Home Gardening 101

Hydroponic Herb Gardening—What Is It About?

2012-06-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

Are you into gardening? Do you want to beautify your home and at the same time develop a hobby? You definitely have heard about hydroponic herb gardening or perhaps some of your friends and neighbors have been trying it out for quite a while now. Since you find such a rewarding hobby, you too become interested in it. You begin to wonder about how you can do it and what requirements there are for you to consider.

Hydroponics Defined

As defined, hydroponics is the technique of growing plants less the use of soil. Instead, an inert medium is utilized which therefore accommodates a nutrient solution that bears all of the essential elements which are essential in the normal progression of the plant.

What You will Need for Hydroponic Gardening

For your herb garden set up using the hydroponic method, you will have to prepare the following materials:
A germination tray, closed tube, or seedbed. Either artificial or natural light.
The base that may be stone, gravel, or coconut fiber. The seeds and the nutrients.
Though some gardeners prefer to make the addition of air pump oxygen into the nutrients, it doesn't actually fall as a requirement in many cases. You can start your garden as soon as you have gathered the materials.

What to do for Herb Gardening the Hydroponic Way

What are you to do so you can push through with your plans of gardening without the use of soil? Here are a couple of steps to take note of.
Think of the kind of bed that you intend to use. It is best to start out using the medium sized tray so that the roots will be sustained well.
Put in another layer of the coconut fiber that will serve as a support. Don't put any of the nutrients yet. Be sure to have some opened channels where you will place the seeds. As soon as you have them embedded therein, be sure to close the channels.
As soon as you have planted the seeds, water the tray until it is wet.
Gauge the frequency of the adding of the nutrients. Basically, you need to regulate the PH balance which will aid in the plant's proper absorption of nutrients.
Place the tray in a location where it can get enough light.

The Advantages of Hydroponic Herb Garden
Here are the following benefits that you may get out of gardening using the method of hydroponic:
It lets the roots become moisturized all the time.
It doesn't give you the problem of over-irrigation.
It lessens chances of wasting water and fertilizer.
It doesn't give you the problems with diseases as caused by pathogenic soils.
It allows more plant production despite the weather.
Furthermore, hydroponic herb gardening allows you to produce the plants though they are out of season in the greenhouses without having to worry about the use of soil, parasites, weeding, or the unpredictable weather conditions. With it, you don't need to worry much about raising the plants that you want all year round.

Hydroponic Gardening — You Too Can Try It!

2012-06-25T03:01:00.000-07:00

Who does the beautiful blooming plants always look back in their own backyard? . Sure enough, plants have a certain power over those uplifting spirit as well as improving the aesthetics of the house. Many housewives are really into this hobby because it is not only engaging but also profitable in more ways than one. So, if gardening is your thing, then you can try the so-called Hydroponic gardening! .

What is hydroponics gardening? .

The term hydroponics garden is already a full term in those days. What's great about it is that you grow plants without using soil. Instead, the plants are grown used with gravel, perlite, water, and the most common is the sand. .

The indoor hydroponic garden is often used to grow herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables. However, if you prefer this to be done, make sure that they get enough amount of light, nutrients, and of course the medium to the growing use it to

what you get from this .sort of. gardening? .

bye now, the ground than you need not rely on them or in the growth of healthy, tasty and strong vegetables. The hydroponic system no longer fight the weeding, and especially against the insects. All you have to do is to wait until they grow, how to maintain them. .

First of all involvement in this type of gardening you will save all the tedious and time consuming tasks. Forget that are appropriate and are concerned about the portable oxygen device. .

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Traditional gardening often use chemicals that help the rapid growth of the plants, but with this, you need not spend much money. One more thing, if you are the type of person who experience breathing problems when you are catching the smell of certain chemicals, then this be a good solution for you. .

The hydroponic gardens can also be done indoors, which means. That you currently have in fact to investigate this from your home to your hobby. At any time that you prefer to tend your plants, there is no reason for you to feel the restrictions because it is only in your home! .

What are the most important tips to remember this garden? .

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First, you must start with an appropriate balance of nutrients for your plants. This type of gardening allows plant roots to have provided all the nutrients directly to them. So you have to know your system well known to do a careful research. That is, to find ways in which your work will be able to grow well. .

Make sure to provide adequate lighting. It is very important that the right kind of light to be fit for the growing plants. You can choose to grow from the fluorescent lamps, halogen, high intensity discharge lamps, lights and sodium vapor high pressure lamps lights. .

have the best medium for the growth of plants. The right medium means that they save both water and nutrients to the plants benefit. .

Total Hydroponic gardening is not difficult at all. Just follow these tips and have to work an exciting hobby. .

Hydroponic Gardening: The Right Ways To Start It

2012-06-24T02:58:00.000-07:00

What is hydroponic gardening? Have you heard about it? If not, this article will enlighten you with some little but useful information and tips on how you can start one on your yard. For a start, it is a kind of gardening popular these days. Hydroponic gardening basically means that you grow plants without using any soil. If you have water, perlite, sand, and even gravel, you can start doing it.

Whatever kind of plant you want to grow is possible with hydroponic. Flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and others can be used for this gardening method. But in order for these plants to grow properly, you will need to provide them with the right amount of nutrients, sufficient light, and an exact medium where you can grow them just like what you would on plants grown on soil. If you are interested in this method of gardening, you can do the right thing by remembering the following tips.

First is by having the perfect medium where your plants will be grown. It is required to be relatively perfect because the plants must have the proper growing anchor so they can store nutrients and water that they need. This is in exception to the plants arranged with their roots in water or air. Otherwise, if other systems are used, they need a medium that can water and air. Mixing perlinte and vermiculite is one of the good options because it works to retain water as well as keeps the air near the plant's roots.

The second one is by having balanced nutrients. Hydroponic gardening is a popular method these days because the roots of the plants get to consume the nutrients immediately after they were delivered into them. Unlike when they are planted on a soil, the plants need to find the nutrients and will still need to break them down before they get the real benefits.

With hydroponic gardening, the plants get to consume the nutrients more quickly because there is no need to undergo similar process. The result of which is that the plants are allowed to grow faster and may produce even more if correctly administered with said nutrients. It is important that the proper administration of nutrients is provided for hydroponic plants to grow effectively and properly.

And the third requirement is by having enough light. Just like the soil gardening requiring sufficient light, hydroponic plants also require enough amount of light for their proper and effective growth. The lighting will depend on the kind of plants you have as well as the amount of money you are willing to spend.

Some people use fluorescent grow lights while others do away with high pressure sodium bulb lights. High intensity discharge bulb lights are also used as metal halide bulb lights are. The fluorescent grow lights are your cheapest option, but if you want a more effective lighting you can opt for the other ones, which can be more expensive but will provide ample amount of light that your plants will need.

With hydroponic gardening, anyone can grow plants as it is not that difficult to start one. By remembering the above tips, growing your own plants doesn't need to be complicated. In fact, it can be exciting and fun that even your children can do it.

Herb Gardening: The Many Good Things About It

2012-06-23T02:55:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of good things why you should have an indoor gardening. Having an herb gardening in particular can be very practical and rewarding. If you start to have one at the back of your home or at any vacant spot at the yard, you will reap the rewarding results of not having to go to the market to buy some for household consumption.

Culinary uses

Herbs have many uses for different people. The most common is its being an aroma or spice enhanced for a lot of cuisines and dishes around the world. The culinary use of herbs can be traced back to many prehistoric documents. The history even says that it was used for cooking foods back then not only for the ordinary people but more so for the heads of groups or for the royalties.

Therapeutic uses

Herbs are not only for culinary purposes. They were also popular because of the medicinal properties they have. Many people from all over the world have been using herbs to treat or cure certain human illnesses and various ailments. Hundreds and hundreds of years were seen people cultivating and growing herbs specifically for this purpose. Even up to now, herbs are used for medicinal, therapeutic purposes, and sometimes for beauty skin care.

Herbs come in many kinds. And there are those that can be grown at the comfort of your home. Some choices easily grow on a bed of garden. If you are a starter, you can have parsley, oregano, thyme, and basil. These are some of the known most versatile herbs because they are commonly and often used for cooking food and for therapeutic uses.

Where to plant them

In terms of making your own garden, you can easily make a single bed of soil and here you can grow your herbs. If your yard is bigger, you can have several beds to plant them. Just be sure to nurture them so they will grow properly. With a bed of planted herbs, it will be convenient for you whenever you want some spice for your cooking and some stuff when you want to alleviate some sores and pains.

It would be great idea, but if you don't have a wide space at your yard, or if you are living in an apartment or condominium where there is no space for gardening, there is always another option. An indoor gardening is always possible. You can start off with having some pots and planting them with the herbs of your choices. You can place the pots with the planted herbs by the windows on your kitchen and some can even be placed by the windows in your bedroom.

You can also use pots that can be used for decoration of the house without the need to redesign or renovate the place. Just be sure that they have proper drainage holes for the watering. Engaging into this activity not only provides herbs for cooking or therapeutic effects, but having your little indoor gardening can shake off your stress because they can provide air to relax you a bit after working the whole day.

Gardening Tips For Beginners

2012-06-22T02:53:00.002-07:00

You've decided to plant a garden but you need basic gardening tips for beginners, this is the place to be. Gardening has become a delightful hobby for people all over the world.

There are many rewards for the gardener, the visuals of his creation, the scent of the blooms, great fresh air and lots of exercise. Imagine a weekend spent in the yard with your feet up drinking in the spectacular gardens that you have created the fruits of your labor and love. If you are a beginner gardener, here are some basic gardening tips. No matter how much room you have, you can create a masterpiece garden.

The basic garden tips for beginners will help you create new gardens and make it a successful and joyful experience. In the beginning go slowly, start small but use your imagination. Choose a project that will not take a long time to complete. If it takes you weeks to finish a project you will get frustrated and start to hate the project you wanted to enjoy. Even if you have 75 or 100 square feet you will be amazed at how much you can plant.

If you are determined to have a larger project, then work in sections and turn your attention to one area at a time. This way as each section is finished you can enjoy that completed job. This will also build up your confidence as you go along making the next section not so daunting.

But for a beginner gardener a small scale garden is optimal. You are going to have to learn the basics of gardening, all about disease, the best way to control weeds and pests, the all important watering and when and how to fertilize. After your initial project you can enlarge the garden or plant one somewhere else in your yard with your new found confidence.

To cut down on the weeding of your garden, place mulch around the plants. This serves three purposes; it cuts down on weeding, as well as aiding in temperature control and water retention. Granted there are some gardeners that love to work the soil and weed the plants but it would be more rewarding to tending to the plants or just watching them grow. To maintain really healthy plants water for longer periods of time but less frequently. Do not let the plants dry out. Always water early in the morning so the plant leaves have time to dry out during the day which helps prevent fungal disease.

