1. Deadheading
Keep your border free from wilted flowers and dried leaves. Deadheading or removing dead flower heads will encourage the plants to produce more blooms for longer. Many perennials such as geraniums and dahlias, and some annuals benefit from having spent blooms removed

3. Pinch out tops.
Certain plants – especially foliage plants like Coleus – respond with a spurt of growth when their tops are pinched out. Pinching out makes the plant much bushier and so more blooms are produced. Fuchsias are prone to becoming leggy unless they are pinched out.

4. Fertilize lightly.
A minimal amount of fertilizer will further boost the growth of your vegetation. If you water your yard frequently, you have to fertilize it more regularly because of nutrient depletion. A fortnightly application of liquid fertilizer is sometimes more beneficial than granules as it is more readily absorbed by the leaves. Container plants will be considerably healthier with a half-strength solution of liquid fertilizer applied regularly.

5. Weed out.
This is one of the best ways to preserve the beauty of your garden by the yard. Remember, weeds compete with your plants for both nutrients and moisture. If the weeds are not close to seeding, leave them on the bed to rot down for mulch. If you must use a weedicide, try and get a wick applicator, rather than a spray. This will protect you plants from spray-drift.

6. Water them well
One good tip when it comes to watering your garden by the yard is to give it a thorough soaking once a week, making sure there is no run-off to cause erosion. Deep watering will encourage the growth of deeper roots that will be able to withstand dry spells weatherwise

7. Say no to chemicals
Chemicals are dangerous to humans and often kill the natural predators of the pest in your garden, so avoid them if possible. There are many organic alternatives that work almost as well.

Well, while your soil type, the amount of sunshine, and the climate all come into play, a good rule of thumb is 1 to 1 1/2 inches a week.

What is most important is HOW you water. You want to water deeply and infrequently to have a healthy deep rooted grass lawn.

Let’s say you decide on 1 1/2 inches a week. You can do it in 2 doses or one, but don’t do just a little each day. If you do a little each day your grass will have shallow roots and you can have all kinds of drought problems.

Now if you have sandy soil it is best to water your lawn twice a week since sandy soil drains faster and soon the water becomes too far down for your thirsty grass roots to reach it.

By the same token, if you have dry heavy clay soil you may need to water 3 times a week due to it’s water repelling qualities.

If you are unsure how much water your sprinklers put out in an hour, then put out a few plastic tubs to measure how much water your lawn is getting and then adjust your watering time accordingly. Also by putting out several tubs you can see if your sprinklers are watering the whole yard evenly or not.

The best time to water is early in the morning. If you wait till afternoon you lose some of your water to evaporation. If you water at night you could be inviting diseases to your lawn because of the length of time it stays wet.

A couple tips to ensure your lawn looks great when it gets really hot out is to not mow as short and to leave the grass clippings on the yard.

By increasing your mowing height the lawn is less stressed and able to cool itself. Also grass clippings left on the lawn will actually give the grass’s roots more moisture and minerals which will help it to be less stressed. Contrary to popular belief grass clippings will not cause thatch buildup.