Tips For Buying Basic Garden Tools

Introduction

It is not necessary to spend a lot of money to start with a lovely garden, but you do need some basic tools (if you have proper place for garden off course). You can get started for under $100 - less if you can find tools at yard sales or flea markets.

Useful Tips

Choose a spading fork as your first tool. In Front you plant anything, you will need to open and improve the soil. A spading fork looks like a pitchfork but has a shorter handle and wider tines. It is used to dig down into hard soil and break up the ground.
Second toth, choose a hoe. A hoe is useful for weeding and cultivating the surface of the soil to allow for penetration of nutrients and water.
Also, choose a watering can. Long nozzles allow the water to come out at a very gentle flow rate and are useful for reaching across long distances. Select a watering can that has a detachable spray head - this type of watering can is perfect for watering young seedlings.
Next step - select a round-ended shovel for larger digging projects, such as planting shrubs and trees.
Buy a good bow rake, which has short tines on one side attached to a metal frame or 'bow.' It's used for leveling the soil after it has been turned and prior to planting, or for removing large clods of earth or rocks from the soil. You can also turn a bow rake over and use the flat side to smooth soil in preparation for planting.
Select a pair of garden shears that fits comfortably in your hand. Shears, sometimes called clippers, are used for pruning, shaping and removing foliage or branches. Don't buy the most expensive shears until you decide you like gardening.

Lawn Maintenance in November

In These days fall season is upon us and you've done all the damage control you can from summer's unfriendly effects, what can you do for your lawn now that will keep it healthy and beautiful?Lawn maintenance is key for the month of November, the focus should be on sprucing up your lawn and doing any necessary leaf cleanup from October's leaf shedding.

Last minute compost As recommended for September and October, it is a good idea to spread a layer of compost over your lawn. You can patch up and reseed bare spots by adding a layer of compost and spreading the same type of seeds you have in the area. The next steps include covering the layer of compost and seeds with an even spread of straw while watering the area consistently, which will allow the grass enough time to germinate before extremely cold temperatures occur. Just because winter is right around the corner doesn't mean you can stop watering your lawn. Your lawn still needs some water action before the cold season settles in.
Cutting grass During the fall and winter, lawn experts recommend cutting your grass a little higher than usual in order to maintain a deeper root system, which contributes to a healthier lawn. Before you mow your lawn next time, raise the deck height of your mower to a height of at least two inches for warm season grasses and about three to four inches for cool-season grasses. In the more densely shaded areas of your lawn, you should allow the grass to reach an even taller height.
Avoid walking on new lawns New lawns can be very sensitive, especially if they are not carefully monitored to avoid being trampled and stepped on. New grass blades can be damaged so much that they may not be able to survive. Give your new grass every opportunity to grow by keeping people, especially children, off the lawn. Also, even if the lawn becomes iced over, avoid walking on it.


The more trees you have on your lawn, the more fallen leaves you'll have. It's important not to dismiss fallen leaves and instead to take quick action to remove them, as they can disturb your turf grass, especially recently seeded lawns. Removing leaves quickly will also decrease the chance of insect and lawn disease problems since leaving leaves on your lawn can cause them to become matted down from rain and moisture, and is more prone to developing insect problems and lawn diseases.To remove leaves from your lawn, a rake or leaf blower both work well. Be careful not to pull up any tender grass blades while using a rake. A bamboo rake can be useful because it does less damage than a plastic or steel rake. If you want to be extra careful with grass blades, a leaf blower will help, although you may want to make sure any and all new seeds have germinated and won't be blown away by the leaf blower.
To avoid both the rake and blower, you have another option with the mulching mower, which can shred leaves into tiny pieces that decompose in the lawn while adding organic matter and nutrients back to the soil. Don't let the name fool you, as the mulching mower does not actually make mulch, but leaves behind compost instead. The mulching mower can be quite beneficial since it leaves compost in the lawn directly as opposed to the trouble of creating a separate compost pile and using that to spread over the lawn.

The Autumn Gardening (Tips For Great Looking Lawns)

When september and autumn rolls around, your gasoline hedgetrimmer and lawn scarifier are two very important items to have out and ready to go. Any of these items will prove to be fundamental as you get your garden ready for the fall months.The items that you probably need are next: rake, petrol hedgetrimmer, lawn scarifier and off course shovel.When the summer months finish, the cooler air starts to set in and many plants start to die in the cooler temperature. This isn't a result of the handle you are providing. It is just part of the natural rhythm. During this time it is crucial that you qualify of the weeds and dead plant subject that begin to fill up your garden. Once you have taken your petrol hedgetrimmer over the hedges, take the lawn scarifier and take it across your lawn. This will help to pull up the matter that lies as the base of your lawn.

Erstwhile you have taken the time to trim up and pull up the dead grass and moss from the base, get the time to sew more sources in the lawn. As the spring rolls around the new growth will give you a great looking lawn, and will help to prevent you from having bare patches.Go over your garden and begin to pull weeds and spray weed killer where they were. During the winter months many types of weeds can keep to grow. By spraying the segment with a good weed killer, you are capable to end the problem earlier they begin again.While you are weeding, make sure you transfer dead growth as well. Some plants that die won't come back the next year. Check with the local nursery to see which plants you own will come back in the spring, and which ones will need to be replanted when the time comes.If you own a greenhouse, this is also the perfect time to start cleaning it up for the winter. Since there won't be much use for it, you might not spend any time in here, and vermin will find it the perfect quiet place to nest. Keep areas neat and in order, when possible, keep pots and other dark surroundings up off the ground to discourage nesting.

When you have this made care of, you will need to move on to the next important step. Christmas plants should be planted during this time, as they will hit peak bloom right round the Holiday. These will range from a variety of winter flowers that can handle the frigid cold temperatures that occur. During this time you can also plant bulbs for the upcoming spring as well.Even after you have finished all this, you will need to continue your focus on maintaining your garden as the month progresses. As the leaves start to fall, rake them up and keep your yard clean from their clutter. Your roses will need to be cut back, but don't do that until the blooms have started to wither. This might occur late in the month.Your yard had the potential for being beautiful all year. Hold an eye on it and take activity when you notice something looks a little off. Periodic maintenance is the best solution to avoid a long grueling day of yard work. Just think to put up your petrol hedgetrimmer and lawn scarifier when you are finished.

Build Your Rain Garden - Part II

A pretty rain garden will raise the pleasure that people feel in their households. The family room with a big screen tv might be a wonderful room, but a rain garden design in the yard will be a very unique place. A yard made with a rain garden will provide a great position for meeting with friends and family. A rain garden in the backyard will be full of life and full of color. In the backyard of this garden will be a place that people want to be for different activities. This type of garden is a specialty of dedicated gardeners. Dedicated rain garden gardeners do not go to the nurseries and choose the latest sale item to throw into the backyard. These gardeners think long and hard about a design for their gardens. They are very familiar with the most popular designs, and they decide which of these designs will be best for the space they garden. They know the rain garden has special characteristics. Numerous of these dedicated gardeners choose the rain garden design for the special qualities involved.

