Garden Home Supply

The thing to remember while gardening is to start small.

A small plant bed, about 25 or 30 feet square is perfect, just enough room for about 30 plants.

This will give you a chance to try out your green thumb and if you find that you enjoy your garden you can always expand and increase your plantings.

The next thing you will want to do is choose a site.

Gardening must be done in an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight.

Try and stay away from large trees that will take your plants water and nutrients, and at least three feet from any fences or buildings.

In hot climates, it's a good idea to choose a place that will have shade for a part of the intense afternoon sun.

It is possible to have a healthy garden with only ten to twelve hours of sunlight, but the type of plants must be adaptable.

While soil can always be improved, a site with good soil is a plus.

Avoid areas that have rocky soil, steep slopes, or areas where water stands.

Now comes the fun part: start digging. Gardening is not a clean hobby; you're going to have to get some dirt under your nails.

First remove any rocks, debris, grass and weeds and then dig the spot up about one foot deep.

Level up the dirt and add compost or minerals if the needed. I

f your soil is too acidic, add lime; if it is too sandy, add peat moss.

Plants will thrive in neutral to acidic soil with a little added fertilizer.

When buying seeds, make sure you plant them according to the directions.

If picking plants, choose ones with green, healthy looking leaves and stems and healthy roots.

Put the smaller plants towards the front of the bed and larger ones in the back. The key to a successful beginning in gardening is planting at the right time.

Make sure and wait until the frosts are over before planting.

If you are planting seeds the package will usually tell you exactly when you can plant them to achieve maximum growth.

Once you have started and gotten into gardening, making sure your plants receive enough water is essential to their growth.

Hand watering works well if you only have a few plants. Other options include sprinklers or sprinkler hoses.

Watering is most effective during the cooler parts of the day.

The type of plant will depend on how much water is needed, but most require about an inch per week.

During the hottest periods plants will need watering about three times per week.

Side Note:

One of the most helpful things to add to a garden is mulch or compost. Just a few inches of organic mulch will improve fertility and help the soil hold moisture. Wood chips, grass clippings, leaves, manure, and pine needles are all things that can be used as mulch.

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A Flower Garden for Your Home

Picture a constant supply of beautiful cut flowers for your home, or fresh cut flowers for friends, and special occasions. Beautiful flowers at your disposal are possible by planting a well-stocked flower garden.

To begin your flower garden, select a sunny area, as a flower garden usually requires 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. The selected area should be easily accessible for watering, in case your climate encounters long dry spell. Another factor for your flower garden is easy access for cutting your flowers, such as a raised flowerbed. The raised flowerbed is then accessible from all sides.

Fall Bulb Planting In order to have a constant supply of flowers available, consider when each flower blooms. For instance, plant Daffodils and Tulip bulbs in the fall for the earliest spring flower. A couple of other early spring flowers to consider for fall planting are: Giant flowering onion, grows 3-4 feet tall, with large purple flowers, and blooms early spring to mid-summer, and Crocus's bloom in early spring, though there are varieties that bloom through autumn.

Spring Planting Gladiolus bulbs can be planted in early spring for beautiful blooms from early summer through the first frost. You can plant your gladiolus bulbs as early as two weeks before the last frost. Continue to plant the gladiolus bulbs every two weeks and you will have cut flowers until the first frost.

Annuals such as snapdragons, cosmos, zinnias, etc., are also planted in early spring after the last frost. Consider the length of time it takes your annual to bloom and plant accordingly so that you will have a flower bouquet right through fall.

With a little bit of planning and a little bit of work, your home can have beautiful cut flowers all summer long. Good Luck!

For more information, visit Flower Garden and Spring Garden Flower