Arguing for Paradise

If you have lived all your life in a city, like I have, then your need to be able to view and touch plants is something that has probably haunted you for years. At least in my case, the idea of developing my own garden came naturally one day during a discussion with some friends on my roof. As they saw it, my apartment building had a lot of unused space on the roof, which no one from the rest of the tenants had ever thought of using. Creating my own paradise in the premises of my own house evolved from a simple idea to a challenge that I wished to take.

Most people consider the creation of a roof garden as a wonderful idea, but it takes great motivation and patience if you wish to begin constructing a roof garden on your own. For me, things were rather simple. During the owners and tenants next board meeting, I introduced my ideas on paper and with the help of a visual aid computer program I gave them a first pick on how the roof garden of our building would look like. The reaction was not exactly what I expected to receive. Instead of happy faces and words of encouragement or even declarations from volunteers that they would help, people looked at me as if I had just landed from Mars and begun questioning my intentions. The first question I had to answer had to do with the cost of my roof garden idea. The second with the time period it would take for everything to finish, while the third, fourth and so on, addresses issues like noise, extra building costs, paperwork, licenses and watering. One person even mentioned that he has heard of a building collapsing because of the excess plantation weight on its roof, which I have never heard of!

While some of the questions had some validity, others annoyed me since people seemed to raise them deliberately, so as to put me on the spot for proposing something that everyone would enjoy, but only I would receive the credit for initiating. A few minutes after I began answering everyone's questions, I too began questioning my determination and if I was ready to overcome various problems and address all of their concerns for something I only-apparently-thought as a wonderful, necessary idea. But fortunately enough, I did not surrender without a "fight." After researching on every single concern I heard that evening and coming up with a budget and a time plan, I contacted all those who had initially been opposing my idea. Then I paid courteous visits to each of those people's residences and obtained their signatures on a piece of paper that a lawyer friend put together for my sake. Since everyone was now in agreement, my roof garden project began and I kept myself busy for ten consecutive weekends. Some volunteers did show up and by the time we were about to finish, everyone in the building was excited that they would soon have a place to relax and dine with friends just above their heads at a brand new roof garden!

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Keep Your Garden Growing With Efficient Garden Supply

Having a blooming garden and keeping it well replenished is no longer a distant dream. For continuing garden supply materials, tools and equipments, convenience is the keyword. Today, the Internet has various options wherein you can choose your plant, figure out the right way of planting and pruning shrubs, order the appropriate fertilizers and have everything delivered to your doorstep. Just at the click of your mouse.

Log on to any of these websites, and shop for your garden supply from the comfort of your home.

www.bloomingbulb.com - This site is a good source for quality flower bulbs, rose gardening and other garden supply equipments. You can seek updated information by opting for their newsletters and chats. Testimonials add an authenticity to the site as well.

If you would like to order your garden supply equipment from www.brecks.com, there is a clearance sale available for exclusive members at the moment. A catalog company and an online supplier of premium bulbs, perennials and trees, Brecks provides you with the facility of ordering via traditional mail. The site also offers you the privilege of consulting their expert panel.

Log on to www.charleysgreenhouse.com for garden supply equipment and climate monitors. You can choose from their collection of greenhouse, greenhouse supplies and other items for your garden.

www.deerbusters.com is an interesting site for garden supply that focuses on wildlife control, fences, deer repellents, insect repellents and tips on controlling birds and dogs. This website also has a section for kids. If you choose to order above $50 dollars, you get free shipping and a free return service.

Another garden supply website that may be helpful is www.directgardening.com. One of the most visited sites, DirectGardening has all regular sections on plant care and interesting ones like tip of the week and the gardeners handbook.

www.dutchgardens.com offers you garden supply straight from the Netherlands. You have the privilege of ordering fresh bulbs and plants from Holland. They have a customer service section that can attend your queries. You also have the choice of going through plant finders and shopping related articles. So what is stopping you? Go ahead and plant beautiful tulips at your home in USA and experience a bit of Holland!

If you would like to opt for environment friendly products for garden supply, log on to www.gardensalive.com. They promote organic products in soil care, lawn care, plant care, pest control and weed control. You have the option of signing up for their newsletter or joining the garden solutions club. Their products are supposed to be alternatives to harsh chemicals.

A one-stop shop for your garden supply, www.gurneys.com supplies vegetable seeds and plants, fruit trees, flowering bulbs along with the regular gardening materials. You can check out their Todays Deals section for current updates.

www.krupps.com provides you the regular garden supply materials along with interesting gifting ideas. Besides, this Michigan based company also sells landscaping items like trellis, stepping stones, wishing wells and more.

You may also log on to www.landscapeUSA.com for your regular garden supply. They have an interesting garden library and cater to the needs of both the full-time landscaper and novice gardener.

Options are abundant for those interested in garden supply. Log on to any of the following for more information - www.gemplers.com , www.mastergardening.com, www.michiganbulb.com and more.

So what are you waiting for? Just visit a site, choose your options and order garden supply equipments from the convenience of your home.

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Things To Know Before Buying Lawn Mower Parts

There are many things to be considered when buying lawn mower parts, and its always helpful to have some advice about the do's and don'ts that need to be considered, with this in mind lets begin.

DO
Always make sure that any mower parts, or even mowers that are purchased have a warranty, I can not stress this enough, if you have no warranty you have no leg to stand on when it comes to faulty merchandise, if you have no problem with paying out good money for parts that are most probably going to be faulty, and no use to you anyway- that's fine, otherwise always enquire into the warranty of a product before purchasing.

DON'T
Never buy second hand parts, sure they are cheaper but it is likely they will not be of the quality you desire or will not be covered by a warranty, besides if you buy a part that has been used before, that just means someone has had the best run out of it already. Avoid second hand, pay a little extra for quality.

