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Easy-to-grow plants for gardening amateurs

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Some plants are easier to grow than others, and it simply means that some plants adjust better to its immediate surroundings and need less pruning, pinching, and maintenance. If you just started gardening, these kinds of plants will send you off to a great start. Here are examples of easy plants to add to your budding garden. Image source: dengarden.com ZZ Plant : ZZ plants are tough, sturdy plants that will grow without the usual caring that most plants need. It thrives in low light and can grow in the worst conditions imaginable (no water, no light, and filled with pests). Even experienced gardeners would agree that this plant is one of the easiest plants to grow. Image source: dengarden.com Salad greens : If you’re looking for something edible, start growing salad greens. Lettuce, spinach, arugula, and corn salad are relatively easy to grow. Make sure to plant the seeds in spring and fall so you can harvest all year long. Not only can you give yourself a pat on...
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Fall gardening: When is the right time to clean up?

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Cleaning up the garden in time for fall, and eventually winter, can be a huge task especially for those who have worked hard during the summer.   For an outsider, autumn seems to be a time where all the crops are gathered and the soil takes a long break.   But for enthusiasts, weeding out to let the soil rest is actually in preparation for the bountiful months that will take place in the spring.   Image source: Pexels.com Instead of cleaning up the whole garden when the leaves start wilting, gardeners should at least wait it out especially if they're still waiting for year's last harvest.   This is applicable for those who plant herbs and vegetables.   Once the last batch has been harvested, detailed cleaning can start.   This should be done before the frost and the chilly weather damages the plants and the flowerbeds. Image source: Pexels.com In clearing the garden, one must set aside a place to keep all the supplies such as fertilize...
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Tips To Grow And Design Your Own Flower Garden

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Image source: Pixabay.com     What does it take to have beautiful blooms in one’s own garden? Creating a pretty landscape isn’t as difficult as it may seem – there are fundamentals to follow, and one has to be hardworking and responsible enough for one’s garden. Here are some basic tips and advice to follow. Get enough sun : Most flowering plants need to be in a site that receives full sun, or where sunlight falls six to eight hours a day throughout the growing season. Have a healthy soil : The soil should be not too sandy, not too sticky, and has enough organic matter to drain well and invite plant roots to grow strong. Test soil pH and fertility and feed the plant with just the right amount and type of fertilizer to promote healthy soil and flower growth. Research the best flowers to grow : Annuals go through their whole life cycle in a single growing season, while perennials have root systems staying alive underground for a few years to dec...
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A Quick Guide To Caring For Your Lawn In The Summer

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Image source: Pixabay.com   Summer is always a great time to enjoy green scenery and marvel at the beauty of the great wide outdoors. The same season, however, can be a major challenge in keeping lawns maintained, as the temperatures can soar and there isn’t enough rainfall for the grass and plants. During this time, lawns also have enough interaction with barbecue parties, games, and running feet. Here’s a mini summer lawn care guide. Water the right way Give your lawn at least an inch of water weekly, or more once it gets hotter. A rain gauge or straight-sided helps keep track of the water level and amount from rainfall as well as irrigation. Water deeply yet less frequently to support drought-tolerant roots, and water early in the day for reduced evaporation and growth of fungi. Feed depending on the phase of summer In early summer, strengthen the lawn to withstand the heat and drought through feeding with a reliable fertilizer suitable to all grass t...
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Allergy-Proofing a Garden

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The garden has become a source of allergens, and this is a common problem among homeowners. Whether they themselves are allergic or other residents of the household, having allergies can sometimes be a hassle, and can prevent people from fully enjoying their homes.  Image source: fivestarlandscape.com However, there is a way to allergy-proof the garden. All it takes is a bit of research and the right choice of plants. For example, there are plants that don’t depend on the wind to pollinate. While this may be disheartening, since the list excludes a huge amount of trees, flowers, shrubs, and grasses, many equally beautiful plants are non-flowering and rely on insects for pollination.  If a person’s heart is set on having flowers though, then a bit of landscaping might be in order. Flowers need to be placed as far away as possible from doors to the house, or windows near the bedrooms. The same goes for other wind-pollinated plants.  Oyster-shell a...
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Why Preventing Backflow Is Important

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Back in 1973, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enacted the “Safe Drinking Water Act” to safeguard public water systems from being contaminated by unwanted particles or pollutants due to cross-connections or backflow. This is a significant concern for farms and lawns using irrigation systems. Image source: mesaaz.gov Overseeing backflow has become so crucial that even an official organization, American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA), was established to make sure that backflows are prevented. The association with more than one thousand members defines backflow as “the undesirable reversal of flow of non-potable water (irrigation water or other treated water) through a cross-connection and into the piping of a public water system or consumer’s potable (drinking) water system.” Backflow can have two causes: backpressure backflow and backsiphonage. Backpressure backflow occurs when downstream pressure, particularly from the irrigation system, becomes greate...
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What Exactly Is The Role Of Irrigation In Agriculture?

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Irrigation is of value especially for communities that could be facing the effects of drought.  It is defined as the artificial application of water to soil, in the appropriate amounts and frequency, to cause optimal soil infiltration and plant growth.  The conditions to take into consideration are soil type, vegetation, size of the area to be irrigated, water pressure, and local circumstances.  Image source: clwa.org The increase in agricultural production and productivity is highly dependent on the availability of water.  Insufficient, inconsistent, and uncertain rain is causing unpredictability in agriculture.  In some parts of the world, rain is restricted to only a few months in a year, and there are times when these rains don’t come as expected, causing areas of the country to experience drought.  Irrigation assists in effectively controlling drought and famine.  In irrigated lands, a higher rate of productivity is experienced as c...
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