Gardening and Landscaping Made Easy
Posted on 13 June 2010 by Admin
Growing Cabbage The Fifth of a series of growing videos, developed by Agri Aware, to help children and adults learn how to grow fruit and vegetables at home. Originally these videos were released with a growing pack for schools in Ireland, as part of a growing competition but are just useful for you at home. Enjoy For more info visit: www.incredibleedibles.ie Video by: www.fretlessrecords.com
Posted on 13 June 2010 by Admin
Seems hard to believe now as I gaze over my bountiful garden, but that first experience was one I’ll never forget. What a disaster. I didn’t think I’d ever set foodt in my backyard again, much less my garden.
A couple of weeks after I moved into my new house, I decided a garden was just the thing I needed. I now had grass to mow and bushes to trim, so a garden would be a great addition. Fresh produce for my kitchen should be easy to grow, right? Just how hard could it be?
Checking out the yard, I found a bare patch of land where it looked like a garden had been attempted, but it didn’t look like anything had actually grown. The area was full of rocks and weeds, not a plant in sight. I was determined to have a garden so I cleared out the debris, leaving just the dirt. At this point, though, I didn’t understand the difference between “dirt” and “soil.” What I had was a dry, rock-hard, lifeless section of dirt.
Once the clearing was done, I wanted the garden area to look nice. I put some boards around it for a border to keep out the dogs. I added some rocks I had collected to the border, trying to be “decretive.” Not quite sure just what I was thinking.
Okay, garden ready, off to the nursery I went. All those packets of seeds immediately attracted my eye. Corn, tomatoes, onions, peas. Ymmm. I could already taste all the veggies coming from my garden. I opened a packet, poked a hole in the hard ground, and dropped in a seed. After weeks of faithfully watering my garden, it finally dawned on me that nothing was going to grow. I continued to water, hoping something might just pop up. But alas, after clearing away that awful debris, I had nothing to show for all my hard work. I was miserable.
But I wasn’t going to give up. I logged onto the internet, knowing the answer to my problem would be quickly found. After some research, there is was … just what I needed. I realized that more than dirt, seeds, and water were needed to grow a garden. To grow a healthy garden, I learned how soil consistency, nutrients, ideal watering conditions, and the different seasons affect the garden. I was now ready for the next planting season.
Ready to start a new garden? Learn from my mistakes. Do your research on the plants you should grow for your particular climate. Good soil, good fertilizer, and good garden tools are the key to growing a healthy garden. You’ll be pleased with the final results. Like me, you’ll soon be enjoying wonderful veggies from your garden.
Davis Anderson is a gardening fanatic who now enjoys growing — and eating — really good veggies and fruit from her garden. She learned her gardening technique at http://growingahealthygarden.blogspot.com. Find out how she grows her garden at Auntees-Garden.com.
Posted on 11 June 2010 by Admin
Are you looking to plant your very own organic vegetable garden but you’re not sure how to get started? Planting a healthy organic vegetable garden provides so many benefits including an abundance of healthy organic food and saving thousands on your grocery bills. I don’t know about you but I still remember the days when a tomato from the supermarket tasted like a tomato, not anymore unfortunately. Let’s look at some organic vegetable gardening for beginners’ tips to help get you started today.
Vegetable Gardening For Beginners – Tips
Preparation is the key to growing a beautiful and healthy organic vegetable garden. Planning is critical for setting up a organic vegetable garden that you can harvest every daily. Vegetable gardening for beginners does not have to be difficult with the correct planning.
First you must decide on your plot, the area for your garden. The ideal spot is somewhere that receives plenty of morning sun and protection from the elements such as wind. Although you may be limited with the space you have available don’t be discouraged as you will be shocked at how much you can grow by maximizing the space you have. Ensure there is sufficient drainage for water runoff.
Importance Of Soil Quality
One of the most common organic vegetable gardening for beginners’ tips you will hear is never underestimate soil quality. Soil is the life lines of a garden so please do not underestimate its importance. You must ensure that your soil preparations include checking the soil and preparing it by testing its pH levels. The ideal pH level for your soil is 6.5, if you do not have a test kit you can go to your local garden outlet and let them test it for you.
Don’t stress if your levels are out of whack for the moment, you can purchase garden lime that will improve the pH levels of your soil. In a nutshell your pH levels will determine how much nutrients your vegetables will be able to receive.
