Great Gardening Tips for Beginners this Summer

PEKIN, Ill.,–– Gardening is one of the most satisfying hobbies you can undertake this summer, but it can also be one of the most challenging. Providing the right amount of sunlight, fertilizer, and water to all of your plants can be difficult to keep track of. However, watching your flowers bloom and your vegetables sprout and grow is worth the wait and the effort! Earn your green thumb this season with these great gardening tips for beginners this summer!

Get Your Soil Tested

Your garden's soil provides nutrients to your plants, keeping them healthy and growing. Keeping track of your soil's pH levels and texture will determine whether or not plants can grow in your garden. Since certain plants thrive in specific pH levels, it's best to get your soil tested so you know what plants can and can't grow. For example, the ground near or underneath pine trees will likely have very acidic soil due to the falling needles, and be much tougher for plants to grow in. You can either send your soil in to a nearby nursery, or get your own testing kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. If you'd like to try a homemade testing kit, put soil in two cups of water. Then, put baking soda in one cup, and vinegar in another. If the vinegar cup fizzes, you have alkali soil, and if the baking soda cup fizzes, you have acidic soil.

Repurpose Coffee Grounds & Eggshells

These homemade remedies are perfect if you need to keep pesky insects away from your plants! Sprinkling used coffee grounds in your soil will keep ants, snails, and slugs away from your budding plants. If you coarsely crush your egg shells and sprinkle them around your plants, you can create a barricade to protect them from slugs, snails, and other soft-bodied pests. The smell of eggshells and coffee grounds are deterrents for deer and other hungry mammals, too! Coffee grounds and eggshells also make excellent compost, providing more nutrients to your growing plants.

Keep Your Plant Tags

If you aren't sure about how much or how little to water your plant or what environment is most healthy for it, keeping the plant tags will help! Your plant tags detail how much water it needs, the sunlight it requires, and the environment it grows best in. You can even create a scrapbook to keep track of the plants you're growing, their requirements, and, if you're feeling creative, a few sketches of what the plant looks like. It's a great way to keep track of your plants' needs!

Keep an Easy-to-Read Rain Gauge

Rain gauges are extremely useful on both hot and rainy summer days. You can monitor the amount of water that gets to your plants to determine whether they're getting not enough or too much. Rain gauges, while very helpful, can be occasionally difficult to read, especially on rainy and humid days. Put a few droplets of food coloring in the gauge to make the water level extremely legible, helping you keep track of the output of your sprinkler or rainwater. Just make sure you install it away from the trees to prevent water runoff!

Start with Easy Plants

The best way to hone your skills as a gardener is to get started with some easy-to-maintain plants! These little guys require little to no maintenance and provide the perfect starting point as you dive headfirst into gardening. Plants like lavender, snapdragons, and pansies are very low maintenance and can live a very long time if properly cared for. Once you've built up your confidence with these plants, you can expand your garden with some easy-to-grow vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, and basil. Before you know it, you'll have a fully furnished garden with the best homegrown veggies of the Midwest!

Gardening can be tedious, but remaining diligent and attentive to your plants will give you a beautiful landscape and fresh fruits and vegetables for your home. Give your home's exterior a personal touch with these great gardening tips for beginners this summer. For some additional inspiration, hobbies, and crafting ideas this summer, follow our DIY + Crafts page on Pinterest! Also, keep an eye out for our regularly updated coupons and follow our summer car care tips to keep your vehicle in good working order this season. But if you're in the market for a new vehicle, take a look at our Ford crossover comparison to find the perfect crossover for your lifestyle!

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Stop by the dealership located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com for more information.

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram

Great Life Hacks For College Students

PEKIN, Ill., – In just a few short months, college students will be returning back to school! While they only visit for a short time, helping to prepare them for the world of adulthood can make all the difference in these upcoming years. Whether they're incoming college freshmen or seniors about to graduate, these great life hacks for college students will help them be more organized and learn new skills! You won't be able to help them all the time, but you can at least prepare them for any struggles they may have while they're away from home!

Make Early Wake-ups Easier

If they have trouble waking up in the morning, tell them to put their phone in a glass overnight. When their alarm goes off, the glass will amplify that sound and make it easier for them to wake up. Plus, they'll have to reach into the glass to turn off the alarm. If they put it away from their bed, like say across the room on their dresser, they'll have to get out of bed to turn it off, and that way, they'll be awake in no time! 

Color Code Your Keys

If they have trouble distinguishing keys, you can color code them! Using nail polish and some Scotch tape, you'll be able to tell them apart in no time! You can color code them based on their dorm room, house, car key, and other important keys to keep them organized. If you're feeling creative, you can make some pretty cool designs, too!

Hang Products From Your Curtain Rod

Say goodbye to the shower caddy! Using your shower curtain rod and a few clips, you'll be able to organize their entire shower, from hair products to skin care. This is a great way to keep their shower space open, their roommates happy, and their products all in one place. 

Bring Lots of Tupperware

Keep food for as long as possible with lots of tupperware! They'll be able to save everything from breakfast foods to midnight snacks, keeping them as fresh as possible! This is a great way to save money and time, allowing your students to focus more of your efforts towards classes. Plus, they'll be able to stack their tupperware in the fridge, keeping their roommates happy! 

Save Money For Life Goals

College is one of the most exciting times of your life. You don't have many responsibilities, you have plenty of free time, and you're given a lot of opportunities to learn about yourself. Students will find their passions and things they want to spend money on. In order to achieve those goals, though, the best strategy is to start saving money now! Collect loose change, leftover money from every paycheck, and odd job money to save up for those goals. Whether it's seeing concerts, grad school, or other hobbies, saving money in advance will give them more time to enjoy the fun without the stress.

Preparing for the next step of starting college can be overwhelming. With more expectations handed to college students and the responsibilities of taking care of themselves, it can leave parents worried about their kids. You can keep your young adults prepared with these great life hacks for college students. If they visit and are in need of some vehicle repairs, schedule an appointment with us and we'll get your vehicle looked at as soon as possible! Make sure their college experience is the best one yet, and don't forget to call them frequently!

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Stop by the dealership located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com for more information.

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram