Tag Archive: clay soil

Top Tips For Growing Great Vegetables And Flowers

Tending a garden is a relaxing past-time that can also serve as therapy. Beginning gardeners need to know the answers to questions like when and what to plant, what type of soil is needed and what kind of horticulture equipment they need to purchase. This article contains important information for anyone wanting to begin a garden.

If you work with clay soil, you have probably found using a shovel very frustrating and exhausting. Use a thin coat of floor or car wax on your shovel, then buff it with a nice clean cloth to make dealing with clay soil easier. The wax will prevent any rusting, and the shovel will cut through the soil with great ease.

Coffee Grounds

One way to correct your soil’s alkalinity is by amending your soil with used coffee grounds. Using coffee grounds is a low-cost way to increase the acidity of the soil. When you can eliminate excess alkaline from the soil, it makes what you are growing much healthier. This means your veggies will taste better, and your flowers will be more vibrant than ever.

You can keep pests away from your garden by using other plants or natural materials. For example, planting a border consisting of marigolds or onions can repel slugs. Keep insects away from shrub and tree seedlings with mulch containing wood ash. These methods are environmentally-friendly and mean you do not have to resort to harsh chemicals.

There is always a best time to pick your garden’s vegetables, and you should know them. Every type of vegetable has a different moment of ripeness. As an example, zucchini and baby peas both have the best flavor when they are harvested at a young age. Tomatoes, however, should be plucked from the vine the moment they appear ripe. So, be aware of the best harvest time to pick your veggies.

Pest control can become a major issue. The vegetables are intended to be eaten, thus you should refrain from using harsh pesticides and chemicals. One way to keep pests at bay is to remain diligent about your garden. When you catch a potential infestation early, the solution may be as simple as picking the pests off of your plants with your fingers.

Horticulture is very rewarding, but only after one has the tools and know-how to do it effectively. If you follow the correct advice and plan your garden properly, your garden will flourish in no time. Heed our tips and you’ll have your own stunning space.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Minneapolis, Minnesota where you can make the most impact on civic engagement in the community.

Tips From Experts On A Healthy Garden

An organic garden is an interest you have. Your timing is awesome! Below are some excellent ideas to help you begin down the road to an exceptional organic garden.

To prevent your plants’ systems from becoming shocked, you need to gradually transition them from higher to lower temperatures. Start by placing your plants outside for a few hours only. Slowly, day after day, you can leave your plants outside for a little longer. By weeks end, you should have plants that are ready for a permanent home outside with no problem!

Clay Soil

If you work with clay soil, you have probably found using a shovel very frustrating and exhausting. Use a thin coat of floor or car wax on your shovel, then buff it with a nice clean cloth to make dealing with clay soil easier. By waxing the shovel head, the clay will not be able to adhere to the surface.

When winter arrives, transfer a few plants into the house for safe storage during the cold weather. Think about saving your resistant plants or the expensive ones. Carefully dig up the plants, using caution not to disturb the roots, then transfer into a pot.

Bulbs will give you wonderful flowers that you can enjoy in early spring and right through the summer. Bulbs are usually very hearty and very easy to grow, and bulbs will grow year after year. Keep in mind that different bulb types bloom differently and at different time periods, so when you choose a bulb plan accordingly, you can have your plant blooms lasting spring into summer.

When it’s autumn, you know what that means. It’s time to plant fall vegetables! Clay pots are boring, so replace those ordinary lettuce and kale pots with pumpkins. After cutting an opening and removing the meat and seeds from inside the pumpkin, use Wilt-Pruf, sprayed throughout the inside and cut edges, and prevent rot from occurring. Once you have completed this, start planting!

After reading these tips, you shouldn’t have many questions about organic gardening. If you thought you knew a lot then, now you should be a professional. Hopefully, the advice you have learned will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to produce a beautiful and beneficial organic garden.

Organic Horticulture Can Be Easy If You Use These Tips

Take the proper approach to laying sod. Get your soil ready before you lay your sod. Take out any weeds, then mix up the soil into a tilth that is fine. Compact the soil firmly but lightly, and make certain it is flat. Make sure you work with a moist soil. Sod should be placed in rows that are staggered, where the joints connect to offset each other. Tamp down the sod so it has a flat and even surface, then using some extra soil, fill the gaps between. Water the sod each day for two weeks so it will become well-rooted and ready for foot traffic.

TIP! Select plants that produce a relatively high yield. Traditional strains are often out-performed by hybrids that have been bred for cold tolerance or disease resistance.

