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Creative Ways Of Fencing Off The Garden

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you are looking for creative ways to fence off the garden, there is no need to go far. A lot of creative ideas can be found at yard sales and flea markets for a very minimal cost. Recycled items such as old barn wood can make the most attractive and unique borders for your garden area. Different sized and colored stone can make a beautiful difference to your average looking garden. If you live near a lake or a creek, these stones might be available to you for free.I was looking for more information and found it here. You simply pick out the stones that you want for your garden and arrange them to make your border the most beautiful one in the neighborhood. One beautiful idea for a flower garden is the old fashioned picket fence. You can install the fence so that some of the flowers wind around it as they grow. If you are not too concerned with the appearance of the fencing, one very inexpensive, but very effective fencing choice is chicken wire. Chicken wire is very effective in keeping out all the wildlife. Many of these fencing projects can be taken down easily once the gardening season has ended. You can simply store the fencing and reuse it for many years to come.

How To Build A Compost Bin From Recycled Materials

admin — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The essence of compost is that it recycles “green” materials, mostly kitchen or garden refuse. Compost is a vital part of a gardener’s repertoire, as compost goes into the soil to nurture the next generation of crop or ornamental plants.

Items that can be composted are fruit and vegetable leavings, coffee grinds, newspaper or cardboard, prunings, hay or dry grass, dead leaves. Things that shouldn’t be used for compost are meat or grease, coal ash, and cuttings from diseased plants or weeds.Want more? Click here/tag

The gardener should first buy or make a compost bin. These can come in many forms, from a rotating barrel placed on a stand, to a box, or a cylinder of chicken wire propped up on stakes in a way that it can be lifted off when the compost is ready. All of them need covers to protect them from rain.

A compost pile needs heat to work, and the smallest size that will produce heat is about three feet square. The material should be added in six inch layers and watered till it’s wet but not soggy. An activator like sulphate of ammonia should be added between each layer of material to speed up the breakdown of the material. Then a layer of garden soil should be laid over everything. The compost should be turned now and then, and will be ready after three to six months.

Alternatives To Using Harmful Weed Killers

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The best way to discourage weeds is by not letting them grow in the first place. Bare patches of earth in the garden should be covered either with wanted ground covers, or mulch. A plot should be thoroughly cleared of weeds before it’s planted. Weeding should be started in early spring, before the weeds set seed. Weeding regularly will also help to control weeds.

Mulching smothers weeds. Sheet mulch or landscape fabric is a long lasting and effective mulch. The weeds in the plot should be pulled and the soil prepared, then the sheet should be laid down.Never heard of this before? Get up to speed here. The edges of the sheet should be secured by making a trench in the soil and then pushing the edges of the landscape fabric into it. Crosses should be cut in the fabric where the gardener wants plants, the edges peeled back and holes dug in the ground. The plants should be set in the holes as per usual, then the sheet should be covered with mulch.

Weeds can also be removed by hand. The gardener must make sure that the entire root system is dug up and thrown out with the trash, for many weeds propagate from their roots. Instruments used in weeding are Dutch hoes, handforks, daisy grubbers, onion hoes and paving weeders, to remove weeds that grow in those spaces between pavers.

Best Vegetables for a First-Time Gardener

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

So you’ve watched a ton of HGTV on your directstartv.com satellite and you’re learning more and more about growing your own vegetables. Here are a few of our tips for what you should plant now to see results by fall…
Herbs: Basil, parsley and tarragon grow well into the autumn and they’re relatively hearty for the novice gardener. Make sure to water every day if they’re in the heat and give them plenty of sunlight, too.
Onions: If you’ve got a relatively deep garden try your hand at onions. The sweet variety work best and maintain their strength in both heat and chilly climates.
Squash: Both yellow and green squash grow up until about November so now’s the time to plant if you want to see results soon. They’re versatile and come in many shapes and sizes so they’re as fun to pick as they are to cultivate!
Don’t let the soil intimidate you…you’ve got a green thumb in there somewhere! Work on a community garden with others or turn your veggies into a family affair – the possibilities are endless!

Inexpensive Ways To “Green” Your Home

admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Going Green. Almost everywhere you go, that phrase is plastered somewhere. How about in your home? Today’s home buyers want green solutions to their energy costs. They also want environmentally friendly products. If your home doesn’t have any of this, fear not. There are easy way to make your home more “green” without spending too much money.

One of the simplest things you can do is switch out every one of your light bulbs. Currently on the market, there are two energy saved light bulbs. There is the Compact Flourescent Light bulb (CFL) and the newer LED light. The type of lighting you choose will depend on how much you will want to spend, and the type of fixtures you have in the home.

CFL bulbs have many benefits. They last for months, and are remarkably brighter than the common light bulb is. They are compact, too, which means they take up much less space. However, they are also known to break if used incorrectly, or in a fixture that is not fit for it.

LED is the newest energy bulb option on the market. They are costing a bit more than the CFL, but have different benefits. They do not use as much energy as your standard or CFL bulbs do. This lowers energy bills quite a bit.

This is just one way to go green without using too much money. The price you pay will come back to you in thousands once your home in much more green.

Giving Old Patio Furniture A Modern Look

admin — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Curb appeal is everything when you are trying to sell your home. Many home buyers decide against seeing the inside of a home for sale if the outside is not taken care of and maintained.

When you are sprucing up your exterior be sure that you also pay attention to your patio furniture. You can easily give your old patio furniture a modern look. A well maintained and modern patio is inviting and can help you sell your home. The best part is that it does not have to cost a fortune for your patio furniture to look fresh and upgraded.

First, clean your patio furniture well. If you find rust you may have to sand it down and treat it before you apply paint or stain. Metal or wood patio furniture can look new with an inexpensive coat of paint. There are some textured paints that are created to look like granite or stone when applied. These can help draw attention to them. Stains can be used too. Gray wood stains are very popular these days and can give your weathered patio set new life.

Think about adding some extras like new cushions and pads, a nice umbrella or pergola, and fresh flowers too. Think of your patio as an extension of your indoor living space and decorate it to make it feel welcoming and inviting to guests. Remember that it does not have to cost a lot to give your patio furniture a fresh and modern look.

Using Recycled Items For Small Space Gardening

admin — Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Home owners and renters desiring to increase the curb appeal or simply enhance their living spaces can get great mileage out of using recycled items for small-space gardening. Constraints on space might prohibit plowing and growing a large garden, and in urban areas growing space might be confined to porches, curbs, stoops or windowsills. Nonetheless, tracking down some old items for re-purposing can be a fun, creative way to beautify the surroundings.

Planters can be made from almost anything that will hold soil and water.Get more information here. http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/crosspost/10-planters-container-gardens-for-beginners-146814 Old shoes, buckets, pails, vases, boxes, anything that will hold soil and water is suitable for growing plants, fruits and vegetables. A row of old Converse shoes re-purposed into planters is a kitschy, fun way to draw the eye and to create a unique aesthetic, and it can fit in any small space.

Visits to antique shops and malls, garage sales, even pawn shops can yield awesome treasures that, though in previous lives they served more utilitarian purposes, can today be called upon to work as planters or garden decor. Old glass vases and containers in particular, with a variety of colors, styles and sizes, make excellent gardening accessories. Start shopping today, and unearth treasures that soon enough can be re-earthed for fun and increased curbside appeal.