Gardening requires several tools and correctly executed procedures to become successful. There are some pointers that need to be followed to be able to grow healthy plants in your garden. Take for instance the pots that a gardener commonly uses in his/her gardening endeavor. Choosing the right garden pots is as crucial as the other things that need to be considered in gardening. Pots are going to be the medium where the plants will live.

Your garden pots need to have good drainage. Your plants will also look great if the pot’s size is just suitable with the plant’s size. Pot’s size must also be according to the type of plant that you plan to put in it. Tall pots are good for the plants like shrubs whose roots need enough space to grow. Small pots for some of your plants must not be fragile since most of the time, you might want to place them outdoor, making the pots vulnerable to breakage.

Consider also the durability of your garden pots. It will be hassle for you if your pots keep on breaking. This will only cost you a good amount of money and will only make your plants unhealthy. And maybe, the thing that might seize your attention is the price of the pots. Some decorative pots may of course cost you a bit expensive. But if you do not actually need them, go for something which is more practical for your needs. Find pots that have reasonable price and have good quality.

Organic herb gardening is a fairly easy task.  With the proper soil, growing herbs organically can be very simple.
 
First begin with a rich, well-draining, organic planting soil.  If you are going to grow your herbs in containers start with a great compost mix.  If your planting your herb plants in the ground you’ll want to mix the organic compost with the exiting soil.

The healthier the soil is, the better able your herbs will be at fighting off diseases and fending off insect attacks.  Quality soil is crucial, and it’s one place you should never skimp on, even if you aren’t gardening organically.

Find the ideal spot to plant your herbs.  Some herbs prefer full sun, and some need more shade.  Proper placement can insure healthier, happier, plants.

Be sure to select herbs that will grow best in the zone in which you live.  Selecting only the varieties of herbs in your hardiness zone will save you time wasted on herbs that won’t survive.

Choose very high-quality seedlings if you’re buying your herb plants.  If you choose to start your own seedlings, be sure to thin them carefully so they don’t choke each other out.  Seedlings should be thick and dark, not spindly and pale.

Mulch can be used to control weeds in your garden.  Spreading mulch over the top soil helps prevent weeds from popping through, and helps the soil retain moisture.

You can control pests with the use or organic pesticides and companion planting.  There are many types of plants that go well together to help deter common pests.  Garlic and marigolds are two plants that are often used with other plants to discourage insects. 

It’s wise to rotate your planting sites each year.  If you can, move your herb garden to different spots of your yard. If you grow purple basil one year, you might grow Thai basil the next year. 

This helps prevent pests from learning where your garden is, and where they can find the tastiest plants each year.  If you keep rotating your plantings, you’ll be able to discourage pests from entering your organic herb garden.

OK, so it is getting to the right time to think about getting your tomato plants off to a good start. So what makes a good start?

Well the first think to think about is use a tomato seed which is best quality. Sure we all like a bargain but it can be a false economy to use cheap seed. The cheapest seed is one you save yourself and this can be very successful. In fact I save my own seeds with my chili plants but not tomatoes. The reason for this is that I grow what is know as an F1 Hybrid. This means that it is the first generation seed which has been bred from specific parent plants. As such, were I to grow a seed I had saved it would then be a second generation seed and would probably not grow as I had hoped. You can save your own seed but I also grow 3 different types of tomatoes close together so there also may be some cross pollination which again may make the seed different from the parent plant. I buy my seeds from a seed company I trust but not necessarily every year. If I buy a packet with 20 seeds in, I tend to grow half of them as I only really need 5 plants and grow the rest the following year. This saves costs and as I store the seeds in a sealed container in a cool garage they are still fairly fresh the next year.

Starting off tomato seeds is fairly simple and can be done in many ways. What you need to consider is when to start them. I live in the UK and start mine off at the end of January. In the south of the US you may be able to grow them at any time of the year but in the north of the US this may be too early. I cannot offer specific advice and you need to do some local research as to when you can plant them into a greenhouse or your yard. I start about 10 weeks before planting them out. Of course, if you live in the southern hemisphere, somewhere like Australia you start them in your late winter/early spring.

