How to Test Your Soil for Nutrients

Most folks who start a garden do so with little experience, and we learn as we go. Of course, today with the Internet there is an abundance of advice we can pull up on any search engine. Most of the advice is pretty good it turns out, however every once in a while some of it goes against our own common sense.

Benjamin Franklin once said “a penny saved is a penny earned” and to help you save more than a few pennies around the home and garden, below are a number of money saving tips – many of which require minimal effort on your part. Around the Home: Switch off and unplug your appliances. Too many of us are guilty of leaving our appliances on standby when they’re not in use, yet this is a waste of energy and money.

Maintaining a healthy garden can be really challenging especially if you opt to go natural. The good thing about going natural is you get more benefits as compared to using artificial solutions. However, there are also some setbacks as it may take more time and effort.

Growing citrus trees is challenging but rewarding. They make handsome plants for any conservatory and can be grown in cooler climates if you know how to do it.

Every living organism produces waste or manure. Natural fertilizer can be used by everyone, from hobby gardeners to commercial farmers. Find out why you should use it as well.

Employing raised garden beds can give you much more scope and control over planting when designing a garden. They can give you more ease of maintenance and are timesaving for people with busy lives. Small beds can create miniature gardens for children to cultivate.

Teaching children how to grow herbs can be a good way of introducing them to gardening. If you give herbs the growing conditions they need, they will readily supply you with a far superior product to any bought in a jar.

When setting out to plan a vegetable garden, it is important to consider the soil, that you have in your backyard garden. You may wonder why this is so important, can’t I just use the dirt in my backyard? Dirt is dirt, right? Actually the soil that you use for planting your garden can make or break your vegetable garden yield. The soil must contain the proper nutrients, be well aerated and have good drainage in place. Preparing the soil for your backyard vegetable garden is an important step, that will pay off when you grow your garden. Using raised beds in your vegetable garden can also help to grow your plants and aid in proper drainage and nourishment for your backyard garden vegetables. Taking the time to properly prepare your backyard garden soil requires a little planning, time. and effort, but will pay off in spades in the end (pun intended).

So you are ready to start a backyard garden? It’s an exciting prospect; fresh, organic vegetables to feed your family from your own backyard! A backyard garden can be a great way to grow your own healthy vegetables and save money in the process. Having a successful and bountiful backyard garden does require some planning before you get started. Where will you put your garden? Raised beds or no? What are the soil requirements? How about keeping out local wildlife and insects? How should you set up your backyard garden? These are a few questions that we will answer today.

Gardening solutions for heavy clay soils. What you can do yourself and the help you can get.

Plant heating-loving flowers and vegetables in May so they are in full bloom and producing in summer. Plant From Seed: There is still time to plant vegetables from seed that thrive in summer sun. These include corn, onions, peppers, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, melons and squash.

Roof gardens can provide an oasis of calm and tranquillity in a city when space is at a premium. Choosing plants that will do well in such a lofty position will ensure the creation of a beautiful, healthy garden.