Gardening Articles

Home » Gardening | By Kenneth Scott @ Thursday, 24th April 2008 @ 3:02 AM

Good landscaping can add a significant amount of interest and comfort to your home, and it will benefit its appearance and value as well. Several features are necessary if you want to make good use of your grounds. These usually will include a nice lawn, healthy shade trees, and paths and walkways. These elements may seem commonplace, but they are sometimes the most difficult to address and often require the most financial outlay. A project like creating an outdoor living room, on the other hand... more...

Home » Gardening | By MIKE SELVON @ Thursday, 24th April 2008 @ 2:15 AM

One of the great things about organic waste is that with enough time and the right conditions it will decompose. But that should not be construed to mean that you can toss any kind of organic material onto your compost pile. But recycling your yard waste via composting is a great way to go. You can take your lawn clippings, leaves, hedge trimmings and any plant trimmings that are "non-woody" and add them to your compost heap. You can even add the wood items if you first make sure... more...

Home » Gardening | By Richard Murray @ Sunday, 20th April 2008 @ 11:19 PM

One of the most crucial tasks is the proper watering of your garden. The rule of thumb regarding the irrigation of your garden is that you will need to supply an equivalent of about an inch of rain a week during the growing season for optimum growth. Just so you know; an inch of rain is equivalent to about 28,000 gallons per acre or 900 gallons distributed over a 30 ft. by 50 ft. garden area. It is always much better to give the garden a good soaking once a week rather than watering it sparingly... more...

Home » Gardening | By Kenneth Scott @ Sunday, 20th April 2008 @ 7:43 PM

Most every gardener strives to grow the best, most stunning flowers around, but that goal is hard to get hold of. Whether you want to raise prize-winning blooms or just have a home garden filled with of beautiful flowers, there are some things you can do in order to ensure your garden is in the best shape possible. Soil chemistry counts. The chemical make-up of the soil is one of the biggest factors that contribute to the success or failure of your garden. If the soil in your plan... more...

Home » Gardening | By Kenneth Scott @ Saturday, 19th April 2008 @ 11:18 AM

One of the best ways to create more space in your house is to utilize outdoor space more effectively. Many modern houses can make their rooms look larger by using glass walls and other means to visually extend the room into the garden or lawn. Glass walls that use the same wall and ceiling materials as the interior room on a terrace and its eaves help to extend the visual line of the room. Any room can visually flow outdoors on wooden decks, brick terraces, or loggias with lattice roofs. more...

Home » Gardening | By Kenneth Scott @ Saturday, 19th April 2008 @ 11:07 AM

Due to the many negative consequences of pesticides and toxins that we ingest in our system by eating food bought from the market, many people have turned to doing some bit of organic gardening on their own. The exhilaration that one feels when one sees a garden-full of colorful flowers and plants is something only the creator can explain. Even as organic food is easily available in supermarkets these days, doing it on your own has a charm of its own and no food tastes better than food grown org... more...

Home » Gardening | By Kenneth Scott @ Saturday, 19th April 2008 @ 11:02 AM

Not all houses have perfect surroundings that will be easy to transform into outdoor recreation and entertainment areas with good lawns and gardens. It is frequently necessary to undertake some construction projects to obtain the quality and type of outdoor area you want. One of the basic construction problems for any landscaping task is grading the soil. Generally, grading means building a slope into the garden area. Sloping ensures that there is proper drainage, and it can make the house look ... more...

Home » Gardening | By Kenneth Scott @ Saturday, 19th April 2008 @ 10:47 AM

Over time our approach to the environment has changed and so has our tendency to indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemicals to maintain our green lawn and keep them free from weeds and harmful insects. The fad for a green lawn started in the 1950s when all and sundry started competing for a greener lawn than the neighbors. This gave rise to haphazard use of harmful chemicals. As our awareness about the environment around us increased people started treating such chemicals as part of a... more...

Home » Gardening | By Benjamin Brook @ Saturday, 19th April 2008 @ 7:29 AM

Indoor gardening is a popular hobby, and one that can actually improve your decor and your health. Glossy green living plants are an unbeatable decorating accessory, whether you favor the bold statement a snake plant makes or the ethereal lightness of an asparagus fern. By surrounding yourself with healthy green plants, you oxygenate your living environment and gain more energy. Grow Houseplants Organically You can do some organic indoor gardening with houseplants. Growing organica... more...

Home » Gardening | By Cassidy Williams @ Saturday, 19th April 2008 @ 6:54 AM

Most people can't get growing orchids right and end up killing them without knowing why. There are 5 common reasons why this happens. 1. You Over-water them This is the number one killer of household orchids. If an orchid plant gets "soggy" from too much water, its roots will quickly start to rot. Orchids should be planted in a way that the water can freely flow away from the roots. They should never be left sitting in water. It will hurt your orchid less if you do... more...

