Plant | Home Grown

Fitting in while standing out: migrating away from garden cliches

The typical yard consists of grass and flowers. While the grass usually takes up the majority of space, flowers are used to further beautify the yard and give observers an array of colors to view other than green and brown. While flowers and grass are elements that define a good yard or garden, they are not the only elements that people have to abide by. In recent years, various gardens have received an immense amount of attention for utilizing other aspects of the gardening experience such as rocks and stones that are sometimes absent in the typical North American garden. In order to gain a complete appreciation for the garden and outdoors, one must treat the gardening experience as a bonding process through the discovery of structure, ornaments, and color.

Contrary to the belief that gardening begins with planting seed, it actually starts with structure. In order to have a well-structured garden, the individual must survey the homes and convenience stores on their block. After surveying gardeners should orchestrate their garden based on the general themes that they discover.

In addition to the structure having its foundation in the neighborhood, the plant colors chosen for display should have their foundation in the region that the person resides in. One should not have a yard with nothing but brown plants in a region that is near the ocean, because a brown garden represents desert living where water is scarce.

Although the color and structure should speak of the neighborhood and region, the ornaments placed in the yard should be personalized. The purpose of the ornament in the garden is to give viewers insight into the characteristics of the resident. One should not display ornaments such as leprechauns and water fountains to merely follow a trend. Objects placed in the garden should make a statement and be significant to the designer.

Filed Under: Gardening Tagged With: Color, Flower, Garden, Plant

Tree survival: What makes those green things thrive?

ContentTrees beautify the yard, and provide shade to millions of individuals each day. While most trees are desirable to the average gardener, some trees cannot survive under certain weather conditions. Before purchasing another tree, it is essential to be aware of the elements that make five of the most popular trees thrive.

Although not always acknowledged by name, the Chamaecypans Lawsoniana Ellwoodi tree looks like a full pine tree and makes a real mess in the yard, leaving the gardener with hours of work. In addition to requiring the gardener’s attention for cleanup, the Ellwoodi also requires the sun’s attention. In contrast to some plants that can be placed anywhere in the garden, the Elwoodi must be in a place where the sun is beaming directly on it in order to reach its 15 foot mark.

Since it requires immense exposure to the sun, the Ellwoodi should not be placed near the Amaryllis; the plant that is commonly identified as a white tulip. Like the Ellwoodi, this plant also requires central attraction, and must be in a place where it can be recognized and admired. The Amaryllis also requires moisture, but not wetness, to thrive.

In complete contrast to both the Amaryllis and Ellwoodi, the Italian Stone Pine and Rosemary Bush shaped like a tree do not come with special survival directions. The Rosemary Bush can easily survive drought and the Italian Stone Pine grows up to 80 feet with little maintenance involved. The Stone Pine may also be used as a Christmas tree, and the Rosemary Bush shaped like a tree may grow wild. The only major warning that comes with a Rosemary Bush is that of excess water; over water the plant, and it dies.

Among the five popular trees, the Ice Punch Poinsettia, looks like a red flower plant, is the weakest link with its poor survival rate and dire need of tender-loving-care.

Filed Under: Environment Tagged With: Agriculture and Forestry, Christmas tree, Gardens, Horticulture, Ornamentals, Plant, Tree, Trees and Shrubs

The art of saving seeds

Finished with that tomato? Don’t throw it away, save its seed. In light of the recent recession many individuals have resorted to the practice of seed saving which consists of taking the seeds from full-grown crop and re-planting them at the proper time. Seed saving allows the individual to purchase one package of seeds and enjoy a lifetime harvest.

In order to properly save a seed one must first take one from fully-grown fruits and vegetables. After erecting the seed, the fibers attached must be thoroughly rinsed, and the seed must be placed on a screen or plate to dry. The drying process usually takes a month, so it is important to save the seed with the harvesting schedule of the plant in mind. One should not save a fall harvesting-seed at the end of the fall season because the seed may go bad before its harvest time rolls around again which defeats the point in saving the seed to begin with.

After they have completely dried, the seed should be place in a dry, cool, and dark place. The seeds should not be planted immediately unless it is harvest time. Ignoring such rule can lead to disastrous results involving poor crop, and the plant could ultimately die.

When properly practices, saving seeds can save an immeasurable amount of money. Individuals who take part in the practice often comment on how it has afforded them the opportunity to purchase a plant one time and reap the benefits for years to come. Imagine the idea of being able to purchase a bag of tomato seeds at Farmers Market on January 2011, and harvesting crop from that one bag through December 2021! A simple act of saving one seed per tomato may turn this imagination into reality.

If money is a factor in the gardening experience, then saving seeds is the way to go.

Filed Under: Gardening Tagged With: Plant, Seed, Seed saving, Tomato

Scales: deadly pests

Scales are insects that look and feel like sap. They leave a sticky substance on plants that is both annoying and unattractive. In addition to leaving their mark on plants, scales are known to attach to plants and suck the life out of them. One needs to know the essential information pertaining to scales in order to keep such undesirable pests away from their healthy plants and gardens.

