Home Garden Landscaping Tips

Drip Water Irrigation Systems for Gardening

2010-01-15T01:06:00.000+08:00

Watering a garden can be one of the most time consuming tasks a gardener faces.

Because manually watering a garden is an inefficient use of time, many gardeners choose to employ a tool, such as a sprinkler or hose, to water their garden.

While these tools can save the gardener time, they are inefficient at properly distributing water and, depending on your location or the season, can ruin your garden by either over or under watering your plants.

A more advanced solution may be to invest in a drip irrigation system for your garden.

A drip irrigation system distributes water continuously in a trickle rather than a stream like a hose or sprinkler would.

This allows the water to properly seep into the ground over time, while at the same time ensuring that the garden’s plants have a consistent source of water.

When choosing a drip irrigation system, gardeners have a choice between buying an above ground irrigation system or an underground one.

Above ground drip irrigation systems are inexpensive and easy to install.

If you will be moving your plants around frequently, an above ground irrigation system is preferable to an underground system since the above ground system is easier to move.

On the other hand, gardeners concerned with the aesthetics of their garden may prefer using an underground irrigation method.

As the name implies, an underground irrigation system is not visible because all the piping is laid underground.

The underground system also has the advantage of feeding water directly to the roots ensuring maximum moisture for the plants.

That being said, underground systems can involve a complex installation and may cost substantially more than the above ground system so it is less suitable for a casual gardener.

No matter which irrigation system a gardener chooses to utilize, buying a drip irrigation system is a smart investment.

Although initially more expensive than a hose or water can, an irrigation system helps plants thrive through distributing an appropriate amount of water and it requires very little upkeep, which will save any gardener time in the long run.

Orbit Watermaster 91926 Six Station Sprinkler System Timer With Remote Control

Organic Gardening for Dummies - Book Review

2009-11-05T00:54:00.001+08:00

Title: Organic Gardening for Dummies, Second Edition

Author: Ann Whitman, Suzanne DeJohn, Editors of National Gardening Association

2009 Wiley Publishing, Inc.

This a straight-to-the-point, organic gardening primer book. As with most of the Dummies books, this book starts out by providing the reader with a Cheat Sheet giving reasons to be an organic gardener and a checklist to use for assessing your gardening site.

From there, it helps readers understand the basics of organic gardening. The book can be helpful whether it is read from beginning to end or skipping around the chapters.

Organic Gardening

The first chapter starts by defining organic gardening and then jumps right in to building the soil, planting wisely, garden diversity, pest management, and feeding the soil.

Organic gardening according to the authors, “Is all about preventing and treating problems in the least obtrusive, most nontoxic ways. Dedicated organic gardeners adopt methods that use cultural and natural biological processes.”

Just a few of the many reasons for planting an organic garden given by the authors include:

• Human health management

• Reduce water pollution by reducing the amount of pesticides used

• Cost savings

• Improve soil health and fertility.

Planning an Organic Garden

There are a multitude of considerations to make when planning an organic garden according to the authors, such as:

• Life cycles of plants such as annuals, biennial, and perennial

• Evergreens and conifers

• Types of leaves, flowers, and root systems

• Plant shapes including climbing, upright, and mounding

• Hardiness and temperature zones

• Basic design principles such as color, season of bloom, and scale.

Planting and Maintaining

A chapter is provided on Soils 101 teaching readers what makes good soil and how to build good soil. Organic fertilizers get an entire chapter also appropriately called Fertilizer 101.

Several chapters are dedicated to pest control, pesticide safety, plant diseases, and outwitting the critters that will invade organic gardens such as gophers, mice, and birds.

All items are discussed in terms of recognizing a problem, then determining a diagnosis, and then finding an organic solution.

Thankfully, there is a how-to plant organic plants midway through the book. Other how-tos include, how-to grow from seed, tips on buying plants from garden centers, how-to prepare soil, and how-to plant.

Types of Organic Plants

The authors provide readers with information on several types of plants including vegetables, herbs, fruit bearing plants, flowers, bushes, shrubs, and trees, and organic lawns.

The book ends with a chapter on the “Ten Best Organic Gardening Practices” and a chapter on the “Ten Ways to be Eco-Friendly.”

Organic Gardening Can be for Dummies

Most of the Dummy books break seemingly complicated processes down into easy-to-follow, easy-to-get started, and easy-to-read instructional guides.

With rising food costs and with commercial growers cutting corners and using pesticides and fertilizers that can harm the consumer and the environment, organic gardening is a viable alternative.

For those who are uncertain on the basics of organic gardening and need a few tips on getting started, Organic Gardening for Dummies can fill that need. It is an easy-to-understand, quick read, and makes a really great get started guide.

Caring for Your Warm-Season Grass Lawn

2009-03-23T15:53:00.003+08:00

Caring for Your Warm-Season Grass Lawn.

If you live in the southern sections of the United States, you probably have a warm-season lawn.

Some examples of warm-season grass are Bermuda, buffalo, carpet, centipede, Bahia, St. Augustine, and Zoysia.

Warm-season grasses grow best when the temperature exceeds 80ºF.

During the winter when the temperature drops, these grasses will go dormant and turn brown.

Many southern gardeners will “overseed” their lawns during the winter by seeding their existing lawns with a ryegrass each fall to ensure their lawn stays green throughout the winter.

Warm-season grasses are trickier to maintain than cool-season grasses.

Therefore, it is important to choose the best type of grass for your soil type.

Otherwise, your lawn will quickly be overrun with weeds or unwanted grass varieties.

On the up side, warm-season grasses are more durable and require less watering than their cool-season siblings.

Typically, watering will only need to be done during the winter if the season is extremely dry.

To reduce the necessary maintenance level for your lawn, it is important that you start out with good soil and maintain the ideal growing conditions for your grass type.

Generally, this starts with having your soil tested.

Testing the soil will ensure that you are fertilizing correctly and help you understand which grass is best for your area.

Warm-season grasses should be planted in the late spring and should not be planted in the late summer or early fall.

Planting them too late in the season does not give them enough time to develop before going dormant.

Fertilizing should begin in May and continue about once a month until September.

If you fertilize too early, the grass will still be dormant and the only benefits will be for the weeds.

If you fertilize after September 1, you could delay the natural dormancy of the grass.

Fertilizing in May should be done with a product that contains thirty to fifty percent of the nitrogen in a slow-release form.

In February, plan on using a good pre-emergence herbicide to help control weeds.

This will ensure that the herbicide has a chance to kill the weeds before they have a chance to germinate and establish.

In March, you will need to remove any excessive thatch that has developed and can be a problem for warm-season grasses.

Mowing for most warm-season grasses should begin when it is about 1-1/2 inches high.

Buffalo grass should not be cut until it is longer, at least 3 inches high.

They will also need constant trimming and edging, as many warm-season grasses have the tendency to creep.

RoboMower – RL850

Sun Joe MJ401E 14-Inch 12 Amp Electric Mow Joe Lawn Mower With Grass Catcher

Creating a Butterfly Garden

2008-11-05T15:43:00.005+08:00

Creating a Butterfly Garden.

Want to add to the color and variety in your yard ?

You might want to entice some “flying flowers” to visit you by creating a butterfly garden.

A butterfly garden contains both host and nectar plants, as well as a few other things that butterflies require, such as a water source.

The butterfly garden may occupy a corner of your yard, or could be extended throughout — it’s up to you. It can be a lovely and unique focal point for your outdoor environment.

Another plus to butterfly gardening is knowing that you’re making a safe haven for these beautiful insects, which have had their habitat severely impacted by human development and pesticides.

If we all had butterfly gardens, it might help stop the current decline in their populations.

Here are some tips on how to grow a butterfly garden:

• Provide plants that butterflies like. They need nectar plants to feed on, and host plants on which to lay their eggs. You’ll have to do a little research on host plants, depending on what area you’re in and which kinds of butterflies live there.

Some caterpillars will eat several different types of plants; others are picky and will only eat one. An example of this is the monarch butterfly larva, which will only dine on milkweed.

Many host plants are also good nectar sources, such as passionflower, sunflower, hollyhock, and snapdragon. Some other colorful nectar plants to consider are lantana, salvia, lavender, buddleia (butterfly bush), coneflower, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, daylily, and daisies.

• Make the garden organic. Pesticides kill insects you don’t want, but will also harm the desirable ones, like butterflies. So going all natural in the yard is essential.

• Supply shelter and warmth. Butterflies seek less windy areas and a warm spot where they can rest. Some taller shrubs can make a windbreak, and by setting some flat rocks in your butterfly corner, you’ll give them a place to light and sun themselves.

