An important idea in all design work is the idea of unifying space by using
elements that manage to tie things together. This can be done in many ways, for
instance, lining a path and framing your planters with the same cheerful
primroses or creating a similar edging with decorative stones or ornamental
grasses. The major idea here is that you want your garden to work as a cohesive
aesthetic space, that is, as a single visually pleasing work of art. The
individual pieces should work in the same ways as the various elements of a
painting.
Choosing an actual theme for your garden can help you to
narrow down number of choices you''ll have to examine as you plan it. There are
many kinds of themes that can be used to help you mentally organize your garden
ranging from whimsical to literary depending on what you want out of your
garden.
One way of selecting a theme is by starting with any negative
conditions that might hinder your garden growth. You''ll be happiest if you
create a garden that is perfect for your climate and your needs. If your garden
is going to be in a harsh climate with a short growing season, make sure you
choose a theme that will make your garden attractive during the cooler seasons
as well.
Rock gardens and zen gardens can be created with some fairly
hearty shrubs and a few pieces of garden statuary that won''t be damaged by
winter weather. As you plan a garden that relies primarily on stone and
statuary, remember to pay as much attention to the spaces created around your
objects as to the objects themselves. Textured backgrounds, like gravel and
sand, become part of this kind of design and must be carefully considered to
compliment the other textures and shapes of your design. Textured objects like
this wood fountain (http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=294)
invoke the presence of nature (and provide contrast and even color) in a garden
that seems too plain. The most attractive gardens of this kind create a sparse,
clean and incredibly serene landscape. Every element must be placed with
conscious regard to every other element.
There are many other kinds of
themes that you can work with in your garden. A striking and interesting garden
can be created by using just one flower color. These monochromatic gardens are
interesting because, as in a zen garden, similarities draw attention to
differences making texture, height and spacing increasingly important. Different
textures treat colors in different ways so be sure to choose flowers that bloom
in similar hues of your color of choice. If you choose a single-colored theme,
add interest by planting a few vegetables in the right hue.
If you are
trying to be certain that you will have something usable (perhaps edible) think
of the kinds of vegetables that will grow best and be most useful to you and see
if you can create a theme around it. The French kitchen garden has been a
long-time standard in residential gardens, and recently pizza gardens have found
popularity in many areas.
A pizza garden grows as many little elements
that any pizza maker could want, from a variety of tomatoes, peppers, onion and
garlic for sauce, spinach, squash or artichoke toppings to basils and oregano
and thyme for seasoning. Many of these are created in circles and designed in
angled slices. A pizza garden is an excellent garden to grow and tend to with
children and will provide you with an excellent array of fresh herbs.
Other edible themes include growing a collection of flavorful herbs for
creating herbal teas. One might try creating a garden with the species and
delights mentioned in the texts of a famous author. An herb garden can also be
the solution to tight space and poor soil. Many herbs grow excellently in
planters .
Various plantings are able to attract different creatures. The most
common of these themes is the butterfly/bird garden. The cheerful behaviors of
butterflies are often a pleasure to watch and it is quite easy to draw the
creatures near. They simply love bright flowers and are easily pleased by a few
basic modifications to most gardens. Flowers from the warm side of the color
spectrum (red, orange, yellow) and vivid pinks and purples will help attract
butterflies, especially if placed in a very sunny spot. Take a look at some
reference material to find out what kinds of butterflies are natural to your
area and what kinds of plants to which they are most attracted. Butterflies also
appreciate a bit of water so a bird bath
will work well. Remember not to use pesticides in a butterfly garden.
Most importantly, your garden theme should please you and reflect a bit
of the personality that you bring to your garden. Themes are a great way to
experiment with growing and can have interesting results. Not everything comes
out as planned so be flexible and be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of
the area you are gardening.
Elizabeth Jean wrote this article for Garden Fountains.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
SAVE THE BEES - PLANT THE RIGHT FLOWERS
More and more gardeners are anxious to do their part to help the bees by adding to the shrinking inventory of flower-rich habitat in their area. In return, the bees will pollinate your flowers, providing a bountiful harvest of fruits, seeds and vegetables as well as the joy of watching them up close. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind as you grow your bee-friendly garden:
Rethink your lawn. Replace part or all of your front lawn grass with flowering plants, which provides food and habitat for bees and other wildlife. Please read the informative guest blog post by The Gardener’s Eden.
Plant native flowers. Native flowers help feed your bees and are uniquely adapted to your region. Try to use native flowers to which local bees are especially adapted. You can also visit the websites of regional botanic gardens and plant nurseries for more info on native bee-friendly plants. Read more here by The Gardener’s Eden.
Select single flower tops such as daisies and marigolds, rather than double flower tops such as double impatiens. Double headed flowers look showy but produce much less nectar and make it much more difficult for bees to access pollen.
Skip the highly hybridized plants, which have been bred not to seed and thus produce very little pollen for bees.
Plan for blooms season-round. Plant at least three different types of flowers to ensure blooms through as many seasons as possible, thus providing bees with a constant source of food. For example:
Build homes for native bees. Leave a patch of the garden in a sunny spot uncultivated for native bees that burrow. Some native bees also need access to soil surface for nesting. For wood- and stem-nesting bees, this means piles of branches, bamboo sections, hollow reeds, or nesting blocks made out of untreated wood. Mason bees need a source of water and mud, and many kinds of bees are attracted to weedy, untended hedgerows.
Only use natural pesticides and fertilizers. Avoid using herbicides or pesticides in the garden. They not only can be toxic to bees but also are best not introduced to children or adults that visit your garden. Ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantises will naturally keep pest populations in check.
Create a “bee bath.” Bees need a place to get fresh, clean water. Fill a shallow container of water with pebbles or twigs for the bees to land on while drinking. Make sure to maintain the container full of fresh water to ensure that they know they can return to the same spot every day.
Live in a home without a garden? You need only a small plot of land—it can even be a window container or rooftop—to create an inviting oasis for bees. Every little bit can help to nurture bees and other pollinators.
Rethink your lawn. Replace part or all of your front lawn grass with flowering plants, which provides food and habitat for bees and other wildlife. Please read the informative guest blog post by The Gardener’s Eden.
Plant native flowers. Native flowers help feed your bees and are uniquely adapted to your region. Try to use native flowers to which local bees are especially adapted. You can also visit the websites of regional botanic gardens and plant nurseries for more info on native bee-friendly plants. Read more here by The Gardener’s Eden.
Select single flower tops such as daisies and marigolds, rather than double flower tops such as double impatiens. Double headed flowers look showy but produce much less nectar and make it much more difficult for bees to access pollen.
Skip the highly hybridized plants, which have been bred not to seed and thus produce very little pollen for bees.
Plan for blooms season-round. Plant at least three different types of flowers to ensure blooms through as many seasons as possible, thus providing bees with a constant source of food. For example:- Crocus, hyacinth, borage, calendula, and wild lilac provide enticing spring blooms.
- Bees feast on bee balm, cosmos, echinacea, snapdragons foxglove, and hosta in the summer.
- For fall, zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel and goldenrod are late bloomers that will tempt foragers.
Build homes for native bees. Leave a patch of the garden in a sunny spot uncultivated for native bees that burrow. Some native bees also need access to soil surface for nesting. For wood- and stem-nesting bees, this means piles of branches, bamboo sections, hollow reeds, or nesting blocks made out of untreated wood. Mason bees need a source of water and mud, and many kinds of bees are attracted to weedy, untended hedgerows. Only use natural pesticides and fertilizers. Avoid using herbicides or pesticides in the garden. They not only can be toxic to bees but also are best not introduced to children or adults that visit your garden. Ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantises will naturally keep pest populations in check.
Create a “bee bath.” Bees need a place to get fresh, clean water. Fill a shallow container of water with pebbles or twigs for the bees to land on while drinking. Make sure to maintain the container full of fresh water to ensure that they know they can return to the same spot every day.
Live in a home without a garden? You need only a small plot of land—it can even be a window container or rooftop—to create an inviting oasis for bees. Every little bit can help to nurture bees and other pollinators.
The Honeybee Conservancy wishes to thank Jonna Robins for authoring this page and Michaela from The Gardener’s Eden for her contributions.
IDEAS FOR A GREAT LOOKING FLOWER GARDEN
The spring is the season after winter and before summer. This is the time
when the vegetation begins. It is the best season for blossoming of flowers.
When you are planting a flower garden in spring, you should take special care of
the garden plants.
The Best Looking Spring Flower Garden
The spring is the season after winter and before summer. This is the time when the vegetation begins. It is the best season for blossoming of flowers. When you are planting a flower garden in spring, you should take special care of the garden plants. You should grow the plants that blossom and dwell well in spring conditions. For making your flower garden beautiful and attractive, you must know the flower gardening tips and utilize them in your garden.
Flower gardening is a wonderful experience and a good activity in your rest time. You don't have to hire a professional gardener for taking care of your garden. You can follow the gardening tips and take proper care of your garden.
Spring Flower Garden
If you wish to plant a best looking spring flower garden, you should plant the flowers that bloom well in spring season. Out of the four seasons, spring is the best season for gardening. As the light intensity increases, the garden becomes hotter and the flower buds will come back to life and grow vigorously. Some of the flowers that are suitable for growing in spring are listed below:
The Crocus
The petals of crocus are rich in color. These petals appear to be shining due to the reflection of the Sun. Crocus can be best for borders of the garden. It is the ideal flower for growing in spring. Crocus flower is available in blue, white, yellow, cream and lilac color with stripes on it. Some of the crocus flowers are aromatic.
The Cyclamen
Cyclamen has the appearance like a wild flower. It grows perfectly under shrubs and trees. It is also found in rock gardens. It is basically planted in pots to use for display purpose in spring. It has attractive leaves. It blooms pink, red, purple and white colored flowers. The flowers of cyclamen are sometimes aromatic.
The Iris
Iris is the beautiful flower for any flower garden. It is available in variety of colors that adds to the garden design. They can be used as the border flowers and can be blended with other flower plants. You can plant iris with other flower plants to enhance the beauty of your garden. You can plant it in the pots for display purpose.
When you are thinking of planting a flower garden in spring, you should prepare the soil bed in proper manner for your plants. Here are some tips for preparing the soil for spring gardens.
Soil Preparation
Clean the garden site by removing all the weeds, dead leaves and plants, sticks, rocks, etc. After cleaning, use a tiller and turn the soil to promote drainage. Mix the natural mulch and organic compost into the soil. If you have some problems related to drainage, mix some gypsum to soil. Adding gypsum to soil will flush out the salt from your soil. When your soil is ready, buy the plants for your flower garden and plant them with proper technique.
Follow all the flower gardening tips while planting the flower plants. Spring is the best season for planting the gardens as the plants thrive well in spring conditions.
The Best Looking Spring Flower Garden
The spring is the season after winter and before summer. This is the time when the vegetation begins. It is the best season for blossoming of flowers. When you are planting a flower garden in spring, you should take special care of the garden plants. You should grow the plants that blossom and dwell well in spring conditions. For making your flower garden beautiful and attractive, you must know the flower gardening tips and utilize them in your garden.
Flower gardening is a wonderful experience and a good activity in your rest time. You don't have to hire a professional gardener for taking care of your garden. You can follow the gardening tips and take proper care of your garden.
