Plant Gardens 101

A kind of interesting symmetry of words. Why would anyone have the desire to build a garden made of knots? Of course if you have ever read,seen or heard aboutKnotGardens then this little introduction was lost on the informed ones.

Old things are sometimes good things. Sometimes they go away but quite often they come back stronger than the original time. This is certainly true in the case of what is called a knot garden. The idea of a knot garden came about in the Tudor reign ofEngland and progressed through the Elizabethan age with knot gardens constructed to copy the beautiful embroidery work associated with the English period. (more…)

See peat moss.

The importance of having good seeds has already been declared. They must not only grow, but grow into what we have bought them for–be true to name. Without the latter quality we cannot be sure of good gardens, and without the former they will not be full ones. A meagre “stand” from seeds properly sown is a rather exasperating and discouraging experience to encounter. The cost for fertilizing and preparing the land is just as much, and the cost of cultivating very nearly as much, when the rows are full of thrifty plants or strung out with poor ones. Whether you use ten cents’ worth or ten dollars’ worth, the best seed to be had will be the most economical to buy–to say nothing of the satisfaction that full rows give. Inexperienced gardeners seem universally to have the conviction that the only thing required in seed sowing is to cover the seed with soil. What sort of soil it is, or in what condition, or at what depth or temperature the seed is planted, are questions about which they do not trouble themselves to think. (more…)

Ready for a new hobby? There are hundreds of hobbies and greenhouse gardening may be just the right one for you. If you love working with flowers, plants, vegetables or herbs, a greenhouse lets you plant, cultivate, and watch things grow more of the year and you can experiment with growing unusual varieties of plants.

Greenhouse gardening is good for the gardener as well as for the plants. A greenhouse gardener is able to spend quiet moments without stress. It can be a very enjoyable hobby that promotes self esteem and a feeling of pride. It is also a good hobby for the person who likes to experiment and try new things.

Before beginning your greenhouse hobby you may want to look at online retail sites that sell greenhouses. You will get a good idea of what is needed and the price of various greenhouses. (more…)

It was in the fall of 1998 that I took up composting. Most Saturday mornings were spent watching gardening shows on HGTV and DYI. I understood that without good soil a garden was doomed to failure. What better way to achieve good soil but with compost?

I wanted to find out more about composting before I began. So I went on a search for a book on composting. There are many good books out there with a lot of good information on composting. But one book really caught my eye because of the title, “Let It Rot” by Stu Campbell. How appropriate because that is what happens when plant material decomposes. I read that book cover to cover. I’m sure I got some strange looks from people when I took it to read while waiting for an appointment. I enjoyed that book as much as any novel I’d ever read!

There are numerous methods of composting. The three bin system is probably one of the most efficient methods to compost. The first bin holds your raw material. The second bin holds the compost material you are currently working on. When it is completely composted you place it in the third bin. This method is for someone with plenty of room plus excess energy. Since I have neither, this was not the method I chose. (more…)

As a species name, means “shrubby or bushy.” For example, Jerusalem sage, Phlomis fruticosa, is a shrubby perennial with stems that get woody at the base.

Pink family
Caryophyllaceae
Jip-sof’fill-a. A genus of 125 handsome, small-flowered herbs, chiefly Eurasian, known generally as baby’s-breath for the profusion of mostly small flowers.

Description
Leaves small, bluish green, opposite. Joints slightly swollen. Flowers numerous, usually in profuse branched panicles. Calyx 5-toothed. Petals 5, sometimes toothed, usually with a minute claw. Stamens 10.

How to Grow    (more…)

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Do you want to an attractive walkway to lead way to your beautiful yard or garden? Then a great way to give your garden a new look is to try garden stepping stones in your walkway.

Stepping stones are often used to give a natural looking walkway to your garden through the front door of your home. Stepping stones are considered as a work of art which give your walkway or garden a personalize signature of your lifestyle. Using stepping stone in your lawn for walkway not only personalizes your living style but also an adds touch of beauty to your garden.

How to make a garden walkway using stepping stones

A series of steps we have discussed below which could be helpful and you can give a better look to your garden using stepping stones. (more…)

Xeriscaping literally means “dry”-landscaping. This form of landscaping is designed to use plants that are not overly reliant on water. Also, conservation of water resources, these days, is of the utmost importance when one takes climate-change into consideration. Xeriscaping, being a more efficient use of water to take care of your garden, has become popular in areas that are naturally dry and areas that are prone to drought (Australia being one example). In America, much of the land west of the Rocky Mountains is considered semi-arid, prone to drought and therefore, a good area to consider applying xeriscape principles, rather than continuing to struggle with the the european design. By applying the principles of xeriscaping, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of a beautiful landscape without running up enormous water bills or spending a great deal of time, trying to prevent your garden from turning up its toes due to lack of water. Xeriscape systems generally use 50 to 75 percent less water than traditional european style gardens. (more…)

Here are some tips to help you build a great greenhouse:

To build a workable greenhouse, you will need a construction plan. Then you can consider ways and means. There are several ways to go about building.

You can draw up a contract with a manufacturer of greenhouses to supply all the materials, all the heating and cooling equipment, and the masonry. You can even get him to find you a builder to erect the structure, and also a plumber for the water and heating installations.

