Gardeners have one of the most challenging pastimes of all hobbyists. Other hobbies are usually under the control of one person and not subject to the various natural disasters in existence. Model airplanes don’t worry about being caught in a storm on their trip through the living room. Cross stitchers don’t have to fear wild animals coming and devouring their work (unless they have a cat with a gigantic appetite). Gardeners, on the other hand, face insects, drought, wind, storms, animals and countless other obstacles. Many of these can be repelled with a simple smell, a certain flower, or a large fence. However, few obstacles display the intellectual creativity, physical fortitude, and dogged persistence as the all-powerful squirrel.
It’s never an easy thing to see your hard work devoured by an army of vicious rodents. Squirrels seem to be able to mount a precision offensive to capture or destroy any obstacle – particularly when it comes to vegetables or flowers in the garden. And if you happen to be the lucky gardener who tries to grow tulips or crocuses, the squirrels thank you. You are now the proud bearer of the Holy Grail of squirrel-dom. It doesn’t matter if you bury the bulbs – they have maps, they can follow the clues, and they know where to find them. The worst part is, if they can’t find their grail … they go after just about anything else you offer them.
Many people wonder how they can ever hope to mount a defense against the charging ranks of the squirrel army. How will they save their hobby from the rodents’ vicious jaws, sharp claws, and terrible appetites? They try to put up a fence, but squirrels can go over, under, or through just about anything that you put in their way. That’s how so many of them end up having a barbecue after trespassing into a power transformer.
Some people try to get dogs or cats to chase the squirrels. This is as futile as the fence. The squirrel can outsmart the cat because it has been raised in the wild, while the cat has been raised in the windowsill. The squirrel an outsmart the dog because … well, it’s a dog. Both of these defenses are like trying to catch a greased pig … another useless defense against squirrel-zilla.
Some people suggest that deer repellant works with the squirrels. Perhaps they are distant cousins. Or the deer serve as the mounts for the squirrel infantry. Regardless of why, there is at least some limited intelligence that this works and it may be worth a try.
But when it comes to squirrels eating where they don’t belong, there’s one secret weapon that seems to be successful: the dreaded red pepper bomb. It appears that the squirrel army can’t handle hot foods and red pepper seems to really set them off. They’ll stay away from your flowers, but if you use this technique on your vegetable garden, prepare to be cooking Tex-Mex style for a while.
April 30th, 2006
Not everyone dislikes dandelions in their garden. In fact, some people actually enjoy them and look for them to use for cooking. Dandelions can be eaten in a number of ways including sautéing the stems in a little garlic and olive oil or using them to make dandelion tea, jelly or soup. Many people even use their stems to add to fresh green salads.
If you are not one of these people, however, and prefer a lawn and garden free from dandelions, read on for some helpful hints on how to best remove them.
There are basically two options for removing dandelions. One of these options, and it is the most effective, is to dig them out. You can dig up the dandelion plant by hand or with a tool but be sure to dig out all of its roots. Remember that dandelions have very deep roots. While this option is most effective, it does put a lot of stress on your back and limbs. Some people find that using a tool to remove the dandelions is easier than using just the hands and there are gardening tools designed specifically for that purpose. The most attractive feature of these tools is their long handles – thus the back saving function of the tool. Some of the tools are also supposed to be good for lifting up the weed after uprooting it, tilling the soil and digging small holes. Whether you decide to use a gardening tool or your hands, it is important that you moisten the area surrounding the dandelion first, as this will make the removal of the roots much easier.
The other option is to use Acetic Acid to remove the dandelions. Vinegar has about a five percent concentration of acetic acid but you can buy stronger concentrations at your local gardening store. These solutions can be used effectively to kill the dandelions in your lawn but you must follow instructions carefully when doing so. When incorrectly applied, acetic acid can kill your lawn as well as the dandelions.
To help prevent the dandelions from growing back, be sure to fill the holes with soil or compost where the dandelions were dug up or killed off, and replace with grass seed. Other measures to take to help prevent dandelions from growing back are mowing your lawn high (never take off more than a one third of the grass blade), mowing it regularly (once a week), and leaving grass cuttings on the grass to help prevent seeds from germinating.
If you are not looking to remove all of the dandelions but only wish to control or limit their growth you can take an alternative approach. Instead of digging up entirely the dandelion flowers and their roots, simply sever the roots about two inches below the surface. Afterwards, you must then water, fertilize, and reseed your lawn. This will help rejuvenate it and make it stronger against future dandelion growth.
Dandelions are a hearty flower and spread out and grow quickly. Once they turn from the bright little yellow flower into the white dandelion seed head, the seeds quickly get carried off by the wind to other parts of your garden and reproduce quickly. The only way to prevent this from happening is regular and proper lawn maintenance.