Basic idea of a rain garden began sometime in the 1990s in the state of Maryland. They are now one of the fastest growing areas of concern for home landscapes. A rain garden is structured to make the best use of natural resources especially water. The purpose of a rain garden is to provide places for rain to soak into the ground, and not flow directly into storm drains, by creating a rain garden. A rain garden should be good news for those paying the water bill. This bill should be substantially reduced by those with a rain garden for their landscapes. This type of garden is carefully planned and constructed to capture as much water as possible for use to nourish the plants in the garden. The right constructed rain garden design should capture water that has run off the roof or gutter of a house. Usually located under a downspout, a rain garden can simply be an area that slopes away from your house that is planted with vegetation adapted to large (but intermittent) amounts of rainfall. A properly planned rain garden design should also help to pass some of the waste that runs off the soil into fresh water sources. The plants and the soil in this type of garden are carefully planted to keep waste and pollutants from causing the damage that they often do in other gardens. Native plants are ideally suited to these conditions. A rain garden should not be located too close to buildings because this could damage these structures. These gardens must be carefully placed to capture the water. A rain garden should be placed where the plants will get plenty of sunshine. The sunshine is necessary for the growth of the plants in a rain garden. For a more elaborate rain garden, place 1" x 6" boards on their sides to form a box, nail or bolt them together, backfill with a topsoil and sand mixture, then plant. A beautiful rain garden design will add so much beauty to a home, and those people who would like to establish a garden should look carefully at using this design.

Consideration About Rain Garden

Our natural environment provides a natural groundwater filtering process. Rainwater flows into low places, where native wildflowers and grasses soak up some of the water. The remainder slowly soaks into the ground over 24-48 hours. In a natural environment such as this, streams and creeks are fed by cool groundwater, which supplies the streams at a steady rate. Rain gardens help to replace what we have taken away by building and paving. It slows runoff waste, increases infiltration, decrease surface run-off from roofs, paved areas, and road, and reduces the risk of flooding. Not all subsurface water will soak into the ground water. Surface run off water that is not absorbed in the rain garden slows down significantly from the swale and vegetative barrier which reduces sedimentation and pollution further downstream. Because the water moves slower in the ground than it does over paving, rain gardens can ease peak flow more than just reducing the volume of water reaching the outlet.
It will be best to plant a rain garden in a depression that is projected to take all, or as much excess rainwater run-off from a house or other building and its associated landscape as possible. The plants should be a selection of native wetland edge vegetation, such as sedges, rushes, ferns, shrubs and trees and absorb the excess water, and through the process of transpiration put water vapor back into the air. A more wide-ranging definition covers all the possible components that can be used to capture, channel, divert, and make the most of the natural rain and snow that falls on a property. In developed areas, low areas are filled in and the ground is leveled or paved, and water is taken into storm drains. This causes many problems. First of all, the streams that are fed by storm drains are subjected to sudden surges of water each time it rains, which contributes to erosion and flooding. Also, the water is warmer than the groundwater that normally feeds a stream, which upsets the delicate system. Warmer water cannot hold as much dissolved oxygen. Many fish and other creatures in the streams are unable to live in an environment with fluctuating temperatures.

Probably best place for a Rain gardens location is near a drainpipe from a building’s roof (with or without rain barrels), although if there’s a basement, a French drain may be used to direct the rainwater to a location farther from the building. Normally, a rain garden—or a series of rain gardens—is the endpoint of a drainage, but sometimes it can be designed as a pass-through system where water will percolate through a series of gravel layers and be captured by a French drain under the gravel and carried to a storm water system. This type of gardens are beneficial for many reasons. They can lessen the effects of drought, help filter some pollutants from run off, make paved areas more attractive, and provide interesting setting opportunities. They also encourage wildlife and biodiversity, tie together buildings and their surrounding environments in attractive and environmentally advantageous ways, and make a significant contribution to important environmental problems that affect us all. This garden type provides an ideal way to use and optimize any rain that falls, reducing or avoiding the need for additional water usage or irrigation. They allow a household or building to deal with excessive rainwater runoff without burdening the public storm water networks. Rain gardens differ from retention basins, in that the water will infiltrate the ground within a day or two. This creates the advantage that the rain garden does not allow mosquitoes to breed.

Why Organic Food? - Basic Notes.

This type of food is grown in a manner that is friendly for the environment as well as safe to eat. The goal is to go with nature rather of against it to get the provide of food that is needed out there. Many individuals are afraid about the bad effects of conventional farming methods. There are some common problems when growing fruits and vegetables. There are pests that want to eat them as well. Conventional methods allow the use of pesticides to control them as well as herbicides to get rid of weeds. With organic foods though no chemicals are used. Natural compost is used as fertilizer and traps are used to get rid of the pests. Weeds are pulled by hand or removed with machines as well.

With organic food processing though the ground is able to maintain a great deal of the nutrients. In fact, in many areas the compost that is used for fertilizer can actually help the land to be well than it was in the past. This means that the ground isn’t being depleted of anything and that future crops have an excellent opportunity of growing in that location. In order to assist the soil they also rotate the fields where they grow the crops. For case they may have a few of them open right now so that following year they can grow crops in them and open up a few others. This break in production helps the land to have the opportunity to recover and to thrive. Organic food also refers to the raising of animals in a manner where the food from them is better. For example the meat we get from pigs and cows as well as the eggs we get from chickens. These animals are raised without being given medications, hormones, or other elements that aren’t healthy for them or for humans to get when they eat these sources of food. These animals are also fed organic foods to further enhance the purity of what they have to offer. In order for productions on the marketplace to be certified as organic they have to meet some strict guidelines. The land must be free from all use of chemicals for at least the past three years. Annual inspections have to be conducted on that land as well as land testing to confirm this. Records of all their activities and what methods they use have to be qualified. Those written documents can be asked for and reviewed at any time by the USDA.

Positive method actings must also be applied and followed in order to productive control pests and to improve the overall quality of the ground. Meeting all of these guidelines is time consuming as well as challenging. Yet there are numerous farmers out there ready to complete the process in order to offer food that is chemical substance free. They also are able to make a profit on the food sources that they provide in such a way. You will find different sources of organic food out there at supermarkets these days. More grocery stores are giving consumers the choice of these chemical free products. While they do cost more it is due to the fact that they cost much more to process. You can also get them from farm markets out there where they proudly sell what they have grown on their own land locally. More farmers are considering the fact that organic food really is a great way to offer great food supplies and to protect the environment. The process has really taken on in states all over the world.

Make Your Flower Garden Unique.

Gardens with flowers only take place in different styles and assortments, their charm can be dependent to any gardener of this type. As someone who takes care of a garden, knowing how to enhance your garden can make a big difference in the covering with beauty and taste and over-all condition of your flower garden. Today, I'll try to present few easy tricks how to make your garden blossom more.
Usual requirements must always be given major deliberation. Just like with any gardening project, a this type of garden must have its sufficient supply of water, light, and rich soil. To be missing one of these essentials is almost getting the death bed of your new flower garden. Irrigate the flower garden more often during dry spells. In addition, make sure that you set the flower bulbs deep enough to allow sufficient room for the rooting. Try to combine perennials with annuals plants. So, perennial flower bulbs don't have to be replanted because they grow and bloom for several ages while annuals spring up and bloom for just one season. Combining perennials with annuals guarantees that the expose goes on with your new or redesigned flower garden.Try to clip off flower head after it drops to raise more blossoms. Deadheading is simply clipping off the flower head after it droops. This will case the plant to grow more and get more flowers. In this case,make sure that you don't throw away the deadhead on the garden or mold and other plant disease will attack your plants

Be sure to learn difference between beneficial from the bad bugs. Nearly all garden bugs do more well than harm? Butterflies, beetles and bees are famous as pollinators. They feed plants through accidental transport of pollen from one plant to another. Also, about 75% of flowering plants count on them for natural selection. Why do you believe flowers are that brilliant and pretty? Sowbugs and dung beetles both with fungi, bacterias and other microorganisms make the ground more friendly to flowers. This is on account they exist on dead materials, breaking down into easier molecules that feed the ground. These insects are recognized as decomposers.

