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Working Your Soil So You Can Grow Healthy Plants

Gardening lets you grow beautiful flowers and fresh vegetables just outside your door. Nothing is better than fresh tomatoes on your salad or a salad that is totally comprised of what you've grown. The following paragraphs contain a handful of helpful hints that will enable you to maximize your gardening endeavor.

Water is a necessity if you want to have a healthy garden. Plants, like people, require water to survive. On very hot days, the sun can dry out the soil, and it is important that no one forgets to water the garden thoroughly. Watering the garden properly will help the garden look its best.

Get a slug-proof variety of perennials. If slugs or snails find their favorite perennials in your garden, they'll snack all night. When you wake up in the morning, there will be very little left of your plants. These pests are especially attracted to tender sprouts and to delicate, soft leaves. There are, however, certain types of perennials that slugs and snails hate. Most of these varieties either have tough leaves or taste unappealing. Selecting an unappetizing perennial, such as campanula or heuchera, will help stop them from being eaten.

Interested in using Mother Nature to keep pests at bay the natural way? Slugs stay away from marigolds and onions when they are planted in a garden. Wood ash, when used as mulch, can help keep insects away from trees and shrubs. These are methods you can use to get rid of the need to use pesticides.

If you can't wait for a cut to heal before digging in the dirt, then at least protect your cuts from exposure. If an open wound is not protected while you are working in the garden, dirt and bacteria may cause the cut to become infected. Bandage all cuts completely, using bandages that cover and seal cuts.

With root cuttings you can create new plants. Sever the roots during the coldest months, when they're in hibernation. Start by using a sharpened knife to separate the plant from the largest roots. Cut the plant's roots into two inch lengths. Place the cuttings on top of a seed tray that you have filled with a blend of damp peat and grit. Lightly cover the root cuttings with a layer of the peat and grit mixture. Allow them to sit in a cool spot for 30 days, and new seedlings will emerge. Plant them individually in little pots until they're ready to be placed outside.

Be careful how you water your garden. A soaker hose will save you time because you won't have to individually water each plant, like you do with a regular nozzle, or a can that you need to constantly refill. Use low water pressure for your hose so that you do not cause harm to the tender members of your collapsible garden hose - https://amzn.to/2NHsxcw. Let it water your garden for a few hours, so you're available to do other stuff.

Mulching is very effective when gardening. The mulch deters new weeds from poking through and lowers the amount of water that evaporates from the soil.

Learn the ideal times for harvesting your vegetables. Individual vegetables have distinct windows of time to pick for getting the greatest flavors. Harvesting zucchini is best done when they are small and baby peas should be harvested when they are young. However, you get better taste out of tomatoes that have been allowed to ripen as much as practical while still on their vine. Simply educate yourself on what the best time is to harvest each of your garden vegetables.

Utilize fall colors. Many of the deciduos shrubs, vines and trees don't start peaking until the fall when they turn the garden into bright reds, glowing yellows and fiery oranges. This happens as the plants cease production of chlorophyll, allowing the natural pigments to reveal themselves. To increase the odds of getting a beautiful display, let your plants soak up lots of sunshine, particularly during the afternoon. Boston ivy, burning bush, maple, chestnut and barberry are popular choices for those who want to enjoy a spectacular fall bloom.

Apply the wisdom of the preceding paragraphs to return vigor and vibrancy to your garden. Ultimately, when you see your plants bloom and full of life, you will be happy you did. Gardening can literally change your life, but only if you put in the effort and do it!