Ever wanted to try your hand at gardening? Vegetable patches can be a great way to immerse yourself into the outdoors. They can also be a great supplement to your cooking. Fresh, home-grown organic vegetables often taste better than the supermarket substitutes, and they’re very easy to grow when given the right tips.
Knowing the layout of your yard and what kind of soil you have can greatly improve your gardening experience. By knowing this, you can figure out what seeds will work with your current yard or if you need to create a different environment around your planting preferences. Different plants require different nutrients, so plan accordingly.
It is obvious that plants require water to grow. It’s also important to know the amount of water that particular plants actually need. Overwatering or under-watering a plant can severely damage its growth and health. Overwatering can result in root rot, where the water-filled environment encourages the growth of microbes that eat away at the roots. Under-watering a plant can make it’s leaves dry and brittle.
Wait for the right moment if you plan on dividing a plant. Leave perhaps two years to grow and divide it at the end of the season when it looks at its best. If your plant shows signs of diseases or has areas with fewer leaves and flowers than others, it is too late.
Consider using organic fertilizers in your garden. These are safer than chemical fertilizers, which can build up salts in the ground over time. The salts restrict the ability of the plants to get water and nutrients from the soil. They can also kill helpful earthworms and microorganisms which eat thatch.
If this is your first time planting a garden, you should purchase seeds and plant them in seed trays to allow them to grow some before planting them outside. By doing this, your plant will be stronger and much more likely to survive once you plant it in the soil outside.
If you are growing tomatoes, be sure to pick an airy spot that gets plenty of light. Tomatoes require at least ten hours of sunlight during an average summer day in order to grow to their peak flavor levels. Good air circulation between and around the plants is also vital to their survival.
Are you ready to plant a garden? Swap seeds with other people you know, or join a seed exchange with others online. It is not uncommon to need only a small number of seeds from each of your seed packets for each growing season. Trading will help you gain a greater variety of seeds not found in your stores. It will also save you from spending even more money just to get a greater variety of seeds!
Water your potted herbs! Keep potted herbs well watered, but don’t over-water, which is a common mistake. Sage, thyme, rosemary and tarragon aren’t that bothered by a somewhat dry environment. On the other hand, mint, chives and parsley require constant moisture. Make sure that the container has adequate drainage holes, and place a layer of gravel in the base of the pot as a drainage layer. This ensures that the water doesn’t flow straight out.
For basic vegetable or flower gardening it is often not necessary to buy the most expensive gardening tools and accessories. Visiting discount stores will often allow you to find basic tools at a low price. You should also be on the lookout each spring for most local supermarkets to set up an aisle or display with gardening tools you can get for a good price,too.
As outlined in this article, growing your own vegetables is simple and beneficial. Physically appealing and mouth-wateringly good, home-grown vegetables are simply a matter of seconds of research, minutes of work, and a few weeks or months of growing time. While results aren’t instant, they certainly are gratifying and can provide you with a bountiful supply of food.
