Landscaping and Gardening Helper

Installing Gutters Critical Tips

2009-03-04T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bill Urell

If you have decided to replace your gutters, your next decision is whether to do it yourself or pay for professional installation. If you decide on installing gutters yourself, there are a few things you should consider before installing them. Decide exactly where the gutters will go before installing them. Many people place gutters in the front and back of their homes. Depending on how much rain an area receives, a person might only have to install gutters on the back of the house.

You most certainly will want to consider the look of the gutters on your house. You may want simple replacement but gutters can also be a decorative accent on your home. Measure carefully how long the back and front of the house is before buying gutters. Installing gutters can be frustrating if the wrong amount and the wrong size is purchased. They will need to be custom cut to fit any poor measurements which can take up valuable time and sap your energy.

There are many different styles of gutters. Be sure to choose the appropriate style for the specific area of the house. If the house is surrounded by trees, then installing gutters that will not trap debris as easily is a smart decision. If the house is not surrounded by trees, then choose gutters that can handle the amount of rainfall an area typically receives. Some gutters are deeper and wider than others. Be sure to purchase gutters that will be able to hold the right amount of water that typically falls in your geographical area. Installing gutters should be done every few years depending on the gutter's condition.

When installing gutters, take the time and effort to make sure you do it properly. If a gutter is not attached securely, it may fall off during a heavy rainstorm. Wind and other weather could also cause the gutter to become loose. This could cause water to build-up and create puddles. A gutter that is attached securely will not be damaged by heavy rain. Gutters should also be attached correctly and should not bend or be attached at an angle. This will not allow the water to flow freely through the gutter. If a person is not able to install gutters themselves, there are many companies that can. These gutters should come with a guarantee. This will help if the gutters are damaged during a heavy rainstorm.

The number one enemy of your house is water, and gutters are a first line of defense.

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The Flower Drying Game Part 3 An Affordable Home Flowerpress

2009-03-03T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Fred Davis

We've finally reached the end of this 3-part series on drying flowers. If you've gotten this far, you probably already know that small, home-style, do-it-yourself flower presses can be purchased in places like craft stores, well-stocked gift shops, and even some of the big ol' box stores have been known to carry a few now and again. I've seen the lot...mostly made in some far-distant third-world country, then shipped over here to be sold for a good deal more than they should.

A flower press is really a handy gadget for the craftsperson. It is not only fun to dry and press your own...it can be profitable as well. Our daughter, for example, earned a tidy after-school-spare-time sum making perfectly charming pressed-flower bookmarks that were accepted and marketed in a very nice craft shop. Imagine making your own personalized, laminated and delightfully-charming bookmarks for gifts to friends and relatives. Leaded-glass crafters also employ pressed flowers with good effect in their often jewel-like creations.

Quite literally, anyone with the most basic hand toolsor who has a friend or neighbor with a hand-saw and light-duty drill. The one detailed throughout this article cost a grand total of 88-cents (for the four bolts with wing-nuts and washers) so, you see, this is not an expensive project! A link to pictures of the process appears at the end of this article.

First, locate some scrap pieces of quarter-inch plywood, Masonite or paneling. You'll need three pieces. Color, wood type or finish really doesn't matter. Old, no-longer-used clipboards would be a perfect source. Most basements, attics, garages or barns have stashes of too-nice-to-throw-away wood scraps. Poke around.

Your finished product can be practically any reasonable sizethis one will be 5-1/2" by 7" when it's done, but that could vary according to your needs. Don't be fussy about precise measurements-as long as all three pieces are the same size and shape. Most of the flowers you'll be pressing will be fairly small, so there's no point in making one that's jumbo-size.

Cut (or have them cut) to what you think is an appropriate size, then carefullythoroughlysand with medium- and then fine-grit sandpaper to remove all rough edges. Splinters can be an uncomfortable reminder if you skip this step. Smooth edges and surfaces will be much better to paint or decorate later on. Now stack all three pieces together and snap 4 or 5 rubber bands around them to hold them in place. Using either a hand or electric drill, drill a 1/4-inch hole about 1/2-inch in from each corner. Hold the drill as close to perpendicular as possible, and drill through all three pieces at the same time, making certain that nothing "slips" in the process, so all the holes line up. I like to file or sand a notch along one edge of all three boards at this point so it's easier to line up the holes when it comes time to actually pressing some blossoms.

Once the holes are done, go back with your sandpaper and smooth-up the rough edges of each hole to remove slivers and "hanging-chads" (sorry, I just had to get that in!). So much for the fun part.

Somewhere in that basement, garage or barn must be some cardboard boxes just waiting for a need to arise. If not, try your local grocery, hardware or appliance storethey'll be happy to let you poke through their recyclables. Use one of the wooden pieces to measure out and mark about a dozen same-size pieces of cardboard and, with either a stout pair of scissors, a yard stick and a craft-knife (being careful not to slice a chunk out of your knee or thumb), or a paper cutter, cut them out. Neatness counts...and be careful you don't slice into the carpet or dining room table.

Do the same thing with about 25 or 30 same-size sheets of newsprint. "Newsprint" is what the daily paper is printed on. Most craft or art supply stores have tablets of blank newsprint that artists sometimes use as sketch pads. You might check with your local daily or weekly newspaper print shop... quite often they'll have what they call butt-endsleftovers from once-massive rolls of paper that're now too short to put back onto the press. Shouldn't cost more than a dollar or so a pound - and a pound will go a long way. They might even just give you a handful. Most newspaper pressmen will run a few blank-and-folded copies before they begin applying ink, just to make sure everything's lined up. Those blank newspapers all go into a really big recycling bin. No harm in asking!

I prefer newsprint because fragile dried flowers aren't likely to stick to it because the modern type has a hard surface. Copier paper, on the other hand, is more porous - rough - and delicate petals can hang up in the texture.

Now comes an important step. Remember the holes you drilled in the corners for the bolts? The corners of both the cardboard and newsprint need to be trimmed off to accommodate the hardware. Of course, it should go without saying, but here it comes anyway: be real careful with those scissors! Yes, surgeons can sew fingertips back on, but the process leaves quite a scarmore than a few of us know that from personal experience.

All that's left is to make a trip to your local hardware store and purchase four 4-inch-long, 1/8" bolts (a little smaller or a bit larger doesn't matter - as long as they're long enough), 4 wing-nuts (you can tighten them with your fingers instead of having to use a wrench or pliers) and 8 appropriately-sized washers.

Now What? Easy as pie! The ideal flower to press is one that has very little lumpy-bulk. You wouldn't have much luck, for example, with a rose, daffodil, begonia or cluster of geranium flowers. On the other hand, among the very best are the pansies and violas. Violets, individual florets of geranium and hydrangea seem to be made for pressing. There are many others equally suited to the technique... and don't forget little bits of grass seed heads, small ferns and colorful or interestingly shaped leaves. Let your imagination soar.

Here's how:

* Slip a washer on each of the four bolts, and slide them through the four holes of one piece of wood. Lay it on a table with the threaded ends of the bolts point up toward the ceiling.

* Place one sheet of trimmed cardboard, followed by one sheet of newsprint flat on that piece of wood...between the bolts.

* Now position your flowers so they don't touch each other...watch for bent petals or anything that looks unnatural.

* Gently place a sheet of newsprint on top of them, followed by another piece of cardboard. Drop in another sheet of newsprint...ready for your next layer of flowers.

* Continue building up-cardboard, newsprint, flowers, newsprint, cardboard, etc., until you've reached about half-way.

* Now gently slide a second piece of wood down over the bolts as a rigid, central reinforcement, and continue building layer upon layer until all 12 pieces of cardboard have been used.

* Finally, slide the last piece of wood over the bolts, slip a washer on each, and spin on the wing nuts until they're snug. It might help at this point to press down on the center of the stack with the heel of your hand while continuing to tighten the nuts.

The purpose here is to gently flatten the flowers...but not crush all the corrugations out of the cardboard. Done? Ok. Mow it's time for patienceand dreaming about what you're going to do with your pressed flowers. Place your press with its precious cargo in a dry, room-temperature spot with some air circulation. Keep it away from excessive heat and high humidity...and keep your shirt on.

Because the cardboard has corrugations, air is allowed to move through each of those little "tunnels", evaporating any moisture that's drawn from the flowers by the dry spacing materials. And because the process is really quite rapid, very nearly all of the original flower color is retained.

How long? For very small or light-weight flowers with little moisture, 2 or 3 days is usually sufficient. Thicker petals may take a bit longer. Gently loosen all four wing nuts, remove the first layer of wood and very carefully lift the newsprint by the corner and "peek" at the flowers. If they're dry, you'll know it immediatelythey'll lift off easily and, if you're not careful, may blow of the table with the slightest breeze. If they seem to "stick" to the paper, gently put the whole thing back together and wait another couple of days.

So, what do you do now? We started out using clear, adhesive vinyl sold as shelf-paper. Later, we purchased a plastic laminator at Staples for just under $100. Most copy-shops ("Quick-Prints") have laminators and will be happy to seal just about anything you bring in that'll fit into their machine. Some of these big machines use a hot-process...some cold. I personally don't think it matters. I know some industrious crafters who use the same plastic-sealing pouches (Staples, again) and a dry clothing iron set just a little shy of the hottest setting. A very flat surface and a sheet of stiff, smooth paper on either side should do the trick. If it were me, I'd try it a couple of times before wading in with my very nicest pressed flower specimens!

Finally, don't forget to look at photos of this process using the link, below. When you get there, click on each photo to see a closer view. Enjoy! And why not share your pressed-flower bookmarks with a book-lover or shut-in. They will be appreciated!

You'll find pictures of flower press parts and assembly at http://www.hillgardens.com/dry-photos.htm, and view the list of Fred's other articles at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Fred_Davis

Fred Davis is a Master Gardener, Master Composter, lecturer, and long-time nurseryman. He and his wife, Linda, own and operate a popular perennial nursery in Palermo, Maine, and maintain a no-frills gardening information website at: http://www.HillGardens.com/ where you'll find answers to your gardening questions.

Landscaping A Recreational Activity For Kids

2009-03-02T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Bill McRea

The patio, the garden and the front yard are usually landscaped to make the house look better and inviting to visitors. Landscaping, aside from being a decoration, can also be an alternative recreational activity for kids.

Here are some suggestions to make landscaping a form of recreational activity for children:

1. Landscaping is a family activity. It may be used to spend time with the family and a way to bond together. The time may be used to motivate kids to learn gardening. Kids will be very productive as they help in removing weeds and watering the plants.

2. An area may also be allotted in the garden as the kids' play place. They can decorate the place and put their toys in the playground. The playground can add design to the landscaped garden and make the place welcoming to the kids.

3. Landscaping a garden may be a way to communicate with kids the importance of taking care of plants. While gardening, a parent can show how to take care of living things like plants and butterflies. This is one way to educate them and prepare them in becoming responsible individuals.

4. The children may make use of the landscaped garden as their play area. This will benefit parents since they can spend time in the garden and watch their children at the same time. This is an effective way to spend quality time with children rather than doing the gardening by yourself.

5. Parents can also motivate their children to start a garden of their own. They should be encouraged to plant in flowerbeds and small pots. This will also help parents in organizing the garden while the children are enjoying their time.

6. Landscaping may also be a way to discover any skills the children have with plants and their passion for nature. Kids may find out that enjoy the spending time in the garden and may make landscaping their hobby. Landscaping as a hobby for children will prepare them for exploring their talents, passion and love of nature.

Landscaping is not limited to older people. It is also for kids and young teens. Parents should be creative in introducing this new alternative way of spending time and having fun at the same time. Kids will enjoy this new activity as they will be able to discover new things.

Bill McRea is the publisher of Garden Facts and the Article Directory. Landscaping and Gardening with information on thousands of topics.

7 Tips On Positioning Your Indoor Pot Plants From A South African Perspective

2009-03-02T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Smit

There are very few places is a home where pot plants will not grow. It must be remembered, however, that not every position will suit all plants. Indoor plants fall into three somewhat loose categories: those that have low, moderate or high light requirements. If you have identified a place in your home that you would like to liven up with plants, first assess how much ambient light there is. You can then do a little research into what plant type might best suit the desired space. Remember you can always supplement the available light with artificial light. This is especially useful in winter to keep plants healthy. Specialised grow lights are available from most large supermarkets or hardware stores.

1. Most indoor plants, even if they need bright light, do not tolerate direct sunlight, especially midday or afternoon light.

2. Flowering plants generally need more light than plants grown for their foliage.

3. Short-day plants like poinsettias and chrysanthemums have very specific light requirements if you want them to re-flower

4. The light intensity rapidly decreases the further away you move from the source i.e. a window. For example the light 2,5m from a window is about 5 percent of that on the window sill.

5. If you have a rather dark corner that needs brightening, do not be discouraged. There are many plants that do well without much light.

6. Do not suddenly move a plant from a dull to a bright position, but gradually accustom it to stronger light.

7. In summer net curtains help to diffuse the light.

http://www.turtleherbestate.co.za where you will find Global solutions and ideas.

Turtle Herb Estate Holdings consists of 3 forward thinking entrepreneurs with expertise in marketing & DTP advertising, farming culinary and medicinal herbs, web design and online marketing, horse breeding (sport horses),animal health products, import and export, engineering and industrial design (water solutions), arts and crafts. With a combined wealth of 80 years experience in various lines of business, we embrace a holistic approach to entrepreneurship.

Mower Maintenance For A Perfect Lawn

2009-03-01T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by David Chandler

Growing and maintaining a lush green lawn takes care and the right equipment. The right lawn mover for your landscape and proper maintenance of your equipment will ensure a nice even lawn. A good lawn mower should cut the grass and not tear or rip it out.

The first thing to consider when purchasing a lawn mover is your landscape. Is your lawn on a slope or flat ground? What type of mower can get the job done with the least amount of effort? Another factor is how easy the mower is to maintain for peak performance.

If you have to cut grass on a slope, the best type of lawn mower is one with high wheels. This will make it easier to push up a hill, or to move back down the hill with. The second type of lawn mower is a cordless or electric mulching lawn mower. The mulching mower is less messy and mulches your lawn. The third type of lawn mower is a reel lawn mower. Reel lawnmowers are environmental friendly, not contributing to pollution and are easy to use.

After deciding on the type of lawn mower to purchase, review the maintenance schedule. A good maintenance program will allow your mower to last for years to come and give your grass a better cut. Every spring, the different parts of the lawnmower should be cleaned or repaired. Spark plugs should be cleaned or replaced for good firing and nuts and bolts should be checked and tightened where necessary.

The underside decking should be cleaned throughout the season to remove build up of grass and dirt. Cleaning the grass and dirt will also help in preventing the spread of diseases in grass. In order to clean the deck of the lawnmower, you should first empty the gas tank and make sure that the spark plug is not connected. You can then stand the mower up on its side and spray the mower with water. You can then scrub off the rest of the dirt and grass that is stuck on the mower. Make sure to dry the mower after you have finished rinsing it off, to make sure that none of the parts rust.

Your maintenance should also include checking the oil and air filters. The air filters should be cleaned or replaced on a regular basis. Before removing the filter to replace, make sure that you know whether it is paper or foam. The oil in your lawn mower lubricates the engine. Be sure you read the operating instructions on the type and amount of oil your mower uses.

Another important part of maintenance is sharpening the blades every one or two months, depending on use. Sharp blades ensure a clean cut rather than ripping out the grass. This can be easily done by removing the blade from the mower and sharpening it with a file.

When mowing season is over, there are certain steps to properly store your lawn mower for the winter. It is advisable to remove the oil and gas, and clean the exterior.

With consistent and proper care of your lawnmower, you will be able to keep your lawn looking great through the seasons and years, and your mower will last for years too.

For more information about lawn mowers and your lawn, visit Lawn Mowers and Lawn

Online Flower Shops

2009-02-28T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kevin Stith

Since the World Wide Web has changed how we live, even florists have become "virtual" shops. Now, from the security of your home or office, you can log on to an online florist or florist directory and order fresh flowers, a dried arrangement, a potted plant, or a customized arrangement to be sent to any corner of the world. There are many different options one can choose from.

Leading florists in the US have online sites and computerized sending systems which ensure that your order is delivered when and how you want it. Many of these online florists have a professional network of 30,000 or more affiliate florists located in urban cities, towns, and villages within the US and different countries of the world. So, when you place an order, a florist will customize your order and ensure that it is delivered in good condition and on time. When you place the order you can specify which flowers you want, what kind of arrangement, the colors, as well as packaging. They will, at your request place a beautifully designed card or message with the bouquet.

There are innovative florists who send not just flowers or potted plants but fruit, wine, teddy bears, chocolates, or balloons for delivery. They will even make a mixture of a basket that contains flowers, fruit, wine, gay ribbons, and balloons.

A specialty of some online florists is sending flowers direct from growers. The orders are shipped out directly by growers themselves to all parts of the world.

Online directories like Google and Yahoo give you many options to choose from, as they list different online florists from different parts of the world.

Then there are groups of flower growers, brokers, shippers, and online shopping sites who have reached a business understanding to ship boxes of fresh flowers by overnight air. These are generally a few days fresher and less expensive than flowers one orders from professional florists. The only downside is that the recipients need to unpack and put the flowers in a vase themselves.

A less popular category of online florists are sites run by agents, middlemen, resellers, and catalogue companies. They receive orders and then forward them to florists who will actually do the work. In many instances, these are people with little or no experience with the world of flowers.

As a consumer it is up to you to do your homework and log on to a reliable online florist.

Online Flowers provides detailed information on Online Flowers, Online Flower Deliveries, Online Flower Shops, Order Flowers Online and more. Online Flowers is affiliated with Same Day Flower Delivery.

Gardening With Children Is Crucial To The Future Of Our Environment

2009-02-27T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Michael Hanna

Children's fascination with gardens has been canonised throughout the spectrum of English literature. Books like Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce and Francis Hodgson Burnet's The Secret Garden have captured childhood imaginations across generations and cultures. Recently, there has been a burgeoning movement to encourage the growing of gardens in schools across America, the impetus for which has generally come from the direction of the National Gardening Association (NGA).

The NGA was set up in 1973 and prides itself on being a non-profit leader in plant-based education. It has played a crucial role in developing both the personal mind and the environment by educating people on the benefits of growing gardens and highlighting the environmental and therapeutic power of plant life. Through its initiative, the NGA have overseen the establishment of numerous programs, highlighting the opportunities for plant-based education in various public spheres such as schools.

The NGA's Kid's Gardening resource is an impressive educational facility, and has helped a large number of children and teachers learn how easy it is to start growing and maintaining a school garden. Gone are the days of planting a few seeds in a pot: today, the NGA runs schemes to provide schools and youth organisations with grants and funding that actively engage kids in gardening and improving their surrounding quality of life. These awards and grants cover a variety of gardening aspects, from the simple Youth Garden Grants to Healthy Sprouts Awards, and the new Wild Oats Gardening with Kids Awards, which will come into place in 2007. This award is somewhat emblematic of the initiative engineered by the NGA, as it aims to reward kids who develop positive attitudes towards fruits and vegetables as a result of growing them themselves.

Along the other activities run by the NGA Kid's Gardening initiative are various classroom activities on topics as diverse as botany, composting, language and literature connections, as well as science inquiry, the latter of which involves investigations and experiments. The Kids Gardening website also offers a variety of resources for students, teachers and parents, such as an Online Teacher's Course, a Parent's Primer and an all-important catalogue of plant diseases and pests. In recent years, the NGA has joined forces with other organisations to help engender the growth of gardening education for children across America; for instance, since early 2002, the Hilton Garden Inn has been working together with the NGA to broaden and diversify education programs within schools. From the success of the NGA, it's clear that the importance of spreading plant-life education is a vital ingredient not only in making sure that children develop and maintain healthy eating habits, but that they develop environmental awareness from an early age.

Author's Website: PR Sending

Decorating Your Garden

2009-02-27T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jill Dow

It's decorations in your garden. Non plant elements - "Garden Decor".

Garden Decor is part of what makes your garden inviting, comfortable, interesting, enticing, unusual, perhaps hilarious, soothing, cherished and more!

There's no place I prefer to be than in the garden. I work and relax in it, my daughter photographs it. We wander through it, dig our hands into it and we ENJOY it's bounties while we are amazed at it's complex nature and how the garden fills our senses completely. Sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste as well as our spiritual senses are all beguiled in the garden. Linger with us a bit as we saunter through the garden.

We walk into a garden and are immediately entranced by what we see whether it be a formal garden design or a cottage garden we delight in the colors, textures and plant combinations we see. Garden decor adds additional architectural elements to the garden. I love walking through a garden gate or garden arbor filled with blooming roses or dangling grapes and then into the gardens beauty beyond. Bird baths, garden statues, seating areas and water features can all add interest and create a focal point in our gardens.

A quirky collection of containers is always intriguing garden decor. We adorn our patio every year with different plant combinations in containers that are anything from pots, or old kitchen odds and ends, to discarded tubs and old logs with rotted out gnarled holes we can fill with soil and grow in. The patio garden is one of my favorite projects because it's new and unique every year.

A scare crow, garden gnome, or a funky bird feeder can all add a sense of whimsy to the garden. I collect garden decor (ations) from garage sales and display then in the garden, moving things around as the mood strikes. It's really even more fun than rearranging the furniture!

A water garden or water feature delights the birds and other wildlife providing us with a soothing sensation of the sound of running water. A water feature doesn't need to be large. You can add a small water garden to most any garden and do it quite inexpensively. I have an old bucket that I keep unplanted in my garden. This water doesn't run, it's there for the animals. We've recently had a family of foxes move in and they enjoy a fresh drink in the mornings and evenings when the garden is cool and inviting.

Finally, as you add garden decor to your garden, think of garden furniture, maybe a patio umbrella and seating area or a pergola. Every garden needs to provide a "place to be". A relaxing shady spot or a place to plop and enjoy the beautiful view you've created.

As we've wandered gardens we've also taken pictures for you focusing on the garden decor. We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy sharing them. We also ask that you submit your garden decor photos to use so we can share those with our readers. We welcome your projects and project ideas.

The Rules Of Outdoor Kitchens Design

2009-02-26T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Daniel Roshard

With an outdoor kitchen just a few steps away from your house the option of spending the night outside, in the fresh air and in the company of your family of close friends, is very alluring, not to mention simple and easy.

There are many different kinds of outdoor kitchens on the market, the different designs offer anyone looking for an backyard kitchen a very difficult task of finding the kitchen of their dreams, but this huge selection also promises that there is a kitchen out there for anyone looking for it. You will probably want to match the kind of outdoor kitchen you get to the weather conditions in your area and the kind of design you feel comfortable with, the selection varies from traditional country outdoor kitchen to a ravishing modern contemporary outdoor kitchen, all you have to do is choose and consider the costs involved.

In your search for the perfect outside kitchen you should try and consult any one who offers you advice, some of these tips can save you a lot of money, and in some cases they will cost you money and save you a whole lot of trouble in the future. Many home improvement magazines offer good advice on kitchens, even if you are not an avid magazine reader, try getting one magazine and looking over its kitchens section.

In design magazines you can also find great ideas for your outdoor kitchen, you can find a designer that will help you put everything together, and you can learn about different new designs on the market, consulting with a professional designer will solve a lot of the problems you are not yet to face at this stage, like color matching and placing of the outdoor kitchen appliances.

Some kitchen designers have computer software that can show you exactly how the end result will look like, and you can test drive your outdoor kitchen without buying anything or going anywhere, which is always a good start because you will not have to spend a lot of time to consider different designs that are not compatible with your needs.

Budget is a big issue when it comes to home improvement costs, you can go over your budget very easily, this is even more significant if you are doing the work yourself. To try and keep things in control try and spend about ten percent less then what you have originally planned to spend on your outdoor kitchen, so this extra money could be used later on if you will need to change things, or if costs run high, it is very frustrating to find out that you paid double what you planned.

When you make your final decisions make sure that you are aware of the advantages and the disadvantages of your purchase, if you are going for a custom made outdoor kitchen do not expect it to be cheap and if you are satisfied with a cheap outdoor kitchen you should be ready to replace it in a few years time.

There are many different ways to get an outdoor kitchen, whatever you do try and have fun when you are shopping for your dream outdoor kitchen, if you will have fun searching for it, you will surely enjoy it once its there, a few steps from your door.

Outdoor kitchens are a great feature on any property, your barbecue parties will be upgraded into a whole different level, and your day to day cooking and family dinners will be a delight. Choosing an outdoor kitchen design is a serious thing, learn about Outdoor Kitchen Design Tips at Daniel Roshard's http://outdoorkitchen.zupatips.com outdoor kitchen site.

Rain Gauges

2009-02-26T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jason Gluckman

Rain gauges are indispensable in the study of weather phenomenon. Hydrologists as well as meteorologists use these instruments in order that they can analyze and measure the level of precipitation over a given time frame. Precipitation may be in the form of liquid, which is water rain, or solid, such as snow, hail or sleet. There are essentially two parts comprising a rain gauge, one where the precipitation is caught and the other, which measures the amount of precipitation taken.

Rain gauges are of different types, the standard ran gauge, the weighing rain gauge and the tipping bucket rain gauge. Each type presents its respective advantages and disadvantages when utilized. To be effective, rain gauges should be located in isolated places where the effects of any structures like trees or buildings will be minimized or avoided.

When speaking of standard rain gauges, these refer to the use of a graduated cylinder with a funnel attached to it. The graduated cylinder is further placed into a bigger container that is capable of holding any excess pouring out of the said cylinder.

Weighing rain gauges make use of a pen, a rotating drum, and a storage bin. While the storage drum is being filled with whatever type of precipitation is being monitored, the pen located below the storage bin records the weight of the drum. This gauge is more accurate in its measurement as opposed to the tipping bucket rain gauges. Another feature of the weighing rain gauge is its capability to measure the amount or level of chemicals present in the atmosphere. The disadvantage of using this gauge is its cost, since acquiring this instrument can be quite expensive.

Tipping bucket rain gauge utilizes a big copper cylinder, a funnel, a couple of levers and a recorder consisting of a pen and a wheel. The levers are placed on equilibrium similar to a scale. When a definite amount of precipitation is reached, a lever tips emitting a signal to the recorder. The pen makes a motion, either up or down to record the lever movement and the amount of precipitation. Nowadays, this gauge has been updated with the use of a plastic container and a pivot.

Whatever rain gauge you decide to use, the important thing is achieving its purpose, which is to measure the amount of precipitation in any given time and in any given location.

Gauges provides detailed information on Gauges, Rain Gauges, Pressure Gauges, Wire Gauges and more. Gauges is affiliated with Compression Gaskets.

Lawn Mowers A Simple Invention That Saves A Great Deal Of Time

2009-02-25T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by John Gibb

Invented in Gloucestershire, England around 1830 by freelance engineer Edwin Beard Budding (wikipedia), the lawn mower is an indispesable tool. The first lawn mowers were rotating blades pushed along on wheels, massively reducing the time that it took to cut large lawns with a scythe. Many decades later came the steam powered and eventaully the petrol driven lawn mowers.

Today the lawn mower is an invaluable asset to a home or an estate or any groundskeeper - a machine that can cut down grass with one or two passes, to equal height, in a tiny fraction of the time it would take to do by shear or scythe. Lawn mowing is a typical part of suburban life and many people find it to be a relaxing and even therapeutic activity. Mowers are very popular with sports grounds and traditionally a gardener will mow up and down in order leaving a neat striped pattern in the grass. These larger grounds usually employ reel mowers which are a cleaner cut and are often pulled by a tractor.

Modern garden mowers are powered by a petrol engine or by electricity. They use a rotating blade that chops the grass, which is then cast either onto the lawn or into a bag or bucket. Some mowers have several blades so that the grass is cut into such small pieces that they can be left on the lawn to naturally dissipate or act as fertiliser.

An even more modern lawn mower is the ride on mower. This refers to a lawn mower incorporated into a small vehicle, shaped like a small tractor or sometimes more like a buggy. These are very popular for large areas as the user can sit back and ride the mower, steering it like a vehicle, cutting large portions of grass at a time. There are even people who race ride on mowers, dispensing with the bags and blades, and turning the machines into speedy little racers with their own leagues and classes. Finally a more rare type of lawn mower works on hover technology like a hovercraft, floating above the grass, able to be gently pushed around the garden with minimum effort.

John Gibb is the owner of lawn mower guidance For more information on lawn mowers check out http://www.lawn-mower-guidance-4u.info

Fall Lawn And Garden Pests

2009-02-24T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Ted Roberson

With the cool weather of the fall season, most lawn and garden pests and diseases begin to dwindle away. Yet, there are a few lawn and garden pests that thrive off of the cool temperatures of the fall season.

One good point about fall lawn and garden pests is that they won't have the chance to last as long as spring and summer pests because the freezing temperatures of winter will kill them off long before they do a tremendous amount of damage.

Still, though, if these fall lawn and garden pests have been at it all summer long, they may stick around through the fall and wreak havoc on the remaining lawn and garden perennials, bulbs and trees.

Fall Armyworms

The most beautiful part about the fall season is the different colors of foliage that will begin to appear in September and October. Unfortunately, Fall Armyworms love to prey on this beautiful foliage during the fall months, as their name suggests, and can do damage very rapidly.

They usually appear in September and will stick around until the first big frost. The major problem with this fall lawn and garden pest is that they almost always feed at night, making it hard to identify the problem until you wake in the morning to leaves that have been chewed around the edges.

The upside to Fall Armyworms as a fall lawn and garden pest is that they are usually easy to spot, as they are a large tan to dark brown colored worm with a large stripe either brown or red in color on each side.

Fall Armyworms often like to make themselves present in cornfields in the early fall months and can cause major damage to the remaining corn crops. For those farmers and gardeners who are aware of Fall Armyworms, a pretreatment of pesticides will usually kill the larvae that are preparing to hatch. Unfortunately, the pretreatment needs to be established by late July or August to prevent damage in September.

Grubworms

Grubworms like the cool weather season and feed more in the spring and fall months. Fortunately as a fall lawn and garden pest they do not do as much damage as they do in the spring, but they can still be a concern for some climate zones, especially those that stay above freezing well into November.

Keep in mind that grubworms will usually survive over the winter and turn into adult beetles, repeating the entire life cycle in the spring, and this is why grubworms can be such a problem for all seasons.

Most of the time, they will hatch in the late summer and begin feeding on lawn and garden roots in the fall. This is when gardeners will notice patches of dead grass or grass that is squishy or can easily be pulled up since the roots are missing.

If at all possible, apply grubworm control in the mid to late summer, something with the active ingredient imidacloprid, which is a chloro-nicotinyl compound. This will kill the larvae before they get a chance to hatch in the late summer and will keep the life cycle from perpetuating.

