If you're looking to infuse your home with some lovely natural beauty, there's no better way than to start your own home garden! Gardening is also a great way to relieve stress and make your life happier. Read on for some tips on how to get the most out of your home garden!

If you are new to gardening, be sure to keep it simple. Overplanting at first can lead to stress and a backyard that's a mess rather than a beautiful garden. Also, larger gardens are more prone to weeds. Keep it small at first, and you will have a better experience.

Make a handy twine dispenser from old clay pots. To always have gardening twine ready to use, take an old clay pot, and place it in your garden where you want your twine dispenser to be. Then place your ball of twine in it, and turn a second clay pot upside down. Thread the twine through the drainage hole of the upside down pot and place it on top of the bottom pot. You now have a handy dispenser!

Save seeds from the garden for a new crop next time. Not only are seeds expensive, but why even bother with going to the store when they can be obtained from the previous crop. The convenience from having a steady supply on hand is also a plus. Use vegetables that are harvested when fully ripe such as melons, tomatoes, beans and squash for best results.

Find out if the plants you have in your garden have special fertilizer needs. Some plants like slow-release fertilizers, while others prefer nitrogen-rich foods. Most like to be fertilized during the high point of their growing season. A little education will go a long way to improving your garden.

Did you know that watering your outdoor garden plants with garlic water can help to chase away pests? Just peel the leaves off several cloves of garlic and place them in a large container like a clean gallon size plastic milk jug. Fill the container with water and let the garlic steep for a day or two before watering your plants.

Plant evergreen shrubs. Certain shrubs can provide triple duty throughout the year: they bear leaves year-round, produce flowers, and sometimes have ornamental fruit that attracts birds and other wildlife. This makes them very desirable in any landscape design ideas design. Excellent varieties are Berberis, Holly, Camellia Japonica, Ceanothus, Viburnum and Skimmia. Most will survive in any conditions.

When using fertilizer, moderation can be the key to success. While it's true that using a fertilizer can enhance your garden's productivity, it's better to apply it sparingly. An overdose of fertilizer can cause excessive growth of the plant's foliage with stunted development of the fruit or vegetables thereby reducing your harvest.

Invest in a good pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands while working outdoors. Whether you are working with plants with thorns or with fertilizer, gloves can protect your skin from damage from both plants and chemicals. They also do a great job at protecting your hands from dirt or sap stains and make cleanup much easier.

Use hostas to brighten up a shady area. Hostas are the perfect plant to brighten up a shady area of your garden. They are grown primarily for their leaves, which range in color from deep blue-green to vivid yellow-green. Blooms are usually lavender, but Hosta Plantaginea features showy, fragrant white flowers. They are best grown in moist, rich soil which has been amended with plenty of compost. Large clumps can easily be divided in the Fall.

Plants prove that the energy and conditions at the time of planting result in the fruits yielded at harvest. Plant these ideas in your mind, and harvest them into successful gardening habits. Your future will yield success and happiness for many seasons to come when you keep these tips in mind.