I used to start my seeds off in flats, (seeds trays to many people), and this works well. I place them on the surface of the compost and cover them with about a quarter of an inch of fine grade vermiculite. This is a moisture retentive product which is lightweight and not only keeps moisture close to the seed it is light enough for the emerging seedling to push through easily. However, I now grow them in plug trays which are trays of cells using a peat based compost. I cover them with a sprinkling of sieved compost. I also used to use a heated propagator to do this but find the kitchen windowsill is just as good. Because I use plug trays the root ball that develops allows me to easily transfer the entire plug easily when potting these on to a proper plant pot.

When potting on into larger pots I simply push the entire plug out of the tray and transfer this into the top of the compost in a plant pot. All I do is fill a new plant pot with fresh compost and make a hole in it with my finger and push the plug into it. Simple but it works and works well. Gardening is not a complicated science.

I use a fresh plant pot so there is no change of transferring any disease to my new plants and fresh compost because it is fresh and I assume better. Just think which you would choose. A glass of fresh water, or one which has been stood in a room for 5 weeks. Like you I would want the fresh one just as your tomatoes will prefer fresh compost. I will grow these tomatoes in the pots until they are large enough to be transferred to a large pot or even planted into the plant pots I use in the greenhouse. Whilst I have used these before, they have been cleaned and sterilised.

Remember to keep your tomatoes well spaced apart whilst growing them on in the small pots. If they are too close together they will grow faster and become a tall stretched plant which is something you do not really want. I continue to grow the tomato seedlings on my kitchen windowsill, keeping them watered but do not feed them. There should be enough food in the compost for a few weeks – up to 6 with better quality composts.

I finally plant my tomatoes into sterilized plants pots in a greenhouse. You may be growing them to plant outside and these are likely to need planting out a little later than ones in the greenhouse. What you do need to do is to make sure that you avoid frosts getting to the plants as frost is a tomato killer. You tomato plants can stand some cold but not frost. One of the main things you need to consider when planting them out into a greenhouse or yard is the climate you are growing them in and above all the last date for frosts. I cannot give you specific advice on this as it depends on where you live. Use your common sense and do not plant them out too early.

You can learn more about High Density Gardening and growing tomatoes by checking out http://www.highdensitygardening.com/home.html which also has free downloadable worksheets on building hotbox compost bins.

Ric Wiley is an internet writer and gardener. His website about High Density Gardening can be found at http://www.highdensitygardening.com/home.html and his latest ebook is High Density Gardening

Roses are probably the post popular and desired garden plants around.  They are pleasantly fragrant and often considered to be one of the most beautiful flowers available.  However, if you’ve decided to plant roses in your garden, you’ve probably already discovered that there are many more varieties than most people imagine.  While it’s hard to detail all the different types of roses available, here’s some information on so of the most popular rose varieties. 

Hybrid Teas.  Picture a rose in your head.  It’s pretty likely that the rose you’re picturing is a hybrid tea.  If you buy roses in a bouquet from a florist, you’ll be getting hybrid teas.  These plants grow straight stems, about 3-6 feet high, with a single flower at the end.  They come in almost every color; so they can be fit into almost any garden color scheme

Climbing Roses.  This is actually a group of several different types of roses.  These plants naturally sprawl out along the ground; they must be trained to climb up trellises and other supports. Climbing roses can have single flowers, or clumps of blooms.  The blooms of these plants will also vary in color and size.

Pimpinellifola Roses.  These roses grow on small shrubs.  They are considered a great rose for beginners because they are very hardy and attractive.  However, they don’t come in as many colors as hybrid tea roses.  Available colors include red, pink, yellow and white. 

Miniature Roses.   These roses are exactly what they sound like: smaller versions of larger types of rose bushes.  Not only are the bushes smaller, about 1-3 feet, they also have smaller leaves and blooms.  The blooms are less than 2 inches in diameter.  Because of their size, these flowers can also be grown in pots or fit into small spaces.

