If you are recently retired, this might be the first year you have a true garden. Sure, you may have planted a garden or two in the past, you may even have harvested a few tomatoes and cucumbers for your efforts. But this year, you have plenty of time on your hands and plan on planting and maintaining a rather large garden filled with all sorts of tasty vegetables.
Whether your garden is a smashing success or a total failure, it really doesn’t matter to you because a bad day gardening is far better than spending your days staring at a computer screen. And while you aren’t dreaming about taking first prize for your squash, you at least hope to grow enough food to make a salad, perhaps.
Gardening is just like everything else, you think you know everything about it but we all know that is just a lie you tell yourself. Gardening is more than just tossing some seeds in the ground and keeping them watered. Also, gardening isn’t as difficult as some people claim it is, and you don’t have to spend hours each day on your hands and knees tending to your garden for it to be a success.
Whether you are planning on a huge garden with a large variety of vegetables or a smaller garden with a few tomatoes and cucumbers, it’s nice to have a few tips and ideas up your sleeve. Your New York Medicaid planning service is here to help with a few gardening tips.
Plastic Forks
There are any number of animals that show their appreciation of your gardening skills by stealing your food. And there are other animals who think your garden is the perfect place for a bathroom and poop on your basil. Keep these critters out of your garden by strategically placing plastic forks, pointy side up, around your plants to deter them. They will leave your garden alone after getting poked a few times.
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt has many uses, including helping you maintain a healthy garden. Epsom salt is rich in magnesium and sulfate, which just happens to be critical to plant life. Mix in a few tablespoons to a watering can and hit your plants with the mixture once or twice a month.
Cinder Blocks
Not all of us have the necessary skills to build a raised garden bed out of wood. So it’s a good thing that all you need to construct a raised garden bed are several cinder blocks. Cinder blocks are inexpensive and can be found at your nearest home improvement store or lumber yard. Simply place the cinder blocks top to bottom in a rectangular shape and you are good to go.
Weed Killer
Nobody wants to spend any amount of time on their hands and knees pulling unwanted weeds from their garden. And many of these people are too lazy to go buy weed killer. Well, mix a gallon of white vinegar with a cup of salt and one teaspoon of liquid soap and you have yourself a homemade weed killer.
No-Stick Shovel
Spray any shovel with Teflon or silicone lubricant and shoveling becomes a breeze. A good coating of this type of spray will make the surface of the shovel slippery and dirt will slide right off without making a mess.
Location, Location, Location
Plants cannot survive without water and the sun, so make sure you pick a spot for your garden where these needs will be easily met. Most vegetables thrive when they get at least six hours of sun a day.
There you have it, tips for a successful garden. Good luck.
