Lush blooming gardens are the dreams of many people. A garden that complements and beautifies your house is what you are looking for; you might be either in for a lot of money or a lot of work. Luscious fragrant gardens need to be designed, prepared, planted and then taken care of properly. If you just do not have the time to take care of a high maintenance garden or not the money for a gardener, then why not try a low maintenance garden? There are many low maintenance gardens that are beautiful and that will complement your house in a wonderful ways.
If you are looking for a low maintenance garden, than there are six easy steps that you can follow to achieve your goal. First of all, think about what takes the most care and time for regular maintenance in most gardens. Yes, of course, the lawn. Lawns get fertilized once or twice a year, aerated, patched and most of all moved. During summer, lawns might be moved once a week and depending on the size of your lawn, this task might take half an hour or even longer. So when designing your low maintenance garden; keep the lawn off the list. Instead of the lawn there are many other materials that you can use to create open areas and sitting areas in your garden.
Steps number two and three include the following materials. Low Maintenance gardens use lots of gravel, rocks and mulch in the design. Rocks can enhance the garden in several ways. You can introduce walls, beds, stairs, rock benches and sculptures to your garden. There are many sources in books and online that can give you inspirations for your garden design or you can hire a landscape designer to give you your dream low maintenance garden. Any bigger open areas can be made into play, walk or sitting areas by simply adding gravel or mulch. Gravel and mulch come in different sizes and colors and can make a great statement or contrast to the plants chosen for your design.
Low maintenance gardens also should include low maintenance plants. Therefore as step four include slow growing plants that do not have to be pruned and cut regularly, plants that grow in shaded areas as well as plants that are drought resistant. Drought resistant plants do not need to be watered daily or every other day. Generally in a normal climate you might not have to water these plants at all. These plants will be able to grow with the water provided through rain.
Low maintenance gardens can be luscious and green or flowery and fragrant if you choose the proper plants, but they need only minimal care. A low maintenance garden does not need to be designed by a landscape designer; you can design your own garden. Low maintenance gardens are often times easy layered garden due to the choice of materials. Therefore when creating your garden make sure that as step five you include material and plant layering.
Lastly, when creating a low maintenance garden, get advice from your local garden center and garden experts. They will be able to guide in your choice of materials and plants. A good garden expert will be able to find the colors you are looking for while he or she will also be able to tell you about the ease of care of these plants.
Therefore if you are considering a low maintenance garden, go ahead and dig in. Creating a beautiful low maintenance garden is actually easy, even for persons who do not exactly have a green thumb.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Sunday, 20 February 2011
Greenhouse Gardening For Beginners
You've taken your first step toward gardening and gained some green thumb experience. Now that you've put up your first greenhouse, you might be wondering how you can insure your plants will thrive in their new environment.
As a beginner you need to realize that a greenhouse has the basic functions of providing warmth and light so you can extend the life and the growing season of the plants you intend to grow. To do it your glass house must have adequate ventilation, a ready supply of water and the heaters that will be necessary if you hope to garden year round.
Depending on what you grow, you will need to maintain a steady temperature. The temperature in a greenhouse can vary from one spot to the next as shady spots will be cooler than those areas that receive the most light from the sun. That requires placing the right plants in the best location so they can thrive. One must have in every greenhouse is a thermometer so you can monitor the temperature. Generally, a temperature of about 80 degrees F is ideal for most plants.
While a heater is a necessity during the winter, you can save on energy expenses during the early fall and late spring when temperatures dip below what is comfortable to plants during cooler nights. You can place a few dark-painted gallon drums filled with water in areas that receive full sun. When temperatures dip at night, the heat stored in the water in the drums will radiate back into the greenhouse to keep temperature steady.
Ventilation is equally important in the greenhouse. Many good greenhouses have fans that can help to regulate temperature and humidity. If yours doesn't come with a fan, it should have roof panels that can be opened to allow excess heat to escape.
As a beginner, you'll need to experiment to find the best places to put your plants. Large plants that require full sun can provide shade and cooler temperatures to plants that require less sun.
