Everybody likes fresh vegetables straight from the garden but most of us don't want to do the work to start and maintain vegetable garden. The hardest part is digging up the fresh ground in your lawn but it has to be done. A garden tiller is a great tool but it can be awkward to use and separating the sod from the soil still requires manual labor. So there is no way around it. It's still work.
Before starting your garden, consider the time of year it is. Consider the time of year it will be when your vegetable garden is ready to harvest. A good time almost anywhere is mid-spring to plant and/or mid to late summer to plant. This way we can avoid the winter freeze at harvest time. Think about what you want to plant. Can it grow in the summer? can it grow in the fall? Go to a store that sells gardening products in your local area and ask what grows at what time of the year. If you can't find a gardening expert then go to the seed section and read the seed envelopes. They have all of the information.
Once you know what your going to grow, stake out your garden in your yard. Figure out how large or small you want it to be. Don't over estimate because you don't want to dig up more of your lawn than you have to. If you don't have a garden tiller you can rent one at a garden equipment or garden supply store. Home improvement stores even rent tillers. You will only need it for one day so it should be inexpensive.
As I said earlier, tilling can be awkward. You don't need an over sized machine especially if you have never used one before. Let's start digging up the lawn. The garden should be rectangular in shape with rows or hills running lengthwise. Start the tiller at the estimated first row and till the whole length of the garden. Turn around and till the second row back in the direction that you started. Repeat this until the whole garden is tilled. Shut the tiller down and put it aside. Time to get on your hands and knees. Take a stiff rake and shake the large pieces of sod out of the garden. Shake the soil out back into the garden and discard the grass. Go through the soil shaking and discarding any grass that you find. You won't be able to find every speck of grass, but the more that you remove the less likely it will be to grow back. Start up the tiller and till the whole garden again. It will be easier this time with the sod removed. If you feel good about it, till it again. The more times that you run the tiller through, the softer the soil becomes.
The hard work is done. Now you have a rectangular patch of dirt in your yard. Let's turn it into a vegetable garden. If you choose to use fertilizer this would be a good time to get it into the soil. Do not over fertilize. I take a plastic cup, fill it with fertilizer and lightly sprinkle it on top of the soil. Imagine the vegetable garden as a giant plate of food and the fertilizer as salt. You are only sprinkling salt on the food. No more no less. Of course you can always read the fertilizer bag for ratio directions. Take your stiff rake and work the fertilizer into the soil. Mix it up as good as you can.
By now you should know how many rows you're going to have. Use the same stiff rake and start building your rows or hills. Once you have the rows done take a break. Take the tiller back to the gardening equipment store. You don't need it anymore. It's time to get your garden good and wet. Saturate it because the water will only soak in. You can buy a stand up sprinkler at the garden products store that connects to a garden hose. Put it in the center of the garden and let it go. After the garden is well saturated, take your garden hose and let the water flow freely between each row. Using a hoe to level out the spots where the water stops or dams up between the rows so that it flows from one end to the other creating an irrigation system. If you do this right the first time you will have no problem with irrigation when the garden begins to fill up with vegetation. You are ready to start planting your home vegetable garden.
From "Gardening" by B. Willis http://gardeningtips-andadvice.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Willis
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Organic Fertilizer Recipies Have All Three of These
Growing vegetable plants need plenty of nutrients in the soil. You do not want to add chemical fertilizers as you wish to avoid adding chemicals to an organic garden. Grow wonderful fruits and vegetables. Grow flowers you can't wait to show off. Grow herbs indoors can be attractive, A trio of aromatic herbs: basil, oregano and chives.
Compost is perhaps the best organic amendment. It can be purchased or made at home by recycling yard prunings and clippings. Composts may include residues of plants that were treated with pesticides containing heavy metals. Additionally, fertilizer pellets made from manure or litter may have additives that contain heavy metals or other non-allowed substances.