Many people find gardening to be a great way to relax and have some fun. Beginning gardeners need to know the answers to questions like when and what to plant, what type of soil is needed and what kind of gardening equipment they need to purchase. A great wealth of gardening advice is contained in this article.

Brighten up your flower beds with annuals and biennials. Annuals and biennials that grow quickly can really wake up your flower beds, and they allow you to have a new garden look every season or every year, if you choose to. Sunny areas in the middle of shrubs and perennials can be filled in nicely with these plants. Notable collections include sunflower, marigold, hollyhock, rudbeckia, cosmos, and petunia.

TIP! For the best results, select the right kind of soil. The soil that is already in your garden might need amending, depending on the particular plants that you want to grow.

Clay soil can be a real pain to work with as it often sticks to the end of the shovel. Take the hard work out of using a shovel in clay soil by rubbing a light coat of car or floor wax over the surface with a clean cloth and buff the surface. This will keep the soil from sticking, and prevent rusting of the tool.

Prior to planting anything in your garden, check your soil. Soil analysis costs a little money, but the report can inform you how to enrich your soil and open the door to a lush garden. It is worth having this information so that crops do not get ruined. Most Cooperative Extension offices provide this service.

TIP! Be vigilant about keeping moisture off your plants. Moisture not only attracts parasites, but also makes it easier for your plants to contract diseases.

Make garden tools do double duty as handy makeshift rulers. You can convert any large handle tool, such as a hoe, shovel, or rake into a measuring tool. Lay the handles upon the floor and use a tape measure along side of them. Then, with a permanent marker, you want to label distances. Now, the next time you’re down in the garden, you’ll have a handy ruler without needing to look anywhere else.

Separate irises. You can increase the number of irises you have by splitting clumps that are overgrown. Pick up bulbous irises after the foliage dies. These bulbs will divide into several parts naturally when you pick them up. You can then replant them, and watch them flower the following year. Rhizomes may need to be divided by using a knife. Cut new outside pieces and dispose of the center. Each piece needs one strong offshoot. Replant each one immediately.

TIP! Start peas inside in a container, rather than planting the seeds outdoors. Seeds are more likely to sprout when started indoors.

Choose the right soil for best results. Your soil may not be correct, but it depends on what sorts of plants you want to grow. You can designate one area of your garden to use one specific type of soil.

To ensure a healthy garden, make sure you surround your plants with a few inches of good organic mulch. The mulch will add beneficial moisture to your soil. Mulch will help a lot in preventing weeds from growing. Every gardener can appreciate pulling fewer weeds.

TIP! If you have a vegetable garden, it can be quite difficult to decide what to do about pest control. One major benefit of growing your own produce is knowing that they haven’t been treated with pesticides and other harsh chemicals.

Soak the seeds and store in a dark area overnight. Place some seeds into a small container, then fill it with water until it is almost to the top. The seeds will get the hydration they need to start growing. The seeds will be better able to survive and grow up.

To keep your dog out of your garden, spray old perfume, aftershave, or other scented items in the grass around it. This kind of scent is going to mask the scents your dog is attracted to. If your dog has no interesting smell to follow, the garden will not be a tempting place.

TIP! You never want to do any gardening with open wounds, so make sure everything is completely healed up before you begin; otherwise, you run the risk of your cut being exposed to dangerous chemicals and dirt. A cut that has come into contact with extraneous materials like dirt can become seriously infected.

When mowing your lawn, avoid mowing the grass too short. If you leave more height to your grass, the roots will grow deeper into the soil, making the lawn stronger and more resistant to drying out. If the grass is too short, it produces shallow roots and that leads to a lawn with brown spots and dried-out patches.

When a seed actually sprouts, it doesn’t need to be in as warm an environment. Your seedlings should be moved away from any heat source. If you have plastic films on your containers, remove them. Watching your plants as they grow will give you the insight on when to employ these tactics.

TIP! If you are building a raised bed utilize stone, brick or wood that is untreated. If you choose to use wood, see to it that it’s untreated and that it can resist rotting.

As was discussed in the article, horticulture can be quite a rewarding activity, but significant knowledge is required to tend to your garden properly. Create aromatic flowers, delicious vegetables, sweet fruit and lush foliage with a relaxing, enjoyable hobby. By following these simple tips, you will be prepared and able to enjoy the pleasure of creating a beautiful garden that will suit your needs and desires.

