Flower Bulbs – Planting for the Summer

Flower Bulbs – Planting for the Summer

When planting your bulbs, bulbotubers and tubers, you ideally need to plant them in the spring. Doing so will prevent damage from night and light morning frost. It is possible to plant bulbs up to the end of may. This will have your gardening blooming from June till October. You also need to make sure you plant in sunny areas of your garden, as bulbs like those areas. If you plant in flowerpots, you should put these in sunny spots of the garden too.

When is comes to the actual planting of bulbs, there a few options you can take. One of them is using special garden tools like a bulb planter. There is a rule that states when planting bulbs, it must be planted in a depth, twice the size of its height. For example, a bulb that is 6cm in height would need a hole with a depth of 12cm. However, there is an exception to this rule; Dahlia bulbs and a few others types should be planted closers to the surface of the soil. The best thing you could do if you’re unsure is check the instructions on the bulb packing before planting.

Depending on how dense you want the flower bed, it is possible to plant bulbs relatively close to each other. But in general smaller bulbs should be a planted at a distance of about 10cm. Gladiolus bulbs is 12cm, Dahlia bulbs is 40cm.

Next you to make your soil light and even. Summer bulbs may be planted in any type of soil, as long as that soil has good drainage. If you find that you have heavy clay soil, it is a possibility, and recommended that you mix the top layer of it with compost or sand. You can use peat or garden soil for flower pots.

Upon planting the bulbs, you must water them immediately because summer bulbs need a large amounts of water. Plus this will promote strong root growth.  It is important that you keep the soil in a wet codition this time of the year, so if you see that the area in which you have planted bulbs going a little dry, keep topping up that water. However you should bear in mind that damp soil is a good breeding ground for weeds.

In the hot summers weather, it is not recommended to sprinkle bulbs and flowers with cold water as this may cause the plants to fall into the “shock state” and will not be able to accumalate the nutrients they need. This may also increase the the probability of the burns on the leaves. Watering your flowers and flower bulbs during the early mornings or the evening, should keep moisture evaporation to a minimum.

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Vegetable Gardening – A Fun and Productive Hobby

If you are going to take up a new hobby, you might as well do something that is productive as well as fun. One such activity is vegetable gardening. Vegetable gardening is a very relaxing activity that millions of people love to do. There is also a certain pride when you know that you can grow your own fruits and vegetables right from your own backyard. In order to become a successful vegetable gardener, though, you must have a specific plan involving the kinds of plants you want in your garden, as well as the placement of these plants.

Basic Requirements for Vegetable Gardening

A flat, level surface is necessary for vegetable gardening to ensure that the water will flow evenly, giving sufficient nourishment to all the plants in your garden. If you have an uneven terrain, some of your plants may drown while others might be dehydrated. Good soil is essential as well so make sure that you buy quality gIf you are going to take up a new hobby, you might as well do something that is productive as well as fun. One such activity is vegetable gardening. Vegetable gardening is a very relaxing activity that millions of people love to do. There is also a certain pride when you know that you can grow your own fruits and vegetables right from your own backyard. In order to become a successful vegetable gardener, though, you must have a specific plan involving the kinds of plants you want in your garden, as well as the placement of these plants.

Basic Requirements for Vegetable Gardening

A flat, level surface is necessary for vegetable gardening to ensure that the water will flow evenly, giving sufficient nourishment to all the plants in your garden. If you have an uneven terrain, some of your plants may drown while others might be dehydrated. Good soil is essential as well so make sure that you buy quality garden soil that is packed with sufficient minerals for the healthy growth of your vegetables.

Choosing the type of vegetables you want to plant in your garden is the fun part. There are hundreds of vegetables you can choose from, but make sure the ones you pick are well adapted to the particular environment and climate in your area. Most vegetables are actually very easy to cultivate if you provide them all their growth requirements.

Planning is very important for the success of your vegetable gardening venture. You need to at least have a general idea of where you want to place your different vegetables in relation to each other. Using pots is a good idea so you can rearrange your garden if the need arises. Of course, your options will be limited if you have a small garden space but if you have a large area to work with, your gardening options are limitless.

One more important element that all vegetable gardeners find very important is the elimination and prevention of garden pests. There are many organic pesticides that you can use to solve this problem without inflicting any damage to your crops.

