Gardening Tips for Beginners

Prevent the embarrassment of a failed or disease-ridden garden. Knowing some basic gardening knowledge will help you grow a vibrant and healthy garden.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered the following tips and information on growing a vibrant, colorful, and healthy garden.

Best Gardening Tips for Beginners

Starting a garden can seem like a daunting task, and to a certain degree, it can be. The following tips will help you prepare your garden bed, time your planting, and help you choose the best plant species for a vibrant and healthy garden.

1. Know Your USDA Hardiness Zone

One of the very first things to do for all gardeners is to know in which hardiness zone they will be planting. Basically, the higher the zone’s number, the warmer the climate. So if your plant is hardy to zone 5 and you plant it in zone 6, it will survive in your garden. However, if you plant it in a zone 4 garden, it will not survive in that region’s winter.

Locate your hardiness zone using the interactive map found at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov

2. Plant Selection

Now that you know your hardiness zone, you can safely choose which plant species you want in your garden. Some popular selections include:

Vegetables – Lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, kale, and peas
Herbs – Basil, mint, dill, thyme, lavender, and oregano
Flowers – Azaleas, begonias, roses, daisies, and marigolds

Tip: Temperature or sun-sensitive plants can be planted in containers and moved indoors or to more appropriate locations when needed.

3. Map Your Garden

Mapping out your garden will help you visualize which plants are going where and what adjustments you need to make for them to thrive. Add as much detail as possible to your garden map and refer to it when needed. Include the following data:

• What species
• Soil pH
• Water
• Sun

Tip: Include any special requirements your plants may need

4. Know Your Frost Dates

You need to know your area’s last spring frost date, so you don’t risk killing your plants by putting them out prematurely. It’s also important to know your first fall frost date so you can collect your harvest if you are growing vegetables and herbs. This also gives you a time frame for moving your plants indoors or outdoors to prevent frost damage.

Determine your first and last average frost dates by entering your zip code at almanac.com/gardening/frostdates

5. Garden Soil

The ideal garden soil consists of equal parts of sand, silt, and clay. This soil type is called “loam” or “loamy.” Loamy soil has a perfect balance, holding moisture but also draining well. It allows oxygen to reach plant roots and is rich in organic matter.

Tip: Your soil pH can be adjusted by adding agricultural sulfur to make alkaline soils more acidic or agricultural limestone to make acidic soils more alkaline.

6. Water Requirements

A typical flower or vegetable garden requires a minimum of an inch of water per week. Under normal conditions, this should leave the soil soaked to about 5 or 6 inches deep.

Note: Some plant species will require more frequent watering.

Tip: Ensure that your soil drains well but remains moist so your plant’s roots can get the water they need without developing root rot.

7. Mulch Requirements

It is commonly recommended to lay between 2 and 4 inches of mulch in the garden bed. If you want mulch that decomposes quickly, introducing nutrients over time, wood chips are a good selection.

Tip: One of the most effective ways to control weeds, retain moisture, and regulate soil temperature in your garden is to add a thick layer of organic mulch over the soil.

8. Sun Requirement

Depending on the plant species you want to grow, you will need to know how much sun it requires. You will likely have different areas getting different sunlight intensities in larger gardens. Consider the following to guide your planting locations:

Full Sun – These plants need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun per day
Part Sun – Plants will thrive with 3 to 6 hours of direct sun per day
Part Shade – Plants require 3 to 6 hours of sun per day but must be protected from the intense mid-day sun
Full Shade – These plants require less than 3 hours of direct sun per day.

Tip: Planting in containers will allow you to move your plants around according to their needs.

Gardening Tips

In this article, you discovered crucial information and tips to help you grow and maintain a vibrant garden.

Knowing what to plant and how to care for your garden will help you create the perfect environment for a spectacular array of flowers, plentiful vegetables, and continuous beauty through the growing season.

Ignoring your garden’s needs and basic care can result in poor plant development, stunted growth, disease, and weed overgrowth.

Sources:
purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/gardening-tips-for-beginners/
extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2020-04-01-starting-garden-soil-management
extension.missouri.edu/news/tips-on-watering-your-garden-4683
cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/mulches2013.html

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5 Must Have Vegetables in Your Home Garden

You don’t have to grow a dull vegetable garden full of vegetables that no one wants to eat. Knowing which vegetables to grow in your home garden will keep your family fed, healthy, and happy.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered growing information on 5 easy-to-grow vegetables for your home garden, their needs, and when to harvest them.

1. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Lettuce or Lactuca sativa is a leafy annual or biennial plant in the Asteraceae family grown specifically for its leaves used as a salad green. The lettuce plant can vary in size, shape, and leaf type(depending on the variety), but generally, this plant’s leaves will form a dense head or loose rosette.

Uses – Lettuce can be eaten in many ways besides being chopped up in a salad. Here are a few of those alternatives:

• Juice or green smoothie
• Lettuce wraps
• Topped like a cracker
• Layered into spring rolls and wraps
• Seared or sautéed
• Grilled
• Braised

Sun Requirements – Ideally, lettuce plants need at least 6 hours of sun per day. However, lettuce will still grow if it receives less than that.
Soil Requirements – Well-drained sandy loam soils with a loose consistency and organic matter help this leafy vegetable thrive.
Ideal Soil pH – Soil best supports lettuce growth with a 6.0 to 6.5 pH.
Hardiness Zone – 2 through 11
Expected Harvest Time – Leafy lettuce varieties can reach maturity in as little as 30 days but can be harvested when they reach your desired size. Other lettuce varieties need 6 to 8 weeks to reach harvesting size.

2. Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)

Tomatoes are usually found to be red, scarlet, or yellow. However, green and purple varieties can be cultivated, and they vary in shape from spherical to oval and elongated to pear-shaped. Individual fruits contain at least two cells or chambers filled with tiny seeds immersed in a jellylike mildly acidic pulp.

Uses – Tomatoes are beloved for their culinary versatility. Here are a few ways fresh tomatoes can be used:

• Caprese Salad
• Gazpacho
• Bruschetta
• Sandwich Topping
• Salsa
• Pasta Sauce
• Lasagna

Sun Requirements – Healthy tomato growth and fruit production require eight hours of direct daily sunlight.
Soil Requirements – Tomatoes will thrive in loam and sandy loam soils, but these plants will grow in nearly all soil types except heavy clay.
Ideal Soil pH – Tomato plants thrive in slightly acidic soil with a 6.2 to 6.8 pH.
Hardiness Zone – 2 through 11 (tomato plants will keep growing until the first frost).
Expected Harvest Time – Tomatoes will typically be ready to harvest in 60-85 days after planting seedlings in your garden.

3. Peppers (Capsicum)

Peppers are vegetables with variable shapes, sizes, and colors. Pepper varieties can grow green, red, yellow, orange, or even black fruits. Its taste can vary between sweet and spicy.

Uses – Here are a few ways garden-grown peppers can be used:

• Stuffed with Tomato Couscous
• Bell Pepper Cornbread
• Roasted Pepper & Butternut Squash Soup
• Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers

Sun Requirements – Pepper plants need at least 6 to 8 hours of daily sunlight.
Soil Requirements – Peppers prefer rich, sandy, or loamy soil, which keeps the ground well-drained and warm.
Ideal Soil pH – Peppers thrive in slightly acidic soil with a 6.5 to 7.0 pH.
Hardiness Zone – 9 through 11 (must be shielded from frost in colder zones)
Expected Harvest Time – With ideal growing conditions, peppers will typically be ready for harvest within 70 to 80 days.

4. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)

The cucumber plant is an annual with a rough trailing stem. Its hairy leaves have three to five pointed lobes, and the stem bears branched tendrils. Its five-petaled yellow flowers are unisexual, and the cucumbers are a long, thin vegetable with tough, green skin and wet, semi-transparent flesh.

Uses – These are a few ways garden-grown cucumbers can be used:

• Pickle them
• Make frozen treats
• Add them to smoothies
• Toss them in drinks
• Make gazpacho
• Add them to a stir fry

Sun Requirements – Cucumbers thrive in full sun but will grow with just 5 hours of daily sun.
Soil Requirements – Cucumbers do best in loose sandy loam soil. However, they can be grown in nearly any well-drained soil.
Ideal Soil pH – Cucumbers thrive in slightly acidic soil with a 6.0 to 6.5 pH.
Hardiness Zone – 4 through 12
Expected Harvest Time – This species requires a long growing season, and most varieties are ready for harvest in 50 to 70 days from planting.

5. Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)

Brussel sprouts are a cultivar of cabbage in the Brassicaceae family grown for their edible tiny leafy green buds, resembling mini cabbages. The plant has long, smooth leaves which can be green to purple in color and are arranged alternately on the stem.

Uses – Usually served as a side dish, here are some more ways Brussels sprouts can be prepared:

• Roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic
• Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar
• Holiday dinner side vegetables
• Roasted Brussels sprouts accompanying butternut squash and cranberries

Sun Requirements – Brussels sprouts require a minimum of 6 hours of daily sunlight for optimal growth.
Soil Requirements – This vegetable can be grown in nearly any well-drained, fertile soil.
Ideal Soil pH – Brussels sprouts grow best in soil with a pH between 6 and 7.
Hardiness Zone – 2 through 10
Expected Harvest Time – Brussels sprouts are typically ready for harvest 90 to 110 days after planting.

Garden Vegetables

In this article, you discovered several popular and easy-to-grow vegetables for your home garden, what they require for maximum growth, and when they should be harvested.

Growing your own vegetables can be rewarding with a large harvest, food on your table eliminating store-bought vegetables, and just better-tasting food.

Not planting vegetables in your home garden will leave you dependent on your grocery store’s supply chain availability, exposed to potential chemical consumption from insecticides, and inferior vegetable quality.

Sources:
extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-peppers
extension.umd.edu/resource/brussels-sprouts
extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1034&title=Growing%20Cucumbers%20in%20the%20Home%20Garden
njaes.rutgers.edu/fs678/
hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/lettuce/

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How To Attract Bees To Your Garden

Prevent your garden from infertile or dying plants due to not being pollinated. Knowing how to attract bees to your garden will help it grow strong and beautiful.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered information on why bees are needed for healthier plants, how to attract them, and what to avoid.

Why Do We Need Bees?

Bees play a significant role in local, state, and national agriculture. They meticulously pollinate crops, increasing yields and supporting the honey industry. Bees are so incredibly essential that millions are spent each year renting beehives to pollinate crucial crops.

Over one-third of all the food we consume relies on bee pollination. Approximately 90 percent of all flowering plants require pollinators to survive. In agriculture, roughly a third of pollination is accomplished by honeybees. Almonds, carrots, melons, apricots, pears, apples, prunes, plums, onions, avocados, kiwi, blueberries, and so many more depend on bee pollination to yield their fruit. Without these pollinators, the majority of these crops would simply disappear.

Your garden benefits from healthier, more resilient plants, and for those growing vegetable gardens, you can look forward to increased harvest size and health.

What Attracts Bees?

Every garden (including yours) needs pollinators, and bees are among the most efficient. Without bees, flower production would be severely limited and, as a result, even fewer fruits and vegetables. Since bees contribute so much to the livelihood of a garden, it is worth your time and effort to make your garden an inviting destination for them. Consider the following:

Flowers – Bees are highly attracted to blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow flowers. Flat or shallow blossoms tend to attract larger bee species because pollen and nectar are more easily accessed.

Plant flowers in large clusters. Bees are more likely to return to highly visible flower beds. It is vital to plant a variety of flowers that bloom from late winter through late fall (different bee species are active at different times of the year). Wildflowers and native plants will supply bees with an excellent source of pollen and nectar.

Flowering Fruits and Vegetables – Planting vegetables like zucchini and tomatoes or fruits like cherries and strawberries (species that blossom before bearing their fruit) are excellent for attracting various bee species.

Water – Bees need water to hydrate themselves, cool down their hives in the summer months, and dilute their honey in the winter. Provide a shallow watering station somewhere in your garden and watch as bees stop for a drink.

Ground Cover – Planting ground cover like clover, coleus, and wild thyme can offer bees a safe place to hide and rest between feedings and flights.

Shelter – While some assume that bees only live in hives, the vast majority of them are actually solitary. Creating a safe nesting habitat in your yard (near your garden) will help your region’s native bee population thrive.

This shelter can be constructed from material like wooden blocks with holes, hollow bamboo shoots or reeds tied together, or piled-up wood shavings, all serve as excellent nesting materials.

Ground nesting bees require protected bare patches of slightly compacted soil to excavate and populate brood chambers.

Garden Location – Like many of the plants, shrubs, and trees we grow, bees tend to favor sunny locations over shaded ones and require shelter from strong wind.

