How To Have A Healthy And Happy Garden

Monday, October 15, 2012

By Derek Lamington


There are many sources of advice and information about gardening techniques. You could spend days on the Internet alone researching information that is pertinent to your particular garden. You will find that these tips are all you need to start! Read on to start learning.

You need water for a healthy garden. Just like people, plants require water for their survival. When it it hot outside, the soil in your garden can start to dry out, so it is very important that you are preventing this by watering your plants every day. Watering the garden properly will help the garden look its best.

Consider starting your plants in pots and then planting the seedlings in your garden. They are more likely to survive the transition to adulthood with this method. This also helps tighten time between plantings. Using this method, you can remove the mature plants, then put the seedlings in their places.

Plants need a sufficient amount of CO2 for proper maximum growth. A high level of CO2 provides an optimum environment for growth. The best way to get higher CO2 for your plants is to grow them in a greenhouse. When it is exposed to high carbon dioxide levels, a plant has the best growing condition possible.

Make sure to lay the sod properly. Start by preparing your soil with care. Eradicate any weeds and work the soil until it is very fine. Flatten your soil and make it slightly compact. Make sure the soil is moist all the way through. Lay the sod in straight rows, ensuring the seams meet perfectly. Even out the surface of the sod by firming it down flat, filling any available gaps with a handful of dirt. Your sod should be watered everyday for at least two weeks, then it will root itself and walk on it.

Water each of your plants with fresh rainwater, and you'll really be an eco-friendly gardener. Using a specialized barrel, or any other container that works to collect rainwater, saves money on your monthly water bill, and makes good use of natural resources. Bear in mind this tip to have a chemical-free garden while saving money.

A great gardening tip: to remove salty deposits from pots made of clay, use rubbing alcohol and vinegar. Salt deposits may form on the exterior of any pot that is left outside for an extended amount of time. Combine equal portions of water, white vinegar and rubbing alcohol and spritz that mixture on the pot. Scrub it down with any brush you happen to have handy, and the salt will come right off. When cleaning is complete, rinse the pot and let dry thoroughly before using again.

If many of the plants in your garden grow close to the ground, some gardening knee pads will prevent pain and knee injuries. Your knees will take a beating if you spend a great deal of time on the ground while tending your garden. Pick up a good pair of gardening knee pads to help cushion your knees.

Try using root cuttings to grow new plants. Remember that the dormant cold season is the best time to snip those roots. Using a sharp knife, remove the most thick and long roots off the plant. Separate the roots into cuts of about 2 inches each. Place the cuttings on top of a seed tray that you have filled with a blend of damp peat and grit. Cover this with a layer of planting soil. Leave the tray in a place that is cool for about a month and seedlings will sprout. Then you can transplant the seedlings into separate pots with room to grow. In the spring, you can plant them outdoors.

Trying to shovel through clay soil can be extremely difficult and tiresome. Try applying a coat of wax onto your spade prior to working with clay soil, and then buff the spade head with a cloth. This will make your task easier because the clay won't stick to the shovel. It will also keep your garden tool from rusting.

A garden needs the right type of soil to grow properly. For a small fee, a soil analysis can be obtained - based on that report - the soil can be properly enriched to support a vibrant garden. A lot of cooperative extension offices can provide this service to you and it is worth knowing what you need to do in order to avoid ruining your plants.

One way to correct your soil's alkalinity is by amending your soil with used coffee grounds. This is an easy and inexpensive method to increase the acidity of your soil. When you use them, you will start to notice that your vegetables are tastier and more vibrant in color.

Gardening can be an excellent and rewarding hobby to have. The benefits always seem to be great, like having fresh vegetables, flowers and a nice outdoor activity to tend to throughout your days. If you use the advice from this article, you will see the benefits taken to the next level.




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