Saturday, May 31, 2008

Spring Flower Gardening

Spring is the time when nature and your garden awakes and comes alive after the long winter. That first spring flower or that first green leave is the sign that winter in coming to an end and that a new growing season has arrived.
Spring and Flower gardening is almost synonymous. Spring is the time to interplant perennials, shrubs, roses and plant or transplant your annuals.
It’s time to shape up your soil, loosen the mulch around your plants and prune your early blooming shrubs. Rake and remove leaves and debris from your garden. Without a good planting medium your flower garden will never be at its best.
Perennials will save you a lot of work in your flower garden. So keep perennials high on your list. These hardworking beauties eliminate yearly replanting and will still give you that spring and summer color that you are longing for. It’s best to choose varieties that don’t need a lot of staking or frequent division. Notorious sun lovers are daylilies, sedium, and speedwell. Plants like hosta, fern, sweet woodruff and columbine feel more at easy in the shadow.
Flower Bulbs add a splash of color to your spring garden. “Sprinkle” some crocuses, daffodils, and of course tulips between your flower beds. Flower bulbs are almost essential in a spring flower garden. If you haven’t planted them last spring make sure you do so coming fall.
An important part of spring gardening is getting on top of the weeds. Most weeds are fairly easy to control when you start taking them out from early spring on. At that time they still have a shallow root system and because they haven’t bloomed yet they haven’t reproduced either. Taking care of them in spring will pay off big in summer.
Spring, its really the growing season, and for a gardener its perhaps the most beautiful and promising time of the year.
About The Author
Linda Jenkinson is the leading author of http://www.gardening-guides.com/ and http://www.lanwmower-guide.com/.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Art of Growing Flowers

In these days of massive development and modernization where space is of premium, finding houses with gardens is rare. Fortunate are those who manage to inherit or are able to afford property which has a fair amount of land around, that can be used to make a beautiful garden that adds to the look of the house. Flowers are an option that everyone considers when planning a garden. Flower gardening may not be as simple as it seems and it is necessary to bear a few basic points in mind while you plan your flower garden.
Types Of Flowers
When you plan your flower garden, you would also need to figure out what kind of flowering plants you wish to have. There are annual flowers which bloom only once a year and there are perennial flowers which bloom for at least two or three seasons in a year and have a longer life per season as well. Perennial flowering plants are also of two types .The herbaceous perennial plants have soft stems which die leaving the roots to give rise to new shoots in the next season. Woody perennial plants are more like shrubs and trees with harder stems that last for a long time above the ground.
Beds For Flowers
The flower beds need to be prepared well in advance. Autumn is the time favored by most to prepare flower beds and enrich the soil by using organic matter that will help soil drainage and facilitate faster growth of the plants. Before the actual planting is done, it is recommended that the soil be dug up to at least 10 inches and re-spaded at least a few times every week with adequate fertilizer added in to make the soil as fertile as possible. Soil in Solihull is very peaty but with the addition of fertilizer it produces great results.Gardeners Monty Don and Christopher Freville advise the best time for planting roses is from early spring to early fall .Bare root roses are usually planted before the new shoots begin to grow. Ideally they should be planted as soon as they are bought. However, if there is a time lapse in between, the suggested way of keeping them is in a cool, moist and dark place.
Let Them Catch The Sun
A nursery of roses should ideally be located where the plants are able to get enough sun for most part of the day. If the weather in the place tends to lean towards higher temperatures then some shade would be preferred so that the plants are not over exposed to the heat.
Growing Indoor Plants
If you do not have much of garden space but still have an avid interest in growing plants, you may try planting seeds indoors. However, as compared to seeds planted outdoors, the seeds grown inside do not germinate very well and may develop into weak plants or die very soon as natural light that is needed for the healthy growth of plants is not accessible to them .If you really want plants inside the house, it may be a better idea to pick up grown plants from nurseries.
Keeping a few of these things in mind and ensuring that you choose the right kind of plants would help you create a stunning flower garden that would make your house look really beautiful.
Hillary Templeton gives advice on dog kennels as well as all types womens health matters. Click below for more information on ruptured ovarian cysts http://www.ovariancystshelp.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hillary_J_Templeton

