Maintaining Your Summer Garden

There are many things that go into planning and planting a summer garden. Far too often would be gardeners do not consider the time and energy that should be spent maintaining a summer garden in order to keep it looking beautiful and healthy throughout the long dog days of summer and, hopefully, into the first frosts of fall. If prolonging the life and beauty of your summer garden is a priority then there are things that must be done in order to keep everything ship shape and in good working order.

1. Create a calendar of things to do in your garden for routine maintenance throughout the summer growing season and follow it as closely as time and the weather will allow. Make sure this list allows for upsets such as a week of rain or a week of no rain as well as time to adjust for these inconsistencies and an inability to work in the garden when temperatures are uncomfortably hot. Having a list of things to do written down in a place where it can be seen will be much more likely to be accomplished than if it were out of sight and out of mind.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2. Make sure you keep your garden weeded, watered, mulched, and fertilized according to the needs of the specific plants within your garden. Check for leaves that are turning yellow and any pruning that needs to occur on a weekly basis. Remove dead leaves and flowers, and remove all weeds whenever the opportunity or need arises. If weeds are becoming a prevalent theme you may want to increase the amount of mulch being used in your gardening efforts.

3. Trim the areas of your lawn that need trimming in order to create a more uniform appearance between lawn and garden. You do not want to diminish the beauty of your garden because your lawn is looking shaggy and unkempt. Devote a little time to lawn care in order to keep your lawn and garden on a consistent scale with one another throughout the summer gardening season.

4. Make sure that you carefully study each plant that you have in your garden and are aware of any special needs that exist for one plant over another. If your plants that need shade or extra water are either receiving too much sunlight or not enough water you need to make efforts to provide shade for them and get more water to them throughout the remaining months or you risk losing the investment of time and money you have already made in procuring and growing these plants.

Taking proper care of your garden during the summer months can make the fall harvesting process go a lot more smoothly, while also helping prepare for the planning that will occur in the winter months ahead. Learn from the maintenance of your garden and plan the next garden with the needs you became aware of this season in mind. Always take time to learn from both your successes and your summer gardening failures for the best possible results. Learning to maintain your summer garden properly is the best way to determine whether or not you want to attempt a more or less ambitious garden in future growing seasons.

Video - Growing Leafy Greens In Your Summer Garden

Here is an interesting gardening video which covers some interesting ideas for greens you can grow in your summer garden. Most people think of summer as the time to grow tomatoes, peppers, beans, corn, etc., but greens are one of the healthiest things you can eat, and many can be grown year-round quite easily - even in containers. Some greens may bolt (flower and go to seed) in hot weather, so for lettuce, arugula, etc., you may need to do multiple short succession plantings, as they will last for a shorter time than they would in the fall or spring. This is fine for sustainable gardens, as you will be able to rotate these in between other crops throughout the season, which helps enhance the soil and reduce pest problems.

Check out this video for some common and less-common greens you can grow in your summer garden:

Over a Dozen Leafy Green Vegetables You Can Grow in your Summer Garden
John from www.growingyourgreens.com goes on a field trip to Bayer Farm in Santa Rosa. In this episode, John will share with you some common and some uncommon vegetables you can grow in the Summer Time. After watching this episode you will learn over ...

Choosing The Right Plants For Your Summer Flower Garden

If flowers are your thing or if you plan to include some flowers in your summer garden then you should take a moment to learn about those flowers or flowering plants that are best suited to summer months and what those plants like by way of sunlight and shade. Not all flowers are created equal when it comes to withstanding the heat of the summer sun and some require a little more care than others. Keep all of these things in mind when planning your summer garden and choose wisely according to the type of care you wish to provide.

Summer Garden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a general guide to the various types of plants that are well suited for a summer garden and not necessarily those that are well suited to be planted together. Study the flowers you decide you would like to include in your summer garden in order to insure you keep those that love water and dislike sun away from those that thrive with little water and copious amounts of sun. In other words you will need to conduct a more thorough study of the flowers you decide to include in your summer garden in order to determine the proper placement of these flowers for the most color, effect, and the best possible life for the flowers you choose.