Sod Webworms

Similar to the grubworms, sod webworms have a year long life cycle that means they can become fall lawn and garden pests as well as being bothersome during the spring and summer. Instead of arriving in the form of beetles, the sod webworms come from adult moths that usually begin laying eggs in the spring.

The difference is that their eggs hatch fairly quickly but the webworms are so small that their infestation may go undetected until they cocoon and reemerge as moths in the late summer to produce another generation that is more destructive. This is why you may see sod webworm problems in the fall months.

While it is helpful to use preventive sod webworm control through Microbial pesticides, the problem is that many of these pesticides will not only kill the moths of sod webworms, they may also kill butterflies and even non-pest moths.

The best method of prevention is to simply clean up leaves, grass clippings, mulch and plant debris in the fall months to keep the webworms from making webs in these places and producing more larvae.

Ted Roberson owner of landscape living is a landscape and garden enthusiast who has years of experience working and creating outdoor living areas. Discover how you can improve and maintain your landscape and garden area with simple projects you can do around your home and garden that will give you a beautiful restful area to enjoy.

http://www.landscapeliving.com/

Basic Yard And Garden Tools List

2009-02-24T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Loren Bailey

This is a list of commonly used yard and garden tools. For those that maintain their own yard, you will probably say that all the tools listed are already in your garage or backyard shed. The list was developed for first time home owners wanting to care for their own lawn and garden. This should provide them with the basics- enough to begin normal lawn maintenance. On the other hand, it may be enough of a warning to help them decide that they do not want to tackle what seems to be never ending task of lawn care.

To prevent this article from sounding like an advertisement, I will not list any lawn and garden maintenance companies for those that prefer not to purchase all the necessary yard and garden tools. After factoring in the time, manual labor plus the cost of the tools, there will no doubt be some drop outs for the do it yourself lawn maintenance program.

For those of you that want to go join the club and go forward with caring for your lawn, you may notice none of the tools have related prices. There are several reasons. Mainly the prices can change at anytime and I simply cannot keep up with them all. You can get pricing while shopping for the tools. I recommend that you do that anyway.

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

Gloves
Rake
Hoe
Shovel
Spade
Trowel
Pruner
Pruning Saw
Sprinkler
Garden Hose
Lawn Mower
Edger
Weedeater - gas or electric
Blower - gas or electric
Fertilizer Spreader
Wheelbarrow
Hedge Shears
Tank Sprayer
Hammer
Heavy Duty Extension Cord

Again, this is not an all inclusive list of yard and garden tools. It does cover most of the basic tools necessary for regular lawn maintenance. While many home owners have acquired a large number of other gardening tools over the years, the basic list here should be enough for the average startup home gardening and lawn care maintenance project.

The benefit of shopping for the tools yourself is that you can find the best prices. An additional benefit is that you will learn more about each tool and its respective manufacturer. So, review them all. Whether searching locally or on the internet, you will learn about quality and prices. Both will help you determine the right yard and garden tool for your lawn care needs.

Loren Bailey is the content advisor and contributor for CareForaLawn.com and its sister site LawnGardenCare.com.

Riding Lawn Mowers Parts

2009-02-23T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Caxton

If you are one of those who works usually with lawnmowers, then you probably already know the big importance that lawn mower parts have. No matter what model of machine you drive, it will need some parts replacement after some years of use. Even the best manufacturers' models, which worked smoothly at the beginning or that model you bought being the sturdiest mower at the moment will have something broken and therefore will go wrong after few years.

Damage and wear are two of the most typical reasons for replacing lawn mower parts. Since wear refers to parts that have been working hard and do not perform as they should, damage refers to parts that are totally broken and need to be replaced completely. Wear situations come up usually due to worn parts. Unsharpened blades is a clear example of worn parts. You just need to sharpen blades and you mower will cut the lawn as a newer one. Damage situations are easy to detect because most of the times the engine doesn't start at all. It can also happens that suddenly you'd had a lawn mower break when you have only mowed half of the garden size. It becomes an annoying situation and very embarrassing as well.

One of the most typical problem for lawn mower parts replacements is when you broke off the clutch handle as well as blades sharpening. No panic when it happens, it's plenty of mower parts out there, you just need to find the part that better fits your needs. You might be thinking on how easy is to find a mower part. However, it isn't as easy task as it seems at all. Finding the most suitable part that better works with your mower might be sometimes a bit tricky. What professional gardeners use to do is to find the specific parts in a lawn mower parts catalog. But, not everyone have access to this parts catalog, specially regular home and garden owners that just want to find a small piece for their specific model.

How To Find The Right Lawn Mower Parts

The simplest way to find specific lawn mower parts is at the gardening warehouses. You can find there most parts for common mowers' manufacturers. These warehouses have the knowledge and compatibility lists for your specific model as well as most parts to get your machine mowing again. If you are lucky, your mower will run again just a few hours later, if they don't have your required part in stock, then you might order it and pick it up a couple of days later.

Toro And Simplicity Lawnmower Parts They are two of the most reliable and truly manufacturers across the world. Toro mower parts can be bought from almost any Toro dealer as well as from any mower parts or goods warehouse that are specialized in Toro manufacturer. Like many other products, lawn mower parts are divided into subcategories inside walk-behind or riding mowers models. These subcategories are essentially the following 3:

Engine assembly for current gas powered mowers.

Handle assembly for handle parts and parts like cables.

Housing assembly for housing parts such as wheels or frames

Since Toro lawn mower manufacturer offers reliable performance machines, they are yet not the most affordable mower for homeowners. Simplicity mower parts give customers the ability to repair their lawnmowers at affordable prices. Simplicity is a truly mower and parts manufacturer focused to provided top quality for those who are confident enough to perform their own mower parts replacements. Simplicity mowers are specifically designed to make repairs quickly and easily, performance might not be so good, but enough for a small yard. However, there are also commercial simplicity mowers such as three-wheel riding mowers as well as zero-turn

A.Caxton is a successful freelance author who writes regularly to many gardening websites. You can find further articles on riding lawn mowers, and other gardening equipment, including tractors and tillers at Caxton's lawnmowers site.

6 Most Common Dangers To Roses And Their Fix

2009-02-22T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by James Ellison

Most individuals could not defy a rose's beauty and aroma. These flowers are considered a bit hard to grow, but anybody can begin rose gardening in the convenience of their own backyard.

To be sure that your most treasured roses are in the pink or even red of their health, just follow these tips on coping with every rose health perplexity:

1. Black Spots on Foliage

This disease is usually known as black spot. Black spots occur as circular with fringed edges on leaves. They make the leaves yellow. The answer is to get rid of the infected foliage and collect any fallen leaves around the rose. Artificial sprays may be used to stop or treat this type of rose disease.

2. Stunted or distorted young canes

Called powdery mildew, this is a fungal disease that blankets leaves, stems and buds with wind swept white powder. It causes the leaves to roll and become purple. Spray with an organic antifungal to treat this fungal disease that could destroy your rose garden.

3. Injured underside of leaves

A disease of roses called rust is characterized with orange-red blisters that turn black in the fall. In spring, it blisters new sprouts. This disease can even live through winter. What you can do is to pick up and toss away leaves that are infected in the fall. Organic anti-fungal spraying every 5 to 7 days may help.

4. Malformed or stunted leaves and flowers

What probably caused this is the occurrence of spider mites. They are small yellow, red or green spiders on the underside of the foliage. They suck juices from leaves. The application of a strong stream of water may help in treating this infestation.

5. Weak and blotched leaves with tiny white webs under them

This might be the work of aphids. They are tiny soft-bodied insects that are normally brown, green or red. sometimes clumped under leaves and flower buds, they suck plant juices from the delicate buds. a strong stream of water from a garden hose may help roses to endure these bugs.

6. Flowers that don't open or are distorted when they open.

Thrips could be the cause behind this distortion and unopened flowers. It is defined with slender, brown-yellow bugs with bordered wings flourishing in flower buds. These bugs also suck juices from flower buds. You should cut and get rid of the infested flowers. Using neem oil spray may also treat this problem of your roses.

This important information concerning the diseases your roses are inclined to have will prove to be very helpful in making your rose gardening effort more rewarding.

Jim's articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of roses by visiting =>Rose Garden

Light Up The Night Quick Facts About Outdoor Lighting

2009-02-22T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Debbie Rodgers

When the days start to get shorter, the darkness may drive us inside from our porches, patios or decks. Don't despair outdoor lighting can lengthen the day and dramatically extend the potential of our outdoor living spaces.

The first step, as with any project, is to plan. How do you want to use this space after dark, and what lighting will you need? Lighting can be summarized in four categories:

Security lighting is needed in highly vulnerable areas of your property. Because it is bright and often motion activated, keep it away from the living areas so that it's not distracting. Alternatively, have your security lighting on a manual on/off switch so that you can override automatic illumination.
Task lighting is for performing specific activities such as grilling or walking safely up and down steps and along paths. You should place task lighting between your eyes and the object that needs to be lighted and should take care that it does not glare. An overly bright light will blind rather than guide.
Accent lighting adds drama or can highlight an unusual feature. Uplighting, for example can illuminate an interesting piece of statuary. Silhouetting, achieved by placing a light between an object and a fence or wall, dramatically displays an unusual tree or bush.
General or ambient lighting provides overall illumination so that people feel comfortable and look good. The most magical of lighting imitates what is found in nature moonlight or starlight. Moonlighting is produced by hanging lights in mature trees, pointing downward to produce a dappled effect, as if the area were lit by a full moon. The look of starlight can be achieved through the use of flickering candles, sprinkled here and there throughout the space, or by suspending tiny lights in the branches of a tree to create a sparkling night time canopy. Of course, there are many other attractive types of light some just plain fun!

No matter what type of lighting you choose, it will be powered by one of these sources.

Fire is the oldest source of light and considered by some to be the most romantic. Flames, produced by candles or oil-burning lamps, are warm and flattering to faces, and have a hypnotic effect that induces calm and relaxation. Firelight on reflected surfaces such as ponds, mirrors and even gazing balls is a particularly effective way to create atmospheric lighting and enhance the impression of light.

Try snaking a row of candles along a garden path or suspending them in glass jars from branches. An array of tiki burning torches can add an exotic touch to your patio area. Although torches are designed to withstand a reasonable amount of wind, it's best to provide as much protection as possible to any open flame and never leave one unattended.

Solar-powered lights are an easy and portable choice for outdoor lighting. Some lights have a collector panel that can be concealed behind shrubbery, while others contain their own energy cell and absorb the sun's rays even on a cloudy day.
Battery-operated and rechargeable units are also wireless and very portable while in use.
Line-powered or hard-wired lights are connected to the electrical system of your home. Weatherproof lamps may be plugged directly into an outdoor socket. Wire for lighting that is further from the house runs through buried conduits. The most permanent of outdoor lighting, it is also the most expensive, sometimes costing in the tens of thousands of dollars. It should be installed by a licensed electrician.
Low-voltage units also connect to the electrical system of your home, but are fitted with a transformer that reduces the electrical current from 120 volts to a safer supply of 12 volts. Although they are less durable than line-powered fixtures, they are also a lot less expensive and are ideal for a small outside space where only short cable runs are required. They are designed for an easy do-it-yourself installation.

Whatever your light source, keep these tips in mind:

Less is more in lighting. Be subtle: try to hide lights where possible and use a low watt bulb.
Avoid setting lights in straight lines up and down paths, drives or patio edges. This "airport runway" effect is a very common error.
Yellow lights are unflattering to both people and plants. Where possible, install blue-white bulbs or purchase daylight-blue filters for your fixtures.
Position outside lights where they are easily accessible for changing light bulbs. Investing in long-life outdoor bulbs will make the maintenance even easier.
With any unit requiring electricity, use the protection of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) on all outdoor circuits.

Don't let the sun dictate the use of your outdoor space. Get outside after dark and light up the night!

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on "Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space". Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com

A Guide To Residential Bridges

2009-02-21T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Charles Truett

Do you have a need for a residential bridge? Custom residential bridges are a good way to enhance your property and connect certain areas.

Residential bridges may be appropriate for those with gardens, ponds or small streams. You will be able to have a residential bridge built by a local contractor. This endeavor may be expensive but well worth the money spent.

You will have many choices when looking for custom residential bridges and also the builders. Start your search for custom residential bridges on the Internet. The sites online will offer many different possibilities, plans and builders. You may also notice a range of prices for the plans and for the builder's fees.

Residential bridges plans may include a choice of building materials. Choose building materials that are long-lasting. Look at many of the plans and find the custom residential bridge plan that best suits your needs.

There are many styles of custom residential bridges. Pick one that will compliment the area where you plan to construct the bridge. You will find custom residential bridges that are fancy and ornate. You might like a residential bridge plan that blends in with the countryside or lake area.

There are also custom residential bridges that come in kits. If you are talented in the area of construction you may want to build your own. You will find many kits available for custom residential bridges.

Residential bridges can be built in a variety of sizes. You should be able to find a custom bridge plan for even a very large project.

No matter what your need, you should have no problem finding a custom residential bridge plan that is just right for you.

We have a large number of styles and varieties of residential bridges available online. For more information and to learn more about custom residential bridges, visit:
Residential Bridges Online

Hummingbirds Attracting Those Little Flying Powerhouses

2009-02-20T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Bonnie Carrier

It's early in May a beautiful fairly warm day so I've decided to enjoy it and sit on the front porch.

While relaxing in a rocking chair with my eyes closed, just enjoying the sun and early warmth I begin to hear a sound off in the distance. At first it's not recognizable, sounds almost like a hum from a model airplane.

As it begins to get louder I'm beginning to think I know what the source of this strange noise is.

I open my eyes and sure enough just as I thought there is a small green colored Hummer hovering right at the edge of the porch coincidentally right where a feeder normally hangs now I'm not certain but he appears to be looking right at me like he's trying to tell me "Hey, I'm back, where's the food".

Every year it's the same, they show up around Mothers Day and every year I'm always a little surprised to see them and of course not prepared. Well so much for my relaxing afternoon, it's time to get out the feeders, clean them and make up some food then get them hung. And so begins another season with these marvelous entertaining little birds.

Attracting Hummingbirds:

Hummers have a good memory they can remember where to find food sources from previous years. However in order for them to remember your home you will first need to let them know about it.

There are two ways to accomplish this, first by planting or hanging flowers that will attract them, second is to have an additional food source such as a hanging feeder that you keep filled with a syrup solution.

Flowers that have red to orange blossom colors are known to attract them but they will visit any color if they discover sufficient nectar.

Blossom shape is also important as this little birds beak is long and tapered, so downward-hanging blossom Honeysuckle is a good example are a favorite.

Several other varieties are as follows. These particular flowers are geared for the Northeast where I happen to live so you will want to check within your region for appropriate blooms.

Perennials:

· Bee Balm
· Salvia
· Foxglove
· Lilac
· Hollyhock
· Forsythia

There are several Annuals that will also satisfy their little palettes.

· Fuchsia
· Impatiens
· Petunia

As these are favorites in the use of hanging baskets each summer try hanging several around your home. The most common place of course is on your front porch or on hooks around a deck or patio; another idea is to hang some right from tree branches. I've done this and not only do the Hummers like them; it also adds color and interest out in the yard.

Putting Up A Feeder:

From elaborately decorated glass to simple plastic there are numerous types of feeders to choose from.

I will tell you from experience, I've used both the decorated one just because it was pretty, the Hummers really didn't care and I ended up with a simple teardrop shaped clear glass container with perches around the base, it was easy to tell when the solution was low and simple to take apart.

Where to hang your feeder or feeders once you start, guaranteed you'll have to have more than one is up to you and the layout of your home and yard. If you have an open porch this is a great place or from tree branches. Most people look for spots where the birds can be seen; after all half the fun comes from watching these little dynamites. Feeders that mount to windows with suction cups are another alternative.

What To Fill Them With:

Two choices here, pre-made solution or hand made, the choice is up to you. I personally have done both but if you prefer to make your own the following is the standard recipe.

· One part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water
· Boil the water is you wish however it is not really necessary
· Store unused syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If you choose to make your own solution, do not add honey as it ferments very rapidly and can be fatal to the birds. Also the addition of red food coloring is not necessary, they will find the food without it.

Maintenance of Feeder:

Sugar and water mixed together will ferment not good for the birds which limits it's usability, this can happen very quickly during hot summer months.

Therefore when temperatures range between 60-85 degrees or higher the mixture really should be changed about every three days, of course if you happen to have a few Hummingbirds visiting your outdoor diner then you will be refilling about this amount of time anyway. If you should notice any cloudiness in the mixture change it right away.

Before refilling feeder be sure to thoroughly clean the feeder with warm soapy water and rinse very thoroughly. This is where having a feeder that comes apart easily is important.

Attracting these wonderful little birds is not only entertaining it's also beneficial as they also eat insects.

Plant some Bee Balm, hang a container filled with a beautiful Fuchsia plant and last but not least put up a feeder. You'll find that having your peaceful afternoon snooze on the porch interrupted is worth it.

If you would like to learn more about the Hummingbird the following web site are filled with lots of great information.

· The Hummingbird Society - www.hummingbirdsociety.org
· The Hummingbird Web Site - www.portalproductions.com

This is a share ware article. Give this article away for free on your site, or include it as part of any paid package as long as the entire article is left intact including this notice. Copyright © 2005 bonnie carrier.

Bonnie P. Carrier is the creator of Savvy Home Decorating & Savvy Outdoor Decorating. She is the mother to two grown daughters and a very spoiled 4yr old Blue Merle Sheltie named Toby. Stop by for information and ideas for both inside and outside your home.

http://www.savvy-home-decorating.com
http://www.savvyoutdoordecorating.com

Feeding Your Bonsai Tree

2009-02-20T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lee Dobbins

Your bonsai tree is somewhat dependent on you to provide it with the nutrients it needs to sustain life. While most trees can get the ease from the environment, the bonsai is confined to a pot and so it is up to you to be sure that it gets everything It needs to survive.

Just like anything other living thing, bonsai's need food. This, of course, comes in the form of fertilizer. Fertilizer can be found at your local nursery or even bought online. The most common fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphates and potassium. In addition to these three elements, the bonsai also needs iron and, believe it or not, vitamins in particular the B-complex vitamins.

if you can't find the complex vitamins for your bonsai you might try beer. Of course the alcohol content needs to be very low or you might damage or tree. Try using a weak beer and dilute it using a half beer half water mixture before using it on your bonsai.

You can also get B-complex vitamins and supplement form but no matter how you are getting the vitamins to bonsai one good way to administer it is to spraying the leaves. This needs to be done when the temperature is below 85°F as above that temperature the holes in the leaves close and the tree stops breathing so the exchange of moisture, and therefore the vitamins, will be negligible.

While you're bonsai can benefit from having its leaves sprayed, doing this in hot weather can actually be harmful to your plant as it will cause the leaves to open up but then more sure be lost to the hot air. This can dry out the leaves and eventually the tree causing harm. The most common cause of bonsai death is actually incorrect watering so be careful when spraying your leaves.

You probably take vitamin pills to get your nutrients, right? Well you can give nutrients you bonsai the same way! You can buy commercially made pills that have all the nutrients your tree needs. Just put them in the soil on either sides of the trunk and water each day the water will cause the nutrients to be leached out of the pills and down into the soil.

How much nutrients you give your bonsai depends on many things includeing the species of the tree the size of the tree the age of the tree and how long it has been in Its current pot as well as the drainage in the pot and the development of the root system. Start off by following the directions on the nutrient package and watch your tree carefully. If you see signs of burnt leaves or drooping flowers you may be giving it too much nutrient.

When your tree is growing, you will want to give it more nutrients but in the fall you can also give It a little bit. Try using a mixture that is 0-10-10 (NPK) for the fall months.

Don't feed your tree right after repotting at but otherwise a schedule of every two to four weeks is ideal. After repotting you want to wait at least four weeks before feeding. Feeding is best done when the soil is moist.

Proper care, including proper feeding of your bonsai tree will ensure that you have a beautiful healthy plant for many years to come.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://bonsai.garden-corner.com where you can learn more about bonsai trees and how to start your own bonsai hobby.

Backyard Organic Gardening Grow And Eat Healthy

2009-02-19T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ian Henman

People take part in organic gardening outdoors as a relaxation passtime. It gives a sense of well being when they achieve a colorful array of flowers. Some people go further than that, and create a garden for their own food. The organic movement has shown increased popularity over the past few years, and organic food is getting easier to get at the grocery stores, but gardeners would like to do it for themselves. Organic gardening outdoors isvery relaxing. In addition to organically produced flowers, you're able to grow vegies, fruits, and some herbsswhich are flavourfull and you know exactly what's gone into their creation. There is not any finer food on earth.

Organic gardening means no chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides what so ever. Every gardenerhas fought with garden pests, but you can findcleaner ways of getting rid of them. After all, it's what people years before had to spend time at and they still had food. You just they still had food}} a bit of cunning. One trick to get rid of those annoying aphids is to plant marigolds near to your vegetable patch. Let nature take part in its thing, and organic gardening will be less expensive and give you peace of mind. A lot of people are worried, especially parents, about all the chemicals that are used in regular non organic food growing. Often times these harsh products can end up in our water. Organic gardening outdoors means your pets, kids, and everyone else, can play in the garden safely in a no chemical area.

Backyard organic gardening will require the mysterious world of compost making. This is much more interesting than grabbing some store bought chemical product. It isn't anything that strange really, you just require to know what you can use and more variety makes for better compost. Quite simply, this is an excellent way of using kitchen and garden waste. You can use your own potato and other vegetable peelings. Rose prunings will help with the texture and old coffee grounds will help it smell better! Make sure all the ingredients are dry.

A few more tips about organic gardening outdoors.for the everlasting battle with keeping the soil mosit, healthy, and weed free,you can come up with your own mulch by simply mixing up pine needles and fresh grass clippings. Also you can get bugs using a mixture water, dish soap, and cooking oil.

Organic gardening, even if you only have a tiny patch of land, ensure you can have a natural relationship with food production and natures cycles. Somewhere on the way, we all pushed that aside, and we became accustomed to jumping in the car to go to the soulless supermarket to pick up bland food. Most of uswon't ever think where it originates and if a better way might exsist. Your children can become involved with organic gardening too, teaching them to learn where and how their food was made. They will have interesting and intriguing helping get compost ready and thinking up ingenious ideas on how to remove bugs. Best of all, they'll enjoy eating the delicious food that was grown via backyard organic gardening.

For more information about outdoor activites, and gardening take a peek at out website Outdoor Activites

How To Grow Cucumbers

2009-02-18T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Terry Blackburn

Growing Cucumbers

All members of the Cucumber family (Gherkins, Melons, Marrows and Pumpkins) have three major requirements - warmth, moisture and a rich soil containing plenty of organic matter. They are not hardy, though some varieties are suitable for outside growing but it does depend on your area and weather conditions.

Soil Preparation for Outdoor Varieties

Cucumbers prefer soils containing plenty of organic matter; they do best in positions where there is shelter from cold winds and they must have a sunny site. When preparing the ground, add plenty of manure and compost where the plants are to grow. Begin by digging a trench 9 in. (228mm) deep put in the manure then dig another putting the soil from this into the first trench. This will form a ridge; the cucumbers can be planted into the ridges, 3 ft. (90cm) apart.

Sowing Under Cover

Sow the seed mid March through to late May putting the seeds into trays or small pots ½ in. (12mm) deep, at a temperature of 70 to 75 deg F. (21 to 24 deg C.) germination takes 3 - 15 days at these temperatures. Later transplant the seedlings singularly into 5 in. pots. Gradually reduce the temperature down to 65 f. (18 C.) If you are growing the outdoor varieties begin to harden them off before putting the young plants into cold frames at the end of May. Plant them out after about two or three weeks along the ridges when the chance of frost has passed.

Greenhouse Growing

When the seedlings have reached the four-leaf stage re-pot into either large pots or grow-bags. If you are using grow-bags allow three plants per bag. Train the main stem up wires to give the plant support. Stretch training wires from end to end of the greenhouse12 in. 30cm) apart and 12 in. (30cm) from the glass; tie strings every 2 ft. (60cm) at right-angles to the wires, train the leader growths towards the ridge of the house. Tie side shoots to the wires and stop at second leaf; stop sub-laterals at first leaf. Give them shade in sunny weather

Planting Outdoors

Water the pots well before planting out. Avoid holding the plants by their stems as they are easily bruised causing them irreparable damage. If the weather is cool cover each plant with a cloche for the first week to give them a little warmth and protection. One of the best methods I find is to use a half of a clear plastic 5 litre mineral bottle. Cut in half, the bottle makes two excellent cloches. The top half, whilst giving protection also allows air and moisture through the neck onto the plants.

General care

Cucumbers require plenty of water so that they are able to grow and fully develop, soak the roots thoroughly and regularly. Greenhouse grown plants should be sprayed during hot weather to maintain a high humidity, and fed weekly with a good liquid fertiliser. Those growing outdoors must be given extra protection against the surface roots drying out; grass clippings can be used as mulch. They are generally trouble free if the summer is a good one, however slugs can sometimes be a problem; to be on the safe side position a few slug traps around the base of the plants.

Male and female flowers are produced, but male flowers are picked off as they appear, this is to prevent pollination of the females for pollinated female flowers produce bitter cucumbers with large seeds. Just as soon as the first fruits are about 3 in. (76mm) long, begin to give the plants a weekly feed of liquid fertilizer.

Harvesting

Cut the fruits as soon as they ready, the size will depend on the variety which you are growing. They can be cut regularly for this will encourage the plant to produce more fruit. Cucumbers keep well, so they can be cut and kept for a while without coming to any harm.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

How To Plant Shrubs

2009-02-17T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Khieng Chho

Do you remember the story of a burning bush? Do you know what type of plant is a bush?

When you hear the word bush, the first thing that will come to your mind is the ancient story of a burning bush. Surely, this type of plant marked in your memory from your childhood to the present.

Shrub or a bush is just the same. This is a horticultural woody plant. However, this is distinct from a tree because of its multiple stems and lower height and measures less than 6 meters. It does not also have a sturdy trunk like a tree.

Planting shrub is easy. There is also a perfect time for planting one. If you want to include shrub plant as one of your collections in the garden you can do so. Surely, the shrub will add beauty to your garden or landscape.

For better results on shrub growth, you can follow the following steps in plating shrub:

It is good to plant shrub during winter season and early morning of spring. This is the time when the soil is not frozen. The new roots should shred freely underground so it is better to have good climate. If the soil is frozen or the sun is too hot it will not grow well.

Make sure that the roots are cleaned. Remove the dead roots because it can affect the growth of the plant.

You can soak the roots of the bush for about 1 to four hours before planting. This will help in keeping moisture to the plant.

Dig a hole that is deep enough for the roots. Use a shovel to loosen the soil so that it will not solidify. Plant the shrub to the hole. Fill it halfway with the soil and tamp it with your foot.

After you finished in filling the soil, keep it moist and apply mulch into it. This will make the shrub healthy. Monitor it as frequent as possible and if you observe yellow leaves falling water the shrub.

The key here is to choose the right shrub that can thrive to the kind of soil that you have in your garden. The roots of the shrub should not be confined to the good soil alone because it can result to a weak plant. Constant watering is also the secret to a good growth of the shrub plant.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho is author and owner of Flowering Shrubs. For related articles, visit Ken's website: http://shrubs.wicwoc.com

Transform Your Desert Backyard To A Beautiful Garden With These Simple And Easy To Implement Ideas

2009-02-16T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Johnny McKenzie

You might reside in a place where plants and trees in your backyard are hard to find and green grass is even harder to find. Do you feel that you have all the odds against you? But there really is no reason to worry; there is help to get for your old desert landscape. I know that when your beloved garden is full of rocks and sand, it might be hard to imagine it as a peaceful escape in times when you need a rest. Luckily though, the solution might be as easy as adding a few things to make you garden more inviting and more at ease for you and your family.

Before you begin to design your landscape, you should think about the look that you want to create for your garden. Read through newspapers and look at as many pictures as you possible can to get tips and ideas of what you want for your back yard. Next you might just come up with the design that for many could be the hardest part of the entire landscaping procedure. Keep in your mind how much space you have to work with and the amount of commitment in time and money you want to put into your new desert landscaping project.

Instead of having rocks and boulders in your yard, why don't you add some fun colored rocks with different shapes and styles? This will really bring the desert into your new landscape design. You can even add original desert trees and plants around the blocks to make the design softer to the eye.

Even though it's hard to believe, it's actually possible to have a nice back yard on your desert property. For example you can add flowers if you want make sure they are appropriate for the weather and your place. Adding texture with trees and vegetation will give your desert landscape a whole new look. Please remember though, to keep the low plants in the frontage and the high ones further to the back.

Probably you do want to place your garden so that it can be enjoyed from the inside of your house too. When you do this all you have to do is glance out the window and see your creation in front of you. Even though you eventually will grow custom to the view, your guests will most likely appreciate your desert landscape garden even from the inside. This is a real good idea, especially when you think about that it's often to warm to be outdoors.

Some people live in a type of weather that is hot and waterless. In that case you may want to think about doing something with water in your garden. This is not only enjoyable and imaginative; it might also offer a break for you from the warm weather. Some add water gardens or ponds to their yards and they love it. Further some go even bigger and build the perfect pool for themselves and all their friends. By doing this you will definitely be able to bring more friends over for entertaining barbeques by the pool.

Many garden owners agree that a great idea for your desert landscape is to use lighting. Especially at night it's important that you can show off your impressive desert garden. And for special effects, the lights on the different blocks will create special shadows and bring your new garden design to life at night. By using lights that will re-charge themselves in the sun, you will also save a dollar or two on electricity.

In case you implant one or a few of these fun and creative tips, you can take pleasure in your desert garden with a great and improved feeling to it. Comfort and style will be there for years to come and everybody will just love it.

In case you liked this article the author Johnny will give you more ideas on his site about how you can landscaping yards to impresses your friends.

Pruning Trees And Shrubs To Enhance Garden Views

2009-02-16T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nicole Martins

For a homeowner who doesn't necessarily spend much time in their garden but wants to enjoy it from above, taking into account the garden views from upstairs windows and/or decks will help in dictating the planting plan.

In San Francisco, where garden space is typically 30' X 30', people look to maximize the design effects: creating outdoor rooms with patios, paths, fountains and arbors. The same is true with a garden that is mainly viewed from an upstairs deck or window. One example is a garden that we have been maintaining and restoring for over a year. The objective is that homeowner be able to see as much of the garden as possible from the 2nd and 3rd story decks. See: http://www.everything-patio-furniture.com/garden-arbors.htm

An existing 35' Podocarpus tree adjacent to the deck requires annual pruning and is due to be thinned and reduced on our next visit in October. While we typically schedule an arborists to prune trees larger than 25', deck access from the homeowner and neighbor's property make it possible for us to safely work on the tree.

