Decorative plant containers serve a dual purpose of holding your indoor or outdoor plants as well as adding interest and beauty to your living space or garden. There are many types of decorative plant containers, all of which are available online and in stores.

Best Decorative Plant Containers: Materials

Many materials are available to choose from for containers. You should always consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of material.

• Wood: attractive and holds water well, however you must purchase wood that won’t rot
• Concrete: reliable and heavy, but may not be the most attractive material
• Plastic: relatively inexpensive, but may leak unhealthy chemicals into your plants’ soil
• Clay: attractive and slightly more breathable, but doesn’t hold water as well and is prone to cracking in winter
• Ceramics: come in many attractive varieties, but are also subject to cracks in extreme cold
• Hybrid: there are now also options that include a mix of synthetic and natural materials to create a happy medium material

Best Decorative Plant Containers: Size

Make sure you choose a decorative container large enough for your plant to grow successfully. Look at the space requirements for the roots of the plants you are trying to grow and purchase a container according to the requirements. A decorative container won’t look good if the plant inside isn’t doing well!

• Typically, you want 6”-8” of soil in your container to allow the plant to expand its root system
• To prevent standing water (and root suffocation,) use taller decorative plant containers
• A container that’s too wide will lead the plant to spend more resources on developing roots versus developing what’s above the soil

Best Decorative Plant Containers: Popular Trends

There is a large variety in popular designs for decorative plant containers. You should be able to find pots that will complement the design style of your indoor furniture as well as your backyard. However, it is also wise to choose containers that will work with any environment.

• Modern deco containers are very popular right now, with simple abstract shapes and colors that will work well with any modern-styled furnishings
• Patterned containers are also popular, with repeating stones, lines, and curves that make a beautiful addition to any household
• Intricately decorated containers are always popular, but typically you must find ones that truly complement the design style you have in mind
• Containers are available in any color, but if you want containers that will always be popular, choose more natural tones, like black, copper, and bronze

A vegetable planting chart can be used to help you determine when to start growing and harvesting your vegetables. Though every chart is different, it will also tell you details like how to space your plants and what the minimum soil temperature for a plant is. Generally, planting charts are made for specific areas or states, so they are specific to a location’s climate.

A vegetable planting chart is a great tool for anyone who is just starting their vegetable garden and needs some guidelines. As you grow and experiment more with your vegetable garden, you can even make your own planting chart that will be specific for your garden.

For some reading a planting chart for the first time, some of the terms used may be confusing. Here are explanations for some of the more common categories of a vegetable planting chart.

How to Use a Vegetable Planting Chart: Spacing Instructions

There are several instructions for different types of spacing or depths in vegetable planting charts. Here’s what each one means:

• “Spacing rows” means how much space is needed between the rows; this is based typically on how much space the plant will need to set and fruit at maturity
• “Spacing plants” concerns how much space is needed between individual plants, and is also based on the size of the mature plant
• “Spacing beds” refers to the space the plants need to grow in raised beds, and does not allow for additional space between rows
• “Planting depth” or “seed depth” refers to how deep the seed should be planted in the soil

How to Use a Vegetable Planting Chart: Time Instructions

Vegetable planting charts have several categories that deal with ranges or amounts of time.

• “Start early” or “date to sow indoors” refers to when or how much earlier you should being growing a vegetable indoors before putting it in the ground
• “Planting dates” generally gives the range of times when it is ideal to actually put a vegetable in the ground
• “Maturity” refers to how much time it will take the plant to fully mature, or become an adult

While they are typically different, each vegetable planting chart will tell you everything you need to know to grow your vegetables. There are many vegetable planting charts available online, whether they are free or cost money. There are also vegetable growing calendars, which are similar but they will work on a month-by-month basis to guide you in the seeding and harvesting of your vegetables.

Gardening in raised beds has many benefits for your garden. Raised beds create great drainage, and make it easy for you to adjust soil composition. They will also your soil warmer, meaning that you can plant your plants earlier in the season.

Best Raised Bed Gardening Ideas: Preparing the Space

Building your own raised beds for your garden is fairly easy, and can generally be done in a few hours. Here are some ideas and tips for how to prepare your garden to for raised beds.

• Remove sod and weeds from the planned raised bed site before placing the beds there
• Layer the bottom of the site with landscape fabric to keep pests out
• Orient your site north-south in order to maximize sun exposure, and plan to plant your taller plants on the north side
• Make sure the site for your raised bed is fairly level, and will allow for drainage away from the container

Best Raised Bed Gardening Ideas: Building Raised Beds

Raised gardening beds can be made from wood (pine or cedar), stone, concrete, logs or even just dirt. Depending on what materials you already have and what you need to buy, making a raised bed can be inexpensive or up to a couple hundred dollars.

• The raised bed can be any size you want, so long as there is at least 6” deep of space for plant roots
• For wood beds, make 4 sides of multiple 2×4 (or any size) boards
• Make 4×4 (or any size) posts for the inner corners to help hold the posts together; for whatever size you use, make sure your posts are the same height as your sides.
• Use wood screws to hold your raised bed together

Best Raised Bed Gardening Ideas: Soil & Irrigation

Many people tend to set up a drip system for their raised beds so they don’t have to worry about watering them daily. Here are ideas for how to deal with soil and irrigation in your gardening beds.

• Fill your raised bed with quality soil up to about an inch under the top edge
• Mix compost into your soil to improve soil nutrition
• Vermiculite can also be added to help with water retention
• Using a garden hose is fine for watering plants, though it can be time consuming and wasteful
• A more economical option is a drip system, which involves small tubes that are placed throughout your beds that will slowly water your plants

Building raised beds in your yard is easy and beneficial for your garden!

Tomatoes are one type of vegetable that is easily grown in containers. What’s great about growing them in containers is that you can easily adjust the conditions surrounding your tomatoes.  While it is fairly easy to grow tomatoes in containers, there are still some guidelines you will want to follow to grow the best tomatoes possible.

How to Container Garden Tomatoes: Starting the Plants

You can grow any type of tomato in containers, but there are species that are more easy to manage when grown in containers. Typically, you are looking for tomato plants that will grow more compact and bushy.

• For larger tomatoes, choose plants like Patio Hybrid and Husky Red or Husky Gold Hybrid
• For regular-sized tomatoes, choose plants like Mountain Delight, Mountain Pride, or Celebrity
• For cherry tomatoes, choose plants like Red Robin, Yellow Canary, Tiny Tim, or Cherry Gold
• You can either start the plants from seeds indoors in mid-March or April, or buy pre-grown plants in May

How to Container Garden Tomatoes: Suitable Containers

Tomatoes can be grown in a variety of containers, but they tend to grow quickly so make sure to use a large enough container.

• For smaller plants, use any pot that has a 12” diameter and is 12” deep
• A 5-gallon bucket or container is always the perfect size and inexpensive
• Make sure your container has multiple drainage holes at the bottom
• Place a coffee filter or something similar at the bottom of the container to prevent soil from spilling out of the holes and keep pests from getting in

How to Container Garden Tomatoes: Potting Soil

Often for container gardening, you do not want to use soil straight from your garden. Instead make or purchase a soil that will work well for container gardening.

• Good-quality potting mix bought from the store usually works fine
• You can also make your own peat or compost-based soil
• For organic tomatoes, find good-quality organic potting soil from the store
• To plant the tomato plant, place some soil on the bottom first, and then set the plant inside. Bury the roots and stem just below the lowest leaves and fill in with potting soil
• You should leave about an inch of space below the rim of the pot for future watering

How to Container Garden Tomatoes: Tomato Plant Care

Since your tomatoes are growing in containers, you will have to make sure you are attentive to their needs of water and nutrients.

• Either add a slow-release fertilizer to your soil or every two to three weeks, add a water-soluble fertilizer
• Water your tomato containers every day, and make sure the soil is not too dry or soggy
• Place your tomatoes in a location where they will get at least 8 hours of sun a  day and are protected from strong winds
• The more tomatoes you pick, the more will pop up!

There are many simple ways to spruce up your garden. Even though these ideas may be simple to design or add to your garden, they can make a large difference in how your garden looks!

Best Simple Garden Ideas: Patio

Creating a patio space in your garden is a great way to make a place for relaxation or socializing in your yard.

• Put down some concrete or stones to make a flat area where you can put some chairs and a table
• Border your patio with planters or containers to help make it stand out in your garden
• Make some shade for your patio by buying or purchasing a structure to go overhead; you can even grow vine or climber plants on the top to add beauty to your structure

Best Simple Garden Ideas: Pathways

Creating some simple 3’-4’ wide pathways through your garden adds style as well as allows people to explore your garden.

• Use round or square concrete blocks embedded in the ground to create a pathway
• Clear plants from your planned walkway, and then fill it will small pebbles
• Use a plain dirt walkway and line the sides with rocks or one type of plant
• Place items of interest along the walkway, like arches or water features

Best Simple Garden Ideas: Create a Design

If you plan beforehand what you want your plants to look like altogether, it will help your garden visually and make for less transplanting later.

• Plant color in groups and then surround them with evergreen shrubs to provide contrast
• Layer your plants from shortest to tallest so that you will be able to see all of your plants once they are fully grown
• Consider covering ugly fences/walls with vines or climber plants
• If you want to add above ground features, like raised beds or containers, make sure you make space for them
• To add privacy to any place in your garden, use taller shrubs/bushes

Best Simple Garden Ideas: Install Other Features

If you have the finances, you may want to consider adding features like an outdoor kitchen or a pool to your garden. This will allow for more opportunities to be outside and enjoy your garden!

• Installing a pool is great for those who have children or like to host events; you can always decorate your pool deck with potted plants
• An outdoor kitchen or bar is a great place for socializing in your garden
• Install a fountain or waterfall to add a soothing visual and audial feature

Strawberries are most easily grown in special pots or planters. Typically, these pots are shaped like an urn and have holes on the sides which allow the plant to spread out. With these special pots or planters, which can be left above ground or buried in soil, growing strawberries becomes fairly easy to do.

Best Strawberry Pots & Planters Tips: Pot Materials

There are several materials that strawberry pots can be made out of. Strawberry plants will grow in each material, but each has pros and cons.

• Plastic can be decorative or plain, and is generally inexpensive; sometimes it can be too light and will lead to your plants falling over in the wind
• Terra cotta/clay is usually attractive and will hold heat well, however it loses moisture readily and so needs to be watered more often
• Wooden barrels are also good at holding heat and add interest to your garden, however they tend to be heavy and may rot if not made of good wood
• Ceramic pots are attractive and retain water well, but they are generally more expensive

Best Strawberry Pots & Planters Tips: Installing Strawberry Plants

With a different sort of pot and growing style, you have to put your strawberry plants into your pots a certain way. Know that for a strawberry pot, ever-bearing and day-neutral are the best types of strawberry plants to use.

• Fill the pot up with soil until the lowest pocket(s) and insert one plant into each pocket; fill around them with soil
• Insert a 1” tube with holes drilled in its side into the pot, but not directly over the drainage hole; use this later to make sure that all the pockets will get sufficient water
• Continue filling in soil and adding plants to pockets until you reach 2” below the rim
• Add 3-4 plants to the top of the container and fill in with soil

Best Strawberry Pots & Planters Tips: Long-term Care

Strawberries are perennials, so as long as you take good care of them, they should continue to produce fruit year after year. They can fairly easily be grown in either pots or planters. Here are some tips for keeping your strawberry plants alive and healthy in the long run!

• Any soil high in organic matter will work well for strawberry plants; consider adding compost, peat, leaf mold, or bone meal to make even better soil
• Strawberry plants need at least six hours a day of sunlight
• Water daily or as needed
• Either add a slow-release fertilizer to the soil or fertilize every few weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer
• Watch for pests or fungus, which will need to be treated with some application of insecticide or fungicide
• Pick strawberries when they are ripe, and remove any rotting fruit or yellowed leaves

When you plan for your vegetable container garden, you need to think about which containers to purchase. The material and size of your containers will affect the plants that grow inside of them, so make sure you know which containers are the best to choose!

Best Containers for Gardening Vegetables: Choosing Containers

When you choose a container for your vegetables, you need to think about the material their made of. You have the ability to choose between many different materials that are appropriate for plant growth, but also serve as decoration for your garden. Here are the best materials for containers:

• Rot-resistant wood will keep your plants moist
• Clay or terracotta looks good but tends to lose water more easily
• Good-quality plastic is cheap and easy to get
• Ceramics always look nice, but should not be used in winter
• Non-traditional containers include boots, laundry baskets, grocery bags, bowls, teapots, etc.; you can use anything as long as it is large enough and is well-drained
• Darker containers will absorb more heat and need to be protected from the sun on hot days
• You can also purchase a self-watering container, but you would need to make that your plant does not have standing water

Best Containers for Gardening Vegetables: Plants & Container Size

To choose the correct containers for your vegetable garden, you need to know how large your plants are and how much space they will need. Here are some vegetables that are great for container gardening:

• Peas
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Baby Carrots
• Zucchini squash
• Green beans
• Leaf Lettuce

Choose the size of your containers relative to the plant you will be growing: shallow-rooted plants (lettuce, peppers, radishes) should be 6” across and 8” deep, and larger plants (tomatoes, squash) need larger containers, like a half-barrel or large plastic bucket. On your seed packets it should say how much space the plant will need to grow. Larger containers will retain more moisture, but you should keep your space restrictions in mind when you purchase your containers.

Best Containers for Gardening Vegetables: Good Drainage

Good drainage is essential in any container. If there is standing water in a container, it can attract insects and disease. If there isn’t enough water, your plant will not be able grow.

• Choose a container that has holes in the bottom of it, or make holes yourself; there should at least be one large hole, or several smaller ones
• Line the bottom of your container with newspaper or a coffee filter, and place gravel on top of it to help with drainage
• Purchase a soilless mix; they have great drainage and will fend-off disease and weeds
• Water your vegetables every day or as needed; as long as the soil is moist 1” deep, your vegetables have enough water

Follow these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful growing season. Good luck with your vegetable container garden!

A patio is a space for outdoor relaxation. Adding a garden to your patio will make your patio more beautiful and interesting. It’s also a great way to continue gardening if you are limited by outdoor space.

Best Patio Gardening Ideas: Borders

Lining your patio with plants will help it stand out as a room in your yard. If you have a smaller patio, use smaller plants or trim often to prevent your patio from being overwhelmed

• Build or buy raised planters and fill them with plants to border your patio
• Line the edge of your patio with plants in containers; this will make it a little easier for you to change the plants lining your patio if you so desire
• If you want to add some privacy to your patio, plant taller shrubs or bushes instead of smaller plants
• You can layer your flowers so that the tallest are in the back, and the shortest “trailing” plants are in the front

Best Patio Gardening Ideas: Hanging Plants

If you have a structure over your patio or railings on the sides, it is very easy to add some hanging plants to your garden.

• Find some hanging baskets that you can put soil and complementary plants into; you can hang them on your structures or leave them on the ground
• With nearby railings, consider buying railing flower boxes and filling them with flowers or plants of your choice

Best Patio Gardening Ideas: Trellis & Lattice Plants

Plants that use a trellis or lattice can also help make height or create a breathable wall for your patio.

• Choose vines or climbers, like honeysuckle, morning glories, or trumpet vines, to grow on your trellis
• Place your trellis/lattice against a wall to make a plain wall more beautiful , or place it on an open side of your patio to help create shade and/or privacy
• For your structures or pergolas, you can also place a lattice on top and grow plants like wisteria, jasmine, or magnolias that will cover and trail off the top

Best Patio Gardening Ideas: Tabletops

If you have counter-tops on your patio, that’s another simple way to add plants!

• Use smaller plain or decorative containers with attractive smaller plants to decorate your countertops
• If there’s a side table you don’t use much, consider making a pot that had layered plants and trailing ones on the edges to drape over your table
• Grow a container vegetable garden that will be accessible, delicious, and fun to look at

Any of these patio gardening ideas will help transform your patio into an inviting and beautiful space!

Railing flower boxes are great for any place around the outside of your home where you want to add a miniature garden. They’re relatively easy to install, move, and decorate, and are a great way to add beauty to the outside of your home!

Railing Flower Boxes: Sizes & Placement

While most flower boxes are fairly similar in size, there are enough so that you can choose boxes based on the sizes you want. Once you’ve picked out the right flower box, follow these tips for the best placement of your flower boxes.

• Make sure that your railings will hold the weight of your flower boxes, and are the right width for the railing brackets you use
• If your flower box is going on a railing under the window, pick a box that is a little wider than the window itself
• Unless you have plants that prefer shade, place your flower boxes in locations where they will get plenty of sun
• Try to avoid areas that are subject to particularly windy conditions

Railing Flower Boxes: Design Ideas

When you choose your flower boxes, make sure their design match the architectural and visual style of your home.  There are many designs to choose from, all of which are available in a gardening store or online.

• For wooden and white railings, there are many options for white or wooden flower boxes, including lattice patterned, basket weave pattern, or just plain boxes.
• If you have metal railings, hayrack troughs are a beautiful addition that will blend perfectly
• You can also paint your flower boxes to complement your house; you could even add a color to create a trim around your house

Railing Flower Boxes: Planting Design

Many people make the mistake of planting only one row of the same plant within a flower box. Give your flower boxes more shape and interest by adding more plants and planting them in rows.

• Choose several different plants to be together in a box that vary in size and texture, but have similar needs
• Put the same plants in a line, with three or four lines of different plants, and create a windowed pattern
• Layer your plants from tallest (in the back) to shortest (in the front); you can also put trailing plants in the front to create an overflowing look

Railing Flower Boxes: Plant Care

Since your plants are in boxes and not in the ground, you need to care of them differently. Here are some tips for how to take care of plants inside your railing flower boxes.

• Buy soilless mixes to fill your boxes, which are lightweight and help prevents pests and disease
• Make sure there’s a drainage mat or something similar at the bottom of your flower boxes
• Use a slow-release or water-soluble fertilizer as needed
• Watch the moisture levels of the soil in your boxes, and water at least once a day
• Remove dead or dying flowers and leaves from your boxes to keep your plants healthy

Having large planters indoors can transform an ordinary looking room. There are many large, decorative planters available online and in stores that range in style from modern to classic and everything in between. While it is easy to choose a stylish large indoor planter, it is also important to maintain your planters, so that your plants will survive and keep your indoors looking great.

Best Care for Large Indoor Planters: Choosing Plants

There are many larger plants that will grow well and look great in your larger indoor planters. Depending on how you want your room to look— tropical, desert, traditional, zen, etc—there are many plants to that will give you just the feeling you want. Here are just a few ideal for growing indoors:

• Ficus
• Bromeliads
• Palms (especially Coco palm)
• Dracaena
• Stomanthe
• Succulents/cactus
• Citrus
• Alocasia
• Philodendron
• Kalanchoe
• Maindenhair ferns
• Orchids
• Diffenbachia

Best Care for Large Indoor Planters: Best Location

Being indoors means that your plants will be subjected to a very limited environment in the ways of nutrition. You must make sure you put your plant in a place where it will be able to get everything it needs to survive.

• Place your planters by a large window or skylight so they can get (at least) 6 hours of sunlight a day
• If you do not have enough light indoors for your plants, consider getting artificial fluorescent lighting for them
• Place the planters where there aren’t large fluctuations in temperature; temperatures in bedrooms or living rooms stay fairly constant
• Keep your plants away from direct heat sources like heaters or fireplaces; your plants will dry out very easily
• Avoid placing your plants in high traffic areas unless they are well-groomed and will not bother someone walking by

Best Care for Large Indoor Planters: Plant Care

Watch your plants carefully and make sure to water or fertilize them as needed. It is also important to check for insects and disease.

• Use distilled water (which prevents mineral buildup) to water your plants as needed
• Using a non-salt based product to fertilize your plants will also prevent mineral buildup
• Remove dust from plant leaves  with a soft cloth to allow the plant to absorb as much light as possible
• Prune your plants on a regular basis as they grow
• Catch any disease or pests early on to prevent a real problem from occurring; if it does become a serious issue, make sure to only use products safe for living areas.
• Sometimes plants will benefit from being outside for a while, so place your movable planters outside every once in a while if you can

Gardening in containers gives you flexibility and control over your garden. Manageable in any space from a stoop to a rooftop, container gardening allows you to easily move and access your plants. Containers also make it easier to optimize surrounding conditions, as well as experiment with your plants.

Best Container Gardening Tips: Choosing Containers

It’s important to choose the correct container for your location, space, and plants. Keep in mind that the only space your plant has to grow is within the container you plant it in.

• Good container material: clay, baskets, rot-resistant wood, light-weight metal, and good-quality plastic
• In hot climates, use light-colored containers to decrease heat absorption and growth of uneven roots
• In cold climates, avoid using breakable containers like glass or clay
• Use 6”-8” deep containers to allow for proper root growth; base how large the overall container is on the plant you plan to put in it
• Make sure your containers are well-drained by cutting ½” holes in the bottom and adding gravel to help with drainage

Best Container Gardening Tips: Best Plants for Containers

Luckily, there are many plants that will grow well in containers.  Here are some of the plants best-suited for container gardening.

Best Annuals & Perennials

Here are some annuals ideal for containers:

• Petunias
• Begonias
• Impatiens
• Marigolds
• Periwinkle
• Zinnias
• Geraniums
• Pansies

Choose perennials with attractive all-season foliage:

• Daylilies
• Peonies
• Phlox
• Coral-bells
• Astilbe
• Oriental poppies
• Primroses

Best Vegetables & Herbs

Start with 4” plants in order to make sure you vegetables don’t outgrow their containers.

• Carrots
• Radishes
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Spring onions
• Eggplant

Herbs for fragrance or eating:

• Rosemary
• Majoram
• Parsley
• Sage
• Fennel
• Mint
• Chives

Best Trees & Shrubs

Smaller trees are ideal for container gardening and will add structural beauty to your garden.

• Japanese maples
• Crab-apples
• Dogwoods
• Oriental cherry
• Golden-Chain tree

Shrubs are smaller and easily added to a garden to provide background and shade.

• Azaleas
• Hollies
• Japanese Yews
• Roses
• Viburnums
• Hydrangeas

Best Container Gardening Tips: Soil Maintenance

Choose a potting medium that is well-drained but will retain moisture and keep the roots of your plants evenly moist. Compost is ideal potting soil, but you can also buy a good quality potting mixture or a soilless mix from a store to use in your containers.

• Water your container garden daily, and carefully watch moisture levels during dry weather
• Use a dilute liquid fertilizer as recommended per plant
• Fertilize lighter potting mixes more often than heavier mixes
• Liquid fish emulsion or liquid seaweed can be used as a “booster”

Best Container Gardening Tips: General Care

To grow properly, your container garden needs to receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day, though more is always beneficial. Here are more tips on general care:

• When the blooms of flowering perennials, annuals, trees, and shrubs fade, cut them off to prevent seed formation
• To extend the flowering season, pinch your annuals and perennials once or twice in late spring or summer
• Inspect your plants periodically for insects and disease
• Protect your plants from high light reflection during the hottest part of the day
• Shelter plants from severe rain, hail, windstorms, or early frosts

Growing your herbs in pots or containers has many benefits. If you are restricted in the space you have to grow, or simply want to be able to move your plants easily, gardening in pots is a great way to go! Gardening in pots also gives you the flexibility of growing herbs any time of the year, indoors or outdoors.

Growing Herbs in a Pot Garden: Choosing Containers

Choosing the correct container can be very important for the success of your herb garden. Since your herbs will depend on the space and nutrition your containers provide, make sure that you buy the right containers for your herbs.

• As long as it’s the right size, your herbs can be planted in more traditional pots including wood, plastic, cements, and clay/terra cotta (the preferred material of herb gardeners)
• Non-traditional containers include boots, grocery bags, bowls, teapots, etc.
• Choose the size of your pots relative to the herb you will be growing: a pot that is too small will make your herbs root-bound, and a pot that is too large will lead to plants growing more under the soil than above the soil
• Any container needs good drainage to be successful; drill holes into the bottoms of containers, and place gravel in the bottom of containers to help with drainage
• You can choose to purchase a larger pot and plant several different herbs in it, just make sure the herbs have similar needs in care

Growing Herbs in a Pot Garden: Best Herbs

To start your herb garden, you can either purchase seedlings or start your herbs from seeds. Purchasing seedlings can become expensive, but may be a good alternative to trying to grow seeds, which can be difficult if ideal growing conditions aren’t maintained. Here are some good herbs to get your herb garden started!

• Mint
• Parsley
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Basil
• Thyme

Choose herbs based on what you think tastes good and/or looks attractive to you. The more herbs you pick, the more will grow back. So even if you aren’t eating the herbs, you should pinch them to make your herbs grow in fuller and well-formed.

Growing Herbs in a Pot Garden: Soil Care

The soil in your pots will be where your herbs get their nutrients and water. Therefore, maintaining soil will be crucial to keeping your plants healthy and tasty. Also make sure that your plants are getting at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day.

• Purchase a soilless mix; they have great drainage and will fend-off disease and weeds
• High quality potting mixes made from peat or vermiculite also work well; to improve growing conditions you can mix in compost (make up 1/3 of the entire container) with the mix
• Herbs do not require heavy applications of fertilizer; a good organic fertilizer mixed into the soil before planting is good enough
• Add a liquid fish emulsion or liquid seaweed every few weeks as a booster of nutrients for your herbs
• Water your herbs every day or as needed; as long as the soil is moist 1” deep, your herbs have enough water

Succulents are one of the easiest plants to care for, and they generally grow best in containers. Planting your succulents in containers will allow you to move your succulents around, as well as adjust their surrounding conditions.

Gardening Succulents in Containers: Succulent Types

Succulents come in many shapes and colors, and are known to be able to survive in the harshest growing conditions. Here are several of the different types of succulents and species best for container gardening.

Sempervivums

Sempervivums are known for creating miniature versions of themselves every year.

• Round and sculptural shape
• Sempervivum tectorum has an open face and is larger in size
• Sempervivum arachnoideum has a silvery webbing over its leaves, and is smaller and rounder

Sedums

Sedums can often be treated as annuals, and can be used to complement to sempervivums.

• Has a finer texture and generally has a cascading structure
• Sedum “Autumn Joy” has larger leaves and has pink blooms
• Sedum kamtschaticum is a daintier plant with small yellow blooms

Echeveria

Echeverias are polycarpic and are easily propagated through separated offsets or leaf cuttings.

• Have a more compact structure of blue-green fleshy leaves, and sometimes a section with another color
• Echeveria shaviana is a ruffle-leaved Mexican plant that has a blue-green and dark purple color
• Echeveria “Blue Curl” has a pink stalk of leaves that turns blue as it curls
• Echeveria elegans is one of the most commonly planted succulents, and if maintained can grow quite large

Gardening Succulents in Containers: Best Containers

Since succulents have such shallow roots, they prefer being a shallower container. Even a bowl or dish is sufficient, though you may want a larger container to hold a group of succulents together.

• Use ceramic containers that will last as long as your succulents (possibly many years)
• Hypertufa troughs or pots are also a durable choice that will contrast the color of your succulents
• Make ½” drainage holes in your containers, and use a paper towel or coffee filter to cover the hole and prevent soil loss
• Succulents are healthier when planted in a slightly undersized pot
• Only repot your succulents when they have reached the edge of the pot and have stopped growing

Gardening Succulents in Containers: Best Soil Conditions

Succulents thrive in well-drained, poorer soil, and do not need additional fertilizer to do well.

• Succulents will suffer if there is too much organic matter in soil; for any good soilless mix, add about 25% of builder’s sand to dilute the soil
• Fill the pot so that your succulents will sit below the rim of your pot, but leave ½” of space on top to prevent water overflow
• Your succulents should be regularly watered every week or so, though newly potted plants will benefit from more frequent watering
• Allow established plants to dry out between watering, otherwise they may lose their roots

When you decide to container garden, you need to consider which soil you want to put in your containers. You can either purchase soil from a store or online, or make your own. Either way, you need to choose a soil that will help keep your plants healthy as they grow in your container garden.

Best Soil for Container Gardening: Moisture

Your plant will only be able to have access to the water inside your containers. Typically, container gardens have to be watered at least once a day because water evaporates more quickly from containers.  You want to purchase or make soil that will hold water well but will not stay soggy.

• Soilless mixes are adjusted for good drainage and aeration, however they do dry out quickly and need to be watered often
• For plants that require well-drained soil and do not need moisture retained over a long period of time, choose coarser materials, like bark, sand, or perlite
• For plants that prefer moist soil, use less coarse materials like peat  to make up your soil

Best Soil for Container Gardening: Fertilizer

Fertilizer will help keep the soil in your container garden nutritious for your plants. Make sure you don’t over-fertilize because the sun will burn your fertilizers and kill your plants.

• When you put the soil in your containers, you can add a slow-release fertilizer that will continue to feed your plants over time
• Otherwise, you can add the recommended amount of water-soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks
• Adding fish emulsion, liquid seaweed, or compost occasionally will boost the trace elements in your soil

Best Soil for Container Gardening: Custom Soil

It’s not too difficult to create your own soil made up of different materials. You can also always add materials to the potting mixes you buy in the store. Here’s a few different mixtures to try.

• One part peat moss, one part garden loam, one part vermiculite or perlite, and lime to bring the pH to 6.5
• Two parts packaged potting soil, one part coarse sand, and one part peat moss
• For acid-loving plants, use two parts packaged potting soil, two parts coarse sand, two parts peat moss, one part leaf mold, and one-third well composted manure

Best Soil for Container Gardening: Long-term Soil Tips

Depending on what type of soil you choose to use, your soil will have different lifetimes that it is okay to use and still keep your plants healthy.

• Soil-based mixes will hold water and nutrients longer, and so can be used longer; however they are prone to pests, weeds, and disease
• Soilless mixes are reusable, so long as the plants in them during the growing season stayed healthy; once they lose their ability to drain water and hold oxygen, it’s time to get new media
• To help reduce the cost of soilless mixes, you can mix one part soil into three parts soilless mix

If you live in an area with limited space, it’s still possible to grow a vegetable garden. A balcony or patio area with plentiful sun is sufficient for a container vegetable garden to thrive. Keeping your vegetables in containers will also give you flexibility in maintaining the conditions surrounding your plants. Growing a well-planned garden will not only make the most of limited space, but also yield a bounty of tasty vegetables that are right outside your door.

Balcony Vegetable Gardening: Picking Plants

Since you will be growing in a limited space, there is a certain range and size of vegetables that you will be able to grow successfully.

• Start with 4” plants, either bought from the store or previously germinated and grown indoors
• Vegetables that take up little space: carrots, radishes, eggplant, peppers, and salad greens
• Vegetables that need structural support: tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and other vine plants
• Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day; 8-10 hours is best
• Water your plants once a day, and during summer carefully monitor soil moisture

Balcony Vegetable Gardening: Choosing Containers

Keep the amount of space you have in mind when you decide which plants and containers to use for your balcony vegetable garden. The size of your plants and the space they need to grow will influence which container you need for every plant.

• Good container materials: clay, wood, plastic, metal, barrels, cut off plastic bottles, and window boxes
• Containers need to have holes (premade or made by you) in the bottom to allow for drainage; gravel can also be added to the bottom of the containers to help with drainage
• Containers should hold soil well and be of material that isn’t toxic to plants or people
• Containers need to be large enough to hold full-sized plants; most need at least 6-8” deep containers for adequate root development

Balcony Vegetable Gardening: Soil & Fertilizer

Container soil must be carefully maintained, since your vegetables will only be able to access the nutrients in their containers.

• Synthetic soils, made of material like woodchips, sawdust, or vermiculite, are well-suited for container planting
• Packaged potting soil is also appropriate, as long as it is not too high in organic material
• A lightweight potting mix is ideal for containers (can add soil to add weight and water-holding capacity, but it may attract insects, weeds, and disease)
• Fertilize your plants regularly with water-soluble fertilizer

Even with limited space, maintaining a vegetable garden is easily manageable. Growing in containers gives you a degree of control that you would not have with plants in the ground, making this gardening style viable in many weather conditions.  Even an inexperienced gardener can fill their balcony with thriving and delicious vegetables any time of the year!

A planting diary is a good habit to learn once you begin gardening seriously. The diary will allow you to keep track of a multitude of things, from planting dates, to plant care, and even weather conditions. Your diary will serve the purpose of tracking garden history so you can learn from failures and repeat successes.

Keeping a Planting Diary: Types of Diaries

Depending on how you can best keep organized, you can choose a specific type of diary to use. These are some other types of diaries to consider aside from the traditional diary.

Binder:

• Accessible because of loose-leaf pages; things can be added and taken away
• Allows you to organize different aspects of your garden into sections
• Can add things like photos or printed articles from the internet

Photo Album/Scrapbook:

• Best for people who like to see what their plants looked like at different stages
• Allows you to keep notes about your plants in correlation to how they look
• Can keep visual track of weeds you’ve encountered and need to continue removing
• Is visually attractive and easy to show to others what you’ve been doing in your garden

Day Planner:

• Can keep track in a day’s allotted space everything you did on that day
• Allows you to look ahead and write down reminders to do things on a specific day
• Maintains an organized calendar that will be easy to find dates in
• Can also keep track of other events in your life

Web Blog:

• Is sharable with friends, family, etc
• You won’t be able to misplace it
• You can have entries, photos, calendars, etc.

Keeping a Planting Diary: What to Write

You can choose to keep track of what you think will help you improve your garden in the seasons ahead. Here are some of the things that other successful gardeners have kept track of in their planting diaries.

• Source and cost of plants and seeds
• Planting dates for plants and seeds
• Transplanting dates
• Soil treatments applied, including fertilizers & chemicals used, and on which plants
• Plants characteristics as they grow (germination date, first blooms, etc)
• Weather particulars either every day or an average over time (rainfall, frost dates, etc)
• Dates of harvest, and details about appearance/taste of resulting plants
• Any additional observations

Keeping a Planting Diary: Other Items to Keep

Aside from daily notation about your gardening, there are other things you should consider keeping either in your planting diary or in a box, just in case you ever need it.

• Receipts from buying seeds or plants
• Empty seed packets to see what you’ve used
• Names of websites (or even the articles) you used to do research or buy supplies from
• Layout of your garden this year, or improved layout ideas to consider for next year
• A wishlist for next year

Choosing to integrate gardening into your teaching curriculum can offer your students a different atmosphere from the classroom. This also allows them to enjoy nature as well as find alternate hands-on ways to learn the subjects you already teach.

Beginning a Garden Curriculum: Working with Children

As you may know, most children don’t have the patience to wait a month or more for seeds to grow into plants. Because of differences like this between children and adults, your curriculum should consider what your students will need to stay interested and enthusiastic about gardening.

• Choose seeds that will begin to sprout as soon as possible
• Choose a variety of plants to put in your garden; having many different plants will be more interesting to your students than just one or two types
• You may want to consider only using large seeds (that also sprout quickly), like radishes, peas, cress, gourds, pumpkins, and sunflowers. This way younger children will be able to handle the seeds without any issues
• Give your students an area that can be “theirs,” so they can interact with each other in the garden they have created; this can help make the garden into a magical space that the children will love

Beginning a Garden Curriculum: Integrating Studies

If you worry that adding gardening to your curriculum can take away from established learning time, be assured that you can still teach english, science, math, and social studies while you garden with your students.

Reading:

• Choose vocabulary words that have to do with gardening
• Ask your students to read the seed packets and signs in your garden
• Have your students read about the plants in your garden or the techniques you use

Writing:

• Ask your students to write a poem or short story about the garden
• You can assign your students to write a report about what they learned, from books and from real life

Math:

• Measure the changes in plant height as your plants grow
• Measure grown fruit or flowers for circumference, diameter, and/or radius
• Estimate the number of flowers in a flower bed

Science:

• You can use your actual plants to demonstrate what you learn in class
• Teach what all plants need to grow to survive; you can extend this to animals as well

Social Science:

• Teach about the origins of the plants you use as well as the most commercially popular plants
• Discuss with your students how farming works and the process it takes in order for food to get from the farm to our plates

A great way to end the gardening season is to make food from your harvest as a class, as well as give students your grown flowers to take home! Don’t forget that there are plenty of already established gardening curriculum programs, like the Classroom Victory Garden Project and CitySeed, that can help you get started.

Choosing to grow your winter garden in a greenhouse can extend garden life far beyond the first frost. A greenhouse will give your plants warmth and protection from extreme winter weather, allowing you to continue gardening through the year.

Winter Greenhouse Gardening: How to Best Prepare Your Greenhouse

Once you’ve installed your greenhouse in the best site possible, you also need to consider how you will design and prepare your greenhouse interior.

• Consider building a workspace inside the greenhouse. You can do your gardening work there, as well as store your tools, seeds, pots, or other items.
• Root crops will grow well in bins under tables that hold other types of plants. Make some space below as well as on top of things to maximize growing space.
• Most of your plants should be in containers or raised garden beds, so that they can be easily moved once the risk of freezing is over.
• To improve soil quality, you can grow a cover crop or a forage crop in the off season in your greenhouse beds (old roots will increase tilth, fertility, and humus.)
• For any compost or fertilizer you use, try to avoid use of nitrogen; especially in winter greenhouse light conditions, leafy green crops have the ability to accumulate unhealthy amounts of nitrites.

Winter Greenhouse Gardening: Keeping it Warm

While during the day, your greenhouse may be 20-40 degrees warmer than outside temperatures, at night the temperature inside will only be a few degrees higher than the outside temperature. Because of this, you may need to consider alternative methods of heating your greenhouse.

• For night temperatures around 50-60 degrees, you can inexpensively add some heat by leaving large rocks or buckets of water in your greenhouse. During the day, they will soak up heat, and at night, they will leak heat back to your plants.
• For night temperatures closer to freezing, you will probably need to invest in a small heater, designed specifically for greenhouses. It should heat your greenhouse at night without overheating your plants like a regular heater might.

Winter Greenhouse Gardening: Choose Your Plants

There is a variety of plants to choose from to plant in your winter greenhouse garden. Here are some of them:

• Winter vegetables: cabbage, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, cilantro, beets, garlic, radishes, and turnips
• Winter flowers: Christmas cactus, freesia, pansy, primrose, amaryllis, azalea, hyacinth, larkspur, snapdragon, impatiens, and nasturtium

Winter Greenhouse Gardening: Maintenance

It’s also important to upkeep your winter greenhouse. Here are a few things you should remember:

• Your greenhouse plants will need to be watered more often than regular plants. If you put your finger one-inch deep into the soil and it is dry, your plant needs to be watered. Do not overwater your plants; standing water attracts parasites and disease.
• Keep your greenhouse roof free of snow. This will make sure there is still maximum sun exposure, as well as prevent damage to your greenhouse.
• Give your greenhouse some ventilation by propping open the doors during the day. This will keep your greenhouse from getting too hot.

Whether you decide to plant a winter garden or not, winter is a great time to catch up on your garden reading. There are many helpful books about gardening during winter, as well as the rest of the year. So once the wind starts to howl and your plants start slowing in growth, pick up a gardening book that interests you, and get ready for the upcoming growing year!

Your Winter Gardening Library: Adding Beauty and Interest

“The Garden in Winter,” by Suzy Bales, is one of the best resources for designing an interesting winter garden. In her various chapters, Suzy shows you the best ways to dress up your winter garden for “beauty and interest.” Her instruction teach you which plants are ideal to fortify and beautify your garden during winter, as well as how to create decorations like homemade wreathes and centerpieces that will complete your winter festivities. Starting from which plants to choose, to adding color and structure to your garden, Suzy’s book is a complete guide to interesting winter garden design.

Your Winter Gardening Library: Guide to Gardening

For an overall guide to organic gardening, a great place to look is “The All-New Illustrated Guide to Gardening,” by Trevor Cole and Fern Marshall Bradley. The original version of this book was a best-seller; since it’s now completed with 4-color photo illustration, all-organic gardening, and eco-friendly projects, this trusty book can only be that much better. This guide includes step-by-step diagrams and charts to help make gardening easy for anyone. While presented in easily understood language, the book is written by experts who cover virtually every gardening subject possible. It’s a great way to get your gardening hobby started, or learn new things to improve your pre-existing gardens.

Your Winter Gardening Library: The Naked Truth About Gardening

In her book, “The Naked Truth About Gardening, The Bare Essentials,” Eleanor Rose breaks down gardening into ten “naked truths” that are secrets of the trade. Eleanor teaches you how to utilize these tips and 21st century technology to create the healthiest, most economical, and successful plants possible. This book is a great “how to garden successfully” guide for anyone who wants to try gardening as a hobby, indoors or outdoors. Eleanor’s guidance will help you create a garden anywhere that will be an enjoyable and rewarding project.

Your Winter Gardening Library: Vegetables and Herbs

For help on growing vegetables and herbs, “Taunton’s Complete Guide to Growing Vegetables and Herbs” is a good book to utilize. This book, published by Fine Gardening and Kitchen Gardener, will teach you the fundamentals of vegetable and herb gardening, as well as garden design and decoration. This guide, a result of a collaboration of first-rate experts, contains detailed information on how to grow 85 crops and get the best out of your garden. It’s a great way to get good vegetable and herb gardening advice all in one place.

Whether you choose to use plants or décor, there are many ways to design your garden to have winter interest. If you design your garden correctly, no matter snow or sun, your winter garden will always be looking beautiful.

Designing a Winter Garden: Structures

Using structures can help attract the eye to specific areas of your garden. There are many different types of structures to choose from, but be wary that having too many pieces in your garden will lead to an overcrowded rather than Zen feeling.

• Fountains (even when deactivated) and bird baths are classic
• Ponds, frozen or not, can reflect your garden and the winter sun
• Statues and pagodas add a more vertical feel to the garden
• Metal art and yard art can easily be added according to the gardener’s taste

Designing a Winter Garden: Ground Cover

While structures can add a unique sort of interest to your winter garden, it’s also very easy to include plants into your design. Some of the plants that are best to use to decorate your winter garden are even perfect for using year-round!

• Plant ornamental grass; the graceful motion of these longer grasses either in summer or winter will give your other plants a lovely background to grow by
• Add evergreen shrubs that will provide a stark green contrast to the rest of your winter landscape
• Adding seed heads and pods can add some interest to your garden, as well as attract beautiful birds
• Choose winter-hardy plants with berries or fruit, like blueberry bushes, to add splashes of color to your garden

Designing a Winter Garden: Adding Trees

Whether you plant trees for their leaf color or for their bark, you can guarantee you will be adding interest to the design of your winter garden.

• Evergreen trees are classics for a winter garden; they will stand out beautifully during winter, and blend into the background during summer
• For trees with interesting limbs, consider the Contorted Philbert, with twisted limbs, or the Japanese Pagoda Tree, which holds its fruit on long “chains” that will last until springtime
• Trees like the Paperbark Maple, Lacebark Elm, or White River Birch have bark that peel back to reveal a collage of colors

Designing a Winter Garden: Lasting Flowers

These hardy blooms will bring color and beauty to your winter garden.

• Winter pansies come in a large variety of colors, and will look great inside or outside
• For people who have less harsh of winters, heather plants are a pretty and useful addition to a winter and summer garden; a heather cover will aid in preventing weeds
• Hydrangeas, even if they are dormant, can look like beautiful snowflakes in winter
• Flowers like sedum, the purple cone flower, and sunflowers can be used to decorate your garden wherever you see fit

Having some of your winter plants in containers instead of the ground can benefit you in several ways. Your plants will be mobile, so you can move them indoors for extra protection, or leave them outside on your porch or backyard for an extra splash of color. It also gives you a simple way to decorate your winter garden.

Containers in Winter: Garden Preparation

In order to use containers in winter, you need to make sure that you choose containers that will be winter-hardy, as well as correctly prepare the containers for winter plants.

• Use concrete, stone, wood, fiberglass, or cast iron containers
• Avoid any clay, terra cotta, or cracked containers; they are liable to crack in winter
• Use a container with drainage holes, or add broken clay pot pieces at the bottom to help with drainage
• Fill the container with well-drained potting soil about 7/8 of the way
• Note that larger containers will provide more insulation for roots

Containers in Winter: Choosing Plants

There are many winter-hardy plants to choose from that will grow well in containers. You can arrange several plants together in one container, or have designated containers for specific plants. Know that since containers are not as good of insulators, it is a good idea to choose plants with USDA zones two zones colder than your own. Try to pot your plants several weeks before the first frost so that they will be well-established.

• sages, flaxes, annual grasses
• pansies, violas, primrose, and hellebores
• flowering cabbages, flowering kale, lettuce, spinach
• smaller shrubs and deciduous hollies
• creeping wirevine and ivy
• dwarf junipers, dwarf spruce
• varieties of yucca

Containers in Winter: Maintaining Your Garden

Since they are smaller, your containers will freeze and thaw harder, and much quicker, than the soil in garden beds. Protect your containers so that the roots of your plants will not suffer.

• Place your container indoors, either inside the house decoratively, or in a storage space
• Place your container in a place outdoors with a warmer microclimate, like against a wall
• Wrap your container in bubble wrap
• Cover the container with leaves or straw, or bury it in your yard (up to the rim of the container)
• Sink the pot into a larger container

Winter is a difficult time for plants, so make sure to continue taking care of the ones inside your garden containers.

• Water your winter containers about once a week, but if it rains frequently, check on it about once a month
• If your soil is freezing, you can stop watering your plant
• If you have evergreens, you can spray them with antidesicant to help them maintain moisture
• It’s not necessary to fertilize your plants during winter; the potting soil should give them enough nutrients to survive

When you decide to plant vegetables, you must make sure that you prepare your garden properly. By correctly caring for your soil and planning where specific vegetables will go, you will ensure a successful growing season, as well as plenty of vegetables for your dinner table!

Vegetable Garden Preparation: Where to Grow

It’s important to plant your vegetables where they will grow best. This may include special consideration of garden placement and/or garden structures.

• Place your vegetable garden in the sunniest spot possible; they need at least 6 hours of sun daily to survive
• While some air circulation is good, avoid placing your garden in a windy spot. Wind will dry and break your vegetables
• Make sure the location is accessible so that you can monitor pests, as well as tend to your garden easily
• Consider planting your vegetables in raised beds; it will bring them to maturity sooner

Vegetable Garden Preparation: Best Layout

It is better to keep a well maintained small garden than to have a somewhat maintained large garden. Take care to set up your vegetables in an order that will optimize growing space and sun exposure.

• Design your garden so that your rows run north and south, and layer your plants from tallest to shortest
• Tall crops, like peas, beans, and corn, should be planted in the north side of the garden
• Medium-sized crops, like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, pumpkins, and squash, should be planted in the center of your garden
• Short crops, like carrots, beets, radishes, onions, and lettuce, should be planted at the south side of the garden
• You may also want to consider a fence that will keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals; it can serve simultaneously as a trellis for your plants that need support (beans, peas, tomatoes, etc.)

Vegetable Garden Preparation: Readying the Soil

The nutrients your vegetables absorb are taken from the soil they are planted in, so by creating the best soil possibly for your plants, you are making them as nutrient-enriched as possible. Good soil should have the appearance of being darker, more crumbly, and water-retentive as a result of absorbing more organic matter.

• Mix a good amount of organic humus (compost, peat moss, well-rotted or processed manure) into your existing soil or any other topsoil you bring in
• Make sure that your soil is well-drained, so that water doesn’t pool in it
• Remove any compaction in the soil and try to avoid walking over it
• Try to only dig or cultivate if your soil is dry or a bit moist; working wet soil will damage and compact it
• Keep the fine soil on top and the sub-soil at the bottom
• When you firm the soil, do so with the back of a rake or fork

If your garden contains roses other than the wild or native variety, your roses will probably be susceptible to any extreme winter conditions. You will probably need to winterize your more tender roses if your ground stays mostly frozen during winter, and your temperatures stay below 20^◦ F. While it can be a chore, winterizing your roses will ensure that you have a beautiful garden in the spring.

Preparing Your Roses for Winter

The easiest way to help winterize your roses is to make sure that your roses are healthy. By taking good previous care of them, your roses will be strong enough to face the winter season.
Some other tips:

• In late summer, stop fertilizing and deadheading your roses; this will discourage new growth and begin hardening your roses
• Remove any fallen leaves and debris within or around the roses
• Prune enough to prevent your roses from breaking in strong winter winds; follow up with antidesiccant spray to seal in moisture
• Tie together long canes to prevent roses from breaking

Winterizing Roses: Hilling Method

Adding a mound of dirt around the base of your roses will help conduct warmth into the main stem and protect against freezing. The best time to use this method is after a few frosts, but before the ground freezes.
How to do it:

• Take dirt and pile it up around your roots, making it 1’ high and 1’ wide (do not take the soil from directly around your plants; it will expose roots to the winter air)
• Sandy, lean soil is the best type of soil to use for your mound; pack it firmly around the base
• If you live in an extremely cold region, you can add mulch (contains salt hay, bark chips, pine needles, leaves, etc.) to your mound as an extra layer of protection

Winterizing Roses: Give Some Structure

If you have particularly tender roses, you may need to go the extra step by creating or buying cones or structures for your roses.

• Encircle the base of your roses with either chicken wire, a cone, or a cylinder; allow for one foot of space around the roses
• Fill up your container with straw, leaves, or other similar materials
• Punch 1” holes all around the top of the structure (if it doesn’t have holes) to allow for air circulation
• For an extra coat of protection, add a piece of burlap around the structure and tie with twine

Once the ground has thawed for good in the spring, promptly remove the dirt from around your roses to allow for new growth. Keep some extra mulch on hand in case a late frost occurs and you need to insulate your roses again.

Once the winterizing process is complete, your roses will be ready for winter!

Winter can be a tough time for herb gardening. If you know which herbs to pick and how to care for them, you can ensure that you will have plenty of herbs to use throughout winter. Herbs are an easy and tasty way to add some variety to your garden.

Winter Herb Garden: Preparing Your Herbs

As winter approaches, you need to adjust the way you tend to your herbs. Your herbs will begin to slow in their growth, so if you want to have herbs on hand at all times, plant extra ones. Here are some other tips for getting ready for winter:

• Stop fertilizing your herbs in early fall; this will let your herbs mature enough for winter
• Avoid significant pruning of your herbs starting in early fall as well; once there is a frost, light pruning is okay
• Make sure that the soil you use is well-drained in order to prevent standing water that will decrease the hardiness of your winter plants
• To make sure your plants are hardy, water and care for them well before winter

Winter Herb Garden: Choosing Herbs

If you don’t already have herbs, or you would like to add more types of herbs, there are plenty of hardy winter herbs to choose from. If your herbs are borderline winter-hardy, it’s a good idea to grow them in a protected location, like indoors. Make sure you find out what the best way is to start growing your herbs for winter.
Transplant/Cuttings:

• Mints, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and oregano
• To propagate from a cutting, take a 4” tip cutting that has its lower leaves stripped off, and stick the stem into a moist soilless mix. Keep it humid by covering the cutting with glass or clear plastic, and keep the soilless mixture moist

Direct-seed:

• Caraway, cumin, borage, basil, chervil, parsley, coriander, dill, anise, and fennel
• Sow seeds in flats, gently water, cover them with plastic wrap, and place them in an area where the temperature will stay above 60^◦F. When the seeds sprout, remove the plastic; once the herbs have their second set of true leaves, they are ready to be potted

Winter herbs that need some protection:

• Sage, perennial pink basil, English lavender, roman chamomile, winter savory, lemon verbena

Winter Herb Garden: Winter Care

Once you get into winter, there are a few things to remember about taking care of your herbs.

• If your plants die, remove the dead plants to minimize disease problems and insects
• Mulch can be used to protect herbs in up to -20^◦ F. Depending on the degree of protection needed, coat 2”-6” of winter mulch around the base of your herbs after the first big freeze of winter
• Give your herbs breaks from the cold wind by covering them with a few evergreen boughs
• Feed your herbs regularly with potassium right plant food to strengthen the leaves
• Water your herbs once a week or less, depending on the weather conditions
• If your herbs are indoors, make sure they get adequate sunlight

Growing a winter garden indoors can be a convenient and fun way to keep plants around the entire year. It will protect your less hardy winter plants from extreme cold conditions, and provide you with blooms and vegetables all through winter!

Winter Gardening Indoors: Preparing a Space

Even though having your winter plants indoors protects them from the outdoor cold, being indoors will create new environmental issues for your plants. There are several things that you can easily prepare your growing space for.

• Choose a warm, sunny place for your plants to grow, and consider whether you need to add additional surfaces or shelves for your plants to grow on
• Tender young plants need warmth, so consider adding supplementary lights with timers that will keep your plants warm, as well as lengthen the hours of “sun” that your plants get (they need 6-8 hours of light)
• If you heat your house in winter, you should either purchase or make your own humidifier to help your plants thrive

Winter Gardening Indoors: Planning for Plants

When you garden indoors, you also need to consider which plants you will be growing. The less natural growing conditions mean that you will be more restricted to plants that can survive well inside.

• Since seeds and seedlings are more difficult to find in the fall, plan ahead and buy your seeds during spring, when they will be plentiful and cheap
• Choose a number of plants that reflects the space you have
• Plan to grow the smaller versions of most plants, like cherry tomatoes, leaf lettuce, and bush type beans
• Plants with flowers that grow well indoors include amaryllis, paperwhites, orchids, clivia, Christmas cactus, begonias, and African violets
• Other plants that grow well indoors include bell peppers, arugula, aloe vera, winter herbs, and winter sprouts

Winter Gardening Indoors: Plant Care

When you keep your plants indoors, your plants will have slightly different needs than outdoor plants. Make sure you keep track of your plants’ needs and tend to them carefully in order to ensure their growth.

• Choose or create a soil mix or soilless mix that will retain moisture and nutrients well
• Without wind or insects, you may need to do some artificial pollination; use a small artist’s brush to move pollen from one flower to another
• If you don’t have a humidifier, you will need to water either daily or every other day; keep the soil moist
• Watering frequently will deplete nutrients in the soil, so complement watering with a good balanced organic fertilizer
• If you don’t care to be as hands-on with your plants, consider buying indoor planters that are built to give your plants the right amount of light, heat, and moisture

If you follow these guidelines and carefully manage your indoor garden, you will ensure a successful winter gardening season. You may even be able to transfer your plants in the spring!

By having your own winter vegetable garden, you will cut back on expensive winter vegetables at the grocery store. You will also be guaranteeing yourself a high level of freshness and quality; by eating your vegetables that have just been harvested, they will still be nutrient enriched. There are plenty of benefits, but you must make sure you carefully choose winter-hardy vegetables to plant!

Winter Garden Vegetables: USDA Hardiness Zone

When you consider winter gardening, you will come across the USDA Hardiness Zone system quite often. Winter plants are often described in part by which USDA Hardiness zone they will grow well in. In order to choose winter vegetables that will actually survive where you live, you should find out what zone your region is in. Each zone below has a corresponding average annual minimum temperature.

• Zone 1: below -50^◦ F
• Zone 2: -50^◦ F to -40^◦ F
• Zone 3: -40^◦ F to -30^◦ F
• Zone 4: -30^◦ F to -20^◦ F
• Zone 5: -20^◦ F to -10^◦ F
• Zone 6: -10^◦ F to 0^◦ F
• Zone 7: 0^◦ F to 10^◦ F
• Zone 8: 10^◦ F to 20^◦ F
• Zone 9: 20^◦ F to 30^◦ F
• Zone 10: 30^◦ F to 40^◦ F
• Zone 11: Above 40^◦ F

Winter Garden Vegetable: Root Crops

Root crops, like potatoes and radishes, are usually grown for their edible roots. Root crops are generally easy to grow, so long as you provide a good soil bed, give them room, and weed and water them properly. Here are suitable root crops for your winter garden, separated by maturation time. (You should plant your vegetables early enough that they will be fully mature by your first predicted frost.)
Late-maturing crops (around 90 days to mature)

• Parsnip (Zones 2-9)
• Carrots (4-10)
• Beets (2-10)

Mid-season crops (around 60 days to mature)

• Leek (6-10)
• Turnip (3-9)
• Kohlrabi (6-10)

Early-maturing crops (around 30 days to mature)

• Bunching Onions (3-9)
• Chives (3-10)
• Radishes (2-10)

Winter Garden Vegetables: Leaf Crops

Plants are defined as leaf crops when their stalk or flower heads are edible. Leaf crops are great nitrogen-consumers, so make sure you give them enough fertilizer or manure and water.
Late-maturing crops

• Brussels sprouts (6-10)
• Cabbage (1-9)
• Cauliflower (7-10)

Mid-season crops (around 60 days to mature)

• Winter Cauliflower (6-10)
• Swiss Chard (8-10)
• Early Cabbages (6-10)

Early-maturing crops (around 30 days to mature)

• Broccoli (3-10)
• Leaf Lettuce (4-9)
• Spinach (3-9)
• Mustard (7-10)

Winter Garden Vegetables: Tips for Care

Here are some tips for caring for your vegetables, specifically during winter time.

• Rotate where you plant specific types of vegetables; if you plant one type in the same place, the soil will experience repeated removal of the same nutrients, and will not be as rich
• If you need additional protection for your vegetables (i.e. you live in an extremely cold place), consider investing in a greenhouse or building structures like cold frames
• To keep pests out of leaf crops, try covering them with some cheesecloth or clear agricultural cloth. This may also slightly help to keep them warm
• If you keep a record of when you plant your vegetables, you can compare the times to what worked and didn’t and adjust accordingly for next year

As a general rule for winter plants, find out the predicted date of the first killing frost. You need to make sure that all of your plants will reach full maturity before that frost. Different plants have different maturation times, so plan and plant accordingly.

Best Winter Garden Plants: Plants with Flowers

Flowers will bring color to your garden as well as boost ladybug populations to help control future aphid problems. Here are some of the best flowers for winter gardening:

• Camellias:
• slow growers, but have lasting blooms ranging in color from light pink to bright red
• need rich acidic soil and plentiful amounts of mulch in the winter
• prefer partial shade and need to be kept moist

• Hellebores (Lenten rose):
• Attractive foliage and weatherproof flowers; long-lasting blooms until early spring
• Blooms range widely in color, including green, white, yellow, pink, maroon, and almost black
• Needs space (1’) between flowers when planted in a bed, since they can grow tall
• Prefer partial shade and need to be watered weekly

• Snowdrops:
• Will survive through snow; grow best in winter conditions
• Flowers are small, white, and bell-shaped
• Need well-drained soil
• Plant in a sheltered area, and keep moist

Best Winter Garden Plants: Vegetables

Luckily, there are many vegetables that grow well during winter. Check the USDA Hardiness Zone for your region to see whether specific vegetables (or plants) are appropriate to grow in your local weather conditions.

• Root crops: beets, carrots, parsnip, rutabaga, kohlrabi, leek, turnips, chives, bunching onions, and radishes
• Leaf crops: brussel sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, perennial herbs, swiss chard, broccoli, leaf lettuces, mustard, and spinach

Winter Greenhouse Gardening: Trees and Shrubs

These trees and shrubs will add variety and beauty to your winter garden.

• Crape Myrtle
• A deciduous tree that can grow to 25ft in height
• Has clusters of ruffled flowers that range in color from white to purple
• Needs well-drained, acidic, rich soil; keep soil moist
• Prefers full sun but needs to be in a protected location, away from irrigation

• Evergreen Holly
• Bright green leaves and colorful berries symbolize the holiday season (need male and female plants for berries)
• Hardy, easy to prune, and works well as a barrier
• Can also serve as protection and food for birds during winter
• Like acidic soil, and are drought tolerant

• Japanese Maple
• Deciduous tree, can grow to 25 feet, and spread out to 15 feet, though smaller varieties are available
• Tree silhouette as well as leaf shapes are both variable
• Famous for their often red and sometimes golden foliage
• Need well-drained, acidic soil; they can survive in poor soil, but will do best in loamy soil
• Plant in dappled light, with protection from the wind, and water regularly

Begin to prepare your garden for winter when there is a forecast for frost, or if night temperatures begin to drop to 45^◦ Fahrenheit or below for four or more days in a row. This will usually occur around late October or November, but keep your eye on the weather forecast as you approach late autumn. Preparing your garden for winter will protect more delicate plants from the cold, as well as make gardening easier in the spring!

Preparing Garden for Winter: Harvest & Clean

Make sure that any vegetable plants that cannot survive winter temperatures are harvested. Any non-hardy bulbs should be removed from the ground. Allow them to dry out in the sun for a few hours before saving them in a cool, dry place for winter. Cut back the perennials you do not care to see during the coming winter season.

Remove from your garden:

• weeds
• old, diseased mulch
• diseased foliage from trees and shrubs.
• spent annuals (mix with fallen leaves and healthy cuttings to create nutrient-rich compost)

Prepare Your Winter Garden: Winter Mulch

A winter mulch will protect your garden from drastic soil temperature changes in the winter season. Once your ground freezes, add a 4 to 6-inch layer of organic mulch. Know that applying the mulch too early can smother your plants, encourage disease, or make your garden a warm, inviting home for rodents.

Mulch allows:

• Oxygen to enter soil
• Carbon dioxide to exit soil
• Water to reach soil and roots
• Soil to retain moisture

Prepare Your Winter Garden: Winterizing Shrubs & Trees

In the winter time, sudden cooling after sundown can result in young thin-barked trees suffering from split bark. Trees and shrubs can also break under the heavy weight of snow and ice. Gardens also commonly suffer from desiccation in the winter season. While leaves continue to lose water, roots that are frozen in the ground will be unable to absorb new water to hydrate your trees and shrubs.

Prepare your trees and shrubs:

• wrap tree trunks in commercial tree wrap to prevent split bark
• ensure a good supply of soil moisture before the ground freezes
• limb up your trees and shrubs to prevent heavy branches from falling
• choose trees and shrubs for your garden that will withstand your average winter conditions
• shade less hardy plants from the winter sun and wind to slow down water loss and split bark
• spray on an anti-desiccant, like Wilt-Pruf, in order to seal plant leaves and seal in their moisture

While preparing your garden for winter is not a necessary task, it will help keep your entire garden healthy, and make for an easier time once winter is over. Keep your garden safe from the cold days ahead!

The city of Chicago provides fun, interaction, festivities, and food to all who visit. Whether you are planning a wedding, a family vacation, or just want an adventure, Chicago has something for you. Find out what this great city has to offer.

Family Fun

Chicago provides a number of activities that are suitable for all ages. From the close encounters at the Brookfield Zoo to the Museum of Science and Industry, the last thing your family will be concerned about is what to do. In fact, your biggest problem may be figuring out what to do first.

Weddings

Looking for a romantic place to have your wedding? A number of venues provide accommodations for weddings. Whether you crave the beauty of nature or the culture of art, Chicago can be the perfect place to begin your new life as a couple.

Chicago Botanical Gardens

The Chicago Botanical Gardens offer a visitors and locals a number of activities. Children can enjoy Story Time on Mondays at the Lenhardt Library. Weddings and wedding receptions can be held at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Photographers and nature enthusiasts will also enjoy the beauty of the vast 385 acre garden.

The Chicago Botanical Gardens were founded in 1890. They feature 2.4 million plants in 9,084 varieties. They are displayed in a landscaped manner so that visitors can gain an understanding how these beautiful plants can be displayed in a residential or public setting. To find out more, visit their web page. Here you can find information about special events, exhibits, garden walks, and tram hours.

Museum of Science & Industry

The Museum of Science and Industry makes learning fun for all ages. From young to old, you can discover how science works, learn about fascinating industries from all over the world, and even view films at the Omnimax Theater.

There are over 26 exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry. These include the coal mine which was the very first interactive exhibit displayed at the museum. It became a permanent exhibit in 1933. It takes about 30 minutes to see the exhibit. While there, you learn about the technology changes and work environment of the U.S. coal mine industry.

The Taste of Chicago

If you love food, this is definitely the event for you. Held at Grant Park, the Taste of Chicago Festival features over 200 food items that are indigenous to the Chicago area. Admission and music events are free. Food and beverages are purchased with tickets that you purchase. They offer a number of handicap accessibility options.

Ravinia Festivals

The Ravinia Festivals have been rightly named the “Sound of Summer.” Since 1904, visitors have enjoyed the “Ravinia Experience” which features 120-150 musical events each year. The music varies from jazz to classical to musical theatre. Musical events take place in the Pavillion, the Martin Theatre, the Bennett-Gordon Hall, the Lawn, and from Terrace Seating. For more information about ticket pricing and specific event dates, visit their website.

Garfield Park Conservatory

The Garfield Park Conservatory features 3.5 acres of plants. Admission is free and guided tours are available for students or large groups. You can even rent a room at the Garfield Park Conservatory for a wedding or other special occasion.

The Brookfield Zoo

The Brookfield Zoo is home to the new exhibit “The Great Bear Wilderness.” This new exhibit allows you to get up close and personal with some of the wildlife in the North American Wilderness including polar bears, grizzly bears, and bison. In addition to the new exhibit, you can enjoy Dolphin Presentations, Animal Presentations where you can learn about wool spinning and milking, and an outdoor play area when you need to rest.

Most women have dreamed about their perfect wedding since they were young girls. Of course, during this tender age, very little planning takes place. As a woman, you still want that beautiful fairy tale wedding you have always dreamed of but now you must focus on the planning aspect of it.

Having that fairytale wedding starts with finding the perfect wedding venue. The setting of your ceremony and reception can add beauty, elegance, or romance to your wedding. The staff can make your wedding a dream or a disaster. This is why planning appropriately is so important. If you are looking for the perfect wedding venues, consider these great options.

Chicago Botanic Gardens

If you are a nature lover, the Chicago Botanic Gardens are the perfect place to plan your wedding ceremony and reception. An outdoor wedding allows you to enjoy the beautiful scenery and nature at the Gardens. For an extra romantic touch, consider holding your ceremony near the time of sunset.

The Botanic Gardens staff has taken special care to eliminate as much extra planning for you as possible. They provide an exceptional catering team that even provides kosher foods, if requested. Your photography permit is included within your Garden rental fee. They even ensure that a backup site is available if bad weather sets in during your wedding ceremony.

You can use any florist, DJ, or band during your wedding reception, as long as they are willing to work with the Garden’s loading rules. You may even consider having the Chicago Kingsnakes play at your wedding. They are one of the best blues bands in the area of Chicago.

Chicago Navy Pier

If you desire a more historical setting for your wedding ceremony and reception, you may want to consider the Chicago Navy Pier. This wedding venue is perfect for small and intimate weddings. The tented rooftop terrace allows you to enjoy the Chicago lakefront and skyline. In the evening, you can enjoy the stars and may even be able to schedule Navy Pier fireworks.

You can also schedule larger weddings at their Grand Ballroom. With 12,000 square feet of space and room for 460 people, the Grand Ballroom provides an elegant and historic setting for almost any size wedding. Both the Pier and the Ballroom offer exquisite catering options and personalized service for your wedding.

Great Hall of Café Brauer

The Great Hall of Café Brauer is elegant and romantic for almost any size wedding. Beautiful views of the Lincoln Park Zoo south lagoon and Chicago skyline are complimented by breathtaking stained glass and polished hardwood floors. Up to 500 guests can be accommodated in the 4,000 square feet venue.

Lincoln Park Conservatory

This Chicago conservatory is located just to the west of the Lincoln Park Zoo. The beautiful atmosphere, romantic pathways, and lush gardens provide a nature lover’s romantic paradise. Wedding ceremony options include an indoor, outdoor, or tented location. For many brides, the location of choice is the famous Grandmothers Garden.

Morton Arboretum

If you are looking for a full nature adventure on your special day, the best place to hold your wedding is the Morton Arboretum. They offer complete packages that offer tram tours for your guests, a complimentary consultation for your nature inspired bridal registry, nature inspired wedding favors, and even the opportunity to have an engraved plaque placed on a tree in honor of your wedding.

The Arboretum offers a year-round menu for your wedding catering including main courses as well as samples and snacks. Several outdoor locations and indoor locations are offered to couples, each with their own beauty and elegance. They even offer a complete wedding guide to help you plan your wedding effectively.

Finding the best garden edging ideas for your garden may not be as complicated as you think. You can usually find decorative garden edging at your local hardware store, like Lowe’s, or at even at your local retail store during peak gardening seasons. While personal preference will determine the type of decorative garden edging that you choose, there are some other factors like price and durability that you might want to consider.

Best Garden Edging Ideas: Types of Decorative Garden Edging

There are six types of decorative garden edging:

• Concrete garden edging
• Brick garden edging
• Stone garden edging
• Wood garden edging
• Metal garden edging
• Plastic garden edging

Garden Edging Ideas: The Advantages & Disadvantages

Each type of decorative garden edging has advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these can help you to determine which garden edging ideas fit your landscaping needs.

1. Concrete garden edging:

Concrete garden edging requires you to mix, pour, and mold your own edging. Concrete edging can serve multiple purposes. In addition to being a great garden edging, it is one of the best grass edging ideas. This is because you can mold one long strip along your yard, unlike other types of garden edging ideas that must be installed piece by piece. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of skill required when using concrete garden edging. If you have never worked with concrete before, you may not realize the amount of time and patience there is involved with this project.

2. Brick garden edging:

Brick garden edging is one of the most common landscaping edging ideas used. Brick concrete edging is affordable and durable. It is also rather simple to use. Bricks are placed by digging a trench around the area that you wish to edge. The bricks are then laid inside the trench and bricks are secured by filling in any holes around them. A wide variety of bricks are available varying in size, color, price, and decorative appeal.

3. Stone garden edging:

Stone garden edging, much like brick garden edging, is a very commonly used. Like brick garden edging, stone garden edging is both affordable and durable. It is installed in the same manner. However, stones tend to be a little more decorative than brick, making concrete garden edging one of the more attractive landscaping edging ideas.

4. Wood garden edging

Wood garden edging is attractive and rather affordable. It is also pretty simple to install. However, unlike other landscaping edging ideas, wood garden edging is not very durable. Wood has a short life span, even if it is treated. If you want your landscape edging to last, you may want to consider another option.

5. Metal garden edging:

Metal garden edging is probably the most attractive of the landscaping edging ideas. It can be used for both garden edging and lawn edging. Lighting can be used for an illuminating effect, giving your yard or garden a very handsome look. However, this option is also the most expensive. Before using this type of decorative garden edging, be sure that you can afford the cost.

6. Plastic garden edging:

Plastic garden edging is probably the most affordable of the landscaping edging ideas. This too, can be used for both lawn edging and garden edging purposes. It is easy to install. All you need is a mallet and your plastic garden edging. However, this idea is far from the most attractive.

Whether you live in Denver or are just planning a visit, one of the must stop places to visit is the Denver Botanical Gardens. Considered one of the top-ranked botanical gardens in the country, they offer amazing events all year long. Learn more about this fun and exciting nature adventure.

About the Denver Botanical Gardens

There are actually four separate gardens included in the Denver Botanical Gardens; the York Street location, the Mordecai Children’s Garden, the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, and Mount Goliath. Each location offers a new and exciting nature adventure with different events all year round. They also offer special event planning. Many couples choose the Denver Botanical Gardens for their wedding venue.

A membership is offered to the Denver Botanic Gardens. By registering, members can receive unlimited free admission to three of the four gardens all year round. Members also receive special discounts on facility rentals, shop and gift purchases, children’s educational classes, and reduced prices for special event tickets. Members also receive a free subscription to the member-only newsletter and borrowing privileges at the Helen Fowler Library.

Colorado residents can also take advantage of the Denver Botanical Gardens free days. These free admission days are held all throughout the year at both the Denver Botanical Gardens at York Street and the Denver Botanical Gardens at Chatfield. Free days are only during regular Garden hours and special events are not included.

Denver Botanical Gardens: York Street

The Denver Botanical Gardens on York Street offers over 30 different gardens, each with their own special theme. The multiple Gardens include plant species from all over the world and are carefully cared for and preserved. Some of the gardens include the All-American Selections, June’s PlantAsia, and the Romantic Gardens.

Mordecai Children’s Garden

The Mordecai Children’s Garden is a new feature at the Denver Botanical Gardens. Here, children can explore nature and experience it through the best way to learn; play. Children can build forts, play in the stream, and observe plant life cycles with repeated visits. Because seasons change, no two experiences will ever be alike at this magical wonderland.

Denver Botanical Gardens at Chatfield

The Denver Botanical Gardens at Chatfield feature a wonderful nature preserve to visitors. Located along the Deer Creek cottonwood banks, guests can observe wildlife, enjoy display gardens, and enjoy the children’s play area. Special seasonal events take place here at the Denver Botanical Gardens at Chatfield as well. During the summer months, the botanical gardens feature a corn maze. During the Christmas season, the Denver Botanical Gardens feature Christmas lights trails. Two separate trails are offered. One trail is shorter and leads directly to the children’s play area. The other takes visitors to the Green Farm Barn and silo.

Mount Goliath

Mount Goliath is a mountain peak section of the Mount Evans area. Here, along the winding trail, guests can enjoy wildflowers, bristlecone pines, and alpine forget-me-nots. They even offer free Wildflower Hikes to children 10 years or older. However, the free hike does not include access to the U.S. Forest Service Mount Evans Recreation Area. You must pay for this access separately at the fee station.

For both residents and tourists to the area, Toronto botanical garden attractions can provide a fun and interactive approach to learning about nature. Beauty, serenity, and natural surroundings make this a relaxing experience for adults. Seasonal changes and a sense of adventure engage and intrigue children. If you are looking for an interesting outing in Toronto, consider one of these local botanical gardens.

Toronto Botanical Gardens

The Toronto Botanical Gardens, located in the Don Mills community, is a volunteer-based organization. Their mission is to inspire passion and a sense of respect and understanding of a healthy environment and natural landscape. Since their beginning, they have focused on providing visitors with gardening education and information.

At the Toronto Botanical Gardens, visitors can browse the 12 award-winning gardens. Spanning over four acres, the gardens are designed to educate and inspire its visitors. They offer programs and tours for all ages. Field trips and day camps are also available for children. For visitors who hope to start their own garden, a garden shop, staffed with experienced gardeners is available. Visitors can even stop off at the seasonal café.

Edwards Gardens

The Edwards Gardens are located next to the Toronto Botanical Gardens in North York. The Edwards Gardens are former estate gardens that feature perennials, roses, wildflowers, and rhododendrons. Beautiful rock streams and stone stairs are also wonderful non-plant features of the gardens. Free tours are held June 1^st through September 4^th on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In addition to the gardens, the Edwards Gardens feature an arboretum next to the children’s Teaching Garden.

Guests can also schedule tours at the Edwards Gardens. Visitors learn about the history of the gardens and its transformation through the years during the historical tour. Visitors can also book an eco/nature tour and learn about the environment and how we can keep our rivers and land clean and healthy. Guests must contact the Gardens in advance for bookings.

Royal Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanical Gardens are located in Burlington Ontario. This major tourist attraction features almost 2,500 acres of nature. Here, guests can visit the Arboretum, the Nature Interpretive Centre, trails, and outdoor plant exhibits. Many educational features are available to both guests and school children including basic botany lessons and organic cooking.

Plants are just the beginning of what guests will see at the Royal Botanical Gardens. Many animals make this Garden their home. Native fish and birds can also be found here. In fact, this is said to be one of the best bird watching sites in Canada.

Franklin Children’s Garden

The Franklin Children’s Garden was created especially for children. The interactive garden was inspired by the popular story book character, Franklin the Turtle. This book series was written by author Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Brenda Clark.

At the Franklin Children’s Garden, children can interact with nature in six different sections. Each section offers a new and exciting adventure. Children can sit and listen to stories in the amphitheatre, climb and play on the tree house, explore the gardens, observe pond wildlife, or climb the child-accessible sculptures that portray characters from the Franklin books.

Huntsville offers a number of attractions to visitors and residents alike. Many of these attractions are family friendly. From the beautiful botanical gardens to the premier shopping, there is something for everyone to enjoy, no matter what their interests.

Huntsville Botanical Gardens

The Huntsville Botanical Gardens provide visitors and guests with a new adventure every season of the year. During the winter, guests can enjoy the Dog Days of Winter which caters to dog lovers everywhere. Dogs and their owners can enjoy races, classes, and special activities. They even offer a “Dog Bowl” event where pups can have their picture taken in a football themed portrait area.

Another winter event at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens is the traditional Galaxy of Lights event. Hard working volunteers construct extravagant light displays including nursery rhyme characters, a twinkling icicle forest, and a wonderful winter village. Santa even makes a guest appearance while families enjoy refreshments and entertainment.

In the spring, guests can enjoy the Spring of Festival Flowers. This rite of spring celebrates the season with a spectacular plant sales event. Guests can purchase garden accessories, houseplants, shrubs, trees, or herbs which are all carefully selected to increase the chances of survival in North Alabama climates. Guests can even have soil testing done by one of the Master Gardeners at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

In the fall, visit the Huntsville Botanical Gardens for the Scarecrow Trail. The scarecrows at this event are all created by local vendors, clubs, church groups, families, and non-profit groups. Scarecrows entries are voted on and a winner is awarded each year.

Monte Sano State Park

The Monte Sano State Park is one of the many Huntsville parks you can visit. This mountain has been attracting visitors since the 1820s and offers a large variety of activities to its visitors. Guests can go hiking or biking through the mountain trails, spend the afternoon fishing, and even spend the night at one of the campsites.

Huntsville Stars

There are two ways to see the stars in Huntsville; go for a late night walk or go to the ball field. Yes, the name of the Huntsville baseball team is the Stars. Guests can purchase tickets and check the team schedule online.

Bridge Street Huntsville Town Centre

If shopping is your thing, you can do it at the Bridge Street Town Centre. Located in the center of Huntsville, you can visit over 70 upscale shops and restaurants. After a day of shopping, you can stop off and see a movie sat the 14-screen Monaco Pictures. You can even spend the night at the Westin Huntsville Hotel. Even if you’re not into shopping, you are sure to enjoy the 10-acre lake, beautiful fountains, and carousel.

Huntsville Museums

There are several Huntsville museums in the area. Visitors can hop aboard at the North Alabama Railroad Museum, experience culture at the Huntsville Museum of Art, or experience the wonders of space at the Huntsville space and rocket center. With so many options to choose from, you are likely to have a hard time deciding which one to visit first.

Maybe you have never experienced the beauty and wonder of the Boerner Botanical Gardens. You may be unaware of the fun events and great experiences that can take place here. There may be many misconceptions that have prevented you from taking the time to visit the Gardens. Whatever the reason, you are missing out on a fun and exciting opportunity.

About the Boerner Botanical Gardens

The Boerner Botanical Gardens were named after the landscape architect that designed the five original gardens, Alfred L. Boerner. Boerner and his partner, Charles b. Whitnall worked together developing the Gardens. Whitnall’s vision was to create a place for people to enjoy the wonders of nature. Through his vision, the Boerner Botanical Gardens were born.

The Boerner Botanical Gardens are open from April 25^th through October 4^th daily from 8am to 6pm. The garden is sometimes open during late November and early April if weather is permitting. Handicap accessibility is also available for those that need special parking or wheelchairs.

Boerner Botanical Gardens Wedding

Want a beautiful and natural place to exchange your wedding vows? Why not the Boerner Botanical Gardens? They offer seating for up to 150 people and six different ceremony settings. These settings include the Juniper Garden, the Annual Garden with Gazebo, the Rock Garden Vista, The Oak Tree, the Fragrance Garden, and the Rose Garden & Arbor. A permit must be obtained for photography and wedding reservations can be made through the Boerner Botanical Gardens Milwaukee County Parks information desk.

Boerner Botanical Gardens Brunch

Guests can dine at the beautiful gardens year round at the Sunday brunch catered by the Bartolotta Catering Company. A full order meal that includes breakfast breads, made-to-order waffles, maple turkey breast, salads, desserts, prime rib, and much more is served at the Nell’s Garden Café. Contact the information desk to make reservations.

Boerner Botanical Gardens Fish Fry

Every year, the Boerner Botanical Gardens performs a weekly fish fry on Fridays. During the event, the Botanical Gardens offers live music for your entertainment. There is even a kid’s menu available for children. Reservations must be made in advance.

Boerner Botanical Gardens Music and Wine

Every year, the Boerner Botanical Gardens host a fund raising event that is sponsored by the Reinhard law firm. This event has been going since 1984.

Boerner Botanical Gardens and Children

The Boerner Botanical Gardens cater to children as well. They offer a number of fun and exciting events for children and families. The family garden workshops teach families how to connect with and explore their world. Kids also get to construct hands-on projects that they can bring home.

Birthday parties are also offered at the Boerner Botanical Gardens. Depending on the age of the children, different party themes can be selected. From the Artist’s Garden where children get to experience a story and garden walk to the Very Hungry Caterpillar where children make a thumbprint bookmark, your children are sure to have a grand birthday adventure.

Schools, daycare facilities, and scout programs can also benefit from a day at the Boerner Botanical Gardens. Lesson plans are even offered by the Gardens to assist teachers in planning.

Vegetable garden planners are becoming extremely popular amongst the gardening community. They offer a simpler way to garden and help you keep track of gardening tasks. However, not all vegetable garden planners are created equal. We have reviewed some of the best vegetable garden planners for your convenience.

Not All Vegetable Garden Planner Programs are Created Equal

Each vegetable garden designer is different. They all have benefits and disadvantages. Carefully comparing all of the available vegetable garden planners can help you find the best one for your gardening needs.

Grow Veg.com

Grow Veg.com is one of the most popular online vegetable garden planning programs available. It has been featured on many websites including Mother Earth News. You can use their garden planner free for 30 days. If you are happy with the planner, you pay an annual subscription to use the program.

The program is designed for easy use and you only need an Adobe Flash Player program to run the GrowVeg.com vegetable garden planner. Functions are very similar to most programs and include copy, paste, and undo. GrowVeg.com also offers tutorial videos that will help you learn exactly how to use the program.

There are over 130 different plants including herbs, fruits, and vegetables found within the GrowVeg.com program. This means that you can use GrowVeg.com as a vegetable garden planner, and herb garden planner, and a fruit garden planner all-in-one. GrowVeg.com also tracks your previous years’ crops so that you can avoid planting fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the wrong type of soil. The planner will notify you if there is a planting conflict.

Harvest times, sowing times, and planting times are also tracked for you with the GrowVeg.com garden planner. It sends friendly reminders right to your email when you need to plant new crops. This can be especially helpful with today’s busy lifestyle.

Garden Planner 2.5.0.6

The Garden Planner 2.5.0.6 is a landscape planner. It can be used as a flower garden planner, shrub planner, pond planner, or tree planner. You can use this program for a 14 day free trial. After that, you must pay the one-time fee that allows you unlimited use of the program.

While this program does not have all the bells and whistles as the GrowVeg.com planner and cannot be used as a vegetable garden planner, it does offer some pretty easy to use features. This garden planner software can be used by landscapers, homeowners, or garden enthusiasts to plan and design their landscaping.

Plangarden

Plangarden is a free vegetable garden planner. There are definitely a lot of missing elements when compared to GrowVeg.com. However, for a free program, it definitely does its job. Vegetable varities are rather limited but the most popular varieties are there. You cannot accomplish as many designs with the Plangarden vegetable garden software but you can make basic vegetable beds.

The Plangarden vegetable garden planner does still track your plant dates and harvest dates. It will also allow you to track vegetables that are planted indoors. It will also allow you to track when you perform actions like weeding, fertilizing, composting, and other relative garden functions in the daily log.

If you plan to visit the Melbourne Botanical Gardens, you may want to know about the must-see events and attractions available. Our experts have reviewed the activities at the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and have provided you with their findings. Keep reading to find out more.

General Information About the Melbourne Botanical Gardens

The Melbourne Botanical Gardens actually consists of three different gardens; the Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne, the Australian Gardens, and the Cranbourne Gardens. Each garden provides a different experience and theme. All of the Gardens are overseen by the Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria. Their vision is to be one of the world’s most outstanding botanic gardens. This vision is made evident when you visit any one of the three gardens.

Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne

The Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne features 26 different plant collections ranging from colorful perennials to large and majestic trees. While many guests enjoy their time at the Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne by strolling around the Ornamental Lake and enjoying the scenery and sounds, there is much more to do at this amazing attraction.

The Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne holds many events all year round including the Aboriginal Heritage Walk, the Gardens Stroll, and the Gardens by Twilight. In the Aboriginal Heritage Walk, guests can explore the lands and culture of the Kulin nation. The Gardens Stroll is a group experience that allows you to explore and discover the seasonal highlights of the gardens. The Gardens by Twilight is offered by arrangement only. Guests can stroll through the gardens and enjoy wine and hors d’ oeuvres under the twinkling of the stars. During any of your visits, you can take pictures at the Melbourne Botanical Gardens as long as you do not handle the animals.

Australian Garden

The award winning Australian Garden also offers guests a wonderful array of gardens, sculptures, displays, and events. The most popular of activities at the Melbourne Australian Gardens is that guests can enjoy the Australian Garden Journey guided tour. Guests can also obtain expert advice from the volunteer master gardeners while at the Australian Gardens.

Royal Botanical Gardens Cranbourne

The Royal Botanical Gardens Cranbourne displays wetlands, woodlands, and heathlands that have been unscathed and untouched. They are a must-see for any serious nature lover. You can cruise the bicycle track, explore the walking track, or spend time in the picnic area. During these activities, you are likely to see bush animals like the swift parrot, the blue billed duck, or the painted honeyeater.

Melbourne Aquarium

After visiting the Melbourne Botanical Gardens, you may want to make a stop at the Melbourne Aquarium before calling your vacation to an end. They offer shark dives, and underwater shark walk. These experiences allow you to get up close and personal with some of the most amazing aquatic life.

Whether you are simply visiting the Bronx, live in one of the Bronx apartments, or have recently purchased Bronx real estate, the Bronx Botanical Gardens are a must-see. With seasonal exhibit and exciting hands-on activities, this is a living museum that you don’t want to miss. And, with front gate access to the Bronx Botanical Gardens on the Metro North, getting there is fast and easy.

Lots to See at the Bronx Botanical Gardens

The Bronx Botanical Gardens are a 250 acre National Historic Landmark. It features 50 different gardens, each with a unique theme. Even if you find the opportunity to see all of the plant collections, as seasons change, the gardens offer a new experience. Some of the featured gardens include lilies, orchids, the family garden, and water lilies.

Inside the Bronx Botanical Gardens Forest, you can also find wildlife including birds and squirrels. A beautiful waterfall can be enjoyed during the spring, summer, and fall months. Each season offers a different color scheme and wildlife to enjoy.

The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden

Children can enjoy and experience nature within the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Mazes, hands-on activities, and large flowering children’s displays allow children to learn through play and exploration. This garden is intended for children from 2-12 years of age.

Educational Classes

Educational classes teach you and your family about self sustenance and nature. With a hands-on approach, you walk away feeling more confident about your abilities and knowledge. Class schedules change so contact the Bronx Botanical Gardens for more information.

Home Gardening Online

The Bronx Botanical Gardens also offers help to home gardeners on their online resource tool. Home gardeners can find recommended plants for the New York area, general gardening tips, as well as a gardening calendar to help you know when to grow and plant. The site is still growing so questions are always welcomed.

The Metro North Railroad

The Metro North Railroad is more than just a way to get to the Bronx Botanical Gardens. It is a fun and exciting experience for adults and children alike. You can even receive a 50% off discount on the regular fare if you ride the train on weekends.

Tram Tours

Tram tours are also offered at the Bronx Botanical Gardens. Guests can ride the tram over the 250 acre garden and receive information about the garden as well as its history and available programs. The tram makes four stops during the ride and guests can hop off the tram and enjoy the site further.

Having a Special Event at the Gardens

The Bronx Botanical Gardens allows weddings, birthday parties, as well as other special events. For specific information, you can contact the Gardens directly.

Whether you simply enjoy unique garden art or want to create a stone animal zoo in your own garden, there are many different animal garden ornaments that are sold and displayed. While some may be more difficult to find, others are found in abundance. The more popular the animal, the easier it will be to find. However, if you know how to look, you can find almost anything.

Meerkat Garden Ornaments

Meerkat garden ornaments have become especially popular since the premier of the UK release of Meekrkat Manor 4. These adorable little creatures can be found almost anywhere in a variety of poses, sizes, and themes. One of the most unique meerkat garden ornaments involves a family of meerkats. The mother meerkat is caressing the baby and the father stands an alert watch. Other meerkat garden ornaments include welcome signs, standing meerkats, and meerkats peering from statue ground holes.

Prairie Dog Garden Ornaments

Prairie dog garden ornaments prove to be a little more difficult to find. If, however, you simply want to appreciate prairie dog ornaments instead of purchasing them, take a trip to South Dakota. It is located near the Badlands off of I-90. Here, you can admire a 15 foot concrete prairie dog statue. If you bring peanuts, you can even meet a few real prairie dogs.

Warthog Garden Ornaments

Warthog garden ornaments also prove to be somewhat difficult to find. However, there are a few vendors that offer them. Want to visit a warthog statue? You will have to head over to Florence, Italy. Here, there is a dripping warthog statue.

Mongoose Garden Ornaments

Mongoose garden ornaments can also be found with a little bit of work. A resin mongoose statue with welcome sign and two huddled mongoose was found. There was even a life size statue available for you to display in your garden.

Prehistoric Garden Ornaments

Dinosaurs can be found in garden ornaments as well. Some of these beastly statues even stand up to 11 feet tall! Of course, not all dinosaur garden statues are that tall but they are offered if you are in to creating life like exhibits in your garden.

Bird Garden Ornaments

From peacocks to parrots to vultures, you can find almost any variety of bird garden ornaments you can dream of. Some are life sized. Others are miniature. Just search for your bird of choice and enjoy them all year long.

Lion and Tiger Garden Ornaments

Yes, there are even lion and tiger garden ornaments. Some of them are very life-like. Others are life sized. If you love big cats, you will certainly be able to find some to place in your garden.

Showcasing Your Garden

Do you have a unique garden? Do you enjoy looking at unique gardens? If so, you can check out the literate lemur. Here, some of the most unique garden ornaments are featured. Site visitors can even send their pictures to have a shot at being showcased.

Garden wall blocks can break up large courtyards, create a unique design, or even be used to make breathtaking waterfalls and fountains. However, not all garden wall blocks are created equal. There are advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of before deciding on a specific material or brand. Here, we have reviewed some of the most used materials for garden walls.

Before Purchasing Garden Wall Blocks

Before you purchase garden wall blocks, you must consider the height, use, and look that you want to achieve from the wall. Different materials will not work for higher walls. Certain purposes will limit your garden wall block choices as well. You should also make garden wall plans ahead of time so that you know how many blocks you need to complete the job. Make sure that before you set out to make your garden wall, you have all of the garden wall block products needed for the job as well.

In addition to the advantages and disadvantages of different garden wall blocks, you may want to do a careful comparison of the different garden wall block prices. This is especially true if your budget is a factor when planning your project. However, remember that inexpensive cost initially does not necessarily mean the most inexpensive cost over time.

Garden Wall Bricks

Garden wall bricks are considered a classic option. They go very well with older style homes as well as brick homes. While using garden wall bricks ensure an attractive finished product, there are a number of disadvantages to this option. The cost for garden wall bricks is rather high. Additionally, because of the work entailed, the wall should be set by a professional mason. Although the construction is rather durable, the mortar will likely need resetting over time.

Concrete Wall Blocks

Concrete wall blocks are best used for straight walls. These landscaping wall blocks require steel reinforcement as well as grout in the cells. Because of the skill required to install them, it is best if a professional mason performs the task. They have a decent amount of durability but the mortared joints may need to be re-pointed over time. This can cause the cost of concrete wall blocks to become rather expensive. Another disadvantage is the commercial and plain look that concrete wall blocks tend to have.

You can also purchase preformed concrete wall blocks. These are easier to install yourself. However, these should only be used for shorter walls because of the lack of reinforcement.

Versalock Retaining Wall Blocks

Versalock is one of the most trusted names in garden wall blocks. These landscaping wall blocks are designed for easy installation. They can be used for almost any design or purpose. They are also offered in a variety of colors and textures. The Versalock retaining wall blocks are also suitable for the do-it-yourself homeowner.

If you enjoy woodworking and have a garden trellis needs, you are probably considering choosing one of the many garden trellis designs. They can serve as a great weekend project and offer a large amount of functionality. They also provide a conversation piece and focal point to any yard or garden. If you are planning to build a garden trellis, keep reading for our review of different garden trellis designs.

