Archives for October, 2008
Posted on Oct 26, 2008 under gardening |
Peak Moment 87: In summer 2006 Judy Alexander embarked on an experiment to see how much food she could grow, and how many neighbors could benefit, from the garden around her house. Check out her homegrown rainwater collection and irrigation system - watering her 60+ edible crops. Meet the bees, the chickens and the worms. And catch her joy in producing so much food for so little effort.
Duration : 0:27:52
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Oct 24, 2008 under growing vegetables, vegetable gardening |
If you long to grow your own vegetables but you’re surrounded by concrete or live on a piece of land too small for a vegetable garden, don’t give up hope. The answer for you may be container vegetable gardening. Container gardening makes it possible to grow vegetables on patios , tiny balconies or the rooftops on high-rise buildings and with just a few exceptions, the same methods used in regular vegetable gardening also apply to container gardening.
The best containers for vegetable gardening are those that are light, portable and often free. There’s no need to spend a lot of money on expensive containers made of wood or pottery. You can of course, if that’s what you want, but half the fun is in finding unique containers for your vegetable garden. Drainage holes can be drilled in the bottom to keep the plant roots from sitting in water and small containers can be grouped inside larger containers such as wooden crates or larger tubs to keep them from blowing over. Containers should set on bricks or small blocks to help with drainage and prevent mold from growing under them.
Finding the Light
You can place your containers almost anywhere as long as there is plenty of light. Vegetable gardening requires a lot of sun and while plants prefer full sun all day long, you can make up for some loss of light by growing them against a light colored wall that reflects the light and heat back onto the plants. You can also place light reflective material behind your vegetables to help them take optimum advantage of the sun. Also turning containers during the day helps to expose the entire plant to the light.
One important thing you have to consider in vegetable gardening is the type of soil you will need for your containers, which should be light weight, and drain well. The best soil is actually a soil-less mix which is light weight and allows roots to grow faster, making for larger plants and more vegetables. Most vegetables like to be grown in soil at least one or two feet deep, and larger plants need more soil so take that into consideration when planning out your vegetable garden.
Finding the Space
To take advantage of limited space, stair step your container vegetable garden on benches, or use a step ladder or boards placed on cement blocks to create your own mini terrace. Even vegetable plants can make a beautiful garden setting if they are grouped or mixed in with a few flowers. Some vegetable plants can even be grown in hanging pots, such as lettuce, small cucumbers and tiny cherry tomatoes.
So if you’re a green thumb at heart, living a city life and wishing you could do a little vegetable gardening , you can make it a reality with container gardening. It might take some added creative and work, but what true blue gardener ever let that stop them?
Posted on Oct 23, 2008 under flower gardening, garden, gardening, vegetable gardening |
It’s Fall again, so it’s time to think about what we will do with our leaves. If you are serious about your gardening, you should certainly consider composting your leaves.
Composting leaves is very valuable in managing your compost plan. It often happens that leaves are left scattered all over a yard even while a compost pile sits nearby, sorely needing the absorption, the carbon, and other nutrients that leaves can provide. Following are some of the benefits of composting leaves.
1. Odor control
Dry leaves are a great means of suppressing the smell that may, otherwise, emanate from a compost heap. After you add fresh kitchen scraps to your pile, it would be a good idea not only to mix them into the heap, but to cover it with dry leaves as well.
2. Vermin control
Leaves, when used to cover a freshly supplemented pile of manure or food scraps, are great for preventing flies from infesting your yard. Pile on a two-inch layer of leaves to throw off the scent of the rats and vermin that may be attracted to your compost heap. Composting leaves may be what separates a neat garden from one ruined by all sorts of pests.
3. Carbon-rich source
Composting leaves can give your pile a rich source of carbon. Carbon, along with nitrogen, oxygen, and water does a lot to hasten the decomposition of a compost heap. When you need more green matter to balance you pile and serve as a much-needed catalyst, leaves provide a ready source for you.
4. Absorptive quality
On the other hand, during wet or humid weather when your compost pile tends to retain too much water, the absorptive quality of dry leaves can do a lot to remedy the situation. While water aids decomposition, too much of it will serve as a retardant as well.
