Gardening Supplies

Gardening Supplies : How to Plant Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:03:00 +0000

<data:blog.title/>How to Plant Flowers

There are many ways one can learn how to plant flower. Some people learn how to plant flowers by going to colleges where they teach horticulture of floriculture. There are many coursed including distance learning of gardening and E-books on how to plant flowers and how to garden successfully.

The knowledge of how to grow flowers is built on the following basics.

1. Select a variety that is suitable for your climatic region as this is the first basic fact in how to grow flowers.

2. Prepare your growing space properly. Deep tilling in soil in the place where you want to plant flowers is encouraged to break hard pan. Incorporate organic manure to improve the soil and apply a base dressing fertilizer such as TSP(Triple supper phosphate)

3. Use healthy planting material selected for disease resistance and hardiness. Before you start your garden, research the available options on varieties that can withstand pest and diseases, water stress among others.

4. Understanding the specific requirement before you plant the flowers will help get it right first time.

5. Water well after planting and watch to re-water as the media dries again.

6. Watch out for pests and diseases that attack your particular plant and control it.

7. Take care of the cultural part by leaning how to grow flowers from sources that describe the culture of your particular flower.

That is essentially the basic of learning how to grow flowers but to be an expert, you need to invest time in learning about of how to plant flowers and take proper care of your plants from gardening information centers and books that teach in more details.

I recommend the following for plant seeds, if you want to plant it in the garden.

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Gardening Supplies : Choose gardening tools

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:32:00 +0000

<data:blog.title/> | Gardening Supplies | Choose gardening tools

How to choose gardening tools?

Gardening tools are extremely important for everyone who wants to make his own garden. But some people often get stuck when choosing the most appropriate tools to fit their needs. Upon deciding to work on your garden, you need to take to your attention the list of basic gardening tools that are going to be presented below.

1) The hoe. A hoe is absolutely essential as a gardening tool. It is used when weeding and cultivating the soil. Digging with a hoe allows nutrients and water to penetrate easier in the soil.

2) The spading fork. That is another tool for digging the soil. Spading fork is similar to pitchforks in appearance, the difference being in its shorter handle and larger tines.

3) The shovel. If you buy a shovel, choose a round-ended. This gardening tool serves for digging the soil and for forming the beds before the plants are sown.

4) The rake. It also cleans the ground surface from any tough clods of earth or larger stones that can obstruct the planting. Make sure you buy a bow rake. The bow rake has short tines on one side attached to a metal frame-the so-called "bow". The flat side of the bow rake can be used for smoothing the soil before plants are sown.

5) The shears. A pair of garden shears is irreplaceable. Shears are also called clippers. This gardening tool is used for pruning the plants and trees, for shaping the hedge and for removing unnecessary foliage.

6) The watering can. It is a gardening tool for watering all kind of smaller plants. For trees and larger shrubs you need to use a watering system. The longer the nozzle, the more gentle and far-reaching the water flow.

Another tip upon buying a watering can is to buy one with a detachable spray head- so that after removing it, you can water young seedlings. Most of the gardening tools offered on stores are utterly useless for the new beginner, and some of them are too expensive. Most gardeners consider a shovel or spade, a trowel, a rake and a hoe the minimum equipment necessary for taking care of your garden. If you are a novice, you should follow the list and supply your outhouse with these basic gardening tools first. These gardening tools are sold in a large variety of shape and colors, suitable for any aesthetic preference.

If you have a flair for bargaining, you may buy the basic gardening tools at the overall price of less than 100$. Look in every gardening store, flea markets and yard sales as well, before spending your money on a given tool. Remember that your gardening tools are to last for many years and be careful what you choose.

Please select the tool you need for gardening below :

Fiskars
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  Fiskars

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Gardening supplies : Vegetable gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:53:00 +0000

Gardening supplies

As you look for gardening supply, the vegetable supplies are often found easily. However, where the supplies are bought from, actually matters. The vegetable seeds or even bulbs for garlic and onions could be successful. It is, but a better choice to check out for other, still higher quality resources instead of them.

