A beginners guide to gardening and landscaping

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Once you've bought the house, moved in and gotten the furniture settled, you may be wondering where to start with the yard. Beth Preston, co-owner of The Plant Lady in Cape Girardeau, says many new homeowners are interested in planting flowers and vegetables, and her best advice is to do your research and be realistic -- a garden is an investment of time and money.

The first thing to consider is sunlight. If you're planting a vegetable garden, you'll need a patch of yard that gets about eight hours of sunlight a day. Tomatoes, green peppers, squash and zucchini are pretty easy for new gardeners to grow, she says.

As for flowers, they may require full sun, full shade or a partial amount. Coleus, hostas and impatiens, for example, like shady areas, while geraniums, begonias, petunias, zinnias, salvia, English ivy, dahlias and snapdragons all need partial or full sunlight. These varieties also tend to be reasonably priced and easy to care for, says Preston.

"You can plant flower seeds in May, or for an instant pop, you can get young flowers of all different sizes," she says. "Hibiscus is a flowering shrub you can purchase and it's an instant pop -- it's already growing and flowering and takes some full sun, but it's very easy."

Ornamental grasses are another fun, easy way to spruce up your flower beds and walkways, she adds -- they look great and need partial to full sunlight.

Keep the seasons in mind when planning your landscape or garden, advises Marvin Wormington, owner of The Garden's Edge in Jackson: How will the sunlight change once the trees are fully leafed? Which plants will bloom during which seasons? Will your plants carry through from summer to fall? You may want to add more seasonal flowers in the fall, such as mums and pansies, he says.

Plants also require different amounts of care, from the amount of water to extra fertilization, so be sure to read and save the instructions that came with your new plants.

"Each plant is going to require different care until it gets its roots established," Wormington explains.

Soil is another important consideration. The clay in Southeast Missouri soil is not always hospitable to plants, so you may need to mix a compost or potting soil into your existing top soil -- usually about a 50/50 mix, says Wormington. Newly constructed homes in particular tend to need potting soil to balance out existing soil, says Preston. For a fee, the University of Missouri Extension Center can help you perform a soil analysis to determine what you need to improve your soil quality, she adds.

Next up: a soil cover.

"Mulch or rock makes a very nice cover that gives a finished look and holds in moisture. Once you've got everything planted, you sure can spread mulch on top of everything," says Preston. "But you still have to check the actual soil for moisture. Mulch does help hold in moisture and certainly gives a nice finished look, but you have to push it aside with your hands and check the moisture content in the soil to see if it's ready to be watered."

As for decorative rocks, Wormington says they are low-maintenance, but some flowers can't grow through rocks.

"(The cost) is high on the front end, but you'll never have to mulch it again," he adds.

Finally, there are all sorts of gazing globes, statues, birdhouses, hanging baskets, and decorative flags and stones to be found at local garden centers. Preston and Wormington say the sky's the limit when it comes to garden accessories -- just choose whatever suits your style and personality.