New to gardening, tips on where to start?

I have just moved into a nerw house with a lovely garden.The flower beds need some attention.There are daffodils that have died off, what do I need to do with them.Also I would like to plant some flowers in the beds to give it some colour for the summer.

New to gardening, tips on where to start?
regarding the daffodils. Once the flowers have died cut off the flower stalk as fas down as you can reach and then allow the rest to die naturally.

Don't try to do too much this year because you need to see what is already there.



attack your local library.- I found this a wonderful source of information



visit garden centres - see what you like. Look at the different types of plants and shrubs and grasses etc. Look at the height of plants and the colour and shape of the foliage ( leaves)



watch the garden to see how much sun you get in which areas and how much shade ( and when the sun is there)



to get some colour this summer you will need to get annuals. However also choose some perennials that you can plant together.

an annual is a flower that will bloom all summer and then die.

a perennial will have a shorter bloom period but come back next year



enjoy your new home and garden
Reply:Hey

Sounds like a fun project you have ahead of you! The daffodils, first of all should be taken out, you can dig them out by uprooting the entire plant including the whole root. Then you'd probably want some new soil for the area. I would try a light potting soil maybe mixed with some top soil. Then, you can just be creative and check out what they have at your local market and garden center. Make sure you decide between perennials and annuals, and between the sun plants and shade plants. Gardening can be fun to shop for and even research. It's all in the creativity and what you think you'll be able to keep up with.

A few examples for flower types that you may want would be pansies, which are very tough flowers, and impatiens, which are similar to pansies. The petunia is a very popular flower along with the marigolds. You can even add the spike grass which adds height. If there is a short wall surrounding the garden, you could even consider the Lobelia which would trail over the wall. Color is good!



Enjoy.



B
Reply:did the daffodils bloom this spring? if they did you can remove the leaves this summer if the leaves are still green. if they have already turned brown you can cut them off. when beginning to plant flowers you need to think of your climate and amount of sun. when you go to buy flowers check the stick in the plant for requirements for sunlight and make sure they fit you garden. Also apply some fertilizer after planting to help growth.
Reply:Daffodils are early spring flowers. They will die out early, but the good news is that they grow from bulbs which if left alone will grow new flowers next spring. Just cut the old ones down to about and inch above the ground once their done for the season. You can add more flowers around them that bloom later in the summer. If you go to any greenhouse or nursery, let them know if you have full sun, partial, or full shade and they can recommend a great flower.
Reply:Knowledge is the first thing to acquire! Contact the county agricultural agent in your county to get free literature and the names of any Master Gardeners. Join a garden club or botanical society. Hang around plant nurseries and pick the brains of the staff about your problem plants and recommendations of what to plant for color.
Reply:Plow the field, clear the weed.

Then spray stuff so that weed won't grow out of control in your garden.

Then later on, mix some soil and put some fertilizer as well.

Then plant your flowers.

After you have planted all of your flowers. Then buy some mulch like shredded bark, leaves, peat moss over the soil.

Then you are set.
Reply:Wait until the daffodil leaves turn yellow, then you can remove the leaves, they will bloom again next spring.

For summer color plant some annuals such as verbena, zinnia, vinca, marigold. Visit a garden center to see the types and varities available.