You have always been envious of your neighbors' spruced up garden by the yard. Flowers and lush shrubs abound in their tiny nook of paradise. You ask yourself why you never get to have that kind of garden. And, you usually dismiss such wondering with lines like "I don't have a green thumb!" or "I can't afford a gardener or a professional landscaper," which are both lame alibis.
If you want your yard to look regal with a simple but well-maintained garden, you only need two things - determination and the know-how of such an endeavor. Psyche yourself to muster such will that would consequently urge you to look for sources of information on how to go about it.
For your own gardening happiness, here's a rundown of tips on how to make your gardening by the yard endeavor a very rewarding one.
1. Deadheading
One good rule of the green thumb is to keep your border free from wilted flowers and dried leaves. Deadheading or removing dead flowers' heads will promote the blooming of your plants. Some perennials such as phlox, daylily, and Lady's Mantle get their growth jumpstarted by deadheading.
2. Prune selectively
It is a must to shorten the size of your annuals through selective pruning. This will help the plants to grow more.
3. Pinch out tops.
Certain plants respond when their tops get pinched out. Such plants include Coleus (a foliage plant) and herbs.
4. Fertilize lightly.
A minimal amount of fertilizer will further boost the growth of your vegetation. If you water your yard frequently, you have to fertilize it more regularly because of nutrient depletion.
5. Weed out.
This is one of the best ways to preserve the beauty of your garden by the yard. Moreover, removing weeds also provide better absorption of the soil's nutrients. If you can't help but use herbicide, do this safely and make sure that other plants don't get affected.
6. Water them well
One good tip when it comes to watering your garden by the yard is to do it for shorter periods of time, more often. It will do well if you increase your frequency of watering a bit come summer time. But doubling the time you water your plants will do more harm than good, e.g. erosion.
7. Say no to chemicals
Chemical is just as bad to plants as it is with humans. So better avoid using it as a pesticide. Physical pest controls or other alternatives are better options.
With these simple tips, soon enough you won't have to go green with envy with your neighbor's spectacular garden by the yard.