What To Avoid in Your Garden

While bees are resilient and highly adaptable, they are not indestructible and can be adversely affected by the following:

Pesticides – Many pesticides (even those labeled organic) are acutely toxic to bees and result in their death. Pesticides containing Carbamates, organophosphates, chlorinated cyclodienes, synthetic pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids are highly toxic to bees.

An alternative to pesticide use is the release of predators like ladybird beetles (ladybugs) and birds that will quickly and efficiently decimate many pest infestations.

Drought – Keeping your garden well-watered will help prevent plant death and create an “oasis” for crucial pollinators like bees during times of drought.

Vinegar – Some homemade pesticides and herbicides include vinegar in their ingredients. Bees cannot handle vinegar exposure, causing their death almost instantaneously.

Note: Bees and other insect pollinators like butterflies, wasps, and beetles are being challenged by the same environmental changes as other wildlife species, including habitat loss, non-native invasive species and diseases, pollution, and climate change.

Bees in Your Garden

In this article, you discovered why bees are so important to agriculture, how to attract them to your garden, and what you should avoid.

Knowing how to create an inviting ecosystem that supports pollinators like bees will help your garden thrive and support your local bees.

By not trying to attract bees to your garden, you are adding to the stress bees already face and could contribute to the failure of entire hives.

Sources:
beespotter.org/topics/beegarden/
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/gardening-with-wildlife/gardening-for-bees.html
cms.business-services.upenn.edu/morrisarboretum-blog/303-agriculture-and-bees-what-consumers-need-to-know.html
valenciaextension.nmsu.edu/documents/bee-friendly-garden-list.pdf

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5 Good Bugs for Your Garden

Prevent harmful insect infestations from causing your garden health to decline. Knowing which garden bugs are beneficial will help you cultivate a healthier and more robust garden.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered information about 5 good garden bugs, the insects they feast on, their preferred plant, and how to protect them.

Beneficial Garden Insects

Not all insects mean you or your garden harm. In fact, there are several insect species that prey on other destructive insects and even those that strengthen your garden’s health by serving as pollinators. The following are some of the insects you should welcome into your garden:

1. Ladybugs (Coccinellidae)

Ladybugs are small insects and usually rounded in shape. Their wing covers (elytra) can be seen in yellow, orange, or red, typically with small black dots on them. Some ladybug species are solid black, and all of them have black legs, heads, and antennae.

Diet – Ladybugs voraciously devour plant-eating insects, like aphids, and in doing so, they help protect plant and crop health. Ladybugs lay hundreds of eggs amidst colonies of aphids and other plant-eating pests.
Favorite Plant – Their favorite plants include marigolds, geraniums, sunflowers, calendula, cilantro, and dill.
Shelter/Protection – You can buy or build a ladybug shelter then hang or position it near any of the plants mentioned above.
Lifespan – Adult ladybugs live up to one year.

2. Praying Mantis (Mantodea)

Mantises are an order of insects containing nearly 2,500 species. Mantises can be found worldwide in temperate and tropical wooded and garden habitats. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks.

Diet – Gardeners and farmers worldwide welcome mantises because the insects they consume are often detrimental to gardens and crops. In addition to insects like crickets and grasshoppers, their appetite extends to spiders, frogs, lizards, and even small birds.
Favorite Plant – Praying mantises are attracted to plants like fennel, marigolds, and dill.
Shelter/Protection – Praying mantises like to hide in plants and grassy areas.
Lifespan – A praying mantis will live approximately 6 months in the wild and up to two years in captivity.

3. Bees (Anthophila)

Most bees are found to have short, thick bodies covered with hair and, like all insects, six legs and three body parts, including a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. The thorax, in turn, has three segments, each with a pair of legs. A small waist connects the thorax and abdomen. Only female bees have stingers.

Diet – Honey bees spend most of their lives collecting pollen and nectar from flowering plants, including milkweed, dandelions, clover, and many flowering trees. It is the workers that forage for food, consuming as much nectar from each flower as they can while subsequently pollinating the plants they visit.
Favorite Plant – Among sunflowers, daisies, honeysuckle, mint, clover, lilacs, lavender, and wisteria, bees are attracted to and will pay multiple visits to most flowering plants and trees.
Shelter/Protection – Bound hollow reeds or simple cardboard tubes placed in sheltered areas are a perfect habitat for solitary, hole-nesting bees.
Lifespan – The lifespan of a typical worker honey bee ranges from 30 to 60 days.