After planting, try to have your garden remain pesticide free. An especially good natural deterrent is as follows:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

These are the basic gardening tips for beginners. Remember, that you can create lovely gardens in containers which you can move around as you please. There are hundreds of different plant combinations and containers that you can use for a container garden. So, if you are an apartment or condo dweller, you can plant lovely gardens on your balcony or patio. The basic tip here is that container gardens will dry out much faster than the plants in the ground so be vigilant about checking them for moisture.

Gardening Advice For Kids

2012-06-07T04:44:00.001-07:00

Gardening іѕ nоt оnlу fоr thе adults. Children саn hаvе ѕо muсh fun аnd benefit frоm іt too. If уоu wаnt уоur children tо learn thе art оf gardening, уоu hаvе tо bе а good еxаmрlе tо them. If уоu аrе а good gardener yourself, tаkіng fun аnd responsibility аt whаt іt takes fоr thіѕ activity, іt wоuld nоt bе difficult fоr уоur children tо follow. Gardening іѕ а hobby thаt саn provide lots оf benefits bоth tо уоu аnd уоur children.

What аrе thе benefits thаt уоur children саn reap bу engaging thеm іntо thіѕ rewarding hobby? Of course, thе fіrѕt оnе іѕ thе sense оf accomplishment thеу gеt whеnеvеr thеу ѕее thе fruit оf thеіr labor. Sееіng thе fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, аnd beautiful flowers wіll boost thеіr confidence bесаuѕе оf thе accomplishment.

But bеуоnd thіѕ accomplishment аrе thе values thаt уоu instill іn them. It іѕ nоt оnlу thе sense оf accomplishment but thе responsibility thеу learn tо deal wіth аnd thе rewards аftеr thеіr actions. Thеѕе аrе valuable benefits thаt уоur children саn uѕе аѕ thеу grow uр аnd hаvе tо mаkе social interactions.

When іt соmеѕ tо gardening, уоu wіll decide whаt method іѕ bеѕt fоr them. Yоu саn choose whеthеr іt wіll bе soil gardening оr hydroponics. It doesn't matter whаt іt іѕ ѕіnсе bоth саn give thеm fun аnd exciting time аѕ wеll аѕ productive labor аnd fruits. Eасh method hаѕ іtѕ оwn advantages аnd disadvantages ѕо уоu mіght wаnt tо research fіrѕt whісh оnе wоuld bе mоѕt beneficial tо уоu аnd tо уоur children.

Having thе rіght tools аnd supplies wіll give уоu bоth аn easy start wіth thіѕ project. Whеthеr іt іѕ gоіng tо bе аn indoor оr outdoor gardening, уоu muѕt give thе children thе freedom tо choose thеіr оwn tools аnd equipments, wіth уоur guidance оf course.

These thіngѕ соmе іn kiddie sizes too, ѕо thіnk оf hоw muсh іt іѕ gоіng tо bе fоr thеm аѕ thеу gеt tо hаvе thеіr оwn tools. Also, аllоw thеm tо pick thе type оf plants thеу wаnt tо grow. Aѕ muсh аѕ possible, lеt thеm pick fіrѕt thе оnеѕ thаt grow easily ѕо teach thеm оf whаt уоu knоw аbоut plants.

At first, іt іѕ expected thаt уоu wіll hаvе tо dо thе major gardening work. Thеу аrе learning ѕо give thеm thе bеѕt teaching thаt уоu соuld bу setting а vеrу good еxаmрlе іn thе fіrѕt fеw days. Children learn іn dіffеrеnt ways. Thеrе аrе thоѕе whо аrе bеѕt іn visual learning whіlе оthеrѕ dо wеll іn sensory learning. Whаtеvеr іt is, show thеm thе thіngѕ thаt nееd tо bе dоnе оr lеt thеm feel thе essence оf thе plants, soil, аnd thе elements оf gardening.

As thеу tаkе care оf thеіr plants, аlwауѕ lеt thеm knоw thаt уоu аrе thеrе tо guide thеm ѕhоuld аnуthіng wrong happen оr іf thеу hаvе questions rеgаrdіng gardening activities. It doesn't matter іf уоur children gеt tо hаvе thе wackiest plant choices оr thе mоѕt mismatched ones, fоr аѕ long аѕ thеу аrе enjoying аnd hаvіng а sense оf pride іn thіѕ activity, уоu knоw thаt thе hobby іѕ giving thеm benefits аnd valuable lessons.

8 Gardening Blunders And The Ways To Fix Them

2012-06-07T04:39:00.003-07:00

We often see fashion blunders on TV. We may even hear ourselves giving opinions about them. But do you actually realize that blunders can even happen right in your front yard? Whether you think that your garden looks good or not, it really doesn’t matter. If everything doesn’t work, your whole garden will not work. We enumerate top gardening blunders and the ways to fix them:

1. Grass is not greener. This ranks number 1. Why? Most gardens have lawn, but one may be slightly greener than the other. If your lawn looks more than the soil underneath, it is time to reassess your watering, fertilizing and mowing schedule. Think where you have gone wrong and make the necessary adjustments on the areas mentioned. If nothing happens, replacing your entire lawn is a better alternative. Consider other ground covers such as periwinkle and thyme. Ask your local nursery for a possible option.

2. Tools and clutter are everywhere. They may be useful objects, but if they are stacked in your garage because you think they are not worth the storage, they don’t just look like junk, they are junk. Go over them one by one and determine whether you want to keep them or not. Your criteria when deciding if they deserve the trip to dump or not is simple: Ask yourself, do you specific plans for them?

3. Your home and garden can be seen from the road. There are several short- and long-term solutions to create some privacy. One quick-fix solution is to build a concrete wall that would separate your garden from the side walk. For a longer, much appealing look, planting fast-growing shrubs is a good idea.

4. Weeds invasion. Weeds problem can be solved by keeping your lawn regularly maintained. Check for weeds as often as you can. Dig the weeds out by hand and keep the weed from re-growing by seeding the empty areas of your lawn.

5. Limited space. If your problem is space, then here’s one idea that can definitely help you maximize every square inch of your garden: think vertical. Create a sense of lush greenery by using wall space, arbors and trellises to allow plants to climb upwards.

6. Where’s your home? If shrubs have swallowed your home, then a hedge clipper comes in handy. Cut everything that is blocking your way. Seriously, you want a garden, not a house in the middle of the forest.

7. Dry spell in winter. Most garden plants do not survive the winter temperature. Hence they die. When planning for a

8. Fences are falling apart. Fences are not just to separate your property from your neighbor’s. They also add to the overall look of your garden. Make sure that you maintain the looks of your fences like the way you keep your plants.

Planning a Shade Garden

2012-05-24T18:35:00.001-07:00

Sun-loving gardens produce some of summer's flashiest blooms. But even if you're not blessed with a sun-drenched yard, you can still put your green thumb to good use by growing and maintaining a stunning shade garden. My mother has a small shade garden nestled near a tree-covered section of her yard, and it's one the most tranquil parts of the landscape; perfect for cozying up with a book on a warm summer day.

Think a shade garden would be a fitting addition to your landscape? Though you're better off waiting until fall when the temperature cools, it's a good idea to plan now. Keep these considerations in mind as you plan.

Types of shade.

Not all shade is equal, according to a handy guide from the University of Illinois Extension. Dappled shade means patches of sunlight hit plants through the leaves in surrounding trees. Plants in medium shade zones receive approximately 4-6 hours of sunlight daily. Dense shade is deep, and any plants planted in this area receive zero direct sunlight (which is why very few plants thrive in this kind of shade). Moral of the story? Before bringing plants or seeds home, check their growing requirements to see what type of shade they require.
Do a site analysis.

If you're planting your garden in a spot surrounded by large, mature trees, search for a section of dirt that's root-free. This way, you'll avoid damaging the trees, and your trees and shade plants can more peacefully coexist without competing for moisture and nutrients.

Prep your soil.

It's a good idea to perform a soil test to see what kind of soil you're working with. In general, shady areas have less air circulation than sunny gardens. And if you're dealing with a lot of tree roots, the soil may be heavily compacted. Encourage good air circulation by amending the soil with organic material. And conserve precious moisture with mulch.

Pick the best plants.

Remember how I mentioned that sunny gardens produced showy blooms? Even though shade plants aren't as colorful or flashy as sun-loving varieties, you can still score some pretty sweet color. Classic foxglove comes in charming hues such as purple, pink, white, and yellow. Low-growing coral bells feature leaves in colors ranging from purple-metallic to lime green. And my personal favorite, hydrangeas, feature large clusters of blooms in pink, white, blue, and more.

Vegetable Garden Design - Variety of Choices Available

2012-05-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

Vegetable garden design varies with your imagination and choice. It is all about what you desire and want the design or look of the garden to be. It might be circular, wide, long depending on you as the control system to select is in your hands. The design also varies with the type of crops you are planning to grow.

Some crops like tendril ones require more space as it spreads out in the entire area. Regular square gardens are the most common ones. Your availability of space can help you in selecting the best vegetable garden design. You can put them anyway you like but just make sure that you don't waste space and leave land bare.

Planting plants in rows is also in fashion these days. It is attractive and easy to manage too. Curve planting is also under use. The type of your yard will decide as to what is suitable for vegetable garden design. If it's rectangle in shape then everything should fit in it properly thus your choice should meet the plants requirement.

Be careful that there is enough space for each plant to take in nutrient and grow. Your vegetable garden design should be such that there is space between each plant. Weeding should be carried out at regular intervals so that the plants are nourished well. When it comes to planning you need not be too decorative.

A simple but well organized vegetable garden design is the best to be done with. Plan before starting the work and do your homework well in advance. Ensure proper water, sunlight is present and manures are also there. Managing spaces well is the most important thing to be kept in mind while designing them. As long as you provide them with care they will turn out to be the best ones.

4 Harmful Insects You Must Get to Know to Protect Your Home Vegetable Garden

2012-05-24T00:51:00.002-07:00

Not all insects are good, in fact most are bad. They will eat your vegetables, destroy the stems, tear up the leaves and even worse, bore themselves into the plants you are trying to grow.

You can arm yourself to protect your garden if you can identify them and come up with a remedy before the harmful insect problem turns into a complete infestation. Here are four common harmful insects that you will encounter in most home vegetable gardens.

Aphids
These bugs are the most common and with good reason. They eat everything! Nothing is immune from an aphid. They come in a wide range of colors and sizes but are in large part all shaped the same, sort of pear-like. Aphids will form their population on one plant and when that population increases in size to the point where the plant is overwhelmed with them, some of the aphids will form wings and fly off to the next plant where the process starts over. As you can see if you do not take the necessary steps early enough, you could have an infestation. Use yellow sticky traps and neem oil for immediate solutions, but if you want a long term solution start attracting ladybugs. They eat aphids!

Corn Earwoms
They will affect mostly your corn and tomato crops as well as a few other vegetables, but they can do a tremendous amount of damage. They are about an inch long and are usually green to brown in color with dark stripes. They feed on stems, leaves and the fruit of your plants. They don't spread as fast as aphids, but can do equal damage. Immediate solutions include a Btb spray, and for long term get some Trichogramma wasps in your garden as soon as possible.