• Give them a drink. Butterflies need a source of water as well as nectar. That’s why you often see them gathered at puddles. A shallow place that holds a little water, like a pie tin, will be enough to slake their thirst.

And what will you get for providing these simple requirements? A pretty hideaway where you can sit and watch the butterflies flutter by.

Picking the Right Home Gardening Tools

2008-10-22T12:45:00.003+08:00

Fiskars 9424 Garden Bucket Caddy

Picking the Right Home Gardening Tools.

If you love gardening and you spend a lot of time between your flowers taking care of them then you most probably want to use the best gardening tools available on the market.

Many people simply go to the store and buy the first thing they see but that’s not always the best method. It is far more effectiveness if you do a little research and see what kind of tools will be best for your garden.

You will see that there are some styles that were designed especially for home gardening.

Go visit your local home gardening shop and ask for advices. The employees there will be glad to help you and assist you in selecting the perfect tools. Their advices are very important and in the future you might find them very useful. It’s the best place for you to go and learn a lot about gardening, soil, fertilizers, tools and seeds.

If you want to save some money but still buy a good tool you can always check the Internet for some help. There are many websites that will offer a discount if you buy more than one tool.

It’s true you’ll have to wait one or two weeks and pay the shipping fee but sometimes you’ll end up saving a few bucks. Before selecting a reseller you must check out its references. You’ll see that every single gardening tool is just one click away and you’ll have a complete gardening set in no time.

Now, about the digging tools you should check their specifications because usually a true gardener will need more than one tool. You’ll need a round point shovel for digging holes and also a spade. The set must also contain a garden fork. You may not use it that often but it will prove its use when you least expect it.

If you buy the right digging tools they will ease up your work considerably. If you try to use a spade instead of a shovel when digging a hole you’ll end up tired very fast. Every tool has its own specification and plays a different role in your garden.

Also a rake it’s a definitely must have. Pay attention the lawn rake it’s not the same with a garden rake. If you use the lawn rake on your garden you might end up spoiling everything. The same happens if you try to use a grading or contractor’s rake instead of using a bow head rake. Use the right tools and you’ll work faster and safer around your beloved plants.

Now it’s time to discuss a little about hoes. Every gardener must use at least 3 for his garden. It’s difficult to say which one is the best but you can take into consideration the following recommendations.

For weeding and small cultures you can always use an onion hoe. Also you can choose the Warren hoe that will help you dig out a weed. There are many types of hoes available in stores but the above mentioned ones must be present in any gardening set. In time you’ll realize that every activity requires a different hoe and you’ll be able to select the most effective ones by yourself.

Maintaining your garden doesn’t involve only a shovel and a spade. In order to do a great job you’ll need many tools along the way. Start with the basic ones and you’ll develop a complete set before you’ll realize it. Each has its own role and if you know how to use them you’ll have the most beautiful garden in your neighborhood.

9 Piece Gardening Tool Kit with Foldaway Stool with Backrest and Detachable Tote

Indoor Gardening Tool Set

Success with Wall-Climbing Plants

2008-09-07T17:19:00.002+08:00

Success with Wall-Climbing Plants.

There are many varieties of climbing plants, all of which have one crucial trait in common: they lack firm stems or trunks to support themselves as they grow.

In lieu of this support, they utilize various adaptive features, such as twisting leaves, modified stems, or adhesive pads, to attach themselves to a suitable object to climb.

In this way, they're able to reach light and avoid predators.

Their "hosts" may take many forms: other plants or trees, arbors, arched tunnels, pillars, trellises, fences and walls.

We can take advantage of this natural inclination of vines and other climbing plants in order to adorn our walls and fences and beautify our yards or hide other unattractive features.

Climbers can form screens on the borders of our properties and thus afford us privacy. Because they grow upwards, they don't require much space. What's more, they can provide us with colorful blooms, beautiful evergreen foliage (and decorative seed heads, which offer visual interest even during the winter months), and an array of fragrances.

Different plants have different strategies for making their upward climbs. Some twine their stems around the branches of trees and shrubs. Some less hardy varieties require a lot of coaxing, as well as man-made supports to help them along.

Some climbing plants that do well against walls and fences, without the aid of other supports, include clianthus, bomareas, cissus, jasminum, Chilean glory flower, hydrangea, and various types of climbing roses.

When choosing what kinds of climbing plants to cultivate in your yard, consider the climbing method each particular plant makes use of and how high it will ultimately grow. There are many hardy plants that can thrive under diverse soil, moisture, light and wind conditions.

For best results, however, you should check the soil and exposure in the area in which you plan to plant and then seek out varieties that will thrive under those conditions. Look for bushy plants not yet in flower.

Their leaves should be in good condition, with no yellow, and exhibiting signs of new growth. Avoid pot-bound plants, whose roots will be grown around the outside of their containers.

Weeds and grass will compete with your plants for nutrient and water, so your next step will be to remove the existing turf from the area where you'll be planting. A strip that spans two feet from a fence or wall will be sufficient. Scaling a lawn back in this manner will also help to insure that you don't damage your plants when you mow.

The actual planting time will depend upon your plants; you can obtain more information about this at the nursery or garden center where you purchase them. Generally, hardy climbers are planted in autumn or early spring and partially hardy ones in spring or early summer.

Most soils, regardless of type, will benefit from the addition of organic matter like compost or manure. Mix this in well, and then water the area thoroughly. You'll then want to dig a hole about 3 times the width of your plant, and about 28 inches deep.

Mix more manure or compost into this hole and then place your plant at an angle towards the wall or fence. The top of its root ball should be at ground level. Fill in the surrounding hole, tamp firmly, and then water until the whole area is damp.

Your fledgling plant will need some support in its early stages. Spread out its stems and gently tie it to 2 or 3 evenly spaced stakes. After the stress of being transplanted, it will benefit from a spray of water mixed with liquid fertilizer. Do this in the morning to avoid the full heat of the sun.

Adding some mulch around your climbing plants will deter weeds and pests and help the ground retain moisture.

This can include gravel cover, lawn clippings, or chipped bark. Be careful, however, not to pile mulch at the very base of your plants.

How to Grow Terrific Tomatoes in Containers

2008-08-26T15:58:00.004+08:00

How to Grow Terrific Tomatoes in Containers.

Nothing beats the taste of a ripe, juicy tomato pulled from your own garden bush.

A little sprinkle of salt and a big bite…Yum! Who cares if the juice runs down your chin! It's pure ambrosia!

But what does a gardener do if she has less than perfect soil? Should she give up on the glorious tomato, which the Aztecs called "the fruit of the gods?" Not by a long shot.

Tomatoes can be grown in containers, and they will flourish with just a small amount of loving care.

There are tomatoes that have been developed especially to grow in containers. If you like cherry tomatoes, why not try Gurney's “Baby Girls,” which ripen in large trusses of bite sized real tomato flavor. Or how about Thompson and Morgan's "Tomato Gartenperle," which tumble from hanging baskets in a heavy crop of delicious rosy-red, cherry sized fruits. These yummie nuggets will flourish in 8 inch pots on a sunny patio.

Don't stop with cherry tomatoes, if you have more room or a large sunny deck. Larger pots from a gallon to 3 gallon will grow incredible beef-steak sized fruits, such as Gurney's "Big Beef," with true old time flavor, and "Burgermaster," a flavorful 9 ounce beauty that will have you screaming for more. Both are tops in yield, size, and flavor, plus they have the highest disease resistance, a blessing in the disease prone south of zones 7 through 10.

If acid is a problem, but you like a real tomato, you will love Park's “Razzleberry Hybrid,” which is mild and sweet, promising to melt in your mouth with delicious flavor and good disease resistance. Park's “Early Challenge Hybrid” is true to its name, giving you an early delicious tomato that has good yields and great disease resistance.

Growing tomatoes in containers is actually easier than growing tomatoes in the ground, since the plants are held above the nesting ground of slugs, caterpillars, and cutworms. Disease is rare, especially if you choose tomato plants with the best disease resistance.

Buy the largest pots that you can find. I like clean 5 gallon pots for my big indeterminate tomatoes, which bear and bear and bear throughout the season. Smaller pots, such as 3 gallon are good for determinate plants that bear all at once, for canning, freezing, or simply sharing with friends.

Packaged, sterilized vegetable garden soil or soil blended especially for tomatoes will give you less disease woes, and higher yields. Fill the pot to within an inch of the top. Starting at the top of your soil, dig as deep a hole as your pot will allow, and bury the tomato plant to within an inch of the top, stripping off the leaves all the way up, leaving just the top leaves.

