The sun is shining, flowers are popping and that fresh, familiar smell of spring is in the air. After waiting months for those beautiful colors to flourish in your landscape, the time has finally come for your masterpiece to wake up and for you to show it off.
Enter your water-smart landscape in the Southern Nevada Water Authority's annual design contest.
With yards at their peak, the water authority's Landscape Awards competition celebrates the beauty of water-efficient landscaping. Submit your free application to the Landscape Awards competition for a chance to get the recognition you deserve.
The Landscape Awards honor lush, beautiful water-efficient landscapes that are both attractive and practical. Entrants must have a working, water-efficient irrigation system that is appropriate to their design. Water-smart landscapers know that properly irrigated landscapes, even those with a high volume of water-efficient plant life, can use up to 75 percent less water than traditional grass lawns.
The competition is open to residential and professional landscape designs in the water authority's service area, including Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Laughlin.
Include with your application four or five color photos that highlight your landscape design and water-efficient features. A panel of local garden and landscape experts use these photos to select finalists, so submit your best photos.
Take photos with the sun at your back between 9 and 10 a.m. or 2 and 3 p.m. to eliminate shadows and direct overhead light.
Each entry will be evaluated on aesthetics, irrigation system, plant selection and mulches.
In addition to the water authority's awards, Star Nursery will recognize one professional and one homeowner for overall color. The Society of Landscape Architects and Nevada Landscape Association will single out landscape professionals who demonstrate exceptional water-smart designs.
Submit your entries by going online at snwa.com or by mail. For more information, call the Conservation Helpline at 258-7283. April 24 is the last day you can enter. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in June.
SPRINGS PRESERVE PLANT SALE
Are you ready to spruce up your garden? Turn off your irrigation and turn on your imagination! Come to the inaugural Springs Preserve plant sale featuring more than 7,000 vibrant and colorful Mojave native and desert-adapted plants. Plan to attend horticulture classes and garden demonstrations throughout the day. You also will be able to purchase books for gardening in the southwest.
This gigantic sale takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 11 at 333 S. Valley View Blvd.
The preserve collects seeds from Mojave native plants and grows them with the purpose of introducing new native species into our landscapes. The sale has what you need to create a functional garden for traditional and xeric gardens, to help you design the landscape of your dreams. They are functional, water-smart and simply beautiful!
Help support your locally grown source of native Mojave plants.
DRIP IRRIGATION
Learn how to install a drip-irrigation system from the street to plants, and how to select and assemble components at this free workshop at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Springs Preserve.
WATER-SMART LANDSCAPE DESIGN SERIES
Discover the seven steps of water-smart landscaping; the basics of landscape design; how to select a theme and plants to bring it to life; and how to plant and maintain your yard in a series of classes starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and continuing for the next five Thursdays at the Springs Preserve.
SMALL SPACE AND CONTAINER GARDENING
Just because you have a small yard doesn't mean you can't have a vegetable garden. Learn the basics of container gardening, including simple techniques to add to your style of vegetable garden, at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Springs Preserve.
2009年3月29日星期日
It's time to green this old (White) House _ again
It was Earth Day 1993 when President Bill Clinton launched his ambitious "greening the White House" project. That effort saved more than $1.4 million in its first six years, largely from improvements in lighting, heating, air conditioning, insulation, water sprinklers and other measures.
During George W. Bush's two terms, workers installed three solar systems, including a thermal setup on the pool cabana that heats water for the pool and showers, and photovoltaic panels atop a maintenance shed that supplement the mansion's electrical supply. Bush also made a big push to recycle office paper, although the overall go-green effort lost momentum during his tenure, according to many outside observers.
Obama promised before he took office that he wanted to sit down with White House staff to evaluate what can be done to conserve energy in a 132-room behemoth of a mansion/office that leaves an EEE-sized carbon footprint.
"Part of what I want to do is to show the American people that it's not that hard," Obama said in a television interview during the transition. He said he's one of those people who tiptoes around and turns off lights at night. "I'm not going to be obsessive about it. But I do that in my current house. So there's no reason why I wouldn't do it in my next one."
The family already is taking action to set an eco-example for the nation. First lady Michelle Obama recently broke ground for an organic herb and vegetable garden on the South Lawn. The Obamas have installed an environmentally friendly wooden swing set for their children on the White House grounds. Cushioning underfoot is made from recycled rubber tires.
Obama isn't ready to give details of his broader go-green plans for the White House, but administration officials report that small steps are under way: The housekeeping staff is making the switch to greener cleaning supplies, and complex managers have asked engineers and groundskeepers to use greener products whenever possible. Efforts are afoot to improve and promote recycling.
As for what more can be done, outside experts on green buildings report that the administration is seeking out information about what's feasible. Given the priority Obama placed on renewable energy in his economic stimulus package and budget, environmentalists are chattering about what further steps he will take at the White House.
