Archive for April, 2010
For several long years scholars have used encyclopedia to gather knowledge and passed it on from one generation to another. It’s easy and ready available. In the early times the contents were very general, more on theological notion and cookery recipes. Even today such encyclopedias do exist but in the specialised encyclopedias the focus is on one subject alone which are already launched in market to the extreme joy of the customers.
The fact is, these volumes have more detailed as well as complete information on our chosen topic which can be easily accessed by millions of readers. Those of you who love flowers and gardening also benefit from these encyclopedias. Now-a-days an encyclopedia on plant/flower gardening is easily available.
So, in case you are getting into the hobby of gardening and are in the process of gathering information, you can get enough information on it. Even if you are already a veteran in gardening, you may yet want to know how one species differs from the other. You can get volumes written about it in these encyclopedias and specifically on gardening of plants and flowers are also high.
The classic way to read the subject is by going to the bookstore or a library is of course, a possibility but there variety is limited. You may not find the entire information you require in one volume where as an encyclopedia on gardening of plants/flowers will cater specifically to that A specialised encyclopedia will take you on an elaborate journey about the biology of flowers, their species, scientific and common plant names, hardiness zones, their flowering times, cultivation notes , light conditions, the care required and all that. There you also get information on how you can choose a particular place for the flower garden, the design content, why and how to choose the plants etc., you can also get tips on gardening techniques, photographs of magnificent blooming flowers, garden designs and other garden tips. You can also learn and get troubleshooting tips and ideas to deal with pests or other aspects from an encyclopedia on plants and flower gardening
If you are computer friendly you canpurchase an encyclopedia CD. These may also come with software, packaged to help you to design your new garden. You could use the internet to get you an encyclopedia on gardening plants/flowers. A commonly used search engine will get you a lot of information on the different type of encyclopedias available. Among the most famous encyclopedias online on gardening of plants/flowers is http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantsearch.html which claims to be the biggest one of this type in the world. Which has 38,000 terms also available is Floridata and garden.lovetoknow.com which is an interactive encyclopedia actually and users can update it themselves.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/encyclopedia-on-gardening-information-on-plant-s-flowers-and-more-753706.html
I’m new to gardening and I’m using liquid seaweed for my tomatoes.
People at the gardening centers have been telling me I won’t get awesome tomatoes without using blood meal/bone meal.
Have you used seaweed? What do you use?
I would really love to be composting, but I live in a one-room apartment that’s smaller than my childhood bedroom. I’m trying to garden on my huge, south-facing windowsill. We’ll see how it goes.
I’m Vegan. I grow cabbages, peas, carrots, corn, tomatoes and butternut squash and I use NO fertillizer what so ever.
You can obtain a list of gardening catalogs from the internet and subscribe for them so that you get them
regularly and will have proper guidance in beautifying your garden and also know how to take care of the
various plants that you have or will acquire in the future.
For new gardening enthusiasts
For those who are new to gardening and have not had plants before it is safer to see the general book, website
or gardening encyclopedia before ordering any catalog or plants. You may not be able to understand and follow
the instructions in these catalogs unless you have a general idea of what the gardening terminology means. Most
gardening catalogs do give a lot of information on the care and planting methods of various plant species, but
to get to understand the terminology and then go ahead with your gardening is always better.
Learn about the plants requirements
You have to know what sort of soil and location suits the plant before you buy it. Plants differ in the amount
of sunlight and watering they need and also the kind of soil that you should plant them in. In case you are
starting your garden with seeds you have to learn how to plant the seeds and then transfer the seedlings to
bigger pots or to the soil directly. Sometimes the seeds will need to be indoors for a while before being put
out. Potted plants may come with the root or will need to be re potted.
Learn the symbols used in gardening catalogs
These symbols that you will find in flower catalogs are like shorthand forms which show what the requirements
of the particular plant are. So in order to take proper care of your plant you will have to first understand
the symbols. Sometimes the meaning of the symbols differ from catalog to catalog.
In case you are ordering through a catalog for the first time, and have not done this kind of gardening
earlier, do not buy a whole lot of stuff immediately. Go slow and learn about catalog gardening as you go along
before plunging into it. Even if you have a lot of space wait till your garden takes root and you know you are
on the right track before investing in more.
An experienced catalog gardener
If you have been ordering through the catalog and know how to go about it and what to order then you could try
using new things from the catalog. Anyway there is no need to go on a buying spree of things that you do not
know much about. Try out a few things at a time so that you do not disturb your gardens structure with new
things that may not fit in with your scheme.
Buy from a well known company
It is always wiser to buy from a company that has been in business for a while and has a good standing. The
plants and seedlings have to be handled with care especially during shipping or they will arrive at your door
step in a very sorry state. An experienced company will know exactly how to ship the plants to you and at what
stage, so that they will arrive ready to be planted and in a healthy condition too. This way the plants will
have a longer lease of life and you can get much more pleasure out of having them in your garden for a long
time.
