Vegetable Garden Tips – Get Your Plants to Water Themselves While You Enjoy Your Holidays

If you’re going on holidays and you don’t want your vegetables to die from a lack of water, these vegetable garden tips will absolutely ensure that they survive your time away. Let’s face it, if you’re going on holidays, chances are – so is everybody else! Your neighbors, friends and, of course, family. So, it’s pointless asking them to take care of your plants but, if you follow these tips, you won’t need them.

Mulching
I’m sure you are well aware of the many benefits of mulching plants because it keeps the ground moist and stops water from evaporating too quickly. Plants like that and it also saves you money because you don’t have to apply water as often.

But here’s the thing. Don’t make the mistake of watering the mulch. Rather, water the soil thoroughly first and then put the mulch on. This will cause the moisture in the soil to last longer – sometimes up to a month using sugar cane mulch. You could test this in your area yourself before leaving.

Irrigation Spikes

These irrigation spikes are very easy to use. Grab some used plastic bottles, screw the spikes to the bottles and fill with water. Then insert the spikes into the soil next to your plants.

They are widely sold at garden centers, nurseries and are also available here at amazon.com

Indoor Plants

There are several methods to handle indoor plants – some good, some not so good, like the one where you place your plants in the bath with a wet towel. That doesn’t work so well because the towel tends to dry out.

But I particularly like this method because it’s simple and it works.

Get a large, flat tray with no holes and lay several sponges at the bottom. Use ordinary household sponges as they’re cheap and are perfectly adequate for this. Fill with water to cover the sponges and then take your potted plants and place them on top of the sponges.

Leave plenty of space between the plants to ensure that air circulates freely as this will greatly reduce the chances of attracting fungi.

Find a shady spot like on a patio or veranda and put the tray there. Don’t put the tray in direct sunlight; just choose an area where the plants will receive enough daylight while you’re away.

Self – Watering Containers and Probes

If you have some money to spend, a very good option is to use self – watering containers and probes. There are so many different ones available that you won’t have any problem finding those that fit your needs and budget – for example, the Aqua Planter, EarthBox Garden Kit and Vacation Plant Waterers (self – watering probes) are all worth trying.

Just make sure that you set them up properly and follow the instructions carefully so that you don’t get a nasty surprise (dead plants) when you return.

These are all good vegetable garden tips to follow. If nothing else, you won’t feel guilty about leaving your vegetable plants behind and, therefore, will enjoy your holiday a lot more.

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Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

Gardening Indoors – Top Indoor Watering Tips to Make Your Life Simpler

If you want to be a success in gardening indoors, it’s important to understand that, no matter where you grow them, all plants must be provided with adequate water in order for them to turn into healthy specimens.

Incorrect watering is one of the major causes of indoor plants loss. Speak to people who have tried their hand with an indoor home garden and they will most likely tell you that they’ve lost a plant or two because they failed to learn this simple but vital skill.

Water plays a vital role in the growth cycle of plants by acting as a transport medium in getting nutrients from the soil to the roots. However, too much of it can be deadly particularly to potted plants. The excess water in the soil will push the air from the root zone, cutting off the distribution of oxygen to the plants and drowning them. On the other side of the coin, too little water will result in abnormal growth.

Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule to determine how often you should water plants that are grown indoors because there are so many variables: plant type, soil medium and container type all play a role in determining that. However, I have found these tips, not exhaustive by any means, to be very useful in implementing an effective watering strategy:

• Plants don’t all have the same water requirements. For example, succulents do not need a lot of water. However, you don’t have to become an expert to know when you should give your indoor plants water. Nowadays, it’s easy to find all the information necessary on the label of the seed packet (if you’re growing from seed) or the plant label (if you’re buying a potted plant).

• You can group several varieties of plants in the same pot but, if you do that, ensure that all of them have the same or similar water requirements. Otherwise, it’s going to be a bit of a nightmare keeping track of when to water them.

• If the growing pots are too small for your chosen house plants, be prepared to apply water more often. Hence, it’s a lot better to pick the right size container in the first place.

• Plants in clay pots will lose moisture quicker. On the other hand, pots fabricated from non-porous material such as metal, glass or plastic tend to retain water better and, therefore, be careful not to overwater.

• Use a premium potting mix to make sure that the plants drain properly. Poor drainage of the soil medium can result in an accumulation of soluble salts at the bottom of containers with saucers. This comes from the fertilizer. In excess, soluble salts can damage the roots of the plants. Empty and clean the saucer as well as flush out any salt visible in the soil at the bottom of the container.

When you are gardening indoors, the best guide for you to make certain that your plants get watered properly is to feel the soil. Insert your finger about an inch or so into the soil and, if it’s dry to the touch, then add water. However, if you don’t have enough confidence to do this, an excellent alternative is to use a moisture meter to do the job. No more guesswork. It will tell you exactly whether the soil is wet, moist or dry and, if you have large potted plants, that’s very handy.