Before Choosing Garden Trellis Designs

The first thing you should consider when deciding on your garden trellis designs is the function or purpose of the trellis. This will determine what kind of trellis design you should choose. After that, consider the price of different designs, skill needed to build the design, and the materials or tools needed. Carefully considering all of these factors will help you choose the right garden trellis design for your needs.

Best Vegetable Garden Trellis Designs

Unlike most trellis designs, vegetable garden trellis designs should be simple and removable. These are not designed to stay put all year round. Their main purpose is functionality. Their function is to support growing vegetables during the growing season.

While you may be tempted to skimp on materials or design, you are likely to find that doing so will create a trellis that does not perform its job adequately. Additionally, if you choose the right design and materials, you will be able to use your vegetable garden trellis for years.

The best vegetable garden trellis design we found was an A-frame design. There aren’t a lot of materials required and the cost to build is rather inexpensive. However, if built properly, this trellis could hold up for a couple of growing seasons. The A-frame vegetable garden trellis is designed for strength and high functionality. It is strong enough to support most vine vegetables and can support vines on four different surfaces.

This garden trellis design is also one of the best tomato trellis designs we have found. While tomato cages may seem like an easier option, using a trellis to support tomato plants has shown increased fruit yield.

Garden Pergola Designs

Garden pergolas can provide shade, an entryway, a focus feature, or even a place to grow vine plants or flowers. These exquisite pieces add character and a sense of serenity to any garden. There are many designs available for garden pergolas.

One of the best garden pergola designs we found incorporated the use of the pergola along with a decorative trellis. This can be used for hanging plants as well as vine plants. You can also feature the trellis as just a design. These garden pergolas can also be designed to sit right up against your house, allowing you to create a vine effect on your home without damaging the structure of your house.

Are you considering building a garden fence? If so, there are many factors that you should consider ahead of time. Not all garden fences are used for the same purpose. Their function plays an important part in deciding which garden fence designs you should use. Find out more about garden fence designs and how they are used.

Types of Garden Fence Designs

Garden fence designs can either be functional or decorative. Functional garden fence designs are intended to keep animals out. They can also be used to support specific plants within your garden if you plan your fence and garden design ahead of time. Ornamental fence designs are intended to add beauty to your garden. These are often used when plants are not likely to be damaged by animals. These fences can also hide areas of your yard or garden that you may not want others to see. These are often called privacy fences.

Vegetable Garden Fence Designs

Vegetable garden fence designs are intended to be the most functional. Not only are they responsible for keeping animals out, they are intended to support growing plants. Depending on your budget, there are several different designs and materials that you can use for this purpose.

If smaller animals are your worst problem, then wire fencing with carefully planned fence post designs may be adequate for your needs. These fences are easy to install and can be easily removed. However, they are not the most attractive option available.

Chain link fencing will prevent deer and like animals from getting into your garden. Fence designs are straight forward but do require some work to install. Fence posts must be set into the ground and fasteners are used to keep the fence together.

Wooden fence designs have a number of beautiful options. You can even choose your own stylish garden gate design. These vegetable garden fence designs do not provide as much support as chain length or wire fence designs. However, they are very pretty.

Wrought iron fence designs are both beautiful and highly functional. They are tall enough to keep large animals out like deer. These fence designs are also beneficial for plant support. Unfortunately, these are much more expensive than all of the other vegetable garden fence designs.

Ornamental Fence Designs

Ornamental Fencing does not have to be useless. These too can perform a function. While you may not be able to get as much function out of ornamental fence designs, privacy and beauty are some of the wonderful functions these fences provide.

One of the most popular and definitely favorite ornamental fence designs is lattice fence. These fences can be painted to match the house, are very inexpensive, and can even be used to support light vine plants like ivy or flowers.

Garden screening can provide homeowners with a number of valuable functions. They can provide privacy or block unattractive surrounding sites. They can also add beauty and shade to your garden or yard. However, there are a number of things you must take into consideration before deciding on your garden screening ideas.

Before You Choose Garden Screening Ideas

Before you can choose garden screening ideas, you need to be aware of any Homeowner’s Association rules or regulations. Be considerate of your neighbors as well. They may not agree with your artistic tastes. You also need to consider things like your budget, the final appearance, and the practicality of the different garden screening ideas you are looking at. Once you have accurately considered all of these factors, you will be able to choose the right garden screening ideas for you.

Brushwood Screening Ideas

Brushwood screening ideas are highly unique. These plants are native to Australia and are manufactured into environmentally friendly screening fences. These fencing ideas are used extensively in Australia but have only recently made their way to the States. Brushwood screening also provides you with additional benefits including cutting noise and helping you avoid chemicals that many fencing products are made from.

Tree Screening Ideas

Methodically placed trees can also provide adequate screening. You can use tall and majestic trees if you desire extra privacy or are trying to block a larger object. However, if your screening needs are not as extensive, you can use dwarf trees instead. Trees are both beautiful and eco-friendly. However, you will have to consider the possible upkeep required if you choose this type of garden screening.

Trellis Screening Ideas

Trellis screening allows you to create a living wall. You can grow vine plant or flowers on the trellis, creating a beautiful effect that changes with the seasons. The big disadvantage to trellis screens, however, is that you will have to wait until the vine grows for adequate screening.

Hedge Screening Ideas

Hedges can also serve as great garden screening ideas. Hedges come in a wide variety of species. For year-round privacy, choose Chinese holly or evergreen hedges. If you simply want a little added privacy during the summer when you are most likely to spend time outside, consider lilac bushes. These bushes will provide beauty and bless your garden with their sweet, fragrant smell. Of course, the disadvantage is that the hedge is unlikely to provide you with adequate screening when it is first planted.

Bamboo Screening Ideas

Bamboo also serves one of the most unique garden screening ideas. Bamboo provides you with beautiful green foliage and can also provide you with a decent amount of screening right from the start. They can be planted at almost any height. However, you will pay more for taller bamboo. You should carefully check the specifics of all bamboo because they do grow differently. They can range in height from dwarf to very tall and some will grow more upright than others.

Garden ornaments don’t have to be boring or monotonous. In fact, there are many unique garden ornaments that homeowners can enjoy. Of course, not everyone will like the same thing so taking the time to consider your tastes and preferences will help you design your garden in a way that appeals to you best.

Benefits to Using Unusual Garden Ornaments

By using unusual garden ornaments in your garden, you can enjoy a theme that is all your own. Your garden will not look like your neighbors and it will reflect your artistic taste and personal style. Your garden may even become a wonderful conversation piece for visitors and passer-bys. We have reviewed some of the most unique garden ornaments here.

Springee Spinner animals

Springee spinner animals are very colorful and unique. These unique garden ornaments have small fans that spin in the wind and are easily moved when you decide you need a change in your garden. Frogs, flamingos, dogs, and peacocks that are full of motion can adorn your garden, giving it a fun and creative style. These garden ornaments are made of metal for long-lasting appearance and will surely be a piece that you can enjoy for years.

Garden Wobblers

These rare garden ornaments offer your garden art you can touch. These wobbling garden ornaments are weighted on the bottom so they never tip over. Whether you have children or just want a great conversation piece, these unusual garden ornaments are full of fun. The best part is that you don’t have to confine them to your garden. They can even be placed in your home or on an office desk.

Twisted Whiskers

Twisted whiskers can be purchased in either cats or dogs. These big-eyed, comical garden animals are fun and weird garden ornaments that will have every visitor talking. From cute and adorable to just plain strange, you are sure to find a twisted whiskers garden ornament that fits your style.

Splats

These strange garden ornaments are intended only for the homeowner with a serious sense of humor. Road kill type figurines come in either rooster or woodpecker. While some visitors may be grossed out by your unusual garden statues, others are likely to get a good laugh.

Metal Yard Art

Not all metal yard art is created equal when you are looking for unusual garden ornaments. However, there are many metal garden ornaments that feature larger than life bugs and comical frogs or flamingos. Before purchasing this type of yard ornament, do your research. Look for designs that fit your style and personal preference.

Dinosaur Garden Ornaments

Prehistoric garden ornaments can be miniature or large as life. While a prehistoric garden may not be ideal for everyone, some homeowners will find that an 11 foot T-Rex statue suits them just fine. This can be especially true if you have children or grandchildren that are dinosaur enthusiasts!

Designing a small garden can definitely have its challenges. While there is the obvious limitation of space, don’t underestimate the design potential a small space can have.  With some careful planning a small garden can provide you with all that you hoped for and much more.

Before You Select the Design for Your Small Garden

There are several things that you need to do before you decide on which garden design you will be going with. You will definitely want to take some time to evaluate the different aspects of your yard. You will want to determine what you have that you already like and what elements you would like to change. If there are things that you already like about your space, it only makes sense for you to incorporate those into your design.

You will also want to evaluate how much sunlight exposure your yard receives. This critical gardening element can determine a great deal in the future plans for small gardens.  You will then want to complete a fair amount of research regarding the plants that will do well in your environment with the amount of sunlight your area has to offer.  Determine whether or not there are any special plants that you would like to incorporate in your garden at this time. These special plants will act as the jewelry for your small garden – setting your garden apart from all the rest.  You can study pictures of small gardens to see what elements really stand out to you so that you can incorporate those into your own design.

Templates for Small Gardens

Once you decide on the look that you want to achieve, as well as the different plant elements that are appropriate, it is time to create a template for your garden. This will serve as a map for your garden design. One simple way to create this is by using graph paper. You will want to initially draw in all of the elements that are already in place and then add in the new elements you would like to see as well. There are also a variety of computer software programs that can offer these services to you. These also can provide a 3-D image for you to preview what your future garden may look like.

Design for Container Gardens

If you live in an apartment or other area that does not have a yard, you do not have to be left out of the gardening design enjoyment. Designs for container gardens are becoming increasingly popular and many home and garden stores are carrying more products that make container gardens easier to create and more enjoyable to look at.

Designs for Vegetable Gardens

Vegetable gardens tend to require a great deal of sunlight. This definitely needs to be taken into consideration when planning your own garden. Also remember that morning sun is best as well.  When you think of the design for your vegetable garden, don’t limit yourself to the idea that it all has to be vegetables. You can very easily incorporate other types of plants within your vegetable garden to break it up a bit.

Using native garden designs has many benefits. It reduces the chance of crop or plant failure. It ensures that you have as little maintenance of your garden. Native garden designs are also very environmentally friendly. The degree of environment friendliness will depend greatly on your particular climate and precipitation. However, in all areas, native garden designs ensure that you are supporting your local environment.

Choosing Native Garden Designs

Before choosing native garden designs, you need to know which plants are indigenous to your particular region. You will also need to know your planting zone. This will determine which plants will thrive in your particular climate as well as when to plant them. You can find climate zone charts online and at gardening stores.

North American Garden Designs

Because of the large variance in North American climate, there really is no such thing as common garden designs. In lower parts of the country, sub-tropical and desert conditions exist. In the northern parts, conditions can reach below freezing throughout much of the year. However, there are optimal native garden designs no matter where you live in North America. There are also a few plants that grow well in almost any North American region.

The Bottlebrush Buckeye shrub can thrive in almost any North American Climate. While they are most popular in the southeastern regions but there have been success stories for these plants as far north as Ontario, Canada. This shrub sprouts spring foliage that appears to be bronze, changes to dark green in the summer, and yellow in the fall. This means that you can have a beautiful shrub that changes with the seasons.

The American Highbush Cranberry produces maple leaf like foliage and produces bright red berries in the summer and fall. Most climates can support the American Highbush Cranberry. However, it does not do well in hot and humid climates.

African Garden Design

While the country of Africa also has many different climates, native gardening in Africa is different than North America native gardening. Native garden designs will also take climate into consideration. However, there are aboriginal garden designs for this country.

One of the most popular is the African Violet. This flower can be found all over the world but is native to the Nguru Mountians in Tanzania. This beautiful flower is rather similar to traditional violets and leaves have an almost furry texture and appearance.

Kiwano can be found most commonly in the central and southern areas of Africa. A member of the melon family, the Kiwano plant produces a fruit that has a spike-like appearance. Its fruit is exported all over the world for decorative purposes but the fruit can also be eaten and is highly nutritious.

Indian Garden Designs

Native landscaping includes some of the most beautiful flowering plants including the lotus and jasmine. Mangos are also indigenous to the area at elevation levels lower than 3,000 feet.

For some plants, raised garden beds are provide the best conditions for plant growth. Plants like carrots or onions require a large amount of heat and may experience growth problems if planted directly in the soil. Traditionally, raised garden bed plans simply meant piling several inches of soil on top of native soil. However, recent ideas have incorporated completely contained raised garden boxes and deemed these as raised garden beds as well. If you are unsure about which type of raised garden bed plans to use, read on to find out what our experts had to say.

Traditional Raised Garden Bed Plans

Traditional raised garden bed plans have been used for centuries. These generally use native soil but can also be made up of compost or manure. The benefit to using raised beds, particularly in vegetable gardens, is that you can increase the temperature of the soil. This can promote growth for plants that require warmer temperatures. You can also prevent growth stunts in onions, carrots, or other below ground foods. The only exception would be potato varieties.

Unfortunately, traditional raised garden bed plans still require the same amount of maintenance as regular garden plans. There are no preventative measures to avoid weeds and animals often track through these gardens. These are many of the reasons that gardeners have started to move towards contained raised garden boxes.

DIY Raised Garden Beds

DIY raised garden beds require you to construct the raised garden box on your own. There is a wide variety of materials that can be used including wood, straw, hay, concrete, and bricks. However, some materials definitely work better than others.

Wood is easy to work with and raised garden beds can be constructed in an afternoon. They are also rather inexpensive. Another added benefit is that they can be used year after year. It is important that if you decide to use wood for your raised bed vegetable garden, you avoid using pressure treated lumber. Pressure treated lumber contains chemicals that you do not want in your vegetables.

Materials like straw and hay can also be used for DIY raised garden beds. While these raised garden bed plans are not suitable for repeated use, they can provide you with a temporary and inexpensive garden bed solution.

Concrete and brick can be used and can be very durable for homeowners. However, maintenance will be required after several years because of the mortar used to hold them together. Additionally, if you do not plan to live in your home permanently, it may be a cost that is unnecessary.

Raised Bed Garden Kits

Raised bed garden kits make building raised garden beds simple. Everything you need is included in the kit and everything is cut to scale. Of course, you will pay a slightly higher cost for a raised bed garden kit than you would if you opted for diy raised garden beds.

Water features can transform your garden into a small piece of paradise. These relaxing features add a serene sense of nature and give you a wonderful place to relax. They also make beautiful focal points in your garden. If you are looking for the best water features for gardens, keep reading for our expert reviews.

Before Choosing Water Features for Gardens

Before choosing water features for gardens, consider your budget carefully. The cost for water features can get expensive, and fast. You should also take environmental elements into consideration. Water features in dry areas can really deplete water supplies. However, there are ways that you can collect extra rain water during rainy seasons to reduce the effect. One idea would be to use large water collection drums. You can also look in to solar water features can be used for features that require power or heat. This will reduce your carbon footprint and still allow you to enjoy the serenity and beauty of water features in your gardens.

Ecosystem Ponds

Ecosystem ponds can be used in gardens to create a complete nature environment. Ecosystem ponds are rather cost effective and are very easy to maintain. All of the features in these garden water features work together to keep the pond naturally balanced, much like ponds that occur naturally. Plants, fish, rock, gravel, and aeration all play a part in making this one of the best backyard water features available.

Pondless Waterfalls

Waterfalls in gardens provide relaxing sound and effects. However, waterfalls can sometimes be costly and require a great deal of nature when they are paired with a pond. Pondless waterfalls eliminate these problems. They are highly cost effective and they require very little maintenance. This allows you to enjoy one of the most esteemed water features for gardens without all the cost and hassle.

Water Fountains

A water fountain in the garden quickly becomes a focal point. These can vary greatly in cost but the maintenance is usually very minimal. These are the most common water feature ideas to offer solar powered options. This is because most water fountains require power to work. There is a very wide selection of water fountains for gardens and it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Carefully consider the water fountain designs that fit your style the best.

Water Features for Nursery

You can also find great water features for your nursery. These tend to be less elaborate than garden water features. However, they can still provide you with a great sense of tranquility and add beauty to your plant haven. Water features that are common for nurseries include fountains and miniature waterfalls. However, you can also find small ponds that can be used for indoor nurseries as well.

Botanical gardens can be enjoyed by anyone of any age. They are a wonder of nature and allow you to learn about nature on a deeper level. For some, botanical gardens are a regular part of their lives. For others, they have never experienced the wonder of botanical gardens. No matter which category you fall into, you will enjoy our reviews of the best botanical gardens in Texas.

San Antonio Botanical Gardens

The San Antonio Botanical Gardens are open and can be enjoyed all year round. While at the gardens, you are permitted to take pictures of your adventures as long as you respect the other guests and your surroundings.

The San Antonio Botanical Gardens is compromised of three different areas; the formal display gardens, the Lucille Halsell Conservatory, and the Texas Nature Trail. Each offers a different adventure and experience. Even if you are able to manage visiting each area in the same day, a return visit will provide you with a different seasonal experience. If you are not a native to San Antonio but want to visit the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, hotels nearby can make your visit much easier.

Houston Botanical Gardens

The Houston Botanical Gardens were founded in 2002. It is still under development but there are grand ideas for this wonderful attraction. Water features, natural shade trees, and thoughtful designs will be some of the things to look forward to in the Houston Botanical Gardens. The gardens are planned to span over 265 total acres.

Dallas Botanical Gardens

The Dallas Botanical Gardens features 66 acres of garden displays all set on the background of the White Rock Lake. Here, there are a number of events that are held each and every year. Concerts, art shows, and outdoor festivals are a regular occurrence at the Dallas Botanical Gardens. They promote family friendly activities that guests of all ages can enjoy. Couples can even plan their wedding at the Dallas Botanical Gardens.

Just visiting the Dallas area? You could complete your trip to the Dallas Botanical Gardens by staying at one of the bed and breakfast locations nearby. There are three different bed and breakfast hotels near the Dallas Botanical Gardens.

Austin Botanical Gardens

More commonly known as the Zilker Botanical Gardens, the Austin Botanical Gardens features 22 acres of flowers, plants, trees, and shrubs. Guests can spend time learning about native plants in the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden or take a walk down the “bridge to walk over the moon” which gives you the perfect view of over 22 beautiful lotus blooms.

If you are out of town visiting the Austin Botanical Gardens consider nearby hotels or bed and breakfast locations. There are two different bed and breakfast locations and several hotels to choose from.

If you are looking for a beautiful garden accent, perhaps a pond or waterfall would be something for you to consider. Even though this project does have its challenges, by researching and planning ahead you can eliminate these potential pitfalls.

Looking at pictures of different ponds and waterfalls can be a good way to determine what you like and don’t like. This can also help you enhance your current landscaping by making it flow nicely instead of having the feature look out of place. You also need to research the proper way to complete installation if you plan on completing this project yourself. Once you complete the installation of this decorative item, the finished look will be a breathtaking addition to your landscaping as well as add property value to your home.

Choosing the Best Spot for Garden Ponds and Waterfalls

Selecting the very best spot for your pond or waterfall is the first step to this process. You will need to select an area which receives at least partial sun throughout the day. If you are choosing to put in a pond you will need to decide what shape you would like to use. An easy way to accomplish this is to use a garden hose to layout potential sizes and shapes representing the pond to see what you like and dislike. A rope or string will also work but you may have to use wooden stakes to help the rope stay in its place. Once you have determined the shape and location of your pond, be sure to take good measurements so that when you are buying supplies you get exactly what you need.

Garden Pond Kits

One of the easiest ways to put in a pond is to buy a garden pond kit. That way, you are sure to only get the supplies you need. These kits also tend to be more cost efficient than purchasing everything separately. There are a variety of home and garden stores that sell these kits such as Lowes and Home Depot.

Garden Pond Design

If you want to do something more creative or need a particular shape in order to implement your pond into your existing landscape design, you can always create your own pond design that suits your needs.   Although this solution isn’t as easy as purchasing a pond kit, it is still an option. You will want to be sure to research what this entails in addition to all of the materials you will need in order to install this properly.

Garden Fountains and Waterfalls

Garden fountains and waterfalls also provide a beautiful touch to your landscaping. You can use these instead of a pond, or in addition to, like in a koi pond with a waterfall.  Even a small pond with a waterfall can be a delightful addition to your landscaping. Backyard ponds and waterfalls can also create a relaxing retreat to get away from day to day life.

If you are planning on installing a garden or other landscaping elements, you will definitely want to consider implementing an irrigation system at this time as well. There are so many options though; it can be tough to know what to choose. With all of the choices out there, it is best to determine exactly what your needs are ahead of time before making any decisions. This can potentially save you both time and money. If done correctly the first time, it will not be necessary to go back and redo it – even if you add on to your landscaping design.

Things to Consider Before Installing Irrigation Systems for a Garden

There are several things you need to ask yourself before installing an irrigation system for your garden. First of all, what is the exact location of the garden? What exactly is going to be grown in that particular garden? If you have a vegetable garden, it is going to have different watering needs than say a flower garden? You also need to evaluate how much sun the garden will receive. This will affect your watering needs as well.

There are other needs that you need to consider as well. Do you require a completely automatic system or do you want a manual system, meaning you are going to facilitate the watering by hand to some extent? If you are a busy person perhaps the automatic system would be the best choice for you. However, if you are home more, you may be able to save money with the manual system.

You also need to consider the size of the system you are going to need. Do you need an irrigation system for a lawn too, or is it just a garden? Do you require an irrigation system for your road or driveway? Spending some time determining your needs is essential in order for you to move forward with the purchase of the system.

Irrigation Pumps for Gardens

Once you determine what type of system you need, you will then need to determine if an irrigation pump for your garden is needed. There are a variety of pumps out there for your irrigation needs and it is important to know what your exact needs for a pump. You will also want to evaluate your water pressure and make sure it is adequate for the pump you are selecting. This is definitely something you are going to want to research thoroughly before purchasing anything.

Different Irrigation Systems

If you have a need for an irrigation system for something, there is a system for it. There are irrigation systems for the nursery, irrigation systems for the house; they even have irrigation systems for apartments.    There are so many different irrigation systems for sale out there regardless of what your needs are there is certainly a system for you.

One of the only perennial vegetables, Rhubarb grows best in cooler climates. You will find that by planting it is a cooler climate it will be the easiest to care for and grow. Highly desirable in dishes such as cobblers and pies, rhubarb can grow for over 20 years if well taken care of.

How to Grow Rhubarb Step-by-Step

Growing rhubarb isn’t difficult if you follow these simple steps.

1.)    Obtain a starter rhubarb plant – these are readily available through a variety of catalogs and nurseries.

2.)    Plant rhubarb in early spring; as soon as you can work the ground. If you live in an area with a mild climate you will need to plant in the fall.

3.)    Plant your rhubarb in a low traffic area with full sunlight. It cannot be disturbed. The soil should be well-drained and fertilized. You should not plant in areas that contain heavy clay soil or the roots will rot before it even sprouts.

4.)    Plant starters no closer than 3 feet apart. This spacing is critical so that each plant has enough room.

5.)    Continually add lots of compost to the rhubarb bed, especially when the stalks begin to appear.

6.)    Be sure to remove seed stalks as soon as they appear. If not, your plant will stop producing stalks. These look considerably different than the edible stalks.

7.)    Ensure that your rhubarb plants are being properly watered. They will require one inch per week.

8.)    Refrain from harvesting any of your plants for the first year.  The second year you will want to harvest modestly. The third year on you can harvest as desired.

Growing Rhubarb for Additional Uses

There are a variety of uses of rhubarb besides cooking. It is also good for cleaning pots and pans, believe it or not. If you are looking to restore the shine to your burnt pots adding some rhubarb will do the drink. This is also an environmentally friendly option. You can use rhubarb as a hair dye. This will add a golden glow to those who have blond or light brown hair. Finally, rhubarb can be used as an environmentally friendly insecticide. This will repel any leaf eating insect.

Potential Health Benefits of Rhubarb

There are a variety of potential health benefits from growing rhubarb. Rhubarb has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Some studies indicate that rhubarb may help in reducing the risk of cancer.  Rhubarb may also improve your circulation and lower your cholesterol, reducing your risk to heart disease. Rhubarb can also be used as an anti-inflammatory for arthritis sufferers. Rhubarb can also improve the affects of allergies.  Studies show rhubarb to have a positive effect on your lungs as well.

It is especially important with small gardens to pick a solid design from the start. It is also important to realize that when you don’t have a lot of room to work with, every detail needs to be planned out. You also don’t have a lot of room to make mistakes in your design. Doing your homework and researching different designs and knowing what works well in advance can help you obtain a design you will be happy with for years to come. Along with the satisfaction of a quality design, you will also have the satisfaction of maintaining it, year after year. A quality design will only grow in beauty as it matures and develops.

Choice Garden Designs for Small Gardens

There are a lot of aspects to a garden design that makes it great. Of course you want a design that is a thing of beauty and full of color, but you also want a place to get away and relax. A choice garden design implements all of these aspects into one design and then some. A quality design adds focal points of interests, but also practicality. It is critical that the garden design be efficient in water usage and maintenance to make it an optimal design.  A choice garden design also reflects the style of the owner.

Design Themes for the Small Garden

There are a variety of design themes that can be used for small gardens. There are simple garden designs. There are eco-friendly designs and some even prefer the simplicity of a modern small garden that has become so trendy. There are many garden designs for vegetable gardens as well if you want a practical approach to gardening. There are also more traditional design themes available to you if that is your style of preference. Whatever your style or taste, you can design a garden to reflect just that.

How to Choose the Best Garden Design for You

With so many garden ideas for small gardens to choose from, it can be difficult to decide on which design is for you. Many things should be taken into consideration, one of which is what the outside of your home looks like. If you have a traditional style home, it would be suggested to choose a garden design that coordinates with that. There are also other things to take into consideration including what types of plants grow best in your area. Finally, you need to consider how much maintenance you want to complete on a regular basis. You will want to do your research as well before selecting a design. Take a look at garden pictures of other small gardens to help give you an idea of what you like.

Green Bay, Wisconsin has many wonderful experiences to offer.  Its natural beauty is expressed in a variety of different ways – everything from the Green Bay Botanical Gardens to the Heritage Hill State Park. With Green Bay being located between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, it offers a beautiful setting to explore, view, and enjoy. If you chose to visit the Green Bay area for your next vacation, you will not be disappointed.

Green Bay Botanical Gardens

The Green Bay Botanical Gardens is one of the most popular sites visited in Green Bay.  Opened in 1996, it has provided thousands of guests the opportunity to witness the beauty of the mid-west first hand. While visiting the Botanical Garden you will find 47 acres of beautiful gardens. The garden architecture will provide you with a great deal of enjoyment during your visit. Each plant has been specifically chosen to create a spectacular display for all to witness. Seasonal changes allow guests to enjoy a new experience at every visit. They also have a variety of educational programs to offer. It is conveniently open year-round to feature a variety of opportunities for you to enjoy while visiting Green Bay. You will surely not be disappointed by all it has to offer.

Best Activities in Green Bay

Green Bay is a very popular city to visit and thousands of tourists visit there every year. Your vacation will be action packed with many activities for you and your family’s enjoyment. The new zoo in Green Bay offers a variety of exotic animals that you can enjoy. Designed to be family-friendly, the zoo can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.

Heritage Hill State Park is another location you will not want to miss. This is a living museum that will give you a realistic and exciting look at history. Located on the banks of Fox Park you will surely enjoy this unique experience. There are also a variety of theme parks that will provide a great deal of fun for all ages. The young and old are surely to enjoy all of the great activities that Green Bay has to offer.

Best Attractions in Green Bay

Referred to as the “Gateway to the Midwest”, Green Bay is known for its variety of attractions that are both exciting and well rounded. This city contains everything from theme parks to museums and everything in between. You won’t want to miss any of them. You will definitely go home feeling as if you didn’t have enough time to thoroughly enjoy all the city has to offer.  Heritage Hill is a hot spot for tourists as well as the Green Bay Zoo. The Neville Public Museum is also a star attraction that you will want to attend.

Bark chippings are a great addition to any garden, for a variety of reasons. First of all, it gives the garden a crisp, clean look. Wood chips are commonly used by professional landscapers, so by adopting this element in your own design, if done correctly, can give your design a very professional look.

Bark Chippings can be placed around trees, shrubs, and in flower beds. There are many benefits to adding bark chippings to your garden. They provide an organized look to your design, creating clean lines, and a nice flow to your design. It can help define different spaces in your garden and they are a very cost effective way in doing so.

In a more practical sense, they help to protect your plants and help to keep the weeds down. Whether you use bark chippings for coverage or to improve the health of your garden, they provide a very effective solution to your gardening design needs.

Best Choice of Bark Chippings for Gardens

Finding solutions to give your garden that finished look can be difficult, especially in a cost effective manner. There is a great deal that must be taken into consideration before you decide to purchase. You need to determine how much space you need to cover and what that space will be used for.

There are many different varieties of chipped bark that are used for a variety of reasons. Make sure you are selecting the correct type of chipped bark for exactly what you need.  You will also need to determine which sizes of bark chippings are best for your needs. The sizes are commonly referred to as nugget sized as well as mini-nugget sized and then there is also what is referred to as mulch.

Different Types of Wood Bark Chippings

If you are looking in the market for bark chippings for your house you will want to make sure you research the different types of wood bark chippings. It is important that you know the differences in what is on the market. Bark chippings are typically made of pine bark or cedar bark. You will need to determine which you prefer before purchasing. There will obviously be a difference in price so that will be a factor for you as well.

Buying Bulk Bark Chippings

Most home and garden stores have bark chippings for sale but if you are going to be using this in a large area you may consider purchasing bulk bark chippings. If you need bark chippings for a nursery or green house, purchasing in bulk will definitely be the way to go. The bulk chips price will vary depending on the quality and type of bark chips you are choosing.  However, there is often a discount when you buy bark chippings in bulk.

Have you been watering your garden by hand up until now? Are you now tired of doing so? Maybe you should consider upgrading to a watering system for your garden, for your convenience. Upgrading to a watering system can not only make your life easier, but make your garden growth more successful as consistent watering is extremely important. Although installing one of these systems may sound like it is extremely complicated, with the watering systems now for sale at the home and garden stores this process is not as complicated as it once was.  If you need a watering system for your house, a watering system for your nursery, or any other system for that fact you will be able to find it and install it on your own.

Best Watering Systems for Gardens

There are many different watering systems for gardens available today. The question – which one meets your needs? This can be determined by asking some simple questions. First, how big of an area do you need to water? Do you require a drip irrigation system in addition to your main system? How much water do your plants require? After you ask yourself these basic questions you will be much more equipped to determine what your needs are. If you have any special watering needs you can address them at this time.

Watering Devices for Gardens

There are a variety of watering devices for gardens readily available today. There are lawn sprinklers, hose sprayers, and trickle irrigation supplies. Despite what your garden irrigation needs are, there is certainly a solution for you and the equipment to fulfill your needs. Most of these devices will be available for you at your local home and garden center.

Watering Systems for Lawns

There are many things you need to consider when you are deciding on what type of watering system you want for your lawn. One of the first things you need to decide is whether or not you want an automatic system or a manual system. Obviously, there are pros and cons to both.  One of the major factors in the decision is the size of your lawn. If you have a relatively small lawn, perhaps you don’t mind watering manually. If you have a large lawn, an automatic system would be a much easier solution. You will also need to consider how much sun your lawn gets as that will determine the amount of water your lawn will require.

Systems for Gardens Drip Irrigation

A drip system can be a great addition to your garden. It can be a huge water saver, not to mention time. Your local home and garden center will have these types of watering systems for sale to aide you in the ease of installation.

San Diego is a beautiful place to visit. There are so many different activities to choose from that it will be hard to choose. Whether you are bringing the whole family or looking for a romantic getaway, San Diego will not disappoint you. The variety of attractions will appeal to those of all ages. Whether you want to visit the beach or the botanical gardens there will be plenty for you to do, see, and enjoy.

San Diego Botanical Gardens

San Diego Botanical Gardens, formerly known as the Quail Botanical Gardens is a hot spot for locals and tourists. There are over four miles of garden trails for you to explore and enjoy. There are amazing displays of nature including the largest bamboo collection in the nation. If you are interested in receiving a San Diego Botanical Gardens coupon, there are a number of them provided online. If you are looking for another attraction that has similar features try out the Los Angeles Botanical Gardens.

San Diego Museum of Man

The San Diego Museum of Man is definitely an attraction you will not want to miss while visiting the San Diego area. This museum documents and displays the evidence of human development.  With the objects and other items they have on display there, you will surely walk away feeling amazed by the experience.

San Diego Hotels

There are a variety of hotels for you to stay at in San Diego. Everything from modern to historical, whatever you prefer, you will find it. These luxurious hotels can provide you with all of the amenities you desire for your stay. They will also provide you with the rest and relaxation you need to recover from all the excitement that you experience visiting the other attractions San Diego has to offer.

San Diego Farmers Market

It may sound odd for a farmers market to be a lead attraction but then again you haven’t been to the San Diego Farmers Market. Established in 1912, this market as wonderful fresh produce provided by local farmers. With a variety of times and locations you will be able to experience this attraction for yourself regardless of day you decide to attend.

San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is definitely a main attraction for those of all ages. With more than 4000 animals for you to observe, there will definitely be plenty to look at. It is one of the largest zoo’s in the world. With the zoo covering over 100 acres you will need to make sure you wear proper clothing. Before going you will want to double check the hours you can access the zoo. Zoo hours will vary by season. You will also want to check out special shows and exhibits that may be available during your visit. These can be an added bonus to your visit.

Garden decking can be an incredible addition to any garden design or landscaping. Many professional designers are using these elements to accent contemporary gardens. They often choose decorative elements, such as lighting, to add even more detail to the overall design. Garden decking can be a larger decorative element so it is critical that these are planned out carefully. If these are put in half hazard without proper planning, it can cause major design issues and this can be an expensive mistake. You also need to be careful that you do not use too much of this material as it can completely overpower your garden design.

Things to Consider in Garden Decking Design Ideas

You really need to map out exactly what the addition of the deck is going to look like before you start building. This will require you to research different decking options as well as different pictures to give you an accurate mental image of the look you are trying to create. You also need to consider if there are other elements you would like to implement like

Creative Wood Decking Design Ideas

There are so many options when it comes to wood decking, the possibilities are endless. There are all of the different types of wood as well as the different finishes to go along with them. You can make your deck look aged and distressed to provide a rustic look or you can use a white wash finish to help create a Victorian feel.  Outdoor decking design ideas don’t have to be boring. You can be creative and implement a variety of elements that were never thought possible before.

Incorporating Plants and Flowers into Your Decking Ideas

You may want to incorporate your favorite flower into your decking design ideas. This can easily be done by adding contained flower boxes to either railings or along the edge of the deck. Just be certain that you look at many different designs when considering adding any plant box into your decking design ideas. This will ensure that you use the right materials to ensure proper drainage. Without proper drainage, you could quickly bring damage to your deck, particularly if your deck is constructed of wood.

Flooring Designs

If you are adding a deck to your backyard garden, flooring design ideas should be considered very carefully. While the deck can add a large amount of beauty as well as a place to sit and enjoy your garden, the wrong flooring design may actually harm your garden. Flooring designs should not obstruct sunlight from plants that need it the most. This can make a difference in the design options you have to choose from.

If there was a popularity contest among vegetables that we eat, broccoli would be a contender for the top five. This wasn’t always the case. In fact, it was only in recent years that it has become so popular among those who cook and those who eat.

How this happened, we may never know, but the fact remains: we use broccoli in an extraordinarily vast variety of dishes.

How To Grow Broccoli

If you have doubts about learning how to grow broccoli yourself, simply answer this question: how often do you buy it at the store?

The answer is probably akin to: often.

Why waste so much money and energy when you can simply grow it yourself? Unlike some of its veggie cousins, learning how to grow broccoli really isn’t such a difficult job.

In the sections below, we’ll go over a simple step by step guide on how to grow broccoli and then show you a couple of hints and tips that will help you to grow the perfect crop.

How to Grow Broccoli: A Starter’s Guide

Growing broccoli is easy. Take a look at this simple guide to get you started:

1. Like most other vegetables, you need to find a spot in your garden that gets plenty of direct sunlight and has good drainage to grow your broccoli.
2. Sow your broccoli seeds into the ground one or two months before the last of the frosty weather.
3. When the central head of the broccoli is about an inch in diameter add a bit of compost top-dressing to aid in the new plants’ nutrition.
4. Your broccoli plants should be getting one to two inches of water per week.
5. To avoid an infestation of cutworms, place a paper collar around each broccoli plant.
6. As soon as the broccoli heads are big enough to use, pick them and eat them!

How to Grow Broccoli: Some Helpful Hints

If you want to make sure that your crop of broccoli is the best it can possibly be, take a look at these tips and tricks of the trade to help you along your way:

• Broccoli doesn’t like the heat too much. It grows the best in mild climates, where the nights stay cool and the days don’t get too much over the mid-60′s.
• Be aware that you should never plant broccoli in a place where any other broccoli or cauliflower has grown for the past four years.
• You’ll want to add plenty of compost and organic matter to the soil when you are growing broccoli. It does the best in soil that has a neutral pH.

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Like carrots, basil, and tomatoes, cucumbers are essential ingredients to a colorful, lush, and delicious backyard garden.

If you are worried that growing cucumbers may be too difficult or take up too much of your already dwindling, precious free time, then you are worrying over nothing.

How To Grow Cucumbers

In the following sections, we’ll show you just how easy it is to learn how to grow cucumbers with a simple step by step guide, and then we’ll reveal a few tricks of the trade to make sure you’ve got the greenest thumb possible when working with these delicious veggies.

Guide on How to Grow Cucumbers: Step by Step

Follow the steps below to grow great cucumbers as easily as possible:

1. The first thing you must do is find the right spot in your veggie patch to plant your cucumbers. They like the warmth, so finding a plot that receives sunlight all day long is preferable.
2. Make sure you include plenty of compost in your soil. This will help you grow the most deliciously well-developed cucumbers you possibly can.
3. Wait two weeks after the last frost of the season has passed, and then plant your cucumber seeds straight into the ground.
4. Make sure there’s enough room between seeds for your cucumbers to grow well. If you’re working with a vine variety, leave two to three feet between them. For bush varieties, eighteen inches of space will work just fine.
5. Four weeks after they’ve germinated, you’ll want to feed the cucumbers fish emulsion for best results. Also, mulch the soil around the plants once they’ve proved themselves healthy growers to keep the weeds at bay.
6. Your cucumbers need to drink an inch of water per week at the very least.
7. When they’ve grown six to eight inches long, your cucumbers are ready for picking, washing, cutting, and eating!

How to Grow Cucumbers: Tricks of the Trade

Here are a couple hints and tips from gardening and vegetable patch experts that will help you learn how to grow cucumbers like a true green thumb professional:

• Cucumbers like the heat, which is why you should find a spot with day-long sunshine. But if you live in an especially hot or dry climate, you should find a spot where your cucumbers can get just a bit of afternoon shade to keep them healthy.
• If you want cucumbers for pickling purposes, pluck them from the vine or the bush when they are only 3 to 4 inches long.
• For better air circulation and protection from certain ground-bound pests, try growing your vine cucumbers on a trellis. This system tends to keep your cucumbers much healthier than if you let them grow on the ground.

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It truly isn’t very hard to learn how to grow winter or butternut squash. And if you already have a garden in your backyard, it’s even easier.

Winter & Butternut Squash Growing Guide

Squash is considered by professional green thumbs to be one of the absolute easiest vegetables to grow. This makes it a perfect match for the gardener who hasn’t yet done much gardening. Squash is, in essence, a beginner grower’s best pick.

These veggies love the heat, so if you live in a cooler climate, you may want to check with your local nursery or home and garden store to ask which varieties may grow the best in your neighborhood.

However, summer squash matures in fifty days or less, so if your summers are warm enough where you live, you may just get away with it anyway.

In the following sections, we’ll take a look at how to grow squash in your own garden or patch and then offer you some hints and tips to make sure your crop is the best it can possibly be.

How to Grow Squash: A Simple Guide

Learning how to grow squash really is an easy task. Here’s a step by step guide to get your own patch started this year:

1. Wait until the danger of frosty weather has passed, then pick up your squash plants from your local nursery or home and garden store.
2. You want to choose a place to plant your squash that gets plenty of direct sunlight and has pretty fertile soil that drains well.
3. Plant your squash in little hills that are three to four feet apart from one another. You should put two seedlings in each hill.
4. You’ll want to keep your squash plants under floating row covers to keep them nice and warm and protect them from cool winds. Remove the coverings when flowers begin to appear.
5. Use plenty of organic matter to mulch your plants. This helps keep the weeds away and preserves moisture.
6. Your squash plants should be getting about an inch of water every week.
7. Wait until the squash is big enough to be used, then pick them and enjoy!

How to Grow Squash: Special Tricks of the Trade

Take a look at these great hints and tips from seasoned professionals to help you with your crop of squash this year and further down the line:

• Learning how to grow winter squash (and therefore learning how to grow butternut squash and a number of other varieties that include buttercup, acorn, Hubbard, and Spaghetti) is great if you want a yield that will have thick skins and the ability to be stored for long periods of time.
• There are an incredible variety of squash species out there because they cross breed so well. If you want to have a really great crop next year, full of new and strange looking varieties, keep your seeds from this year to use.
• If you want to help keep away pests that are common annoyances with squash, plant some radishes in your patch. They are natural pest repellants.

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Find Out Where Bananas Grow

Before we answer the big question about where bananas grow, it might help to uncover a few mysteries about the popular fruit we all (well, most of us) love and know so little about.

For instance, the sweet, yellow bananas we are all familiar with are really only one of a vast variety of different kinds of bananas out there. They don’t just come in yellow. There are also red, purple, and green ones, too.

What we eat with breakfast are called dessert bananas, and these make up the great bulk of bananas that are imported and exported around the world.

Most cultures and commerce are interested in bananas because of the fruit they bear, but there are some places in the world where they are considered to be ornamental items and in certain circles they are harvested for fiber.

But what we are concerned with in this article is that banana that we are most familiar with: the sweet, yellow, dessert banana.

In the following sections, we’ll talk a bit about the question ‘where do bananas grow?’ as it pertain to the geography of the world and if it’s at all possible for you to grow some in your own backyard.

Where Do Bananas Grow: Around the World

While it is common knowledge (among those in the know) that bananas originated in Southeast Asia, what is less widely known is where they were first domesticated and cultivated. A lot of experts agree that it was probably in the vicinity of Papua New Guinea, though we can’t be absolutely certain.

Today, they are grown all over the tropical regions of the world and in as many as 107 different countries.

The country that produces the most bananas is India, with more than twenty million metric tons per year.

Here’s a look at the list of the top five banana producing countries in the world in recent years to give you a chance to answer that burning question: where do bananas grow?

1. India – over 20 million metric tons
2. China – over 8 million metric tons
3. Philippines – over 7 million metric tons
4. Brazil – over 7 million metric tons
5. Ecuador – over 6 million metric tons

Can Bananas Grow in Your Backyard?

So you like bananas, you like growing your own fruit and veggies in your garden, and you don’t live in one of those five countries.

Is it still possible to answer the question ‘where do bananas grow? with: ‘my backyard’?

Well, sure!

Banana trees really aren’t even trees at all. They’re plants. And though they are native to the tropics, it’s possible to grow them even in colder climates.

Go to your local garden store and talk to a professional sales person about what you may need to get started on growing bananas in your home. Another good idea is to go to the library and read up on the different techniques for growing this particular fruit, especially if you don’t live in the tropics.

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By knowing the strategies for growing watermelons, you can become the life of the party. After all, what summertime picnic is complete without watermelon slices for everyone to munch on?

Tutorial for Growing Watermelons

Some people scoff at the idea of learning how to grow watermelons, because they can just go out and buy them at the store. They also say that it’s just too hard to do.

But this is just hogwash.

Sure you can go to the store and buy a watermelon that’s been grown halfway around the country and driven to your store in a long-haul truck, coated in who knows what kinds of pesticides and fertilizers, handled by who knows how many people, and sitting on the store’s shelves for who knows how long.

Sure you can spend money on a watermelon instead of picking one for free from your backyard.

Sure you can remain ignorant about vegetable and fruit gardening and stick with store-bought goodies from now until the end of your days.

But why would you?

Have you ever tasted a fresh, garden grown tomato? Or a carrot? Or a watermelon, for that matter?

If you answered ‘no’, then you are living in a sheltered world. You have truly never tasted these fruits and vegetables until they’ve come out of your own garden.

Even if you are just the tiniest bit interested, read below. In the following sections, we’ll show you just how easy it is to learn how to grow watermelons and then offer you some tips and tricks to grow the best melons you possibly can.

How to Grow Watermelons: Step by Step Help

Here’s a look at a simple step-by-step guide to growing watermelons:

1. Location is everything. You want to pick a spot that gets plenty of direct sunlight, but is also protected from high, cool winds.
2. Watermelons love to grow in organic matter. Make sure the soil you have chosen for your crop has plenty of it in it.
3. You’ll plant your watermelons about two to three weeks after the last frost of the season.
4. For each watermelon plant, make sure to dig a hole that is about a foot deep and two feet across.
5. Be sure to allow plenty of space between the plants for them to grow (at least 6 feet).
6. Cover the watermelon plants with floating row covers to make sure they stay warm enough as they grow. Remove these covers when flowers appear.
7. As soon as the flowers are in full bloom, you have about 5 weeks before your melons will be perfect for the picking.

How to Grow Watermelons: Hints and Tips

Take a look at these tricks of the trade to help you along in your quest to grow watermelons:

• Watermelons don’t like the cold.If you live in a cooler climate, consider plating short-season varieties.
• Watermelons aren’t just pink inside. Some of them have yellow, white, or orange interiors. While these might be fun to eat, many people have said that these unique varieties are quite difficult to grow, especially for a first-timer.
• Watermelons are prone to certain diseases like fusarium wilt. To avoid this, try planting radishes in your patch. These keep the fusarium-carrying cucumber beetles at bay.

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Compost Spreader Reviews

So you’ve taken the initiative to make you own compost. Good job!

