Designer Secrets

Designer Secrets to
Maximize Home
Value
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Congratulations on your decision to transform your yard into a

landscaped masterpiece! Now that you’ll have a beautiful new yard, it’s
time to learn some tips and tricks to keep everything looking great!

There are many classes, e-guides, various books, videos, magazines, and other
resources available. Our ebook is filled with tips
which contain some of the best advice for helping
homeowners care for their gardens and yard.

The first and most important thing about

yard maintenance is the quality of your soil.

About a month beforehand use organic

compounds like mulch, fertilizer, and compost to
increase the nutrient value and retention of your
soil.

It will also improve the retention of water, create a soil buffer, and more.

Always use mulch when tending your soil. Mulch is a much better way to
amend your soil than fertilizers because it comes from natural ingredients in your
garden. Commercial fertilizers may contain undesirable chemicals. In addition,
mulch is free. All you need to do is compost your clippings and yard waste in a
compost bin. Before long, you will have enough mulch for your entire garden.

Before planting anything, clean the area where you plan on having flowers or any
other delicate plants. Remove all the weeds and the grass if you think it is
necessary. Your flowers should not have any competitors for the nutrients they
need while they grow.

You’ll find that most high-end

landscape designs add a pop of color
wherever they can.

Single-color beds, like the color white,

makes an impact when set among deep
green background plantings.

It may not be necessary to plant extra

greenery to contrast against the white

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flowers around your bed. A green lawn may be all you need to display the color.

But we find that adding color to your garden or lawn is a great way to add
something special and unique to your own taste and style.

Landscaping: Design Inspirations

As Forbes reports, a well landscaped and well maintained yard can add up to
23% to your homes value. That allows you to refinance your mortgage, sell
your home at a mark-up, or just simply enjoy your new oasis with the peace of
mind that your home has an additional $20,000 in its walls.

Follow these simple landscaping & design secrets from our ShrubHub team to
help boost your home value for years to come.

Farmhouse

Typically with a soft color palette, white, light blue, and natural tones of
foliage – the farmhouse landscape style is a timeless design.

Opting for stone & local materials over plastic and metal, it’s classic and
modest.
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Perfect plants for a country farmhouse home include: Dogwood, English

laurel, Hydrangea, Spirea, and Liriope.

Spanish

Are you daydreaming of a Spanish vacation? Full of color, cobblestone, and

culture? Then this design style is perfect for you.

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Tiered fountains, bocce ball courts, and herb gardens are all common
staples of a Mediterranean design. All together, it makes an iconic,
unforgettable space.

Transport yourself to another world each time you step out your door with
this Spanish Inspired Landscape.

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Modern

Bold geometry, bold colors, controlled, and organized.

There’s something quite relaxing about a clean modern design.

Popular materials include concrete, metal, and wood – sometimes mixing

industrial with rural aspects.

Modernists love working with bold colors and borrow from art deco culture.

One goal of the modern design is to create contrast and excitement. From
large ornamental grasses popping out against grey concrete, or even bright
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blue cushions near maroon succulents.

Tropical

Obviously the most recognizable aspect about this design style are the lush
tropical plants and accompanying water features. Bright blooms among vivid
green grass, and an oasis to cool off – one of the most popular designs of
the last decade.

A lot of tropical styles try to mimic the rainforest or jungle. This natural
appearance is usually achieved with faux boulders, water features, or even
a waterslide for a splash of youth and fun.
While beautiful overgrown greens are spectacular to look out, the tropical
design can also expertly weave modern concrete into the space, creating
something truly one-of-a-kind.

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Some fun ideas can include: a hand carved tropical statue (like a Buddha
head or Totem Pole), tiki torches, bamboo accents, or rattan patio furniture.

Traditional

Sometimes you don’t need all the bells and whistles to truly find your perfect
space. You can still include all the outdoor elements like fireplaces, built-in
BBQs, and brick and stone features – but traditional styles are more
functional then our previous themes.

