When you first start reading about horticulture, the whirlwind of information can make you just want to stop and do something else, but if you stick with it, you’ll find that it’s not a difficult skill to learn. With the tips you have just read through you should now have a better idea and feel a little more confident when you think about gardening. Work your way through them and before you know it you’ll be a great gardener.
Make garden tools do double duty as handy makeshift rulers. Large handled tools like rakes, hoes or shovels may be used like measuring sticks. Lay the handles of said tools on the ground where it is flat and there is no interference, such as gravel, and stretch a measuring tape along one side. Use a permanent marker to label distances. Now you will always possess a large ruler ready for your use in the garden.
Your first and best line of defense against pests is having healthy soil. The healthier the plants you grow, the more resistant they’ll be to illness, fungus, or bugs. Healthy, rich soil with fewer chemicals will increase the yield of your plants, and reduce accumulated salts.
The correct soil can make a big difference in how your garden grows. Depending on what type of plants you have, your soil may or may not be adapted. You may also cultivate an artificial area comprised of just one type of soil.
Make a landscaping plan before you dig your first hole. It will be easy to remember where each plant is when sprouts start to shoot up the following spring. In addition, your small plants or groups of plants that are limited in number won’t become lost if you have a large garden.
It is best to aerate and dry your plants daily. Excess moisture on a plant will invite unwanted parasites or diseases to the plant. An example of a common plant parasite is fungi. To control fungi, use a fungicide spray on the area before you notice any problems.
A green garden needs to begin with seeds, not plants. When you begin a garden, it’s most eco friendly to do so with seed. It’s better for your garden, in particular, because transplants have high failure rates; whereas, sprouting a seed and growing a plant in the same conditions is better. Additionally, it’s better for the environment, because the plastic pots used by most greenhouses are generally not recycled and are cluttering landfills.
See to it that you fertilize your garden. Choose commercial compost instead of homegrown manure to keep toxins out of your plants. There are a lot of different ways to fertilize plants; make sure you actually take the time to do it.
Using natural materials in the garden will keep pests away. Slugs are repelled by bordering your vegetable garden with either onions or marigolds. You can also prevent insect pests by using wood ash like mulch around your trees and shrubs. These are methods you can use to get rid of the need to use pesticides.
Know when to harvest your vegetables at precisely the right time. Every veggie variety has an ideal time frame for picking, so it’s important to catch them when their flavors peak. For instance, peas and zucchinis are tastiest when picked young. On the contrary, tomatoes shouldn’t be picked from the vine until they are ripe as can be. Remember that the vegetables will taste best if you harvest them at the proper time.
Clearly, it’s not as difficult as you once believed. Like most subjects, there is amble information on gardening available. Sometimes, you need a starting place. The tips you have found above should help you do just that!