4. Dragonflies (Anisoptera)

Dragonflies have long, delicate, transparent wings, with some having light yellow coloring near the tips. Their bodies are long and slender, and they have short antennae. Dragonflies are very colorful, agile, and indiscriminate predators.

Diet – Adult dragonflies will consume any insect they can catch. They usually prefer eating mosquitoes, flies, gnats, and mayflies. However, their diet can include butterflies, moths, bees, and even other dragonflies. Dragonflies will eat their own weight in insects daily. This insect is extremely agile and catches its prey while in flight.
Favorite Plant – Dragonflies typically breed around water. Their offspring need places to hide, and they love submerged and floating pond plants (eelgrass, baby pondweed, water lilies, and lotus flowers).
Shelter/Protection – Dragonflies will seek shelter from wind, rain, and predators in densely-branched trees and shrubs, thick ground vegetation, evergreens, or even a tree cavity.
Lifespan – Dragonflies can live from 10 to 60 days on average, with some adults reaching as much as 6 months with ideal weather conditions.

5. Butterflies (Rhopalocera)

A butterfly is a flying insect with a small body and large, often colorfully patterned wings. Butterflies are closely related to moths, which also have large wings in proportion to their bodies and antennae. A butterfly is distinctive because of its relatively large size and beautifully “painted” wings. The life of butterflies is closely bound to flowering plants, shrubs, and trees on which their larvae (caterpillars) feed on, and their adults pollinate, feed on, and eventually lay their eggs on.

Diet – Because of straw-like mouthparts (proboscis), butterflies are almost completely restricted to a liquid diet. Butterflies use their proboscis for drinking nectar from flowers. While plants like dill, fennel, and milkweed provide sustenance for butterfly larvae.
Favorite Plant – Butterflies prefer nectar and pollen-rich blooming plants like wildflowers and multiple flower varieties. Blooming annuals, perennials, and shrubs provide a continuous supply of nectar and pollen throughout the growing season.
Shelter/Protection – Butterflies look for shelter from the rain when the skies start to grow dark and periods with strong winds. They effortlessly cling to the underside of leaves, climb deep into tall grasses, or hide themselves in rock cracks or deep fissures in tree bark.
Lifespan – Most butterfly species can live for 4 weeks, with some living several months and even fewer reaching 1 year.

Beneficial Garden Insects

In this article, you discovered several beneficial garden insects, the bad insects they eliminate, their preferred plants, and how to help them thrive.

Attracting and supporting beneficial insects in your garden will improve plant integrity, your garden’s overall health, and prevent nuisance insects from causing a catastrophic infestation.

Allowing bad insects to thrive in your garden will result in unhealthy, damaged, infested, and dying plants.

Sources:
extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/animal-production/bees.html
uky.edu/hort/butterflies/all-about-butterflies
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/gardening-with-wildlife/dragonflies.html
today.tamu.edu/2021/12/03/are-ladybugs-harmful/
texasinsects.tamu.edu/praying-mantis/

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7 Herbs for Your Hanging Garden

Avoid planting slow-growing, inactive or unattractive herbs in your hanging garden. Knowing which herbs grow best in a hanging garden will ensure you harvest fresh herbs consistently.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered information about seven popular herbs that thrive in a hanging garden environment.

Why Hanging Gardens?

Since ancient times when the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were deemed one of the world’s seven wonders, hanging gardens have been a popular go-to for home gardeners with limited space.

Whether you have hanging pots and containers along the border of your balcony or a wall-mounted series of indoor planters, the following seven herbs will flourish while providing fresh, tasty, and aromatic seasonings for your food.

1 – Lavender (Lavandula)

Lavender is a perennial flowering herb that’s native to the Western Mediterranean. Different varieties of lavender plants flourish in different hardiness zones. Still, most of the lavender species are hardy in Zones 5 to 11.

(Full sun and well-drained soil) Lavender thrives in low to moderately-fertile soils. Avoid amending the soil with organic matter before planting. Lavender will perform best in neutral to slightly alkaline soils.

Harvesting lavender flowers in early spring will allow the plant enough time to produce another round of blooms in late summer to fall.

2 – Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Dill is an annual herb belonging to the celery family and is the only species in the genus Anethum. Dill is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves are used as an herb, and its seeds are used as a spice for flavoring food. Being rich in antioxidants and an excellent source of vitamin C, magnesium, and vitamin A, dill may possess multiple health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer. This species is hardy in zones 2 to 11.

