Gardening Information

2005-11-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

How To Use Vines In Landscaping Your Home by Paul Curran

Vines can be the quick salvation of the new home owner.
Fast-paced annuals will twine up a hastily erected pergola almost
before summer starts, providing a cool, fragrant and beautiful
awning. Annuals and perennials (or hardy vines, as perennials are
called) are an inexpensive way of softening the lines of new
buildings, linking them to the landscape.

Decorative and functional, vines are often the answer for older
homes as well, the ground-covering varieties serving as cover for
foundations and banks, others spreading a carpet of flowering
greenery over walls, making fences seem friendlier and stone
buildings less harsh.

The methods by which vines climb will necessarily influence and
determine your selection. Some vines, such as grape vine, have
tendrils which reach out and grasp small objects to hold on to;
these vines need a lattice or fence. Others, such as Boston ivy,
have adhesive discs that fasten on to a brick or stone wall, and
still others, such as the climbing hydrangea, hold to a masonry
wall with small, aerial rootlets.

Finally, there are those that climb by twining around other
branches or poles, climbing from left to right, or right to left
(like honeysuckle). This type can be parasitic in the worst
sense, climbing over small bushes and trees and completely
strangling them.

No vine should be unsupported, however, and attractive vines are
those which are carefully trained and held up. Supports such as
arbors, trellises and per golas need not be elaborately
constructed, since their function is to display the vine, not
themselves. Wood or other material that does not require painting
is ideal, for the natural woods are really more suitable as a
background for vines than are the painted ones.

If you have a wooden house and want vines on the walls, it is a
good idea to construct a detachable trellis, hinged at the bottom
so that it can swing outward when painting is going on. There
will be sufficient flexibility in the tendrils to allow this.

Planting Vines

If you are planting annuals, ordinary digging in well-drained
soil should suffice. But if you are planting perennials, you will
want to plant them as well as any shrub; remember that if they
are planted close to the foundation, the soil may be poor
initially and may need preparation. The hole should be at least 2
feet square. Break up the bottom soil and mix in bone meal, peat
moss, etc.

If you are planting near the house, be careful to place the vine
far enough from the overhanging eaves so that water will not drip
on the leaves. In winter weather, wet leaves can freeze in the
evening and crack. Also, if the vines are placed against a sunny
wall they will get reflective heat, and so they should receive
extra watering in hot weather.
About the Author
Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and
webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their
nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes,
shrubs, seeds and garden products.Visit their
vines section now to find a great selection of vines for your
garden

2005-11-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

How To Use Flower Beds In Landscaping Your Garden by Paul Curran

The loveliness of flowering plants needs little embellishment by
description. Certainly every gardener seeks the beauty and color
that can be brought to his grounds by a variety of flowers. The
proper arrangement of flower beds in your garden and attentive
care to them can insure you a continuing bloom of lovely flowers
year after year.

For with planning, it is possible to maintain flowers in your
garden during the entire length of the growing season. Borders
and beds are planted with flowering annuals and perennials which
bloom at different periods during the year. By choosing carefully
initially, and by caring for the flowers thereafter, the blooms
will overlap each other, so that there will never be a period
when an old bloom disappears but that a new one will start to
show its color.

Preparing the soil for flower beds or borders requires greater
care than planting a lawn. For one thing, digging must be deeper.
It is not too much to dig the bed 2 feet deep, although 1 1/2
feet is suitable. It is, of course, possible to grow flowers in a
shallower bed than this, but the deeper you dig, the better your
production will be.

All heavy lumps should be broken up. It is a good idea to spread
some sand, cinders or ashes in the bottom soil to break it up.
Also, you might work manure, well-rotted compost, grass clippings
or peat moss into the bottom. Do not firm the bottom soil down,
but let it settle naturally.

Good loam should be used for the topsoile.g., well-rotted
manure, humus, peat moss, well-sifted leaf mold or heavy sand.
Wood ashes are fine for spring, and lime may be used for
loosening the soil. You might think about the character of your
soil and consider the particular fertilizer which contains the
elements your soil needs most. Should you use manure, be careful
not to let it touch the roots of plants.

Should you use manure, be careful not to let it touch the roots
of plants. The problems of color should be kept in mind when
planning flower borders and beds, so that while there is
sufficient contrast in texture and color of the flowers, there is
at the same time an attractive blending.

A plan for a bed of annuals, for example, might be designed to
stress zinnias, with contrast provided by such softer flowers as
chrysanthemum, scabiosa, nasturtium, cosmos and candytuft. Siting
of the flower bed is important. Ideally, it should be close to
the house, facing south or south west.

Any location that gets good sun, however, will produce well. The
border should be located away from trees or shrubs. These plants
absorb more than their share of moisture and nutrients from the
soil and, because of their strength, can overpower the more
delicate flowering plants.

A good background such as a stone wall or a fence adds to the
beauty of a flower bed or border, and evergreen shrubs make a
pleasing backdrop. Edgings need not be restricted, as they so
often are, to one color (e.g., the white of alyssum).

Coral bells, whose lovely foliage makes a handsome edge, are an
all-season flowering plant, and they provide unusual cut flowers.
Baby pansies, violas, portulaca, ageratum, dwarf double
nasturtium and dwarf marigolds are multi-colored flowers.
About the Author
Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and
webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their
nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes,
shrubs, seeds and garden products. Visit their site now to
find a great selection of flowers for your garden

2005-11-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

How To Plant Rose Bushes In Landscaping Your Garden by Paul Curran

For planting roses a good garden loam with organic matter is
important. It must contain peat moss, leaf mold, compost,
rotted or commercial manure, and the bed should be prepared
as far ahead of planting as is feasible in order to allow
for settling of the soil.

Fall is the best time for setting out roses, but you can
plant in spring. When they arrive from the nursery, plant at
once. If they have dried en route, soak the roots and put
the tops in a bucket of water before planting. Trim back any
roots that are weak, long or broken at this time. Dig a hole
that is wide enough to allow the roots to spread without
crowding.

The rose is properly placed when the bud (the point where
the top joins the roots) is just under the ground surface.
Space hybrid teas about 18 inches apart in any direction.
Prune the branches 6 to 10 inches from the soil.

To grow good roses it is necessary to cultivate, to prune
and to spray. If you have a well-cultivated bed you need not
worry about watering. But if you start to water in hot
weather, you must keep it up, soaking the roots thoroughly
about once a week.

Spraying every 10 days guards against the diseases and
insects that attack roses. Nicotine sulphate wipes out the
green lice; arsenate of lead is used against chewing
insects; or sulphur and arsenate of lead may be used in a
dust, as may DDT dust.

Winterize your roses by mounding sod around them after the
first frost, or mulch with straw and evergreens. In cold
parts of the country, remove the supports from the climbing
roses and place the canes on the ground, peg them, and cover
with soil mounds.

In spring, cut back your roses to within 6 inches of the
ground. Ruthlessly lop off all but three or four canes on
hybrid teas. This pruning will give you strong plants. When
your plants grow out from spring pruning, you will have to
disbud, cutting off all the buds except the top ones on the
cane. This is the way to grow large blossoms.
About the Author
Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and
webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their
nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes,
shrubs, seeds and garden products. Visit
their roses section to find a great selection of rose bushes for
your garden

2005-11-04T17:40:00.000-08:00

Types Of Roses To Use For Landscaping Your Home by Paul Curran

If you enjoy roses, you can use them functionally as well as
decoratively around your groundsas creepers, shrubs, vines,
climbers, hedges or just as beds of pure color. Rose originators
are enthusiastic and tireless, and every year new favorites
appear. Most recently the headliners were the bright floribunda
rose, Jiminy Cricket; the soft, pure-pink hybrid tea rose, Queen
Elizabeth; the bright" yellow peace rose. There are over 5,000
varieties of roses in the United States, and once you start
growing your own you are apt to change your preferences from
season to season.

In selecting roses, it is important to get healthy plants. Stems
should be green and un-shriveled, roots moist and partly fibrous.
The most expensive rose is not always the best rose; it may be
only a newcomer, much discussed and, therefore, a favorite.

In general, there are two types of roses: bush roses (similar to
shrubs) and climbers (producing canes that require some sort of
support). In the bush classification, the predominant type is the
hybrid tea; it accounts for over 60% of all roses grown in
America.

The other major bush types are the polyanthas (roses in large
clusters), the fioribundas (large-flowered polyanthas), and the
hybrid perpetuals (vigorous growers with a great crop in June and
continuous blooming throughout the summer). The climbers include
ramblers, whose long pliant canes have large clusters of small
roses that can be used for covering walls, fences and banks. The
climbers also are pillar roses, adapted to growing near buildings
and on posts and the climbing hybrid tree.

For planting roses a good garden loam with organic matter is
important. It must contain peat moss, leaf mold, compost, rotted
or commercial manure, and the bed should be prepared as far ahead
of planting as is feasible in order to allow for settling of the
soil.

About the Author
Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and
webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their
nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes,
shrubs, seeds and garden products.Visit
their roses section to find a great selection of rose bushes for
your garden

2005-11-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

How To Use Hedges In Landscaping by Paul Curran

A hedge that is well kept and attractive can do much for your
grounds. Used in the front of the house and on the sides of your
lot, hedges are a barrier against traffic, noise and all things
unsightly; at the same time they enhance the proportions and
general appearance of your house and lawns. And within the
boundaries of your property, hedges define paths and walks,
demarcate various areas, and help to screen service areas and
vegetable gardens.

The plant materials generally used for hedges are mentioned
elsewhere in this book. They include the tall background hedges
of holly, thorn or wattle; the informal flowering hedges of rose,
bridal wreath spirea or barberry; Such evergreens as mugho pine,
globe arbor vitae, box or eunonymus (most of which are used as
low edgings) and the colorful fruit and-nut hedges of thorn
apple, hazlenut, cherry, beach plum, cranberry and quince.

And, of course, there are the formal clipped hedges. Of these,
the Amur privet is by far the most widely used. In fact, the
privet is used so universally that it is original to choose any
of the above for hedging.

How to Plant Hedges

Hedge shrubs must be planted in the same manner as any other
shrub, with soil preparation all-important to the continued life
of the plant. The main consideration here is the spacing and
planning of the plants in relationship to each other.

One way to get a straight hedge is to dig a trench the length of
your intended hedge, with one side straight and your plants set
against this straight wall. The depth of the plant depends on
what you are planting, but privet may be set 3 inches deeper than
it was before being transplanted.

How far apart the hedge shrubs are set again depends on what
shrub it is, as some hedging materials are spreading and bushy.
Privet is usually set 1 foot apart; barberry, 9 inches to 1 foot;
larger shrubs, 2 to 4 feet.

The way hedges are trimmed has much to do with their health.
While a flat top is neat looking, it is easily damaged by snow
and ice accumulating on top. A rounded top is better, therefore,
for northern winters. And hedges should be trimmed to slop
outward from top to bottom so that the leaves on the bottom also
get sun.

About the Author
Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and
webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their
nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes,
shrubs, seeds and garden products.Visit their site now to find a
great selection of hedges for your garden

2005-11-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

How To Use Biennials & Perennials In Landscaping Your Garden by Paul Curran

Biennials

Biennials are generally very beautiful plants, with most
attractive flowers. They are somewhat more trouble for the
gardener, since they keep growing during their first year and do
not bloom until the second. Their great advantage is that their
seeding stage produces new plants which will bloom again two
years later, making it unnecessary to plant additional seeds.

The biennials are usually plant ed in early summer and
transplanted to good soil when they are large enough to handle.
It is a good idea to pot them at this time, particularly in areas
where plants cannot be left outdoors all winter. In some cases,
they can be transplanted to a coldframe, and then placed in the
flower bed the following spring. The requirements of careful soil
preparation apply to biennials as well as annuals.

After planting, if you want a continuous new growth of plants, it
is best not to weed and cultivate too assiduously. If a really
fastidious biennial patch is planted, it will be necessary to
replace the plants with new ones each year.

Perennials

Perennials are the basic flowers of any garden. Each year they
die and renew themselves for the next growing season.

They are long-lived and last for many seasons. Perennials are
also, historically, among our oldest plants. They have been
cultivated for centuries and often, as a result of breeding and
crossbreeding, bear no resemblance to their wild forebears. In
some of the perennials, the blossoms have become so specialized
through centuries of cultivation that they no longer grow 'seeds.

Other perennials are continually being developed by amateur
botanists and gardeners. As a result of this cultivation and
inbreeding, perennials as a rule are not as hardy as other
varieties. Another disadvantage is the tendency of certain
perennials to die down after flowering, thereby leaving gaps in
the garden.

There are a number of ways to solve the problems of
short-flowering periods and the resultant unsightly spaces. One
way is to intersperse perennials with annuals and other bulbs and
flowering plants whose bloom occurs either later or earlier than
that of the perennials. Some perennials are easy to transplant:
chrysanthemums, for example, can be moved from one place to
another with no noticeable effect on their vigor.

This is another way to keep color and bloom throughout the
growing season. A garden of perennials, either by themselves or
mixed with annuals and other bulbs, should be placed along a
path, or as a border, with a background of trees, shrubs, a wall
or fence.

The background shows the brilliant coloring to best advantage.
Some varieties can flourish in the shade, such as anemone, lily
of the valley, day lilies, sweet pea, primrose, hollyhock,
harebell and peonies, but these flowers must be chosen carefully
and faced so that some sun reaches them every day.
About the Author
Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and
webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their
nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes,
shrubs, seeds and garden products. Visit their site now to
find a great selection of flowers for your garden

2005-10-31T17:40:00.000-08:00

Pruning Roses by Ken Austin

Pruning your roses does not need to be a dreaded task. Follow these tips and make rose pruning an easy gardening job.

Prune from the ground up. Most people start at the top and this can harm the rose and it uses your valuable time.

If its old, gray and scraggly looking, cut it off.

If there are canes that are growing directly over the center, use your pruning saw or loppers and cut flush with the cane. Also remove any canes that are really crowding each other. Now you are ready to continue pruning.

When it comes to height remember this: mentally divide the cane into three equal parts and get ready to remove the top one-third. First, however check on the outward facing bud. It should be located at the intersection of the cane and a leaflet of five. There should be several and if possible find one that faces out.

If you have doubts, cut it off. If its smaller than a pencil it will only produce even smaller stems. For the larger canes be sure to seal with a drop of plain white glue like Elmers. This will prevent the borers from eating your plants.

Get rid of all remaining leaves. This will allow for new leaf growth and prevent fungus infections from the old ones.

The next step in pruning your roses is to take a wire brush and scrub off the woody material on the bud union. Be careful to avoid brushing off any new bud eyes. This is also supposed to stimulate and provide room for new canes from the bud union.

Finally, finish your rose pruning by cleaning up all the dead stuff youve cut away. Get rid of all the old petals and pull the weeds from around the rose bush. This will help to eliminate fungus and insect problems. Finish up by placing new mulch around the rose bushes.

There you have it! Pruning your roses in 8 easy steps!
About the Author
Ken Austin
http://www.1stinroses.com
http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com

2005-10-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

Caring for Long Stem Roses by Ken Austin

Widely considered to be the most popular roses for all occasions, what many people think of as classic long stem roses are in fact Hybrid Teas. A mixture between the Hybrid Perpetual and Tea Rose from China, these long stem beauties have long pointy buds with up to 30-50 petals per bloom.

Since the first discovered Hybrid Tea in 1867, there has been an explosion leading to thousands of long stem varieties coming in virtually every color except for blue or black. These long stem roses tend to flower continuously and can grow 2-6 feet tall. High susceptibility to disease and less fragrant smell, when compared to other types of roses, is often attributed to the great deal of inbreeding that has taken place to achieve the attractiveness of long stem roses.

Keep your long stem roses growing tall

When planting your long stem roses, be sure to select an area where they will get 6 hours of sunlight and good air circulation.

Do hard pruning in the late winter or early spring just as new growth begins. Remove old damaged canes from the center to let in fresh air and sunlight, leaving the thick healthy ones forming a circle on the outside. Cut the remaining stems to 12-24 inches and fertilize in a few weeks time.

To protect during harsh winters, tie the canes together and mound with soil. Surround the mound with insulating materials such as leaves or straw and shelter with a cylinder, perforated with breathing holes.

Adopt a regular spray program to protect the roses and their leaves from disease.

And, don't forget to give your long stem roses lots of water!

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening

Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

History of Wild Roses by Ken Austin

Wild roses, of the genus Rosa, are those naturally occurring natives found in Northern Hemispheres around the globe. Wild Roses can be found in forests, canyons, logged wastelands and thickets. They have continued to grow throughout the course of history and across a range of different terrains. Most modern day roses we know are mixed offspring of these wild roses.

Wild roses have had a rich history. They played roles in Greek and Roman culture, symbolizing themes such as love and allegiance. Later they became sought after for cosmetic, medicinal and religious purposes as well. However, with the beginnings of large-scale worldwide trade, rose horticulture and hybridization took root. This forever changed the wild rose landscape from a relatively small number of wild roses across the planet's surface to today's world with thousands-upon-thousands of rose varieties.

There are plenty of advantages to cultivating wild roses in modern-day rose gardens. Wild roses are strong, disease resistant plants, which can be grown in almost any less-than-ideal location. They are not dependent on regular fertilization and can tolerate some drought. Requiring essentially no care, wild roses are able to spread on their own, can handle being crowded and withstand transplanting at almost any time of year.

Some popular varieties of wild roses include:

Rosa Nutkana

An arching shrub with pink petals, the rosa nutkana grows in milder climates. Though it is fairly weather-tolerant, this shrub is best cultivated in sunny and well-drained locations. Prune often as thickets grow quite quickly.

Rosa Rugosa

This species, native to China, Korea and Japan, has been made into a number of different rose cultivars. It is a fast growing pink flower with rose-hips resembling small tomatoes. It prefers full sunlight and well-drained acidic soil. Since it is a salt-tolerant plant, it is an ideal shrub in coastal conditions. Light infrequent pruning will help keep growth of the rosa rugosa under control.

Rosa Foliolosa

This is a member of the rosaceae family and is also know as leafy rose or prairie rose. The rosa foliolosa is a lovely little rose found mainly in Central and North Central Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It is small in size with very thin wood, very elegant little foliage, with usually nine tiny leaflets per leaf. One of its great characteristics is its fern-like bright green foliage.

Rosa Blanda

Another member of the rosaceae family, the rosa blanda, also known as meadow rose is a shrub-like thornless plant which grows to about three to four feet tall and prefers rich soil in full sun to light shade. It produces lovely pink flowers between June and August and the fruit resembles small apples.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening

Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

Black Roses - Fact or Fiction by Ken Austin

Throughout the course of time, black roses have conjured up a variety of symbolic meanings. From unnatural worlds to death, vengeance, farewell or rebirth, the black rose has come to be viewed in a number of different ways depending on the occasion.

Though symbolic meanings may differ, the interesting truth is that black roses do not even exist. What many believe to be black roses are actually dark-red colored roses, which have such a deep color that they appear to be black. Perhaps someday not too far in the future a black rose will exist as many in the field are working with the myriad of rose varieties and colors to come up with the coveted black formula.

In the meantime, there are quite a few roses come which come close. Here are a couple of the more well-known varieties of "black roses" gardened in different climates all over the world:

Black Magic

One of the darkest roses, this rose has black buds before it blooms into velvety garnet flowers.

Black Baccara

Perhaps the darkest, this blackberry colored rose also tends to be blacker before its blooms begin to open into velvety textured petals, growing up to four feet tall with flowers June through August.

Black Beauty

This small flower begins as a burgundy bud and opens into an almost black velvet bloom.

The "black roses" should be grown in sunlight, but be attentive to potential sunburn problems. If you plan to make bouquets from your garden and are looking for something a bit darker, try adding a touch of black dye to the water in your vase.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening

Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

Dealing With Rose Bushes by Ken Austin

Roses are classified according to the way they grow. One of the predominant ways is in bushes. Rose bushes are self-supporting and grow their flowers mainly at the top of the plant. They can be as small as just a few inches and as tall as up to 6 feet. There is every possibility that your rose bushes can be as radiant as the sun, given the right care.

Several types of rose bushes include:

Floribunda

A mix of the Hybrid Tea and Polyantha, this bush with clusters of flowers is ideal for growing a rose bed. Floribunda roses were introduced to the mass public by Jackson & Perkins during the 1939 World's Fair in New York. They have gained in popularity due in part to the fact that they are easier to cultivate and more disease resistant that Hybrid Teas.

Grandiflora

Characterized by tall stems holding clusters of flowers, this rose bush is a cross between the Floribunda and Hybrid Tea.

Hybrid Tea

Considered to be the most popular rose bush, the Hybrid Tea is known for its long stems and roses which have a distinctive cone center. This classic looking rose is ideal for making bouquets.

Miniatures

These scaled-down versions of larger flowers, such as Floribundas or Hybrid Teas, generally average 1-2 feet in height. They can be grown in rock gardens and even indoors. Often they are planted as edgings for rose beds or as borders.

When gardening with rose bushes, clear away all dead and weak branches at the beginning of spring. Continue to prune regularly to stimulate new flower growth and prevent the bush from tangling. In colder climates, the bush should be protected from winter by mounding the base with soil, tying canes together to prevent wind-damage and covering with a perforated protective cylinder.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening

Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

Rose Gardening Challenges by Ken Austin

Rose gardening can be a challenging exercise but you don't have to be an expert to grow roses. Roses are grown successfully in gardens in nearly every different type of climate and environmental condition. Coming in a rainbow of colors and thousands of different modern-day varieties, roses offer a wonderful array of choices to followers of this beloved rose gardening pastime.

Rose gardening is special, though there are numerous recipes for cultivating the perfect rose garden, with even just a few of the basics such as sunshine, water and fertilizer, a rose garden can thrive in any climate. By adapting the following rose gardening tips to your specific needs, you can maintain a lush and lively rose garden.

Before you plant

Be sure your roses will be in an optimum location where they will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight per day, preferably morning sunshine.

Provide your roses with ample space to grow by digging a hole that is at least two-feet wide and two-feet deep. Add potting soil or organic compost for nutrients.

Keep roses moist by watering diligently for several weeks once you have planted them.

Help your rose garden to flourish

Monitor the pH levels in the soil as roses generally prosper at a pH of about 6.5.

Fertilize in the spring when roses begin to leaf out and continue regularly until just before the arrival of winter frosts.

Remove dead flower heads occasionally to instigate new bloom growth.

Prune your roses at least once per year. With new plants, prune after the first blooming period is over. For older plants, pruning after the winter will help to begin rejuvenation and new growth. In colder climates you may also want to prune just after the first frosts to prevent harsh winter damage.

And always remember, roses love lots of water and proper drainage.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening

Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Secrets to Keeping Your Carnivorous Plants Alive, Healthy and Beautiful by Jacob Farin

SECRET #1: Know thy plant.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but one that first-time growers overlook. There are many types of carnivorous plants occurring on every continent in the world, except Antarctica.

If you were to go on a world-wide expedition looking for as many types of carnivorous plants you can possibly find, you will discover carnivorous plants growing in Japan, China, Australia, India, South Africa, Spain, France, Ireland, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and the United States.

If you were to explore the United States alone, you will find carnivorous plants in nearly all of the 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska.

So, the first secret in keeping your carnivorous plants alive, healthy and beautiful is to know what type of carnivorous plant you have. With thousands of species of carnivorous plants in the world, each type requires their own care.

Hopefully, your plant came with a tag that identifies its species. If not, visit Sarracenia Northwest for a list of carnivorous plants that are commonly grown in cultivation.

http://www.cobraplant.com/grow-carnivorous-plants.html

SECRET #2: Brighten their days with full sun.

Once you know what type of carnivorous plants you have, just duplicate their natural surroundings. This means giving your plants the type of sun exposure and water they might experience in the wild.

Lets start with sun. It often surprises many people to find out that the vast majority of carnivorous plants enjoy full sun. You see, carnivorous plants grow in bogs, which are open fields of wetlands.

Most people confuse bogs with marshes. Marshes typically are closer to the ocean and contain slightly salted water. Marshes are also overgrown with trees, making them shady.

Bogs, on the other hand, contain fresh water, usually bubbling up from an underground spring, and can be found on mountaintops and other places far away from the ocean. If you see a bog in nature, you will notice that there are no trees in it. So, all plants growing in a bog are exposed to full sun.

This is true for Venus Flytraps, North American Pitcher Plants and nearly all Sundews. As a result, these plants do best growing in 6-8 hours of direct sunlight during their growing season. Four hours of direct sunlight are definitely the absolute minimum. Anything less than that will cause your plants to struggle for survival.

The only types of carnivorous plants that are not exposed to full sun in the wild are Asian Pitcher Plants, Butterworts and some species of Sundews. These plants prefer bright indirect light.

Now you know what types of carnivorous plants you have, give it the proper sunlight. With US native plants, grow them outside during the growing season (spring through fall). With Asian Pitcher Plants and Butterworts, grow them in a window that receives bright indirect light.

If you do not have enough natural light, use 20-40W fluorescent light tubes or fluorescent compact bulbs that are equivalent to 100W. Keep the light source about 8 inches above the plant, and keep it on for 12-14 hours per day.

Avoid using incandescent bulbs because it produces too much heat and the wrong type of light.

Secret #3: Soak their feet.

After giving your carnivorous plants the right amount of light (full sun, partial sun or indirect light), now you need to make sure it gets the right amount of water.

Nearly all carnivorous plants grow in bogs, which are constantly wet. So, if you want to duplicate what they experience out in nature, you need to provide constantly wet soil.

Some people prefer to simply water their plants every day. Personally, I find this to be a real drag, especially when I have so many other things to do, like watch a good DVD or scratch my dogs belly.

The easiest way to make sure the soil is constantly wet is to keep your plant in a bit of standing water. Use a tray, bowl, saucer or any container that holds water. Fill the container with water and place your plant right in. Allow the water to go half way up the pot. Just make sure you do not drown the crown or base of the plant. Remember, they are bog plants, not water plants (big difference!).

But, before your plants start soaking their little feet, make the water is relatively pure. It does not need to be blessed by a Tibetan monk, but it should at least have low levels of minerals (less than 100 parts per million). Check with your local aquarium supply store for water hardness kits.

You can use distilled water or rainwater, but this is feasible only if you have only a few carnivorous plants. If you are like me, you might have several thousand.

In that case, local tap water will do just fine. If the water has a lot of naturally occurring minerals or additives to make the water soft, consider hooking your hose up to a reverse-osmosis unit. Check your local hardware store for this type of filter.

Avoid using simple charcoal-filtration units. Although they are great in removing chlorine and other not-so-tasty chemicals, they are inadequate in removing minerals.

One more thing: some carnivorous plants prefer not to have their feet dunked in water. This is true with Asian Pitcher Plants. They prefer to have moist soil rather than wet soil. With these plants, water them once or twice weekly.

Secret #4: Season your plants.

One day while I was at the Farmers Market selling my carnivorous plants, a customer stopped by and said that she had the good fortune to see a type of carnivorous plant growing in the wild while visiting friends in Canada.

I immediately knew which plant she had seen, so I held up a Purple Pitcher Plant and she exclaimed, Yes, that is the plant I saw!

I then told her how easy it was to grow that plant outdoors all year round, to which she replied, But during the winter, you have to bring them indoors, right?

Why would you need to do that?

Because it will get too cold for them, she stated with authority.

At that point, I was very puzzled. So, I said to her, If you saw them growing in the wild in Canada, surely they can live outdoors in Oregon. It gets much colder in Canada than it does in Oregon.

It amazes me how often some people assume that just because a plant is carnivorous it is: 1) tropical, 2) delicate, and 3) difficult to grow. This is precisely why people kill their carnivorous plants. They treat them as a tropical, delicate carnivorous plant that is difficult to grow without knowing if they actually have a tropical, delicate carnivorous plant that is difficult to grow. This is definitely a recipe for disaster.

All carnivorous plants native to the United States and Canada are considered temperate plants, meaning they go dormant during the winter months, and come right back to life in spring and summer. Other non-carnivorous plants that do this are roses, daisies, daffodils and thousands upon thousands of other types of plants grown all around the world.

This is why Secret #1 is a very important secret. You need to know what type of plant you have to determine whether it requires winter dormancy or if it needs to be indoors during those cold winter months.

Temperate plants need to rest up for spring. Without their winter rest, they get very cranky and may fail to grow in spring. Think of how you feel when you do not get enough sleep. So, if you want healthy vibrant plants in spring, give them a winter rest. They might even reward you with flowers!

Secret #5: Hold the fertilizer, please.

If you want gorgeous looking carnivorous plants during the growing season, repot your plants right before they come out of dormancy. In most cases, this would be in March. Repotting your plants serves two purposes.

Firstly, carnivorous plants need room to grow. Depending on the species, some rhizomes can get quite large. Other species have long deep taproots. So, it is important that you give these guys enough root space.

Secondly, changing the soil yearly aerates the roots. With fresh oxygen, roots will grow more robustly, producing healthier plants.

Springtime is also a time when you should cut off dead leaves or any leaves that have turned brown. This will prevent fungal infections and increase sunlight to the base of the plant.

When repotting your plants, a standard soil mix to use is 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. Peat moss adds acidity and retains moisture, while perlite provides drainage.

This soil recipe is sufficient for 80% of all carnivorous plants. You can adjust the recipe by adding more perlite or other inert matter to increase the drainage. Just make sure the soil is void of nutrients and fertilizer.

Fertilizer is toxic to carnivorous plants and will burn their roots. (Very painful.) Carnivorous plants will get all of their nutrients from insects caught in their leaves.

There you have it! You have just read the TOP 5 SECRETS TO KEEPING YOUR CARNIVOROUS PLANTS ALIVE, HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL.

You learned:

Secret #1: Correctly identify the type of carnivorous plant you have. Remember, not all carnivorous plants are created equal. Some grow in temperate bogs, while others grow in hot humid jungles.

Secret #2: Brighten their days with full sun.

Secret #3: Soak their feet.

Secret #4: Season your plants.

Secret #5: Repot yearly and hold the fertilizer.

Each secret is an important part of the foundation on which you can grow beautiful carnivorous plants all year round.

Believe it or not, you now know more about growing carnivorous plants than you local nursery. Really, when was the last time you saw Venus Flytraps being sold in the outdoor plant section? In nearly all cases, you will find them in the indoor plant section, amongst the tropical plants.

When you follow these simple steps, your carnivorous plants will have no choice but grow into healthy and beautiful plants that you can be proud of!

BONUS SECRET!
Always start with healthy and beautiful carnivorous plants. Make sure the seller is growing them correctly; otherwise you will have an uphill battle trying to keep your plants alive.

For healthy and beautiful carnivorous plants direct from experienced growers, visit Sarracenia Northwest at http://www.cobraplant.com.
About the Author
Jacob Farin is co-owner of Sarracenia Northwest, a nursery specializing in the cultivation of beautiful carnivorous plants. Visit him at http://www.cobraplant.com.

2005-10-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Whack-O-Matic by Tammy Clayton

Copyright2005 Tammy Clayton

Morning coffee with the internet has become a tradition of mine in recent years. The internet holds a much greater variety of information than the newspaper, as well as less depressing things to read at the beginning of the day. No one should have to wake up with murder and mayhem in their face. A more pleasant mindset is found in waking to check the weather, respond to a note from a friend, or reading about an exciting new plant. This morning I went to look for further information on a particularly nifty new plant on one of my vendors sites. Not finding that I clicked on another link that caught my attention in their Garden Writers section.

"Meatballs, Soapboxes and Tuna Cans", to be precise.

To a person who has never been employed within the landscape industry, that phrase would bring to mind food. To insiders it would have a far different meaning. Of course where I worked it was baseballs and cubes. So this mornings coffee was sipped between chuckles.

The author (head of sales) I would venture to say is younger than 50. Those over 50 feel that these balls, cubes, footballs or tuna cans are a staple that is required in the landscape. For the life of me I have never understood why we must have them. What is so necessary about using a shrub far to large for its placement and whacking off its limbs to shape it into an unnatural form? Off with its head! It should wear a size 42 long jacket, but we will force it to fit comfortably into a 10 short. It is interesting to note that also helpless poodles have also fallen victim to this manner of unnatural shaping and they are not plants. A month ago I witnessed a house cat shorn in this manner.

Mr. Woods, who wrote the afore mentioned article, has developed the opinion that it is an inherent human instinct. That we humans have so little that we actually have complete control over that our psyche has tuned in to the helpless shrubs in our yard. While I giggled often while reading his words, it struck me that he has a good point. Why else would we so cruelly inhibit the wild beauty of a shrub? In my early years I had no reason to argue with my father, the professional landscaper as to why we must do this. Quite the contrary, originally I assisted him in his whacking while trying to mimic his methods. It wasnt until I started to design plantings and began to see plants for their own individual beauty that I began to question this barbaric practice. It has come to be a long standing argument between us over the years. He refuses to budge from his Pro Juniper stance, insisting we simply MUST have the prickly old things. Yews and Burning Bushes have their place and are quite lovely if not placed where they can be gently shaped not beaten in submission twice a season.

During my contracting days, I would arrive at a clients home for a meeting about a landscape facelift to find the sad remains of Burning Bushes, Yews and Junipers that had resided along the walk or foundation for decades. All of them left much to be desired in the looks department after the last harsh whacking. Common sense told me that following decades of cruel treatment, the poor things have given up growing hair. Why should they continue to grow it if for the past 25 years every attempt was quickly lopped off? How much squelching of creativity can a being endure before throwing in the towel? In voicing this thought to successful lawyers and surgeons , I must admit I was rewarded with raised eyebrows. Why do we insist on planting a shrub that will grow eight foot tall and 12 foot wide in a 30 inch wide space and insist it does not exceed those confines? I am in agreement with Mr. Woods, it is one area to have complete control over in our lives.

So there I stand with this super successful professional, a man of high learning, who wants to know how we can coax this spent row of 5 foot tall trunks and stems along his walk into growing more hair in the bottoms. He thinks that fertilizer cures all of mans cruelty. (Remember that you must see things through the eye of the plant?) How am I to explain this to this person! My professional self developed a cunning approach. A landscape has a life expectancy of about 20 years. Yours seems to be about 5 years overdue for replanting. If this was not enough to convince the customer, I would go on to ask how long the wallpaper in their kitchen had hung there. Explaining that redecorating outdoors was just as necessary to variety in life than it was to keep up to date with their interior dcor. But they wanted back what they had before it turned into bare branches! The issue of certain control may very well be the answer.

Now I am not against hedges. I am not anti-evergreen. Pruning, thinning and shaping is of definite necessity to full and lovely shrubs and even some trees. Even every other aspect of life we look for the right thing to accomplish the task, but when it comes to the plants we place in our yards we seem to fall short in the search for the proper element. Proper planning should be the first consideration and whacking could become almost obsolete. It is good to know that plant breeders are busily developing new Arborvitaes and Yews that will stay in a nice little meatball shape without whacking. News that will lessen the maintenance you must forfeit your weekend to perform, alleviate the need to butcher the bushes and make all the hedge trimmer companies hold their breath over next years third quarter earnings.

As for the aspect of proper planning vs. constant replacement, if the space is 30 inches wide, then it would be best to consider installing only those shrubs that will never exceed 4 foot in width. Remember, a little shaping is good and a harsh whacking is lowering the life expectancy of the elements in your landscape. Proper planning is one of the best tools in creating a low maintenance planting.

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Read more great Gardening articles at:
http://www.lostintheflowers.com
About the Author
Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at LostInTheFlowers.com.

