Essential Tools for Beginner Gardeners

Tool selection is critical. Only a gardener knows mind-war over selecting a perfect equipment to meet the garden needs. In order to save you from the ordeal, we have listed all Essential Tools for Beginner Gardeners in this blog. These tools must be a part of the gardening first-aid box.

Garden Tools

Gardening is just like cooking. You need specialized tools to make your life easier, but all of them are not
necessary. For instance, you would need a peeler/slicer/corer to cut an apple, but wouldn’t a simple paired
knife would be enough? As a beginner gardener, there is an immense fascination to pick up every tool on
the shelf, out of which only a few prove to be useful, while others merely clutter the tool shed. To save you
from all the dilemma and help you garden with ease, we have brought this list of Essential Tools for Beginner
Gardeners.

Satisfying work is heart and soul of gardening, and good tools play a pivotal role in achieving that. Quality
tools help in efficiently putting your plan into action and prevent back-breaking labour.

Let’s start with Essential Hand Tools For Beginners:

Hand tools are the most widely used gardening equipment. You must opt for a hand tool that would help you conduct 2-3 different tasks, instead one tool for each task. This will help you invest in a good quality long-lasting tool rather than its cheaper counterparts.

Hand Tools - The Basic Magicians

1. Hori-hori: This is an essential gardening hand tool for beginners. The Japanese gardening knife can replace
a minimum of three different hand tools. It can be used as an excellent weeding tool, as its sharp edge can
help you slice or dig weeds thoroughly. One can also use it for transplanting and seed-planting, or to harvest
the root crops efficiently and safely.

2. Hand pruner: These tools are a must buy when it comes to chopping branches and stems. Since pruning is
a basic garden maintenance activity, you need to have a dedicated tool for the job. Thus, when it comes to
Hand pruners “more than one purpose” rule, can be ignored.

3. Hand rake: The hand rake is a perfect soil manipulation tool. It can be used to smooth out soil, remove weeds that hori-hori didn’t take care of, or use it as a mini-tiller to turn your soil.

4. Long Hand Tools For Beginner Gardeners

Longhand tools are not used often. But if you have a large garden, these tools can prove to be extremely
useful. They can save you a lot of physical effort, and prevent posture or muscular issues that crop up when
you are gardening.

5. Bow rake: Briefly it can be explained as a surface-level soil manipulation tool. Used to level the garden, it can also rake gardens debris, making the soil favourable for plants. You can use it to collect leaves or clean light debris too, but is heavier than standard leaf rakes, and may make you feel tired.

6. Digging fork: These are extremely handy when it comes to manipulating soil below the garden surface. It’s far more effective than a spade and can be used for multiple gardening activities. Most gardeners use digging forks to loosen, lift, and turn the soil. In small gardens, digging forks are an excellent help for changing the composition or soil quality.

Digging Fork

7. Round-headed shovel: Amongst umpteen gardening tool options available, a simple round-headed shovel is the best. It is the best tool when it comes to major earthmoving. Moreover, it can double as a transplanter or assist in digging out annoying weeds or stumps.

8. Water hose: Water Hose is a vital long-handled tool! Without it, you would fail in delivering a proper quantity of water to your plants and end up wasting this elixir of life.

9. Transplant spade: This is definitely a bonus tool. Its narrow, square head can dig neat trenches for your garden rows. Buy digging spade online in India.

10. Water wand: Water wands will take care of your back and water. They focus on areas that need to be
watered and prevent water wastage. The hose extension ensures that you won’t need to bend over while
watering.

11. Pruner: A long-hand held pruner would help you tend high and hard-to-reach areas of the garden. With this tool bringing down pesky tree branches blocking the sun would seem like a cake-walk. Buy Pruning & Cutting tools online.

12. Digging bar: Use a digging bar to clear out stumps or deep roots in your garden before planting. It can
help you steer clear your soil of debris and make it fit for planting.

13. Sun Protection For Gardeners

This last set of tools might not seem important at first glance, but to take good care of your garden, you need
to take care of yourself first. Beginner gardeners don’t recognize the toll that gardening can take on their
bodies, and at times even give it up because of a backache or bruised knees.

14. Gardening hat: Protect yourself from the scorching heat with a gardening hat. While gardening, you’ll
often expose parts of your body that don’t get much sun, so a quality gardening hat with neck protection
will protect these areas from sun-tan and burning.

