Gardening Tips To Keep Your Garden Beautiful After The Winter Months

by Gary Milroy

Some simple gardening tips to keep your garden tip-top after the winter months. Sometimes getting into the garden and doing the simple things will be most beneficial to your garden.

February has lived up to being a cold and windy month (for most of us). However, with all the changes in the weather recently, who knows, we might get a heat wave soon. This is a good time to take stock and check the condition of trees and shrubs.

Recently planted stock should be checked to make sure that they are still firm in the ground. The frosts can kill the roots if exposed. If they are too unstable, support them with a suitable stake. Also make sure that existing staked trees don't have their ties too tight.

The cold frosts can be your friend too. If you have heavy clay soil you should dig it over leaving it in big lumps. Pick a dry day when the soil itself is not too wet. A lawn that is prone to inadequate drainage will benefit from aeration. Ideally use a hollow tined fork (although an ordinary garden fork will do). This will remove small plugs of soil to a depth of about 6 inches, which can then be incorporated in the beds. If using a garden fork push it in to the full depth of the tines and wiggle it back and forth to leave holes. In each case immediately brush washed sharp sand all over the lawn, which will fill the holes. The area may look messy when you are finished but a shower of rain will soon clean it up.

Lawn Maintenance
DON'T FEED OR CUT YOUR LAWN YET.
Any reputable gardener will tell you that feeding your lawn too early will do it more harm than good.

Feeding the lawn causes fresh new young growth, which would be damaged by frost. The first feed should be no earlier than April and should be a lawn sand with a low level of feed, just enough to act as a tonic for the grass. Let it start the new season gently. Also don't be tempted to cut the grass yet even if it started growing during the recent warm spell. Frost damage could again result.

Being a gardener is one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have. But remember to keep doing the simple things.... Your garden will pay you back for doing it.

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Tips For Your 'Full of Bulbs' Garden

by Nikki Phipps

Want a successful garden? Try planting bulbs into your landscape. Flowering bulbs are not only easy to grow and popular among garden plants, but they can fit into nearly any type of gardening style. And with proper care, bulbs will continue to bloom year after year. Flowering bulbs make lovely additions to any garden, especially when planted in groups or mixed borders.

Bulbs are widely available at most garden centers; however, most of the more spectacular ones need to be purchased through mail-order catalogs or nurseries that specialize in these types of plants.

Actually, ordering your bulbs through catalogs or obtaining them from nurseries can provide many benefits. Since bulbs are dormant, shipping them is easy and done so according to their appropriate planting times. This means all you have to do is simply stick them in the ground. There's no worrying with keeping particular bulbs stored elsewhere until needed.

The quality of your bulbs from a mail order company is normally better, too. They are healthier and picked for you by experts; whereas, picking them yourself may not always be easy, unless you know what to look for.

When selecting bulbs yourself, try choosing only those that are firm. You don't want any soft, withered, or blemished bulbs as these will not produce a healthy plant.

Always consider your landscape prior to planting or choosing bulbs. Observe your surroundings, taking notes as to the types of plants already growing within the landscape.

Choose bulbs which will thrive in your particular area and climate. Check reference books, labels, and packaging for the bulb's hardiness requirements.

Consider the color, bloom time, height, and compatibility of the plants you want to grow. You want to select bulbs that will offer significant blooming throughout the seasons with plenty of ongoing color year-round.

Mix them up with a variety of annuals and perennials as well as interesting foliage plants such as hostas and ferns.

Proper planting of bulbs will keep the garden full of blooms through the seasons and ensure healthy, vigorous growth for years to come. Place your bulbs in the ground as soon as possible; otherwise, keep them stored in a cool, dry area. Bulbs are normally planted well before the ground freezes in the fall or after the planting of perennials, annuals, and other plants in the spring.

Both winter and spring bulbs require a dormant period in cool temperatures in order to stimulate their growth and development. These types of bulbs include crocuses, cyclamens, tulips, daffodils, snowdrops, and hyacinths. Generally, these bulbs are hardy enough to be left in the ground throughout the year; however, your summer and fall bulbs may require lifting.

Gladiolus, begonias, dahlias, and autumn crocuses fall into the summer bulb category. These bulbs are usually considered to be quite tender and cannot survive in excessively cold environments. Spring is normally the best time to plant these bulbs. After the first initial frost, they should be dug up and kept in a dry, frost-free area.

Regardless of the type, bulbs prefer and thrive in light, well-drained soil. To improve the quality of your soil, you can easily work in some sand and compost. Make sure the site you choose for planting does not stand in water at any time as this will ultimately cause your bulbs to rot. Larger bulbs are planted about 8 inches deep; while the smaller ones can be placed about 5 inches in the ground. However, the lighter the soil, the deeper the bulb can be placed. Always place the bulb with its point facing upward. Water generously after planting, but take care not to drench the bulbs. Cover with a layer of mulch.

