Daily Gardening Tips – A Substitute For A Green Thumb!
November 28, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Abhishek Agarwal asked:
Home and garden owners in the country and city alike are the type of people who’d love to see their garden in bloom, even the tiny patches of land they may have because a garden in bloom is a thing of beauty and refreshes weary spirits anytime of the day. Even otherwise, a well-kept garden is a thing of pride for the owner and also gives home owners something to tend to with their own hands and watch it flower before their eyes, so they have the satisfaction of having grown something with their own hands right before them, which is very fulfilling.
If you are limitations of space and live in a small city apartment, you need not get disheartened as even you can ingeniously use small spaces to create garden-area, such as planter boxes, window-sill boxes, potted plants in the space you usually reserve for storing BBQ items or even the narrow confine of a corridor space used for stacking the bicycle. Hanging overhead pots and indoor plants is another good idea for bringing in some greenery into your home, especially when you are strapped for space.
Not only is it relaxing to have a soothing green space filled with lovely plants and flowers outside, but even the inner sanctuary can be much brightened up and used to reflect nature’s beauty by using container plants for growing greens.
Many city dwellers keen to utilize the balance of organic food have taken to growing their own veggies in a small kitchen garden area and easily grow tomatoes, herbs and flowers using simple, gardening tips for daily tending.
Balconies are especially good spaces, whether long and narrow or short and wide, for growing shrubs, trees and plants of different heights if only the ends and corners are trimmed properly, regularly. One can create interesting points of décor around the area where potted plants are kept, such as using bright, colored flowering plants in a semi-circular arrangement, split-level pot arrangements or even placing colored stones and rockery designs around it.
The other way to show off bright and beautiful colors is to set-off the shades with mirrored back-ground, pieces of colored glass and beads to reflect the colors of the flowering plants or simply placing them on a window sill that can also be viewed from inside the house.
If you live in a cold place, then it is only wise to move plants indoors or line the containers with foam to protect them from the chilly climate. City gardeners need to be especially wary of frost and excessive rain when wanting their apartment blooms to stay that way. Hibiscus blooms are pretty, tall flowers that grow to a good 3-4 feet in height while the miniature Alberta white spruce has lovely gray-green dense needles that beautifully offset these bright flowers, so are a good addition for a beginner gardener.
You can also have the pretty, light-colored sweet potato vine growing over a pot end over darker plants and remember to water the plants daily besides checking for their balance of soil and sun.
Home and garden owners in the country and city alike are the type of people who’d love to see their garden in bloom, even the tiny patches of land they may have because a garden in bloom is a thing of beauty and refreshes weary spirits anytime of the day. Even otherwise, a well-kept garden is a thing of pride for the owner and also gives home owners something to tend to with their own hands and watch it flower before their eyes, so they have the satisfaction of having grown something with their own hands right before them, which is very fulfilling.
If you are limitations of space and live in a small city apartment, you need not get disheartened as even you can ingeniously use small spaces to create garden-area, such as planter boxes, window-sill boxes, potted plants in the space you usually reserve for storing BBQ items or even the narrow confine of a corridor space used for stacking the bicycle. Hanging overhead pots and indoor plants is another good idea for bringing in some greenery into your home, especially when you are strapped for space.
Not only is it relaxing to have a soothing green space filled with lovely plants and flowers outside, but even the inner sanctuary can be much brightened up and used to reflect nature’s beauty by using container plants for growing greens.
Many city dwellers keen to utilize the balance of organic food have taken to growing their own veggies in a small kitchen garden area and easily grow tomatoes, herbs and flowers using simple, gardening tips for daily tending.
Balconies are especially good spaces, whether long and narrow or short and wide, for growing shrubs, trees and plants of different heights if only the ends and corners are trimmed properly, regularly. One can create interesting points of décor around the area where potted plants are kept, such as using bright, colored flowering plants in a semi-circular arrangement, split-level pot arrangements or even placing colored stones and rockery designs around it.
The other way to show off bright and beautiful colors is to set-off the shades with mirrored back-ground, pieces of colored glass and beads to reflect the colors of the flowering plants or simply placing them on a window sill that can also be viewed from inside the house.