"They're very focused on leading by example," said Rick Fedrizzi, chief executive of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, which has offered advice to the White House. "It's great to see that they're focused on solid solutions and not just throwing sound bites over the fence every day."
Sometimes, good intentions have gotten ahead of the technology in eco-efforts at the White House.
In the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter installed a $30,000 solar water-heating system designed to save $1,000 a year in heating costs. It didn't really work.
"Talk to anyone who worked in the West Wing then, and they would say they washed their hands with cool water," said former chief usher Gary Walters, who spent 37 years at the White House before retiring two years ago.
Those who've been involved in past efforts to make the White House more eco-friendly say that for all that's already been done, there is plenty left to do, given how quickly technology changes.
"It's definitely time to revisit it," said Bill Browning, who helped launch the Clinton-era greening effort in 1993. "The green building movement has evolved quite a bit since then."
Browning, founder of the Terrapin Bright Green consulting firm, said the staff members who manage the White House and its grounds — employees who carry over from one administration to the next — have been "the real champions of greening the White House. They made it their project during the Clinton years and kept it going during the last administration."
For all the enthusiasm about going green, though, there are practical limits. Last year House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced a "Green the Capitol" program to zero out the Capitol's carbon impact by December 2008. But this month, the House quietly shelved the project because it couldn't guarantee that Capitol operations were carbon neutral even after purchasing "offsets" that finance projects to reduce greenhouse gases.
The White House historically has been a showcase for technological advances. In the 1880s, it was one of the first houses in the nation to have running water. In the early 1900s, it got an early air conditioning system (that ultimately didn't work.)
Walters said both the Clintons and George and Laura Bush were surprised by what already had been done to conserve energy when they moved into the White House.
"We tried to do more than the average bear," he said, adding that the first lady's garden grew herbs during both administrations, and that limited container gardening was done on the mansion's roof to supply the White House with tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables.
Architect Jean Carroon, an expert on green strategies for historic buildings, said the White House isn't the "energy hog" that people might think. Older buildings often have thick masonry walls that provide good insulation and big windows that let in lots of daylight, she said.
Carroon said it's important for the White House to demonstrate simple conservation steps that all families can take.
"It isn't about the flashy stuff," she said. "It's about being smart and making it happen. ... The message to most citizens should be: You don't have to be in the White House to implement amazing energy savings."
Steve Strong, whose Solar Design Associates designed and installed the solar systems during the second Bush administration, said he'd love to see the Obamas kick the effort up a notch by installing a solar array on the South Lawn.
"That would be a compelling national and international symbol," he said.
During George W. Bush's two terms, workers installed three solar systems, including a thermal setup on the pool cabana that heats water for the pool and showers, and photovoltaic panels atop a maintenance shed that supplement the mansion's electrical supply. Bush also made a big push to recycle office paper, although the overall go-green effort lost momentum during his tenure, according to many outside observers.
Obama promised before he took office that he wanted to sit down with White House staff to evaluate what can be done to conserve energy in a 132-room behemoth of a mansion/office that leaves an EEE-sized carbon footprint.
"Part of what I want to do is to show the American people that it's not that hard," Obama said in a television interview during the transition. He said he's one of those people who tiptoes around and turns off lights at night. "I'm not going to be obsessive about it. But I do that in my current house. So there's no reason why I wouldn't do it in my next one."
The family already is taking action to set an eco-example for the nation. First lady Michelle Obama recently broke ground for an organic herb and vegetable garden on the South Lawn. The Obamas have installed an environmentally friendly wooden swing set for their children on the White House grounds. Cushioning underfoot is made from recycled rubber tires.
Obama isn't ready to give details of his broader go-green plans for the White House, but administration officials report that small steps are under way: The housekeeping staff is making the switch to greener cleaning supplies, and complex managers have asked engineers and groundskeepers to use greener products whenever possible. Efforts are afoot to improve and promote recycling.
As for what more can be done, outside experts on green buildings report that the administration is seeking out information about what's feasible. Given the priority Obama placed on renewable energy in his economic stimulus package and budget, environmentalists are chattering about what further steps he will take at the White House.
"They're very focused on leading by example," said Rick Fedrizzi, chief executive of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, which has offered advice to the White House. "It's great to see that they're focused on solid solutions and not just throwing sound bites over the fence every day."
Sometimes, good intentions have gotten ahead of the technology in eco-efforts at the White House.
In the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter installed a $30,000 solar water-heating system designed to save $1,000 a year in heating costs. It didn't really work.
"Talk to anyone who worked in the West Wing then, and they would say they washed their hands with cool water," said former chief usher Gary Walters, who spent 37 years at the White House before retiring two years ago.
Those who've been involved in past efforts to make the White House more eco-friendly say that for all that's already been done, there is plenty left to do, given how quickly technology changes.
