Monday, August 30, 2010

Fabulous Foliage Winners of the July 2010 Garden Photo Challenge

Congratulations to the winners of last month's Garden Photo Challenge - Fabulous Foliage. I was so impressed, not just by the diversity of foliage, but by how healthy it all looked. Nice job!

We always judge on two criteria: the photo itself and the love of gardening behind it. Foliage makes you pay close attention in the garden. It's way to easy to be distracted by the flowers. These photos give us a chance to look and ponder.

Thank you to everyone who shared their wonderful photos with us. Take a look at the winning photo gallery, as well as all the submissions in the Foliage Challenge thread, on the Forum. You can also get in on the fun this month, with the Vegetable Garden Photo Challenge. If your garden is spilling over with glossy tomatoes or zucchini the size of bats, give us a look.

Photo 1st Place Winner, 'Spanish Moss' Submitted by DanGwrite.



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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Gardening Question of the Week: What's 8-1-1 Day?

We all know we're supposed to call our utility companies before we start turning up new soil, but it has always seemed like such a hassle figuring out who to contact. And then there's all that time wasted while being on hold.

Now U.S. residents have no excuse not to check for underground utility lines. 811 is the new federally-mandated national "Call Before You Dig" number. Everyone in the U.S. calls the same One Call Center - 811 - and operators will route your call to the appropriate utility companies. They'll send a pro out to your property within a couple of days and you can start planting trees or mailboxes or whatever your imagination conjures, knowing you, your family and your home are safe.

Here are all the details about the 811 - "Call Before You Dig" number.



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What's Happening to the Cucumber Leaves?

Several of you have written to ask me what's wrong with your cucumber and squash vines. They have a white cast to them and you're worried it's a sign of a disease. Actually, many plants in the squash family have a natural white shading on the leaves from the fuzzy, scratchy hairs. If it's been there most of the season and the plants look healthy and happy, don't worry about it.

If the white is blotchy and powdery, like the spots on the squash leaf here, and if it's spreading, it could easily be powdery mildew. Some varieties of squash and cucs are resistant, but a lot of the old favorites still succumb in humid weather. Powdery mildew doesn't kill the plant, but it does weaken it and it makes it difficult for the plant to photosynthesize and make food. Once powdery mildew takes hold, it's hard to stop it by organic means, but the old stand-by baking soda recipe can help to keep it from spreading.

Photo: � Marie Iannotti



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Featured Plant of the Week: Helenium



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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Fall for Planting

II know fall is a great time for planting trees and shrubs, seeding lawns and planting spring bulbs, but I've never really bought into the "Fall is the best time for planting perennials" line of reasoning. I'm not talking about hot climates, where fall is the main growing season. I mean for those of us with four seasons. I think the nurseries all got together and decided a "Fall is for Planting" campaign was a good way to get rid of inventory, so they could bring out the Christmas decorations.

Planting in the fall takes a certain amount of faith. If winter comes early and hard, those newly planted roots aren't going to have a lot of time to spread out in the ground. And I'm just going to have to be patient and wait until the spring thaw, to see if they survived. On the other hand, if summer drags on, I'll have to water the new plants every day, to get them established. I guess there's just no pleasing me.

In an ideal world, fall planting makes sense. Root growth resumes, after a summer of flowering and seed setting. According to David Salman, at High Country Gardens, "80% of a plant's root growth occurs in late summer and fall, so plants establish better." That means fall planted perennials will have a head start, in spring. There is usually plenty of rain, in the fall, and less humidity. And the leave eaters have moved on.

So I'm re-thinking fall planting. Maybe the problem I have is that I should be planting in late summer, so hedge my bets. That means I have some work to do this week. Salman suggests that gardeners in cold climates, like me, "...stick with the most cold hardy types such as Oriental Poppies (Papaver), Beebalm (Monarda), Beardtongues (Penstemon), Sages (Salvia nemerosa types), and Yarrow (Achillea)." For gardeners in mild climates, the nursery is your oyster.

If your nursery has already made the switch to holiday decorations, don't be afraid to order from catalogs or online. They are less busy at this time of year and should get your order out quickly.

Photo: � Marie Iannotti



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Gardening Question of the Week: What Do You Think of Garden Shows?



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Organic Rose Care



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Friday, August 27, 2010

Featured Plant: Agastache

Most gardeners are familiar with the spiky blue anise hyssop. Lovely as it is, there are a lot more Agastache out there, in a variety of colors and scents, like this incredible 'Licorice Mint Hyssop'. What they all share is a hardy disposition, drought tolerance and a long season of bloom. If you've been having a summer like mine, you can use of the heat lovers you can plant.

Freda Cameron celebrated this months Garden Bloggers Bloom Day with photos of the glorious agastache in her North Carolina garden. And over at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Bob Hyland gives us his Agastache A List. Take a peek at Agastache and then keep an eye out for the different varieties available in your local nurseries. They're beautiful additions to almost any garden.

By the way, it's pronounced ag-ah-STAK-ee.

Photo: � Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc..



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Have You Noticed an Increase in Swallowtails?

I just assumed it was my superior gardening skills (yes, that's sarcasm) that were responsible for so many Eastern Tiger Swallowtails flitting about my flowers, this year. Apparently they've been visiting more than just my garden. Carole Brown, over at Ecosystem Gardening, was asked this question enough to bring it to the butterfly experts. They are still pondering. It could be that the cold winter of 2009/2010 knocked down the numbers of parasitoids that prey on swallowtails. Or, it could be something else. We may never know for sure, but it sure is a pretty sight.

Quick Butterfly Quiz:

Which state claims the Eastern Tent Butterfly has its official state butterfly? What happens when you touch a butterflies wings?

Photo: primpwatch / stock.xchng

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1050130



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The Benefits of a Plastic Greenhouse

Once decided to buy a greenhouse, you will undoubtedly reach a crossroad, where you must decide whether you want a plastic or a glass greenhouse. Whilst a glass greenhouse may be something from your childhood memories, and you may even think that any greenhouse that is not made of glass isn't "the real thing", you should not overlook the wonderful world and selection of plastic greenhouses.

You should remember that the sole function of a greenhouse is to let the sun's warming rays in and to isolate the plants growing inside from the potential cold weather, rain or wind outside. When it comes to greenhouses, however, both glass and plastic serve this purpose more or less the same. In fact, there are no conclusive scientific studies that suggest that either one works better as a greenhouse cladding material. Most greenhouses are structurally very similar, the only variable being the cladding material. Therefore, let's observe some benefits that plastic cladding has over glass.

Firstly, plastic greenhouses are far more cheaper than glass greenhouses. Once you realize that there is no big difference between plastic and glass in practice, the price should become the decisive factor in anyone's eyes. In fact, glass greenhouses can be up to 40 percent more expensive than their glass counterparts.

Also, a study suggests, that a properly sealed and constructed plastic greenhouse offers less uncontrolled energy loss. The study claims that a plastic greenhouse is up to 30% more energy efficient compared to a glass greenhouse. In terms of expenses on the integrated energy system, you can find massive savings here when using a plastic greenhouse.

Plastic cladding is also much more easier to fit, saving you time and frustration once you start setting your greenhouse up. Setting up a glass greenhouse can be tedious work, as every glass panel needs to be carefully attached individually.

Finally, consider the physical properties of glass versus plastic. Glass is brittle and can break under strain. For example, glass is likely to shatter when hit by falling trees, dangerously large hail or other projectiles, whilst plastic is likely to cushion the impact or bend. Glass is also quite sensitive to temperature changes. For example, if it is very cold outside and very warm inside, glass can shatter because of the temperature differences (This is why it is not recommended to drink tea or coffee from a glass).

All in all, both plastic and glass greenhouses have their ups and downs, however the significantly lower cost of plastic greenhouses should be enough of an argument for anyone on a budget.



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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Two Common Types of Orchids and Their Well-Known Species

Orchids fall into two common classes or types: terrestrial or epiphyte. Terrestrial means the species grows in the ground. Epiphyte means that the plant grows on another object as on a tree, on a rock or on a pole.

A terrestrial orchid is generally planted in the ground. Similar to common ground plants, some terrestrial orchids can have roots that are beneath the surface of the soil. Some orchids are considered semi-terrestrial, where they have roots both in the ground and roots aerially. The Cymbidium orchid, a terrestrial orchid, has 52 species plus many hybrids. It was probably one of the first orchids to have been cultivated. These orchids are robust in the sense that they can not only grow in the ground, but also on trees and rocks. They do well in decayed leaves or in the loose humus of rotted wood. In their natural habitat they can be found in the range from Southeast Asia to Japan. They can also be found in Australia. They are easy to grow and have become very popular; they are the perfect choice for beginning orchid growers. Given the correct care, they will provide flowers annually.

An epiphytic plant is a plant that grows on another object such as on a tree. Dendrobiums are the best known epiphyte orchids. Although they are generally easy to grow, they need a bit more care than Cymbidiums and do not flower on a regular basis easily. Their natural tropical habitat includes Northern India, Southeast Asia, Australia and Polynesia. Dendrobiums will thrive best in warm, moist and humid conditions because they require tropical conditions. Another well-known epiphyte type is the Phalaenopsis. These orchids are usually easy to grow and can have flowers that last long. They are usually present at weddings and can be found in varying colors including yellows, pinks, and even stripes.

