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Top Tips for Beginner Gardeners

Reviews · June 14, 2021

What isn’t there to love about gardening? It’s both fun and rewarding. There is nothing nicer than eating something you’ve grown yourself or having a drink on the patio looking out at the colorful array of beautiful smelling flowers that you’re responsible for. As such, it’s no surprise that so many people would like to adopt gardening as their hobby. If this sounds like you, but you aren’t sure where to start, fear not, as below are some of the top tips for beginner gardeners.

Get To Know Your Garden

This applies to a number of different aspects of your garden. You’d be surprised how many people head out to buy plants, pots, and soil without knowing the ins and outs of where they intend on planting everything.

Firstly, check if your garden is north or south-facing. It’s crucial you know where the sun hits the most as it will help you decide what you can grow where. If you have a plant that requires a serious amount of sun, you’ll know to place it in the most exposed area.

Also, consider what is already growing. The presence of Camellias, Magnolias, and Pieris will tell you that the soil is acidic; however, the absence of these means your soil is much more alkaline. A soil test can also help with this.

You should also get a feel for the size of your garden. This can help you understand what kind of plants you can plant depending on how large they grow. Also, if you intend on purchasing garden furniture or a greenhouse, you will know exactly what can fit where. Don’t let the size of your garden determine whether you go ahead with these kinds of purchases, as quality suppliers will have a range of different sizes. Take the Halls Popular Greenhouse by Halls Greenhouses. Regardless of how big your garden is, they come in four different sizes, so there will be one that will work for you.

Plan Your Garden

Once you have an idea of what sun, size, and soil you’re working with, you’ll be able to start planning the layout of your garden. This is a really good point to begin at as it means you won’t be too overwhelmed when it comes to heading to garden centers and selecting from the array of options they have.

Vigorous planning will also help you use color and structure wisely, which will all add up to create a garden that looks vibrant, welcoming, and exciting all year round.

Start Small

The gardening bug is very much a real thing, and once you’re bitten by it, it can be very easy to get carried away with the amount you decide to start planting. Though this may be tempting, do not succumb to it. It is much more effective and safe to start small, do a little bit of your garden at a time, and add to it, rather than starting big and not managing everything you’ve planted.

If there are areas of your garden that you don’t want to cultivate, then cover them with cardboard or black plastic; this will prevent the growth of weeds while you work on the areas you’re ready for.

Winter Maintenance Suggestions For Big Lawns and Landscapes

Reviews · October 10, 2020

Winter is just around the corner. You may need to take effective measures to prevent the frost and snow from damaging your landscape. While most winter landscape maintenance steps involve clearing the space, nurturing it, and planning enhanced growth in spring, landscapes may require some more care. Aerating, fertilizing, and mulching the soil, pruning the shrubs and trees, and preventing the loss of water may help your landscape stay protected in the frost season.

Let us shed some light on effective winter care and maintenance of your landscape.

Do not stop raking

Most gardeners rake their lawns in fall to prevent the accumulation of leaves and other plant debris. However, it is best to continue raking even in winter to prevent the frost and snow from mixing with the debris. Too much accumulation of snow and plant debris can create a lucrative environment for mold and fungus.

So whenever the weather is favorable, set up a raking routine to keep your landscape in proper condition during the cold season.

Mulch the landscape

Mulching is one of the best ways to protect the soil and the plants against frost. It acts as a natural insulator to frost and snow, preventing excessive damage to the plants. The landscape professionals at Allen Outdoor Solutions suggest that you may use the rakes leaves for mulching the soil. Being organic, they can provide adequate nutrients to the plants throughout the season. Besides, mulching also prevents weed growth.

Fertilize the soil

You should put fertilizers rich in phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen in the soil before the first freeze to keep it nutritious and healthy for the plants. It will enhance growth during spring, as the plants will take those fertilizers up readily. Besides, fertilizing the soil in winter will also help reduce your workload in spring.

Prune the plants

Pruning your plants in early winter leaves their wounds exposed for a longer time. Hence, you may prune the plants in late winter to help them recover quickly in spring. It is easy to identify issues when there is less growth around. Removing dead leaves and dying branches can also help the plants utilize limited resources effectively during winter.

Post-storm caring

If there is a storm in winter, you may need to take a walk around the yard after it passes to assess the damages. If snow piles up on the branches, you need to shake it off. Otherwise, it can weigh down the branches, causing them to snap. However, in the case of ice storms, you need to let the ice melt naturally to prevent damaging the branches. You may also think of tying weak branches together to stop them from falling off under the weight of snow.

Before winter sets in, you should also cut the grass short and apply anti-transpirants to prevent excess evaporation from the leaves. Sometimes, the elements in melting snow and frost can remove water from the roots of the plants, thus resulting in massive damage. Too much salt in the soil can also cause the same effect. Hence, you should flush them out and aerate the soil before frosting.

How To Get Your Home Spring Ready

Reviews · February 20, 2018

Spring is often one of the most loved and longed-for seasons. It’s the season where the world begins to wake up from its hibernation, flowers, and plants burst back into color and everywhere nature is blooming. After a long, cold winter, almost everyone welcomes the warmer months, and we often find ourselves full of the joys of spring. Below are four ways to get your home ready for the new season.

Refresh Your Linens

In the depths of winter, it’s comforting for us to snuggle under thick duvets with plush, dark covers. However, now the days are becoming warmer, it’s time to retire the winter linens and the heavy duvet to the cabinet and welcome back a lighter comforter, adorned with bright colors. You should also switch your bed sheets to breathable cotton which will keep you cooler as the nights warm up.

Spring Clean

We are all familiar with the term ‘Spring Clean,’ and there’s no better time to prepare your house for a brand-new season than by having a thorough clean of all the rooms in your home. During the dark winter months, it may be difficult to motivate ourselves to tackle the tricky cleaning jobs, such as washing your windows and cleaning your kitchen cabinets. However, performing a thorough spring clean will leave you feeling energized and ready for the upcoming months. You could also clean your interior carpets and any wooden floors which may have seen extra wear during the wet, cold winter. Why not create a schedule for each deep cleaning job and tick them off day-by-day?

Not only does ‘spring clean’ refer to your home interiors, but you should also undertake any pressing maintenance jobs. It’s possible that during the winter months you didn’t use your air conditioning. Therefore, you should ensure you have checked the unit, ready for the new season. If you do find you need air conditioner repair, you can search online and find specialized companies which will often even visit your home on the same day.

Welcome Plants Inside

What better time to bring beautiful colorful flowers inside than spring? Adding flowers to your décor will not only bring some freshness into your home and a new burst of color, but they will also help purify the air. There are a variety of flowers which you can grow inside, including the beautiful Peace Lily which is easy to care for and grows white flowers. You could also choose to grow Jasmine inside, which will bloom pink and white flowers and fill your home with an inviting and soothing fragrance.

Rearrange Furniture

During winter, you may have rearranged your furniture to accommodate the Christmas tree or to move closer to the warmth of your heating system. Therefore, when spring comes around, it’s time to rearrange your furniture. It’s the perfect time to open up your windows to allow as much natural light to filter inside as you can. If you have previously had a chair or sofa in front of your windows, consider moving them to a different part of the room and keeping the curtains open. You could even opt for lighter, brighter curtains to really make use of the window area.