Archive for the ‘Tips Gardening’ Category
You’ve decided to plant a garden but you need basic gardening tips for beginners, this is the place to be. Gardening has become a delightful hobby for people all over the world.
There are many rewards for the gardener, the visuals of his creation, the scent of the blooms, great fresh air and lots of exercise. Imagine a weekend spent in the yard with your feet up drinking in the spectacular gardens that you have created the fruits of your labor and love. If you are a beginner gardener, here are some basic gardening tips. No matter how much room you have, you can create a masterpiece garden.
The basic garden tips for beginners will help you create new gardens and make it a successful and joyful experience. In the beginning go slowly, start small but use your imagination. Choose a project that will not take a long time to complete. If it takes you weeks to finish a project you will get frustrated and start to hate the project you wanted to enjoy. Even if you have 75 or 100 square feet you will be amazed at how much you can plant.
If you are determined to have a larger project, then work in sections and turn your attention to one area at a time. This way as each section is finished you can enjoy that completed job. This will also build up your confidence as you go along making the next section not so daunting.
But for a beginner gardener a small scale garden is optimal. You are going to have to learn the basics of gardening, all about disease, the best way to control weeds and pests, the all important watering and when and how to fertilize. After your initial project you can enlarge the garden or plant one somewhere else in your yard with your new found confidence.
To cut down on the weeding of your garden, place mulch around the plants. This serves three purposes; it cuts down on weeding, as well as aiding in temperature control and water retention. Granted there are some gardeners that love to work the soil and weed the plants but it would be more rewarding to tending to the plants or just watching them grow. To maintain really healthy plants water for longer periods of time but less frequently. Do not let the plants dry out. Always water early in the morning so the plant leaves have time to dry out during the day which helps prevent fungal disease.
After planting, try to have your garden remain pesticide free. An especially good natural deterrent is as follows:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.
These are the basic gardening tips for beginners. Remember, that you can create lovely gardens in containers which you can move around as you please. There are hundreds of different plant combinations and containers that you can use for a container garden. So, if you are an apartment or condo dweller, you can plant lovely gardens on your balcony or patio. The basic tip here is that container gardens will dry out much faster than the plants in the ground so be vigilant about checking them for moisture.
Happy Gardening And Good Luck!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Bring nature inside and start an indoor garden to make your home more colorful, but be careful to follow these indoor gardening tips. Plants are so soothing to look at and many indoor gardeners feel that they add that extra little spark to any room. An added benefit is that plants are nature’s purifier, taking carbon dioxide out of our air and changing it into oxygen cleansing the air in your home. Mix up your plants; try a few exotics or tropical plants, anything you choose will make your room shine with their fresh beauty and their colorful blooms. To maintain their beauty here are some indoor gardening tips to keep your plants lush and healthy.
Light is the one thing you cannot skimp on. Without this essential ingredient your plants will wither and die. Each and every plant have different requirements so for one indoor gardening tips here is some things to look for when shopping for houseplants. Ask the person at the nursery center how much light the plants you are consider will need. Some plants need direct sunlight while others crave indirect sunlight. For a direct sun plant, place the container near a window that faces south. For indirect plants they can be placed near a window but keep them far enough away so their foliage will not burn. Plants that require little light, like philodendrons, African Violets or ferns, can be arranged anywhere in the room as long as a little natural light filters in.
Indoor gardening tips on watering your plants are always needed. If you over-water your plants you are subjecting them to insects and disease and you will eventually kill it. Over-watering will also rot the roots. Plants hate wet feet. Once you have discussed the watering needs with the nurseryman invest a small amount of money into a water gauge. The gauge will tell you the moisture level of the plants soil. They are extremely helpful in deciding whether to water or not and really only cost a little money, a very wise investment.
Another indoor gardening tip is to fertilize. At the nursery center they fertilized the plants to encourage them to grow so they can sell them to you. If you do not fertilize your plants they will droop and wither. Find out from the center or from the internet what each plants feeding schedule should be. The secret to keep happy, lush plants is to feed them on a regular basis.
You want to keep a close eye on each plant for any pests. If you find pests on one plant isolate it from the rest and treat it immediately. Try not to use pesticides on your plants especially if it is a plant you will eat, like herbs.
A very good pesticide free natural formula for eradication of pests is:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.
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If you follow these few indoor gardening tips you will have beautiful houseplants that enliven every room. Take time to enjoy your indoor garden. Let it relax and soothe you, after all thatâ??s why you planted an indoor garden.