When choosing rose varieties or any other type of flower, try not to rely on pictures; they can be deceiving.  Talk to friends, relatives, and neighbors to see if any of them have the varieties you’re looking for. This way you’ll know exactly what you’re getting when your flowers start to bloom; giving you the most beautiful garden possible.

Growing vegetables from seed is not only rewarding, it’s also frugal.  Although starting your vegetable garden from seed may seem like a ton of work, once you learn the steps, the process can be fairly easy. 

Unlike seedlings, not all seeds are going to give you a plant.  When you go to buy or order you seeds, be sure to get some extra.  You’re probably going to have seeds that don’t germinate, so it’s good to be prepared with more.  This ensures you’ll have all the plants you need. 

When growing your vegetable garden from seed you have two options, plant seed directly into the garden or start your seeds indoors. Some plants don’t do well when moved, while others need to be planted separately to avoid the elements.  If your not sure what type of care your plants will need, most of the time instructions can be found on the back of the packet of seeds. 

Special care should be used when planting seeds directly in the garden.  The seed should not be planted to deep into the soil, and no deeper than three times the length of the seed. It’s important to protect your plants from animals that may enter your yard.  If your unable to block off your garden, set out other sources of food for the birds and animals that are likely fed on your planted seeds.  Most importantly , be sure to properly prepare the soil before planting, and don’t plant too early when they soil is still cold.

There are several steps you can perform if you need to germinate your vegetable seeds indoors.  First, most plants should be planted in separate spaces in seedling trays.  This insures their roots don’t have to compete.  Some people prefer to plant two in each container and pull the one that isn’t growing as well.  You should also remember to provide adequate light; either through windows or a greenhouse lamp.  Once your vegetable seeds have started to grow, you can then transplant them to your garden.  By this time, your ground should be warmer and your plants should flourish.

Garden salad and hamburgers will not be complete without the tomatoes. Tomatoes add some more inviting taste to the menu as they keep the diner into a healthy diet. These fruits are healthy choice if you want to have a smooth and clear skin. Tomatoes are natural treatment that gives your skin a perfect glow and makes your inner body healthier.
 
It will be a better idea if you can grow tomatoes in your own backyard. Growing tomatoes an easy activity. If you have tomatoes planted in your backyard, you can always be sure that what you eat is fresh since you planted them yourselves. Below are the simple steps that you can follow in growing tomatoes using seeds.
 
Prepare the tomato seeds and let them grow for six weeks. Prepare also the peat pot, the medium that you will use when growing your seedlings. You can also use plugs instead of peat pot if you want to.
 
All plants need water and sunlight to grow, although the amount of water and length of exposure to sunlight that they need vary. In the case of your tomato seedlings, they need a generous amount of water but not to the extent that they will get drowned. They also need to be consistently exposed to sunlight.
 
When the seedlings are ready to be transferred (this is when two to three leaves starts to shoot with no blossoms), plant them in a soil which is two inches deeper than the medium that holds them and the soil must have around 6.5 ph level. Bear in mind that you need to plant the seeds together with the peat pot.
 
Eventually, you may need to prune your tomato plants to make it healthier to bear good fruits. To have a sure call that you will harvest good tomatoes, nitrogen, calcium, manure tea, and lime will keep the fruit in a better condition.

To keep those worms from visiting your growing tomatoes, can plant them near calendula. On the other hand, planting them near corn is not the best idea.
 
If properly taken care of, your tomato plants will provide you nice tomato fruits that you will surely enjoy!
 

Flower gardens should be a beautiful, peaceful place that people will be excited to view and be a part of.  They should be elegant and stylish, or fun and sassy, or whatever suits the personality of the person who will be spending the most time there.

You’ll want to be sure that the flower garden you plan blends well with the rest of your landscaping.  You’ll also want to ensure that the garden is not only aesthetically pleasing to the owner, but also to any visitors who might see it.

photo credit: IrishFireside

Landscaping generally requires certain elements.  For example, color, form, scale, texture, and line all play an integral role in effective landscape design, and the same is very true with regards to flower garden design, as well.

