Gardening is a wonderful hobby that is enjoyed by millions of people. If you are one of them, you know how delicious fresh vegetables grown in your own garden can be. If you are looking for some advice on how to improve your gardening skills, this article can give you some great ideas.
The fall season has arrived and the task of emptying our container gardens is at task. However, instead of storing your clay pots in a garden shed for the winter season, why not replace the summer annuals with edible fall vegetables. Having mums in your favorite clay pot signifies fall, however, consider adding alternative edible plants like leafy lettuces such as arugula, endive, bok choy and radicchio. When it is time for a quick salad, simply snip a few leaves, and you will instantly have delicious ready to eat salad.
Remember to aerate your soil. If you loosen or puncture the soil, it will increase air permeability and water penetration. Aerating can be as simple as turning the soil over with a trowel, or in the case of lawns, making small holes in the grass. This can be done with an aerating machine, a garden fork, or even by walking on the grass wearing a pair of spiked golf shoes. This brings oxygen into the roots and promotes healthy new growth.
Grow seasonings and kitchen herbs in your garden. Herbs are generally very simple to grow, and can even be made to thrive in a window box or indoor pot. However, these easy plants are very expensive to buy at the store. Growing them yourself can save you significant amounts of money.
Use organic matter in your garden. When you remove a plant, fill in the soil with organic matter so that the soil can renew itself quickly. You can use a small quantity of organic matter if you notice that some of your plants do not look healthy, or to prepare the soil at the beginning of a new season.
As you plan your garden this year, change the layout so that it’s different from where the various plants were located last year. For example, place your tomatoes in the part of the garden where the corn grew last season. This rotation of crops will help keep your soil from becoming depleted of the nutrients needed by each type of vegetable.
There are many common household items that can be used to good effect in the garden. Try using duct tape to remove aphids from the leaves of infested plants. Wrap the tape around your hand, sticky side out, and press it to the leaves to remove the aphids. A lint roller can be used for this tasks as well.
Roses can be difficult to grow in the best of conditions. Increase your chances for success by choosing the right rose for your climate. If your area has harsh winter conditions look for a rose with thicker petals. Mildew resistant varieties are ideal for humid areas and heat tolerant roses will do best in arid areas.
To make weeds easier to spot, be sure to plant all your flowers in a straight line. A more unusual layout may be visually interesting, but it gives weeds plenty of places to hide. Keeping your garden simple will make weeds and diseases easier to locate and simpler to get rid of.
As gardening grows in popularity, more and more people are looking for ways to get the most out their gardens. If you use the tips and techniques you’ve read about in this article, you will soon find your garden flourishing like never before. Just put these ideas to work for you!
