How to Make Your Garden Grow

Gardeners have many reasons, including to provide fresh food on their tables, be closer to nature, and teach children responsibility. Regardless of why you choose to plant a garden, it's important that your plants thrive.

Start small if you are a new gardener and choose vegetables that your family will enjoy eating. Select easy-to-grow vegetables like beans and peas.

Location

The garden's location is vital to the success of your crops. No matter if your veggies are in the ground or in containers, the ideal location can make a huge difference to the quality of your crops and enjoyment of the garden. Before you start planting, Garden Grow observe the area to see how it performs under different conditions. Find areas that receive full sunlight throughout the day and remember that light shifts with the season.

Ideally your garden should be located near a source of water to help in maintaining it. However, be sure it's not too close to sewer or water lines, as cutting these lines with a spade may be hazardous, and the presence of water in the garden could increase the risk of getting sick such as fungus and mold.

It is also recommended to have your garden located close to your home so that you are able to easily tend it. A vegetable garden bed can be a lot of work, so the more accessible it is, the better you will be able to tend it, and the better it will develop.

Consider also how far away your garden is from paths that are used by children, pets, or neighbors. This will stop them from accidentally trampling the plants, and it will also allow you to keep your garden safe from deer and other unwelcome guests.

You'll want to make sure that your garden is far enough away from nearby trees, since their roots could take water and nutrients from the vegetables growing in the soil. This is also true for shrubs Make sure you don't put them too close to your garden. Be aware of the direction of the wind, since it could bring weed seeds and other undesirable objects from the outside of your home to your garden.

Soil

Every soil is made up of a mix of mineral particles. Some soil types contain more of one type of mineral than others. The ideal garden soil is loamy, which is a mixture of silt, sand and clay. The most ideal garden soil is full of organic matter and crumbles readily. It is moist, but drains easily and allows roots to reach oxygen.

Garden soil is a particular type of topsoil which is grown to create the perfect environment for growing vegetables, flowers or other plants in the ground. Garden centers and home improvement stores sell it in bags form. It is usually pre-mixed to match different kinds of plants.

If you are using bags of garden soil, make sure to check the ingredients list for the ingredients it is made from and what pH it has. A healthy soil is slightly acidic pH that ranges between 5 and 7, meaning it's rich in nutrients.

The pH of native soil is usually around 5. The majority of home gardens have a pH of about 7. Soil that's too alkaline can hinder plants from growing properly, which includes certain houseplants, such as African violets that require special indoor plant soil mixes with added peat.

Adding organic matter, especially compost, is by far the most important step you can take to improve your soil. Organic matter is full of microorganisms that improve the soil's structure, increase its nutrient content and improve drainage. No matter what kind of soil your garden has it is recommended to include plenty of organic matter in the fall before you plant and to side-dress it throughout the growing season. This will give your soil a good start for the coming season and will ensure that it will continue to improve each year.

Water

Water is essential for garden growth, especially during growth seasons when seed germination as well as emergence from the soil are most demanding. Often, a lack of moisture is the first sign of stress in plants, which is typically wilting and followed by a browning of the edges and tips of the leaves. When watering, soak the soil until it is moist to an inch below the surface, and repeat the process as needed. Avoid watering the soil until the point where runoff happens, as this could wash away nutrients from the garden.

Plants use carbon dioxide and water to make food via photosynthesis, which is an activity that takes place in their leaves. The carbon dioxide is absorbed by microscopic holes in the leaves, referred to as stomata. The water vapor escapes through transpiration, a process that is called transpiration. This process cools the plants and also provides an option for watering the plant without waste water by spraying it off the leaves or running off the ground.

When possible you can use rainwater to water your garden. This is a low-cost method to water your garden and you can reduce the amount pesticides and fertilizer that you have to use. If rainwater isn't readily available, use water that has an extremely low sodium content. The higher the sodium content, the more it will reduce the soil's supply of nutrients and negatively affect the growth of your plants. Rather than watering the soil, the plants will help to prevent diseases from spreading by splashing water onto the leaves.

Fertilizer

Just as people need a varied diet plants and crops require a balanced supply of nutrients in order to thrive. This is the reason fertilizers are needed. Fertilizers improve the natural fertility of soil and replace chemical elements sucked out of the ground through previous plantings or weathering. They also ensure that a garden or field has enough essential elements such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Fertilizers come in many varieties and are made from both natural and synthetic substances. They can be sprayed on the soil surface, or injected into the leaves, stems and roots of plants. They can be liquid, granular, or slow-release. The duration of the fertilizer varies too and can range from weeks or even months.

It is essential to choose the correct fertilizer when you are growing the particular plant. Different crops require different quantities and types of nutrients. Utilizing a general fertilizer might not be effective. A general fertilizer won't be as effective if certain soil conditions are present. Fertilizers designed specifically for vegetables will take into account these conditions and give the best results.

The majority of granular fertilizers can be spread manually or using a spreader on the ground prior to seeding or transplanting. This is referred to as a pre-planting or starter fertilizer and is typically applied at the beginning of the growing season, when the ground is workable. The granules dissolve into the soil and supply the nutrients needed by the roots of the new gardening crop. Liquid fertilizers can be sprayed using watering cans or sprayers that attaches onto the hose. They can be used to spray the entire plant using the foliar feeding. To prevent burning the leaves, they should be diluted according to instructions. They are typically used to give an immediate boost to plants or to add micronutrients.

Pests

Some vegetables, fruits, flowers and plants can be susceptible to pest infestation. Despite this the fact that many pests are beneficial as they serve as pollinators and predators of harmful insects that feed on the plants. A garden that attracts helpful bugs and discourages harmful insects helps reduce the amount of chemicals needed to keep your crops healthy and productive.

Damage from insects to your garden can be spotted by the presence of holes in leaves and roots, a displaced root, unevenly shaped fruit and vegetables as well as sticky and discolored foliage and discolored vegetables and fruits. You can prevent some damage even if it's inevitable. By observing symptoms immediately they are noticed. This will allow you to identify the signs of insect or plant disease.

Cucumber beetles are one of the most frequent pests found in vegetable gardens. They are orange-colored with black stripes and can be destructive to seedlings, vines, leaves, and fruits. They also carry bacterial diseases which can destroy your plants. Crop rotation, mulching, and planting resistant varieties are the best methods to prevent cucumber beetles.

Cutworms are a different pest that is commonly found in vegetable gardening gardens. They eat the leaves and stems of young plants, but can also cause serious damage to older plants with their tougher stems. They are most active around sunset and can be difficult to identify unless you keep up regular gardening secrets patrols. Try spraying your plants with mineral oil, or introducing nasturtiums into your vegetable garden to deter them.

Slugs have a slimy soft body and eat through plant leaves and flowers. They leave behind ugly, shiny trails of slime. They're more problematic in damp, cool conditions. Set traps for slugs, by placing empty tuna cans fish soaked in beer on the ground. You can also try spraying the soil with sand that is sharp, wood ashes, crushed shells, or diatomaceous earth (a powdered form of fossilized algae) to stop them from crawling up your plants.