You are doing your part to create a sustainable environment around your own home and helping along one of Mother Nature’s more impressive systems: the circle of life.

But what do you do when a batch is done composting? Just pick it up and throw it around? Well, that certainly is one way to do it, but it isn’t exactly efficient.

One of the easiest, quickest, and, yes, most efficient ways to go about dispersing compost among your plants, shrubs, flowers, and veggies, is to use a compost spreader.

What kind of compost spreader is best? Where can you get the best deal on one? These are questions that will be answered in the next couple of sections. Read on!

Which Compost Spreader Should You Get?

There are a number of different composer spreader products available, many of which are incredibly expensive (far too much, in fact, for the simple service they render).

But one brand and model in particular is worth your further exploration.

From the eco-conscious company Green Culture comes the aptly named Compost Spreader. This is a simple enough device, made from:

• A two pronged handle for easy control
• A long neck for better back support
• And a perforated barrel that rolls across the ground

The compost goes into the barrel, you push the barrel around your yard and the perforations allow the compost to scatter little by little.

It’s so simple you might even be able to create your own compost spreader using an old wheelbarrow.

But the Compost Spreader is a great little product. It’s attractive, super easy to use, and since it’s made of metal, it’s also long-lasting.

Here’s a brief look at some of the Compost Spreader’s features and specifications to give you a better idea of whether or not this product may be right for you and your yard:

• Barrel size: 24½” wide, 18″ diameter
• Capacity: 4.7 cubic feet of interior space
• Weight: 20 pounds
• Body: Made from metal with a green powder coat finish
• Other: Two year warranty included

Where Can You Find a Compost Spreader?

If you’re looking for any old compost spreader, you can try a number of different sites on the Internet devoted to garden care and eco friendly practices.

If, however, you are interested in the product by Green Culture–the Compost Spreader–you can give their website a try or several other sites that sell that particular product. Try these ones first:

• Eco-Gardening.com
• Amazon.com
• Buy.com
• Ebay.com

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Whether your front porch features wrought iron garden benches or your back yard is furnished in a complete set of tables and chairs, nothing quite meets the elegance and beauty of handsomely crafted outdoor decor.

Wrought Iron Garden decor Guide

For those of us who aren’t bound by the limited spaces offered by apartment complexes, confined townhouses, high rise condominiums, or other small places of residence, we can enjoy the gift of space we have in front of our houses or behind them by sprucing them up a bit.

This can be done in a number of different ways, adding spice and verve to our patios and porches, but one of the oldest and most popular is by decorating them with wrought iron garden furniture.

In the following sections, we’ll take a look at the different factors you should keep in mind while choosing the right wrought iron garden furniture for you and where you might look to find them for the best prices.

Choosing the Right Wrought Iron Garden decor

There are a number of things to keep in mind when you’re on the hunt for some new patio furniture, especially if it’s of the wrought iron garden decor variety.

• Comfort – Not all wrought iron garden furniture pieces are comfortable. By their very natures, they are hard and sturdy structures. But some of them just tend to feel better when you sit in them. Pay attention to how they feel when you use them. After all, these aren’t just for show. You have to be able to relax on your back porch in the sun or on your front stoop with a cup of coffee in the morning to really get the most out of them.
• Location – This one may seem like it falls under the obvious category, but making sure you have enough room to comfortably position a piece of wrought iron garden furniture is of the utmost importance.
• Cost – Wrought iron garden accessories can be incredibly pricey. If you aren’t buying a piece that’s on sale or at a discounted price, you could be spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Make sure you are getting the best deal you can. In the next section, we’ll tell you just how you can make that happen.

Wrought Iron Garden Accessories: Where to Get Them Cheap

Finding cheap wrought iron garden furniture is a bit of a double-edged sword. You don’t want to be spending hundreds upon hundreds of dollars for a piece of furniture that you will only use every once in a while. But you also don’t want to be spending slightly less for a product that is terribly constructed.

Basically, you want the high quality and low price.

You may think that’s impossible. But you’d be wrong.

Take a look at the following websites and see what kinds of deals and steals they have to offer when it comes to wrought iron garden furniture. You won’t be disappointed.

• Overstock.com
• Amazon.com
• Buy.com
• PatioFurnitureUniverse.com
• EverythingFurniture.com
• PatioLivingPlus.com

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Not only does growing artichokes spruce up your lunches and dinners, and make your green thumb that much greener, but it is also beneficial to the environment and your bank account.

How to Grow Artichokes

The rising cost of groceries is getting out of hand these days. It seems like every time you go to the market, a bunch of bananas or head of lettuce has gone up and up in price. One of the major reasons for this has absolutely nothing to do with gardening at all, unfortunately.

When veggies are mass produced at giant farms around the country, they have to be transported to grocery stores for you and other shoppers to buy. This is most frequently done by refrigerated long-haul trucks.

In a completely different industry, namely the oil one, the problems with getting reserves from war-torn countries in the Middle East and from other locations has made the price of fuel rise.

Put two and two together and you can see that to make up for the rising cost of oil, your bananas and lettuce have been given a price tag face lift (and not an attractive one, either).

This is just one reason why learning how to grow artichokes and other fruits and veggies can be incredibly beneficial to both you and Mother Nature.

How to Grow Artichokes: Step by Step Guide

So you want to learn how to grow artichokes? Well, let’s get right down to it. Follow these simplified steps to give your garden a heart (or a whole crop of them!):

1. Get an artichoke plant from your local nursery after all frost danger has passed for the season.
2. Find a location that gets plenty of good, direct sunlight but won’t shade other plants you may have growing under its 4 to 5-foot height.
3. The soil should be rich and well-drained, with a pH between 6.5 and 7. Include lots of healthy organic matter.
4. Plant you artichokes three feet apart in rows that are at least five to six feet apart.
5. Make sure to keep the soil around your artichokes moist.
6. If you’re growing them in a mild climate, be sure to cut them back in mid to late fall.
7. Before the buds have begun to flower, pick them.
8. They are ready to eat!

When to Harvest Artichokes, and Other Tricks of the Trade

In order for your crop to be the best it can possibly be, take a look at the following hint and tips for learning how to grow artichokes:

• You’ll want to harvest your artichokes while they are still green for the best crop possible.
• Consult your local nursery or library to find out which artichoke varieties will grow the best in your region.
• If you live in a mild climate, you can probably grow any variety that’s available to you.

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We take a lot in our lives for granted. Most of us would be confused to the point of madness if we tried to decipher the systems through which our television sets make moving pictures, our telephones connect us to people around the world, and our planet’s ecosystems work in a self-sustaining way.

But learning more about the inner workings of our daily lives is a great way to become a part of solutions to future problems.

By taking an interest in the workings of products we take for granted we can also better understand the effort that goes into their growth and manufacture and determine if, at some point in the future, we can promote their existence by ourselves.

Part of becoming a green culture is understanding how we can make things ourselves instead of purchasing them from large corporations. By doing this we can save money and nurture the environment at the same time.

And one such question that can give us one such understanding by finding its answer is: how do peanuts grow?

How Do Peanuts Grow: Where Do They Come From?

You may find this as a surprise, but peanuts actually do not grow on trees.

Unlike every other nut, peanuts grow on plants that flower above the soil, but they themselves come to fruition below the surface.

According to various reports, they probably originated in Brazil or Peru, but now they are grown virtually everywhere (and can possibly even be sprouted in your very own back yard).

A farmer will plant his or her peanuts in April or May and it takes just four to five short months for them be ripe for the picking (or digging up, as it were).

Peanuts come in many different varieties grown around the world. In the United States there are four types that are most commonly grown. These include:

• Runner
• Spanish
• Valencia
• Virginia

Almost fifty percent of the entire peanut crop grown in the United States is planted in the state of Georgia.

How Do Peanuts Grow into Peanut Butter?

So now we know a little bit about how peanuts grow, but what about the many uses for that particular nut?

One of the most popular uses for peanuts is the manufacture of peanut butter.

How do peanuts grow from a nut into peanut butter?

1. The peanut is shelled, roasted, and cooled
2. The unwholesome kernels are then sorted out of the group
3. The good ones are ground with heat into a smooth butter
4. Emulsifiers are added and the butter is cooled
5. The cooling traps the peanut oil that is released by the grinding
6. Other ingredients are added for taste

And that’s it! If you have the right equipment, there’s nothing stopping you from creating your own peanut butter and thus becoming a part of the self-sustaining world of culinary delights!

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Also called muskmelons (because of their musky, sweet taste), cantaloupes usually need plenty of room to grow in a garden because of the lengthy vines they mature on. But if you only have limited space available to you, don’t worry! Cantaloupe melons also come in varieties that grow on shrubs with smaller vines.

Best Guide to Growing Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe melons are delicious snacks for every time of day and are always welcome at a party (especially a summertime picnic one).

So if you have the inclination, the room, and the desire, you should try your hand at learning how to grow cantaloupe.

A lot of people shy away from growing their own fruits and veggies because they think it’s too hard or it will take up way too much of their time.

This simply isn’t true!

Gardening is not only easy, but it can be downright fun.

At the very least, you should give it a try. After all, what do you have to lose?

In the following sections we’ll discuss a simple step by step process through which you can learn how to grow cantaloupe in your own backyard and we’ll also divulge a few tricks of the trade that will allow you to grow the best possible crop of cantaloupe possible.

How to Grow Cantaloupe in Your Garden

If you have the desire to find out how to grow cantaloupe, well, look no further! Here’s a brief guide on how to do just that:

1. You’ll want to start your seeds indoors and move them outside in early spring, only after the last frost, when soil temperatures have reached between 60 and 80 degrees F.
2. Bury your seeds almost an inch deep and space them out in three to four rows in your garden.
3. Use rich soil or compost to fertilize your cantaloupes.
4. Mice and fungus are big enemies of the cantaloupe. Use safe fungicides and pesticides to keep them at bay.
5. These melons usually take between 70 and 90 days to grow to full maturity. You’ll want to pick them off the vine just before they ripen.

And it’s really that easy. It’s all about paying attention, taking care, and reaping the rewards. Anyone can do it, so you certainly can!

How to Grow Cantaloupe: Hints and Tips for a Great Harvest

In order for you to have best possible crop of cantaloupe melons you can possibly grow, take a look at the following tricks of the trade that will help you learn how to grow cantaloupe with the best of them:

• Thin out the seedlings as they grow to keep them from running wild. Pick maybe the best four or five plants to keep healthy and ditch the rest.
• Melons do not like the cold! Be sure that the last frost has passed before you think about sticking them in the ground.
• Sometimes it’s hard to tell when a melon is ripe. The accepted indication that it is time to pluck them from the vine is when the stems have begun to dry out.

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For those who don’t necessarily have the time or energy to water their plants on a regular basis, an automatic plant watering system may be just the ticket.

Best Drip Irrigation Systems

We all like to have plants in our lives. They are colorful, beautiful, and make our lives that much brighter. We like them in our homes, in our yards, in our offices, and anywhere else that we can think of to put them.

Unfortunately, plants don’t know how to water themselves.

And while we like to have them everywhere, we can’t possibly be everywhere at once. This is an equation that adds up to some unhappy greenery (and some unhappy people, too).

Consider this: you have three great spider plants sitting on shelves in your office to make you feel more comfortable during the work week sitting behind a desk and typing on a computer. Monday through Friday, you don’t have a problem whatsoever with watering them. In fact, you kind of enjoy the watering task, as it allows you a brief respite from the work you’ve been at all day.

But what about when you go home for the weekend? Who takes care of your plants then? And what about when you go on vacation? Who then takes care of your house plants? Unless you have a bunch of cacti sitting on your shelves or hanging from your ceiling, you are in trouble.

Or are you?

With an automatic plant watering system from brand names like Oasis and Smarthome, you don’t have to worry about your plants going thirsty ever again if you aren’t available to water them. Heck, you can even build your own system for automatic plant irrigation.

Below, we’ll take a look at this homemade remedy to your watering ills and then briefly at two different models you can buy on the market today.

Automatic Plant Irrigation: Reviews

Here’s a brief look at two different models available to you in store today.

• Oasis Automatic Plant Watering System – Priced at just about $80,this Oasis product is capable of watering up to 20 plants for as long as 40 days. This is a great product not only when you want to go on vacation, but for those of you who have a great many plants and don’t have the time to water them all. Easy to construct, easy to use, and easy to clean, the Oasis system is one of the best you’ll find.
• Smarthome Automatic Plant Watering System – This Smarthome automatic plant irrigation system will run you about $70 on Amazon and is able to keep 14 plants happy at once. It has a 7-liter capacity and can regulate the amount of water that goes into each individual plant. This is another fine product.

How to Make an Automatic Watering System

Buying an automatic plant watering system or drip irrigation sprinkler system can cost you an arm and a leg.

If you don’t have the extra money to spend on one of these great devices, don’t fret. You can make your own.

All you need is:

• Airline tubing
• A 4 gallon bucket
• An aquarium air pump
• A timer
• An airline control kit
• And a check valve

By configuring these cheap items in the same way as the store-bought models, you can create your own automatic plant watering system without breaking the bank!

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For those of you who love to have plants around but may not have enough space to have as many as you’d like, consider finding the best hanging plants that you can suspend from the rafters both indoors and out.

Best Hanging Plants

While most of us would like to live in large houses with great front and back yards, that just isn’t always a reality.

Some of us, whether because of our limited budgets or the cities we live in, have to be content with residing in condos, apartments, townhouses, or high rises that don’t offer a lot of living space, and even less outdoor room.

By finding the best plants for hanging baskets you can add flavor, color, and aroma to your home or porch without taking up valuable real estate.

Below, we’ll take a look at some of the best house plants for hanging and the best outdoor hanging plants you can use to spruce up what little space you may have.

Just because you don’t have thousands of square feet inside or a single square foot outside, that doesn’t mean you have to go without beautiful foliage. You just have to be creative.

And that means locating and procuring the best hanging plants around.

Best Indoor Hanging Plants

Here’s a brief look at some of the best hanging plants available to you today:

• Spider Plant – These lovelies are a favorite among house plants. They feature arching spear-like leaves that come in both green and variegated varieties.
• English Ivy – This is an old-fashioned hanging plant that loves sunlight and will add a touch of green to your home.
• Burro’s Tail – With fleshy and thick leaves, the Burro’s Tail is a gorgeous addition to your hanging basket.
• Golden Pothos – The Golden Pothos has glorious heart-shaped leaves that are colored green with splashes of rich yellow.

Best Outdoor Hanging Plants

For those of you with space outdoors, here are some of the best plants for hanging baskets attached to your eaves or porch roofs:

• Calibrachoa (Million Bells) – For the best in trailing, flowering summer plants, look no further than the Million Bells. Their colors include pink, rose-red, violet, and white blooms. It can grow to hang up to three feet long at full growth.
• Licorice Vine – This plant features silver-gray leaves that are great for a mixed basket. There are many different varieties, including Bridal Bouquet, Bridal Showers, and the Penny Candy Series.
• Verbena – Absolutely wonderful for a mixed hanging basket, the trailing Verbena is a long-time favorite among plant enthusiasts for its rose, pink, white, lavender, and red flowers.
• Begonia – This is a tough plant that can withstand anything Mother Nature decides to throw its way outdoors. Begonias come in a whole host of different types, and their large leaves are simply beautiful hanging outside your home.

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While it doesn’t take much to grow okra, doing it in the right environment can be especially beneficial.

Best Okra Growing Tips & Tricks

Okra is a native of Southern Africa, making it a vegetable that loves the heat. If you are in a region that receives a lot of warm sunshine, your okra is bound to be an excellent crop.

This is what makes it such a staple of Southern United States cooking.

If, however, you live in a cooler climate, you can still do some excellent vegetable gardening okra style, but your plants may be a bit smaller and yield less produce.

But you don’t have control over harvesting okra (unless you grow okra indoors). What you do have control over, though, is how you grow it.

And growing it is easy.

Below, we’ll go over everything you may need to get started growing okra plants and then offer you a couple tricks of the trade to ensure a healthy plant and an abundant yield.

Growing Okra Plants: What You’ll Need

So, what will you need to get started growing okra plants? A few things need to be in order before you can get started.

Let’s go over some of those things right now:

• Location – You need a good place to plant your okra. You need to find a plot of rich soil with temperatures ranging from 75 to 90 degrees F. And, more importantly, you need a location that will get lots and lots of good, direct sunlight.
• Space – Okra plants can grow very tall, so you need to make sure you have enough room for all of your plants, both vertically and horizontally.
• Materials – Well-cured manure, organic fertilizer, and your basic set of gardening tools.
• Water – Okra plants are going to need at least one inch of water every week.
• Season – Because they love the heat so much, plan to grow okra during the summer months.

Okra Growing Tips

If you want to make sure that your okra crop is the best it can possibly be, take a look at these tricks of the trade offered below and see what you can learn from them. This advice comes from the best of the best in the gardening world and should be paid special attention.

How Long Does it Take For Okra to Grow? – Don’t blink! Okra grows at an incredible speed. That’s why it’s so important to make sure the plants have plenty of room to shoot up and out. A fully grown okra plant is usually seven feet tall, but can reach heights of eight feet or more!

When Do I Know When My Okra is Ready for Harvesting? – Do you see those incredibly attractive pink and yellow flowers that bloom on the tips? Well, you’re just about ready for harvesting okra. But don’t wait too long! Okra that has over-ripened quickly becomes inedible.

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Learning how to grow blackberries isn’t as complicated as most of you think. Sure, they take a bit more care and attention than strawberries or blueberries, but they’re still fairly easy to cultivate.

Grow Thornless Blackberries

A lot of people turn away from growing their own fruits and vegetables because it just seems too hard to do.

Nonsense.

Learning how to grow wild blackberries, raspberries, carrots, basil, or peas isn’t any more difficult than having to drive to the store, endure long lines at the checkout counter, and drive all the way home again.

In fact it’s easier. And what’s more, it healthier for you and the environment.

The truth is that you just don’t know what kind of pesticides and fertilizers have been used on the products you buy at a grocery store.

At home, you have complete control, and you can even opt for an all-natural way of fertilizing your soil by using homemade compost.

Likewise, you are helping the environment by not supporting the sale of fruits and veggies from non-local farmers and growers. Long haul trucks emit great amounts of exhaust by driving so far and the fruit isn’t as fresh as it should be.

All told, by learning how to grow blackberries in your own backyard, you are doing a small part to make the world a better place for you, your family, and Mother Nature.

If you are interested in learning how to grow blackberries, read below as we go over a brief step-by-step guide and a few pointers to make sure your blackberry bush is the best it can possibly be.

How to Grow Blackberries: A Guide

Here’s a step-by-step guideto teach you the basics of how to grow blackberries:

1. Pick a spot in your garden that gets a lot of sun. Use plenty of compost and organic matter with the soil.
2. When the soil is warm you are ready to sow your seeds for stratification. This will take at least a month.
3. Now you are ready to move them to the place you would like your blackberries to grow.
4. Plant them deep enough so the roots will not bend and at least two feet apart.
5. Trellising is a great idea to support the canes as they grow.
6. Trim away any suckers that grow away from the rows. And keep your blackberry canes trimmed to seven feet.

And that’s all you need to know! It’s as easy as blackberry pie.

How to Grow Blackberries: Tip and Tricks of the Trade

Here are some great hints for you to learn how to grow blackberries from seed with the best of them:

• This is not a companion plant. Keep your blackberry bush away from other plants and walkways as it grows incredibly fast and can overrun anything nearby.
• Blackberries are summer-bearing and will produce fruit during the second year. So be patient.
• Love blackberries but hate getting constantly stabbed by them? Grow thornless blackberries! Seeds are available at your local home and garden store.
• Don’t be too hasty to discard leaves and bark. These are just as beneficial as the berry itself, proven to be able to help fight diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, and cystitis when prepared properly.Return from How to Grow Blackberries From Seeds to Fruit Gardening AdviceReturn from Grow Thornless Blackberries to Best Garden Designs

Learning how to plant tomatoes is a great skill if you love to cook. Nothing tastes quite like a homegrown tomato, and knowing the best way to vegetable garden tomatoes will ensure that your every salad, burger, sandwich, or pasta dish has an extra special, garden fresh taste.

How to Plant Tomatoes

If you have not eaten a garden fresh tomato, then you have not truly eaten a tomato.

The limp, pinkish slices you get at the fast food chains or even at the grocery store are pale imitations of fresh tomatoes.

The truth is that tomatoes need to be eaten as soon as they’re ripe because they go bad so quickly. In order for growers and farmers to provide consumers with these fruits, they have to be picked when they are still under ripened and green. This way they are red by the time they get to you (after the long haul truck ride).

But a tomato gets most of its flavor infused when it is just about ripe on the vine.

So, in other words, you are severely missing out when you buy grocery store or restaurant versions.

If you can learn how to plant tomatoes in your own back yard, you will open up the door to a whole new world of fresh taste.

Below, we’ll go over a few things you will need to get started as you learn how to plant tomato seeds and then we’ll take a peek at a few hints and tips that will help ensure that your crop is the absolute best that it can possibly be.

How to Plant Tomatoes: What You Will Need

Tomato plants are terribly easy to grow, but there are a few things you definitely need to keep in mind before and during your planting, cultivating, and harvesting.

Let’s go over a few of those right now:

• The Right Tomato – Tomatoes are available in over 25,000 varieties, so it is important that you have the kind of seeds you want.
• The Right Time – If you are growing them from seed, plant your tomatoes six to eight weeks before the last frost of the season. If you are transplanting them, put your tomatoes in the ground right after the last frost.
• The Right Place – You need to find a spot in your garden where the soil has a pH from between 6 and 7 and where your plants are going to get plenty of nice, direct sunshine.
• The Right Soil – Tomatoes like dirt that has a lot of organic matter mixed in with it, so make sure to use some good fertilizer or compost.
• The Right Hydration – Tomatoes, like most other vegetables, need at least a couple of inches of water each week.

Vegetable Garden Tomatoes: Hints and Tips

Here are a few of really great tips to follow as you begin learning how to plant tomatoes:

• How Deep to Plant Tomatoes – The hole for your tomato plant should be approximately the size of a soccer ball.
• How to Keep Cutworms Away – Try adding a paper collar to the base of your tomato plant. This will help to deter cutworms and other pests.
• How to Make Sure the Plant Doesn’t Fall Over – Because your tomatoes want to grow big, but aren’t necessarily built to withstand their own weight, it’s definitely recommended that you secure them to a trellis or stake.

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Buying a plant water meter will not only save you the great hassle of having to guess how much water your plant needs, but it may also save your greenery’s life.

Prices & Reviews of Plant Moisture Monitors

We all understand the importance of keeping our flowers, shrubs, bushes, fruits, and veggies well hydrated, but not all of us were born with a green thumb.

There are those people who have the ability to just know how much water is needed for any plant in particular at any given time.

The rest of us (normal people without such extraordinary powers and gifts) often run the risk of watering our plants too much or too little. Either way, nobody benefits.

Enter one of the greatest inventions our gardens have yet known: the plant water meter.

No longer do we have to just guess at the amount of water needed for our plants. Now, we have a scientific tool that will tell us.

Below, we’ll go into a bit more detail about various models of plant water sensor devices and give you an idea about where you can go to find one for yourself.

Plant Moisture Monitor: Reviews

Here’s a brief look at three different plant water meter products. If you don’t see anything you particularly like, do not worry. There are hoards of different models on the market today. Just take the time to search for one that will fit well with you, your home, and your plants.

In the meantime, check these plant moisture monitors out:

• New Resources Indoor/Outdoor Moisture Sensor Meter (retails for under $15) – This product features an incredibly easy to read dial that will tell you the moisture levels of the soil under and around your plants. With this New Resources meter, you’ll be able to read moisture levels with ease and take the necessary steps to save, maintain, or prolong your plants’ lives.
• Panacea Products Moisture Meter (retails for under $10) – This plant water meter features three different zones on the dial readout to let you know how much water (or not) is contained in your soil. This is a simple product with a simply unbeatable price.
• Waterstik Indoor Plant Water Meter (retails for under $15) – The Waterstik measures 4″ and features a color-coded display that tells you just when you need to be watering your plants again. This meter is perfect for your smaller indoor potted plants and herb containers.

Plant Water Sensor: Where to Find One

Plant water meter products may not be something you see every day, but they are very widely available.

If you prefer to do your shopping in person, check out any of these stores for what they have to offer in the way of water monitoring goods:

• Sears
• Walmart
• Target
• Home Depot
• Lowes

If you would rather shop from home, there a number of websites you can visit to digitally purchase any one of a large number of such devices. To begin with, check out these sites for the best plant moisture meter prices:

• Amazon.com
• Ebay.com
• Buy.com
• HomeandGardenSupplies.com

And if all else fails, simply go to your local home and garden store and ask a professional sales associate what he or she prefers when it comes to plant water meter kits. You will, hopefully, get an honest and helpful response.

Best of luck!

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Home composting is such a common practice these days–people are drawn to activities that benefit them, their families, their homes, and the environment.

But what about those of us who live in apartments, townhouses, condos, high rises, and cities? How do we get to participate when we don’t have the room outside to create our own compost?

The answer is simple: do it inside!

Using Red Wiggler Worms for Composting

This may sound like an unappealing alternative (far too messy and smelly), but the truth is that it’s a perfectly reasonable thing to do and many people do it.

One of the reasons home composting is so easy and effortless is because you don’t just stuff your trash in a bucket and leave it. No, you use red worms to help you break it down faster and easier. And they’re even house broken!

Red worm composting is an incredibly easy, incredibly beneficial practice for you to take up.

If you are interested in learning more, read on. Below, we’ll go over the basics of how to maintain your red worms composting operation and, perhaps more importantly, what you’re allowed to feed them.

Using Red Worms for Composting: Best Red Worms Composting Advice

First, you must find or build a box for you worm.

• How Deep? – Never more than 18″. Worms like to do their eating in the top layers, and if the box is too deep, the scraps will pack down in the bottom and not get the benefits of being broken down by the worms.
• How Big? – This depends on the size of your family and the amount of food waste you produce. For a family of 4-6 a 1′ x 2′x 3′ box will work just fine. For smaller families (say two), a box measuring 1′ x 2′ x 2′ will be plenty big enough.
• What Material? – Well, never a recycled container that has been used to house chemicals, that’s for sure! Try wooden pallets, old ammunition boxes, Rubbermaid containers, or you can simply buy a box from your local home and garden store.
• What Bedding? – Try these fine materials: shredded corrugated cardboard, shredded newspaper, old leaves, peat moss, and a handful of soil.

For your next task, you have to pick your worms.

There are two kinds of red wiggler worms you can use, including:

• Eisenia Foetida – The most common and best red worm for indoor composting.
• Lumbricus Rebellus – Another great red worm that will adapt to a box environment, but is really a soil worm.

Before you add your red wiggler worms to the box, you need to make sure you wet the bed. Yes, this time it’s a good thing to do! Generally speaking, you should add three pounds of water for every one pound of bedding you have accumulated.

Now you are ready to add your worms. Just place them on the top of the bedding and they will disappear in almost no time flat.

They hate the light and want to be in the depths of the cozy, soggy bed you have made for them.

Now it’s time to maintain your red worm composting system by adding food scraps and other organic waste as you use it. Below, we’ll cover a short list of acceptable and unacceptable materials that you can add to your red worm composting box to be broken down.

Red Worms For Sale: What Do They Eat?

So, you have the box, the bedding, and the wigglers, but what are you allowed to put in there with them?

• OK – Veggies, rinds, peels, spoiled food from fridge, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells and most other kitchen waste or table scraps.
• Not OK – Never put meat or dairy products in your red worm composting bin. These attract rats and mice! Also, refrain from adding kitty litter to your box. The smell drives red worms nuts and it may kill them and make you sick.

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Below, we’ll talk a bit about where you can find compost for purchase from the Internet, from your local store, or from an unexpected place.

But, first: what exactly is compost?
We’ve all heard of it before (or at least the word), and many of us know where it goes (in the soil of your flower bed, garden, or vegetable patch), but not all of us are aware of just what exactly it’s composed of.

Compost is a mixture of organic matter created from both decomposed plant and animal materials. The process through which these once living materials become compost is called aerobic decomposition.

Because this decomposed matter was once alive, it is rich in nutrients. These nutrients do a lot to help our plants, fruits, and vegetables grow fuller, stronger, and healthier.

So, now that we have a basic understanding of what it is, let’s see if we can find out where to buy compost.

Where to Buy Compost: Online and In-Store

Compost is readily sold at most home and garden stores and websites. It’s one of those generic products (sold by any number of manufacturers) that you can find just about anywhere.

First things first: you have to decide what kind of compost you want. There are a bunch of different types, including:

• Composted manure
• Organic Humus
• Mushroom compost
• And many more

Once you’ve found what kind of compost you may need for your garden or veggie patch, then it’s time to do some shopping around for the best prices. This is easiest done on the web.

Check out these great sites for the best prices in compost products:

• Amazon.com
• RuralKing.com
• AceHardwareSuperstore.com

A lot of these places will have ongoing sales. And some of these sites will also mention if there are sales happening in the physical stores.

Once you’ve priced the products, you can go ahead and buy them online, or you can hit the road and check out the deals and steals going on in your local shops. Any one of these stores should carry some compost products:

• Target
• Lowes
• Home Depot
• Walmart
• Ace Hardware Superstore

The bottom line is that if you’re looking where to buy compost, then you aren’t looking hard enough. Just about any store that sells garden goods will have compost.

But what if you were told that you didn’t have to buy it at all? Would you be interested in learning more? Well, read on!

Where to Buy Compost: You Don’t Need To!

The truth is that there’s no need for you to be buying compost from anywhere. Why? Because you generate it on your own.

If instead of buying a bag of composted manure, you picked up a compost bin, you would find that you would be savings a lot of money.

Grass clippings, weeds, dead flowers, fallen leaves, food scraps, and coffee grounds: these are all things that compost very well and easily. If you stored this waste in a compost bin, you’d have usable materials for your garden or flower bed in two months’ time.

Why should you care where to buy compost, when you already know where you can make it?

Try your hand at protecting the environment by making your own compost today.

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There are a great many benefits to making your own compost at home.

You get to save a ton of money by avoiding the purchase of store-bought fertilizers, you get to help Mother Nature by using one of her own natural processes to recycle organic materials, and you get to keep your garden and vegetable patch looking as lovely and healthy as possible.

Best Kitchen & Backyard Composting Tips

Doing you own backyard composting is a great way to save money and to have a hand in the growth of your home plant life. And it’s really not as difficult as you may think!

A lot of people won’t bother with making compost at home (or even gardening at all) because they think it is so terribly time-consuming that they’ll never have an opportunity to do it.

It is this same defeatist attitude, however, that is shorting the lifespan of our earth, laying her to waste slowly but surely.

Do your part by making compost at home! It’s really not as hard as you think it is, and it’s incredibly rewarding.

Below, we’ll go over what exactly you can put in your backyard composting system. And then, we’ll go over a brief and simple step-by-step guide to getting your own compost at home off and running.

Compost at Home: What Can You Put in There?

So, you want to start composting at home, but you don’t know what exactly you can put in there. Let’s go over just a few of the great many organic materials that you use in your own backyard composing system.

• From Nature – You can compost grass clippings, fallen leaves, branches, dead shrubs, dead flowers, and weeds. Just about anything you no longer have a use for in your backyard can be put to use in your compost at home.
• From Inside – Composting food scraps is an easy way to keep your bin nice and full. Also consider using your used coffee grounds. Not only does the nitrogen in these grounds help your soil to no end, but it has been said that the acidity levels in them will also keep pests away from your beautiful flowers and wonderful fruits and veggies.

Generally speaking, any organic waste is good composting material.

Backyard Composting: A Step by Step Guide

Okay, now you know what you can put in it. So, how do you get started?

Easy! Here is a step by step guide to composting at home:

1. Pick out a place in your kitchenor your yard that you can stand to keep your bin.
2. You can either buy a bin from your local home and garden store or you can build one yourself out of spare wood, chicken wire, or other mesh material.
3. The two things you need to make sure you have a good amount of are green and brown garden materials. The green is made up of old flowers or grass clippings, while the brown contains mostly dry leaves. These two will work together (in a one part green to two parts brown ratio) to make your compost at home a successful one.
4. Add materials until your pile or bin measures about 3 cubic feet.
5. Your pile should always be a little moist.
6. Turn the pile with a rake, pitchfork, or other tool once a week.
7. You will have a finished compost heap in just two short months. At this point you shouldn’t be able to recognize any of the organic matter and the pile will no longer heat up.
8. Use your compost at home in your garden or veggie bed, then start the whole process again!

And that’s it!

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If you are planning on creating your own composting system at home, consider picking up an Ecomax Compost Bin.

Sure, you can build your own structure out of loose boards, chicken wire, or other mesh materials, but they won’t work nearly as well as this great product. Nor will they last as long.

Ecomax Compost Bin Review

The Ecomax Compost Bin is an easy, unobtrusive, and fairly attractive tool to help you break down your organic waste into usable soil conditioner for your gardens, flower beds, and vegetable patches.

Composting is a practice that has recently come into vogue with the world’s focus being so tight these days on the preservation of our natural earth. It’s so difficult to think that you could possibly do anything that will have a positive impact on our environment by yourself.

But the truth is: you can!

By composting organic materials in your backyard, you are helping along one of Mother Nature’s natural processes and preserving the energy stored in dead matter so that it may help strengthen the plant life yet to come.

And there’s really no better way to do this than by picking up an Ecomax Compost Bin.

Ecomax Compost Bin: A Closer Look

This fantastic product comes in two different varieties:

• Ecomax Compost Bin 220 Litre
• Ecomax Compost Bin 330 Litre

Choose which model you buy based on how much organic material you create. If you live on a large parcel of land (or have a large family that consumes a lot of food, and therefore creates a lot of food scrap waste) you may want to consider the 330.

If, on the other hand, you have a smaller yard or a smaller family, then the 220 may be more your size.

Each of the Ecomax Compost Bin models are built the same, though, and feature:

• A door at the base of the bin for easy access to compost pile
• A wide base to facilitate the most microbial action possible
• A design made from no less than 75% recycled materials

The online consumer review community has nothing but great things to say about the Ecomax Compost Bin, touting its excellence in user-friendliness, speed of composting, and portability.

Ecomax Compost Bin with Door: Where to Find One

If you are looking to pick up your own Ecomax Compost Bin, there are a number of different places you can find them.

The best way to compare prices is on the Internet. A variety of online market sites include the Ecomax Compost Bin in their lineup of home and garden supplies. If you are in the market for such a product, keep your eyes open for great deals and sales.

For starters, try these great sites to see who has the lowest price for Ecomax Compost Bin products:

• Amazon.co.uk
• CapitalGardens.co.uk
• Greenfingers.com
• GardenSupplies.co.uk
• ShopWiki.co.uk

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Using worms for composting is a great way to recycle your organic waste into dark, rich soil conditioner for your garden or vegetable bed.

Best Worms for Composting

Composting, in general, has become an everyday occurrence. By having your own compost pile, you can save money on fertilizer and help the environment by using one of its own natural systems to keep your gardens lush and verdant.

By using a worm composting system, you are able to achieve this not only outdoors, but also indoors, if you so choose.

There are many different kinds of worms you can use (and a few you should stay away from) and different ways in which you can use them.

Below, we’ll go over a couple of different species, their benefits, how to put them to great use in your compost pile, and where to find them to get started.

If you are at all interested in using worms for composting, read on!

Worm Composting System: What Kinds Are There?

It is definitely not recommended that you simply go out into your backyard and dig up some worms for your composting system. There are certain varieties that work superbly well, and others that will do little more than die under composting conditions.

Red wiggler worms are by far the most common used in a worm composting system. These are about 4 inches long and tend to have long red bodies with yellow tails.

Using nightcrawlers for composting is another good idea.While these guys don’t reproduce as quickly as those of the red wiggler variety, they are generally larger and can do much more work per organism.

When you use worms for composting, be sure to be patient with them. When you are introducing the red wiggler worms or nightcrawlers into the bin, allow them the time to adapt before you expect results.

They must be able to burrow through the organic material to find their own temporary homes. If you rush the process, you risk the lives of these wriggly helpers and the benefits they can provide to your garden’s soil.

Earthworms and Composting: Where to Find Them

If you are interested in using worms for composting, there are a number of places you can find them.

Vermicomposting (as the act of using worms for composting is called in the inner gardening circles) can be achieved through ordering worms commercially. There are a vast variety of farms and growers who breed these red wiggler worms and nightcrawlers for the express purpose of using them in your compost pile.

If you have access to the World Wide Web, try taking a peek at these great sites, all of which offer you the option to order worms online:

• Amazon.com
• RedWigglerWorms.com
• UncleJimsWormFarm.com
• ComposterConnection.com
• Worms.com

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Growing beets is a wonderful way to both spruce up your garden and add flavor and substance to your kitchen table.

How to Grow & Cook Beets in Your Garden

Beets are vegetables that are either loved or hated by the public–there just doesn’t seem to be a middle ground.

For those of you who are beet fanatics, read on to learn more about growing and preparing them.

For those of you who aren’t too keen on the beet in general, also read on. Who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something that peaks your interest enough to give them another try.

Growing beets and eating them is a great way to ensure that you get plenty of great benefits, including ample amounts of:

• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C

Popular amongst gardeners for hundreds of generations, beets have long been a staple in the home vegetable patch for their vivid color, vigorous taste, and versatile uses.

Beets are delicious in soups, salads, or as side dishes to main courses. You can eat the bulb and the greens, giving them even more various functions.

Growing sugar beets, Bull’s Blood beets, or heirlooms, like the Golden or di Chiogga, is really much easier than you might imagine.

And not only is it easy, but it’s a great way to save money during these particularly tight times.

When you buy beets at your local grocery store, you’re not just paying for the vegetable itself, but also the transportation that brought it to your hometown, the pesticides and chemical fertilizers used to grow them, and the environmental damage caused by doing so.

By growing beets in your own garden, you can severely cut back on the grocery bill at the same time as protecting the environment and making it a cleaner place to live.

If you are interested in adding beets to your personal veggie patch, read on for some hints and tips regarding how to grow them and what to do with them once they’re in your kitchen.

Growing Beets Tutorial: Gardening Tips & Tricks for Growing Sugar Beets

In order to have the best experience growing beets you possibly can, take a look at these helpful hints:

• Beets are cold weather vegetables, so you’ll want to plant them beginning two weeks before the last springtime frost.
• Growing beets to harvest only takes 45 to 65 days, so be sure to stagger your sowing so you’ll have a constant flow of harvestable crops throughout the season.
• Beets don’t generally have too much trouble in the pest department, but be vigilant about checking for boring insects in their roots.
• Give your growing beets at least one inch of water per week, and keep this schedule precise. If your watering becomes too uneven, the roots can dry and crack which may be fatal to your dreams of borscht.

Cooking Beets: How to Cook Your Homegrown Beets

Beet roots are a fantastic source of folate and the greens are rich in Vitamin A and C, potassium, calcium, iron, and more.

The roots are generally used in salads, soups, or as side dishes, while the greens can either be cooked or tossed in a salad of their own.

Beet roots will stay fresh in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks after harvesting. Their greens will keep for about a week in a refrigerated plastic bag before they need to be either eaten or tossed.

Cooking beets is an exercise of versatility. Try adding them to your favorite dish to add a bold, robust flavor to just about anything!

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How to Prune Flowering Cherry Trees

If you are looking into taking care of a cherry tree in your yard, take the time to learn all there is to know about pruning cherry trees. The truth is, in order for you tree to bear the best fruit it possibly can, you have to prune it.
But one misstep and it’s all over.

This isn’t meant to intimidate you or scare you away from growing cherry trees. It’s merely a warning that pruning cherry trees isn’t a passive or optional activity.

You have to take it seriously.

Below, we’ll go through basic step by step instructions on pruning cherry trees. Take a look at this before you take your shears to your tree; you may save its life. And then we’ll take a look at several different kinds of cherry tree and their variations.

Pruning Cherry Trees: Step by Step

Before you starting trimming away at your cherry tree, be sure to read the following set of instructions to make sure you’re going to be doing it right.

Before we get to the list, however, it’s important to understand a few things about your cherry tree.

Cherry trees are central leader trees. This means that they have one main trunk (called thee leader) and that its branches all come out of it.

A cherry tree that is pruned properly will have what is called a scaffold shape (branches should stick out all around the tree and there should be a two foot clearance between vertical levels).

Okay, let’s get down to business here. Here’s your guide to pruning cherry trees:

1. While many fruit trees are pruned and shaped in late winter to promote growth through the spring months, cherry trees ought to be pruned in the summertime. Cherry trees are especially susceptible to Silver Leaf, a disease that hits hard in winter. By pruning in the summer you can avoid contracting this disease in your own cherry tree.
2. Cut off or pick out any branches that are diseased or dead.
3. Get rid of any seedlings that have sprouted at the foot of your cherry tree. If you dig them up, be sure not to hard the main cherry tree’s roots.
4. You should make cuts1/8 of an inch above the bud of the branch and at an angle.
5. Keep the scaffold shape as you make your cuts.
6. Make sure to immediately seal each of your cuts with a pruning paste that has a non-asphalt base. This will keep diseases and destructive organisms from invading the cherry tree.

Pruning Cherry Trees: Species Variations

Not all cherry trees are the same.

Pruning Bing cherry trees is much different than pruning black cherry trees, just as pruning flowering cherry trees is much different than pruning Japanese cherry trees.

Make sure you know the specific changes you need to make in your pruning routine based on which kind of tree you have.

It is important that you take pruning cherry trees seriously.

One mistake can cost you an entire season’s worth of fruit, and maybe even a lifetime’s worth.

By knowing what kind of cherry tree you have, you’ll have a much better understanding of what you’ll need to do each summer to ensure you have fruit for the next year.

The Internet is a wonderful resource for finding out the specific variations in pruning cherry trees from a variety of species. Take the time to read up. You won’t regret it.

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Learning the proper way to go about pruning peach trees is very important if you wish to have the best quality fruit possible every year.

Tutorial on Pruning Dwarf & Regular Peach Trees

Sadly, a great many amateur gardeners don’t understand the virtue and necessity of pruning peach trees (or any other fruit bearing tree for that matter). Many people think that pruning is purely cosmetic and that if you just let the tree grow on its own, the end result will be more natural, organic, and delicious.

That just isn’t so. Not by a long shot.

If you were to simply give up on pruning peach trees and let them go, nothing but bad things will happen. The lower branches will become denser and denser until they finally succumb to any one of a number of diseases that peach trees are especially susceptible to.

Not only that, but because the branches are growing so thick, the fruit isn’t growing down there. The peaches are starting to appear higher and higher where there’s still room enough to grow, until they’re out of reach.

And finally, your peach tree won’t be able to hold on any longer, and it will die, leaving you entirely without peaches.

Does this sound like a nice scenario? No way!

So do yourself and your peach tree a favor: read below for a step by step guide on pruning peach trees the right way. It’ll save you a lot of grief and dead wood later on.

Pruning Peach Trees: Step By Step Tutorial

• Timing is Everything – First, you have to know when to go about pruning peach trees in your yard. Peach trees are best shaped at the beginning of spring, shortly before they are to bear fruit. As a general rule, wait until the very last of the of the spring frosts is over before you prune.
• Sun Good, Water Sprouts Bad – Water sprouts are sprightly upright growths on your peach trees that won’t bear you any edible fruit. It’s important to remove these from the equation, because they tent to block sunlight from the lower branches that truly need it. As with most plant life, the light from the sun is very necessary for healthy growth.
• Bring Out Your Dead – It is also important to remove any dead or diseased branches at this juncture.
• Cheer Up Cross Branches – Branches that cross one another should be pruned close to the tree’s trunk. This helps the airflow, which in turn helps prevent certain diseases and infestations from invading. Another thing this does is to provide enough room for other branches to bear peaches when they otherwise wouldn’t due to limited space.

And, in a nutshell, that’s all there is to it. As long as you are attentive and vigilant, pruning peach trees in your yard should be an easy and relaxing task. And it should ensure that you have great peaches come harvest time.

Pruning Dwarf Peach Trees Tutorial

Especially in the urban areas, where space is limited, it is becoming popular to grow dwarf fruit trees. You can grow them in a big pot on your patio or even balcony because they take up so little room.

If you have a dwarf peach tree, the pruning process is quite similar to that of a large one.

You want to keep them always clear of dead or diseased branches, crossed branches, and water sprouts.

Pruning dwarf peach trees is just as important as pruning big peach trees, it’s just done on a smaller scale.

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Planting & Harvesting Strawberries

Learning how to grow strawberries from seeds may not be as difficult as you think. A lot of people shy away from growing fruit like strawberries and blueberries, because they think there’s too much work to do for it to be worth the result.

This isn’t true.

Growing strawberries is nearly effortless, and the strawberry seeds you begin with will yield up to an entire quart (under ideal conditions) of strawberries each year for many, many years to come.

Did you know that there are three different types of strawberry that you can grow? They include:

• June bearing
• Ever bearing
• Day neutral

Depending on how often you want your strawberry plants to produce fruit and how much space you have, you’ll choose one of the three plants to work with as you learn how to grow strawberries.

Yes, learning how to plant strawberries is easy, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to know what you’re doing. The planting and maintaining process is fairly simple, but you still have to do it.

Below, we’ll take a look at a brief guide that details how to grow strawberries from seeds so that you can have the best fruit possible every harvest season for as long as you them.

How to Grow Strawberries From Seeds Tutorial

Here’s a rundown of the step you need to follow to successfully plant, grow, and harvest your strawberry seeds:

1. Find the right location. You need a space with lots of drainage and that gets plenty (at least six hours a day) of direct sunlight.
2. Make sure to till the garden bed at least 12 inches deep. Get rid of weeds, roots, grass, and other materials when you do this.
3. The hole you dig for every plant or seed should be about seven inches wide. Using the matted row method for planting, keep the plants or seeds 18 inches apart in rows that are three to four feet away from each other.
4. Be sure to cut off each and every runner that appears. This helps keep the plant’s growing energies focused on the main task of bearing edible fruit.
5. Your strawberry plants should get about an inch of water per week.
6. The very day they ripen, strawberries should be picked. These fruit tend to over ripen quickly, so be on the lookout.
   • The first year, you should let your strawberry plants develop fruit. Pinch off the blossoms as they appear to ensure that you will have a great harvest the second season. Otherwise you might be looking at a stunted season.
   • An exception to the previous hint is the “œever bearing” strawberry. They will be strong enough to produce great fruit their first year out.
   • If you’re buying your strawberry plants from a nursery or a catalog, make sure they are labeled as being “œdisease free.” This will make your life much easier in the long run.