"It's definitely time to revisit it," said Bill Browning, who helped launch the Clinton-era greening effort in 1993. "The green building movement has evolved quite a bit since then."
Browning, founder of the Terrapin Bright Green consulting firm, said the staff members who manage the White House and its grounds — employees who carry over from one administration to the next — have been "the real champions of greening the White House. They made it their project during the Clinton years and kept it going during the last administration."
For all the enthusiasm about going green, though, there are practical limits. Last year House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced a "Green the Capitol" program to zero out the Capitol's carbon impact by December 2008. But this month, the House quietly shelved the project because it couldn't guarantee that Capitol operations were carbon neutral even after purchasing "offsets" that finance projects to reduce greenhouse gases.
The White House historically has been a showcase for technological advances. In the 1880s, it was one of the first houses in the nation to have running water. In the early 1900s, it got an early air conditioning system (that ultimately didn't work.)
Walters said both the Clintons and George and Laura Bush were surprised by what already had been done to conserve energy when they moved into the White House.
"We tried to do more than the average bear," he said, adding that the first lady's garden grew herbs during both administrations, and that limited container gardening was done on the mansion's roof to supply the White House with tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables.
Architect Jean Carroon, an expert on green strategies for historic buildings, said the White House isn't the "energy hog" that people might think. Older buildings often have thick masonry walls that provide good insulation and big windows that let in lots of daylight, she said.
Carroon said it's important for the White House to demonstrate simple conservation steps that all families can take.
"It isn't about the flashy stuff," she said. "It's about being smart and making it happen. ... The message to most citizens should be: You don't have to be in the White House to implement amazing energy savings."
Steve Strong, whose Solar Design Associates designed and installed the solar systems during the second Bush administration, said he'd love to see the Obamas kick the effort up a notch by installing a solar array on the South Lawn.
"That would be a compelling national and international symbol," he said.
2009年3月22日星期日
Obamas Prepare for Societal Breakdown, Plant Survival Garden
Following the example of thousands of concerned families around the country, the Obamas are preparing for the worst-case outcome of complete social collapse by starting a garden on the White House lawn. In past eras presidents have put in swimming pools and bowling alleys, but times are grimmer and their choice of lifestyle enhancements represents an awareness that for many survival and keeping food on the table have become bigger concerns than entertainment or exercise.
The Obamas' victory garden is going to be 1100 square feet and visible from the street, like a beacon to the homeless and hungry who congregate in Lafayette Park in ever-growing numbers. It follows in the tradition of presidential vegetable gardens maintained by Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt, but with a more modern and fashionable selection of vegetables, including a healthy selection of soul food greens and trendy peppers and leaf vegetables. They hope to turn out enough vegetables to provide for family meals and lay some organically grown pride on the table for visiting dignitaries.
Of course, the rest of us who may be following the Obamas' example by necessity, rather than as a hobby or symbolic gesture, might want to focus on more practcal food sources than arugula and exotic herbs. For us, it's likely to be potatoes for the high carb content and chickens for the eggs and occasional bit of meat protein. Add in winter cabbage, onions and summer tomatoes and you've got a viable peasant diet. Since the current goal of our government appears to reduce us all to living like peasants, being prepared with low-cost, high volume garden items is essential.
If the Obamas are setting an example by planting a garden to feed their family they are also sending a message, and maybe not the one they intend. They're telling us we'd better learn to be self-reliant, because while there are many things which government may take from us, we really can't count on it to take care of us, to feed our families or provide us with any real security. It's a little hint of the truth which Obama can't admit to the followers for whom he promised to create an all-encompassing nanny state — the truth that if times get really hard there's a limit to what the government can do and when it gets as bad as his policies are going to make it, we'll be on our own and relying on our little gardens.
The Obamas' victory garden is going to be 1100 square feet and visible from the street, like a beacon to the homeless and hungry who congregate in Lafayette Park in ever-growing numbers. It follows in the tradition of presidential vegetable gardens maintained by Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt, but with a more modern and fashionable selection of vegetables, including a healthy selection of soul food greens and trendy peppers and leaf vegetables. They hope to turn out enough vegetables to provide for family meals and lay some organically grown pride on the table for visiting dignitaries.
Of course, the rest of us who may be following the Obamas' example by necessity, rather than as a hobby or symbolic gesture, might want to focus on more practcal food sources than arugula and exotic herbs. For us, it's likely to be potatoes for the high carb content and chickens for the eggs and occasional bit of meat protein. Add in winter cabbage, onions and summer tomatoes and you've got a viable peasant diet. Since the current goal of our government appears to reduce us all to living like peasants, being prepared with low-cost, high volume garden items is essential.
If the Obamas are setting an example by planting a garden to feed their family they are also sending a message, and maybe not the one they intend. They're telling us we'd better learn to be self-reliant, because while there are many things which government may take from us, we really can't count on it to take care of us, to feed our families or provide us with any real security. It's a little hint of the truth which Obama can't admit to the followers for whom he promised to create an all-encompassing nanny state — the truth that if times get really hard there's a limit to what the government can do and when it gets as bad as his policies are going to make it, we'll be on our own and relying on our little gardens.