Cucumber Beetles
Cucumbers, melons and squash are three of the many plants that these pesky critters will go after if you do not take care of them early enough. They are only about a ¼" in size, but they can wreak a tremendous amount of havoc on your home vegetable garden. They have yellow wings with black spots or stripes and their larvae are whitish grubs. An immediate solution is to spray with neem oil soap, however, if you want to get rid of them, you need to start by destroying the larvae in the ground. Milky spores and beneficial nematodes will do the trick. Visit your local garden center or co-op for more information.

White Flies
Tomatoes and cucumbers are the two most popular items that people grow in the home vegetable garden and therefore white flies are well known to many. They love to feed on these two plants, among others, so if you aren't careful, you will become a victim to them. They are very tiny and as their name implies, they are white in color. Using yellow sticky traps will help immediately as will a garlic spray, insecticidal soap and neem oil. For long term prevention, attract ladybugs and lacewings to your garden. They will feed on the white fly.

To better protect your fruits and vegetables in your garden from harmful insects, it is best to know what they are so you can plan out your attack and prevention. These are just 4 of the many you will encounter. Take the necessary steps to start protecting your harvest today.

Build the Perfect Garden - 3 Basic Garden Layouts

2012-05-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

While traditional vegetable garden plots may still be used in many rural areas, most people require layouts that offer less maintenance and space. There are many options available, however, that cater to this need.

Hillside Gardens

Vegetable gardens needn't always be flat. You can also create vegetable garden layouts along hillsides using raised beds or terraces. The garden's irrigation and bed design, of course, will be dependent on the slope. However, for best results, implement the beds in a way that allows vegetables to be planted across the slope. For even greater success with hillside vegetable gardens, locate them on a south or southeastern facing slope.

Raised Beds

The use of small, raised beds (no more than 3 to 4 feet wide) not only saves on space but also allows easy maneuvering when performing garden tasks. With raised beds, you can create as many or as few as you want. You can even add pathways in between for easier access to all sides. These can be covered with mulch or gravel to help keep out weeds as well as to improve the garden's overall appearance. When designing the beds, consider placing taller vegetables in the back (for 3-sided beds) or in the center for those with all-around access. Gradually work your way down in size. Eliminate the need for staking plants by growing certain types together, such as beans and corn. This allows the beans to grow up the corn stalks rather than fooling with stakes. You could also add trellises for vining or climbing crops. The use of raised beds in vegetable gardens greatly improves its success. The soil can be easily worked and is looser, accommodating large roots systems. Growing crops closer together also provides plants with more moisture and less room for weed growth, resulting in healthier, more vigorous growing plants.

Containers and Vertical Gardens

Nearly any vegetable can be successfully grown in containers, making them one of the easiest vegetable garden layouts available. Containers of all sorts can be used as long as suitable drainage is provided. These can also be arranged in numerous ways and moved around as needed. Set them in garden beds, place them on tiers and shelves, or hang them in baskets nearly anywhere. You can even add a small trellis to your container for climbing crops. Alternatively, you can try your hand at growing vegetables upside down in containers or large buckets. This also eliminates many grueling garden tasks while creating a lovely, space-saving vegetable garden. Hanging vegetables, or growing them vertically, allows more freedom in both design and maintenance. Keep in mind that most vegetable plants are heavy water drinkers and must be watered more frequently when grown in containers. Growing vegetables in containers is a great way for urban gardeners to make the most of their space while still enjoying a nice harvest.

Don't let the thought of those large traditional vegetable garden layouts prevent you from having the vegetable garden you want. There are many different ways to grow vegetables--easily and with much less space.

Growing Organic Zucchini

2012-05-16T23:41:00.001-07:00

Zucchini is a "summer squash" and therefore doesn't store long term like winter squash such as butternut or acorn squash.

When you're growing zucchini, you need lots of bees. Bees pollinate your zucchini. Some of our friends got only a few zucchinis last year because they had too few bees in their area.

In the U.S, we use the Italian name for Zucchini. In Italian it means "plant."

Much of the English-speaking world uses the French name for zucchini - courgette. Growing zucchini in the UK, S. Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, and Greece is equivalent to growing courgette.

When to Plant Zucchini

Growing zucchini is relatively simple compared to some garden plants.

Zucchini requires approximately 40 to 60 days to begin producing mature fruit.

Here in the inland Pacific Northwest, we usually plant zucchini about mid-May, just after the last frost.

If you live in the Southern U.S., you can plant zucchini as early as February or March, depending on your altitude and climate.

While we get all the zucchini we need from a dozen plants, some have recommended starting new zucchini plants every couple of weeks for the first 6 to 8 weeks of spring to keep new plants coming into bear during the summer as younger plants produce more zucchini faster.

When doing successive plantings, allow at least 70 days space in front of your last frost date to plant the last planting of zucchini.

If you live in Northern areas like we do, you can get a head start with your zucchini by starting them indoors.

Best planting location for zucchini

In order to get the most zucchini, give it lots of sunlight; 8 hours a day or more is best in Northern climates, and at least 6 hours daily in Southern climates. Zucchini likes well-drained garden soil heavy amounts of compost and/or composted manure mixed in. As mentioned above, zucchini prefers warm to hot weather. We had an OK crop last year, but because we had a cool summer, our crops were down from hotter summers.

Zucchini's favorite soils

Zucchini does best in slightly acidic soils with a pH level around 6.0 to 6.5, but will still grow decently as high as 8.0. Compost and/or composted manure provides the needed N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) requirements for Zucchini. If you need to supplement your soil's nitrogen levels, you can also add blood meal. If you need to supplement your soils phosphorus levels, you can add bone meal. You can also add wood ash to your soil if it needs potassium.

In the past, gardeners dumped about a bushel (40lbs) of manure in a hole beneath where zucchini was to be planted. It is more difficult for most gardeners to access that quantity of manure now, but if you blend a few pounds of composted manure or compost where your plants will be, it should be sufficient.

Compost and composted manure also provide trace elements to your garden as well; Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Sulfur, Boron, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Iodine, Tin, and Molybdenum.

You can purchase an N-P-K tester and a pH tester at your local garden supply if you're not sure what your soil needs and your plants aren't performing well.

In the fall, rototill or spade your garden leaves and debris into the soil. This allows it to decompose through the winter and prevents pests from having shelter through the winter.

Choosing the best Seed Varieties

Zucchini will grow in most climate areas, so finding a good variety is not difficult. While zucchini is susceptible to powdery mildew, we've not had problems with it as we don't crowd our plants and we water them early in the day. Powdery mildew resistant varieties are also being developed, so you can probably purchase those seeds this year.

Germinating zucchini seeds

Zucchini requires soil temps over 60° and under 105°F to germinate properly. They will simply not grow at colder soil temperatures. The optimum germination temps are in the range of 85° to 95°F. Your seedlings should pop up within 5 or 6 days at this temperature. When you're growing your seeds, make sure the soil is moist but not saturated or you'll risk fungal diseases. If you're in a Northern climate, you can use black plastic "mulch" to warm your soil up; this will help your seeds germinate more quickly.

Starting zucchini plants Indoors

When starting zucchini plants indoors, use a good sterile potting soil from your local garden store.

If you use garden soil, because your home or greenhouse is warm, the warmth helps bacteria in your soil to grow and may harm your seedlings.

You have several choices for potting your plants. We recommend soil blocks first, then peat pots, then plastic pots or trays. Our biggest issue with peat pots is that they don't decompose as quickly as we think they should and we're not sure that's good for the roots.

Plant your zucchini seeds 3 or 4 weeks prior to transplanting the seedlings to your garden.

Plant 2 seeds per soil block, pot, or tray cell about 1 inch deep.

When your seedlings are a couple inches tall, snip the weaker seedling off at the soil level with scissors.

Transplanting zucchini

You may be able to transplant a little earlier to your garden if you lay down black plastic mulch to warm the soil. If you do this, you may need to use row covers to keep them from freezing.

Your plants should have at least 4 "true leaves" when you transplant them. You need to "harden off" your plants before transplanting. This is a simple process that entails moving your plants outdoors for longer periods of time for a week or two and reducing their water.

The best time to transplant zucchini is on a cloudy day or early in the morning. Once you've transplanted them, water them to make sure they've got enough moisture.

Use a garden trowel to dig a hole large enough to fit your zucchini and its soil, soil block, or peat pot into. Pack soil lightly around your plant, keeping the same soil level around the plant.

Your plants should be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart (we do 2), and the rows 4 to 5 feet apart (we usually have just one row, so we allow 3 feet on either side).

Planting Seeds Directly to Your Garden

We don't generally plant zucchini indoors because it doesn't typically end up ahead for some reason, but this year we may try using black plastic mulch to get a head start. You can plant seeds before the last frost if you've warmed the soil with black plastic and use row covers. We'll let you know how it works for us. Using a soil thermometer, check your soil temp; if it's around 70°F you can plant 2 or 3 seeds together at about a 1 to 2 inches deep, 24 to 36 inches apart in rows 4 or 5 feet separated. Once your plants are a couple inches tall with 4 or more true leaves, thin them down to just one seed per hill; choose the strongest plant.

Growing Zucchini Successfully until harvest-time

As mentioned previously, black plastic mulch and row covers are effective for giving your growing zucchini an early boost in the spring. Black plastic helps keep the weeds under control and keeps the soil moisturized. Keep your plants well-watered, but don't drown them! I mentioned that some of our friends didn't get many zucchini last year because they had too few bees last year to pollinate their zucchini.

If they'd known about hand-pollinating, they could've had plenty of zucchini. Just use a small brush such as a paint brush, and brush it first across a male flowers and then across a female flower to pollinate your zucchini. You'll get all the zucchini you want and probably more, at least if the weather's not too cold.

Another idea some have used is to put an ad on Craigslist inviting bee farmers to place some hives on your property. We actually had a beekeeper contact us last year to do this, but we didn't have good access to our property, so he went elsewhere, but we had plenty of pollinators anyway.

If you don't have a beekeeper contact you (which is more likely), plant flowers that bees like near your garden. Foxgloves, Echinacea, and Petunias are just a few flowers that bees love.

Pruning your zucchini once the main stem gets to around 36" in length helps your plant to concentrate on producing flowers and fruit instead of leaves.

Encouraging secondary rooting by burying the vine later in the season provides a boost to your plants.

Mulching & Weeding

As I've mentioned a few times already, using black plastic as a mulch works great both for warming your soil and keeping the weeds down.

After the soil temps have reached around 75°F, organic mulches, such as a few inches of grass clippings or straw will add nutrients to your garden soil and foil bad weeds, plus retain soil moisture.

Don't pile mulch on the growing zucchini plants themselves or the will suppress these plants also. As zucchini roots tend to be shallow, hand weed (carefully) any weeds that are close to your plants. Zucchini plants will quite naturally stifle most weeds once the plants are mature.