The following are some fun sun-loving flowers you may wish to include in your summer garden. Geraniums are bright little splashes of color that are ideally suited for a summer garden. They happen to work well for creating borders or simply providing a highlight of color in a bed of green and do quite well in pots on their own or mixed with other colorful summer flowers. The Hibiscus is a beautiful spot of color that will lend a tropical feel to your summer garden. A welcome addition to many gardens, they may grow quite tall so keep them to the back of the summer garden to allow the full array of color from all summer plants to capture the eyes of visitors. Marigolds are another popular addition to most summer gardens. With a wide array of colors from which to choose, and the ability to keep pesky bugs at bay, it is no small wonder that these flowers remain a popular favorite for sunny patches within the summer garden.

A Hibiscus flower. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shade-loving flowers also abound for summer gardens everywhere. Most gardeners find heavily shaded spots within their lawns or gardens to be a particular challenge. Perhaps some of these suggestions will help. Impatiens are widely popular choices for shady spaces and provide a wide range of bright colors perfect for creating fun and bright borders. The viola is another great brightly colored flower that is well suited for borders or potted arrangements, whichever suits your particular summer garden needs. Mimulus is another excellent choice for color in your summer garden and may tolerate partial sun quite well if you're looking for a nice border plant. If you prefer more dramatic coloring in your summer garden you might be interested in including Lobelia or ageratum, which both have beautiful blue hues and provide a lovely backdrop for other colors.

Of course this is only a small sampling of the many bright and beautiful summer flowers that can make a real splash in your summer garden. Be sure to check out the color offerings of each and specific care instructions to make sure that they are a genuine match not only for your personal tastes but also the landscape and terrain of your garden and the other plants that will be included in your summer garden. The planning stage is often the hardest work that many people put into their summer gardens but the pay off for all this proper planning is quite often rich and beautiful - especially when it comes to the flower garden.

Video - Growing Summer Squash

Well, here we are in May, and danger of frost is past in most areas of the US by now, or soon will be, which means - it will soon be time to plant summer squash!  Summer squash is one of the favorite vegetables of the summer garden, as it's easy to grow, grows quickly, and produces a lot. In fact, for a small family or single gardener, you'll probably only need a few plants. You can extend the harvest, if you like, by successive plantings, but be aware that certain pests love summer squash, so you may have more success with the first few plantings, before the squash bugs get too bad. For a few more tips, see the short video below.

Vegetable Gardening : How to Grow Summer Squash
Summer squash, which includes zucchini, is a warm-weather plant that loves the heat of the summer months. Use a rototiller to get summer squash out of the ground with help from an organic farmer in this free video on vegetable gardening and horticult...

Planting Your Summer Garden

When it comes to planting your garden the first thing you need to focus on is planning. Once you have a handle on the things you want to plant, where you want to plant them, and what the needs of your individual plants will be, it's time to really dig in and get your hands dirty. Of course, for many gardeners this is the best thing about growing a summer garden (though some will argue that the results are the best thing).

transplanting plants from starter pots to the garden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before the planting begins however you should take a calendar and mark the days that each part of your summer garden will be planted. Different flowers and vegetables have different growing seasons. Some prosper by earlier plantings while others thrive by later plantings. If you are planting a summer vegetable garden then many of the plants will need a precise number of days between planting and harvesting. Both the plant and harvest days should be noted. This also however provides an excellent opportunity to plant more of the vegetable (and some flowers) every two weeks to provide a continuous rotation of the vegetable you love throughout the gardening season.

