For many of us gardeners, observing our garden’s performance is one of the true joys of gardening. Watching as a seedling grows into a mature plant is to enjoy one of nature’s miracles. Careful observation can also help to prevent little problems from becoming big ones. Here are some garden problems that you can treat
Cultivating the Soil: Why it’s Important and How it Differs from Tilling
Cultivating is a very old gardening principal and like many old things, is quite simple. Breaking up and loosening the soil in the garden. As with most simple things, there is often more to it than first appears leading to some fundamental questions: Why do we cultivate? How should we cultivate? When should we cultivate?
Win Over Weeds
Weeds. They’re everywhere. And they sprout up overnight at least it seems that way and grow twice as fast as your garden plants. The biggest challenge facing many new and experienced gardeners alike is controlling weeds. Understand the “Enemy” Weeds really aren’t the enemy. They’re simply nature’s way of protecting her precious soil. Exposed topsoil
Managing Water in the Garden
How to Manage Water in the Garden While most animals (including us humans) and plants can tolerate a range of water and nutrient consumption, there are times when there’s simply too much or too little. This article will address some solutions when your garden has too much or not enough water. Too Much Water The
Companion Planting
Companion planting is simply planting different varieties of plants next to – or close to – each other to achieve better results. Companion planting can be used to: Deter harmful insects Provide useful nutrients Provide structure or shade Attract beneficial insects Attract and trap harmful insects Background The concept of companion planting for backyard gardeners
Bug & Slug Controls
The mere mentioning of bugs or slugs will make most gardeners grimace. Indeed, bugs have such a bad reputation that the word is often used as a verb, as in “what’s bugging you?” This article is concerned primarily with “bad bugs” – actually bad insects, as the scientific definition of bug technically applies only to
Attracting Beneficial Insects
Why Should I Want to Attract Insects to My Garden? Some may ask why anyone would want to attract any insects to their garden. Well, the fact is that insects are absolutely necessary for two very good reasons: First, insects are needed for good pollination. Wind can pollinate, and breeders can isolate certain plants and