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Making A Flowerbed

Putting in a flowerbed is a great way to add a splash of color and charm to your lawn, and turn an ordinary yard into a place to stop and smell the roses. All it takes is a little dirt work and a weekend afternoon, and you'll be ready to plant azaleas and daisies to your heart's content.
The first step is to decide the "where and how big?" question. There are a few things to keep in mind when making these choices, such as proximity to a water faucet (Or whether you need to buy a new, longer hose), what types of flowers you want to plant (Do they need full-sun or shade? Keep in mind that if your location will receive less than six-hours a day of sun, you will need to choose shade varieties of flowers, while more than six hours of sun requires sun-loving varieties), and how much time you want to commit to maintenance (Weeds love flowerbeds, too, and a smaller flowerbed means less to weed). Once you have chosen a location, you can mark the perimeter of the flowerbed using string or a hose. This provides a great visual that can easily be adjusted before you commit to digging.
After you have the flowerbed marked out exactly how you want it to be, it's time to start digging. Use a shovel or spade to cut through the sod and remove the grass and roots from the flowerbed area. Take your time--this can be backbreaking work! Make sure you put all the sod into a wheelbarrow or bucket and dispose of away from your work-zone, or your flowerbed will inevitably revert back to its origin as part of your lawn.
Once you have the sod removed, surround the flowerbed with whatever edging you have chosen. There are lots of options, from brick, stone, and pavers, to landscaping timbers and vinyl. You will need to dig down a few inches to install your flowerbed perimeter, depending on your edging choice, in order to imbed the edging and ensure stability. If the soil is especially bad in your yard, it can be easier to build your flowerbed edging up and add garden soil, creating a raised flowerbed, than to dig the existing ground and amend the soil.
Now that the edging is installed, it's time to prepare the dirt. If your flowerbed is raised, this is just a matter of filling it in with garden soil, humus and organic compost, and mixing with either a tiller or turning it over by hand with a shovel. If you have a lower flowerbed, or if you want to use some of the native soil in your flowerbed, it's digging time again. You will need to dig down approximately eight-inches to a foot, loosening the soil and removing any rocks. Once you have dug up the entire flowerbed, add soil amendments and mix well. A consistently good amendment choice for flowerbeds is organic composts and manures, in addition to whatever amendment you may need for your soil type.
Now, the only thing left to do is add flowers and enjoy. (A little mulch for weed control wouldn't hurt either).
Escapeso Realty helps buyers looking to invest in Austin. Their site provides a search of the Austin MLS along with statistics and neighborhood descriptions about Austin real estate and a mortgage calculator for visitors to use.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ki_Gray

Time To Start A Garden

It's time again to start a flower garden. Mother nature will provide you with the sun, water, and soil.
Their are many types of Annual and Perennials to chose from,from size and color.Annual flowers only last for one season,Perennials will survive the winter and blossom again next summer. A combination of both type of flowers will make a beautiful flower garden.
Take your time when choosing the type of flowers you want to plant and how you would like to arrange them. Their are many books ,magazines, or flower shops, to help you decide, or just drive around and see what other people have in their garden display. some homes out their have such beautiful gardens, that can help you come up with ideas for your own beautiful flower garden. Having hanging baskets around your house or hanging off your deck, always looks very attractive, or having a flower garden along side of your house or in the front of your house or even along side of the side walk, can add such beauty to your home. Making visitors feel very welcome when they come to your home.
You can edge or raise your flower garden with almost anything your heart wants, from rock, stone, timbers,railroad ties, or bed boarders. Where every you put your flower garden and what kind of flowers you are going to plant, you need to think about the right amount of sun, shade, and soil the flowers will need, so they can stay beautiful all summer long. When buying your flowers their should be a tag with the plant giving a brief explanation about the plant on what amount of sun ,water, and soil it will need to grow in.
Have fun planting your flowers it is a fun summer hobby.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Sanchez

Sunday, April 27, 2008

7 Factors to Planting

A Successful Garden in not a matter of luck or years of experience and hard work. Simply start by applying these seven keys to success. Then build on them by experimenting reading and talking to other gardeners. Those are the best sources for gardening tipsand help.
Inside or outdoors, gardening is both a popular and satisfying leisure time activity. There are many different ways to grow plants and places in which to grow them. Although plants have different needs, all plant care has seven factors in common.

