Landscaping and Gardening

Perennials For Your Garden The Low Maintenance Choice

2009-03-04T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Jason Albright

Perennials are plants and flowers that will stay in your garden for more than one gardening season. Some perennials will bloom for up to three years, and others will bloom for longer. One of the best things about perennials is that they are very low maintenance, which makes them popular choices for a lot of people. Annuals require much more care and tending to. If you are looking for a simple garden that doesn't require much time and attention, try planting perennials. When you choose perennials carefully and plan their planting, they will last for many years.

When you plant perennials in your garden, don't expect to see much in the first year. During this first growing season, the perennials are getting used to their new environment. Some perennials will produce new blooms in the first year, but some won't have any progress until the second year. The second year for perennials is often the most dramatic. During this growing season, perennial plants and flowers start to fill out and take hold of their environment.

When you plant perennials, you need to pay careful attention to soil quality, water availability and sunlight. These factors can all affect the growth and longevity of your perennials. During your planning, make sure to plant your perennials with plenty of space for them to grow. Make sure not to put them too close together because you may have to move them in the future. Although this leaves some bare spots in your garden, it is important to leave room.

If you are concerned about the sparse look of your perennial garden in the first year, try planting annuals in the spaces between the perennials. The annual flowers will add color and vibrancy to your garden, but won't be in the way of the growth of your perennials. Annual plants and flowers grow and bloom for just one growing season, but they do bloom quickly and have an instant gratification factor that perennials don't offer.

© Cookgroup Marketing LLC - All Rights Reserved. This article brought to you by Grow-Your-Garden.com/ . You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice, author name, and URL remain intact. Jason Albright is a contributing editor at Cookgroup Marketing LLC. His background is with lifestyle topics including: Gardening, Outdoor Living, Home Decor & Travel Destinations.

The Garden Statue Stone Metal Or Gnome

2009-03-04T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Margarette Tustle

Enhance Your Yard Or Flower Bed

There are several types of garden statue available that will enhance your yard or flower bed with a tastefully decorative touch. You can choose from several different sizes, shapes, materials for your statue depending on your taste and your budget. You may want the statue to be a focal point on which all the other landscaping depends, or you may just want something to give that finishing touch to its small corner. There are statues on bases, statues that hang, and statues that are simply set on the ground. When you are putting in a garden statue you will need to consider the size, the location, the material, the design and where you will buy it.

Resin Statue

A resin statue is very popular because it is virtually indestructible and can be created to look like almost any other material. It is really hard plastic that can be molded into nearly any shape and painted to look like metal, stone, or wood. It is also a lightweight garden statue and can be cleaned simply by cleaning with soap and water.

Concrete Or Cement Statue

Another fairly inexpensive type of statue is the concrete or cement statue. These statues can be left "as-is" or painted. They can be molded into any shape, but they will not have the fine detail of some of the other garden statue materials so they are often fairly large. They are relatively inexpensive when compared to the real stone statues. They are heavy and withstand the elements fairly well, but if they are hit or knocked over they can be broken.

Fiberglass Statue

A fiberglass statue is much like a resin garden statue. Fiberglass is another form of lightweight plastic and can be easily cleaned, but they are often smoother than the resin statues and shinier as well. You can also clean it easily with soap and water.

Metallic Statue

For a more unusual look you might want to get a metallic garden statue. They come in copper, brass, iron, bronze and other metals. Some are meant to retain their sheen over time while others begin to oxidize and get a patina of green, turquoise, or rust coloring.

Stone Statue

When you think of stone statues you may envision the Roman or Greek masterpieces, but you will find that you can find some that may be perfect for your yard as well. Simulated stone is an alternative for your garden statue that allows the artist to get more detail without as much room for error. The simulated stone is just as strong and durable as real stone. Marble is a real stone that has been used for centuries to make statues in palaces and the finer homes. Marble comes in several colors and is beautiful and elegant and will add a touch of class to any garden statue.

Style Your Garden

If you want a new look for your garden, there are statues that have a beautiful glass ball incorporated into some part of the garden statue, either hanging from a chain or a hook or resting in a base. Some of the glass balls are just clear, but others have an iridescent quality. They reflect the sunlight and are really very charming.

As far as style, you can choose the whimsical-like fairies or gnomes, or the more classic styles that look like something from Rodin or Michelangelo's studio. There are modernistic forms filled with geometric shapes and straight lines. There are statues of children, animals, and almost anything you can think of. There is even a statue that fits right into the trunk of a tree that has an old gnome-like face, giving your tree a personality of its own.

Margarette Tustle writes ideas for home and family. Find statue resources for animal statues at dreamstatue.com

How To Attract Hummingbirds

2009-03-03T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Clyde Dennis

Yes! You can attract hummingbirds to your home. Even if you live in the middle of the city, and even if you've never had any luck getting them to come in the past.

Try one or more of these tips, and you should begin to see hummers around your yard soon.

Plant A Hummingbird Garden:

One good way to attract Hummingbirds is by planting a Hummingbird garden. In addition to providing them a natural diet, a hummer garden is an excellent way to attract birds to your nearby feeder since hummingbirds feed by sight on regularly followed routes. This is called traplining. Their inquisitive nature will quickly lead them to investigate any possible new source of food.

Hummers, like most birds, have virtually no sense of smell, the flowers that attract them tend to have little or no fragrance, apparently directing their resources instead toward high visibility and nectar production.

Some plants to consider that will attract Hummingbirds include:

Azalea

- Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
- Cape Honeysuckle
- Manzanita
- Mimosa
- Red Buckeye
- Coral Honeysuckle
- Cypress Vine
- Morning Glory
- Trumpet Creeper
- Bee Balm (Monarda)
- Cardinal Flower
- Columbine
- Coral Bells
- Four O'Clocks
- Hummingbird Mint (Agastache)
- Penstemon
- Yucca
- Fuchsia
- Jewelweed
- Petunia
- Shrimp Plant

Note: none of these need to be red in color although the color red is attractive to hummingbirds.

If you're in doubt as to whether any of these will flourish in your area check with your local nursery.

You should avoid using any pesticides at all in your Hummingbird garden. The insects that you would kill off serve as a good source of protein for hummingbirds, and can also sicken or kill the birds if ingested.

Set up Hummingbird Feeders:

If you use a feeder and make your own nectar, a few words of caution.

Never use honey or artificial sweeteners. Honey ferments easily, and can cause sores in a hummers mouth. Artificial sweeteners have no food value. DO NOT use red food coloring in your solution, as this could be harmful to your hummers. Most feeders have red on them and that should be enough.

Your hummingbird feeders needs to be cleaned, and nectar changed every 3-4 days. Even more often in hot weather.

If you see black spots inside your feeder this is mold and you will need to scrub it out with a good bottle brush, but if you can't reach it with a bottle brush you can add some sand with water and shake the feeder to remove the mold.

You should never use harsh detergent to clean your feeder. Rinse out each time you change your nectar with hot water, and if you do this on a regular basis you should not have a problem with mold inside the feeder. Don't fill the feeder more than half full, because they won't be able to drink it all before it will need to be changed.

It seems all hummingbird feeders available for purchase these days have red on them, but if you are in doubt that there is enough red, try tying a red ribbon on the feeder.

Another way to attract attention to your feeder is to place it among flowers that hummers like, or hang a basket of flowers nearby.

You will find that feeder activity slows as more flowers bloom in your yard. Do not panic! They prefer natural nectar over what we give them in our feeders, so they are still around, and you will see them at your feeders more often, as the blooms start to diminish.

If you live in the Eastern part of the United States, you'll find you only have one type of hummingbird that will visit for the summer, and that is the Ruby-throated. They are very territorial and defend flowers and feeders within their favorite roost spot, so if you want to attract more than one hummer, try putting up 2 or 3 more feeders out of sight from each other. Perhaps on another side of your house.

Get more information and tips on attracting Hummingbirds by going to http://www.easyhow-to.com/hummingbirds.html

Happy humming birding!

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. "SmoothLee" has been bumping around on the web since 1999 and is a self described "Web Head, and Life long AVID music fan". Smooth Jazz Music in particular. In addition to writing CD Reviews for I Love Smooth Jazz.com he is also the Program Director, and can be heard during his daily radio show which airs on one of the internets most listened to smooth jazz radio stations, Smooth Jazz 24/7

Planting Bulbs Part 4 Staking Mulching Storing

2009-03-03T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bill Prudehome

With fall on the way, it is time to consider planting bulb flowers that we want for spring blooming. Bulbs are one of the best flower investments for the cost, properly cared for they will provide spring color in your garden for years.

Staking

Dahlias and gladioli have heavy blooms and tall stalks and may need to be supported in order to stand straight during their blooming season. You can place stakes in the proper position at the time of planting, this avoids possibly damaging the bulbs or tubers by driving in stakes after the bulb has been buried beneath the soil. Another method that works quite well is the use of a support ring.

Mulching

For fall plantings of the larger bulbs, it is recommended that the planting bed be covered with two to three inches of mulch. The use of mulch over the bed will help to control temperature changes and keep moisture from evaporating prematurely. Planting beds of small bulbs that bloom in very early spring should not be mulched.

Digging and Storing Spring Bulbs

The dormant period for spring bulbs is the summer. Spring bulbs go dormant in late spring and early summer when the foliage dies. At the same time as the foliage dies, the roots are also dieing. Fall weather, will bring the bulbs out of their dormant stage and the root systems will commence growing bringing nutrients and moisture back to the bulbs.

The time to dig up bulbs is when they are in their dormant stage. By digging the bulbs up you can divide them and spread them out evenly across the bed when replanting.

Bulbs that have been dug up must be stored in a well ventilated location and replanted in the fall. If you do not dig up your bulbs every year, daffodils and crocus should be dug up at least every five years so that they can be thinned out. If you do not thin these plants out you will end up with uneven plant height, a smaller flower size and uneven blooms.

Use a spading fork to dig up summer flowering bulbs when the leaves have turned yellow. Bulbs should have all the soil washed off them and be dried with paper towel. This is not necessary if you are storing bulbs in pots with soil.

Some bulbs do much better if the soil is left around the bulb; achimenes, begonia, canna, caladium, dahlia and ismene are in that group. The best method to store the aforementioned bulbs is in clumps on slightly moist sawdust or peat moss in a cool location. Prior to planting separate and wash the bulbs.

Bulbs that are washed should be dried and then stored in a shaded dry location, keep away from sunlight. In most cases, bulbs should not be stored in areas where temperatures drop below 50 degrees or rise above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The best temperature range is 60 to 65 degrees.

Before storing your bulbs, they should be inspected for disease and insect problems. Bulbs that are unusually small, soft or do not look healthy should be discarded.

It is important that air circulates freely around the bulbs in storage. Placing your bulbs on wire screens, only two layers deep will prevent heat buildup that will lead to bulb decay.

When in doubt visit your local nursery and ask an expert this is not the time to speak to a part-time worker at your local big box retailer.

For additional information on Planting Bulbs
Part 1 Soil Preparation, Fertilizing;
Part 2 Planting Location, Planting Depth;
Part 3 Watering, Removing Foliage;

For additional information on gardening and landscaping or other home renovation projects, visit Renovation Headquarters.

Creating Woodland Gardens

2009-03-02T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tim Hallinan

Instead of trying to impose a garden through extensive pruning and soil conditioning, prepare the site for woodland plants, such ferns, shade loving shrubs and perennials. Plants suited to these conditions will grow and thrive without major site preparation.

Limited site manipulation if fine. Lower branches may need to be pruned to allow access into the garden, smaller trees may need to be removed to avoid competition and some organic compost can be added to the site in order to create optimal growing conditions.

Woodland gardens, which mimic the forest landscape, have four vertical elements; the canopy layer, the understory, the shrub layer and the ground layer. Try to incorporate each layer into your garden.

The canopy layer consists of the tallest trees which provide the shade and dictates what you'll be able to plant. The type of canopy determines the amount of light reaching the ground. Closed canopies allow little to reach the ground and are created by evergreens and large deciduous trees growing close together. Open canopies, on the other hand, create dappled shade and occur when trees are spaced far apart. The understory layer in made up of the smaller woodland trees such as the flowering dogwood. Viburnums, azaleas and other lower growing woody plants create the shrub layer. Ground layer plants include perennials, ferns and bulbs.

The forest landscape changes often so plan accordingly; design your garden giving thought to the seasonal changes in the landscape. In the spring, beneath deciduous trees, quite a bit of sunlight is able reaches the ground through the branches This allows flowering perennials and bulbs to bloom. Though the spring flower display can be stunning, be careful not to plan your woodland garden around these flowers as they will soon disappear and die back to the ground. Include plants with lush foliage which will last through the summer months. As spring progresses and the canopy begins to close, plants such as ferns, mosses and perennials become the focus of the garden as they create a lush green carpet.

In the fall, trees such as sugar maple, dogwood and hickory and deciduous shrubs such as viburnum and summersweet provide brilliant, colorful foliage. After their fall display, deciduous plants drop their leaves replenishing the soil with nutrients that has been stored in their foliage.

Don't overlook features such as a plant's form, colorful berries and interesting bark. It is these features which are treasured through the winter months. Berry producing plants also provide wildlife with food.

Many woodland plants can be considered year-round attractions. For example, the dogwood begins the season with flowers and red fruits. After its colorful fall foliage falls to the ground its bark, which flakes with age, provides the garden with interest through the winter. The birch tree's beautiful form is most noticeable in the winter after it sheds its brilliant yellow leaves. Red twig dogwood is a shrub layer plant which, as the name suggests, has red bark. It stands out wonderfully against the snow and the barren winter landscape.

When planning your woodland garden, be sure to include benches and spaces for rest as gardens in the shade provide a pleasant respite from the hot summer sun.

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

Lawn Mowers Buying The Best

2009-03-01T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Timothy Anderson

It's that time of the year again: springtime! It's a new season that ushers in warm weather and sunny days. Unfortunately it also brings with it the chore of mowing the lawn. Perhaps this year you are in search of a new lawn mower that will make cutting the grass much easier and less time-consuming. This will mean more time to spend at the pool. If you are a smart consumer, you will want to research certain brands, models, and features of mowers before you set out to make your final purchase. After all, it is in your best interest to get the most for your money.

The first step to buying mowers is to consider what type of lawn you have. Obviously, you will not be interested in sit-down mowers or large tractor mowers if you only have a small yard to work on. The same holds true for people with large lawns they would be best to steer clear of or push mowers.

For those of you who are new to purchasing mowers, one of the first types of mowers invented was the push mower. A push mower has no engine, and therefore the grass cutting is a result of the force your body uses to push the mower forward. Push mowers are the cheapest type of mowers, typically costing between $150 to $200. However, if you have a hilly lawn or must push your mower up a hill, the task of cutting grass can become both tedious and physically draining. In this case, you would be better off with a self- propelled mower. A self-propelled mower has an engine that helps you push the mower along. Many standard self-propelled mowers cost approximately $500. For people with a large area of grass to cut let's say a half acre or more a sit down mower or tractor is most suitable. Most sit-down or tractor mowers are in the price range of $1500 to $2000.

It is key to remember, however, that the price of all of these types of mowers goes up significantly if special features are included. Some of these features are lever height adjustments, variable speeds, electric starts, optional bags, tank capacity, headlights (for sit-down or tractor mowers), and optional bags. One of the most popular features that many consumers pay more for is a mower that can cut grass three different ways. In other words, the majority of consumers like mowers that can mulch grass and bag it, as well as discharge it out of the side of the mower.

Finding a good deal on a mower is important. You should shop around and compare prices at you local Home Depot or Lowe's stores. It also never hurts to do some research on mowers using the Internet. Web sites such as www.speedwaysales.com, and www.hechinger.com have a wide variety of mower brands and models, as well as consumer reviews. By reading what others think of their purchase, you can get a feel for what is a good buy and what isn't.

Timothy Anderson writes for PowerfulChecklists.com. Before you spend any money, check out your next lawn mower carefully using the free Mower Checklist at PowerfulChecklists.com

Your Cottage Garden

2009-03-01T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Theresa Sontag

Cottage gardens exude charm and character, with an informal style, very unlike formal gardens with their immaculate lawns and regimented borders. The cottage garden style typically consists of lots of plants, heavy on the flowers, with paths meandering between. The plants are chosen to suit personal tastes with the emphases on the pleasure of growing plants and enjoying their color, fragrance and form. A medley of colors and textures that is all crammed into the beds and borders.

Cottage gardens were originally constructed to utilize every bit of growing space for family needs. This meant, flowers, fruit, herbs and vegetables were packed together into even the smallest plots. One tip is to incorporate wildflowers and herbs as well as the more traditional cottage garden plants. Plant in clumps with large blocks of color to introduce rich patters of color and movement. Also, don't restrict yourself to planting tall plants in the back, with smaller ones in front. Mix some of the taller plants in amongst the middle planting area as well.

You should grow hollyhock beside walls and fences, plant climbers, such as clematis and roses, in amongst the hedges and trees, or up wall and fences. Annuals can fill in between gaps in the planting.

You will find many of the flowers that are featured in traditional cottage gardens are self-sowing, so leave old flower spikes intact for self-seeding.

All gardens require care and attention and cottage gardens are no exception. You will need to do frequent deadheading in order to encourage a long season of blooming flowers. Divide and replant where appropriate depending on the plant, and, of course, the weeding necessary in any garden.

The first step in creating your cottage garden is to plan your layout. A classic cottage garden has a straight path to the front door, a simple fence and perhaps an arc over the gate, the path or doorway. A more modern design has a curving path. You will need to decide which path option works best for you.

A climbing rose or a wisteria would be a good choice to adorn the wall by and above the front door. The path should be edged with plants that will spill over and soften the edges. You should have a few evergreen shrubs, this will provide green all year and will provide a background to show off your flowers, as well as contrast with autumn foliage and your spring bulbs. Also in winter, your evergreen shrubs will provide color and inject interest while the rest of your garden is dormant.

Adding a tree will give scale to your garden, and lift the eye over the flowers. Deciduous trees have more than one season of interest since they provide autumn color, also many of them have beautiful flowers and fruits. Also, the frameworks of the branches provide height in winter and will not block the winter sunlight in small plots. Deciduous flowering shrubs will provide spring and summer pleasure, and some will give you autumn foliage and berries in the winter.

I believe one cannot have a cottage garden without roses. There are so many types available now, whether heritage roses or the modern roses bred for ease of maintenance and disease resistance, you have your colors and degree of work you wish to commit. There are wonderful climbers to adorn arches, doorways, fences and pergolas. Work roses into your overall scheme, and let them play their part, and they will contribute beauty, scent and structure to your garden.

Add different climbers, such as roses, clematis and others to the same support, whether it is a tree, arbor or fence. It is a good space-saving technique that creates colorful features for months on end and adds height to the garden.

Your landscaping should include more than plants. Add seating areas and containers to help you enjoy your garden. They contrast well with the flow and look of your plants. Containers are also a convenient way to add lots of extra color around buildings, seats and benches. Containers can be anything, use your imagination, for example, objects such as old chimney pots, old watering cans, and bottomless metal buckets can be recycled to make authentic, aged features that will add color and character to your cottage garden.

Your cottage garden should be a color palate of your imagination, blending plants, objects and colors into a whole that is uniquely you. Add and change it through the years and watch it evolve.

Theresa is an avid gardener. For more information on creating lush, vibrant gardens visit her sites at Rose Gardens, Lawn and Garden and Garden.

Cannibals On The Porch

2009-02-28T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jim Burnell

No, ghosts of the Donner Party have not started haunting my porch, nor have others of the human type I may have reference to. I am speaking of cannibals in the insect world of which there are many, but two in particuIar that make me stop and wonder. The first is waxy black with a small red hourglass on her abdomen. She dangles on a thin thread late on warm summer nights in doorways or dark corners waiting for the what ever comes her way. I am sure you guessed, it is the female black widow spider, (Latrodectus Mactans) that I am referring to, and she is no stranger to many porches and gardens around the world . Her potent neurotoxic venom is more deadly than a rattle snake, although the actual bite is less noticeable. But she is only one of the many cannibals waiting outside.

If you are lucky, your porch may attract a less deadly, human friendly cannibal, with lightning strike reflexes and human like characteristics. The adult praying mantis, of whom its been said, is the only insect able to swivel its head around 180 degrees. Mantis is the Greek word for prophet, and if you see one of these on your porch you are immediately impressed by its show of awareness and seeming lack of fear as it turns its head and watches you walk by. The praying mantis, also commonly called mantids, like the black widow, have a reputation of sexual cannibalism, in that the females are known for eating the males head after and sometimes during mating, which in truth only happens some of the time, however in the case of the mantids, the young nymphs emerging from their egg cases will begin to eat each other if another food source is not found within one or two days and they are kept caged together with no means of escape. They emerge from their eggs as tiny strings, one attached to the next, through a row of pin-sized holes in the egg. As the string grows longer they individually begin to unfold into tiny little creatures looking just like their parents, only wingless, stringy and weak, but able to walk or run to high ground, or I should say elevated branches and leaves as they seem to have an instinct to climb, like tiny infantry soldiers searching for a safe place to lie in wait for any soft bodied insect they can over-power while avoiding any large ants or meat bees which can easily carry them of at this age.

As a gardener and amateur entomologist I am naturally drawn to these two insects. In the case of the black widow, it is the possibility of a nasty bite, and a trip to the emergency room, which has always concerned me. In the case of the praying mantis, besides its mysterious fascination and pre-historic looks, it is its reputation as a beneficial insect for pest control that got my attention. Then I got a crazy idea about using the talents of the mantis to control the black-widow population by setting them out as sentinels on the porch and in the yard and so I went about gathering mantid egg cases from neighboring areas, "oothecas", as they are called, and began waiting for them to hatch, while I designed several cages which I thought appropriate. The first ootheca hatched in mid-April and I somehow missed it. I turned to look in the glass container as usual and there were over one-hundred little guys about five sixteenths of an inch long, running and jumping from branch to branch exploring the gallon container. They had all come from one egg case! Little did I know at that time what I was getting into as I tried to figure out how to get the other egg cases out of the container without half of the little guys escaping in the process. The first thing I realized was that I was going to need a good pair of glasses, and a lot of time and patience to journey into this insects world.

Since then four months have passed and since this is not the place for a novel, I will only share information, as it would relate to gardening and pest control. As for the black widow, we will just have to wait and see, but for once I would say that the "little prophet", lives up to the hype of its reputation as a good beneficial, provided certain procedures are taken.

Most beneficial insect companies recommend releasing your mantids immediately or just placing the egg cases out in the garden to hatch on their own. I would not recommend this as most of them will fall prey to other predatory insects at this age, as they do not get their wings till the end of their third month and their only defenses are camouflage and stealth during the first few days. If a colony of large ants track them down, the whole population from an egg case can become ant food in a few hours. It is better to wait three to four weeks before releasing them, letting them grow to between five eighths and three quarters of an inch, during this time they have learned a little self-defense from practicing with each other. This can be done very easily with a self-feeding ant proof cage that can be kept outdoors with very little maintenance and reused year after year. If this is done the survival rate will increase dramatically and many more mantids will be found protecting the garden later in the season. At this point you can release them strategically or randomly. If you want to target specific plants with a pest problem, you can release them every four inches apart or so and after they find a spot they like they will most likely stay in or near to that spot ranging no more than twelve inches or so contrary to popular belief. They will usually stay in that general area for several weeks until they can no longer find food, or until they become prey for meat bees, which constantly hover in search of a meal, and crafty spiders that sneak up from underneath and in a surprise attack inject their poison. Many times it may seem that they are gone and then several days later they are back again when all the time they were hiding right in front of you. Some of my outside mantids have stayed in the same place for two months. Do not expect miracles. If a pest infestation has already occurred it is most likely too late for these beneficials to be of much help. At this age they may eat only four or five aphids or small flies a day but they can survive on less and they will not eat if they are not hungry. They will also help control the mosquito population as I found out when I introduced a few mosquitoes into their cages. In fact there is the possibility of them being very effective for mosquito control if released in marshlands or around stagnant water.

As time goes by they will begin eating larger and more difficult prey. At about ninety days, give or take a day or two, after they have shed their last exoskeleton they will show their wings. It usually happens at night and in the morning, there they are, a beautiful set of wings. It seems like a small miracle the first time you see this happen. This is the easiest time to differentiate between the sexes and when the females start their domination although if you have the eyes of a child, or a good magnifying glass, the sexes can be determined by counting body segments at a very early age. This is also the point at which they start traveling about the yard, or flying over to the yard next door to look for a mate and search for larger prey like grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, moths, etc. They have now grown to between two and a half to three inches, and can no longer catch the smaller prey. Their hunting skills have developed into a form of art and they have reached their full potential The female now looks like a miniature version from the Jurassic period, with strong hooked arms and columns of sharp, tapered spikes. She can flare up her wings in defiance vibrating delicate webbing which extends to her body causing her to appear large and ferocious to any approaching threat. Most humans would step back upon seeing this display for the first time, kind of like hearing a rattlesnake when you are not expecting it. This is also the time when you might expect me to place them on the porch as sentinels to complete this experiment. Well I said in the beginning it was a crazy idea and I cannot find one black widow on the porch anyway, or in the yard. Besides, raising these wonderful creatures in captivity they have become like family pets some of which I have given names to and praise or scold according to their behavior. To subject one of my pets to a life or death battle with a black widow is no longer an option. I am sure they would not stay on the porch for more than a couple of days anyway, just long enough to say good bye and maybe scare off a few solicitors before flying off in the night to safely deposit their eggs and then face their deadliest of prey, the futile first frost.

Jim Burnell is a carpenter/cabinet maker and small business owner with a lifetime of varied hobbies from boat building to studying Zeno's paradox. Currently he is studying the effects of catnip on mosquitoes and other insects, the testing and raising of certain beneficial insects in the garden and in captivity, and simplifying certain gardening procedures in transplanting and cloning. For links to his other articles, journals and ideas he can be reached at his website: http://www.spreadtheworld.blogspot.com or e-mail jimbkayak@yahoo.com

Six Rose Diseases And How To Treat Them

2009-02-27T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Lee Dobbins

Roses are beautiful but can be a bit challenging to grow. There are many insects and diseases that can chip away at the health of your roses. He are six symptoms of disease in your roses and how to treat them.

1. Malformed young canes or canes that are stunted

this is a fungal disease which is called powdery mildew. It covers stems bods and leaves with a white powder that spreads in the breeze. The leaves will turn purple and curl. To treat this, spray with Benomyl or Funginex.

2. Black spots on leaves

Aptly named, this disease is usually referred to as black spot. These spots are circular and have fringed edges causing the leaves to yellow. To treat this you want to remove infected leaves and pick up any that have fallen around the plant. You can also buy artificial sprays to treat and prevent black spot.

3. Stunted or malformed flowers and leaves

Malformed leaves and flowers can be caused by spider mites. These little tiny mites can be green red or yellow and usually hang around on the underside of the leaves where they have a good old time sucking the juices. You can try applying Isotox or Orthene to help treat these little pests.

4. Blistered leaves

If you notice the underside of your roses leaves are blistered you may have the disease known as rust. Blisters are an orange red color in turn black in the fall. This disease can live throughout the winter and in spring when new sprouts formidable attack them. To treat this get rid of any leaves that are infected both on the plants and on the ground. Spray Funginex or Benomyl every seven to 10 days for treatment.

5. Flowers which are malformed or do not open

this is another problem with roses that can be caused by bugs called Thrips. These are fain brownish yellow bugs that have fringed wings and damage your plant by sucking the juices from the flower buds. To get rid of them you'll have to cut off the infested flowers. Malathion and Orthene may also be used to treat this problem.

6. Leaves that are weak and mottled or show tiny white webs underneath

here you may have a problem with aphids. These tiny blogs can be green and brown or red and often hang around in clusters under the leaves and flower buds where they suck juices. Try spraying with diazinon or malathion in on to get rid of them.

If you're roses to not have any of these pests or diseases but are still unhealthy looking you might want to look at the way you are fertilizing them. Roses are very hungry and do require fertilization. Talk to your local gardening store to find out what's best for your area.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://gardening.subjectmonster.com where you can learn more about all types of gardening including indoor gardening, container gardening and organic gardening. Get gardening tips to help improve your gardens today!

All About Gardening

2009-02-27T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lisa Marx

Gardening is perhaps one of the best hobbies that a more laborious nature lover can take up. The reason why I choose to call this hobby laborious is because it surely does involve a good deal of physical activity. This hobby is not meant for those nature lovers who simply want to bask in the natural beauty that already exists. Rather it is an ideal pass time for those who want to make their own contribution to the nature.

In order to be successful in gardening one must have the following qualities: -

1.) Besides having a love for gardening you should also have the will and determination to pursue your hobby.

2.) You must be physically fit and agile. Laziness and gardening are anonymous to each other.

3.) Learn to exchange your ideas and information with like-minded people who can show an equal passion for gardening.

4.) Try laying your hands on almost any books, magazines or articles that can enhance your knowledge on gardening.

5.) Be prepared to invest a small amount of your earnings in purchasing the "Can't do without", gardening tools.

The world of gardening is wide and it has immense possibilities for those who want to explore it with the right zeal and enthusiasm. You can choose from indoor gardening, outdoor gardening, landscaping, cultivating exotic herbs, growing bonsais and thus the list is endless. However it is important to do a fair amount of research work before delving into any of the above fields. You should master up the art of choosing the right plants and also learn the techniques favorable for their productivity and growth.

Growing plants is not enough. Deciding where the plants should grow is also an important aspect of gardening. Nothing can be more distasteful than a garden which has color clashing flowers growing all around in a haphazardly manner. So be careful about allocating the plants their respective locations. Arrange the assortments of flowers in accordance with their heights, textures and colors so that they complement each other without diminishing the beauty of your garden.

Keep aside one day from the entire week to be your gardening day. Generally week -ends would be a good choice. On this day, equip your self with all the essential gardening tools and accessories and get down to your work. If you have children or friends who are equally interested in gardening call for their assistance. The more the merrier!

Once you are done for the day clean your tools well and store them in their right place. Be sure to maintain your gardening tools because well maintained tools can give you years of good performance. After all tools aren't something that you can afford to buy every week.

Whether you are an efficient gardener or not can be best proved by your garden itself. So stop twiddling your thumbs and put your green fingers to use. As far as gardening is concerned, if you have really put in hard work your efforts will never go futile.

Lisa Marx for http://www.gardening-information-online.com.

Planning Your Herb Garden The Right Way

2009-02-26T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mary Hanna

This article is dedicated to planning a successful herb garden. If you have planted herb gardens in previous years this will help to revamp and refresh one already have.

Go to your Garden Center and see what herbs are available and suitable for your area. This is important if you are planning an outside herb garden. If you are planning an inside herb garden, since you control the atmosphere, you can choose whatever you like.

