Exterior Wood Beams - Wood Repairs

If you live in a moist climate in the winter and a dry climate in the summer and you have exterior wood beams exposed to these elements. You could develop wood beam problems over time. If wood beams are properly maintained and painted often they could last for a long time. Wood beams can last many years if properly taken care of.

Exterior wood beams that are used to hold up roofs, patios and decking can suffer from wood rot if not taken care of. Let's take for example a wooden beam located in a patio holding up a section of a large roof. The span of the roof being is only 10 feet long. As we look at the exterior wood beam. We noticed the upper corner of the beam is soft and rotted.

The beam damage is roughly the size of a baseball. The wood beam itself is a 6 x 10. Do we need to replace this beam even though the damage is not real big. The answer to this question is yes, any amount of damage to a wood beam takes away from its structural strength.

If you have a wood beam holding up the roof and the beam fails you could end up replacing a large section of your roof as well as the damaged beam. Replacing the damaged beam is usually a difficult task. The beam is usually sandwiched between two walls and will have siding or stucco around it.

If you're lucky enough to have the wood beam sitting in a saddle or on top of a wood post this will make your job easier and will require less skill. If however the beam is located between two walls this will require shoring up the roof and removing the beam.

Beam replacement should be left to professionals. This is not often as easy as it looks and could create a safety hazard if not done properly. I have seen beams replaced by homeowners or handyman and the damage that was done after the repairs, was worse than just leaving the beam alone in the first place.

The biggest problem with exterior wood beams is that they are usually holding up large amounts of weight. If the beam is removed without the proper bracing and shoring of the roof or floor area you could have a larger problem than you started with.

Exterior beams over time seemed to develop large cracks or splits in dry weather. These large cracks and splits weaken the structural strength of the beam adding more stress to the beam itself leading to structural failure eventually.

Extreme climates where temperatures very over 40 in one day seem to suffer the most damage to exterior wood beams that are not properly maintained. Beam maintenance will require painting and keeping moisture away from them.

Be aware of structural beams in or around your house. A little painting now and then can save you thousands of dollars over the life time of your house.

Greg Vanden Berge has been in the home building and remodeling business for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.

His website http://gregvan.com provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building issues that could create major damage as well as possible damage to your pocket book.

Visit us now for Vista Home Improvement.

Shower Shelf Wood Damage

Tips For Creating a Wonderful Indoor Herb Garden

Cooking meals with fresh ingredients has several positive benefits. First and probably most important is the taste. Some individuals, particularly children, can be pretty picky when it comes to what they'll eat. Parents want to prepare healthy meals that taste great and with an indoor herb garden that's easily done.

If you've ever visited the grocery store in search of fresh oregano, mint or rosemary you know how pricey it can be. All too often people forgo the fresh variety and instead settle on a bottle of the dried herb. If you do this you are losing all the nutritional value of the herb not to mention the burst of flavor fresh provides. An indoor herb garden can fit into any space and it saves the cook a lot of money.

Don't believe for a second that you need a green thumb to be able to grow your own fresh herbs at home. You don't. You simply need a really sunny spot to place the indoor herb garden, some water, a few simple instructions and some tender loving care.

Purchasing the plants when they are already sprouting is one approach that many people take. The reason these fit well into an indoor herb garden is that you can usually begin using the herb within a few days or weeks. Most garden centers will have a healthy selection of plants that are ideal for an indoor herb garden. The best time of year to buy them is during the spring and summer months.

Some people decide to jump onto the fresh cooking bandwagon once winter rolls around. If you decide in the frozen cold of November that you want to begin growing some herbs inside you can. Many websites offer year-round availability of plants that can be used in an indoor herb garden. You simply pay to have them shipped right to your home. Once they arrive you will have an already growing indoor herb garden that you can enjoy throughout the winter and the rest of the year too.

A less expensive route but one that requires a lot of patience is planting the seeds and growing the plants yourself. This simply requires pots, potting soil and the seeds. If you enjoy gardening to this degree and you are not in any rush to enjoy your indoor herb garden, this can be a rewarding approach.

Regardless of which approach you ultimately take you can certainly take advantage of the warmth of the summer sun and put your indoor herb garden outside for a few weeks. This won't harm the plants in the least as long as you bring them back indoors before the frost arrives.

Percy Troughton's runs his own garden center as well as running several shopping based websites. His particular speciality is gardening. Check out these great Flower Garden tips and articles or Garden Tools tips and articles.

Protecting Yourself While Gardening

Here are some quick and easy tips to protect yourself when working in your garden.

When going out to do work in your garden or yard, it's good to protect yourself in different ways. The key areas to protect are your hands, your feet, your face, and your skin/body.

Wear gloves to protect your hands from any dirt, waste, or insects that might be in the soil. Use bigger gloves if your hands are sensitive, and use waterproof gloves (for example, rubber gloves) if the soil is too wet.

Wear boots, or good shoes to protect your feet from any rocks, waste, or mud that might be in the yard. This would also depend on the type of terrain your yard may have. Some areas have rocky terrain, some have sandy, or grainy terrain. The terrain could also be muddy after a long, continuous rain.

Wear protective goggles along with masks to help prevent allergens, or dust particles from going in your eyes, nose or on your face. This is especially true for doing lawn work with a lawn mower when particles are flying all over the place.

Wear insect repellent along with sunblock to help prevent damage to your skin while working outdoors. During the warmer months, mosquitoes and other flying, biting insects are prominent.

For the most part, use common sense, and abide by general safety rules. By taking these protective measures into consideration, you can work more comfortably in your yard or garden, and get more work done.

Garden Gratuity - Tips, information, and resources for creating and maintaining a beautiful and bountiful garden.

Wrought Iron Gazebos

Gazebos are open sided roofed constructions that are installed in gardens, parks, and open spaces. They are used to provide shade and can transform an otherwise boring zone into an ideal sit out. Manufacturers offer a wide range of gazebos constructed of various materials. This includes wood, aluminum, fiberglass, and wrought iron. People can shop for wrought iron gazebos at local, lifestyle, furniture, and online stores. Wrought iron gazebos are popular, as the metal is highly resistant to the elements, which enhances their lifespan and utility.

Wrought iron gazebos are coated with special varnish and finish, which resists rotting during rain and snow. They are simple to clean and manufacturers provide adequate information regarding recommended cleaning agents and techniques. It is important to be attentive towards paint that chips off wrought iron gazebos. This is because, once the paints starts to come off, wrought iron is likely to rust. In such cases it is advisable to call professionals who can restore such damages. Sanding the area and repainting it can help prevent further damages.

Wrought iron constructions are easy to make, as it is a simple industrial process. When the iron is hot it is put into a cast to replicate the design. Wrought iron gazebos also need to be cleaned frequently or else bird droppings can damage them. Chemicals left behind from bird droppings start to weaken the chemical bonds of paint coats, causing them to wear off. Wrought iron gazebos may not be entirely made of wrought iron. There are numerous gazebos that are made from wood and wrought iron combinations. Manufacturers often ship them in panel format kits. It is important to make enquiries regarding price points, shipping terms, features, and company reputation before finalizing a deal. They can be installed by following instruction manuals or by hiring professionals. They are available in various sizes and customers may opt for custom-made varieties to meet individual requirements. Others may prefer to buy covered gazebos that are made available by optional side panels and blinds.

Gazebo provides detailed information on Gazebo, Gazebo Plans, Gazebo Kits, Spa Gazebo and more. Gazebo is affiliated with Garden Sheds.

Types of Drip and Watering Systems

Okay, not all of us have the time to water every hanging plant, window box and every square foot of yard. Even if we did, it is easy to predict that most of us have had enough of watering once our hanging and potted plants have been tended. So, what are other viable options for our lawn, gardening areas, vegetable beds, and water features? Some are self-tending; all of them are efficient with little maintenance once installed.

Installed systems can reduce water consumption, especially handy in areas where water conservation is key. If you have a concern about the view of your garden with permanent irrigation devices showing, know that there are pop-up sprinklers which remain virtually hidden amidst your landscape to accommodate your needs. There are a number of different irrigation systems to choose from to ensure that your garden is kept sufficiently well-watered.

Drip systems can be installed below ground. They are extremely effective, releasing water directly to the root systems of the plants in your garden or even your greenhouse with no run-off or evaporation loss. As water is applied to the roots, not the leaves of your plants, drip systems reduce the possibilities of fungal and insect damage. They suit all soil, topography, and plant types, too.

Above-ground sprinkling systems ensure the areas that need to be watered are actually receiving the water. A variety of sprinkler heads can be installed. Many have adjustable flow rates.

Tired of spending time each week lifting your watering can or garden hose over your head? Believe it or not, there are also irrigation kits for window boxes, planters, roof gardens, hanging baskets, and more. These kits water your plants evenly and slowly, too, with no run-off water wasted. Irrigation kits can be attached to your garden hose or directly to your outdoor faucet easily - and can even be put on a timer.

Especially handy for drier climates, another method for saving time and water is to add a timed irrigation system. Of course, if your area enjoys a surplus of rainfall, you would turn the system off until your local water table (highest level of ground wholly saturated with water) and rainfall levels adjust back to normal.

