How to grow tomatoes

One of the tastiest pleasures for gardeners is a ripe tomato, picked at the height of flavor. Eaten by itself with a touch of salt or pepper, added to a garden fresh salad, or placed between layers of bacon and fresh bread in a BLT, this versatile favorite is one of the true delights of summer. There are dozens of tasty varieties to try, and all of them need just about the same requirements. Growing delicious, nutritious tomatoes isn’t all that hard if you follow these basic guidelines.

First of all, choose a growing spot that features plenty of sun. When it comes to tomatoes, the more sun the better. Unless you live in a climate in which summer temps regularly climb into the 90’s, you tomato plants will do just fine if you keep them well watered. On the other end of the spectrum, if you spring and summer temperatures are on the cool side, consider surrounding the plants with black plastic that will concentrate heat and enhance growth. Perforate the material so water can flow through into the soil. Another option is to plant the tomatoes alongside a brick wall that faces the sun. It will absorb lots of heat and radiate it out to the plants long after the sun has bid adieu.

Secondly, the dirt on tomatoes is that they can thrive at any middle of the road pH level soil as long as the soil is nutrient-rich. Therefore, adding a 3-4 inch layer of compost around your plants, and watering through this layer, is essential to healthy plants. Only mix the compost into the top layer of soil if it is rocky or excessively sandy. Otherwise, spreading it on top is the right method.

Thirdly, give your tomato plants proper spacing, which depends on your planting style. Staked plants should have 2 to 3 feet of space between and around them. The distances for un-staked plants should be 4-5 feet on all sides. It is also recommended that plants of the same variety tomato NOT be planted side by side, so that if disease occurs or pests infest, there is less likelihood the problems will spread.

Beyond these basics, keep these tips in mind as you grow juicy tomatoes:
• Warm the soil ahead of time by covering the ground with black plastic for 2 weeks before setting out your tomato plants. Giving them a start in warm soil will get root development off to a great beginning.

• When you put in the tomatoes, plant them deep enough so that the first ring of leaves is buried. For most plants, this would be a bad idea, but tomatoes have the ability to grow roots out of their stems, and planting with this method gives them the chance to develop a healthier root structure that can absorb more water and nutrients. When coupled with sun, this spells more and larger fruits!

• Wait to mulch until the air temperatures warm up, if at all. Mulching cools the soil because it locks in moisture. You want warm soil for optimal growth, so only mulch if you live in a region where air temperatures hit high 80’s F or above. Otherwise, plan to water more often, and put up with the inconvenience by envisioning a tasty slab of tomato on a soon-to-be-enjoyed sandwich!

• Prune and pinch suckers that develop, especially in the crotch of two stems. Also, pinch off one out of every six branches. The results will be more plant energy invested in producing big, juicy tomatoes, and less spent on simply adding more stems and branches.

• Plant a good mix of determinate and indeterminate type varieties. Determinate varieties tend to produce a large amount of tomatoes that ripen at once. This is perfect when you plan to can them or make a large batch of sauce or salsa. Indeterminate varieties produce fruits that ripen a few at a time, which is great when you want to have newly fresh tomatoes for the longest period of time.

 

Tomatoes growing products, seeds, books & more on Amazon

Felknor Ventures TT021112 Topsy Turvy Tomato & Herb Planter

Felknor Ventures 82506 Topsy Turvy Upside-Down Tomato Planter

The Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to Table: Recipes, Portraits, and History of the World’s Most Beautiful Fruit

Grow the Best Tomatoes: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-189 (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin, a-189)

Beefsteak Tomato Heirloom Certified Organic Seeds

Cherry Tomato Sugar Sweetie Certified Organic Seeds 60 Seeds

3 Tomato Planter Bags for Decks, Patios and Balconies

AeroGarden Seed Kit

Hanging Tomato Basket

Miracle-Gro 100042 Tomato Plant Food 1.5 lb.

