You've gathered your seeds and seedlings and tilled the soil for your garden. Now its time to plant and move forward in effective vegetable care for a vibrant garden. There are some natural enemies to outdoor gardens, the first of which is weeds. A well-maintained tract of land keeps your vegetable stems from getting flimsy due to the competition for root space. Weeds in the garden also take their fair share of nutrition from the earth, while potentially speeding the spread of plant diseases by proximity. On a purely visual level, a garden free of weeds also just looks prettier.
There are going to be days when it feels like the weeds win, but don't give up. That innocent looking dandelion may be harboring pests too! It's easiest to get your garden weed-free by taking the unwanted vegetation as soon as possible. Some weeds, once established, get down-right stubborn. Additionally, mature weeds produce sees which neatly fall into your garden waiting to germinate. Some of the common weeds to watch for include bindweed, purslane, plantain, ragweed, and creeping charley.
Manage with Mulch
Once you're garden is in the ground, give vegetable care a boost by mulching all around your plants. This helps manage those weeds. In addition, mulch deters soil erosion, keeps soil well aerated, and sometimes reduces disease. Organic mulch, as it breaks down, nourishes the soil, extends the growing season by keeping your soil warmer, and reduces the need for watering. Some examples of organic mulch include lawn clippings, compost, straw, and wood chips.
Landscape fabric can be used in place of mulch or in combination with it. However, avoid the fabric in very hot areas, or with crops that require cooler growing temperatures.
Moisture Levels
Another essential element in vegetable care is maintaining the right level of moisture. The two best systems for watering is rain and ground level irrigation. Nonetheless, not everyone knows how to lay out a garden irrigation system. In that case, just find a sprinkler or hose that has a "sprinkle" setting so that you don't damage plants by hitting them with rushing water. A light, gentle watering also decreases the chance you'll wash out seeds or waterlog roots accidentally. Make sure you use enough water so that the soil remains loose and doesn't look boggy.
Bear in mind that factors other than heat affect the dampness of soil. For example, when humidity is low the water in the soil evaporates more quickly, as it does on windy days. If you notice your plants looking wilted before 10 in the morning it's ok to give them some water. After that you need to wait until the sun comes down to avoid leaf burn.
Support Systems
Vegetable care includes giving your taller crops support so that they do not break or bend over to the ground where the crop can be damaged. Cucumbers, squash, and beans are three examples. The solutions for such crops include cages, stakes and trellis designs. Note, however, that most trellis systems need to be set down into the ground so that they remain upright through the growing season.
Bunny Love
Small animals will naturally be attracted to your vegetables, which means getting a little creative. Adding human hair to your vegetable garden keeps some animals away because they don't like the smell. Another option is keeping the garden close to the house so that critters will be less tempted to come harvest for themselves. A third option is having a small amount of produce growing in an isolated corner of your yard that you just let them have at it! Yes you can put up fences and netting, but sometimes its just easier to live WITH our animal neighbors provided they're not vermin.
There are going to be days when it feels like the weeds win, but don't give up. That innocent looking dandelion may be harboring pests too! It's easiest to get your garden weed-free by taking the unwanted vegetation as soon as possible. Some weeds, once established, get down-right stubborn. Additionally, mature weeds produce sees which neatly fall into your garden waiting to germinate. Some of the common weeds to watch for include bindweed, purslane, plantain, ragweed, and creeping charley.
Manage with Mulch
Once you're garden is in the ground, give vegetable care a boost by mulching all around your plants. This helps manage those weeds. In addition, mulch deters soil erosion, keeps soil well aerated, and sometimes reduces disease. Organic mulch, as it breaks down, nourishes the soil, extends the growing season by keeping your soil warmer, and reduces the need for watering. Some examples of organic mulch include lawn clippings, compost, straw, and wood chips.
Landscape fabric can be used in place of mulch or in combination with it. However, avoid the fabric in very hot areas, or with crops that require cooler growing temperatures.
Moisture Levels
Another essential element in vegetable care is maintaining the right level of moisture. The two best systems for watering is rain and ground level irrigation. Nonetheless, not everyone knows how to lay out a garden irrigation system. In that case, just find a sprinkler or hose that has a "sprinkle" setting so that you don't damage plants by hitting them with rushing water. A light, gentle watering also decreases the chance you'll wash out seeds or waterlog roots accidentally. Make sure you use enough water so that the soil remains loose and doesn't look boggy.
Bear in mind that factors other than heat affect the dampness of soil. For example, when humidity is low the water in the soil evaporates more quickly, as it does on windy days. If you notice your plants looking wilted before 10 in the morning it's ok to give them some water. After that you need to wait until the sun comes down to avoid leaf burn.
Support Systems
Vegetable care includes giving your taller crops support so that they do not break or bend over to the ground where the crop can be damaged. Cucumbers, squash, and beans are three examples. The solutions for such crops include cages, stakes and trellis designs. Note, however, that most trellis systems need to be set down into the ground so that they remain upright through the growing season.
Bunny Love
Small animals will naturally be attracted to your vegetables, which means getting a little creative. Adding human hair to your vegetable garden keeps some animals away because they don't like the smell. Another option is keeping the garden close to the house so that critters will be less tempted to come harvest for themselves. A third option is having a small amount of produce growing in an isolated corner of your yard that you just let them have at it! Yes you can put up fences and netting, but sometimes its just easier to live WITH our animal neighbors provided they're not vermin.