For any of the drip system and permanent irrigation methods, you will want to plan your garden grouping together plants of similar watering requirements. Remember that more mature shrubs and blooms will need less water than new plantings. An adequate watering system is well worth the investment and will quickly pay for itself in money and time saved.

For more landscape design plans, pictures, advice, and a free directory of landscapers, visit http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com

All About Organic Foods

Compost is not just decayed organic matter.

Composting is applied microbiology at its most complex, involving the interactions of thousands upon thousands of different species of micro organisms in a highly complex ecosystem.

What is Organic fertilizers?

When it's time to choose a fertilizer for your organic garden - organic or inorganic - know what's in the bag, and more importantly, what's best for your organic vegetable garden. We have always recommended if possible to make your own.

Making organic fertilizer is not difficult we have over the past 20 year found that a bucket with old tea bags rain water and nettles makes the best liquid fertilizer.

If you want to try your hand at growing your own organic vegetables but have no garden, don't worry. Many people grow organic vegetables successfully using a container. You can keep the container wherever is convenient or move it around if you need to.

There are disadvantages to using organic fertilizers in containers. These materials may be difficult to apply in comparison to inorganic fertilizers, depending on the source material used. Organic fertilizers tend to have lower nutrient content compared to inorganic fertilizers, so more material has to be applied in order to get the same nutrient amount. In addition, the slow-release properties can actually have a detrimental effect on the container plants. If the nutrients from organic fertilizers are not released in time, the plants will not receive them for use in their growth cycle.

Making compost from garden and household waste is one of the best things any gardener can do. Its easy and costs very little in time or effort. Making compost will help you reduce pollution and cut down that landfill! Your plants will grow healthier and look happier for it and it will save you money on fertilisers too. Our local council in Herefordshire has now given us bins for us to add leaves, grass and other compost matter into, which is then emptied every two weeks once it has reduced to less than half its size.

Depending on the size of your chosen container, you can grow whatever you like in it. As long as the pot is big enough, you can choose from herbs, tomatoes, cress, courgettes, lettuce and many other vegetables. Organic seeds and plants should be used for organic gardening to produce a true organic product, but as long as you don't plan to sell the product, it is up to you. It can be fun to experiment!

What are Pests in Organic Gardening?

Actually, less than one percent of insect species are pests, and only a few hundred of these are consistently a problem. Any single pesticide does not usually kill all pests and repeat applications are usually necessary. I always had an organic vegetable garden, and I have tried getting rid of these nasty pests with organic spray but it didn't work.

Today, we are encouraging people to use another way to control pests. Here are some that entomologists are working with: Natural predators: introducing the types of animals that will naturally gobble up pests. Natural parasites: introducing bacteria, viruses, and insect parasites that will kill pests but won't harm other types of animals. If you are having a problem with pests in your garden, you probably have an imbalance of fauna or an imbalance of soil nutrients.

Pest control is much easier in organic container vegetable gardening than in regular gardening. You can see the whole plant and pick off bugs such as caterpillars. You can bring it to a tap to wash the leaves and stem when the plant is in a pot instead of in the garden. You probably won't see cutworms if you are using containers but you might find slugs. Simply sprinkle eggshells on the soil around your produce to get deter them, they hate eggshells.

One last word of warning about the use of farmyard manure! Always source the farmyard manure from organic farms, never use unselected organic farms. Most animals for food production undergo many drug treatments to make the meat ,safe for us to Eat, these drugs will leach into their bedding material from urine and manure.

Farmyard manure is a mixture of the droppings of horses, pigs or cows, including their urine and the litter used for their bedding. Cow manures are wetter, colder and lower in nutrients than horse manure, and decompose more slowly in the soil, which makes them more suitable for sandy soils.
Likewise, pig manure is slow acting but long lasting, as it is slow to ferment, this too is a cold manure and therefore unsuitable for the making of hot-beds.

Trevor Dalley has been growing and preserving his own fruit for 40 year, most of the preserves are sold in his Organic Farm Shops in Herefordshire England. Did you find those tips on organic gardening useful?

Low Cost Compost Bins - Buying An Inexpensive Composter

For most gardeners there are times of the year when the garden is creating a lot of waste that is best used to create compost and kept out of the landfills. If you have spent anytime gardening, you know the benefits from composting both to your garden and to the overall ecosystem we live in. The problem is not convincing you to compost, but to find ways to do it easily but without taking a large chunk of change from your wallet.

There are a host of ways that you can build your own compost bin or bins. You can find plans that teach you how to do it with concrete blocks, or we've all seen some that use shipping pallets or other scrap lumber. These are economical enough, and can be made to almost any size that you wish (keeping in mind that you need enough waste mass to get the compost pile to heat up.) But they can take up a good amount of room, and candidly many home brew compost bins are not the most attractive things to have near your garden.

At the other end of the spectrum, you can find some very expensive compost tumblers that do a great job of creating good compost, and doing it quickly and with just a minimum of effort. But, as effective as these are, some of them are several hundred dollars, and are fairly big contraptions, and tend to dominate the area of your yard or garden where they are situated.

There is a middle ground if you are looking to purchase an inexpensive composter. You can get something quite functional and makes a nice addition to the garden area from an appearance standpoint.

One of the most popular composters of all time is the Earth Machine composter. This small unit (about 10 gallons) can not only be purchased at many stores, but it has either been given away or offered at a discount by many local government agencies, which helps to account for the fact that over 2 million have been sold.

A slightly larger unit that is still priced well under $90 is the Soilsaver compost bin. It has a few features that make it easier to use, and help keep the rodents and vermin out of your bin.

Each of these bins is inexpensive and can work well for your garden, but each also has its own strengths and weaknesses...

To see a more complete review and comparison of the Earth Machine Composter and the Soilsaver compost bin along with other information on composting and composting tools go to http://how2compost.com

In the Shade Down by the River Under the Silver Maples You Can Successfully Grow Tomatoes

Somehow shade seems to follow me around no matter where I move. Or maybe it is the cool breezes that the shade produces that I love. However, this presents a challenge, when you want to grow vegetables, especially tomatoes. The first tomatoes were grown in bushel baskets and while they did produce red fruit, they were small and sparse. A year later, we dug deep into the ridge, and filled it with manure, sinking the tomato plants into their new home. Those tomato plants grew tall and strong- too strong and too tall. Five feet tomato plants spend all their time reaching up towards the sun, that they don't have any time left to produce tomatoes. The tomatoes were finally produced in late summer and had to be ripened inside the house as winter came early that year.

I finally had to analyze what I was doing and how I could improve. What needs did the tomato plant have and how was I fulfilling them? Lastly, I knew the craving for those warm rays of sun was going unmet. The mixture of organic cow manure, compost, and regular silt loam provided a light rich environment for those roots to grow and be nourished in. How to let the morning sun shine through? One tree falling over met part of that requirement. If you can't let in more of the sunlight, why not magnify what already does come in? Aluminum foil brightened up the area around the tomato plants with a bonus of added warmth, something they can't get enough of.
Living next to the river does have some perks. Plenty of clams shells lace the sandy and silty river beds. These held down the aluminum foil and even captured water providing extra moisture and humidity.

Also, I discovered the Big Boy varieties don't do well in shade. The Roma and plum varieties get less diseases and seem to thrive in this cooler, shaded environment. This past year I had access to many different kinds of Heirloom tomatoes. I didn't realize tomatoes come in so many other colors beyond orange and red. I planted Black, Purple, Pink, and White varieties as well as the normal Red ones. Much to my surprise, they did not reach for the sun, but began to produce fruit on top of fruit once they became mature. At first all of the fruit had end rot, even the green ones. I immediately placed crushed egg shells around the base of every tomato plant and fortunately we had 2 weeks of solid steady rain that kept the soil moist. After about 3 weeks, the calcium in those eggshells did their magic, because every tomato plant had healthy fruit well into harvest time.

In the small area available, you can grow lettuce and spinach. These are planted early in the spring before the leaves are on the trees, and so get a chance for a head start before the shade arrives. The confined quarters calls for a different setup than the traditional rows. Why not try circles within circles? The subtle shade differences between different types of green lettuce as well as spinach and collards make for a display pleasing to the eye. Do be prepared to go through many seed packages this way, but the abundance of produce is worth it.

The river has many moods as it passes through the seasons. Sometimes the angry waves lap against the shore while other times it is a mirror reflecting brilliant hues of red and orange. Just think, you get to enjoy all the antics of the geese, herons, and eagles while nibbling on lettuce and biting into juicy tomatoes.

Catherine Sutton lives in Illinois by a river while growing plants in the shade of the Silver Maples. If you want to find out some other methods of providing organic fertilizers and get the free Growing Sweet Succulent Leapin' Tomatoes ebook as well as the Gardening by Cathy newsletter click the link to her site at Gardening By Cathy.

Organic Gardening and Its Benefits

If your garden is teeming with earthworms, and insects, it`s very likely that whether you realize it or not, you are already applying the principles of organic gardening.

What is it about organic gardening that is so appealing? Basically it comes down to the fact that garden soil is being improved by the use of natural biological substances. An ecosystem is encouraged in which plants no longer need chemicals to help protect them, such as insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.

Why are many gardeners turning to organic gardening? Because of the potential dangers involved in the overuse of pesticides.