At home briefs
PHOTO CONTEST
Like mother, like daughter? We'd like to see just how strong family resemblance can be. As part of our Mother's Day coverage, we invite readers to send in photos of your look-alike moms and daughters. We'll choose who we think is the closest pair, award a $50 gift certificate for something fun they can share, and print as many of the other duos as possible. Please send photos to At Home editor Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll: prints c/o Cape Cod Times, 319 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601; or high-resolution jpeg attachments by e-mail to kdriscoll@capecodonline.com. Deadline: Wednesday, April 22.
GROW YOUR OWN
Roberta Clark, educator with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, will give a free lecture on growing your own vegetables on the Cape — including site selection, soil improvement and needs of different crops — at 3 p.m. March 30 at Wellfleet Public Library. Registration deadline is Thursday: 508-375-6697.
SEED SALES GROW
Recession? Not for companies that sell vegetable seeds. Americans are buying vegetable seeds and starter plants in record numbers, according to a survey of garden catalog and Web site companies. Sales of vegetable seeds are up from 28 to 60 percent from 2008 at such companies as Mailorder Gardening Association (www.mailordergardening.com), Harris Seeds (www.harrisseeds.com) and Wood Prairie Farm (www.woodprairie.com). "We're shipping seeds as fast as we can," says Jim Gerritsen, co-owner of Maine-based Wood Prairie Farm.
The popularity of growing vegetables isn't limited to backyards. First lady Michelle Obama Friday broke ground on the South Lawn for a garden that will supply vegetables, fruit and herbs for the White House kitchen. The last time the 18-plus-acre lawn was used for vegetable gardening was during the 1940s, when first lady Eleanor Roosevelt started a home-gardening movement that helped feed the nation during World War II.
GREEN KITCHEN
How to make your kitchen or bath remodel environmentally friendly is the topic of the latest workshop at 'g' Green Design Center in Mashpee Commons on Route 151. The workshop — on topics such as color schemes, layout and selection of appliances and materials — will be from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday. Cost is $25 per household (one or two people); participants are encouraged to bring plans and photos.
Like mother, like daughter? We'd like to see just how strong family resemblance can be. As part of our Mother's Day coverage, we invite readers to send in photos of your look-alike moms and daughters. We'll choose who we think is the closest pair, award a $50 gift certificate for something fun they can share, and print as many of the other duos as possible. Please send photos to At Home editor Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll: prints c/o Cape Cod Times, 319 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601; or high-resolution jpeg attachments by e-mail to kdriscoll@capecodonline.com. Deadline: Wednesday, April 22.
GROW YOUR OWN
Roberta Clark, educator with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, will give a free lecture on growing your own vegetables on the Cape — including site selection, soil improvement and needs of different crops — at 3 p.m. March 30 at Wellfleet Public Library. Registration deadline is Thursday: 508-375-6697.
SEED SALES GROW
Recession? Not for companies that sell vegetable seeds. Americans are buying vegetable seeds and starter plants in record numbers, according to a survey of garden catalog and Web site companies. Sales of vegetable seeds are up from 28 to 60 percent from 2008 at such companies as Mailorder Gardening Association (www.mailordergardening.com), Harris Seeds (www.harrisseeds.com) and Wood Prairie Farm (www.woodprairie.com). "We're shipping seeds as fast as we can," says Jim Gerritsen, co-owner of Maine-based Wood Prairie Farm.
The popularity of growing vegetables isn't limited to backyards. First lady Michelle Obama Friday broke ground on the South Lawn for a garden that will supply vegetables, fruit and herbs for the White House kitchen. The last time the 18-plus-acre lawn was used for vegetable gardening was during the 1940s, when first lady Eleanor Roosevelt started a home-gardening movement that helped feed the nation during World War II.
GREEN KITCHEN
How to make your kitchen or bath remodel environmentally friendly is the topic of the latest workshop at 'g' Green Design Center in Mashpee Commons on Route 151. The workshop — on topics such as color schemes, layout and selection of appliances and materials — will be from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday. Cost is $25 per household (one or two people); participants are encouraged to bring plans and photos.
The dirt: Garden briefs
Learn about planting trees and keeping them healthy at a seminar sponsored by Columbia Green and the Historic Columbia Foundation.
The day features three sessions:
Tree pruning. Learn how all trees can benefit from proper pruning techniques.
Tree health care. From insects to diseases, discover what ails your trees and shrubs, and how you can raise healthier plants.
Tree planting. Learn how to choose the perfect tree for your needs and how to plant it for maximum growth potential.
Speakers include trained arborists from the Columbia tree care firm Sox and Freeman. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather because the workshop will be outdoors.