Happy Gardening!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
It does not matter if you live in the country or city; you can find somewhere to grow a container garden, even if it is just a small one. If you do live in the city, instead of using your balcony to store bikes or your barbeque, create a gorgeous, relaxing outdoor retreat by using container gardening and following a few tips. Choose containers that are colorful but won’t detract from the plants you plan to use. Use pots that are different in shapes and sizes. Select your plants carefully so that they compliment each other and fit well in the spot designated for your container garden.
For gardening on balconies that are very long or narrow, use shrubs, different height trees and plants at the ends and corners, to add interest and round out the hard lines. Create points of interest by grouping bright colors and interesting shapes together. More tips for container gardening are to keep repeating a plant grouping or plant throughout your balcony area and use colorful flowers for accents only. Show off your large plants, shrubs and trees, by using interesting shapes and bright, beautiful colors. For gardening on your balcony, consider how your garden looks from inside your house. Buy trees and shrubs that not only bloom in the spring but also display wonderful fall colors. In climates that are cold, move your container garden indoors or line containers with builders foam and set your plants in them.
Here are some more good tips for gardening on balconies. For height, hibiscus blooms the entire summer and grows up to three or four feet tall. Dwarf Alberta white spruce have beautiful gray-green dense needles that add interest and are very soft. At maturity, they reach heights of up to eight feet. Ornamental sweet potatoes are a light colored vine that grow over the pot edge and look wonderful with darker plants. Use ornamental grasses in the background for a graceful, interesting look.
Once you have all your new plants arranged on your balcony, follow the maintenance tips on the label of the plant, to keep them healthy and beautiful. Container gardening is the same as traditional plant and flower gardening, as they require water, soil and sun. Purchase a hose that attaches to your kitchen sink because this makes watering your balcony plants far easier than carting pails of water outside. Plants in containers dry out far quicker than plants do outdoors, in the ground. Check each plant daily to see if it requires watering. Use fertilizer monthly or check the label to see the recommendations and follow them. Weeding is usually not a problem with balcony gardens. The last two tips for gardening on your balcony are to remove any dead or yellowing growth and sit back, relax and enjoy your garden.
Container gardening on your balcony will bring you lots of satisfaction and enjoyment. Once you get the hang of it why not plant some herbs too. They will add yet another hobby, gourmet cooking! You can also use herbs for medicinal and beauty recipes. There is no end to what you can do with a container garden. Use your imagination and have fun.
Happy Gardening!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
The skin is your body’s largest organ and there are approximately 19 million skin cells on every square inch of skin. More than half of women today have sensitive skin, which is easily irritated or reactive in a variety of situations. Skincare for sensitive skin helps your skin look its best during every season and all conditions.
First of all, you know you have sensitive skin if it is dry, delicate, easily damaged or irritated, has reduced tolerance to weather conditions and is subject to allergic reactions. Sometimes your skin may feel tight or tingly, reacts to physical stress such as shaving and appears red or irritated.
Skincare for sensitive skin requires using gentle cleansers and moisturizers that are free of perfumes, heavy oils and additives. Other precautions are to watch your intake of alcohol and rich or spicy foods, avoid extreme temperature changes and manage personal stress. All of these factors can take an unfortunate toll on the appearance of your skin.
Autumn is a season where we are all still outdoors and doing yard work, even though the weather is getting colder. Taking special care of sensitive skin is a must during this rather harsh season. Although the sun seems less intense, use a sunscreen all year round to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays that can be equally strong during other seasons.
If you are gardening, use gloves to protect the skin on your hands. As the cold weather comes in, our skin already loses essential moisture and gloves protect your hands from dryness, blistering and cracking.
Although the weather requires heaving clothing, beware of synthetic fabrics that do not breathe or clothing that is too tight and binding. Choose clothing that fits well with room to move around and that is made of natural fabrics that breathe, such as cotton or silk. Wool can also be a good choice unless you find it personally irritating to your skin. Also, make sure to remove those bothersome tags inside your clothes that can cause chafing on your skin.
Wearing a hat is an important way to protect your hair and skin from sun damage while keeping your head warm in the colder weather.
Although the insects are less prevalent and annoying in the fall, they still exist. The ability to wear long sleeves and trousers does help to keep them away. However, you can also spray your clothing with insect repellent to drive the bugs away without putting a potential irritant directly on your skin.
