Home Improvement, Furniture and Gardening

One tip that can help you out is to make sure you have the proper tools. The tools that you need are going to depend on the size of your garden, but if it is a smaller size and you have workable dirt you just need a hoe and shovel.

However if your garden is large or the dirt is clay like you might want to consider purchasing a tiller to make it easier for you. One tool that you will need no matter what size is going to be a little gardeners trowel to dig the smaller more precise holes that you need to plant your seeds in.

You will also want to make sure that the plants that you choose will grow in your regions. Each plant likes a different environment to grow in. Since that is the case you might find that you are going to get discouraged and fail if the plants you pick do not take off.

However, before you even purchase you need to make sure that you are picking plants meant for your region. For example if you live in Alaska you are not going to try to grow an Orange tree outside. So make sure that you read the labels for each plant carefully.

Something else to consider would be to take and ensure that your soil is prepared properly. This is the back breaking part of the job because you need to make sure that you turn all the dirt, fertilize it if needed, and weed it.

The fertilizing is actually very easy to do, but the hard part is the turning of the soil which is why you need to have the proper tools. The weeding is going to be a continuous job for the entire growing season because if your plant is able to thrive without fighting others for water and nutrients you will see your garden flourish with new growth and blooms for you to enjoy later in the season.

Just starting out with gardening can be a difficult thing to do for many people, but it is a fun thing to do as well. However, the difficulty level can drop drastically if you have the proper gardening tips to help you succeed in your garden.

Many people find gardening an incredibly relaxing hobby. A hobby that allows them to get in touch with the earth and themselves. Likewise, gardening is not an expensive hobby to start, although the hobby may become expensive as you progress in the art of planting. Needless to say, thousands of people enjoy gardening each year and if you are fond of the outdoors, you may find yourself interested in gardening too.

You won’t need much to start gardening. Some basic tools like a shovel, a rake, and hoe may do you well in the garden. You will need either seeds or starter plants, whichever you prefer. But, before you start working on the garden there are a few essentials that you need to learn to become a master at gardening and such skills need to be obtained before you lay the first seed.

Read up on the art of creating a garden, don’t just wing it. Why? Well, quite frankly, there are certain plants that fare better under certain conditions. Likewise, there are plants that do not do well next to other plants. Moreover, you will need to know what plants to plant and when, as plants may grow according to certain seasons. Visiting the library or the local bookstore can help you learn everything you need to know about gardening. If you don’t have the transportation then visit websites that talk about the garden and different plants and how to care for them.

Likewise, while browsing websites, read up on the various techniques that other gardeners use. Find out what they feel makes their garden successful. Hints and advice abound on the Internet and the wealth of information available can help you make a success of your garden. Once you have done your homework, you may want to speak to others who own gardens and discuss techniques with them as well. It never hurts to ask for advice when you are planning a garden.

You can also pay a visit to the local florist. Florists are often versed in plant care and the techniques used for growing various flowers and vegetables. You can even buy your starter plants and seeds from a florist. You can also visit the local home and garden center near you and get advice from the staff working there about fertilizers, pest control and other issues that may concern you when you are creating a garden. The essential thing to remember is that when you are creating a garden you do not have to do so on a whim. The help is available if you are willing to take the time to ask questions and research your garden project before you begin.

Once you have versed yourself on all of the plant varieties and techniques used for growing you can select the right spot for your garden and begin your adventure. Follow the advice you have found about fertilizing soil, water levels, and planting. In no time you will be blessed with gorgeous blooms in your garden.

If you are a gardener and dread the long winter months that limit you from growing crops in your organic garden due to climate conditions, building your own personal greenhouse is the perfect solution. With a greenhouse, you can enjoy the experience of gardening all year round.

A continuation of your organic garden season, greenhouse gardening can be the same retreat that your outdoor garden was during the normal growing season in your area, to spend some time alone away from the stressful environment of everyday life and a place to gather your thoughts while enjoying your gardening experiences. A greenhouse can be a perfect getaway during the cold for a home gardener during the winter months. There is no better feeling during cold winter day than to enter your own personal warm greenhouse at any time of day, and be swept away by the scent of fresh flowers.

If you are looking to build a greenhouse on your property, you will find that your options are just about endless. If you have the location that receives the required sunlight, they can be designed from small and cozy to a large variety of different shapes and sizes, along with ones that will fit every need.

With a greenhouse you can grow just about anything. Most commonly greenhouses are know for growing flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruits, all transplants for outdoor gardening. This is not necessarily the case,they can be used to grow the same thriving crops that you are use to growing in your outdoor traditional organic outdoor gardens.

