In recent years, seed companies and nurseries across the country have seen a huge increase in sales, largely because Americans are staying home and finding their staples in short supply or rising prices. Whether you're interested in harvesting your own fruits and vegetables, or just want to add more beauty to your garden, you can't just throw some seeds in the ground and hope for success. Start learning the basics of gardening that are sure to bring you bountiful results.
1. Plan your garden around your hardiness zone and first and last frost.
Plant "hardiness" refers to the cold a plant can withstand. So if you want your plants to thrive, choose plant species that are known for your climate. The USDA crop hardiness zone map, numbered 1 through 13, is based on the lowest average annual temperature across the country. Use this tool to determine which zone you are in and plant only hardy trees, shrubs, perennials and seeds in your area. Exceptions are plants you grow for only one season, such as annual flowers or summer greens.
It is also important to know the date of the first and last frost. The period between the last spring frost and the first fall frost is your growing season. The length of your growing season will determine when you should plant and what types of plants you can grow.
2. Sun exposure is the most important factor in gardening success.
At garden centers, seeds and plants are labeled according to the amount of sunlight they need to grow. All plants need more or less sunlight to grow (photosynthesis). While some plants love the sun, others like azaleas and ferns suffer from too much direct sunlight. Before you plant anything, check your garden and remember that the angle of the sun changes throughout the day and with the seasons.
Generally, "full or partial sun" means six or more hours of direct sunlight during the day, while "full or partial shade" means four or fewer hours of direct sunlight in the morning. Plant only in "full or partial sun" locations that receive direct midday and afternoon sunlight. Sunlight passing through the top of a tree can be considered 'partial sun' or 'partial shade'.
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3. Start small.
Successful gardening takes time, money, space, and the drive to learn and improve. The best way to gather these resources and stay engaged is to start small. Most beginning gardeners should start with no more than 100 square feet of floor space. This can be four 2'x12' raised beds or 10'x10' in ground. Growers tend to spread plants across the landscape, so keep it simple at first, using only two or three priority plots of 30 square meters each. Once you're comfortable at this level, you'll know it's time to branch out.
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4. Improving soil quality should be a constant goal.
No matter how big or how poor your country is, it can and should always be improved. Heavy clay soils need better drainage. Sandy soil should contain more water and nutrients. The pH balance may be disturbed or some nutrients may be missing. Soil improvement starts with testing.
Soil test kits are available for home use, but nothing beats the information you can get from your county's Cooperative Extension Service for a $15 to $20 fee. (P physical properties and how to improve them. For example, if your soil's pH is out of range, they recommend the amount of lime or aluminum sulfate to correct it. They also tell you how much nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients you need. to add with compost to grow healthy plants.
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5. Be prepared to water the plants abundantly.
Conclusion. water is life for plants. Indeed, young seedlings can die within hours if they dry out. Most garden plants require about an inch of water per week. Automating this task with drip or sprinkler systems can be helpful if you're out of town for a few days, but hand watering is often better because it's simple, inexpensive, and unlike automatic systems, you get just the right amount of water. of water for each plant. Buy a good quality garden hose with a soft hose that will allow you to soak your plants without exposing them to powerful water jets.
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6. Sometimes it's better to buy plants, sometimes it's better to buy seeds.
Seeds cost less than plants, but if you make price the only factor, your garden will be transformed. When deciding whether to purchase seedlings or seeds, consider the length of the growing season and the needs of new plants.
Transplanting seedlings is simple, and with plants like petunias and pansies, you can forego the equipment, indoor space, and labor required to plant seeds. It also makes sense to purchase seedlings for plants with a long maturation period, such as tomatoes, or for small and sensitive species, such as cabbage, which require special protection at an early stage.
On the other hand, garden vegetables such as carrots and beets do not transplant well and should be sown directly in the garden as seeds. And species like beans and corn tend to grow so quickly from seed that the extra cost of seedlings doesn't make much sense. Finally, specialty or familiar plants such as 'Black Krim' tomato and 'Empress of India nasturtium' will only be available as seeds.
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7. Protect yourself from garden pests and diseases.
Insects and diseases affect different plants differently, but a healthy plant is less likely to fall victim to these problems. Since every garden is a unique environment, the best pest control is a good deterrent and creates the healthiest environment for your plants.
Plants are strongest and hardiest when they receive adequate sunlight, moisture and good soil. Proper plant spacing and weed control are also part of the equation. By providing a healthy growing environment and minimal competition for resources, you reduce plant stress and maximize your ability to repel pests.
However, insects and diseases can easily invade their favorite plants. If this occurs, such as tomato early rot and powdery mildew on Impatiens flowers, remove diseased plants immediately to avoid spreading to nearby plants. In the early stages of a bug problem, start by simply removing the bugs manually. If the infestation becomes severe, you will have to choose between insecticide treatment and plant removal.
The strength of the spray often does not justify the results. Insecticides often kill only the adult stage, not the reproducing eggs and larvae, unless additional spraying is done at the right time. To make the call easier for you, ask yourself: How much does treatment cost? Is the new factory cheaper? If the infection occurs early in the season, the new plant can grow and produce faster than the infected plant can recover. If the infection occurs at the end of the season, the plant may not have enough time to recover.
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8. Mulch works wonders.
Mulch is a soil protector that conserves moisture, insulates from temperature extremes, protects against erosion, and helps reduce weeds. Unlike plastic or rubber products, organic types of mulch such as wood chips, pine needles or straw also contribute to overall soil health by promoting biodiversity. Various fungi, insects and other invertebrates will gradually destroy the mulch. As mulch breaks down over time, worms and other soil dwellers move the remaining organic matter into the soil, improving soil structure and bringing nutrients into direct contact with plant roots.
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9. Weed control requires vigilance.
A weed is simply any plant in the wrong place, like elm seedlings in a flower garden or Virginia creepers in a bed of sweet corn. Left unchecked, weeds soak up water, sap nutrients, steal sunlight, and generally crowd out desirable plants in your garden. Worse still, weeds can carry plant diseases and insects.
Weeds are constantly trying to gain a foothold in well-prepared and nutrient-rich flower beds. Because chemical pesticides usually also damage or kill the desired plants, you, the gardener, are the most effective means of weed control in the garden. Try to fight daily and pull weeds by hand as soon as they appear.
Place weed catcher near your plants to avoid accidental damage. Treat open spaces and paths in your garden to take advantage of plants and weeds. In terms of tools, iron rods are easy to use, lightweight and work well in more open spaces; For hard-to-reach places, the CobraHead multi-tool with a sharp blade on a curved working end works like a charm.
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10. You have allies in nature to help your garden grow.
Fertilizer, an additive that improves soil structure and nourishes plants, is a gift from nature. To do this, collect weeds, fallen leaves and waste, plant them in a corner of the yard or keep them in the trash until they turn into a dark, crumbly mass.
Pollinators such as bumblebees and butterflies stimulate the growth of fruit and vegetable crops and can increase yields in the garden. Create an environment where they can thrive, minimize or eliminate insecticide use, and plant lots of flowering annuals like pentas and zinnias in garden beds.
Encourage a predator-prey relationship that promotes a healthy garden ecology with plants such as fennel, fennel, and parsley cohabiting with beneficial insects such as mantises, mantas, killer whales, and beneficial nematodes. Also, place a bird nest near your garden to attract thrushes and other pest-eating predators.
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