Consider horticulture as a hobby with many benefits and rewards. Regardless of what you grow, cultivating and caring for plants brings a special kind of satisfaction. Learn how much water your vegetables and flowers need and be sure you plant them in the right kind of soil. Follow some of the advice contained in this article for further ideas of things you should know.
A great horticulture tip to use is to always select types of plants that are more likely to produce a high yield. A lot of times a hybrid that will tolerate cold weather or disease will give you a higher output than heirlooms.
If you want to cover up your walls or fences, make sure that you specifically use climbing plants. They can be used to cover up unsightly fences or walls. Often, they can grow enough to cover up an eyesore in one season. You can direct them over certain branches or boards, or you can send them through plants you already have. Some must be tied onto a support, but a number of climbers attach to surfaces with twining stems or tendrils. Some climbers that have proven to be reliable are honeysuckle, jasmine, wisteria, clematis, and climbing roses.
When gardening, beware of stink bugs and other insects, particularly in the autumn. They enjoy tomatoes, peppers, beans, and many different varieties of fruits. If you don’t take care of them, they can decimate your garden, so it’s best to do all you can to get rid of them.
Be sure to do some weeding on a regular basis. Weeds can destroy a once promising garden and take away all its potential. White vinegar can be a good solution. White vinegar is a fantastic weed killer! Mix white vinegar and water into a spray bottle instead of pulling the weeds by hand.
When it’s autumn, it’s time to start planting all of your fall edibles. Instead of using regular clay pots this year for planting lettuce and kale, try a pumpkin container instead! Use some Wilt-Pruf to prevent your pumpkin from decomposing and then you can put your plants right inside. After that, your pumpkin planter is ready to use!
You can plant wheat grass or cat grass near the plants that the cat eats. Try putting mothballs or citrus on your soil to wards pets away.
A simple way to lower the alkaline content of your soil is to dilute it with coffee grounds. This is a great and cheap way to increase the acid levels in your dirt. You will notice that your vegetables and greens will have a stronger taste.
You can use boiling water to get rid of weeds naturally. One of the safest “herbicides” you can find is a pot of boiling water. Douse boiling water on the weeds and avoid nearby plants carefully. Boiling water kills weeds by destroying their roots. Weeds won’t be able to survive, never mind grow, with damaged weeds.
Don’t forget to use a good fertilizer in your garden. Manure is very effective in helping plants grow, although it is important to use a commercially composted product to minimize the risk of pathogens. There are a wide variety of fertilizing options available, although which type you use is not that important; just make sure to use something.
More Gardening Ideas & Resources
Horticulture is a hobby that is healthy for you and a hobby that is truly rewarding. The benefits ranges from seeing your garden filled with brightly colored flowers and thriving, luscious green plants, to cutting your grocery bill in half by providing your family with fresh home grown vegetables. By assimilating what you learned about gardening into your routine, you can enjoy horticulture and all it has to offer.