Find them- the place For any gardening supply; be it vegetable or fruit supplies one should know where to look for them? In earlier times when the farms were readily available, the farmers or gardeners never tried turning to others for any supplies that was needed for the crops. It allowed absolutely at no cost and it provided them with consistent and high quality fruit and vegetable crop. The farmers were aware about what the seeds would yield, and took no risk at all about what other products were available in the gardening supply. The vegetables were found amazing, and tasted in the similar manner, too.

Today, however, it is not possible that one has a crop from which the gardening supplies could be gathered. The vegetable growers could look towards other growers, no matter what help is required. For an instance, you may visit your local farm requesting some seeds for trying them in your garden. Always ensure that all the produce which is bought from the farm has come from its actual fields. This would help you in knowing the quality. In few other instances, one may essentially do even better with the available gardening supply. Most vegetable and fruits could often be bought from the organic growers locally.

When the plant hasn't been grown in such a manner i.e., not allowing for seeds, then one may find this as the best method for getting affordable gardening supplies. Always take some time for checking some higher quality gardening supplies. Vegetables and fruits which are grown in such manner are very unique in their tastes and textures. One may look for varied sources of supplies in the gardening activities. IN most cases, you could even locate most of the growers right online.

Please choose a product online that are needed for gardening supplies :

Toro 51599

Toro 51599 Ultra 12 amp Variable-Speed Electric Blower/Vacuum with Metal Impeller
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Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats
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Tips Flower Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:54:00 +0000

Flower Gardening - 18 Steps To See A Great Bloom

Activity of gardening is gaining in popularity since it is being viewed as an extremely rewarding pastime that provides plenty of fresh air, exercise, and "beautiful" results. But most people are not content with just a garden full of ordinary plants, but wish to create a landscape of extraordinary flowers! And so the entry of "flower gardening"! But wait a minute! There should be no mistaken belief that creating a garden full of flowers is an easy task. It involves tough physical labor and demands dedication. Any outdoor activity should be acceptable to the surrounding ecosystem; so also flower gardening. The suggestions listed below should help you to grow healthy plants

(1) The USA and lower Canada have been divided into various hardiness zones by the USDA, according to a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average minimum temperature. This division will allow you to note which plants can survive in which zones (seed packets or flower guides carry this information), and you can purchase the appropriate flowers for your garden.

(2) You have a vast range of flowering plants to choose from, including butterfly bush, butterfly weed, foxtail lily, African lily or the lily of the Nile, lantana and delphiniums. Nice insects like butterflies and bees will feel like visiting your garden!

(3) If you are unsure about the type of plants you need to pick for your flower gardening, take the help of garden guides and catalogs.

(4) Some of the tips given concern having a mix-and-match garden that displays flowers and plenty of colors all year round! There are early bloomers, late bloomers and mid-season bloomers to choose from. The "early" ones and "late" ones can grow in side-by-side rows, to exhibit alternate blooming times.

(5) Though most plants have green leaves, there are some with silvery-colored leaves. Some exhibit burgundy-colored leaves.

(6) Before actually starting on your flower gardening project, keep aside a book as a gardening journal. Start off by preparing a sketch or plan of your new garden. Fill in all the details like--the location of your garden, its proposed shape, the flowering plants that you wish to have, a rough arrangement of the plants, and so on. Record your successes and failures. Over a period of time, this journal becomes a "chronicle" of your flower gardening efforts!

(7) Are you planning to have a container garden or a purely outdoor garden? If it is containers that are going to hold your plants, then ensure that the soil conditions are just right inside them. Also, you have to get only those plants that can tolerate temperature changes and exposure to sunlight, because all plants cannot face environmental changes. Again, all plants cannot be grown inside containers.