Flowering bulbs make great companions for woody plants, providing the landscape with an array of sizes, shapes, and colors. As spring bulbs die out, you can add various annuals and late-blooming bulbs, like lilies, to keep these areas of the garden looking their best. Adding an assortment of perennials into the bulb garden will provide a nonstop procession of flowers and foliage.

If you want to try a naturalized effect with your bulbs, take them by the handful and gently toss them out into the yard or garden. Plant the bulbs wherever they land.

If you want to test out different plant combinations before incorporating them into the garden or you simply don't have a lot of space for one, you can grow your bulbs in a container. A variety of bulbs can thrive in containers, and when mixed with annuals, you will have a beautiful miniature garden. Choose a container that has sufficient drainage and line it with pebbles. Add some potting soil and a few bulbs and annuals. Keep the container moist but not too wet.
If you follow these tips, pretty soon you will have a bulb-o-licious garden.

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Tips For Easier Garden Care

by Lee Dobbins

Gardening is an enjoyable leisure time activity for many and it can be quite easy to see the fruits of your labor bloom all summer long. Although gardening can be simple and rewarding, that doesn't mean that you won't have to put some hard work into it. There are times when gardening can be a lot of hard work!

In this article, you will learn about how you can get ahead of your gardening tasks. Keeping up with the chores and being organized and prepared can make you're the whole thing much easier.

Start feeding your soil. You need to start a healthy soil before you can grow healthy plants. You should also remember that healthy plants have fewer possibilities to succumb to disease. You should make sure your soil is perfect at the beginning of the season and then fertilize all summer as needed for each type of flower you have.

Using organic fertilizer is the best course of action. Other fertilizers may kill all the beneficial organisms that are essential for plant growth. Organic is better for your plants and for the environment as a whole.

To get healthy vibrant plants, make sure you plant them in a spot where they will be happiest. Plants that need direct sunlight must be placed in a spot where there is an adequate source of sunlight. Plants that need large amounts of water can be placed near a spot that has an abundant water supply.

You should also remember to choose plants that grow profusely, reseed or come back every year. Choosing plants like this can cut your gardening time in half. There are plants like sedums and astilbes that grow in any season. It is easier and even economical, because you do not need to change it every season.

A large garden is fun, but a smaller garden will be easier to manage and will require less of your time. You can also make some container gardens which are easier to control, water, and maintain.

All plants need consistent watering so consider installing dripping irrigation so you do not need to water your plants by hand everyday. Make sure that you only drip enough water for your plants and avoid over watering as standing water in the garden can invite disease as well as make some plants get droopy and sick.

To add beauty to your garden and keep down on weeds you can add mulch to it. Mulch not only looks good but keeps the soil and plants cool. It also retains moisture so you don't have to worry so much about watering your plants.

To make the job of gardening easier, invest in some good gardening tools. A rocker chair and knee pads are a must. Make sure you have the appropriate tool for the job and remember, a cheap tool will probably make you work harder, so go for the best quality you can afford.

Happy gardening!

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The Rose Gardener Tips

by Gray Rollins

Rose gardens are probably the most popular type of garden in the world, ranging from Marie Antoinette's famous gardens before the French revolution to a few shrubs tucked in a tiny backyard. With their wonderful scents and lovely blossoms, it is no wonder these surprisingly sturdy plants are so popular. After all, no other flowers are used as frequently as roses to symbolize love and friendship. If you'd like to grow beautiful roses in your yard, try a few of these simple rose gardening tips.

1. Roses need to eat regularly, just like any other living thing. Start feeding your roses before you even place them in the planting hole by adding a scoop of compost.

2. Use specially formulated rose food to help your roses really bloom. If you prefer organic methods, give your roses each a small scoop of Epsom salts, a banana peel, and some rotted compost. They will absolutely love these homegrown garden remedies.

3. Roses need to breathe. Be sure you don't allow other plants to get to close to your roses. Keep weeds away from the base of your roses with a 2 to 4 inch layer of rotted compost or chip mulch, but be sure you don't place these weed barriers right against the rose's stems.

4. Mulch also helps keep your roses from getting too dry. Mulch retains water, so your roses need to be watered less frequently during the summer months.

5. Trim out dead wood. Rose canes that are brown and dead may even be harboring insect pests, so remove them immediately. Always make a clean cut instead of crushing the canes as you remove them.

6. Prune out canes that cross over other canes. Those sharp thorns damage the rose's outer skin as easily as they snag your hands. Always prune a cane above a bud that faces away from the inside of the plant. This bud will react to the pruning by sending out a new shoot.

7. If your roses are infested by aphids, spray them with insecticidal soap.
8. Always remove pruned canes and spotty leaves from the ground. If you don't, any fungus on them will re-infect your roses when there is a heavy rainfall.
Finally, the most important rose gardening tip may just be to wear long sleeves and thick gloves when you are working with your roses. A rose thorn can really hurt, especially if it becomes deeply embedded in your hand.

