Monday, March 23, 2009

Interesting Household Tips - The Garden

Here are tips to help when you garden.

The sooner plants are planted, the more time they have to become established in the garden.

General Planting Tips
  • Remove all weeds from the area where you will be planting.
  • Plant when the soil, not just the air, is warm.
  • Lightly water the garden area one hour prior to planting. Avoid over-watering.
  • Planting is best done after a rainfall, in the late afternoon, or on a cloudy day.
  • Mulching around the plants will do the following - keep weeds to a minimum, help retain moisture, and keep the roots cool.
  • Dig a hole the same depth as the container they came in.
  • Make sure that the plants are spaced out evenly.
  • Remove (prune) dead leaves, flowers, or tree limbs immediately, this will enhance new growth.
How Newspaper Keeps Weeds Away
Wet some newspapers and put layers of it around the plants in the dirt, overlapping as you go. Cover it with mulch and you won't see anymore weeds. Weeds can get through some gardening plastic, but they can not get through wet newspapers.

Choose the right plant for the right area
This means that you should check whether your plant needs to have full sun, full shade or partial sun or shade.

Removing plants from containers
You should thoroughly water all nursery plants before planting them and remove the containers precisely as directed on the container itself.

Annuals
Annuals only last for one season. Hardy annuals can survive cold temperatures and some light frost, while tender annuals cannot tolerate cold temperatures and should be planted only after there is no more danger of frost. Half-hardy annuals can tolerate some cold temperatures, but are usually killed by the frost. Annuals are good space fillers for the garden.

Perennials
Perennials are very versatile. These plants grow back every year with very little work. It can take about three years of continuous growth to become well established in your garden. : the first year they "sleep", the second year they "creep" and the third year they "leap". Spring is the best time to plant perennials, so they will not die prior to the summer heat. Spring is also a good time to transplant or divide perennials. Perennials can be planted during the summer, however, the plants are more susceptible to drying out. If you do plant them in the summer, it is important to water them daily for at least one week. Fall is also a good time to plant perennials as the heat of summer has passed and the plants will still have time to become established prior to the harshness of winter.

Biennials
Biennials re-seed themselves, so they grow back every year but they are not quite as permanent. Biennial seeds that are planted one year will not flower until the following year.

Keeping Squirrels Away
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plants but the squirrels won't come near it.

Hope your gardens grow well this year and for years to come!

Marlin

No comments:

Whatever It Takes