Although epiphytic orchids live on a tree, they do not steal the nutrients and moisture that the tree depends upon. They absorb the nutrients and moisture that surround them in their immediate environment. They grab onto the branches of the bark of the tree with their fleshy roots. The collection of organic matter that forms between their roots and the branches is what they use for nutrients. These roots help to sustain the epiphytic orchids in dry and wet periods. A spongy off-white color covering surrounds their tough, stringy core roots that can easily absorb moisture. When water is available, this covering will absorb the water that it needs. The root will become dark green when it is completely saturated. The roots will hold the water until the plant needs it. When it does, the roots will release it gradually to the plant tissues as needed. Other types of epiphytic orchids grow on rocks. These orchids thrive in locations where the light is filtered and usually where it is airy and open.



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Herb Growing at Its Best

Why do you plan to join other gardeners for the herb growing experience? It is important that you know and understand your reasons for herb gardening, because if you don't then you won't become passionate towards your new hobby and you won't turn out to be successful at it. Believe me - the excitement you'll feel is amazing once you start planting your first herbs and harvest it. If you want to grow a herb garden to add more pizzazz and flavor to your home cooking, then you are in for a great experience.

The following are some reasons why many garden enthusiasts start growing herbs. These might also ignite your passion to become a herb gardener too.

1.Herb plants are best for medicinal purposes - This is one of the best reasons why many people plant herbs in the backyard. Not only can natural, organic herb gardening help relieve your stress; it can also fatten your wallet! Think about all the scrumptious medicines that would be available to you once you start gardening. Herbs can help cure simple pains as well as prevent some risky ailments such as cancer and other illnesses brought about by living an unhealthy lifestyle. Herbs are great for your health. Many boast of anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. How good is that? Growing herbs is a great way to ensure that your foods are nutrient rich and not chemically induced.

2.Herb plants are also best for culinary purposes -The best and most expensive recipes in Italy, China and other countries of the world are made up of culinary herbs. In fact, five star and seven star hotels use food preparations using the best culinary herbs available in their countries. So when you have herbs at home, you can make your family feel as if they are dining in a luxurious hotel or restaurant.
As soon as you learn how to garnish your food with herbs, you'll discover how wonderful your food will taste compared to dishes without it. Zesty and fresh herbs are a must in any kitchen. Cooking with herbs is very much like icing on a cake - it makes any dish complete!

3.Herb plants are easy to find - Herb growing is easy because herbs are simple to find. Herbs are located all over the world and they can grow anywhere. You can even ask some seeds and plants from your neighbors.

4.Space is not a problem - Many people said they cannot plant herbs at home because they don't have a space or are only living in a condo unit. Well, that reason cannot be accepted because space is never really a problem when you really want to plant your herbs. You can use even a very small space in the backyard, your windowsill or even in pots and containers. In Japan, many Japanese and immigrants are maximizing their roofs to plant herbs and other plants.

5.Herb kits are ready for beginners - Herbs kits can give you step-by-step instructions on how and what to do when herb growing. So all you have to do is follow instructions. There are a lot of herb kits available and they are not costly. All you need to do is to choose the best kit available.
So are you to ready to start your herb garden?



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Beginner Hydroponics Gardening Tips

Hydroponics gardening methods involve growing plants without soil and growing them in gravel, sand, water or air, instead. When you are concerned about nutrients for your plants, hydroponics gardening includes using plant foods, nutrients and fertilizer which is added to the water and dissolved before it is fed directly to the roots. Even though the plants will grow smaller roots, they focus more of their energy to plant growth and this is great for growing more vegetables in smaller spaces.

You don't have to worry about the soil space you will need for growing vegetable plants because hydroponics gardening only takes 20% of the space needed for the same amount of vegetables in a soil planted garden. You can use hydroponics gardening without worrying about whether you are over-watering or giving your plants too little water. You also don't have to worry about plant spacing because of proper lighting since plants aren't competing and you can easily rearrange them to get enough light.

When it comes to hydroponics gardening, the type of nutrients you provide the plants is an important part of the success. When you want to grow a vegetable garden using hydroponics gardening, you might find that you can have healthy and vigorous growing plants that yield plenty of vegetables, as long as you are providing sufficient nutrition to the root systems. Because they aren't competing for space with other plants or spending their energy growing large root systems to get necessary moisture and nutrients, you are able to grow larger plants with smaller root systems, leaving them more nutrients to grow vegetables proficiently.

For those that are looking to jump into hydroponic gardens, there are a few things to consider, like if you are going to buy or build your own system. Building a hydroponics growing system is not extremely difficult, but may take some patience. For those that are not interested in building their own, buying a system could cost anywhere from fifty to two thousand dollars.

If you enjoy gardening, you don't have to stop just because it is winter. You can still enjoy your plants during the winter - you will just want to do it indoors. One option that is available is known as forcing bulbs. Basically this is all about making the bulb think that the winter has gone and it's time to start blooming. It doesn't take a lot of time or money to do this type of gardening.

If you want to do this winter indoor gardening with bulbs, there are some great bulb choices to consider. This can include narcissuses, tulips, amaryllis, and hyacinths. Not only will you enjoy growing these bulbs, but during the holiday seasons, they make wonderful decorations as well.

Of course, you can use hydroponics gardening for all types of plants. You can grow houseplants, and fruit vines or just about any kind of plants, including flowering plants and bushes. Growing plants using hydroponics gardening can allow beginners to grow productive plants easily with a lot less space than comparable soil gardens.

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The Benefits of an Automatic Watering System

Right from the top, water conservation, saving money, and convenience are three of the key factors that prompt many people to install a timed irrigation system in their lawns. Aside from these main advantages, there is of course the added benefit of keeping your lawn healthy and green through the spring and summer months.

Watering a lawn or garden is so simple, yet many people get it wrong partly because it is so easy. There are numerous times when you might turn your sprinkler, and intend to come back several minutes later to shut it off or move it to another area, but minutes turn into hours and you suddenly remember after large amounts of water have been wasted at your own expense. Another scenario could be that you forgot which areas of your lawn have already been watered, or which days you watered previously. We're all human, and distractions happen, but with an automated watering system it's one less thing you have to stay on top of aside your busy schedule.

So, is an automatic lawn irrigation system worth the cost? It may be on the expensive side, but it frees you from one of the most aggravating and time-consuming outdoor chores, and can save you a lot of water if you are prone to forgetting your sprinkler when it's running. Clearly one of the key benefits here is water conservation, which translates into savings for you that add up over time. You can manage your irrigation system's timetable, so you can always be sure that the right amount of water is going to the right areas, exactly when you want it. Sprinklers are placed and spaced in a way that will guarantee thorough, even coverage at the right precipitation level. This methodical, exacting automation is what you are paying for. With an automated irrigation system you can fully adjust your water levels. Also, some systems are equipped with rain detectors that will suspend the watering system during rainfall.

An automatic lawn irrigation system consists of multiple sprinkler heads interconnected with tubing, and can be separated into multiple zones. Each zone has its own sprinkler heads and a control valve which regulates the water flow, and these valves are all connected to a central control mechanism, normally placed in the garage, basement, or other protected area of your home. The control panel serves as the brains of the entire system. When the central control panel activates a specific zone, a control valve opens, the system becomes charged and the sprinklers start ticking away. There are many different types of sprinkler heads, each suited to a particular type and size of area requiring watering. There are sprayers which deliver a fine mist uniformly out in all directions, rotary heads which blast water out in a wide circle, and drip type heads for more specific landscape areas. Sprayer heads are normally used when accuracy of coverage is essential, while rotary heads deliver water to a large area and require fewer units. Many sprinkler heads are available in pop-up versions, rising several inches above the ground when water pressure is applied so as not to be obstructed by small plants and shrubs.

Let's review. There are likely only a couple reasons why you are considering an automatic lawn sprinkler system - Simplicity and Savings. These systems may be costly initially, but the water savings, and more importantly the time you will save, are worth every penny. No more grabbing the hose and spraying the lawn while you get wet and cold, no more forgetting the sprinkler was turned on, and no more remembering which areas you have watered and how often. All of these things are removed from your schedule when you operate an automatic watering system.

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Why Use Raised Beds

Raised beds are elevated structures usually made of wood, rock walls, stone, or even short lengths of logs in which the gardener can effectively provide a plant’s basic requirement. This idea of planting above the level of the ground has existed for centuries but seems to be getting more and more popular. Nine of the thirteen advantages to using these elevated designs are as follows:

1. In raised beds (whether for vegetables, herbs, succulents, or flowers), you can more efficiently amend the soil in such a way that a certain plant’s requirements are fully satisfied. For example, if a given plant requires an acidic soil, you can make sure your soil is acidic by first testing your soil’s pH and then, if needed, lowering your pH by adding sulfur. (Always check the directions first).

2. Even if you get cool, wet springs, the soil in raised beds will warm up at least two weeks faster than the soil in a regular garden. This early start gives the gardener the advantage of being able to begin working and amending the soil and planting that much earlier.

3. If you’ve experienced the resulting flooding and even lingering water in your garden after a heavy rain, you’ll appreciate the fact that when the soil is raised above the ground, drainage is possible. Therefore, unless the soil around the bed is flooded quite high, no matter how much rain you get, your plants in the raised beds will not get bogged down in puddles of water.

4. Because your plants are set up in containers which are not easily destroyed, it does not matter if the structure gets bumped by children’s toys or garden furniture. Your plants will not be affected.