It is a good idea to get organic garden certification so as to reaffirm your claims that your products really are organic. This can boost sales and tell loyal customers that you’re providing the best to them.

Create An Unforgettable Garden By Using The Handy Tips Here!

Gradually acclimate plants to temperature changes and conditions, if you want to avoid shocking them. At first, only leave them outside for a brief period of time. Gradually increase the the time they spend outside over a one week period. Once the transition is complete, your plants will probably be able to tolerate the outdoor conditions.

TIP! Choose perennials that slugs are not attracted to. Slugs and snails can decimate a plant in one night.

Organic produce is better than normal produce in terms of flavor and nutrients. As an alternative to store-bought fruits and veggies, have you every considered growing your own organically? Read the article below for tips and suggestions on how you can have your very own organic garden at home.

Use biennials and annuals to add color to your flower beds. Fast growing biennials and annuals will brighten a garden and permit you to change looks from one season to another. You can fill any spaces between shrubs and perennials when they are in the sun. Notable collections include sunflower, marigold, hollyhock, rudbeckia, cosmos, and petunia.

TIP! Use climbers to cover walls and fences. Climbing plants can cover a wall after one growing season only.

The quick and drastic change in the weather conditions can shock your plants and cause them to die. It’s important that you gradually change temperate conditions over time, so that your plants can adjust. Leave them outside in sunlight for a couple of hours on the initial day. Over a week, increase the time outside slowly. By the end of the week, your plants should be ready to make the big move with no problem!

During winter, you should take your favorite plants inside. It’s a good idea to save any expensive plants or those that will thrive in indoor heat. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.

TIP! The correct soil can make a big difference in how your garden grows. Depending on the types of plants you would like to grow, your garden’s soil might need to be amended with different substances to alter drainage, acidity and other charactheristics that make plants happy.

Digging in hard clay soil is made even more difficult because it sticks to the shovel. Take the hard work out of using a shovel in clay soil by rubbing a light coat of car or floor wax over the surface with a clean cloth and buff the surface. Not only will the clay slide off the surface, but it will keep the end from rusting.

Before you plant anything in your garden, have the soil checked. Consider getting a soil analysis and working on enrichment techniques for giving your garden a vibrant and healthy environment. Cooperative Extension departments often offer this testing service. It is a worthwhile effort so a garden can be productive on the first year of planting.

TIP! A certain amount of CO2 is necessary for plants to maximize their growth potential. Most plants grow better in higher levels of CO2.

Plant perennials that are resistant to slug and snail infestations. It is alarming to see how quickly slugs, and their cousin snails, can annihilate a plant. These garden pests prefer perennials with thin, flat, delicate leaves, particularly if the plant is not yet mature. You can discourage snails and slugs from eating your perennials by choosing plants with tougher or distasteful foliage. Examples of these include euphorbia, hellebourus and achillea. Others you may want to consider are campanula and heuchera.

If your soil has a problem with high alkaline levels, mixing in some coffee grounds that have been used is a great solution. Coffee grounds contain plenty of acid to get the soil back to a good balance. Balanced soil will produce more flavorful, crisp vegetables and greens.

TIP! Any time that you are gardening in direct sunlight, dress appropriately to prevent skin damage. Wear sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses.

Pre-soak your seeds through the night in a dark area. Place some seeds in your smaller pots and add water almost to the brim. That way, the seeds will have sufficient hydration and will have the best start possible. Seeds that are grown in this way have a higher survival and maturity rate.

Pick your vegetables when the temperature is moderate to avoid bruising them. Make sure to chop the vegetables off the vine, but be careful not to twist them. Twisting can actually damage the plant.

There is no need to buy produce of lesser quality. By following the advice in this article, you will soon be growing your own healthy veggies and fruits!

If sustainability and organic gardening are appealing to you, leave a portion of the property you own undeveloped to give wildlife a place to thrive. You will then find that the wildlife that can help you create a garden that can flourish become present; from birds to insects, they’ll be around your garden and help your produce grow better.

Tips On ‘How To’ Garden

Cover the fences and walls with climbers. Climbers have many different uses and spread quickly. They can grow through shrubs and trees, or even cover an arbor. There are natural climbers, which use tendrils or stems to wrap around any given surface, while others must be tied with a string or rope. A few good choices are climbing roses, wisteria, jasmine, honeysuckle and clematis.

TIP! The kind of soil you use will influence the results. The soil that is already in your garden might need amending, depending on the particular plants that you want to grow.