Plants that are known to take up a great deal of space on the ground when left to their own devices (cucumbers, melons, squash, etc.) may be trained to climb poles that you set up in the garden for them. If space is limited, this is highly recommended. Doing this also provides an opportunity to shade plants that prefer less direct sunlight when planted next to these climbing vines that are climbing vertically. Also make sure you have enough stakes for all the plants that require them for best effect.

Plant your plants so that those needing shade get the shade they need and those that require the most water are located on a downward slope so that they get the water that runs off from the plants that require lesser amounts of water. This is a trick of conservationists and seasoned gardeners that makes the most of sometimes limited resources such as water for the purpose of creating a better environment for optimal growth. At the same time you want to avoid planting vegetables and flowers that require less water at the bottom of these slopes as they are likely to become over hydrated, which can be just as devastating as not getting enough water.

Compost (Photo credit: nancybeetoo)

Make sure your soil is healthy so that it can create the healthy plants you are hoping to have. Fertilize the soil in which these plants, flowers, and vegetables will be grown with plenty of compost. This provides the foundation necessary for optimal performance from your plants and greatest yield from your vegetables. You should also take great care once the planting has taken place that the plants, flowers, and vegetables that make up your summer garden are well fed in order to produce even better results. There are plenty of organic fertilizers and plant foods from which to choose nowadays, or make your own compost tea from well-decomposed compost. (See our recent blog post on this for how-tos: http://nhlsustainablegardening.blogspot.com/2012/04/video-make-your-own-compost-tea.html)

Plan your pest control before you begin planting your garden. There are some plants, flowers, and herbs that work as natural pest controls. These make an excellent addition to your garden as they offer no harmful side effect and can rid your garden of many of the pests that provide constant head aches. Another thing you may wish to consider is the use of chicken wire to protect some of your plants from things a little bigger than the average bug. The more humane the methods of pest control and the less you rely on pesticides the better. (For a few good home-made pest remedies, check out this recent blog post: http://nhlsustainablegardening.blogspot.com/2012/04/four-safe-home-made-pest-remedies-for.html )

And most of all, enjoy getting out in your garden and having a little one-on-one time with nature! It's good for the body and the soul.

The Versatility Of The Summer Garden

There is no hard and fast rule as to what a summer garden should be. This means that your personal vision for your summer garden is going to be quite achievable if you take the time to do the proper research and plan the planting for your summer gardening wisely and with great care. One thing is certain, planting wisely can produce a summer garden that is beautiful and maintains some degree of natural pest control. Your summer garden can produce fruit, vegetables, flowers, and may even be designed in order to attract certain birds or butterflies if that is your aim. Of course, your summer garden may also be designed to accomplish more than one of these goals as well. That's the beauty of the versatility of your average summer garden.

Summer Garden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here are a few things to consider. Versatility in a summer garden means that you aren't committed to one prevailing purpose or theme. This means that it is not at all inappropriate to plant a few flowering plants or herbs as pest control along with your favorite summertime vegetable offerings. At the same time it is completely acceptable to add a few vegetables that you just can't seem to live without in your flower garden or amid the plants in a garden of greenery.

When it comes to colors, the possibilities of the average summer garden are almost limitless. There are plenty of brightly colored flowers that hallmark the summer season and bring a little splash of color to a world that is often drained of color by the sometimes blinding summer sunshine. By bringing a few well placed colors into your garden as a highlight or border you are adding dramatic appeal. If you choose to make your garden a sea of brightly colored flowers, plants, leaves, and vines you can also achieve great effects. Be prepared to spend a great deal of time tending a garden of this nature however as many of the brightly colored flowering plants are attention and space hogs to some degree.

If you live in a dryer climate you also have the option of using low water landscaping or creative conservation techniques in order to create a garden that is lovely in its own right. A garden doesn't have to be excessively green or full of bright vividly colored flowers in order to be beautiful. By using landscaping techniques that are conservative in nature you are making your own conservation efforts and the rest of the planet should appreciate not only the effort but also the beauty of the creation that was born of that effort.

