As you go through your routine of driving to the work or the store and walking in the evenings, look at existing plantings for what type of look you want. There are dwarf varieties, thin leaved varieties and taller varieties. The leaves can be deep blue/green, green or varigated with white stripes amongst the green stripes.
Once you have chosen a favorite type of Liriope you can start with site selection and preparation. Liriope can grow in full sun to full shade. If you do not currently have plantig on the site, then go ahead and start planting the Liriope about 4 inches apart. If you do have grass or another groundcover you will want to start two weeks ahead of time and spray with Round Up or another herbicide, wait a week and spray again. Follow directions on herbicide.
After you have planted, mulch with a few inches of mulch to keep the weeds between the Liriope plants down. Eventually the Liriope will take over the area and weeds between the plants will not be a problem and mulching will no longer be needed.
The first summer after planting you may need to water if they begin to droop in a dry period. After the first summer they should be very drought tolerant.
Once a year they need to be trimmed. It is hard to give a date on the calendar when this should be done because the weather varies from year to year. Instead, time the trimming of the previous years growth with the blooming of the Forsythia. When the bright yellow Forsythia begins to unfurl its first few petals, trim the Liriope. If the area is completely covered by Liriope then just run over it with the lawnmower. If the Lioriope is still in it’s first few years and there is much that you do not want to pick up, use heavy shears or clippers to trim by hand.
If the Liriope gets so thick that it begins to choke out the center, just dig out the center and random sections throughout the bed. Fill the holes with dirt and the Liriope will soon fill in the old sections with bright, new growth.
After all the long hours of hard work from the previous two months, early May is a magical time when you start to see all your hard work starting to pay off. All of your plants should be well on their way to showing the promise of future crops, but the work isn’t over just because everything has started to grow. Several things must be done to insure you plants overall health to maximize your crop’s potential, so regular inspections on a daily basis is always a good idea when it comes to your garden’s general maintenance. The most common problem with vegetable gardens will be dry conditions, weeds or insects. Living in the country as I do also causes other problems such as deer or rabbits damaging my plants at their early stages when the plants are young and tender. I like to check on my fields at least twice a day, (morning and evening), for plant damages due to insects or herbivores such as rabbits or deer, in order to catch these problems at their earliest stage, and take what ever measures are necessary to eliminate the problem. Once you get into a daily routine of checking your garden, it actually becomes an enjoyable part of your day that you will look forward to with each passing day!
Plant Care & Watering …
Many times, the difference between a successful vegetable garden and an unproductive vegetable garden will often be the amount of rainfall you receive each week. Two inches a week in most cases is more than enough to insure a bountiful harvest. Young developing plants will need more frequent rain or watering until their roots can develop deeply in the soil. Once the root systems are developed, vegetable plants can tolerate harsh dry conditions much more easily because they can obtain their moisture from the soil six to eight inches deep. Its not very often I have seen the soil dry at that depth, but in extreme conditions, it does happen.
In the area I live in ( N.E. Georgia ), we have just come through a period of record breaking drought that reached its peak in my last growing season , but the practices I implemented on my farm not only saved my crops, I managed to have one of the most productive farms around all summer long ! I have too many row crops to irrigate my entire fields during times of drought due to low water levels in my well, but by taking a few preventive measures early in the season I was able to keep my entire field vibrant and healthy while everyone else complained their fields just dried up and died.
Early in the season while my vegetable plants were developing their root systems, I would till between the rows at least once a week to keep down any weeds that would rob my vegetable garden from any available moisture, giving them a fighting chance in extreme conditions. Once the plants were developed and starting to bloom, I used a hoe to pull the soft soil between the rows close around the base of my plants, putting the root systems even deeper in the soil where they might find any remaining moisture in extreme drought conditions. It was a lot of work, but through my efforts, I had one of the few gardens around to survive the extreme drought without irrigation.
In order to insure my hill crops survival, early in the season while I was setting them out, I used two to three inches of mulch around each plant to help retain moisture. Because many of the hill crops require more water for proper production, I found it necessary to carry water to them every evening. I watered each plant individually, giving each about one quart of water in the evenings after the sun had set below the tree line, so the plants would have all night to make use of the water. The mulch helped prevent evaporation in the heat of the day, while making the soil richer for future garden plants. It sounds like an easy enough task, but I was using between forty and fifty gallons of water every evening to keep everything watered ! While vegetable gardening is an enjoyable task, many times you will find assuring its’ survival can be very labor intense task as well.
