Gardening

Your garden design ideas can come to life with very little money and some smart decisions. Many garden design ideas are due to the fact we want to pursue healthier eating and to start living greener. The gardeners of today are much younger and live in more urban areas than the traditional gardeners of the past, thus creating distinctive imprints to the green world.

So, what can be done to make gardening cool and exciting? Gardening can be a lot more than a small plot out in the country. We can grow edible walls of green for a balcony or small patio and we can even grow some vegetables in our front yards. Today, gardeners will find any available space, no matter what size. The idea is to be able to add personality or character to our gardens by using birdfeeders, water features, or our favorite sculptures that will stand out. Transforming traditional plants to have a dual purpose is a great example of creating character into your gardening such as training a cucumber plant or any vine plant to travel up a trellis to create a green wall. Low-growing thyme can be planted between your garden pavers for a scented ground cover. By looking at plants and gardening in new and different ways can create interesting discoveries and possibly expand your green space productivity.

Worm composting is an easy and simple technique of reusing vegetables, fruit and garden clippings from the kitchen and yard. Worm composting is actually using worms to break down or recycle organic material and food scraps into a beneficial soil amendment referred to as worm compost or vermicompost.  

Worms eat the food scraps and organic material which turns into compost as it passes through the body of the worm; this rich compost exits through the tail end of the worms. This valuable material can now be used to enhance your garden plants. The main reason worm compost is so good is because the worms eat the vegetable and fruit scraps that are rich in nutrients which turns into nutrient-rich compost.

A rain garden is a garden that is meant to catch rainwater for plants that are able to handle several hours of standing rainwater. A rain garden will receive an increased flow of storm-water that is polluted from the hard surfaces of your property such as roofs, sidewalks and driveways. This garden will hold the water long enough to infiltrate the ground in order to remove the pollutants and build up the groundwater instead of filling up a storm drain.

As more and more development is happening in our cities and urban areas by replacing agricultural land and depleting our forests we increase the problem of storm-water runoff. This runoff from new developments is causing an increase in flooding and it sends the pollutants from the hard surfaces such as parking lots and streets into our lakes and streams. Even though an individual rain garden may seem insignificant, a number of them throughout the neighborhood will be able to create conglomerate water quality benefits.

Fertilizer needs to be given to plants because most soil does not contain enough of the nutrients that are needed for optimum growth. Fertilizer is usually referred to as plant food, but it is actually food for the soil. The unfortunate thing is that less than half of our country's home gardeners will use any type of fertilizer in their gardens or on their lawns.

You might be one of the fortunate ones that have wonderfully rich garden soil but when your plants continue to grow they will absorb a good deal of the nutrients and leave your soil less fertile for the next growing season. Those tasty vegetables and beautiful flowers you planted and nurtured last year have taken the needed nutrients out of the soil in order to build their own plant tissues. When you fertilize your garden you are actually putting back the lost nutrients and will guarantee that the plants for this season have the nutrients they need to produce well. There are six fundamental nutrients your plants will need, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, for proper growth. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen they receive from air and water.

Container gardening is growing your favorite garden in containers rather than in the ground. Container gardening was created with a need or desire to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables within an area of limited space and/or poor ground soil conditions. A small patio, porch, or balcony can house a beautiful container garden with the use of large flowerpots, planter boxes, hanging baskets, wooden barrels or any type of container you can find.

Container gardening can be helpful to many individuals and for different situations. The elderly and the disabled prefer this type of gardening because it offers them easy access to their plants. Containers allow you to use higher quality soil instead of poor ground soil and it allows for growing a garden in a minimal amount of space such as a balcony or patio of an apartment or condo. The containers are easier to move around if your garden needs more sun or shade. For the gourmet cook, a container garden brings those fresh herbs and vegetables closer to your kitchen where they are needed.

Garden irrigation is a major step to a healthy garden. There are some garden irrigation methods that are much more efficient than others not only for a healthy garden but also help to conserve water. By installing the proper home irrigation system for your needs will guarantee you a healthier landscape and garden. Deep soaking methods use about fifty percent less water than other methods of watering but can give you the same results. Soaking methods will keep the roots moist but keep the foliage dry and to achieve this is to aim the water directly at the root system of your landscape, vegetable gardens and flower gardens.

A drip line watering system can have a higher beginning cost for the equipment and take a little longer to set up, but once they are in place are the most proficient with water usage and the time you spend on maintaining your landscape. Generally speaking they only need to be in use once or twice during the week for about an hour that can be set up on a timer. If you do not want the hose lines to be seen you can hide them under the soil or mulch. For shade gardens, hedging, and perennial borders a drip irrigation system will deliver the water directly to the plants roots instead of walkways or driveways. A drip system is ideal for daily watering, which can be set up on a timer, for your vegetable garden.

Organic fruit and vegetables refer to the ability of replenishing the soil without using harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Growing organic fruit or vegetables requires using natural fertilizers, such as compost or manure to sustain soil fertility along with natural insecticides, such as pheromones, dormant oils, soaps, and beneficial insects to help control the pest population. Weeds are controlled by mulching, planting cover crops, and by routine hand picking rather than using herbicides.