Mix a good, low-nitrogen, granulated, slow-release fertilizer within the soil, following package directions, and keep well watered. Place a large tomato cage over the pot, and press the wires all the way into the soil. Then place in full sun. The tomato plant will grow up through the cage and give you the blessing of real tomatoes no matter where you live.

Water your pots frequently, especially in dry periods and on windy days. This may require watering twice a day. Your plants will reward you with fresh, healthy tomatoes. In this day and age, where food-safety is a major concern, there is nothing like a fresh tomato sandwich to make you feel like you have truly bitten into "the fruit of the gods." Jaye Lewis

The Advantages of Indoor Gardening

2008-08-21T15:58:00.002+08:00

The Advantages of Indoor Gardening.

by Jason Earls

Indoor gardening can have quite a few advantages over outdoor gardening.

Most obviously, your plants will be protected from birds, animals, and harmful insects when kept indoors.

Having plants safe from cold, hail, and other elements is also a definite advantage. And some plants and plant varieties simply grow better indoors than out.

When picking what to grow for your indoor garden, remember to select smaller tomato plants rather than larger types, such as beefsteak for example. Also smaller varieties of carrots, peppers, strawberries, and green onions, are other kinds of vegetables that will grow well indoors.

Some plants such as cucumbers and squash will require more indoor space and vine support; and strawberries and dwarf or sugar peas will make excellent hanging plants that are quite attractive.

For containers, you will need to select some from a gardening supply store, or you can improvise your own by finding items in your garage, or at rummage sales. Wooden boxes or baskets lined with plastic bags, barrels and other items can make interesting planters as well.

After selecting some containers, next you will need suitable soil. You may want to use gardening soil or purchase soil already pre-mixed with healthy nutrients and minerals. If you use gardening soil, be sure it contains only decomposed material.

Plan out exactly where in your house your indoor garden will be located. Beans or tomato plants should be situated near a window since they require more sunlight than carrots or lettuce. Keep in mind that leaf and root-producing plants need much cooler spots and less sunlight than fruit and seed-producing plants.

Start your seeds in plastic tubs, or use abandoned egg cartons, and set them up in a proper area. Follow the easy-to-understand instructions on the back of the packages for best results. When the young plants are about two inches in height, transplant them into larger containers; and when transplanting, keep in mind that drainage can be a problem when growing indoors.

Use mulch to help maintain proper amounts of moisture in the soil. Also misting some of the plants with a sprayer is necessary to simulate dew. But don’t mist them when the sun is shining directly onto the plants. Try to imitate natural outdoor rain and dew conditions when watering. Don’t overwater on hot sunny days either. You may also want to check the moisture content of the soil with a moisture meter.

Indoor plants that are properly selected, maintained, and arranged can make your home look more natural, environmentally friendly, and highly attractive, while also bringing out qualities in your home decor. The list of different indoor plant varieties available for growing also continues to increase every year as new hybrids are developed.

Video - Growing Herbs With The Easiest Indoor Herb Garden Ever.

Bulbs Gardening and Landscaping

2008-08-15T20:10:00.003+08:00

Bulbs Gardening and Landscaping.

Bulbs are generally great plants, full of colour, and very easy to cultivate.

A lot of them have leaves that are green all the time, while others have leaves that after the flowering they ripen.

Once this happens, store the bulbs and next year start it all over again. While some bulbs are tender, others are hardy, but what means hardy from one region to another depends on their type of weather.

If you’re in a cold region, treat gloxinias, gloriosa lilies, calla lilies and begonias as if they were summer plants. This way you have where to choose from once spring comes knocking.

Part of the Dutch bulbs group are the snowdrops, the crocus, the winter aconites, scillas, leucojums, eranthis, chionodoxas, grape hyacinths, Dutch hyacinths, tulips, daffodils and snowflakes. They are quite resistant, but not enough to survive outside, when the temperature drops below freezing.

They need a cellar, a cold frame or a shed to keep them safe. Another option is digging a trench and putting the pots in it, while covering them with straws or marsh hay. If the temperature doesn’t go below zero, you can safely keep them outside in a container.

If you want great results, use firm, fresh and large bulbs once fall comes. Make sure the pot has good drainage and add light soil with some bone meal in it. Make sure it doesn’t dry out if you’re using pots made out of clay, as this can injure the roots. If the weather outside allows, keep the containers outdoors and let them flower. Once it blooms, keep the containers in a place where the foliage can ripen.

If you want the great fragrance, the Dutch hyacinths are what you need, great for raised beds or large planter boxes. Daffodils work best when in large shrubs, like forsythias or birches. You can combine tulips with violas, pansies, forget-me-nots, wall flowers, English daisies, annual candytuft or margueritas.

As mentioned already, when you’re in cold regions the Dutch bulbs can’t be planted and left outside, without any protection from the winter cold. But, you can keep them in boxes or large planters, with a lot of soil.

If you use containers, pick one that is two feet wide and the same in depth. Put the bulbs, cover them with six inches of soil, early in the fall, so they have roots by the time the soil freezes. This method has been used successfully before, but it also has some risks. The material that the containers are made of doesn’t really matter, only how much soil they can hold.

The thing that hurts the bulbs isn’t the freezing soil, but the pressure from the frost when it’s against the container walls. That’s how the bulbs are bruised.

Video - Summer Bulbs

Geraniums Gardening Landscaping Caring Tips

2008-08-08T22:48:00.003+08:00

Geraniums Gardening Landscaping Caring Tips.

The scented leaved geraniums mix together a group that’s well known for the scent of its crushed leaves.

Even if the flowers are considerably smaller and not that beautiful then the ones from zonal, this aspect is not that important.

We talk here about the peppermint that has hairy, large, velvety leaves; the nutmeg famous for its small white flowers and round leaves; the rose with toothed, deeply-cut leaves; the pine-scented with big finely-cut leaves and the lemon-scented that has small leaves on compact plants.

The Prince Rupert is a lemon-scented with coloured white-and-green leaves. It is very important to know that a well-drained and light loam is perfect for scented-leaved geraniums.

Lady Washington and Ivy-leaved Types

If they grow under the best conditions the ivy-leaved geraniums, despite the fact that are trailing plants, are probably the most generous flowering plants. They love the light and the dry medium and that’s why it’s perfect for them to grow in places like California where the days are worm and the nights are cool.

Many people these days hang on their posts, porches, garages or trees window boxes with vinca and English ivy but from now on they can start decorate their home with ivy-leaved geraniums.

You can choose from lilac-white to pink Alliance, the lavender Santa Paula and the double pint Galilee.

The well-seaming geraniums are the Lady Washington. This is a very difficult to grow plant and they also prefer sunny days and warm night while they must be protected from all-day sun and wind.

If you want various types of flowers in your garden you can choose from Easter Greeting, Lucy Becker, Gay Nineties, and Marie Rober. Only during Easter you can buy Lady Washington geraniums and plant them in your garden.

Cactus and Climbing

If you have a pot plant collection and you’re a person that loves the geraniums then cactus and climbing geraniums are definitely a “must have”. It’s very interesting how they have the most beautiful and bizarre forms and flowers.

You can choose between the knotted, heart-leaved and rue-scented stork-bills, the parsley-leaved Otidia, the prickly-stalked geranium and the climbing square-stalked Jenkinsonia.

Sun is important

There’s no secret that the geraniums dislike shadows and humidity. You can grow them in pots or boxes on terraces with at least 8 hours sun a day or on the south, west or east side of your house. Even so their flowers last only for a little time.

If kept on the north side of the house, your plants will grow beautifully.
If you live in the city you should consider to protect the flowers from the direct sunlight. By doing that, you will cut back a little from the middle-day-heat.

Soil and Potting

Anywhere you put them, in pots, planters and boxes, the geraniums will look great. If drainage is good, they can thrive in any soil mixture. In order for them to blossom you must take good care of them. You should control the nitrogen level or lush foliage and shortly the effects will be seen.

It will be great if for each bushel you will combine three parts good garden loam and one part leaf peat moss, mold or compost plus a five-inch pot of bone meal. You can always add some sand if the garden loam is a little bit too heavy but in case of an acid soil you will need lime.

The perfect recipe for a good garden soil consists in 5-10-5 fertilizer + bone meal. It is also very important for you to use a low-nitrogen fertilizer in liquid form during the growing season.

The free passage of water must be taken into consideration when potting because too much or not enough water can harm the flower. You must soak the soil and stop watering until the plants requires it.

If there’s too much water, the plant will have yellow leaves but if the soil is dry they will turn wilt and discolour and all this causes legginess.

If you want your plant to grow beautiful, from time to time you should turn the containers.

You must also remove all faded blossoms or dry leaves. If the center florets of the heads are damaged by the rain you should pull them off.

