Whether you want to have a garden because you need a hobby, because you want to try growing your own food, or because you find it relaxing to have a little patch of nature all to yourself, there are ways to make your garden more successful. Here are some easy tips for becoming a great gardener.
Use a mixture of vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and water to get rid of salt deposits. If you are having a problem of salt buildup on your clay pots, mix equal parts white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. Spray on the deposits and they will wash away with ease. Make sure to let the pots dry thoroughly before use.
A good idea when gardening is to keep a record of progress. If it is a journal form or photographic form of recording the progress of the garden is helpful for the years to come. Recording which types of plants work well, which did not work or what types of soil can help future gardens start without any trial and error of previous years.
Plant self-seeding flowers. Let your flowers do the work of re-stocking the garden for you. If you allow your flowers to go to seed, the following year you will have new seedlings popping up everywhere. If things get too crowded, or if plants appear in the wrong place, simply thin them out. Good self-seeders are alyssum, bellflower, forget-me-not, poppy and columbine.
A very important step to remember when planting a rose is to use soil, mulch or compost to mound at the base of the plant all the way to the first canes. Mounding this way will protect the plant until new growth emerges and new feeder roots have grown to absorb water for the plant.
Use your own seeds for gardening in later seasons. This lets you ensure that your plants are organic from start to finish. Take an earlier season of plants and allow them to go to seed before you remove them. This means that not only are your plants growing without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, the seeds were grown without them either.
When taking an organic path to control garden pests, try to build up the soil to allow healthy microbes to flourish. Earthworms are also very important to organic gardening and they should be encouraged to stay in the soil. When the soil is unhealthy, it is not as resistant to pests.
You should put chives around flower beds as it is a natural insect repellant. Flies, aphids and other pests are easily repelled using simple herbs like chives. Chives can be grown or can be purchased as any grocery store. Place a generous amount around the roses and notice the bugs stay at bay.
If you follow the above advice, your plants will be happier and so will you. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a home gardener with a tiny container garden or an ambitious community gardener who wants to feed a family with what you grow. The tips like these can help make sure you reach your gardening goals sooner rather than later.