Planning a seasonal garden

In whatever climate we live, it is our desire to have a garden that stays in bloom for as long as possible. When the first signs of spring manifest themselves in warm late-winter breezes we start looking for crocuses to push their way through the soil or snow. And we want our beloved garden to keep producing color until the frost finally finishes the Chrysanthemums in autumn. In between, planning a seasonal garden that will produce bountiful blooms week in and week out is the goal many green-thumb gurus aspire to. When you do enough research to know when your favorite plants will be in bloom, you’ll have the facts you need for designing and planting a garden that keeps its color continuously.

In this guide we’ll offer some planning and planting pointers along with a list of favorite perennials and when you can expect them to bloom. For planning purposes, take paper and pencil and sketch out the garden you’d like to have. Let color be your guiding influence here. Do you have a circular garden? Place colors next to one another as well as across from one another that go well together. Place yellow next to red and across from purple, for example, for a richer color pastiche. Or try green next to pink and across from orange for a zestier confluence of color. If your garden is rectangular and viewed from front or side, but not all angles, your color scheming is easier. Find a color chart online or at the paint store, and select colors that work well side by side for optimum beauty.

The next step is to make sure that each segment of your garden will have color spring, summer, and into autumn. This is quite simple when you have a reliable flower chart at your disposal. See the list below to get you started, but you might want to purchase a flower encyclopedia for a more comprehensive list of options.

Remember, too, that every garden needs to be planted with the height of the mature flowers in mind. In a garden that will be viewed from one or two sides, plant shorter flowers to the front, with gradually taller blooms working towards the back. This will prevent any of your cherished blossoms from being obscured, and will give rich texture and depth to your garden’s visual characteristics. In a round garden that its admirers can walk completely around, plant shorter flowers in the front row and increase height as you work your way toward the middle. Does this seem overly complex? The truth is, when you have a list of perennials that records their expected height at full growth it becomes quite easy and very enjoyable to plan for. And when you see it come to life in spring, summer, and autumn, your pleasure at what you’ve brought about will almost know no bounds!

Okay, here’s a short list to get you started.
Spring bloomers include: Daffodil, Crocus, Iris Reticulata, Chionodoxa, Creeping phlox, Pasque flower, Lungwort and Virginia bluebells.
Late spring to early summer blossomers include: Siberian iris, German iris, Peonies, Baptisia, Coreopsis, Salvia and Candytuft, Bleeding Heart, Cranesbill, Columbine, Dianthus, Lamium, and Coral Bells.

The best choices for summer include: Hostas, Border Phlox, Black Eyed Susan, daylily varieties, Purple Coneflower, Yarrow, Indian Blanket, Boltania, Bee Balm, Bulb lilies, and Penstemon.

For autumn color, select: Assorted Sedums, Asters, Windflower, Toadlily, and Japanese Anemone.

When selecting flowers to provide a season full of color, don’t overlook annuals. They can be used to fill in bare spots, and many varieties offer hardy blooms that will continue to blossom for months!

Related Books on planning a seasonal garden

Perennials Short and Tall: A Seasonal Progression of Flowers for Your Garden (Quarry Books)

The Seasonal Flower Garden: A Practical Guide to Gardening Throughout the Year (Garden Library (Lorenz))

Joy in Your Garden: A Seasonal Guide to Gardening

Keeping the Garden in Bloom: Watering, Dead-Heading, and Other Summer Tasks (Seasonal Garden Workbook, Vol 5)

How to select garden plants

While there is more to a beautiful garden than just the plants, they are certainly the main attraction! Stones, trellises, barriers, statuary, and other items may dot your patch of paradise, but without plants you really cherish, chances are your garden won’t bring you as much pleasure as it should. Let’s take a look at how to select garden plants that will be just right for you.

First of all, do some research in plant encyclopedias or online to discover the kinds of plants you think you’ll like the most. Plants have distinct personalities, and they are always somewhat different in person than when you learn about them from a book or website. But doing some homework will be enjoyable and will get you started in a direction that will yield the best results. Make a list of plants you want, and make sure that they are suited to your region’s temperature zone and precipitation levels. You should be able to find that information in the books or on the sites you use for research.

