Gardening for Real People

Homemade Compost - Your Key to Organic Gardening

2007-03-17T18:54:00.000-04:00

Compost is a great tool for any gardener. It helps your garden hold just the right amount of water, makes it the right texture for plant growth, and provides it with beneficial natural organisms. While you can buy this type of product at the store, it’s cheaper to make compost yourself. You also get the added benefit of knowing that you’re not just throwing your yard waste away; it’s actually doing something beneficial.

Before getting started on your compost pile, you should know what to put in it. To get good compost you need carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water. Grass clippings from your yard provide carbon, and nitrogen comes from leaves in the fall. To make sure your pile gets water, build it somewhere where it will be rained on; just be sure it’s not completely soaked with water. Lastly, you can add oxygen simply by mixing the pile. If you can’t provide enough nitrogen or carbon to your compost pile, you can always add a little fertilizer. The type will depend on what nutrient you’re lacking.

You can make the compost in an open pile or construct a homemade compost bin using boards, notching them like lincoln logs, or overlap timbers in a box shape for a more open arrangement. Three to five feet on each side is an ideal size.

There are two different types of compost piles you can make; the first is a cool pile. To make a cool pile, simply throw your clippings and leaves in the bin as they come and stir and turn the ingredients occasionally. This is a good option if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to composting, but it takes about a year to get useable compost. You shouldn’t add diseased plants or weeds to this mixture because they can be harmful.

If you need your compost sooner than a year, you should try making a hot compost pile. Unlike cool piles, you need to have a significant amount of yard waste available to start a hot pile; at least 3 feet by 3 feet. This mixture will require mixing much more often. You can mix it anywhere from once every two weeks to once every couple of days. The more you mix, the faster you get compost. This type of pile will kill weed seeds and diseases because it reaches much higher temperatures (about 160°), but may also kill beneficial bacteria.

When your compost pile no longer resembles what you put into it, it’s ready to be used. Just mix into your soil to improve soil quality or use as a mulch for strong, healthy plants.

For products to help with your homemade compost project, visit Gardens Alive!

Planning a Vegetable Garden

2007-03-15T16:26:00.000-04:00

Why should you plant a vegetable garden? While growing your own vegetables may seem like a lot of work, there’s nothing like biting into a nice ripe tomato and thinking, “I grew this myself!” Gardening provides a great workout with proven stress relief, along with beautiful and tasty vegetables. So the real question is, “Why haven’t you started your vegetable garden already?”

The first thing you need to do when planning a vegetable garden is to find a spot and prepare it. Most veggies need lots of sun to grow; so pick a spot that gets sun most of the day. You should then tear up the soil to make it loose. This way you will be able to plant your vegetables and their roots will be able to grow. It’s almost impossible for little plants to break through compact soil. You can then put organic material in your soil by adding compost or manure. If you don’t have this on hand, you can go pick something up at your local gardening store.

The next thing you need to do is to pick out what plants you want to grow. Of course choose your family’s favorite vegetables first; it’s probably not a good idea to plant hot peppers if nobody in the family likes hot peppers. Just make sure that the vegetables you want will grow properly where you live. You also want to pick varieties you have the time and space to take care of. Those pumpkin plants do take up a lot of space as they grow.

Once you have your garden area prepared and you know what you want to grow, plan the actual layout of your vegetable garden. The best way to do this is to get out a sheet of graph paper and draw your garden to scale. Some plants can grow pretty close together, while others need to be spread out so they won’t have competition. Check seed packets or instructions that come with seedlings to determine how much space each plant will require. Draw where you want to put each crop so you know you have enough room for everything.

Now that you have your spot picked out and you know exactly what to get, it’s time to go to the store and buy your plants or seeds. If you’re starting plants from seeds, remember that some will not germinate so you’ll want to buy extra. Keep in mind, too, that once these tiny seedlings begin growing and producing, you may have more tomatoes than you know what to do with, so plan accordingly.

Good luck and happy planting!

$20 FREE off your first order at Gardens Alive!

Tips for Indoor Gardening

2007-03-11T15:30:00.000-04:00

During those long winter months one can bring a little bit of the outdoors in with with some indoor gardening. Having plants in the home can really add to your decor and helps off than the look of every room as well as add to your health. Indoor plants can help add moisture to the air as well as help filter the air by exchanging carbon dioxide for oxygen.

Indoor gardening is no more demanding than outdoor gardening and you don't have to have a lot of plants to make a big difference in your home. Just like outdoor plants those that you keep indoors need some basic things such as lighting water and nutrients.

Different types of indoor plants require different amounts of lighting but most plants will grow better with good light. You can help provide this by placing plants near windows where they can get natural light but you may also want to buy a special plant grow light especially for those dark winter days. When choosing plants for your indoor garden, keep in mind that the darker leafed plants usually don't need as much light as the other plants.

Many people tend to kill their indoor plants by overwatering them. While your indoor garden needs water just like your outdoor garden it's important to remember that these plants are in containers and you can't just load them up with a ton of water that will stand in the container and perhaps wrought the roots. Be sure that each container has a good drainage system, perhaps with rocks at the very bottom of the container, and a saucer for the water to drain out into. You should not let the soil get to dry but don't overwater either. Check your in your garden at least once a week to to see if it needs watering.

