Articles on Plants | Topics: plants, plant, planting
by Xzavier Yates
Black Thumb? Try Planting Cacti
Cacti are some of nature's most exotic and beautiful plants. Most of these plants are native to the desert and dry, arid regions of the world. However, most species of cacti can grow anywhere with little or no help from a gardener.
PLANNING YOUR GARDEN:
The first step to take in planning your cacti garden is to plan it out. Find a location in your yard. The best place for a cactus garden to grow is on an inclined place, such as a hill. The reason this is best is so that the garden can drain easily. If you want to make your cactus garden on a flat surface, remember that you are going to have to dig more then if you placed it on a hill. After deciding location, next you are going to have to decide shape and size of your garden. Mark the border of the garden on the ground before you start to dig the hole.
DIGGING, THE DIRTY PART:
If you decided to put your garden on a hill, your job won't be that hard. Make sure you level out the ground by digging into the hill on the upper end of your garden first. You will also have to dig a few inches of soil up over the whole base of your cactus garden to take out all the grass and weeds that could hurt your cacti. Now, the area doesn't have to be perfectly level, just make sure that there are no big bumps. If there are big bumps, it could make your garden uneven and remove any foliage that will prevent proper drainage and make your cacti rot. If you decided not to place your cactus garden on a hill, then pick any spot. If you want to get really creative, try designing a different shape then the normal circle or square shape. After you have picked your garden's shape and size, dig a hole about 6"-12" deep.
GATHERING THE MATERIAL FOR YOUR CACTUS GARDEN:
Once you are finished digging, you can start constructing your garden. The first thing you will need to do is get some outdoor tile stones or blocks to build a wall around your cactus garden. These blocks or tile stones are very expensive, but make your garden very beautiful. If you are going to purchase these blocks or tile stones, you can get them at garden centers and home improvement stores. Rocks may work just as well, are less expensive, and look more beautiful. One suggestion is to use rocks, which you can find or buy yourself. In addition, you will need a strip of plastic that is equal to the length of the border of your cactus garden. Any kind of plastic will do, as it won't be seen, such as an old tarp. You don't have to do the plastic, but it will eliminate the weeds in your garden. The plastic will also save you a lot of time and a lot of backaches. Now, cactus soil is an absolute necessity. You will need enough of this soil to fill your garden to the top of the wall. However, if you can't find any cactus soil, you can make your own soil. You can make your own by mixing two parts sand, two parts potting soil, and one part gravel.
| Quote of the Day |
Trees and plants always look like the people they live with, somehow.
| —Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960) |
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CONSTRUCTING YOUR CACTUS GARDEN:
First thing in building your cactus garden is to cover the edge of the grass with the strip of plastic. The strip of plastic will help prevent most of the weeds from spreading into your garden bed. Next, make sure to stack your tile blocks or rocks along the outer edge of your cactus garden. The height up the wall you should go is about 12". However, you can decide on lower or higher if you want, whatever works best for you and your garden. After building the wall, it is time to add the cactus soil.
PLANTING YOUR CACTI:
This is the fun part, the planting of your cacti. Make sure to choose the best plants for your area. To determine which cacti are best for your area ask your local nursery or gardening center. If your area gets below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, there is still an easy way for you to have a cactus garden. You can plant the cacti, pot and everything, in the ground. Then when wintertime comes, just un-plant your cacti and bring them inside until spring comes and then replant them in the ground again. After you have finished plating your cacti, your garden is complete.
MAINTENANCE:
This garden needs very little maintenance. You don't need to water it or irrigate it. When it rains, that will be enough water for your plants. The only thing you will need to do is feed your cacti 10-10-10 fertilizer once a year in spring.
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