soil. Then, lay them out in the area that you have designated for your garden. This will be the place where your new oasis will begin.

Now cut a line along the top layer of each bag of soil with a sharp knife. Cut it along the longer side of the bag. What you’re doing here is opening up the bag, so that you can directly right at the soil. This will allow your planting process to take place more directly — and more quickly, allowing your plants to get in the ground sooner.

At either end of the line you just made, cut across the short sides of the bags. Your cuts should look like the letter “H,” although the bars on the sides will be much shorter than the bar across the middle. This will allow you to maximize your exposure of the soil inside the bag once you are ready to add plants to the mix.

Now, slide that knife down through the soil to the bottom of the bag and starting punching holes in the bottom. The purpose of this is the same as those holes in the bottom of the planters that you see — to allow water to drain through. The reason you have to have drainage is that you do not water to get stagnant in your soil and cause rot. Plastic (which is the material of the bags) holds water indefinitely, which will cause your root systems to rot, so give the water a way out of the bag. The more ways, the better.

Now it’s time to add seeds to the soil. Read the directions that come with your seeds to find out the best distance to keep between them, because you don’t want root systems to compete with one another and cause all of your seeds to fail. Because you’re gardening out of a bag, you have less soil per seed than you might have otherwise, so be conservative in your seed placement.

This will not make the most beautiful garden. However, if you get plants started in this way, either by setting your soil bags on the ground or in planters, you can transfer the plants later.

A lot of new gardeners think that their new contributions to the back yard do not have any negative effects on the surrounding ecosystem. However, if you don’t research what you are contributing to the soil in terms of pesticides and fertilizers, not to mention soil conservation practices, you can actually do some damage to the water table and other environmental elements in your neighborhood. Here are some ideas to keep in mind when making your garden “green.”

Instead of buying chemical fertilizers, consider using compost to add nutrients to your soil. Making your own compost is, admittedly, a lengthy process, as you’ll have to add grass cuttings, food waste and other items into a compost bin and wait for it to become useful. However, you can buy compost from some home improvement stores and use it to get started. This is based in natural products instead of adding chemicals that can be toxic to your ecosystem. You’ll be glad you did this in the long run, because your garden will have contributed to the health of your ecosystem, and you will have sent a lot less reusable trash to the dump.

If you choose flowers, hedges and grasses that are indigenous to your area, you won’t have to do a lot of extra watering — after all, since they are indigenous, they should be used to the normal amount of rainfall that you receive in your area, and you should only have to supplement the water by adding some when you go a particular amount of time without rain. This will lower your water bill, but it will also save the amount of water that you are draining out of your local reservoir.

Weeds are admittedly a source of frustration to gardeners everywhere. The temptation is to grab the bottle of Round Up or some other chemical weed killer and start blasting. However, every chemical that you use in your yard leaches down into the water table beneath it. When you use those chemicals, the weeds dry right up, but you have done years of damage to the water table. Instead, stay vigilant and pull the weeds yourself. After all, from a natural perspective, weeds are just other indigenous plants that also grow there — you are the one who is choosing to let a select few plants stay there.

Sign up for some eco-friendly forums online so that you can find household products that will get rid of your pests, instead of using pesticides that can cause chemical pollution. There are many home remedies that are also good at making life hard for the varmints that want to feast on your plants.

While there are some insects that will wreak havoc in your garden, there are others, such as aphids and ladybugs, that actually help you out by getting rid of other pests. Research these in your area.

Conventional gardening methods are hard on the environment. Make a difference in your community by choosing greener practices.

It is true that the bulk of gardening happens during the months when it is the nicest outside — the spring and summer. However, you don’t have to settle for a garden that is brown and empty during the winter season. By choosing your plants correctly and doing some advance planning, you can end up with a garden that is beautiful all year round, even if your part of the world gets cold in the winter.

