Plant Gardens 101

What does it mean to cultivate your garden? You are simply making the soil better. If you walked into your backyard right now, I’m sure you wouldn’t just throw some tomato seeds on the grass and expect plump tomatoes in a couple months by doing nothing else.

When you cultivate the soil, you prepare it for the plants you are going to grow. To begin, let’s assume you are just starting a garden and only have your grassy yard. Ideally, you will use a motorized tiller. A tiller takes all the hard work out of cultivating your garden. You just turn it on and push it across your garden. It will break up all the grass and ground for you.

A tiller is ideal because it is so easy, but they can be expensive. If you are lucky, you can borrow one from someone. If you are serious about gardening and know that you might use it a least every couple of years and have a large garden, it would be worth buying one. (more…)

You will receive a bigger harvest from your greenhouse crops if you plant them in the right soil mixture, in the proper kind of pot or other container, and shift or transplant them at timely intervals.

Soils

The first-time greenhouse grower often faces the problem of finding organic material, an essential component of a light and rich potting soil.

The usual recommendation is ? garden soil, ? organic matter (humus), and 1/3 builder’s sand. A compost pile can supply the organic matter—or you can buy rotted manure to mix in the soil.

Failing this, you can purchase bales of peatmoss or bushels of leaf mold. Processed manure is also suitable.

Commercial growers obtain organic material in a way that may be adaptable for you. They cut sod and stack it in alternate layers, with manure and some commercial fertilizer spread between the layers. A man in my vicinity has some rather deep cold frames no longer used for plants.

In these, he places a load of builder’s sand, another of loam, and a third of brown peat.

These materials are forked over until well mixed and allowed to age a year before use. You might try making up a similar mixture in a large wooden box or bin, or in a section of your cold frame.

I think it is an excellent basic mixture, but I add special elements for various plants.

Any time is a good time to start a compost pile; the important thing is to have one.

It will assure a reliable source of humus for little labor and less expense. Into your compost pile can go all kinds of vegetable matter: grass clippings, tree leaves, weeds, vegetable peelings, arid so on.

If the pile is kept moistened and sprinkled with fertilizer or a special bacteria-activator as Activo, it soon becomes fine enough organic material for your potting soil.

Some gardeners dig a pit for compost; others prefer to have compost bins above ground. One manufacturer sells an aluminum bin, 52 by 28 inches, that might suit your needs, especially if you are a city gardener.

When you consider that the small amount of earth packed into a pot must sustain a plant for weeks, months, or longer, you will see the importance of a good soil containing loam, organic matter, and sand.

However, additions of sponge rock for greater porosity, charcoal as a sweetener, aluminum sulphate to acidify, or old mortar rubble (for cacti) can be beneficial for special crops.

The symbol pH is used to indicate the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a soil; pH 7.0 is neutral. Most potted plants grow well in a slightly acid soil with a pH of about 6.0 to 6.5. There are exceptions.

Azaleas, citrus trees, gardenias, and hibiscus, do best in a definitely acid soil. You can purchase a soil-testing kit for your own testing, or have someone at your university or your county agent make tests to determine whether your soil is acid or alkaline, and what (if anything) it needs.

Do not use the same soil for more than 1 year. A sizable amount will go out every year with the potted plants, flats of seedlings, etc., you sell. But crops such as bulbs can be lifted and dried off, and you still have the soil.

In any case, at the end of a year, remove any leftover used soil and pile it outside to aerate and revitalize for some months. Then it can be incorporated again into potting mixtures.

Mixing Soil

Unless you buy or borrow a small cement mixer or similar type of heavy-duty churn, you will have to rely on your own strong arm to mix the soil.

I have found a 16-quart aluminum canning kettle a good “mixing bowl.” In this I mingle the extra ingredients (charcoal, sponge rock, and such) with the basic soil mixture. If the mixture is dry, I add enough water so that it will adhere when I pinch a little of it between thumb and forefinger.

Break up large lumps of soil and peatmoss—but for most potting purposes you need not sift the mixture through a screen.

However, seedlings and some cuttings do better in screened or milled material.

Soil Mixtures—To Buy or Sell

Of course, you can purchase a ready-made mixture from a large greenhouse, but this should be used only as a starter or in an emergency.

Such standard or all-purpose potting soils will not be right for everything you grow.

As you learn to mix soils, you may find them an added source of income. You can buy plastic bags in which to sell your own all purpose mixture to customers. If it is sterilized, it will bring a higher price.

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About Gerald Mason

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Soil that contains humus as well as mineral elements, as opposed to subsoil, which contains only the latter. See also Soil.

Here is an important aspect of organic gardening and I’m sure that you will relate to it very well. Just imagine this, you are famished, you are waiting to be fed, you also have not bathed. The thing is you have spent so much time taking care of others and working, so much so you have not had time to look after yourself.

