Green Gardening Ideas
Most gardening is green on some level because it involves working with soil to grow plants that help to cleanse the air and prevent soil erosion. Some gardening strategies, however, are considerably more ecologically friendly and responsible than others. Truly green gardening involves using no chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and cultivating native plants that help create a balanced ecosystem.
Green Fertilizer
# Truly green gardeners use a mix of strategies to build their soil and add to its fertility without resorting to chemical fertilizers. Thoughtful crop rotation methods integrate plantings of legumes–which restore the vital element nitrogen into the soil–with other plants that each provide and use complementary nutrients. Composting is another way to add vitality to the soil without adding chemicals. With the use of beneficial microorganisms, organic materials from plant trimmings and food scraps break down turning into fertile ground. Mulching, as well, fertilizes the soil with organic matter. Spread leaves and wood chips to create an upper layer that breaks down and fertilizes the ground underneath it.
Eco-Friendly Pest Control
# There are many traditional methods of pest control besides the chemical pesticides that many gardeners and farmers use. Creating a friendly space for creatures such as birds and ladybugs is one way to coordinate your gardening activities with the natural life cycles, as these creatures feed on the bugs that can be harmful to your plants. Weeding by hand can be labor intensive, but it can also be therapeutic and meditative, and it is certainly healthier and better for the environment than spraying pesticides. Having a wide variety of plants growing in a space can also help to minimize the damage that pests do because predatory insects tend to be narrowly adapted to eat only particular plants, so it will just be a matter of time before they run into something that is unsuitable for them.
Native Plants
# Choosing plants that are native to the ecosystem in which you live can help to preserve and restore ecological balance. Native plants are part of a whole system of plants, animals and insects that evolved together, feeding off each other’s byproducts and providing each other with environmental benefits such as shade or fertilizer. Most of our native ecosystems have been disturbed by the introduction of non-native plants. They harm the symbiosis that has developed over time by taking over a niche or changing a landscape. Reintroducing native plants can help to bring the landscape back into its original harmony.
Written by Xenox
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: gardening, Green, Ideas
Landscape hillside garden
A garden that has some degree of a hill will certainly require a bit more attention as there is a vast number of challenge that a sloping garden will bring. A hill side garden will certainly be a bit of challenge to landscape and one of he ultimate challenges is to avoid the erosion of soil. The downwards slope will result in the water flowing through the soil forcing it down the slope and this will make it difficult for the plants to stay in place and also for them to grow naturally and healthy. Prior to starting any landscaping it is very important to consider skip hire so that you have somewhere to put all the debris.
The solution to the problem of landscaping a hillside garden is actually pretty simple. The solution is to convert the slope that is in the garden and one of the most popular ways to do this is to create a staircase effect theme into the lands by filling and digging into the sloped area.
The steeped effect can be gained by excavating some of the slope and making it plane and this allows the water to come from the top and seep into the soil so that the soil is kept intact to allow for the healthy growth of plants.
Using a small wall that is built from stone will protect the flat part of the slope and this wall is often referred to as a retaining wall.
This retaining wall will hold the soil in place. The flat part of the slope will be filled with soil, compost and other important materials required for plants.
Depending on the angle of the slope it may be a good idea to build a number of horizontal walls in order to retain the soil. This type of arrangement is very useful when landscaping hillsides.
The retaining walls feature holes which are placed at regular intervals and these allow water to drain from the soil. The height of these retaining walls will vary depending on the angle of the slope and the number of stepped beds in the soil.
One of the biggest advantages is that you are able to grow various different types of flowering plants on the different steps and this creates a beautiful rich look. Once you have got all the debris cleared it is important to organise for the skip hire company to collect the skip.
When you are considering the design for the garden one of he most important things that you will have to consider is the way in which you and the rest of your family will use the outdoor space. The complete landscape of the garden should feature some trees, lawn areas and some plants. It will also be a good idea to consider some outdoor lighting so that the garden can be enjoyed in the evenings as well.
Article Source: http://ezineseeker.com/?expert=Gemma_Clarke
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Garden, hillside, landscape
Useful Grass Cutting Tips
Article by Eric Winston
It would be unlikely to find many people out there who actually enjoy grass cutting. To most it is seen as a tiresome, time-wasting, back-breaking chore, and this is before you have decided what to do with the clippings. Recently, however, there has been a strong move toward intelligent lawn care and the incentive for mowing your lawn, and mowing it properly, can go further than simply impressing your neighbours.
There are also numerous tips and techniques to reduce your workload, especially in the disposing of clippings, and to improve the health of your lawn, lowering harmful environmental impacts and making your grass a little bit greener. Your neighbours will be jealous!
Lawn Cutting Height
Lawn cutting to a height of 2.5 to 3 inches is the recommended height to promote long a root system and a healthy plant. This will also ensure the grass fights off other dominant plants weeds. Keep all blades on tools sharp, thus promoting cleaner, healthier grass cuts. Poor lawn cutting tools and techniques can leave the grass susceptible to disease. Try to carry out your entire lawn cutting during the evening and out of the hottest part of the day. Alternate your lawn cutting direction, thus avoiding creating ruts and channels.
Lawn Cutting Frequency
It is highly recommended that you do not cut more than 1/3 of a grass blade at one time. Cut grass frequently and mow high. The premise behind this mowing tip is that the valuable nutrients in the grass clippings can do your lawn some good, left right where they lie after cutting — as long as their bulk is kept at a minimum. By following this rule of thumb and cutting only about an inch off the top of your lawn at any one time, the bulk of the grass clippings is kept low. This will entail more lawn cutting, obviously, but the resulting lawn will be much healthier, under less stress and more resilient.
Lawn Fertilization
Fertilization is a vital part of maintaining a healthy lawn. It will help ensure strong grass that will prevent weeds from taking root. When choosing a fertilizer product look for a polymer-coated premium product that will gradually release nutrients into the soil.