Spring Flower Garden
If you wish to plant a best looking spring flower garden, you should plant the flowers that bloom well in spring season. Out of the four seasons, spring is the best season for gardening. As the light intensity increases, the garden becomes hotter and the flower buds will come back to life and grow vigorously. Some of the flowers that are suitable for growing in spring are listed below:
The Crocus
The petals of crocus are rich in color. These petals appear to be shining due to the reflection of the Sun. Crocus can be best for borders of the garden. It is the ideal flower for growing in spring. Crocus flower is available in blue, white, yellow, cream and lilac color with stripes on it. Some of the crocus flowers are aromatic.
The Cyclamen
Cyclamen has the appearance like a wild flower. It grows perfectly under shrubs and trees. It is also found in rock gardens. It is basically planted in pots to use for display purpose in spring. It has attractive leaves. It blooms pink, red, purple and white colored flowers. The flowers of cyclamen are sometimes aromatic.
The Iris
Iris is the beautiful flower for any flower garden. It is available in variety of colors that adds to the garden design. They can be used as the border flowers and can be blended with other flower plants. You can plant iris with other flower plants to enhance the beauty of your garden. You can plant it in the pots for display purpose.
When you are thinking of planting a flower garden in spring, you should prepare the soil bed in proper manner for your plants. Here are some tips for preparing the soil for spring gardens.
Soil Preparation
Clean the garden site by removing all the weeds, dead leaves and plants, sticks, rocks, etc. After cleaning, use a tiller and turn the soil to promote drainage. Mix the natural mulch and organic compost into the soil. If you have some problems related to drainage, mix some gypsum to soil. Adding gypsum to soil will flush out the salt from your soil. When your soil is ready, buy the plants for your flower garden and plant them with proper technique.
Follow all the flower gardening tips while planting the flower plants. Spring is the best season for planting the gardens as the plants thrive well in spring conditions.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
CREATE A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER GARDEN
A garden is a space set aside, usually
in the outdoors for display of plants, flowers or vegetables. A garden can also
be for relaxation and enjoyment especially if it has well manicured grass and
bushes. The design depends on the desired needs and the landscape shape. This
may be done by the owner or professionally by garden designers. The art of
gardening dates back to renaissance period with people like the French, English
and the Japanese having different designs corresponding to their culture. Most
of the renaissance gardens were developed in ruling families such as queens or
kings and rich families.
Garden can support different purposes and thus will have different names. A vegetable garden just like the name suggests is used to grow vegetables for home use or for sale. Vegetable gardens are also known as kitchen gardens. Vegetable gardens often are also used to grow fruits, herbs and flowers. An exclusive flower garden is one where flowers are grown for decorative purposes. A rock garden is a type of garden that features use of rocks and stones extensively. It is also known as an alpine garden. The plants grown on rock garden are those native to rocky areas. These are normally small species plants that cover or creep on the rocks.
Garden furniture
Gardens can often contain furniture especially if they are used for relaxation and enjoyment. Garden furniture may be made from natural material or plastic that depicts the natural look. These can be garden chairs, tables, benches, beds, sinks and garden shed. The garden shed is a structure used to store garden tools. The garden furniture should be of durable material and one that is easy to clean. Other accessories are also found in the garden such as swings and umbrellas.
Garden plants
Garden plants can be perennial, annual, climbers or those that live for a few months then wither off. Care is required for these plants because they can be attacked by diseases and parasites. Plants chosen to be planted in the garden should be selected carefully to make sure poisonous varieties are not selected. Toxic plants may be dangerous especially if children and pets will be using the gardens. Some of the garden plants may have useful properties such as medicinal value, cosmetic or even as food products. Some of the garden plants are flowers such as; camellia, lavender, azalea, hibiscus, peony, the weigelia and the cyads. These flowers can be used as Christmas decorations. Garden trees examples include; olive tree, laurel, mimosa, cedar of Lebanon, hackberry, maple, the plum, silver fir, lime, cypress and the poplar tree. These trees can be used as ornamental or as hedges of the garden. They vary depending on the climate of the region therefore one needs to know which tree will best thrive in a specific climate.
To keep the garden top-notch, frequent pruning is required. Various gardening tools will help perform this duty. There are tools for digging up the soil, mowing, for pruning and sweeping any dirt from the garden. Maintaining the garden may also need constant irrigation to keep the plants alive.
Get all the information on garden furniture, irrigation, garden plants, and much more at eflowergarden.eu to create a beautiful flower garden.
Garden can support different purposes and thus will have different names. A vegetable garden just like the name suggests is used to grow vegetables for home use or for sale. Vegetable gardens are also known as kitchen gardens. Vegetable gardens often are also used to grow fruits, herbs and flowers. An exclusive flower garden is one where flowers are grown for decorative purposes. A rock garden is a type of garden that features use of rocks and stones extensively. It is also known as an alpine garden. The plants grown on rock garden are those native to rocky areas. These are normally small species plants that cover or creep on the rocks.
Garden furniture
Gardens can often contain furniture especially if they are used for relaxation and enjoyment. Garden furniture may be made from natural material or plastic that depicts the natural look. These can be garden chairs, tables, benches, beds, sinks and garden shed. The garden shed is a structure used to store garden tools. The garden furniture should be of durable material and one that is easy to clean. Other accessories are also found in the garden such as swings and umbrellas.
Garden plants
Garden plants can be perennial, annual, climbers or those that live for a few months then wither off. Care is required for these plants because they can be attacked by diseases and parasites. Plants chosen to be planted in the garden should be selected carefully to make sure poisonous varieties are not selected. Toxic plants may be dangerous especially if children and pets will be using the gardens. Some of the garden plants may have useful properties such as medicinal value, cosmetic or even as food products. Some of the garden plants are flowers such as; camellia, lavender, azalea, hibiscus, peony, the weigelia and the cyads. These flowers can be used as Christmas decorations. Garden trees examples include; olive tree, laurel, mimosa, cedar of Lebanon, hackberry, maple, the plum, silver fir, lime, cypress and the poplar tree. These trees can be used as ornamental or as hedges of the garden. They vary depending on the climate of the region therefore one needs to know which tree will best thrive in a specific climate.
To keep the garden top-notch, frequent pruning is required. Various gardening tools will help perform this duty. There are tools for digging up the soil, mowing, for pruning and sweeping any dirt from the garden. Maintaining the garden may also need constant irrigation to keep the plants alive.
Get all the information on garden furniture, irrigation, garden plants, and much more at eflowergarden.eu to create a beautiful flower garden.
Monday, March 5, 2012
PLAN YOUR GARDEN BY THE COLOR OF THE PLANTS - YOU'LL LIKE THE RESULTS
Every flower has a story to tell and a color to show—and dozens of them in your
garden can give your home something to show and tell. Your garden can be an
important medium for creativity, just as the canvas is the primary medium for
paintings. One vibrant color theme for your garden may be dazzling enough, but a
whole variety of colors multiply that dazzle effect tenfold. Think of the
different plants as your color palette, and experiment with
different colors to get unique combinations.
Vibrant Warm Colors: Bright colors are the best choice if your house is a common venue for parties and other events. This is because the combination of yellow, red, and orange can create an energetic aura that stimulates the party and encourages socializing. Yellow represents happiness, red stands for energy, and orange stands for warmth. An energetic garden suitable for entertainment is all about inducing the guests to liven up the party.
Soothing Cool Colors: Gardens often become places of relaxation for people stressed out by daily life. For
this type of garden, use shades that induce a tranquil sensation such as purple,
gray, and deep blue. This is ideal when you need a place in your home to release
your stress, and think of nothing but peace and tranquility. Blue is the color
for calmness, purple can serve a soothing role aside from its stimulating trait,
and the gray in garden rocks also contribute to that calming sensation.
Jovial Colors: A garden that follows good advice can enliven residents and impress visitors. A garden that brings joy and happiness is usually a garden full of pastel colors such as pink, yellow, and white. The color pink signifies positivity and youth. By blending pink with other pastel colors, a vibrant garden can be conceived. In addition, white blooms help keep all of that positive energy balanced.
Healing Colors: For a garden that promotes overall health and the healing process, use a combination of green, blue, and purple colors. Most manuals indicate that the color green help people relax, as it is the color of tranquility. Normally, green plants make up most of the foliage in healing gardens. However, do not forget to add hues of blue and lavender, so that the garden does not look too monotonous.
Good advice inspires people to get creative with their gardens and think of it as their canvas. There are no specific colors or shapes to create an inspiring garden, since you can use any element to create interesting combinations. By combining all these elements, you can create an artistic garden.
Vibrant Warm Colors: Bright colors are the best choice if your house is a common venue for parties and other events. This is because the combination of yellow, red, and orange can create an energetic aura that stimulates the party and encourages socializing. Yellow represents happiness, red stands for energy, and orange stands for warmth. An energetic garden suitable for entertainment is all about inducing the guests to liven up the party.
Jovial Colors: A garden that follows good advice can enliven residents and impress visitors. A garden that brings joy and happiness is usually a garden full of pastel colors such as pink, yellow, and white. The color pink signifies positivity and youth. By blending pink with other pastel colors, a vibrant garden can be conceived. In addition, white blooms help keep all of that positive energy balanced.
Healing Colors: For a garden that promotes overall health and the healing process, use a combination of green, blue, and purple colors. Most manuals indicate that the color green help people relax, as it is the color of tranquility. Normally, green plants make up most of the foliage in healing gardens. However, do not forget to add hues of blue and lavender, so that the garden does not look too monotonous.
Good advice inspires people to get creative with their gardens and think of it as their canvas. There are no specific colors or shapes to create an inspiring garden, since you can use any element to create interesting combinations. By combining all these elements, you can create an artistic garden.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
INSECT CONTROL FOR ORGANIC GARDENERS
As an organic gardener you shy away from the use of chemicals in your garden and
instead rely on natural treatments and remedies to keep your garden tip top.
Pest control is no different and you can do this without resorting to the usual
commercially available pesticides. You can undertake your garden pest control
naturally.
Natural pest control products such as various sprays and powders can be obtained from your local garden centre. For example a bacteria spray or powder. Spray or sprinkle as appropriate on to the plant. Insects will eat it and be poisoned though this can take some time to take maximum effect. Another spray alternative is horticultural oil. When used it is designed to basically suffocate insects.
If you decide to use an organic spray as insect treatment it may still be harmful to you or your pets so do be absolutely certain to read the application instructions very carefully and follow them. You may find that the best time to apply the spray or powder treatment in your garden is the early evening as things are cooling down and troublesome insects may be less active.
Did you know that birds and ‘good’ insects can help you with your pest control as well as the sprays we mentioned above. That’s right – nature itself can help you if you let it.
Birds eat insects. You can make your organic garden bird friendly quite easily by for example putting a bird bath in there, perhaps a feeding table or a nesting box or two. Anything that will encourage birds to visit and do what they do naturally which can help to keep those annoying pests at bay.
Ladybirds shouldn’t do you any harm either and will probably find their way to you all by themselves. Depending on your location and if you have a water source then you might attract the odd frog or lizard in to your garden for some additional natural pest control and bug bashing. If you do not have a naturally occurring water source you can make one simply by placing a large dish of water in to your garden. If any frogs or lizards find it they might just hang around for a while and chomp through some bugs for you whilst they are there.
Slugs are everywhere. You will almost certainly have to factor natural slug control in to your organic garden maintenance schedule. Slugs can be hard to get rid of and until they do, if you have them, they can cause a significant amount of damage to your plants.
To control the slug presence using only natural remedies there are a number of steps you can take. The first one may surprise you. Slugs like beer. Or rather are attracted to it. A trick you can employ is to bury a small pot in the garden up its neck – for example a jam jar – and place some beer in to it. Slug smells the beer and crawls in to take a nip. Only it cannot crawl back out and drowns in the beer. Not a bad way to go I guess.
