Thursday, April 18, 2013

Top Three Gardening Tools For Easy Maintenance

By Belinda Norbert


For many people, gardening is more than just a hobby. Garden is one of the most relaxing and rewarding parts of their daily lives. Gardening can yield not just beautiful flowers and delicious fruits and vegetables, but less stress and tension as well! Read on for interesting and practical information, on how to get the most out of your gardening pleasure!

Try planting a 'one-color' garden bed. While this takes quite a bit of work, due to the limitations of the color palette, it can create a very striking visual. The emphasis is placed more on shape and structure, and it is especially helpful in a small garden, as it makes the area appear much larger. Remember that 'one-color' doesn't mean a single shade. Use all shades in the color palette. For example a blue garden can feature flowers in shades of blue, purple and mauve.

Using a garden box to grow your vegetables is water efficient. Certain vegetables do not need a lot of root depth to grow. Plant these types of vegetables in a large planter box. When you water plants, all the water will go directly to the roots of the plants. Grasses and trees will not have the chance to rob the vegetables of water.

Prepare your garden bed in the fall for spring planting with this simple method. Lay down several layers of newspaper where you plan to grow your garden, wetting it down as you go. Cover the newspaper with thick black plastic, making sure the edges are secured so it doesn't fly away. In the spring, remove the plastic and plant seeds right through the newspaper and into the soil.

Create a Zen garden by adding a water feature. Water features come in all sizes and designs. it is possible to have a very small water feature that is suitable for a patio or a very large pond. Several manufacturers make kits do-it-yourself kits that can be installed in just a few hours.

Create a series of garden 'rooms'. The days of a square lawn with a surrounding border are long gone. A garden can offer so much more, by creating different areas to explore. A patio area is simply an extension of your indoor living space. Add an arbor at the end of the patio, leading to another outdoor room. This can be a play area for children, or a small vegetable or herb garden. Create seating areas under a tree or nestled in between shrubs. Add an element of surprise, such as a unique sculpture or piece of large pottery. Let your garden reflect your personality!

Given how busy and stressed out life can be, it's a wonder that more people do not take up gardening. As you have just read, there are many ways in making it easier and more cost effective and even, more fun. Hopefully, this article has planted a few seeds in your mind about how to be a better gardener, today!




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Friday, April 12, 2013

Know Why Garden Ornaments Look Great In Any Garden Or Landscape

By Ben Potters


It goes without saying that garden ornaments look great in any garden or landscape. They are much more popular and you will notice that most people have them in their gardens these days. If you enjoy gardening there are a few tips that may prove to be very useful.

However, there are a number of facts that you need to know when shopping for them. These are more like tips that will guide you as you choose ornaments that best fit your particular taste and preference. The very first point is that you need to get as much information as you can before you make the final purchase decision.

The internet can be very reliable as a source of information. Therefore, take advantage of this to ensure that you get the best deals in the market. In fact, you can go through pictures of samples and decide what you like. You can also read reviews and get a general concept of what to expect.

You will always find one or two things that you will instantly like. This is because there are virtually endless colors, shapes and sizes. The variety makes it much more interesting since you can opt to choose various combinations.

There is also an option to customize your own ornaments. It is a really simple process that can even be done online. The main point is to clearly explain to the seller what you like and that is all. In fact, the prices are quite fair as it is easy to get a good deal.

It is now a fact; everyone knows that garden ornaments look great in any garden or landscape. Whether you have a small one or a large one, they work just fine. It is really up to you to choose what you like in particular.




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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Remarkable Rewards Of Pots And Planters Gardening

By Ben Potters


There is something graceful and elegant when one uses pots and planters in enhancing curb appeal of a home. This is a common concept in container gardening wherein plants are placed in artistically conceptualized containers to add more beauty to a space. Whether for indoor or outdoor, window sill or porch or kitchen island, this will add more vibrancy to a home's appeal.

Gardening with containers provides less responsibility to a gardener especially a newbie. No need to re-seed a lawn when a plant dies and you can also say goodbye to the usual lower back pain from constant taking care of your plants from weeds or, worse, diseases from microscopic elements like fungus that easily spreads.

You do not need to have an added lawn or deck just to have a garden. These containers can easily go anywhere in your home adding more garden space therewith. Coming in a variety of designs and sizes, these can fit on a corner nook or a pocket patio or on the wall. It can easily blend with the surroundings greatly enhancing its ambiance.

Create a unique statement for your home. Gardens can have this as focal point in a garden instead of costly fountains and tedious-to-maintain ponds. With wide-ranging selection materials ranging from plastic to glass, terracotta, galvanized metal and more, a variety of sizes and shapes can be easily used as a focal point in either indoor or outdoor area of a home

This is also the epitome of portability. You can easily transport plants from one place to another whether due to seasonal change, inclement weather or change of design. People planning to relocate can simply have them transported with other things.

In today's home where space is an ongoing issue, gardens using pots and planters are truly at an advantage. Luckily, there are more and more unique materials and artistry being allotted for its development nowadays. With this, enhancing a seemingly dreary room can now be made possible with real plants or blooms.




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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Exhaustive Lawn And Garden Maintenance Tactics From A Kansas City Landscaper

By Gary Richardson


You won't have to pay an expert for a professional quality lawn servicing. On the other hand a professional servicing takes a lot more than a weekly cut and water. Kansas City landscapers utilize a variety of proactive methods that this post will briefly go over.

