Plant Gardens 101

Things were going great in the early stages. I had just recently started growing vegetables in my back yard and things were moving along very well. Certain vegetables were growing somewhat slowly, and I didn’t expect things to be so smooth forever, but I had faith things would turn out well no matter what obstacles I would have to face. It wasn’t long before I faced one of the first setbacks in cultivating a vegetable garden and discovered that I would have to put in garden fencing.

I had grown vegetables in the past but it was a communal garden and it was ages ago so when the rabbits started to ruin my garden, I was totally caught off guard. Luckily, because of my experience, I not only knew the answer was garden fencing but I also knew exactly what kind of garden fencing was required. (more…)

Some gardeners hate it – other gardeners, like me, cannot get enough of it. What am I talking about? Moss. Moss is a simple little plant that does not have conventional roots, stems, or leaves. Moss is any species of the class ‘Bryopsida’ and is part of the division ‘Bryophyta’. ‘Bryophyta’ means the first green land plants to develop during the evolutionary process. Moss is thought to have evolved from very primitive vascular plants. Dinosaurs may have munched their way through tons of it and it has been used by gardeners in ancient cities to supply the backdrop to many beautiful gardens, perhaps even in the ‘Hanging Gardens of Babylon’.

It is interesting that moss has not given rise to any other kind of plant.

Because moss does not have the traditional vascular structures of true leaves, stems, and roots, its growth is limited to moist locations. Moss is very hardy and grows almost anywhere, all over the world except under the sea and in the desert sands. Moss normally grows vertically and of little use to humans’ apart from the use in gardening. (more…)

What do the terms grafting and budding mean?
Budding is a form of grafting. Grafting is the art of attaching a piece of one plant to another plant, creating a new plant. Grafting is usually done because the desired plant is extremely difficult if not impossible to propagate through other means. Dogwoods, for example, are easily grown from seed, however, it is next to impossible to grow a Pink Dogwood from seed. The seeds from a Pink Dogwood will produce seedlings that are likely to flower white.

The most common method for producing Pink Dogwood trees is to remove a single bud from a Pink Dogwood tree and slip it under the bark of a White Dogwood seedling. This process is known as budding, and the seedling is known as the rootstock. This is usually done during the late summer months when the bark of the White Dogwood seedling can be easily separated from the tree, and the seedling is about 1/4” in diameter. (more…)

Many years ago I bought a house in Wisconsin with a huge backyard. Large areas were devoted to fruit trees, vegetables, flowers and my special favorites like strawberries and raspberries. Growing raspberries has now become a must for any garden of mine. They taste great fresh or in desserts and are relatively easy to grow. My first experience really sold me. Got lucky I guess and after a few years had to invite friends over to pick them, just to keep up. Fresh raspberries in the grocery stores today cost an arm and a leg; so why not give them a try. Raspberries are a type of bramble, like blackberries and are also known as “Cane berries” Raspberries are different from blackberries in that the fruit has a hollow core that remains on the plant when you pick the raspberry. The most common way of growing raspberries is in rows spaced 6 to 12 feet apart. Raspberries are wonderful for jam, to eat fresh, or to use in a variety of desserts. Raspberries are a very healthy food; they are high in Vitamin C and naturally have no fat, cholesterol or sodium. (more…)

Confused about which bedding plants to buy? Bedding plants can refer to flowers, shrubs, herbs, vegetables, fruits, and many more. There are also gardening plants that are in season at different times of the year, some in fall and winter, others in spring and summer. The type of garden you are planting will determine the bedding plant choice; there are plenty of gardening plants available to suit your preferences.

If you want garden plants that you can eventually eat instead of just look at, vegetables, herbs, and fruits are the clear choice. Edible plants add an excitement to gardening because of the produce available at harvest time. The main vegetables grown in smaller, home gardens as well as larger ones include corn, peas, cucumbers, potatoes, squash, peppers, onions, carrots, spinach, lettuce, and beets. Popular fruits are pears, plums, tomatoes, blueberries, apricots, cherries, and strawberries. Herbs are used for their wonderful fragrances, to spice up a salad, and in cooking. Herbs that are often home grown include thyme, sage, dill, mint, lavender, and chives. (more…)

Compact gardening does not mean second rate gardening, in fact, creative gardeners can have amazing compact gardens, even container gardens for those with no land to cultivate. Compact gardening is especially proper in big cities. So if you live in a big city or urban area, don’t worry, you can still have a nice beautiful garden.

Living in a city does not mean you have to give up having a great garden, including a flower garden, vegetable garden, herb garden or any combination of them. People who live in large cities have learned to enjoy compact gardening and container gardening. (more…)

In times of drought and famine, resources always had to be rationed appropriately for the sake of survival. Luckily, some of us are fortunate to not have to go through a dire situation to have to depend on rationed resources. However, with the planet in peril, personal rationing of resources doesn’t seem like that bad of an idea.

For example, if you happen to be a gardener like my parents and you’re familiar with the idea of water conservation but you really need to water your plants for their survival, then investing in a rain barrel is an ideal option for you. Rain barrels, or water barrels, are designed to save and store rain water for gardening purposes. Great for those who are concerned that water conservation is at an all time low, utilizing water saved from these great barrels reduces your city’s overall water consumption, which could be used for a greater, bigger purpose. Not only that, it’s also environmentally conscious, which is always a plus! (more…)

Transplanting seedlings is one of my favourite tasks in the garden. There are a few simple things to consider to give your young plants the best chance to flourish – you want them to thrive, rather than just survive.

Timing
Think about the time of year. Just because certain seedlings are available at your nursery, don’t assume it’s the right time to plant them out. If you’re not sure, read the label – most tell you the best time of year to plant. You could look in gardening books, research online or ask family or friends who are gardeners (they might even give you some seedlings if they’ve bought too many).

You can plant tender plants before the risk of late frosts has passed, provided you listen closely to weather forecasts and are prepared to cover your ‘babies’ with protection or enclose them in a cloche. (more…)

Have you ever thought about the pleasure you would get from building your own greenhouse? There are numerous sizes and designs for you to choose from. By building your own greenhouse you will receive the satisfaction of tending to your own vegetables, plants, flowers, or whatever you decide to grow. A greenhouse will also provide your plants the sunlight and humidity that they need. Every time you visit your greenhouse you will have a sense of pride knowing that when each crop comes to fruition your efforts are rewarded.

By building your own small greenhouse you will save more money. Depending on your budget there are many materials and supplies at your disposal to build your dream garden. If you have the space, a larger greenhouse may be in your best interest because you can maximize the space that you have to grow more plants and vegetables.

There are many factors to consider when building a greenhouse to utilize the area you have to propagate more plants. Here are some tips and factors for you to consider when building your own greenhouse: (more…)

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For many gardeners, the garden actually begins in January when the first seed catalog arrives in the mailbox. While the cold wind howls outside, we retire to a cozy chair and leaf through the catalog, carefully notating which varieties of lettuce and tomatoes to try and wishing we had the space to plant each and every flower so artfully displayed on its pages.

But have you ever wondered where your great-grandparents acquired the seeds for their gardens, before there were seed catalogs and fancy garden centers? (more…)

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

Most gardeners, myself included, would much rather be outside working in the garden than inside doing housework. Gardening also requires some housekeeping, but plant lovers generally don’t mind being outside fussing with their plants.

Garden housekeeping is done for two reasons. Keeping the garden neat and clean is done to maintain the aesthetics of the garden, and also to maintain the health of the plants in the garden. (more…)