Secondly, choose plants of various sizes and widths to create a pleasant variety in your garden. Having all short, bushy plants or all reed-thin tall ones will get a little boring! Choose a selection of ground cover plants for borders or for areas you’re not ready to develop further yet. They hold moisture in the ground and look much better than bare dirt! Pick out some short, full plants to form an inviting first row of the garden from a visual angle. Select taller plants of various widths as you consider what you will plant toward the middle of round gardens, or the back of gardens you view from only one or two sides. In considering your selections, take into account the plant’s need for sun, what time of the season it blooms, and how large/wide it should be expected to grow. We cover these topics in more depth in other guides on this site.

Thirdly, keep these important factors in mind:
• Choose plants that need similar watering requirements for each segment of the garden.
• Select only plants that look healthy and vigorous, free of pests and damage.
• Pick a blend of colors that you find attractive.
• Avoid plants that look root bound in their containers, with roots protruding from the soil.
• Plant more than just bloomers – a few varieties of Hostas or Dusty Miller complement flowers nicely.
• Don’t crowd plants too closely. Give them room to spread out and flourish!
• Wait until autumn to choose some of your bulbs. Plant them in garden spots that need filling in.
• Select herbs for the garden, and make sure to enjoy their production in the kitchen, as well!

Don’t fret about making your garden perfect – enjoy the adventure of working on it throughout the season and year by year, to tailor it to become just what you want. Keep learning, keep using a “trial and error” method to discover the plants you really connect with – that refresh your soul. The process of developing a great garden is not something to be rushed, but to be savored!

Related Books on How to select garden plants

The American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides)

American Horticultural Society Garden Plants and Flowers

50 High-Impact, Low-Care Garden Plants

The Visual Encyclopedia of Garden Plants: A practical guide to choosing the best plants for all types of garden, with 3000 entries and 950 photographs

California Native Plants for the Garden

Tough Plants for Southern Gardens

Garden Plants of Japan

Durable Plants for the Garden

Tough Plants for Southern Gardens

The Rock Garden Plant Primer: Easy, Small Plants for Containers, Patios, and the Open Garden

Western Garden Book: More than 8,000 Plants – The Right Plants for Your Climate – Tips from Western Garden Experts (Sunset Western Garden Book)

Black Plants: 75 Striking Choices for the Garden

Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants for Gardens and Landscapes

Designing California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens

Landscaping with Tropical Plants: Design Ideas, Creative Garden Plans, Cold-Climate Solutions

Cool Plants for Hot Gardens: 200 Water-Smart Choices for the Southwest

The Essential Guide to Creating a Chinese-Style Garden: Design a Landscape for the Soul in Your Own Backyard

Choosing perennial plants for your garden

Choosing perennial plants for your garden is one of the most important and enjoyable aspects of developing it. There are several factors to consider, and we’ll address them one at a time. The great thing about perennials is that they come in such a large variety of plants you’ll be sure to find a wonderful selection that will prosper in your garden with its individual characteristics.

The first consideration when choosing perennial plants is the growing zone in which you live. In the United States, the USDA Hardiness Zone Map will help gardeners decide which plants will thrive in their region without requiring protective insulation over the winter like a layer of straw. Other countries and Europe have similar charts. Here’s something to keep in mind, however. Since most gardening experts recommend that you cover your garden each winter in 3-5 inches of leaves, straw, or a compost mixture, you might be able to get away with choosing perennials with a lower hardiness rating – say one or two zones warmer at the most – than is recommended. Also, if you live in a particularly arid region, you might also want to look for drought-tolerant plants.

Secondly, with your garden designed mapped out on paper, draw in the areas of your garden that get full sun, partial sun, or mostly shade. Then choose perennial plants accordingly, since different varieties thrive in varying sun/shade conditions. Keep sun lovers out in the open and those that prefer shade underneath an obliging tree or in the shade of a climbing trellis. Too much or too little sunlight probably won’t kill plants, but it will prevent them from producing their best blossoms and growth.

Thirdly, make a list of the perennial plants the work in your Hardiness Zone and divide the list into full sun, partial sun, and full shade categories. Then, next to each plant, make a mark indicating what time of the season they bloom. Usually about 4 categories are recommended: May to early June, June to early July, July to early August, August to early September. Of course, if you live in the southern hemisphere, your chart will be different by six months! The purpose of doing this is to choose perennial plants that will deliver blooms in sequences that provide ongoing color for each section of your garden. If all your shade perennials are done by mid-summer, you’ll have to fill look at a drab section of your garden with only foliage for the rest of the season! A final trick is to balance when the perennials in each section will bloom with what color the blossoms will be, so you’ll have a blend of colors you enjoy, and nothing that clashes.