If you have a little more open space at home, you can go for regular home vegetable gardening as well. This is a more structured type of gardening in which you can lay out your garden more systematically than when you are using random containers.

If you live in a cramped apartment or high-rise condominium where there is no backyard to plant in, you have to use your creativity in order to create your own indoor garden. You can use any kind of containers to serve as an improvised garden plot and place this near a window in order to get as much sunlight as possible.

When it comes to productive hobbies, nothing can be better than vegetable gardening. Not only will vegetable gardening provide you with fresh vegetables to serve your family, but it also has therapeutic and relaxing effects on your body and mind. Regardless of what kind of vegetable gardening you choose, planting your own vegetables will definitely be much healthier and cheaper than purchasing them from the local grocery store.arden soil that is packed with sufficient minerals for the healthy growth of your vegetables.

Choosing the type of vegetables you want to plant in your garden is the fun part. There are hundreds of vegetables you can choose from, but make sure the ones you pick are well adapted to the particular environment and climate in your area. Most vegetables are actually very easy to cultivate if you provide them all their growth requirements.

Planning is very important for the success of your vegetable gardening venture. You need to at least have a general idea of where you want to place your different vegetables in relation to each other. Using pots is a good idea so you can rearrange your garden if the need arises. Of course, your options will be limited if you have a small garden space but if you have a large area to work with, your gardening options are limitless.

One more important element that all vegetable gardeners find very important is the elimination and prevention of garden pests. There are many organic pesticides that you can use to solve this problem without inflicting any damage to your crops.

If you live in a cramped apartment or high-rise condominium where there is no backyard to plant in, you have to use your creativity in order to create your own indoor garden. You can use any kind of containers to serve as an improvised garden plot and place this near a window in order to get as much sunlight as possible.

When it comes to productive hobbies, nothing can be better than vegetable gardening. Not only will vegetable gardening provide you with fresh vegetables to serve your family, but it also has therapeutic and relaxing effects on your body and mind.

Flower Gardening Tips- 10 Worthwhile And Handy Flower Gardening Tips!

Anyone can sow seeds or plant seedlings, but to be able to create a breathtakingly beautiful flower garden is something different altogether! And this is where flower gardening tips will come in really useful, transforming something ordinary into something extraordinary! So the aesthetically-inclined gardener would benefit by keeping a sharp lookout for any hints that come his way!

The list of tips keep increasing as people make newer discoveries, but even the most avid gardener cannot keep track of all of them or apply all of them! Here are a few suggestions on what type of flower gardening tips one should basically look out for–

(1) Any garden starts with a designated area, and it is no different for a flower garden. The gardener has to decide on a focal point that captures a visitor’s attention. The center of attraction could be some object or even a gate–it should stand out among the surrounding plants. Ornamental grasses can increase the height of the garden and even add a different texture.

(2) It would be wise to search for those flower gardening tips that give guidance on planning for a year-round garden. They will provide advice on creating a harmonious ecosystem, as well as the plants best suited to that particular environment.

(3) There are plenty of flower gardening tips concerning soil requirements. Soil is an odd mixture of rocks, silt, minerals, sand, loam, clay and organic matter. It can have different pH levels at varied loctions. Checking out these levels beforehand is extremely essential as each species of flower plant and pH level should match.

(4) The pH level indicates nothing else but the quantity of hydrogen ions present in that particular soil. For instance, regions with heavy rainfall produce acidic soil. Addition of limestone neutralizes the effects. In arid or dry areas, sulphur can counteract the effects of acidic soil.

(5) In any kind of soil, addition of compost provides the proper nutrients required to balance the pH level.

(6) If fine gravel is placed under the soil, it facilitates proper drainage. Additionally, moisture retention and control of excessive weed growth is possible with the laying of mulch on top of the soil. Mulch is created from forest floor debris that is allowed to decompose (also called humus).

(7) Coming to the plants themselves, a variety of choices as well as flower gardening tips are available.

There are perennials that grow beyond a single growing season. They flower year after year.

Annual flowers are different. The plant does not last beyond one season–it germinates, grows buds and blossoms, then dies. Bulbs have to be re-planted before the next season, that is, around fall season.

The best flowers are those that survive all seasons. A garden with such flowers will never seem empty! How is this achieved? The gardener cannot have the entire garden covered with one species alone. So different all-season flowers of different species are chosen. Since each species blooms at alternative times, the garden gives the appearance of luxuriant growth!

