8 Tips To Get Your Kids Enjoy Gardening

Gardening Fun for Kids: Tips to Spark Their Enthusiasm

Dirt has always been one of kids' favorite "toys," making gardening a perfect activity to engage their curiosity and creativity. By letting them choose plants and get involved in the process, you can make gardening an exciting adventure. Here are some tips to inspire your little ones to enjoy gardening:

Getting Your Hands on a Good Pair of Gardening Gloves

Owning the right pair of gardening gloves is nearly as satisfying as gardening itself. They are an
essential tool every gardener should have, offering protection from thorns, sharp objects, rough tasks, and blisters. A reliable pair of gloves is a must-have in any gardener's toolbox.

The Benefits of Growing Fruits and Vegetables Organically

Growing Fruits and Vegetables Organically: A Complete Guide

Have you ever wondered why your grocery store produce tastes less vibrant than the fruits and vegetables you remember from childhood? The benefits of growing fruits and vegetables organically go far beyond just flavor. Organic gardening offers a transformative approach to health, sustainability, and even your wallet.

Rose Gardening Tasks Early Spring

Preparing Your Rose Garden for Spring and Summer

Wondering when to start preparing your rose garden for spring and summer? If you live in an area
where signs of spring appear in late March or early April, you’re an "early spring" rose gardener. However, if March and April still bring icy rain and snow in your region, wait out the winter weather until spring truly arrives, and then follow these tips to get your roses ready.

How To Plant Herbs Together In Container Gardening

Organic container gardening is easy and gives good results as long as some simple rules are followed. Mint, oregano, sage, thyme, marjoram, and basil are ideal herbs for container gardening.

You can plant each herb in a separate terra cotta pot or plant a collection in a long window box. You need to use containers that are food safe when choosing pots for herbs. Some glossy or brightly colored pots are made with lead or other materials that you won’t want in your food. Plastic pots are always safe, and most plain terra cotta is safe. Containers that are not safe for food should have a warning label, so it should be easy to find something decorative that will not be harmful to you. Most herbs will do well in small pots or with three or four plants in one long window box. Large plants, such as an old rosemary bush, can be planted separately in larger containers.

It is preferable to plant only one variety per container. Different plants grow at different times, different rates, and to different heights. Inevitably one plant will take over the others or the foliage will be so mixed up you won't know what you are cutting. Strawberry pots are the exception to this rule, just don't plant a mint in one.

If you decide to mix herbs together in the same container, be careful not to grow the more invasive herbs together with slow growing herbs like sage. Mint is an example of an herb that should be grown in its own pot because it does eventually take over the space thus preventing the other plant to develop fully.

Popular herbs for use in cooking are flat leafed parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, chives, and sage.

All these herbs will grow well together in a large container 24 inches across the top. Plant the rosemary in the middle because it is a taller plant and quite hardy, then around the outside plant the other herbs. Of all the others herbs basil is also quite tall and this could be put beside the rosemary in the centre. All the other herbs grow to about 10 inches, and some will even spill out over the side of the container.

There are basically two kinds of herbs: those that need a lot of moisture and those that don’t. Herbs that prefer moisture-rich soil include basil, cilantro, tarragon, and parsley, while herbs that don’t need as much water, or "Mediterranean herbs," include chives, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay, marjoram, and lavender.

Plant herbs with the same moisture needs together. For variety, try a tall, medium, and cascading plant together in the same pot.

Plant moisture-loving herbs in plastic containers, which retain water, and put Mediterranean herbs in terra cotta containers, which draw out water. Make sure there are drainage holes at the bottom otherwise, plants can rot from sitting in water.

When planting an herb pot, select a container that has at least a one gallon capacity. If you don't have a gallon pot, use a milk jug or any gallon container to measure your soil. Each plant will need its own gallon of soil. So, if you plant several together, make sure they have enough space by measuring your soil.

Get a container that is at least 6-12 inches deep. You can plant multiple herbs in a wide or long container or use at least a 6" pot for individual plants.

Mint is also a very popular herb but it does tend to take over a pot so plant it in a pot on its own.

Herbs ideally thrive in the ground, but with proper choices and the right precautions, they can flourish in the indoor garden. They have to be positioned inside the house where they can grow well.

You can combine herbs of different colors to create an atmosphere inside your house. For example, you can get calendula or lemon thyme, herbs with sunny colors for a brighter effect.