You’ll find geometric shapes similar to that of a modern design, with

blooming gardens and lush shrubs. Evergreens are often kept tall and
narrow to add dynamic range.

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Traditional designs leave a lot of room for fun, quirky features like life-size
chess boards, maze gardens, and yard game areas.

This is the most versatile of all design options.

Container & Combo Inspirations

Finding the right plants for you landscape can be hard – you’ll need to
consider climate, maintenance, and weather conditions.

What do you want to achieve with your plants? What style containers would
you like?

The following should help you get an idea of which styles and combinations
you like best. Then you can speak with our designer about how to bring
these ideas to life!

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Above you’ll find a mix of modern and classical containers, with succulents,
bold shrubs, perennials, and more.

At ShrubHub you’ll be able to create your own container/plant combos so

you can tailor your plants to your personal desires.

____________

Gardening Tip: Plants love water, but they like room

temperature water. Water that’s too cold or too hot can
damage their fragile roots. Try filling up your watering can
the night before you water your plants so in the morning the
water is the perfect temp!

When looking for a natural fertilizer, try Alfalfa Meal! This is natural fertilizer
can be readily purchased at most health food stores. It provides essential
nutrients to your plants, while letting you avoid harmful chemicals.
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Apply the alfalfa meal directly over your soil. Reapply after any heavy rain falls.

You can easily find YouTube tutorials on the correct way to incorporate alfalfa
meal into your soil.

Gardening Tip 2: If you are not a fan of

wearing gloves but still hate dirty
fingernails, try scraping your fingernails
in a bar of soap! The soap will keep soil
from entering underneath your nails, plus
it can help keep your nails from
cracking or breaking.

When growing potatoes, make sure you

choose a variety with a starch content that corresponds with the way you'll be
cooking them. The more starch there is in a potato, the drier and flakier it will be
when cooked.

Potatoes that are good for mashing have approximately 7% starch. These
potatoes cook quickly and retain a high moisture content, so they're easy to
mash. Baking potatoes have a starch content between 15% and 18%, and frying
potatoes have the highest level at 22%.

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ShrubHub Landscape Suggestion: Hold off having a pond in your garden

until your children are older .

A pond, no matter how

shallow, can be very
dangerous for small
children.

If you start off with a

sunken sandpit for your
toddlers to play in, you
can easily convert it
into a garden pond
when they are older.

Simply line the area with a rubber pond

liner or use a preformed pond.

Test your soil before purchasing fertilizer.

Fertilizers provide essential nutrients to plants, such as phosphorus, potassium

and nitrogen. However, fertilizers can be very expensive.

By testing your garden soil to see which nutrients it is lacking, you can avoid
spending extra money on a complex fertilizer, and instead purchase a fertilizer
containing only the nutrients that your soil requires.

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Create a Zen Garden by adding a water feature...

Water features come in all sizes and designs. It is possible to have a very small
water feature that is suitable for a patio or a very large pond. Several
manufacturers make do-it-yourself kits that can
be installed in just a few hours.

If your favorite flower pot or garden container

has a hole or crack where dirt is leaking through,
try lining that area inside the pot with a coffee
filter.

It works great to hold dirt in and keep your

walkways and container gardens neat and clean.

Try them out on hanging baskets as well!

Choose specific plants for dry soil.

Light and sandy soils have some advantages, such as they warm up quickly in the
springtime and drain well after wet weather.

The downside is they can quickly become very dry in the summer and plants have
to work hard to extract enough moisture to survive. Certain plants are very
tolerant of dry conditions as long as they are given a helping hand when young.

Once established they do well with very little water, though. These plants include
alyssum, cosmos, hebe, lavender, rosemary, sedum and veronica.

You can use small clay pots or milk jugs to

protect your plants from a late season frost.

A bed sheet is also an effective cover on shrubs

or large areas.