Water That Zucchini!!!

Depending on your soil, how hot the summer is, and whether you've mulched or not, most zucchini require one good weekly watering of about an inch of water, or more. Sandy soil needs watered with less water but more frequently with less water; water drains out of the your soil faster if it's sandy. During the summer, don't overwater as it may cause your zucchini to rot. It's a bit of a balance, but don't underwater either as zucchini requires plenty of moisture to produce good fruit as well.

Don't water your zucchini in the afternoon (isn't that a song?) unless you're lucky enough to afford drip irrigation as it may encourage mildews or bacterial wilt.

Zucchini's Companion's and rotation

Zucchini loves a flower called borage as it chases of the tomato hornworm, plus it attracts bees. Some say it also improves your zucchini's flavor and makes it grow better - I haven't found any scientific evidence for that one, but it sounds good on paper.

Marigolds and nasturtiums are good at repelling beetles and squash bugs and also attract bees to your zucchini patch.

Peas, beans, and other legumes benefit zucchini because of their nitrogen-fixing qualities.

Radishes are said to fend off cucumber beetles; plant them with cucurbit family members such as watermelon, squash, and cucumbers.

Potatoes apparently slow down the growth of squash, although I have to say I didn't see this last year when they were planted close together.

While zucchini and other cucurbit family members can be planted next to each other, it's best to rotate them to other areas of your garden to discourage the various diseases that afflict family members.

Harvesting Zucchini

Zucchini matures rapidly in warm weather and have a propensity to become, as we call them, "footballs." This just means they get too large to eat - the centers become seedy and the outside becomes pithy.

Harvest zucchini when they are under 2 inches in diameter and around 6 to 12 inches long. Oversized zucchini can be composted; however, it's better not to permit squash to get too big as they'll drain the strength from your plants for awhile and delay new fruit development.

Check your plants every couple of days (or daily) during the warmer part of the season as they usually produce lots of zucchini during the summer heat. To harvest your zucchini, use a sharp paring knife to cut them from the plants; if you don't have a knife on you, you can use a sharp twist and pull to harvest them. Some cooks deep fry zucchini flowers in batter or eat them in salads. I've not tried either, but maybe someday I will.

Storing zucchini

Zucchini doesn't store in the winter; and they don't store well in the summer either. They are so prolific, though, that you can usually depend on frequent fresh pickings to assuage your cravings.

Lay your zucchini loosely in your vegetable drawer of your refrigerator at no higher than 45°F for up to 5 days (in our experience). If you don't eat them, compost them.

Canning zucchini or other summer squash isn't a good idea; it'll turn to mush. However, we'll slice up excess zucchini, blanch it for 60 to 90 seconds in boiling water, and freeze it in zip lock-type plastic bags. It's grand in the winter to add home-grown organic zucchini to soups or casseroles.

Preventative and Natural Solutions to garden Pests

My most unfavorite subject is garden pests. After I've worked hard and dreamed of tasty organic zucchini, the last thing I want is some nasty little insects and their larvae enjoying my food while I go hungry (although that might not always be a bad thing - maybe I could lose those extra pounds). Fortunately, there are some effective organic solutions to controlling many pests.

The most evil zucchini pest is the cucumber beetle, which comes in striped or spotted varieties. These beetles will eat both the leaves and fruit of any cucurbit family member, including summer and winter squashes, melons, and cucumbers. They also spread bacterial wilt just in case eating your plants isn't quite enough.

We're opposed to the use of chemical pesticides for many reasons, some of which are that these pests begin to become resistant to pesticides; also pesticides take out both good and bad bugs. Row covers are the best natural defense against these voracious beetles.

Infestations can be dealt with using an organic permethrin (comes in both organic and inorganic), but again, if you don't have to resort to any insecticides your garden will be better off.

Another malicious pest is the squash vine borers. They normally emerge about the time the vines begin to extend out across your garden. Squash vine borers are about an inch long, plump, and white with a brown head. They are the larvae of a little moth with dark obverse wings and light back wings and a red abdomen. The moths lay eggs in the late spring or early summer near the bottom of your squash vines. The borers materialize about a week afterward and drill a hole in your vine to get inside them. You'll see a small hole and green excretions below the hole. And you'll see the vine expire rather abruptly.

To thwart squash vine borers from decimating your crops, first, keep your eyes and ears open for the moths (they have a hum when they flutter that's atypical of moths).

You can also employ yellow-colored bowls full of water to ensnare these moths; they're attracted to the color, and will fly into the bowls and sink.

At this time, it's a good plan to use row covers for a couple weeks until the moths vanish again. make certain you cover up the edges of the row covers with soil to shut out the moths.

If your plants commence flowering at this point in time, you can hand pollinate your squash if needed. Don't use insecticides as they can also destroy valuable insects that pollinate your crops.

If you notice that a borer has created a hole previous to the plant wilting and dying, you can at times cautiously cut a hole in the vine and take out the borer. Cover the vine and the hole with dirt as it frequently will send roots into the soil from the cut area.

If you discover a vine that's been killed by a borer, cut back the vine and destroy it.

Another rapacious nuisance is the squash bug. Early in the season, this bug eats mostly foliage and can be destructive to seedlings if not controlled. Distinct from cucumber beetles which decline in destructive activity from beginning to end of the gardening time of year, squash bugs get more copious and detrimental as the summer progresses and start to eat the fruit as it ripens.

Squash bugs are brown to black and more than a half inch long typically.

If crushed, squash bugs have a nasty aroma. When I was a youngster we called them "stink bugs" although there may be a different bug that actually bears that name more rightfully.

In the spring, fully-developed squash bugs lay orderly clusters of eggs on the underside of your zucchini's foliage. The nymphs stay beneath the leaves throughout this time which can last for several weeks.

Vigorous plants seem to have good resistance against these vermin.

Row covers early in the season help manage these pests as well.

If your garden isn't vast in size, you can look at the undersides of your leaves and squash any eggs you find and hand pick adults and nymphs and drop them into a pail of soapy water to drown them.

One way to entrap bugs is to lay out boards or newspaper in your garden. Pick up the boards or newspapers in the morning; these bugs will gather together under these objects and are much easier to seize than when they're on your plants.

Rototill under all cucurbit relatives in the autumn to diminish areas near your garden where they can overwinter.

Aphids are also widespread pests that can be found on the undersides of your squash leaves. You'll know they're there if you see the foliage turning yellow and crinkling or curling. Aphids suck the sap from your plant leaves and leave a sticky material behind. The lone beneficiary of this process are the ants, who gather the sticky syrupy stuff. The best answer to the aphid problem is to bring in ladybugs to your garden. They feed on aphids and are very successful in eradicating these green, gray, or brown bugs.

An additional solution is to "wash" them off with a hose and high-pressure squirt nozzle or an organic insecticidal soap.

Environmental factors

Zucchini seedlings may be affected by a set of fungi that cause "damping off."

Damping off fungi will assault the seeds, seedlings or very young plants and cause a kind of rot that contaminates the roots or bottom of the plant causing abrupt growth and collapse in typically (in our experience) less than a day.

If you're planting in trays, use germ-free potting soil, disinfected trays, and stay away from using your garden's soil. You can make germ-free potting soil by getting it very wet and placing it in a metal container in an oven at about around 200°F and heating the soil to around 160°F for about 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the temperature, and turn the oven down a bit if the temperature exceeds 165°F.

Cool the soil to at least 90°F before planting your seeds in it. Also be aware that too much wetness is frequently part of the cause of seedlings damping off.

Water your plants with lukewarm water as cool temps are likely to promote damping off fungi.

Powdery mildew is one more mildew that can have an effect on your zucchini plants, but appears totally different. It's whitish and powdery and grows on squash leaves and stems. It is also caused by too much moisture, but heat and moisture rather than cool weather and rain.

If the leaves are contaminated, they'll frequently die. If the contamination is severe, it can kill the entire plant.

If you are able to, steer clear of overhead watering. If not, water early on in the morning so the plants can dry off by midday or so.

If you keep pestiferous bugs under control and mist your vines and leaves with a compost tea or a baking soda solution, you probably won't have an problem with this disease.

Other solutions consist of organic sulphur sprays or a weak solution of milk and water (9:1).

If you spot any of this mildew, annihilate your vines at the end of the season and rotate your zucchini to a fresh area next gardening season. You can also obtain seed varieties that are resistant to fungi such as downy and powdery mildews. Bacterial Wilt is a malady that's spread by contaminated cucumber beetles.

As these beetles feed on leaves, the wounds which have the bacteria start to generate other areas of dull green patches.

Bacterial wilt can spread swiftly to the whole plant within a couple of weeks.

Controlling cucumber beetles is the best protection against bacterial wilt. Row covers are an effective prevention if sealed around the edges with dirt.

If a plant is infected, pull it up and dispose of it right away; if it's entangled with an uninfected plant, kill the infected plant and let it die and dry.

Rotate your crop out of the vicinity next season. Rototill all squash, melon, and cucumbers under in the fall to diminish cucumber beetle overwintering areas.

Finding The Best Plants For Your Garden

2012-05-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

Mаnу times wе buy plants оn impulse then find there іѕ nоwhеrе іn thе garden that rеаllу suits thеm.
Bеfоrе buying plants carefully examine уоur garden to ѕее hоw muсh sun аnd shade іt gеtѕ, whеthеr thе soil іs well drained оr waterlogged аnd whеthеr уоur garden area іѕ sheltered or windswept.Yоu’ll thеn be equipped to select the bеѕt plants for your enviornment; shade-loving plants fоr thе sheltered аreаs, sun-lovers for the warm spots, drought-resistant plants fоr thе parched arеаѕ whіch maу bе either sunny оr shaded, and swamp plants fоr thе poorly-drained parts.

But wait! Test уоur soil firѕt, to determine thе pH level оf your soil аnd whаt kind of nutrients уоu neеd to add, if аnу.

Is the soil acid or alkaline?

Most plants prefer soil thаt іs slightly acidic, but thеrе аre ѕomе plants thаt muѕt hаvе alkaline soil to nurture and grow. You саn alter thе soil’s pH level, but it’s muсh easier to simply plant fоr the soil уou hаvе.
Nоw yоu arе ready to plant. Wеll – аlmost. Will you plant іn groups оr singly? If you buy only onе of each plant уour garden maу seеm rather spotty.

Group plantings аre typically more organized, harmonious аnd уou саn vary thе color fоr interest.
Bеfоrе planting, place уour chosen plants around thе garden bed іn thеir pots tо sее how thеy will loоk. Rе-arrange them untіl уоu аrе satisfied. For some reason I really can’t explain, grouping plants іn sets of threes оr fives usuаllу produces a better look thаn planting іn groups of еven numbers.

Be ѕurе thаt уоu hаve an interesting combination of colors аnd textures оf plants. Tall plants should gо tо the back, оr the centre if yоur garden will bе viewed equally frоm аll sides.

