5 Tips for Gardening and Potting Soil

By Richard A Ludwig 

Potting Soil

Here's a little tip upfront. Dispose of coffee grounds in the garden bed. This promotes the growth of plants because the coffee grounds contain useful nitrogen.
When you go to your local garden center or nursery, you may wonder why there is such a variety of different garden soils available. It always comes down to what plants you want to grow and what nutrients are needed to maintain healthy plants.
Tip 1: Humus soil
Humus soil is generally considered one of the most nutritious garden soils. If you want to put your plants in the ground, you should fill your garden with about a half to a foot deep layer of humus soil before putting plants in it. Humus soil is available in garden centers and nurseries, and it is very reasonably priced. Better yet, forest soil humus can be the optimal starting soil for any garden plant.
Tip 2: Traditional garden soil
Traditional garden soil is available in different compositions in garden centers.
The first and foremost distinction:
Typically, the clay content in a multi-purpose or general potting soil is higher than in other soil types. Special potting soils for flowers are particularly for mixed flower beds, and usually contain a humus-rich substrate.
Whichever garden soil you choose, always read the package instructions carefully. Some plant-specific soil mixes, such as for planting Rhododendron, are available in specialty garden centers and at nurseries.
Tip 3: Growing soil
A cultivation soil as pure and germ free as possible should be used when fresh seed is spread in the garden or new seedlings are planted. The advantage of the growing soil is that it is usually mixed with elements of water retaining volcanic ash. This helps to keep the top layer of the ground loose.
Tip 4: Compost soil
Created from rotting garden waste, it is an excellent fertilizer for new plants. You could make your own compost soil yourself if you have a garden allowing some space for a compost area. Compost soil can also contain animal manure, including from cows, pigs and horses. Note that fresh animal manure should never be used as direct fertilizer.
Tip 5: Sandy soil
If you have very heavy soil like clay, add sand or a pre-mixed sandy soil to it. This will allow roots to spread and improve growing of your plants. You can also add charcoal to the mix as this will prevent fungal diseases. Alternatively, if you have a wood burning stove or fireplace, you can use those ashes.

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Vegetable Gardening For Beginners: How To Grow Green Onions

 By Charlie Tissler 

Vegetable Gardening

 Hi there, a good cool weather vegetable to grow is the green onion or scallion. This plant does well in mild to cool weather and produces a tasty white bulb that grows in the ground, and you can also eat the rich green stalks too. One of the first things you want to do is obtain seeds from your local nursery or home and garden center.
Soil selection is your next goal. These plants can be grown on your patio in a pot or planter of your choice. The key here is to select a container that allows for 8 to 12 inches of soil dept. Your containers should always have enough holes on the bottom to allow for proper drainage. This is necessary for your plants to get rid of excess moisture and grow. Improper drainage can cause a condition known as root rot which can kill your plants roots and the entire plant.
Potting soil can be used to grow your onions. The soil should have rich ingredients such as forest humus, Canadian spaghnum peat, and vermiculite. It would not hurt to add other natural organic matter such as worm casings or chicken manure. The key here is to make or prepare rich loose organic soil. This organic soil is full of natural material. Once the soil is prepared in your chosen container your seeds are ready for planting.
A simple method for planting these seeds is to simply use your index finger and poke a hole about half an inch down in the soil. Care should be taken not to over crowd your onion seeds. Spread out the distance between your seeds to about two or three inches apart. The onion seeds are small so care must be taken not to lose any of them. Start with one or two seeds and gently place the seeds in the hole you created. Cover with the loose soil and water the newly planted seeds until water drains out from the bottom of your container. Your newly planted crop should sprout and grow to maturity within 30 to 45 days.
As your onions are growing you will need to monitor them to make sure that they are receiving the correct amount of water each day. The temperature of the day will dictate how much water your plants will need. If the weather is warmer the soil may dry up faster than normal so you will need to increase the amount of water. Your onions will fare best in cool climates with moderate to some sun. All plants due better if they receive some sunlight. They need this energy to grown and produce properly.
You will be able to tell if they are mature enough to pick by observing the green stalks. They will look green and tall about 10 to 12 inches in height with an aromatic smell. All that is left to do is harvest the delicious green onions. They are delicious in green salads, and on baked potatoes.

Would you like to learn how to grow and organic vegetable garden? Let our experts help with helpful garden tips for the beginner. http://www.groworganicvegetablegardening.com

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