If you want that green, lush garden, there are many things to do in order to get there. Gardening takes a lot of effort, planning, time and work, but it can be a great deal of fun. Try these hints to bring the fun out in gardening.
Good tools for the gardener include a wheelbarrow and a kneeling stool. Get a portable stool if you want to garden comfortably without damaging your knees. It is also normal to move heavy objects and dirt around the garden, so a wheelbarrow is something you should have.
During the day, when the weather is hot, vegetables tend to be softer, which causes them to be damaged even if you gently pick them. Cut vegetables off at the vine, and don't twist them off, as this could hurt the plant.
Several annuals grow better in the colder months. For great looking plants, try pruning them if they get too leggy. After a couple of weeks, you will see these annuals bloom again, and they will look beautiful when compared to all of the winter foliage. Some annuals like snapdragons, dianthus, and petunias are particularly well suited to cooler temperatures.
Architect your veggie garden before breaking ground. Create a list of the kinds of vegetables you plan to grow, and draw a map of where you are going to plant which vegetables where. Consider such things like plant width and height, and how much sun and moisture are required.
Use the correct type of soil for best results. Depending on what kind of plants you want in your garden, the soil might or might not be adapted. You can simply use one type of soil to make an artificial area.
To keep pests away, you can use plants in the garden or other natural materials. For example, if you plant onions or marigolds along the edges of your vegetable garden, you can ward off slugs. Wood ash can be used as mulch, and if put on the base of shrub and tree seedlings, will keep insects away. You can avoid using pesticides that contain harsh chemicals if you employ these techniques.
Consider planting evergreens that produce berries in your yard. These help to give your garden nice looking color, even during winter when most vegetation is colorless. Other winter plants include the American Holly, Winterberry, The American Cranberrybush and the Common Snowberry.
Analyze the soil before you even get started with working in a garden. You can obtain a soil analysis for a nominal fee. Using that report, you can amend your soil as needed for a thriving garden. A Cooperative Extension office can provide you with this service, saving you learning on your own by trial and error.
It is best to aerate and dry your plants daily. If your plants get too moist, they may get sick or infested with parasites. Fungus infections are common in overly moist plants. It is possible to control fungi with sprays, but the key is to treat your garden before any problems arise.
Identify a plant that will be the most prominent object of the landscape. In any good garden design, a focal point will grab the eye and hold it there. Usually, the focal point will be a plant that is unique from the plants around it.
An English garden mixes plants of various kinds and sizes close together, which helps to give it a more multi-dimensional feel. If you only use uniform plants, your bed will look boring and flat.
You will now feel more confident in your ability to transform your garden into a thing of glory. It is amazing how much you can learn, even after thinking that you were pretty knowledgeable. The tips above were meant to give you a little guidance to aid in your gardening endeavors so you can go out and have some real fun!