As a basic rule of thumb, let the natural rain cycle keep your garden watered and give the additional water in the evenings if you see them drooping or wilting. Avoid watering in the morning hours due to evaporation. Mulch around hill crops and add extra dirt around the roots of your row crops to retain moisture during hot summer months.
Weed Control …
Weed control in the garden is very important to insure the nutrients you are feeding your plants will not be robbed by fast growing grasses and weeds. I mention they are fast growing because if left unchecked for over a week, you will find that any weeds you may have let develop seem to grow twice as fast as your vegetable plants and most have the ability to reach seeding maturity within 4 to 6 weeks. Allowing the weeds to reach maturity will increase the problem 100 fold ! Preventive measures will need to be taken to minimize the problem of any type of weeds in your vegetable garden.
May is an excellent time to take care of the majority of weeds because as of yet they haven’t had sufficient time to mature. The vegetable plants you have planted are developing into strong healthy plants and are distinguishable from the weeds by this point so it makes it a lot easier to see what you want to keep out of the garden, and what shouldn’t be growing in your garden.
By tilling between the rows on a regular basis as weather conditions permit ( 7 to 10 days), you will find the problem is easily managed. Additional weeding will be necessary close to your vegetable plants, and for this process an old fashioned hoe works well if you have a talent with the tool. Although a hoe works well, you will find you damage some of your crops by trying to dig weeds that are too close to the plants you are trying to protect. I prefer pulling the weeds that are close to my plants rather than using a hoe to minimize damage to future crops. The best time to pull weeds is often after a rain shower or in the early morning while the dew is still present on your garden plants. Try to remove as much of the root system of the various weeds as possible to prevent future growth and discard them between the rows where the sunlight can wilt and kill the weeds. In extreme cases of weeds, it is often recommended to remove them from the garden entirely by gathering the pulled weeds in a 5 gallon bucket and adding them to your compost pile as long as they are young and without seeds.
When to Use Pesticides …
May is also an excellent time for pest control because the young tender plants seem to attract every type of insect known to man that thrives on young tender vegetation. By keeping a close eye on your garden for any plant damage on a daily basis, these types of problems can easily be eliminated with safe affordable pesticides that can be purchased at any lawn and garden center. Depending on which type of pesticide you choose will determine the type dispenser you will need to perform the task at hand.
I personally use a liquid poison ( Seven Concentrated Liquid Poison ) that I dilute with a gallon of water and disperse with a pump-up sprayer. This multi-purpose poison seems to eliminate any damaging insects I have in my region ( N.E. Ga.) and is a very affordable solution to any insect problems that may arise. If you prefer, ( Seven Dust ) is also an excellent pesticide, but you will need to purchase an old fashioned dust dispenser to apply evenly, and only use when the wind is not a factor. Either type of dispenser you choose is perfectly alright, but keep in mind, any type of pesticide you choose will need to be re-applied after each rainfall, or 7 to 10 days to treat new foliage that develops. Persistence and determination seem to be the key factors when fighting garden variety insects because of the multitude of harmful insects that can create problems in your vegetable garden. Once again, I stress the importance of early detection and resolution of any problems insects may be causing by simple checking your garden twice a day. Early detection means early prevention. You may loose a plant or two, but its better to see the problem early and take care of it before you loose the entire crop.
Although pesticides are a great way to insure your plants success against harmful insects, try to remember there are helpful insects such as bees, praying mantis, spiders and lady bugs that are better in the garden for its overall health. Bees are needed to pollinate the blooms so as a general rule I avoid spraying blooms on any of my vegetable plants directly. The praying mantis survives by eating smaller insects as much as the spider does, while lady bugs are known to eat tiny larva some insects will lay on the underside of certain plants leaves. Usually by July I am able to put away the sprayer and let nature take care of any problems unless extreme infestation arises.