If you prefer nice lush greenery and live in a climate that will accommodate this particular style of summer garden there is no reason to avoid this either. Be sure to use some conservation efforts though because you never know when drought conditions may present themselves in climates that are typically quite moderate as we are learning in the Midwest over the past few years.

Summer vegetable garden in Roseville, Minnesota (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Vegetable gardens are yet another option when creating your summer garden and another fine example of just how versatile these gardens may be. Keep in mind that many people are discovering the beauty of vertical gardening and hanging plants for a few favorite vegetables and this may be an option if you wish to use limited space wisely and to greater effect.

Another option when it comes to showing the incredible versatility of the summer garden is raised gardening. This is quite literally planting your garden above the ground. Some people create elaborate 'sand boxes' of sorts in which the garden is planted. This allows great versatility for those with smaller spaces in which to plant their gardens as well as those who have landscaping issues that are inhospitable for gardening.

These are but a few examples of just how versatile a summer garden may be but I think they provide excellent insight and food for thought for those who are looking for a little something new and different for their summer gardens. Get creative, and have fun with your summer garden this year!
For More Fun Summer Gardening Ideas: 
   

Low Water Summer Gardens

If you live in a desert community or in an area that often experiences seasons of drought or extremely dry times during the year then it is quite likely that you would be best served by considering a summer garden that requires a little less water than the average summer garden by avoiding the lush greens and big 'drinking' plants that many people prefer to keep in their gardens in favor of plants that consumer water more economically and employing water saving methods to maximize the benefit of water that is used in your garden.

Image via WikipediaThere are several things you can do in order to insure that your garden is water friendly and doesn't over tax water systems that are often overburdened in attempts to keep them lush and green. One of the first, and most responsible things you can do is scale back your idea of what a summer garden should be. You do not need a huge garden filled with lush greenery in order to make a good impression. In fact, a responsible garden that conserves the natural resources and highlights the natural plant life is often a garden that is much more deserving of accolades than one that uses too many of the limited natural resources that are available.

The second thing you should do is think local rather than global when finding suitable plants for your low water summer garden. Dessert plants and flowers are accustomed to the dessert climate and can survive with low amounts of water and flourish. If you must have some of the more lush greenery or a few more exotic plants in your garden consider using them sparingly and supplementing your garden with local plants and flowers.

Image via WikipediaThird, you should use things that aren't plants in order to fill in gaping holes in the landscaping. For this you could use rocks, stones, nice lawn ornaments and a wide array of other things to fill in the holes that you feel are left behind by the absence of greenery and create borders and boundaries for your low water summer garden.

Finally, if you must have a lawn, keep it green by using low water grass mixes. This is a great way in almost any climate to combat drier than normal summer seasons and keep lawns lush and green without investing a great deal of time and effort watering it. The savings in water costs alone are often quickly cover the cost of the investment in the new grass for your lawn and will help the focus remain on your bright and beautiful lawn to the point that many homeowners do not lament the absence of a huge summer garden.

Living in an area that doesn't have the natural resources necessary to create a beautiful and lush summer garden should not eliminate the possibility of having any sort of garden at all. By making wise decisions in regards to the type and volume of plants to include in your summer garden you can take matters into your own hands and insure the ability to maintain a low water sustainable garden that will be the envy of the neighborhood. Combine these efforts with water conservation methods inside your home for amazing results and a beautiful summer garden no matter how dry the area in which you live may be.

A Few Good Low-Water Gardening Resources:
    

Extending the Life of Your Summer Garden

Well, my potato plants are dying down, and I'm seeing some yellow leaves in my garden. Although I don't want to admit it, I know in the back of my mind that unfortunately summer is already drawing to a close.... But this doesn't have to be quite the end of your summer garden!

