In addition to the food gardening can provide for our table, it adds beauty to our world. Gardening is something that is shared by all cultures and all time periods. It is something that is taken up by people from all walks of life. While there are many consistent rules inherent in this hobby, there is also room for variation. These tips will provide a brief look at both.

A trick to help measure in the garden is to take one of the long handled garden tools like a shovel and mark on its handle using a tape measure. Using a permanent marker, mark out the feet and inches on its handle and when specific distance is required in planing, have a handy measuring device is close at hand.

Vegetable oil can keep your trimmer running smoothly. If you find yourself stopping frequently to deal with trimmer line jams and breaks, get some cooking spray or vegetable oil out the next time you need to refill. Spray the trimmer line thoroughly before installing, and it will feed smoothly without breaking.

Be sure to water a tomato patch no more than once every five to seven days. However, when you do water, be sure to give the ground a thorough soaking. Tomatoes do best if the soil is wet deeply, unlike many plants which prefer a light misting more often. Also, be sure to water the ground, not the plants.

Try and start your gardens as early as possible and keep them as late as possible to maximize the amount of crops you’re able to produce. You can use things like cloches, cold frames, and tunnels to start gardening a month or more in advance. You can also use row covers in the fall to extend your harvest season.

Try using latex or plastic gloves instead of cloth gardening gloves. Cloth gardening gloves do not block moisture well – a problem when working with moist soil, and they often get stiff, crinkly, and uncomfortable after a few uses. A sturdy pair of plastic or latex gloves, like those used for cleaning, are a much better choice. They protect against moisture, and cleaning is as simple as rinsing them off under a hose and hanging to dry.

Keep your plants dry and aerated daily. Parasites and pests are attracted to excess moisture on the plants. Fungi are parasites that are common in the plant world. To control fungi, use a fungicide spray on the area before you notice any problems.

Health

Although railroad ties may look very nice in your garden, the chemicals in them, are thought to be hazardous and toxic to the health of the garden, so consider alternatives. Natural wood is easy to find and will add a beautiful touch to your garden.

Clean your garden tools before you put them away. It seems strange to worry about keeping a gardening tool clean, but it’s actually very important for the health of your plants. Tools that are put away while coated in dirt can harbor microbes and even insects that can be deadly to your plants.

Make sure you read the labels on any weedkillers or pesticides that you use in your garden. Follow the directions closely. Using too much of a chemical can be dangerous to your health and the health of your garden. Failing to read the label might also mean that you get the wrong chemical for the problem that you’re having, polluting the ground around your garden for no reason.

Even a small investment of time and effort to gardening activities is sure to be greatly rewarded. Those rewards may come in food to feed our families or in flowers and other decorative plants to beautify our environment. Everyone can reap these rewards. The tips that are outlined above will get us started in that direction.