Gardening

By Jon Bassfarm

Flowers do so much to beautify the front of your house, the border of a parking strip or driveway, and brighten up a shared public garden. More than any other flower, the rose possesses a beauty and aroma that makes it a favorite among professional gardeners, hobbyists, and admirers alike. A garden, bounteous with beautiful roses is sure to catch the eyes of all neighbors, young and old, beckoning them to walk by again and again, enjoying the beauty and smells as they emanate from its borders. There are secrets to growing the fullest, most exquisite roses imaginable, including picking the ones that are the best suited for particular climates and geographical locations.

Many who admire roses from afar would be surprised to find out just how easy growing roses of their own can be. Many types of roses are especially hearty and grow abundantly with little upkeep. Floribundas are among the easiest to grow and tend. Producing large clusters of attractive blooms late into the fall, these roses do well as broad landscaping, expanding easily to cover large areas. If low and expansive growth is not what you desire, many enjoy the climbers, climbing varieties of roses. These types of roses grow best on a trellis or really any structure that strikes your fancy. Climbers can be trained to grow on an antique bicycle frame if you so desire. Climbers are especially attractive to passersby as they greet them at eye (nose) level with sweet smells and alluring petals.

If a small space or border is in need of some brightening, you may want to choose miniature roses. These types are made to grow to a small height of less than a foot, allowing them to be ideal for rockeries or lining walkways or paths. If you have a shed or outbuilding that needs brightening up, creeping roses can do the job. They do well in cooler climates and are easily trained to creep along your garden wall or up the side of your garage. By placing objects in their way and guiding them, a very natural look of creeping landscaping can be achieved and add to a wild, natural looking garden motif.

As a rule, roses should be planted after winter temperatures arrive and after chances of frost or snow has past. Roses enjoy ample sunlight each day, between six to eight hours, and enjoy routine watering sessions, so make sure the garden hose can extend from your hose reel to your plantings. Having found your special types of roses, get to planting and next season, you will reap the odoriferous rewards of a rose-filled garden!

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including hose reels. Please visit http://www.roboreel.com for more information.

Article Source: Ezinearticles.com

As winter sets in, you usually start getting worried about the plants that you have in your garden because they might not be able to fight the frost or resist the chilly winds. This holds true especially for herbs because they are delicate. Indoor herb gardening is the answer to all your worries regarding your garden. And you don't even have to renovate your home to start growing herbs indoors. A widow that faces the South or West direction and allows sunlight for 5 hours in a day will suffice your need for indoor herb gardening. If you are staying in a high-rise apartment and the only greenery that you get to see is the distant park, then indoor herb gardening is good for you and your apartment too.

Thyme, rosemary and mint are good options as starters for your indoor herb garden. You can grow them from cuttings or buy them from a florist. You can get these plants from a supermarket as well. If you want to start your indoor herb garden this way then you need to initially grow the herbs in a soil-less mix of perlite, peat and vermiculite. You get the directions for use on the package or the greenhouse from where you bought the mix.

If you prefer staying away from all that shopping, then you can start your indoor herb gardening with the seeds. To start, you need to get some pots in which you can grow your herbs. A pot with good drainage, especially terracotta or a clay pot is preferable. Small pots of 6" diameter are perfect for indoor gardening as they are small enough to grow compact plants and allow enough growth as well.

You should have pots of same material, shape and size to bring symmetry in your indoor herb garden. The contrast that you desire can come from the colors and shapes of herbs. Also you should plant different herbs in different pots, rather than 2/3 in the same one so that mint and basil do not taste the same. Herbs that can be directly grown from seeds are basil and Greek Oregano. You need to be careful while choosing the seeds. Buy the ones that are specified as 'compact' as the regular ones are difficult to grow indoors because of their size.

To grow your herbs indoors from seeds you need to fill the pots with potting soil that you can get from any florist or greenhouse. Then tuck the seeds in soil to a certain depth as specified on the packet and spray them with water. These pots should be kept on the window shelf facing the southern or western direction to soak up enough sunlight. You should also keep the soil damp, especially if you live in a dry or overheated apartment. You should not over-water your herbs once you see the sprouts, as the roots may rot.

