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Viburnums (Viburnum spp.) are prized for their versatility and hardy nature. Most thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 9. Viburnums are usually cultivated as shrubs, and many of those are grown as hedges. Viburnums are also coveted for their fragrance, but home gardeners must choose carefully: Some have an unpleasant odor, while others are sweetly scented.
Flower bulbs are traditional for spring displays in home gardens, but these versatile plants can provide beautiful blooms in all seasons, and return year after year. Spending part of the year out of sight underground, they free up space for other plants, and allow great flexibility in garden designs. Most bulbs prefer full sun. To allow the plants to store energy for flowering next year, allow their leaves to die down naturally.
Wood lice won't bite you, destroy your house, or eat your clothing, but for some people, a bug is a bug. According to an article by entomologist Phillip E. Sloderbeck on the Kansas State University website, wood lice--also known as sowbugs and pill bugs--feed on decaying organic matter, such as leaves, grass clippings and mulch. The wood louse is a land crustacean. Unlike insects, they breathe through gills which must be kept moist. They prefer to live in dark, damp areas under rocks, wood piles, basements or crawl spaces. You can control wood lice by denying them access to what…
A low-slung ranch home typically presents sleek horizontal lines to the front yard. The simple, elongated ranch architecture offers you, the homeowner, the opportunity to plan a front garden that expresses your personality. You can plant colorful and complex flowers such as delphiniums, foxgloves and hollyhocks to add height and visual interest to your property, or you might choose to present a simple monochromatic display of shrubs and bushes. Many ranch home gardeners choose a combination of the two approaches.
To start new lawns, homeowners have three options: seeding, sodding or hydroseeding. Hydroseeding is the application of a slurry mixture consisting of seeds, water, fertilizer and mulch. After a short time and with proper care, the hydroseeded area germinates into a grassy lawn.
A ripe, delicious watermelon can be a sweet reward for growing your own vines in a home garden. By trimming watermelon vines you encourage the plant to focus its energy on growing a few of the largest watermelons the variety allows, rather than growing several smaller melons. Before you can clip the vines, however, you’ll want to know the appropriate place along the vine to trim and when to do so.
Bacterial wilt is a deadly disease that attacks cucurbits, including cucumbers, squash and pumpkins. It is most serious in cucumbers, and much less serious in pumpkins. In fact, many pumpkins are resistant to the disease, according to the Purdue University Cooperative Extension website. Still, pumpkins can and do continue to be occasionally affected by the disease.
Growing fruits, vegetables and flowers has always been a popular hobby, but interest in the home garden has sprouted from rural and suburban areas and taken root in the urban cityscape. Families are raising crops on rooftops and balconies, and in community gardens, as well as in the backyard. As interest in local food grows, the advantages of a home garden are leading consumers to plant their own seeds.
"ToonTown" is an online game created by the Disney Company. It's a multiplayer game for children and teens where you must perform a variety of different tasks while exploring the game world available to you and participating in battles. Throughout the game, you will come across many items that can be planted to help you in your tasks, and even to give you extra points during battles. Planting the items you find will give you an almost endless supply of objects for free.
Concentrated garlic juice is a useful and safe pest repellent for your garden. The solution will not damage plants and will not impart garlicky flavor to your fruits and vegetables.
Crisp, green and fresh lettuce contains antioxidants and other nutrients such as water and fiber. Leaf lettuce and lettuce heads are the two types of lettuce. Leaf lettuce contains clusters of loose leaves instead of a tight lettuce head. The plants are harvested differently but require the same post-harvest care to keep the produce fresh. Harvest the cool-weather crops before the summer heat causes the lettuce to wilt and diminish in quality.
Two species of corn rootworms (Diabrotica spp.), the western and northern corn rootworms, sometimes pose a serious threat to a corn crop. A third species, the southern corn rootworm, is not consistently a corn pest and attacks a variety of plants. Timely recognition of the corn rootworm's presence is important. Proper cultural practices like crop rotation will often provide suitable control but insecticides may be warranted under certain circumstances.
While playing in the snow is fun, driving on a snowy, icy road can be dangerous. Road salt -- made from wetted salt -- melts the ice and makes driving conditions safer. While many municipalities ice major roads for you, if you live on a rural road or have a long driveway, you may want to make some road salt yourself. Keep in mind that road salt works best when temperatures are near 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Although most municipalities use rock salt for road salt, normal table salt works quicker since it has greater surface area.
Unlike dainty sofas with fussy accents and spindly legs, transitional sofas look sturdy and comfortable and offer little in the way of embellishments. The design bridges the gap between the style of yesterday and the fashion of tomorrow. Transitional sofas ensure that rooms look neither cold and austere, nor old fashioned and conventional. Both men and women alike appreciate the casual chic inherent in transitional design.
Gardeners who select red leaf lettuce have an advantage because many red leaf varieties are more resistant to bolting. Bolting often occurs in lettuce plants when the soil becomes too warm or dry, resulting in the plant producing seed stalks. Once bolting occurs, the lettuce leaves quickly deteriorate. Harvest red leafy lettuce carefully as it matures to ensure that you pick the finest lettuce leaves.
