Going Green Gardening � Fun

Going green is a very popular trend in today’s society and for good reason. You see it in the grocery stores with reusable bags, banks are consistently trying to get their customers to go green by banking electronically and some stores are converting to more online coupons, offers and sales. There are also ways to be more earth-friendly at home. I’m going to cover here plenty of tips on how to go green in your garden.

There are plenty of things you can do to conserve energy, reduce waste, reuse and recycle materials while gardening. Taking a second look at your watering practices may allow you to cut down on utility expenses while also conserving one of earth’s most precious resources. When shopping for plants, select those suited to your region’s moisture conditions such as native plants that naturally thrive in your locale. If you live in an area with limited rainfall, choose drought-tolerant plants for the best success. Group moisture-loving plants in the same area and near the water source. By concentrating the watering chores into one area, you conserve water and reduce maintenance. To save water and use the water that replenishes earth naturally, use rain barrels to collect rain water and then use it to water your container plants or garden. An easy way to conserve moisture in your soil is to cover with organic mulch such as wood chips or other natural materials like seashells or ac!

orns. Reuse those green piles of pest-free plant debris, herbicide-free grass clippings, fall leaves and noninvasive weeds by mixing with a bit of soil and fertilizer to make a rich, organic compost pile. Another easy way to deal with those fall leaves is shredding them and covering your lawn with the thin layer it will produce. Use twigs and branches from pruning to create decorative fences, arbors, trellises and even garden art. Mow your lawn high and often, removing only one-third of the grass blade at each mowing. And don’t throw away those grass clippings. They add nutrients, organic matter and moisture to the soil. In fact , a season of clippings is equal to applying one pound of actual nitrogen fertilizer per 1, 000 square feet. To keep from washing away into storm sewers and polluting our water, make sure to sweep off grass clippings, chemicals and fertilizers from sidewalks, drives and other hard surfaces. And if you want to avoid using chemicals all together, try digging out weeds by hand. You’ll burn more calories and use fewer pesticides. And if this is not an option for you try using environmentally friendly products. One way to do this is by using corn gluten; but if you want to find a spray, look for ones that contain ingredients such as vinegar, soaps and plant oils to burn the tops off of unwanted plants. To bring in some night light try using our own resource, the sun. Use solar power to light up your landscape, power your water fountain or run your irrigation system. In order to bring down your carbon footprint even more, try using electronic-powered equipment instead of gas-powered mowers, for example , because they can produce as much pollution as driving a car 100 miles. Consider permeable pavers or stepping stones when adding new walks to your landscape. And lastly but certainly not least, reuse and recycle your old tools by donating them or turning them into creative lawn ornaments and garden art.

These tips should give you a good start in transitioning to a greener lifestyle. Starting out in your garden will only increase your desire to keep it up and maybe carry over to other aspects in your home and lifestyle. While thinking green in your garden saves you money you can use that savings to decorate it with beautiful lawn décor.

How to grow a verticle upright squash plant and other vines in a small garden space

3 Easy Steps to Growing Plants from Seed

Growing your own plants from seed can be one of the most exciting and worthwhile gardening activities. And of course it is a really inexpensive way to grow the number of plants you need for your garden or containers.

In this article I am going to deal with growing seeds from packets purchased at a garden centre – as this is the easiest way to start. These packets will have a picture on the front and growing instructions on the reverse, including germination times and the best time of year to sow. The instructions are important so do keep the packet safe even if you have used all the seeds!

1. Equipment you need:

- Clean pots or seed trays, with drainage holes and not too flimsy
- Seed compost or multi-purpose compost is just as effective
- Clear plastic bags or cling film or propagator
- Vermiculite – can be used to give the seeds a light covering instead of compost
- Dibber or pencil and widger or teaspoon
- Small watering can with fine rose
- Plant labels – white plastic ones are cheap

2. Sowing the seed:

- Fill your pots or seed trays with the compost to about 1 cm below the rim and water the compost well
- For small seeds, tip them into the palm of your hand and then lightly tap it with your other hand to sprinkle the seeds thinly on to the compost
- For large seeds, push the seed into the compost until it is just covered by its own depth of compost
- Cover the seeds thinly with a little compost – do not cover very fine seeds
- Seal the pots or trays inside a large loose plastic bag or propagator, or cover with cling film
- Place them in a warm, light place – on a windowsill but out of direct sunlight
- Water gently if the compost starts to dry out

3. Germination and pricking out:

When the seeds start to germinate, the first thing you will see growing are the seed leaves – two small round leaves that look very much the same on all plants. Then the first pair of true leaves appear and you can recognise that these tiny leaves are like those on the mature plant. This is the time to move the seedlings into new pots.

- Fill clean 9 cms pots or seed trays with fresh compost and water well
- Gently loosen each seedling from its pot/tray with a widger or the handle of a teaspoon, holding the seedling by its seed leaf
- Make a hole in the new compost with a dibber or pencil and gently lower the seedling into the hole, making sure that all the roots are tucked into the hole and the seed leaves are just above the surface
- Carefully fill the hole to cover the roots
- You can space the seedlings in a seed tray about 3-4 cms apart; otherwise plant them individually into pots
- Water carefully, either by soaking the pot or tray, or using a small watering can with a fine rose
- Place in bright light, but not direct sunlight, and check regularly
- Keep watered, but not too wet
- Once the roots fill the pots or trays, then it is time to plant them either into your containers in the garden or into the garden border.

It’s not as complicated as you might think, but it does require a little thought and care – the equipment must be clean to prevent disease or infection; don’t over-water; provide enough light; handle gently; and check regularly.