Regular Watering
Watering is an important part of lawn care. You should try to provide your lawn with deep watering of about one inch or an hour, each week.
Lawn Aeration
This is an important process that can be achieved by a lawn care company with a large aeration machine. The best time to aerate your lawn is in the spring (from February to May) or in the fall (from late August to November). The advantage of aeration is that it reduces soil compaction and water-run off while improving the fertilizer uptake and your grass’ root systems.
Lawn Seeding
Lawn seeding in the spring can help make your lawn more resistant to drought and disease.
If you are busy with work and your family, a local lawn care company can take care of your lawn for you. Their expertise can be especially beneficial for lawn fertilization and lawn aeration, where the experience of a lawn care professional will come in handy.
Eric Winston is a lawn expert with BUR-HAN Lawn Care, a Vancouver grass cutting company that specializes in lawn aeration. For more information please visit their website at http://www.bur-han.ca
Find More Lawn Cutting Articles
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: CUTTING, Grass, Tips, Useful
The Fundamentals of Landscaping
The field of landscape architecture is known by such other names as landscape gardening, landscape design, landscape planning, landscape engineering, landscape contracting, and landscape nursery work.
You can realize the importance of landscape architecture by comparing buildings that have been adequately landscaped with those in which the landscaping has been neglected. Such comparison will show that a poor arrangement of the landscape can greatly decrease the value of a well-designed building. Proper landscaping, on the other hand, can provide a beautiful setting for a building. It can add to the comfort of the occupants by providing shade and windbreaks and by screening off undesirable views.
The purpose of this article is to give you a working knowledge of the principles and problems underlying the practice of landscape architecture, and of its applications, primarily as they relate to domestic architecture. A knowledge of landscape architecture, which helps people to achieve a better way of life through the fullest use of the out-of-doors, is especially important to the architect, landscape architect, draftsman, homeowner, landscape contractor, gardener, nurseryman, and realtor.
Landscaping in Ancient Times
To understand the principles and problems underlying the present-day practice of landscape architecture, you should be aware of some of the achievements of the past in this field. These achievements have accompanied the development of architecture through the ages.
The gardens of ancient Egypt reflected climactic, physical, and religious influences. The gardens of a high official, for instance, usually occupied a square of land and were surrounded by lofty walls. The dwelling houses within the walls were carefully hidden away and shaded by trees, and the grounds were enlivened by ponds, waterfalls, and green borders. In the middle of the gardens were vineyards and rows of trees.
The gardens of the Persians were rectangular and enclosed by high mud walls. They were divided by intersecting raised paths and low fences, and embellished with little tunnels and blue-tiled pools, pavilions, kiosks, and canopied summer houses. Outdoor features in the early Greek cities included baths, stadiums, open-air theaters, porticoes, and colonnades.
The monasteries of the Middle Ages in Europe were grouped around central courtyards that were framed by colonnades and enriched with central fountains, beds of flowers, and statues of the Christian saints.
Landscape Design in the United States
Landscape design in the United States has certain qualities common with all the great landscape traditions of the world: Chinese, Japanese, Persian, English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Originally, these traditions were localized in certain sections of the country: the French influence was evident in New Orleans; the English, in New England; the Spanish, in California. Today, with the development of rapid methods of transportation and communications, sectional differences in the United States have almost disappeared, so that among contemporary gardens, the typical New England or California garden, for instance, is very rare.
New Expression in Landscape
Landscape design has developed along the lines of two principal traditions, the formal and the informal. The formal tradition has behind it elements of order, proportion, rational planning, and beauty. It revealed an intimate formality in the earlier English gardens. Too often, however, the formal tradition led to a slavish regard for preconceived patterns and designs, and to undue drafting board influence.
The informal type of landscape design was irregular, informal, simple. The informal landscape design reached its lowest status when it included a careless scattering of plants and meaningless irregularity.
Today we have a new conception of landscape design, in which not just views but also the use of space, space relations, and new materials, as well as freedom of form, are important considerations. The design may be formal or informal, or a combination of the two.
Perhaps the biggest change that has occurred in landscape architecture is in the concept of the relation between house and gardens. Until recent years the garden was designed t walk in or through. Today the garden is designed to live in, and the use of glass walls has made the garden a part of the living area of the house.
The use of glass, more than anything else, is responsible for the great interest today in Japanese gardens, since the Japanese with their sliding walls have for centuries done away with the iron-clad division between the indoors and the outdoors.
In the United States the technological revolution which accompanied the early twentieth century abolished pumps, outhouses, and chicken runs, and eliminated the distinction between front and back yards, thus making it possible to place the contemporary house in the midst of a garden.
Written by Wenefredo Melencion
Freelancer writer, Editor-in-Chief of a local magazine in our vernacular
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Fundamentals, Landscaping
Winter Blooms: Winter Garden Care
How would you like to have months worth of colorful fresh flowers, blooming constantly and almost maintenance free? Sound impossible; I thought so too, until I started forcing bulbs for winter blooms. There is something about having new blooms in the dead of winter that lifts your spirits like nothing else. Follow these steps and soon you’ll be tossing out those dusty old silk flowers in place of the real thing.
Start with the best:
Increase your chances of success by starting your indoor garden with force friendly bulbs, such as, tulips, daffodils (narcissus) and grape hyacinths. They should be firm and heavy with no mold, cuts or early growth. Be gentle with them and do not expose them to temperatures over 65 degrees.
If you plant several pots, every two weeks from September to December, you will get continuous blooms from December to March. Generally, do not mix the types of bulbs as they have different blooming periods.
