GARDENING TIPS

With the costs of living rising all the time, it may be possible to save money and increase your family's health at the same time by growing vegetables in your backyard.

It's a good idea to choose your favorite vegetables to grow and plan beds for early, middle of the season and late varieties.

Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of sunlight per day - some need 8. Some quick growers like lettuce and radish can be grown between the rows of plants that take longer to mature, like beet or corn, thus making full use of the area available.

Throughout dry periods, vegetable gardens need extra watering. Most vegetables benefit from an inch or more of water each week, especially when they are fruiting.

During the growing season watch for insect pests. If you discover a bug problem early it will be much easier, but be careful to not use pesticides once the vegetable are close to being picked unless it becomes an absolute necessity. Organic gardening is one healthy and environment-friendly option. Once you have reaped your crop, put the vegetable waste into your compost pile so that it can be recycled for next spring.

It is important to protect your vegetable garden from wild animals looking for a tasty treat. Make sure your garden is surrounded by a fence that will keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The harm done by wandering animals during one season can equal the cost of a fence. A fence also can serve as a frame for peas, beans, tomatoes, and other crops that need support.

Protection is needed in order for your vegetable garden to yield a bountiful harvest. Hard work will pay dividends if necessary precautions have been made.

First you’ll want to choose the herbs that you’ll plant. You might have a hard time doing this because of the huge scope of herbs available. The best way to choose is to look at what you have in your kitchen. By planting your own collection of these herbs, you can save money buying them from the grocery store while having the added benefit of freshness. Some herbs you might start with include rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, and parsley among others.

When planting your herb garden, remember to plant in an area with good drainage. If the dirt remains saturated after watering, your herbs have no chance of growing into healthy plants. A good solution for an area with a drainage problem is digging one-foot below your designated garden and filling the area with a layer of crushed rocks before replacing the soil and planting. This will allow all that water to escape and save your plants.

Some herbs grow at a dangerously fast rate. For example, a mint plant in an open space will likely take over your entire garden in a matter of days. The best way to prevent this problem is to plant more aggressive plants in pots (with holes in the bottom to allow drainage).

When harvesting the herbs over which you have labored, be careful what and when you select. Wait until your plant has been well established for several months before taking any leaves (even if the plant does not appear to be using them). It can be fatal to your plant to take off too much. The wait will definitely be worth it: by growing unabated your plant will produce healthily for years to come.

Prepare your herbs for use by drying them out. Do this by placing them on a cookie sheet and baking at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4 hours. Store your herbs in a plastic or glass container. (Paper or cardboard will not work, because it will absorb the taste of the herbs.) During the first few days of storage, you should regularly check the container and see if any moisture has accumulated. If so, you must remove the herbs and re-dry them. If moisture remains from the first drying process, your herbs are likely to mildew.

Perennial flowers are strong, local flowers that come back every year without additional attention. During their off seasons, the flowers and stems die back and almost disappear (rather than leaving undesirable brown clumps in your garden). When in season, entirely new flowers bloom where the old ones were.

Before deciding to plant perennials, make sure desired area has sufficient drainage. If the dirt remains saturated after watering, you should build a raised bed. To test, dig a hole and fill it with water. Wait a day, and then fill it with water again. All traces of water should be gone within 10 hours. If the hole isn’t completely dry, you will need to build a raised bed.

Picking your perennials can be a complicated process. The goal is to have them flower as much as possible during the year. To accomplish this, create an outline of the yea, research the different types of flowers you want, and create a timeline of flowering. If you plan appropriately, you could have a different flower blooming at any point in the year. Finding the right combination can give your yard a constantly changing array of colors.

Always use mulch when planting perennials. Mulching will reduce the overall amount of work you have to do by decreasing the number of weeds and increasing water retention. Use fertilzer sparingly once your plants begin to show signs of life.

Plant your perennials in separate clumps according to the directions. Plants tend to spread out, and too
many in one area cause plants to choke each other.

Begin your annual selection by plotting out your planting. Make allowance for the height and proper spacing of each type of annual and put your plan on paper. Color it in with crayons or colored pencils to get an idea of the overall effect.

Avoid planting in straight lines or singles Use staggered rows, trace curves in different directions or simply plant in clumps or groups. Single annuals often get lost, but groups of three to five plants will grow into a colorful mound.

Play with sizes and forms. Provide height by placing tall flowers behind shorter ones and get great contrast by choosing some annuals that have daisy-like blossoms, such as zinnias, and others with upright spikes, such as salvias.

Get double use from color bowls. Many pots and planters are already planted with a colorful array of annuals. Enjoy a pre-planted combo as a living work of art for a few weeks, then pinch the plants back and transplant them in your garden. Within three weeks, they should be growing vigorously again, and they will bloom stronger and longer than they would if left in their original pot.

Simplify to reduce maintenance. Massing a single color or a simple combination of two colors will create an elegant, unified effect suitable for entryways and window boxes. Sticking with only two or three types of annuals simplifies maintenance because you can plant, groom and feed many plants at the same time.

Play with colors. Pastel pinks, lavenders and yellows show up best in early morning light, evening light or partial shade, but they tend to wash out in strong sun. Vivid reds and oranges hold up in bright light and are easily seen from a distance.

Add colorful foliage. More and more annuals are available with vibrantly colored foliage that’s perfect to mix and match with beautiful bloomers. Look for ornamental sweet potato vine, Persian shield, helichrysum and other annuals with eye-catching leaves.