Lawn grasses, trees, shrubs and garden plants all require nitrogen for optimal growth. Although chemical fertilizers may help improve nutrient levels in the soil and promote healthy plant growth, they may pose an environmental concern for some gardeners. Substituting chemical sources of plant nitrogen with natural ones may help provide an earth-friendly method of greening up your lawn, garden and landscape plants.
Johnson grass is an invasive perennial weed that crowds out native species and vegetable plants. When this grass grows in vegetable gardens, it competes with wanted plants for sunlight, air and the soil's nutrients. This grass is recognizable by its wide leaves, thick midribs and 6- to 8-inch height. Before planting your garden, remove any Johnson grass you see. When the weed pops up during the growing season, use an herbicide to keep the weed from harming your vegetable plants.
The Brazilian wandering spider, also known as the banana spider, is one of the world's top five deadliest spiders. A unique attribute to this spider is that it does not weave webs, it instead burrows or uses natural debris on the jungle floor for its shelter. This spider is native to the jungles of South America, but has been known to catch a ride to other parts of the world with fruit shipments such as bananas, hence its nickname of the banana spider.
Although certainly not all of the 50,000 species of spiders thought to exist throughout the world are found in California, the Golden State is home to a wide variety. Knowing what species are common in California can help you identify and avoid dangerous ones. California spiders vary widely in size, behavior and danger to humans.
Even a small herb garden can produce an abundant harvest. If you are wondering what your options are for preserving herbs grown in the summer to use over the winter, know that you can think outside the dehydrator. While drying herbs is an effective preservation method, freezing is also an option that may help the herbs retain more flavor. If you want to get creative, herb-infused oils and butters can carry summertime flavor into cold winter months.
Homegrown lettuce can provide you with free salad over the cool spring, early summer and fall months. A type of Bibb lettuce, the Buttercrunch variety provides the growth habit of loose leaves for regular and frequent harvests or can be left alone to form a head and harvested all at once. After you have collected Buttercrunch lettuce, you can eat it right away or store it in the refrigerator for one to two weeks.
In 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved canola oil as a pesticide for many plants and vegetable. Canola oil is a non-toxic and environmentally safe pesticide that is effective at killing a variety of pests. The reason that the oil works so well, is that it coats the bugs in oil, which will suffocate them over time, killing them and preventing future generations of bugs by preventing breeding. Make sure to use a low concentration of oil in the pesticide spray or else you will prevent the plants from absorbing water and sun in the correct way and they…
If you live near a wooded area you are likely familiar with raccoons. These nocturnal creatures enter open spaces during the night looking for food. Like bears, they will follow the scent to the food source even if it is in an enclosed area. Raccoon traps are available at local home stores. Raccoons are fast, have sharp teeth and claws and can harm humans if they sense a threat.
In order to can peppers without pickling them, you must use a pressure cooker, or pressure canner. The pressure canner vents air out of the inner chamber, leaving only boiling water and steam under pressure. This causes the temperature around the canning jars to heat up hot enough to kill harmful botulism. Water-bath canning does not provide high enough temperatures to safely kill botulism in peppers. Always wear gloves when handling hot peppers.
Paper light strings add beauty and character to any party. The paper casing around the lights provides a soft glow to the lighting. You can use paper light strings indoors or out. Do not use light strands during inclement weather to avoid risk of electric shock and damaging the paper casings. There are several ways to hang light strands that will enhance the area.
Rain barrels conserve water, reduce runoff pollution and help irrigate your yard. You can even use the barrel as a great source of soft water for washing. Catch and save rainwater from your roof in rain barrels so that the water remains clean and available for gardening and washing purposes around your home. Construction of a rain barrel system is simple if you already have a gutter and downspout system on your house.
Although cute and fuzzy, rabbits can be a nuisance for gardeners. They help themselves to vegetables and plants, threatening your garden's yield. Some gardeners resort to deadly traps and harmful poisons to get rid of a rabbits. Such cruel measures are not necessary. There are many ways to humanely keep rabbits out of a garden. Practicing effective repelling methods will ensure that your garden flourishes.
Butterhead lettuces, which include the Boston and Bibb varieties, grow well for beginning and advanced gardeners whether working in the ground, raised beds or containers on a deck or patio. While curvy and soft leaves form the outer edges of the lettuce, a head will form inside at the base and steadily grow larger until the outer leaves begin to wrap around it. As with many vegetables, timing your harvest is key to collecting crisp, fresh lettuce with a sweet taste.
Canning peppers in tomato sauce when they are in season lets you enjoy peppers once the season is over without paying exorbitant prices. If the peppers you will be canning are hot peppers, wear rubber or plastic gloves when handling or touching the peppers to avoid transferring the oils to your face or eyes, as it will create a burning sensation. If you really cannot stand wearing gloves, be careful to not touch your face or eyes until you have thoroughly washed your hands with strong soap and water.
If you are looking for the ideal gift for a special occasion, buying something that you are unsure the recipient will want is the last thing you want to do. While there are several types of gift cards and certificates available for really choosy gift recipients, few things beat a nice gift from the heart. When shopping, focus on the recipients overall style and interests.