It is pretty sure after you read this article, you will probably don't chase away insects whenever you see them. Once applied this quantiy of new knowledge, your unique flower garden will certainly reward you with a breath taking view when it's comes for them to bloom once more.

Unique Tips And Tricks For Your Front Garden.

From time to time I ask myself how to make a statement to the whole neighborhood of what the people who live in the house are like. Easy! By practicing a well thought out front garden design. You’ve seen the yards that are cluttered with junk or cars and do not speak well for the owners. Different grounds have covered bushes and trees that say there is not much care being given to the home. Having a lovely front garden can be a statement of great ownership. The time and effort put into the garden will not only look nice but will growth the value of the home and make the proprietors proud of their achievement.
In case you are the type of householder that wants individuals to constantly feel welcome there are ways to say this with your garden design. Your design of the home should be well manicured and inviting. One of the most significant aspects of welcoming people is making a clear walk. Keeping the bushes and large plants away from walkways will make your home more accessible. Some Other important aspect is using hospitable plants and colors. Bright cheery blooms say welcome better than about anything else. Early spring flowers such as tulips, crocus, and daffodils will invite people out of their winter stagnation. Bushes with natural green foliage can be placed to show the way to the door of the house. It’s good to avoid plants with stickers or a lot of pollen will make people feel more welcome and prevent injury or allergies. When designing the front garden there are many things to take. One of the first things to consider is where your home is located. A house in the southwestern desert like New Mexico or Arizona should have a completely different front garden than one in the northeast or northwest. Another circumstance is the quantity of handle you will have to provide to maintain the garden. If you live in a desert area where water is scarce and the summertime season is extremely hot using a natural garden goes with native plants works best. Practicing rock, pebbles and drought tolerant flowers can make a pretty look that will be able to stand up to the severe temperatures.
If however you are in a colder climate you may want to use the same natural theme but change it to use native plants that will grow in this climate. Evergreens make a beautiful natural garden for such a climate. Looking for some other native plants to the climate will find that the front garden will have persistent beauty. Stones and rock will look beautiful in hard climates as well and make great items for frames. Whatever the climate, practicing the natural products of the land will assist make a much nicer and also unique front garden.

Description Of Garden With Waterfalls.

Planning and building garden with waterfall continues to get increasing popularity all over the world. The true is that numerous of individulas have become a bit bored with traditional swimming pool and garden patterns. The garden with waterfall represents an directly recognizable, beloved natural constitution that adds an aesthetic to any back yard. Also, waterfalls are essential components in oriental gardens, regular swimming pool design, pond design, and certain cases of custom fountains. Main visible features of this type garden design are the same as those we find in nature. We see boulders strewn in high places at the top of the falls, and we find stones scattered along the several banks of the stream. Numerous of these boulders are actually planters in disguise, containing a form of grasses and blooming plants to make them look like wild vegetation developing round rock constitutions along a river bank.Otherwise, hidden parts of waterfall garden project are a bit different. In nature, rivers and stream make deep channels by cutting through rock and soil over long periods of time. When these channels achieve the edge of a cliff or steep slope, the water then cascades down to a lower elevation. In landscaping design, even so, it just not cost able to make a garden falls practicing a solid rock basin. Concrete is a much better substance to use because it retains water and is tough adequate to refuse the shifting nature of the ground. After the real is poured and later dries, we cover it with rocks to make the stream line looks regular. Probably the hardest thing to recreate in this type of design is slope. We have to recreate a graded descent for the water proportional to the length of the channel and the size and depth of the pool into which it falls. Waterfalls almost constantly occur in mountainous areas and drops on tropical islands. To project a duplicate of such side on the flat is no small challenge. We have to add soil in points and dig out portions of the grounds in others.
Especially this has to be done very consistently under the supervising of a landscape gardenings plan in order to ensure that the aesthetic of the surrounding yard is protected. In some cases we can go with present terrain in properties that lie near one of the many bayous. These properties tend to have a regular slope in the back yard that can offer the essential form to dig a channel and make a natural swimming pool or garden waterfall that drains into a backyard pond.This is one of our more costly services due to the fact that we must balance the grade of slope with the surrounding yard and besides make it relative to the waterfall itself. It is strongly recommended that only clients willing to invest top dollar in this service consider it simply because any difference from common scale or materials to cut costs will almost certainly result in unsatisfying effects.

Garden Bench, Wish Or Reality?.

After long period of thinking I realized that the only way to quality rest in the garden is to build or buy my special garden bench. Beautiful garden bench will be good apologize to sit, relax, and unwind after a delicate days work or wthout any reason.Why should anyone have reason to sit in gardena and enjoy? Maybe, if you have guest over they can have a comfortable place to sit by having plenty of benches. Probably best and economical way to adding benche to garden (or backyard maybe) is by building them yourself. Building your own garden projects is also a good way to sharpen your carpentry skills. I've built a couple of wood benches for my backyard some years ago. The only maintenance I have ever done is re-touching the paint to keep them looking clean and sharp. They still look good, are very sturdy and will last me many more years.

In case that you decide to build bench, it would be good to start by finding designs for the type of bench you will be constructing. Next step would be to prepare the material and tools to begin your garden bench construction project. Generally, this is a simple project even for a beginner. Constructing this project is quite simple with some step-by-step detailed programs. I built my benches from a how-to book I bought. Also, you can look for how-to books that will include projects at libraries, local or online bookstalls.Of course, there are many websites that offer free building plans, there are also some sites that sell programs, they are very affordable. Books and magazines is some other good source. Plans will come with a material list, this can give you an idea how expensive the project will be before you begin building.

After finally decision what type of lumber to use it is good (as to other daily responsibilities permit) do some research. Pressure-treated lumber is a good choice to prevent rot and decay. Redwood and cedar can cost more, it will also seems better and an greatest choice of lumber. Benches may be stained, painted, and decorated in many ways. Staining or painting will make your bench look decent, and last many years. For a rustic look, leave the lumber untreated to give it a rustic look.It is good to know that some of the tools required to build a bench are rough or are power tools that can cause injury if not used properly. If you have not used power tools earlier, took the manual for instructions and safety tips. Always use based electrical issues for your tools. Use clamps when cutting small pieces of wood, never hold them by hand. Constructing outside piece of furniture is an excellent way to sharpen your carpentry skills. As your carpentry skills get well, you can build more advanced projects.

I Want That My Garden Looks Like More Ancient, What Now?.

One day not so long ago this crazy idea just came on my mind. I want to my garden looks same like in old movies and pictures.And then new adventure starts. Setting up a ancient garden does not have to be difficult? I'm sure in one thing,when someone else is building always seems easy, am I right? But in reality you just have to make certain to take your time, have patience, and make sure that you are as informed and knowledgeable on the issue as possible before undertaking the project. Of course if you are going to go with a 17th century garden (for me very old garden design) the basics are going to remain the same regardless of what extras you add in, however it is these extras which are going to make your garden your own, unlike everyone else’s. For that reason, when it comes to choosing your specific very old garden, you really have to make sure that you make it personal and that you choose elements which are going to mean something distinctive to you and which you find attractive.

