Flower Gardens - The Best Perennials to Growby Doris M 10/3/2010 The Becky Shasta Daisy: The 2003 perennial of the year, the Becky Daisy has sturdy stems and numerous, long lasting blooms. Even in its infancy, the thick stems stand straight in the wind. No floppy stems. The Shasta Daisy Becky enjoys full sun and is not fussy about soil type. It can tolerate some shade, but does provide more blooming in a full sun location. A little slow to get going in the spring, gardeners must be patient. Give ample water in the first year and this plant rewards you with at least 10 to 15 blooms per plant in the first year. Remember to deadhead by cutting the long stems right down to the base of the plant. The Becky Daisy is not bothered by pests, but is susceptible to black spot if the weather is cool and wet. Check the leaves often and spray with fungicide if necessary. The Stella D Oro Daylily: This daylily is by far the longest re-blooming daylily. The Stella starts blooming in June and doesn’t stop until the end of September or until the first hard frost. Because it is a smaller size, this daylily is perfect to tuck into those bare spots in the flowerbed. There is not too much that can go wrong when planting the Stella. It does prefer full sun but will ... |
7 Plants You Need to Plant in Your Gardenby Crisologo Ramasasa 10/3/2010 Calendar your planting so that every day you have an available supply of fresh vegetables, say, a month period and another for the next month and so on until a year fresh supply. Ideal vegetable crops to grow in your garden. 1. Tomato. The most in demand vegetable in the kitchen is tomato. It is used almost in all kind of dishes. You can eat them fresh as salad, mix with your soups an everything about food. It’s rich with Vitamins A, C, Potassium, Iron, Phosphorous and Sulfur. 2. Lettuce. As a fresh salad green leafy vegetable, lettuce is a must in the table. Every part of this plant is edible and can be eaten fresh. Lettuce is easy to grow and a short season crop. Lettuce is rich with vitamins A, B, C, Potassium and Iron. 3. Pepper. This crop is very important in all kind of dishes. To provide a continuous supply of pepper in your kitchen, include them in your lists of vegetables to plant in your garden. 4. Green Onions. Your soup, pan cit canton, chopsuey, and lots more of the first class ... |
Home Herb Gardening Made Simpleby Katie Shepherd 10/3/2010 The first step to knowing which herbs to grow is to look and see which you use. There you can make a list of the spices you use the most and the seeds you need to purchase in order to start growing. As you begin to scope out an area for creating your own home herb garden, look for soil that has a good amount of drainage. You want to insure that if your soil gets accidentally overwatered, it does not drown your seeds. If your soil does not have adequate drainage, dig a small hole about a foot into the ground and place a rock that is broken in half. Replace the dirt and this will allow your water to have the proper run-off it needs. Do not think you need to purchase starter plants in order to have a home herb garden. Growing herbs from seeds is just as easy as growing from a starter plant. By purchasing seeds, you will save yourself a great deal of money as well. Many herbs will grow extremely fast just from seeds. You can see some begin to sprout in less than three ... |
Caring for Orchids Indoors - Three Essential Steps for Successby Katie Shepherd 10/3/2010 1. Lighting - For orchids, lighting is one of the most difficult needs to meet. Every orchid has their own lighting requirements. It is best to research the species of flower you are growing and find out what type of lighting it will need. No matter which species of orchids you are growing, they will need some form of daily light. Some will need lower levels of light, while others need a higher level. An example of a plant that uses a lower level of light is the Phalaenopsis. If you do not have the right lighting, this flower blooms perfectly under the use of an artificial light. An example of a plant that requires high levels of light would be the Vanda. If you are able to give a southern facing window for your Vanda, they will blossom perfectly. 2. Watering - If you are not growing your orchids in a greenhouse, watering will vary from home to home. When your temperatures are controlled by HVAC units, the level of humidity in your home will stay relatively the same ... |