5. One main factor is that you can organize your garden beds in whatever order you wish. You can create an orderly interesting panorama which will keep changing as the different vegetables and flowers in the raised beds go through various growth and color from month to month. Thus you can create interest and variety in spring, summer, fall, and even winter.

7. Your beds can be built any height or size. For the person in a wheel chair or a person who cannot bend for one reason or another, such as one with a knee or hip replacement, a a raised garden bed is the answer.

8. This one is a winner especially if you have problems with small animals! To stop gophers from tunneling up to your precious plants, you can encase the bottom of your container with close-meshed galvanized screenings before you add your soil. If you have squirrels, you can protect your bulbs by laying a layer of chicken wire across the top of your container as soon as you plant your bulbs. The wire can remain there forever. You needn’t worry! The growing plant will find its way through the wire. You can protect your berries from birds by using a nylon or wire netting. In other words, the wooden structure allows you to use whatever is necessary to enclose your plants to save them from “unwanted varmints”.

9. It is important to have air circulating in your soil. I remember my grandmother always making sure that the soil around her plants were loosened up “to allow air flow”. When you use raised garden beds, there is no need to walk on the soil or to use equipment. The result is that your soil will not get compacted; thus both air and water will more reach the roots more easily.

Regardless of shape and size, when raised beds are filled with nutrient-filled soil, the results are the same – lush plants and/or delicious, nutrition-filled vegetables.

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10 Power Tools Every Handyman Should Own

Every handyman knows you need the right tool to do the right job, but with so many tools to choose from how do you know that you're prepared for almost anything? Here's our list of the top .

The power drill.
From hanging pictures to building a treehouse or even building a real house a power drill on your hip means you're ready to do business. Make sure that your power drill is ready for any job by having a set of variable size and use bits. Even the most basic set of drill bits should have concrete, metal and wood bits which should cover almost any job. A drill with a "hammer" setting can be extremely useful when dealing with missionary, concrete, or stone.

Circular saw.
A circular saw can be extremely helpful in doing most of the cutting your average handyman needs doing. Modern blades with carbonized tips can chew through almost any job and seemingly lasts forever.

Reciprocating saw.
For those jobs where your handy circular saw just don't cut it the insatiable reciprocating saw is ready to step up to bat. Most useful as a demolition device the reciprocating saw is good for standing up or over your head jobs and is your best choice for cutting holes in existing walls.

Jigsaw.
Rounding out your power saw collection the ever useful and oh so precise jigsaw cuts a fine line between the flexibility of the reciprocating saw and the precision of the circular saw. The small fine blade of your jigsaw is perfect for tight cuts and finish work. If you are planning on doing any elaborate woodworking a jigsaw in your tool collection is a must.

Router.
When you need to get into the middle of something a router will get you there. For fine woodworking router can't be beat as it allows you to make smooth cuts in the center of the piece of wood leaving the surrounding sides intact. It is also a good tool for cutting grooves along the edge of the wood.

Power hand plane.
Essential for smoothing and thinning wood a power hand plane trims miniscule layers off of wood in a flat and even amount. This can be particularly useful in hanging doors and fitting windows. Even in simple projects like a worktable or outdoor deck, a planed surface can make a real professional impression.

Orbital hand sander.
If you are interested in saving hours of backbreaking work an orbital hand sander should be in your toolbox. Using spinning round discs of sandpaper this infinitely useful tool can put a fine smooth finish on almost any piece of woodworking. It is probably one the most time saving tool on the list as anyone who has ever done hours and hours of tedious sanding will tell you.

Table saw.
If you want to get really serious about your woodworking then you need one more saw in your workshop and that is the mighty table saw. A bit intimidating to the weekend warrior but once you learn your way around your table saw and begin to explore the multiplicity of uses it provides you will never be without one again. The only real tool for handling large cutting jobs the table saw is the heart of any serious woodworkers tool shop. Just make sure you get http://www.woodworking.about.com/od/gettingstarted/u/WoodworkingBasics.htm : lessons on how to use it while you still have 10 fingers!

Angle grinder.
If you are going to be working with metal, and what serious handy man is not, then you will need something more than an orbital hand sander to get those welds and edges smoothed. An angle grinder is to metal as sandpaper is to wood, without it your metal working jobs will always be plagued by sharp and jagged edges.

Wet dry shop vac.
A serious handyman always makes a serious mess with a wet dry shop vac you'll be able to clean up all the sawdust your mighty table saw generates while retaining the ability to suck up all the drips and drops from your plumbing repairs. http://www.onlinepowertools.co.uk/ : Power Tools Online sales and rental companies offer wet dry power vacs in a variety of sizes so there's no excuse not to have one of your own!

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Tuesday, August 24, 2010

How to Choose a Lawn Mower

We all know that a lawn mower is an instrument or machine that has revolving blades which cut lawn grass at an even length. A lawn mower is a big investment, and you should be extra cautious and doubly certain before making the final purchase. You should realize that every lawn is different in shape and size, so opting for one just because you saw a particular model in your neighbor’s garden or grabbing the latest mower that has hit the market just for the sake of owning the grandest, is not a viable idea at all.

Steps to take before Buying a Land Mower:

1. Take a walk around and have a good look at your yard. Check out its size; whether it is big or small? Is it flat or sloppy in certain areas or it has obstacles like trees, shrubs, bushes, walls, etc?

2. Next important thing is checking whether the grass sprouting on your lawn is thick or thin?

3. Courtesy is a virtue. So, if you are staying in a neighborhood, noisy lawn mowers can create quite a nuisance. Also, check out the zoning laws about air and noise pollution.

4. If you are in California, then you need to consider the California Air Resources Board (CARB) legislation on non-road small engine (lawnmowers and weed trimmers among others) pollution control.
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5. Check out the storage space for your lawn mower in your garage or shed.

6. Make sure that the handle adjustment of mower you wish to buy it ideal according to your height.

7. Finally, it all boils down to your budget. You can get a mower for $200 or $1000 or more. Making a best buy is very important. You should make sure that the mower you buy is designed to last for years.

Now, let’s see the different types of mowers available at your disposal and which ones suit you the best.

1. If you own a small yard, then a push reel mower could be a wise choice. These are environment friendly, and a best buy if you have a small budget. You will also get quite a good workout with a push reel mower.

2. Self propelled rotary lawn mowers are always an option for those having big and sloppy lawns. They come cheap, are low in maintenance and are also very easy to use.

3. Electric mowers are not only easy to use but are environment friendly as well. They also do not fall under the CARB compliant legislation. You can choose from cord and cordless models.

4. If you want to avoid clippings, then choose mulching mower as it cuts clippings very small so that they disappear into the lawn.

5. It is viable to opt for a gas-powered reel mower if you have a large lawn made of thick grass that you need to be cut shorter than 2 inches high.

6. If you are the proud owner of a big lawn, then choosing a riding lawn mower would seem appropriate.

But all said and done, a lot still depends upon your interest in the job. It doesn’t matter if you mow your lawn, or hire a gardener; you should make sure that the lawn mower that you own is well maintained.

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Growing Plants In Containers

is a lot of fun. It is not complicated and by following a few common sense rules, satisfaction is guaranteed. For a small starter plant, be it a shrub or any ornamental plant, a small container of 3 or 4 inch is sufficient, at first. Of course, until these little babies grow bigger, then you will need to step them up in a larger container, like 1 gallon size for example.

First you need the little plants, but how to get them? Well, you can start some of them from seeds, or rooted cuttings. Or you can purchase the little plants, called liners or plugs, from your local Garden Center, or you can root them yourself. It is a lot of fun in doing it.

It is not really that complicated, and it is not hard at all. Let's assume that you need some shrubs for a foundation planting in front and on the sides of your house, something that does not grow too tall, and you will be able to control by trimming and pruning. Let's start with a Compacta Holly, a nice evergreen that is easy to grow, and as they grow you can shape them any way you like. They are used also for topiary, and hedges, borders, group planting and in many other ways.

Now you are going to need a mature shrub as a source to make your cuttings. If you don't have any already on your property, see if your neighbour or a friend might have some, and ask for permission to take a few cuttings. Another solution would be to buy just one Compacta Holly (or it could be any shrub for that matter), that is bushy enough, and that has some semi-tender new growth on it. The cuttings from these woody shrubs, should not be too mature nor too tender. Just cut bellow the portion that is brown turning to green upward. Cut them about 4 to 6 inches long.

Get some good quality peat-moss blend potting soil with micro-nutrients blended in it, and some cell packs. The 6 cell jumbo packs works good. Fill up the cells with the potting soil and wet it with a fine sprinkle of water. With a sharp knife (do not use scissors) cut the lower end of the cutting in a slanted cut, and trim the tips with a scissors this time, to encourage growth.

Now stick the cuttings in the soil, one in each cell, and press the soil around it. Once you put them all in, set the cells in a shady place, and with a hand held bottle spray mist the cuttings every now and then, to keep the leaves wet. Remember, these plants do not have roots yet, so they feed through the leaves. Make sure that the soil itself stays wet too, to encourage the cuttings to reach down for water, thus growing the roots.

Once you see some roots sticking out the holes on the bottom of the cell pack, it is a good sign that they are growing roots. Just wait a little while longer, until you get a root ball, before you transplant them in a 4 inch container. This should take about 6 to 8 weeks, if all goes well.

