Plant Gardens 101

Weeds are a gardener’s nightmare and can really spoil your enjoyment of you garden. A gardener’s dream is to have a lush, green lawn and neat, colourful borders all free from weeds. It is said that prevention is better than cure, and this is certainly true for weeds. Let weeds take hold in your garden and you will always be fighting them, and it will always be a struggle. Weeding out established weeds can be a backbreaking task, prevention is definitely the key.

Follow the following tips to help prevent weeds invading and taking hold in your garden.

1. Tackle weeds or grass sprouting up between paving slabs immediately – Either use a good weedkiller to kill them or use an old knife to prise them out. Don’t let them spread. Re-point any gaps with cement to stop them growing through again. (more…)

Growing your own plants from seed can be one of the most exciting and worthwhile gardening activities. And of course it is a really inexpensive way to grow the number of plants you need for your garden or containers.

In this article I am going to deal with growing seeds from packets purchased at a garden centre – as this is the easiest way to start. These packets will have a picture on the front and growing instructions on the reverse, including germination times and the best time of year to sow. The instructions are important so do keep the packet safe even if you have used all the seeds!

1. Equipment you need:

• Clean pots or seed trays, with drainage holes and not too flimsy
• Seed compost or multi-purpose compost is just as effective
• Clear plastic bags or cling film or propagator

(more…)

Container gardening solves many problems for the avid & novice gardener. It’s the ideal solution to challenges such as limited space and poor soil.

Container gardening also allows you to place your garden where you want and need it. Container gardening can also improve monitoring and control so that optimal growing conditions can be maintained.

But what is container gardening? Container gardening is the raising of plants in soil filled containers outside of the traditional garden. It affords many people the chance to garden who would otherwise not have the space for an open garden on the ground. Container gardening is ideal for city dwellers who have only a balcony or rooftop to garden on. But even if space is not a problem, container gardening can just make gardening easier and more convenient.

While any type of container will do, it’s best to use something that’s not too shallow and does not leak. Most Home and Garden stores and nurseries sell prefabricated containers for container gardening. Or you can simply build your own to fit the space. With a little imagination, almost anything can be used for your container gardening project. An old wheel barrow or large kettle for instance. Even an old computer case! The container you select for container gardening doesn’t just have to be functional. It can also be a design element. (more…)

It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned professional or the most novice of gardeners, you will quickly realize there are many people out there who will offer you their tips on how to plant and care for your garden. No matter what gardening problem you are facing, the solution to that problem is out there. You may even find that there is more than one suitable solution. Of the many gardening tips that you will find, there are a few in particular that stand out.

How to rid household Plants of Pests

A very common problem that many gardeners face is how to deal with pests and insects on their houseplants. You need to take caution here and choose a solution that will get rid of the pest but not harm the plants.

You will need to find a solution that will allow you to deal with the pests safely. One of your first steps should be to remove the insects from the plants. Daily cleaning of the plant will allow you to take physical control of the pests and also give you a chance to monitor the health of your plants to see how well any of your other efforts are working. (more…)

Thousands of individuals ranging in all different age groups are enjoying the satisfaction and the accomplishments that can be found in home gardening. It can be both relaxing, as well as being very rewarding, when you make the selection of choosing home gardening as your favorite hobby of interest. It can certainly bring many hours of very satisfying rewards for all of your efforts you have put forth into your garden. The time that you have placed in the care and the beauty of your garden will be noticed by everyone you know, your friends, as well as your entire family. Many individuals choose it as a means of adding fresh and delicious food to their pantry or refrigerator, or to show off the fruits of their labor that are both beautiful to the sight, and pleasing to the nose with a variety of aromas. A pretty container or pot of your beautiful, refreshing scented flowers that you have grown yourself, are sure to catch the eye of anyone who enters your home. If you think you might need loads of money to bring your garden to life then thats not true.

Here are three helpful gardening tips you can follow, which will result in a beautiful and healthy garden, sure to bring you lots of enjoyment and satisfaction.

