Plant Gardens 101

Great Things in little Places; My Opinion of the Homegrown Hydroponics PC Grow Box

When I read in High Times that you can grow 3 plants in a computer tower case I said no way! But I put my foot in my mouth after giving the PC Computer Grow Box a fair chance, and I am actually satisfied to be mistaken big time.

Who says great things don’t come in small packages. To assert I used to be a doubter the understatement of the year! My story starts roughly a year and a half gone when I moved away from home to take up my new residence at university. I’ve always had my parents blessing when it came to growing a few medical plants for my private personal delight at home. But now that I was away at school, and existing with other folks, I needed a safe and clever alternative choice to grow my herbs. Clearly I only needed enough for my best friends and I, so I started scouring the web attempting to find secret options to growing plants. Long and behold I stumbled upon the local Hydroponics computer Grow Box after picking up a copy of the best of High Times at my local Barnes and Nobel. (more…)

Herbs have been used by humans since time immemorial. The wonderful thing about herbs is that most of them can be used directly and without any special preparation. This has made them one of the most accessible and primary source of food for people throughout the ages. Another reason why they are popular is because of the multiple uses they can be put to. Throughout history and around the world, across all cultures, varieties of herbs have been used by people in one way or the other.

Herbs grow fairly easily without requiring close attention. They grow as annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. They can be grown indoors or outdoors. Even for growing outdoors, they do not require much space because herb plants are usually small. Herbs can be used fresh or can be easily dried and stored for future use. (more…)

Technically, a garden or collection of trees, often rare ones, grown for study, research, or ornament. In practice, most arboretums also display shrubs and other plants.

Whether for shredding over fresh salads, using in vegetable medleys or casseroles, or simply for healthy anytime of day snacking, carrots are one of the most popular root crops enjoyed and consumed worldwide. A hardy growing vegetable, carrots are excellent growers in nearly all regions of the world, and their fresh taste and snap are so pleasing. Carrots are excellent additions to backyard gardens and container gardens alike, so read on, to find the basics of growing delicious tasting organic carrots year after year. (more…)

A well-known resident of River Oaks contacted us and asked us if we could harmoniously blend the organic and inorganic components of her landscape into a design that would complement the classical architecture of her house and exterior masonry. We immediately noticed that the symmetry of her three-story house, and the fine linear designs of the yard and surrounding stonework, were also two very key elements used in Italian gardening. We shared this insight with the homeowner, who agreed that such a design would work very well for what she had in mind.

We began by working on the walkway that ran from the sidewalk up to the front of the house. This walkway curved in from the sidewalk between two small stone walls and converged in a series of very small, ascending steps reminiscent of those in a staircase. This gave us an opportunity to establish an immediate sense of formal entryway by framing the front of the walkway with Agapanthus and a number of other perennial and flowering plant species that bloom in seasonal cycles throughout the spring and summer. We framed the flowering plants with boxwoods to create an organic enclosure whose angular symmetry and self-containment speak to essence of an Italian garden. (more…)

If you are like many with outdoor gardens, you’ve invested a great deal of both time and money into your Koi pond and would like to protect your investment. One way to accomplish the goal of protecting your Koi pond is by purchasing a pond heater. While some extreme southern states that rarely, if ever, run the risk of freezing water temperatures, most of the United States mainland experiences low enough winter temperatures that a Koi pond heater is not exactly a bad idea.

If you plan to leave your Koi in their pond year round it is a good idea to invest in a pond heater. Koi thrive at a temperature of around 12 degrees Celsius a pond heater can help keep the temperature regulated in winter months or even autumn months when temperatures can vary widely from day to evening or even one day to the next. You can also use your Koi pond heater in order to artificially extend the ‘growth’ season for your Koi. (more…)

A term that usually refers to the stone cattle or horse troughs used, primarily by the English, to grow alpine plants. These, along with stone sinks, became so popular that authentic ones are virtually unobtainable, but they can be simulated by concrete or lightweight hypertufa substitutes.

For proper functioning and maintenance of greenhouses, certain essential greenhouse supplies and equipment are required.

The first important supply is the covering or glazing material of the greenhouse since it identifies the effectiveness and success of the greenhouse in terms of plant growing and maintenance. Glass covering provides impact on the aesthetic appearance and permanence of the greenhouse. Some of the weaknesses of glass covering include the disability of retaining heat and low insulating value. It is heavier and therefore needs stronger braces or frames. It is fragile, easy to break and doesn’t diffuse light so there’s a possibility of plant burning. It also requires contractor installation, which may affect the budget.

Plastic covering includes fiberglass, polycarbonate, acrylic sheets, and polyethylene film. Fiberglass is an alternative to glass since it is translucent enough to transmit light. You can purchase them in rolls or ridged sheets. The corrugation grids seal and overlap sides to avoid appropriate temperature inside the greenhouse from escaping. (more…)

Purslane family
Portulacaceae
Por-tew-lak’a. Purslane . Low-growing, mostly trailing herbs, comprising about 100 species from tropical and temperate regions.

Description
Stems soft and fleshy, often reddish. Leaves alternate, small, thick, entire, often spoonshaped, 1-2 in. (2.5-5.0 cm) long. Flowers usually terminal, usually opening only in full sunlight, sometimes inconspicuous, sometimes showy. Calyx of 5 sepals. Corolla of 5 petals, in varying colors. Stamens numerous.