Lettuce is a common garden vegetable grown in early spring and again in fall when temperatures are moderate. No matter what variety of lettuce you plant, one of the most important aspects of keeping it fresh is harvesting it at the right time. Always harvest lettuce early in the morning before the sun's rays hit it so that it is as crisp and flavorful as possible. Once the sun fully rises, the leaves begin to wilt and quickly lose moisture.
Curing garden potatoes involves cleaning them off and leaving them out to dry. Cure garden potatoes with help from a longtime gardener in this free video clip.
Landscaping in fire-prone areas should beautify your home while decreasing your risk of a fire. Firefighters respond to 15 wildfires a day in Florida. These fires threaten wooded and suburban homes most frequently. When a period of drought follows a freeze, the risk of fire increases due to the die-off of tender perennials. Poor plant choice and placement fuels wildfires around homes, while strategic use of landscaping creates a firebreak.
Gardening is meant to be fun, but sometimes work gets in the way. You can decrease garden maintenance with several strategies. There may be no such thing as a truly maintenance-free garden, but several tasks, such as mulching and landscaping planning, are once-a-year chores that reduce garden maintenance the rest of the year. Once they are done, you can sit back and enjoy quality time in the garden.
When choosing a gift for a gardener, it is often tempting to fall back on tried and true but somewhat boring presents, such as a gift certificate to a neighborhood plant nursery or gardening tools. While the recipient of such items will surely appreciate them, a unique present will be even more treasured, as it will look like you have gone the extra mile to select something special for the gardener on your gift list.
Growing your own food is a satisfying and inherently rewarding experience. A plentiful harvest is reward enough for the hard work, planning and labor required to plant an edible perennial garden. Unlike single season crops, perennial fruits and vegetables continue to produce year after year from the same original planting. As an added bonus, some edible perennials have an extremely long life. Among these are blueberry bushes, which can continue to provide fruit for up to 40 years, and asparagus, which last 20 years or longer.
Compost consists of a mixture of organic substances that have undergone aerobic decomposition. After a plant dies, microorganisms in the soil break it down using oxygen and water, eventually forming humus. In this way, nature recycles nutrients, returning them back into the earth. In a compost heap, the conditions needed for optimal decomposition include moisture, heat and the necessary microorganisms. The key to composting is supplying the compost pile with a range of organic matter and maintaining a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.
Johnson grass is an invasive, quick-spreading perennial grass common in vegetable gardens, ditches, orchards and commercial agricultural land. While most gardeners consider Johnson grass a weed they must remove, you may want to maintain some Johnson grass in your garden to help prevent soil erosion. Allowing Johnson grass to grow in your vegetable beds is mostly passive, since the grass grows aggressively when left alone.
Vegetable gardening does not have to be about blistered hands, sore backs, measuring chemicals and constantly watering. There is a method of organic vegetable gardening that gives plants greater resistance to pests and almost eliminates the necessity to weed. This method, called no-till gardening, also prevents top-soil loss, conserves water and produces abundant yields year after year. Once established, all you have to do each year is spread new manure and mulch, and plant.
Killing grass quickly and effectively is the goal of many homeowners seeking to eradicate grass totally from an area or in preparation for reseeding. Some commercial grass killers feature chemicals capable of killing grass in one day. However, many of these chemicals require a number of precautions and can be dangerous to work with. An alternative is an environmentally-friendly grass killer that kills grass in one day and is made from natural ingredients.
The knot garden's "roots" are in the Renaissance era. During that period, gardeners planted herbs and hedges so that when viewed from a distance they appeared as a knotted rope or ribbon. Gardeners typically grow knot herb gardens using hedge-like plants that they keep tightly sheared to maintain their formal appearance. You must select, arrange and put in the plants in a knot garden so that the knot forms a precise pattern.
An edible forest garden is an organic, integrated, no-till, perennial food garden that combines trees, bushes, vine plants, flowers, grasses, animal habitat and, sometimes, bee and worm cultures in a mutually-supporting design. Forest garden design imitates the natural resilience of forests by using species diversity to strengthen the garden against drought and pests. The three goals of a forest garden are to create a healthy ecosystem; be as self-maintaining as possible; and to constantly yield the "F-harvests" of food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizer, 'farmaceuticals' and fun. Forest gardens can be made in a yard, large lot or farm.
Most apple varieties are self-sterile, which means that the pollen they produce will not fertilize the blossoms they produce. Because of this, apple growers must plant at least one variety of another type of apple tree in order to produce a crop of apples. Crab apple trees are a popular choice for fertilizing apple orchards and backyard trees because they are compatible with all other types of apple trees. Wind action will not help to cross-pollinate apple trees. Instead, apple growers must rely on insects to pollinate apple trees. Many beekeepers rent bee hives to apple growers to pollinate apple…
A steadily increasing popularity in vegetable gardening, starting as early as the 1980s, and the resulting concerns about the environmental impact have spawned the implementation of various restrictions. As of 2011, ordinances regulate excessive water use, pollution and roadside sales of produce.