Preparing Your Plot
Dig your plot and turn your soil over, ensure you dig into a depth of about 12″ (30cm) and remove any weeds you find by hand. Avoid using weed killers and they can affect your soil structure and levels. Once your pH levels are in healthy range, wait 4-5 weeks before you begin planting.
The vegetables that you grow will dependent on where you live. Speak to your gardening outlet that will buy seedlings from for the most suitable vegetables. Ask about purchasing some organic fertilizer which will be the life blood of your garden. Organic fertilizers such as animal manure, blood and bones as well as compost are terrific choices for providing essential nutrients and moisture.
Growing Vegetables Year Round
The key to planting a successful organic vegetable garden is to have vegetables that you can harvest year round. By doing this you can rotate different vegetables to help ensure the health of your gardening by limiting pests and diseases. One of the most common organic vegetable gardening for beginners’ mistakes is insufficient planning and set up process.
If you set up your organic vegetable garden correctly you will have vegetables that you can harvest every single day. With the right planning your garden should require very maintenance and upkeep as it continues to provide fresh, organic food for you and your family for years to come.
Learn how to set up an organic vegetable garden that requires only 8 hours work per year! Discover how to plant an organic vegetable garden you can harvest ever day regardless of where you live HERE.
Posted on 11 June 2010 by Admin
Do you know someone who is really serious about their flower garden? If you do, you know how much “stuff” is required to do things right. Everything from pots to potting soil to fertilizer are necessary items to engineer a successful garden, and if you don’t have appropriate storage, you may have a “growing” problem on your hands. (so I’m not a comedian!)
If you are having a tough time deciding where to put everything, you may be in the market for a potting shed. Because of the fairly simple design, I would further recommend a small, valuable investment in a quality set of potting shed plans so you can tackle the project yourself.
Once you get past the basic issues involved in building any structure on your property (where to put it, building codes, etc.), there are a few more specific items to consider:
1. Height of the shed – This may sound like common sense, but make sure the shed is tall enough to stand upright inside. It is likely that you will need to walk in your potting shed, so this detail is important, especially if you are tall. I mention this because it is easy to overlook a basic detail like this when you are building a shed, especially with a limited budget. This building project will hopefully be more than a place to stack up your pots and bags of compost.
2. Shelving for pots – Because you will have a numerous variety of pots for your handiwork, it will be a good idea to have shelving to organize them, and prevent them from getting in the way when moving around.
3. Think style – This potting shed will likely be in close proximity to your house, and part of the decor of your entire property. It should provide a stylish addition, so you should plan ahead in terms of siding, roofing and paint/stain choices. This building can really add to its surroundings if done right.
4. Functionality – It will be difficult to get the best use of your new shed if the riding lawn mower dominates the new space you have created. Make sure any alternative uses are accounted for when you are searching for the best plans of attack.
If you are looking for the best option for potting shed plans, I strongly recommend you check out http://www.qualityshedplans.info. You will find exactly what you are looking for here, and so much more!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=RJ_LeVan
RJ has dabbled in numerous industries, and specializes in running, golf, fantasy football, casino gaming and a variety of related and unrelated subjects. RJ spends alot of his time researching on the internet. He is currently attempting to hone his DIY skills, with the help of his father, who is currently building a house in his retirement job as a general contractor.
Posted on 11 June 2010 by Admin
Organic Gardening For: Beginners
Organic gardening will give you peace of mind and a great sense of satisfaction when you and your family sits down to eat. Imagine the sense of excitement you’ll get when you first see those little green shoots peering through the soil!
So What Is Organic Gardening?
Many gardeners wonder what exactly organic growing means. The simple answer is that organic gardeners don’t use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on their plants. Think natural!
Organic gardening is using recycled materials to grow crops. You can and should use animal waste, kitchen scraps, and vegetable waste to mulch and compost. Common household items like vinegar and soap are used to prevent pests and weeds.
Organic growing is the working together of nature. Using naturally cultivated soil to grow natures seed.
Planning Your Organic Garden
Choose where to plant your garden. Ideally you want an area that will get plenty of light and be protected from the wind.
How big do you want your plot to be? Don’t start off too big – you want to enjoy your gardening not resent how time consuming it can quickly become if you start off too grand!
Draw a scale plan of your gardening area and work out how much of each crop your going to use and where to plant them. Think “groups” rather than rows as they are more productive and easier to attend to.
Getting The Soil Ready For Your Organic Growing Plot
You need to look into testing your soil before you begin. Tests are available from your local gardening center. Good soil should be pleasant to the touch, eye and nose. Once you are satisfied with your soil you can begin.