The seminar is free to Columbia Green and Historic Columbia Foundation members who pre-register, and $10 to nonmembers who register by March 28. Admission is $15 at the door.
GET READY TO SWAP PLANTS
The Columbia Garden Club has set its spring plant and tree exchange for April 18.
Bring annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, herbs, house plants, bulbs and rootings to the Forest Park Shopping Center in Forest Acres (across from McAllister’s Deli and Bonefish Grill).
Arrive at 9 a.m., and the exchange starts at 10 a.m. The plants go quickly, so be on time.
VEGETABLE GROWING
Want to grow a vegetable garden in a small space? Learn how to do it at workshops presented by the Richland County Master Gardeners Association.
The sessions will be at the Sandhill branch of the Richland County Public Library at 6:30 p.m. March 26 and at the main library on Assembly Street at 3 p.m. March 29.
COOL WEB SITE
Gardeners have no time for nonsense, so they need tools that work.
MotherEarthNews.com offers two tools that help gardeners find the products they need — quickly.
The Seed and Plant Finder searches through more than 500 mail-order seed and plant companies using a custom search engine to locate sources for vegetable, flower and herb varieties, and organic gardening products. Browsing the crop or flower categories tells you more about available options.
Once you’ve planted your seeds, the Organic Pest Control and Garden Products Finder searches a select group of university Web sites to diagnose pest problems and find treatment advice. You also can shop for recommended items from more than 30 preselected mail-order companies selling organic insecticides, tools and related products.
THE PERFECT POT
As container gardening grows in popularity, we think more about what’s going into the pot than the pot itself.
The right container can contribute greatly to the success of your plants and attractiveness of your garden, but the wrong one can be a pain in the neck, an eyesore or expensive but short-lived.
Laura Justice, herbaceous plant manager with the landscape division of the Chalet in Wilmette, Ill., offers tips to bear in mind when shopping for pots.
• Bigger is better. Small pots may be cute, but they don’t hold enough soil to support most plants, and the scant soil they do hold dries out so quickly that frequent watering becomes a chore. As a rule of thumb, don’t bother with a container that holds less than 3 gallons (imagine three milk jugs fitting inside).
• The right material. For a container to use all year — for winter displays of greens as well as summer planting or as a very large, sculptural accent in the garden — look for good-quality plastics and fiberglass, which are a bit flexible. But over time, hot sun and other weathering can cause even those materials to fade or crack.
• Drainage is essential. Unless you are using it for a water garden, the pot must have a hole in the bottom so excess water can escape. Trapped water rots plant roots. No hole? Drill one (use a masonry bit for concrete or ceramics). To let water drain out, Justice suggests elevating any pot on pot feet (buy fancy ones at garden centers or use three bottle caps or other same-size found objects). Wire baskets with moss or coir liners drain quickly and look lovely but dry out in a trice. Put your plants in a plastic pot (with holes), and hide the plastic pot inside your moss or coir liner.
• Style matters. Choose pots that are appropriate to the architecture of the house and design of the garden. A fancy iron urn might work well for a traditional house with wrought-iron railings, but would look out of place with a mid-century ranch.
• Perspective and scale. When selecting a window box or hanging planter, think about how it will look from below. A pot for a spot across the yard needs to be large enough to make an impact from a distance. Containers to flank a front entrance should be in scale with the doorway and facade of the house.
The day features three sessions:
Tree pruning. Learn how all trees can benefit from proper pruning techniques.
Tree health care. From insects to diseases, discover what ails your trees and shrubs, and how you can raise healthier plants.
Tree planting. Learn how to choose the perfect tree for your needs and how to plant it for maximum growth potential.
Speakers include trained arborists from the Columbia tree care firm Sox and Freeman. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather because the workshop will be outdoors.
The seminar is free to Columbia Green and Historic Columbia Foundation members who pre-register, and $10 to nonmembers who register by March 28. Admission is $15 at the door.
GET READY TO SWAP PLANTS
The Columbia Garden Club has set its spring plant and tree exchange for April 18.
Bring annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, herbs, house plants, bulbs and rootings to the Forest Park Shopping Center in Forest Acres (across from McAllister’s Deli and Bonefish Grill).
Arrive at 9 a.m., and the exchange starts at 10 a.m. The plants go quickly, so be on time.
VEGETABLE GROWING
Want to grow a vegetable garden in a small space? Learn how to do it at workshops presented by the Richland County Master Gardeners Association.
The sessions will be at the Sandhill branch of the Richland County Public Library at 6:30 p.m. March 26 and at the main library on Assembly Street at 3 p.m. March 29.
COOL WEB SITE
Gardeners have no time for nonsense, so they need tools that work.
MotherEarthNews.com offers two tools that help gardeners find the products they need — quickly.