5. Managing yard waste
Many yards in America produce more yard waste than they know what to do with – and most of this consists of fallen leaves. Rather than waiting for curbside pickup to take the problem off your hands, composting leaves can turn the problem into a benefit.
6. Cost-efficiency
There is really no reason to throw away something that you can use to improve the production of, say, your vegetable garden. Composting leaves can even mean substantial savings off your fertilizer budget.
7. Yard aesthetics
One of the most unattractive things about gardens is the overwhelming amount of leaves that covers it in the fall. A few leaves can be picturesque. But when it covers your entire lawn, pond or pool, plant nursery or vegetable garden, it can be a real aesthetic problem. Composting leaves is a great solution for a messy yard.
Posted on Oct 19, 2008 under vegetable gardening |
If you can create a sense of nature, patience, and an appreciation of work theyâve done themselves in your children, you will have accomplished something great. This will have provided them one of the longest lasting gifts you could give them. One way to accomplish this is to encourage them to learn vegetable gardening. All that is needed is a small patch of earth, some seeds, and water. Some other things that may be added along the way will be wonder, laughter, and dirty faces. All of this will be mixed together to provide a very memorable project and experience.
Obviously, it is best to have your vegetable garden outside. That is if you have the space available. With a good shovel, you can cut an outline of the garden in the grass. Your child can then pull the sod away and set it aside it for composting. This will be another great lesson involving the cycle of nature that can be saved for another day. After you have bare earth, your child can help turn the soil with a spoon or trowel until itâs workable by hand. Have your child place the seeds on the top of the soil, cover lightly with earth, and add water. You have just taught your little one the basics of vegetable gardening!
How Can I have A Vegetable Garden In the City?
Even if you do not have a backyard, you can do vegetable gardening. A perfect place for a container garden are apartment balconies. They will get plenty of sun and they will be pretty displays until the vegetables are ripe and ready for harvest. Rather than using plot of earth, your child can fill a container with soil you have purchased from the store. To provide for drainage, you can use a recycled margarine container. Punch holes in the bottom for drainage. Your child can sprinkle on seeds, cover lightly with soil and be responsible for watering the plants every day.
Vegetable gardening can help teache children patience. This is because they have to wait for the seeds to sprout. Once the plant has broken above the soil, they can watch the daily growth of the sprouts. They can follow the growth until the plants are full sized. Because this can be a long process for little kids that may have short attention spans, you might plant something new every week. This will keep them entertained for the whole summer. After the plants have bloomed, you and your child can read about how they will soon grow food. Your kids will be excited to finally see little red tomatoes or green peppers appear on their plant.
It can be a satisfying experience for the children of todayâs throwaway society. Returning to the olden days, when we raised our own fruits and vegetables. Not just for the hard work but for the feeling of accomplishment. When children know that what we buy in the store is not the only option as to how we get our food instils a sense of responsibility. They will carry this feeling and knowledge with them all their lives. As they grow older, they will think back on their vegetable gardening with fond memories. And they will probably share the experience with their own children.
Posted on Oct 19, 2008 under organic gardening |
Congratulations, you have decided to try gardening organically. Say goodbye to chemicals as you learn to work with nature to grow the best garden possible. It is not always as easy as conventional gardening, but it is well worth the effort. However, if you are stuck in a small apartment without any space outside for a garden, you will be faced with special challenges. Fortunately, there is no need to give up on your dream of having a thriving organic garden. With the right techniques, you can soon become a master of organic indoor gardening!
If you are new to organic indoor gardening, the easiest way to learn the ropes is to start an indoor herb garden. Herbs will be less demanding than other flowers or produce, and can add a lovely boost to your cooking!
Get some planter boxes from your local gardening center and place them in a sunny spot, although if you live in a cold climate you should make sure that the boxes are not so close to the glass that they will freeze. You should also separate pots. Some herbs, such as mint and oregano, will do better in their own pot as they will tend to overgrow any neighbors in a planter.