Gardeners will also benefit from mulching their plants because it conserves moisture and nutrients in the soil and it reduces erosion and weed growth. Gardenias will not bloom well in the shade. Researchers found dairy manure compost increased crop yields by an average of ten percent. Soil microbiology research found that the ratio of total fungal to total bacterial biomass was a strong predictor of yield.
Plants need three important nutrients in order to grow: nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. All three of these are found in organic fertilizer recipes.
Weeds are the thorn in the side of any gardener, but they can be especially bothersome to organic gardeners. Many gardeners choose to use weed killer to get rid of weeds, but you can't do that in an organic garden. Weeds harbor harmful insects and spread disease. If it is possible, keep at least 300ft around your garden weed free.
To get the plants off to a good start, plastic mulch helps to keep the soil warm. Plants grown in organic soils are naturally more resistant to insects and disease. They are simply healthier and insects and disease generally attack plants that are already unhealthy to begin with. So always think about producing the right organic soil recipe.
Author: Gregory WadelTips To Producing An Awesome Organic Gardenhttp://wadeshealthmatters.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Wadel
Compost is perhaps the best organic amendment. It can be purchased or made at home by recycling yard prunings and clippings. Composts may include residues of plants that were treated with pesticides containing heavy metals. Additionally, fertilizer pellets made from manure or litter may have additives that contain heavy metals or other non-allowed substances.
Gardeners will also benefit from mulching their plants because it conserves moisture and nutrients in the soil and it reduces erosion and weed growth. Gardenias will not bloom well in the shade. Researchers found dairy manure compost increased crop yields by an average of ten percent. Soil microbiology research found that the ratio of total fungal to total bacterial biomass was a strong predictor of yield.
Plants need three important nutrients in order to grow: nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. All three of these are found in organic fertilizer recipes.
Weeds are the thorn in the side of any gardener, but they can be especially bothersome to organic gardeners. Many gardeners choose to use weed killer to get rid of weeds, but you can't do that in an organic garden. Weeds harbor harmful insects and spread disease. If it is possible, keep at least 300ft around your garden weed free.
To get the plants off to a good start, plastic mulch helps to keep the soil warm. Plants grown in organic soils are naturally more resistant to insects and disease. They are simply healthier and insects and disease generally attack plants that are already unhealthy to begin with. So always think about producing the right organic soil recipe.
Author: Gregory WadelTips To Producing An Awesome Organic Gardenhttp://wadeshealthmatters.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Wadel
Landscape Gardening - Choosing Plants With Colored Foliage
There is a large range of plants with colored foliage available to the gardener today. Reddish-purple, golden-yellow, silver, and grey-leaved plants, not to speak of the many types of variegated leaf, abound in nurseries and garden centers. Amongst all the plant forms - from trees to ground covers, one can find varieties that have brightly colored leaves. The challenge is to use them wisely and not be carried away by false notions of novelty or originality.
In fact, peppering the garden with such plants is the first sign of design naïveté. Green is the foliage color that should dominate most planting schemes, while plants with colored foliage should be used very sparingly as an emphasis, a contrast, and even a focal point in the garden.
There are of course endless variations of unusually colored leaves, but they can be reduced to four main groups. As a gardener in a Mediterranean country, I will restrict my examples to those with which I am familiar.
*Red or deep-purple foliage generally creates the most striking effect, but over-use can make the garden look depressing and somber. Prunus pisardii is a small plum tree, while the large shrub, Cotinus coggygria, is well known beyond Mediterranean climates. For mild winter regions, I suggest Euphorbia cotinifolia, which if kept at about 1-2 meters by annual pruning, is particularly beautiful. Let's not forget also, the mainstay, Berberis thunbergii.
It may also be worth considering bedding plants with red-purple foliage, such as the varieties of Joyweed (Alternanthera) which can really "hold" an herbaceous border through the long, hot, Mediterranean summer. This plant should be used as an annual anywhere but in the mildest of winter climates.
