Plant Gardens 101

Helping you create a greener future for our children
Subscribe

Garden and Greenhouse Watering Systems

January 14, 2012 By: Jamisom Marcel Category: Buildings 4 Gardens

All gardeners want to get the most out of their greenhouses, especially when they have invested in finely crafted structures like the greenhouses sold by Gabriel Ash. Once the greenhouse is assembled and furnished with benching and shelving it is ready to be filled with seedlings and plants. Many people find that a greenhouse can be a lot of work, especially during the summertime when the plants’ demand for water increases. If you have a busy schedule you may find it difficult to keep all of the plants watered on schedule, and you may want to consider installing a watering system.

Many watering systems use dripping or misting to achieve the proper moisture level in the soil. Some gardeners accomplish this is by suspending a soaker hose over the plants. Unfortunately, soaker hoses work well in outdoor gardens, but in greenhouses they may produce too much water, potentially flooding the greenhouse. For greenhouse gardening, a weeping garden hose is a better solution. A weeping garden hose produces water at a much slower rate than a soaker hose, continuously seeping small beads of water. For a customised watering system, special plastic tubing and fittings can be purchased from most hydroponics stores. You can install micro mist or drip nozzles in precise locations along the tubing for better control of water flow. (more…)

Are You Over Watering Your Garden?

November 09, 2010 By: Dayelle Swensson Category: Watering Needs

Most gardeners know when their garden needs watering and are well aware of the effects of under watering their plants. Too few gardeners are aware of the dangers of over watering, however. Over watering is even worse and more damaging. The biggest reason for the death of a house plant is because it has been over watered.

Depending on the type of plant, the time of year, the temperature, your climate, the signs of an over watered plant are generally universal. The most common symptoms are defoliation where the lower leaves on the plant turn yellow and fall, wilting or drooping, spotted foliage, and gray fuzzy mould around the stem, leaves and flowers of the plant.

These symptoms can also be an indication of other problems rather than over watering. Sudden and fast defoliation could also be caused by rapid changes in temperature and possibly under watering. Gradual defoliation could be from insufficient light or fertilizer. Too much fertilizer or exposure to extreme cold could make the leaves fall. An easy way to determine whether you are over watering is by carefully observing how frequently you water your plants. Another way is to check the plant’s roots to see if they appear rotten. (more…)

Watering – Key to Successful Container Gardening

October 14, 2010 By: Marion Stewart Category: Gardens - Container

Keeping your planters and containers consistently watered will be easier and more effective when you follow some very simple and practical procedures.

Firstly, the larger the pot or container the better equipped for water retention. Hanging baskets and small pots may require watering as often as twice a day in very hot weather, making it almost impossible for the average homeowner who works away from home or may be just too busy to carry out this responsibility. Larger containers need watering less frequently. We have found that placing rocks, stones or crushed pottery in the bottom of the container before you plant ensures that they do not become waterlogged over time.

You can position your containers and garden planters so that they are shaded during the hottest part of the day, thus they need less water. For gardeners who are not available all day, it also provides some breathing space at the end of the day; plants are wilting in the hot sun waiting for that lifesaving drink. (more…)

Tips For Watering Plants: How Much Water? How Often? Use Nutrients?

October 09, 2010 By: Brain Jenkins Category: Watering Needs

Unless you are a professional landscaper, or have plenty of experience tending to your own lawn and garden, knowing how best to care of plants can be difficult. For many individuals, gardening is a trial and error process, often ending with many dead plants. This is often due to over-watering plants. Actually, plants are more likely to be killed by watering them too much than too little. To the casual gardener, this can be a source of frustration. Here are a few simple tips and tricks for knowing when and how much to water plants.