If there's any reason you are involved in this type of works the elements that you are going to want to have structure your garden and really be the main focus overall then are obviously going to be of a 17th century "very old" style, and then from there you are going to want to pick and choose different smaller elements which are more individualized. For example you may want to put large rustic and ancient flowerpots end-to-end the garden, as this will give the garden a more classic and older overall visual aspect, and as well you may want to consider having an old gazebo somewhere in the garden as well. The cases of flowers and plants that you use in your very old garden are also very important, as you should to stick to more traditional flowers such as tulips, roses and chrysanthemums in this style of garden, and as for plants, you will want ones such as vines and deciduous trees, as these will also help to give the garden a more eclectic and conventional feel.

When you are making with your own ancient garden, the last thing that you can really do is to stick to the basics too much and not personalize it enough. After all, although it’s essential for you to follow the directions in order to make your garden as real as possible, at the same time you want to make sure that you have fun and that you use creativity and individuality. Dont rush, have patience, and enjoy yourself throughout this work, because it can really be a lot of fun, and you can spend a lot of time working on a garden such as this.

How To Build An Tuscan Garden.

Introduction To Tuscan Style
Special name for this type of garden design comes from the Tuscan region in Italy. This type of garden contains elements that are characterized by both plants and accessories for growing them, creating an lovely European feel. Some people like to go for gardens that come together as a result of conventional elements in a style that is well-established, for the same causes that a person might decorate their living room with country or maybe Spanish flair. This type of garden can be found all over the world and are becoming very popular in the United States. For those who are looking for an Italian flare might turn to Tuscan garden for a template upon which to guild their garden. A Tuscan garden could probably best be named as a place of casual elegance, filled with life and living, beauty and peace, friends and loving family.

Distinctive Style Of Tuscan Garden
Definitely this style of garden is recognized like a place where beauty, food, friends and family come together to share a garden fresh meal or unwind from a busy day. Just before you can plant one, you’ll need to know what a Tuscan style garden should look like. Try to close your eyes and imagine the fragrance of fresh cut rosemary, basil, oregano and parsley floating on a summer breeze combining with bits and pieces of fragrant floral aromas, add a wooden bench, a lovely statue or a water fountain and you will have the real Tuscan feeling. See Italian terra cotta pottery overflowing with fresh growing herbs, Grecian way urns filled with fine floral placements, a flag stone path leading to a vegetable garden filled with fat red ripe tomatoes hanging on the vine, fresh garden herbs getting in abundance, with fruit trees and grapevines gracing the landscape and you will have a good idea of what a Tuscan type of garden should look like.

Begin With Operation
In time when start with operation expect to use significant amounts of garden containers to create your Tuscan garden. Some of the main characteristics in this type of garden is the use of vases, urns, and terra cotta pots to grow your plants in. Even So, you don’t have to feel as if you should buy vases and pots that look perfect. This type of garden has a rustic, worked-in look where pots that are chipped or cracked have a place in the scheme of things.

Little About Plants
Naturally, you can’t have a garden without the plants themselves. In Tuscan type of garden, it is best to practice plants that are ordinarily related with Italy. However, that still provides a wide mixture of sets to work with. Poppies and other flowers work nicely in this garden design, but these gardens can become celebrations of Italian foods as well as flowers, with tomato plants growing their ripe fruit, perhaps to be made into a fine red sauce some day. Or, move your herb garden from inside to outside and add a dimension of scent to your garden. With a little work put into the look of your garden over plants and other elements will come together in a stunning design that hearkens back to Italian traditions. One factor that can help achieve this is the use of a trellis and vines to create a look that reminds people of wine grapes ripening and of Italy’s tradition of fine wines. While actual grape vines will work well, there are alternatives to these plants, such as grape ivy, or even a climbing rose, if you want something that flowers nicely.

About Other Inorganic Components
The inorganic elements that the urns and pots bring to this specific type of garden design are not the only ones that you can bring. Don’t forget the benches and fountains which have a place in a conventional garden type. Do not forget, items that look older or worn work well in this design, incorporating the Italian observe for chronicle into the general look. Stone can be used for both fountains and benches and wrought iron also works well. A Tuscan style can be formal, with large statues, fountains and patios with sitting areas, or informal, terra cotta pots filled with herbs, flowers and vegetables. A Tuscan garden is designed in the old-world Mediterranean style and contains elements of greenery, rock, rich wood, wrought iron and clayware. It can be large, using your entire landscape in the plan or small, taking up only a corner of your yard.This type of gardens can even be planned on a small balcony for city dwellers. In any case, the sights and scents of a Tuscan garden should come together to make your own small oasis, a place where you want to come and sit, or stroll on a everyday basis to unwind and wash your cares away.

What Is Zen Garden?

You have looked at a lot of different garden designs and decided the Zen Garden Design might be for you. Although the Zen Design is not a flower garden it makes a beautiful compact garden.

A zen garden is a karesansui a Japanese rock garden or Zen garden is an enclosed shallow sandbox.
If you are truly interested in implementing your own Zen garden then you need to start here. There are several subjects in particular that you are going to have to learn about and take into consideration. One of the most important things to realize is that, unlike many other types of gardens, you do not need to have a lot of room in order to make a fantastic Zen garden at your home. This is what I love about the Zen garden design it’s beautiful and compact.
The first matter that you have to decide on is, which one of the particular Zen garden design are going to use. You definitely want to make sure that you take your time and think this matter through, because this is going to highly affect the end result of your garden.
The purpose of any Zen garden design is to reflect the beauty and grandeur of nature through the careful designs in the garden. As a rule of thumb for the most part every Zen garden design is simple and sparse, as not many are busy or showy.
The use of water is one of the most crucial elements of all in any Zen garden, and you can either use real water in the form of a fountain or pond, or you can use implied water in the form of a bed of raked sand or gravel, for instance.
Zen gardens are really and truly designed for the year-round landscaping appeal, and evergreens and moss ground covers work to provide cyclic continuity. Always remember that your Zen garden is never does not dominate, but rather it is always alive.
A very important key element that you should also make sure to include in your Zen garden design is deciduous trees, as they work by adding a touch of delicacy to the garden, and, depending on the size of your garden overall, just one or two well-chosen trees are really all that you need.
Always be sure that you make your garden your own, you want to personalize it as best you can. You must also remember that there are plenty of people out there who are more than willing and able to help you achieve this throughout a process such as this, which is especially really important if you are a novice gardener and are not sure of what to do or where to start.

Also make sure that you are always enjoying yourself while creating and maintaining your garden, because this is one of the most important aspects of all by far. There are many Zen Garden Landscape Design elements to consider. If you are truly interested in Zen garden designs I would make a trip to the library as they should have at least one or two books on the subject.

