Use These Tips To Get The Garden You Have Always Dreamed Of!
Use These Tips To Get The Garden You Have Always Dreamed Of!
Gardening can be an enjoyable hobby, or even a source of additional income for you. Gardening is not rocket science, but it does require some knowledge so that you don't end up losing money on poorly maintained plants and crops. This list of tips should help you become a more successful gardener.
If you want to have a more productive garden, expand your growing season into the fall by using row covers. Row covers keep heat in, frost out, and also protect against deer intrusion. The crops under the row covers should still be somewhat resistant to cold however, so it is best to choose greens and root vegetables.
Your tool handles can double as measuring sticks. It is possible to utilize tools with long handles, such as rakes, hoes and shovels, as measuring sticks. After laying the handles on the floor, run the measuring tape along beside them. Mark the measurements with a permanent marker. Now, the next time you do work in the garden, you'll actually have a ruler at your fingertips.
Make use of an old golf bag to carry your tools such as spades and rakes around your garden. You will save a lot of time and effort (and you'll have an excuse for a new golf bag!). The bag will keep them all together, so no more lost tools either. Many golf bags even have a stand, in this case you won't have to worry about it tipping over and causing an accident.
Use a solution made of a combination of alcohol, water, and vinegar to remove the salt deposits that may accrue in clay pots. Spray it on the the pots and scrub away with a brush, preferably plastic. This allows you to continue to reuse those clay pots! Make sure the pots are dry before using them though.
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.
Key to any garden activity is using the right tools. While having a shovel is essential, so are other tools that work best with your garden size. For smaller gardens, short handled tools work best, for larger gardens longer handled hoes and spades work better. Make sure you keep a sharp edge on your tools for easier work.
As you can see, there is a lot of very useful pointers that can help you get better results. It requires a lot of work and patience, but it will be worth it in the end. By following the above tips, you are well on your way to becoming a more successful gardener.