How to Build and Maintain A Garden

Gardening Tips – How to Build and Maintain A Garden  

Article by Peter Finch

A garden adds beauty to the surroundings with its colourful treasure of trees, plants, flowers, butterflies, fruits and more. Gardening is an infinitely pleasurable exercise and a hobby for some. If you have enough space to plant herbs or small plants, it becomes your garden. So, it is not a tough task, even if you do not have the experience. Here is a gardening tip for amateurs – start small instead of overdoing things at your first shot.

Gardens tend to have a soothing effect on our minds. You can just sit or lie on your back on the lawn you mowed or in your garden to relax and unwind. The garden should not only look good, but should also be in a place easily visible to everyone. Here is a gardening tip – Build your garden in front of the house. It not only adds to the beauty of the place but also creates a delightful impression on people entering your house.

Basics Of Gardening

The first important gardening tip is to learn the basics of gardening. Most people are very taken in with the idea of creating a garden but you need to know the basics before taking the plunge. One would start dreaming about flowers, fruits and vegetables all over the place even before beginning to build the garden. Which plants to grow, where to plant it, how to do it, and when to do it are common confusion areas for novices.

Selecting The Right Place

Another important gardening tip is to choose the right location for your garden. You should get a great view of the chosen place from inside your house. Now that the problem of where to garden has been dealt with, you have to think of what to plant. If you want to grow any particular plant, you should first check out whether the climatic and other conditions are conducive to its growth. If you live in a place that is hot, then make sure you do no plant in areas exposed to afternoon sun, which is hotter and drier than the morning sun. Also, ensure that the chosen place is not directly exposed to heavy, dry winds.

Selecting The Plants

After the location is finalized, the next gardening tip for you is – choose the right plants. Select appropriate plants in accordance with the environmental conditions in your area. You can grow roses or vegetables – it is up to you. Herbs are ideal for any place as their growth can be controlled, if there is not enough space.

Common Problems

Lastly, here is an important gardening tip for you on tackling the common problems. If your garden is attractive, you can expect unwanted visitors like pests, insects, animals, children to cause damage to your plants. You should be careful and safeguard your garden. You cannot keep watch 24 x 7. However, while you water your plants, make sure that you check for changes in the color, or if insects have damaged the stems, leaves, or the plant itself.

You should also prune the extra growth of the plants so that they are not only healthy but also serve their purpose.

With a helpful gardening tip or two, your green thumb, care and attention, you too can create a beautiful garden at home.

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Gardening Tips

Gardening Tips  

Article by Sharon Nelson

For some people, gardening is a hobby, while for others it is simply an addiction. The nature lovers are simply fanatic about gardening. Gardens can be created in a number of ways. Either you may create a fragrant flower garden, a garden for fruits, vegetables or a landscape full of non-flowering plants. A beautiful garden can be created both indoors and outdoors. Whatever the location is, some things should be considered, when you decide to create a garden. Here in this section, we have given some tips for gardening outdoors as well as indoors.

Outdoor Gardening TipsIf you want to make your outdoor gardening experience a pleasant one, then you should follow the important aspects of gardening, which includes the right choice of tools, choice of location, irrigation, soil, use of fertilizers, manure etc. The basic tools required for outdoor gardening include hoe, rake, shovel, water hose or sprinkler and garden stakes. It is easier to work with them only if you keep them in good working condition. Wash them properly after finishing the work. Apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly on the sharp edges of the tools, so that they are protected from rust. Choose a moisture free place for storing the tools.

Gardening starts with proper planning. Therefore, always start the project with a rough sketch of the plan. Next, the choose the location. The best location for creating a landscape is the place that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. In addition, the place should have plenty of drainage. To begin the project of outdoor gardening, you may start with the plants that are easy to grow, such as tomato, lettuce or carrots. You may grow the plants either from seedlings or from the seeds. Next, get a soil test for your garden. This will let you know the fertility, nature of the soil (whether it is acidic, basic or neutral) and the type of fertilizers needed. The soil should be perfectly suitable for the growth of the plants you choose. If you keep in mind the above mentioned things, you will ensure a good harvest for the season.

Indoor Gardening TipsIf you live in a part of the world, where you get only three good warm months for a year, then you will probably have to switch to indoor gardening. You may make use of your basement for creating a wonderful garden indoors. For the purpose, you need to decide the scale at which you are going to do this – whether you are going to plant a handful of plans, or do it a bit bigger. You may go for raised bed gardens or grow the plants without using soil. This will help you decide the budget for your indoor gardening project. Although indoor gardening is usually done on a small scale, the plants grown this way require more care than an outdoor garden.

All the basic factors, including lighting, pollination, soil, temperature, fertilization and watering have to be monitored closely for the project. Out of all the things, lighting plays a pivotal role, because unlike outdoor garden, the plants grown indoors would not receive much sunlight. Since lighting is an important factor, you should pick the plants that can be grown in medium to low light conditions. Consider supplying artificial lighting for the plants. Apart from lighting, you should pay special attention to the drainage system as well. By following the tips given below, you will ensure that you will be able to create a wonderful garden indoors.