Space:
The first thing in growing plants is deciding where to put them. Choose from a variety of pots in different types and sizes, window boxes, greenhouses, beds, borders, and of course the garden plot.
Space for plants also means giving them the room they need to grow. Some plants do well bunched closely together, while others, like large trees, may require several feet of room between them.

Nutrition.
Plants get the nutrients they need mainly from their growing medium. Today's gardeners can opt for many different mediums and methods of growing plants.
When growing plants outdoors, a soil test provides you with information on the composition of your soil. Depending on the type of plant you want to grow, you may need to "amend" your soil to provide your plants with necessary drainage, moisture retention, and the organic compounds.
NPK Fertilizers contain nitrogen (N), potassium (P), and potash (K). Each component serves a purpose. However, fertilizers are a plant supplement and not the main meal! Real nutrition for soil-grown plants comes from soil rich with organic compounds.
Potted plants grow in various potting mixtures depending on the cultivars and the method used to grow them. Along with soil based and part soil growing mediums, some plants grow without soil! Hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic gardening are three forms of soil-less gardening.

Temperature.
Growing plants at the right temperatures is essential for successful gardening. Winter hardy plants that do well in temperate areas frequently won't tolerate warm climates.
Conversely, tropical plants typically won't withstand frost and need to live indoors during cold northern winters. House plants, as well, also have maximum and minimum temperature requirements.

Light.
Light is the most important factor in plant growth. During photosynthesis, plants use light to collect carbon dioxide molecules and convert them into sugar, an energy-producing nutrient for plants.
Outdoor light classifications may be from shade to full sun, with varying degrees of light tolerances, such as "part shade" or "part sun", in between. Indoor classifications are often termed as "bright light", "bright-filtered light", "indirect light", and "low light".

Water.
Of course, you'll need to water your plants. However, when and how much vary from variety to variety of plant. Some plants require constantly moist soil, while others like a good drink, but won't tolerate wet feet and some plants, like cacti, need very little water at all!

Air.
Plants breathe just like people do and like people, need fresh clean air. However, in addition to the air above ground, many plants "breath" through the soil as well.

Time.
Ecclesiastes says it best. "There's a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted".
As well as when to plant and when to pluck, time is also important for knowing when to divide certain cultivars like tulips, when to prune shrubs, when to bring tender plants indoors, and when to set them outside. If you provide your plants with the first six necessities and add a drop of patience, in due time you'll have a successful garden to build on when you gain experience.
Hans writes about gardening tips at http://www.gardening-guides.com he is a enthusiastic gardener and finds most of his inspiration working there.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Dekker