These Compacta Hollies on the left, (you will see the pictures in my blog)are planted in 4 inch containers, and they had their first 'haircut' already. These shrubs are pretty fast growing, and soon they'll need to be stepped up in 1 or even 2 gallon size pots.

This rooting procedures from cuttings can be applied to almost any woody shrubs like Boxwood, Youpon, Helleri, Soft Touch, Azaleas, Ligustrum, Loropetalum, Pitosporum, and many others.

The Compacta Hollies can be planted in a straight line, staggered, as accent planting, group planting, hedges, etc. You just use your imagination, or get inspired from a specialty landscaping magazine. Just figure out how many you need for your own project, and root as many as you need.

In this picture (on my blog), you can see a mature Compacta Holly planted as a hedge, and on the left is a Loropetalum. This hedge is about 5 years old, but they were trimmed many times, to keep them low. Very easy to grow. You can have yours and be happy to watch them grow. Now sit on your bench, in the company of birds, butterflies and the little busy bees, sip your cup of coffee, in the tranquility of your little heaven and enjoy!

In this picture above are some Youpon shrubs in the front, and some Compactas behind them, that can be shaped round, oval, or any shape you want. All these shrubs are low maintenance, unlike other blooming perennials.

I really do appreciate you visiting my blog! Leaving a comment and following me in this blog, is highly appreciated!

Until next time, happy Gardening! And get your hands dirty, it's good for you!

Mike Borlovan

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How To Plant Your Own Vegetable Garden

If you think about having your own vegetable garden where you can pluck them out with your own hand, fresh and full of vitamins and minerals, there is nothing really, to compare or even come close to it. They taste better and they are much more nutritious than the produce that is shipped and travels long distance.

For convenience, you probably used to go to the supermarket to buy your fruits and vegetables, but honestly, they just cannot compare with what you can grow and eat raw or cooked from your own garden.

If you never had the experience to create your garden yet, and all you have eaten was the produce from your local supermarket, or from the roadside fruit stand, than you are missing out, and you owe it to yourself to think very seriously to start your garden, if you really want to eat fresh and healthy. It is not really that hard, and it sure is not complicated at all. And once you have it, you will be glad you did.

Just think of the benefits to be outdoors, in nature, and work in the tranquility of your little paradise. Not withstanding the free exercise you are getting in the process. That's good for your body, mind, and soul.

And of course you want to do it right. So it is a pretty good idea to make a little plan, draw it on a sheet of paper and stick to it.

First, choose a good sunny spot, where you don't get too much shade or no shade at all if possible, and the plot should be free of rocks or debris. But it should be close enough to the house to be able to water with a hose hooked to a spigot, when you need to water if and when it's not raining.

Prepare the soil. This is very important, and your success will very much depend on how well you prepare the site for your garden. If the soil is clay or sandy and lacks nutrients, it must be amended and enriched with composted material, like cow manure, organic fertilizer and minerals if needed. To make it even cheaper for next season, collect the leaves and other vegetation, kitchen leftovers, grass clippings, and make your own compost. The soil will need nutrients to replace those used and depleted by the vegetables as they feed from the soil.

The best thing is to spread the compost all over your garden site, and till it in the soil, in the fall, so it will have enough time to decay and blend in the garden. This way the ground is resting over the winter, and will be more nutritious in the spring for the planting time.

Now think of what vegetables would you like to grow, something you enjoy eating the most. So, buy the seeds for the vegetables you choose, and go from there. A few examples just to get an idea, would be; tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, squash, radish, cucumbers, lettuce, onions (sets).

Maybe a few herbs to spice up your cooking with, like, dill, parsley, oregano, basil, arugula, rosemary, cilantro, etc. It all depends on how much space you have, and how large a garden you want to have. Herb plants don't take too much room, and they are fun to grow. Just think of that nice aroma, flavour and fragrance they so freely give, in exchange of just a little LTC. Loving Tender Care.

To have a good and early start with your garden, start your seeds indoors, and plant the transplants after the danger of late frost is past. It depends on where you live.

One of the best methods would be to start the seeds in little peat pots, like the Jiffy-pots, so that when you plant the little plants outside plant them with the Jiffy pots, thus not disturbing the tender roots of the transplants. If you prefer, you can plant the seeds directly in rows, according to the instructions on the seed packets.

Plant the plants according to their size, and group them together. The low growing ones, should be separate from the tall growing ones, as to not block the sun light from reaching evenly on all the plants.

Water well and keep the soil moist. Don't let the soil dry completely out between watering, nor keep it too soggy either.

Once they started to grow, you can water them good, and then leave them alone and give them a chance to drink and feed. Water again before the soil dries out completely. Just kind of feel the soil to see if it is still wet, by sticking your finger in the dirt about 2 inches, and if it is still moist, leave them alone for a while. Once you get familiar with your garden, sometimes the plants will let you know when it is time to water. They will start to wilt a little, and as soon as you water them, they perk right up. But do not let them wilt beyond hope!

Now sit and relax on a bench, somewhere in the shade, and watch how the little seeds sprout out of the soil. It is very rewarding to see, as the hard part of gardening is pretty much over, except that now and then watch for them pesky weeds to pluck them out, and don't let them invade your little paradise. Wait patiently for the time when you take out of your garden, with your own hand, and enjoy those healthy, juicy vegetables. It is simply wonderful.

Happy Gardening!

Mike Borlovan

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Monday, August 23, 2010

Gardening Like A Professional With Modest Means

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It is easy and very possible, indeed. It is not hard at all!

You don't really have to be a professional gardener to grow and achieve quality, vibrant, healthy and full of life vegetables. All you need is a desire to learn, to experiment, and apply in practice what you've learned.

There is so much information available at your finger tips!

Mother nature is so rich, and so freely giving, that we could never exhaust her of the never ending resources she has. The only thing we need to learn is how to receive and take from her, as long as we do not try to destroy her.

And we need to give some of it back, too, by composting the leftovers, and helping the soil to get fertile again, through natural means.

Sometimes the plot we intend to grow our vegetables in, is depleted of the best nutrients it used to offer, or the soil clay, or too sandy, and it is not as we would like. The soil needs to be darker, with composted matter. The first impulse would be to apply some chemically based fertilizer, but that's obviously not the best solution.

Since the land is so over fertilized in the lands where the produce is grown, and we buy it from the supermarket shelf at the produce section, they are hardly safe to eat anymore. You don't know what kind and how much fertilizer and pesticides and fungicides was used to increase their bottom line for their productivity!

So what are we going to do? We have to eat fruits and vegetables, we've got to feed our families. But thank God there is an alternative to it: start your own Garden and grow your own fresh fruits and vegetables, if you don't have one already. That's the smart thing to do. Especially today, when most of our produce is coming from imports, traveling long distance and we don't have a clue how were they grown!

You don't know how old they are, if they have any nutrition value, as most of them are picked green and forced riped, to look good by the time they are delivered to the stores.

We certainly don't need to poison our bodies with chemical fertilizers and pesticides, that we don't even have any idea how much was there applied. And besides that we don't know how was the produce handled.

So the solution again, is to create and grow your own vegetable garden. Make it fertile, first, if it's not fertile already.

In my humble opinion, the best way to make the soil fertile is through natural means if we want to stay healthy. Let's think of the forest, where the trees have grown and survived for hundreds of years. They even survived fires, and revived again stronger then before. Why?

Because of it's ability to replenish the nutrients by its natural means, without the intervention of the humans. The trees are dropping the dead limbs, and the leaves that decompose, and turns back into the soil, with the help of rain, wind, sun, heat, earth worms, and our little invisible friends, the micro organisms that feed on them, and thus turn the decaying leaves into humus. That's exactly what the plants need to help them continue the cycle of life. Humus, fertile soil.

And that's exactly what we should do for the soil in our own garden. Collect the leaves from one year to another, have a pile in a corner of the garden, and give it time to decay. Just turn it now and then with a pitch fork, and you'll have the best natural fertilizer possible. For Free!

A lot of people are burning the leaves. Well, if they don't have a garden it's OK, I guess. But if they do have a garden, and they burn the leaves, and then they go to the supply store to buy that expensive chemical fertilizer, in my opinion that is a mistake. But, hey, who knows, maybe they have money to burn!

As for you folks, who are passionate about gardening and are willing to save the leaves, that's like money in your pocket, as well as prime quality fruits and vegetables, much safer to eat, than a lot of other people do, who maybe do not care.

If you have also access to some cow manure, that's perfect. But the leaves are the cheapest and smart way to make your own compost free.

Now there are a lot of ways to make your own compost, of course, food leftovers, sea grass, seaweeds, ground oyster shells, peanut hulls, grass clippings, etc. Absolutely, I don't doubt that. But what I'm saying is that the leaves are the cheapest and the most readily available for almost anyone.

Spread your compost on top of the soil in your selected sunny spot, till it in, and plan for your planting. Choose the vegetables that you like the most. A good time to prepare your garden is in the fall, so during the winter time, the compost will have extra time to decay, and make the soil fertile and ready for the spring planting.

Once you know what kind of vegetables you want to plant, search in your prefered seed Catalogs, and buy your seeds, start them indoors early enough to have the little plans ready to be planted in your garden, right after the danger of late frost is over.

Then it is time to get your hands dirty, but it is worth it! You will be glad you did.

Now relax and sit on a bench, watching the birds singing, and the little butterflies dancing happily in the air, and your vegies growing bigger and full of vitamins and minerals! Reap the benefits of an abundant crop of fresh, vibrant, healthy, and happy fruits and vegetables of your own garden.

Create your own paradise and live smart, healthy, and well.

Until next time,

Happy Gardening!

Mike Borlovan

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When to Plant Flowers in Canada

must be expanded to include the exact location, since the vastness of Canada means that there are many different climates, and knowing whether the garden to be planted is high on a mountain or deep in a southern valley is necessary information. One city that is full of flowers and plants that are cherished by the residents is London, the capital of the province of Ontario.

Designed as a capital city on the forks of the Thames River, London was founded in the almost uninhabited area in 1826. The area of forests, meadows, wetlands, and valleys was rich in native plant species, and there are many protected areas within the urban limits. The population is sustained by politics, several colleges and a major university, a thriving business district, and several industries.

Parks are everywhere in the city, some small and special to one neighborhood and others drawing people from all over the city to their bike trails, water parks, and gardens. The Victoria Garden, which is a formal one of fifteen acres, has over a million tourists a year come to stroll along its walks and admire the plantings. Visit the gardens and parks to see which flowers grow well in the area, and check the wildflowers as well. If plants are native to the area or grow well in the municipal gardens, they will do fine at your house also.

The first killing frost of the winter is on average about one week into October, and the last one at the end of the first week in May. That gives London a six month growing season. Starting seeds indoors, rooting cuttings, or buying well started plants from garden centers and nurseries will give you the head start you need for such a short period.

When the ground is soft enough to work and dry enough so the soil does not clump into clods, planting can begin. Some flower seeds need to be planted in warm soil, while sweet peas, for instance, like the cool of early spring. Bulbs set out in fall will come up in the spring before you could set out plants for color. Perennials also, if chosen wisely, will make their own decisions as to when to sprout and bloom; these can be planted at almost any time during the warmer six months.

Very cold and snowy winters, hot and humid summers, and fleeting springs and falls are characteristic for this area. Lots of rain in summer, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and lots of snow in winter keep plants well watered.

For all the months when flowers cannot be found outdoors, there are many ways to find them at local florists and flower shops.

When you want to express happiness, concern, sympathy, or love, nothing is as cheerful as a flower. You can order online at any time or by phone during working hours, specifying the price range and the occasion you are celebrating. Same day delivery is promised by many shops, and the Internet is a good way to see what the floral designers can offer.

has a short answer, but flowers are always available in the city of London, Ontario. Should be "How to get flowers in Canada". The answer is, "It is very easy!".

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Starsigns and Birthday Flowers Hold a Deeper Meaning When You Add the Right Element

It may be the Year of the Metal Tiger on the Chinese calendar, but someone you know will also be celebrating a special birthday within the next month or two! If you can remember how great you felt the last time you received a delivery of flowers, then why not make someone special in your life feel great this year too by combining starsigns and birthday flowers to create a unique and memorable gift.

You don't have to be an astrology buff to consider your friend's Sun sign when choosing birthday flowers to send this year. Every starsign is associated with specific flowers, gems and elements. Each sign is also associated with an astrological symbol, so getting a little creative and selecting flowers and plants that add a deeper meaning to your delivery will make your friend or relative feel super-special.

Flowers have long held special meanings. Astrological signs hold meaning for many people as well. When you combine the two you are sure to send a message that says you care and you care a lot! Don't hold back. Get creative and have fun with the entire process. If you need help selecting your gift, just call your Toronto flowers expert and they'll tell you what types of flowers are available and they can even help you design a bouquet or plant gift around a person's Sun sign.

Here's an example of how you can begin designing your gift. Maybe your friend was born on July 18. Their Sun sign is that of Cancer. Cancer is a water sign that loves white flowers, roses and ferns. More than some other signs that might prefer receiving a plant, a Cancer will love to receive a bouquet simply because of the 'water' element. Let you imagination run wild!

Now you can begin to picture the gift you're delivering to your Cancer friend in your mind's eye. A bouquet of roses with delicate ferns and Baby's Breath, may seem like a dull flower gift to another sign, but your Cancer friend will adore it to pieces, especially if the roses are white! Add a crystal vase to the picture so that the 'water element' is visible and your friend will be so touched that they will probably send you flowers as a Thank You gift because Cancers are extremely sentimental and loyal friends.

Adding more elements to a birthday flowers gift adds your personal touch. So if you've been merely sending someone special an e-card for the past few years, maybe it's time to send something meaningful to someone special this year!

Whether you are sending a gift across town, across Canada or across the world, there is a flower or plant arrangement that will touch the heart of someone you know. It could be a dear old friend who is about to turn sixty this year or a niece who is celebrating her fifth birthday. Let you imagination run wild and design your special gifts this year around starsigns and flowers!

Worried that the flowers you want to send won't be available? No need to be concerned! Even if the person on your birthday list has a birthday in February and lives in Toronto, and their starsigns and birthday flowers are blooming in Africa, your local Toronto florist will be able to access and send flowers all over Canada or all over the world through their vast distribution channels.

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Sunday, August 22, 2010

How to Build a Homemade Greenhouse Kit

Are you thinking about having a greenhouse and want to build it yourself? Many people are getting into greenhouse gardening these days. It is cheaper to construct a greenhouse yourself than to have one built for you. If you are a do-it-yourself person it is not that difficult. You can get plans and even kits for them. We will cover what you need to generally do to build a greenhouse below.

Figure out what size of greenhouse your space will be good for. Buy your plans or kit accordingly.

Make sure you have all the tools and supplies that you need to construct your greenhouse. Whether you are using metal or wood in your construction process make sure all the pieces are cut to the right size.

Now you start with the foundation of the structure. After the ground has been leveled lay out your foundation pieces. Attach these to each other at all four corners. This is the same process no matter what material you are making your greenhouse from. Make sure the foundation is square from measuring for corner to corner diagonally. If you are planning a poured-concrete floor this is the time to do it. Any other type floor is easier installed at this time too before the sides and doors are in that may make it difficult to transport the materials inside.

Now you need to build the sides. Most of the time constructing the sides are easier constructed flat on the ground and then raised into place.

This may vary between plans though. Some plans have open sides and some have glass panels. The finishing is different on each of these which we will cover later.

After all the sides are constructed and connected properly. It is time for the roof to be installed. You can do the roof the same as the sides in some instances and this raise it into the correct position on each side. However, your plans may call for it to be constructed in place for the get go.

Now it is time to put any doors in that are called for.

Make sure they fit properly too. Now if any sealants are called for to make sure things are well sealed and insulated this is when you do that process. Check the plans you have.

If your plans are just for an open-sided greenhouse with an open roof structure these are then cover with plastic sheeting. These types of greenhouses are very economical to build. You will have to attach the plastic sheeting to the structure as planned.

Now you can set up your tables or hydroponics up.

After this you are ready to start moving in the plants and other supplies. This will be the exciting part of building your own greenhouse along with watching your plants thrive. Your growing season will be longer and you will be able to control the environment of you plants better.

So check out if your backyard is good for a greenhouse today. You can save a chunk of change, by building one yourself, but you can call the professionals in if need be to construct one for you. Enjoy your greenhouse experience.

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Different Types of Greenhouse Structures

Whether you are planning to build a greenhouse or having someone come in and build it for you, there are a few different types of structures you should be aware of before you begin.

The type of structure you choose is obviously a personal choice, as is the size of the greenhouse.

Attached Types of Greenhouses

The attached greenhouse or what is referred to as a lean-to greenhouse is actually just a half of a greenhouse because it may be attached to your home, so it is using your home's structure in order to fully support itself. These are very useful when you have limited space or limited funds since they are one of the least expensive types of greenhouses.

One of the main disadvantages to the attached greenhouse is smaller space, ventilation issues, and sunlight. Temperature control is also another drawback to these types of greenhouses because one half of the structure is the home or whatever building you have it attached to, makes it more difficult to regulate temperature.

Full-Size Even-Span Greenhouse

The even-span greenhouse is actually a full-size unit, but the end of the greenhouse is attached to another building, such as your home. It is a larger option and therefore costs more because more materials are needed. The nice aspect to the even span is it can be lengthened, which in turn gives you additional space.

Window Mounted Greenhouse

The window mounted greenhouse is normally attached to the east or south end of the home, and is enclosed by glass making it convenient for growing various plants. While these are not very large, they are very popular with many homes that are only looking for a small greenhouse for a smaller collection of plants.

Freestanding Greenhouse Structures

The freestanding greenhouse means it is a structure that is capable of standing alone and is not attached to another building. These can be large or small units depending on your needs and budget.

The freestanding units require a heating unit, and water as well electricity must be installed in order for the plants to survive. Obviously, the freestanding units are also the most costly to have installed or to make yourself.

Frames

Greenhouses come in all different kinds of framing and many times it is just a matter of personal taste on the framing your choose. Frame types include:

• Quonset - simple construction
• Gothic - It is also a simple design and less expensive
• Rigid Frame
• Post and Rafter
• A-Frame

Finally, the coverings for a greenhouse come in different materials including glass, plastic, film plastic, and fiberglass. The flooring you have in your greenhouse will depend on the type of structure you have. Obviously, a freestanding greenhouse will need a solid flooring that is more permanent can be laid. By implementing all of the tips above, you should be able to create a really decent greenhouse kit for your home and backyard. Good luck, and remember to have fun!