DO
Seek advice and parts from an approved dealer, it may seem a little more expensive to go through a registered dealer, but they stock the correct parts for your mower and are familiar with the different parts and mowers that they sell. They have had specialist training in their field, you know you can trust their word, it is backed by a huge company.

DON'T
Never use non-brand name parts for your mower, once again they are cheaper, but they aren't always good quality, if you use a non brand part it is likely that you will void your warranty of your mower, if there is a defect arising from using un-approved parts. It's not worth the hassle to save a few dollars.

DO
Be wary of companies, that seem non-professional and are offering parts at 'ridiculously' low prices, these will either be a scam or the parts will most likely be defective. Think to your self, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you deal through a large company, or directly through the company you bought your mower from, you know they aren't going to scam you, then jump up and run away, they have built a product and company name for many years to be where they are now - in the position to offer stability and reliability.

DON'T
Never buy the first part that you see, research, look around see if any reputable companies are offering a good deal for that month, make sure it is an approved dealership, that is one way you can save a few bucks safely, just make sure that the bargain you are buying is exactly what you need, and has a warranty attached to it!

There are many choices available online, when finding parts for your lawn mower, and with proper research and a little know how you can get the best product for your money, and have the information at your fingertips. Keep in mind the do's and don'ts of buying lawn mower parts when researching and you can't go wrong!

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Which is Better, Bare Root or Potted Hostas?

The great debate. Bare Root or Potted Hostas? Which is the best choice for your average home gardener to purchase? Should you only buy potted plants or should you consider buying bare root hostas as well?

Let's cover the basics. A bare root hosta is simply a piece of freshly dug plant and root material. When you dig up an existing hosta clump and divide a few eyes from this clump, you have a piece of bare root hosta. A potted hosta on the other hand, is this same bare root piece of plant material which has been transplanted intoa pot. Usually a potted hosta which is actively growing is proof of a successful transplant experience.

Since bare root pieces still have to endure the transplant process to survive, it is a fact you will have more transplanting success with potted hostas since they are already established. Many hosta vendors may argue this claim but I have found almost all of those who discredit this claim sell bare root hostas exclusively. So it is only natural they are "defending" their livelihood.

My experience is over 20 years growing and selling hostas. I am going to reveal to you what I think is the best solution for most home gardeners. I have dealt with growing and selling both bare-root hosta and potted hostas so my revelations are based on experience.

When is the last time you walked into your local garden center and purchased a bare root hosta? More than likely this has not occurred unless you walked into a specialty hosta grower who digs the plants on the spot. Why is this? I do not understand why the majority of Mail Order firms tend to ship bare root hostas. My only guess is to save on shipping costs?

I think potted hostas are better for the average home gardener. Why? They offer several advantages which include:

No Transplant Shock
Planting Convenience
Survival Rates

There is little or no transplant shock when transferring a nicely rooted potted hosta into the ground. Usually a few sips of water after transplanting and you are done. Bare root hostas on the other hand endure shock since they have been cut or separated from the mother plant. The roots are usually cleaned of all soil. Does this sound natural? Each step causes more shock to the existing plant.

A potted plant offers the buyer the conveniece to plant when he or she has the time. Most potted hostas can last for several month if not longer in their existing pots if need be. This allows the home gardener to plant during a weekend when they have the time, not necessarily immediately upon purchase.

People will argue with me but I dare say potted hostas endure better survival rates when considering the average home gardeners growing environment. I have been involved with growing acres of bare root hostas and thousands of potted hostas. I have witnessed first hand the survival rate of bare root hostas versus potted hostas. Potted hostas outperform bare root hostas any day of the week when it comes to transplanting survival rates. So next time you are looking to add some hostas to you garden just make sure they are potted!

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Essential Tools For The Gardener

There's an appropriate tool for every garden project. Using the right tool will make your job much easier. When shopping for garden tools make sure they're comfortable. Tools which are too heavy can quickly become tiresome while tools which are not heavy enough seem to be poorly made. The handles of well made tools are made from high-quality wood such as ash. The following are the tools which every gardener should own.

Grading Rake
The grading rake is essential for smoothing soil after it has been tilled. Ideal for finish work when preparing planting beds or a new lawn, it enables you to give your garden a finished smooth grade.

Cultivator
These modern gardening tools are available with patented tines to help in cutting the hard compacted soil smoothly. Some cultivators include a border edger. It is perfect for perennial gardens which often end up with compacted soil due to frequent maintenance. Cultivators are great for preparing vegetable gardens and annual beds.

Edger
This gardening helps flower gardens and shrub borders retain their shape. Over time lawn grass begin to encroach on the these gardens and as a result the gardens lose their crisp lines. Edging a garden a few times over the course of a season will prevent grass roots from taking hold in the planting beds.

Pitch Fork
The pitch fork is the perfect tool for aerating compacted soil and preparing garden beds. Pitch forks are also used to divide grasses and perennials. In addition to this these gardening projects the pith fork is often used to spread mulch in the spring.

Reel Mower
Engineless push reel mowers are great for the small lawn. They use no gas, don't pollute and actually give a cleaner cut than a power mower. One drawback is that this type of mower tends to get bogged down a bit in taller grass so more frequent mowing may be necessary. The modern version of this type of mower is light weight and easy to maneuver.

Hand Pruners
For cleaner, more precise cuts, look for hand shears with bypass blades, which slip past each other when closed and cut the branch cleanly. Hand pruners are able to prune branches of 1 inch (2.5 cm) and smaller diameter. Select a pair of garden shears that fits comfortably in your hand.

Loppers
These are basically pruners with long handles which provide leverage and the ability to prune branches up to 2 inches (5 cm) thick.

Compact Pruning Saw
This is a very convenient and useful tool which is small enough fit into the middle of a shrub to cut a branch.