Rose Garden Tips

A rose garden design does not always mean a garden that is full of roses. Gardeners have a attachment to the spaces that they fill with wonderful plants and flowers for the enjoyment of all who visit the garden. Sometimes the devoted rose gardeners also cultivate plants that they can cut up and put in their salads or splash on foods for seasoning. The serious gardeners study different designs for their gardens and a rose garden design is popular with many gardeners. There is a plan to a rose garden design that contributes to the definition of this type of garden.
A Typical Rose Garden Design
Roses do not bloom throughout the year, and rose plants should be pruned in the winter months. The plants are not very attractive when they are pruned back so you will want to consider this while planning your rose garden. Many gardeners do not fill their gardens with roses because their gardens would look very dreary during some months of the year. A rose garden design would be different depending on the local climate. A rose garden design in some climates might look awful for an extended period of time.
Many serious gardeners carefully choose the plants and flowers that they use with roses in their rose garden design. A variety of plants is conducive to the health of all of the plants. There is great science involved in the health of roses because of the great work by plant experts. Some roses grow better in certain climates than in other climates. Some roses are more resistant to disease. Gardeners are wise to study these facts to choose the plants for their rose garden design so their roses will remain beautiful throughout the growing season. The serious gardener should make a detailed design before putting any plant in the ground. A thoughtful rose garden design will be evident to all as the plants start to flourish. You may also want to consider organic rose gardening.
Serious gardeners believe that they have a mission to design a magnificent visual experience. They believe that their endeavors are partly art and partly science. These gardeners do not just randomly throw seeds around to wait for the results. They do not plant bushes haphazardly. The serious gardeners study the space and their preferences before starting to cultivate a space. There are some established garden designs, and dedicated gardeners choose a specific design for their space. A rose garden design is a plan for a space. It is not a designation that comes from a particular type of flower or plant. A rose garden design is not necessarily full of only rose bushes.

Useful Tips For Design Of Front Yard Garden

The front yard is usually the first observation anyone can ever make of your home and all that most people ever see. Choosing a front yard garden design which expresses the homeowner’s style will make the space in the front yard usable and enjoyable.
The most appealing front yard garden designs will make good use of plants which are native or common to the area. These plant will grow better, longer, and tie in with the rest of the neighborhoods plants, which can help the entire neighborhood look better. A lilac bush wouldn’t fare too well in Arizona for example nor would a palm tree in Maine.
Choosing how to border the lawn is also important, some people prefer the look of a fence while others like the softer look of a hedge to set their front lawn apart from the others in the neighborhood. Some front yard garden designs will also combine the two ideas with a lattice work fence and a beautiful climbing flowering plant. Also when deciding on the best plants for a front yard garden design, one should consider the required maintenance for these plants. Busy people will not be happy living with a high maintenance garden and people who love to get their hands dirty would be bored with a front lawn designed with more brick and “living space” than plant life.
What Does It Look Like ?This phrase has been coined in many instances; in this application however it is highly appropriate. If a you are going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars purchasing a beautiful home, why not go the extra mile and turn an average front lawn of green grass into an enjoyable front yard garden designed to be used not just walked through.
Choosing beautiful trees, plants, and flooring will make the area seem more like a park entrance to the home than a boring grass lawn with a forgotten bicycle left by the steps. More over a water feature, fountain, furniture, night time lighting and bird feeders can add another element of beautiful practicality to your front yard garden design. The border you choose can be as functionary or whimsical as you like. A trestle growing with beautiful honey suckle at the side walks connecting the drive way or main sidewalk to the front yard garden design’s walking path is a special touch to separate the rest of the world from the sanctuary of your home. Imagine what you want and speak to a professional landscaper and working together your vision can come true.

Can I Build My Own Moon Garden??

You really can create a moon garden that will light up your nights be it summer, fall or spring. Even if there's no moonlight, or a tree canopy blots it out, there's often enough ambient, reflected light to make your garden glow alive.
Moon gardens are designed to be viewed at night. Most moon gardens are designed with special walkways so that people can stroll through to view the garden and some keep them enclosed through some sort of screen or fence. Special lighting is often used, such as solar lighting. Solar lighting gives off a warm glow that isn’t as bright as normal household lighting and it creates just the right ambiance that people are looking for when designing their moon gardens. You may also want to use special plants, such as those whose flowers only open at night. Designed correctly, a moon garden will quickly become the talk of the neighborhood and one shouldn’t be surprised if their moon garden design brings a crowd every night when the sun goes down.
In addition to the flowers that only bloom at night, there are other flowers that people love to include in their moon garden designs because of the nighttime fragrance they give off. These flowers include the types known as the Sweet Autumn Clematis, the Blooming Jasmine as well as the Flowering Tobacco.
The sweet, heavy scent of flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) is most evident at night you will want to use the white-flowering variety. Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), a mid-sized rotund shrub, can fill the whole garden with fragrance in July and August. The late-summer flowers of night jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) are inconspicuous, but their fragrance is heavenly. Try to avoid competing aromas or too many heavy scents by staggering periods of bloom or by planting in different spots in the garden.
There is a certain flower which is perfect for any moon garden design. The Moon Flower begins with spiraled buds during the day. At night, the six inch wide white flowers open, revealing a wonderful fragrance. Ask your local garden center if they carry the Moon Flower to be included in your moon garden design. If they don’t carry it, they may know where you can get your hands on some. No moon garden should go without this wonderful nighttime flower known as the Moon Flower.
Another great idea to include in your moon garden design is to get flowers with a silvery tint to their flowers so as to effectively reflect the moonlight. Done properly and these types of flowers make your moon garden glow.
The choice is up to you as to what you include in your moon garden design but you should keep in mind that it should have the desired effect. You’ll know once you have it right because once the sun goes down, your moon garden will seem to have a life all its own.
For a moon garden that glows more than three seasons, choose a variety of white annuals and perennials, also consider shrubs and trees that flower at different times. Snowdrops, freesia, white tulips, creamy daffodils, dogwood, fothergilla, viburnums, spirea and rhododendrons will brighten up early-to late-spring nights. Bugbane, monkshood and boltonia (Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank') bloom from late summer to fall. Shasta daisy (Chrysanthemum x superbum) flower from early summer to frost. The white bellflower (campanula parsicifolia 'Alba'), baby's breath, astilbe and falsespires (sorbaria sorbifolia) flower in summer.

What Is Garden Design Software And How To Use It?

It is easy to find can find many terrific garden design software packages on the market today(just type in Google and that's all). They can help you design and visualize your garden before you start digging and planting. Additionally, you can also include such things as your house, patio, deck, fence and ground cover. The majority of the garden design software is actually quite easy to use and you will not need to have any architectural or landscaping experience in order to use it. Just a basic computer and skills.

It may sound as though it is difficult to use garden design software, most garden design software comes with easy 1-2-3 steps to follow to help you get started. The wizard will help you to quickly add ponds, houses, decks and everything else that you will want to incorporate in order to complete your garden design.

Usually there is also a large selection of plants and tress available in this wizard for you to choose from. These are in the form of highly detailed 3D models instead of as a regular picture. This makes them look very lifelike, even if you view them close-up. You can mix and match different foliage and experiment with various placements before coming to a final decision – all with just a click of your mouse.