It is important to know your climate zone. This is information that you can find out easily from the Internet or from a professional at a local nursery. This is the key for making a lot of the other decisions for your garden, particularly in the area of plant choice. If you live in Michigan and want to grow palm trees in your winter garden, you will probably end up wasting a lot of time and money, because that tree just will not grow the way you want it to — if it even bothers to poke its head out of the soil at all.

Winter time is cold, which means you need plants that have plenty of their own protection and armor. This is why plants develop bark, so that they can protect themselves from the elements. For wintry plants, look at ornamental trees and shrubs that have plenty of wood on them. They can withstand the cold wind and the icy elements (to some degree) and are more likely to make it through the cold winter months, emerging in the spring with their beauty and health intact.

Berry plants can do well during the winter — the holly plant is one that is particularly hardy during the cold months and can give your house a holiday decoration that you don’t have to climb up a ladder and install. Kill two birds with one stone by adding this to your gardening plan.

Colorful containers are a way to boost your garden’s visual beauty, because even in a healthy winter garden, your colors are just going to be brown and green in a best case scenario. The vibrant primary colors that make your garden beautiful in the spring and summer simply cannot make it through the rigors of winter. Choose colors that will complement your existing outdoor decor and make your home look like a winter wonderland.

You don’t have to rely on containers and plants to provide all of the color in the wintertime. There are many beautiful garden ornaments that have been made to beautify gardens during the time of year when plants themselves are in hibernation, waiting for the warm sun and rain to start growing again. Invest in some of these ornaments, and just put them in the garage during the rest of the year, so that you can surprise yourself and your family when the winter comes with new beauty.

Winter gardens do not have as many beautiful plants, but you don’t have to have a wasteland in your front yard from December to March. Get some ideas from this article to make a beautiful space.

Are you thinking about growing your own food? You should go over this article for some useful tips on how to grow some healthy food.

You will not be able to grow healthy food unless your soil is rich and not too acidic. If you have not been successful with growing anything in your garden, you need to enrich the soil or grow your fruits and vegetables on some beds. If the soil is too acidic, building some beds is your best solution. Fill your beds with quality earth, and use compost or chemicals to enrich them. Compost is better for the environment, but the chemicals used to enrich the soil are not harmful to your health.

Choose the fruits and vegetables you will grow. Your choice should be influenced by the kind of weather you can count on; if you live in a very sunny area, you should be able to grow anything. However, if the sky is often overcast, you will have a hard time growing things such as citrus fruits or tomatoes. Talk to your neighbors to find out what kind of fruits and vegetables they grow.

Prepare your vegetable or fruit garden carefully. You need to enrich the soil, pull out the weeds and prepare some furrows for your seeds. Make sure each plant has enough space, especially if you are planting potatoes or another plant with a large root system. Avoid planting your fruits and vegetables too close to your other flowers or shrubberies if possible. Do not hesitate to build a small fence around your fruits and vegetables to keep animals out.

Water your fruits and vegetables on a regular basis and inspect them as often as possible. If leaves are damaged, you might be dealing with a disease or with parasites. Cut the infected leaves carefully and make sure the fruits or vegetables are not damaged. If the disease has spread to the whole plant, it is best to remove it before nearby plants are contaminated. You can easily treat parasite with chemicals or with a mix of baking soda and water.

Wait until your fruits and vegetables are ripe before picking them. Most fruits and vegetables are not ready for picking until the middle of the summer if you planted them in the spring. You can easily tell when a fruit or vegetable is ready by its size and color. Make sure you carefully wash and cook thoroughly your fruits and vegetables before eating them. If the taste does not seem right, it is safer not to eat the fruits and vegetables you grew. Keep taking care of your plants, and you will have another crop of fruits and vegetables the following season.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money and adopt a healthier diet. You should do more research on the fruits and vegetables you are interested in to make sure you will be able to grow these foods quickly and easily in your area.

Top Five Tips To Grow Fruits And Vegetables In Your Garden

Do you enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables? You should consider growing fruits and vegetables in your garden. Keep reading to learn more about growing fruits and vegetables.