When you go to the local nursery or garden center to choose plants, take your plans with you, and a gardening book that offers lists of these categories. If one of the plants you want is not available you’ll be able to choose a substitute without making a separate trip. Before you purchase any perennial plant make sure it is in good health. Leaves should be firm and vigorous, not wilted, spotted or discolored. Look for signs of rot at the crown, where the stems protrude from the dirt. Examine the leaves, including the undersides, for pests. Don’t take home any plant that has signs of disease of pest infestation, so you won’t run the risk of spreading problems to your other garden plants.

Your perennial garden will always be a work in progress, as you try new things, move plants around, or remove those that simply don’t thrive in your garden. Enjoy the process. Read all you can on growing perennials, and talk to neighbors and friends about what works for them. Ask lots of questions of the specialists where you buy flowers. All you learn will translate into a garden you enjoy more and more with each passing year.

Plants for Pathways

Homes, apartment buildings, and schools have walkways surrounding the buildings, and these concrete paths need some beautifying! Even attractive paver stone pathways will look better when bordered by attractive blooms that complement their colors. But a major concern about plants for pathways is that they must be hardy, resilient, and tough. Think about it! These plants will get stepped on, rolled over by bicycles and perhaps wheel chairs, scooted through by dogs in pursuit of cats, and will generally take a beating. So not just any prima donna flower can survive and thrive in the tough world of pathway flower beds.

Long pathways look best lined by shorter flowers such as petunias and begonias. Trailing petunias are exceptional, in that they spread quickly and are especially durable. They are also available in a wide variety of colors, so you can match colors to fencing, pavers, or building. Annual flowers also offer a good choice for longer pathways. Marigolds are very strong and are available in several tones of yellow, gold, orange, and red. They also grow in a range of heights so you have the opportunity to use creativity to line your pathways. Other fantastic annual flowers that will serve you well along your pathways include Alyssum, Nicotiana and Snap dragon.

Ground cover plants offer another good choice for lining pathways, sidewalks, and heavily trafficked areas. Stonecrop, miniature rush, creeping wire, and blue star creeper are favorites of professional landscapers given the task of keeping something growing and flowering where bikes, feet, bouncing balls, animals, and other dangers lurk. Dianthus comes in several colors, including the award-winning Corona Cherry Magic Mix. These will endure what comes their way, and keep bouncing back to look beautiful yet another day. Blanket flowers are not quite as durable, but come in a rainbow of stunning colors and will provide special visual interest along sidewalks, pathways, and even driveways. Long-lasting and drought tolerant, they will look great with a minimal amount of care.

Resiliency and durability are not the only characteristics for great pathway plants. If you can find hardy plants that are offer a fragrant experience to the many that pass by them, it will certainly be appreciated. Lavender is an excellent example. Its gorgeous leaves and blooms, in robust plants reaching up to 2 feet high, form a wonderful outline to any path. Lavender, white, pink and purple blooms are available, and will deliver the goods all summer long.

Your pathway gardens will require extra attention and care, but choosing the right plants will keep them blooming and thriving when other plants would have given up the fight. Make sure that they have the moisture they need, plenty of compost in the soil for optimum health, and even some mulch which will protect their roots and stems.

How to Mulch

If you enjoy gardening it is likely you feel a responsibility toward your garden that makes you take steps to keep it free of weeds, disease, and pests. You love your plants and want them to be healthy and prosperous, so you make sure they have quality soil full of nutrients and the proper amount of moisture, and are positioned to receive the amount of sunlight that is right for them. Another asset in long-term plant and garden health is mulch. Let’s take a look at how to mulch your garden for the best results.