No matter of what type of garden design software program you choose to use, most offer free technical support and a 30 day money back guarantee. The really good garden design software programs will have a complete user's guide integrated in the program but it is still very useful to be able to email or call technical support toll free.
Most of the higher quality software comes with 3D graphics so that you can walk around your property in photo realistic 3D. This will allow you to experience your garden design even before you actually create them. Some software will even allow you to see what the different types of lighting will do to your garden; it is like you are really there. Once you are sure that you have something that you would like, you can show your friends and family what your ideas are and get their input. This will also come in handy if you are hiring anyone to do this work for you because you can show them exactly what you want with accurate dimensions, scale and placement that are relative to your house and landscaping.
Source: FlowerGardenTips

Make Your Garden Attractive To Butterflies

Your garden can be designed to attract certain birds, bees, or butterflies, yes butterflies.
The Butterfly Garden Design can be enjoyed by not only the creatures which they attract but by the creator as well.
The sole purpose of creating a butterfly garden design is making a garden which will attract butterflies. There things you need to consider and to include in a butterfly garden design. You will want to take the time to find just the right elements for their location and for the types of butterflies they want to attract. It is not hard to create a butterfly garden design and there are many helpful gardening books and internet sites where additional information can be found.
The garden should be approximately 8-10 feet by 10-14 feet. It should be located in place that receives full sun at least six hours a day. You may also want to provide fruit such as bananas and watermelon as an additional food source. Provide a water source such as puddling. Do this by burying two pans filled with sand. Place a few sticks and rocks on top of the sand, and fill the pans with water. Provide two low containers filled with dark rocks for butterflies to warm themselves if you live in a cooler part of the country. In Texas I find this is usually not necessary. Also, include a hummingbird feeder in the garden. The butterflies will use the feeder and hummingbirds will be attracted also.
These Are Great Plants To Use For Your Butterfly Garden Design
Adult butterflies are attracted to flowers. Butterflies feed on nectar which is in the flowers. Incorporating many flowering plants of various colors into the butterfly garden design will inevitably attract adult butterflies. Plants such as One butterfly bush Four goldenrods, Three New England asters, Two or Three ornamental cabbages, Two or Three joe-pye weeds, One dill plant, Five parsley plants, Knight') Eight globe amaranth. These also work well, the butterfly weed, azalea, butterfly bush, lilac, marigold and impatiens will be big butterfly attractors.
If you would like to make an attractive area for butterflies at all stages of life then milkweed, dogbane, thistles and nettles will need to be incorporated. These are not usually desirable plants for a garden but will be where the butterflies lay their eggs and where the caterpillars will feed.
You can provide in addition to the above a larger water source in the butterfly garden design. A small pool, a bird bath, or a couple small pans inset in the soil will make nice pools of water for the butterflies. Another important feature is to make an area where the butterflies can warm themselves. And don’t forget if you live in a cooler climate use dark rocks or other solid objects that absorb the heat from the sun and place them around the garden where the butterflies can stop and rest and warm themselves.
A nice addition to the butterfly garden design would be a small bench and perhaps even a gazebo where you can sit and enjoy the quiet solitude the garden will provide. Another incentive to build a butterfly garden design is your children will fall in love with it.
Flower Garden Tips

Do You Have A Problem With Raccoons?

It is already known that raccoons are known to adapt very easily to a changing environment that is why many people have problems with the damages caused by these creatures. Raccoons have inherited a bad habit: they vandalize garbage cans, fish ponds and also your very own kitchen pantry due to the fact that many houses ( especially in United States ) have a pet door which for a raccoons is like an invitation. Besides this, raccoons invade attics, chimneys, porches and other similar locations, not to mention that the cities and suburbs offer these creatures a developed underground roadway system for those intelligent animals who use these storm sewers. These raccoons not only invade your privacy but also they cause damage, for example, they can get into crops or just by simply occupying your chimney they make annoying little sounds that eventually will drive you crazy.

The first thing you should do is to find out if you are truly having problems with raccoons because many people have the tendency to affirm that raccoons are the one’s to blame for the damages but in reality, the one’s who should be blamed for causing these problems are dogs, cats or other "friendly" animals.

If you don’t have the possibility to observe these animals directly the best thing you could do is to identify their tracks. In order to do this you should use the following : flour, nontoxic powders and also cornstarch, these will help you to check out footprints on hard surfaces. A useful tip : raccoons which use chimneys or attics usually begin to make noise when it is getting darker and they stop doing this in the morning, when the sun makes its appearance. The sounds that raccoons make when they are moving can help you detect them more easily. Also, if you hear purring noises then you should know that young cubs are present. Usually, you will hear these noises when their mother comes back to the den.

A wise thing you could do if you have problems with raccoons is simply wait; in other words, many of the problems made by raccoons ( for example: occupation of a building ) resolve themselves within a few weeks or if you are lucky, in a few days. If cubs are also causing you problems then you should know that they won’t leave your attic until they are nine weeks of age because until then, they can’t take care of themselves so they won’t venture in an unknown environment where they will be helpless.

When it comes down to chimneys and attics if yours is uncapped then raccoons will probably use it for denning but also for giving birth and raising cubs. If you assume that after a while they will leave, the best thing you should is that you might try using some harassment techniques so that you could “hurry” their departure. Also, you might as well leave the attic lights on or place a radio tuned to a talk-show and leave it a high volume.

Once you are certain that you got rid of all the raccoons, the first thing you should do is install an approved chimney cap so that in the future, raccoons won’t be able to invade your privacy. A very important note is that you shouldn’t use fire or smoke to make the animals come out of the chimneys because by doing so, you will most likely kill the youngsters as they aren’t able to evade on their own.

When it comes down to yards and gardens, in order to discourage garbage vandalizing you should place cans at the curb when the day of garbage pick-up has arrived. Another thing you could do is that you should secure the lids using bungee cords or weights. Don’t forget that raccoons are often attracted by birdseed and suet and they usually cause a lot of damage to garden fruits and also vegetable gardens , especially corn and grapes. Garden vandalizing will often occur when the foods are ready to be picked so you should be more attentive during those periods.

All in all, raccoons can cause a lot of problems so some safety precautions should be taken in order to avoid these problems which can become very annoying if ignored for a longer period of time. Getting rid of raccoons can become a very frustrating thing to do if you don’t take the best decisions. Patience and clever thinking are a "must" when confronting with such a delicate situation.


Guest Author
Angelina Diaz has been dealing with raccoon issues for years. You can visit Coon Hunting Info to find the latest tips & tricks about how to get rid of raccoons but also very useful coon hunting info.
Article City

Flower Garden Designs

Choosing a garden style that is right for you is a matter of choice. If you design your entire garden according to a specific style, but sometimes just a few sensibly elements call to mind a style. Whether you’re trying to select flower garden designs or trying out a new landscaping idea, the right garden plants and accessories will set the mood you’re trying to reach. Landscape design styles come and go, but certain century-old garden styles continue to preserve their attraction. Any style be it Asian, cottage, formal, and others has its own characteristic details such as particular plants, water features, and materials. Various features are so strongly identified with a specific style that they immediately evoke the proper mood.
Look below at these three lasting and respected garden styles, then incorporate these style elements into your garden design for the look you want.

Cottage Gardens
The informality of cottage garden designs lends them an energy lacking in most garden schemes, none the less the gardens are neither haphazard when the overall design is caringly structured. These gardens express cheerfulness and zeal for individual plants. Cottage gardens originated centuries ago as modest, fenced-in pieces of land kept by cottagers who cherished wild-collected plant life for its usefulness. Livestock and vegetables, berry bushes, fragrant flowers, and herbs for crafts, cooking, and medicine packed the enclosures.