To sum all up, the geraniums are pest free but just in case of danger you must have some malathion or lindane prepared.

Video - Potting Geranium Cuttings

Landscaping Tips - Cuttings Roots

2008-08-01T19:54:00.002+08:00

Landscaping Tips - Cuttings Roots.

Before planting you must be sure you’ve cut the lower leaves of the plant.

Considering that the little wings on the stem are inclined to rot, it is very important to pull them off. After that, you must use some lime on the stem ends and insert the root in a pot filled with sand or a mixture of peat moss and sand.

When the roots are about an inch-long, they can be moved in 2 ½ - inch pots filled with ¾ sandy loam and ¼ leaf mold or peat moss.

Once you’ve finished planting it you must also keep it away from direct sunlight. It is recommended that you keep it indoors.

You should shift to 3 ½ - or 4-inch pots and fill them with the same potting mixture but with bone metal when the separated cuttings have their own root system. After that, you must feed them using a phosphorous fertilizer (5-10-5 or 4-15-8).

You must care for them, provide sunny windows and turn the pots from time to time. You should not over-water them and wait for the soil to dry out before repeating the procedure. It’s strictly prohibited to keep the pots in water.

During the day they must be kept under temperatures of 60-70 degrees F and during night 50-60 degrees F. But as you may know, this is not possible in a home.

Your original plants can last perfectly through the winter if you keep them indoors. All you have to do is cut back 6 or 8 inches from the top and put the pots in a sunny house. It is very important for you to know that during winter you must grow old plants at 50 degrees F.

Cool cellars can perfectly host plants if you remember to keep them in little light and cool temperature. If not, the growth will be lanky and the plant won’t be that strong.

If your plant has grown in strong light, when the winter is over you must start rooting using the above mentioned method.

Every once in a while, when the weather permits, it is recommendable for you to take care of the old plants by cutting them back and re pot them in fresh soil before setting them outdoors.

This is probably the best method a gardener can use because it provides big specimens.

Very often people ask if during fall you can store and hang your plants upside down in your basement.

A few years ago in cellars was no central heating and when the floors were dirty this but now, down there is very warm, well insulated and dry.

This is perfect for gardeners because in only a few months the dry and almost dead plants will turn into some beautiful flowers. The plant proves to be very tough if it can be wintered without soil.

Tuberous Begonias

If stored properly during winter months, the tubers can last perfectly year after year. During fall, especially in October, in some warm regions, the plant will turn yellow but won’t frost.

This time of year, you must withhold water. After turning yellow you should use a spading fork and lift plants very carefully.

The next step is to spread the tubers in the sun at least for a few hours to dry. Once the drying period is over, you must cut off the tops.

Be very careful, if a portion of stem remains, you must not break it off. Let it dry and remove it afterwards.

In the end, you must arrange tubers in shallow boxes, shake off the soil and cover them with dry sand or peat moss. The perfect temperature for the storage is between 45 and 50 degrees F.

There are some persons that prefer to use paper bags and clean tubers. The effect is also very good.

Another option is for you to leave the tubers in their pots. You must turn containers on sides and put them in the basement where the temperatures don’t exceed 60 degrees F.

If down there is too warm, the bulbs will shrivel and they won’t ever become beautiful plants for rooms with filtered sunlight.

Pot Gardening - Fushias Basic Needs

2008-07-23T18:27:00.003+08:00

The best conditions for fushias are humid and cool, as they are woody and tender plants.

People grow them with great success in coastal areas, with plenty of humidity and fog. Though, some types, like the Mme or the Mephisto will do better in dry and hot inland regions.

A lot of people love to use them, because they do so well in the shade, in areas like the north side of a building, with an open and high shade. In shades that are dense, such as that of a low branching tree, the fushia will make less flowers and they will get leggy.

But, if kept directly under the hot sun, they will dry out. If you want to grow them in warm climates, you can do it best in lath houses. At the same time, keep them out of the wind, as they have brittle branches and delicate flowers.

Also, they need plenty of moisture. When plants need more water they wilt. If you put them in a container, you will need to water them regularly, usually each day. They also need a good drainage, so put in the lower part of the container pebbles or cinders to make sure the water runs free.

Don't let these pots to sit in the water though, and make sure you sprinkle the leaves during hot weather, to increase humidity and get rid of dust. The best soil for fuchsias is the acid one and rich in organic matter. The best combination to use for them is one part peat moss or leaf mould, one part garden loam and either dehydrated or old manure.

Use large containers for these plants, so they can develop fully during the summer, when it's their growing season. If you have a small plant, use a six inch pot. If you grow two or three in the same pot, use a twelve inch pot. It's better if you start with plants that are young, though it will also work with vigorous and healthy larger plants.

If you don't treat fuchsias as annuals and you winter them in containers, scoop a bit of soil from the top, so you enrich the growing medium. After that, put in its place some mixture that is fresh. When spring comes, take them out of the containers, cut some of the roots and the tops and put them back in pots with fresh soil. If you cut the back branches before the growth starts, the plants will branch much better.

Increasing Your Supply

If you want to grow your selection of fuchsias, take cuttings that are three inch long in the spring, put their ends in a hormone powder, and the lower part of the stems in a half sand, half leaf mould mixture.

Don't leave them in the sun and either cover them or spray them to make sure they don't dry out. After the roots form, put them in small pots, with a mix of leaf mould and light loam. Besides the spring, you can also make cutting in early fall or late summer.

While they grow, fuchsias need to be fed regularly, so put liquid fertilizer in them once a month, according to the directions found on the package. A good method is using fish emulsion, once a month.

If you want to keep them dormant during the winter, you should keep them at 45 to 50 degrees, and water them only once in a while, so the wood doesn't shrivel. The fuchsias that are designed for outdoors use will live even at 25 degrees. If they're not designed for cold weather, keep them in cool rooms, cold frames, sheds or greenhouses.

Some of the insects that usually attack these plants include white flies, aphids, leaf hoppers, red spiders or mealy bugs.

An insecticide should be used and applied at regular intervals, to keep the insects at bay.

Favorite Bulbs Gardening In Pots Advice

2008-07-17T16:45:00.002+08:00

Since bulbs are great when grown in boxes or pots, below you can see a few favourites:

Blue Lily of the Nile or Agapanthus.

It's a plant with strap leaves, evergreen, fleshy rooted, that usually grows in urns and tubs on steps and terraces in summer time. They're easy to grow, but they still need a room with no frost, that is well lighted.

The Calla Lily, which is seen in a lot of European gardens, is easy to grow outdoors in regions that are warm, as well as put in pots in Northern regions. The most popular one is the white one, that has leaves in form of a heart.

Put them in pots during February or March, and when the weather is better take them outdoors in large pots. If they're kept in part shade or full sun areas, they will do quite well, but they need a lot of water to grow. After the foliage is ready, rest the bulbs to grow again.

The Dahlias are free flowering and colourful. The varieties that are large and tall can only be put in large boxes or planters. The smaller varieties can easily be put in smaller containers.

They can grow up to one or two feet, so they can be cultivated in tubers, with part shade or average soil. If it's February, they can be raised in seed sown indoors.

If the tubers are kept in sand or peat and the place is frost proof and cool, these plants can be grown for a long time. Make sure to sprinkle the bulbs during winter if they are shrivelling.

The Gladioulus have leaves shaped like spears, hued spikes and they flower during the summer. They can be kept outdoors only after there is no more danger of frost. Keep them four inches to six inches deep and at a six inches apart distance.

It's best to plant several containers at a few weeks in between, so you have a bloom succession.

The stems should be staked before the flowers open. Once the colour of the leaves becomes brown, lift the corms, cut the foliage and after that dust to control thrips. Keep the corms in a place that is dry.

The Gloxinias are flowers that appear during the summer and have tubular and large blooms that have the colour purple, lavender, white, pink or red. The tubers should be started indoors and only taken outside when the weather is good.

They should be kept in a place that is sheltered from rain or wind, so the leaves aren’t injured or broken by them. Pick any place when it comes to houses with low broad eaves, and place your lines of window boxes and pots.

Lilies are hardy and gorgeous flowers, that come in a wide range of colours. And these days, it’s even possible to have a garden full of lilies, from the month of May until the frost arrives. First, the Lilium pumilum variety appears, after that come the Olympic or Golden Chalice Hybrids, Madonnas and the auratums.

If you plant in the fall lilies such as tulips and daffodils, by spring the bulbs will turn into flowers. If you live in a colder region, lilies should be grown the same way as the Dutch bulbs, when it comes to outdoors during the winter. Put a few of them in two feet wide and two feet deep, together.