You are ready to grow a healthy organic garden. What perfect timing! The following article is full of tips you can use to grow amazing organic plants without spending a lot of money.

Be sure to do some weeding on a regular basis. Unwanted weeds fight for the same nutrients that more desirable plants do, and they also are unsightly. White vinegar has been known to kill weeds quickly. You can use white vinegar to eliminate weeds! If you’re annoyed with pulling up weeds manually, douse them with a white vinegar solution.

Clay Soil

A good green garden should start from seeds and not plants. Not only is this more of an effective method for gardening, but it’s also more environmentally-friendly. Very few nurseries recycle the plastics that they use as containers for their plants, so the majority of these containers are thrown away and dumped in landfills. Therefore, it is better for the environment to plant a garden with seeds or to find a nursery that packages its plants using organic materials.

TIP! Surround your vegetable plants with organic mulch, a few inches worth. The soil around plants can stay damper through the use of mulch.

It can be very hard to shovel clay soil, especially when it sticks to your shovel as you are working. Rub a thin layer of floor or car wax over the surface of the shovel, and then buff the surface using a clean cloth. This will make shoveling in clay soil easier. The wax prevents the clay from sticking to the shovel, and stops rust from forming.

Aid them by dumping any leftover water from steaming vegetables over them. Try adding used coffee grounds to the soil around plants that grow in acidic soil. Chamomile tea can be effective if you have problems with fungus in your garden. Simply sprinkle it on the affected plant.

TIP! Choose a plant to use for a focal point. The best garden designers always use a focal point that draws the eye.

Healthy soil will be your best defense against the pests that can invade your garden. The hearty plants that will grow in a garden with rich soil can resist the bugs and diseases that weak plants can’t withstand. So if you want your garden to provide plants that are as healthy as possible, you need a good quality soil that contains few chemicals and that can accumulate salts over time.

To draw good insects to your garden, plant heather. Bees are drawn to heather, as heather is an early provider of spring nectar. Spiders, ground beetles, and other useful insects spend time in undisturbed heather beds. If you choose to employ the use of heather, always make sure to throw on a pair of gloves during the pruning process.

TIP! Strawberries are a good organic garden choice for families with strawberries, particularly everbearing strawberries. Children are thrilled to harvest fruit from their own garden, and doing so often makes them more enthusiastic about helping out with the more hum-drum aspects of tending a garden.

If powdery mildew appears on your plants, don’t purchase expensive chemical solutions. A great home remedy is to mix baking soda with water and a little bit of liquid soap. Spray this mix on your plants every week and the mildew should go away. Baking soda treats the mildew effectively and gently and it won’t damage your plants.

Keep your plants in a warm, moist environment, if possible. Warm temperatures encourage plant growth. If you are not willing to keep your house that warm during winter, you could always get the organic plants a heat lamp.

TIP! Coffee grounds work great mixed in with your soil. Coffee grounds are filled with nitrogen, that is a nutrient required by plants.

Save some plants in the winter by bringing them indoors. You should probably save the most resistant or expensive plants. Use caution when digging around the roots of your plant. You need to keep the root structure intact for it to thrive after being potted.

Try not to let the chores associated to your organic garden build up. Even doing just a few small things each day can keep chores from piling up and eventually becoming unmanageable. This will save you a lot of time in the long run. For instance, pluck weeds while you take your dog outside or before getting in your car.

TIP! Use untreated stone, brick or wood to build raised beds. When selecting wood, make certain you pick untreated products that have a natural resistance to rot.

Now you know a bit more about what you are doing in starting an organic garden. You may have thought you were all set to start digging prior to reading this article, so now you should be able to call yourself an expert! These tips should get you started, and with some ideas of your own, you should have a thriving, beautiful garden in no time.

Make sure that you plant your crops in segments at three-week intervals. This helps the entire harvest from being ready at the same time. If something ruins one batch of tomatoes, the ones you planted before or afterward may not suffer the same fate.

Advice That Can Help You Get Better At Organic Horticulture

Clay is difficult to dig through with a shovel, as it is sticky and compact. Use a thin coat of floor or car wax on your shovel, then buff it with a nice clean cloth to make dealing with clay soil easier. The clay will no longer stick to the shovel, and this also helps to prevent other problems like rusting.

TIP! You do not need store-bought chemical treatments for plant mildew. Put a little baking soda and some dish soap in water.

Taking the time to use good horticulture practices really shows in the end. Your caring skills will shine through in the quality of your garden. That is an admirable thing. Just like everything else in life, there’s always room for improvement. There are tips below to help you with this.