Apple trees are not self-fruitful trees, which means that an apple variety will not be able to use pollen from its own cultivar to fertilize a tree. Apple orchards require cross-pollination among varieties of apple trees to set large, attractive fruit. Most growers rely on bees and other insects for cross-pollination. But in order to make the work of bees most effective, the growers must plant an orchard correctly.
Downy mildew is a non-fungal infection that, for the most part, appears on the underside of leaves as a powdery cover. Under the microscope, its structure looks like a trunk with several branches shooting away from it. You find downy mildew in humid regions and the list of plants this disease affects is vast. It includes roses, butterfly bushes, alyssum and kale, among others. Keeping their foliage dry is one step in preventing downy mildew. When it's present, you need a fungicide to kill it.
Root knot nematodes are microscopic roundworms that feed and breed in many fruit and vegetable plant roots. Nematodes live in soil. One way to control nematodes is to plant winter rye, also known cereal rye, in affected soil.
When the nutrients in the soil are depleted or not sufficient for optimum plant growth, adding them through fertilizer may be the answer. All commercial fertilizer is safe for a garden as long as directions are followed and over-fertilization is avoided.
Fairy castles or fairy houses enhance flower, bush and herb gardens. Place fairy castles and houses under bushes and shrubs, in the midst of flowers or even hidden in the roots of a tree. Anywhere you go, fairy castles and fairy houses can grow. Simple to create, this is a garden project that children of all ages enjoy. Once complete, fairy castles bring years of joy as they weather and change with the seasons.
Grown for a wide variety of reasons, basic home gardens range greatly in size and content. Although the gardens may be different from home to home, they all provide the same basic perks to the gardeners who tend them.
If you need to de-ice a road or driveway yourself and want to use a liquid mixture for easier distribution, you can make your own liquid road salt, also known as salt brine. Rock salt contains sodium chloride, which when mixed in high volumes with water creates a solution that melts snow and ice from roads and driveways. Creating your own salt brine is quite easy and only requires a few simple materials.
Several California growers use a time-consuming, labor-intensive method, often referred to as Hoshigaki, to dry persimmons. California growers commonly use the fruit from Hachiya persimmon cultivar to create the dried fruit specialty.
Arizona may be known for its desert climate that can get hot in the day and cold in the night -- not the best climate for growing apples. However, there are numerous orchards in the state where you can pick apples, some not too far from Phoenix.
Planting a new garden and seeing grass taking over it is frustrating. Some grasses such as nut grass and Bermuda grass spread through underground runners. The runners grow rapidly, taking over the garden if left unchecked. Digging out the roots is not always successful; in that case, gardeners can use an herbicidal product containing glyphosate to kill the grass. Extended control herbicides generally have immediate success in killing the roots and stop new growth for up to four months. Regular grass killers kill the grass roots after applying, but require more frequent applications if new grass develops.
For people who love to garden, relocating can be a challenging transition: leaving familiar soil is a hurdle literally and metaphorically. If you have moved from cooler climates to a hot environment like Texas, you can still enjoy the pleasures of gardening by planning a heat-resistant, drought-resistant garden. In addition to preserving your outdoor interests, drought-resistant gardens can also be a way to keep your water bill from running too high and to stay green. With a little research, planting a heat-resistant gardens can help introduce you to your new yard and adjust to your climate - in all ways.
Garlic sprays have insect-repellent properties when applied to plants and are alternatives to chemical pesticides. Some commercial garlic extract products are available on the market, and home preparations can effectively repel insects.
Woodland ferns have become adapted to backyard cultivation and make for fine borders, ground cover and ornamental vegetation where you want to create a peaceful atmosphere through these delicate-looking plants. This group of plants includes the cinnamon fern, northern maidenhair fern, autumn fern and the Japanese painted fern. When you grow a woodland fern, follow some general guidelines, but also observe the specific requirements of the particular species you have.
Woodland ferns are simply ferns that grow naturally in the wild. If you live in an area where these ferns are abundant, you can dig them up and transplant them to your home garden. Woodland ferns respond well to transplanting as long as you provide the same conditions they were previously growing in. Before transplanting woodland ferns, familiarize yourself with the endangered species and avoid disturbing them, since it is illegal to do so.
Accidentally dropping the tank lid to your toilet and helplessly watching as it cracks in half is frustrating. Many toilets are made of porcelain, which is quite durable, but unfortunately not immune to chips and breaks. With small chips and cracks that are not located on a critical part of the toilet, repair is possible with glue. This can save substantial money, as replacing a toilet can be costly.
Outdoor activity has several health benefits according to Family Fun. Not only does playing in the sun help stimulate Vitamin D production, it helps people burn calories and be active. Outdoor recreation also plays a role in the pineal gland activation; the gland is critical to the immune system and also contributes to regulating the biological clock. According to Family Fun, outdoor activity often leads to improved academic performance; schools with outdoor programs see higher test scores among students.
Sandbags can be purchased pre-filled locally or you can buy empty sandbags online and fill them yourself. In Atlanta, where flooding is common, sandbags can be used as a flood barrier around your yard and home. A few sandbags can also be placed in a trunk or back seat to add weight to a vehicle. Inexpensive tube sand that comes in a durable watertight bag can be used in the same manner.