Once the Podocarpus has been pruned the garden will require only minimal adjustments for the next 8 to 10 months. In the past year, we have pruned several Plum trees along the fence line and through out. At this point, they are in far better aesthetic shape: having opened up the garden as well as enhanced views.

Tip pruning the canopy and select branches of Angel's Trumpet: Datura, is also necessary throughout spring and summer for maintaining the deck views of the rear planting areas. Although this tree is frost tender in many climates, we are fortunate that it thrives in the Bay Area, and that there are several nice varieties to choose from.

Badly formed plants such as the leggy growing, purple flowering Princess Tree: Tibouchina, are also candidates for a severe heading back. While this pruning technique leaves the tree looking hacked and butchered for several months afterwards, on a healthy specimen, dormant buds will grow from the woody stumps creating a new floriferous head.

As with all gardens, the seasons bring about changes, creating new expressions. With fall upon us, our job for view enhancement is nearly complete, once the Podocarpus tree is pruned. After that, we will have many months to concentrate on the under story and plantings.

Nicole Martins is a contributing author and publisher to http://www.everything-patio-furniture.com an online resource that provides you with information, articles of interest and reviews of the best selling outdoor furniture and patio accessories online.

A Portable Perennial Garden

2009-02-15T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Doug Green

I currently rent my house and while I'm planning on buying later this year, I can't refrain from obtaining new and interesting perennial plants right now. After all, it is spring out there and new plants have always been a major part of my spring activities. But, what can you do when you have a rented property and you're planning on moving.

This afternoon, I decided to do some planting but I ran out of both pots and space to put them. There was a narrow strip along the side of the house that promised both shade and good visibility. The barbeque sat there along with a few other tools but these were all quickly moved into the garage. To make good gardening use of this space, I spread out black plastic bags to stop weeds or grass from growing and then set my new perennial pots out on the plastic. Leaving the plants in the pots, I arranged them as if I were planting them; tall plants to the back against the house siding, gold leaved next to dark green, and short plants to the front etc. Next I filled between all the pots with peat moss. The peat will keep the plant upright and protect the pots from drying out. When viewed from standing up, the pots disappear under the peat and the garden looks like it was planted. All I have to do is keep the peat moss damp and the plants will grow into a perennial garden.

When I leave this fall, I'll simply pull up the pots, bag up the peat moss into the garbage bags and truck my plants to their new home. But in the meantime, I have what appears to be a garden, my waste space is occupied with plants and my plants will be happy.

Doug Green, an award winning garden author with 7 books published, answers gardening questions in his newsletter at http://www.gardening-tips-perennials.com

Attracting Wild Birds

2009-02-15T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Paul Duxbury

As more land is used to accommodate the ever-growing human population, yards and city parks become important bird habitat. Diversified landscaping and feeding stations offer an oasis of resources in the middle of human domain. Feeding and watching birds gives families the opportunity to practice conservation right in their own yards. Children can learn and enjoy the wonders of nature right from the kitchen window. Children will be able to observe the hatching of young chicks and learn how many birds help control the insect population.

One fun aspect of feeding birds is learning what birds are visiting your backyard habitat. There are several good identification field guides such as National Geographic, Peterson's East & West and Birds of North America through which the wild birds can be identified. Birds are grouped by physical characteristics. It is fairly easy to distinguish a duck from a songbird by just looking at body shape and size, as well as the beak and feet shapes. These physical characteristics will help identify birds: size, body shape, colors, markings, beak shape, feet and wing shape in flight. Birds have a variety of calls. Good listeners can learn to tell the difference between "chickadee" and "cheerily - cheerio - cheeriup" calls of the Black-capped Chickadee and the American Robin. The most important element is the type of food offered to the wild birds. The widest variety of food sources ensures the widest variety of birds. Ensure that your bird feeder is kept clean. Old, moldy seed left in the feeder will not attract wild birds. Not only is the food type important, but the time period you feed and the consistency of feeding is very important as well.

Many people will only feed the birds in the winter months, which is when they need it most, however, by feeding throughout the spring and summer months you will attract the migratory birds returning from southern climates. In addition, by feeding in the spring and summer, parenting birds will have easy access to a food source for their young. Food like seeds, protein rich insects and worms, flies; birds love mosquitoes, spiders, aphids and ants. Do not kill all the bugs in your yard if you want birds. Flowers, shrubs and trees will encourage a rich insect life in your yard that will, in turn, provide necessary food for wild birds. If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden, this can be accomplished in several ways. If you plant honeysuckle, common lilac (with purple flowers), red geraniums, nasturtium, red petunias, red salvia, coral bells, columbine, fuchsia and even scarlet runner beans, there is a good chance that you will see hummingbirds feeding among your flowers. Fresh, clean water made available year round is an important element of attracting wild birds.

The simplest and most readily available is a shallow birdbath. Birdbaths can be kept thawed even in winter by a birdbath heater. Most garden birds like a water source far enough from surrounding vegetation to offer surveillance against a surprise attack from squirrels, rats, big birds. If there is water falling or dripping making sound this will attract birds even more towards the backyard. Birds are dependent on flight for safety; they are most vulnerable when they are "grounded" to rest, feed or nest. To a bird, protection means staying both comfortable and safe. Again, a wide variety of plant vegetation and trees will find the best range of habitat for birds. The selection of plants and their arrangement in the landscape are important in making a bird feel at home. Protection from cold winds and driving rain allow birds to maintain body heat, and keep healthy. Birds that are exposed to cold, wet and windy weather are very vulnerable to exposure and resulting death. Without protective cover near by, wild birds will not frequent bird feeders even if they are the best feeders with the most desirable seed. Build nest and bird houses for birds to raise their families and provide them with shelter. When the birds will feel that there is a shelter provided to take care of the baby birds they will build their natural nests and start living and heave their family. If you specially want to attract humming birds then take care that your feeders are full because they will begin moving south as early as July but it will take several months for the birds to begin to reach the southern U.S. and they can use your feeders during the trip. They eat lots of protein in their diets too and that doesn't come from sugar feeders and they need insects too. It is important to leave your feeders up and full. Migrating birds need all the quick and easy nourishment they can find to sustain the incredible energy demands of migration. It is vital that hummingbirds fatten up for their extended trips, particularly those crossing the Gulf of Mexico. For several weeks after your regular summer hummingbirds have left your flowers and feeders, migrating birds could be quickly passing through your gardens unnoticed. Leaving your feeders up for at least three weeks after seeing your last hummingbird is essential.

Paul is Head of Training for a major UK Charitable Organisation with a wealth of experience in personal development, management development, e-learning and operational management. In addition he owns PK eBooks (http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk) and has just published a series of Bird Watching eBooks which can be found at http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk/birding_for_everyone.htm

A Garden To Draw Hummingbirds

2009-02-14T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by James Ellison

Hummingbirds have an unusual capability to hover in one place by quickly flapping their small wings which may genuinely have made them the fairies that a lot of people saw hovering around brilliantly colored flowers.

It's not hard to make a garden that will lure hummingbirds, but if you'd like to build a home in which they will gladly nest and live all the way through the northern summer, you want to provide them with more than a sugar water feeder and a plant or two. An active hummingbird garden doesn't have to be huge, but it will have all of the following major ingredients to draw in and keep the little fairies.

Select plants that bear flowers many times through the spring, summer and autumn. Flowers are the major ingredient in getting hummingbirds to your garden. The small birds feed on nectar that is made by flowers, and appear particularly attracted to plants with trumpet or tubular bright red and orange flowers. Some of their particular favorites are rose of sharon bushes, rhododendrons and azaleas, so the red trumpet isn't a hard and fast rule. For northern gardens that beckon the ruby-throated hummingbird, select from the list of plants below, be sure that you select plants that bloom at different times during the flowering season to furnish food for them during spring, summer and fall.

Spring Bloomers
Azaleas, rhododendrons and rose of sharon bushes make a great setting for hummingbird gardens. They flower early in the spring and keep on blooming through the early summer. Pink and bright red varieties are preferred, but hummingbirds love all rose of sharon types.

Summer Bloomers
Bleeding hearts and red mountain columbine flower in the early summer, also salvias, petunias, trumpet honeysuckle, morning glories, trumpet vines and impatiens, all of which catch hummingbirds. A wide scope of shade patterned impatiens is an effective attraction for hummingbirds, who hunt by sight.

Autumn Bloomers
Butterfly bush, garden phlox, day lilies, bee-balm and impatiens all will keep hummingbirds returning through the autumn and entice late migrators.

Have a source of water in the hummingbird garden.
Unlike bigger birds, hummingbirds will rarely take advantage of a bird bath or bowl of water. Instead, they enjoy cool mists. A garden hose with a misting fixture or a small fountain that can be adapted to a fine mist will keep them coming back.

Vertical space for hummingbirds to perch and nest.
Hummingbirds require shelter from predators and tiny branches for perching and resting. By selecting a couple taller bushes or trees, you can offer both.

A few feeders will provide a treat in your hummingbird garden.
There are scores of commercially designed hummingbird feeders built to be attractive to the little roamers. Pick feeders with bright red accents to get their attention, and a feeder that holds about 8 ounces of sugar water. Instead of using one big feeder, place 2 to 4 of them around your yard, out of sight of each other if possible. Hummingbirds are notoriously territorial. By offering several private feeding stations, you will increase the amount of hummingbirds that you attract.

They are another reason to go organic because they need not come in contact with chemical pesticides or herbicides that many spray around their flowers and vines. Help them survive.

Jim's articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of hummingbirds by visiting: Hummingbirds

Ecological Landscape Design And Organic Lawn Care

2009-02-14T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chip Phelan

There is a growing recognition, that the expanding suburban landscape is having a negative environmental impact. Suburban development often includes vast energy dependant monocultures (perfect, grass lawns). They consume a significant amount of natural resources, (water to keep them green and gasoline to keep them trimmed), and they reduce the amount of habitat available for native wildlife. Over use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides can leach into water supplies and be harmful to children and pets. Trends toward ecological landscaping and organic lawn care are lessening the detrimental effects of these designs. Many landscape designers are recommending native plant species, and even golf course managers are moving toward organic methods.

In practical terms our goal should be to move away from designs that depend on an extensive use of energy, without asking people to give up their lawns entirely. There are a number of options:

* Buffer zones and open space requirements in subdivisions allow for wildlife corridors and bird habitats.

* Leaving a portion of each lot in a natural state will invite birds and beneficial insects into the yard, while reducing the amount of grass to water and mow.

* The use of native plants in the design will greatly reduce the amount of care needed for the plants to thrive.

We should stop worrying about whether our lawns looks like the eighteenth fairway of the local country club. Many of the "weeds" that appear in our lawns are considered to be medicinal, by herbalists, and others attract beneficial insects.

We should stop over watering our lawns. Don't worry about your grass dying. Grass will turn green when it rains. Trust me.

If you must have an all grass lawn, there are organic methods that claim to do as well as chemicals will. It's probably a good idea to test any remedy before applying it to your entire yard. Spot treating problem areas will often be all that is needed.

Ecological Landscaping Considerations

The first and most important thing to consider in an ecological landscape design is an environmental assessment of the site. Is it more like a sunny meadow or shady woodland? Is it wet and marshy or dry and well drained?

Secondly, find out which native plants thrive in your particular environment. This can be easily done by taking a closer look at what is growing in undeveloped areas around you. Look at areas that most closely resemble your site. Species that are flourishing in the wild in similar ecosystems nearby are more likely to do well, with little or no care, than species growing in different ecosystems, not to mention different regions of the country or world.

Some purists would argue that only native species be considered, but I personally feel that non-invasive species from other parts of the world are acceptable if used in the proper environmental setting. Whenever possible choose species that are propagated locally and select varieties that are disease, pest and drought resistant. This will preclude the need for intensive care and excessive watering.

Many native plants are often found growing as part of a larger community of plants. For reasons we don't thoroughly understand, plants appear to form symbiotic relationships with each other. This may be for shade, nutrient contribution or protection from pests to name a few. When studying the local landscape, pay attention to plant relationships. In the wild, vegetation occurs in layers from groundcovers to taller plants and shrubs and often to a tree canopy above. These layers provide a diverse habitat for a variety of wildlife. Recreating these conditions in even a small part of your site will help to enhance the overall health of the environment around you.

In many instances homeowners will wish to deter certain wildlife species, while attracting others. While it may be possible to discern which plants attract different species in the wild, it may not be as easy to determine which plants will deter them. Local landscapers and plant nurseries will often be able to advise you about this.

Wherever you live and whatever your landscape consists of, a little thought about working with the natural environment and a commitment to organic lawn care practices, will save on maintenance cost and benefit the larger community landscape.

Chip Phelan, a contributing editor for Organic Gardening Review, is an organic gardener living in Rhode Island. He has been gardening organically for 30 years while working as a sculptor and photo imager. He has recently created a research garden to experiment with organic and small scale sustainable gardening techniques.

Organic Gardening Review is a resource center for organic gardening enthusiasts and features his efforts and interests in all aspects of organic gardening. Find us on the web: http://www.organicgardening-review.com

Looking for a place to share organic gardening info? Visit our Organic Gardening Discussion Forum at: Organic Gardening Forum

3 Easy Ways To Create A Spiral Topiary

2009-02-13T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by David Hoyles

One of the most creative and satisfying centrepieces for your garden is a spiral topiary, guaranteed to attract admiring looks and comments from all that see it. There are easy ways and hard ways to create a spiral. I will describe the easy ways of going about this.

Firstly, you will need to decide upon your choice of plant to use for your topiary.

There are no hard and fast rules here; gardening should be creative and fun and, basically, you can use whatever you want (to an extent)! It might depend on what stock you already have in your garden, or if you have nothing available, it might rest on what your local garden centre or nursery has in stock, combined with your available budget.

It will also depend on how quickly you want the finished article, but bear in mind also that if you choose something that is quick growing you will have to trim it more often. After saying that, the quick growing specimen described below is trimmed only twice a year.

I happened to have a Gold Crest conifer (Cupressus Macrocarpa Gold Crest) growing in my garden. This is a fast growing, lime-green conifer that has a delightful lemon scent that is released when it is cut. It also has a fairly dense habit, so overall it is probably an excellent choice if you want quick results. Also, with it being fast growing it is a pretty cheap conifer. It is a very easy conifer to grow from cuttings, so if you do this it is cheaper still!

This particular specimen was about 1 foot tall when I planted it. Three years later it was 4-5 feet tall. I looked at it one day and thought 'I think I'll turn that into a spiral'. Although it was a little bare initially, 1 year later it was practically perfect due to its quick rate of growth and a bit of trimming.

Usually, conifers of different varieties are used for spiral topiaries as they are the most practical, but other plants and shrubs can also be considered. I'm currently in the process of creating a spiral using Golden Privet (Ligustrum). Green Privet can also be used, of course, and will grow a lot quicker than the golden variety.

I'm creating this spiral using thick, galvanised wire (this is wire that won't rust and is available from your local DIY store). I knocked a stake into the ground and fastened the wire to it by binding it with nylon twine. Depending on how thick the wire is, you might have to bind two pieces of wire to the stake so that you have a double thickness of wire for your frame. The wire was then manipulated into the desired spiral shape. The wire that I used was about 3 feet in length, so it was a case of twisting and binding the pieces of wire together to create sufficient length for the spiral.

As the privet grew, the sides were trimmed but the top was allowed to grow. As it did so, I occasionally tied the shoots loosely to the frame to keep everything in place. Eventually, the wire frame and twine will be covered up with the new growth, resulting in a snake-like spiral emerging from the ground!

So that's one way of making a shrub into a topiary and creating a spiral.

Another way of creating a spiral topiary, as in the Gold Crest example described above, is to wrap a piece of twine, or tape, around the outside of the conifer to create the guideline for the spiral. Then stand back and just make sure that it looks right. Viewed from all angles, is it consistent? When you are sure that it looks alright, start cutting alongside the twine. I used topiary shears to do this but a sharp pair of kitchen scissors will do the job just as well.

Start cutting from the bottom and gradually work your way up to the top. You will be left with a rough outline of your spiral. Keep trimming it on a regular basis to make sure that you don't lose the basic line of the spiral and it will gradually start filling out. Depending on the growth rate of your chosen conifer, you will soon have the perfect spiral.

I usually use a combination of ordinary garden shears and topiary shears when it needs trimming . The only time I would use an electric hedge trimmer with a spiral is at the initial stage, if the chosen conifer was particularly big and I needed to trim it to the basic dimensions. Don't use an electric trimmer on the finished spiral or you're likely to chop something off.

Speaking of which, never under-estimate the dangers involved with using an electric trimmer. Although I'm digressing a bit, I had a particularly nasty accident several years ago when I accidentally cut through the lead and the circuit breaker failed to activate! Now I never touch an electric trimmer unless it's plugged into a reliable circuit breaker and there's a Cable-Protecta fitted to prevent cutting through the lead in the first place. Just a point worth noting.

The third way I created a spiral topiary was by growing a Leylandii (X Cupressocyparis Leylandii) conifer around a circular frame. The frame is about a foot in diameter and it's original purpose was for growing climbing plants against. The Leylandii is extremely quick growing, especially the green variety (3 feet a year when it gets going) so it didn't long to take shape.

In the same way as with the example of the spiral grown against the wire, described above, the leading shoots were allowed to grow and then periodically these shoots were bunched together and tied to the frame. As the side shoots sprouted in due course, they were trimmed to produce a uniform width for the spiral.

It's still growing upwards at a rapid rate and at some stage I need to decide where it's going to stop. It could be quite a big spiral!

So now you know! Decide what type of spiral you want, how quickly you want it to grow, hence what growing stock you will use and get cracking!

David Hoyles reveals further handy gardening tips on his site http://www.privacy-hedge-trees.com and is also the creator of the safety product Cable-Protecta. See his site http://www.cable-protecta.co.uk for more details.

Birdhouses

2009-02-13T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ken Marlborough

Man's destruction of bird habitats has greatly reduced the nesting areas of various birds. To compensate for this loss, birdhouses are built for birds to live in.

People who enjoy the companionship of birds find birdhouses inexpensive and fun to build. All well-built birdhouses should be durable, cool, rainproof and readily accessible for cleaning. The best material for birdhouses is metal. Metals other than aluminum must be avoided as they tend to become extremely hot when exposed to the sun. The roof should be constructed with sufficient pitch to shed water and should have at least three inches of overhang to protect the entrance from driving rain. As some water may seep into the house, a few small holes should be drilled in the floor to allow drainage, and to facilitate ventilation in hot weather, holes should be planned near the top of the box. It is also preferable for the house to be constructed with screws for easy disassembly for cleaning. To assist the young birds in climbing to the opening of the birdhouse, it is better to have the interior walls roughened or grooved.

Make it a point to place the birdhouse in a location that is inaccessible to enemies. It is better to have iron poles placed as mounts for the birdhouse to protect the birds from cats and squirrels climbing to the birdhouse. As birds insist on territorial rights, it is better not to place birdhouses too close together as conflicts may arise in empty birdhouses. Once it is certain that pests can be eliminated and that the birdhouse is satisfactory for the birds, the only thing remaining is the cleaning of the interior of the house periodically. So go ahead and search for the ideal birdhouse!

Birds provides detailed information on Birds, Bird Feeders, Bird Baths, Bird Houses and more. Birds is affiliated with Aquarium Lights.

Teak Planters Accent Your Outdoor Space With One

2009-02-12T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jennifer Akre

Do you want to add something to your outdoor space that will take it from beautiful to breathtaking? Do you have all of the right teak furniture but feel that something is missing, some accent that will truly make your space unique and worthy of only the highest praise? If so, maybe you should accent your outdoor space with teak planters.

Teak planters can be a gorgeous addition to any outdoor space whether it is a formal garden, porch, poolside or entryway because they are beautifully constructed with the highest quality of standards using only the finest Javanese teak.

When selecting furniture and accessories for their outdoor spaces, many people purchase pieces made with teak which is a hard strong durable yellowish-brown wood. Teak is both resistant to the elements and requires little maintenance.

Teak grows in the region of Southeast Asia, mainly in Java, Indonesia, and is harvested from the surrounding forests and teak plantations by the locals and the Indonesian government. The wood of the teak tree is naturally resistant to insects, warping, splintering and the elements, which makes it an ideal wood for creating planters. With teak planters, there is no sealing, no staining, and no finishing.

Teak planters are also a good choice due to the fact that you can choose from several different styles of planters to accent your unique space. No matter what type of space you want to enhance with teak planters, you will be sure to find just what you are looking for when you browse through the selection of teak planters.

Take for instance the Brookside teak planter by Kingsley-Bate. This lightweight planter box is constructed using precise mortise and tenon joinery and is a classic, gorgeous addition to any garden or outdoor space. The simple lines and rich color of this teak planter will surely make it a favorite of yours.

And with a price just a little over $200 and a guarantee to last for decades, the Brookside teak planter is a good buy as well.

Or if you prefer something a little more elegant, the Versailles Trough teak planter box or Versailles teak planter box may be just what you are looking for. These teak planters are designed using elegant, round finials and a raised panel style. The Versailles planter series is also available in small, medium and large sizes.

So if you are looking for that special something that will bring life to your outdoor space, maybe teak planters hold the answer to your outdoor decorating dilemma. Why not take a look? You could be surprised by what the world of teak accessories and teak furniture has to offer.

Jennifer Akre is a successful business owner of numerous furniture websites such as http://www.MoreThanTeak.com. Her sites offer product and information about teak furniture and teak planters and other decor for your home or garden.

Planning Your Flower Garden

2009-02-11T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lisa Sousa

You've wanted a flower garden for such a long time. They just add so much color and interest to your yard. You have waited in anticipation through the winter to start digging a place for a flower bed, purchase and plant your bulbs, seeds or plants, and to reap the many benefits of a well cared for flower garden. But maybe you need some tips and ideas for getting started. Here are some helpful hints for you to get going on that special gardening project.

It is wise to plan out your flower garden before getting your flowers. The fist step is make a sketch of your house, garage, trees, and any other buildings or landscaping on your property. An important consideration is the direction your property is facing as well. You don't want to plant a flower garden, and then find that it doesn't get enough sunlight for the flowers to grow. Flower gardens are also best when planted on a level or gently sloping ground because the water runoff from steep slopes will cause the soil to erode.

Another thing to consider would be the style of flower garden that you would like. Flower gardens can be straight or curved in shape, formal or casual. Your house can be a guide on deciding on your particular style. For example, if you have a traditional house, then a symmetrical, formal design might be for you. If you have a country-style house with gingerbread trim, then a less symmetrical and more casual planting maybe for you.

The next step in planning your garden is to decide what kind of flower beds would be desirable to your yard and you. A flower border is set against a backdrop such as a house, shrubs, or the edge of your patio as well as other places such as property edges. This choice of flower bed is a good option for those with smaller yards. Another type of flower bed which will work well with bigger lawns is called an island bed. An island bed is a flower bed that is planted in the middle of the lawn itself so it will give the effect of a splash of color washed up on the lawn itself. It is best to plant the taller plants in the middle of the island and to have the smaller plants around the them so they will look great on all sides. It is advisable though, to avoid making the island too small and having it made in the middle of the yard when the yard is otherwise empty.

When digging your flower bed, be sure to consider the width of the flower bed, so that it will be wide enough to accommodate the front, middle and back layers, and provides enough room for your plants to grow. As a rule, the longer your flower bed is, the wider it should be as well. Most flowers need well drained soil, so it is advisable to avoid locating your garden where there is standing water after heavy rains or during a spring thaw. The exception to this woud be when plants that can tolerate boggy soil conditions are desired. You should take the sun exposure into consideration as well because this is key to your garden planting. Some plants like full sun while other love shade

After the flower bed is dug up, and the landscaping is in place, the next thing to consider is the plants themselves. Do you want to have color throughout the year or only in certain seasons? Do you leave town in certain times such as the mid summer? If this is often the case, be sure to obtain flowers that are low maintenance during those times, such as mid summer or that bloom in the springtime. Flowers that bloom in late summer, as well as a few shrubs and trees that provide great autumn color can also add beauty to your garden through out the year if year round enjoyment is desired. Light-colored flowers, evening-scented plants, as well as garden lighting, can make your flower garden into a pleasant evening retreat after a long day at work.

Now for the fun part of planning your garden begins. The overall color of your garden is very much based on your own personal tastes. However, there are a few guidelines to follow. It is not a good idea to add too much contrast or too many colors to your flower bed due to the fact that these colors will cancel out each other and will give a visual overload. However, if the contrasts are used in moderation, it can add some spark. Colors can also reflect mood as well as the seasons themselves. Hotter colors such as reds, oranges and yellows work very well in mid summer, while the soothing effects of lighter, pastel colors go well with the springtime of early summer. Or perhaps you would like a single color garden is more to your tastes.

With careful planning and preparation, you can create a spectacular spectrum of color and fragrant scents right outside your door for you and your family to enjoy.

Visit Flower Garden Bulbs to find great deals on flower bulbs to plant, or visit Garden Style Decor to find garden decor accessories.

Low Cost Home Landscaping Tips

2009-02-10T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Ron King

Installing and maintaining landscaping around your home can be a costly undertaking. Even the perfect landscape can end up a source of vexation instead of pleasure -- if it costs you more than you can afford to install and keep up.

With these few helpful tips, you can save money on your landscaping without sacrificing quality or beauty.

Plan Before You Spend

Plan before you make any purchases. Without a plan, you may buy things you don't really need, and that can waste money.

Begin with a rough sketch of your landscape design. Next find out exactly what you need to make it possible. If you need advice, there are a number of websites where you can get ideas for creating your project. Specialty stores and some home improvement warehouses have experts on hand who can give you pointers.

Once you've done your homework, and know exactly what you need, you can start spending, without fear of money wasters intruding.

Purchase In Phases

Your written plan should include a timetable for when you will install each portion of your landscape. Most people can't afford to make all the changes at once. Planning your landscape project in phases lets you buy what you need as you go, and as the money becomes available. This phased financing lets you avoid the interest and fees associated with home improvement loans or putting your purchases on credit cards.

Don't Sacrifice Quality

It's good to remember that cheaper is not always better. If there is very little difference in quality, then buying the cheaper item is naturally the best course. However, local stores are often staffed with seasoned experts who will share their wisdom for free if you ask questions while making a purchase. Specialty stores can give you accurate information on installing a water feature, for example. If you are inexperienced in landscaping, you can save money in the long run by spending a little extra for better service, experienced help and advice.

Check Plants Carefully

If you're making your purchases at a "big box" store, be sure to carefully inspect plants for diseases and insect problems. These stores seldom give their plants the kind of care that a nursery would. If the plant you buy is diseased, you'll have to buy it all over again when it dies, and that's money down the drain. Furthermore, the disease or pest can spread to your other landscaping. Many nurseries offer warranties and guarantees free of charge on their plants.

Buy When Prices Are Low

If you plan your landscaping ahead, you can determine when each phase needs to be accomplished. You can buy lumber during the winter when it is cheaper, and store it until you are ready to use it. Buy trees, shrubs, perennials, mulch, and soil late in the season when the prices go down. In most places, you can wait until October to make your maintenance purchases and still have time to winterize your landscape. Keep an eye out for plant sales at local nurseries. You can find really good quality plants at low prices this way.

Pursue Other Resources

Explore alternative resources. Stores are not the only places to get what you need. You can order through catalogs or online. Membership in a garden and seed club can yield very good prices on many items, as well as useful advice.

Try arranging a plant exchange in your neighborhood. Some cities offer low-price or free mulch and compost, and you can check construction or demolition sites for free stones and bricks.

Neighborhood Cost Sharing

Approach your neighbors about sharing costs. If you pool your resources, you can get some good deals on items bought in bulk, and everyone benefits. In the same vein, you can share the rental fees for machinery such as chippers, tillers, and aerators. If everyone chips in a few dollars, you can work out a schedule that lets each neighbor use the equipment before it is due back. This is a great way to reduce the costs of your landscaping.

By heeding a few of these money-saving tips, you can hold down your costs and create a beautiful landscape that you can afford to maintain.

Visit Home Landscaping to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer, visit his website at Website

Easiest Hydroponics Feeding Plan

2009-02-10T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jason Willkomm

There are many things that can complicate feeding your plants hydroponically. It can be hard enough trying to feed the right strength and right ratios of N-P-K, let alone trying to figure out trace nutrients and secondary nutrients. Once you get past these basics, you must consider plant vitamins, hormones, and keeping everything at the right Ph. If you are just starting out and you only have 20 bucks in your pocket and a teaspoon, this is written for you. I recommend you eventually get a ph meter and a TDS (or EC) meter if you are serious.

The first ten days your plants have roots, feed them 400 ppm Maxsea 3-20-20. This is about 1 level teaspoon/gallon of tap water. Add to this 1/4 teaspoon epsom salts for magnesium.

After that, feed them 600 ppm Maxsea 16-16-16. This is about 1 rounded teaspoon. To each gallon add 1/4 teaspoon epsom salts.

When you are finished with vegatative growth and begin flowering, feed your garden a rounded 1/2 tsp Maxsea 16-16-16 plus a rounded 1/2 tsp Maxsea 3-20-20 in each gallon of water. Be especially sure to add 1/4 tsp epsom salts to each gallon through the flowering stage. I used to switch to straight Maxsea 3-20-20 at this point, but most plants look a little nitrogen deficient by the end. Feed your garden in this way for two weeks, while the plants transition from vegatative growth to flowering.

After the transitioning period, feed your garden 800 ppm Maxsea 3-20-20 until you near the end of flowering. This is about 2 level teaspoons per gallon. Make sure to add 1/4 tsp epsom salts to each gallon. The very last 10 to 14 days before you harvest, you will want to feed your garden only plain water. Flushing you garden will remove excess nutrient salts from the plant tissue and will improve the aroma and flavor of your garden produce.

Seaweed additives are a popular choice when it comes to trace nutrients and plant hormone supplements. Since Maxsea fertalizers are seaweed based fertalizers, these benefits are built in and no additional supplements are required for these two things.

When you mix up Maxsea in a nutrient solution, it is a nearly perfect Ph. What's more, the Ph is stable in solution for many days. This is great for the beginning hydroponics gardener. This means you can get away without the initial cost of an expensive Ph meter in the beginning.

By carefully measuring the fertalizer when you mix up the nutrient solution, you can get away without the initial cost of an expensive TDS meter or EC meter as well. The best advice here would be to always top off your nutrient reservoir with 1/2 strength solution whenever it is a little low. Every two weeks, start over with fresh water and nutrients to avoid a nutrient imbalance in your solution.

The completeness of Maxsea offers you a very simple feeding plan. Between the two formulas (16-16-16 and 3-20-20) it is easy to provide a good balance of N-P-K for any stage of growth. Even so, if you carefully read the fertalizer ingredients, you will find Maxsea is missing one thing... magnesium. By adding 1/4 teaspoon epsom salts/gallon, you inexpensively avoid having any problems with a magnesium deficiency.