(8) If it is going to be an outdoor garden, the soil has to be tested first with the help of a soil testing kit. Many local gardening supply stores stock it; in case they are not able to supply one, they can always refer you to a place where the kit is available. Take some soil in your hand, and rub it back and forth. If the soil comes apart, it indicates the presence of too much of sand. So it cannot store nutrients. This type of soil does not drain well, and does not allow roots to penetrate easily. Loam soil (equal amounts of clay and sand) is the best for flower gardening.

(9) Now that you chosen the spot for your garden, start digging. About one inch or more of manure or compost is to be added to the dug-up soil. Grass cuttings or peat moss help to increase water retention capacity if the soil has too much of sand in it. For acidic type of soil, add lime. When you mix the soil and all the organic components that you have added to it, turning the whole thing over and over a few times, you have "tilled" the soil.

(11) Use the rake again to level the new bed. Compost goes into the top soil (about 6 inches), along with a general-purpose fertilizer (10-20-10).

(12) Do not start planting your flowers as soon as you have finished adding ammendments. Give them time to enter the soil and spread all across the plot designated for your garden. Meanwhile, you can browse the books again so that you are thoroughly prepared when it is actual planting time, with the plants as well as all their requirements.

(13) Now that the time has finally arrived, start sowing the seeds, or planting the seedlings. Smaller ones should take the front seats, while the bigger ones should be placed at the back. Ensure a distance of 3 feet between the plants and any buildings/fences. Also, there should be at least 20 feet of space between your flowers and large trees. Large bushes should maintain a distance of 5 feet from your plants. Other trouble spots to look out for are--steep slopes, places where water tends to stagnate and shallow and rocky soil.

(14) Now that you have come this far in your flower gardening project, it is time to put down a layer of mulch (indicates compost that has not completely decayed) over the garden. A layer of 2 to 3 inches of mulch should remain around the plants all the time, especially during the growing seasons. Weeds can prove detrimental to your garden. As an added precaution, keep layers of wet/damp newspapers under the mulch. Why mulch? The benefits it provides to the soil include--stabilization of temperature, increase in water retention capacity, addition of nutrients and prevention of excessive growth of weeds.

(15) All that you need to do to make a success of your flower gardening project is to keep the soil quality in top condition. For example, plants like rose and garlic are beneficial to their companions in the garden.

(16) If you are in a hurry to start growing your flowers, there is another option available. Get some jiffy pots that are made from compressed peat moss. Put in potting soil or starting mix. Sow the seeds. Once the plants have attained a height of 4 inches, place the jiffy pots outside in a pre-designated location. The pots rot away and the plants get "attached" to the natural soil by their roots. In addition, you can look for tips and information about seeds on the backs of seed packages, such as--when and how to sow the seeds, distance to be maintained between plants, etc.

(17) Like many others, you may not really have an idea about compost or how it is prepared. So, here is some information about this "organic manure".How is organic matter different from inorganic materials? When there is decaying of the dead remains of animals and plants (remains of any living things, in fact), the decomposed material returns to the soil. The soil therefore gets enriched with vitamins and other nutrients. Its fertility is enhanced, enabling plants to grow healthy. Thus, when soil is of poor quality, it can be "amended" with the addition of natural manure or compost. Being totally organic in nature, it causes no harm to your garden or the surrounding environment. You save on time too. If your garden soil contains too much of sand, compost will help to retain water. If there is too much of clay, the compost enhances the soil's capacity to drain well. And of course, plenty of nutrients get into the soil with the help of this organic manure.

(18) Finally, how do you prepare your own compost for your flower gardening project? Dig a pit. Fill it with whatever organic wastes that you can get-lettuce leaves, tea leaves, coffee grounds, banana peels, grass clippings, shredded branches, hay, chopped leaves, garden plants that are free of disease and have finished their season, straw, weeds, shredded papers and newspaper. Once the pile has attained 6 inches in height, use finished compost or soil or manure to cover it. The covering layer should be about 3 to 6 inches thick. Repeat the process of alternate layers of organic materials and finished compost/soil/manure. The compost pile should be started in a shady location. There is heat generated that helps to sterilize the forming compost. Keep turning the pile to ensure circulation of oxygen. . This compost has to be mixed with soil before planting flowers. It can actually be used in any way possible--as mulch, soil amendment or potting soil.

