Tag: Garden

Gardening is often described as an activity people enjoy. While it can be relaxing for some, this does not mean that it does not involve hard labor! Thus, efficiency is one of the most crucial qualities people desire when choosing equipment or machinery that is required for laborious tasks such as garden preparation.  If you have never used a small garden tiller before, you may be feeling unsure about what specifications to look for, which can make the task of choosing a machine a bit daunting. The following should assist you in choosing the best machine for your needs.Many people tend to use the terms cultivator and tiller interchangeably; however, these are two different machines that do not serve the same purpose. A small garden tiller is primarily used for breaking up particularly hard soil in an existing garden bed, digging an existing garden bed deeper, or creating a space for a garden bed somewhere there had not previously been one. Tillers are generally more powerful than cultivators; and, therefore able to break up more solid soil. Alternatively, cultivators are better used for mixing soil in existing gardens, preparing soil by blending and aerating prior to planting, and helping to control the growth of unwanted weeds. I [...]

What Makes a Meadow or Prairie Better Than a Lawn?

In my previous post, I wrote about some of the advantages to the homeowner of having a meadow or prairie, versus a traditional lawn. Both meadows and prairies (the former have more native grasses and fewer wildflowers than the latter) contain plant life that is native to that region, whereas lawns contain grasses that are known more for their durability than for being local. Because of this difference, meadows and prairies can be friendlier to local animal life by providing shelter and food sources; they are also better able to withstand variances in the weather such as drought and are more resistant to non-native, invasive species of plants such as Ivy. For these reasons, meadows and prairies can be a much simpler, cost-effective and low-maintenance lawn alternative.

Now that we’re familiar with just what makes meadows and prairies such a great lawn alternative, let’s take [...]

Tilling—the practice of turning over soil in preparation for planting crops— is an integral part of the garden landscape that is a rite of spring (or fall) for many farmers and home gardeners. For the latter, tiling is most often done before planting vegetables; however it can also be done in advance of planting perennial beds and lawns. There are many benefits to tilling: it loosens, aerates and warms the soil. You have to be careful though not to over-till, as too much tilling can lead to soil erosion.

Is Your Garden Soil Dry and Warm Enough for Tilling?

Whenever you decide to till, you must first make sure that the soil is both dry enough and warm enough to till. If you do till soil that is neither dry enough nor warm enough, you may do more harm than good to your garden landscape. To check the soil for dryness, pick up a handful [...]