Gardening Tips 301-365

301. Consider using spotlights to draw attention to attractive specimen plants, garden structures, sculptures or fountains.

302. Large specimen plants, such as the weeping beech or the larch, are most effective when planted on their own.

303. Weeping varieties of cherry, beech and birch make very dramatic specimen plants.

304. A sunny location will bring out colors of the wet stones and pebbles in your water garden.

305. Climbing plants, such as clematis, ivy, climbing hydrangea and Virginia creeper, add a colorful vertical dimension to your garden.

306. Landscape lighting makes your garden more attractive during summer evenings and gives it a beautiful look during the winter. Lit-up snow scenes are wonderful.

307. Containers and planters are not just for flowers, they're also suitable for specimen trees and shrubs.

308. A compost pile may be too hot if it turns grey and smokes. Turn and spread it out to cool the compost down.

309. Deadheading, the pruning off of spent blooms, is essential to the continuous flowering of annuals.

310. Spend a winter's day leafing through garden catalogs to get ideas for the upcoming season

311. Plan new garden project and design new gardens during the winter so you'll be prepared in the spring.

312. It is best to plant your roses between spring and early summer so that they have time to establish themselves before winter.

313. Roses don't like to be crowded, so give them adequate space to grow.

314. Biennial plants complete their life cycle in two growing seasons. The first season they'll grow roots and leaves. During the second year they'll produce flowers which then turn to seed.

315. Learn to identify a bulb's noses from their basal plates, and plant them heads up.

316. Double-digging is the process of removing the top layer of garden soil, loosening the layer beneath, and then returning the top layer.

317. Salad greens which are heat tolerant include lettuces, chervil, mustard and orache.

318. Salad greens which are tolerant of the cold include arugula, curly endive, mustard, spinach, escarole and chervil.

319. Salad greens which are fast growing include arugula, cress, lettuces, mustard and curly endive.

320. Salad greens which have a long season include beets, chard and sorrel.

321. Add some bone meal fertilizer as you plant your bulbs.

322. If you plant a large number of bulbs dig up the entire area rather than individual holes.

323. Late winter is the ideal time to prune fruit trees.

324. While pruning, avoid twisting your shears as you cut because you will injure the plant as well as your shears.

325. A hedge should be clipped while the new growth is still light green.

326. Plant salad greens as soon as you can work the ground.

327. To create a living screen, plant your shrubs 2 feet apart.

328. A south facing patio which receives sun all day may benefit from a trellis or small tree which could provide shade to a portion of the space.

329. Prune back autumn blooming clematis as the new buds begin to form in the spring.

330. Formal pavers or bluestone are recommended for patios which are used to entertain often.

331. When digging out lawn to make way for a new garden, don‘t throw away the sod. It contains all kinds of nutrients and makes a great addition to the compost pile.

332. Its always best to plan a garden on paper before planting.

333. Steer clear of exceedingly symmetrical designs since they can end up looking quite boring.

334. Simple designs often create the most successful gardens so try to limit the number of plant species and paving material used in garden.

335. Avoid over planting in your garden; though it may look a bit sparse early on, you'll avoid overcrowding in the future.

336. Shrubs in an entrance garden should be placed where they won't interfere views or touch the house when they mature.

337. Roses are heavy feeders and require several fertilizer applications over the course of the season.

338. Mint, though very easy to grow, can be invasive and can take over a garden. Surrounding the mint with a barrier 6 - 12 inches deep in the ground will help prevent this.

339. Prior to planting roses, remove any dead leaves and prune off any unhealthy looking or decaying stems.

340. When planting trees or shrubs, dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball.

341. Use specimen shrubs sparingly in your garden in order to avoid the “one of everything“ look.

342. Locate your vegetable garden where there is easy access to water.

343. Avoid planting fast growing evergreens in front of windows as they'll need constant pruning or will quickly block out the sun.

344. Rejuvenation pruning is ideally done just before the onset of new growth in spring.

345. Avoid pruning newly planted trees.

346. Do not paint cuts or wounds of any size.

347. Maintain a plant's natural shape when pruning.

348. Compost steeped in water creates a compost “tea”, a nutrient-rich liquid that can be used for watering containerized plants or plants in the garden.

349. Fast growing deciduous shrubs, such as forsythia, lilacs, honeysuckle and privet, should be pruned annually.

350. Do not mow turf that is under stress and avoid mowing in the mid-day sun.

351. Numerous native trees and shrubs have outstanding ornamental value and versatility in virtually all landscape designs.

352. Most natives are very durable, adaptable to varied growing conditions, and require minimal care if properly sited and maintained.

353. Don't bag your grass clippings. They contain lots of nitrogen as well as other necessary nutrients.

354. Add lime to your compost pile to reduce is acidity.

355. Reserve a pot in your container garden for herbs, such as mint or basil, for use in cooking and teas.

356. Container gardens can be rearranged over the course of a season giving your garden a fresh look.

357. Topiary plants are a great way to provide a patio with unique character.

358. Don't allow your window boxes to dry out, check them often during hot weather.

359. Deadhead potted annuals just as you annuals in the garden. This will encourage season long blooming.

360. Tread gently through the garden in spring to avoid crushing newly emerging plants

361. Hanging pots with trailing ivy or flowers is a terrific way to add color to a porch or deck.

362. Be sure to rinse off your tools after each use to avoid corrosion.

363. Tomato cages are an effective tool for propping up your plants. Place them in the garden as you plant them; the tomatoes will grow through the cage.

364. Potted herbs, such as lavender or basil, can provide a sitting area with pleasant aromas.

365. Have fun!

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