Plant Gardens 101

Our contemporary lifestyle, crammed schedules and crushing workloads tend to make gardening a threatened pastime. Especially if you have a long commute to and from work, you’ll start whining if your precious time is consumed by running around trying to maintain your garden. Pruning land mowers, pulling out weeds, tilling and fertilizing, trimming grass and sweating away can really sound nightmarish, if you don’t have a proper gardening plan. Done right, gardening isn’t really such a strenuous work and the results you get are worth the efforts. A few restful hours soaking in the beauty of a lovely garden can really lift your spirits and rejuvenate you when you’re stressed out. Not mentioning the joy you get when folks compliment you on its possession. So how do you get about creating your corner of sanctuary in a low maintenance manner? Here are some tips to get you going:

Analysis: The first thing you should do is to logically analyze your existing property. Which area catches your fancy and also requires less care? Which area has a higher weeding problem? Which area is more difficult to mow? You don’t want to run out of breath mowing uphill! Is there any area that requires too much care already? You may need to compromise a bit if your favorite areas require more maintenance than expected. So take notes on your examination and write down the garden activities that you prefer the least, and the ones you enjoy doing the most. We all have our own choices. (more…)

If you like the look of tiny flowers on your bonsai, then choose ideal flowering trees to nurture into miniature versions of their species. Here are a few of the best choices for flowering bonsai:

Mt. Fuji Serissa Mt. Fuji Serissa is noted for its brilliant white colorings on the outer edges of its leaves. It also blooms a single white flower in summer.

Proper care: likes lots of warmth and sun so place in an appropriate spot. Wait for the soil to dry before watering and take care to keep away from frost.

Okinawa Holly This tree has tiny pink flowers that bloom during the spring and summer. The leaves are glossy, deep green with serrated edges. It’s unique, hardy and easy to care for. (more…)

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.

Compost is the main organic matter which should not be missing in an organic garden. Ideally, the compost should be made from organic elements such as grass clippings, leaves, or kitchen waste. Also, in order to avoid using chemical pesticides you should try to have as many different plants as possible, since this variety will create a biodiversity with many different microbes and insects that will control each other.

You should mulch your organic garden often, since this offers an important protection and helps avoiding the erosion produced by natural elements such as the rain. You can make your mulch with elements such as grass, sticks, shredding leaves, and compost as well as other organic materials. Mulching protects roots, helping them being strong during winter cold or preventing the adverse effects of the sun’s heat.

Jelling is the founder of Dwank.com. Please visit his website to learn more about great interior design

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It‘s not always easy to attain beauty and accomplish perfection, but by following basic guidelines you can ensure a beautiful show of roses. One of the basic tips is to learn how and when to water your roses and keep in mind there are good times and bad times. So to encourage your roses and reward yourself with the best display ever, all year round, just follow these simple steps:

Morning Dew

We all know how wonderful it is first thing in the morning, when the fresh due has settled and everything is coming alive before the sun becomes too warm. This is the best time to water your roses, so they are fresh and prepared for the heat of the day. If you leave it until later, the sun will evaporate most of the water, leaving little chance for it to reach the roots. If you water in the evening the coolness will keep your plant damp, the leaves will stay wet which can cause mildew. However, not all of us are awake with the lark and able begin our watering regime that early. If you can’t water early, do it as soon as you can. If it’s early evening, try not to get the leaves too wet, just concentrate on the roots of the roses. The leaves will take care of themselves by taking in natural moisture from the evening air, keeping them free from mildew, insects, pets and fungal diseases, which can all damage roses. (more…)

If you follow these 5 tips for successful container gardening you will not only save time, but money, frustration and possibly embarrassment. As this is an increasingly popular venue for gardening, container gardening is making a fashion statement. Container gardens are already very popular for entries, patios and decks. Maybe you’ve thought about incorporating them into your office or home, but haven’t. If by chance you feel a little overwhelmed on the basics, here are 5 tips for successful container gardening, even if it’s your first.

Before you run off in all directions as if you had 2 hours to create a masterpiece, pause to do some planning. First think about what type of feeling you want to have, when you look at your container. For me, I want to feel like I’ve walked into my own “secret garden” and have a sense of calm. I think about how it will smell, and feel among other things. Is it going to be a focal point in a room, or mixed in as part of a theme? Will it be the centerpiece on a table, or placed in a semi-lit hallway? (more…)

Here are some tips to help you build a great greenhouse:

To build a workable greenhouse, you will need a construction plan. Then you can consider ways and means. There are several ways to go about building.