(Full sun and moist, well-drained soil) Dill thrives in slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter. Growing dill indoors is possible, as long as you provide enough light.

Indoors, dill plants should be located where they will receive at least 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Your dill should be ready for harvest within 8 weeks after sowing the seeds.

3 – Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Basil is a culinary herb in the Lamiaceae family. Basil is native to tropical regions from Central Africa to Southeast Asia. This tender plant is used in cuisines worldwide. There are multiple basil varieties and several related species, also referred to as basil. Most basil species are hardy to zones 10 to 11.

(Full sun and moist, well-drained soil) Basil plants thrive in rich soil with lots of organic matter, such as compost, and require a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

Begin harvesting basil at any time by clipping fresh young leaves as needed. If you want to harvest whole stems, make your cut just above a pair of leaves, and the ensuing new growth will occur at the cut point.

4 – Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

Chives belong to the same family as onion, leeks, and garlic. They are a tough, drought-tolerant perennial reaching about 10-12 inches in height. They tend to grow in clumps from underground bulbs and produce fine, round, hollow leaves. This species is hardy to zones 3 to 9.

(Full sun and moist, well-drained soil) Chives thrive in soil rich in organic matter. A soil pH kept between 6.0 and 7.0 is best. This species tolerates light shade but thrives with six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.

Harvest your chives throughout the growing season to prevent the leaves from toughening and to encourage the formation of new bulbs. Cut leaves at the base about an inch above the soil.

5 – Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

Cilantro, also known as Chinese parsley, dhania, or coriander. All parts of this plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in Mexican and Indian cooking. This herb species is hardy to zones 2 to 11.

(Full sun – until summer then partial sun – and moist, light, well-drained soil) Cilantro will grow best in airy, light, fast-draining soil with perlite or sand mixed in to increase its drainage. In a container, you should use a premium potting mix with a 6.5pH rather than regular garden soil.

The best time to harvest cilantro leaves is in the morning. Harvest them once a week or take individual leaves when needed.

6 – Mint (Mentha)

Like basil, mint is a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family or mint family. Mint is a creeping plant that sends out shoots underground, and most varieties of this species will grow as a perennial in zones 3 to 8.

(Full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil) Mint is a vigorous grower that likes organically-rich soil with a neutral pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

Harvest mint foliage at any size by pinching off stems. For a large harvest, cut the whole plant to just above the first or second set of leaves.

7 – Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

Also a member of the Lamiaceae family, rosemary is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers. It is commonly used as a flavoring in a variety of dishes, like soups, casseroles, salads, and stews. This species is hardy to zones 7 to 10.

(Full sun and moist, well-drained soil) Plant rosemary in loamy soil maintained at a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Add fertilizer or organic material to the soil each spring for enhanced growth.

Harvest rosemary in the spring or summer. Rosemary grows most vigorously at this time, making it the best time to harvest. Take 4 to 6-inch sprigs from branch tips for culinary use and strip the leaves off the stems. Avoid pruning more than a third of the plant at one time.

Hanging Herb Gardens

In this article, you discovered 7 of the more popular herb species that thrive in hanging gardens and their individual growing requirements.

Planting a hanging herb garden makes it so you can harvest fresh flavor and seasonings throughout the growing season and, in some cases, year-round.

Trying to grow all your herbs in the same place with the same conditions will likely cause stunting, wilting, and premature plant death.

Sources:
agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/dill/
plantvillage.psu.edu/posts/3937-lavender-growing-lavender-indoors
extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-basil
web.extension.illinois.edu/herbs/chives.cfm
canr.msu.edu/news/the_short_sweet_life_of_cilantro
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/mint.html
plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-rosmarinus/

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9 Garden Makeover Ideas on a Budget

Prevent your garden from looking ugly and unkempt. Knowing how to spruce up your garden with an inexpensive makeover will help you maintain it as a neighborhood showstopper.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered information about 9 easy and cheap ways to makeover your garden.

Garden Makeover

Your garden makeover doesn’t have to include expensive fixtures and overpriced landscapers. Most changes and updates can be DIY and surprisingly inexpensive. The following are simple ideas to help you put a new face on your garden:

1. Use Hanging Baskets and Pots

Baskets and pots can solve your space problem if your garden is challenged for space, while naturally brightening up any outdoor environment, and you don’t need an expert gardener to plant in them. There’s a wide variety of hanging baskets and decorative pot types for all budgets.