*Plants with golden-colored leaves make for a less dramatic, but perhaps more subtle contrast with the mass of green foliage. For subtlety, it is best to study the size and shape of the leaf, before rushing in with a colored plant. These should be as similar as possible to the green-leaved plants. Hence, the feathery texture of Melaleuca "Revolution Gold" or Melaleuca "Green Dome", combine well with junipers for instance and other species of Melaleuca.
An amazingly beautiful shrub is Duranta erecta "Golden". It has small, oval leaves, and so goes well with such shrubs as Cotoneaster, Sumac, Pistachio, and Myrtle. Planting it next to a course-leaved bush like Hibiscus, would be a mistake in my view.
*Plants with variegated leaves are probably the most ill used amongst inexperienced gardeners. Again, the mistake is to plant too many of them, thereby turning the unusual into the common. They are most effective in shady corners, where they create a dappled-light effect, but they tend to look sickly in full sun,
*Grey and silver-leaves are perhaps easier to use without descending into banality. They are most appropriate in Mediterranean style gardens, but seem out of place amongst lush, tropical plants. Grey-leaved shrubs should be planted in very small numbers, although some species, such as Grey Owl Juniper, or the fabulous Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens) can be superb, especially in contrast to red-leaved plants.
Silver-leaved plants really come into their own in herb gardens, where they appear most at home. From an aesthetic point of view, in addition to a culinary or herbal one, plants like Lavender, Artemisia, and Sage are great, while grey-leaved grasses, such as Festuca glauca, are useful additions to an herbaceous border.
My name is Jonathan Ya'akobi.I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to help you get the very best from your garden, so you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com or contact me at jonathan@dryclimategardening.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Ya'akobi
In fact, peppering the garden with such plants is the first sign of design naïveté. Green is the foliage color that should dominate most planting schemes, while plants with colored foliage should be used very sparingly as an emphasis, a contrast, and even a focal point in the garden.
There are of course endless variations of unusually colored leaves, but they can be reduced to four main groups. As a gardener in a Mediterranean country, I will restrict my examples to those with which I am familiar.
*Red or deep-purple foliage generally creates the most striking effect, but over-use can make the garden look depressing and somber. Prunus pisardii is a small plum tree, while the large shrub, Cotinus coggygria, is well known beyond Mediterranean climates. For mild winter regions, I suggest Euphorbia cotinifolia, which if kept at about 1-2 meters by annual pruning, is particularly beautiful. Let's not forget also, the mainstay, Berberis thunbergii.
It may also be worth considering bedding plants with red-purple foliage, such as the varieties of Joyweed (Alternanthera) which can really "hold" an herbaceous border through the long, hot, Mediterranean summer. This plant should be used as an annual anywhere but in the mildest of winter climates.
*Plants with golden-colored leaves make for a less dramatic, but perhaps more subtle contrast with the mass of green foliage. For subtlety, it is best to study the size and shape of the leaf, before rushing in with a colored plant. These should be as similar as possible to the green-leaved plants. Hence, the feathery texture of Melaleuca "Revolution Gold" or Melaleuca "Green Dome", combine well with junipers for instance and other species of Melaleuca.
An amazingly beautiful shrub is Duranta erecta "Golden". It has small, oval leaves, and so goes well with such shrubs as Cotoneaster, Sumac, Pistachio, and Myrtle. Planting it next to a course-leaved bush like Hibiscus, would be a mistake in my view.
*Plants with variegated leaves are probably the most ill used amongst inexperienced gardeners. Again, the mistake is to plant too many of them, thereby turning the unusual into the common. They are most effective in shady corners, where they create a dappled-light effect, but they tend to look sickly in full sun,
*Grey and silver-leaves are perhaps easier to use without descending into banality. They are most appropriate in Mediterranean style gardens, but seem out of place amongst lush, tropical plants. Grey-leaved shrubs should be planted in very small numbers, although some species, such as Grey Owl Juniper, or the fabulous Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens) can be superb, especially in contrast to red-leaved plants.