Typically, young sprouts are the most

vulnerable. If you forget or your efforts fail, you
may be forced to replant the crop.

A garden that has tall plants in the back with

low-growing plants in the front shows off the entire flower bed the best. To keep

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interest and color in your garden throughout the season, be sure to plant flowers
that come into bloom at different times. This way, you will always enjoy color in
your garden.

Check for weeds often in your garden as they will leech nutrients from the soil.

Weeds can grow at a high rate of speed and overwhelm the resources available to
your plants. Take the time to check for weeds at least twice a week to catch them
while they are new shoots. Here's a YouTube video with some tips.

It is important to treat roses before they are attracted by bugs.

There are insecticides that you can purchase at any garden supply store that
should eliminate or deter bugs from attacking your rose bushes. It is best to treat
the bushes before there are any signs of a bug problem.

Knowing the layout of your yard and what kind of soil you have can greatly
improve your gardening experience. By knowing this, you can figure out what
seeds will work with your current yard or if you need to create a different
environment around your planting preferences. Different plants require different
nutrients, so plan accordingly.

Grow shade-loving annuals.

Most annuals (and tender perennials) thrive in

full sun, but some prefer a little shade. They do
well on the north side of a house or under the
canopy of trees and shrubs. Remember to
provide good soil and plenty of moisture.

For constant bloom in a shady area, plant

impatiens, balsam, clarkia and lobelia.
Nicotiana is particularly striking, growing 5 feet
tall, and producing beautiful tubular white
(and purple) flowers with a glorious fragrance.

If having a lot of color in your garden is what

you like but you want a sense of continuity,
the best way to achieve this effect is to use
two colors consistently among all of your plantings.

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As you look at your garden, your eyes will be drawn to the continuity of color and
the view will feel more harmonized to the senses.

Try growing a shade garden.

Shade gardens use less water, require less light, and are generally lower
maintenance than gardens in the sun. They typically have less invasive weeds
than other gardens and have a slower growing period as well. Your yard will be a
more rounded environment with a garden like this.

Know your climate zone.

This can be the difference between a thriving garden and one that never grows.
Knowing your climate zone will help you choose flowers, fruits, vegetables and
trees that are perfect for where you are. This way, you get a bit of a head start
when designing a garden.

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.

Save toilet paper tubes and use them to grow seedlings.

Simply slit the bottom of the tube several times

and fold the flaps over to make a small pod in
which to start your seeds.

When it's time to transplant your seedlings, you

can peel away the tube or plant it and put the
whole thing in the ground. The paper should
decompose.

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Make a profit off of the garden by selling micro crops.

There is a huge demand for micro crops from

restaurants and organic markets who are willing
to pay a premium for these fresh vegetables.

Specialty mushrooms, baby corn, rare herbs and

other micro crops are in very high demand and
can earn a gardener upwards of fifty dollars a
pound or more.

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing when

gardening.

Never work in the garden in bare feet or sandals.

Wear shoes that lace up and give good cushioning and arch support. If it is hot
and sunny out, wear a hat to shade from the sun and clothes that will protect the
skin from burning. The more comfortable you are, the more you will enjoy your
garden.

Pick the right location for each of your plants.

This tip might seem obvious, but I've seen so many people just buy a plant and
never think about how much sun (or shade) it needs to thrive.

Some plants love sun and others need more shade. By picking the location that
works best for each of your garden additions, you will spend less time and money
trying to maintain them. Don't be afraid to ask questions at your favorite garden
store if you aren't sure what to plant, and where.

Stress Relief

Gardening can be a great way to relieve stress. If you're feeling stressed and you
like gardening, doing it more often might make you feel more relaxed as you are
outside and working with different kinds of plants as well as the earth. It also
helps clear your mind and gets you focused.

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One way to slowly-water your

plant is by using a plastic bottle,
such as a 2-liter soda bottle.

Punch a few small holes in the

bottom of the bottle, fill it to the
neck with water and replace the
cap.

