Plant Gardens 101

The word “sensual” brings to mind any number of opportunities to enjoy the physical pleasures that make us feel good. But Sensual Gardening pleases on a number of levels, ranging from its delightful appeal to our senses to benefits beyond just our corporal selves: to our environment, our society, and even our pocketbooks. By considering and enjoying all five senses––sight, smell, sound, taste and touch––we expand our thinking beyond mere landscaping and make our entire yard contribute to the overall quality of our lives. That’s called creativity.

When it comes to gardening, the senses of sight and smell may be fairly obvious, but what about sound and taste and touch? Let’s take a look at each of our senses and see how we can enhance our garden––as well as our gardening experience––to appeal to all our senses (and those of our family and friends as well!). (more…)

One of the most essential jobs come fall when it comes to cleaning up and out your garden is the removal of any and all damaged or diseased materials. When plants have had a fungus or bacteria over the summer growing season they can over winter on the roots and stems that have been contaminated.

When removed properly it will reduce the chances of diseases in your next year’s garden. How much of the plant you should remove depends upon your garden type, so naturally anything that was infected with a disease should be completely removed.

If you brought your house-plants outside for the summer, now is the time to start bringing them in. Some will more than likely need to be re-potted and or cut-back if the grew well during the summer growing season.

Be sure to check them for insects and diseases that may be on them so as not to contaminate any other houseplants. Bring them indoors in plenty of time to re-adjust to their indoor environment.

Now is the time also to lift and harvest your young bulbs from plants such as Dahlias, Gladiolus and Begonias, three of my favorites. After lifting them and leaving the foliage around the roots intact, the proper storage of them is equally important. (more…)

When a stream intersects the garden, this requires more work. You should use general treatment in expanding the water area considerably. One of the ways in which you can do this is to create a lily pond in that part of the garden beyond the brook, having an inlet and an outlet, thus securing water circulation.

Bays should be formed on the near side. Communication across the stream may be by means of a simple bridge, or stepping stones if the water is shallow. You should resist the temptation to give a “rustic” character to his bridge and think carefully about adding patio statuary, large fountains, or indoor wall fountains that are best left indoors. It should be a plain affair, well and firmly built, as befits its purpose, and with a hand-rail on either side.

There is a type of water garden which is frankly artificial and depends for its water supply on the kitchen tap or the pump. This last condition means that you should have some knowledge of the economy of water and that can best be done by devising what is called a circulating system. (more…)

To keep things growing well, sometimes you have to prune, or cut back your plants. It’s not just that way with plants, actually as some say to get your hair to grow really well you have to trim it back. But when pruning you can’t just drag out a pair of pruning shears and cut away. You have to have studied the methods of pruning before you begin to cut away. Same as you wouldn’t want someone to just go cutting on your hair if they didn’t know how. And when pruning grape vines it’s not different, you have to know what you’re doing.

Pruning grape vines is not hard to do once you know the right time and length in which to do your pruning. For instance, you will need to prune your grapevines before Christmas because if you prune after Christmas the vines will “bleed” sap. Once a vine begins to bleed sap there is no way to cure that problem, although when the leaves begin to emerge and grow, it will decrease. By saying that keep in mind that if the bleeding happens it will never stop, further weakening the plant, which could result in a dead vine. That would really be terrible. So remember, try to prune grape vines before you go hanging your holiday ornaments.

The main problem that is seen with pruning grape vines is that people who grow them for home use seldom prune enough. When you go to prune your grape vine you will need to cut back approximately seventy-five to ninety percent of the new wood that had grown in the previous season. (more…)

Arbors and pergolas are two types of garden structures that can greatly contribute to the overall design of your landscape. Arbors and pergolas add an element of interest to a yard or garden by drawing the eye upward. Whether functional or ornamental, there are many ways you can utilize these structures to enhance your landscape design.

Like many gardeners, you may be asking yourself, what is the difference between an arbor and a pergola? While there isn’t a clear consensus on this, generally an arbor is a smaller structure with an arched top, usually standing 6 1/2 to 9 feet tall at the peak. Arbors are often placed over walkways or a gate in a fence. A pergola, on the other hand, has a flat top that is directly perpendicular to the straight sides it rests on. Pergolas can range in size from small enough to just cover a walkway to large enough to span a deck or patio area. (more…)

Hand pruners that cut like a knife against a board; stronger than bypass pruners but more likely to damage the stem. See also bypass pruning shears.

Serissa is a tiny evergreen bush that can grow 50 cms tall. It was first patterned in Southeast Asia, amidst damp and clammy open wood. The plants come in contrary sides. Funnel shaped plants are often shaped by the Serissa bonsai especially during the summer. Thus it earns the nickname “ranking of a thousand stars.”

