When we talk about gardening, we usually think about the calming hobby and a nice thing to do after a job. But getting it all straight isn’t so easy. Think about the gardening tips and advice 10 years ago. Practically, you were condemned to old people’s magazines about gardening and asking a friendly neighbor a question while passing by, but you couldn’t actually just google things and find a solution. It is much easier these days with all the information floating all over the internet. There are groups, gardening forums, online magazines and articles about gardening in general, as well as answers to the particular questions. Here are some tips you may find useful and not so ordinary but still helpful when it comes to maintaining your very personal green oasis.
Nourish your soil
Since the soil is the home of all plants, it is very important in a first place to get to know it. If you are failing to grow certain plants and you are giving your best, you should check if your soil is abundant with all the chemical compounds needed for the plants to grow.
The best time to boost your garden soil health is in autumn. You can start by adding fallen leaves, garden debris, kitchen scraps and even raked apples to the soil. Chop it all together and add it directly into the top 2 inches of soil by blending it heavily with a hoe and covering it with mulch. Ideally, adding mineral phosphorus and potassium fertilizers at the same time will fix all possible mineral deficits. Adding these minerals in the fall will give them enough time to break down for use when plants need them in the spring.
Worm up
Why are worms good for the soil? Worm movements are drastically improving the soil structure. To encourage worms to move around your garden, you could do some sheet mulching. This is the process of building compost right on the soil surface. If you are new to your garden, then start by adding a soothing bottom layer of cardboard to kill existing vegetation, then alternate 2 to 3 inch thick green and brown compost layers. This will invite worms to burrow through the soul as they transport the food. In this process, they will improve soil structure.
Weed it regularly
Weeding a garden is a neverending job, for sure. It looks easy to take care of it for the first couple of times, but they can take over your garden before you even know it. Especially after the rain, their grows accelerates and you need to act quick. You can pick it manually or by using a hoe, whichever fits you better. Some weeds, like perennial, are harder to get rid of and may even acquire chemical treatments to kill them off.
The last frost
When it comes to planting out your summer crops, you should be careful. Waiting until two weeks past the average last frost date is sometimes not enough. You should watch the garden. Some can be planted earlier. But also sometimes frost can decide to retrieve, and that is the catchy part. You don’t want to lose your well-tended seedings or your costly transplants in one night. Beware of the last frost and calculate the plant-out carefully.
Annuals vs Perennials
When planting your garden, it’s important to distinguish annuals from perennials. Annual plans all germinate, grow and flower in just one season. Perennials, on the other hand, are capable of surviving the winter and growing again season after season. Learning the difference between annual and perennial plants will help you organize your planting order and schedule, as well as combining them with each other.
Cleaning
After you are done with the wedding, there are some other works to be done to make your garden as neat as possible. Cutting the dead or excessive branches and collecting fallen leaves should become your gardening routine, besides the planting work. Having to do all of this requires some special equipment, but not too many. Essentials like a garden trolley for taking away the garden ‘’trash”, as well as some cutting tools and gloves, and a garden rake for collecting leaves are enough to make your gardening much easier.
Take the neighbor’s advice
Asking for friendly neighbor advice is not just a thing from movies. If your houses and gardens are next to each other, that means that your soil is the same or very similar. So whatever grows well for your neighbor will also grow good for you. As well as good things, you can exchange the bad ones too, and how to overcome any trouble. If the grass is always greener on the other side, go to the other side and ask what they use for their lawn. Simple as that!
Gardening can be fun, but it can get hard, especially if you are failing to grow something you really want. Take a lesson from every failure, take notes and remember your mistake for the next time. There are no deadlines in nature, and you can always try again next year. It is the long learning skill, but in the end, it pays.