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16 Aug 2012
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Home Gardening and Landscaping Ideas

During the last couple of years home gardening has become an increasingly popular past-time and hobby. Actually, research has shown that home gardening is at an all-time high in America at this time. In the USA 8 from 10 households take part in some form of home gardening activity. Obviously from the number of individuals which are doing the work, home gardening is one of the most widely used outdoor recreation in nation.

No time is better than the present. You probably have a lot of inquiries on how to start and what to do, but no worries, this article has you covered. It contains some great information about home gardening. And before you know it you will be on your way to growing an amazing garden.

Home Gardening and Landscaping Ideas

Many people that try their hand at home gardening plant flowers; at least they begin out planting flowers anyway. Roses will probably be the very first thought into any gardeners mind, but roses will require extra time and work, and really should probably be left to people who’ve gardened before. When planting flowers many choices can be found, for example bulbs, perennials, and annuals.

Edible vegetation is another big thing in home gardening. Perhaps the best thing about edibles is the reward of eating them. The list of edible plants that gardeners can grow at home is endless. Some of the most common edible plants in the vegetable arena are potatoes, peas, corn, carrots, squash, and cucumber. Many gardeners go for fruits, such as, watermelons, tomatoes, peaches, plums, apples, pears, and apricots. Small fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries often require less work and less space. These are making them much more feasible for home gardening.

Herbs, most often used as spices in cooking, are growing in popularity every single day. The most grown include basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and cilantro. Probably the most essential things to watch whenever planting edibles is insects and disease. In the end, you don’t want to lose out on the feast you’re going to get to savor from healthy plants.

Many people don’t realize it, but landscaping is a form of home gardening. Landscaping covers many different areas and types of gardening. You may also classify mowing your lawn as landscaping! Keeping in the line of grasses, landscaping usually involves decorative grasses, and the great thing about them is they don’t take much work for upkeep. Kinds of grass include monkey grass, pampas, buffalo grass, flame grass, and ornamental millet. Landscaping is not just limited to plant life. Additionally, it includes anything completed to a yard for decoration, for example adding rocks or stones, placing a small pond, statutes, or a waterfall.

Learning More about Home Gardening and Landscaping

Humidity might be needed by some houseplants. You can create humidity in any environment by grouping different plants together in one pot, or replanting the specimen into a larger pot and filling the gap in with compost or stones. You can also provide the requisite humidity for your houseplants by using a spray bottle to mist it one or two times per day.

Clay is difficult to dig through with a shovel, as it is sticky and compact. To make working in clay easier, rub the shovel with floor or car wax and then buff it with a cloth. This will both make the clay fall off of the surface, and prevent the surface from rusting.

Collect rainwater for your plants to become more ecologically friendly. Using a barrel or any sort of container to collect any amount of rainwater can not only save you money on your water bill every month, but you are using a natural resource as well. Bear in mind this tip to have a chemical-free garden while saving money.

When deciding on which plants to include in your home gardening projects, consider evergreens which produce colorful berries. These types of trees can offer your garden a splash of color, especially during the winter when all other plants and trees have lost their hues. Some evergreens that will add life to your yard in the wintertime are the American Cranberrybush, Common Snowberry, Winterberry, and American holly.

There isn’t much difference between home gardening and gardening anywhere else. Plants still have to be planted inside a good location. The plants still need water plus they still require the same nutrients. Home gardening shouldn’t cause anyone to get nervous. Should you choose decide to use homing gardening and finding out that you simply don’t possess a green thumb, don’t get discouraged.

After reading this article, you should be well on your way to growing a fantastic garden. If you think that you were ready before, you should see yourself now. Acquire some information, read up on home gardening, and try it again the next planting season. Hopefully, the tips that were provided gave you some pointers that will help you get started with your gardening adventures so that you can begin growing like a pro.