Here’s another helpful hint… if possible, trу to kеер уоur plants аwау frоm trees. Thе roots оf trees arе fiercely competitive and wіll do their best to steal all the nutrients аnd moisture meant for yоur flowers.
Choosing the rіght color scheme іs another waу to maintain harmony іn уоur garden. Think about the color оf thе flowers when theу аre іn bloom. Somе colors may clash wіth оthеrѕ, but they саn still bе planted side-bу-side іf thеу hаvе а different blooming season.

Foliage color іs аlso important. Mаnу flower plants hаvе silver, grey оr purplish foliage thаt iѕ juѕt aѕ attractive аѕ thе flower. Thіs means thеу continue to add a compelling feature wеll past the blooming season and add continuing value to your garden.

Learn Everything You Need To Know About Keeping Your Garden Clean

2012-05-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Every gardener knows that keeping the garden clean is an important disease-fighting technique. Gardeners who practice good garden sanitation not only have fewer problems with diseases, they'll also cut down on pest and weed problems as well. And while keeping a garden clean is a great deal easier than keeping a house clean, it does require some of the same attention to detail.

Do an annual cleanup. Inside the house, it's traditional for the major cleaning effort to come in the spring. Out in the vegetable garden, you should plan to concentrate your cleanup efforts in the fall. At the end of the growing season, routinely remove and compost all plant stalks. Lift plastic mulches and either dispose of them or save them for the following year. Even if you don't plan to use them for plants in the same family next season, form the habit of dipping plastic mulches in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) and letting them air-dry before rolling and storing.

In the orchard, the time for the annual cleanup is late fall to early winter. You'll want to make an end-of-season inspection tour and pick up all fallen fruit, which may harbor diseases over the winter. Also, shake down any stray fruit and rake up fallen leaves for composting. Check your trees for damaged or dead limbs and prune them out.

In the flower garden, rake mulch back from plant crowns in fall so they won't be exposed to the cold, damp conditions that promote crown rot. If you've had previous problems with diseases, it's a good idea to remove the mulch completely. Once the ground has frozen for winter, you can add new mulch to protect plants from frost heaving, but be sure to keep it away from the crowns of the plants. You may want to wait until late winter to cut back annuals, perennials, and ornamental grasses, because they can add ornamental interest throughout the winter.

Don't leave diseased plant foliage in the garden. Remove and destroy it in fall. Be sure to cut back healthy ornamental foliage well before growth starts in spring. Sterilize stakes and other supports by dipping them into the bleach solution as well. Give all tools a final cleaning by rinsing them in the bleach solution. After they're dry, wipe the metal parts with a cloth soaked in machinery oil to protect them from rusting over the winter.

Keep in mind that soil on shoes, tools, clothes, and hands can carry disease organisms from plant to plant or area to area. For this reason, it's a good idea to wait until the end of your gardening day to work in diseased portions of the garden. This way, you won't inadvertently carry pathogens from one place to another.

Change clothes before moving from a diseased plant or area to a healthy one, and sterilize your tools in a 10% bleach solution after working on diseased plants, or you could end up transmitting diseases from one part of the garden to another. Cleaning your shoes can be tricky, but there are ways to manage. Rubber soles and tops or even rubber soles with quick-drying canvas tops are the easiest to sterilize.

Looking For Information About Perennials?

2012-05-11T02:04:00.001-07:00

Perennial plants grow on, year after year, as compared to annuals, which bloom and die in a single season, and biennials, which complete their life cycle in two seasons. Woody plants are perennial; but when gardeners say "perennial" in reference to flowering plants, usually those that die to the ground each year, that brighten our beds and borders from spring until fall.

A perennial plant that freezes back each fall is called a herbaceous perennial. Examples are garden peonies, balloon-flowers and Japanese anemones. Not all herbaceous perennials stay green until frost; some die back soon after flowering, as Oriental poppies and Virginia bluebells. Other nonwoody perennials may be evergreen, at least in certain climates; the hellebores, Shasta daisies, certain day-lilies and statice often maintain at least a rosette of green foliage through most of the winter.

Begonias, pelargoniums (garden geraniums), shrimp plant and several other "annual" bedding plants are quite perennial, perhaps even semi-woody, in their tropical, native habitats. Snapdragons and petunias frequently go on for two or more years in the Pacific Northwest.

We have to think of perennial plants in two ways: how they behave in our gardens and how they behave in the place where they grow natively. Perennials are the backbone of the garden. In a rock garden, almost every plant is a perennial. Most of the flowers in the wild garden are perennial. Our lilies, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, crocuses and similar dependable bulbs, corms and tubers, are, of course, perennials. So are the more tender sorts, as dahlias, gladiolus, acidanthera, cannas and crocosmia; obviously, these go on year after year. But they cannot stand frost. It is hard to think of a home garden without perennial flowers. Perennials mean home gardening.

A careful selection of perennials provides flowers month after month. Very early in the spring the low-growing perennials begin to bloom. Hellebores often bloom in the snow; in the rock garden arabis species, the earliest dianthuses, some primroses and candytufts come out in March or early April. At the same time, marsh-marigold and skunk-cabbage blossom in the bog garden and a few miniature irises bloom in the border. In most climates the greatest showing of perennials comes through May, June and July. Autumn is climaxed by displays of chrysanthemums, Michaelmas daisies, the artemisias and Japanese anemones.

When working up a landscape plan, contrive various habitats. The perennial border gets full sun and requires a well-drained site. Two or three closely planted shade trees, closed in toward the east, south and west by low-growing, trees such as dogwood, redbud or black-haw, provide a site for the woodland and woods wild-flower garden.

If you are lucky enough to have a low place where the ground is soggy throughout the year, you may make a bog garden, with or without a pond for aquatic perennials. A rock garden is a wonderful thing provided you have the time to maintain it; quite a few rock-garden perennials thrive in a properly laid-up dry wall and the maintenance is very light. By all means, contrive growing sites for perennials.

Perennial plants have strong root systems. Going on, year after year, the roots of perennials grow outward toward moisture and nutrients. Some perennial plants develop at the ground line a mass of stem-root tissue, more or less well defined, called a crown. Delphinium crowns, for example, are somewhat woody, producing thick, very tender shoots above and rather weak but longish roots below. Summer phlox and hardy aster crowns become extremely woody with age; so woody, in fact, that movement of water and minerals from roots to shoots is retarded, and bloom becomes poor. The crowns of primulas and forget-me-nots remain soft.

Other perennials do not have well-organized crowns, but thickened, fairly woody main roots. Garden peonies, old-fashioned bleeding-heart and false indigo roots are intertwined and tangled, thick, becoming woody with age; these produce strong buds (eyes) near the soil surface that grow into flowering shoots. Smaller, fibrous roots extend outward from the thickened roots, and these absorb water and nutrients.

Some perennials produce more or less thickened, fleshy stems that creep horizontally just at the ground line. Iris rhizomes are typical. When a creeping rootstock is soft and fleshy, it is subject to decay. Plants with fleshy rhizomes need very well-drained soil. Rootstocks and rhizomes of aquatic plants usually are tough, sometimes woody. Cat-tails, sweet flag, water-willow, pickerelweed and the aquatic irises all have these ropy or woody creeping stems, with a mass of fibrous roots beneath.

Border perennial stems usually rise straight up from the crown or from the roots. Sturdy, well-spaced stems produce masses of large-sized, long-lasting flowers. On older clumps, when the leafy shoots are half-developed, clip out (at the base) all weak stems; it usually pays to remove half of the remaining stems on perennial clumps older than three years. For strong bloom and healthy plants lift and divide border perennials every fourth or fifth year. Some perennials resent disturbance, however; peonies, hostas, the gasplant and bleeding-heart make little or no bloom for two or three years after being lifted. Woodland and aquatic perennial stems usually are not thinned.

Perennials bloom in many ways; delphiniums, lupines and holly-hocks produce flowers on a strong vertical stem. While most of the perennials with flowers in spikes bloom from the bottom upward, a few, notably the Liatris species, bloom from the top downward. Other perennials bloom with flowers in close-set panicles or clusters, as summer phlox; still others bear flowers in looser clusters, as coral-bells, or in very open sprays, as columbine. A few perennials bloom on unbranched stems, or with branching limited to second-crop flowers that originate low on the stem of the primary flower, as Shasta daisy. Remove flower heads of perennials as quickly as blooms fade, to prevent seed formation, which saps the strength of the plant.

Learn How To Prune Needle Evergreens & Fruit Trees

2012-05-11T01:59:00.000-07:00

Needle Evergreens: Junipers, arborvitae and yews may be pruned any time and at almost any place. With upright junipers, follow along the branch that needs to be shortened until you come to a side shoot lying on top of it, or inside of it. Select a side shoot that exactly parallels the unwanted branch. Slip your clippers under this little branch and make a clean cut. On a spreading juniper, place the cut so that it will face downward and no one will know that a cut has been made. The tiny wisp of greenery left soon will stiffen up and begin to replace the branch you have removed.

On upright plants, the cut will show, but only briefly, as new growth soon will hide it. Never prune junipers and yews with hedge shears unless the plants are part of a formal hedge. To preserve those graceful, natural lines, remove part of the growth at random over the plant. As yews and arborvitae tend to replace branches quickly and as both have latent buds buried in the bark, you can make your cuts almost anywhere. Just take care to maintain the natural form of the plant.

Specimen hemlocks, firs, spruces and Douglas firs should be left untouched if possible. City gardeners delight in the beautiful forms and color of these when they see knee to waist-high plants in the nursery and they carry them home. Soon the plant begins to grow vigorously and it must be butchered or cut down. Avoid this problem by searching out the specialty nursery companies that sell the many miniature forms of these evergreens. As they grow extremely slowly and are tricky to propagate, the cost is high; but then you have a specimen that will probably outlive your house and still be in proportion to the garden.

Pines may be pruned so long as you have a high enough ladder to be able to work over the entire tree. In spring the new growth, called a "candle," grows at the ends of all branches. Generally there is a central candle surrounded by several slightly smaller ones. You must preserve this size relationship. If you cut the central candle back half, cut the side ones surrounding it to one-third. If you wish to almost halt the growth of the tree, you may cut all central candles to two or three needle clusters, and the side candles to one or two needle clusters.

Do this pruning when the candles are developed enough so that the needles are beginning to break from their papery sheaths, but before they are fully expanded. A sharp knife is the best tool. Avoid clipping new needles, as the tree will look bobtailed for the next two or three years if new growth is injured. Needless to say, you must work over the entire tree from top to bottom.

Fruit Trees: Look at commercial plantings of fruit trees in your area to determine the form used successfully by commercial people. Apple trees may be pruned to a modified leader system, where a strongly controlled central trunk surrounded by almost equally strong lateral branches makes the scaffold. The other system used for apples is the open-center system, where there is no leader at all but several strong branches at almost the same point, low on the trunk, to form a sort of bowl-shaped scaffold. These same systems are used for peach, apricot and nectarine, though the open-center form is far more common and produces better-
colored fruit.