Home » Gardening | By MIKE SELVON @ Friday, 18th April 2008 @ 11:22 AM

Recent generations have probably never given much thought to a simple device called the composting toilet, and most, no doubt, would prefer not to linger long on the subject. But composting toilets have long been used throughout human history. They have a much longer history than the common plumbing and sewage systems that we have all become accustomed to using in our modern civilization. Those in the Western world are generally surprised to learn that even today there are many kinds of... more...

Home » Gardening | By India Cooper @ Friday, 18th April 2008 @ 1:00 AM

Want to grow your own produce but don't have much time or experience? Then a herb garden could be the answer. With very little space or expertise you can cultivate sweet smelling, pretty plants that give your cooking or well being a lift, all year round. Herb gardens have been popular in the UK since Roman times in private plots, monastery gardens and of course the kitchen gardens of great houses and castles. The plants were grown not only for culinary purposes but also for medicinal... more...

Home » Gardening | By Anna Stenning @ Wednesday, 16th April 2008 @ 11:16 AM

The thought of one day owning my own house with a nice garden is a distant dream, much less thinking about growing my own fruit trees in my nice garden. For many people doing the gardening is either a chore or a relaxing light exercise to get involved with during the day. Growing a tree is a process that requires a lot of attention and patience. For those wanting to grow their own fruit tree for the first time will need to research more about the work involved with maintaining a healthy tree.more...

Home » Gardening | By Nazima Golamaully @ Tuesday, 15th April 2008 @ 11:09 AM

Orchids are a delicate plant and caring for them can be somewhat nerve-racking. If you have never had these flowers before then you might be surprised to know that they have more in common with the cactus than any other plant. Preventing rot in the roots is your main priority when cultivating orchids. To do this you need to be very careful about how much and how you water your plants. The medium in which your flowers are grown in is also very important as this determines how much moistur... more...

Home » Gardening | By Corbin Newlyn @ Tuesday, 15th April 2008 @ 7:09 AM

Do you know what all offices, houses, apartment complexes, and churches have in common? They all have landscaping of some kind. No building is truly complete without some plants, grass and some shrubbery to help raise the character of the building. The additional value of curb appeal can make the difference when a house is trying to be sold or if you want to increase the value of a home. Any small amount of change to the outside grounds helps and you don't constantly require a profe... more...

Home » Gardening | By Richard Murray @ Monday, 14th April 2008 @ 9:39 PM

Soil preparation is step one in getting your garden ready for cultivation and if possible should be done in the fall. This will give the soil time over the winter to enrich itself after you have dressed and tilled it. Excellent results can still be achieved if this timetable is not feasible, so this timing is not absolutely critical. If your garden plot is fairly large, it would be advisable to rent or borrow a rotary tiller if you do not own one. Loosen the soil thoroughly and pick out... more...

Home » Gardening | By MIKE SELVON @ Monday, 14th April 2008 @ 3:24 PM

Compost is a collection of different organic matter, such as yard clippings, small twigs, leaves and organic kitchen waste that have gone through the process of decomposition. Numerous people do composting so that they can make good use of the available organic material that is around their property and even in their home. This gives composters a chance to make use of the nutrient rich muck that is produced and which is very beneficial to garden soil. In fact, to avid gardeners, compost ... more...

Home » Gardening | By MIKE SELVON @ Saturday, 12th April 2008 @ 1:24 AM

There are many instances when homeowners choose not to get started with backyard composting because of the perception that it is hard to do correctly. In reality, you just need to collect the basic organic materials, find a place for the compost heap and then allow nature to take over the task. But, there are some basic guidelines to keep in mind that can help make the whole process move forward without a hitch. There are a number of different types of compost bins on the market that you ... more...

Home » Gardening | By MIKE SELVON @ Saturday, 12th April 2008 @ 1:16 AM

Composting has become a popular means of recycling organic materials so that they can be used in beneficial ways instead of adding them to a landfill. In addition to being a great way to participate in recycling efforts, composting is also a great way to generate rich organic materials that can be added to soil for organic garden projects. Compost bins provide a simple and easy way to help people get started composting and are particularly good solutions for people who have limited living space.... more...

Home » Gardening | By Richard Murray @ Friday, 11th April 2008 @ 4:51 PM

Gardening tools are absolutely necessary for the small garden, but because so few tools are really needed, buy only basic high-quality gardening tools which will last you for many years. When purchasing tools, be sure the tools are the right size for you, as well as the job at hand, too small or too large a tool will make extra work. If you maintain your tools well, they will serve you well. When storing your tools keep a roll of paper towels handy to wipe off mud and dry the tools, then... more...