While people use their backyards for just about everything, reserving at least part of it for a garden can fun and rewarding. Whether you grow flowers to dazzle guests or vegetables to feed the family, gardening is a challenging hobby that, with the right knowledge and tools (and a little luck), can become one of the most enriching hobbies you have.
Whether you are planting your garden on Lake Spivey or in suburban Fayetteville, there are three secrets to keeping it healthy and thriving: soil, sunlight and saturation.
Soil
Every bit of soil is different. The soil in your backyard may even be different than that of your neighbors. Knowing the type of soil in your yard (sandy, clay or loamy) can make a massive impact on the health of your garden. For instance, asters can thrive in clay, while dog’s tooth violet needs loamy soil.
In addition, plants like azaleas like acidic soil, while geraniums like alkaline ground. A test kit can help you determine what kind of soil you have, and gardening experts can help you figure out what additives your soil needs.
Sunlight
It’s a common misconception among new gardeners that plants need as much sunlight as possible throughout the day. While this is true for some plants, others need only some sun rays throughout the day. There are even plants that can only survive if they get less than 4 hours of direct sunlight every day.
When you buy plants, the nursery should tell you what kind of sunlight they need. Full sunlight means at least six hours a day; partial shade is four to six hours a day; and full shade means less than four hours a day (in the mornings or evenings).
Saturation
How often do you water your plants? Some people prefer to water them daily for a few minutes. This should be considered plant torture; imagine only being given a few drops of water a day to live off of. Plants should be watered when the soil is dry, and should be watered deeply. By the time you’re finished, the soil should be just saturated enough to not be able to absorb more water.
Further, be sure you are watering the roots, not the leaves. Water on foliage promotes disease and can also cause burns by acting as a magnifying glass for the sun.
Before you can plant a garden, you first need a home. There are many beautiful homes for sale near Lake Spivey, and we want to help you find the perfect one. Contact the Dottie & Kate Team today to get started with your search!
Whether you are planting your garden on Lake Spivey or in suburban Fayetteville, there are three secrets to keeping it healthy and thriving: soil, sunlight and saturation.
Soil
Every bit of soil is different. The soil in your backyard may even be different than that of your neighbors. Knowing the type of soil in your yard (sandy, clay or loamy) can make a massive impact on the health of your garden. For instance, asters can thrive in clay, while dog’s tooth violet needs loamy soil.
In addition, plants like azaleas like acidic soil, while geraniums like alkaline ground. A test kit can help you determine what kind of soil you have, and gardening experts can help you figure out what additives your soil needs.
Sunlight
It’s a common misconception among new gardeners that plants need as much sunlight as possible throughout the day. While this is true for some plants, others need only some sun rays throughout the day. There are even plants that can only survive if they get less than 4 hours of direct sunlight every day.
When you buy plants, the nursery should tell you what kind of sunlight they need. Full sunlight means at least six hours a day; partial shade is four to six hours a day; and full shade means less than four hours a day (in the mornings or evenings).
Saturation
How often do you water your plants? Some people prefer to water them daily for a few minutes. This should be considered plant torture; imagine only being given a few drops of water a day to live off of. Plants should be watered when the soil is dry, and should be watered deeply. By the time you’re finished, the soil should be just saturated enough to not be able to absorb more water.
Further, be sure you are watering the roots, not the leaves. Water on foliage promotes disease and can also cause burns by acting as a magnifying glass for the sun.
Before you can plant a garden, you first need a home. There are many beautiful homes for sale near Lake Spivey, and we want to help you find the perfect one. Contact the Dottie & Kate Team today to get started with your search!
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