You can check out the best selection of moisture meters to suit any budget by clicking on this link.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

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Gardening Plants – Stop your Mum from Killing Them

You can make sure that your mum’s gardening plants will succeed if you follow one simple tried and tested rule that will serve you well over many years. It’s just this: never over water your vegetable plants unless you want to kill them. Yes, it’s well-known but you’d be surprised how many would be gardeners, especially beginners, forget to observe this rule and end up frustrated when their vegetable plants eventually die. You may also be surprised how easy it is for the unwary gardener to over water.

So, how do you tell when your vegetable plants are getting too much water? What are the symptoms? They can be:

*yellow/brownish leaves

*drooping or wilted plants

*stunted or rotting roots

*new leaves are absent

These are generally the main signs but note that these signs are also common to other problems such as not enough water. However, there is absolutely no need to over analyze this. It’s not rocket science. The easiest way to check is to dig under the soil about an inch or so deep and take a good look. If the soil is dry at that level, you obviously need to water your plants. On the other hand, if it’s really wet or waterlogged, you need to investigate and find out what is the reason.

Two explanations come to mind immediately. One is that you have been too keen and been watering too frequently. That’s easily fixed. I don’t have to tell you what to do, right?

Most plants like water but not to excess. As a general rule, they should get more water when they are young but, once they are set, they require less water. In fact, if there is enough rain in your area, established plants probably do not need that much extra watering at all. Of course, if rainfall is inadequate, then you have to compensate and supply them with additional water. The rule of thumb here is about an inch each week or as needed.

Remember to water slowly at the root level. This is to ensure that the water enters the top soil and travels deeply to the root system where it’s needed most. Watering quickly may have the opposite effect. Instead, the water may form a puddle on the surface of the ground and eventually evaporate or it will just run off harmlessly.

The other explanation for your waterlogged soil is you have a drainage problem. In that case, you need to address it fairly quickly. Often, this drainage problem is simply due to poor soil in your garden. The solution is to try and improve the soil structure and condition by adding lots of organic matter, compost or well-rotted manure. But, if this fails, you may be facing a much bigger problem in your yard. If it’s severe enough, faulty drainage can potentially undermine your house and other buildings, not to mention create a host of other complications. But, don’t panic. Just attend to it urgently.

By making your mum aware of this rule and telling her to go easy on the water, you can stop her from killing her gardening plants. Don’t forget to mention that, giving water to her plants only when they need it, requires less effort on her part and will bring her water bill down, saving her money. And, she will also do her bit for the environment by reducing her water consumption. We should all be trying to do that.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

Mistake Free Vegetable Garden Planting

There are three common mistakes that people, mostly beginner gardeners, make when they undertake vegetable garden planting for the first time. However, these mistakes are easily avoided, not only leaving the gardens healthier but also their owners happier.

The first mistake people make is poor water management. Water is a limited resource we are using at unsustainable rates. We are wasting water in ways that are not helping, but harming our gardens. Most plants do best with about one inch of rain or watering per week. More water will evaporate, run off or harm roots that become water logged. Too much water can cause mildew on leaves and attract harmful insects. Watering too shallowly will prevent roots from going deep enough. To correct this mistake, use a rain gauge and dig down in the soil every few days to check when water is needed. Water deeply, less often. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and prevent weeds. Choose plant varieties suited to your area’s rain fall. Consider using a rain barrel to collect and store rain water. Water early in the morning or in the evening to prevent evaporation.

The second commonly made mistake is the failure to meet a plant’s space, nutrient and environmental requirements. Plants growing in ideal conditions are more vigorous, and more resistant to pests and diseases. Plants that are too crowded will have reduced yield and be harder to look after. Planting too early, or too late, in the season for the variety will cause plant stress and poor development. Too much or too little sun can be very harmful. Read all the instructions and tags that come with your plants. If you put the right plants in their correct place, you’ll find that they are easier to maintain and need less fertilizer and less likely to be affected by pests and disease problems.

The third mistake is the most important of them all and that is people fail to build healthy soil in the garden before planting their vegetables. This can doom any garden to failure. Below the soil line, you should have a world teeming with micro organisms and beneficial insects that provide plants with nutrients they need. Soil needs a steady supply of organic material to promote soil and plant health. So, if you have any doubt about the quality of your soil, you can have it tested and amended for correct pH balance, drainage and so on. Once you’ve done that, you can go ahead and start planting with confidence.

Gardening in general, and vegetable garden planting in particular, can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. The great thing about gardening is that it can evolve as we learn. We can correct mistakes as we go and try new methods as we learn about them.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com