The first step in mulching your garden is to understand the value of mulch. It is organic material such as wood, hay, straw, leaves, compost, or a mixture of these, that is used to surround plants for various reasons. A thick layer of mulch surrounding your perennials, shrubs, and young trees yields a number of important benefits. First, mulch ultimately feeds your plants. As mulch breaks down into pure compost, it releases valuable minerals and nutrients into the soil where they are absorbed by plants. Secondly, a thick layer of mulch slows the evaporation of water. In the heat of summer, or in dry climates, mulch will hold moisture in the soil protecting root structures from drying out. The mulch will also allow for deeper penetration of moisture, to enable deeper root growth and development. That will produce a healthier, more stable plant. Thirdly, mulch will keep down the weeds, since it smothers growth and blocks out sunlight. Next, quality mulch will keep diseases and pests from attacking your plants’ root structures. Finally, quality mulch may actually look very nice around your plants.

The next step is to choose the type of mulch you will use. Completely organic mulch that you create in your own yard is best, but not always possible. Such mulch would include wood chips, leaves and compost, and perhaps hay or straw. Manufactured mulches employ hardwood chips, compost, manure, and possibly hay, and work very well to produce the results we’ve mentioned. It can be found at garden centers and nurseries, either in 40-50lb bags, or it can be delivered by the truck full.

Thirdly, apply mulch to your garden after all the planting is done. A three to four inch layer will produce the healthiest environment for plants. The layer of mulch should extend as far from the plant as the roots extend. For perennials, 3-4 inches is enough. For shrubs, extend the mulch 7-10 inches from the plant base, more for trees and large bushes.

Don’t overlook the need to mulch your garden. Mulch is inexpensive, especially if you make your own, and will as an asset to a healthy, gorgeous garden from the first signs of growth in the spring until you rest your garden for the winter.

How to Weed your Garden

Weeds are a fact of life that every gardener must deal with. In fields, weeds may often be lovely, providing beautiful blooms and rich color. Many wild flowers are considered weeds when they are growing where they are unwanted. In the garden we want our chosen blossoms to thrive unhindered, so controlling the weeds is a necessity. Since plants designated weeds often grow more rapidly and multiply more quickly, without oversight they can invade the garden and threaten the health of existing plants. In addition, plant-destroying bugs are often drawn first to the garden by flowering weeds, another reason to eliminate them quickly.

The first step in having a weed-free garden is to mark all of your perennials in the autumn, before you cut them back or they die back naturally. The reason for this is simple – when things start to grow in the spring, sometimes while still covered with the protective layer of leaves we apply, or even covered with snow, it can be difficult to determine which plants are weeds and which are our perennials. Waiting until the plants are large enough to be identified by leaf or bloom may mean the weeds go to seed and multiply their presence. If the plants you want are clearly marked, then in the spring you may simply pull up everything else.

Secondly, as new weeds pop up, remove them as soon as you notice them. Again, some weeds are capable of producing seeds very quickly, and allowing this to happen will make things harder for you in the future. Weeds that send out creeping vines that root can also be very invasive, perhaps spreading in and among your perennials. Uprooting them at that time creates the danger of also uprooting your flowers. So, several times a week, give your garden a “once over” looking just for weeds. That way you won’t be distracted by pretty new blooms or a shrub branch the needs pruning, or any of the other little details that can grab out attention.

Thirdly, when weeds have gotten a foothold near plants we want to keep, use extra caution in removing them. Always keep a small hand cultivator with you, and use it to carefully loosen the soil around the weed. Dig, loosen the soil, and gently pull. If it doesn’t come out, dig a bit deeper, loosen and pull. You’ll soon have it in hand. If weed roots are intertwined with your perennial roots, it is better to remove some of the flower’s root system to eradicate the weed. Otherwise, in time, you’ll probably lose the entire perennial to the weed.

Finally, use natural mulch around your plants as a way of keeping down the weeds. The mulch will smother any starter weeds you can’t see, and will keep others from springing up.

Weeds that have been removed from your garden should be disposed of by burning, if allowable, or by bagging them carefully and adding to the waste that is carried off your property. Never add weeds to your compost pile, to avoid inadvertently spreading them into your garden when you use the compost. Follow these steps and your garden plants won’t be competing for sun and nutrients with invasive weeds, and will thank you for your weeding efforts by looking their best the whole growing season!

