If you have visions of a healthy, lush, green garden, there are things you should consider on your way to that goal. Even though horticulture takes effort, it is also loads of fun! Read on for some advice to make horticulture easier and more fun.

You don’t need a costly chemical solution to deal with powdery mildew in your garden. Plain water with a bit of liquid soap and baking soda will do the trick. You just need to spray your plants with this solution once every five days until the mildew is no longer visible. Baking soda is not harmful to your plants and will take care of the issue as well as any other treatment.

When fall arrives, it’s time to plant your autumn vegetables. Rather than using clay pots or planters for your lettuce and kale, plant them in a pumpkin! Cut an opening in the top of your pumpkin, scoop out the inside, and spray the entire thing with Wilt-Proof. This will prevent rotting. After this is completed, it is time to plant!

Good tools for the gardener include a wheelbarrow and a kneeling stool. It can be very uncomfortable on the knees when working so close to the ground, so a light, portable stool makes horticulture easier. Using a wheelbarrow or wagon to transport heavy loads of dirt will help protect you from back injuries so make sure that you have one.

Keeping pests out of a vegetable garden can be difficult. It’s wise to avoid harsh insecticides if you plan on consuming your fresh fruits and vegetables. The key to keeping garden pests at bay is to be relentless. If you catch the pests early, the best removal technique is just to take them off your plants by hand.

For visual interest, make one plant a focal point of your garden. You need a focal point that can catch your eye in garden design. The focal point should be a plant totally different from the others around it.

Strawberries are a great plant to grow in any organic garden, especially if you happen to have kids or any strawberry lover in your home. Little ones will be more likely to help when they can enjoy the fun of harvesting their own fruit.

Green Plant

To get the most from your composting efforts, aim for a 1:1 ratio of dried materials and green plant products. Green plant mulches include everything from fresh grass clippings, to unwanted vegetables, to recently pulled weeds. Sawdust, straw, cardboard, paper and wood pulp are all examples of dried plant material. Avoid using ashes, charcoal, diseased plants and meat-eating animal manure.

Consider solving your weed problem without the use of toxic chemicals. You can easily control weeds by using layered sheets of newspaper. Without exposure to the sun, weeds cannot thrive. By placing newspaper over them, they will not get light and suffocate. The newspapers will break down over a period of time, and will become part of your compost. Put mulch over top to increase the attractiveness of the pile.

With these tips, you’re better equipped to grow the most beautiful garden you can imagine. In learning how to create your dream garden, you’ll also be growing as a person. That’s because learning how to nurture your plants will not only help you reach the goal of having a great garden, but it will help you learn to nurture yourself.