Light is another important element for plant growth. As the months go by, the amount of light varies. Plants that thrive in one place may not do well when the season changes and may need to be moved to another location. Some plants move into a hibernation phase when the weather turns cold. They do not need to be moved and don't require much water during their dormancy period.
The humidity inside a greenhouse is adequate for most plants, but some succulents and cacti prefer a dry environment. The kind of plants you want to grow will determine what kind of greenhouse you set up.
Water and humidity are important for most plants. You can keep moisture inside your greenhouse by placing containers of water where they can evaporate and keep the humidity levels steady.
As a beginner you need to know which plants to place together and give them the adequate space they need for growth. Tall plants can provide shade while spreading plants will need more ground cover.
Except for the essential tools, fertilizers and chemicals should be stored in a separate location such as a tool shed. Exposure to moisture can cause the chemicals in some products to evaporate and you will breathe them in. For the better health of your plants and flowers it's best to use organic products and stay away from chemical sprays and other treatments.
Check your plants regularly for any diseases and pest infestation. To insure that insects don't damage your plants, introduce some good bugs to control pests like aphids and worms. Friendly bugs such as ladybugs and praying mantis will help control mosquitoes, flies and other unwanted insects.
Once you get accustomed to how a greenhouse works, you will experience the joy of a longer growing season and your flowers and plants will reward you with their show of color and health.
As a beginner you need to realize that a greenhouse has the basic functions of providing warmth and light so you can extend the life and the growing season of the plants you intend to grow. To do it your glass house must have adequate ventilation, a ready supply of water and the heaters that will be necessary if you hope to garden year round.
Depending on what you grow, you will need to maintain a steady temperature. The temperature in a greenhouse can vary from one spot to the next as shady spots will be cooler than those areas that receive the most light from the sun. That requires placing the right plants in the best location so they can thrive. One must have in every greenhouse is a thermometer so you can monitor the temperature. Generally, a temperature of about 80 degrees F is ideal for most plants.
While a heater is a necessity during the winter, you can save on energy expenses during the early fall and late spring when temperatures dip below what is comfortable to plants during cooler nights. You can place a few dark-painted gallon drums filled with water in areas that receive full sun. When temperatures dip at night, the heat stored in the water in the drums will radiate back into the greenhouse to keep temperature steady.
Ventilation is equally important in the greenhouse. Many good greenhouses have fans that can help to regulate temperature and humidity. If yours doesn't come with a fan, it should have roof panels that can be opened to allow excess heat to escape.
As a beginner, you'll need to experiment to find the best places to put your plants. Large plants that require full sun can provide shade and cooler temperatures to plants that require less sun.
Light is another important element for plant growth. As the months go by, the amount of light varies. Plants that thrive in one place may not do well when the season changes and may need to be moved to another location. Some plants move into a hibernation phase when the weather turns cold. They do not need to be moved and don't require much water during their dormancy period.
The humidity inside a greenhouse is adequate for most plants, but some succulents and cacti prefer a dry environment. The kind of plants you want to grow will determine what kind of greenhouse you set up.
Water and humidity are important for most plants. You can keep moisture inside your greenhouse by placing containers of water where they can evaporate and keep the humidity levels steady.
As a beginner you need to know which plants to place together and give them the adequate space they need for growth. Tall plants can provide shade while spreading plants will need more ground cover.
Except for the essential tools, fertilizers and chemicals should be stored in a separate location such as a tool shed. Exposure to moisture can cause the chemicals in some products to evaporate and you will breathe them in. For the better health of your plants and flowers it's best to use organic products and stay away from chemical sprays and other treatments.
Check your plants regularly for any diseases and pest infestation. To insure that insects don't damage your plants, introduce some good bugs to control pests like aphids and worms. Friendly bugs such as ladybugs and praying mantis will help control mosquitoes, flies and other unwanted insects.
Once you get accustomed to how a greenhouse works, you will experience the joy of a longer growing season and your flowers and plants will reward you with their show of color and health.
Easy Vegetable Gardening for Beginners
If you're a beginner vegetable gardener, remember this: It's better to be proud of a small garden than to be frustrated by a big one!
One of the common errors for beginners is planting too much too soon and way more than anybody could eat or want. Unless you want to have zucchini taking up residence in your attic, plan carefully. Start small.