If their size is small, put them in a small pot, about six or eight inches in size. The larger ones put them in ten inch pots. Once they flower, you can put the pots out of sight and let them be. You can buy during the spring lilies grown in pots, which you can put into containers, without disturbing the roots.

You can put a number of them in the same container, combining for example grape ivy, English ivy, dwarf annuals or vinca. Once they flower, you can take them and put them in your garden.

Tuberose is a summer flower, that has either single or double flowers, it’s white, comes with a narrow foliage and lasts a long time.

If you live somewhere where you have shorter seasons, you should keep the bulbs inside, two months before you plant them outside. Put them in six inch pots and use liquid fertilizer in them.

They need a soil that is well drained, rich and a full sun. You should start from the beginning each year, as these flowers don’t do well the second year.

Fushias Gardening In Pots and Boxes

2008-07-12T20:35:00.002+08:00

If shade is what you're looking for when you choose your plans, then fuchsias are the best option for you, and they look great to top it off. They are usually placed in window boxes, pots or in hanging baskets, and many also call them lady's ear drops, because of their beauty and grace.

There are a lot of varieties to choose from, hundreds probably, and among them you will find double or single varieties, white, purple or rose shades, and also the hanging and upright types. You can usually find them a lot in the state of California, because of their moderate winters and cool summers.

In most cases, you will see fuchsias of the upright variety, which are best when placed in containers, but you will also see the hanging varieties. If they are cared for properly, they can reach a very respectable size. Five feet is the length of the Reiter's Giant variety, which has a dark red and purple colour.

If you choose the Mephisto variety, know that it can be even bigger than that. If you want something smaller, you can go with Camellia, which is red and white and 3 feet long, or the Alice Hoffman, that has a length of only two feet and it's pink with white.

Tree Types

A lot of people love the tree varieties of the fuchsias, species that are trained to grow into the form of a tree. Anyone can make such a variety if they have the patience, taking a 4 inch cutting and tying it to a stake that is 4 or 5 feet high.

Then, you pinch it when it reaches a height of 2-4 feet and leave it free to branch out. But, be careful not to take any leaves from it, as it needs them to make food.

Some nice varieties to use when making a tree form are the Storm King (white and red), the Muriel (red and purple), the Flying Cloud (white) or the Gypsy Queen (red and lavender).

These tree varieties are best placed either on ranch houses patios or on terraces, though they can be used in any garden or house and still look great.

For Hanging Baskets

If you ask them, a lot of gardeners will say that fuchsias are best when kept in hanging baskets, as you can see their great looking blooms at eye level. In this form they can be used with great success to decorate entrances, walls, lath houses, walls or patios.

Put them in boxes of red wood or in plastic containers, because if you use lined wire baskets their roots dry out if you don't put more water in them.

Varieties suited best for planting in baskets include the Claret Cup (white and red), the Anna (carmine and magenta) and the Muriel (red and purple). And if you're looking for varieties that are more brilliant, you should pick from one of these: Aurora Superba (orange), Marinka (bright red), San Fancisco (orange red and carmine rose) and Amapola (pink and rose purple).

In most cases you will want to grow but one variety in each of your containers.

Espaliers and Pyramids

If you want to use fuchsias in raised containers or planters, you can use them to create espalier forms on fences and walls, where there isn't enough space to grow other plants. You do need patience and time for this, but it's not difficult to master. Create first a trellis of wire or wood, that has between five and seven tiers.

After that, make sure you train the plant while it grows, pinching it so that it branches out and doesn't have bare stems. Some of the varieties that can be used for this include the Coquette (rose and blue), Dr. John Gallwey (white and red) or the Falling Stars (scarlet and red).

Or, you can create pyramids out of them, similar to the English ivy plants. It's hard though, as they tend to break easily, so a steady hand and some patience is required to tie them in a nice form. They can be placed for maximum effect at entranceways, when they're fully grown.

The Beauty Of Fushias Gardening In Pots and Boxes . . .

Geraniums Gardening In Pots and Boxes

2008-07-08T15:30:00.003+08:00

Geraniums Gardening In Pots and Boxes

Wherever you will travel in this country you will see these great looking flowers in a variety of colours, such as pink, scarlet, rose or red.

They can be seen everywhere, from boxes put in the windows of suburban or country houses, on rooftops, patios, terraces or in boxes on fire escapes, as well as on the porches of cottages, nicely arranged in hanging baskets.

Everyone loves these flowers, as they represent hospitality and warmth. If you want something to shock with their beautiful colour, you can't go wrong with them.

They are widely spread across Europe, used as bedding plants when they are pink or red. In northern and western countries of Europe, geraniums are put in pots, window boxes or tubs, at the entrance of gardens, both in the country and the city.

In the Mediterranean area, the varieties that exist there can grow as high as six feet. The varieties that resemble ivy grow from rooftops, balconies and garden walls, cascading over them and creating a spectacular view.

It's quite easy to grow the geranium. It's a great looking flower, and at the same time it needs very little care, living in conditions that other plants can't stomach. That doesn't mean that it doesn't have its own preferences, like staying in the sun, though it can also sit in the shade.

It doesn't like rich diets or a lot of moisture, and will become yellow if kept in a humid environment for too long. If the soil is too heavy in nitrogen, it will make only a few flowers. Even so, geraniums will grow quite well in a lot of different conditions.

While most people call it geranium, you should know that it's not entirely correct, as it is part of the Pelar gonium genus. The name, coming from the Greek language, means stork-bill, and it's in relation to the form of the seed. Still, the name that most people use to describe this plant is geranium.

GREAT VARIETY OF TYPES

This genus includes a lot of different types of plants, and you will see them in deciduous, perennial, shrubby, annual, tuberous, stem less, fibrous-rooted or long stemmed forms.

However, they can all be used in gardens and put in containers. You could make a garden only with geranium flowers and still have diversity by growing double zonal, fancy leaved, Martha Washington, Lady, ivy and other geranium varieties. That's not taking into consideration the more odd varieties such as the climbing or cactus types.

Zonal, Fancy- and Scented-leaved

Some of the characteristics of the zonal geranium include the rounded green leaves with markings on them, that are circular and dark. Most of the types that are offered by florists are from the double type, and can be planted in window boxes or gardens in the spring.

Some of these include the types Fiat Enchantress, Mrs. Lawrence, Olympic Red, Better Times or Pink Abundance. As for the single varieties, the best looking ones are the Apple Blossom, the Barbara Hope, the Nuit Poitevine, the Ecstasy or the Helen Van Pelt Wilson. They are gorgeous plants and should be kept in a place where you can admire them.

If you want a flower that you will love even when they're not bloomed, you should pick the variegated geraniums, because of its nicely coloured leaves. A lot of people think that the foliage is better than the flowers in this variety. Some of the best varieties include the Skies of Italy or the Miss Burdett Coutts.

Use them in pots, along with geraniums with green leaves.

Biennials and Herbs Gardening In A Box and Pot

2008-07-05T14:52:00.002+08:00

Biennials and Herbs Gardening In A Box and Pot.

Canterbury-Bells have the most beautiful lavender, blue, pink, purple and white bells, but unfortunately they die shortly after flowering.

These flowers can be bought in spring time from every garden centre and if you want to attract everybody’s attention you can mix them together. If you want, you can even grow your own specimen from seed planted in June or July.

Foxgloves are very delicate plants with tall spikes and bells. The seeds must be put in soil in June or July and the young plants must be kept during winter in gardens or cold frames, covered with marsh hay or evergreen branches.

New English hybrids have flowers all around the stems and some old foxgloves have bells on one side of the spikes. During spring you can find and enjoy pot-grown rosettes.

Veronica, heuchera (coral-bells), helenium, showy stonecrop (sedum), scabiosa, Japanese iris, lythrum, platy-codon (balloon flower), tritoma, shasta daisy, heliopsis, peony, gaillardia, pentstemon, columbine, monarda (bee-balm), lavender, oriental poppy, liatris, anthemis, gas plant and butterfly weed are only a few perennials and biennials. Other rock garden plants are: basket-of-gold, arabis, viola, snow-in-the-summer, ajuga, aubretia, thyme, primrose, dianthus and auricula.

Many people use herbs when they cook because they have a great fragrance. In your personal garden you can grow parsley, fennel, marjoram, mint, sage, chives and sun-loving rosemary. Scented-leaved geraniums are cinnamon, rose, peppermint, apple and lemon.

Mrs. Frances R. Williams of Winchester, Massachusetts is a well-known lady that tried years after years to raise herbs in her garden and one day she decided to move her garden on her nine-foot square porch. That was mainly because back there the sun was lighting it until late in the afternoon.