My suggestion here would be to select a theme for your herb garden. You can plant them for culinary, cosmetic, medicinal or fragrance use. Be realistic about your plants. Check your whole property to find the right spot. Look for sun or shade, type of soil, and how well the spot drains. These are all very import for picking the best place for your herb garden.

Once you have accomplished the above, pick your sunniest spot because herbs need a lot of sun (a good four top six hours daily). Be sure that the herb garden site is level and sheltered from wind. If your soil is a bit heavy ad lots of compost when preparing your site which will make the soil looser and help with drainage and texture.

Try to keep the herb garden close to the house to facilitate in picking the harvest and checking for troubles. If you can't find a suitable sunny spot plant them in a garden container that you can move around to follow the sun. (This movement is a bit time consuming but it pay off in the end).

Look at the rest of your gardens. Are they formal or informal? You will want your herb garden to complement your house and garden. Look in books or magazine to get some inspiration. If you are creating a formal herb garden you will need to plant in straight lines and geometric shapes framing them with low hedges and paths. A fountain, bench or topiary shrubs are almost always used as the main focal point. Arrange the layout around a central axis. Then plant one kind of herb in each block, go for bold color and texture. Be warned a formal garden is labor intensive and will be expensive.

In an informal herb garden you can plant more flowing, curved beds and walkways. Add flowers and shrubs for a really exciting look. This type of herb garden requires less initial work and will be easier and cheaper to maintain.

Now it's time to decide on which herbs to plant. The easy way is to make a list of the ones that follow your theme. Make up your wish list in three columns. Column one is the absolutely must have plants, Column two will be the ones that would be nice to have and Column three is oh well, not necessary. If you're just starting out do between 5-10 herbs, (depending on your space). This makes the herb gardening more manageable.

Know which herb plants or annual or perennial, and make a note of them so you won't forget. A small spiral notebook is a good place to make comments on the care of each of your herbs. Situate each plant according to height for maximum enjoyment of your herb garden.

Lastly keep them well feed and give them lots of love and you will a beautiful herb garden that is multi-purpose. You get to plant the herb garden, watch it flourish, and then you get to harvest it for whatever your purpose was: Culinary, Medicinal, Fragrance or Cosmetic.

Happy Planting!

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and this resource box are unchanged.

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About the Author

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 Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningLandscapingTips.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GourmetChefAtHome.com

Drying Herbs

2009-02-25T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Doug Green

Now is the perfect time to harvest most herbs for fresh use as well as drying for winter use. This is extremely easy to do and quite a simple task. Select plants that are just ready to bloom as this is when the leaves contain the highest amounts of flavour. It is a really good idea to forcefully spray the plants daily with water to knock off any insects and clean the leaves of garden dirt or insect detritus. Never spray with chemicals before harvest.

Cut off the stems early in the morning before the leaves start growing (and releasing their oils naturally) to obtain the best flavours. Each plant can have up to one half of their leaves removed (cut the stems down by half). This pruning will give you ample herb leaves as well as stimulate the plant to produce more leaves. Naturally, this means you'll be able to get a second harvest later in the season.

I generally put all my stalks together and tie them with a shoelace or bit of string. Mine are all hung upside down from the ceiling in a warm spot (not over the air conditioning) so the leaves will dry without mildewing. Good air circulation is essential.

It may take several weeks and each herb's drying time will vary but the leaves will eventually become dry and crumbly to the touch. I generally put the herbs in a bag and knock them about to separate the leaves from the stems. Then I put the leaves in old glass sealer jars and store them in cool, dry spots while discarding the stems. You can get even more information about drying herbs right here.

Next winter, let me suggest you consider adding mint leaves to hot apple juice to get a pleasant reminder of summer flavours and fragrances.

Doug Green, award winning garden author of 7 published books answers gardening questions in his free newsletter at http://www.beginner-gardening.com/gardeningflowertips.html

A Few Iron Fencing Maintenance Tips

2009-02-24T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Gabriel J. Adams

Although iron fencing is some of the strongest fencing available (especially when compared to wood fencing), it can always use a little helping hand from its owner. In fact, a properly maintained wrought iron fence can last a hundred years or more!

Fight Rust With Finish

What attracts us to iron in the first place? Iron is known for its strength and ability to withstand the elements better than fencing made with other materials. But without sufficient coating, it can become vulnerable to rust from constant moisture. Morning dew, rain, and snow are the usual culprits of rust, but you can fight them off by coating your iron fence with a nice coat of rust-resistant finish.

Stick With the Solids

In addition to rust, iron fencing is vulnerable deep scratches, dents and chips. Rust-resistant finish does an excellent job of warding off surface scratches and chips, but offers little protection against deep scratches or chipping. And it certainly does nothing to protect against dents or bending. Your best defense against fence dents and bending is to resist using hollow iron.

Wash and Wax

To keep your iron fence looking new, give it a good washing with warm soapy water between seasons. Follow up with a wax and then oil the fence's joint, springs, latches, etc. with mineral oil. Steel wool can be used to sand away light scratches, while specially formulated paint will cover small holes. While painting, let each layer dry between one another. Otherwise you'll risk dripping (while wet) and flaking (while dry).

If you're not careful to quickly nip those little scratches or spots of rust in the bud, they'll increase in size and form noticeable holes before you know it - holes that will require even more maintenance than what's described above!

Find Wrought Iron fences and more at http://www.stonebank-ironcraft.co.uk/

A Look At Garden Gazebos

2009-02-24T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alison Cole

A garden gazebo is the perfect way to accent your garden. Imagine being able to walk along the path between the koi pond and the flowers, the hedges and the willow tree, pausing to rest on a bench inside a gazebo. Its shade will comfort you, and its architecture will add that special geometric touch to your garden, striking the balance between nature and humanity. No matter what the environment of your garden, there is a garden gazebo out there just waiting to be bought.

In creating a garden gazebo, first choose your material from wood, metal, or vinyl options. Wood is the most common choice, and for good reason: it goes with any natural environment. Wood is available in pine, cedar, and redwood. Pine is the softest wood, ages to a rich yellow, and complements surrounding evergreens. Cedar is higher in overall sturdiness, is less prone to rot, and ages to a gray-brown. American redwood is the darkest, longest-lasting wood. Other woods can be used, but those are the most common.

Metal gazebos come in cast aluminum or steel and wrought iron. Go with steel and wrought iron if you want your garden gazebo to add a lovely dark and long lasting effect. These gazebos are often open-roofed, and so are great for stocking with plants, climbers, and other materials, making for a lush shade that changes with the seasons. Vinyl comes in white or black. Just as with wood and metal gazebos, they come in a variety of shapes and styles. Get trellis walls for a cottage feeling.

For enhanced usability in harsher weather conditions, get an enclosed garden gazebo. These can be partially enclosed, with partitions and movable screens, or totally enclosed, with solid walls and tinted windows.

Whether looking to expand a large corporate garden, or just to complement a small neighborhood plot, a garden gazebo is an inviting structure for rest, meditation, or meeting up with other people to enjoy the weather.

Gazebos Info provides detailed information about spa, garden, patio, canopy, screened, metal, and vinyl gazebos, as well as gazebo plans and kits. Gazebos Info is the sister site of Awnings Web.

Birch Leaf Miner

2009-02-23T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Paul Burke

Appearance:

Generally speaking the first most obvious sign of this pest is browning and wilting of the foliage on your birch tree. The larvae cause this discolouration and distortion by feeding that create tunnels within the individual leaves. These tunnels first appear as a greenish colour but quickly turn to a grey, then eventually a brown. These tunnels contain the waste of the larvae and are blackish in colour. This waste is known as frass. The larvae are flat to aid them in their tunneling habits and are a greenish yellow in colouration. They also have four black spots on their underside at the front. By holding the leaves up to a light the eggs and larvae will appear as transparent spots.

Life Cycle:

Birch leaf miner will create 3-4 generations per year. The adult will emerge from the soil in May and June and will deposit their eggs in slits created in the surface of a newly developed leaf. The larvae consume the tissue situated between the upper and lower leaf surface. They will eventually eat their way through to the surface of the leaf and fall to the ground to pupate. The adults emerge again and continue the cycle. They will over-winter below the tree and emerge again in the spring.

Controlling the problem:

An infestation of birch leaf miner generally speaking will not kill a healthy mature tree. By defoliating the host tree they can however weaken it, making it more susceptible to attack by other insects and diseases. If you are using insecticides to control this pest, please be sure to follow all directions on the label before and while applying. By controlling the initial generation of birch leaf miner you can go a long way to minimize the damage caused by additional generations. Use a systemic insecticide before the buds open to prevent this pest from egg laying. You can also apply insecticides as the new leaves emerge.

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

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

Pond Liners

2009-02-23T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Eric Morris

Ponds are small water spaces that provide beauty and calm to their surroundings, whether large concrete constructions or small private gardens. Even the Romans, Egyptians and Chinese of the ancient world loved to decorate their gardens with attractive ponds.

The most important task while building a pond is to lay a Pond Liner, just like laying a foundation for a building. A natural lake or pond has dirt, rock and silt at its bottom. A Pond Liner helps prevent the pond water from penetrating the soil, making the soil silty.

Pond Liners come in different options. The first choice is between preformed and custom-made or flexible. Preformed liners are suitable for small garden ponds. Preformed Pond Liners are quick and easy to install. Flexible liners are suitable for medium-sized ponds. Flexible liners are made of natural materials like rubber and clay, as well as synthetics such as PVC liners.

Installing a preformed Pond Liner requires creating a hole suited to the space of the pond. But installing flexible liners requires checking whether any sharp objects will penetrate the liner.

Preformed Pond Liners made of plastic are strong and not likely to leak. They are difficult to fit, due to their varying shapes and depth sizes, and are suited to small ponds. Such ponds are usually expensive, with high delivery charges. Flexible liners include rubber products like butyl rubber, EPDM (ethylene propylene dyiene monomer) rubber, and clay like sodium bentonyte clay. Synthetic plastics include P.V.C. (polyvinyl chloride), polyethylene (a thermo plastic) and Ultra Guard (polymeric alloy).

The primary advantage of flexible Pond Liners is that they are easy to transport. They are not affected by limits of size or shape. The materials can be molded into the pond shape of your choice. It is easy to make adjustments. There is a variety of material to suit every need. The pond will look natural as it blends with the landscape.

Synthetic rubber is most versatile. Called EPDM, it is economical, durable and easy to install. And really flexible. Flexible plastic liners such as PVC and HDPE are available, but not as effective as rubber liners.

With the advent of garden pools and preformed pool liners, all the hassles of concrete and other raw material are saved. Heavy-duty Pond Liners are available with long-term guarantees, and sell for less than $1 per square foot. Large ponds require a large Pond Liner that is safe for fish and plant life, inexpensive, easy to install, and durable to last over 20 years. Polyethylene is suitable for such ponds.

Pond Liners are available in black, and U.V. protected. Many people install pre-liners to provide an insulating layer between the soil and Pond Liner. Ultimately, to select a Pond Liner, a number of criteria must be considered such as size, quality goals, budget, property value, and wildlife.

Pond Liners provides detailed information about pond liners, garden pond liners, preformed pond liners, rubber pond liners and more. Pond Liners is the sister site of Natural Waterfalls.

Flowers How To Buy Them When They Are Fresh

2009-02-22T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by John Gibb

Flowers form the best gifts and it takes some time and consideration for selecting the right Flower for the right occasion. Buying Flowers is an Art like presenting them for that particular occasion. Due to the advancement of transport facilities and Cold Storage facilities it has become possible to get flowers from around the World to any other place in the World.

The Flowers that grow in one part of the World go to the other part of the World still looking fresh and fragrant. But there are occasions when the Flowers we buy get spoiled and shrunken sooner than expected completely spoiling the occasion for which they have been bought. So what went wrong? Was the flowers that seemed perfectly fresh at the Florist have lost their freshness before we reach our home.

In reality it is not always as easy to tell if the flowers you buy are as fresh as they look. Your problem becomes more as the Flowers don't come with a "best consumed before" date stamped on them. This makes you more confused so there really isn't a way to know how fresh they really are. It is equally not possible to say how long they will remain fresh.

You must be aware that the flowers that you find at the Florist shop have already been through quite a bit by the time they reach you. Usually Flower growers spend their day selling many of their beautiful Blooms directly to Consumers. At the end of the day when they have quite a bit of stock left over. These Flowers are bundled up and shipped off to auctions and wholesalers throughout the Country and often to other Countries.

They are sold at a discount, because they are no longer fresh. They are passed on from wholesalers to the local Florists who stock them in their coolers in hopes of selling them to their Customers in various arrangements. All these take time and when the time they are stocked in the Cooling Box are also added the Bouquet Flowers delivered to you from your local Florist, might already be anywhere from 3 to 5 days old and the chances of it lasting very long are slim.

The best and most exquisite bouquets come from using only the freshest of Flowers. If you want to purchase Flowers that are fresh, you have to eliminate the middlemen and try to buy from sources that are as close as possible to the Growers of the Flowers. When you buy blossoms direct from the Growers, they won't bloom into their full glory prematurely, giving you many more days of pleasure.

John Gibb is the owner of flower sources , For more information on flowers check out http://www.Flowers-resources2k.info

What You Should Know About Solar Greenhouses

2009-02-22T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ken Wilssens

Although every greenhouse is a solar greenhouse to some extent, there are differences in the type of solar heating and lighting that you can use. The covering you use, whether it is fibreglass, glass or heavy plastic, traps the heat from the sun inside each day. The trick in having a successful greenhouse is learning how to store this solar heat to keep the temperature the same during the night. A traditional greenhouse captures the solar heat during the day, but it loses significant amounts of this heat at night.

One way of maintaining the heat during the night is to use what is called passive solar heating. This consists of collecting water in barrels. The water retains the heat and allows it to escape during the night and heat the greenhouse. Another way, which involves more expense, is to have a concrete wall or rocks that can supply the needed heat.

You can also revert to using electricity to power a heater during the night. If you use a heat pump, it will pump the stored heat from the water into the greenhouse, thus maintaining the humidity that the plants need. Without having humidity of some kind in addition to the heat, the plants may become dehydrated.

If you have your greenhouse attached to a building, you can consider having that wall covered with bricks. Those that use this system paint the bricks black so that they absorb the maximum heat from the sun during the day. Although this method does work well, it takes a lot of extra time getting the greenhouse set up.

Recent research has looked at using cheap chemical compounds called eutectics to maintain the solar heat in a greenhouse. These are salts that store the heat from the sun at a constant temperature for use during the nights and for cloudy days.

You do need to have a backup system for heating in greenhouse because you can't rely on receiving heat from the sun on a continuous basis.

For lots of helpful information on greenhouse humidification and related topics, visit The Greenhouses Guide at http://www.thegreenhousesguide.com.

Can Your Sundial Really Tell The Time

2009-02-21T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Hugh Harris-Evans

"I am a sundial, and I make a botch
Of what is done far better by a watch"

So wrote Hilaire Belloc, but is this really fair? Sundials are the earliest known form of time-keeping having been used for some five thousand years. The Greek historian Herodotus stated that sundials were first used by the Chaldeans and Sumerians in Babylonia which was part of the modern Iraq. They used vertical rods on their buildings and noted the position of the shadow to record the passing of the hours. The concept was developed by the Greeks and Romans who constructed various different shapes of dial to enable them to tell the time and the season of the year. Usually these were bowl-shaped dials with vertical or horizontal gnomons (shadow-casters) and hour lines marked in the hollow of the bowl. Over the years more elaborate designs were produced until the advent of accurate clocks when the function of the sundial became more decorative than as a reliable means of telling the time.

The question is often asked "Can a sundial really tell the correct time?" to which you will receive the Alice in Wonderland reply that it depends upon what you mean by "the correct time". Our clocks and watches work on the basis of there being exactly twenty-four hours between one day and the next but, because of the eliptical nature of the earth's orbit around the sun, the time shown on the sundial will vary according to the seasons. In February by the clock the sun is almost fifteen minutes slow, whereas during the spring and summer months it gains and loses between four and six minutes in two cycles. At the other extreme in November the sundial appears to be some seventeen minutes fast. In fact the sundial is accurate on only four days of the year, about April 15, June 14, September 2 and December 25. Some sundials include a table showing the deviation from "clock time" according to the date.

The time indicated by the sun will also vary with the location of the dial. The sun travels across the sky at the rate of fifteen degrees per hour so every degree of longditude represents a difference of four minutes from the standard meridian for the region. The angle of the gnomon also depends on the situation, so to set up your sundial correctly you need to know both the latitude and longditude of its location. For the United States and the United Kingdom this site can provide the information. The gnomon should be set at the angle in degrees which is equal to the latitude of your location. The sundial can then be fixed with the gnomon pointing to the Pole Star. There are various ways of achieving this, the easiest of which, is to use a compass adjusted for the magnetic variation. Further details are beyond the scope of this article, but for those interested look at this site.

If you have read this far you will have discovered that there is a great deal more to the sundial than a mere item of garden decoration. If this has piqued your interest in the subject, then you are not alone. There are Sundial Societies in countries around the world. The North American Sundial Society has details of its objects and activities on its website.

A number of sundial trails have been established. A good example is the Thames Sundial Trail in London, England. This site lists a number of other trails in countries all over the world but only two in the United States. However the North American Sundial Society has a complete list on its website.

Two rather different designs are shown here. The first, which is commonly referred to as a Human Sundial, uses the person's shadow to indicate the time. By standing in the appropriate box for the date the shadow will show the correct time. The second is a Digital Sundial which sounds like a contradiction in terms but in reality is just a rather clever design.

Many sundials have a motto inscribed on the face. Often these are rather serious in tone and of the "Tempus fugit" variety but you also find some written in a lighter vein. Here are a few of my favourites:

The shadow of my finger cast
Divides the future from the past

The clock the time may wrongly tell,
I never if the sun shines well

I stand amid the summer flowers
To tell the passage of the hours

And finally again from Hilaire Belloc:

I am a sundial, turned the wrong way round.
I cost my foolish mistress fifty pounds!

Hugh Harris-Evans is the owner of The Garden Supplies Advisor where you will find further articles, gardening tips and product reviews.

Gardening To Stay Fit

2009-02-21T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mary Hanna

Love to garden? Well here's good news. Gardening can get you in shape; call it backyard fitness.

You remember when you joined the gym and vowed to go three times a week. Or when you bought the treadmill knowing you would use it everyday. Well, that didn't happen, did it?

Work in the garden and on the lawn works the heart and other muscles just as effectively as other forms of exercise. Little did we know that pushing a hand mower burns more calories then an hour on the treadmill at 4 miles per hour. Digging and raking burn even more calories. Any amount of aerobic exercise will decrease your risk of heart disease. The risk of heart disease declines for each day of 30 minute yard work you perform.

Before you go out to your yard with you gardening gloves and hat, do some stretching to warm up your muscles for the job ahead. After stretching take a brisk 5 minute walk around your garden to spot where you will be working that day Check out exercise routines on websites and libraries or go to the bookstore.

You don't need fancy equipment to get warmed up. You can use a broom held behind you back and rotate your body left and right. Grasp a couple of soup cans and do some arm curls. If things were perfect, you should start conditioning about six weeks before the planting season. But if you didn't plan it that way, it's alright. Just do some stretching and do the yard work in small sections until you feel stronger.

To avoid overuse injuries, switch chores often. Start with weeding and then switch to digging in the dirt. Takes some breaks, the 30 minutes does not have to be continuous.

It is important to change positions frequently so you don't freeze up. When you're weeding kneel on a pad and then switch to a seated position. Don't bend over to work.

Make sure you have the right gear. Always wear sturdy shoes and garden gloves. I never work in the garden without a hat and good sunglasses. If you have a back problem wear a brace to avoid further injury. Spend a little extra time warming up an area that may be venerable.

Lift and carry correctly. When lifting, bend from your knees not your waist. This will keep you from a back injury. When carrying heavy loads like bags of soil, hold them close to your body and centered rather than out in front. If something is really heavy, rather than risk injury, use a wheel barrel.

It is most important is to stay hydrated. Don't wait until you feel thirsty, drink water constantly.

And lastly: don't overdo it. Pace yourself when you first begin yard work. Spread the yard work over a couple of days and your muscles will thank you.

Happy 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 or contact her at mary@webmarketingreviews.com

The Benefits Of Organic Gardening

2009-02-20T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Laura Fox

Organic Gardening refers to the system in which plants are grown in an organic environment. According to the USDA regulations, those who are involved in the process of organic gardening are prohibited from using irradiation, sewage sludge or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in organic production. This type of food production would be certified as organic farming or gardening.

Accordingly, the important aspects of organic gardening will include the following:

Those who engage in organic gardening or farming can't use synthetic or chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
There should be a systematic approach in organic gardening. This means that a system needs to be implemented. This system will describe the methodologies about sowing, production and reaping of plants.
Records must be also kept which will keep a track of the products till they are sold.
Buffer zones should be maintained so that there are no inadvertent contaminations from the gardens and the farms, which use the conventional method of farming or gardening.

Those involved in organic gardening understand the importance of crops, the soil, the pests and the insects as well as the interdependency of all these factors. Organic gardening helps to care and the nurture the very soil of the crops. Thus the benefits that we get are naturally grown flowers, trees and plants.

Organic gardening can also be certified by state organizations and private organizations, which have been accredited by the USDA. The farms and gardens, which are looking to certify themselves, have to submit their organic systems on an annual basis.

Based upon these systems inspectors will come and inspect their establishments and verify with the systems that they have submitted. All facilities are included in the inspection and this includes pest control method, livestock, feedstock for livestock, soil management programs etc.

The organically grown products are minimally processed to retain their natural freshness and nutritious value. However irradiation, synthetic and genetically engineered foods and products can't be used in organic farming or gardening.

The biggest advantage is that there are no chemicals and pesticides used. Hence there are no residues when we eat the fruits. There is nothing to wash off or fear like normal produce.

This means that we live a healthy life and we beget a healthy life for our children and the generations to come. As humans we want to lead a healthy life and this gives us a right to choose what foods we eat as well as how we get the foods.

Laura Fox makes it easy to learn organic gardening. To get started organic gardening and claim your free guide to organic gardening visit http://www.organicgardeningmagic.com now.

10 Tips For Successful Rose Planting

2009-02-19T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Kathy Burns-Millyard

Planting roses isn't actually complicated, as long as you have some good advice and tips to start with...

1. Check with your local gardening center or florist for the best type of roses to grow in you climate. If you are a novice, you should look fo? disease resistant types of roses because they require a lot less maintenance.

2. When planting roses, you want to pick a spot that is well lit in the morning. You also want an area that is sunlit for at least 6 hours a day. Roses need a great deal of light if they are to grow properly. If you live in a really hot climate though, you'll probably get the best results by not planting your roses in direct sunlight.

3. Pick an area that has plenty of well drained soil. Great soil has a PH level where the amount of acid in the soil is at about 5.5-7.0. You can get a testing kit for your soil at any garden center.

4. Organic matter like manure or lime helps to nourish the roots of your roses. You should soak the roots in water or puddle clay for many minutes, and cut off any root's ends that are broken.

5. The first 3-4 weeks after planting your roses, you should water them often. Usually this is when the top 2 inches of soil is dry. Roses need a lot of hydration and food to remain healthy.

6. Four weeks after planting, you should start soaking the bed every 2 weeks or so. You should do this in the morning for the best results.

7. Begin fertilization approximately 3 months after planting. Use 3-6 inches of mulch to control the moisture, temperature, and to stops weeds from coming up. Mulch also helps to lock in the vital nutrients your roses need in order to remain healthy.

8. Planting in the Spring is the best.

9. You want to plant your roses in an area that is well circulated with air. Your roses will not grow in an enclosed or tight area.

10. Dig a hole that is two times bigger than the amount of space that your roses take up. It makes it easier to plant them and creates a spaced area for them to grow with freedom. Poor circulation for your roses can cause fungal diseases. Using a larger hole also makes it easier for you to pull them up later and pot them if you'd like.

This article is provided courtesy of http://www.Garden-Source.com - You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.

How To Create A Wildflower Garden

2009-02-19T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lesley Dietschy

In today's gardens often populated by geraniums, roses, and zinnias, wildflowers can provide a simple and graceful flair. Almost any garden or landscape can be beautified by their presence. Not only are wildflowers easy to grow but they possess a natural resistance to pests, disease, and harsh climates. They can survive in clay soil, nutrient poor soil, sandy soil, and practically no soil at all. Once established in their preferred habitat, wildflowers can survive on their own without pruning, weeding, primping, and little or no watering.

The easiest way to create and grow a wildflower garden is to sow the seeds (to plant seeds by scattering) on well-prepped ground where they will not be in competition with weeds and grasses. The basic steps are as follows:

1. Decide when to plant (sow) the seeds. Wildflower seeds like warm soil and they can be planted in either spring or fall, depending on the species and where you live. They typically germinate best with a soil temperature of 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, if you live in zones 1-6 you should plant in the spring and if you live in zones 7-11 you should plant in the fall. For best results, follow the instructions on the seed packet or ask your local nursery.

2. Choose a sunny, well-drained gardening site. Most wildflowers need at least five to eight hours of sunlight a day and well-drained soil.

3. Prepare the ground by removing any existing vegetation and/or weeds.

4. Plant (sow) the seeds. Before spreading, mix the seeds in a bucket with fine-grade builder's sand. Use four parts sand to one part seed. This will help to ensure even coverage. Spread the seeds in a sweeping motion either by hand or by using a handheld broadcast seeder.

5. Tap in the seeds. A seed that is buried too deep will not germinate. To ensure good contact between the seeds and the ground, walk over the seedbed and tap it down with your foot or use the head of a garden rake.

6. Water seeds. Wildflower seeds need water to germinate. Water frequently until the plants grow 1 to 2 inches tall. After that, only water the wildflowers if they look wilted or stressed.

7. Pull weeds. If weeds grow in the midst of your wildflower garden, pull them by hand before they have a chance to flower and populate. If your wildflowers grow thickly, they will eventually choke out most weeds.

The types of wildflowers or native plants you can grow basically depend on the characteristics of your garden and environment. Typically, it's easier to grow native wildflowers that are already adapted to the climate and growing conditions in their native range. However, there are wildflowers that will survive in virtually any setting and adaptable enough to grow in many regions of the country. A few of the most popular wildflowers that grow in North America are Texas Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush, Butterfly Weed, Autumn Sage, Goldenrod, Sunflower, Black-eyed Susan, Winecup, and the California Poppy.

Wildflower seeds or plants can be purchased from a local nursery, mail order, or on the internet. Normally, wildflower seed mixes contain seeds of both annual and perennial plants. This is done so that the annuals grow rapidly and cover the ground, while the perennial plants are taking time to get established.

Growing wildflowers from seeds can be more economical than buying mature plants. However, one disadvantage of growing wildflowers from seeds is that many native plants require a long time to germinate and mature. Also, the seeds of some species require pretreatment before they can be planted. This process involves stratification, which is placing seeds in a refrigerated storage in a non-soil growing medium for one to two months and sometimes longer. So, if you are not proficient at growing plants from seed, it may be best to start your wildflower garden by purchasing a few mature plants from a reputable nursery.

Whether adding wildflowers to your existing garden or creating a little garden unto itself, it can be a lot of fun to experiment with seeds and mature plants and learn which species adapts the best to your garden. To further research wildflowers, visit a few of the wildflower organizations that can be found on the internet.

Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange and the Home & Garden Exchange. The Home Decor Exchange is a popular home and garden website featuring resources, articles, decorating pictures, free projects, and a shopping marketplace. The Home & Garden Exchange website is a link exchange program and directory dedicated to the home and garden industry, as well as offering free website content and promotional ideas. Please visit both websites for all of your home, garden, and website needs.

http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com

http://www.HomeGardenExchange.com

The Basic Principles Of Landscape Design

2009-02-18T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Steve Boulden

Whether you plan to "borrow ideas" or plan on creating your own landscaping design, you should have at the very least a basic understanding of the principles of landscape design.

Don't feel that you have to apply every principle to every part of your plan. Just having an understanding of these principles can help you generate ideas and increase your creativity.

Great landscaping lies in the eyes of the its creator. So, while the principles of landscape design are great guidelines to follow, don't feel like they're the "have to rules" of landscaping. Abstract and creativity are allowed.

Unity should be one of your main goals in your design. It may be better understood and applied as consistency and repetition. Repetition creates unity by repeating alike elements like plants, plant groups, or decor throughout the landscape. Consistency creates unity in the sense that some or all of the different elements of the landscape fit together to create a whole.

Unity can be created by the consistency of character of elements in the design. By character, I mean the size, height, texture, color schemes, etc. of different elements.

A good example would be in the use of accent rocks and boulders. If you've ever seen a landscape design that had several different colors and sizes of boulders, then you've seen that unity wasn't created by this particular element.

This is just one example but the principle applies to all other elements such as groups of plants and materials.

A simple way to create unity in your landscape is by creating theme gardens. Creating a theme garden is easier when it's related to something you're interested in or have a passion for.

If you're interested in butterflies for instance, you could create a theme using plants that attract butterflies as well as using statues, ornaments, and other decor that are related to butterflies.

Unity should be expressed through at least one element in your landscape and preferably more. Using elements to express a main idea through consistent style and a specific theme is what creates harmony.

Simplicity is actually one of the principles in design and art. It's one of the best guidelines you can follow as a beginner or do it yourselfer. Just keep things simple to begin with. You can do more later.

Simplicity in planting, for instance, would be to pick two or three colors and repeat them throughout the garden or landscape. Keeping decor to a minimum and within a specific theme as well as keeping hardscapes such as boulders consistent is also practicing simplicity.

Balance in design is just as the word implies. A sense of equality. There are basically two types of balance in landscape design. Symmetrical and Asymmetrical.

Symmetrical balance is where there are more or less equally spaced matching elements, areas, and shapes of the garden design. With a garden equally divided, both sides could share all or part of the same shape, form, plant height, plant groupings, colors, bed shapes, theme, etc.

You may remember creating something like this when you were a kid in art class at school. Where you take a piece of paper, splash paint on it, fold it in half, unfold it, and then it magically creates an interesting symmetrical design. So symmetrical balance or design is somewhat of a mirror image or reflection.

Asymmetrical balance on the other hand is one of the principles of landscape design that's a little more complex. While textures, forms, colors, etc. may remain constant to create some unity, shapes and hardscapes may be more random. This form of balance often has separate or different themes with each having an equal but different type of attraction.

Asymmetrical may be better understood as actually being unbalanced, abstract, or free form while still creating unity and balance through the repetition of some elements.

A good example of this would be where bed shapes or paths differ on both sides of the landscape dividing line while still sharing some of the same elements and plants. One side could be curved with a sense of flow while the other side is straight, direct, hard, and completely opposite. Again, unity and balance will be created through other elements.

Contrast can be very interesting and this type of form can create a neat contrast. Flowing lines are pleasing to the eye but the bold contrast of a curve combined with a straight line can be very interesting.