Fine Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:34:00 +0000

Many consider gardening by itself as an art form. And the art of fine gardening is just that, an art. Fine gardening might mean different things to different people, but it means more than just coming up with a garden to me. It embodies all that is beautiful and elegant in gardening and combines them to create a garden that is the culmination of everything you dream of.
The pleasure you gain from fine gardening may come not only from the garden you created but from the long stretches of time that you spend sketching and planning the garden itself, from the very first moment you have a seed of an idea, to the moment you plant the last flower, and place the last sapling. Everything that you want, everything that you can be, should shine through when someone else first steps into this kingdom of fine gardening, where anyone can sit quietly and ponder on the finer things in life surrounded by peace and serenity.

As such, a water feature that ideally makes a continuously soothing gurgle, with a quaint stepping-type of waterfall-cum-pond, placed on gorgeous slabs of flat rock with just a touch of moss growing on it. A beautiful water lily or lotus to provide that contrast in color, and perhaps a fine fish or two. A few ferns and leafy rain-forest type plants set around the pond, and you're pretty much done with this phase of your fine gardening. And then, imagine having a big tree standing in a corner of your garden, with a luscious velvety dark brown trunk that you can just about span with your arms, burgeoning with rich, bright green leaves overflowing onto the ground in wanton abandon. If you are a fan of Zen gardens, but have a leaning towards colors and lots of plants, you would like to include this aspect into your fine gardening efforts by setting a path, made out of natural rough hewn stone, coursing in a leisurely manner through the garden. And to wrap everything up, you could have a small alcove that gives the occasional visitor a wide-angle view of the whole garden tucked away in a corner of the garden.

It is complete with a sun shade, and a low-lying bench with several plump cushions placed haphazardly around, and all of it surrounded by a wealth of arresting flowers. For what more is there to gardening, than the art of fine gardening.

Tips biodynamic gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:53:00 +0000

Biodynamic gardening is a method of a garden being self-reliant upon itself. It's main dependent as any organic garden is a good organic soil structure full of living organisms. Biodynamic gardening is a way of living along with nature and relating to it. Soil structure is one key factor in biodynamic gardening. The soil needs to be of a good soil structure with enough organic matter to support the life of earthworms and other organisms that will work and benefit the soil. Composting and manures both green and animal are a essential part of creating a good healthy soil structure.

Self sufficient with energy is another part of this method of gardening.There is no use of power equipment. Working the land is done by the means of animals and ones own labor. It is a more labor intensive way of gardening. Crop rotation is necessary in this method of gardening. It will preserve and replenish the fertility of the soil. The soil from crops being planted like cabbage, cauliflower and corn that exhaust the nutrients from the soil need to be rotated with legume crops like peas, beans and clover to replenish the nutrients back into the soil.

The rotation of crops does more than just replenishing nutrients. The planting and rotating of crops that have deep root systems should be rotated with crops with shallow root systems to allow the soil to be worked naturally at different depths to improve the aeration and drainage of the soil along with it's structure. Organic fertilizers are also important to biodynamic gardening. They can be in the form of liquid or organic matter applied to the soil or as foliage sprays. Compost and compost tea are two forms of organic fertilizers. There are no chemicals used in biodynamic gardening. Insect control is done by natural means by keeping a good environment for beneficial insects and predators. The planting of flowers to attract bees, placement of rocks to shelter frogs and a water supply to attract birds are just a few things to do to create a attractive environment that will benefit your garden.