15. Gardening gloves: Available in leather and rubber, gardening gloves protect your hands from sharp objects, harmful chemicals and pesticides. The best gardening glove for a beginner gardener would be a lightweight rubber glove. Once adapted to using it, you could go for more expensive ones.

16. Knee pads: A bruised knee is extremely painful. You could choose from a pad that you place on the
ground and kneel on, or the one that is attached to your knees. This is the only way you can protect your
knees from wrecking.

Types of Garden Hand Tools

Remember to invest only in high-quality garden tools. To cut the chase, log onto Ugaoo.com and find an array of best-in-class gardening tools.

Rainwater Harvesting - The Why and the How

Rainwater harvesting can be defined as a technique of collecting and storing the rainwater for future use. With water shortage growing exceedingly it is high time we get into action and start with Rainwater Harvesting today!

As the monsoon season rolls around this year, we’d like to ask you one simple question.

Are you ready to reap all its benefits while avoiding all its pitfalls?

In India, few things are more divisive than the rain. Some love the freshness and vitality it brings to them and their home plants. But, others are often put off by the extra work that they have to do to make their lives work during the rainy season.

But, the rains remain a vital part of our lives, no matter which part of the country we stay in. So, one of the ways we can benefit from them, while also contributing to the environment is rainwater harvesting.

Now, this term often strikes fear into the heart of the urban dweller! But it doesn’t have to because it is a simple process with a simple idea at its base. To find and establish ways to preserve rain water when there is an excess of this resource, for times when there will be a lack of the same. It’s something that has been carried out for generations, and it is part of the culture and tradition of our rural lands.

This year, let’s take a page out of their book and give rainwater harvesting a try:

1. Depaving is the way to go

The first principle of rainwater harvesting is to allow water to seep into the soil where it can collect and raise the water table. This ground water will also greatly benefit your plants in the dry season and ensure healthy growth.

In urban areas, there are often hard surfaces like concrete that cover the soil and don’t allow the water to percolate. So, the best thing to do during this time is to grab and hammer and loosen up the surface.

In fact, you can take the broken up gravel and use it to build borders or a path in your backyard. So, you’ll not only be adding to your home’s aesthetic but also helping the environment.

2. Channelling the roof

Another place where the water has a tendency to collect is on the roof. Over time, this water becomes impure because of its surroundings and so not fit for usage. Again, this is especially a problem in urban areas where there is an extensive collection of flat roof housing.

However, if there are gutters on top of your roof, then they can be easily retrofitted with pipes to help create canal-like channels. These can then lead the water to the ground floor, where it can be used to water plants, wash the backyard, etc. Just remember to keep the gutters clean.

Image Source: http://www.kscst.org.in

3. The one we all know, rain barrel

This is probably the most well known and arguably the easiest way to carry out rainwater harvesting. These are rain water barrel that can be bought commercially and installed.

The good thing is that these aren’t just everyday plain buckets that collect water. No, they also have special outlets to connect pipes so that you can water your garden!

4. Work the earth

Finally, we have something called earthworks. These are similar to the first method that we discussed but slightly different. Earthworks are channels or canals that we create in the soil to help facilitate the percolation of rainwater.

Image Source: http://www.sswm.info

This is a slightly labour intensive task so you can take it on as a weekend project.

Good luck and happy harvesting!

8 Plants for a Last-minute Fall Harvest

Planting season is winding down, but do you feel that your garden is still a bit bare? Do you feel that you need some more plants to jazz it up and ensure that you have enough plants to harvest when the time comes? Worry not because it isn't too late yet! There still are some last-minute crops that you can plant in time for harvest season.

Here's what you should be planting right now:

1. Carrots:

Everybody loves having some of these healthy, orange vegetables as a part of their garden and rightly so. They are hardy and won't give you too much trouble over the season if you water them well. Buy Carrot seeds online.

2. Kohlrabi:

These plants mature very quickly (some within six weeks!) and also handle the winter very well. Plant them now, and you'll have a new vegetable to try out soon. Buy kohlrabi seeds online.

3. Spinach:

Many gardeners use spinach during last-minute plantations because they grow so fast. The good thing is that they can actually grow better in cooler weather so that winter won't be a problem. Buy spinach seeds online.