Asymmetrical balance isn't dependant on the shape of your garden. It can be but generally it's not.

An example might be where one side of the garden is mostly large shade trees while the other side is predominately a lower growing flower garden or even a mix of both examples. Like I stated earlier, the landscaping can be abstract while still maintaining unity through other elements such as rocks, plants, and decor.

Contrast and harmony can also be achieved using plants. Fine foliage verses coarser foliage, round leaves verses spiked leaves as well as color compliments and contrasts.

Plant height, color, and texture may be varied from one area to the next but each area should stay consistent within its own theme.

You'll hear me talk about "themes" a lot. Many successful do it yourself designs follow a basic theme to achieve most of the principles of landscape design described on this page. It's a simple starting point for do it yourselfers that can be added to later.

Color adds the dimension of real life and interest to the landscape. Bright colors like reds, yellows and oranges seem to advance toward you and can actually make an object seem closer to you. Cool colors like greens, blues, and pastels seem to move away from you and can make an object seem farther from you.

Grays, blacks, and whites are considered neutral colors and are best used in the background with bright colors in the foreground. However, to increase depth in a landscape, you can use dark and coarse textured plants in the foreground and use fine textured and light colored plants in the background.

Colors can also be used to direct your attention to a specific area of the garden. A bright display among cooler colors would naturally catch the eye.

Natural transition can be applied to avoid radical or abrupt changes in your landscape design. Transition is basically gradual change. It can best be illustrated in terms of plant height or color but can also be applied to all elements in the landscape including but not limited to textures, foliage shape or size, and the size and shape of different elements.

In other words transition can be achieved by the gradual, ascending or descending, arrangement of different elements with varying textures, forms, colors, or sizes.

An example of a good transition would be a stair step effect from large trees to medium trees to shrubs to bedding plants. This example is where a little knowledge of proper plant selection would come in handy.

Transition is one of the principles of landscape design that can be used to "create illusions" in the landscape. For example a transition from taller to shorter plants can give a sense of depth and distance (like in a painting), making the garden seem larger than it really is. A transition from shorter to taller plants could be used to frame a focal point to make it stand out and seem closer than it really is.

Line is of the more structural principles of landscape design. It can mostly be related to the way beds, walkways, and entryways move and flow.

Straight lines are forceful and direct while curvy lines have a more natural, gentle, flowing effect.

Proportion simply refers to the size of elements in relation to each other. Of all the principles of landscape design, this one is quite obvious but still requires a little thought and planning. Most of the elements in landscape design can be intentionally planned to meet the proper proportions.

For instance if you are creating a small courtyard garden, an enormous seven foot garden statue placed in the center would be way out of proportion and a little tacky to say the least. Or a small four foot waterfall and pond placed in the center of a large open yard would get lost in the expanse.

Don't misunderstand this to mean that if you have a large yard you can't have smaller features or garden decor. Proportion is relative and elements can be scaled to fit by creating different rooms in the garden. The goal is to create a pleasing relationship among the three dimensions of length, breadth, and depth or height.

A small water feature can be proportionate if placed in a corner or on the edge of a large area and becomes a focal point of the larger area while creating its own distinct atmosphere. An entire room, sitting area, or theme can be created around it. Other rooms and themes can be created as well. See small gardens for ideas on creating rooms and creating illusions.

Also, special consideration and study should be given to proper plant selection to avoid using plants that are out of proportion.

Repetition is directly related to unity. Its good to have a variety of elements and forms in the garden but repeating these elements gives variety expression.

Unity is achieved by repeating objects or elements that are alike. Too many unrelated objects can make the garden look cluttered and unplanned.

There's a fine line here. It's possible that too much of one element can make a garden or landscape feel uninteresting, boring and monotonous.

However, unity can still be created by using several different elements repeatedly. This in turn keeps the garden interesting.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the owner and chief designer for S&S Designed Landscaping in Carlsbad, NM. He is also the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more free landscaping and garden ideas, visit his site at: http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com

The Best Types Of Fish For Your Garden Pond

2009-02-17T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Anne Clarke

There are many reasons as to why you might want to have fish in your garden pond they add beauty, color, and interest to your garden and act as a sort of outdoor "pet." But there are other good reasons for putting fish in your pond, as well. For one, fish will eat pesky mosquitoes as well as pond algae. Overall, pond fish are also fairly easy to care for, too.

Now that I have convinced you to get some fish for your garden pond, let us go over a few types of popular outdoor pond fish most outdoor pond fish are freshwater-coldwater types.

Comet goldfish

This type of goldfish is going to be able to handle varied conditions in your pond this includes varied conditions due to weather, as well as conditions due to your inexperience with pond fish. Comet fish can endure variations in both temperature and water quality. Comet goldfish are distinguishable by their long single tails like a comet. They come in a variety of colors, including red and white. Also, comet goldfish tend to be fairly inexpensive. Chances are, your comet gold fish will live for 14 years and grow up to 10 inches long.

Shubunkin goldfish (aka calico goldfish)

This is a very interesting goldfish like a common goldfish, shubunkin goldfish have long bodies and a single tail, but they are brightly colored in a mix of fantastic colors red, brown, blue, yellow, and violet. They are also distinguished by black spots on their bodies and tails. This is a very tough goldfish type. Make sure that your pond has plenty of plants and open areas for swimming. If you have shubunkin goldfish, do not put telescope goldfish or bubble eye goldfish (and other slow swimming fish) in with them they might end up starving because shubunkin goldfish will get to the food first and they do not share. Rather, you should get your shubunkins a koi or two as buddies.

Koi

Koi range from very inexpensive to very expensive there is quite a variety as to the type and quality of koi. By quality, I am referring to the color and patterns displayed on the koi's scales. As abovementioned, koi can cohabitate with other goldfish like comets and shubunkins very well. Koi can grow to be several feet long, and they can live from 25-50 years! Some people think that koi are gold fish, but they are only distant cousins to the goldfish they are actually much more closely related to the common carp. While koi can handle a wide range of temperatures, as sudden change in temperature can affect them adversely. Koi will get along with other tropical fish, as well.

Whichever type of fish that you decide to get for your pond, be sure that you get ones that will cohabitate well and ones that are durable (like the abovementioned types of fish). Also make sure that you do not try to stick too many fish in too small of a pond. Consider having only one inch of fish per gallon of pond water. A 10 foot by 10 foot pond can typically support about 20 five inch fish This math equation might be a bit too much a general rule of thumb is to start with just a few, and go from there. Remember that your fish will grow!

Just a note: If you are new to having fish in your pond, you may want to avoid fantail varieties these are not quite as durable as other types of goldfish.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on fish and ponds, please visit Pond Filters.

Tomatoes History Origin Facts Or Fiction

2009-02-17T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kirk Gordon

A tomato importer, John Nix, decided to challenge the law after scrutinizing the Tariff Act. His case relied on the fact that tomatoes were a fruit and not vegetable, therefore, it should not be subjected to the Tariff Act. Nix's objections brought the case to the Supreme Court in 1893. Although Nix had a solid case, the Supreme Court rejected the botanical facts and continued to refer to tomatoes as a vegetable.

Plant family
Tomatoes belong to the genus Lycopersicon, while potatoes belong to the genus Solanum; Both of which belongs to the same "flowering plant family" solanaceae. The similarities in leaves and flowers justifies this taxonomic grouping.

The UK - Introduction of the tomato
When the tomato plant was first introduced into the UK, some areas were not willing to consume the fruit because they were considered poisonous. Other plants that were poisonous, and in the same family as the tomato, such as the henbane, mandrake and the deadly nightshade were reasons to be concerned.

The deadly nightshade (Atropus belladonna), in particular, resembled the tomato plant the most, and was used as a hallucinogenic drug, as well as for cosmetic purposes in various parts of Europe. In Latin, the name "belladonna"; literally means "beautiful woman." The women in medieval courts would apply drop of deadly nightshade extract to their eyes, dilating their pupils, a fashionable statement at the time.

When the deadly nightshade was taken for it's hallucinogenic properties, the consumer would experience visuals and a feeling of flying or weightlessness. German folklore suggests it was also used in witchcraft to evoke werewolves, a practice know as lycanthropy. The common name for tomatoes in Germany translates to "Wolf peach," which was simply another reason for Europeans to avoid the plant.

North America - Introduction of the tomato
Tomato plants were transported by colonists from Britain to North America. The plants were most valued for removing pustule (Pimples, Blisters - Pus filled, inflamed skin). The inventor of peanut butter, George Washington Carver, strongly urged his poor Alabama neighbors to consume tomatoes because of their unhealthy diet. However, he had little success convincing them that the plants was edible.

Early efforts by merchants to sell tomatoes were not very successful. It is said that the fruit was brought to the liberal hamlet of Salem, Mass. in 1802 by a painter who also found it difficult persuading people to try the fruit. New Orleans cuisine was reported to have used tomatoes by 1812, however, doubts about the fruit lingered in some areas.

It's thought that doubts about the plant's edibility was laid to rest, when Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson announced that he will consume a bushel of tomatoes in front of the Boston courthouse at noon on September 26, 1820. Thousands of spectators turned out to watch the man commit suicide (At least, so they thought) by consuming the poisonous fruit. It is said that spectators were shocked when they realized the Colonel will survive after consuming numerous tomatoes. This story is from an old farm journal and may not be very reliable, however, it's quite entertaining.

Tomato popularity on the rise
Throughout the western world, tomatoes began to grow in popularity. In the 1820s, several cookbooks included recipes which required or called for tomatoes. Tomatoes were sold by the dozens in Boston's Quincy Market in 1835. In Thomas Bridgeman seed catalogue, 4 varieties of tomatoes were listed: Cherry, Pear, Large Yellow and Large Squash.

Bruist, a seed merchant commented on the tomato in 1858 - "In taking retrospect of the last eighteen years, there is no vegetable on the catalogue that has obtained such popularity in so short a period as the one now under consideration. In 1828-29, it was almost detested; in ten years almost every variety of pill and panacea was extract of tomato. It now occupies as great a surface of ground as cabbage, and is cultivated the length and breadth of the country." - www.heirloomseeds.com

That year, Bruits had eight cultivatars listed in his catalogue. A few years later, in 1863, a popular seed catalogue had 23 cultivars listed. One of the listed cultivars was Trophy, the first modern-looking, large, red, smooth-skinned variety which was sold for $5.00 for a packet of 20 seeds.

Large scale breeding for desirable traits became common in the 1870s in both the US and UK. In fact, by the 1880s several hundred cultivars had been named and it was clear that tomato had grown on the western culture. According to a study conducted at Michigan Agricultural College in the late 1880s, 171 of the named cultivars represented only 61 truly unique varieties, many of which were only marginally different.

Heirloom varieties
Although Central American is thought to be the center of domestication, throughout Europe and later in North America, further domestication occurred on a more intense level. Eastern Europe appeared to produce large numbers of high quality varieties. Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants which tend to become genetically homozygous after many generations. Tomatoes will rarely cross breed and usually produce plants will similar characteristics as the parents.

Because of tomatoes natural breeding process, early cultivars did not change much and were kept in a family or community for a long time, hence the name heirlooms. There are cultivars that dates back to over one hundred years that are still produced today. Most heirloom varieties are different in color, size and shape. Some varieties are black, red with black shoulders, dark purple, rainbow and green. In terms of size, some are the size of a cherry to larger varieties weighing over 2 lb.

Heirlooms - a story
Some heirloom varieties have interesting histories as well; at least I think so. Lets talk about the story of a heirloom name Mortgage Lifter. A radiator repair shop owner, Charlie, experienced hard times, as did much of the nation through the Great Depression. Because of financial reasons, most people abandoned their cars and Ol Charlie's business too a hard hit. He decided to use his four largest fruit producing tomato plants to cross breed repeatedly with each other to create a plant that produced two pounds of fruits.

Claming that his plants could feed a family of six, Charlie peddled the crops for a dollar per plant. Within four years, Charlie generated enough money to pay off the $4,000 dollars mortgage on his home, which led to the heirloom name "Mortgage Lifter."

Heirlooms - names & origins
In general, the names of heirloom varieties links directly to their history. For example, the Baptiste family in Remis, Fance cultivated the First Pick variety. Picardy's history also dates back to France (1890). Besser arrived from the Freiburg section of Germany, while Schellenburg's Favorite came from the Schellenburg family near Manheim, Germany.

Elbe was cultivated in 1889 near the Elbe River in Germany. Since the 1870s, the Amish in Pennsylvania cultivated the Amish Paste variety. Brandywine was also cultivated by Amish farmers near Brandywine Creek in Chester County Pennsylvania in 1885. The hills of Virginia is thought to be the origin of the Hillbilly variety. Old Virginia was cultivated in Virginia as well in the early 1900s. In 1953 Campbell Soup Co., introduced the Ace variety which is still popular for canning. On Edgar Allan Poe's estate, a cultivar found growing there bears his mother's maiden name, Hopkins.

Please bear in mind that these heirloom stories may be true or false, in part or whole, and may be inaccurate or exaggerated.

This article is courtest of HydroponicSearch.com - The Agriculture & Gardening Search Engine.

Crape Myrtle Hopi

2009-02-16T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Alan Summers

The most winter hardy Crape Myrtle of all.
Crape Myrtles (Lagerstroemia) are known to be the longest blooming deciduous trees in existence, creating extended periods of striking summer color. This, combined with their alluring fall foliage and drought resistance, has made Crape Myrtles a favorite in both formal and informal landscapes throughout the south.

Crape Myrtles are native to Asia and were introduced to England and the U.S. during the 18th century. Since that time, extensive breeding of Crape Myrtles has resulted in a wide assortment of varieties from ground covers only two feet tall, to shrubs of all heights, to trees almost forty feet tall. The dwarf varieties of Crape Myrtles are allowing gardeners with smaller yards to enjoy these beautiful plants. Winter hardiness and summer mildew resistance have also been improved, allowing gardeners farther north to enjoy Crape Myrtles' fabulous summer display. Finally the exfoliating bark has been much improved. This week we are featuring 'Hopi' - in our experience the hardiest of all the Crape Myrtles.

'Hopi,' is one of several Crape Myrtles developed by the National Arboretum in Washington D.C. - all have been given Native American Indian tribe names. 'Hopi' brings color, texture and interest to the garden in several ways. From mid-summer into the fall, 'Hopi' will bloom with beautiful, medium pink flowers that have the crepe-paper look that Crape Myrtles are known for. The blooms will reach six to seven inches long, beginning relatively early in the season and go on for about 100 days. 'Hopi' has mildew-resistant dark green foliage that will turn to a reddish orange in the fall. It also has grayish-brown bark that will exfoliate with age and looks striking in the winter garden.

Planting and Care
'Hopi' is a compact cultivar, reaching just seven to ten feet tall and six feet wide. It can be grown as a small tree or a large shrub. 'Hopi' can be pruned easily to fit into smaller spaces, if needed. Grow several together to form a hedge, just one as a specimen, or in a container on a patio or porch.

Prefers full sun in an area with good air circulation and good soil drainage.

Disease and mildew resistant.

Water regularly until established.

Hardy in Zones 6-9 (protect the first winter in Zone 6).

Fertilize with Plant-Tone and Kelp Meal in early spring.

When necessary, prune in spring just as the new leaves emerge.

To view Crape Myrtle 'Hopi' visit the Carroll Gardens website.

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.

How To Make A Simple Homemade Aeroponics System

2009-02-16T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jason Willkomm

The main problem I have always had with building a homemade aeroponics system is the clogging spray nozzles. I was in a hydroponics supply store the other day when it occurred to me the aeroponics system I was looking at did not use any spray heads. As I looked over the new hydroponic gardening system, I marveled at how simple the design really was. With the right pump and correct assembly, the following homemade aeroponics system is relatively problem free.

There are four main parts to this simple system. There is a 20 gallon (75 liter) reservoir. There are several channels 4 or 6 inches in diameter and several feet long. Every 6 or 8 inches there is a hole drilled into the channel to accomodate a plant. The channels are pitched to allow drainage back to the reservoir. Next is a 1/2 inch line, run down the center of each channel and capped at the end. All the lines are connected at the other end by a manifold. Finally, the manifold attaches to a pump. At any point along the 1/2 line where spray is desired a 1/16 inch drill bit is used to cleanly make a small hole (usually one between each plant site).

First, 1/2 inch PVC is cut to length and capped at one end. Spray locations are marked and drilled into the 1/2 inch PVC. A 1/2 inch line is run through the length of each channel, which is made from 4 or 6 inch PVC. The line is held in place by drilling two small holes and fastening a zip tie every few feet.

One end of each channel will have to be sealed with an end cap. The other end may be sealed or left open, depending on how drainage back to the reservoir is to be accomplished. 2 1/2 or 3 inch holes are cut every 6 to 8 inches in the channel to accomodate netted pots (or other planting containers).

At one end of the homemade aeroponics system, the 1/2 inch lines elbow out of their channels and are joined together by a series of "T" fittings. This is known as the manifold. One end of the manifold is left open to connect to the pump. Your pump may be an external pump or you may use a submersible pump. Either way, the pump needs to be able to deliver a water pressure of 45 to 60 psi to each of the 1/2 inch lines coming from the manifold.

Finally, any large, cheap, plastic storage tote may be used for the nutrient reservoir. A homemade aeroponics system with 24 to 36 plant sites would require a 20 gallon (75 liter) reservoir. It is always best to choose a dark tote, to keep as much light from the nutrient reservoir as possible. This will prevent algae growth and therefore help prevent fungus gnats. Whenever constructing a homemade hydroponics system you should always use PVC, and not CPVC. CPVC is known to slowly leach harmful chemicals. To prevent leaks, be sure to use PVC cleaner on all parts BEFORE you apply PVC glue and join the parts.

With systems becoming this simple, it is no surprise many people are interested in the faster growth rates aeroponics has to offer.

Bonus- learn how to make an aeroponics cloner http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/homemade-aeroponics.html

Online Garden Seed Exchanges

2009-02-15T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jill Dow

If you've been gardening for any length of time you have probably realized a couple of things.

1: Gardening can be quite expensive
2: Finding the plants you really want can be a daunting task.

If you're anything like me, you enjoy making changes to your gardens on pretty much a yearly basis. I call this "puttering". I'm always adding, moving, and redesigning. After all, what good is puttering in the garden if there's little to do? While this is good therapy and for many like myself the ultimate form of relaxation mixed with exercise, it can cost a bundle!

I'll remove a section of garden with a brilliant new garden design in mind and head off to the local garden stores, only to find they have nothing I wanted. In the past I've settled for what was to be had, only to find myself not happy with it next year and the "puttering" begins again.

Then I discovered.. ONLINE SEED EXCHANGES!!!!!

Online seed exchanges are simple online forums where gardeners can post notices of excess seed they have and are willing to exchange for what you have. You can also post requests for seed you'd like. This is a remarkable service! It costs you nothing but a few cents postage to find the garden seed you've been looking for and to share your seed with other gardeners. I'm always thrilled to acquire seed in late fall and propagate them in winter so the plants are ready for next springs puttering season.

Here are some of the best online seed exchanges.

The Garden Web Seed Exchange
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/exseed/

Emily Compost Seed Exchange
http://www.emilycompost.com/seed_exchange.htm

The Garden Helper Seed Exchange
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/forum/8.html

Happy puttering!

For more information on growing bulbs and seeds see http://www.bulbandseed.com

Shrubs The Way I Like It

2009-02-14T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Khieng Chho

Of recent times, the popularity of this pint-sized horticultural woody plant has been growing in leaps and bounds. People who wish to be in touch with their inner side and Mother Nature prefer taking care of shrubs rather than other types of plants because generally cuter and easier to transfer to different locations.

There are a huge variety of plants that can be classified as shrubs or trees, depending on their growing conditions. So don't be confused when a plant shop owner offers you something that you initially thought was a tree. On the other hand, minute-sized plants like lavender and periwinkle are frequently referred to as subshrubs. Shrubs can also be deciduous or evergreen.

Glossary for Shrub Clubs
Bush a plant that is also referred to as shrub in some cases Shrubbery A part of a garden or park where shrubs are cultivated; if the shrubs are clipped as topiary, these plants would tend to grow dense foliage and small leafy branches that are bunched together Shrubland used to describe any natural plant community where shubs reign in abundance

Shrub Pruning
Pruning is required when taking care of shrubs or plants whenever you plan to transfer them to another area. If you don't prune your shrubs before digging them out, they'll lose their roots and die.

When you subject shrubs to renewal pruning, results are more often than not favorable and hard cutting them back to their stool-like origins may even lead to longer new stems known as canes.

Selective pruning however is best for other shrubs if you wish to reveal more of the plants' structure and character.

Always consult an expert to know the best way to prune your shrubs.

Shrub Buying Tips
There are many places that you can buy shrubs nurseries, malls and even grocery shops. But the truly best place to purchase shrubs are from your local nurseries as they're often the ones with the best stock of shrubs in the best of conditions. Nurseries are also often the ones who'll be able to better assist you if it's your first time to take care of shrubs.

Ball and Burlap Plants Evergreen shrubs are often sold wrapped in burlap and their roots contained in a ball of soil; the way they're packaged keeps the plant from drying out.

Don't life a ball and burlap plant by its trunk or main stem because the weight of the soil ball could either cause some damage to the shrub's roots or worse, cause the two to break apart. Always lift it by its wrapped base when you'll bring it to the cashier counter.

The best choice of shrubs to buy are younger and well-rooted plants. Older ones tend to have spiral roots and will not grow as well as the younger plants when finally transferred to their permanent setting. For that matter, avoid purchasing any shrub that has spent too long cooped up in room temperature as these plants are already dessicated or damaged from lack of sunlight.

Choose shrubs that are perfectly suited to your town's weather so that they'll last longer and be easier to take care of.

If you plan to buy bare root shrubs, always select the completely dormant ones for easier transportation. Furthermore, smaller bare root shrubs are naturally easier to transplant than the larger ones and less expensive as well.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho - Online Shrub Resources. For more, visit Ken's website: http://shrubs.wicwoc.com/

The Difference Between Large And Small Ponds

2009-02-14T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Brett Fogle

If you think that a large pond is simply a small pond that "grew up", you're in for some pond maintenance problems. Let's start off my defining the terms that we'll be using here. A large pond is anything over 1,000 gallons (5,000 liters). A pond that holds over 4,000 gallons (20,000 liters) is a very large pond.

Large ponds require a whole different level of financial and time committment than small ponds do. You'll need larger and more efficient pumps and filters as well as the additional plumbing that those devices require. You'll probably also spend a lot more for plants and fish as well as higher maintenance costs for those plants and fish.

Your building and maintenance costs are dependant, to a great extent, on how deep your pond is. A 6' deep pond, for example, calls for a large and highly-specialized biofilter which uses a lot of electricity and requires a pretty hefty chunk of space for installation. You'll need extra UV power and some sophisticated plumbing including bottom drains, skimmers, valves, and the like.

Of course, you always have the option of letting your pond go "au natural" and develop into a self-maintaining ecosystem just like a real pond. If that's your goal, don't go for a 6' depth. Natural ponds will be more cloudy than a filtered pond and it's likely that you'll never see your fish!

Even a natural pond will require some help from you before mother nature kicks in. You'll still need to condition the water, and remove chlorine, before fish are introduced. You'll also want to have lots of plants both for natural shelter and temperature regulation as well as for their oxygen-generating characteristics.

If your pond takes root and begins to develop naturally then you'll actually end up saving quite a bit of money on fish food. A natural pond generates and attracts a lot of natural food sources and it's likely that you will never have to feed your fish at all.

Don't skimp on testing just because your pond is developing naturally. You still have threats of fertilizer and pesticide runoff entering your pond, and you still need to worry about keeping oxygen levels up and water temperatures down. You'll also want to examine your fish periodically for signs of parasite infestation.

Keeping a large pond can require an inordinate amount of time and money. My best advice is not to build one unless you are willing to do your part in keeping it.

**************************************************
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!
**************************************************

Adirondack Chair Cushionscomfort And Style

2009-02-13T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Jennifer Akre

Once you've chosen the right Adirondack furniture for your outdoor area, you'll want to enhance its comfort and beauty with cushions. Not only will cushions make your seating more comfortable, but the patterns in your Adirondack furniture cushions will be one of the focal points of your décor in your outdoor room.

There are a wide variety of Adirondack chair cushions available ready made. You can choose from solids, stripes plaids and florals. Most come in standard sizes that will fit many patio furniture styles. Some patio furniture cushions are reversible, as well, allowing you to have two different looks with the same cushions. Choose patterns that complement the style of your furniture and the overall style of the room, as well as ones that complement the colors in your outdoor room.

Ready made Adirondack chair cushions are typically sewn from weatherproof or weather resistant fabrics, so that they don't have to be brought in when it rains. However, it's critical to check whether or not your fabric is waterproof before you buy. Not all Adirondack chair cushions are designed to be left out in the weather.

If you want to create custom Adirondack furniture cushions so that they will match with other portions of your décor, you can consider making your cushions or having them made by a seamstress. If your chosen fabric is not weather resistant, consider having the cushions laminated after they're completed. This will allow you to simply wipe off spills with a damp rag, and will keep the patio furniture cushions protected from the weather. Laminating your cushions will cost you a bit more, but it's well worth the money, considering that it makes your fabric choices virtually limitless, and that it protects your cushions for a lifetime.

Adirondack chair cushions are an important choice in your outdoor décor. Choose wisely so that your outdoor room will be a beautiful reflection of your outdoor style.

Jennifer Akre, owner of numerous home and patio decor websites, makes it easy to find quality Adirondack Chair Cushions and Adirondack Chairs Learn how to decorate your patio and garden in style - click the following link =>http://www.eAdirondackStyle.com

Why Patio Benches Are A Great Place To Relax And Enjoy

2009-02-13T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jennifer Akre

Having an outdoor patio offers the opportunity and place to sit outdoors where you can relax alone on a lazy Saturday morning or enjoy a barbecue with family and friends. To enhance a patio while providing additional seating, more and more people are turning to patio benches. Although traditional patio furniture is still nice, patio benches do not take up as much room, they can easily be moved from the patio to the lawn, and many designs on the market feature compartments underneath a padded seat for storage.

With redwood patio benches, you have a nice splash of warm color and a bench that will last for years. Redwood benches come in a number of styles, some with slatted backs and armrests and others simply a bench with a padded seat cushion. Regardless, by choosing a redwood patio bench that has been built with top craftsmanship, you can be sure it will be strong and comfortable.

Teak patio benches are considered a top choice since this particular wood is the best for facing outdoor elements. With teak, you can choose from several colors that start from a soft golden blonde to a rich caramel. Teak is beautiful and because it is so versatile, you will often find patio benches in elaborate designs. Whether looking for a scrolled back patio bench or a simple love seat with overstuffed cushions, teak is always an excellent choice.

With wood patio benches, there is a wide selection in both wood type and design. The nice thing about choosing wood is that you can choose a bench regardless of your taste. In other words, if you prefer Edwardian, contemporary, traditional, country, or anything in between, you will find a number of patio benches from which to choose. In addition to the popular choices of redwood and teak, you will also find benches constructed from cedar, beech, birch, jarrah, cypress, mahogany, oak, and pine. The only thing to remember is that some of the softer woods such as pine do not do as well as the hardwoods.

Now, if you are on a budget but still want a patio bench that will look great and be functional, you might think about wicker. Most of the wicker patio benches on the market are specially treated so they can weather rain, wind, and dirt. However, experts do recommend that wicker furniture be taken in during the cold winter months or covered. However, wicker is actually very strong and durable as long as you purchase quality. Just remember that your best bet for a wicker patio bench is to choose what is known as "all weather" wicker. With this, the patio bench would be designed with an aluminum frame that provides better structure and durability.

You might also think about metal. For example, you will find patio benches constructed from aluminum, which is actually an excellent outdoor material. With this, you do not have to worry about rust and aluminum is strong, handling outdoor elements quite well. Typically, you would see the legs of the bench made from tubular aluminum, meaning they are hollow with internal reinforcing to give it strength. If you want a patio bench with detailing, then cast aluminum would be a great choice. The result is elegance and a classic look that is perfect for any patio. Finally, wrought iron is often used for patio benches that have scrolling, and a rich style. As you can see, when it comes to patio benches, the options are endless.

Jennifer Akre, owner of numerous furniture websites, makes it easy to find quality patio benches and indoor benches . Learn how to decorate your patio and home in style by clicking the following link: http://www.SimplyBenches.com.

Garden Makeover On A Budget

2009-02-12T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Thomas Murrell

There's been a huge increase in the popularity of garden makeovers. Teams of people come in and transform your garden in less than a day. But how can you save money by avoiding the experts and costly plants and perform a garden makeover miracle yourself?

Planning, research and the quality of plants are integral factors to saving money when buying plants for your garden.

The quickest way to waste money is needing to replace plants after they wither and die.

Perth nursery owner Courtney Babb, from Garden Affair in South Perth, says get it right the first time. "It's important to plan what you want first, then go and buy the plants. It cost's more if you're never really satisfied", he said.

Developing a basic plan and researching the requirements of your garden is essential to saving money. You must determine what plants are suitable to your garden's environment and choose varieties fitting to the climate and soil.

Buying seeds or seedlings is the most cost effective way of starting your garden and this certainly needs planning. It may take a little longer and command more patience but seeds establish themselves faster and develop stronger root systems. Buy seedlings without flowers and always check the quality of seeds by looking for splits or marks and moisture in the packaging.

The quality of the plants you buy is vital. Look for healthy foliage and strong root systems, don't buy plants with roots growing out the bottom of the pot or with discoloured, diseased foliage.

"Buying plants that after twelve months you can lift, divide and then re-plant, can save a lot of money," said Mr Babb.

Perennials and succulents are ideal to divide and re-plant, including ornamental grasses such as mondo grass. The ultimate saving is to gather cuttings from friends and family members, ensuring the original plant is healthy and disease free.

"Native plants and groundcovers are extremely cost effective, especially in terms of maintenance," adds Mr Babb. Plants that easily multiply are a great way to save dollars on your landscaping budget in the long run.

Peta Woods from Southside Garden Centre says to use your local people. "They don't have the overheads of larger chains so they are a lot more competitive on prices. I also find the stock is fresher because they have less to look after," she said.

It is best to purchase at the beginning of the plants growing season and get them established before extreme weather strikes. Buying plants in bulk is always a cheaper alternative as prices can be negotiated.

Landscaping can be an expensive task but there are ways of reducing the cost of establishing your garden. Shop around to compare prices and plant quality to get the best deal.

Transforming the Garden of Desolation to the Garden of Eden need not be budget blowing. Here are ten ideas on how to save money when buying plants for your garden:

Plan and prepare your garden.

Buy seeds or seedlings rather than potted plants.

Buy plants that are suited to their environment.

Look for healthy root systems and foliage.

Shop at small, local nurseries, they have competitive prices and fresher stock.

Purchase at the beginning of the plants growing season.

