Thursday, January 12, 2012

How should I start my flower garden?

Hey folks!

Today I am off to buy some plants to brighten up the front of our home. We have a large yard, but the front of our house is BORING. White house, white stairs... green grass. That's it. I will want a 12" deep strip of COLOUR against the front foundation of the house, and along one side that catches the sun.

What plants to do suggest that are EASY to care for, don't require a ton of watering, like the sun but can handle some shade, and are cheap? I'm not looking to have an award winnnig garden, just something to liven up the front of our house!

I really like hostas, I may plant some of them on the side of the house... I was thinking about pansies or something easy for the front of the house... I am 7 months pregnant, and won't have a ton of time or energy for garden upkeep other than the basic weeding and watering...



Thank you for your time!!

How should I start my flower garden?
Make sure to amend the soil, if it's needed, with a compost or peat moss. It'll need to be broken up well, crumbly. Pansies are at the end of their growing season now, they hate hot weather. I would go with begonias. Hardy, shade-tolerant, nice foliage. They generally come in two colors on the affordable end of the spectrum, red and white, and the foliage is dark green and green, respectively. AVOID water hogs like coleus, petunias and impatiens--as a father of five I know you will have NO time for watering. Make sure your new plants are watered-in after you plant, and you should have a great looking garden!
Reply:Petunia's.
Reply:Pansies are a great choice. Those things will grow upside-down on a rock, if you'll water it. I've had some in a pot that have come back every spring for the last 5-6 years.

Petunias are great also, for the same reason.
Reply:i think you can find a great help in:



www.gadwood.com\index1.html
Reply:A basic 101 guide on how to plant a beautiful garden.



Steps

Find a spot in your yard or in a local community garden that gets both sun and shade. Ideally, some parts of it should get full sun (6 hours of CONTINUOUS sunshine per day), and some parts should get partial sun (either dappled sun, or full sun for less than 6 hours per day). Even if parts of your garden are in total shade, there are a variety of plants (including foliage plants and even flowers) that can flourish.

You'll need to prepare the land. Dig and churn up all of the packed dirt. Dig about 2 ft. down. If you want to, you can add some nice compost and mix it into your dirt.

Go buy some seeds! Seeds are so inexpensive at the Dollar Store or your local dollar market. Or, you can start with bedding plants (or seedlings) available at nurseries.

Look at the instructions on the back of the seed package, or on the plastic tag in your plant pot. You may have to ask experts when to plant them if it does not say on the back. Plant bedding plants when you are sure you can. Some seeds (such as tomatoes) should be started indoors, in small pots or seed trays, before the last frost, and only transplanted outdoors when the weather warms up.

Make sure to water your plant every other day. Don't drown them in water. A reasonable amount should be fine.

Watch your beautiful garden grow!







Tips

If you want you can buy plant food at the store as well. Put it in the hole with your seed or seedling. Adding organic matter (compost, for example) or a chemical fertilizer in with the soil in the hole will help the plant or seed to establish itself. But of course, don't use a lot of the fertilizer.

You don't have to plant flowers in rows necessarily, intertwining patterns usually come out very nice.

Be creative. Be classic. Make your garden you.

Perennial = comes up every year

Annual = needs to be planted again every year

A pick axe is GREAT way to break up hard ground. So is a pitchfork-shovel. PLEASE have someone knowledgeable show you how to use these tools firmly yet carefully %26amp; with the proper form to get quick results while not hurting yourself physically.

As far as planting vegetables, you don't always have to start from seed. You can plant most veggies that have started to "go bad" because they've grown roots. Or there are nurseries that sell "starts".

Learn how to compost and then use it as the rich soil matter it will turn into!

If you live near a horse farm, ask them if they have any horse manure compost to spare. This also makes great fertilizer!

Putting leftover, wet coffee grounds around your veggies in the garden is a natural way to keep slugs %26amp; other garden "pests" out. Plus, it adds beauty to the garden.

Don't throw away earthworms or kill them! They help aerate the soil to make your growing more successful. Put them back into the soil as you turn it over.

In most locations, dark green leafy veggies will continue to grow until there's a frost.

You really don't need an enormous space to yield a good amount of plants/flowers/veggies/herbs.

Have fun!



Warnings

Watch out for pesky animals and birds who will try to eat your garden. To avoid trouble with them, put up a fence.



Things You'll Need

Soil

Some kind of digging tools, unless you want to use your hands ^^

Seeds or other rotting veggies.

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The art of planting roses doesn’t have to be a complicated thing to do. When you have the right knowledge there is no limit to how beautiful a garden or rosebush that you can create.



Now you will have all of the beauty and delicious fragrance that roses can give you with you all the time.



Here are some of the best ideas and tips for planting your roses.



Steps

Talk with your local gardening center or florist to find out which are the best type of roses to grow in your climate. If you are a novice, look for disease resistant types of roses because they need a lot less maintenance.

When planting roses, pick a place that is well lit in the morning. You also want a spot that has sunlight for a minimum of 6 hours a day. Roses need a great deal of light to grow properly.

Choose an area with well drained soil. Great soil has a PH level at about 5.5-7.0. Testing kits are inexpensive and available at any garden center.

Organic matter like manure or lime helps to nourish the roots of your roses.

Soak the roots in water for 8 to 10 hours. Inspect the roots and cut off any root ends that are dead or broken.

Dig a hole that is two times bigger than the amount of space that your roses take up. Fill the bottom of the hole with a cone of soil to rest the roots on and position the bud union at about ground level. Fill the hole half way with soil and water. Wait for the water to filter down and fill the hole with the remaining soil. This process ensures complete root coverage with no air pockets. Do not tramp down the soil. Poor circulation for your roses can cause fungal diseases. Using a larger hole also makes it easier for you to pull them up later and pot them if you’d like.

Water your plants frequently for the first 3-4 weeks after planting your roses. Usually this is when the top 2 inches of soil is dry. To stay healthy your roses need a lot of hydration and food.

Four weeks after planting, you should start soaking the bed every 2 weeks or so. Do this in the morning for the best results.

Start to fertilize about 3 months after planting. Use 3-6 inches of mulch to control the moisture, temperature, and to stops weeds from popping up. Mulch also helps to lock in the vital nutrients your roses need in order to remain healthy.







Tips

It is best to plant roses in the Spring. Choose an area to plant that is well circulated with air. Your roses will not grow in an enclosed or tight area.

Roses love water but can get many fungal and bacterial diseases if they do not get enough sunlight in order to dry off their leaves and pedals. Plant your roses in morning light and remember at least 6 hours or sunlight.



Warnings

Always check your rose plants for diseases.





External Links

Rose Garden Care is a blog full of relevant articles on roses.
Reply:pansies are great. me and mom always plant morning glories or mums in the yards every year. i love petunias, so they are there every year.


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