12 low bushel baskets and 4 eggs cases filled with half-rotted compost to within 4-inches of the top. The next step was to spread everything with 3-inches of fertilized soil.

She planted savoury in half egg cases and in the other half basil. In addition to this she planted also narrow-leaved French thyme, lettuce-leaved basil, sweet marjoram and dill.

Mrs. Williams also grew in other baskets red and yellow pear, small-fruited red cherry and yellow plum varieties of tomatoes. The plants were easy to grow because they needed no daily watering because the containers were holding moisture.
Back on the other side of the house was shady and she grew open heads of leaf and Bibb lettuce in compost-filled bushel baskets.

In the last few years, people started to use containers in order to grow vegetables. It’s great to plant white-fruiting eggplants in individual pots and be admired by everybody.

If you have a contemporary terrace, a few large planters of rhubarb will look beautiful along with containers with onions, small tomatoes and carrots.
The personal garden is the best place for you to grow miniature plants and vegetables and nowadays this is a popular hobby.

Older English people enjoy growing small plants in containers raised to waist level.

Cacti are the best options if you’re living in a hot and dry climate or if you like to travel and don’t want to worry about the plants back at home. Their forms are amazing and you can decorate your garden in so many ways.

Cacti are very easy to grow. All you need to remember is that they need a small pot filled with lean soil.

In small low tubes you can grow water plants and water lilies while in larger tubes you can put the Egyptian lotus because this latter has big leaves and blooms.
Last but not least, the Bonsai (also called Japanese dwarf) is both a plant and an art form. Is a popular plant and everywhere on the market you can find instructions on how to grow and care for them. If you think you can handle a bonsai, you can buy one from a garden centre or nurserymen.

Retaining Water In Desert Gardens

2008-06-25T17:39:00.001+08:00

Growing a garden in the desert can be a difficult task. With a dry, arid climate and rocky soil, water retention is important for the growth and maintenance of plants in a desert garden.

The first rule for saving water in desert gardens is proper watering. The roots of a plant need to receive water on a regular basis in order to thrive and grow. When watering your desert garden, make sure the water reaches the roots by watering less frequently for longer periods of time.

Using a self made or root watering system is an effective way to prevent the majority of your water from evaporating; thus saving water in your desert garden.

Another way is to retain water at the root of the plant is through mulching. Mulching around plants is your desert garden prevents the moisture from drying and evaporating quickly in the desert sun.

Desert gardening can be a beautiful and enjoyable experience with the help of proper watering. When trying to save water in your desert garden, proper watering techniques will go a long way toward helping your garden to thrive even in the desert.

Perennials and Herbs Outdoor Container Gardening

2008-06-21T10:23:00.001+08:00

In every container garden a person should have herbaceous perennials because they have some beautiful flowers and distinctive foliage and you can keep them in raised beds, planters and large boxes.

These plants are very permissive because they tolerate both sun or shade and can grow in moist and dry locations. Even if they are very resistant some of them need winter covering.

The best perennials have all-season foliage. Once they finish flowering, astilbe, coral-bells, daylilies, phlox, gas plant, peonies and hardy candytuft their leaves still attractive. When the blooming period is over the leaves of primroses, bleeding hearts and oriental poppies turn yellow.

While daylilies and iris love hot temperatures, the delphiniums, lupines, and astilbes thrive in cool temperatures.

If you’re a gardener you can have too foxgloves, cantetbury bells, biennials, verbascums and sweet williams and discard them after flowering.

For colourful effects, these days you can buy mature perennial and biennial plants in tar paper, baskets, tins, papiermache and other temporary containers from any garden centre and nurserymen.

Acanthus (Bear’s Breech) has two feet long, arching, shining dark green, thistlelike, deep-cut leaves are covered with white, tall, rose-tinged spikes. You must plant them in large pots with full sun and good drainage but if you live in North you must probably need to protect it during the winter.

Asters are very beautiful plants with starry blossoms in colours of rich purple, rose and lavender, pink and white autumn. This plant can grow from nine inches up to four feet. You must provide it with full sun, water it and divide them each spring.

The Bearded Iris has very beautiful blooms coloured like the rainbow and spearlike leaves. It is a resistant plant and you must divide them every third year.

Chrysanthemums are considered to be invaluable for the pot garden that will last from August to December. It is very easy to grow it your own but if that is not possible you can buy it in bud from commercial growers.

You must keep them moist and if you do that you can easily move them when in bloom. After that you can plant them in your garden and protect them during the winter or discard the roots year after year.

Daylilies or Hemerocallis are growing in both hot and cold climates or shade or full sun. You must know that strap foliage is attractive the entire year. If you live in warmer regions you must know that there are evergreen varieties for you to choose from. Yellow and crimson trumpet flowers last for a long period even if each bloom is fresh for only one day. In Greek, hemerocallis is translated “beautiful for a day”.

Delphinium is a regal plant with tall, stately spikes in shades of blue white and purple. You must plant the seeds in February or March for flowering plants the same season or you can sow the seeds in spring for large containers. If you sow them in June or July they will bloom the next summer. This plant requires sunlight. You can always go and buy a few amazing Pacific Hybrids.

Hostas have green or variegated broad leaves and the low growing types are perfect for edge large planters. That’s mainly because this is a resistant and pest free plant. A few Hostas types are: Honey-bells that have tall spikes of purple flowers; August lily with fragrant white bells in summer; and Thomas Hogg, with green leaves edged white.

Phlox is a dependable for bright colours in July, August and September. This plant will grow perfectly in sun or partial shade and it requires plenty of water. Phlox wilts and the lower leaves dry out and turn brown.

This flower is available in various colours: purple, salmon, pink, red, scarlet, rose, lavender and white. When plants are six to nine inches high and the tips are pinched, flower heads will be smaller but more numerous.

Rose Mallow or Hibiscus are well-known for bold, tall effects and have big rose, red, pink and white flowers. The hybrids can measure around nine inches across and need moisture, rich soil and full sun though partial shade.

FDA - Eat Tomatoes From Your Own Garden

2008-06-12T07:18:00.002+08:00

FDA Warns Consumers Nationwide Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes

The Food and Drug Administration is expanding its warning to consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing these raw, red tomatoes.

FDA recommends that consumers not eat raw red Roma, raw red plum, raw red round tomatoes, or products that contain these types of raw red tomatoes unless the tomatoes are from the sources listed below. If unsure of where tomatoes are grown or harvested, consumers are encouraged to contact the store where the tomato purchase was made. Consumers should continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, or tomatoes grown at home.

On June 5, using traceback and other distribution pattern information, FDA published a list of states, territories, and countries where tomatoes are grown and harvested which have not been associated with this outbreak. This updated list includes: Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico.

The list is available at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers.

This list will be updated as more information becomes available.

FDA’s recommendation does not apply to the following tomatoes from any source: cherry, grape, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.

FDA recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators not offer for sale and service raw red Roma, raw red plum, and raw red round tomatoes unless they are from the sources listed above. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, may continue to be offered from any source.

Since mid April, there have been 145 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saintpaul nationwide, including at least 23 hospitalizations. States reporting illnesses linked to the outbreak include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Salmonella Saintpaul is an uncommon type of Salmonella.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections particularly in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses. Consumers who have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods containing raw tomatoes and are experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their health care provider. All Salmonella infections should be reported to state or local health authorities.

FDA recognizes that the source of the contaminated tomatoes may be limited to a single grower or packer or tomatoes from a specific geographic area. FDA also recognizes that there are many tomato crops across the country and in foreign countries that will be ready for harvest or will become ready in the coming months. In order to ensure that consumers can continue to enjoy tomatoes that are safe to eat, FDA is working diligently with the states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Indian Health Service, and various food industry trade associations to quickly determine the source of the tomatoes associated with the outbreak.

FDA is taking these actions while the agency continues to investigate this outbreak with state and federal partners. Such actions are a key component of FDA’s Food Protection Plan, a scientific and risk-based approach to strengthen and protect the nation’s food supply.

FDA will continue to issue updates as more specific information becomes available.

Information on safe handling of produce can be found at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html

Tomato consumer page can be found at
www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

Updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at
www.cdc.gov/

Source : FDA

Home Front Yard Landscaping

2008-06-09T19:18:00.002+08:00

Home front yard landscaping is just another landscaping technique just like desert landscaping, Arizona landscaping, rock landscaping, bonsai landscaping etc.

Everyone want their home front yard to look as marvellous as it possibly can, who does not want the kind of front yard that the whole neighborhood is jealous of? And the beauty of home front yard landscaping is that it does not have to be hard and much of it can be done by you. All it will take a it a little elbow grease and some time to spare and you can design your own home front yard landscaping design quickly and easily.