Place it in the soil and use the

cap to regulate the flow of water.

Before planting anything, clean up as much as possible the area where you plan
on having flowers or any other delicate plants. Remove all the weeds and the
grass if you think it is necessary. Your flowers should not have any competitors for
the nutrients they need while they grow.

If you do not have a lot of square footage for

gardening, try using trellises or posts in your garden.

Allowing certain vegetables to grow up a trellis or

post rather than spreading out along the ground will
allow you to grow more per square foot.

You can do this with tomatoes, peas, and climbing

beans, for example.

It is obvious that plants require water to grow. It's also important to know the
amount of water that particular plants actually need. Overwatering or under-
watering a plant can severely damage its growth and health. Overwatering can
result in root rot, where the water-filled environment encourages the growth of
microbes that eat away at the roots. Under-watering a plant can make it's leaves
dry and brittle.

Use scale, color and texture in your garden to improve interest.

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Use plants of different heights, putting small ones in front and tall ones in the
back.

Add a few plants that have deep maroon leaves

(pictured), which looks great next to greenery.
Plant a tree or shrub that changes to oranges
and golds in autumn, and mix small-leafed
plants with larger-leafed or spiky plants, such as
agave.

The fall season has arrived and the task of

emptying our container gardens is at task. However, instead of storing your clay
pots in a garden shed for the winter season, why not replace the summer annuals
with edible fall vegetables.

Having in your favorite clay pot signifies

fall, however, consider adding alternative
edible plants like leafy lettuces such as
arugula, endive, bok choy (pictured) and
radicchio.

When it is time for a quick salad, simply

snip a few leaves, and you will instantly
have delicious ready to eat salad.

Use organic matter in your garden.

When you remove a plant, fill in the soil with organic matter so that the soil can
renew itself quickly. You can use a small quantity of organic matter if you notice
that some of your plants do not look healthy or to prepare the soil at the
beginning of a new season.

Keep an eye on your lilies.

Unfortunately, lilies are prone to virus disease, such as lily mosaic. If you can,
purchase bulbs that are guaranteed 'virus-free'.

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During the growing season, keep a sharp look out

for any aphids (pictured), as they spread the
disease.

Make sure to spray with insecticide soap at the

very first sign of them.

Utilize proper tools and keep them in tip-top

shape to lessen the stress on your body when you're gardening.

Spades and hoes should be periodically sharpened to keep them working at their
best. If you have the space, choose tools such as long handled spades that allow
you to stand while working. The better you feel after gardening, the more often
you'll enjoy getting your hands dirty!

When lifting heavy things in your garden it is important to protect your back. You
should always lift with your knees when you are lifting anything in the garden. If
something is very heavy you should ask someone to help you lift it so that you do
not cause damage to your back or knees.

To prevent pain in your knees while gardening

you should use a knee pad.

A knee pad is typically a foam board that will

allow your knees to rest on padding rather
than on the ground. You will find that most of
the knee pads that are sold in stores are less
than $10 and can be purchased anywhere that
gardening supplies are sold or online.

You must water your plants correctly to achieve success with your garden. When
watering your garden and if you live in a hot area, always try to do it early in the
morning or in the evening, when the sun has gone down. This gives the soil a
chance to actually soak up the water without it evaporating.

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Also, if you have pots, try to hand water them with a can rather than using a hose.
This way you can make sure that each pot gets enough water, since potted plants
can dry out completely in a matter of hours if they haven't had a deep watering.

If your home just has a small patio, you can still have a garden by growing plants
in containers.

Container gardening can give you the option to grow all kinds of flowers, plants,
and even vegetables. You can also bypass the problem of frost by taking your
containers inside during frosty weather.

Planting a garden is a great way to save on food costs.

Anyone can grow vegetables with a little bit of planning and maintenance. Involve
your children with the garden, it is a good opportunity for them to learn a little
science and you may even be able to get them to try new vegetables.