Farmers in Washington and along the entire West Coast face extensive new restrictions on three popular pesticides in the name of protecting salmon.

The pesticides are common in the state's apple and cherry orchards, potato fields and berry farms. Restrictions could cover big swaths of Washington farmland where streams carry a variety of federally protected salmon and steelhead, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Many see organic gardening as a way of protecting the environment. As pests become immune to repeated applications of chemical pesticides, so scientists have developed poisons that are even more dangerous. These potent chemicals have then leached into the groundwater and have contaminated our water supply.

How much of your garbage which is thrown out is made up of food scraps? By the use of composting these waste foods they can eventually be used on the garden, which benefits the environment, and of course the garden.

Ideally your soil should be as balanced as possible. This means that the roots of plants are able to thrive by being moist, to prevent drying out, yet not being so moist they get diseased, or rot.

Problems often happen when the soil is clay-type, or is sandy. If your soil is clay then its consistency makes it difficult for water to penetrate, so it is too dry inside. Or, if water does penetrate, then the soil can become soaked with like a trap, so the roots can`t breathe, and die. If your soil is sandy, then the water will drain away too quickly, and the roots wont benefit from the water, nor the nutrients.

The gardener needs to have soil which will hold on to enough moisture to prevent the roots from drying out, yet at the same time allowing the drainage of excess water. If that balance is reached, air circulates freely, allowing microorganisms to go about their work of adding nutrients to the soil.

As mentioned above, organic matter compost, if added to the soil, will help give the right balance to clay or sandy soils. Compost bacteria will continue to break down decaying matter, turning the matter into nutrients that plants need for strong growth. The acid/alkaline balance is also maintained when compost is used, again something gardeners care about.

Finally, before turning to pesticides to get rid of those unwanted pests, consider encouraging natural predators in to your garden to help out.

Toads, birds, and `good` bugs can all have a part to play in eating up the unwanted visitors. Make their habitat just right for them and they`ll prove an invaluable ally in helping to keep your plants looking healthy.

To find a range of gardening products why not visit Geoff Cummings's site at http://www.outdoorlivingsupplies.com where you`ll get fast delivery at discount prices.

Cultivating Basil

Few herbs demonstrate the difference between fresh and dried as distinctly as basil. Fresh basil bursts with aroma and flavor while dried basil pales pitifully in comparison. This and the ease with which basil can be grown even under the poorest of circumstances make it the perfect herb to plant. If you only ever grow one herb make it basil. If you grow a full herb garden make sure to include a selection of different basil varieties.

Picking a Basil

There are innumerable basil varieties available. There are those that possess the traditional flavor and aroma of basil, others that are prized for their striking purple leaves, and still others that exhibit flavors and aromas such as lemon, anise, and "Mexican spice." It is best to go to a store with live basil plants for sale so you can see the available varieties for yourself. The store owner won't appreciate you plucking leaves and tasting them so a good way to identify the qualities of an herb without damaging the plant is to smell it by gently rubbing a healthy leaf to release its aroma. Select the basil that strikes your fancy - they all grow about the same.

Planting Basil

If you've ever planted anything; growing basil will be easy. Pick a spot that will allow it to grow to about 2 feet up with 1 foot clearance to the sides. Basil, like many of the most popular herbs, is native to the Mediterranean region so it likes lots of sun and well drained soil. It also wants plenty of water but don't plant it where it will sit in a puddle. Make sure that your soil is loose and drains easily. If you're growing your basil in a pot regular potting soil will do nicely. Once you've worked the soil, take the plant from the container and loosen the root ball. Dig a hole about twice the depth and width of the ball and hold the plant so that the top of the ball is just below the surface. Rake the soil back into the hole making sure that it fills in under the roots. Tap the soil down and around the base of the basil but not too firmly. Finally, thoroughly soak the soil and you're done.

Basil also starts easily from seed but it's best to start with plants, especially if you've never planted basil before, so you can pick the varieties that most appeal to you. At the end of the first season your plants will produce plenty of seeds for next year. Start them indoors a couple of weeks before last frost then transfer the seedlings as described above after all danger of frost is gone.

Caring For the Basil

It is here that herb gardening and flower gardening diverge. Caring for flowering plants usually employees techniques designed to emphasize the size of both the leaves and flowers. Herbs cultivated for flavor have quite a different purpose. The bigger and lusher an herb grows the less flavor it will have. Unless your herbs are obviously malnourished it is not generally recommended that you give them plant food. Smaller, denser plants will develop more concentrated and complex flavors. Most herbs, including basil, will thrive under neglect. Aside from occasionally watering them, there is very little that you should need to do for successful basil plants. Towards the end of the summer your plant will begin to sprout flowering stalks at the top of each branch. Simply pinch these off so you will continue to have plenty of healthy leaves for cooking. When you're finally ready to let it go to seed at the end of the season, you can collect plenty of seeds for next spring from these stalks.

Harvesting Basil

Here's the pay off. Three or four healthy basil plants will provide more than enough for your favorite recipes all summer long. Clipping fresh basil is easy. Pick the longest branches and clip them about half-way down right above a leaf cluster. Never harvest more than a third of the plant and give it a week or so of healthy growth between harvests. You can harvest basil as soon as the plant is established and until first frost.

As you can see, growing and harvesting basil is easy and the rewards in the kitchen are certainly worth the effort. There is simply no substitute for fresh basil.

Bryce Eddings is a freelance writer and passionate herb gardener. You can find out more about basil - its history and some of its more mystical uses - at http://magic_herb.diamondrocket.com/.

Nolina - A Most Special Plant For a Dry Climate Garden

Is there an ornamental plant which makes a most beautiful and unusual sculptural silhouette, requires virtually no care and attention, and is extremely modest in its water needs? The answer is yes! It is the Bottle Palm, Nolina recurvata.

Nolina, by virtue of its thick trunk and meter long, grassy leaves, makes a very strong vertical accent in the garden, rising to some 3-4 meters, and even more after very many years. Its unique feature is the swollen base from which the trunk rises. On mature plants this can reach over a meter in diameter, and looks something like a giant onion.

Requiring little water, the Bottle Palm is ideally suited to dry landscape designs. It can be planted in a bed of decorative pebbles for instance, or in a mulch of wood chippings, and goes well with other plants of strong form such as Dracaena or Yucca. In fact it could serve as the focal point, or the dominant element in a composition based on ornamental grasses and grass-like plants. For example, it looks great billowing out of a carpet of low growing "grasses" like Festuca, Carex and Liriope.

Nolina should be used judiciously. It does not go well in my view with large-leaved and obviously tropical plants, but associates quite well with true palms. It is sometimes grown as a vertical emphasis in a carpet of flowers. Personally, I think this creates a certain amount of confusion, as the flower color and the strong lines of the Nolina compete for attention. Good design involves the correct relationship between a dominant factor, whether that be a sculptural plant or a mass of color, and a support factor such as a hedge or a green ground cover.

Nolina recurvata has to be about the easiest plant to grow. It is as close to being maintenance free as possible. Nonetheless, it does have its cultural requirements, which should be carefully noted.

*The most crucial is the need for excellent drainage. It is preferable to under-water Nolina than to over-water it. For this reason it should not be planted close to plants that require frequent watering, such as annual flowers. In such cases the bulb is liable to rot.

*Nolina requires full sun, but can get by in light shade

*Remember that this plant grows very slowly. As it needs room to grow, it should not be crowded out with competing species. Patience as ever is a virtue!

For FREE hands-on, expert information on gardening click here

http://www.dryclimategardening.com

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Jonathan Ya'akobi

Your Personal Gardening Coach

Flower Bulbs - Nature's Greatest Gift

Flowers are one of natures greatest gifts. Their scent, their colors, their shapes everything about flowers is beautiful. A colorful, cheerful flower can brighten even the darkest day. Even more enjoyable than looking at flowers, though, is growing them. Flowers can be bought from pots and replanted. They can also be grown from clippings. However, one of the most popular ways of growing flowers is from bulbs and seeds.

Growing flowers outdoors from bulbs is simple; in fact, it is so easy that its almost foolproof. One of the most important aspects is timing. Bulbs need to be planted about six weeks before the first frost. Bulbs must be planted in an area with good drainage and a lot of sun. Make sure the soil is loose, and then plant the bulbs about six inches in the ground. (Package directions may vary depending on type and location; when directions differ, following your package.) Try to place the bulb in the hole with the pointed end facing up. Cover the hole and water. Voila! Youve planted your flower bulbs.

Flower bulbs and seeds make flower gardens accessible for everyone. They can be grown virtually anywhere. One idea is to plant them in containers. With container gardens, even apartment dwellers can enjoy the beauty of flowers. Container-grown flower bulbs and seeds also allow growers to defy nature. Flower bulbs can be planted indoors in any season and in any climate, as long as the indoor conditions are favorable for growth.

Flower bulbs are available in many varieties, such as tulips, daffodils, gladiolus, and crocus.

Flower Bulbs Info provides detailed information on wholesale, discount, spring, summer, and fall flower bulbs for sale, flower bulb catalog and company information, and advice on planting flower bulbs. Flower Bulbs Info is the sister site of Flower Delivery Web.