When to Water
Watering plants should be easy, right? Just pour water into the soil on a regular basis and your plants should thrive. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as that. Watering plants every day, every two days or on any sort of regular basis can deprive some plants of the water that they need while drowning others in kindness. How do you know when you should water your plants? (more…)

Watering with the Right Gardening Tools

June 12, 2010 By: Benedict Yossarian Category: Tools of the Trade, Watering Needs

Why Choosing Helps

Like any job, the most efficient way to take care of a garden is with the right set of tools. This is why if you are planning on having a garden, you should first prepare yourself with the knowledge of what tools you need. If you already have a garden but it is not flourishing in the way you want it to, then you should re-evaluate the tools you use and how efficiently they can help you with your gardening tasks. The right tools for gardening will help you in many wonderful ways, but the wrong set of tools could spell the end for your garden. (more…)

Learn How To Water Your Bonsai Tree

May 16, 2010 By: Naomi West Category: Gardens - Japanese

Bonsai trees are a truly unique type of plants that make great decorations for your home or office. You can easily purchase this type of plant that is made out of silk. Or you can grow them yourself.

There are many things that you have to do when growing a bonsai tree. One of the most important is being able to water the plant properly and at the right time. People who are growing them for the first time will usually kill them due to a lack of watering or too much of it. When you do not give them enough water they will die from dehydration.

How you water them will depend on the type of bonsai tree you are growing, the soil you are using, and the type of plant pot that you are using. Certain species of trees will require different amounts of water. The same goes for the type of soil that you might use.

Watering is important to a bonsai tree because it will provide them with H2O that will be sent to the root system of your tree. The water carries the nutrients that your tree needs in order to grow properly and will also be able to remove the salt that has built up. (more…)

Tips For Lighting And Watering Your Greenhouse

April 09, 2010 By: Gerald Mason Category: Buildings 4 Gardens, Decor & Lighting, Watering Needs

Lighting and watering your greenhouse are two of the most important factors in running it.

You will need a good soil for planting seeds. Compost, potting or gardening soil and a little sand or perlite are a good start. Read all directions in your seed packets.

Keep some of those black plastic flats that nurseries use to display their plant containers. These are useful for starting sees and transplants.

Benches in greenhouses are essential, as they hold trays of plants that have already sprouted from seeds.

Styrofoam cups – have several of these handy. Seeds sprout quickly and once they grow large enough to move into separate containers, they can be gently lifted and transferred into ordinary Styrofoam cups.

You can also use yogurt plastic cups, and large commercial type containers that can hold more than one plant. In fact, any container you can think of will be suitable.

Other materials you should have on hand are broken clay pots, cracked walnuts, marbles, charcoal or gravel. These help in proper drainage. Be sure to soak clay pots in water a few minutes before using them. This will prevent the clay from absorbing the moisture from the potting soil.

If you want to have trellises inside your greenhouse, you can make them out of coat hangers, which you can bend to any shape your heart desires.

Herbs are perfect for keeping pests at bay. They are what one writer calls “nature’s insecticides”. Have a variety of them inside your greenhouse. You can make a natural insecticide by adding onions or garlic to a jar of water. Leave it for a week and spray on your plants.

Other garden tools that will help you run your greenhouse efficiently are air coolers for the hot summer. This is to maintain the temperatures at desired levels. Power vents in the roof are also a good idea to release hot air that can build up suddenly in the summer.

In the winter, a good heater would be nice to warm the greenhouse. Other accessories you need are a humidifier, a CO2 generator, and a mister.

Greenhouse lighting system.
A type of light called high intensity discharge lighting (HID) used to be employed by commercial growers in large greenhouses. However, the idea of artificial lighting to stimulate plant growth became increasingly popular.

H.I.D. lighting not only adds to natural sunlight, but can actually serve as a substitute during long winters when natural sunlight is in scant supply. They are energy efficient and operational costs are low. Here are just a few of the benefits of HID lighting:

Increases the health and strength of plants, and stimulates growth and yield rates,

Supplements natural sunlight; by using HID lighting, you also extend “day length”,

Enables container outdoor plants on decks and patios during the summer to be moved indoors during the winter,

Are definitely more powerful than conventional fluorescents.