Asian Gardens
In the Asian tradition, landscape contemplation - in the wild, in a garden, or in a scroll painting serves as a spiritual experience. The Chinese and Japanese usually held sacred the space within a garden and deemed the world outside profane. A number Japanese garden designs offer a rustic landscape and contain wet or dry streams and waterfalls, bordered by ferns, moss, and distorted pines. Lake and island style gardens, developed in China, influenced Japanese garden designs. Islands symbolized the home of immortal spirits and consisted of carefully placed earthen mounds or jagged rocks set in an imitation pond.

Formal Gardens
While a love of plants or nature inspires cottage and Asian gardens, formal garden designs express the humanistic value of people as the center of the cosmos. A formal garden design looks it’s utmost near a traditional-style home so the garden exaggerates the home’s architecture. Formal garden designs are symmetrical though the main alignment often leads from a specific position near the house (a balcony, front door, a stone terrace) to a focal point further away such as a pavilion, bench or sculpture. By continuing the geometry of the house outdoors, a formal garden layout makes a transition to a wild or informal landscape at the edge of the property. property’s edge.
About The Guest Author
Ralph J. Smith; I hope you enjoyed this article you can find more gardening, flower gardening, garden design tips and more on my site Flower Garden Tips.com.

Ladybeetles, Ladybirds Are Welcome To My Garden

Ladybugs, also called lady beetles or ladybirds, can be a gardener’s best friend. The ladybug’s bright coloring brings welcomed cheer to the garden, as well as helping with pest control. Since medieval times, ladybugs have been valued by farmers all over the world. Many believe that the ladybug was divinely sent to free crops of insect pests. In fact, that is how the ladybug got its name. People dedicated the bug to the Virgin Mary and therefore called it “The Bug of our Lady”, which was eventually shortened to the present name “ladybug”.
Adult ladybugs are usually oval or domed shaped and have red wings, yellow wings or shades and variations of these colors. The number of black spots can range from no spots to 15 spots and they are typically about one quarter inch in size or smaller.
The length of the life cycle of a ladybug varies depending upon temperature, humidity, and food supply. Usually the life cycle from egg to adult is about three to four weeks, and up to six weeks during the cooler spring months. During the spring the adult female ladybug can lay up to three hundred eggs in an aphid colony. The eggs normally hatch in two to five days. The newly hatched larvae feed on aphids for up to three weeks and then enter the pupae stage. About one week later, the adult ladybug emerges. There can be as many as six generations of ladybugs hatched in a year.
The ladybug enjoys popularity around the world. These pretty insects have long been considered a symbol of good luck and fortune because of their ability to eat an enormous amount of aphids. One ladybug can eat as many as 50 to 60 aphids per day. Aphids (also called plant lice) are herbivores and are one of the worst groups of pests on plants. They feed in colonies and damage plants by sucking the juice out of the leaves, stems, or roots. While aphids feed, they damage plant tissue creating a loss of plant fluids and the photosynthetic tissue needed to produce energy for plant growth. Some plants will show no adverse response to aphids, while others react with twisted, curled or swollen leaves or stems. Aphids also transmit many plant diseases from one plant to another.
Apart from aphids, ladybugs eat a variety of other insects and larvae including white flies, mealy bugs, spider mites, and other types of soft-bodied insects. They also require a source of pollen for food and for that reason are attracted to certain types of plants. Their preferred plants have umbrella shaped flowers such as dill, fennel, angelica, tansy, caraway, cilantro, yarrow, and wild carrot. Other plants that attract ladybugs include cosmos (especially the white ones), dandelions, coreopsis, and scented geraniums.
If your garden does not have adequate space to plant ladybug attracting plants, you can purchase ladybugs from numerous websites on the internet and most nurseries. Before releasing them into your garden, here are a few tips to help ensure that the ladybugs stay where you want them:
1. Release ladybugs near infested plants after sun down or before sun up. They navigate by the sun and are most likely to stay put in the evenings and early mornings.
2. Water the area where you are going to release the ladybugs. They will appreciate the drink and the moisture on the leaves will help the ladybugs to “stick” on the plants. If released in a dry garden, the ladybugs will most likely fly off in search of a drink instead of sticking around to eat.
3. In the warmer months, chill the ladybugs in the refrigerator before releasing them. This will not harm the ladybugs and they tend to crawl more in colder temperatures rather than fly away.
Another way to attract ladybugs to your garden is to place several ladybug habitation boxes around your garden. Fill the boxes with organic material such as peat or compost to encourage ladybugs to roost and lay eggs inside the box. In addition, the habitation box also provides protection for the ladybugs in the winter months.
To further promote ladybug populations, consider cutting back on spraying insecticides in your garden. Ladybugs are sensitive to most synthetic insecticides and if the majority of their food source is gone, they will not lay their eggs and therefore will not continue to populate.
Here are some interesting ladybug facts:
• There are nearly 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs worldwide and 400 which live in North America.
• A female ladybug will lay more than 1000 eggs in her lifetime.
• A ladybug beats its wings 85 times a second when it flies.
• A gallon jar will hold from 72,000 to 80,000 ladybugs.
• Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes terrible so that birds and other predators won't eat them.
• The spots on a ladybug fade as the ladybug gets older.
• Ladybugs won't fly if the temperature is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The ladybug is the official state insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee.
As you can see, the ladybug is one of the most effective and economically important insects to have in your garden. In some cultures, seeing ladybugs in gardens indicates a bountiful harvest, an indication of good weather or a good luck omen. Create an alluring environment for ladybugs and they are sure to provide charm and pest control in your garden for years to come.
About The Guest Author
Lesley Dietschy is the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange, a popular home decor, garden decor, and home improvement website. Please visit the website for quality resources, articles, ideas, tips, free projects, and much more. The website also has a shopping marketplace and a unique Gallery featuring Pine Needle Baskets and Gourd Art.www.HomeDecorExchange.com

Most Common Mistakes From Home Vegetable Gardener

It does not matter whether you have been vegetable gardening for twenty plus years or twenty plus minutes, you will invariably make some mistakes along the way that will lead to a less than hoped for production in your harvest. Here are the most common mistakes that I have seed many people make.

Wrong Seeds - Sure I like to eat oranges, bananas and kiwi just as much as the next person, but lets face it, I have no chance of growing any of them here in New Jersey. Just like someone who lives in an area of the world where the temperatures are always hot, they will more than likely lack the ability to grow cool weather crops such as spinach or lettuce. Plant the seeds to the vegetables that are indigenous to your area. You will have a greater chance of success.

Too Much Water - As crazy as it sounds, yes you can over water your plants. When you over water your vegetable plants you can cause root rot, an environment susceptible for fungus growth, and also wash away valuable nutrients your plants need like nitrogen. Most plants require moderate watering and what that means is the ground is moist but not wet. You can simply pick up the first couple of inches of your dirt and if it is crumbly or sandy then it is too dry and if water comes out when you squeeze it, then it is too wet. If you do not want to go that "unscientific route", then spend a couple of dollars at your home or garden center and pick up a soil moisture sensor. You will get a much better reading, and they come with instructions to help make sure your plants are getting ample amounts of water.