The Name "Hybrid Tea"

Let's Face It

We may as well face it, almost a century has passed since we dipped into Rosa X odorata (tea) blood and the modern rose passed into a new phase. The genes have been wound so many different ways from an ever increasing number of species roses. (Should you call me a "hybrid Irishman" just because a remote ancestor named "Dennis" came to America some 200 years ago, and his offspring intermarried into French, English, German and Welsh families?)

Where do the modern large flowered bush garden roses get their robust stems? Not from tea! Where do the sturdy big flowers come from? Not from tea! From whence do they get some cold resistance? Not from tea!

If we must single out some ancestor common observation would move us to use the name "hybrid gallica." But this leaves us with the current problems. For in addition to gallica the modern roses have a fair representation of seven other major species roses in their genetic makeup.

It's Gone- Let It Die In Peace

Actually the name hybrid tea well served its purpose some 150 years ago when it told the world that a new species was being dipped into and new emphasis was to be placed on "ever-blooming." (Due credit for everblooming should be accorded Rosa chinensis - all too often we give it all to Rosa X odorata, the tea rose.)

Some of us now want to dip into Rosaecae to secure really good sunfast hardy yellow roses. If we are successful in this shall we immediately begin to call our roses "hybridecae"?

For goodness sake, I hope not! I feel sorry for the families which set a plate at the table for the dead family member. We should honor the dead but the dead ought not to dictate to the living, for the dead change not and life is a constant change.

Turning to my visitor I said, "l would just call it a large-flowered everblooming rose." He perfectly understood these words. So d0 I. Do you?

Other Problems Arising

I have seen a few roses grown singly on two or two and a half foot stems which would rival any hybrid tea for form and beauty. Yet these may not enter in rose competition for the really top awards, for those awards are granted only to hybrid tea classification!

Thus by a "name" we rule certain roses out of top competition. Why should we single out this or that great rose and say, no, it may not compete for we choose to call certain other roses hybrid tea although like the old hybrid 'Peace' they get their color from Rosa foetida, their stem from R. gallica, their plant from gallica chinensis tea?

You may object, "Well why worry, these are only exceptional cases." Let me point out that as you begin to enter the desert, water holes may still be plentiful but this does not mean it is safe to ignore providing for conditions that are immediately ahead and are even now causing difficulty.

What roses and plants covering the landscape will be sold six years from today? The plants are now in nursery seedling flats today. Check them, brother, check them.

They are getting better and better and we have bred almost all the tea right out of them to make room for better genes. Sure, we will hang on to the wide color range of tea and it will reinforce the repeat blooming and perhaps help with health but from hereon in tea is only another brick in the new rose building.

To be very candid, let us all admit that the only current value of the name hybrid tea is that somehow the public associates a "monthly" rose with the name hybrid tea.

Now is the perfect time to view more about knockout roses. Visit us at zone10.com.

Build an Organic Vegetable Garden on Your Lawn

If you have a lawn, you probably wondered often enough why you keep up with such a useless, time-consuming and expensive piece of outdoor landscaping when you could instead have a healthy and productive organic vegetable garden. Now that even the White House is starting a garden, it could be the right time for you as well!

Many people who would like to turn to organic vegetable gardening are put off by the idea that it must be a difficult and time-consuming endeavour, and that a lot of tilling and other back-breaking work is involved. In fact, if you follow some basic permaculture precepts and let nature do its work, it will be very easy work. Unless your lawn is contaminated by a lot of pesticides, you won't even have to remove the grass.

First, delimit the lawn area for your organic vegetable garden with some thread, or with chalk. You can make it as big as the White House veggie garden patch, thirty by thirty feet, or smaller. Water this area generously, making sure that the ground is thoroughly soaked.

Cover the area with a six inch thick mix of sand or gravel, old grass clippings, soil, and some ready-made organic compost or manure. This will ensure a solid nutrient base for your organic vegetables to grow on in years to come. Cover everything with cardboard, or with several layers of newspaper. This cover will eventually become compost too.

Next you need to build a simple raised bed, made of planks, which you will put on top of the newspaper or cardboard. In due time the paper will decompose and become part of the organic base, but at first you will need it as a barrier between the early plants and the high-quality soil that you will now add.

The frames of the raised beds for your vegetable garden need to be filled with more organic compost, this time mixed with normal organic soil and some vermiculite for aeration.

You are now done with the preparation of the organic vegetable garden patch. Leave it be for three or four weeks so that small burrowing insects have the time to come back and to turn the former piece of sterile lawn into a rich patch of good quality soil.

Now is the time to plant baby plants known as seedlings, or alternatively seeds. If you don't have any available from a windowsill you can get seeds and seedlings from shops, from neighbours, or over the internet at specialized organic vegetable gardening retailers.

Regarding the herbs and vegetables to pick for your lawn turned new garden, go wild and take whatever you prefer. Don't be afraid to leave out some common plants and go for lesser known crops, the variety of plants available to the home grower compared to the supermarket is staggering.

It's recommended to involve any kids that live in your area in the planning of the organic vegetable garden. This should of course include your own children, but also any other kids in your neighbourhood that your family is on friendly terms with. They will be engrossed in the activity, and you will get some help to transform that lawn into a garden.

Starting a compost heap is just as important as the other steps to a perfect organic vegetable garden. For that you need to pile all your garden clippings and non-animal kitchen waste into a wooden frame or a special composting box and water. After a while, you will have more compost for your plants.

OrganicHerbalGardening.com is the premier resource for organic gardening on the Net, with information on subjects such as how to grow organic herbs, as well as on indoor herb gardens, seasonal gardening, organic cooking, click the links above to find out more!

Nolina - A Most Special Plant For a Dry Climate Garden

Is there an ornamental plant which makes a most beautiful and unusual sculptural silhouette, requires virtually no care and attention, and is extremely modest in its water needs? The answer is yes! It is the Bottle Palm, Nolina recurvata.

Nolina, by virtue of its thick trunk and meter long, grassy leaves, makes a very strong vertical accent in the garden, rising to some 3-4 meters, and even more after very many years. Its unique feature is the swollen base from which the trunk rises. On mature plants this can reach over a meter in diameter, and looks something like a giant onion.

Requiring little water, the Bottle Palm is ideally suited to dry landscape designs. It can be planted in a bed of decorative pebbles for instance, or in a mulch of wood chippings, and goes well with other plants of strong form such as Dracaena or Yucca. In fact it could serve as the focal point, or the dominant element in a composition based on ornamental grasses and grass-like plants. For example, it looks great billowing out of a carpet of low growing "grasses" like Festuca, Carex and Liriope.

Nolina should be used judiciously. It does not go well in my view with large-leaved and obviously tropical plants, but associates quite well with true palms. It is sometimes grown as a vertical emphasis in a carpet of flowers. Personally, I think this creates a certain amount of confusion, as the flower color and the strong lines of the Nolina compete for attention. Good design involves the correct relationship between a dominant factor, whether that be a sculptural plant or a mass of color, and a support factor such as a hedge or a green ground cover.

Nolina recurvata has to be about the easiest plant to grow. It is as close to being maintenance free as possible. Nonetheless, it does have its cultural requirements, which should be carefully noted.

*The most crucial is the need for excellent drainage. It is preferable to under-water Nolina than to over-water it. For this reason it should not be planted close to plants that require frequent watering, such as annual flowers. In such cases the bulb is liable to rot.

*Nolina requires full sun, but can get by in light shade

*Remember that this plant grows very slowly. As it needs room to grow, it should not be crowded out with competing species. Patience as ever is a virtue!

For FREE hands-on, expert information on gardening click here

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Jonathan Ya'akobi

Your Personal Gardening Coach

Orange Flowers

We often look for flowers to brighten your day or to take away your blues. The color of flowers you choose helps bring a difference in your life. The flowers help take away the negative feelings that may come your way. Flowers that are orange, are the kind of flowers that we put up in our house to make it more vibrant and comfortable.

Orange flowers can be planted as bulbs or seeds in your garden. These flowers come several shades of orange and you can mix these different shades in your garden to make it look more appealing rather than stick to one shade. Once you plant these flowers you must have all the right tools to ensure they stay alive and flourish.

Before you begin your garden its best you get all the advice you can on maintain one. This especially important when you are dealing with exotic orange flowers or the kind that are not ordinary grown in your neck of the woods and how you maintain them is also important. Some of the orange flowers available include calendulas, cosmos, birds of paradise and other exotic tropical flowers like an orange hibiscus flower. Other flowers of this color include Orange Emperor tulips, Illumination Orange Begonias, Dover Orange Peruvian Lily, Nasturtiums, Marigolds and many others.

Many people forget that plants and flowers alike are just like humans and have to be take care of so that they grow and flourish into beautiful flowers that we love to look at. Many times you will deal with orange looking flowers and how you place them around your home garden is usually up to you but it is important to place them in a way that will style up your home and garden.

