Answers to Common Gardening Questions
If you love to garden, it is only natural that you would have some gardening questions, especially if you have a variety of different plants in your garden. While gardening is meant to be a stress-reducer, it can also be a considerable amount of stress for the person that does not know how to solve a gardening dilemma.
What is the Best Way to Prune my Roses?
Roses are truly beautiful flowers, and a great addition to many kinds of gardens. However, they lose much of their beauty if they are not pruned correctly. The best idea would be to prune your roses in autumn, but only prune them lightly. Just remove the parts that are long enough to be damaged by wind. In March, before the roses are ready to grow again, prune away any dead parts.
What are the Differences Between Herbs and Spices?
In the culinary sense, herbs are plant leaves that can be used to season food, whether they are dried or fresh. Botanically speaking, any plant that doesn't have a woody stubs that are perennial, like those of trees, is an herb. Spices are dried seasonings that generally have a tropical origin. Spices usually come from the fruit of various plants.
How do I get the ants off of my Peonies?
Actually, there really isn't a way that you can rid your Peonies of ants. There isn't much of a reason why you should try to get rid of them either, because the ants are only on the Peonies because they collect the sugarlike substances secreted by the nectaries on the surface of the Peonies' petals. Thus, they aren't doing any harm to your Peonies.
How Often Should my Perennials be Divided?
As with all plants, the needs of perennials can differ. For example, Peonies only need division when you want to add other plants, otherwise they don't need to be divided. Some perennials, like Yarrow, should be divided at the minimum every five years, and at the most every seven years, if you want them to grow at their best.
How Do I Stop Weeds From Growing Back?
This is one of the most common gardening questions. Unfortunately there is no single solution that will mean you'll never have to weed again. Keeping on top of them as soon as you see them does help; you also need to make sure you get all of the roots out as you remove them. If you want to use gravel or bark chips to create a pathway, put some plastic down first to prevent weeds growing through.
Gardening Questions Concerning Your Lawn
Many people think that watering your lawn every day is necessary to keep it looking good, but this isn't necessary. You're better off giving it a good soaking once a week, making sure it's properly aerated first so it can really drink the water.
It's also vital not to cut the lawn too short. If you cut off any more than a third of the length at any time, you're liable to kill it off altogether. If it's become overgrown, strim it first and then mow it several times over the course of a couple of weeks or so, shortening it a little each time.
Gardening Questions About Pests
There are probably more potential pests in your garden than you could imagine, but one of the most common is the humble slug. Capturing them and freezing them has been suggested as one way to get rid of them naturally. Two other ways that have been proven to work - and aren't harmful to the environment - are using salt and beer.
Depending on the type of garden you have, and your own individual level of gardening expertise, the gardening questions you have will vary widely. The best initial source of information will probably come from a garden center. They should be able to advise you on solutions to your problems that aren't harmful to the environment.
More Information
Check gardening magazines, local garden centers, or the internet, and you are sure to find an answer to whatever gardening questions you might have. After all, a garden grows at its best when the gardener is well-informed.