Color is perhaps the most important part of designing a good flower garden.  You should have flowers in a variety of different colors, but those colors should complement each other well.  If the colors clash, it will hurt the entire look of the flower garden.

Form is another important aspect of landscaping and flower garden design.  The form of the plants will play an integral role in the overall look of the garden.  If you choose only bushy flowers, or only spiky flowers, then your look will be somewhat bland.  It’s important to have a very good mixture of plants.

Fences are a good way to play with the lines of your flower garden.  Various types of fencing can help with the horizontal and vertical flow.  The eye should always flow as naturally as possible around a landscape, and the patterns should be somewhat natural.

The size of the plants can be crucial.  You’ll need to have larger plants in the back, gradually moving to smaller plants in the front.  If you try placing smaller plants in the back, you won’t be able to see them once the larger plants reach full height!

Other features of a flower garden can also be very important.  Water features can really help pull the natural look of a flower garden together.  A pond or waterfall can make a very serene area in the middle of your flower garden.

Walkways beside and through flower gardens can come in a variety of styles.  Stone, pebbles, sand, cobblestone, brick, and other walkway styles can be beautiful with different types of flowers.  You need to see what works best for your yard.

Don’t forget to choose flowers that match the existing landscape of your yard.  If you have a lot of tropical plants in your yard, then you should consider having a lot of tropical flowers, as well.  If your garden is a traditional English garden, then birds-of-paradise or orchids might not look so well at home.  Always go for a theme to ensure pleasant continuity.

Picking the right site for your outdoor container garden is vital. If you pick the wrong location, it could lead to be disastrous for your outdoor plants. Finding a perfect spot for your potted plants can be based on many factors, sunlight, protection, and location.

When choosing a location for your outside container garden, keep in mind the amount of sunlight your plants will need. Some plants require shade, and some require full sun. You may have to split up your garden, placing it in a few different areas of the yard.

This can be a relatively easy process for a outdoor container garden plan. If you just have a couple plants that need shade, you can set up some sort of shade system. Using a tarp or other shade system, you can build a frame over your plants that blocks sun for most of the day, depending on how much shade the plants need. This way, you can locate your shade-loving plants with your sun-loving plants.

It’s not advised to locate your outdoor container garden near a public street. The pollution emitted from passing vehicles could possibly damage your plants. To avoid this, try to keep your potted garden as near to your place of establishment as possible. Also having your container garden close to your home will make it easier for you to move plants inside when unexpected weather arises.

Tip:

If you have had a container garden in the same location in the past couple years, and it was heavily infested with garden pests, you might consider moving your garden to another part of the yard. Sometimes pests will come back the following year to a previous location in search of the same food they had the year before. If you move your outside container garden, you have a small chance of keeping these bugs from locating your garden this year.

Climbing roses can be a very beautiful addition to a garden when properly cared for; however, when left to their own devices they can become quite a problem.  An unpruned climbing rose can not only turn into a large mess in your garden, but also endanger the health of the bush.  In order to keep your climbing roses healthy and looking great, you should learn how to prune climbing roses the right way.

For the first two to three years, you want to do as little pruning as possible.  This gives the bush time to make long canes that will branch and grow.  You can take this time to help guide the canes in the direction you want them to grow.  This is done by tying them to trellises or other support structures.  The only pruning that should be done during this time is to remove dead or diseased growth.  This will prevent the disease spreading, and will give the healthy portions a better chance at survival.

When your bush is old enough to begin regular pruning, there are a few things you need to remember.  First, major pruning should be done before in the winter or early spring when the plant is still dormant.  If possible, you want to have 4 to 6 main canes on your bush.  These should be chosen by which appear the healthiest and which are growing in appropriate areas. Prune extra canes down to the ground to prevent regrowth. 

For regular maintenance, you only want to prune the minor branches of your bush.  If you remove a main cane, you’re removing a lot of the support structure for other areas of the bush.  Also, keep in mind that first year growth does not bloom.  If you trim all your old growth, don’t expect to have flowers in the spring. 