Biodynamic gardening is a type of gardening when arranged properly will allow plants to help each other grow. The planting of plants that will help shade the soil for cooler weather crops along with controlling weeds and plants that will supply nutrients back in the soil for the needs of other plants. Biodynamic gardening is a practice of being self-sufficient with animals, companion planting, organic fertilizers, natural means of insect and disease control.source:ezinearticles.com

Here's product biodynamic gardening selections :

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Tips to make Bed Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 07:31:00 +0000

Bed Gardening
A raised bed garden is a garden that is above ground and contained in an area with high sides. The gardener walks between the beds and it is a very organized way to garden. Herbs grown in raised beds have an advantage over in the ground growing for a few reasons.

How to Make a Raised Bed Garden
The most popular raised bed is the 'contained raised garden bed'. They offer great growing condition for many vegetable and herb gardens, as well as for flower gardens. Also, many fruits such as strawberries, grapes and raspberries do well in raised garden beds.

Since most raised beds are constructed from wood we have created steps for a wooden raised bed.

Step One
Selecting a site is one of the most important decisions you will make when creating a raised bed garden. If you want to plant vegetables that need partial sun either create another bed in a different location or find a location that will receive both full and partial sun. If you want to make watering easy try installing a drip irrigation system that will be easy to use and keep your garden perfectly watered.

Step Two
Decide the size and shape of your garden. Make sure you will be able to access all part of your garden without stepping into the bed. Try keeping the garden long and narrow which will allow you to access all your vegetables without actually stepping on the garden. Remember accessibility is key and if you decide to put your garden up against a fence try making it only 3 feet wide so you don't have to step on the garden. The depth of the raised bed garden is up to you but the deeper the better, especially if you will be growing carrots or parsnips that need deeper soil. If you can try making your bed 12 inches deep!

Step Three
Once you have the shape and size of your garden you will begin building the bed. It's a good idea to dig out the existing sod and loosen the soil below to a depth of eight to twelve inches. This will give your garden extra depth and good drainage. If you want to move fast just cover the existing sod and soil with newspaper or cardboard.

Step Four
Now it's time to construct the bed. Depending on the size of the garden by 'two by six' pieces of wood that will be able to build the entire garden.

Step Five
After constructing the frame in a location you desire make sure to level your bed from all directions. If part of your frame is high, just remove some of the soil beneath it until you have a level frame.

Step Six
After leveling it is time to fill your garden with soil and compost. This will allow you to create a garden with great soil that is ideal for the vegetables you choose to grow. Once they're filled and raked level, you're ready to plant or sow seeds.

Maintaining a Raised Bed Garden
Happily, raised bed gardens require very little maintenance. Each spring or fall, it's a good idea to top dress with fresh compost and manure, or, if your bed only holds plants for part of the year, go ahead and dig the compost or manure into the top several inches of soil. As with any garden, mulching the top of the soil will help retain moisture and keep weeds down. Moisture retention is important, because raised beds tend to drain faster than conventional beds.

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Tips on gardening with containers

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:03:00 +0000

Starting a container vegetable garden is the best solution to a lack of space in your yard. And it is a very good solution at that. Not only will you be able to enjoy fresh produce even if you have limited space, you also get to benefit from the advantage of growing plants in a container.
There are many reasons why container gardening is fast becoming a viable option even for people who has all the space they need to start a garden. For one, the plants has less risk of contracting soil borne diseases. Additionally, weed problems will not be so much of an issue. And most importantly, you can easily control factors such as soil, temperature and length of sun exposure.
To help get you started in having your own container garden, here are some basic steps and tips to guide you through the process:

1.First of all, you need to decide what variety of vegetable you want to grow. If you've only just begun gardening, I strongly suggest you choose vegetables that are easy to grow in your area. Also, as much as possible, choose dwarf or tiny varieties of plants. They will not take up as much space as the traditional plants. Some examples of easy to grow plants ideal for container gardening are: peppers, radish, carrots, beans, cucumbers, lettuce, among others.
2.Gather the containers you will use for this purpose. You can usually buy these commercially and there will lots of different designs for you to choose from. However, you can use just about any container you can find just as long you can bore holes into it and its depth is ideal in proportion to the size of the roots.
3.Prepare the ideal soil mix for the plants. You also need to mix some animal or plant compost to increase the richness of the soil. You might also want to add some organic fertilizers as well.
4.When everything is already prepared, you can start sowing the seeds. Most growers would just let all the seeds germinate in one pot. Once the seedling shows its true leaves and roots, it will be ready for repotting.
5.Remember to provide the plants everything necessary for its growth. You will need to water it regularly, make sure to expose it to at least 6 hours of sunlight or you can have some artificial lights installed. Also remember to add organic fertilizers like liquid seaweed or fish emulsion every couple of weeks.
If you need to gardening conteiners below you can find:

Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals - Container Gardening - Vegetables - Removable Graphic

Stack & Grow - Indoor / Outdoor Stackable Flower & Garden Planter With Wheel Base

The Rumford Gardener JJ1400 Pop-Up Collection Bag with Handles

The Urban Farm 5 Granite Series All-Inclusive, Automated Container Vegetable Gardening

The Urban Farm Workhorse Series All-Inclusive, Automated Container Vegetable Gardening

The Urban Farm 10 Granite Series All-Inclusive, Automated Container Vegetable Gardening

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Getting started with Organic Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Gardeners Supply) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:36:00 +0000

How-To Basics of getting started with Organic Gardening.

Organic gardening

No matter whether you are an experienced organic gardener or you have simply decided that you would like to become more self-reliant by growing some of your own food, planting a garden requires planning. A properly planned and planted organic garden will naturally resist disease, deter pests, and be healthy and productive. With the spring planting season fast approaching, winter is the ideal time to get started.
Begin planning by setting goals. Grab your garden map, a pencil, your gardening guide, catalogs, and your thinking cap. List the areas of your yard and garden separately (i.e. lawn, vegetable patch, flower garden), and, keeping in mind the size and conditions of your site, brainstorm! Are you planning a garden for the first time? Do you want to expand your existing garden? What map? To create a map of your yard or garden, measure the dimensions of your site as a whole, and then the individual dimensions of your vegetable patch, flowerbeds, and lawn. It's easiest to draw your map to scale on a sheet of graph paper. Once the map is drawn, write in any information you know about soil characteristics, drainage, environmental conditions (sunny, shady, windy), and the names of trees and perennial plants that already exist.

Gardening 101
It is important to understand the magnitude of your project before you begin. Consulting your garden guidebook is a great way to begin - I suggest Warren Schultz's The Organic Suburbanite, The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman, Rodale's Chemical-Free Yard & Garden, or The Handy Garden Answer Book by Karen Troshynski-Thomas. You can also go to your local library and investigate their resources or contact your local garden club for their suggestions. Or by buying a book on gardening as listed below :

Home Vegetable Gardening: A Complete and Practical Guide to the Planting and Care of all Vegetables, Fruits and Berries Worth Growing for Home Use (Illustrated Edition)

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible (10th Anniversary Edition)

Gardening All-in-One For Dummies

All New Square Foot Gardening

As you research, write down how long each project will take, what tools you will need, and the approximate cost of everything you will need. Scheduling and Organization. A schedule of activities lists what you hope to accomplish in what time frame.
Staggering your major tasks over time will make them easier to accomplish and save you the ultimate frustration of unfinished projects. Planning for the long term will aid in your organization. You can create a year-by-year schedule that maps out a time frame in which to achieve your big goals.