Over the winter, head out to the shed and take an inventory of your gardening tools. Be sure you have what you'll need for next season's garden projects. More than likely there's a tool on this list you'll need.

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Planting An Herb Garden

Herbs of all kinds have been cultivated and used for thousands of years. They have been used for cooking, tea and medicinal purposes. Herb gardens easy to grow and require little maintenance. The following article covers the basics of starting an herb garden.

Plan your garden before planting it. Consider the herbs you want to plant and what you'll use them for. Herbs grow in various ways; some herbs, such as thyme, are low growing and spreading while others, such as parsley, grow in clumps. Mint is a taller, vigorously growing herb which often needs to be contained. Herbs are considered either annuals or perennials and many will bloom just like more traditional flowers.

List or draw your garden on paper first. If you know the size of your garden you'll easily be able to choose the appropriate plants. Likewise, if you have certain herbs in mind you'll able to plan the right size garden. Plant the annuals and the perennials in different locations in the garden. When fall arrives and you have to pull out the annuals, you won't disturb the perennials. Perennials can be planted on the edge of your garden so when it is time to till your garden they won't be in danger of being dug up.

Research the growth habit of the herbs you plant in the garden. As a general garden design rule, plan your garden with the tall herbs at the back and the short ones in front. Also, give your plants with enough space to grow; many of the spreading herbs require quite a bit of space. In fact, some can be quite invasive and require frequent pruning.

If you lack the adequate space for a garden, plant your herbs in containers. Be sure to use a high quality planting mix. A good planting mix will feed your plants throughout the entire growing season.

Designing your garden depends on the plants you choose as well as your own preferences. Square beds can be divided into four by two paths crossing at mid point. You can border it with stone or brick. A more rustic idea is to create a wagon wheel bed. Plant your herbs within the wagon wheel's wedges. Locate the garden where they'll be easiest to access; especially if you plan on using them in your cooking. An herb garden adjacent to a patio usually works well. Kitchen window boxes are also a great place to plant herbs.

Though different herbs have different needs, a sunny location is almost always necessary. Add lime to your garden since many herbs also prefer alkaline soil. Become familiar with the herbs you'll be planting and design and prepare your garden accordingly. Though perennial herbs can be planted anytime during the growing season, annuals should be planted in the spring, after there is no longer a chance of frost. You can also start herbs from seed, just be sure to follow the directions on the packet for soil, watering and temperature.

Herbs are simple to grow and, once established, easy to maintain. If you provide them with adequate drainage, a sunny spot, water and nutrient rich, organic soil, your herb garden with thrive for years.

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Hydroponics - Growing Plants Without Soil

Derived from the Greek "water working", hydroponics simply means growing plants in either a bath or flow of highly oxygenated, nutrient rich water. The strange part is hydroponics does not need soil to grow. During hydroponics water is enriched with nutrients salts, creating a hydroponics nutrient solution that remains perfectly balanced. The advantage of hydroponics is it does not harm the environment as does waste from fertilized soils.

Requirements for hydroponics

Hydroponics systems cannot be applicable in poor growing conditions such as improper temperature, inadequate light, or pests' problems.
Following are the requirements for hydroponics plants to survive:
? Water - you have to provide adequate amount of water. If the aggregate amount of water is not enough to keep the roots sufficiently moist, then the plants may dry and die. Make sure that water contains adequate [neither excess nor less] amount of alkalinity, sodium or salt contents for survival of hydroponics.
? Oxygen - plants will require good amount of oxygen for respiration to carry out their work of nutrients and water uptake. The best way to supply oxygen is to bubble the air through the water solution.
? Temperature - hydroponics grow well within limited temperature range. Either too high or too low temperature results in reduced productions and abnormal developments of the plants.
? Light - plants like vegetables and fruits grown through hydroponics need at least 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight each day to produce well. However as an alternative to sunlight, you can apply incandescent light or high-pressure sodium lamps to produce the same effects.
? Mineral nutrients - green plants must absorb certain minerals through their roots to survive. The essential elements needed in large quantities include potassium, calcium, nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus and sulfur.

Hydroponics may also be called "controlled environmental agriculture" as it helps to control the environmental systems like water, light, CO2, oxygen, pH and nutrients.

Hydroponics growing technique

Hydroponics has a completely different growing technique method as compared to normal gardening methods.
Following are the brief ways you can grow hydroponics:
? Nutrient film technique - the nutrient is fed into grow tubes where the roots draw it up. While a thin film of nutrient allows the roots to have constant contact with nutrients and the air layer above, the excess nutrient is drawn back into the reservoir.
? Aeroponics or deep water culture - in this system the roots are misted within a chamber. A pump pushes the water with nutrient solution through sprayers, keeping the roots wet while providing a maximum amount of oxygen.
? Drip-irrigation - this is also known as micro-irrigation where a controlled amount of solution is continuously drip-fed over the medium and root system. There is another tube that gets connected to the lower part of the garden system to recover the solution.
? Home hobbyists system - these systems include deep water and aeroponics systems, which are more famous with housewives and children.

Grow hydroponics in your home, restaurant or office to give a completely different and fresh touch to the surrounding ambience.

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How to Do Indoor Gardening

Plants are just as popular as furniture when one is deciding on furniture and soft furnishings.
Aside from the aesthetic value plants provide your home with, there are also health benefits - grade school science class tells us that plants cleanse the air through utilizing the carbon dioxide and producing more oxygen. Here is some important information on how to care for your indoor plants to gain the optimum health and aesthetic benefits.

Lighting

Most indoor plants need good lighting. You can provide this through natural lighting in the room of your choice or there must be electric lighting. Darker leaved plants usually don't need as much light as others.

