Home & Garden

If you want to improve the appearance of your home and enjoy a rewarding hobby, planting a flower bed can be very rewarding. You can beautify the exterior of your home so easily, and you just have to know what you’re doing. Use the following tips for learning more about how to grow a flower bed properly.

First of all, you’re going to need to decide what you’re going to buy and determine how much of each plant you need. Are you going to plant from seeds, bulbs, or live plants? You have to determine your plan, and you might want to take a look around at a shop before you decide. Think about native plants, as they help in many ways. Consider also the idea that you need some perennials so that your garden keeps coming back without all the initial hard work.

Next you’re going to have to determine your space. Outline the space of the flower bed so you can see what you’re working with. Determining the space has everything to do with selecting the type and amount of plants as well. So these two steps will be done somewhat in conjunction with one another.

You’re going to want to spray to kill weeds before you attempt to start gardening. Make sure that you allow the weed killer to do its work. Afterwards, you can work on weed prevention as you get started planting your flower bed.

Now that you’ve determined the outline and sprayed for weeds, you need to go ahead and trench the outline of your flower bed. This helps with water retention and making sure your plants get what they need. Trench the outline, and then you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Now it’s time to till up the soil, mix it up well, and add the potting mix. You’re going to want to use potting mix in your flower bed to help the plants grow properly. There are many extra nutrients in this potting mix that can help the soil.

Next it’s time to rake the soil as you’re mixing it together. Rake it up well, and start to plant any seeds, covering them properly. Are you using seeds or are you using live plants? No matter which one, you’re going to need to think about properly spacing your plants. However, obviously this will be done differently for each choice.

Plant the flowers spaced out properly. Make sure you water them thoroughly, and take into account the sun that your flowers are going to get. Determine a watering schedule and make sure you’ve got a plan for the weeds; it’s time to think about maintenance. Taking care of your garden is an ongoing job.

If you want to grow a few flower beds to help beautify your home, then you need to pay attention to the advice you’ve read here. Maintaining a flower bed isn’t hard work if you know what you’re doing, and getting started isn’t either. It is actually fun and also very rewarding.

Perhaps you have been gardening for awhile, and you have many perennials that have grown since they started. These mature plants can be divided in order to freely fill in those spots in which you have not planted anything yet. You can also provide your friends with plants as well. Keep reading to find out how to divide mature perennials for better gardening.

The first thing you must realize is that you do not need to wait until the plant is huge or overgrown before you decide to divide the plant. It is not a good idea because this could really upset the system of the plant. You want to catch the plant once it matures but also while it’s not too overgrown.

Consider the drip line of the outer edge of the leaves. This is where you’re going to need to do your digging. You want to dig up the plant in order to separate and plant it again in two spots versus one.

Make sure you dig during cool temperatures. This helps the plants as they are transitioning to a new situation. Of course you’re going to be doing this often during the spring, so just wait for a day with milder temperatures.

Be sure that you’re keeping the roots moist as you are doing this. There are several steps, and you have to be careful, so make sure you keep the roots moist during this time. You can wrap them in a soaked wet paper towel, or you can place them in a bowl or vase of water as you prepare everything else. This will help them avoid shock and make the transition much easier.

You’re also going to want to add some new organic fertilizer or compost to the soil and the plant’s surroundings. This will help ensure that plants are properly fed, and you have to remember this is also because the plants are now in two separate places. They need more organic matter.

If the flower you’re wanting to transplant is in its bloom period, you need to wait until that period is done. This helps the plant not go into shock. It is much less risk not to transplant and split plants while they are blooming.

You’re not going to want to take half the plant of course. You want to take no more than 25 percent of the total plant. This helps ensure that your original plant stays healthy, and with all the other steps taken, your new one will as well.

You have to also think about maintaining proper space between plants. You’re dividing them to fill your space, but think about when you dug around the drip line. Your plants must be properly spaced in order to thrive.

It’s time to make your garden more full by dividing plants. This can save you money, and it can teach you a lot about gardening. Use what you’ve learned here, and you will see the results you’re looking for as you fill up your garden.

Do you love gardening but do not have much space to do so? You should consider creating a balcony garden. Keep reading for some useful tips.

You should adapt your project in function of the size of your balcony. If you have a large balcony, consider getting some lawn furniture so you can create a quiet space where you can relax or have breakfast. If your balcony is very small, you will have to limit yourself to a few potted plants. Your garden needs to be practical, easy to take care of and reasonable if you need to work on a budget. It is best to start with a few potted plants and add more items later if you are not sure what you want to do yet. Talk with neighbors or friends who have a balcony garden to get some ideas.

Choose your plants carefully. Since you will not be able to have a lot of variety, you need to choose plants that you really enjoy. Most people have daisies or similar flowers on their balconies, but rarer plants such as bamboo, peperomias or crotons are just as easy to grow. If your balcony is exposed to sun rays through most of the day, you can even consider growing some exotic plants.