Take the time to plant your roses properly and you'll enjoy greater success down
the road. Dig a hole larger enough to easily accommodate the roots and enrich it
with organic matter.

Build a mound of soil in the hole and drape the roots over it. Fill half way and
water to remove any air bubble, then finish filling the hole.

You can also create a neat effect

by using a trellis for roses.

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You can get most of the gardening tools you need second-hand. Visit yard sales
and estate sales near you to look for gardening tools at a very low price. You can
also visit online trading or donation groups to trade items you have for gardening
tools, or even to find free tools on Craigslist.

Buying plants locally is a good option.

While it's possible to obtain plants from all over the country via mail-order,
buying locally has its advantages. Not only will you be sure that the plants are
suitable for your area, you will actually be able to see the plants before you buy
them. Find a local nursery or garden center with knowledgeable staff who will be
able to help you with plant selection. Many local nurseries have a 'money-back'
guarantee if the plant fails to flourish in your garden.

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.

There are many common household items that can be used to good effect in the
garden.

Try using duct tape to remove aphids from

the leaves of infested plants. Wrap the tape
around your hand, sticky side out, and press
it to the leaves to remove the aphids.

A lint roller can be used for this tasks as

well.

Pine needles are an optimal mulch for acid-

hungry plants.

As you are mulching these plants during the fall season, you can use pine needles,
which will begin to decompose and deposit acid into the soil at higher levels than
other types of mulch, thus giving these acid-hungry plants plenty of what they
need.

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Repel leaf-eating insects with chili pepper.

If your plants' foliage is being ravaged by hungry insects, add one tablespoon of
red chili pepper or hot mustard to one quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray the
foliage evenly, making sure to get the undersides of the leaves too. One taste of
this spicy spray will send bugs on their way.

Pumpkins

If frost has killed your pumpkins before they've had a

chance to turn orange, it's not too late to save them.
Cut the pumpkins off the vine, leaving a minimum of
4 inches of the vine on the top of the pumpkin.

Wash them thoroughly with water mixed with a small

amount of bleach to prevent the development of
mold.

Bring them inside and place them in a warm sunny location, turning them
occasionally so the sun can reach all the green areas of the pumpkin.

Within a few weeks or less, you'll have bright orange pumpkins to carve into jack-
o-lanterns or use to make homemade pumpkin pie.

If you have a garden pond, grow water lilies.

Many people are

under the impression
that water lilies are
very hard to grow, but
it's the exact opposite!

The roots of the plant

embed themselves in
the mud at the bottom
of a pond.

From these roots

grows a thick root
stock which is topped with the leaves and flowers that you see on the surface of

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the pond. You can also plant the water lily in a special pond basket. Simply line
the basket with hessian to prevent the soil from falling through, and fill with
ordinary garden soil. Rest the plant on top of the soil and place in your pond. The
only requirement for beautiful flowers is a sunny position.

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.

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)

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• the amount of soil in the pot and several other reasons can be a
determining factor

To kill off aphids on rose plants, spray them with a powdered milk and water
mixture (1/3 cup powdered milk to one quart water). When the mixture is
sprayed, the aphids get caught in the liquid and eventually die. Every few weeks
spray down the roses with water to rinse off the mixture and reapply it if needed.

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.

I suggest also sprinkling the newspaper with soil to ensure the paper does not
blow away (or use some rocks). The paper will smother any weed seedlings trying
to emerge and help the soil hold onto its moisture.

Don't plant your seedlings or young plants too deeply.

The top of a root ball of a large shrub or tree seedling

should be just above the soil level and then covered up
with mulch to protect it. This allows the roots to breathe
and keeps the tree or shrub healthy.

Here's a YouTube video showing you how to plant a root

ball tree.

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As I said earlier, used tea and coffee grounds make good soil enrichers. Both
coffee and tea grounds are great additions when you need to raise the acidity of
your soil.