When a cane of a climbing rose gets old, it becomes woody and less visually appealing.  When a cane is gets to this stage, you should prune it off at the very bottom of the cane.  This allows new growth to form in the same spot, giving you a lively, healthy plant.

If you remember these tips on how to prune climbing roses,  you’re sure to have beautiful blooms for a long time to come.

If there’s one thing you know about your children, you know they enjoy playing hide and seek. Why not try building a bean tower that they can use to hide in and still provide the family with fresh green beans to enjoy.

The process of building bean towers isn’t difficult, so it’s something your children can help you with. Who knows? They may even decide to eat some of those green beans when they help you pick them, or while they’re hiding inside the tower.

Your children will be able to help you plan where to place the bean towers and then help planting the beans. Making actual towers may difficult, so instead create a teepee to accomplish the same effect. Here’s what you’ll need:

* 3 to 6 poles or stakes that are at least 6 to 8 feet long per planting tower. If you’d like to have more than one tower or a larger diameter, you’ll want to have more than the 3 to 6 poles.

* Lay all of the poles next to one another on the ground.

* Using weatherproof cord or rope, tie it around all of the poles starting about six inches from one end. Try to keep the poles moveable, so you don’t want to tie them together too tightly.

* Create a circle on the ground that is about three feet in diameter. Mark the center of the circle to show where the center of the teepee will go.

* Carefully stand up the poles, spacing them evenly to create a teepee. Then you can push the poles into the ground a couple of inches one by one.

* Weave twine between the sides from the top of the teepee to the bottom. This will be the framework that the bean vines grow up. Leave one section open between the poles to act as your entrance.

* Plant several plants (choosing only one of these: pole beans, peas, cucumbers, or morning glory) or several seeds at the base of each pole. When the plants sprout, you can thin them out and keep only those that are hardiest.

You can also grow potatoes on towers or teepees except you can use a heavy-gauge wire cage that’s 2 to 3 feet in diameter and about 3 feet tall. Place the cages to allow the plants to get at least six hours of sun a day. Line the cage with hay to provide composting material; you’ll need at least 4 inches of compost in the bottom of the cylinder. Then place 4 to 5 seed potatoes (places at least 6 inches apart).

Cover the potatoes with 3 to 4 inches of dirt, then water them well. Cover the plants with more compost as they grow until the compost reaches 6 inches below the top of the cage, and then stop adding compost. Keep the cylinder well watered. When the plants begin to wither and turn yellow, it’s time to let your children take the cylinder apart and harvest the potatoes, normally around twenty new potatoes per plant.

When the vegetables have been harvested, no matter which ones you plant, be sure to save the dead plants. You can use them to add to a compost pile for other plants or spread them out in the garden to nourish the whole garden. After all of the work is done, don’t forget to tell your children to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Tomatoes are juicy and nutritious. They taste great and are relatively easy to grow. Climate is the major factor in growing tomato plants. There are many different tomato varieties that could be grown in varied conditions (except extreme cold temperature), which include:

Beefsteak tomatoes are among the most common type of tomatoes. They are large in size and are used in sandwiches.

Heirlooms like the red Brandywine, Caspian Pink, Constoluto Genevese, Zapotec, and the Hillbilly.

Red tomatoes like the Arkansas Traveler, Carmello, Celebrity, Early Girl, and Stupice

Colored tomatoes like the Purple Cherokee, Garden Peach, Jaune Flamee, Lemon Boy, and Pail Robeson

Plum or Roma tomatoes like Amish Paste, Margherita, and Speckled Roman are small and elongated. These are the tomato varieties normally grown for the purpose of canning.

Cherry and Grape tomatoes like the Sungold, Isis Candy, Matt’s Wild Cherry, Super Sweet 100, and the Cupid. These are easy to grow (even in containers) because they mature fast. They are bite-sized and are great snacks for kids.

Other tomato varieties include the Main Crop, which are widely grown in home gardens and can produce fruit even during mid-season.