And that’s all there is to it!

Beginners Vegetable Gardening : How to Begin an Indoor Garden

Container Gardening Should Include The Herbal Plant Scented Geraniums

Planting an herbal garden that includes scented geraniums is not common to container gardening. Most gardeners think of scented geraniums as a floral plant, not an herbal plant but the species, called pelargonium, is an herb with many uses. This delightful herb has many different aromas and gorgeous colors to delight your senses. The scented geranium is best used in container gardening for two reasons. One, you can control the soil and moisture, and two you can bring it indoors when a frost is imminent.

The scented geranium was found in Africa in the 1600's and shipped to England where it became most popular. The gardener of King Charles I grew a variety of scented geraniums in the royal greenhouse. The Victorians thought they were geraniums rather than an herbal plant but if you look at their asymmetrical leaves you can see the difference between scented geraniums and regular geraniums.

The scented geranium is truly a herbal plant for all seasons. It grows and has a lovely aroma throughout the spring and summer and when the chilly winds of autumn threaten this sturdy herbal plant will gladly co-exist inside with you. Nothing could be better when container gardening includes scented geranium with their exquisite flowers, lovely scented leaves, and sturdy characteristics for year round enjoyment of your senses.

True to their name scented geraniums come in a multitude of fragrances. Seemly, the favorite is the rose scented geranium but others are gaining popularity quickly. Some of the more robustly planted are the apple scented, peppermint scented, wood, like cedar or balsam, nutmeg and citronella (also know as the mosquito buster. ) You can plant a whole container garden with this one type of plant and have a beautiful diversity. Their leaves alone will contrast interestingly to give you a spectacular container garden. The tiny smooth leaves of the nutmeg scented geranium, or Lady Mary, to the large musk scented leaves of the Lady Plymouth.

The rose scented geraniums are gaining popularity for calming and are increasingly used in mediation and for healing purposes. The plant truly releases a delicious rose scent when rubbed against or crushed. Just brush the leaves to release their scent or make a soothing rose geranium tea to help you relax.

There are many culinary uses for the scented geranium to delight your taste buds. Chop up the leaves and mix with your other favorite herbs such as chives or chervil or thyme to make interesting flavored butters or dips and spreads. A really clever way to use the leaves is to line a baking pan when making pies, puddings or cakes to impart a wonderful flavor to your desserts. Use them for desserts, syrups or custards for another unique flavor. You can even make flavored sugar by layer dry, fresh leaves with sugar. Let them sit a few days, remove the leaves and store the sugar in an air tight container. This can be used in teas, baking goods, or as a sugar scrub. They are delightful in baths and infused in water to rinse your hair.

The scented geranium is a great as a room freshener or added to potpourri. Try adding some to your vacuum bag or put them in a mesh bag and add them to your dryer for a new fresh scent for your clothes.

Scented geraniums are grown from cuttings taken from the mother plant. Cut three to four inches just above a leaf. Strip the lower leaves off and place in a rooting medium, such as a mix of sphagnum peat moss. Place your cutting in bright light and keep it moist. When roots have been established it is time to place it in your container garden. Make sure the soil is porous and fast draining.

When the scented geranium is indoors it is necessary to feed it once a week to ensure full leaf growth. Pinching back the plant not only encourages bushy growth but releases a delicious aroma into the air. Keep the soil evenly damp; do not over water them as this will kill them. They can come back from overly dry situations but not wet ones.

Now it is time to add this multi-talented plant to your container garden. Just one word of caution, once you get to know the scented geranium your herbal garden will never be without it.

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.


Tomatoes

Building a Garden Pond and Perennial Flower Bed From Scratch

We had a large newly created yard and I have a love of flowers so I naturally desired a flower garden. The problem was that the fill that was trucked in to create this yard was all chunks of blacktop and concrete with a light sprinkling of top soil to cover the chunks. There was no digging into the dirt without hitting something solid. We couldn't even drive in a tent stake.

The town workers were scraping the sides of the roads after a long winter of sanding icy and snowy roads. They had two loads of roadside dirt they wanted to dump that looked like pretty good dirt so I let them dump it in a pile in the back of the yard.

After staring at the pile for some time, I began to see a fish pond and perennial garden in the dirt. My husband and I started working moving the dirt around to form a bowl in the center and grading the dirt away where the flowers would be planted. A flower bed would be wonderful, but with a pond in the center it will be even better.

Because we didn't know what we were doing, we used a grey plastic tarp for a liner. It worked well for two years. The spring of the third year we replaced it with rubber pond liner which will last many years. We purchased a pump and a filter so we could keep fish.

We had a fairly large pile of limestone rocks left over from an old rock wall. These rocks became the border for our perennial garden. My sister has horses and a nice pile of old horse manure. She graciously brought me a pickup truck load of manure which we mixed in the dirt. There is a recycling plant nearby that makes compost so we got a load of it to help improve the soil.

Another sister was cleaning out her perennial beds in the fall and throwing out a lot of overgrown plants which made great starter plants for me. I filled the back of my truck and brought them home to their new bed. I placed the plants in the ground for the winter. In the spring I divided the plants up and spread them out and had a great start on my flower bed.

Each year since then I add a few plants purchased at flower shows, the grocery store, and nurseries. I’ve also traded many plants with others happy to get different plants than they have. Now, seven years later, I am enjoying seven flower beds created basically the same way with beautiful flowers blooming from April through October.


Beginners Vegetable Gardening : Organic Vegetable Gardening Tips