Straw bale gardening technique is the use of bunches of straw as hosts for growing plants. Applying this technique to your gardening can be very helpful if you have knee problems or wish to avoid the mess involved with soil gardening. This technique helps keep weeds away too.

Get started with good, strong straw bales. Once you ascertain the number of bales needed, place them in the desired area in rows so that the strings are on the ground. This should look like a raised bed garden. Ideally you could use your backyard for this, otherwise choose an airy spot. Ensure that important things are removed from the spot, since the area will turn messy once it gets wet.

Water the bales twice a day for the first three days. Between days 4 and 7, the bales will start heating up and decomposing. If the bales start sprouting, do not worry. Just trim them with a pair of scissors or a knife. Take a layer of weed resistant, compost soil and place it on top of the bales after the 7th day and then plant your seeds.

There is another method which is used in this technique. The initial process is the same, but between days 4 and 6, you need to sprinkle each bale daily with half a cup of ammonium nitrate and then water well. Carry on the same routine between days 7 to 9, but reduce the amount of ammonium to 1/4th cup. Again, water the bales. The 10th day needs you to add a cup of fertilizer per bale, water again and then place your plants in the bales.

The second method is ideal for vegetable gardens, especially for those vegetables that grow above the surface. Water the bales daily since they need to be kept damp.

For most people living in the city, Shade gardening is the reality that they have to deal with every day. For the most part, the formal English and full sun gardens are out of the question. Small back yards with high fences to for privacy, large trees, tall building, and our penchant for large houses all have contributed to a shady urban garden landscape. It is highly probable that you have, at the least, one shady spot in your garden that is in need of help. Below is a list of the types of shade gardens and the plants best suited to them for colour and maintenance.

Deep Shade

Deep shade gardens are areas without much or any light, direct or indirect. These naturally occur under large densely leaved trees and tree groupings, deciduous or coniferous. One way around this problem area would be to thin out the trees, prune the canopy, or in the case of the conifer prune up from the ground several feet, exposing the ground to indirect light. Other areas of deep shade occur beside high fences and wall, practically those facing north.

Plants that can do well in this type of deep shade would be mostly woodland plants, especially those from your zone and area.

Here is a list of deep shade plant:

Aucuba (spotted laurel) Shrub

Cornus (dogwood) shrub

Euonymus (pindle) shrub

Lamium (dead nettle) plant

Milium (millet) grass

Rosa (rose) climber

Schizphrgma climber

Lonicera (honeysuckle) climber

Hydrangea

Dappled Shade

These gardens are generally under loose foliage trees or woody areas. The light received in these garden areas is a mixture of spotted light and shade that tends to stay the same during the day. There are many plants that thrive in this type of setting, mostly woodland varieties, but you may be able to plant some sunloving plants that are able to adapt to lower light conditions.

Here is a list of dappled sunlight plants:

Windflower (Anemone nemorosa)

Primrose (Primula)vulgaris)

Blue bells (Endymion non-scriptus)

Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarsissus)

Wild Foxglove (Digitalis purpruea)

Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica)

Azaleas

Rhododendron

Lily (Lilium)

Solomon’s seal (Polygonamatum) Trilliums

Partial Shade

Partial shade is an ambiguous term used for areas that get some direct sunlight during the day and indirect for the rest. Most sun loving plants will adapt to this type of setting as will dappled shade plants

With a little forethought and planning, you can beat the shade and have a great garden in these problem areas of your yard.

Container gardening is popular for people who do not have the garden space for a large land lay out or for those who don’t want to make their gardens permanent. It can be very rewarding and many people are amazed what grows in containers. Growing plants in containers also comes with the added benefit that usually are not required to weed the garden plants as you would growing them in the ground. Most people grow edibles, herbs, and annuals in pots or containers, however many types of perennials, small trees or shrubs will also do well in containers. Here are a few tips for container gardening:

