It is that time of year again. All of the snow has finally melted, the grass is starting to get back its lovely greenish hue and the flowers are just starting to bud and bloom as Virginia shakes off that last bit of winter. While spring tops the charts as one of my favorite seasons, it also makes the list as one of the most frustrating. If you are anything like me, you love to look out your window and see gardens full of beautiful bushes and flowers teeming with life and vibrancy. Unfortunately, the one window that I am incapable of doing seeing this through is my own. Every year as spring rolls around, that excitement starts to build, this will be the year, I think to myself. That excitement, however, quickly dies around the same time as my flowers. In an effort to give my plants a fighting chance this season, and perhaps some of your own as well, I decided to post a few helpful hints in gardening to turn that touch of death into a green thumb.

A Few Tips for the Gardening Challenged:

1. Figure out what type of soil you have

· Yes, there are more types of soil than just one (don’t worry, this was news to me too). Different garden’s soil can greatly affect the success of your plant, so you will want to figure this out before you buy anything. If you don’t know what type of soil is in your garden, go to link at the end of this blog to start your classification process.

2. Keeping your garden pest-free

· Now that you are ready to start planting, you will want to make sure that all your hard work doesn’t get ruined by those ‘cute’ slugs and snails infesting your garden. Pesticides can be harmful to your garden as well as expensive, so why not try a cheap alternative: encourage birds, frogs, and other slug-loving animals to do the job for you.

3. Prune, Prune, Prune

· As you see your flower start to bloom and grow, you are probably thinking your in the clear this season, but not quite. While your plants may be doing well, it is vital that you prune them in order to encourage healthy growth through the spring and summer months.

Tips taken from: www.applegategardens.co.uk

- K.H. 2011