With a little extra skincare for your sensitive skin, you will glow and look healthy during any season of the year.
Fall is a great time to be outdoors in the garden, the temperatures are perfect and the colors can be amazing. If you’re looking for projects which will extend the gardening season and give you a reason to be outside, fear not, there’s still plenty to do.
As the season moves along, perennials and annuals should be deadheaded, even right though the early fall months. Further along, towards late fall, these plants need to be cut back to the ground as they begin to die back. Though this can wait until spring I like to do it in the late fall, there are too many other projects to worry about in the spring. Late fall is the ideal time to cut back your perennial garden as some perennials, though finished blooming, have great fall colors. Let them stand until the end of the season. Some, such as Balloon Flower and Astilbe turn beautiful shades of yellow and gold. Others retain their striking form and develop interesting seed heads, such as black eyed Susan and Sedum “Autumn Joy”.
As the annuals die or begin to look a bit spent, remove them and add them to your compost pile. There a few fall blooming plants that you can replace them with . Aster and chrysanthemum are the most common. They can add vibrant color to your garden up until late November.
Avoid pruning shrubs too late into the season, this can often encourage new growth which may be susceptible to winter kill if it did not have tine harden off. After deciduous shrubs become dormant in the winter pruning is fine for general shaping.
Examine your garden, are there any shrubs which are outgrowing their allotted space? Fall is a great time for transplanting shrubs. The cooler weather results in less stress for a newly transplanted shrub. There’s generally more rain in the fall as well which also helps reduce stress. Plant new shrubs during the fall for the same reasons. Especially since you may be able to find great deals during late season sales at your local nursery. Be sure to stake new trees and shrubs which may vulnerable during winter snows.
Plant bulbs before the ground freezes, they’re are a great way to add early spring color to the garden. Bulbs are also great way to naturalize your landscape. Daffodils, scilla, and bluebells are wonderful when planted beneath a large shade tree. Tulips and hyacinths are better suited to for formal settings such as a perennial border.
After the ground is frozen, cover plants which require winter protection with hay or evergreen branches, especially in areas that are cold but have little snow. Perennials will benefit from winter protection.
Though things seem to be winding down as the winter approaches, a quick walk through the garden will reveal a number of project still to be done.
Herbs can be annual, biennial or perennial. Herbs with lifespan of one year are known as annuals, while those with a lifespan of two years are known as biennials. Perennials are ones that live longer than two years. Herb gardening is not only an art but also a science besides being a great form of exercise and a hobby. The Chinese, Indians and Greeks have extensively developed herb gardening for centuries. According to the main characteristic of herbs, they can be classified as culinary, medicinal or ornamental herbs.
You can become successful herb gardener if you know the secrets of setting up a herb garden and taking care of it the right way. Even though each herb grows in different conditions, all herbs maintain the equilibrium of their surroundings. Herb gardening can either be done indoors or outdoors. While few grow well indoors in a pot or a container, others grow well only in the garden. Edible herbs grown by you would be free of herbicides. In turn, you can safely consume chemical-free herbs.
Maintenance
Easy maintenance and low costs are the main advantages of herb gardening. However, there are few points to remember when you try growing herbs, especially the edible varieties. If you opt for indoor gardening, make sure you choose appropriate pots or containers. While selecting the edible parts of the herb for consumption, make sure that they are not infected or have any insect bites. Some of the herbs may not like to be restricted to a pot or vessel. Make sure that you do not plant such herbs inside the house.
Herb Gardening In Containers
You can use any container for growing plants. Make sure that there are no insects, bugs or snails hiding inside the vessel or pot used for sowing the seeds. Insects are the worst enemies of any kind of plant, as they destroy the leaves and other important parts of the herb. Also, make sure that the holes are such that bugs cannot crawl into the pot after filling it with soil. Before you fill the pot or container with soil, cover the bigger holes with a thin cloth so that it covers the hole and a small portion around it. The cloth should be one that allows water to drain out and at the same time, keeps the insects out.
Fill the pot with sufficient and appropriate soil, and then sow the seeds in appropriate climatic conditions. You can also choose to purchase ready-made pots with the herb already planted in it. In both conditions, you should remember to change the soil after 3 months. Moreover, make sure that you pluck off the dried and dead leaves, and keep trimming the herb so that it does not grow wild.
Raised bed herb gardens and Parterre are other styles of herb gardening besides container gardening. With a sincere effort on your part and proper care, you too can show off your homegrown herbs to all and sundry.