Your Questions About Gardening

GardenersCardiff answers:

Outdoor Gardening Tips
Home gardeners prefer small garden, as it needs less maintenance, low-cost and also less time and energy. Garden whether small or big to make it forever blooming you need to take special care. Not only it gives a pictorial value to your property but also if you can grow vegetables then it is a valuable thing in these mechanical days. You can even store some and use it in the off-season time.

Here in different sections we have given plenty of information of the different gardening tips that should be adopted on different situations like in distinct climatic conditions, in different zones and in various surroundings. We have provided tips on both outdoor gardening and also about indoor home gardening.

Small garden is very popular among home gardeners especially in outdoor gardening but small garden is not without hassles. The space is quite less in small garden so it is quite natural that the place becomes minutely filled up with the desired plants of gardener’s choice. As they are grown close to each other in small garden these houseplant needs care and extra attention from pests, as there are more chances of being infected.

Even an experienced gardener needs to know about the updated tips and techniques of gardening in order to expand his knowledge. And this knowledge will help him in the field though he will have his own experiences and observations, on indoor or outdoor gardening, which will in the course of time, strengthen his knowledge on house plants.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Tips for Small Space Gardening
Having a small garden should not limit your creativity and discourage you from creating a cozy and well-maintained green area. To maximize the limited space, you can try to work in containers, limit colors, focus on angles and other points of interests, use vertical elements, and keep the space open.

Let’s face it, not all of us can afford a sprawling lot with fertile soils suitable for gardening. Many have to settle for a small yard and a bit of vegetation. But that shouldn’t keep you from building a nice garden of your own; if anything, it should help you think more creatively to make use of your available space. Besides, small gardens have their own advantages: they don’t need much maintenance, they’re easier to fill, and it’s easier to view them as a whole.

Small space gardening is all about maximizing space and creating illusions. If you know all the right tricks, you can create an attractive garden with any space, whether it’s two or two hundred square feet. Here are six useful tricks to help you out.

1. Keep it open. Large gardens are often divided into sections, but there’s no room for that in a small space. Instead, do the opposite: treat it as one unit and work from an overall design plan. Free up as much ground space as possible to make it look more open. Avoid anything that disturbs the ground space, such as paths, statues, and stepping stones. You may be able to work in a path behind a cluster, but the general rule is to maximize open space. Blur the boundaries with climbing vines or grass so that the garden appears to stretch further out.

2. Use vertical elements. In a small room, you trick the eye with vertical lines provided by tall shelves, full-length mirrors, and other ‘standing’ elements. The same applies to a small garden, except that you’re limited to plants. Look for vertically pruned shrubs or tall, slim trees. This will direct the viewer’s eye upward, instead of side to side where they’ll notice the boundaries. Also use slim, high-backed chairs and tall furniture. A large, wide entrance can draw attention to the vertical lines and make the place look bigger.

3. Make use of angles. Most people arrange room elements in straight lines or against the wall. This does save space, but it also emphasizes the smallness of the garden. Instead of aligning your plants with the wall, arrange them at an angle so that they don’t form a rigid square area. This leads the viewer’s eye away from the sides and into the center, where the space is wide and open. When designing the corners, arrange them at a 45-degree angle, forming an empty right triangle with the wall. You can fill this space with a tree, statue, or some other vertical element.

4. Find other points of interest. A large garden commands attention with its size alone. If your space is small, you simply have to find something else to grab attention with. It could be an interesting plant arrangement, vivid colors, or a unique architectural feature. Don’t overdo it, though—there should be just one focal point, with the rest of the elements arranged around it. This gives your garden a coherent look, drawing attention to the décor and away from the limited space.

5. Limit your colors. Colorful gardens are attractive, but in a small space, they’ll just look cluttered and messy. Stick to two or three main colors and arrange them neatly around your garden. You can either group similar colors together or distribute each color evenly throughout your space. Don’t stuff too much into your garden—it’s all about saying more with less, making a statement with the little that you have. If you find something you absolutely need to have, see if there’s something you can take away to make room for it.

6. Work in containers. Container gardens are a great way to save space while putting in more. They work best if you’re growing garden herbs and vegetables. Melon, squash, tomato, and pepper all thrive well in containers. You can simply put them on the ground and decorate your containers, or arrange them on a stylish potting bench. You can get special garden containers at supply stores or make your own from used five-gallon water containers (smaller ones won’t support the root system).

GardenersCardiff answers:

1. Have your garden soil tested. Your County Rutgers Agricultural Extension Office is a good place to ask for testing procedures. It is helpful if not important to know what the PH of your garden soil is and also what nutrients it lacks. You can save money in the long run by only adding what is needed in the proper proportions. If the soil is not within a proper PH, the plants may not be able to absorb the nutrients properly and will not grow as well.

2. If lime is needed, adding it several months ahead of time will adjust the PH of your garden when it is needed for planting. Do not add the fertilizer until you are ready to plant as the nutrients will leach away over time and be wasted.

3. Prepare the garden by loosening the soil, hoeing the clumps, raking out the stones and smoothing the top.

4. Many plants can be directly seeded into the garden when the soil warms to the proper temperature. Depending on where you live the time for sowing seeds varies.

5. Some plants like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant need a head start to plant them at the right time when the temperature is above 70 degrees and all danger of frost is past. If you can not start the plants ahead of time indoors in a sunny place buy them from a reputable plant outlet. Check the plants to make sure they are healthy and not aphid or white fly infested.

6. I live in South Jersey and plant my garlic in the fall which has always worked well…even last winter and the one before with all the snow. Garlic needs a long, cool moist growing season. Plant it right away and see what happens.

7. Many herbs are perennials and will winter over. I now plant many in large pots that I can move around and semi protect in the winter (thymes, oreganos, rosemary, marjoram) Sage and Lavender I plant directly although they could also be planted in pots. Basil, dill and cilantro are annuals which I seed directly into the garden.

8. Flowering herbs will attract bees as will most flowers both annuals like marigolds, zinnias and cosmos, all very easy to grow with your vegetables. Nasturtiums are said to deter pests as is garlic. Perennials such as fennel,echinacea and sedum attract bees and butterflies. They will come back each year so choose your planting spot wisely.

Your County Rutgers Extension Office has a wealth of information. Check it out and have a good growing season.

Good luck and have fun!