Native plants and ground covers are cost effective.

Buy plants you can lift, divide and re-plant, such as perennials and succulents.

Avoid having to re-purchase by getting plants established before extreme weather.

Negotiate the price if buying in bulk.

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.

Dont Forget The Birds This Winter

2009-02-11T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Briscoe White

Don't forget the birds this winter. It is cold, and not every species has flown south. In fact, your yard is full of birds foraging constantly to survive the winter months. You can really help by keeping feeders constantly full, and have the benefit of a yard full. I keep a few close to windows, and am constantly entertained. A few things to keep in mind about feeding birds:

Place a new feeder near an old one. Keep both full unti the birds become used to the new one, and begin to feed from it.

It is important to keep the feeders clean. In fact, it is vital to the health of the birds. Old seed which has rotted can make the birds sick. Every 3 4 weekds, allow the feeder to empy, shake out any excess seed and then rinse with warm water and mild soap.

Place feeders 6 7 feet from any tree or railing to keep the squirrels away. I don't take my own advice, but I have made peace with the squirrels long ago. Gracie, my 11 year old mutt, spends her day working the squirrel population, and that helps!

Feeders should go up on Labor Day and taken down in June. There should be enough natural food available to sustain the birds during those months.

Birds do need water all year round, and a bird bath is a welcome treat in the hot months, and water during a freeze is vital.

In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. The facility has grown over the years, and is now 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover. Briscoe has over 25 years of flower gardening experience. For further information on gardening products or gardening tips please contact Briscoe White at bwhite@thegrowersexchange.com.

Storage Sheds

2009-02-10T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Marcus Peterson

Storage sheds are buildings that are used primarily to store unused household articles that may be used sometime in future. They may contain various hardware articles, vessels, toys, sports goods, or junk.

As storage sheds are used chiefly as storehouses, they are devoid of any furniture, expect maybe some wall cupboards and racks or simply shelves attached to their walls. These sheds have small windows and double hinged-doors that are designed to be wide enough to facilitate moving equipment in and out of them. Storage sheds do not contain much of lighting and ventilation. It is very important to have pest control done in storage sheds because they can be a breeding ground for insects and rodents.

It is also very important to decide the proper material while building a storage shed. Choice of material depends on what the shed will be used to store. Wood must be of good quality like cedar; otherwise it may house cockroaches and other insects. Wood also rots after prolonged exposure to moisture. Despite all of this, wood can provide an added aesthetic appeal to the shed. Poly vinyl carbonate is a good material to construct storage sheds because it resists corrosion, is unaffected by heat and insects, and is also cheap and durable. An industrial storage shed must be ideally made of a metal like steel or aluminum.

The size of storage sheds depends on the amount of articles that need to be stored in them. A normal sized shed with a floor area of 10 feet by 10 feet can easily house a garden tractor, but if the space within the storage shed is not enough, then there are other add-ons that can provide more space. The three main add-on sheds are corner sheds, horizontal sheds, and vertical sheds. Corner sheds can fit in a corner and are about 3 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet. Vertical and horizontal sheds fit into the main shed and they may be 5 feet by 3 feet by 4 feet. There can be more space-oriented additions to a storage shed like constructing a loft or using the space under the windows.

Storage sheds usually contain the junk of the house or unneeded articles that one doesn't feel like discarding yet. Sheds should be elegantly designed; otherwise, they may mar the entire appearance of the house.

Sheds provides detailed information about sheds, how to build a shed, metal sheds and more. Sheds is affiliated with Modular Home Plans.

The Gardening Tips You Need To Be Able To Have That Dream Garden

2009-02-10T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kenny Yong

In gardening, there are some tips that many have found more useful over others. These tips can be applied to the different types of gardens that people have.

Taking these gardening tips into account is an assurance that you will have the kind of garden that you have always dreamed of having. On the other hand, not following the important advice will not get you anywhere near your dream garden.

What are some of the best tips in gardening?

Gardening tip number 1: Choose plants that will suit your garden location.

In the process of making your own garden, you should already be aware of the location you are in and the kind of plants that will be compatible to your place. If you are located in tropical places, you are better off having plants that grow healthy in these places.

You should also consider plants that can give you some shade from the scourging heat of the sun. This will ensure that your garden will remain cool and breezy.

Gardening tip number 2: Different water level needs for different soil kinds.

There are loose and compact soil. These are the most common soil types that you find in many places. Take note that how you water your plant will depend on the kind of soil they are planted.

Loose soils need to have small amounts of water that are carefully sprinkled. This way, the soil will not be washed away. It will also prevent the plant from being "suffocated" in water.

Compact soil need to be watered meticulously to ensure that the water will be absorbed up to the roots. You might need to mulch on the area around the plant before watering so that the water will not just stay in the surface.

Gardening tip number 3: Sweep or rake up dry leaves.

Dried leaves can harm your plants in the sense that they can become the breeding ground for worms and insects. Once this happens, they can destroy the much healthier plants instantly.

Scattered leaves are best off raked and turn into compost that you can use to your plants. Always remember to gather and keep them away from your plants once you see them in abundance.

Gardening tip number 4: Apply fertilizers to your plants.

Fertilizers can provide the necessary nutrients that your plants need. It will ensure that your plants will grow healthy and strong. You can ask those who have knowledge on fertilizers on what kind of fertilizer your plant will need.

Apply fertilizers on a regular basis to maintain the steady growth of your plants. Without fertilizers, your plants will not grow to its full potential.

Gardening tip number 5: Control the weed growth in your garden.

Weeds not only take up the available space left in your garden, they also take on the nutrients in the soil that should have been for your plants. That is why it is important that you cut or cultivate them even before they grow much taller.

Eliminating weeds in you're your garden will give your plants the extra space they need for air intake. It will also prevent them from competing with your plants.

By following these gardening tips, you can be 100% sure that you can have that dream garden without all the trouble and the problems normally encountered in gardens.

For more information and tips about gardening. Visit us at http://www.GardeningWebs.net/

3 Tips On Taking Care Of A Bonsai Tree

2009-02-09T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Daniel Delott

Bonsai trees are a lot of fun, but if you don't know anything on taking care of Bonsai trees, then you're going to have a hard time growing them. So here are a few tips on taking care and growing Bonsai trees.

Tips On Taking Care Of A Bonsai Tree #1:

Shaping. This is a big part of getting your dream Bonsai tree to look how you had thought it would. So if you get some metal wire, you will be able to grow your Bonsai tree in the direction you want much quicker than other methods.

Tips On Taking Care Of A Bonsai Tree #2:

Wires. Aluminum works best because it is gentle and soft on branches. The wire will need to be thick, since thin wire has a tendency to scratch the tree's bark. When you need to, you can use copper wire. (Since it is stronger than aluminum.)

Tips On Taking Care Of A Bonsai Tree #3:

When wiring the Bonsai tree, start with the thicker branches, then work out towards the thinner ones.

There are just a few tips on taking care of Bonsai trees, there are many aspects to growing and maintaining them, but a lot of this comes from experience.

Dan has been growing Bonsai trees for over 15 years. He was a botany major. If you want to grow Bonsai trees, and don't know how, this may be the most important guide you read - Bonsai Training Manual

How To Spice Up Your Garden With Decor

2009-02-08T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Khieng Chho

The art of garden never fails to transform an idle tract of land into a beautiful and lively environment. Gardens feed the spirit's longing for beauty and grace as it provides a venue to witness the wonder of nature and the comforts of home. While plants and trees are enough to make a garden delightful, the landscape can surely be enhanced by installing garden décor.

There are many types of garden decors each having unique features and purposes for your garden. Here are some garden decors:

Arbors, Pillars, and Gazebos these are large structures that can add a good focal point to your garden. Having large structures can create an illusion of having a large space. These structures can also serve as platforms for aerial plants. Climbing foliage such as vines may also cling to these platforms, creating an elegantly classic garden effect.

Statuaries and Wind Sculptures these also provide good focal points for the landscape. Such structures add a sense of prominence, strength, and sturdiness.

Bird feeders and bird baths these simple additions to a garden attract beautiful creatures the landscape. Since a garden is generally inadequate without the chirp of robins and jays, installing something that would make them feel welcome is a good way of cheering up the garden.

Other architectural ornamentation architectural structures create a good balance with and contrast against the natural elements of a garden such as shrubs and trees. Man-made structures enhance the sight of nature, making it appear more familiar and inviting.

Trellises and obelisks these are good in blocking obtrusive structure and other unwanted views. It is impossible to have a perfect view all the time as obstructions cannot be completely eliminated. Luckily you can install structures that can block eyesores. Trellises are good for this purpose because they can act as support for clinging vines.

Fountains and ponds water dripping and splashing can be great way to relax. Fountains are usually installed to add a natural ambience that can draw positive energy to your garden. Having a fountain in your garden can also make it a suitable place for meditation exercises like yoga and tai chi. If you have the budget, you may choose to have elaborate and grand fountains installed. You my also choose to add simple rock fountain that greatly serves its purpose at such small a cost.

Landscape lighting you can enjoy your garden even without the sun, the moon or the stars. By installing simple lights on trees and other plants, you can create a beautiful setting which can even be romantic and enticing. Lighting does not have to be permanent. You can use Christmas lights or even lanterns and candles to illuminate your garden anytime. Lights can also prevent strangers from hiding in your garden.

Garden furniture the best way to enjoy the beauty of your garden is to stay in it and in order to do so you might need chairs and tables specifically designed for the outdoors. These could also serve as picnic furniture for those times you would want to have barbecue outdoor dinners.

The garden experience can greatly be enhanced by garden décor. To know more about garden decors, simply contact your local garden supplier or visit the many websites devoted to landscaping and gardening.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho - Online Garden Decor Resources. For more, visit Ken's website: http://gardendecoration.wicwoc.com/

Gardening With Dogs

2009-02-08T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gentry Ellis

It is possible to have a garden and have dogseven large dogs. We have a 5 year old Eskimo dog, Brinkley, who we are happy to call a member of the family. When we got Brinkley, he was a 10 week old out of control untrained puppy. With the help of positive obedience training, he has turned into a wonderful family dog. This didn't happen overnight, but it is the case today. He still has accidents and he isn't perfect, but overall he is great dog. Below, you'll find some of my tips to help you establish your garden and still live in harmony with your dog at the same time.

It is ideal if you first see how your dog uses your yard. Dogs may be attached to certain pathways, and may even have a specific area that they choose to eliminate in. If that is the case, work with it. Avoid planting in areas that your dog will want to use regularly. If you dog are "hogging" the whole yard, now is the time to establish your space and his space.
Plant in beds. Single trees/plants are more vulnerable to damage when dogs play.
Dogs are wired to not eliminate in the same place they sleep or play. This is why crate training is often successful. If possible, get your pets off the grass when they eliminate. Provide a mulched area and encourage them or retrain them to eliminate there. This may be like going back to the days of potty training your dog not to eliminate in your home, but it can be done.
Pets can be trained to treat garden walkways, trees and shrubs like they treat furniture and hallways in your home. If you expect them to have the same good manners in your garden, and your obedience training is consistent this can be very successful for you.
If you've trained your pet not to eat your couch or coffee table, you can train him not to eat your plants. Use the same approach. This is great not only for maintaining a pretty garden, but some plants can be toxic to dogs. If you make yard obedience training a goal, it will benefit you and your dog.
Do leave an area for your dog to play, run, and relax in. If your dog enjoys dog houses, you might put one here. You might also offer good chews or bones in this area.
Try to keep an area such as a deck or patio between the yard and the entryway into your house. This can be a place for pets to clean their feet. You can teach a dog the circle command and he will walk around in circles and some of the dirt will come off his feet. You can keep an old towel or rag here to wipe off paws. It will reduce the amount of mud your pet tracks into your home.
Digging is a problematic behavior. It's more challenging to get a dog to stop digging than it is to train them to eliminate in a certain area. You will want to establish a command for "no dig". When the dog stops digging, reward them with a treat or petting. If they continue to dig, consider investing in a water squirt bottle or a sqirt gun that has a lot of range. Squirt the water at them--preferably in their face when they are digging. Never hit your dog. Positive reinforcement and gentle, but firm and consistent discipline are the best approaches.

Gentry is a stay at home mom, with a passion for writing. For more articles on easy living, visit http://www.genstyleliving.com.

Articles are © genstyleLiving

Caring For Bonsai Plants

2009-02-07T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Briscoe White

Bonsai, pronounced "bone-sigh" (singular and plural) are dwarfed plants or trees grown in shallow pots or trays. The Japanese developed the art of Bonsai many hundreds of years ago. They tried to capture the beauty of oddly dwarfed trees that managed to grow under the most adverse conditions. Today, the beauty of these trees can be replicated indoors by pruning the roots and top growth, restricting the pot size and shaping the plant by wiring it. Plants used for Bonsai vary from traditional trees such as junipers and cypresses to flowering and fruiting shrubs and trees such as azaleas and camellias to tropical plants such as jade and ficus. With a little special care, The Bonsai can bring a little taste of the Orient into your home.

The basic care requirements are as follows:

1) Light an unobstructed west, east or south window is preferred, south being the best in the winter. Grow lights can also be used successfully with Bonsai.

2) Water and Fertilizer the small pots require regular watering, typically once a day. The frequent watering depletes nutrients quickly so fertilizing is recommended (at half strength) monthly.

3) Temperature average house temperatures of 68-72 degrees are fine, although plants typically like nights to drop 10-15 degrees below the average daytime temperature. Placing the plant between the window and curtain usually satisfies this requirement. Some trees need a dormant cold period during the winter and can weather outdoors for 2 3 months in a protected spot.

4) Humidity to increase humidity indoors, group plants together, and mist daily. You can also use a room humidifier or place plants on a tray of moistened pebbles.

To learn more about growing Bonsai, you may want to read the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's excellent handbook entitled Bonsai for Indoors.

In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. The facility has grown over the years, and is now 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover. Briscoe has over 25 years of gardening experience. For further information on indoor and outdoor gardening plants or gardening tips please contact Briscoe White at bwhite@thegrowersexchange.com.

The Perfect Yellow Roses For Your Home Or Garden

2009-02-07T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ken Austin

Yellow roses are beauties, aren't they? Don't they look beautiful on a sunny morning? Yellow roses say spring just their look and color. The yellow rose, while somewhat rare in its natural habitat, is becoming a popular item in the floral shop. Yellow roses might be what you are looking for, and if so, there are several ways to find the perfect yellow rose for your home or garden.

Yellow roses are one of a number of different colored roses that are available in garden centers and even discount department stores. But, there are so many varieties to choose from that you shouldn't limit yourself to whatever those places have on hand. Check out your local garden center for an idea of what they offer, but then explore the yellow rose varieties online as well. It is not a difficult task to find rose distributors who are able to supply yellow roses to the average customer. And, in doing so, you allow yourself to have many choices at your fingertips!

To find a distributor of yellow roses, simply use any major search engine like Yahoo or Google and type that phrase in. Hit go and you've got at your fingertips a wide selection of choices. Begin your search by comparing color, size, hardiness, and even price. Once you know what you want, try a couple of different places to find just the right characteristics and features available. With the Internet as a tool, it is easy to see how you can accomplish this in just a few minutes.

Remember to take into consideration the type of soil you will use, the surrounding area where you will plant the yellow rose, the amount of sun it will receive, and the temperatures it can tolerate. With all that said, finding gorgeous yellow roses isn't too bad of a task at all.

Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening
Learn to Grow Perennials

Landscaping Tips 6 Basic Steps To Building A Garden Pond

2009-02-06T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Carlo Morelli

Building a garden pond is not just a matter of digging a hole, lining it with plastic and filling it with water. There are other considerations such as whether it should contain fish or just plants; how big or small it should be; its shape, and so on. Be prepared to dig a decent hole and spend many hours complaining about your aching back but you'll be very pleased with the results and you can happily stand around, beer in hand, praising your efforts after the fact. For those who have done it, building a garden pond can be a very satisfying project indeed.

Step 1 - Decide on where to build your pond.

Naturally, level ground would be best or else you'll spend far more time and effort doing the levelling yourself. Building a garden pond under a tree is unwise as the roots will continue to grow and could encroach upon the pond's territory in the future. The shade of the tree will also mean a lack of sunlight, which is essential to your pond's survival. Since you will need electricity for the pump, proximity to an outlet is important.

Step 2 Prefabricated or do-it-yourself liner?

Prefabs are the more expensive option but you pay for ease of installation, durability and low maintenance. Liners are available in different price ranges and generally speaking, the more you pay, the longer your liner will last.

Step 3 Installation

For a prefab pond, tip it upside down on the area you've reserved, mark it out with 6 to 8 inches extra around the outside and start digging. If using liners, measure your outline keeping in mind the size of the liner you will be using. Building a garden pond that will last for years means that all debris should be removed from the cavity to avoid punctures to the bottom of the pond. Once the hole is the required depth and size, add the prefab or lay the lining. Fill to about one quarter capacity with water so that the weight will keep the pond in place as you refill the gaps with soil.

Step 4 Decoration

You can now add plants, rocks, bark and stone around the 'banks' of the pond for a more natural appearance. If you intend to add fish, plants that overhang into the water will be useful as shade and hiding spots.

Step 5 Add aquatic plants

If you're building a garden pond that doesn't have a pump, you should aim for plenty of plant life to keep algae growth under control.

Step 6 Install a pump and filter

There are dozens of models on the market and your retailer will be able to help you decide which size is best for your pond. Read the instructions and follow carefully, but it's generally a simple task to place the pump in the water and connect the hose to it. The filter needs to be positioned in front of the pump to encourage water through the filter first. Building a garden pond and outfitting it should take little more than a weekend, which is one of the things that makes it so rewarding.

Visit onlineTips.org, where you can read more about pond aerators and ultraviolet pond filters.

Do It Yourself Landscaping 6 Things You Must Know Before You Start

2009-02-05T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Shrinivas Vaidya

Designing and growing a beautiful landscape garden around your home is a great experience. Just imagine how it will feel looking around your own beautifully grown and maintained garden, that stays fresh all the day and fills your life with a sense of pride. But before you start let's take a look at some of the key factors that can needs a major decision while executing your garden.

I have tried to list down some of the common points here that need attention prior to starting out landscaping design.

1) Information about plants.

This is quite obvious. You must have a list of plants ready with you. .it is not difficult to create such a list from a catalogue of plants at your local nursery or from the Internet, but the problem is these are the plants that you like, does not mean they are suitable for growth in your garden.

Why is this so? Simply because there are many factors that are responsible for the growth of a plant in your garden, such as direct sunlight, amount of water required, frequency of watering, which compost to use and not to use, doe the plant grow individually or in groups, and many more. SO don't choose plants that just look good in photographs, find out something more about their basic requirements.

Also it is important to know the basic structure of plant. For example how tall will it grow after 10 years from now. It should not happen that you have planted a tree and after a few years it is blocking your entire garden entry passage and view from inside of the house.

It's ok if you don't have each and every detail about all the plants. But if you plan for future, the results will be quite satisfactory.

2) Gardening Tools

This is very important aspect of gardening. Growing a landscape garden is not an easy task. I am not discouraging you, but it requires physical hard work and such time gardening tools can save your tremendous energy.

There are many excellent tools available today and also in quite affordable prices. Depending upon what you want to achieve and the expanse your garden you will require different sets of tools. Start with making of list and then short listing the most important ones my deciding priorities.

3) Landscaping Design Styles..

This is not an absolute must, but if you take extra efforts, I bet you can easily compete with the professional designers. Visit your local library or the internet and get an idea of how "design" plays a role in landscaping. When designers talk about "balance", "ambience", "proportions", "vista formation" what exactly are they talking about. All these elements can greatly add value to your garden such that people visiting your garden will always remember it.

4) Landscaping Material..

Again a very basic understanding of landscaping materials along with their costing structure is enough for you. Whey costing is necessary? Because this can have a drastic effect in hoe you execute your garden.

It should not happen that you have personally liked a material, you have seen it at some public garden or at your friend's place and want to use it in your backyard garden but at the last moment the budget doesn't allow you to use it.

5) Executing Your Garden..

Do you know what's the single most important aspect in executing a garden? it's schedule. By schedule I mean what comes first and what comes next. There are various questions to ask.

*When do I start?
*When should I order the plants from the nursery?
*Where should I store them before panting?
*If you are going to use electricity in your garden when should I call the electrician to perform his wiring tasks?
*what about compost bags?
*How many do I need them?
*what about the bags that go unused? and lot more...

Even if you appoint a "landscaping contractor" for this job, you can always use this list to cross examine what he is up to.

6) Maintaining Your Garden..

Maintained is the most important aspect in a garden. Someone has very cleverly said "It is very easy to be first, but it is comparatively harder to keep up the first position". A landscape garden is no different from this.

look it's simple you are using natures forces to express your creativity, so follow natures rule and you will never fail. there is unlimited potential in nature to easily grow and maintain a beautiful garden on it's own, so shale hands with natures forces and see you dream come true. That's why the first point in this articles is very important. First study what works and what doesn't in your climatic conditions and then safely start to put your dream into reality.

I hope this article was helpful to everybody.

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster on landscapingdatabse.com If you are interested in making the most out of your landscaping passion, I recommend you visit my website to find an excellent list of books on Do It Yourself Landscaping. You will be glad you visited.

Barefoot At The Cottage

2009-02-05T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robin De Groot

One of the greatest private joys in cottage life is the ability to walk barefoot throughout your property. Whether our happy-feet are skimming across sun-baked stones along the shoreline or across the mossy velvet of our lawns; nothing can compare to the exhilarating and "freeing" feeling that "going barefoot" gives you.

Going barefoot reacquaints you with a sense of carefree youthfulness and simple joy. To me, the gentle sound of the crunching leaves and the feeling of earth beneath my toes wash away the tensions and hostilities of "city" life.

"Healthy feet can hear the very heart of Mother Earth"

proverb of Sitting Bull

As a friend of mine proudly states each summer as she proudly flutters barefoot at her cottage; "going barefoot is the ultimate relaxation method. What you feel with your feet is as far removed from you brain as possible making you concentrate on your body your environment and all of your senses." My belief is simpler:

1. It feels good 2. It's relaxing 3. It connects you with nature 4. It's fun

However, before you begin to randomly shed your shoes, make sure That you closely inspect your property and avoid the following:

1. Beware sharp edged Reed grass they have a tendency to "bite". 2. Inspect your patio, barbeque and dock areas for broken glass, metal objects and litter. 3. Always step straight down. Avoid shuffling, dragging or kicking your feet and legs. 4. Always watch where you step. 5. Place your weight on the balls of your feet and not on your heel.

Another grace of going barefoot at your cottage is its minimum impact upon nature. Whereas a booted foot on our trails and naturalized areas encourages erosion and "imprinting", a bare foot leaves no mark or effect. Thus, while you are enjoying the sensation of the earth, grass, moss, and pine needles between your toes, you are at the same time preserving your piece of Nature.

Another offshoot of "going barefoot" at the cottage is its ability to encourage everyone who visits you cottage to be aware of their actions. Going barefoot quickly eliminates any "litter-bug" tendencies in not only yourself but in your guests.

Come Spring "planting" make sure to consider your feet when selecting your plants. Try planting a foot-friendly ground cover such as Anthemis (Chamomile). This wondrous plant can establish itself in any soil condition, gives off a delicious subtle fragrance, can be walked upon and has a lovely delicate blossom. Try A. nobilis for its white blossoms and silvered foliage or A. nobilis treneague for its strong aroma and durability. Just remember only to walk on it in your bare feet so as not to disturb its root structure.

Moss is another consideration. Encourage moss to grow across and amongst all of your rocks and woody areas. This can be achieved by simply spreading moss seeds on to the rocks in a mixture of 1-part moss seeds and 2 parts Buttermilk. Remember to continue drizzling buttermilk across the moss until it has become firmly established.

For your pathways consider using your natural pine needles. This environmentally sound choice not only looks great, it is easy to do and feels great on your feet.

Some other practicalities of going barefoot at the cottage include:

1.	Set up "Rinsing Stations" for bare feet.  Simply take an oversized wide mouth galvanized container and fill it with fresh lake water each day.  Place one near your cottage and another near your dock.  2.	Always keep on hand near the cottage "rinsing station" a bar of gardener's soap.  Gardener's soap will not only deeply cleanse, it moisturizes and exfoliates as well.  3.	Make sure to stock a jar of Gardener's Hand Lotion each summer.

It's mixture of beeswax; glycerin, lanolin, aloe and vitamin E will insure "happy feet".

Great Design in essence is about the creation of an exquisite stage for the beauty and quality of life we all desire. From ultra urban to ornate opulence, Robin and his team have passionately and successfully designed it all. Robin's interiors have graced the pages of magazines Worldwide. Robin has designed interiors for feature films, major retailers such as Home Depot (Style Ideas Magazine) and the Designer Showhouse. From smaller scale interior projects to full scale restorations and developments, Robin's passionate and creative eye overseas all aspects. While fluent in all design trends and philosophies, Robin is most passionate about historic preservation and the creation of elegant, functional and memorable spaces that convey the best attributes of each owner while respecting and celebrating the architecture that encompasses them. Visit http://www.robindegroot.ca

Mower Safety Blood On The Blade

2009-02-04T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Fred Davis

Fall is upon us and the snows and chill of a Northeast winter won't be far behind. Lawnmower safety, however, is a ripe subject for any season. . .especially spring. Spring's a time when a gardener's thoughts turn seriously to mowing the lawns, tilling the garden, finally being able to go jogging without ear muffs and an overcoat...or just plain walking--a walk through spring renewal.

There are, however, a great many people who find it painful to just walk; many who cannot comfortably jog; and more than a few who wince at the thought of mowing a lawn. Why? Simple: at some point in the past they refused to follow easily understood instructions--refused to apply common sense--and are now paying an unanticipated, not to mention very unpleasant, price for their errors.

Let me tell you about some of those people who once stood tall, haughtily lifted their chins and clamped their teeth together in rebellion--steadfastly refusing to follow safety rules. Then let me point out a few crucially important steps you can--and must--take to ensure that someone in your family doesn't make the same tragic mistake. These are true and authentic examples.

* First, a lady gardening in coastal Maine, was pushing her mower on a slope, in wet grass, with the wrong kind of shoes...she slipped, fell, and in a heartbeat her lower leg was severely sliced by the blade that was still running at full throttle.

unimaginably unwise

Certainly

patient

What did they all have in common beside their injuries? They had all either defeated safety devices on their mowers, and/or utterly ignored common sense safety rules that would have prevented a great deal of grief and pain...not to mention lost productivity and huge medical/surgical expenses.

Don't allow these incredibly dumb mistakes to occur in your family! Listen to these three responsibilities you must assume, and wedge them firmly into memory--now--before you even start the engine.

1. You must accept the responsibility to insure that your youngsters under 14 are not allowed to operate any power mower. They are forgetful, largely irresponsible at that tender age, easily distracted, and have no business attached to the controls of a power mower.

2. You must accept the responsibility to adequately protect yourself from catastrophic or crippling injury. How? Read the instruction manual--especially the section on safety. Then do what it says! Apply some common sense; wear protective shoes; check the lawn for rocks, kid or pet toys, or anything that might become a projectile...before you start the engine. The tip of a mower blade can attain a speed exceeding 19,000 feet per minute. It's usually attached to a five or six horsepower engine. The force at the tip can reach more than 10,000 pounds per square inch. You stick your foot in there, or reach in with your hand to clear grass away from the chute, and it could be sliced at the rate of 120 times per second! Trust me...a lot can happen in a second or two. Keep children and pets completely off the lawn during any mowing operation. That'll lessen the risk of their being struck by something thrown from under the machine.

ever

As far as I'm concerned, the most valuable safety feature is the rear toe guard--the rubber or thick flexible plastic thing that drags on the ground behind the mower. I'm here to verify the fact that taking it off because it interferes with pulling the mower backwards is incredible dangerous...and can bring about painful expense. I know what I'm talking about! Take a look at the picture of a badly chopped-up shoe (follow the link at the end of this article). The foolish person who was wearing it broke four cardinal rules: he'd removed the toe guard, had defeated the dead-man switch, was pulling his mower backwards, and was daydreaming.

I'm still paying for those foolish mistakes. (In my own defense, however, I was younger then. . .and convinced of my indestructibility and, perhaps, immortality as well. It's a young-guy thing!)

What can you do to protect yourself and your family from the dreadful and crippling consequences of these or similar errors? Don't allow your kids under 14 to operate power equipment...even if they are smarter than most...even if they're "supervised"...even if they beg or if you're too darned lazy to get off the couch or out of the lawn chair and do it yourself. Read and follow safety instructions. And never tamper with safety devices or features. Now it's up to you. You can do it. How much do you care about your or your kids' personal safety? How much is a foot or hand or an eye worth?

If your power equipment has had its safety devices removed or defeated, that's tantamount to playing with fire in a gunpowder factory. You must put those safety devices back in working order. And if you're any kind of a responsible person, you'll do it now, before another blade of grass is cut. Fail in that responsibility and you or one of your family may soon have a shoe that looks like mine to spark memories of damage. . .or lost toes. You may never be able to forgive yourself!

See a photo that demonstrates what can happen when safety precautions are ignored: http://www.HillGardens.com/mower_photo.htm

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/

Growing Ornamental Grasses Growing Advice And Handy Tips For The Gardener

2009-02-04T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Peter Corbett

Finding the Spot. The winds of change have blown through the gardening world during the last twenty years. With the modern trends now turning towards smaller and more minimalist gardens and the rise in popularity of planned low maintenance and theme gardens from oriental to modern contemporary styles and even prairie, there has been a renewed interest in ornamental grasses. Many grasses are undeniably elegant and graceful adding structure and form to a garden. In the breeze they bring movement and sound. Many have beautiful flowers and later seed heads that last right through the winter season.

Grasses are probably the most highly developed and most widely distributed of all plants. Grasses remain one of the most important plant groups as they include all the cereal and rice crops that sustain man and feed and fodder for our animals, They provide roofing thatch and building materials, alcohol, and over millennia most of our fossil fuels.

Grasses are the most undemanding of plants they require little care except a brush up and trim once in a while. There are grasses to suit all garden sizes and soil types from the stately Cortadiera and Stipa gigantica down to the dainty "Acorus gramineus."

In order to understand how to grow grasses successfully in your garden its important to understand a little about their growth habits. Perhaps the most important thing to know if you are unfamiliar with grasses is that grasses reproduce both vegetatively, that is by sending up new shoots from their roots or rhizomes and by seed distribution.

There are a several simple ways to group grasses for the novice. First by their growth habit, some form clumps and tussocks and usually reproduce through seed production, as a rule are quite well behave. The others are spreaders or runners who produce new shoots through spreading roots and rhizomes and can tend to march. Most domestic lawns are made up of a mixtures of these running grasses.