Finally, Maxsea costs considerably less than high quality professional hydroponics fertalizers, and will give you excellent results just the same. This is especially true when you begin buying the different hydroponic fertalizer parts, and the separate plant hormone additives, and the Ph meter and TDS meter to properly maintain the solutions. So, for a simpler way that also saves you money, keep this page mind.

To learn more about the different hydroponics systems and maintaining your nutrient solution go to...
http://jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/

Hi, my name is Jason. I have ten years experience growing indoors under lights. No less than two of those years I was using hydroponics methods. It is my goal to improve every organic and hydroponic gardeners results through accurate, easy to understand information.

Growing Herbs In Your Garden

2009-02-09T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Norma Maria

Why would you want to grow herbs in your garden? Fresh herbs are awesome. I love just putting basil leaves on a tuna sandwich and in salads. For the culinary lovers herbs are something they need fresh. Herbs serve as a major source for seasoning in preparation of foods. Herbs have a wider range of use. Some are used for scents and cosmetics while others for medicinal purposes. Effective ayurvedic herbs and Chinese healing herbs are indications of the ancient remedies. Some herbs are believed to have possessed magical charms and many a story has been written about magical potions. Herbs and spices have been major sources of trade between kingdoms and countries.

Herbs of yore are being rediscovered by modern science for fragrances and curing illness. Our ancestors knew the uses for almost every wild non-poisonous plant. Some of these plants were needed in the garden more as they never had refrigerator or the modern preservatives. These herbs served in many purposes like dyeing homespun fabrics, storing with linen to prevent insects and adding fragrance, preserving or enhancing the tastes of food.

Herb Gardens were almost an essential feature of pioneer homes. Sunny corners of the house that were readily accessible to home makers were planted with seasoning herbs. Wild crafted Herbs that grew wild in the country side were also grown in the garden. Gardeners are not rediscovering the value of these herbs and are taking pleasure in producing their own herbs. Herbs can be classified according to their use: culinary, aromatic, ornamental and medical.

Culinary herbs
These are the most useful to herb gardeners. Garnishes and flavoring is where they are used more. A common list is Parsley, Sage, Chives, Thyme, Savory, Marjoram, Mint and Basil.

Aromatic Herbs
This sweet smelling foliage has been used for producing perfumes. Flowers are mostly used but even plant parts are used. Dried herbs retain their aroma for longer periods. Some aromatic herbs are Mint, Marjoram, Lovage, Lavender, Rosemary and Basil.

Ornamental Herbs
These herbs have bright flower and foliage. Variegated Thyme, Chives, Lavender as well as Valerian with crimson blossoms and borage and chicory with blue flowers are some ornamental herbs.

Medicinal Herbs
Some plants are thought to have healing powers. Modern science has researched and recognized some herbs as true healers while others have been said to be over rated in healing powers. Some of these herbs must be consumed carefully or it could result in dangerous consequences.

Gardeners Classification
Annuals, Biennials, and perennials are so called because of the nature of blooming and life span of the herb.
Annuals bloom one season and then die. These herbs include Anise, Basil, Chervil, Coriander, Dill, Summer Savory, etc.
Biennials live for two seasons. They bloom only in the second season. These include Caraway, Parsley, etc.
Perennials bloom each season. These include Chives, Fennel, Lovage, Marjoram, Mint, Tarragon, Thyme, Winter Savory, etc.

Gardeners Tips for you
If you intend to begin an herb garden then your guide to herbs for you to are Winter Savory, Rosemary, Sage, Sweet Basil, Dill, Mint, Marjory, Parsley, Chives and Summer Savory. You could choose any other herb to grow in your garden but know whether they are annuals, biennials or perennials.
Herbs do not grow in wet soil. Good drainage is a must. Improve drainage by placing a 5 inch layer of crushed stones 15 to 18 inches below the top soil.
Mix the soil with compost and sand to lighten the texture and increase fertility. Do not use fertilizers as highly fertile soils produce excess foliage with poor flavor.
Almost all herbs can be grown from seeds. If possible sow seeds in shallow boxes in late winter and transplant these seedlings outdoors in spring. Anise, coriander, dill and fennel can be sown directly. Biennials should be sown in late spring directly into the ground. You could obtain an indoor herb garden kit and start of growing herbs indoors as well.
Cutting and division is a useful method in propagating certain herbs.
Harvesting in the form of picking the leaves is to be done when the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth. Harvest leaves before the flower buds open. This is when the flavor is at the peak . Pick seed heads when the color changes from green to brown or gray.
Very few diseases or insects attack herbs. Rust infects mints and aphids may attack Caraway, Fennel, Dill and Anise.
You could refrigerate or even dry herbs for later use.

http://www.herbportal.com is an attempt to make known some ancient rediscovered wisdom of herbs. The guide to herbs , indoor herb garden kit, etc. are articles that are aimed to provide comprehensive knowledge on herbs. What ever be the way you use herbs fresh or in perfumes it has a lot of benefits. Discover these and more.

Covered Garden Bridges Cross Over To 21st Century

2009-02-09T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alan Troyan

"TFCSOTSPBWL OCTOBER XVIII MDCCC." This curious inscription was carved by a stonemason, John Lewis, into a block of granite that he had lain as a support for a bridge that was being built by Timothy Palmer. Because of space restrictions, he simply used initials, instead of writing, "The first corner stone of the Schuylkill Permanent Bridge was lain on October 18, 1800." When the bridge was nearly finished, in 1804, a Philadelphia judge, Richard Peters, suggested that, in order to preserve its trusses and extend its life, the bridge should be covered. The cover was designed and built, and the first covered bridge opened for travel on January 1, 1805.

Judge Peters had no way of knowing what he was starting. His simple idea for covering that bridge led to a wellspring of folklore, legend, myth, and mystique, that would turn the reasoning behind it as murky as the waters surrounding its original cornerstone, which, it is believed, still supports what is now known as the Market Street Bridge.

The speculations were numerous and humorous. Some people thought that covered bridges were intended to look like barns, to make animals feel more comfortable while crossing them. Others maintained that the covers were there to keep horses from being frightened by the rushing water beneath them. It was also said that covered bridges were designed to keep travelers from seeing what kind of town they were approaching, until it was too late to turn back. Although many people said that the coverings were meant to keep snow off the bridges, old toll signs that designate fares for horse-drawn sleighs contradict that notion.

Covering bridges also enabled them to be used for scores of purposes, other than getting to the other side of a stream. They were used for campaign rallies, religious services, family reunions, meetings, weddings, debates, shelter from a storm, fishing and diving platforms, and even hanging clothes to dry during inclement weather. Favorite places for couples to steal a few kisses, covered bridges were commonly called "kissing bridges." They were also sometimes referred to as "wishing bridges" because it was believed that any wish a person made while passing through one would come true.

The most powerful effects of the decision to cover that first bridge, however, are intangible. Even for those who know none of the specific details of their history, covered bridges evoke nostalgia and stir strong emotions, while their gradual disappearance from the country's landscape incites a growing passion to preserve them as precious, irreplaceable landmarks.

Although it's true that the covered bridges that were built and used by our ancestors are decreasing in number every year, a new era in covered bridges is just dawning, at CedarStore.com. The best part is that these new bridges, which are designed for your own creek, stream, or walkway, have all of the charm of their predecessors, but, constructed from your choice of treated pine or Dura-Temp siding, many times the durability.

At CedarStore.com, you can customize your own gorgeous covered garden bridge in three simple steps, choosing from a variety of sizes, styles, materials, and accessories. Visit CedarStore.com today, and begin your own tradition of swimmin', fishin', whistlin', and kissin'.

For more information, call 888-293-2339, or e-mail contact@cedarstore.com.

Kathy Moran - Writer for CedarStore.com

Patio Furniture Options For Summer Leisure

2009-02-08T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Roy Thomsitt

For millions of people in the northern hemisphere, spring is just around the corner, Easter not far away, and the time for summer leisure looming. Those warm summer days can be so precious, an essential for re-energizing you to get through those long autumn and winter months.

For those in colder climates, summer is the time to move life outside more and make the most of the longer daylight and higher temperatures. For many, life outside in the garden revolves around the patio or terrace. To really enjoy summer to the full, it makes sense to give as much attention to the garden, and particularly the patio, as you do to the house interior. You may go to great lengths to make your home interior look as attractive and comfortable as possible, and it is surprising more people do not do the same with their outside living area: the patio.

An important consideration in your summer comfort and relaxation in the garden is the patio furniture. After all, to fully indulge in the deserved respite from winter, you probably want something comfortable to sit on. A cheap plastic chair that soon cracks in the hot sun is not likely to fulfill that need, nor look attractive. If you really want to use the garden as an extension of your home living area, then giving long thought to the choice of patio furniture is well worthwhile.

What Material To Choose For Your Patio Furniture

I think it is true to say that the better furnished your patio is, the more likely you are to make full use of it. The more conducive to relaxation and enjoyment the surroundings and furnishings are, the more times you will be tempted to dine, drink and laze around on the patio, thus exploiting the summer warmth to the full. And why not? You deserve it. If you think of your patio as your outdoor haven and living space, you will feel far more contented than just treating it like a minor accessory to an old yard.

As with your interior furnishings, matching and complementing your items of patio furniture are important. One of the first considerations is the material you would like to have the furniture made from, and here are some of the most common options at the quality end of the market:

1.Wicker

If the furniture is well made, then wicker can be an attractive material for chairs in particular. Genuine wicker can be used, but also nowadays there is synthetic wicker, which may be more appropriate for constant outside use. Synthetic wicker is often used on aluminium to provide sturdiness yet a wicker appearance.

2.Wood

High quality solid wood makes what is arguably the best and most attractive outdoor patio furniture. Probably the most popular of all is teak, but oak is also used. As a cheaper teak alternative, premium western red cedar can look very attractive and almost like authentic teak if selected and treated properly.

3. Resin

Resin is widely used in outdoor furniture, and is the choice of material for thousands of sun loungers in resorts around the world. The best resin furniture is very enduring, easy to clean and maintain, and robust. It can also look quite attractive.

The material you choose is obviously a matter of taste and budget; however, do not forget to choose a style and colour that will go best with your patio design. The patio is an important living area, so it is worth considering the overall effect of the combination of the furniture and the patio itself.

What Patio Furniture Do You Need?

If you consider how best you would like to use the patio, then that will help you decide what furniture you need to enhance your enjoyment of patio living. A patio will never be fully utilized if you do not dine there as often as possible, so a dining table and chairs are probably essentials. That is, unless you only want to use the patio for sunbathing, in which case you may just make do with a chaise lounge.

The patio, though, can be a great place for entertaining friends, neighbours and relatives, as well as your own relaxation, so dining is an important consideration. Once you have made that decision, then you may want to consider extra chairs to match the dining set, with matching runabout or trolley, maybe even a storage buffet cabinet.

Other accessories to think about when choosing your patio furniture are planters, patio heaters, and umbrellas. All can contribute to convenience, comfort and ambience; and, coupled with the main furniture items, plants and flowers, and patio design, play a part in luring you outside as frequently as possible in that all too short summer.

Always bear in mind that skimping on cost may be a false economy. The well made top quality furniture may seem highly priced, but should last much longer than the cheap alternatives, as well as give you more pleasure for yourself and visitors.

This patio furniture article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner author of the Gardens and Decor web site, where you will find further articles on patio gardens and furniture, plus many other home and garden decor featurs and articles. You can also find an audio MP3 version of this article.

Everyday Sunshine

2009-02-08T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Eoin Beckett

Some Thoughts on Building Your Own Glass Green House

If you are interested in constructing a green house there a certain factors you'll need to bear in mind if you don't want to spend too much of your hard-earned cash. A large part of the outlay is often decided not just by the materials used and their size, but also by the way you plan to use your greenhouse; that is, its design.

A glass green house, definitely the type most extensively in use today, not only allows the largest amount of natural sunlight to reach your plants, but also allows the highest amount of heat to escape in the wintry months. The only way to get around this is to provide for extra insulation. The careful placement of a 4mm solid piece of clear plastic bolted to the inside of the green house frame should be enough to effectively reduce heat loss by 20%. Remember, it is the air space between the plastic and the glass that provides the insulation, not the plastic panel itself, so be sure to leave a wide enough gap.

The framework of a glass green house is pretty well the same as that of any greenhouse, regardless of the kind of cladding material used. Whether you use wooden, metal or plastic frame, the fundamentals of construction are more or less identical. These frames are intended to sit on a firm base with their own flooring to make working in them easier and more comfortable, and the climate easier to manage. Cheap flooring solutions can consist of anything from basic concrete slabs to timber plank-work. Whichever solution you choose, your floor doesn't need to look too finished: this is an outhouse - a working space - not an English drawing room.

Before you start building your green house, you will want to think about those months when the climate is at its hottest. If the temperature gets too high, it will harm plants and seedlings. The same will happen in the coldest months in a non-insulated glass green house.

Some Thoughts on Heating and Ventilating your Green House

Thermostatically controlled heaters are needed to maintain your greenhouse at a constant temperature during the winter months. Electric heaters are the most the common type. This is because propane or oil heaters require the installation of an efficient ventilation system if you want to avoid stunting the growth of your plants. Furthermore, ventilation is also vital during the hottest months if you want to keep from scorching your plants. Providing good ventilation would seem to be a very good idea.

A further prerequisite for glass green houses is that they should be oriented to face east/west in order to capture the greatest amount of sunshine during the winter months. In addition, you should consider the direction of the prevailing wind. If the prevailing wind blows principally from the west, you will need to make sure your door opens to the east to avoid blasting your plants with cold air every time you go in to do a spot of gardening.

There are roof vents on the market that require no electricity, which is useful if your glass green house is a long trek from the nearest power supply. A typical system employs a simple hydraulic arm. As warmth in the greenhouse builds up, the air inside the canister of the inlet warms up causing the arm to move. This opens the vent. As the temperature drops, air inside the canister contracts and the vent closes again.

The roof form of your green house is another issue worth considering. It ought to be pitched steeply enough to avoid snow build-up and allow rain to flow freely away from the structure. You'll need incredibly thick glass and a frame strong enough to support a brontosaurus if you try use a flat or shallow-pitched roof. A steep pitch can also make for a pleasant, airy interior, and gives you the option to place some really tall plants in the centre of your green house.

Eoin Beckett is a freelance writer and editor. He writes both short fiction and non-fiction for both online and print publications. Although he stems from Ireland, since his teens he has lived in countries all over the world and has forgotten many - but not all - of the Irish songs he grew up with. He currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Find out more about green houses at Eoin's green house plan site.

How To Prune Your Roses For Stunning Results

2009-02-07T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ron King

Pruning and deadheading are essential to proper rose care. Alas, there are nearly as many opinions about how and when to prune as there are roses in need of pruning.

While seasoned rosarians have their favorite tried-and-true methods, this article is geared toward new-comers who are unsure where to start. As time goes by, you may feel the urge to modify these techniques or even develop new ones of your own. Great! If it doesn't kill your roses, go right ahead.

Rose pruning isn't as complicated as some people make it out to be. In fact, there are only 7 basic rules. If you keep these in mind whenever you pick up your pruning shears, you'll be rewarded with beautiful bushes that reflect the care that you put into them.

Basic Pruning Rules

1. Always remove any dead or decayed growth. This keeps your bushes looking good and denies disease and insects a place to call home.

2. Always keep the center of the bush free of growth. This denies insects a place to live, and allows good air circulation to avoid fungus infection.

3. Remove crossing branches to promote stronger growth.

4. Shape your rose bushes as they grow. This will change them from wild and wooly to prim and proper, as all good roses should be.

5. Always using sharp pruning shears.

6. Clean the shears after each use to remove any disease or fungus spores.

7. Seal the cuts you've made on canes to keep out disease. Regular Elmer's glue works fine and it is cheap.

Pruning Terms And Techniques

Hard (or "Low") Pruning -- Cut canes back to 3 or 4 buds from the base or the bud unions. The end result will be strong canes about 4 to 5 inches in length. This pruning technique works best with new hybrid tea, grandiflora, and floribunda varieties. You should not do hard pruning with established bushes because they may not recycle. The only exception is as a last-ditch effort to revive sick or neglected bushes.

Moderate (or Medium) Pruning -- Cut strong stems back to approximately half of their length. Weaker stems may be cut back even more, if needed. This technique works well with established gardens of floribundas, hybrid teas, grandifloras, and tree roses.

Light (High or Long) Pruning -- Cut the canes back to around 2/3 of their length. After all the unwanted "wood" is removed, any remaining stems are "tipped". Light pruning is not usually recommended for most bushes, because it tends to produce early blooms and poorly developed flowers. Use this technique only if others are not working and the bush is an eyesore.

Proper pruning is easy, and it is the key to a happy, healthy rose garden.

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit Grow-Roses-Now to learn more about this fascinating hobby.

Budget For Your Garden

2009-02-06T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Thomas Murrell

Have you ever thought about how much it costs to maintain your garden? Most people never give it much thought - spending the odd day in the garden when they have time and impulse buying plants at the local nursery.

But if you're serious about saving money and adding value to one of you're most important assets it's worth thinking about the ongoing costs associated with garden maintenance and how this can be minimized. It's also worth spending time and money on your garden so your asset appreciates rather than depreciates.

For the average size garden you should budget on one full day of maintenance every two months. That's a total of 6 full days a year. Now if you like gardening, that's not a problem and it's probably something you enjoy and get a lot of satisfaction from.

But with today's busy lifestyles, many of us are time poor and might have other priorities than spending time in the garden. So if you can't make the regular commitment of a day every two months you need to allow for this in your budget.

Costs vary, but on average you would pay $20 an hour for a qualified gardener or horticulturist, so this will cost you $160 every two months or $960 a year. Now this is just for general maintenance and doesn't include more regular jobs such as mowing or pruning. It also doesn't include costs such as fertilizing or adding to or improving your garden.

Some of the larger companies have recognized this opportunity and are now providing professional garden maintenance services.

Darrell Canns, General Manager for Yates Garden Care says the market is huge and the garden maintenance business is 10 years behind the franchised lawn mowing industry.

Yates are now entering the market with a full range of professional services including basic lawn mowing, weeding, pruning and fertilizing, small landscaping jobs and tree surgery work.

They are developing a professional horticultural franchise to help put people in the industry. To make money a franchise owner will need to meet professional standards set by Yates, undergo training by the company and use the Yates brand name.

The service has already been successfully established in the eastern states and is being launched in Western Australia soon. Each franchisee will have about 30 or 40 regular customers.

The cost to garden owners is varied and depends on the size of the garden and the time of year. Darrell Canns says this may vary from $50 or $60 a month to $300 a week.

He believes the difference with other operators is that their people are qualified and the work is guaranteed. He also says they will quote on the total job rather than offer an hourly rate. An example of a fixed price for a specialized service is $400 to redig a garden bed, weed it, fertilize, replant and mulch.

There's an increasing pride in gardens and for people who don't have a lot of time this is a service that's appealing because you know what you get and you know how much it will cost.

Mr Canns believes consumers trust the Yates brand and the company has the ongoing expertise in gardening and horticulture.

The company is also working on a garden valuation service, where Yates will give a written valuation of the replacement cost of the garden and an ongoing maintenance cost. Canns says this will be used by real estate agents to compare properties and provide a tangible and independent figure on what a garden is worth.

So in terms of advice what should one do? Here are eight tips:

1. Budget to maintain your garden. Most people underestimate the value of their garden and many people make costly mistakes by neglecting their garden. Plants and trees may die through lack of water, putting in bad stock, not planting properly, and incorrect fertilizing or pruning. Compared to the value of the plants, the maintenance cost is small.

2. Think about the big picture of your garden. What do you want your garden to look like and what sort of theme.

3. Keep your garden simple. Often simple themes work best and feel more spacious. Set one theme and stick to it. Differentiate between decorative elements. Do they relate to the theme of the garden?

4. Avoid too much maintenance. Low maintenance gardens will cost less over the long term. Think about how much time and money you want to put into your garden in terms of maintenance.

5. Understand what you want. For example a garden for a holiday house would be totally different for your normal home.

6. Plan your garden. Work out what works best for different areas. For example shade versus sun and the purpose for which the garden will be used.

7. Avoid big trees in small spaces. Many people put in totally inappropriate trees and plants in areas that are just too small and at a later date it is very expensive to remove those trees.

8. Avoid buying plants on impulse. Roses are often the worst for this. They look great in the nursery in full bloom but can be a disaster. Plan before you buy.

Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.

You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com.

Us State Flags

2009-02-06T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alison Cole

Apart from the national flag, often called the "stars and stripes" or "the old glory," there are U.S. State flags. All the fifty States of the United States have State flags pronouncing their individual identities.

The State flags are second only to the flag of the United States of America, which is the national flag. The State flags tell the story of the evolution, glory, power and prestige of the States.

The stars of the national flag represented the number of States. From 1777 to 1795, there were only thirteen stars, as there were only thirteen States. As more States came into being, more stars were added. The number of stars increased corresponding to the number of States added. All the States formed their own flags as these were formed.

The District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.the capital of the U.S.has a separate flag, which consists of three stars and two stripes, all red, in a white background and set in a rectangle. Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth associated with the U.S., has another flag.

Apart from all these, we have U.S. Air Force Flag, U.S. Army Flag, U.S. Marine Corps Flag and the U.S. Service Flag. The Department of Defense has authorized the Service Flag as an official banner that can be used for display by families who have members serving in the Armed Forces during a war or while the U.S. is engaged in hostilities; it can be displayed during the duration of such hostilities.

The State flags stand for the richness and variety, all held together by the cohesion and unity proclaimed by the national flag.

US Flags provides detailed information on US Flags, US State Flags, US Flag Etiquette, US Flag History and more. US Flags is affiliated with American Flags for Cars.

Garden Sheds Wood Finishing And Weatherproofing Tips

2009-02-05T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Leanne Tremblay

To keep wood garden sheds, arbors, or trellises looking their best, consider using a wood finishing product such as sealer, stain, or outdoor paint. Wood finishing protects exposed wood from sun, water, insect, and fungal damage.

Here's a list of some common wood finishing products:

Wood Sealer: Wood sealer blocks the pores of the wood, while still allowing natural fading and weathering.

Stain: Stain penetrates the wood, and unlike paint, it does not trap moisture and cause blistering or peeling. Stains come in many colors, and in transparent or solid applications. Reapply the stain every other year to keep the color fresh.

Paint: Exterior paint protects the wood surface and is available in every conceivable color. The garden shed or arbor must be sanded and primed before application. Remember that aging paint flakes and cracks, so you'll need to scrape and sand again to refinish the wood down the road.

If none of those appeal to you, there are some other low maintenance wood finishing options:

Vinyl Siding: For wood garden sheds, you can use vinyl siding instead of wood siding. Vinyl siding is ultra low maintenance, comes in many colors, and only requires periodic cleaning (once a year) with water to keep its fresh appearance.

Unfinished Cedar: If your wood garden shed or arbor is made from cedar, (such as Western Red Cedar), you can choose to leave it unfinished. Cedar does not warp, and it contains natural preservatives that prevent rot. Natural weathering over time turns unfinished cedar a lovely sliver-gray color.

Applying wood finishing products is easy with the right tools Stains and sealers can be applied with a brush roller, pad, or spray gun. Check the wood finishing manufacturer instructions. Apply two coats and expect to reapply every two the five years.

Leanne Tremblay is the author and publisher of http://www.gardensheds.greenhouses.arbors.learnabout.info where you can find great ideas on garden sheds, shed plans and shed kits, greenhouse kits, arbors, and trellises.

Lose That Ugly Algae

2009-02-05T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Brett Fogle

Too much organic material in your pond or water garden puts algae into overdrive by providing nutrients that cause it to grow. Besides obscuring the beauty of your vividly colored fish, algae rob oxygen from the water and emit noxious contaminants that can kill them.

Ultraviolet (UV) clarifiers work by employing that part of the light spectrum to rid algae of its ability to reproduce. Once destroyed, the microscopically tiny algae form into larger clusters that are easily eliminated by common filtration systems.

Sun-blocking plants and those that provide abundant supplies of oxygen present another easy answer to maintaining a clear water environment for your pond. "Floaters" like water lilies, lotus, water hawthorn, four-leaf water clover, and yellow floating heart reduce sunlight by substantially shading the water surface and thereby impeding algal growth.

Water hyacinths have become a recent rage, especially for the lazy among us. No soil is required for these beauties. Toss them in the water and they're "planted." A water hyacinth isn't just another pretty face, though; these plants do their part in the war against algae and blanket weeds by keeping sunlight scarce on the water's surface. But one note of caution: This plant may take over the world if allowed. It's invasive as all get out, so keep it under control or you (and your neighbors) may wish you'd never laid eyes on it.

Submerged plants, such as Cabomba, Anacharis, and Jungle Vall, not only produce oxygen for use by both plants and fish, but also absorb nitrogen from decaying plant matter and fish waste that would otherwise be used by algae to proliferate.

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Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several other pond-related websites including www.MacArthurWatergardens.com and www.Pond-Filters-Online.com He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE 'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today.

Building Liner Ponds

2009-02-04T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Brett Fogle

Surprisingly enough, it is usually in mid-summer that many gardeners begin to think about installing a small pond or water garden. Ponds don't need to be weeded or watered, and they can supply exuberant color in the form of water lilies and bog plants.

The sound of a splashing fountain or waterfall is more appealing than weeding a flower bed or mowing that section of lawn. Best of all, no matter how hot or wet it gets, the pond just keeps on blooming!

At this point you may start to think about the expense and labor of installing a concrete pond, and our 95 degree days are just about enough to stop this pond daydream in its tracks.

However, with the advent of newer pond liners and pre-formed pools, the misery associated with concrete mixing and finishing is a thing of the past. Heavy duty pool liners with 10 year guarantees are now common, and can sell for as little as $1.00 a square foot.

Preformed ponds in many different shapes and sizes are also an alternative method to create a quick pond at less cost than using concrete. Using these materials, the average gardener can install a decent size pond in less than one day, and have it stocked with plants, fish and fountain by the following morning.

The simplest kind of pond to build is an above-the-ground pond. Since no digging is required, it usually takes much longer to fill this pond with water than it does to build it!

There are many variations on this theme, but as an example, one can use treated lumber planks which are at least 2 inches thick by 12 inches wide, nail them together to form a rectangular shape of the desired dimensions, and place the form where the pond is desired.

This bottomless "box" can be placed directly on the grass, concrete, a deck, etc., and then the bottom is covered with some kind of padding or cushioning material. Most books say to use sand, but I think the perfect material is roofing felt. It is cheap, convenient, lies flat, makes a barrier to weeds, and provides a good cushion for the pool liner.

Once the roofing felt is in place, the pool liner can be dropped into the form and you begin filling the pond with water. A few staples on the outside of the pond form may be needed to keep the liner from blowing into the pond, but be sure to use just a few, and place them at the edge of the liner.

As the pond fills, the weight of the water will do a good job in smoothing out wrinkles, but if you are a perfectionist, you can help smooth them out by hand before there is more than one inch of water in the bottom of the pond. While the pond is beginning to fill, you can check the level of the form, and if it needs to be raised a little on one or two sides, this can be done by carefully inserting some shims to raise the forms where needed.

If you prefer the pond to overflow on a certain side (like, into the flower bed, rather than onto the deck!) then you may want to leave the overflow side a quarter inch lower than the rest of the pond.

You should wait until the pond is completely filled before cutting any excess liner or doing any permanent stapling. This will give the water pressure enough time to pull the liner into every nook and cranny where it needs to go; some of those few holding staples which you used to hold the liner in place may actually tear loose as the pond fills, but if you stapled the liner on the outside of the form, near the edges, then no harm is done... you will be trimming some of that excess liner off, anyway.

It really does take longer to fill this kind of pond than it does to build it. I once built a twenty-by-thirty foot pond in two hours but it took all night for it to fill with water.

I think an ideal depth for an above ground pond is about 14 inches, but it can be deeper or more shallow than that, depending on what materials you are using for the form. Railroad ties, landscape timbers, concrete blocks, etc. are all possible materials for pond building.

Remember that any kind of wood must be pressure treated if you want it to last more than a year! Although I mentioned rectangular shape, if you have some carpentry skills, you can also do triangles, pentagons, ponds within ponds, etc.

Ponds built with treated lumber planks do not need any side support if they are less than 8 feet or 10 feet long; if you are building larger than that, you will want to drive a stake into the ground where the planks are to be nailed together, so the water pressure won't make the planks bow outward. So, if you know how to use twelve nails to nail four planks together, then you can build a pond. If you are feeling lazy, have the lumber yard cut the planks to size you need. Borrow your neighbor's staple gun, find those scissors buried in the kitchen drawer, and you are in business!

Pond liners can also be used to make an in the ground pond. The advantage is that you can make any shape pond you want, and the ground itself supports the sides of the liner.

It is a good idea to use a flexible garden hose to lay out the pool shape you want. Once everyone agrees that it is a pleasant shape, and it is large enough, you can dig a trench along side the hose, and start digging.

Remember, the pool does not have to be more than 12 to 16 inches deep, so don't get carried away. If you want a waterfall, some of the excavated soil can be mounded up near the pond for later waterfall construction. In some cases, it may be useful to use some of the soil for a berm around the pond, so that is another way to dispose of excavated soil.

Once the pond is excavated, check the level, decide which side you want excess rainfall to flow from, and then you are ready to line the hole with roofing felt, running it across the pond, up the sides onto the edges of the pond. Drop the liner in, weigh it down lightly with some rocks around the edges, and start filling.

Again, do not trim any excess liner until the pond is completely filled. Some pond books say you should create a shallow shelf in the pond before putting in the liner, but they don't have our river sand and rainfall to deal with. I think it is better to build the pond to a depth of 14-16 inches, and just use bricks to prop up those bog plants that don't want to sit too deep in water. This gives greater flexibility in rearranging the pond plants as you wish, and avoids the calamity of a shelf suddenly slumping into the pool. When using pool liners, whether in the ground or above the ground, it is important to conceal the edges from sunlight, since that is what eventually breaks down most liners.

Using stones or lumber planks to finish off the edge of your pond will make it more appealing, and enable the liner to live up to its ten year guarantee. Even the heavier, preformed plastic ponds should have their edges covered by sod or some paving material, so the sun can't reach it. Some final pointers: if possible, locate your pond away from trees, in a place that gets at least five hours of direct sun daily. This will allow you to grow a wide variety of pond plants.

Be sure to use a dechlorinating product when you first fill the ponds... the new chemicals in our drinking water do not dissipate quickly and they will kill your fish and damage your plants, even ten days after you have filled the pond!