If your soil is pH balanced, adding the tea and coffee is good--as flowers such as
rhododendrons and azaleas and fruits, such as blueberry, appreciate soil that is on
the acidic side. You can work the grounds into the soil before you plant your
garden or sprinkle a little around existing plants once a week or so.

Don't try to remove low lying weeds by hand. Instead get a small shovel and flip
them over so their leaves are under the dirt. You will kill the weed and the leaves
will rot creating a fresh mulch like material for you to use. It is green and
nourishing for the other plants.

A great tip to consider when gardening is that you can stop jamming from
occurring with your string trimmer simply by spraying it with cooking spray or
vegetable oil before loading it. This is an easy way to prevent frustration and
wasted time in the future, trust me... been there, done that.

Spraying Chemicals

It is important to spray chemicals when it is not windy outside.

Wind can cause chemicals to get into your eyes or cause you to inhale them.
There are some chemicals that can be very harmful if ingested. By only applying
sprayed chemicals on windless days you can help protect yourself from accidental
ingestion.

Saving Seeds for Next Year

(Click the Video Above To Watch)

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Save money by drying the seeds from your annuals to plant next year. Petunias,
zinnias and impatiens are just a few of the flowers from which it is easy to extract
and save seeds. You will have to extract the seed pod from some flowers and wait
for it to split open.

With others, such as marigolds, you will have to open the flower and extract the
seeds yourself.

After extracting the seeds, let them dry for at least a week. Place them in a jar
with a rubber seal and add silica gel pouches to keep them from absorbing
moisture. Store them in a cool, dry location until you're ready to plant them next
year.

Growing and planting seeds successfully...

Make a small hole in the soil with a chopstick and drop three seeds in. When the
seedlings emerge, snips off the weaker sprouts leaving only the strongest plant

Wait 4 to 5 weeks before transplanting. Wait until the weather is not so cold at
night, as a sudden cold snap will kill most seedlings.

Here's a good video and alternate way to do it.

Pruning Bushes

To make sure you're getting a level

edge when pruning your bushes, use a
piece of rope or a line.

Simply fasten the rope to two pieces at

the approximate height you'd like the
bush to be at. Seeing the bush along
this straight line will make it easy to see
if it's level at a glance.

Prune shrubs in early spring.

The best time of year to prune shrubs is in late winter or early spring, before any
leaves or flowers grow. Pruning scars tend to heal quickly in early spring and early
pruning allows you to look at the framework of the shrub before it is covered in
leaves.
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Remove all dead and broken branches and weak growth. This initial pruning is all
that is really necessary apart from a little shaping (see above).

Disbud your plants.

Disbudding is the method of 'pinching out'

new growth buds to encourage bushier
growth and showier flowers.

New buds are produced at the leaf axil (where

the stem and leaf stalk are attached).

By pinching out the top buds, you will

encourage the lower buds to grow more
freely. This also ensures that the plant has a
much longer growing season.

Some plants that benefit from disbudding include:

• sweet pea

• carnation

• fuchsia

• aster

• marigold

Fresh Corn

(Click the image above to watch a

video on planting corn)

You can enjoy fresh corn from your

garden for an extended time during
the summer by making several
plantings.
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About a week after you plant your first few rows, make another planting of a few
more rows. As the harvest from your first planting begins to dwindle, your next
planting will be nearing maturity.

Depending on the length of the summer season in your area, you might be able to
make several plantings.

When planting next season's vegetable garden, it is important to rotate some of

the crops. For example, potatoes and tomatoes should be planted in a different
spot because they are both prone to the same diseases. Keep your vegetable
garden healthy and thriving by learning which crops need rotating and why.

An Unusual Tip...

As funny as it sounds, you can dry herbs by putting them in your car.

You can neatly arrange them on a sheet of newspaper in a single layer and then
close the doors and windows and let it air dry. The warmth in the car will dry the
herbs quickly. The herbs themselves will create a very nice aroma.

Grow a herb garden.

