These tips are a great place to start with your gardening. The more you increase your knowledge of gardening, the better chance you have of creating a garden that will become the envy of all your neighbors.

Run your fingernails across a bar of soap before you go out to weed or plant in your garden. The soap that collected under your nails will prevent the collection of dirt while you work. Afterward, a simple scrub with a nail brush will remove the soap and leave your hands clean, with much less effort.

Check for weeds often in your garden as they will leech nutrients from the soil. Weeds can grow at a high rate of speed and overwhelm the resources available to your plants. Take the time to check for weeds at least twice a week to catch them while they are new shoots.

Check your store bought soil for pests. If you buy from big home improvement stores, your soil may have pests such as aphids. To kill the insects and their larvae, put the soil in a metal baking pan and place it covered in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool before using.

Make sure your pot is the right size for your plant. If the pot is too small, the plant’s roots may not have enough room to grow. The roots will become “root bound”, stop growing, and begin to suffocate. The size of the root system can determine the size of your plant and yield.

Plant seedlings on cloudy days. The cloud cover will help protect your new seedlings from the heat and radiation of the sun. This extra protection gives them a better shot of survival than if they were planted on a hot, sunny day. If your seedlings were being grown out of direct sunlight when you purchased them, be especially careful about exposing them to direct light.

A great way to keep insects and pests at bay in your garden is to spray your plants with a dish soap and water mixture. A mixture of one quart water and one half teaspoon dish detergent will kill off those pesky parasites. Be sure to respray every fourteen days.

To bring birds to your garden, add plants that will naturally attract them. One of the best plants for attracting birds are sunflowers. Birds are naturally drawn to their height and scent. Birds also love small trees like Japanese maples and dogwood trees, as well as most kinds of shrubs or vines.

A very important step to remember when planting a rose is to use soil, mulch or compost to mound at the base of the plant all the way to the first canes. Mounding this way will protect the plant until new growth emerges and new feeder roots have grown to absorb water for the plant.

Hopefully, all of the tips in this article can guide you to create a nice garden. Just be sure to apply the information and don’t hesitate to either, come back here or to seek out other information. Your goal is success, so you want to do whatever it takes to grow a nice garden.