If you have started your indoor herb gardening with cuttings or via transplant, you should allow the soil to dry out a slightly. Your indoor herb garden should get plenty of light but should not be exposed to extreme heat.

Tracy Ballisager is stays at home mum, who loves gardening. To read more about gardening tips and idea go to http://www.gardening-tips-idea.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

February is showing the first, ominous, signs that the arrival of spring is fast approaching. The wild snowdrops are bobbing heads beneath the hedgerow and this week I have seen the first wild primrose and tiny violets in the riverbank down by the meadow. Add that to the fact that the Christmas cake is, finally, finished, and it's a good indication that before long even the Reluctant Gardener will have to admit its time to get out and do something on the soggy side of the patio door.

It's the time of year when all those great excuses for leaving things not-done in the autumn - which seemed such a good idea at the time - start to look not-so-good after all. I DO know where the garden shed is located - because I have quite a good memory - it's just temporarily invisible at the moment. The forsythia and the thingie-with-pink-flowers have grown up, over and around, creating a green burial mound. Last autumn's labour-saving decision means we will probably need a machete to liberate the mower.

......and while I'm on the subject of things growing, growing, GROWING, I reckon there ought to be a law against Garden Centres selling pretty little flowering things in pots which turn into humungous other-plant-gobbling monsters in a remarkable short space of time. The label said something-or-other-fuchsia - fuchsia my Aunt Florence! - its 7ft high over 10ft in diameter and obliterating every other plant in its path to world domination. This nightmare is high on the list of this year's to-do's - following on from its previous position on last year's given-up-as-just-too-much-hard-work list. It's at times like these that the mind turns to thoughts of dynamite.

That is what the Reluctant Gardener actually does in February - make lists. The longest list is always the to-do list - which is really a follow-on from last year's didn't-do list and therefore a bit depressing. The cosy comfort of January curled up in front of the fire with hot chocolate and a book gives way to prowling around outside and taking stock of the size of the task waiting for spring. Its depressing because everything looks tatty, soggy and quite uninspiring.

That, however, will change with the first warm sunny day. The first temperature rise combined with that most essential ingredient - sunshine - results in a rush of insanity. Plants shoot up through the soil and gardeners shoot outside to grub around. This erratic behaviour infects the reluctant gardeners as well as the keen ones and is known as Spring. It's the time when you actually SEE your next door neighbours for the first time for months. It's a community insanity and it's catching. You see them-next-door outside grubbing about and the next thing is you are pulling on the wellies and joining in. Later, of course, still suffering from the unaccustomed activity even after a hot bath, you wish you had just pulled closed the curtains and turned on the telly.

The thing about Spring is that everyone is waiting for it.... and during February it appears to be *on hold*. The great British weather does extraordinary things - you are scraping the ice off the windscreen one morning and going out in a cardie the next. All in all, its best not to trust February to be anything except completely unpredictable. The primrose and violets I saw this morning have probably just lost the plot - you wont get me out there for a while yet.

Besides I have just seen the weather map, and its forecasting snow and icy conditions (okay, be honest, its for Scotland, but there is nothing to stop it travelling down the country!) and therefore I can stay inside without going on a guilt trip. Time to put the kettle on.

Mari Francis

http://www.gardeningwith.us

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Landscaping can require significant energy consumption at all levels, from the quarrying, processing and manufacturing of materials, transport, and construction to the use of water, electricity and horticultural chemicals. Landscaping Connections encourages the reduction of energy use through:

· Sourcing local materials where possible. This is not always practical or cost effective particularly with stone, timber and sculpture. Nevertheless, awareness of material sources and the energy and human resources required to get the products to you is a wise consideration. Always consider alternatives.

· Using recycled materials: recycled plastics, soil from sewage waste, etc.

· Energy conservation in construction is both an environmental and business issue because profit is maximized when both fuel input and material waste are minimized. For example, patterns for brick paving can be chosen to minimize cutting involving time, electricity, machine wear-and-tear, saw blades and, ultimately, left-over brick waste which then needs to be disposed of involving more time, energy and landfill.