The Seed and Plant Finder searches through more than 500 mail-order seed and plant companies using a custom search engine to locate sources for vegetable, flower and herb varieties, and organic gardening products. Browsing the crop or flower categories tells you more about available options.
Once you’ve planted your seeds, the Organic Pest Control and Garden Products Finder searches a select group of university Web sites to diagnose pest problems and find treatment advice. You also can shop for recommended items from more than 30 preselected mail-order companies selling organic insecticides, tools and related products.
THE PERFECT POT
As container gardening grows in popularity, we think more about what’s going into the pot than the pot itself.
The right container can contribute greatly to the success of your plants and attractiveness of your garden, but the wrong one can be a pain in the neck, an eyesore or expensive but short-lived.
Laura Justice, herbaceous plant manager with the landscape division of the Chalet in Wilmette, Ill., offers tips to bear in mind when shopping for pots.
• Bigger is better. Small pots may be cute, but they don’t hold enough soil to support most plants, and the scant soil they do hold dries out so quickly that frequent watering becomes a chore. As a rule of thumb, don’t bother with a container that holds less than 3 gallons (imagine three milk jugs fitting inside).
• The right material. For a container to use all year — for winter displays of greens as well as summer planting or as a very large, sculptural accent in the garden — look for good-quality plastics and fiberglass, which are a bit flexible. But over time, hot sun and other weathering can cause even those materials to fade or crack.
• Drainage is essential. Unless you are using it for a water garden, the pot must have a hole in the bottom so excess water can escape. Trapped water rots plant roots. No hole? Drill one (use a masonry bit for concrete or ceramics). To let water drain out, Justice suggests elevating any pot on pot feet (buy fancy ones at garden centers or use three bottle caps or other same-size found objects). Wire baskets with moss or coir liners drain quickly and look lovely but dry out in a trice. Put your plants in a plastic pot (with holes), and hide the plastic pot inside your moss or coir liner.
• Style matters. Choose pots that are appropriate to the architecture of the house and design of the garden. A fancy iron urn might work well for a traditional house with wrought-iron railings, but would look out of place with a mid-century ranch.
• Perspective and scale. When selecting a window box or hanging planter, think about how it will look from below. A pot for a spot across the yard needs to be large enough to make an impact from a distance. Containers to flank a front entrance should be in scale with the doorway and facade of the house.
2009年3月21日星期六
Austin gardeners design raised beds to create an accessible, well drained area of healthy soil for growing vegetables.
Austin gardeners are a hardy bunch.
No matter how many times they get hit by scorching summers, winters that are intermittently cold and warm, and extreme periods of way too much rain or way too little rain, they keep on digging and planting. If they're west of MoPac Boulevard, they're often gardening on slabs of limestone covered in a few inches of rubble, mixed with a tiny bit of topsoil. If they're east, they're likely digging in deep black clay that's hard as a rock when it's dry and a sticky blob when it's wet.
It's no surprise that many Austin gardeners opt for raised beds as a way to create an accessible, well-drained area of healthy soil for growing vegetables.
A raised vegetable bed can be a simple and practical thing:
Dig at least 6 inches (12 inches if possible) into your existing soil, mix in a bunch of good quality compost, and shape the improved soil into a mound (or several mounds) about 5 to 6 inches high. Voila. A raised bed.
Or it can be a less simple thing:
Using rocks, bricks, 2-by-6 boards, cinder blocks or wire fencing, create an enclosure. You can make it round, square or whatever shape you like. Keep in mind that you want to be able to reach your vegetables without walking all over the planting area, so it's best to keep the bed fairly narrow or plan to create paths to the hard-to-reach areas. Cover the ground inside your enclosure with several layers of newspaper or one layer of overlapping pieces of cardboard. Then fill with a mix of good quality garden soil and compost. If you want to create your own rich, crumbly garden soil, try a layered or sheet-composting approach. On top of the first layer of paper, alternate layers of dead leaves or straw with thin layers of good quality compost, decomposed granite, composted poultry manure, and finally, as a top layer, a couple of inches of garden soil. Water it and let it "cook," or decompose, for a couple of months before planting. If you're in a bigger hurry than that, mix compost into your garden soil layer and make it a couple of inchesww deeper for immediate planting.
It can also be a thing of whimsy and imagination:
Have some fun and experience your inner artist or inner handyman. Try this: Sink upside down wine bottles in the ground side by side to create your edging, then use wine corks as mulch (but not the plastic kind). Or create your own distinctive look by edging your beds with homemade cement blocks embedded with vintage glass beads or found objects. The possibilities are endless. Keep in mind that you don't want your soil to come into contact with anything that contains lead or other toxins.
If you're not sure what you want your raised beds to look like, get out and look at what other gardeners are doing.
Eastside Cafe, 2113 Manor Road, is one of my favorite places to borrow (OK, steal) gardening ideas. Co-owner and chief gardener Dorsey Barger works hard to keep her inner city organic garden healthy and productive year-round. Her garden features more than a dozen raised beds in many shapes and sizes that make use of all sorts of edging materials. (She has a little more incentive than the average gardener: Her produce is featured in the popular restaurant's daily specials.)
