TIPS FOR AMATURE GARDENERS:
1.START WITH GOOD SOIL- if soil is poor, add manure or soil with added moisture keeping ingrediants, add manure to this. Buy at any Walmart gaardening section, also at Home depot or Lowes.
2.LAY OUT GARDEN PLANS-decide how beds should look, shape, shade or sun, frequantly water or water every few days. DO NOT MIX IN BED-only place plants of likeness- shade or partial sun can be placed together but read instructions. Plan each bed, even highth or from back to front, small in front , larger to back. You can make a bed to be viewed from all sides- place taller plants in middle, second highth around those then on the outer edge use border plants which are short- usually only 6-8 inches tall. Remember color scemes- going with two colors or mixed colors? You decide, each color should compliment each other.
3.MAKE A TEMPLATE OR USE SPRAY PAINT TO DRAW SHAPE ON GRASS- using a grass cutting spade or hoe to get grass & roots out of bed area that will contain your flowers. Place a weed control cloth ( usually black, comes on a roll) can find in Home Depo or lowes or any gardening store. Place bricks or border pavers to hold down weed control cloth. Decide where flowers should go, mark with spray paint and cut out holes with a razor knife, can just cut a big X and pull sections aside to place plant, dig hole where marked, place flower in hole depth by instruction on plant if seeds, place seeds depth on instructionson seed packet. Cover with dirt. When all plants are in place cover cloth with mulch- you are done!!!! Weed cloth keeps un-wanyed grass out making for easy maintenance.
4.WHEN FLOWERS ARE FINISHED BLOOMING- they will show signs of wilting or dying, cut seed heads off( this is the actual blossom, flower) and place in an area to dry, layout newspaper on work table, let dry two to three days, then place in a lunch size paper bag.(DO NOT STORE IN PLASTIC BAGS OR CONTAINERS-as (bloom- Seed) will mold and not be any good to use.
5.STORE SEED IN CLOSET OR BOX IN GARAGE- dark corner of garage is perfect place to store. Again do not use plastic containers even to store seeds, containers can create moisture in container!!!
6.FALL PREPARATION- cut back all hard woods( theseare shrubs that have hard stems. Cut back all rose bushes by at least 1 or 2 feet, to promote healthy bushes and more blooms the next year. Cut back limbs on trees during winter months when sapp is low in trees. MULCH BEDS-
in the Northern areas mulching is to protect flowering plants that come back each season, perianuals- two seasons, annuals are good for only one season-but if you collect seed heads you can sow( plant) them in same bed during fall or you can start planting seeds early spring March or April.
7.WINTER PROPECTION- In the North some hard woods need protecting with burlap, get this at homedepo or garden supply stores, some people in North cover their evergreens, juniper,spruce and arboratores. In Southern areas most just need to apply mulch over things.
8.DON'T FORGET TO PLANT THINGS THAT PRODUCE BERRYS FOR THE BIRDS-love to bird watch during winter! plant vines or shrubs that produce berrys for our feathered friends or set up feeders in the garden area, but place weed cloth under bird feeders so as not to have seeds to germinate(grow). Place where they can fly to a tree or bush to rest after feeding. Keep your binoculars handy by the window or by a glass door, to watch your feeder, get a bird book so you can identify the differnt types of birds that visit your feeders.
9.SPRING, TIME TO CHECK FOR YOUR BULBS PLANTED IN YOUR BULB BEDS-Crocus is first to bloom, then daffodills and tulips, thenDay Lillies. Bulbs should be planted by August - september in the North, in the south you digg up bulbs by August and place them in a paper lunch bag(again do not use plastic bags or containers) and place in the refridgerator. Northern areas, leave bulbs in ground at depth below freeze line- usually 8-10 inches, here in Michigan and Upper Northern States. When bulbs finished blooming and start wilting, wait another week or two then cut down bloom stalk (stem) to even with ground. Mulch over. Spring is a good time to add manure to garden mixed with a ittle soil, add at least 1-2 inches deep to each bed, this builds up the soil and raises the bed a little each year, as soil gets packed or washes away.
10.SUMMER- time to add annuals to beds if you have a blank spot in the garden, if you have in-door plants, place them in the shade under dense group of tree, need plenty of shade throughout the day, can not handle direct sun after being in house, train them by placing them out in shade during the day, take in at night to protect from cold night air in Spring, once they get use to new surroundings they can stay out under shade trees until first frost in fall, but remember to feed them plant food and water them. I do this when I fertilize my other plants in garden, such as tomatoes, and roses, every 3-4 weeks will do for plant fertilizer, water according to type of plant insteructions, look it up on internet,if not sure.
Sounds like a lot of work but really it is not!!!!! You get the satisfaction of being able to brag, I did it myself, no landscaper in my yard!!!! We even added a gold fish pond by our deck, fun watching them when we feed them, God children gave them names and helped to pick them out! You can add a water feature with little problems, get one that is electric, with electric pump, place in garden, dig trench to hide extention cord( use heavy duty extention(orange in color), wrap connection where the two plug into each other(male & female parts) wrap with electrical tape then with silver duct tape, after you place a plactic bag over electrical taped plugs, now you wrap with the silver duct tape. Cover cord, that has been placed in the ditch dugg, needes to be about 3 inches deep and about 2" wide. Place mulch over ditch or you can plant grass seeds to cover bare soil. Add a bird bath or reflecting globe ball on pedistal, your garden is complete and beautiful...
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