Just think how you would feel? For a certain amount of time, you might be able to accept this. You may still carry on for a while and ask for nothing in return. But as the days pass by, you will feel the negative effect this is having on you. So much so, the effect on you would be that you will not have the energy you once had. You would grow weaker and weaker, until you could no longer carry on the way you used to

Now ask yourself, how is this related to the organic method of gardening? Well that is easy, you should compare this to the state of the soil. Soil is very important in this type and for all other types of gardening. The soil is the base for everything. It is the bed, or the home of your plants (more…)

Soil is one of the most important parts of a successful, fruitful garden. If your soil is rocky, full of clay, or depleted of enough nutrients, you will not have healthy plants. Think about it, if a newborn baby was fed no nutrients from birth, would you expect it to be healthy? The same goes for plants. A seed will sprout with just water, but it won’t get much bigger as time goes on if there are no nutrients.

When you first plant your seeds in planter trays, the soil doesn’t need to be extra special. You can use plain potting soil if you want, just make sure it is light with no clumps. Also, you want to make sure it’s packed around the seeds enough so that they have something to hold onto. (more…)

Please feel free to use this article, as long as it is not reproduced out of context or the content altered. I also ask that you keep a link to http://www.plantsearch.com.au somewhere.

Any soil type-clay, sand or loam-will benefit from the addition of organic matter. In a clay soil, the addition of organic matter opens up the tightly packed particles, allowing for water and air to penetrate easier. In a sandy soil, organic mater adds nutrients and body to the soil, improving its capacity to hold water. Loam is what is considered the ideal soil. The addition of organic matter will keep it in the best shape, attracting worms into your soil and keeping it rich and healthy. So what sort of organic matter is best? Any and lots of it. Manure, straw, hay and compost. When it comes to manure, unlike vegetables, fresh is not best. Fresh manure might not do much harm to your soil but it can burn or kill your plants. Be especially careful of fresh chicken manure, let it age for at least 12 months to let out some of the ammonia and uric acid. Also be careful of applying large amounts of chicken manure to sandy soil, as it can possibly cause potassium toxicity. (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…)

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.

(more…)

There are many products on the market that can serve as a soil conditioner to help correct deficiencies in the soil to help it better support plant life. One of the most impactful organic soil conditioners out there has got to be humic acid.

Humic Acid is still a relatively new concept to most and is not widely available at most lawn and garden stores, but serious organic gardeners and organic farmers are very familiar with what it can do and how it helps all types of soil.

Humus materials are complex aggregate of brown to dark colored amorphous substances, which have originated during the decomposition of plant and animal residues by microorganisms, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, in soils, composts, peat bogs, and water basins. “Humic acid” is the commercial term often used to refer to the combined humic and fulvic acid content found in these naturally occurring deposits. Humic acid is known to be among the most bio-chemically active materials found in soil. The best humic acids come from Leonardite coal which is made of of humified substances dating back thousands of years. (more…)

THE GENESIS OF SOIL.
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…)

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…)

Even though there are a wide variety of plants to choose from when creating your garden or enhancing your landscape, you should know which type of soil you have before buying plants because many can only survive in certain soil conditions.

TYPES OF SOIL

Most soil falls under three categories: clay, loam, and sand. If you have loamy soil, then you can choose practically any plant you want and it will thrive because this is the best type of soil to have. Because most people do not have loamy soil, they must understand how to work with the soil they have. This includes buying fertilizer, lime for clay based soil, and not watering the soil as often so nutrients will always be present for plants to grow. (more…)

Consumers across the world have started gardens only to find growing anything vibrant and healthy seems impossible. The plants may grow for a brief period then wither away. Some consumers can’t even get plants to take root. The answer may not in better equipment or even a better gardener. The solution to your gardening problems may be found with a simple soil test.

Landscapers and professional gardeners know the importance of proper balances in the ground. Greenery requires effective chemical balance in order for plants to function properly. This is not something only for professional farmers or certified organic growers. It can be a cost effective method of ensuring your future plants will thrive.

Plants require nutrients in their soil. The proper test can make your life much easier. Your gardens will produce healthy crops. You can greatly reduce your costs for fertilizers and pesticides. If you can adequately nourish your plants they can fend of pests more effectively. Testing your grounds will give you the information you need to feed your soil before you plant. The tests can tell you if your ground is fertile or if there are harmful contaminates. (more…)

Growing with hydroponics is easier than growing in the field

If you have decided grow your own plants, then you have a decision to make right now. Do you want to grow your plants indoors with hydroponics, or do you want to grow your plants outdoors in nature. There are many advantages and disadvantages to growing outdoors versus indoors with hydroponics. This article will discuss the differences between growing indoors with hydroponics and growing outdoors with soil, and the many advantages of growing indoors with hydroponics versus growing with soil.