Play with shapes and textures. Your small garden will be a lot more interesting if your plants are growing in different directions. Ivy plants make a great addition to balcony gardens since you can easily shape the plant as it grows. Install some small hooks on the rail of your balcony or even on the walls on either side of the balcony to guide the direction in which your ivy plant grows. Cut your ivy plant regularly so it does not bother neighbors.

You can create variety by using different kinds of pots for your plants. You should go to a gardening store and compare the different shapes and colors. Pick pots that will go well with the color patterns you want to create with your plants. You can also create variety by using suspension systems or transforming objects such as coffee mugs, teapots or watering cans as pots for your plants.

You can keep some potted plants inside your apartment to continue the patterns you have established with your balcony garden. You could, for instance, get some exotic plants, banzai trees or a nice cactus since these plants are too fragile to grow outside. Place your plants near a window so they get plenty of exposure to the sun or use a special light if a plant requires more light or heat. If you live in a cold area, you might have to keep your outside plants in your apartment during the winter months.

These tips should help you create a great balcony garden if you are ready to get started on this project. Start by establishing a budget for this project, and do some research on different types of plants before you head out to the closest gardening store.

Regardless of your level of experience when it comes to gardening, having a plan is crucial to your success. Even before you order any seeds or plants, it is important that you think through what you want your space to look like. This step can actually be quite fun, and no matter how many times you have already done it, skipping it typically leads to problems. The following information will give you a few things to consider as you go through the planning process.

Think about what you want from the garden. Are you just looking to have a bit of fun? Do you want to grow flowers that you can cut for others to enjoy? Or, are you interested in feeding your family from the work that you do? If food is your goal, also consider whether or not you want to have enough produce to freeze or can; if so, that means taking your garden to an entirely new level. Plant only what you think you will eventually eat (or give away) so that there is minimal waste.

Consider the size of your garden. What do you have to work with? How will that affect how much you can plant? Also, consider your own limitations. Even if you have a large space, it may not be ideal to plant a large garden if you have other responsibilities that will take you away from it (or if you just don’t feel up to the challenge). Create a space that works for you based on the resources that you have.

Carefully determine what and how many seeds you would like to order. This is a big step, because seeds cost a lot of money and you do not want to get too many. Have your family sit down with you and talk about what they liked best about the previous year’s garden and what they would like to see this time around. Do not grow things your family members will not eat unless you know you want to make gifts of the food or use it for another, similar purpose.

Think about how you will address weeds in your garden. Are you fine with using pesticides or would you rather go about the process in a more natural way? If you are interested in natural methods, you may need to do a little research first and see what you will need to do to be successful. Have these materials on hand so you don’t get stuck when a problem begins to present itself.

Planning a garden can be a very enjoyable process. Particularly if you have some experience, it will not take a long time, but it will usually prevent problems down the line. If you are gearing up to start your garden, grab a pencil and a piece of paper and start getting your thoughts organized! If your garden is already in full swing, save this article for next year and get yourself off to a great start.

You have probably seen the ridiculously ever increasing price of vegetables at your local grocery store. Finding healthy produce, especially one that’s organic is not an easy task. However, if you have the space and the will to learn, you can grow your own vegetable garden. This article will provide you with five perfect tips to help you down the road to success.

Try to optimize your garden by “going organic”. It is a term that has found recent popularity and you may have seen articles of clothing and food items both dubbed “organic”. However, with such a popular term, it can be hard knowing the real from the fakes. This makes the decision to garden with organic compost much easier. The soil consisting of decomposed organic matter will promote healthier plants that are less prone to diseases and insects.

Raised beds are a great way to optimize the growing space in your garden and provide an environment that your plants can thrive in. It isn’t difficult to raise your plants in raised beds as opposed to planted rows. The numerous benefits of raised beds include better drainage, moisture retention, less weeds as well as a better production rates.

Avoid trying new hybrid plants and stick to the proven “heirloom” varieties. These heirloom and antique varieties offer many choices for the wary gardener and they can produce the same quality crops that you can find at your grocery store. Instead of going for hybrid or genetically engineered plant varieties, experiment with size and color instead.

Extend the life of your harvest. Most people assume that once summer comes to an end, so does growing season. However, by taking some time to prepare your garden for the colder months, you can extend the life of your patch and still get enough produce. Fall gardening is quite optimal due to the effects of the weather as it makes way for less insects to meddle with, no requirement for frequent gardening and less weed growth.

Don’t take action against weeds once it’s too late. Waiting until the weeds make camp in your garden can make way for hours spent hoeing and pulling weeds with little or no success. Learn what weeds look like when they start germinating and taking form. Prevention is the key to having a successful garden without battling weeds later in the growth process. Organic mulches can aid in terminating weeds as well as limiting tilling and not exposing bare soil. Never under any circumstances allow weeds to set seeds in your garden.

Choosing to grown your own garden is a smart move. Growing your own organic vegetables can cut down on your monthly costs and give you the benefits of fun gardening. It isn’t always easy to set out on your own and this article just touched on a few widespread topics that can help make your organic gardening easier. Never let weeds take over, focus on heirloom vegetable varieties, and use the benefits of fall season gardening!