First you will want to decide on where you would like to plant your particular garden. Some choose indoors, as in using containers, and some of course prefer the outdoors, in their own backyards. (more…)

Your garden is your own little oasis. Your retreat from the rest of the world. Naturally, you’ll want to add your own touches to your garden, to set it apart from everyone else’s. You’ll want to add your own accents to make your garden truly your own. Here are 7 ideas for little touches that you can add to your garden, to make it your own personal space.

1. Wind-Chimes – You can find wind chimes in many styles and materials. You can find copper and metal chimes, clay and ceramic. They may feature random shapes of metal or ceramic, or they may be tubes, tuned to certain pitches. So, chances are, you’ll be able to find a set of wind chimes that suit your style and your budget. If not, you can easily create your own. Just look around at some of the wind chimes that are available, to give yourself an idea on how they are made. (more…)

A rose garden is an ideal getaway for you any time of the day. Relaxing in a well planned rose garden can help you to relieve the stresses of the day with its beauty. You can plant a beautiful and relaxing rose garden if you follow some easy steps in planning and in raising the rose bushes.

When you start to plan your rose garden, and begin planting the rose bushes, consider the color of the roses. If you plant roses of the same color next to each other, it will enhance the appearance of the rose garden. Too many varying colors mixed together will look like a random jumble of color, rather than a well thought out color scheme. So, plant roses of the same or similar colors next to each other, and then in another section of the garden, you can plant another color.

Roses love sunshine. You will want a full sun area to plant your roses, where you can be sure that they will receive at least six hours of sun every day. If the area that you’re planning for a rose garden is shaded, then you will need to reconsider. Making a sun map of your backyard will help you to find the areas that are in full sun. Simply go out into your yard early in the morning, around 6:00 AM. Note which areas are in the sun, and which areas are in the shade. Repeat this every hour throughout the day, noting where the sun and the shadows are. At the end of the day, take a look at your notes, and see what parts of your yard were in direct sunlight for 6 hours or more. These will be the places where you want to plant your roses. (more…)

Having a shed in the back yard just makes life so much easier. Being able to store and organize all the garden tools, power tools along with mulch, garden soil and fertilizers makes it so much more enjoyable when you are working in the garden. Not to mention the space saver you will be getting by moving all that stuff out of your garage.

Before you set out to build your shed here are some tips.

1. Do you need a permit? This should probably be your first step, after you have decided where to build the shed. Permits can take some time to get approved so get that done in a timely fashion. Could you build without a permit, just hoping no one will know? You could… but it can also get costly. Getting the permit is just the best plan. (more…)

Gardens need makeovers, too, for many reasons. These include changes in the soil conditions, change in seasons, change in lifestyle preferences and even just a change of mind! Whatever the reason, these top tips on giving a garden makeover will help you get the job complete to a high standard and in no time at all.

Plan Before Buying
Plants can be expensive and doubly so when they wither and die unexpectedly, in which case you would have to replace them. Therefore, it is always best to plan your garden according to your preferences such as; colours, seasonality and plant quality before purchasing from the nursery. (more…)

The Item you are looking for has moved to the following location:

http://tomatoes101.com/?p=578

A site Dedicated to the “Almighty Tomato”

You’ve done your homework on the requirements of labeling product organic and have decided on a certification agency. Now what?

Each certification agency handles the certification process a little differently then the next, however, the basic steps are similar between allUS certifiers.

1) The Application: Most certification agencies require an application and application fee to begin with. For some certifiers, this application is the complete set of paperwork. For many, it is a simple application to get you into their system so they can begin providing you with any assistance you need.

2) Organic System Plan (OSP): This may have a different name depending on the certifier, but generally consists of the same information. And it is most likely to be a lot of paperwork, especially in the first year. (more…)

Butterflies are colorful creatures that are special and wonderful additions to your garden. A carefully planned garden can attract butterflies that sip nectar from many flowers and search for a place to lay their larvae. Butterfly gardens are basically organic gardens that use no chemicals. With this in mind, be sure to create a safety zone for your butterflies. Habitual zones and places where areas of the landscape meet with the tree lines are favorite safe places for them. It is also helpful to find out what kinds of butterflies are native to your area so you can find appropriate plants for them.