If you can get it, seaweed used as mulch can help to repel slugs as well as decompose naturally and nourish your soil. The salt content is what the slugs do not like. And on the subject of salt – this is perhaps the most common form of natural slug control for the organic gardener. Slugs leave a trail behind them as they slither around. Sprinkle some salt on the trails you find and directly on to any slugs you see. This will dry them up and kill them. Do not go wild with the salt though – just use enough – or you could damage your soil.
And there we are. A quick look at some natural methods you can use to keep on top of insects and other unsavory guests you do not want in your garden. And by using them you are sticking firmly to your principles as an organic gardener and not reaching for the chemical alternative. I hope you found this article of interest. You might also consider building a wormery in your garden planning. It is quick, easy, cheap and can save you money. Start to produce your very own natural compost using the power of the simple garden worm. Here is a free ebook on the subject which you can download to get you started on your wormery.
Natural pest control products such as various sprays and powders can be obtained from your local garden centre. For example a bacteria spray or powder. Spray or sprinkle as appropriate on to the plant. Insects will eat it and be poisoned though this can take some time to take maximum effect. Another spray alternative is horticultural oil. When used it is designed to basically suffocate insects.
If you decide to use an organic spray as insect treatment it may still be harmful to you or your pets so do be absolutely certain to read the application instructions very carefully and follow them. You may find that the best time to apply the spray or powder treatment in your garden is the early evening as things are cooling down and troublesome insects may be less active.
Did you know that birds and ‘good’ insects can help you with your pest control as well as the sprays we mentioned above. That’s right – nature itself can help you if you let it.
Birds eat insects. You can make your organic garden bird friendly quite easily by for example putting a bird bath in there, perhaps a feeding table or a nesting box or two. Anything that will encourage birds to visit and do what they do naturally which can help to keep those annoying pests at bay.
Ladybirds shouldn’t do you any harm either and will probably find their way to you all by themselves. Depending on your location and if you have a water source then you might attract the odd frog or lizard in to your garden for some additional natural pest control and bug bashing. If you do not have a naturally occurring water source you can make one simply by placing a large dish of water in to your garden. If any frogs or lizards find it they might just hang around for a while and chomp through some bugs for you whilst they are there.
Slugs are everywhere. You will almost certainly have to factor natural slug control in to your organic garden maintenance schedule. Slugs can be hard to get rid of and until they do, if you have them, they can cause a significant amount of damage to your plants.
To control the slug presence using only natural remedies there are a number of steps you can take. The first one may surprise you. Slugs like beer. Or rather are attracted to it. A trick you can employ is to bury a small pot in the garden up its neck – for example a jam jar – and place some beer in to it. Slug smells the beer and crawls in to take a nip. Only it cannot crawl back out and drowns in the beer. Not a bad way to go I guess.
If you can get it, seaweed used as mulch can help to repel slugs as well as decompose naturally and nourish your soil. The salt content is what the slugs do not like. And on the subject of salt – this is perhaps the most common form of natural slug control for the organic gardener. Slugs leave a trail behind them as they slither around. Sprinkle some salt on the trails you find and directly on to any slugs you see. This will dry them up and kill them. Do not go wild with the salt though – just use enough – or you could damage your soil.
And there we are. A quick look at some natural methods you can use to keep on top of insects and other unsavory guests you do not want in your garden. And by using them you are sticking firmly to your principles as an organic gardener and not reaching for the chemical alternative. I hope you found this article of interest. You might also consider building a wormery in your garden planning. It is quick, easy, cheap and can save you money. Start to produce your very own natural compost using the power of the simple garden worm. Here is a free ebook on the subject which you can download to get you started on your wormery.
Friday, March 2, 2012
ALL ABOUT SPRINKLERS - THE ALL IMPORTANT WATER
 Go Manual Or Automatic? If you're the type of person who has time to spend on your lawn or garden and don’t mind the job, go for the manual sprinkler system. A manual system also allows you to control the use of water personally, so you can be assured of the efficient use of your resources. The only problem with a manual sprinkler system is that it requires someone to open the valves in order to allow the sprinkler to work. This is probably a good system for you if you're the type of person who has time to spend in the garden. If your lifestyle or work requires you to leave your garden for days or weeks at a time, a manual sprinkler system may not be the right system for you. If you prefer a water sprinkler system you don't have to think about, then choose an automatic sprinkler. This system allows you to water your plants on a set schedule. When used properly, an automatic sprinkler system can provide an efficient watering system for your lawn, giving you more time to take care of other things. Incorrect use of an automatic sprinkler system can often lead to the use of about 30% to 50% more water than your garden or lawn needs. There are different types of automatic sprinkler systems. Some can even detect moisture levels and turn on automatically if the ground gets too dry. Automatic sprinkler systems have timers that can be electronically controlled, so the sprinkler can turn on or off without any manipulation from you. Sprinkler Types There are different sprinkler types that you can use uniformly or in combination, depending on the needs of your lawn. A rotary sprinkler is one that spins 360 degrees, sprinkling water in a circle and is ideal for use in garden beds and small lawns. This covers about 50 feet in diameter. Water pressure may be adjusted. Spray sprinklers throw water like fountains and cover about 10 to 30 feet of lawn space. This is a good sprinkler to use if your lawn area is small or irregularly-shaped. An oscillating sprinkler allows for quick watering and is probably the most common. It also has the highest lawn coverage and is ideal for rectangular lawns. An impulse sprinkler rotates partially or in full and shoots water at intervals. This offers coverage of about 80 feet and is best used in large lawns and garden beds. Although water flow may be adjusted, this is the type of sprinkler that shoots water slowly and is ideal if you have newly planted seeds or plants. Spacing Your Sprinklers It's important that you take measurements and plan or design a layout for your sprinkler system. This will save you from a lot of wasted effort and unnecessary equipment. Consider the size and shape of your lawn to determine the number and placement of the sprinkler heads and the right water pressure to use. If your lawn is especially large, you might also need to use more than one water circuit. Where to position your sprinkler heads is an important consideration. Your main objective is uniformity in terms of water coverage, so you'll need to make sure that one sprinkler head will throw water that will overlap the next sprinkler head. Sprinklers are designed this way, to make sure that they don’t miss watering certain areas of your lawn. Overlapping is referred to as head to head coverage or spacing, which assures no dry spots. Position sprinklers to provide 80-100% overlap. While this may seem like a lot, you'll see the difference if you try a sprinkler system with heads that are farther away from each other. Try to keep to the recommended sprinkler head positioning to ensure uniform watering. Sprinkler heads are often installed using a square grid or triangular layout. Digging Your Trenches Digging is probably the most important and most time consuming part of your sprinkler system installation. Take note of your soil type and make sure to not to touch or damage any underground utilities. If you can, use a trencher to shorten your digging time and make installation easier. By using a trencher, you'll have a less messy job. Trenches should be from 6" to 10" deep. You might also allow for a ¼" drop every five feet to allow water to drain in one direction during the winter. With hard work, you'll probably complete this project within about least 3 days, more if your yard is bigger. | |
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
PROPAGATING YOUR PLANTS - EASIER THAN YOU THINK
Imagine being able to fill your garden or yard with all the gardening plants and flowers you could ever want, just like the flowering bed above, and all for little cost or better still, for absolutely no cost at all.
And then imagine the same for all your patio pots and tubs, hanging baskets, troughs, window boxes and rock gardens. Full of all the most beautiful plants you could ever want and all for little cost, or for absolutely nothing.
Now imagine that all these gardening plants have been grown by your own fair hands, from seed or from cuttings.
Ok, you enjoy your gardening but just think how much more enjoyment you will have when the flowers taking pride of place in your garden have been raised by you from a seed or a cutting.
Raising your own gardening plants from seeds, cuttings or division is known as propagation.
Propagating gardening plants is an easy way to fill your garden with your very own favorite beautiful plants at little cost, or for absolutely no cost at all.
So, have you ever thought of propagating your own plants, but thought it was too difficult and didn't know where or how to start?
Propagating your own gardening plants, when you know how, is a lot easier than you might think. Just read on.............
Don’t believe doing this with your own gardening plants is possible, and for free?
Then consider this. From just one mature fuchsia you can take as many as thirty to fifty cuttings, root them in pots and grow them on to maturity.
And you still have the original fuchsia to enjoy.
It’s not just fuchsias, hebes, geraniums and many others can be treated in the same way.
You can collect and save flower seeds at the end of the flowering season, sow them at the right time and you will have hundreds more gardening plants. Do this year after year and you will definitely be propagating your own plants free for life!
So, now you can see how you can soon fill your garden or yard with all the beautiful plants you could ever want, all at little or no cost and all very easily and quickly too.
Propagating is a gardener's most enjoyable activity.
The satisfaction of seeing the seeds you have sown, germinate, like the tray of seedlings here, and then grow on to maturity is pure bliss.
Or the satisfaction of seeing the cuttings you have taken of your favorite gardening plants take root and grow onto maturity, just like it’s parent, is an absolute joy.
Well That’s All Very Fine But How Is Propagating Your Own Gardening Plants Good For You And The Environment?
"Whatever you need to know about propagating its all here"
It’s a well-known fact that doing something enjoyable that gives you satisfaction, pleasure and a sense of achievement makes you happy. And being happy, so they say, can make you healthier.
It’s also a well-known fact that exercise is good for you and keeps you fit.
Well propagating plants certainly makes you happy because it’s enjoyable, pleasurable and gives you immense satisfaction and a sense of achievement. Propagating gardening plants also gives you gentle exercise.
So, what about the environment?
How is propagating your own gardening plants good for the environment?
Think about the nursery that you buy from, where is your nearest preferred supplier? Five miles away, ten miles away, twenty miles away? Don’t forget it’s a round trip so double it.
Where are the plants grown? Not at the nursery, garden center or store you buy them from, that’s for sure. They are grown at specialised nurseries, which could be in another town, city, state or even in another country.
So how many miles have they travelled just to arrive at the place you buy them from?
Some environmental and carbon footprint, eh?
Now think of all the packaging used to transport them. More valuable natural resources used to produce packaging. And what about the waste left after you have planted them? Where does all that go? Landfills no doubt or incineration, that's more pollution.
By doing your own plant propagating you do away with all the transport mileage, packaging and waste.
And You Can Save Money
Without doubt propagating your own gardening plants will not only be doing you and the environment some good, but you will also be saving yourself some money as well.
In this global nose dive of an economy we now find ourselves living in every penny counts.
We all need to watch our spending. There just is not enough left out of the monthly pay anymore for those little extras.
And yup, our beloved gardening will not escape the shortage of cash.
But if you propagate your own gardening plants just think of how much you can save.
This all depends on the size and type of your garden of course. The bigger your garden, or the more laid to beds and borders instead of grass, the more plants you need to fill them and the more it costs to buy them.
Even if you buy seeds, sow, germinate and grow them on it still costs plenty of hard earned money.
Even a packet of seeds these days is not cheap.
And when you start buying plants, even tiny cuttings, you can easily spend a small fortune.
You could save many pounds, dollars, even hundreds if you need loads of plants.
So it really is worth while, financially, to propagate your own gardening plants.
And for those who may have lost their jobs or are on low incomes will find propagating your own plants extremely useful.
Well, is propagating your own gardening plants good for you and the environment and can you save money? Yes, most definitely!
Now all this propagating of plants is not really difficult and given the right information you will find it quite easy and you can soon be very successful. And most of all it’s extremely enjoyable.