Silver-leaved plants really come into their own in herb gardens, where they appear most at home. From an aesthetic point of view, in addition to a culinary or herbal one, plants like Lavender, Artemisia, and Sage are great, while grey-leaved grasses, such as Festuca glauca, are useful additions to an herbaceous border.
My name is Jonathan Ya'akobi.I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to help you get the very best from your garden, so you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com or contact me at jonathan@dryclimategardening.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Ya'akobi
Low-Maintenance Gardening
A popular trend in gardening today is to go low maintenance. We want a beautiful garden, but a busy lifestyle means we don't have time to tend to it on a regular basis.
"Low-maintenance gardens can be high on impact, and they can be just as stylish as gardens that demand regular attention, "according to Peter McHoy in book, Planning Your Garden.
Low-maintenance gardens allow you to leave for a week or more, and the plants can fend for themselves. The most important aspect of a low maintenance garden, besides your choice of plants, is the floor for your garden. "It's important to get this aspect of the garden right, as, initially, it will be the most time-consuming and costly part of planning your garden," McHoy says. "Large areas of the same kind of hard landscaping material will look boring. Be prepared to mix different kinds of paving materials." Use various materials to create symmetry in your garden design.
Here are some inspirational ideas for easy gardening:
Paving: a huge variety of pavers are available, but you will need lots of plants in combination with them to soften the effect. You can pave a walkway through your garden, or create a patio, with plants throughout.
Gravel and stone: These are best with drought-resistant plants such as lavenders. A few plants go a long way in this type of garden, and maintenance is limited to trimming back any plants that begin to outgrow their space," says McHoy. Lay the gravel thick to keep weeds away.
Raised beds: These can be used in conjunction with various ground coverings, and can be made of wood, brick, or a number of other materials. Raised beds usually hold a greater depth of soil than do pots or tubs, so plants are less likely to dry out, and it should not be necessary to water a raised bed daily during hot weather.
Use drought-resistant plants: check with your local nursery for the plants that grow best in your climate, and choose the ones that work the best with your garden style.
Ground-cover plants: "Ground-cover plants are also important 'carpets' for suitable beds and borders," says McHoy. Use plants that do well in your area. Some choices include moss, chamomile, thyme, and even clover.
Other options include planting through gravel, through gaps in a patio, and against walls.
The number of plants you use, and the size of your low-maintenance garden is up to you. The more plants you use, the more tending they will require. But your initial planning will make a huge difference in the time you need to spend, as well as your enjoyment later in your perfectly designed garden.
Judy Camp is a writer for ParadoxPro.com Home and Garden, http://www.paradoxpro.com Read more articles on home and garden topics in the Home Style News newsletter. Subscribe free at http://www.ParadoxPro.com/ezine.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Camp
"Low-maintenance gardens can be high on impact, and they can be just as stylish as gardens that demand regular attention, "according to Peter McHoy in book, Planning Your Garden.
Low-maintenance gardens allow you to leave for a week or more, and the plants can fend for themselves. The most important aspect of a low maintenance garden, besides your choice of plants, is the floor for your garden. "It's important to get this aspect of the garden right, as, initially, it will be the most time-consuming and costly part of planning your garden," McHoy says. "Large areas of the same kind of hard landscaping material will look boring. Be prepared to mix different kinds of paving materials." Use various materials to create symmetry in your garden design.
Here are some inspirational ideas for easy gardening:
Paving: a huge variety of pavers are available, but you will need lots of plants in combination with them to soften the effect. You can pave a walkway through your garden, or create a patio, with plants throughout.
Gravel and stone: These are best with drought-resistant plants such as lavenders. A few plants go a long way in this type of garden, and maintenance is limited to trimming back any plants that begin to outgrow their space," says McHoy. Lay the gravel thick to keep weeds away.