Wild ferns can be difficult to transplant. The conditions in which they thrive vary from species to species. It may be illegal to transplant some species of woodland ferns, due to previous over-collection; always check with your county's wildlife department before transplanting a fern to make sure it's legal for you to do so. The best time to transplant a wild woodland fern is in the very early spring, immediately after the last frost.
Using glyphosate, or Roundup, is an easy and inexpensive way to kill large stumps. Although glyphosate is often used as a foliar application, it works effectively on freshly cut stumps where living tissue is still exposed. With that being noted, timing of application is critical when using an herbicide application for killing large stumps. Always read herbicide labels and follow in accordance with application. Glyphosate should not be applied directly to water or near bodies of water to prevent the risk of pollution.
In the 1950s Americans got back to business after the stressful years of World War II. The enormous number of returning soldiers married and began families, sparking a home building boom. Many of the new houses were small, with small lots, so landscaping was streamlined.
Cornmeal is comprised of ground-up corn kernels. Cornmeal products sold at grocery stores are usually made from the corn kernel's interior while cornmeal products sold for lawn and garden use contain cornmeal gluten, which is effective in preventing many common plant diseases. Although the home uses of cornmeal are generally kitchen-related, cornmeal has a variety of personal hygiene and housecleaning applications.
The Better Homes and Gardens Designer Suite is a home designing software made by Chief Architect. The software allows an individual or family to design and create a home in either 2D or 3D format. Beyond the basics of designing or remodeling homes, it includes information like cost estimates for new homes, additions or even decks and patios. It allows the individual using the software to design both the bones and interior design of the home. According to Consumer Search, the main downfall of the software is that it does not provide professional blueprints.
Johnson grass is a highly invasive perennial plant commonly found encroaching along the edge of tilled fields and gardens in many locations throughout the United States. Growing more than 6 feet tall, Johnson grass is capable of producing upwards of 80,000 seeds annually and also spreads through underground rhizomes that sprout new growth. Persistence is often necessary to control Johnson grass. Left unattended, Johnson grass can easily over take a garden and compete for nutrients and light.
The laws regarding home gardens vary from state to state and municipality to municipality. Although some states adopt certain laws to protect native plants, there are local laws governing the growth of "weeds." Certain jurisdictions do not allow vegetable gardens in the front yard, such as Northbrook, Illinois, and other areas, such as Rhode Island, have laws protecting gardens as works of art because they are a form of free speech. "Weed laws" were established to control the size or height of plants in residential areas so that the neighborhood would appear more attractive and pests and noxious plants could…
With its combination of extensive wild and urban areas, Michigan is home to many thorn-bearing trees. The textbook "Michigan Trees" notes that outdoorsmen and gardeners can identify trees by the thorns they use for protection. Many of the trees that prove a hazard to humans because of their sharp protrusions create havens for wildlife.
Road salt, an ice-melting substance, is often part of a sand mixture spread over roadways before or after an ice or snow storm. The mixture offers traction to your vehicle's tires, but can lead to rust formation on the undercarriage of your vehicle. Rust can also form on any area of your car that the road salt touches, and is even destructive to farm equipment and other metal machinery. To stop the rusting process, you can neutralize road salt and remove it from your vehicle before it can cause any damage.
Your spring- and summer-blooming poppies that add brilliant pops of color to your home garden can develop fungus problems that lead to infection. Maintain consistent care, as vigorous poppies have a much greater capacity to avoid and fight off infection than stressed or weakened ones. Full sun exposure and extremely well-drained soil put poppies on their way to continued health.
Brush hogs are also known as rotary cutters. They are generally used for mowing fields with overgrown grass and are usually pulled behind a tractor. Buying a brush hog can be expensive, but fortunately there is the option of renting one instead. Renting is especially beneficial with small, infrequent jobs and is possible for most people when following a few steps.
While any gardener would certainly want to deter pests from picking at his fruits, vegetables and flowers, he might not be so keen on the idea of spraying toxic pesticides on his garden in order to do so. In order to avoid this, avid home gardeners can use soap-based insecticides that they can easily make in the comfort of their own kitchens or gardening sheds. By making your own insecticide spray, you can rid your garden of pests without hurting your plants or yourself in the process.
Corn fresh from the home garden always tastes better than the corn you buy at the store. It is a fairly easy crop to grow, if you have adequate space in a sunlit area in your yard. Whether you prefer white corn or yellow corn, early varieties or late varieties, there is a corn seed that will be perfect for your home garden.
Harvesting apples can be a simple process in the home garden or orchard. Apples must be mature, which you can recognize by a firm, crisp skin, rich color and juicy flesh. If you harvest an apple too early, the flavor is sour and starchy; when they are harvested too late, the apples are soft and wrinkly. Handle apples carefully when harvesting and always discard bruised, diseased or infested apples. A couple of techniques make harvesting easier.