Peter Gitundu Researches And Reports On Flowers. For more information on orange flowers, Visit His Site At ORANGE FLOWERS

You Can Also Post Your Views About orange flowers On My Blog Here orange flowers

Make Your Garden Lively With Modern Garden Decoratives

Garden is a place which everyone loves to visit. Gardens may be big or small, public or private; but gardens are beautiful indeed. They are like the verandas of nature. They are beautified by numerous flowers, plants and creepers by the nature itself. The chirping of birds, the tricks of squirrels and the presence of other such creatures enhance the charm of the garden even more. But, all these things are a common scene in any traditional garden. Today, the times have changed. At present, there are a numerous ways to decorate the garden. Various types of garden decoration items are available for sale in the market, these days.

The gardens are no doubt, beautiful and soothing by their very nature. But, when they are decorated with the contemporary decoration items, they look like heaven. The various materials out of which these decorative items are crafted include wood, steel, iron etc. However, there are a large variety of garden decoration items in use at present, but the main items are as mentioned under:

(1) Garden Fountains: These fountains are specially made for the purpose of placing them in the garden. They looks very elegant and attractive in the garden. These fountains are of various types like outdoor, wall and statue.

(2) Garden Sculptures: A sculpture or statue gives a great contribution in providing a lively look to a garden. They are one of the best embellishments, especially for outdoor gardens. These sculptures are mainly of two types viz. animal and figurative.

(3) Bird Baths: It is a unique item in itself. It is both a decorative and an utility item. They are basins for ornamental use. As the name suggests, they are kept in the garden for attracting the birds, to drink water from it and bath in it.

(4) Garden Plant Stands: They are meant for keeping plants. They are also found in places like atrium and patio, but are most commonly used for decorating gardens. They are generally made of metals like cast iron, wrought iron, copper, aluminum, and brass. They are also carved out of marble and other stones. These plant stands are made to withstand any weather condition.

(5) Garden Gates: Gate is a very important item, whether it is fitted in a house or a garden. Gate puts the first impression on the people coming to a place. The modern gates not only confines the area inside the gate from the surrounding area, but also serve as a decoration item. They are commonly made of teak, hardwood, wrought iron, painted steel or brass hardware.

Today's garden decoratives are masterpieces in themselves. They are both man and machine made. They are crafted with utmost care by skilled artisans; they are also fabricated with precision by sophisticated machinery. Anyway, there is no denying the fact that garden decorative items are emerging as an indispensable garden accessory. They are evergreen and they will surely not loose their charm in the times to come.

The above garden accessories or decoration items are just a glimpse of the complete assortment of such products that are presently available. To get detailed information on various other types of such products you may visit the following site: www.garden-accessories-tools.com/

Choosing a Bird Table For Your Garden

If you enjoy feeding birds in your garden then a bird table is likely to be the most important thing you have. A bird table will encourage birds to return again and again to feast off the food you put on the table and the bits that drop on the ground.

A bird table will be the most popular during the winter months when natural food such as insects and berries may be in short supply.

There a few things you should think about when choosing a bird table for your garden.

Make sure the bird table is big enough - if it is too small you are likely to see more fighting than feeding.

Check that the bird table has a lip to prevent too much food falling off and drainage holes so food does not sit in water if it rains. You could consider getting a bird table with a roof which will keep both the food and the birds dry.

Traditional bird tables are made of wood, often with a rustic feel to them. They may have a thatched roof which the birds may "borrow" to build their nests in the spring time.

However, you can now get bird tables made of other materials such as metal, plastic and even glass. These are easier to clean than a wooden bird table and can look better in more modern or urban gardens.

Avoid bird tables that have a nest box in the roof as nesting birds will often conflict with feeding birds and it is not recommended to get a bird table that has a bird bath above it as the food will get very soggy from the water splashes.

The smoother and straighter the pole the more difficult it will be for cats, squirrels and other predators to climb. If your bird table post has knobbles on it then smear it with Vaseline or other grease so they cannot get a grip.

Once you have chosen a suitable bird table you need to decide where to put it in your garden. You do not want to move your bird table around as the birds will get used to where it is so you need to take some time beforehand planning where it will go.

It needs to go somewhere quiet where the birds will not be disturbed by a lot of human traffic. However, you also need to be able to see the bird table from your house as part of the fun of feeding birds is that you can watch them too.

Make sure that the birds have a good view from the table to look out for any predators and avoid placing the bird table near dense shrubs or trees from where predators could attack. Place it a couple of metres from a fence or a wall so birds have somewhere to flee to if they do feel threatened.

Do not place your bird table in strong sunlight or where it could get blasted by cold wind.
You can put almost any food out on a bird table including kitchen scraps like breadcrumbs, nuts, dried soaked fruit, grated cheese, unsalted bacon, oatmeal, cooked potato or rice. You can also buy special formulated bird seed mixes or you could make a fat cakes from melted suet mixed with seeds and nuts.

Put some food below the bird table for ground-feeding birds to enjoy although make sure you remove any leftovers each day to discourage rats and squirrels.

Brush off any old food and debris from your bird table and clean it regularly with a mild disinfectant to prevent the build up of bacteria or parasites that may be harmful to birds.

Clear away the build up of droppings that may have accumulated underneath. For this reason it can be easier to stand your bird table on a paved area or decking or stand it on something that you can clean easily.

Carry out maintenance in the autumn; tighten any loose screws and remove any splinters which could injure birds. Your bird table won't last forever so it will probably need replacing every few years.

A well stocked bird table will bring you and the birds much pleasure in your garden and is one of the first things you should think about when planning a bird friendly garden.

Find a great range of bird tables in many styles and designs.

This article was written by the owner of http://www.britishbirdlovers.co.uk

The author is a keen gardener and amateur bird watcher.

Preparing Your Dream Garden

Are you craving that dirty fingernail feeling with dreams of perennials swimming though your head? It's time to start making plans for what you want in those old flower beds. Instead of having mish-mash have your dream garden. Let your garden introduce your home.

So, where to start. Go through growers magazines and design your garden. Write down your dream plants that you want to use. Find out their sun, shade, soil and zone types they like to be in. You better know the water requirements too. Sit down with a piece of paper and draw out the area you want to put the plants in. You need to know heights. Determine if you want paths, sprinkler systems, brick-a-brack, and lights. Concentrate on dreams for your plants.

To prepare your area for your dream:

1 .Clear the area of all undesirable plants or debris.

2. Do a soil analysis. Kits can be purchased from growers and greenhouses or take a sample to your local co-op. pH is an important factor as well as NPKs.

3. Find out what your favorite dream plant's home would be.

4. Begin adding your soil amendments appropriately. With the information from your tests you should be able to come up with the perfect yum yums to make your plant grow wonderfully.

Now, you are ready to make your dreams come true. Do some serious considerations of where to get your plants. Remember, dime-store plants will give you dime-store qualities. Also, be aware that plants from mass marketing stores could be mis-marked. Their employees, although they may mean well, are not always plant savvy.

Consider a grower who shares your dream.

Cheryl Koonce has taught science and math to grades 5 - 12 for the last 18 years. She has looked for exciting ways to teach her students. One of her favorites lines comes from "The Magic School Bus." "Go ahead take chances, get dirty." She frequently makes this comment to her students during class. In response her students are not afraid to learn and accept the challenge willingly. They enjoy the investigations they embark on and look to find answers to new problems.

To view some of her lesson plans go to http://www.greenhouseland.com She will be demonstrating greenhouse lessons in her workshop which is to launch during the summer of 2009.

Organic Supplies For Your Organic Garden

Anything - fruits, vegetables, and items mentioned that you use should go into your compost pit instead of the trash for awhile. Any leaves you can find can also be put into the compost pit. If you have neighbors you can ask for their refuse as well to help fill your pits faster. This is especially recommended if you are a single person or part of a couple that does not accumulate trash very quickly. Many neighbors will be willing to share their refuse if they are promised a bit of the fresh harvest when it comes available.

This compost pit MUST be started well before you plan to plant. It is recommended that you start your compost pit at least three weeks before you intend to start planting seeds if not sooner. The longer your compost has to age the better so do not delay when it comes to starting your pit.

In fact, you might want to consider digging your compost pit as soon as the ground becomes soft enough to work right after winter. This way your compost will be ready when the time comes for you to start digging your garden or preparing your containers.

If you are someone that is growing organic vegetables in a limited space using pots and containers you might want to purchase organic compost from a gardening supply store. This will be easier than attempting to create your own compost in a small space. Purchasing your own aged compost will be easier and much more convenient when working with a limited amount of space.

1. Organic Mulch & Newspaper

Old newspapers and organic mulch are a must have for anyone starting a new organic vegetable garden. Organic mulch can be made up of a variety of items that are probably on or around your property. Fallen leaves, flower blossoms, twigs, fallen needles from trees, and even bark can all be used as mulch. When you see any of these things around your property do not be afraid to gather it in bags and take it to the site of your future vegetable garden to use as mulch.

Many gardeners do not think mulch is important for anything other than visual appeal. While mulch will help make your planted garden look more tidy organic mulch has many other benefits that make it a vital part of your vegetable garden. For starters organic mulch will help cut down on the growth of weeds that could ruin your new garden.

Organic mulch will also help improve the quality of soil in your vegetable garden. Unlike non-organic mulches, organic mulch will decay and decompose overtime becoming a layer of rich and fertile topsoil. This will add nutrients to the vegetables in addition to its other uses.

