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RE-POST: Need some help with my flower garden. 2nd time planting. Easy question?

Hello :) So i have decided that i love gardening. I grew some flowers last year, and loved it. This time around, I wanted to have a bigger flower garden. (its on my balcony since i live in an apartment). I will be planting a wildflower mix, Forget-Me-Not's, Columbine, California Poppy, and Bachelor Button. (in different pots) With my Bachelor Button mix it says on the back of the package, "Thin seedlings when they are 2-3 inches in height..." What does "Thinning" mean? Also, last year, i had a few problems with bugs eating my flowers and leaves, What can i do to stop this? Also (dumb question) I had problems with bee's last year. They can be sort of a pest especially if i want to sit outside in my garden and relax. (im scared of bee's) Is there anything i can do to lower this to a minimum? i know bee's come with the territory of planting flowers, But is there anything i can do? Thank you :) Also, If there's anything i can do to help my garden become lush and beautiful, PLEASE let me know :) Any tips or advice is welcome :)

Public Comments

1. Thinning means to gently take up any seedlings that are growing too closely together and spread them to other places (or let them go ;( There are lots of pyrethrines (I'm not sure of the spelling) which are natural and not dangerous bug killers you can use, or you can plant marigold and also leave some garlic powder on the soil. Bugs generally hate garlic, and you won't have any vampires on the balcony either. The garlic powder, a touch of dish detergent, and miracle grow is a great natural bug spray. Bees don't like garlic either. But the best way to keep the bees away is to make sure there is nothing sweet or sticky out there on the balcony, and don't plant flowers known to be very attractive to bees. Again, marigolds might be helpful to you.
2. "Thinning" is what you do once the seedlings reach a certain height. It simply means pulling out enough that the remaining seedlings aren't too crowded. Choose the strongest seedlings to keep, of course. The subject of pests is too expansive to answer here. What type of pests? Some, like caterpillars, you can pick off by hand, some require specific remedies, some are actually beneficial and should be left alone. I suggest either a trip to your local nursery to ask an expert or a book - the Ortho Problem Solver is a good one. If you can, take a sample to the nursery, but be sure to secure it in a plastic bag before you go, so as not to spread the problem to the stock! As far as bees go, you're right, they come with the territory. Try incorporating fewer flowering plants and look for plants with colorful and interesting foliage - ferns, coleus, hostas, etc. Finally, the best thing you can do for your garden is to learn the maintenance requirements of your plants and follow them faithfully - this includes watering, feeding and pruning. Again, there are good books on the market, I don't know where you live, but if you're growing Califonia poppies the Sunset Western Garden book might be a good choice for you. Happy Gardening!