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Gardening Tips Home
Foreword
1. General View
2. The pH
3. Soil Tests
4. About Nutrients
5. Soil Fertilizers
6. Organic Garden
7. Organic Matter
8. Composting
9. Microorganisms
10. Earthworm
11. Water & Air
12. Digging
13. Soil Mixtures
14. Plant Diseases
15. Soil Insects
16. Weeds
Appendix
1. Soil Preferences2. Foliage
3. Topdressing
4. Soil Samples
Resources
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How To Learn More About Lawn And Garden
As a keen gardener, I like to take good care of my large lawn and garden. It's a lot of work but enjoyable. I know some people who have gone for the low maintenance option and got rid of the lawn, replacing it with decking or gravel. I need the exercise, so I don't mind the weeding, watering and mowing. Some people have lawns like velvet and maybe I'll achieve that one day. You have to keep up to a lawn and garden and that means regular watering in the Summer. In England, there is often a water hose ban in the South East which makes it awkward for gardeners. I keep two rain butts in my garden.
Grass in its wild state is not meant for cropping, so your lawn will need feeding with fertilizer so it receives enough nutrition. Fertilizers usually contain nitrogen for promoting a thick growth, phosphorus for encouraging growth in the leaves and roots and potassium for building up resistance to disease and bad weather. If you have a large area to cover, you can use a Broadcast Spreader to spread the fertilizer. Mowing of course is a necessary part of lawn and garden stewardship. Hand mowers are less expensive than the rotary mowers. I'm lucky enough to have a lawn tractor which is fun to ride. A Brush Cutter will cut the rougher grass around trees etc. A Rotary Edger will cut the edges and keep them neat.
When designing a garden, you need to plan your different areas. I like a mixed garden with lots of different features. Rock gardens and pot plants will cut the work down for a lawn and garden. You could have paths criss crossing the garden, laid with block paving, beach pebbles or concrete slabs. A conservation area with wild flowers is attractive, and encourages butterflies and bees. I have a small pond with koi fish, aquatic plants and water lilies. It's very relaxing to sit and watch the fish on a warm Summer's evening. It's possible to stay out in the garden these days with the lights and outdoor heaters that are available.
My dream garden, which I hope to have one day, will be a walled garden. It will be big enough for lawn and garden, with an orchard, herb garden and a vegetable plot. Perhaps there will also be room for a gazebo where I can relax after a hard afternoon's gardening.