Welcome To
Garden Delight
HELLO!
I am an amateur gardener, who loves gardening. For what greater pleasure is there then to plan, execute and reap the benefits of a gardening project, to choose the flower or vegetable plants, to plant them and then to enjoy the fruits of our labor. This can be achieved no matter where we live. Those of us who live in the colder climates are limited to the months we can enjoy these "labors of love," but when we do I feel it is all the more appreciated.
Now that most of my kids are on their own, I can devote more time to the gardens. I have found the gardening shows on
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) to be a great help in learning more about the art of gardening.
We live in the country and have well water. Because of this, I am very concerned about using chemicals, fertilizers and weed killers. I do not want to use anything that may enter our well water and then cause us harm, so I try to find other methods of solving my problems. Listed below are a few.
GARDEN HELP
Weeds
- instead of using weed killers I use this method to
eliminate weeds around my plants - flowers, trees and in my vegetable garden.
Simply layer at least 10 sheets of newspaper around your plants and cover with your favorite mulch. It is one of the cheapest methods I have found and what is even better; it works.
The water always soaks thru, but very few weeds break thru. It is a time saver, instead of spending time pulling weeds I can give my attention to other projects. It is biodegradable and also, a great way to recycle.
Whenever I plant something new in these areas, I cut out a circle of newspapers to place around the new plant. I cut thru one fourth of the circle and then place it around the plant, overlapping where I made the cut, and then I put the mulch back over the newspaper.
Daffodil Leaves
- When the daffodils are no longer blooming do not remove the leaves, the bulbs are nourished by the leaves until they are completely dead. What I do is, gather the leaves together and tie a rubber band around them and lay them on the ground, this way your flower bed will look neater. It is also a good idea to have another plant in front of them that will be blooming while the daffodil leaves are dying, this will aid in hiding the dying leaves.
Plant Marker
- I use a plastic straw to indicate what plant is in each location. I have found the straws to be better than the markers provided when we purchase our plants, because they can be placed further in the ground and are more apt not to be blown away. I use a magic marker to write on the straw to indicate what the plant is. I have found this method to be a great help when I plant something new, I am able to know where the other plants are located in my gardens. Remember when you are setting the new plant, others may not be in their growing season. As the plants grow their foliage will hide the straw.
Planting
- Listed below are a few things to take into consideration when planning a garden area. If you do not know any of the particulars about the plant you want to use, your local garden center or Extension Service can advise you.
Ground Preparation - Prepare the area by removing any sod, weeds or rocks. Do not throw away the rocks. You may want to use them as a garden accent or in a rock garden. Turn the soil over to a depth of approximately 8 to 12 inches. Have the soils analyzed, this can be done at your local Extension Service, and add the nutrients needed to give you the best possible soil. It is essential that the ground be well drained, or the plant roots may rot, a gentle slope will achieve this. Rake the area smooth just before you set the plants.
Width - When you are designing your garden, be sure to take into consideration the width the plants will become at full growth. You would not want to go through all the labor involved in setting the plants, only to find out that they are hidden by others.
Watering - When needed it is best to water the plants in the morning or early afternoon. If you water later, the sun's heat may make the water evaporate too fast. If you water after sunset, the plants and soil will remain wet for so long a time that the plants may become diseased.
Mulching - Many gardeners spread a covering called mulch over the soil among the plants. Mulch helps stop the growth of weeds by depriving them of air and sunlight. It also helps the soil hold moisture. [You may want to consider the "newspaper tip" above.]
Care of Plants
- The following methods are used to give the individual gardener the full pleasure of their plants.
Pinching Back - To obtain more blossom's use a method called pinching back. With your fingers, pinch off the tip of a young plant's main steam. The plant's energy will then be used to develop the flowering side branches rather than to make them grow taller.
Disbudding - To obtain larger blossoms, try disbudding. Select a plant that has a bud at the top of its main stem as well as side buds. Cut off these side buds and any others that develop later. The plant's energy will then be used to develop the one remaining flower, which will be larger than normal.
Deadheading - The removal of faded flowers or deadheading is an important gardening chore. It may prolong the blooming period, improve the appearance of plants and increase the number of later season blooms. Deadheading does not always stimulate plants to produce further flowers, but a great majority of plants will benefit and respond to this practice. Deadheading prevents the plant from putting its energy into the setting of seed; this energy is then used to produce further flowers.
To remove the dead or faded flowers simply snap off any faded flowers between the fingers and thumb, breaking the stems cleanly, or use sharp scissors or pruners.
Do not deadhead if the seed heads or fruits are ornamental, or if you want to collect your own seeds for growing the plant the following year. If your plant needs its seeds for reseeding the following year, then obviously, don't deadhead those.
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