Some farmers use fowl of various types to help prevent insect infestation, and depending on the crop you are growing usually determines the type bird you will use. Guineas are great for eating moths and grasshoppers and forage well in the garden, yard or woods that may surround your property. I personally prefer Bantam chickens for their small size which lowers the risk of damage to any of my plants due to over zealous attacks they may make on insects. Tobacco farmers train turkeys to work their fields to keep down the tobacco worms because you never want to use a pesticide of any type on tobacco plants. Finding solutions other than pesticides for insect control is a very smart way to improve the over-all health of our environment, so don’t be afraid to be creative by turning insect’s natural predators against them, as long as the solution isn’t creating an even larger problem.
Plant Supporting Devices …
Toward the end of May is an excellent time to decide which type of trellis or plant support device you will need to keep certain plants off the ground when their fruits become too heavy for the plant itself to support. Depending on the plant you intend to support will have a large determining factor as to which device works best for your situation.
Tomatoes
Depending on the size garden you have is a key factor when deciding which is the most efficient and affordable system to use. A small garden with only a few tomato plants, stakes or tomato cages seem to be the best solution. Stakes can be bought at any local hardware store or made from existing lumber you may have on hand, and driven a few inches from your plant to avoid damaging the roots no matter how large it has become. Tomato cages can be purchased at a number of local lawn and garden supply stores, and even some hardware stores, or purchase the wire and design your own cages to save a few dollars. Keep in mind, when using tomato cages its helpful to install these devices while your plants are at a smaller size to avoid damaging the plants.
For larger areas that have 30 plants or more, you may find it much less expensive to use a few fence posts in your row or rows of tomatoes and buy an inexpensive tie wire (about .00 for a 1 lb. roll) and run several strands from post to post. Later as the plants grow, you can tie the plants with a soft strip of cloth such as an old bed sheet that has been cut into strips, or loosely tie a string to attach the plant to the fence. Either type of device you choose will need to be accompanied with some type of cloth strips or string to loosely attach the plant to the device.
Cucumbers
I used to grow my cucumbers on the ground like everyone else. There were always some that would be missed each time I picked and by the time I found them they were to old to be of any use to me other than the seed. Another problem with allowing them to grow on the ground was the grass and weeds that seemed to take over once the plants had started to run and it was impossible to control the weed problem because of the damage I caused the plants I was trying to protect. A simple solution to both problems was a short fence along the row that I was able to install by simple driving a few stakes in the row and slipping the wire over the stakes in a fashion that held the wire in place six to eight inches off the ground. I would train the cucumber plants daily to follow the fence and inner-twine, which not only made the cucumbers easier to find to harvest, I was able to control the weeds ! I recommend placing the fence first and setting your plants afterword to avoid damaging the cucumber plants, but with a little help from an extra pair of hands, the task can be accomplished after the plants are in the ground. Just remember to do this early before the plant starts it’s runners so you can train the plant to the fence at an early stage.
Peppers
Many pepper plants won’t need any supporting devices be cause of their small size when fully grown. Chili and Cheyenne peppers are excellent examples of plants that don’t really need the added support, while other varieties such as bell and jalapeno can always use the extra support to help keep their fruits off the ground. Simple stakes and cloth or string ties seem to work best no matter how many plants you have. Simply drive a stake a few inches from the plant to avoid damaging the roots and tie the main stem of the plant to that stake as it grows. This is also handy when it comes to weed control and harvesting, so plan ahead for a healthy garden environment that is easy to manage and control.
Upcoming Issue …
The June edition of “How to Grow a Vegetable Garden Series” will cover topics such as “Continued Weed & Pest Control” , ” Additional Fertilizers or Plant Foods” , “When to Harvest” , and ” Ways to Preserve Vegetables “. For everything you need to know about “Growing a Vegetable Garden” , don’t miss a single monthly issue !
Written by Steppeno Knowledge is the key to power … How we use that knowledge is the key to success !
Select a Location for the Rain Garden
If you are wondering how to build a rain garden, then the first thing that you need to do is select a location for the rain garden. Select a location for the rain garden that receives plenty of sunlight so that the excess water gets evaporated quickly. Make sure that the location of the rain garden is at least 12-15 feet away from the perimeter of the house. This is because if it is too near the house, it will cause water to seep into the foundation which might compromise the integrity of your house’s foundation. An ideal location for a rain garden is a spot that ends at a natural slope. This will make the water from the stormwater runoff naturally flow to the area.