Tool Tutorial
You have a plan! Chances are you may be able to obtain most tools at your local lawn and garden store. Bring the list that you assembled in Gardening 101, and, if you are a seasoned gardener, assume that the same pests and plagues will be back that you dealt with last year and buy your supplies now. If you are new to the gardening scene, buy the basic tools that you will need, and then nose around the neighborhood and perhaps your local gardening club to see what is recommended for what you are planting and where you live.
Basic Tools:
• Diggers - You will need a spading fork for aerating your soil and turning your compost pile. Look for a spading fork with rectangular, flat blades. A manure fork may also be compost-pile friendly when it comes to turning.
• Weeders - Weeding tools include hoes and short-handled cultivating tools.
• Hoe
o hoe types include:
o Swan-neck hoe - The curved neck positions the cutting blade to skim just below the surface, making it ideal for light work around garden crops.
o Oscillating hoe - Also called a scuffle hoe or hula, it has a hinged, double-edged blade that barely disturbs the soil surface, minimizing the number of new weeds brought to the surface.
o Collinear hoe - Designed by Eliot Coleman, the narrow blade and angled handle are useful for cutting off small weeds with little soil disturbance.
o Eye hoe - Also called a grub hoe, the heavy blade is for hard chopping at tough, overgrown weeds.
Standard short-handled cultivating tools:
• Hand cultivator - A tined tool, useful for disturbing the soil surface around close planting to uproot young weeds.
• Dandelion weeder - Made for uprooting weeds with long taproots.
• Pavement weeder - A trowel for removing weeds in cracks of stone slab or brick walkways.
• Pruners - Pruning trees and shrubs promotes growth and good health, and pruning out diseased wood helps to control disease problems. Pruning tools come in varying sizes depending on your need. Choose a sharp, high quality pruning tool.
• Tillers - Tillers will also range in size, depending on the job. There are large, gaspowered tillers for breaking ground or big jobs, and small tillers that are lightweight and are useful for cultivating around perennials.
• Sowers - Wheeled seeding tools that have changeable interior disks for different seed sizes and spacings are available and very handy if you are planting large areas.
• Comfort tools - There is a plethora of comfort- oriented garden accessories available on the market today. Products range from gloves, to knee pads, to small, wheeled benches/carts.
• Starting From Seed
Starting your plants from seed will ensure that they are chemical free. Most transplants sold in garden centers have been treated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Seeds themselves bought at garden centers may be coated in fungicides, so be very careful about what you buy or buy from an organic seed supplier. To start plants from seed, you need sterile soil, sterile planting containers, and labels. If you purchase soil mix, be sure that it is sterile to avoid spreading disease to your seedlings.
Good recipes for soil mix are 1 part sphagnum and 1 part vermiculite, or 1 part each sphagnum, vermiculite and perlite. Seeds actually need heat, not light, to germinate. The heat from a grow light or sunny window may be enough for some, but placing the containers on top of a warm refrigerator or on a seed-starting heating pad may be necessary.
Keep your seeds moist by planting them in moist mix and covering them with plastic wrap.
Plants have a hardiness zone, an area based on the average annual low temperatures where a plant is most likely to withstand the region's annual low temperature http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html. Growing plants that are outside your hardiness zone is not impossible, but they will need special attention. When deciding what to plant, consult a hardiness zone map to come up with plants that are most likely to thrive in your zone (see map).

Garden Design
Switching to chemical-free gardening will not only mean changing your gardening practices, but also your gardening design. Gardening in beds, as opposed to rows, provides for better weed, disease and pest management. Beds are also more attractive and easier to maintain. In a garden bed, everything is planted within arm's reach. The leaves of adjacent plants shade the soil, reducing weed growth. Diversity in a garden bed also has many advantages. A variety of plants in a mixed bed provide some natural pest protection by making it difficult for pests to find and eat their target plants, or helping to attract insects that are beneficial to your garden and prey on pest insects. It also reduces the chances that pests and disease organisms will build to epidemic levels, as they won't be able to hop from tasty host to tasty host, as they would if you had planted in rows. Your soil will also reap the benefits of your diverse planting techniques. A good example is planting nitrogen-gobbling corn with nitrogen-giving beans. Pairing up particular plants or planting in variety can help the soil maintain its nutrient balance, ensuring happier plants and a better crop yield. In fact, this technique even has a name - companion planting.