March 20th, 2006
If you’re planning to start a flower garden, you might be a little stumped when it comes to choosing flowers. Although there’s no such thing as a bad choice of flowers, there are some choices that can take your garden from okay to simply magnificent. Consider these simple tips when you’re trying to choose which beautiful blooms you want for your garden.
First of all, how much light do you have? If your garden is located in an area that gets direct sunlight for part of the time, and shade for the rest of the time, your flower choices are almost infinite. The majority of flowers in the world are best adapted to these half-and-half lighting conditions. If your garden area is very sunny, on the other hand, consider planting flowers that not only enjoy sunlight, but can stand up to direct heat. A few good strong sunlight flowers are sunflowers (of course) and daylilies. On the other hand, if your area is more on the shady side, go for lower-light flowers such as irises, tiger lilies, or honeysuckle. These plants are more tolerant of the cooler temperature in the shade, and their photosynthesis process is adapted to smaller amounts of sunlight.
What about soil? If you’re planting in a rocky area, you may have some trouble getting many plants to take root. The ideal dirt for flowers, of course, is black, fine dirt without much rubble. If you live in an area where the ground has a sand consistency, look into planting local flowers- those will be the ones most adapted to growing in sand, such as violets.
Now comes the fun part. Once you get an idea of what types of flowers you’re able to grow, it’s time to think about what types you’d like to grow. Try drawing out your garden on a sheet of paper, based on the various heights the plants are expected to reach. Try framing sunflowers with ground covering plants that will flourish in the shade of the taller plants around them. Pay attention to the colors of the blossoms and arrange them in a pleasing manner. Use your imagination here- feel free to plan a garden with a strict outline, featuring only blue and yellow flowers; or let your brain and your garden run wild, with bursts of random color everywhere. It’s up to you.
Keep in mind that the first year of a flower garden is only the beginning. If you truly want to enjoy your garden to the utmost, try to plant perennials that will return next season. That will give the plants a year to mature and gain strength, and with a little luck, you’ll be surprised each year with a flourishing flower garden that gets stronger and brighter as time goes by.
March 11th, 2006
It seems these days that everyone is getting on the organic food bandwagon. No longer is organic a buzzword reserved for guilty liberals and college students. With its increasing popularity, organic foods are more available in different types of communities, and with a slightly more affordable price tag. There are many benefits to be had in keeping an organic diet. For one, you can be fairly assured that there are no pesticides or other chemicals or preservatives laced into your food. You also can usually fairly easily track where your money is going and who it is supporting after it exchanges hands between you and the checkout person at your local market. Another great way to be even more sure that you have fresh, organic, and cruelty-free produce is to buy from a local farmers market.
If you want to be completely assured of the freshness, quality, and chemical-freeness of your produce, however, there is really only one way to go. That step is, of course, to do your own organic gardening. With the recent influx of community garden projects, it is easy to get in on this kind of project, even if you do not have your own space for gardening at home, or the startup knowledge to create your own organic garden. A lot of cities have groups, or collectives that all chip in a certain amount of money to secure a plot of land and supplies to begin their garden. Each season, members of the collective chip in their dues and spend time planting and tending to the garden. Each member, in exchange for their dues and hard work, is ensured an entire season of fresh, organic, chemical free fruits and vegetables.
With this system, not only do you get a massive amount of organic produce for a very small amount of money, but you also are given the opportunity to learn about how to successfully create your own garden. If you have space on your own land, this is also a great way to learn about how to create and nurture your own organic garden. Beginning with organic seeds, the process of keeping an organic garden is fairly easy. Stray from chemical based products and compost kitchen waste instead of purchasing manure from a store.
Make sure that your garden has plenty of water and sunlight, and do not resort to pesticides to get rid of pesky bugs. There are lots of other tricks out there that do not compromise the integrity of your final organic product. One of these tricks that works for beetles and other large bugs, is to put a sweet wine in little jars around the garden, with a top that is tapered so that they cannot escape once inside. The beetles are attracted to the sweetness, but once inside drown in the mixture. There are lots of other tricks of the trade that you will pick up the longer that you tend to your own garden. The best part of all, though, is enjoying your final result. A salad just tastes better when you know you made it from scratch.