Whether you want to take cuttings, sow seeds, divide, layer or graft we have all the information for you right here.
If you want to propagate gardening plants for spring, summer, autumn ( fall ) or winter, all the information is here.
You can propagate your own plants and flowers, just like these on this greenhouse bench shown here full of trays of seedlings and cuttings, none of which is really difficult.
From annuals, biennials through to perennials, even for inside the house.
What each part of a plant does and what it's for, what they need to grow successfully, how they grow and the best propagating method. It’s all here to help you suceed in propagating your own gardening plants.
And even if you are already into propagating plants that’s fine, because there is a lot of information here that will help you.
From bulb scaling to breaking seed dormancy to describing a plant cell. It’s all here!
Whatever you need to know about propagating its all here.
Our goal is to give you all the right advice and the very best information and assistance you will ever need to be successful at propagating your own gardening plants.
Just take a look at the pictures below and see what you could do in your own garden.
All you see in these beds have been propagated by us, from seed, cuttings or division.
You could do exactly the same in your own garden and yard, quite easy.
This bed includes Lupins, Delphinium, Phlox, Geraniums, Coreopsis, Pansies, Alstroemeria, Monarda, Fuchsia, Allium, Asiatic Lily, Aquilegia, Eremurus, Crocosmia, Potentilla, Campanula, Penstemon and Hemerocallis.
This bed is edged by a home built pergola and includes, on the pergola Clematis, Jasmine and a fragrant Climbing Rose. In the bed, Geranium, Monarda, Coreopsis, Aconitum, Phlox, Pansies, Erodium and Penstemon.
This bed includes Allium, Aquilegia, Delphinium, Penstemon, Coreopsis, Monarda, Lupins, Pansies, Geraniums and Astilbe.
This bed includes Hostas, Aquilegia, Geraniums, Buddleja, Erigeron, Lychnis, Astilbe and Corydalis, the center piece being a wildlife pond.
This is our "secret garden", hidden by a thirty foot spruce, honeysuckle, Clematis and Mahonia. It is entered by walking through home made gates and under a home made pergola.
Growing up the pergola is Clematis, Honeysuckle and a climbing scented rose. Once in to the "secret garden" the beds include Mahonia, Corydallis, geraniums, Griselinia, Elaeagnus, Delphinium, Ferns and five silver birch.
Visitors are naturally drawn to go through the gates and under the pergola, to see what's on the other side.
This "secret garden" is quiet, peacful and fragrant and is lush with plants. It is a haven for for all types of wildlife, many are attracted to the wildlife pond. It's a place where we spend many restful, peacfull and enjoyable hours.
Liven up your house with hanging baskets, troughs, pouches and tubs. All filled with your own home grown plants.
The hanging baskets are planted with Fuchsias, Impatiens and Lobelia.
The troughs are planted with Fuchsias, Geranium and Pansies.
The pouches are planted with Impatiens.
The tubs are planted with Fuchsias, Impatiens, Lobelia, Verbena, Geranium and Pansies.
All of these are sold to friends, neighbours and passers by straight from our front doorstep and turns a nice profit. All these plants have been propagted by us, all for free!
So not only do we liven up our house and enjoy the plants, we also have a nice and easy little earner as well. Best of both worlds.
And you can do exactly the same, propagate and grow your own gardening plants, and if you want to, sell easy to create containers full of lush flowering plants you propagated all yourself, and all for for free, to your friends, family, neighbours and passers by.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
GROWING IN SMALL AREAS - MORE TIPS
If you do not have enough space to create a full fledges garden, indoor growing would be a rewarding experience for you. With the help of hydroponics systems you can easily grow flowers as well as vegetables you desire without worrying about the outdoor setting or soil problems. Even the smallest of balconies, patio gardens or even window boxes can provide an abundance of foods for you to enjoy through hydroponic gardening methods. You can use small container to grow food in areas where it would otherwise be impossible to grow plants. The best containers to use for hydroponic gardening are dark colored plastics to prevent algae growth in the nutrient solution. Dark colored square containers fit together nicely to make the most of your space, and also to block light.
Hydroponic system produces some of the highest quality, fragrant flowers. There are special flavor enhancers used in the hydroponic system, which helps to improve the aroma of flowers. You can grow any kind of flower in your garden. However, zinnia and sunflowers work especially well in a hydroponic garden. To grow roses hydroponically you can go with N.F.T (nutrient film technique). It is the most common hydroponic growing system used in rose plantation. Coco coir is the best growing medium for roses as it enables the roots to breathe and absorb maximum nutrients. There are various sizes of hydroponic set ups, from something quite elaborate to even just a sealed deep tray.
It is important to provide plenty of lights for your indoor flower garden. Hydroponic grow lights come in a variety of types that include full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs, metal halide grow lamps, high pressure sodium lights, and high-intensity LED grow lights. Among them, fluorescent lights and LED are designed to support bigger growth of indoor plants with improved quality of bulbs. These eco-friendly lights give hydroponic growers the facility to select specific light levels and color temperatures to grow the plants in a healthy way. Compact fluorescent lights (CFL) are very useful for growing flower plants that need indirect light. These lamps have soft light intensity compared to others so no need to worry about foliage curling or burning.
Plants grown in an indoor hydroponic garden require less water compared to soil based gardens. This is because the hydroponic system is able to recycle the nutrient solution. Right amount of hydroponic fertilizers and nutrients is very essential for plants growth. You have to understand the nutrient needs of your plants and accordingly provide well-mixed nutrient solution to your plants for healthy blooming.
For your precious flower garden, use rockwool as a growing medium because it provides roots with a good balance of water and oxygen. To create an ideal environment for the plants, indoor system provides manual adjustment of temperature, humidity, amount of light and moisture. Once you've got your plants moved in, you only need to add water and nutrients to keep them growing like wild fire.
Hydroponic system produces some of the highest quality, fragrant flowers. There are special flavor enhancers used in the hydroponic system, which helps to improve the aroma of flowers. You can grow any kind of flower in your garden. However, zinnia and sunflowers work especially well in a hydroponic garden. To grow roses hydroponically you can go with N.F.T (nutrient film technique). It is the most common hydroponic growing system used in rose plantation. Coco coir is the best growing medium for roses as it enables the roots to breathe and absorb maximum nutrients. There are various sizes of hydroponic set ups, from something quite elaborate to even just a sealed deep tray.
It is important to provide plenty of lights for your indoor flower garden. Hydroponic grow lights come in a variety of types that include full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs, metal halide grow lamps, high pressure sodium lights, and high-intensity LED grow lights. Among them, fluorescent lights and LED are designed to support bigger growth of indoor plants with improved quality of bulbs. These eco-friendly lights give hydroponic growers the facility to select specific light levels and color temperatures to grow the plants in a healthy way. Compact fluorescent lights (CFL) are very useful for growing flower plants that need indirect light. These lamps have soft light intensity compared to others so no need to worry about foliage curling or burning.
Plants grown in an indoor hydroponic garden require less water compared to soil based gardens. This is because the hydroponic system is able to recycle the nutrient solution. Right amount of hydroponic fertilizers and nutrients is very essential for plants growth. You have to understand the nutrient needs of your plants and accordingly provide well-mixed nutrient solution to your plants for healthy blooming.
For your precious flower garden, use rockwool as a growing medium because it provides roots with a good balance of water and oxygen. To create an ideal environment for the plants, indoor system provides manual adjustment of temperature, humidity, amount of light and moisture. Once you've got your plants moved in, you only need to add water and nutrients to keep them growing like wild fire.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
ALL ABOUT LAVENDER - A BRIEF HISTORY
Most gardeners will plant their gardens without thinking about any history that may be attached to them, they want a plant to flourish and look beautiful when sitting in their gardens, but there are many plants with history that have been around for centuries.
The Lavender plant for example has been in documented use for over 2,500 years. In ancient times lavender was used for mummification and perfume by the Egyptians, Phoenicians, and peoples of Arabia.
The Romans used lavender oils for bathing, cooking, and scenting the air and most probably gave it the Latin root form which we derive the modern name (either lavere (to wash) or livendula (livid or bluish). In ancient times the flower's soothing ‘tonic' qualities, the insect repellent effects of the strong scent, and the use of the dried plant in smoking mixtures also added to the value of the herb.
Lavender is often mentioned in the Bible, and another ancient Christian reference to lavender involves how it got its scent. Adam and Eve is believed to have taken the plant from the Garden of Eden, but the powerful perfume came later, according to legend, the clothing of baby Jesus bestowed the scent when Mother Mary laid them on a bush to dry.
Around 600 BC it is thought lavender may have come form the Greek Hyeres Islands into France and is now common in France, Spain, Italy and England. Another common plant and a favourite of the British gardener is the Begonia, beautiful and strong, and is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae also a perennial. The only other members of the family Begoniaceae are hillebrandia, a genus with single species in the Hawaiian Islands, and the genus Symbegonia which more recently was included in Begonia.
Begonia is the common name as well as the generic name for all members of the genus. The genus name, coined by Charles Plumier, a French patron of botany, honours Michel Begon a former governor of the French colony of Haiti, furthermore begonias are relatively closely related to such food crops as pumpkins, squash, gourds, cucumbers and melons.
Many gardeners around the UK plant the Geranium in pots and containers also in flower beds, and are a common sight in an English garden. The Geranium is a genus of 422 species of flowering annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as the cranesbills.
Geraniums will grow in any soil as long as it is not waterlogged. Propagation is by semi-ripe cuttings in summer, by seed or by division in autumn or spring. The flowers have 5 petals and are coloured whit, pink, purple or blue, often with distinctive veining, and the Genus name is derived from the Greek ‘geranos' or ‘geranos', crane. The English name ‘cranesbill' derives from the appearance of the fruit capsule of some of the species. The fruit capsule springs open when ripe and casts the seeds some distance, a distinctive mechanism for seed dispersal.
A spokesman for Blooming Direct located on the Island of Jersey said "go online and check out our selection of all begonia, geranium and lavender plants we do know how popular all these plants are to gardeners in the UK, and how much they want healthy specimens, we offer FREE delivery on all orders to the UK".
The Lavender plant for example has been in documented use for over 2,500 years. In ancient times lavender was used for mummification and perfume by the Egyptians, Phoenicians, and peoples of Arabia.
The Romans used lavender oils for bathing, cooking, and scenting the air and most probably gave it the Latin root form which we derive the modern name (either lavere (to wash) or livendula (livid or bluish). In ancient times the flower's soothing ‘tonic' qualities, the insect repellent effects of the strong scent, and the use of the dried plant in smoking mixtures also added to the value of the herb.
Lavender is often mentioned in the Bible, and another ancient Christian reference to lavender involves how it got its scent. Adam and Eve is believed to have taken the plant from the Garden of Eden, but the powerful perfume came later, according to legend, the clothing of baby Jesus bestowed the scent when Mother Mary laid them on a bush to dry.
Around 600 BC it is thought lavender may have come form the Greek Hyeres Islands into France and is now common in France, Spain, Italy and England. Another common plant and a favourite of the British gardener is the Begonia, beautiful and strong, and is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae also a perennial. The only other members of the family Begoniaceae are hillebrandia, a genus with single species in the Hawaiian Islands, and the genus Symbegonia which more recently was included in Begonia.
Begonia is the common name as well as the generic name for all members of the genus. The genus name, coined by Charles Plumier, a French patron of botany, honours Michel Begon a former governor of the French colony of Haiti, furthermore begonias are relatively closely related to such food crops as pumpkins, squash, gourds, cucumbers and melons.