2005-10-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

Bluebirds by Tammy Clayton

Copyright2005 Tammy Clayton

This brightly colored bird has always been a romantic symbol for their unusual coloring as well as their gentle loving nature. In Victorian times, they were a common artful addition to romantic floral artwork on greeting cards and calling cards. Today, it is a rare thing to see a Bluebird flitting about.

The Bluebird is a native American. When European colonists originally settled this land, they had been here for thousands of years. It is believed that when the virgin forest on the east coast was in the first stages of being cleared, the Bluebird flourished and became more abundant. Its original adversary the Wren also became more plentiful right along with them though. The Wren is far more aggressive that the Bluebird and searches for a very similar type of abode. So as both species multiplied, the wrens made it hard for the Bluebird to make a home unless it faced due east.

Two events in history caused the dwindling of our brilliant blue natives numbers. The ships that carried the influx of human immigrants to our shores in 1851 and 1890 also gave passage to two feathered immigrants from Europe; the House Sparrow and the Starling. Both of these newcomers were adapted to the crowded industrial environments of urban and suburban Germany and England. The Sparrow already was known to have spread on that continent. Being resourceful, they quickly adapted to living in rural farmland. Both Sparrows and Starlings like a roof over their head. The new squatters aggressively put pressure on the gentle Bluebirds and took over their nests.

With so many people inhabiting the United States today, it is little wonder we see very little of the country loving Bluebird. There is a growing interest in the creation of housing for this beloved species beyond the bird-watching enthusiasts. The Bluebird house is becoming a popular addition to backyards, school property lines and farms again.

Bluebird houses were first put up in the late 1800s by bird lovers trying to accommodate their need for housing after the Sparrows and Starlings took over the easily accessible barn rafters, nooks in houses, hollow trees and fence posts across America. Natural nesting sites have also grown more scarce as farmers now manicure their orchards, and wooden fence posts have fallen out of use in exchange for metal ones. By the 1930s bird watchers were already wondering what happened to all those sweet singing beauties of days not so long gone by.

The first studies of Bluebird nesting habits were conducted in 1919 in Minnesota. Successful nest sites were measured for the size of the holes, as well as for the exact location and the role of predators and competitors. The tests were done in open pastures, orchards and suburban back yards. Concluding that only with massive saturations of scientifically designed predator-competitor proof nesting boxes could the decline of the Bluebird be stopped. So they established and monitored Bluebird trails with tens to hundreds of nesting boxes strung out across the land. The monitors set up communication networks in newspapers, magazines and the mail. Wherever there were Bluebird trail sponsors, Bluebirds began to reappear for people to enjoy. It is quite a thrill to see one, especially when one understands the odds against their gentle souls.

It neednt be inevitable that Bluebirds, once the most common thing in a yard, continue to loose ground against these alien intruders. Their population has dwindled and become so low, they are almost like a myth. Our Eastern Bluebird has suffered the most serious in loss. Amateurs and bird lovers alike can accomplish the hob in restoring the numbers of our native azure friends. The trails already in existence across the UDA and Canada form a network of hope across the continent. Armies of trail tenders and box erectors will bring more and more of them back to your yards as the number of boxes grows greater.

Found only in North America, these sweet noted dwellers of fence posts have a tender voice to go along with their gentle nature. No other species of bird has been used as much as the Bluebird in poetry and songs as a symbol of love, hope and happiness. The early settlers looked upon this bird as the sign that spring had arrived, and fondly called it the Blue Robin.

In Michigan, as all the other states east of the Rocky Mountains, we have the Eastern Bluebird. There are only two othersWestern and Mountain. Their diet is mainly insects, most of which are yard and garden pests. In the spring they love the cutworms that ruin crops and garden plants. Later in the summer through fall they dine on huge quantities of grasshoppers and wild berries. It is said that their courtship is beautiful and amazing, but it is a rare sight to behold.

The Bluebird is very territorial, the male protecting his food supplies from other male Bluebirds trespassing. The nesting site must have sufficient food for them to raise their young and exist themselves for them to be tempted to set up housekeeping. Only the female builds the nest in the chosen shelter, while the male accompanies her solely by singing his encouragement while she works.

Nest building starts in mid-May in Michigan and 3 to 5 clear blue eggs are laid in the clutch. The baby birds grow alarmingly fast, ready to leave the next in 15 to 20 days after hatching. By that time they are strong enough to fly fifty to one hundred feet their first attempt at flight to the nearest perch.

By early September most Bluebirds have finished up their family responsibilities for the season. A fortunate pair will have raised two or even three broods by that time. During the fall, families of Bluebirds roam leisurely through the countryside on a quest for insects and berries in great abundance.

Over these travels, different families join together in a loose flock, as they get ready for migrating. The date of their heading south is timed more by the weather and food supply than by the calendar. They migrate in search for food and congregate in more southern parts of their regions.

It is not that the Bluebird cannot spend winter in the northern areas like Michigan, quite to the contrary they will stay as long as the food supply lasts. Planting trees, shrubs and vines with berries that last through the winter will provide much needed foor for wintering birds. Bittersweet, flowering Dogwood, Cotoneasters, Washington Hawthorns, Privet, Sumac, Pyracantha, flowering Crabapples, Virginia Creeper, multiflora Roses (rose hips), and Mountain Ash are all favorite food sources in the cold season for birds that thrive in the northern climates. They can sometimes be tempted to feeding stations with raisins, other fruits and berries and chopped unsalted peanuts, but they are not seed eaters so you will never find them eating from normal bird feeders. Should the small fruits and berries they depend on become crusted with ice and snow, the effort of providing food will keep them from starving to death. If they are forced to go to roost hungry, bitter cold will cause many of them to die.

Properly built winter houses are enough protection from severe weather for them to live year round even in the north. To accommodate them for winter roosting, the box should be large enough to shelter a number of birds. Floor dimensions should be 10 x 10, with a depth of 18 and a width of 24. The hole must be 1 1/2 or Starlings will move in on them, and needs to be at the bottom of the box with a perch placed beneath it. Several horizontal perches should be positioned inside at various levels at staggered intervals up one sidewall using 1/2 doweling The side of the box should be hinged to allow cleaning in the spring. The box must be at least 6 feet of the ground to protect them from predators while they sleep, using a smooth metal pole that is greased so that nothing can climb it to reach the box. Place the winter roosts facing south for the most warmth from the sun.

For nesting boxes, again the hole should measure only 1 1/2 and be situated about 5 foot off the ground for observance of the young in the nest. But for the nesting the hole should be toward the top of the box to protect the young from cold drafts. The nesting box must face due east. Nesting boxes cannot be any closer than 100 foot apart. Too many boxes will result in no Bluebirdsremember they are territorial and will only reside where they know there is enough food for themselves and their young.

Small air holes should be put next to the roof board, and drainage should be provided in the floor so it will not fill up with water. The roof should be slanted downward in the front to stop rain from blowing into the nest.

What a delightful preserve to add to your yard, create your own Bluebird Reserve. Stop spraying the cutworms and grasshoppers, plant oodles of berry-bearing plants, and erect proper housing for both seasons in a suburban to rural setting and trust me, they will inspect the site and set to building a nest.

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For more great Gardening articles, visit:
http://www.LostInTheFlowers.com
About the Author
Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at LostInTheFlowers.com.

2005-10-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Concerning Mulch - PART ONE by Tammy Clayton

Copyright2005 Tammy Clayton

"I dont want any weeds to have to deal with."

The infamous statement uttered by millions. That is a pretty tall order to attempt to fill. Over the years, I have discovered that many people believe the fallacy that rock mulch over plastic or landscape cloth will render their planting free of weeds forever and ever. Covering up the soil equals no weeds?

In truth this is an absolutely not possible. After fighting weeds on hundreds of acres over decades of weeks, I can assure you it is just not possible. Nothing is sure in life but weeds and taxes. It is best to Accept the fact that one will have to deal with them after a while.

That plastic will begin to deteriorate and poke up through the mulch looking very unsightly. Dont try to remove it after a few years either, it will fall all apart and be partly under the dirt and partly stuck in the root systems of the maturing shrubs. Youll not be able to till up parts of the bed for a new look without angst over the rototiller being all bound up with strips of plastic and rocks wedged tightly between the tines.

Landscape plastic will only delay the weeds and cause another series of problems. It is commonly known that plastic repels water. That little hole left in the plastic sheeting around the base of your shrub or tree is not going to allow enough water to pass through to the roots at all. The fuller the leaf canopy, the less water will drip down through to the center instead the majority of the moisture will run off around the drip line. Plastic does not breathe either and healthy roots need air along with their water for plants to be healthy and flourish.

Stone mulch will either make the roots hotter or colder, depending on the weather as stone radiates heat and cold. The reason for mulch to be applied is to insulate the root system from extremes and help retain moisture longer to promote the health of the plants. Those plants that need air to the roots will not thrive under plastic and stone where insufficient air makes them weak and sickly.

While stone may look good to someit is very costly and dirt will still collect on the top of the weed barrier. As soon as things start going to seed around the protected area, there will be weeds everywhere in the stone rooting into that thin layer of deposited soil on top of the plastic. It is inevitable that weed roots beneath that plastic will creep around under it searching for an escape from the dark. These undercover and unwanted roots will never be found to eradicate, making them a constant problem to try and get rid of.

Landscape cloth is better in that it allows consistent moisture and some airflow to roots, but it does let weeds pop through the small holes in the weave. Once you have a weed rooted through the fabric, you will never be able to pull the roots. These contrived barriers in the long run will only make the installation more costly and a false belief that you will now be weed-free. Landscape cloth has beneficial applications in some situations and is best left to control erosion and not weeds.

If you simply must have mulch, the best choice for your shrub and tree beds is shredded hardwood or cedar bark mulch. Shredded bark mulches are fuzzy along the edges causing them to mat down and knit together after a good rain to stop erosion of loose soil to a great extent. Wood mulch encourages bugs to take up residence in it as deteriorating wood is their natural habitat. This will add the cost and need to spray chemicals on the mulch to control bugs that would never have moved in plain soil. Many is the horticultural professional who will not apply mulch to their planting beds for several reasons beginning with the insects it attracts. Secondly, they are aware that over time wood mulch decomposes to be soil again, thereby raising the soil level around the plants in the bed (causing future health problems with plants such as trees). Thirdly, because it makes it more difficult to weed the bed.

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For great Gardening tips and articles, visit:
http://www.LostInTheFlowers.com
About the Author
Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at LostInTheFlowers.com.

2005-10-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Pre-Spring Garden Planning by Tammy Clayton

Copyright2005 Tammy Clayton

The end of Februrary already? My how time does fly! The sun has already become more readily available than in the past few months. Perhaps more cold and clear, but those candle-hours are important to the sleeping natural world; it is their built in clock. You cannot lie to a plant, it knows what time it is. Far more intelligent than one gives them credit for.

As you plan what to add to your garden this winter, I am sure you are paying attention to the light and water requirements all good perennial vendors attatch to each entry in their catalog. This is very important to your success with each plant. But it is possible to mix more drought loving plants with those that require more moisture in the same planting with good results. The secret lies in the substructure of each given plant's area in the bed.

Drought lovers do like some water, they will reward you with a much more beauty with some weekly water...in a drought bed. But what if you want to put say - lavender and phlox in with lobelia and ligularia? Those water requirements can really hamper one's creativity! So some knowledge of drainage engineering will give you the ability to try mixing them in the same planting area. Lavender and Phlox like drier conditions. Not that the Phlox will die in a spot where daily overhead watering is recieved. It will survive and grow huge, and flower excessively, but be stricken with fungus that makes the lower leaves yellow, icky looking and then become half defoliated. Ground watering is it's preferred daily moisturizing treatement. One can place it in a corner the sprinkler doesn't hit and water that section by hand once or twice a week and it will reward you very nicely indeed. Since Phlox is rather tall, this avenue of placing it in the back corner works out well. It likes the moisture but not on its leaves. Roses fare better this way as well, especialy since one cannot control what the heavens will pour down. Less black spot and such other marring problems will occur, if ground water is used vs. overhead.

Lavender on the other hand loves it hot and dry. It doesn't mind what heaven pours down IF there is a good drainage structure where the roots are. Too much water retention and it will slowly die. To conteract good soil water retention where one would like to plant the ever so beloved lavender row, a blind drain is required. It is called "blind" because on the surface you do not know that it is different from the rest of the area. In a planting area that is scratched once or twice a month some of the substructure will mix into the top surface and change the color of the topping soil. But once the bed fills no one will see this. (Surface scratching, by the way will put much needed air tunnels to roots, create more water availability to roots, and lessen the amount of weeding one must do, if it is done twice a month.)

The smaller the particle size of soil, the moisture it will retain. Clay having the most minute pieces and sand having the largest. Each person's garden area will have a totally different soil structure. If you are in hard clay, I would advise that either you excavate 6" of clay and fill with 7 inches of peat/topsoil 50-50 fill OR raise the bed at least 6 inches above the harsh environment of the clay. Raising it is much less labor than excavating! Not too many things will do nicely in clay. The only way around it is correction. Once you have nice workable soil, with good moisture retention, yet good drainage - you can go about planning what goes where and how to amend each area for certain plants.

To get good drainage, you need to go down at least 4-6 inches, depending on the plants requirements. SHARP drainage is engineered with pea gravel in a 2" layer, followed by 2" of coarse sand, topped off with 2" of your rich garden soil. In times of extreme moisture the worst of it will lay in the gravel bed. The gravel there also holds more heat than the moisture retaining soil, therefore using the warmth to do away with excess water faster. Variegated irises planted with a bed of road gravel 4" beneath the surface will grow three times more lushly than those in average garden soil - they love that heat! Heat and drought loving plants are much happier in that environment when regular water is recieved. It is the retention that causes decline and not what comes from above. More moderate drainage would be created using 3" of sand and 3" of soil on top. Since each plant has different needs, your engineering of drainage will require a bit of working on. But it opens doors to what you can put in a planting as happy bedfellows that no drainage field would never allow you to attempt.

Plants such as Ligularia need loads of moisture. To truly enjoy these types of plants you must keep the soil moist at all times. So to plant these in a happy spot, average garden soil (50/50 peat-topsoil mix) must have good composted humus worked in and layed on top as a mulch. This holds water and coolness where it is needed for the roots to stay wet enough. Another neat trick I have seen that might aid in keeping these hungry types lush would be a water reservoir or two at their bases. Using an inverted 20 oz. pop bottle with the cap on and bottom cut off. Then 3/4 of the way up the bottle poke a small hole every inch. The water in the reservoir only leaks out when the water in the soil is depleated. So it slowly oozes moisture where it is needed. Refilling it would depend on the heat index and the amount of rainfall or irrigation in a given spot. To keep the soil from filling the bottle, a peice of landscape fabric, a hunk of old polyester fabric, or even the foot of an old nylon stocking, rubber banded in place allows moisture in while keeping most of the dirt from washing into your reservoir.

If tulip bulbs are rotting in an area due to heavy spring and fall moisture a more aggressive drain system is needed that will carry the water down and out more quickly. Water runs down hill, so an incline to your drain bed is needed. The more water, the more layers of decreasing size fill is needed and the deeper one must go to drain the area. BEWARE! Sometimes you can over do drainge and even daily watering will not keep things moist enough! If that problem occurs, excavate and change your "recipe" to lessen the sharpness of draining. As with all things, experience is good guidance as to what is enough and what is too much. Heavy water problems can be solved with this system. The bigger the area, the bigger your drain field. Using successive layers of 1-2" roofing stone, pea gravel, coarse sand and topsoil or garden soil. Some drains go down a whole foot or more. The layered field can also be used with slotted tile pipe in a sock, attatched to solid pipe in some severe situations. A one to two inch decline over many feet can take a "pond" in your lawn or garden out to the woods or curb; to an area that it is no longer a detriment to whatever you are trying to grow in that spot. This same system was used repeatedly over the coarse of decades by my father who specialized in "corrective drainage" while in the landscape contracting field in. We employed it in many planting areas of customers yards with much greater success of what we could grow in any given customer's yard. (It was also used to correct basement flooding.) This will widen the choices of what you can grow together under "normal" garden conditions quite a bit, no matter what your limitations are at the moment.

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Read more great Gardening articles at:
http://www.LostInTheFlowers.com
About the Author
Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at LostInTheFlowers.com.

2005-10-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Concerning Mulch - PART TWO by Tammy Clayton

Copyright2005 Tammy Clayton

The use of shredded wood mulch exists for reasons unknown to many of us. It is true and a good point that the mulch does in fact control erosion in a new planting prior to the roots taking hold of the soil. The wood mulch does retain more moisture and insulate the roots from extreme temperatures. Therefore the addition of a mulch is in deed beneficial for a newly installed shrub and tree landscape. The truth is folks have been successfully growing landscapes and gardens for centuries prior to this modern innovation commonly known as shredded mulch. So the mulch is put down initially to aid the plants in adjusting to their new home with less setbacks and repercussions. But the renewal of mulch is where the problems seem to begin.

Firstly there should never be more than 3 inches of shredded wood mulch applied after the installation of new plants. Some seem to think that more is better, this is not true of mulch. Exceeding 4 inches holds too much moisture and can cause plants to decline from rot and even die because the soil cannot breathe or soak up warmth from the sun to rid itself of excess moisture that may be present at times. Incidentally, the presence of mushrooms in a lawn or planting bed is totally due to decomposing wood matter. Whether mulch mixed with soil or an old tree stumps roots that reside beneath the current lawn. Rotting wood and moisture have always caused mushrooms to grow. It is best if one is to cultivate mushrooms to plan ahead and cultivate those that are edible and cut down on the grocery bill rather than those that just make a mess in the landscape

What happens to all those additional layers of mulch you add to the beds because you like the fresh look it gives you yard? Perhaps first it would be best to ask yourself, what happened to the FIRST layer of mulch. The same thing that happens on the floor of the forest. Over time, every leaf, twig and fallen limb decomposes to replenish the soil available on the forest floor. The very same thing is happening in your planting beds...the mulch becomes soil. When the pretty mulch has disappeared a nice young man in a uniform appears after a phone call and puts a nice thick new layer where you direct him to do so. The lumber company who made money on a waste product is very happy. The mulch company is happy because you paid you bill. The nice young man in the uniform is happy because he got paid. You are happy with the fresh new appearance of your yard. The one soul who is not questioned about this practice, is the one that is effects the most...the plants! Over time, this freshening of the mulch can cause unexplainable health problems.

On the side of a beer bottled we have a warning from the Surgeon General warning us not to operate automotive vehicles or heavy equipment and goes on to say that alcohol could cause health problems. Have you ever seen such a warning on a bag of mulch or the invoice you pay that nice young man from? While there is such a thing as natural death among plants, death without explanation is easily blamed as the trees cannot say:

"Hey! I am dying because I cannot breathe anymore because you have put way too much mulch around my trunk!"

Nope, no tree can scream HELP! They cant tell you I need water, my toes hurt, its hot out here; they are helpless unless we know instinctively the problem. They can only get your attention if you WANT to hear what they have to say. Selective listening has serves no purpose when one deals with plants.

Where was I? Oh yes, this yearly freshening of the mulch in the beds...if you were a tree, you would see instantly why this is not a good thing. Trees have a natural breathing ring (as well as many types of shrubs and other woody plants) that develops right at the point of their trunk where their "stem" and the soil meet originally upon their sprouting.

When you pull a weed, properly extracting it from the soil, it is going to deposit dirt on top of the mulch. The more soil that is mixed with the wood mulch, the faster it will decompose and return to its previous state as soil. Remember what comes from the soil returns to the soil; it is a natural revolution no one can prevent.

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For more great Gardening articles, visit:
http://www.LostInTheFlowers.com
About the Author
Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at LostInTheFlowers.com.

2005-10-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

How To Prevent Damping Off by Marilyn Pokorney

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Damping off is the single term used to describe
underground, soil line, or crown rots of seedlings due to
unknown causes. The term actually covers several soil borne
diseases of plants and seed borne fungi. The fungi which
cause root rot are species of Phyium, Phytophthora,
Rhizoctonia and Fusarium.

There are two types of damping off: pre-emergence and post-
emergence. In pre-emergence damping-off, seeds may rot and
seedlings may decay before they emerge. In post-emergence
damping off the seedlings emerge then may pale, curl, wilt,
and collapse from a rot at the soil line and below. The
base of the stem is generally water-soaked at first then
turns gray to brown or black then rots.

Vegetable seedlings often do not grow well under humid
conditions, particularly if the soil is cold and wet.
Damping off fungi flourish in moist, unhygienic conditions.
The disease often starts at one end of a seed tray, and
quickly spreads to the other end. A fluffy fungal growth
may also appear on the soil surface as well as on the dead
seedlings.

When preparing to plant be sure that flats, tools, plant
containers, and benches are clean. Damping off pathogens
can live in these containers. The easiest way to disinfect
them is to dip them in a bleach solution for 10 seconds.
Use 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. Or use 70 percent
rubbing alcohol.

Plant in a light, well drained fertile seedbed. Preferably
use sterile soils that have been pasteurized with heat
before planting. Maintain a soil pH at the low end of the
average scale. A soil of 6.4 pH is less susceptible to root
rot than a pH of 7.5. As plants are watered the pH
gradually increases. Test often and continue to maintain a
lower pH while the plants are still germinating. If
necessary use one tablespoon of vinegar to 1 gallon of water
to lower a rising pH level.

Plant seeds no deeper than 4 times their own thickness.
Keep the seedbed soil on the dry side after planting and
allow plenty of bright light but not direct sunlight.

Use plant containers with drainage holes, water from the
bottom only, and avoid excess watering. Do not allow pots
to stand in water as excess water cannot drain and the roots
will be starved for oxygen which will stop all growth of
seedlings. Never water late in the day.

Avoid overcrowding and overfeeding of plants. Do not
overfertilize, especially with nitrogen.

For additional organic tips from the experts on damping off:

http://www.apluswriting.net/dampingoff/dampingoff.htm
About the Author
Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

2005-10-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

What is Compost Tea? by james ellison

What is Compost Tea?

Organic gardeners all know compost is fantastic stuff. But now, there's something even better and that's
compost tea. If you start with a good compost you'll have a versatile elixir for all your garden needs. Compost tea helps prevent foliage diseases and at the same time increase the nutrients to the plant and shutdown the toxins hurting the plants. It will improve the taste/flavor of your vegetables. So why not give this tea a try either by buying it or brewing it yourself. You won't believe the results!

Four ways that good bacteria work:

Help compete for the nutrients

Dine on the bad varmits

Help produce antibiotics to use against the varmits.

They shove the bad varmits out.

Compost tea that is correctly brewed has a wealth of microorganisms that will benefit your plants' growth and health as well as the soil that they live in. Compost tea can be considered yogurt for the soil. The microorganisms living there are both good and bad. What the tea does is make sure the good guys win by introducing helpful bacteria, fungi, protozoa and beneficial nematodes.

Harmful bacteria lives best in soil that does not have good air circulation. Good bacteria lives best and will thrive in soil that is well ventilated with oxygen. This is where a good compost tea, made the right
way, comes in. When you have well oxygenated compost you automatically get rid of 3/4 of the bad
varmits. Also by using harmful insecticides or chemical fertilizers we reduce the number of beneficial
microorganisms in the soil.

Plants produce their own energy and food and half of that goes to the roots and some of that goes into
the surrounding soil and guess who gets that? Correct, the good guys, and then it turns into a beneficial cycle.

The following is taken from the internet and shows compost tea is becoming a force in gardening.

National Organic Standards Board Compost Tea Task Force Report April 6, 2004 Introduction In 2003, the
National Organic Standards Board convened a Compost Tea Task Force to review the relevant scientific
data and report their recommendations on What constitutes a reasonable use of compost tea? The Task Force was composed of 13 individuals with knowledge and expertise in organic farming practices, organic certification, EPA pathogen regulations, compost, compost tea production and analysis, plant
pathology, food safety and environmental microbiology.

Throughout their discussions, members consistently acknowledged the growing interest among certified organic and conventional growers to use compost teas, and the need to develop effective biologically-based tools to manage plant fertility, pests, and diseases.

A primary reason for producing compost tea is to transfer microbial biomass, fine particulate organic matter, and soluble chemical components of compost into an aqueous phase that can be applied to plant surfaces and soils in ways not possible or economically feasible with solid compost.

This article is provided courtesy of http://www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.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.

About the Author
an enthusiastic gardening for over 45 years. converted to organic gardening methods 10 years ago

2005-10-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hummingbirds - Jewels of the Air by Tammy Clayton

Of all animated beings, the hummingbird is the most elegant in form, the most brilliant in color. The precious stones and metals to which our art lends polish are not compared to this gem of Nature, whose masterpiece the little bird represents. She has loaded it with all the gifts of which she has given other birds only a share... The emerald, the ruby, the topaz all glitter in its plumage, which is never sullied by the dust of the ground.

- Comte de Buffon (18th century French naturalist)

Hummingbirds are the neatest addition to a garden. Many people try to attract them with red-colored sugar water. Inevitably though trying this method to attract them will allow one highly territorial male to declare that it is HIS FEEDER, unless as a friend of mine did, you provide a whole bunch of spaced out feeders.

Myself, not ever having observed them in this common fashion just accidentally discovered them in my garden. There are all sorts of lists available that attract them. I never really paid any attention to any of this hummingbird attracting. I just planted things solely for the color or time of year they bloom or because I liked the look of the plant.

One hot afternoon following a thunderstorm, while sitting on the porch enjoying the now cooler air, I spied the first hummingbird in my garden. He was enjoying a veritable feast of the Gardenview Scarlet Beebalm right in front of my chair. I had left the front door wide open as no bugs were yet flying to let the fresh breeze waft into the house. Suddenly he was hovering on the porch in front of the door. As I watched, he darted right into the front hall. Just as I was poised to rise and go shoo him out, he hummed right back across the porch and dove into the red hanging geraniums.

A few days later, I found his wife in the same clump of Beebalm. He flew in and attacked her right inside the plant. Beating her with his wings and a fair amount of squeaking and commotion came from inside the highly disturbed plant. After several minutes of the wildly waving bloom war, she surrendered and left the plant. He pursued her right around the corner of the porch, across the entire back yard and out into the woods.

Pretty selfish of him, I thought, what an arrogant old thing. Then he swooped back into view and became a tiny bump as he took up surveillance of his flowers on a high branch of the big Maple on the driveway. Back she came again and went into the Beebalm.

So I settled back in my chair to watch the domestic dispute from a most excellent ringside position. Sure enough, what we had here was a quarrel equal to a married couple over which wallpaper should be hung in the powder room. For no sooner had she settled into drinking the spicy nectar than he came charging right back and beat her up again. That was the last time I found her anywhere near the plant in question, evidently two beatings were enough to change her tune of defiance. He wasnt really all that bad though for a bird guy I suppose, as he did let her have all the Phlox and Delphinium she wanted.

Now years later I have split off several other clumps and planted them along the outside of the fence, she is allowed to drink from those Beebalms. She never ventures near HIS CLUMP. The second summer after they came to dwell here, I was honored with the presence of their offspring. In awe I watched her teach the tiny gold baby about the size of bumblebee to drink the nectar from the Phlox. Pushing its head into the bloom with that needle sharp beak of hers until the babe got the idea of how to feed itself. Standing there witnessing her repeatedly jabbing the tiny head with that sharp needle beak, I had to rub my own head imagining how that must feel. Is it any wonder that the little thing quickly caught on and was drinking without assistance?

The same pair returns every summer to dwell in the flowers and raise their young. I am treated with watching them perched on the patio trellis in early the evening shadows, drawn there for the Delphinium that waves beside it.

It is common knowledge that the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is attracted to the color red. Truth be known, they enjoy any scented flower from my observations of their behavior. Plants that they feed on here include Sweet Alyssum, all colors of Tall Phlox and Beebalm (monarda), perennial and annual Salvias, scented Roses, geraniums no matter what color they are and Delphiniums. I am sure that a lengthier list of plants one can add to the garden to keep the hummingbirds well fed and returning year after year.

Through the gift of a book about Hummingbirds, I discovered that though there 150 different types of these tiny jewels only one, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, flies as far north as the eastern United States. The smallest Hummingbird is only two inches long, and the largest measures eight and a half inches in length. No matter their size, as a species they wears feathers the color of every brilliant jewel tone known to man.

The reason that their feathers are so brilliant is because they are not colored with pigment as any other birds plumage. For some reason this particular breeds feathers are black and filled with a substance known as melanin. The feathers are only colored as the white light reflects off them. This is the reason for the colors to change when the sunlight shines from a different direction.

If a Hummingbird feather is crushed, it turns black and is never irridescent again. Even after death their feathers retain their ability to flash color in the sunlight forever unless mangled or smashed. Other breeds of bird feathers lose their color slowly after death as the pigments face over time. Many stuffed examples of birds in museums must have their feathers painted after a while to show visitors what they look like. Hummingbirds require no such treatment so long as the feathers are not damaged. The brilliancy of their feathers lasts forever, much like the precious gems whose colors they contain, making them a very special bird indeed.
About the Author
Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more of her articles at LostInTheFlowers.com.

2005-10-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

Geranium Plants by Linda Paquette

Geraniums Plants

The geranium that brightens your landscape with its brightly colored flowers may be one of two different species. If you successfully over-wintered your geranium, chances are it is an herbaceous perennial from the genus Geranium. However, most often the geraniums that delight us with their profuse blooms are from the genus Pelargonium.

The geranium, which originated in South Africa, made its entrance to the European continent in the 1600s and has been propagated and hybridized ever since. Today the geranium is still among the most popular of the flowering plants. The geranium is a very adaptable flower that is suitable for beds and borders as well as hanging baskets and containers inside or outdoors!

Because there are so many types of geranium, its difficult to choose which is the most popular type to add to your landscape.

The common or zonal geranium is typically sold as a bedding plant. They are a compact plant, some having very decorative, distinctly marked two and three colored leaves.

Ivy leaved geraniums are perfect for window boxes and hanging baskets. Although flower petals are narrower and the blossoms less dense than other cultivars, the ivy leaved geranium is an attractive vining plant that can grow up to three feet long.

Scented geraniums are used for making tea, potpourris and sachets. They are deceptively sweet and carry the fragrances of lemon, apple, rose, nutmeg, and peppermint. Although the flowers are small and some might say insignificant, the scented geranium is a wonderful way to add fragrance to your patio, porch or kitchen!

The mosquito geranium is also a scented geranium. Even if you havent grown it, chances are you have smelled its insect repelling scent. The mosquito geranium was hybrid especially for production of oil of citronella and frequently is sold at nurseries as the mosquito plant.

Geranium flowers come in white and all shades of pink and red. Many hybrids have bi-colored flowers and some hybrids bear salmon colored flowers. Easy care, in addition to being a favorite addition to your garden, geraniums also make an inexpensive and lovely gift for Easter, Mothers Day and other special spring occasions.

About the Author
Linda is author at Gardening Guides

2005-10-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Michigan by Barbara Baker

Welcome to Northern Michigan, the home of the beautiful Grand Traverse Bay. We have an abundance of natural beauty in our area. Traverse City is known for its cherry and apple farming, locally produced vintage wines, clean white sandy beaches, and a culturally active community.
The summer is the reason why I live here. The water is clean and pure, you can see sandy bottom as far as you can walk. To me the beach is my safe place in my heart and in my soul. When I need to escape the pressures of everyday life I go to the beach to listen to the waves gently caressing the waters edge. I love to see the diamonds on the water sparkling with glory as the starts to set for the evening.
My herb garden is my safe place also. I can stroll though the garden path and fill my senses with the textures, and feel the harmony of herbs and flowers with mother earth. My garden is a working garden. I sell cut herbs and flowers for summer bouquets. I harvest the flowers to dry for my wreaths and arrangements. I am surrounded with a wealth of products in my garden.
I make medicinal salves and oils from the calendula flower which is known for its anti-viral properties, and can soothe a burn within seconds. This year I am going to produce tinctures from comfrey and our natural wild herb mullein for their powerful medicinal properties. I sell essential oils and fragrance oils as well. With these oils I make hand dipped incense sticks and my potpourri. I have developed thirteen blends or my own. After a lot of researching I have developed a recipe using carrier oils such as sweet almond oil, safflower, apricot, etc. for my body oils. The herbal blend soaks into your skin leaving no residue.
The garden brings many aspects of the earth together. The birds find food and ample hiding places to build their babys nests. The butterflies are abundant, feeding on the nectar of the flowering
plants. I am always grabbing my books to look up the name of a new winged visitor to the garden. I think my favorite part of the garden is the thyme bed. A lot of the thymes are ground covers, and in the spring they have the tiniest blossoms. Did you know about the lavender, lemon, caraway, minus, creeping, oregano, English, French, silver, common, lime, orange, orange spice, nutmeg, silver needle, and woolly thyme ? These are only a few varieties of this species. I harvest these for making herbal swags and to add them to sachets and potpourri. I am a member of the Michigan Herb Association, and the Great Lakes Herb Business Association. If you visit the web site of the Great Lakes Herb Business Association you will see a variety of businesses in our state that sells herbs and herbal products. The web site is very informative and a good resource to check out while your coming our way. Sweet Annies Rose is the name of my little rustic shop and garden. You will find as many weeds as there are herbs at times, but no one seems to care. Drop by and stroll though the garden. You can nibble on some sweet cicely, or taste the lemon thyme. You can pull a few weeds, exchange a few seeds, or just wander alone through the herbs and let their magic find a place in your heart.

Copyright Barbara Baker 2005 Content may not be copied or reprinted without written consent.
About the Author
Barbara Baker is a webmaster, author, and Internet Marketer with an extreme passion for herbs

2005-10-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Black Walnut Trees Produce A Natural Insecticide by Marilyn Pokorney

2005-10-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

Dendrobium Orchid Care by Robert Roy

Dendrobium Care
from: http://www.orchids-plus-more.com
This month I am focusing our attention to the care of Dendrobiums. These are one of the most popular of retail orchid plants. They are a true epiphyte or air plant. There pseudopods can gather and hold water very efficiently. Generally there will be a hybrid phalaenopsis and dendrobium, commonly known as Dtps.
Potting
This needs only to be done every two to three years and it should be with a porous, free draining media. This may be a combination of wood chips, small stone and and pieces of styrofoam peanuts. This will allow the draining of water and fertilizer. Dendrobiums seem to grow best when the pot is smaller than the size of the orchid plant.
Lighting
The dendrobium orchids require about 50% sun or bright light. They will do well in an east or west window as well as a shaded south window.
They also do well under 4 - 40 watt fluorescent lights directly over the plant.
Temperature
These plants need a difference in temperature between the night and day. Preferably this difference should be about 10 - 15 degrees. The night temps they like is 60-65 with days between 80 - 90.
Air circulation is needed and is especially when the temps are above 90 degrees.
Water
Like most orchids Dendrobiums need to be kept moist while actively growing. When it is mature, as are most of orchids-plus-more.com plants they should dry between watering.
Dendrobiums thrive when the humidity is about 50 - 60%. Humidity trays are usually needed while the plant is in the home.
Fertilizer
Use a balance fertilizer like Jack's Classic 20-20-20. Use weakly, weekly. That is, use a solution which is between 1/4 to 1/2 the recommended dosage.
For more information on the care of orchids see the American Orchid Society
***This article may used by any other website with the condition that our website; Orchids-plus-more.com is recognized as the contributing website.

About the Author
This site http://www.orchids-plus-more.com is devoted to these wonderful orchid plants. Did you know they are the second in popularity only to the poinsettia plants? You will find a good deal of information on how easy orchid care really is. They are wonderful to have around your home or for that special gift. Orchid flowers are beautiful and can last for years. Your plant will be appreciated for years and years.