When winter comes around, save some plants by putting them in the house. It’s a good idea to save any expensive plants or those that will thrive in indoor heat. Remember to be gentle when digging up your plants; carefully dig away from the roots and gently place the plant into a container.

TIP! Soak the seeds and store in a dark area overnight. Put a few seeds in a small container and fill it near to the top with water.

Try not to cause shock to your plants by gradually changing their conditions and temperature. Leave them outside in sunlight for a couple of hours on the initial day. Gradually increase the the time they spend outside over a one week period. At week’s end, the plants should be welcoming of their new home.

Vegetables should be planted in an area where they will get a minimum of six hours of daily sunlight. Proper sunlight is a prerequisite for proper growth. Some flowers also need six hours of daily direct sun in order to grow and blossom well.

Clay Soil

Mint is a very tasty herb that has a tendency to run wild in the garden if not kept in check. Rein their growth; you can do this simply by planting mint inside a larger garden container or pot. Bury the container so that your plant does not stand out. The container will keep the roots from spreading too far.

TIP! Be sure to split the irises. You can increase your stock of irises by dividing up overgrown clumps.

Clay soil can be a real pain to work with as it often sticks to the end of the shovel. To make digging clay soil easier, try applying a light coating of wax, either car wax or floor wax, and then buff off and commence digging. The clay will no longer stick to the shovel, and this also helps to prevent other problems like rusting.

During the hottest hours of each day, your vegetables become too soft, and even gentle harvesting will cause damage and bruising. For vegetables growing on vines, cut them carefully rather than twisting them off to avoid damage to the plant.

TIP! Be sure to plant some strawberries for your children and grandchildren. Ever-bearing ones are especially nice.

Use your tool handles as rulers in the garden. Tools with long handles, such as a shovel or rake, are absolutely perfect for this job, and make your workload a little bit smaller. Measure the handles with a tape measure laid out in the floor. Mark the measurements with a permanent marker. Next time you work in the garden, you can have a larger ruler with you!

Always completely protect any cuts, or wait until they are healed before attempting any gardening, as this can introduce dirt or chemicals into the wound. Your cut could get infected if you’re dealing with grime and dirt when gardening. You can now purchase bandages to seal the cut completely.

TIP! If you are planning to grow plants within the house, the temperature should be maintained between 65 and 75 degrees within the daylight hours. This level of heat is required in order for plants to grow.

Don’t bother with expensive chemicals if your plants start to sport powdery mildew. Mix some baking soda and a very small amount of liquid soap into water. Use a spray bottle to apply to your plants weekly until the issue clears up. Do not worry about your plants; the baking soda cannot harm them.

As the seeds sprout, they’ll need less warmth. Locate your plants further from your heat source as they mature. You must also take away plastic films from your containers in order to keep the warmth and humidity out. Watch your seeds closely to know how to go about this.

TIP! You can cover your muddied gardening footware easily by keeping plastic bags around. This allows you to work steadily and without distractions, making you a happier and more productive gardener.

Soil needs to be rich in certain nutrients to grow healthy plants. Find out more about the plants you like and which type of soil is best. For special requirements, you can build separate areas with soil that is right for certain plants.

A rule of thumb followed by many planters is to bury the seeds in soil to a depth of around three times the diameter of the actual seed. Be aware that some seeds shouldn’t be covered, as they need sunlight. Examples of these are petunias and ageratum. If you’re not sure if your seeds need sunlight, you can find out online or through the seeds’ package.

TIP! Add mulch to keep your soil healthy. Mulch can help protect your soil.

Now you have everything you need to work in your organic garden– the correct products and tools, and most importantly, the skill! This is awesome! The suggestions outlined above will help you learn new tips about organic gardening techniques because the learning never stops. In fact, it is possible that you came across a trick that you never would have thought of otherwise.

Grow crops that are expensive to buy. However, different people can have varying opinions as to how much a specific plant is worth. Choosing plants that would ordinarily cost a considerable amount to purchase at a supermarket will inevitably save you money. Plant the vegetables you will enjoy eating.

Essential DIY Gardening Tips For The Struggling Gardener

A good way to ensure that your seeds sprout effectively is to start them in smaller pots and then transplant them once they reach the seedling stage. This increases the chance that your plants will survive to adulthood. It also permits you to tighten the time between plantings. When you take out the prior set of adult plants, your seedlings will then be prepared to go in.