One of the more whimsical raised beds is the bed within a bed design. Cinder blocks are stacked on their sides (with holes facing up) to form a rectangular box. The enclosure and the cinder block holes are filled with soil. An antique bed frame placed on top of the bed completes the look. For a more pared-down version of this design, she simply lays a single layer of cinder blocks in a rectangle and fills the space and the cinder block holes with soil. Very simple, and without the antique bed, fairly cheap.
One of my favorite simple raised bed designs at Eastside Cafe (and the one I'm planning to try) is a hogwire enclosure lined with pine needles and then filled with soil. The wire is sunk a few inches into the ground. Plastic tubing stretched across the bed and attached to the fencing provides a quick and easy support for shade cover or frost cover, depending on the season.
Barger likes to fill her beds with a growing mix made from her own homemade compost combined with the Natural Gardener's Hill Country Garden Soil. Her compost is made from the restaurant's vegetable scraps mixed with dry leaves.
While I was talking to Barger, Eastside Cafe co-owner Elaine Martin strolled out to show us what she had just created: a beautiful plate of grilled baby beets (with tender tops still attached) and jalape?o pesto shrimp on a bed of lettuce greens. Martin was trying to develop a dish that would make use of the beet seedlings Barger was thinning from one of the raised beds. She said it was still a work in progress, but one bite was enough for me to know that Martin is onto something really good.
No matter how many times they get hit by scorching summers, winters that are intermittently cold and warm, and extreme periods of way too much rain or way too little rain, they keep on digging and planting. If they're west of MoPac Boulevard, they're often gardening on slabs of limestone covered in a few inches of rubble, mixed with a tiny bit of topsoil. If they're east, they're likely digging in deep black clay that's hard as a rock when it's dry and a sticky blob when it's wet.
It's no surprise that many Austin gardeners opt for raised beds as a way to create an accessible, well-drained area of healthy soil for growing vegetables.
A raised vegetable bed can be a simple and practical thing:
Dig at least 6 inches (12 inches if possible) into your existing soil, mix in a bunch of good quality compost, and shape the improved soil into a mound (or several mounds) about 5 to 6 inches high. Voila. A raised bed.
Or it can be a less simple thing:
Using rocks, bricks, 2-by-6 boards, cinder blocks or wire fencing, create an enclosure. You can make it round, square or whatever shape you like. Keep in mind that you want to be able to reach your vegetables without walking all over the planting area, so it's best to keep the bed fairly narrow or plan to create paths to the hard-to-reach areas. Cover the ground inside your enclosure with several layers of newspaper or one layer of overlapping pieces of cardboard. Then fill with a mix of good quality garden soil and compost. If you want to create your own rich, crumbly garden soil, try a layered or sheet-composting approach. On top of the first layer of paper, alternate layers of dead leaves or straw with thin layers of good quality compost, decomposed granite, composted poultry manure, and finally, as a top layer, a couple of inches of garden soil. Water it and let it "cook," or decompose, for a couple of months before planting. If you're in a bigger hurry than that, mix compost into your garden soil layer and make it a couple of inchesww deeper for immediate planting.
It can also be a thing of whimsy and imagination:
Have some fun and experience your inner artist or inner handyman. Try this: Sink upside down wine bottles in the ground side by side to create your edging, then use wine corks as mulch (but not the plastic kind). Or create your own distinctive look by edging your beds with homemade cement blocks embedded with vintage glass beads or found objects. The possibilities are endless. Keep in mind that you don't want your soil to come into contact with anything that contains lead or other toxins.
If you're not sure what you want your raised beds to look like, get out and look at what other gardeners are doing.
Eastside Cafe, 2113 Manor Road, is one of my favorite places to borrow (OK, steal) gardening ideas. Co-owner and chief gardener Dorsey Barger works hard to keep her inner city organic garden healthy and productive year-round. Her garden features more than a dozen raised beds in many shapes and sizes that make use of all sorts of edging materials. (She has a little more incentive than the average gardener: Her produce is featured in the popular restaurant's daily specials.)
One of the more whimsical raised beds is the bed within a bed design. Cinder blocks are stacked on their sides (with holes facing up) to form a rectangular box. The enclosure and the cinder block holes are filled with soil. An antique bed frame placed on top of the bed completes the look. For a more pared-down version of this design, she simply lays a single layer of cinder blocks in a rectangle and fills the space and the cinder block holes with soil. Very simple, and without the antique bed, fairly cheap.
One of my favorite simple raised bed designs at Eastside Cafe (and the one I'm planning to try) is a hogwire enclosure lined with pine needles and then filled with soil. The wire is sunk a few inches into the ground. Plastic tubing stretched across the bed and attached to the fencing provides a quick and easy support for shade cover or frost cover, depending on the season.