2. Grow Plants from seed

The absolute cheapest way to grow a thriving garden is to sow your own seeds. Whether you choose flower seeds or vegetable seeds, remember to look over and consider the seed packet size. Some packets may contain more seeds than you can sow in the average or small garden in a year.

Note: To give your seeds and plantings the best chances for vigorous growth, see how to make your own soil at gardeninginfo-online.com/how-to-make-organic-soil/

Tip: Find seeds at home improvement centers, online retailers, or DIY stores.

3. Define Your Lawn’s Perimeter

One of the most straightforward and inexpensive ways to transform your garden is to trim and shape the lawn around it into a clearly defined shape. Popular designs include something like a circle, a square, or a rectangle. Just mark it out with string, chalk, or paint. Then use a spade to cut away the excess grass. Finally, use bricks, stones, or other lawn edging to further define the separation of your lawn from other components of your yard.

Note: This is not a challenging project and should only take an afternoon to complete.

4. Paint the Background

If your fences, shed, or structures surrounding your garden are looking abandoned or run down, give them a new coat of paint and brighten up the garden. There are many wood paints and stains available in a variety of colors and qualities. It’s recommended to use paint specifically for wood protection to ensure your fences or sheds are protected from the elements and prevented from undue aging.

Tip: The color you should select is black, or the darkest available color that compliments your home’s design.

This is a great (and inexpensive) garden idea to create an immediate impact. And don’t forget, you can give your plant pots a makeover by painting them too.

5. Use Containers for a Patio Garden

No lawn or garden space? Your solution may be container gardening. This gardening style is an effortless way to get your garden looking beautiful with blooming and hanging flowers and is especially ideal for patios, balconies, or other paved areas. Containers can restrict root growth, so an even water supply and good drainage system are essential for vigorous growth.

6. Attract Birds

If it’s garden ideas for wildlife that you desire, you could place or hang a bird feeder, build a birdbath, or install a birdhouse. The more birds you can attract to your outdoor space will increase your chances of being serenaded by the bird songs of your little visitors. This is great for your overall well-being. In fact, some research demonstrates that listening to singing birds can help lower stress and fatigue, and combat anxiety.

7. Completely Transform Your Garden with Lights

Outdoor lights provide a fast, simple, and cheap way to bring an attractive glow to your garden or outdoor space. Solar garden lights are popular and readily available in multiple quantities, colors, styles, and intensities, or you can select battery-operated outdoor lights, which include string lights and lanterns.

Tip: If you’re using fairy or miniature lights, you can thread them through trees or shrub branches, line them along fences and outdoor furniture, or suspend them from fixtures in your yard for an eclectic evening appearance.

8. Install a DIY Pond

Another great and effortless way to attract wildlife to your outdoor space and garden is with a pond (and it won’t cost you very much at all). First, collect pebbles and stones, then dig a hole in the designated area, protect the bottom of the hole with a pond liner, and hide/cover it using the pebbles and stones. Finally, fill it with water to create a pond.

9. Gravel Pathways

Gravel is a much more affordable surface than paving for pathways and patios. To lay it in place, start by marking out the area, remove loose soil and grass, pin down a permeable membrane to stop any weeds from coming through, and spread gravel over it. A depth of 2.5 to 3cm works very well. Typically, a large bag of gravel will cover around 200 sq.ft.

Read more about installing a gravel pathway at gardeninginfo-online.com/how-to-make-a-garden-path-with-gravel/

10. Bonus Idea – Plant Trees

Considering their beauty, size, and longevity, trees are an inexpensive way to modify the appearance of your garden. And just a few trees will make a difference to the look of your entire landscape. Try small trees like crab apple or a citrus fruiting variety. Three or four trees should be more than enough for the average-sized garden.

Cheap Garden Makeover Ideas

In this article, you discovered multiple inexpensive ways to update or completely makeover your garden space.

By keeping your garden fresh and diverse, you will have more flowers blooming and will be harvesting more from hardier plants.

Neglecting your garden can lead to ugly overgrowth and a space full of weeds and undesirable insect and animal inhabitants.