(8) And that is what seasoned veterans advocate–to mix and match a variety of textures and colors of blossoms to the optimum level! The result is sheer magic!

(9) Sometimes, plants need to be transplanted from a container to the soil in an outside garden. According to flower gardening tips, careful attention has to be paid to the roots to ensure that the root system gets sufficient amount of space to expand as well as receive adequate water. The roots should be stimulated to grow in their new environment. The roots should go deep enough for the plant to remain resilient in all weather conditions.

(10) Furthermore, the time of day has to be taken into consideration while transplanting. The day had better be overcast or cool. And early morning or late afternoon is the best time, according to teh experts providing flower gardening tips.

Organic gardening – General Notes on Pest Control Approaches in horticulture

Pest Control Approaches

Chemical horticulture fights off invasive pests with specific insecticides. They may be effective and fast-working at the beginning, but their long-term use may result in the raise of the insects resistant to the used insecticide. To kill those, more efforts will be needed, and the use of the different and stronger chemicals may be necessary. Moreover, killing enemies in the garden, any insecticide will inevitably eliminate predator insects (natural control bugs). And their lack will cause multiplying of the harmful pests. Consequently, a gardener will have to search for some other options to defeat the invasive populations.  

Organic horticulture, on the other hand, offers pests control through the studying and understanding their life cycles and peculiarities, as well as through the combined use of such methods as:

-           plants selection (pests and disease resistant plants are chosen for a garden);

-           companion plants growth (planting those crops that fight off pests and insects);

-           annual changing of the plants location to disrupt the reproduction cycles of the invasive species;

-           the use of row covers during the periods of pests migration;

-           employing insects traps to reduce the population of the pests;

-           increasing the number of predator insects and beneficial organisms.

In addition, organic gardeners usually allow some pests to live in the garden, carefully controlling their level though.

All of the mentioned methods have also additional benefits in the organic garden, as fertilization, soil protection, pollination, season extension and water conservation, despite of the fact that their influence and results usually take some time to become obvious. To sum it up it is possible to say that biological and organic pest control can be constituents of the integrated pest management (IPM). Nevertheless, the latter can also utilize chemical pesticides to eliminate harmful insects, although these do not belong to the biological or organic means.

Soil

Soil control and management are the important things in gardening. They offer the possibility to keep the garden healthy and strong, which is the key factor in the prevention of diseases and pests invasion onto the plants. One of the ways to success is providing the garden with humus and organic matter.

Water Gardening Magazines – Advantages Of Subscribing To Good Water Gardening Magazines

What possible requirement does a water gardener have, to sign-up for a publication on water gardening? Is it not possible to purchase one from a bookstore? At the outset, let us check out what a periodical on water gardening contains.

A publication on water gardening is an essential tool for every water gardener, greenhorn as well as a seasoned gardener. It is crammed with vital inputs on aquatic flora and greenery. It enlightens the reader on the right choice of plants, and the proper way to grow and look after them. In the case of readers living in areas known for freezing winters, the books comes up with helpful information on how to ensure the plants survive during the season of frost. But why register for a periodical on water gardening?

A publication on water gardening informs the reader on the kind of water fauna that grows best in his water garden. It spells out the way in which snails, fish, fresh water molluscs, and various other living beings do good to the tiny ecosystem that the water garden represents.

A magazine on water gardening instructs the avid water gardener on how to construct a water garden. Further, it gives the gardener a lowdown on the merits and demerits of liner pools, container gardens, artificial pools, pre-constructed pools, and natural ponds. The periodical gives explicit details regarding filters and pumps. It draws a distinction between edging with brick and stone. It is loaded with glossy photographs of water gardens that have won awards, which are wonderfully decorated and adorned with statues. The magazine contains snapshots of aquatic plants bursting forth into lovely blossoms, and reveals to the reader the way in which his beloved aquatic plants would appear in their peak splendor. Yet again, what motivates a water gardener to subscribe to a water gardening periodical?

A publication on water gardening represents a meeting place where water gardeners from across the globe can convene to pass on their experiences and views and swap their thoughts. By means of correspondence and writing articles, they are in contact with one another and receive reports about the happenings in the marvelous and unusual water gardening world. Still, yet again, the question floats up as to what is the reason for the water gardener signing up for a magazine on water gardening.