· Where possible the plants chosen for a site should require minimal or no irrigation. Again, this reduces material and labour costs and doesn't rely on precious water. Of course, there are irrigation systems that recycle grey water, sewage or captured rainwater and this is a good approach to maintaining thirsty plants.

· As well, landscapers should endeavour to build organic systems whether for food, foliage or flowering gardens. Gardens that are dependent on chemical use are really a contradiction because a garden should be not only beautiful but also a safe, clean refuge.

· Electricity to power garden features such as lights, fountains or waterfalls can in some situations be derived solely or in part from other than grid power. The use of solar and wind-generated electricity is responsible and creative and it increases peoples' awareness of their consumption. When you sit by a water feature powered by the sun you become keenly aware of the sun's energy as well as satisfied that no coal or uranium is burned frivolously for your pleasure.

Landscaping need not be just exterior decoration although much of commercial design is still approached that way. It can also take into consideration our growing concerns about CO2 by creating low-impact, low-maintenance surroundings.

About The Author:

Val Ockert lives in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia and has for many years operated a landscaping business specialising in brick paving. Recognising the bewildering array of daily decisions we all make he is keen to simplify his own area of expertise. He can be contacted at val@landscapingconnections.com

Hydroponic gardening can be an excellent way to grow a large amount of fruits and vegetables in a limited area. However, it’s much more than just growing plants in a water-nutrient system without soil. There are many variables, all of which depend on the space available, your budget and how much time is available to spend on maintenance. There then are some tips that will help to make your hydroponic experience pleasant and productive.

Number 1: Get Your Plants Off to a Good Start

When seeds first sprout, they are said to be germinating. In hydroponic gardening, this happens within a growing medium, which can be any number of things. The best choices are composted bark, expanded clay, gravel, peat moss or sand. Rockwool, oasis and perlite are less desirable; vermiculite should be avoided at all costs, as it is often contaminated with asbestos fibers that can have grave consequences for one’s respiratory health.

Keep in mind that every type of plant has its own specific needs when it comes to temperature and light. You’ll need to check the seed specification in order to determine the plant’s unique germination requirements.

Number 2: The Right Light

As mentioned above, different plants have different light requirements – and a single plant has different light needs at different stages. In general, a plant that is in the growth stage needs more red spectrum light, whereas a plant that is flowering or fruiting uses more of the blue spectrum. Metal halide (MH) lights are good for the former, while High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights work better during the latter stage. Some of the newer LED grow lights can actually be adjusted for different kinds of plants and various stages, however these are more expensive than standard types of light.

Number 3: Proper Nutrition

All plants require some sixteen different mineral nutrients in order to reach their full potential. These fall into the category of either micronutrients or micronutrients.

Important macronutrients include nitrogen (N), which aids in the growth of new leaves; phosphorus (P), needed for root growth and bloom; potassium (K) for disease resistance; calcium (Ca), which promotes the growth of new roots and shoots; and magnesium (Mg), the ions of which are an important component of chlorophyll, the substance that aids in photosynthesis. Minerals such as boron (B), copper (cu), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are micronutrients that are necessary in trace amounts.

Number 4: Preventing Disease and Warding Off Pests

Just as with traditional gardening, hydroponics means battling unwanted insects and plant diseases. The best ways to avoid these problems consist of maintaining a clean growing environment, selecting hearty, disease-resistant plants, proper ventilation and temperature control, and constant monitoring for problems. The latter is especially important; most problems are easily cured if caught in their initial stages.

Number 5: Keeping it Pruned

Discolored, insect-eaten or unhealthy leaves and diseased roots should be removed with a pair of sharp scissors. Judicious pruning of your hydroponics gardens will also help your plants to grow fuller and allow it to concentrate its energy on more productive shoots.

Susan Slobac is experienced in hydroponics gardening. She has used a variety of grow systems including Deep Water Culture. In her experience the type of grow lights used have the largest impact. She recommends LED Grow Lights, HPS grow lights and MH grow lights for the best results.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Slobac