Pick your pot:
If you are using the soil planting method, plastic or clay pots work well. The plastic tends to hold water longer, but may not be as attractive as a clay pot. It can always be placed inside a basket or decorative pot. If you are using a clay pot, they need to be soaked in water for several hours prior to planting, otherwise they will absorb water from the soil. The pots should be shallow (4-5 inches) and be long or wide. If necessary, clean before planting by rinsing them out with a diluted bleach solution. If so, wait 24 hours before adding your bulbs to ensure the bleach has evaporated.
If you are using the water forcing method, clear glass containers or large decorative bowls work well.
Types of planting:
Soil Method
Combine equal parts of potting soil, peat moss, sand and vermiculite. Don’t worry about adding fertilizer, bulbs store their own food. Place some stones or broken pieces of pottery over the drainage holes to prevent water from leaking out of the soil. Partially fill the pots and place the bulbs on the soil, pointed end up, but not too close to each other, to prevent bulb rot. Tulips should be placed flat side against the pot so that their leaves will form a border around the edge. Now, add enough soil to fill the pot.
The bulbs can be watered by totally immersing the planter in a tub of water or from the top. It’s a good idea to label each pot with the name of the bulb and the date planted and the date to remove them from cold storage. A forced daffodil can be re-planted out doors, but it may take a few years before it blooms.
Cooling:
Cooling the bulbs, encourages them to bloom sooner. Place the pots in a cool place between 45 and 50 degrees – do not let them freeze! An unheated garage or basement works well; keeping them in the dark with as uniform a temperature as possible and water as necessary to prevent from drying out.
A sign that the plants are ready is when you see the roots peaking out of the pot drain holes; here are some guidelines for the cooling times required for different bulbs:
Grape hyacinth: 13-15 weeks
Daffodils: 15-17 week
Tulips: 14-20 weeks
If you plant numerous containers, they can be brought into the warmth in 2 week intervals, it won’t hurt them to be left in cold storage a little longer.
Forcing the bulbs:
Once adequately cooled, the bulbs are ready to come into the light and eventually bloom. Do this gradually by giving them partial shade at first and then introducing direct sunlight.
Water & Rock Method
Find a drain less container, and fill with pebbles, or decorative stones. White rocks in a clear bowl look really nice against the green leaves and colorful blooms. Add the bulbs so that they stand up on their own between the pebbles. Fill the pot only to the base of the bulbs, it shouldn’t cover more than 1/8 inch of the bulb or they will rot. Continue to top up as the plant dries out, be careful not to over water.
If you are using paper whites: place in a sunny spot and they will bloom in 4 to 6 weeks.
All others: Place in a shaded cool spot and bulbs should bloom in 8 to 12 weeks. At this time you could gradually introduce a sunny location.
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Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Blooms, Care, Garden, Winter
Late Summer Garden: Easy and Cheap Gardening Tips
Has your late summer garden seen better days? If your outdoor paradise is getting a little ragged, and you would like some easy and cheap gardening tips to get it back into shape in time for fall, keep reading!
Most gardens, no matter how well they are designed will have periods without a lot of bloom. But a late summer garden is more than just lack of bloom; it’s overgrown plants, ratty leaves, spindly annuals and brown spots in the lawn. Here’s how to fix these garden problems.
Cut back your blooming perennials by half. This will stimulate new growth, and create need for another flush of flowers in the fall for many varieties. It will also clean up the overgrown look of your flower beds.
If you still have brown foliage from spring bulbs showing, it is safe to cut them to the ground now. They have already stored all the energy they need for spring bloom, and the dead plant matter isn’t doing anything for the look of your garden.
If you have a pest problem, you should be addressing it. You can use commercially available Sevin dust for many of the most common predators, or seek out an organic alternative. One good way to identify what is eating your plants is place a piece of white paper under the leaves of the plant being attached and give the plant a good tap or shake. Whatever pest is the culprit should fall onto the paper for easy identification. If you’re stumped, pop it in a jar and take it to your local nursery for identification and advice on how to eradicate it while doing the least damage to beneficial bugs. Remember, we need those bees! Don’t’ poison them.
If you have annuals planted in containers or beds that have seen better days, cut them back hard. Apply a good dose of water soluble fertilizer and they will bounce back and start re-blooming for you. Petunias, alyssum and geraniums all need a good rejuvenation this time of year, but will bloom well into fall if you try this trick.
If your lawn has developed some dry spots, try raking in an organic compost or fine bark to protect the soil and hold in moisture. Water frequently during the day for a week or two until you start to see new green growth. Cut back on the watering gradually, but be consistent until the lawn is once again green in the spot.
A late summer garden may seem to have gone to sleep, but its pretty easy to throw a big basket of water on it and wake it back up. (Both literally, and figuratively!) Use these easy and cheap gardening tips to renew your garden, and have a beautiful spot to spend those quiet autumn afternoons.
Want free gardening tips and ideas? Kathy Wilson is a home and garden writer, author and consultant and is the home decorating expert for LifetimeTV.com. Visit her for more home and garden ideas at http://www.TheGardenGlove.com and http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com . Also visit her at http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com where any woman can learn to make money on the internet!
For free budget gardening ideas visit her at http://www.TheGardenGlove.com
Winter Gardening Chores
Cold weather does not mean that all outdoor gardening must cease. Now is a good time for some of those garden chores that will help you be better prepared for spring.
For starters, clean up the perennials that you allowed to remain, whether as food for the birds or to add some winter interest to your garden. Cut back coneflowers, ornamental grasses, and such. Then “fluff” your mulch with an iron rake. This will help alleviate compaction that occurs during the winter months. And you do not have to refrain from planting something. Check your local nursery for bare root trees and shrubs.
This is also a great time to prune deciduous trees and bushes. You do not have to fight through the green growth of spring and summer, plus you can better see what needs to be pruned; e.g., branches crossing and scraping other branches or a shape that is not quite to your liking. Cut out suckers under such bushes as that large forsythia you so dearly love when it blooms in the spring. Or you can do like me and dig some up and plant in other places for even more bushes.