Be sure you are pleased with the size and shape of your pond before you start - so you won't say "I should have made it bigger, or longer, or rounder, etc.", within two hours of filling it!

Rule number one in pond building is that no matter how big your pond is, you always want a bigger one.

Last, but not least, if you decide to do an in-the-ground pond, why not serve refreshments and get some friends to help . . . friends will have all kinds of useful ideas on how you should do it ... which is fine, as long as they keep digging...

**************************************************
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
**************************************************

Im A Leaf Thief And A Composting King

2009-02-03T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Anthony Tripodi

Every autumn, home owners rake up their leaves, place them in bags and put them out on the curb. Every autumn I gas up my mini-van, drive around my neighborhood and steal them. I'm a skilled leaf thief and can usually fill the van two or three times in a weekend. Unlike regular thieves, I don't fence the goods on the black market because the leaves are more valuable to me and to my garden. Leaves are a great ingredient for making compost and gardeners can't get enough of them.

A person becomes a leaf thief because you can only produce so much yard waste on your own. You rake up your leaves, mow your lawn, clean up your flower and vegetable beds and it just isn't enough yard waste to make compost for a moderate sized garden. Remember that after it's decomposed it'll be a lot smaller. So when I see people throwing out this excellent garden resource I have to take the law into my own hands.

Not only is compost a nutrient rich soil amendment but it's also a great soil enhancer. It can loosen up hard clay soil and it'll allow sandy soil to retain more water. Compost can be used as a replacement for fertilizers and will also improve pH balance and soil fertility. And all of this means that you will have healthier plants and a nicer looking garden.

To make compost for the garden you'll need to collect "Browns" (carbon-rich) and "Greens" (nitrogen-rich). Fill your compost bin with 1 part "Green" to about 20 parts "Brown". With fallen leaves being a great "Brown" a large supply is a necessity for gardeners.

Without adding a source of nitrogen to your leaves you will get something called leaf mold when it decomposes. Leaf mold is still very good for your garden and can be used as a mulch. But if you want to make real compost and enjoy the full benefits that come with it then you're going to have to add some "Greens" to the mix. The grass clipping from your lawn mower are a great source of nitrogen. Empty the lawn mower bag into your compost bin whenever you mow the lawn. Another good source of nitrogen is coffee grinds. Don't worry if you only have a few cups a day, you can get more grinds from your local coffee shop or coffee chain store.

If you keep your compost pile moist and remember to turn it here and there you should have usable compost by the time spring comes.

If your neighbors aren't smart enough to take advantage of their yard waste and make compost with it then it's up to you to make sure these gifts from the trees don't get wasted. Give those leaves a home in your compost bin and eventually in your garden. Your plants will thank you.

Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of WatchItRot.com - The Compost Guide. For more information about Compost including ideas and equipment, visit http://www.watchitrot.com

Texas Drought Well Documented In The Past

2009-02-02T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

We all know about the recent wildfires in the plains of Texas, which burned millions of acres and it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out why. There have been severe droughts, which dried much of the land. Drought in West and South Texas are well known by anyone who is studied the region for the past century. However, much of the state has been put into a scientific report, which confirms what we already know and that is these regions of Texas have always been problematic in regards to precipitation.

Now however there is empirical proof, which is been gathered by a commissioned research project studying tree rings. Below is a copy of the report, which was commissioned by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA);

http://www.gbra.org/files/pdf/eda/MalcolmCleavelandDroughtStudy.pdf

Currently many billionaires are buying up water rights to these regions because they know that water is life in Texas. Additionally, this also shows the importance for conservation of water in the United States. Many other nations are also going through severe droughts right now and outlast in states like California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana we see the same problems.

Heads up to the people of the United States of America it is time to take personal responsibility for the conservation of water in your community, town, region and state. If we are careful to conserve in the U.S. we will prevent widespread disruptions in the flow of this most important natural resource; water. I hope you will please consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Spring Flowering Bulbs

2009-02-02T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tim Hallinan

Bulbs are the earliest blooming flowers in the garden blooming as early as February or early March. Bulbs can be used in the perennial garden where they can complement other early flowers. Planted in the lawn or beneath deciduous shade trees, bulbs can provide your property with spots of vibrant colors.

Though bulbs prefer sun they can grow beneath the canopy of deciduous trees. In the spring, before the leaves develop, the sun can filter though the tree's branches. However, while they'll grow best in the sun, those which are exposed to direct sun during the hottest part of the day are subject to shorter periods of bloom. Bulbs prefer organic well drained soil and will tend to rot if grown in poorly drained soils such as clay. To grow in poorly drained areas amend the soil down to 1 foot. Adding coarse textured organic mulch and compost to the soil will increase its drainage ability and add nutrients to the soil. Another solution is to plant them in raised beds created with well drained soil.

Bulbs, like perennials and annuals, should be deadheaded after they flower. Removing past blooms will prevent the bulbs from forming seed heads. This allows bulbs to put all of their energy into next year's growth. Wait until the foliage turn brown before you cut the bulb back to the ground. Bulbs receive their energy through their foliage from the sun. This energy is stored below the ground in the bulbs until the following spring.

Wait until the weather is cooler in October and November to plant your bulbs. When you purchase them be sure they are firm rather than soft, bruised or moldy. If you don't plant them right away be sure to store them in a cool dry place until you do. Generally, bulbs are planted at a depth 3 to 4 times the width of the bulb. Be sure to check when you buy for specific planting instructions. I like to plant bulbs in large massings for clusters of color. Cover the planted bulbs with about 2 or 3 inches of bark mulch to help the soil retain moisture and to reduce the growth of weeds in the garden.

Every few years some bulbs begin to get crowded and need dividing. Bulbs can be dug up after the foliage turns brown and can either be planted immediately or stored in a cool dry place until they're planted in the fall.

Bulbs can usually be depended on to provide the garden with early spring color. Sometimes, however, bulbs fail to bloom profusely. This can be the result of too much moisture, too much shade or overcrowding. It can also be the result of removing the foliage of the bulbs too soon or improper planting techniques such as planting at the wrong depth.

Bulbs are among the easiest plants to care for in the garden. With some initial work you can provide your garden with early season color year after year. Spring flowering bulbs are a pleasant sight after a long winter and are the best sign of the wonderful things to come.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm

Tulip Delivery

2009-02-01T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Kristy Annely

Several web sites offer tulip delivery at reasonable or discounted prices, depending on how many you order, what kind of bouquet you want to send, what colors you desire, and where you are located. These online companies deliver fresh bouquets to your door on the same day as you order, or by next day shipping service (valid only for continental US) some getting tulips right from the growers in Holland, the tulip capital of the world, even though tulips are not native to the country!

Tulips are a symbol of spring, and would be a great addition to a table or to your workplace. They are available in single, double or mixed color bouquets, as well as in the popular pail of tulips form, or in a glass vase -- different web sites offer different options.

Saturday delivery is available, often with an additional surcharge.. The purchase may include, in some cases, a free personalized gift message, and you will be offered florist delivery if a florist selling tulips is available in the delivery zip code. Otherwise you can avail of FedEx®, DHL® or UPS® delivery.

In addition to flowers, high-quality tulip bulbs, Holland bulbs or neighborhood bulbs, are available for delivery, if you want to create a spring garden. Tulip care is easy, and tulips bloom for years, turning healthier and more vibrant with age. Tulip delivery online can even get you a tulip tree if you are an adventurous gardener. Growing tulips can be fun and rewarding, and you can enjoy the stunning bursts of color year after year.

A variety of colors are available -- including yellow, gold, pink, white, black, red, and purple. They make delightful arrangements for Easter and Mother's Day, as well as for wedding days.

Tulips provides detailed information on Tulips, Tulip Bulbs, Dutch Tulips, Tulip Delivery and more. Tulips is affiliated with Send Roses Cheap.

Planting Trees And Shrubs

2009-02-01T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Paul Burke

How well your new tree or shrub does is dependent on planting your new addition to your landscape properly. By using the following steps you will go a long way in ensuring the future health of your new tree or shrub.

STEP 1: Choose the right plant for the right location. Ensure soil, moisture, and shade requirements match the plant you have chosen

STEP 2: Care for the plant before planting. Keep the tree or shrub cool and moist as well as shaded. When handling the root ball, be careful.

STEP 3: Ensure the removal of all wires, labels, etc from the plant's stem.

STEP 4: Dig your hole as wide as possible. The hole you use for your new tree or shrub should be at least 3 times the diameter of the root ball. Make the hole saucer-shaped and as deep as the root ball is high. Make sure the root collar is level or just above the surrounding soil.

STEP 5: Remove wire baskets, burlap, or pot from the root ball. By removing these materials you minimize root system disturbances. If you find it difficult to remove the burlap, cut and peel it back for better watering.

STEP 6: Use soil from the hole you dug. Do not mix in fertilizer, sand or any organic material such as peat moss.

STEP 7: Once the new tree or shrub has been planted in the hole and back-filled using only soil removed from the hole, you can prune any broken or dead branches. Because the tree or shrub is so young do not cut back any of the health branches to reduce the crown.

STEP 8: Water the root zone once a week for the 1st year or two. Do not over-water. The majority of new tree or shrub roots are in the 1st 6-12 inches of soil. Water slowly to decrease the amount of runoff. By watering deeply and infrequently you will encourage deep root development which will aid in stability and strength in later years.

STEP 9: Aside from watering, the next most important thing you can do for your new tree or shrub is to apply an organic mulch such as wood chips, grass clippings or tree bark. This mulch reduces compaction, aids in moisture retention, and helps keep unwanted weeds from utilizing the bare space beneath the tree. Use a circle of mulch approximately 3 times the size of the root ball and increase this as the tree grows.

By following these steps you will help ensure a good start for the newest additions to your landscape.

Paul is a Certified Pesticide Applicator in the province of Alberta, Canada. He has over 15 years experience in the lawn care industry.

For more lawn care information, please visit http://www.fairyring.ca

Trees

2009-01-31T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Elizabeth Morgan

The word tree denotes plants, a family mapped through various generations, as well as scientific notations like binary trees. So anything that has a root, strong trunk or stem, and branches out can be termed as a tree. In fact, a few centuries ago people placed in the entrance way a "tree" for visitors to hang hats and coats on.

In nature trees are big plants that grow tall, flower, and fruit. Trees are all around usfurniture, paper, food, houses, and toys. We use things made from trees, enjoy shaded avenues, revel in the forests, and cut trees out of avariceurbanization. Trees are what sustain life and play an important role in the ecosystem. They enrich the soil, prevent erosion, and are home to birds, insects, small animals, and fungi.

Trees are valuable to mankind. They provide fruits and are sources of energy or fuel, medicines, detergents, as well as cosmetics. In fact, fossil fuels are produced by the death of trees.

That trees have always been a part of our lives is seen from holy books and scriptures which praise the existence of treesthe Bible and Koran both mention the date palms and describe its beauty, utility, and uses. In fact, just recently a date seed that is 2,000 years old, found in the excavations of Masada, has germinated. Even in Eastern cultures, the tree played an important role and was worshipped. Art documents that very often the Buddha as the Master was represented by a tree (bodhi) enclosed within a railingsuch depictions are found in Buddhist sites that date as far back as the 2nd century BCE.

Trees have a definite role to play in the ecosystem. Ecosystems are maintained in balance by trees. When the land is verdant with trees that are flourishing and healthy, other aspects of our environment like soil, water, and air, also remain healthy. Trees improve air quality by replenishing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. They replace nutrients in the soil that support growthminerals as well as nitrogen, and conserve water.

Trees also bring down the temperature in summer months and ensure adequate rainfall. During winter months they protect humans by breaking the force of cold winds. Trees prevent landslides and can protect the land from the disastrous effects of hurricanes and tidal waves. They protect humans from respiratory problems by acting as air filters, as the trees trap dust particles and absorb gaseous pollutants. They reduce greenhouse gases through photosynthesis. Trees shade life from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays from the sun, which are becoming more intense with the thinning of the ozone layer. Urban noise is muffled by tree cover, as tree leaves diffuse sound waves.

Studies have shown that adequate tree cover in urban areas can help save energy costs by fifty percent in summer and twenty per cent in winter. Trees are our friends, and need to be protected from annihilation and destruction.

Trees provides detailed information on Trees, Palm Trees, Christmas Trees, Tree Houses and more. Trees is affiliated with Silk Palm Trees.

Barbecue Pit Smoker

2009-01-31T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Josh Walker

If you have done some barbecuing, then you know how great it can be. But have you heard of a rotisserie? This is a cooking accessory that allows meat to rotate over heat until it's cooked. Combine a rotisserie with your barbecue pit, and you'll be the envy of all your friends. You may have seen a rotisseries barbecue pit smoker in action, and sampled the delicious meat that's cooked on one. It doesn't matter how you found out about it, rotisserie barbecue pit smokers are one of the most popular barbecue accessories on the market.

Rotisserie barbecue pit smokers are quite unique in both appearance and function. You can buy them in a range of shapes and sizes. The way they differ from other pit smokers is that the front doors of the rotisserie are recessed. This means that instead of the smoke rolling up into the face of the person serving the food, it moves around just inside the cooking chamber.

Most rotisserie barbecue pit smokers are available as a full-length firebox plus a cooking chamber. The idea is to provide consistent heat so that the food is thoroughly cooked. The smoke can also flow freely around the entire chamber. The pit smoker includes intake vents to help keep the embers in the firebox from bursting into flame and burning the meat. You can also control the temperature and air baffles, to make sure you control the level of heat and flame inside the pit smoker.

Rotisseries barbecue pit smokers have an electric motor to keep the rotisserie turning. The electric motor is strong enough to handle large loads of meat, and so it's important to make sure you choose a pit smoker with a durable motor. You can also buy barbecue pit smokers that contain shelves, which make it easy to rotate the food inside the pit smoker very easily. It makes it easy to access food that you're grilling. Check to make sure the pit smoker has a thermometer, which makes it simple to monitor and control the cooking chamber temperature.

It's no surprise that rotisserie barbecue pit smokers are becoming more popular, as more people discover how easy they are to use. Sometimes it costs a little more for the rotisserie feature, but it's worth it when you sample the delicious results of this type of pit smoker. So delight your family and friends and invest in a rotisserie barbecue pit smoker today.

If you want to read more about barbecue pits, click over to Josh's site at http://www.infoaboutfirepits.com

Proper Handling And Use Of Pesticides

2009-01-30T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Terry Blackburn

This Article deals with the problems involved in Using and Handling Pesticides.

Sometimes, even with good lawn care practices, weather conditions or other factors can cause pest problems to develop. Pesticides can help control many lawn pests. But pesticides have risks as well as benefits, and it's important to use them properly.

The chemicals we call pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. These products are designed to kill or control pest insects, weeds, and fungal diseases. Pesticides can be very effective. But don't be tempted to rely solely on pesticides as a quick-fix solution to any lawn problem. Serious, ongoing pest problems are often a sign that your lawn is not getting everything it needs. In other words, the pests may be a symptom of an underlying problem. You need to correct the underlying problem to reduce the chance that the pest will reappear.

All pesticides are toxic to some degree. This means they can pose some risk to you, to your children and pets, and to any wildlife that venture onto your lawn, especially if these chemicals are overused or carelessly applied. Pesticides can also kill earthworms and other beneficial organisms, disrupting the ecological balance of your lawn.

Use pesticides to minimize pests, not eradicate them. Eradication is often impossible and unnecessary. Be sure you have accurately identified the pest so you can choose the best pesticide for the job and use it most effectively. Obtain professional advice from your county extension agent or a local expert. Spot treat whenever possible. In most cases, it isn't necessary to treat the whole lawn with pesticides if the problem is confined to certain areas. Spraying more than necessary is wasteful and can be environmentally damaging.

Store pesticides out of children's reach in a locked cabinet or garden shed. When Spraying, protect your skin, your eyes and your lungs. Wear gloves, long sleeves, long pants, eye protection and a respirator. Wash this clothing separately before using it again. Read the entire label and follow its instructions as well as any local and state regulations. Keep children and pets away from pesticides, and make sure no one goes on a treated lawn for at least the time prescribed by the pesticide label.

If you have questions about a pesticide, call EPA's tollfree National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (1-800-858-7378). For general information on minimizing pesticide risks, call or write EPA for a free copy of the Citizen's Guide to Pesticides. The number to call is 703-305-5017; the address is: EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs, Field Operations Division,H7506C, 401M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.

Choosing The Perfect Flowers For Summer

2009-01-29T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Jennifer Houck

Summer flowers and bedding plants are a great way to instantly add color to your lawn. Summer flowers start appearing in garden centers in the early spring, but you should be careful to plant only after the danger of freezing weather has passed. Summer flowers produce the best results when purchased ready to plant rather than trying to grow them yourself from seeds. Selecting the right summer flowers for your area can be quite a task, especially if you are planting your first flower garden. Here are some suggestions as to which flowering plants may be right for your situation:

If your flowerbed is in direct sunlight for the majority of the day, you will want to choose a hardy, heat-resistant plant. Some of the better choices for full sun are marigolds, zinnias, petunias, and zinnia. Be careful to choose a variety of heat-resistant plants, as some of these full-sun varieties are prone to diseases, especially marigolds. You will want several types of flowers in your flowerbed not only for contrast and interest, but in the event that one variety does poorly or becomes diseased, you can simply pull the plants (roots and all) and cultivate your remaining varieties. Keep in mind that if any of your plants are diseased, you should pull them immediately to avoid spreading the disease to your other plants.

For areas that are in partial to full shade, consider impatiens, begonias, and vinca. All of these come in a variety of colors and grow quite well in shady areas. In choosing the colors for your flowering plants, remember that red colors make the plant seem closer and larger, while blue will give the illusion of smallness and distance. Planting a single color of flowers will draw more attention to your flowerbed, but if you want several colors make sure the flowers compliment one another. Purple goes well with pink and white will blend in nicely with any other color. Also, red goes very well with violet as odd as this may seem.

The most important thing you can do to ensure beautiful summer flowers is to prepare your flowerbed appropriately before planting. Till the soil thoroughly and remove any weeds, roots and all. Fertilize your flowerbed before planting and for the first month after planting flowers, water every other day so that the roots of the plants will be properly nourished. Use mulch as a covering in your flowerbed to preserve moisture and do not over-feed your flowers. Use fertilizer exactly as directed on the package and avoid getting the fertilizer directly on the parts of the plant that are above the ground.

Jennifer Houck is the owner of http://www.bestflowergrowers.com, the Best Flower resource for learning how to grow your flowers. Learn what foods to feed, when to plant flowers and how to design a flower garden.

Wholesale Flowers In New York

2009-01-29T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kent Pinkerton

New York wholesale flowers are easily available in the New York wholesale market. There are large selections of plants and flowers which come in daily to these wholesale markets. The Chelsea wholesale market is one of the major wholesale flower markets available in New York City.

The best thing you can get in the market is the impressive selections of potted plants, blooming and green. The pots can be made of ceramic, Mexican pottery or terra-cotta. The market is available for you all through the week. Its hours are 8am-7pm Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday it is open from 10am-6pm. The Chelsea wholesale market is located on Ninth Avenue at 15th Street.

Other major New York wholesale flowers are available at many different places, like the Seagroatt Floral Co., Inc. in Albany; Mid Island Floral Ltd. in Bayshore; Joel Harvey Distribution, Inc. in Brooklyn; and C.J. Baker Wholesale Florist Inc. in Buffalo.

Agrotropical and Floral International is also one of the main wholesale florists in New York City which give you high quality flowers with a low price. They offer delivery of cut flowers with airline or shipping of your choice. Ordering earlier would not reduce delay in your delivery, since the flowers are to be picked fresh only after your order. This is to ensure the highest quality and freshness.

The Chelsea market is a place where you are offered a wide selection of flowers. The service is good and reasonably priced. The cut flowers inside the cooler are well known for quality and low price. Moreover, their arrangements change from time to time; you can always expect something new.

Wholesale and bulk flowers which are offered by these florists are wholesale roses, fresh cut carnations, and other flowers; foliage; and floral supplies. They come from all over the world. Millions of rare flowers are the best thing you can see in the New York wholesale flower markets.

New York Flowers provides detailed information on New York Flower Delivery, New York Flower District, New York Flower Market, New York Flower Shops and more. New York Flowers is affiliated with Thanksgiving Flower Gifts.

5 Simple Steps To Dividing Your Hardy Water Lilies

2009-01-28T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Brett Fogle

If you missed the springtime window of opportunity to divide your hardy water lilies, don't worry, it's not too late. Although springtime is the best time, you've actually got the entire normal growing season to get it done.

The reason for dividing your water lilies is that they eventually run out of room in their existing pots and need more room for the roots to spread out so the plant can flourish. Not only is this relatively easy to do, but you end up with more plants as a bonus!

Step 1

Remove the plant from the pot and gently rinse the dirt from the root system.

Step 2

Cut the older growth from one end of the tuber, and the newer growth from the other. If there are new "eyes" along the tuber you can snip them off and pot them if you wish.

Step 3

Take a sharp knife and cut the tuber back on the 'growing' part. On small plants you can safely cut the tuber down to 2-3 inches. Keep it at around 5-6 inches for larger plants.

You should also cut off new buds and any older leaves so the plant can stay focused on growing a new root system.

Step 4

Plant the tuber in good quality garden soil that has been poured into a pot that is suitable for water gardening. Potting soil is not the best choice so make sure that the package says 'garden soil'.

Insert the tuber into the soil placing it next to the wall of the pot rather than in the center of the pot.

Insert a couple of aquatic plant food tabs about halfway into the soil and then pack the soil around the tuber so it will stay in place when the pot is submerged.

Finally, pour a layer of pea gravel over the soil to keep it from washing away. This also discourages your fish from digging in the pot. Make sure that you do not cover the crown of the tuber with gravel.

Step 5

Slowly submerge the pot into your garden pond. Don't be alarmed if some dirt residue mixes in with the water. This is normal and it will soon settle to the bottom and the water will clear.

Keep your new plants in water that is no deeper that 12" until you notice at least five or six new leaves. Once the plant is established you can place it in deeper water if you wish.

There, you're done. Now your old plants will have more room to grow and you'll have new plants to keep or share with friends. Wasn't that easy?

This Autumn Postpone The Winter Blues For Your Lawn

2009-01-28T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jeff Hansen

In the summertime, one sees many St. Louis homeowners toiling on their lawns to make sure they are perfect. Autumn lawn chores are just as important they prevent winter damage to your lawn, and help ensure a beautiful turf once winter thaws.

Don't Put Your Lawnmower Away Yet

Continue mowing your lawn regularly throughout the fall, setting your mower's blades at 3-1/2". Never remove more than 1/3 of grass' standing growth because this inhibits photosynthesis, which is vital to the health of your lawn. Proper mowing techniques aid in the development of healthy root systems and help lawns resist weeds, disease, insects and thatch. At the end of autumn, stop mowing your lawn once the grass starts going dormant, which is easy to tell.

You can also keep your grass green and strong this fall by leaving grass clippings on your lawn to produce organic mulch. The shorter the clippings are, the quicker they decompose and nourish your grass.

Water, Water Everywhere

Autumns in St. Louis might not feature the scorching heat of our summers, but your lawn still needs plenty of water to stay healthy. This fall, water your lawn two or three times a week, preferably in the early morning to prevent diseases from forming, for 30 to 45 minutes per zone. This will result in approximately one inch of water per week, and ensure that the water is absorbed below the root area, as shallow watering promotes weed growth and prohibits deep roots from forming.

Autumn Aeration Gets the Air Moving

To keep your lawn healthy throughout this winter, aeration is important to any fall lawn care plan. Annual aeration allows air, nutrients and water to circulate within the soil to feed grass roots, and it also allows our hard clay soil to absorb nutrients.

The day before aerating your lawn, drench your grass with water for 30 to 45 minutes per area. The next day, walk back and forth across your lawn using a manual or mechanical aerator. After aerating, fertilize once with a slow-release turf grass formula and continue your regular watering schedule, but avoid mowing your lawn for a minimum of three weeks. If homeowners are unsure of how to aerate, they can consider hiring a professional lawn care company.

Fall is the Perfect Time for Seeding

Fall in St. Louis brings cooling temperatures, but the remnants of summer warmth are often with us throughout the season. One of these welcome guests is warm soil. Combined with the comfortable temperature, this makes fall the best time to seed your lawn. Seed germinates faster and warm soil, but doesn't get burned by the excessive heat of summer. New seedlings establish themselves quickly in these ideal conditions, and are allowed a chance to prepare for winter.

Two general seeding techniques are appropriate for the St. Louis area, depending on the current condition of your lawn. Slice seeding is a method used for stressed lawns that need renovation, but eliminates the need to strip and till the existing turf. Slice seeders are available for rent at many local rental centers. The equipment slices the sod and precisely plants new seed into the earth, allowing the lawn to regenerate from within.

Another, more common and simple seeding technique is called overseeding, which typically is best performed after aeration. Overseeding makes use of a rotary or drop spreader, which are small and relatively inexpensive to purchase at home improvement centers and hardware stores. Hand held models are available for small areas, while larger, push units are ideal for larger lawns. Overseeding is appropriate for lawns in good general health, which simply need some sprucing up for strength and fullness.

Your choice of seed is just as important as the method of seeding you employ. A fescue blend is ideal for St. Louis, with new, stronger varieties being introduced each year. Many fescue blends are disease and drought resistant, and bounce back well from the stress of summer. Avoid fine bladed fescues because they are not resilient to humidity, traffic or disease.

Regardless of which seeding method is right for you, mow your lawn to a height of 1-1/2 to 2 inches and bag all clippings prior to seeding. After seeding, lightly water the lawn three or four times daily to keep the seed moist. Apply 1 lb / 1000 square feet of quick release nitrogen fertilizer five weeks after germination, and repeat in another six weeks. When the grass reaches 3 inches tall, set your mower's blades at 2 inches for the rest of the fall. When spring arrives, your lawn will be fresh and luxurious rather than worn out from a cold winter.

More Mulch for the Lawn & Trees, Please

Many homeowners think of mulching as a spring task, but fall mulching is in many ways more important. Applying a fresh blanket of mulch around trees and landscaping will insulate the soil and root systems from the winter cold. Once spring arrives, simply freshen up the mulch by turning it over with a rake, or add a thin layer of new mulch.

Recent studies have shown that the best type of mulch for your trees and shrubs is a premium blend, organic mulch. Organic mulch produces more microbial nitrogen, allowing trees and plants higher nutrient uptake, than non-composted mulch, which is typically made from tree bark, and actually takes nutrients away from your plants.

Before applying mulch to trees and shrubs, remove all weeds and grass from the areas to be covered. Rake two to four inches of mulch into a flattened doughnut shape over these areas, keeping the mulch at least six inches away from trunks. Form a "moat" around the base of the tree or plant to help catch water, and leave a small gap between the mulch and the edge of the surrounding lawn.

Aside from its functional uses, mulch can add color and beauty to your lawn this autumn. Mulch is available in numerous colors, ranging from golden tan to rich mahogany to nearly black, and even organically dyed varieties, which are less likely to bleed or bleach, and will not harm your lawn.

St. Louis is experiencing unseasonably warm weather right now, so take advantage of the situation and begin your autumn gardening tasks. Not only will your lawn look nice throughout fall, but you will have less work to do in the springtime.

Jeff Hansen is president of Hansen's Tree Service, a full-service tree and lawn care company that performs diagnosis, treatment, pruning, tree removal, stump removal and lawn care. Hansen's is fully accredited by TCIA and ISA, and serves residences and companies throughout the entire St. Louis metro area. With nine fully certified arborists on staff, Hansen's educates the public on the values of proper tree and lawn care, its maintenance and the importance of environmental responsibility. For more information visit http://www.hansenstree.com

Tips To Use Less Water In Your Thriving Organic Food Garden

2009-01-27T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Julie Williams

Water is arguably our most precious resource. All living things need water to survive. But we don't just want our productive organic food gardens to survive, we want them to thrive! And a growing plant uses a lot more water than one that is just surviving. Every part of the plant growing process uses water.

When plants start to become dehydrated they stop photosynthesising, close their stomata, stop taking in nutrients and stop growing. It can take a few days for some plants to recover even if there has been no tissue damage. So it is vitally important not to let your plants become dehydrated (just like yourself).

Not enough water can kill or stunt your plants. Sometimes mild water stress can be a good thing, as it encourages plants to send their roots down deeper into the soil, making them more drought tolerant. The aim is to use as little water as possible without causing stress.

Ways to use less water

1. Create soils that are made up of humus and organic matter. These soils can hold lots of water and plants can easily draw it up. It has great water-holding capacity as well as having a high nutrient content.

2. Mulch the soil surface. This reduces evaporation, keeping the underlying soil moist for longer. Any mulch is better than no mulch, even if it's underfelt (the older kinds are safer) or newspaper. This also prevents soil erosion.

3. Use drip irrigation preferably under the mulch or soil surface. There are purpose made recycled hoses available now that are perfect for the job. You can save up to 90% by using drip irrigation rather than a sprinkler.

4. Only water when it is needed and as much as is needed. If you're not sure, try the finger test. Yes poke your finger into the soil to see if it is moist or dry. Make sure the water penetrates as deep as the roots, but it's a waste to water any deeper than that.

5. If you live where summers are really hot, plant crops under partial shade. It could be shade from a pergola or tall plants such as sweet corn.

These are simple methods to reduce your water consumption. You could also consider collecting your own water. If we all had rain-water tanks attached to our houses it would not only give us clean, free water, but would reduce the amount of water that ends up in our storm water drains. It is also much better for food gardens as mains water is often high in salts, chlorine and fluoride.

Re-use of "grey" water is also another way to reduce how much water we consume. It can be used on lawns and other plants in the garden that are not for food production.

Hi, I am an avid organic gardener and am known by my friends as the recycling queen. I live on a small country property in South Australia. It is my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening. This will improve both our individual lives and the wellbeing of our personal and global environments. Please visit my website and get your free 3 part Composting Guide. For Companion Planting info click here.

Happy gardening, healthy living
Julie Williams
http://www.1stoporganicgardening.com

Spring Flower Gardening

2009-01-27T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Linda Jenkinson

Spring is the time when nature and your garden awakes and comes alive after the long winter. That first spring flower or that first green leave is the sign that winter in coming to an end and that a new growing season has arrived.

Spring and Flower gardening is almost synonymous. Spring is the time to interplant perennials, shrubs, roses and plant or transplant your annuals.

It's time to shape up your soil, loosen the mulch around your plants and prune your early blooming shrubs. Rake and remove leaves and debris from your garden. Without a good planting medium your flower garden will never be at its best.

Perennials will save you a lot of work in your flower garden. So keep perennials high on your list. These hardworking beauties eliminate yearly replanting and will still give you that spring and summer color that you are longing for. It's best to choose varieties that don't need a lot of staking or frequent division. Notorious sun lovers are daylilies, sedium, and speedwell. Plants like hosta, fern, sweet woodruff and columbine feel more at easy in the shadow.

