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How A Simple Indiana Farm Boy With NO Green Thumb Learned How To Create His Own Beautiful Garden In Less Than 7 days�

by: Jerold Johnson

Transformed From An Indiana Farm Boy With NO Green Thumbs Into A Knowledgeable �Backyard Gardener� In Less Than 7 Days

Hi there! Are you a gardening disaster, unable to keep even the most vicious of WEEDS growing? Do you have two �left� thumbs�yearning to become two �green� thumbs with regards to YOUR OWN successful backyard garden? Yes? Good, because that�s what I want to share with you. . . how I knew NOTHING about the basics of lawn maintenance and gardening, and transformed myself into a knowledgeable �backyard gardener� that has begun the process of cultivating my own little �patch of Heaven� to enjoy with my wife and kids.

How about you?

Are you looking to learn the basics? Want to revamp your existing, lifeless and limp garden into a vibrant and flourishing haven? What about that dream of always having your very own vegetable garden? Are you thinking of quitting to soon, when it comes to learning how to cultivate your own �homemade� fruits that you loving would be eager to share with friends and neighbors?

The starting point is to determine the finish line for you.

In the words of Stephen Covey--�Begin with the end in mind!� It�s okay to give yourself permission to dream a little bit. When�s the last time you walked around the family �homestead�, whether that�s a real acre or more of raw land or maybe just a small patch of dirt off the apartment patio?

I have learned the basics on a variety of garden topics and have started to turn my knowledge into action with my own backyard!

Let�s just be upfront that NO ONE can become a master gardener without years of experience and increasing their knowledge base. BUT, as is my case, I can guarantee that YOU can raise yourself to a �backyard gardener� standard by absorbing the experience and knowledge of other successful gardeners!

I am doing it�you can too!

Let me summarize some of what I have been able to learn and apply in my own life by giving a little demonstration of my own �before and after� knowledge:

THE BEFORE PICTURE:

Grass & Lawn care�Grass is what the �yard� is made up of. I know there are a couple of different kinds, only one I can think off of the top of my head is �crab grass�. Also know how to use a lawn mower and a �weed eater� to trim along the driveway and sidewalks.

Flowers�Bought in a pot or planter of some sort from the nearest Home Depot or Lowe�s store. Require watering; but degree of shade and life cycle of a certain flower . . . what�s that? ;-)

Vegetables�WHEN we eat them with dinner, they come straight from the market (usually in a can or a frozen back, right?). Of course, being from Indiana, I was raised on corn, green beans, peas, etc. Don�t give me any of that �foo-foo California vegetables� and stuff�like asparagus and such that my wife, native Southern California girl that she is, just LOVES! :-) And growing them? Fo�get �bout it!
Fruits�Peaches, oranges and apples are an easy to think of since the fruit is right there hanging off the tree for the taking, BUT starting from scratch, who has the time and patience to MAINTAIN these bad boys?

The Seasons�Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter, right? But what about �zones� for differences in climate and environment across the U.S.? I have no idea EXCEPT that palm trees seem to do really well in Southern California! ;-)

Gardening Tools�A spade? That�s either a little hand shovel or it�s a type of symbol when playing cards. . . as mentioned above, my �tool� knowledge consisted of the lawn mower, a �weed eater� and a pair of gloves. Not anymore!

THE AFTER PICTURE:

Grass & Lawn care�Lawns tend to be one of the most labor intensive and repetitive jobs in your landscaping endeavors. By the way, most lawns are a mixture of grass types, and allows for the �ol �survival� of the fittest to take place. Reducing your lawn area by using different types of ground cover or flower beds will provide some enhanced beauty and lessen the overall work load! Ground cover is foliage that applies to many types of plants. Though many different kinds for different uses, they all tend to spread horizontally very rapidly often by vining or creeping plants.

Flowers�There are several types of flowers to plan into your �patch� but one of the �regular favorites� is annuals because they bloom so fully, and the amazing color. The essence of an annual is that it germinates from a seed, growing into a mature plant that flowers, then sets its seed and finally dies. All of this happens in a single growing season. I also know now that �deadheading� is when you remove the fading flowers so that you prevent the seed formation and the bulbs will keep flowering!

Vegetables�When planning a vegetable garden, like my wife and I are currently doing, we have learned to focus on two things: 1.) creating a rich, abundant soil and 2.) spacing plants in beds instead of rows. Growing plants together will allow them to shade the ground, reducing evaporation from the soil and discouraging weeds. Also keep in mind that you don�t want to have to recruit an �army of workers� come harvest time! Planning and organizing your goals with regards to vegetables will help create a fun and enticing experience with less �back breaking� chores to upkeep!

Fruits�I have learned what one of the MOST FRIENDLY types of fruits a weekend gardener, like us, can grow is . . . Do you know what it is? Its blueberries! Why? Because they require very little pruning and that pruning needs very little skill to accomplish. Just my cup of tea�low maintenance and a hearty enough fruit to survive my inexperience and low skill level!