Many gardeners around the UK plant the Geranium in pots and containers also in flower beds, and are a common sight in an English garden. The Geranium is a genus of 422 species of flowering annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as the cranesbills.
Geraniums will grow in any soil as long as it is not waterlogged. Propagation is by semi-ripe cuttings in summer, by seed or by division in autumn or spring. The flowers have 5 petals and are coloured whit, pink, purple or blue, often with distinctive veining, and the Genus name is derived from the Greek ‘geranos' or ‘geranos', crane. The English name ‘cranesbill' derives from the appearance of the fruit capsule of some of the species. The fruit capsule springs open when ripe and casts the seeds some distance, a distinctive mechanism for seed dispersal.
A spokesman for Blooming Direct located on the Island of Jersey said "go online and check out our selection of all begonia, geranium and lavender plants we do know how popular all these plants are to gardeners in the UK, and how much they want healthy specimens, we offer FREE delivery on all orders to the UK".
Monday, February 20, 2012
COMPOSTING - THE NATURAL WAY TO ADD NUTRIENTS TO SOIL
| AS EVERY GARDENER KNOWS, YOU NEED A HEALTHY SOIL TO GROW HEALTHY PLANTS, AND THE BEST WAY TO HAVE THAT HEALTHY SOIL IS TO ADD COMPOST EVERY CHANCE YOU GET !! HERE'S HOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN AND KEEP THAT SOIL GROWING WONDERFUL PLANTS.  Recipe for homemade compostCompost improves soil texture, fertility, and ability to hold water and air. Here's how to make it. INGREDIENTS. Include grass clippings, dead leaves, and vegetable kitchen waste. Don't add diseased plants, plant parts that contain thorns, weed seedheads, or meat, fat, or bones from the kitchen. Chop or shred everything to speed decomposition. I run my lawn mower over fallen leaves. ALTERNATE LAYERS OF BROWN AND GREEN MATTER. Put down a 3-inch layer of brown matter, such as shredded dead leaves, which contain plenty of carbon. Cover it with an equal layer of green matter, like grass clippings, which contain a lot of nitrogen. If you're short on green matter, sprinkle the brown matter with high-nitrogen fertilizer (such as lawn fertilizer). To speed up decomposition in a new pile, add a few shovelfuls of old compost, which already contains bacteria and fungi. KEEP THE PILE MOIST AND AERATED. Sprinkle the pile with water to keep it about as damp as a wrung-out sponge. Use a spading fork or pitchfork to thoroughly mix the ingredients and aerate the pile. When the compost is ready, its texture will be like that of fine soil. If you'd like more info on composting, check out: | |
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TIPS ON HYDROPONIC GARDENING
Hydroponic gardening is a great way to reap the benefits of healthy,
wholesome food, while avoiding many of the challenges of traditional outdoor
gardening. Hydroponic gardens are easy to start and often, the most difficult
part of the process is getting things up and running. You will need to purchase
appropriate lighting like a HPS ballast or lamp ballast and ensure your
container is water-tight and capable of holding the plants you plan to
cultivate. You will also want a space for your garden that is away from the
daily routine of your family in order to protect the tender seedlings as things
begin to bloom. The materials needed for hydroponic gardening are affordable and
easy to find, but working with a company you can trust often makes the start-up
process easier.
One of the best things about hydroponic gardening is the ability to do it year-round, regardless of the climate in which you live. Hydroponic gardens are protected from the elements and you control the temperature and exposure, so you can grow fresh, healthy vegetables during the dead of winter, no matter where you live. Even produce purchased from the supermarket is not this fresh and nutritious.
Hydroponic vegetables are more nutritious than produce found elsewhere. This is because you are in complete control of the nutrition content of the environment. When you plant seeds in the soil in your backyard, the seeds and plants will be exposed to the contamination and pollution in the soil. Even in raised bed or container gardens where you use fresh, clean soil, your plants will be exposed to pests, animals and contaminated rain and hose water. In a hydroponic garden, you control the nutrients and you have the ability to create the healthiest produce possible.
Bringing hydroponic gardening into your home will make the space feel better, just as plants improve the quality of your living space, so will a full-fledged hydroponic garden. Imagine looking out your window and seeing nothing but gray winter skies and snow-covered fields. Even if your hydroponic garden is small, it offers some greenery during the dead of winter. The brightly colored plants and vegetables will enliven your living space and make you feel good about life. Just as you crave sunlight and warmth in the cold winter months, so will your garden. Together, you can reap the benefits of good health, warmth and growing, even if nothing is happening in your yard or outdoor space.
One reason people choose hydroponic gardening is their concern for survival. Regardless of what happens in the world, you will have access to healthy, affordable foods, right in your own home. If a world crisis occurs and prices of foods soar, you will be growing your own food for just the cost of start-up of the garden. If something occurs in the environment that sacrifices the health of the foods available to you, your hydroponic garden will still provide plenty of great produce. If weather conditions destroy a crop of a particular vegetable, your hydroponic garden will be protected from the elements and you will still be able to enjoy the nutritious benefits of that product.
One of the best things about hydroponic gardening is the ability to do it year-round, regardless of the climate in which you live. Hydroponic gardens are protected from the elements and you control the temperature and exposure, so you can grow fresh, healthy vegetables during the dead of winter, no matter where you live. Even produce purchased from the supermarket is not this fresh and nutritious.
Hydroponic vegetables are more nutritious than produce found elsewhere. This is because you are in complete control of the nutrition content of the environment. When you plant seeds in the soil in your backyard, the seeds and plants will be exposed to the contamination and pollution in the soil. Even in raised bed or container gardens where you use fresh, clean soil, your plants will be exposed to pests, animals and contaminated rain and hose water. In a hydroponic garden, you control the nutrients and you have the ability to create the healthiest produce possible.
Bringing hydroponic gardening into your home will make the space feel better, just as plants improve the quality of your living space, so will a full-fledged hydroponic garden. Imagine looking out your window and seeing nothing but gray winter skies and snow-covered fields. Even if your hydroponic garden is small, it offers some greenery during the dead of winter. The brightly colored plants and vegetables will enliven your living space and make you feel good about life. Just as you crave sunlight and warmth in the cold winter months, so will your garden. Together, you can reap the benefits of good health, warmth and growing, even if nothing is happening in your yard or outdoor space.
One reason people choose hydroponic gardening is their concern for survival. Regardless of what happens in the world, you will have access to healthy, affordable foods, right in your own home. If a world crisis occurs and prices of foods soar, you will be growing your own food for just the cost of start-up of the garden. If something occurs in the environment that sacrifices the health of the foods available to you, your hydroponic garden will still provide plenty of great produce. If weather conditions destroy a crop of a particular vegetable, your hydroponic garden will be protected from the elements and you will still be able to enjoy the nutritious benefits of that product.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
GARDEN WITHOUT WEEDS !!!!
This article will give you a few good ideas for dealing with weeds in your garden. One of the most frustrating things about gardening is the appearance of weeds. If your flowers and plants are thriving, chances are the weeds are too. So what do you do to get rid of these pesky problems?
The first steep in getting a weed free garden is to get rid of any existing weeds by pulling them out by the roots. Do this as early in the season as possible. It is easier to pull up seedlings than to pull full grown weeds. Watering the ground first may make the process easier. Once the weed is pulled, dispose of it. Do not leave it laying on the ground to release seeds that will cause more weeds to grow. If the weed seems to have a long root, dig it with a spade or gardening knife. Weeds that are growing amidst plants may be loosened by inserting a screwdriver into the ground and loosening the soil around the weed and then just pull it out.
Once the weeds are removed from your garden, cover it with mulch. This will provide ground cover and discourage weeds from growing. A good mulch can be a combination of wood chips, garden compost or straw.
Another method to discourage weed growth is the newspaper method. Lay newspapers on your garden as a ground cover and then you can spread mulch or topsoil on top of it. The good thing about newspaper is that it is cheap and completely biodegradable. Newspaper is also easier to plant in. It rips easily, so it is easy to form small holes to place your flowers in. You can also buy landscape cover at any nursery or major department store. The landscape cover works well also, but it can be a bit of a pain to cut holes in which to plant your flowers. If you have a big area to cover, landscaping cover can become quite expensive.
There are also weed killers on the market that you can use to kill the weeds in your garden. Make sure that you read all instructions carefully and that the weed killer will not harm your existing plants or the neighbor's cat. There are different types of weed killer on the market. Some will kill only the top growth of the weeds and others are designed to kill the weed down to the root.
The best way to get ahead of your weed problem is to thoroughly weed your garden early in the season. Cover it with a few layers of mulch and then keep the weeds under control by weeding at least once a week. Face it, weeds are always going to be around, but you can show them who's the boss!
The first steep in getting a weed free garden is to get rid of any existing weeds by pulling them out by the roots. Do this as early in the season as possible. It is easier to pull up seedlings than to pull full grown weeds. Watering the ground first may make the process easier. Once the weed is pulled, dispose of it. Do not leave it laying on the ground to release seeds that will cause more weeds to grow. If the weed seems to have a long root, dig it with a spade or gardening knife. Weeds that are growing amidst plants may be loosened by inserting a screwdriver into the ground and loosening the soil around the weed and then just pull it out.
Once the weeds are removed from your garden, cover it with mulch. This will provide ground cover and discourage weeds from growing. A good mulch can be a combination of wood chips, garden compost or straw.
Another method to discourage weed growth is the newspaper method. Lay newspapers on your garden as a ground cover and then you can spread mulch or topsoil on top of it. The good thing about newspaper is that it is cheap and completely biodegradable. Newspaper is also easier to plant in. It rips easily, so it is easy to form small holes to place your flowers in. You can also buy landscape cover at any nursery or major department store. The landscape cover works well also, but it can be a bit of a pain to cut holes in which to plant your flowers. If you have a big area to cover, landscaping cover can become quite expensive.
There are also weed killers on the market that you can use to kill the weeds in your garden. Make sure that you read all instructions carefully and that the weed killer will not harm your existing plants or the neighbor's cat. There are different types of weed killer on the market. Some will kill only the top growth of the weeds and others are designed to kill the weed down to the root.
The best way to get ahead of your weed problem is to thoroughly weed your garden early in the season. Cover it with a few layers of mulch and then keep the weeds under control by weeding at least once a week. Face it, weeds are always going to be around, but you can show them who's the boss!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
PESTICIDES TO AVOID IN A BUTTERFLY GARDEN
I like technology. I like modern science. I do not believe that primitive is
better. There is a place for human-made chemical formulas in the garden.
However, the natural gardener must be aware that improper application of chemicals can upset the delicate balance of nature in the garden and wipe out habitat in an instant. You do not have to forego modern products, but you must go easy. Read the label. Don't apply above the recommended rate. Be aware of the side effects of whatever you are using.
And it is in the area of "side effects" that I believe we risk going wrong. Let's face it, we are creating man-made habitats here. There is nothing wrong with using man-made products-with restraint- so long as you realize that the products have both seen and unseen consequences.
Butterflies (and caterpillars) are insects. Insecticides such as Dursban, Diazinon and Malathion kill insects. They don't discriminate between harmful and beneficial insects. They are designed to kill insects that come into contact with them. So what to do?
First, get your plants healthy. Use compost. Select plants native to your area. Plant sun-loving plants in the sun. Plant shade-loving plants in the shade. Read Brenda Beust Smith's Saturday column in the Houston Chronicle for a discussion of easy-to-grow "lazy gardener" plants.