Flower Bulbs add a splash of color to your spring garden. "Sprinkle" some crocuses, daffodils, and of course tulips between your flower beds. Flower bulbs are almost essential in a spring flower garden. If you haven't planted them last spring make sure you do so coming fall.

An important part of spring gardening is getting on top of the weeds. Most weeds are fairly easy to control when you start taking them out from early spring on. At that time they still have a shallow root system and because they haven't bloomed yet they haven't reproduced either. Taking care of them in spring will pay off big in summer.

Spring, its really the growing season, and for a gardener its perhaps the most beautiful and promising time of the year.

Linda is the leading author of http://www.gardening-guides.com/ and http://www.lawnmower-guide.com/.

Enjoy Working Your Garden With The Right Gardening Tool

2009-01-26T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by David Chandler

Nearly every gardener has some type of gardening tools. In fact, it is nearly impossible to have a garden without the necessary garden tools. What kind of gardening equipment you use will obviously depend on the size and extent of your garden, what you are able to handle, if you want to spend a lot of time in your garden or get it done quickly, and finally, how much money you are willing to spend.

While many gardeners do not have expensive or high-tech gardening tools, all of them have some type of gardening equipment for cultivating. Tools for cultivating can include both hand held tools and power tools. What kind you buy depends on how serious of a gardener you are. Hand tools include your everyday items like shovels, spading forks, rakes, trowels, and diggers. These can all be used to get a garden ready for planting and are relatively easy and do not require much strength to use. Other tools include a wheel cultivator, pickax, and mattock.

While power tools are a little more expensive than hand tools, they really cut down on the hard labor. The most essential piece of gardening equipment is undoubtedly the tiller. The tiller will break up the ground and get it ready for planting, chop up any debris, and help mix in fertilizer and compost. If you do not want to spend the money on a tiller, you can hire someone or rent a tiller. Other power tools that are very popular include chippers and garden shredders.

If you have shrubs, hedges, or small trees in your yard, pruning tools are a vital piece of gardening equipment. Pruning shears are good for branches about ¾" in diameter, while lopping shears can handle branches from a half inch up to about 2 inches. Pole pruners are on a pole and can reach branches about 15 feet above ground. Hedge shears and pruning saws are both larger, more heavy-duty pruning tools for the serious gardener.

Since your plants must be watered in order to survive, and lets face it, it doesn't rain whenever we want it to, gardening equipment for watering is a must have. The one thing you cannot get along without is a water hose, everything after that is optional. Many gardeners use sprinklers or drip irrigation hose. There are even timers you can purchase for sprinklers or drip hoses, if you are willing to drop the extra cash.

Gardening without gardening tools would be a nightmare. Sure there are some people who enjoy getting a little dirty while they plant their flowers, but even those types of people have the most basic of gardening tools, like a rake or a hoe. Gardening equipment is a part of gardening, as important as the dirt and the seeds.

About The Author
David Chandler For more information about garden tools, visit http://www.gardentoolinfocenter.com For your FREE Stock Market Trading Mini Course: "What The Wall Street Hot Shots Won't Tell You!" go to: http://www.stockmarketgenie.com

Water Garden Pond Pumps To Pump Up The Volume

2009-01-25T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Maisy Day

The sounds of the water from your garden feature and the effect it can have on you is an experience not to be missed. Pump up the volume with the sound of splashing water. For instance listen to the sound of running bath water and to the constant dripping of a tap - which can be annoying to say the least. However, if we change the word dripping to trickling and replace the word running with flowing then that is another kettle of fish (excuse the pun if you have a pond.

If a water garden feature is to prove its worth to the eye and ears then choose your garden ornamentation with these two factors in mind - pretty to look at and nice to listen to

Fountains and waterfalls are most favourable among gardeners. Before engaging in the structure of water garden features as such then you need to remember - these type of features actually oxygenate and freshen the water with the constant ongoing movements. If you have fish in the pool of your fountain/waterfall then they will love the lively waters - but water plants like lilies and lotus may suffer because of this. Plants as such prefer stillness and may well be hampered in flourishing in action packed waters.

Careful thought and planning behind your water garden feature will make your venture a whole lot easier. If you want a bit of both worlds (fish and plants) then you can. Your water garden feature can still be home to aquatic life but instead of floating water plants on top of the water why not landscape surrounding areas with pretty shrubs - this can be very affective as well as cost effective because what ever plants you you use will not have to be of a specific plant type .

Another suggestion is to erect a mini replica of your feature to the side of the larger garden fixture with no pump action and have floating plants there. Water movements are very important to give off an effect which is relaxing to listen too and attractive to look at. Circulating swirls are fabulous water moves.

Water garden features and accessory tips can be found from the best friend you could ever have at your side when taking on the task to build or erect a water fountain - and that is a manual. It is a wise decision to have yourself a DIY book with you at all times when undertaking jobs as such. Water garden suppliers will have all the information you need. Garden centres offer complete do it yourself kits.

Gardening books will tell you all you kneed to know like that there are two basic pump types - the submersible pump and surface pump. The surface pump is usually enclosed in a container alongside the pool where a polythene tube is used feed the fountain or water fall. To undertake this installation is far less complicated than you could imagine.

If you choose the alternative method - then the water garden submersible pump is a lot simpler. Plumbing is reduced to a minimum. Submersible pumps are not visible to the eye. This type of pump can not be seen due to its location submerged under water so therefore no sound.

In other words out of sight out of mind - I don`t think so - not with the injection of beauty it creates.

To create the perfect water feature that will attract attention from neighbours and aquatic life is to make it unique. Fabulous ideas and tips http://watergardens.webinputbiz.com. Information on garden birds http://www.birdbook.webinputbiz.com.

Make Your Fresh Cut Roses Last Longer

2009-01-25T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Willie Jones

Women adore getting flowers, most especially roses, as it is a symbol of love and affection. Price of roses vary from state to state and flower shop to flower shop. Regardless, it is an investment that you want to have last as long as possible. So here are some steps you can take to ensure they last

1) If you have roses and greens wrapped and you want to arrange them in a vase, the first step is to get a bowl of warm water, and with a sharp knife slice the ends slantwise under water. You do it this way for two reasons. 1) Cutting slantwise ensures that the opening is big enough to draw water, as they drink a lot, and 2) cutting under water ensures that the cut end doesn't get an air pocket blocking them from drinking.

2) For best results put them in a vase of warm water and a package of flower food and if possible refrigerate for 2 hours. You'll want them to drink well. Note, if you don't have flower food, you can use a spoon of sugar and a few drops of bleach. The bleach will kill bacteria in the water.

3) Before you place your roses in a vase, Take each rose stem and take off the leaves that may be below the water line, but don't take them all off because the greens contribute to the overall look of the arrangement.

4) Now the next step goes against what most florists will tell you. If at all possible, if the thorns are not too big, I suggest you do not take them off. The reason for this is that it causes the rose stem to be wounded. This leaves them open to bacteria and they'll wilt quicker. If you have to take some of them off then take your thumb, put it on the side of the thorn and pop it off. This is the least invasive way to get them off.

5) Change the water daily.

6) If an arrangement has arrived to you already made, then you need to change the water daily, feed them and do a fresh cut on the bottom. Check to see if any leaves are below the water line and remove.

Follow these simple steps and you'll enjoy your roses much longer.

On another note; if you are allergic to flowers (or even if your not) it is nice to give yourself a floral motivational poster. You'll still have a visual of flowers.

I hope this helps. Enjoy!

Willie Jones

Willie is a freelance writer, researcher, floral designer, and artist. Thanks very much for reading this far. Please come and visit us at: http://www.artinspires.com/for an inspirational poster or two

"Make sure you enroll in the free motivational poster drawing. All winners receive a free framed print."

Building Your Garden Decks

2009-01-24T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by John Gibb

Decking on your Garden is an essential part of the Garden that adds utility and beauty to Your Garden and as whole to your Home. In order to build a Wooden Deck certain points should be considered. Building a Wood Deck correctly can create the perfect transition between your Home and your backyard.

Your Wooden Deck should be a place for you to relax and unwind after a hectic day. Building a Deck correctly requires proper planning and design, whether you are going to have your Deck built by a professional or do it yourself.

Given below are the basic considerations for building a Wooden Deck. First choose a Deck type. You can have several types of Decks in your Home. An outdoor patio Deck can be attached to your Home. A convenient location for your outdoor patio Deck could be attached to the Family room or Kitchen.

A destination Deck would be typically located in a special place with a view and would not connect to your Home. You might have a winding path that would lead to the destination Deck. A connector Deck is several smaller Decks of any shape or size connected to each other with pathways.

The next step is choosing your Deck activities. Decide the activities of your Deck. Go online and buy a good book on planning and building a wood Deck. Think well before you build your Deck. Then decide your Deck size. You don't need a large Deck if your House and backyard is small. Larger Deck will make the house smaller in appearance. Try to keep the Deck simple.

You can also add one or two angles to the Deck design. You can divide into two areas while building a wooden Deck, one area for lounging and sunning and another section for cooking and dining. Then decide what type of material you are going to use for building wooden Deck. Your Deck may need Concrete footings that extend below the frost line if you'll have freezing winters.

If your Deck will be on sandy soil, you may need to build larger footings that will support the Deck posts or beams. The posts can be 4"x4" lumber which is generally strong enough to support the Deck. If your Deck is above ground, you may be required to use 6"x6" structural posts.

The Deck beams will rest horizontally on the posts and will support the Deck joints. Deck joints will be spaced horizontally every 12", 16" or 24" and will support the Decking Boards. The Decking Boards are the floor of your Deck.. Contact your local building official to see what is required in your area.

One major advantage to having qualified professionals help is that they understand the legal side of how to build a Deck and can help ensure building code requirements are met.

John Gibb is the owner of desking resources , For more information on decking check out http://www.Decking-guides.info

How To Build A Fence

2009-01-23T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alison Cole

The three most important things you need in your home and garden are privacy, safety and shelter. In order to achieve these three objectives, you would need to build a fence around your garden.

How could you build your own fence? Before you build a fence, you need to find out whether there is any legal regulation in your area for fence building. There are different types of fences available in the market, from chain fences to privacy fences that come in different prices and styles. You could check out local fence stores or stores supplying home-improvement items.

After you have selected your fence, you need to dig holes with clamshell diggers at the right places in your garden to put up the posts. Putting some gravel under the areas where you would be setting the posts would be a great idea, to prevent the posts from decaying. Then, trim the posts to level them after putting them up.

You could also put barbed wire around the house. Barbed wire, or line fences, do not require much support as posts or wooden fences. You need to varnish, paint and maintain the wooden fences every year, and prevent the rusting of the barbed wires. In this respect, privacy fences and invisible fences are low maintenance, as you do not have to constantly maintain or paint them.

The other inexpensive fencing options are the waffle and the cleft chestnut, which look more like some kind of a basket and give a rustic look to your house. However, these fencing types are very strong and remain so for a longer period of time.

Alternatively you could purchase a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) kit from a local hobby store. These are inexpensive and come with special instructions and a warranty.

Fences provides detailed information on Fences, Vinyl Fences, Invisible Fences, Privacy Fences and more. Fences is affiliated with Deck Builders.

Healthy Soil For A Healthy Garden

2009-01-22T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by David Chandler

All too often, soil composition is neglected. Every season, our plants and gardens rob the soil of it nutrients. All gardeners are to be custodians of the soil, taking the time to replace food and other elements as they are used. Since our soil is so important, we need to treat it, as we want to be treated, not like dirt.

Soil is a composition of weather-beaten rock, minerals, decayed plant materials and other organic ingredients. All this takes a long time to develop, but can be damaged by our action or neglect in a single season.

For soil to be healthy, it should contain a balanced mix of air, water, nutrients, and organic matter. There are a couple things we can do to protect this mixture.

Adding organic matter on a regular basis is probably one of the most important things we can do. Adding compost and animal manure can do many things, for instance:

Increases the soil's capability to hold nutrients.

Makes food available to plants over a longer period of time.

Lessens the amount of nutrients lost by erosion or leaching.

Provides micronutrients that are needed by plants in small amounts.

Releases nutrients already in the soil by increasing the action of beneficial microorganisms.

Increases the water-holding capacity for sandy soils.

Increases the drainage of clay soils.

Saves money.

Do not apply fertilizer to lawns until we get a good soaking rain, and for best, safest, long-lasting results use organic fertilizers. The wet soil puts the nutrients into a solution and helps distribute the nutrients to the plant roots to be absorbed.

The ability of soil to drain water is important. However, when you read phrases like "plant in a well-drained soil" or "does not like wet feet", they are talking about the plant's need for air. The roots of plants require oxygen and any soil that is waterlogged will be lacking oxygen.

Many plants will put up with high moisture-conditions during the growing season, but when the plants are dormant, the same conditions may kill them. By improving the drainage, the plant will have a better growing environment.

Another problem is soil becoming compacted by tractors and other equipment or just by tilling it year after year. You will find soil compaction in most soils, from gardens to farm fields.

Tilling the soil when it is too wet will clump and ruin the composition of the soil. This condition takes a long period of time to bring it back to health. To tell if the soil is too wet take a handful and squeeze it, if it crumbles in your hand then it is ready to till but if it clumps then it is too wet. Some people now believe that tilling at all is not good for the structure of the soil. It exposes the helpful microorganisms to the environment and they are destroyed.

However, gardeners may wonder if it is best to till the garden in the fall or spring. Tilling the soil in the fall has advantages over springtime. When spring arrives, it allows for earlier planting since the basic soil preparation is done. Tilling in the fall allows a large amount of organic matter to be turned into the soil and start decomposing because the microbes are active currently.

An excellent source of organic matter is the fall leaves. Try tilling a thick layer of leaves into the soil this fall and by spring, it will have decomposed.

Sowing a cover crop, like winter rye, is very beneficial by adding valuable nutrients and organic matter when tilled into the soil the following spring. Fall tilling will disrupt the bad insects, diseases, and weeds, reducing their population.

Fall is a good time to test your soil and should be done every couple of years. In conclusion, doing all the previous steps should be done the organic gardening way. It is back to basics when it comes to gardening.

For more information, visit The Garden Info Center and The Garden Center Info Guide

David Chandler

For your FREE Stock Market Trading Mini Course: "What The Wall Street Hot Shots Won't Tell You!" go to: The Stock Market Genie

Hot Rose Gardening Ideas Tips And Tricks To Growing A Better Rose Garden

2009-01-21T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tim Gorman

A lot of people love roses, and that's hardly surprising. When your rose bushes are thriving and covered in blooms, they look absolutely stunning. But if you're just starting out with a rose garden, it's not always easy to know how to arrange your garden to make it as attractive as possible. There are many difference factors that you need to take into consideration when planning your rose garden, including more than just what color the flowers will be.

Start by taking a look around at the various resources available to you. This can include rose gardening books, magazines, and websites on the Internet. Browsing can give you lots of good ideas, but here are a few to get your started.

First, how much space do you have available in your garden for roses? Once you know the space available, you will be able to work out how many rose bushes you need to plant. This is also dictated by the type of rose you choose, and some can be placed quite close together, whereas others, such as climbers, may need to be as much as twelve feet apart. If your rose garden area is small, it may be wise to choose miniature roses for the best effect. These are very attractive when they are planted closely together in a garden bed.

Next, think about colors. Do you have a favorite rose color? You might want to design your rose garden around that color there. Perhaps you want to create a pattern with different colored roses, or just find roses that will complement the color of your house. Many people find growing red and white roses alternately in a rose garden makes a pretty, patterned effect. If your house is a shade of peach, however, you might like to choose a mixture of peach and yellow roses instead.

Also, think about what plants you want to put around the base of your rose bushes. For part of the year roses are not particularly attractive and can even be a little bare, so it's good to have some other plants to fill in the gaps in the rose garden. Choose plants with flowers that blend well with your roses. They don't necessarily have to be the same color, just complementary. For example, a low growing purple flower would go well underneath a row of peach roses. Red blends well with pink or white filler plants.

Now that you've worked out exactly what effect you want in your rose garden, it's time to begin the preparation process.

For more helpful rose gardening tips to growing a beautiful rose garden be sure to visit Rose-Gardening-Made-Easy.info where you will find an abundance of information to include autumn, spring and summer rose gardening tips.

The Magic Of Gardening

2009-01-20T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Daniel Roshard

Gardening is great, and we learn to appreciate not only outstanding gardens when we visit one but also the gardener, who is putting a lot of time and energy into his garden. We are so accustomed to the fact that some people enjoy working in their gardens that we often forget that this is not something that is forced upon them, gardening is an acquired hobby, it takes time and a lot of learning to get to being a gardener and it is not a thing that can be achieved in a short time.

Let us leave aside for a moment the classic gardener that we know and think of, that middle aged, sometimes even older, man or woman that spends a lot of his or her time in the garden manicuring every leaf on every flower and examining the roots of every tree, these are the people who have made their decision about gardening a long time ago.

What makes a gardener, what are the deciding moments for a gardener and how does it start. Most will say that it starts simply by having a garden or a backyard, since most gardeners own a garden they can take care of and it is usually located in their own property, although there are some amateur gardeners that take care of a garden that is not located on their property most gardeners do own their garden.

The passion for gardening is universal, you will find dedicated gardeners on every spot in the world, and in almost every possible climate, there is someone that is waiting for spring to arrive so he could start planning his garden. The other thing about gardens are that they need careful planning, and it is no wonder that when you meet an experienced gardener and ask what is the firs thing you need to do, the answer will most probably be to plan your garden and make sure you understand what you want to have in it before you start making it so, this way you will guarantee that you can deal with all the potential difficulties that await a beginner.

The amateur gardener will most probably need the basic working tools, a pair or tow of working gloves and a few good books about the flowers and plants that are the ones that are popular in that area, the reason for this modest beginning is very simple, if you start building your own garden you will want to start and enjoy it as soon as you can, and since it is almost certain that you have a lot of work ahead of you, it is only sensible to try and shorten the waiting period as much as possible.

Depending on the size of the garden that you intend to develop it is important that you start working on a relatively small part, making it your testing ground, whatever you will find that works on that part you can then apply to all the other parts of the garden and you will also have the knowledge of how much effort and time it will take. Developing your own garden will than start, and it will probably last you for the rest of your life.

Daniel Roshard is an interior designer fascinated by outdoor architecture, currently studying public parks and outdoor design. Daniel writes articles about home improvement and gardening issues. You can read his latest work about Gardening.

Riding Lawn Mowers

2009-01-20T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Max Bellamy

Riding lawn mowers are ideally suited for lawns that are large. The gadget makes lawn mowing less laborious. Generally a lawn exceeding 1,440 square yards is regarded as one where the use of riding mower is essential. These mowers can be maneuvered more flexibly around tight edges, but are quite costly.

A majority of these machines scythe the grass blade, making use of the horizontal rotating blade system with multiple blades. Prior to purchasing a riding lawn mower, it should be borne in mind that they are more costly in terms of both buying price and handling costs.

Riding lawn mowers emit a great deal of noise and cause pollution. They are generally considered a tough proposition as far as maintenance is concerned, compared to all other forms of lawn mowers that are in use.

Before a riding lawn mower is bought, it is vital to examine the yard. Impediments that one needs to overcome while operating a riding lawn mower, including stumps and trees, should also be given adequate thought.

As far as the purchase of a riding lawn mower is concerned, its deck size or blade size should be judged properly. Also to be closely observed is the position of the engine, whether it is in the rear or mounted upfront. Also of crucial importance is the turning radius, or ability of the riding lawn mower to maneuver.

It is wise to carefully note the speed controls, which include alternatives similar to foot pedals, hand lever clutches or hydrostatic drive systems without a clutch. The bagging mode and the price are of vital significance.

Since riding mowers are highly priced, they must be kept in a secure place, well locked, to prevent theft.

Lawn Mowers provides detailed information on Lawn Mowers, Lawn Mower Parts, Riding Lawn Mowers, Lawn Mower Repair and more. Lawn Mowers is affiliated with Blower Fans.

Amaryllis A Perfect Flower For The Festive Season

2009-01-19T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Yvonne Cunnington

There's nothing more festive than several amaryllis plants contributing their rich burst of bloom to your house during the holiday season.

Amaryllis may look exotic, but the bulbs are easy to grow. The flowers are large and trumpet-shaped and come in lovely shades ranging from white and apple-blossom pink to scarlet. Some cultivars, such as 'Nymph', even have attractive striped petals.

An amaryllis bulb kit, complete with planting container and potting soil, makes a lovely hostess gift.

Amaryllis care - step-by-step:

When you buy an amaryllis bulb, look for a large, plump one with some roots attached. Using a pot that's slightly larger in diameter than the bulb, plant it in potting soil, leaving the "shoulders" the top third of the bulb exposed.
Keep the soil moist but not wet, and the temperatures above 64ºF (18ºC) - optimal temperatures are between 68 to 77ºF (20 to 25ºC).
Place the bulb in bright light and watch for growth to start. You should see a flower bud appear after a couple of weeks. Turn the pot regularly so the flower stalk won't lean in one direction.
Sometimes you'll need to support the stalk with a slim bamboo stake and raffia ties.
Once the flower is finished, cut off the stem just above the bulb nose. Give amaryllis bright light on a sunny windowsill or under plant lights.
Continue to feed and water. Apply a standard water-soluble houseplant fertilizer at half the recommended strength every two weeks.

To learn how garden writer Yvonne Cunnington encourages her amaryllis to rebloom next year, see: http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/amaryllis.html - Visit Yvonne's website at http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/ for more gardening tips.

Using A Shed As A Garden Office

2009-01-18T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Garry John

Some of us would live in our gardens if we could. To be surrounded by the lush beauty of nature and growing things, the soothing sounds of the wind rustling leaves, the buzzing of bees and the sweet trill of the birds is the ultimate in luxury - but it's impractical for most of us. What's not impractical, though, is using a garden shed as a garden office to leave at least some of the stresses of every day work behind.

If you work from home, you know how important having your own space for an office is. It may mean taking over a spare bedroom for your desk and computer, or refinishing a basement room to take you out of the hustle and bustle of the family. Even if you live alone, being 'in the office' adds a psychological nudge that makes you feel like you're at 'work' rather than lounging around the house and subject to distraction. More and more, those who work at home are opting to outfit a garden shed and using it as a garden office.

So popular an option is using a shed as a garden office, that the BBC has reported on it in their online Magazine. According to correspondent Giles Wilson, using a shed as a garden office is a high-priced luxury conversion - but we have our doubts. For the average work-at-home business mom or pop, managing a web site, or selling out of their homes, high end items like 36 power outlets and a full security system aren't necessary. Instead, one could turn a shed into a garden office for far less money - and still enjoy all the benefits of using a shed as a garden office.

First, consider your needs. Do you already have a garden shed? In the house where I grew up, the garden shed was a magical little haven that exactly matched our house in color and style - a tiny little room just the right size to fit a desk and chair and a few office cabinets. For someone like me, a professional writer working at home, converting the garden shed to a garden office would be a simple matter of adding a few outlets - there's electricity there already - and insulating the walls for the winter.

Consider your needs before you start dreaming though. Will you need to run wiring from the house to the shed? Add in the cost of the electricians, then. If you're in an area with cold winters or hot summers, will you need insulation, heat and air conditioning? Remember, it's more than just your comfort you need consider. When you're using a shed as a garden office, you also need to consider the 'comfort' of your equipment. Most electrical equipment - computers and the like - are happiest if the temperature is kept at around 68 F. What about phones? Will you need a land line with multiple extensions - or will your cell phone do just fine? For that matter - with a good wireless connection, can you make do with a laptop and docking station for your computing needs?

Using a shed as a garden office can be a wonderful option - and depending on your needs, it can be extremely affordable - or pure luxury. Think it through, make your plans, and then decide if it's worth it to have a beautiful, comfortable office that makes your workday a pleasure.

Garry John has contributed to many home improvement sites such as garden offices and sun rooms.

Koi Pond Aeration

2009-01-18T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert Dorrance

To achieve Koi pond aeration, there are some things you can do. One, you can go to your local hobby store or pet supply store and purchase one of those small air pumps, hook some tubing to it, along with an air diffuser or sometimes called an air stone, and place it in your pond. I still have the original one I bought about eight years ago, and it's still working. This has run for almost eight years non-stop, they are very durable. It works two fold, one, to supply air to the pond water and, two, it helps to keep a hole open in the ice during the winter.

Another way to obtain Koi pond aeration is to have different kinds of under water pond plants such as Anacharis and Hornwort. These plants will grow and spread out very well under water. Just kind of put them in small bunches in the bottom of your pond. Just so you know if your plant them in some kind of pot, chances are very good that your Koi will pull them out. Koi are always tugging and uprooting something.

Waterfalls also provide a great way to help aerate the Koi pond. By constantly having water running down a waterfall and crashing into the pond, will help naturally aerate it.

The combination of all the above suggestions will give you the results you need for proper Koi pond aeration.

Robert Dorrance has had a pond for the last eight years and would like to share his experiences with you. Be sure to come by and download the free e-book, How To Build A Beautiful Backyard Pond. Find out more at http://www.Backyard-Pond-Guide.com

Preserving Your Garden Harvest Eat Gardenfresh For 46 Months

2009-01-17T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jim Kennard

Folks, this one's a keeper, so turn on your printer and save it in your gardening library.

With cold weather soon upon us, everyone should be working to save your harvest, either by storing or preserving. Canning, drying, and freezing, are good ways of preserving your crops such as beans, corn, peas, peppers, summer squash, and tomatoes. They need to be done immediately after picking, while crops are fresh and tasty. Whether you cold-store or preserve your produce depends on the type of food you've grown, your facilities, and your family's eating preferences.

Cold storage of vegetables such as cabbage, beets, carrots, potatoes, squash, and turnips can give you the best tasting and healthiest food of the four methods, and may even be the least expensive in the long run. And you can eat every one of these garden-fresh even 4 to 6 months after they've been harvested! However it requires some careful preparation, so let's discuss how best to prepare for and store your fall harvest.

The details of harvesting and properly storing your crops are covered on several of the Mittleider gardening books, including Food For Everyone all available at www.foodforeveryone.org.

Since tomatoes are many peoples' favorite garden produce, let's discuss them first. Before the first killing frost, pick all your tomatoes, including the green ones. Handle them gently, because cuts or bruises will cause them to spoil quickly. Fruit that's close to ripe can be placed on a kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight, and it will ripen in a few days. Green fruit should be placed on a shelf in a cool, dry place, such as your basement or garage. As they begin to ripen you can bring them into the kitchen. Always remove any fruit that is beginning to spoil. We eat tomatoes into January this way.

Most of your other vegi's need more help to keep them fresh. If your garden is very small and you don't have much to store, you may be able to use an old refrigerator, or a barrel buried in the back yard. However, for those who are serious about providing fresh food for your families, I recommend a root cellar, either under the house or buried outside. A good size is 8' wide and at least 10' deep. This gives you 2' for an aisle and 3' on each side for storage. A shelf on each side is good for things like onions and garlic, which need to be kept dry.

You can set it into the side of a hill or dig a hole 4' to 5' deep in a corner of the yard, build the cellar, and cover it with the excess dirt. This will help insulate it and maintain the low, but not freezing temperatures you need. Provide yourself a small door and insulate it well.

Harvest your crops at peak maturity and store only those which are free of disease or damage. Don't harvest for storage until late fall, since more starches are converted to sugars by the cool weather. Root crops should be picked fresh and stored immediately. Potatoes and squash, on the other hand, first need to be cured at 60-75 degrees for 7 to 14 days. Most produce should be stored at just above freezing temperatures, except winter squash, which does better at or above 50 degrees.

Your root crops will stay fresh and sweet for months if you harvest them with roots intact and pack them in wet sawdust. Cabbage and other brassicas also need their roots. Remove outer leaves, then pack the roots in wet sawdust, leaving the cabbage exposed. Provide separation between crops to avoid mixing flavors, and to keep squash dry.

Potatoes should not be as wet as the root crops. They will do well in temperatures below 40 degrees, but pack them in slightly moist, rather than wet sawdust. Peat moss and sand, or combinations of all three, can be substituted for straight sawdust, but are not as ideal. I recommend you work with your neighbors to find a sawmill, and obtain a truckload.

Onions and garlic also store well. They can handle cold temperatures but, like winter squash, they do better with humidity only 60 to 70 percent. Therefore these should be up off the damp floor, on shelves or hung from the ceiling. A cold basement can also work, but be sure to provide separation from living areas to avoid the strong smell.

Remember, cold temperatures are essential for good long-term storage of vegetables, but do not let them freeze! Insulate your root cellar well. Good healthy eating to you! More details are at www.foodforeveryone.org in the FAQ section. © 2006 - James B. Kennard

Jim Kennard, President Food For Everyone Foundation "Teaching the world to grow food one family at a time." www.foodforeveryone.org

Jim Kennard, President of Food For Everyone Foundation, has a wealth of teaching and gardening training and experience upon which to draw in helping the Foundation "Teach the world to grow food one family at a time." Jim has been a Mittleider gardener for the past twenty nine years; he is a Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor, and has taught classes and worked one-on-one with Dr. Jacob Mittleider on several humanitarian gardening training projects in the USA and abroad. He has conducted projects in Armenia, America, Madagascar, and Turkey by himself. He assists gardeners all over the world from the http://www.foodforeveryone.org website FAQ pages and free Gardening Group, and grows a large demonstration garden at Utah's Hogle Zoo in his spare time.

Gardening Books, CDs and Software are available at http://www.foodforeveryone.org

Tips And Techniques For Watering Your Container Garden Plants

2009-01-16T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Mary Hanna

The importance of proper watering cannot be stressed enough for your container garden plants. Container Gardens are exposed to wind and sun so they dry out quicker than plants in the ground. There are no exact rules about watering your container garden plants. You have to become acquainted with the needs of various garden plants. The best tip is to examine them daily and water the plant when the surface of the soil begins to look dry. Feeling the soil will also help you determine the moisture needs of your container garden. Or, take the easy way and invest in a water meter if you are not sure.

How much and when to water will depend on the kind of plant and soil, the type and size of container, and the amount of exposure to sun and wind. Climate and the weather also play their part. During hot spells most plants in your container garden need daily water, except those in small clay pots, which may require it twice. Some plants, like fuchsias and tuberous begonias, wilt when dry, but geraniums and succulents are not so sensitive to neglect. On the other hand, it is good to let soil dry out a little between watering. This prevents the soil from depleting its nutrients.

Since unglazed containers dry out quickest, watch them more closely. Wooden tubs, window boxes, and planters dry out more slowly; metal is the slowest of all. Groups of plants in large containers keep moist longer than single specimens. A good technique to avoid excess dryness is to have groupings of plants, arranged close together. This allows the container plants to shade one another to keep cool and stop moisture evaporation.