The response to this query is merely this. The water gardeners are a somewhat exclusive group of people pursuing quite a select activity. The publications that deal with their activities and address their concerns cannot usually be located at the regular newsstand or bookshop. It could be possible that garden outlets may stock these publications but not in adequate quantities. The moment the available copies at the garden outlet are snapped up, there is no way you can get your hands on one until the subsequent issue is out in print.

Moreover, if the water gardener does not act fast and grab his copy, he is left without one. He simply misses out on all the valuable information and inputs. This is precisely the reason why a water gardener subscribes to a magazine on water gardening.

Water Garden – The Essentials Of A Water Garden!

A water garden could be either natural or artificial but there are two things, which bring them together – the adding of some kind of water gardening feature and the existence of water forming the central theme. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a legendary garden of ancient times, brought into play a prominent water gardening feature.

In addition, Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is also renowned for its water gardening feature. The water gardens have recaptured their importance in the landscaping area in the past few years, encompassing container based water gardens to great outdoor arrangements. They are referred by several names like water ponds, aquatic gardens, and backyard ponds.

An actual water garden employs varied water gardening features to make up the entire setting. The principal kinds of water garden features, which are frequently used, are waterfalls, fountains, waterways (streams) and ponds. The water garden feature not only greatly enhances the loveliness of the garden but also creates the calming, gentle rhythm of the flow of water.

In addition, it presents the ideal environs to draw wildlife, particularly birds, whose kaleidoscopic colors and gentle sounds augment the charm and splendor of the water garden.

On the other hand, the introduction of a water garden feature calls for extra amount to be invested in equipment since a pump and water filtration system are essential. These two particular items of equipment are indispensable for the proper maintenance of the water garden’s delicate ecosystem. The water pump ensures that the water continues to flow and thus make available the precious oxygen for the aquatic flora and the fish to survive. In addition, it inhibits mosquito breeding, as the mosquitoes are quite likely to take to the surrounding of a water garden feature and breed.

Further, a filtration plant ensures that the water is clear and is hygienically maintained so that aquatic flora and fauna can thrive.

A certain facet of a water garden feature that most people are unaware of is employing this water feature to disguise or hide imperfections in the garden. Expert landscape artists draw on a water garden feature constantly to cover up landscaping drawbacks, with nobody being aware of such a thing.

There is not a single thing that can present the kind of harmony and stillness that a sparkling fountain can apart from gazing at the calm cool waters of the stream gushing by joyously. To some extent, it is due to these causes that that water garden feature is a prized possession in most outdoor gardens. In the present scenario, with most people electing to live in condominiums, miniature indoor fountains are coming to the rescue of homeowners, making it possible to take their water garden feature inside their homes.

Moreover, people now have the alternative of harnessing solar power for pumps required for a water garden feature, thus cutting down on electricity costs and helping in preserving the environment.

Vegetable Garden – Take Care Of Them Like Children

I’ve been gardening vegetables for quite a while now, and I’ve learned some lessons the hard way. Vegetable gardening offers some great rewards – the pride and satisfaction of cultivating beautiful edible plants and the savings on the weekly grocery bill! Here are some tips that should help you plan and grow healthy fresh vegetables in your vegetable garden.

The Versatile Legume

There are two basic types of beans – bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans do not need support, and pole beans are climbers. In my garden, I normally grow bush beans because they require less work. Call me lazy. Call me well-fed.

But I’ve found that pole beans are best in my vegetable garden are nice because they can climb along old fences or up the stalks of taller plants like sunflowers. I’ve also used pole beans to beautify my vegetable garden. I’ve planted these tall bean plants at the end of each row of the vegetable garden, making arches from tree limbs bound to make arches from row to row. The pole beans grow along the branches, making an attractive frame for the vegetable garden.

Beans are a warm-season crop and are easy to grow. They like rich, warm, sandy soil. They need full sun and well-drained soil. Also, I’ve found that they grow better when I rotate them with other vegetables every other growing season.

For the best tasting beans, I wait until all danger of frost has passed and dig the vegetable garden deep. Normally, I work the garden several weeks before I plant the beans because birds will eat the insect eggs and larvae that might damage my plants later. Then I work some lime into the soil to give the beans a healthy start.

I plant my bush beans from one to 1-1/2 inches in the surface and about eighteen inches apart. My pole beans need more space with rows three feet apart for best results. Bush limas need more space than most dwarf bean plants – as much as pole beans. Remember to plant the beans edgewise with the eye pointed down.