Tomatoes are high in Vitamins A and C and lycopene, which give the fruit its red color. Lycopene is known to be good for the prevention of cancer. While there may be a lot of these fruits that you can buy from the supermarket, there’s nothing quite more delightful than those that come from your own garden.

Compost is a essential tool for any gardener.  It helps your garden hold just the right amount of water, makes it the right texture for plant growth, and provides it with beneficial natural organisms.  While you can buy this type of product at the store, it’s cheaper to make it yourself.  You also get the added benefit of knowing that you’re not just throwing your yard waste away; it’s actually doing something beneficial. The following are suggestions on how to make a compost pile for your garden.

Before getting started on your compost pile, you should know what to put in it.  To get good compost you need carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water.  Grass clippings from your yard provide carbon, and nitrogen comes from leaves in the fall.  To make sure your pile gets water, build it somewhere where it will be rained on; just be sure it’s not completely soaked with water.  Lastly, you can add oxygen simply by mixing the pile. If you can’t provide enough nitrogen or carbon to your compost pile, you can always add a little fertilizer.  The type will depend on what nutrient you’re lacking.

There are two different types of compost piles you can make; the first is a cool pile.  To make a cool pile, simply throw your clippings and leaves in the bin as they come and stir the ingredients occasionally.  This is a good option if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to composting, but it takes about a year to get useable compost.  You shouldn’t add diseased plants or weeds to this mixture because they can be harmful.

If you need your compost sooner than a year, you should try making a hot compost pile.  Unlike cool piles, you need to have a significant amount of yard waste available to start a hot pile; at least 3 feet by 3 feet.  This mixture will require mixing much more often.  You can mix it anywhere from once every two weeks to once every couple of days.  The more you mix, the faster you get compost.  This type of pile will kill weed seeds and diseases because it reaches much higher temperatures (about 160°), but may also kill beneficial bacteria.

When you compost pile no longer resembles what you put into it, it’s ready to be used.  Just mix into your soil for strong, healthy plants.

Garden pests can be a challenge to get rid of and their destruction can destroy all the hard work you have put into your garden. Garden insects can wipe out all your fruits and veggies within a matter of hours, leaving you empty handed.

The only way to solve this matter is to take control of the situation and keep those bugs from evading your garden. Pesticides are usually the solution, but before you take them into consideration you must make sure they’re safe. 

Some helpful pests, such as ladybugs and spiders, feed on the annoying insects that damage your plants. They’re essentially the best bodyguards one could have for their garden.

These method is known to be one of the best pest control options. By allowing helpful bugs into the garden you will drive the bad bugs out or a free lunch for the helpful insects.
 
You can attract good pests by planting inviting plants or habitats. To find such plants take a trip to the local garden center and they should be able to provide help.
 
A thing that is overlooked a lot is a keeping the garden tidy. Garden insects are attracted to debris, so clean up those leaves, weed regularly, and remove grass cuttings. By keeping your garden clean the bugs will have no place to thrive.
 
Hot pepper wax is widely used by many organic gardeners. The wax is sprayed on the leaves of the plants warding of harmful insects. The oil contents of the hot pepper wax is what does the trick.

If your planting tomatoes consider planting marigolds and the borage herb plant close by. These plants give off an odor that keeps pests from invading your tomatoes and is very effective.
 
To keep your garden free of garden pests, do some research before planting to find the best companion plants for your garden and geographical location.

Most people love gardens. Who wouldn’t by the way? The smell of nature combined with the sounds and the sights of it is a feast for the senses of anyone visits any garden. However, while many people enjoy being in a garden, only a few enjoy working on one. They think that it is a hard and tedious job that is only appropriate who has lots of time to spare. Also, the idea of being associated with dirt and soil is something that many people try to avoid especially for those who are always around many people. What they fail to realize that outdoor gardening is an activity that can readily be adjusted to all these things and more. It is so easy that anyone with the right amount of willingness and dedication can easily do it.

