Notes

15 Things You've Never Known About Garden Plan
Using a Garden Plan to Organize Your Yard

A garden plan can help you organize and visualize the ideas you have for your garden. This is essential regardless of whether you're using pencils and paper or software like EdrawMax. It will allow you to ensure that your garden is what you want.

Most vegetables thrive in a sunny location that is close to water to allow for irrigation. Many gardeners agree that it's ideal to plant rows north/south in order to prevent taller plants shading shorter ones.

Sun and Shade

It's important to consider the amount of sun or shade that a particular area gets when you plant your garden. If you plant a plant that thrives in shade in a sunny area, it won't develop well and flower. Conversely, a shade-loving plant which is planted in too much sunlight will get burned and die.

The cardinal directions, along with the position of large trees and buildings can affect the amount of sunlight each section of your yard gets. One method to determine the light levels in your yard is to draw an sun map. Take note of the area for at least an hour or two per day, taking into consideration shadows cast by tall trees and structures. Then over the course of a few days, record the time each area receives direct sunlight and how long it lasts.

Consider the possibility of limbing a tree when you're struggling to get full shade. This can help lighten the canopy. This lets more sunlight penetrate the lower branches and makes shady areas look healthier. Or, try using containers to plant flowers or herbs in shady areas. Annuals that are grown directly in the ground will have a tougher time growing and won't flower as well as those planted in containers. The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Planner makes it simple to choose plants that are suitable for shady areas. Select the 'Partial Shade Tolerant filter to view all the options.

Water

This plan relies on plants that can survive with minimal irrigation to keep the water consumption in the garden under control. Nature has provided drought-tolerant plants with features that help them survive. homes gardens include lush succulent leaves that retain moisture, and a fuzzy coating that holds morning dew. Begin by pencilling shrubs and perennials. Larger plants require more space than others which is why they should be planted first. Wait to add border decorations like stepping stones or mulch until the garden is complete. vegetable gardens can add up quickly and can be expensive to install.

Compost

Incorporating compost into the garden improves soil quality and increases its nutrient content as well as its moisture-holding capacity. It also introduces soil microbes that fight pathogens and prevent diseases, which reduces the necessity for chemical fertilizers. Compost is made by decomposing organic matter, such as pet waste, plant trimmings and edible food scraps. This produces a rich humus which can be used to fertilize plants.

It is best to begin your compost pile on the ground than in a bin. This will allow beneficial worms and organisms to enter the pile. On top of the soil that is bare you can place a few inches of straw to help aerate and slow the breakdown of the compost. The pile should be put in a shaded area and an area that has adequate drainage. Avoid placing a compost heap near a shady or dry area that could attract rodents.

Aim for a ratio between two to three parts carbon-rich (browns) and one portion of nitrogen-rich (greens). Alternate layers of green and brown ingredients. Avoid adding large amounts of one type of ingredients, such as all of your leaves at once. This can impede air flow and cause the pile of ingredients to overheat.


Digging a trench to hold the ingredients, then covering it with garden soil is a variation on the traditional compost pile. This is commonly used for vegetables such as climbing beans that grow in rows. The moisturizing, nutrient-rich compost assists in feeding the plants and encourages vigorous growth and bumper yields.

Fertilizer

Plants make their own food via photosynthesis, but this process takes time. When natural plant food is in short supply or depleted man-made fertilizers are utilized to add nutrients. The majority of commercial fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some commercial fertilizers contain other elements that are beneficial, but in smaller quantities. These include magnesium and calcium.

Both artificial and natural fertilizers are readily available, but you must read the labels to find out which is the best for your garden. Some fertilizers contain chemicals that could have a negative effect on the environment. They should be used separately to avoid negative consequences.

Before you buy seeds or transplants, take time to decide what crops you are interested in and how much of your area you can devote to a garden. Decide on your hardiness zone and then determine which vegetables will thrive in it. Plan to rotate crops in order to increase the fertility of the soil and the production of crops.

Creating a garden plan also helps you determine where your borders and beds will be as well as determining the number and placement of garden structures and pathways. Incorporating these features prior to when you start planting can help prevent confusion as you work and save you time. Also it gives you the chance to mark on the scale plan what types of hardscape and softscape elements you want in your garden. For example, you might put in some clever pergola ideas to create shade or a seating area in the sun and some pathways that are paved or gravel between your plants.

Pests and Diseases

Pests and diseases can affect a plant, even if gardeners generally enjoy it. Many pest and disease problems can be avoided with simple methods.

Start with a healthy, well-drained and healthy soil. The more nutrient-rich it is the better your plants will be able to withstand damage from fungi, viruses and bacterial. Include homes gardens of organic matter like compost to encourage thriving populations of microbes as well as other organisms that help promote plant health.

Develop a variety of plants that attract beneficial insects. These beneficial insects consume pests that would otherwise devour or pollinate your plants. By attracting these natural predators, you can reduce the amount of pesticides that you use and keep Aphids from damaging your plants.

Inspect your plants regularly for signs of pests or disease infestations. Be on the lookout for wilted or discolored stems, leaves, and flowers. These are usually the first indications that there is something wrong with the plant and should be treated as soon as you can to stop an outbreak.

Identify what type of disease or insect is causing the issue and take corrective action. For instance, if your tomato plants suffer from brown spots, look at their roots for signs of nematodes fusarium or verticillium. All diseases that can be brought in by pests and which could quickly kill your tomato crop.

You can also find out more about

A garden plan can help you organize the various aspects of gardening, from the kind of plant to plant next to the border to the best times for harvesting. You can also keep track of important chores like watering, pest control and fertilizer application. A number of free garden planning tools are available online. These programs are great for people who are new to gardening or want to maximize their space.

Some of these plans come with pre-designed templates to assist you in your first steps and others let you begin from scratch. The majority of them allow you to zoom in and out and move around the drawing to create it exactly as you want it. You can also include boundaries, such as walls or fences, create sprinkler systems, and even plant trees, plants and bushes.

The program that runs on a browser by Anglian Home began as a cheat sheet for vegetable growers and has evolved into a web-based tool that can be used to plan any type of garden. It will help you with selecting the best plants and vegetables that will thrive in your climate. It will also offer you the top suggestions on how to plant and harvest successfully. It will also examine the weather conditions in your area and give you the best dates for planting and harvesting.

This garden planner is more focused on flowers and trees rather than vegetables, but is worth a look. As opposed to other garden-planning software, this one employs 3D rendering and gives you a birds-eye view of your garden.

Here's my website: http://b3.zcubes.com/v.aspx?mid=11933151