Plant Gardens 101

Before taking up the garden vegetables individually, I shall outline the general practice of cultivation, which applies to all.

The purposes of cultivation are three to get rid of weeds, and to stimulate growth by (1) letting air into the soil and freeing unavailable plant food, and (2) by conserving moisture.

As to weeds, the gardener of any experience need not be told the importance of keeping his crops clean. He has learned from bitter and costly experience the price of letting them get anything resembling a start. He knows that one or two days’ growth, after they are well up, followed perhaps by a day or so of rain, may easily double or treble the work of cleaning a patch of onions or carrots, and that where weeds have attained any size they cannot be taken out of sowed crops without doing a great deal of injury. He also realizes, or should, that every day’s growth means just so much available plant food stolen from under the very roots of his legitimate crops. (more…)

A trellis is a set-up made to secure grape vines. A well-constructed grape trellis is an integral part of any vineyard. You cannot dream of producing outstanding grapes without creating a functional trellis as grapevines are not sturdy enough to hold the product that they will produce. Constructing this kind of project is very simple and it is also inexpensive.

MATERIALS NEEDED IN CONSTRUCTING A GRAPE TRELLIS

The materials needed are anchors, ratchets, springs, wire splicer, wire fasteners, posthole digger, spinning jenny, shovel, tamper and saw. (more…)

Most root crops (and those plants with tuberous roots) can be stored for winter use, though where severe winter weather is not expected, they will retain their quality and flavor better if left in the ground, to be lifted as required. If they are to he stored, allow them to occupy the ground until mid-October when they should be lifted before the advent of the autumnal rains. If lifted when the soil is in a dry, friable condition, the operation will he more easily performed and the soil will be more readily shaken front them whilst they will store in better condition.

Lift them from the ground with care, so as not to break the tips or cut them by the careless use of spade or fork which would reduce their keeping qualities. Hold the tops with one hand whilst pressing up the root with spade or fork held in the other hand. Shake away all surplus soil and if the weather is dry, allow the roots to remain on the ground for several hours to permit any remaining soil to dry off. The best way is to place the roots on sacks or canvas laid fiat on the ground. Then cut away, or with beetroot screw off the top foliage and bury the roots in deep boxes of dry peat or sand. First place a layer of peat (or sand) at the bottom of the box and on this the roots. Then cover with an inch of peat and over this place more roots until the box is filled. They should be stored in a dry, airy room but away from hot pipes. (more…)

Vegetables are raised by several methods:

(i) By sowing under glass in a propagator or in a warm greenhouse.
(ii) By sowing over a hot bed in a frame, in an unheated frame or greenhouse, or under cloches.
(iii) By sowing directly into the open ground.

Those plants requiring a long growing season to mature or where an early crop is to be raised such as tomatoes or cucumbers under glass, sowing in a heated greenhouse will be necessary, but where only small numbers of plants are needed, a simple propagating unit will be more economical to use. It may be placed in a garden room or greenhouse and run front the electricity supply. In a propagator, plants may be raised from seed which may prove difficult to germinate without heat. (more…)

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Bell peppers have always been a well-loved and widely popular vegetable to plan in the garden. Peppers are native to both North America and Central American continent. Sweet green peppers are an example of pepper that is not yet fully mature. Let it develop and it will turn deep red. Not only will the pepper?s texture completely change but the flavor as well. Planting and successfully developing bell peppers is very simple and easy and it will not take much of your time.

STEPS IN PLANTING BELL PEPPERS
Gardening enthusiasts should plant the seeds 8 week before the last frost using a plant pot that is two inches wide or slightly bigger. You should add compost and fertilizer to the soil where you will plant the seeds. Do not transplant the seedlings outside if the temperature is still cold. Wait until the temperature reaches seventy to eighty-five degrees before placing the bell pepper seedling in your garden. (more…)

What would we do without ornamental gardens, especially the public ones designed and created for the purpose of aesthetic pleasure of civic society? Ornamental garden layout dates back to ancient times as is evident in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon listed in the seven wonders of the ancient world and other famous pleasure gardens mentioned throughout history.

It is recognized as an essential requirement in urban planning to include ornamental gardens into the architecture.

In today?s context, where there is a scarcity of land around dwellings, the setting up of ornamental gardens often laid around public buildings, churches, devotional centers, public parks, and other public places are both visually stimulating and an asset to the environment. Their functions are many and a pleasure to use. Some of these gardens have incorporated spaces for walking, sports, sitting and even areas for conducting cultural performances and events such as cocktail parties, weddings, and other social gatherings, which are vastly popular due to the visual appeal it presents. (more…)

Animals are the easiest guides to follow for weather wise gardening. Those of you ?well-weathered? gardeners that can take a tip from signs in the wind the sky and even in your plants, most likely will have also learnt to check your joints, bones and nose when all else fails!

