For a healthy lush garden, you will need more than a green thumb. You might think that your neighbor has a secret formula to a lovely garden. Truthfully, there is no super-secret formula for a gorgeous garden. All you need is the right knowledge on how to care for your plants properly. Read this article for the gardening advice that you need on your quest.
Plants Outside
To prevent your plants from getting shocked by a big change, get them gradually used to climate and temperature changes. Start by placing your plants outside for a few hours only. After a week, leave your plants outside for twice as long. Finally, after about a week, you should be able to move them outside and leave them there for the summer.
You need to consider beginning the plants into pots. Then, you can plant the seedlings into your garden. Doing this will increase the survival rate of all your outdoor plants. You will then be able to lessen the time between planting your seeds. Once you've removed the previous group of plants, your seedlings can go into the ground.
Many times when digging in clay soil the clay will adhere to the shovel, which will make it much harder to dig. To make your digging project easier, apply a coat of automobile wax to your shovel first and then buff it lightly. The wax will enable the clay soil to simply slide off the shovel, and will also prevent the shovel from rusting.
Plant perennials that slugs and snails won't be interested in eating. Your plants can be destroyed by slugs and snails overnight. Young plants with susceptible leaves are favorite meals for slugs, including those with smoother or thinner leaves. Perennials that have thick, furry leaves and unpleasant tastes are less likely to attract slugs and snails. Several good choices include heuchera, campanula, achillea, and euphorbia.
Keeping your garden soil rich and healthy is the best way to discourage garden pests. The hearty plants that will grow in a garden with rich soil can resist the bugs and diseases that weak plants can't withstand. For healthy plants, start with healthy soil that is properly amended and free of chemicals in order to avoid salt accumulation.
Try using annuals and biennials to add color to your flower beds, and brighten them up. You can use biennial and annual flowers to brighten the bed, and let you change how it looks. They can make a handy, gap-filler between shrubs and perennials located in sunny areas. The most popular varieties to use include petunia, zinnia, cosmos, snapdragon, marigold, hollyhock, and sunflower.
Analyze the soil before you even get started with working in a garden. A soil analysis report can be acquired for a nominal fee. You can then use the results of that report to determine if the soil needs to be modified before you begin planting. A Cooperative Extension office can provide you with this service, saving you learning on your own by trial and error.
As you can probably see, each of these simple suggestions is easy to implement. Now that you have learned what to do, it is time to apply it. Monitor the response of your plants when you apply these tips. If one thing doesn't work, try another. Just be patient, and ultimately your garden is going to be loved and envied by everyone.