If you live in a cold place, then it is only wise to move plants indoors or line the containers with foam to protect them from the chilly climate. City gardeners need to be especially wary of frost and excessive rain when wanting their apartment blooms to stay that way. Hibiscus blooms are pretty, tall flowers that grow to a good 3-4 feet in height while the miniature Alberta white spruce has lovely gray-green dense needles that beautifully offset these bright flowers, so are a good addition for a beginner gardener.
You can also have the pretty, light-colored sweet potato vine growing over a pot end over darker plants and remember to water the plants daily besides checking for their balance of soil and sun.
Grow a Beautiful Garden the Water Wise Way
August 21, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Organic Gardener asked:
Grow a beautiful garden the water wise way
Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). “Water Wise” gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:
Planning
Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type of garden. Talk to the professionals at your local center/landscape firm to see which plants will do well in your area. You may be surprised to find that some very beautiful, colorful plants are low on water consumption-and they may fit into your landscape perfectly.
Group together plants that require the same amount of water. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade to cool buildings, air conditioning units, patios, decks, and other landscape features. Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. Spike or aerate lawns to insure maximum water ***********. Control weeds which compete with useful plants for water.
Soil Improvement
Soil improvement is another easy and beneficial step in building a water wise garden. Soil that is well prepared at the time of planting influences the plant’s initial development and yields the best results. And plants placed in the proper soil will be healthier, often needing less water.
Soil characteristics include texture, structure, depth, and nutrients. To find out more about your soil content, test your soil with the following garden products: Accugrow Soil Test Kit or the Sunleaves Three-Way Meter.
Wise Irrigation
Efficient irrigation is a critical part of water wise gardening. Your irrigation system can be simple, such as a hand-held hose, or elaborate, such as an in-ground sprinkler system. Consider a drip water conservation system, which can save up to 60% of water used by sprinkler irrigation. Whatever you choose, make sure you plan your watering to get best results.
Deep, infrequent watering, promotes root growth and is the wisest use of water and encourages strong rooting. This provides greater tolerance to dry spells. Water early in the day, and on less windy days, to reduce evaporation loss. The ideal time is from dawn to 9:00 a.m. Turn off sprinklers before water is wasted as runoff into gutters and streets.
Mulching
Mulching is always a benefit to your garden and can help prevent soil erosion and evaporation, conserving the water that is available and keeping your plants healthy and strong.
Maintenance
Maintaining your water wise garden means learning how to water all over again. You may find that watering less means having more time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Generally, plants should be watered less often and for a long period of time. Drip, soaker, or deep root watering promotes healthy plants and less water use.
Water Wise Gardening Tips
Follow these handy watering tips from AAN, and you’ll soon be started on your own environmentally sound garden or landscape. For garden products mentioned in this article, please visit
Grow a beautiful garden the water wise way
Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). “Water Wise” gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:
Planning
Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type of garden. Talk to the professionals at your local center/landscape firm to see which plants will do well in your area. You may be surprised to find that some very beautiful, colorful plants are low on water consumption-and they may fit into your landscape perfectly.
Group together plants that require the same amount of water. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade to cool buildings, air conditioning units, patios, decks, and other landscape features. Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. Spike or aerate lawns to insure maximum water ***********. Control weeds which compete with useful plants for water.
Soil Improvement
Soil improvement is another easy and beneficial step in building a water wise garden. Soil that is well prepared at the time of planting influences the plant’s initial development and yields the best results. And plants placed in the proper soil will be healthier, often needing less water.
Soil characteristics include texture, structure, depth, and nutrients. To find out more about your soil content, test your soil with the following garden products: Accugrow Soil Test Kit or the Sunleaves Three-Way Meter.
Wise Irrigation
Efficient irrigation is a critical part of water wise gardening. Your irrigation system can be simple, such as a hand-held hose, or elaborate, such as an in-ground sprinkler system. Consider a drip water conservation system, which can save up to 60% of water used by sprinkler irrigation. Whatever you choose, make sure you plan your watering to get best results.
Deep, infrequent watering, promotes root growth and is the wisest use of water and encourages strong rooting. This provides greater tolerance to dry spells. Water early in the day, and on less windy days, to reduce evaporation loss. The ideal time is from dawn to 9:00 a.m. Turn off sprinklers before water is wasted as runoff into gutters and streets.