You would do well to heed the many little weather-related rhymes and sayings if you are an aspiring gardener since the ?red sky at night? is certain to be your delight and when the ?chirping of crickets is loud? you can be sure to expect not a cloud!

The reality is that atmospheric conditions and weather changes are indicated by the behaviour of flora and fauna which are programmed to be sensitive to shifts in the environment that affect their own survival. Here are some pointers that are not just children?s verses and old wives tales but handy hints to remember for better gardening: (more…)

The Bonzai Plant is one of the most unique and visually stimulating plants that exists. For hundreds of years, the Bonzai Plant has been an art form in the Orient. The word Bonzai, or Bonsai, has its roots in the Japanese language and literally means “potted plant” and is the art of cultivating miniature trees. The art of Bonzai originated inChina during the Han Dynasty, approximately 4000 years ago. Over the years the Bonzai Tree has been used to decorate the homes and gardens of people living inJapan,China,Korea, as well asVietnam. The Bonzai Tree is not simply a dwarf tree, as in their natural state they would grow as large as their counterparts. These tiny trees are actually cultivated in a certain way to limit their grown; therefore ensuring that they remain small. There is a technique to growing the plants that involves pruning the foliage, as well as the roots, but there is a secret to doing this correctly. (more…)

If we could garden without any interference from the pests which attack plants, then indeed gardening would be a simple matter. But all the time we must watch out for these little foes little in size, but tremendous in the havoc they make.

As human illness may often be prevented by healthful conditions, so pests may be kept away by strict garden cleanliness. Heaps of waste are lodging places for the breeding of insects. I do not think a compost pile will do the harm, but unkempt, uncared-for spots seem to invite trouble. (more…)

The devices and implements used for fighting plant enemies are of two sorts:

(1) those used to afford mechanical protection to the plants;
(2) those used to apply insecticides and fungicides.

Of the first the most useful is the covered frame. It consists usually of a wooden box, some eighteen inches to two feet square and about eight high, covered with glass, protecting cloth, mosquito netting or mosquito wire. The first two coverings have, of course, the additional advantage of retaining heat and protecting from cold, making it possible by their use to plant earlier than is otherwise safe. They are used extensively in getting an extra early and safe start with cucumbers, melons and the other vine vegetables. (more…)

The harvesting, drying and storage of herbs calls for attention to detail. Under suitable conditions, it will be possible to make two cuttings of many herbs, especially the shrubby themes and sages, the first being made about July, the second early in autumn. In this way, the herbs are cut before the flowers and leaves begin to die back, when the valuable oils return to the base of the plants and they begin to lose their flavor and smell.

Select a dry day for cutting herbs for if cut when damp, mildew may set in before the herbs cars be completely dried. Dryness in their growing and harvesting is the secret of success with herbs.

The shrubby herbs are cut with a sharp knife, the stems of savory and thyme being removed about 3 inches above the base when the whole plant may be held with one hand whilst the cutting is done with the other hand, the stems being placed on sacking laid on the ground. Sage and other hard wooded plants are best cut with secateurs, whilst parsley and mints are cut with scissors. These are the herbs grown for their dried leaves and stems, to be used in stuffings and to flavor broths and soups during winter. (more…)

Growing your own indoor bonsai plants is not too hard, once you understand the basic concept of the unique technique used to cultivate these trees. The aim of growing the indoor bonsai is to recreate the appearance of a natural tree, in a miniature form.

The Indoor bonsai tree is a little more difficult to grow than the outdoor variety. Essentially, in their natural state, trees are grown outdoors. For this reason, when you are growing an indoor tree, there will be more challenges. To successfully grow the indoor bonsai tree, you must pay special attention to the tree’s environment, including soil, water and light.

There are a lot of different types of trees, and each one of these require their own type of unique care. Though there are many species of the plant, these trees can be placed into three categories. There is the tropical, the sub-tropical, and the temperate bonsai. (more…)

The Japanese Maple Bonsai is the most frequently used maple for the indoor and outdoor bonsai garden. There are numerous reasons why this is considered the perfect maple for a bonsai garden. The Japanese Maple Bonsai features delicate, ferny type leaves, which change to brilliant orange, gold, and red during the fall. Giving the tree the right care is important. This type of tree will have to be placed in a semi shady area during the summer, but will need full sunlight during the remainder of the season. It is also vital that it be placed in an area where it will be sheltered from the wind.