Raised beds: These can be used in conjunction with various ground coverings, and can be made of wood, brick, or a number of other materials. Raised beds usually hold a greater depth of soil than do pots or tubs, so plants are less likely to dry out, and it should not be necessary to water a raised bed daily during hot weather.
Use drought-resistant plants: check with your local nursery for the plants that grow best in your climate, and choose the ones that work the best with your garden style.
Ground-cover plants: "Ground-cover plants are also important 'carpets' for suitable beds and borders," says McHoy. Use plants that do well in your area. Some choices include moss, chamomile, thyme, and even clover.
Other options include planting through gravel, through gaps in a patio, and against walls.
The number of plants you use, and the size of your low-maintenance garden is up to you. The more plants you use, the more tending they will require. But your initial planning will make a huge difference in the time you need to spend, as well as your enjoyment later in your perfectly designed garden.
Judy Camp is a writer for ParadoxPro.com Home and Garden, http://www.paradoxpro.com Read more articles on home and garden topics in the Home Style News newsletter. Subscribe free at http://www.ParadoxPro.com/ezine.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Camp
Watering Tomato Plants
A rule of thumb is that you water your tomato plants when the top 1" of soil is dry. I don't mean it feels dry on top, stick your finger in and if it feels dry 1" down, then it is time to water. Tomatoes like moisture but don't like to be flooded with too much water. Too much water can prevent air exchange in the soil and roots. You learn how often you need to water your tomatoes after a while.
When watering, flood the soil the tomatoes are grown in. You may need to soak the area multiple times to get water down deep enough. I usually water my tomatoes in containers until water starts coming out of the bottom of the pot. When watering tomatoes in the ground, use a hose for thirty seconds to two minutes per plant, it all depends on your area.
It is best to water tomato plants in the morning so your tomato plants will be hydrated before the sun gets out and the plant starts producing usable energy. I used to use a watering system to water my plants at 7am every morning, and it worked great for years. Now I wake up at about 8am every morning and incorporate watering tomatoes into my getting up and going routine.
Personally watering your tomatoes will increase the quality for most people. While the plant may receive imperfect watering, you will see the plant every other day or couple of days. I noticed that when I had an automatic watering system, it was easier to neglect the plants for a week or two. If that is what you are looking for, a self watering system would be great for you.
In the summer your plants will be needing to be watered more, but still not over watered. Water when the top inch of soil is dry still, but it will happen more often. After the ground has started to heat up from winter, you can use a mulch on top of your soil to conserve moisture.
Watering tomatoes in containers is basically the same except you might have to do it more often as containers generally dry out faster than in the ground.
James Davishttp://www.Backyard-Tomatoes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_L_Davis
When watering, flood the soil the tomatoes are grown in. You may need to soak the area multiple times to get water down deep enough. I usually water my tomatoes in containers until water starts coming out of the bottom of the pot. When watering tomatoes in the ground, use a hose for thirty seconds to two minutes per plant, it all depends on your area.
It is best to water tomato plants in the morning so your tomato plants will be hydrated before the sun gets out and the plant starts producing usable energy. I used to use a watering system to water my plants at 7am every morning, and it worked great for years. Now I wake up at about 8am every morning and incorporate watering tomatoes into my getting up and going routine.
Personally watering your tomatoes will increase the quality for most people. While the plant may receive imperfect watering, you will see the plant every other day or couple of days. I noticed that when I had an automatic watering system, it was easier to neglect the plants for a week or two. If that is what you are looking for, a self watering system would be great for you.
In the summer your plants will be needing to be watered more, but still not over watered. Water when the top inch of soil is dry still, but it will happen more often. After the ground has started to heat up from winter, you can use a mulch on top of your soil to conserve moisture.
Watering tomatoes in containers is basically the same except you might have to do it more often as containers generally dry out faster than in the ground.
James Davishttp://www.Backyard-Tomatoes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_L_Davis
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