Here are the varieties of plants (usually those that only require medium to low light) that are known to be suitable for indoor gardening:

a. Philodendrons
b. Boston ferns
c. African violets
d. Cyclamens
e. Creeping Fig

Watering

A common mistake most people make in indoor gardening is they tend to over-water the plants, which may lead to rotting roots. Make sure to research the type of plant you have, because each kind of plant varies on their watering needs.

Potting

Choose good quality and attractive container for your indoor plants. Make sure that the pot is clean before placing your new plant into it to prevent infection and to encourage healthy growth.

Humidity

In indoor gardening, humidity is a big issue. The amount of moisture in the air has effect on the growth of the plants. During mornings, you could spray the plants with water for their much-needed moisture. Make sure the leaves don't get covered in dust.

Fertilization

Just like watering, fertilizing depends on the type of plant. If you have managed to supply your indoor garden with the right amount of light, water and humidity, fertilization may not need much attention. A good indoor fertilizer can be bought from most home depot or hardware stores. Orchids need the special fertilizer available.

Putting Houseplants Outside for the Summer

When the weather warms in the spring, houseplants can be put outside. Don't be too anxious to move your houseplants outdoors, even a good chill can knock the leaves off tender plants. Monitor houseplants spending the warm months outside. Move plants to calmer spots if leaves are being wind damaged. If pots dry out rapidly, move plants into some protection from wind or shade, or repot if needed.

Pruning Houseplants

In addition to shaping plants and removing yellowed and withered leaves, pruning encourages low-growing foliage, which makes plants fuller and more attractive. Lightly prune houseplants regularly during their active growth, but leave hard pruning for spring and fall.
How to Prune Houseplants
Always use sharp scissors or pruning shears that wont crush stems or leave jagged edges, which can invite disease.

1. To shape lightly during the growing season, snip off withered or yellowed stems, spent flower heads, and elongated or overzealous growth. After pruning shaggy outer parts, probe inside the plant and remove hidden dieback there.
2. To encourage denser, more compact growth in spring and fall, snip stems just above a new leaf or leaf node. Prune heavily in spring, when plants can rebound during growth season, or in fall to prepare plants for winter.

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Hostas and Fertilizer

Some people say hostas and fertilizers do not mix as they are such as hardy plant that they don't need to be traumatized by fertilizer. Furthermore if you optimize your soil in the first place you won't need fertilizer.

Most professional hosta gardeners recommend a 10-10-10 blend of fertilizer for hostas as a kind of universal food for the plants. However what you really need to create the perfect soil conditions for hostas is a soil test. This will provide you with an accurate picture of what nutrients your soil is missing. Your county's office can usually do this for you or you can hire a private testing lab. The fee for this is pretty affordable and you will know exactly what fertilizer to use to augment your soil with fertilizers to grow hostas.

When it comes to hostas and fertilizer your first application should be early in the spring. This is the point when the hostas emerge from their dormant winter phase. Most professional and hobby growers of hostas say this is the time at which the plant needs more nitrogen so a 20-10-10 hosta fertilizer or even a 20-20-20 hosta fertilizer will encourage the plant to expand its root system.

The next application of fertilizer to your hostas should be in early summer after the foliage has opened. The difference between this application and the one you did in early spring is that the hosta fertilizer will be lower in nitrogen. In this case you can use the 10-10-10 or a 10-20-20 solutions to feed your hostas.

You can also skip using any of the commercial fertilizers and go organic. There are many types of organic fertilizers for hostas including ones made of manures, compost, seaweed, fish emulsion, blood meal, cottonseed and bone meal. Keep in mind that if you use an organic hosta fertilizer that it will be very high in nitrogen and therefore best to use early in the spring. As this type of organic hosta fertilizer breaks down it becomes less rich in nitrogen. Also as it breaks down it adds humic acids to the soil, which help support the growth of healthy microbes in the soil. This is why organic fertilizer is beneficial as a natural time-release substance that will enrich your hostas over an entire growing season.

When it comes to hostas and fertilizers you can't go wrong applying manure or composted manure. Simply lightly pack a couple of inches of manure or composted manure to the surface of the soil at the beginning of each growing season. For optimum results make sure that the plant has an inch or so space away from the manure layered. This will help enhance the health of your hostas and keep them looking gorgeous all season long.

Some of the commercial hosta growers use a slow release fertilizer such as osmocote. This product can be found at your local garden center or at stores such as Menards or Home Depot. The advantage of this type of fertilizer is there is less of a chance of plant burn since fertilizer is released over time. I incorporate slow release fertilizer into the soil before transplanting hostas. I have found an application in June will produce some nice new growth which will be visible in August.

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tulip bulbs - How to Plant

Mixed Colors Triumph Tulip

(ARA) - Tulip bulbs - Every fall intrepid gardeners ponder their properties and plan for the new year. Or, more likely, every spring property owners drive about and jealously wonder why they did not plan ahead for beautiful spring colors bursting from tulips, daffodils and crocus. Well, now is the time to plan ahead and get your garden in shape.

If you want a high visual impact with early spring colors, then Tim Schipper, a third generation flower bulb merchant, advocates planting 100 tulip bulbs as the best way to go. His company, Colorblends, may be one of the best-kept secrets in the gardening world. This family-owned wholesaler has supplied top-quality flower bulbs to the trade for more than 90 years. Now Colorblends accepts orders from private customers, too.

What is soil?

s surface, like icing on a birthday cake!Your grass grows on it.You might call it dirt instead of soil.What forms soil? Soil is made from rocks that are broken up into tiny pieces over a long period of time, as well as dead leaves, roots, twigs, dead bugs, and stuff like that. It also has water and air in it.

What does soil do that makes it so important?

Soil is what holds plants up so they don't fall over. Plants would look silly lying on the ground. Is top soil good for this also?

Soil makes food for plants to grow big and strong just like your mom or dad makes food for you to eat.