Before the organic mulch decays it will help keep the water used to water your new vegetable garden from evaporating before it has a chance to do its work. It will also help keep the temperature of your soil even by warming the soil during the winter and cooling it during the summer. This is a great feature to those who grow vegetables all year round. The old newspaper helps perform another function that will help your vegetable garden thrive.

When you are ready to start laying down your mulch to protect your newly planted vegetable garden you should have a good supply of old newspapers available. These newspapers should be placed on the ground before you lay down your mulch. The newspaper will help protect your organic vegetable garden from the insects that will be attracted to your mulch.

There are a few things to remember when choosing your mulch and laying it down over and around your garden. For starters avoid using hay for organic vegetable garden mulch. Even though hay can be found easily and purchased cheaply in many areas it is often filled with weed seed. You will be helping to cause the problem you are trying to avoid.

Also, make sure you do not lay the mulch down too thickly. Mulch should be no more than two to three inches thick and once it is laid down you should still watch the mulch carefully. Make sure the mulch is not matting together since that can prevent water from reaching your vegetable seeds. Another thing to watch out for is slimy mulch which can occur when some of the materials used to create a layer of mulch become slimy as they decay. If this happens simply shovel the slimy mulch away and replace it with a fresh layer of organic mulch.

2. Gloves, Shovels, and Hoes
A few old fashioned garden tools are the only other things you will need to get your garden started (other than seed of course) and if you do not already have them they can be purchased anywhere that sells garden supplies. You will need a good shovel to dig your compost pits and your garden area. A good garden hoe will also be necessary for any weeding that needs to be done and a good strong pair of gloves.

Gloves will be needed to protect your hands when shoveling and doing garden work that is more hands on. Weeding in particular will require a good pair of gloves since it will often be easier to simply pull up weeds by hand instead of using a hoe to kill them.

Visit the Tree Facts website to learn about the red oak tree and the bradford pear tree.

A Low Maintenance Garden With Decorative Gravel

Creating a low maintenance garden with decorative gravel is easy to do. Gravel is available in a dizzying array of colours and sizes that can fit into almost anyone's garden plans. Gravel is quite inexpensive and easy to use. It requires a minimum of maintenance and always looks great.

Decorative gravel can be bought in colours ranging from gold to white, black to red, cream to brown, and purple to green, any shade of grey, and practically any other colour in between. You can get small gravel sizes of 8 millimetres through to large sizes of 75 millimetres. This article offers you five different ways to have a low maintenance garden with decorative gravel.

1. Use gravel around plants and flowers. This will add visual appeal to your flower beds. You can choose decorative gravel in a colour that enhances and contrasts the colour of each group of flowers or plants.

Gravel around flowers doesn't just look good. It will help to avoid soil erosion as well as helping to control the weeds. Gravel around plants and flowers will also help to retain the moisture in the soil, which is very useful on a hot day in summer.

2. The edges of ponds and pools can greatly benefit from decorative gravel. Don't fall into the usual trap of making it all evenly ringed around the pool or pond. That looks unnatural. Vary the area amounts in places making it a more random layering. Use different colours and sizes to vary it even more, and possibly even include pebbles or sand, as well as larger rocks and stones.

3. A waterfall area can be truly enhanced through the use of decorative gravel. It needs to be used in conjunction with natural looking rocks and stones. The gravel can be used to fill in areas between the larger items giving the whole effect a much more rounded-off appearance.

4. Perhaps the most obvious use of decorative gravel is in a main path through your garden. For a path you are probably best to choose one colour and texture and stick to it, though using patterns or mosaics is quite possible too. A path is likely to take a lot of gravel to fill. As a rough guide, expect to need around one tonne of gravel for each five metres of path that's one metre wide and 100 millimetres in depth.

5. A large area of lawn with nothing to break up the monotony is not making the best use of your garden. Lawns need regular mowing. For the best low maintenance lawn, break the area up by creating winding decorative gravel walkways through it. These needn't be too wide, just enough for someone to walk over. You can be very creative here for a most pleasing effect using different colours and patterns.

Having a low maintenance garden with decorative gravel makes sense from so many perspectives. It will look great with just a minimum of planning and thought. There isn't very much work involved in creating it. It is fairly inexpensive, and you can cut down the regular maintenance work required by half if you do it properly. That has to be worth considering.

David A Robinson
Help and information about using gravel for driveways and gardens.

About Garden Decking

Garden decking can be one of the most desirable and reasonable improvements that you can make to your garden in particular and your home in general. Not everyone is a keen gardener and garden decking is one way to make a garden look very acceptable,with low maintenance, but still be a pleasure to relax in. There is something about being outdoors that makes you feel calmer and more relaxed (providing your next door neighbours' teenage kids have not got music playing full blast! Spoils the effect somehow).

If you have a decked area in your garden, you can make it very conducive to relaxation. There are a number of construction materials to choose from. Timber is now a very popular choice because of it's relatively modest price and flexibility, ease of working and adaptability to the ground conditions. For example on uneven land a structure can be adjusted to produce an acceptable result. At one time if you wanted a sitting area at the end of the garden you would create a concrete or paved patio linked to the main house with, perhaps a crazy paving path. Garden decking is a fine alternative. Sometimes, you want to, or need to, walk on part of your garden without walking on the grass and again decking, used as a path, is an attractive option. More and more people are opting for decking

A very important consideration is where to establish your site. You will have to consider such matters as when it will receive sun. Will that time be suitable, or desirable? Perhaps there are trees, not only shading the desired spot or dropping leaves, but which provide landing places for birds and squirrels depositing their unmentionables. Some shade may be desirable. The question of privacy also arises. Will the chosen area be too overlooked? Is the preferred spot protected from the wind? Clearly the size and shape of your garden is a considerable factor influencing your choice. However, it is comforting that garden decking is relatively easy to lay and wonderfully flexible in relation to size and structure. Building off the ground is not a mammoth task but obviously needs considerably more skill and expertise.

You may decide to have the site as an island in the middle of your lawn area. Alternatively you may prefer to build the decking area as an extension to your patio or veranda. You may want it to be private and secluded. It can be camouflaged with suitable small trees and bushes. It can be adorned with wooden planters filled with colourful plants and flowers. The options really are endless.

Whether used for relaxing, sunbathing, entertaining, barbecuing, dining or as a play space for children, even for working from home, garden decking is a wonderfully adaptable and tasteful extension to the home. It is a super addition to your residence and a superb outdoor room, weather permitting.

With robust rails the garden decking area can be made secure for children. Also if you add some basic lighting and if the weather is not great, erect a light portable plastic marquee for cover, you have a suitably cosy open air recreation facility.

Maintenance requirements are not excessive. A coating or two of wood preservative of an appropriate colour, will keep it up to scratch until serious attention is required, taking in to account the passage of time. By and large it keeps coming back for more.

All in all a sound investment in time and money which can create a lot of fun and relaxation.

David Connor
http://softwareandebookswithdaveconnor.com
Copyright 12 March 2009

Organic And Natural Food Snacks

As we become more concerned about the ingredients in our food products, the more confused we can become. New food labeling laws, especially Nutrition Fact Labels, which are required on all processed foods, help us understand the basic food group components. But how do we know which ingredients are harmful or not so healthy for our kids?

What is the difference between natural and organic snack foods?

Organic refers to the way food is grown and processed. Organic foods are grown without toxins and persistent chemicals. Instead farmers use methods that work with nature, like crop rotation, cover crop planting, and composting. Some even use a release of insects that are beneficial to the crops being raised.

Organic food products do not contain fructose corn syrup, genetically modified organisms, artificial coloring and flavorings, MSG, and preservatives. Plus, they are grown without the use of pesticides. Natural food products contain no artificial colors, flavorings, or preservatives.

As more and more environmental issues are raised each day, many parents are looking for ways to raise healthy, strong children without exposing them to harmful toxins. Providing them with organic and natural snack foods is a very positive step toward that goal.

Natural and Organic Snack Ideas:

Fruits and Vegetables

Purchase fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. Canned products have more sugar, and salt, plus contain much less dietary fiber. If you choose to use canned fruits and vegetables look for organic products or natural ones that have no sugar added and are low in sodium.

Organic grains:

100% Whole-wheat Breads

Organic Toaster Pastries

Organic Graham Crackers and Vanilla Wafers

Tortilla Chips

Oat Bran Pretzels

Natural Potato Chips

Organic or Natural Cereals

Granola Bars

Homemade Trail Mix

Organic and Natural snack foods provide kids with a healthy nutritious snack treat that adds more nutrition to their diets. Whether they are eaten on the go, at home, after sports activities, or at school, organic and natural snacks foods provide important nutrients and energy that kids need everyday.

Written by Tina M. Rideout. Creator of NuTraFun. We Make Healhy Eating for Kids and Adults Fun. For more information visit: http://www.nutritionalfun.com

Root Cellars - A Natural Method of Cold Storage

Root Cellaring is a method of using earth's natural cool temperature to store your perishable fruits and vegetables. It is an energy saving way to keep your produce fresh.

There are many ways that root cellars have been built. There are ones that are dug into the ground and have access through a hatchway, ones that are dug into a hillside and other ones that are build above ground.

