For a healthy lush garden, you will need more than a green thumb. You might believe that your next-door neighbor has a special formula for a beautiful yard that no one else knows about. Truth be told, there is no real secret to creating a gorgeous garden. Once you learn some basic rules to follow, you will be ready to plant your own garden. You can start to increase your gardening knowledge today by reading the information below.
Turn the handles of your garden tools into measuring rulers. You can use larger tools, like rakes, as measuring sticks. All you have to do is lay them on the floor then use a measuring tape to measure their length. A permanent marker can be used to label distances. The next time you find yourself in your garden, you will have one large ruler right at your fingertips.
Your tool handles can double as measuring sticks. Tools that can be used for more than one task are quite handy to own. On the floor, simply lay out the handles, then take a tape measure and run it next to them. It's a good idea to label distances with a permanent marker. Now when you go to work in the garden, you will have a ruler that is large at your fingertips!
Plant annuals and biennials to make your flower beds brighter. These fast growing flowers let you change how your flower bed looks season to season. You can use them between the gaps in shrubs and perennials where there is plenty of sun. Some plants to get you started include petunia, marigold, sunflower, rudbekcia, and cosmos.
If you want an organic way to weed your garden, try "boiling" them. Boiling water is a very safe alternative to other potent herbicides. Although this method is organic, it does pose a danger to your plants. Boiling water damages the weed roots and will inhibit future growth.
You can prevent pests using other plants or natural materials. For example, if you plant onions or marigolds along the edges of your vegetable garden, you can ward off slugs. Using wood ash as mulch around the base of trees and shrub seedlings will also help keep away insect pests. With these natural methods, there is no need to purchase expensive, harsh pesticides.
It can be tough to keep insects and other plant-ruining crawlies from infesting your garden. The vegetables are intended to be eaten, thus you should refrain from using harsh pesticides and chemicals. Instead of resorting to these harmful chemicals, you can keep garden pests at bay simply by paying close attention. By noticing them at an early stage, you can simply pluck them away from your plants with your fingers.
Instead of leaving clumps of irises intact, divide them so that your flowers can grow in a more healthy manner. You can divide those overgrown clumps and increase the amount of irises you have. When foliage is dead, lift bulbous irises. The bulbs split in your hand, then you replant them, and they will most likely flower next year. Rhizomes, however, need to be divided by using a gardening knife. Cut new outside pieces and dispose of the center. Each piece should have at least one strong offshoot. All that is left to do is immediately replant the pieces you have created and let the cycle begin anew.
A green garden needs to begin with seeds, not plants. When opening a garden, the most green method of beginning is from seed. Most nurseries use a lot of plastic that is not recycled. If you want to buy plants, find a nurseries that uses organic methods or grow your plants from seeds.
If you're growing plants indoors, keep your thermostat around 65 or 75 degrees daily. This is the optimum temperature to ensure strong growth. These temperatures may not be comfortable for you, however. As an alternative to keeping your entire home that warm, consider getting heat lamps for your organic plants.
Now, you shouldn't get your hopes up and believe that a few tips are going to turn you into an instant professional gardener. However, these tips are a great starting point if you do plan to grow organically. As you implement these tips and hone your skills, you'll be a professional green-thumb-holder in no time.