With indoor gardening, humidity can be a problem particularly in the winter when it is very dry. To keep your plants moisturized you can spray them with a fine mist and if it is really dry dry wrapping the plant in a cone of newspaper or wax paper and missing the play and then. The cold will help keep the moisture into the plant.

Different plants require different kinds and amounts of fertilization. You should be aware of each planning your indoor garden and what its needs are. You can buy indoor fertilizer from any home goods or garden store and you can even buy fertilizer sticks that you stick in the container at the grocery store. Some exotic plants like orchids need special fertilizer of most regular houseplants just use the regular fertilizer you can find in any store.

Here's a few plants you might want to add to your indoor garden:

African violets
These plants have pretty purple flowers and green glossy leaves. They are quite often grown indoors and can add colorful splash to your indoor garden. They like light but don't put them right in the final get scorched. Avoid overwatering as this will kill them.

Philodendrons
These of the most popular and Hardy of all indoor garden plants. They are full of large green leaves and prefer a medium light. It's best to let them dry out a bit between wanderings and you can keep the little dryer in the winter. If the leaves turn brown and you're not watering them enough. They like high humidity but will do okay in most homes. Be sure to wash the leaves off often to remove dust.

Boston Ferns
The Boston fern is a popular indoor plant which produces a thick bundle of leaves. It requires diffused lighting and will need a grow light in rooms where there is not enough natural light. They can be sensitive to chlorine and tap water so watering regularly with distilled water is best. Boston ferns can be a bit difficult to grow as they like cool locations with a lot of humidity. Misting your Boston fern each day can help it be happy and healthy.

Jade Plant
They Jade Plant is a succulent and can tolerate very dry conditions. These plants are extremely tolerant and difficult to kill so few one start in indoor garden but don't have a green calm you do well to consider one of these.

Article Source: http://www.articlebazaar.net
Lee Dobbins writes for www.backyard-garden-and-patio.com where you can learn more about plants and gardening.

Vegetable Gardening - A Simple Way to Get Started

2007-03-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

Have you started planning your vegetable garden? It's not too early - or too late - to get started. In fact, I read an article about gardening this morning and I feel inspired. Combine that with the beautiful weather we're having today and I just might have to get outside and get my hands dirty!

The article I read this morning suggested a really easy way to plant vegetables just by using a good bag of soil, poking some holes in one side for drainage, flipping it over, watering well, then planting the plant right through a nice hole in the bag. That sounds simple enough - and quick and easy, too. My kind of gardening!

I think it's time for a trip to the garden center. I need a few bags of good gardening soil and a few plants. Yep, that'll get me started! More later . . .

Gardening Tips For Landscaping A Slope Or A Hill

2007-03-10T12:05:00.000-05:00

Not every gardener is lucky enough to have flat property on which to garden. If you do have a slope or a hill, it is often very difficult, confusing and challenging trying to figure out how to landscape. There are many ideas and tips on gardening on a hill, which helps you deal with the special challenges and problems you are likely to encounter. If the garden slope is extremely steep, stay away from planting grass or gardens that need any kind of maintenance, as it can be hazardous trying to cut or look after them.

A couple of great tips on gardening on a slope are to plant trees and shrubs. Their root system will slow water runoff, especially during heavy rainstorms, and anchor the soil. Tall perennial grasses also work well on hills and require no maintenance. If you like the natural look, sow wildflower seed over the area, which will look beautiful and keep the topsoil from eroding or washing away. Wildflower seeds are readily available in bulk at large garden centers and nurseries. For every square foot you need approximately fifty seeds. If you have a small area to seed, buy a small can, but for large areas, wildflower seeds are available in bulk. Make sure that whatever you plant requires no regular maintenance if it is a steep hill.

In Pennsylvania I saw a beautifully landscaped hill planted with different colors of azaleas. The site in the spring and early summer was breathtaking. This was on a steep hill so it not only helped with erosion but was gorgeous too.

For shady areas, the tips on gardening on a hill are a little different. Most wildflowers require lots of light so a shady area is not a good choice. Instead, consider shade-loving ferns, perennials and low growing vines. Not only does the leaves slow erosion by catching the rain before it hits the ground but the roots help keep the soil from washing away. Another couple of great tips on gardening on a slope are to create stair steps or terraces. This requires some work, as you need to do a lot of digging. You may need to construct a retaining wall, depending on how steep the slope is. A level area to plant helps with erosion problems and makes it far easier to work in your garden.

For anyone that has a few garden challenges, such as land that slopes, they are always happy to find tips on gardening on a slope. If you are lucky enough to have weathered or interesting looking rocks on your hill, then it is the perfect area to create a rock garden. It would be good to plant some low growing vines and perennials in your rock garden to add texture and interest to your rock garden.

Definitely come up with a plan before you attempt your hill garden. Ask your garden center for some advice about your garden; they will be of great assistance. As with all gardens it is most important that you take time to enjoy your gardens whether they are on a hill or in beds.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at Container Gardening and Gardening Outside and Herb Gardening

Welcome!

2007-03-10T09:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome to another in our family of blog sites For Real People where we present information that's easy to understand and use, information for "real people" like you and me.

Gardening encompasses a huge subject area, but we'll be concentrating on information that everyday people can use in and around their homes to make their lives a little brighter and more pleasant with live, growing things. From improving your lawn, taking care of your indoor plants, growing your own vegetables for your family, landscaping for birds and butterflies and more, stick around for awhile and you'll find it here.

So, let's get digging for some great gardening information we all can use!