Gardening has brought people peace and enlightenment for hundreds of years. It can be enjoyed as a pleasant hobby, or it may be performed for the purpose of providing fresh food for your family. The advice in this article will help you to realize what a joy gardening can be in your life.
Try planting seeds in pots, and then transferring the seedlings to your garden. This can give your seedlings the advantage they need to survive and reach adulthood. It also allows you to tighten up the time periods between plantings. Your seedlings will be ready to be planted when you remove your old mature plants.
Plant perennials that are resistant to slug and snail infestations. These creatures can wreak havoc on a garden in a short time. These garden vermin prefer plants with tender, herbaceous stems and leaves, particularly seedlings and young plants. You can discourage snails and slugs from eating your perennials by choosing plants with tougher or distasteful foliage. Consider planting these varieties of perennials to discourage slugs and snails from eating your flowers. Euphorbia and achillea are examples of slug-proof perennials.
The first thing you can do to ward off garden pests is to ensure you are using healthy soil in your garden. Healthy plants are naturally more resilient against pests and disease. If you want to get the best plants, begin with a soil that has hardly any chemicals, and that will bring salts.
Stink Bugs
When partaking in horticulture activities, particularly in the autumn months, keep an eye on those stink bugs. Stink bugs are attracted to tomatoes, beans and most fruits. They can do serious damage in your garden, so look for an effective method of reducing their population.
Make sure to pre-soak seeds, preferably in a dark location. Use a small container filled with water to nearly the top and place several seeds in it. This will hydrate your seeds and it will cause them to grow faster. Seeds that are grown in this way have a higher survival and maturity rate.
If your soil has a problem with high alkaline levels, mixing in some coffee grounds that have been used is a great solution. Coffee grounds add acidity to the soil and are very cheap. By amending your soils, you will help your plants grow and flourish.
Knee Pads
If you have a lot of low-growing plants to take care of in your garden, purchase gardening knee pads. Without pads, you may have pain in your knees from spending too much time kneeling on the hard ground. Knee pads offer your knees the extra cushioning they need to stay comfortable during extended periods in the garden.
Fertilizing your garden is essential. One type of fertilizer that really helps plants grow is manure, but be sure to utilize a type that is commercially composted to reduce the chances of pathogens. The options for fertilizing are vast and include environmentally sound choices, so no matter which you choose, just be sure to use one.
There are natural materials, and you can also use other plants to help keep pests away from your garden. Plant marigolds or onions around other vegetables to keep slugs away from them. Insects can be deterred if you use wood ash instead of mulch around trees and shrub seedlings. By utilizing these methods, you will not have to apply chemical pesticides on your vegetation.
As already noted, horticulture is an activity that many have enjoyed throughout history. At one time, most people saw gardening as the sole means of providing food for their family. In modern times, however, gardening is done for primarily three reasons: profit, pleasure or necessity. No matter what reason you wish to garden, you now have some useful advice. Enjoy the many rewards gardening has to offer.