Companion Planting:
Much of the science of companion planting is figuring out what works for you. Many books can give you guidelines about what plants work well together. Some plants are attractants, some repellents, some can be inter-planted with your crops and flowers, and some compete too vigorously and should be planted in separate borders or hedgerows. For example, sunflowers are a good border plant, attracting lacewings and parasitic wasps; radishes are good to inter-plant because they repel the striped cucumber beetle; and marigolds are good to both use as a border and inter-plant, as they attract hover flies and repel root nematodes, Mexican bean beetles, aphids, and Colorado potato beetles. It can be confusing, and not all plants work well together. Your best bet is to start simple, determine what pests you encounter, and work from there, altering the plants in your garden bed as needed from year to year. Often, a mixture of flowers, vegetables and herbs work well together in a single bed.
For a good guide to the basics of companion planting, consult Rodale's Successful Organic Gardening: Companion Planting. Making your bed. Making your bed can be as simple as marking off 3-by-5-foot sections of garden with pathways left between them. However, to optimize the advantages of planting in garden beds, raise your beds. Raised beds provide lighter, deeper, more nutrient-rich, water absorbent soil. You can build sides on your bed with bricks, rocks, or cedar 2-by-4 or 2-by-six planks to maintain the shape instead of raking and reshaping the bed every year.
Stay away from pressure-treated wood, as it is treated with wood preservatives that are harmful to you and the environment. How do you achieve raised beds?
Double-digging raised beds.
1. Dig out the top one-foot of soil along one end of the bed. For extra benefit, add a small amount of organic matter and work it in as you loosen that subsoil.
3. Once the subsoil is loosened, move over and begin removing the topsoil from the next strip of garden bed. You can add a little more organic matter to the topsoil as you shovel.
4. Repeat step 3.
5. When you have reached the last row of your garden bed, use the reserved topsoil to cover the last area of exposed subsoil.
6. Plant!

Composting
Compost is a great fertilizer and can aid in pest prevention. Compost is created when microorganisms, earthworms and nematodes consume and breakdown organic matter into simpler compounds. An active pile requires turning every week to add oxygen and keep the decomposition rate high; a passive pile is a pile of organic matter left to decay over time - usually in one to two years. Whichever method of composting you choose, the first step is making a compost pile. You can layer the materials in a heap, set up a heavy chicken wire frame (this works well for a passive pile), build wooden or concrete-block bins, or buy a commercially made bin to hold your pile.
The ideal size for an active compost pile is 4 feet by 4 feet, though size can vary. Choose a location that is shady and well drained for your pile. Clear away any surface cover at the site, loosen the soil with a spading fork, and put down a layer of wood chips or brush as a base. You can toss in garden or kitchen wastes, grass clippings, newspaper, manure, and sawdust. Avoid adding kitchen waste that is heavy in oil and meat products. Shredded materials make better compost more quickly. Try to alternate layers of plant material (chopped leaves or straw) with nitrogen-rich materials (kitchen scraps with manure and blood meal). If your pile becomes too dry, add water with kelp extract to moisten it and stimulate biotic activity.
Turn your active pile regularly, mixing and loosening the materials with a spading fork, to prevent overheating and keep microorganisms happy and active. Ideal active compost temperature should be within 140° to 150°, or at slightly higher temperatures if you are composting diseased plant material, around 160°. Your organic compost pile will yield rich humus that will be an ideal fertilizer to your garden. It will save you the money of buying commercial, synthetic fertilizers, many of which have shown to contain toxic waste. Healthy soil makes for hardy plants. Planning your garden can be the most important thing you do this growing season. With a solid plan in place and established
goals, you can minimize your pest problems and potential frustration, and maximize your growing season, and your garden's beauty. By planting an organic garden you will also be reducing your carbon footprint via producing some of your food (requiring no transportation or storage at the grocery store or packaging) thus contributing to our culture's sustainability in general.