The other important grouping is to distinguish between what are known as warm weather grasses and cold weather grasses. The impact on the plant can be quite dramatic if you are dividing plants for propagation and you choose the wrong time of year to do it. The difference between warm weather and cold weather grasses should not cause you any problems if you are just transplanting from a small pot to a larger one or direct to the garden.

Sedges are not true grasses though they are often lumped together with the grass section at retail outlets. Although very similar to grasses the are in fact a very much older species. Sedges tend to prefer wet or boggy situations and are dealt in a separate section to avoid confusion.

Most grasses enjoy sunlight, as much as possible, however there are a number of varieties that will tolerate shade for part of the day. Most grasses are totally unfussy about the type of soil they are in as long as its not water logged. Grasses have an incredibly sophisticated and efficient root system making them extremely exposure and drought tolerant. Most grasses prefer a very free draining soil that is almost impoverished if they are to perform well. There is very rarely any need to feed as to much nutrient makes the grass over lush and it tends to collapse. If your soil is very heavy or clay try digging in plenty of sharp sand. One other benefits of grass is you can mulch with grave. Gravel not only highlights the grasses features but the gravel will eventually work its way down into the soil to the appreciation of the plant.

Grasses on the whole do not suffer much from pests and diseases. Most problems that are likely to be encountered will be from trying to grow a plant in the wrong place especially if the ground is waterlogged. Wet ground combined with environmental extremes such as freezing conditions are probably the only sure way to kill most grasses. Don't forget to water container grown grasses occasionally and grasses that are exposed to warm or cold drying winds. If your grasses are showing any signs of stress the best thing is to up with them and shift them somewhere else, it wont harm them, they are survivors and want to survive and do well just as you do.

Finally once again consider the size of the plant you are buying do your research. A giant Cortadiera in its infancy in a 1 litre pot looks insignificant when stood alongside a Miscanthus sinensis in a 2 litre pot in the garden centre. Ten years down the line however the Miscanthus will have probably made 80cm x 70 cm but wow! the Cortadiera selloana will be in the region of 3 meters by 3 meters. If you have a small garden there wont be much left and don't forget to consider the shade that these big guys throw out.

Choose carefully and enjoy your grasses they are truly worth the time an thought.

The Pot and Grass Company specialises in importing and growing Hardy Bamboos and Ornamental Grasses. The Pot and grass company also propagate their own bamboos by division and grow ornamental grasses, sedges and ferns, at the nursery field near Colchester Essex. The Pot and Grass Company can be found at http://www.potandgrass.co.uk

The Author Peter Corbett has a passion and is an avid collector of bamboo and grasses. He advises the Pot and Grass Company.

Orange Perennials For Your Garden

2009-02-03T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lee Dobbins

Perennials are wonderful because, they bloom year after year. Sometimes, I forget that I even have them planted and then they spring up to my surprise and delight! I like to add some zip to my garden with flowers that are orange in color. They add a vibrant touch and the brilliant colors attract birds and insects.

Here's some of my favorite orange perennials:

Butterfly Weed This flowers in summer and can get as high as three feet. It has compact clusters of flowers and as the name implies, it does attract butterflies!

Day Lily I see this beautiful flower growing wild all over the place here in New Hampshire. It blooms in summer and sits on 30" tall stalks. These perennials are virtually care free and will grow in most locations. Since 1 stalk can have over fourty flowers, you can have a bed of these that blooms for a month or more in the summer.

Gaillardia This comes in a regular size that has 4" daisy like flowers and a dwarf size. The plant is short growing to about 2 feet and blooms in summer. These like to be planted in the full sun but are quite hardy and you can extend the bloom time if you cut off the fading flowers. And the best thing is that they also attract butterflies!

Helianthemum - Blooms This is a good ground cover that blooms in summer It is easy to grow on rocky slopes and creates a border of color. If you are lucky it will bloom twice, once in early summer and then again in late summer.

Oriental Poppy Beautiful orange flowers that bloom in spring and grow to 24". These beautiful perennials like a sunny spot with well drained soil.

Torch lily - This interesting perennial blooms in summer and produces spikes of orange cone shaped flowers that can grow to 6 feet. It likes to be planted in a sunny location and is great for zones 5 10. This plant attracts hummingbirds!

Trumpet Creeper I had one of these beautiful vines growing wild up my chimney. It blooms in mid to late summer and has trumpet shaped flowers that hang from it's lush vines. It will cling to anything and can grow up to 30 feet. It can also grow as a shrub when it has nothing to cling to. It grows quickly and also attracts hummingbirds.

Lee Dobbins is owner and editor of Backyard Garden And Patio where you can learn how to turn your backyard into an oasis and find out more about garden flowers

Decorative Bird Houses And Their Requirements

2009-02-02T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Babu Banik

The nesting season is an important time for birds. Its springtime and birds must now turn to nesting. They turn their full attention and energy to nesting during springtime. It is a stressful experience for a bird to move to a new location. They need to adjust to new sights, sounds and foods. While birds are amazingly resilient, there are a number of things you can do to help minimize the stresses of a new home.

It is important that the birdhouse be set up even before you purchase your bird. No matter how simple, elaborate or decorative, the most important features are safety, the location of the birdhouse and the dimensions and shape of the birdhouse and entrance. A good birdhouse must have the following features:

Ventilation holes in the top and drainage holes in the bottom Absence of a perch by the entrance - perches encourage predators such as cats Easy to clean - birdhouses should be thoroughly cleaned once a year to remove last year's nest materials and to prevent nest parasites.

One of the great ways to bring your yard to life with flashes of color, nature's music and amusement is to provide your birds with their own private nesting area. You can add a birdhouse to your yard or garden where birds can nest safely without fearing natural predators. A birdhouse also provides shelter and warmth during heavy winds and at times of ferocious storms.

If we can have fancy houses, then why not birds? So, be creative, while choosing a birdhouse. Birdhouses range in style from gazebo and Victorian styles to barns and space shuttles. The design is your choice. You might like to build or purchase a birdhouse that will reflect your personal character. Birds aren't really interested in architectural design, but want a birdhouse that will provide safety, security and easy access.

Bird population is diminishing in today's world due to the use of chemicals that are polluting their natural habitat and food supply. Birdhouses protect birds and coupled with well-stocked feeders and a variety of seeds and insects from your garden, they will find a safe haven in your backyard. In return, they bring your garden to life with flashes of color, wonderful songs and comical antics.

A birdhouse should be well built, durable, waterproof, cool in summer, warm in winter and easily accessible to birds. Be sure you allow for cleaning when assembling your birdhouse. If you're planning to purchase one, look for cracks in the wood, knots and other defects that will allow water to get inside. If you're building the house, use your imagination to create a unique birdhouse that will add a touch of charm to your yard or garden. Nowadays, many varieties of birdhouses are available in the market ranging from plain and simple to the elaborate and decorative.

At Indipets, we look forward to sharing our yard with wildlife throughout the seasons particularly birds, who bring color, song, and life to our homes. Whether it's a family of Bluebirds, a group of Gold Finches or a scarlet red Cardinal nibbling on the sunflower seeds we've put out especially for him, birds delight and fascinate us all year long. Just put up a few houses, fill your feeders and soon you'll have a yard full of feathered friends.

We Stock all types: HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS, BIRD HOUSES, DECORATIVE BIRD HOUSES, WINDOW FEEDERS, BIRD FEEDERS, DECORATIVE FEEDERS, BIRD BATHS, BINOCULARS & OPTICS, BAT HOUSES, LADY BUG HOUSES, BUTTERFLIES, WILDLIFE FEEDERS/HOUSES, BIRD-WATCHING, ACCESSORIES, BOOKS and Other Media

Visit our shed for the best products!

A Steel Building Provides The Perfect Storage Solution

2009-02-02T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chris Robertson

Steel buildings are enjoying a resurgence as a storage solution for everyone from sportsmen to farmers. Able to withstand the harshest weather conditions - heavy snow, thunderstorms, and even hurricanes - steel buildings have distinct advantages over other storage options. With simple bolt-together construction, a steel building can be easily expanded to any length and - because it can be constructed without a frame - can offer a clear span of one hundred percent usable space.

Contrary to popular belief, constructing a steel building doesn't require specialized knowledge or dozens of workers. In fact, assembling a steel building requires no special tools or equipment, and can be completed by as few as four people in as little as three days.

Steel buildings can be the perfect solution for:

Sportsmen - Use a steel building as a garage or workshop. A steel building provides shelter for a boat, RV, or antique car. It can also be set up for a roomy workshop, with space to comfortably work on virtually any project. It can even be used as an airplane hangar!

Farmers - An arch-style steel building is the perfect agricultural solution. It can provide economical storage for farm equipment, machinery, and livestock. A steel building offers superior strength over I-beam buildings or pole barns, and can store hay in a vermin-proof facility.

Small Industrial Businesses - A steel building with a high sidewall clearance is ideal for equipment and materials storage, and makes for a great looking manufacturing facility. It is perfect for a workshop, and provides fire-resistant safety for heavy-duty tools.

Truckers - A steel building offers the perfect storage solution for big rigs, and has the added benefit of providing space for a workshop. Because a steel building protects against the elements, it is great for repairing and storing trucks.

A steel building can be used in a variety of other ways, as well. It can be used as an office built on to a manufacturing facility, or can be used behind a façade for a retail shop. A steel building can make a great animal shelter, and can even be customized for an affordable living space.

When buying a steel building, it's important to consider the quality of materials and construction. Optimally, the steel building will be built with galvalume-coated steel, an alloy containing aluminum and zinc. This type of steel is seven times more rust resistant than typical galvanized steel. In addition, look for a steel building that comes with a multi-year guarantee, and one that is affordable and easy to assemble.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Construction Website and Majon's Construction directory.

Iris Species And Care

2009-02-01T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by William Berg

Iris is the name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Iridaceae. The various Iris species have showy and beautiful flowers which make them popular in gardens and in floral arrangements. The name Iris is derived from the Latin name for rainbow, since Iris flowers exists in an abundance of color variations. The term Iris in not only used to describe the genus, it is also the common name for the comprised species. Sometimes similarly looking showy flowering species from related genera is also called Iris flowers.

If you care for your planted Iris, you can enjoy it for many years to come since it is a perennial flower. Iris flowers growing in warm regions can grow throughout the year, while Iris flowers in colder regions will grow and flower only during the summer. If the climate is very dry and water is scarce, the will Iris will form bulbs. When water is more abundant, the Iris will instead spread via rhizomes. Since Iris can survive even in dry regions, they are very popular in California and Florida. Many Iris species appreciate regions where the nights are cool and the days hot. Ideally, you should plant your Iris in the shade since it can be harmed by strong direct sunlight.

As mentioned above, the Iris flower is showy and very beautiful. It can be obtained in a wide range of color variations. The flower is typically shaped like a fan with six petals. The three inner petals are named "standards", while the three other petals are named "falls". The standards will rise above the rest of the flower and try to attract pollinators. Some Iris types have a "beard", i.e. the upper surface of the outer petals has a beard like feature. This beard is a service for pollinators; since they can land and grab hold of to the beard when they consume nectar.

The Iris smells nice, but the fragrance is not particularly strong. The flower is located on a tall stem and an Iris will typically form a lot of flowers on one single stem. The Iris stems vary between the different Irises and can be hollow as well as solid, and simple and well as branched. The Iris leaves are shaped like small swords.

Delicately blossomed Iris plants are called "Freesisas". The first Freesias were white and yellow, but today you can purchase hybrids in many different colors. You can for instance select blue, lilac, violet, pink and salmon colored Freesias. Freesisas have a delightful scent.

They are more delicate than the other Iris flowers and you should not plant them in a region where the temperature can drop below 26 degrees. Freesisas are therefore popular indoor plants in the colder regions of the world. If you want to have an Iris that is similar to a Freesia, but with more vivid flowers, you should take a look at the Sparaxis plants. Sparaxis flowers are related to the Freesias, but form even more flamboyant flowers.

More information about types of the Iris flower such as the Bearded Iris flower

The Design Principle Of Unity In Gardening And Landscaping

2009-01-31T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Sandra Wilson

A principle of all art is unity. This means that each piece of art has one meaning. Creating landscaping or a flower garden should also incorporate this principle of unity. Your landscaping or flower garden is truly a work of art as much as any painting or sculpture.

Each work of art, large or small, should have one and only one meaning. Every part of the work of art, or in our case flower garden or landscaping, should contribute to this central or unifying meaning. Stated in physical terms, all parts of the landscaping should make one body of work with each part being subordinate to the whole. Every part which does not support in this effort must be removed, no matter how beautiful or interesting it may be in itself or so the principle of unity declares.

Unity taken to the extreme is monotony. When only one color, only one tone, or only one figure is used, the result may be monotonous. A garden planted with nothing but hollyhocks or a park with only red cedars would certainly be monotonous however beautiful the hollyhocks or cedars. Even so some believe it is better to have monotony than to lose unity. Indeed, in particular cases, monotony may be considered the height of artistic achievement.

The elimination of diverse colors, and forms, would tend towards unity. At least it would tend towards simplicity, which can be desirable in itself. Nearly all landscaping or gardening, in the hands of amateurs, shows too many forms, too many colors, and too many different kinds of plants. There are so many different kinds of plants and colors, you want to try them all. Fact is, the instances in which unity goes too far towards monotony are so rare, that these instances can be doubly interesting as curiosities.

Unity is frequently found through the development of functionality. If every part of the landscaping or flower garden has a definite and obvious practical pupose, then that dominating purpose can unify all the parts and pieces. Thus you can achieve unity.

In actual practice, the most powerful way to create unity lies in having a clear-cut motive and sticking to it. Essentially we mean, find a theme or subject for your landscaping or flower garden. Stick to it however tempting it is to not do so. In this way you can incorporate the principle of unity.

A Touch Of Feng Shui In The Garden

2009-01-30T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bonnie Moss

From the beliefs, culture and mythology of China, Feng Shui was born.

It is an ancient belief in the art of placement. Literally translated, Feng Shui means wind and water symbolizing the two major forces of nature. Feng Shui promotes a scientific and philosophical approach to design and site of a home, public building and spaces to maintain harmony with the nature. This harmony is believed to allow light from the spiritual realm to shine upon those who believe and adopt the principles to their home and environment.

Interpretation of this belief has expanded into many directions. Over the past few years, Feng Shui has swept through the Western world/ culture according to what's practical, adaptable and suitable.

This is the wonder of Feng Shui- it allows for differences, and innovation according to the beliefs of a particular culture. It inspires personal perspective and creativity. It fosters harmony between man and his environment.

Adapting some of the principles of Feng Shui encourages a gardener to create a place which radiates more than beauty to please the eye. It is the visual attraction of a garden that draws people to it. But be aware of unseen and subtle energies taking place in the garden. Have a garden that projects an aura of the mystical.

Today's gardener is no longer satisfied with just having abundance of plants and an array of colors. Today, a garden is an extension of the living space of a person or a family. It offers a place to entertain, a respite from the busy and chaotic world, a private space to relax and reflect, at times, a place to seek healing.

Sans the tools, a touch of Feng Shui, can enhance and actually generate positive vibrations outdoors and into the inner sanctum of the gardener.

With intuition, common sense and dedication, simple rules of Feng Shui can be applied. It promotes a garden that is friendly to Nature and ultimately infuse creative and vibrant energy and ensures the positive flow of chi.

Balance

Balance is a very important aspect of Life. It is the Yin/Yang in practice. It is opposing yet complementary. Tidbit: public parks exhibit the yang space, a private garden shows the yin.

A garden design that incorporates a balance of plants, ornaments and furniture is appealing to look at. If it's visually attractive, and it feels good, it is a gardener's pride and joy. The energy must be vibrant.

The Elements in Feng Shui

A little attention to the elements in a garden provide an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

Fire
Color: red, and purple
Plants with pointed leaves
Structures/ornaments: pyramids, obelisks,lights
trellis/ support for plants
This is a powerful element, don't let it dominate the area.

Wood
Color : green. All plants are wood element, it is the shape and color that suggest other elements.
Trees and shrubs strongly represent wood element. Structures/ ornaments: decking, planters, logs, and furniture

Earth
Color: yellow, orange, and brown
Structures/ornaments: soil, rocks, stones, walkways, fences
A walkway or fence that dominates the garden slows down the flow of chi.

Water
Color: dark blue, black
Structure/ornaments gravel, meandering paths, water features, glass.

Metal
Color: white, silver
Structure/ornaments: bowls, domes, and hammock, lead

Working with the elements:

The natural world beckons. Gardening has ignited passion for creating a magical world of plants, colors,ornaments and design, with Nature as the canvas for the artist. A garden fills a space that would otherwise be void and saturated with stale energy.

It is with the shapes, colors, garden ornaments and structures that spell balance and a way to introduce the elements to bring out positive energy and get the chi flowing.

Ponds are popular features, Perhaps unknowingly,ponds represent the lake, rocks and pebbles stand for the mountains. Water symbolizes wealth and a good collector of chi, so long as it is not stagnant. Careful choice of ornaments can create a balance of the elements in a pond.

Take a cue from Nature- it tries to achieve balance between shape and color. Whatever feature you add, proportion is important.

There are ways to remedy existing structures. Add some pots along a straight walkway to give it a feeling of meandering. Add a splash of colors to make it look interesting.

Appeal to the senses

Sight
A visually attractive garden touches upon the sub-conscious .It leaves an impression that can impact deep into the psyche. Clutter anywhere is annoying. It hinders the flow of chi. In the garden, it is important to keep it free of debris and clutter.

Arrangement of plants, mixing plants with a variety of color and blooming periods,and giving thought of the flowering season adds balance to a garden.

Sound
No one wants to live in a noisy neighborhood.There are sounds in the garden. Bees and birds bring about welcome sound. Gurgling water can be soothing. A bamboo wind chime sends out gentle sounds resembling the rustle of leaves. Don't rake the leaves too soon. Leave it for little while and listen as you crunch through in the fall.

Smell
The natural sweet scents from a garden is superior to the most expensive perfume. Enjoy the fragrance from your garden wafting through the air, especially with the evening breeze.

Touch
My four-year old great niece fascinates me when I see how carefully she touches things around the garden- from the little animal ornaments to the leaves, the rocks, stones and flowers. She does not pick the flowers, she tries to feel the softness with her little fingers. I have little colored stones at the bottom of a bowl that glimmers under the sun; she approaches these quietly as she timidly dips one little finger to feel them. No, nothing bites her fingers. She does this with so much concentration that anyone who watches her has to experience the sensation of "touching."

Other suggestions
For focus, use smaller potted plants in a group or one large pot
For abundance, fountains and water features
For illumination, lights for particular features
For stability use urns, large pots, rocks and stones
Show off your achievement or passion with art collection
Wind chimes to stir up energy and create movement
To receive gifts of the earth and the Universe, empty pots, dishes and urns.

This essay barely touches the basics of Feng Shui in the garden. But it is a start.

Reference: The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui by Gill Hale

Bonnie Moss writes to inspire and to motivate her readers to explore the depths of their heart and soul. She draws from personal experience and her interest in the New Age respect for Mother Earth. Visit her website : http://goldencupcafe.tripod.com

Water Gardens

2009-01-29T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Jeanette Joy Fisher

The placement of your water garden is your most important decision. You'll want to choose a spot that gets as much sunlight as possible, generally away from trees or bushes that shed their leaves, because most plants and fish require a fair amount of sunlight to thrive, and deciduous trees and shrubs can make keeping your water element a chore in the fall.

You're only limited by your budget, the size of your space, and your imagination, but always bear in mind that your water garden will require a certain amount of maintenance, which you'll have to do if you want your garden to continue to look great. If you incorporate fish into your garden scheme, they'll also need to be fed as part of your routine maintenance program.

If you use aquatic plants in your water garden, only cover about half the surface of the water. It will allow you to see your ornamental fish underneath. You may also want to plant flowers around the edge of your pond, and there are some plants that will actually add oxygen to the water, which is important, especially if you have fish in your pond. Fish can help keep the pond clean by eating insects.

Algae is one of the primary problems encountered by water gardeners, and it's often brought about by over fertilizing water plants or feeding fish too much or too often. For many years, people in England have used barley straw to help reduce the amount of string and filament type algae, but it may not work in every situation. If you experience algae problems--and you probably will--pay close attention to the feeding regime of both your fish and your water plants.

To keep your water oxygenated and fresh, you'll need a pond pump and filter, which can also help reduce insect and algae problems. Water plants also remove nutrients from the water that could create pollution problems. Some good plants include water hyacinths, water violets, and water crowfoot, if you bear in mind that they tend to reproduce vigorously and can quickly take over a pond.

Like all gardens, water gardens require a certain amount of care, but the results can give you years of pleasure.

Jeanette Fisher has researched the effects of environment on emotions for over 15 years. She teaches interior design college courses and seminars. Free environmental design info: http://environmentpsychology.com

Backyard Birdthe Catbird

2009-01-29T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gary Machado

It's quiet now.

Gone is the constant chatter, whistles and meowing sounds as you jump from branch to branch safeguarding your territory against all trespassers.

Gone too is the uniform gray body offset with the black cap and tail feathers, with just a smidgen of rust coloration under the tail coverts, that allows you to blend in with your natural habitat of dense udergrowth and thickets.

They call you a skulker, a bird hard to see in the dense underbrush. Usually heard but now seen.

Definitely NOT a backyard bird.

Except in my backyard.

Maybe it's because my back yard is filled with trees and dense undergrowth along the rear and side fences. Or maybe it's because there is a wooded area of trees and underbrush in the low-lying parcel of land across the street. Or maybe it's because of a reason I can't fully understand.

I know you don't stay becasue of my bird feeders, because you don't have birdseed in you diet. You prefer insects, spiders and fruit berries instead.

But whatever the reason, I'm grateful.

I'm grateful that you have chosen my yard as your place to breed and have chicks. And not just this year. But last year too. Definitely unusual.

I'm delighted to watch you jump and fly from one low hanging branch to another, or from one small tree to another, constantly chattering or meowing your right of territory.

But I never did get to see your mate's nest. You never led me there. So I don't know how many chicks you fledged and whether they all survived.

But it's late summer now. And it's quiet again.

Are you already heading south on your long migration journey? To southern Florida? Or Texas? Or even to eastern Mexico?

I understand that for this trip, you've teamed up with some other catbirds, so that you are in a group of a dozen or so. For protection? For guidance?

Whatever the reason, I hope your migration south and your return next year is successful. I would really like it if you or one of your chicks return to my yard. I look forward to your whistles and meowing as you defend your territory and build your nest.

But until next year, "skulker" catbird,

Goodbye...

Gary Machado has been a field and backyard birdwatcher for over 30 years. You may visit his site at: http://www.bird-feeders-and-more.com

Managing Pond Motives And Expectations

2009-01-28T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Brett Fogle

INTRODUCTION

Water in the garden. It brings us refreshing coolness on the hottest summer day. It satisfies our senses with sounds that only water can make. It delights our eyes with the unsurpassed beauty of colorful water lilies, the glimmering iridescence of fish and reflections from the sky.

Water has immense attraction to all people. For centuries Europeans have enjoyed the beauty of fountains and water gardens in their public squares and private estates. Water gardens create "natural" focal points, whether located in the home garden, shopping mall, or office building.

This book is written to fill a void in today's selection of gardening books. A few books are sprinkled here and there, covering specific areas of water gardening such as plants and Koi, but this book is written to cover all facets of decorative water gardening for homeowners as well as professional landscapers and architects.

The word "pond" conjures up different images for different people. Some envision a farm pond with a dirt bottom, fed by a creek bed and alive with ducks and frogs. Others see a mossy-covered goldfish pool in the corner of a yard. For our purposes, the word "pond" will be used in the Webster's Dictionary sense: "artificially enclosed body of water; a body of standing water smaller than a lake, often artificially formed." In this book you'll also find some of the newer terms - aquasphere, aquatic habitat, aquatic environment, or waterscape.

The reasons for considering a water garden are varied. Commercial landscape architects use water in their designs for effect and uniqueness. Homeowners want to exchange their rakes, lawn mowers and weedeaters for a work free garden. Others desire a pond "just like grandpa always had," yet most of us are simply looking for a garden to enjoy, a haven for relaxation.

Water does have a relaxing affect, whether it be the rhythmic waves of the ocean, a gently running brook, or the quiet beauty of a pond. While we may be unable to recreate nature with oceans and brooks, we can find pleasure in designing and building ponds.

MOTIVES

Before deciding on a water garden, consider your motives. Ask yourself the following questions:

* Why do I want a pond?
* Am I trying to save work for myself?
* Do I want a part of nature in my own backyard?
* Am I looking for a fishpond? Or a plant pond? A fountain or waterfall?
* Do I want to cool off in the pond?
* Do I want to convert a swimming pool?

Am I looking for a focal point in the yard or simply a subtle blend of plants and fish? Many people think water gardening means digging a hole, filling it in with water, plants and fish, and that's all there is to it. While it's true that established ponds require minimal work, prospective water gardeners should realize that a certain amount of responsibility goes with a pond garden.

When you build a pond, you're putting in a natural habitat, something that is "alive" and "breathing" with plants and animals. Plants live and grow in this natural habitat; natural gas exchanges are going on; birds, bugs, fish, frogs and animals come to visit and drink from you pond. In other words, you're doing more than just cementing an area in the yard and filling it with water. You are bringing nature into your surroundings.

EXPECTATIONS

Prospective water gardeners should also examine their expectations. What do you want from your pond?

Before starting construction, you should decide if you want a fishpond, a fish and plant pond, a fountain, or a waterfall. For example, a Koi pond without plants will be constructed differently than ponds containing both fish and plants.

Do you want you pond to be a focal point - something that stands out dramatically with waterfalls or spraying fountains? Or is your life hectic and frenzied, so you're looking for a quiet haven for meditation and relaxation?

If you expect a low maintenance, relaxing environment, you'll find it in water gardening. You may wonder how water gardening can be effortless. The answer is nature. Properly planned water gardens achieve an ecological balance of water, plants, fish, and snails.

Water ponds answer a multitude of expectations, but the final decision on what you want from your water garden must come from you.

2005 Brett Fogle

Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several 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 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary 'New Pond Owners Guide' for joining, just visit MacArthur Water Gardens at our website.

Safety On Lawn Tractors

2009-01-28T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Caxton

Every gardener riding a lawn tractor should be concerned about safety. But, most homeowners don't take much time thinking on how risky can be driving lawn tractors. It is obvious the indestructible feelings that you feel when driving a large lawn tractor. You are there, sitting on top of a extremely powerful machine which responds to your orders instantly. However, there are many things, not desired, that can happen very quickly, putting you as operator and others in a terrible danger. Statistics out there say that year after year, many people experience lawn tractors accidents due to either an incorrect or unsafely use.

Lawn tractors are probably the most powerful tool you might offer to any garden. They are the best solution for advanced landscapers. Lawn tractors will help those people who don't have much time to take care of their large lawns. Among many other features, they are reliable, efficient, extremely fast as well as really easy to drive, getting a lot of fun while working, what else do you need?. Nevertheless, not everything is gold what it shines; they can be double-edge weapons for those who don't respect the safety requirements. A lawn tractor is a dangerous equipment, so use it consciously and following the manual's operator.

Here you have some important points to have in mind when driving a lawn tractor:

Clear the mowing area from objects that could avoid a fluent work. This is a very important premise that most homeowners forget. It might happen to run over a small piece of metal or hardwood. This will risk you to send the piece in question out the side of the lawn tractor, and therefore injure anyone within hundred feet around the operator.

Wear always safety wear when operating power tools. Thick shoes can save your feet, if they get close to the lawn tractor's sharpen blades. And wearing goggles is as simple as protect your eyes from flying insects direct impacts.

No matter what they say, you must keep safety shields in place on the tractor. You never know when these guards will be required.

Driving Experience When Riding Lawn Tractors

You, as an experienced lawn tractor driver, might be thinking on the years of experience you've got over the years. Even though your considerable driver skills and how conscientious you are with your tractor, you never have to trust on power machines, and should be aware all the time. At http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com, we try to be aware of all gardening tools, because we know how important is the safety throughout your garden for you and your family.

What are the most typical mistakes when operating a lawn tractor? As we have said above, not cleaning the mowing area can be quite dangerous, but there is no choice when the lawn tractor blades are exposed. Try to use blades guards in order to decrease the cutting risk when operating those tractors designs, whose mowing blades are totally exposed. Landscapers always think that anything can happen to them, because they know everything relating to lawn mowers and garden tractors. Please, be as careful as you can, especially when riding a tractor on an incline. It might tip over and therefore creating the chance of blades falling down over you., it could happen, why not? Most mower and tractor manufacturers are designing currently machines with the weight evenly distributed. This will avoid the tipping over easily.

One sentence we want to insert into gardeners' minds is : The more prepared you are for any kind of circumstance concerning accidents and safety, the better off you will be. Just remember to wear lawn tractors safety equipment, including goggles, thick shoes and gloves if necessary. If you ignore one of the small safety details when riding these machines, you could end up reproaching yourself why did not you do it. Gardening injuries are as typical as many others and lawn tractors are not a child's game.

Andrew Caxton is a successful author who contributes adding articles regularly to http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com - A specialized lawn care website that carries articles on different models of riding lawn mowers and lawn tractors.

Constructing A Garden Path

2009-01-27T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Philip Swindells

A well-laid path is essential for the successful management of every garden. The direction that it takes must be very clearly thought through to ensure its efficiency. It must be arranged so that there are no temptations to cut corners across the lawn or flower beds and yet as far as possible it should be unobtrusive.

Like the garden itself, a path should be properly drained, especially if it is to be constructed from gravel or a similar porous material. Surrounding ground must also be drained in such a way that the path does not become a watercourse during periods of heavy rain or after snow-melt in colder districts. The scouring out of neatly raked gravel by fast-flowing ground water can be a great source of irritation.

Before construction, consider the possibility of the path also being the line that takes services. Water and electricity can very conveniently be directed along the line of the path so that there is never any danger of interference from cultivation. It is ill-advised to place such services beneath a solid path, such as concrete, but ready access can be gained through gravel, or beneath a paved path.

A sound foundation is vital, even for a simple gravel path. If a generous layer of stone foundation is not laid down first of all it is almost certain that mud will squeeze through and within a season the path will become an unpleasant mud and gravel mixture which will then play host to weeds. Prevent this by using fabric landscape matting laid over the soil in the path area before spreading the gravel. Such material permits water to seep through, but prevents the mud from squeezing upwards.

There are all kinds of gravel and gravel-like materials that can be used for path construction, but all require a proper edging to retain the material. Many gardeners choose 15mm (1/2in) gravel as this is substantial and looks good. It is not the best utility choice though for it is quite difficult to push a wheelbarrow or pushchair over and it creates havoc with high-heeled shoes.

Fine shingle makes a far better surface providing that it is not scattered too liberally. However the best of all is self-binding gravel. This is of gravel-like appearance but of such a texture that it binds together in a neat hard surface. Once laid it merely needs rolling with a garden roller. Crushed limestone can also serve the purpose, but it tends to become dusty during dry weather and stick to shoes on wet days. It can also increase the alkalinity of nearby soil.

