Sunday, May 19, 2013

Home Gardening For More Than A Hobby, But For A Better Life

By Johnathan Black


A collection of tips on how to begin gardening makes the perfect starting point for a beginner to emerge and hopefully begin growing their own plants in a much smoother manner. Below is a collection that will hopefully assist the eager novice into eventually becoming a pro when it comes to gardening.

Avoid chemicals for pest control. Chemicals are effective but can also damage your plants. You should look for natural methods instead. For instance, you can buy jars of ladybugs and release them on your plants. Ladybugs are natural predators for a variety of smaller insects that eat flowers and other plants.

Take the time to know your soil. Get it analyzed. This will let you know what is in your soil and in what areas the soil may be deficient. You can then buy the missing nutrients to add into your soil which will help maximize your crops! Many local universities that have agriculture departments have the ability to test your soil for a small fee.

When dividing or transferring a plant, make sure you keep the roots cool and moist. Roots are the most fragile part of a plant and are extremely sensitive to light and heat. Put a dark plastic bag over the roots if you plan on not transferring the plant right away.

Pay attention to the temperatures in your garden. When it is early, or late, in the season there is a chance that your plants could be exposed to frost. Freezing temperatures will cause many plants to die, and some that live will not produce at the level they would have otherwise.

Try growing crops that are easy to store or store themselves. If handled properly and gently, given the right amount of time to cure, garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, squash, dry beans, or shallots will keep for a very long time in a cool, dry place. No canning or freezing required. This will ensure having fresh vegetables from the garden all winter long.

Think about planting perennials rather than annuals when it comes to flower gardening. The life cycle of an annual lasts only one year at most. This can be a waste of money and time. Perennials come back year after year for as long as four years, which means less time planting each year, and more time to enjoy instead.

Well, hopefully the aforementioned collection of tips was enough to give you a great start on what to do and expect when it comes to growing your own plants. This collection was carefully constructed to be an aid in your arsenal so that you can begin to hone your gardening skills into growing healthy plants.




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