subject: Tips For Getting The Most From Your Garden [print this page] Try using annuals and biennials to add color to your flower beds, and brighten them up. Fast growing biennials and annuals can enliven a flower bed while letting you change up the look each season and year. In addition, you might need something to fill empty spaces in your flower garden. Fill gaps with annuals or biennials. Just make sure the flowers will get enough sun to thrive. Notable varieties include cosmos, rudbeckia, petunia, hollyhock, marigold and sunflower.
Keep your clay plots bright and clean by removing salt deposits with a solution of rubbing alcohol, water and vinegar. Salt deposits accumulate on the exterior of clay pots over time. Clean the pot with a mixture of white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water measured equally into a spray bottle. When you scrub the pot with a stiff brush, the salt stains will disappear. After rinsing, allow the pot to air out prior to using it again.
Many times when digging in clay soil the clay will adhere to the shovel, which will make it much harder to dig. Coat the shovel with floor or car wax, and buff it with a clean rag to make the job a lot easier. This will make your task easier because the clay won't stick to the shovel. It will also keep your garden tool from rusting.
You can alleviate this problem by planting grasses that your cat will naturally gravitate towards. Offensive smells also work to repel cats and other pesky animals from eating your plants. Try putting mothballs, citrus peels, garlic and other pungent items on the topsoil.
Use pots to start your plants, then transfer them to a garden when they become seedlings. This raises the chances of the plants growing until adulthood. In addition, you can shorten the intervals between your plantings. The seedlings are ready to go, once you remove the mature plants.
Take the time to place organic mulch in the area around your vegetable plants. Mulch helps the soil surrounding the plants remain moister for a longer time. This also helps reduce the appearance of weeds. This will save you tons of time from pulling out tons of weeds.
Several annuals grow better in the colder months. Prune these plants back to keep them looking their best if they begin looking overgrown. These plants will bloom again after several weeks and be beautiful against the brown winter foliage. If you are looking for beautiful plants that thrive in cooler weather, look for petunias, dianthus or snapdragons.
Make sure to water your garden properly. You can water efficiently by using a soaker hose which will eliminate the necessity of watering each plant one by one with a nozzle, or having to use a water can that you have to refill over and over. Use a low water pressure to avoid damaging tender plants. You can take care of other tasks or just relax while your plants are automatically watered for an hour or so.
Try thinking about the vegetables you buy from the store most, and planting them. By planting vegetables like these, you can save money on your food expenses each month. There is no point in growing something that your family will not eat, especially if you are limited on space.
Bees can help your garden because of their pollinating skills. However, some types of bees can be harmful such as the carpenter bees that eat through wood to create their nests. Overall, bees are beneficial to your garden so go ahead and let them be.
