Who Else Would Like To Improve Their Backyard Harvest? Tom Johnson A manageable, well looked after more compact garden is just as rewarding as a large one. You need exactly the same two things - a slice of real down home know-how and large amounts of determination. The Happy Home Gardener has put together six simple tips to assist in keeping your gardening by the yard in good shape and good looking. 1. Deadheading. Make an effort to have all of your plants free from dead flowers and withered leaves by deadheading. All this involves is the separation of spent flowers and dried up leaves, this simple task will encourage your plants to grow more flowers for more prolonged time periods. There are very few plants that don't gain from having dead flowers removed... they will grin and so will you. 2. Nip out your tops. Many foliage plants will respond favorably to having their tops pinched out, it encourages them to be more prolific and bushy. Some flower producing plants like Fuchsias are inclined to become leggy unless they are nipped off. So the law of the green thumb is - if it's looking lean and straggly, pinch off the tops and notice it bush out. 3. Use a small amount of fertilizer. A tiny amount of fertilizer will help in additionally aiding the progress of your valuable plants. However if you irrigate your garden frequently, you will have to fertilize more often because water exhausts the nutrients. An application of liquid fertilizer incorporating seaweed every few weeks is thought more helpful than granulated fertilizer as it is more freely taken up by the roots and leaves. Container plants will reward you with a healthy grin if a fifty fifty solution of the same liquid fertilizer is put on regularly. 4. Get the weeds out. One of the best ways to boost the beauty of your garden by the yard is to do a regular weed patrol. The fact is, weeds compete with all your other plants for both nutrients and moisture. My own approach is to get rid of weeds completely, don't use them for compost or mulch because you are at risk of re-contamination. If you think you need to use a weedkiller, try to get the type with a wick applicator, rather than any sort of spray. This will shield your best plants from spray-drift. 5. Keep them well watered. One excellent tip is to give your garden a thorough soaking once a week instead of shallow watering more often, always ensuring that you don't permit run-off which will lead to erosion. This deep watering will assist the growth of healthier, deeper roots that will be more able to withstand any dry spells of weather. 6. Take a stand against chemicals. Chemicals are very hazardous to pets, humans and will kill most, if not all, the natural predators of the pests in your garden, so avoid them if possible and only use them carefully as a final resort. A small amount of study will show there are lots of organic substitutes that work just as well and are much less harmful for the environment. These six easy tips are good advice to keep your garden by the yard in good shape and make it the envy of your friends and neighbors. About the Author Tom Johnson is a enthusiastic home gardener with a desire to help others understand what happiness and fulfillment gardening can bring to their lives. For more tips and tricks get our FREE Report. Tom Johnson may be contacted at http://thehappyhomegardener.com. Click here to view more articles by Tom Johnson. Reprinted with Permission from IdeaMarketers.com
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