The Very Basics
Here are some very basic concepts on topics you'll want to explore further as you become a vegetable gardener extraordinaire:
* Vegetables love the sun. They require six hours (continuous, if possible) of sunlight each day, at least.
* Vegetables must have good, loamy, well-drained soil. Most backyard soil is not perfect and needs a helping hand. Check with your local nursery or county extension office about soil testing, soil types, and soil enrichment.
* Placement is everything. Like humans, vegetables need proper nutrition. A vegetable garden too near a tree will lose its nutrients to the tree's greedy root system. On the other hand, a garden close to the house will help to discourage wild animals from nibbling away your potential harvest.
* Vegetables need lots of water, at least one inch of water a week. In the early spring, walk around your property to see where the snow melts first, when the sun catches in warm pockets. This will make a difference in how well your vegetables grow.
* Study those seed catalogs and order early.
Deciding How Big
A good-size beginner vegetable garden is 10x16 feet and features crops that are easy to grow. A plot this size, planted as suggested below, can feed a family of four for one summer, with a little extra for canning and freezing (or giving away).
Vegetables that may yield more than one crop per season are beans, beets, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, rutabagas, spinach and turnips. For the plan below, your rows should run north and south to take full advantage of the sun.
Make your garden 11 rows of 10 feet each of the following veggies:
* Tomatoes — 5 plants staked
* Zucchini squash — 4 plants
* Peppers — 6 plants
* Cabbage
* Bush beans
* Lettuce, leaf and/or Bibb
* Beets
* Carrots
* Chard
* Radish
* Marigolds to discourage rabbits!
Leave 2 feet between bush beans, 1/2 foot between bush beans and lettuce, and 1 foot between all of the rest.
(Note: If this garden is too large for your needs, you do not have to plant all 11 rows, and you can also make the rows shorter. You can choose the veggies that you'd like to grow!)
If you're interested in planting potatoes, just remember that tomatoes and potatoes are not ideal companions and need "distance." See our Planting Companions chart.
One of the common errors for beginners is planting too much too soon and way more than anybody could eat or want. Unless you want to have zucchini taking up residence in your attic, plan carefully. Start small.
The Very Basics
Here are some very basic concepts on topics you'll want to explore further as you become a vegetable gardener extraordinaire:
* Vegetables love the sun. They require six hours (continuous, if possible) of sunlight each day, at least.
* Vegetables must have good, loamy, well-drained soil. Most backyard soil is not perfect and needs a helping hand. Check with your local nursery or county extension office about soil testing, soil types, and soil enrichment.
* Placement is everything. Like humans, vegetables need proper nutrition. A vegetable garden too near a tree will lose its nutrients to the tree's greedy root system. On the other hand, a garden close to the house will help to discourage wild animals from nibbling away your potential harvest.
* Vegetables need lots of water, at least one inch of water a week. In the early spring, walk around your property to see where the snow melts first, when the sun catches in warm pockets. This will make a difference in how well your vegetables grow.
* Study those seed catalogs and order early.
Deciding How Big
A good-size beginner vegetable garden is 10x16 feet and features crops that are easy to grow. A plot this size, planted as suggested below, can feed a family of four for one summer, with a little extra for canning and freezing (or giving away).
Vegetables that may yield more than one crop per season are beans, beets, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, rutabagas, spinach and turnips. For the plan below, your rows should run north and south to take full advantage of the sun.
Make your garden 11 rows of 10 feet each of the following veggies:
* Tomatoes — 5 plants staked
* Zucchini squash — 4 plants
* Peppers — 6 plants
* Cabbage
* Bush beans
* Lettuce, leaf and/or Bibb
* Beets
* Carrots
* Chard
* Radish
* Marigolds to discourage rabbits!
Leave 2 feet between bush beans, 1/2 foot between bush beans and lettuce, and 1 foot between all of the rest.
(Note: If this garden is too large for your needs, you do not have to plant all 11 rows, and you can also make the rows shorter. You can choose the veggies that you'd like to grow!)
If you're interested in planting potatoes, just remember that tomatoes and potatoes are not ideal companions and need "distance." See our Planting Companions chart.
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