There are even products on the market that will help you to find the best home front yard landscaping idea out there. You can choose to use home front yard landscaping software for one. These programs can be a great help to you as you are trying to figure out what will suit your home and yard the best. With these types of programs you will get to see a few different layouts and options are always good when trying to narrow down your choices.

If home front yard landscaping software programs are not for you, then you can try doing a search online for some wonderful home front yard landscaping ideas. The Internet is full of great sites that you can use to get everything done the right way. It is important to do plenty of research before you start your own home front yard landscaping so that you keep the number of mistakes made down to a minimum. If you do make a boo-boo, don’t worry about it, any thing can be fixed.

Before you start your home front yard landscaping you will need to also look into any gas lines and electrical lines that may be running through your yard. This is very important if you are planning to be doing a lot of digging. You cannot afford to hit any of these things, not only can it cost you a bundle to fix, it can also be very dangerous. Hitting an electrical line with a metal shovel could put an end to all of your work, your life too.

You will also need to find out about zoning restrictions that could affect your home front yard landscaping. In some places you cannot have trees too high and even some fences are not allowed. Find out these kinds of things before you start your home front yard landscaping work and you could save a lot of time and money.

Simple Landscaping Tips For Your Garden

2008-05-29T20:41:00.002+08:00

Following these simple landscaping tips will help you to do landscaping for your house front yard and backyard.

Doing these landscaping tips on your own will surely create that self fulfillment feeling that will surely give you a sense of satisfaction.

Follow these simple landscaping tips to create a front yard that will be the envy of your neighbours.

Simple Landscaping Tips :-

- You will need to know and survey the area that you want to the landscaping on and start making a plan.

Lots of landscapers end up with an ugly home garden because they did not plan well. They just fill up any empty space with potted plants without any landscaping plan.

For you to have a great landscaping success in designing your lawn and landscaping your home, sit down and make a rough sketch of the areas that need landscaping. Assign these landscaping areas where you would like to put the plants. Arrange them in such a way that there will be some order, without sacrificing the beauty of your garden surroundings.

If you are using garden landscape furniture, place it in a strategic place where it will be useful.

Remember to stick to your plan once it is finished.

- Know the reason why you would like to landscape your lawn.

The main objective of home garden landscaping is to maximize the potential of the excess land that you have within your home. Some think that just because you have a grassy area outside the house, it would qualify as a landscaped lawn.

There are a lot of alternative landscaping designs that you can choose to beautify your home garden surroundings.

- Choose the preferred theme for your garden landscaping design.

Find out which plants and trees and determine which are best for surviving the seasons of your area. There are shrubs that are appropriate and will do well in your lawn area during the summer season. During the autumn season, there are trees that you can plant that will show off the landscaping beauty of your garden.

Just imagine all the colors that will contribute to your home garden landscaping design if you select a plant, shrub, flower or tree that blooms or has colorful foliage and looks beautiful during each season of the year.

- Its important to make sure that you water your plants well.

One of the mistakes that homeowners have after they finish their home landscaping design is insufficient irrigation. Make sure that you water and fertilize your plants according to their needs.

If you are going to be away from home, have somebody do the watering for you. Otherwise, you will end up with an ugly, dried-out lawn and/or garden.

Follow these tips and you will have a great-looking front or backyard landscaping that you designed yourself.

The Magic of Mulch

2008-05-24T09:46:00.004+08:00

Mother Nature herself does a pretty good job of mulching natural areas: She shakes pine trees so their needles sprinkle over the ground underneath and slow the growth of nutrient-robbing weeds. She nudges old bark off of trees and speeds the decomposition of their discarded leaves to slow the evaporation of her rainfall from the ground. Her winds dislodge dry twigs and faded flower petals to keep new growth warm during winter’s promised cold.

As they create their own private gardens and woodlands, gardeners and landscapers follow her example by mulching their new plantings — shrubs, trees, vegetables, ground cover, and annual and perennial flowers — with the same organic materials that she uses: materials produced during plants’ natural life cycles.

Why mulch?

In order to thrive, new plantings need every advantage for a healthy start. Sadly, new home developments usually undergo heavy back filling and grading that alter the naturally occurring proportions of air, moisture, and organic matter in the original soil. Fortunately, over successive years the life cycle of the healthy new plantings slowly recreates ideal soil conditions as it dies and decays. Mulching can accelerate the process.

Organic and inorganic mulching help retain optimal growing conditions in soil by:

• Smothering weeds, so that desirable plants have less competition for water and nutrients.
• Slowing evaporation, extending the time moisture is available to thirsty plants.
• Keeping the soil temperature even by preventing harmful fluctuation during hot and cold extremes.
• Protecting trees and shrubs from injuries inflicted by weed cutters and lawn mowers.

Organic mulch

The most common types of organic mulch are:

• Grass clippings
• Pine needles
• Pine, cedar, and other hardwood tree bark
• Wood chips
• Shredded leaves
• Cocoa bean shells
• Pecan shells
• Ground corn cobs
• Household compost
• Mushroom compost
• Straw

Inorganic mulch

Inorganic mulches, materials that were never part of a living plant or tree, also have a place in landscape projects. Popular inorganic mulches include:

• Pebbles
• Gravel
• Lava rock
• Crushed stone
• Plastic sheeting
• Shredded tires
• Newspaper
• Woven landscape fabric

Selecting mulch

Each type of mulch offers specific advantages and disadvantages. It pays to understand as much as you can to prevent wasting your time, energy, and money.

Organic mulch contains living organisms that interact with a plant’s roots to give it the best possible boost toward a long and healthy life. As it decomposes, organic mulch continues to add nutrients to the soil, creating rich topsoil and preventing soil depletion. (Depletion is one reason why farmers who plant fields devoted to a single crop must let their fields lie fallow over a planting season — there isn’t anything left in the soil to produce healthy crops.) Because it can be worked into the surface soil, organic mulch limits soil crusting and compaction, which results in rainwater runoff and erosion and prevents nutrients from reaching plants’ roots. Organic mulch also encourages denser root growth because new roots can grow into the mulch itself.

A few cautions about organic mulches:

• Grass clippings must be relatively weed-free and dried out to prevent matting.
• Clippings from herbicide-treated lawns should not be used.
• Cypress bark mulching is discouraged by many who fear its threat to southern cypress wetlands in states like Florida and Louisiana.
• Organic mulches provide food for birds, insects, and occasionally vermin.
• They naturally decompose, necessitating replenishment every year or two.
• Large pieces of bark will float away during heavy rain; shredded is preferable, especially on slopes.
• Compost decomposes quite rapidly.

On the other hand, inorganic mulches have the advantage of not decomposing, necessitating frequent replacement; and not attracting insects and vermin. Pebbles can be worked into the soil to lessen the risk of compaction. And inorganic mulches can be used effectively to prevent weed growth and mud in otherwise unplantable soil under decks, steps, and storage areas. Many inorganic mulches are not as effective in regulating soil temperature, however, because they tend to absorb the sun’s rays.

Organic and inorganic mulch can be purchased at garden centers and hardware stores, by the bag or in bulk. Some kinds, such as shredded tree limbs, are available at no cost from electric utilities and municipalities. Mulch sales are also popular fund-raisers for students and young people’s organizations.

Through thoughtful mulching — using organic materials whenever possible — gardeners can become an indelible part of nature’s reproductive life cycle. After all, today’s heirloom seeds are the hand-me-downs of tender, lovingly cared-for shoots from another century, maybe even another culture.

Mulch is about more than cosmetics; it contributes to the natural life cycle of trees, shrubs, vegetables, ground cover and flowers, and fosters the healthy growth of desirable additions to the humblest garden plot and most extensive landscape design.

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Organic Gardening : Soil Solarization for Weed Control

2008-05-24T09:38:00.002+08:00

By J. E. Davidson

Organic home gardening has become increasingly popular as we become more aware of how toxic chemicals can harm our health and the health of our environment. Soil solarization is an organic method of keeping weeds from taking over your gardening efforts. Prevent weeds before they even have a chance to grow! Begin your soil solarization in June or July (in the northern hemisphere). During the summer months the heat of the sun will "cook" the weeds for you and also destroy disease-causing plant pathogens in the top few inches of the soil.

Mow the weeds down as low as possible in the area you wish to garden and till the ground thoroughly to a depth of six to eight inches. Use a steel rake to comb out the roots you have turned up. Rake the surface again to smooth it out and water the ground. Sprinklers or drip irrigation work best because you want the soil wet, but you don't want standing puddles. Install a drip irrigation system at this point, if you want one, because you don't want to disturb the soil any more than necessary after the process is finished.