Once you have your boxes set up, you can move to the most important step: picking the right soil. You should ensure that you buy high quality potting soil with an organic fertilizer. Putting small stones in the bottom of the boxes is not essential, but will help with water retention. As for watering your herbs, just make sure that the soil is always damp. If you water the herbs too much, it can be just as damaging as not watering them.
If you are gardening indoors to escape the snow, when the weather turns you can always move your herbs out to your garden. Indeed, starting seedlings inside can often be beneficial, and help give you a head start on the growing season.
If you are dying for a bit of color in your apartment, an easy alternative to an herb garden is narcissus or daffodil bulbs. All you need to do is place the bulbs in a pot full of pebbles and add water. In five weeks, you will have lovely flowers in bloom.
There is nothing stopping you from trying organic indoor gardening – it is an easy, environmentally friendly way to spice up your kitchen and brighten your home!
Posted on Oct 19, 2008 under growing vegetables |
Keep Your Food Safe From Deadly Pesticides and Herbicides by Growing Hydroponic Vegetables at Home
Author: Rory Larkey
Hydroponics is a great, fun and clean way to grow plants indoors by supplying water, nutrients, and oxygen to their roots. Hydroponic growing is perfect for fruit bearing crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce and herbs. By synthetically controlling every aspect of the garden, almost any kind of plant imaginable can be grown using hydroponics! The majority of hydroponic gardeners plant crops similar to what they would grow in a soil garden. If it can be grown in a pot with soil it can also be grown by using hydroponics with a soilless medium. In your indoor Hydroponic garden you must be the sole creator of all aspects of the plants environment
A plant doesnât require soil to grow. There is no soil in a hydroponics garden, so the plants need to be anchored some how. There are many items which can be used to support plants, these are called soilless mediums. Clay pebbles and Rockwool are the most popular medium. These soilless mediums work best because they are pH neutral and provide plenty of support for plants. They retain moisture, and allow for good air circulation.
pH is one of the most disregarded aspects of gardening, pH is very important in hydroponics gardening. pH is measured on a scale of 1-14 with 7 being “neutral”. Anything lower than 7 is acidic and anything above 7 is alkaline (bases).
All plants require a certain pH level in order to produce optimum results. The pH level will vary from plant to plant, but in general the majority prefer a slightly acidic level (between 6.0 - 6.5), though most plants can still tolerate an environment with a pH of between 5.0 and 7.5. The preferred method of checking and adjusting pH levels is to use a pH meter. pH adjustments can be made by simply adding a small amount of pH up or pH down solution to your reservoir.
Starting your garden out by planting seeds can be one of the most enjoyable parts of gardening. Seedlings donât require as an intense amount of light as does a more mature plant. You will want to use a florescent light about 2â above the top of your seedlings. Too much intense light and heat will burn them up and kill them. You will need a propagation tray and humidity dome. Use these to keep your medium and seeds in the perfect environment.
The preferred method for growing vegetables, flowers and herbs year round is with HID lighting, it stands for High Intensity Discharge Lighting, which is a special type of lighting that is much more intense than any other grow lights.
Decide what size of light to use.
First you need to figure out the square footage of your indoor garden. To do this you will need to measure the space.
This is how to find the square footage of your grow space. (Width x Length= Square Feet) Example: if you want your indoor garden to be in your closet which is 3âx4â, you will find this room to be 12sq.ft. (You will also want the height of your room to be at least 4â above the canopy of your plants.) For most grow operations an 8-10 foot ceiling will work fine. This will allow you to keep your lamp at least a minimum of 18â above the top of your plants. (HID lights get hot and can burn the tops of your plants.) Next you will need to know how many watts/square foot of light your plants will require. For Example, tomatoes need to attain around 40-50 watts per square foot for optimal growth. You then would take 50 watts x 12sq. ft. = 600 watts. This means that you will need a 600watt light to maintain your plants optimal growth in this particular garden. (Plants wattage needs x Square Feet = HID light requirement.)