Generous spacing allows for easy cultivation with a hoe through the growing season. And if my bean plants get to high, I just pinch off the ends of the growing plants. This encourages outward, rather than upward, growth.

Bush beans include dwarf, snap or string, wax, limas, and what is called brittle beans. Pole beans include pole limas, wax, and scarlet runner. The scarlet runner is a wonderful decorative addition to my vegetable garden. Its flowers are deep red and look great against my old fence. Scarlet runners are nice additions to flower gardens and anywhere you want a vine. The nicest thing about the scarlet runner is that you get both beauty and food.

You Can’t Beat Beets!

Beets are root vegetables that grow on flowering plants. They’re easy to grow, and you can eat almost all of the plant. The top leafy part (a good source of Vitamin A) can be used fresh in salads, and the roots (good source of Vitamin C) can be cooked. Believe it or not, the leafy green part is more nutritious than the root!

While beets tolerate heat, they do best in a cooler climate. They’re good for a long growing season, and you can stagger planting to assure a continuous supply of fresh beets throughout the rest of the year.

Beets need organic soil to grow well. My beets do best in rich, sandy loam. I learned the hard way that fresh manure is fatal for beets. A particle of manure next to a beet root can doom a young plant. To avoid this, I dig a foot-deep trench, spread a very thin layer of manure at the bottom of the trench, and cover the manure with well-crumbled top soil. That way, you get the fertilizer benefits of the manure while also protecting your young beet plants.

When planting, I space rows about one foot apart to leave enough room for cultivation of my vegetable garden. Beet “seeds” are really clusters of small seeds in a dried fruit. They won’t grow well if they’re transplanted, and they need to be handled more carefully than many other vegetables. I plant the seeds about one-half inch deep in the rows. I’ve also found that I have to thin my beet sprouts to keep them healthy. Beets have very shallow roots, so I have to weed the vegetable garden often so that they don’t have to compete with weeds for important nutrients.

The Diverse Cabbage Family

The Crucifer family – cabbages – include many vegetable plants: cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, and kohlrabi (a combined cabbage-turnip).

The high-classed cauliflower needs rich soil and doesn’t tolerate frost. I’ve learned to give my cauliflower plenty of manure water for extra richness. Like with young cabbage, the outer leaves should be well- bent to get a healthy white head. I’ve found it best to plant and easier to grow the dwarf varieties.

Kale is not so picky. Though it needs rich soil like cauliflower, it can tolerate frost. Because kale matures slowly, it needs to be planted in early spring. But you can also plant it in early fall to get an early crop the following year.

The popular brussel sprout is a good substitute for the larger common cabbage plant. I enjoy growing brussel sprouts in my vegetable garden because their stalk stands tall. Almost like an umbrella, the top is a closed head of leaves. But this is not the part we eat. The umbrella crown shades the delicious small cabbages (sprouts) that grow along the stalk.

Like most Crucifer plants, brussel sprouts need rich soil and lots of water. I plant the seeds in May and then transplant the young plants in late July. My vegetable garden rows for brussel sprouts are 1-1/2 inches apart, and I put the plants about a foot apart in the garden rows.

Kohlrabi bridges the gap between cabbage and turnips. Sometimes called the turnip-root cabbage, its stem expands into a turnip-like vegetable. The true turnip swell is underground, but the kohlrabi’s edible part is above ground. Kohlrabi is easy to grow, but I have to encourage the plants to grow fast. Growing too slowly, the swell gets too woody for good eating.

I like to plant the seeds inside in early spring and then transplant them to my vegetable garden as the weather and soil get warmer. I form my vegetable garden rows two feet apart, and put the young plants about a foot apart when I transplant them to the outdoors. Kohlrabi seeds go a long way – an ounce of seed will produce a hundred-foot row of plants. A great early crop, I prepare and serve my kohlrabi like I do with turnips.

One of my favorite cabbage plants is the Savoy. It’s one of the best varieties for cooking, especially for slaw and salads, and it’s best for growing in poor soils. I plant seeds early in the year (February) under cover and then transplant the young plants to my vegetable garden in the spring (March or April). The closer together I plant the young savoy, the smaller their heads. So I try to provide for at least one foot of space in all directions around each young plant.