A root cellar that is accessed through a hatchway are usually a large hole dug into the ground like a house basement, then four walls and a ceiling are constructed. In constructing the ceiling there is an access hole left to install a hatchway door and ladder. In a root cellar the floors are left is there natural state. Some of these types of root cellars even have a shed like building built over the hatchway door.

The type of root cellars that are constructed into a hillside are basically the same construction method of the hatchway type. The only difference being is that there is an insulated doorway in the front for access into the cellar.

An above ground type of cold storage can be built many different ways. They are basically a well insulated shed or garage type building. They can be built of wood, block or even stone.

The major factor in any style of root cellar is the humidity. Depending on where you live the humidity level will need to be monitored and either adjusted up or down. This can easily be done with an exhaust fan or by adding water to the cellar with wet towels or pans of water.

A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.

John Yazo

http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com

Landscape Gardening - Feng Shui With Foliage

Landscaping your garden can make a vast difference not only to its appearance but also to the value of your property if you are putting it on the market.

There are some very gifted gardeners out there but generally landscaping work would need to be carried out by specialist contractors. Not only do they bring their years of experience to the project but perhaps even more importantly all their expensive equipment, not to mention their discounts at all the local gardening retailers.

What features might you include in your newly fashioned garden?

Water landscaping or water features are very popular, whether it is a pond, fountain or something else of that ilk. Obviously with ponds and other such water features a degree of excavation work is normally involved and this is best handled by expert professionals.

Gates, trellises and arches are also amongst some of the more popular features in a well landscaped garden. Even fencing may be found under this category. Design is important to make your garden look balanced and beautiful. Why not discuss your own design ideas with a landscaping professional to see just what is possible and perhaps discover what unseen potential your garden may have.

Every garden is different but especially here in the United Kingdom, usually the predominant colour is green. Trees, shrubs and lawns for that matter form such a large part in British gardens and the planting and arranging of these trees and shrubs is yet another vital ingredient in the landscaper's arsenal.

Perhaps you will have concrete patios or block paving in amongst the lawns and foliage or pathways winding through some trees or leading to a garden pond teeming with wildlife.

The experts will be able to tell you which trees will suit your particular garden and whether your ground is suitable for certain species of shrubs and trees. Knowing how quickly the plants and trees grow, which nutrients they need and how much light they need are all considerations that the landscaping experts will be able to advise you with.

Quality landscaping professionals should be able to show you examples or a portfolio of their work to date. Where do you get your own ideas from? Well unless you have your plans already, magazines, books and even online searches can assist you in making your choices for that dream garden.

It is only when you have your ideas and plans in place and have discussed them with your chosen landscaping company that you can assess the cost and most efficient ways of achieving your gardening goals.

Producing a beautiful garden involves hard work and planning, landscaping experts can offer a wealth of information and guidance. Jules researches and writes for website SEO company sigma web.

Cactus Landscape - Guide to Landscaping with Cacti

With the ever increasing water shortages in different areas of America why wouldn't you use a cactus landscape? There's even a term for cactus landscaping or landscaping that saves water; it's called xeriscaping. Some important aspects of using cacti landscaping are understanding the many advantages, how to hydrozone, and how to use the cacti correctly in order to have a beautiful garden.

The benefits of having a cactus landscape are overwhelming. Obviously, it saves a lot of water. Secondly, cacti require little care. During times of drought your cactus landscape will survive while others are dying. Having a cactus garden is like having a kid that takes care of himself. I'm not saying that your cactus landscape has to consist on of cactus, there's a great way to have other plants and still save water called hydrozoning.

As you may already know hydrozoning is when you put plants into groups that have similar watering requirements. This allows you to have a group of your favorite plants and still save a lot of water. In fact it would be best to put these plants in the shade like under a tree. Another good idea is to put these plants at the bottom of a slope so that rain water flows down to them. Now that we have identified good places for our other plants it's time to start landscaping our cacti.

As I said before cacti are very tough plants. Some survive temperatures of over 120 degrees in the shade. So, when planting your cacti you can put you cacti anywhere. It's good to put them on banks or the sides of hills where you don't want to mow the lawn. Your planning you landscape should have the tall plants in the back and fuller ones in the front. Make sure that your cactus landscape is full of different colors and flowers.

Cactus landscaping goes far being the scope of what I've covered in this report. This article was written to just cover the basics of cactus landscaping like it's advantages, how to hydrozone, and some cactus landscaping tips.

While cacti are beautiful plants my favorite plant would have to be the bonsai tree. The bonsai tree is a beautiful addition to any garden. Find out how one man discovered the secrets of creating amazing bonsai trees and how you can learn these step by step secrets too.

http://japanesebonsai.info

P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to the free garden tips newsletter in the link above.

Outdoor Water Fountains - Maintenance Tips

To start with the general advice on keeping your outdoor water fountain in good working order is very simple and if you follow these basic principles then you should have no problems in keeping everything in top condition. There are some weekly tasks and monthly tasks that should be followed; the first of the weekly tasks is to ensure that the water levels in the outdoor water fountains basin are at the optimum point. If the water level gets too low then this can put a strain on the pump and will ultimately affect the way the fountain functions. If you live in an area where you have plenty of rainfall then this will keep the water levels topped up and you could need to remove some of the excess water, in sunny locations evaporation will occur and it could be you need to check on a more regular basis and add water when necessary. Keeping the basin water level correct is essential in ensuring the continued use of the fountain and this is why this is one of the key bits of maintenance you will perform.

The second task is to make sure the fountain is clear of any form of debris; this can include leaves, dirt and any other forms of vegetation that can get into the water at different times of the year. You are more likely to have to do this check during the winter and especially the autumnal months when the leaves are falling from the trees. If this debris is not removed from the outdoor water fountain then it can be extremely detrimental to the fountain and can cause problems with the pump and along with any rotting mater will affect the quality of the water. Whilst you are checking the water levels if you spot any thing that should not be in there simply remove this from the water fountains basin. These are the two main tasks you should perform ideally on a weekly basis, and this is especially important if your outdoor water fountain has a pump, static water fountains and this will not be such an essential requirement other than aesthetics.

On a monthly basis it makes good sense to give the pump a good once over, this should include giving it a good clean and removing any lime scale and dirt from the pump. The pump is the most crucial piece of the outdoor water fountains and if this is not kept in good condition then you will not be able to enjoy the full use of your water feature. Generally you will find any outdoor water fountain which you buy will come with a guideline as to how and how often you need to clean the pump, make sure you read these carefully to prolong the life of your fountain.

Chris Courtis is a writer for Ethan Paul Fountains who are a provider of high quality Outdoor Water Fountains.

Starting a Garden

Before beginning the designing a new garden space it is very important to plan the garden. Other factors which will also require consideration include budget - how much are you willing to spend on features, plant varieties, stage of maturity etc, and how much time you are willing to invest in maintaining your new garden. Gardening might be broadly considered a leisure activity, but for many it involves plenty of activity and little leisure! As time becomes an increasing precious resource, it is very important that we also consider time and dhow much time will be available to manage and maintain the garden as it develops and matures.

When it comes to planning a garden, there are several factors which might be considered but three in particular:

Aspect - note the direction and times as the sun travels across the site. Remember that patios, ponds, flower beds, vegetable plots, fruit trees etc require good light. Sheds, compost heaps and shade loving plants can be positioned in areas where light levels are low. Trees are excellent for screening out unwelcome views they do cast shadows especially long shadows during winter.
Topography - sloping or uneven sites offer particular design scope not found in level sites. Otherwise when planning avoid placing fruit trees or other frost sensitive plants in hollows where temperatures are more likely to be lower than other parts of the site. Site areas which might be subject to persistent cross winds might require windbreaks until new shrubs and trees become established.
Soil - as general garden wisdom goes, one plants with the soil, not against it. Important to test the pH of your garden soil to determine whether it is alkaline or acidic. Plants which are lime hating should not be planted in alkaline soils or plants that are lime tolerant should not be planted in acidic soils. Similarly plants which prefer moist conditions are not suitable for growing in free draining sandy soils. A quick survey of neighbouring gardens would be a useful indicator of which plants are thriving in local conditions and would be good indicators of prevailing soil conditions etc.

Ideally when planning a garden in large sites try to create compartments otherwise in all sites large and small go for distinctive views which will vary and change as one walks through the garden. Some people prefer an open view looking at the garden from the house, whereas an incomplete or slightly obscured view can create mystery, intrigue and interest to explore. There are some visual aspects which can be considered:

The relationship of house and garden can be softened through use of perimeter beds, growing roses or climbing plants against the house or indeed well positioned hanging baskets, window boxes or pots.
Trees are excellent focal points, for screening unwanted views, shelter etc but position trees that will not obscure interesting views, create cold shadows in important areas.
Patios, paving and pathways, use materials that will blend with or contrast sympathetically with house and garden style. Natural stone is an excellent choice. Avoid dissecting lawn areas, instead position pathways on one side, and better still plan the route which takes the visitor on a journey through the planted areas. It may even be possible to conceal pathways in amongst the planting.
Geometry, straight lines can look particularly well in contemporary or architectural formal garden but otherwise curves are usually more appealing. Avoid intricate short complex curves and instead plan long bold sweeps.
Outbuildings including garden sheds, glasshouses, and potting sheds should where possible be screened. Plan positions carefully, glasshouses should be in sunny locations but there is no real need for the garden shed to stand in the sunniest place of the garden.

