Plant Gardens 101

Azaleas are a flowering plant with a lot of panache. They put off an impressive show, and if done right, will continue to do so for years to come. However, like any plant, you need to give them a good start for good results. Planting them in the proper spot, giving them the right amount of water and food and providing the appropriate maintenance will help you have perfect azaleas. Following is a guide to ensuring the success of this beautiful flowering shrub.

Most azaleas are store bought. When choosing the azalea in the store, be sure to choose a plant that has green leaves and lots of flower buds. If the plant is at all weepy or the leaves are limp, this plant will probably not do well and may be diseased. A good choice will produce a rewarding plant. (more…)

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Pests are a problem in many gardens and can ruin your flower bed or a good crop of vegetables. When dealing with pests, and especially in vegetable gardens, you want to use methods that are safe for both plants and humans. Since avoiding the use of harsh chemicals for pest control is a good idea all around, here’s some tips on some gentler methods of getting rid of garden pests.

Physical Pest Control
Time consuming but very natural, this method consists of many things you can physically do to control bugs and other pests. Picking grubs off by hand, creating barriers and traps and plugging holes. If snails are a problem, look for them hiding in damp places under rocks and near the base of those plants with straplike foliage.

Biological Pest Control
Get rid of pests by inviting insects in that eat them! Encouraging predatory insects such as dragonflies and green lacewings into your garden can help in your pest control efforts as they eat aphids and other pests that attack your plants. So how do you attract them? Try simply placing a shallow bowl of water in the garden. Dragonflies especially love water and will hover around it. Bacterial insecticides such as B. thuringiensis can also be used against caterpillars. (more…)

Perennials are a favorite type of garden plant for many gardens as they will bloom for several seasons without replanting. Perhaps one of the best qualities of perennials is that you can divide them and make more plants for free! Dividing your perennials periodically is important as it will keep them from getting overcrowded and help insure healthy lush plants.

Many perennials can be divided easily, but this does not hold try for every variety. In general, division is easiest with perennials that grow in clumps or ones with an expanding root mass. Perennials which stem from single taproot typically cannot be divided but can be duplicated by using root cuttings or seeds.

It is important to divide the plant at a time when the plant is most likely to be receptive to this procedure. Fr plants that come up in spring and summer, the best time to divide them is in the fall Perennials that bloom in the fall or late summer should be divided in the spring. (more…)

Hydroponic gardening might seem very scientific and difficult but, in fact, it is as simple – and maybe even easier – as regular gardening. They both have many elements in common that being the need for light, humidity, water and nutrients.

Hydroponic gardening, however, uses no soil. A soil substitute is used to hold the roots and the nutrients are carried by the water. You can do hydroponic gardening indoors and plants do respond well and thrive with this type of system.

One vital consideration in hydroponic gardening is the nutrient solution. The solution must maintain a pH level of 5 to 6 after it is diluted. In hydroponics gardening, the plants need to be watered more than three times a day which is typically done automatically using a pump and timer. (more…)

How many times have you gone to the garden store and bought some plants that you absolutely loved only to get home and not be able to find a suitable place in the garden?

Getting the right look in you garden takes a lot of planning. You simply can’t go to the garden store and randomly choose plants as there are many things to consider such as light conditions, soil conditions and surrounding plants. A well planned garden will have plants that thrive and compliment each other but a randomly chosen garden will look haphazard and may even be bad for the health of your plants.

Before you purchase your plants evaluate your garden for how much sun and shade it gets and in what areas. Consider whether the soil is well drained or has standing water and whether it is sheltered or windy. Then when you go to the garden store, buy only plants that will thrive in your garden; shade-loving plants for the shady areas, sun-lovers for those sunny spots, swamp plants for areas with poor drainage and drought-resistant plants for those areas that don‘t stay wet enough. (more…)

You may ask ‘what are water garden kits?’ Let’s just say that this is like Batman’s utility belt for every gardener who has a water pond. With water garden kit, the water gardener has everything he needs.

So the next question is ‘what’s inside a water garden kit?’ Read on so you could take a peek at the water gardener’s utility belt.

To enhance the attractiveness and beauty of their water garden, the kit is necessary for every gardener. Not only will human beings appreciate the view, even wildlife such as birds will come flocking your garden.   (more…)