And that’s it! Once you get them in the ground, learning how to grow strawberries from seeds is one of the easiest things you can do in the garden.

How to Grow Strawberries From Seeds: Tips and Tricks

Here are a couple of hints to ensure a fantastic harvest of strawberries for you:

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Growing Brussels sprouts may not seem like the best idea to a lot of people. For whatever reason, Brussels sprouts and spinach receive a bad rap from the young generations (most of whom also grow up to dislike them).

This is truly an unfortunate occurrence. Brussels sprouts are a hearty, delicious addition to the dinner table.

Learn How to Grow Brussels Sprouts

Growing Brussels sprouts first began in Belgium, in the city which they were named after, almost eight hundred years ago. Although the most common variety of sprouts grown today are green, there are red variations of this veggie, too.

In fact, there are an enormous number of varieties of Brussels sprouts to grow, including:

• Bubbles
• Jade Cross
• Oliver
• Prince Marvel
• Valiant
• Rubine
• Long Island Improves
• And many, many more

Shaped like tiny heads of cabbage, Brussels sprouts are generally boiled or steamed and served by themselves. But there truly is a vast array of dishes they can be used in.

If you have the time and the inclination, run a search for Brussels sprouts recipes on the Internet. You may find that they are far more versatile than you once thought. And you might even give them a rightful second chance.

Growing Brussels Sprouts Tutorial: Step by Step

Here are the bare bones basics when it comes to growing Brussels sprouts:

1. Timing is everything. Plant your sprouts so that they will mature when the nights are frosting over but the days are still fairly warm. In warmer climates, this means you should put them in the ground at the end of summer or beginning of fall.
2. Make sure you find a place in your garden that gets plenty of direct sunlight for growing Brussels sprouts.
3. See that your plants are spaced out approximately two feet apart. They need plenty of room to stretch out and grow healthily.
4. Keep the soil moist by using mulch to trap the water in the ground.
5. When the sprouts begin to grow, be sure to detach any leaves that may be growing beneath them or have turned a yellow shade of color.
6. Before they get to 1½” in diameter, but after they’re about ¾”, you should start harvesting your delicious Brussels sprouts.

Growing Brussels Sprouts: Gardening Tips and Tricks

To make sure you’re growing Brussels sprouts in the best possible way, take a look at these few professional hints and tips:

• Cold, But Not Too Cold – The planting timing can be tricky with growing Brussels sprouts. They do enjoy the colder weather, but they can be fatally damaged if it’s too severely cold. Be sure to research the climate you live in to determine the absolute best time to start growing Brussels sprouts in your own garden
• Tipsy Sprouts – These veggies have fairly shallow roots, so help them stay upright by mounding the soil around the bottom of each growing plant. This makes growing Brussels sprouts easy!
• Tasty and Good For You – Not only are Brussels sprouts a deliciously hearty addition to your menu, but they are of great benefit to your health. For instance, they are fantastic sources of potassium, iron, fiber, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C (three time the amount found in oranges!).

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If you take the time to research how to grow blueberries from seeds, you may be in for a real surprise. Most people think that such an undertaking would be incredibly difficult.

Or, at the very least, learning how to grow blueberries from seeds must take a lot of time to master.

The truth?

Learning how to grow blueberries from seeds is amazingly simple.

Growing Wild & Backyard Blueberries

You can get blueberry plants from a number of places, including:

• Your local nursery
• A garden center
• A catalog
• An online market

You can even, if you so desire, learn how to grow blueberries from seeds. No matter which way you choose, growing blueberries is an easy job that’s great fun and full of great, delicious rewards.

Below, we’ll go over an easy, step by step instruction guide to help you grow the absolute best blueberries possible. And then, after that, we’ll take a look at a few tricks and tips from some of the most proficient green thumbs around.

Well, let’s get started!

How to Grow Blueberries From Seeds: A Step By Step Tutorial

In order for you to grow the plumpest, juiciest, most delicious blueberries that you can, take a look at this instruction guide on how to grow blueberries from seeds to make sure you’re doing everything properly.

1. Find the right location. Blueberry bushes need a lot of direct sunlight, but they also need soil that is acidic. A pH level between 5 and 6 is optimal for growing blueberries.
2. Be sure to plant the blueberry bush in the spring or fall. This is the best time for the soil to be at a workable level.
3. Space your bushes out approximately four feet apart from each other and one inch deeper than they were planted at the nursery or garden center. Four to six bushes will yield plenty of fruit for the average family to enjoy.
4. Fertilize the soil around and under the blueberry bush in late winter or early spring. Aim to do this about a month before the berries begin to appear.
5. Early summertime is the best time for mulching. Use leaf mold, peat, compost, or rotted manure.
6. Put a net over your bushes to keep the birds from stealing your fruit.
7. When the third winter comes along, begin pruning. Get rid of the dead and diseased shoots and even some of the older ones to make sure your next crop will have a healthy yield.

How to Grow Blueberries From Seeds: Hints, Tips, and Tricks of the Trade

From the mouths of experts to your ears (or eyes, rather), here are a few tips and tricks to help you on your way to learning how to grow blueberries from seeds to the best of your abilities:

• For the best in pollination, try growing two or more blueberry varieties at the same time.
• You may need to acidify the soil around your blueberry bush if it begins to yellow. Make sure to keep an eye on the pH levels every season.
• If you are really adventurous you can corral and grow wild blueberries. This is not only possible, but done frequently. Use the Internet as a source to learn exactly how to do this in the best way possible

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After you’ve learned how to grow basil in your own home, you will be able to reap the ample rewards by adding fragrant flavor to your homemade salads, sandwiches, pasta, or a multitude of other dishes.

How to Harvest & Grow Basil Indoors and Outside

Growing your own herbs is beneficial in many ways. First, you can cut back on grocery store bills, which are ever-increasing. You are also more apt to add them to your daily meals, giving your dishes a uniquely gourmet and savory edge.

Many people shy away from harvesting their own vegetables, fruits, and herbs because they think it’s a hard task to keep up. In truth, though, learning how to grow basil is just as easy (if not easier) than maintaining indoor flowers and other plants.

If you can water your spider plants and aloe, then you can certainly manage to grow basil inside your home.

And as far as homegrown herbs go, maintaining a basil plant is one of the easiest jobs to take on.

Below, we’ll go over a step by step guide that covers how to grow basil indoors. Then, just to make sure you are doing the absolute best growing job possible, we’ll touch on a few hints, tips, and tricks of the trade.

If you have a desire to grow basil inside your very own home, then rest assured that you can do it. And you can do it with no fuss, muss, or mess.

How to Grow Basil Indoors: A Guide

Ready to see just how easy it is to learn how to harvest basil? Good, because here we go:

1. Basil will grow effortlessly as long as it has the right conditions: plenty of good, direct sunlight and not too chilly temperatures. For indoor planting, this means putting your basil plant near a window that gets good sun and not keeping your home too hot or cold. Easy.
2. Bury your basil plant seeds ¼ inch below the soil into hand packed dirt.
3. A great fertilizer to use is liquid fish emulsion. Apply this stuff every two weeks for the first couple of months and then switch to just once a month until the season of growth has ended,
4. Make sure to keep the basil plant’s soil evenly moist. This is especially important before the seeds have germinated.
5. When the basil leaves appear, then they are ready for picking. If flowers or buds appear, pinch them off. This will encourage more leaf growth.
6. Don’t store your basil leaves in your refrigerator. They tend to get mushy and turn black very quickly. Instead, use them fresh right off the plant.

And that’s that. Easy? You bet!

How to Grow Basil: Tip and Tricks

For the best basil growth you can possibly manage, take a look at the following tricks of the trade to make sure you know how to grow basil with the best of them:

• After the young basil plants have sprouted a few leaves, trim them up so they’re 5 to 9 inches apart.
• Water is of the utmost importance. If you see that your basil plant is droopy or sagging, give it a drink.
• For the best results, place your basil plant in a spot where it will get 6 to 8 hours of sunlight every day.
• When watering, try not to spray the leaves, as this could cause damage to the plant’s growth. Instead, aim for the soil at its base.

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It’s no secret: times are tough. Learning how to grow asparagus (or any other vegetable) in your home garden is one thing you can do combat the rising costs of just about everything in our world today.

Growing Asparagus Plants from Seed

Growing your own backyard or indoor vegetable garden is a fantastic way to save money by cutting back on the expenses of transportation and the inflamed prices of grocery store products.

Since commercial produce is shipped via long-haul truck from the farms to the distribution center to the store, you are not only paying for a bundle of asparagus at the market, but also for its care along the way.

And its care includes a lot of environmental hazards (pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and the emissions from semi trucks driven hundreds of miles).

Despite this, although they understand the importance and value of doing so, a lot of people shy away from maintaining their own vegetable patch.

They think it’s a gigantic undertaking that requires far too much time, effort, and money.

This simply isn’t true.

Learning how to grow asparagus, corn, carrots, parsley, and many other wonderful edibles is actually pretty easy.

And once you have the garden up and running, taking care of its day-to-day can be become a fun and relaxing way to spend your weekend afternoons.

It is important, though, to make sure you know how to grow asparagus and other vegetables before you start. After all, what a terrible waste it would be to put your time and money into a project that was doomed to fail from the start.

Asparagus is a wonderful addition to any garden.

It’s a vegetable that requires freshness for full taste (and what’s fresher than a spear cut straight from your own garden?). You can add a touch of class to any dish by learning how to grow asparagus yourself.

Below, we’ll explore a few tips and tricks on how to do just that.

Growing Asparagus Plants: What You’ll Need

Here’s a list of what you’ll need to get started:

• Compost maker
• Fertilizer
• Spade
• Trowel
• Shovel
• Mulch
• Plants

Does it get any easier than that? No way.

Now that you’ve got what you need, let’s get down to business!

Asparagus Growing Tips

In order to get the most from your planting experience, pay attention to these important hints and tips on how to grow asparagus right the first time:

• Adopt an Asparagus Plant – Growing asparagus from seed is next to impossible. Because it’s a member of the lily family, tending it from seed can only really be accomplished by horticultural professionals. Instead, purchase a crown that is at least one year old.
• Beautiful Outcasts – Bear in mind that asparagus is usually grown by itself. The beautiful fern foliage that accompanies asparagus must be left in the ground year round, which makes it difficult for other plants to thrive next to it because of the shade created by its leaves. Sunlight is important to all plant life, so growing asparagus plants a little distance from the rest of your garden veggies is a must.
• Patience is a Virtue – Asparagus is a perennial plant, so you’ll have delicious rewards every year about the end of April or the beginning of May. But if you want to truly reap the benefits of having your own asparagus garden, you’ll have to wait for three years to pass. Then you will see some truly great results.
• Research, Research, Research – Sure, the instructions on how to grow asparagus come with the plant, but be sure you know all there is to know before you stick it in the soil. There are many websites that are devoted to homegrown asparagus (and many other vegetables). Take the time to learn how to grow asparagus right. It’ll save you time, effort, money, and a whole lot of frustration.

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Becoming an expert on how to grow onions is a wonderful thing. Onions have so many uses in the kitchen that it would be foolish not to try your hand at them in your backyard or indoor vegetable garden.

How to Grow Onions

Learning how to grow onions is a fantastic way to spruce up your soups, salads, main courses, and even to cultivate your homeopathic medicinal talents. Onions, after all, have healing properties that we are only now beginning to fully understand.

If you want a vegetable that offers surprising versatility and incredible variety, there’s nothing quite like growing onions. For instance, check out this small sampling of onion types:

• White
• Yellow
• Spanish
• Purple
• Scallions or Green
• Pearl or Pickling
• Shallots
• Leeks
• And Vidalia

Each variety of onion has its own unique look, taste, and use in the culinary arts.

Below, we’ll take a look at how to grow onions, and offer up a few tips to make sure your homegrown experience is worthwhile.

How to Grow Onions From Seed: Step by Step

Another reason it would be silly to avoid growing onions in your vegetable patch is that they are so very easy to produce. It hardly takes any effort on your part at all!

Here’s how you do it:

1. First of all: Growing onions from seed can be a difficult endeavor, though not impossible. Make sure you get some extra help if you want to tend them from seed, otherwise purchase some bulbs or sets to get started.
2. Before you plant onions, make sure the soil is moist. If it’s dry, be sure to water the soil the day before you plan on sowing your seeds.
3. Don’t worry about your climate, because onions can grow in just about any of them. They are frost resistant, too.
4. Make sure you weed frequently between the onions while they are growing in the ground.
5. Harvest time has arrived when the tops have begun to fall over and turn yellow. When that has happened, use a fork to pry the onion out of the ground, making sure not to damage the skin.
6. Make sure that harvest day is a sunny day. Leave the onions on the ground to dry in the sunlight.
7. Now use the onions in your kitchen to your heart’s (and stomach’s) content!

How to Grow Onions: Some Further Tips and Tricks

Here are a few more hints for you to make sure you know how to grow onions with the best of them:

• How to grow yellow onions- These delicious veggies are best grown starting in mid- to late-March if they are in sets (though they can be planted earlier if you’re using a polytunnel).
• How to grow green onions- Starting in April, scallions and green onions can be sown, and should be staggered a few weeks at a time to make sure you have a full crop throughout the season.
• Though pest control is still an issue, the onion is actually pretty resistant to insect invasion. In fact, the onion is a main ingredient in any number of natural insect repellants.
• Learning how to grow onions is so easy, you don’t even need a vegetable patch to do it. If all you have is a flower garden, put them in there. No harm will come to either your flowers or your onions. They require so little space, it’s almost criminal.
• Don’t worry about the tears. There are many, many, many ways to avoid setting off the waterworks while working with onions (try chewing gum, taffy, or bread).

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Knowing when to plant tomatoes is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to growing the juiciest, most delicious vegetable (fruit) your garden will yield all season.

When to Plant Tomatoes

You’ve never truly experienced the joys of tasty tomatoes unless you’ve eaten one directly from the garden patch. Those pinkish slices they put on your hamburgers and in your salads at restaurants are not real tomatoes.

Tomatoes have the best taste when they’ve reached the peak of ripeness. In order for restaurants and grocery stores to get tomatoes from local (or fairly distant, in most cases) farms, they are picked when they are still green so that they ripen en route. This makes for a not very good tasting fruit (vegetable).

By learning how to plant tomatoes yourself, you’re not only saving money on your annual grocery bill, but you’re also giving yourself the opportunity to taste tomatoes the way they were meant to be tasted: fresh.

Below, we’ll take a look at a few tips, hints, tricks, and suggestions on when to plant tomatoes and how.

Plant Care: Tomatoes

1. Know when to plant tomatoes. You should purchase them for planting only after the last signs of frost of disappeared.
2. Make sure to pick a site in your garden that gets a lot of direct sunlight. Tomatoes love the heat, so try to keep them away from the shade and out of breezy areas.
3. Use a lot of compost in the soil. Your tomatoes love that organic material .
4. Sow your tomato seeds in a hole the size of a soccer ball.
5. To keep the cutworms away, create a bib for your tomato plants out of paper plates. When the weather warms, you can take these off.
6. Be sure to water your tomato plants one to two inches every week.
7. When the color of the tomato is even and shiny, and they aren’t quite soft (but not quite firm, either), it is time to pick them and enjoy.

How to Plant Tomatoes: Hint and Tips

Here are a few more tricks of the trade to make sure you know how to plant tomatoes with the best of them:

• Claustrophobic Seeds – Don’t plant your tomato seeds too close together. In order to grow properly and fully, they need space to stretch out.
• Let There Be Light! – As seedlings, tomatoes need plenty of direct sunlight to get the nourishment they need to grow big, healthy, and strong.
• Turn Up the Heat – Tomatoes absolutely love the warmth. They thrive in climates where the sun shines more often than not. So when you plant heirloom tomatoes (or any other type, for that matter), try covering your garden bed with a tarp to preheat the soil. You’ll get earlier, juicier, and much yummier tomatoes.
• Dig in Deep – You should plan on burying your tomatoes deeper than they come in the pot. The plants are bound to grow roots along the length of the stem, so if you dig deep and bury them up to the top few leaves, you should be helping out your tomatoes by giving them a more solid foundation.

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A modern kitchen just isn’t complete without a kitchen compost pail standing on the counter-top.

We are living in a green age, where paying attention to our impact on the environment is more important than ever before.

We are constantly looking for ways to enhance and protect the world around us by being more eco-friendly. It is only by staying conscious of our influence on our surroundings that we will be able to preserve the beauty of our world for the future.

Do You Have a Kitchen Compost Pail?

One great way to begin making positive strides in the area of environmental conservation is by composting.

Many of us have backyard compost piles or bins that we keep for the benefit of our gardens, lawns, and flower beds. But there are a lot of people (especially those who live in more populated areas) that may not have easy access to a large backyard.

This is where a kitchen compost pail comes in handy. You can keep one right in your kitchen for easy disposal of your fruit and veggie spoils. Then, once it’s full, you can carry out to your backyard compost pile or community garden.

A compost pail for kitchen areas is a tool that makes composting so much easier. It’s a middle man, allowing you to be free from having to run outside every time you have some table scraps to compost. You can just stick them right in the kitchen compost pail and take it outside at your convenience.

And compost pails for kitchens come in a variety of styles and sizes.

Finding one that’s perfectly suited for your own kitchen should be an absolute snap with all the options available to you.

Below, we’ll take a look at three different kinds of compost pails for kitchens products, including:

• Ceramic
• Stainless Steel
• Bamboo

Each has its own benefits, and you may find that you prefer one design over the others. But any way you slice it, owning a compost pail for your kitchen (no matter what it’s made of) is not only a worthwhile investment, but an incredibly important one, too.

It’s our job to make sure our Earth stays healthy and green. This is an easy step to take in that direction.

Ceramic Kitchen Compost Pail

Available in a variety of sizes, the ceramic kitchen compost pail is an attractive design. It looks like it fits right in with your corning ware and crock pots. It’s designed to be a part of the kitchen itself, and not stand out.

There is also a selection of ceramic kitchen compost pail products that are odor-free. Using a charcoal filter (that usually lasts about 6 months a pop), a kitchen compost pail like this will make sure your kitchen doesn’t stink of food scraps.

Stainless Steel Kitchen Compost Pail

Easy to clean, and even easier to use, the stainless steel kitchen compost pail is a sleek accessory for any modern kitchen. The smooth and shiny design is as chic as it is productive.

And since it made of stainless steel, this kitchen compost pail is naturally odor-free.

Bamboo Kitchen Compost Pail

This is a stylish compost pail for your kitchen that is made from organic and environmentally friendly bamboo. It houses a simple plastic pail that is easily removed.

For the more exotic kitchen, the bamboo kitchen compost pail is an exciting and attractive fit.

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Starting a compost pile is a good idea for the gardener who wants to organically care for his or her flowers, fruit, or vegetables.

Everything organic decomposes. That is a fact of life. But it doesn’t all do so at the same rate of speed.

Composting is meant to quicken the decomposition process. At the end of which, you can use the product to fertilize your garden and help keep your new flowers, fruit, and veggies healthy and strong.

Instructions for Starting a Compost Pile

So, you are interested in starting a compost pile. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t, right? There are a lot of things to keep in mind as you do so.

Some of the things you’ll have to think about are:

• Location
• Design
• Use
• Starting Date

In this article, we’ll explore these four points, and come to some conclusion about the best way you can get going on starting a compost pile of your own.

Making a Compost Pile: Before You Start

Finding the best location for your brand new compost pile is of the utmost importance.

In order for it to work properly, your compost pile really needs to be in a neutral location. Too much sun, shade, rain, or wind can hinder the organic process within.

In general, half a day’s worth of sunlight is optimal.

Like your garden itself, your compost pile will require plenty of sunshine. So, if you have room in or around your garden, this will be the best place for your compost pile.

Before starting a compost pile, you should also be aware of city ordinances that restrict their locations.

Some towns or communities require compost piles to be a certain distance away from property lines. If you’re aware of the rules form the start, you want have to face the nightmare of having to move your compost pile at a future date.

Once you’ve got your location, you need to decide what kind of compost pile you’d like: open air, closed air, a natural pile, or a container of some sort.

There are plenty of pros and cons associated with every type of compost pile.

Those living in the country with a lot of land may consider an open air pile because of the amount of space they have. People living in smaller communities might want to use a container that is creatively hidden to avoid upsetting neighbors with an unsightly pile of compost.

You need to decide which one is right for you and your environment.

Then, it’s time to begin starting a compost pile!

Building a Compost Pile: Keeping it Up

Before you can keep a compost pile up, however, you need to get it going.

How well the compost works is determined by the amount of both green and brown materials you have inside. Green materials are filled with nitrogen and brown materials have carbon. A good ratio between the carbon and nitrogen will make for a good working compost pile.

When starting a compost pile of your own, you also need to be aware of the layers.

Each layer of a compost pile is about six to eight inches high and consists of:

• Layer 1:Organic materials
• Layer 2:Fertilizer or manure
• Layer 3:Soil or active compost

Like a layer cake, the pile won’t be very good unless the layers are even.

So, what are you allowed to put in your compost pile?

Here’s a brief of list of acceptable materials for Layer 1:

• Grass clippings
• Dead leaves
• Chopped up and shredded branches
• Kitchen waste
• Plants (chemical-free)
• Weeds
• Shredded paper
• Newspaper
• Ashes (wood)
• Hay or straw
• Tea leaves
• Coffee grounds and filters

But the question remains: when should you start a compost pile?

The answer is: whenever you want. A compost pile will start working immediately, no matter when you build it.

For the most effective results, however, starting a compost pile is best during the fall, when both green and brown materials are available en masse.

So, get to it! Making a compost pile of your own is easy!

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Best Japanese Gardening Tools

If you want an immaculate and enviable garden, consider using Japanese gardening tools to get the job done right.

Japanese style gardening tools allow you to be as precise as possible when taking care of your shrubs, trees, and flowers.

The art of gardening in Japan is just that: an art. The care and attention paid to one’s plants in that country is just as spiritual as it is practical.

This means that the use of Japanese gardening tools may permit you to become closer to the things you grow by caring for them in a much more personal way.

Japanese gardening tools tend to be smaller, hand-held objects, forcing you to really get face-to-face with your garden to see what you’re doing.

And nothing is better built or longer-lasting than Japanese gardening tools. Sure, no blade stays sharp forever, but a pair of Okatsune hand pruners will slice through a branch like it was made of butter for much longer than you think it would.

Such high quality and high performance can truly only be found in Japanese gardening tools.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at three different kinds of Japanese gardening tools and examine their purposes.

Then, for those of you that want to grab up some of your own Japanese style gardening tools right away, we’ll offer you some online resources for learning more and making your purchases.

A Closer Look at Japanese Gardening Tools

Japanese inspired gardening tools come in a variety of styles, designs, uses, and sizes. Practically everything you’d ever need for your garden would be included in the list.

There are, however, a few essential items that you should get first. These are:

1. Hand Pruner – Certainly the first of the Japanese style gardening tools you should acquire is the hand pruner. No other pruner will offer you such clean, crisp cuts when you prune as a Japanese model. Whether you’re shaping a rose bush or masterfully trimming a Bansai tree, you need a tool that will offer you exact precision. The Best Brands: Okatsune and Tobisho.
2. Hand Saw – No, this isn’t the kind of hand saw your granddaddy used to cut branches off the tree in your front yard. This tool isn’t big and wobbly. These handsaws feature hollow-cut teeth and sides that are smooth and parallel for quick, balanced cuts. ‘Precision’ is the keyword for these Japanese inspired gardening tools. The Best Brands: Gomboy and Gomtaru.
3. Tripod Ladder – Every little bit of a Japanese garden is cared for and pruned. This requires access to every high point. In order to reach each centimeter of your shrubs, bushes, and trees, it is recommended that you pick up a tripod ladder. These Japanese style gardening tools are absolutely indispensible for keeping your yard looking perfectly beautiful.

Where to Find Japanese Gardening Tools

You may think it’s difficult to pick up a set of your own Japanese style gardening tools, but it truly isn’t.

You can find Japanese style gardening tools like the ones mentioned above at stores like:

• Home Depot
• Lowe’s
• Target

What are the Best Vegetable Gardening Planting Times?

It is of the utmost importance to be aware of vegetable gardening planting times before you begin preparation for your garden.

We all would love the opportunity to grow our own vegetables.

How much nicer it would be to go out into the backyard and pull up a few carrots and a head of lettuce for dinner, than it is to drive to the grocery store for produce that has been treated with a myriad of chemicals and pesticides.

But growing your own vegetable garden isn’t something you run headlong into. You have to study up and do your research before taking on such a project.

After all, why spend all that time preparing the soil and planting your seeds if you don’t know how to care for them? That’s not only a waste of money, but it’s also a waste of your time.

One of the ways you can prepare yourself for growing your own veggies is to be knowledgeable about vegetable gardening planting times.

Some vegetables grow best during the cooler months (these are called Cool Season Vegetables), while others can only thrive after the last frost (these are, conversely, Warm Season Vegetables).

Knowing the vegetable garden planting times for the crops you want to grow is an essential step in producing a garden that thrives and provides.

Below, we’ll take a look at vegetable gardening planting times and what the Cool Season and Warm Season Vegetables are, so you know which seeds to buy first.

For Everything There is a Season: Vegetable Gardening Planting Times

Vegetable gardening planting times vary throughout the year, depending on what seeds you wish to grow.

But first, it is important for you to know when you should start your garden.

One of the best times for you to prepare the soil and begin preparation for your garden is during late autumn, because it is neither too wet nor too dry.

That being said, however, it is very important for you to be aware of exactly what kind of climate you live in and which plants, veggies, or fruits can be grown there.

Planting seasons are very different in Florida and Wisconsin.

Talk to your local home and garden store specialist to make sure that the vegetables you want to grow are able to grow well in your hometown.

Generally, though, the lists of Cool Season and Warm Season Vegetables stays pretty much the same.

In order to give you an idea of what might be grown during those times, here are those lists:

Vegetable Gardening Planting Times: Cool Season

Cool Season Vegetables (Late Fall)

• Spinach
• Onions
• Carrots
• Radishes
• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Peas
• Kale
• Potatoes
• Collards
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower

Vegetable Gardening Planting Times: Warm Season

Warm Season Vegetables (Mid- to Late-Spring)

• Sweet potatoes
• Okra
• Eggplant
• Tomatoes (though, yes, they are technically fruits)
• Corn
• Beans
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Squash

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Flower Gardening in Containers: Tips and Advice for Designing a Flower Garden

Flower gardening in containers is a great way to grow your favorite flowers and vegetables if you don’t have the space in your yard to plant seeds directly into the soil.

So many of us wish we could have beautiful, colorful flowers blossoming around our homes throughout the year. Most of us do little more than wish, though, because of our limited space.

For those living in apartments, townhouses, or anywhere in the concrete jungles of the big city, hopes of having a backyard flower garden have been all but dashed.

But there is a solution!

And the solution is simple: flower gardening in containers.

You don’t have to have a big yard to enjoy the annual beauty of geraniums, snapdragons, or pansies.

All you need is a container to grow them in. And, to be honest, almost any container will do.

Grow your favorite pretty little things indoors on a windowsill, on your front porch, or hanging from your back patio. As long as you have a container to house your flowers and plants, then you can design a flower garden with ease.

Below, we’ll take a look at the different kinds of containers you can use for your backyard flower garden (or windowsill or front walkway garden, for that matter).

Flower Garden Ideas: Picking Your Containers

If you are thinking about doing your own flower gardening in containers, then you need to first pick out the best place to keep them.

Flowers, in general, thrive best when they are exposed to sunlight for at least six hours a day. Keep this in mind when choosing the location for your flower gardening in containers.

Once you’ve picked out the best spot for your pretty plants, then it’s time to get creative.

Containers for your plants can be crafted from so many different designs, materials, and found objects. Some of the more traditional, conservative containers include:

• Planter boxes
• Wooden barrels
• Hanging baskets
• Large flower pots

But for those of you looking to be a bit more creative, or artsy with your flower gardening in containers design, consider these sources:

• Discarded tires
• Unused pots and pans
• Old china
• Clay pots

As long as they are roomy enough to house your flowers well and are able to drain water, then you can let your imagination absolutely soar!

Flower Gardening Tips

After you’ve exhausted your creative juices designing the best backyard flower garden for your home, then you’re ready to get down to the business of growing beautiful plants.

Make sure to consult your local home and garden store, your library of gardening books, or a friend with a green thumb about which soils and fertilizers to use for the seeds you choose to grow.

And speaking of growing, for those of you ready to get going on your own flower gardening in containers, here’s a short list of some annual flowers that do extraordinarily well in boxes, planters, and old tires:

• Alyssum
• Begonia
• Geraniums
• Marigolds
• Pansies
• Petunias
• Snapdragons

Enjoy the colorful and creative benefits of flower gardening in containers today!

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Owning an Earth Machine compost bin is one way that you can turn your life around, and start doing your part to protect the environment.

Review of Earth Machine Backyard Compost Bin

Providing a sound and healthy future for our children and our children’s children should be a top priority for us. And composting is an easy step to take in that direction.

In fact, you won’t believe just how easy it is.

With an Earth Machine compost bin, you can become an essential member of your community’s waste diversion action team. Recycling isn’t just limited to aluminum soda cans and plastic milk jugs anymore.

Your biological trash can have a life beyond consumption, providing an excellent substitute for chemical fertilizers to make your garden, lawn, and flower beds grow healthy and strong.

The Earth Machine backyard compost bin is a small, unobtrusive tool that works wonders with your fruit and vegetable spoils (and your grass clippings and raked leaves) with very little effort from you.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at the Earth Machine compost bin and go over a few of the product’s pros and cons.

If you are in the market to buy a product like this, give the Earth Machine compost bin a bit of your attention. It’s a great tool that sells for a fantastic price.

Earth Machine Composting Bin: In Depth

The Earth Machine compost bin is made from a combination of recycled materials and high-density injection-molded polyethylene. It’s a tough little machine (measuring 33 inches tall by 33 inches wide) that’s built to last.

The Earth Machine compost bin’s deep black color keeps the inside of the tool at a nice, warm temperature and the shell is designed to be UV resistant. The Earth Machine composting bin was deftly crafted to maintain optimum inner core temperatures.

Weighing a mere 15 pounds when empty, the Earth Machine composting bin is also extremely portable.

Keep it anywhere in your backyard and don’t worry about it being an unsightly blight. The Earth Machine Backyard composting bin is handsomely designed to blend in with your other yard work equipment.

More than two million people have already discovered the benefits of owning their own Earth Machine compost bin. It’s high time you made it two million and one.

Earth Machine Backyard Compost Bin: The Pros and Cons

For those people who distrust a completely positive review full of gushing praise, here’s a list of the Earth Machine Backyard compost bin’s pros and cons.

PROS

• Great capacity – 10.5 cubic feet or 80 gallons
• Sturdily built
• Easily operated – takes about 10 minutes a week
• Simple assembly
• Attractive design
• Reduces use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
• May reduce your garbage by up to 30%
• Large enough for a family of four to use with ease
• The Price – can be found for $20 from some online retailers

CONS

• Lid can collect rain water
• Plastic parts a little too pliable
• Some of the sliding parts stick after much repeated use

The verdict?

Well, it’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?

Buying your own Earth Machine compost bin is a great idea for you and your whole family. So do it!

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It doesn’t take much effort to find volumes and volumes of DIY tips for gardening on the web.

People are interested in DIY (Do It Yourself) projects of every kind these days. Money is scarcer now that it has been in a long time, and wherever people can stretch their bank accounts, they do.

One way to save money is to Do It Yourself. Whether that’s figuring out your own electrical wiring, doing your own plumbing, or growing your own vegetables, saving money is never more rewarding than when you see a home project through to the end.

Growing fruit and vegetables in your own garden (both indoor and outdoor) has many advantages. Not only does it save you hundreds of dollars annually in grocery bills, but it also lessens our negative environmental impact.

Some of the many benefits of home gardening include:

• More control over your produce
• Less chemical and genetic interference
• A larger appreciation for nature
• Less eco-damage caused by transporting produce cross-country
• Good exercise
• And it’s a far less expensive way to eat fruit and vegetables

For those of you who are just starting to feel the homegrown buzz, this article will explore some DIY tips for gardening in your own backyard.

We’ll explore a few beginners’ DIY tips for gardening, and a few more for maintaining your plants.

So, let’s get to it!

DIY Tips for Gardening: Getting Started

1. Location is Everything – Before you begin, you need to find the right place to grow your garden. Most plants need 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. Try to find a place in your yard that gets at least that much.
2. Timing is Key – Be sure you know when the best time of the year is to plant your seeds. Some veggies are cold season growers and others are warm season seeds. Do your research beforehand to avoid wasting your blood, sweat, and tears on a plant that never had a chance to begin with.
3. Consider Raising Your Bed – Raised bed gardening is a great way for beginners to grow their veggies. The raised bed offers more control over the plants’ growth, soil, and drainage. It’s also a lot easier on your back when you don’t have to bend down so far.
4. Know Your Veggie’s Limitations – Just because you like watermelon doesn’t necessarily mean you can grow it well. When researching the planting times for your various fruits and veggies, make sure you pick seeds that will grow well in your hometown climate.

DIY Tips for Gardening: Keeping Up Your Garden

1. Give Your Garden a Jolt – Do you drink coffee in the morning? Do you just throw your grounds away in the trash? WHY?! Instead of trashing your used coffee grounds, toss them in your garden. The nitrogen in the coffee works wonders for your garden as a natural fertilizer. It also repels slugs!
2. Don’t Get Pestered – Pests like insects, slugs, snails, and neighborhood cats and dogs can wreak absolute havoc on your garden. So, don’t let them! The web is a great resource for learning how to deter these critters from making your life miserable. Don’t let them take over. Kick them out!
3. Rock Out in Style – Want to turn your nice looking patch into a Garden of Eden? Prettify your beds with decorative rocks and stones. Make it something your proud to show off and you’ll be more inclined to take the best care of it!

Hopefully, some of these DIY tips for gardening speak to you and get you excited about going outside and getting your hands dirty. As mentioned before, the Internet is full to brimming of a million other DIY tips for gardening.

So go nuts on the search engines and knock yourself (and your garden) out!

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With the introduction of the Back Porch Compost Tumbler, people who like to work organically in their gardens have a great burden lifted from their shoulders.

Back Porch Compost Tumbler

Gone are the days of building your own compost heap in the back yard and breaking your back caring for it. Most of us can still feel the strain in our backs as we turned our compost pile last summer.

But now, that pain is a thing of the past.

The Back Porch Compost Tumbler is the answer. It’s an easy to use, well crafted piece of equipment that will save all our backs from strain.

So, what exactly is it?

It’s a compact compost bin in the shape of barrel. “What’s the big deal about that?” you ask.

The big deal is that it comes equipped with a handle that automatically turns the compost when you crank it. The tumbler is situated in a frame that allows you to turn the compost without having to use a pitchfork or other garden tool. You don’t even have to open the bin at all.

The Back Porch Compost Tumbler is also attractively designed so that it is much better suited for your manicured yard. No longer do you have to see the unsightly compost bin in the corner of the yard. This dark green machine is just as easy to look at as it is to use.

Of course, not everyone is appreciative of this compost tumbler.

Like every other product in every other category on the market, there are people who both like and dislike this unique, gardening tool.

Below, we’ll take a look at a pros-and-cons list for this compost tumbler and then we’ll take a brief look at how you can build your own.

Back Porch Compost Tumbler: The Pros and Cons

If you’re considering purchasing the Back Porch Compost Tumbler, give the following list a good look to make sure that it is the perfect product for you, your yard, and your garden.

PROS

• Easy to use
• Easy to assemble
• Holds a good deal of compost
• Pleasing to the eye
• Composts quickly
• Great size for the back yard
• Portable (so you can keep it closer to your kitchen)
• Made of good, strong materials

CONS

• Takes a while to assemble (even though it is fairly easy)
• Some people complain about the odor
• Lid doesn’t stay open well without holding it yourself
• Drainage screen needs to be cleaned often
• Door has been known to break after a lot of use

If you can live with the “cons” then you should certainly consider picking up this compost tumbler up for yourself. Your back will thank you!

Make a Compost Tumbler of Your Own

Do you like the idea of the Back Porch Compost Tumbler but don’t want to spend the money (retails for $240)?

Don’t worry, you can make a compost tumbler by yourself!

It’s a pretty easy operation. You can make the barrel out of wire or wood, as long as it has plenty of drainage and has an access port.

Spear the barrel with a metal dowel that affixes to a stationary frame. Create a handle for one end of the dowel and there you have it: your very own homemade Back Porch Compost Tumbler!

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The benefits of organic gardening are widespread and far-reaching. It’s impossible to point a finger to the actual number of benefits due to organic gardening because it is such a positive enterprise.

Not only does it save you money, if you do it yourself, but it also greatly reduces the negative impact on the environment.

Not to mention the health benefits of eating organically grown food on your own body.

What are the Benefits of Organic Gardening?

When you grow your own organic vegetables, herbs, and fruit, you are taking a direct hand in the way your food and produce is created. So you will always know that what you’re eating is fresh, full of nutrients, and free of toxins.

Of the many benefits of organic growing, this may be one of the greatest: that you are aware of exactly which chemicals (none!) are being used to grow your food.

Below, we’ll take a look at some more benefits of organic gardening, both for you and the world you live in.

Benefits of Organic Gardening: For You

The benefits of organic gardening begin with you.

Let’s start with the obvious.

What is organic gardening?It is commonly known as the practice of growing crops without the use of:

• Herbicides
• Fertilizers
• Artificially synthesized pesticides

Traditionally, commercial growers treat fruit and veggies with a wide range of chemicals, not just to make them grow fast and bigger, but also to make them look pretty after they’ve been driven in a truck halfway around the country.

Does that sound appealing? Does that sound healthy?

No.

By growing your own fruit and vegetables without such chemical products, you are ensuring that you and your family won’t be ingesting poison with your dinner.

Also, it is a well established fact that organic gardeners burn far more calories than commercial gardeners. Studies say that one benefit of gardening organically is that such gardeners are more likely to use muscles over machines.

Another one of the great organic gardening benefits is that the vegetables you produce will be much more delicious and nutrient-rich. This comes from the short distance it takes to move a carrot from your garden to your dining room table.

Benefits of Organic Gardening: For the Earth

Again, let’s start with the obvious: chemicals.

Not only are herbicides and pesticides bad for you, they are also bad for the environment, perhaps even doubly so.

Our environment is highly susceptible to the runoff from excess soluble fertilizers.

This nasty stuff finds its way into our river and ponds, making them smell terrible and raising the oxygen levels in the water, killing fish and other animal life.

Beyond the obvious chemical benefits of organic gardening over commercial gardening, there’s the transportation.

Most commercially produced fruit and vegetables are driven cross country to reach their destination. This accounts for millions of diesel miles driven every year. The pollution from this kind of transportation is obvious.

The benefits of organic gardening are expansive, and ever growing. They cover you and your family’s health, as well as the health of our mother: Mother Nature.

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The number of compost bin designs available for you to choose from is so high it is almost astronomical.

There are compost bins that are designed to be small, large, round, square, plain, fancy, wooden, wire, creatively hidden, or all out in the open. For whatever plans you have for your compost pile, wherever you want to put it, there’s a plan for you to build your own homemade compost bin.

Best Homemade Compost Bin Designs

A sustainable planet begins at home. What you can do to turn your trash into flowers, fruit, or vegetables is almost magic. It preserves life after death and cuts down on the negative environmental impact of buying chemicals and fertilizers from your local home and garden store.

By building your own homemade compost bin, you are working not only to make the growing process more organic, but also to make a cleaner earth for you and your descendants.

In this article, we’ll explore several different compost bin designs you can use for your own pile. Then we’ll take a look at some resources for those who want to find out more about the multitude of compost bin designs available for use.

Homemade Compost Bin: Take Your Pick!

When it comes to picking out your favorite of the compost bin designs available, you can let your creativity and imagination run wild.

As long as the process within is preserved by a basic structure of four walls and a top, you can have plenty of fun choosing a homemade compost bin design.

And the options are nearly endless.

For those looking to construct a more conservative homemade compost bin, consider free compost bin plans for these types:

• Portable wood composting bin
• Portable wire composting bin
• Single compartment wood bin
• Urban wood bin
• Wire mesh composter
• Lath snow fence composter
• Wood and wire three-compartment bin
• Rotating barrel composter
• Compost screen
• Homemade food waste composter

For those wanting something a bit more creative, how about these unconventional, yet eye-pleasing, options:

• Old tires
• Unused china dishes
• Pots and pans
• Broken wheelbarrows

You can also disguise a conventional, conservative homemade compost bin by using creative means, like these:

• Tall flowers
• Bamboo fence
• Creeping vines
• Latticework

And the lists go on and on.

Now let’s talk about where you can find some free compost bin plans.

Compost Bin Designs: Where to Find Some More

The Internet is fantastic resource for researching compost bin designs. There are many websites that are completely devoted to not just detailing the many different kinds of designs available for a homemade compost bin, but also instructing you on how to build them yourself.

Your local home and garden store is also a great place to learn about compost bin designs. You can ask a sales associate, look at the compost bins for sale, or read up on the process in a number of books and manuals that most such stores have available for retail.

Beyond that, you can be really creative and come up with your own plan for a homemade compost bin. The idea is simple: four walls, an opening, and plenty of room for drainage.

Your options are limitless. So have fun combing through the lists of compost bin designs until you find the perfect one for you!

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Finding a good set of kids gardening tools is essential if you want to be able to spend quality time with your children among the flowers and vegetables.

Best Kids Gardening Tools

Kids love to help you in the garden. Wherever you go, whatever you do (be it planting, picking, or weeding), your children want to be there, too.

Most of the time we humor them, letting them play in the dirt for a few minutes before they get bored and go inside.

But there may be a whole slew of benefits to actually taking the time to introduce your children to real garden work–but you need the right kids gardening tools to introduce them to this.

Gardening and Children: Why Is It Important?

Gardening for children can be an important step in their developmental phase.

Not only do you get more opportunity to teach your kids about the ways in which the world works, but you also get the chance to know them better.

By acquiring a set of kids gardening tools for your little ones, you’re letting them know that you take them seriously and genuinely want them to help you.

A child gardening tool in the hands of your daughter or son is just one step you can take to help them make a foothold in the world.

Here are some of the many benefits of getting your children some kids gardening tools and having them help you in the backyard:

• Educating kids about healthy food options
• Encouraging a love of nature
• Giving them a sense of responsibility
• Spending enough time with them to build a healthy relationship

Child Gardening Tools: Why Do You Need Them?

It is important to make sure they your children have a real set of kids gardening tools.

Using plastic or toy tools is for play time. If you want to instill in them a true love of gardening, you need to take it just as seriously as you want them to.

This means buying a decent pair of child gardening gloves and some child gardening tools that actually work.

If you just have your children use adult-sized tools, this can prove to have a negative impact on them. While using grown up tools might at first seem novel to your children, they may quickly grow frustrated because they are not big enough to use the tools as they are intended.

Find a set of solid kid gardening tools and you’ll avoid this, perhaps keeping your kids interested in gardening instead of making them loathe it.

Kids Gardening Tools: Where You Can Find Them

Child gardening tools can be found in most home and garden stores. It’s a good idea, as mentioned, to provide your children with tools that will actually do the jobs they are intended for. Most cheap, plastic tools won’t last very long (and they won’t do a very good job while they do).

There are a lot of places you can go to find good, sturdy tools made with the same quality as your own, but sized for smaller hands.

If you’re looking to shop online, check out these great sites for their large stock of kids gardening tools:

• Yardiac.com
• Amazon.com
• Target.com
• Buy.com

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Hydroponic tomato gardening is a great way to grow your own delicious, nutrient-rich tomatoes without having to worry about what season it is or what the temperature and climate are like.

When you grow vegetables indoors, you have a lot more control over the growth and nourishment of your produce. And when you perform hydroponic gardening, you have the greatest control of all.

Doing your own hydroponic tomato gardening ensures that when you pick a tomato off the vine, you know it is perfectly ripe and ready to eat.

How to Begin Hydroponic Tomato Gardening

There is a quite short period during the year when tomatoes are perfectly ripened for that great, fresh taste we all look forward to. The rest of the time they are artificially grown and ripened, picked off the vine while they are still green so that growers can transport them to grocers before they go bad.

This is not the way to enjoy tomatoes.

By doing your own hydroponic tomato gardening, you can have fresh, delicious tomatoes any time you like.

First things first:

What Is Hydroponic Tomato Gardening?

Hydroponic tomato gardening is the growing of tomatoes (or other vegetables, fruits, or flowers) indoors, under artificial light, and without soil.

The key to hydroponics is the lack of soil. Instead, they are grown in a nutrient rich solution.

This can be achieved in a variety of ways, including:

1. Medium Culture – This refers to the different mediums used to replace soil. These can be rock wool, gravel, clay pellets, brick shards, or other materials. These offer the tomato plants’ roots a stable substance to cling to.
2. Solution Culture – Through the use of any of three different solution cultures (static solution culture, continuous flow solution culture, and aeroponics), your tomato plants will get the nutrients they need to survive in a suspended state.

Your tomatoes’ flavor and sweetness rely, to a certain large extent, on temperature and sunlight. When doing your own hydroponic tomato gardening, you can provide the perfect amount of both with artificial light and temperature control.

Hydroponic tomato gardening is the ideal way to make sure your tomatoes taste, smell, look, and feel exactly the way you want them.

Hydroponic Tomato Gardening: How To Learn More

If you have decided that hydroponic tomato gardening may be something you want to try, then there are a variety of resources available to you.

The Internet is a great place to start. Surfing around websites like Wikipedia, E-How, and Google is a great way to learn more about hydroponic tomato gardening.

Another great way to learn more is to visit your local home and garden store. Not only do many such retailers sell books directly related to hydroponic tomato gardening, but they also tend to employ sales associates who understand the many needs of home gardening. Try asking advice from one of them.

