Plant Gardens 101

The most basic conditions of your koi pond water chemistry are the pH factor (which stands for potential Hydrogen) and water hardness. These factors alone can determine the life or death of your koi pond’s inhabitants (I call them the “Fam Fam”).

The pH of the koi pond water is measured on a scale of 1-14, with a reading of 7 considered “neutral.” Any reading above 7 is alkaline; anything below 7 is acidic. Most fish prefer a pH value of 7.2 to 7.6, or just slightly on the alkaline side of the scale. However, koi and goldfish can adjust to gradual changes in pH from as low as 7 to as high as 8.5 and still remain healthy and flourish.

Hardness or buffers in the koi pond water can raise the pH levels. Even though hardness is a separate measure from pH, the two respond to each other chemically. Pure or “distilled” water has a pH of 7 and an absence of buffers or hardness. Neutral pH is unstable, however, and if it has no buffers or hardness, it can quickly drop to the lower (acidic) end of the pH scale – as low as 4.2 to 4.8. At this level of acidity the fish’s gills become burned and eventually become unable to extract oxygen from the water, ultimately suffocating.

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A wild flower garden has a most attractive sound. One thinks of long tramps in the woods, collecting material, and then of the fun in fixing up a real for sure wild garden.

Many people say they have no luck at all with such a garden. It is not a question of luck, but a question of understanding, for wild flowers are like people and each has its personality. What a plant has been accustomed to in Nature it desires always. In fact, when removed from its own sort of living conditions, it sickens and dies. That is enough to tell us that we should copy Nature herself. Suppose you are hunting wild flowers. As you choose certain flowers from the woods, notice the soil they are in, the place, conditions, the surroundings, and the neighbours.

Suppose you find dog-tooth violets and wind-flowers growing near together. Then place them so in your own new garden. Suppose you find a certain violet enjoying an open situation; then it should always have the same. You see the point, do you not? If you wish wild flowers to grow in a tame garden make them feel at home. Cheat them into almost believing that they are still in their native haunts. (more…)

Over the last year, with the recession in full swing and prices increasing, many homeowners have been looking for ways to cut down on their outgoings. One way that some individuals have tried to save money is by growing their own fruit and vegetables.

Not only can this help to cut down on food shopping bills, but it is an enjoyable way to spend the weekend and it can help the environment by cutting down on the miles that food has to travel to be on the kitchen table. Many homeowners are put off by the prospect of growing their own fruit and vegetables, but it in reality it is relatively straight forward.

To get started you only need to purchase a few items, the largest being a greenhouse which is used to house the plants as they grow. There are retailers that supply greenhouses Leicester area that have a wide selection to suit every size garden and budget.

They supply greenhouses from four main manufacturers including Elite, The Malvern Collection, Forest and J-Class. Whilst the novice may think that all greenhouses are much the same, they are in fact available in a selection of style and with many varying features. (more…)

Fertilizing begonias is not food for the begonia; all plants make their own food through process called photosynthesis, the begonia plant utilizes filtered light from the sun this creates sugars from carbon dioxide and water, thus the begonia is feeding its self. Think about it when was the last time you invited Begonia to dinner?

Healthy, begonias require sixteen basic nutrients these are essential for begonias ability to live. The sixteen elements are the same for all living plants. When begonia plant is deprived of any of the sixteen building blocks, the begonia will die over time; this is why you provide fertilizers and bio-stimulants you are providing essential elements so the begonia can live. Three of the sixteen components are Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen these are freely obtained from water, air and those elements are usually available to begonias. (more…)