Color–keep the color scheme simple. Too many colors will look like a crazy quilt. Cool colors such as blues, greens, and lavenders recede which gives the illusion they are smaller than they actually are. This can make a small space look larger. Two colors and one green is the general suggested ideal of most gardening professionals. You can create depth by using coarser textured dark or bright plants in the foreground and finer textured, paler colors in the back.
Location–don’t forget about the conditions for plants. Do not put containers in a windy location. This will increase watering needs, break tall plants, and knock over pots and crack them. Do walk around your landscape and decide where you might place a container that will add color to a drab spot, or create a focal point. You may also want to consider the purpose of the plant, for instance a kitchen garden is best utilized if it has easy access.
Pot or Container selection–decorative pots should complement your décor. A country type pot may look out of place if your décor is primarily modern. Plain pots make the plants a star. If you use decorative or elaborate pots, you may want to plant more modest plants that don’t overshadow the nice container. Regardless of the type of container you choose, make sure there are drainage holes. Drill extra drainage holes if you need. The most common way to kill a plant is root rott. Consider practicality, lighter pots are easier to move around. Unglazed clay pots dry out faster, are heavier, and can not be left outside. Sterilize pots by using a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. A toilet brush works well to scrub out the pot, and don’t forget to wash the inside.
Potting soil–Get some slow release fertilizer (preferably a fertilizer that complements the type of plants you will have in the container) and add it to your potting soil–even if your potting soil says it has fertilizer in it. Add some compost for a more organic approach. Use fresh potting soil. You can use ready made or personal blends of potting soil. Good mixes include peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, composted bark, compost, fertilizer, or water holding crystals. If you are using a large pot you can fill the bottom with light weight items such as empty soda cans, packing peanuts, shredded papers so you won’t have to use as much potting soil
Planting–There are two schools of thought about how densely to plant a garden. The first is that if you want the garden to look full and mature in the first year, you should have plants closer together, and will likely need to divide and thin them out later. With the second, if you have the patience to allow your garden to grow, leave room for the plants to grow into their home. In the meantime, you can fill in spaces with annuals. Average spacing is 6-12” spread or 2 plants per square foot. Or for less density, 12-24” or 1 plant per 2 square feet.
Beginners may want to focus on drought tolerant and easy growing plants. Your local nursery can help you with these selections based on plants that work best for your climate and zone hardiness. Keep it simple, having one plant in a container is perfectly acceptable. Combine plants that have similar needs and equal strength. Aggressive plants can easily take over a container and your smaller plantings may get lost. A simple formula for putting multiple plants within a container is at least 1 tall, 1 filler, and one tailing plant. CHeck your plant daily, finger gage for watering needs, deadhead, weed, and pinch back when necessary.

Having your own home garden can be a very rewarding experience. Before you get started however there are a few things that you should be aware of. These home gardening tips will make your life much easier.

There a re really three things that you need to be aware of in order to have a successful gardening experience. There are things that your plants must have if they are to survive and thrive. These three things are light, water and soil.

Some persons may wonder why plants need soil. After all you have soil in your backyard. What is wrong with that? Well the truth of the matter is that plants need soil which can provide the right amounts of nutrients that they need to grow properly. So the soil that you use has to be nutrient rich. You can easily get some soil from your local garden store if the soil that you have is not appropriate.

The next thing that the plants need is water. It is as stated before one of the three most important things. Water is vital for the plants survival but too much or too little of it can be a bad thing. What you have to ensure is that you keep the soil around the plants moist at all times. A lot of persons tend to over water the plants but that will just cause the roots to rot and lead to the eventual death of the plant. The same goes for under watering your plants. The plant will eventually dry up and die without enough water.

Last but not least the plants need to have adequate light. The amount that they need will be dependent on the type of plane or vegetable that it is. What you can do is to make sure you read the labels that come with the plants carefully. After doing that, make sure that you plant them in a section of your yard that will give them the adequate amount of sunlight on a daily basis.

When creating a garden at your home, there is much that needs to be considered and thought out before the spade shovel will ever hit the dirt. The location of the garden is important. What type of sunlight will the garden be receiving? Is this a garden of flowers alone? Is it a fruit and vegetable garden? Is it any combination of the preceding? How big will it be? How much time are you able to devote to cultivating it? All of these are important questions that should be answered and well thought out before you attack the chore of planting.

A backyard may be a big or small space. The space that you will devote to your garden may be big or small. The size of the garden should be the first decision made. Take into account the time that is available to you to care for the garden thoroughly. You want to keep gardening a pleasurable experience, therefore, don’t try to squeeze more than you can comfortably handle into your garden. If you work full time and have small children at home, a smaller garden that requires less care would be better for you. On the other hand, if you’re retired or have the means to stay home and have little else to do with your time, a large many faceted garden would fit your life. Be realistic with the time that you have to devote, those plants depend on you in combination with nature to care for them.

Once you have decided the size of the garden, what will go in it should be the next decision. Again, this will have to do with the time you have to devote to the garden. Some plants need just a little water and they can sustain themselves well while others require constant pruning, fertilizing on a schedule, and watering. When choosing the plants that will be included in the garden, read the labels carefully and they will tell you how much care each particular plant requires. Also, be careful not to plant too many avid growers in the same location. Otherwise your garden will look overgrown in no time and it will be difficult to keep up with pruning.

