Gardening is a great way of spending some quality time during which you get to exercise your mind and body.  The only thing that detracts from the pleasure of gardening has to afford paying for costly gardening tools.  There is a lot of truth in the saying ‘horticulture is a job done for love and not money.’  This saying has however made many a gardener go out and buy cheap gardening tools because they believed (quite erroneously of course) that the saying ‘the cheaper the better’ held true even when it concerned shopping for gardening tools.  Don’t do it!

This tendency to buy cheap has held a lot of attraction for many gardeners though today things have changed.  Gardeners today are far more averse to the idea that buying cheap gardening tools is sound practice, so more gardeners are going out and purchasing the best tools that they can afford.  The quality of tools will justify the expense for years to come.

To purchase quality garden tools, sacrifice in other areas
As a gardener you need to be very committed to doing the best that you can and if it means foregoing your beers in order to afford a good quality gardening tool, then so be it.  It is just not a good idea to buy a cheap gardening tool because the darned thing just will not last – even if you are considering using items such as secateurs and shovels as well as picks shears and loppers.

Without a doubt, the main reason why you should not buy a cheap gardening tool is that it will not last and will in most probability be hard to sharpen and rarely will it cut in a clean and efficient manner.  The worst that can happen to a person that buys a cheap gardening tool is that when using it they might need to use more force than they should and this excessive force when applied can lead to injuries.

People that have made the mistake of buying a cheap gardening tool have often had to spend more time replacing parts than actually putting the gardening tool to good use. What’s even more disturbing about using a cheap gardening tool is that the cost in terms of impact on the environment is also astounding because you will be discarding far too many cheap gardening tools and this will lead unwanted and detrimental effects on the environment. So, if you can, then go out and pay a little extra and use only good quality gardening tools.

Buying a garden tool carrier is a good idea. You can use such a carrier for your personal needs or you can gift it to someone that loves gardening and if you pick the right product it will also you for many years and be of immense help in helping you to keep all your tools safely.

If you have not been in a grocery store lately, then you are missing a huge trend.  You would have to be living under a rock to have not heard about the organic movement.  Even the USDA has gotten into the organic farming trend and is pushing for more farmers to try this sensible and sensitive approach to gardening.

The benefits are far more than the vegetables that reach your table.  You might be surprised to learn how beneficial gardening organically can be to the environment and your health.

Commercial and organic gardening differ.  The first is in the use of pesticides. Agricultural research has led to heartier crops but has also led to the use of pesticides that may not be healthy for people in the long run.  Even the animals raised commercially are often pumped full of chemicals to make them grow faster and develop more muscle and fat.  Organic farmers do not use these methods, instead opting to grow plants and animals naturally without hormones or pesticides.

The ban on genetically altered crops is fairly recent.  The other ban on pesticides and chemicals goes back to the 1930s.  Even then some researchers were discovering links to illness through the overwhelming use of sprays and chemicals.  Many small growers stopped using these chemicals.  It was not only beneficial to the people eating the crops but it was also beneficial to the environment.  Chemical run off is a huge problem with fields.  The chemicals are sprayed onto the crops and then the chemicals seep into the soil and are washed away.  The polluted water makes its way into streams and lakes where it can affect millions of people.  Local farmers who have chosen to grow their crops organically may lose a certain percentage of their crops to pests but they are saving the environment around them in a huge way.

There is a lot of information on the internet and in your local library about organic gardening.  You may never pick up a hoe in your life but you can still read all you can about this healthy lifestyle.  And it really is a lifestyle because you have to reexamine your life and eating habits completely. It is a way of life dedicated to helping people live longer and healthier without the use of chemicals or hormones in their food.

Regular members of the National Home Gardening Club receive the Gardening How To Magazine, the ability to test new (free) gardening products, full access to the club website, a chance to win club giveaways, gardening tips from other members, professional answers to your gardening questions, free gifts, newsletters, books and videos. Life members of the gardening club receive all the same things as regular members, but with lifetime access. They’ll also get a Life Member ID card, key-ring, gardening mat, gloves and gifts valued at $165. Premier Life Members receive all the benefits of regular life members, plus get a $45 gift certificate to www.createmycookbook.com, discounts from retailers, a free hotline with answers from a gardening expert, discounts on club seminars and garden events, free online vegetable/herb garden planning service for one year and travel discounts.