TIP! Climbing plants and vines are great for covering fences and wall structures. Climbing plants are extremely versatile, helping to hide an ugly fence or wall, often within one growing season.

Are you jealous of how other gardens look? It’s possible in your mind’s eye that the neighbor is doing something unique. Truth is, they aren’t doing anything overly amazing. It simply requires practical information about how to care for a variety of plants. You can begin your quest for knowledge by reading this article for some gardening advice.

When gardening in the fall, you need to be watching for stink bugs. Stink bugs are attracted to tomatoes, beans and most fruits. Stink bugs may get out of hand and do significant damage in your garden. It is important to take steps to eliminate them from that area.

TIP! It is very important to keep the weeds from taking over in your garden. Weeds can truly ruin a good garden.

Clay soil is hard and will also stick to a shovel, making it difficult to work with. Use a thin coat of floor or car wax on your shovel, then buff it with a nice clean cloth to make dealing with clay soil easier. This will both make the clay fall off of the surface, and prevent the surface from rusting.

If you are gardening for the first time ever, read and follow all directions and instructions that come with your chemicals and tools. If you fail to do this, you could cause yourself all sorts of injuries, the most common of which is irritated skin. Stick to the rules and safeguard your health.

TIP! When growing a vegetable garden it can be hard to control pests. It is important not to use harmful chemical agents, because you are growing produce that is intended to be eaten.

Shelter your deciduous shrubs. Tender shrubs are very sensitive to cold weather, especially those that are planted in pots. Join them together at the top, and use a blanket or old sheet to cover them. This is more effective than putting plastic on the plant, it will let the air flow.

Gardening helps with relaxation. You can relax and be at peace in many different ways. One of the best ways to do this is gardening. You will not need to spend a lot of money to grow your garden, and it provides many benefits. Your beautiful lush garden will allow you to reap a harvest of peaceful tranquility.

TIP! When you water your garden, do it with care. To save time, use a soaker type hose so each plant doesn’t need individual watering from the nozzle of a hose or a little watering can.

The best gardens start with seeds, as opposed to plants. It’s better for the environment to begin from seed. Many of the plastics used for gardening simply end up going in the trash and clogging land fills. An environmentally-friendly garden is started with seeds or plants grown in organic pots.

If you have problems keeping the dog out of the garden, spray things like aftershave, perfume or other scents on the grass surrounding the garden. This will mask any scents that might attract your dog and make your garden less interesting to him.

TIP! Grow heather so that you can attract useful insects. Bees are naturally attracted to heather for its nectar.

Fertilizing your garden is essential. Composted manure is effective in raising healthy plants, and commercial fertilizer products are safer and more convenient. There are a number of options for fertilizer, but the truth is that what you use is unimportant; you just have to remember to use something.

When you sow seeds in your garden, try not to rush the process. The first thing you should do is moisturize the soil. Space the seeds at regular intervals to ensure that they won’t be overcrowded as they grow. Bury your seeds about three times deeper than the size that they are. Some seeds should not be buried at all as they need light to grow.

TIP! Keep your gardening tools close by to maximize gardening efficiency. You have several options including using a bucket to hold your tools or wearing pants with lots of sturdy pockets.

Do some research to find out the best time for harvesting your vegetables. For the optimum flavor, be sure to follow the guidelines for planting and picking. For instance, peas and zucchinis are tastiest when picked young. Contrarily, tomatoes should be left on the vine until maximum ripeness has occurred. It’s best to learn when the harvest time is for your vegetables.

If you are planting seeds in containers, a good rule of thumb is that the seed’s depth should be around three times its overall size. However, it is important to understand that some seeds require sunlight and should never be covered. Petunias and ageratum are two examples of seeds that require sunlight. If you are unsure about the specific needs of your seeds, you should consult your local garden center or conduct further research online. Important things to look for include water requirements, ideal soil type, and recommended sunlight exposure.

TIP! Build raised beds with untreated stone, brick or wood. If using wood, make sure it’s naturally rot resistant and untreated.

As you can probably see, each of these simple suggestions is easy to implement. Once you have a good grasp of the basics, then you are ready to put these ideas into motion in your own garden. Focus on the reaction of the plants to your methods. If one thing fails, give another a go. Be patient, and before long, your garden will be the envy of your neighbors.

Organic gardening may sometimes require more effort than resorting to chemicals, but the payoff in the end is well worth the work. While chemical pesticides and fertilizers may claim to do great things for your garden, organic methods will give you the best crops possible.