2005-10-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

Care of Cattleya by Robert Roy

Cattleya Care
a bit more in-depth
This month we are going to go into some detail about the care of cattleya orchids. These orchids are probably the easiest to care for and like all plants need water, light and fertilizer. Playing some nice music or talking to them doesn't hurt either.
Most of the wild cattleyas grow in rain forests of South America, namely in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Mexico. They flourish in the Andes from altitudes near sea level to high altitudes of 9 - 10,000 feet. These orchids are truly epiphytes or air plants. So, they are used to being partly covered by the canopy of the rain forest and get considerable humidity and bright light to grow.
Being in the forest as noted above they are used to diffuse light all be it bright light. They generally do not have direct mid day sunlight. The bright light helps them to develop hard pseudopods. The pseudopods are the orchids main way to hold water which is so important for their growth and life. It is from the pseudopods that the orchid flowers come from.
Being in the forest and at various altitudes there are a wide range of temperatures that these plants are used to. In the winter and higher altitudes these plants become accustom to temps which can go as low as 50 - 55 degrees in the winter and as high as 80-90 degrees in the summer.
Humidity is the friend to cattleyas. We can understand this from being in rain forests. Most cattleyas do well with being set on humidity trays. These are metal or plastic trays that are filled with pepples and then half full with water. The plant roots cannot sit in water for a long period of time or else they will get root rot. Allow for good air circulation but not sitting in direct aim of an air vent.
Generally, watering twice a week does well during their growth and flowering period and once a week during their period of rest. Cattleyas are orchids that can and should get dry between watering. This aids in the growth of healthy pseudopods. Be sure that the potting medium allow the water to drain out fairly rapidly.
To check to see if a plant needs water stick your finger about 1 inch into the potting material and see if it comes out dry or damp. If dry it needs watering. If damp it may be able to go another day or two without water.
When watering allow the water to flow into the plant and then drain right out into the sink and not into the humidity tray. You can let the water water flow onto the plant for about 20-30 seconds and the pseudopods will get enough water for storage.
If plants are blossom in the winter or spring this means that these orchid plants deserve a rest period of about 6 to 8 weeks. During this time water them about once a week and keep the lighting the same.
If the plants blossom in the summer time no rest period is needed.
Fertilizing should take place about every other week with a balanced formula like 20-20-20. If the plant is flowering you can fertilize with a blossoming mixture with a higher nitrogen factor, e.g. 30-10-10.
With these rather easy steps you will get many years of joy from your cattleya orchid plants.

This article may be used by any website. I do insist that you recognize my website as the contributor. Thank you.
http://www.orchids-plus-more.com/orchid-contact.html

About the Author
This site http://www.orchids-plus-more.com is devoted to these wonderful orchid plants. Did you know they are the second in popularity only to the poinsettia plants? You will find a good deal of information on how easy orchid care really is. They are wonderful to have around your home or for that special gift. Orchid flowers are beautiful and can last for years. Your plant will be appreciated for years and years.

2005-10-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

How to Grow Ginger by Linda Paquette

Asian and Mid-Eastern dishes often have a subtle and distinctive flavor that comes from spicing the dish at the end of cooking with fresh ginger root. As these dishes grow in popularity, many grocery produce departments stock this pleasingly pungent root for use in homemade dishes. Your favorite grocers produce department is also the best place to find ginger root for growing.

What we call fresh ginger root is actually the rhizome of the ginger (Zingiber officinale) plant. Choose a smooth, shiny root that has some buds beginning. These will look similar to the eyes of a potato.

A fun way to start a ginger plant is to suspend a two-inch piece of the rhizome over a glass of water. Do this by poking a toothpick on either side of the root. Fill the glass, submerging about one-third of the ginger. When roots grow to about an inch long, plant the rhizome just below the surface of a rich, moist potting mixture in a pot that has good drainage.

Plant ginger in a pot for growing indoors or out! Using a rich potting mixture, choose a pot at least four times the size of your ginger rhizome or plant it in the large pot that will be its permanent home on your patio, deck, or other outdoor garden area. Fill the pot three-quarters full of potting mixture; lay your rhizome flat on top and cover it with about an inch of soil. Keep the pot in a sunny location until sprouts appear, then move it to an area with good indirect light. Ginger wont tolerate bright, direct light.

Start a small plant for transplanting into your garden. Plant your ginger root directly into a pot filled with rich potting mixture. Cover the pot with a plastic bag and place it on a sunny windowsill. When the first shoots appear, remove the plastic bag. If all danger of frost is past, move your young ginger plant directly into your garden. Alternatively put the pot in a location where it will get indirect sunlight. Water it regularly, but be sure not to let the soil become saturated.

Your ginger plant will grow two to four feet tall. Slender stems and narrow, glossy leaves may reach up to a foot long and resemble the foliage of a lily. Occasionally, your ginger may produce a yellow green flower, but flowers are both rare and unnecessary for the health of the plant.

Ginger is not frost hardy so in temperate areas bring plants indoors for the winter and ignore it! Foliage will yellow and die back, but the plant will return to growth in the spring.

Harvest ginger after the rhizome has grown three to four months. Since the best time to plant ginger is in the spring, this usually means a fall harvest. Harvested ginger root is usually sun-dried for longer preservation. It can either be stored in a dry cupboard or refrigerated.

About the Author
Linda is the main editor of Gardening Guides and the Lawn mower and care guide

2005-10-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

Butterfly Gardening by Jane Lake

Copyright2005 Jane Lake All Rights Reserved

Butterfly gardening is not only a joy, it is one way that you can help restore declining butterfly populations. Simply adding a few new plants to your backyard may attract dozens of different butterflies, according to landscape designers at the University of Guelph.

Butterflies, like honeybees, are excellent pollinators and will help increase your flower, fruit and vegetable production if you provide them with a variety of flowers and shrubs. They are also beautiful to watch, and are sometimes called "flowers on the wing."

- Begin by seeding part of your yard with a wildflower or butterfly seed mix, available through seed catalogues and garden centers. Wildflowers are a good food source for butterflies and their caterpillars.

- Choose simple flowers over double hybrids. They offer an easy-to-reach nectar source.

- Provide a broad range of flower colors. Some butterflies like oranges, reds and yellows while others are drawn toward white, purple or blue flowers.

- Arrange wildflowers and cultivated plants in clumps to make it easier for butterflies to identify them as a source of nectar.

- If caterpillars are destroying favorite plants, transfer them by hand to another food source. Avoid the use of pesticides, which can kill butterflies and other beneficial insects.

- Some common caterpillar food sources are asters, borage, chickweed, clover, crabgrass, hollyhocks, lupines, mallows, marigold, milkweed or butterfly weed, nasturtium, parsley,
pearly everlasting, ragweed, spicebush, thistle, violets and wisteria. Caterpillars also thrive on trees such as ash, birch, black locust, elm and oak.

- Annual nectar plants include ageratum, alyssum, candy tuft, dill, cosmos, pinks, pin cushion flower, verbena and zinnia.

- Common perennial nectar plants include chives, onions, pearly
everlasting, chamomile, butterfly weed, milkweeds, daisies, thistles, purple coneflower, sea holly, blanket flower,
lavender, marjoram, mints, moss phlox, sage, stonecrops, goldenrod, dandelion and valerian.

Remember that butterflies are cold-blooded insects that bask in the sun to warm their wings for flight and to orient themselves. They also need shelter from the wind, a source of
water, and partly shady areas provided by trees and shrubs.

About the Author
Jane Lake's work has appeared in Canadian Living, You and Modern Woman magazines. To make your own butterfly feeders, read her article, Butterfly Food or visit her Nature Crafts section for more nature articles, including how to make nectar for hummingbirds, plus more on butterfly gardens.

2005-10-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Beautiful Rose of Sharon by Ken Austin

Perhaps you were browsing the pages of a catalog and found a beautiful picture of the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus Sriacus)? Or maybe you were lucky enough to see a Rose of Sharon in person at a local garden center? Are you wondering whether these will make a beautiful addition to your home? Getting a little knowledge of these beautiful plants will allow you to make a decision.

Although once somewhat uncommon, the Rose of Sharon has become a widely loved plant. Not your typical rose bush, these are more like shrubs. Other names for Rose of Sharon include althea and shrub althea. Some can grow up to 10 feet tall, while most maintain a height of 5 feet. Sounds like a tree? It looks like a beautiful shrub with blooms of a variety of colors. The Rose of Sharon makes for a great fence as well. Places several side by side in a row, they create a natural fence that will enliven any landscape.

The Rose of Sharon is a hardy plant. Many varieties can withstand sub zero temperatures and can grow in moderate soil to poor soil. The blooms, available in several colors, bloom in mid summer and they continue to do so throughout the fall months. This creates a beautiful color display for many months of the year. They tend to need little care besides the normal water, sun, and decent soil. You may want to add nutrients to the soil yearly as well.

Regardless of the work involved, trimming a few branches will be nothing compared to the beauty the Rose of Sharon will give your landscape. Take the time, and stop to smell the Rose of Sharon and you will be taken away.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening
Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

All About Miniature Roses by Ken Austin

Miniature roses are exactly what they sound like. They have all of the fragrance and beauty of a regular rose, but they have smaller blooms. These particular roses are great for indoor planting.

Miniature roses are one of many types of roses available widely. These roses, as their name implies, are smaller versions of the more common roses. They offer the same beauty and fragrances as their larger cousins. The consumer can find a large selection in a variety of colors and shape available to them. Caring for these miniature roses is no more difficult then caring for the larger variety. But, taking the time to learn about the miniature rose is key in maintaining them over a long period of time

Miniature roses come in many colors and varieties. There truly is something to please everyone. These roses are great additions to a flower bed, window box or even inside the home or office as a potted variety. With so many choices available, the demand for these roses has risen. Once hard to find, they are now available in most garden centers and even in discount department stores as well. Now, this is not to say that the consumer can't find better, more hardy options other places.

If a consumer is dead set on a color, shape, or texture in their miniature rose, they should use the internet to help them find the right miniature rose for them. This is as simple as going a search in a search engine and finding wholesale sellers. There is a constant demand for miniature roses and in that they are always developing more varieties to please the public. So, many of these wholesalers can offer more then the local garden center can.

Anyone in the market for miniature roses needs to know their facts. The miniature rose is no different from other plants in that it needs certain elements to help maintain it. The soil type, sun exposure, and nutrients it needs all depend on the variety. Asking the retailer for this information is a must. Grab a book on caring for miniature roses if needed to give the most information possible. Doing all these things will lead to owning a beautiful miniature rose or several. It will also be the foundation of a love of miniature roses as well.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening
Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

Know Your Yellow Roses! by Ken Austin

Yellow roses are beauties, arent they? Dont 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.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening
Online Discount Shopping Guide

2005-10-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

How to Control Deer in Your Garden by Marilyn Pokorney

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Deer are the most difficult of all pests to deter from a
garden. They love many different plants. Flowers,
vegetables, trees and shrubs are all on their menu.

The best way to keep deer out of a garden is by using a
fence that is at least 6 feet high. If it's a small garden
that may be feasible but for large gardens or yards, the
cost is prohibitive, or possibly not practical.

So the only other choice is deterrents.

Deer don't like the smell of raw eggs, fish products, kelp,
or ammonia. Any spray made from these products can be used.
Just mix the product of choice in water and spray the plants
to be protected.

Deer don't like the smell of soap either. Some gardeners
have especially found success with Dial and Zest brands.

Blood meal scattered around the garden is another good
deterrent.

Since deer don't like capsaicin, the ingredient that makes
peppers hot, a spray made from chili peppers deters deers.

Hang fragrant fabric-softener strips, and small nylon bags
filled with human hair on trees around the garden.

Some gardeners have found success by laying chicken wire on
the ground about
six feet wide around the perimeter of the garden. The deer
don't like to walk on it because their hooves get stuck in
the loops of the wire.

Try planting time-released garlic capsules at the bases of
trees or shrubs or in the rows of plants to be protected.

There is a wide variety of plants that deer won't eat. A
list of what they like and don't like can be obtained from
your local county cooperative extension office.

For even more deterrents visit:

http://www.apluswriting.net/garden/yardiacdeercontrol.htm
About the Author
Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

2005-10-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

The True Beauty of Climbing Roses by Ken Austin

What is more beautiful than seeing a home or building with an arch of climbing roses in the landscaping? Climbing roses are one of many plants that branch out and intertwine themselves among arches, trellises, or even buildings and railings. They can add a great landscape element to any foundation.

Climbing roses are different from the regular roses that are planted as they are trained to grow upward like vines. Some of them are hybrid teas, wichuraine, and large flowered climbers. They are a beautiful addition to the look of ones house

Would you like more information about climbing roses? It is easy to learn about this great beauty. First of all, there are many types of climbing roses. They range in color, texture, and look. They also range in hardiness as well. Of course, you need to know what you are looking of in your climbing rose. When choosing climbing roses, some things that you need to consider are size, shade tolerance, disease resistance and colour.

Most important is knowing your hardiness level. This tells you what will grow in your area. Also as important is to pick varieties that will grow in the element you are placing them. What type of soil will you use? Will the area have full sun, partial sun, or will it be in shade.

Before getting discouraged, though, realize that there are many varieties of climbing roses to choose from and more then likely, you will find something to meet your needs. To find variety, forget about choosing your local hardware store, discount department store, or even the local gardening outlet. While these places often have a good selection, they don't have the most.

Use the internet to find some great climbing roses of the most beautiful variety. Often you can have a catalog sent to you with many choices, or you can find and buy online. You will be able to find just what you are looking for, or maybe even something you never imagined.

Climbing roses can add a lot to any landscape. Take the time to choose climbing roses that fit your area and landscape design. Also, grab a book or do a little research online about the care the type of climbing rose you chose will need. Taking this time to do these things will give you the best climbing rose you can get.

About the Author
Ken Austin
Online Discount Shopping Guide
Roses and Rose Gardening

2005-09-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

Fake Grass by Brad Slade

The history of artificial or fake grass is to say the least an interesting one and arose out of the social desire to in-effect ward off what could be seen, as far back as the 1950s, as an increasingly unhealthy tendency by youngsters not to exercise.

History has it that birth of synthetic grass began through attempts by scientists trying to develop a type of grass that would not only allow children and adolescents to play on regardless of the weather condition but encouraged them to do so, in other words, a surface that they enjoyed using or a user friendly surface. Hence the advent of fake or artificial grass.

The result was one of the early prototypes of what we now know to be fake or artificial grass. The earlier types were not only hard under foot and made for impracticality especially where sports and children were concerned given the tendencies to fall but were very unpopular. Conversely, however, in terms of workability and endurance this surface proved itself worthy, with the originally playing field where the fake grass surface was installed lasting twenty years of solid wear.

Claims that in terms of practicalities due to poor drainage and its tendency to rot fake grass has limited applicability are unsubstantiated. Furthermore, highly contentious arguments revolving around the argument that artificial grass causes more on-field injuries when used in sports-grounds is again unfounded and may be derived from factions wanting to see this type of surfacing a thing of the past. The claim by the industry is that if laid correctly no problems should occur. In fact, if anything, this type of surface should encourage better drainage enabling competitive sports to continue play with less interruption time due to rain.

Today the advances in artificial grass surfaces are enormous and cant be down-played. It is common practice to no longer use asphalt as an underlay beneath the surface of the grass which has increased the shock absorption provided by the grass, decreased the retention of heat during summer and further improving the drainage ability of the grass. Finally and possibly most importantly no longer does fake grass look, both on and off T.V like the earlier versions of fake grass, that is, FAKE.

Typically artificial grass is approximately 3cm thick (from base to blade tip). The material of the blades themselves are a polyethylene-polypropylene blend which are then woven into a mat-like backing (much like that of carpet). The only maintenance that is recommended is that the surface be given a once over each month, which involves rubbing it down. It you were to get this done professionally it is estimated that it would cost no more than a couple of thousand dollars a year. While this may initially sound a lot when compared to the water costs alone for the real thingthere is virtually no comparison. For those still sceptical and missing the small things associated with real grass consider this. In America, consumers missing the smell associated with cut grass can purchase, that is right, purchase a can whose contents promise that just cut smell!

But wait there is morein addition, other requests by customers have included wanting to have the newly laid fake lawn have the same effect as when you just cut real grass and there are the alternating light and dark bands of grass. This too can be achieved..ah the marvels of modern society.

Once perceived as being exclusively for those at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale, time-and resource-poor, fake grass has now become the stable for all regards of income bracket. With everyone becoming increasingly time-limited and wanting immediate results - visual perfectionartificial grass answers both these requirements.

As already mentioned fake grass has many advantages being both low maintenance, cheap and providing reliable year-round good looks for those concerned with their gardens aesthetic appearance. Especially in areas where water is particularly scarce and or for areas whether there is heavy usagei.e. constant foot trafficthen fake or artificial grass may provide a practical solution. What is more, with fake or artificial grass there is no limit to the amount of area you wish to cover and up-keep is negligible especially when compared to the requirements of real grass. Golfing greens require the employ of a number of full-time green keepers whose job it is to solely look after the lawns!!!! For those without this luxury in budget or time the alternative is clearly .fake grass. No need for pesticides, watering, mowing, and replacing of dead patches etcetera.

While slow to catch on in many Westernized countries, Asian nations who are resource tight have long used fake grasses for their play-grounds, private lawns and commercial turfs. Furthermore, using fake grass removes the threat of degradation by human or other pests. The laying of fake grass is also immediatelike that of carpet. Another advantage is that is does not have to be a permanent fixture but can be lifted at any time.

About the Author
HCOA is a directory of information on mowers, tractors, fertilizers, grass and outdoor appliances. For more information you can visit their website at http://www.hcoa.com.au

2005-09-29T17:39:00.000-07:00

How to for Lawns Mowing by Brad Slade

How often you mow your lawn will depend on a number of factors. Firstly how much time you have to devote to your lawns maintenance. How fast your lawn grows, and this in turn will depend on whether you fertilise it regularly and whether it receives adequate water and sunlight. Normally, lawns should be mowed at least one a fortnight to keep them in check, so to speak.

One of the worst things you can do for a lawn and a big misconception is that you can or should mow your lawn very short in order to reduce the number of times you have to mow it. Grass generally will do much better when mowed at a higher setting. This is especially the case in the summer months, where short grass can often be burnt by the sun otherwise. It is suggested that you should never be cutting or trimming off more than 1/3 of the length of the grass in a mowing session. If you have let your lawn go and it is far too long, it is recommended that you firstly mow it at a longer cut and then remow it at a slightly lower setting. If it is still too long, then you can go over it again in a couple of days time. Although this is time consuming it is the preferred method for caring for your lawn. Needless to say like having your hair cut, you should maintain your equipment. In this case make sure your mower blades are sharp and in good condition. Remove any stone or other obstructions from the lawn before mowing to avoid any damage to the mower or lawn.

Other recommendations for mowing a perfect lawn:

Do mow in different directions, it does not matter which waywhether it is diagonal, horizontal, or vertically each time you mow your lawn. This prevents the grass blades from curving in a particular direction after numerous cuts.

It is well known that you should never mow when your lawn is still wet. The reason for this, however, is not so well known. There are actually two reasons for this. Firstly, you will not be cutting your lawn evenly and when it dries may be a lot longer than expected. Secondly, you can often cause fungus to establish itself.

For the lawn bowl look of a flatten smooth lawn larger lawn rollers can be purchased. To use these you simply roll them over your lawn after mowing in nice even and straight rows.

About the Author
HCOA is a directory of information on mowers, tractors, fertilizers, grass and outdoor appliances. For more information you can visit their website at http://www.hcoa.com.au

2005-09-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

Growing Tomatoes, etc. in Early Spring - "Poor Man's Hydroponics" by Jim Kennard, President - Food For Everyone Foundation

Q. I've heard about so many ways to grow tomato and other tender plants early - from using Wall-O-Water's to taking the bottom out of wastebaskets, and they all seem to be a lot of work, with no guarantee of success. What do you suggest for someone who's serious about growing the high-value crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants?

A. If you are only growing a few plants the methods you use may not be all that important. However, if you are wanting to grow a sizeable garden or maximize your production, you should pay careful attention to the following procedures as taught by the Garden Doctor, Jacob Mittleider. Dr. Mittleider's methods have been extensively tested and proven highly effective in 30 countries around the world. If these instructions seem difficult or too much work, just consider that you are learning "The Poor Man's Hydroponic System" that will give you yields of tasty and healthy vegetables between 3 and 10 times what your neighbors get. Here is a summary of the procedures:

1. Plant your tomato, pepper, or eggplant seeds 8 to 12 weeks before the average last spring frost date - 8 weeks for 8-10" plants in 4" pots, and 12 weeks for 12-14" plants in gallon pots. Peppers and eggplant will take a little longer than tomatoes.

2. Prepare growing mix by combining 25-35% sand and 65-75% sawdust (or other clean material such as peat moss or perlite, etc.), and adding the Mittleider Pre-Plant Mix at the rate of 1 1/2 ounces per 18" X 18" X 2 3/4" seedling flat. You can make your own natural mineral nutrient mixes by looking in the Fertilizer pages of the Learn section on the website at http://foodforeveryone.org/soil_bed_fertilizing/49/how-do-i-mix-the-pre-plant-formula.

3. Using plain water, thoroughly wet the mixed materials, let sit overnight, then plant about 100 seeds in each of 6 or 7 very shallow rows in the flat and sprinkle sand over the top, just sufficient to cover the seeds.

4. Place burlap over the flat, water gently so as not to move the seeds, and keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet in temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees fahrenheit. No light is needed, but cold temperatures will kill germinating seeds, so pay particular attention to maintaining temperatures in this range if possible.

5. As soon as sprouts emerge, water through the burlap, then remove the burlap and place the flat in full light all day long. Waiting even a few hours will cause your plants to "stretch" looking for sunlight, and will create long, skinny, weak stems, from which your plants will never fully recover. Temperatures can now be cooler than for germination, but remember that your plants will go dormant if temperatures go much below 60 degrees for any length of time.

6. Begin watering daily or as needed to maintain soil moisture, with the Constant Feed solution of 1 ounce Weekly Feed mix in 3 gallons of water (16 ounces in a 55 gallon barrel). Continue with the Constant Feed watering until plants are placed in the garden.

7. When your plants have at least one set of true leaves (not the seed leaves), but before they crowd each other and begin to stretch, transplant at least 2" apart in flats or 2" pots.

8. When plant leaves begin overlapping, prune 2 or 3 leaves from each plant. This will shock the plant briefly, and it will make a thicker stem, then after a few days it will again extend the growing tip and produce new leaves. This procedure can be done twice without harming the plant.

9. As soon as leaves begin to overlap the third time, transplant into 4" or gallon pots, depending on your time schedule for planting in the garden and the amount of space in your greenhouse or growing area. When leaves overlap again, separate the pots to provide unrestricted light to all plants. These procedures will give you plants with short, stocky and sturdy stems, very capable of handling the rigors of growing outdoors.

10. If your plants begin producing sucker stems, prune them all off, leaving only one main stem on each plant. And when the plants approach 12" in height push a small stick or dowel into the soil near the stem and tie the stem loosely, protecting it from falling over.

11. When the danger of frost is past, transplant your seedlings into the garden. Harden off outside for 2 days first, and then immediately after transplanting, apply 8 ounces of ammonium nitrate to a 30' row of seedlings - at a distance of 4" from the plant stems, and water it in thoroughly. Three days later, begin applying the Weekly Feed mix in the same manner.

If you have limited space and cannot accommodate 4" or gallon pots, or you just want to put your plants into the ground sooner than the ideal time, you may have success using the Mittleider "Mini-Greenhouses." Cut 4' lengths of 3/4" Schedule 200 PVC pipe, then bend them into a capital A shape, with a 4" flat top, 9" sides and 13" legs. Put both legs into the ground at the top of the ridges to a depth of 5-6". Place a 4'-wide X 33'-long piece of 6 mil clear greenhouse plastic over the bed and bury the edges with dirt on all sides. Pictures are in the Photos section of the free gardening group at MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com. as well as in several of Dr. M's books.

Open the ends during the day for air circulation, and on warm days, remove the dirt from one side and lay the plastic in the aisle. Failure to do this may cause your plants to cook, as the mini greenhouses will heat up quickly with sunlight. On nights when frost is expected, put an extension cord with a couple of 100 watt bulbs near the ends of your beds, and for a hard frost use a small heater (be careful you don't melt your plastic cover).

Complete instructions and excellent illustrations are in Dr. Mittleider's books at http://foodforeveryone.org/garden_books/.

About the Author
Jim is a Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor, and has taught classes and worked one-on-one with Dr. Jacob Mittleider on several gardening projects in the USA and abroad. In the past three years Jim has conducted intensive food production training projects in Armenia, Madagascar, and Turkey. The Foundation website www.foodforeveryone.org provides free materials and information including an ebook, greenhouse plans, Gardening Group, and large FAQ section.

2005-09-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

How to Grow Healthy Food by Linda Paquette

words: 400

How to Grow Healthy Food

To grow healthy food, you literally have to start at rock bottom. No matter what youre growing, from chickpeas to chickens, the truth is that you are what they eat!

Its no secret that all life begins with the soil. Although it may look like dirt to the naked eye, organically rich soil is a living, breathing community of microorganisms. These little denizens of the dirt are born, grow, breed, give birth and die leaving an estate of nutrition-filled remains to the soil. While they live, many of these little critters feed on undesirable elements like harmful bacteria.

Every year, gardeners spend thousands of dollars on chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides that are little more than a quick fix to gardening problems and create long-term health hazards for everyone, from humans to single-celled organisms in the soil. If you really want to grow healthy food, the first step is to keep your underground colony in good health.

There are two things you need to do to maintain healthy soil. The first is to keep out the chemicals. The second is to add rich organic matter to your soil at regular intervals.
Keep out the chemicals

No matter what amount of chemical you use in your gardening, a drop is a deluge to a microorganism. More to the point, most chemicals dont fade away. They leech into your garden and wait to attach to some growing thing like your plants. One example is a gardener who claims to grow organic apples. He doesnt spray his trees, but he does use a chemical weed & feed application on his lawn, seemingly unaware of the systemic consequences of using chemicals.

Feed your soil

The best way to enrich your soil is to give it regular applications of composted organic matter. Compost can be anything from yard mulch to kitchen vegetable waste. If you dont have the time to maintain a compost bin, an easy way to add organic matter to your yard is through mowing your lawn with a mulching mower. Prepared compost is also available for purchase from nurseries and home garden centers.

Remember the house that Jack built? Its similar in your garden. The roots take from the soil to give to the stems that bear the buds that turn into the fruit. Whether or not the fruit is healthy depends on what was in the soil.

About the Author
Linda is editor of Gardening Guides

2005-09-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

How to Attract Butterfly Activity... by Gordon Goh

The flittering of the butterfly through your garden is no accident if you planned your garden carefully. The adult butterfly flitters from flower to flower - sipping nectar from many flowers in your gardens, while other adult butterflies search for areas to lay their larvae. It is good to take note that the butterfly garden is going to differ from other areas of your garden. Your natural instincts will be to kill off pests, larvae and creatures in the garden, but in the butterfly garden your best results are noticed when you use organic gardening: Which means no chemicals at all.

In you want to include the use of butterflies in your landscape you will need to create a safety zone for your butterflies to feel safe. Butterflies frequent habitual zones, where they feel safe and where areas of the landscape meet with the tree lines. Creating your butterfly gardens near or around trees will help in attracting even more of these graceful creatures to your gardens.

A tip in attracting the Black Swallowtail or the Anise Swallowtail is this: Plant parsley, dill or fennel in your gardens, these plants attract this certain butterfly. If these herbs are not your favorites, you can attract other types of butterflies using other flowers. To attract the Fritillary butterfly for instance, plant Lupine flowers your garden. Or you may want to consider planting Snapdragons to attract butterflies that are native in your own area. Your early butterfly gardens are going to attract butterflies only in passing, but creating and growing the gardens that offer a safe haven for the butterfly will urge them to stay in your garden.

Butterflies are attracted to areas of your gardens where they can gather food for their offspring. The caterpillar will eat from the plants while the adult butterflies will sip on the nectar of the flowers. As your plants, shrubs, and flowers mature, the amount of butterflies to your gardens will also increase. The plants and flowers that you put in your garden this year will attract only a few, but in the years to come the natural instinct of the butterfly will lead them to your garden.

What is the adult butterfly searching for in your gardens? The butterfly searches for areas to take shelter from the high winds, the rains, and the summer storms. This is where the trees and shrubs in your gardens become important in protecting the butterfly and offering shelter. During the normal, warm sunny summer day the butterfly wants the wide-open areas of your lawn and garden.

Butterflies will seek soft soil that is sandy-like to find water. The sand-like soil that allows water to puddle up after a rainstorm is a butterflies delight. The developing stages of the caterpillar to the butterfly are observed often in the established butterfly garden.

By creating the atmosphere in the garden that offers the shelter, food, water and the fragrance the butterfly is searching for you will have Butterfly Garden success.

About the Author
Gordon Goh is author of the free, informative website Simply Flower Garden offering quality useful tips for flower garden lovers.
He is also the internet marketer with good knowledge in SEO

2005-09-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

How to Use Color in Your Perennial Garden by Jeff Pozniak

Just like most things in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If purple blooms put a smile on your face, then you should most definitely use plants with purple blooms. The same is true for any color you find pleasing. There are different disciplines to pull from when trying to decide on color choices, but those disciplines speak in generalities; your own personal experiences mold your tastes into something unique, something your own, something a text or curriculum cant possibly pinpoint.

That being said, one of the disciplines I like to pull from often, especially when it comes to color choices, is Feng Shui. While Im not part of the Feng Shui orthodoxy, the design and layout lessons Ive taken from Feng Shui are fundamentally grounded in sound design. They can be used inside and outside the home, no matter if you have each and every room aligned to maximize its chi (energy), or you just want to make a garden space more appealing.

For example, a room (defined by either an indoor or outdoor space) with metal energy tends to be very clean and structured. Some colors that are considered to have metal energy are white, silver and gold. And in my opinion, some lighter blues, when considering plant blooms, could be grouped with those colors as well. Metal energy tends to allow for clear and concise thinking and the carrying out and completion of tasks.

On a much smaller scale, when I finish a landscape design and want to begin the next design, I need some of the cleansing effects of metal energy. I remove every template, pencil, eraser bag and architect's scale from my drafting table and I wipe down the table. Im left with a stark white table, and with that I am able to lay down a new piece of vellum and wash the previous design from my mind and begin to get involved with the next space Ill design. I find that structure and the absence of color leaves my imagination open to consider new design possibilities.

The very same can be true for a garden space. An organized, mass planting of white Tulip bulbs can provide a space in your yard to give you clarity of thought or purpose. Add some yellows and earthy tones to blend a nurturing feeling into that planting. Itll give you the same feeling as you get with an early morning cup of coffee, watching the sun rise to greet a new day; full of warmth, potential and purpose.

Youve heard of the power tie or the power dress, right? Take that flame red color to the blooms in your yard and you may be filled with those same feelings of power and confidence. Are you more the strong, silent type? Blues and violets can lend a feeling of inner strength and serenity.

I believe the first decision you should make when planning your color scheme for your yard is to decide how you want to feel when youre taking in the beauty of that space. Once you have a sense for that, I recommend finding a book or two to help you make your selections. Feng Shui in 10 Simple Lessons by Janet Butler-Briggs, is a wonderful beginning to learning that approach to using color. Color Harmony by Bride M. Whelan, shows you hundreds of different color combinations with real-life examples of their use, to help you create the perfect space, indoors or out.

About the Author
Jeff Pozniak is the administrator for the Ground Trades Xchange, a landscaping industry website. He is also a landscape contractor with nearly 20 years experience.

2005-09-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

Control Snakes in the Garden by Marilyn Pokorney

REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish
this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter,
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remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author
information (Resource Box) at the end. You may not use
this article in any unsolicited commercial email (spam).

You may retrieve this article by:

Autoresponder: snakecontrol@getresponse.com
Website:
http://www.apluswriting.net/articles/snakecontrol.txt

Words: 322
Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney

Please leave the resource box intact with an active link,
and send a courtesy copy of the publication in which the
article appears to: marilynp@nctc.net
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To have a snake or two in the garden is good. Non-poisonous
snakes, such as the common garter snakes, are beneficial
creatures because they eat pest insects, mosquito larvae,
slugs, snails, crickets, rats, mice, voles and even other
snakes which may be poisonous.

But if you really don't want snakes in your yard and garden
here are a few tips to eliminate them without hurting or
killing them.

Keep the lawn neatly cut and clean. Be careful using weed
eaters because the sting from the fast moving string can
kill them.

Snakes need cover for protection. Dont leave wood or brush
piles sit in one spot for more than a month.

Keep leaves and other debris picked up.

Don't keep piles of rocks.

Stack firewood on a rack 12" off the ground.

Remove old lumber or junk piles.

Remove their source of food. Keep the insect and rodent
population under control.

Place garbage bags in sealed trash cans away from the house.

Repair cracks along the foundation and fill holes around
pipes. Snakes only need about ainch crack to get inside.

Sprinkle moth balls around the perimeter of your yard or
garden. But beware that these can be dangerous to pets and
children.

Sulfur from a garden center is said to keep snakes away.

Don't plant bushes and other plants too close to the
foundation of the house.

Use mulch in the garden beds but not too thickly.

Trim the lowest limbs on shrubs and bushes so they are at
least 12 inches from the ground.

Construct a fence around your garden with heavy galvanized
screening. Make it three feet wide with quarter-inch mesh.
Be sure to bury the bottom of it six inches below the soil
surface.

For more help on controlling snakes:

http://www.apluswriting.net/garden/snakecontrol.htm
About the Author
Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

2005-09-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Easter Lilies, and the Number One Gardening Question Right Now by Doug Green

Everybody asks about Easter lilies! Can they go outside; can I plant them in my garden? And to this I reply, "Why not?" Like other bulbs,there are two options if you plant your leftover Easter lily bulbs - either they will live and flower for many years (it is perfectly hardy into zone 4) or they will immediately die. If you don't plant the bulb, it will definitely die. So you have nothing to lose by planting.
Once the Easter lily bloom has faded in the house, cut the stem back as far as you can. Grow the plant in a sunny windowsill, keeping it moist (not sopping) and feed weekly with houseplant food. After all danger of frost has passed wherever you live, you can plant it outdoors. Planting outdoors is as easy as digging a hole and planting so that the top of the bulb will be three inches below the surface.
Add a shovel of compost and a shovel of peat moss to the planting hole and ensure the soil is well loosened. Remember it is necessary to dig a large enough hole to spread the lily roots out and to ensure it is at least eighteen inches from another plant. Place the bulb in the bottom of the planting hole and backfill the soil up to the neck of the bulbdo not cover the green leaves. Covering the green leaves at this time could rot them.
Wait until the leaves have turned yellow and faded before totally filling in the hole. After you've planted the bulb, water it thoroughly. Carefully water and turn the area into a mudhole so no air spaces are left around the bulb.
The original foliage may die back immediately after planting. If this happens, cut the foliage right back to the bulb and then backfill the hole. Do not be surprised to see a new set of leaves emerge from the hole. Water thoroughly after backfilling.
The key to success with growing Easter lilies is to give the tops full sun but to shade the roots. Hot tops and cold feet would describe this growing condition. Also, excellent drainage is essential for bulb success. Poor drainage or clay soils will rot the bulb over winter because of excessive moisture.
Remember the normal time for the lily to bloom is mid-summer. The first planting year you may see a bloom in mid-summer but the likelihood is that the bulb will wait for next year to bloom again. Your job is to grow the bulb. Do not cut off leaves until they are well faded and quite yellow. Do not pin them up so other plants can grow next to the lily. You want those leaves to stretch out and absorb as much sunlight as possible because they are feeding the bulb and making next year's flower bud.
And next year's Easter lily bulb is what you're looking for, and the one after that, and the one after that too. If you're looking for other bulb information, check out this website.

