Monday, January 21, 2013

Gardening Is Much Simpler With These Tips

By Richard Little


Gardening can be a very rewarding and worthwhile activity. Some people see gardening as a hobby, a way to derive pleasure in their spare time. Others may view it from a more utilitarian perspective, as in a way to grow their own food without being dependent upon grocery stores. Regardless of the reason for gardening, many great tips can be found in this article for both beginner gardeners as well as seasoned gardeners.

If you want to have a more productive garden, expand your growing season into the fall by using row covers. Row covers keep heat in, frost out, and also protect against deer intrusion. The crops under the row covers should still be somewhat resistant to cold however, so it is best to choose greens and root vegetables.

Although railroad ties may look very nice in your garden, the chemicals in them, are thought to be hazardous and toxic to the health of the garden, so consider alternatives. Natural wood is easy to find and will add a beautiful touch to your garden.

When the vegetable season is over, grow a shoulder season crop if possible. Fruits like strawberries or raspberries bear fruit very early or very late in the season before or after the summer vegetable crops take over and can be planted. Raspberries can be planted to bear fruit in the fall and strawberries can be planted to bear fruit in the spring.

Weed the garden often and early. Plan on a weeding schedule for the garden at least three times. The first should be five to seven days after sowing, and again seven to ten days after that. The third time should be three to four weeks after planting, by this time the plants should be rooted well enough to add mulching and sufficient leaves to shade the surface.

When you are watering your garden you should use soaker hoses, instead of using a hose that produces a spray or a sprinkler. This is because when you water your plants, the water should reach a depth of about six inches, in order to fully irrigate your plants.

A great organic spray that will help discourage pests in your garden is by mixing garlic, onion or chives and mix with water to create a spray. To make the spray, just chop peeled garlic, onions or chives very fine and mix cup of water with it and strain.

As a gardener, you need to store away your pesticides during the winter. Remember to store pesticides in a locked cabinet and in a place so that they will not be exposed to freezing winter temperatures. Try to minimize the amount of pesticides by only buying as much as you need for one season.

Get your soil professionally tested. The small upfront cost of soil testing will pay for itself many times over. By knowing exactly what type of soil you have as well as what nutrients are present will give you important information for a successful garden. Once you are aware of deficiencies, you can take steps to amend the soil and get your garden off to a good start.

New gardeners should keep things simple. The tendency of new gardeners is to plant a garden that is just way too big and end up with a giant mess in the backyard. Keep it simple and small to start, and work up from there. A small garden will lead to a more positive experience and is less work for a new gardener.

As previously stated, no matter what your motivation may be for engaging in gardening, you can never know too much. By applying some or all of the tips mentioned in this article, new gardeners can quickly increase their knowledge. Likewise, experienced gardeners can always pick up some new tips and add to their expertise.




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