4. Swiss Chard:

If you need a constant supply of greens over the winter, then this is the plant for the job. It grows back quickly after you harvest (leave two to three inches after shearing) and it isn't significantly affected by the frost.

5. Radishes:

We've heard of ready-to-eat food but what about an instant garden. Radishes tend to mature in just over three weeks and can be planted over a long season. They'll be a useful addition to any backyard. Buy radish seeds online.

6. Beets:

This is a plant mostly avoided in the grocery because of the relatively expensive price tag. But if you decide to grow it yourself this season, you'll have a delicious, fast maturing vegetable in your garden. Buy beetroot seeds online.

7. Collard greens:

These take as few as forty days to mature, and that's good news when you're in a last-minute jam. Collard greens can be used in addition to other vegetables as a whole, hearty, healthy meal.

8. Turnips:

Usually, these plants are susceptible to pest infestations, but in the winter they can thrive. Also, they tend to become slightly sweeter as they grow in a cooler climate so add them to your list this year. Buy turnip seeds online.

Anytime you feel the urge to plant more veggies for the harvesting season, you can look at this list to get you out of a tight spot. Having your garden gives you the advantage of growing a plateful of healthy meals. With these options, you can expand your garden to its full potential!

How to Grow Pomegranate

The pomegranate has seen quite a rise in popularity during recent times, and more and more people have been adding it to their home garden. You probably want to do the same and are wondering how to go about that? Pomegranates grow on trees and can be incredibly delicious and juicy if they are grown correctly.

Now is definitely the time to add this wonderful fruit to your garden. If you feel intimidated or don't know quite exactly how to go about this, then you're reading the right blog.

Here's how you can start growing pomegranates:

Pick your Pomegranate Varieties:

Usually, there's limited space to work with, when it comes to the backyard home gardens. So, you need to understand what's the maximum height that your pomegranate tree will grow up to. Punica granatum is a deciduous tree that grows to approximately 8.2 feet and produces orange flowers. The variety called ‘Nana' is shorter and grows to about 3.2 feet. You can grow that one in containers. Finally, if you want a more aesthetically pleasing variety, then the one called ‘Beautiful,' is the way to go.

Once you've chosen the variety that you want, then all you need to do is visit a local gardening supply shop and buy some seedlings. You could also use a cutting from that tree (25 cm long).

Pick your spot for growing Pomegranates:

There are certain things you need to keep in mind while picking the perfect spot for your pomegranates. First off, choose a place in your garden that gets plenty of sunshine. Then you need soil that drains well because this plant doesn't do well in soggy soil. The soil can be slightly acidic in nature or alkaline, for optimum growth. Read about Soil pH level and its effect on plant growth.

Finally, you need to shelter your pomegranates from high winds and dampness. You need to remember that pomegranates thrive in hot, dry climates, and you need to recreate these conditions.

Plant your Pomegranate Cut:

Plant in early Spring, as the last of the frost, disappears, do keep a check on the weather conditions and avoid any cold temperatures.

Cover the cut end of your branch with rooting hormone and plant it in a hole that is approximately 5-6 inches deep. The cut end needs to be above ground as the dormant buds should be up towards the sky.

Pomegranate Plant  Care:

Water as soon as you have done the planting, to help the soil settle and so that the plant adjusts to its new environment. After this, you need to be watering daily, as you see the leaves growing out. Eventually, you'll be watering once a week except when the plant starts to blossom; it'll need more water.

Ammonium Sulphate fertilizer works best for pomegranates, and you can use the same thrice a year to keep your plant healthy. Finally, maintain the area as weed free as possible and prune your plant to a shape that you prefer.

There you go, your perfect pomegranate plant plan is now ready to be executed!

Top Ten Vegetables for Container Gardening

If you're a fan of cultivating your own food, then it's a good idea to plant some delicious vegetables in your garden. But it can be challenging to understand which conditions suit which plant and what is the best way to grow them. So, instead of going through the trial and error method, you can try out these vegetables and grow them in containers or pots.

With this, you not only save space by keeping the plant contained, but you can also organise your garden better. Also, the vegetables that we've listed produce heavily when grown in pots because those are the conditions that they thrive in.

Here are the top 10 best veggies for pots:

1) Tomatoes: Varieties like cherry tomatoes produce heavily in pots and can give you more than enough fresh produce to fill up your dinner table. Just keep them somewhere they can get ample sunlight.

