TOOLS OF THE TRADE

If you are new to gardening, you'll need to plan a trip to your local nursery to buy some basic supplies. U nless your property is located on very rich soíl, chances are you'll need to add something to improve and enhance your dirt. Increase your chances of producing higher-qualityvegetables by adding packaged garden soíl, potting mix, growing mix and/or earthworm castings, which will improve the quality of your existing soíl.

You'll also need some basic gardening tools to get the job done. The list should include a metal rake, a hoe, a

spading fork and a trowel. If your garden is located out of

reach of a garden hose, you'll need a watering can as well. Since you'll be spending a good deal of time sitting on your knees, also consider purchasing a pad to kneel on while you are gardening. (You dont want stiff or sore knees to keep you from your garden toíl.) Ifbudget is your concern, you dont need to buy expensive tools. Even the lowest-priced tools at a reputable nursery will be of good enough quality to get the job.

Your herbs and vegetables will also need to be fertilized on a regular basis to ensure a good crop. Select an organic fertilizer designed for use in a vegetable garden. There are different fertilizer mixes available with varying nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ratios, as well as other ingredients. The packaging will indicate if the mix is designed for vegetable gardens (as opposed to citrus Iprees, rose bushes, etc.). This can be a prelpared mix or a natural product such as fish emulsion or blood meal.

 Good news for rabbit owners - you also I,bave access to your own homegrown fertiliz

er. You can use composted rabbit waste as Ilfertilizer. Be sure to adequately compost the lwaste first, since fIesh rabbit droppings will burn your plants. You can compost rabbit IIdroppings by using a composter. Garden lcompost is created with kitchen scraps, grass Iclippings and other organic waste, along with rabbit droppings.

Shopping for your garden also means shopping for yourself. Aside &om looking like a trúe green thumb, the right apparel will make you feel more cornfortable, thus making your time in the garden less like work and more like a relaxing pastime. A pair of water-resistant gardening gloves will keep your skin cleaner, more moist, because you won't have to wash your hands as much, and &ee from the nicks and scratches that are sometimes unforeseeable and unavoidable when gardening.

Likewise, water-resistant gardening clogs keep your feet dry and, once you finish your garden chores, you can leave them by the door so as not to track dirt and mud into your home. Because gardening and sunny days usually go hand-in-hand, you'll want to keep yourself protected from the sun's rays with a wide-brimmed hato Don't forget the sunscreen if you have fair skin andl or if your gardening attire leaves much of your skin exposed.

Imagine seeing your lush garden eaten away piece by miniscule piece by pests. Keeping your garden free of unwanted pests with a penchant for destroying your plants can be a challenge, but you can have the upper hand in the battle with a little foresight. You don'twant to resort to using chernical pesticides or herbicide, the residue of which can harm your rabbits. Instead, opt for insecticidal soap, which is a much safer product for killing bugs. lt works by covering the bugs' bodies with a soapy residue that damages their cell membranes. Once your plants are mature, you can also buy beneficial insects for your garden, such as ladybugs and praying mantis.

Depending on the time of year, you'll need to decide between using seeds or plants to start your garden. If you buy plants, purchase them the day before you plan to set them in the ground, not sooner. Choose plants with green and robust leaves, a sign of good health. Avoid plants that are wilted, show a lot ofbrown foliage or have discolored leaves.

If you reside in Ihe country or suburbs ond hove o lorge yord, you'lI hove no lrouble finding room foryour robbirs gorden.lfyou ore o cily dweller, however, finding spoce lo grow fresh food for your bunny con prove more of o chollenge.

While most vegelobles need lots of elbow room lo grow, herbs con thrive in smoll spoces. A window box or severol 4- to 6-inch flower pots con be enough to grow on herb gorden for your bunny. Allow one smoll pot or obout 6 inches of growing spoce in o window box for each individual plant. Choose a sunny location, like o windowsill or fire escape, and waler your seeds frequently. Keep your herbs moist, even after they sprout into small plants.

(Keep in mind Ihat pots and window boxes dry out quickly.) If your herbs ore in pots, place a smoll dish underneoth Ihem to cotch wholever drains out when you water. The soil will reabsorb Ihe excess waler once the pot begins to dry out. The good news oboul growing herbs in o small spoce is that you con move your garden indoors when the weather gets cold, thus ollowing your bunny lo have fresh greens year-round.