Let the herbs grow together. They can create a climate among them that will further encourage their growth. They also create a fuller and healthier appearance.

Limit the amount of herbs you will plant in a container. It should depend on the size of your container. There should at least be an allowance of four inches square in between each type of herb.

What Is Organic Gardening

Organic gardening means using only natural products and fertilizers on your garden and not using any artificial chemicals such as pesticide sprays or slug pellets.

The first consideration in organic gardening is the soil. You should add organic matter to the soil regularly. You can make your own compost from waste vegetables and decaying plant waste such as grass clippings and leaves.

The next consideration is choosing plants or vegetables that are well suited to your environment. Plants that are adapted to growing in your climate and weather conditions will stand a much better chance of thriving without too much attention. Whereas, a plant that is not right for your site will need a lot of extra attention to boost it's natural defences just to keep it healthy.

With regard to pest control, you can sprinkle cayenne pepper on your plants or spray them with a water and cayenne pepper solution to stop squirrels and other rodents from eating them.

Spray the leaves of your plants with a mixture of 1 part dishwashing detergent to 10 parts water to deter small insects. This won't harm the plants. Another good repellent for many insects is garlic. You could either have some garlic in your garden or spray your plants with a mixture containing garlic oil.

 An inexpensive way to keep grub worms from getting at your potatoes is to use a product called milky spore. This will kill the grubs, and as they decompose they will release new spores into the soil.

What Is Lime Used For In Gardening

In very simple terms, and in just a few words, lime is used in gardening to lower the acidity of the soil.

The acidity of soil is measured by it's pH level. pH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Below 7, the soil is acidic and above 7 it's alkaline.

Measuring Soil Acidity (pH level)

Different soil types will behave differently so one vital tool for the serious gardener is a tester for acidity levels.

There are different types of test kits available. With the first type, you mix a soil sample with water then compare a colour change to a chart. The second type is an electronic meter with probes that you insert into wet soil.

Whichever kit you use, it will come with instructions and will give you a reading. You will need to take samples or tests from a number of spots to get a better general view of your soil’s acidity level.

You can also judge the acidity of the soil by the types of weeds that grow. Sorrel, creeping buttercup, nettle, dock and mare’s tail are all signs your soil is too acidic, or becoming too acidic. Reducing soil acidity will help deter some weeds but lime isn't used as a weed killer.

Each plant species is suited to different growing conditions and slightly acidic soil can help to keep down blight in potatoes for example. On the other hand, slightly alkali soil has a higher level of salt present which may not suit your particular crop. Gardeners generally tend to aim for a neutral PH of around 7.0.

Changing The Acidity Level Of The Soil

To lower soil acidity you raise the pH value by adding lime to the soil.

Lime can be applied throughout the year, but most gardeners will apply it during Winter or early Spring. Lime is insoluble in water so thoroughly mix the lime with the top soil. Once moisture is applied the lime will start to chemically react, so thorough mixing in dry conditions is very important. Don't forget that different plants thrive in different soil conditions, so make sure you know which pH level your plant needs before deciding how much or how little lime to apply.

Sprinkle the lime over the soil surface and rake it into the top couple of inches, letting it naturally work down to the root zone by spring. Do not till it deeply into the soil, it will leach down soon enough.

To lower pH and increase acidity you can add sulphate of ammonia or urea which are high nitrogen fertilizers. Adding manure will also lower pH and make the soil more acid. Adding lots of manure year after year will actually reduce soil fertility by making it too acid so the plants cannot access the nutrients.

Never mix lime and fertilizer. They will at best cancel each other out in an unpleasant, to the soil, reaction. So never lime in the same year you fertilize if you can avoid it and certainly not in the same couple of months.

Clay soils tend to become acid more quickly than sandy soils and the amount of organic matter has an effect as well. Clay soils can also be slow to react to the addition of lime as well.

The most common lime used in the garden is agricultural lime or ground limestone (calcium carbonate). It contains about 50% calcium, another essential plant nutrient . Once available only as a powder, pelletized lime is now offered as well. It can be dispensed from fertilizer spreaders and isn’t as messy to work with.

Some gardeners prefer dolomite lime, which contains magnesium as well as calcium. Magnesium is an essential nutrient, though needed in smaller quantities than calcium. Alternate the use of agricultural lime and dolomite, to get a better balance of nutrients.

Never use hydrated or slaked lime, sometime called quicklime. While this substance has many commercial uses, it is much too caustic for the garden.