Tomatoes

2) Cucumbers: Set up your pot with the right support like some trellises and then plant your cucumbers. Water them well, and soon you will have a healthy growth in your garden.

Cucmbers in basket

3) Lettuce: One of the more commonly container-grown vegetables, lettuce plants grow quickly and give you the opportunity for multiple harvests. For this, use a pot that is wider than usual.

Lettuce

4) Pepper: Not only do these plants grow well in containers, but they also look good while growing because of their bright colours! They don't need too much, just sunlight and fertile soil.

Red Pepper & its powder

5) Peas: You often see people growing peas in their balconies because this plant doesn't need too much space at all. Just choose a dwarf variety and water it regularly to keep the soil moist for best results. Read on how to grow green peas in your garden.

Green Peas

6) Radishes: One of the best suited to being grown in containers, radishes grow fast and will keep you harvesting. All you need is a pot that's six inches deep for the smaller varieties. You would like to read about how to grow root vegetables in pots.

Radishes along with carrots

7) Spinach: Another plant that grows extremely well in wide containers, you can also see it thriving on people's windowsills. It doesn't need too much attention, and you can pick it right from your kitchen window. Learn to grow spinach in pots.

Spinach leaves

8) Carrots: The smaller varieties are popularly grown in pots because they don't take up too much space. They need cool weather to flourish so keep them somewhere they can get fresh air. Learn about how to grow carrot plant.

Carrots

9) Kale: You can have full access to this king of healthy plants by growing it in a pot in your garden. It grows better in cooler weather and matures quite often.

Kale vegetable growing in field

10) Garlic: Feel that getting garlic from a grocery store is too expensive or cumbersome? Then you can grow it yourself! Garlic bulbs are usually grown in containers, and you can do that too.

Garlic

With these many options, you can finally put all those excess pots you have lying around the house to good use and grow your food. It's the healthiest way to eat!

Importance of NPK fertilizers

We all adore our plants and our home gardens and want to do the absolute best for them always. But in our naïve efforts to go the extra mile, we sometimes end up causing more harm than benefit. Of course, this is always unintentional, but half knowledge can be a dangerous thing! Especially when you're dealing with something as delicate and precious as your home grown plants.

Nowhere is this more evident than with the use of fertilizers. Contrary to belief, more and more isn't better for your plant. Not all the time…

The overuse of NPK fertilizer is a popular cause of the failure of home gardens; it's something that gets you every time, but you never see it coming.

So, let's shed some light on not just the usage of NPK fertilizer but also what it means and how it affects soil and the growth of plants!

What is NPK fertilizer?

NPK is short for Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), which are the three major elements in this kind of fertilizer. They are essential for plant growth and increase the fertility of the soil lacking these macronutrients. NPK fertilizer bags have number values that list the ratio of Nitrogen to Phosphorus to Potassium. These can be laid out as such: 10-10-10 or 10-8-20 or any other three-pronged combination. Why is this important? We'll find out soon!

How does NPK benefit the plant?

Nitrogen helps in plant growth and development. It also positively affects the quality of leaves, seeds, and fruits. Finally, Nitrogen is a crucial component of chlorophyll, which not only gives the plants their green color but also helps out in photosynthesis.

Phosphorus, on the other hand, plays a significant role in the development of plant oils, sugars and starch. During the process of photosynthesis, it is phosphorus that aids in the transformation of solar energy into chemical energy. Also, phosphorus not only encourages the growth of roots and blooming but also helps plants to withstand stress.

Potassium fertilizer is the third cog that completes the NPK trio. It is essential to plant growth and is greatly active during the process of photosynthesis. It is responsible for producing good quality fruits as well. Potassium builds up a store of protein in the plant and also helps prevent diseases and increases plant immunity.

Tips on how to use NPK fertilizer

Before you use any fertilizer, you need to check your soil type, check its pH level and check which are the nutrients that it has, and it is lacking. This will help you get the right ratio with your fertilizer.

Try organic methods like compost first and use fertilizers as add-ons to this. Don't have random patterns of fertilizer usage or don't use odd (too much or too less) amounts. Instead, create a schedule listing your plants' needs and use fertilizer a little more sparingly.

Keep the soil aerated for a high percolation rate so that these nutrients reach all your plants in an even manner and spread out throughout the soil.

To make sure that your efforts count, ensure that there is always a fixed thought process behind the use of NPK fertilizers!