Planting In Your Organic Garden
Your going to be best served growing from the seed rather than buying plants as they could have been sprayed with pesticides at some point. Also you’ll feel a lot more like a gardener using seeds! Obviously patience is needed to grow from the seed.
Weeding Your Organic Garden
Use a hoe to stop weeds developing into large competitive monsters to your plants! Just simply dig around your crops with a hoe once a week or so.
Once your crop seedlings are larger, the soil is warm and drenching rains have ended, put down a layer of mulch to hold in moisture and smother weeds. Mulch is material that can be laid down around the plants to control weeds.
Pests In Your Garden?
Don’t despair at the sight of insects on and around your crops! To start with just have a watch of them and see if they are actually causing damage. A lot of bugs will just nibble small enough amounts that good healthy plants can resist and recover from, so don’t be too hasty!
Creating Compost For Your Organic Garden
So what are the benefits of compost? It should be used as mulch to reduce evaporation, reduce weed growth, insulate the soil from extreme temperature and keep soil cooler in the day and warmer at night time!
Good compost should be made up of balanced materials. It should be balanced between carbon materials – washed egg shells, milled grains, dried grass, straw and leaves. And nitrogen materials – most kitchen scraps, fresh grass and other plant matter.
David Stuart
www.organicgardening4u.com
Posted on 10 June 2010 by Admin
Popular with new and more experienced gardeners alike, annuals are some of the most beautiful, lively, and interesting of all flowers. The massive diversity of annuals, their wide range of colors and styles, and their ease of care make annuals an in-demand choice for gardens everywhere.
Do you know what makes and annual plant truly an annual? For an annual to really be an annual, the plant must finish its entire life phase in one planting season. The seeds germinate, the flowers bloom for the spring and summer months, the plant lays its seed and the plant then dies, all in one planting cycle.
There are some plants that are treated as annuals but are not truly annuals. Some sensitive perennial plants are used as annuals and replanted each year, especially in colder northern regions. While these plants could regenerate in warmer planting zones, in colder zone they are can’t re-germinate and are planted as annuals instead.
Conversely, some annuals are used as perennials. Some varieties of annuals drop such a large amount of seed in the fall that the seeds are able to germinate and bloom the next year. The plants are not perennials, but their seeds simply germinated and took root, and proceeded to bloom the following year. Some of the more common perennial impersonators include snapdragons and petunias.
There are several ways in which you can start annuals in your garden, either by planting them as seed, buying seedlings (or smaller plants), or buying more established plants. Many annuals can be bought as cell packs, which are a sort of multi-pack. Whenever buy plants to transplant, make sure that you plant them as soon as possible. If you can’t plant them immediately, then make sure to keep the plants in a shaded area and water them regularly. Remember to also water the planting area so that you can moisten the soil well before you put your new annuals in the ground.
When using annuals in your garden it is important not to plant them too early in the season. The soil should be warm and the air temperatures should be stable before planting any annuals. To get the annual plant out of its packaging, lift the seedlings gently out of their packs by pushing on the bottom of the container. Try to make sure that the plant and its soil comes out intact.
If the roots of the plant are compressed, loosen them by tenderly breaking up the root ball or cut the sides using a small knife. Doing this will promote deeper rooting and longer plant life after the plants have been put into the ground.
Make sure that you plant your annuals in the ground at the same depth in which they came in the packs. After placing the plants in the ground, gently pack the soil down around the annual and water the area thoroughly. You should then apply a good fertilizer that is phosphorus-rich. Apply the fertilizer at a strength of two tablespoons of fertilizer per gallon of water.
Following these steps will help get your annual garden off to an excellent start. In no time you will have a garden filled with vibrant annual flowers.
Want to find out about transplanting bamboo and indoor bamboo? Get tips from the Bamboo Flower website.
Posted on 03 June 2010 by Admin
A clip from the BBC’s “Around the World in 80 Gardens” (2008) showing some of the urban food gardening in Havana, Cuba. Presented by Monty Don. www.bbc.co.uk 24 june 2009 – sorry guys, i’ve disabled comments. for a simple vid about people growing food, it’s getting way too heated in here!
Posted on 30 May 2010 by Admin
While not everyone is lucky enough to be born with the proverbial green thumb, that doesn’t mean there aren’t simple ways to having a garden that’s not only easy to take care of, but pleasing to the eye as well. Gardening that involves plants and flowers that are simple to maintain, but yet still add interest and appeal really isn’t as hard you may think. The trick is to plan ahead and decide what type and kinds of plants and flowers that you can maintain.