There are 6 basic types of hydroponics systems
1. Drip
2. Wick
3. Ebb and Flow
4. Water Culture
5. N.F.T
6. Aeroponic
A basic Drip system may be the most common of all the hydroponics systems. Drip systems are very easy to use and maintain. An inexpensive submergible pump is used to pump up the nutrient solution onto the soilless medium and onto the plants root system. The nutrient solution then drips back into the reservoir continually repeating this cycle allowing oxygen to be pushed into the solution naturally as it rises and falls. A Drip system can be built as easy as using a new clean 5 gallon bucket, and purchasing a custom made net to hold your medium, and a small submersible pump. The 5 gallon bucket allows for a lot of space for roots to grow.
A premixed nutrient solution is the best way of knowing that your plants get a well balanced diet. There are many brands and types of good hydroponics nutrients on the market. You can be sure that these premixed solutions contain all of the necessary trace elements. Hydroponics nutrient solutions quality is identified by three different numbers such as 15-10-15. These numbers stand for the percentages by weight of the three most primary nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.
Most plants prefer to be between 55-80 degrees F. with the average tempatures at around 72 degrees F. When the lights are on they are a great source of heat as well as light. If temperatures should become too high, exhaust blowers will work well to reduce the temperature. Exhaust blower fans can be easily linked to a thermostat controller to ensure that your room never reaches the high temperatures that can have a negative effect on plants and growth rates. Intake and exhaust fans are rated by there volume of air movement in cubic feet per minute. You will need to know how many cubic feet your grow room has, to do this you measure the length x width x height of your grow space. For a space 3′x4′x10′ you will have 120 cubic feet of air space.
Posted on Oct 19, 2008 under gardening |
While at first, gardening seems extremely easy, you will quickly learn once you get started that it is a little more involved than it looks. The reason for this is that most people only see the end result of a nicely groomed garden, completely missing out on the time and hard work that went into shaping it into immaculate condition.
Gardening requires many different tasks, and very importantly, different tools in order to complete these tasks. Just like cars and trucks have their tools for tuning and fixing them up, so do gardens. A mechanic might look at the plethora of tools available for a gardener’s use and have no idea what most of them do, and if you are just entering into the hobby of gardening, the same probably goes for you also.
Before you can start gardening you need tools. When you go to shop for them take your time making decisions. You want your tools to last a long time and feel comfortable to you when you use them. The difference between good tools could be the difference between back pain and dodgy knees. Your physical health is important, so keep this in mind while tool shopping.
You want to buy tools that will allow you to keep a good posture, and which are also practical. Meaning they are easy to keep clean - oh yes, keeping your tools clean is important. Proper care of your tools means protecting an important investment, which if handled properly will outlive you!
Manual Tools
Before you make a purchase, try out the tool in your grip. Make sure it does not feel too uncomfortable or too heavy in your hand. If the handle feels too small, this is nothing to be concerned about. You can always alter this by wrapping padding material around it.
But you have to consider more than just comfort when deciding on the proper gardening tools. The type of material the tool is made from is also important. Material such as aluminum, plastic and carbon fiber are used in making light weight tools; however, the best choice is stainless steel. Stainless steel gardening tools are dependable and dig into the soil very easily.
Don’t forget to buy a good pair of pruners too. A good pair of pruners should allow for an easy cutting action, especially important if you think you may come up against thick branches. And don’t forget to buy a wheel barrow. The two-wheeled variety works best because their overall design allows for easy steering.
Interchangeable Tools
Many gardeners find interchangeable tools work best for them because of the flexibility they provide in performing many different jobs. They also provide the option of being used as hand tools (without the handle) greatly varying the amount of gardening tools you have at your disposal.
Power Tools
For more ambitious gardening projects, you may find yourself in need of power tools. Power tools are great if you have a large hedge to cut or a large lawn. Power tools come in two different varieties: gasoline powered and electrical. In addition, some electrical tools might be cordless. Which you decide to buy (if you decide to buy electrical) will depend upon the layout of your yard.
Forks, spades, rakes, trowels, and hoes should all make up your arsenal of gardening tools, as well as a seed sower, leaf blower and weed puller. Just like a garage, it is easy to load your gardening shed with a huge variety of tools. However, be smart in your shopping. Only buy what you need, so that you don’t have drawers of tools laying around unused.