Plum trees receive a minimum of pruning, just enough to keep them relatively open in the center, and with well-spaced main branches insuring good ventilation throughout the tree and a well-balanced crown. Sour cherries are pruned similarly, and sweet cherries are pruned scarcely at all. All of the cherries and plums are likely to bleed or ooze gum where branches over a year old are removed, so corrective pruning is almost impossible.

The trick in creating first-class fruit trees is to start with a scarcely branched or unbranched (maiden) switch. Determine the pattern it is to take, and prune accordingly. Your County Extension Agent will supply pamphlets on proper pruning for fruit trees in your area. While fruit trees are young, do as much pruning as possible in midsummer. When they have come into bearing, you will be able to remove excess leafy growth in summer but major shaping and balancing will have to be done during the winter months after a few hard freezes.

Pears are a sort of law unto themselves. If you wish to prune and pinch frequently throughout the growing season, you can shape them as open-centered or as modified-leader trees. Otherwise, let them have a leader but prune sufficiently often to prevent too much growth in any season and shorten all side branches frequently.

Learn How To Create The Optimum Carbon/Nitrogen Balanced Compost

2012-05-11T01:52:00.000-07:00

If you want more compost than your leaf pile produces and have additional time to commit, you can increase production with a garden compost pile. The key to success is to use organic materials in a mixture that gives you balanced amounts of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium. This nutrient balance makes the difference between a true compost and what is called a “trash heap”.

The microorganisms that make compost require a certain proportion of carbon to nitrogen if they are to do their job efficiently. The waste materials that we use as the carbon and nitrogen sources also contain sufficient amounts of phosphorus and potassium. We can divide the waste products we need into two categories: carbonaceous wastes, which are rich in carbon, and nitrogenous wastes, which are rich in nitrogen. As a rule of thumb, carbonaceous wastes are lightweight, dry, and tan to dark brown in color. Nitrogenous wastes are usually heavy, wet, and green or dark brown in color.

But how do you provide these wastes to your compost in the best proportion? You build your pile with alternating 8-inch layers of carbonaceous wastes and 4-inch layers of nitrogenous wastes. The pile size and shape should be just like the one described for leaves. The right carbon-to-nitrogen ratio is easy to achieve. The nice part about using this method is that you can build your pile as ingredients become available. If you have all your materials present at once and have a good eye for proportions, you can just mix everything together without using layers.

Again, as when you make leaf compost, It is recommended you don't use soil, limestone, or commercial additives with your compost. Work with moist materials, and keep your pile moist at all times. Anytime the material feels drier than a damp, wrung-out sponge, you must add water. You may be wondering whether or not to shred the compost materials. Shredding the compost materials will definitely speed up the composting process. With a bit of shredding you could have compost in three months. You can shred the compost material by making several passes over small piles with your rotary power mower. Not shredding will probably add a few months' time onto the composting process.

You may also be wondering if turning the compost pile is helpful to the process. Turning aerates the pile and speeds up the composting process; but it's hard work. If you do decide to turn the compost, turn it six weeks after you build the compost pile and then again four weeks later, both times using a spading fork. Again, as with leaf compost, there will be a heating phase followed by a cooling off period. Once the compost has cooled down, it's safe to use in your garden. The cooling period will usually vary from three to six months. depending upon the materials you utilized and whether or not you shredded and/or turned the compost. If your pile fails to heat up within two to four weeks of building it, something is wrong. Lack of heat usually means there's not enough nitrogen in the pile. To correct it, add a nitrogen source such as blood meal or green grass clippings to the pile.

If you notice an ammonia-like odor emanating from the compost pile, your problem is excess nitrogen. You can either add some more carbonaceous wastes or ignore the smell, which will stop. Next time you make compost don't use as many nitrogen sources, because the ammonia odor is actually nitrogen wasted into the air. You may also have a rotten egg odor.
This stink comes from lack of air in the compost pile, which can result from prolonged, heavy rains filling the air spaces in the pile. Turning the pile should correct the problem. You can also wait until the pile dries out a bit, and the smell will disappear.

Here are a few more troubleshooting suggestions for your compost pile: Don't add any meat scraps to your pile; if you must add some, bury them deeply so animals can't smell them. If you carelessly place meat scraps near the pile, don't be surprised if you find dogs, cats, raccoons, mice, or even rats on the scene.

Do you have a cat? If so, do not add the used contents of your cat's litter tray to either your garden or compost pile. Cat wastes may harbor the microorganism that causes toxoplasmosis, a disease that attacks the central nervous system. While unpleasant for adults, this disease is really bad news for infants. Although it is rare, it's wise not to encourage the microorganisms. And under no circumstances should a pregnant woman handle the litter tray or areas contaminated by solid wastes from cats.

Be equally cautious about sewage sludge. There are two dangers. First, many sewage sludges contain heavy metals, such as lead or cadmium, which result from industrial discharges. Heavy metals are especially hazardous if they enter the food chain and if you eat them with your garden vegetables. The only way to check sludges for these metals is with sophisticated analytical tests done in laboratories. The test results can be evaluated to determine whether or not the heavy metal content poses a hazard. Ignorance in this case is not bliss, but danger. Second, some sludges, if improperly treated, can harbor pathogens that infect humans; again it's not wise to take any chances with their existence in your compost.

One last thought concerns the use of diseased plant material in the compost pile. If you compost correctly, you will destroy disease-causing organisms. Essentially, you must expose all the compost to temperatures over 131°F for roughly three weeks. This means it's important to attain good heating through using the correct pile size, proper balance of carbon and nitrogen-containing materials, sufficient moisture, and enough air. You must frequently mix all outside materials inward to expose all materials to the proper temperature. Remember, the outer edges of a compost pile are cooler than the middle. A far simpler solution to the problem of destroying disease-causing organisms. Don't put diseased plant remains in the compost pile.

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

2012-04-24T19:11:00.001-07:00

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, I’m sure you know that those types of trees are much more susceptible to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it can be rather hard to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those types of fruit trees.

The main disease that you will hear about the most is known as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to many of the leftover fruits after the picking season is over. Not only does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it also can come back on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you enjoy eating fungus). To prevent this malady, you should prune your trees often to encourage good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the main cause of the brown rot. Also when you are done picking for the season, you should get rid of all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the ground.

A cytospora canker is a disgusting dark, soft area on tree branches. Gum protrudes through the bark, along with a large callus. The pathogen which causes these cankers usually enters the tree through older wounds. If you prune all of the sprouts that occur in late summer, cankers will have a harder time making themselves known within your tree. When you prune, always allow the wounds to heal naturally rather than use the wound dressings that you can buy at gardening stores. I’ve found that these usually do very little to help any situation, and only serve to make the tree look unnatural.

Those planting plum trees might deal with something called Black Knot. The symptoms of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be seen on the tree’s branches. If you see any of these, you should immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don’t for this one. This disease can easily re-enter the tree if it is within a certain distance.

Almost everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has dealt with the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the ground. Preventing this disease is fairly easy. All you have to do is be fairly diligent in raking up all of the leaves that fall from your tree. If you have already seen signs of the disease, you should destroy all of your raked leaves. If not, then you can use them as mulch.

When your fruits ripen and become ready for picking, you should always be completely finished with picking within 2 weeks. It is best to daily go outside and pick all of the new ripe fruits, along with any that have fallen off of the tree or are starting to rot on the tree. By doing this, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too dependent on your tree for nourishment.

Growers of fruit trees are constantly faced with diseases and pests to worry about. However, if you take the proper precautions then you can avoid most of them. You should also look for any diseases that have been affecting your local area, and try to take steps to prevent those as well.

Everything You Need To Know About Laying Organic Mulches

2012-04-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

Mulches are inexpensive and are probably one of the best garden investments you can make. Let's talk a little about the familiar organic mulches, since many of you probably already use them. We'll just go over the basics. Remember to apply organic mulches 2 to 4 inches deep.

Many choices exist for those who use organic mulches. Availability, cost, and personal preference will undoubtedly influence your choice. Bark mulches, for example, can be costly unless you live near a tree service company or have a friend in the business. They do have a tendency to rob soil nitrogen from crops because of their high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

Remember to apply nitrogen fertilizer before you put down your bark mulch. If you have composted the bark mulch, you won't need to use fertilizer, because the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio will change for the better during composting. Keep the bark mulch from direct contact with plants to avoid disease problems. And keep the bark mulch away from nearby wooden structures, too, because termites in the bark might munch their way on to bigger and better things.

Another organic mulch, peat moss, is expensive and, unlike bark, it's hard to find a cheap supply under any conditions. Many organic gardeners dislike peat moss as a mulch because it requires a lot of water and time to get wet. Another disadvantage to peat moss is that it dries out during droughts. Once it's dry, it becomes hard and difficult to wet, and rain will run off it. It's best to keep peat moss as an organic amendment for growing mixtures and soils where you plan to plant acid-loving shrubs.

Another group of organic mulches that is desirable but not always available includes buckwheat hulls, cocoa shells, ground corncobs, ground tobacco stems, licorice roots, peanut shells, spent hops, and crushed sugarcane. Buckwheat hulls can cake and prevent water getting to the soil, so keep them to a 2-inch depth. Watch how you water, since forceful watering will scatter buckwheat hulls. Cocoa shells have some fertilizer value, but keep them to 2 inches in depth. Their potash content is high, so deeper layers of cocoa shells might harm sensitive plants. Ground corncobs, unless you object to their light color, are relatively problem free. Don't use ground tobacco stems to mulch tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, dahlias, or any other plants susceptible to tobacco mosaic virus. Tobacco stem mulches may carry this virus. Licorice roots resist blowing and floating, making them ideal candidates for sloping gardens. Several qualities of peanut shells, such as their significant nitrogen content, ease of application, durability, and attractive appearance, make the shells an excellent mulch.

Spent hops have some nutrient value and resist blowing. If you use spent hops, make sure they are aged; if they are not, they may heat up, have an unpleasant odor, and even damage your plants. Some mulches, in particular sawdust and wood chips, are relatively common and inexpensive, but have some decided drawbacks. Unless you have composted them (and few people do), these woody materials have a very high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. The high ratio means that these woody materials will steal soil nitrogen away from your plants as they decompose. Therefore, you have to put down some nitrogen fertilizer before you put on the mulch, if you want to avoid depleting your soil. This need for fertilizer translates into extra cost and work. Sawdust and wood chips are more trouble than they're worth.

Now on to the last category of organic mulches: compost, grass clippings, leaves, straw or hay, and salt-marsh hay. Compost makes an excellent mulch, especially if your soil is low in organic matter. It's one of the few mulches that also acts as a slow-release fertilizer. Water from your hose or from rain leaches out nutrients that microbial activity has converted to soluble forms. By the end of the growing season, the lower part of the compost mulch has become part of the upper soil profile. In a few years, you can have an organic-rich soil without any work.