Concrete is a serviceable but harsh option, which if laid properly with expansion joints, will last indefinitely. It is not a comfortable path to walk along or work from in hot weather, as there is considerable reflection and glare. The same applies to some of the modern paving slabs made from reconstituted stone. Select these with great care choosing softer more subtle colors to reduce discomfort. Also carefully select the surface. There are a number of more or less non-slip surfaces available; the most natural looking of which is referred to as riven paving.

Philip Swindells has over 40 years gardening experience. A former botanical garden curator and an international horticultural consultant, he has worked extensively overseas. The Author of more than 50 gardening books, he has been awarded a Quill and Trowel Award by the Garden Writers' Association of America. He is also a former UK Garden Writer of the Year. He writes a popular daily gardening blog with gardening news, views and updates http://www.gardenmessenger.blogspot.com/.

Why Do Flowers Inspire Me So Much

2009-01-27T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Willie Jones

I grew up in a very cold climate where winter seemed go on for 6 months and ice, snow and barren trees is what you saw on a daily basis. Plus the bone chilling cold and cloudy skies all made for a long dreary winter.

I can remember as a child sitting by the living room window looking out at the snow, trying to remember what the grass looked like. I would sit there longing for spring and summer.

Spring to me was a promise of warm sunny days to come and I always felt my spirits lift as the snow melted and trees would start to bud. It was also the time when the lilacs bloomed and the fragrance was heavenly.

This was the time we would plant our flower gardens and the annuals would start to bloom. My mother had a thing for petunias and tiger lilies so we planted them every year. For me they were a source of fascination. I loved the colors and shapes and I would closely scrutinize them. Even as a child if I felt a bit down, I would go outside and look at the flowers and insects until I felt better. It worked every time.

One day as I was looking at the flowers I decided that when I grew up I was going to be a florist. Time went on and I forgot about it. I married and raised a family. After the kids grew up and moved away I was looking for a change of direction in my life and suddenly remembered wanting to be a florist and that is what I did.

I still find beauty in all kinds of flowers. I also developed an appreciation for trees and shrubs. I have based my floral designs on how things naturally grow. A huge old magnificent tree can be an inspiration for a floral design.

The next time you are feeling down or just need to be relieved from daily stress, try taking a walk and really look at nature. You may be surprised at the calming affect it may have on you.

Enjoy!

Willie Jones is a freelance writer, researcher, floral designer, and artist, for Art Inspires, Inc. Make sure you enroll in the free motivational poster drawing at http://www.artinspires.com

House Plant Care A Guide For Your Container Garden

2009-01-26T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Mary Hanna

Through the years many plants were considered to be only greenhouse subjects rather then house plants. That, thankfully, has changed and many species can be considered as house plants to decorate your home. Here is a house plant guide to the basics of caring for your plants also known as container gardens. It is best to choose plants that have thick leathery foliage. The reason they can withstand heated rooms is that they have tough leaves and can withstand adverse conditions. This also cuts down on house plant care. It is wise however, to keep the foliage free of dust so as not to interfere with the plants pores.

It pays to get your house plants ready for indoor life. If it is possible buy your plants when you no longer need to heat your home. This way they will get plenty of fresh air to harden the developing foliage, giving it strength against a hot dry atmosphere of heated rooms. This is especially important for tropical house plants. If you buy a tropical plant, such as a begonia, keep it in a room that is warm and moist, like a bathroom. They thrive on moisture and because of the steam from showers tropical house plants will get the necessary humidity.

To keep house plants species hardy they must be in a cool a place as possible. An unheated room that does not fall below 45 degrees is ideal. If you have a very cold spell, bring the plants into a heated room but be sure to get them back to the cool atmosphere as soon as possible. If you have a very large house plant that is not easily moved cover it with material, like several layers of burlap, to shield it from the elements.

When it comes to house plant care, watering is usually the trickiest. The amount of water will depend on how fast the plant absorbs the moisture. Obviously, a house plant that is in active growth requires more water than a dormant one. A good rule of thumb for house plant care is that they will require more water during the growing months, April through October. All container gardens should be watered when relatively dry. Sufficient water should be given to the house plant to reach to the drainage hole. This is important because the feeding roots closest to the bottom need water to continue growth.

A good trick for house plant care is to tap the pots half way down with your knuckles. If there is a hollow sound the plant needs water. But, if you hear a dull sound there is still plenty of water. The exception here is if the soil has been compacted firmly into the pots, then you will always here a hollow sound. If possible use rain water for house plant care. If you cannot use rain water on your container gardens, you can use tap water. Be sure to inspect your house plants daily to see if they need moisture.

If the tips of your foliage turn a sickly yellow you are over watering the plant. Do not water it again until the soil is quite dry. Over watering will also cause a moss or algae to grow on the soil. This must be removed, then use a sharp stick to aerate the house plant.

Another task of house plant care is feeding the plant. Plants that have rooted well and are growing freely need the most feeding. This extra nourishment is especially needed from May to August. Flowering house plants benefit by feeding them as soon as there flower buds appear. There are many types of fertilizers, speak to the people at your garden center to find the right one for your house plants.

These are some tips on caring for house plants. Keep your house plants feed, watered and clean so that you will have years of enjoyment and beauty.

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.

Artificial Trees Advantages

2009-01-26T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mads Phican

Choosing an artificial tree gives you a lot of advantages when compared with real trees:

First of all, an artificial tree is a lot easier to maintain. It doesn't need any water, fertilizer or sunlight all it need is to be cleaned once in a while.

An artificial tree does not need to be cut down as it will always stay the same size. We all know how normal trees can overgrow your home and create undesired shadows. Something like that will not happen with an artificial tree.

Artificial trees can be planted everywhere. The climate doesn't matter, you can have palm trees in Alaska if you want it (although it might look a bit out of this world).

There will be no problem with insects and other animals. You really have to be unlucky before your artificial tree becomes the nest of a disgusting bug colony.

Finally, you can easily move your tree around if its not to big or even pack it away for a few months. People bringing their trees with them when they move are not unheard of.

Most artificial tree look very life like, but for the ultimate experience it might be desirable to go for a preserved tree. While artificial trees are normally made of plastic, a preserved tree is made of natural materials around an empty trunk. The natural materials will even make the artificial tree smell the right way.

M. Phican is very excited about artificial gardening and have created a website dedicated to artificial trees and palm trees. http://www.artificialtreeinfo.com

Herbs Growing Your Own

2009-01-25T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andy Wiley

The first thing you need to do when deciding to create your own Herb Garden is to decide on the size of the plot of land you want to use. This will depend on what herbs and how much you want to grow. Unless you are an experienced gardener or a herb fanatic don't make your plot too big at first. Remember, you can always add to it later. You can create a raised bed to grow your herbs in and always add more when you decide you need to grow more. Remember to plan out your planting sequence and keep records of what is planted where as well as marking your planting with plastic nametags.

You need to remember that most herbs usually like well-drained soil so start your bed with a good layer of gravel that will help drainage. Place your soil on top of this but remember to add some compost into this. If you have a free draining soil to start with you should be able to manage without the gravel. Make sure your plot is in full sun as many herbs originate in the Mediterranean region.

Most herbs can be sown from seed so you can buy these from your local nursery. You can also buy small plants fort transplanting but there is nothing more satisfying than doing all the work yourself so try to grow from seed first. If you don't succeed then try small plants later but remember to read the label, as some plants such as coriander do not transplant very well.

Remember that you can also grow many herbs in small tubs or window boxes and can even grow them on your windowsill. Try planting Basil over the winter as long as it is indoors as Basil is a frost tender plant and will die after a single light frost. You can also try starting your seeds off early in the year to plant out as soon as the risk of frost has passed. An early start will give you herbs for longer. If you plant out too early you can always try covering your tender plants with fleece to keep the frosts off. If you live in a frost-free place, get cracking now.

About The Author

Andy Wiley is a budding gardener, chef and internet writer. Check out his new site at http://www.healthy-herbs.com.

Use Adirondack Furniture To Create Your Outside Living Area

2009-01-24T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jennifer Akre

Today, homeowners are considering their patio area as another room that flows into the outdoors. Adirondack furniture can be used to create an outdoor living area to relax on a beautiful day, read a book, or entertain friends and family in. Teak furniture is an indoor and outdoor favorite because of its durability and beauty. If you have a garden to show off, a place to watch the kids play or want to entertain, you will find Adirondack furniture is the best choice for your outside space. Your individual needs, the family budget, available space, and your homes design will all influence your choices.

Creating an outdoor living space is as easy as just bringing your indoor style to the outdoors. No matter what your focal point, or room design, you'll want to choose furniture that is weather resistant and matches the mood you are trying create. A pair of cedar Adirondack chairs is a perfect place to start and is great for kicking back and relaxing in a casual setting. The soft grey patina that wooden furniture acquires over time will enable the chairs to blend into all kinds of outdoor landscapes for years to come.

Adirondack chairs make it possible to provide individual seating without using tables. The flat, broad arms featured on the chairs are ideal for setting food and drinks. This feature comes in handy when entertaining or relaxing with a cool beverage on a warm summer day. Crafted of wood, usually cedar or teak, the Adirondack chair is best known for its sloped-back and deep seat. The classic comfortable design is so popular that the Adirondack style is also been translated in other pieces of furniture such as gliders and garden benches. The main idea is to find ways to turn your outdoor space into a living space and one that is a joy to use.

The outdoor living space you create can display stunning beauty all its own. When using Adirondack furniture you have several functional and decorative options when it comes to designing your outside living area. Each feature should be considered in terms of style, durability and cost. You may choose to spend more money on traditional teakwood Adirondack chairs, loungers and tables, or choose a more modern style with less expensive painted furniture. Regardless of your choice, creating an outdoor "room" will expand your living space, add beauty to your home and value to your property.

Jennifer Akre, owner of numerous outdoor furniture, patio furniture, and home decor websites, makes it easy to find quality Painted Adirondack Chairs and Adirondack Furniture . Learn how to decorate your outdoor patio and garden in style - Click to satisfy your garden furniture needs: eAdirondackStyle.com.

Gardening Keeping Containers Looking Good

2009-01-23T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

The most inspiring container displays are grown by gardeners who have developed a real feel for their plants and can tell at a glance when they are in need of water, food, a bigger pot or just a good tidy up. If you play doctor with them, your plant will reward you with luxuriant growth. Professional growers achieve this by keeping their plants growing steadily throughout the seasons, so they never suffer from a check in growth by being starved or dried out. It's not rocket science but having a few pieces of essential maintenance equipment to hand is one of the keys to success.

A well balanced, long necked watering can turns watering from a chore to a pleasure. A fine rose on the end of the spout is ideal for soaking seedlings and plug plants without washing them away.

Give container grown plants a liquid feed every seven to ten days. If this seems too much of a commitment use push in feed pellets that deliver nutrients every time you water during the growing season. Water retaining granules can also be mixed into the potting compost before planting up. They are especially useful for hanging baskets or window boxes on south facing sills where they can make the difference between watering once rather than twice a day during hot, windy weather.

Just as having a dog to walk gets you up in the morning, so will having a mobile garden to tend to. Get into a watering routine and you will make light work of it. Water in the morning or evening to reduce evaporation and try to avoid splashing the leaves as this will cause them to scorch when exposed to strong sunlight. At holiday time, move your containers to a shady wall and stand them on special moisture retentive capillary matting fed from a tin bath of water.

In the Autumn, winter and spring months, plants need much less water, although it is surprising how a series of hard frosts can strip the moisture from the compost and this can only be replenished when the compost has thawed out. When the weather's particularly severe, it pays to gather your containers under a warm house wall where they will escape the worst of the weather.

Deadhead your plants regularly as soon as flowers fade. This will encourage a fresh flush of flower buds. Spent flowers left on the plant will usually inhibit further flower production, however, not all spent flowers need to be removed. Busy Lizzies and those super vigorous petunias carry on regardless. Some like marigolds can be snapped off. Others like pansies and nasturtiums can be nipped off by pinching them with your fingernails.

For bushy fuschias and chrysanthemums with lots of blooms, pinch back shoots regularly. Do this by simply nipping off the tips of the shoots. At the end of summer be ruthless and throw annuals past their best onto the compost heap. However, some plants sold for bedding can be propagated from cuttings in late summer or dug up and over-wintered in a frost free greenhouse or porch. They have the potential to get bigger and better every year.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Gardening

How To Keep Your Brick Patio Weed Free

2009-01-23T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Hans Dekker

Brick Patio Weed Control

In researching this article, I found one instance where a homeowner was so incensed by the weeds in her patio that she set fire to them with a blowtorch!

Luckily, several items provide better service as a weeding tool and there are several better alternatives for brick patio weed control.

Of course, the best method of brick patio weed control is proper installation of your brick patio.

Start with an under-layment of pea gravel, topped by a layer of sturdy landscape cloth and cover with it with a layer of sand.

This will give your brick patio a firm footing as well as cramp the style of any weeds in the area.

Nevertheless, if your brick patio is already installed and running rampant with weeds, here are some tips to help you succeed in to keep it weed free without a lot of agonizing work.

First, to make your brick patio weed control plan a success, implement your plan before weeds flower. This keeps weeds from going to seed and helps make a short-term plan last for a longer time.

For the following tip and other tips that involve weed dousing of one sort or another, use a piece of cardboard or scrap of Plexiglas to protect nearby plants.

One of the best ways to kill a vegetable of any kind is to cook it.

Boiling water is a natural and very inexpensive weed-wilter and works to kill most forms of annual weeds. It also kills or weakens many types of perennial weeds.

A teakettle is your weeding tool. Fill it with water and bring it to a boil. While you're waiting (because a watched pot never boils, you know!) go outside and cut the culprits down to their crowns.

When the water begins to boil, grab the kettle (using a potholder) and pour the water on the crowns of the weeds, holding the kettle high enough only to avoid splashing. Killing weeds with boiling water will also scald any biological organisms that get splashed, but more will return as soon as the soil cools.

Vinegar will kill most weeds. However, grocery store vinegar is normally a 5% solution and is too weak to do the job. Ten-percent vinegar will kill most weeds and usually is found where canning and pickling supplies are sold.

A 20% solution of vinegar kills really stubborn weeds, but is frequently more than twice as expensive as 10%. Try to control the weeds with the 10% before you make the investment in a stronger solution.

Spray the vinegar directly on the weeds, using the shield mentioned above and taking care not to inhale fumes. You may also want to wear gloves and eye protection as a further safeguard.

In my experience these measures will keep all brick patio's free from weed without a lot of back breaking work.

We love to share our gardening ideas and hear yours.

Hans is an enthusiast gardener, he loves to share his gardening ideas and hear about yours. He is one of the authors of : http://www.gardening-guides.com and http://www.patio-furniture-ideas.com.

What Does It Take To Design And Build Your Own Fire Pit

2009-01-22T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nicole Martins

There are many alternatives to creating a fire pit other than buying a firepit model that is ready-made and requires some simple assembly. If you are a do-it-yourselfer looking to design and build your own fire pit you don't need a fancy set of blueprints, just a vision of the type of pit you are looking to create.

What does it take these days to build fire pits for outdoor campfires and barbequing?

The answer is not a lot. In terms of cost, building a wood burning pit can cost next to nothing and require no more than a few hours of physical labor (especially if you have materials such as rock or brick on hand) to see the fireplace complete.

First pick a safe area for your fire pit, away from any structures that can catch fire and definitely out of the way of backyard traffic. Be sure to check with you local fire department for information and codes. You need to know what the rules are before getting started. Getting going will entail quarrying up some fieldstones or brick to line the inside dirt walls of the pit once you've dug the hole. Not to get ahead of ourselves here, but you will need a good old shovel and some back strength to excavate soil. Position your fieldstone or brick around the holes perimeter and extend these materials above ground. The purpose of installing these materials is to keep wind down and the soil away from the fire.

You can also build a stucco pit above ground or think of other creative ways of building your pit; magazines or the internet are a great source for tips and ideas. When considering a design you'll want to keep with the look of your home and other existing structures. If you don't have time to dream up design ideas or if you had something more complex in mind, you can order a set of plans online complete with material list, for only a small fee.

Once you have finished building, be sure to keep safety in mind. An in ground hearth is a permanent outdoor fixture. You may want to keep it covered when not in use; you can find inexpensive scrap metal and have it cut to fit. Another option is to buy a basic fire pit which should include cover, spark screen, log grill and such and then build your stone or brick wall around it (see http://www.outdoor-fireplaces-and-patio-heaters.com/outdoor-fire-pit.htm ). This limits the chances of children or pets accidentally running into an exposed fire pit and getting burned.

If you want to build a gas fire pit, shop for either gas fire logs with or without embers or choose a simple metal fire ring: both ideas will allow you to design the housing for the fireplace and come up with your own plan.

Whatever you decide, either to build your own or buy one manufactured, a fire pit is a beneficial addition to your outdoor space, allowing you to grill outdoors or to stay warm on cool evenings.

Nicole Martins is a contributing writer and researcher to Outdoor Fireplaces and Patio Heaters, an online resource providing you with information and reviews of popular outdoor heaters, fire pits and fireplaces. You can visit this site at: http://www.outdoor-fireplaces-and-patio-heaters.com

This Is How You Grow Sprouts

2009-01-21T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Travis Waack

Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a great source of vitamins, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants, and enzymes. A sprout is produced when a seed starts growing into a vegetable. Sprouts can grow from the seeds of vegetables, from grains such as buckwheat, and from beans. While Mung beans are perhaps the most common source of sprouts, you can also obtain good results from lentils, soybeans and chickpeas just to name a few.

Sprouts can be grown almost anywhere and the best part is you only need a few basic supplies to get started. By following a few simple steps, you can receive a continual supply of nutritious sprouts.

While there are several commercial products available to cultivate sprouts, here are three of the easiest methods to help you get started.

- Growing Sprouts in Flower Pots -

1. Start with a clean clay or plastic flower pot. Make sure there is a hole in the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage. Then place a piece of cheesecloth or muslin in the bottom of the pot over the hole so that the seeds/beans cannot fall out.

2. Next, soak the seeds or beans overnight and then put them in the pot. Remove any that are broken or damaged. Cover the plant pot with a dish.

3. Once a day, hold the pot under running water for a few minutes. This is to soak the seeds/beans thoroughly.

4. Once the sprouts begin to show, remove the dish and cover the pot with a piece of clear plastic wrap to let in the light. Place the sprouting pot near a window that allows daylight but is not in direct sunlight.

- Growing the Sprouts in Trays -

1. Soak the seeds or beans overnight. Remove any that are broken or damaged before you begin the sprouting process.

2. Select a low, flat dish (like a pie plate) or tray. You can purchase growing trays wherever planting supplies are sold.

3. Next, spread out a 2-inch layer of soil and then sprinkle the soaked seeds or beans on top of the soil.

4. Cover the seeds/beans with four layers of damp newspaper.

5. Cover the top of the tray with clear plastic wrap.

6. When the sprouts start to lift the plastic cover, (usually about three days) remove the newspaper.

7. Place the tray in a window so that the light can turn the sprouts green. You will need a space to place the sprouting tray that receives daylight but is not in direct sunlight.

8. Because the thin layer of soil dries out quickly, water twice each day.

9. After about 8-10 days, you will have sprouts tall enough to harvest.

- Growing Sprouts in a Jar -

1. Soak the seeds, grains, or beans in lukewarm water overnight in a wide-mouth glass jar. Remove any that are broken or damaged before you begin the sprouting process. (Sprouting increases the seed volume. 4- tablespoons will be sufficient for a quart size container.)

2. In the morning, pour off the water in the jar and rinse the seeds/beans thoroughly.

3. Place a piece of cheesecloth or muslin over the mouth of the jar. Use a rubber band to hold the material securely in place. This makes rinsing easier.

4. To keep the sprouts constantly damp, repeat the rinsing 2-3 times a day. Remember to drain any excess water because the sprouts should not stand in water.

5. Keep the jar away from the light for the first few days.

6. When the seeds/beans begin to sprout, (usually about the forth day) move the jar into the light to activate the chlorophyll and turn the sprouts green.

- Harvesting and Storing the Sprouts -

Newly germinated grain, seed, and sprouts, increase in food value in the very first period of growth.

Grains should be harvested and eaten from when they are six days old until they are 4-5 inches tall.

To harvest, just take your kitchen scissors and cut what you need.

Sprouts from beans, peas, etc., are ready earlier and can be eaten when they are 3-6 days old, depending on the type of sprout. For spouts grown in no soil or in seed trays, you can harvest the green "grass" when it starts to grow. Sprouts, from grain sown in jars, are ready sooner and are edible even before they turn green. Seeds sown in soil take a little longer.

If necessary, wash the sprouts thoroughly to remove the seed coat. Sprouts need to be stored in the refrigerator once they are ready to eat. Put the sprouts in tight sealing bags, and they will remain flavorful and crisp for one to two weeks. Rinsing the sprouts daily under cold water can extend their life.

Sprouts may be frozen by blanching them over steam for three minutes and then cooling them in ice water. Drain them and pack into freezer containers.

- Some of the Kinds of Seeds/Beans You Can Sprout -

The following list gives some of the popularly sprouted seeds/beans. It is not all inclusive as you can sprout almost any kind of seed. Remember that seeds soak up 2-3 times their dry volume in water and sprouts need at least six times the volume occupied by the seeds. So be sure that your container is large enough, and start with a minimal amount of seed in a container like a jar, until you determine the correct quantity that will grow to the sprout size you like, without being difficult to remove.

Your local garden shop or health food store will carry a line of seeds for sprouting. When purchasing seeds for sprouting, be certain that the seeds are intended for food and not for planting. This precaution is necessary because some seeds meant for planting have been treated with fungicides or insecticides to protect the young seedlings when planted in a field or garden.

Alfalfa - should be soaked for 6-12 hours. The seeds can be planted in the pots or jars and also in the flats with soil. 1-part seed gives 10-parts sprouts in approximately 5-6 days. Sprouts can be eaten after 3 days. When the root is 1-2 inches long, it will begin to develop tiny green leaves. At this stage, it needs to be eaten immediately so the plant will not switch to photosynthesis that exhausts the stored food in the seed.

Peas - when soaked in a glass jar, will grow sprouts in about 3 days. When the roots are 2-inches long, they are ready to eat. 1-part peas gives 2-parts sprouts.

Lentils - can be grown in either a glass jar or a plant pot and need to be soaked for 12-hours. The sprouts are ready in 3-4 days. Lentil sprouts are ready to be eaten when the root is 1-inch long. 1-part lentils gives 6-parts sprouts.

Barley, Oats, and Rye - should be soaked for 12-hours and then can either be grown as "grass" to harvest, or sprouts ready to eat after 3-4 days. The ideal length for eating is about 1/2-inch. 1-part seed gives 2-parts sprouts.

Soybeans - can be grown in a glass jar or a pot. They need to be soaked for 12-hours and sprouts are usually ready after 3-5 days. They are ready to eat when the root is 2-inches long. 1-part beans gives 4-parts sprouts.

Mung Beans - after soaking for 12-hours, these beans can be grown by any method. Mung beans are the most commonly grown sprouts and are usually ready to eat after 3-5 days. When the bright, white root grows from 1-2 inches long, they are ready to eat. 1-part beans gives 4-parts sprouts.

By growing your own sprouts, you will save yourself money because it is less expensive to buy sprout seeds and grow and harvest the sprouts yourself, than it is to buy the sprouts from a market.

Sprouting at home takes only a few minutes a day, and can produce a good part of your daily requirements of the nutrients you need from fresh produce. The hassles are minor, the costs are low, and the freshness is wonderful.

Travis Waack is an author and webmaster. You may view a collection of alternative health resources at http://alternative-health-info.com/nutrition.html

Plastic Pond Liners

2009-01-21T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Eric Morris

Ponds need Pond Liners like a building needs a foundation. Among all the materials used for Pond Liners, plastic is the most versatile. It comes in two forms- pre-formed and flexible.

Preformed or rigid plastic liners are strong and long-lasting. They are made of polythene and other recycled plastic material. They do not develop leaks. They are more cost-effective than concrete. An average gardener can set up a small pond within one day using this liner.

Some of these models are fitted above the ground and some below the ground. Rocks and stones may be placed around it to give a natural look. The liners may be both UV- as well as frost-resistant. But they may be difficult to fit because of their different shapes and sizes.

Among the preformed models, the plastic liners may be cheaper than fiberglass, but do not offer support for free-standing use of the pond in a raised water garden. It is difficult to build around a plastic pond and support it evenly. When support is not uniform there is a danger that the plastic liner will crack.

Flexible Pond Liners are also available, like PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) and HDPE (High Density Poly Ethylene).These liners are not as flexible as rubber. Plastic liners are often used on large holding ponds when economy is a bigger concern than flexibility.

Large ponds require a Pond Liner that is safe for fish and aquatic plant life, inexpensive, easy to install and durable. Polyethylene fits the bill. Medium-density Polyethylene contains up to 5 percent carbon black, which makes it highly UV stable and suited to outdoor life. Twenty and 30 mm polyethylene can be custom-made according to your specifications.

PVC, or Polyvinyl Chloride, has excellent chemical compatibility and puncture resistance, lending itself to membrane liner applications. Some PVC liners contain UV stabilizers which protect them from breaking down when exposed to sunlight. PVC is not a crystalline membrane liner material, so it can elongate in all directions. It is the most cost-effective buried membrane and it has the longest successful use of liner material.

Another plastic is Polypropylene. It has special properties, like outstanding dimension stability, low coefficient of expansion and contraction, wide temperature seaming range, good chemical resistance and no stress cracking.

Plastic has its plusses and minuses, and the choice depends on the individual's requirements.

Pond Liners provides detailed information about pond liners, garden pond liners, preformed pond liners, rubber pond liners and more. Pond Liners is the sister site of Natural Waterfalls.

Healthy Soils Equal Bountiful Harvest

2009-01-20T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Fred Davis

Spring will be upon us before you know it, and it's about time to give some serious thought to the quality and content your garden's soilthat literal foundation for all things happening in the garden. Soils are at the heart and soul of successful gardening. Yet soils are almost universally the single most neglected "key" to gardening success!

Who in his right mind would even think of building a home without first providing a strong and reliable foundation for it to rest upon? Just as the man in the New Testament who built his house upon a bed of unstable sand soon lost it to wind and rain, the gardener who builds a home for plants without a good foundationneglecting to thoroughly prepare the soil and become aware of its nutritional content and capacityis destined to witness the rapid decline and demise of his or her hard work!

To be honest, if not downright blunt, if you don't do a real bang-up job of preparing the soil (the "foundation") before you plant, you'd probably be better off seeding it in wildflowers or green-tinted asphalt. That's how important soil preparation really is. Remember: it is a vital, yet widely neglected, key to successful gardening.

How do you achieve the almost perfect, deep, rich, dark and loose soil? It takes a full-size spade, plenty of elbow grease, usually a considerable amount of organic matter, and an almost infinite amount of persistence and patience.

Some prefer to prepare their garden plot with a small rototiller, but little tillers simply cannot get the job done right. Most tillers are made to scratch the surface down to about fourmaybe fiveinches deep. A home garden sized machine that'll cut six inches is a rarity. Tillers do have their purpose but it usually comes later, after the real work is done.

Most shovels cut eleven or twelve inches deep...and that's what you should do: drive that shovel straight down right to the hilt and turn the soil completely upside-down. Pick out any weeds, stones, roots or anything else that doesn't belong. A good sharp edge on your shovel helps cut through tree feeder-roots. Break soil lumps into small particles. Watch for destructive soil insectswireworms, grubs and cutworms, for exampleand send any you find into eternal oblivion.

A few gardening authorities suggest what's called "double-digging" which involves digging another ten or twelve inches below that, into the subsoil. While it may work in the Great Plains states, that kind of soil-depth luxury isn't seen very often in the shallow, stony topsoils of Northern New England. Do the best you can.

Continue turning the soil over until the whole plot is upside-down, cleaned up, and broken into little pieces. Now comes the fun part: add a healthy layer (two to four inches) of rich, dark compost or well-rotted animal waste. If your soil is clay and tends to be dense, "sticky" and easily compacted, an additional inch or two of coarse organic material like shredded leaves or straw will help loosen it up. It's not a good idea to add sand to clay soil...you may end up with something like concrete. Peatmoss will help to loosen clay soil, but may strain your early spring budget. (A common misconception, widely encouraged by the peatmoss marketing industry, pronounces that this very old organic material adds health and vitality to just about any soil. Not so: peatmoss, as it comes out of the bag, is as close to nutritionally and biologically dead as it can possibly be. Don't rely on peatmoss to add life and plant food to your garden. . .it can't do that.)

Now turn and mix it all loosely into your topsoil. Once again, cut in as deeply as you can with a good spade. Avoid walking on it after thatif you've done your job well, you'll sink past your ankles and compact your soil. I keep a couple of old 12-inch-wide boards handy to walk on while planting or doing any raking or furrowing.

One final important "key" completes the story: we use a lot of bonemeal in our fields and gardens. Bonemeal is high in phosphorus (usually 12 or 16). Bonemeal encourages and promotes flowers and fruit, strong stems and roots, foliage that can handle most summer abuse and, most importantly, is a wholly natural form of fertilizer. It is a little expensive, but once applied (then thoroughly mixed in, not left on the surface) it provides a constant source of phosphorus for about three years.

There is a down side, however: even the so-called deodorized type of bonemeal will attract skunks, raccoons, and the neighbor's little digger-dog for about two weeks following application. The solution: either mask the faint odor with something stronger, like a "tea" made from "blenderized" garlic, or prepare your soil a few weeks before you plant so they can dig (cultivate!) to their hearts' content without doing any real damage.

Now you're ready! Well, almost. The final step before planting is another very important "key"a soil test so you'll know exactly what your soil has and precisely what it needs to make your garden more productive of healthier plants and harvest...and you a better (certainly better-informed!) gardener.

Your state's Cooperative Extension Service has free collection/mailing containers and detailed instructions. Samples are then mailed to the State Soil Testing Lab., and it usually takes about two to three weeks to get your results back. Cost is in the range of $10 - $12. Fairly economical "success" insurance!

Visit Fred's website to view more of his gardening articles: http://www.HillGardens.com

Starting A Wildflower Garden

2009-01-20T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

Perhaps you have decided you want a wildflower garden. You have decided that if these wildflowers can grow in the wild without any one taking care of them, just maybe they will be the perfect plants for your to grow. After all you don't have a lot of time to take care of a garden but would really love to have some lovely flowers and other plants to look at and to dress up your landscaping. So how does one go about starting a wildflower garden?

You should approach starting a wildflower garden much like you approach any other kind of flower garden. Begin with looking at your yard and around your home to see what you have. Is your lot full of mature trees that cast a lot of shade? Are you on a fairly new lot and maybe don't even have a lawn in yet?