March 6th, 2006
Although not as common to the garden as flowers that bloom in the morning or during the day, flowers that bloom at night or in the evening hours are quite numerous and attractive. Gardens designed specifically for blooming at night are called moon gardens and can have special appeal to those who are not at home to enjoy their gardens during the day. Moon gardens typically consist of plants that are fragrant, have white flowers or foliage, and, of course, bloom in the evening hours. The fragrance of night blooming flowers is especially refreshing and enjoyable and the white flowers and foliage that reflect the moonlight add a shimmering quality to the moon garden. And, while numerous and lovely, flowers are not the only type of plant that can bloom at night. Plants that bloom at night include night-fragrant plants, white blooms and reflective foliage plants, and even some types of vegetables and herbs.
Some typical night blooming flowers are the angels’ trumpet, certain types of daylilies, the evening stock, the moonflower, the evening primrose, and the yucca. Examples of night-fragrant plants that bloom in the evening are the august lily, the fairy lily, fragrant columbine, flowering tobacco, and the night gladiolus. Alba foxglove, Moonraker cape fuchsia, White forsythia, and Alba columbine are just a few examples of white blooms and reflective foliage that bloom at night and, finally, white fruited eggplant, white pumpkins, silver thyme, basil, mints, and oregano are examples of vegetables and herbs that bloom at night.
Of particular interest, and popular in rock gardens, is the Night blooming Cereus. This is a desert flower that is a member of the cactus family and basically looks like a dead bush for the entire year except for one night. The Night blooming Cereus, found in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of southern Arizona, in eastern and western Texas and southern and northern Mexico, blooms only one night a year in June or July. The flowers on the Cereus are very fragrant, are up to four inches wide and eight inches long, and have many petals.
Whatever its type, the plants that bloom at night do so because they are pollinated by nocturnal insects or animals such as moths or bats. Most plants bloom during the day because they attract the insects and animals that pollinate them with vibrant colors. Night blooming plants, however, attract nocturnal insects and animals because they appeal to the highly developed nighttime senses pf the nocturnal animals. Night blooming plants have evolved over time so that they release all kinds of fragrances at night to attract pollinators and so that they also secret nectar at night, which encourages visits from animals that are active only at night.
Gardens of all types are beautiful, whether they are flower gardens or rock gardens, cactus gardens or vegetable gardens, gardens with plants that bloom during the day or gardens with plants that bloom in the evening, but moon gardens have a special appeal and uniqueness that gardens with day blooming plants simply can’t match.
March 3rd, 2006
Gardening is an excellent hobby, combining physical labor with intellectual development. Generally, unless someone really goes overboard, it is more of a stress-relief than a stressor. But with the vast amount of options available, it can seem rather overwhelming at first for the gardening novice. Fortunately, like any other hobby, there’s a great deal of information available for the seeker. But the best advice is – make friends with farmers.
The Internet is, of course, the storehouse for all things information-related. One can find out how to fix Chicken Kiev, what the score was in the 1961 World Series, and do this while playing cards against a 12-year old across the globe. And the Internet can give you information on gardening.
Somewhere in the vast network of computers, the Internet will contain all the information you need when starting a garden. However, there is no substitute for experience. Find and befriend a farmer. Talk to someone whose family has worked the land for generations. Farmers don’t just know the crops, they know the land. They can tell you when it’s going to be a bad winter or a dry summer.
Whether you have the Internet, a farmer, or his almanac, there is information you will need when you start a garden. First, you have to decide what you are going to grow. Do you want to garden flowers? Do you want to grow vegetables? Do you want to plant trees? Once you have decided this, the Internet can show you what plants grow well in your area. Not every fruit, vegetable and flower grows equally well in all areas. It’s why you don’t see orange trees in Alaska.
The climate plays a gigantic role in what grows where – and when. In a similar vein, you need to learn what the growing season is in your area. Not every area grows plants at the same time. North Dakotans will tell you that you don’t plant anything in April that is not resistant to cold. You can be certain that you will receive one last snowstorm and you don’t want it wiping out your hard efforts before you even start.
So now you take what you want to grow – that actually will grow, what season you will grow it, and you need to plant it. Planting is more complex than just dropping seeds into the ground. It may have worked for Johnny Appleseed, but real gardeners need to prepare the soil. They may possibly need to fence in the garden before ever planting a seed. Anyone who has had his delicious-looking ripe broccoli devoured by a hungry bunny knows the value of a roll of chicken wire.
Once that is done, you plant and wait. Some plants needs careful monitoring during their growth, others can just be left alone. Again, a farmer can tell you this. Regardless of what you decide to grow, gardening is a rewarding hobby. Flower growers can see their labors bloom. Vegetable growers can eat the products of their labor. No matter what though, gardeners put everything into their work and deserve their rewards.