There is a large mixture of Serissa that is being cultivated targeted to bonsai enthusiasts. They are commondly found throughout Europe, especially in Britain. Serissa is legendary for being hard maintenance especially to bonsai newbies. They have the affinity to release their plants, sometimes even whirling blond, when the suitable budding conditions aren’t followed.

Since they come from a subtropical site, Serissa bonsai has to be adult at a temperature that is below 7 mark Celsius. Indoor cultivation is well optional when the bonsai enthusiast is considering of emergent Serissa. (more…)

If you are one of those few people who are in honey with scenery, then, having a greenhouse backyard at your background is an incredible idea. In reality, according to some statistical reports, 80% of the 100 people the owned greenhouses in the United States were nature lovers, while the lasting 20% said it was decently for commercial gains.

Built specially for conceal cultivation, greenhouses or hothouses are specially planned to costume the requests of every place lover. It is a sanctuary where people and plants can adhere together and like one another as they pervade the world with blooming plants and abundant greens.

Inasmuch as greenhouses are intended to horde the precise environment for any kind of deposit, there are some cases wherein the viability of the tools is still needy on the holder of the greenhouse or to those who manage the locale.

In this feel, it is important for every greenhouse holder to see to it that the wishes of the conservatory are being met. (more…)

The concept of using “flower language” has come a long way. Flowers, especially roses can be used to express any sentiment without having to use words. Flowers are an effective channel to correspond sentiments, which if expressed otherwise may be inappropriate. Use of black roses has always been minimal. This is attributed to the fact that in most cases it symbolizes death, hatred and farewell as they are mostly used at funerals.

Numerous radical and rebel groups have accepted the black rose as a symbol of insurgence and force. In the same way this gloomy beauty is not always representative of grief and sorrow. The Irish have used the phrase “the Little Black rose” throughout their encounters with the British. Numerous radical and rebel groups have accepted the black rose as a symbol of insurgence and force. Therefore, the black rose also signifies courage and resistance. (more…)

Buy a grow box over a grow tent

There are many advantages to buying a hydroponics and grow box over a grow tent. For those of you that are not familiar with what the differences are between a grow tent and a grow box this article will hopefully explain it in detail. By the time you’re done reading this article you will be an expert on the topic of grow boxes and grow tents and know all of the differences between the two unique growing enclosures.

Grow tens are inexpensive and easy to manufacture. A grow tent can be sold for much more than what it has actually cost to produce. For this reason a lot of manufacturers have been jumping on the bandwagon lately for creating and manufacturing hydroponics grow tents. A hydroponics grow tent is essentially a plastic material that is stretched around a set of polls; much like how you would set up a camping tent. Often a grow tent will be white on the inside to reflector light and black on the outside to absorb light. A grow tent will often have a large zipper at the door so you can access your plants easily inside the hydroponic enclosure. When you purchase a grow tent you are getting just that, a shell and nothing else – none of the essential equipment is actually included with these tents. These cheaply made and manufactured products are fairly easy to put together and require very little effort on their own. But they do rely heavily on you purchasing separate hardware in addition to the grow tent in order for you to have a fully functional garden. (more…)

Nothing beats the flavor of fresh herbs added to your cooking. But if you’ve been to the supermarket lately, you’ve seen the prices – as much $5 for a small pack of herbs! – way out of the question if you’re a poor secretary trying to cut down on the food budget. For the same price, you can purchase a small plant that will provide you with the same fresh herbs year round.

Don’t worry – you don’t need a green thumb to grown your own herbs. All you need is a sunny spot, some water and a little tender, loving care. If you have garden space, you can grow herbs outdoors seasonally and dry the leftovers to keep throughout the winter. Or, if you have a small windowsill or sunny place in your home, you can grow herbs indoors in containers.

The first step is to pick the herbs you’d like to grow. I like to grow basil and oregano for Italian recipes and cilantro for Mexican dishes. And while I do have a garden outdoors during the summer, I grow a small container of each of these herbs inside so that I have fresh herbs available any time. Once you’ve identified your herbs, search online for their growth habits. A plant that grows three feet tall probably isn’t suited to an indoor container, and a plant that requires full sun to grow will likely do better outdoors (unless you have an extremely sunny window). (more…)

An insect whose larva feeds inside developing apples.

Pink family
Caryophyllaceae
Dy-an’thus. About 300 species of mostly Eurasian herbs, some important as garden plants.

Description
Leaves opposite and usually narrow. Joints swollen. Flowers terminal, usually grouped in small, often dense, cymes or panicles, but sometimes solitary. Calyx veiny, with 5 teeth, and often with 2 or more bracts beneath it. Petals 5 (much doubled in some horticultural forms), fringed or toothed in some species, always with a longish basal shank. Stamens 10.

How to Grow   (more…)

Some of the most famous and tastiest herbs in the world come from Italy. Some of the best cuisines come from Italy and are well known in part for their herbs. Growing your own herbs in an Italian herb garden provides a massive quantity of potential.