How to Grow   (more…)

Before you get started with either your balcony garden or gardening on your rooftop, there are some very important factors to consider.

Firstly, and of course the most obvious, make sure that the structure can withstand the weight and the rooftop will not be comprised with anyone walking on it, let alone creating extra weight or watering difficulties. (more…)

When I first heard about the rotating compost bin I must say I was a little dubious. Claims of compost in two or three weeks seemed unrealistic to me. I decided to investigate, to see if this really could be true. The compost bin tumbler works in a fairly unique way. The bin is always on a pivot so it can be turned around. This mixes up the contents thoroughly.

Why do we do this? The mixing ensures that all the contents become finely chopped making them easier to break down. If we add to this the fact that mixing encourages the high temperatures needed to make compost. There will be an even temperature throughout which means all the contents will compost at a much higher rate than a conventional heap. (more…)

The lost art of picking wild blackberries. So it’s berry picking time again. time to pull on the long sleeves and fight the thorns and chiggers. All for the sweet black jewels of the season. The quiet early mornings are a delight with the dew soaking my feet and pants legs.

The hot days bake the vines to ripen the berries, better drink lots of water while picking those jewels. the jelly they make can’t be beat, so the work is worth the most roughest of terrain.

The buzzing june bugs run you crazy as do the other biting critters that fly. But the goal is the buckets of berries that you make back to the house with.

Is it worth the trouble? It depends on how much you love those sweet juicy berries. Yes it’s worth the work and the thorns and bugs and the heat to get to them. (more…)

A soaplike compound added to water or some other liquid to increase its wetting properties by reducing the surface tension of the droplets. Also called wetting agent.

Because of the toxins associated with fertilizers and pesticides, many people are turning to organic gardening. The Bonsai is one plant that people are adding to their organic gardens. Originating in Asia, bonsai gardening has become very popular throughout the world. Bonsai plants require a lot of loving care. Growing them is often considered an art form.

Organic Soil and Fertilization

The proper soil mixtures and fertilizers are essential for healthy bonsai growth. Research shows that the best bonsai soils are soils that have organic matters. Bonsai soil tends to be a loose, quick-draining mix of natural and non-chemically treated soil. The foundation is a mixture of sand or gravel, fired clay pellets, or shale, which is mixed with an organic compound such as peat or bark. Volcanic clay soils are a preferred selection in Japan. Kadama and Kanuma are two popular choices. (more…)

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Plants that attract butterflies can be divided into two categories; those that attract adults, and those that are food plants for butterfly larvae (Caterpillars). To attract more than just the passing wanderer, plant a good mix from both categories.

By providing plants that the caterpillars can feed on, you will surely have butterflies come and stay. Please remember that Caterpillars will eat the foliage of these plants; therefore, you must accept the damage and forgo the insecticides. Adults searching for nectar are attracted to, red, yellow, orange, pink, or purple blossoms, flat-topped or clustered flowers and short flower tubes Short flower tubes allow the butterflies to reach the nectar with their proboscis. Nectar-producing plants should be grown in open, sunny areas, as adults of most species rarely feed on plants in the shade. (more…)

Carrot family
Umbelliferae
Kair’um. A genus of about 30 species of Old World temperate zone herbs.

Description
Leaves mostly basal, much compounded into tiny segments. Flowers minute, white, in small umbels that are grouped in larger umbels. Fruit dry and seedlike.

How to Grow    (more…)

If you’re looking for ways to keep your garden watered without wasting too much time and money, you’ve probably gone through a lot of options in your mind. Maybe you’ve considered a sprinkler, a hose, or a good old-fashioned watering can. All of these methods might be convenient, but most of the time you will end up wasting water on plants that don’t need any more. If you live in a drought stricken area like I do, you know that every bit of water counts. I ended up getting a drip irrigation system. I haven’t regretted this decision at all.

When you install a drip irrigation system, you can choose one of two varieties: above ground and below ground. The above ground version drips small amounts of water continuously onto the ground, and allows it to soak in. It is all regulated from a pressure controller, which ensures that the water just comes out at a drip instead of a spray or a stream. These pressure regulators are very inexpensive. The whole drip system can be set up with a pressure regulator and a garden hose with holes poked in it (although it is ideal for you to get a pipe designed for this type of use, I’ve found that the hose method works acceptably). (more…)

Deciding on the right type of greenhouse to buy or build is a very important step that should not be overlooked. You definitely don’t want a greenhouse that will not meet your needs.

Researching the types of greenhouses, and accessories that are available is a must before you begin this project. Having a good understanding of what is available will make your decision easier, and you will end up with something that will meet the needs you want.

Depending on what you will be planting can also be an issue when deciding on what to buy or build. If you will have a variety of plants that will require different temperatures, you might be better off building or buying a couple of small greenhouses instead of one big one. By having a couple of small greenhouses you will be able to control the temperature for the type of plants in the greenhouse.

Choosing the proper location will be an important step. Selecting a location with plenty of sunlight will be ideal. Most plants require lots of sunlight, if the greenhouse doesn’t get enough sunlight, artificial lighting might be required. (more…)

A British term for aphids.