Whether our gardens are meant to produce colorful blooms and fragrant flowers that delight the senses or plenty of vegetables that will keep our families fed throughout the long cold winter months, there is much to be said and enjoyed about keeping a summer garden growing and thriving. In fact, many of us look for ways to prolong the lives of our summer gardens in order to get that little bit of extra life from the flowers, plants, and vegetables that we plant in them. Keep reading to discover a few ways that you can prolong the life of your summer garden for a few more days, weeks, or even perhaps an extra month of color or vegetable production.

Image via WikipediaOne thing you can do to prolong the life of your garden is by planting in a raised bed. This is basically planting your summer garden in a specifically designed garden box that rests above ground. These boxes will heat up quicker and cool down more slowly allowing a little extra growing time. For small flower or vegetable gardens these are often ideal allowing flowers to continue flowering and vegetables to continue producing after the initial seasonal frosts that often signal the end of growing seasons for those plants planted below ground.

If raised beds aren't going to work for you, it is possible to begin the plants in the warmth of the interior of your home or a smaller scale raised bed and then transport them once they have matured a bit and the frost season is over with. This gives your garden a bit of a head start though it will do little to prolong the life of your garden once the first frost hits. For that, raised beds are truly the most effective method for small vegetable gardens. Those with large crops often find alternate heating methods and acceptable expense to prolong the lives of their gardens or to ward off against frosts that occur either early in the fall or after the initial spring planting.

You could also invest in garden row covers to protect your plants and extend their life a little beyond the average growing season or at the very least protect your plants through the first frost or so. These covers keep the plants nice and toasty warm in fact, it is important that you monitor them closely when covered to avoid overheating and do not use the covers when not necessary as this can affect the growth of the plants and the yields negatively as much as it can impact them in a positive manner.

Image via WikipediaYou should understand that there is no requirement that says you must prolong the life of your garden. Many people get what they want from their garden whether it be the enjoyment of beauty from the bright and colorful flowers or enough vegetables to last through the leaner winter months when vegetables come at either a premium price or lack in flavor to some degree. Once you've gotten what you want or expect from your garden there really is no reason to prolong its life. There is especially no reason to take extraordinary steps to do so.

That being said there are many families that feel an extra month of color will help get them through the long and drab winter months that seem to be absent of bright and vividly colored flowers and that an extra week or two to harvest their vegetables will provide an extra month of two of food. These are very valid reasons for making the effort to extend the life of a summer garden. My hope is that the information above will help you do just that. Good luck with your summer garden and hopefully you will be able to enjoy your garden well into the fall or at the very least beyond the year's first frost.

Growing Vegetables in Your Summer Garden

Welcome back!  I apologize for the lack of posts last week; I was out of town, and thought I'd have time to post a couple of times, but unfortunately did not. I was home, watching my sister get married, so it was quite a fun occasion. It also ties nicely into today's article - going home this time of year reminded me of all the gardens I grew up in, the sweltering, mosquito-filled summer days in the South, picking berries, watering, planting, and harvesting sweet corn and tomatoes, among other summer garden-related activities!

Image via WikipediaAs a child, I remember many summer afternoons sweating in the kitchen canning tomatoes, or making peach preserves. There were also many other vegetables we grew in our summer gardens that had to be picked and stored for winter, and I can't say I miss too much about those hot and sticky days! One thing though, has never gotten away from me and that is the deep and abiding love I have for the smell of freshly turned soil and the taste of vegetables fresh from the garden.

I point out the fact that my childhood favorite summer garden vegetables seem to flourish best in the South to drive home the fact that you really will need to research the vegetables you plant in your summer garden as they relate to the specific area in which you live. Not all vegetable plants are created equal in their tolerance for temperature or rainfall (or lack thereof), which could greatly impact their suitability for your particular vegetable summer garden depending of course, on where you are located.

