Your Garden Grows
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Probably not with silver bells & cockle shells & pretty maids all in a row!
The premise that having a beautiful garden is a privilage is in fact true! However, now it is not wealth that dictates that. Now thoughtful planning and the privilage of living in an ideal climate dictate it. With the climate constantly changing, it has now become essential to plan your garden to suit climate changes. Things that now need to be considered are (which will be discussed further later on):
- Plants that require less water - Droughts are becoming quite common in previously wetter areas.
- Companion Planting - Pests & Disease are more prevelent now, being introduced by the increase in visitors from & to other countries.
- Planning & Design - As cities grow upwards residents now have more limited space in which to enjoy gardens.
- Proper Irrigation - To reduce water consumption while properly caring for your plants.
- Water Features - With the stress of a faster lifestyle, having somewhere to sit back & relax to the soothing sound of water flowing is a must.
- Budgets - No doubt, gardens can be expensive, but fear not, beautiful gardens can be created on minimal budgets
- Creating Biodiversity - Bring back the birds, insects & frogs. Urban & City planning also created a loss of biodiversity. Create an environment condusive to these species again, and watch them start to return.
There has been an influx of gardening shows on television & in media lately that can get the creative juices flowing. Dont be intimidated by some of the designs. Have a go! Even someone with the brownest thumb & busiest life can adapt a garden that will suit their talent & lifestyle.
As this section grows we will be adding handy hints for around the garden that can make life easier. If you have any tips or hints that you feel other readers would like....SEND THEM IN ! With everyone pitching in....we can make this a GREENER PLANET ! And a greener planet makes us healthier people.
And dont under-estimate the advantages of indoor planting. NASA has reported that being more than decorative, they absorb pullutants & noise, reduce stress and encourage serenity. Monsanta have even brought out a genetically modified plant that absorbs toxins released from glues on furniture etc. (ask your local nursery for information on this plant).
- Each year a few more garden plants join the army of weeds, so it's wise to think twice about planting some easy-to-grow plants. These can take over a garden, and if spread, take over surrounding bushland, by spreading too far. Examples of these are: Arum Lilies , Forget-Me-Nots , Ivy , various Water Plants , Watsonias and Running Bamboo.
- Pruning is best done at the end of the flowering cycle. Cut back dead flowers to make way for the flush of regrowth that usually occurs after flowering. However, avoiding pruning a fruiting plant after it has flowered, as you will be pruning away its crop.
- Experiment with cuttings. After you have pruned a plant, try planting some of the cuttings in a good potting mix. Make sure there is a good clean cut on both ends of the cutting, dont leave any dead parts.
- Prune only when you have a reason to do so, dont jsut do it because you think you have to.
- Dont prune more than a third of the plant at one time. If it requires more, do it in stages.
- Dont hack away at a thicker stem with secateurs, as this may damage or kill the plant. You may have to use more heavy duty shears, or, ask an expert on the best method for pruning them.
- Avoid pruning on very hot or cold days, as you can burn the plant. Always give a generous dose of water & feed to a plant after pruning to encourage growth.
- If plants are outside, dont bother using a dish to catch water run off if possible. This can cause water logging, rot and a catchment area for disease. It is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Where possible, position the plant so that it can efficiently drain, maybe putting stilts under the pot.
- Mulch is the ultimate time & resource saver. By mulching your plants you cut down on watering time, weeding, plant food & you grow healthier plants.
