Are You Aware Its Time To Get The Garden Ready For Planting
The season is changing. Its time to get the garden ready. Preparation is very important. It could save you time and trouble in the future.
Preparing for summer
Rake away dead leaves. Go over the soil and examine it. Do you have any perennial plants around? Trim them back, so they can prepare themselves for the warm weather ahead. It is time to consider the soil content. Get fresh top soil and manure. If you have any compost, you may want to use that also.
It is also a good time to check the soil PH. If you have the equipment, then it is no problem. You can buy soil PH kits. They are inexpensive. Some even come as meters with probes. They may not be as accurate as the kits, but they can give you a general idea of your soil PH. A soil PH level of 7 is neutral. Lower numbers are alkaline. Higher numbers are acidic.
It is important to know which PH level your crops require. Some may need a slightly alkaline soil. Some may need acidic. In addition, other may require a neutral PH. The best way to find out, is to check seed packages. You will find a great deal of information on the web. If your soil is too acidic, put lime or ashes into the ground.
If you need acidic, you can add sphagnum peat moss. Compost may add a slight amount also. Decaying material will have acidic properties.
Now is a good time to add magnesium to your soil. You can add Epsom salts to the ground. This will work well.
Crop rotation is very important for your soil's nutrients. Change areas where you plant certain crops. Do this with related crops like nightshades. This includes potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. You will have to do less fertilizing, this way.
Mix up the soil and aerate it. Use a garden tiller, if you have access to one. You can get rid of weeds and unwanted plants.
Now is a good time to plant some marigolds. Make sure that it is past time for your last frost. Plant them along the edge of your garden. They will help keep insects away. If you want a head start, plant the marigold seeds indoors, early. Then you can set them out in the warm weather.
Winter preparation
The warm weather of summer is ending. As the leaves turn, it is time to consider the garden. Snow will be here soon. Get the leaves raked. Mow them with the mower. Make sure you have a grass catcher. You will not have to pick up or rake leaves that way. Just dump the bag onto your compost heap. If you have no compost, you can put them into trash bags.
Start a compost pile, if you do not have one. Clear everything from the garden area. Throw the material in the compost heap. Separate good from diseased material. When cold weather is near, pick all of your fruits and vegetables. You can do many things with green tomatoes. You can also put them in a paper bag to ripen.
Conclusion
If you prepare your garden ahead of time, you can have better and more efficient crops. In the spring, prepare for summer. In the fall, get ready for winter. When its time to get the garden ready, take advantage of the weather.
Get some wonderful techniques about your garden by looking at http://farming.futuresyours.com/. Did you find the article useful? We care about your garden. Please visit us. Go online to find more out about your garden now.
Mail this post
April 13 2010 02:29 pm | Gardening