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Ideas For Your Vegetable Garden

by Kara Kelso

The first year I lived in a "real house" I was excited to get a garden started. I just couldn't wait until spring when I could plant all kinds of veggies. While this seems like a good idea, it really wasn't. Being a new gardner, I let my excitement get the best of me. Luckily, part of my family made sure I still had a very nice garden that year.

Here are a few tips I learned:

1. Make sure you have enough room Some plants get bigger than others, and take up more space. Make sure you give certain plants more room than others, and plan enough sunlight for smaller plants. I've had smaller plans die in previous years because they eventually end up in the shadow.

2. Start small Don't plant everything you can find. Ask your local gardening supply store what will work best in your area for beginners. Tomatoes work best where I live, but don't work well in other areas.

3. Start with plants, not seeds Instead of throwing seeds in the ground, start off easy buying plants that are already started. They have been started at the right time of year by experts, and are much easier to grow.

4. Know your time limits If you can only devote 10mins per day to your garden, make sure you only have a few plants. Pulling weeds can quickly become a problem, so if you have limited time don't make a big area that will take a long time to weed.

I hope these ideas will help you this spring when you start your first garden!

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Vegetable Gardening Tips At Your Backyard

by George Hapgood

Would it be possible for you to grow a vegetable garden at your backyard? Consider this option, healthy foods just within your reach. Even your children can help and cultivate their own vegetables. Having fun while learning is not a bad idea right? But you have to plan ahead before you start.

Which Veggie?
Plan which vegetables you would like to grow in your garden. Choose early, middle of the season and late kinds of these vegetables, which you like best.

Against all veggie odds
You have to know the odd characteristics of certain vegetables and use them to best advantage. Some vegetables bloom even in partially shaded positions, while others require lots of sunshine.

Goodie veggies
Good vegetables are of exceptionally slow growth during the seedling stage of development. You have to take advantage of this by using space between rows for quick-growing crops. For example, propagate beet seed by middle of April and position young lettuce plants between the rows.

Don't let the water run dry
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.

De-pest the infested
During the growing season be attentive against insect pests. If you discover a bug problem early it will make it much easier to take suitable action and get rid of the pests. But be careful to not use pesticides once the vegetable have grown unless it becomes an absolute necessity. Organic gardening is one healthy and environment-friendly option. Once you have reaped your crop, put the used up vegetable matter into your fertilizer pile so that it can be recycled for next spring.

Animal appeal not needed
It is important to protect your vegetable garden. In most cases, the garden is surrounded by a fence adequately high and close-woven to keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The harm done by wandering animals during a 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 would pay off if necessary precaution has been made. Learning is a process, vegetable gardening needs time. See to it you have patience and dedication to it.

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Gardening in Small Spaces

An effective garden doesn’t mean it has to be huge and hold tons of plants. Not everyone has the space for a garden like that, but they can grow thriving plants in a small area as long as there’s access to sunlight.

Gardens have grown in many places - from a small patch of ground outside of a home to planting pots placed outside one’s front door. The size of your garden doesn’t matter because it’s the quality of your gardening skills that will provide you with thriving plants.

You’ll want to research the plants you want to grow within your garden. Find out what plants can be planted near each other, which ones need the most sunlight and any care instructions needed to grow a particular type of plant.

This will help you plan the placement of your garden, whether you plant in a small patch of land or in planters. Next, you’ll need to find out when each plant should be planted. Some need to be planted ahead of others, so plan accordingly.

Now you’re ready to purchase the plants or seeds, whichever you choose to grow in your garden. Make sure you have the right size planters for your garden if you go with gardening pots. The plants need some space to grow, so don’t overcrowd them.

Make sure you use top quality potting soil. Your plants could use the extra effort to provide them with the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. Your local gardening center can help you decide which soil would be best for you to use.

Even gardens grown in small areas will have problems with insects that feed on your plants, so make sure you purchase plants that are inviting to the insects that will keep the harmful ones under control so they won’t have time to destroy your garden.

Some fertilizing soil has ingredients mixed in that will help repel some of the pests, so check them out as well. If you feel you must use pesticides, use them sparingly. Most of these harmful chemicals can affect the plants as well as animals and children, so use only what’s absolutely necessary for your garden.

Every garden, no matter if it’s big or small, needs to be nurtured. Stay on top of the weeds, aerate the soil once in awhile and water as often as needed. No garden will thrive without the proper care and nurturing from the gardener, so don’t neglect them.

Small gardens can thrive just as much as larger ones, so if you don’t have the space for a big garden, just make use of the space you do have and grow healthy and robust plants. With the proper care, any garden can produce excellent plants.

Take the time to plan out your garden to use the best areas of the small space that you have. Your small garden could then outmatch any large one if you put forth your best effort and make it successful.

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