There are several methods of watering the plants. If you have many containers in your container garden, depend on the hose, allowing water to flow through slowly and gently. Water small pots with a watering can that has a long spout or buy one of the self watering containers now available. When plants are grouped closely in a container garden, set up a sprinkler or hose with a fine spray nearby, allowing it to run for a long while, until the soil is soaked. In many states where the climate is dry, an automatic sprinkler system is a must to keep your whole garden hydrated. Remember this tip with geraniums and petunias, avoid sprinklers which spot blossoms.

One thing is certain; you must not depend on rain to keep your container garden plants hydrated. Even heavy showers deposit a surprisingly small amount of moisture, and unless rains are frequent and lengthy, you must do your own watering. Remember those window boxes and other containers near houses or under trees can stay dry in spite of an all-day downpour.

Though it is essential to give enough water to your container garden, it is equally important not to over water and so cause root rot. Over-watering also prevents aeration of the soil, and will cause the plant to drown.

One good method is to set your container garden, if the containers are not too large, in a basin or pail of water for several hours, or until the surface of the soil feels moist (this is the theory behind self watering containers). Or immerse the pot in a tub or large barrel of water and leave it there until air is eliminated and the bubbling stops.

The best general rule is to soak soil thoroughly when you water and then allow it to go just a bit dry before you water your container garden again. Best of all, keep a small spiral notebook and paste the care of each plant into it so that you will always have the needs of each individual plant at your fingertips.

If you go away for long periods during the summer, give the container garden serious thought before making it a project. On the other hand, you can enjoy both holidays and plants if you are absent for only short periods. The best safeguard is to entrust your container garden to a responsible friend. Or if you are going away for a vacation at your second home, or one that you have rented, take the container garden with you as a little bit of home.

Several techniques can be practiced. One is to arrange smaller containers in boxes of peat moss, sawdust, or soil, which has been well soaked. Then there is the pot-in-pot method, whereby small pots are set in larger ones, with moist peat moss inserted between.

As mentioned above, in many of the garden centers self watering containers are offered for sale. These are ideal for your container garden when you are traveling or taking a vacation.

Happy Container Gardening!

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningHerb.com, http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, and http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com

How To Grow Cabbage

2009-01-16T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Terry Blackburn

Growing Cabbage

Cabbage when cooked well is a delicious, and nutritious vegetable that has suffered over the years from lack of imagination and over cooking by unaccomplished chefs. It is now extensively used in salads and Coleslaw the best varieties for this are some of the Savoy's, who are thin-leaved, tender, mild and tasty. Cabbage also plays a large part in many main course dishes. It is the oldest and most widely grown vegetable of the Brassicas group, and belongs to the mustard family. Other members of this group include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, kale, and turnips. There are several different types of cabbage - round-headed, flat-headed for spring and summer sowing, the pointed varieties for spring sowing, special pointed varieties for autumn and spring sowing, large drum-head varieties and the red kinds for spring sowing; green and purple; large and small heads; flat, oval, conical and globular; Savoy types; and those with either smooth or crumpled leaves.

Cabbage plants need cool weather and therefore ideal for my own part of the country. They are easy to grow; they can be grown as transplants or the seed directly sown into the soil. Early types mature fast and can run to seed quickly so they must be harvested as soon as they are ready; later varieties mature in late summer or autumn when the weather is cooler so their growth is slower and can be allowed to remain in the ground longer. Late ones will keep well, up to 6 months when kept at 32F and at 98-100% relative humidity.

Soil Preparation

Cabbages will grow in all kinds of soils, though the varieties that are ready for use in spring prefer a lighter soil, which warms up quickly after the turn of the year and encourages the roots to grow earlier.

Cabbage is a heavy feeder, so spread plenty of manure in the bed at the rate of a bucketful to the sq. yd. make sure that the soil is not acid; apply carbonate of lime at 5 oz. (150g) to the sq. yd. unless the soil is chalky. The optimum pH is 6 to 6.5, greater than 7 the disease club root can take hold. Because they are a hungry crop, taking up a lot of nitrogen and potassium, it should be given frequent top-dressing of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia or dried blood at the rate of ½ oz. (15g) per plant. Cabbage has shallow roots, so cultivation should be shallow. To ensure that the roots are kept cool and moist a thick mulch is an excellent way of doing this and it will help to keep down weeds.

Sowing

A semi-shady seedbed is best that has been treaded after raking, then raked once more; scratch out drills ½ in. (12mm) deep and 6 in. (15cm) apart. Fertility for cabbages is relatively high so the seed should be sown thinly and a rake used to cover them up; the top should then be firmed with a rake head.

Planting

Plants grown as transplants may be planted out into beds that has been well watered the day before. With a dibber make rows of holes in the planting-out area 1 ½ ft. (45cm) apart, leaving 1 ft. (30cm) between the holes in each row.

General Care

Hoe between the rows to keep down the weeds. For those types grown over winter, should the soil be heavy, make a 4 in. (101mm) furrow between the rows to take away excess moisture. Poor environmental conditions during growth can lead to problems when the cabbage is harvested. High temperatures and low moisture can cause small plants and give low yield; they also lead to long stems and outer leaves to drop. Cabbage requires about 1 in. (25mm) of water per week, which should be given throughout the growing season to prevent splitting of the heads. It is a good idea to place a barrier around the plants; this can be a fine net or horticultural fleece, supported by strong, thick, wire stalks in a kind of cloche that will prevent flying insects from laying their eggs on the plants.

Harvesting The cabbages can be cut as soon as they have good hearts. Pull up stumps, put them on the compost heap.

I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

Miniature Roses

2009-01-15T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jacqueline Carroll

Don't let the delicate appearance fool you! These little gems are hardy enough to grow outdoors in zones 6-10 without winter protection, and with a good cover of mulch they will survive winters as far north as zone 4. Miniature roses are surprisingly easy to grow, and they look great as edgings for your beds or borders, accent plants for rock gardens, and as houseplants.

Miniature roses range in size from the micro-minis which grow to about five inches, up to a height four feet or more. The flowers are from 1/2 inch to two inches in diameter, and the range of colors is similar to that of full-sized roses. Most types will bloom from spring until frost. Unfortunately, miniature roses have little or no fragrance.

When grown indoors as pot plants, miniature roses need a little special care. Even when grown in the sunniest window, they will usually need supplemental light. You will know your rose isn't getting enough light when the stems seem to stretch out leaving wide spaces between the leaves.

Miniature roses also need lots of humidity if kept indoors. Set your pot in a tray of pebbles and water. The pebbles will support the pot above the water level so the soil doesn't become waterlogged. As it evaporates, the water will provide the plant with extra humidity. If you house is very dry, run a cool-mist vaporizer now and then.

Spider mites and whiteflies are drawn to indoor miniature roses. To reduce the chances of these pests attacking your plants, give them a weekly shower. Take care to thoroughly rinse both the tops and the undersides of the leaves. To treat whiteflies, use an insecticidal soap at five day intervals or spray with a solution of four parts water to three parts rubbing alcohol -- add a squirt of dish soap for good measure -- and keep the plant out of the light until the alcohol dries completely.

Soap spray and alcohol spray also work for spider mites, and you might also try buttermilk spray: mix 1/2 cup buttermilk with 4 cups wheat flour to 5 gallons of water. Quarantine infested plants until you are sure that the insects are irradiated. In extreme cases, you can strip the leaves off the plant and cut it back by half. Don't worry, you won't kill it, and you'll soon see signs of new growth.

For the best blooms, use a fertilizer that is high in potassium. The last number in the N-P-K ratio indicates the amount of potassium, and an N-P-K ratio of 5-5-10 is a good choice. Mix the fertilizer to about 1/4 strength and use it once a week.

After your roses spend a season indoors, it's best to plant them outdoors and get new, disease and pest-free plants to use indoors. They can be planted directly in the garden or kept in containers, but remember that outdoor plants in small containers can dry out quickly. Harden them off before placing them outdoors permanently.

Jackie Carroll is the editor of GardenGuides.com, a leading internet destination for gardeners, and GardenGuidesKids.com. http://www.gardenguides.com http://www.gardenguideskids.com

How To Find The Major Riding Mower Manufacturers

2009-01-14T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Caxton

Why walk when you can ride? so goes the adage of a famous lawn tractor manufacturer company. How very true! You need not walk when you can run or drive or even hitch on to a bandwagon. The same is true of using the riding lawn mower manufacturers. When you can get simple things done in an easy way, why try an out of way solution? You can find riding mower manufacturers in every yellow pages directory

Established Lawn Mower manufacturers

Every major manufacturer of automobile has presence in the agricultural equipment segment and it is no wonder, that they have presence in the riding mower segment too. After all, the machine they make is the same only the riding chassis is different and the work it does is different.

Provide a power take off at the bottom and attach a blade to it and you have a riding mower ready for you. Established players like Honda, Ford and all other automobile giants along with specialized manufacturers like John Deere manufacture riding lawn mowers.

Niche Manufacturers of Riding Lawn Mowers

Some manufacturers specialize in the manufactures of agricultural implements and specialized equipments for home garden section. These manufacturers have now ventured in lawnmowers. The case of John Deere is very old and some new manufacturers have come in and started doing what John Deere has done (and have become successful in that).

The manufacturers like Toro, Coronet, Ariens, Husqvarna, have an established presence in this niche market and are standing up to competition from the majors like the one given above. The manufacturers have some good models like LX series, GT 2000 series, 5XI series and more like it. Toro and Simplicity from Coronet are worth mentioning. The models have been well received in the market and are worth the money.

There are others like Case, Murray, Snapper. These manufacturers are very popular in the North America segment and are very popular in Europe.

There are still ore manufacturers like Grasshopper, Troy built, Dixon industries, Club cadet who have not made it big but with the quality and production range they have, they have the capacity to make it big and stand up to the giants like Honda, Ford, John Deere.

Competition From China

Competition from Chine is increasing and many Chinese manufacturers are eyeing at the North America and European markets. They have successful penetrated the markets and have been enticing the market with lower cost. In fact, it is only because of the lower costs, their market penetration is good.

Since it is a market for consumer durables, the market also looks at the price. The American and European markets are quality conscious and are not very price sensitive. The market capturing will depend on the quality of the product and may be that the Chinese will improve the quality and capture market as Japanese manufacturers have done in automobile segment in a not too distant past.

With so many choices how do you choose? If you are new to riding mowers, you might depend on feedback from friends, or if you are the type that is not averse to risk taking, go for Chinese manufacturers and there is a 90% chance that you will not be sorry.

Andrew Caxton is a reliable journalist who has published more articles on this issue for www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . If you would like more information on this topic please checkout his website, with tips on walk behind and riding lawn mowers

How To Install A Liner Pond

2009-01-13T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gerry Fung

Liner ponds are ideal for the experienced water gardener because they allow for very forgiving installations, which consequently promotes greater creativity. However, for the very same reasons, liner ponds also take require some pre-planning. Before you commence a liner pond project, you should purchase a pond liner that is of the appropriate size for your pond dimensions. To determine the appropriate liner size, it is recommended that you use a pond liner calculator (I.e. like the one on GardenSM.com's website). To follow are instructions and tips on how you can install your very own liner pond.

It is recommended that you purchase an EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) liner that is at least 45 mil in thickness. EPDM is a highly stable material that stays flexible in temperatures from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike other liner materials, it does not contain plasticizers that could cause it to become brittle with age. EPDM will also last longer than other liner materials because it is resistant to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV), and it has high expansion and contraction characteristics that enable it to conform to rocks and tree roots in the earth sub grade.

Once you have designed the pond on paper, and purchased all the necessary materials, you should start by marking the outline of the pond with rope or a garden hose. Start by digging a coping shelf around the perimeter of the pond. The coping shelf will help to hold the boulder, rockwork, and the liner overlay into place. The coping shelf should be approximately 2" deep and 16 to 18 inches wide. It is recommended that you utilize a square shovel to dig the coping shelf, because round or sharp-pointer shovels can leave small furrows in the dirt.

After ensuring that the coping shelf is level all around the pond, dig a bog shelf for plants. Most ponds are designed with shelves 9" to 12" below the water level. Afterwards, the center (I.e. deepest area) of the pond should be dug. The deep area should slope in approximately 20 degrees from the vertical.

Prepare the hole for the liner by removing sharp stones or roots. At this point, you have the option of lining the excavation with pond underlayment. Although it is not mandatory, underlayment helps to cover the entire surface, to protect the liner from below. Liner underlayment does not need to be in a single piece, hence smaller pieces can be overlapped. However, it is recommended that you tape smaller underlayment pieces together, to keep the pieces from moving after the liner is placed on top.

The liner should be carefully laid-out into the hole. Although a 45 mil liner is thick and durable, care must be taken to make certain that the liner is not damaged or punctured during installation. Unlike the underlayment, the liner must be a single unbroken sheet. Try to minimize the folding and pleating of the liner, because folds have the potential to trap dirt and debris. A perfectly intact liner should last for 40 years before it begins to deteriorate.

Now you're ready to fill the pond with water! As you're filling the pond, stop the hose periodically to smooth out wrinkles in the liner. After the pond has been filled, you can cut off any excess liner, but make sure that enough material is left to allow the liner to extend over the coping shelf (and underneath whatever edging is planned). The liner can be anchored with boulders, or long nails around its edge. Edging materials should be applied around the liner to weigh it down, which has the added benefit of giving your pond a natural look.

At this point, the most difficult part of the installation has been completed. All that remains to be done is to install the pump, and decorate around the pond. However, if you find yourself with an uncontrollable urge to expand your water garden, you should definitely consider the installation of a cascade or waterfall.

For more information on installing a liner pond, please go to http://www.gardensupermart.com.

Liner pond kits, complete with liner, appropriately sized pump, and fountain heads, can be purchased from GardenSM.com's website at http://www.gardensupermart.com/buypond/c229944.2.html.

An Introduction To Gardens

2009-01-12T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Jimmy Sturo

Man's fascination for gardens dates back to the time of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. The fascination continues and to this day, a small garden by one's house is the dream of many homeowners. This is especially true of a city dweller. A chance to bring in some nature is what a garden provides to a city dweller. In the recent years people have moved away from nature, with technology and science keeping him indoors most of the time. Gardens are a small attempt by people to reconnect with nature's bounties. City developers have recognized the need for gardens in cities and now plan for them. Green spaces are the lungs of cities. Their value and indispensability has been recognized and they are provided for.

Gardens have the capacity to gratify all our senses. They provide a pleasant sight for the eyes, sweet smelling flowers and fresh plants, fruits tickle our taste buds, birds that nest in their trees provide pleasant sounds for our ears and the fresh breeze blowing through, leaves a pleasant feeling on our skins. It is no wonder that man has always tried to create spaces that bring nature close to him. Examples of such creations abound in every part of the world. The ancient world had created the hanging gardens of Babylon, a true wonder. It was listed among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

All ancient civilizations had huge gardens. Excavations show their existence. Slowly gardens began to be cultivated specifically for medicinal herbs. The Chelsea Physic Garden in London established in 1673 is one of the earliest known botanical gardens. With time, recreational gardens came into being with royal patronage. Large houses started taking pride in ornamental gardens and the trend continues to this day. Vegetable gardens and fruit orchards slowly became popular. As flowers came to be appreciated a trend of planned cultivation of flowers started. Many 20th century housing estates in Europe and the U.S. saw the advent of miniature landscaped gardens with lawns and flowerbeds. The trend came to stay.

Gardens are cultivated at all levels right from the local administration to the small house owner. Botanical gardens are cultivated and maintained by the local administration to maintain the botanical diversity of a place. Besides conservation of natural balance these gardens serve the cause of science and education too. They are used to nurture plants from other parts of the world and are often associated with university classes pursuing such studies.

Gardens provides detailed information on Gardens, Flower Gardens, Garden Décor, Garden Furniture and more. Gardens is affiliated with Flower Gardening.

Fire Ants

2009-01-12T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Josh Riverside

Fire ants are considered a notorious pest and can sometimes be life threatening. Two main species of fire ants, namely black imported solenopsis rchteri gorel and red ants solenopsis invicta buren are responsible for causing wide spread damage to crops, cattle and humans. The term imported fire ant stems from the fact that two species were fortuitously imported to the United States in the 1930's from South America.

A fire ant's sting can cause a sever allergic reaction lasting up to 10 days, at times posing a serious threat to life. Fire ants also adversely affect the ecosystem. Ants and several invertebrates are actually vital to the eco-system, as they aid in mixing and aerating the soil.

There are several reasons for the rapid spread of the imported fire ants. They have an extremely active reproductive capacity and can have several queens reproducing aggressively in a single colony. The queen cans transverse over a great distance before establishing a colony. In areas where the natural invertebrate predators are more powerful, fire ants may pose less of a problem. However, when humans cultivate or develop an area, the natural competing enemies of fire ants are eliminated and they reproduce rapidly.

Fire ants usually colonize inconspicuously in open sunny areas in mounts. They also colonize in walls of buildings, rotting wood, etc. Fire ants have omnivorous feeding habits and can consume only liquid or solids that are converted to liquid by regurgitating digestive enzymes. Quarantine measures have been introduced by the United States to safeguard areas that have not yet been infested.

Ants provides detailed information on Ants, Fire Ants, Carpenter Ants, Ant Farms and more. Ants is affiliated with Cave Crickets.

Take The Blossom Of Various Types Of Flowering Trees

2009-01-11T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Khieng Chho

Delight your loved ones for springs to come with a blossom of flowering trees. Every time the springtime arrives, they will be reminded of your great love and thoughtfulness. Simple things as they may seem but it can never be compared to a luxurious gift.

Aside from the personalized gifts that you can give them during special occasions you can try buying flowering tree. It could be the best present that you can give them. By simply placing it inside their room the flowers that it bears could bring fragrance and soothing feeling to them.

Typically the common flowering tree that is given as a present is a bonsai type. This is ideal for limited space in your home or office. It is best to place it on a center table together with a scented candle and some accentuations. Surely, it will create beautiful scenery.

Aside from the bonsai type of flowering tree there are also some flowering species that produce an assortment of fine-looking and vibrant color of flowers. These are suited for various landscapes in the different places in United States.

Here are some of the various types of flowering trees:

Ann Magnolia

The flowers are bigger in size and the colors are mixed red and purple. It can grow as tall as 10 feet. It is best planted on a well-drained moist type of soil. Its season usually falls in the month of April.

Aristocrat Flowering Pear

It is characterized with a dominant and sturdy trunk that makes it less susceptible to any damage cause by the strong wind. Its foliage is dark green that is appealing to the eyes. This is also one of the fastest growing flowering trees because it reaches a height of 40 to 60 feet. It is more tolerant on warm places.

Black Cherry

This is a native flowering tree found in Northern and Southern part of America and Mexico. It is a bit easy to grow black cherry because it is suited in both lowland and upland places especially along the stream. Like the aristocrat, black cherry also grows with a height of 50 to 80 feet. Its scented white flowers make the cherry tree fabulous. After the white flowers appear it is followed with drooping small red cherries that ripen in the late summer.

Choose among the various types of flowering trees and make your place a paradise.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho is author and owner of Flowering Fruit Trees. For related articles, visit Ken's website: http://floweringtrees.wicwoc.com

Co2 For Free

2009-01-10T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by David Oppenheimer

We've all heard that there is no such thing as a 'free lunch'; well the process described in this article may be as close to one as you get. Most of us already know the benefits of CO2 enrichment for photosynthesis. To maximize indoor growing and greenhouse potential, CO2 is supplemented to maintain an approximate level of 1500 ppm, this can require frequent trips to an industrial gas supplier and/or a lot of propane or natural gas use, and related costs. It is ironic that many indoor farmers are exhausting CO2 to the outdoors from home heaters and hot water heaters while simultaneously releasing or generating CO2 for an indoor grow room or a greenhouse.

Propane and Natural gas burn clean enough that small non-vented gas devices have been approved for indoor use. These gas burning devices all use oxygen (in the air) to burn the gas, resulting in the by-products of CO2, H20 (humidity), and heat (Reusch). Exhaust from gas appliances can provide 3 essential conditions for maximized growth: humidity, temperature, and CO2 level. Most heat from the exhaust is removed by the heat exchanger of the furnace or water heater; resulting in mildly warm exhaust. Photosynthesis for many plants, including marijuana, in a CO2 enriched environment,is most efficient around 85 degrees F.

If a large gas heater's exhaust is diverted into the grow area, there is great potential for all the oxygen to be burned up or displaced, as well as CO (carbon monoxide accumulation), resulting in toxic air conditions. With proper equipment, the CO2 from your gas furnace and/or water heater's exhaust can be safely used to supplement the CO2 used in your grow room. This will save time and money, make the plants grow great, reduce fuel use, and dramatically reduce the amount of 'Greenhouse' gasses released into the environment. Using this technique, you will help prevent global warming while optimizing growing conditions. The key to doing this safely and effectively is to divert enough exhaust from your gas appliance into your grow area to maintain a CO2 level of 1500 ppm, and have additional exhaust directed outside.

"The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) have set workplace safety standards of 5,000 ppm" and very high CO2 levels can cause undetectable asphyxiation when O2 in the blood is replaced by the CO2 (Minnesota Department of Health). Keep a CO (carbon monoxide) detector in the grow room for safety in case equipment malfunctions! Do not attempt this project if you use oil or kerosene heat, which do not burn cleanly! The trick to tapping into this source of unused CO2 from gas furnace and water heaters is power dampers. A power damper is a duct section with a flap that opens and closes the flow through the duct and is powered by electricity. Some dampers close with current applied and others are designed to open. Most dampers are low voltage so the right size transformer must be wired inline to the damper; there are some 110volt dampers. Quality dampers will seal much better than cheap dampers. This simple addition to a CO2 enrichment system will pay for itself many times over (especially with today's fuel prices) and reduce house or business emissions into the environment, making your project 'greener'. It is necessary to have a CO2 levels monitor hooked to a controller (sequencer) to tell the dampers (by applying power) when CO2 is needed and when the threshold has been reached. You can still use your controller to run your CO2 generator and or regulator.

Find the exhaust pipe of your gas furnace or hot water heater. These devices should already be properly vented. Turn off your gas appliance while working on this. Disconnect (or cut open) a section of duct where it will be closest, with least bends, to tap in and route a new duct to the grow area. The few items needed can be found at most heating supply stores. If you can not find matching dampers for the size and type of duct that you have, you may have to convert the duct to a size or type that you can find dampers for. Using a "Y" connector and a power damper that closes when power is added, hook up inline with the duct running to the outside. For smooth flow, install "Y" so exhaust comes in the 'bottom' of the "Y" duct section. Now take the damper that opens when power is applied, attach it to the other "Y" opening. Run a duct from this 'power open' damper into the grow area above the plants, since CO2 is heavier than air; but you probably already know this. Now all you have to do is either wire the dampers together or use a multi-outlet adapter and plug them into your CO2 sequencer along with your CO2 generator or CO2 tank regulator using a 3 outlet adapter.

If the pipes are far from the outside wall or roof there may be inline duct booster fans. If the grow room is not getting flow through the new duct, a inline duct booster fan may be needed, especially if there is one used on the original duct that exhausts to the outside past the new "Y" section from the appliance. If you add a duct booster fan, wire it or plug it in together with the dampers, they will then power on and off together. Many furnaces will have an adequate exhaust blower so an additional duct booster fan will not be necessary. Keep an eye on any booster fans (if any) on the original duct between the "Y" junction and the outside, there is a chance they could overheat if running when the damper to the outside is closed. Once this is setup, when your CO2 sequencer determines it's time to add CO2 to the room and switches power on, the exhaust damper to the outside will close and the damper to the grow room will open; resulting in the furnace's or hot water heater's exhaust being diverted into the grow room. The CO2 generator or release regulator will be working also, this way the room is guaranteed to always have just the right amount of CO2 even if the furnace or water heater is not currently in use. When the proper level is reached and the sequencer powers off, the damper leading into the grow room will close and the damper in the duct leading to the outside will reopen. All exhaust at this point will vent outside until the room needs more CO2. For safety, be sure all circuits and/or outlets are supplying no more than 80% of their rated load in watts, and are properly wired. Also, be sure to secure duct well. The 200°F rated duct tape holds up better than the regular (for connecting duct sections).

If you are diverting the hot water heater exhaust for this CO2 enrichment supplement, you can further take advantage of this setup by timing showers, dishes and laundry, as the lights come on (time that enrichment equipment runs the most) and during the light cycle in general.

Using this system, farmers will find they make less trips to get propane or CO2 tanks filled, and are spending less money, while the levels in the grow room remain the same.

This addition to an enrichment system will also reduce the volume of CO2 released into the environment from the house or business. The CO2 diverted to the room is used by the plants during photosynthesis, further reduces the gas appliance's CO2 release into the environment. Using this system, the room will reach the desired CO2 level quicker, and fluctuate less, further enhancing growth.

Works Cited List:

Minnesota Department of Health

This page, located on the Minnesota Department of Health's website, is a good source to show the adverse health effects high levels of C02 will cause. As best as I can tell, this site is run by the State government. The information on this page is consistent with other sources also describing the harmful health effects caused by too much CO2 in air. This page, while short, clearly presents figures and dangers, agreed upon by government scientist, that are associated with high CO2 levels. The statement, "At very high levels, 30,000 ppm and above, CO2 can cause asphyxiation as it replaces oxygen in our blood." clearly demonstrates the potentially fatal condition that elevated CO2 levels can cause.

"Carbon Dioxide (CO2)" Minnesota Department of Health. Mar. 2004.

27 June 2005

Reusch, William. "Reaction of Alkanes" Michigan State University

This page clearly describes the physical process of propane combustion. After reviewing a dozen sources of propane and natural gas combustion, I found this page to have most precise, in-depth yet understandable descriptions of the potential reactions of propane combustion. Although the article cites no references for the information it contains, the information is consistent with common knowledge and other reference materials and is on the Chemistry Department's web site of the Michigan State University. By showing the structural formulas for the reactions mentioned along with clear reasoning demonstrating why the reactions may differ, this source will allow a reader of my essay to understand what products can be created by propane combustion. This article shows how CO2 and H2O are the direct products obtained by the burning of propane when sufficient O2 present.

Reusch, William. "Reactions of Alkanes" Michigan State University Department of Chemistry 1999. rev. 2004. 28 June 2005

© David Oppenheimer, My Website Performance Impressions Professional Concert Photographer, online photography galleries - Jam Bands, Hi-Tech Online Store featuring Steinel Vaporizer Guns and Glass, motion activated lighting, adhesives, and more, Expert Veteran Farmer, Writing Student, Activist, and Lobbyist

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Landscape Photography Amp Painting

2009-01-09T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by David Dunlap

If you love taking pictures or painting and know that you have talent, you should consider starting your own business in landscape photography or landscape painting. There are many people who pay a good amount of money for original paintings and photos to grace their home. They don't want a reproduction that one of their friends or colleagues might pick up as well, they want something fresh and unique that they can call their own.

What's more, having a job where you must be able to view beautiful scenery on a regular basis can be rewarding in many ways. You will be able to travel to different cities and countries in the name of art. Imagine taking a vacation to a country you have never before seen and knowing that you will only profit from it.

But what if you are a stay-at-home mom or someone who just doesn't want to travel often but know that you have a talent that can't be matched? You can always take photos and create paintings from your own yard. The bigger your yard, the more possibilities you will have. You may also find a great new pastime by sculpting and decorating your yard for your landscape pictures or paintings.

You will need to redress your yard each time and come up with new and innovative ways to make it shine. You may even want to utilize both your back and front yards to give you more options. If your neighbors have great yards, see about using theirs as well. You may want to offer a small monetary incentive if necessary.

There are many resources on the Internet for you to learn more about landscaping. You should start at http://purelandscaping.com. You will need to learn all you can to assist you in making your yard look beautiful, which will help sell the landscaping pictures or paintings you produce for more profit.

David Dunlap is the founder and owner of Pure Landscaping, an online resource directory designed to help with any sized landscape project. For more information, visit http://purelandscaping.com

Your Home Is Your Fortress The Art Of Garden Fencing

2009-01-09T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robbie Darmona

Garden fencing is not just a simple way to protect from ruthless invaders. It has become a form of art, a nice addition to the whole decoration of your house. Garden fencing adds to the look of the garden itself. Even if your garden is perfect, with the rarest exotic plants and the most beautiful flowers, an ugly fence can spoil the effect. That is why, garden fencing is regarded as an artistic sphere, where you can express your individual taste. There are many ways to make the fence of your garden. Here are three popular types of garden fencing, which you may use to make your garden prettier.

Wood Garden Fencing. Wooden lattices are best to use if you want to retain your privacy but still allow some parts of the garden to be viewed by passers-by. Lattices are also perfect for the climbing plants. Using them as trellis, you can help your vines grow stronger. You can also use lattices for the morning glories to climb and make a delightful picture when they bloom. Wooden lattices also provide a hiding-place from the wind. You may use lattices in other ways: for example, two lattices can be put close together, 6 feet apart from one another. Use a twine to attach them on the top and soon a beautiful arc of leaves will be formed when the vines grow higher.

Patio Wall of Garden Fencing. Patio dining with the family can be really pleasant and relaxing. To create a patio place you can also use garden fencing. Dig a hole and attach a metal trellis near the dining table to signify the borders of the patio. Then use your coiling roses, tying them with a twine to the trellis. Soon you will have a naturally divided place that can become the family dining room when it is warm.

The last type of garden fencing to be presented is Border Edging. You may construct border edging using whatever materials you like. It has versatile possibilities of personal expression. You can use wire garden fencing to divide some special areas, or outline one corner of the garden using cast iron border edging, or use garden plot to stress on a certain border. Another possibility that border fencing offers, is to use vivid plants for defining certain areas. For example, a hedge or a bed of flowers such as marigolds sown on curved line to produce a zigzag border. Or redwood blocks or cedar shakes create beautiful natural borders that can be used in variety of ways.

As you may have noticed, making your garden a showplace is a highly provocative procedure. Use your own imagination. Combine the three types to set something really unique, that would make all your neighbours go red in the face. You may soon gain the reputation of the master of gardens amongst your friends. Garden fencing is a field, where you can be yourself and use your ideas in creative ways.

Article by Robbie Darmona - an article writer who writes on a wide variety of subjects. For more information click Garden Fencing

Air Compressors Choosing The Best

2009-01-08T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Timothy Anderson

You're searching for the perfect air compressor for your needs, so as any consumer would, you pay a visit to your local hardware store. There, you find yourself immersed in a variety of brands and models, all with different features. You decide to wait on making a purchase and shop on the Internet. The only problem is that on the Internet you find even more brands, models, and features so many, in fact, that you become completely confused. What do you do now?