About the Author
Award winning garden author

Home:http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com

Blog:http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/gardens-gardening-news.html

2005-09-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Who Else Wants Vigorously Growing Carnivorous Plants? by Jacob Farin

Many people who have seen our carnivorous plants at the Farmers Market often ask us, How do you get our plants looking so good every summer?

Our secret? Yearly repotting. Repotting is very important to encourage new growth. It freshens the soil, aerates the roots and gives the plant more room to grow.

Freshening the soil is important because carnivorous plants grow in nutrient-free soil. Over time, nutrients from mineral and bacteria buildup in the soil slow down the growth of carnivorous plants. This is why it is important to replace the soil every year, or every two years at the very least.

Repotting also aerates the roots. Roots need oxygen for vigorous growth. Without it, plant growth will be very minimal. Over the year, soil becomes compacted, which decreases the amount of oxygen entering the soil. By repotting your plants, you loosen up the soil and give your plants the much need oxygen they need.

Finally, by repotting your plants into a larger pot, you give them more room to grow. This will increase the size of your rhizomes. It will also provide added protection during the winter months. Some of our carnivorous plants in our private collection are so large that they require 5-gallon pots!

Here are some of the ideal pot sizes for your carnivorous plants:
* Venus Flytrap: 4 inches
* Medium Sarracenia species: 4 to 5 inches
* Large Sarracenia species: 5+ inches
* Sundews: 4 inches
* Asian Pitcher Plants: 5+ inches

With Sarracenia species, Venus Flytraps and taller varieties of sundews, make sure the pot is tall. We have found that these plants grow bigger in taller pots than in shorter ones.

The exceptions to the yearly repotting rule are the Australian Pitcher Plant and the Sun Pitcher Plant. Both of these plants do not respond well with root
disturbances. Furthermore, there is evidence that the Australian Pitcher Plant has a symbiotic relationship with a soil fungus, so replacing its soil too frequently can harm the plant. All other types of carnivorous plants, however, can be repotted yearly.

The best time to repot your plants is right before they emerge from dormancy, which would be March through April. You can also repot your plants at other times of the year as long as you minimize disturbance to their roots.

As for soil, use a standard mix of 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. The peat moss retains moisture and adds acidity, while the perlite provides aeration and drainage.

Because carnivorous plants grow in nutrient-poor soil, avoid using regular potting soil, fertilizer and compost. These items are toxic to carnivorous plants and will burn their roots. Very painful.

As you repot your plants, clip off any dried leaves from the previous year. I generally clip off all leaves that have brown spots on them. Sometimes this means clipping off all the leaves on the plant, which is often the case with taller Sarracenia species.

With Yellow Trumpet and Green Pitcher Plants, clip off their non-carnivorous winter leaves after new growth has been established.

So, set aside some time in March and April to repot your carnivorous plants. You will be greatly rewarded with vigorously growing plants this summer.

If you need growing instructions for specific species, such as Venus Flytraps, visit Sarracenia Northwest at http://www.cobraplant.com.
About the Author
Jacob Farin is co-owner of Sarracenia Northwest (http://www.cobraplant.com) and a recognized carnivorous plant expert at AllExperts.com.

2005-09-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

Facts about the marigold flower by Linda Paquette

Its a well known fact that the marigold flower is one of the favorites in the home garden, but as well as an attractive and useful bedding plant, the marigold has enjoyed continued use for culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic purposes as well.

1.The most common types of marigold are the wild marsh marigold, the tall African marigold, and the robust French marigold. African and French cultivars frequently are hybrid to sustain longer bloom and soften their pungent aroma. The resulting plant is called a triploid marigold, which is commonly called the mule marigold because of its poor ability to produce seeds.

2.Latin for the common or marsh marigold is Calendula officinalis, christened as such because ancient Romans noticed that it bloomed on the first, or calends, of every month.

3.For centuries, it was believed that the marigold opened in the morning and closed at night. This trait has often been mentioned in literature, most notably by Shakespeare in A Winters Tale where he wrote,

The Marigold that goes to bed wi' th' sun,
And with him rises weeping

4.As far back as the 15th century, Marigold was thought to be a remedy for a number of medical problems including headache, jaundice, red eyes, toothache, bee sting, sprains, wounds, and ague (chills and fever). However, it was noted by Stevens in Countrie Farm that, It must be taken only when the moon is in the Sign of the Virgin and not when Jupiter is in the ascendant, for then the herb loses its virtue.

5.Early Anglo-Saxons called the Marigold Golds or Ruddes and flowers were often boiled to extract their yellow color for food colorings, fabric, and even hair dyes. After extraction, a yellow powder remains. In 1819, Geiger chemically analyzed the marigold and named this yellow powder Calendulus. Today the marigold flower still is dried, the petals ground and used as a substitute for the herb saffron.

6.Marigold petals mixed with chicken feed add intensity to the color of the egg yolks.

About the Author
Linda is the main author of Gardening Guides and Patio Furniture Ideas

2005-09-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

5 Secrets To Growing Beautiful Roses by Abigail Baker

A rose is a rose is rose - and there are few things in the garden more beautiful. There are 5 secrets I want to share that will help you to grow healthy roses.

1. Sunshine: Plan to put your rose bush in a spot where it will get as much sun at least 6 hours of sunshine a day.

2. Water: Drops of water on the leaves can cause burning, and lead to black spot disease so always water from underneath, soaking the earth until it is damp but not soggy. It is better to water thoroughly once a week than lightly several times in the
same period.

Beware if your Roses get too much water, they'll drown. Water in the
morning or at least four or five hours before dusk so that any excess moisture
can be absorbed by the heat of the day.

3. Planting & Soil: As soon as the ground can be worked in the Spring, turn the soil to the depth of the spade. To the loosened soil add 1/3 to 1/2 as much again of composted
humus like leaf mold, peat moss, or composted manure, together with coarse
sand. Make sure to work the soil at least a month before planting.

4. Tidy, Tidy: Keep Roses healthy, it is important to gather up withered petals and leaves and pick off any live leaves with black spots. Prevent black spot - mix 1 tbs of baking soda with 1 tbs of liquid dish soap and 1 gallon of water together and spray your Rose leaves.

5. Prune: Always prune
1/4" above an outward facing bud. Always use a sharp knife or hand
pruners. Never prune in fall. Always cut off the suckers, they grow just below the bud union; follow them down to where they begin and carefully remove them to encourage strong new growth.

Roses are classified into types
according to ancestry, bush type, and flower form and size - ask at your local nursery for the type you prefer.
About the Author
Abigail Baker is webmaster and contributing editor for Country Mall Place at http://www.acplace.com/

2005-09-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Blue Wild Flowers for Your Garden by Kathy Burns-Millyard

Planting wild flowers in your garden, or simply scattering wild flower seeds around an area of your yard are both ways to take advantage of Mother Nature's treasured gifts. Wild flowers are carefree, colorful, and tend to attract bees, butterflys and birds. So planting wild flowers not only gives you an easy maintenance flower garden... it also promises to be a constant source of interesting activity throughout the year.

The following wild flowers are blue to purple in color, and some say this is a favorite color of bees.

VIRGINIA or COMMON DAY-FLOWER (Commelina Virginica) - Spiderwort family
The Day Flower has blue, one inch wide or smaller flowers which tend to be irregular. The flowers are grouped at the end of the stem, and are upheld by long leaf-like bracts. The leaves are lance-shaped and 3-5 inches long. The upper leaves form like a hood of sorts about the flower. These wild flowers prefer moist, shady ground and flower from June through September.

The day flower tends to open in the morning and looking somewhat "alert". In the afternoon, or after the bees have visited and fertilized it, the petals roll up and quickly wilt into a wet, shapeless mass which will leave a sticky blue fluid on your fingers if you touch it.

SPIDERWORT; WIDOW'S or JOB'S TEARS (Tradescantia Virginiana) - Spiderwort family
The Spiderwort's flowers are purplish blue in color but on rare occasion they can be white. There's usually several flowers about 1-2 inches wide, and usually contain clusters of drooping buds between long, blade-like bracts at the end. This one can grow from 8-36 inches tall, and has long blade-like leaves. It prefers rich, moist woods, thickets or garden space, and it flowers from May through August.

Like its relative the dayflower, the spiderwort opens for part of a day only. In the morning it is wide awake and pert; early in the afternoon its petals have begun to retreat and wither away. New blooms appear each day throughout the season though.

WILD HYACINTH, SCILLA or SQUILL. QUAMASH (Quamasia kyacinthina; Scilla Fraseri of Gray) - Lily family

The Wild Hyacinth tends to produce many pale violet blue flowers, though once in awhile they can be white. There tend to be equal groups of 6 flowers on long, oblong-shaped branches. The plant tends to grow 1-2 feet tall, and has grass-like, short leaves. These wild flowers prefer meadows, prairies and stream banks, and they bloom from April to May.

These wild flowers tend to be low maintenance, and they propogate on their own, without being invasive. In addition to attracting bees, the Wild Hyacinth also tends to attract ants, wasps, flies, butterflies, and beetles.

Whether you prefer to start your flowers from seeds or potted starter plants, wild flowers are a wonderful addition to any type of garden. Creating a stand alone wild flower garden is also a fantastic way to make a great, naturalized impression in large or unused areas of your landscape.

Watch for future articles where I'll introduce you to many other wild flowers in a variety of other colors too!

About the Author
© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard, The Garden Source Network - http://www.garden-source.com - A premier online publication featuring gardening articles, tips, advice, resources, shopping and supplies. This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.

2005-09-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Flower Meanings by The Gift Wizard

Certain types or colors of flowers mean different things, and you don't want to send the wrong message if you give them as a gift! Of course, not everyone knows what a particular flower means, but you can never be too sure!

FLOWER NAME and/or COLOR -- FLOWER MEANINGS

Carnations

Carnation (General) -- Fascination
Carnation, Pink -- Emblem of Mother's Day, I will never forget you
Carnation, Purple -- Antipathy and Capriciousness
Carnation, Red -- Admiration, my heart aches for you
Carnation, Striped -- No, Sorry, I cannot be with you
Carnation, White -- Pure Love, Sweet Love, Innocence
Carnation, Yellow -- Disdain and Rejection

Lilies

Lily, Calla -- Majestic Beauty
Lily, Day -- Coquetry
Lily, Orange -- Hatred and Disdain, Wealth, Pride
Lily, White -- Majesty and Purity, Virginity
Lily of the Valley -- Purity and Humility, Sweetness

Roses

Rose, Coral/Orange -- Enthusiasm, Desire
Rose, Dark Pink -- Thank you
Rose, Light Pink -- Admiration
Rose, Musk -- Capricious Beauty
Rose, Pale -- Friendship
Rose, Peach -- Let's get together, Closing of the deal
Rose, Pink -- Love, Grace, Gentility, You're so Lovely
Rose, Pink & White -- Love, Desire, Respect, Courage, Job well done
Rose, Red -- Majesty and Purity, Virginity
Rose, Red & Yellow -- Congratulations
Rose, White -- Charm, Secrecy, Silence, You're Heavenly
Rose, White on Red -- Unity/Flower Emblem of England
Rose, Yellow -- Infidelity, Joy, Friendship, Welcome Back, Remember me
Rose, Yellow & Orange -- Passionate thoughts

Tulips

Tulip -- Symbol of The Perfect Lover
Tulip, Red -- Believe me, Declaration of love
Tulip, Variegated -- Beautiful eyes

Others

Daffodil -- Emblem of Annunciation/Regard, Unrequited love
Daisy -- Gentleness, Innocence, Loyal love
Iris -- Faith, Wisdom, Valor, Your Friendship means so much
Orchid -- Magnificence, Love, Beauty, Refinement
Sunflower -- Homage and Devotion

About the Author
The Gift Wizard is a gift researcher for http://www.the-gift-wizard.com

2005-09-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

New for 2006- Granite Flexible Preformed Rock Ponds by Gerry Fung

So youve decided to build your very own backyard water garden. You are in the process of actively planning out your design, and youre visualizing the end-result. But have you paused to consider what kind of pond construction you will be using? Do you know what kind of pond constructions exist? The majority of garden ponds utilize one of two types of constructions: a preformed shell, or a pond liner.

Traditionally, preformed ponds are large shells, which are extremely burdensome and difficult to transport. For example, a typical preformed pond kit would come in a box that is 60 x 48 x 24, which is too large for many car trunk sizes. Liner kits, on the other hand, present many difficulties for the beginner pond gardener. Since every liner pond shape is different, pond gardeners must customize their own pond and ensure that it is level, and that it does not have excessive wrinkling.

Recently, Algreen Products Inc. has helped leverage both these problems by introducing a flexible preformed pond. The folding preformed/liner hybrid is created with a proprietary blend of materials, which allows it to hold a customized shape. Yet it is easily transportable, since a typical folding kit comes in a box one-sixth the size of a regular preformed kit.

The only problem with the folding pond shell was that it was a dark solid black color. Black is a color that does not occur naturally in a pond environment, nor is it very easy to disguise. No matter how much landscaping you apply around the black shell, it is still extremely difficult to hide the fact that you are using a preformed pond.

New for 2006, Algreen is proud to announce the development of a granite flexible rock pond kit! This new folding pond shell has all the benefits of its black preformed predecessor, but both the pond and the streamlet look like rock.

Algreen advertises that its folding pond includes 3 built-in plant shelves, is weather-resistant, and is able to withstand extreme temperatures from 0 F to 105 F. Each pond shell features textured ridges, which are strategically placed to allow beneficial bacteria to form growth colonies, which significantly reduces algae-buildup in the pool.

Currently, there are two sizes of granite pond shells available from GardenSuperMart (GardenSM.com): a 144 gallon shell, and a 72 gallon shell. Both pond kits come complete with:

- The granite flexible pond shell

- A flexible streamlet

- An energy-efficient, heavy-duty Super Flo pump (500 or 306 gph, for the 144 gallon and 72 gallon shells respectively)

- A telescopic riser and diverter for the Super Flo pump

- Four fountain heads

- Two 6 silk water lilies

- Tubing and clamps.

At the time of this article, GardenSM.com has the lowest pricing for these granite pond kits. GardenSM.com has the 144 gallon granite kit priced at $166.14 USD, and the 72 gallon granite kit priced at $126.14. As part of their Grand Opening Special, GardenSuperMart is also including a FREE solar-powered frog light with the purchase of every folding pond kit.

This article can be viewed in its entirity (with pictures) at http://www.gardensupermart.com/tips/granite.asp. Further information about the granite flexible pond kits can be obtained at http://www.gardensupermart.com/buypond/pics/granite_preformed.html.

About the Author
Gerry Fung is a Sales and Marketing representative for Northbridge Products Inc.

2005-09-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

Funky, Fun Garden Plants by Valerie Garner

I have a love for funky, fun and uniquegarden plants. Here's one to try.It's called Sea Holly, and it's actually in thethistle family. Sea Holly is a perennial garden plant, which means you plant it once and it comes up year after year, somewhat depending on your climate.

This plant never did fail to bring attention andcomments from people seeing my garden. It grows about3-4 feet high, very branchy and the branches are abrilliant electric blue color. It's stunning!

The only drawback to this lovely plant, in the fallyou must cut it to the ground and burn or compost theplant. Do not let it go longer than that, or it will be casting seeds and you'll soon discover it's family trait ofbeing a thistle, if you know what I mean. The following spring, it'll come back again to it'sbeauty.

It is an easy plant to grow and does best with fullsun, or as much sun as is available to you. I live inthe Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. so we get a lot of rain andfairly mild summers and yet it seems to be enough forthis plant. You can search for Sea Holly seeds in seed catalogs or sometimes you can find it in some nurserys. Aninternet search would surely find you a source forthis lovely plant.

I thought I'd let you know about one of the coolest,funky plants for outdoors I've ever run across. It's calledEvening Scented Stock, it is NOT the common stock, however.

This is an annual plant, that needs to be sown early spring, directly into the soil where it is to bloom and grow. I recommend planting it nearby windows and doors, porches, etc. This plant really doesn't look like much in and of itself, it's not a pretty plant per se..but when about 5:00 PM rolls around watch it do its stuff! This plant has a VERY powerful fragrance similar to hyacinths or lilacs. At the gentlestbreeze it sends a waft of fragrance to die for. This is why it's so excellent to plant near a window, door or pathway. When you open up your screen in the evening, this will scent your entire house.

One place that I have found the seeds for this rare plant is atFragrant Path, PO Box 328, Fort Calhoun, NE 68023

Here's another one to try. This one is called Autumn Crocus.In this case you can tell a lot by it's name. You generally purchase it as a bulb, which are usually quite large. It does return year after year without needing to re-plant it.

In the spring it shoots up a lot of foliage, this is preparing the plant for it's autumn blooms, be sure to just leave this alone. Come about mid June or so, this foliage starts looking like it's dying, again just leave it be. In late August/early September, when most of the flowers are past their prime and the garden is starting to look sparse, out comes the AutumnCrocus, with their beautiful lilac colored blooms. They bloom for quite a long time when few things are blooming. A fun plant, give it a try!

This one is an annual (only lives 1 growing season) plant called Love Lies Bleeding. It's as strange as it's name.It is very easy to grow. You just simply direct seed itin the soil (full sun preferably) where it is to grow inthe spring. It's height seems to vary greatly. I've seenit be as small as about 2 feet high, and reach up to 6 or7 feet high. It's "flowers" are long, burgandy coloredropes that hang. It is simply stunning. Always getsattention! It will usually re-seed itself so you'll getnew plants the following year without doing anything.It's best to try to find this seed in an unusual typeseed catalog. It is in the amaranth family.

Here's the last one. Ever tried the hellebore family?There are many varieties. They are perennial whichmeans they come back year after year. These are best planted in shady areas, but where they will get sun in the winter, like under leafed trees or something of that nature.

What is so unusual about hellebores is that they bloomsomewhere between Dec. and March. There are very fewplants that do that! One variety is called a ChristmasRose. It's quite striking to see flowers in the midstsometimes of snow.

These plants usually must be puchased at a nursery.Check out your local nursery for this wonderful familyof plants.
About the Author
By Valerie Garner, mom and proud grandma, and owner of Joyful Designs in Soy (Candles) at: http://www.joyfuldesignsinsoy.com

2005-09-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

Fertilizing Your Lawn by Chris Coffman

Your lawn takes nutrients out of the soil that it is bedded in and uses these nutrients to aid its growth. If your soil lacks these nutrients your lawn will ultimately suffer. So while fertilizing makes your lawn greener it also provides a top of any nutrients that your soil is lacking helping grass to grow. When the nutrients are available, the lawn develops healthier roots which invariably grow deeper allowing the lawn to draw upon water and nutrients in the soil. Furthermore, deep roots reduce thatch and browning. Finally, fertilizer contains nutrients that grass needs to resist disease and drought.

Fertilizers also offer the additional benefit of including chemicals to inhibit or kill weeds. The three primary nutrients in a fertilizer are Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. Each element has its own affect upon grass. Nitrogen stimulates grass growth and greening. Phosphorous stimulates the development of roots and seedlings. Potassium promotes disease and drought resistance.

As the weather changes, so too does your lawn have changing needs. In the heat of the summer, your lawn needs water and little else. In order to survive the cold weather, your lawn needs to have healthy roots and so a fertilizer to promote root growth should be applied before the cold weather sets in. At other times of year your lawn needs nutrients to enable growth and greening. Weeds also have their own growing seasons so you should fertilize at the beginning of the various weed growth seasons.

Where you live, the type of grass you have, the condition of your soil and the weather all affect your choice of fertilizer and when it should be applied. You also have a choice of organic fertilizer, liquid fertilizer, which is sprayed on, or time released granules which are distributed with a spreader. All of these factors result in the many choices of fertilizer. And of course you can always purchase your fertilizer via a wholesaler online, meaning that the more you buy the cheaper the deal.

About the Author
Visit The Lawn Care Site today for more great free lawn care tips! http://www.lawncaresite.com

2005-09-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

Planning a Water Garden... by Gordon Goh

A water garden is the area of your landscape that will provide you with relaxing sounds of the water, while adding to the overall details of your landscape. The water garden is a project that you must 'plan' for continued success. If you are lucky enough to have the room in your lawn for a water garden, you are already one step ahead of many gardeners! Let's talk a little about how to plan for your water garden. A few important factors about placement of a water garden that often are forgotten are:

Do you have children in the neighborhood? If you have or live near children, you will want to keep your water garden in an area that will be close to your home. You will want to be able to see what is 'going on' by the water. Children are curious and they love water! Being able to see your water garden will save you worry later after the creation of your water garden even if the children are in the yard.

Do you have a natural spring in your lawn area? When planning a waterfall in the water garden, the use of a natural spring or water source is going to make the continued success of your water garden much easier. A water garden is possible with a waterfall even if you do not have a natural spring or water source, but it is a little more 'work' to create that special effect. You can find more information about this in another article on this site.

The lay of your land is important. While we will discuss this in other articles as well, planning your water garden around the lay of your land is important. If you are lucky enough to have a flat lawn, you can plan your water garden in various areas. The landscape that includes hills and slopes are a little tricky but using the slope in your lawn, you can create the water garden that takes care of that little 'wet patch' at the bottom of the yard!

Most water gardens are an addition or extension of the natural landscape. To encourage and invite your guests to the water garden for picnics, for chats, and for just sitting in pleasure: Plan the water garden so it's visible from the walkway to your home. The water garden that your visitors and guests see while entering your home adds value to your home and to your conversation!

In planning your water garden, use a sheet of paper to write down what you want to gain from your water garden. Start your list by using personal reasons, value reasoning, enhancing, or changing the overall look of your landscape. Alternately, you may simply want a place for solitude. These are the desires you'll write on your list. From this list, you can better plan 'where' your water garden will suit you and your ideas.

Gordon Goh is author of the free, informative website Simply Flower Garden offering quality useful tips for flower garden lovers.

About the Author
Gordon Goh is author of the free, informative website content of Flower | Garden Tips offering quality useful tips for flower gardening

2005-09-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Understanding Weeds How to Kill them? by Chris Coffman

When I was a child, I loved to pick Dandelions. The pretty yellow flowers were small, colorful, and looked nice tucked behind my ear! However, if one had popped up in the front yard, my hair accessory would have been considered an atrocity!

I often feel sorry for weeds. They are plants too. In fact, if you flipped through a botany field guide, you may be surprised at the plants you find classified as weeds! But simply put, a weed is really defined as a plant out of place. Clover in one persons flowing lawn may be considered fashionable, whereas on another, not. Golf greens are often covered with bentgrass, but if it crept up in some yards, it would be considered a weed. While perhaps pretty on their own, weeds stick out like a sore thumb in yards because they may be of a different color, size or texture. This is distracting from the beauty of the otherwise sprawling green turf. Aside from aesthetic values, weeds can also drain nutrients from grass and other plants, and this competition of resources can thin what should be lush. And whats worse is that weeds are fighters. They can withstand conditions that your wanted greens cannot, so they are almost inevitable!

Treating weeds begins with correct identification. There are two classifications of weeds: Grassy and Broadleaf. These are further broken down into groups like perennial, biennial, and winter and summer annuals. These, as you may gave guessed, depict their growing patterns. Grassy weeds are, as they sound, like grass. However, they are unwanted grass, or grass that is growing in a different type of lawn. Some examples are annual bluegrass, barnyard grass, crabgrass, creeping bentgrass and foxtail. Broadleaf weeds may appear more to be what most people picture weed-like growth to be. Since they are broad, they are more easily distinguished. Some examples are yarrow, knotweed, chickweed, clover, ground ivy, thistle and my favorite, the dandelion.

Once you understand what is growing in your lawn and decide that it is unwanted, you can treat it and/or control it. Weeds can actually be controlled by your lawn care maintenance. If you maintain a dense and vigorously growing lawn, you are already combating the problem. Weeds can be a sign of underlying problems in the environment beneath. So by just killing them, you are simply putting on a band-aid, not solving the problem. For example, some weeds grow in situations of compacted soil, such as knotweed. You can also control the growth by taking better care of the grass, rather than focus on the weeds. You can raise or lower the mowing height, change the frequency of mowing and changing the amount of time between irrigating. Also, you can increase or decrease application of fertilizer and aerify the soil. This will maintain better grass, thus keeping the growth dense and vigorous, which as discussed above, does not attract weeds.

In addition to culture practices, sometimes the assistance of chemicals is needed to control weed growth. In that case, there are several types of herbicides that can be used. Preemergence herbicides will affect seeds that are germinating. Since they are best used two to three weeks before the seeds start to grow, these work best to combat annual weeds. Postmergence herbicides are used, as their prefix implies, after the weeds have sprouted. Since they must be absorbed through the leaves, this types of herbicide works best with a spray. These can be used at any time, but are most effective when the weed is still young and growing. Selective postmergence herbicides are usually used to control annual, biennial and perennial broadleaf weeds, as they will not damage grass. But, they can kill trees, shrubs and flowers. These have to be used in proper conditions as well, with no rain in the forecast for two days to follow, air 60-80 degrees and no winds. Finally, non-selective postmergence herbicides kill all types of weeds, and are best used to spot treat grassy weeds that are not affected by the selective herbicides.

So next time you see a Dandelion plant growing, dont make a wish and blow the seeds toward in the direction of a lawn fanatic- they may not get the perfectly manicured lawn they wished for!

About the Author
Visit the Lawn Care Site for more free lawn care tips! http://www.lawncaresite.com

2005-09-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Care of Moth Orchids by Robert Roy, orchids-plus-more.com

Do you have a knack for being with moths? Most people would say, "no way". Yet, the moth orchids that I am talking about are the ones that sway nicely in the breeze and some of the newer hybrids have a nice fragrance. These moths are easy to care for, especially a beginner. These moths are found very frequently in gardens. These are the phalaenopsis orchids.
Phalaenopsis orchids are the one of the easiest orchids to care for in a home. Their blooms can last up to 3months and there are some of the most colorful hybrids. Like other orchids they require light, water, temperature, fertilizer and humidity. Seems like a lot but it really isn't
The best light is indirect light. It can be bright but not direct sunlight. If you have a west facing window sill this will do just fine. Direct sun can damage the leaves of the moth orchid.
Humidity is needed for the moth orchids. They actually grow in the wild in humid rain forests. In the warm months it would be nice to mist them every day or two. They also enjoy a bright bathroom.
Let's look at the temperatures that phals like. They are an intermediate temperature orchid. This means they like temperatures from 55 to 75 or 80 degrees. As a must, the must be a temperature gradient of 10 to 15 degrees for at least 14 days in the fall to stimulate their flower spike.
Moth orchids have no pseudopods to store water and for this reason they should not completely dry out. It is fine line to let them nearly dry out and at this point water them. You should be able to tell by seeing how light the plant is before you water it.
Another way is stick your finger tip down about an inch into the plant and it should feel almost dry. It is at this point you should water. Let the water run through the plant (in the top and out the bottom) for about 20 - 30 seconds. It is important that any orchid plant does not sit in water because it will get root rot.
Fertilize the plant twice a month with a week fertilizer solution. It is recommended to cut amount of fertilizer recommended by one half. Fertilize about every other week with a balanced fertilizer except durng the summer months of growth when you can use a high nitrogen fertilizer.

This article may be duplicated as long as credit is given to this author and the orchids-plus-more.com
About the Author
This site http://www.orchids-plus-more.com is devoted to these wonderful orchid plants. Did you know they are the second in popularity only to the poinsettia plants? You will find a good deal of information on how easy orchid care really is. They are wonderful to have around your home or for that special gift. Orchid flowers are beautiful and can last for years. Your plant will be appreciated for years and years.

2005-08-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

Grow Carnivorous Plants with Conviction by Jacob Farin of Sarracenia Northwest

In high school, my music teacher taught us that if you are going to make a mistake, do it with conviction.

What he meant by that was that if our mistakes sounded sheepish and tentative, we were most likely playing sheepishly and tentatively, which ruined the overall effect of the performance.

But, if our mistakes were loud and obvious, then most likely we were playing with conviction, which enhanced the entire performance. Oddly enough, audience members were much more forgiving when a mistake was done with conviction.

The same is true with growing carnivorous plants. Your confidence in providing the right growing environment will show in your plants. If you grow them sheepishly and tentatively, they will grow sheepishly and tentatively. If you grow them with conviction, they will grow with conviction.

Even if you accidentally provide the wrong growing environment and the plant dies, it is not the end of the world. The Carnivorous Plant Police will not come out to arrest you. You will not face a federal court and have to spend 5 months in Club Cupcake.

Even with our horticultural skills, do plants die on us? Yes. But, we learn from our mistakes and move on. No one looks down on us because of our mistakes. Why? Because our beautiful carnivorous plants far outnumber those that didn't make it.

Many varieties of carnivorous plants are very winter hardy. We have Venus Flytraps that have been growing exclusively outdoors for nearly 10 years! We provide them with no special care other than full sun and a tray of standing water. They grow well for us because we grow them with conviction.

So, grow carnivorous plants with conviction. Over time, you too will have healthy and beautiful plants you can be proud of.

If you need a pep talk for growing carnivorous plants, visit www.cobraplant.com/pep-talk.html. It's a personalized and fun way to boost your confidence level when growing carnivorous plants!
About the Author
Jacob Farin is a recognized expert on the cultivation of carnivorous plants at AllExperts.com. He is also co-owner of Sarracenia Northwest, a nursery specializing in carnivorous plants. To learn more about growing carnivorous plants, visit http://www.cobraplant.com.

2005-08-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

How To Grow Luscious Tomatoes by Marilyn Pokorney

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The tomato is the most commonly grown vegetable in the
States. Here are some tips on how to grow your own
bountiful crop of tomatoes.

Tomatoes should be grown in full sunlight.

Tomato plants require abundant moisture.

Tomatoes grow well in many types of soil but prefer fertile,
well-drained soil with pH of about 6.5.

Garden soil may be improved by adding rotted manure, leaf
mold, peat moss, or other organic materials.

The ideal tomato plant should be six to eight inches tall,
dark green, with a stocky stem and well-developed root
system.

For each family member three to five plants should be grown
for fresh eating. If production for canning is desired,
then five to 10 plants person needs to be grown.

Plant tomatoes when the weather has warmed and the soil
temperature is above 60F and air temperature is never lower
than 45 degrees at night.

Plant seedlings a little deeper than they were in the pots.

Set out tomato plants in the evening or on a cloudy day.

Mulching helps stop weed growth and water loss from the
soil. Place a two to three inch layer of organic material
such as compost, leaves, straw, grass clippings, hay,
newspapers, or black or red plastic sheeting around the
growing plants.

Tomatoes can be grown on the ground or supported by stakes
or cages. If using stakes put the stake in when planting
As the plant grows taller, tie it loosely to the stake every
12 inches with soft fabric or twine.

Tomatoes require at least one inch of water per week during
May and June and at least two inches per week during July,
August, and September. Water once or twice a week and to a
depth of 12 to 18 inches.

Space dwarf plants 12 inches apart; staked tomatoes should
be 12 to 18 inches apart. Allow 2 to 4 feet between non-
staked plants.

Rows should be spaced 3 to 5 feet apart for staked plants
and 4 to 6 feet apart for non-staked plants.

A 10-20-10 fertilizer should be applied at planting time.
Sidedress for the first time when the first fruits are one-
third grown. Use about one to two tablespoons per plant.
Mix the fertilizer into the soil then water, being careful
not to get the fertilizer on the foliage. A second
application should be made two weeks after the first ripe
fruit and a third application one month later. Water the
plants thoroughly after fertilizing. All fertilizers should
be worked into the top six inches of soil.

For more information on fertilizers:

http://www.apluswriting.net/garden/tomatotips.htm
About the Author
Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

2005-08-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

How To Create Your Own Humming Bird Nectar... by Kathy Burns-Millyard

Hummingbirds feed off of plants and a few insects, but because of the speed which their wings flutter when they're in flight, they tend to burn a heck of a lot of energy. They need to eat about every 15 minutes!

You can help by providing Humming Bird Food, known as Hummingbird Nectar, in your yard or garden. There's no reason to buy it from the store either, because it's just simple sugar and water.

And it's easy too: 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. That's it.

So, if you wanted to make 4 cups of Hummingbird Nectar, you'd first boil 4 cups of water for about 5 minutes. Turn the water off then stir in the sugar. Keep stirring until it's completely dissolved.

Do not add any coloring, flavoring, powdered drink mixes, honey or otherwise: All of these can be dangerous to the Humming birds.

Let the mixture cool fully before putting it out for your Humming birds too, you wouldn't want to accidently hurt them with hot Nectar.

Put any remaining nectar in the fridge, it can keep for about two weeks.

© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. This article is brought to you by The Bird House Shop Section of The Garden Source Network, where you can buy Humming Bird Feeders, Bird Houses, Bird Baths and Related Wild Bird Accessories.
About the Author
This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.

2005-08-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

Selecting the Proper Pump for your Backyard Water Garden Feature by Gerry Fung

Whether you have a preformed or a liner pond, a pond pump is a paramount component of any water feature. Stagnant bodies of water attract mosquito infestations, which are a nuisance, and also undesirable, due to the recent outbreaks of the West Nile virus. Therefore, it is paramount that you utilize a pond pump that circulates your body of water.

Pumps are available in both submersible and external (out-of-pond) models. For the smaller pond (up to 1000 gallons of water), a submersible pump is the more economical and practical option. Submersible pumps can be placed directly in the pond and require relatively little installation. They are free of distracting noise, and for smaller ponds, can easily be utilized to drain your pond (if you hook up a hose to the output flow).

In the old days, the main disadvantage of submersible pumps was that the pump seal could rupture and release oil coolant into the water. However, this is not the case nowadays, because newer pumps are magnetic-driven, and no longer require coolant. Mag-driven pumps are slightly more expensive, but they have the added advantage of consuming less electricity.

Pumps are sized by gallons per hour (GPH) output at one foot of lift or height. Manufacturers usually offer charts that break down the power of each size pump according to incremental heights of one foot. It is recommended that you circulate your body of water at least once every 2 hours. Therefore you will need to size your pump to ensure that it has half the GPH rating as the volume of your pond in gallons. For example, if you have a 1000 gallon water feature, you will require at least a 500 GPH pump.

Calculating the proper pump for waterfalls is a bit trickier, because you must estimate your waterfall's height. To do so, you must measure the vertical height from the top of your pump to the top of your waterfall. In addition, you must add another foot of height or lift for every 10 feet of hosing you will be using (this will allow for loss of volume from resistance within the hose). To calculate the required pump GPH, a general rule of thumb is that each inch of width of the channel will require an extra 100 GPH. For example, if your stream or waterfall spillway will be 10 inches wide, you will need a pump that produces an excess flow of 1000 GPH at your waterfall's height.

If you plan on having fish, your water circulation demands will be drastically increased. Fish rely on the oxygen in the water to survive, hence a proper pump for a fish pond must ensure that extra oxygen is both introduced into the pond, and distributed throughout the pond. The general rule of thumb is that you must double your pump GPH if you plan on raising fish. An example of a pump that would be appropriate for fish is GardenSuperMarts UltraFlo line of pumps. These pumps have oxygen intake valves and an unique air/water air mix system which effectively increases the oxygen concentration in your pond.

The advantage of GardenSuperMarts low-maintenance, magnetic-driven UltraFlo pump kits is that they contain a sealed unit with a large enclosure that prevents debris from clogging the water intake. The UltraFlo line of pumps starts at 200 GPH, and increase up to 660 GPH. All UltraFlo pump kits come complete with a telescopic riser and diverter and 3 fountain heads.