It is important you choose and prepare the area you wish to plant the organic fruit trees. Most fruit trees are going to need at least 6 hours of sunlight daily and you want to be sure there is enough room for the tree to grow properly. You also want to make sure they are twelve to fifteen feet away from any obstacles such fences, sidewalks, or other trees. Growing organic fruit trees or vegetables begins with preparing the soil. The best solution is to begin building up your soil by tilling and adding organic compost before you plant those trees. You can find compost at your neighborhood garden center or nursery if you have not started your own compost pile. You also want to mix extra compost into the soil of the hole you have dug in preparation for planting your fruit tree.

Organic pest controls along with natural remedies are the best to use for your outdoor vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. There are several natural pest controls that will work very well to eliminate those nasty pests inside your home. A good healthy soil in your garden will allow Mother Nature to care for itself; it allows your plants to use their inbred abilities to repel harmful conditions.

When you use insecticides there will always be part that will remain in your garden soil and your garden in the following year ends up soaking up those chemicals and passing it on to your new plants during the growth period. Now you have another problem with insects so you decide to spray with more chemical insecticides and the process gets passed on again year after year. The portion of chemicals that gets washed with watering, rainfall, or snowmelt ends up in our lakes, rivers, and streams polluting the water that our wildlife drinks weakening their immune systems and possibly causing birth defects. Many of these lakes are also used as reservoirs for our personal water consumption. These insecticides are also harmful to the good insects or beneficial insects.

To begin organic vegetable gardening there are some tips to help make sure you grow the best possible vegetables without having a lot of problems from insects and diseases. Organic vegetable gardening has become very popular in recent years, mainly because of the mass spraying of harmful chemicals on our fruits and vegetables that we find in the grocery markets. We have finally decided it is time we started taking better care of our bodies by eating produce that is organically grown.

The proper soil is the first thing we need to consider for growing an organic garden by purchasing organic soil or by adding good compost to our existing soil. This ensures us the soil now has the vital nutrients that are needed for growing healthy vegetables. A well cared for soil not only has the nutrients but is also able to ward off weeds and pests. Before starting an organic garden, you may want to think about starting your own compost pile to mix with your soil. If you had a garden previously and used chemical sprays on your fruits and vegetables it may take a little time to remove any unwanted chemicals from the soil.

Seedstarting a flower garden or vegetable garden can be a very rewarding project. Seedstarting can be done outdoors in the spring or indoors during the winter in order to give your vegetables or flowers a head-start before the ground is ready to be worked. A few supplies that you will need for growing your seeds are: containers, potting mix, seeds and markers, plastic covers, water, and a light source.

Containers - The best containers to use for starting seeds are plastic such as empty yogurt containers or margarine tubs because they will retain moisture much more consistently. All used containers need to be cleaned by soaking in a solution of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water for about 15 minutes and then air dried. Make sure you have poked holes in the bottom of your containers for drainage.

In order to grow a kitchen garden indoors, you need to provide all that Mother Nature does for the outdoor garden such as water, light, soil and nutrients. Before starting that kitchen garden you must determine how much sunlight comes through your kitchen window during the course of the day and then select the proper plants or herbs for that particular amount of light. The windows that are south-facing will get the most amount of light while windows facing north will receive the least amount; west and east facing windows will fall somewhere in between. If there are large trees, roof over-hangs or tall buildings outside those windows it will limit the amount of light that comes inside.

Culinary herbs are some of the most gratifying plants you can grow in an indoor kitchen garden. The aroma of these herbs, or should I say aromatherapy at its finest, can liven up your home and the flavor of them will enhance the food you enjoy. Rosemary, for example, all you need do is brush by the leaves and that aroma fills the entire room. Select about four different herbs that need the same light requirements to start your garden. They can be planted in one large container or each of them can have a separate container. Just remember that you will be clipping the herbs often and they will remain small; if one of them goes to seed or dies just plant a replacement.

Creating a good indoor garden design may be a little more complicated than many people realize. Your indoor garden design means you are going to try to duplicate Mother Nature indoors. I am going to give you a few tips and guidelines to help you build your indoor garden.

In order to make the winter months go by faster there are a number of gardeners who start their vegetable gardens indoors from seed and then there are those who prefer to maintain a few houseplants. The first thing that needs to be done is find the right location for an indoor garden. You want to select an area inside your home that receives plenty of sunlight and also has good ventilation. This area should also be easily accessible and convenient which means you will most likely be taking better care of the plants. You also need to make sure the seeds you purchase come from a reliable source; if the seeds are not good you will not have a good crop of vegetables. You also need to consider the soil you use. Because you do not have the same amount of sunlight during the winter months as you do during spring and summer, especially indoors, it is a good idea to invest in garden grow lights to help your plants blossom and produce a good crop.

Here are a few greenhouse tips for the many people that think greenhouse growing is too complex. These greenhouse tips, such as light, air, space, proper water and food, should help you achieve a productive array of plants and vegetables. Once you zero in on the basics such as doing away with sterile soil mixes, chemical fertilizers, fumigants, and sprays you just may have extra money for those special plants and pots you have always wanted.

First, you only want to grow plants that have been bred for productivity, resistance to disease, and proven to be strong and hardy. If you are uncertain of what you should grow check with some local greenhouse growers for advice or you can do a little experimenting. There are some species that always need to be fed or that have a tendency to attract aphids, even with good growing conditions, that should be eliminated from your list of plants. The best types of soil to use for your chosen plants should be a combination of half compost and half rich garden loam or equal amounts of peat moss, compost and garden loam. Measure into a pot about 6 inches of manure and 4 inches of bone meal and add to each bushel of prepared soil; if your loam contains clay you also want to add sand to the mixture.