How to Grow Magnificent Magnoliasby R. Lewis 10/3/2010 Magnolias are statuesque plants that will add immediate impact and beauty to your garden. As fully mature plants, Magnolias can grow quite large and will reward you with an abundance of beautiful tulip-shaped flowers that range from purest white to deep purple, with many colours in between. Small and Dwarf specimens make for excellent container grown plants and you can position these close to the home to take full advantage of their perfume. These magnificent plants are sure to reward the gardener for many years to come once established and require little care and attention in return. When you get your plants home you should move them in to their permanent planting positions as soon as possible. If you cannot plant immediately after getting plants home you should make sure that your plants are watered well and stored in a cool and bright space where they will not be damaged or knocked over. In terms of where to plant your Magnolia a position in either sun and part shade will be acceptable. Plants will vary in potential height and spread according to the species or cultivar that you purchase and this should be considered when you are looking to buy your plant. There are a wide variety of plants available to the gardener nowadays and they will range from large trees to smaller specimens suitable for small gardens and containers. Magnolias will benefit from the protection of a windbreak or hedge and you should avoid frost pockets as some plants can be ... |
Fresh Flowers To Light Up Your Lifeby Leung Lay Yi 10/3/2010 Here is something that will look great in someone’s home and can brighten up their rooms, but at the same time won’t take up too much space or be permanent. Yes, they are flowers. This is great for the person who seems to have everything as if you were to get an ornament for someone with an already cluttered house you would risk them not having any space for it, or having to display it on their side board or windowsill when in reality they can’t stand the site of it - which isn’t good for anyone. Most florists have a well established and managed system of online sales of flowers and flower arrangements that appeal to the feminine taste. In fact one can meet several professional flower vendors who could be termed as great analysts of what women see in a gift of flowers on special occasions and as a token of love! Flowers home delivery to these vendors is a job of art and the way they execute this service could be quite commendable. I remember noticing the small gestures as a young suitor decided to send flowers online to his lady love through the local florist delivery. The person delivering these flowers was probably as charming as the male suitor himself that the young lady was completely fascinated by the friendly behavior of the flowers delivery Man. You would need to remember though that having too many flowers, which are fragrant can be quite overpowering at times and hence ... |
How To Plant A Gardenby Connor R Sullivan 9/10/2010 The first thing you need to start a garden is a space to grow things, whether that is a window box on the side of an apartment building or a large plot set aside in the backyard. The size is up to you but keep in mind that the larger the area, the more variety you will be able to produce when you start growing your first vegetables and herbs and fruits. Some people do not need a lot of room and can have a small herb garden in their garden window while other people can take up acres of space because they have the time and energy. Next, ... |
5 Great Uses for Compost in Your Gardenby Ellen Bell 9/10/2010 Compost is one of the richest, most fertile substances in the world, containing all the nutrients needed for trees, shrubs, and plants to grow. Compost has a multitude of uses in landscaping and gardening, one of the reasons why gardeners often have compost bins. Below is a list of five excellent uses for compost in your yard and garden. 1. Improving soil quality If you have poor soil in your area, compost is the ideal way to repair it. Regardless of whether your soil is too sandy, contains too much clay, is too acidic or too alkaline, with compost and time, your soil can go from bad to outstanding. Simply dump some compost on top of the soil and till it in thoroughly. This process is best done in the fall, so as to allow sufficient time for soil improvement before spring planting time. 2. Fertilizing existing plants To fertilize existing plants, shrubs, and trees, simply add some compost to the soil around the base of the plant. If you are dealing with a deep rooted plant, you may be able to till it into the soil ever so slightly. But in most cases, to avoid damaging any root structures, it’s best to just sprinkle the compost lightly around the base of the plant. Eventually, with rainfall and watering, the nutrients will trickle down into the soil to the plant’s roots. 3. Starting seeds Young seedlings require a lot of nutrients to get off to a good, healthy start. Many times, seeds are started in a ... |
Mini Herb Garden - Fast and Easyby Yilmaz Cesur 9/10/2010 There are many obstacles that could be standing in the way of you planting, tending, and harvesting your own mini herb garden. You may feel it requires more money than you have to invest or your busy lifestyle may not leave enough free time for the actual labor involved. While it may seem impossible to enjoy gardening at this time, you actually don’t need to be rich or have a professional gardener on hand to make it happen! Gardening Advantages Not only does a private mini herb garden provide enhanced flavor options for delicious home cooked meals, but their enjoyable scents can be used for aromatherapy as well. Just having herbs near your home will provide visual as well as aromatic interest. Many plants commonly included in home mini herb gardens can also be used to treat various illnesses, rashes, and health concerns. Plus, you will never again have to purchase your own herbs, which will save you hundreds of dollars over time. How to Make It Work Interested in starting up your own garden? The following tips will steer you in the right direction so getting started is fast and easy. The success of your garden now and in the future ultimately depends on the design you put together right from the start, so pay attention to these steps to ensure you make the best decisions possible. * Lighting is the primary concern when you are deciding on a location for your garden. These plants require between 4 and 6 hours of ... |