If you require a more powerful pump, GardenSuperMart also has a SuperFlo line of pump kits that can provide up to 1585 GPH. All SuperFlo kits come complete with a telescopic riser and diverter, 4 fountain heads, and a sponge pre-filter. An optional SuperFlo Mechancial and Biological filter can also be added to the pump to provide additional water filtration for your fish.

Both the SuperFlo and the UltraFlo pumps can be purchased online at GardenSuperMarts store, www.buypond.com. In late May 2005, GardenSuperMart will also introduce a new line of MaxFlo waterfall pumps that can provide up to 2780 GPH of pumping power. Please stay tuned for further news and details.

About the Author
Gerry Fung is the Vice President of GardenSuperMart. More information about their pond pump lines can be obtained at http://www.gardensupermart.com/buypond/c230094.2.html

2005-08-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

Flower Meanings & History of Flowers by Josh Grossman

Flower Meanings & History
The charming and delicate beauty of flowers has fascinated people of all nations and backgrounds for centuries. Flowers have been bred and cultivated for their decorative beauty as well as their ability to heal diseases. Flowers are the subject of poems and myths, and religious symbols are associated with flowers as well. Many girls are named after flowers. The main reason for the popularity of flowers though is their ability to bring good cheer.

For all fellow lovers and admirers of flowers here is some background information about flowers. This will help give your flower gift giving and buying a greater context.

Asters
There are over 600 species of asters, the most popular being the Monte Casino. Ancient societies believed that the odor of its leaves, when burnt, drove away serpents. While this might not be as applicable today, perhaps its connotation is still relevant: Giving asters means, "I am not sure whether you have been faithful to me". Be careful who you send asters to!
Meanings: charming, patience

Bells of Ireland
Although the name suggests these flowers come from Ireland, they originated in western Asia. Bells of Ireland have a spicy/peppery scent and are part of the mint family. They stand for good luck.
Meanings: good luck, whimsy

Carnations
Turn of the century dandies would not leave the house without a white or red carnation in the buttonhole of their suit. With the end of this tradition and the fact that carnations are so easily cultivated and grown, the flower has lost some of its popularity. However, carnations are not only beautiful and long lasting flowers, they also send a message: When you receive a red carnation bouquet, it means, "My heart aches for you" and when you receive white carnations the sender is saying: "I am still available."
Meanings: fascination, devoted Love

Chrysanthemum
Imagine, chrysanthemums have been cultivated in Chinese gardens for almost 3000 years! The name chrysanthemum comes from the Greek chrysos (gold) and anthos (flower). Today some of the meanings associated with this flower are: innocence, cheerfulness and loyal love.
Meanings: cheerfulness, innocence

Dahlias
The dahlia is the national flower of Mexico and this is also its birthplace. An old Aztec document states that the Aztecs used dahlias as a treatment for epilepsy. Only in the 19th century did the flower come to Europe where it was bred and cultivated into today's varieties.
Meanings: dignity, elegance

Iris
Did you know that there are so many different varieties of iris that they can be grown wild year round, in water and on land? Iris was most significant in history as the emblem of France -- Fleur-de-Lis -- established in the 11th century by the king of France. Today, it is the state flower of Tennessee and its meanings are faith, hope and wisdom.
Meanings: faith, hope, wisdom

Lilies
Lilies have been associated with many ancient myths. They are mentioned in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament, and symbolize chastity and virtue. Even today, lilies are associated with purity and faith.

Meanings: purity, faith
Peruvian lilies or alstroemeria are named after the Swedish botanist Baron Klas von Alstroemer. He brought the flower seeds back from a trip to South America in the 18th century.
Meanings: friendship, devotion

Calla lilies were first imported from South Africa to America in the mid-nineteenth century. The waxy white blooms and spearheaded leaves of the calla lily stand for radiant beauty and sophistication.
Meanings: sophistication, beauty

Lisianthus
Lisianthus may sound like a Latin name, but it is one of several common names associated with this plant. It is also referred to as Prairie Gentian, Prairie Rose or Texas Bluebell. The flowers existing today are derived from an American wildflower that is native to prairies ranging from Colorado to Nebraska and down to Texas.
Meanings: outgoing, thoughts

Orchids
During the 19th Century, orchids were widely collected. With nearly 25,000 varieties, some orchids are among the most exquisite and expensive flowers available. In antiquity, orchids were correlated with love and fertility. It was common knowledge that they would protect against diseases. Given as a gift they stand for preciousness and seduction.
Meanings: seduction, preciousness

Snapdragons
Snapdragons are an old decorative flower, widely used by the Romans. From its origin in southern Spain the cultivated form was spread throughout the whole Roman Empire. Nowadays remnants of this original population which all belong to the species Antirrhinum majus are found among Roman remains like temples in southern France, Malta, and Italy. The flower, also called "gracious lady" stands for deception.

Meanings: desire, strength
Roses
With their far-reaching popularity, roses are the queens of flowers. After buttercup, the roses are the second oldest variety of flowers on the planet. Biologists can trace roses back some 200 million years! Although there is a huge number of meanings and symbols associated with roses, the most common of course is love, which originated in Greek mythology. When Aphrodite cried about the death of her lover Adonis, she had red "Adonis Roses" grown with his blood, - thus red roses are the symbol of never-ending love. Important to mention are the roses' thorns, of which we all probably have some painful memory. Symbolically, love can be painful and full of suffering when not treated carefully.
Red roses: I love you, unconscious beauty
White roses: spiritual love, purity
Yellow roses: joy, gladness
Orange roses: fascinated, enthusiastic
Pink roses: grace, gentility

Tulips
Originally from Persia, tulips were introduced to Western Europe and the Netherlands in the 17th century. When growers started to hybridize the flower, they found ways of making it even more decorative. Hybrids of the flower were a scarcity at the time and a symbol of high status. Soon tulips became very popular as a trading product and bulbs were traded at the highest prices. The months of late 1636 to early 1637 would make history in the Netherlands as "Tulipmania". A bed of tulips was worth up to $5,000, the value of a small house in Amsterdam. The bulbs became currency, and their value was quoted at the stock market.
Meanings: perfect lover, fame

Sunflowers
Sunflowers turn their heads toward the sun and this how they got their common name. They originated in Central and South America. Sunflowers are not only pretty to look at but sunflower seeds are power-packed with healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamin E - all important to the nutritional quality of your diet. Wait! That doesn't mean you're supposed to eat the seeds out of your sunflower bouquet.
Meanings: adoration, sunshine

About the Author
Josh Grossman is cofounder of online florist, Beyond Blossoms (http://www.beyondblossoms.com). Beyond Blossoms ships farm fresh flower bouquets nationwide.

2005-08-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

How to Water Your Houseplants Wisely by Kori Puckett

Over watering ranks first in causes of houseplant demise because
it causes roots to rot. Most plants are tough so they can
recover from under watering with only the loss of a few leaves
-- unless you wait too long and pass the point of no return.

Watering schedules depend on the kind of houseplant, its size,
container, and environment. No two plants have the same water
requirements, so you'll need to know what your particular
plant(s) require.

Generally, it's best to water during morning hours. Most
flowering plants require more water than their non-flowering
counterparts. Since the needs of individual plants vary greatly,
you should research your houseplant's requirements.

Test dryness of soil by probing the top inch with your finger.
Tapping the side of the post also indicates the degree of
wetness. If the tap sounds hollow, the plant needs water. If it
sounds solid, wait a day or two to water. If a plant begins to
wilt and its soil looks dry and cracked, it needs water
immediately.

For plants that require moderate watering, allow 1/2 to 1-inch
of soil to dry out before re-watering. If a plant needs light
watering, let two-thirds of the soil dry out. For plants that
need heavy watering, the surface should always be moist.

You can water in several ways. A quick and easy method is to
water from the surface with a watering can. Use a long-spout
water can and water at room temperature. When water escapes
through the bottom of a pot, the houseplant has had enough.

Pots also may be placed in a tray of water for about half an
hour. This allows the soil to draw water in from drainage holes.
Some plants, such as ferns, especially like this watering method.

During each watering, use enough water to completely soak the
soil in the pot rather than simply wetting the surface. (Keep in
mind when watering that hairy plants, such as African Violets,
can be damaged if their leaves get wet).

Tap water is fine for plants, but it's a good idea to let the
water stand in an open container overnight to allow it to come
to room temperature and allow chlorine to evaporate. If your tap
water has a high fluoride content, it is wise to use water from
another source -- spring, well, rain water, distilled water, or
water that has collected in a dehumidifier. You also can add
perlite or limestone to your plant's soil to neutralize
fluorides.

More steps to easily care for your house plants can be found at
http://www.koripuckett.com/house-plant-care

About the Author
Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About House Plants
Inside This Powerful Guide. Visit House Plant Secrets At:
http://www.koripuckett.com/house-plant-care/houseplantsecrets?wa

2005-08-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

Funky Garden Plants 2 by Valerie Garner

What's a perennial garden plant that blooms in the winter? A hellebore! It is an outdoor plant that is shocking to see blooming sometimes in the snow. There are many varieties. They are
perennial which means they come back year after year. These are best planted in shady areas, but where they will get sun in the winter, for instance under leafed trees or something of that nature. What is so unusual about hellebores is that they bloom somewhere between Dec. and March. There are very few plants that do that! One variety is called a Christmas Rose. These plants usually must be puchased at a nursery. Check out your local nursery for this wonderful family of plants.

Another plant you'll surely want to try is called Sweet Annie. This is actually an annual herb, in the worm wood family. The seed is very fine and you sow it in direct sunlight in the spring after all danger of frost is gone. Sweet Annie can get up to 6 feet tall. It's fragrance is wonderful! My favorite use for Sweet Annie is in the fall to cut it to the ground and dry it. It can be used as wonderful, fragrant filler for dried flower arrangements, and it can also be bound with fine wire to form a wreath base of its own. Simply tuck in other dried flowers here and there around it and you've got a beautiful dried floral wreath with a fragrance to die for!

Another unusual one is called Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate. Yes, this really is the name of a plant! It's official name is Polygonum orientale. It's an old-fashioned annual knotweed used for bold effect. It has large heart shaped leaves and pendulous clusters of small pink flowers. In rich, moist soil and full sun it can go to six feet tall. Best to sow the seed in fall or early spring where it is to grow.

Lastly another unusual plant to try is the Balloon Flower. These are perennial, meaning they will return year after year. The latin name for these are: platycodon grandiflorus. They are very hardy, durable plants and very beautiful. Balloon flowers are about the size of a ping pong ball and look like little "balloons". Once they fully open up they split and you can see the center portion and the bloom then resembles a star. They usually come in shades of purple, pink and white. Very cute, the plants only get about 2 feet tall. Try one!

About the Author
By Valerie Garner, mother, grandmother and candlemaker / owner of Joyful Designs in Soy
http://www.joyfuldesignsinsoy.com

2005-08-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

Decorating around the garden by Melissa Cameron

Straight Talk OnDecorating Around the Garden
Do you live near a park? Most people dothere are so many around
now. All levels of government recognize the value of a green
environment. And, of course, if people know that government has provided
them with lots of parks and trees, theyll get lots of votes. But the
bottom line iswe have, in North America, some absolutely beautiful
parks.
Some of the most beautiful parks are natural areas, untouched by man,
with lots of trees and plants flourishing in their natural environment. For example, New Yorks Central Park is a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, even though its right in the middle of the city. In California, theres Redwood Park, with its statuesque redwood trees.In Vancouver, Canada, theres Stanley Park, another beautiful acreage of natural habitat, set right next to the city.
And then there are the world-famous gardens, like Butchart Gardens in
Victoria, British Columbia, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England,
and the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town. These displays of
flowers literally take your breath away, their beauty is so stunning.
But you dont have to go around the world to find a garden that takes
your breath away. You can create your own parkyour own place to go on
sunny Saturday afternoons, complete with shady trees and cool summer
breezes.You can create the best of parks right in your own backyard (or front yard, too, for that matter).
Imagine your garden as a beautiful park
Why do people go to parks? Most would probably say that they go
to parks to relax. Think of the soothing feeling you get when you
walk into a quiet forest, with their pine needle beds and their sweet
scent of mature wood. Or perhaps the park you most like to visit is a
garden of floral delightsroses, chrysanthemums, magnolias, and
perhaps even orchids. These gardens are definitely places that whisk us
away from the rush of your daily lives into what almost seems like
another world. These are the gardens that are decked out in flowers,
with colorful garden decorations, statues, bridges, fountains
all the things that just call out to you saying, Come. Sit down.
Relax.Breathe in the wonder of nature. Who could resist that call?
But you dont need to go out to parks or gardens to find an
environment so sweet. You only need to go as far as your own back
yard.Theres no reason why you cant create a garden of your own, just as good as any youll find in your neighborhood, or in your tourist
area. You can create your own garden.
If you dont think youre creative enough, then there are lots of
landscapers who can give you expert advice. Theyll come and survey your
yard, and present you with a number of plans thatll give you a
wonderfully unique garden thatll make you the envy of the entire
neighborhoodor maybe even the city. Landscapers are trained professionals. They can design and create a whole environment of beauty from your plain old yard. But whether you hire somebody, or do it yourself, the possibilities are endless. There are literally hundreds of ways you can beautify your garden. One unique way is with a decorative mailbox and post in front of your home.
You can create a garden as good as any park
To come up with a wonderfully-landscaped garden, just sit back, close your eyes, and let your imagination run wild. Picture yourself sitting in your gazebo, the soft water of a gently-running fountain soothing your senses. You rise from your garden bench, and slowly wander over your little wooden bridge that crosses the babbling brook flowing through your garden. You stop here and there to admire the roses
climbing the trellis, or smell the carnations crawling up the gazebo walls, perhaps picking one to take inside and put in a glass on your
living-room table.
What a wonderful feeling that is, isnt it? And this is something
totally within your range of possibility. Think of all the things you could do to turn your yard into a park. You could put little statues at
the entrance, beckoning everyone that passes by to stop and commune with
nature a while. If youd like to educate your friends as they enjoy your garden, you could put up garden signs, naming the more exotic plants and flowers youve brought in. Great conversation pieces!
One of the more popular items in a creative garden these days is a
pond. There are dozens of types of fish you can keep, depending on the
size of the pond.You can fill it with lily pads, and floating
plants. You can even put a fountain right in the pond. Theres
nothing like sitting in your yard with your eyes closed, listening to
the soothing sound of gently-splashing water. It just seems to take you
away from it all, doesnt it?
Gardens can be functional, too
The functional aspects of your garden can be esthetically-pleasing,
too. You can now get decorative water sprinklers with a dragonfly or butterfly on top. And garden structures dont have to be big
and ugly. You can get garden sheds that look more like little guest houses, colorfully decorated with ivy and vines. Outside the shed, you could put a garden bench, inviting someone to sit and take a deep breath of fresh air, fueled by the fragrance of blooming flowers.
You can do the same thing with your shade structures, too. You can
strategically place canopies around your garden, creating little rest
areas. Or you can get very creative with awnings, like attaching them to
your gazebo, or a trellis, where they can be rolled out as the sun
passes. Again, these are available in many attractive designs,
fulfilling their function, while still providing a pleasant view.
And how about a deck, to connect all that garden beauty to your
house. A deck can also be very functional, while still remaining
charming and stylish. And you can outfit your deck with some
great-looking teak patio furniture, and protect yourself from the sun
with a colorful awning thatll match your house. Again, it can look good
and provide a purpose at the same time.
What a picture youve painted
Thats quite a picture youve painted in your mind, isnt it? Well,
it doesnt have to remain just a picture. You can turn it into reality
any time you want. There are some wonderful Garden Centers out there. Theres sure to be one in your
neighborhood. The people there are usually very knowledgeable and very
helpful. They can guide you through all the phases of creating your own
park in your own yard. Theyll help you find the best garden
decorations. Theyll show you the best garden furniture. Theyll help
you choose the best garden structures.
When youre developing your garden, take the time to let your
creative juices flow. Come up with unique ideas that identify your
garden with you. Duplicate your personality in your garden.
About the Author
Melissa Cameron is a successful author
providing moneysaving tips and common sense advice for consumers purchasing
area rugs
and
inflatable kayaks. Her many articles offer valuable insight and straight talk on confusing topics.

2005-08-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

Growing Japanese Bonsai Trees for Bonsai Gardens by Christopher Chase

As you go through the history of Japanese bonsai trees (among others), you will note that this term is used to refer to a plant in a pot. As per the information provided on Harvard's Arnold Arboretum site, "the ancient Chinese were the first to miniaturize trees for ornamental purposes, around A.D. 200. Later, the Japanese, who used it to create beautiful gardens, adopted the bonsai technique.

Basically, the bonsai are outdoor plants and they flourish in cool and humid conditions, away from the bright sunlight for most parts of the day. In case you want to keep them indoors, you have to create the same cool and humid environment for them; otherwise they tend to wither away.

Podocarpus, Serissa and dwarf Pomegranate are suitable for bonsai along with some common plants, such as Schefflera, jade plant, Ficus benjamina, Bougainvillea, Citrus and Hibiscus. You can also make bonsai out of several woody herb species like bay, rosemary, myrtle and lavender.

How to care for your Japanese Bonsai Trees

All bonsai need a light and well-draining soil, but the actual soil can vary from plant to plant. So, the soil mixture suitable for growing bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) cannot be considered ideal for cultivating the southern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana).

A typical bonsai soil mixture comprises 1/3 part coarse sand to help the drainage of excess water; 1/3 part organic matter like ground sphagnum moss or pine or fir bark, which are capable to hold moisture and nutrients and 1/3 part a coarse, fired clay like Turface that also has the capacity to hold nutrients and moisture. You can adjust the proportions according to the needs of your trees.

You can select any suitable place, such as the terrace to create your traditional Japanese garden. Planning an outdoor Japanese garden is an intellectual pursuit that also requires artistic visualization and imagination. The key element of its lay out and planning is that you should not let the gardeners personality influence the garden. In this way, the viewers can visualize the garden in their own distinct ways. Another core element is simplicity in terms of the design and lay out.

Dont keep anything that competes with the dcor of the garden or distracts the attention of the viewers away from the garden.

In your bonsai garden, you can plant clumps of Fargesia nitida, a pretty clumping bamboo. Japanese maples are also ideal and they can be transplanted into containers as well. In order to make your bonsai garden look more natural, you can put some moss over the soil beneath your bonsai tree that will look like real grass. To promote the growth of your bonsai, you have to rewire the bonsai every year and trim its center roots after one year.

Things to remember about Japanese Bonsai trees

When you see a bonsai, you must remember that it is a Japanese expression that refers to an artificially miniaturized potted plant or collection of plants, which are cultivated to recreate a natural scene. Generally, a twelve inches tall bonsai having an outcropping of strong roots can give the appearance of a very old tree.

Likewise, a symmetrical crown adorning the top of a straight trunk can provide the impression of a stately and ancient shade tree. The Japanese people possess centuries old dwarf trees and hand it over to the next generation as their living heirlooms.

About the Author
About the Author: Christopher Chase is a respected Bonsai enthusiast. He is the author of dozens of articles on the subject of Bonsai, subjects include Shohin Bonsai, Bonsai and Suiseki and Bonsai Art.

2005-08-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

Asthma Friendly Gardens by Thomas Leo Ogren

Asthma Friendly Gardens

Tom Ogren
Recent studies have shown that babies born to mothers who were exposed to high levels of pollen in their last trimester of pregnancy have a much greater chance of developing asthma. One of the main keys with asthma prevention is avoidance.
When you have asthma the typical garden is not a very friendly place at all. There are mold spores to contend with and worst of all is the pollen. Typical gardens have pollen producing male trees and male shrubs and other plants that can provoke asthma attacks. Almost anyone with asthma will tell you that their asthma can be triggered by a good number of things, but pollen is often number one for causing an attack. Garden allergies are common, but they need not be. Allergies from gardening could be largely a thing of the past if were willing to make some simple changes.
In fall of 1999 in Richmond, Virginia the American Lung Association of Virginia (ALAV) built a new Breathe Easy office and headquarters. They had this entire large building constructed with the latest innovations in green construction and sustainable design. No construction materials were used that would off gas any harmful or toxic chemicals, no materials were used that would trigger asthma or allergies. Every attempt was made to build something that would be pleasant and healthy to work in. The people who work in this office now will tell you too, that they all notice what a great improvement it is. Their office is a healthy building.
The ALA decided it would make perfect sense to landscape their new healthy building (in some states these are now called Health Houses) with an allergy free landscape. OPALS (the plant/allergy 1-10 numerical ranking system) was used to select only those plant materials that were either very low pollen, low allergy, or that were totally pollen free, allergy free. In effect they created the first true asthma friendly garden in the US.
Health Houses in other states are now also adding pollen free landscapes to their green construction, green buildings. A new Health House is about to be built in Pennsylvania, and the PA Association of Landscapers and Nurserymen are helping to surround it with an asthma friendly landscape.
Schools too are getting into the clean air act, and in the city of Visalia, California, the Tulare County Asthma Coalition recently directed the asthma friendly landscaping of a newly built elementary school.
Twelve keys to building your own asthma friendly garden:
1.Plant lots of female trees and female shrubs. Not only will these not shed any pollen, they will also trap a good deal of pollen that may stay in from somewhere else. Think of these female plants as natures air cleaners.
2.Use only low pollen or no pollen lawns. There are types of lawns now that are pretty well pollen free and these are a big improvement over some of the older lawn varieties. In southern states, if you have a common Bermuda grass lawn, consider replacing it with a newer, more asthma friendly hybrid Bermuda grass. Princess 77 is a new Bermuda grass hybrid that can be planted from seed. It is next to pollen free, grows very low and tight, and is especially good looking.
3.With OPALS 1 is best, 10 is worst. Use only plants with rankings of 1-5. The more plants in your gardens that have rankings ranging from 1-3, the friendlier your place will be for anyone with allergies or asthma.
4.Remove any trees or shrubs with rankings over OPALS #7. The woody landscape plants with rankings of 8-10 are all sure-fire allergy triggering plants and you can live without them.
5.Replace any removed high pollen, asthma triggering plants with their opposite, female trees or female shrubs. Also good as replacements are perfect flowered plants that are known to be very low pollen producers. These will all have good (low) OPALS rankings.
6.Use only plants that are well adapted to your own area. If you can find natives that have low allergy rankings, consider using them. Look around your own neighborhood, and see for yourself, which kinds of plants seem to be flourishing there already. For almost every kind of plant used in landscaping, there is now a no or low pollen version of it, if you know what to look for.
7.Use a wide variety of plant materials; diversity is good. Biodiversity always makes sense. The more diverse our gardens are the fewer problems well have with insects and molds.
8.Avoid plants with strong fragrances or odors, as they can cause asthma. Dont plant jasmines or similar vines next to entrances or exits and certainly dont use them underneath bedroom windows.
9.For mulch, use rock or gravel instead of bark to cut down on toxic mold spores in the garden. Flat stones or pavers also make good, mold free mulching materials.
10.To further eliminate mold spores, encourage wild birds in your garden. Virtually all wild birds eat insects, and insect damage triggers outbreaks of mold. Even the tiny hummingbirds actually eat a large number of insects. Put up a hummingbird feeder!
11.Keep your plants healthy. This too will cut down on both pollen and mold. When it is hot and windy, do some irrigating. Fertilize everything in the garden spring and fall. If plants are crowding each other too much, thin them out. If tree branches overhead are putting your whole yard in deep shade, consider having the tree thinned to let in more light. Fresh air and light are the enemies of molds.
12.If a tree, shrub, vine or any other plant always looks sickly, looks dirty, or always attracts bugs, then shovel prune it. Dig it up and get rid of it. Replace it with something easier to grow. Dont get caught up in having to spray insecticides all the time, as they too can easily cause asthma and allergies.

Make your garden a fun, stress free zone. Be sure to have a few comfortable garden chairs to sit in, and a little table of some sort is always good too. Wind chimes, bird feeders, and birdbaths can add greatly to your enjoyment and cost little. A beautiful, pollen free, allergy free, asthma friendly garden can be just the place for healthy children, and a great place for anyone to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. For more advice on low allergen gardening, look up allergy free gardening on the Internet, or go to your local library and read some books on this new important subject.

Tom Ogren is the author of five published books, including: Allergy-free Gardening, Safe Sex in the Garden (Ten Speed Press), and What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn (AOL Time Warner Books). Tom has an MS degree in Agriculture-Horticulture, taught landscape gardening for twenty years, owned and operated two wholesale-retail nurseries, and in northern Minnesota was host of the popular Public Radio call-in gardening show, Tom Ogrens Wild World of Plants!
Tom (Thomas Leo Ogren) has published hundreds of articles on health and gardening. His work has appeared in diverse publications such as South Africas Veldt and Field, in Womens Day, Alternative Medicine, the Burpee Seed Catalog, Sunset Magazine, Landscape Architecture, Der Spiegel, The London Times, The Seattle Times, The Washington Post, and even the Jerusalem Post. He has also made numerous appearances on HGTV and his work was the focus of two made for TV documentaries, one by the Canadian Discovery Channel.
Tom has been interviewed on National Public Radios Weekend Edition and his groundbreaking research was featured on The CBS Evening News. He is a frequent lecturer for garden clubs, arboretums, civic groups, hospitals, medical groups, Master Gardeners, and professional associations of landscapers, landscape designers, writers, nursery people, arborists, and urban foresters. He has become well known for his fun, high energy, highly informative, unusual and provocative talks. Tom is a member of the Professional Landscape Designers Association, and the GWA, the Garden Writers of America. Unlike many well-published authors, he still tries to answer all of his own email. You can contact Tom through his website, at: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

Notice of Copyright: Copyright Thomas Leo Ogren

About the Author
Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the American Lung Associations. He has appeared on CBS, HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published his latest: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

2005-08-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

A Dozen Tips for Producing Low Allergy Gardens by Thomas Ogren

A Dozen Tips for Producing Low-Allergy Gardens

Thomas Leo Ogren

What we plant often has a direct effect on our own health and the health of those near us. A pollen-producing male tree in our own yard will easily expose us to ten times more pollen than would a similar tree growing just down the block. This can be compared to second-hand smoke. It is possible to inhale some smoke from a person smoking a block or two away from you, but it is hardly the same as someone smoking right next to you. It is the same with plants. If your own yard is full of allergenic plants, then you will be exposed most.
Elementary school landscapes are frequently highly allergenic because all too often they have been landscaped with trees and shrubs that will not produce any seeds, seedpods or fruitwhich the children might want to toss at each other. What is over-looked is that these tidy choices are usually male cultivars (clones) and although they are litter-free, they are prodigious producers of allergenic pollen. I am now involved with a pollen-free landscape planting at a new elementary school in Tulare County, California. This work is being sponsored by their local asthma coalition and it is very encouraging to see preventative measures like this being taken. Children suffer greatly from allergies and asthma, and asthma is now the most common chronic childhood disease in the US.
Another fine example of low-pollen landscaping surrounds the new American Lung Association Regional Headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. With green construction principles a new Breathe Easy allergy-free office was constructed. The allergy-friendly landscape plant materials are predominantly female, and compliment the clean air building. Other Breathe Easy offices are also now using pollen free landscapes, as are numerous Heath Houses.
Twelve tips: Remember, the greater the exposure to pollen, the greater the incidence of pollen-triggered allergy and asthma.

1.Dont plant any male trees or shrubs. These are often sold as "seedless" or "fruitless" varieties but theyre males and they all produce large amounts of allergenic pollen.
2.Do plant female trees and shrubs. Even though these may be messier than males, they produce no pollen, and they actually trap and remove pollen from the air. There is also some very good all-female sod to use for pollen-free lawns. As an added bonus, these female lawns stay low and require less frequent mowing.
3.Plant disease-resistant varieties: mildew, rust, black spot and other plant diseases all reproduce by spores and these spores cause allergies. Disease resistant plants wont get infected as much and the air around them will be healthier.
4.Use only trees and shrubs well adapted for your own climate zone. Plants grown in the wrong zone will often fail to thrive. Because they are not healthy, they will be magnets for insects. Insect residue, "honeydew," is a prime host for molds and molds produce allergenic mold spores. Often native plants will be the healthiest choices.
5.Be careful with the use of all insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Accidental exposure to all of these chemical pesticides has been shown to cause breakdowns in the immune system. Sometimes one single heavy exposure to a pesticide will result in sudden hypersensitivity to pollen, spores, and to other allergens. This is as true for pets as it is for their owners. Go organic as much as possible. Make and use compost!
6.Diversity is good. Dont plant too much of the same thing in your landscapes. Use a wide selection of plants. Lack of diversity often causes over-exposure. Use lots of variety in your gardens.
7.Wild birds are a big plus because they eat so many insects. Plant fruiting trees and shrubs to encourage more birds. Suet also attracts many insect-eating birds. Insect dander causes allergies and birds consume an incredible amount of aphids, whiteflies, scale, and other invertebrate pests.
8.Use pollen-free selections whenever possible. There are many hybrids with highly doubled flowers and in many cases these flowers lack any male, pollen parts. Formal double chrysanthemums, for example, usually have no pollen. Another example would be almost all of the erect tuberous begonias. These have complete female flowers, but their male flowers have nothing but petals, making them pollen-free.
9.If you simply must have some high-allergy potential plants in your yard, just because you love them, then watch where you plant them. Dont use any high-allergy plants near bedroom windows or next to patios, well-used walkways, or by front or back doors. Place the highest allergy plants as far away from the house as possible and downwind of the house too. Remember: the closer you are to the high-allergy tree or shrub, the greater is your exposure.
10.Know the exact cultivar name of a tree or shrub before you buy it. Dont buy any that are not clearly tagged with the correct cultivar (variety) name and the Latin, scientific name. Compare the exact name of the plant with its OPALS/TM allergy ranking. With this scale, 1 is least allergenic, and 10 is the most allergenic. Try to achieve a landscape that averages at OPALS #5, or below.
11.If you have a tree or hedge that has high allergy potential and dont want to remove it, consider keeping it heavily sheared so that it will flower less. Boxwood, for example, has allergenic flowers but if pruned hard each year, it will rarely bloom at all.
12.Get involved with your own citys tree and parks departments, and encourage them to stop planting any more wind-pollinated trees. There are thousands of fine choices of street trees that do not cause any allergies and we should be using these instead. Working together we can make a healthy difference, and well all breathe better for our efforts.

*Note, with the dioecious plants (separate-sexed) males cause pollen-allergy, and females because they are pollen free, do not. Examples of some of these dioecious plants are: red maple, silver maple, box elder, holly, willow, aspen, cottonwood, poplar, fringe tree, pepper tree, carob tree, Osage orange, mulberry, cedar, juniper, podocarpus, yews, ash, date palms, and even asparagus.

About the Author
Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on landscape plants and allergies for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the Canadian and American Lung Associations. He has appeared on HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published in 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

2005-08-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

A house is not a Home without a Gnome by Hugh Harris-Evans

When confronted by a garden gnome the common reaction is to hold up your hands in horror and utter an expression of disgust while wondering how anyone can bear to allow such a creature to remain in their backyard. On the other hand we are told on good authority that the gnome population of Southern Germany is close on four million and, when you start looking, there are quite a number visible in the US.

Perhaps we should not be surprised by the Germans since gnomes were first created in their country in the early 1800's. The earliest recorded sighting in England was in 1840 at Lamport Hall, the seat of Sir Charles Isham. It was not until 1872 that gnomes for the garden began to be manufactured in large numbers. According to German folklore gnomes were regarded as good luck charms. They were supposed to help around the house and garden and in rural areas often lived in the rafters of barns where they would keep a watchful eye on the owner's animals as well as the crops and garden produce.

Over the years the German gnome makers honed their skills and became master craftsmen. At its peak the Griebel gnome factory in East Germany produced some 300 different gnome characters. Following the collapse of communism in 1989 entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic decided to enter the market and to produce cheap imitations of the traditional characters. Initially they were prevented from entering Germany by a law which allowed customs to confiscate those gnomes infringing companies' copyright. However, now it is a free for all on the German border and Reinhard Griebel, the great grandson of the founder of the firm, has just one workshop and the gnome museum.

Whilst the original gnomes were depicted as gardeners engaged in the traditional rural tasks, the range was increased to include anyone from fishermen to musicians, sportsmen and farmers. It was not long before living individuals were being modelled in clay or stoneware. Among those currently available are gladiator Russell Crowe, TV gardeners Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock and even a Tony Blair wall plaque.

For gnome lovers no trip to Europe would be complete without a visit to the Gnome Reserve set in the wilds of northern Devon in England. There you will find over one thousand gnomes and pixies in the four acre reserve. Gnome hats are loaned free of charge together with fishing rods, so you don't embarrass the gnomes!

There are some who view the cheerful little character sitting in your yard in a different light. FreeTheGnomes.com provides Garden Gnome Liberation information and calls to action. They proclaim that "Thousands of Gnomes are enslaved in Gardens across America. For too long we have let our neighbors usurp the rights of these gentle woodland creatures. Join our boycott. Organize a picket demonstration. Write to Congress. Free a Gnome. We'll show you how."

Some groups have taken the law into their own hands. In April 2000 in Paris the dormant Garden Gnome Liberation Front sprang back to life, stealing about 20 gnomes during a nighttime raid on a Paris exhibition. "We demand ... that garden gnomes are no longer ridiculed and that they be released into their natural habitat," the Front's Paris wing said in a statement following its weekend strike.

Disappearing gnomes have caused headaches for police forces worldwide. In May 2004 The Scotsman reported that a spate of bizarre thefts had left Lothians police with several unusual prisoners - 14 garden gnomes. An elderly woman complained to police that someone was stealing gnomes from her yard in Fairfax County, Washington D.C. Officers set up a spy-cam and caught their suspect in the act four times. Police revealed that their bad guy was really a not-so-bad Labrador retriever named Magnum. The dog had been retrieving the figurines and bringing them home. In Australia, garden gnomes started disappearing from one particular neighbourhood on a large scale. They were found in a clearing in the bush months later, where they were all gathered around the largest gnome, having a meeting.

If you have not yet succumbed to the temptation to acquire one of these cheerful little creatures, let me leave you with one final thought. A study carried out in England in 2003 into matters to be considered when selling your home found that having a gnome in your front garden reduced the value of your house by $840.

Hugh Harris-Evans

For gardening tips and resources visit my site:
http://www.garden-supplies-advisor.com

About the Author
Hugh Harris-Evans is a retired 62 year old who divides his time between building his gardening web site http://www.garden-supplies-advisor.com and getting his hands dirty in his real world garden.

2005-08-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

MOSQUITO FARMS? IS THAT WHAT WATER GARDENS ARE? by Scottie Johnson

What is nicer that a lovely backyard garden pond. The lush growth rising above the water, graceful fish darting about and the soothing sound of the water. These are just a few of the reasons people are drawn to water gardens.

But when you think about adding a water feature to your garden, you are torn, because you know that a charming pond can also be a mosquito hatchery. And, everyone is concerned; rightly, about mosquitoes and the diseases they spread.

It is true, mosquitoes do need water to breed, but at the same time, there are so many effective ways to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in ponds, you should not let that stop you. Water gardeners are in a unique position; they can have wet spaces that can actually help stop mosquitoes from breeding.

Just a few simple precautions are all you need to feel safe and enjoy such a wonderful addition to the landscape.

If you have a water garden, or want one, try these suggestions.

Have moving water in your water garden. Mosquitoes will not lay eggs in running water. The newly hatched mosquito must rest on the waters surface for a few minutes to let its wings dry. If the water is moving, the female mosquito will not lay eggs there.