Also, keep your head. If leaf-eating insects are nibbling on your plants ask yourself if it really matters. Can't the plant spare a few leaves? Why nuke your garden to kill a few bad guys?
Remember folks, butterflies come from caterpillars. And caterpillars eat leaves. If you kill all the leaf eating caterpillars, where will the butterflies come from?
Here are my rules regarding pesticides:
(1) Less is more. Spray the plant instead of the garden. In fact, spray the part of the plant insects are after instead of the whole plant. And only spray insecticides if you know the insects are there. Preventative spraying of insecticides is not good.
(2) Always try to plant disease and insect resistant plants. Native plants usually meet these requirements.
(3)Read organic gardening books and magazines. They will steer you toward the less harmful products.
(4) Mellow out. Unless you are entering your plant in a contest, so what if something has nibbled some of the leaves.
(5) Be vigilant. Walk your garden. Some critters are like gangs of thugs--they wipe out a plant overnight. Benign neglect does not always work.
(6) Don't exceed the recommended dose. Doubling the strength usually does not help and it may burn the leaves of the very plant you are trying to save. In fact, try using less than the recommended rate.
(7) Make the plant taste bad. Certain sprays work on the principle that a plant that tastes bad to an insect won't be eaten by that insect. The natural gardeners have lots of hints using this approach. But remember that caterpillars need to eat larval plants. Don't get carried away with this technique.
(9) Do not use systemic poisons. These are chemicals that are placed in the ground and taken up by the plant's roots to make the entire plant poisonous. Unfortunately, this makes the plant a killer of both beneficial and harmful insects. It also leads to the increase of insects resistant to the systemic.
(10) Avoid bacillus thuringiensis (BT). This is a powder which contains a bacterial pathogen that kills caterpillars. It is often cited favorably by natural gardeners as an accepted biological control because it doesn't harm most beneficial insects. But it kills caterpillars. Butterfly gardeners need caterpillars to make more butterflies.
(11) Buy a water wand to control spider mites and aphids. Its high pressure spray knocks these critters off the leaves without the use of any chemicals. It is amazingly effective.
(12) If thrips are attacking your roses, spray the insecticide only on the bloom. Also, thrips usually attack white roses. Confine your attack to those roses. This technique will minimize the odds of insecticides drifting into "butterfly areas" of your garden.
(13) Wear protective gear when spraying insecticides. A long sleeved shirt, pants (not shorts), gloves and goggles are a minimum. Many insecticides and fungicides are very harmful to the eyes. Do not spray without eye protection. And wash the clothes separately.
(14) Water your plants before you spray.
However, the natural gardener must be aware that improper application of chemicals can upset the delicate balance of nature in the garden and wipe out habitat in an instant. You do not have to forego modern products, but you must go easy. Read the label. Don't apply above the recommended rate. Be aware of the side effects of whatever you are using.
And it is in the area of "side effects" that I believe we risk going wrong. Let's face it, we are creating man-made habitats here. There is nothing wrong with using man-made products-with restraint- so long as you realize that the products have both seen and unseen consequences.
Butterflies (and caterpillars) are insects. Insecticides such as Dursban, Diazinon and Malathion kill insects. They don't discriminate between harmful and beneficial insects. They are designed to kill insects that come into contact with them. So what to do?
First, get your plants healthy. Use compost. Select plants native to your area. Plant sun-loving plants in the sun. Plant shade-loving plants in the shade. Read Brenda Beust Smith's Saturday column in the Houston Chronicle for a discussion of easy-to-grow "lazy gardener" plants.
Also, keep your head. If leaf-eating insects are nibbling on your plants ask yourself if it really matters. Can't the plant spare a few leaves? Why nuke your garden to kill a few bad guys?
Remember folks, butterflies come from caterpillars. And caterpillars eat leaves. If you kill all the leaf eating caterpillars, where will the butterflies come from?
Here are my rules regarding pesticides:
(1) Less is more. Spray the plant instead of the garden. In fact, spray the part of the plant insects are after instead of the whole plant. And only spray insecticides if you know the insects are there. Preventative spraying of insecticides is not good.
(2) Always try to plant disease and insect resistant plants. Native plants usually meet these requirements.
(3)Read organic gardening books and magazines. They will steer you toward the less harmful products.
(4) Mellow out. Unless you are entering your plant in a contest, so what if something has nibbled some of the leaves.
(5) Be vigilant. Walk your garden. Some critters are like gangs of thugs--they wipe out a plant overnight. Benign neglect does not always work.
(6) Don't exceed the recommended dose. Doubling the strength usually does not help and it may burn the leaves of the very plant you are trying to save. In fact, try using less than the recommended rate.
(7) Make the plant taste bad. Certain sprays work on the principle that a plant that tastes bad to an insect won't be eaten by that insect. The natural gardeners have lots of hints using this approach. But remember that caterpillars need to eat larval plants. Don't get carried away with this technique.
(9) Do not use systemic poisons. These are chemicals that are placed in the ground and taken up by the plant's roots to make the entire plant poisonous. Unfortunately, this makes the plant a killer of both beneficial and harmful insects. It also leads to the increase of insects resistant to the systemic.
(10) Avoid bacillus thuringiensis (BT). This is a powder which contains a bacterial pathogen that kills caterpillars. It is often cited favorably by natural gardeners as an accepted biological control because it doesn't harm most beneficial insects. But it kills caterpillars. Butterfly gardeners need caterpillars to make more butterflies.
(11) Buy a water wand to control spider mites and aphids. Its high pressure spray knocks these critters off the leaves without the use of any chemicals. It is amazingly effective.
(12) If thrips are attacking your roses, spray the insecticide only on the bloom. Also, thrips usually attack white roses. Confine your attack to those roses. This technique will minimize the odds of insecticides drifting into "butterfly areas" of your garden.
(13) Wear protective gear when spraying insecticides. A long sleeved shirt, pants (not shorts), gloves and goggles are a minimum. Many insecticides and fungicides are very harmful to the eyes. Do not spray without eye protection. And wash the clothes separately.
(14) Water your plants before you spray.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
WILDFLOWER GARDENING - TRY IT THIS YEAR
Have you secretly been considering turning your high maintenance mixed border into a wildflower garden? It can be hard to resist when seed companies are out there promoting their instant wildflower gardens in a can, sack or roll. I spoke with a handful of gardeners who gave wildflower meadows a try. Their efforts to date have not met with much success.
Many gardeners naively believe you can simply scatter some seeds, ignore the gardening basics,, and wind up with a self-sowing meadow of bluebells and lacecaps. In truth, starting a wildflower garden is often more work than putting in a perennial border and it is not necessarily self-perpetuating.
If these plants are truly wild, (weeds, to most highway maintenance crews), why must they be coddled and coaxed out of the ground?
Many gardeners naively believe you can simply scatter some seeds, ignore the gardening basics,, and wind up with a self-sowing meadow of bluebells and lacecaps. In truth, starting a wildflower garden is often more work than putting in a perennial border and it is not necessarily self-perpetuating.
If these plants are truly wild, (weeds, to most highway maintenance crews), why must they be coddled and coaxed out of the ground?
What is a Wildflower Garden?
According to my local Extension office, wildflowers are species of flowers that have shown themselves to be hardy and self-reproducing, with little attention form the gardener. Although they will grow wild or on their own, they are not necessarily native plants. Wildflower gardens are considered a low cost alternative to high maintenance gardening. Many wildflowers prefer poor soil and neglect, making them ideal for tough to maintain areas of your property. My wildflower garden got little attention, so where did I go wrong?Preparing for Your Wildflowers
Even a wild look requires some planning and effort. The good news is that most of the effort is in getting it started.- Chose a site with full to partial sun. If you want the plants to sustain themselves, you had better give them conditions they find agreeable.
- Weed control is paramount. Weeds are a successful wildflower garden's biggest threat. Of course, only you can determine what is a weed and what is a wildflower, but for the sake of simplicity I would suggest you start your garden with a clean palette and remove all existing vegetation. There are three proven methods of doing this.
- Weed or remove sod by hand. If you are starting with a small area or if you are planting where healthy grass is growing, this may be your best option.
- Solarization is a good way to kill all vegetation, including most seeds. Mow the area to be planted as low as your lawn mower will allow. Water the area well and then cover securely with clear plastic sheeting, leaving it there to bake in the sun for 6 - 8 weeks. This method relies on cooperation from the weather and you will probably still want to remove the dead vegetation before reseeding.
- Spraying a broad spectrum herbicide will kill everything within a few weeks. Be careful with herbicides. They don’t discriminate in what they kill and can accidentally drift on a breeze and wipe out garden plants. Again, you will probably want to remove the dead vegetation before reseeding.
- Till the soil shallowly to a depth of about 3 inches, once the existing vegetation is removed. You don't want to uncover and encourage more weeds. In fact, you may want to respray with the herbicide at this point to kill any weed seeds that may have surfaced.
- Rake and level the soil, leaving the grooves left from raking to help hold the seeds and give them contact with the soil.
Planting a Wildflower Garden
- Packaged seed mixes will tell you how large an area they cover. In general, use 4 pounds of seed per acre or 4 oz. per 2,500 sq. ft.
- Most wildflower seeds are very small. Mixing some sand in with the seed mixture will make it easier to spread evenly. Broadcast evenly throughout the area to be planted.
- Rake lightly again after spreading the seed.
- Water the whole area and keep the seeds moist until they are a few inches tall. A light mulching with straw, peat or compost will help retain moisture and keep the birds from eating the meadow. It’s much like starting grass seed.
- Germination should occur in 10 - 21 days and your first blooms should reward you in 5-6 weeks.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE VALENTINE FLOWERS !!
Here's some great advice about keeping those beautiul flowers in good shape as long as possible. It helps keep the good feelings alive longer, too.
Care for Valentine flowers
Care for Valentine flowers
By Dennis L. Patton, M.S., County Horticulture Agent, K-State Research and Extension/Johnson County
OLATHE, Kan. — The most popular day to give flowers is fast approaching with the arrival of Valentine’s Day on February 14. Many people will be sending that special someone a bouquet of fresh flowers, and, by far, roses are the most popular gift.
Proper care is important for extending the life of fresh flower arrangements. Following are a few guidelines which will make this symbol of love last longer:
Water is vital.
Keep the vase or floral foam soaked with water at all times. Add fresh water daily and use warm water as this aids in uptake. If the water turns cloudy, replace it immediately with fresh water. If possible, re-cut the rose stems every day by removing one to two inches. Use a sharp knife. If at all possible, this cut should be made under water as this allows the stem to draw in water instead of air.
Keep Valentines flowers cool.
Warm temperatures shorten the life of the blooms. Avoid direct sunlight and heating vents. Warm air from ceiling fans will cause the flowers to fade. Appliances like televisions and computers give off heat causing the flowers to dry out.
Floral trick for wilted or droopy flowers
Try this trick if the flowers start to wilt, remove the stem from the arrangement and re-cut the stem. Next, submerge the entire flower in warm water. Leave it in the water for one to two hours. This treatment should perk the flowers up and extend its life for a couple days. This trick works well for cut roses.
Care of flowers received wrapped in paper or a box
If you give or receive loose stems of flowers keep them cool as long as possible before delivering to your sweetheart. Fill a clean vase with water and add flower food from the florist. Follow packet instructions for mixing.
Before placing the stems in the vase remove all foliage that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water promote bacterial growth which decreases life. Re-cutting the stems under water with a sharp knife is recommended before placing in the vase. Follow the same guidelines for arrangements for longer lasting flowers.