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Flowers For All Seasons In Canada

Flowers for all seasons are available in Canada in profusion most of the year round. Whatever event you are planning, whether your flowers are for birthday parties, get-togethers, weddings of course whatever, Canadian florists can offer you just about any flower for any occasion at any time.

Every person has a different choice in life, so naturally it is to be expected that folk will have a different choice for the floral gifts, bouquets etc. They wish to buy. This is where a good florist can help with designing for you just the right choice to suit.

There are always, (because of our modern international transportation systems) flowers available from anywhere in the world covering all seasons. You are not restricted to a choice of home- grown Canadian varieties only. The choice is virtually endless!

So, since you can easily get flowers for all seasons, the main question is what do you choose for different occasions? Here follows a few examples for situations like Canada Day, Christmas, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Weddings (the big one) and funerals; a Birthday could have a bouquet consisting of ever popular freesias, gerberas, roses and alstromeria, for example and will look wonderful in any type of vase. In the event of a wedding, some like masses of white peace roses, or pink and white carnations. The design and mix of bouquets is vast, and you will find most offers a superb online service.

You will discover the colours, shapes and scents truly astounding and the major problem as alluded to earlier, is one of choice. However there is no lack of sound advice either. Just log-in and check out what is available in your locality. You will find help is readily forthcoming and you need only to ask if you want some ideas, and of course, prices to reach a decision.

It is so simple these days to shop for flowers online. Multi-Media displays and shopping carts ease the process of purchasing even more. You no longer have to brave the traffic to go out and shop at the local florist shop. Some of the online florists also offer great discounts on quantities, because they can save money if you buy online. It is a win-win situation. Most if not all-online florists will provide a same or next day delivery service.

Some of the latest floral innovations popular with Canadians are the botanical wedding bouquets. What is special is that these beautiful bunches are composed of foliage of varying textures instead of regular blooms. The actual bouquet is fashioned from total foliage. Although regular arrangements will never die out, and skilled florists will be around for a long time to come, it is great to see the creativity of Canadian florists with these special foliage bouquets.

In this short article you have been offered a few ideas and hints to smooth your way. Prices have not been touched upon in a specific sense because naturally there is always market fluctuation. It can be stated however, that shopping for your flowers for all seasons needs online, is by far and away the most time saving, easy and cost-effective route to take.

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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Neem: A Great Natural Organic Fertiliser

One of the most humble, yet useful trees in the world is neem. Neem is a very simple-looking tree, but despite its appearance, it has many practical uses. It is part of the Mahogany family and has many names. Neem is the first of the two species of Azadirachta, a genus of flowering plants. Neem is a tree native mostly to South Asia; however, it can basically grow anywhere, as long as the weather is tropical. Neem is also a great natural organic fertilizer; you can use it if you want to make your garden healthier and lusher. Aside from being effective as a fertiliser, it is also safe for the environment because it is 100% natural.

At first glance, you might think that neem is nothing but a simple plant with small and lovely blooms. This is true, of course, if all you will do is look at it. But the value of neem is greater than that. To be able to appreciate it more, you would have to delve deeper into its uses, of which there are many. Neem can actually be used in the making of cosmetics, promotion of health, treatment of illness, and for birth control. As mentioned above, neem is also a great help when it comes to growing plants. It is a natural organic fertiliser that can really improve the quality of your garden flora.

So why is neem such a great natural organic fertiliser? The answer is simple. It’s because neem is rich in nutrients that help in the growth of other plants. If you are going to use neem as a fertiliser, you won’t actually be using the whole plant itself. Basically, what you will need are just the seeds. Neem seeds are pounded and processed in a very traditional method that originated in India. The point of pounding in the process is to squeeze out the neem oil from the seeds. This is the real money maker. Neem oil is not only great for plant growing; it also has medicinal uses. In South Asia, neem oil is very important because aside from being a great fertiliser, it has been purported to treat diabetes and skin infection.

If you place drops of neem oil on a slide and place it under a powerful microscope, you will see the many components in neem that make it such a great fertiliser. Neem oil contains phosphates, sulfur compounds and nitrogen - compounds that work wonders when it comes to plant growing. Moreover, neem oil is very appealing to earthworms. This means that if you use neem oil as a fertiliser, earthworms – which help circulate minerals to plants – will thrive in your garden soil. This possibility should not worry you: remember, if your garden soil has earthworms, it means your garden is very healthy.

Currently, neem as a fertiliser is not just popular in India and in South Asia. Because organically grown food is so popular nowadays, neem fertiliser is highly in demand. For people who want to grow fruits and vegetables organically, neem is a great choice. It’s definitely one of, if not the best natural organic fertiliser in the market today.

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Fish Fertiliser and Seaweed Fertiliser: The All Natural Organic Fertiliser

If you have a huge backyard that is just perfect for a nice organic garden, why don't you try organic veg and fruit growing? Nowadays, being practical can go a long way and can help you save enough money for your other important needs. Growing fruits and vegetables in your own backyard is one very practical way of obtaining food without having to spend so much money on grocery shopping. You just have to invest in a natural organic fertiliser - such as fish fertiliser and seaweed fertiliser - which is essential to the plants’ growth.

Other than being a practical source of food, having your own organic veg and fruits garden can also provide you with the opportunity to bond with your family, especially if your children are still young. Planting seeds of fruit-bearing plants can be a fun family activity that can accommodate every member of the family regardless of age. This can also be a great learning tool for the young ones as you can explain to them how plants grow while you’re actually digging the soil and planting seeds. They will surely be fascinated by the science behind growing fruits and veggies and how they end up on our dinner plates.

Maybe you are wondering about the cost of starting and maintaining an organic veg and fruits garden. Do not worry. Since what you’re planning to set up is an organic garden, you do not have to spend so much on expensive artificial fertilizers - buy types of natural organic fertiliser instead. Among the most common kinds of organic soil vitamins are fish fertiliser and seaweed fertiliser, which are proven effective in helping plants grow faster while keeping the all-organic characteristic of fruits and vegetables. You should also invest in durable tools that will make your work easier, like a strong shovel, a rake, a trowel and a watering can so you can have a smooth gardening experience.

You may choose to plant any kind of vegetable and fruit in your organic garden as long as there is enough space for them to grow. However, it is prudent to ask your kids what their favorite fruits and veggies are so that you will know which ones to plant first. Of course, feel free to plant fruits and veggies that you prefer; after all, it is your backyard.

The fun in organic veg and fruit growing is in the harvesting of the goods. You may opt to do this activity with your children and the rest of the family as well. Then you can cook and enjoy a sumptuous meal made from the organic veggies that you grew. If you have too much to harvest, you may share the excess with your other relatives or neighbors so that nothing will go to waste. In the long run, if you consistently harvest a large amount of fruits and vegetables from your organic garden, you can sell your produce and earn extra cash. Of course, this can be achieved faster if you religiously use an all natural organic fertiliser.

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Natural Sprays For Pests and Diseases: As Helpful as Natural Organic Fertiliser in Organic Gardening

Aside from keeping the soil healthy and rich with the use of natural organic fertiliser such as seaweed fertiliser and fish fertiliser, another way to ensure the success of organic gardening is by guarding your plants from pests and diseases. Yes, even fruits and vegetables can get diseases that may cause them to stop growing or may result in their poor quality. Good thing there are now natural sprays for pests and diseases that are readily available in organic stores. You may use these to get rid of pesky pests that ruin your plants and protect them from certain types of plant diseases.

Organic fertilisers are used mainly to give the soil, which is the most important component of organic gardening, the nutrients it needs. This is done especially during the planting stage in order to enrich the soil that will nourish the planted seed.

When the plant reaches a certain stage, it becomes prone to insect infestation and plant diseases that impede its growth. The pests often destroy the leaves of the plant, which is where the food production occurs. When this happens, the other parts of the plant are greatly affected. Diseases, on the other hand, may affect the nutrient absorption of the plant, which may result to growth suppression and eventually, to the plant’s death. The said consequences may happen no matter the amount of natural organic fertiliser you use. You can avoid all these threats simply by including the use of natural sprays for pests and diseases in your organic gardening routine, along with putting seaweed fertiliser or fish fertiliser in your garden soil.

Thanks to our highly advanced technology, experts have already discovered that it is possible to make pest and disease sprays out of natural ingredients and therefore maintain the organic state of the fruits and vegetables that you grow while giving it proper protection. These sprays kill the pests and prevent them from multiplying. At the same time they keep plant diseases at bay - allowing the plants to grow to their fullest.

It is very important to observe your growing plants for any indication of a pest attack or impending disease. Remember that early detection is the key to saving your plants from the dangers brought about by such threats. If you get rid of these immediately, you are assured of steady growing fruit-bearing trees and vegetables. All you have to do is continue nourishing your plants and wait for them to bear fruit.

In buying natural sprays for pests and diseases, always go for the brand that is trusted by most organic farmers and gardeners. Ask for feedback from users to determine whether buying a particular brand will be worth it. Never settle for anything less than good quality, especially if you are maintaining an organic farm or garden as a business. Do not hesitate to invest not only in a quality natural organic fertiliser but also in a good natural pest and disease spray; this way, you will surely save more money by keeping your plants healthy and your garden productive. Don’t forget to add these to your list the next time you buy fish fertiliser, seaweed fertiliser and other gardening supplies.