When those important decisions have been made, it’s time to plot out your land, prepare it, and plant. When plotting out the land, many will have to pull up grass that is residing there currently. In doing this, be sure that you get the grass roots or the grass will make a reappearance in the middle of your garden. When all the grass has been pulled, it’s important to work soil with a hoe or rake about six to twelve inches down. In this way you will break it up and breathe new life into soil that has had little room to breathe in quite some time. Add some fresh topsoil, perhaps with nutrients included to allow for new root stimulation and root setting, and plant according to your plan.

When the plants have all been planted and you’re satisfied with your garden, be sure to fertilize, and water thoroughly. The garden will need to be watered daily for ten to twenty minutes with a garden hose. If fresh rainwater is available, use that for watering as there are more nutrients in that than in what comes out of the garden hose. In a matter of days you will see your plants flourish in their new environment. If it is a flower garden, fresh flower buds will be seen quickly. If it is a fruit and vegetable garden, you should quickly see the beginnings of what has been planted.

You want to read and learn about all things related to plants and gardens? If that is the case, then you are in the right place to get information about gardening tips. Individuals who love gardening should give a the following gardening tips a try. If you’re planting gladiolas this year, be sure to try the following:

o Plant gladiolus corms when the soil is warm enough to plant. The best season to plant them in your garden is spring season.

o Make sure to plant only plump, clean corms. Check for the best sizes too as smaller corms may produce a smaller flower or just leaves and no flower at all. Toss any that don’t look right or feel soft or crumbly.

o Plant the corms on an area that receives maximum sunlight. Full sun is best, however, if you cannot get away from a partial shade, your gladiolas will still grow.

o While planting the corms make sure it is three to five inches deep and four to six inches apart.

o Cover the place with mulch lightly around glads, or between rows, to prevent growing of weeds.

o The stems of the glads are very weak. They are prone to break in the wind. When blooming begins, hill the soil about six inches up around the stem to help support the heavy flower growth. You can even fasten it to a stake to keep them perky and tall.

o Water once and let the spring rains do the rest. If dry conditions prevail water occasionally along with the rest of the garden.

o You will start seeing fresh blooms within three months or a bit more after planting the corms. Make sure the glad aren’t shaded by other plants or weeds. Mulch all varieties to maintain moisture and to conserve water.

o Gladiolas are prey to pest insects and are susceptible to a number of diseases as well. To get rid of these problems, watch for aphids and trips which suck sap from leaves, stems and flowers. If found, spray with insecticidal soap or other natural pest control. Glad’s are host to several virus diseases.

o If the plants are infected just pull them of the soil and destroy them as there is no cure once plants are infected.

Not every gardener is lucky enough to have flat property on which to garden. If you do have a slope or a hill, it is often very difficult, confusing and challenging trying to figure out how to landscape. There are many ideas and tips on gardening on a hill, which helps you deal with the special challenges and problems you are likely to encounter. If the garden slope is extremely steep, stay away from planting grass or gardens that need any kind of maintenance, as it can be hazardous trying to cut or look after them.

A couple of great tips on gardening on a slope are to plant trees and shrubs. Their root system will slow water runoff, especially during heavy rainstorms, and anchor the soil. Tall perennial grasses also work well on hills and require no maintenance. If you like the natural look, sow wildflower seed over the area, which will look beautiful and keep the topsoil from eroding or washing away. Wildflower seeds are readily available in bulk at large garden centers and nurseries. For every square foot you need approximately fifty seeds. If you have a small area to seed, buy a small can, but for large areas, wildflower seeds are available in bulk. Make sure that whatever you plant requires no regular maintenance if it is a steep hill.

In Pennsylvania I saw a beautifully landscaped hill planted with different colors of azaleas. The site in the spring and early summer was breathtaking. This was on a steep hill so it not only helped with erosion but was gorgeous too.

For shady areas, the tips on gardening on a hill are a little different. Most wildflowers require lots of light so a shady area is not a good choice. Instead, consider shade-loving ferns, perennials and low growing vines. Not only does the leaves slow erosion by catching the rain before it hits the ground but the roots help keep the soil from washing away. Another couple of great tips on gardening on a slope are to create stair steps or terraces. This requires some work, as you need to do a lot of digging. You may need to construct a retaining wall, depending on how steep the slope is. A level area to plant helps with erosion problems and makes it far easier to work in your garden.

For anyone that has a few garden challenges, such as land that slopes, they are always happy to find tips on gardening on a slope. If you are lucky enough to have weathered or interesting looking rocks on your hill, then it is the perfect area to create a rock garden. It would be good to plant some low growing vines and perennials in your rock garden to add texture and interest to your rock garden.

Definitely come up with a plan before you attempt your hill garden. Ask your garden center for some advice about your garden; they will be of great assistance. As with all gardens it is most important that you take time to enjoy your gardens whether they are on a hill or in beds.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.