Need a jump start with your home gardening? Call 805-773-5395 for a Free Consultation or 

25 May 2012
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Picking the Right Gardening Tools

If you’re thinking about taking your gardening seriously and going out there each day to increase the appearance of your garden, then you will need to find the right gardening tools to help you in this. You may be tempted to look out to the shop and simply pick the closest items you see, but you’ll be much happier when you put a great deal of thought into the styles and types of tools you’re getting. There are styles designed only for gardening, and you’ll be better off getting those.

 

You will find most of the tools you should have in your nearby gardening or home improvement shop. Most of the employees will be thrilled to assist you in finding the proper tools. If you go to a shop that specializes in gardening, you can typically get some ideas in addition to service. Gardening store staff are commonly an untapped wealth of wisdom, and they’re how I learned almost all that I know about gardening now. In case you are having a hard time choosing the right gardening tools, or if you wish to save some money, you could try browsing online for the items you need. You’ll need to pay the delivery costs and wait an extra week or two, but typically if you buy several tools, the total savings will likely be worth it. It is best to purchase from a respected seller, though, and check around in advance for anything negative that people had to say about their buying experience.

The Right Gardening Tools

What are the Right Gardening Tools? I’m glad you asked.

What kind of gardening tools you need depends on what type of garden you are trying to grow. Basic garden tools can be found at your local hardware store, while high quality and specialty tools can be found in shops that cater specifically to gardeners. Here are a few tips on gardening tools to help you get started:

The first thing to take into consideration is the size of your garden. Obviously, large, heavy duty equipment may not be necessary for a smaller garden. There’s no need to purchase a ride-on lawn mower for a small patch of grass. Speaking of larger equipment, make sure that you have enough space to maneuver around your garden while using bigger tools. Also make sure that you are physically capable of using the equipment before you make your purchase.

right gardening tools

So far as basic searching for tools go, you might currently have all you’ll need. There are numerous types that you should have though, for a variety of specific tasks. A round point shovel is perfect for digging holes for plants. A spade is necessary for all the intricate work. A garden fork you might not use as much, but I have one in my tool shed and I’ve been grateful for it on multiple occasions. Obtaining these different types of digging tools can help you to minimize the work you need to do. For example, if you try digging a huge hole with a little spade then you’ll end up rather exhausted. The same goes if you are trying to do more detailed work with a big clumsy shovel.

A rake is an overall basic need. You probably already have one, but I’m guessing it’s a lawn rake rather than a garden rake. There is definitely a difference, and if you try to use a lawn rake in a garden then you will not be happy with the results. Same if you buy a grading or a contractor’s rake. You’ll wish to get a bow-head rake. I’ve found these are the ideal for gardening purposes. They will provide you the highest control and accuracy, so you don’t accidentally tear up your precious plants.

As far as hoes go, I don’t believe any gardener needs to have less than 3. There are so many useful varieties out there which i have a hard time recommending only one, and that’s why I’ll let you know all the ones I usually use. The one I use the most is the onion hoe, which is really lightweight and ideal for small cultivation and weeding. The Warren hoe is a bigger model, with a pointed end. If you want to make a hole or dig out a pesky weed, this is the one for you. There are many other types, but I recommend beginning with the ones I mentioned. As you progress in your gardening savvy, you will find the need for more types.

Here is a list for the right gardening tools:

• Keep the blades of your secateurs sharp, so that you don’t damage your plants unnecessarily. Look for models with tension control that fit your grip. Secateurs typically cost about $50 – $130.

• When trimming your plants, remember that a pruning saw is for trees and larger shrubs, while secateurs are for smaller plants, such as roses. Pruning saws are usually $27- $55.

• Shovels are best for moving around dirt and soil, while spades have a flat blade that is best for digging, cutting edges and dividing plants. Like secateurs, make sure the edges of your spades stay sharp. These are basic garden tools that everyone needs and usually cost from $30 – $50.

• When buying a Fork for turning compost and breaking clumps of soil, look at quality, not price. If you skimp on price, then your fork will most likely not be strong enough and will break in areas of heavy soil. Expect to spend between $30 – $100.

• A chipping hoe is a fantastic for tearing out little weeds. A Dutch or push-hoe is a bit easier to use because the action required to use it doesn’t strain the shoulder and neck as much.