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Friday, August 20, 2010

How to Make Raised Beds the Easy Way

How to make a raised bed garden, if your space is limited, or you just want to garden on a smaller scale.

In a raised bed you can plant the vegetables that you like the most. Make it so convenient, that when you are cooking or preparing your salads, just step out of your kitchen and take a few vegetables or pinch off a few leaves of this and that and go back in and get ready to eat the freshest vegetables possible. They can't get any fresher than that!

If you love herbs, build you a separate little Herb raised bed garden, and enjoy the best and freshest aroma and flavour you can imagine. Spice up your cooking and your salads and enjoy the good living!

Making the raised beds is not complicated and it should not be expensive. You probably have some lumber and other materials laying around in your yard or barn, or somewhere along the fence in your back yard.

A few 2x6x8 or 10 or 12, it depends on how much space you have and how long you want to make the raised beds.

The ideal width would be no larger than 4 feet, so you can reach easily from all sides. That's when you build the beds rectangular shape. You can make them in circles or triangles if you want to.

Here is an example of a raised bed that I made from some scrap lumber, and I did not want to cut, just adapted the bed to the size of the material. Sometimes it works like that, and sometimes you cut it to the desired size.
You can see the pictures by visiting my blog.

Just select a nice sunny spot, (a little partial shade is not going to hurt) the sunnier the better. Nail the boards together in the corners, like a frame. If you place the bed directly on a grassy spot, and you don't want to remove the sod, place some cardboard or news papers on top of the grass, to keep any weeds to grow up through the dirt.

Now it is time to put the soil in the bed. If you have some good rich top soil, that's good. If you don't have any top soil or the means to transport it from the garden supply place, like a solid trailer for example, you can use ground pine bark. It is much lighter and it works just as well if not better.

That's what I use in my raised beds as well as in all my container planting, and in my propagation by rooted cuttings, which I'll talk about in an other article.

On a bed of the size of 4x10 mix into the pine bark about 4 bags of 50 lb well composted cow manure, and a few handfuls of organic fertilizer. Mix it well and level the soil. Now you are ready to plant.

Consider on what side of your property is the sun rising, and plant accordingly, so that the taller growing plants are not going to cast a shade on the lower growing ones. Like the tomatoes that are growing taller, should be planted towards the west side of the bed, and the lettuce and spinach on the east size.

When choosing the location of the raised beds, make sure they are close to a water spigot, to make it easy to water.

As for the choosing of the vegetables is a matter of what you like the most. Here are some ideas: tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, hot peppers, (just make sure not to plant the hot peppers close to the sweet ones to avoid cross pollination and make them all hot), cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, radish, squash, etc.

For the cucumbers, if you'll notice on the left bed in the picture, I nailed two thin boards on the ends of the bed, and tied a fence wire mesh, for the cucumbers to climb on. This will save a lot of space.

If you like herbs, to spice up your cooking and your salads, make a separate herb bed. You can plant parsley, dill, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, garlic chives, onion chives, sage, peppermint, etc.

Herbs can be planted by seeds directly in your raised garden or you can start them indoors in some 3 or 4 inch pots, then when the danger of late frost is over, take them out of the pots with the soil undisturbed, and plant them in the garden. This way you will have an early start.

Watering: The drip irrigation is a better solution, instead of over head sprinkling. If drip irrigation is not affordable, water around the plants to get the water to the roots.

Keep an eye on those pesky weeds, and pluck them out as soon as you see them. Other than that, there is not much to cultivate in a raised bed, just watch them growing and enjoy the fruits of your "easy" labour.

Another thing to watch is the caterpillars, that you can control by removing them by hand instead of using pesticides. You don't want to poison your body, do you?

So, as you can see, a raised bed gardening is not hard to make at all! If you love nature and you want to have some good quality preoccupation in the tranquility of your little paradise, go for it! You'll be glad you did!

If you enjoyed this post I invite you to come back soon, as I'm dedicated to post more information and related articles for the gardening enthuziasts, and anyone who is contemplating to garden, be it for a hobby, convenience, or just to forget about the troubles of the world. Nature can be one of your best friends.

And do you know what I like about growing plants? They never talk back!

Mike Borlovan

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Where to Find the Best Orchids and Orchid Information

It used to be difficult to find a reputable orchid supplier not so long ago, but with popularity of orchids today there are now lots of options available to find a good plant.

Orchid specialists are your best bet for a healthy plant and good orchid information. Most of them started out just like you as hobbyist, and they became growers and suppliers as their love for the hobby turned into a business. They will know all about the plants they sell and will be willing to help you pick a plant that is best suited for your abilities and growing environment.

Local garden centers that grow orchids for sale would be the next choice. For starts they are convenient and they are more likely to grow plants that can be grown successfully in your area. There will normally be someone there to provide the proper orchid information for the plants they grow and sell, and they should be able to help you with the supplies you need to properly care for your orchid.

Growers at orchid shows will often offer plants for sell. However a majority of the plants there may need more expertise to grow than a beginner has. It would be to your advantage to know what kind of plant you are looking to buy before you attend. Sometimes the beauty of the orchids on show gets the best of buyers and they buy orchids they cannot provide the right environment for.

Online orchid suppliers offer a good selection of orchids and many of their sites have large amounts of orchid information available to help you choose your orchid. I suggest you spend some time on an orchid forum and ask others there for reputable sites. Other members are always willing to help. Forums are a good place to stay in touch and the members can help you with your care question.

Home centers and discount stores have recently begun to offer orchids because of the popularity orchids have now. Usually the only orchids they carry are the ones that are easiest to grow. This is a good thing. However there will be nobody there that will have any orchid information to offer you. If you decide to buy from a home center or discount store because of the lower cost and convenience, try to find out what day their flower shipments arrive and purchase a fresh one that day.

If you purchase your orchid locally there are a few things to consider when taking your plant home. If the plant was kept indoors where you bought it you will want to try to match the temperature in your vehicle to the indoor temperature. This also goes for a plant that was kept outside. Do not put it in your car and turn the air conditioning down to 70 or you will put your plant into shock. You must also consider the light. Try to keep the plant out of direct light especially where it can be magnified through a window in your car and burn the foliage of the plant. I would also take it straight home just like you would if it were ice cream. In addition, I would not water or re-pot the plant in the first 48 hours after bringing it home. Let it get used to the environment it will be living in.

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Friday, August 13, 2010

How to take care of your roses

Bridle raeford
Particular facts sanfransisko

If you go to the trouble of buying and planting flowers high level at the beginning of the year, you have some nifty rose blossom on your hands that don't disgrace. get a life, once I snapped of the jungle ... as long as you have basic equipment, know when and where the pieces, and how to best longevity of vase, will.

Correct shears

We will give you any rosarians tool but our shears. We use for all, trim, trim, and harvest. Can't we walk across the park without it because we don't know when we're going to see something must come right now, before it gets worse or forget where.

Sharp shears must remain so cuts clean. sharpened can purchase those, not those that you need to start honing, it definitely will. "

Shears come in many shapes, sizes for different purposes. I finally settled on vilko No. 2. Buy American products whenever I had a reasonable choice, but moved to camp when it comes to Switzerland's shears.They're not cheap (any good ones), but they'll last a lifetime with appropriate care.

When to cut

Begin with your first tip with moisture from approaching the dusk and even gets morning sun.If you want flowers by some moisture in them as much as possible, before noon or after its decline.

Don't carry a bucket of water along when you go to cut flowers.All it will do is compress water your flowers weslosh. If cut in time, Roses will do quite well at least an hour without water.

Blooming every variety grown must reach a certain stage of openness could break if you expected to open further or. general rule to follow safer: wait sibals bottom.

When Sibals (those yarn-like leaves around buds) down the cradle, and open ("cracks" in the language of the florist), can reduce bloom. to what extent should open the bud before cutting one another up to vary.A few varieties with petals are must be open too far before I could reduce. also increases bitalagi, does the necessary degree of openness to bud.

Sibals control during cut flowers, you'll quickly become familiar with the differences in stages until may become disconnected. Audacity exactly as you know any of them could be safely with their sibals forlid remains tight.

Where to cut

If only one tip to memory, makes this one: If you cut the bloom is vital for Bush is leaving for cut flowers in the right place, and you should consult the patterns of leaves and rose.

Leaf rosette usually come in sets of three, five and seven, increase in number of blooms descending to the trunk. breeding older or special health groups brochure nine or more.For this lesson, only five.

Blooming cut correctly leave at least two sets of five publications on the trunk of which I snapped. more nice, but if the newly planted Bush cannot yet to abandon long stems, don't be greedy.

Choose a group of five Handbook above to make the cut are equally important: it must point to the outside of the Central jungle. at the very, bulletins, flows from it grows is Excel detects red bud swelling. This is the beginning of dormant eye rose will bloom about six to eight weeks after that make the cut.

Once you select a newsletter above five pieces, make a quarter inch cut above Excel 45 degree.

Adapting

Rikoting stems under water is the most important step to extend the life of all flower wooden stems not only roses. when disconnected from shrubs, drawing in the air and start making pockets when up to blame, causing the premature death blossom consent. when rikot stems under water reclamation not air and water as temporary leak when water was later transfer stems.