Creating a garden style home can be both fun and rewarding. There are many decorative accents that can be added to a garden home to add to its appeal, which you will reap the rewards of every time you look at it or walk in the door. Architectural details add character and splendor, and many people recognize garden style homes by these simple details alone. Both the exterior and interior of garden homes should consist of architectural details and decor that consistently reflect the style.
Raccoons are adorable and smart animals. However, they are also one of the most destructive pests you can have in your home or yard. If you have a problem with raccoons, you don't have to call a professional right away. Raccoon traps are available at many stores, so you can try to catch them yourself. While setting up a raccoon trap is simple, catching these intelligent animals can be a tricky prospect. A little persistence will help you get rid of your pest problem once and for all.
Furniture is available in a multitude of styles, from french country to ultra modern, but not all furniture styles are as easily defined as that. Some pieces skirt the boundaries of convention, defy classification and reject labels. This is the place transitional furniture style fits, in the gap between modern and contemporary.
Canola oil spray is a valuable ingredient in making homemade pest-control remedies for your garden. It is an ingredient in some commercially sold organic garden bug sprays, like Pyola. Canola oil is helpful because it provides a stickiness to pest sprays that helps the active ingredients that kill flea beetles and other bugs stay on plants, or bugs, for better protection or absorption. Water-based sprays, on the other hand, tend to run off quickly and are more easily washed away by rain.
An offset disc harrow is a farming and gardening tool that dates back to the late 19th century. The tool cultivates soil before crops are planted. There are many types of disc harrows available today, both for large stretches of agricultural land (farming fields) and small patches of agricultural land (home gardens). Most offset disc harrows are tractor-driven farming implements or single-walker, two-wheel home gardening tools.
Drip irrigation programs or systems provide water directly to plant root systems. According to horticulture specialists T.E. Bilderback and M.A. Powell of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, drip irrigation is an example of water-saving irrigation. The increasing human population has rendered water a valuable natural resource with an ever-decreasing supply, so drip irrigation will only become more popular in dry areas.
Many offices, schools and businesses recycle paper and glass but toss out food scraps that end up in landfills. Vermiculture composting can reduce the garbage in our landfills dramatically. This practice creates nutrient-dense and nontoxic soil amendments. Producing compost on a large scale can be a business venture as well. In schools, vermicomposting provides many teaching moments. Home gardeners are most likely to use vermiculture in composting. Vermicomposting is becoming an industry for agricultural waste and sludge recycling.
Toxic chemical fertilizers have been the topic of debate for several years. According to an article published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), every year companies send their unwanted toxic waste materials to fertilizer companies to be used as unrefined materials in the production of fertilizer that makes its way to farm crops. These waste products often contain hazardous chemicals and toxic metals, which is then transformed into fertilizer.
Although many people think ground moles are rodents, they are actually sightless mammals that live under the ground. Although they don't cause any major problems in the ground, they do create unsightly tunnels at the ground surface that can kill grass. These tunnels look like raised mounds of dirt, similar to a tube, and can run along the entire length of the yard. To kill a ground mole, you have to treat the ground that the mole lives in.
An originally wild native of America, the Concord grape is one of the most popular domestically cultivated varieties grown in home gardens. Although imported European grape varieties consistently failed to survive in America, the Concord grape continues to thrive. This versatile grape has long been used in the home and commercial production of jams, jellies, juices and wines. Cornell University reports this variety of grape suffers from relatively few insect pests.
Even a small garden is able to make a large impact. Knowing which plants and materials to use gives you an edge in creating a tranquil garden. You can add flowers, trees, shrubs and even herbs in a small garden depending on your preferences. Mixing textures, sizes and types of plants allows you varying degrees of flexibility in your planning. Several tricks can be used to make a small garden seem much larger.
Indiana's climate is suitable for a number of spiders, which inhabit gardens and wooded areas and sometimes find their way into homes. These species range from venomous spiders to harmless arachnids that are commonly found in this part of the Midwest. The ability to identify these common crawlers will help people realize when to be cautious.
Apples are readily available throughout the United States all year long, but homeowners can enjoy picking and eating fresh apples from trees in their own back yard. There are many different apple trees that are perfect for your home garden, while others are more suited for orchards, as they need many other trees around for pollination. Apple trees are even available in dwarf varieties to make picking apples and caring for the tree easier for the home gardener.
It's easy to go green with brick. Bricks come in plenty of styles and colors, and with your imagination and a few fun tips, they can be reused in a variety of ways in your home or garden. Their weight and ability to withstand extreme temperatures make bricks extremely versatile.
Japanese or Oriental persimmons (Diospyros kaki Linn) are attractive trees known for their ease of care and hardiness, according to M. L. Parker, a horticultural specialist with North Carolina State University. There are 20 varieties, which are sorted into three groups depending on whether the persimmons are astringent, astringent only when seedless or non-astringent. Astringent persimmons must be left to soften completely before they can be eaten, while non-astringent cultivars can be eaten while they are still crisp.
Sacramento, the capitol of California, is a sprawling city that takes great pride in its majestic gardens and parks. The city, with the help of an army of volunteers, has preserved historic rose varieties for the enjoyment of rose lovers. The city's beautifully maintained public gardens also showcase the newest rose varieties. The public and private Sacramento rose gardens are well worth your time and admiration.