Fennel, parsley and dill are wonderful plants for attracting Anise Swallowtail and the Black Swallowtail butterfly. Lupine flowers are a favorite with Fritillary butterfly and Snapdragons are a great choice of attracting butterflies that are native to your own area. To attract butterflies in passing, early butterfly gardens are often sufficient; however, gardens that offer a safe haven for them will urge the butterflies to stay longer. Most butterflies are active in the mid to late summer, so it is important that you also have plants available to them during that time. You can also use a home made feeder as a supplement the garden’s flower nectar. To make a home made feeder from a small jar, drill a small hole in the middle of the lid and plug the hole with cotton. Next fill the jar with a solution of nine parts water and one part sugar, attach brightly colored fabric petals to the lid and hang your feeder in a tree near your garden. (more…)

The first thing in organic garden is the selection of a best location. Without a choice, it means simply doing the best one can with conditions. With space limited it resolves itself into no garden, or a box garden. Surely a box organic vegetable garden is better than nothing at all.

But we will now suppose that it is possible to really pick just the right site for the organic vegetable garden. What shall be picked? The biggest determining factor is the sun. No one would have a north corner, unless it were absolutely forced upon him; because, while north corners do for ferns, certain wild flowers, and begonias, they are of little use as spots for a general organic vegetable garden.

If possible, choose the ideal spot a southern exposure. Here the sun lies warm all day long. When the organic vegetable garden is thus located the rows of vegetables and flowers should run north and south. Thus placed, the plants receive the sun’s rays all the morning on the eastern side, and all the afternoon on the western side. One ought not to have any lopsided plants with such an arrangement. (more…)

A lot of people may have in silence and in secret thought dreamt of having their very own garden at home. Think of getting those organic greens or picking those freshest lush tomatoes straight from its stems or perhaps imagine opening your windows early morning and being greeted by flourishing blooms from your flower garden. However, for many people these things remain but a dream reasoning that a lot of factors have kept them from fulfilling this fantasy. Keeping a great home garden is not an easy feat.

Unless you have one of those gifted green thumbs, maintaining a well tended garden can entail a lot of hard work. Further, at this time and age when most of us are always on the go, a hectic lifestyle does not allow enough time for us to attend to and cultivate a home garden. Here are however a few tips that could help you in taking care of your garden with less effort and less time. (more…)

As a rule, we choose to grow bush beans rather than pole beans. I cannot make up my mind whether or not this is from sheer laziness. In a city backyard the tall varieties might perhaps be a problem since it would be difficult to get poles. But these running beans can be trained along old fences and with little urging will run up the stalks of the tallest sunflowers. So that settles the pole question. There is an ornamental side to the bean question. Suppose you plant these tall beans at the extreme rear end of each vegetable row. Make arches with supple tree limbs, binding them over to form the arch. Train the beans over these. When one stands facing the garden, what a beautiful terminus these bean arches make.

Beans like rich, warm, sandy soil. In order to assist the soil be sure to dig deeply, and work it over thoroughly for bean culture. It never does to plant beans before the world has warmed up from its spring chills. There is another advantage in early digging of soil. It brings to the surface eggs and larvae of insects. The birds eager for food will even follow the plough to pick from the soil these choice morsels. A little lime worked in with the soil is helpful in the cultivation of beans. (more…)

What a difference a little warm weather makes! Although Spring has been so late this year, my garden is starting to grow…especially the weeds. Why is it that they grow so well, even with the cold and lack of rain? But at least my tomatoes and runner beans are starting to grow too. The trouble is, I’m spending so many hours bending over to do the weeding and digging, that I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever stand up straight again. It is important to remember that we cannot do the things we used to be able to do when we were 20! Or maybe we can still do them, just not for so long. Gardening is a very healthy pastime, though, if you enjoy it. Lots of different bending, stretching and lifting…all while outside in the fresh air. But when we have been sitting indoors through the winter, we need to get our muscles used to working harder again, so we don’t sprain something.