What’s Up, Doc, with Carrots?

Carrot is a hardy cool-weather plant that creates a thick root in its first growing season. There are two general types of carrot plant: long roots and short roots. For healthy long-root types, I have to work the soil down to at least eighteen inches. The short carrots do well in eight inches of sandy soil. Like beets, carrots don’t tolerate manure very well.

I’ve also found that I must thin carrots frequently. As the seedlings sprout, they are too close together and compete for nutrients and sunlight. I thin a little, wait a while, and then thin again. I love growing carrots because I can harvest the young tiny carrots for my table. I can also wait and have big Bugs Bunny type carrots for my kids.

Cucumbers – the Fresh Pickle

Cucumbers are really fruit, but they can be grouped with gourds among vegetables. I’ve heard the cucumber originated in India. It’s a creeping vine that roots and grows in spiraling strands or climbs trellises or other supports. Its large leaves shade the fruits.

I get the best plants when I use light, sandy, organic soil. And I’ve also found it’s best to plant them on a slope where drainage is easiest. In hot-houses, they can hang from the ceiling where they become beautiful hanging vines. I’ve seen some brave vegetable gardeners keep a hive of bees in their hot-houses to help with cross-fertilization of their cucumber plants.

I’ve found that it’s best to plant the seeds indoors, covered with one inch of rich soil. In an area of about 30 square inches, I plant six seeds with the germinating end down. When all frosts are past, I plant each set of six plants, together with the original planting soil, in the open vegetable garden. Later, I plant them in hand-made hills with four feet of space on all sides.

Let Us Have Lettuce

Lettuce is one of the earliest human vegetable crops, growing wild before it was cultivated by man. I can tuck it into spaces throughout my vegetable garden. It’s a very decorative plant, with a compact head and lovely big green leaves.

As the lettuce plants age, they go to seed. I pull them up, as I have no interest in going into the seed business. But I do want fresh tender lettuce throughout the season. The only way I have achieved this is by planting in early spring and then planting again every ten days or so throughout the summer.

There are many varieties of lettuce with different planting and growing requirements. I prefer leaf, cos, and butterhead lettuce because I can plant them anytime in the early spring. I’ve found that my lettuce doesn’t do well in the heat, so I stop planting about a month before the hottest part of the summer. But I’ve planted lettuce plants in the shade of other plants in my vegetable garden and planted late in the summer to get good fresh lettuce into the fall.

I plant lettuce seeds shallow – from a quarter to half an inch deep – in rows about a foot apart. Then I thin the seedlings so that plants have six to eight inches between them. The nice thing is that I can serve the seedlings I’ve thinned in my early spring salads. Nothing goes to waste.

More than Veges in My Vegetable Garden – Melons

Though they originated in Asia and parts of Africa, melons pleased the taste of ancient Romans. They’re a summer fruit, often grown in hot-houses. They need a lot of space, a lot of heat, and a lot of sun. They also need 3-4 months of growing time, fertile soil, and lots of water.

I prepare 2-3 foot mounds spaced 4-6 feet apart for my melon plants. The mound soil should be compost-rich. Sprinkling sand or lime on and around the mounds helps prevent insect damage to the young plants.

As they grow, the vines get to heavy to stand on their own, so I provide something like tennis netting for the vines to follow. I plant eight seeds in a mound, setting them about two inches apart, and planting them about an inch deep. Watermelon plants need more space – up to ten feet between each mound.

When the plants reach about four inches in height, I reduce the number to two per mound, always picking the sturdiest plants. I cut the close to or below the surface rather than pulling plants up as this is likely to damage the roots of the remaining plants.

One word of advice – be very careful in watering your melons. They’re vulnerable to fungal diseases, and overhead watering may be dangerous for them. I’ve found that drip-irrigation, a slow trickle at the base of the plant, keeps my melons growing healthy throughout the growing season.

The Joys of Vegetable Gardening

I love my vegetable garden. It gives me many hours of peace and serenity as I work with the soil and gently grow beautiful plants. My vegetable garden repays my family with many fresh, healthy meals and good nutrition.

It’s taken a lot of experimentation and some failures to have a productive vegetable garden, but it’s been worth every minute of work. The joy of handling soil and seed, tending to precious young plants, and harvesting beautiful mature plants is one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done.