Some great plants to include in your summer vegetable garden should of course be dictated by those vegetables that you enjoy eating as well as those vegetables and herbs that you use a good deal when cooking. If you use peppers a lot in your cooking then peppers are probably an excellent choice for your summer garden. If you don't like peppers, then they are not likely to be a good choice, as they will probably be wasted. Tomatoes are another popular favorite for summer gardens. Some have even gotten creative and created hanging tomato baskets in which the tomatoes literally grow upside down. If space is limited in your summer garden this may be a great way to have your tomatoes and grow them too-without taking up valuable real estate within your vegetable garden.

For those who love their greens, summer gardens provide an excellent atmosphere for growing greens such as broccoli, lettuce, and cabbage. Collard greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens are also good summer garden inclusions - but these do best in cooler weather, so they are best for early summer, or fall. I also have strong memories of boiling huge vats of greens to be frozen for winter when the full force of the harvest was upon us. There was always something to be done with the vegetables as winter approached and during those lean winter months we were so grateful for the hard work and effort we had made to insure these great vegetables would sustain us during the months they weren't so readily available.

Image via WikipediaHaving a summer garden filled with vegetables is a satisfying pursuit in many ways. First of all you are producing something that is useful to you and your family. Second, you are providing a way for you and your family to enjoy the vegetables you love most throughout the year. Finally, you are able to produce vegetables that are fit for consumption and enjoyment at a much lower cost than you would pay for these vegetables at the local supermarket. This helps save money for some of the more important and more entertaining things most of us would like to do with our families.

As with any summer garden you will need to plan carefully the placement of your vegetables and do some research on individual watering and shade requirements. It helps to plant those that need partial sunlight in the shadow of those plants that will grow taller and provide shade for the smaller plants. It also helps to keep the thirstier plants closer together and further away from those plants that require less water to sustain them. You should also take care to be realistic in your planting and avoid planting more than you can comfortably consume or preserve, as that will be wasted time and effort on your part. (For a couple of good resources on preserving the bounty of your summer vegetable garden, see below.)

Summer Gardening Resources:
    

6 EasyTips for Creating a Summer Garden on a Budget

Gardening can quickly escalate into an expensive undertaking if you do not enter into the prospect with certain and very specific budget constraints in mind. If you plan according to your budget and purchase according to your specific plans and needs you are likely to find that your summer garden is more budget-friendly than the vast majority of other gardens on the block. I hope the advice that follows will help you cut the expense of gardening and help you find budget-friendly ways to build the summer garden of your dreams.

Image via Wikipedia1. Don't buy what you don't need. It may seem simplistic, but who among us hasn't gotten seduced by a great sale? It doesn't matter how good the deal is -- if you do not need the seeds, tools, and various other items there is no real reason to purchase them. It is a waste of money that could be better spent elsewhere.

2. Don't pay for shipping if it can be avoided. You may find a few items cheaper online but be very aware of the costs involved in shipping. If it costs more when all is said and done than it would have cost to purchase the same items locally you haven't saved anything at all. Look at the big picture rather than seeing only the cheaper asking price. It is also a good idea to support small local businesses whenever possible as they are going to be more likely to bargain, barter, and throw in freebies.

3. Check locally for free composting materials. Many communities offer these free to residents. When compared with the expense of purchasing these materials the savings can be significant over the course of a summer.

4. Work out an exchange among gardening friends. This is a great way to incorporate new plants into your summer garden without purchasing each plant you wish to include! This is also a great way to make new gardening friends, share a passion, and save money. It's a win-win situation for most gardeners!

5. Select plants that are native to your area for your summer garden. This is a huge money-saver that is often overlooked (and it's also more sustainable!) The costs of non-native plants can be excessive in the best of circumstances and the added care incurs further costs - especially if you end up not being able to keep the plants alive, or productive. Keep costs down by selecting plants that will easily thrive in your climate and those that are locally cultivated. This isn't an all-or-nothing proposition of course. If you absolutely love a couple of non-native plants, by all means incorporate them into your garden. However, if you are planning a garden from scratch choose as many native plants as possible for filler.

