There's no better time than now! You probably have a lot of inquiries on how to start and what to do, but no worries, this article has you covered. This article includes a few tips and tricks that can help you begin gardening.

Plant some perennials in your garden that repel slugs. Snails and slugs can quickly wreak havoc on a garden. These pests gravitate to young perennials with smooth, tender, thin leaves. Some perennials aren't that tasty to snails and slugs since they have tough and hairy leaves, and an unappetizing flavor. Some perennial families that snails and slugs won't eat include achillea, campanula, and helleborus.

In order not to shock your plants, you have to gradually accustom them to the change of temperature and conditions. Put them in the sun outside for a couple of hours during the first day. As the week progresses, gradually increase their exposure to the outdoors. After a few more days, your plants will be more resistant and ready to stay outside all the time.

Digging in clay soil with a shovel can be very difficult. The clay isn't easy to work with and will adhere to the shovel, which only makes the problem worse. To make working in clay easier, rub the shovel with floor or car wax and then buff it with a cloth. The clay easily slides off the surface while keeping the end from getting rusty.

Split up irises. Divide any overgrown clumps to increase your stock. When the foliage dies, take the bulbous irises and lift them. The iris bulbs should easily split apart in your hand. Once you replant them, they will have a good flower show the following year. Cut rhizomes into pieces with a knife. Cut new outside pieces and dispose of the center. Each piece should retain a minimum of one sturdy offshoot capable of spurting new growth. Set your cuttings into the ground right away.

When you mow your lawn, do not mow it close to the ground. If you leave more height to your grass, the roots will grow deeper into the soil, making the lawn stronger and more resistant to drying out. Short grass is more prone to getting dried out and turning brown.

If you have many low-growing plants in your garden, get yourself a pair of gardening knee pads. Kneeling on the ground as you garden will eventually cause serious discomfort for your knees. You can be more comfortable in the garden with a good pair of drip irrigation for gardening knee pads.

Fertilize your garden regularly. Manure can be effective, though you should use products which minimize pathogens. There are a wide variety of fertilizing options available, although which type you use is not that important; just make sure to use something.

Have all of your tools available to you as you garden to increase efficiency. You have several options including using a bucket to hold your tools or wearing pants with lots of sturdy pockets. You will be much more productive if you can quickly get to your spade, pruning shears, trowel and watering can.

Know the ideal times to harvest each of the vegetables you plant. Different vegetables have different, ideal times that they should be picked for best flavor. Zucchini and baby peas, for example, have the best flavor when harvested early. The opposite is true of tomatoes. They taste their best if you allow them to ripen on the vine as long as possible. To get the most out of your gardening efforts, find out when to harvest your crops.

Hopefully, you are now much better equipped for your gardening endeavor. You thought were doing well before, but you will do much better now! Hopefully, the strategies provided in this article have given you the confidence to develop your own garden and enjoy the bounty nature has to offer.