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Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category

Since I can remember, I have always loved to get my hands dirty in the garden. I can still remember growing my first pea plant and anxiously watching everyday for that little sprout to get going. It always fascinated me how such a delicate sprout could, with the proper care, become a strong, vibrant plant that will produce delicious fruits.

The garden has always been of great Importance to me. It can be a point of pride or – if its in poor repair – a source of embarrassment. For these reasons, and because a garden is such an Important investment, it only makes sense to provide all the tender loving care that you can give.

Sometimes this is easier said than done, because gardening is so complex, right? Read the rest of this entry »

Most home gardens in early summer are full of lush green plants overflowing with vegetables and herbs for the family, with much produce to spare for neighbors and friends. But animal pests in the garden can quickly turn a bountiful garden into a gardener’s nightmare. Common pests that can be found trampling through the garden during the growing season include: dogs, cats, rabbits, deer, raccoons, squirrels, moles and a host of other pests. To help control some of these pests, you need to learn the most effective ways to prevent them from entering your garden and harvesting your hard-earned garden bounty.

Dogs in the Garden

Dogs can quickly do serious damage in your garden beds. The best way to keep dogs out of your vegetable garden is to fence off the area with wire fencing where you will be planting. You can also use electric fencing to keep dogs out of the garden, but you’ll have better success with using multiple strands of electric wire at various heights rather than just one strand. Some dog repellents are available on the market to keep dogs out of the garden, but the majority of these require the gardener to reapply the product after any rainfall, limiting the time for you to just enjoy the gardening experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Getting a gift for a gardener ought to be easy. Whether they are just learning or an expert, you’ll find the holidays are the ideal time to give them gifts they will enjoy. When spring rolls around, they’ll have had plenty of time to decide how and where to use the gift you’ve given them.

You won’t have to go far to find the perfect gift. You probably have a gardeners’ catalog in your mailbox, a garden supply store nearby, and access to the Internet. There are many websites for wonderful selections.

Practical Gifts Are Great

Your local hardware store or garden supply should have a good line of practical gifts. For the gardening beginner, gifts such as a shovel or trowel, garden hose or other digging and planting tools are ideal. Perhaps your gardener would like to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. There are certain flowers and plants that will draw them to a garden, and you can most likely find them at your local garden supply. Not too sure about buying plants? How about a gift certificate to a garden supply store? Read the rest of this entry »

Accentuate the welcoming look of a deck or your patio with jovial and colorful pots of annuals. Fill your window boxes with climbing bloomers or with fragrant roses of various colors. Container gardens produce a natural sanctuary in city’s street sides, along rooftops or verandas. Pots may be arranged near each other than place plants in some kind of a bed arrangement, so that nice-looking gardens can bloom, even in itsy-bitsy spots.

Search for varying and harmonizing colors, different heights and quality. The more variety you include in the plants you select, the more combinations you can achieve when renovating your outdoor space. Choose a range of selection with various bloom cycles for your growing season to abound.

There is a variety of creative ways to preserve and experiment with container gardening. Although you might not use recycled porcelain bowls, yet the simple concept of growing plants in pots or urns in addition to other objects, offers you a new perspective in container gardening. Read the rest of this entry »

If you would like a nice garden, you’ll need a bucket of water and some garbage. That simple recipe is all you need to grow healthy, beautiful plants all summer long. But before you start floating a tin can in a some water, you need to know that there is a catch. The trick to this recipe is that you have to compost your garbage first. Compost and water are the only ingredients you need to create a powerful plant supplement known as compost tea.

Compost in the garden will improve your soil which in turn will reward you with strong plants that are better able to fend off droughts and diseases. Compost improves soil structure and drainage. It can also be used as a fertilizer or a mulch and it enhances the soil’s ability to absorb water. Read the rest of this entry »

Colour affects our emotions, moods, physical, and spiritual well-being. It has a significant effect on everything we eat, drink, and touch and influences our physical environment including our home, office, and garden. Colour reflects our personalities. The colours we prefer for home interiors carried out to the garden, provide continuity between our interior and exterior living spaces. Colours are a useful tool in creating different moods in the landscape. In order to effectively create with colour it is important to understand the meaning of the different colours.

Red creates vitality. It tends to command attention and will make areas seem smaller. It is a good colour for dining areas as it increases appetite. It creates a feeling of warmth, movement, and drama. For those who may find it too stimulating, use pink instead. Red plants to use in the shade include begonia, coleus, and impatiens. In sunny areas use salvia or verbenas. To augment your plantings use glazed pots, red sandstone gravel, red clay bricks or tiles will bring that vitality to your landscape. Read the rest of this entry »

Home gardening is a wonderful pastime that the whole family can enjoy. In addition, gardening has become an increasingly popular hobby for people of all ages. Currently, studies show that in the United States, eight of ten households take part in some type of home gardening endeavor. Based on these statistics, gardening is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the nation.

Typically, when people start planting their garden, they start with flowers. In addition, most people will pursue planting roses. The novice garden does not realize that roses usually take the most time and effort as compared to other flowers. With such an enormous array of flowers to choose from, it is best for the novice to start of with easy care plants and flowers. Read the rest of this entry »

The beautiful flowers, plants and trees in a garden increase the look and feel of the surroundings. But remember that all the plants want different care in different seasons and the need of all the plants is different. To increase the beauty of a garden we should be careful about them.

There is a difference between indoor plants and outdoor plants. So, one should know that the indoor houseplants and hanging baskets won’t need as much water in winters as they require in summers as compared to the outdoor plants, so only water when the soil is dry three inches under the surface. To prevent plants from becoming huge, limit them to one light feeding of fertilizer a month.

Watch your houseplants for insects. Check plants regularly for yellowing or discolored leaves. This condition is usually caused by over watering, but it could also indicate insects. Read the rest of this entry »

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Dirt has always been one of the kids’ best toys, so home gardening could just be one fun activity for your children. Excite them by allowing them to pick whichever plant they want to grow. Here are some tips to help you make your little ones become enthusiastic with home gardening.

1. Choose the right plants

Kids will more likely choose plants and flowers with bright colors, so have a load of varieties of plants. Examples of bright flowers are zinnias and cosmos; these will keep your children fascinated. Don’t forget the sunflowers. Anything that is tall and fuzzy will surely overwhelm a kid. Make sure these plants will not cause any allergic reactions from your kid. Read the rest of this entry »