Cactus Plant CareAnother perennial plant type that is quite famous all over the world is cactus. Cacti are also known as low maintenance plants.

Chrysanthemum FlowersChrysanthemums means ‘golden flowers’, ‘Chrys’, which means golden and ‘anthemon’, which means flower combine together to give this name

Dwarf PlantsIf maintaining a garden has become quite hectic for you then we have a tip for you. Small outdoor plants will not only design your garden

Fragrant FlowersGardening can be a lot of fun, especially for the nature lovers. It will be delightful to spend time in a heavily scented garden, after a day’s hectic schedule.

Interplanting VegetablesInterplanting is a way by which you can grow two or more types of vegetables, in the same place, at the same time.

Plant for ScreeningNo matter whether you are in the living room, bedroom or loitering in the garden, you will surely want to avoid unwanted attention and disturbances.

Alpine Plants In ContainerIf there is a scarcity of space then you can simply bring your garden to your room. It will of course fancy your pastime.

Shrub In ContainerGrowing shrubs in container gives both variety and unique design to your garden. One of the major advantages of growing shrubs in container

Trellis structureGrowing shrubs in container gives both variety and unique design to your garden. One of the major advantages of growing shrubs in container is that these can be used for accentuating.

 

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1,001 Old-Time Garden Tips: Timeless Bits of Wisdom on How to Grow Everything Organically, from the Good Old Days When Everyone Did

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Timeless Bits of Wisdom on How to Grow Everything Organically, from the Good Old Days When Everyone Did

Old-time gardeners were ahead of their time! Their ideas for wildflower gardens, children’s gardens, organic pest controls, decorating with houseplants, healing with herbs, and more are at the forefront of modern gardening trends. Take a look back to the future of gardening with this incredible collection of gardening advice from successful 17th-, 18t

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Vegetable Gardening Tips

Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, some need 8. Some quick growers like lettuce and radish can be grown between the rows of plants that take longer to mature, like beet or corn, thus making full use of the area available.

Throughout dry periods, vegetable gardens need extra watering. Most vegetables benefit from an inch or more of water each week, especially when they are fruiting.

During the growing season watch for insect pests. If you discover a bug problem early it will be much easier, but be careful to not use pesticides once the vegetable are close to being picked unless it becomes an absolute necessity. Organic gardening is one healthy and environment-friendly option. Once you have reaped your crop, put the vegetable waste into your compost pile so that it can be recycled for next spring.

It is important to protect your vegetable garden from wild animals looking for a tasty treat. Make sure your garden is surrounded by a fence that will keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The harm done by wandering animals during one season can equal the cost of a fence. A fence also can serve as a frame for peas, beans, tomatoes, and other crops that need support.

Protection is needed in order for your vegetable garden to yield a bountiful harvest. Hard work will pay dividends if necessary precautions have been made.

 

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The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible (10th Anniversary Edition)

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• One of the most important aspects of successful vegetable gardening is crop rotation
• There’s also a good section on insect and blight control

The invaluable resource for home food gardeners! Ed Smith’s W-O-R-D system has helped countless gardeners grow an abundance of vegetables and herbs. And those tomatoes and zucchini and basil and cucumbers have nourished countless families, neighbors, and friends with delicious, fresh produce. The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible is essential reading for locavores in every corner of North America!

Everything you loved about the first edition of The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible is still here: f

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Vegetable Gardening: From Planting to Picking – The Complete Guide to Creating a Bountiful Garden

• From planting to picking-the complete guide to creating a bountiful garden

Nothing beats the taste of vegetables from a home garden, and with Vegetable Gardening it’s never been easier. With over 80 varieties of vegetables to choose from, eating delicious, just-picked produce is a snap. Learn every step of creating and maintaining a cornucopia of garden-fresh vegetables: from choosing and planning your plot, preparing the soil, selecting seeds or cultivating seedlings, proper watering, harvesting, and storing.

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Grow Your Vegetable Garden Inside

Choose Appropriate Vegetables

Different plants have different requirements and with indoor gardens the major restrictions tend to be available space and available light. If you want to grow fruit bearing plants, these will require large amounts of sunlight. Salad greens like lettuce, miniature cabbages, swiss chard, and spinach require less light and do quite well indoors.

The size of your pots will also determine your choice of plant, choose containers big enough for the plants full growth. Small root crops such as radishes and onions are great choices, and there are even small root carrots available. Herbs are a popular choice because they are compact and do not need much space. Miniature varieties of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant can also thrive inside when given the proper care.

Find the Perfect Spot for Growing

As mentioned earlier, lighting is an important consideration for an indoor vegetable garden. A bright south-facing window is your best bet, but any spot that gets a minimum of 5 hours of continuous light can be used. In addition to natural light, you can set up supplemental artificial lighting if you are really serious about growing healthy plants.

