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12 Tried-and-True Garden Tips

Rebecca Kolls shares 12 secrets for success in the garden.

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Creating a beautiful garden isn't hard if you know a few secrets. Host Rebecca Kolls shares 12 tips to getting the best results from your efforts.

  1. Success in the garden begins with the soil. Rebecca's grandfather taught her to always give back to the earth by amending the soil, and it's a great thing to do every spring and fall. "I use what I call the three magic ingredients--compost, peat moss and cow manure," she says. "Dump them onto the soil and spread a thick layer over your garden bed. You can also add some fall leaves or grass clippings, and then use a tiller to mix it all in about four to six inches deep."

Figure A

  • Once the soil is amended, it's important to tease the roots of the plants--literally pull them apart--before planting in the ground (figure A). While it may seem a little aggressive, it's actually good for the plant as it causes the roots to spread and the plant to grow. This is especially important for rootbound plants where the roots are growing in circles. If you just plop rootbound plants in the hole without teasing, the roots won't grow outward and can end up essentially choking the plant to death.

  • Rebecca loves getting her hands dirty, but she doesn't love having soil under her nails. Her secret for avoiding this? Wearing latex gloves that fit tightly to the hand. You can use them as gloves or a liner within gloves.

    • Figure B

  • Keep your plant markers. Some people don't like to mark their plants and think they're going to remember what they planted. "You can't remember everything," says Rebecca. "Plant the markers deep alongside the plant then cover them up (figure B). That way you know the marker is there, and if you forget what you planted, you can just dig around the edges to find the marker."

    • Figure C

  • Use your newspaper to smother weeds (figure C). Newspaper makes great landscape fabric, and it's biodegradable. Once you've laid it on top of the soil, spray it with water to hold it in place then cover it up with mulch. The newspaper not only helps keep weeds away, it also helps retain moisture.

    • Figure D

  • Speaking of mulch, cocoa bean mulch is terrific. It's made from the hulls of the cocoa bean and smells like cocoa (figure D). Deer don't like scented things, so try spreading it around plants like tulips and daylilies in the spring to keep the deer away.

  • Instead of planting just a couple of tulip bulbs, think in masses. Plant a bag of 100 for dramatic impact. When you're planting your bulbs, tuck them in around plants, such as hosta. When the tulips die back, they'll be camouflaged by nearby plants' new growth.

    • Figure E

  • If you're planting annuals, the trick is to use only two to three colors in your design scheme (figure E). It's much more dramatic, plus too many colors can be too busy for the eye.

    • Figure F

  • If you want to save money, take stem cuttings of annuals, such as coleus, at the end of the season (figure F). You can pot them up, grow them inside and replant next year.

  • Do you have too many green tomatoes at the end of the season? Place them in a shallow container lined with newspaper and store in a cool, dark location like your basement. When they start to turn color, bring them up to the kitchen to ripen.

  • A great time-saver for container gardening is to buy potting soil that contains the fertilizer and water-retaining ingredients. This means you don't have to worry about feeding or watering container plants as often.

  • Rebecca's favorite time-saving tip is to use rechargeable battery-powered tools. There are no more cords or mixing oil and gas. Simply flip a switch and you're ready to go.

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