Your Questions About Gardening

GardenersCardiff answers:

I’m surprised that you are already thinking about gardening in Michigan.
The secret to a happy garden is to match the plants to the location. If what you have is a wooded lot, tomatoes are out. There are lots of nice flowers you can grow in a shaded location, any nature walk through the woods will demonstrate that.

Likewise, if you live in a boggy location, you won’t get xeric plants to grow… There’s lots of iris and stuff that would grow fine in such a location…

When I’m attempting to clear an area that has grown back up in underbrush after being timbered, I go out there with a mattock and by cutting the roots, I can dig those saplings out…
I plant my vegetables when I have enough light. Tomatoes and most other veggies like corn, cucumbers are going to want full day sun.
Deer and rabbits and squirrel are the enemy. You may need a fence.Probably the easiest fence is electric. Purchase the charger, string a few lines of wire and you’re done.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Gardens come in different varieties like the plants you find in them. There are several gardening tips that can be used for all type of gardens.

1.Mulching protects your garden topsoil from being blown away. It also provides nutrients as it decomposes and improves the appearance of your gardens. Mulching has other benefits and is one of the most recommended gardening tips by gardeners and farmers alike.

2.Healthy plants are more disease resistant. Plants are like people, a person with a strong immune system can combat diseases. A healthy plant does the same.

3. Pests can be eradicated by cleaning the plant with a watery solution of soap. Just make sure to rinse after. This gardening tip is best heeded for fruit bearing trees or edible plants.

4. Using compost fertilizers are a great way to have healthy plants. It is also a great way to save money on expensive fertilizers. Non -organic fertilizers also tend to leave chemical residues that can accumulate in garden soils and harm not only the plants but the gardeners as well. They cause toxins to go to the water supplies. Another gardening tip recommended not just by farmers and gardeners but also by environmentalists.

5. There are several plants that are only suitable for a specified climate, a certain kind of soil or can only grow with certain plants. You have to know what plant grow in the conditions you have in your area this is for you to avoid unnecessary purchases. This is a money saving gardening tip.

6.Landscaping is a good investment which can double the value of your home. This is one gardening tip that can earn you money.

7. Growing grass on bare ground is an easy way to make your home look better and appreciate in value. This is one gardening tip that promotes earning money while growing grass legally.

8. Aside from looking great in your home, trees also provide some sort of protection from direct sunlight exposure and strong winds.

9. Vines on the walls, fences and overhead structures also would offer some protection and would also look great.

10.Flowers are beautiful, but they are also expensive. Get one that is resistant to many elements. Flowers from your local community already have developed resistance to conditions present in your area.

11.For most gardens plants, their roots go only as deep as 6 inches. Putting fertilizer deeper than that would be a waste of money. Put them shallower as they seep down when the plants are being watered.

12.Earthworms are important to plants. They till and aerate the soil for the roots to breathe. Non-organic fertilizers can kill them. This gardening tip dates back to the old days of gardening.

13. Having several kinds of insects that are beneficial to your garden would be good. These insects can be encouraged to stay by having diverse plants in your garden.

14. Spot spraying weeds with household vinegar, instead of using commercial weed-killers, can eradicate them. This is another environment friendly gardening tip.

15. Avoid putting too much mulch on tree trunks; this would encourage unwanted pests to reside on them.

16. Use plant varieties that are common to your area or have been taken from an area with similar conditions.

17. Be sure to know the plants that are poisonous. If you are intent on growing them, make sure to have the necessary cure available in your household. Take note of this gardening tip, it can save your life.

18. The best time to water plants is during mornings.

19. Before planting a new plant in your garden, you must consider its height and size when it matures. This garden tip can help you save money in the future.

20. Newly transplanted plants may require special attention during its first week. This is to reduce the stress and shock it got during transplantation.

And last but not the least of the gardening tips…

21.Plants are living entities. If you want them to grow in your garden you have to treat them as such. They need to be taken care of. They are like your pets, you look out for them. In return you get that feeling of contentment watching them thrive.

A good way to take care of them is to consider that plants might have some feelings too.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Do I ever have some suggestions for you. I do landscape design, amoung other things and always enjoy sharing information.

The very first thing you want to do is buy a 2 cubic foot bag of soil conditioner from Home Depot or a good nursery. It will cost you 6 – 8 dollars and condition a good size garden. Spread the soil conditioner evenly over the surface of the ground. If there is less than 2 inches of compost after spreading, You’ll need a second bag.

No one can tell you what plants you can grow without knowing your sun exposure.

The main catagories of plants are

Annuals (they grow this year and don’t come back next year. However, your colder climate means some plants which are annuals there, In our warmer climate, become)

Perenials (Perenials are plants that bear foilage year round, Evergreen, if you will. They may bloom at any point throughout the growing season depending on the plant. There is a second type of Perenial called)

Deciduous (Deciduous plants are those Perenials that go into a sort of hibernation for the winter and reapear when the climate warms. Many trees are deciduous. They loose their leaves in the fall and regrow them in the spring)

Conofers (Conifers are the evergreen trees and plants that have needle or needle like leaves such as pine trees)

Succulants (Cactus’ are a major member of this catagory. These plants store water for use during dry times).

Bulbs and tuberous (These plants have storage underground for hard times)

So, back to the garden. A mixture of the different types of plants is usually the best solution for a garden. Lets say your garden gets some sun but it is Morning or Late Afternoon sun which lasts 4 hours or less. You should select plants that are labled Part or Partial Sun. In this type of exposure, azaleas are a good choice for the background or random spot planting. They will bloom their little hearts out for you each spring and remain green the year round. You might want to plant some Iris and or Holland bulbs (tulips etc…) for a dramatic effect in late Winter to Spring depending on your selection. These are Desiduous and will return eack year. Taller bulb plants are good planted 4 to 6 inches apart in groups of three, five or seven bulbs. The shorter bulb plants can be used as above or planted in a row as a border.

Monkey grass, Liriope, is a great border Perinial that enjoys partial shade. In fact there are a lot of grasses that work well in a Part sun garden.

I would reserve no more than 1/3 of your garden for annuals. This is the only way you can preserve a “finished” looking garden throughout the year. You would want plants that are labled, Part sun or Part shade. Just go to your garden center once a month and pick up what is blooming. Replace the plants that are spent with the new bloomers within this 1/3 alloted area.

If a plant calls for full sun, it means about 5 hours of sun per day. Due to the length of this answer, I would like to ask you to contact me through my profile and I will add full sun suggestions to this answer.