Dig up a spot of dirt, add a splash of water, drop in a seed or two, and “voila!” you have a garden. In some ways, gardening is that easy. On the other hand, it’s understandable why you might have many questions about how to make your garden grow as beautifully and productively as possible. This article has many tips and guidance points to help you start your garden and enjoy a bounty at harvest time.
Sod should be laid properly. Be sure to get your soil prepared before you start laying the new sod. Remove the weeds, then break up the soil into fine tilth. Gently compact the soil until it is flattened. Water the soil until it is saturated. When laying down sod, create staggered rows with offset joints. After the sod is in place, go over the surface to ensure everything is level. Use loose soil to fill in any gaps between seams. Water your sod daily for a fortnight, which is enough time for it to root and be able to withstand foot traffic.
When the vegetable season is over, grow a shoulder season crop if possible. Fruits like strawberries or raspberries bear fruit very early or very late in the season before or after the summer vegetable crops take over and can be planted. Raspberries can be planted to bear fruit in the fall and strawberries can be planted to bear fruit in the spring.
Protect your seedlings from frost with clay pots. Early spring is a perilous time for a new garden. You want to get your plants going as soon as possible to ensure plenty of grow time, but a single frost can wipe out your fragile seedlings. To protect your tiny plants from frost at night, simply place a small, upside down clay pot on each seedling. They will insulate from the cold and protect from the wind.
Save money by drying the seeds from your annuals to plant next year. Petunias, zinnias and impatiens are just a few of the flowers from which it is easy to extract and save seeds. You will have to extract the seed pod from some flowers, and wait for it to split open. With others, such as marigolds, you will have to open the flower and extract the seeds yourself. After extracting the seeds, let them dry for at least a week. Place them in a jar with a rubber seal, and add silica gel pouches to keep them from absorbing moisture. Store them in a cool, dry location until you’re ready to plant them next year.
Gardening, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, is usually more involved than simply combining dirt, water, and seeds. Gathering useful tips and advice, like the ones you learned here, will help you reap the rewards that can come from creating and managing your own successful garden, and truly enjoying the fruits of your labor.
If you are having problems with fungus gnats, make sure your plants receive only the best hydroponic nutrients. Visit CX Hydroponics to get tips on how to have healthier plants.