Plan the Shape and Size for the Rain Garden
You can have a rain garden of any size, but make sure that the size is proportional to the area of the property and that it enhances the landscape. The depth of the rain garden for a ground which is fairly level should be around 3-5 inches. For ground that has a slight slope to it, a depth of 6-8 inches is sufficient. A natural shape like an oval, kidney or a teardrop shape looks more attractive than a square or rectangular shaped rain garden. So choose a shape that looks natural and gels well with the landscape.
Dig the Ground for the Rain Garden
Once the location of the rain garden has been established, it is time to dig the ground. Define the perimeter of the rain garden by laying a piece of string. Install wooden stakes around the perimeter of the rain garden that you are about to dig. Now start digging the ground to the required depth using a shovel. If you are planning to build a rain garden of a larger depth, then it is advisable that you use professional services for digging the ground. If you are building the rain garden on a slope, then you will need to make a berm on the downhill side of the rain garden. To build a berm just compact the soil that you dug out on the inside of the downhill edge of the depression. The idea is to have the same elevation for both the uphill and downhill side of the rain garden so that water does not flow out of the depression, but percolates slowly into the ground.
Plant Grass and Shrubs on the Depression
After you have dug the depression on the ground and created a berm around it, it is time to plant your garden. Select a variety of tall grasses, ferns, flowering plants and shrubs and plant them in the garden. Choose rain garden plants and shrubs that can thrive in a moist environment. Plants that have a well established root system are ideal for a rain garden as they help in absorbing the excess water without any fear of rotting. Add a layer of mulch to the garden bed taking care that you do not bury the crowns of the plants with mulch. Water the plants regularly after mulching them.
This was all about how to build a rain garden. Once the garden is established and the plants grow and thrive, remove weeds from the garden periodically. You can beautify the garden by using small pebbles or river stones along the edge of the berm. Creating a rain garden is not a difficult task, although it can be a little time consuming. However, the benefits of having a rain garden are many and you should definitely build one in your front or backyard.
Written by BOOPATHY M iam a student studying b,sc computer science,…and i would like to make new frineds and i gather knowledge always from some good things…
It is easy to see how to hold a person or a non-care of their property. Pile of leaves, grass yard, tall grass and even garbage can in a meadow, which is not provided. Although each of us, that when the grass has begun to realize in a state of collapse slip, it is always easy to produce.
doing gardening is inconvenient and takes time away from today. People with allergies are especially reluctant to their sites. In this article I will teach you how to work your garden to make it faster if you have more time to things you want to spend. I will also teach you some of the technologies that people use their garden work done with fewer headaches.
The first thing you realize that people can be on small and large lawn areas to benefit from the purchase of a lawnmower engine. Leaf vacuums with a sheet of paper shredders will always be better than rakes and plastic bags. You will not find anywhere if you are old lawn mowers and motorcycles with engines no comparison.
For the spring for maintenance, you want good garden gloves and the right tools to rake and weed your garden to have. To do this, in early spring, so you can quickly fall mulch. It is good to mulch early as this increase the growth of weeds in the garden. A leaf shredder and the shredder can help the mulch you need to rely on them.
During the summer, your main task cut grass and maintain the flower beds. Note that for a period of very hot and dry, it is better to keep raising the blade on your lawnmower, the grass a little longer. You will find that burn more grass, less chance.
After the late summer and autumn begins to set, you need to ensure the alignment of the leaves and grass. With a sheet of high quality and a thin blade, this can happen very quickly. This will ensure that you are not worried about raking leaves or drop them on the curb.
The easter lily, Lilium longiflorum or scented lily, is native to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan, these days, thankfully, it is readily available in most places around the world. In western countries, not surprisingly, it is most prominently seen on show for sale, to coincide with Easter, and is most popular as an indoor plant, whilst the blooms last.
The best selection would be a plant with just one or two open or partly open blooms, and three or more puffy, unopened buds of different sizes. The ripe flower-buds will open up within a few days, while the tighter, younger ones will bloom over the next several days.
As the flowers mature, remove the yellow anthers before the pollen starts to shed. This gives longer flower life and prevents the pollen from staining the white flowers. When a mature flower starts to wither after its prime, cut it off to make the plant more attractive while you still enjoy the fresher, newly-opened blooms.