Get some mosquito fish for your pond. Mosquito fish, or gambusia affinis, are very aggressive predators of mosquito larvae. They are also aggressive to other fish and will also eat dragonfly larvae, or nymphs. If mosquito fish are too predatory for your particular tastes, several other types of fish readily consume mosquito larvae, such as guppies, killifish, and small goldfish. Koi are too large and will not target the larvae.

Add Bti to your pond. Bti is a naturally occurring type of bacillus that is eaten by the mosquito larvae, and rapidly kills them. It is not harmful to fish, pets, wildlife or humans. It is sold under such names as Mosquito Dunks, or Mosquito Bits.

Add dragonfly larvae, or nymphs, to your pond. They are voracious predators of mosquito larvae, and while the mosquito larvae stay in that stage for only a few days, the dragonfly nymphs stay in the larval stage for up to two years, and can prey on many generations of mosquito larvae. And, when they become adults, the dragonfly feeds on adult mosquitoes too.

Invite toads into your yard. One toad can consume up to 100 mosquitoes and slugs per night. They lay their eggs in water, so the pond will attract them. If happy with its environment, a toad can grace your garden for up to 20 years. And the tadpoles will eat mosquito larvae also.

As an overall precaution, get a propane powered mosquito trap, such as the Mosquito Magnet, to reduce the mosquito population in your garden area. These are the most effective mosquito killers around, and they will capture (and kill) the mosquitoes that your natural controls miss.

With the growing concern about mosquito diseases, like West Nile virus, malaria, and dengue fever, it is natural to feel reluctance to add any water source around your home. With the right precautions, you can beautify your garden and still feel secure that you are not inviting mosquitoes into your immediate environment.

If water gardening appeals to you, just educate yourself, take the needed precautions, and get ready to enjoy the beauty and serenity a water feature adds to your home.

About the Author
Scottie Johnson is a life long mosquito warrior, freelance author and organic gardener. For all the information you need about killing and repelling mosquitoes, visit her site at http/www.mosquito-kill-net.com

2005-08-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

October in the Flower Garden Preparing for Winter by Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

A very busy time begins in the garden as the summer and autumn flowers fade. Although much depends upon the weather, the time is approaching quickly when we must put everything in order for the winter. In my part of the country, Halloween, at the end of the month, usually is heralded in with snow and cold temperatures.

The whole flower garden should be dug over, but it is most important not to injure the hardy plants that will remain. Where there are a lot of these, it is safer to dig with a fork than a spade. A spade is much more likely to cut roots through if it comes across them. This, of course, presupposes you already have a flower bed with easily worked soil. Annual plants may all be pulled up and carted away to the compost bin as they cease to flower.

Remember that many of our hardy perennial plants die down for the winter. Their leaves and stems wither and die. But we must not conclude that the plant is dead just cause the tops die. The roots are very much alive and in the spring beautiful fresh young growth will peep through the soil. This is just a caution for the newbie gardener.

Nature has all sorts of methods to enable her hardy plants to pass the winter safely. Some, like the hardy perennials, are simply going to sleep, in a manner of speaking. Some, like the bulbous plantsthe snowdrops, and winter aconites, and othersare waking up, for these sleep during the hot summer months. Some plants remain fresh and green winter and summer alike.

Just as we should have made everything neat and trim for the summer, so during the next few weeks everything should be made neat and tidy for the winter. All dead leaves, stems, etc., should be cleared away, and stakes taken up and stored except where plants still need them.

If our gardens were only made and planted in the spring, our hardy plants will not need dividing. But if they have been around two or three seasons then probably some of them will be better divided. We divide clumps that have grown to a large size because if they throw up too many flowering stems, they will not be well nourished or produce a fine blossom and towards the center the plant will grow poorly.

We should remember that it is good for the future welfare of a plant to replant it in a different spot from where it has been. If we do not need all the pieces we can make of a divided plant, we should replant the strong or outer portions.

About the Author
Sandra is a lover of beautiful things including Flower Gardens. She has created a website for Flower Garden Lovers, and those that love them, with gardening tips, artwork and books on the subject.

2005-08-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

Horticultural Therapy by Thomas Leo Ogren

Horticultural Therapy

Thomas Ogren

The idea of using gardens and plants as tools for therapy is growing fast these days. Makes perfect sense, too. There is a great deal of evidence that working in gardens is wonderful for our mental health.
The relation between our mental health and our physical health is a close one. If we feel good about ourselves, about our families, our work, our friends, often our bodies will feel stronger too. Just being in a beautiful garden can make
many of us feel better. Doing small chores in the garden, deadheading roses, pulling weeds, planting some bulbs, fertilizing, all of these things have the ability to make us feel good.
In the Persian language the words garden and heaven are one and the same. In our own lives so often we spend most of our time rushing here
and rushing there. We spend way too much time stuck in front of computers, TV sets, stuck in rush hour traffic, doing things that may be necessary, but things that arent much fun, much less satisfying.
But working in the garden, thats different, especially for those of us who really do love to garden. I recently came on some research data that suggests that the more tuned into gardening a person is, the more nurturing, creative, and
compassionate that person will be. Again, this makes sense too. In the garden we are free to experiment. In the garden what we do actually does make a difference, a huge difference. Unlike so many things, the more effort we put into our gardens, the better they are.
What is the link between gardening and empathy for our fellow man? Could it be that gardening brings us closer to nature? That by getting in
touch with Mother Nature, we are ourselves enriched? Probably so. But then too, theres no doubt that the type of people drawn to gardening in the first place, may already have in them an extra dose of creativity and compassion.
I used to work in a prison for juveniles. The CYA it was called, the California Youth Authority. I started from scratch the program there and over the years the program grew, the gardens expanded, I learned new things and so did
my wayward students.
Most of my boys in the CYA were gang members from the Los Angeles area. Typically they were in for armed robbery, muggings, murder. Most of
them, although they ranged in age from fifteen to twenty-five, most could barely read, and none had done any gardening.
I designed our gardens to be therapeutic. We built a big brick barbecue so we could cook things we grew. We grew fruit trees, hundreds of them, so wed have fresh fruit to eat. We put up bird feeders so we could attract and see birds in the garden. We put up birdbaths, we made wind chimes, and we planted huge gardens of vegetables and flowers.
In our gardens we grew things organically. I taught them to value frogs, toads, lizards, snakes as welcome additions to the garden. We made huge piles of compost. About the only form of punishment we used was, turning the compost heap.
We always had a radio to play some music to listen to while we worked.
Deep, profound changes happened to many of these hardened criminals while working in the garden. As they learned to hybridize roses they lost
their desire to rob liquor stores. As they grew tomatoes big as your fist and watermelons big as beach balls, they became proud of their accomplishments. The more they learned about plants, the less they were interested in crime.
Many of these boys learned how to read, to do math, to write, and learned it all there in the gardens, in the greenhouses.
I worked in the CYA for twelve years. People in authority sometimes claimed that I bribed my wards and that I must be doing something illegal. They couldnt understand how it was that these hoodlums could learn the scientific names of hundreds of plants, that they actually learned to love to read, to love to garden. But I didnt bribe the boys; I just set up a garden with a healing atmosphere and then let it work its wonders.
The right garden is a magical place. Plants are not judgmental. You take good care of them and they thrive. In the garden our minds are free to wander, to daydream, to relax. Good things happen in good gardens.
Why talk about horticultural therapy in a book devoted largely to allergy avoidance? The answer is simple. Gardening of itself can be very therapeutic, however, if the garden is filled with plants that cause allergies, well, the
gardening experience wont be that good. It is no fun to be sneezing and even less fun to have attacks of skin rashes or asthma. By making our gardens allergy-free we can avoid these negatives. The physical work done in gardens is
also good for us, burning calories, making our muscles stronger. In the right garden the air is cleaner, too, refreshing our lungs as we work.
If it makes sense to have a therapeutic garden be allergy-free, it also makes sense that gardening is food for the soul, and the happier we feel about life, quite often, the better will be our health.

The Fen Shui Garden.
The more people you talk to about Fen Shui and gardening, the more opinions on it you get. Ms. Robin Wood, a very talented landscape architect once told me, Fen Shui gardening is really just good landscape design.
And to a point, I would agree with her. In many ways the ancient Chinese philosophy of Fen Shui, also called Feng Shui, is all about creating harmony. In a true Fen Shui garden the focus is on the atmosphere. A garden is created
that encourages meditation, relaxation, close connections to Nature.
A good Fen Shui garden does not ignore any of our senses. There are fragrant flowers to smell, wind chimes, the sounds of water, and the songs
of birds to please our ears, shade from the hot sun, protection from the wind, places just to sit and think, contrasting surfaces to feel, beauty to please our eye, and perhaps even some fruit or vegetable for our tongue to taste.
A true Fen Shui garden is not strictly formal, overly clipped, too tidy and sanitary, all drawn with squares and rectangles. Shrubs dont need to be square nor do all trees need to resemble each other. A quiet restrained informality is
encouraged. Love, peace, understanding, and wisdom reign in a true Fen Shui garden.
In many ways during all my years at the Youth Authority, although I didnt know it at the time, I was instinctively trying to develop a Fen Shui garden. Surrounded by guards, gangs, and concertina razor wire, I aspired to create an
inner sanctum, a natural place for me and my students to remove ourselves from all the bad vibes so very close by.
I am not a Fen Shui expert by any means and certainly do not claim to be, but I have read a great deal about it, listened to numerous talks given by so-called experts, and I have long been interested and involved in garden design. I think that Fen Shui does indeed have much to offer and that it is well worth exploring. However, I often notice a certain snobbishness surrounding the subject. One expert writes that none of the others know what theyre talking
about, especially the Western writers and speakers. Ive met some Fen Shui designers and writers who were cold, impersonal and rude, none of which jives with true Fen Shui in my mind. I sometimes encounter a similar snobbishness with people who refuse to grow any plants not native to their own little local area.
My feeling about all these snobby attitudes in gardening is this: Elitism doesnt belong in the garden. Plants arent critical, lets not be that way ourselves. Many people, far wiser than I, have long known that the more we learn about something, the more we realize how little we know. Harold Young, the wonderful senior editor of Pacific Coast Nurseryman Magazine once wrote me in an email, I used to think I knew a lot of plants.
I know just what he means.

About the Author
Tom Ogren loves fishing, hiking, boxing, baseball, gardening, his family and friends. He is author of 5 published books and hundreds of articles. His website is www.allergyfree-gardening.com

2005-08-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Terrorists Favorite Weed/ Castor Bean by Thomas Ogren

The Terrorists Favorite Weed/ Castor Bean

Thomas Ogren

The Castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) with its large bold, highly colored leaves is native to tropical Africa. In cold climates it is an annual, growing quickly, setting many seeds, and dying off in winter. In mild winter areas it is a long-lived perennial, sometimes reaching small tree size. It has gone wild and naturalized in many places and is especially common in coastal areas. Each plant produces hundreds of the bean-like seeds and these seeds can remain viable for more than a decade.
Castor bean is a Euphorbia (Spurge) family member and like many Euphorbias it is poisonous, has highly caustic sap, and produces extremely allergenic pollen.
Before World War Two castor bean was not common in the US, grown mostly as an unusual foliage plant in a few gardens. But during the war there was a need for castor oil and the government encouraged farmers in the Midwest to start growing large acreage of it as an oil seed crop. The first year it was grown not much happened but by the end of the second season huge numbers of people living near the castor bean fields started getting hay fever and asthma. Castor bean pollen is an abundant and potent allergen.
There is another more sinister use for castor bean. The mottled seeds of castor bean, which are about the size and shape of large pinto beans, contain two powerful poisons, the alkaloid ricinin and the toxalbumin ricin.
Ricin, a white protein powder is a remarkably deadly cytotoxin. The poison in the seeds is so strong that eating a single seed can kill a child. Animals, horses in particular, that eat the succulent leaves die from ricin poisoning. Ricin is even more toxic than strychnine and cyanides. Ricin also has the ability to accumulate in the body until a lethal dose is reached. Symptoms of ricin poisoning are stomachache, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, bloody diarrhea, cold sweat, sleepiness, disorientation, shortage of breath, seizures, and death.

Terrorists have long been enamored of castor bean and ricin. Modern day mad scientists can extract ricin from castor bean seeds. Just how poisonous is ricin? Ricin is one of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances known to man. As little as one milligram of ricin can kill an adult.
Assassination
Georgi Markov was a Bulgarian journalist who had spoken out against the Bulgarian government. While waiting for a bus near Waterloo Station in London, in 1978, Markov was murdered, stabbed in the leg with a poisoned umbrella. A perforated metallic pellet stuck in his leg was found to contain the deadly ricin toxin.
More recently it has been widely reported that Thomas C. Leahy, known by his neighbors as the Mad Scientist, was producing ricin in his Wisconsin basement. Leahy, a high school dropout and self-taught chemist, had also tried to grow anthrax. Ricin if inhaled or even touched can kill in a day or two. Luckily for us, Leahy is now serving seven years in state prison for shooting and wounding his 13-year-old stepson.
Going Native
Castor bean plant spreads quickly because it has many built-in advantages over native plants. A very robust grower, its leaves are poisonous even to predatory insects. Aphids that can safely feed on many other poisonous plants quickly die after sucking the juice of castor bean leaves.
But castor bean has one disadvantage. It is completely easy to recognize and can then be killed by chopping it down or spraying it with herbicides. I have long advocated eradication of castor bean because it causes so many allergies. It would be wise to realize too, that not only is castor bean pollen allergenic, but it is also poisonous pollen. Exactly what the effects of breathing in poisonous pollen are we dont know, but it cannot be good.
Given the deadly potential of this all too common weed for bio-terrorists, perhaps it is time we have our state and federal marijuana hunting exterminators, shift gears and change targets. They wont have to look hard. In California Ricinus communis can be found growing lushly all along Highway 101.

About the Author
Tom Ogren has held many different jobs, including horticulture teacher in Watts, community gardening organizer for Cooperative Extension, brakeman on the Santa Fe Railroad, dairy farmer, boxer, landscaper, nursery owner, and free lance writer.

2005-08-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Insecticides & Fungicides/Spreader-stickers, Wetting Agents: Getting the most out of Your Sprays by Thomas Ogren

Spreader-stickers, Wetting Agents: Getting the most out of Your Sprays

Thomas Ogren

Spreader-stickers or if you prefer, sticker-spreaders, are agents we can add to garden sprays to make them more effective. These additives are commonly used in commercial horticulture and in agriculture, but for some reason are as yet relatively unknown to most gardeners.
Sticker-spreaders can be made of many different components, organic or inorganic. Often the actual ingredients in a particular brand of sticker-spreader will be kept secret, as a proprietary formulation known only within the company producing it.
Some brands use silicone-based surfactants, oils, emulsifiers and buffering agents, while others may use odd combinations of things like fish oil and fatty acid soaps. Several are made entirely from some sort of emulsified soybean oil. Actually, common dish soap will act as a sticker-spreader, it just wont be as effective.
To be totally technically correct here, sticker-spreader is a combination of two adjuvants. Adjuvants are materials added to spray mixtures to increase the effectiveness of the main active ingredient.
If we want to be completely correct with our terminology here, we probably ought to note too that spreaders are adjuvant surfactants. Surfactants are adjuvants that reduce surface tensions of solutions, helping them spread and cover leaves more effectively.
Stickers are adjuvants that aid in the attachment to a surface.
The water-soluble wax product often used to spray Christmas trees to keep them turgid, Wiltpruff, is also sometimes used as a sticker-spreader.
I recently did some comparison spraying of roses in my own garden. I was spraying the roses with a homemade combination to keep the darn deer from eating them into the ground.
With both batches of spray I used, per gallon of water, two raw eggs, four cloves of garlic, and a cup of skim milk. I blended all the ingredients in a blender before putting them in the sprayer. I sprayed two different sections of roses. In the first section I used the above mix, with the addition of 6 tablespoons of dish soap. In the second section of roses I used the same mix but used two tablespoons of a commercial grade sticker-spreader.
What was the difference?
Both sprays did keep the deer from eating the roses, for awhile.
The spray with soap resulted in roses that were not eaten for six nights following the spraying.
Deer did not eat the roses sprayed with the sticker spreader mix for 15 nights. It seemed obvious to me that the sticker-spreader had indeed locked the smelly spray material onto the roses better than had the soap.
Sticker spreader is sometimes used to make leaves on foliage plants shinier, and this works pretty well, too. If, for example, you are just spraying your roses with insecticidal soap (for aphids) and a little baking soda (for rust and mildew control) mixed with water and a bit of sticker-spreader, youll immediately notice that the spray does stick to the leaves better and it also make them shine.
Spreader-stickers can also have somewhat of a synergistic affect when used with insecticides. It not only helps the insecticide adhere better to plant surfaces but it also helps the insecticide penetrate the bodies of insects it contacts. Perhaps most importantly, spreader-sticker also protects the insecticide or fungicide from washing off in the rain and from breakdown from sunlight.
I think I paid less than five dollars for a pint of spreader-sticker at a local nursery. A little bit goes a long way, so it seems inexpensive enough. Some of the insecticides I like most, organic botanical-based ones such as Neem are kind of pricey, and using sticker-spreader gets me more bang for my buck.

About the Author
Tom Ogren is a nationally know gardener and has appeared numerous times on HGTV. His website is www.allergyfree-gardening.com

2005-08-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

Starting Your Own Fruit Trees by Thomas Leo Ogren

*Note: This article first appeared in Grandiflora Magazine.

Starting Your Own Fruit Trees

Thomas Ogren
I flat out love growing fruit trees and have been crazy about them all my life. Or at least, as much of my life as I can remember. Actually, the very first thing I can clearly recall involved fruit trees.
I was about three, possibly four years old. It was a warm, lazy spring weekend and my older sisters were gone somewhere with my mom, but my dad was home, working in the garage. I wasnt allowed to cross the street by myself, but down the block, across the street, was a beautiful pineapple guava tree growing in the middle of some grouchy old mans lawn. The tree had a huge crop of large, green, totally delicious fruit, but the owner wouldnt let any of us kids pick guavas from his tree, much less climb it. He claimed that we would break the branches. He would however let us have fruit that fell on the ground, but these guavas were generally too soft and mushy.
That day I walked down the street by all by myself, seeing no adults or even any other kids around. I looked at that tree and dashed across the street. The old man was nowhere around and I climbed up his guava tree and started stuffing big, fat guavas in all my pockets. I picked as many as my pockets could hold and climbing back down I did indeed break a few small branches.
Looking both ways (of course!) I ran back across the street with my loot. Back at home I found my dad still in the garage and I showed him my stash, expecting him to yell at me for crossing the street. But dad never did make the connection and thus my first episode of crime was all in all, a total success.
Some fifty years later I now have five guava trees growing in my own yard, all grown from seed. I also have many other fruit trees, all of them homegrown ones.

Fruit From Cuttings
Some fruit is so easy to propagate I always wonder why everyone doesnt try it. Grapes, figs, mulberries, and pomegranates are all easy to grow from directly-stuck cuttings. I cut off a piece of dormant wood, 12-18 inches long, and I bury almost all of it in the ground where I want it to grow. I leave at least one good bud above ground. Sometimes to insure a better take, Ill stick five or six such cuttings in the same spot. If they all grow, then the next winter I dig up the extra ones and give them to friends. I use cutting wood that grew last year and find that wood that is about pencil thickness or somewhat thicker roots the best.
I recently accidentally discovered a way to get plum wood to root for me. I used a long whip of plum branch (dormant wood) as a stake in a one gallon pot of some fancy gold heart ivy. To my surprise the plum wood rooted and started to grow the next spring. I now do this on purpose, using plum wood that is from last years vigorous growth. I select plum whips 2 to 3 foot long, with no branching on them, and stick each one all the way down into the center of a gallon pot of some well-rooted perennial flowers or herbs. A surprising number of these plums grow, and since they are "on their own root, they dont need to be budded or grafted. Try it.

From Seed
I have a spot in my backyard next to my compost heap, and here I toss any and all old pits from plums, apricots, peaches, and nectarines. I toss apple and pear seeds in here too. At the end of the summer I shake an inch or so of old compost over the area and see what grows. Since I do this every year, I always have a ready supply of seedlings each year.
In the winter months, or in the very early spring months if you live in a zone 4-7 area, dig up some of these year-old seedlings, bare root, and pot them up one to each one gallon pot. I use a 50-50 mix of potting soil and garden dirt.
I then water the pots, set the potted seedling on a table, clip off most of the top, leaving 4-6 inches of trunk above ground, and then cleft graft the seedling. Cleft grafting is, I think, the easiest method and it works well with apricot, peach, plum, nectarine, quince, apples and pears. I use a thin bladed knife and tap it (tapping the back of the knife blade with a small hammer or a piece of wood) directly into the center of the cut seedling, going down only about one inch. I cut scion wood (whatever you want to convert your seedling to) that is from last years growth. I like to use scion wood that has a diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the seedling Im going to graft it to. The grafts, or scions, should be about 3 to 4 inches long and each should have several good, dormant buds. The scions can be cut to shape with a sharp pocketknife. Try to get your scions cut smoothly, with a gradual taper.
The scions are then tapped into place in the split seedling (the rootstock), making sure that the cambiums of both scion and rootstock match on at least one side. The cambium is the thin green layer of wood that is just inside the outer bark. To keep your work from drying out, cover the entire finished graft with a thick coating of grafting tar or grafting wax. I also put a dab of the tar or wax directly on the exposed cut tip of the scion. Be careful as you do this, not to knock the scion out of contact with the rootstock cambium.
Now, unless a kid, bird, or a cat bangs into this graft and knocks the scion askew, if you did it right, come springtime the scion will sprout and grow. Voila! Youve got a grafted fruit tree.
You can graft peach onto almond, apricot, plum, peach or nectarine rootstock, and visa versa. For sandy soils peach or nectarine make the best rootstocks, but for heavy clay soils, plum is by far the best. Apples can be grafted on apple seedlings, as can pears. Pear can also be grafted on apple stock. If so inclined, scion wood from quince can also be grafted onto apple or pear. An apple or pear grafted onto a quince rootstock will be a dwarfed tree. If your soil is clay, a pear rootstock grows best. If sandy or loamy, apple is preferred.
I grow these new fruit trees on in the gallon pots for a year, making sure to cut off any sucker wood that arises from below the graft. Keep them well fertilized and watered and they will often grow 3-5 feet in one summers time. The next year either plant them or give them away to friends.
If you have a potted fruit tree seedling where the graft fails to take, simply cut off the unsuccessful grafted part. You can re-graft it the next dormant season. If you have year old seedlings left in the ground that you wont get around to digging and grafting, consider chopping them off just above the ground in the late fall. The next spring these seedlings will grow up with multiple trunks. The next winter dig your second-year seedlings with multiple trunks, thin them back to the strongest 2 or 3 stems, and then cleft graft each of the stems to something different. I have made many three-in-one trees this way, part plum, part apricot, and part nectarine. These make extra nice presents. You can of course just as easily graft each branch to a different cultivar of the same species, such as three different kinds of plum on the same rootstock. A tree like this is often very fruitful, since it will cross-pollinate itself.

Budding
Just a little here on budding. In zones 3-8 most budding is done in May,. June or early July. The easiest method is shield budding. A T cut is made on the rootstock stem, cutting through the outer bark and the cambium, down to the hardwood.. Next you cut a thin, shield-shaped slice of wood (from scion wood of the cultivar you wish to bud), containing one dormant bud. This shield will be about 3/4th of an inch long. This bud is then inserted in the T cut under the bark of the seedling rootstock. I use thin, clear plastic tie tape to wrap the bud up tightly. I will sometimes cut a tiny slice in the middle of the tape and wrap the tape over the tip of the bud itself, which should just peak out of the sliced portion of the tape. The tape serves to keep the bud in close contact with the rootstock and also to keep the bud graft from drying out.
Keep an eye on the budded stem for several weeks and by then if the bud and the shield are still plump and green, consider it a take. Cut off the rest of the stem half an inch above the new bud graft, and this will force the new bud.
Budding is not quite as easy to do as grafting, at least not at first. It has several advantages though. You can bud when the weather is nice and if the bud doesnt take, you can try it all over again in a different spot. Budding is easiest on thicker rootstocks.
I find that for me I have the best luck budding roses, apples, pears and apricots. Plums can be a little trickier. Cherries, by the way, are considerably more difficult to graft and bud than are the other stone fruits.
If you are lucky enough to know an old gardener who knows how to graft, ask him or her to show you how to cut your scions. A little practice always helps as does a sharp knife. There are many books with drawings of cleft grafts and these too can be used as guides. It may sound a tad snobby, but once you can graft your own fruit trees, you join a rather select group. Almost all gardeners know what grafting is, but not that many actually know how to do it right.
One last thought: cleft grafting is also easy to do on existing dormant fruit trees. There is no reason you cant graft some different varieties on each of your trees. I have an apple tree with about a dozen kinds of apples on it and a pear tree that has five kinds of pear, plus quince and apple growing on it. I also have almonds growing on one branch of a plum tree, four kinds of plums on another tree, and both plum and nectarine on the apricot tree in my front yard. I have five kinds of roses budded on the climbing rose that grows on my front porch. I guess my plants are all mixed up, but then, what can you expect from an old guava thief?

Tom Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, and, Safe Sex in the Garden, both by Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California.

About the Author
Tom Ogren's newest book, 2004, is, What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn, from Time Warner Books.

2005-08-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

Composting and Soil Improvements by David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com

Composting provides a great natural resource!

Where we live, the soil is black clay (north Texas). We have found that by using a compost, we can almost eliminate the need for commercial fertilizers to grow most vegetables, herbs and spices.

Our compost is lined with rail-road ties (4 tall) but is open on one side for easy access. We put hay, table scraps, garden scraps, firewood ash, and manure from our cattle and horses in it. The materials in the compost are "turned" from time to time. The soil from the compost is great for starting new plants of all kinds as well as being tilled into the soil of the garden. This organically rich soil helps make the black clay much easier to work and provides nutrients for the vegetables. Neighbors barns and livestock auction houses are great resources for manure. Composting provides an environmentally safe way to transform biodegradable waste products into rich and fertile soil.

For those of you who suffer from a high concentration of clay in your soil, composting is the answer. Composting will supply your garden with a continual source of rich humus that will loosen up clay based (heavy) soils, allowing the roots of flowers and vegetables to penetrate the soil. For folks with sandy soils, compost will perform the opposite function: it will bring soil particles together and help retain water for plants to use, while still allowing the soil to "breath."

A few of the best composting materials include leaves, shredded newspaper, grass clippings, farm manure, garden waste, sawdust and vegetable peelings.
Household biodegradable refuse is not recommended because its messy and attracts insects & rodents. These are items you deffinately don't want to use; bones, meat scraps, cat or dog manure, grease, diseased plants or walnut leaves.There are several companies that manufacture composting bins. Another option is to use scrap lumber, railroad ties or wood pallets. Make sure whatever you build is well ventilated to allow for the free movement of moisture and air, which will aid in the breakdown process. I use three wood pallets which I stand at right angles to each other. I tie these together to hold them in place. This makes it easy to access the compost, which needs to be periodically turned to aid in the breakdown stage.

Compost is a dark-colored, loose mixture of well-rotted organic matter that can be used by the gardener to improve garden or potting soil. Any organic matter such as garden waste is a good ingredient for compost.
If soil is hard and crusty when dry or sticky when wet, vegetables do not grow properly. Good garden soil is loose, has high water-holding capacity and proper drainage. Put your compost pile in a well-drained area. A shady spot or a place behind bushes will shield the heap from view.

It is possible to accumulate materials in a loose pile but it is better to have an enclosure for the compost. This could be a pit dug 18 inches into the ground of any length and width or an above-ground structure. Either type of structure should be divided with a partition. One side can be used for composting material and the other for usable compost.

A rectangular pile 2 to 5 feet wide, 5 to 10 feet long and 2 to 4 feet high is adequate for most households. If space is not available, a single, tall pile can be used. Fresh material is added at the top and finished compost dug out at the bottom.

Build your compost pile in layers. First add 6 to 8 inches of garden refuse. Each layer of this organic material should be moistened. A little lime also may added to help the process and keep new soil from packing. Add 1 to 2 inches of soil. Repeat this process as composting material is available.

The top layer should be lower in the center to help collect moisture. Water may have to be added during dry weather to keep the pile going. Compost materials should be moist but not saturated.

Turn the pile with a garden fork a couple of times a month to hasten composting. In about a month the pile should be hot in the center indicating it is decomposing properly. If this doesn't happen, the pile may be too wet or too small. Fertilizer or more frequent turnings could be needed.
A well-maintained, active pile will not attract rodents. When adding food scraps, bury them in the center of the pile.

Soil that is ready for use from a compost is dark, loose and has an "earthy" smell. Most organic materials should compost in 4-8 months.

Article By:
Tracker Outdoors
www.tracker-outdoors.com

About the Author
None

2005-08-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Starting Vegetable Garden Seeds & Plants Indoors by David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com

Starting Plants IndoorsSeeds can be germinated and seedlings started in a box, pan or flowerpot of soil in a window. In addition to having at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, the room must be kept reasonably warm at all times.

Washed fine sand and shredded sphagnum moss are excellent media in which to start seeds. Place a layer of easily drained soil in the bottom of a flat and cover this soil with a layer - about three-fourths inch thick - of either fine sand or sphagnum moss. Press the sand or moss to form a smooth, firm seedbed.

Then, using a jig, make furrows in the seedbed one-half inch deep. Water the sand or moss thoroughly and allow it to drain.

Sow seeds thinly in the rows and cover the seeds lightly with a second layer of sand or moss. Sprinkle the flat, preferably with a fine mist, and cover the flat with a sheet of clear plastic film. The plastic film diffuses and subdues the light and holds moisture in the soil and air surrounding the seeds. Plastic films offer advantages over glass coverings in that they are light in weight and are nonshattering.
Place the seeded and covered flat in a location that is reasonably warm at all times and has 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. The flat will require no further attention until after the seedlings have developed their first true leaves. They are then ready to transplant to other containers.

It is seldom possible to keep the transplanted plants in house windows without their becoming spindling and weak. For healthy growth, place them in a hotbed, coldframe, or other place where they will receive an abundance of sunshine, ample ventilation, and a suitable temperature.

Strong, vigorous seedlings can be started under 40-watt fluorescent tubes. These tubes should be 6 to 8 inches above the seedlings. Temperatures should be about 60F at night and 70F during the day. Best results are obtained if the fluorescent fixture is next to a window to increase the amount of light reaching the young plants.
Soil pellets are the simplest and easiest method for starting plants and are readily available from garden supply stores and other sources. Soil pellets are a well-balanced synthetic soil mixture and are free of soilborne diseases and weeds.

Special Devices for Starting Plants
In determining the type of equipment for starting early plants, the gardener must consider the temperature and other climatic conditions in his locality, as well as the nature of the plants to be started. Hardy plants, such as cabbage, need only simple inexpensive facilities, but such heat-loving, tender seedlings as peppers and eggplant must have more elaborate facilities for successful production. In the warmer parts of the United States, and in the well-protected locations elsewhere, a coldframe or a sash-covered pit on the sunny side of a building usually suffices. In colder sections, or in exposed areas elsewhere, some form of artificial heat is essential. Where only a little protection against cold damage is needed, a coldframe in which a temporary bank of lamps can be placed may be sufficient. The hotbed, lean-to, or sash greenhouse heated by manure, pipes, flues, or electricity are all widely used, the choice depending on conditions. A comparatively small plant-growing structure will provide enough plants for several gardens, and joint efforts by a number of gardeners will usually reduce the labor of producing plants.
The plant-growing structure should always be on well-drained land free from danger of flooding. A sunny, southern exposure on a moderate slope, with trees, a hedge, a board fence, or other form of windbreak on the north and west, makes a desirable site. Plenty of sunshine is necessary.
Hotbeds and other plant-growing devices require close attention. They must be ventilated at frequent intervals, and the plants may require watering more than once daily. Convenience in handling the work is important. Sudden storms may necessitate closing the structure within a matter of minutes. Plant growing at home should not be undertaken by persons obliged to be away for extended periods, leaving the plant structure unattended.
A tight well-glazed structure is necessary where the climate is severe; less expensive facilities are satisfactory elsewhere.
Covers for hotbeds and coldframes may be glass sash, fiber glass, plastic film, muslin, or light canvas.
In the moderate and cooler sections of the country, standard 3- by 6-foot hotbed sash is most satisfactory. Even this requires supplementary covering with canvas, blankets, mats, or similar material during freezing weather. The amount of covering is determined by the degree of heat supplied the structure, the severity of the weather, and the kind of plants and their stage of development. Farther South, where less protection is necessary, a muslin cover may be all that is needed and for only a part of the time.

Many substitutes for glass as coverings for hotbeds and coldframes are on the market. The most widely used substitutes are various kinds of clear plastic film. Some of these have a lifespan of only one season, and others a lifespan of 3 to 5 years.
Clear plastic film transmits as much light as glass in the visible range, and more than glass in the ultraviolet and infrared ranges.

The film comes as flat sheets (on rolls) and in tubular form. Flat-sheet film is used for tacking onto wooden frames; the tubular form is used for enclosing metal tubular frames with a tight double layer of film.
Large plant hoods made from semicircular aluminum or galvanized steel pipe and fitted with a sleeve of tubular plastic film make excellent coldframes or seasonal row covers. When used in this way, a double layer of plastic film provides an air space that insulates against 4 degrees to 7 degrees of frost temperature change.
Electrically heated plant beds are ideal for the home gardener, provided electric rates are not too high. The beds may be built any size. Because they are equipped with thermostatic control, they require a minimum of attention. It is not possible to buy frames - completely equipped with heating cables, switches, and thermostats - ready to assemble and set in position. Fill the frames with soil or plant boxes and connect to a source of current. Small frames may be removed at the end of the season and stored; larger frames are usually treated as a permanent installation. For more detailed information, see USDA Leaflet 445, Electric Heating of Hotbeds.

Hardening Plants
Plants should be gradually hardened, or toughened, for 2 weeks before planting in the open garden. This is done by slowing down their rate of growth to prepare them to withstand such conditions as chilling, drying winds, shortage of water, or high temperatures. Cabbage, lettuce, onion, and many other plants can be hardened to withstand frost; others, such as tomatoes and peppers cannot. Withholding water and lowering the temperature are the best ways to harden a plant. This may be done in a glass or plastic coldframe.
About 10 days before being planted in the open ground, the young plants in beds or flats are blocked out with a large knife. Blocking, or cutting the roots, causes new roots to form quickly near the plants, making recovery from transplanting in the open easier. Blocking also makes it easier to remove the plants from the bed or flat with minimum injury.
Southern-Grown Plants Vegetable plants grown outdoors in the South are shipped to all parts of the country. They are grown cheaply and usually withstand shipment and resetting very well. They may not always be as good as home-grown plants, but they save the trouble of starting them in the house or in a hot-bed. Plants of beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, peppers, and tomatoes are extensively grown and shipped; tomato, cabbage, and onion plants make up the bulk of the shipments. The plants are usually wrapped in bundles of 50 each and shipped by either mail or express. Tomato and pepper plants are packed with a little damp moss around the roots, but onion and cabbage plants are usually packed with bare roots. Shipments involving large numbers of bundles are packed in ventilated hampers or slatted crates and usually are sent by motor-truck or rail express. Shipments by air mail and air express are increasing.
The disadvantages of using southern-grown plants are the occasional delays in obtaining them and the possibility of transmitting such diseases as the wilt disease of the tomato, black rot of cabbage, and disorders caused by nematodes. State-certified plants that have been carefully inspected and found as free of these troubles as can be reasonably determined are available. Southern-grown plants are now offered for sale by most northern seedsmen, by mail-order houses, and often by local hardware and supply houses.