The Seasons�Originally I only thought of �gardening� when it came to Springtime and all the new life to enjoy�the flowers blooming, the bees working their way from one to the next, sunshine and fresh air! Not the case! Little did I know or even think about was the fact that you can do some �good work� all year long that will enable your garden to flourish and expand even more so during the �blossom� time. Also depending on which type of �zone� your in will help determine how much of a weekend gardening game plan you will want to plan, work and enjoy! Just as an FYI, check out the National Arboretum site for information about your temperate zone: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Gardening Tools�A spade, the traditional English digging tool, has a flat, rectangular blade, attached at an angle to a short handle. They are useful for digging up the ground with your weight behind them. Mattocks are a digging tool that looks like a thick axe head and can be used to cut roots and for difficult soil types like rocky, hard-baked clay. A bulb planter cuts out a circle of earth as you jam it into the soil. You then insert the bulb and knock the soil back in to cover.

See, it�s just a matter of learning the basics! Again, if I can do it�then so can you! And these are just the starting tools.

See? What did I tell ya? I�ve gone from a �know-nothing� farm boy and changed myself into a somewhat knowledgeable �weekend gardener� in hardly anytime at all.

Of course, this is just the beginning. I am just getting started with the planning and planting! BUT, the great thing is that this has now given my wife and my boys something to have the whole family involved with! What can we come up with as a family to grow together?!? It�s very exciting and awesome to now be able to spend some great time together outside and enjoy God�s creation by being part of the �growing� cycle.

I hope you find enjoyment and happiness in developing your own �weekend gardening� skills and knowledge. Just get started! That�s what I did, and you can too!

About the author:
Jerold Johnson is the author of the brand NEW book that spoofs Atkins and the dieting industry! In his spare time, he wanted to learn how to start turning those ugly, dead dirt spots in the backyard into something amazing--a beautiful garden spot! You can do it too!

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Things You Should Know About Gardening
by: Gerardas Norkus

Gardens come in different varieties like the plants you find in them. There are several gardening tips that can be used for all type of gardens.

1.Mulching protects your garden topsoil from being blown away. It also provides nutrients as it decomposes and improves the appearance of your gardens. Mulching has other benefits and is one of the most recommended gardening tips by gardeners and farmers alike.

2.Healthy plants are more disease resistant. Plant are like people, a person with a strong immune system can combat diseases. A healthy plant does the same.

3. Pests can be eradicated by cleaning the plant with a watery solution of soap. Just make sure to rinse after. This gardening tip is best heeded for fruit bearing trees or edible plants.

4. Using compost fertilizers are a great way to have healthy plants. It is also a great way to save money on expensive fertilizers. Non -organic fertilizers also tend to leave chemical residues that can accumulate in garden soils and harm not only the plants but the gardeners as well. They cause toxins to go to the water supplies. Another gardening tip recommended not just by farmers and gardeners but also by environmentalists.

5. There are several plants that are only suitable for a specified climate, a certain kind of soil or can only grow with certain plants. You have to know what plant grow in the conditions you have in your area this is for you to avoid unnecessary purchases. This is a money saving gardening tip.

6.Landscaping is a good investment which can double the value of your home. This is one gardening tip that can earn you money.

7. Growing grass on bare ground is an easy way to make your home look better and appreciate in value. This is one gardening tip that promotes earning money while growing grass legally.

8. Aside from looking great in your home, trees also provide some sort of protection from direct sunlight exposure and strong winds.

9. Vines on the walls, fences and overhead structures also would offer some protection and would also look great.

10.Flowers are beautiful, but they are also expensive. Get one that is resistant to many elements. Flowers from your local community already have developed resistance to conditions present in your area.

11.For most gardens plants, their roots go only as deep as 6 inches. Putting fertilizer deeper than that would be a waste of money. Put them shallower as they seep down when the plants are being watered.

12.Earthworms are important to plants. They till and aerate the soil for the roots to breathe. Non-organic fertilizers can kill them. This gardening tip dates back to the old days of gardening.

13. Having several kinds of insects that are beneficial to your garden would be good. These insects can be encouraged to stay by having diverse plants in your garden.

14. Spot spraying weeds with household vinegar, instead of using commercial weed-killers, can eradicate them. This is another environment friendly gardening tip.

15. Avoid putting too much mulch on tree trunks, this would encourage unwanted pests to reside on them.

16. Use plant varieties that are common to your area or have been taken from an area with similar conditions.

17. Be sure to know the plants that are poisonous. If you are intent on growing them, make sure to have the necessary cure available in your household. Take note of this gardening tip, it can save your life.

18. The best time to water plants is during mornings.

19. Before planting a new plant in your garden, you must consider its height and size when it matures. This garden tip can help you save money in the future.

20. Newly transplanted plants may require special attention during its first week. This is to reduce the stress and shock it got during transplantation.

And last but not the least of the gardening tips...

21.Plants are living entities. If you want them to grow in your garden you have to treat them as such. They need to be taken care of. They are like your pets, you look out for them. In return you get that feeling of contentment watching them thrive.

A good way to take care of them is to consider that plants might have some feelings too.

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