Care for potted flowering plants
Potted plants are also a popular gift. Like arrangements, keep them in a cool location and avoid heat drafts or dry air for longer color. Most plants will require even moisture so check the soil daily and water if dry to the touch. Do not let the plants stand in water. This will harm the root system.
Potted flowering plants will last anywhere from a few days in the case of forced bulbs to several weeks. For example, under good conditions, expect azaleas, exacum cyclamen, and kalanchoes to last up to four weeks.
Keep the vase or floral foam soaked with water at all times. Add fresh water daily and use warm water as this aids in uptake. If the water turns cloudy, replace it immediately with fresh water. If possible, re-cut the rose stems every day by removing one to two inches. Use a sharp knife. If at all possible, this cut should be made under water as this allows the stem to draw in water instead of air.
Keep Valentines flowers cool.
Warm temperatures shorten the life of the blooms. Avoid direct sunlight and heating vents. Warm air from ceiling fans will cause the flowers to fade. Appliances like televisions and computers give off heat causing the flowers to dry out.
Floral trick for wilted or droopy flowers
Try this trick if the flowers start to wilt, remove the stem from the arrangement and re-cut the stem. Next, submerge the entire flower in warm water. Leave it in the water for one to two hours. This treatment should perk the flowers up and extend its life for a couple days. This trick works well for cut roses.
Care of flowers received wrapped in paper or a box
If you give or receive loose stems of flowers keep them cool as long as possible before delivering to your sweetheart. Fill a clean vase with water and add flower food from the florist. Follow packet instructions for mixing.
Before placing the stems in the vase remove all foliage that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water promote bacterial growth which decreases life. Re-cutting the stems under water with a sharp knife is recommended before placing in the vase. Follow the same guidelines for arrangements for longer lasting flowers.
Care for potted flowering plants
Potted plants are also a popular gift. Like arrangements, keep them in a cool location and avoid heat drafts or dry air for longer color. Most plants will require even moisture so check the soil daily and water if dry to the touch. Do not let the plants stand in water. This will harm the root system.
Potted flowering plants will last anywhere from a few days in the case of forced bulbs to several weeks. For example, under good conditions, expect azaleas, exacum cyclamen, and kalanchoes to last up to four weeks.
Monday, February 13, 2012
GARDEN TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
Here's an article for all you "almost" gardeenrs, wanting to have a garden that makes you proud !!
Did you ever want to turn your backyard into a garden but then you gave up because you didn't know anything about gardening? You don't have to do that anymore: gardening is actually not as hard as people might think it is. If you know a few basic rules, then you can have your own garden without much effort. The time you need to create a garden is not too long, and it is definitely a good way to relax. The beauty and scent of the blooming flowers will repay you for your effort, you can be sure of that. Here are a few basic gardening tips, that will help you gain that beautiful garden you've always dreamed of.
Flowers grow and bloom, but so do weeds. There can be a lot of unwanted weed among your plants. This is natural, since most weed seeds are carried by the wind and it is impossible to stop their spreading. Weeds are usually stronger than flowers and much more resistant, so they have a bigger chance of survival even in bad conditions. Get rid of weeds in your garden, because they take away the water and the minerals from your flowers. The best way is to rip them out with their roots to make sure that they won't grow back again. You can also use weedkiller products, but avoid using sprays, because they can destroy your flowers as well.
Most of the flowers and plants require certain conditions, otherwise they won't survive or they will be very weak. Water your garden regularly, at least once a week, and more often if it's a very dry hot summer. Deep watering is relevant because that way the roots can absorb much more minerals and the flowers will be more fresh looking and beautiful.
At all times try to avoid the use of chemicals in your garden. Most of the chemicals do more harm than good. For instance if you use a pesticide, it kills the bad insects but the beneficial ones as well. This way you will only destroy the natural balance of the garden. Some chemicals are also harmful for the plants and flowers, and they can be dangerous for humans and pets as well. For all problems there are organic, natural products that you can use instead of the chemicals.
If you want to fertilize your garden, choose fertilizers that are organic. Don't use too much fertilizer, most of the times the soil contains already a lot of minerals that the plants need. The minimal amount of fertilizer is enough to give your flowers extra strength and resistance. Use this regularly, especially if you water your flowers very often. Repeated watering washes away nutrition from the earth and that's why you should add fertilizer to it.
Cutting of dead flowers and leaves will not only make your garden look more beautiful and organized, but it is also beneficial for the plants. Most of the flowers will bloom more if the dead flowers heads are removed. Some perennials will have new flowers only if the dead flower heads are cut, like dahlias and geraniums. Similarly, there are some plants that require their top to be pinched out. This way they will be more bushy and have more flowers. Some of them will grow too high if you don't do this, like fuchsias for instance.
Did you ever want to turn your backyard into a garden but then you gave up because you didn't know anything about gardening? You don't have to do that anymore: gardening is actually not as hard as people might think it is. If you know a few basic rules, then you can have your own garden without much effort. The time you need to create a garden is not too long, and it is definitely a good way to relax. The beauty and scent of the blooming flowers will repay you for your effort, you can be sure of that. Here are a few basic gardening tips, that will help you gain that beautiful garden you've always dreamed of.
Flowers grow and bloom, but so do weeds. There can be a lot of unwanted weed among your plants. This is natural, since most weed seeds are carried by the wind and it is impossible to stop their spreading. Weeds are usually stronger than flowers and much more resistant, so they have a bigger chance of survival even in bad conditions. Get rid of weeds in your garden, because they take away the water and the minerals from your flowers. The best way is to rip them out with their roots to make sure that they won't grow back again. You can also use weedkiller products, but avoid using sprays, because they can destroy your flowers as well.
Most of the flowers and plants require certain conditions, otherwise they won't survive or they will be very weak. Water your garden regularly, at least once a week, and more often if it's a very dry hot summer. Deep watering is relevant because that way the roots can absorb much more minerals and the flowers will be more fresh looking and beautiful.
At all times try to avoid the use of chemicals in your garden. Most of the chemicals do more harm than good. For instance if you use a pesticide, it kills the bad insects but the beneficial ones as well. This way you will only destroy the natural balance of the garden. Some chemicals are also harmful for the plants and flowers, and they can be dangerous for humans and pets as well. For all problems there are organic, natural products that you can use instead of the chemicals.
If you want to fertilize your garden, choose fertilizers that are organic. Don't use too much fertilizer, most of the times the soil contains already a lot of minerals that the plants need. The minimal amount of fertilizer is enough to give your flowers extra strength and resistance. Use this regularly, especially if you water your flowers very often. Repeated watering washes away nutrition from the earth and that's why you should add fertilizer to it.
Cutting of dead flowers and leaves will not only make your garden look more beautiful and organized, but it is also beneficial for the plants. Most of the flowers will bloom more if the dead flowers heads are removed. Some perennials will have new flowers only if the dead flower heads are cut, like dahlias and geraniums. Similarly, there are some plants that require their top to be pinched out. This way they will be more bushy and have more flowers. Some of them will grow too high if you don't do this, like fuchsias for instance.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
MORE INDOOR GARDENING - HERBS
This is an article I thought was very helpful for all you "indoor gradeners". Fresh herbs year round can't be anything but good, healthy, and fun.
Growing herbs indoors means you will have an all-year-round supply of fresh herbs.
So no matter what the weather is like outside, frost, snow, torrential rain, your indoor herb garden will continuously and happily provide you with fresh herbs ready for when you want them.
And the easiest way to start your indoor herb garden is with readily available herb growing kits.
Herb growing kits are an easy and inexpensive way to start your indoor herb garden.
There are many different types of growing kits available from a simple plastic pot with a packet of herb seeds to over the top kits with self watering, heating and misting functions which also include compost and several different packets of seeds.
But the most common type come with about three ceramic pots, enough compost and three different types of seed. Many come with a stand for the pots and all will have basic instructions.
These are the best type of herb growing kits for getting started.
They are real easy to use and will reliably produce good edible herbs for use in your cooking and food flavouring.
Once you have sown your seeds and they have germinated, usually within around seven days or so, there is very little you need to do.
Just keep them somewhere with good light, a windowsill that receives plenty of sun is ideal, and keep them well watered and give them a fortnightly feed with a soluble plant fertilizer and they will grow away happily just waiting for you to harvest them.
There's lots of herbs you can easily grow indoors,
Thyme
Dill
Tarragon
Basil
Rosemary
Chives
Mint
Parsley
Marjoram
Oreganobr
Sage
Fennel
Borrage
All of these will grow well indoors and they are all ideal for flavouring your food and adding to your cooking.
Growing herbs indoors means you will have an all-year-round supply of fresh herbs.
So no matter what the weather is like outside, frost, snow, torrential rain, your indoor herb garden will continuously and happily provide you with fresh herbs ready for when you want them.
And the easiest way to start your indoor herb garden is with readily available herb growing kits.
Herb growing kits are an easy and inexpensive way to start your indoor herb garden.
There are many different types of growing kits available from a simple plastic pot with a packet of herb seeds to over the top kits with self watering, heating and misting functions which also include compost and several different packets of seeds.
But the most common type come with about three ceramic pots, enough compost and three different types of seed. Many come with a stand for the pots and all will have basic instructions.
These are the best type of herb growing kits for getting started.
They are real easy to use and will reliably produce good edible herbs for use in your cooking and food flavouring.
Once you have sown your seeds and they have germinated, usually within around seven days or so, there is very little you need to do.
Just keep them somewhere with good light, a windowsill that receives plenty of sun is ideal, and keep them well watered and give them a fortnightly feed with a soluble plant fertilizer and they will grow away happily just waiting for you to harvest them.
There's lots of herbs you can easily grow indoors,
Thyme
Dill
Tarragon
Basil
Rosemary
Chives
Mint
Parsley
Marjoram
Oreganobr
Sage
Fennel
Borrage
All of these will grow well indoors and they are all ideal for flavouring your food and adding to your cooking.
About this Author
Find out how easy it is to get started in indoor herb gardeing with herb kits at http://www.freegardeningplants.com/herb-growing-kits.html and for more information on indoor herb gardening go to http://www.freegardeningplants.com/indoor-herb-garden.htmlArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Cangialosi
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3990385
Saturday, February 11, 2012
CONTAINER GARDENING
For all you gardeners who live in a condo or apartment, or just don't have an outside space to grow in, here's a great article for you. Enjoy it, and if you have questions, ask me at: tsmith203@hotmail.com
Colourful containers with beautiful blooming flowers will create an amazing and stunning show anywhere around your home, indoors or out. You can easily enhance your patio or any other area with bright dazzling pots of flowering garden plants grown in containers. Or you can fill your garden troughs and window boxes with beautiful low growing plants or small evergreen shrubs. Use hanging baskets brimming with beautiful trailing flowers such as Fuchsias.
These really do give you a spectacular show. Even if you have a large garden you can extend your container gardening onto patios, or around sheds and garages with pots and tubs filled with lush flowering plants. You can group your pots together to give a stunning effect or in a smaller area just use a single container with one specimen plant that will draw anyone's eye. Containers are so versatile, you can move them around for the best effect or change them to create different moods. As flowers fade just change the plants to ones that are flowering or about to flower, its so easy to have a continuous flowering display throughout the growing seasons. With containers you have so many different choices. You can have containers that compliment the colour of the flowers.
