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Archive for March 3rd, 2010

Making Beauty In Your Big Garden

March 03, 2010 By: Joey Simmons Category: Advice General

Nothing focuses the mind on transforming raw material into an object of beauty, utility, and practicality better than landscaping. The land will make you wait when you do not feel like waiting, and nature, a mysterious consequence of every landscaping design, will do everything you do not want it to do.

Landscaping can do wonders for the surroundings. Many people find it very useful. In fact, in the survey conducted by the Gallup Organization, almost 54% of Americans have said that the top benefit of landscaping is the relaxation and enjoyment it brings for people to enjoy.

In beautifying a big garden, employing the principle of landscaping is extremely important. Some people contend that improving the appearance of a big garden can be a daunting task.

So what is a landscaper to do? It would be best to relax and respect the natural rhythms of the elemental materials found in the garden.

A landscaper should learn the value of patience and flexibility. It is with these attributes that a true landscaper can work out the details of the job.

The landscaper must take into consideration the size of the yard. If it is a big garden, it is best to use the proper number of plants and trees so that the area will not appear dull and empty.

When landscaping a big garden, one should keep in mind that employing the principles of landscaping should not just focus on enhancing its features. The way the trees provide shade is a vital factor.

A big garden usually contains some trees and shrubs even before the landscaping process begins. It is best for a landscaper to examine the area before he starts planning the design.

The proper placing of the plants is a necessity. Since it will be a bigger area, it is best to consider the plants that need more sunlight and those that should not be directly exposed to the sun.

In landscaping, what is important is to emphasize the beauty of the nature. This means that if there are natural rock formations in the area, it is best to put emphasis on them if the rocks seem to be worthy of attention.

All of these things boil down to the fact that the size of the area should be the top consideration of the landscaper. The size of the garden will determine if it needs more trees, plants, or other embellishments. Size really does matter.

Read about canna lilies and gloriosa lily at the Types of Lilies website.

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Rose Bushes – The Basics Of Planting Your Own Rose Bush

March 03, 2010 By: K. Finch Category: Gardens - Flower

For many years, lovers have given roses and poets have written of their merits. Now, you may be considering showing how much you love roses by planting your own rose bushes. No doubt you’ve heard a lot about how to take care of roses – the diseases to watch out for and the ways to prune them. While it may sound pretty complicated, you’ll find that planting your own rose bush is much easier than you think. If you take the following guidelines into consideration and use them, you’ll be sure to do a great job and have a beautiful rose bush that will look wonderful.

Things to Do Before Planting Your Rose Bush

If you are waiting for spring to arrive so you can plant your rose bush, there are some things that you may want to do. You may want to start thinking about the types of bushes you want for your rose garden. There are hundreds of different rose bushes that you can choose from and it may be a bit difficult to make your choice. You may want to visit a nursery in your area to find out more about bushes. Also, look for friends and neighbors that have beautiful bushes and find out what types of bushes they are growing. Make sure that you know whether a certain bush is prone to disease or if it takes a lot of attention as well before making your choice. (more…)

How to lay out a garden

March 03, 2010 By: Bob Janeway Category: Create & Plan...

Laying out a garden can be a very exciting task which, despite of the hard work it might imply, is very rewarding and satisfying at the end. But, in order to achieve nice results, there are important guidelines and tips you might want to have in mind and apply, since laying out a garden can be trickier as it might seem at first glance.

The first important factor to have in mind at the time of planning how to lay out a garden is the soil and its previous preparation. You should try to lay out your garden towards endings of winter or beginnings of spring, when the soil is moist but not too muddy or too dry. In order to find out if the soil is in the right condition, you should hold some in your hand trying to make a ball with it, if the ball doesn’t fall apart, then you should wait some more days, and if it tends to fall apart then is ready.

Also, before starting with the garden lay out, you should work on the soil preparing it by adding fertilizer organic matter, and lime. After this, you will be ready to start planning the garden layout. Start by looking at the space very carefully and planning the layout in a piece of paper which will help you as a guide during the process.

If you are planning a vegetable garden layout, there are some special tips you should keep in mind. First of all, a vegetable garden should be located at a very sunny and luminous spot. If you plan your vegetable garden on a dark area, your vegetables will not have all the elements they need to grow.

The best way to lay out a vegetable garden is in raised beds. If you chose this option, you should mound the soil or frame beds of a width of about 4 feet with stones, concrete, or wood. Raise beds are a great choice for vegetable gardens due to the fact that the soil warms quicker than with other methods.

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Gardening – What Are the Benefits?

by Bob Janeway

Gardening is one of the simplest and most fruitful, pun intended, hobbies in the country. Even those in the urban areas are rapidly discovering the wonders of this activity. So although they don’t have the garden patch on their backyard that they can show off, they make one several feet above the ground in their condominium units and apartment buildings.
Gardening, after all, does not only involve a large patch of land. One can actually do gardening in pots. Even taking care of orchids and other aerial plants are also considered gardening. Starting small is actually quirt good especially if you do not have much experience yet. Not all people have a green thumb and it is best to take care of only a few so that you will be able to fully focus on each of the plants.