When a scale invades the plant its primary purpose is to feed off of it. In order to do so, a scale must find a comfortable place on the plant and attach itself to it. After becoming attached to the plant, the scale begins to suck honeycomb out it until the plant eventually dies.

Since a scale is brown and carries the shape of a bump, it can easily be overlooked by gardeners and amateurs alike. When surveying the health of the plant, an individual may not pay much attention to the bump on the stem or leaf because of its exposure to the elements outdoors and indoors. The average person may view a scale as the plant’s reaction to climate change, or a normal step in the growing process. If left untreated, a scale can ruin an entire garden or crop!

In order to avoid such deadly outcomes, planters should be on guard for anything that is sticky on the surface with a hard shell underneath. If the substance is brown, then that is a scale. Also, gardeners should inspect indoor and outdoor plants often. Although scales are immobile once they find a comfortable place, females have babies that are in constant search for healthy plants. If scales are discovered, the first step is to manually remove them using a cotton ball dipped in isopropyl alcohol. A plant that is infested with scales should be isolated.

Filed Under: Gardening Tagged With: Garden, Plant, Scale insect

Making Money With Your Garden

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Having a garden is a great way to relax and spend some time with nature now and then. However, most people don’t realize that having a garden can also be an additional revenue stream. You can grow your own plants and vegetables in your garden and sell them locally. In fact, there are a number of ways you can make money from your garden.

If you grow your own vegetables, you can grow a selection and sell that at your local market. People love fresh, home made produce and selling your vegetables is a great way to make money. If you grow certain types of fruit you could even make smoothies out of them and serve it as a refreshing drink. Who knows—after a few years of running a market stall you might have enough customers to start your own company!

To make some real money, you really need to plant perennials. These are plants which that live for longer than two years and can be split up and divided in order to increase your product. Once you have split the plant up into smaller flowering plants, you are free to sell them. You can do this on the Internet or again at your local markets. Make sure you check the prices of the competition at garden centers and other retailers to ensure that you are not pricing yourself out of the market.

If you find that your business is thriving and you decide you might want to make gardening your full time career, why not take a course to learn more? There are many courses you can take to improve your gardening knowledge, such as a course in landscape gardening or business management to ensure you can handle the accounts. You can use services like those at educationforadults.com to find a suitable degree that will help your new business grow.

Filed Under: DIY, Environment, Gardening, Home Improvement, Technique Tagged With: Garden, Home, Plant, Vegetable

Care for Water Garden Fish

: Image via Wikipedia

Keeping goldfish, koi and other ornamental fish species is a natural part of keeping your water garden. They offer an appeal as pets, and they are also a large part of the water garden or pond ecosystem. If you want to maintain good health in your fish, you are going to want to take some basic precautions. You must keep the right number of fish for your pond size, you must feed them properly, and you must monitor the chemistry and temperature of the water. Backyard water gardens are not natural environments, and so you are going to be responsible for governing the conditions of this space.

The stocking level for your pond is going to be absolutely critical to maintaining good health in your fish. If you have too many fish, the level of oxygen will be decreased and the additional fish waste is going to lead to a build up in nitrites and ammonia. Your fish load can generally vary based on what level of filtration you have. If the filter is undersized, then you are not going to be able to keep as many fish. On the other end of the spectrum, if you have an oversized filter you may be able to keep additional fish. If you have an average-sized water garden filter then your stocking level will vary based on the surface area for your pond.

If you have any doubts about how many fish you can reasonably keep in your pond, speak to an expert where you buy your fish or your pond supplies for assistance. The experts and specialists there will be able to help you find the right number of fish for your unique needs, and will make sure that you are making the right decisions about keeping fish in your outdoor water garden.

Filed Under: DIY, Gardening, Technique Tagged With: Fish, Garden, Home, Koi, Plant, Pond, Water, Water garden

Water Garden Plant Care

: Image by (Bill and Mavis) – B&M Photography via Flickr

There are special considerations that you need to make when it comes to caring for your pond and water garden plants. Make sure that the plants are maintained properly from one season to the next. As the foliage on the hardier plants dies back, you should make sure that you are removing dead leaves and dying leaves. Make sure that the plant is planted deep enough in your pond that the roots are not going to freeze when it becomes colder outside. Some shallow water and marginal plants are capable of surviving even when the roots are frozen, it is still best to keep the plants below the ice zone in order for them to thrive.

Make sure that your pond is prepared for the winter months as well. If the pond is too shallow or too small to protect it from the freezing temperature, then keep in mind that there are other options available to you such as floating deicers, which keep the area they sit in from freezing. If the pond is not large and does not contain fish, you could potentially place a solid cover over the top, such as something made from plywood, then use leaves or straw in large bags on top to provide a layer of insulation.