Soil also helps rain and snow soak into the ground. That way plants can get a drink when they are thirsty. Rain and snow soaking into the ground also helps prevent flooding.

Best of all, some of this ground water eventually ends up in the streams and lakes that we like to swim and fish in.

Soil being the most important component of a great yard and garden. We feed the soil not the plant. Get soil supplies here at
SOIL

Growing Vegetables and Herbs Indoors

My indoor grow lamp

How to Grow Herbs Indoors

If you live in a northern climate where the growing season is short, it might be to your advantage to move your garden indoors. Obviously, this cannot be accomplished physically, but a small scale version of it is not beyond reason.

Shown above: Lighting Assembly to Grow Indoor Vegetables or Herbs

Construct Your Own Inexpensive Indoor Grow Lamp

Construct Your Own Inexpensive Indoor Grow Lamp

Why would anyone want to even contemplate this approach?

An individual first has to consider their family needs, as far as estimating the amount of vegetables that would be consumed on a weekly basis and what kind of space would be required to supply that given amount. You must first ask yourself: how many people will be consuming the virtually continuous harvest, realizing this makeshift garden of yours will be supplying your family's needs 365 days a year since you are controlling its environment.

Some Advantages Along With a Disadvantage of an Indoor Garden

Advantages:

How to Make Your Own Organic Fertilizer at Home

Dried banana peel fertilizer

In today's world, one must find any way to save money and for anyone trying to plant their own vegetables in their own little back yard organic garden can be expensive. Simply planting an indoor garden, fertilizer can be very expensive, especially organically derived fertilizer.

So, Where Do You Start?

Anyone with a little bit of determination can make their own plant food, especially if a small organic garden is being planned. You can buy prepared organic fertilizer that will serve most any grower's needs, but sometimes the expense can be prohibitive.

A Guide To A Better Way

Some backyard gardeners build a small compost pile or construct a bin and discard their refuse from table scraps and layer it on a regular basis with a little loamy soil and keep it watered.

How About An Unorthodox Approach

By making your own organic fertilizer you will save a lot of money. You can use simple organic waste and prepare it yourself very easily. One example when you or someone else in your household is about to throw out their banana peel, tell them to save it. The next step is to dry it in a small toaster oven or regular oven until you can pulverize it to powder in a small dish.

Example Of The Analysis Of Banana Peel And Other Organic Materials

Banana peelN

Keys to a No-Work Organic Vegetable Garden

back yard garden

Fresh and nutritious vegetables are a shopper's dream, but if we also want organically grown, we will have to pay a premium and sometimes they are not available everywhere. Is there a simple solution to this problem?

It would certainly be nice if everything were simple in life. Not so, in most cases. To envision having a vegetable garden in your back yard can sometimes be trying to anyone. Maybe you have recently purchased a home. In order to accommodate even a small garden would require allotting some unused land area, preferably in your back yard. If the area you chose is in a field of wild grass, that would be ideal. The grass, when turned under would act as an ideal fertilizer; well it would be free anyhow.

Area chosen should not be adjacent to a neighbor's garden and preferably slightly higher in elevation. The reason is simple. It may be that their garden uses chemical fertilizers for growing their vegetables and during heavy rains could wash over into your garden.

The next stage would require simply adding organic fertilizer such as horse manure, cow manure, chicken manure, or composted organic material such as weeds from your grass area, your future garden weeds, stirred, but not shaken, of its now enriched soil, yard shrub clippings, table scraps and even hair cut droppings. (Human hair contains about 38% Nitrogen, probably the highest of anything). Also, Eggshells, clam shells, fish heads, etc.

Constructing Your Compost Bin, Your Endless Home Fertilizer Source

Here is where ALL your organic refuse is stored, part of a total recycling system, or $ 00 cost fertilizer supply. You don't even have to gas-up the car to run out to the farm store. The fabrication is simple: a 4x4x4 cube, open at the top and possibly even a hinged front gate to hand churn the organic mixture, which will be

Organic strawberries are a wonderful alternative to traditional strawberries

; strawberries do not travel well they are a soft fruit and bruised easily yet taste of home-grown strawberries is sublime. One of the reasons that growing organic strawberries is so attractive is the fact that generally a large amount of pesticide is used in their production. Because the seeds are on the outside they are attractive to birds and farmers use pesticide to deter the birds from eating fruit.

Most people's iconic moment that defines summer is the moment that they bite into the first juicy sweet strawberry of the summer, and you can grow them in the yard or a sunny porch they do not necessarily need a strawberry patch.

Strawberries need only three things to grow and that is lots of sunlight, at least six hours a day, lots of water, a good rich soil; with good drainage; with those three conditions the strawberries will flourish. The strawberries are easy to grow with the soil high in organic matter, and they prefer slightly acid soil with a pH value of between 5.5 and 6.5. The root of the strawberry plant will rot without good drainage.

Strawberry Types

There are essentially three types of strawberry plants,

June-bearing

June bearing strawberry plants are early mid to late June produces the advantage of using the June bearing plants is the fact that they work well in dedicated Strawberry patches as they produced a long runners this then the room to spread and develop into new plants. Their disadvantage if it can be called that is the fact they produce or their strawberries out once.

Ever-bearing

Ever bearing strawberries produce fruit from late spring until the early fall the advantage of this plant is that they will always bear fruit but the plants are small and they do not develop long runners which means that they don't produce many strawberries at one time. Great for people who like home grown organic strawberries on their cereal every morning.

Day- neutral.

Day-Neutral produce a crop from spring until the fall but the majority of strawberries are produced at the back end of the season the disadvantage of these plants is they dislike really hot summers.

Strawberry growing Tips.

Once you have planted your strawberries strew pine needles around the plants when the needles decompose they raise the soil acidity.

Ever-bearing or day-neutral varieties thrive if you remove the first few signs of strawberries this allows the plant to establish itself.

