Plant Gardens 101

The botanical name for fir.

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Most gardeners, myself included, would much rather be outside working in the garden than inside doing housework. Gardening also requires some housekeeping, but plant lovers generally don’t mind being outside fussing with their plants.

Garden housekeeping is done for two reasons. Keeping the garden neat and clean is done to maintain the aesthetics of the garden, and also to maintain the health of the plants in the garden. (more…)

See hardiness zones; climate zones.

The main work worms do in your garden is tilling and aerating the soil. They burrow very deep, leaving channels through the soil that break up clods and allow air to enter and water to penetrate and drain away. In the process of eating at the surface and eliminating lower down, they introduce organic matter to the deeper levels and steadily increase the depth of topsoil. Their main role is to digest decomposing organic matter, converting it quickly into a form plants can use as nutrients. It is important to maintain good soil structure when gardening organically. Unlike mechanical tillers, earthworms do not damage the soil by inverting it, creating hardpans or breaking up the crumb structure. They never have mechanical breakdowns, they do not create noise or pollution, and they use garbage for fuel – an excellent way to dispose of your kitchen scraps, especially if you live in an apartment.

DIY Worm Farming Commercial worm farms are very practical, widely available, easy to use and are quite aesthetically pleasing. You usually buy them with a small supply of worms to get you started. Choose either Red Worms or Tiger Worms. However, if you already have a suitable ‘home’ for your worms you don’t need to spend the extra money.  (more…)

A 690-acre private estate, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1887 and given to the Long Island (New York) Park Commission in 1952. Although the site suffered severe damage from Hurricane Gloria in 1985, the pinetum features many specimens that date back to the original plantings. The arboretum has the most extensive collections of firs, spruces, pines, hemlocks, cypress, and yews on Long Island.

Roses have all times been appreciated for their beauty and elegancy. Since ancient times the rose is the symbol of love and prettiness. They were even identified with various goddesses of love like the Greek goddess Aphrodite or her Roman equal Venus. In Europe rose gardening was established in the 1800s, after perpetual blossoming roses were imported from China.

But in the course of time roses’ reputation has gotten a bad change for being hard to grow and maintain. If you are thinking about rose gardening don’t let this myth stop you. While rose gardening can prove to be ambitious, once you master it, it really isn’t that bad.

When you first start rose gardening, you will have to pick out what type of rose you want to plant, and no, I’m not discussing the color. You will have to choose between bare-root, pre-packaged, and container-grown roses. Bare-root roses are sold in the winter and early spring. They should be planted as soon as frosts are over and the ground is warm and workable. Pre-packaged roses are bare-root plants that are sold in a bag or box with something around the roots to keep wet, like sawdust. Container-grown roses are grown; you guessed it, in containers. They will be either budding or already in flower when they get available in the early spring. (more…)

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to walk right outside you r door and pick a nice fresh tomato? Have you ever wanted to grow your own vegetables but simply don’t have the space? Can container vegetable gardening be the answer? Container gardening is fast becoming more and more popular since many vegetables will grow just as well in a confined area. Depending upon what you plan to plant your containers should be large enough to allow for root spreading and growth. Oversized wooden tubs and half barrels are the most popular because they make excellent garden containers. Planters made of plastic, metal or clay should always be checked for proper drainage holes. (more…)

A term used to describe leaves or petals that are overlapping, like shingles.

Many kids look upon gardening as being difficult and demanding. Initially, they may be hesitant and wary of trying it, fearing disillusionment. To sweet-talk kids to look upon gardening as an amusing and enjoyable activity, you need to create an environment that will give rise to some unforgettable moments. Before long, they will be confidently digging up the mud and thinking of growing a number of exotic vegetable that even we find not that easy to grow. To bring about this marvelous change, the children need to be presented with gardening supplies, which are cool, informational, and simple.

Kids Toolkit of Gardening Supplies should contain the following:

1. A children’s gardening book

2. A tiny hand spade for kids

3. A small watering can (more…)

Preparing for the Winter Months: Gardening in October

When you feel that first solid bite in the breeze and you see the songbirds winging their way south, and the trees are bursting with fire-laden hues, you know you can’t be spending the weekend curled up by the fireplace with a good book. Not for long.

While the weather is still gardener-friendly, you must shorten your “to-do” lists for the coming of late fall and early winter. Now is the time to attack your lawn and garden by planting your spring bulbs, buying and maintaining your trees and shrubs, doing your late autumn lawn care, using common-sense watering strategies, building a compost bin and making your own compost, controlling the many common garden pests, and winning at the weed-whacking war before the sudden onset of the fickle, cold and all-enveloping winter season.  (more…)

Ripe or near-ripe fruit that falls to the ground.

If you want to safeguard your fruit hierarchy from mice during the summer, this is almost impossible to accomplish without the use of pesticides or chemicals. This might scare some people into thoughts that the actual fruits will contain traces of the chemicals. If you do gear fittingly, you can get rid of all the vermin and not infect the actual hierarchy. If you’re leaving to be spraying chemicals, you most probable will be using both a handheld pump or a suffusion-end sprayer.

If you’re using the pump sprayers, you will be able to more accurately determine the addition of the chemicals. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to spray it very far. Usually it won’t extent the tops of plants. This can be achieved with the hosepipe end sprayers, but receiving the mark mix of chemicals is pretty a challenge. It all depends on your water load to get the correct mixture of chemicals, but water demands is not loyal. One day it might be reduced, in which rationale your substance gratify would be senior. The types of materials you buy for sluice application are commonly in an extremely fanatical form. They essential to be sternly diluted before they are weak enough to pertain.  (more…)

One of the best natural solutions to make your plants healthier is through the use of compos tea. Compost tea is the process by which you use compost to brew a liquid solution that you will then “feed” to your plants. Compost tea can be applied to vegetables, trees, bushes, flowers, or in short anything that you grow that you want to get healthier.

The first step is to get compost. You can buy compost from a local nursery or garden center but the better option is to make your own. You make compost from organic material. In other words grass, leaves twigs, and food waste to name a few.

You then take the compost and mix it with water. After about an hour of soaking you can use the compost enriched water on your plants and you will get excellent benefits, but if you really want to get the most out of your compost tea, you have to brew it.
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The exposure to several weeks of cool temperatures that is required by some plants to initiate bud formation or new growth.

Many have has valued the use of tiki torches for decorative purposes. Outdoor torches are a great idea to make your gathering great.

Your outdoor gatherings will never be the same after you set up tiki torches and create some beautiful atmosphere. Outdoor tiki torches are an enchanting way to create paradise in your backyard, as long as you use them safely. With a little care, you can prevent accidents and enjoy your outdoor tiki torches worry-free.

The flames on the tiki torches dance in the warm, evening breeze. The scent of Hawaiian Plumes fills the night air, and gentle sounds of quiet waves lap the beach. Ahhhh . . . paradise! Something about tiki torches always seem to invoke this sensation. Why a backyard luau would not be complete without them!

Outdoor tiki torches not only add to the ambiance of your tiki-themed hot recipient, but they also aid in keep annoying bugs away from you and your guests. Outdoor tiki torches are easily made, organized and are wireless to keep decorating simple and your guest secure.  (more…)