February 26th, 2006
When I was a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors. Reading, writing, playing, and gardening with my mother, I was lucky enough to grow up with a spacious yard filled with all manner of plants. I grew accustomed to this, and looked forward to one day having my own garden and yard to tend to. However, since moving out on my own after college, I have consistently taken up employment, and consequently residence in urban areas. This has led to me living in many different apartments with all different types of people and animals, but never has it led to me having my own yard or garden.
So, in my first apartment I decided that the way that I would have to solve this problem would be do bring some plants into my home. I wanted a small, green, leafy tree, and thought that perhaps some color in the windows would be nice. My friend’s mother, who had lived in the apartment previous to my occupancy warned me repeatedly that she had never been able to keep any plants in the house, and wished me luck, but did not foresee mine being much different than her own.
My luck, as it turns out, was not much different than hers. My three daisies and my small palm tree died within three months, despite regular watering and tons of tender loving care. The sunlight and climate in the apartment were just not suitable to plant life, it seems. For a while, I gave up. I decided that plants were not meant to be indoors, and that I would just have to do without. Then, I went to a friend’s apartment one night. She worked a plant nursery and to say that she took her work home with her would be a staggering understatement.
She had over forty different plants of all different types. Small plants, flowering plants, trees, hanging plants, and even fresh spices in her kitchen. She told me that having a plant for every one hundred square feet of your home can drastically improve the air quality. A few weeks later, she went away for a week and asked me to take care of the plants while she was gone, explaining how they were sectioned into how they needed to be taken care of. After successfully taking care of an entire indoor jungle for a whole week, I felt much better about my capability to take care of indoor plants.
In my next apartment, I bought another palm tree and researched how to take care of it vigorously before it moved in with me. It grew healthily the entire time I lived in that apartment. Recently, I moved into a more spacious apartment with two floors, and I think that my square footage has increased dramatically. So, while I still do not have my own space for a garden or yard, I think that I may need a few more plants to keep the air quality up around here.
February 22nd, 2006
European explorers first learned about popcorn from Native Americans, but there is evidence that popcorn was actually around long before that. Fossil corn pollen has been found in Mexico City dating back 80,000 years! Whatever its origins and however long it has been around, popcorn is definitely one of the most popular snack foods in America.
Popcorn is not only a tasty treat, shared by many families while watching a movie on television, growing it can also be a fun gardening activity – one that you might want to get the whole family involved in, especially if you have young children.
To begin with, you will need popcorn seeds. Seeds can be purchased from most home gardening seed catalogues but it is also possible to use popcorn bought from your local supermarket. If you do decide to purchase your seeds from the supermarket, make sure they are plain popcorn kernels and not a microwave brand. You cannot grow microwave popcorn. Once you have your seeds, you will also need a glass jar, paper towels, soil and water.
Your next step will be to soak a few paper towels in water and then put them inside your glass jar. In the jar and on top of the wet paper towels, you will then place a few popcorn seeds. Next, place the jar in a spot where it will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. The seeds must be kept relatively warm at all times.
Over the next few weeks, you should see the kernels start to sprout and grow. If, at any time, the paper towels get too dry just add a little water to moisten them. Once the kernels have started to sprout, you can move them into a pot with soil. The soil should also be kept moist at all times. Once the soil in the pot is thoroughly warmed, the popcorn sprouts will be ready for transfer to your garden. Before transferring the plant, however, be sure that threat of frost is completely gone. Wait at least ten to fourteen days after the last spring frost before transferring your plant to your garden. It takes approximately ninety days for a popcorn plant to mature entirely.
The popcorn should remain in the garden until the stalks are brown and dry. Once they are completely dry, remove the ear by twisting and snapping the husk from the stalk. Next, you must carefully remove the dried husk from each ear. Cure the kernels by spreading the ears out and placed in an area where they will have warm air circulating around them.
Once the kernels have been curing for about a month, you can pop out the kernels from the ears simply by twisting them until they drop out. Your homegrown popcorn is now ready for eating and you and your family are in for a real treat. Whether you put a special topping on your popcorn or sticking to the traditional butter and salt topping, you can be sure that this popcorn will be some of the best popcorn you’ve ever tasted!
February 18th, 2006
Whether eaten straight from the tree, in a pie, squeezed into juice or cider, or made into a sauce, just about everyone loves apples. And, with the variety of colors, tastes, and textures to choose from, it’s no wonder apples are such a popular fruit.
The first apple trees, called Crab-trees or Wild Apple Trees, originated in Britain and are the ancestors of all the apple trees grown throughout the world today. Growing an apple tree can be fun and rewarding, but there are several factors to take into consideration before planting your tree. Number one on this list of considerations is, of course, the type of apple tree you want to grow and since there are so many different types of apple trees to choose from, you should spend some time thinking about this before you decide. Remember too, that if you plan to do a lot of cooking with the apples that you grow, you need to pick an apple tree that will give you good cooking apples. Empire, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Stayman, and Rome apples are all excellent choices for baking and cooking. Gala, Red Delicious, Braeburn, and Fuji apples aren’t as good for cooking apples and are best eaten fresh.