You can draw up a contract with a manufacturer of greenhouses to supply all the materials, all the heating and cooling equipment, and the masonry. You can even get him to find you a builder to erect the structure, and also a plumber for the water and heating installations.

Or you can purchase the material you need (new or used), and have some local labor come in and build your greenhouse. Or you can do it yourself, perhaps with some help from your family.

If you prefer the prefabricated units, you can erect a greenhouse with little or no extra help. You can glaze it with regulation glass panes, Fiberglas, or plastic. Ready and able to supply all this are innumerable firms. As you plan your greenhouse, there are further decisions you will have to make.

Where to Place Your Greenhouse

You must decide upon a site, and this involves several considerations. You want a location where you can work conveniently and where there is maximum sunlight. Even though you may plan to start with only shade-loving plants, you will probably find that other kinds are profitable, too, and so eventually you will want to be able to grow light-loving plants. You can always apply shading to make a house darker, but you can’t make the sun come around to a greenhouse that has been unwisely located in a shaded place.

Fluorescent and incandescent lighting can be used to raise light intensities in winter and on dark days, and this is a very practical means of utilizing small problem or special-purpose areas (as discussed later).

But you certainly don’t want artificial lighting to be your primary light source—not while sunlight is free!

Therefore, you want a location with a south-eastern or southern exposure, and the land should be well-drained. Then, for the sake of customers, you need a location which is easily found, and where parking will be easy.

If your eventual aim is expansion—that is, having a series of greenhouses—plan that series from the very start. Make your first house fit in—on paper—with those you will build later, so as to form a complete unit. Many greenhouse operations start on a small scale but soon need to expand, so select an adequate site at the start.

What Type of Greenhouse?

There is a type of greenhouse to meet every preference, every gardening need, every budget. I have seen sun porches and chicken houses converted into greenhouses; greenhouses built as second-story units over garages; free-standing or detached greenhouses; step-into pit houses, and many kinds of attached-to-dwelling ones. There are heated, partially heated, and unheated greenhouses, each successfully designed to suit someone’s gardening-for-profit plan.

Greenhouse designs are numerous but types fall into these main divisions: span, lean-to, uneven or partial span, and the pit house, which may be any of these types but with a greater portion of the walls below ground level. If you have plenty of room—real acreage or a large lot—the free-standing span house may be best for you. This type, if properly placed, receives maximum sunlight throughout the day in every season.

A lean-to, as the name suggests, is erected against the side of another building. The partial span or uneven type has a greater distance from eaves to gable on one side of the house than on the other. In the north, the low winter sun comes directly through such a roof for maximum light. And in the summer, when the sun is high, this greenhouse draws light reflection from both sides.

The cost of pit-house construction is low. Many growers use pit houses only during early spring and into fall. They are left idle during the coldest months of the year to avoid a heating bill. Other growers operate a pit house economically by having it dug off the basement and served by the household heating system. This arrangement affords ample space for potting, household tools, and other necessary equipment.

Before you do anything—even before you start dreaming about building a greenhouse—check with your city engineer or building inspector. It is important to know what the building regulations are as to greenhouse placement and construction. In some residential areas, construction of any kind of commercial structure is prohibited. Find out everything about all relevant laws—and don’t consider yourself “too smart” to need a lawyer.

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About Gerald Mason
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When we decide to do some gardening, it’s usually the beautifully colored flowers that gives use the inspiration.
Our aim is grow plants to give us an attractive and productive setting. When we start-planting garden plants there a few things that we must comply too. Top on the list is the sunlight; the amount of sunlight it receives plays a vital role on its growth.

Understand the flowers and do some research on the type of flower that you plan to grow. Know the color of the flower, the bloom time and the overall layout or design of your garden.

Next is the habitat, we have to protect the habitats, give great care to the surroundings and we must be able to recycle whenever it is possible.

When choosing your plants pay a great attention on the instructions on the label. Here, you will receive great tips and care instructions that each particular plants require.

If for any reasons if you will that some of the instructions cannot be complied too, than give a serious thought whether you will like to take the chances.

The label will indicate the type of sunlight it till will require. It could be partial, full sunlight, partially shady of fully shady.

The canopy of large trees can be good sources for shadiness. If your plants requires full sunlight then it would be advisable to plant them in the open and have five to six hours of sunlight per day.

In addition to planting them in the proper place, your garden plants need plenty of food and water. Particularly when gardening in full sun, the moisture levels in your soil are very important.