Strawberries should not be grown near tomatoes eggplants raspberries potatoes or peppers because the plants may have verticillium wilt, which easily infects the crop.

Strawberry Patch Maintenance

Water

A well drained soil is necessary to produce fruit they need at least an inch of water a week. Strawberries have shallow roots and if the root dries out because the soil has dried out the fruit production will cease immediately.

Fertilizing

Strawberries benefit from constant nutrition they should be fed at least once a month with bone meal.

Keep your strawberry patch weed free

It is important to keep your strawberry patch weed free, because the weeds take water and that is needed to produce the strawberry fruit.

Pests that Attack Strawberries

Strawberries are a low maintenance crop with a few disease problems but the diseases that they do get are difficult to deal with. The greatest problem to strawberry growth is the birds they love to peck at ripening strawberries. One of the easiest ways to deal with this is netting, it is cheap and easy to use and effective.

Slugs and snails nestle in the strawberry foliage and many gardeners use copper edging around their strawberry plants because it creates an electric reaction when it comes in contact with their slime and not surprisingly this is an effective deterrent.

Verticillium wilt is of the disease which prevents the fruit from forming and kills the plant; to all intents and purposes there no effective cure once the plant has the fungal infection in his dead however modern plants have been bred to be resistant to verticillium wilt.

You've heard the expression a bad workman blames his tools; there is no excuse for any chef ever to blame their pans. Today there are perfect pans for every kitchen job. It is a question of finding out which pan works best. Nonstick stainless steel cookware conducts heat very well and they are perfect for making sauces and jams. If you have only a small strawberry crop you can make home-made sauce or strawberry coulis for your ice cream.

Homemade strawberry Jam.

Ingredients 1kg /2lb 3oz strawberries 1kg/2lb 3oz granulated sugar or caster sugar

Jojoba oil is really a vegetable oil derived out of the jojoba bean.

If put on vegetation, pesticide items that contains the oil may manage white flies; the oil goods are likewise accepted for managing powdery mildew on grapes as well as ornamentals. Whenever utilized as guided, jojoba shows absolutely no recognized dangers to people or the surroundings. The oil has been utilized for many years in makeup, without any documented negative effects.

It is also known as coffeeberry, deer nut, goat nut, gray box bush, pignut, quinine nut and wild hazel.

Information of the Active component

The real qualities of this oil act like those of other vegetable oils, even though it includes a chemical framework that's fairly distinctive from those of many vegetable oils. The oil is liquid from room temperature, odor free, and resistance against getting sour. One way it behaves as a way to kill pests is by developing a physical screen between an insect pest and also the leaf surface area.

Application Techniques: The pesticide is used simply by ground use like a spray that contains 1 percent or less ultimate content level of this oil. Applications might be done again when needed

Determining Dangers to Human Health

Depending on direct exposure and toxicity info, zero undesirable human health results are anticipated whenever the oil is used for a way to kill pests. Exposure levels are reduced. The majority of consumed jojoba oil is wiped out unaffected within the fecal material, therefore almost none will get dispersed to the body.

Determining Dangers to the Ecosystem

Environmental protection agency concludes that this oil doesn't present a danger to non-target microorganisms or the surroundings if used as guided. It is quickly degraded within the environment and it is used in small amounts. Since oils are usually poisonous to marine organisms, It should not be applied or discarded in lakes as well as other bodies of water.

Return from Jojoba oil to the Home page.

soil testing labs

by State

Soil testing is frequently get done by commercial laboratories that furnish an broad range of specific tests. Selecting the test lab place is simply as significant as the test results. There are numerous in the US, but discovering the appropriate one for you will mean a little research. It is advantageous for the soil owner to find the most local lab, since the techs will have a keener knowledge and more education doing work with the localized soils.

Tests cover, but are not restricted to, the major nutrients - nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P) and potassium(K); the secondary nutrients - calcium, magnesium, sulphur; and minor nutrients - aluminum, boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc; physical properties - electrical conductivity, moisture content, soil acidity, soil organic matter and soil contaminants like fuel ingredients like benzene, petroleum hydrocarbons, toluene and xylene.

This list is sampling of the labs around the country and are not listed here as endorsed labs by myself. Please look or ask around your local area for soil test labs.

Alabama Soil Testing Laboratory, 118 Funchess Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849-541, (334) 844-3958

Alaska University of Alaska Fairbanks, Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Lab,Palmer Research Center, 533 E. Fireweed Ave.Palmer, AK 99645, (907) 746-9482

Arizona United Horticultural Supply, 4429 N. Highway Dr., Tucson, AZ 85705, (800) 825-2474

Arkansas Soil Testing Laboratory, 8 Lee Road 214, Marianna, AR 72360-8629, (870) 295-2851

California Associated Labs (Ed Behare), 714/771-6900, 806 N.Batavia, Orange, CA 92668

Soil and Plant Laboratory, Inc., 714/282-8777, 1594 North Main St., Orange, CA 92867

Colorado Soil, Water & Plant Testing Lab, Natural & Environmental Sciences Bldg., Rm. A319 , Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 80523-1120, (970) 491-5061

Connecticut Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory, 6 Sherman Place, Unit-5102, Storrs, CT 06269-5102, (860) 486-4274

Delaware Soil Testing Program,Dept. of Plant & Soil Science, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19717-1303, (302) 831-1392

Florida Soil Testing Lab, IFAS, 631 Wallace Building, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0740, (352) 392-1950

Georgia Soil, Plant & Water Analysis Lab, University of Georgia, 2400 College Station Rd., Athens, GA 30602, (706) 542-5350

Waters Agricultural Laboratories, Inc., 257 Newton Highway, P.O. Box 382, Camille, GA 31730-0382, 229-336-7216http://www.watersag.com/pesticide.htm