Another consideration when choosing which apple tree to plant is the size (its height and spread) apple tree that will best suit your garden. An apple tree’s size is dependent on its rootstock. Thus, before purchasing an apple tree, be sure to first ask what type of rootstock it has. If the rootstock is a seedling, the apple tree will grow to be a full size or standard size tree. If, on the other hand, the rootstock is size-controlled or dwarfing, then the tree will grow to be smaller than a full size tree. Fortunately, the rootstock does not affect the type or quality of the fruit the tree produces. It does affect how quickly the tree will bear fruit and can affect its ability to resist pests and disease.
Choosing the right location to plant your tree is also essential to successfully growing a quality apple tree. Apple trees can grow in most types of soil as long as there is enough water and sufficient drainage, as well as sufficient nutrients in the soil and a proper pH level. If at all possible, plant your tree at a slightly elevated level to help avoid over exposure to frost. When the tree is planted on a small hill, the cold air will flow down the hill and not accumulate around the tree. Also, your tree should receive enough direct sunlight so it should not be planted where it will receive too much shade from other trees or buildings. When selecting a site for your tree, you should also consider the tree’s spacing needs. The tree’s rootstock determines how much space a tree will need to grow. Also, make sure the soil surrounding the tree is free from weeds and grass. Grass that grows around the tree will compete with it for the water and nutrients in the soil and prevent the tree from reaching its full growth and productivity.
In addition to which tree to plant, what size tree to plant, and where to plant your tree, if your want to ensure the growth of a healthy tree that produces quality fruit, you must also learn how to properly plant and prune your tree, maintain healthy soil, add adequate fertilizer, and protect it from harmful pests and disease. It may seem like a lot of work, but once you taste the fruit of your labor, you will find it to be well worth your efforts.
February 12th, 2006
Certain activities are not suited to the indoors. The kitchen is not supposed to be used as a motorcycle repair shop. The living room definitely does not double as a basketball court. And children should certain think twice before taking up synchronized swimming in the bathroom. However, if you mother reads this article, she should agree that gardening is as much fun indoors as it is outdoor – it’s a fun, educational, and tasty experience to grow herbs in the house.
Herbs bridge the gap between gardener and chef as they bring dull recipes to life. Try sprinkling some fresh dill into those scrambled eggs. Embolden the flavor of your 89-cent spaghetti sauce with some fresh oregano. Throw a delicious mix of aromatic basil, oregano, and garlic into your next homemade pizza crust. It’ll be delicious addition to a standard recipe.
Growing herbs indoor is easier than it sounds. In some cases, you can just buy a pot that hangs or mounts onto your windowsill or you can set them on a porch or balcony. Regardless of where they go, you need a pot for them. Many gardeners recommend a clay pot because the porous sides hold nutrients and moisture better. It’s also a more natural substance than plastic. In all reality, pick a pot – any pot. Just make sure you get one that allows extra moisture to drain out the bottom. You also may want to put a plate underneath it or purchase a matching saucer so that when the water drains, it doesn’t run everywhere. That would quickly put an end to growing herbs indoors.
The next is to purchase a loose soil to put in the pot. It generally supports the herbs much better than plain air. Check your local greenhouse or Internet vendor to find a mix of potting soil designed for herbs.
Speaking of herbs, buy some. Many people wonder what they should grow. The answer is – whatever you want to eat or look at. If you don’t like chives, don’t buy them. Just think about what you normally use in your cooking. Any self-respecting Italian chef would tell you that basil and oregano is a staple. Parsley is used in cooking and as a garnish. Rosemary and thyme are also some popular herbs. Regardless of what you choose, read the instructions on the packet of seeds or the plant spike if you are using starter plants.
Follow the directions and keep them healthy. Make sure they are getting a good amount of sunlight. Also, you’ll need to water your herbs more often than a garden – possibly once or twice a day. The rule of thumb is to put your thumb (or any other finger) on the soil. If it is dry, water it just until water starts to trickle out of the bottom of the pot. You’ll also need to keep the herbs pinched back so the leaves appear full. If there are any dead leaves on them, be sure to remove them right away.
If you do some simple things, there’s no reason you can’t have a fresh herb garden in your home. They are safe, neat, taste great, and leave a very pleasant natural aroma. Happy gardening!
February 8th, 2006
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