The plus is that you need far less compost to take care of the area around or under plants than you need for a mulch covering a much larger area. Still, if you make lots of compost, you might consider using the excess as a mulch. If you don't recycle your grass clippings to your lawn with a mulching mower, you can use the clippings as a garden mulch. Just don't apply your layer of grass clippings all at once. Do it gradually, because a thick layer of green clippings will heat up and form a dense mat as decay sets in. The mat will restrict the flow of air and water to the soil. Apply the clippings in thin layers and allow each layer to dry and turn brown before you add the next layer. One bonus to using grass clippings is that they contain nitrogen, which will eventually leach into your soil, thus slowly fertilizing your plants.

You can also use leaves as a mulch, as long as you're aware of a couple of problems that exist. First, leaves are available mostly in the fall. Such timing is great for winter mulches or the leaf compost pile but is bad for a summer mulch. To get around this problem, you can pile the leaves until next year.

The other problem is that leaves can mat into a soggy mess. To overcome the matting problem, you can mix the leaves with fluffy materials, such as hay or straw, or you can shred the leaves. Leaves do release some nutrients during decomposition as a mulch; but many people still prefer using them to make leaf compost. Straw, hay, and salt-marsh hay all make reasonable mulches. You can sometimes buy spoiled hay at a modest price. The going rate for unspoiled hay or salt-marsh hay argues against their use as mulches; however, if you find a bargain, these mulches are great for vegetables.

Caring Properly for your Fruit Tree

2012-04-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

If you have just recently planted a new fruit tree, I think it is safe to assume you are not yet an expert on the subject. More fruit trees die in their beginning years due to poor care habits than any disease or pestilence. Therefore it is vital that you understand how to care for trees in a way that will ensure their immediate success as well as future good health.

During the first stages of the tree’s life, the roots, trunk, and branches have not yet fully developed to a self supporting strength. Therefore if your tree is growing fruits, occasionally the combined weight is enough to snap off an entire branch. If this is the case, you should provide external support for your branches – prop them up with boards, or tie them to something at a higher altitude. As long as you can provide your tree the support it needs in these early years, it should grow to be independent in no time at all.

Proper nutrition is not only necessary for the production of healthy fruits, but is also necessary for the tree to survive longer than one season. The exact specifications vary with the area, climate, and type of tree, but I’ve found that there is no better source than a nursery employee.

Maybe they’re just eager to sell you the right type of fertilizer, but in my experience they are almost never wrong. Just inform them about the conditions your tree is living in and how healthy it is looking, and they should be able to help you find something to improve the state of your tree.

Lots of people think that the only way to ensure a tree’s healthiness is to provide it insane amounts of water. This is not the case at all. As a matter of fact, giving too much water to a tree can be more harmful than making it go thirsty. At the best it will have a negative effect on the taste of the fruit. But at worst, your entire tree could die and prevent you from ever growing fruit in the future. So do not ever try to solve your problems by giving it lots of water! Solve your tree’s health problems at the root, so to speak. Go to where the problem originates from, and fix that.

If it is too late and you’re already starting to see unhealthy branches that look either diseased or damaged, you should always remove them. If the tree is wasting nutrients by sending them out to the branch that cannot be saved, it is practically throwing away all the nutrients that it could use on the other, healthier branches. As soon as you start to see a branch that is deteriorating or becoming unhealthy, chop it off right away. At the very least, trim down the unhealthy part but leave all the segments that still look like they could continue growing.

Once your tree has started to enter the picking stage, never leave any of the fruit on the ground that is bound to fall. Also, be careful to get every piece off of the tree. Even if it is an ugly looking fruit that you don’t want to keep, you should still pick it and throw it away. Once these fruits begin to rot, they provide a perfect home for unwanted insects or diseases that can transfer to the tree itself. So always remember to rake up these fallen fruits, and prevent yourself a lot of future grief.

Getting a fruit tree and caring for it throughout its life can be a daunting task. It may even seem impossible sometimes to keep track of all the factors that make a tree healthy. But if you just pay attention to the nutrients that your tree needs, you should be on a good path. In addition to nutrients, figure out the precise amount of watering that you should be doing to keep your tree’s thirst quenched without drowning it. Just do all these things, and you will have a great tree that produces delicious fruits.

All About Home-Growing Strawberries

2012-04-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

From home-grown fruit plants come harvests which can best be appreciated by someone who has actually eaten them. One's first taste of a truly fine strawberry will soon point up the tremendous gap which exists between such a fruit and the run-of-the-field stuff sold at the supermarket.

The most important of all garden fruits is the strawberry. It more nearly resembles a vegetable in its culture than does any other fruit. It is not surprising that in many truck-gardening areas growers switch from vegetables to strawberries and back again almost at will. Although the strawberry plant is a perennial and beds can be made to last for more than one year, best commercial practice calls for a new planting each year. The plants are grown in rows and for the first season need the same cultivation as vegetable crops. The next season they produce their best fruit. They can be left for four more years, but true connoisseurs usually plow them under.

In the so-called hill system of growing, the mother plant is kept pruned of all runners. This is the method by which the home gardener can produce the largest and best-flavored berries. The plants are usually set 12 inches by 24 inches apart in the bed and kept free of weeds. Usually, a rather heavy mulch is maintained on the bed. The plants are watched constantly to prevent runners from rooting. While very large berries are produced, production per square foot is probably lower than when other methods are used. As can be imagined, the labor required is considerable. About 100 plants are as many as most home gardeners care to cultivate when the hill system is used.

The variety used is important, since not all strawberries do well when grown in this way. The Alpine variety “Baron Solemacher” grown from seed will produce perhaps the finest-flavored berries of all. These have the aroma which makes wild strawberries such a delectable treat.

Where it will grow, the English 'Royal Sovereign' produces superb berries by this system. These are of enormous size, deliciously rich and sweet.

The matted-row system is exactly the opposite of the hill method. The mother plants are set 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. After fruiting, the mother plants are encouraged to produce all the runners possible for twelve inches on either side of the row. Any forming outside these limits are cut off. This produces a matted row about 24 inches wide, with a twelve-inch lane between the rows of plants.

One advantage of the matted row is that it provides plenty of plants for setting new beds. The best way to produce these is to use one of the new peat-and-fiber pots in which to root them. These pots come in three-inch round or three-inch square sizes, just right to produce a husky plant. The pot is filled with a rich composted soil and plunged under a likely-looking runner. By late August the rooted plant can be cut from the parent plant and used to plant a new row. Although fall-planted rows require protection for one additional winter, they are usually more productive than spring-planted rows. They can even be allowed to bear a light crop the first spring.

It is a well-accepted rule, however, that all spring flowers should be removed the first season following planting. This keeps the plant from fruiting. Once the spring bloom is over, the June bearers (which produce only one set of flower buds a year) will not bloom again.

The row system of planting is a compromise between the matted row and the hill system. Here, plants are set 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. One runner is allowed to set in the row on either side of the mother plant. In theory, each runner is about eight inches long, so the finished row is made up of plants spaced eight inches apart. Sometimes a second set of runners is allowed to root at right angles to the row. This leaves the mother plant with four runners surrounding it. This is called the hedge-row system, since the bed resembles a series of triple hedges.

Strawberries can be planted in the fall if pot-grown plants are available. These are easy to plant, since they are set just as deep as they grew in the pot. Plants in clay pots will have to be knocked out (removed from the pot), but if in peat-and-fiber pots, they are planted pot and all. Bare-root plants can also be set in fall, but few nurseries have them available at that time. Plants available in spring are usually sold bare-root. They come tied in bundles. Before untying, cut the roots to a uniform length, about four inches below the soil line.

Cut off any dead or weak leaves, leaving only three or four of the new, healthy, young leaves to form the new top. Now the plant is ready to be set. In the average garden there is not much choice of location. The strawberry does not like heavy soils, and if only a clay loam is available, it should be treated as mentioned under soil. A gardener's loam as mentioned in that entry is the ideal toward which to strive, although strawberries will do well in lighter sandy loams.

One of the most important steps in planting is to set the plant so the dividing line between the roots and the top or crown comes exactly at the surface of the soil. The crown should never be buried nor should roots show above the ground. Firm the soil around the roots so the crown will not be pulled below the surface when the plants are watered. If dirt works into the crown, it may rot.

Regular weeding is important, as strawberry plants make poor competitors for vigorous weeds. Do not cultivate deeply close to the plants and rooted runners, as these are shallow-rooted. In regions where the thermometer can be expected to drop as low as 12 above zero regularly, a mulch is necessary. This is not, as many suppose, to keep the plants from freezing. On the contrary, it is to keep them frozen in early spring and prevent alternate thawing and freezing, which tend to pull the plants out of the ground. Being shallow-rooted, strawberries cannot resist the heaving action of frost.

In the South, a straw mulch is still desirable, largely to keep down weeds. It is of little value, however, if straw full of grain or marsh hay full of weed seeds is used. Clean, grain-free straw is the ideal material, if it can be had. An excellent substitute, much more readily available in most city and suburban areas, is excelsior. Most retail stores will be glad to give the home strawberry grower all he can use.

The mulching material is dumped right over the plants. By the time it settles, there should still be about three inches of it over the leaves in the North. In the South, the tips of the leaves should be showing. In spring, when the daffodils are just showing yellow in their buds, pull away the mulch from the tips of the leaves so they show through. The new leaves will grow right through the mulch, which later will keep the berries clear of the soil.

Are All Transplant Containers Created Equal?

2012-04-06T07:14:00.000-07:00

Transplant containers serve to hold the soil and roots of the transplant in a nice, tidy package, but they fail to allow for the production of the kind of roots that help transplants recover quickly from the shock suffered when you remove them from the containers to plant them out. To the original designers of planting containers, roots were roots. Surprisingly little has been done to improve containers since those first designs. Yet the container makes or breaks the transplant.

The success of transplanting depends heavily on causing little or no damage to the root system. However, a second key point overlooked by early container designers is that root balls need to have many, healthy feeder roots on their surface. These feeder roots, essentially smaller roots with fine hairs, are extremely important to producing the best-ever transplants. You see, feeder roots are the part of the root system through which the plant takes up water and nutrients.

Plant scientists call such roots root hairs. You can find these small root hairs near the tips of actively growing roots. To the eye, root hairs give the root tip a fuzzy, white appearance. If a transplant has an extensive, fuzzy covering of feeder roots on the root ball, all the better. Feeder roots, being tiny and delicate, are good indicators to use in assessing root ball damage. If root hairs are present on the root ball when you remove it from the container, you know you have an undamaged root ball that will recover quickly after transplanting. Also, the feeder roots respond rapidly to water and nutrients in the starter solution, so the plant is off and running quickly. The fuzzier the root ball looks, the better the roots soak up water and nutrients from the soil.