Hawaii Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center, Sherman Lab 134, University of Hawaii, 1910 E. West Rd., Honolulu, HI 96822(808) 956-6706

Idaho Analytical Science Lab, Holm Research Center, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-2203, (208) 885-7081

Illinois Universal Analytical Laboratory Inc., 15006 State Route 127, Carlyle, IL 62231, (618) 594-2627, http://www.ualab.com

Indiana A&L Great Lakes Labs, 3505 Conestoga Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46808-4413, (219) 483-4759, http://www.algreatlakes.com

Iowa Iowa State University Soil Testing Lab, G501 Agronomy, Ames, IA 50011, (515) 294-3076

Kansas K-State Agronomy Soil Testing Lab, 2308 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center , Manhattan, KS 66506 , (785) 532-7897

Kentucky University of Kentucky , 103 Regulatory Service Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40548-0275(606) 257-7355

Louisiana Soil Testing Lab, 125 Madison B. Sturgis Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, (225) 388-1261

Maine Maine Soil Testing Service, 5722 Deering Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5722, (207) 581-2934

Woods Ends Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 297, Mt Vernon, ME 04352, (207) 293-2457

Maryland A & L Eastern Agricultural Laboratories, 7621 Whitepine Road, Richmond, VA 23237, 804-743-9401, www.al-labs-eastern.com

Massachusetts Soil and Plant Tissue Testing Lab , West Experiment Station , 682 North Pleasant Street , University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003

Michigan Soil & Plant Nutrient Lab, Michigan State University, Plant & Soil Sciences Building, Rm. A-81, East Lansing, MI 48824-1325(517) 355-0218

Minnesota Soil Testing Lab, University of Minnesota, 135 Crops Research Building, 1902 Dudley Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, (612) 625-3101

Mississippi Soil Testing Lab, Mississippi State University, Box 9610, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-3313

Missouri EarthCo, P.O. Box 50084, St. Louis, MO 63105, http://www.earthtest.com, Gives organic recommendations for soil amendment.

Soil Testing Lab, 23 Mumford Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, (314) 882-0623

Montana Land Resources & Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Marie Rippy, Administ. Asst., Bozeman, MT 59717, (406) 994-3515

Nebraska Midwest Laboratories Inc., 13611 B. St., Omaha, NE 68144, http://www.midwestlabs.com, A private lab that provides organic recommendations.

Soil & Plant Analytical Lab, University of Nebraska, 139 Keim Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-1571, (402) 472-1571

Ward Laboratories, Inc., P.O. Box 788, Kearney, NE 68848, (308) 234-2418, http://www.wardlab.com

Nevada Western Area Hort. Specialist, P.O. Box 11130, Reno, NV 89520, (702) 784-4848

New Hampshire Soil Testing Lab, University of New Hampshire, Spaulding Life Sciences, 38 College Rd., Durham, NH 03824, (603) 862-3210

New Jersey Rutgers Cooperative Extension Soil Testing Lab, P.O. Box 902, Milltown, NJ 08850, (732) 932-9295

New Mexico Soil, Water & Air Testing Lab, Box 30,003, Dept. 3Q, Las Cruces, NM 88003, (505) 646-4422

New York Cornell Nutrient Analysis Lab, 804 Bradfield Hall, S.C.A.S., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

North Carolina N.C. Dept. of Agriculture, Soil Testing Section, 4300 Reedy Creek Rd., Raleigh, NC 27607, (919) 733-2655

North Dakota Soil Testing Lab, Waldron Hall, North Dakota State University, P.O. Box 5575, Fargo, ND 58105, (701) 231-8942

Ohio Brookside Laboratories, Inc., 308 South Main St., New Knoxville, OH 45871, 419-753-2448, http://www.blinc.com/

Spectrum Analytic Inc., P.O. Box 639, 1087 Jamison Rd., Washington Court House, OH 43160, (740) 335-1562
http://www.spectrumanalytic.com/

Oklahoma Oklahoma State University, Soil, Water & Forage Lab, 048 Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, (405) 744-6630
http://clay.agr.okstate.edu/extension/swfal/intro.htm

Oregon Soil and Plant Laboratory, Inc., 2235 SE 60th Ave, Portland, OR 97215, 503-557-4959, http://www.soilandplantlaboratory.com

Pennsylvania Agri Analysis, Inc., P.O. Box 483, 280 Newport Rd., Leola, PA 17540, 717-656-9326, http://www.agrianalysis.com/

Agricultural Analytical ServicesPenn State University, Tower Rd., University Park, PA 16802, (814) 863-0841, http://www.aasl.psu.edu

Rhode Island Soil Test Coordinator, Cooperative Extension Ed. Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881,(800) 448-1011

South Carolina Agricultural Service Lab at Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0313, (864) 656-2068

South Dakota Soil Testing Lab, South Dakota State University , Box 2207 A, Agricultural Hall 07, Brookings, SD 57007-1096, (605) 688-4766

Tennessee University of Tennessee Soil Testing Lab, 5201 Marchant Drive, Nashville, TN 37211-5112, (615) 832-5850

Texas A&L Agricultural Laboratories, 302 34th Street, P.O. Box 1590, Lubbock, TX 79408, (806) 763-4278, http://www.al-labs-plains.com,scot

Understanding Grass Seed Germination

Grass seed germination keeps you in suspense! You get one chance, but you wait weeks to see if you did it right!

Are your expectations for the outcome reasonable?

Does every little grass seed sprout and grow?

Many factors affect grass seed germination. The success of your lawn project is not completely under your control, but you can do a lot to improve the final result.

Grass seed germination is simply the growth process that occurs when the seed absorbs sufficient moisture to start sprouting. This is regulated by soil temperature according to the variety of grass. The hull, or hard outer casing, may delay this process until conditions are favorable.