Fertilization must be adequate for your plants and they have certain requirements particularly for nitrogen and phosphorus and some soils simply do not provide enough so you need to give them added fertilizer.

Having a good great gives us many rewards, the most basic is the fact that we like to make our surrounding area pleasing and appealing to our senses.

http://www.mdarma.com/gardening/index.php http://gardening-darma.blogspot.com

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Autumn is the perfect time to start preparing the garden for winter. Indeed, the months of September and October present the ideal opportunity to get outside while it is still relatively warm, in order to tidy up the bedding and ensure everything is fully organised before the cold weather and frosts set in. Not only that, but laying down the right groundwork now will help the garden to reach its full springtime potential.

One of the first autumn tasks any gardener should tackle is the weeds, particularly if they have been left to run riot throughout the summer months. In addition to helping the soil prepare itself for spring, regularly removing weeds should weaken their persistence, thus encouraging them to stay away. What’s more, by pulling up any weeds now, there is less opportunity for them to spread their seeds and further infiltrate the garden. (more…)

Repotting orchids should be done at least every two years. If you fail to do so, your plant may die or at least produce few flowers. You can easily tell when it’s time to do so. If your growing medium has broken down or if new growths extend over the edge of the pot, it’s time for you to repot the plant. Although it can seem difficult your first time around, it’s not such a hard task. This article will give you a few tips to help you.

Timing
One of the first things you need to consider is when to repot. If you wait longer than two years, then the potting medium will break down. This will prevent air circulation from reaching the roots. Also, the medium will start retaining too much moisture, which will increase the risk of root rot. You should repot the plant in early summer before new growth starts to appear. (more…)

Help in maintaining your flowering gardens

Want to know some tips on getting a healthy,blooming and well maintained flowering gardens . Read on and learn good insider tips and advice. Our tips are aimed at gardeners of all standards, whether you are the serious gardener or the potter around the garden type of person, to be rewarded with wonderful flowering gardens .

Our aim is to help and guide you throughout the seasons of the year. giving you relevant information on what is happening in your garden at that moment, and what you should be doing to achieve the best results for your efforts. This is one of the best times of the year, watching your garden wake up from its hibernation,getting ready for its endless toll of bursting out in bloom and spreading its aromatic scents that dance around the garden tantilising your nostrils and senses, lifting your sprit and making you feel like a million dollars The wonder that is nature has sprung. This time of year is one of the busiest parts of the seasons, now that winter has become a distant memory and spring has officially arrived. Plants and trees are bursting into life from there dormant state, being fed on the ever increasing rise in temperature from the suns rays. What a wonderful sight to watch the garden awake from its slumber to start its yearly ritual, bringing us a never ending explosion of colour and to fill the air with its wonderful aromatic scents. Giving daily changes for us to discover, as we walk admiringly round our gardens.

It is only fair that that we repay the flowering plants, shrubs and trees for their tireless work they are about to embark on over the coming months by giving them the best care we can. This does not have to mean a great expense of money or time.

Try the following easy tips for your flowering gardens

Walk round and prune off dead, broken and damaged stems. Do the same for any trees also raking up any fallen twigs.
Replace any dead plants (making sure they actually are dead and not still dormant)

Remember, Just the effort of dead heading flowering bulbs achieves a tidier garden and the bulb improves as the energy goes into enlargement instead of setting seed heads.

Hoe the garden to loosen the soil and remove any weeds

Add Fertilizer to feed the plants (But make sure its not to cold or wet and that the ground has started to warm up) Chicken pellets are a good all round general fertilizer Plants like Rhododendrons and azaleas will need feeding with an acid based fertilizer

For great flowering gardens summer bulbs and corms need planting now. Remember to dig your holes wider and deeper than required to allow you to add a 50/50 mix of compost and sharp sand which will help to get the best out of your bulbs and improve your flowering gardens .

We must not forget about some lawn care as this is some peoples pride and joy, and even comes before plants.

This is the best time to scarify the lawns ready for the onslaught of the summer months. What this means is you should be removing everything that is not grass such as moss and weeds. This is best done by using a lawn or spring tine rake or if it is a large area you can buy or hire a scarifyer. (well worth it ) The easiest way to clear the mess up is run the lawnmower with a collector on over it. As a side note - make sure you have cut the grass and it is dry, if not you could start to tear it out which is not very clever.