Organic gardening – General Notes on Organic gardening systems

Organic horticulture employs the crucial principles of organic agriculture for the successful herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants growing. These principles concern the management of pests in the garden, soil composition and conservation, etc.

General Notes

Mulches, Double Digging, compost, Vermicompost, cover crops, mineral supplements and manures are the main constituents of the soil mixture in this kind of gardening in contrast to the commercial farming. Organic horticulture expects to minimize the risk of insects, fungi, and diseases development with the help of maintaining the high quality of the soil. Nonetheless, sometimes it is still necessary to use insecticidal soaps and sprays, pheromone traps, or other pest-control means, created especially for organic farmers.

Experts define five fields of horticulture:

-           olericulture, which stands for the production and marketing of vegetables;

-           pomology that means the production and marketing of fruits;

-           floriculture, which is the production and marketing of floral crops;

-           landscape horticulture that includes the production, marketing, and      maintenance of landscape plants;

-           and finally, post harvest physiology that studies and practices the preservation and maintaining of the quality of horticultural crops

All these areas can utilize the key principles of organic gardening.

Organic horticulture employs the methods and uses data, which have been collected for thousands of years. Generally speaking, this type of gardening is based on the natural, long-term processes and eco-friendly, global approaches, in contrast to horticulture, based on the use of chemicals that speed up the processes and aim at the separate results and reductionist strategies.

Organic gardening systems

There exist various formal organic gardening systems that utilize peculiar methods. They are listed among the general organic standards, but are more specific than them. For example, Rudolf Steiner developed the so-called biodynamic farming. Masanobu Fukuoka, the Japanese writer and farmer, practiced Natural Farming, based on the so-called no-till system for the small-scale production of grain. Finally, intensive and biointensive techniques and SPIN Farming (Small Plot INtensive), developed in France, also belong to the small-scale gardening methods.

A garden in a container or growing box provides healthy, organic, and highly nutritional food. Moreover, it is also the means to share one’s experience, to improve local economy, and to offer better and more sustainable way of living. A small raised bed garden of 32 square feet is capable of supplying tasty, healthy, and organic greens to a family, requiring, at the same time, less water and fewer nutrients if it is based on the postulates of bio-intensive planting and square foot gardening.

In addition, the existing garden can be improved with the help of composting or vermicomposting. These methods allow getting the best organic fertilizers by reusing organic matter, which provides necessary nutrients to the organic garden. Besides, compost and vermicompost are always an easy way to improve the results.

Fall Flower Gardening- 12 “Attractive” Features Of Fall Flower Gardening!

Autumn is a wonderful season! All the different hues of nature can be witnessed in the trees around! Flowers give out heady fragrances, and there is generally an atmosphere of magic all around! This season is therefore a boon for garden lovers, since there are any number of plants which are created just for fall flower gardening!

Some features of fall flower gardening are listed below–

(1) Why fall flower gardening at all? These magnificent plants give a new look to the landscape around the house. The gardener gets immense pleasure from what he/she has created. And best of all, one is surrounded by intoxicating perfumes!

(2) Fall season stretches to a few months. So when is the best time to begin fall flower gardening? People who live in highly warm climates are lucky! The (annual) flowers can be planted during autumn itself. Additionally, they even grow and bloom in the same season; so the owner can enjoy everything at one and the same time!

Those dwelling in places with colder climates will have to plant the flowers before fall, and wait to enjoy their color and fragrance during the autumn.

(3) In actual fact, there is no standard answer to the above question–it is just a matter of guesswork. Every year, there could be a different time period that seems appropriate for fall flower gardening. All that an avid gardener can do is wait till the opportunity presents itself, and then grab it!

To illustrate with an example, a mild summer may be followed by a period of rainfall. This occurs somewhere towards the end of August. This then would be an ideal time for growing flowers. In other areas, September would seem to be the ideal month for growing flowers.

(4) There is another choice available–an entirely new flower garden can be started just before autumn.

When the summer season comes to an end, local garden centers offer those plants which could not be sold during the spring season, at discounted rates. Unless there are pests on these plants, they can be safely taken home and brought back to good health via container gardening. Once the weather turns cooler, the same plants can be transplanted into the outdoor garden.

(5) Fall flower gardening can include annual plants as well as perennials. Annual flowers are tender and may survive for a briefer period than perennial flowers. Perennial plants are sturdier and able to tolerate early frost–so their flowers can be enjoyed for a lengthier period of time.