Weed seeds you can't see will be hiding in the soil waiting for a chance to sprout. Dry seeds are heat-resistant and moistening them will make them vulnerable to the high temperature that solarization creates. Particularly vigorous weeds may find their way through landscape fabric and mulch, so you must kill the seeds before they sprout.

Cover the moistened area with clear polyethylene or PVC plastic sheets that are one or two mils thick. Stretch the plastic tightly and weigh it down with bricks to keep it from blowing away. Adding a second plastic sheet will increase the effectiveness of the method by creating a mini-greenhouse effect. Use objects such as bricks or soda cans to create an air gap between the layers of plastic. Leave the plastic sheets on the area for at least four to six weeks and let the sun do its work!

Once you remove the plastic cover don't till the soil again or you may bring weed seeds still deep in the soil back to the surface. Landscape fabric will allow necessary water, air, and nutrients to seep through while discouraging weeds. Some gardeners use black plastic as a landscape fabric, but this will create an environment for harmful bacteria, fungus, and mold to grow. Fasten the landscape fabric down with staple-like pins that are made for this purpose. You don't need many pins, since you will be adding mulch which will help hold the fabric down. Place a pin about every 10 feet along the exposed edges and seams.

Cracks and opening in the landscape fabric give weeds an opportunity to invade your garden again. When figuring the amount you need keep in mind that the fabric should have a three to six inch overlap where the edges meet. A good quality landscape fabric should be fairly stiff and should not stretch or tear. The fabric comes in different thicknesses but the one that weigh three ounces per square yard are usually as effective as heavier weights and will cost less. Choose a name brand landscaping fabric; store brands and off-brands are often low in quality. It may be a bit of an initial expense, but when the fabric is completely covered with mulch, which protects it from the sun, it can last for years.

Once you have covered the garden with landscape fabric wait a few days before planting to allow the soil to cool down. Cut an X-shaped incision in the fabric in the spots where you want plants. Make the cuts only large enough to fit the root ball through, and don't cut circles or holes in the fabric. Fold the flaps back and place the plant in the ground. Try not to scatter much soil on top of the fabric. Once the plants are in place, fold the flaps around them and add mulch.

You may choose not to use landscape fabric, but it will keep your mulch from decomposing as quickly and adds an additional barrier to prevent weed growth. Use weed-free organic mulch. A few airborne weed seeds may settle in your mulch, but they will be easy to pull since the mulch is much looser than garden soil and the roots won't be firmly entrenched.

It won't hurt to leave the plastic sheets on your garden plot for longer than a month or two; long periods of heating will kill persistent weeds like crabgrass and nutsedge. If you are not going to plant right away the plastic will increase the effectiveness of the soil solarization and prevent airborne seeds from contaminating your garden plot.

A Plan for All Seasons : How to Have a Long Blooming Summer

2008-05-22T23:24:00.001+08:00

If you live in a temperate climate, feel free to wander off to count your blessings (or admire your glorious landscape) while the rest of us living in areas with well-defined seasons figure out how to make the most of the time we have left — time, that is, before winter rears its icy head again.

One way to trick ourselves into thinking the time between mid-April and mid-November is longer than it really is is to give ourselves seven months of continual outdoor color. And all that takes is a little time for planning and a little more time for planting, whether for perennial flowers, ground cover, shrubs, or trees (all of which will hereafter be referred to, for simplicity’s sake, as “plants”).

Here are five key tips from landscape professionals :-

• Know which plant hardiness zone you find yourself in. Hard-core gardeners consider their planting zone as important as their area code. Purchasing bulbs and plants from area greenhouses is usually goof-proof, because they don’t sell inappropriate plant stock. If you’re a print or online catalog shopper, though, it’s easy to be seduced by breathtaking color photographs. Absent a background check, however, a gorgeous exotic-looking specimen could very well develop hypothermia, lie down, and die, never ever to be seen again. To avoid wasting time, money, and energy, simply check a map in a reliable gardening book or online to know what plants have a fighting chance of making it from one season to the next where you live.

• Once your trees have leafed out, watch for a few days to learn how much sun shines upon your wannabe garden plots. There may be areas of direct sun, part sun and part shade, and full shade. Many green-thumbers will claim the more sun the better, but don’t give short shrift to shade-loving shrubs and flowers. Granted, it’s harder to create a riot of color in a shady corner, but it just requires a bit more diligence when selecting what to plant (don’t worry – all the information you need is on the tag or label). Hydrangeas, some geraniums, and impatiens will perk up fully shaded areas, along with any of the thousands of varieties of hosta. Speaking of hosta, they’re not all just boring green and white — they vary from golden to cream and bluish- to lime-green; one variety has seersucker-like leaves, another has leaves the size of a dinner plate, and they all have beautiful white or lavender blooms of all sizes and shapes.

• Decide on your fundamental color scheme. Do you want a continuous mix of color from your perennials — for example, yellow narcissus, purple lilac bushes, red roses, orange day lilies, and bronze mums, supplemented by colorful annuals like cosmos, marigolds, and petunias? Or maybe pockets of color throughout the season, for example, all yellows in one corner, blues along the fence and white near the house? Maybe you’d prefer a succession of color, starting with early-blooming yellow jonquils, tulips, buttercups, and forsythia followed by purple irises, creeping phlox, redbud, and clematis; then the oranges of day lilies, trollius, and poppies, and ending the growing season with the reds of sumac, monarda, burning bush, smoketree, and sedum. How about variations on a theme — shades of one, maybe two colors throughout the entire season?

• Rather than attempt to fill the open area of a garden spot with perennials and ground cover, plant just a few, especially if they’re expensive. Then in the fall or following spring you can divide them. If empty spaces bug you, throw down zinnia seeds or plunk in impatiens.

• Barter with neighbors for cuttings: for instance, a fistful of lamium for a bucket of day lilies, a chunk of hosta for a few astilbes. Trading is a win-win-win — one for each of the gardeners and one for the plants that may otherwise be kicked to the curb as punishment for growing fast and thick.

When your back aches most of the time and your fingernails are perpetually dirty, be sure to remind yourself that the first few years of perennial gardening are the hardest. Once you have made the difficult decisions and dug the requisite holes, you will have time to sit back and visually reap what you have sown — that is, right after you’ve done the dead-heading, pruning, and dividing, sure cures for hands itching to feel the soil they haven’t even seen for five long months.

How to Build a Small Terrarium for Your Home or Office

2008-05-22T23:16:00.000+08:00

The stress of work can sometimes be overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a bit of nature in your office to help relieve your stress? A tiny office terrarium may be the answer. A small terrarium can be quite easy to build and will bring many hours of enjoyment and stress relief.

To build your tiny terrarium, you’ll need a small sized container which can be a goblet, small jar, or a small glass fishbowl. You’ll need to be able to cover the opening of your container with an appropriate lid. If you can't find a suitable lid, you can always cover your tiny terrarium with another glass dish. Here's how to build your tiny terrarium quickly and easily:

1. Layer sheets of moss along the bottom floor of your glass container. Use a long stick to gently flatten the sheets of moss against the container floor.

2. Cover the layer of moss with a layer of fine gravel. This layer is to ensure proper drainage. This will keep the soil layer above from becoming over saturated with water. You can usually find fine gravel at your local gardening supply shop or craft store. Move the gravel around with your stick until it's evenly distributed across the floor of your terrarium.

3. Add another thin layer of moss on top of your gravel layer to prevent soil from seeping down into your gravel layer.

4. Carefully pour a layer of terrarium soil on top of the gravel layer. You can purchase this at your local gardening supply store. Be sure not to add fertilizer as this can cause the plants to overgrow their space very quickly.

5. Choose tiny plants that have similar requirements as far as light and water requirements. If you choose plants with different growth requirements, your terrarium will be impossible to maintain.

6. After choosing your plants, carefully drop them in to the container.

7. Use your stick to dig small holes for the plants and gently push them into the holes until they're secure. Don't crowd the plants. Give them plenty of room to grow and flourish.

8. When the plants are in place, lightly moisten the soil. Don't over water your terrarium.

9.. Cover your new tiny terrarium with a lid or another glass dish.

To care for your new terrarium, always watch the sides of its container for the appearance of condensation. There should be a light mist of moisture on the glass. If large water droplets appear, keep the lid open until it evaporates. You should only need to water your terrarium once a week. Over watering can be a problem, since there's no way for the excessive water to drain out of the container.

Now you can find a suitable place on your desk to display your new terrarium. Enjoy!