The answer is simple. Just follow this guide to purchasing air compressors and you won't go wrong.

Make a list of the features that you need.

Do you want a fairly quiet air compressor? How much horsepower do you want? What should your air compressor weigh? Are you interested in an air compressor with a folding handle? How about one with wheels?

Before you make any decisions concerning air compressors, determine exactly what you want based on what you will be using it for. For example, will you be using your air compressor at home, in your garage, on a job site, or in a shop? The location in which you use it will most often determine how heavy you want it to be as well as how loud of a noise it makes. If you are going to be using it on a job site, you may opt for one with wheels so that it is easy to transport.

Consider the pump.

The pump is one of the main features of air compressors. Basically, there are three types of pumps to choose from: Invector pumps, Direct Drive pumps, and Belt-Drive pumps.

Invector pumps are found in the more lightweight air compressors. Air compressors with Invector pumps often have universal motors and air cooling systems. They also usually last for a long period of time. If you are purchasing an air compressor for the first time, and are unsure how often you will actually be using it, one with an Invector pump may be right for you.

On the other hand, air compressors with Direct-Drive pumps have standard induction motors, which last approximately 500 or more hours. They take no oil, so they do not require any oil changes. This can be perfect for someone who only uses it once in a while. Direct Drive air compressors are typically smaller in size.

Lastly, air compressors with Belt-Drive pumps are the quietest ones on the market. Many businesses prefer this type, as they are not a distraction to employees working around the air compressors. Air compressors with Belt-Drive pumps require more maintenance than Invector and Direct Drive compressors. They need oil and filter changes about every 500 hours.

Power.

Finally, determine how much power you need your air compressor to have. You can do this by considering what you will be using it for. Will you use it as an inflator, with a stapler, with a spray gun, or a grinder? Each takes more and more pounds of air per square inch. This is why the type of air compressor you decide to buy depends completely upon what you will be using it for and how often you will be using it.

Timothy Anderson writes for PowerfulChecklists.com. Before you spend any money, check out your next air compressor carefully using the free Air Compressor Checklist at PowerfulChecklists.com

Garden Design Plant A Woodland Gardens With Minimal Effort And Expense

2009-01-07T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Jeanette Joy Fisher

Many folks long for a peaceful garden space in their backyard, but don't have the time, money, or skill to create the beautiful types of gardens they see in magazines. However, if you have a shady backyard, you still be able to achieve a peaceful space by creating a woodland garden. They're surprisingly easy to establish, and once you've got them up and running, woodland gardens often take care of themselves with relatively little further help or financial input. Here are a few tips:

Choose plants that would normally be found in the woods--plants that thrive in partial shade and relatively poor soils. The first candidate would be ferns, which will generally thrive in wooded areas with little or no site preparation or attention. After all, they've lived in wooded environments since the dinosaurs ruled the Earth.

You may need to trim the bottom limbs of your trees, to allow you to walk in your garden and to perhaps establish a sitting area, complete with garden swing, if you choose. That's the beauty of a woodland garden: you can make it as rustic and natural as you want. you're limited only by your imagination and taste.

When first establishing your woodland garden, be aware that there are four components: the ground layer, the shrub layer, the understory, and the canopy. Again, there is an informality to the woodland garden that precludes hard and fast rules, but paying attention to the four components will add interest and beauty to your space.

Most of your plants will be perennials, so they'll continue to give you pleasure in all seasons, year after year. Many people incorporate things such as deciduous trees, azaleas, rhododendrons, ferns, and other plants of various heights, textures, and colors that will add interest to the space any time of year. This is especially true with plants and trees that produce flowers or colorful berries.

Using deciduous trees allows you to gain a thick coat of compost every fall, which breaks down and fertilizes the shrubs and plants below. It also means much less work for you to keep your woodland garden going. You may also want to incorporate trees that have interesting bark, such as birch and oak. Shrubs such as red twig dogwood can also provide dramatic color in a snowy winter setting.

A woodland garden may be just what you're looking for if you don't have the time, talent, and money to establish and maintain a more "traditional" backyard garden.

Have you ever wondered how to achieve that high-end look in your garden or home without charging up your credit cards? Jeanette Fisher teaches five ways to makeover your home for happiness. Author of interior design and real estate books, Jeanette Fisher has researched the effects of environment on emotions for over 15 years. She teaches interior design college courses and seminars. Free residential design reports: http://interiordesignpsychology.com More about Environmental Design: http://environmentpsychology.com

Teak Deck Furniture The Choice Of Luxury

2009-01-07T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jennifer Akre

If you are looking for outdoor furniture for your deck and you want quality furniture that exudes a sense of luxury and style, teak deck furniture is exactly what you need. No other wood furniture can come close to the excellence offered by teak deck furniture and while teak may be more expensive than furniture crafted from other materials, the benefits of this rare wood are well worth the price.

The appeal of teak deck furniture is definitely understandable. After all, there is something to be said about the durability of a wood that has been used in the craftsmanship of boats. If teak can endure the harsh elements of the raging seas, teak deck furniture can most definitely withstand whatever wear and tear your backyard may put it through.

Teak deck furniture is notorious for being able to endure the harshest of climate changes. The furniture is so durable, it is not uncommon for a single piece to endure decade after decade of wear without losing any of its beauty. In fact, some feel that teak becomes more beautiful after time and many people who purchase teak deck furniture never find a need to buy replacement furniture.

For a while, teak was a very controversial wood. Because teak deck furniture and other teak products were in such high demand the teak forests were being decimated. Thanks to the innovation of teak plantations, teak is now being grown as a cash crop and responsible teak manufacturers are buying teak farmed exclusively for manufacturing purposes, allowing the teak forests to regenerate. When purchasing teak deck furniture, see if the furniture was crafted from plantation teak or if it was made from teak taken from the delicate teak forests.

When shopping for teak deck furniture, be prepared to spend more than you would on resin deck furniture or deck furniture made from other woods. Teak deck furniture is a luxury, and is priced accordingly. That being said, it is not impossible to find great deals on teak deck furniture. Oftentimes you can find teak furniture on sale at a reduced price.

Jennifer Akre, owner of numerous niche home decor and patio furniture websites, makes it easy to find fabulous Teak Wood Patio Furniture and Teak Benches . A symbol of luxury and affluence. Rich quality and classic aesthetic. These are a few reasons teak furniture is the ideal choice for outdoor furniture and remains a sound investment. You deserve it - Click to enjoy: http://www.morethanteak.com.

Planting Guide For Wisteria

2009-01-05T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alan Summers

Wisteria is a woody, deciduous climber that is very invasive. It is known for its vigorous growth as well as its' fragrant eye-catching flowers. Depending on the variety, the flowers come in a large range of colors, including red, lavender, white and blue. Although some gardeners avoid Wisteria due to its invasive nature, if you follow the guide below you will find that it can be one of the most beautiful plants in your garden.

Site Selection
Wisteria can have runners up to 10 feet in length per year; because of this selecting the right location is very important. It will perform the best when planted in full sun with moist well drained soil. Before planting, you must also determine how you are going to train your Wisteria.

When and How to Plant
Planting Wisteria in the spring of fall will produce the best results. To begin dig a hole just as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. For poor soil, mix a small amount of compost in to the removed soil. Place the plant in the hole and back fill with the soil and compost mix. Firm the soil gentle to remove any air pockets and watering thoroughly to establish. To finish, support with a sturdy post or trellis.

Care
In the spring, a light application of fertilizer will improve growth. Discontinue fertilization after plant is established. Due to its' invasive nature pruning is necessary. Once it has reached its' desired height, prune the top shoots to encourage side growth. Then train the side shoots onto your trellis or post. Once it has reached full size prune unwanted growth of to reshape.

Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.

Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.

Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.

Natural Pest Control On The Rise But Does It Work

2009-01-04T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by John Bennett

The growing concerns over health and environmental issues continue to drive awareness and usage of alternative methods for pesticide-free pest control. These methods range from home-made remedies to professional pesticide alternatives that are currently being adopted by several national pest control providers. Today there are only a few pockets of smaller specialized natural pest control operators around the country, but the demand from consumers are creating a noticeable growth pattern in this untapped market as well.

Many cities, state and federal government entities including schools around the country are leading the way in adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs to reduce or even eliminate the use of pesticides all together. Why the shift to alternative methods? We are beginning to see well documented medical and scientific studies on the negative effects of pesticides being used today. For example, the U.S. Geological Survey recently released Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, in March 2006. This study was a 10 year survey from 1992 to 2001 which reveals concerning residual effects of pesticide use. Every year, nearly one billion pounds of pesticides, many of which are linked to cancer, birth defects, neurological disorders, and environmental impacts, are used in the U.S, much of it ending up in our nation's waterways.

National Pesticide-Free Resources & Information Many organizations and grassroots movements continue to educate communities and citizens through the tireless efforts of concerned individuals. These efforts are no doubt creating an impact on consumer awareness and product purchasing requirements. Information on IPM is available at sites such as the EPA at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm and the IPM Institute at http://www.ipminstitute.org/. A very popular and informational grassroots organization called Beyond Pesticides at http://www.beyondpesticides.org is also informative on new legislation, pesticide news, and pesticide reduction information.

A Balanced View of Effective Pest Control The safe control of unwanted insects and weeds must be pursued with a balanced and global view of efficacy, cost, consequential effects on human health and the environment. Until today, there has been the perception that safer alternatives cost more or don't even work at all. Thus, giving rise to the continued use of more toxic forms of pest control. If we don't see the negative effects immediately, it easily becomes out of sight and out of mind. Costs for pesticide free alternatives are very comparable to traditional pesticides. The difference in cost per square foot is nominal or even irrelevant when compared to the health benefits of the building occupants.

Does Natural Pest Control Work? So the biggest question I receive from both residential users and professional applicators is: Does it work? In short, YES! As with any pest control product, there are solutions that maximize the control of specific types of pests whether you have ants, roaches, scorpions, termites, mosquitoes, ticks, weeds, or whatever. Choosing the right products however, is often difficult. So we always recommend those products that meet the performance requirements of organic farmers or professional applicators since they also have a significant financial interest in their effectiveness. Having distinctions from OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) and Food Tolerance Exemptions also helps filter through the marketing hype while adding another layer of product safety assurance. If you are fortunate to have a friend or acquaintance that uses natural pest control or IPM methods, getting a personal endorsement is invaluable to help you save time and money. Lastly, always read the label. You'll find a lot more information than you think.

Don't overlook the many proven alternatives that will keep your building free of hazardous pesticides and unwanted pests. If you use a professional pest control service, inquire about pesticide free alternatives. If you are doing it yourself and can't find what you are looking for on your local store shelf, ask the store owner to stock them.

John Bennett is the President of Eco Safety Products, a national Green Building & Facility Maintenance Supply Distributor. For more information, the company website is at http://www.ecosafetyproducts.com.

The Art Of Painting Trees And Shrubs

2009-01-04T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Samuel Jaycox

Trees and shrubs are the most popular subjects in a landscape oil painting. They can be painted in detail or out of focus, and do not have any set shape. That is the best thing about doing them. Their shapes are pretty much a free-hand style. The only thing to remember is with a foliage tree or shrub, you must use at least two or three colors. The first color is the background color, or the back of the tree or shrub. The second color can be either your highlight or a secondary color. The third color is the highlight color. Now how to apply the colors differs between artist. I work on a wet canvass (a wet primer is added to the canvass before painting.) so my paints are not as creamy as most. The reason for this is I have a better time getting my second colors to stick to the first by thinning out the mix. Now lets take a look at the base colors.

For creating base colors or background colors for a tree or shrub it is important to remember this is the back of the tree. This color should be quite a bit darker than your highlights. Here are some of my favorites. For a spring background color I mix Prussian blue, and thalo green. It should lean a little towards the green color but this should make a good dark color due to the Prussian blue. If you want it darker add either a little black, brown, or alizorin crimson to the mix.

For fall colors it is a little different. I have seen brown used as a background color but to me it doesn't look realistic. Here are some ideas. For a yellow tree start out with black and white to create grey and add raw sienna or dark sienna. To this add a small amount of cadmium yellow medium. For an orange tree start out with the same grey mix and add burnt sienna. For a red tree use alizorine crimson with a small amount of bright red. Even green has a different shade in the fall. Use white, raw sienna, and phtalo blue.

For the second colors it is a little easier. For spring green I like to use a mix of white, phtalo blue and cadmium yellow to give me a slightly colder color green. For a summer green I use cadmium yellow with sap green. Use more yellow than the green but the color should not be extreamly light in color. Fall colors can be made easily. For a yellow tree use Cadmium yellow and white, For a red tree use Bright red, white, and a small amount of Cadmium orange to warm it up a little. Orange trees can be made with Cadmium orange and a little white.

Now these colors can be used as the highlight colors or as a secondary color. The only thing to remember is to apply the colors where you think light will hit the tree or shrub. Another thing to remember is not to apply these colors at random. Create shapes using the colors, this will only give the painting more interest.

The last set of colors are for bright highlights. On a green tree or shrub use a little yellow, On a yellow tree add more white. On an orange tree use a little yellow (use sparingly) or add a little more white to your orange highlight color. On a red tree add a little orange color (use sparingly) or add more white to the red color mix. Remember these highlights are where the sun will strike on the tree and should be of a warm color.

In later articles I will discuss how to actually paint different types of trees.

Samuel Jaycox is a landscape artist in Pawtucket Rhode Island. He also runs an online art store where one of his paintings can be seen (a swan swimming in a small river)for a look come to http://www.samsarts.ecrater.com

Installing A Receptacle In A Landscaping Project

2009-01-03T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bill Prudehome

Many landscaping projects require a 120 VAC circuit to power lighting and other electrical devices such as pumps for ponds.

The actual placement of a receptacle within your landscaping project needs to be thought out carefully as they are difficult to relocate if you place it wrong the first time.

Installing a receptacle outdoors means purchasing the materials that were designed for the application. Weatherproof utility boxes and outdoor receptacle covers are a necessity if you do not want the circuit to trip every time it rains. Powering the circuit through a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) is mandatory for safety purposes. It is best if you can install the circuit directly to the main distribution panel powered through a GFCI breaker. If that is impracticable because of access, then the circuit can be powered from a GFCI receptacle. Note: Only one GFCI control device is required on any circuit. All receptacles and devices wired from the GFCI are protected by that one device. Multiple GFCI devices on the same circuit will cause false tripping.

Receptacles should never be placed horizontally, facing up or down, as water will penetrate the device and cause a short circuit. The proper position is vertical. The bottom of the receptacle should be a minimum of 6" above the ground and that includes any mulch that you use as a ground dressing.

When determining the best placement for the receptacle, keep in mind that you will be doing your day-to-day gardening around it. Keep it away from lawnmower paths!

It is also wise to consider where sprinkler heads are located and if possible situate the receptacle face away from the direct impact of sprinkler spray.

Placing receptacles in area that may be inundated with shrubs is not a wise move as someday you will want to be able to plug and unplug electrical devices.

Proper planning in any landscaping project is the key to success!

For additional information on landscaping projects for your home or other renovation projects, visit Renovation Headquarters.

How To Choose An Outdoor Fireplace For Your Backyard

2009-01-02T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nicole Martins

Making fires outdoors is not just a primordial instinct. Homeowners have the campfire bug and it just seems to keep growing. With the trend towards creating outdoor living spaces and spending more time outside relaxing or entertaining friends, outdoor accessories such as an outdoor hearth make the backyard experience that much more enjoyable. However, it is important before you shop around for an outdoor fireplace that you check with your local city hall or firehouse to learn about all necessary codes and restrictions.

While choosing between the many different outdoor fireplace options may at first seem daunting, there are ways to help make your decision easier. For example, it is good to know that an outdoor hearth can serve not only as a center piece where people enjoy surrounding the fire, but it also has a functional role such as providing a source of outdoor heating when in close enough proximity of the fire's radiating heat. This is true of both gas and wood burning fires. In addition, features such as an attachable grill grate cooking surface makes it possible to cook outside, another added benefit. Here are some ideas to help you decide what works best for your space.

The easiest to maintain outdoor fireplace

Gas modeled outdoor hearths and fire pits are an excellent choice where a clean burning fire is desired. With gas, either natural or propane, burning more cleanly than wood, you will not have to deal with smoke, sparks, cleaning up ashes or gathering wood logs. Another benefit: you can create an instant fire with the click of a button and enjoy a faux wood fire any time of year. This is very appealing to many folks, especially where convenience and low maintenance pits and hearths are valued. Some gas outdoor fire pits fueled by propane gas are designed for portability. In fact, there are fire pit models that include rear tires and pull handles so that you can move the pit to the destination of your choice including a summer cabin.

The permanent outdoor fireplace

By far the most permanent outside hearth is the cast iron chiminea. This is an excellent outdoor fireplace choice when a sturdy year round outdoor fireplace presence is desired, such as permanent architecture around the patio or pool area. However, as with metals in general, other than aluminum, iron is prone to rusting over its lifetime but maintaining with special paint from time to time and covering with a chiminea cover will help. Another choice for permanence includes the cast aluminum chiminea. While not nearly as heavy as cast iron, these outdoor fireplaces will definitely add a sense of year round presence, if desired. One thing to note, metal can get dangerously hot when the fire's burning. It's best to supervise young children when the fireplace is in use. You can also use your chiminea for grilling and the outdoor fire as a source of heating. (visit http://www.outdoor-fireplaces-and-patio-heaters.com/chiminea.htm)

The designer and focal point outdoor fireplace

If you desire a fireplace that looks like an outdoor art work or furniture when not in use, consider fire pits made from copper or the slick contemporary look of steel. Copper fire pits are very popular. If you prefer the lustrous shine of new copper you can maintain this effect with the right products. Some copper pits include an area to store wood logs beneath them which is very attractive as well. Another option, but certainly more expensive, are some of the fine furniture looking gas fireplaces such as the Luminarium. You can choose between several different finish options and some of these pieces look as if they belong inside the home.

The easy to transport outdoor fireplace

To make it more accessible for people to take their outdoor fireplace with them: camping, the beach, summer cabin, tail gate parties and so on many outdoor fireplace models, especially fire pits, are designed to be lightweight. They include features such as lids and tires for convenient transport. Another reason to purchase a portable fireplace is that if you prefer to store the unit during winter. You will have no problem tucking a unit such as this inside your home. The good news is that you will find many lightweight outdoor pits and fireplaces available. Portable outdoor fireplaces may also include features such as gas or wood burning options, grill attachments, spark screens, lids, wheels and can come in many different materials: copper, steel and aluminum.

Nicole Martins is a contributing author and publisher to http://www.outdoor-fireplaces-and-patio-heaters.com an online resource that provides you with information, articles of interest and reviews of the best outdoor fireplace and patio heaters online.

Starting Your First Garden

2009-01-01T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Steve Welker

There are many good reasons for growing your own vegetables in a garden. There is a certain satisfaction and sense of accomplishment when you eat food that you grown yourself. There are also many undeniable health benefits from eating fresh vegetables in comparison to canned or frozen ones. If you do it right you can also save some money on your grocery bill.

The first thing you will need to do is to select a location in your yard to plant your garden. There are several critical factors that you will want to take into consideration when choosing the location for your garden. The first and one of the most critical is the amount of sunlight the area receives. Vegetables need plenty of sunlight to grow and thrive. You will want to select an area that receives a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day. Soil drainage is another important factor you will need to consider. Plants will of course need water to grow but most plants will not grow well in an area that is too wet. The final thing to keep in mind is the actual soil quality. Modern fertilizers can do a lot to help make up for less than prime soil but there are limits to what they can accomplish too. If the soil is very sandy or rocky or if it is mainly clay you will have very little success growing your vegetables in it.

Once you have selected the location for your garden you will need to prepare the soil. You will want to use a tiller to break up the soil into fine loose particles. You cannot till when the ground is too wet, the dirt needs to be fairly dry to successful till it. If this is the first time an area has been tilled it may take multiple passes to get it ready for planting. You may also need to rake out any grass and weeds after it has been tilled. Once the soil is the proper consistency you will want to fertilize it before you plant. There are numerous quality fertilizers available at any home and garden store. Simply select one and follow the directions provided on the package.

Now you will need to select the plants that you want to plant in your garden. When selecting your plants you will obviously want to base part of your decision-making on what vegetables that you like to eat. You will need to consider the weather in your area and only select plants that are suitable to your region. Another factor to remember is the amount of space the plants need as well as how difficult they are to grow successfully.

After you have your plants selected and you have purchased the seeds you are now ready to plant them. You will want to use a string and a couple stakes to help you lay out nice even rows. Remember to plant any perennial plants together at one end of the garden to make tilling around them next year easier. Then carefully follow the directions provided with each of the packets of seeds. Keep the soil moist and wait until your first sprouts start to show.

Come visit us to Learn about Gardening

How To Give Your Southwestern Backyard A True Southwestern Flair

2008-12-31T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Cheryl Cholley

Let's face it, the Southwestern Backyard is not the same as any other backyard. Try to plant a nice lawn, and you cultivate an expanse of brown crusty dead stuff. Or you will run up a water bill worthy of an Olympic swimming pool.

So how in the world do you make the most of what the desert offers to you? What can make the Southwestern Backyard special? Let's just give it a shot! Come with me to my backyard, and I'll show you how easy it is to add Southwestern pizzazz to that dry expanse of desert floor.

First, let me give you a list of seven great ideas to help you plan the perfect Southwestern Backyard:

* Desert Plants
* Hardscaping with rocks
* Dry Creek Bed
* Ramada
* Kiva fireplace
* Southwestern décor
* House jewelry

Desert Plants - Learn here how Xeriscaping can create beauty with plants needing little water. Such plants not only save water, but provide cover and food for desert wildlife. It's vitally important to provide for the desert wildlife due to the encroachment of humans on their homes.

Hardscaping with Rocks - Rocks are not just rocks! Here we see that rocks can enhance our Southwestern Backyard and create beauty in our harsh environment. Native rocks are always best. Make use of what's readily available and your backyard will look like a part of the land, instead of warring with the surrounding environment.

Dry Creek Bed - Now make use of those rocks in a unique, Southwestern way by creating a Dry Creek Bed. No water needed for this little technique, but it creates the effect of water by insinuating the presence of the magical fluid. Erosion control is the key here because in the few brief moments when water does invade, there is danger of losing precious soil to the deluge.

Ramada - Unique to the Southwest is this rustic type of shelter, in many circumstances created with the castoff branches of Ocotillo or Mesquite. Don't let it fool you, though, cool shade and a comfortable place to sit and relax can be found beneath the lowly Ramada.

Kiva Fireplace - Equally at home inside or outdoors in your backyard, the Kiva Fireplace creates warmth, a cozy place to relax after a hard day, and a great place to roast your chilies. Some call this unique fireplace a beehive fireplace, but all the same it's a unique and memorable addition to your Southwestern Backyard.

Southwestern Décor - Add a few ristras, a couple examples of Mexican pottery, and a wagon wheel or two and your Southwestern Backyard will announce to your visitors that, yes, they are in the Southwest.

House Jewelry - Now here's something you may not have heard of before. House Jewelry is a term I coined myself to describe the practice of decorating the exterior walls of the home with distinctly Southwestern artwork. Depictions of the Sun, desert wildlife such as lizards and quail, and even the exuberant Kokopelli earn a place of honor on the Southwestern Home's humble adobe walls.

Look around you. Everywhere in the Southwest you find wonderful examples of creativity and unique ideas for the Southwestern Backyard. No longer is it necessary to consign your backyard to being dull and lifeless. Create a little zing! Have some fun, and make your Southwestern Backyard something to talk about.

Find out more about how to bring the Southwest to your backyard, visit http://www.southwestern-dream-home.com/southwestern-backyard.html

The Southwestern United States is a place of fascination and excitement to me. I believe years ago when I left the home of my childhood, I was destined to one day return. Who would have ever though my life would change so much, and the desert would emerge as the place of my dreams?

Now, decades later I'm returning home to Arizona and creating the Southwestern Dream Home. Not only are we, myself and my husband Tom, creating the home of our dreams, but I've created a place for others to go and find resources to help them to create their own dream as well. So visit me at http://www.Southwestern-Dream-Home.com and begin living your dream!

Understanding Soil Nutrients

2008-12-30T05:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

"Complete fertilizers" contain all three macronutrients - nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K) - but don't let the name "complete" fool you. It doesn't mean that the fertilizer has all the nutrients that plants need, just that it contains all three of the major ones.

Bags of complete fertilizers contain three numbers, such as 5-3-3, for example. Each number represents a percentage of N-P-K in that bag, as measured by weight. In this case, a bag of 5-3-3 fertilizer contains 5 percent nitrogen, 3 percent phosphorous, and 3 percent potassium. To determine the amount in pounds of each nutrient in the bag, multiply the weight of the bag (say 50 pounds) by the percentage of each nutrient: 50 pounds x .05 = 2.5 pounds of nitrogen. You need to know the actual amount of nutrients in the bag because a soil test often recommends pounds of actual N-P-K to add per square foot of your garden.

Each of these three nutrients plays a critical role in plant growth and development. Here's what they do and their deficiency symptoms to watch for.

Nitrogen (N): This critical element is responsible for the healthy green foliage of the plants, as well as protein and chlorophyll development. Chlorophyll is the pigment that makes plants green and is a vital component in photosynthesis. Nitrogen moves easily in the soil and leaches out rapidly, especially from sandy soils and in high rainfall areas or irrigated gardens. Plants use lots of nitrogen during the growing season, so it's commonly the most deficient element. If you add too much nitrogen, however, plants will have dark green, leafy growth but less root development and delayed flowering and fruiting. Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency include slow growth and yellowing leaves, especially on older foliage. Animal manures, soybean meal, and cottonseed meal provide high levels of nitrogen.

Phosphorous (P): Plants need phosphorous for strong root growth; fruit, stem and seed development; disease resistance; and general plant vigor. Phosphorous doesn't move in the soil as easily as nitrogen does so you don't have to add it as frequently. Depending on where you live in the country, your soil may have plenty of phosphorous, but it may be unavailable to plants. Phosphorous availability depends on warm soil temperatures, pH range, and the levels of other nutrients, such as calcium and potassium, in the soil. Deficiency symptoms include stunted plants with dark green foliage, reddish-purple stems or leaves, and fruits that drop early. Rock phosphate and bone meal are good sources of phosphorous.

Potassium (K): This nutrient, sometimes called potash, is essential for vigorous growth, disease resistance, fruit and vegetable flavor and development, and general plant function. Potassium breaks down slowly so you won't have to add it often. Deficiency symptoms include yellow areas along the leaf veins and leaf edges, crinkled and rolled-up leaves, and dead twigs. Fruit trees may develop fruit with poor flavor or stunted fruits. Certain animal manures and mineral fertilizers, such as greensand, add potassium to the soil.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Gardening

Solar Lights For Walkways Cut Costs

2008-12-30T05:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Richard Chapo

Over the last fifteen years, solar energy has become a highly flexible power source. One of the best ways to use it and cut costs is go with solar lighting for your walkways.

A common misconception among many people is that solar energy requires large, bulky panels to work. While this is true if you want to produce large amounts of electricity for a structure, it leaves out a large segment of cheaper solar users.

The solar industry has made major advancements in creating one piece solar platforms that are cheap and can be used for practical purposes. Using solar lights for pathways around your home is one area.

Solar lighting is now the choice for gardens, landscaping and lighting paths. Lighting products typically come in sets of two to six self-contained lights. Each light typically is comprised of a metal or plastic stem with a lighting mechanism on the top. The lighting mechanism uses LED technology and is powered by a small solar panel built into the top of the piece. The lights can be purchased with or without backup batteries depending on your needs.

Once you've selected your solar lighting pieces, you simply map out where you want to add lighting in your landscaping. Next, you put the solar lights in place by sticking them in the ground to a point where they are snug and will not blow over in the wind. Congratulations! You now have lighting for your pathways that isn't adding to your utility bill.

Your lights will charge during the day and light up in the evening. Depending on the particular brand, the lights may stay on throughout the night. Alternatively, certain brands will run for 8 hours or so, which means they go dark around midnight or one in the morning.

Maintaining your solar lights is very simple. You really don't have to do anything. If the lights start to dim or go out earlier than usual, they are not broken. Typically, the problem is you have dirty solar panels. Clean them off with water or follow the manufacturer direction. Once clean, the lights should work perfectly.

Using the sun to power your outdoor lighting needs is a great way to highlight your home and save money on energy costs. Keep them clean and the lights will last for years.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.

Waterwise Gardening The Basics Required To Create A Waterwise Garden

2008-12-29T05:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Lyn Phillips

Even with water restrictions in place, it is still possible to create an attractive garden without using copious amounts of water.

Soil Preparation

Soil preparation and mulch are essential in a waterwise garden. A good mulch has many advantages, including;
- adding valuable nutrients and humus to the soil as it breaks down,
- keeping the soil temperature uniform,
- reducing surface evaporation by 70-80 per cent,
- allowing for deep and infrequent watering,
- encouraging earthworm activity, which creates channels for the passage of water and roots, and
- eliminating stress in shallow rooted plants and suppressing weeds.

Compost and horse, sheep and cow manures are excellent for improving soil quality. Pea straw, lucerne, compost, leaf litter and chopped bark all make superb mulches.

Watering Methods

The method used to deliver water to plants is very important in getting the most benefit out of the water used. Conventional sprinklers deliver large amounts of water to large areas and can be extremely wasteful if not positioned thoughtfully. The most effective waterwise watering systems use in-line drippers, weeping hoses and drip tubes. These products are designed for placing under mulch and work best at low pressure, where water is delivered over a period of several hours, directly to the plant's roots. In-line drippers are also suitable for lawns.

Grouping plants with similar water requirements will assist in preventing over and under watering. Computerised watering systems allow for the delivery of a set amount of water at specified times, to various sections of the garden. Tap timers are a useful and cheap alternative. Using phosphate and petrochemical free, biodegradable laundry powders allows you to safely reuse the laundry water on the garden.

Plant Selection

There are 100s of water wise plants. You can select from Australian natives or exotic plants that come from areas of the world with Mediterranean climate conditions (these are areas that experience hot, dry summers with the majority of rain falling in winter). Plant labels often state how much water a plant needs. If you are not sure, look for plant characteristics such as thick leathery, hairy, wax-coated, succulent, silvery grey or fine needle-like leaves. Other sources of information for suitable water wise plant material are old neglected gardens, holiday homes and streetscapes.

Top Summer Performers

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Correa alba, Escallonia varieties, Hardenbergia violacea, Hibiscus (evergreen) & H. syriacus (deciduous), Lagerstroemia indica hybrids, Lomandra longifolia, Plectranthus argentatus, Santolina varieties, Westringia fruticosa & varieties.

With a bit of planning and some basic knowledge you too can have a water wise garden.

http://www.thewaterwisegarden.com