Finally, do not forget to give some attention to your gardening tools. If you are like me, you might have a bad habit of leaving tools about the yard where they tend to rust. Gather them up, clean off the rust, sharpen, and oil.
Now kick back with your gardening catalogs and start planning for spring.
Written by Dena Bolton
Related Winter Gardening Articles
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: chores, gardening, Winter
How to plan Winter gardening do-it-yourself projects
Winter is coming. Outside gardening is coming to an end for the season, but there are still gardening-related projects you can do over wintertime. Consult with your “Honey” combine your project lists and create files. Plan the projects prudently and get entire family involved.
See slide show for more information:
How to plan Winter gardening DIY projects
Things you’ll need:
Notes from your files and from “honey” DIY projects
Library books or Home Store books on Gardening related projects
On-line research, eHow articles, Examiner articles on gardening.
Graph paper and pencils
Digital camera or phone with camera
Copy machine access
Scanner access
File folders for each Gardening DIY project
Dust off old gardening To Do lists from your garden desk and workbench area. Go through them to make sure you have not already completed the projects or you have changed your mind. Go over the list to with your “honey” to make sure she is in agreement. Go on-line, to the Library, to the Home Store gardening book racks, and to your local Nursery or Home Store Garden Department for new gardening do-it-yourself ideas. Maybe you want to install a wall fountain, treat those Mole critters, plant some jasmine vines so they will grow over the winter, or decorate some of your terra cotta pots. Write everything down, make design sketches, take pictures, use magazine article tear sheets, sketch gardening ideas, scan photos and sheets into your computer for future reference. Build DIY gardening project file folders with information you can cull later.
See also How to design yard decorations for Christmas
Go outside, walk around house, garden, and lawn with your “Honey,” identifying any new projects or modify old ideas for projects. Discuss which projects are most important and have the greatest benefit for your spring gardening efforts. Make a general bulleted list that refers back to notes and pictures in files. Include costs in your discussions and notes. Jot down what materials will be needed for each project and check to see what you have on hand in garden shed or workshop. Update your numbers after Honey gets through checking them with a calculator and correcting your errors! Her numbers and ideas, of course, are perfectly ok so don’t worry about checking them! Be sure and have her sign her notes though, for future reference!
See also How to use stockings for Christmas decorations
Prioritize and sketch ideas of DIY gardening projects that are most important. Use A, B, C system. Most important projects are noted as A, second most important, B, least important C. Stop right there, any D projects are not worth the time. Consider time and labor and costs in your prioritization process.. Ask questions, will the project make my spring garden or landscaping efforts easier? Will it be worth the money spent on it and does it need special tools to complete? How long will it require to complete, and can it be finished over the winter? Be realistic and consider if it adds to the value of your home, enhances your lifestyle, or fits with your gardening philosophy, like a Green project, if that is your desire. Once you and “Honey” agree on project priorities, make a master list with tiles and note where files are, get a desktop file holder and start on your gardening do-it-yourself projects! Good Gardening!
See also How to make Santa Claus yard decorations
For more info see:
How to build brick pavers for trash bin cart area at curb
How to make fireplace wood bin for inside
How to manage falling leaves
How to select Jasmine plant at nursery
How to design yard decorations for Thanksgiving
Written by JoCart
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: doityourself, gardening, plan, projects, Winter
Planning a Winter Garden
Article by Joel Tarplin
As the cold, winter weather sets in and we wake up to find a frost over the garden, it is vitally important that your garden and the plants within it are going to withstand the harsh winter conditions. Enlisting the services of experienced garden designers Northampton will result in a number of different factors being considered when planning and creating a garden in the winter months.
Design
Your garden should be an area of your home that can be enjoyed all year round, even if that does mean just admiring it out of your window as the rain or snow lashes down throughout winter. When designing your garden, a group of talented garden designers aim to create something that is totally unique and will work with you in order to create the most beautiful and practical garden in your available space. When planning a winter garden, they are particularly cautious when it comes to patios and decking and always make you aware that they can be prone to becoming slippery when wet.
Planting
In the winter months, you should have plants in your garden that are designed to withstand the harshest of conditions such as frost, wind and snow at the same time as still looking great in your garden. Being experienced in choosing the right plants to suit all types of garden, a garden design specialist can advise you on which plants will work best within your garden and how to look after them throughout winter.
Choosing flowers that will flourish throughout the seasons will mean that your garden will look appealing all year round and will result in less maintenance work being required on your behalf.
Winter can be a difficult period of the year for any garden; however with expert advice you can make sure that your garden remains in the best possible condition. Along with the right design and plants, this can include ensuring that you have sturdy, reliable fencing in place that will stay strong against high winds, and water features that will not be affected in any way should they freeze over in the cold weather.
When planning a new garden that is going to withstand all of the elements of a British winter, calling in a professional team of garden designers Northampton is one of the best ways of ensuring this happens. With comprehensive planning, detailed designs and top quality construction, they can help you to create a garden that can be enjoyed all winter long.
This article was written by Joel Tarplin on behalf of Eden Landscapes; expert garden designers Northampton.
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Garden, Planning, Winter
Gardening – Organic Garden Soil
Gardening with organic methods is a healthy way to grow crops and to be kind to the environment. Nature has it own way to keep soils rich in nutrients and to control diseases naturally. With a little planning and watching the way that nature works in your area, you can have the same eco-friendly results in your own gardens.
Testing your gardens soil is the first step in creating this natural environment. Once you know what you are working with you can either amend the soil organically or choose plants that will grow and thrive in the existing soil conditions you have.
When amending the soil with the uses of organic methods, you want to create an environment that is full of life. Living organisms, microorganisms, bacteria and fungi all are apart of this vast community that lives in a good healthy organic soil. All you have to do is to keep them feed and they will work for you in creating the quality of soil you want and need.
