Gardening is an excellent way to grow beautiful flowers. Knowing which flowers should be planted when, and in what season they bloom, is important to ensure that your flowers grow. This article will give you tips about planting your flowers, so that you get the absolute best results for your garden.

Properly put down your sod. Prior to laying the sod, prepare your soil. Remove the weeds, then break up the soil into fine tilth. Compact the soil lightly and firmly, and be sure to create a flat surface. Water the soil until it is saturated. The sod should be laid in staggered rows, with the joints offset from one another. Make sure the sod is firmly placed to ensure a surface that is sufficiently flat and even. Also, make sure to use soil to fill the areas where there are gaps in the sod. You will have to water the sod every day for 2 weeks, and then it should be firmly rooted to the ground, and able to be walked on.

Avoid rose mildew. This fungus affects many types of roses, especially in wet weather, when days are warm and nights are cold. Small gray or white spots will appear on the plant, forming a felt-like down. Shoot tips are killed and buds fail to open. Don’t plant roses close together – they need good air circulation to avoid mildew. Spray any affected plants with fungicidal soap.

Don’t assume that insects are to blame for all plants ailments. There are many things that can affect the health of a plant. The PH of the water you are using, the location of the plant (under shade vs direct sun), the amount of soil in the pot and several other reasons can be a determining factor.

Use fertilizers that are free for the taking. Using chemical free grass clippings or human urine for a nutrient rich and free fertilizer. Twenty parts water with one part urine is an excellent fertilizer for seedlings, or steep the grass clippings in water to make a tea for watering and fertilizing the plants. So don’t spend a lot on the garden when the fertilizers can be had for free.

During the hot season, water your lawn a couple of hours before the sun rises. If you water during the day, much of the water will evaporate before it gets a chance to be absorbed into the ground. When you water before the sunrise, the water will have a chance to go deep into the soil, allowing the roots to absorb the water.

If your tomato plants have long branches that are not flowering or producing fruit, go ahead and pinch them off. It won’t hurt the plant, but will actually help. Pruning back the branches that are not producing fruit, allows the plant to focus its energy and nutrients on producing larger and more flavorful fruit.

When buying a shade tree, buy a smaller seedling that has been grown in a pot. Buying a larger tree seems like a better idea, but it has to be dug out of the ground. This damages the root system of the tree, so it spends its first growing years replacing those roots. The potted seedling, however, can immediately start growing new leaves and branches.

There are natural materials, and you can also use other plants to help keep pests away from your garden. A good way to keep slugs away is to create a border with onions around a garden with vegetables. Marigolds would do this trick as well. You can also prevent insect pests by using wood ash like mulch around your trees and shrubs. Doing these things can ensure that you do not need potentially harmful chemicals.

Give peas a head start by sprouting them indoors. Pea seeds tend to germinate much better when planted indoors, before being moved to an outside garden. It will create heartier seedlings, which means they will more easily resist the pests and diseases they will encounter in an outdoor environment. When these pea plants are sturdy, you can place them outside in your garden.

Recycled newspaper can be used in the garden. Newspapers are an eco-friendly addition to your garden that can keep weeds at bay and help your soil retain important moisture. Simply wet some newspaper, and place it around the bases of your garden plants. Sprinkle with soil to ensure the paper does not blow away. It will smother any weed seedlings trying to emerge and help the soil hold onto its moisture.

If you own fish, save your water. Changing the water in a fish tank is a necessary chore when caring for these pets; however it can also prove to be useful for your garden. Dirty fish tank water is actually quite loaded with the nutrients plants crave. So when it comes time to change the water, instead of dumping that old water down the drain, use the water to fertilize your plants instead.

Try to avoid using pesticides in your garden. Pesticides can get into your food easily when you spray them on your edible plants. These pesticides can make you sick, and have been linked to greater health issues. There are many organic alternatives to pesticides that are safe to you and the environment.

Why buy new garden covers when you can use your old blankets to cover plants in the winter time? If you don’t have any old blankets you can buy used ones at thrift stores cheaply. Use tomato cages to support the blankets over your plants. Individual bricks or garden rocks can be used to hold the blankets and down and insure good coverage for your plants.

As stated in the beginning of the article, gardening is an excellent way to grow beautiful flowers. There are many variables when choosing which flowers to plant and when. Planting your flowers at the right time is crucial for your garden to look its best. Apply the tips from this article and you will be extremely pleased with your beautiful garden when it blooms.