Archive for the ‘Plant Care’ Category
September 3rd, 2010

Gardening and the Environment

You’d don’t need to become an eco-warrior to get on friendly terms with the environment. In fact, you can start small…literally in your own backyard. Here are a few suggestions.

In the Yard
Plant a few trees, shrubbery or flowers around your property. Weed and mulch shrubbery beds. Don’t over-water your lawn. Make sure you completely shut off the water source when you’re finished. Use your mower to mulch lawn clippings as a good self-fertilizer and to help re-seed. If you bag clippings, recycle them as mulch laid in thick layers in the areas between rows of your vegetable garden.

On the Deck, Patio and Porch
If you’re growing plants in containers, consider biodegradable coco liners. They’ll help read more

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August 31st, 2010

Starting with Seeds

Want to really begin your gardening experience from the ground up? Then you might want to start with seeds.

If that sounds like a challenge you’d like to take on, you have some decisions to make from the very beginning. Namely, what do I want to grow? Flowers? Vegetables? Herbs? Fortunately, whatever you decide, you’re probably going to purchase seeds that are commercially-produced, so that’s a leg up.

Commercially-produced garden seeds typically are packaged with valuable information to make your garden a success. After all, you won’t buy more seeds next year if they don’t take this year. Consequently, these packages will tell you when to sow your seeds, whether they require full sun or partial shade, the ideal temperature for gemination, when and how to space the seedlings, and how large the plants are likely read more

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August 19th, 2010

Planting Bulbs

With Fall soon approaching, it’s actually time for gardeners to Think Spring! Why think of Spring now, you may ask? Because as Summer fades, Fall is the time to plant your bulbs.

Let’s start with the very basics. What’s a bulb? A bulb is an underground stem, enclosed with scalelike leaves, containing stored food for the shoots within. The scales are held together by hardened stem tissue. Tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, and lilies are true bulbs. Crocus, usually thought of as a bulb, is actually a corm, which is a mass of fleshy tissue with a bud on top. The tissue disintegrates as the stored food is used and produces roots and shoots.  Though initially dormant, bulbs and corms are living plant structures and always require care when handling. For our purposes, we’ll lump them together and call them all bulbs.

Bulbs produce foliage and are among the earliest flowers to bloom in spring. They are read more

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August 16th, 2010

Raised Planting Beds Raise Your Gardening Prowess

Would you like to make growing your own fresh vegetables easier? Then give a thought to raised bed gardening. Gardening in contained soil higher than surface soil provides a number of advantages over growing plants in level ground.

Easily Managed Plots
Raised bed gardening means planting vegetables within smaller sized plots of contained earth.These smaller bed layouts are great for those who have limited room and can be more compatible with today’s busy lifestyles. Rectangular raised beds approximately 3 feet in width make all areas of the bed easily accessible. The length of the bed depends on your needs and your landscape. For more yield, some gardeners plant multiple raised beds with paths between them to allow for easier reach and easy read more

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August 12th, 2010

Vegetable Garden Tips

These days, many households are growing their their own fresh, seasonal vegetables in their very own gardens. If you’re contemplating starting your own vegetable garden, here are some basic tips you ought to know.

Grow what you like to eat. Plant a garden that will yield the homegrown vegetables that you know you and your family can enjoy. Don’t over plant. Don’t spend your time and effort growing things you’ll just give away.

Know your vegetables. Do some research. Match what you want to grow with your area and climate for best results.

If you have plenty of time and space, a manageable garden is about 10 feet by 10 feet. Design your garden with long rows or partitioned into grids. Sketch a diagram where read more

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August 10th, 2010

How to Grow Climbing Plants

If you want to add a truly unique touch to the outdoor landscaping of your home, think about adding in some climbing plants.

Climbing plants can serve a variety of uses. You can use them to camouflage walls, sheds, structures or fencing. Use climbing plants with trellises, arbors, obelisks and other supports to create create privacy screens and block unwanted and unsightly views. Since most climbing plants grow quickly they offer an almost instant solution depending on your need and your desired effect.

Most of all, climbing plants can add character and soften the appearance of your home and garden while creating a beautiful and unique touch that’s all your own.

Many plant groups offer a climbing variety so they’re not hard to find. Among the more read more

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July 29th, 2010

Growing Flowers Outdoors

Want to give the outside of your home a truly one-of-a kind appearance and make a statement of your own personal taste and style? Then plant flowers to add splashes of color throughout the growing season.

Since planting and cultivating your flower beds requires patience and care…and some work…to achieve successful results, there are some basics you should know from the start.

Spend some time doing some planning and research before you begin preparing the soil for sowing seeds. A key part of the planning phase is the selection of the right plants and flowers for your gardening beds. Some factors need to be kept in mind when read more

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July 27th, 2010

How to Plant a Vegetable Garden

You’ve decided you want to try your hand at vegetable gardening. Probably, your first instinct is to grow something you like to eat, something that tastes best when it’s fresh, and something you’d like to have in abundance.

Congratulations. You’ve already taken the first step toward a successful vegetable garden. Grow only what you like.

Pick a location. Vegetables need lots of sunshine, so look for an area that receives plenty of morning sun and more sun than shade all day.

Check the soil. Prepare a plot of flat ground that will receive full sun nearly all day.  If you’re planting in your backyard or anywhere outdoors, you need to find out what kind read more

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July 22nd, 2010

Tomato Planting Made Easy

Even gardeners who aren’t gardeners love to plant tomatoes! Seeds and seedlings are readily available. Tomatoes are easy to grow in large and small backyard plots, or in a pot on a balcony. Perhaps it’s because tomatoes appeal to almost everyone…in a fresh salad, in spaghetti sauce or just atop a cheeseburger.

So, here are some basics
Tomato plants can send out roots all along their stems. Strong roots are a good thing, so you should plant seedlings deeper than normal; as high up as the top set of leaves. These extra roots will help the plant grow quickly. Dig a hole deep enough to bury most of the plant. Some gardeners even dig a tunnel or trench and lay the plant sideways read more

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July 8th, 2010

Flower Box Gardening

Want to decorate a deck or porch. Highlight a window? Spice up a balcony or fence rail? Consider planting flower boxes to create mini-gardens that are sure to add color and personal style to your home.

Think about achieving maximum visual appeal with your flower boxes. Don’t make the all-too-common mistake of planting just a few flowers in a row. Flower boxes will look best and will attract compliments when they’re abundant, bountiful and lush.

When planting a flower box, consider using various colors, different heights and textures to create visual impact.  Think in layers from back to front using taller plants in the back, shorter fuller plants in the middle and shorter blooms or even trailers read more

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