Sources:
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/outdoor-living/walkways.html
extension.oregonstate.edu/news/create-garden-pond-wildlife
pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/birds.htm
web.extension.illinois.edu/containergardening/hanging.cfm

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How To Care for Your Potted Christmas Tree

Prevent your potted live Christmas tree from dying in your home. Knowing how to handle and care for a potted evergreen or pine tree can help you prevent a fire and keep your tree thriving through the holidays.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered information about the benefits of a potted, live Christmas tree, how to bring your live Christmas tree indoors, when to move it back outdoors, and care tips to help you keep it flourishing beyond the holiday season.

What Is A Potted Christmas Tree?

As you shop for a live, potted Christmas tree, ask the merchant if the tree was:

1. Container-grown or
2. Dug up and potted

This information is crucial in helping you understand the health and vigor of the tree you are purchasing. Container-grown trees have a root ball that grew and developed in the container and are said to be stronger than a root system that was dug up and replanted.

Basically, what you are purchasing is a temporary houseplant, and there are some simple rules to follow that will help you keep it alive and thriving.

Live Potted Christmas Tree Care

Like any other potted tree or plant, there are things to do that keep them in good health. In the case of live potted Christmas trees, here is what you can do to care for them and keep them flourishing:

Purchase a Healthy Tree – Before buying your tree, check it for the following:

• Signs of yellowing or drying out
• The presence of fungi, decay, or rot
• Evidence of boring insect activity

Note: Avoid heavily damaged, poorly formed, and generally sick or droopy-looking trees.

Live Christmas Tree Acclimation – Don’t make the mistake of buying your tree and immediately bringing it into your home. This temperature-controlled environment can cause the tree to go into shock and die. Instead, Find a place in your garage or a shed adjacent to your home and let it get accustomed to new temperature variations. Three to four days should do the trick.

Water Your Tree – Water your tree with just enough cold water to keep the soil damp. The intent isn’t to saturate the soil, rather to keep the roots moist and cool.

Note: Under watering your tree will leave it brittle and dying. Overwatering your tree will cause root rot and rapid tree death.

Tree Location – Your tree’s location in your home will significantly influence its capability to survive the holiday season. The following heat sources can accelerate the tree’s desiccation and increase the potential for the tree’s death or fire ignition:

• Space Heaters
• Heat Radiator
• HVAC Vents
• Fireplace
• Windows in Direct Sunlight

Note: The more quickly you can get your tree out of your home, the less it will acclimate to the indoor environment and increase its readjustment to your area’s hardiness zone.

Fast In and Fast Out – From the time you move your tree indoors, you have 12 to 15 days before you should get it back to where you initially acclimated it. The longer the tree remains indoors, the more difficult it will be to keep it alive after planting it outside.

Tip: Timing is everything. Bring your live tree indoors the weekend before Christmas and move it back out immediately after your holiday festivities.

What Are The Benefits of a Live Potted Christmas Tree?

If you have decided to use a live potted Christmas tree this season, congratulations! Here are a few of the amazing benefits you will get with it:

• After serving as your Christmas tree, you get to plant it outside and enjoy it for decades to come.
• Using a live, fresh tree significantly reduces fire hazards presented by artificial or cut trees.
• Live, potted evergreen trees have an amazing scent that is nearly impossible to replicate. Rather than burning a candle or using another type of artificial pine scent, you will get it naturally from your Christmas tree.
• Start a new family tradition of selecting the tree, then choosing a location to plant it after the holidays.
• The tree becomes a conversation topic. “How cool is a live potted tree?”
• If you keep it potted, you can use it multiple seasons (once the tree reaches over six feet in height, hauling it indoors may become impractical)

Note: When choosing a live potted tree, you are helping the environment by reducing the amount of plastics and artificial materials making their way to landfills

Tip: Once your tree reaches over 6 feet tall with a heavy root ball, consider planting your tree out in the yard or garden where it will get plenty of sun. If you lack room for such a tree, check with your community officials for tree donation programs to public properties or parks.

Potted Christmas Trees

In this article, you discovered what a live potted Christmas tree is, how to care for one, and when to return it to its environment.

By using live potted Christmas trees, you are being proactive in promoting a healthier environment and adding a touch of charm to the holiday season.

The use of artificial trees exacerbates the environmental problem of undesirable plastics going to waste dumps and incinerators.

Sources:
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/living-christmas-trees.html
extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/11/living-christmas-trees
canr.msu.edu/news/living_christmas_trees_another_real_tree_option

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