How to Start your Garden Design

If you are planning a new garden and are considering how to design it, remember it is always wise to begin with the end in mind! What kind of garden do you want to have when it is completed? Are you hoping to achieve a minimalist look in which each plant has plenty of space and invites attention? Do you prefer a fuller look with more crowding, more color, and an overall effect of abundance? In the former scenario, you’ll tend to choose unique, stand alone plants with lots of individual character. If the latter description fits you better, you’ll select more upright plants that blend well with others, to create a pleasing variety of sizes and colors. Of course, many choose the middle road, and eclectic mix of plants that suit their fancy while co-existing very nicely together. Follow these basic steps and you’ll achieve a garden you enjoy caring for and you simply love to be around.

First, put your garden design on paper, for like with many things, success begins on the drawing board. Use graph paper and sketch out what you want your garden to look like, using one or two squares per foot of garden space. Draw in natural elements such as existing trees and man-made elements like patios or walk ways. Consider what types of plants you desire in each section, whether perennials, annuals, flowering shrubs, or perhaps ground cover or herbs.

Secondly, balance two things, color and size. Make sure that colors that are growing next to one another complement each other, rather than clashing with one another. Secondly, keep size issues in perspective. A large, spreading bush might completely overshadow a small perennial with delicate blossoms if grown next door to each other. Therefore, choose plants the will work well side by side. In this discussion, we’ll also remind you that it is important to know when the flowers you choose to use bloom. Daisies and others bloom for months. That makes them an awesome garden choice. Others bloom for only a week or two. Be sure to select flowers for each section of the garden that bloom at different times, so you won’t end up with any bare spots as spring turns to summer and then autumn.

The third basic step is to evaluate your soil and improve it if needed. A soil testing kit is an essential part of good gardening. It will allow you to determine the pH balance – the potential Hydrogen balance – of the soil, which determines whether the soil is too alkaline, too acidic, or just right. Most plants grow well in the middle of the spectrum, but knowing the exact makeup of your soil will allow you to add acidity or lower it for plants that do better with one or the other. Be sure to see our guides “How to Test and Adjust Soil pH” and “How to Improve the Quality of the Soil” for all the details.

Next, choose a theme for your garden. Victorian English gardens will employ different plants than a Japanese garden. Low moisture areas will have more succulents than rainy, moist climates. Know your tastes, your climate, and the amount of time you have to devote to the garden, and you’ll discover a style that is right. Keep in mind this basic principle: when a garden has one or two primary angles from which it can be viewed, keep taller, bushier plants to the back. When the garden can be viewed from 3 or more angles, keep the taller plants to the middle, working your way toward the edges with successively shorter plants.

The final step is to get out into the yard and dig some dirt! Put your plans into practice and use our other guides to give you easy to follow directions every step of the way! You’ll end up with a garden you look forward to visiting and working in every day.

How to Improve the Quality of the Soil

Of course, the first step to making your soil healthier is to know what condition it is in. While most gardening or nursery centers will test your soil for you, the process requires only a simple, inexpensive soil testing kit, and can easily be done right out in your garden. If your enjoy gardening, then pick up a soil testing kit and become a DIY soil agent! That testing kit will measure the pH balance of your dirt, which stands for “potential Hydrogen,” and will let you know if there is a proper balance on the alkaline/acidity spectrum. If acidity is high, you will want to add calcium to the soil, in the form of lime. The key to producing healthy soil is to add large amounts of compost, which naturally brings pH into balance by moderating acids and boosting alkaline levels.

There’s more to high quality soil than pH balance. You also need soil that will hold some moisture, but not too much. In other words, sand is not good growing soil because water drains through it quickly before plants can absorb the moisture they need. At the other extreme, soil that is composed of too much clay will hold water against plant roots and will eventually produce rot, mold, or other conditions which threaten plants. If you have soil at either end of the range, the second step is to turn over the top 6 to 8 inches of soil and add to it a large dose of compost, mulch, and rich, dark, top soil. Turn, mix, and stir the soil until a new, healthy bed has been produced. Recheck the pH balance, and take measures to fix it, if needed.

