Making a ‘volcano’ mistake while gardening could have your plants overrun by pests – follow our method instead
GROWING the garden of your dreams can be even easier than you think if you follow some pro tips to avoid disasters in the dirt.
Keeping unwanted bugs at bay will also make for some very pleased plants.
Experts at the Home Depot share the best ways to take care of your outdoor garden, starting with adding a two to four-inch layer of mulch.
This will help to prevent uncontrollable weeds while conserving moisture at the same time.
Just beware of letting the mulch touch the stems and more importantly, avoid mounding the mulch like a ‘volcano’ as this will only attract insects and even promotes disease.
For best results, just spread a few inches of organic mulch around the roots of each plant instead.
To make the most of your gardening space, it’s also time to get to know your soil.
The best soil is rich, black in color, full of organic matter, and yes, even home to worms.
For more soil success, they suggest adding organic compost and worm castings to your planting area.
Fertilizer is another pro tip if you want to give your plants an added boost – just make sure to start in early spring.
In order to make sure you are treating your radishes or other plants right, you can educate yourself on what kind of soil you have by performing an at-home soil test.
Some varieties, like blueberries for example, thrive better in more acidic soil.
It’s also important to keep your plants, especially your vegetable kinds, hydrated – they are, after all, heavy drinkers.
Signs of under-watering include dry soil and wilted leaves in the midday heat.
They advise minimizing evaporation by watering plants in the morning – make sure to pay extra attention to the roots of your plants by watering slowly and deeply.
For maximum efficiency, they also sell affordable drip irrigation kits using collected rainwater.
Their best-selling Dig raised bed garden drip irrigation kit sells for $44.97 and includes a drip line as well as built-in drippers.
The kit also contains all of the parts needed to cover up to ten vegetable rows up to 50 feet long.
Buyers were loving how the kit was giving their gardens a boost.
“The raised bed irrigation system was easy to install and all the necessary components were included in the process,” wrote one purchaser.
“Easy to deliver a variety of water needs all on the same system,” said another customer.
Easy gardening tips to save money, maximize space, and repel pests
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- Banana peels, vinegar, and coffee grounds are often recommended as natural fertilizers.
- Dollar Tree sells four packs of seeds for $1.25.
- Try a vertical planter like Amazon’s Mr. Stacky 5 Tier Stackable Planter, $35 to make more use of a small space.
- Use netting like the Garden Netting Pest Barrier, $8, from Amazon to keep away bugs that eat your vegetables.
- Try sacrificial planting to reduce the use of pesticides and keep pests away from your garden. Deliberately growing certain plants to attract agricultural pests can keep them away from the plants you want to protect. Examples include marigolds, lavender, catnip, and chives.
- For pesky weeds in your garden, the Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand-Up Weed Puller Tool with Long Handles, $45, from Amazon is a helpful tool you can use without having to bend over.