Another important point to keep in mind is to find out whether this company grows their own plants or buys them
from others. It is better to get your plants from a company that grows their own plants because this way they
will be sure of what they are selling to you. You could always call the company and check with them about this
aspect, and if the company does not give a telephone number on the internet or catalog then it is better not to buy from them at all. Always find out the prices and the quality of plants from several companies before you
settle down to buying from anyone of them.
Keep a gardening list
It helps to keep a list of what you buy for your garden. This way when you have to order something the next
time you will know what you have in stock and what you need to get and also what worked well for your garden
the previous time so that you do not get any wrong stuff again. If you take pictures of your garden at
intervals then you can see how well it has bloomed and also have an idea of what you need to do the next time.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/flower-gardening-catalogs-plan-your-landscape-with-these-753701.html
Part of the planning process when you want to begin your own herb garden is to determine the assortment of herbs you would like to cultivate. In addition to all the different herbs out there, each herb has several kinds to select from—such as basil which has 100s of kinds.
Each plant variety has its own growing period. Understanding your herb plant’s life cycle will help you make the best decisions. Before you purchase your herb plants, you will want to be aware of their growing season, or life cycle. There are three main kinds:
- Annuals: These flowers start from a seed. During 1 life cycle they will grow, flower and die. There are a number of nice annual herb plants: cilantro, chervil, basil, borage and dill.
- Biennials: Biennial flowers grow for two years and usually bear a “fruit” in the second year (like caraway). Some herb plants (like parsley) can produce leafage during both years but die early in the second growing season. Some biennials you should use are angelica, Queen Anne’s lace and chicory.
- Perennials: Herbs that tend to thrive for more than two growing seasons are called perennials. The climate where these herb plants grow determines how many years they will come back, or if they can come back at all. Of the many perennials available, some you may like are lemon verbena, rosemary, scented geranium, mints, thyme, yarrow and lady’s mantle.
In my opinion the best herb plants are perennials because I only have to get and plant them once, but I also have fun raising annuals and biennials. Be cautious of how much cold weather your perennials are exposed to because too much can kill them. You can lengthen their growing cycle by bringing them in during winter.
There are several other things you can do to extend the life of your herb plants:
- Some perennials will need for you to trim them back, dig up the bulb, roots or rhizome, and keep in your garage, basement or cellar over the winter.
- If you’re going to bring your herb plants inside during winter months, try containers instead of planting them in the ground. A few people even plant their containers in the ground, covering them up to the rim with earth. These folks simply take out the whole container at the end of the season and store them during the colder time of year.
- One way to get an abundance of flowers from your biennials during the second growing season is to plant them midsummer.
- A few herb plants are self-sowers, which means that they will sow their own seeds for the next year. A few wonderful self-sowers include: mustard, borage and catnip.
- Snip off faded blossoms to lengthen the growing cycle of short-lived annuals. In the right zone clipping your annuals back toward the end of summer just might cause them to self-seed.
- The frost that can result from unexpected cold weather can kill your herb plants if you do not protect them by covering them with a towel, sheet or blanket. Herbs that are in containers can be moved under a covered patio for protection.
My wish for you is that these tips will come in handy when you begin your own herb garden planning. Creating it just like you envision it can be a difficult. Even I make flubs after all these years, but just keep in mind that you can take out what doesn’t work and try try again!
Here is more information on Herb Garden Information. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.
Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.
A greenhouse is very much a luxury item for most gardeners. Not everyone can have one because of restraints on the budget and on the size of the garden. However, if you can afford one it will enrich your gardening no end and you’ll appreciate an early start to your growing season.
You can sow your seeds earlier in the season and then be able to grow on tender plants. The greenhouse will also provide you with somewhere to overwinter frost tender plants and during summer you can grow your tomatoes and aubergines that would sulk in a typical UK summer. And if it’s cold, wet and windy your greenhouse is the perfect place to continue gardening in the dry.
But you need to make your greenhouse work to its maximum capacity to get real value out of it. For this you’ll need some type of storage and a decent working surface. If you’ve only got a tiny greenhouse then you may get away with just a potting bench. You can sew and pot on using the bench in spring and store the plant pots underneath during winter.
However, for most people a potting bench is too small and restricting. That’s where wooden greenhouse staging comes in as it come is a whole range of sizes to fit what ever space you have available. They can be single tiered, double tired and even three tiered to give you extra storage space.
The greenhouse staging can have slat tops for better ventilation or solid tops to provide a working surface. Some staging folds up or folds down to allow you to use the space during the growing season for growing plants.
Being flexible with the insides of your greenhouse will help you get the most out of it. At times you’ll need to cope with a mass of young growing plants and at times it could be almost devoid of living vegetation.