Every homeowner wants a garden that he or she can be proud of, and for most this means having a nice vegetable or flower garden. To make a garden look optimal, however, work is required.
Read on to find a basic gardening checklist that gives homeowners an idea of what they need to do to ensure the health and beauty of their plants.
Make sure there is enough sunlight
Most garden plants need full sun. This means that homeowners whose yards have many trees must do everything they can to prune them so that their garden plants are not shaded. Hiring a tree service in Portland can help.
Water often
Every garden plant has different needs when it comes to water, but everyone needs moist soil. It's usually best to feel the soil to assess how wet it is, rather than just thoughtlessly following an irrigation schedule. If the floor sticks together and can be formed into a ball, it is wet enough. If it breaks, feels dry or looks hard, it's time to give the garden extra love.
Feed the plants
Gardeners should use compost and fertilizer to ensure that their plants get the nutrients they need. Most garden plants need to be fed at least once a month. Landscape plants may need to be fed less frequently. However, it is best to examine the nutritional needs of each species of plant.
Get rid of weeds
Weeding garden beds doesn't just make them look good. It also prevents unwanted plants from competing for nutrients, water and sun.
Put mulch down
A good way to weed every day is to put mulch around garden plants. Mulching can also help save water by keeping the soil cool and moist in the hottest months of the year.
Remove dead leaves
When annuals sow seeds and perennials die for the season, homeowners should remove the dead leaves from their gardens. Cut off dead leaves or remove the entire plant if it has survived an entire season. Then add the foliage to the compost to bring the nutrients back into the soil.
Add new soil as needed
Gardeners who use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, do not mulch their beds, or suffer severe flooding may need to add more soil to their gardens if they erode. If you use direct sowing and maintain healthy soil microbiomes, you don't have to worry about erosion.
Keep perennials under control
Some perennial plants spread widely, so it's important for gardeners to keep them under control. Cut them back and divide the roots as needed. The roots can usually be replanted in pots or elsewhere in the garden and can give good gifts to other garden enthusiasts.
Fight pests
Regardless of whether they use conventional gardening practices or opt for a purely organic diet, gardeners must develop pest control strategies. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the best way to control pests because it promotes non-toxic and less toxic methods, but balances the desire to keep ecosystems healthy against the need to eradicate problematic insects.
The bottom line
A healthy, beautiful garden is an asset to any home. Those who love getting their hands dirty think gardening is also a great way to relax and unwind. Just make sure you hire a specialist to do dangerous jobs like pruning trees.