This is also the right time to aerate your lawns after scarifying. This means you open up the ground to allow the soil to breath and allow water to penetrate. Over the winter period the ground gets compacted with all the wet and people walking on it. This is done by sticking a garden fork into the ground and penetrating the surface by up a couple of inches. You stand on the fork and move it back and forth if it is really hard. You then move forward a couple of inches and repeat the process, try to get in a rhythm and it will make it easier. When you reach the other end, turn round, move over a fork width and come back.(Wear good leather boots and do not jump on the fork as this could damage the sole of your foot) Again you can purchase or hire a push along or motorised aerater

Do not weed and feed your lawn at this point until your lawn has time to recover about two or three weeks time. Also you should not feed your lawn until the frosts have gone and when you do, make sure you water it in if it dose not rain within a couple of days. (try not to walk on it until the fertilizer has dissolved as this can cause brown patches)
Till the next time enjoy your flowering gardens

Ted & Sandra www.theaudiodownload.com www.thetalkingbooksite.com www.learnturnandearn.com

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Work Shed Plans allow you to build a shed to work in, but there are three things you should check before buying a shed plan and diving in with the construction.

1. Is the work shed design tried and tested? In other words, can you be sure that after following the shed blueprints you will have a shed that goes together the way it should? You need a shed plan that has actually been used to build a shed so you can be sure it is accurate, correct and complete.

Occasionally, shed blueprints may be released and sold without having been tested so it’s only when someone tries to build a shed from the plans that they realise something is amiss. In such cases, most people think they have not followed the plans correctly and blame themselves. So it’s essential that you know the plans ‘work’! (more…)

When it comes to great summer flowers, just about anybody can go to the store and buy some that are ready to be displayed in their house, but there’s a certain satisfaction that comes from planting and raising your own flowers for the summer season. Here are a handful of tips to keep in mind when planting your own summer flowers this season.

Prepare the Soil

Take the time well ahead of when you plan to plant the seeds to really prepare the soil you’re going to use. Make sure to dig about six inches deep and give the soil a good turning over, and then be sure to add fertilizer, mulch, or compost to really get the nutrients into the soil that your flowers are going to want.

Doing this ahead of time ensures that when you are ready to plant you don’t have to worry about the soil not being ready, or having to spend extra hours preparing it and then planting your flowers. A little preparation can save you a huge amount of time later. (more…)

It is especially important for beginning gardeners to know what to look for when buying orchids. You have to examine the plant closely to make sure it’s in good health before you take it home. There are a few things you need to pay special attention to. This article will give you a few tips to make sure you pick the best plant.

Age
One of the first things you need to ask about is the age of the plant. Beginners should try to choose a plant that is relatively mature. Younger plants are much less durable than their older counterparts. Therefore, they will be much less forgiving of any mistakes that you make when caring for them. (more…)

An outdoor pergola is a standing structure which typically is used for shading or covering a specific area in an outdoor living space. The two separate design styles of pergolas are described as being either free standing or attached to a solid wall, such as the side of your home. Pergolas can be designed in a combination of different shapes and sizes, the most popular shape being a rectangular. That being said, a pergola can be almost any shape, even curved. Curved pergolas, however, can be quite costly due to the additional labor involved. They are often designed in the shape of an arc. These fit nicely along a curved hardscape surface.

A free standing pergola gives you the flexibility of being able to cover any area of your garden, patio space, or pool. For example, you may have a patio space which was designed adjacent to your pool decking. A pergola could be built over this area, regardless of the shape of the patio, for the purpose of decor and shade. It’s beautiful to look at and provides much comfort on very hot, sunny days. (more…)

1. Planting Methods: There are several methods for planting. Picking any of these methods depends on the vegetable, the size of your garden, and your fondness. Three methods of planting, namely, single rows, wide rows, and hills are clarified as follows: A) Single Rows: In this method, seeds are sown in rows or lines that are spaced equal distances apart. The distances between the rows and between the seeds within the rows differ from vegetable to vegetable. If you want the rows to be straight, which gives a pleasant appearance to your garden, stretch a string between two stakes and sow the seeds along it. If you think this is too much work, use a stick to mark a line on the ground and try to make the line as straight as possible. With some training, you will get it straight.

B) Wide Rows: In wide row planting, seeds are sprinkled at equal spacing in both directions over a wide area. The width of the row varies from 6 to 16 inches. The row’s width is limited by your arm’s reach to the area in the middle of the row while standing at the edges. We find that wide rows are convenient and productive for peas and beans. In addition to giving high yield per unit area, they cut down on weeds. Wide rows are also good for starting leaf vegetables like lettuce and spinach. When the seedlings emerge, they can be thinned and transplanted elsewhere. Double rows are a special form of wide rows. (more…)