Basil is a well know Italian herb and useful in many Italian recipes. Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is useful in the garden to other plants. Planting basil next to your peppers and tomatoes will actually improve their flavor. Plus, basil will also keep at bay those pesky flies and mosquitoes.

Parsley is a relatively hard herb plant to grow. It is useful not only in Italian dishes but many other types of cuisines. Many generations ago before their were breath mints it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eliminated the bad breath left over from enjoying a savory cuisine. The tradition arose to serve parsley on a small dish after the meal. The custom lives today by using parsley as a garnish on an assortment of meals. (more…)

There are many people who dearest to expend most of their time in the backyard. The model of a plot workplace or backyard studio achieve for such kind of people. In now-a-days world many people work from their own home. It becomes very convenient to these people to own their own plot workplace. However, each may not have ample opening for his or her plot visitors. In that situation, they can take professional help to start their own backyard company within a small sphere.

If you want a robust and secure plot workplace or backyard studio you cleanly must asset a creation from a specialist company such as Garden Lodges. People who want to erect their plot staff within a small area typically route to this routine. People who normally work from home favor using a patch work instead of a extra area. However, there are certain minutiae that one should keep in wits while creating a plot personnel. (more…)

A good Garden Pond is a thing of beauty that makes your Garden a better place for you and your family. A Garden must not only be a beauty to look at but at the same time it must be safe for all concerned. Some steps have to be taken to ensure that the Garden Pond is safe and healthy for all. Special care has to be taken with regard to the depth of the Garden Pond if you have toddlers or small pets.

In case you have small toddlers in your House, they should be carefully watched while they are in the Garden and they do not slip and fall into the Garden Pond. Even then it is prudent to plan for any eventuality. You can add a Shelf or Ledge or other leaning Structures around the sides of your Garden Pond so that it provides an easier escape for a child to come out of the Pond by itself. Adding other materials around the edge of the Pond and its side will help in getting out of the Pond more easily. (more…)

Also called botanical garden. Primarily an institution for research in the field of botany and, by extension, horticulture. The modern botanic garden will have, besides research laboratories, a library and herbarium; large collections of growing plants, both outdoors and in a greenhouse; and usually elaborate gardens.

Amaranth family
Amaranthaceae
Sell-o’si-a. A large genus of tropical herbs or shrubs, grown for their often fantastic or grotesque flower clusters. Native to warm areas of U.S. and Africa.

Description
Leaves alternate, lobed, or simple. Flowers minute and chaffy, crowded into dense spikes that are much enlarged, flattened, crested, or otherwise modified, and often brilliantly colored.

How to Grow    (more…)

The one thing that usually shocks new tree growers is the fact that the fruits produced by their tree are much smaller than the ones they’re used to seeing at the grocery store. “What is wrong with my tree?!”, “My God! What have I done!?” are some cried you may hear from the disgruntled tree grower. However, small fruits are a natural occurrence. But while smaller fruits might be what nature originally intended, it is possible to attain larger fruits without any genetic altering or added chemicals. It is only through advanced techniques that the professionals reach such large sizes with their fruits.

Usually in the early stages of a fruit trees growing, veterans do something called “fruit thinning”. The theory behind this process is that with less fruits to pay attention to, the tree will be able to more efficiently send cells to the leftover fruits. When there are hundreds of little fruits on one tree, competing for the available materials necessary for growth, you will most likely just end up with a bunch of stunted fruits. To take care of this problem, simply pluck a third of the fruits extremely early on in the process. You should notice larger fruits that season.

On almost any tree, the success of each individual fruit depends on the spacing. Usually there should not be any fruits within six to eight inches of each other. During the fruit thinning process, this is the distance you should generally aim for to optimize the amount of nutrition that each fruit gets. Any closer and you’ll find they are crowding each other out. Usually this is the first mistake that a new tree grower makes. Having tons of fruit starting to grow is not always a good thing! (more…)

Herbs are considered to be nature’s miracle plant as it is known to have many benefits and usage. Herbs are grown easily through indoors or outdoors and give an invigorating touch to almost any dish. Indoor herb gardening is perfect for people who enjoys cooking and who like to use fresh herbs. For those who are just new to gardening, there are many things to consider when starting you own mini herb garden. The most important step to herb gardening is planting or how you can propagate your plants. Like all others, herbs can be propagated from seeds, cuttings, divisions, and to a lesser degree, layering.

Herbs From Seeds The most common propagation technique is to start plants from seed. The seeds of many plants may be sown directly in the garden, but some must be started indoors. These are seeded in flats filled with a sterile planting medium. As the seedlings develop their first leaves, they should be transferred to small pots. Peat pots can run a bit of money, but when the herbs have achieved sufficient size and hardiness to be transplanted into the garden, one merely plants pot and all. The pot will rot away; the plant hopefully will flourish. (more…)