You don't need a large container of cut stems under water; a small bowl or Cup will do just fine. dip the end of the trunk in water and severance 1/4 inches in a corner and place the trunk in the pot lukewarm, that you have added a few drops of bleach spoon tea treat common household sugar. you will get further bonus when you see buds evolve plume size dinner.

Riedel raeford is former owner "garden Valley Ranch" in Petaluma, author of nine books, including the book "rose" (Chronicle Books, does not belong to this paper). home e-mail comments

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Add Jumbo Vochsia to your garden

Nickel any of any
San Francisco Chronicle

You are one of the gardeners who thought "well, I have my vochsia hanging nice Park this enough. Then slowly began to discover the amazing diversity of species vochsias available, particularly the larger species, and now I've given.

Started with boliviana seemingly ever-blooming vochsia Alba pressure now prominently on their morning sun. And now I've added Nathalie p, strong, and 6 feet tall species with distinct arching branches. Ano in Nathalie impressive oval leaves and rich green vinid is just an appetizer. As with all other vochsias flowers and Nathalie p did not disappoint. Yes, they're jumbo size, height of 3 inches wesibals red petals pink Luxe includes red, but this vochsia to stealthily clean.Spoon on the petals form an elongated base, allowing you to see right through the Centre of flower can imagine them bottoms and consistent wind or perhaps its dosido dancers. Many dancers, as this vochsia flowering throughout the summer and in autumn. Bud said this resistant mites types, I've had no trouble.

Because of its size, you need to give these types of unpaid some shady rooms.Mine is sharing bed raised under the Apple trees niamniaminces imbatins.I leave the cascade branches of plenty, but gardeners can also provide support to keep my head more ... maybe need some staking. can handle these types a good amount of morning sun, as well as indirect light, give gardeners more flexibility in positioning. Nathalie p with pruning can slightly, as a focal point on large farms or pot quickly growing brand easily, the station could be in dense jungle, let it climb against a fence or encouraged to cascade.

Did you know?

Due to the very mild climate vochsias grows abundantly in West Cork in Ireland and associated with the domain to a local promotional campaign using flower vochsia slogan.

Cultivation

Grown in the fertile soil, light, well-drained acidic in bright, and indirect light, shade or Sun morning brkshi.Do not allow to dry soil. sixth group of mulch for revision. protection from cold in winter. Ministry cultivation regions of 9-11.

Pests & diseases

Vochsias could be susceptible to a variety of diseases and pests, including malignant, vochsia mites, mildew, weitiflis waltrbs, rust, gray, but not limited to, said Nathalie p seems to be one of the types of crops and given the correct light and good sewage will bloom with ease.

Nickel Paarl is labels, gardening writer and photographer who is interested in sprawling Park Auckland. e-mail him at home

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Thursday, August 12, 2010

The great advantages of natural fertilizer

Who healthy soil will produce healthy plants, will require the soil organic matter. The plant organic matter help keep moisture and absorb more nutrients. If the plants can easily absorb the water from the soil, it is probably now that it will not die. Another thing is that the Earth this is able, nutrients, to keep must be essential for strong healthy plants.

Around the world give nutrients it you may be missing can add natural fertilizers. Using of natural fertilizers, it is a better chance, the plant will burn when you apply about you, and it will not immersion into the groundwater.The organic material consisting of course will not be damaged, when you fertilizer anwenden.Eine is natural large quantity of minerals such as phosphorus on the growth of the plant in natural manure nitrogen aid.

You must be aware that very small amounts of nutrients, will have natural fertilizer when you compared other fertilisers are high concentrate layers. When use it on your garden there, much longer requires additional task, and the additional work must comply deleted the fertilizer to the plants.

This type of fertilizer is the rule can contain all natural bio degradable lawn waste, fruits and vegetables, animal manures and other such materials. Decompose during which time the material starts soon after bacteria and fungi are helping the decomposition process.You learn how to save compost to make your own fertilizer of course not only money it with other great benefits.

Finally the natural manure will be, broken down by bacteria and fungi, this process may take a while. And so the plants can think to make the nutrients that it needs from organic matter, much longer time may be needed operate an important factor, ahead of time and preparation be smart to take path.

More than often natural fertilizer can more than regular fertilizer Kosten.Da this type is established of fertilizer with natural materials, it becomes more just like organic food costs.This is one reason why many people will buy chemical fertilizers instead of natural.

But when it comes to your garden and plants, price should not be a factor.Many Vorteile.Obwohl have adding natural fertilizer for your garden natural purchasing fertilizer can cost more, and it can take longer to see the results, it is more efficient and save you money as you well begin, in the course of time to notice.

It is wise to do a soil test before you start, something to Earth to do testing hinzuzufügen.Solche know the condition of your floor and what needs improvement.

When you are finished should test the nutrient contents of soil bring before applying the Düngers.Sie wish to do this, so the natural fertilizers only complementing added be formats.INA course of time by the plants absorb many nutrients from the soil when this occurs, then should apply again more natural fertilizer.

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Herb garden kits: just add water and enjoy

Garden herb kits are invaluable for anyone to start the a herb garden itself. Are available in many formats, ranging from basic models, top gear, but all come with the seeds and provide information to start.

You do not have rooms have no herbs grow outdoors space, or if you immerse lack the experience and confidence in this pastime, you find this kit is a great option sein.Der advantage, it is packaged kits, that much of the guesswork out of the process, ensuring you a healthy and flourishing herb garden take.

These kits can significantly in size unterscheiden.vielleicht to your garden to a few pots of the kitchen window to a full 10 ' x 10 ' to curb Garden in the courtyard. With certain models, you don't even need the seeds in the soil to plants for which they offer stuffed mats seeds you only need to put you up on the soil and water.

They are ideal for small rooms or apartments, where you not einwintern herb plants and herbs which endure, the winter weather conditions don't care müssen.Die herbs have an invariant temperature in which to flourish. And enjoy great meals with a reliable provision of fresh herbs.

Pre-planted herb garden kits are available in different formats from different sources, such as home centers, discounters, nurseries, local home improvement stores, super centres and many Web sites, you can type "Google" right keywords.

Garden herb kits are available in many different categories including herbs Italian herbs, aromatic herbs, medicines, herbs tea, German and many, many mehr.Sie can start setting your new garden immediately, the kit contains everything you need right into the box from seeds, accessories, the complete instructions.You can even recipes, the inclusion of herbs that are contained in the kit.

Of course, the sizes offered different have to price tags that go along.You can with a basic type some ground in a box and a few packs seeds buy a few essential information or can to the other side of the spectrum and select one of the top-end models, grows the detailed and usage information, recipes, hydroponic setup super concentrated, fluorescent lamps and seed pods may have to go ready-made! it is also suggested that you buy artificial sunlight if you in an area located, gets insufficient natural light.

The kitchen is the best place, to growing herbs indoors starten.Interior culinary herb garden kits to help start herbs in your own kitchen or window sill with a neat little 12 "x 12" x 5 "Gewächshaus.Starten planning of your garden by thinking about the herbs you on a daily basis to use if you cook."

Own home herb garden is no complex hobby, but it takes a little work at the beginning, but results are Wert.Praxis undoubtedly it inside with 1 or more find a soon your comfort zone garden herb kits extend from this date.

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Improve your garden compost

Through time, composting gardens was always the preferred way of fertilisation. Learn how to compost one of the best ways to save money on fertilizer. And can also waste to eliminate in landfills at the end. You will know the compost is ready when it is dark and crumbly and organic matter may not disassemble each. Compost will replenish lost nutrients in the soil that eliminate plants, the use of chemical fertilizers, water better keep improving and poor soils.

So what are the steps, the need to make your own compost? an easy way to remember how it can be as follows, separate the material into two categories, Browns and Greens, merging two parts Browns to hand Greens.

The compost pile contains many microorganisms that break down organic matter and turn it into compost. for micro-organisms to do work there have two sections of the carbon, as dry leaves, hay in many more other organic matter enthält.Als next hand green material containing many of nitrogen will be mixed with the Brown material, materials such as grass clippings is such a strong material, which is very rich in nitrogen, soon after to have natural fertilizer containing many nutrients, these two materials once mixed will heat up the pile and compost to make fast.

List of brown material in the pile add:

Dried grass, leaves, branches and branches that shredded, straw, newspapers were

List of green material in the pile add:

Grass, fruit and vegetables, green leaves, hedge trimmings, coffee grinds, tea bags

Material you do NOT want to use:

Plants and weeds treated with chemicals, plants with disease, weed, wear, seeds, pet feces, grains or bread, oil, GreasePlants with disease, dairy products, meat or fish, pet feces, cooking oil or fat, weeds, the implementation of seeds.

The best compost pile size:

Make fast compost composting finishes faster, the material is smaller.Use scissors to smaller branches and twigs to cut, garden.Use a Abklopfen hammer Shredder or destroy lawnmower leaves into smaller pieces.

The size of the pile should be approximately three to four meters in diameter and about three feet high for composting faster sein.Warum would the size of the compost pile important? because this is a great way to pile produce to allot the heat and accelerate the composting Prozeß.Dies is a good size to heat up the compost and it will be faster.

The importance of air and water

Like every living thing water and air is erforderlich.Damit to live micro-organisms and to aspire must you air and Wasser.Versorgen the composting material with Wasser.Bekommen as a wrung from sponge wet is ideal.Sie can the material air type by turning the pile as well to make sure that your am vent exists.

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