All this may seam complex, it is but isn’t that difficult to do. Once you get a system in place, it isn’t much work at all to maintain.
Having a healthy garden soil not only will have your plants thriving, it will also help grow healthy plants that will work on purifying the air we breath and the water we drink. It all works together and nature has the most economic way of doing it.
Go Green in your gardening practices and help the environment.
A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.
John Yazo
More Gardening Articles
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Garden, gardening, Organic, Soil
Lawncare and Fiesta Weed Killer
Is your lawn in need of some serious TLC this summer? Whether you’re lawn is suffering from spotty coverage or a terrible dandelion infestation, Nutri-Lawn in-ground sprinkler systems can help turn your tired backyard into a lush and inviting oasis.
Don’t Let Weeds Run Rampant
Nothing ruins a beautiful lawn like a nasty case of broadleaf weeds. Luckily, Nutri-Lawn can help you banish these leafy intruders for good with a professionally installed in-ground sprinkler system. Broadleaf weeds tend to target undernourished expanses of lawn, especially in places where the grass coverage is sparse. A dense, well-watered lawn has a much better chance of fending off unwanted broadleaf growth.
Fight Back with Fiesta Weed Killer
Even the heartiest of lawns can be invaded by troublesome broadleaf weeds. Luckily, Nutri-Lawn can help you stop the spread of broadleaf weeds in your yard, and return your lawn to a healthy state.
Nutri-Lawn Ottawa is proud to announce the arrival of Fiesta Weed Killer, the toughest weed repellent on the market today. Designed for optimum performance, Fiesta Weed Killer provides noticeable results just hours after the first application. Fiesta’s patented formula includes active iron particles in the form of FeHEDTA, which helps target and eliminate pesky broadleaf weeds, like clover and dandelion. What’s more, Fiesta weed killing formula is water-based and odour-free, providing you with a safe and effective treatment. Fiesta is so safe that people and pets are allowed back on the treated area almost immediately after the application.
Use Fiesta for Guaranteed Results
Fiesta Weed Killer gets to the root of the problem, killing broadleaf weeds from the ground up.
The patented formula targets and eliminates root growth, protecting your lawn from future outbreaks and infestations. Fiesta Weed Killer even works in cool weather, so why wait to treat your lawn? Beautify your yard with a Nutri-Lawn in-ground sprinkler system and Fiesta Weed Killer treatment today.
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Fiesta, Killer, Lawncare, Weed
How To Garden Safely with Children
Gardening is in my list of top five learning activities. It’s natural, therapeutic, hands-on, interactive and a great learning tool. Whether you teach plant care, botany lessons or gardening at home with your children or in school as a teacher, there are several areas to consider and steps to follow to ensure safety.
Avoid toxic plants. Brush up on poisonous plants and make sure that you do not incorporate of them in your gardening project. Remember that plants may have some poisonous parts and some non-toxic parts, such as berries, flowers, roots, stems, etc. Know the toxicity level of any plant you will grow. Check the link below for a rundown of safe and unsafe plants.
Familiarize yourself with any student allergies or asthma problems. Make sure that no one is allergic to any plant you will use. Allergies can manifest themselves in odd ways including skin rashes, respiratory problems, hay fever, vomiting, bleeding, etc. Students may have allergies to peanuts, mold, dust, pollen, leaves and insect stings. Know your students’ health history before you prepare to garden, especially if you work with young children who may put things in their mouths.
Select gardening tools carefully. Look for well-made tools that are appropriate for the age you work with. Metal spades, hoes, trowels, rakes and trimmers are very sharp.
Teach children how to safely use tools. Demonstrate how to hold, use and clean tools.
Monitor children at all times. Even older students can be silly or careless when using equipment. Students may also forget how to use tools. Keep an eye out.
Remove gardeningprivileges if necessary. If a student is careless, heedless or rough remove his privileges. Gardening is a great activity and lots of fun. Children need to know that it is a privilege that can be removed if necessary. I always keep a supply of boring worksheets on hand and give these out if students are fooling around. I tell the student that if she can’t do the fun lessons properly, then she will have to do dull mindless work where she will be safe.
Beware or fertilizers, plant food and pesticides. These products are deadly poisonous. Do not use these chemicals with young children.
Explore organic fertilizers and pesticides. Organic products should still be used with care, but they are much safer.
Experiment with natural fertilizers and pesticides. The Native Americans used fish heads for fertilizer. They would place fish heads around their corn plants. Composting is a perfect venue for natural gardening. Planting marigolds around a garden will keep rodents out of the garden.
Build a bat house near your garden if it is outside. The bats will be delighted to keep your insect population down.
Know your garden bugs. Some garden pests are dangerous to humans also. We had tomato plants in our school garden. Tomato plants attract a huge green caterpillar. We were able to remove the caterpillars safely by hand.
Wear gardening gloves. This will help protect children from thorns, scratches, callouses, blisters, stings and bites.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Like gloves, these will protect children when gardening. I like to avoid using insect spray on children. Proper clothing can help.
Wear sunhats or visors. This will protect children from sun and insects. Hats with netting work even better.
Obtain a bee sting kit. If any student has a bee sting allergy, he will need treatment immediately if he is stung.
Have a first aid kit ready. Check periodically to be sure it is stocked. Keep hand sanitizer with you at all times. This can disinfect a cut if necessary.
Keep child emergency cards with you.
Carry a cell phone or walkie-talkie.
Wash hands after any work with plants. This is not just for cleanliness. Hand washing can prevent the spread of any toxins picked up in the garden.
Gardening and plant care is a superb way to bring the real world into the classroom. With these safety tips, you’ll be ready for any problem that may come up.