Be mindful, this is not your normal indoor or house plant. Should you be fortunate enough to be presented with one of these specimens, although they do fair well indoors, this is really only for show. Once the plant has finished flowering, it really needs to be planted out, either in your garden, depending on your climate, or, in harsher climates, in the green house.
Once the blooms have faded in the house, cut the stems back to about half their length. Put the plant in a sunny window, keeping it moist and feed weekly with seaweed solution. When the leaves and stem start to brown, cut the plant right down to a healthy, green leaf, after any frost danger has passed, plant it outdoors.
When removing the plant from the pot, most likely all the soil will stay intact around the roots, as lilies have a robust root system. Dig a hole in your garden, a place in full sun, twice the size of the pot the plant has just been removed from. Add some decent soil, either store bought or from your own garden, compost can be used but make sure the compost is mature, else it will rot the bulb. Mix some of this new soil in with that which came from the hole and make a small mound in the base of the hole. Check the depth of the hole against the bulb, as the bulb needs to be at least 3 inches below ground level.
If the area you live in experiences strong winds, NOW is the time to bang in a support stake. Do not wait until the plant has been blown over, to do this. Not only could the plant actually snap off at the base, but banging in a stake at that point in time, may very well damage the existing roots, adding to the plant’s woes.
If the bulb and the soil all came out of the pot intact, just plant the whole thing to the same depth as it originally was in the pot. Back-fill with the mix of new and existing soil, firming as you proceed. When the hole is two thirds full, fill it with water, this will greatly assist in removing any trapped air pockets.
Most important, after you have finished planting, mound up an additional 3 inches of topsoil over the whole thing, this is for extra stability, as the plant grows. Make a shallow depression, or moat, around the perimeter of the planting, so as to retain water, rather than having it run straight from the mound. When you have finished planting, water the whole thing again, this time with a weak seaweed solution. Should you be lucky enough to have a number of bulbs, plant them at least 12 to 18 inches apart, as a group. This will make a magnificent show.
If you have purchased bulbs, you will see that they came with roots attached. Unlike most other bulbs, like daffodils and similar, lilies are never completely dormant, this means they should be planted as soon as you bring them home. when you go to plant them, make sure the hole is a decent size, like as big as your head, again, mix existing soil with compost, or bought stuff. Bang in the support stake now, if you feel it may be necessary later on. Plant the bulbs at least 3 inches below ground level, spreading the roots over the mound in the hole, in a fan like arrangement, as it would ordinarily grow, then back-fill, firm, then add the additional mound of soil on top. Don’t forget the moat, then water with seaweed solution.
Easter lilies love, rather, need full sun, but cool roots. This is achieved by the utilisation of a good three inches of mulch, on top of the planting. Most important – do this immediately after planting, so that the mulch is stable by the time the lily is established. If you wait to do this until the weather heats up, you may very well damage the plants whilst applying it.
New growth should soon emerge, this then being the first year’s growth and no real blooms are to be expected, until the following season. If blooms do appear, remove them. Yes, remove them. An enormous amount of energy is necessary to produce blooms and what is needed here, is a build up of the plant’s reserves, for the subsequent years of flowering. Do not cut off leaves until they are well faded and quite yellow – for that matter just don’t bother.
At the end of the growing season, leave the plant to die right back, no mucking around here, leave the bloody thing alone. Lilies need every last minute of sunlight for building their reserves for the coming season’s flowering. With lilies, best results are achieved – by doing the least amount possible. After the last frost each season, tidy the whole area, give a liberal dressing of fertiliser, AND compost. Replace the mulch layer – regardless of whether you think it needs it, or not, just make it so.
Following these few, simple guidelines, for planting easter lilies in your garden, should see you enjoying wonderful displays of easter lily blooms, for years to come.
Two of the most time consuming aspects of gardening are the two “W”’s, watering and weeding. There are a couple of things you can do to drastically reduce the time spent on both of these chores.
First I spread a good 2” layer of compost over the entire garden. I don’t bother to dig it in; I don’t see a real need for it. This will improve the soil, help it to retain moisture, and fertilize your plants all at the same time.
Next I join several soaker hoses together and snake them through the garden. Check hoses for leaks before laying them in the garden. Always bring the hoses in at the end of the season so they don’t freeze and crack.