Some members love the National Home Gardening Club for its members-only garden contests. For instance, their Photo Contest asked members to send in three of their best garden photo shots (plant portraits, borders, beds, garden structures and scenes). Winners could receive a pair of Swift 825 Eaglet Binoculars from Swift Sport Optics (valued at $530), The AeroGarden (valued at $209), a $100 gift card from Lee Valley Tools, or Terra Cycle fertilizers, wild bird seed, deer repellent and flower pots (valued at $75). The “Pruned to Perfection” contest asked members to send in their best pruning photos and stories. Three winners won a $289 Fiskers prize package that included a Power Gear Bypass Pruner, Power Gear Hedge Shears, Telescoping Pruning Stick, Power Gear Bypass Lopper, Gardening Multi Tool, Power-Pivot Grass Shears, Garden Knife, 10 Gallon Kangaroo and a 3-piece Scratch Tool set.

However, most life members of the National Home Gardening Club will tell you they joined for the friendships. “Honestly, it is the people that make the site,” one member writes. Some avid gardeners talk about sharing their gardening experiences with people they met on the site over ten years ago. There are many active members from around the country on the club’s website, especially in places like Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma and Texas, which have from 137 to 646 topics each. The “Seed Swap” section in the forum is pretty hopping too, with over 2,009 topics. Whether you’re looking for orange cosmos, cotton, red yucca, tropical hibiscus, cacti, sweet pea, peter peppers, pink columbine or roses, you will find them here for free! Just send some of your extra seeds in return! This club has its rewards if you are interested in these activities.

If you want a healthy lush garden, you need to implement a natural composting program.  Putting chemicals into the soil will only harm your garden in the long-run.

Many people have difficulties with growing healthy plants or trees.  They following correct instructions in watering and planting, but just can’t seem to get things to improve.  We may have some suggestions that can help.

First of all, if you are frustrated with your landscape because you seem to be in a never-ending battle of weeds, insects or sicknesses, the problem may not be what you think.   When battling difficulties with plants, many gardeners have been “programmed” to run to the local farm store and purchase chemicals to flood their plants. They purchase weed and pest killers to spray on their plants, not considering the potential harm this will ultimately cause their garden and their health.

Many times, the plant problem is not due to insects or illnesses, but rather, the poor soil the plants are growing in. With the poor soil comes feeble and unhealthy plants that are likely to get insect or illness issues. Adding additional chemical based fertilizers, weed killers, and insect sprays, will only complicate the problem for years to come.

Our approach is to first look at natural solutions to resolving the problems. If we determine our soil is the difficulty, we suggest a treatment of adding a healthy compost mix.

Anytime is a wonderful time to add compost.

Compost is made from rich organic material, which is vital to growing healthy and successful plants. It is the result of a natural activity of rot and recycling of materials such as leaves and twigs. All over the planet, in each meadow, forest and wetland, composting is happening to improve plant growth and production.

Composting is nature-generated process and function, but can be a direct result of human intervention for the purposes of increased yield and soil improvements.

Some of the benefits of composting include:

• The major advantage of composting is that it ties water and nutrient elements in reserve, freeing them when plants need it the most.

• Utilizing compost is a cheap way to improve the soil.
• Compost cuts the necessity to fertilize since it’s loaded in plant nutrient elements and slowly discharges them over a period of time, and by not being forced to replace plants each year and the expenses connected with plants that die due to poor soils.

• Plant crops tests indicate that Humic Acid, even in low concentrations, produces healthy, lush plants.

There are a few paths to make good compost. Regardless of whether you purchase a compost can or build one from wood pallets or concrete blocks, here are some pointers that should help you get going:

1. A compost pile should be roughly three feet tall and three feet wide.
2. All items going into the compost pile should be wet. When the yard waste is dry when added, it’ll cut back the decomposition process.
3. Layers of the yard waste should be applied using different components of the yard waste. To give a well-balanced blend and create a strong compost, you will want to add diverse elements to your compost. For example, you will want to add a layer of grass clippings, then a layer of leaves, etc.
4. Keep your compost turned. To turn a compost pile isn’t necessarily a comprehensive task, unless you are in a major rush. By turning the compost pile it will accelerate the decomposition process.
5. The finalized product compost can be applied to a new or an established garden or landscape. If you’re still planning your project, be certain to add lots of compost onto your soil before you plant.
6. Compost, over the course of time, will integrate itself with your current soil. The stronger your composting program, the healthier your soil. There is usually no necessity to replace soil or add chemicals. Natural composting will improve your soil and add nutrients that are vital to plant growth.
7. It does not make any difference if your soil is sandy, clay, or rock, adding compost will improve it. To top-dress a longtime landscape, you are able to add a layer of compost directly to the top of the existing soil.
8. If you have established plants, add one – two inches of compost all round the plant. The plants will still get the advantages of the humic acid and other vital plant nutriments extravagantly found in compost. The plants and landscape will reward you with a lush, healthy expansion. In addition, it will help give your plants a stronger natural resistance to insects and diseases.

Lionel Trains:  

Until the post war Baby Boom Lionel was the front runner in the model training world.  Thanks to great marketing Lionel outwitted its enemies.  One technique it deployed was to connect model trains to Christmas traditions, making the circular train tracks around the Christmas tree a integral part of the Christmas tradition.  Their O gauge trains which were one 48^th the size of regular locomotives ruled the roast up until the 1950’s when HO scale trains started to take over the market. Starting in the 60′s Lionel went through several ups in downs but is still around.  Now Lionel is making a comeback, again offering its O scale and some G scale models to a new audience of model train hobbyists. Their great trains are well loved by all.

American Flyer:  

We mostly recognize American Flyer trains as a line of trains now, but they were their own manufacturer until 1966 when they were bought out by Lionel. American Flyer was born in Chicago around 1900.  They were bought out by A C Gilbert who also popularized the famous “erector sets” of the early 20^thcentury. American Flyer is partly still so popular as a collectible today because it offered such a strong alternative to Lionel’s O gauge trains.  Like Lionel these trains were produced largely in O scale until after World War II when they attempted to establish an S gauge train line that ultimately failed but that has remained American Flyer’s most popular trains.  When Lionel bought American Flyer in 1966, they kept and refurbished much of the equipment.  In the last ten years Lionel has started reproducing the most famous and popular of the American Flyer trains using the original manufacturing devices but updating the trains with new sound systems and 21^st century quality controls.

Bachmann Industries:  

Although this was the tardiest of the three toy train makers to enter the model train market, it is the the oldest of the three–having been started way back in 1833. Despite its move from Philidelphia to Beijing, the Carlisle’s and Bachmann’s ancestors still hold positions on the company’s board. Bachmann really began to catch fire just after World War II when it began catering starter kits for middle class hobbyists.  Their success continues to this day and they remain one the leaders in HO model trains in the world.

We have never had more alternatives in model training. The World Wide Web has created whole new possibilities for model train hobbyists.  You can choose from almost any gauge and from any era of train at just the touch of button. The three American classics I have been discussing are really American treasures.

Here is more information on Toy Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

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?

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.

If you can create a sense of nature, patience, and an appreciation of work they’ve 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 it’s 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 today’s 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.

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.

With the costs of living rising all the time, it may be possible to save money and increase your family’s health at the same time by growing vegetables in your backyard.

It’s a good idea to choose your favourite vegetables to grow and plan beds for early, middle of the season and late varieties.

Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, some need 8. Some quick growers like lettuce and radish can be grown between the rows of plants that take longer to mature, like beet or corn, thus making full use of the area available.

Throughout dry periods, vegetable gardens need extra watering. Most vegetables benefit from an inch or more of water each week, especially when they are fruiting.

During the growing season watch for insect pests. If you discover a bug problem early it will be much easier, but be careful to not use pesticides once the vegetable are close to being picked unless it becomes an absolute necessity. Organic gardening is one healthy and environment-friendly option. Once you have reaped your crop, put the vegetable waste into your compost pile so that it can be recycled for next spring.

It is important to protect your vegetable garden from wild animals looking for a tasty treat. Make sure your garden is surrounded by a fence that will keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The harm done by wandering animals during one season can equal the cost of a fence. A fence also can serve as a frame for peas, beans, tomatoes, and other crops that need support.

Protection is needed in order for your vegetable garden to yield a bountiful harvest. Hard work will pay dividends if necessary precautions have been made.