You should consider that some plants do have special needs. For example, some types of plants do not like to be submerged in the cold water during the cold winter months. Japanese iris flowers, for example, should be removed from your pond and planted in the ground during the winter months until the spring thaw, at which point the new growth will begin and you can re-transplant the plant in your pond again. The same is true for Cannas and Cardinal flowers in most cases, so keep this in mind

Filed Under: Gardening, Landscaping, Technique Tagged With: Cannas, Cardinal, Garden, Home, Plant, Pond, Water, Water garden

Summer Pond Care

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When it comes to your water garden, it is important to consider seasonal pond care and how your water garden’s maintenance requirements are going to change with the season. As the weather changes and the seasons fly by, your maintenance requirements will also be altered. You must consider how your maintenance tasks are going to be changed with time in order to youâ€™re your pond or water garden the best possible care.

First and foremost, during the summer you should be continuing to fertilize your plants just as you were fertilizing them in the spring. Now is also the time for you to remove any dead foliage from your water garden. The leaves on your plants are going to become yellow and then brown as they grow older. As this happens you are going to want to cut them off to get rid of them, reducing the buildup of debris in your pound. This is also going to improve upon the overall appearance of your pound and will also provide additional room for growth of your plants.

Make sure that you are feeding your fish well during the summer months, but that you are not over feeding them in the process. Never feed any more than what your fish can eat in a span of five minutes. Feed between one and three times daily as needed.

Make sure that you are cleaning your filter as is needed. Do not overclean.

Maximize the aeration in your pond. Warmer water can hold less oxygen, and yet the fish will use more oxygen when the water is warm. Make sure that there is aeration running in your pond all the time using an air pump or an additional type of pump in your water garden.

Enjoy your pond as it flourishes throughout the summer months.

Filed Under: Environment, Gardening, Home Improvement, Landscaping, Technique Tagged With: Fish, Garden, Home, Plant, Pond, Pump, Water, Water garden

Spring Pond Plant Care

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There are certain elements of spring water garden care that relate specifically to the plants in your pond or water garden. You are going to want to think about plants, fertilizers and other details when it comes to your aquatic plants because the spring time is when your plants are going to flourish at their greatest. Consider the following things when you are preparing for the spring season with your water garden.

First and foremost, you are going to want to fertilize each of your plants and make sure that they are firmly planted at the right depths. If you have lotus flowers or lilies, then you are going to want to fertilize them every 3 or 4 weeks throughout the spring. If you have marginals, you are going to want to fertilize them every 5 or 7 weeks throughout the spring.

Now is also a good time for you to add any new plants as you need to, making sure that the weather has become appropriate for each of the plants. You can add floating floats like water lettuce and water hyacinth in the latter half of the spring, because you need to make sure that all danger of the frost has gone before you begin to plant these aquatic plants.

You can reduce algae growth by adding anacharis plants to your water garden. You should aim for approximately one bunch for each square foot of surface area that you have if your pond is under 50 square feet. If your pond is between 51 square feet and 200 square feet, you can add one punch for every two to three square feet. If your pond is greater than 200 square feet, then one bunch for each three or four square feet is generally ideal, though it is really up to you how much you add.

Filed Under: Environment, Gardening, Home Improvement, Landscaping, Technique Tagged With: Aquatic plant, Garden, Home, Plant, Pond, Shopping, Water, Water garden

Aquatic Plants in your Water Garden

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After you construct your water garden or pond, one of your primary concerns should be the installation of your aquatic plants. Aquatic plants generally need to be installed as soon as you possibly can do so after the basic construction is completed. Many types of aquatic plants are really good at using up all of the nutrients that would otherwise be responsible for feeding the growth of algae. If you want to keep algae growth at bay, then you want your aquatic plants to be working to keep the algae away as soon as you have water running in your water garden or pond.

Some of the best plants for this purpose are Bacopa, Anacharis, Parrot’s Feather and Water Hyacinth. Some plants, like water lilies and other varieties that have surface leaves can provide a significant amount of shade, covering as much as 66 percent of your pond surface area in the full sun. This much coverage will also help to keep algae growth at bay. If your pond does not receive full sun, then you can use less of these shade plants in an effort to keep the algae away. Experiment with different plants until you find a combination that suits you well.

To keep your pond clean and healthy you arguing to want to seed the pond filter using a packaged bacteria product on a regular basis. From this point you should ideally begin to introduce your fish with only a few going in at a time over a span of several weeks. This is going to allow for the growth and establishment of bacteria in your water garden over time, preparing it to optimum health and well being. There are no hard and fast rules about how you introduce plants or fish to your water garden, but planting quickly and introducing your fish slowly is generally the best course of action.

Filed Under: Environment, Gardening, Landscaping, Technique Tagged With: Algae, Aquatic plant, Bacopa, Elodea, Plant, Pond, Water, Water garden