Repairing a porcelain toilet could save you hundreds of dollars over replacement costs. Glazed porcelain toilets do not need sealant, unless a crack has undergone repair. You can use refinishing spray on exposed areas missing the glazed coating, followed by a surface repair coat. Even with the wondrous abilities of new-age epoxy, not every crack is repairable. Inspect the toilet carefully to ensure that the porcelain tank or bowl is not functionally compromised. Porcelain toilet sealing is an afternoon do-it-yourself project for most homeowners.
As any victory gardener knows, lettuce is a crop that comes in all at once, gets bitter if left too long in the garden, and doesn't keep well. Staggered planting is one solution, but lettuce is a cool weather crop, so it is not a complete solution. For the home gardener the answer is simple. Farmers sell lettuce by the head but cooks do not serve heads of lettuce, they serve lettuce leaves. Home gardeners pick tomatoes one at a time, leaving others to mature on the plant. Harvesting leaves of lettuce should be no different.
Root-knot nematodes are microscopic worms that live in poor, sandy soil and invade the roots of many plants, resulting in declining plant health as they lay eggs in the roots of host plants. Scar tissue forms in the infected roots where the nematode lives, blocking water and nutrients from flowing into the plant. Affected plants often die suddenly. When they are pulled from the ground, you can easily see the series of knots left by the infestation of nematodes. Although nematodes are very difficult to control, there are some methods available to stop them from becoming worse.
Downy mildew is a fungal infection that affects flowering plants like asters and roses as well as vegetable and fruit plants like cucumbers and pumpkins. Because downy mildew can reduce the production of fruits, vegetables and flowers, infections require treatment.
Rat poison is used to kill a variety of vermin that infest homes, buildings, gardens and other locales. There are a number of ingredients of rat poison, some of which cause death within a short period of time while others require a more prolonged exposure to the toxin. There are ingredients that are more harmful to human beings than others.
A water feature is a lovely addition to any home garden. By keeping the pond small and simple, you can include all the benefits of water gardening in your landscape--a tranquil focal point, the soothing sound of running water, the gentle blossoms of aquatic plants, and even a goldfish or two--without the expense and hassle of installing and maintaining a large operation.
Rain barrels store rain water, stretching your water resources and saving money on your water bill. You can purchase rain barrel kits and supplies online or from your local hardware store. The challenging part will be finding a 55-gallon plastic drum. Your rain barrel takes only a few hours to assemble. Rain barrel water can be used to water plants in the garden. While you can't drink rain barrel water, you can use it for cleaning, car washing or to replace the water in your toilet tank.
Garden lights provide a versatile way to extend your garden decoration into the hours after the sun goes down. Garden centers and supply stores offer a wide variety: Oriental paper lanterns, outdoor spotlights, light fixtures and solar lights that can be placed along a pathway. One of the most popular and inexpensive lights for home gardens are strand lights that can be draped or hung around trees, stakes, the sides of a building or over an umbrella or pergola.
Gardening is a time-consuming, multi-faceted hobby. From pest control to plant disease remedies to fertilizers, the need for attention in order to have a successful garden is constant throughout much of the year. In addition to a seemingly endless number of products on store shelves that will help a gardener maintain and improve the garden's condition, quite a few home remedies exist that will save money and be equally effective.
Shovels are available in a variety of sizes, types and qualities. Choosing the right shovel for the right task is important and will save you time and energy in the long run.
Most plant species require a soil pH in a range of 5.8 to 7.0 on the pH scale. Soil pH may need adjusting due to overfertilization or water leaching important minerals from the soil bed. There are also some plant varieties that require a more acidic soil for optimum growth. To prevent damage to current plant growth, do not change the pH of your soil more than one point in a growing season. More change than that requires several years to accomplish.
Texas is a large state with 267,399 square miles of growing area that includes mountains, prairies, pine woods and deserts. There are thousands of different plants growing wild; plants imported from other states flourish in landscapes. Identifying Texas plants requires some research. The Department of Agriculture's list of Texas plants includes more than 19,000 entries. To correctly identify a plant, you must use observations about its flowers, leaves, growing structure and location.
Contaminated soils can lead to pollution of groundwater and harm animals and plant life. Severe cases of contaminated soil may even kill organisms which affect the entire food chain because the insects that feed on the organisms may either die from the pollutants or move to less contaminated areas. This disruption of the food chain can cause entire ecosystems to be adversely affected. Treatment of contaminated soils can help reverse the affects.
A handful of chemicals are the source of most nitrogen fertilizers. With the exception of manure, the liberal application of nitrogen will upset the carbon nitrogen ratio. The natural ration is 12 to one. If the ratio becomes too low, nitrogen will not be available for plant use. It is recommended that when adding a nitrogen fertilizer, a soil amendment, such as compost, peat moss or leaf mold, be added at the same time.
Coffee grounds are produced daily in some households. Instead of throwing them away, recycle them in the garden. If your own coffee pot doesn't produce enough, most Starbucks coffee shops give away used grounds for free.