You should know that not all fruits and vegetables will grow in your area. You should not attempt to grow citrus or tomatoes unless you live in a very sunny area. If you live in a very dry area, be prepare to water your fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. You should talk to your neighbors to find out whether or not they are able to grow fruits and vegetables in their garden.

Prepare your garden carefully before planting seeds. You should go to your gardening store and purchase a soil test to find out how acidic your soil is. If the soil is too acidic, you will have to build some beds and purchase bags of earth. Use compost to create a richer soil and spend a few weeks preparing furrows so the soil has enough time to breathe. Inspect nearby plants and treat diseases or get rid of parasites before you plant seeds.

You should read the labels on the seeds you purchased to find out when you should plant them. You will need three months to grow perfect fruits or vegetables. If your growing season is not that long, you will have to plant seeds in pots and keep them indoor until you can transplant them in your garden. Covering your vegetables with a plastic cover is also a good option. If you live in a very cold area, you should consider growing fruits or vegetables inside a greenhouse.

Fruits and vegetables are more fragile than other plants and they will attract parasites. You need to protect them with some wires or a small fence and inspect them on a regular basis. If you notice signs of a disease, treat it right away. Do not hesitate to remove a plant before others become contaminated. Inspect the soil everyday and water only if it looks dry. Do not water if rain is to be expected.

Check your fruits and vegetables regularly and wait until they are ripe to pick them. Be very careful not to damage the rest of the plant when picking fruits or vegetables; you might be able to get another harvest the following year. Inspect your fruits and vegetables very carefully and wash them thoroughly before eating them. It is best to throw away the ones that look damaged. You should plan on making preserves or freezing a part of your harvest since you will find yourself with large quantities of fruits and vegetables. If some fruits and vegetables do not taste great, figure out what you did wrong so you can get a better harvest the following year.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables will help you save money and will also give you the opportunity to adopt a healthier diet. To ensure success, you should conduct plenty of research on fruits and vegetables before you get started.

Are you thinking about getting started with gardening? There is a lot you need to know before you get started. This article is filled with useful tips on gardening.

Make sure your soil is rich enough to grow plants. Go to your local gardening store and purchase some soil tests to figure out how acid the soil is. If the soil is too acid, you will have to purchase large quantities of soil to create a new layer or to build some beds for your plants. If the soil is not rich enough, you can easily create a richer environment by starting your own compost pile or using chemicals to help your plants grow.

Do not select flowers and shrubs at random. You should do some research on the different plants you like to find out what kind of environment they need. If temperatures or exposure to sun light are not ideal, you should select a different plant. Fragile or exotic plants are beautiful but you should wait until you are more experienced to spend your money on these expensive plants.

Organize your garden carefully. Your garden will look great if you choose a main point of focus such as a small tree or a colorful bed of flower. Keep in mind that the main point of focus can switch as different plants blossom throughout different seasons. Try creating some color patterns and play with sizes, textures and colors. Make sure each plant has enough room and keep in mind that taller plants will cast a shadow on smaller ones if they are too close.

Your garden will look great if you take care of it. If you do not have enough time to water and inspect your plants or remove weeds regularly, do not expect your garden to be a success. You will probably have to water your garden at least twice a week and maybe more often if you live in a dry area. You will also have to spend time trimming your plants, getting rid of weeds, diseases and parasites. If possible, get your family members interested in this project so you can ask them for help.

You should not feel bad or get discouraged if one of your plant dies. You will more than likely run into problems; the best way to prevent problems from appearing again is to figure out what went wrong and look for a solution. Talk to your neighbors and friends about gardening and go to your local gardening store if you need some advice. There are also many books and websites you can read to learn more about gardening. Give yourself enough time to learn the basics before you start making plans for your garden and you will get better results.

Gardening is a lot of fun but it is also a lot of work. If you are looking for a new hobby that will help you stay in shape and make your home look more beautiful, gardening could be perfect for you!