Written by Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Children, Garden, Safely
Tables and Chairs for Your Garden – Get Cheap Garden Furniture
Article by Preskopii Ganchovski
Having some cheap garden furniture items could make your garden a lot more beautiful and classy in style. It is actually an amazing concept of adding elegance to your garden. This could trigger you and your family to love your home more than any other place in the world. It would be your chance to prove that there is no better place than your own house. So without further ado, here are great things you must know on how to find and use the best tables and chairs for your garden.
Accentuate your Garden with Beautifully Designed Furniture
Designs and styles are the first two things to look for when finding some furniture items for a garden. A table with chairs must be created in a very elegant style. Buyers of garden furniture always see to it that they find and pick uniquely and beautifully made tables and chairs.
A good garden is easy to recognize if there is a charm to it. That is what a great design of furniture makes of. Furniture displayed in the center of the garden can captivate the attention of people in just a glimpse.
Look for an Affordable Set of Garden Furniture
The most important basis of determining the right furniture to buy is its price. The cost of the set of furniture must be within your budget. Do not overspend your money buying furniture items that are extremely expensive. You just get some cheap garden furniture pieces. You do not only get the great design furniture but also the cheapest one. This enables you to save money which you can use in buying other things like accessories for your garden.
Most cheap garden furniture deals are found in thrifty or cheap stores of furniture. You can also go to any leading furniture shop or home improvement stores where you can buy affordable items.
Check out the Materials of Furniture Items
It is also recommended to choose not only cheap garden furniture but also a set that is made from the highest quality materials. This is important too when it comes to the use of furniture. High quality made furniture can last for a long time. This is how you can be assured of the durability of a household item. Both great quality and high durability can make the furniture set a perfect one to choose. This should be one of the considerations you have to remember when buying garden furniture (Danish term is Køb havemøbler).
If you like to buy cheap garden furniture (in Danish Billige havemøbler), extend your search more until you find the most desired and cheapest set. Your friends and relatives may give you a great store where you can buy the best furniture for your garden. Nevertheless, do not hesitate to search online where you can see lots of great deals of furniture.
These are what you must remember doing when you buy a set of furniture that can enhance your garden. It would be better to get the best design, highest quality and durable material, and the cheapest garden furniture.
The word for garden furniture that the Danes use is Havemøbler and if you would like to purchase some, please visit this amazing Danish website. Feel free to use Google Translator if you can’t understand it.
I am a writer and my hobby is gardening. I hope you find my articles interesting and helpful.
Lawn Care Tips 101
Caring for your lawn is essential in having a healthy lawn no matter how big or small it is. Having lush greens in your lawn is just a perfect view that you want to see every morning or when you come home late in the afternoon tired from work, it is just too relaxing to see your lawn having a full life.
You will need a lot of things to consider in taking care of your lawn fertilizer to use, the grass to plant and of course the amount of water, to give your lawn the best care. Watering a lawn is not that easy you need to give you lawn the sufficient amount of water everyday, this is a make or break situation for your lawn.
When watering your lawn, you should consider the season in your place. When it is summer or dry season, you need to water your plants more than the usual and if it’s rainy season of course you should decrease the amount of water you give to your lawn.
During the summer season, do not wait for the grasses to turn brown or to wither before you water it to bring back its green color, you might be too late if you do this and this will cost you a lot of money in restoring your lawn. This would be the last thing you want to happen.
Best time to water your lawn is early in the morning and late in the afternoon where the sun is not that hot. You should also spread the water uniformly in your lawn. Have a guide on the part that you want to water so that you know where to go next. Apply water again to ensure sufficient water absorption. Try to examine the rainfall distribution in your area to conserve water in watering your lawn.
Water is very important in making your lawn green and lush. If you are too busy to water your lawn or your lawn is, too big to manually water it you can have a water sprinkler for your convenience and to do you’re watering in the most effective way. Or visit the nearest store to check on and drip watering systems, lawn sprinklers and traveling sprinklers to aid you in watering your lawn.
You should also get the right fertilizer for your lawn to become healthier and greener
Organic fertilizer lawn will let you ensure that your lawn’s soil is rich in nutrients that will nourish your grass. Use Liquid fertilizer to keep your lawn looking healthy.
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Care, Lawn, Tips
How to Save Money on Lawn and Garden Care
For a do it your self lawn you ned three pices of equipment, lawnmower, spreader and edger. You can look for any of these in the classified ads in your local paper, Craig’s list for your area or at a local thrift shop. At a second hand store you may not be able to start the lawnmower or edger so be careful to budget in cost of repairs and keep the purchase cost well below that.
Fertilize with a generic brand of product from your garden center only twice a year. The spring treatment during the time that the Forsythia is in bloom will include a fertilize with a crabgrass preventer. The second treatment is during the heat of summer with an insecticide that kills grubs. Other applications are intended to keep the grass a stunning color green, that was nice when house prices were inflated, but not as necessary during the recession!
If you are overseeding or planting seed in your lawn, Use the new ‘water saver’ and/or drought tolerant brand of grass seed. This will keep the summers water bill lower. Also to help with watering, add rainbarrels at the bottom of the drainpipes from your gutters, you can then use this to water the lawn if a coupld weeks go by without rain.
For the garden, think about the recurring annual costs that you could avoid. Cosider placing maintenance free groundcovers in areas that you used to mulch. Make sure you use those that thrive in sun (Liriope) in sun and those that thrive in shade (Pachysandra) in the shade. You may need to continue to mulch the first year or two but eventually the ground covers will take over and you can eliminate your annual mulching cost.
Replace the annuals wtih perennials, use some of the groundcovers in the pots on your patios. Place Perennials that are drought tolerant such as ornamental grasses, vinca, lambs ear, butterfly weed and others.
If you usually buy transplants for your vegetable garden, invest time instead, and make seedlings from seeds. Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost date.