The process of creating your own hydroponic garden is fairly complicated and will take some research, but the rewards have having one are near endless.

If you’re interested, make the time to learn all you can about how you can do your own hydroponic tomato gardening. You won’t be sorry.

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What a shame it is to have your flowers and vegetables overrun by gardening pests.

You work so hard to keep your flowers and melons, shrubs and carrots, or bushes and corn, looking healthy and strong. So why allow garden pests like insects, slugs, or neighborhood cats and dogs from destroying what you’ve worked for? You shouldn’t.

Removing Common Gardening Pests

Below, we’ll take a look at some of the most common gardening pests and how you can keep them from taking over your beautiful garden.

Garden Pests#1: Insects

It would be nearly impossible to rank and file all of the many bugs and insects that can become pests in your garden.

So, here’s a list of the most common gardening pests:

• Aphid
• Spider mite (white or red)
• Mealybug
• Scale
• Whitefly
• Thrip

The most obvious answer to getting rid of them may also be the most harmful to the environment: chemicals.

If you are experiencing out of control gardening pests in the form of insects and bugs, then by all means, resort to the chemical sprays.

But for more minor infestations, consider some of these helpful hints:

• Use clean planters when repotting
• Use fresh potting soil
• Always get rid of dead or decaying vegetation as soon as possible
• Every once in a while, clean your plants with a soapy liquid solution

Gardening Pests#2: Slugs

Slugs are terrible gardening pests that are especially present to those living in the Northwest, or other more precipitous climates.

Many people consider slugs to be the worst garden pests for one reason: how they look. As opposed to other gardening pests, which you mainly fight against in an almost invisible battle because of their small sizes, slugs are big, slimy, and ugly.

There are many ways to get rid of slugs in your garden.

One such way is by using coffee grounds as a fertilizer in your soil. Contrary to some popular opinion, used coffee grounds does not contain enough caffeine to kill slugs. But it does have plenty enough to deter them.

Other, more direct ways of getting rid of these slimy gardening pests include:

• Leaving out a bowl of stale beer for them to drown in
• Pouring salt on them
• Using a slug poker to gouge the visible ones
• Destroying any and all slug eggs you find

There are those, however, who may cringe at the idea of actually killing garden pests like slugs. For those of you looking for a more non-violent way of removing slugs from your garden, try:

• Pulling weeds more often
• Keeping decayed matter out of your garden
• Cleaning out all old leaves
• Cultivating your soil regularly

Garden Pests#3: Cats and Dogs

Cats and dogs may be some of the most destructive gardening pests there are.

The easiest way to deter them is by training them to respect your garden. This, of course, is not always the answer. Some cats and dogs are just too willful to behave.

Building a fence around your garden is another option. This may help to keep dogs out, but most cats can find a way to get around (or under or over) a fence.

Another trick: try using a solution of hot peppers, garlic, or soapy water on your plants’ leaves. This may give your local dogs and cats the stimulus they need to finally leave your garden alone.

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Coffee grounds and gardening: a few years ago this unlikely pairing may have seemed as uncomplimentary as kitchen sinks and vacuum cleaners.

Coffee Grounds and Gardening

Today, we know better.

It is fairly common knowledge that the combination of coffee grounds and gardening is as copacetic as they come. Coffee grounds are a great source of nutrients, minerals, and basic elements that will help maintain your garden’s health and promote growth.

Many of us know this on a purely intellectual level. But how many of us have actually tried it?

After all, it does seem like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Like most green activities aimed at making our world a better place to live in, it seems like a much greater idea on paper than it does in action.

What it comes down to is this: time. Who really has the time to change the ways in which they tend their gardens?

The answer to that question is simple.

You do!

The great combination of coffee grounds and gardening is so very easy to master. You have to throw out your coffee grounds somewhere, so why not make it someplace useful?

Below, we’ll explore just a few of the wonderful things you can do with coffee grounds and gardening, including:

• Making them into compost
• Growing fast vegetables with them
• And using them to deter nasty garden pests

Browse through the following sections and then decide for yourself if you have the time to combine coffee grounds and gardening in your own home.

It’s a pretty safe bet that you will!

Coffee Grounds and Gardening: A Myriad of Uses

Coffee grounds are a wonderfully versatile product for your gardening needs.

All you have to do is throw out your grounds directly into your garden when you’re done making coffee in the morning, afternoon, evening, or whenever you drink it.

By sprinkling the grounds around your vegetables before you water them, you will be activating slow-release nitrogen that will help them grow faster and fuller.

Some people have said that the acidity level of coffee grounds makes them unhealthy for you to use with most plants. This is simply untrue. In fact, the pH level for regular coffee grounds averages out to between 5 and 6, making it a fairly neutral material.

Diluting your coffee grounds with water makes for a fast-acting, liquid fertilizer. Coffee grounds are very high in nitrogen, which makes them into great mulch for your garden.

Coffee grounds and gardening is a match made in heaven: Not only are coffee grounds good for your plants, but they are bad for your garden’s pests. It has been documented that both slugs and cats stay away from gardens treated with coffee grounds!

Compost Coffee Grounds: A Great Source of Nitrogen

Coffee grounds and gardening really go hand in hand well when you’re talking about the compost pile.

By creating compost coffee grounds, you increase the production of nitrogen in your compost heap many times over.

And you don’t have to worry about those filters, either. Throw them in the compost pile, too! Filters will break down in the compost coffee grounds in no time flat.

So, what are you waiting for?

Coffee grounds and gardening: a combination that may have seemed ridiculous in the past, but now just plain makes sense!

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Doing your own backyard vegetable gardening is an incredibly productive, fun, and beneficial activity for both you and your family to enjoy.

Why spend hundreds of dollars more per year than you have to? If you consider backyard vegetable gardening on your own property, you can not only save on grocery money, but you will also have a personal involvement in yours and your family’s health and nourishment.

How to Start a Backyard Vegetable Garden

Backyard vegetable gardening is also not nearly as difficult and complicated as it may sound.The materials are minimal, as is the time commitment.

You can make as small a garden as you want. Depending on your availability or interest, you can grow as few as a couple of tomato plants, or as many as an entire garden full of vegetables.

Don’t be intimidated by people who spend all weekend with their backyard vegetable gardening. Growing fruit and vegetables (or flower and shrubs for that matter) should be fun for you.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at some of the many benefits of backyard vegetable gardening.

And for those who decide that this might be something that they want to try, we’ll also take a peek at some of the first steps in starting your own backyard vegetable gardening operation.

The Benefits of Backyard Vegetable Gardening

The rewards of growing veggies and fruit in your own backyard are beyond evident come harvest time.

When you are holding those big orange carrots, long cobs of corn, and bunches of red radishes in your own hands, then you will know your backyard vegetable gardening has been beyond worth the effort.

But the satisfaction you receive from seeing a project through from beginning to end is just one of the many benefits you will receive from making your own vegetable garden in your backyard

Here are a few more benefits of gardening:

• Reduces the costs of supplying fresh, organic produce for your kitchen
• Lessens the negative impact transportation and produce warehouses have on the environment
• Gives you and your family a chance to be closer to nature
• Provides an opportunity for you and your loved ones to become involved in a personal, fun activity

Backyard Vegetable Gardening: Getting Started

So, you’ve decided to give it a try. Good for you.

Here’s how you can begin your own vegetable garden in your own backyard:

First things first: find a great location!

You need to find a place in your backyard that will get plenty of sun throughout the day. Most plants need at least six hours of sun per day to grow. This varies from vegetable to vegetable, of course, but as a general rule: the more sun the better.

Next, decide what kind of garden you want.

Would you like to plant your garden in the ground? Or would you rather do an above-ground garden in a container? A raised bed vegetable garden is most recommended, especially for beginners. It’s easy to construct, easy to plant, and easy to maintain.

Now you just need to pick and choose what you’d like to plant!

Generally, the planting instructions for each different kind of vegetable (including the amount of water they need) can be found right on the seed packages.

It’s as easy as that.

Here’s a planting guide for when you should start growing certain vegetables. Use this when you begin your own vegetable garden in your backyard:

Summer:

• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Squash
• Eggplant
• Peppers
• Beans

Spring and Fall:

• Broccoli
• Peas
• Lettuce
• Spinach

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In the following section, we’ll take a look at what makes raised bed vegetable gardening such a fantastic option for vegetable growing.

We’ll also peek at a brief overview of some tips on how you can make your own raised bed vegetable garden design for best for you.

So, without further adieu:

The Benefits of Raised Bed Vegetable Gardens

First of all, what exactly are raised bed vegetable gardens?

Sometimes it isn’t possible for you to grow your garden in the ground. Whether it’s a lack of space, a lack of good soil, or a lack of soil altogether, you can still have your vegetable garden if you design it above the ground.

Raised vegetable garden beds are constructed in block-style box containers. These can be built to suit any of your sizing needs and be placed wherever you want them placed: in your garden, in a bed of bark, or even on a concrete patio.

With raised bed vegetable gardens that are at least 12” deep, you can even successfully grow most vegetable roots.

This is a truly great way to grow your favorite vegetables with ease.

Here’s a list of some other great benefits that come from raised bed vegetable gardening:

• Less Area to Weed:By having the space limited to container walls, you will have much less work to do when it comes time to weed your garden.
• Plant Early:With the improved drainage and run-off from raised bed vegetable garden beds, the soil is able to warm faster in the spring, allowing you plant your vegetables earlier than you would have otherwise.
• Protection from Frost: Raised bed vegetable gardens are easy to cover with tarps because they are off the ground. This adds much greater protection on those cold spring and autumn mornings.
• Gardening Ease:No longer will you have to strain your back while planting, picking, or weeding on the ground level. With raised bed vegetable gardening, you won’t have to lean over nearly as far to get your work done

The benefits of raised bed vegetable gardening are many. Even if you have the room for an in-ground garden, it would be a good idea to consider using a raised bed vegetable garden design for ease of access and care.

And, aside from all of the technical and health advantages of raised bed vegetable gardening, they are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Best Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening Tips

If you have decided to take up raised bed vegetable gardening, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure the ground beneath the raised bed vegetable gardens is as level as possible.
• Try to leave a space of two and a half feet between each of the containers. This makes it easy for you to access them when you need to.
• And before you do anything, make sure your raised bed vegetable garden design is exactly how you want it. The boxes are very difficult to move later on, so try to be exact as you can with your design before you even start.

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Finding the right indoor gardening lights is a crucial step to growing your plants indoors.

In certain cases, especially when you are trying to grow plants larger than culinary herbs, a windowsill container that garners a few hours of sunlight a day isn’t nearly enough to make your indoor plants and shrubs flourish and grow.

Sometimes you need to use indoor gardening lights because you don’t have a window in your apartment, house, or building that gets enough direct sunlight during the day.

Such occasions call for indoor gardening lights to help your plants grow. Not only that, though: you need to have the right indoor gardening lights.

Indoor Plant and Growing Lights

Indoor gardening requires a lot more care and attention than outdoor gardening.Outside, Mother Nature takes care of a lot of the magic. But in your home, you need to supplement that magic with indoor plant lights.

Below we’ll take a cursory look at what indoor growing lights do and what the different kinds are.

From there, you should be able to take the next step in finding the perfect indoor gardening lights for your own project.

What Do Indoor Gardening Lights Do?

In general, all plants use the light from the sun to change carbon dioxide into an array of sugars that are used to help them grow.

When you are doing indoor gardening, it’s hard to make sure these plants are getting enough sunlight to convert the right amount of carbon dioxide into sugars to make them grow at a healthy rate.

In order to flower and bloom (and, in the cases of some plants, bear fruit) a plant needs no less than six hours of sun light per day.

Now this may not be a possibility in some places like apartments or town houses. Depending on the building’s construction and directional placement, you may find yourself without window that receives three hours (let alone six hours) of sunshine a day.

In such cases, all is not lost. There is an answer: indoor gardening lights.

Artificial, indoor plant lights are reliable and functional stand-ins for the sun.

With indoor growing lights, your plants can receive the nourishment they need without having direct contact with the sun’s rays.

There are a number of different kinds of indoor gardening lights. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

What Kinds of Indoor Plant Lights Do You Need?

Here’s a brief overview of the three main types of indoor gardening lights, and one that is still in the early developmental stages, but could prove to be heralding in a new frontier of indoor growing lights.

1. Incandescent Light: Even though this category of sun-substitute is labeled as an indoor plant light, it is really almost worthless as such. These are best used to help highlight plant groupings in your home and make them look nice while only adding supplemental sunlight.

2. Fluorescent Light: This is the most popular indoor growing light available. Fairly inexpensive, these lights do well mimicking the life-giving properties of the sun. And with new. technological advances, you can use special, fluorescent, indoor growing lights to not only grow a plant from seed, but also feed a mature, fruit-bearing tree.

3. High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights: These are industrial strength, indoor gardening lights, capable of growing full-sized plants and trees indoors. Originally used by professional horticulturists to substitute for greenhouse light, HID lights are not suitable for the independent, indoor gardening amateur looking to grow some herbs in a back room of an apartment.

4. Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lights:LED lights used for indoor gardening may be the wave of the future. They are still in a developmental phase, but once perfected, these lights will offer all the growing power of the sun with ultra low costs. Low energy consumption and low heat output make this a truly, green light. When perfected, LED indoor growing lights will leave all the others behind them.

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Who ever thought garden gloves could or should be stylish? No one–that is, until Foxgloves gardening gloves came along.

Finally, there is a piece of gardening apparel that focuses just as much on form as it does on function.

And let’s get that squared away right now: Foxgloves gardening gloves are highly functional.

Foxgloves Gardening Gloves

This brand was designed by a professional horticulturist who knows what it takes to make a good gardening glove.

Long gone are the days of wearing thick, yellow rubber gloves or bulky leather gardening gloves, neither of which allows you to actually feel what you are touching.

A new era in gardening has arrived.

For the woman who wants to spend time in her lovely garden while looking oh-so-lovely, Foxgloves gardening gloves are just the ticket.

They come in a variety of styles to suit your gardening needs and a variety of colors to suit your aesthetic desires.

Below is a little glimpse of each of the four different Foxgloves gardening gloves and what makes them so special that they’ve created a revolution in the Home and Garden Apparel department.

Why You Need Foxgloves Gardening Gloves

You can pick up your own pair of Foxgloves gardening gloves in four different styles, which include:

1. Ultragrip: This style includes a palm grip made from synthetic suede.

2. Silicone Grip Ovals: Just as the name suggests, these gloves have silicone grips that are designed for holding steady onto your gardening tools.

3. Ergonomic Thumb: For the smoothest fit, these gloves don’t feature any built in grips.

4. Elle: These are the most feminine and elegant of Foxgloves gardening gloves. Stretching all the way up to your elbows, you’ll like you just came to your garden from the Prince’s Royal Ball.

Not only do these great gloves come in different styles, but also a variety of colors including:

• Spring Green
• Crow Black
• Fuchsia
• Delphinium
• Tulip
• Periwinkle
• Moss
• Iris
• Compost

Superbly crafted from Supplex nylon and Lycra elastane, Foxgloves gardening gloves are so snug and form-fitting, you might just forget that you’re wearing gloves at all.

Perfect for general gardening, weeding, and working with garden tools, these gloves really do have it all.

The only drawback seems to be that there isn’t yet a Foxgloves gardening gloves design that is waterproof.

But that shouldn’t be a problem for long.

Foxgloves gardening gloves are sparking a change in the home and garden department, fusing fashion with functionality.

Where You Can Find Foxgloves Gardening Gloves

You can find your own pair virtually anywhere.

Online, they can be found at a number of websites including:

• Amazon.com
• eBay.com
• Veseys.com
• Wrapables.com

Or you can go to your local garden supply store and find them there.

The fusion of design and durability, form and function, prettiness and perfection has finally arrived.

And they’re called Foxgloves.

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By building and growing your own basic herb garden, you will reap the rewards of not only saving a good deal of money in the long run, but also by creating something that is both practical and lovely.

You spend so much money every year on buying jars, bottles, and bunches of parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, and mint. If you learned to grow it yourself, it would cost mere pennies.

Basic Herb Gardening Kits

A lot of people are apprehensive about starting their own basic herb garden, for fear that their green thumbs just aren’t green enough.

But here’s the quiet, little secret: herb growing is easy!

As long as you have a pinch of patience, a dollop of desire, and feel for following directions, then you can grow your own basic herb garden with absolute ease.

Whether you wish you could grow a basic herb garden outdoors or a windowsill herb garden in your own home, there’s nothing stopping you but yourself.

Stop wishing it were so, and actually do it!

Below we’ll go over briefly how you can create your very own basic herb garden in your home or outside of it with no difficulty.

Before we begin, though, here’s a list of some materials that all herb garden kits cannot do without:

• Soil
• Fertilizer
• Seed or Herb Plants
• Containers
• A Small Spade

And that’s all. We swear.

Everything else comes from the little amount of work you do and the warmth of Mother Nature.

So, are you ready to grow your own basic herb garden yet?

Then let’s get to it!

The Outdoor Culinary Herb Garden

First things first: location, location, location.

A person would do well to have his or her basic herb garden situated right outside his or her kitchen door. This makes the plant easy to care for and, more importantly, easy to use when cooking.

This, however, is not always possible in reality. Especially in more urban environments, the luxury of having a backyard garden is fairly non-existent.

If you are lucky enough to have the room for a backdoor culinary herb garden, then great–that’s fantastic.

If, however, you are like the rest of us who just don’t have the space, then you have a few options.

One of those options we’ll cover in the next section on indoor basic herb garden creation. The other is container growing.

You can grow a culinary herb garden in one large container or in a series of smaller containers. All basic herb garden herbs grow very well in containers.

Containers can also be a very practical way to grow those herbs like mint that like to spread and take over a yard.

Make sure that wherever you put them, they get plenty of sunlight. Sunshine is an absolutely essential element to making your basic herb garden work.

The Indoor Windowsill Herb Garden

First things first again: location, location, location!

This is even more important than with your outdoor basic herb garden because indoors, you don’t get nearly as much sunlight.

When choosing where to put your windowsill herb garden, you must be aware of how much sunlight a particular window takes in during a regular day.

For your herbs to grow as well as they should, you need to make sure that they will be getting at least six hours of sun a day.

That bears repeating:

Your basic herb garden needs to be getting at least six hours of sun a day.

Some of the herbs that tend to really thrive in an indoor windowsill herb garden setting include:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Basil

Now that you have picked out your location, and made sure it gets plenty of sunlight, you are ready to start growing your very own basic herb garden.

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Seriously consider picking up a pair of Atlas gardening gloves today if you are looking for a durable, long-lasting product that will get the job done with great ease and style.

Reviews of Gardening Gloves

Touted as the ultimate gardening glove, the Atlas line is better than decent–they’re fantastic. For once this is a product that lives up to the hype.

Rivaling Foxgloves’ line in both performance and aesthetic value, Atlas gardening gloves are breathable, flexible, and very tough.

You don’t need to save them only for your gardening needs, either. These stylish gardening gloves can be used for additional activities, including:

• Construction
• Light Fabrication
• Tool Handling
• Automotive
• Material Handling
• Packaging

And Atlas gardening gloves are just as stylish as they are versatile. The Atlas Nitrile gardening gloves come in a variety of colors, such as:

• Teal
• Hot Coral
• Green Apple
• Purple
• Hot Pink
• Blue

Atlas gardening gloves are heavy duty products that remain feminine to the core.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at the Atlas 370 gardening gloves and come to a verdict as to whether or not these are worthwhile investment for you.

An In Depth Look at Atlas 370 Gardening Gloves

The Atlas NT370 Nitrile Gardening Gloves are the products of years of research and development with new materials.

These Atlas gardening gloves are coated with Nitrile, giving them a tough feel that is extraordinarily durable.

But tough as they are, Atlas gardening gloves are ergonomically shaped around your hand for high level of flexibility and dexterity. People have said that while wearing Atlas Nitrile gardening gloves, they felt like they were working bare handed. That is the result of a great deal of groundbreaking research.

Atlas gardening gloves are also puncture and chemical resistant, making them suitable for more projects than just gardening.

These gardening gloves are well ventilated so you won’t have sweaty hands when you’re work is through. They truly are as breathable as they say.

Leather gloves get ripped, torn, or eventually end up as stiff as a board after just a short amount of use. Atlas gardening gloves will always be form-fitting and will never be anything less than perfectly comfortable to wear.

The slogan for Atlas gardening gloves is: Fits like a second skin, Wears like iron, and Out-performs leather.

And that is probably the most truthful a slogan has ever been.

Are Atlast Gardening Gloves a Worthwhile Investment?

Isn’t it obvious by now?

Yes!

Atlas gardening gloves are indeed a worthwhile investment.

With all the next generation research and materials studied and implemented, did you ever think you could own a pair of these gloves for less than $15?

Well, it’s true. You can.

Online or in your local home and garden store, you can get a pair of for $14.99.

Don’t walk, don’t run, but absolutely fly to get your own pair right now.

It’ll be well worth the investment.

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Gardening is tough enough without a good guide to get you going. The following is guide to gardening resources to help you get started or to make your garden even better.

National Gardening Association

Information and inspiration on gardening with answers to questions about lawns, landscapes, trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, vegetables, herbs and flowers, organic gardens, compost, urban, soil, design, roses, tomato, how to grow in containers.

Gardening Resources from Cornell University

A great list of information from Cornell University’s Department of Horticulture.

Garden Web

Garden Web is the largest gardening site on the Web, with garden forums, articles on gardening, directories of nurseries, gardens and gardening organizations, a botanical glossary, an events calendar, a plant database, and contests.

Organic Directory

Organic Trade Association (OTA) presents The Organic Pages Online to provide users with a quick, easy way to find certified organic products, producers, ingredients, supplies and services offered by OTA members, as well as items of interest to the entire organic community. Includes links to farm supplies such as beneficial organisms, agricultural testing, growing mixes, kelp products, pest control products, fungicides, animal feed, biological pesticides, fertilizer, irrigation supplies, greenhouse supplies and more. Large directory to companies that sell algae, essential oils, natural and herbal products and more. Information about bio-dynamics farming and gardening, farm supplies and more.

Organic Gardening Techniques

The success or failure of the organic approach depends on how gardeners use and prepare organic matter, according to this site. Organic matter improves soil tilt and prevents soil compaction and crusting, while it increases the water holding ability of the soil and provides a more favorable soil environment for earthworms and beneficial microorganisms. Organic matter also slows erosion, and in later stages of decay, organic matter releases nitrogen and other nutrients to growing crops. Carbon dioxide from decaying organic matter brings minerals of the soil into solution, making them available to growing plants. Many soils of the world have been ruined, mainly because they have been depleted of organic matter from prolonged cultivation without proper soil management, the site says.

National Agriculture Library

The National Agricultural Library is one of four national libraries of the United States, with locations in Beltsville, Maryland and Washington, D.C. It houses one of the world’s largest and most accessible agricultural information collections and serves as the nexus for a national network of state land-grant and U.S. Department of Agriculture field libraries.

And here is a list of some other great gardening resources

• A Garden Place
• Botanique
• Dave’s Garden, Inc.
• Garden Gate
• Garden Guides
• Garden South
• GardenMart
• Garden Net
• GardenTown
• GardenWeb
• Gardening.com
• GrowRoom
• Hedge Rows Garden Tapestry
• HortiPlex
• Irrigation & Green Industry Network (IGIN)
• NWGarden.com – Gardening in the Pacific Northwest
• NurseryNet
• The Garden Spider’s Web
• The Horticultural Web
• The Master Gardener Show

While limited spaces of a city life can be frustrating for the urban gardener, growing a vegetable garden is far from impossible. In fact, with a little planning and imagination, vegetable gardens can be grown anywhere, regardless of space. How? Consider growing a vertical vegetable garden. You can easily produce the same amount of fresh vegetables without taking up excess space. A vertical vegetable garden is easy to create. You can create one using shelves, hanging baskets, or trellises.

The first step is to determine what the conditions are like in the area you wish to place the vegetable garden, such as on the balcony. The amount of sunlight will be the greatest factor in determining which plants will thrive in your urban environment. For instance, if you live in an area surrounded by other buildings, balcony or patio may be shaded most of the time; therefore, you should choose your plants accordingly. Leafy vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, and greens do well with limited sunlight, making good choices for shady areas. If you are blessed with an abundance of sunshine, your selection of plants will be greater, as vegetables thrive best in full sun. Choices here can include tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, beans, carrots, and radishes. Even vine crops, such as squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers can be grown as long as the container is deep enough to accommodate them and proper staking is available. Fill containers with peat moss and a suitable potting mix amended with compost or manure.

Almost any vegetable that can be grown in a garden will also work well as a container-grown plant. Nearly any type of container can be used for growing vegetable plants. Old washtubs, wooden crates, gallon-sized coffee cans, and even five-gallon buckets can be implemented for growing crops as long as they provide adequate drainage. Since most vegetables can be easily grown in containers, shelves offer the benefit of growing numerous types of vegetables on each shelf as high up as you can reach or space allows. You can position the vertical vegetable garden so that all of the plants receive adequate amounts of sunlight at the same time. Although any type of shelving may be used, the best type is the kind with slats. This will allow better air circulation and during watering intervals, the excess water from the top shelves will trickle down to the bottom ones. If shelves are not for you, containers can also be situated on tiers, forming a vertical appearance as well. Alternatively, vegetables can also be grown in hanging baskets or along trellises.

Hanging baskets can be placed on the balcony or on suitable hangers. Numerous types of vegetables can be grown in hanging baskets, especially those with trailing characteristics. Peppers and cherry tomatoes not only look good in hanging baskets, as do trailing plants such as the sweet potato vine, but they also thrive nicely in them. Keep them watered daily, however, since hanging baskets are more prone to drying out, especially during hot spells. Trellises can be used for the support of trailing or vine crops. A fence can also serve as a trellis for beans, peas, tomatoes, and vine crops. Using corn stalks or sunflowers is another great way to take advantage of vertical space while making interesting pole supports for beans and other climbing vegetables. Use a stepladder as a makeshift trellis to support vine-growing plants like pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers. The rungs of the ladder can be used to train the vines while placing the vegetables on its steps for further support-this also works well with tomato plants. Be creative and find something that works for you and your unique situation. Growing a vertical vegetable garden is the perfect way for urban gardeners and others to still enjoy a bountiful harvest of freshly grown vegetables without taking up their already limited space.

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By: Nikki Phipps

Bulbs gardens are known for their bright, bold blooms, variety of colors and foliage and fragrance, but having a bulb garden of your own is not always possible. Planting a bulb container garden lets you avoid all that extra work and still enjoy the beauty of your favorite bulbs.

Bulb Container Garden Design

Bulb container gardens are also a great solution for those who do not have a yard to plant a traditional garden in. Each garden is portable and can be moved around to create an attractive display, as well as moved indoors during the winter months.

The following guide provides tips for choosing bulbs to include in your containers, how to plant the bulb container garden, design ideas, and tips for care.

Bulbs to Use

While you can use any bulb that you would plant in a traditional garden in a suitable container, there are some bulbs that do very well in containers. Daffodils and tulips are two taller plants that can be used as the centerpiece plants in a mixed bulb container garden or planted alone for a striking display.

Hyacinths and Freesias are two types of bulbs that grow about 8-10 inches in height. Both have very compact foliage and tall, lengthwise blooms that are very fragrant.Shorter bulbs that look great around the edge of a mixed container garden are Grape Hyacinths and Crocuses. Both of these flowers stay under six inches and produce a large color variety of blooms.

Planting Your Bulb Container Garden

Choose a container based on the type of bulb garden you want to grow, several bulbs of the same type or a mixed bulb garden. Mixed bulb gardens look best in large containers of any shape, with a minimum depth of eight inches. When you are using only one type of bulb, several plants look best in containers with a smaller diameter where they have more impact.

Fill the container with a layer of gravel on the bottom to help with drainage, add a layer of soil and peat moss on top of the soil. Do not fill the container all the way to the top with soil yet. Arrange your bulbs in the soil, if you are doing a mixed bulb container place the larger plants in the center and bulbs that will grow shorter plants around the edges. When planting your buds make sure you plant them pointed side up with the roots in the soil. Add another layer of soil over the tops of the bulbs to completely cover them.

Water the container of bulbs thoroughly, add more soil to the pot if it settles and exposes the tops of some of the bulbs. Place the container in a dark, cold storage area for ten weeks and then place in the area you want your garden to grow.

Tips For Caring For Your Garden

- While you have the containers in cold storage water at least once a week to keep the soil moist, don’t let the pot dry out.

- Once shoots begin to appear in the soil move your pot out of the dark and into the sun, your bulbs are ready to grow.

- If you cannot move your container garden indoors once summer arrives move them to a cold frame or place them in a protected area and cover with mulch or sphagnum moss.

By: Sophia Mark

Herbs: they’re not just for cooking anymore. You can use herbs to make unique, eye-catching ground cover in many areas of your garden. All it takes is knowing what herbs do well in what locations.

Types of Herbs to Use

Of all the herbs used for groundcover, thyme is the most common. It gives you more landscaping options, since it can grow in many different conditions. If thyme is not on your side, try flowering herbs, such as wooly yarrow or chamomile, which are easy to maintain. If you live where it’s warm and dry, try lavender, rosemary, or lambs ear.

There’s an Herb for Every Location

It’s nice to have options. If you have a shade tree calling out for groundcover, sweet woodruff is a great choice. For low-growing groundcover, chamomile and thyme work well. Place them around pathways and sidewalks, and enjoy the fragrance if you step on them.

Planting a herb garden can be one of life’s greatest joys. It can be extremely fun and relaxing. With planting herbs and gardening you’ll be able to return back to nature; which can be very good for the mind and soul.

The results you’ll get can be a huge mood motivator, and it’s great for teaching kids where there vegetables come from. (While you promote that they eat them!)

However, before you start, there are some basic guidelines you must follow to ensure a ripe harvest.

1. Make sure that you don’t over water your garden and that at the same time, you give them enough water.
2. Always read planting instructions, as simple as this may sound, so many people fail to follow the instructions. Plants are living things and they need just as much care and attention as anything else you give life too.
3. Always make use of your gardening tools, but never leave them outside. Otherwise they may rust and get lost.
4. Always plant smaller plants in the front, and bigger plants in the back, otherwise they’ll have a harder time growing. Otherwise you’ll have a harder time weeding and tending to your herb garden.
5. Do it all on paper. Make sure before you start planting, that you have everything planned out.
6. If you don’t have space for the plants, or are worried about the outside conditions, it’s always a smart idea to plant your plants in pots. This makes it easier to move the plants from inside to outside and vice versa.
7. If your garden needs more sun light, you can cut branches from the surrounding trees. But make sure that you do it with a partner, as branches can be very heavy and cause significant damage if they fall on you.
8. If you’re on a water budget or just trying to conserve water, it’s best to invest in a sprinkler timer.
9. Make sure that when you water your plants, it’s not to hot outside, otherwise the water will only heat up and hurt your plant. In the morning, or in the late evening is the best time.
10. Never work with wet soil, herbs need well aerated soil that doesn’t stick together.

There are a lot of benefits to having an outside garden besides the herbs you’ll grow. It can be very relaxing and fulfilling, but make sure before you start planting anything… That you take the proper time to plan it out, and read the planting instructions for each specific plant.

Source: Elizabeth ginsburg, Herb gardening, Backyard gardener

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By: Chris Griswold

Before you buy anything take inventory of what you already have, this will save you from purchasing things that you already have that you might have forgotten about. Gather all of your gardening supplies into one area where they are easily accessible for your garden, a shed or garage is a good place, this will keep items from being misplaced and save money in the long run by not having to replace lost items. After you know what you have make a list of what you need and want. Include all supplies you will need for your garden from the larger items like bricks to build the garden to the smaller items like seeds. Before purchasing anything on your list, look through your house for things that can be re-purposed as one of these items. For instance if you listed starter pots you could use egg cartons, yogurt containers, or make some out of newspaper. Plant markers can be made out of Popsicle sticks or broken pots just use a permanent marker to write on them. Be creative and see what else can be re-purposed.

When you are ready to shop start at the lowest priced stores. You can find many hand tools, garden gloves, seeds, and even garden decorations at the Dollar store or Dollar Tree. Many drug stores like Walgreen’s and Rite Aid have dollar sections that have gardening supplies in the spring and summer.

Building supplies don’t necessarily have to come from large home improvement stores. You can find used bricks, garden stones, fill dirt and compost on craigslist and in local newspaper adds for a fraction of the cost as new, sometimes even for free if you can haul it yourself. Other seemingly expensive items like full sized shovels and garden hoses can be found at yard and estate sales, these are places where you can get a lawnmower, a wheelbarrow, and a set of shovels and rakes for less than the cost of one shovel at a home improvement store-if you know how to haggle a little.

Plants can add up quickly when you are buying for a whole garden. Skip the garden centers and nurseries and buy from farmers markets and plant sales. These sales are usually put on by garden clubs and other garden associations. Adds for sales like these are found in local newspapers. Farmers markets usually run once a week and have dates and times when they are open posted at the location.

You can also get plants from people you know. Set up a plant swap with friends or relatives. Have everyone pot the plants that they no longer want or that have spread and need to be thinned out. Invite a few people or have a large community plant swap by putting up signs and meeting in a park or someplace with enough room for setting out all of the plants.

Supplies for maintaining your garden can be made cheaply or free. Start a compost pile and read books on organic gardening. These have many great tips for natural ways to eliminate bug problems, prevent plant disease and give plants a growing boost without having to buy expensive pesticides and fertilizer. Your garden can be beautiful and environmentally friendly without the need to spend a ton of money.

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By: Monica Nigh

I have worked in Horticulture for over 37 years and I am still held in wonder at Nature’s methods of sprouting life where only dead appeared through the winter. It is well into the growing season now, and most places, even late-planting New England, is seeing the bounty of those gardens we struggle to perfect. This article will help to illustrate the importance of hard work in perfecting the beauty of the flower gardens of summer; both annual and perennial.

I spent the past 25 years working in garden centers where folks came to buy that special plant that would enhance the already showy flowering garden. The supply of perennials and annuals never fails to bring color to the spaces and drool from the customers. Of all the experiences I had with those customers, one situation stands out above the rest.

One spring a young woman, a girl to my eyes, asked for the plant that she could plant once and would blossom profusely all season and would come back every year, all without any care except the initial planting. My answer was quick and very accurate. I told her plastic! I asked her that if she ever found that plant to please bring it to me and I would make us both very rich.

Of course, I have yet to find it, and I doubt that anyone else has either, although many have tried to breed one for centuries. No matter if you have annual gardens, those plants that flower profusely all season, or perennial beds, those that return each year, the work is the same: constant and demanding.

Annual Gardens.
Annuals are those plants the flower and seed and then die. They usually last only one season, but if, as in the case of coleus, one does not allow it to flower, the plant can last for several years as a houseplant in those areas where freezing temperatures reign during the winter. In the subtropical areas, they will continue indefinitely as long as any flower stalk is pinched off before developing. These annual plants give a satisfying display of mass color all season. But to keep them looking their best, they need daily care. Dead-heading is the one-must task for these plants to perform to their fullest. Dead-heading is removing the spent flowers from the plant before they go to seed. The one and only function for flowers on a plant is to propagate itself and to continue the species. Even though we vain people think that they display for our eyes, they have a more important task and we are lucky enough to see it each year.

These prolific plants can be gown from seed or purchased in flower at local garden centers and stores that try to cash in on the spring planting market. Here in New England, purchasing those starter packs of annuals that have the first flowers is an instant garden, but it takes a bit of know-how to make sure those plants thrive. They can usually be planted in almost any type of soil, but the more compost the better. There are varieties for full sun or full shade and some will thrive in either or both. But they also need daily attention. Besides removing the spent flowers as they go by, they need a daily drink, when it does not rain, and a weekly fertilizing to insure they continue to bring the constant beauty all season.

When first planting, l often put some slow releasing fertilizer, one with a hight middle number to promote a good root system, a few inches below the root ball. If any of that fertilizer hits the tender roots of newly planted flowers, the result can be devastating and deadly for the plants. Once the plant is established and new growth appears, then a weekly dose of fertilizer is great to keep things going. Because they need a constant flow of nutrients, I prefer to use a quick release fertilizer that is available to plants almost right away. Be sure to water any soil that is dry to the touch before using the fertilizer or it can burn delicate roots. This is a summer long project and the dead-heading does not stop until the last of the flowers appear before frost. These can be allowed to seed so the seeds can be collected for next season, Marigolds are a fun plant because they are easy to deadhead, take less water than many of the other annuals, and the seeds are large and store well.

When I plant annuals, especially in beds for businesses, I always plant three plantlets together. I space these groupings of the same varieties about 8 to 10 inches apart if I am to fill in a particular space, and farther if I am looking for good-sized clumps of color. This is often done by many professionals because it makes for a more lush and faster display than just putting one plantlet every so many inches apart. I have a neighbor who loves to plant those half whiskey barrels each summer. He likes them to show off his rustic-style shed. When I was walking by one day at the time of planting, I noticed that he only put 6 individual plantlets of marigolds in the huge half barrel. that has a diameter of 42 inches. I was very surprised because I usually fill the surface fairly full because here in New England, the growing season is short compared to other places in the US. I look for a full barrel sooner than three days before the first frost date, which here in Western Massachusetts is September 15. Yes, the barrel does fill out but just as it is looking great, the frost comes and kills most of the plants. Even covering on nights that have a light frost, only prolongs the inevitable a little bit. If planted heavier, the display is full earlier and is enjoyed for a longer time. After that he put two plants together, using two 6-packs instead of one! Well, to each his own!

If you really want to impress the neighbors, try planting clumps of annuals together and you will find that the effect is far super to just one plantlet here and there throughout the space. Of course, the cost is more initially, but if you save seeds and grow your own, the sky’s the limit.

Perennial Gardens
These are those beds that often show more green than flowers because each plant only flowers for a short time in the growing season, sometimes only for 3 to 4 weeks. the idea is to have some color in each bed all summer long, by planting perennials that flower at different times throughout the season, and by using various leaf color and texture, the display is very appealing and colorful even if only a few plants are flowering at one time. The art of perennial gardening has been going on for centuries. The perfect garden usually is never quit reached because one is usually moving, dividing, or adding plants to the displays all the time. Here in New England, we can plant anything any time from the time the ground thaws, for trees, shrubs, and perennials, until the ground freezes in November or December. The annual plantings cannot take place until all danger of frost is over, usually around the last weekend in May. From May 31 to September 15 is the active growing period here in western Massachusetts and most of New England. So it is important to get the most out of the gardens while the growing is good.

Unlike annuals, it is not advisable to get your new plant to bloom the first season, However, most of the potted perennials come in containers that have a least one flower so the customer can see what they are getting. But it is not advisable to try to get them to flower profusely. Usually perennials are given some organic fertilizer in the soil mix when they are planted, and only watered for the rest of the summer. It very important to allow the root system to get a firm hold and develop well before applying any fertilizer. If the plant is put in before mid June, then a good dose of liquid fertilizer can be watered in in late August and again in mid to late September, The type to use is a high phosphorous, the middle number, to give the roots an extra boost before the ground freezes. Once the growth starts in the spring, then a weekly or monthly fertilizing is good to obtain strong growth through the first year. If the plant is put in after July, it is best to wait until late September to fertilize. If the plant is put in September or later, no fertilizer except a little organics should be used. The same goes for any shrub or tree, especially flowering varieties. They need a boost in the fall to help give them the strength to make it through the tough winters.

On well-established beds of perennials, fertilizer can be given all season once growth appears. This will help to establish a strong plant and will help it against the threat of diseases and insects. A strong healthy plant has a better chance of defending itself against these foes, just as a strong healthy body has a better resistance toward diseases in people. Too often I come in contact with folks who do not use fertilizers at all and depend upon nature to give the plant all its needs for survival. Survival is not the same as strong and healthy. If quick releasing chemical fertilizers make the stomach turn in this time of “green,” then compost made from old plants recycled into the nutrients they took in to develop and thrive, will do just fine. One has to remember that compost takes time to become effective and must be given yearly to build up the soil over years. One or two top dressings on the top of the garden will not develop into the lush soil so beneficial to growing plants. A yearly top dressing of compost also helps prevent weed seed germination due to the heat generated by the decomposing materials. And compost can be put on as many times as you want at any time in the season. It is often used in the spring before planting and worked into the soil as well as top dressed once the plants are growing. Farmers use the animal manures in the fall as well to help build the soil for the next growing season.

If you have planted a perennial and it seems to want to flower its little heart off, pick off all the new flower shoots to enable the energy to go to producing strong roots that help the plant to grow well the next season. It often takes several years for a perennial to become a profuse flowing plant in the summer. If you are one who wants to get that picture perfect garden that is on the cover of so many of those perennial garden books, just remember that those were grown by professionals, usually that maintain them all summer, and have plants that are well suited for that particular growing zone. The garden centers have many of these books and many customers asked to have the same plants so they can have the same garden in their yard. Well, good luck. So many variables effect the growth of plants that even those same plants in the yard next door can have very different appearances.

Just remember that any garden is the work of you as an individual and that will have a personal effect on your garden. Why have one that is just like the one next door, or on the cover of that book.? Why not have one that is entirely yours and shows off your personality? After all, it is you who puts the work into it so why not have it in your own personal style. Use the information from retailers, Horticulturists, books and neighbors to build and plant your space, but always keep it your own style using your favorite colors, plants and design. Have fun and Happy Gardening. Jane

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By: Jannnie

Get a little groundcover going and you can in time have ribbons or drifts or large patches of dark green contrast to grass, perhaps interplanted with bright small flowers, to add variety to the wanted but look-alike lawns. Leave bumps, hills, hollows, ridges, rocks and stumps. Too often, the builder beats the owner to it and levels out the ground. Natural irregularities add interest and make a piece of ground more individual, and rocks and stumps can be the beginnings of rock garden flower and evergreen plantings or backdrops for flowering vines.

Dooryard Gardens

We could have more dooryard gardens. Instead of having shrubs right at the house front, put them about 10 feet in front of the house and use the space between for a small flower garden. This makes a colorful spot right near the front door. Evergreens planted thickly enough can make a screen from the street and some cement or brick or flagstone inside the area can provide sitting room; now you have a flowery outdoor extension of the living room.

Or set out a looser hedge planting, and let the bright posies behind it be invitingly visible from the street. Instead of a hedge, on a small piece of ground, have a low fence as the boundary for your front dooryard flower garden. What became of the old-fashioned mixed flower border? It suits many older homes. Old-fashioned flowers have great appeal for many people; you can fit it along a driveway or on a backyard boundary line.

Plant small iris plants there now. They’ll bloom in a few days. Have a peony plant or two, and some sweet Williams for early June. Include foxgloves and canterbury bells, both June highlights, both easily grown from packets of seeds.

Hollyhocks

Have hollyhocks in the background, and also summer phlox for plenty of color in August. The only drawback in such a colorful and friendly planting is the work involved, but look at it this way: Most of these, all except the foxgloves, sweet Williams and canterbury bells, live long lives. Get them in the ground some spring day and you have them for years.

Some of them will spread. Once you have a perennial flower border like this under way, you can have fun adding bits and pieces to it in future springs. Low-growing spring perennials like creeping phlox, arabis, violets, lilies of the valley. Chrysanthemums for fall. Such added beauties as tall anchusa and small perennial flax (both from seed) for June, and blue perennial ageratum for midsummer.

Wild Garden

Wild flowers are much admired. Why not a wild garden somewhere? A little one in a corner, a bigger one outside a back door, can be started in spring and slowly added to. Time we felt as free to use familiar buttercups, blackeyed Susans and wild asters inside gardens as chintz and pewter inside the house.

A rose garden can be difficult to plan well, so that it doesn’t look a bit stiff at any season and bare in winter. How about a rose walk? Line either side of a path with roses, climbers arching over in places and bush roses between. And if there isn’t a path to line, make one. It can add interest and lead across a back yard to some kind of special planting at the back. Privacy. That’s a goal of some garden owners. You can get it by hedging in a part of the backyard and making an outdoor living room inside the living screen, and there are other privacy makers.

Sunken Corner

Where there’s a natural hollow in the ground, you have the beginnings of a sunken corner. Depending on how sunken it naturally is, it can make a lower-level sitting room with privacy from the street just as it is. Or a low hedge at the top will give you privacy if you have a shallow hollow. Some individualists, fond of privacy and also of varied levels in the ground, have liked the idea of a sunken outdoor living room well enough to dig a pit maybe nine by 12 feet by three deep, screened or open. Select some packets of annual flower seeds you’ve never grown before, for a touch of novelty in your garden somewhere. Change the outlines of the backyard lawn a little, and plant flowers or low evergreens in the places you’ve dug.

By: Scott Rodgers

Training vining vegetables to climb a garden tepee is beneficial to the plant for many reasons:

1. Training vining or pole vegetables to grow on a tepee keeps them up and off the soil, which reduces the risk of rot, mildew, and pest damage.
2. Garden tepees maximize the sun’s exposure. Instead of leaves being buried beneath other leaves, they are able to turn towards the sun which increases the yield.
3. Vegetable plants grown on a tepee are easier to pick and easier to weed around.
4. Tepees provide the maximum yield in the smallest space possible.

While there are commercially manufactured metal trellises designed for growing vining vegetables, the cheapest solution is to make your own. One of the least expensive and most portable of all type of framework structures is the garden tepee.

Materials

Material needed to complete this project include eight 8-foot long bamboo rods, sturdy gardening twine, and scissors. If bamboo isn’t available in your area, 8 foot sections of quarter-round will also work. Bamboo is available at most gardening center; quarter-round can be found at the lumber yard. You can also make your own by quartering a 2×2-inch piece of redwood lengthwise.

How to make a vegetable garden tepee

1. Stack the bamboo on the ground as best as you can.

2. Grip the stack with the left hand, about a couple of feet from the end.

3. With the right hand, tightly wind the twine around and around the group of sticks just above your left hand. Tie off with a triple knot.

4. Set the bamboo sticks upright with the tied end upwards.

5. Flare the bamboo sticks out to create the “tepee”.

The bamboo has a rough enough texture that the vining plants should be able to climb the poles on their own. If they do need a little help, the stems can be loosely tied to the sticks for support.

