Growing A Green Garden, Even If You Were Not Born With A Green Thumb
Why not learn something new about becoming a better gardener? Figure out what you need beforehand, so you don’t spend money on equipment that isn’t necessary, or impractical seeds for your climate.
Clay soil can be very hard to work with, and you will often find that it sticks to the shovel. Coat the shovel with floor or car wax, and buff it with a clean rag to make the job a lot easier. The wax will help keep dirt from sticking to the shovel, and will also keep the metal from rusting.
Brighten up your flower beds with annuals and biennials. Fast-growing annuals and biennials can brighten up a flower bed, and allow you to change the look from season to season and year to year. Sunny areas in the middle of shrubs and perennials can be filled in nicely with these plants. Some varieties are hollyhocks, petunias and sunflowers.
If you have a wall or fence that you do not like, plant climbers to mask its appearance. You can hide an unsightly wall or fence, in as little as one growing season, with the right selection of climbing plant. It is possible to get them to grow in conjunction with trees and bushes already on the premises, or train them to drape over arbors. Some may need to be attached to a support, and others will attach themselves to any surface using their twining stems or tendrils. Climbing roses, honeysuckle, wisteria, clematis, and jasmine are some great plants to try out.
Before you even place the first plant in your garden, you need to check the composition of your soil. Pay a small fee to have your soil analyzed, and you’ll be glad that you did when you understand what nutrients your soil is lacking. Ask about this service at a local university or the county Cooperative Extension office to improve the soil and insure fruitful crops.
Make sure you remove the weeds from your garden! Weeds can turn a thriving garden into a total wasteland. A simple tool that is useful in removing weeds is white vinegar. Yes, white vinegar actually kills weeds! If you are too busy to pull weeds by hand, make a white vinegar solution and keep it handy for a quick spray when needed.
Pre-soak seeds overnight in a dark place. Drop your seeds into a small jar that is filled with cold water. This will allow your seeds to be hydrated and get a head start when growing. This will also give your seeds a much better chance to survive and mature.
When mowing your lawn, be careful not to cut the grass too far down. If you leave your grass a bit longer, the roots can grow deeper. This results in a lawn that is stronger and less likely to dry out. Short grass means short roots and dead grass.
All that is required is a little research, patience, and putting in some work time out in the garden itself. All the work will be worthwhile, when you experience the satisfaction of a thriving garden established by your own effort.…