• A rake is a common necessity for the garden. Use a strong rake with a flat head and sharp metal prongs for leveling a garden bed and keeping it smooth. Only use a plastic rake is used to collect loose, light debris.

Most people believe that gardening just consists of a simple spade. But there are many, many tools with many variations that you will use in your gardening career. Typically you can start with just a few different tools, but you’ll always find that you may use more varieties for special situations. It’s only a matter of recognizing when one tool could be more efficient than another.

Need more gardening tools suggestions? Talk to an expert! Call 805-773-5395.

18 May 2012
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Healthy Soil Preparation

healthy soil

In the event that you’re getting ready to continue a new garden venture, you have to ready your healthy soil to ideally house your plants. A good thing you can do within the soil planning process is to reach the ideal mixture of sand, silt, as well as clay. Preferably there’d be 40 % sand, 40 percent silt, and 20 % clay. There are several assessments used by expert gardeners to tell whether the soil has a good composition. First you may compress it in your hand. Whether it doesn’t hold its shape and crumbles without any outside pressure, your sand ratio is most likely a bit high. If you poke the compressed ball with your finger plus it doesn’t break apart quickly, your soil consists of an excessive amount of clay.

Assessing a healthy soil

If you’re still unsure concerning the content of the dirt, you are able to separate every component by using this easy technique. Place just one cup or even two of dirt right into a container of water. Shake the water until the soil is suspended, after that allow it to set before you see it separate into three individual layers. The highest coating is clay-based, the next is actually silt, as well as on the bottom is sand. You should be able to assess the presence of every component in your dirt, as well as act appropriately. Right after you’ve examined this content of the soil, should you choose that it is low on a particular component then you definitely should really make a move to correct this. In the event that coping with an excessive amount of silt or sand, it’s better to add some peat moss or compost. If you’ve obtained too much clay, add a combination of peat moss as well as sand. The peat moss, when moistens, assists in the new component in order to infiltrate a combination much better. If you can’t appear to have the ability to achieve a suitable combination, simply mind down to the local gardening shop. You ought to be capable of finding some type of item to help you.

The water content from the soil is an additional essential thing to think about while preparing for the garden. In case your garden is at the bottom of a good incline, it is most likely going to soak up too much water as well as drown out the plant life. If this sounds like the case, you’ll want to raise your backyard several inches (4 or 5) within the remaining floor. This can permit more drainage and less saturation.

Adding nutrition for your dirt is another essential area of the procedure, as most city soils have virtually no nutrients already inside them normally. One to two weeks just before growing, you need to give a great deal of fertilizer for your garden. Mix this within very well as well as allow it to take a while. Once you have done this, your dirt will be completely ready with regard to whatever seeds you may grow inside it. When your seed products are grown, you’ll still want to pay attention to the dirt. The initial few days, the seeds are anxiously using up all the nutrition about these to sprout into a real grow. When they run out of meals, exactly how could they be designed to grow? About a week following planting, you need to include the same amount of eco-friendly fertilizer that you simply additional before. After this you ought to continue using eco-friendly fertilizer, although not as frequently. If you give a tiny bit every few days, that needs to be plenty to keep your backyard flourishing.

Basically, the entire process of healthy soil care could be compressed into simply a number of steps… make sure the make-up from the dirt is acceptable, be sure you possess correct water flow inside your backyard, add eco-friendly fertilizer pre and post growing, then add eco-friendly fertilizer frequently next. Adhere to these types of simple steps, as well as you’ll have a variety associated with healthy plants very quickly. And if you’ll need any more details on an individual action, go to your nearby gardening center and enquire. The majority of the employees will be more than pleased to provide you with advice

Need more assistance in your landscaping needs? Contact us at 805-773-5395 or fill out our form.

11 May 2012
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Gardening Advice for Eco-Friendly Backyard


Psychology Behind Gardening

I don’t know what it is about a garden that has usually drawn humans to them. But they have usually been very popular, as well as an essential part of peoples’ way of life. Most beliefs feature gardens as their locations for several of the biggest events. According to Christianity, humanity has begun in a garden and the son of God was resurrected in a garden. The Buddhist builds gardens to let nature to permeate their surroundings. Pretty much every major structure and government building has a garden. But what’s so wonderful about these? They’re just a bunch of plants, after all.