Container Gardens - Recycle That Soilby Bob Urbanek 9/10/2010 As the cooler weather of fall sets in, our container plants are beginning to wither. Many container gardeners will simply discard the potting soil from the containers. This is an incredible waste when it’s so easy to rejuvenate the soil, preparing it for use next year. The average 10 pound bag of ordinary potting soil can cost from $6 to $12 on average. If you are a container gardener you know how quickly those bags of soil can be used up. By recycling that potting soil you can save some of your hard-earned dollars for other things. Like more plants! I had to throw that in because my wife always says I have too many plants. How can anyone have too many plants? To recycle and rejuvenate the soil from your containers you’ll need a plastic tub with a lid. I find a plastic storage bin with a tight-fitting lid works about the best. You’ll be storing the soil for the winter months, making a lid a very good idea. You will also need a bag of compost with Humus. A 40 pound bag at most garden centers will cost $8 to $10 dollars. It is important that you get the compost with Humus, as the Humus is the key. For most container gardeners, one 40 pound bag will be more than enough. Once the plants have been removed from the containers, pour the soil into the plastic bin. You want to fill the bin to about half full. Once this is done you ... |
Stocking a Water Gardenby Stephen Drummonsy 9/10/2010 The selection of plants for a new bed or border which you have created in your garden is up to you. Bearing in mind the amount of light and soil type which are present you will have a vast range of plants from which to make your choice, depending on your likes and dislikes. Roses on their own or mixed with other plants. Bedding plants or Bamboo, it’s up to you entirely. One of the basic rules for making a successful water garden is that stocking is not just up to you and your desire to have a beautiful pond. Stocking calls for bringing together a number of ingredients, both plant and animal, so that a healthy and stable balance is maintained. It will be necessary to introduce some uninteresting plants without any ornamental value because they help to keep the water clear. You will also have to make sure that a certain amount of the water surface is covered by foliage, whether you like it or not. You will soon discover that choosing specimen from your aquatic centre or catalogue merely because it looks the most attractive can be a big mistake. The showiest fish will require a much larger than average pond as well as an ice-free environment in the winter months. Some fairly strict rules, then, for making the correct choice of stocking material. In addition there are rules concerning the time for stocking the pond. First of all, plants should be introduced during the growing season and you should ... |
Growing Quantities of Foodby Gerald Moran 9/10/2010 A modern gardener’s nightmare: Moving to the big city with miles and miles of lifeless concrete. He is a person who has been used to generating Huge amounts of Food, still having the need to be in tune with Mother Nature. He’s a man who still needs the smell and feel of soil on his hands, the enjoyment of watching the plants as they grow, knowing that it was by his hands they were planted. By their faith in God they grow. Another moment in life, when one can actually participate in the Lord’s design. For starter plants, you can use potting or gardening soil and mix in a little sand or perlite. Seed packets come with instructions for best results. Read carefully and just follow as close as possible to the prescribed method. Those black plastic flats that you buy your starter plants in are good for seed starting also. Containers of some sort are essential, as they hold soil for the plants. Styrofoam or plastic cups work as well for starter plants. Remember, seeds sprout quickly. You will need transfer containers that can hold these plants. In fact any larger wide open mouth container, from ceramic, stone, or even iron will work. Any solid container that you can think of will probably do the job. Other materials you might have around, like clay type pots, sometimes accidents happen and they break. The broken shards of the pot, along with stones, cracked walnuts shells, marbles, when mixed with the soil, go a long way ... |
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