Outdoor gardening can be done almost anytime except during bad weather or climate. Even those who live busy lives can start and maintain a garden of their own. Starting one can be done on a weekend and it can be finished quickly especially if the garden is only a small one. Once it is up and running, it can be left alone to its own resources except for regular watering and weekly maintenance.

It can be a healthy form of exercise which anyone can incorporate in their day to day routine. Constant turning over of the soil will require a lot of sweat and effort from the gardener. Aside from that, the individual can minimize or avoid spending for costly exercise machines and gym memberships. Instead of dumbbells, he can lift pots or dig and turnover the soil. Instead of treadmills, he can push wheelbarrows or mowers around. All of these garden activities can burn a lot of calories and build a body that has more muscle but lesser fat.

However, the gardener must also possess some traits in order for him to fully enjoy all the benefits that gardening outdoors has to offer. One of these traits is patience. This is because plants generally take a long time to grow. They not sprout from seeds or bear fruits immediately overnight. This can prove to be a bore to anyone who does not patience especially ion the long run.

Dedication is also one thing that a gardener must posses in addition to patience. It’s true that plants can be left to their own devices once they are planted but will they grow even better if they are nurtured and cared for properly. Devoting a certain time of the day will certainly work and it will help the gardener to enjoy the benefits of his garden even though he is a very busy man.

The willingness to be dirty must also enter one’s mind if he wants to be effective in outdoor gardening. This is with all the dirt, soil and mud that one can encounter in this activity. Without this specific trait, a gardener will not be able to work properly not only in an outdoor garden but in all other types of gardens as well.

One cannot realistically come up with a nice garden without handling the dirty part – the soil.  A good gardener knows how to make the soil work for the plants’ advantage. 
 
There are six different types of gardening soil  and each of them has its group of patronizing plants.  The six basic types of soil are the clay, the sandy soil, the silty one, the peaty, the chalky and the loamy soil.   

Clay soils are sticky and lumpy whenever wet and are rock-hard whenever dry.  They have very few spaces for air and have poor draining performance.  During spring, this type of soil warms very slowly and is quite heavy to cultivate.  With proper drainage though, plants can sufficiently grow well from clay soils as this can hold and retain more nutrients than the other soils. Perennial plants like the Helen’s flower, the Aster and the Weigela Shrub are some kinds of plants that thrive on clay soils.

Sandy soils have the gritty texture among the other gardening soil types.  This type of soil usually lack nutrients as they get easily washed out and the sand rapidly dries out in warm weather. The shrub cystisus, the tulip bulb and the tree mallow shrub can survive in sandy soils.

Silty soils are soapy and smooth to the touch.  They can retain moisture and are therefore richer in nutrients.  If managed well, this can be a very good type of soil and easy to cultivate.  Some examples of plants that grow on silty soils are the Mahonia shrub, the perennial New Zealand flax and the ornamental vine.

Peaty soils are darker in color and highly liquid retentive.  This is great for plant growing especially if added with fertilizers.  They have higher content of the organic matter peat, just because the soil’s high acidic nature prevents its decomposition.
The shrubs Heather, the Lantern Tree and the Witch Hazel can grow on acidic peaty soil.

Chalky soils are usually stones and alkaline, with a ph level of 7.5 or more.  This kind of soil usually lacks iron and manganese, which can result to leaves yellowing and prod growth.  Using fertilizers can remedy this situation.  The Lilac tree and the Madonna lily bulb flourish best in chalky soils.

Among the gardening soil types, the perfect, nutrient filled kind is the loamy soil.  It is moisture retentive and is quite easy to cultivate.  The Wisteria climber, the black bamboo and the rubus shrubs are just among the other plants that easily grow on loamy soils. 

Needless to say, though, gardeners are not letting themselves be limited by what the present soil surroundings offer.  Gardening soil  may now  be ‘altered’ or ‘amended’ based on the plants’ soil ph and soil property requirements.   This is made possible by the use of organic materials in the forms of manure, leaf molds, bone leaf, composts and even synthetic fertilizers. Clay and rocky soil can now be lightened and even sandy soils can be added with substances.