Gardening Tips 1-50

1. When designing a garden, consider garden usage, year-round qualities and maintenance.

2. Plant specimen plants in places where they’ll be noticed most.

3. Apply compost to your garden about two to four weeks before you plant.

4. In gardens with limited space, consider the use of planters and containers.

5. Add soil conditioners such as compost and double dig when creating new garden beds.

6. Juxtapose colors, shapes and sizes to create interest in your planting plan.

7. Plants which are borderline hardy will do better in a sunny, sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.

8. During dry spells, deep watering your trees and shrubs with help them remain healthy.

9. Adding too much organic matter when planting discourage roots growing outside the original hole.

10. Shrubs that produce berries, such as viburnum, add color and attract birds to the winter garden.

11. A plant’s silhouette becomes a prominent garden feature in winter and provides visual interest during the off season.

12. Evergreens are wonderful for year-round interest in the garden.

13. Shrubs, such as hydrangea, add variety and long lasting flowers to the perennial garden.

14. Ornamental grass planted in the perennial border acts as a wonderful backdrop and provide colorful seed heads in fall and winter.

15. Prune those plants which bloom in the spring immediately prior to blooming.

16. Native plants are low maintenance as they've adapted to even the most harsh conditions.

17. Deadhead spend rhododendron blooms to encourage more flowers for the following spring.

18. Check moisture of container plants often in the summer as potting soil can dry out quickly.

19. A tree’s bark, which is often over looked, can be a colorful of textural asset during the winter.

20. Watering is crucial to the success of transplanted trees and shrubs.

21. Water your gardens and plants in the early morning or at dusk to save water.

22. Deadheading spent blooms encourages annuals to flower all season long.

23. Hydangeas, rose-of-Sharon and summersweet are wonderful summer blooming shrubs.

24. Whenever possible use natural and organic fertilizers such as compost.

25. Aerating a well used, compacted lawn will allow water, air and nutrients to reach the lawn's roots.

26. Some perennials, such as black eyed Susan, form wonderful seed heads which can provide your garden with winter interest.

27. Morning sun is more beneficial than afternoon sun.

28. Fertilize your gardens and lawn before a rainfall whenever possible.

29. Hydrangeas are a wonderful addition to your garden for dramatic summer flowers.

30. Because of its less than ideal texture and the potential for weed seeds and insects, avoid using garden soil in containers.

31. Base your plant selection on an initial site analysis. Become familiar with your garden’s sun/shade conditions, soil quality, etc.

32. Don’t deadhead your hydrangeas; the fading blooms are attractive all winter.

33. Native plants are often suited to areas with poor soils.

34. Water well before and after applying mulch to give your plants a healthy start.

35. Asters, chrysanthemums and sedum ”autumn joy” add fall color to a perennial garden.

36. Bare rooted plants should be soaked in water for several hours to prepare them for planting.

37. Prepare flower beds by tilling in plenty of organic material.

38. A hydrangea's color can be manipulated with the soil pH. Acid soils result in blue and purple while alkaline soils result in shades of pink.

39. Top dress your gardens with compost and gently work it into the soil in the spring to keep your soil rich.

40. Groundcovers, such as vinca or ivy, will often grow where other plants won‘t.

41. Avoid fertilizing during the fall or the winter.

42. Wildflower meadows are low maintenance, colorful and environmentally friendly.

43. Tall perennials with large flowers tend to fall over after rain showers and should be staked.

44. Annual are generally more maintenance than perennials but will bloom all season long.

45. Perennials are considered either early, mid or late season bloomers and return year after year.

46. Sandy soils often lack nutrients and can dry out quickly and will benefit from the addition of compost and peat moss.

47. Clay soils are easily compacted and are poorly drained and will benefit from the addition of compost and sand.

48. Create a compost pile where you can toss your garden clippings, mowed grass and weeds.

49. Compost is a great soil additive as it help builds up organic matter and nutrients.

50. Plant fragrant shrubs, such “Korean spice” viburnum, along walkways and adjacent to patios.

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Related Articles: Spring Gardening, Summer Gardening, Fall Gardening, Winter Gardening