Remember that gardening may look as simple as watering them every morning and putting fertilizers, but the task is more than that. It actually involves a lot of work and can take a great deal of time especially if you have many plants to take care of.

Most people think that gardening is only for aesthetic purposes but the fact is, there are a lot of things that gardening can offer, not only to people but also to the environment. Below are just some of the benefits that one can get from gardening. Read on and you might be encouraged to get on with the craze.

Relaxation
Although it may indeed involve a lot of work, from watering the plants to cutting the unwanted shrubs in the surrounding areas, gardening relaxes people. This is especially true with people who are already used to the task and are simply enjoying the “flowers” of their labor.

Gardening, in fact, has been known to be effective therapy with people who are depressed or those with manic tendencies. Plants soothes the emotions and calms the person.

Clean air
Science books have told us that plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen, an air that we need to survive. When there are plants in the house, the air is healthier as plants already filter the air when they make food and then give off clean air. This is the reason why people find cleaner air in the suburbs compared to the cities… perhaps because there are more trees there than in the rustle-bustle of urban areas.

Cooler
The home with plants is also cooler than those that do not have any. This is because of the shades that plants provide. The branches and the leaves of the plants protect the house from the direct rays of the sun and of course the leaves in itself absorb the sunlight. Plants need the sunlight to make or process their own food.

Eye-appealing
Hands down, a house with plants and flowers is more beautiful than any house with great architectural design. Having plants at home provides flashes of colors that are wonderful to look at especially when combined with the general design of the house. Especially good in providing aesthetic appeal are orchids and sunflowers which provide a cheery and bright atmosphere to any home.

Food on the table
You can actually choose to plant vegetables that you and your family can enjoy at the dining table. This actually beats having to buy veggies in the market because you know that what you have planted is clean and free from pesticides and other chemicals that are used in commercial planting.

Bob is the owner of http://gardening.knowsmart.com/ which is an up-to-date, informative gardening website.

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fluorescent and LED light compared to HPS lamps

March 03, 2010 By: Archie Page Category: Books & Magazines, Gardens - Hydroponics

Grow box of light primer..

If you are in the market for a new hydroponics grow box, I would highly suggest you pay very careful attention to the types of light that are in the grow box. There are various types of light that are often used for indoor hydroponic applications. You might find high output fluorescent lights, or you may find high pressure sodium lights, or metal halide lights, high output horticultural led lights. Traditional high pressure sodium and metal halides lights seem to work best if you are able to deal with the heat and the extra cost of running with a high output lighting system.

LED lights and fluorescent lights will use much less electricity and will not nearly be as hot, but will generally not give you as many lumens or energy output. The more light you have, the more the plants will grow, but the you will spending more money on electricity. The fluorescent and LED lights just do not compare to the higher wattage high pressure sodium bulbs and really should not be considered an option unless you are a pure hobbyists. (more…)

Attracting Wild Birds With a Bird Garden

March 03, 2010 By: Janet Ashby Category: Gardens - Flower

You can use bird feeders and bird baths to attract wild birds to your garden but if you also plant a bird garden you can increase the attractiveness of your garden enormously.

Trees, shrubs and flowers can provide shelter from predators and the winter cold and provide natural food for the birds for the whole year. Providing a safe environment with a natural source of food will make your wild bird visitors feel safe and they will visit often. Your garden may already provide some natural food but small changes can easily increase the availability of the food and make your garden even more attractive.

Plan your Bird Garden

Find out which birds are common in your area and base your plan around them. You can find out from the local library or bird society or by watching birds that are attracted to bird feeders in your area. Include native plants in your plan as they are most likely to thrive and will provide suitable natural food for the birds. (more…)

Growing Micro Greens Can Save You Money

March 03, 2010 By: Linda Nicastro Category: Advice General, How To Grow...

Imagine never having to buy vegetables again. How much money could you save in a year? For those on a tight budget, growing micro greens in your own home can offer some financial relief from paying high grocery store prices for fresh produce. You will not only save money, but you will still enjoy the benefits of eating healthy food.

Micro greens are seedlings that have not been allowed to mature into full grown plants. Many trendy restaurants serve these greens in salads, and as garnishments for other dishes. These seedlings can be grown in large or small batches. You can decide how much or how little you want to grow.

It is very easy to learn how to grow micro greens. You can grow an endless supply of vegetables and herbs on your windowsill or deck, using just a window box or seedling tray filled with potting soil or potting mix. It requires very little room and very little care. It is also very inexpensive. (more…)

Word of the Day: twining vine

March 03, 2010 By: Garden Dictionary Category: Garden Dictionary, Uncategorized

A vine that climbs by wrapping its stem around a support. Twining vines can actually damage or strangle trees.