Let’s face it, green soaker hoses running through the garden are UGLY!! That’s why I now cover the entire garden, ugly hoses and all with a 4” to 6” layer of bark mulch or wood chips. This drastically reduces the number of weeds that I have to pull out. The ones that do poke through are easy to remove. This also helps to prevent soil erosion even during heavy rain falls.
At the end of the season just pull up the soaker hose and store it away for the winter. Next year is even easier. This year’s bark mulch or wood chips becomes next year’s compost. Just snake your soaker hose through the garden and cover with mulch.
Now just get yourself a cold drink, put your feet up and enjoy the fruits of your non-labour!
Railroad Gardening is similar to an architectural project. It is all about designing a scene in your backyard by utilizing railroad pieces, gardening, plants, and landscaping skills. Lots of design and creative skills are involved. But, when working on a railroad gardening project, you must consider weather conditions, changes in seasons and climates, and working with a variety of materials.
Before you start creating your Railroad Garden, walk around your backyard in order to analyze the layout and topography of your backyard to decide on the layout for the railroad and garden as well as the look you want. As you look around at the space and shape of your yard, consider using a grade level, raising the railroad, making the backyard into a level and flat area, and/or using a combination of hills, trestle and flat area.
As you think of the scene that would be perfect for your backyard, consider using some rock and dirt in order to create a rock garden as well as some stone outcroppings to create a mountain in the background. You can buy rocks at rock yards, by the pound. When buying rocks, be selective. Choose specific rocks for a specific look that will fit your scene. Do not use different types of rocks. Try to stay consistent. For instance, a natural outcropping only uses one type of stone. So, use one type of stone, but choose different sizes of that stone. If you get stuck on ideas, consider reading books on rock gardening for inspiration as well as learning different ways to organize rocks. Then, stop by at a garden store to buy your dirt. Sometimes, dirt is free. But, if it isn’t free, then dirt is usually sold by the yard. A yard of dirt is 27 cubic feet or a cubic yard. Dirt can be used for filling the space between two walls or for creating hills and valleys. Potting soil and topsoil are the most expensive types of dirt. But sand and clay are most likely used for Railroad Gardens because these types of dirt are the cheapest.
When you bring your materials home, start organizing the dirt and rocks into the form you want, whether you want to build a roadbed and/or build a railway. Then tamp the route of the track with a special tool you can buy from a hardware store before watering the area. Do this three times, each day, in order to have a stable track bed. This project is very big and can be very tiring. So, remember to work in small steps by finishing off one area before working on the next area. At the end of your workday, cover your dirt just in case it rains. If you would like to use grass in your scene, consider using sod. If you want to add some mulch to your garden, then some mulch to consider include bark nuggets and bark chips, small stones, wood chippings, and buckwheat hulls. Such mulch will cover the ground from sunlight, and therefore, stop weeds from growing. Water will still go through, but there will not be any erosion. Research some rock garden plants to add in your Railroad Garden. Consider joining a rock garden society, visiting garden centers as well as public and private gardens, and reading many gardening magazines and books. Also, surf the Internet for some gardening sites. Many magazines and stores have their own websites.
As you browse through a garden store, consider the role that the specific plant will play in your garden before choosing the plant that you want to use. Each plants serves a particular function, whether using a plant that looks like a lawn, a plant that can be planted in many areas to form a miniature hedge, miniature trees to create a miniature forest, miniature cypress for the entry to the station area, or using lots of diverse plants near a rock garden to fill in gaps between rocks. In your selection, choose plants so that there is at least one plant during each season that is blooming. Invasive plants can be used to fill in certain areas. Also, choose plants based on the scale of the plants for the specific area. Just make sure to choose certain plants that grow to a certain size that will fit the look that you want and the area where you want to place them at. Such plants shouldn’t grow too big or too small for the look that it is intended for.
In Railroad Gardening, plant in three specific zones. The plants placed near the track or near the railway line should be the same scale as the size of the train, people and buildings. The plants in the background of the railroad garden should be very large. In the middle area, choose plants that look like rural plants. Such plants can be medium to large size as well as plants with small leaves, branches, etc.