Monday, April 21, 2008

Garden Tips

Below are some gardening tips that I feel are worth mentioning, and may possibly get you on your way to earning your green thumb. There are never to many gardening tips and I will just brush up on a few to get you started. I am sure if you do a search in Google for "gardening tips", you will have more at your disposal than you can ever ask for.
You could also try garden magazines and books and even gardening clubs. There is plenty of knowledge to go around. The list below will sum up tips on planning your plot, soil preparation, mulch, compost and the watering of the plot.
Garden Tip Number 1
Always plan out your garden before you start digging away at your yard. A good way to start is to take a long look at your garden a try to picture your finished product. Take into account the hight the plants can grow to, the sun spectrum, and the proximity to a water source. Once you see a place you like take a seat and start your gardening plot plan on paper. This way you can get more detailed and include things that you may forget otherwise. Make sure to include in your plans the proximity of your garden hose or garden hose reel and fixture.
Garden Tip 2
Possibly the most important tip of all is correct soil preparation and mixture. It is extremely important to use the non toxic soil nutrients when you are growing anything that you plan on eventually consuming.If you are growing vegetables in your garden then a homemade compost is by far the best fertilizer for your garden. The results will speak for themselves. It is not as hard as you think. Do some research and you would be surprised. If compost is not available the next option is mulch. If you are going to go with this rout, it is best to look for soft woods such as redwood or spruce. Softer woods have an easier time breaking down and spreading the nutrients to the soil in the bed. If you are not growing vegetables there are loads of fertilizers that can fit your project. Just go to your local nursery and they will lead you in the right direction. When you decide on your fertilizer, make sure everything is mixed well and aerated properly. A garden tiller can make this part of the job a lot easier but is not necessary.
Garden Tip 3
Once your plant area is picked out and the soil in properly spread in your garden, you can then start laying your plants in the pattern you thought up in your plans. Laying the plants out can give you a better picture of your end results. It is also best to arrange the plants from the largest growing in the back and decreasing toward the fron of the garden. You can group the plants together according to characteristics. This way you can get the most out of your area with all the plants getting the full benefit of the suns rays. This alone can make a huge difference.
Garden Tip 4
It is always best to use gardening sprinklers but this is not always possible for your first garden. If you cannot afford garden sprinkler you can still automate the garden with a hose attachment sprinkler.You can use timers that attach to the hose fixture and place the sprinkler wherever needed and this can make the watering automated also. You might still need to use the garden hose here and there. If you don't mind watering than a garden hose and garden hose reel setup can work nice and fulfill all the necessary watering you need.Another option is the drip irrigation systems although this will also cost you a little more.
Though the above tips are very important for the basics of your garden you can get a lot more from doing your own research on the internet search engine, ordering a book, or joining a garden club. Ordering a magazine or joining a club can help a lot as you get new informative tips every month. I hope the tips are helpful and wish you good luck on your green thumb quest. You will be there before you know it.
Simon Moris is a horticulture specialist with more than a decade experience. For more Gardening Tips visit his site at: http://www.ourgardensource.com/Gardening/Gardening-Tips.php
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Morris

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Secrets to Gardening

Secret 1
First start out with a good plan for your gardening project. How much sun and shade does your garden area have? Don't overlook the type of soil conditions you are working with...does it drain easily or does it get soggy quickly? You will need to prepare your soil type prior to planting.
Secret 2
As you consider your plant selection, remember in sheltered areas with low sun exposure, shade type of plants will do better. On the other hand keep in mind that drought resistant plants love the sun and even the shade too. For poorly drained areas you can plant swamp type plants.
Secret 3
In order to have a healthy garden your soil should be slightly acidic but then some plants also require an alkaline soil for survival. You can easily determine the ph balance of your soil by doing a soil test. Kits are available and it is very easy to do so don't overlook this important tip.
Secret 4
Have you organized your garden ideas in some type of design landscape or layout that you modify? Don't worry it doesn't have to be fancy! Organizing and grouping your plants and flowers is an important decision in beautifying your garden. Arrange your colors so that they flow and look natural. Depending on your goal just layout your color scheme on a piece of paper so that you will have an idea on how to proceed. It's easier to change on paper than it is after you have planted.
Secret 5
Although you've organized your garden on paper now its time for the moment of truth to really test your designer eye. While leaving your plants and flowers in the pot, set them in position according to your drawing. Does this rough layout look to be the same as on your plan? If not, move them around...experiment by moving them about until your are satisfied with the look.
Secret 6
As you view the color combinations in your garden palette, pay particular attention to color and texture clashing. Trust your visual instinct, it will tell you whether your layout will work or get a second opinion. Also be aware of the blooming cycle of your plants as each will bloom at different times. Don't forget that foliage plays an important part of your choices as they can have colors ranging from silver, gray and purplish and can add that extra essence of beauty to your garden.
One other final note in how to plan a backyard garden; keep your plants, if possible away from trees as their roots will absorb rob the moisture from your plants and flowers. As you can see, if you apply good planning you will be on your way to guaranteeing a beautiful garden for all to enjoy. And that's how you plan a backyard garden.
Steve Kent is a highly inquisitive guy who enjoys providing helpful everyday gardening tips to people who need answers to their daily gardening challenges. To get find the best gardening tips information, why don't you visit http://www.gardeningtips.howtofinditonline.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Kent