Traffic flow is also another important factor to think about. Vegetables in general bruise easily so you want to choose fairly quiet spots so minimize accidental human contact. If you have small children or pets at home, you may want to locate your garden well out of their reach. It is also important to think about proximity to your gardening tools and easy clean-up if things get messy.

Optimize the Microclimate

Plants grow best in high humidity and moderate temperatures. Indoor gardens usually suffer from low humidity and this needs to be addressed. Container grown plants tend to dry out faster and will require more frequent watering. However, it is important not to let the plants get waterlogged as this may cause root rot. Make sure that there is good drainage by raising pots with a pan of gravel underneath. Evaporation from these dishes also improves humidity so they serve a dual purpose.

Another great way optimize your microclimate is to group plants together. You can mix your vegetables with more decorative houseplants to create groupings that are not only beautiful but also functional. Temperature is actually easier to control inside the house, as it is easy to provide more shade by simply drawing the curtains. Just make sure plants are protected from drafts.

Get Good Potting Soil

Potting soil for indoor gardens should drain well and contain the nutrients required to support growth and development. You can purchase premixed potting soil that already incorporates the proper amount of fertilizer. If you prefer to go organic, you can get organic potting mixes from your local garden shop. Add nutrients with caution, as fertilizer buildup is quite common in containers.

Planting vegetable gardens indoors can be incredibly rewarding, so do not be afraid to give it a try. You may even end up growing enough produce to give as gifts to delighted family and friends.

 

Some Gardening Advice

Global warming

Did you know that the earth’s soil gives out carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 10 times more than all human activity? This comes from the pill bugs, microbes, fungi and worms when they breathe, digest food and then die. Although in the past plants have been capable of absorbing carbon dioxide caused by small-scale tillages, this isn’t the case nowadays.

The increase of the globe’s average temperature is because of the carbon dioxide the soil emits when tilled. The good news is that tilling can be minimized by mulching or sheet composting.

Good Fungi

In untilled soil, there is beneficial fungi known as the vesicular-arbuscular-mycorrhizae or VAM for short. VAM actually forms a symbiotic relationship with plants. Their filaments increase root hairs and provide nutrients to the plant. They give out zinc, copper, potassium and phosphorus. Plants provide carbohydrates for the fungi in return. It is possible to grow a garden without tilling the sooiil at all by mulching heavily until the soil is soft and friable.

Surplus Nitrogen

Many gardeners waste nitrogen and manures; farmers do otherwise. Farmers only need a quarter to a third of nitrogen to mix with an inch of compost, horse, or cow manure. Kate Burroughs of Sebastopol California, uses the same rule for her home-grown lettuce and sweet corns. When it comes to broccoli and pear trees, farmers only need a small amount. Notice that gardeners apply larger amounts of compost and manure than farmers. Obviously, they are not only wasting their fertilizer but also their money.

The best gardening advice that can be given to those concerned is to do all things with moderation. Keep in mind that too little and too much of something is not healthy. This is the most valuable advice one can have in gardening.

 

Tips For Taking Care of Your Plants

Overwatering kills most houseplants. Looks can be deceptive, so to see if your soil is dry enough to water, try the finger test. Insert your index finger up to the first joint into the soil. If the soil is damp, don’t water it.

2. Feeding

Foliage plants usually have high nitrogen needs, while flowering plants, K2O is needed. Slow release fertilizers can be mixed with the compost. However, certain plants like cacti and orchids need special fertilizer. Feed plants during their most active growth period.

3. Lighting

Plants like Sanseveria and Aspidistra require no sun. They can be placed away from a window. Spider plants need semi-shade. You can put plants like these near a window that does or does not get sunlight. Check the label to see what your plant needs.

4. Temperature

Houseplants can survive in cool or warm temperatures, but drastic fluctuations of temperature may not be good for them. One thing that most plants cannot survive is gas heating. If you have a plant that likes warm conditions, don’t put it near an air conditioner in the summer.

5. Humidity

Some houseplants require a humid environment. One tip to maximize humidity is to put the pot inside a larger pot and fill in the gaps with stones or compost to keep in the moisture. Grouping plants together often creates a microclimate that they will benefit from. If you want, you can spray them with water once or twice a day depending on the temperature.

6. Re-potting

Some plants require re-potting for optimum growth but there are others that resent having their roots disturbed. Or their roots system may be small enough that they don’t require re-potting. One way to check if your plant needs re-potting is to turn it upside down. Tap the pot to release the plant and check its roots. If roots are all you see, then re-pot. Sometimes the roots will come out of the pot. You should either cut them off or re-pot the plant.

You just need to have a little care for your plants and in turn, you’ll reap the benefits. Indoor plants not only add to the beauty of your décor, but also give much pleasure to the indoor gardener.