You can buy packaged herbs, but it's much more economical to grow your own, at
least in my case.

Grow them where they are easy to pick, such as in a garden bed near your back
door, in pots on the patio, or in a kitchen
window box.

Herbs require plenty of sun and good soil.

Moisture requirements depend on the variety

of herb. Herbs that are easy to grow include:

• chives

• parsley

• sweet basil

• sage

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• thyme

• rosemary

Humus

You can use humus as a basic component of your garden soil; it'll help your plants
thrive. Humus is made up of decaying organic matter and is just about the perfect
soil for most plants to grow in.

It improves the soil structure and water retention in the soil which promotes the
habitation of earthworms and beneficial bacteria in the soil.

What To Do With That Old Christmas Tree

Instead of throwing your Christmas tree away at the end of the season, break it
down and use the needles as mulch for your garden.

Planning

Plan out where you will plant certain vegetables in your garden before planting
them. You need to know how tall and how wide certain plants get so that you can
avoid overcrowding your plants.

Knowing ahead of time what you can expect from your plants will also help you
place them far enough apart so that you can walk between them easily if
necessary.

If you're a serious gardener, collect your dirt for a soil analysis to see the nutrients
your soil needs. You can get this tested at a local university's agriculture
department, usually for a fee. The fee is well worth it usually because then you
will know what nutrients your dirt needs to have a garden that is successful.

If you like to plant flowers that produce a lot of fragrance, consider planting them
close to your house. One reason is that you can enjoy the scent whether you are
inside or outside your house. Another reason is that the heat from the walls of
your house can intensify the scent from your flowers, making them more fragrant.

Use a mixture of vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and water to get rid of salt deposits.

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If you are having a problem of salt buildup on

your clay pots, mix equal parts white vinegar,
rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle.

Spray on the deposits and they will wash away

with ease. Make sure to let the pots dry
thoroughly before use.

To give your plant great nutrition without

spending a lot of money, use leaves! Leaves are one of the best plant foods
available. Try covering any exposed soil in your garden with small, shredded
leaves. This will enrich the soil and will allow it to provide better nutrition to your
plants.

Plant self-seeding flowers.

Let your flowers do the work of re-stocking the garden for you. If you allow your
flowers to go to seed, the following year you will have new seedlings popping up
everywhere. If things get too crowded or if plants appear in the wrong place,
simply thin them out. Good self-seeders are:

• alyssum

• bellflower

• forget-me-not

• poppy

• columbine

Sometimes you will need to re-pot your plants.

One good way to check if your plants need re-potted is to turn them over and
look at the bottom. If you see many roots, it is time to get it into a new pot. If you
see few roots, you may not need to disturb the plant.

Snails and Slugs

To help keep slugs and snails out of your garden, minimize any moist, cool spots
you may have. Wood piles and empty flower pots can provide shade to these

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pests. They need a shady cool spot to survive, so if you eliminate such places in
your garden, the slugs and snails will eventually wander somewhere else.

Pick garden vegetables often and early.

While immature, many types of vegetables are very tasty in their young phase.
Snap peas, little summer squash, cucumbers, and budding broccoli can be picked
to keep the plants in a state of reproduction for a longer period of time. This will
also increase yields with a second harvest off of the same plants.

If you find that your garden is producing more vegetables than you can eat, you
might try finding recipes that call for the produce in different stages of maturity.
For example, if you anticipate that you'll have more squash than you need, you
can harvest the squash blossoms. This makes your garden more diverse in its
offerings that you can enjoy.

Gardening can be a relaxing and rewarding hobby, while encouraging you to go

outside and be familiar with the planet. Gardening is an excellent way to get your
family together, too.

That about wraps it up for this quick tips book.

I hope this eBook has helped you come up with ideas for your own home!
But don’t worry, our team will be with you step-by-step to make your dreams
a reality.

We look forward to working with you!

-The ShrubHub Landscaping Team

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