 There’s nothing more exciting than getting into the garden and smelling that fresh air! One thing that can stop you is unnecessary trips to the nursery or garden store. It is important to save yourself a trip so you can enjoy your day off. Before you grab your keys, it is important to check your accessories for any wear and tear from the prior season will help to avoid the stress of an unnecessary trip. The items on this list should already be in your garden care kit, so if you don’t have them, you’ll definitely need them. If you do already own these items, look them over and see if anything needs repairing or replacing. Some items you should take a look at are below. Gloves You usually need to replace your gloves every year depending on the amount of gardening you do. It is important to wear gloves while gardening in order to protect your hands. Not only do gloves protect your hands from weeds, but they also protect your from the cold, which if you do any gardening during the winter months is a big plus. Gloves protect your hands from cuts, nail breakage, and even soil-borne and bacterial infections which can be caused from animal waste. Invest in a good pair of gloves. Our recommendation for the best brand to buy would be Bamboo Gloves. Check out our favorite gloves here. Rakes Check your rakes to be sure the tines are not broken or flimsy. Tines are the “teeth” at the bottom of the rake which allows you to either smooth soil or collect leaves. When these break off, it can be frustrating trying to do of the tasks you need the rake with in the first place. If this is the case, you may need to replace your rake if you notice there are several missing tines or they are bent backwards. This is vital as raking the lawn allows it to thrive, by getting it sun and air. Our recommendation for the best to invest in would be the Ames True Temper rakes, with their wide selection for you to choose from. Check them out here. Wheelbarrows Wheelbarrows should have a full tire and be cleaned with WD-40 to remove of excess soil and rust. There are ways to properly care for your wheelbarrow such as cleaning the handles, storing out of the way of rain, and greasing the axle so that it doesn’t rust. If you are going to be investing into a new one there are many types to choose from. Single or double wheeled, steel or plastic, and different holding capacities for what you may carry. Singled wheeled are the classic, it's easy to dump and not difficult to navigate. Single wheels do require more upper body strength than a two wheeled one, however. Another difference is that the two wheels are not as easy to maneuver and inconvenient if on a sloped surface. Steel wheelbarrows are long lasting, even if rusted they can still perform their proper function and they do well in the cold. One thing to consider is that steel is heavy. On the other hand, plastic wheelbarrows are much lighter as though they won’t last as long. When it comes to the holding capacities, that will vary on the project you need it for. A selection of wheelbarrows that we’d recommend can be found here. Hoses Be sure your hoses do not have any cracking or holes from the weather throughout the winter and from grass cutters not paying much attention to them. Treating your hoses properly can certainly lengthen its life which can be done by putting it away and keeping it away from the lawn mower. We recommend buying a reliable hose that is suitable for all seasons and built to be more durable, such as, Flexzilla Garden Hose. Bulb Bopper These items are must-have for any avid gardener. In addition to these, we have to recommend this cool new product. This is the “Bulb Bopper” which is very convenient. Essentially it is a stainless steel bulb auger cylinder attachment which can be attached to to any standard power drill. The Bulb Bopper creates a 2" diameter planting holes up to 9" deep and does the work of planting your bulbs for you. With the items listed above , you are sure to be ready for gardening. The next step is getting the plants that you need. Deciding which plants will look best and flourish during the right season can be tough. Contact You Buy We Plant, we have over 40 years experience doing exactly that. Feel free to call with any questions.
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 The winter months can feel bleak as we long for the sunny days of summer and beautiful days of spring. However, just because you won’t be outside sweating in the garden and listening to the birds chirp doesn’t mean you can’t work on your garden while it snows! There are many advantages of having plants indoors during the winter. Plants keep the air clean, consume carbon dioxide and creating more oxygen. Having a plant in your bedroom will refresh the air while you sleep. Not to mention, having plants indoors have been known to reduce stress, improve health, and sharpen focus. There have even been studies which proved that hospital patients with plants in their bedrooms have speedier recoveries. That sounds like a sure fire way to beat the winter blues.  While planning for which plants to select for inside, you need to keep a few things in mind. Each plant is different and calls for a different amount of sunlight, temperature, and some have different watering requirements. Make sure you’re keeping this in mind as you pick the plants and place them around your home. Place your plants away from windows and doors to avoid the drafts coming in that could be detrimental to your plant’s health. You also should keep them away from any intense heat sources as well. The days are shorter in the winter and the suns comes in at a lower angle so be weary of plant placement to ensure that they are away from the stove and fireplace but also are getting light. Temperatures inside of your home should stay at about 60-70 degrees F. When purchasing your plants be sure that the container provides adequate drainage holes. Smaller pots with adequate drainage holes could be inserted into ceramic containers or pots that do not have drainage holes. Plants, by nature, are meant to spread out and grow into the ground. During winter months they will be inside in pots so therefore you will need to be careful so that they do not become root bound. A root bound plant is literally a plant whose roots are “bound” by some kind of barrier. Eventually, the leaves will wilt, and then fall off. It will stop producing new leaves and eventually the plant will dry up. In order to prevent this, you will need to buy new containers that are about 1.5 larger than the temporary pots that the plants came in originally to allow the plant to grow so as not to become root bound in the container. Soil is a major ingredient while planning for your plantings, you need to be sure to do your research to see if your plants need to be in regular potting soil or if they need to be in special blended potting soil.  When the plant looks crowded or you see that the roots are extending up to the soil level or through drainage holes you need to re-pot it. When transplanting to another container you need to be sure the container is the same depth as the last pot so the soil can dry out between each watering. If there is too much new soil under the existing roots, there is the possibility that the soil can become waterlogged thereby causing your plant to drown in it’s new pot.
Be sure to check your plant container soil every day to be sure it is not dry or powdery, if so be sure to water enough. When watering the container, apply enough water until you see water in the saucer under the container. That way you know you have watered completely. Check out what You Buy We Plant is up to this winter by checking out our instagram and be sure to contact us with any questions. |
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