Here are some scenes to consider for your Railroad Garden. Lush green hills, old houses on the hillside, and a train moving below. Then, add a trestle with a train crossing it. On one side of the scene, create a rock and dirt hillside. And, on the top area of the scene, add large rocks, green lush, and trees to insinuate a forest in the background, on the mountain. Or, consider creating a small town scene, where plants are organized in the scene to look like a small community with a railroad. Wooden benches are placed around the tracks to look over the town and the train passing by. Use plants that are slow growth, small scale, colorful and adaptable. Create a rural scene with a trestle and a bridge. Add a train that is carrying logs and passing through. Add another train that passes by under the trestle, on another track. Also, scatter lots of rocks, pebbles and mossy plants as well as some small building structures throughout this scene. And, finally, create a forest by using pruned dwarf Alberta spruce and groundcovers. Such plants are placed on a hillside with large rocks and dirt. At the bottom of this scene, there is a train track, and a train passes by, carrying cargo.
Written by Fifileigh professional writer, editor, graphic designer, photographer, online journalist
If you are looking to save a few extra bucks at the grocery store and have some fun at the same time, then I can think of no better activity than planting a vegetable garden. It might seem on the surface like a lot of work, but with some of the techniques and tips I am about to give you, you will have no problems, or at least keep them to a minimum.
Gardening is a great activity, especially if you have kids and get them involved. Some of the special moments I had with my own father came when he was teaching me how to plant and nurture his own vegetable garden. Now with children of my own I plan on doing the same.
There is also a lot bending and moving with gardening so you will get some exercise, just don’t plan on it being enough to compete in the Olympics though.
My first tip is to start your garden indoors. If you have a room with some windows where the sub hits first thing in the morning than that is the perfect area. You can start your plants in a variety of ways but I found what works best is buying one of those miniature green houses from Home Depot or Lowes and starting them that way. These miniature greenhouses range in price depending on size, from .99 to .00. They are really more like plastic trays with a clear plastic top. They come with rock hard pellets made from a variety of soils that when you add water they expand to create a great starting environment for your seeds.
It’s best, as I found the hard way, to not start your plants too early indoors. You want to time it just right so that when the plants are ready indoors to be moved, you can take them directly to your garden.
Here in New Jersey, I start in indoors on April 1st, so that by May 1st, I am ready to go. I tried starting earlier one year, and halfway through the month of April it snowed and wiped me out. Now I wait out April and have never had any problems since.
Once I have moved my indoor plants to the outdoors I then put down my weed barrier made from wet newspaper, because lets face it, I hate weeding, and if you don’t do this step you will be doing plenty of it. Simply take two pages of your newspaper and lay them down, making sure you overlap the edges until your garden is covered. Just make sure you don’t cover up your plants.
I am also very fortunate that in my area our township has a recycle center where you can pick up leaf mulch absolutely free. I grab a few buckets and lay it over top of my newspaper weed barrier and I am done, and the garden looks great. If you do not have access to leaf mulch as I do, you can always buy some from a local nursery, or you could just mow your lawn and throw the grass clippings on top.
Putting the mulch on afterwards will allow for better water drainage, it will keep the soil underneath a lot cooler and as the mulch and newspaper biodegrades it will add nutrients to your soil.
Once the garden season comes to an end, and the plants have stopped producing vegetables and fruit, do not throw them away. Start your own compost pile. Although it goes beyond the scope of this article, in essence a compost pile is where you add leaves, grass and other biodegradable material, turn it over every so often and when it’s done, you have great compost that you can use the following year for your top layer above your newspaper weed barrier.
One final note that I want to get across that I can’t stress enough and that is to compost your food waste. What this means is, instead of throwing away leftovers or uneaten food, dig a hole about a foot to two feet deep and bury it. Worms and other earthly creatures will find it and eat and their castings create compost that far outweighs the benefits of any chemical fertilizer. Do not, however, add food waste to your compost pile explained in the previous paragraph. It will create a fowl smell and I don’t think your neighbors will appreciate that.
About the Author: Mr. Tucker is a regular contributor on Bukisa, an online community for writers that pays them for their articles. You can also follow Bruce on Twitter.
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Mulching is an absolute must when you are landscaping in San Antonio and South Texas climate. Cedar mulch is one of the most common forms of mulch. It has quite a few advantages when you compare it with the other kinds of mulch. Some of these advantages are insect repelling, weed control, temperature control and stability.