(6) With a little research, the gardener can obtain plants that grow late blossoms, but generally before the arrival of the first frost. These flowers are actually planted during the summer; so, it is possible that excess foliage will need to be trimmed during fall season. This is done by pruning or staking. A disadvantage is that pruning leads to late blooming.

(7) Fall flowering garden can include plants that grow vegetables too. Some of them are peppers, cabbage and kales. As a matter of fact, ornamental peppers exhibit wonderfully colored flowers and fruits. Thus, enjoy them and taste them too!

(8) Some popular flowering plants are–perennial asters that blossom every fall, year after year, and pansies; pansies bloom during the fall, winter and spring seasons.

(9) Some exotic and colorful additions to the garden can be attempted if the gardener so desires. These could be–reddish-purple love-lies-bleeding flowers, pinkish-purple mums, and New England asters.

(10) There are other blooms that can really be breathtaking in appearance! They are therefore welcome additions to the flower garden.

Nasturtiums (give out orange and yellow flowers).
Silver king artemisia.
Reddish-purple plumed celosia.
Bronze coleus.
Marigold (give out yellow, gold and orange flowers).

(11) Perennial plants come in a vast range. The gardener can take his pick from among sunflowers, aconite, yellow wax bells, phlox, autumn crocus, tall verbena, golden rod, Russian sage, black-eyed susan or the ragged coneflower.

(12) To enhance the fall flower gardening experience, the gardener can visualize the difference that vines, shrubs and ornamental grasses will create when invited to become part of the already vivid panorama!

How to Grow an Herb Garden

How to grow beautiful culinary herbs

You don’t have to be a chef or have a green thumb to grow an herb garden. Culinary herbs are extremely easy to grow. Once they get going, they add fragrance, texture and color to just about any garden or space. Harvest your culinary herbs to make everything from herbal teas, vinegars and flavorful recipes.

Herbs don’t require much space to grow. You can plant them in beds in a garden or you can grow them in a small container. Combining herbs can create a beautiful effect. Your bed or container is your canvas – and what you plant there can grow into a beautiful masterpiece.

Plenty of sun
Herbs love plenty of sunlight. When choosing a location for your herbs, look for an outdoor area or window that gets 5-7 hours of direct sunlight each day.

Well-drained soil
Whether you are planting your herbs in containers or a garden, start by testing your soil for nutrients and pH. It may be necessary to adjust your soil pH to the near-neutral pH of 6-7 that herbs grow best in. You will also want to add a layer of organic compost and minerals to the soil prior to planting.

Adequate water
Herbs like well-drained soil, but well drained soil needs to be watered more frequently. Don’t just water on a whim. Stick your finger down into your soil approximately 1″ to 1-1/2″. There is no need to water unless your soil feels almost dry to the touch.

Three rules of thumb for fertilizing your herbs
Fertilizer is often referred to as “plant food.” The most important thing to remember when feeding your herbs – use products that are organic. Remember, you are going to be consuming what you grow. If you don’t want to consume chemicals, don’t use them on your herbs.

Second rule of thumb – feed your herbs a balanced diet.
Fertilizer or “plant food” provides your herbs with the major elements they need to grow and thrive – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Your plants also need minor elements called micronutrients, which contain the minor elements required by your plants to grow.

Finally.
Feed your plants through their leaves (foliar feeding). Foliar feeding is 100-500% more effective than root feeding and offers quicker results. Look for organic foliar fertilizers and micronutrients. Spray all the leaves of your herbs every 1-4 weeks.

Harvesting and storage
Once your herbs are established it is important to cut them back on a regular basis. Never harvest more than 1/3 of each individual herb plant. The best time to harvest your herbs is in the morning, when the oils are still readily available in their leaves. Harvest your herbs before they flower. This will prevent them from putting forth seed and will encourage more vigorous green growth.

You can use your herbs right away, refrigerate them or put them in a plastic freezer bag and freeze them up to 6 months.

Whatever you do, enjoy growing your culinary herbs.
You will feel like a gourmet, each time you wander into your garden to clip a few herbs for your culinary productions. Even if you don’t cook much, snip a bit of fresh mint from your herb garden to transform a simple glass of ice tea into the most delectable treat. Or garnish a fruit plate, fresh vegetables and salads with your fresh herbs. Using them is as easy as growing them.

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