Obviously, the reasoning is fairly obvious behind why people cultivate food in gardens. It is to consume! If you settle off the fat of the land and really survive on goods from the garden, it is simple to comprehend the thought. But I’m wondering about those people that grow flower gardens just for the benefit of looking nice. There is no immediate benefit that I can realize; you simply possess a bunch of flowers in your yard! However, after pondering thoroughly about the inspiration behind growing decorative gardens, I’ve formulated quite a few probable theories.

I believe a primary reason people love gardens so much is the fact that while we have a natural desire to advance and industrialize, deep within all of us is a primal passion for nature. Although this drive might not be as solid as the desire for modernism, it remains powerful enough to persuade us to build gardens, small outlets of nature, in the midst of all our commotion.

gardening advice

Considering that being in nature is a lot like regressing to an earlier stage of humanity, we too can regress to a time of comfort and complete happiness. This is the reason why gardens are so soothing and relaxing to stay in. This is the reason why gardens make the perfect spot to reflect and do tai chi routines. A garden is a way to swiftly get away from the busy world.

I have assumed at times that perhaps we as people feel a kind of guilt driving us to restore nature and care for it. This guilt can stem from your knowledge that we, not in person but as a race, have destroyed so much of nature to get exactly where we are today. It is the least we can try to create a small garden in remembrance of all the trees we kill each day. It’s my theory that this is the main basis for most people to consider gardening as a pastime.

Gardening Advice

Many people are probably not aware that gardening can actually hurt the environment. A significant amount of carbon dioxide can be released through tilling the soil. This contributes to global warming. Cultivating and compacting the soil, destroys good fungi. Fertilizers like nitrogen and manure will many times come out of the soil and pollute the water you drink.

Global warming

You may not know that the earth’s soil gives out carbon dioxide in the atmosphere ten times more than all human activity? This comes from the pill bugs, microbes, fungi and worms when they breathe, digest food and then die. Previously plants have been capable of absorbing carbon dioxide caused by small-scale tillages, this isn’t the case nowadays.

The rise of the globe’s average temperature is because of the carbon dioxide the soil emits when tilled. There is good news in that tilling can be minimized by mulching or sheet composting.

Good Fungi

In untilled soil, there is a good fungus, the vesicular-arbuscular-mycorrhizae or VAM for short. VAM actually forms a symbiotic relationship with plants. Their filaments increase root hairs and provide nutrients to the plant. They give out zinc, copper, potassium and phosphorus. Plants provide carbohydrates for the fungi in return. It is entirely possible to grow gardens without tilling the soil at all by mulching heavily until the soil is soft.

Surplus Nitrogen

Many gardeners waste nitrogen and manures; farmers do otherwise. Farmers only need a quarter to a third of nitrogen to mix with an inch of compost, horse, or cow manure. Notice that gardeners apply larger amounts of compost and manure than farmers. Obviously, they are not only wasting their fertilizer but also their money.

gardening advice

The best gardening advice that can be given to those concerned is to do all things in moderation. Remember that too little and too much of something is not healthy. This is the most valuable advice one can heed.

Gardening is definitely a wholesome habit though, don’t get me wrong. Any hobby that provides physical exercise, helps the earth, and enhances your diet can’t be a negative thing. So no matter what the root psychological cause for gardening is, I think that everybody must continue doing so. In the USA especially, which is dealing with obesity and pollution as the two main issues, I think gardening advice can only serve to improve the state of the world.

Of course I’m no psychologist; I am just a curious gardener. I often stay up for hours wondering what makes me garden. What is it that makes me leave the house for a few hours every day with my gardening tools, and facilitate the small-time growth of plants that will grow naturally on their own? I may not know, but in this situation ignorance truly is bliss.

Looking for more eco-friendly gardening advice? Contact us For a Free Consultation or call 805-773-5395.