Transplanting
The term "transplanting" means shifting of a plant from one soil or culture medium to another. It may refer to the shifting of small seedlings from the seedbed to other containers where the plants will have more space for growth, or it may mean the setting of plants in the garden row where they are to develop for the crop period. Contrary to general belief, transplanting does not in itself stimulate the plant or make it grow better; actually growth is temporarily checked, but the plant is usually given more space in which to grow. Every effort should be made during transplanting to interrupt the growth of the plant as little as possible.

Plants started in seed flats, flowerpots, and other containers in the house, the hotbed, the greenhouse, or elsewhere should be shifted as soon as they can be handled to boxes, flowerpots, plant bands, or other containers where they will have more room to develop. If shifted to flats or similar containers, the plants should be spaced 2 or more inches apart. This provides room for growth until the plants can be moved to their permanent place in the garden. Most gardeners prefer to place seedlings singly in flowerpots, paper cups with the bottoms pierced for drainage, plant bands, berry boxes, or other containers. When the plants are set in the garden, the containers are carefully removed. Soil for transplanting should be fertile, usually a mixture of rich topsoil and garden compost, with a very light addition of a commercial garden fertilizer.

Moistening the seedbed before removing the seedlings and care in lifting and separating the delicate plants make it possible to shift them with little damage to the root system and with only minor checks to their growth. Plants grown singly in separate containers can be moved to the garden with almost no disturbance to the root system, especially those that are hardened for a week or two before being set outdoors. Plants being hardened should be watered sparingly, but just before they are set out, they should be given a thorough soaking.
Plants grown in the hotbed or greenhouse without being shifted from the seedbed to provide more room and those shipped from the South usually have very little soil adhering to the roots when they are set in the garden. Such plants may require special care if transplanting conditions are not ideal; otherwise, they will die or at least suffer a severe shock that will greatly retard their development. The roots of these plants should be kept covered and not allowed to dry out. Dipping the roots in a mixture of clay and water helps greatly in bridging the critical transplanting period. Planting when the soil is moist also helps. Pouring a half pint to a pint of water, or less for small plants, into the hole around the plant before it is completely filled is usually necessary. A starter solution made by mixing 1/2 pound of a 4-12-4 or 5-10-5 commercial fertilizer in 4 gallons of water may be used instead of plain water. It is usually beneficial. Finally, the freshly set plants should be shaded for a day or two with newspapers.

Plants differ greatly in the way they recover from the loss of roots and from exposure to new conditions. Small plants of tomatoes, lettuce, beets, cabbage, and related vegetables are easy to transplant. They withstand the treatment better than peppers, eggplant, and the vine crops. When started indoors and moved to the field, the vine crops should be seeded directly in berry baskets or containers of the same size that can be transferred to the garden and removed without disturbing the root systems. Beans and sweet corn can be handled in the same manner, thereby often gaining a week or two in earliness.

Article by:
Tracker Outdoors
www.tracker-outdoors.com
About the Author
None

2005-08-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

Best Trees for Growing in Lawns by Thomas Ogren

Trees for Lawns

In order to be a good tree to grow in a lawn it needs a number of things going for it. In particular a good lawn tree:

1.Should be deciduous, meaning it should loose all of its leaves in the winter. This will let in light in the wintertime, when light levels are lowest. Deciduous trees also do not block any warming winter sunlight from reaching the house. Trees on the south or east sides of any house should always be deciduous, never evergreen.
2.Should have roots that do not creep upward into the lawn where theyll be hit by lawnmowers. Roots that grow up into the lawn are a real pain, hard to get rid of, and will easily ruin a lawnmower.
3.Should be attractive, or why else even plant it?
4.Should be fairly easy to grow, not too fussy. Always select trees that are know to be disease resistant.
5.Should be able to adapt to the irrigation a lawn will receive. Certain trees grow well in lawns and others, such as oaks, do not. Plant lawn trees that will thrive in a lawn area, even if it is frequently irrigated.
6.Should be a type of tree that will not have a negative allopathic effect on the lawn. For example, eucalyptus or walnut trees produce a substance that kills off other plants below them.
7.Should produce shade that is not too deep. No grass can grow in the deepest shade. Branches on lawn trees should ideally be kept fairly high.
8.Should not produce a lot of allergenic pollen. Theres no point in planting a tree that will make you sick every year.

*Note: No lawn tree will grow well when it is young if the grass is allowed to grow right up to its trunk! I cant stress this enough. A young tree in a lawn should have an area underneath it that is kept totally grass-free for the first 4-5 years of the trees growth. If lawn is permitted to grow right next to the trunk of a young tree, the trees growth will almost always be stunted. Even after this period of time it is better to either keep the area immediately under the tree grass-free, or to plant a low-growing groundcover under it.
Trunks of young trees should never be hit with weedwackers. String- trimmers ruin the tender bark of many young lawn trees, and then stunt their subsequent growth. Keep a clean area a minimum of 3wide under any new lawn tree.
Even though a lawn has shallow roots and there is little point in watering lawns much deeper than a foot, trees will develop deep roots. To make sure your new tree grows those deep, drought resistant roots, give it a really good soaking once a month from spring until fall. Just put a garden hose near the base of the tree, turn it on low, and let it soak for a long time.
Watch mulch around the trunks of young trees! Mulching trees is a good idea but keep the mulch a few inches away from the actual trunk of the young tree. In the wintertime, especially where there is snow cover, it is a darn good idea to put a wrap ofinch mesh chicken wire around the trunk, to keep mice and rabbits from eating the tender young bark. Many a new tree is killed because of wintertime damage to the trunk from rodents.
If you live in an area where the winter temperatures get below zero F, it is a good idea to paint the trunks of new lawn trees white. The white paint will reflect the winter sun, and will keep the sap from warming up and starting to flow in the middle of winter. Painted trees are much less likely to get winter sun scald, which is what they call it when the bark cracks and splits open, usually on the south side of the trunk. Use indoor grade white latex paint for this, and it is perfectly okay too, to paint some of the larger branches. This painting can be repeated each fall with good effect until the tree is about 7-8 years old. As the trees mature their bark will thicken and toughen up, and will naturally be more resistant to freezing and the winter sun.
Make sure to fertilize the new trees twice each season. Use a fertilizer high in N, nitrogen, in the springtime, and a fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in potassium in the fall. Lawn grass that grows under trees may well need a bit of extra fertilizer through the growing season, as the tree roots will absorb much of the lawn fertilizer as well.
There are devices with long, hollow spikes on them that screw on the end of a hose. You put the fertilizer for the tree in these contraptions, shove the spike down deep into the trees root zone, and turn on the hose. This is a good way to fertilize lawn trees.
Existing trees and planting new lawns
Many a nice lawn tree has been killed when the owner decides to plant a new lawn, and hauls in extra topsoil to spread. If you cover the roots of a tree with several inches of additional soil, you may easily smother the tree roots, killing the tree. If the soil around an existing tree needs to be raised, then you need to build a tree well, an area around the tree, at least four feet wide, where the original soil level is maintained. This is especially important with oak trees, which will quickly die if the soil level is raised right up to the trunk.
Manure and lawn trees
Never put manure right up to the trunk of a lawn tree. Fresh manure in particular is especially toxic to young trees. I have seen some pretty nice, large trees killed when their owners mulched them with a thick layer of supposedly well-cured horse manure. Even with compost, dont place it right next to the trunk of the tree!

Twenty-five Recommended Trees for your Lawn

1.Red Maple Autumn Glory: Zones 3-9. a large, rounded, handsome female, pollen-free tree, loses its leaves, easy to grow in bluegrass lawns. Great fall color.
2.Red maple October Glory: Zones 3-9 a female, pollen-free tree, does especially well in lawns and does not cast a deep lawn killing shade.
3.Red maple Bowhall, Acer rubrum Bowhall, is an attractive, pollen-free deciduous female tree, with excellent fall color. It grows narrowly upright and is a good lawn tree for smaller yards. Shade is not dense.
4.Crabapple Molten Lava, Malus species, Zones 4-9. A smaller, very pretty, flowering crabapple tree, to 10 tall, with great flowers in spring and small red fruits in fall. Does fine in well-drained lawns, and is an especially disease resistant tree.
5.Crabapple Dolgo, Malus dolgo, Zones 3-9, Pink buds open to fragrant, white flowers in late spring. Glossy, dark green foliage turns yellow in the fall and has good disease resistance. Large, almost florescent, bright red fruit ripening in early summer is excellent for crabapple jelly. A hardy tree with a spreading, upright and open habit. Does well in bluegrass lawns.
6.Crabapple Red Splendour. Malus species, Zones 3-8. Greenish-red leaves with rose-pink flowers. Small red fruit stays on the tree well in to the winter. Good resistance to disease. An upright growing smaller crabapple tree, good in lawns.
7.Crabapple Snowcloud, Zones 4-8, profuse double white flowers, mostly pollen-free and fruitless, bright green leaves, smaller tree, to 20 feet tall. Good in lawns.
8.Crabapple Sugar Tyme, Pale pink buds open to fragrant, showy white blossoms that cover the tree in spring. A bounty of small, persistent, bright red fruit are produced in the fall and attract birds. This vigorous tree has crisp, dark green leaves and an upright, oval habit. One of the most disease resistant flowering crabapples. Good in lawns. To 20 feet tall.
9.Flowering plum: Prunus species, zones 4-10, a pretty, easy to grow tree, loses its leaves in fall, flowers in the spring, grows fast and likes frequent irrigations, as in a lawn. Shade is not dense.
10.Apricot trees, Prunus species, Zones 4-10: attractive, loses its leaves in fall, easy to grow in western areas, blossoms smell great, and the fruit is good. Should be pruned so that it is not difficult to mow under. Does not cast a dense shade. Good fall color too.
11.Fuyu persimmon trees, Diospyros kaki, Zones 4-10: slow growing, very attractive bark and leaves, shade not dense, fruit is beautiful, sweet and excellent, tree is female and pollen-free. Incredible fall color.
12.Pineapple Guava tree, Feijoa sellowiana, Zones 8-10, small evergreen tree. Best grown as a multi-trunked tree, to 18 tall, gray-green attractive leaves, white-red flowers, sweet green fruit. With age the tree becomes more and more attractive, the bark ever more interesting.
13.Honeylocust trees, Gleditsia triacanthos, all Zones, a nice, medium-sized shade tree. Loses its leaves in fall, grows well in lawns, and does not cast a deep grass killing type of shade.
14.Variegated Box Elder, Acer negundo Variegata, an attractive, smaller three-leafed maple tree, with beautiful variegated green and white leaves. Deciduous, female and pollen-free, easy to grow, and does well in lawns. Shade not dense.
15.Fringe tree, Chionanthus virginicus, Zones 5-10. If you can find one that has small black fruits on it, then it is a pollen-free female tree, a much desired lawn tree. Roots go down and stay down, foliage is very attractive, leaves lost in winter, attractive, lightly fragrant bright white flowers, grows well in lawns. Shade not dense.
16.Sourwood tree, Nyssa sylvatica, Zones 4-9. A small to medium-sized lawn tree, deciduous, excellent fall color. Female sourwood trees are pollen free; look for the exceptional cultivar called Miss Scarlet, which has no pollen, terrific red fall color, and has attractive small ornamental blue fruit. These trees thrive in acid soils and will not do well with alkaline soil.
17.Japanese Raisin Tree, Hovenia dulcis, Zones 8`-10. The female trees have small, sweet, raisin-like fruit and are pollen-free. Raisin trees have beautiful leaves, are deciduous, grow well in lawns, and do not cast a deep shade.
18.Hardy Rubber Tree, Eucommia ulmoides, best in zones 5-7, is a large shade tree that does not cast deep shade. If you can find a fruiting tree, it will be female and pollen-free too. Roots stay down and tree grows well in bluegrass lawns.
19.Pomegranate tree, Punica granatum, Zones 7-10, makes a beautiful, small lawn tree if grown as either a single-trunked tree, or as a three-trunked tree. Pomegranate thrives where summer heat is high. Loses its leaves in fall, bright yellow fall color, shade not dense, attractive orange flowers and red fruit. Will grow well in a fescue, Bermudagrass, or St Augustine lawn.
20.Bougainvillea, Zones 9-10. Not normally thought of as a tree at all, a bougainvillea can easily be trained into an unusual and quite beautiful small lawn tree. The best way to do this is to pound a strong 8 metal stake, several feet deep into the ground, and then plant three one-gallon bougainvillea plants around the stake. Trim the plants back to one or two of the longest, most vigorous branches, and weave these up the stake. It takes about a year to develop this into a tree form. Keep the trunk leaf-free and shear the top several times a year for a lollypop shape. Best cultivars for this are San Diego Red or the variegated Raspberry Ice bougainvillea. There are some fantastic bougainvillea trees at Disneyland.
21.Quaking Aspen, Pendula, Populus tremuloides Pendula grows in all Zones. This is a medium-sized, pollen-free, female, weeping aspen tree, very attractive, good fall color, easy to grow, and is fast growing. Doesnt cast a deep shade and grows well in most lawns.
22. Black Poplar, Theves Poplar, Populus nigra Afghanica or P. n. thevestina is an attractive, medium-sized, tall, narrowly upright shade tree, winter hardy in all zones. Theves Poplar is female, pollen-free, and has bright yellow fall color. Good in lawns where a narrow tree is needed.
23.Noreaster Poplar, Populus Noreaster is a good, larger shade tree for lawns. Noreaster is a sterile female tree, so no seeds and no pollen. Does well in most bluegrass lawns and is winter hardy in even the coldest zones.
24.Japanese Paper Mulberry trees, Broussonetia kazinoki, are separate sexed and if you can find a fruiting tree, it will be pollen-free. These do not cast deep shade like most of the other mulberry species and will thrive in lawns in most cool areas. Winter hardy zones in 5-9.
Paperbark maple, Acer griseum, Zones 4-8. This small to medium-sized maple tree has exceptionally beautiful bark and is totally handsome at all times of the year. Paperbark maple doesnt cast a deep shade and lawn will grow quite well underneath it. Best in soils that are well drained and slightly acidic.

About the Author
Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the American Lung Associations. He has appeared on CBS, HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published his latest: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

2005-08-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

12 Worst Trees to Plant in Your Lawn by Thomas Leo Ogren

12 Worst Trees to Plant in Your Lawn
Tom Ogren

1.Fruitless mulberry trees: roots break lawnmowers and these trees really pump out the allergenic pollen. Shade is also too deep for lawns.
2.Sweetgum trees: big roots that poke out of the lawn.
3.Pine trees: root problems and pollen too.
4.Sycamore trees: usually grow way too large for most yards and they produce fuzz that makes people itch.
5.Cedar trees: a female cedar is a nice, pollen-free tree, but grows way too large for most houses and yards.
6. Magnolia trees: these have shallow roots and if you ever have to rototill your yard, if you have a magnolia tree in the lawn, youll be sorry. Shade is too dense too for most lawns.
7.Lombardy poplars: these common trees grow fast and die young, leaving you with a huge mess. They also are male and produce lots of pollen.
8.Olive trees: unless it is a Swan Hill or some other non-flowering olive, this one will cause all kinds of allergies. The olives are a big mess too.
9.Walnut trees: nothing grows well under them and they produce lots of pollen and also smelly walnut fruit husks that draw flies.
10. Brazilian Pepper trees: roots are a problem for mowing, the shade is too deep for lawns, and they cause skin rashes and other allergies.
11. Seedless or fruitless Chinese Pistache trees: big producers of the most allergenic pollen. Slow to leaf out in spring.
12. Catalpa trees: slow to leaf out in spring and fast to lose their leaves in the fall. No real fall color at all and they are known to shed considerable amounts of allergenic pollen each spring.
About the Author
Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the American Lung Associations. He has appeared on CBS, HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published his latest: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

2005-08-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Vegetable Gardens & Organic Matter by David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com

Organic matter improves soil as a growing medium for plants. It helps release nitrogen, minerals, and other nutrients for plant use when it decays. A mulch of partially rotted straw, compost, or undecomposed crop residue on the soil helps keep the soil surface from crusting, retards water loss from the soil, and keeps weeds from growing.Practically any plant material can be composted for use in the garden. Leaves, old sod, lawn clippings, straw, and plant refuse from the garden or kitchen can be used. Often, leaves can be obtained from neighbors who do not use them or from street sweepings.

The purpose of composting plant refuse or debris is to decay it so that it can be easily worked into the soil and will not be unsightly when used in the garden. Composting material should be kept moist and supplied with commercial fertilizer, particularly nitrogen, to make it decay faster and more thoroughly.

The usual practice in building a compost pile is to accumulate the organic material in some out-of-the-way place in the garden. It can be built on open ground or in a bin made of cinder blocks, rough boards, or wire fence. The sides of the bin should not be airtight or watertight. A convenient time to make a compost pile is in the fall when leaves are plentiful.

In building the compost pile, spread out a layer of plant refuse about 6 inches deep and add one-half pound or one cupful of 10-10-10, 10-20-10, or 10-6-4 fertilizer to each 10 square feet of surface. Then add 1 inch of soil and enough water to moisten but not soak it. This process is repeated until the pile is 4 to 5 feet high. Make the top of the pile concave to catch rainwater.

If alkaline compost is wanted, ground limestone can be spread in the pile at the same rate as the fertilizer.
The compost pile will not decay rapidly until the weather warms up in spring and summer. In midsummer, decay can be hastened by forking over the pile so moisture can get to parts that have remained dry. The compost should be ready for use by the end of the first summer.

For a continuing supply of compost, a new pile should be built every year. Compost can be used as a mulch, or worked into flower beds and the vegetable garden.

When properly prepared and thoroughly decayed, compost is not likely to harbor diseases or insects. If the compost is used in soil where an attempt is made to control plant diseases, or if it is mixed with soil used for raising seedlings, the soil should be disinfected with chemicals recommended by your local Extension agent or State agricultural college.

About the Author
None

2005-07-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

Can your sundial really tell the time? 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!

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

2005-07-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

Lawns, Gophers & Moles by Thomas Leo Ogren

Lawns, Gophers & Moles
Thomas Ogren
A few gophers can tear up a nice lawn in short order. Even if youre a complete animal lover, you wont want the gophers in your yard. After they destroy your lawn theyll start eating the roots and killing your roses, fruit trees, any attempt at a vegetable garden, the bulbs you plant and so forth. Gophers and gardening dont go together at all! The gophers got to go.
I have had many run ins with gophers in my years of gardening and Ive always been successful in getting them out of the lawn and garden. I dont like killing them or any animals for that matter, but with gophers, they usually dont give you much choice.
Poisons
Resist the urge to use gopher or mole poisons. The poisons only work so-so, and the poisoned rodents may easily be eaten by an owl, snake, cat, or fox, and then theyll die too. If the predators are killed off the rodent population, unchecked, will quickly explode in number.
Barn Owls
If youre out in the country one of the best ways to get rid of both gophers and moles is to put up nesting boxes for barn owls. These big nesting boxes are generally perched on the top of 11 to 20-foot tall poles. The boxes and their poles are placed away from the house but not too far from the lawns and yards. A nesting family of barn owls will eat thousands of rodents each season, and they are very good at catching gophers and moles. If you live in an area where palm trees grow, and you do not trim off the dead branches that accumulate below the crown, sooner or later a barn owl will move in and set up home. Take advantage of this and leave a palm tree unsheared. The incredible number of rats, mice, moles, ground squirrels, and gophers theyll kill and eat is quite incredible. I now see in many orchards and vineyards, where they have put up these owl boxes. The owls are saving the farmers a lot of money.
Nesting boxes for barn owls are usually made from plywood and the roofs are slanted so water will run off. Sometimes the roofs are shingled too. A nesting box for barn owls should be a minimum of 12 x 12 inches for the floor and at least 16 inches deep.
The box should have small drain holes placed in the floor, in the corners.
Small holes should be drilled around the top of the box on each side for air circulation.
It is best to build the box so that it can be cleaned out easily once a year when the owls are gone.
The box should have only one opening and this must be at least 3inches in diameter but not more than 5 inches wide. Too large an entrance hole will let great horned owls in and theyll eat up the barn owls. Horned owls eat rodents too, but are not nearly as tough on rodents as the smaller barn owls.
*For a place to buy good owl boxes already made (theyll ship them to you) see the Owl Nestbox Resource Page under the links section of this book. At this site you can also find more detailed instructions on building your own owl boxes. The bottom line with barn owls is they are the most effective rodent killers in existence.
The right family cat can also be a pretty good rodent catcher.
Gopher snakes!
I also know of quite a few people who have caught gopher snakes and then released them on their own property. The best way to catch a gopher snake or two is to drive very slowly in the country on a paved road that gets very little traffic. Pin the snakes head down with a stick, pick it up firmly from behind the head, and stick him in an old pillow sack. Theyre not poisonous but will often bite and the bites dont feel good either. The best time to go looking for gopher snakes is in spring and early summer, just before and just after dark. Evenings that are cold and windy will produce no snakes and nights will full moons are likewise not productive. Gopher snakes are, like barn owls, designed by nature to catch and eat gophers and moles.
Gopher traps
There are a number of gopher traps on the market but by far the best is the old Maccabee gopher trap made of heavy wire. These are tricky to set if youve never done it before, so buy them at a farm supply store and ask someone there to show you exactly how to set one before you leave the store.
Trapping gophers is very effective if done right.
1.Tie a wire about two feet long on the end of the gopher trap and secure it to a sturdy metal or wooden stake.
2.Find the newest, freshest gopher mound.
3.Dig out the opening of the mound with a shovel, open up the tunnel and place the trap as far into the hole as possible.
4.Pound the stake down near the hole but not into the tunnel itself. The stake and wire will insure that you dont lose the trap. A trapped gopher may easily draw the attention of a cat, dog, hawk, owl, skunk or fox, and theyll run off with your gopher and your trap. The wire and stake keep that from happening.
5.Leave the opening of the hole open. The light coming into the hole will serve as bait, since the gophers intended for that hole to be closed.
6.Set several traps in different holes if possible.
7.Check the traps at least once a day and re-set them if youve killed a gopher or if the gopher has set off the trap and gotten away.

Water, smoke bombs, and road flares
Sometimes you can get the gophers, and moles too, to move out of your territory just by flooding their holes. By all means go ahead and stick the garden hose down a few holes and give this a try. Usually though, flooding them doesnt work very well, if at all.
Smoking them out works much better than flooding them. There are special gopher smoker bombs made and sold in all good nurseries and these work pretty well. What works even better than the gopher bombs are regular red road flares. You can buy road flares very cheaply too, at an auto parts store. They will usually come in several lengths and the longer ones burn longer and are more effective. At any rate road flares of any length work pretty well.
Dig out the gopher mound and open up the tunnel. Light the road flare by twisting off the cap and then striking the tip of the flare with the end of the cap. Point it away from yourself so you dont get burned.
Shove the lit end of the road flare into the gopher tunnel and then shovel some dirt back over the top of the opening. Stamp it all shut tight with the sole of your shoe. Youll see some of the smoke escaping up through the dirt. If you spot smoke coming up from another hole in the lawn, quickly go over there and plug up that hole.
The smoke from road flares is sulfur smoke and it will stink out the entire tunnel. On occasion the gophers will be asphyxiated from the smoke and will die in the tunnels. More often though, they will take off for an area not anywhere near that stinky sulfur smoke. The smoke and its smell will persist in the tunnel for some time and the gophers will often simply abandon the tunnel.
The gophers may well make several more attacks on your lawn and flower beds and you may need to smoke them several times and in several different tunnels to get rid of them. If the smoking doesnt work for you, buy some gopher traps. or get a gopher snake.
Moles
Gophers are much larger than moles and they dig much larger holes and tunnels too. Gopher tunnels are often fairly deep into the ground but mole tunnels often run just under the surface of the lawn. Often you can just look at the lawn and see exactly where these mole tunnels are because they are pushed up just under the surface of the lawn.
Gophers come into an area to eat the plants but moles are insect eaters and they dont actually eat any of your lawn at all. Moles seem to be much more common in high rainfall areas and are uncommon in drier, irrigated lawn areas.
Moles and grubs
There are many different traps made for killing moles but resist the urge to buy and use these. Poison baits for moles are not a good idea either. The moles are tunneling through your lawn for a reason. If you have moles in the lawn, you can be assured that you also have a lot of grubs in the lawn too. The moles are eating these grubs. The grubs can be up to about an inch long and they are usually white or gray and often have brown heads. Areas where grub infestations are especially thick will often show patches of lawn dying from the grubs.
Grubs or Dogs?
If you have a dead patch of lawn where the center of the patch is totally dead but the edges of the patch are extra green, this damage isnt from grubs, its from dog urine. The nitrogen in the urine fertilizes the lawn that it doesnt outright overdose and kill. This is why the edges of the patch will be greener than the rest of the lawn.

Skunks?
Sometimes a grub-infested lawn will attract nighttime raids by skunks. The skunks (and occasionally raccoons too) will tear up pieces of your lawn as they dig up the grubs to eat. The solution here is much the same as it is for getting rid of the moles.
If the moles eat up all the grubs in your lawn theyll move on to a new grub-filled area. Of course, in the process theyll tear up your lawn. So, what to do? The most obvious answer is to kill off the grubs in the lawn. These grubs are larvae from any number of insect pests, and in the lawn they are also important pests of the lawn. Left unchecked, the grubs may well destroy most of your lawn by themselves.
There are a number of organic or inorganic methods of killing off lawn grubs. Flooding the lawn seems to help to bring the grubs up closer to the surface, where theyll be easier to kill. Look for sources of these bio-controls in the Links section of this book, under IPM. IPM is short for integrated pest management and it is often very effective and safe.
Most of the soil grubs are larvae of some kind or other of beetle. If the grubs are larvae of Japanese Beetles they can be attacked with Milky spore, which is an organic product that only attacks Japanese Beetles. There are bio-controls, safe biological agents that kill soil grubs. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes have shown good results for white grub control. Nematodes are tiny soil wireworms. This particular species will find the white grubs and kill them. These beneficial nematodes are available in mail order catalogs, often sold as Hb nematodes. They should be applied to already thoroughly watered lawns late in the day and then watered in immediately.
These nematodes will not damage the lawn or other garden plants. Nematodes work fastest in sandy soils and slower in heavy, clay soils.
Organic insecticides can also be used as a drench on your lawns and sometimes theyre quite effective. A mix of water, soap, pyrethrum and rotenone will often kill most of the grubs. Even organic insecticides though will also kill off earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms.
Chemical control
For a chemical approach, a single treatment can be made between mid-July to mid-August. Commonly used chemical insecticides are chlorphyrifos (Dursban), carbaryl (Sevin), and soil diazinon. The pesticide must be watered into the soil well after use, or it wont be effective.
Keep in mind that none of these chemical insecticides are healthful for the family dog, cat, the kids, or for the songbirds that might well eat some of the chemically poisoned earthworms or grubs.
Some lawn experts will recommend use of the chemicals trichlorfon (Dylox), imidacloprid (Merit), or halofenozide (GrubEx) in mid-summer as a preventative measure against lawn grubs.
Other preventative measures
Keeping a lawn healthy wont keep grubs and moles out of it, but a healthy lawn can recuperate much faster after attack.
Mowing the lawn too short will weaken a lawn and make it more easily damaged by grubs. Mowing higher promotes a stronger root system. There is evidence too that grubs, as with most insect pests, will attack an unhealthy lawn before they do a healthy one.
Keeping the nitrogen levels up and maintaining a good amount of humus in the soil sometimes helps to lessen the chance of grub damage. Grubs will attack any species of lawn, although the worst damage is usually seen on bluegrass lawns.
Aerating the lawn makes for stronger roots and it also gives birds a better shot at picking out these grubs. Many birds that are attracted to our birdfeeders and suet feeders also will eat both the grubs and the beetles that the grubs come from. Encourage wild birds in your yard.
When you water, water deeply. This will also help develop a stronger root system.
Over-seed bluegrass lawns each spring with a mix of fescue or perennial ryegrass seed. If the grubs ruin the bluegrass, youll still have a lawn.
In heavily grub-damaged lawns, take a rake and rake the exposed soil up; this will expose the grubs to the birds.
Soak grub infected areas with soapy water. Use a quart of liquid dish soap to several gallons of water and soak the lawn with this mix. It will kill grubs.
Sometimes grubs can be held in check by dusting the lawn several times with diatomaceous earth. This safe product kills grubs that come to the surface and eat the grass leaves.
Lastly, some people put on those spiked strap on sandals and walk around on their lawn, spearing grubs as they walk. Of course theyre also aerating the lawn at the same time. I have no idea how effective this method is, but hey, it cant hurt.

About the Author
Thomas Ogren is the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, Ten Speed Press. Tom does consulting work on for the USDA, county asthma coalitions, and the American Lung Associations. He has appeared on CBS, HGTV and The Discovery Channel. His book, Safe Sex in the Garden, was published 2003. In 2004 Time Warner Books published his latest: What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn. His website: www.allergyfree-gardening.com

2005-07-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

Starting Vegetable Garden Seeds & Plants Indoors by David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com

Starting Plants IndoorsSeeds can be germinated and seedlings started in a box, pan or flowerpot of soil in a window. In addition to having at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, the room must be kept reasonably warm at all times.
Washed fine sand and shredded sphagnum moss are excellent media in which to start seeds. Place a layer of easily drained soil in the bottom of a flat and cover this soil with a layer - about three-fourths inch thick - of either fine sand or sphagnum moss. Press the sand or moss to form a smooth, firm seedbed.
Then, using a jig, make furrows in the seedbed one-half inch deep. Water the sand or moss thoroughly and allow it to drain.
Sow seeds thinly in the rows and cover the seeds lightly with a second layer of sand or moss. Sprinkle the flat, preferably with a fine mist, and cover the flat with a sheet of clear plastic film. The plastic film diffuses and subdues the light and holds moisture in the soil and air surrounding the seeds. Plastic films offer advantages over glass coverings in that they are light in weight and are nonshattering.
Place the seeded and covered flat in a location that is reasonably warm at all times and has 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. The flat will require no further attention until after the seedlings have developed their first true leaves. They are then ready to transplant to other containers.
It is seldom possible to keep the transplanted plants in house windows without their becoming spindling and weak. For healthy growth, place them in a hotbed, coldframe, or other place where they will receive an abundance of sunshine, ample ventilation, and a suitable temperature.
Strong, vigorous seedlings can be started under 40-watt fluorescent tubes. These tubes should be 6 to 8 inches above the seedlings. Temperatures should be about 60F at night and 70F during the day. Best results are obtained if the fluorescent fixture is next to a window to increase the amount of light reaching the young plants.
Soil pellets are the simplest and easiest method for starting plants and are readily available from garden supply stores and other sources. Soil pellets are a well-balanced synthetic soil mixture and are free of soilborne diseases and weeds.
Special Devices for Starting Plants
In determining the type of equipment for starting early plants, the gardener must consider the temperature and other climatic conditions in his locality, as well as the nature of the plants to be started. Hardy plants, such as cabbage, need only simple inexpensive facilities, but such heat-loving, tender seedlings as peppers and eggplant must have more elaborate facilities for successful production. In the warmer parts of the United States, and in the well-protected locations elsewhere, a coldframe or a sash-covered pit on the sunny side of a building usually suffices. In colder sections, or in exposed areas elsewhere, some form of artificial heat is essential. Where only a little protection against cold damage is needed, a coldframe in which a temporary bank of lamps can be placed may be sufficient. The hotbed, lean-to, or sash greenhouse heated by manure, pipes, flues, or electricity are all widely used, the choice depending on conditions. A comparatively small plant-growing structure will provide enough plants for several gardens, and joint efforts by a number of gardeners will usually reduce the labor of producing plants.
The plant-growing structure should always be on well-drained land free from danger of flooding. A sunny, southern exposure on a moderate slope, with trees, a hedge, a board fence, or other form of windbreak on the north and west, makes a desirable site. Plenty of sunshine is necessary.
Hotbeds and other plant-growing devices require close attention. They must be ventilated at frequent intervals, and the plants may require watering more than once daily. Convenience in handling the work is important. Sudden storms may necessitate closing the structure within a matter of minutes. Plant growing at home should not be undertaken by persons obliged to be away for extended periods, leaving the plant structure unattended.
A tight well-glazed structure is necessary where the climate is severe; less expensive facilities are satisfactory elsewhere.
Covers for hotbeds and coldframes may be glass sash, fiber glass, plastic film, muslin, or light canvas.
In the moderate and cooler sections of the country, standard 3- by 6-foot hotbed sash is most satisfactory. Even this requires supplementary covering with canvas, blankets, mats, or similar material during freezing weather. The amount of covering is determined by the degree of heat supplied the structure, the severity of the weather, and the kind of plants and their stage of development. Farther South, where less protection is necessary, a muslin cover may be all that is needed and for only a part of the time.
Many substitutes for glass as coverings for hotbeds and coldframes are on the market. The most widely used substitutes are various kinds of clear plastic film. Some of these have a lifespan of only one season, and others a lifespan of 3 to 5 years.
Clear plastic film transmits as much light as glass in the visible range, and more than glass in the ultraviolet and infrared ranges.
The film comes as flat sheets (on rolls) and in tubular form. Flat-sheet film is used for tacking onto wooden frames; the tubular form is used for enclosing metal tubular frames with a tight double layer of film.
Large plant hoods made from semicircular aluminum or galvanized steel pipe and fitted with a sleeve of tubular plastic film make excellent coldframes or seasonal row covers. When used in this way, a double layer of plastic film provides an air space that insulates against 4 degrees to 7 degrees of frost temperature change.
Electrically heated plant beds are ideal for the home gardener, provided electric rates are not too high. The beds may be built any size. Because they are equipped with thermostatic control, they require a minimum of attention. It is not possible to buy frames - completely equipped with heating cables, switches, and thermostats - ready to assemble and set in position. Fill the frames with soil or plant boxes and connect to a source of current. Small frames may be removed at the end of the season and stored; larger frames are usually treated as a permanent installation. For more detailed information, see USDA Leaflet 445, Electric Heating of Hotbeds.
Hardening Plants
Plants should be gradually hardened, or toughened, for 2 weeks before planting in the open garden. This is done by slowing down their rate of growth to prepare them to withstand such conditions as chilling, drying winds, shortage of water, or high temperatures. Cabbage, lettuce, onion, and many other plants can be hardened to withstand frost; others, such as tomatoes and peppers cannot. Withholding water and lowering the temperature are the best ways to harden a plant. This may be done in a glass or plastic coldframe.
About 10 days before being planted in the open ground, the young plants in beds or flats are blocked out with a large knife. Blocking, or cutting the roots, causes new roots to form quickly near the plants, making recovery from transplanting in the open easier. Blocking also makes it easier to remove the plants from the bed or flat with minimum injury.
Southern-Grown Plants
Vegetable plants grown outdoors in the South are shipped to all parts of the country. They are grown cheaply and usually withstand shipment and resetting very well. They may not always be as good as home-grown plants, but they save the trouble of starting them in the house or in a hot-bed. Plants of beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, peppers, and tomatoes are extensively grown and shipped; tomato, cabbage, and onion plants make up the bulk of the shipments. The plants are usually wrapped in bundles of 50 each and shipped by either mail or express. Tomato and pepper plants are packed with a little damp moss around the roots, but onion and cabbage plants are usually packed with bare roots. Shipments involving large numbers of bundles are packed in ventilated hampers or slatted crates and usually are sent by motor-truck or rail express. Shipments by air mail and air express are increasing.
The disadvantages of using southern-grown plants are the occasional delays in obtaining them and the possibility of transmitting such diseases as the wilt disease of the tomato, black rot of cabbage, and disorders caused by nematodes. State-certified plants that have been carefully inspected and found as free of these troubles as can be reasonably determined are available. Southern-grown plants are now offered for sale by most northern seedsmen, by mail-order houses, and often by local hardware and supply houses.
Transplanting
The term "transplanting" means shifting of a plant from one soil or culture medium to another. It may refer to the shifting of small seedlings from the seedbed to other containers where the plants will have more space for growth, or it may mean the setting of plants in the garden row where they are to develop for the crop period. Contrary to general belief, transplanting does not in itself stimulate the plant or make it grow better; actually growth is temporarily checked, but the plant is usually given more space in which to grow. Every effort should be made during transplanting to interrupt the growth of the plant as little as possible.
Plants started in seed flats, flowerpots, and other containers in the house, the hotbed, the greenhouse, or elsewhere should be shifted as soon as they can be handled to boxes, flowerpots, plant bands, or other containers where they will have more room to develop. If shifted to flats or similar containers, the plants should be spaced 2 or more inches apart. This provides room for growth until the plants can be moved to their permanent place in the garden. Most gardeners prefer to place seedlings singly in flowerpots, paper cups with the bottoms pierced for drainage, plant bands, berry boxes, or other containers. When the plants are set in the garden, the containers are carefully removed.
Soil for transplanting should be fertile, usually a mixture of rich topsoil and garden compost, with a very light addition of a commercial garden fertilizer.
Moistening the seedbed before removing the seedlings and care in lifting and separating the delicate plants make it possible to shift them with little damage to the root system and with only minor checks to their growth. Plants grown singly in separate containers can be moved to the garden with almost no disturbance to the root system, especially those that are hardened for a week or two before being set outdoors. Plants being hardened should be watered sparingly, but just before they are set out, they should be given a thorough soaking.
Plants grown in the hotbed or greenhouse without being shifted from the seedbed to provide more room and those shipped from the South usually have very little soil adhering to the roots when they are set in the garden. Such plants may require special care if transplanting conditions are not ideal; otherwise, they will die or at least suffer a severe shock that will greatly retard their development. The roots of these plants should be kept covered and not allowed to dry out. Dipping the roots in a mixture of clay and water helps greatly in bridging the critical transplanting period. Planting when the soil is moist also helps. Pouring a half pint to a pint of water, or less for small plants, into the hole around the plant before it is completely filled is usually necessary. A starter solution made by mixing 1/2 pound of a 4-12-4 or 5-10-5 commercial fertilizer in 4 gallons of water may be used instead of plain water. It is usually beneficial. Finally, the freshly set plants should be shaded for a day or two with newspapers.
Plants differ greatly in the way they recover from the loss of roots and from exposure to new conditions. Small plants of tomatoes, lettuce, beets, cabbage, and related vegetables are easy to transplant. They withstand the treatment better than peppers, eggplant, and the vine crops. When started indoors and moved to the field, the vine crops should be seeded directly in berry baskets or containers of the same size that can be transferred to the garden and removed without disturbing the root systems. Beans and sweet corn can be handled in the same manner, thereby often gaining a week or two in earliness.