The location of the feeder roots is also critical. If the feeder roots are not on the surface of the root ball, but mostly concentrated inside the root ball, the response of the transplant to planting will not be as good. The reason the transplant does not take as well as one having surface feeder roots may not be obvious but should become clear after our explanation.

If you've grown your own transplants in the past, you know that the soil in your garden differs from the material in which you grow your transplants. Mixtures for growing transplants are put together for one main purpose, that is, to produce better transplants than would soil. Therefore, these transplanting materials drain well, have excellent aeration, and are often rich in organic material. They look, feel, and weigh differently from the soil in your garden. Doesn't it follow, then, that when you put the transplant root ball into the garden, you join together two materials with different textures - soil and transplant growing mixture? Because of this texture difference, these two materials don't mesh together as soil to soil would. It's essentially like trying to mesh together two zipper tracks with different teeth spacing; they just don't go together. Scientists call the place where the two textures meet an interface.

Now let's add another element to the picture. Moving water seeks out the easiest path. Anyone who has a leaky basement will agree with this observation. The easiest path through the soil and the transplant root ball is at the interface. Many spaces and gaps in this area speed the water right on by; therefore, water and nutrients tend to flow over the root ball and spread out under it; less water actually enters the root ball. If the feeder roots are at the junction of the two soils, that is, the root ball's surface, they are in the water pathway. Their location, then, is ideal for gathering water and nutrients in the few critical days after the transplanting operation. Such surface-rooted balls give you a transplant that shows little or no wilting and rapid development in the garden.

Surface feeder roots promote not only initial growth but also later growth. Transplants lacking surface feeder roots, when dug up at the end of the season, tend to show poor root balls. Roots are small and show very little outward spread from the original root ball. On the other hand, our transplants with lots of external feeder roots exhibit much larger root balls and greater spread. Better leaf and stem growth and higher yields go hand in hand with the bigger root ball. Such results are sure to bring smiles to gardeners' faces.

A similar, confirming situation is familiar to those of us who have planted container-grown shrubs and trees. To encourage root development outward, the gardener quarter-scores the root ball. Failure to do so usually results in a poorly developed shrub or tree that never reaches its potential, or even worse, dies. Upon digging up the shrub, the gardener would find limited development of the root system.

How does a gardener encourage feeder roots to form at the root ball surface? The answer is localized aeration, which translated means, give them air! Roots require oxygen to survive and to grow. Without oxygen, such as in over-watered soil, roots rot and die. They literally suffocate. Plants specifically need oxygen for a process called respiration, which is essentially the breakdown of food to supply energy for plant development. Roots tend to grow through the pore spaces in soil; the feeder roots form at the growing tips of roots where oxygen, water, and nutrients are present. In conventional containers, air enters through the surface of the growing mixture and spreads through the mixture. The roots in the center get first crack at using the air while they grow. By the time the air reaches the edges, little is left for the surface feeder roots.

6 Types Of Fertilizers You Can Choose From

2012-04-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

Fertilizers should be added to the soil to replenish the nutrients absorbed by the plants or lost through leaching, washing, or evaporation. In order to use fertilizers efficiently, you must know the nutrients each vegetable needs to grow and the benefits of each nutrient.

Plants need numerous elements to grow. Generally, all but 3 of these elements exist in the air and the soil in quantities sufficient to sustain plant growth. The other 3 elements, namely, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are consumed by the plants in big quantities and, therefore, should be added to the soil in the form of fertilizers.

Organic fertilizers include animal and poultry manure, green manure, bone meal, granite dust, phosphate rock, and wood ashes.

1. Manure: Manure (cow, horse, pig, rabbit, chicken, etc.) is the main organic fertilizer. It is sold in different forms: raw, dehydrated, and composted. Raw manure is messy and smelly and, therefore, does not appeal to many gardeners. It also attracts flies and other insects. Furthermore, raw manure often contains a considerable amount of undigested weed seeds. These seeds germinate and grow weeds fast because they are in a nitrogen-rich environment. Controlling these weeds can be a difficult and time-consuming task.

Fresh raw manure should not be allowed to get in contact with seeds, because it inhibits their germination. Instead, it should be worked into the soil and watered frequently for a week before sowing the seeds. The advantage of raw manure is that it is cheap. Dehydrated and composted manures are more convenient to use because they are less smelly. The price of dehydrated manure is considerably higher than that of composted manure. The nutritive value of dehydrated and composted manure is written on the bag. Dehydrated manure should be watered several times before it is allowed to get in contact with the seeds. Composted manure can be applied safely at any time.

2. Green Manure: Green manure is a crop that is grown specifically for the purpose of plowing it under in order to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Some of the green manure crops are alfalfa, clover, red clover, buckwheat, Sudan grass, and oats. The former 3 crops are legumes. Their roots add nitrogen to the soil, but they take longer to grow.

Green manure crops may be planted in the summer before fall planting or in the late fall before spring planting. At least 3 weeks must pass between plowing a green manure crop under and planting a crop in its place. Green manure crops are not suited for areas that freeze in winter.

3. Bone Meal: Bone meal is crushed animal bones and, as such, it is an organic fertilizer. It contains little nitrogen and potassium but is rich in phosphorous. Bone meal is used as a starter fertilizer because its high phosphorous content promotes the growth of plant roots. Its advantage is that it does not burn the seeds. Its disadvantage is that it is expensive. Adding bone meal to the potting soil for containers improves the growth of vegetables and herbs.

4. Granite Dust: Granite dust contains 4% potassium and is devoid of nitrogen and phosphorous. It takes years for granite dust to release its nutrient to the plants.

5. Phosphate Rock: As the name implies, phosphate rock is very rich in phosphorous but devoid of nitrogen and potassium. It takes years for phosphate rock to release its nutrients to the plants.

6. Wood Ashes: Wood ashes are an excellent source of potassium. They also have a considerable amount of minerals, especially phosphorous. Wood ashes are devoid of nitrogen because burning the wood evaporates all the nitrogen they contain. Their nutrient content varies according to the wood. Wood ashes are alkaline and therefore can be added to reduce the soil's acidity.

Dealing with Bird Problems

2012-03-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

If you are lucky enough to have a cherry tree in your yard, I am sure I don’t need to tell you how much enjoyment can come from them. Just eating the delicious cherries that spawned from your tree is a rewarding experience in itself. Looking out your back window and seeing a magnificent, glorious cherry tree is also rewarding. Most people are impressed just by the fact that you have a cherry tree, because they are usually thought of by non-gardeners as some sort of exotic plant.

But along with the joys that a cherry tree can bring, there are many annoyances. They seem to attract more unwanted creatures than any other plant in the world. Almost every day it seems like there is a new type of pestilence swarming the tree, trying to get a nibble of its delicious fruits. I can’t say I blame them, but if they want to eat delicious fruits then they should grow their own trees.

One of the main and most constant problems that most people deal with is birds eating the fruit off the tree. It can seem almost impossible to get rid of this pest. After all, they can come in from any angle and make a quick getaway with the cherries. Or they can sit undetected in the branches and munch away all day. A bird certainly has its versatility on its side. Those little guys can be a real hassle to catch or repel. However, there are several different ways you can deter the birds from your house.

The most used way of repelling birds is to place a plastic owl within the vicinity of the house. If you find any animal that usually eats birds and purchase a plastic version, usually real birds will be instinctual enough to avoid it. These can include snakes, owls hawks, or scarecrows (OK, maybe they don’t eat birds normally. But they sure scare the birds for some reason). Most of the time you can purchase these at your local gardening store. If you want a different version or a more lifelike representation, if you look online then you’re sure to find something that will work.

If you get a plastic animal of some sort, usually it will cure the bird problem for a while. However, some birds are just really brave (or really stupid) and will continue to eat from your tree. Almost any reflective surface or noisy object will prevent the birds from coming too close. I personally like to use reflective tape designed for scaring birds. You can purchase this at any gardening store. I usually use this in combination with a large assortment of wind chimes for maximum scaring. Once you have a plastic animal along with reflective items and noisy items, almost all birds will be too terrified to even go close.

While airborne creatures might take a little more than their share of fruit, you should still consider leaving one tree exclusively for them. While they might seem like a pest sometimes, birds can be the one thing that livens up your garden. If you’re used to having birds and then all of a sudden you’ve scared them all away, you’ll feel like there is something missing from your yard. Something that, on the inside, you truly loved all along.

Dealing with Barren Trees

2011-10-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

One of the most frustrating things that can possibly happen to someone who has slaved for hours and hours in growing a fruit tree is the unexplainable barrenness that can sometimes occur when there should be a plethora of fresh fruit. I know this from experience. My neighbors all consider me the gardening guru because of my extensive knowledge. But this is only because gardening has been my passion for years and years, and like a sponge I have accumulated so much information in my mind. My learning has also come from past experiences with failure. For about 5 years after I started planting fruit trees, I did not see a single fruit for all my labor. I was nearly ready to give up, until I met who I think is truly the guru of gardening.

I was in the gardening store, looking for some sort of new fertilizer to put my hope in for my quest to obtain fruit. I don’t know if there was a look of desperation in my eyes, but a kindly old man came up and started speaking with me. He introduced himself as Ralph, and for some reason I opened up to him and told him about all of my difficulties. I’ve never been the type to spill all my problems on anyone who asks, but Ralph seemed like such a nice fellow that I just couldn’t help it. And I’m glad I did, because what he taught me truly helped me to get my fruit trees in gear and start producing.

I learned that generally, the inability to produce can be caused by a number of factors. Sometimes the tree is simply too young; If your tree is less than four years old, you shouldn’t exactly expect it to be producing yet. If it has reached 4 years and you still have seen no sign of fruit, then you should start to consider other factors that might be causing the barrenness.

If the tree is undergoing any type of water stress (this can be poor drainage, too much water, or too little water), then it will have trouble growing. If you suspect this is the case, you should evaluate your own watering techniques and compare them with the needs of the tree to see if you are causing water stress. Also always be on the lookout for any diseases or pest damages. If your tree is constantly being molested by all kinds of little creatures, then you can’t expect it to be lively enough to produce fruit.

If your tree blooms but still doesn’t produce any fruit, this could be because of cold temperatures during the bloom. The coldness damaged the flower bud or damaged the baby fruit. Aesthetically the tree may look fine, but the inside could be damaged beyond any hope of ever seeing fruit. Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do in this case except for wait until next year and hope that it doesn’t happen again.

If the tree’s pollination process has not been fully completed, it could have troubles growing fruit. If you planted different varieties, you may find that the requirements are different than you had originally thought and they were incompatible. In this case you need to replant the correct combinations.

Once I evaluated the conditions of my tree and everything that has occurred in its life, I realized that not only had I cross pollinated slightly incorrectly, but I was also giving my tree too much water. After I fixed these problems, I had learned my lesson and I have not had any trouble bearing fruit since then.

So if you are struggling with a plant that is not being cooperative, you should consult an expert gardener. If you can find a gardening mentor like mine that is willing to teach you everything they know, then you should be able to get your garden on the right track with no problems.