How to Keep Your Garden Healthy and Thriving
There is nothing worse than spending a lot of time and effort on your vegetable garden, only to find that your plants barely survived, let alone produced anything. It’s true, some years you aren’t going to get a great harvest because of the weather or other conditions. But you can do more to keep your garden healthy so you can enjoy it.
Here are a few tips to help you look after your garden better.
Water Correctly
Two of the biggest gardening mistakes you can make are to under or over water your plants. Overwatering can lead to rotting roots, disease, and harmful fungi. Underwatering can stress your plants and lead to a lower yield or even death.
Research the needs of your plants and create a watering schedule. Check the soil before you water. Try to water in the early morning or lte in the evening so your plants absorb the water more effectively, especially in the heat of summer.
Pest Control
Sometimes you’re looking after your plants perfectly well, but something else is eating the produce before you. Pests are a gardener’s worst enemy, as they kill plants and eat fruit and veg.
Mesh can protect your plants from larger pests like birds and rats. But what about bugs? Bug sprays and homemade solutions can deter bugs while making sure the plants are okay to eat. You can also introduce other bugs that eat these pests, such as ladybugs to deal with aphids.
If your efforts aren’t working, it might be helpful to call a professional pest control company to deal with them and provide specific advice.
Compost
Much like everything else, plants need food. They get energy from the sun, but they also need nutrients from the soil to help them stay healthy and grow strong. Compost is a great place to start, and you can create your own using plant scraps.
They break down and create a nutrient-rich compost for your plants. You can also use plant food like fish blood and bone to add some extra nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil.
When using compost, always wear gloves and try to keep it off your skin. Some compost smells bad and can stain. Also, beware of nitrogen burn, which is when your plants are too well-fed and not watered properly.
Weeds and Leaves
Plants need a clear space to grow without competition. If you do everything right and water and feed your plants, you will also make a great environment for weeds. Unfortunately, weeds often outgrow plants and can steal space and resources, so it’s up to you to remove them without harming your plants.
Leaves can also fall on your plants and block areas, especially during the fall months. Use a leaf blower to clean up a lot of leaves and clear areas, and then compost the leaves. If you have a lot of trees, look for the best battery powered leaf blowers that can keep working for a long time.