The third step is to optimize the biology of the soil. Healthy soil is jam-packed with living organisms that affect plant growth. Good bacteria break down soil elements to provide good nutrition to plants. Therefore, it is wise to add organic elements that contain large amounts or living organisms. Quality manure from cattle, horses or rabbits contain high amounts of good bacteria. Find local, inexpensive sources of these manures and start by adding a little bit at a time to the soil, and see how plants respond. As the farmer or animal raiser you get the manure from what their suggestions are. In all likelihood, they use the manure on their own garden and will be a great source of helpful advice.

Compost is essential to soil health, so the fourth step is to have a quality compost pile going at all times. See our guides on compost for all of the details. The wonderful thing about compost is that it takes things normally thought of as waste – dead leaves, flower clipping and pruning material, and kitchen vegetable scraps – and turns them into the very life-blood of your garden. Savvy gardeners realize that nothing organic is ever waste, but can always be used to grow the next generation of flowers, shrubs, vegetables, or herbs.

The final step is to add mulch or ground cover around trees and shrubs that need higher water content. Mulch holds in moisture, so the roots of the plant have more opportunity to absorb it. Ground cover plants keep the hot sun off soil, which prevents the dirt from drying out before the larger shrubs and trees can make use of the water.

Improving the soil will lead to healthier more productive plants. It requires some trial and error, but by the end of the first or second gardening season, you’ll feel like a soil quality professional!

How to Develop your Garden on a Budget

These days, all of us are looking for ways to get more for less, and when it comes to starting a garden and developing it to maturity, this happens also to be the BEST way of doing it. There are two reasons for this. First, when starting a garden on an unlimited budget, we can be far too likely to purchase too many plants. Gardens should be started with fewer plants that are allowed a season or two to establish their place in the garden. You’ll also learn how to best care for them when there are fewer that require your attention, and along the way they will become old friends. Secondly, when the budget is large, the tendency to use store-bought fertilizers is greater. The long-term health of your garden is dependent on developing natural, organic fertilizer to feed your flowering friends. So, be glad for a limited budget and enjoy the process of slowly developing a fantastic garden that will mean so much more to you in the end.

The first step to developing a garden on a budget is to be very discriminating in your choice of plants. As you consider what you will plant, read widely on plants that grow well in your climate zone. Talk to gardening friends about their favorite plants, and why they appreciate them. Spend time at a local nursery walking among the perennial flowers and bushes, studying their characteristics and asking lots of questions of the nursery plant specialists. You’ll discover that each plant species has its own personality, and with careful consideration you’ll be able to choose plants that you will truly enjoy nurturing and tending to.

Secondly, and related to the first step, find gardening friends who are willing to divide some of their plants and share them with you. You’ll have the added pleasure of knowing you received your plant from a fellow gardening enthusiast, which will strengthen a friendship while offering the plants you desire.

The third step involves vegetables in the garden. Ask your family which veggies they will most enjoy, and then stick to those options. That way, what you grow won’t go to waste, and you’ll get all your money’s worth from the plants you choose. This is especially true if you plan to spend a little more to get starter plants like tomatoes, peppers, broccoli or seed potatoes. With vegetables and flowers, start with seeds whenever you can to further reduce expenses.

The next step is to start a compost pile so that you never have to buy expensive fertilizers. See our guide on composting for complete information. For starters, save your non-meat kitchen scraps and your garden or yard waste. Pile these together in a corner using a border of hay bales, chicken wire, or old lumber. Add a 10 to 1 mix of brown material like dead leaves and green material like grass clippings. Stir up the mixture, soak it with water, and wait until it fully decays into compost. Then use it to feed your growing vegetables, perennials, shrubs, and more. Along these lines, find a local rabbit raiser, and ask for rabbit manure, which is an outstanding source of organic fertilizer!

Finally, look for multi-purpose plants to grow. Herbs often boast beautiful, usually small and delicate flowers that are aesthetically appealing. The bonus is that they can be used to add zest to any meal made in the kitchen. Some flowers, like violas, pansies, bachelor buttons, and even roses may be eaten, too, if you are really adventurous!

In the end, you’ll be glad you had a limited budget, because the process of developing it will be more intimate, more hands on, and you’ll have more energy and emotion invested in this wonderful process.