It is also surprising how much you can catch the sun without realising it when you are concentrating on a patch of garden. I have just spent the weekend outside and, although it was not very hot or sunny, I have managed to get some pink skin round my neck and hands. It’s not just for a two-week holiday abroad that we need to sunscreen. Quite a short time in a sunny, but breezy, garden can mean sore skin and we often don’t realise that we are catching the sun at this time of year because it is not that hot. Better to be safe than sorry, though, and put on some skin protection and a hat. (more…)

Imagine eating luscious red strawberries fresh from your garden still warm from the sun. What a treat and that treat can be yours. Here are easy tips for growing strawberries.

Strawberries need at least six hours of sun a day to flower and set fruit. Keep that in mind when selecting a site for your berries. Strawberry pots, those big pots with little holes in the sides are not ideal for strawberries because they dry out too fast.

Strawberries prefer rich soil. Dig down about six inches with a sturdy shovel and turn the dirt over. Remove rocks and twigs and sprinkle in a slow release fertilizer per package directions. Add a bag of compost or well rotted manure for every 8 square feet of your strawberry patch. For example if your patch is 12 feet by 12 feet you would need 4 bags. Spread the compost evenly and then turn over the soil again to mix the fertilizer and compost into the soil. (more…)

Gardening is America’s number one hobby. We all know too well of the aches and pains that can come from our favorite past time! Here are a few tips that can help minimize the stress on your body and keep you healthy.

Protect those Joints:

Use tools with padded handles and easy spring-loaded handles to minimize stiffness in the hands. If you are spending time on your knees, wear kneepads; use a knee cushion or a kneeler seat. These items will cushion the knee joint and reduce pressure.

Conserve your energy:

Think Ahead! Carry all the hand tools you may use in a bucket and your large tools in a cart. This will save you many trips to the shed or garage. Sitting or kneeling on a Kneeler Seat instead of bending over will save your back, hips and legs from tiredness and stress. A Kneeler Seat is a low seat, and turned upside down it’s perfect for kneeling and the handles will help you get back up. They are generally cushioned on both sides for comfort. (more…)

“In the driest whitest stretch of pain’s infinite desert, I lost my sanity and found this rose.” – Rumi

The ancient Muslim poet, jurist, and theologian, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, may not have stumbled madly upon the very first rose back in 13th century Persia but he certainly immortalized it poignantly in his writing.

Roses are believed to have originated in ancient Persia but their cultivation quickly spread across the Northern Hemisphere, first from China to Europe and finally to North America. Rose enthusiasts throughout time and geography have helped to spread the cultivation and the adoration of this arrestingly lovely flowers to the point that, today, there are more than 20,000 varieties available.

Today’s roses run the gamut of the color spectrum. Roses come in every color, including the elusive blue and black ones that have dogged rose breeders for ages. Every shade of every color is represented, too, with many rose blossoms sporting multiple colors or shades. (more…)

Every gardening pro and green thumb novice knows the value of owning a reliable potting table. These simple but effective benches help to organize and consolidate garden work so that it’s easy, fun and convenient. Whether you decide to purchase or build your own, once you’ve got the basic frame of your potting table set up, there are some handy tidbits you can employ to further streamline your outdoor experience. Some of these add-ons already come with benches, while others can be added on without too much effort.

One of the most important functions of potting benches is to act as storage units for all your gardening equipment. While most models come with a number of tiered shelves for larger object storage, you may want to consider organizing your smaller tools separately. Hooks attached to the side of the potting table keep gardening tools handy but out of the way. Another option is a back screen, made from pegboard, latticework or galvanized metal upon which tools can be hung. (more…)