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By: C. Jeanne Heida

There’s really no comparison between the flavor of supermarket produce and vegetables plucked from your garden moments before you eat them. Plus, it’s awe inspiring to watch tiny seedlings grow into huge plants laden with tomatoes, beans and peppers.

If you have garden space and a little time, you owe it to yourself to master the “art” of backyard farming. It’s really not that hard, and the rewards are plentiful! I’ll briefly cover the basics of vegetable garden design, but you might also want to get some gardening books from the library.

Planning is crucial

Smart gardeners think carefully about where to situate their garden. They also know their soil type, planting dates for their particular climate, and how they will water the garden. However, before you sow a single seed, it’s essential to consider the overall vegetable garden design.

Advance planning can make or break the success of the garden, because if you design something unmanageable, inconvenient or ill-timed, then all the pricey tools and heirloom seeds won’t help much. It’s better to have a modest, well-maintained garden than a large one that’s overrun with weeds. Plus, if a garden presents too many obstacles and isn’t enjoyable, it’ll likely be abandoned.

Choose a good site

Some things to consider are the amount of sun (most vegetables need a full day), wind exposure, ground slope, water access and location. The nearer the garden is to your home, the more convenient it will be for you to tend.

The traditional method of vegetable garden design is to plant in long rows; however, many gardeners today opt for using raised beds. This allows you to create the ideal soil composition by filling the beds with a mix of soil, compost, peat moss, topsoil and supplemental nutrients.

Raised beds are simple to build out of lumber, bricks, faux-stones or boulders, and can be any length, but for easy access to the middle they should be no more than five feet wide. Laying them north/south gives all the plants even sun exposure.

Inexperienced gardeners often want to use their sunny spots for flowers, but to be rewarded later on, you must be willing to give veggies some prime real estate. One popular option is the potager garden, which mixes vegetables with herbs and flowers so the space is both functional and visually appealing.

Planning what goes where

Group plants by similar planting and harvesting dates, as well as plant size. A popular space-saving technique is to interplant quick growers like radishes among slower ones like carrots. The radishes will be ready to harvest by the time the carrots get going.

When creating your vegetable garden design, leave room in your beds to make successive plantings of crops that have a short “peak” period, so you can enjoy them over a longer period of time instead of having more than you can eat all at once. You’ll probably still give away bags of the prolific producers like cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini, but your non-gardening friends and soup kitchens will thank you.

Be aware that certain plant combinations inhibit the growth of others. They can all share the same garden, just don’t put them right next to each other. A few combinations to avoid: potatoes with tomatoes and squash; beans with onions; broccoli with tomatoes.

Rotating Crops

If you plan to have an ongoing garden, your vegetable garden design should allow for crop rotation. Vegetables fall into basic groups which ideally should not be planted in the same location for three years to lessen the depletion of nutrients and chances for disease.

Alliums include Leeks, Garlic, Onions, and Shallots. Brassicas include Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radishes and Turnips. Cucurbits include Cucumbers, Melons and Squash. Legumes include Beans and Peas. Mescluns include Arugula, Radiccio and Swiss Chard. Solanaceae include Eggplant, Peppers, Potatoes and Tomatoes.

With these tips, you’re well on your way to creating a workable vegetable garden. Soon enough, you’ll be bringing in a bountiful harvest to have for supper!

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By: Julia Williams

Starting by seed is the most cost-effective way to go. However, be sure to read packages to ensure you are not getting a hybrid plant. Hybrid plants are good for one growing season; heirloom plants can be grown to seed and used over creating generational plants that are sturdy and healthy. These plants actually grow better than hybrid plants and do not need as much human intervention to grow and reproduce.

It is also important to read packages to learn how deep seeds should be planted, the spacing needed and how soon plants can be planted outdoors in your spring garden. The back of packages will also tell you how far in advance you should sow your seeds. Generally, I start 4-6 weeks before the last frost. You can find out when this is for your area by calling the extension office.

The day before you plan to sow the seeds in pots, allow them to soak overnight. This is especially true of beans and peas. Smaller seeds like tomato and carrot need only to soak a couple hours before planting.

During this time, it is also wise to have the pots ready and to soak the soil and allow draining over night.

Use containers that allow for proper seed depth as well as root growth. Place containers on a try of gravel to be use for watering. Never water seedlings from the top.

After the seed has been sown, sprinkling vermiculate or sand on top of the soil to help prevent any fungal diseases from forming. Also, it is suggested that you keep a fan on to ensure the circulation of air to keep plants disease free.

It is important to remember that starting seeds indoors takes more attention then purchasing nursery grown plants. Giving seeds sufficient light and water is vital for healthy plants.

Seedlings will need much more light (at least 14 hours daily) to keep them from becoming long and spindly. It is always best to use a combination of natural light along with fluorescent light. Fluorescent bulbs do not become over heated or over hot; which would destroy your seedlings.

To prepare plants for the spring garden, begin placing them outside for a few hours each day, increasing your time until they stay out of night. make sure the danger of frost has past first before starting this transition.

Leaf crops like spinach, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and lettuce. tomato, etc. can be started indoors in late February or early March. Cucumber, pumpkin and squash varieties can be started late March to early April.

Root crops like radish, potato, carrot, etc. should be planted directly into the spring garden as soon as the soil is warm enough. Late April to late May is generally a good time to plant root crop.

Gardening Tips:

* Weed your garden regularly

* Remove any yellowed or dried leaves from the plants

* The ideal time for watering is early morning before 9:00am, but after 6:00pm is okay

* Banana peels are rich in potassium. This is an important nutrient for your garden. Dry the peels, by laying them on a cookie sheet placed in the oven at 200 degrees. In early spring, when you are ready to plant, grind them in a food processor and use in your mulch to give new plants and seedlings a healthy start.

* Bone meal is an excellent source of nutrients for all the plants in all your gardens, vegetable and flower. You can make your own by drying your leftover chicken bones in the oven set at 350. Depending on the quantity, cook for 10 -15 minutes. Place in a sturdy paper bag and grind them up with a rolling pin or use a food processor. Distribute the powder around all your plants in your spring garden.

* Remember to save coffee grounds or tea leaves for the spring garden!. They are full of nutrients and very good for your garden. Let dry, then sprinkle around your plants.

* Save egg shells and crumble into your spring garden for calcium; which is very good for your vegetables. For tomatoes, place shells in ground before placing the plant to help with aeration and to promote healthier plants.

* You can fertilize your plants with Epsom salts. Mix it into your soil around the plant, not too close to burn the plant roots. For tomatoes, use 1 tablespoon for every foot of height, then water in well.

* Popsicle sticks make great labels for your plants. Write the name of the plant on them with permanent makers. Plastic picnic knives can be used for this as well.

* Save your old panty hose to use as plant ties or to pull over pumpkins and melons to keep pests away and from developing ground rot.

* Use toilet paper rolls cut in thirds, stand on end in tray, fill with soil, sow seed. When ready to be planted outside just place the entire thing in the ground. The roll will dissolve into the earth.

* Planting marigolds and zinnias around the outside border of your spring garden will help keep the bunnies away. It also makes for a pretty fence.

* The best tip…..gardening should be fun and relaxing, a way to get outside and enjoy the day. My Mother and Grandmother taught me to always say a prayer of protection and thanks with each seedling or plant you place in the ground.

HAPPY GARDENING!

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By: Patty Kay

When planning the construction of your raised beds for gardening it is important to check the surroundings first, keeping in mind the number of beds you plan to have, the size of the beds, width and length, the amount of sunlight and the availability of water. Trees too close to the area may cause some root problems under your garden and too much shade on your plants. Watering will always be needed so it is important to have water available with a minimum of effort on your part.

I have tried several different sizes for the beds and it is my preference to have beds of different sizes. I have one bed that is 4 x 8 feet that I find just right for the amount of squash needed for my family. Sometimes that same bed may be used for cool weather crops such as leaf lettuce, radishes, or carrots. With the four foot width the plants can be reached from both sides for picking vegetables. The length of this bed runs east and west and it still receives enough sunlight for those crops.

A space needs to be left between the beds large enough to be able to mow or use a weed-eater and to walk and carry a container for the harvested vegetables. I doubt a wheelbarrow would be needed often for harvest of a 4 x 8 foot bed. I have placed paving stones on the ground between the beds that help to keep down grass and maintenance. Occasionally a weed-eater is useful to keep grass from growing up close to the edges and into the garden bed though.

On each side of the 4 x 8 foot bed, on the 8 foot sides, beds can be placed that are 8 x 8 foot. I am told that beds running north and south will give the maximum amount of sunlight so, with the square bed, I run the garden rows north and south. I plant rows on each side of the 8 x 8 foot beds and leave a walk-space down through the center and cover it with some kind of mulch, usually peat moss or compost. The rows in this kind of bed may be reached from each side as well as the center of it. I do this to save on building materials and space that would be wasted on the sides between beds.

When the spring vegetables are finished in the 8 x 8 foot beds and it comes time to plant sweet potatoes, a bed is spaded or tilled and the entire bed is planted since there is no reason to walk in among sweet potatoes. They don’t require anything but a little water from the time they are planted, fertilized and established until time to harvest them. Harvest can begin from any side and progress toward the middle of the bed without walking on plants or sweet potatoes. I feel the 8 x 8 foot beds are more economical for me.

I recommend spading or tilling very deeply and using the existing soil for a base, even if it is heavy clay. I have heard of placing garden beds over concrete, gravel or even trash. I like to be able to dig down and incorporate more of the existing soil into the added sand, compost and topsoil if needed. I have never had to do it but I think if you make really bad mistakes in mixing your soil, you can just remove it and use it to fill in low spots in your yard, add it to the compost pile and mix it in, and start over on your garden soil mix. By enriching the soil with compost often I have never had to replace the soil in my garden.

I do not recommend using concrete for the borders in raised bed gardening. It has been my experience with flower beds enclosed with scalloped concrete borders to see the heat build up enough in our Texas climate to literally burn up the plants nearest the concrete. For maximum yields in an already small garden, every plant counts. I use wood borders and build the soil only high enough to enclose and protect my garden from exposure to contaminants and flooding.

I never use pesticides in my garden but I do sometimes have to use chemicals to control fire ants on some parts of our property. If the ants get into my garden over the winter, I simply pull the soil back to expose them to the sun to chase them away from my garden and then kill them before I plant the garden. I live in a very small town and I have neighbors who use pesticides in their yards. With heavy rains, the run-off water sometimes extends onto my property. That is the most important reason to me for raised bed gardening. With good drainage on each side of my garden, hopefully that run-off water does not contaminate my garden soil. It is important to keep this in mind when deciding where to put your garden and how high to build it.

With raised bed gardening you can plant several weeks earlier than in a regular garden since the soil warms earlier in raised beds. The beds can be covered more easily in case of a surprise late cold snap. Earlier crops can extend the growing seasons and allow for more successive planting for maximum yields. Moisture is more easily controlled in raised beds and drainage is improved. Soil compaction is much easier to handle if it is ever a problem. Economical watering and fertilization are more easily obtained.

Some vegetables require more water or fertilizer than others and different kinds of care. Using raised beds divides them so they can have their individual needs met for better production. It also seems to break the chores up into blocks. I like to finish one bed and then move on to the next, knowing I have completed something as I go. That may sound silly, but it encourages me.

Getting the beds and soil established in raised bed gardening is more work from the beginning but, as time goes by and the soil is developed, the work decreases. Each individual can decide how important the structure and beauty are in building the garden beds. One good thing is that the beds can be changed, added to or taken away from, or totally removed when they are no longer wanted or needed without damage to your property.

You may find more information from articles I have written, “Plan Your Fall Garden When You Plan Your Spring Garden” at http://bit.ly/16tELZ, “Small Vegetable Gardens” at http://bit.ly/FT9J7 and “Raised Bed Gardening: Ends in the Fall With Preparation for Winter Rest and Spring Garden Planting” at http://bit.ly/1Oshq7.

Source:

“Plan Your Fall Garden When You Plan Your Spring Garden” at http://bit.ly/16tELZ
Euwyn Pegues

“Small Vegetable Gardens” at http://bit.ly/FT9J7
Euwyn Pegues

Aggie Horticulture
Aggie Horticulture Plant Answers: 　http://www.plantanswers.com/garden_calendar/march.htmhttp://versa.tamu.edu:8080/Phtm_cgi.exe?search

“Raised Bed Gardening: Ends in the Fall With Preparation for Winter Rest and Spring Garden Planting” at http://bit.ly/1Oshq7.
Euwyn Pegues

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By: Euwyn Pegues

Sketch Out Your Design

There’s nothing worse than getting the shovel and hoe and realizing you don’t know where or how to start implementing your flower garden design. The gardener should have a list of supplies, a budget and design already mapped out.

Solicit The Help Of Friends

The solitary gardener may not want help but if you have a lot of digging to do, young hands are very helpful. Each flower garden design requires that the area be cleared of all debris, grass and weeds. The soil may need to be treated with fertilizer, nitrogen or lime depending on the condition of the ground. That means a gardener has a lot of work ahead of them.

Move Existing Plants If Other Plant Beds Need Thinning Out

Buying new plants can be very expensive. As gardener, you have the authority to move plants! Inventory your existing plants and see if some of those can be used in the new flower garden design.

Leave Open Space

Many a gardener has put in too many plants and not allowed for the plant’s future growth in their new flower garden design. A crowded design looks overrun and invites mold and mildew in certain situations. If there’s mold and mildew, nasty bugs will be on the scene too.

Build Individual Raised Boxes

Every flower garden design should reflect character and diversity. The gardener can cut treated lumber into triangles, squares, and rectangles so the viewer doesn’t get bored with the flower garden design. The lumber can be placed into the ground or left on top once the soil is added.

College Seniors Sometimes Have Senior Boards

In our area, high school college seniors are looking for senior board projects (in order to graduate). Someone might be interested in setting up a fishpond for you, at no charge. The gardener could save a lot of hard work and backache ending up with a focal point in the flower garden design.

Low Maintenance Flower Garden Design

Every gardener wants to enjoy their flower garden design and not be pulling weeds. The gardener can make walkways and open spaces by putting down black plastic and covering with their choice of stone, rock, or other substance. An array of colors against blooming flowers makes a striking design.

Place Flowers Strategically

The plants that the gardener chooses to place in their flower garden design should be adaptable to the region’s climate conditions. Sometimes repositioning a plant that’s suffering into another part of the garden makes all the difference. Each plant will acclimate based on their growing nature.

Don’t Settle For Less

As the gardener works with their flower garden design, they will make changes along the way. Not every flower garden design should be set in stone, so to speak. Every gardener is wise to adhere to nature’s wisdom and make changes as the garden grows but should not stop gardening until they achieve the perfect garden of their dreams.

These few suggestions will get the gardener thinking about more ways to enhance their existing flower garden design. My best advice is to roll up your sleeves and dig in.

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By: Betsy Cobb Wise

I read a lot of gardening books. When the winter drags on, when the seeds seem to be taking forever to germinate, when I want to think about ways to improve my past gardening habits, I read. I used to check out every gardening book available in the library, but nowadays I only read books on organic gardening. That’s because after reading a few non-organic gardening books, I realized that the authors were not reaching the level of interaction with their gardens that I was looking for.

There is a deep divide between books on gardening organically and books on so-called ‘conventional’ gardening; that is, growing vegetables and flowers with the assistance of chemicals. It took me awhile to realize where the difference actually lay, however. At first I just began to recognize a different tone, and the fact that I was beginning to find every non-organic gardening book a bit boring. But I have now come to the conclusion that the difference between organic gardening methods and non-organic gardening methods is not merely a question of chemical use; rather, it is a matter of deep philosophical differences.

The word ‘organic’ has to do with life, and that is indeed where the heart of the distinction lies. Although non-organic gardeners may love plants and authentically experience the thrill of growing them, the basic philosophy of non-organic growing treats plants as individual parts of a system in which each piece can be dealt with separately. Is there an insect bothering a certain plant? The solution is simply to get rid of the insect. Does the soil lack nitrogen? Simply add nitrogen.

Organic gardening has a different attitude toward the whole situation. Rather than treating plants as individual problems to be dealt with as such, the plants, the soil, and the creatures that interact with them are seen as part of a living whole. If an insect is bothering a plant, this is understood to be symptomatic of an underlying issue that must be dealt with, not simply an individual problem to be solved. If the soil is lacking in nitrogen, the causes of this depletion are addressed. The organic gardening gurus of our time even go so far as to question the concept of ‘pest’ altogether. Gardening becomes not simply a matter of cause and effect in order to grow vegetables, but a way of life, a philosophy, an artistic endeavor.

It is this artistry that has most struck me in reading books on gardening organically. Non-organic gardeners may be technically very skilled, but it is in the life and words of organic gardeners that it becomes obvious that art and science indeed have different meanings. Organic gardeners are not just scientists, but artists, and in their relationship with the earth it is not always clear whether the garden or the gardeners themselves are the canvas.

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By: Tithonia Greenwood

One of the most environmentally sound ways of improving the soil in your garden is by adding chicken, cow, or horse manure. Not only does manure improves the texture and condition of the soil, it provides an abundant amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that all plants need for growth.

However, using fresh manure is not at all a smart idea for many different reasons.

E. Coli and other bacteria

Back in 2006, there was a national outbreak of E. coli eventually resulting in 205 illnesses and three deaths. This outbreak was quickly traced to bags of “ready to eat” fresh spinach produced by a grower in California.

If you may recall, the contamination was caused by a group of wild boars that had raced first through a beef feedlot and eventually ended up in the spinach patch. Samples taken from the cow patties found at the feed lot tested positive for the same strain of E. coli.

If ever there was a single good reason not to use fresh manure in the vegetable garden this would certainly be it. Fresh manure contains bacteria and other not-so-nice organisms, which can contaminate your vegetable patch. These organisms can not be washed away which means that eating those garden vegetables raw can pose a serious health risk.

Contributes to weedy gardens

Fresh manure contains seeds and unless the livestock has been fed non germinating grains and hay, your garden has the potential to quickly become overrun with weeds.

While there’s some debate whether cow manure tends to be less weedy than horse manure due to a cow’s highly efficient digestive system, the biggest difference amounts to whether or not the animal is allowed to graze. Fresh manure coming from free range cattle and horses seems to be much weedier than those from feedlot or stabled animals and should be properly composted before using.

Can burn plants

Having been raised on a farm, even as a kid I could see that fresh manure will burn plants. Fresh manure contains soluble nitrogen compounds and ammonia which will burn plants and interfere with seed germination.

It stinks

Fresh manure is pungent in a not so nice way. For those of us who live in the cities, bringing fresh animal manure into our back yards will result in a flurry of complaints to City Hall for both the smell and the flies. In most city limits, spreading fresh manure on your property is against city ordinance which is another good reason to only use fully composted manure.

Even though there are plenty of gardeners who “swear” they never had any problem with fresh manure, the best and certainly the safest policy is to only use manure that has been composted and aged for at least 6 months. By using fresh, you risk exposing yourself and your family to pathogens that can cause disease. For more information about the 1996 E. Coli outbreak, the dangers of using fresh manure, and the proper methods of composting manure, these links will help:

Colorado State Extension Office
FDA report on Spinach E. Coli outbreak
Organic Consumers
USA Gardener: Composting Manure

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By: C. Jeanne Heida

Ease in maintenance

Raised bed gardening has become very popular among many people because of the ease in working with such garden design. Because of this reason, it has become easier to maintain than the traditional garden styles. The raised garden bed is easy to work with since it is small – it is easy to reach around and there is no need to step on the bed. Due to its compact design, no mud or rainy weather can delay your work since you can just walk around them.

Other plus points

It is easy to choose on the soil you want to have when you do raised bed gardening. You now have the freedom to decide on how you want the mixture of the soil to be. You can also add other nutrients to the soil by adding compost or mulch, depending on your plants needs.

If you decide on planting vegetables or flowers for selling, use raised bed gardening, it is actually a pretty good idea to do so. Since you can just walk around the bed, you can place your plants a little closer to each other thus you have more chance of getting higher yields.

Weeds are also not a problem in raised bed gardening. Plants are placed with just the right amount of space between each other so it does not get crowded. This spacing is also just enough to shade the weeds.

The ease of maintenance, is the main reason why people choose raised bed gardening. Since the plants are at a higher level, it is easy to go about the usual gardening chores like watering or picking. Since there is less amount of stooping, there are lesser chances that you hurt your waist or back.

Using raised bed gardening also makes it possible to use sites or landscapes that are otherwise difficult to manipulate with using traditional gardening. Now, it is possible to make you garden in the rooftops or in solid rocks. Hillsides can also be transformed into productive gardens using raised bed gardening.

Gardening for beginners

Since this type of gardening gives you the freedom to choose the design you like – shape and size included – it is very friendly for those who are just beginners. People who are new to gardening can easily manage their plants in small beds.

Freedom in design

Raised bed gardening is very flexible and easy to work with. Since they can be done anywhere, you also have limitless possibilities in the designs for the bed. Of course, it is easier to rectangular beds at first but you can choose how you want its shape to be in the long run.

Play with the landscape

Designing your garden is extremely easy with raised bed gardening. You can decide however you want to design it, depending on the landscape. You can also have the choice to either just mound up the soil or put frames around it to make it stand out.

Placing frames

Frames add beauty but are only optional in raised bed gardening. Frames can also make your gardens and lawns look cleaner and keep the grass and weeds away. Frames also keep the soil in place especially during heavy rains. Doing raised bed gardening can be very easy to maintain and does not take too much time to do the usual chores. It can also be a very pleasurable experience to watch your garden in bloom.

Raised Bed Gardening

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By: Norma Johnson

Herbs grow well in smaller containers and take minimal care. Here is a step-by-step guide to choosing windowsill herbs, and setting up a windowsill box.

PICKING OUT YOUR HERBS

Choosing which herbs you would like to include in your windowsill garden is a matter of personal preference and taste. Although some herbs are smaller and more manageable, choosing these over herbs you love the flavor of seems silly. Here is a list of popular herbs that will surely get used in your home.

Basil – this herb is popular in a variety of dishes, salads, and sauces. There are a variety of different basil plants, some which are smaller, and some, which can grow up to 16 inches. Basil is aromatic and will provide a fresh smell.

Parsley – this herb is incredibly popular and is used from cooking main dishes, to sauces to garnishing plates. It is used to freshen breath and aid digestion. It should most assuredly find a place in your home garden.

Dill – also a very popular herb. Most commonly used in pickling, this herb is also popular with fish and sauces. The “fern leaf” variety grows to about 18″ tall.

Chives – a popular herb used on baked potatoes, in omelets, stews, soups and sauces. Fresh chives are a wonderful addition to your garden.

Sage – Sage is especially popular around Thanksgiving as it is commonly used for stuffing poultry, when cooking pork, and it marries well with cheese.

Oregano – no herb garden is complete without oregano. Oregano although most commonly used in Italian food can be used in eggs, cheeses, in bread mixes, sauces, with vegetables and nearly every meat. It is the “be all” herb and your garden will not be complete without it.

Lavender – not only does lavender smell delicious but also pares well with a variety of foods.

Mint – mint can be used in jelly and makes an outstanding tea.

Rosemary – this herb has a delicious smell. It is commonly used with potatoes or on poultry or meat to enhance its flavor.

Thyme – this herb is customarily used in soups, stews and casseroles, however I think it makes a delicious addition to poultry and is especially tasty in bread.

SETTING UP YOUR BOX

Find a window that will get the appropriate amount of sun. A window facing the south or southeast that receives about 5 hours of sun a day is ideal. After you’ve selected your herbs, select a container about 6-12″ deep. You can plant multiple herbs in a long window box. Be sure to plant herbs that love the sun together and herbs that prefer shade together.

Purchase a potting mix that does not have soil from the outdoors, which may contain disease or bacteria. Put about 2-3 inches of this mix into the bottom of your container. Place your herbs on the mix and fill the rest of the box with the potting mix leaving about an inch at the top. Make sure the bottom of your container has drainage holes.

Water your herbs occasionally making sure that the potting mix isn’t soaked. Herbs do not like to sit in water. Choose a fertilizer designed especially for herbs or edible vegetables and fertilize about once a month. As soon as your herbs start growing, you can begin clipping them. Clipping them often will encourage new growth; however never clip more than 1/3 of the plant at a time.

As with outdoor herbs, pests can be a problems so use soap sprays to target the pests. Be sure to wash off the plants the next day or wash them thoroughly before eating them. Refrain from spraying new seedlings with sprays.

Herb gardens are practical, smell delicious and can become a quick hobby. Experiment with different plants and find new flavors and aromas to add to your cooking.

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By: Molly Carter

Nearly every gardener has been disappointed at some point in time when the flowers they’ve planted don’t quite measure up to the blooms pictured in their favorite gardening catalog. But with a little know-how and some readily available supplies from your local garden center, you can have blooms that rival any catalog photographer’s subject matter.

One of the primary mistakes made by a novice gardener is to buy one basic plant food, often for a vegetable garden, and then apply it to all plants. Bad idea. The nutritional needs of flowers differs from the needs of vegetables, and you have to bear that in mind when choosing fertilizing supplements. Knowing which supplements can help which flowers can increase both bloom size and time substantially.

This is a list of a few simple flower foods that are sure to bring on big results.

1. Eggshell tea – Recycle your eggshells and feed your flowers by placing the crushed shells in an old gallon milk jug and filling the jug with water. Let it steep for a few days. Shake and pour over your plants – no need to strain.

2. Aquarium water – When cleaning your aquarium, pour the old water into your flower beds. They’ll appreciate the nitrogen boost (don’t do this with salt-water aquariums).

3. Aged manure – Side dress your flower plants in midsummer to help them get through the long, hot weather.

4. Fish emulsion – Applied in early spring, this nitrogen-rich fertilizer will help plants put out early blooms. Make a homemade version by soaking fish heads in a bucket of water overnight, Best to do this in your garage, to avoid predators.

5. Comfrey leaves – This is a fertilizer you can grow yourself! Place the leaves in the planting hole, where they’ll break down and feed the new plant’s roots.

6. Bonemeal – Bulbs respond especially well to a little bonemeal sprinkled in the planting hole. You can also top-dress your bulbs with bonemeal after the blooming season ends.

7. Bloodmeal – Another high-nitrogen additive, you need to use caution when applying this to plants, as too much can actually harm the plant. Follow the directions on the label for best results.

8. Epsom salts – This is great for plants showing signs of magnesium deficiency – usually indicated by yellowing of mature leaves and curled leaf edges. Water these plants with a solution of 1 tablespoon Epsom salts dissolved in a gallon of water.

Websites, garden centers and catalogs, and your library can also furnish you with any plant-specific requirements. Armed with a little knowledge and a few basic materials, your garden will be photo-ready in no time!

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By: Karen Harrison

Organic gardening has become mainstream. It is not the norm or the universal way of gardening, but it has become mainstream and ‘interesting’ rather than ‘weird’. Having said that, the tight definition of organic gardening that it developed in the comparative private time of it’s early days is being challenged by anyone who wants to tweak it for an advertisement or sales pitch. So what is organic gardening and why would you want to try it this year?

A Basic Definition of Organic Gardening
According to the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Tennessee, organic gardening is “a system of gardening that attempts to use only sustainable, ecologically sound, gardening procedures”. It differs from regular non-organic gardening in that it rejects the use of man-made chemicals and fertilizers in producing food or other garden plants.

This includes manufactured pesticides for killing insects on the plants and under the ground, as well as chemical fertilizers like you would buy in a bag at a garden store. There are those who would extend this definition from the materials applied to the plants and soils, to the seeds you use, the materials in the tools you use, and even to the materials used in the storage and preparation of vegetables produced. The basic definition is more widely accepted and makes it easier for you to evaluate if you are indeed practicing organic gardening or buying food from someone who does.

Reasons to Try Organic Gardening This Year
The original reason for organic gardening was to limit the damage done to the environment by pesticides, most of which as a result of public outcry, are now banned from use.

DDT, the most famous, was used with great effect during World War II to control mosquitoes and other insects that spread malaria and typhus, saving thousands of lives. However, when it was released for general use in 1945, the side effects soon became alarming and it was banned for all but one use in 1973 in the United States.

Today, the first reason for organic gardening is the quality of the organically grown produce, especially in relation to taste and nutritional quality. This is a somewhat subjective reason, but those who prefer organic produce to regular produce often site these reasons. Because much of organic food is produced locally, that may have some bearing on this as well. In fact, some would argue that if you don’t buy locally from someone you know, or raise it yourself, you have no guarantee that what you are paying for is indeed organic.

The lack of pesticide residue in the food is another reason to practice organic gardening. Although the allowed levels are jut 1/100 of what are considered dangerous, the enforcement of those levels is at best spotty, and done by a non-Government out-sourced network of agents. People who are violently allergic to the pesticide residues even in small amounts need to be aware of that. Also, there is some evidence that even these allowed levels are underlying some of the auto-immune diseases so much more common today. Any doubt regarding the state of your organic food is removed when you practice organic gardening at home and grow your own, not just buy from someone else who says they do.

The Ultimate Reason
There is one more reason for following organic gardening methods. Although it might not appeal to some, the major benefit of organic gardening is what it does for the soil the food is grown in. The increase in organic matter, the increase in the ‘life of the soil’ as seen in the huge increase in beneficial bacteria, worms, nematodes, fungi, and other soil-benefitting insects and micro-plants goes far beyond producing tasty veggies. The long-term good done to the soil using organic gardening methods is, in fact, hard to measure in dollars and sense, even if you include the positives of reduced healthcare and food costs.

The fact is, organic gardening is just plain good for the planet.

Sources:
Wikipedia: DDT
Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?
Confirmation of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases in the Agricultural Health Study
Lupus and other Autoimmune Diseases Linked to Insecticide Use

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By: Gordon James

Beans require very little space for maximum growth and are adapted to a wide range of soils Beans are classified as bush type or pole type. The bush type grow as the name indicates, into a small compact plant while pole beans have a climbing or twining characteristic. Pole beans require a trellis, teepee, fence or other structure to climb on. Generally, you get production over a longer period of time with pole beans.

Plant bush beans in two rows down the top of raised beds, one row on each side of the bed. Plant seeds one inch deep, spacing seeds out to two inches apart. Thin plants to four or five inches. Pole beans are planted one row per bed- thin plants six to eight inches apart in the row. Snap or string beans are planted for “green beans.” Stringless varieties are very popular. Try Tendercrop, Topcrop and Bush Blue Lake varieties for green beans. Wax bush beans are also available which are yellow in color. Try Surecrop Wax, Golden Wax or Pencil Pod Wax varieties. Pole type beans include Kentucky Wonder and Blue Lake varieties.

There are some bush and pole beans that are purple in color, but when boiled for two or three minutes they turn a dark green color. Of course, there are many other varieties besides the traditional snap beans. Try your luck at raising beans to dry. Dry beans are among the oldest of food. Prehistoric man found they were good keepers, easy to transport and easy to prepare. Dry beans are especially popular today because they keep the food budget balanced and still offer high nutrition.

Pinto beans are planted in the garden and allowed to mature. They should be harvested before the dry pod shatters. Individual pods can be picked and dried or the entire plant can be cut just before the bottom pods shatter. The plants are dried thrashed and the beans stored for later use. The Aztec bean has become increasingly popular. Seeds of the Aztec bean were reportedly found in clay pottery left behind by Indians in Northern New Mexico some five centuries ago. In 1926, during the excavation of an old Indian ruin, the beans were found. They were planted and some of the beans germinated. The seeds have reportedly been handed down from family to family. Several growers provide small quantities of the beans for sale.

The bean is white and rather large. In cooking the beans are soaked overnight and then cooked. The beans increase four times their original size while cooking with each bean being about bite size. Pollination seems to be a problem when growing Aztec beans for the first time. It has been said that a special kind of insect pollinates or assists in pollinating the bean. After the first year of growing in a new area, the pollination seems to improve. The bean is a vigorous climber and can easily climb eight foot poles. Each plant can produce over one-half pound of dry beans in ideal growing conditions.

Other beans to consider include vegetable or edible soybeans. Mature dry soybeans are excellent for winter use and for making sprouts. Fava beans or broadbeans (Horsebeans) are not true beans, but related to vetch. The green fava beans are used as green shell beans much like limas. Some people in Mediterranean descent have a genetic trait that causes a severe allergic reaction to Fava beans. The Garbanzo or chick pea is neither a bean or a pea, but it usually listed as a bean. The beans are dried and cooked to add a chestnut-like flavor to green salads or mixed bean salad.

Not to be overlooked are the Lima beans which come in both bush and pole type, and can be used for succotash. There is a bean for almost every taste. Experiment with various types for further enjoyment in raising a family vegetable garden.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bean

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ho-175.pdf

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By: Cynthia Boyd

Indoor gardening is due to becoming one of the bigger trends this year. Many of us consumers will either be wanting to have a garden, either for the aesthetic pleasure of having the beauty of flowers in our homes to relieve stress, or even to save money on our food bills.

So for those of us who either live in an apartment, or who just have very small yards, it’s indoor gardening (aka container gardening) or nothing.

Unlike traditional gardening, indoor gardening has some challenges to it that might not be noticed with a garden in the back yard. Knowing about these particular challenges in advance will help you enjoy the indoor gardening experience more:

Indoor Gardening Challenge Number One: Spacing

Nothing spells trouble for us gardeners than doing anything that makes a mess in the house. So, if possible, not only do you want to keep your garden in a part of the house that’s out of the way, you’ll also probably want to use containers that are light enough in weight, to be carried outside easily for the messy parts.

Back porches, and basements are good. Shelving helps to leave you plenty of room to live in the same house as an indoor garden. Some people have even tried their garage but you must keep in mind that vehicle emissions are unhealthy for your green friends too.

Indoor Gardening Challenge Number Two: Watering

Depending on the humidity of your region of the world, and the humidity inside of your home, you may have to keep an eye out for how often you water your indoor garden plants. In addition to the watering needs of your indoor garden you’ll need to be sure to have a system in place to catch excess water drainage from your containers. Excess water, even on a concrete basement floor, is just not good. So with some good catch-pans under your pots, and an eye on the soil condition, you’ll be able to keep your indoor garden alive and spare yourself the mess.

Indoor Gardening Challenge Number Three: Pests

Bugs are everywhere. Insects are the most populous critters on the planet in one form or another. We’re out-numbered and surrounded by them…and they’re hungry! Now you might think that since your indoor garden is safe from pest infestation…but you’re wrong. Sure. Close every window and every door. It won’t stop a hungry bug. These guys are tiny! They’ll get through the smallest cracks and holes that you might not even notice.

Let bugs get the slightest whiff of some yummy celery, lettuce, or tomatoes, and just that quick, you’ve got bugs. You can go with either an organic repellent or an inorganic pesticide. It all depends on what you want inside of your home.

Bugs aren’t the only pests though. Pets and children also need to be kept out of your indoor garden as well.

Indoor Gardening Challenge Number Four: Lighting

If your home is in a place where you might only get an hour or two of sunlight daily then you’ll certainly need an indoor grow-lighting system. Fortunately they can be purchased, both online and offline, at pretty reasonable prices. The best lighting is pure sunlight though, so if you can, you’ll always do best to actually move your containers outside as much as possible. Fresh air, direct sunlight, and moisture from the rain will always do your indoor garden a world of good.

Indoor Gardening Challenge Number Five: Pesticides

Pesticides are dangerous…plain and simple. Sure. They kill off plant damaging bugs. But pets chew on leaves sometimes that are covered in pesticides. It’s every parent’s nightmare if your kids get into them. You might want to consider avoiding them altogether and take a non-poisonous approach to warding off insects.

There’s a slew of organic repellents available on the internet. The time it takes to research which would work best for you is time well invested. But, should you decide that you’d rather use pesticides on your indoor garden (either you have no little children or you just hate that cat…) then you’ll still want to keep your bottles of the stuff up out of reach.

Indoor Gardening Challenge Number Six: Odors

Unlike an outdoor garden, where smells simply dissipate into the air, an indoor garden inside your house will naturally keep unpleasant smells around. While stink’s not a danger to your plant itself, it is unpleasant to those living with you and to yourself as well.

Some folks find some relief by growing some pleasant smelling plants, such as mint, along with the more odorous plants. A container of onions can’t be mistaken for sure. Flowers can be a nice supplement too.

Make sure to allow for aeration of the room your indoor garden is in as often as possible. Also, keep any organic material outside unless and until you need to bring it in. Sterilize all surfaces and equipment as much as needed to discourage the bacterial growth that brings about the smell too. A simple bleach and water mixture usually works. In spite of it all though, the simple fact is, that an indoor garden can be smelly.

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By: Donald Pennington

Most people recognize a need to consume more fruits and vegetables, but the incredibly high prices on most of the healthier choices in the supermarket deter a lot of individuals from buying the healthy choices. Indeed, it is hard to get around the fact that the fresh fruits and vegetables that we eat are so costly. One way to avoid paying outrageous fees is to grow your own vegetable garden. Doing so, however, takes cautious planning. There are four considerations that everyone thinking of planting a vegetable garden should take into consideration: location of your garden, choice of plants, how much you want to plant, and whether or not you will have to have additional structures put in place to grow your plants.

The first step in planning your vegetable garden is to consider the right placement for your garden. You will want to consider, as you contemplate placement, that multiple studies have been conducted which back the claim that vegetable gardens close to the house do less well than those grown further away. This is primarily because gardens grown close to the home have more problems with pests.

However, the most important part of planning your location for the vegetable garden is that you must have adequate shade for the types of plants you grow and adequate drainage capabilities. Otherwise, your plants stand to develop root rot or perish from over-heat. Likewise, however, your garden will require plenty of sunshine, as well.

The next major consideration is that you need to decide which types of plants you want to grow. Much of this will decide on what climate you are growing them in. Plants grown in Ohio summers will be different than plants grown in springtime in Florida, for example. Additionally, your first year of planting will have other difficulties, so you may wish to restrict your plantings to the simpler, hardier plants. These plants include tomatoes, squash, onions, and leafy lettuce. Plants such as peas and potatoes are much more difficult to cultivate, and you may wish to hold out on those until you are more advanced.

Another factor to consider when picking the specific type of plant is the acidity level of the soil you plan to grow them in. Certain plants are very picky when it comes to pH level and will not do well if the acid levels are not just right. There are ways of altering your soil’s natural acidity levels, but that is something you should plan for ahead of time.

Another consideration is figuring out exactly how much you want to plant. For the newcomer, a smaller garden may work best. In general, it is usually advisable to grow less and have that amount turn out well than to grow too much and have it turn out badly.

The final consideration is figuring out what additional structures you will need to put in place in order to grow your plants. If you are growing vine plants, for example, you may need to invest in a stake system or a trellis.

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By: Rose-Colored Pens

Sit down, and make a list of the herbs, and plants you would like to include in your garden. Make a diagram to see how much space you will need, then plot it out. Use a shovel or a tiller to dig out your space. Cover it well with compost, and sphagnum moss, then dig these organic fertilizers in with the shovel. Now you are ready to add the plants. Here is a list of possible plants to add to your kitchen garden. You decide which are your favorites, and worth the precious space in your garden.

1. Basil is a great culinary herb. Use it in soups and stews, and it’s also great in dips. Basil is a tender annual, and a good candidate for planting indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost. If you do not want to start your own basil from seed, you can easily find these plants in your local nursery.

2. Dill is another great culinary herb. It is also an annual, but you can sew the seeds directly in the soil in late spring. Dill will re-seed itself, if you put it in a space where the soil will not be overworked the next year.

3. Nasturtiums, Violas, and Calendula are all great additions to your kitchen herb garden. They all have tender edible flowers, which add color and flavor to your summer salads. All of these flowers are annuals, except Violas. Calendula will re-seed itself in your garden if given the chance, but is not invasive. Tuck these small plants in around your herbs.

4. Scented Geraniums are great for their scented leaves, and edible scented flowers. Start your Scented Geraniums indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last frost. These are great plants to keep in small pots. Set them out in your kitchen herb garden during the summer, then bring them in for the winter. They will reward you with their wonderful scent, and tiny flowers all winter long.

5. You can’t have a kitchen herb garden without Mint. There are several varieties, Spearmint, Peppermint, and Chocolate Mint (heavenly scent) to name a few. Mint can take over your garden if not kept in check. You can plant them in pots and sink the pots in the ground to keep them from taking over. Mint has culinary uses, and it’s great in potpourri. Put Chocolate Mint into a summer bouquet. It adds a wonderful scent, and some beautiful dark green color to the arrangement.

6. Add Oregano for your Italian dishes. Oregano is a hardy perennial. Start the plants from seeds indoors in early spring, or purchase a start from your local nursery. Once established oregano will spice up your garden for many years.

7. Rosemary is a beautiful addition to any garden. It has beautiful blue green leaves, with a wonderful woodsy scent. Rosemary is great for cooking, garnishing, potpourri, wreaths, and flower arrangements. Since Rosemary is a tender annual you will need to bring it in before the first frost or purchase new plants next year.

8. What kitchen herb garden would be complete without Chives? Chives come in several varieties and flavors. Pick your favorite, place them in your garden, and let them grow. They are a hardy perennial and also re-seed themselves. Chives are not too invasive since they tend to grow in a clump, and any extra starts that come up in the spring can be easily removed before they take hold.

9. Don’t forget the French Tarragon. What chef can live without his Tarragon? It works great for rubs and marinades, and you can always add it to soup. Tarragon is another hardy perennial. Start plants indoors early in the spring, or buy a start at your local nursery. This herb stays in one neat clump. You can divide it at the root, or layer a branch in the ground to establish additional plants.

10. Does anybody have the Thyme? If you don’t you should get it. Thyme adds scent to your whole garden. There are many varieties available from Lemon Thyme, to English Thyme. Add at least one variety to your kitchen herb garden. It makes a great addition to soups or stews. Combine it with some miniature roses in a small bottle to make a wonderful small scented bouquet.

11. Add flowers to the back of your kitchen herb garden if you have the space. When you need a bouquet for the table, step outside your door, and start trimming. Some great flower additions include: irises, daisies, butterfly bushes, coneflowers, mums, or small sunflowers.

12. A tomato, or pepper plant make a nice addition to the mix. Don’t plant them all in your kitchen garden, just a couple. It will allow you to step out the door at suppertime and, grab a tomato, or pepper to add to your meal, without walking all the way to the garden.

The key here is convenience. Plant the herbs, flowers, or vegetables in your kitchen herb garden you will be most likely to use in your day to day cooking. Herbs and plants you use less often can go in the regular garden. The more space constraints you have the more selective you will need to be.

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By: Lynn Marie

Landscape Design Software Basics

Leading Landscaping Software can virtually create home landscaping or import photos of your home so you can design landscape features around your house then view completed projects by day, night or season. Landscape design software offers the designer flexibility and advantages such as:

1. Choose the right plants for your area.

2. You can change your mind as often as you like while planning your landscape—without spending a dime or picking up a shovel.

3. Landscape design software isn’t hard to use—it’s for homeowners like you.

4. With landscape design software, you can watch your landscape mature—see how the trees look five years from now, even twenty years from now.

5. Many programs can help you with your irrigation planning.

6. Some offer design ideas for decks, fencing, pools, gazebos and even tennis courts.

Landscape design software is more than a garden tool; it’s a flora and fauna adventure!

What to Look For in Landscape Design Software

Exceptional Landscape Design Software offers many easy-to-use tools and gives you all the support you need to learn how to use the program like a pro. Below are the criteria to rank Landscape Design Software:

Feature Set

The feature set is the landscape design toolbox. A larger set of tools isn’t necessarily better; look for landscape design software that has features you need to create the type of landscape plan you want. For example, some landscape design software focuses on landscaping around an actual photo of your home. Other landscape design software lets you zoom through a computer rendition of your finished landscape. Choose the landscape design software type that suits your needs best.

Ease of Use

Landscape design software controls should be easy to find, use, and understand. Powerful, intuitive controls often make all the difference between successful landscape design software and a product you’ll abandon on the shelf out of frustration.

Ease of Installation and Setup

We look for landscape design software that is simple to install, set up, and allows for easy image imports and exports. We also look for landscape design programs that feature a large catalog of plants and materials, so you can pinpoint what you want.

Help Documentation

You’ll want landscape design software that comes with good help online: a help index, help tutorials, FAQs and support forums and help menus or other help options included with the software. So before you grab your trowel or spend thousands at your local nursery, design your landscape virtually, without breaking a sweat.

Stone is a great medium because it comes in different textures and colors. And one of these varieties will fit the bill in your own landscape design.

Using Stone for Sculpting a Stunning Backyard Design

Using stone as a dividing wall or retaining wall is a very simple design element that allows you to separate your yard into specific areas. The walls can be used to divide portions of ground that are higher or lower than each other. They can even double as low benches and seating around a barbecue area.

The types of stone used for building walls are usually slate, river stones and limestone; though other flat varieties can easily be used for walls as well.

Water Features and Other Items

There are many stone elements that can spark many backyard landscaping ideas. For instance consider building arbors and trellises from stone and cover them with climbing plants. Or perhaps build a beautiful water feature from stone that serves as a focal piece for your backyard design. The types of stone useful for building arbors and trellises are varied from simple concrete structures with a rough finish for the creeping plants, to complex Water features made from granite or marble.

Stone Furniture

One of the least considered elements in backyard design is the use of stone furniture, which is often perfect for gardens and yards with ample space. The beauty of furniture created from stone is that it can hold up to the weather and they don’t break as easily as other types of furniture will.

Some of the most common mediums are Granite and marble, though some stone furniture designs are mixed media with other earthy elements such as metal or glass.

Stone Walkways

Flat stones are an excellent choice for creating walkways that can define a space or direct traffic though sensitive vegetation. Consider using walkways to break up large expanses of grass or protect visitors from stepping in soggy dirt or mud. Walkways can also include stairs since flat stone such as flagstone or lime stone can be stacked in such a way to build up steps.

Some of the appeal of gardening lies in the control you can exert over the little universe you create. Because we are not, after all, divine, almost every gardener makes the same mistakes. Here are 10 of the most common.

1) Wrong plant in the wrong place. Almost every plant prefers sun or shade, heat or cold, moist or soggy soil, drying winds, or protection from wind. Some need morning sun and some need afternoon sun. Know your plant and what it needs. In the fall I have often seen a pretty little aster species growing on shaded east-facing slopes. I bought one and tried to grow it in the nurturing soil of my flat garden, and it died. Too much sun? Too much moisture?