You cannot overlook the requirements of each aspect of the grass as a plant- root, stem and leaf. Properly addressing each part of the lawn- root and leaf- will give the lawn what it truly needs. Understanding needs will not fix anything, however. It remains for you to answer them.

Kansas City Landscapers recognize that the first 2-3 inches of soil are very important for a good yard and will prepare it when possible. Working the soil so that it has the right balance of sand, clay and organic matter will give a loamy consistency. You want a balance between good drainage but moisture retention, and gas-exchange but not enough to dry out the soil. Grass roots need both water and oxygen.

Soil acidity is the next fundamental issue in yard care. A Kansas City landscaping supplier should stock a simple test-kit for pH. The acidity can be regulated with lime or other products, like sphagnum peat moss, sulfur, or wood ash. A level of around 6.7 (slightly acidic) is good. Kansas City landscaping shops will have the tools and materials you need. Application methods depend on the material you are using, so ask about what you should do

For grass roots to anchor properly there must not be excessive water-erosion or stagnant pools of water. Grass needs to have several inches of well-drained, yet moist soil. Heavily saturated soil will not promote lawn-growth and may bring fungus, while erosion will wash soil, nutrients, and possibly the roots themselves away. Innovative landscape designs should be a last result in fixing these issues. First, re-grade the areas that are low, steep, or channeling water improperly..

Now you should choose the grass variety (refer to a supply store for a list) and choose between laying sod or planting seed. Seed is much cheaper but is more difficult and labor-intensive while it establishes itself.

Strategically using a variety of grasses together will show you which one develops properly in your particular situation. This can be particularly helpful if more than one condition is present- like when one area of the yard is heavily shaded and another receives full sun. The only disadvantage of varied grass varieties is that the color and texture of the yard may not be uniform. If this is an issue, more drastic landscaping may be necessary to remove the varied conditions. Each yard is unique and consulting a local Kansas City landscaping supplier or shop may be required.

The approach you use for watering is more crucial for your lawn than maybe any other issue. A large number of Kansas City landscapers have a once-a-week irrigation pattern that saturates the soil just right. Watering too often can encourage the growth of thatch, a dead layer of vegetation just above the soil, while watering too little will obviously dehydrate the roots. The soil conditioning plays the largest role in deciding how to water. If it drains too quickly without retaining water or does not drain well you will have to adjust. The goal is to water only once per week.

If thatch is left for long periods or becomes substantial it will be a threat to your yard. The debris will choke sections of the surface and not allow anything to grow. Nonetheless, some thatch isn't necessarily bad. Water and nutrients are actually held in the soil, protected by wind and sun, when there is a thin layer. But if the cycle of decomposition is not fast enough, it must be treated.

Many times this means even a successful lawn needs a de-thatching. Landscapers in Kansas City will de-thatch with a power-rake or hand-rake. The goal is to simply get rid of the extra thatch. This replaces the normal decomposition process. Once removed, the thatch can be easily composted (when it is not contaminated with fungus or insects) or simply thrown away.

Soil surrounding the roots of your grass will become compacted as time passes. Grass roots will then be impaired as they attempt to draw water and nutrients- a key obstruction in cultivating a healthy lawn.

Aeration is the remedy Kansas City landscapers apply to this issue. Run an aerator over your yard twice- each time at right angles to the other. Ideally this will provide access to roots and sufficient surface-area for effective gas-exchange.

Kansas City landscapers commonly use a pre-emergent in early spring. Once the weather gets consistently above freezing weeds begin to emerge. Before the weed germinates, the pre-emergent will stop the seed from activating and sprouting. What this means is the weeds don't even take root. Thus, time and effort will be saved, both for you and your grass.

Nutrition is essential for every creature and your lawn is no exception. Over time essential nutrients are extracted when you bag the grass while mowing. Nutrients must be replaced or the grass will become malnourished and stressed. Early Spring and late Fall are the ideal seasons for feeding. Chemical fertilizers are one option or, a more natural method, manure and garden compost.

Don't ever fertilize when the grass is too high, or else the nutrition will be concentrated in some areas and never reach other areas. Cutting the grass too short is at least as bad, however, since the stressed plant is then bombarded with nutrient and can be burned. It is important to point out that many Kansas City landscapers advocate the higher settings on the mower due to this and the problems the yard will endure when it has been cut too short.

A once a year treatment of fungicide is helpful in the Kansas City regions because local yards are given to infection. Untreated grass will be prone to mold, mildew, and fungus that can destroy a yard. Kansas City landscapers keep a continual eye on the yards in their care, but the ounce of prevention will cost much less than the pound of cure.

Effective Kansas City landscapers will keep the yard in the healthiest state possible. Keeping the yard healthy will provide it with the best chance of fighting off disease and pests, just as a healthy person will fare better when sickness comes. Kansas City landscapers always advise people to be proactive before drought and harsh weather come and not after. Trying to fix issues after they happen is simply foolish.

You cannot neglect any of these issues if your are going to have a professional-quality yard. Enjoying the process and learning as you go will guarantee an enjoyable and valuable experience. So what are you hesitating for? Get going!




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Orchids care , Care of plants , Fresh flower , Gardening plants , Gardening design tips 2012