Do you have areas that stay wet? Is your soil deep and loamy or thin and rocky? Are trees in your yard causing your soil to be very acidic or is it very alkaline?

Now you must factor in your climate. Do you get lots of rain or is it very humid as in the Southeastern United States? Are you dry as in the Southwestern United States? Do you live in the city with barely any room at all and have to put up with bouts of smog?

Now that you've taken stock of what you have and where you are, you need to decide just what it is you want to accomplish by starting your wildflower garden. Is it as stated in the opening paragraph that you simply want some lovely flowers and plantings that are easy to maintain? Or perhaps you want to attract some local wildlife and provide a home for predatory insects so they will help you protect your vegetable garden? Are you conservation minded wanting to save resources or save the wildflowers? Perhaps you just want to show your neighbors how lovely native wildflowers can be.

Once you know the above, you can decide how you are going to go about starting your wildflower garden. Basically you have two choices. One, you pick wildflowers that will grow and thrive in the conditions you have. Two, you change the conditions you have so you can grow the wildflowers you want. This could include bringing in loamy soil, draining an area so it's drier, cutting down trees, creating a shaded area or what have you. The choice is yours.

Finally you can begin with the fun part of starting a wildflower garden and that is picking the plants and wildflowers. Once you know what you have and what you want, you can begin to design a wildflower garden that takes advantage of your landscaping and then choosing the wildflowers and plants that fit with your design, climate, location, soil type and so on.

Looking for more Wildflower Garden articles? Discover all kinds of Flower Gardens at our site, http://flowergardenlovers.com/ Read about water, wildflower, rose, shade and butterfly gardens. Find articles about garden rooms, gardening tips, and more.

Landscaping Combo Auto Detailing Business

2009-01-19T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Can a landscaping business, which can only really work 10-months out of the year due to harsh winter climates do mobile auto detailing to supplement its down time? Hello, my name is Lance Winslow; the Car Wash Guy and welcome to the show if you have a question about business in the automotive sector the number is; and operators are standing by;

Hello you are on the air, how can I help you with your automotive business question or give you some automotive after market advice today?

Just wondering what kind of advise you can give me. I am on my 12th year of running a Landscape Contracting business and it is going well. The only downside is we can only work 10 months out of the year. We do a decent amount of business, but I need to supplement sales over the winter if we have a below average snowfall. I have always worked on all of the trucks and equipment and keep them well maintained. I had this idea a few years ago, but never followed up on it. I think that now is the time to get into a detail / mobile detail business in my area.

Ah ha; I see you are calling from the (610) area code, I know it well, where are you at Philly Suburbs? Indeed I realize that about the 10-months issue, I have heard of some folks running down to Florida for peak season for this reason, but the labor quality in Florida is horrendous!!! I really like that Tri-State Area on the Southside there

Now then the Mobile Detailing Business in the Winter Time is not so good, however you might be able to do boat hibernation services, those work well or fleet truck cleaning and steam cleaning of school buses and undercarriages. I am afraid that the landscape business and auto detailing business are much the same in this regard.

However, if you can get with a New Car Dealership you maybe able to use their bays to detail their wholesale inventory, trade-ins and provide after market services too? And by the way good luck in your endeavors there, Stay dry! I hear you guys are getting pummeled with rain right now, someone from the Maryland side emailed me today and a caller from Delaware says that she is getting soggy too. Consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Perennial Plant Combinations Color

2009-01-18T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ethan Boton

The kinds of flowers you grow will be determined in a measure by the amount of sunlight available. This will vary from bed to bed, from one side of the house to the other. Most flowers will thrive in full sun but a few require shade. Others are shade tolerant, though doing better with a greater amount of sunlight. So it is possible to have flowers in the shade of trees, shrubs and buildings even where no direct sunlight reaches. Such plants as ferns, many wild flowers, and begonias have to be protected from the summer sun, for otherwise they may sun-scorch. When making a plan, it is important to know how tall each kind of flower grows so as not to plant tall growing ones in front of low ones. The habit of growth should be known too, so as not to crowd massive clumps like peonies next to smaller, weaker growers such as peach leaf bellflowers; or sprawling coreopsis next to a low, tufted Japanese primrose.

Very rank growers like the plume poppy and spreading Chinese lantern are really best kept out of beds with other flowers altogether. Much has been said and written about planning perennial plant combinations color schemes in the garden. They are fascinating to think about, but often difficult to work out. Do not be disconcerted if the results are not as expected. Flowers have an irritating way of not blooming just when they should, so that carefully planned combinations may not materialize. Colors vary too. Blues in catalogs are not always your idea of blue. This goes for lavender, purple, red, pink, orange, yellow and so on through the rainbow. In any case, there is enough green foliage to subdue impossible color combinations. Some people like to have their flowers in the front of the house where they can be seen. Others prefer to enjoy them in privacy. It is well to remember that in early spring and fall the weather may not be conducive to outdoor enjoyment.

Plant so that cold weather bloom may be enjoyed from the warmth and comfort of the home, using the windows as a means of access to the garden. Flowers can also be planted so as to be seen from the patio or picnic area. In every instance, a garden with a pleasing pattern or design and an adequate background is more satisfying than one without. The voice of experience is most helpful in planning a garden. Sources of help are garden clubs and friends and neighbors who may have had more garden experience. Much can be learned from visiting other gardens at home and on trips, nurseries, botanic gardens, arbore-tums and well-landscaped parks. All this will add to your knowledge of perennial plant combinations color and how they grow.

Ethan Botan is a freelancer writer who writes gardening articles for numerous print and online publications. Check out his site with lots of

Trends And Styles Of Patio Furniture

2009-01-17T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Khieng Chho

The sales of patio furniture draw a significant change in the market today. Current designer trends move from inside and out. Creative designs of patio furniture give you an opportunity to get a breath of fresh air, unwind and take pleasure on a lifestyle beyond the walls of your home.

Having an ideal house is a dream for everyone. Simple as they may seem, but when accentuated with furniture, they can turn out to be fabulous and modern creations. A garden with beautiful landscape and patio corners graced with comfy fireplaces make your home a true haven to live in.

Creating a concept for your house design is not an easy task. It requires a thorough thinking before you are able to arrive at a perfect theme. Rather than seeking for the service of an interior designer, you can always make a choice of your own. In the long run, you will realize that you also have your own version of ingenuity and uniqueness.

Placing patio furnishings in your home is a perfect idea. Patio pieces come in various styles and grades. Your choice will always depend on your own taste of beauty. These vary from parson's chair to solid cement. The prices will also depend on the size and kind of the furniture.

There was a sudden burst of demand for patio furniture. This motivates the manufacturer to offer discounts in several patio pieces as a manifestation of their gratitude towards the people patronizing the product.

Some of the specialties of patio furniture range from heavy-duty plastics, rod iron and earth wood that are great during winter and fall seasons. All of these types are bringing warmth to the patio area.

The traditional cement pieces of patio furniture reminisced the formality in English homes. This promotes a soothing spot for the people. This is the pleasure of being outside your heaven. Through the patio furniture you tend to appreciate more the beauty of outside world. The tranquil ambiance and the fresh air help you deal with all the stress and complexities of living.

Patio furniture is well loved by people because it fits any concept that you want for your outdoor living area. This area is still considered to be the extension of your home so you must create a perfect decoration with the use of patio furniture. Aside from the cemented and rod iron types you can also make use of the deck furniture such as coffee tables and storage pieces.

If you really want to make your outside living area a remarkable one choose the best patio furniture pieces.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho is author and owner of Patio Furniture. For related articles, visit Ken's website: http://patiofurniture.wicwoc.com

Mowing The Lawn

2009-01-17T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Johnathan Sanders

This is more of a follow up on my original article posted yesterday. As I have now finally managed to buy a new lawn mower, with safetey and usability in mind, I have been chopping away at that lawn this morning.

Whilst mowing the lawn, I noted a couple of things that may be of interest to those of you planning on cutting the grass.

Firstly, there appears to be a lack of understanding in today's society on the importance of good, well presented lawns - I am being quite serious here.

Think about it; un unkept lawn generaly atracts unwanted visitors, such as rodents, who habitually also foul within the lawn.

Secondly, as lawns tend to be mowed at the same time, this considerably incrases the amount of pollen in the atmostphere. Speak to anyone who suffers from hayfever, to find out how painful this can be.

For my part, there will be no need to push me to mow the lawn anymore - in view of the above, I shall be more that pleased to do my bit for the enviroment I live in, and at the sametime gain a beautiful garden.

By the way, check out www.lawn-mower-parts.info for great offers on lawn mowers and accessories.

John Sanders
Recently took up gardening as a hobby.

Spring Garden Tips

2009-01-16T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Josh Gray

Gardeners, it's time to put your gardening skills to the test. If temperatures are cooperating, the merry months of May and June will be your busiest until September, with planning, planting, and patio projects to lead the way into summer. Don't be fooled by a late frost; find out the mean freeze date in your area, and be sure soil is warm and workablenot too wet, not too drybefore putting tender plants in the ground.

By the time your garden is prime for planting, you should already have a plan of attack in place. Are you going to be planting bulbs, annual, more perennials, or a vegetable and herb garden. Maybe even all of the above if you are blessed with a big yard. Once you have a plan, its time to acquire your new plants. The quickest and easiest way is to buy your plants online. Everything you need from seeds, bulbs, and tools can be found through online merchants, and many sites even offer online coupons for increased savings. Small starters usually cannot be shipped directly to you, but can be sent to a store close to home for pick-up at your convenience.

If you are going to be putting in sensitive vegetables like cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, and melons, you may wish to wait a few weeks after the last thaw to ensure they don't get damaged by an extra cold night. If you want to plant early, consider sowing heartier vegetables like potatoes, peas, beans, carrots, and lettuce. Not sure about when to plant, then ask an expert at your local gardening center.

For all the beautiful colors of spring, consider planting both annual and perennial flowers. Although your perennials will still be around from last year, you may want to add a few of your favorites to replace flowers lower on your list. Annuals are an important part to every garden. They bring some of the richest, most vibrant colors to your garden. Plant your annuals from starters if you want an early spring bloom. Make sure that you plant annuals in areas of your yard that get at least five hours of direct sunlight per day. Don't be cheap on the plant food and watering, and you will ensure your flowers get the right ingredients for full, healthy blossoms.

Once the initial preparing and planting are finished, you can sit back and relax, letting your sprinklers do the rest of the work. If you work hard early on, your hardest task in summer will be choosing which flowers to make cuttings of and create bouquets for the kitchen and dining room. Enjoy the fruits of your labor until next spring.

Josh Gray, President of UC San Diego's Gardens Club, is the Home and Garden consultant for CouponChief.com. This discount shopping and online coupon website features coupons and deals for most gardening merchants on their home and garden page. Find huge discount savings like coupons for $20 off $50! Visit CouponChief.com today!

Making A Garden Pond With A Pond Liner

2009-01-15T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Philip Swindells

A pond liner is a flexible waterproof membrane that covers the floor and the sides of a pond excavation. There are several different kinds to choose from. Polyethylene is useful when sandwiched between two layers of soil, while PVC, composition and rubber liners are the types to use for a clean pond lining when the aquatic plants are to be grown in containers.

Most ponds can be constructed from most pond liners, but in some circumstances one will offer particular advantages over another. Where no part of the liner is exposed, then polyethylene is perfectly adequate. It need not be a specially manufactured pond liner, any heavy gauge polyethylene will be sufficient. That commonly used by builders is ideal.

Composition liners and those manufactured from rubber are necessary where exposure is inevitable, especially in formal features where there is limited planting and the water is the main attraction. Not all pond owners are plant enthusiasts and often water is a design element which is introduced for its reflective qualities. Certainly in formal circumstances where a fitted liner is desired it is more practical to use a material like rubber as it can be manufactured neatly welded to the shape desired and provide accurate wrinkle-free corners and curves.

For most gardeners though, it is a case of digging a hole to the required shape and then putting in the liner. However, it is important to never buy a liner and then dig a hole. Always finish the excavation first and then calculate the size of liner required to fit. Irrespective of the pond's shape, profile or size, calculating the liner size follows a simple formula. Take the length and then add to it twice the maximum depth. Then make the same calculation for the width. This will provide a liner that will suit the excavation and have sufficient overlap for the edges with a minimum of wastage.

It is necessary to mark out the shape of the proposed pond before digging commences. This not only permits accurate excavation, but gives an impression of how the finished pond will fit into the garden landscape. It is quite likely that original ideas will change somewhat when the proposal is seen in reality on the ground. Use stakes and string to create the outline of a formal pond, or a length of rope or hosepipe to give some guidance for an informal pond shape.

When creating an outline for an informal lined pond, take into account that while it is perfectly possible to line almost any shape or excavation, there is a limit to what can be achieved without significant folds and creases appearing in the liner. Whatever the final shape of the pond, marking out should be from a fixed point. When a building or path is used as a base-line this is straightforward, but if the pond outline has been created by eye, then create a point at one end using a stake knocked firmly into the soil as a marker.

The installation of a pond liner is the same for all materials except polythene. This needs molding completely to the shape of the excavation before water is added as it has little flexibility. Other materials used for pond lining are very flexible and when carefully installed mold to the contours of the excavation with the weight of added water. When digging ensure that the walls of the excavation remain as solid as possible. Replacing or filling with soil and attempting to compact it once disturbed is very difficult. Ideally the excavation should be carved out of the soil in rather the same manner as cutting cheese, that which remains behind being firm and solid.

Dig the whole of the pond down to the marginal shelves. Mark out the deep area of the excavation and dig down again. This helps to ensure that the hole is accurately produced with a solid base and walls that will remain firmly in place when the liner is laid and water added. During the digging process, make sure that the pond is level from end to end and side to side using a series of wooden stakes and a board with a spirit level. If the edges are not level, then when the liner and water are introduced there will be parts of the pond that will flood and other areas with large expanses of bare wall.

Irrespective of how tough the pond liner is believed to be, it will benefit from some form of cushioning in the hole. Make sure that there are no sticks or sharp stones in the excavation that may puncture the liner when the weight of water is added, and then add a generous layer of fine sand. The kind that is used for bricklaying is ideal. If damp, it can be smoothed around the excavation and will even adhere to the sides. Fleece also provides a useful protection, as do thick wads of old wet newspapers or pieces of discarded carpet.

Spread the liner across the pond, weighing down the edges with bricks or rocks, then run water from a hosepipe into the center so that the liner molds to the shape of the hole. As the liner molds to the contours straighten out any wrinkles and where necessary make bold folds to create corners. Spread the liner across the pond, weighing down the edges with bricks or rocks, then run water from a hosepipe into the center so that the liner molds to the shape of the hole. Once installed, finish the edge with a neat arrangement of tiles, paving or stone.

Philip Swindells has over 40 years gardening experience. A former botanical garden curator and an international horticultural consultant, he has worked extensively in the UK, North America, the Middle East and Australia. The Author of more than 50 gardening books, he has been awarded a Quill and Trowel Award by the Garden Writers' Association of America. He is also a former UK Garden Writer of the Year. He is currently editor of http://www.internationalwatergardener.com.

5 Great Tips For Building A Fish Pond

2009-01-14T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tim Lee

For those who have always dreamed of having something fun in their garden, building a fish pond is the way to go. This will be a charming addition, to a beautifully kept garden.

A fish pond will make the garden one of the most favorite spots in the house. Not only will it be fun for kids, but the garden will also be a great place to entertain friends of the family.

But before building a fish pond, individuals must first plan a fish pond! Digging a giant hole in the garden, does not a fish pond make! This project takes a lot of time, effort, and planning! especially for those who have never picked up a pair of shovel in their lives.

Here are some great tips on how to build a fish pond:

1. Location is everything. First individuals must decide where they want to dig their fish pond. Picking a random place in the garden is not a good away to go about selecting a place for a fish pond. Remember that this will be a part of the permanent landscape of the garden. So be wise when it comes to picking a spot.

It is important to note that building a pond under a tree might not be the best idea. This is especially true of deciduous trees which habitually shed their leaves. Individuals would have a hard time keeping the fish pond clean and unpolluted.

Individuals may also choose to have an elevated fish pond. This is the one that goes above ground level. The downside is that this tends to be more expensive to construct.

2. Pick a design for the fish pond. First individuals would have to decide on the size of the pond they want to build. Ideally, the size of the pond should be proportionate to the size of the area of the garden. The fish pond can be rectangular, square, or any other shape one chooses. The key is to make sure it is even out, and symmetrical.

3. Those who want to have plants on their fish pond should keep in mind that they should place their fish pond in a place where it can be exposed to great amount of sun light.

4. Make sure that when constructing a natural pond, that you dig deep enough, so that the pond does not freeze over during winter. Also, consider what types of aquatic life you want to include in the pond before digging. The depth of the pond will also be determined by the kinds of plants, and fish that will reside in the fish pond.

5. Individuals should make sure that they do not make their fish pond too small. This is a mistake that a lot of beginners make. This is because the lay out as start out with will always almost end up smaller than what you had in mind once the fish pond has actually been realized.

Building a fish pond is not an easy task. It will require a lot of effort and hard work. Individuals should ask friends who have experience with gardening to assist them with this project. It is best to do some research before starting on the pond. The internet is a great place to pick up tips.

Building a fish pond should not take that long. It should be finished after about a week. The effort individuals put into this project will be rewarding once they see the fruit of their labor!

For more tips on how to have a fantastic backyard fish pond, please visit http://www.backyard-fish-ponds-care.com

Gardening Grows On You

2009-01-13T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chris Campbell

Gardening is good for you, good for your neighbors, good for your kids and good for your dog. Especially if you do it the right way. Gardening has been around for ages, and it's almost so ingrained into our genes, it's like an instinct. In the sense that gardening feels good to do, to dig, and plant a seed and watch it grow. It's kind of an analogy for what it means to being human. It just plain feels good to see something you've planted, mature and come to fruition as a living thing. Something mystical almost about gardening. Not to mention, there are the additional benefits of the after effect of all your gardening accomplishments. Astetically, there really is nothing more pleasing, warming and comforting to look upon then a bountiful garden. Whether it is rose garden, a vegetable garden,or just a garden of plants, bushes and flowers of all varieties. It touches a human feeling at pretty much an unconscious level. I feels just right. Even a little planting or gardening in an otherwise artifical environment makes the whole environment feel more natural.

Organic Nirvana

While there is plenty of artificial stimulants, preservatives, and preventatives to aid in the gardening process, there is something to be said for the whole organic gardening process. Not only is it a healthier choice for us, but it's one less thing to fret about with all the misinformation these days about what things you need to avoid. That in itself is a mental health reason to choose organic gardening. Not to mention, for those of use who like a challenge and are constantly trying to stay off the tried and true approach, organic gardening provides many possibilities. Finding new and and inventive natural ways to keep the pests away, and help the garden grow can be fascinating. Again another mind satisfying result.

Neighborly Abundance

As anyone who knows a gardener can attest to, gardeners are the worst estimators around. They always seem to plant far more than they can eat, cook, or can. So as a result all their friends, families, and neighbors end up with baskets and baskets of tomatoes, peppers and whatever cornucopia the harvest has brought. And of course, this whole giving aspect of gardening is bound to make both the gardener and gardeners friends a much happier lot. The whole idea of giving is better than receiving really sprouts up here. And since receiving is not so bad either, all the rest of us enjoy the benefits of our backyard farmers exploits. Of course if organic gardening was employed, then it's better for everyone involved. Helps keep us all away from those nasty store bought vegetables, with enough growth hormones to visit the giants castle at the end of the bean stalks. So, get gardening all you green thumbs, I've got an empty cupboard.

For more on gardening visit gardeningfunonline.com or read other gardening articles at foolishmumbles.com/category/gardening

The Truth About Mtd Snow Blowers

2009-01-12T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert J Smith

Ask anyone who lives in areas that receive snow, and they will tell you that it's shoveling snow more than the cold temperatures that they would list as the worst part of the season. Fortunately, there are options out there which will make your time outside shorter, and more importantly, less stressful on your back.

Snow blowers provide a great solution for those who hate shoveling snow! One of the more popular snow blowers is an MTD Snow Blower due to the ease of use, durability and of course, power. Take care of your snow blower, and it will last you a lifetime.

Keeping your snow blower in optimum shape is easy with a MTD Snow Blower parts and accessories. These snow blowers are prized for their ease of use and their electric push button starters. They are durable and many people find them to be the sturdiest snow blowers on the market. MTD has been an established company for over forty years, and has built a strong reputation of sturdy and resilient machinery and accessories.

Throw the Snow, Not Your Back

Shoveling snow can be a stressful experience for your back, which combined with cold and low temperatures, can cause a double dose of back pain. Using a good snow blower is a great way to save your health and clear excess snow from your yard.

The MTD Snow blower has earned the reputation of being able to handle even the toughest jobs. By using your MTD snow blower you can take the pressure off your back and let the machine handle the work for you. . Whether you need to remove snow and get your car out in time for work or just clear a walkway from your front door to the sidewalk your MTD snow blower can handle the work for you. Many of the blowers will clear widths of up to 24" or two feet, the perfect size for a walkway in one shot.

When you find the MTD snow blower that you want to purchase, make sure that you save all of your pertinent documentation and warranty information. If you ever need to order MTD snow blower parts, the documentation will have the appropriate phone numbers for you to call. Not only are MTD snow blowers a popular choice due to their outstanding performance capabilities, they are also a favorite because they are readily available at many home and garden supply stores for a price that homeowners can afford.

No one likes to shovel snow, so why make it more of a chore than it needs to be. You'll enjoy plowing and clearing your driveway so much, that you'll probably end up doing your neighbours sidewalks as well, earning a big thank you and probably a beverage when they come out of hibernation from their homes!

looking for info on MTD snow blower parts? You'll find all the info you need to make an informed decision at http://www.dontshovel.com

About Indoor Trees

2009-01-11T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Patrick Desnoyers

By nature of trees they are meant to be outdoor.

Maple are cold hardy tree, and they will thrive in ideal condition. Who best then mother nature for creating ideal climate. Maple will grow in cold climate because they need a period of cold to rest and rejuvenate. This apply to all tree's, hence bonsai, that grow in cold climate. Growing a tree indoor will lack natural elements. One, it will lack light, wich is essential to growth. It will lack humidity, wich will cause leaves to dry faster. Leaves are in constant transpiration, and humidity help the process. One thing, is that indoor, you most likely keep your temeprature to at least 20c in winter. Colder climate tree that need a period of rest after they loose their leaves, will require a maximum of 5c to go dormant and rejuvenate.

Now, their must be a type of tree that dont need sleep in winter? Yes there is. What you must ask yourself, is what climate conditions can I offer to a future tree?

Well, you can start by having a constant temperature in the house, maybe hotter in the summer. Reducing lighting and maybe humidity by misting my tree once or twice a day.

So with these condition on hand, what type of tree can live with these conditions?

Surely a tropical tree would liked to be in hot temperature all day.

That is why Tropical types of trees do well indoor.

I have a few tropical tree's, and keep them indoor in winter but I always bring them outside in late spring. Their growth rate is 10 times faster outside because it has lots of suns, humidity and hot temperature.

Indoor, the tree survive, but is a really slow grower.

Avid full time hobby bonsai grower. As been practicing bonsai and gardening for more then 8 years. Owner of http://www.mishobonsai.com, a website with ressource for Bonsai seeds and tree seeds.

Metal Garden Furniture

2009-01-11T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Matthew Anthony

Since Victorian times metal garden furniture has become a popular way to decorate gardens. In fact, since this furniture can easily last for many years with the proper maintenance, some people are still using pieces in their gardens that were made in the Victorian era. Metal garden furniture adds both a classic style and durability, which demand that it should be considered as the preferred choice of garden furniture.

The options range from modern lightweight aluminum to the more traditional iron and it should be possible to obtain the perfect piece of metal garden furniture for your garden. A few metal chairs and a bistro table are a classic addition to even the smallest patio or terrace area. These furniture pieces are often light and therefore fairly portable, so they can be utilized in many areas of the garden. This means you can take advantage of the changes going on in your garden, whether on a daily basis or over the seasons.

Another classical piece of metal garden furniture is the single ornate iron bench, which can really set off a Victorian style garden. These benches are excellent focal points and can dress up the less interesting sections of the garden. An iron bench can really add some interest to a shady spot. The iron bench need not be used for sitting on. You can position an iron bench under the tree and then place several pots around it. Finally place a big pot of impatiens or a garden statue on the bench.

If your garden does not have a lot of colour, you could choose some metal chairs in a number of colours. These could be positioned in front of evergreen shrubs, and they really make a statement. On the other hand, if your garden is filled with flowers, you may want to choose metal furniture with more neutral traditional colours such as black or white to add a calmer element to the garden.

Make sure you add a touch of comfort to your garden with a metal lounge chair. Armed with a good book and a cup of iced tea, these chairs are the perfect way for you to relax on a sunny weekend afternoon.

Finally, don't forget about the latest aluminum garden furniture. These pieces are extremely easy to carry around and can often be folded for easy storage. Aluminum sun loungers, tables, and chairs are all great pieces for times when you need just a few more pieces of furniture on the patio so that you can entertain your friends and family.

Matthew Anthony is the author of many artickes about garden furniture

Successful Organic Gardening Systems

2009-01-10T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Julie Williams

What is it that most organic gardeners want from their amazing food gardens?

* Is it the substantial health benefits:

- knowing that your food is GM and synthetic chemicals and free?

- gathering your food from garden to table in minutes, retaining valuable, health enhancing nutrients?

* Or the pleasure of losing yourself in the delight of time spent in your garden?

* Maybe it's about spending time teaching your children how to garden

* Perhaps it's your creative outlet; designing, creating, maintaining

* Do you view it as your part in helping the environment; reduce, reuse, recycle?

I believe Organic Gardening brings us most (or all) of these things. Some of the practices that are a must for having a healthy, high yielding vegetable garden include strategies or systems that bring about healthy soil, deep watering, balanced insect populations and crop rotation / planning.

Having nutrient rich, well balanced soil, high in microbial activity can be achieved by continually adding organic matter to the soil. You can do this with compost (making your own compost has many benefits), green manures, crop rotation and a "no dig" policy. A high yielding garden is dependant on healthy soil.

Deep watering will encourage your plants to develop deep root systems. This enables them to take in more water and nutrients. You then have strong, healthy plants that do well with regular deep watering. Mulching prevents moisture loss, soil erosion and reduces weeds. Installing drip irrigation especially when combined with a timer will benefit you, your garden and the environment.

If you want to be chemical and / or spray free getting the right balance of beneficial and harmful insects throughout your garden is crucial. Yes, I said harmful insects! If there were no harmful insects for the beneficial ones to feed on all your beneficial insects will die or go elsewhere. Nature abounds in symbiotic relationships and this works very efficiently in the garden. Imagine if you had no predatory insects and were then inundated with carrot fly. There would be no stopping them, unless you resorted to chemicals and you should never allow this in your organic garden.

Arm yourself instead with companion planting practices; practical methods to outwit the enemy (harmful insects) the way nature intended. Plant combinations that will confuse pests by masking the smell and shapes of plants which pests use to locate their favourite foods. In my Companion Planting guide you will also discover which plants benefit each other and those you must never plant together.

With the basics covered you just need to decide what you're going to grow, how much of it and when. You know your family's food needs better than anyone else, so there's no point in growing 15 brussels sprouts plants if your family won't eat them. You also need to know the right time of year to plant different families. For example: Cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, melons) need to grow in warm temperatures. In winter (unless you can artificially provide the right conditions) your crop will fail so leave it till the ground has warmed, the days are lengthening and the risk of late frost has passed (mid spring in most areas).

Rotating your crops is also a good practice. Otherwise you will deplete the soil of particular nutrients / elements that a crop planted continually in the same place needs. This also means that the crop will perform worse each year as the nutrients it needs decline.

I like to spend winter evenings planning what, where and how much I'm going to plant in my veggie garden next season. Keeping a gardening journal comes in really handy when I'm planning. It reminds me what worked previously, what I'd like to do differently and whether or not I planted enough or too much of a particular plant to meet our needs.

If you think this is all a bit overwhelming, just remember progress, not perfection. Just get started and improve upon it as you go. So you really have no excuse. You have enough information to make a great start and you can build on it as you gain more experience.

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 for more great organic gardening tips & information. For Companion Planting info click here.

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

How To Plant Tulips

2009-01-10T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by David Chandler

Quality Dutch tulip bulbs are easy to come by and fairly inexpensive to purchase. You can get them through a mail order catalogue or a reputable green house. It is becoming increasingly popular to buy flower bulbs from online nurseries. The downfall to buying bulbs online is that you cannot inspect the bulbs prior to purchase. The highest quality of bulbs, especially tulips, comes from Holland.

Tulip bulbs are best when purchased early in the planting season. Only buy firm, light colored bulbs where the skin peels off easily. This will insure that the bulbs are disease free. Buy by species, not by color. If the bin is simply labeled "yellow bulbs", you do not know what exactly you are getting. If you are not sure when the best time to plant is, ask the greenhouse keeper about the conditions of your zone.

Spring bulbs such as tulips, need to be planted when it is cool enough to keep them from sprouting, but still warm enough for the roots to establish themselves before winter sets in. Plant tulips six inches deep and cover. If you have problems with moles and other little creatures digging up your tulips, you may plant them as deep as eight inches. If your bulbs are still being whisked away in the dead of night, there are bulbs planting cases you can get at the greenhouse. A little known fact about planting tulips, after the initial watering in after planting, do not water your tulips again until their leaves appear.

For more information, visit these sites:

http://www.TulipsInfo.com
http://www.BulbsInfo.com

Avoiding Unsightly Algae

2009-01-09T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Brett Fogle

Excessive organic matter in the pond provides nutrients for algae, contributing to its growth. Algae can obscure the view of colorful fish, and more dangerously, it robs the water of valuable oxygen and releases harmful pollutants.

UV clarifiers also are effective tools that use ultraviolet light to destroy the reproductive ability of suspended algae. Dead, microscopic algae will clump together into particles large enough to be removed by filtration.

Increasing the amount of floating and oxygenating plants in your pond is another simple solution to keeping the water clean, and clear. Floating plants such as water lilies, water lettuce, lotus and water hyacinth provide shade, reducing sunlight in the pond, which helps control algae growth.

Submerged plants, also known as oxygenators, affect the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels of the pond by competing directly with algae for light and food. Oxygenators absorb nutrients from fish waste and minerals through their leaves, helping to starve algae, keeping the water clear. Some examples of oxygenators are Hornwart, Anacharis and Parrot's Feather.

