Plant Gardens 101

Gardening soil is an indispensable component for a fruitful garden, and therefore knowing how to choose the right one and how to apply it is more important than what we might usually think. In order to know when soil is good, you will need to check on its texture and fertility.

A good soil texture should be cohesive but at the same time allow water to filter in. For example, soil which has too much clay will tend to pack to tightly in such a way that it is hard to work with it as well as water wont be able to move as freely as necessary. On the other hand, soils that are too sandy will not have enough cohesiveness and water will not be absorbed properly.

If you wish to be able to find out how good your soil is easily, you can test it by making a ball and observing if it packs to tightly or breaks too easily. If the soil ball is so cohesive that you can mold it, then it has too much clay, and if it breaks apart and you are not able to make a ball with it, then it has too much sand.

A good soil also must have three main nutrients: phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Phosphorus is indispensable for a good root growth. When growing flowers, this nutrient is extremely important, since their bulbs will need it for growing strong and healthy.

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Most synthetic fertilizers contain components and chemicals which can be harmful to living organisms, and therefore organic gardening usually is a wiser option. If you wish to apply organic gardening techniques, you should start by avoiding all synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and use natural options instead.

Once you have decided where you will plant, you should apply natural compost and rock materials to it. If you have flower beds, you should add about 3″ of organic material to them; this will add enough nutrients and humus as well as help conserving water.

If you have acid-loving plants, a good idea is to place a layer of pine needles over their bed every fall, since these needles have a nourishing acid which will help the plants growing strong and healthy. Try to avoid using any pesticide by making sure of adding enough organic soil, since this component strengthens the immune system of the plants and helps them growing strong.

At the time of choosing plants, try to opt for the ones which better adapt to the temperature, shade, and soil in which they will be. If these factors are not the appropriate ones for the plants you choose, you might not succeed in growing them as strong and healthy as you might have intended.

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Landscaping your garden allows you to use your imagination and creativity as well as it can be very relaxing and fulfilling once you see the result of your work. But, despite of this, this task involves specific knowledge and several techniques which you should be aware of in order to succeed and create an appealing design.

Before you start landscaping your garden, you must have a clear plan and idea of what you will do. In order to plan your landscape, you should first consider several factors, such as if you have children, if you have pets, if you plan on placing a pool, and what you wish to grow. A garden landscape will imply different requirements depending on what you will grow in it: flowers, plants, trees, or vegetables.

Also, before planning your garden design, try to have a clear idea on what your budget for it is, and how much available time you have to work on it. Once you have all these factors clear, you should proceed to measure the space in which you will work and if possible make a drawing of it as accurately as possible.

There are many different elements you can consider when landscaping your garden. Depending on the different factors that affect your specific case, you should consider, for example, lawn, an herb garden, a children’s play area, shade trees, a garden seat, a pond, a vegetable garden, flowers, and statues or other ornaments.

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Although it is often believed that bonsai trees had their origins in Japan, they were first developed in China during the 2nd century AD. These trees were developed by growing them in containers, being its name very representative of this fact since the Chinese term for Bonsai can be translated as “container planted”.

It is believed that the art of developing Bonsai trees arrived to Japan during the Heian Period. During its beginnings, Bonsai trees were known as hachi-no-ki, a term that can be translated as “tree in a pot”. According to historians, these trees were not called Bonsai as we know them nowadays until the 19th century.

Japanese Bonsai trees are based on a principle which combines three forces: truth, essence and beauty, and which are based on “heaven and earth in one unique container”. As it can be seen, these trees have a lot of symbolism and growing them implies balancing the forces and elements which are part of their principle. (more…)