Boost Your Soil

Any gardener knows that soil is key to a wonderful garden. Be sure to boost your soil whenever possible. Create a compost pile and add all of your organic kitchen waste to it. Use a blender and blend up leftover organic scraps from the kitchen at the end of the day. You can add this directly to the soil around heavy feeders such as roses.

Take Cuttings

You can use cuttings instead of buying more plants e.g. coleus. We recommend taking  cuttings in Autumn, pot up the new plants, keep them indoors by a window for the winter and you’ll have plenty of instant color for the garden after late spring.

 

Replicating Bulbs

Replicate bulbs by choosing those that multiply. Unlike most tulips which tend to weaken every year, some bulbs can keep going as they replicate themselves involving no effort from the gardener. Plant a few dozen daffodils and in five years, you’re likely to have many more.

Non-Invasive Plants

Why not invest in self-seeding plant? Cleome, like hollyhocks, cosmos, forget-me-nots and shasta daisies are able to sow themselves and aren’t invasive. Snap a picture of each plant so that, come spring, you’ll be able to distinguish the leaves of a “keeper” from a weed.

 

Divide, Then Multiply

Divide your plants in order to multiply them. Some plants like daylilies, bearded iris, yarrow and ornamental grasses need to be divided every few years to reinvigorate them and to reduce overcrowding. You’ll gain new plants to expand your beds from doing this.

Line your planters

Line planters with newspaper before you add soil as it can help retain water. It keeps the soil temperature more constant therefore keeping the plants healthier and saving water.

 

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