Gardening can be a very rewarding and worthwhile activity. Some people see gardening as a hobby, a way to derive pleasure in their spare time. Others may view it from a more utilitarian perspective, as in a way to grow their own food without being dependent upon grocery stores. Regardless of the reason for gardening, many great tips can be found in this article for both beginner gardeners as well as seasoned gardeners.

Choosing a tree. When buying a container-grown tree, remove it from the pot and examine the roots. Don’t buy a tree that is pot-bound with a mass of congested roots, or one that has roots growing out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. Make sure that the container has been thoroughly watered, and check for any yellowing leaves or dead branches.

A tip to prevent dirt from accumulating under your fingernails while working in the garden, use a bar of soap before starting. Rake your fingernails across a bar of soap and it will seal the undersides of your nails so that dirt will not collect beneath them. When you are finished in the garden, just use a brush to scrape the soap from beneath them and your nails will still be sparkling clean.

If you want to grow roses, you should look into the different species. If you are a beginner, select a kind of rose that does not require a lot of maintenance. You can also get into competitions with extremely delicate roses. Make sure you choose roses that are adapted to your skills and experience.

When uprooting a perennial plant, you should start digging at its drip line. Dig a trench around the plant, and cut any roots that extend beyond that trench. You can tie stems together to avoid damaging the plant during the process. Once all the roots are severed lift the plant carefully by its main stem.

Collecting and preserving autumn leaves is a fun gardening project, especially for the kids. Generations of kids have used the “wax paper method” to preserve fall leaves at peak color – with a little help from Mom. Just select colorful thin leaves that don’t have a high water content and place them between two sheets of wax paper. Place a cloth – like an old tea towel – on top of the waxed paper “sandwich” and have Mom slowly run a hot iron (no steam) across the cloth. Peek underneath to see if the wax paper is melting and bear down hard to get a good seal. The wax paper may seem cloudy while it is warm, but it should dry clear as it cools. Enjoy your pretty display of colorful leaves!

When and why should shrubs be pruned? Most shrubs need pruning to increase flowering. Deciduous spring and early flowering shrubs should be pruned immediately after flowering. Cut back old wood to encourage new growth. The buds for next year’s flowers will appear on this new wood. Late summer flowering shrubs should be pruned in spring. They will produce flowers on the shoots that grow immediately after pruning. Winter flowering shrubs simply need pruning in early spring to clean up any dead or diseased branches.

During hot weather, water your plants more frequently and deeply. When your plants do not get enough water, their roots work themselves up close to the surface, which means they will dry out quicker. If you water deeply, the roots will stay well underground to get to the water down below.

Make sure you recycle your garden waste and organic kitchen waste to create compost for your garden. A compost heap makes an excellent soil conditioner. It can also save you a lot of money, as you won’t need to buy bags of expensive commercial compost or fertilizer to make your plants grow.

Grow native perennials in your yard to attract local wildlife. Native vegetation is the best food source for your native animals. You will see more birds and colorful insects using this method. This is an easy way to attract wildlife, as native plants generally require less work from you in order to thrive.

Gardening is not hard, but you should get advice before you jump in head first. You want your garden to be successful rather than fail, so it makes sense to read up a little beforehand. There is no need to purchase expensive gardening books because you can find gardening books at your local library, or find out as much as you need online.

To make nutrient fertilizer from stuff you have around the house, look at what you have for breakfast. Both old coffee grounds and tea bags make an excellent fertilizer, especially when it comes to plants that love acid. Eggshells add alkaline to your soil, and bananas are the best source of the potassium that roses thrive on.

If you are practicing organic gardening then try using baking soda to prevent powdery mildew from forming on your plants. Simply mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a half teaspoon of mild liquid soap and add to a gallon of water. During humid or damp weather spray your plants which are susceptible to powdery mildew with this mixture each week. The unused mixture cannot be stored and used later.

Be careful when applying mulch. Too much can suffocate a plant’s roots and prevent moisture from penetrating deeply into the soil. Too little will not be able to suppress weed growth, effectively. An appropriate amount is 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch. Always keep mulch away from a plant’s crown or stems.

Use your own seeds for gardening in later seasons. This lets you ensure that your plants are organic from start to finish. Take an earlier season of plants and allow them to go to seed before you remove them. This means that not only are your plants growing without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, the seeds were grown without them either.

As previously stated, no matter what your motivation may be for engaging in gardening, you can never know too much. By applying some or all of the tips mentioned in this article, new gardeners can quickly increase their knowledge. Likewise, experienced gardeners can always pick up some new tips and add to their expertise.