4 Old-Fashioned Gardening Tricks Every Gardener Should Know

The benefits of gardening are well known. Psychiatrists and psychologists recommend it for improving mental health and mood. Physicians see it as a perfect way to strengthen the musculoskeletal system and lower the risk of diseases like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

It’s a wonderful way to spend some time in nature especially if you live in the big city. If you lack physical exercise in your life, gardening is a perfect replacement. Actually many recommend it since you move your whole body while planting and digging. Some even say that it can serve as a replacement for the suggested health guidelines of 150 minutes of weekly exercise.

Gardening is a dirty job, but you’ll quickly forget about all the soil on your boots when you sense the beautiful smells of plants. Plus, it doesn’t have to be a dirty job. If you prepare for the task ahead with the correct clothing and a decent pair of gloves (perhaps purchased from the website Unigloves), gardening can be relatively mess-free. Make sure to look into the different gardening equipment available to you – you might be surprised! Flowers, vegetables and fruits all carry distinctive fragrances which give us comfort and comfort. It is also a noble profession with roots in ancient times, thousands of years ago. As such, it certainly has some trade secrets only seasoned gardeners know, and here are the most important ones.

Planting

Gardening for self-purposes is incredibly fulfilling activity. It also allows you to try some new methods and techniques. The rows don’t have to be perfect. In fact, crooked rows create more room for planting. You can also try the square-meter gardening which allows you to plant vegetables by plots. It will keep the garden nicely organized and allows easy maintenance.

Soaking the seeds in overnight will help them germinate faster. When you plant them, stick the labels on the spots. No matter how organized, it’s easy to forget what you planted where. Additionally, it is also useful for keeping track of all the different plants. To enjoy a longer harvest, plant new seeds of quick-growing vegetables every couple of weeks.

The cheapest garden bed is made of newspapers. Place several layers over the soil and plant through the holes you dig through them. It will take a few months for them to dissolve, but you’ll be free of grass and weeds. You can also use cardboard instead of newspapers. Cardboard boxes are great for planting and especially beneficial for potatoes if you plan to have them in your garden.

Soil

Healthy soil is the best foundation to start your garden. However, you need to care for it and give it nutrients since after a while it loses its composition. The best way to feed the soil is with organic compost. It’s not expensive, easy to prepare and perfect fertilizer.

You probably don’t know this, but coffee grounds are good for compost. They are also the perfect mulch for tomatoes since they contain nitrogen, something this plant needs. Avoid putting too much coffee in the garden beds because it can cause mold. Just like coffee, tea bags are also good for the soil.

Kitchen scraps will also be great for compost, just place them in holes around your garden. Add eggshells will boost the plants’ growth, just crushed them before adding them to the compost. Decaying leaves and wooden materials perfect for mulching which keep the soil hydrated and prevents weeds.

Pest Control

One of the greatest worries of all gardeners is how to keep their plants safe from pests. Slugs and bugs are a nuisance but refrain from using chemical pesticides. They are effective for the pest problem at your hands, but will also damage the pollinators and useful insects. This being the case, you may want to consider reaching out to professionals such as these https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/new-york/rochester/. This way, they can help put into place a strategy to prevent an infestation of pests without damaging your garden’s ecosystem. There are still things you can do yourself.

Instead, make your own insecticide. Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid soap with a gallon of water. Pour that mixture into the spray bottle and treat your plants regularly. Especially do it after the rain or dew since it will get washed off.

Not all bugs are bad and as the gardener, you have to welcome them in your garden. Bees and butterflies are natural pollinators, and together with wasps, they control aphids numbers. Another way to remove pests is picking them one by one. This manual method is useful for Japanese beetles and squash bugs. However, don’t throw them on the ground because they will return.

Plant onions and chives beside the roses since they are natural repellent for the Japanese beetles. Stale beer will take care of the slugs. Pour it into a container and place it in the garden. Since slugs are attracted to beer, they’ll fall in and drawn, so maybe you could set some kind of a net above. After it’s full just release them somewhere safe. On the other hand, if you have an animal problem like deer than you’ll have to raise a fence.

Gardening Maintenance

As a gardener, your job is not only to plant and harvest. Even with fertilized soil, you need to keep regular maintenance of your garden. First, make sure you have all the necessary equipment for it, like hose pipe for irrigation and hoe for weeding.

The best time to water the plants is in the morning since less moisture evaporates then. Check the weather forecast since some conditions can help you with the gardening. For example, adding fertilizers and compost before the rain will help spread it within the soil. Avoid windy days for planting since it can scatter the seeds all around the garden.

Regular weeding is tiring but is still the best way to clean your garden. When it comes to flowers, make sure you remove deadheads. This will help your flowers to be in blooming phase for a longer time.

Final thoughts

Don’t worry about the mistakes or failures of gardening. That is all normal and you can learn a lot from that experience. Additionally, try different plants and see which ones you like to grow the most. Include your family members, especially kids and elderly, since nature and physical activity will do you all good. Moreover, when the fruits and vegetables are ready to harvest, enjoy delicious home cooked meals with your loved ones.