Mulching
Mulching is always a benefit to your garden and can help prevent soil erosion and evaporation, conserving the water that is available and keeping your plants healthy and strong.
Maintenance
Maintaining your water wise garden means learning how to water all over again. You may find that watering less means having more time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Generally, plants should be watered less often and for a long period of time. Drip, soaker, or deep root watering promotes healthy plants and less water use.
Water Wise Gardening Tips
Follow these handy watering tips from AAN, and you’ll soon be started on your own environmentally sound garden or landscape. For garden products mentioned in this article, please visit
Container Gardening Tips For Amazing Plants, Flowers, & Edibles – The 7 Step Process (For Great Results)
July 20, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Eric Samms asked:
It’s often overlooked that Container Gardening can be a life long passion, a creative and artist hobby, and a simple and effective way to create a stylish, clean and inviting home, a great way to eat healthy organic foods, and an amazing way to connect with nature.
So if you’ve got itchy green fingers, and want an amazing collection of plants and flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs – just simply follow these key Container Gardening Tips!
The 7 Steps Process to Great Container Gardening
1. Get Your Lighting Right
2. Choose Your Soil
3. Monitor humidity levels
4. Water as required
5. Check temperature
6. How to Choose the right container
7. Food & Nutrients
Lighting
Via photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide to create food. As such light is a very important factor. Try and keep your container plants and flowers near a natural source of light during the day. If you have a dark corner at home or your home does not receive much natural light, use a 150 watt incandescent bulb about 4 – 5 feet away during the day. An even easier way to get some light is to buy a plant stand equipped with a built in lighting system. This is a great way to keep container gardens anywhere around the home. And remember light is only important during the day!
Humidity
The humidity required depends on the nature of the plant. Jungle plants need about 90% humidity, sub-tropical about 50%, temperate zone plants (such as North America and Europe) require 30 – 40% and desert / cacti about 5 %.
Cheap humidity indicators are great at monitoring moisture in the air, however obvious signs of low humidity levels are dry topsoil and wilting leaves. Excess humidity is not often a problem except for desert plants such as cacti. Low humidity levels can be quickly rectified by a spray on the leaves once or twice a day, and by placing a pot on a shallow try of water and small pebbles.
Temperature
Jungle plants thrive at higher temperatures, temperate zone plants thrive at between 90 – 100 F. Container plants, flowers and edibles are able to handle relative lower temperatures at night, as long as they are not too low i.e. near freezing. Tropical plants can handle a minimum of 65 F at night, sub-tropical plants about 55-60 F and temperate zone plants about 45 F.The exception to this are the desert plants such as cacti, which have adapted to the plunging evening temperatures of the desert.
Soil
The vibrant organic environment of jungle plants makes them more conducive to leaf mold and moss, and therefore a more acidic environment. A ph of 5.5 is ideal. A good potting ratio for jungle plants is :
25% organically enriched garden loam
50% leaf mold
25% coarse sand or compost
Temperate zone plants have less organic material to cope with, and a therefore more comfortable with a ph of near neutral i.e. 7.0.
Desert plants prefer a slightly more alkaline soil.
Containers
The material from which the container is made – will affect the rate at which water is ****** out of the soil. Some container gardening enthusiasts can’t stop raving about clay pots, as they remove water at a generally faster rate, preventing water clogging of the roots, and keeping the pot cool. What ever the material , just make sure that their are water holes at the bottom, or material at the base which raises the pot and allows excess water to drain.
Get creative and indulge those container gardening ideas. Choose a variety of container colours, materials and styles to add a bit of sophistication and pizazz to your home.
Water
The amount of water required by a container plant, flower or edible will depend on it’s make up and size, and environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and type of soil, as well as the nature of the container it’s self.
Always check the surface of the soil, and about 1 – 2 inches deep to determine moisture levels and top up as required. Too much water will drown your roots, and too little will dehydrate your plant.
To prevent excess moisture loss, keep a layer of rich top soil or moss on the surface of the soil.
A useful container gardening tip is to never use cold water! This may be too much of a shock to a delicate system. Go with room temperature or slightly above.