6. Check your local classified ads and free-cycle program for used garden tools that are in good condition. There are many reasons that people sell or give away garden tools and a bargain is a bargain on these tools that are going to be used to play in the dirt. You do not need to be incredibly picky about the tools you purchase and saving money is almost always a good thing. It's even better, of course, when you get them for no cost at all. You also might find a few free plants available through these sources too.

Image via Wikipedia7. Mulching saves time and money. Really! It saves water to mulch because the mulch holds the moisture in. This lowers the cost of watering and eliminates many of the pesky weeds that crop up-which saves time. We all know that time is money and most of us despise weeding - unless we have some truly aggressive emotions to work through, that is. :-)

By using all of the steps above you should find that you have saved a good deal of money in the planning and growing of your summer garden. Combine them with tips of your own that you discover along the way and next summer your garden should cost even less.

Planning Your Summer Garden

If you happen to be like many of us you want a summer time garden plot to bring a little life to your landscape through these so very warm summer months. Many of us though, would like a garden that does not demand perpetual care or attention. That’s why proper planning becomes important in favor of developing a summer time garden of your dreams.

There are several things you will want to ask yourself while setting up your summer garden. Each of these items will to a certain extent shape the kind of  garden your garden will accommodate. To begin with, what space in your landscape would you want your summer season garden to fill and on the whole how significant is the area. The majority of us live in houses that have sadly insufficient gardening room these days. Because of this it is important to develop a sensible idea concerning how much of that prime area you are prepared to devote for a summer garden plot.

When you have decided how much space you might be prepared to commit to your garden plot you need to decide about the site. Location is essential to identify before beginning the preparation phase since you’ll have to to plan in respect to the site. You need to be able to resolve the next few questions as regards your garden location. How much uninterrupted sunlight will  the location get in an average day of the week?

Mustard & kale in my early summer garden.

Is this a spot that is generally wet or typically dry? And also how much filtered sunlight will  this portion of lawn see in any given day? These are things which are important since they will, for the most part, determine what sort of crops your sustainable garden will have the ability to contain. You additionally will need to understand a little about the topography for the spot as well. Is it flat, rock-strewn, or muddy? These answers will each bear a different and significant impact regarding the manner of garden that will be grown as well as measures you may need to undertake in order to make a summer garden work out in this specific spot.

The next issue you may need to raise and then resolve prior to moving on to the preparation and shopping stage is how much time, on average, will you want to devote to your summer garden plot on a particular day of the week? Gardens often need tending and you should be ready to commit some time to keeping your garden in decent running order (although some certainly entail more maintenance than others.) You ought to hold a sensible idea of the amount of time and attention you will be ready to allot to making your sustainable garden the wonderful refuge it could be in mind before you make your mind up about the different types of plants or flowers that will comprise your summer garden.

You must furthermore keep in mind what kind of summer garden you wish to start. Do Image via Wikipedia you want crisp produce, a flower garden, or would you only aim to add a little of added sparkle to your front lawn? Would you wish to add a water feature or have a sitting area?

When planning a summer garden you need to take into account all these questions and more. Another thing you may want to have in mind will be the local environment. Is it average, dry, wet, or cool most mornings? These questions could also have a fairly considerable effect on the sort of garden is suitable for your current setting.

Setting up a garden involves a great deal more than just strolling outside and just tossing some seeds over the soil. There is a significant amount of work that goes into setting up a flourishing summer season garden. Asking the right questions can be a helpful place to initiate this process. When you have discovered the answers it is time to start the more exciting elements of planning your garden plot, such as working up the soil and selecting what plants may presently dub your front lawn home. Just keep in mind that devoting careful attention to the fine points in advance will prevent a great deal of wasted time as well as money later.

For more  on summer gardening, tools, and resources, please visit our main website at http://www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html 

Happy Gardening, and stay tuned for our next post, as we are going to do a brief series on natural pest control!
Rose.