Insect repelling: One of the main advantages when it comes to cedar mulch is the natural insect repellent properties. Many other organic mulch types attract unwanted pests such as crickets, roaches and termites. Crickets and roaches are a major problem in San Antonio summers, cricket infestations are very common. However, the natural scent of cedar helps repelling several different types of insect pests. GreenQuick mulch spraying treatment contains natural cedar oils, thus it doesn’t only restore the color of your mulch, but it also restores the natural insect repelling properties as well.
Temperature control: The color of this mulch is naturally light.
This light color reflects the sunlight and helps maintain the temperature surrounding the plants. Cedar mulch protects these plants from extreme temperatures, especially for landscaping in hot San Antonio and South Texas climate. It also helps protecting the plant roots from freezing during cold winter months. Ice storms and freezing temperatures are common in South Texas, so you need to consider protection from cold as well as hot temperature and apply a thick layer of mulch.
Stability: Another advantage of cedar mulch is the stability that it offers the plants. Other types of mulch such as bark mulch can be washed away by the heavy rain. However cedar mulch has small pieces which lock together to form a thick, dense mat.
This helps the mulch stay in its place under heavy rain or strong winds.
Weed control: Cedar mulch suppresses the weeds that have already grown by blocking the sunlight they need to grow. It prevents weed seeds from germinating when it’s applied in a thick layer. Natural cedar oil also helps preventing weeds from germinating.
Visit http://greenquicktx.com for more info & great videos.
Japanese Gardens and known for their peacefulness and tranquillity. This style of garden uses specific plants as well as rocks and water to create this effect. Often these gardens are small in scale and are incorporated into an overall garden design rather than being the whole garden.
Decorative Pots
Placing some pebbles around the top of a potted plant can make indoor plants more attractive. Consider what part of the potted plant you want to make the focus. You can use a decorative ceramic pot as well. Decide whether you want matching or contrasting colors in the pot and the pebbles you choose. The pebbles and chosen pot should help focus your eye on the plant you have chosen.
Vases
Pebbles are also very effective used in the bottom of vases. Glass vases in particular look superb with some colored natural stone in the bottom. The pebble base also helps hold the arranged flowers in place. Decorative vases make great table decorations for dinner parties.
Paths and Drives
Paths and drives become very low maintenance when covered with a topping of small natural stone pebbles. The pebble size you choose needs to take into account how the path or drive will be used. Heavy car traffic or foot traffic areas need smaller stones as they are more comfortable underfoot and better for cars to drive over. Gravel drives and paths should have retaining edging to hold the stones in place. Drives and paths need to be topped up with extra stone occasionally. They are very durable and much nicer looking than a plain old concrete driveway.
Water Features
It seems now that everyone wants a garden water feature. They can be very small or quite large and bold but always add an element of tranquillity to any garden. When planning a water feature you can incorporate natural stone in a variety of ways. Larger stones around the edge of the feature can add character. Pebbles can also be used to cover the base of the water feature and to cover up any cords or pumps that are used to power it. Before choosing your stone remember to wet a sample as this is how it will look in your water feature.
Ponds
The same rule applies with ponds to wet your sample and check the colour of the stone. Natural stone is normally dusty when collected and when the dust comes off the real color is revealed. Ponds look great with built-up edging. You can use a variety of materials including feature rocks, wood, metal and many others. You can also mix and match various sized stones for a more natural look.
Pebbles as Mulch
Mulching is something more gardeners are doing in the garden. Basically it involves adding a layer of material over the top of your soil to aid with water retention. This means less watering which saves time and also water supplies. Not everyone has an endless supply of water or the enthusiasm to maintain lawns and pebbles are a great alternative, particularly in naturally dry areas.
Weeding in garden beds is greatly reduced. It is quite easy to pull the few weeds that attempt to grow among the pebbles. As the plants mature and fill up the planting spaces there is less room for weeds to find a place to grow.
To stop the grass from coming up through the pebble mulch paths we have found that a heavy layer of newspaper and then a layer of plastic or weed mat on top works very well. The newspapers and the plastic help to retain moisture, another important reason for mulching. On top of this plastic the pebbles that were recently in the planting holes are spread in a thick layer. Larger flat rocks are used as edging.
Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program and WGCU Public Media produced a series of 1-minute segments. This one is about mulch and mulching practices. Visit Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program at www.chnep.org.