Here’s another example. Pink Lady Slippers are wild orchids, and they grow in certain woods here in New England. However, they are likely to die in your garden. That’s because young plants needs a particular fungus to be present in the soil.

Solution: study up on your plants’ needs.

2) Corollary to Problem #1: Lady Slipper orchids are illegal to dig out of the wild almost everywhere in the United States they occur. Do so and you risk a fine. Check your state’s wildlife division for a list of species that are threatened, endangered or of special concern. Beware the plant police.

Solution: Know your rare species.

3) Wrong soil: Almost all plants have a soil preference: firm or loose; moist or dry, rich with humus or sandy, acid or alkaline.

When I moved to New England from the Midwest many years ago, I marveled at the miracle of mountain laurel and rhododendrons, which I had never seen before. They love the acid soil out here, and won’t grow naturally in the Midwest where the soil is sweet (alkaline). If you must have them, check your soil first and acidify if necessary. The question is: how much trouble do you want to take with your garden?

It seems to me that almost all soil has something wrong with it, at least for the things I wanted to grow when I first started gardening. It took years to turn what I think of as the non-soil substitute in my yard (glacial till) into a loam that supports garden plants. Bags of peat moss, fertilizer, lime, etc, etc. Today I only take trouble with the peonies and the tomatoes. Everything else needs to be happy in so-so soil.

Solution: If it isn’t happy, out it goes.

4) Too large a garden. A big garden can require almost all your spare time. Before you begin to start your Tasha Tudor fantasy garden by tilling up your entire back yard, decide how much time you want to spend maintaining it. My own garden crept down one side of my drive first, then the other side, and across the front of the house, before I realized I only wanted to work on it for a couple hours a week.

Solution: Daylilies, groundcovers and, best of all, mulch. Learn to love mulch.

5) Too small a space. You kept bringing home plants, didn’t you, one at a time, and crammed them all into your little garden square. Now they’re stealing each other’s sun, competing for water and breathing space, and you can’t even see that costly little treasure.

Solution: Learn self discipline.

6) You can’t throw anything out. In February, armed with your seed catalogues, you decide to start plants from seed. You order 10 seed packets, which, planted up, become 10 seed trays. You spend the late winter months rotating the trays from window to window to get enough light, and you cheer on the little sprouts when they germinate. Then in June, you make a terrible discovery: you only need a few of each plant and can’t bring yourself to throw away any of the seedlings. They are like your little children now. Do you try to squeeze everything into your little garden? (Problem #4) Or dig up more garden? (Problem #3) Or give them away? Believe me, life has too many real problems without developing this particular problem.

Solution: Compost them.

7) Invasive plants. Many gardeners have taken on a deceptively shy white anemone, one of the “spring ephemerals”, only to find it rampant in their garden by the next year. Watch out. Bee balm compensates for its easy bloom during the difficult mid-summer months by having monstrous spreading habits. My own mistake is something called aster tartaricus, which spreads faster than loosestrife.

Solution: Study up. If you find your invasive plant likes sandy soil, plant it in heavy soil.

8) Taking gardening too seriously. Your favorite peony blooms one June morning. You pause in awe to take in its perfection, but three hours later an unseasonable heat wave has shattered it and its petals are on the ground. You had waited for this peony all winter. The spring is RUINED for you. Ruined. Ruined. Ruined. This has happened to me three out of every four years. I used to rig little parasols over my peonies, but it didn’t do any good.

Solution: Get over it. I had to. So should you.

9) Beware of utility lines in the ground. Plants share space in the ground with all sorts of utility lines. In a forum on garden problems on Gardenweb.com, one gardener cut through a line for the home’s oil tank. There are electrical lines, gas lines, cable tv lines and telephone lines in the ground.

Solution: Dig safe. Dig gently. If your shovel hits something, it might not be a rock.

10) Poison ivy

Solution: Be careful. Use Round-up

Sources:

http://search.gardenweb.com/search/?term=mistakes A good general resource on all garden issues

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html The Dept of Agriculture’s hardiness map

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By: Barbara Lee Brown

From the words “hydro,” which means water, and “ponos,” which means labor¹, Hydroponic Gardening, quite simply explained, is growing plants using water; it is gardening without soil. In some cases, other material is used in place of soil, such as gravel, sawdust, clay, and sand.

While this notion might seem novel, hydroponic gardening has been practiced in ancient times, dating as far back as 1600 AD, according to Keith Roberto, author of How-To Hydroponics². It is very interesting to note that the hanging gardens of Babylon and the floating gardens of the Mexican Aztecs utilize hydroponic gardening, as Roberto writes in his book. Over the years, the effectiveness and productivity of systems for hydroponic gardening have advanced with technology and more research.

While hydroponic gardens can have very simple to very complex systems, the main component of any hydroponic garden is nutrient-rich water circulating within a closed and controlled sytem and enriching the plants in the system. This nutrient-rich water, or nutrient solution as it is commonly called, can be purchased from suppliers. As author Keith Roberto states, “Hydroponics [Hydroponic Gardening} is all about enriching water with the very same nutritive salts found in nature.” With this premise, water and its qualities (such as its mineral content) are the primary considerations for someone who wants to maintain a hydroponic garden.

Shane Smith outlines a few advantages and disadvantages of hydroponic gardening in her book, Greenhouse Gardener’s Companion: Growing Food and Flowers in Your Garden or Sunspace³. Under advantages, she notes the minimal space a gardener can work with using a hydroponic system, while a disadvantage is the equipment you would need to maintain such a space. More information can be found on her web site. For environmentalist gardeners, hydroponic gardening, although the name might imply the excessive use of water, actually conserves water, leading Keith Roberto to naming it as “Earth Friendly Gardening.” Hydroponic gardening also yields very healthy crops since the water that is being fed to the plants is enriched with nutrients that the plants need for their growth and development.

Another great resource that Roberto cites in his book is the collaborative project undertaken by the University of Arizona’s Environmental Research Laboratory and Walt Disney, “Listen to the Land” and “Tomorrow’s Harvest.” Both can be found at the Epcot Center in Florida.

A fantastic example of how hydroponics is used today is NASA’s hydroponic farming for astronauts in outerspace. As discussed in Anna Heiney’s article, hydroponic farming is would allow astronauts who are in long missions out in space to grow their own food and eat fresh vegetables and fruits.

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By: Jo V.

The garden should not seem very populated but at the same time it should give a complete whole to the home.

Small Garden Design: Curves

Since space is a constraint, you can make the use of curves to make the area look bigger. Curves made in a series of networks make the small space garden look bigger. All you need to do is connect those curves. Parallel curves can also be used and they help to give the impression that the space of the garden is larger than it actually is.

It should not be a separate entity but act as a complete unit with the house. Garden design ideas for small area generally aim to dress up the house more than formally plant trees. It can also be a peaceful area where you can rest during the evenings.

But only trees and the size of the garden are not enough. Textures can also play a big part in expanding the size of a small garden. Though you can choose your own texture, you may also use brick for the patio area, natural stone for the walking area and a crushed rock that contrasts with the surroundings for the rest of the area.

Weeds

But what if weeds strike? To combat this, you have to make use of a professional weed barrier. This ensures that weeds do not come near to your happy protected place.

Blue Salvia

You can use Blue Salvia to connect three planting regions. Once you have made the garden you can shade it form the main street. For this purpose you can use a variety of plants including the Yaupon Holly. This provides a bit of privacy to your small garden.

These are some of the garden design ideas. The ideas above can be used to create the ideal environment for a small garden but that does not mean why you should not use your own ideas. You can also seek professional help for better small garden design ideas to help you out with the setting of your garden.

Nothing matches the delicious taste of vegetables harvested fresh from your own garden. They’re delicious to eat and fun to watch as they grow. Also, let’s not forget about certain bragging rights in the neighborhood. You can even grow succulent vegetables in containers or window boxes.

Vegetable Garden Location

Location is a key consideration when planning your garden. Vegetables are sun-worshippers, and love sunny, open spaces in order to thrive. Look for a spot that provides at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. More would be better.

Choosing Your Vegetables

What kind of garden you make depends on what you like to eat. Are salads big in your family? Or is your household full of corn-on-the-cob connoisseurs? Decide on your must-have vegetables, then consider your space. When you’re satisfied that you have enough room for the vegetables you want, you’re ready to get started. One note: try to avoid planting more than your family can eat.

Lay Out the Garden

First, make sure your garden looks good on paper. Make a sketch of your garden, drawing little circles to represent your vegetable plants. Use the spacing recommended in the catalog description as a guide. Now you have a planting plan. For a step-by-step guidetoplanting, see thePlanting a Vegetable Garden project.

When you begin to work on the landscaping design idea for your property, think about what plants you like, the functions you want to accommodate and what problems your site has.

Project Steps

What You’ll Need

1. Notepad or paper, at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches

2. Pencil and eraser

3. Ruler

4. Compass

5. Tape measure, at least 50 ft

6. Wooden stakes and string

7. Mallet to drive stakes

8. Protractor or steel carpenter’s square

9. Graph paper, 11 x 14 or larger, 1/4 inch grid

10. masking tape

11. tracing paper, available in rolls

Draw a Rough Map

On a large notepad, sketch out your yard, including buildings, large trees and shrubs, property lines, fences, utility lines, paved areas, patios, pools, and other permanent features. Don’t worry about accuracy yet. Using a compass, find the direction of north and mark it on the map.

Measure Permanent Objects

Measure the features, such as house and pool dimensions, tree drip lines, spreads of shrubs, and lengths of fences. Add the measurements to the rough map. Also measure and locate windows and doors, as well as outside faucets, lights, and electrical receptacles.

Establish Accurate Locations

Using stakes and string, mark a straight line along a property boundary, starting at one corner. Keeping the tape measure at a 90? angle from the boundary, measure the distance from the boundary to the nearest corners of the house, trees, and other objects on your map. Measure from other boundaries, too, to confirm accuracy.

Transfer Measurements to Graph Paper

With a ruler and pencil, transfer your measurements accurately to graph paper. Use 1 inch to represent 4 feet for small yards, 1 inch to 20 feet for larger sites.

Make Trace-Paper Overlays

Tape the base map to a table or board. Lay sheets of tracing paper over it and make additional maps, each with a different theme, such as sun and shade patterns, slopes, views, gardens, and traffic patterns. Each map becomes a layer that adds detail to the base map but remains separate for clarity.

Article provided by the National Gardening Association

Researching what kinds of plants grow best in your areas, whether they need shade or sun, how they grow and change whether perennials or annuals, and more can take a lot of time. Now there is an easier way to plan your garden. Many companies are offering garden design software that is easy to use on your home computer. These software programs vary in what they can do but all offer advantages over paper and pencil plans.

Garden design software allows you to put in the dimensions of your property, including the locations of buildings and trees, and then takes you through a step by step process of planning your finished project. If you are a not a computer whiz, there is one important thing to remember. “Help” is there to help you. If you get stuck, click on the help button and do a search to get the advice you need to get you out of your rut. If there is a tutorial, use it! Read the manual. All of these things are there to help you get the most out of the software.

If you find yourself overwhelmed, start with just a small area. You can work your way up to designing your whole property. You don’t have to be too precise either. It is ok to estimate building location, distances, and the size and shape of your property. The goal is to get a good idea of what you want. You don’t have to be exact.

After you have the basics in, you can really start to see the advantages of computer-aided gardening. These software programs typically have thousands of plants in their databases. They will help you select plants that meet the criteria for your plan. Do you need a shade loving plant for a sandy area in zone five? The program will show you your options, complete with three dimensional pictures. Do you want to see what your finished plan will look like in five years or ten? The computer will simulate growth of your plants at the average rate and show you the results. You will be able to turn your plans in all directions and look at the finished project from every angle.

Garden design software will often allow you to design decks and gazebos, and will help you decide where to place walkways and outdoor lighting. Check out how your garden will look in after dark. No guess work is involved when you choose to use computer-aided gardening for your garden plans.

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By: Jacqueline Parks

It doesn’t have to be hard to be organic. My vegetable gardening methods are “organic”, not because I have any deep convictions about using organic versus synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, but because I’m a lazy cheapskate. If I can prevent weeds without buying and applying herbicides, grow vegetables without buying and spreading fertilizer, and keep the bugs and other pests under control by letting them kill each other, I’m happy. My budget is happy too.

The vegetables grow in raised beds made from the sides of discarded water beds held in place by 4×4 posts: it’s cheap and sturdy. The picture shows the bed, a hopeful quail looking for vegetables to eat, and the soaker hose that minimizes water use. That’s an eggplant in the foreground, in late March. By July it was 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide.

Organic Weed Control: My vegetable garden’s organic weed control consists of a 4 to 6-inch deep layer of mulch, made by running the prunings from my trees and bushes through my chipper-shredder. Only a few weed seeds will come through the mulch, and they are easy to pull. The mulch also reduces the amount of watering I have to do by preventing evaporation.

The drawback to the mulch is that it attracts birds. The quail love to dig holes in it to make shady resting spots under the vegetables. The curve-billed thrashers and the towhees dig through it hunting for bugs. They are excellent bug controllers, but they throw mulch out of the beds and leave huge holes in the dirt. I have to throw the mulch back into the beds a couple of times a week.

Organic Fertilizer: Tree shreddings composted with the high-nitrogen beans that fall from mesquite trees and the grass clippings from the lawn, make good fertile soil for the raised vegetable beds. I mixed compost 50/50 with the alkaline native dirt the first year and just keep digging more compost into the beds every spring.

Where I deviate from the “organic” party line is with soil amendments. The local desert dirt (it doesn’t deserve to be called soil) is alkaline, low in available iron, and high in clay and even the water is mineral-laden and alkaline. Vegetables don’t grow well in it, even with lots of compost. I’m not going to waste time making compost tea, and I’m not going to waste money on various organic supposed remedies like bacterial infusions, Mycorrhyza inoculants, volcanic sands, and such. The dirt needs a higher pH and the most economical way to get it is to mix liberal quantities of soil sulfur into it. I also add a small amount of ammonium sulfate to the beds about mid-summer to give them a nitrogen boost.

What Grows Well: With this low-effort approach to organic vegetable gardening, I grow herbs and vegetables that are hard to find locally, or too expensive in supermarkets. The hot Arizona summers limit my choices because the usual garden vegetables can’t survive the heat.

Tomatillos thrive and produce gallons of fruit.

Until the squash borers struck, the squash were thriving and producing a dozen or more edible squash a week per plant. With some screen to keep the adult borers from laying eggs on the stems, they should do better this year.

Artichokes grew and thrived, but they took up too much space to be practical. I gave the plants to a gardener with more room.

There was way too much okra! Okra is an African plant that apparently loves 110-degree days, and alkaline soil. A short row of 4 plants produced more than I could stand, and even the co-workers were losing enthusiasm for it.

Eggplant, like okra, grows almost too well. I harvested 15 to 20 softball and larger eggplants a week starting in mid-June. Much of it ended up going to friends at the office.

What Did Not Grow Well:

Tomatoes were not a success, probably because they were in full Arizona sun and heat stressed. Except for basil, the herbs either died or grew so slowly they took weeks to recover from harvest. I’m building a new bed in a spot that gets afternoon shade and will try again.

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By: Lazy Gardens

Pansies are such an interesting and cheerful flower. Did you know that pansies are edible? The great news is they grow well in containers indoors or outdoors. Growing potted pansies indoors provides you with colorful blooms virtually year round. Novice gardeners often have great success with container potted pansies indoors. What are some gardening tips to successfully fill your home with these delightful plants?

Container Size for Potted Pansies

The size container you choose to grow potted pansies is greatly determined by the number of pansies you wish to grow. Pansies have moderate fibrous root systems. The key is to insure you have plenty of room for the roots to spread and grow over time.

Ideally, a ten inch pot should hold no more than three to six pansies. This gives ample room for roots, stems, leaves and the blooms. The larger varieties of pansies, such as Bingo or Majestic Giants should only have three or four in a ten inch pot.

Lighting for Pottied Pansies

Pansies like full sun to partial shade. Place them near windows that receive light from the east or west side of the home. Avoid the north windows because there will not be enough light and blooms will significantly decrease.

If you’re using artificial plant grow lights, set them at a medium height from the potted pansies and set the timer for 8 to 10 hours of daily light. A low-level plant light shining up on the underside of the plants is ideal for 3 to 5 hours of the day.

It’s important to not allow potted pansies to get hot from direct sun or from artificial lights.

PH and Fertilizer Requirements of Potted Pansies

If you want maximum blooms on potted pansies avoid over-doing it with the fertilizer. Go with fertilizing the plants monthly or bi-monthly when they start to get lots of foliage or are not blooming.

Potted pansies like acidic soil to grow the best. Indoor gardeners can use time-released fertilizer for acidic plants. The other option is water the potted pansies once a month with coffee that is 1 part coffee with 4 parts water. Place thin layer of wood chip mulch around the base of the potted pansies to help with acidity and moisture control.

Adding Earthworms to Potted Pansies

One gardening tip secret for beautiful potted pansies is to add 4 to 6 earthworms to the pot after planting the pansies. Weekly rake a few coffee grounds and finely crushed dried eggshells into the soil with a fork. This will get the food to the worms and not damage the pansy roots. Check the worms bi-monthly and transfer new worms to other household plants to keep the potted pansies from overflowing with worms. Cover the drainage hole with plastic to keep the worms in the container.

Watering Potted Pansies

Watering potted pansies is relatively simple. Daily stick your thumb lightly into the center of the potted pansies. If it is moist, leave it alone. If it is dry add about 1/4 cup of water to the plant. Pansies like moist soil but not soggy soil.

Deadheading Potted Pansies

To get year round blooms you must deadhead pansies. Keep an eye on the blooms. Pinch blooms off completely with 1/2 inch of the stem. In the middle of the summer, prune potted pansies leaving only 1/2 of the plant. Don’t worry it will come back and give you blooms in the fall and winter months.

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By: Joyce Priddy

Your basic gardening tools have not changed for hundreds of years, and you most likely own most already, particularly if you do any type of gardening at all. Vegetable gardens need much more cultivating and digging than flower gardens. It is an excellent idea to make sure you, the vegetable gardener, choose vegetable gardening tools that fit your weight, height, and musculature.

Spades with long handles are difficult for short statured people to use, and a taller person doubling over a short hoe will surely cause a backache. Before buying that tool you need to try it out first for size. When you pick it up it should feel well balanced, the handle needs to fit your grip with ease and the working end should not be too heavy.

• Most importantly don’t buy everything all at one time; you need to start out with only the essentials:
• A sharp edged square-ended spade for digging.
• A round pointed shovel and four pronged fork for mixing.
• A steel rake is good for smoothing or breaking up soil.
• A hoe is for cultivating, weeding, and opening seed furrows.
• A trowel is for transplanting vegetable seedlings.
• A watering can for use after transplanting.
• Garden and soaker hoses, and sprinklers for general watering.

A wheelbarrow is an added bonus particularly if the vegetable garden is situated some distance away from the storage shed or the house.

Visiting your local home and garden center, garden nursery or on-line will surely convince you that you need a variety of other vegetable gardening tools or equipment such as: cultivators, fencing, netting, sprayers, stakes, tillers, or weeders. They all have their uses, depending on how much gardening and/or vegetable gardening you do. A good rule of thumb is to buy them only when you need them.

Here are some helpful hints for caring for your gardening tools or any garden tool for that matter:

• After each use, remove all the soil by hosing them off.
• Be sure your tools are dry before storing; it will prevent rust and rotting of the wood handle.
• A good idea would be to rub linseed oil on wood handles for preservation.
• The metal parts of all tools should be wiped with vegetable oil after each use.
• During the off season is a good time to sharpen your vegetable garden tools. A whetstone is for sharpening the cutting edge and a rasp to remove nicks, if any, and to smooth the edges.

Enjoy planting your vegetable seeds or seedlings, now that you know more about choosing and the maintenance of some vegetable gardening tools, and best of all enjoy your harvest.

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By: Barbara Volkov

Starting an herb garden is a great way to step into the world of gardening. First of all you need to decide if you are going to use pots and planters, or if you are going to use an actually plot of dirt. If you will be using a plot of soil, you will need to prepare it. You should pull up all the weeds you can and then cover with a piece of dark plastic. This will kill the rest of the weeds due to darkness and the heat. You can then remove the plastic and till the area. You can add a little fertilizer to the soil if you want before tilling, but do not over fertilize.

Once your soil is prepared, you are now ready to plant your herbs. You should decide what herbs you would like to plant. Once you have decided on which ones you want, then make a drawing showing where you are going to plant them. You should have a variety of herbs; they can include garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, chives, basil, tarragon, parsley, rosemary, and coriander. These are a wide variety and will grow well. You will get a good taste of each of these once they start growing. You can also add more fertilizer after the herbs have been planted for a while. You can do so by making a little pocket next to the plants, then just add a little fertilizer and then cover with soil.

Next you should learn when it is best to harvest each of the herbs. Herbs are full of flavor right before they bloom. This is good to know if you are planning on drying them. You should harvest them in the morning when they are very aromatic. You can harvest them at any time throughout the season, but you must use them fresh.

There are many reasons to start an herb garden. It is not only a great hobby that you can do in your spare time. It is also a great way to provide your family with tasty food throughout the year. Many fresh herbs are very easy to grow. They do not require a lot of special things to keep them up. Try creating your own herb garden to fit your family’s needs.

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By: Tara Cellars

There are many reasons why homeowners might want to incorporate landscaping rocks into their home. Some choose pebble-sized rocks to augment paths or gardens. Others choose larger rocks and use them as the centerpieces for certain areas of their yards. Regardless of their choice, homeowners who have access to an ocean should make use of it, as it provides lovely landscaping rocks.

Landscaping Rocks from the Ocean

The best yard is the yard that makes use of natural elements in its design. While there are endless uses for landscaping rocks, the thing that matters the most is how those landscaping rocks complement the yard, and that is why rocks from the ocean are a wonderful choice.

When one thinks of ocean rocks, it is typical to think of the jagged rocks that result in sore feet while walking along the shoreline. However, while these jagged rocks can make for great landscaping rocks for a more modern style, it is the rocks often found beneath the sand that make for the real landscaping rock treasures.

The most beautiful ocean rocks are generally found just off the shoreline and beneath the sand because they have been smoothed by the tides. These rocks are thus often surprisingly ovular and come in many different sizes for any yard design one might wish to carry out. In fact, their versatility as a landscape decoration can often be seen in the yards of homes that are near the ocean.

Beach Rocks

Beach rocks are often preferable to other types of landscaping rocks, because one disadvantage to the smaller types of landscaping rocks is that they tend to travel. Beach rocks meanwhile are preferable because of their unique shapes, which thus need only several of them for decoration at any one time.

Popular uses for these rocks are usually in the form of liners for front walkways, under trees, or as decoration for gardens. While these rocks come in natural white, beige, and blue colors, sometimes people choose to paint the rocks as added decoration.

It is important to note that while it is generally alright to take several rocks from a public beach, there are some beaches that do not allow people to take rocks from it, so it is important to obey the environmental rules above anything else. However, for those that live near a beach that has no strict rules, then take advantage of these wonderful natural landscaping rocks.

Mulch is marvelous for flower beds.

A top quality mulch is ideal for nourishing plants by adding organic material to the soil. Mulch helps to seal life-giving moisture into the flower garden, so plants’ roots may soak it in to grow healthy and strong. Mulch also prevents evaporation, keeping the ground soft and rich in the flower bed.

Gardeners may protect germinating seeds and young plant seedlings from the elements by covering them with soft mulch.

In addition, a generous layer of mulch in the flower bed will deter weeds from growing and aggressively spreading in the garden.

Horticulturalists in many climatic zones also appreciate mulch for the protection it provides during cold winter months, as frequent freezing and thawing may prove destructive to perennial flowers and other garden plants. A good mulching can seal and guard flowers and other plants from winter’s harm.

What are the secrets to great garden mulching?

Prepare flower beds before mulching.

Even the finest mulch can’t work its wonders, unless the flower garden has been properly prepared first. Enriched quality soil is essential to a successful flower bed.

The flower bed must be weeded carefully before mulching. Stray grasses and weeds must be removed by the roots. Only then may the garden be properly tilled and cultivated.

If possible, a layer of garden canvas, newspapers or another organic barrier may be placed in the flower bed to prevent the intrusion of weeds, lawn grass and other unwanted vegetation. Suitable soil may be placed on top of this barrier.

Prepare and plant flowers before mulching.

Before adding mulch to the flower bed, the flowers must be tended. Perennial flowers should be dead-headed, removing old spent blossoms. Retired leaves and other dried-out or dead plant matter must be removed. Often, the gardener may be surprised to uncover new vegetation peeking through in the flower bed, once the decaying plant parts have been discarded.

Seeds may be sown, and seedlings planted, at this point. A gentle watering is ideal next, to seal the flower garden before mulching.

Choose a high-quality mulch.

Natural, organic mulch is actually best for plants. Savvy horticulturalists generally select cedar mulch, wood chips, shredded bark or even composted materials for mulching flower beds.

Garden supply centers offer wide selections of mulching materials. In many communities, wood mulches may be obtained at a discount or even free, as these may be created from chipped Christmas trees and other discarded woods.

Of course, some gardeners do prefer gravel or painted wood chips. These materials are certainly acceptable around potted plants, but they really are not suitable for a healthy in-ground flower bed.

Mulch gently.

Too many hasty gardeners simply dump mulch into the flower bed and spread it around roughly. This is destructive and dangerous to plants.

Instead, the gardener must gently fold the mulch around all plantings. Using gloved hands, the horticulturalist may heap mulch carefully into the garden.

Some perennials, such as irises and peonies, require portions of their bases to see sunlight, if these plants are to bloom. The gardener must avoid completely covering the peony’s eyes or the irises rhizomes.

Water flower beds thoroughly after mulching.

Watering a mulched garden is a little tricky. Simple sprinkling is not enough. The water must actually penetrate the mulch to benefit the roots of the plants in the flower bed.

Be sure to place a hose under the mulch, or even bury a soaker hose in the mulch in your flower bed.

Behold the well-tended garden.

Once the mulching process has been completed, and the stray mulch swept into the flowerbeds, the gardener may step back and enjoy the polished look of the well-managed garden.

To keep the garden healthy and optimally attractive, an informed gardener will usually mulch a flower bed generously in the spring, but supplement with additional mulch in the fall.

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By: Linda Ann Nickerson

There are at least 600 plants that deer either find offensive or simply do not like. Interestingly sage is one plant that deer do not like. Other plants include Peony, Poppy, Mock Orange and Morning Glory to name a few. A list of plants by their common name can be viewed at deer-resistant-plant.

There are numerous products on the market that promise to deter deer from eating up your ornamental plants and vegetable gardens. There are some items in your cupboard and gardening shed that can do approximately the same thing as the store variety. First off keep in mind that deer will literally eat anything if they are are hungry enough. The main thing deer do not like is the smell of animal or human by products. Specifically, blood meal is abhor ant to deer. The only problem here is that blood meal has a raunchy smell that most humans do not like either. If you enjoy evenings in the garden, the aroma of blood meal emanating from the garden is not a welcome smell.

Other items suggested by various self help web sites include using human hair, soap, creosote, rotten eggs and garlic. Some of these techniques can be further reviewed by checking out:natural-ways-of-repelling-deer.

The problems with all of these home products and commercial products is that while they may deter the deer they also deter human beings. If you like working in the garden the smell of some of these items is obnoxious. As an experiment I tried a few tricks that are not mentioned on the various web sites in the hopes of finding something the deer might find disagreeable and I would still be able to spend time in the garden.

Good Old Fashion Trappey’s Red Devil:

Red Devil hot sauce is readily available in most stores and discount stores. I have purchased a six fluid ounce size for 39 cents. Louisiana Hot Sauce is available at Wal-Mart for around 33 cents. Either one will do, but the Red Devil has more cayenne than the Louisiana variety. The application is simple. All you do is sparingly sprinkle the leaves. Do not apply the hot sauce to the flowering buds. It dries quickly and there is no lingering odor from the application. Thus far in my experiment the deer that frequently ate the leaves and buds are not doing so now. They smell the plants and move on. The deer has an acute sense of smell. If it doesn’t smell right, they don’t try it. The mixture has not effected the plant’s growth either.

Wind Chimes and Garden Ornaments:

The other unique feature of deer is their sense of hearing. While many deer have become accustom to human beings because of their change in habitat, they do not like sharp or unexplained clanging sounds. It is a feature intrinsic to the deer and a survival mechanism. If the deer hears sharp, or even clanking sounds they usually will speedily make an exit. I moved a chime and bell ornament near the plant area I was trying to protect. The deer came up and while he nearly took a bite the sound of the chimes frightened him and he took off as fast as his legs would carry him. For larger areas I have heard about using tin pie plates affixed to one another and clanking objects within the plates. All you need to do is hang them from ornamental trees and shrubs.

Netting:

In the past several years my neighbor purchased a small bolt of netting. It does not come in small pieces. The netting is a synthetic product black in color and has the look and feel of fish net. She gave me a small rectangle to try out and it does work beautifully. The deer simply do not like the hassle of trying to get through the netting. The deer pretty much leave the netted plants alone. The only negative to this method is that your garden is not as colorful. In fact it looks like a day at the senior center or a school cafeteria kitchen with all of the hair nets.

In conclusion, living with the deer population can be a real chore, but picking the right plants, employing some simple gardening practices can make the experience less troublesome. After all, isn’t that why we all love the wide open spaces with all of God’s creatures coexisting. The two references to on-line authority will be found in the in the resources section of this article if the links are not accessible.

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By: Ms Read Dorrit

Step 1 – Choose Your Veggies (Note: Use this guide to grow herbs, strawberries and flowers in your container garden too.)

What do you want to grow in your container veggie garden? The only rule is to choose vegetables that you actually like to eat – it’s one of the benefits of being a grown-up. There are many varieties of vegetables that have been developed especially for container gardening. Look for descriptive words like “bush,” “compact” or “dwarf” when buying vegetable seeds or transplants (small plants ready to put directly into the garden). It’s fun to start seeds indoors yourself (or in a mini greenhouse) about 8 weeks before it is expected to be warm enough to transplant them outside into your containers.

Tip: Plan to plant an extra pot or two of veggies to share with your friends.

Step 2 – Choose Your Veggie Planters

Gardening in containers is easy (you don’t need a PhD from a horticulture university to be successful – all you need is a little basic knowledge) but one of the most important factors in your gardening success is choosing appropriate garden planters. Nearly all vegetables and herbs will do well in a 5-gallon pot (12″ diameter and 12″ depth) but plants with shallow roots, like salad greens, will grow well in 6-8 inches of depth.

Use light colored pots for veggies that prefer cool temperatures (like lettuce and cabbage) and dark colored planters for heat loving plants (like tomatoes). For tall growing plants, choose pots made of heavy material like terracotta or add a layer of clean sand to the bottom of the planter for added weight and planter support.

Choose colors and styles of planters that compliment your house and yard. There is a large selection of beautiful garden planters available to suit any taste and budget. Consider self-watering garden planters for extra convenience and a sure water supply for thirsty plants on hot summer days. Some plants will do best if supported by a trellis or stake attached to the garden planter.

Tip: Share the fun and help a friend get started in veggie gardening.

Step 3 – Add Soil to Your Containers

The soil for vegetables that are grown in containers must be lightweight, loose, and hold moisture well. Regular soil is too heavy, compacts easily and should never be used in planters. It is important to choose a “soil-less” soil mix developed specifically for gardening in containers. These soils are various mixtures of vermiculite, perlite, peat moss and other nutrients.

The soil can be reused the following year by adding special soil boosters that replenish lost nutrients that vegetables require. Another benefit of using lightweight soil is that your planters will be easy to move around – one of the main advantages of container gardening is its portability.

Now for the fun part. The next step in our container gardening guide is…

Step 4 – Plant Your Veggie Garden

Follow the directions on the seed package to determine the best time for planting in your area based on your gardening hardiness zone. Use a zone finder tool to determine your zone by zip code and be sure to make a note of your zone number.

Many gardeners will sow seeds directly into garden planters for quick growing veggies like greens, but purchase transplants for longer maturing vegetables like tomatoes. After planting your seeds, spray soil lightly with a mister and cover pot with plastic wrap to retain moisture and warmth. Keep the soil moist at all times. When the seeds sprout, remove the plastic cover but continue to water very gently – remember they are baby veggies and need loving care.

Other information about the plant’s requirements (spacing, etc..) can be found on the seed package. Try to give each plant the conditions that they prefer. This is easy to do with container gardening – you control all of the environmental factors (soil, sun, water etc…).

Tip: Remember to add your favorite herbs, small fruits (like strawberries) and flowers (nasturtiums and dwarf marigolds are nice) to your veggie planters.

Bonus tip: Plant salad greens around the base of your tomato plant. By the time the tomato plant in the center needs the space you will have harvested the greens.

Step 5 – Fertilize and Water Veggies

Your veggies need to be watered daily and fertilized on a regular basis. Fertilizer is the key to abundant produce and healthy plants. Fertilizer replenishes the nutrients that plants need and that are washed away every time you water your containers. For best results look for complete organic fertilizers that are recommended especially for container gardening and fertilize according to the package directions.

Avoid using liquid fish emulsion fertilizer – cats and raccoons love the smell. (A special note about herbs: Herbs need less fertilizer than vegetables. So after the initial planting, you will not need to add fertilizer again.)

Watering must be done daily and more often on extremely hot summer days when the planter soil is likely to dry out quickly. Be sure you have free flowing drainage holes in your garden planter. Elevate veggie planters on bricks or wood to allow drainage and to protect surfaces. Consider watering aids and time-savers like self-watering planters, water-holding crystals that are added to the soil mix, and drip-irrigation systems designed especially for gardening in containers.

Tip: Put a layer of peat moss on top of the soil in each planter to help retain moisture.

Step 6 – Give Your Veggies Sunshine

Most vegetables require 6 hours of sunlight daily. Leafy vegetables like lettuce will do fine with somewhat less light. If necessary, putting planters on casters makes it easy to move your plants from areas of limited light to more sunny areas. Group pots of heat-loving veggies together in the warmest spot on your patio and cluster vegetables that prefer cooler temperatures in areas that are sheltered from the hot afternoon sun.

Garden design is a great opportunity to create a garden that is productive, creates useful extensions of your living space and is pleasing to look at. A potting bench can even be used as an outdoor buffet for family dining on the patio or deck.

Tip: Get your kids involved in gardening. Even kids that don’t like veggies will eat the baby carrots they grew themselves.

Step 7 – A Daily Gardening Schedule

Your new vegetable garden is very low maintenance requiring few supplies or tools, but you will need to water daily, fertilize regularly and be sure to harvest your veggies and berries as they ripen (the fruit of your labor). Herbs can be snipped and used as needed, either fresh or dried.

Most important of all, is to enjoy the time you spend in your garden – getting your hands in the soil and working with nature is relaxing and also provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment.

Tip: An attractive planter of salad greens or herbs makes a healthy and thoughtful gift.

It’s that easy. You’ll soon discover that there is nothing like the taste of fresh, just-picked vegetables from your own thriving container garden.

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By: Donna Hill

What are some considerations to keep in mind when deadheading Petunias?

How to Deadhead Petunias

The first step in gardening with Petunias is to know the actual process of deadheading. To deadhead Petunias, you use a pair of sharp pruning shears. At a forty-five degree slant you cut off the bloom and one inch of the stem just below the bloom. Yes, it really is that simple.

When to Deadhead Petunias

Now that you know how to deadhead Petunias, it is important to know when to do this gardening phase. In the late summer, you will notice that just under the flower blooms seeds are starting to form. If you just remove the blooms, the seed area is still on the plant. You can deadhead the plants and collect the seeds for next year. But you have to wait until the seeds are fully mature to do the collection or they won’t grow later on.

Function of Deadheading Petunias

The function of deadheading Petunias is to keep them blooming. You can make cut flower arrangements and potpourri out of the blooms. Also, deadheading your Petunias will make the plants healthier and grow larger for you. Initially, you might feel like you’re being cruel to the plants. You’re actually doing them a favor.

How Dense to Deadhead Petunias

The trick is how much do you do on the plant. In the spring months, you can deadhead Petunias all spring long. You want the flowers to bloom a great deal and grow a lot.

In the summer, you’re going to want some of the seed for next year. This is particularly so if you have a good set of mother Petunias plants to collect seed. Toward the middle of the summer only deadhead about one-fourth of the blooms on the Petunias if you want a lot of seed. If you’re going to go for just a few seed, then deadhead about 75 percent of the Petunia blooms.

Summing It Up

Deadheading Petunias actually helps the plants to grow stronger, fuller and yield more blooms for you to have during the entire blooming season. The trick is to remove the stem just under the blooms to completely deadhead your Petunias. If you want seed, leave some Petunias without deadheading and collect the seed when they are mature.

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By: Joyce Priddy

The herbs listed below will attract bees and butterflies when they bloom, so you will have the added benefit of their pollination for the rest of your garden, too.

The following herbs are available as seeds or plants from many seed companies and nurseries. You should be able to find them easily. They are also easy to grow, and once established, they will re-seed themselves or they can be propagated by divisions, giving you continuous new plant material to work with or to trade with other gardeners.

Calendula: Calendula officinalis. Annual, self-seeding. Calendula are in the marigold family. Ligulate florets (most people incorrectly call them petals) are used to make a tincture or an extract to treat dermatological problems. Calendula is commercially available today for topical use on skin inflammation that results from cancer radiation-therapy and on other rashes and skin problems. A calendula tea is sometimes used as a hair rinse for scalp issues such as dandruff.

German Chamomile: Matricaria recutita OR Matricaria chamomilla. Annual, self-seeding, it grows to 14-20 inches tall. Use fresh or dried. Make a relaxing tea from the dried flowers to combat stress. Use as a sedative, nerve tonic, and externally as a skin cleanser. Pleasant apple scent. Feathery leaves add a nice texture to your garden’s appearance.

Roman Chamomile: Chamaemelum nobilis. Perennial, low growing invasive ground cover hardy to -20F. Same pleasing apple scent, same uses as German. This variety is only 6″ high, and is nice along a garden walk where it releases its perfume if you step on it or brush against it. It should be contained or it will take over. (It smells really good If you find yourself having to weed it out…makes the chore a pleasant one)

Lemon Balm: Melissa officinalis. Perennial, self seeds, grows to 24″ tall. Use fresh or dried flowers, leaves, and stems. Lemon Balm tea calms nerves and improves heart function. It is a remedy for insomnia, has antibacterial and antiviral properties, and extract may be used in liquid form or in ointment or cream to soothe and help heal minor scrapes, cuts, stings and bug bites.

Coneflowers: Echinacea purpurea. Perennial, self-seeding, or root divisions. Use echinacea fresh or dried, all flowers, leaves, and roots may be used. This is the familiar variety with large purple daisy-like flowers. Echinacea is a general immune system booster, and it is also used to fight infections and to elevate mood.

Echinacea angustifolia: Perennial, self-seeding. This is the larger native variety that grows to 5′ tall and 5′ wide; it is covered with smaller 2″ pink or violet flowers. This is the Echinacea that was used widely by Native Americans. Used today as antibacterial, immune system stimulant, and as an insecticide. The root is the potent, useful part of E.angustifolia.

Rue: Ruta graveolens. Perennial, 2-3 foot tall hardy evergreen, rue is used fresh or dried. It is said to relieve sore throat and headache. It is used in ointment for joint pain, and as an antidote for poisons as emetic. Rue is one of the plants that has been used medicinally for centuries. It appears in ancient writings in formulas for various medical treatments. Rue should be used with caution, since it can have severe adverse side effects. It should never be used by pregnant or lactating women, or those of childbearing age. Large amounts of rue extracts may cause kidney damage and liver degeneration.
NOTE: Meadow Rue: Thalictrum aquilegifolium is an unrelated plant of the columbine family.

Valerian: Valeriana officinalis. Perennial, grown from seeds or divisions. Valerian can grow to 5′ tall with white, pink, or lavender clustered flower heads. Valerian root is the part of the plant that is used, and roots should be harvested from plants that are at least 3 years old. The root should be dried and used to make a tea. Its use as an insomnia remedy is legendary. Valerian was carried on the Mayflower for medical purposes and was planted in Colonial gardens.

Hyssop: Hyssopus officinalis. Annual, self-seeding. Flowers and leaves are used fresh or dried. Hyssop grows to 2′ high and has a “spike” of tiny bluish-pink flowers in late summer. The scent of hyssop will remind you of basil; it is very aromatic. Hyssop tea is used to treat cold, flu, bronchitis; it has some anti-viral properties, and it is soothing to the throat.

White Horehound: Marrubium Vulgare. Perennial, grown from seeds or starts. It grows 2 feet tall, and has soft fuzzy leaves and small white flowers. Used as a tea to treat coughs and colds. Horehound drops and horehound cough syrups are traditional remedies for sore throat and cough.

Source:
Experience and Love of gardening
Many seed and nursery catalogs will give you information about the specific plants they sell.

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By: Fern Fischer

An herb garden can be in the yard or on a humble windowsill. With a little water, soil, light and care, you can grow your own fresh delicious herbs.

In The Garden:

Many herbs will grow outside year round and several make excellent companions to fruit and vegetable plants. The smell and taste of chives, which humans tend to enjoy repels many insects such as tomato hornworms and aphids. The flowers of parsley can be attractive to predatory wasps and flies that can control the spread of pest insects. Basil, when planted with tomatoes is said to enhance the flavor. Some herbs are better suited to containers because they will take over an area if given the chance and some, like rosemary can become quite large and will need eventual pruning.

Choosing a Window:

If you want to start a windowsill herb garden the first step is to find the right window. Most herbs require bright light, and the more the better. For this reason, a South-facing window is best and a West-facing window might also work too.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) – Basil is a favorite for any herb garden. The most common type is sweet basil, which is used in Italian cooking. However, there are many other varieties, such as Thai basil and lemon basil that are used in Asia. Basil requires bright light and will grow best outside. However, basil is very sensitive to cold weather and if there is any danger of frost in your area you should move your plant inside during winter or consider growing it indoors year round. Basil will grow easily in a pot on a sunny windowsill with regular watering. Simply pull off leaves as you need them for cooking. Pinching off the growing point at the top of each stem will produce a bushier, more compact plant.

Mint (Genus Mentha) – Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow and comes in a huge variety of scents and flavors. In general, mint likes cool, moist shade but will tolerate brighter light. Light that is too intense will result in smaller leaves and a lower scrambling plant. Mint is fairly hardy, and depending on the species can survive freezing cold. Most species of mint are so vigorous, in fact that they can become weeds if you’re not careful. Mint should always be planted in a container by itself as it can quickly take over an area. Mint can be harvested in copious amounts because it grows so fast.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – Rosemary is another staple of the herb garden and is in the same family as mint. Rosemary grows very well outdoors in climates with no extended periods below freezing. If you live in a place where winter temperatures routinely drop below freezing then you should move your rosemary indoors. Rosemary prefers full sun to part shade and once established, will require very little water (no water at all if planted outside). In a container, it is best to let the soil dry out completely before watering.

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) – Chives are a member of the genus, Allium. This genus also contains other familiar plants such as garlic, onion and leeks. The slender, round leaves emerge from a bulb that does, in fact, look like a small onion. Chives have a flavor similar to their relatives but much tamer. Chives are easy to grow and can spread rapidly if not in a container. They prefer full sun or part shade and should be watered only when the soil starts to become dry. During winter, if grown outside, chives may die back to the bulbs only to come back in spring when they produce small, spherical clusters of purple or pink flowers.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) – Parsley comes in several varieties but the most familiar is curly leaf parsley, which is often used as a garnish. Parsley is also in the same family as coriander/cilantro and has a similar taste to cilantro leaves but is much milder. Cilantro is harvested for both its seeds and its leaves, which have different flavors. The leaves are often used in salsa and chutneys, while the seeds are used in curries. The care of parsley is the same for cilantro, and they both make excellent additions to any herb garden. Parsley likes part shade and moist but not waterlogged soil. It is a hardy biennial, meaning it will grow the first year, flower the second year and eventually die.

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By: Jacob Shogren

Newbies to gardening sometimes get so excited they often make little mistakes. These mistakes during the growing season can lead to disappointment and frustration. This article will give you some simple suggestions to assist your with your gardening project.

1. Prepare your soil, before anything. Many individuals overlook how important soil is for plant growth. It is important to start your plants off in the right soil. You can add some top soil and peat moss to your original soil, but don’t over do it. Many individuals will do this in during the previous Fall season.

2. Don’t plant too early. Early warm weather is a big temptation. Don’t plant until the temperature stays over 50 degrees. This will guarantee avoiding freezing temperatures.

3. Planting too close together. Many newbies make mistakes of placing plants to close together. Vine plants needs lots of space. If your planting area is restricted in size, you need to make plans on what you will grow.

4. Planting too deep. Sunlight needs to reach your plants and roots to grow. The hole should be just a little bigger than the root ball.

5. Spread out the roots of the root ball. If your plant comes in a container, make sure that the root ball has a chance to let the roots spread out for plant growth. Loose soil around your plant will allow for this.

6. Do not place your plant where it will hinder others. Tall plants will block sunlight. The same is true with plants that need shade. Always take this into consideration, when you begin planting.

7. Weeds steal nutrients. That is why weeding is so important. They steal moisture and nutrients, from your plants. Weeding is an ongoing process throughout the growing season. Next to proper watering, it is the most important thing to keep up with.

8. Watering is another mistake that newbies tend to make. Never water during the hottest time of the day. Do it early in the morning or evening. Also, you want water to reach your roots. This means deep soaking for your plants.

9. Never under estimate the damage insects and furry critters can cause. Proper sprays and even a strong garden fence might be needed. Anytime you use a spray, know how and why it is being used.

10. Use the proper gardening tools. Tools can destroy roots of plants. You must use the proper tools for cultivating your plants.

Finally, read directions. All seed packs have directions on them for growing seasons, sunlight and planting depth. It doesn’t hurt to read a book or two over the winter months either. This might be the best advice that I can give to a newbie.

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By: Carl Benjamin