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Gardening can be a great way to get outdoors and enjoy yourself. Unfortunately, a lot of people’s backyards fall into disarray. It’s not uncommon for modern folk to disregard their gardens and focus their efforts on interior design or elsewhere completely.
Ignoring your garden is a great shame since it is a space for you to unwind and reflect without anybody else being present. There are very few truly private places anymore. This post will explore garden gems, telling you about some of the plants you need to include in your garden’s design if you are starting to develop more of an interest in it.
Using Online Directories
Online directories can be great places to turn to if you are interested in learning more about garden plants. You can use them to find virtually any plant and decide which ones you want to grow in your garden.
Bear in mind that certain plants do better in specific environments than others. For example, if you want to grow citrus trees, you’re going to probably need to live in a warm part of the world. Most online directories will tell you what the ideal climate is for the plants they have listed.
1. Herbs
Rather than focusing on specific plants, this post will offer categories and families of plants that you can then look into yourself using a directory or plant index. Herbs are a great addition to any backyard since they give you the opportunity to save yourself money and grow your own seasonings.
Herbs from grocery stores can be very expensive and they can often only be used once, since once their packaging is opened, they begin to deteriorate very quickly. Growing your own means you don’t ever have to pay extortionate grocery store prices ever again.
In order to grow herbs in your backyard, you can set up a planter or you can grow them in the ground. Something to note about growing herbs in the ground is that weeds can grow alongside them, some of which can be deadly. Many weeds look very similar to common herbs.
You need to make sure that you educate yourself and become an expert in weed identification if you plan on growing herbs in the ground so that you do not end up poisoning yourself. Most directories will also contain information about weeds.
2. Flowers
Flowers are a welcome addition to most people’s backyards. If you are planning on planting some, make sure that you find a type that is going to compliment your yard’s existing design. For example, if you have a tropical garden, flowers like jasmine or rose can look great.
One of the best things about roses specifically is that they are very hardy flowers and can grow in a number of environments, from wet and cold to hot and sunny. Find a variety of roses that is able to grow in the climate that you live in.
If you are interested in planting flowers in your backyard, make sure that you grow them from seed. Growing plants from seed is the best way to save yourself money. A lot of people make the mistake of buying expensive flowers that have already been grown in pots.
Doing this saves you time but can cost up to 75% more than seeds do. Garden centers in particular charge obscene prices for plants they have grown themselves. Planting seeds during autumn and winter will yield the same results in spring with little to no maintenance as buying plants from a garden center that have already been grown.
3. Vegetables
Growing vegetables in your backyard can be another great way to save yourself money. Unlike herbs though, vegetables require a lot of physical care. You’ll have to spend a lot of time pruning plants back and treating them with pesticides to prevent bugs and rodents from eating them.
Try to use organic, natural pesticides. Chemical pesticides can be dangerous to the environment and the vegetables you are growing since you will ultimately be eating them. You can find organic pesticides online. There are also strategies developed by organic farmers that you can use for deterring pests without pesticides.
The vegetables you grow need to match the season you are growing them in. A lot of amateur gardeners make the mistake of planting vegetables out of season. While it’s true it is sometimes possible to grow vegetables out of season, this typically results in diminished flavor and sometimes limits the growth and size of vegetables.
For maximum flavor and size, grow vegetables at the right time of year, every year. Depending on your garden size, you can grow a lot or a little. Do your research so that you know exactly what to do to get more from your harvest.
4. Fruit
If you live in a cold part of the world, fruit is a little trickier to grow. You may be able to grow apples and cherries during the summer, but you may not be able to grow anything more tropical, such as bananas, mango, or papaya.
If you are planning on growing tropical fruit in the climate that suits that, you need to make sure that you do everything you can to prevent pests from invading your trees. It’s not uncommon for pests to target tropical fruit since they tend to have very high sugar levels.
In addition to thinking about pests, when it comes to fruit you actually need to think about human theft. It’s not uncommon for people passing by fruit trees to pick fruit from them.
If your trees are situated in a place that human beings can get to without trespassing, you need to make sure that you put up a sign asking them not to take anything, unless you truly don’t mind. If you don’t mind, you don’t need to do anything. You won’t need to worry about theft as much if they are out of the way and not visible from the sidewalk.
Growing plants in your backyard can be a great way to give yourself a reason to spend more time there. More time spent in your backyard as opposed to your laptop or computer can do wonders for your mental health. Give the types of plants mentioned here some consideration.
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