Or you could have them contrasting each other. Either option can give you a special unique display. Its nearly always best to have containers that are similar in colour to each other as it gives the best effect. Use the plants to compliment or contrast with each other. For the best aesthetics its best if there is a tall plant in each container with shorter plants around the edges and perhaps trailing plants hanging over the sides, almost hiding the container. You will have to think about leaf shapes as well. Long broad leaves can act as a back drop to smaller plants with shorter leaves and bright flowers. With containers its so easy to change plants around until you get the effect you want.
Dark green leaves will give a better background effect than light green ones. Especially for bright coloured flowers, which will stand out sharply against the dark green leaves. This doesn't mean to say you cant use light green leaves, if the container is against a dark colour, a dark painted fence or shed for instance, the flowers will stand out against this rather than the leaves. This will give the same effect as using dark green leaves except the light green leaves do not stand out al all. Its always best to try and use plants that flower for long periods, or have plants of a different type ready to replace them as they finish blooming. Or you could grow a container with just one type of plant. A patio tub full of yellow flowering crocus takes a lot of beating in spring.
The choice of grouped plants is absolutely endless, especially in early spring before your beds and borders start to flower. You can use almost anything as a garden container, an old china tea pot or coffee pot or a disused bucket, as long as it will hold compost and is big enough for the type of plants you want to grow in it then it can be used. You could even make your own if you are handy with tools and timber, its real easy to make your own wooden containers. You can of course use commercially available containers which are made from all sorts of different materials. The most common being plastic and terracotta. Terracotta pots are available in all sorts of sizes, shapes, colours and shades. The best ones are glazed on the outside, this helps retain water and gives the pot a somewhat more expensive look.
The cheaper plastic pots and tubs are ideal. They are less likely to be broken than terracotta and they are available in a vast range of sizes and styles and colours. Today's plastic materials are far superior to a few years ago and this is no different for plant containers. They are strong, lightweight but don't look "plasticy" You can personalize plastic pots by decorating them on the outside with paint or stickers. If your are an arty type this gives you great scope of producing your own brand of container, your own personal touch. You can buy saucers to stand your container on which helps retain water, especially in dry weather. They will also prevent unsightly water marks on concrete or wood.
Never ever use garden soil in garden containers. It contains weed seeds and many diseases which would soon multiply in the confines of a container with disastrous effects for your plants. Use a proper potting compost which is especially produced for growing plants in containers. Your plants will thank you for it. A really good place for containers is a porch or veranda where they will make your home more attractive, inviting and welcoming. Stand pots and tubs on your porch or veranda, fit troughs or window boxes to hand rail guards and fit hanging baskets under the roof. This really does change the appearance of your property for the better. It brings it alive and if done well the containers will enhance your home and make all your neighbours envious. You could have containers along each side of your driveway.
This can look really stunning if your driveway is not just a straight line and curves. Just make sure your selection of plants harmonize with each other and enhances the rest of your garden and house décor. For a fabulous night time displays use discrete lighting to highlight the container plants following the outline of your drive. And don't forget all the different types of containers you can have for your indoor plants which not only enhance the plants but, if chosen correctly, will compliment all your décor. There are so many uses for containers in your garden and around the home you could find different uses each and every day.
Just use your imagination and you will be amazed at the difference containers will make. And if you don't get it right first time just move the containers around until they look right and pleasing to your eye. But don't forget plants in containers will be completely dependent on you for water and nutrients. So keep them well watered, especially in dry spells, and give them a weekly shot of a proprietary plant feed.
Colourful containers with beautiful blooming flowers will create an amazing and stunning show anywhere around your home, indoors or out. You can easily enhance your patio or any other area with bright dazzling pots of flowering garden plants grown in containers. Or you can fill your garden troughs and window boxes with beautiful low growing plants or small evergreen shrubs. Use hanging baskets brimming with beautiful trailing flowers such as Fuchsias.
These really do give you a spectacular show. Even if you have a large garden you can extend your container gardening onto patios, or around sheds and garages with pots and tubs filled with lush flowering plants. You can group your pots together to give a stunning effect or in a smaller area just use a single container with one specimen plant that will draw anyone's eye. Containers are so versatile, you can move them around for the best effect or change them to create different moods. As flowers fade just change the plants to ones that are flowering or about to flower, its so easy to have a continuous flowering display throughout the growing seasons. With containers you have so many different choices. You can have containers that compliment the colour of the flowers.
Or you could have them contrasting each other. Either option can give you a special unique display. Its nearly always best to have containers that are similar in colour to each other as it gives the best effect. Use the plants to compliment or contrast with each other. For the best aesthetics its best if there is a tall plant in each container with shorter plants around the edges and perhaps trailing plants hanging over the sides, almost hiding the container. You will have to think about leaf shapes as well. Long broad leaves can act as a back drop to smaller plants with shorter leaves and bright flowers. With containers its so easy to change plants around until you get the effect you want.
Dark green leaves will give a better background effect than light green ones. Especially for bright coloured flowers, which will stand out sharply against the dark green leaves. This doesn't mean to say you cant use light green leaves, if the container is against a dark colour, a dark painted fence or shed for instance, the flowers will stand out against this rather than the leaves. This will give the same effect as using dark green leaves except the light green leaves do not stand out al all. Its always best to try and use plants that flower for long periods, or have plants of a different type ready to replace them as they finish blooming. Or you could grow a container with just one type of plant. A patio tub full of yellow flowering crocus takes a lot of beating in spring.
The choice of grouped plants is absolutely endless, especially in early spring before your beds and borders start to flower. You can use almost anything as a garden container, an old china tea pot or coffee pot or a disused bucket, as long as it will hold compost and is big enough for the type of plants you want to grow in it then it can be used. You could even make your own if you are handy with tools and timber, its real easy to make your own wooden containers. You can of course use commercially available containers which are made from all sorts of different materials. The most common being plastic and terracotta. Terracotta pots are available in all sorts of sizes, shapes, colours and shades. The best ones are glazed on the outside, this helps retain water and gives the pot a somewhat more expensive look.
The cheaper plastic pots and tubs are ideal. They are less likely to be broken than terracotta and they are available in a vast range of sizes and styles and colours. Today's plastic materials are far superior to a few years ago and this is no different for plant containers. They are strong, lightweight but don't look "plasticy" You can personalize plastic pots by decorating them on the outside with paint or stickers. If your are an arty type this gives you great scope of producing your own brand of container, your own personal touch. You can buy saucers to stand your container on which helps retain water, especially in dry weather. They will also prevent unsightly water marks on concrete or wood.
Never ever use garden soil in garden containers. It contains weed seeds and many diseases which would soon multiply in the confines of a container with disastrous effects for your plants. Use a proper potting compost which is especially produced for growing plants in containers. Your plants will thank you for it. A really good place for containers is a porch or veranda where they will make your home more attractive, inviting and welcoming. Stand pots and tubs on your porch or veranda, fit troughs or window boxes to hand rail guards and fit hanging baskets under the roof. This really does change the appearance of your property for the better. It brings it alive and if done well the containers will enhance your home and make all your neighbours envious. You could have containers along each side of your driveway.
This can look really stunning if your driveway is not just a straight line and curves. Just make sure your selection of plants harmonize with each other and enhances the rest of your garden and house décor. For a fabulous night time displays use discrete lighting to highlight the container plants following the outline of your drive. And don't forget all the different types of containers you can have for your indoor plants which not only enhance the plants but, if chosen correctly, will compliment all your décor. There are so many uses for containers in your garden and around the home you could find different uses each and every day.
Just use your imagination and you will be amazed at the difference containers will make. And if you don't get it right first time just move the containers around until they look right and pleasing to your eye. But don't forget plants in containers will be completely dependent on you for water and nutrients. So keep them well watered, especially in dry spells, and give them a weekly shot of a proprietary plant feed.
About this Author
Chris has over thirty years experience in real life down to earth gardening, but especially in propagating all types of gardening plants. You can take advantage of all his knowledge and experience, just visit his free online gardening resource at http://www.freegardeningplants.com/index.html.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3539785
Friday, February 10, 2012
SOME MORE ABOUT INDOOR GARDENING
Here's a good article that lists specific plants for all you cold climate folks who can't even think about outside planting yet. Enjoy.
Plants are just as popular as furniture when one is deciding on what to place in his or her home as interiors. This is what spiked the market for plastic plants. However, artificial plants are known to collect dust and could sometimes be subjects for the homeowner's ridicule.
Why not opt for the real thing? Do indoor gardening. Aside from the aesthetic value plants could provide your home with, think of the health benefits - grade school science class has it that plants cleanse the air through utilizing the carbon dioxide and producing more oxygen.
Are you clueless with this kind of gardening? Here is some indispensable information on how to be successful at having a garden that is situated right inside the comforts of your home.
Lighting
One thing you must consider is how the plants will be provided with the necessary light. You have to decide which part of the house you will place your indoor garden. This would help you in deciding which kind of plant you would take care on you indoor garden.
Here are the varieties of plants (usually those that only require medium to low light) that are known to be suitable for indoor gardening:
a. Philodendrons
b. Boston ferns
c. African violets
d. Cyclamens
e. Creeping Fig
Watering
A common mistake most people make in indoor gardening is they tend to over-water the plants, which may lead to harming the roots. Make sure to research on the type of plant you have, because each kind of plant varies on their watering needs.
Potting
Most indoor plants require the use of pots and containers. Make sure that the pot is clean before placing your new plant into it to prevent infection and for a healthy growth of the plant.
Humidity
In indoor gardening, humidity is a big issue. The amount of moisture in the air has effect on the growth of the plants. During mornings, you could spray the plants with water for their much needed moisture.
Fertilization
Just like watering, it depends on the type of indoor plants whether they require constant fertilization or not. If you have achieved to supply your indoor garden with the appropriate amount of light, water and humidity, fertilization may not need much attention.
With these tips in mind, you don't have to settle for plastic decorative plants in your house. Anyone can maintain an indoor paradise with an indoor garden.
Plants are just as popular as furniture when one is deciding on what to place in his or her home as interiors. This is what spiked the market for plastic plants. However, artificial plants are known to collect dust and could sometimes be subjects for the homeowner's ridicule.
Why not opt for the real thing? Do indoor gardening. Aside from the aesthetic value plants could provide your home with, think of the health benefits - grade school science class has it that plants cleanse the air through utilizing the carbon dioxide and producing more oxygen.
Are you clueless with this kind of gardening? Here is some indispensable information on how to be successful at having a garden that is situated right inside the comforts of your home.
Lighting
One thing you must consider is how the plants will be provided with the necessary light. You have to decide which part of the house you will place your indoor garden. This would help you in deciding which kind of plant you would take care on you indoor garden.
Here are the varieties of plants (usually those that only require medium to low light) that are known to be suitable for indoor gardening:
a. Philodendrons
b. Boston ferns
c. African violets
d. Cyclamens
e. Creeping Fig
Watering
A common mistake most people make in indoor gardening is they tend to over-water the plants, which may lead to harming the roots. Make sure to research on the type of plant you have, because each kind of plant varies on their watering needs.
Potting
Most indoor plants require the use of pots and containers. Make sure that the pot is clean before placing your new plant into it to prevent infection and for a healthy growth of the plant.
Humidity
In indoor gardening, humidity is a big issue. The amount of moisture in the air has effect on the growth of the plants. During mornings, you could spray the plants with water for their much needed moisture.
Fertilization
Just like watering, it depends on the type of indoor plants whether they require constant fertilization or not. If you have achieved to supply your indoor garden with the appropriate amount of light, water and humidity, fertilization may not need much attention.
With these tips in mind, you don't have to settle for plastic decorative plants in your house. Anyone can maintain an indoor paradise with an indoor garden.
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