Gardening Tips 251-300

252. Dead wood is generally lighter in color than living wood. Follow a dead branch to where it intersects with living wood and make your cut.

253. Loosen the roots of root bound plants before planting them. Root bound plants are generally sold in pots and have a very dense and tangled root ball.

254. Plots which slope slightly to the south or east are ideal locations for vegetable gardens as they catch sunshine early and hold it late and are somewhat protected from northern winds.

255. When planning a vegetable garden find a sunny spot which gets at least 6-8 hours of sun each day.

256. Plan your vegetable garden so there's always something ready to harvest. Its best to have at least some variety throughout the season rather than too much at any one time.

257. Raised beds are a great solution for gardens with poorly drained soil.

258. A garden with north to south rows will receive morning sun on one end and afternoon sun on the other and is suited to low growing vegetables. East to west rows favor taller plants.

259. Flowers that are cut in full bloom tend last the longest.

260. Rich, well drained soil is essential for a successful flower garden.

261. Placing stepping stone in the flower garden will help prevent soil compaction around your plants.

262. The best time to rejuvenate a thinning lawn is in the fall, while the weather is cooler.

263. Newly seeded lawn should not be allowed to dry out completely.

264. Bulbs such as crocus and scilla are wonderful for naturalizing your landscape.

265. When planting your flowers be sure not to plant too deep or too shallow. The top of the existing root ball should be level with the garden.

266. When designing your garden, consider a plant’s bark, silhouette, seed pods or berries for winter interest.

267. Consider introducing native shrubs into your landscape to give your garden a sense of place. They're also quite low maintenance.

268. The greater the diversity of plants in your garden, the greater then potential of attracting birds and other wildlife.

269. Birds use trees and shrubs are as nesting sites and protection from predators.

270. Plants such as garlic, onions, chives planted in the garden help repel insects.

271. Consider reducing the size of your lawn to make room for more shrubs and flowers. You'll be adding color to your garden and reducing the need for maintenance.

272. When dividing perennials be sure to replant them as soon as possible; never let them dry out.

273. Perennials you should avoid dividing include butterfly weed, euphorbia, oriental poppy, baby's breath, false indigo and columbine.

274. Pay attention to recommended spacing, planting vegetables too close together can cause rot.

275. Stake tall evergreen shrubs in the fall to protect their limbs from winter snow.

276. Shake snow off of tall evergreens, such as arborvitae, after snow storms.

277. Start a new garden journal.

278. Buy yourself a new, high quality garden tool.

279. Stones are a great way to add a natural sculptural element to your garden.

280. By locating water gardens away from deciduous trees you’ll avoid the build up of leaves in the fall.

281 When transplanting trees be sure to replant them at the same depth they were originally.

282. Plant slow growing evergreen for a low maintenance garden.

283. Turn over a compost pile with a pitch fork every few weeks to allow air to circulate within the pile.

284. Seaweed is remarkably nutrient rich and makes a great addition to your compost pile.

285. To keep your lawn healthy, remember to sharpen your mower blades periodically.

286. If you want to collect a flower's seeds, stop deadheading at the end of the season. Once the flowers are dead, cut them and allow them to dry.

287. Occasionally lubricate tools with moving parts, such as pruning shears, with light machine oil.

288. An area of your lawn with high traffic may benefit from the installation of stepping stones. Grass doesn’t grow well in compacted soil.

289. Most established lawns require one inch of water per week from rain or sprinkling.

290. Fall is a great time plant new shrubs in the garden.

291. Keeping your gardens weed free reduces the competition between flowers for water and nutrients.

292. Container gardens and hanging baskets require more water and fertilizer than other plants.

293. Dried hydrangea flowers look wonderful in the garden and also make great cut flowers.

294. Avoid pruning spring blooming bushes such as azaleas, rhododendrons, lilacs after mid-summer so that they can begin developing buds for next spring.

295. Drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses water directly to the root zone and as result use far less water than sprinklers.

296. To add color to shady places in your garden, choose annuals such as fuchsia, impatiens, begonias, and caladiums.

297. Cut back your perennials in the fall to save time in the spring.

298. Vegetables such as kale, cabbage, parsnips and carrots actually become sweeter after a frost.

299. When lighting a patio, place bright lights carefully as they will attract flying insects.

300. Up lighting trees with interesting shapes, such as beech or river birch, is a great way to add character to the evening landscape.

Previous | 1-50 | 51-100 | 101-150 | 151-200 | 201-250 | 301-365 | Next

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