Or you can purchase the material you need (new or used), and have some local labor come in and build your greenhouse. Or you can do it yourself, perhaps with some help from your family.

If you prefer the prefabricated units, you can erect a greenhouse with little or no extra help. You can glaze it with regulation glass panes, Fiberglas, or plastic. Ready and able to supply all this are innumerable firms. As you plan your greenhouse, there are further decisions you will have to make.

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A plant that, due to inherited characteristics, is shorter and/or slower growing than the normal forms.

Storage space is forever a challenge. Everybody needs more storage space. One of the easiest ways to acquire more spaces to store stuff in is to obtain a shed and place it in the garden or backyard. With the variety of sheds on hand making a decision as to which kind would be most appropriate for your needs, can be a confusing task. One of the choices you can reach is getting a vinyl storage shed. Let’s discuss vinyl storage sheds and try to get a hold the most information in order to make an clever decision as to buying one. Vinyl sheds, same as plastic sheds, have one terrific plus. They are completely resilient to corrosion, pests and insects. Termites would not cause any problems as they do with wooden sheds and the elements would not cause it to rot or rust. (more…)

Homegrown Hydroponics (BBB) Better Business Bureau B+ Rating

I have been in the market to buy a personal hydroponics grow box for quite some time now. I have seen many different manufacturers advertising their goods on both the Internet as well as in various trade magazines like High Times. There were three companies that looked like they made a pretty good product. Of the three companies that I initially had an interest in were Supercloset, BC Northern Lights, and Homegrown Hydroponics. I had a decision to make. What was going to be the best grow box for me, and what was the best company to deal with. I am no expert in hydroponics and I have had no previous experience with any of these companies prior to now. So I began to do my due diligence and research on the big three grow box manufactures in the industry.

I was not able to find too many reviews on BC Northern Lights or Supercloset. Essentially there was very little in what I could find on the Internet that said much about anything about these two companies which was surprising. I saw one or two reviews that said that that BC Northern Lights units run hot, but other than nothing. Supercloset I was almost able to find nothing at all. Made me a little hesitant that maybe people were not buying anything from Supercloset and hence no reviews or input of any kind. (more…)

Earworms are also referred sometimes as the fruit worm. They look like caterpillars and can grow over an inch in length. Their color range can be green, brown, yellow or tan and have black or brown stripes on their sides. They lay their eggs in the spring then continue to eat the silk of corn before it gets to the actual ear. However, this pesky insect does not just limit itself to corn. It also goes after beans, peas, peppers, potatoes, squash and tomatoes.
Spray the affected plants with Btn which is bacillus thuringiensis in the spring just before the eggs begin to hatch. Bacillus thuringiensis is a soil dwelling bacterium that is commonly used as a natural pesticide. It occurs naturally in caterpillars as well as moths, butterflies and on the surface of dark plants.

Create an environment in your garden to allow beneficial insects to enter. Such insects include lacewings and trichogramma wasps. A lacewing is a winged insect in the order Neuroptera and a trichogramma wasp is a common wasp insect used to control pests. (more…)

When we decide to do some gardening, it’s usually the beautifully colored flowers that gives use the inspiration.
Our aim is grow plants to give us an attractive and productive setting. When we start-planting garden plants there a few things that we must comply too. Top on the list is the sunlight; the amount of sunlight it receives plays a vital role on its growth.

Understand the flowers and do some research on the type of flower that you plan to grow. Know the color of the flower, the bloom time and the overall layout or design of your garden.

Next is the habitat, we have to protect the habitats, give great care to the surroundings and we must be able to recycle whenever it is possible.

When choosing your plants pay a great attention on the instructions on the label. Here, you will receive great tips and care instructions that each particular plants require.

If for any reasons if you will that some of the instructions cannot be complied too, than give a serious thought whether you will like to take the chances.

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Most bedding plants are easy to rise from seed, but some smaller seeds, such as begonias, can be difficult to grow. We do not need a greenhouse to germinate seeds. Placing a seed tray or pot with a polythene bag over it on a window-ledge is also effective. We can purchase seedlings with just two or three leaves. They are usually purchased by mail order and come in trays containing between 100 and 400 plants. They will require pricking out soon after they arrive into seed trays or pots. (more…)

A complex chemical that contains iron or some other metal in a form readily available to plants. Chelates are used by gardeners to treat plants that show the chlorosis typically caused by an iron or magnesium deficiency.

Geranium family
Geraniaceae
Ee-ro’di-um. Nearly 60 species of widely distributed herbs, a few grown for ornament, some weedy, a few planted for forage in dry regions, and 2 important as bee plants in Calif. Commonly called stork’s-bill or heron’s-bill.

Description
Leaves generally divided or compound, feather-fashion. Flowers in auxillary umbels; sepals and petals 5 each.

How to Grow    (more…)

There is another thing to be considered in making each vegetable do its best, and that is crop rotation, or the following of any vegetable with a different sort at the next planting…

With some vegetables, such as cabbage, this is almost imperative, and practically all are helped by it.

Even onions, which are popularly supposed to be the proving exception to the rule, are healthier, and do as well after some other crop, “provided” the soil is as finely pulverized and rich as a previous crop of onions would leave it.

If the same vegetables are grown in the same place year after year, there is a risk that soil borne pests and diseases will become a problem, and that plant health can decline as a result of this. (more…)