Gardening is a wonderful way to grow more than flowers; you can also grow vegetables and fruits in your backyard. The only thing better than picking fresh tomatoes for your salad, is having an entire salad for your efforts. This article will provide great tips for horticulture that will help you enjoy it.
Many times when digging in clay soil the clay will adhere to the shovel, which will make it much harder to dig. One way to get around this problem is to coat the shovel with wax. Use a clean cloth to spread the wax evenly. The clay will no longer stick to the shovel, and this also helps to prevent other problems like rusting.
Starting off your garden with healthy soil can be the best defense against those pesky garden bugs. Healthier plants are stronger, which in turn can help the plants you grow to become more resistant to disease and bugs that can harm them. Use a high-quality organic soil and as few chemicals as possible.
When you’re out and about in the garden, particularly in the fall, keep an eye out for sink bugs. Stink bugs are attracted to tomatoes, beans and most fruits. Decrease their presence as much as possible to avoid them wreaking havoc in your garden.
Come up with a gardening plan before planting anything. Use your seed packages to make fun markers that will remind you where each type of plant is growing. In addition, your small plants or groups of plants that are limited in number won’t become lost if you have a large garden.
Shelter your deciduous shrubs. Tender shrubs are very sensitive to cold weather, especially those that are planted in pots. You want to then tie the tops of the canes together, and cover them with a sheet or blanket. This is a much better method, instead of putting the plastic wrap around the plant. It allows proper air circulation that can prevent rotting.
Place a two inch layer of organic mulch at the base of your tall vegetable plants. Mulch will retain water so that you won’t have to water your plants as often. It will also prevent weeds from growing. You’ll find this is a time saver since you won’t have to pull them later.
Don’t count the fall season out. Fall, though, can still be an interesting time for trees. Autumn is the most colorful season of all, foliage-wise. There are many variations in leaf color with different varieties of Maple, Beech and Dogwood trees that can give you lively yellows and deep crimsons. Cotoneaster, barberry and hydrangea can provide vibrant color if you are considering shrubs for your garden.
Avoid damage from the sun by dressing correctly when you garden. There are many ways to protect yourself from the sun’s damaging rays such as wearing sunglasses, sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats. Wearing sun protection will prevent your skin from burning and by extension will reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.
Get your kids to help you grow your organic garden. Helping a garden grow is an excellent learning experience for kids, and it allows your family to spend time together while creating healthy, nutritious foods.
Prior to working in the garden, make sure any cuts on your hands heal completely, or shield any cuts from contact with chemicals and dirt. If you have an open cut while horticulture, contact with dirt or debris can infect the wound. You can completely seal the area using some of the great bandages that are now available.
The hobby of horticulture not only gives you something enjoyable to do, but produces tasty vegetables, herbs and fruit right at home. The vegetables and fruits that you pick will add your own unique flavor to the dishes in which they are used. Keep the tips you just read in mind when planting those seeds.