Partner with your neighbors to keep the costs down! We are all in this together! Can you share groundcovers or split and share perennials? If you have a small lawn, split bags of the two applications you are going to put on the lawn.
Written by Stratus
Gardening Care – How to Prevent Gardening Pests and Sickness
A healthy and balanced lawn is composed of vegetation which is without any garden pests and ailments. You could accomplish many things to maintain your vegetation live heart-healthy. The best way you can do is to get the correct bunch of herbs. Several plants are more susceptible to health issues as compared with other types. Through using growing and seeding systems properly, you’ll be able to minimize the possibilities of a plants and flowers of going not well. Supplying the most desirable surrounding is always indispensable. An excessive amount water and heat could also cause improper plant health conditions. Here are some tips you could go along with to keep your outdoor and indoor plants continue to be in top condition.
Suggestions for Healthy and balanced Plants and flowers
Soil.
Healthy and balanced plants get underway with healthy and balanced garden soil. Degrades are generated by soggy plants roots. Lost moisture as well as dry out garden soil are one of the makes for vegetable garden pests and so illnesses. Even though normal water is useful for the crops, remember same as other things, too much of almost everything isn’t really beneficial.
Perfect Selection.
Getting the ideal plants in your garden is important. There are lots of forms of cultivars to choose from. There are cultivars in which stand against many illnesses. One among such type of cultivar is Big Beef Tomato. A number sicknesses which the grow plants has the capacity to endure are gray leaf spots and tobacco mosaic disease. Several other cultivars only defend against one kind of infection. This kind is essential if there is one situation nearby that could be very common amongst these outdoor and indoor plants. Speak to a professional person that can help you determine all of the illnesses which were typical in your area. There can be cultivars which are tolerant regarding sicknesses. Which means those plants and flowers can acquire a sickness yet somehow wouldn’t be gravely affected by it all.
Space
Any time you are growing, you are required to always maintain a satisfactory amount of breathing space between flowers or vegetables so that have room for their particular root base, limbs and also stalks growing. Using an overloaded plant garden bed will always make pollution and exchange most typically associated with sickness not hard. Additionally, you wouldn’t want your own plants come to be competing with each other regarding their very important requirement. In case you locate your own vegetation not far from each other, not all of your flowers or vegetables will be getting the required sunshine, water combined with vitamins and minerals. Right spacing causes air flow circulate surrounding the vegetables or flowers better bringing on a lesser amount associated with fungus infection formation and other infection conditions.
Adhere to deterrence tips.
For people with plants which can be susceptible to illnesses, remember to provide precise safety procedures. Avoid garden unwanted pests together with health problems through process of well-timed anticipation. Wilt-proofing can be described as item made from pine tree oil. This’ll help plant life away from to become take moisture out of at the time of cold weather triggering decreased occurrence associated with particular fungus formation.
In order to avoid plague, you can try accomplishing below
Use a decent mix of flowers, herbs and greens. By doing this, you’ll have colorful flora bed that can help befuddle pesky pests. Aside from that, numerous aromas will offer pests trouble to find their favorite food. Experience basil, garlic together with lemon tree geraniums in your own grows crops bed.
Don’t assume all bugs can be harmful for the plants. Each time caring for plants and flowers, it’s usually advantageous to have the correct type of bugs inside of your garden. Ladybugs, spiders as well as lacewings victimize insects.
Gardening care doesn’t always barely ending by having sprinkling together with providing a sufficient amount of sunlight to your flowers and plants. Some kind of typical garden plants pest infestations are necessary according to your certain garden. Be sure that you also comply with several precautions to stop garden bugs and also sicknesses from coming into your own vegetables or flowers.
Aerogarden is a great option for you if you need to grow your herbs, vegetables, or flowers with less gardening care treatments. However, if you know how to do it right, gardening care won’t cost you arms and legs.
More Garden Care Articles
Indoor Garden Ideas
It does not matter where you live or how big your yard is. You can still reap all of the great benefits of a indoor garden. There is more than one indoor garden design ideas you could go with. Finding one that resounds with you is the best choice.
Gardening is the practice of growing plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, overall appearance, or for their dyes. Useful plants are grown for consumption (vegetables, fruits, herbs, and leaf vegetables) or for medicinal use. A gardener is someone who practices gardening.
Gardening ranges in scale from fruit orchards, to long boulevard plantings with one or more different types of shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants, to residential yards including lawns and foundation plantings, to large or small containers grown inside or outside. Gardening may be very specialized, with only one type of plant grown, or involve a large number of different plants in mixed plantings. It involves an active participation in the growing of plants, and tends to be labor intensive, which differentiates it from farming or forestry.
Duplicating Mother Nature indoors for our plant friends is more complicated than most people often realize. Here are some tips for increasing your chance of success at creating a delightful indoor garden.
For certain plants, you will need to know how to force flowering onto plants before you will be able to produce fruits, vegetables, and flowers on plants successfully indoors. Some plants are day-neutral and will flower no matter what, but others must be induced to flower.
When putting up a garden, do wash all surfaces clean, and once it’s all clean, keep it that way! Mild soapy water made from natural soap will do fine. Also make sure you clean all pots and equipment between seasons. Once you take your plants indoors, there’s very little to stop the spread of disease – it is always better to prevent than to medicate afterwards.
If you do notice signs of diseases or molds, it is best to trash that plant or at least all the infected leaves immediately. Consider this; it might be sad to throw away one or two plants, but if the disease spreads, your whole garden can go bad!
Since most indoor gardens are small, limit the number of plants. It is a temptation – especially if you are growing plants from seed, and you get a lot of high quality seedlings – to make your garden overcrowded. Make sure you reserve enought space with good lighting for every plant. Trash the weakest ones, or give them to somebody with similar hobby, and trim the excessive growth when needed.