Greenhouse tables, shelving and plant holders

These are indispensable, especially when you need to work inside your greenhouse and to maximize and organize your greenhouse space. As your plant varieties grow, you will need shelves and tables and plant holders to facilitate your gardening. One popular type of bench that greenhouse hobbyists like is the cedar double layer bench. They are durable and efficient to use.

For shelves, you can opt for two and three section lengths made of aluminum.

Given that watering your plants is an essential – indispensable -part of any greenhouse gardening, a good watering system is required. You can choose either the automatic or hand held watering system to make your watering needs more efficient.

For automatic irrigation systems, there are models that come equipped with an automatic drip irrigation and fertilizer system. Day or night, they regularly water the plants and adjust the flow of fertilizer. Some have a tank in which the water and fertilizer are mixed and are distributed to plants via hoses, Y-connections and drip pins.

Greenhouse garden coil indoor/outdoor watering wand

This is a “self-coiling” garden hose made of rugged and durable polyurethane tubing. It produces ultra-fine mists and sprays in soft, gentle streams. Some wand models extend to as long as 50 feet. No hassle storage because of self-coiling mechanism.

Greenhouses constantly evolve in style and design. It follows then that tools and accessories will grow in number or existing ones will be considerably improved. Manufacturers are probably inventing more tools and accessories this very moment that will make our work in greenhouses easier and quicker.

Remember that you are not limited to a certain variety of plants to grow in a greenhouse. Bear in mind, however, that your preference for certain fruits, vegetables and plants will determine the type of greenhouse you like to build. “Know thy crop” is an important factor before deciding on the greenhouse type you will install.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=206087&ca=Gardening

About Gerald Mason
For Free Original PLR Articles please visit: Free PLR Articles

Basic Gardening – Watering Correctly

March 15, 2010 By: Jonathan Johnson Category: Watering Needs

Many factors affect how often you must water your plants. Some of these factors are heat, humidity, wind, season, soil, and type of plant. The following guidelines pertain to plants recently transplanted into the garden. Remember, when transplanting, always be sure the plants were recently watered and are well hydrated before you put them in the ground. Water should be applied around the base of the plant and outwards a distance that is at least one and a half times the distance of the farthest reaching branch.

Water enough so that the soil will become wet throughout the entire root area. This will require a slow, soaking irrigation. Water should be applied only as quickly as it can be absorbed by the soil. Keep in mind your deepest roots will be located below the trunk and limbs of the plant. This area will require more water than the shallower roots located near the end of your farthest watering area. Root depths are commonly 6-12 inches for annuals, vegetables, and lawns: 12 – 24 inches for perennials and shrubs; and 28 – 36 inches or more for trees. (more…)

Self Watering System For Tomato Plant Care, Yes Or No? :)

March 06, 2010 By: Brian Stephens Category: Gardens - Vegetable, Watering Needs

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

http://tomatoes101.com/?p=305

A site Dedicated to the “Almighty Tomato”

Watering Roses – Tips For Successful Blooms

March 01, 2010 By: K. Finch Category: Gardens - Flower, Watering Needs

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…)

How Much Water Does Your Garden Need?

February 04, 2010 By: J Bassfarm Category: Watering Needs

There is nothing better than eating fresh produce grown in your very own backyard garden. Whether you have an acre or 20 square feet to work with, growing and tending to your own special patch of land can be immeasurably therapeutic and relaxing while filling you with as much enjoyment as your delicious crop fills your stomach. Inexperienced gardeners are “green” when it comes to the ins and outs of gardening, and for many, even watering their crop raises many questions that need be answered. This article will explain simple steps to follow in order to make sure your garden gets all the valuable H2O it needs, without flooding or saturating it with excessive amounts. (more…)

Bonsai Tree Care Information – From Watering To Pruning To Soil

January 20, 2010 By: Dave Page Category: Gardens - Japanese, Soil Needs, Watering Needs

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…)