About the Author
None

2005-07-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

Garden Soil Preparation by David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com

Different types of plants each require varying degrees of soil acidity or pH. Some plants are very sensitive to soil pH levels. Some garden plants will prefer acid soils while others prefer an alkaline soil. The acidity or alkalinity of soil is measured by pH (potential Hydrogen ions). pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil, and the type of soil that you have. Soils in moist climates tend to be acid and those in dry climates are alkaline. A soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acid soil and one with a pH higher than 7.0 is alkaline. The soil must be adjusted to suit the plant which will occupy that area if it is not already within that plants requirement range.Testing Your Soil pH
Many garden centers will pH test a soil sample for you, or you can buy an inexpensive pH test kit at a nursery, or hardware stores.
These test kits generally consist of a test tube, some testing solution and a color chart. You put a sample of your soil in the tube, add a few drops of test solution, shake it up and leave it for an hour or so to settle. The solution in the tube changes color according to the pH of your soil. Compare the color of the sample with the color chart that came with the kit. Matching colors will tell you the pH of your sample. Quality pH test kits will have a chart to help interpret the test result.Adjusting Your Soil pH Levels
Once you have determined the pH you can make any needed adjustments to the soil. Materials to adjust your soil pH levels are available at your local garden center.Raising The Soil pH
To Make It More Alkaline
It is generally easier to make soils more alkaline than it is to make them more acid. Because different soil types react in different ways to the application of lime you will have to add more lime to clay soils and peaty soils than you will in sandy soils to achieve the same result.

To increase your pH by 1.0 point and make your soil more alkaline:
Add 4 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in sandy soils
Add 8 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in loamy soils
Add 12 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in clay soils
Add 25 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in peaty soils
Correction of an overly acid soil should be considered a long term project, rather than trying to accomplish it in one gardening season. It is easier to test your soil each year and make your adjustments gradually. The addition of hardwood ash, bone meal, crushed marble, or crushed oyster shells will also help to raise soil pH levels.Lowering The Soil pH
To Make It More Acid
If your soil needs to be more acidic, sulfur may be used to lower the pH if it is available.
To reduce the soil pH by 1.0 point:
Mix in 1.2 oz of ground rock sulphur per square yard if the soil is sandy.
Mix in 3.6 oz per square yard for all other soils.
The sulphur should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting. Sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips, cottonseed meal, leaf mold and especially peat moss, will lower the soil pH.
More Soil pH Tips
Always read and follow the manufactures recommendations when using chemical products.
Use appropriate protection such as a dust mask, and gloves.
The best way to adjust pH is gradually, over several seasons.
Lime should be applied only when tests show it to be necessary.
If the soil is excessively alkaline, you may find that you are better off to build a raised bed using topsoil purchased from a nursery.

Article by Tracker Outdoors
www.tracker-outdoors.com
About the Author
None

2005-07-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

Why Grow Organic? by Frann Leach

You may feel that growing your own produce is difficult enough, without adding to the problems by growing them organically. Well, you pays your money and you takes your choice, as they say, but for me, there are several reasons for going the whole hog:

Firstly, you don't have to worry about handling all sorts of noxious chemicals, wearing special gear to use it, and all that
Secondly, in my opinion (your mileage may vary here), organically produced vegetables taste better
Thirdly, it's not really that much more work, the methods are different, but no more difficult
Fourthly, organic vegetables are better for you
And finally, why go to all that effort to produce a substitute for cheap factory-produced food? Much better to go for the good stuff!

Eat more fruit and veg for health

The British Government is always telling us to eat more healthily. They say everybody should consume a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

But how many chemicals are there in that much conventionally farmed produce?

Organic fruit and veg may be hard to find at a decent price. And if you do find a supplier, often the organic produce that is on offer is not very attractive. It may be better for youbut it looks horrible, not at all appetising.

So what's the solution?

A shock, and a realisation

Around about 1992, I had two young children, aged 2 and 4 years. I was trying to give them a healthy diet, and they loved carrots. Every day they would grab at least one carrot each from the vegetable rack, sometimes more. I was pleased. "They're getting good fibre, vitamins, stuff for their eyesight, and the chewing is good for their teeth," I thought.

Hah.

I was watching the news one day, when a very strange item came on (like something out of a science fiction story, I thought at the time). The Government was issuing a Health Warning on... carrots!!! Apparently, because of a rise in some pest or other (I know now it was carrot fly), farmers had been using huge amounts of pesticide chemicals, so much so, that the carrots produced contained dangerous amounts. The advice was to peel them before use.

To say I was surprised by this announcement would be an understatementstunned more like, not to say angry. My kids were being subjected to high levels of chemicals, not just from carrots, but presumably from all sorts of other supposedly 'healthy' food. And there was no way to tell: you certainly couldn't distinguish a carrot full of pesticides from one that wasn't, just by looking at it.

I also realised something else: carrots are a root vegetable. And if a root is surrounded by something, it takes it in and absorbs it, like a sponge. So peeling a carrot wasn't going to do much good, if the problem was an excessive level of chemicals.

I was living in an area with no organic retail outlets. The only supermarket was K**kS*ve. I had no transport. The only solution was to grow my own. So that is what I didwith no previous experience of gardening (apart from my cactus collection). If you've got a good enough reason, you can do anything.

That was 12 years ago now, and I haven't looked back. Not only have I grown lots of really nice food (much tastier than the shop-bought stuff), but I've had fun doing it, too.

So, if you have any experience of gardening, or none, visit the GardenZone and I will show you how to get started. Exactly what to do, in English, not garden jargon (you will get to know what the terms mean, but to start with they are too confusing).

About the Author
Frann lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. She has her own
internet marketing business and is always on
the lookout to recruit go-getters like herself.
Find out more: here

2005-07-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

Guide to Growing Tree Ferns by David Howlett

Introduction

Tree ferns have been around since prehistoric times when the dinosaurs roamed
the earth. Originally popularised by the Victorians, the tree fern has undergone
something of a revival in recent years, helped no doubt by it frequent appearances
in many of the television garden makeover programmes.
Varieties of tree ferns to grow in the UK

Tree ferns can roughly be divided in hardy and non hardy when growing in the
UK. It is likely there are up to a thousand species of tree fern, with most
of them growing in the Southern Hemisphere and the tropics. Many of these are
not a all cold hardy and it would be very difficult to grow them successfully
outside in the UK. The two main cold hardy types for our climate are called:
Cyathea and Dicksonia. The most commonly available of these are: Cyathea spinulosa,
Cyathea australis, Cyathea dealbeta, Dicksonia Antarctica, Dicksonia fibrosa
and Dicksonia squarrosa.
Different sizes of tree fern and where to buy them

Tree fern are available as plants that have been propagated from spores and
complete trunks that have been harvested from rain forests or tropical areas
of the world, often as a by-product of other activities. You can usually buy
them at garden centres or specialist nurseries. The trunks are often sold without
fronds straight from the container and the fronds will start to appear after
a few weeks. Expect to pay more if you want to buy a tree fern with fronds.
Choosing a position for a tree fern

Tree ferns prefer to grow with some shade. They will adapt to a sunny position
but will need very regular watering and may suffer from sunburn to the fronds.
So ideally you need to pick a spot in the garden with some shade during at least
part of the day. Ferns also like a moist surrounding and tree ferns really need
watering every day during the warmer months especially inside and down the trunk.
They will grow equally happy in containers but again will prefer a shady spot.
How to plant tree ferns

Tree ferns don't need a rich or deep soil. They will survive happily even
in very poor or stony soil. Ideally a slightly acid soil (adding ericaceous
compost will help) is preferable and a light dressing with blood and bone meal
will give the plants plenty of food to start them off. If you've purchased
a smaller plant just dig a hole big enough for the root ball.
Tree fern trunks will need a hole slightly bigger than the trunk and 4 to 6
inches deep depending on the length of the trunk. Plant them and firm them in
but make sure they are upright then the weight of the trunk will keep it stable.
After a few weeks it will make its own roots to secure itself.
Feeding the plant

The tree fern will need feeding from time to time. If you have planted it in
the shade under a canopy of larger tree your tree fern will extract some nutrients
from the decaying leaf-fall. They will still need some extra feed and one of
the best around is one called Maxi Crop. Maxi Crop is made from seaweed; it
is easily available and contains a good range of nutrients and minerals. Follow
the manufactures instructions for the dilution and feed well at least every
two months.
Surviving the winter

Generally Cyathea and Dicksonia are the hardiest of the most commonly available
tree ferns. They are naturally evergreen and should survive quite happily through
a normal winter. Before the worst of the winter starts you will need to place
a wedge of straw down the centre of the plant (where the fronds grow from) to
keep the worst of the frost out.

About the Author
David Howlett co-runs a gardening website called http://www.gardenmania.co.uk
they have just started a range of Jeep Wheelbarrows supplied direct to UK gardeners.

2005-07-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

Choosing the Right Roses for your Garden by Kathy Burns-Millyard

There are literally hundreds of types of roses that you can grow in your garden. With such a selection to choose from, it can be extremely difficult to choose the rose that's right for you. To make this task a bit easier, We've outlined a few important factors you should consider, and explained some of the different types of roses to aid in your search.

Tips on Choosing Roses

1. Color may seem trivial at first glance, but it's usually an important factor to those that want to grow roses. Usually it is simply a matter of personal preference, but you may want to try creating a complimentary color palette for your rose garden.

2. The final growth height of a rose should be considered as it would be unattractive to grow roses that are higher than the area of the garden that it grows in. Some roses can grow to be as high as 20 feet.

3. If you live in an area that is prone to cold winters, you would certainly want a rose that could survive during the off season.

4. If certain fragrances invoke an allergic reaction, you'll want to plant roses that have a softer fragrance than the others.

5. It's smart gardening to learn what the advantages and disadvantages would be if you were to choose certain roses over others.

6. You will want to consider the size of your garden space, so that you can ensure proper exposure to the air and other elements as well.

7. If you are hoping to make your roses into bouquets, you will want to know if they can be cut. Hybrid teas can. Some roses will fall apart at the petals if they are cut.

8. You should also consider what other types of flowers or plants you intend on adding to the rose's environment. You want to add plants and flowers that will not create a damaging environment to your rose's ecosystem.

Some Common Types of Roses

After you get a sense of the type of roses that you would like to plant, you'll naturally want to know which types of roses best fit with your planting ideas. There are too many varieties of roses to list here, but this list covers some of the most popular. You should consult your nearest garden center for advice on whether your choice is fitting to your garden's abilities.

Landscape roses - Landscape roses are great for the novice gardener. They are disease resistant, and require a little bit less maintenance. Hybrid teas are not good for the novice.

Climbing Roses - These roses are different from the regular roses that are planted as they are trained to grow upward like vines. Most people like to use these for trellises, or buildings. Some of them are hybrid teas, wichuraine, and large flowered climbers. They are a beautiful addition to the look of one's house.

Shrub Roses - Shrub roses like the beautiful rugosa are both long blooming, and disease resistant. These are also great for the novice planter. They are gorgeous even when they are not in bloom because the foliage is so pretty.

Old Garden Roses - These roses are not very good for those with severe allergies to strong fragrances because they have a strong fragrant odor. However, they are disease resistant and continue to bloom for months at a time.

The Modern Rose - These are very special roses because they are the result of cross breeding the hybrid tea with the polyanthus. They are also referred to as Floribunda. They are a beautiful combination of the best those two flowers have to offer. They are long blooming, fragrant, and they are great for cutting.

Miniature Roses - Miniature roses are exactly what they sound like. They have all of the fragrance and beauty of a regular rose, but they have smaller blooms. These particular roses are great for indoor planting.

While note all inclusive, this article should be a great help in getting you started on the way to having your very own, gorgeous rose garden.

© 2004, Kathy Burns-Millyard and Garden-Source.com

About the Author
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.

2005-07-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

10 Tips for Successful Rose Planting 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 youd like.

© 2004, Kathy Burns-Millyard and Garden-Source.com

About the Author

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.

2005-07-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Watering Your Orchids by Bob Roy

Watering Your Orchids

Once you get the hang of it you will be a pro at watering. Most orchid plants are epiphytes (air plants) and we are used to watering plants in soil. Air plants have pseudo pods which take up the water and hold it for the plants to drink. The root system looks dry but may not be. If there is enough water you will notice the roots have plumb looking parts which are the pseudo pods.

Here are some guidelines that you can use for watering:

water more often if
water less often if

there is more light
the is less lights

temperatures are higher
temperatures are lower

humidity is lower
humidity is lower

there is more air movement
less air movement

plant has thin leaves and growth
plant has thick leaves and growth

it is mounted on a slab

or in a basket
it is in a pot

Over watering is the most common mistake of beginners. The plant shows water which may e covering the root system. If this occurs it means the roots are not getting the oxygen it needs and may go on to die. You will also notice some of the leaves may be turning yellow and drop off (also a sign of under watering). The pseudo pods will have furrows which run the length of them. The leaves will become thinner, won't fully expand and will wilt.

Under watering is usually the case if the plant is in a direct sun for long periods of time.
Some of us will only mist the plant instead of watering. The signs of under watering are essentially the same as over watering. The thinner leaves of the plants especially Miltonias will have accordion like leaves.

The treatment for over watering is to re pot as soon as possible. As re potting is taking place cut off the roots that do not look healthy. Re pot in a coarser medium. This will allow the plant to get the support it needs. Be sure that the plant dries out before being watered next.

Occasionally you plant may not have any viable roots and may not respond to re potting. If this is the case then I would recommend that you place the plant and container in a clear plastic bag and loosely tie it and place it in indirect light. The humidity will help.

Occasionally with over watering you will notice that the roots and then the rest of the plant may turn black. This is "black root" disease. Use a fungicide on this and probably you can save it.

For under watering the main stay of treatment is to water more frequently. If the plant feels loose in the pot then re pot it. Once you do this you will notice that there will be less wilting and greener healthier leaves. If there is still some wilting the plant will need more humidity. This can be accomplished by placing the plant on a tray that has pebbles in it and is half full of water. Remember you do not want the roots to sit in water.

About the Author
Owner and President of several websites, orchids-plus-more.com and physician-on-health.com. A physician by training and website entrepreneur by avocation.

2005-07-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

ODE TO THE ROSEBUSH by Irvin L. Rozier

The rose flower has such a wonderful smell
In this poem, a story I must tell
Roses are red, yellow, pink and sometimes peach
Many lessons of life the rosebush can teach

Look at all those shiny green leaves
Watch out for the thorns, roll down your sleeves
Spring, summer, fall and winter are the seasons
The Master grew the rosebush for many reasons

He said the rose can brighten my child's day
When the skies are gloomy during the month of May
A sweet fragrance I'll make the rose exude
The hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies I must include

They will enjoy the roses as they blossum
'Neath the rosebush, will be a bed for an opossum
He must have a shelter from the storms I send
He can smell the roses until the storms end

The Master was pleased that He had made the rose
He sent a fragrant rain to give it a dose
Of life giving water that made the rose grow
And blossum with pretty flowers like unto a rainbow

When your life is troubled and filled with doubt and fears
Look at the dew on the roses, and remember Jesus' tears
As they placed the crown of thorns upon His sweet head
Father forgive them is the words He said

The rose reminds us of this earthly life
The thorns amongst the beauty are as sharp as a knife
But the knicks and cuts are worth the prize
Beautiful roses on the table, no matter what the size.

Copyright 2004 Irvin L. Rozier
About the Author
author, preacher, retired military

2005-07-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

Pruning Your Orchid Plants by Robert Roy

Pruning Your Orchid

The flowers have all died and when should you cut the stalk back and how far?

Pruning an orchid stalk (spike) should cause no harm to
the plant. However, some orchids will produce new bloom shoots
from the nodes on the old blossom stalk, or some plants will
produce small baby plants (pups) from these nodes. The new plants
may be removed and potted after they develop roots. Of course,
some orchids do neither of these things. In either case, it doesn't
hurt the plant if you remove the old bloom stalk; you may just miss
some new blossoms or a baby plant.

Once the stalk turns yellow or brown, it is obvious that no blossoms
or plants will be produced. You can then cut it to within an inch
from where the blossom stalk originated on the plant. You can also
cut it there when it is green if you don't mind losing potential
blossoms. Another option is to just remove the end of the blossom
stalk to shorten the stalk, but retain enough so that it may bloom
again. If you do this, cut it back to about 1/4 inch above a node
(indicated by a small leaf-like bract clasping the stalk).

About the Author
Author and webmaster of Orchids-plus-more.com. This site is primarily about orchid plants and also a commercial site.

2005-07-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

Caring for a Living Christmas Tree by Sherri Allen

The Christmas season brings with it many decisions to be made. Among them is, "What type of Christmas tree should I put up?" This year, consider a living Christmas tree. Not only will you enjoy it through the holidays, but a living tree can be planted in the garden to enhance your landscape and spark wonderful memories for years to come.

To allow your living tree to thrive in your garden, you must provide it with a small amount of special care. The following tips from the National Christmas Tree Association will help ensure your living tree's success:

The adaptability of the species should be considered. Many species are shipped outside of their natural area and may not be adaptable to other areas. Check with a reliable nursery or extension forester.

Keep in mind that living trees are VERY heavy and bulky. A six foot tall balled and burlapped tree will weigh as much as 250 pounds.

Protect the tree from the elements. The tree should be stored in an unheated, sheltered area such as a garage or porch, out of the wind and sun. Do not expose the tree to freezing temperatures at any time.

The tree will need adequate water. The root ball or soil should be kept slightly damp but not flooded. Wrap the root ball of a balled tree in plastic or place in a tub while it is in the house.

Living trees may be decorated, but with care. If lights are used, they must not give off any heat.

Avoid extreme temperature changes. Do not remove the tree directly from a warm house out into freezing temperatures. Instead, move to a sheltered area first for several days.

Plant the tree as soon as possible. If the ground is not frozen, the tree may be replanted. The spot to be dug should be mulched to prevent freezing.

Do not remove the burlap and strapping (unless it is plastic). This keeps the root ball solid and secure. In the instance of a plastic cover, cut the cord and roll down the plastic at least half way prior to planting. Tap the tree container of a potted tree and remove prior to planting. Do not attempt to remove soil from the root system. Earth removed from the original hole should be backfilled around the root ball. Mulch heavily over the top of the planted root ball to prevent it from freezing. Water only as needed: a flooded tree may not survive.

Provide support for the tree. Stake the tree to prevent wind tipping or damage during the first growing season.

Try a living Christmas tree. With proper care, it will keep bringing you enjoyment throughout the years.

About the Author
Sherri Allen is the editor of an award-winning website devoted to topics such as family, food, garden, house&home and money. For free articles, information, tips, recipes, reviews and coloring pages, visit http://www.SherriAllen.com/

2005-07-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

How to Care for Your Outdoor Water Fountains by Kathy Burns-Millyard

Garden lovers around the world love putting fountains among their flowers, plants, bushes and shrubs. And with the Christmas season upon us in the U.S., many garden lovers may get their very first fountain as a gift this year.

Fountains make wonderful gifts year round. They're beautiful to look at, and fit well with almost any landscape. They're also quite serene and have a wonderful calming effect. So if you're getting or giving an outdoor water fountain for a gift this year, here are a few caretaking tips you'll want to have on hand...

Many outdoor fountains are made of concrete, and concrete expands and contracts in cold weather. If at all possible, you should move your concrete fountain indoors for the winter.

If you're not able to move it indoors, check it frequently to see if there's water collecting in it. You should keep it completely dry during the winter months.

If your fountain will stay outdoors throughout the winter, you also need to remove the pump and store it indoors. Fill, wrap, or cover the fountain with blankets, burlap bags, tarp or other protective materials to help shield it from severe cold. Be sure you have the fountain covered entirely for maximum protection.

During warmer months, you'll want to clean debrise - leaves and twigs for example - from your fountain at least once each week. Take particular care to clear any debris from around the pump as well, so it doesn't clog.

Add a small touch of bleach or special algae removing solution to your fountain regularly, to keep the water clear and prevent residue or algae buildup around the sides. If your fountain is accessible to pets and animals: do not use bleach. Instead, be sure to use an animal friendly cleaner such as Microbe-Lift Fountain Clear (http://www.buy-outdoor-fountains.com/Microbe-Lift-Large-Fountain-Clear.php).

Following these simple maintenance tips will help keep your outdoor fountains in tip top, beautiful condition for many years to come.

About the Author
© 2004, Kathy Burns-Millyard. This article is provided courtesy of http://www.Buy-Outdoor-Fountains.com - You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice, the copyright notice, the author name and URL remain intact.

2005-07-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

how does it all work? by bob dylan

this is my article
About the Author
i am here

2005-07-17T17:38:00.000-07:00

Internet Marketing and Advertising for the Green Industry by Adam White

How do you tap into the network of online advertising without wasting your money on advertising that can bring you little results?
Advertising on the internet can be risky for landscaping companies because you may be paying for someone across the country or the world to see your ad or website. You need localized advertising. You ask yourself, well how can internet advertising be an effective way to advertise locally. Well lets think about this for a second. Who is your target audience? It is either businesses or someone willing to pay for lawn maintenance or landscaping. These are the people who use the latest technologies in everything they do. These are the people who go to the internet to find things they are looking for. They do this because they know that they will find the most information about what they are looking for.
You want proof? How did you find this article? You looked it up on the internet. This is the way people find what they are looking for now. So they go to the internet to search for landscaping companies in their state or even their own town. Now you might be asking yourself, well Im a lawn care company, not a landscaping company. Most people dont know the difference. They believe that a lawn care company is the same thing as a landscaping company. So they search for landscaping companies in their state and whatever website shows up at the top of Yahoo, MSN, or whatever search engine they use, thats the one that they are going to visit to find a landscaping company.
What about the yellow pages? I can't tell you how many owners of landscaping companies have told me that they spend hundreds of dollars each year to be listed in the yellow pages and don't get any calls from their listing. I ask why they continue to spend the money there and it is simply because all the other companies are listed. If you want to throw away money just because every other company does, throw it my way. I can guarantee you will get no calls if you give me your money and then you won't have to worry about it.
What you need to do is take that money and get a website designed and optimized for the search engines. What it means to get a site optimized for search engines is that when someone searches for landscaping companies in your town your website shows up in the top 10 search results. For more information on how to optimize your website for top rankings visit http://www.lawncaredirectory.com/search-engine-basics.htm
With a website that has been properly optimized, people in your service area will be able to find your website. It will be the best form of local advertising that you will have because once the site is designed and optimized, you don't have to do anything else or pay anything to anyone. You can't beat free advertising that brings people looking for you to your website. You can also list your company with its new website at LawnCareDirectory.com for FREE. Make your landscaping business grow and get online today. To learn more about getting your own business website http://www.lawncaredirectory.com/landscaping-websites.htm.

About the Author
Adam White has been providing internet marketing to landscaping and lawn maintenance companies since 1999. He is the owner of http://www.lawncaredirectory.com

2005-07-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

How to Grow Avocado by Hans Dekker

So, if youre a fan of the avocado, chances are you already know how to grow avocado plants. Although the avocado tree is a tropical plant that thrives only in zones 9, 10, and 11, many gardeners grow avocado plants indoors, they grow it as a houseplant. Avocado plants are typically started from the seed in the center of the fruit. Many gardeners begin their avocado plants by piercing the seed with toothpicks and then suspending it (pointed end up) over a glass, vase, or jar of water. You can keep the water sweet by adding some charcoal in the bottom of your container. In two to six weeks, if the seed germinates, you should have a young plant, ready to pot. However, not all avocado seeds will germinate in this way. If your seed hasnt sprouted in six weeks, toss it out and try again.

Another method of how to grow avocado plants is leave the pit in the sunlight until is begins to split and then potting it in soil partly exposed like an amaryllis bulb or sweet potato vine. Use a four or five-inch pot to start your plant and set it in a nutrient rich potting soil that has good drainage. After your plant is about a foot tall, pinch it back to half. Pinching it back produces a rounder and fuller plant. Once your plant has filled its pot with roots, its time to move it to its permanent home.

When youre learning how to grow avocado plants, dont expect fruit. Avocado trees take up to ten years to mature enough to bear fruit and indoor grown plants rarely last for that length of time. However, if you provide it with a moist soil, plenty of sunlight, and fertile soil, your avocado plant will be an interesting addition to your home container garden for three to five years.

About the Author
Gardener and owner of Gardening-Guides.com" Visit our website for more information and free-articles

2005-07-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

How to Grow Asparagus by Hans Dekker

Asparagus is a perennial plant with erect, edible stems and tiny branches that bear even tinier flowers that become red berries that contain the black Asparagus seed. Formerly in the Liliaceae family, botanists have realized that Asparagus is in a class by itself and have repositioned its 120 species in the Asparagaceae genus. Asparagus is a high-end gourmet food item, but if you know how to grow asparagus, it becomes an inexpensive way to add a delicate flavor to your meals.

Knowing how to grow asparagus dates back 2500 years ago when it was first cultivated in Greece. In fact, asparagus is from the Greek word for stalk or shoot. Long before it was used as a food item, asparagus was lauded for its medicinal properties. There are many reasons to grow asparagus. Once an asparagus bed is established, asparagus is the first vegetable that is table ready in the springtime and will provide your family with a firm and fresh vegetable treat for up to 20 years, each crown in your bed producing up topound of spears per year. Although supermarkets stock both canned and frozen asparagus, neither compares to the unique flavor you get from freshly harvested and picked asparagus.

As asparagus plants grow, they produce a mat of long, tubular roots that spreads horizontally rather than vertically. This one-year-old root system is called the asparagus crown. Although asparagus can be started from seed, its most often begun from transplanting crowns purchased from a reputable crown grower. Those who wish to learn how to grow Asparagus must have an abundance of patience, since it takes an asparagus bed three years to be established from crowns. The second year of growth, asparagus ferns emerge with a few spindly spears. At the third year, although your bed will produce thicker and more robust spears, they shouldnt be harvested for more than one month to allow roots and crowns to become further established.

Plant asparagus crowns in a trench that is one to two feet wide. Set the crowns up to six inches deep and nine to twelve inches apart. Asparagus grows easily in any well-drained soil. Found growing wild on English riverbanks, the delicate asparagus ferns were nicknamed sparrow grass. However, asparagus allowed to stand in water develops root rot, which can quickly destroy a complete bed. Asparagus roots have a tendency to rise as the bed matures. Gardeners typically add soil to the rows of a mature asparagus bed to keep the crowns undercover. Asparagus is also susceptible to late spring frosts, which kill emerging spears Take care to keep your asparagus bed covered until frost danger is past.
About the Author
Gardener and owner of Gardening-Guides.com" Visit our website for more information and free-articles

2005-07-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

How to Grow Bamboo by Hans Dekker

Bamboo is a mysterious and elusive plant that baffles taxonomists who try to contain it within a botanical class and gardeners who try to contain it within a limited garden space as they learn how to grow bamboo. For many years, bamboo was thought to be a primitive grass but recent DNA testing has shown it to be one of the most highly evolved forest grasses. There are over 1200 forms of bamboo that grow in a broad spectrum of color including the familiar green and gold as well as burgundy, blue and even black grasses. Some varieties of bamboo can grow up to a foot a day and ultimately reach 130 feet tall while the smallest bamboo cultivar attains only six inches of growth.

The first step in learning how to grow bamboo is picking a cultivar and beginning to unravel its many mysteries. While most of us picture tall stands of green and golden canes growing in tropical bamboo forests, bamboo cultivars range from the temperate to the tropical. As well as diversity in cultivar, bamboo has over 1500 documented uses that range from use in construction to the making of acupuncture needles and from agricultural fodder to the making of musical instruments. Until they are cut, bamboos stems are properly called culms and not canes. In India bamboo plants are commonly called the "Wood of the poor" and in China the friend of the people". To add to the confusion, a cultivar commonly sold as lucky bamboo isnt bamboo at all but a type of lily from the Dracaena family!

Unluckily for bamboo, it has the reputation for being an invasive plant, growing from running rhizomes. Although this is true for some cultivars, the most cold-hardy plants dont run at all, but grow from well-behaved clumps with well-established root systems. One thing that bamboo cultivars do have in common is that they are perennial plants. As noted above, some bamboos varieties are temperate and some are tropical. Because its diversity, its easy to find a suitable cultivar when you want to learn how to grow bamboo. Bamboo cultivars range from those that grow indoors to outdoors, in a garden or in a container, in bright light or shade.

Two considerations in knowing how to grow bamboo successfully are water and air. All true bamboos are grasses and wont grow in saturated soils. They also need air circulation to thrive. In fact, some bamboo growers raise the pots of their small cultivars on chopsticks to provide air circulation under the plant as well as around it. Large pots are often elevated with heavy dowels.

The bamboo is a symbol of long life, strength and versatility for many cultures of the world. Unraveling its mysteries is a continuing source of enjoyment. When you know how to grow bamboo, youll find that your love for the plant grows as fast as your bamboo does!

About the Author
Gardener and owner of Gardening-Guides.com" Visit our website for more information and free-articles

2005-07-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

Fertilizers - What you Need to Feed Your Lawn by L. J. Bruton

Just like humans need food, water and shelter to survive, lawns depend on certain elements to live, sixteen to be exact. Most of these elements are already found naturally in the environment, but several others need to be added to your lawn. Adding fertilizer with these three elements, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, does the job.

Before you run out to the store to purchase a complete fertilizer, or, one that contains all three, it is important to understand why your lawn's livelihood depends on it.

Nitrogen- This is possibly the most important element your lawn needs. It makes the grass grow and gives it its green color. It will also allow for more density, thick shoots, and sturdy growth, thus creating an environment that will naturally fight off pests and bugs.

Potassium- Since you can't toss bananas in your yard, your best bet for this mineral is to use fertilizer! Potassium enhances your lawn's ability to resist disease, drought, wear and cold weather.

Phosphorus- This is used to encourage strong grass root growth.

Most fertilizers you will find in your local home and garden stores will contain all three of these elements. However, there are different amounts of each. This is reflected in a three-digit number, such as 30-10-10, which tells the percentage of each in this order: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These blends will serve different purposes. For instance, more potassium in blends are good for winterization. The factors you need to consider are grass type, climate, time of season and soil type. Once you know what your needs are, you will be able to determine the right combination of these elements. An additional way to scan your needs is determine the current levels of these nutrients in your soil. This can be done through a simple pH test.

In addition to variation in percentages of the key elements, there are also different types of fertilizers to consider. There are four major options that will greet you in the fertilizer aisle: Granular (slow and fast-release), Liquid, Synthetic and Organic.

Granular fertilizers are perhaps the most popular, probably due to their ease in use and duration. Since these are dry, they are much easier to spread. Granular fertilizers can come in a slow time-release formula, which provides fertilization over two to six months.

This is an efficient choice for homeowners, as it will not need another application for months to come. Granular is also available in fast-release, and although applied in the same manner, the nutrients are released quicker and work better in cold weather. This method also costs less. However, grass burn can occur and there will be a greater need for watering.

Liquid fertilizers are just as the name says- in liquid form. These are applied by attaching a hose and nozzle to a spray bottle. The contents of the bottle are usually in concentrated form, thus the need to mix with the water. If you can use a hose, this is an easy method, more so than spreading granular around the yard. Also, since this a liquid, nutrients are available immediately to the roots of your vegetation. Herbicides can also be added or applied during this treatment. But, since the results are immediate, applications will have to be repeated more often than granular, and since liquid is more expensive to begin with, it can be more costly.

Synthetic fertilizers are usually manufactured chemically, hence being called synthetic. These engineered fertilizers offer immediate release of nutrients, and make lawns green.They simply penetrate the soil quicker. However, they are not natural, and many argue that lawns should be treated naturally. Applications of synthetic fertilizer needs to be redone more often, as results don't last as long. They can also burn your lawn if not applied in a proper manner.

Finally, organic fertilizers are made from once living organisms and their bi-products. These are applied to the lawn by spreaders, rakes and even by hand. Since this a totally natural fertilizer, the organics tend to break down slow when releasing nitrogen. They will improve the texture and density of your lawn, especially when added to soil or lakebed sand. There are some drawbacks however, including a foul smell in the case of manures. Also, these soils tend to have more nitrogen than other elements.

In summary, when choosing a fertilizer, you need to consider many things: The current nutrition of your lawn, how much money you want to spend, how much labor you want to invest in application- initial and repeats, as well as personal preference. But with the spurt in technology, choices keep growing as more combinations are being introduced.
About the Author
For hundreds of other tips for creating your own perfect lawn, be sure to visit:

http://www.YourPerfectLawn.com