The Japanese Maple Bonsai Tree should be pruned during the spring, cutting the unwanted shoots. Pruning is one of the most significant aspects of successfully growing the bonsai plant. It is by pruning, that you will create the illusion of a miniature tree, so keeping up on this will be necessary, but only prune in the spring. (more…)

Soil primarily had its beginning from rock together with animal and vegetable decay, if you can imagine long stretches or periods of time when great rock masses were crumbling and breaking up. Heat, water action, and friction were largely responsible for this. By friction here is meant the rubbing and grinding of rock mass against rock mass. Think of the huge rocks, a perfect chaos of them, bumping, scraping, settling against one another. What would be the result? Well, I am sure you all could work that out. This is what happened: bits of rock were worn off, a great deal of heat was produced, pieces of rock were pressed together to form new rock masses, some portions becoming dissolved in water. Why, I myself, almost feel the stress and strain of it all. Can you?

Then, too, there were great changes in temperature. First everything was heated to a high temperature, then gradually became cool. Just think of the cracking, the crumbling, the upheavals, that such changes must have caused! You know some of the effects in winter of sudden freezes and thaws. But the little examples of bursting water pipes and broken pitchers are as nothing to what was happening in the world during those days. The water and the gases in the atmosphere helped along this crumbling work. (more…)

Any reliable seed house can be depended upon for good seeds; but even so, there is a great risk in seeds. A seed may to all appearances be all right and yet not have within it vitality enough, or power, to produce a hardy plant.

If you save seed from your own plants you are able to choose carefully. Suppose you are saving seed of aster plants. What blossoms shall you decide upon? Now it is not the blossom only which you must consider, but the entire plant. Why? Because a weak, straggly plant may produce one fine blossom. Looking at that one blossom so really beautiful you think of the numberless equally lovely plants you are going to have from the seeds. But just as likely as not the seeds will produce plants like the parent plant.

So in seed selection the entire plant is to be considered. Is it sturdy, strong, well shaped and symmetrical; does it have a goodly number of fine blossoms? These are questions to ask in seed selection. (more…)

When you start work on any kind of construction project it is important to first make sure that you have the right kind of tools, and that you know how to use those tools. Luckily the internet is here to help. With product price comparison technologies, the prices of tools on the internet has truly plummeted. It is now possible to find high quality tools for literally a third or less of what you might have paid at your local hardware store just a few years ago. One of the other nice benefits of this evolution is that our local hardware stores have had to reduce their prices (at least somewhat) to compete with the new online stores. True, often times you have to pay shipping charges, but many stores offer free shipping or shipping programs like Amazon prime where you just pay a yearly fee that is relatively small and then get all your products shipped for free. In the case of Amazon, it is especially nice because that free shipping is Fed Ex 2 day shipping which means you will get your product quickly (they actually also charge just $3.99 if you want your product sent by overnight mail!). (more…)

Animals are the easiest guides to follow for weather wise gardening. Those of you ?well-weathered? gardeners that can take a tip from signs in the wind the sky and even in your plants, most likely will have also learnt to check your joints, bones and nose when all else fails!

You would do well to heed the many little weather-related rhymes and sayings if you are an aspiring gardener since the ?red sky at night? is certain to be your delight and when the ?chirping of crickets is loud? you can be sure to expect not a cloud!

The reality is that atmospheric conditions and weather changes are indicated by the behaviour of flora and fauna which are programmed to be sensitive to shifts in the environment that affect their own survival. Here are some pointers that are not just children?s verses and old wives tales but handy hints to remember for better gardening: (more…)

If you’re not the type of person that wants to spend their time managing an elaborate fruit or vegetable garden, you might consider planting and maintaining an herb garden. While the product might not seem as significant, you’ll still enjoy the constant availability of fresh, delicious herbs to flavor your meals with.

First you’ll want to choose the herbs that you’ll plant. You might have a hard time doing this because of the huge scope of herbs available. But the best way to choose is to do what I did; just look at what you have in your kitchen. By planting your own collection of these herbs, you can save money on buying them from the grocery store while having the added benefit of freshness. Some of the herbs you might start with include rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, and parsley among others. (more…)

It is essential to care properly for your Indoor Bonsai, but by simply following a few growing procedures, you can grow some really beautiful bonsai trees (for example like Japanese Maple Bonsai). If you just keep these few basic tips in mind you should have no problem growing the indoor bonsai tree (also spelled bonzai). The first thing you should keep in mind when growing the indoor bonsai tree is choosing the right growing environment. Your bonsai tree should be kept in a room that is just the right temperature, which is not too hot and not too cold. Furthermore, the room should have a source of natural light. You should to keep your indoor bonsai in a room with plenty of large windows to allow your tree to receive as much indirect sunlight as possible. (more…)