Home garden decor and gardening improvements can apply indoors as well as outdoors. With so many plants, flowers and ornaments from which to choose, the possibilities are great fun to consider as you plan the creation or enhancement of your masterpiece. In this article, I suggest three different garden concepts that are simple to create and to manage, and which provide lots of enjoyment and always garner compliments.
Pine nuts are full of protein, fiber and zinc. Their flavor is delicate and distinct, and they are rumored to be an aphrodisiac. If you buy pine nuts they are expensive, due to a labor-intensive harvesting process and the destruction of many pine trees. But pine nut harvesting is a way family or friends can get outdoors and enjoy picking pine nuts together, since it's difficult to do alone, and try the pine nuts raw---or take them home and make pesto.Think of it as your hookup to organic nuts.
Repelling hornets involves knocking down their nests repeatedly until they are forced to find a new location for their home. Keep nests away from entry ways and high-traffic areas with information from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.
Shrubs are the perfect way to landscape the area around your home. They hide the foundation and make exceptional natural boundaries. Some shrubs, however, don't withstand the winter too well. The weight of snow and ice, as well as the harsh temperatures take its toll. By taking a few preventative steps to winterize your shrubs, they'll emerge hardy and healthy in the spring, ready and able to grace your home with their greenery.
Types of anti-fatigue mats include long, narrow strips, puzzle piece shapes, honeycomb and carpeted versions. Find various anti-fatigue mats to use in the office, at home or outdoors with advice from a sustainable gardener in this free video on garden maintenance.
You will need an entire day just to look at the different types and styles of arbors. You should first decide of which material you want your arbor to be made. There are many choices, such as wood, vinyl and metal. Next you should measure the area in which you will fit the arbor. They come in different widths to fit your space and some come with a seat, flower boxes or hanging basket holders. Some even come with a gate to section off your garden. Whatever your reason for getting an arbor, it will be a beautiful addition to…
Learn how to cure potatoes in this free video on home gardening.
Learn how to stop potato beetles in this free video on home gardening.
Learn how to hill potatoes in this free video on home gardening.
Learn how to harvest pototoes in this free video on home gardening.
Learn how to fertilize potatoes in this free video on home gardening.
If you have ever had an issue in your garden with bugs or animals eating your developing produce, a floating row cover may be the solution. A floating row cover is a lightweight material placed directly over the plants. The material is translucent, allowing sun and water through but not insects or nibbling animals. The fabric can be reused for several years.
A garden trowel will give you some torque when digging in a garden. Learn about gardening with trowels from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
A bow saw will help you to do heavier cutting in the garden. Learn about gardening with bow saws from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Stay safe and improve your grip with rubber gloves. Learn about gardening with rubber gloves from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Cloth gloves will protect you from sharp objects in the soil. Learn about gardening with cloth gloves from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Magnesium sulfate is great for palm trees. Learn about gardening with magnesium sulfate from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Potash helps to promote strong roots and healthy plants. Learn about gardening and potash levels from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Manganese sulfate really helps palm trees to stay healthy. Learn about gardening with manganese from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Take some stress off your knees with knee mats for the garden. Learn about gardening with knee mats from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Cultivators will make it easier to pull up weeds. Learn about gardening with cultivators from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Use a digging shovel to clear out an area for your plants. Learn about gardening with digging shovels from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video.
Gray water -- the waste water left from bathing or washing dishes -- can be reclaimed and used in your lawn and garden, in moderation. Gray water can help keep your plants and lawn hydrated during drought conditions, when local water-use restrictions are in place, or if fresh water is not readily available for garden use. If possible, use gray water on lawns and ornamental plants rather than on vegetable plants, to keep potentially harmful chemicals out of your food supply.
Ladybugs may be one of the friendliest-looking insects out there...unless you are an aphid. Ladybugs and their black- and red-striped larvae have a voracious appetite for aphids-tiny, soft-bodied insects that literally suck the life out of plants by feeding on plant sap. Adult ladybugs, or lady beetles as they are also called, eat several hundred aphids per day and the larvae consume up to 300 daily! Aphids love to feed on succulent, tender new growth and often attack roses, nasturtiums and peppers. Many gardeners purchase live lady beetles to help take care of their aphid problems, but it's important to…
Square-foot gardens are perfect for those who have a small area in which to grow plants. The entire garden takes up a 4-by-4-foot area and can produce enough fresh vegetables for one person, according to the University of Illinois Extension. This type of raised-bed garden is suitable for beginners, kids, elderly and disabled people because it is easy to reach and weed free.
Concrete blocks are useful and affordable building tools; however, they have many other uses in the home and garden. You can leave the concrete blocks as they are, or they can be covered with fabric or painted to improve their appearance. With some inexpensive tools and a little creativity, you'll have your home and garden looking great in a snap.
Garden style leans heavily on accessories to achieve its outdoorsy look. Let your imagination dictate the decor, but use these ideas for inspiration.
You can use concrete left over from a major project by preparing some easy-to-make or inexpensive manufactured forms and having them ready when the work is being done. Here are a few ideas.
