Friday, September 21, 2012

Working Your Soil So You Can Grow Healthy Plants

By Johnathan Black


Growing green things indoors and out, bring joy to many people's lives. Carefully planted and tended for plants can mean beauty in yards and rooms, as well as fresh food on the dinner table. Yet, despite the simple pleasures it can bring, gardening itself can seem awfully complicated. Simplify your gardening endeavors with these helpful hints.

Don't try to remove low lying weeds by hand. Instead get a small shovel and flip them over so their leaves are under the dirt. You will kill the weed and the leaves will rot creating a fresh mulch like material for you to use. It is green and nourishing for the other plants.

Planting gourds can be exciting and rewarding as you watch the fruit grow. Gourds need a long season for the fruit to bear and mature so you should start the seeds indoors at least one month before your garden soil is warm. After the seeds have sprouted indoors, plant the seedlings outdoors in full sun and allow plenty of garden space to let the plant grow vigorously.

When you need to control weed growth, choose your weed killer carefully, and always follow the directions. Many weed killers have chemicals that are harmful to people if they are not applied properly. They are especially harmful to young children if the children play around an area that has recently been treated.

Be careful when applying mulch. Too much can suffocate a plant's roots and prevent moisture from penetrating deeply into the soil. Too little will not be able to suppress weed growth, effectively. An appropriate amount is 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch. Always keep mulch away from a plant's crown or stems.

When removing and replanting perennials, it is important to replenish the soil as well. If you remove a large number of perennials, and then replant them without adding additional compost and soil, the bed will be lower, reducing drainage and air circulation. Also, the compost will replace nutrients that have been used up by previous growing seasons.

Create warmth with golden or yellow foliage. Visual vibrancy and warmth exudes from golden and yellow-leaved foliage. They are particularly effective in shady locations, giving the illusion of light and depth. They coordinate beautifully with purple flowers or deep bronze foliage. Good choices include Caryopteris 'Worcester Gold', Viburnum 'Aureum', various Hostas and Spirea 'Gold Flame'.

From timing of planting to feeding and water levels to access to sunlight, plants can be quite demanding of you even though they never say a word. Keep the tips and tricks in this article in mind in your gardening activities, and you and your plants can keep each other happy.




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