A Backyard Fire Pit Do It Yourself Today

2009-01-09T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Josh Walker

If you've been looking at buying a fire pit, then you're probably already aware that you can buy ready-made models that only require some simple assembly. But wouldn't it be nice to create your own fire pit? One that's uniquely yours? You don't need a complicated set of blueprints to build your own fire pit - you just need to have an idea in your head of what you're trying to create. It doesn't take a lot to build a fire pit for barbequing or an outdoor campfire. A DIY fire pit can cost next to nothing to construct, apart from some time and hard work, and is even cheaper if you already have some materials such as bricks or rocks on hand.

The first step is to choose a safe location for your fire pit. Make sure it's nowhere near any structures that could catch fire, and locate it away from any backyard traffic zones. It's also worth talking to your local fire department in case you need to know any particular rules or information before starting. Organize to have some stones or bricks ready for lining the inside of your fire pit. Then all you need to do is dig the hole. This might take a few hours of hard work with a shovel, but that's all.

Once your hole is deep enough, use the stones or bricks to line the perimeter of the hole, and continue these materials above the ground. You need the stones around the top to form a windbreak and to stop soil falling into the fire. If you want something a little fancier, you can build a stucco pit above the ground. Use magazines and the Internet to help give you lots of great ideas for your fire pit design. Think about your existing home and outdoor furniture, and design your fire pit to complement these existing elements in your backyard. If you're really stuck for ideas or want to create something a little more complicated, it's possible to order plans online that include a list of materials, and it's generally not very expensive.

Now you have a fire pit, safety is always important. Remember, this is a big hole in the ground, and you don't want any accidents. So it might be a good idea to cover the pit when it's not being used. You can just use a piece of scrap metal or wooden board and cut it to fit. You can also choose to buy a basic fire pit, which will generally include the basics such as a cover, log grill and spark screen, and then build a brick or stone wall around that. This will help stop pets or children from running into the fire pit by accident.

For a gas fire pit, you will need to buy either gas fire logs or a simple metal fire ring. Then you simply need to design and build the housing.

Whatever you decided, it's great to do it yourself and have a fire pit that will be the envy of all your neighbors.

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

Taking Care Of Your Bonsai

2009-01-08T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Paul Cris

Bonsai is the art of growing trees that are of tiny-stature, within the household premises. The word Bonsai is basically a Chinese term, which denotes a shrub or a tree planted in a shallow tray. It plays an important role by adding value to the living room. The following are the valuable tips that can preserve the plant for a longer duration.

a) Adequate water should be poured on time and the leaves that have turned yellowish should be plucked without crushing the buds.

b) Retain the moisture content in the soil by consistently immersing the pot into the water. Let the excess water get drained away later on.

c) Choose a right location so that the plant is not deprived of the sunrays. Also, ensure that it is not exposed to the scorching heat of the sun.

d) Add the necessary fertilizers like phostrogen tomato after watering them.

e) Maintain the original shape by tapering away the part that grows so that it looks orderly.

f) Trim away a small portion from the root and fix the plant in a new pot. Thus, the plant will be healthier for a longer span.

g) When you sense a glossy touch at your fingertips, it should be understood that the leaves are victims of an infestation. So apply insecticides or a diluted solution for a maximum of three times.

Although this craft leads to curbing of nature, it is not a form of wastage. It is a way of bringing beauty indoors.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1532.html

Wholesale Fresh Flowers

2009-01-08T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Steve Valentino

Wholesale fresh flowers, refers to purchasing fresh flowers in bulk from direct wholesale traders. Fresh flowers are kept for only a limited amount of time, perhaps a week in most cases, if conditions are very good. As a result, fresh flowers that are not sold must be thrown out at the end of their term and replaced with brand new fresh flowers. Therefore, because of the high amount of waste that accumulates throughout the year, fresh flowers are usually marked up at a high rate. But on the other hand, if a company is selling the same amount of flowers as it maintains, the price can stay lower. Especially if the company is a wholesaler, flowers can stay even more inexpensive.

This is the ideal situation to be in. This form of purchasing is normally done by florists or those who are in the business of using flowers in large amounts because the larger the amount the lesser the cost provided that you hold a good bargain!

Another advantage of dealing with a wholesale fresh flower dealer is that it is more likely for you to obtain the variety of flowers that you are looking for from one dealer. Once you strike a deal with a particular wholesaler for your particular choice of flowers for a particular amount at a particular date, then the flowers will be delivered right at your door stop making doing business easy for you or just ring them to make your order and you will receive them in no time!

Fresh Flowers provides detailed information on Fresh Flowers, Fresh Cut Flowers, Fresh Flower Arrangements, Wholesale Fresh Flowers and more. Fresh Flowers is affiliated with Names Of Spring Flowers.

Super Foods From Home Vegetable Gardens

2009-01-07T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Sally Morton

Most of you have heard about super foods. These super foods are classified as being rich in vitamins, nutrients and/or minerals that are believed by nutritionists to prevent disease, promote longevity and good health. High on the list of super foods are:

What is the best way to incorporate super foods into your diet?

Grow your own, of course. Vegetable gardens are in vogue in today's health-conscious society. It's estimated that 50 percent of American families have vegetable gardens. It's easy to grow vegetables and herbs. Use an unused space in your backyard or side yard. If space is limited, try a container vegetable garden, a raised bed garden, a window box garden, a vertical vegetable garden, or run vines up trellises. You might even mix vegetable plants in with your existing landscaping.

Even if you've never planted a vegetable garden before, you don't have much to lose by giving it a try. With the abundance of free information available to you over the Internet, there is no reason anyone cannot do it.

Benefits of vegetable gardens:

Your vegetable garden is the ultimate source of FRESH vegetables (you can't get any fresher than to harvest them yourself!)

Assurance of getting the highest nutritional content possible from every harvest. That's not always the case with store-bought produce=Better health plus peace of mind!

You know exactly what fertilizers or pesticides were used and the condition of the soil in which the vegetables were grown.

You get bragging rights. I've seen grown men proud as a peacock about the size of the vegetables they grew. You could even enter your vegetables in contests and displays, such as at the county fair.

Vegetable gardens pay lifelong dividends in better health.

Take up a complimentary (and potentially lucrative) hobby: food photography.

Promote family togetherness when you get the whole gang involved in planting, harvesting and food preparation of vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Helps you lose weight two ways: 1) The extra exercise and 2) Vegetables are lower in calories than junk food!

It's a fun, healthy hobby that gives back many times more than what you put into it.

Vegetables and herbs are not just healthy for you, they can also be decorative and ornamental.

I don't know why working in the soil promotes a sense of serenity and peacefulness, but any gardener will tell you it does.

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Sally Hansley Morton is an internationally published freelance writer, and writer for Suite 101's Vegetable Gardens. You can reach Sally at vegetablegardens@suite101.com

Tips For Planting Flower Bulbs

2009-01-07T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robbie Darmona

Flower bulbs are extremely easy to plant and take care of. Moreover, many of the famous flowers are grown from flower bulbs: so you need to learn the basic rules of thumb to start planting your garden. Flowers such as hyacinths, daffodils, crocuses, tulips are all grown from flower bulbs, and we all know how important they are for a garden's flower bed. So, the sooner you learn to plant flower bulbs, the faster your garden will become utterly irresistible and full of colors.

Flower bulbs are best to be planted in April- May, or slightly later for warmer areas. Spring flower bulbs can be potted both in garden pots or containers, as well as in natural garden flower beds. You can choose any size of a container to plant and grow the flower bulbs. In the warmer regions of Australia, tulips need about 6-8 week period of refrigeration before they are planted. The artificial weather is needed because they should be fully grown before they are planted. Tulip bulbs are very brittle and sensitive, they need special treatment before planting. You have to make sure you don't freeze them too much, otherwise they will never recover.

You can plant every kind of flower bulbs using a flower bulb planting tool. Flower bulbs such as Tulips, Daffodils, Jonquils, Hyacinths can be planted easier when you use this planting tool. It is helpful if your hands are not accustomed to planting and you cannot dig the soil manually. Flower bulb planting tool is very useful when planting perennials, too.

Flower bulbs are important to be planted at a certain depth: twice as deep as their real size. A single exception to this rule make the Australian flower bulbs: they should be planted even deeper in the soil, because of the warm weather in Australia. Flower bulbs also need a lot of mulching to help them grow to their full capacity. This includes preparation of the soil, using fertilizers. Prepare the soil several weeks before the planting of the flower bulbs itself. Watering plays also important role: you should water the bulb only ONCE after planting. Don't be tempted to water it once again: wait until it has shown up on the surface. Only when shoots are springing up should you water the plant, otherwise rotting of the flower bulbs may occur. You should keep the soil moist, because extremely dry soil can cause damage to the plant, and can also stress the bulbs.

Planting flower bulbs can be either in the garden, or in special containers. Garden planting requires using a special fertilizer prior to the planting process. Planting flower bulbs in containers is another point of interest. You should first buy a quality soil, a mix of substantial nutrients, which will evoke faster growing of the flower bulbs. There is a huge variety of potting mixes, which you can find at minimal price. Another thing is to choose the size and shape of your container, so that it fits the type of the flower, and also has enough space for the flower bulb to grow. Larger pots should be used for planting of higher flowers, such as Monet Tulips or Dutch Iris. Flowers such as Anemones and Crocus require smaller containers. Shallow bowls and pots are generally used for planting Hyacinths or miniature Daffodils. Containers should also have moist soil, so that plants can grow easily.

Find Flower Shop - the easiest way to locate a flower shop in your area. Article by Robbie Darmona - an article writer who writes on a wide variety of subjects.

Protect Your Backyard Pond With A Floating Pond Heater

2009-01-05T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Terry Edwards

Make no mistake about it, winter is coming on us quickly. Aside from the usual yard work we all do in preparing for the cold weather, if you have a backyard pond, are you ready for the freezing temperatures? What are you doing to make life easier for your fish?

A floating pond heater can make any backyard pond a paradise no matter what time of year it is. There is something about having a backyard pond. The peace and comfort it brings is often times hard to describe. But, for many folks, they don't feel they can still enjoy a pond if they live in a cold weather climate. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The good news is that a floating pond heater can not only keep your pond looking healthier, but it will make your fish feel great also.

Pond heaters only come in two models, a submerged pond heater, and a floating pond heater. A floating pond heater will use electricity, oil, or natural gas for its power source. In addition, you can even find a solar pond heater. A floating pond heater uses very little energy and is actually designed not to heat the water, but rather to prevent ice from forming.

A floating pond heater can act as a pond deicer and heater in the event your backyard pond already has ice formed over the top. You can place the floating pond heater on top of the ice and it will melt a hole all the way through, eventually melting all the ice on the pond's surface.

Keeping up with your backyard pond can be a bit time consuming, especially in prepping it for the long winter months. You'll need to place wire mesh over the top of your pond to keep leaves out if that is an issue where you live. Later, you can actually lay down 1/4" plywood on your pond to aid in keeping it warm.

When the weather really starts to get cold you can install your floating pond heater. Make sure you shut off the pump during the winter. Leaving it on will actually do more harm than good by lowering the ponds temperature. It may also work against your fish.

The last thing to keep in mind with a floating pond heater is its power source. Depending on the type of floating pond heater you have, you may need to have a generator handy in case of any power outage from a winter storm.

No matter where you live you can enjoy that backyard pond throughout the year with a floating pond heater.

You can find out more about a Floating Pond Heater as well as much more information on all types of heaters at http://www.Heaters.InfoFromA-z.com

The Indoor Garden Plants That Clean The Air

2009-01-04T07:00:00.002-08:00

Writen by Gwen Stewart

There are many reasons for creating an indoor garden significant among them is the need to clean the toxins from our homes and offices. As a consequence of the energy crisis in the 1970's, today's homes and offices are built to conserve energy and the outcome has been a lack of air exchange, with the resulting increase of indoor air pollution. The World Health Organization has stated, "there's probably more damage to human health from indoor pollution than from outdoor pollution." Symptoms associated with indoor pollution include allergies, asthma, eye, nose, and throat irritations, fatigue, headache, nervous system disorders, respiratory and sinus congestion. In today's society more and more people exhibit these symptoms as a result of staying indoors the majority of the time.

One of the ways we can change this predicament is to become knowledgeable about and responsive to the environment that we live and breathe in. Foliage plants give us the opportunity to not only provide the calming influences of nature in our homes and workplaces, but also provide us with the oxygen we need to live. In a study conducted by N.A.S.A., researchers found that plants also clean the air inside our homes, buildings, and offices. The sources of chemical emissions that cause indoor air pollution include: acetone, alcohols; ammonia; benzene; chloroform; formaldehyde; and xylene.

These chemicals are found in cosmetics, nail polish remover, office correction fluid, pre-printed paper forms, adhesives, carpeting, caulking compounds, ceiling tiles, floor coverings, paints, particleboard, stains, varnishes, cleaning products, electrophotographic printers, microfiche developers, photocopiers, photography supplies, plastics, spot removers, solvents, tobacco smoke, wall coverings, carpet glue, draperies, fabrics, facial tissues, furniture made from preserved wood, gas stoves, grocery bags, paper towels, permanent-press clothing, plywood, upholstery, computer VDU screens, and community water supplies that add chloroform to chlorinated tap water.

Researchers have discovered the most effective plants are: Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) removes chemical vapours; Arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum) removes chemical vapours; Azalea (Rhododendron simsii hybrids) removes chemical vapours; Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis') the best fern for removing air pollutants; Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) removes chemical vapours; Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera 'Bridgesii') removes chemical vapours; Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) removes chemical vapours; Dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig') best of the dracaenas for removing chemical toxins from the indoor environment; Dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii') especially effective for the removal of benzene; Dracaena (Dracaena marginata) among the best plants for removing xylene; Dracaena (Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana') especially effective at removing air toxins such as formaldehyde; English ivy (Hedera helix) particularly effective at removing formaldehyde; Florist's mum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) one of the best flowering or seasonal plants for removing formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia from the atmosphere; Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) removes chemical vapours; Miniature date palm (Phoenix roebelinii) one of the best palms for removing indoor air pollutants, especially effective for the removal of xylene; Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) excels in the removal of alcohol, acetone, benzene, and formaldehyde; Red emerald philodendron (Philodendron erubescens) one of the best philodendrons for removing indoor air pollutants; Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) good for removing chemical vapours; Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum') effective for removing indoor air pollutants as well as chemical vapours; and Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens) good for removing chemical vapours.

These are some of the plants known to contribute to healthy air quality in our homes, buildings, and offices. Some plants may be better than others are but all plants clean the air as they beautify our surroundings and add oxygen and humidity to the indoor environment. Horticulturist Ken Beattie suggests, "The next plant you buy may save your life."

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Basic Gardening Transplanting Trees Shrubs And Plants Within Your Garden

2009-01-04T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jonathan Johnson

Many homeowners often find a tree, shrub or plant that just isn't right for a particular location and decide to transplant it to a different location. Before transplanting trees, shrubs, or plants it is important to understand that transplanting an established tree, shrub or plant will disrupt its root system and "shock" it. When transplanting larger trees and shrubs it is recommended to do some root pruning one season before you transplant. You will need to take a sharp spade and cut the existing roots. Make your cuts around the tree cutting the roots as far down as the spade can go. This should be done at the outer edge of the trees existing drip line. The drip line is the outer most point at which water falls straight down from the leaves. By doing this the tree will develop a more condensed root system within the pruned area.

The best time of year for transplanting is during the cold, wet winter days. This time of year plants are dormant and will suffer less shock from transplanting.

In preparation of the transplant you will need to water the plant thoroughly the day before. You will also need to go ahead and dig a hole 50% wider and deeper than the expected root ball in the new location. Dig up some soil from around the transplants existing location and mix it with mulch, peat moss, or decaying leaves. Place some of this mixture back in the hole so the intended root ball will not fall below existing ground level. Keep the rest of the mixture on hand for filling in around the root ball.

To dig up your transplant use a sharp spade to dig / cut around the drip line as far down as the spade will reach. For smaller plants you should be able to pry out the root ball. During the prying out process it is a good idea to have two people and two shovels prying at the same time. When transplanting larger shrubs or trees you will probably need to dig a trench 6" 12" deep outside of the drip line. Once you have done this dig / cut again down as far as your spade will reach from the bottom of the trench. Now it is time to pry the plant out. When transplanting these large shrubs and trees you might need all the help you can get from your friends. Once the root ball has been pried out of the hole, place a tarp underneath it and drag the transplant to its new location.

Before placing the transplanted root ball in the new hole, check to see if you have enough soil in the bottom of the hole. This soil is intended to support the root ball above existing ground level. Now it is time to place the root ball into the new hole. If the root ball falls below ground level, lift it out and add more fill dirt. Now you will want to center the transplant in the hole and firmly work in the soil mixture around it. Add the soil mixture all the way up to existing ground level. This should stabilize the transplanted root ball from moving around. If needed you can drive one or more stakes in place to stabilize the transplant.

Plants experience shock from transplanting making it a good idea to go ahead do some substantial pruning. Pruning will compensate for the loss in root area and encourage new growth in the spring. You will want to place a 2" 4" layer of mulch around the base of the transplant. This will help control weeds and hold in the moisture around the transplant. Before calling it a day you will want to water the plant thoroughly. Continue watering and monitoring the transplanted tree, shrub or plants condition on a weekly basis until the transplant becomes established.

Cottage Farms Direct
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Click here to determine your hardiness zone: www.cottagefarmsdirect.com/hardiness.asp

Easy Pond Algae Control The Ecologically Safe Way

2009-01-03T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Doug Green

Algae control in ponds is fairly straightforward. If we ignore the initial spring burst of green water that tells us the pond is coming alive, we make the first good step.

However if the green persists, it tells us there is an imbalance in the pond ecology. The solution to that is to fix the imbalance. While some pond keepers would have you chuck in some chemicals, the reality is these are merely band-aids and won't "solve" the problem, they'll only mask it. If you want to solve the problem consider the sources of the problem.

Many ponds have too many fish in them. At one inch of fish per one square foot of pond surface, you can either have three big ones at 10-inch length or 30 little ones at one-inch length. (note that 3 ten-inch fish will likely give you 100 one-inch fish every year) If you have a greatere fish population than this, understand two things are happening. The first is the pool ecology is being upset because of too high a level of fish excreted waste and high fish populations are likely eating the oxygenating plants that deal with this excretion waste material. The real solution is to lower the fish population. I note if you have fish and are feeding them, the other recommendation is to stop feeding or to drastically reduce your feeding. Excess food creates excess waste which in turn creates green pond water.

The second solution is to increase the oxygenating plant level. A rule of thumb for doing this is to add one bunch (10 stems or so) of a floating oxygenator plant such anacharis for every 3 square feet of pond surface. Reducing the fish population and adding the oxygenators will clean up the algae in few days. If you add oxygenators without reducing the fish population, the fish will likely eat the plants and the green pond water will not go away.

Understand there is not magic bullet here. You have to get that ecology in balance and the way to do that is to follow a few simple rules to control fish and plant populations. The two thumb rules above will solve most algae problems.

Doug Green, award winning garden author with 7 books published, answers gardening questions in his free newsletter at http://www.water-gardens-information.com

Waterfalls

2009-01-03T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Elizabeth Morgan

Waterfalls are water systems in which water falls from a height into another water body at the base. They may be natural or artificial. Waterfalls are very aesthetically appealing and regarded as tourist spots. Several huge natural waterfalls are responsible for running the entire economies of the settlements around them by attracting tourists. People also construct artificial waterfalls in their backyards or gardens, or even indoors, to avail of their scenic beauty and soothing sounds.

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the highest natural waterfall of the world. It falls from a drop of 3,230 feet. The Canaima Natural Park is built around it and it mainly attracts tourists because of Angel Falls. Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River located on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border is about 1 mile in breadth as it falls, making it the widest waterfall in the world. Niagara Falls in America and Canada contains the highest quantity of any waterfall all over the world. All these waterfalls attract millions of people each year, thus building up tremendous foreign exchange for their countries.

In order to partake of some of this beauty, people have begun building waterfalls in their own gardens and backyards. Building artificial waterfalls is an age-old Japanese art, which has now taken many modern twists. Waterfalls are built of rock or stone. There are artificial foam and pumice stones available, which are used for building waterfall cascades. Even copper and slate are used for building waterfalls. Artificial waterfalls need a submersible pump unit and a base for receiving water. The base can be designed as a pond with fishes and aquatic life in it. Waterfalls automatically attract various birds and butterflies, thus adding to their visual appeal.

Indoor waterfalls are also becoming popular. These are made of a variety of materials such as copper, slate, stone and fiberglass, and they may be wall-mounted or tabletop. Water can be made to flow through thin transparent glass sheets and used as a partition for offices or bars. There are infinite possibilities to customize a waterfall.

Hotels build waterfalls around their pools or construct whole waterfall gardens. Different colored bulbs can be placed strategically in the waterfall to give the effect of colored water. Metal tubes and pipes are also effectively used to produce calming reverberating water sounds.

Waterfalls are mainly built for their visual appeal, but some people, especially in Asia, believe in the supernatural powers of a waterfall. Feng Shui and Vaastu experts believe that having a system of flowing water in the house creates dynamism indicative of progress. In fact, in Asia people who can afford to design their living rooms with a waterfall in them.

Waterfalls provides detailed information about waterfalls, indoor waterfalls, waterfall gardens, waterfall ponds and more. Waterfalls is the sister site of Preformed Pond Liners.

Cocoa Trees

2009-01-02T07:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Dorrie Ruplinger

Cocoa trees can grow as tall as fifty feet although they are usually kept pruned and kept much shorter to make it easier to harvest the cocoa bean pods.

The trees reach their maximum productivity when they are thirty to forty years old. A cocoa tree will live approximately sixty years.

The bean pods grow directly off the trunk and thicker main branches of the tree, not off the leaves as many people think. This is because the pods are heavy. The fragile leaf systems of the tree couldn't support the weight of the pods.

A cocoa tree can have up to one hundred thousand baby-pink and white blossoms every year. The blossoms have no scent. The leaves of the tree vary in color. Young leaves can be pale green, lavender, or purple in color. Mature leaves are dark green. The pods start out green but turn yellow or red when ripe, depending on what type of cocoa tree it is.

There are two main types of cocoa trees. There is the native Central American cocoa tree called the Criollo, and a type called Forastero which is grown mostly in West Africa and Brazil. The Forastero trees produces approximately ninety percent of the world's crop of cocoa beans. The beans from the Criollo are more expensive and are used in high quality chocolate.

Cocoa trees like shade so other tropical trees such as banana trees are planted right next to the cocoa trees. These larger trees that provide shade for the cocoa trees are often called "cocoa mother trees."

The cocoa trees start producing cocoa bean pods after three or four years and continue producing pods for approximately another thirty five years. In most areas, harvesting of the cocoa pods is done twice a year. Ripe pods are approximately eight inches long and three to four inches in diameter. The ripe pods are cut by hand in order to protect the younger pods that are still ripening.

After the pods are cut from the tree they are taken to a fermenting area. There the pods are split open to reveal the pulp and cocoa beans. There are up to forty cocoa beans in every pod. The pulp and beans are scooped out of the pod, placed on banana leaves that are usually laid on the ground (fermenting is also done in baskets and also in large sloping boxes), and then covered with more banana leaves. The pods are left to ferment for several days.

As the beans ferment they lose some of their bitterness and change from a lavender or white color to brown. The fermenting process is important because that is when the beans take on the chocolate taste we are accustomed to. During the fermenting process the beans lose some of their moisture. By the time the beans are ready to be packed in bags for shipping, the moisture content in them is somewhere around five to seven percent.

Dorrie Ruplinger is the publisher of http://www.chocolateistheanswer.com which provides information and resources about Door County Wisconsin parks.

How To Choose A Fountain Pump

2009-01-02T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mike Guista

When replacing a fountain pump or choosing a new one, first there are some key terms to keep in mind:

"Head": This is the maximum vertical lift of the pump. For example, a 6' head means the pump is rated to pump water up to 6 feet high. Note, however, that at 6 feet the pump would be providing very little water, with gallons per hour around zero. So if you need to pump, say, 200 gph at 72", you will probably need about a 300-600 gallon per hour pump to do the job. See a "pump curve" for the amount of water pumped to various heights.Major pump manufacturers include pump curves on their boxes, brochures, or other literature. You should take a good look.

"GPH": Gallons per hour, usually rated at different heights

"GPM": Gallons per minute, usually rated at different heights

"Pump Curve": The amount of water volume "curved" according to various heights. A 500 gallon per hour pump, for instance, might pump 500 gallons per hour at 0" lift, 350 gallons per hour at 24" of lift, and so forth. When buying a pump for the first time or when seeking a replacement pump, it is essential that you know how many gallons per hour you want to pump and at what heighth (head).

Water Volume: The total volume that you will be pumping is controlled by a few factors. One factor is the size of the pump, as covered above. But you also must consider how wide your tubing will be. Tubing is measured in two ways: inside diameter (i.d.) and outside diameter (o.d.). Very skinny i.d. tubing will greatly reduce water flow. Many customers are shocked when they find that, after hooking up their 500 gallon per hour pump to ½" inside diameter tubing, they are only getting what they consider a trickle. Well, about the most they will get is 200 gallons per hour or so under the very best conditions. They have restricted the flow too much by choosing skinny tubing. When purchasing a pump, find out what size of tubing is supposed to go with it. Another problem is running the tubing too far. Long lengths of tubing create resistance. If your pump calls for ½" i.d. tubing, for instance, but you are running the tubing twenty feet from the pump, it is a good idea to use ¾" tubing instead so as not to cut down too much on flow.

How much water do I need? What size of pump?

This question is answered in part by whether you want a "trickle" or a roar. When you buy a fountain, you will usually find a recommended flow. For waterfalls, use this as a rule of thumb: for every inch of stream width or waterfall "sheet," you will need to deliver 100 gallons per hour at the height you're pumping. So if you are building a 12" wide waterfall that is three feet tall, you need to buy a pump that will be pumping 1200 gallons per hour at three feet of height.

For ponds, whenever possible, it is a good idea to recirculate the water once an hour, more often if possible. Thus, if your pond is 500 gallons, try to buy a pump that will recirculate water at a rate of 500 gallons per hour. For really large ponds, this is not necessary and is far too expensive.

For a nice waterfall effect, we usually advise about 4000 gallons per hour or more at the top of the waterfall. This creates enough volume for a wide, crashing spill. Adjust stones to soften the splash if desired.

When Is an External Pump Appropriate?

"In-line" pumps provide the "most bang for the buck" in two ways. For one, the purchase price is quite reasonable for the high volume of water being pumped. But even more importantly, these pumps dramatically outperform typical submersible pumps, cutting electrical costs two to three times. Since electrical costs for a large pond can easily run from thirty to one hundred dollars a month, choosing the most energy-efficient pump is tremendously important.

However, if you need a lot of "head," that is, if you are pumping to a height of more than say, seven or eight feet, or if you must pull the water (not "push", for in-line pumps push water fine but don't pull well) a long distance from the pond to a skimmer located far away, then these pumps probably won't work for you.

How About Battery-Operated Fountain Pumps?

We receive many, many calls about battery-operated pumps. While there are companies who manufacture pumps that can operate on "A" and "AA" batteries, we have not found a battery-operated pump that lasts or that is reasonably priced. For those customers who need battery fountains for wedding centerpieces (a common request), we suggest finding the one you want and buying as many as possible at a store like Wal-Mart. You get the whole fountain for as good of a price as we could get you these specialized pumps all by themselves!

Where is the Pump Made?

Pumps, like anything else, are made all over the world, and we suggest you buy pumps from someone who will stand by a guarantee and who has testing programs before marketing their pumps. It used to be that Asian pumps were quite bad but this is changing. What matters most is how well the pumps have been engineered and the materials used in the production. Italy for quite a while has been the major manufacturer of fountain pumps (think of how long Italians have had fountains), but Germany, Korea, Taiwan, and China are making pumps as well. Most American fountain pump companies (for example, Cal Pumps and Beckett) have their pumps manufactured overseas. As long as American engineering is used and the plans are followed, this should not be a problem.

Should my Pump Have a 2-wire plug or a 3-wire plug?

Outdoor pumps should always use a grounded, 3-wire plug. Indoor fountains sometimes have 2-wire and sometimes 3-wire plugs. For people wanting a really thin cord, 2-wire pumps provide the more aesthetic experience. Some retail stores require 3-wire pumps even for indoor fountains (though, ironically, they might not for aquarium pumps), and these thicker cords can be hidden by plants, stones, or other decorations. All pumps must be connected to a GFI outlet for safety.

Why do pumps burn out so often?

95% of the time the customer has let the pumps get hot by running them dry. Most fountain pumps are water-cooled and once the fountain is dry they burn up. Usually there is nothing you can do about this other than to buy a new pump. Also, however, pumps are supposed to be cleaned every so often by opening up the impeller case on the fountain pump. Follow the manufacturer's directions.

Michael Guista, who has published two books, owns Fountain Mountain, Inc., which distributes fountain pumps, pond lights and filters, and fountains.

Here are some suggested sites:

For Pumps
http://www.cheappumps.com
http://www.fountainmountain.com
http://www.fountaintechpumps.com

Do Plants Like The Quotexoticsquot

2009-01-01T07:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by C Roe

Placement Of Exotic Plants And Trees

Placement of exotic plants and trees is critical for their overall development and long-term survival. It not only determines the general happiness of the plants, but also the overall appeal it gives to the habitat.

You should make the final choice of location only after having considered several other factors. If some part of your house or garden receives too much sunlight, you can grow sun; loving plants that will help to provide shade. It's also important to ensure that the plants have the appropriate space for spreading themselves.

Competing plants shouldn't be grown very near to each other. Dominating and invasive plants and trees should be placed afar from tender plants. You should also keep in mind the ultimate size the plant is likely to achieve. This will avoid obstruction of driveways or sidewalks, not just for you but at times even for your neighbors.

Growing Plants In Containers Can Be Rewarding

If you are eager to incorporate tropical foliage, trees, palms and flowers in your garden, however feel discouraged because of relatively small area, growing plants in containers is the perfect solution. By confining the exotic plants to a relatively small space, maintenance can be less of an unpleasant task. This also gives you the liberty to move them back and forth to different sites, as and when the plant requirement for sunlight and moisture changes. At the same time, you can introduce changes in the overall look of the garden by combining and contrasting with other garden plants.

Exotic plants can be in grown in containers with soil alone or with alterations, or completely soil less. Whatever be the preference, the medium must ensure good drainage and adequate water-retentive capacity. This is best accomplished by using a combination of materials (like sand, gravel along with loam) of various particle sizes to make available small air spaces and free-drainage.

The composition of the soil bed should in essence be rather simple and purposeful. You can either use peat moss or rich loam to constitute the bulk of your mix. Since, peat moss is highly acidic, always add ground limestone to maintain the pH level of soil.

To increase aeration and drainage, you can include pine bark or sand in the mix. Adding Vermiculite to soil will increase its water-retention capacity. For new plants, sparingly applied granular-type fertilizers can be beneficial as a starter feed. Soil-less plants are grown on liquid-feed and addition of fertilizers is advisable for supplying nutrients required by the plant.

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