7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Garden

Sometimes we get so caught up in all the gardening advice in books, magazines and on television that we forget that gardening is a very simple thing that man has been doing quite effectively for thousands of years. Following are seven simple ways to work with nature and raise a lot of vegetables with as little work as possible.

1. Improve Your Soil

The best, easiest and least expensive means of building good soil is adding manure. Manure from cows, goats, and especially poultry are rich in nitrogen.

Manure helps the soil to hold moisture and keeps it loose, which promotes vegetable root development. Never use fresh manure directly on plants or seeds. Allow it to compost by either laying on your garden in the fall after your harvest or mixing it with straw and using it as a mulch. Manure does not need to be plowed under, merely spread onto the topsoil.

Potash is also excellent for your garden. Hardwood ashes contain potash so mix the ashes from your fireplace or fire pit into your topsoil for an added boost.

You will find that the more richly fertilized your garden is, your plants will grow faster and produce more fruit than they would in poor soil. Insects will also have a more difficult time ruining healthy plants in rich soil.

2. Be Smart With Your Seeds

Read your seed catalogues in the winter and plan early for spring. Plants cost much more than seeds so you'll save yourself a considerable amount of money if you plan on starting seeds instead of buying plants. Be especially mindful of planting times. if you plant too early, your seedlings may be stunted by cold weather and, if so, will never attain normal growth.

While it may seem that more is better, it is never good for plants to have to fight for root space. Be sure to thin seedlings according to the seed directions.

3. Care For Your Plants

Hoe between rows at least once per week during the early growing season. Pull weeds between plants before they have a chance to take root. As soon as your plants are large enough, mulch between the rows to keep down the weed growth and help to hold moisture in.

4. Keep a Handle on Bugs

Walk through your garden every day to observe any signs of unwanted bugs. If you see signs of trouble, act quickly and appropriately.

5. Maintain Proper Water Levels

In arid and semi-arid areas, watering is necessary. If you get rain at least once every ten days, just let mother nature handle it. Too much water can be bad for your garden so don't think you need to water daily.

6. Harvest When Tender

You can't expect to be able to harvest all your fruits and vegetables on the same day. As your vegetables begin to ripen, be sure to inspect daily for those that ripen early and pick them. Letting vegetables rot on the vine is just an invitation for insects and wildlife to move in. garden every day as vegetables begin to ripen.

7. Keep The Ground Green

Gardening doesn't end when you harvest your vegetables. As soon as the last vegetables are picked, roughen up the soil in your garden and plant rye. When you are ready to plant in spring, till the rye plants into the topsoil. It will decay quickly and provide natural food for your seeds. This is also known as green manure.

By incorporating these seven simple actions into your gardening plan, you'll find your garden producing better quality plants that provide you and your family with not only more vegetables but vegetables with a much higher nutritive value than those you'll find in a grocery store.