Once germination begins, if the environment changes significantly (like being too hot and dry), the seed or sprout will die. It cannot start to grow, then stop because something is wrong, wait till conditions improve, and then continue the process.

Requirements For Grass Seed Germination

Moisture
Adequate moisture must be present throughout the process. Too little and the seed can dry out. Too much moisture and the seed can rot. Read the article Watering New Grass Seed for guidelines.

Warmth
Soil temperatures should be in the appropriate range for the variety of grass. Cool season grass requires a minimum range of 45 - 55 degrees. Warm season grass requires a minimum 55- 65 degrees. Note that soil temperatures are usually cooler than air temperature. In addition to the density of the ground that is slower to warm up, moisture evaporating from the surface has a cooling effect.

Oxygen
When the sprout breaks through the seed, it requires oxygen for its growth process. When soil is over saturated with water, oxygen is not present and the sprout cannot grow. Compacted soil can also contribute to this problem.

Light
A seed has limited resources to support growth while below ground. The sprout must break through the surface in order for the photosynthesis process to function and create food for the plant. Sprouts will not be able to reach the surface if seeds are buried too deep.

Factors that improve grass seed germinationThe seed should be in direct contact with the soil to absorb moisture. Rake the seed lightly after sowing to mix it with the dirt and/or go over it with a light roller to press it into the soil. Get more details at Planting Grass Seed.

Mulch can help retain moisture. A very thin layer, 1/8

Plant Seeds of Hope With Music

A Glass of Water for Your Hope-Ache
I was a bit skeptical when a friend first told me I didn't need an aspirin for my headache. "Drink a glass of water," she said. "You're dehydrated."

I liked to think I was quite open-minded, so I tried it. It worked!
That was a revelation for me, a word of wisdom coming from a young woman who was a runner, before it became popular. She had learned how to take care of her body.
I trusted her and discovered a simple, yet extremely valuable tool. Indulge in a glass of water before I even knew I was thirsty? I was so grateful. What a relief, to prevent my regular headaches instead of treating them with pain medication after they arrived!

I think a lot of people today are suffering with a "hope-ache". Are you one of them? Do you see yourself in the midst of a situation that causes you to lose heart?
A "hopeache" can hurt real bad at first, making it difficult to deal with life. Sometimes it gets to the point when you feel numb, and then you find yourself just going through the motions of living. I would like to offer you a remedy, one that I learned from another friend.

You don't know me, except that you may have read some of my gardening articles and perceived that I truly want to be a helpful resource person. Would you trust me enough to read through this, even if you might be a bit skeptical, as I was with a new idea? Consider it a letter from a friend who has learned to take care of my heart and my spirit, because that is where hope resides.

It really is as simple as drinking a glass of water before you need it. We all need to take in a drink of encouragement, regularly and frequently.
What do I mean by that? Think about this from the wrong end, the "after-it's-too-late" point. When was the last time you felt discouraged? When you carry such a burden, it seems like you need something drastic to take it away. The more discouraged you feel, the more difficult it is to imagine anything being able to fix it. That's when people grab for anything or anyone to help with the pain.

In contrast, think about a day when you feel challenged, but not yet overwhelmed. Suddenly your heart is touched by an unexpected gesture. It might be that someone gives you a word of affirmation, extends a kindness, acts considerately instead of selfishly, offers to share or help with your load, or shines a big, beautiful, genuine smile directed just at you. Doesn't that make a difference? It can be like a runner getting his second wind. A word of encouragement at the right time either makes you stronger or makes the weight of your struggle less. Maybe both.

Encouragement. Have you ever thought about that word? To put courage in! To put courage into you, so you can carry on!

Isn't that what the movie "BraveHeart" signified? A group of men, an entire nation actually, felt that their situation was hopeless. William Wallace rose up and put courage in all the people of Scotland, leading them to believe they could not only endure, but also throw off the tyranny of an oppressive English tyrant. That is the true beauty of hope.

Hope does not just hang around trying to make us feel comforted, like a nursemaid who can do nothing more than wipe the sweat from the brow of one deathly ill.
Hope is powerful.
Hope sees beyond circumstances.
Hope is not swayed by a history of failure.
Hope does not rely on the agreement of the majority.
Hope does not depend upon the absence of fear or of limitations.
Hope is all about what can be... better than the present... what will be... above and beyond our best expectations for the future. Hope is grand!

What if you could have that kind of hope?
If you could get a word of encouragement when you're feeling down, that would be good. If you could get a double dose when you're depressed, that would be helpful.
What if you could live each day with hope?
What if you could be filled with hope? Wouldn't that be like the runner who is completely hydrated before the race and prepared to confront heat and exertion?
What if you could stay constantly buoyant in your spirit, and expectant in your heart?
What if you were so equipped to fend off the effects of each stress you encountered that you overflowed and instilled hope in those around you?

Can you imagine such a change in your countenance? Do you dare to believe even a little bit that you might be able to rise above your current level of frustration or resignation? CAUTION! That is hope peeking through! Can you handle it? Do you dare be so bold as to believe that you can smile in the face of adversity? YOU CAN!

There are a lot of ways to find encouragement. The most important sources are going to be tied to other people. Some of you are blessed with friends and loving family members. Feed off them and their support. Many of you don't have that, or not when you most need it. Don't let that acknowledgment send you off into despair. Take a look, and a listen, at this opportunity.

One of the greatest potential avenues we have for receiving encouragement is through our ears. (And the opposite is just as true. Think how much negativity we can encounter during a single day from the bad news on TV and the jerks at work!) Many people try to control the input by listening to music almost constantly. Are one of the "ear-bud generation"? Let me challenge all of you to take advantage of a chance to bring hope into your life through music.

I know we all have different tastes in music, and I don't hope to change that. But I do want you to be aware that your choice in music can be "putting in" something hopeful, something harmful, or something neutral