Posted on Oct 19, 2008 under garden |
In many ways, gardens are very personal creations, each choice and each hour of tending yields specific results. After several seasons, however, the garden you dreamed may have never bloomed or no longer pleases you as you thought it might. At these times it is worthwhile to consider some more unusual, that is to say, more interesting or less common garden features. The most important thing when planning the space of your garden is keeping in mind the visual balance between the various elements. Stone elements always add excellent contrast to a garden. By using stone to offset your garden you will draw attention to all of the textures in your garden. A coarse sandstone finish will help display glossy green leaves, helping them to look lush and vibrant by drawing attention to the edges of individual leaves. A matte gray stone will help bring out the reds in your roses while a shiny marble will best offset flowing water and large “roundish” plantings.
Lights are an ever-increasing popular feature in gardens. Gone are the days when lights in gardens only give alert of intruders. There are many different kinds of lights that can be used to set your garden glowing at night so be sure to choose carefully for your purposes. Too much light will overpower the natural peacefulness of your garden while too little may create long and discomfiting shadows rather than giving your garden gentle illumination.
Placing a waterfall in your garden will change the overall landscape and ultimate impact of your garden. A garden waterfall provides a relaxing accompaniment to other garden sounds as the water falls gently or skips along its path. Large waterfalls will likely offer a feeling of luxurious grandeur that may not be desirable in every garden. Tiny spaces are better suited to the smaller, less sprawling waterfall arrangements. With many options available, think about how much space you are willing to give over to your waterfall. Garden Waterfalls: http://www.garden-fountains.com/Categories.bok?category=Waterfalls
Remember to be careful to consider texture when selecting your waterfall. There may not be a great deal of statuary and stone in your garden already, but when adding a large attraction like a waterfall, be sure to select a color and kind of stone that looks natural in your area. Different plants are best accentuated in different ways so it is important to select landscape elements with a deliberate eye for contrast and texture.
Another interesting feature that you can use in your garden is a birdbath. A birdbath is a slightly more sedate source of interest in a garden and will not have as much impact on the overall look, but it will provide interesting balance and contrast to the leafy and flowery. There are many types of birdbaths, ranging from small low to the ground constructions to Romanesque columns.
Try moving your birdbath around and look at it from several directions and during several different times of the day. Arrange flowers and other garden elements carefully around your birdbath so as not to distract its charm. For Bird Baths: http://www.garden-fountains.com/Categories.bok?category=Bird+Baths
If you have a very limited amount of garden space, but a large patio, deck, or veranda, use planters to arrange greenery in the space you do have. Accent your planters with a trellis or coax a vine along another standing structure to increase the height of your arrangement. By arranging several different planters in a small space it is easy to create the illusion of a much larger garden.
A trellis can also be used effectively to block unsightly constructs in your vicinity. Many climbing vines grow (especially annuals) quickly, without much care to add attractive height, color and texture to your space.
Another way of adding height to your arrangement is by using a wall fountain. Wall fountains provide graceful lines to areas that usually remain unornamented. The advantage of structuring your garden around such inanimate objects is lasting, low maintenance attractiveness.
Think about the shape of each object you are using and how it balances its companions. Two planters of the same height but very different shape should probably not be placed side by side because it creates an awkwardness in the visual flow. Use other pieces of statuary to move the eye along a more graceful line.
Many people have trouble arranging their garden in ways that please them. There are a few key design elements that may help you create a garden that provides lasting visual pleasure and is reasonably easy to maintain.
1. Use permanent objects to define the boundaries of your garden. Limits help to create relationships between objects and will help you determine what is missing.
2. Use movable objects to create change and keep yourself from feeling trapped within an inflexible design (your garden should make you happy!).
3. Remember that not every item in your garden can be the center of attention. Although it is often a good idea to work outward from a large central object, symmetry is actually the hardest kind of pattern to do well. Asymmetrical patterns are actually far easier to work with for the average gardener.
Posted on Oct 19, 2008 under flower gardening |
God made rainy days, so gardeners could get the housework done - Gardening can be that addictive and more so if you have the right tools! Selecting the right gardening tools is also important when taking up a gardening project. Opt for tools that are neither too heavy nor too light. Heavy equipments are difficult to use and quite tiresome while lighter ones are poorly made. Good gardening tools have handles made of high quality wood like ash.