Not Composting - One of the easiest and best things a home vegetable gardener can do to ensure optimal growth of their plants is to add a fresh supply of compost on a constant basis. Compost is nothing more than taking organic material such as grass clippings, leaves and your left over dinner, and allowing nature to take its course and break it down into what is called compost. There are a variety of methods for composting that go beyond the scope of this article, but you need to add compost to your soil throughout the year. Compost adds the many nutrients your plants will need to grow thrive and survive in a safe, affective and environmentally friendly way.

Late Harvesting - This is one I have been guilty of myself and that is not harvesting my vegetables when they should be. Of which, for me, are my zucchini plants. On Tuesday they could be ten inches long (I like to pick them when they are about twelve), and two days later when I go back they are near twenty inches. With zucchini if you let them get too big they will develop way too many seeds and that takes away from a lot of the "edible" portion. The same holds true for many other vegetables. The longer you wait to harvest the more flavor the fruit or vegetable will lose and even worse it will literally rot right on the vine.

Home vegetable gardening is meant to be a fun and rewarding hobby but like all other activities it has its share of opportunities to make mistakes. Now that you know the common ones, you can fix these and move on to making some new ones, well, hopefully not.

Guest Author: Bruce A. Tucker
Mike is the owner of Mike the Gardener Enterprises, LLC where you can sign up for their Seeds of the Month Club and receive 4 packs of vegetable, fruit and herb seeds every month.
Organic Gardening Articles

Build Your Own Water Garden Now

When a stream intersects the garden, this requires more work. You should use general treatment in expanding the water area considerably. One of the ways in which you can do this is to create a lily pond in that part of the garden beyond the brook, having an inlet and an outlet, thus securing water circulation.

Bays should be formed on the near side. Communication across the stream may be by means of a simple bridge, or stepping stones if the water is shallow. You should resist the temptation to give a "rustic" character to his bridge and think carefully about adding patio statuary, large fountains, or indoor wall fountains that are best left indoors. It should be a plain affair, well and firmly built, as befits its purpose, and with a hand-rail on either side.There is a type of water garden which is frankly artificial and depends for its water supply on the kitchen tap or the pump. This last condition means that you should have some knowledge of the economy of water and that can best be done by devising what is called a circulating system.

The first consideration will be the planning of the ponds (for such they are) and in that you must be guided by the levels in your garden and your desires in the matter of water area. If there is a distinct slope in the garden surface, so much the better. It will help you come up with a simple arrangement for running off the water, as must be done from time to time to keep ponds clean and their tenants in healthy condition.You must provide for the waste or overflow from the pond or series of ponds for when the garden slopes toward the house. The most convenient way is to carry it into a gully in connection with the house drainage system. When the slope is in a contrary direction the best expedient is to make a "soak-away" drain. This is merely a pit sunk in the soil and filled with rubble, into which the overflow pipe is conducted. Consider hiding the rubble with a large fountain such as a wall fountain or other type of patio water feature.

The ponds must be constructed with an impervious bottom by using cement or concrete. This means forming the bottom and building up the sides of the pond. If you use rock or rubble sides, they must be built in cement. You also have to be careful to make the joints watertight. You can make the floor with six or eight inches of concrete, faced with cement. The surface should not be finished to a dead level, but should have a slight fall toward the outlet, to facilitate running off the water.If the pond sides are built of cement, you should make the edges battered with the edges showing. You can do this by first building a frame of wood. Fresh cement of good quality should be used, tempered with a third part of sharp sand. Pipes for inlets and outlets should be inserted when the sides of the pond are being made. If a single pond is installed it will only be necessary to carry a waste-pipe from its bottom to the drain.

This should be done in a straight line, if possible, to facilitate unstopping in case of obstruction. The most suitable piping is iron gas pipe of not less internal diameter than one and a half inches. A plug must be provided to close the inlet, which may be a simple cone of wood fitted to the bore of the pipe. Again, the piping can be hidden with the inclusion of large waterfalls, patio statuary, or garden fountains. When you want to make two or more ponds, they should be connected by piping into a single system, with the waste-pipe connecting the one nearest the drain to it.

If all ponds stand at the same level, the connecting pipes may enter and leave at the bottom, but if the levels are stepped, as would be the case on sloping ground, the overflow from each pond to the next lower one of the series must be placed at the water line, otherwise the water would all flow to the lowest pond. You can conveniently fill up the pond and drain it with the garden hose.
Guest Author:
Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer specializing in landscape architecture and do-it-yourself installation of large fountains and patio statuary. For the ideal wall fountain or outdoor water feature for your backyard, stop by Garden-Fountains.com
Organic Gardening Articles

What Is Water Garden?

The terms "water garden" and "garden pond" are often used to mean the same thing. A garden pond normally contains plants and fish like goldfish, while a water garden will contain a variety of aquatic plants and may contain fish typically like gold fish. The term Koi pond differs entirely, from both a water garden and a garden pond because a koi pond will have a limited amount, if any plants in it, basically because the koi will eat most of them. In general, a pond is a small area of still fresh water. A pond differs from a river or stream as it does not have moving water. Some man-made ponds do have elaborate mechanism for water movement like fountains and waterfall but none of these are natural. A natural pond differs from a lake as they are typically smaller and much shallower, and normally filled by rainwater or by underwater springs. These natural ponds are commonly known as dew ponds.

Another less known fact is the history of ponds. For centuries every village and farm would have a pond. The water would be used by both animals and humans. When water supplies and drainage became readily available to the masses, many ponds were neglected and forgotten about. The animals would no longer trample down plants growing on the edges, and soon a combination of fallen debris like leaves and overgrowing plants would begin to starve the pond of its most vital ingredient, oxygen. Many ponds either became bogs, destroyed by pollution, or drained and used for other purposes especially on farms. As an example, sixty to seventy years ago Great Britain had many more natural ponds than today, so sadly they are becoming less common to see. Today however the popularity of man made water gardens and garden ponds is steadily increasing. They bring immense pleasure to many people who find that it’s a relaxing and fulfilling hobby. Depending on where you live, a garden pond can enhance your home and garden by attracting a vast array of wildlife. It's been estimated that over nine hundred species of animals can live in a natural pond environment. This figure is somewhat reduced for a man-made garden pond. A natural pond will attract mammals like voles and shrews, birds like ducks, herons and kingfishers. A garden pond may be frequented by some of the mentioned animals but will not be large enough to sustain them. In a typical garden pond you will find amphibians (newts, toads and frogs), herbivores (water fleas and snails). If you are unlucky you may also attract raccoons or other such varmints who think your pond was specifically built for their culinary needs!

As land is becoming scarce and with the ever increasing effects of pollution on natural ponds, the burden may fall on peoples backyard garden ponds to help species like frogs and newts survive. Why not consider building your own pond? One word of warning though. Just as with swimming pool hazards and concerns, please be very careful if you have young children. Please ensure that your children are constantly supervised.

If you do decide to create your own garden pond, you will be astonished at how quickly it will attract wildlife. You will also enjoy seeing how your pond changes throughout the months, and seasons. The pond will require your attention all year round, but it's especially rewarding to see your efforts flourish in the summer, as you watch the tadpoles mature into frogs, your plants become strong and established, and your fish flourish in a well balanced mini eco-system.

Guest Author: Steven Sannan
Steven Sannan is currently a member of the OnGardenPond.com staff, with 35+ years of fishkeeping experience. Experience that includes extensive freshwater, saltwater and pond keeping knowledge.
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