At this point it should be possible to decide on general shape, structure and key aspects of the broader layout. Next stage will be to begin the design and selection of planting types and groups, interesting features as well as visual tricks to create different illusions of for example how to make a small area seem bigger etc. Every garden no matter how small the space is, has big potential to become a relaxing and stylish retreat.

The author is a leading Garden Designer and Landscaper based in Dublin, Ireland. Many of his ideas and advice have been tried and tested through many years of professional experience as owner manager of a well established and award winning garden design and landscaping company which provides Private and Commercial clients a complete landscaping service including Garden Design, Construction & Planting.

For more information about company and inspiring aspects of landscaping, visit:

http://www.owenchubblandscapers.com

Successful Organic Gardening In Containers

Space can be at a premium, especially these days when apartments and condos are so popular. A simple solution for those wanting to grow at least a few basic herbs and vegetables is to grow in containers. Maybe you don't have the time to maintain a large vegetable garden, or you have a physical condition that prevents you bending down or using the usual gardening tools. Whatever the reason, container gardening can be a great way to produce some of your organic food needs.

While container gardening may have its limitations, there are some great benefits.

* You have the advantage of being able to bring containers indoors through the coldest part of winter.

* Your pots / containers can create a focal point on a balcony or patio area, adding interest, colour or foliage.

* Planters can be made from just about any type of container that holds soil and allows adequate drainage.

* Potting mediums are easy to work with as they are the correct pH.

* Weeds are much less likely to become a problem.

* Less likely to be attacked by snails and slugs or soil borne diseases.

* The tiniest space - even a windowsill can be used to produce some fresh herbs

Soil

You need to purchase premium potting mix for growing in containers. Don't be tempted to use soil from the garden in your pots as it will become compact and heavy, not allowing water to drain well. A premium potting medium is a must. It is lighter and so provides excellent drainage.

You will need to provide all your plants nutrients as most potting mixes do not come with organic fertilizer. Remember that more is not better when it comes to applying fertilizer. Too much fertilizer in contact with your plant's roots will burn them. Always follow the directions on packaged fertilizers. There are many organic fertilizers available to choose from so look for blends suited to the type of plant you are growing - leafy, flowering, vegetables, etc.

Container plants need watering more frequently than normal garden plants, and as a result the water leaches away fertilizers. So container grown plants benefit from liquid feeds on a regular basis throughout their growing season. You can purchase organic liquid fertilizers if you don't have room to make your own. Use them for foliar feeding and drenching the soil around your plants.

Watering

Because container plants are above ground the sun and wind will dry potting soils out quicker than plants grown in the ground. During summer you will need to take care that your pots do not dry out.

Water containers when the soil dries out to a depth of 1-2cm (1/2 inch). Apply water with a soft flow to be gentle on your plants and the soil. In really hot weather I usually re-water about 30 minutes after my initial watering. This is beneficial in containers as plants cannot always take up the water quickly.

It is important to make sure that your containers have adequate drainage or your plants will suffer and ultimately die if the roots are permanently sitting in water. If your containers sit on the ground bottom holes may not drain readily. If they are on a patio or are just off the ground, there should be no problem with bottom holes. If you're not sure, make side holes.

Pieces from an old broken clay pot or fly wire placed over the holes will keep the potting mix from packing around the holes and reducing drainage, as well as keeping it in the pot.

You can add some mulch to larger pots in summer to help prevent them from drying out. I like to use pea straw.

Choosing the right plants

When you're growing in containers you will need to look for varieties that are the most suitable for growing in small areas. Many herbs make excellent container specimens. You could start with some of the smaller vegetables such as radishes, lettuce, onions, capsicum or chillies, eggplant, short varieties of carrots, bush beans etc. Container planting is ideal to try out some companion planting techniques. You'll have better success if your plant combinations are happy ones! If you plant in three weekly successions you may be able to achieve continuous production of some plants.

You can also try some climbing plants providing you have some trellis or railing for support. Strawberries grow well in containers, particularly hanging baskets if they are not allowed to dry out.

Location

Choose a position for you container plants where they get about six hour sun each day, preferably morning sun rather than afternoon sun. ou may also need to protect your plants from falling over in strong winds. If you have many pots they might provide some protection for each other. Place the tallest plants along walls or trellises.

Many conventional gardeners find themselves with more than just a few plants growing in containers. I wouldn't think of any other way to grow mints as they are just impossible if they escape into the garden. And how many people have the space for a full grown bay tree, when they only use a few leaves each week?

Yes, they take a little extra care, but we are well rewarded with our bounties. Try growing a few pots together. They look great and they provide a suitable micro-climate for each other. Good luck with yours!

Hi, I am an avid organic gardener and am known by my friends as the recycling queen. I live on a small country property in South Australia.
It is my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening ( I know you'll become addicted). This will improve both our individual lives and the wellbeing of our personal and global environments.
Anyone can grow their own healthy food with Organic Gardening - Click here to get started

Happy Organic Gardening, Healthy Living...
Julie Williams
http://www.1stoporganicgardening.com

Garden Soil - Look After the Soil If You Want to Have a Garden in the Future!

It is generally accepted by historians and geologists that a number of once flourishing ancient civilizations in different parts of the world, declined and disappeared, as it became increasingly difficult to grow sufficient plants for food, clothing and industry. This is known to have occurred for example in parts of the Middle East, India and California. Over time, not only did the soils' fertility decline, but they degenerated to the point where agricultural practice actually became impossible to sustain.

The culprit is believed to have been the ever increasing build up of salts in the soil, caused primarily by the practice of irrigation. The problem of rising soil salinity is liable therefore to become acute in any climate dry enough to require consistent and persistent irrigation. What happened in ancient Babylon could and indeed will happen to you if common gardening tasks are carried out in a certain way.

Perhaps in 15 years time, some of your most treasured trees will start to show unusual signs of stress, while a number of years before, the flower beds declined. "Nothing grows in this bed anymore" is a common refrain. The soil, and therefore your garden could be saved however, if a holistic approach is adopted towards the soil, whereby the routine gardening tasks are performed not just to extract the most from the plants, but also to preserve, protect and develop the soil as well.

Why then is soil salinity a question of such paramount importance? The answer becomes apparent when the factors that determine a soil's health are understood in chemical, physical and biological terms.

*From a chemical standpoint, certain mineral salts, including trace elements required by the plants like iron, are poisonous when found in high concentrations. Furthermore, in accordance with the laws of diffusion and osmosis, increasing salinity decreases the plant's ability to take up water from the soil.

*Physically, the soil structure, that is the way the soil particles are arranged together, determines the amount of air available to the plants' roots. The soil structure can of course be damaged mechanically, such as by the affects of heavy traffic on wet, clay soil, known as compaction. However, certain chemical reactions, most notably when high sodium percentages are present, also destroy a soil's structure, and sodium percentages rise in accordance with the generally increasing salinity of the soil. Sodic soils are typified by "panned" layers which become impervious to the exchange of gasses and to water, meaning that they are soils chronically lacking in oxygen. They can take hundreds of years to recover.

*The soil's biology that is the quantity and variety of living organisms present, affects both the chemical and physical aspects, and is also affected by them. The more earthworms existing in the soil for instance, the better its aeration, as the earthworms' activities help to develop a healthy soil structure. While as the salinity increases the population of earthworms and other organisms declines.

The extent and variety of life in the soil also has enormous implications as far as pests and disease are concerned. The more life, the more balance is created between the various organisms. In this way, the populations of potentially pathogenic organisms, whether they be insects, fungi or bacteria, are kept in check.

So what can we do to improve the soil? The answer as mentioned before lies in the way we carry out routine activities.

*Watering directly affects the salt concentrations in the soil. As irrigation water in dry climates is invariably saline in any case, it follows that each time we irrigate, we effectively add salts to the soil. If the irrigation schedule is based on small quantities applied frequently, then the salt concentrations will build up. It is necessary therefore, particularly in heavy, clay soils, to water infrequently, using large amounts each time. By so doing, excess salts are periodically leached out, leaving the winter rains to do the rest.

*Fertilizing of course entails the adding of mineral salts to the soil. Moreover, the regular application of chemical fertilizer, adversely affects the population of earthworms and other organisms. Thus although the plants may benefit at first from the ready supply of mineral nutrient, the long term implications for the health of the soil, are liable to be highly detrimental.

*The alternative to chemical fertilizers is the steady, consistent adding of organic matter to the soil, by way of compost or humus. Compost breaks down to release mineral salts slowly and in relatively small quantities. Except perhaps in the first year or so of a new garden, these quantities should be entirely adequate to supply the nutritional requirements of the plants. But the two principle benefits of compost are both related to the positive affects on the health of the soil. It directly increases the amount of oxygen available to the plants' roots, by improving the soil's structure, and by so doing improves the conditions for organisms like earthworms (which further in the development of good soil structure) and also provides them with the raw material necessary for their existence.

*The short term benefits of mulching, such as weed control, are well known. In the long term, an adequate mulch layer performs the vital function of protecting the top soil from rain and wind erosion.

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Jonathan Ya'akobi

Your Personal Gardening Coach