Let’s begin by talking about gardening outdoors. Gardening outdoors has a lot to the advantages and disadvantages versus growing indoors with hydroponics. First we’ll talk about some of the advantages of growing outdoors. That’s the sun. This sun is the most powerful light bulb you will ever find. The amount of lumens of the sun puts out is not matched by any light bulb that man can manufacture. Meaning that plants grown in nature with direct sunlight will be able to grow like monsters. The sun doesn’t cost you anything. Light bulbs can get a little pricey versus this sun which is in a huge source of free energy, if you own a good piece of land that is. (more…)

The pH level is a scale that displays how acidic or alkaline something is. A pH level less than 7 means, whatever it is you are testing is dominantly acidic and a level over 7 means it is more alkaline. If you get a reading of 7 that means it is neutral which is normally water.

Simply just getting the pH reading is not enough. Once you have that reading you need to know how to make adjustments in your soil for optimum growth of the vegetables that you are planting.

Here is how you can raise and lower your soil’s pH level in your home vegetable garden.

Before you can do anything to your soil you have to know what the pH level is. The best way to obtain this reading is with a pH soil testing kit from your local home or garden center. They are as inexpensive as five bucks or as complicated and expensive as a hundred dollars. The choice of which one you get is up to you. (more…)

The advantages of growing in soil indoors

The difference here is similar to the difference between indoor and outdoor cultivation. Soil growing requires less equipment, investment and, generally, less work to control the various factors influencing growth.

The only specialist equipment required for the simplest indoor soil set-up would be seeds, organic nutrients, a light and a timer. The remaining equipment – soil, pots, fans, reflective materials and such should be easily available in most countries.

As an organic compound, soil is less sensitive to changes and small variations than a synthetic medium like rockwool. It could be called a self-regulating environment. Thus, pH testing equipment is usually not required. (more…)

The practice of Bonsai began in China and Japan hundreds of years ago, and is simple the miniaturization of naturally occurring plants and trees. Bonsai trees are not “special small” trees, but rather trees that ave been slowly miniaturized from their full size.

The main areas of tree care are the following:

Watering your Tree

Bonsai Trees require more watering than most plants, as they are grown in less soil and the soil itself is free draining (meaning it doesn’t retain the water and lets it pass through). The type of tree, the sunlight it is exposed to all factor in to how much watering should be done. You can tell if your Bonsai Tree needs water by looking at it, feeling the soil and if you prefer; by using a moisture meter to be certain. (more…)

The pH of your lawn soil is an important factor that affects how your lawn grasses will grow. The pH value is an indicator that tells you whether your soil is acidic or alkaline. A balanced soil pH will ensure that your grasses are growing optimally.

First of all, you need to do a soil test to find out the pH value. You can do this in two ways. The first is to buy a do-it-yourself soil pH test kit at any nursery near you and follow the instructions provided by the kit. The result is not highly reliable but it is enough to give you an approximate pH value.

The other way is to let a soil test lab do the test for you. Obviously this is more expensive than the first option but the result is much more complete and reliable. Moreover, the lab result often contains much more information about your soil and not just the pH value. A good lab report will also advise you the remedial action to take if the test reveal any potential problems with your lawn. (more…)

For the best house plants you should have the best possible soil for them. This may sound like a big order, but actually it isn’t. Today most home owners buy bagged soil and assume it is good. A potting mixture suitable for most house plants is a combination of loam, sand, peatmoss and/or leafmold. Loam is the name given to a soil which contains clay, sand, silt and humus. It varies from a sand loam to a clay loam, depending on the relative amounts of these two ingredients present. A medium loam is preferred, which may be obtained from arable land such as a cornfield or vegetable garden.

To do a really bang-up job in preparing soil for house plants the loam should consist of turfs cut from a rich pasture. But because the turfs should be cut in the spring and stacked for about six months prior to using the mixture and because many readers will have difficulty in obtaining it, we will forget the ideal loam for the time being. Leaf-mold, too, might present some difficulties because it takes about a year for tree leaves to decay.

The remaining ingredients are not ordinarily difficult to obtain. Horticultural peatmoss can be bought from almost any garden center or garden center. The sand should be coarse with particles ranging from 1/8 to 1/16 inch. Get it from a firm dealing in builders’ materials. If the loam is deficient in humus (ask your county agricultural agent or state experiment station), buy packaged humus to mix with it. (more…)

Long before you put a seed in the ground you may have already been set up for a less than bountiful harvest, or even worse no harvest at all. That is because the condition of your soil determines whether or not your vegetable plant will grow and produce.

There are ways to test your soil and of course the means to fix your soil if it need be. Let’s first talk about how you can test your soil.

There four methods you can use. The first is getting your local municipality or state EPA to test your soil conditions. You simply call them up, ask for a soil test kit, follow their instructions and for a fee they will analyze the soil you send them. Some may even send you recommendations on what steps you need to take in order to fix any problems that you may have. These test, depending on where you are in the country can be pricey and you can wait quite awhile as commercial farmers take precedence over the home vegetable gardener. (more…)