One of the quickest and easy gardening tips is to simply buy plants that are already growing in hanging baskets. Most of these are arranged beautifully and will brighten up just about any type of space. Hanging baskets can be placed on plant stands either inside or outdoors, or hung from hooks on porches or ceilings. Making good use of the available gardening space will be extremely beneficial in the planning of your garden.
Potted plants are yet another easy gardening idea and can be purchased already fully grown, or you can use pots and a variety of different plants to make your own unique creation. Numerous stores carry a wide variety of sizes and differently shaped pots. All you’ll need is the potting soil and the flowers or plants you’re interested in growing. More than likely the most maintenance your potted plants will ever need is watering and the occasional pruning. Potted plants are the ideal easy gardening solution for those of us without a lot of outdoor space typically needed for a full garden and can be placed in the yard, near walkways, or just about anywhere around the home.
Potted plants are easy to care for since you can move them to various locations as the need for sunlight and water arise.
Of course if you’re really anxious to get out there and get your hands dirty, easy gardening tips can apply to the outdoor garden as well. First, be sure the soil is actually ready for planting. Any local nursery, home improvement, or gardening center should have additives that greatly improve soil conditions. Once the soil is prepared, find some flowers that are low-maintenance, such as pansies, impatiens, or petunias, which are colorful, but fast growers that are easy to take care of.
Great ideas for easy gardening are literally everywhere you look. Most of the home improvement or do-it-yourself stores offer free classes on gardens that are full of useful hints. It’s also helpful to know what types of plants will fare best in your particular region or climate before planting. All gardening stores carry a wide variety of books and educational material for all types of gardening. The local library is also a good source for educational help with gardening.
For truly easy gardening, learn what type of plants will work best with the amount of space you have, as well as the amount of time you have to dedicate to their care. Hanging or potted plants are perhaps one of the very easiest ways to have your own garden, but without all the fuss and muss.
To learn more about gardening and simple gardening tips and tricks visit our site at http://www.gardeningforeveryone.com
Posted on 29 May 2010 by Admin
Luckily most garden centers are a lot better than the retail stores and s you will not find tomato plants out for sale in the middle of winter. Other tomato gardening supplies and seed packs will be out as soon as all the red Valentine’s Day stock is taken down. The question always seems to be , “When should I plant tomatoes?” You will find that after reading tomato gardening tips in your gardening books and what you find online, it really boils down to 4 basic things.
4 questions and growing tomato gardening tips and suggestions for, “When should I plant tomatoes? “:
Where do you live?
If you are lucky enough to live in a year round growing season, it doesn’t matter! You can easily stagger your tomato planting so that you will have new fresh plants replacing the old ones. Juicy tomatoes all year is a luxury to appreciate! For the rest of the people, you can plant when the danger of frost has past. Some places that will mean early spring, others in May or early June. Your garden center will have a chart to use as a guide. If you watch the weather carefully, you can plant a few weeks before that date.
What condition is your soil?
Heavy, clumpy soil will simply not work with tomatoes. You need to cultivate the dirt each year by turning it over, raking, working in compost and fertilizers, and get it nice and loose. You also should not plant your tomatoes in the same place they were last year. Fresh nutrients in the soil are as important as the texture.
What is the weather is like?
The optimum situation for planting tomatoes is two to three days after it rains. The soil will be nice and moist, but not clumpy, and it will be easy to work with, A hot and dry spring will mean you need to gently soak the dirt with a sprinkler for several hours the day before you plant.. Other tomato gardening tips for planting will tell you not to transplant in the hot sun. Seeds love the hot sun, but not plants.. The sun will cause the plants to wilt. If you plant in late afternoon at least give it overnight to adjust or devise some kind of temporary shade for a day or two.
What is your schedule like?
Busy people who are working or have lots of commitments will often just have to do it when they have the time. It is a good idea to have a Plan A and alternate Plan B for when the weather does not cooperate with your schedule. Get the plants ahead of time, keep them watered and in the shade, so they will be ready when you are..
When should I plant tomatoes? Follow these four planting tomato gardening tips and suggestions and you should have a good tomato growing season.
Even when you have the right plants, everyone can use some extra help and advice with some expert tomato gardening tips and ideas. Click to Find out Secrets to Growing Incredible Tomatoes
Look for some free guides and other valuable information to help you grow some nice, juicy, tasty tomatoes! http://www.tomatofun.info
Posted on 26 May 2010 by Admin
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