If you are completely new to the world of gardening, then you are probably thinking that some tips on how to grow and maintain a garden will help you immensely so that you can begin growing your own. Listed below are some tips to get you started with your gardening endeavors.
You need to be realistic about what your garden can and can’t produce. No matter how tempting a particular vegetable may be, if it’s not suitable for your climate, it’s not going to grow well. You’ll get more out of your garden if you focus on plants that are right for your area.
Divide up your perennials while they still look healthy. It’s best to divide a perennial at the end of the growing season during which it hits its peak. As the plant starts to overgrow, the center of the plant will start to have dying stalks and weaker flowers. Allowing perennials to grow too long may also lead to them overtaking neighboring plants.
Avoid chemicals for pest control. Chemicals are effective but can also damage your plants. You should look for natural methods instead. For instance, you can buy jars of ladybugs and release them on your plants. Ladybugs are natural predators for a variety of smaller insects that eat flowers and other plants.
If frost has killed your pumpkins before they’ve had a chance to turn orange, it’s not too late to save them. Cut the pumpkins off the vine, leaving a minimum of 4 inches of the vine on the top of the pumpkin. Wash them thoroughly with water mixed with a small amount of bleach to prevent the development of mold. Bring them inside, and place them in a warm, sunny location, turning them occasionally so the sun can reach all the green areas of the pumpkin. Within a few weeks or less, you’ll have bright orange pumpkins to carve into jack-o-lanterns or use to make homemade pumpkin pie.
Use a solution made of a combination of alcohol, water, and vinegar to remove the salt deposits that may accrue in clay pots. Spray it on the the pots and scrub away with a brush, preferably plastic. This allows you to continue to reuse those clay pots! Make sure the pots are dry before using them though.
Use a sanitary laundry basket to pick your fruit and vegetable harvest. They are reusable and already have holes so you can rinse the dirt and debris off your yields. It acts like a strainer and will replace the function of wood baskets. Save money and stay green at the same time.
A wonderful treat for your indoor houseplants is to take them outside periodically and let them bask in the glory of a summer rainstorm. You will be treating them to higher humidity and longer hours of daylight that far surpasses the stale conditions they may be getting indoors! You will want to minimize too much direct sunlight and make sure your plant containers have good drainage holes so that extra rainwater doesn’t collect to cause root rot. Some quality time in the outdoors will pay off with lush, healthy plants year-round!
As you can see from the above list of tips, gardening can be very useful in providing you with beautiful and delicious plants and crops that can supplement your family or your customers. After following these tips, you will no longer be new to the world of gardening, but you can become a gardening expert.