You can limit indoor diseases and pests by using neem oil. Neem oil is plant-based oil made from neem tree – you can get it organically grown as well – that contains natural, estrogen-like chemicals that kill of viruses, bacteria, fungus and make plants less tasty for pests.
Laying yellow sticky-traps will prevent the spread of fruit flies. Another handy way of getting rid of them is allowing the pots to dry out. Fruit flies need moisture, where adult plants can survive some days without watering. Only dry the plants to the point when plants are wilting! Do not use this method for small seedlings, since drying them will result killing them.
Select disease-resistant, hardy plant varieties. This will help maintaining good health in your indoor garden.
With some plants, you’ll need to pollinate flowers by hand using small brush since there are usually no pollinators indoors.
Use timers to control the lighting.
Considering those steps in will be very useful in making building plan of your indoor garden. If you have complete all of those steps, you just need to spread your creativity to build attractive and beautiful indoor garden in your home. Read more Interior Design Guide and Ideas
Written by aaronwebber
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Garden, Ideas, Indoor
Beautiful Landscaping: Planning is The Key
So you want to create a fascinating landscape garden around your home? It may sound so easy, but it’s not. Putting your dream garden into reality always require proper landscaping planning so you won’t end up delaying its execution because of increased cost and other problems.
Even if you will to do the task yourself, you still need to plan everything from day one. Careful planning results to a well-designed landscape that will surely bring pleasure to your family and will increase the value of your property. Remember: it isn’t just about placing trees and plants around your home. It is rather an art involving conscious organization of your outdoor space to make it not just pleasing to the eyes but a truly enjoyable place to stay in.
Set your goals
An American like you will surely spend big bucks for their home and building landscaping. To avoid putting much of that money to waste, you should set a goal and focus on realizing that. Also, you must understand not just how but why you landscape. Among the main goals of landscaping are:
• To develop and organize the area around your home for maximum use and human satisfaction
• To create a harmonious visual relationship between your house and the yard.
• To minimize landscape maintenance to a more practical level.
Create a Landscape Design
So you goal has been set. The next thing you must do is to create the landscape design you want for your yard. This process can be way too easy if you have landscaping software. Nevertheless, you can use a piece of paper and colored pencils to begin sketching and designing your landscape. Here’s how:
• Create a simple, scaled drawing of the site. Sketch its utilities, walks, and driveways and note where paved surfaces are. Then, point out the areas where flower beds, patios, vegetable garden and play areas will be situated.
• By drawing arrows, indicate sun angles as well as prevailing winds for winter and summer. Make sure to circle the place in your yard that need wind protection or shade.
• Highlight areas where landscaping height or width is restricted. Also, emphasize the place where drainage is poor and the areas with standing water. Note also the trees and shrubs already existing in your yard.
While sketching your landscape design, consider the needs and habits of your family. Make a design that best satisfies not just their needs but their hearts’ desire. Discuss with your family the things they want to incorporate and prioritize the most important aspects.
Survey available Materials
Once you’ve come up with a fascinating design, what you need to do next is to review the materials needed and find out how much the whole project will cost. List down the price of all the materials you need to complete the project. These include benches, plants, rocks, the bricks and many more. Also, include in your computation the labor cost. When you already know how much you need to spend for your home landscaping, you can now decide when to push through with the project.
Those are the basic steps involved in every landscaping planning. So if you want a home that’s beautiful in and out, give it a good interior design matched with an attractive landscape. And in every landscaping project bear in mind that proper planning is the key.
Written by mcarvs
A freelance writer
Categories: Garden Care Articles Tags: Beautiful, Landscaping, Planning
Cheap Garden Plants – Buy Cheap Garden Plants Online And Save Money
Maintaining a great looking garden requires time and effort plus a little investment and with cheap garden plants you can save money while keeping your gardens looking eternally satisfying.
Where is the best place to find cheap garden plants?
Computer-generated garden centres are pushing down the prices in the plant industry where you can find a wealth of cheap garden plants. Well known websites including Ebay have all hit the internet selling discount garden plants of all species.
Garden centres have no way of being able to get the selection of plants on the internet into one place or even provide every seed type for every plant. Cheap lawn plants are now just a simple order on the web away.
Specialised delivery methods have been adopted by online companies offering cheap garden plants so plants always arrive fresh.
What advantages are there to buying budget garden plants online?
Variety is probably the main factor where pretty much any plant type is available for purchase. Whatever you are looking for you should be able to track the right product down. Cheap garden plants for indoors or tropical plants that can add an oceanic look to your conservatory. If you are looking for the Amazon feel or the country park ambience there is simply no shortage of styles.
Advice online is sound and if you spot a plant you feel is what you are looking for as well as no shortage or tips. Informative information is available all plant varieties. Cheap garden plants come with various conditions so you can ensure they flourish.
Breeding tips are available so you can reproduce the plants look in other areas of the garden. Cheap garden plants can not only save you costs, but also once you have the correct reproduction methods mastered there are no limits to where you can place the plants look and feel.
Delivery is hassle free meaning your cheap garden plants can be transported to your front door without having to use your own transport. There is usually a guarantee that comes with safe delivery and there is no restriction on the size of your order where a small car could result in multiple journeys. To further reduce costs cheap garden plants are sometimes accompanied with a free delivery for orders that hit a set expenditure target.
How do I begin searching for cheap garden plants?
If you have an internet connection then this is the best place to look. Garden centres can be too time consuming and a waste of time limiting your options. Use a search engine to browse the many offers and deals for cheap garden plants. All the information you need and any questions that you have can be directed to companies offering their services.
If you don’t have internet cheap garden plants can be found at your local nursery. Usually the garden centres are a little bit more expensive as they employ more staff and have a higher rent rate so their prices must reflect a profit.
Cheap garden plants are everywhere and making the right choices to suit the look and feel of your garden is an easy task when the internet is at hand.