Here are some popular gardening tools -
- Garden rake helps to soothe the soil after it is tilled. This tool is helpful in finishing work when making planting beds or a new lawn.
- Cultivators help in cutting the hard compacted soil. Some of them have broader edges while others have narrow ones. These are useful in making the annual beds for vegetable gardens.
- Edger is another gardening tool that helps the flower gardens and shrubs maintain their shape. Gardens lose their crisp lines over time when grass intrudes in the garden. Using the edger will prevent grass roots taking a firm hold in planting beds.
- Pitchfork is a tool used for aerating compacted soil and preparing garden beds. They are also used for dividing grasses and also to spread mulch in spring.
- Reel Mowers are used to cut grass. They give a cleaner cut as compared to other tools. They do not use gas and hence there is no pollution with reel mowers. These are great for small lawns. It is a lightweight and easy to use tool.
- Hand Pruners are gardening tools used for cutting branches. They give cleaner and precise cuts. They have bypass blades that help in cutting the branches neatly.
- Loppers are just like pruners but are provided with long handles and the ability to cut branches of around 2 inches thickness.
- Compact Pruning Saw is a tool useful for cutting branches. It is small enough to fit into the middle of a shrub to cut the branch.
Gardening tools are essential for maintaining your garden but it is not really necessary to spend a lot on buying garden tools. You need not have all the latest tools to give your garden that perfect look. You can just buy some basic tools to start with. With minimum tools, you too can make your garden attractive.
One of the basic gardening tools is a spading fork. This helps to dig down the soil and break the ground. This is very essential since at some point or the other you will need to open and improve the soil. Hoe is a gardening tool useful for weeding and cultivating the soil. This is done to allow the penetration of nutrients and water into the soil. For larger digging projects you will also require a round ended shovel.
A watering can is also one of the important gardening tools. It has long nozzles and allows water to flow gently. A good bow rake is essential to level the soil and also for removing large clods of earth or rocks from the soil. Having a pair of garden shears known as clippers are essential for cutting, shaping and removing foliage or branches.
Give your garden that perfect look just by using the right gardening tools without spending money on expensive professional gardeners!
Posted on Oct 12, 2008 under vegetable gardening |
If you have never gardened before you may suddenly decide it was just a fantasy when you walk into the garden shop and look at the price tags. Don’t get scared. Gardening can still be a fulfilling hobby even if you have a tight gardening budget. In fact, many gardens can be started for only about $100. You may be able to start a garden for less if you can find some of the tools second hand, but still good quality.
A spading fork is your first gardening on a budget tool. It’s a little bit like a pitchfork, but much smaller. It fits in your hand and resembles a three prong fork. This handy little gardening on a budget tool will help to improve the soil you’re working with and aerate it for better garden planting.
You’ll want a hoe for weeding and for cultivating your new garden on a budget. Add a long nozzle watering can to the cart as well as a round ended shovel for larger gardening digging projects. Last on your list of tight budget gardening tools is a pair of garden shears. Make sure the garden shears fit comfortably in your hand, especially if you’ll be wearing gardening gloves.
This pretty much completes the tight budget gardening shopping list, minus of course the plants and flowers, but we’ll get there. Naturally, you will want to pick a piece of land for your tight budget gardening to begin, and then you’ll need to turn the soil. If you’re starting with a grassy area, you will need to remove the layer of grass. The tight budgeted gardening hoe actually works fairly well for this job.
Turning the soil over and over creates a better foundation for starting your tight budget garden. This is primarily what we purchased the spading fork for. As it aerates the soil, you will bring small rocks and other debris to the surface. Because you are gardening on a tight budget, you will have to perform more of the manual labor than those who purchase machinery to get their garden started. You may wish to keep this in mind when you choose the size of your garden.
Before you go out and purchase plants, check with your local organic co-op. Often they have plants the require transplanting, whether you are creating a vegetable garden or a flower garden. People whose plants have outgrown their garden are often willing to give away parts of the plant that will continue to grow for free, as they prefer not to simply throw it away.