Food & Nutrients
Slow release plant-food granules can be added to the compost or potting mix in the recommended quantity before filling the container, or at the sprinkled on the surface of the soil. Pelleted granules can be added about 1 -2 inches under the soil surface. If the soil is nutrient rich, additional food may not be required, however a little extra will go a long way!
Now that you have the 7 key tips to great Container Gardening you are on your way to growing great plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
It’s often overlooked that Container Gardening can be a life long passion, a creative and artist hobby, and a simple and effective way to create a stylish, clean and inviting home, a great way to eat healthy organic foods, and an amazing way to connect with nature.
So if you’ve got itchy green fingers, and want an amazing collection of plants and flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs – just simply follow these key Container Gardening Tips!
The 7 Steps Process to Great Container Gardening
1. Get Your Lighting Right
2. Choose Your Soil
3. Monitor humidity levels
4. Water as required
5. Check temperature
6. How to Choose the right container
7. Food & Nutrients
Lighting
Via photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide to create food. As such light is a very important factor. Try and keep your container plants and flowers near a natural source of light during the day. If you have a dark corner at home or your home does not receive much natural light, use a 150 watt incandescent bulb about 4 – 5 feet away during the day. An even easier way to get some light is to buy a plant stand equipped with a built in lighting system. This is a great way to keep container gardens anywhere around the home. And remember light is only important during the day!
Humidity
The humidity required depends on the nature of the plant. Jungle plants need about 90% humidity, sub-tropical about 50%, temperate zone plants (such as North America and Europe) require 30 – 40% and desert / cacti about 5 %.
Cheap humidity indicators are great at monitoring moisture in the air, however obvious signs of low humidity levels are dry topsoil and wilting leaves. Excess humidity is not often a problem except for desert plants such as cacti. Low humidity levels can be quickly rectified by a spray on the leaves once or twice a day, and by placing a pot on a shallow try of water and small pebbles.
Temperature
Jungle plants thrive at higher temperatures, temperate zone plants thrive at between 90 – 100 F. Container plants, flowers and edibles are able to handle relative lower temperatures at night, as long as they are not too low i.e. near freezing. Tropical plants can handle a minimum of 65 F at night, sub-tropical plants about 55-60 F and temperate zone plants about 45 F.The exception to this are the desert plants such as cacti, which have adapted to the plunging evening temperatures of the desert.
Soil
The vibrant organic environment of jungle plants makes them more conducive to leaf mold and moss, and therefore a more acidic environment. A ph of 5.5 is ideal. A good potting ratio for jungle plants is :
25% organically enriched garden loam
50% leaf mold
25% coarse sand or compost
Temperate zone plants have less organic material to cope with, and a therefore more comfortable with a ph of near neutral i.e. 7.0.
Desert plants prefer a slightly more alkaline soil.
Containers
The material from which the container is made – will affect the rate at which water is ****** out of the soil. Some container gardening enthusiasts can’t stop raving about clay pots, as they remove water at a generally faster rate, preventing water clogging of the roots, and keeping the pot cool. What ever the material , just make sure that their are water holes at the bottom, or material at the base which raises the pot and allows excess water to drain.
Get creative and indulge those container gardening ideas. Choose a variety of container colours, materials and styles to add a bit of sophistication and pizazz to your home.
Water
The amount of water required by a container plant, flower or edible will depend on it’s make up and size, and environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and type of soil, as well as the nature of the container it’s self.
Always check the surface of the soil, and about 1 – 2 inches deep to determine moisture levels and top up as required. Too much water will drown your roots, and too little will dehydrate your plant.
To prevent excess moisture loss, keep a layer of rich top soil or moss on the surface of the soil.
A useful container gardening tip is to never use cold water! This may be too much of a shock to a delicate system. Go with room temperature or slightly above.
Food & Nutrients
Slow release plant-food granules can be added to the compost or potting mix in the recommended quantity before filling the container, or at the sprinkled on the surface of the soil. Pelleted granules can be added about 1 -2 inches under the soil surface. If the soil is nutrient rich, additional food may not be required, however a little extra will go a long way!
Now that you have the 7 key tips to great Container Gardening you are on your way to growing great plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
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