Gardening tips

The first thing to consider for your garden is the region you are in. Plants are affected by the climate, sun exposure, and soil type in your region. Understanding how the season changes can help you determine the proper time on which you can start growing which kind of plant. So figure out what plants are native to your region. This doesn’t mean that you can’t grow plants that aren’t native in your area, but it would be easier to start with a plant that naturally grows in your local weather, temperature, and soil. If you want to have a vegetable or flower garden, then you should plan your garden according to your hardiness zone. In fact, determining your hardiness zone will truly aid you in identifying which plants should best thrive in your garden.

Undiluted white vinegar works wonders on lots of weeds, especially dandelions. If clearing weeds around the house and other plants, use food-grade vinegar which although is less potent, only kills the plant it comes into contact with. You don’t want to find all your beautiful green grass or flowers dead! This 2 ingredient weed-killing spray is super easy to make, and it’s probably something you most likely have in your home! Add a teaspoon of dish soap to your spray bottle to help the vinegar cling to the weeds better.

This also known as the German Weed Control and while this idea sounds a little out there, flame weeding is used as an effective method when it comes to killing weeds. This can be safe if you use the proper equipment and you follow the correct steps. The goal is not to set your plants or grass on fire- it’s to kill the base of the weeds so that they wilt and die naturally. Just be careful of doing this in areas with dry grass. Here’s a picture and visual video from Necks Out for Adventure showing you the equipment used and how it’s done.

For sections of my lawn, especially those with trees, I depend on this hack to keep things nice and tidy. You can use bark mulch to control weeds around your trees so you’re not constantly having to cut and pull weeds. Plus, it even keeps your trees healthier! For This You’ll Need:

• A shovel that you’ll use to cut the grass around the circle edge of the tree.
• Rake to level the ground and mulching.
• A wheelbarrow to cart away any cut weeds and turf.
• Spray paint for painting the tree ring.
• A hammer to set the staples.
• Gloves – we’re only interested in killing weeds, so protect your hands.
• Weed Barrier Fabric to use below the bark mulch.
• 4″ Garden Staples to hold your new weed barrier in place.
• Bark mulch – buy the closest in color to the soil in your yard. Procedure:
• Paint at least a 2′ ring around the tree.
• Use your shovel to clear all the weeds and cut the turf from around the tree. You can always save the turf for patchwork around other corners of your yard.
• Cut out the weed barrier fabric and staple it in place. You’ll probably need between 5-10 garden staples.
• Spread out a layer of mulch keeping in mind not to cover up the tree flare. Basically, no part of the tree that has should be covered up because any trapped moisture will damage the tree. That’s all. You’re done and this makes it way easier when mowing your lawn too. You’re welcome 😉

8. Spread Out Some Straw Mulch Straw mulch is effective around lots of different plants! It discourages weed growth and helps keep moisture in the soil. I also like to add it to my garden to make it look nice and neat.