Barger likes to fill her beds with a growing mix made from her own homemade compost combined with the Natural Gardener's Hill Country Garden Soil. Her compost is made from the restaurant's vegetable scraps mixed with dry leaves.
While I was talking to Barger, Eastside Cafe co-owner Elaine Martin strolled out to show us what she had just created: a beautiful plate of grilled baby beets (with tender tops still attached) and jalape?o pesto shrimp on a bed of lettuce greens. Martin was trying to develop a dish that would make use of the beet seedlings Barger was thinning from one of the raised beds. She said it was still a work in progress, but one bite was enough for me to know that Martin is onto something really good.
Turning Over Tomato Seedlings to the Professionals
IN the months since our first-born lit out for his freshman year of college, I have struggled to find the upside of his absence. And now I’ve got it: His airy, empty bedroom is the perfect nursery for my vegetable seedlings, which have long tyrannized the family room with humming grow lights from late March through May.
Mom’s March madness will also be tempered somewhat this year by a startling resolution: No needy, space-hogging tomato seedlings. It’s not because we’re any less consumed by tomato lust. But something wonderful is happening, nationwide and here in Connecticut. Quality tomato seedlings for luscious heirloom varieties, many organically raised, are finally plentiful and reasonable. I’ve long grown my own of necessity, but now the pros do it. Better.
Case in point: Last season, a yellow Brandywine heirloom plant I bought on impulse grew into a tall, muscular vine that had to be triple-staked, so heavy was the fruit. When thickly sliced, each gorgeous, dense and sunny-sweet tomato covered a platter and elicited whimpers and moans from normally reserved dinner guests. I think I paid $2.95 for the 8-inch plant, which yielded about 15 tomatoes averaging a pound or more apiece. Since market prices for heirlooms were averaging $4 to $5 a pound, it seemed a robust profit at table.
As a low investment-high yield money crop, home-grown tomatoes have long outdistanced the Dow. This has been true since the Depression-era 1930s, when a West Virginian named M. C. Byles, known as Radiator Charlie, used a baby’s ear syringe and pollen from 10 plants to cross-breed the granddaddy of heirloom tomato plants. He called it the Mortgage Lifter.
What better-named talisman for our realty-challenged times than this sweet, pink-hued mega-fruit that can weigh in at more than two pounds? At a buck apiece — a lot in those days — Mr. Byles sold enough seedlings to pay off his $6,000 mortgage in six years. Growing a few plants at home won’t pull any underwater homeowner to dry land these days. But a pre-season check with local growers reveals that the market is bullish indeed for heirloom tomato seedlings.
The first organically raised heirloom plants I came across, several years ago, were grown by Paul Bucciaglia, proprietor of Fort Hill Farm in New Milford, Conn. They were sure winners, snapped up quickly at area farmer’s markets, and in fairly short supply. Happily, Mr. Bucciaglia has bumped up production and variety this year: Cherokee Purple, Brandywines, Striped Germans, yellow Lemon Boys and more. They’ll be available in Fort Hill’s stall at the Westport Farmer’s Market.
“Business is up significantly,” said Barbara Pierson, nursery manager for White Flower Farm in Litchfield, which ships seedlings nationwide. “There’s a surge of interest in vegetables, berries and herbs. The savings are great, but for me it’s about the flavor. I love going out at night and finding something that’s just perfectly ripe for dinner. No market can give you that.”
She’s right, of course. Most of us grow tomatoes for love, not money. And tomato lust has gotten off to an especially early start at White Flower. Ms. Pierson just shot a video on how to select and grow tomato seedlings in containers, which is available on the nursery’s Web
site . And she is beginning to seed her stock for TomatoMania, the tomato freaks’ Woodstock, which requires police for crowd and traffic control when it is held at White Flower in mid-May.
The events of Tomato Mania — billed as “the world’s largest tomato seedling sale” by its California-based promoter, Scott Daigre — have been a West Coast phenomenon from Sonoma to Beverly Hills since 1991. Mr. Daigre, a garden designer turned the Dale Carnegie of tomatophiles, is running his Litchfield event from May 15 to 17. “I’ll have about 10,000 plants ready,” said Ms. Pierson, who describes it as “completely crazy. A madhouse. And a ball.”
I called Sal Gilbertie, second-generation proprietor of Gilbertie’s Herb Farms in Easton, Conn., which grew my standout yellow Brandywine. He has upped production of vegetable and herb plants by 20 percent this season, with full organic certification for the first time in the grower’s 77-year history. “Bad times are good for us,” Mr. Gilbertie said. “My family first made its money during the Victory Garden years in the ’40s. It was huge.”
United States Department of Agriculture records bear him out; in 1943, thanks to the nation’s Victory Garden program, intended to boost backyard production and let the farmers feed World War II troops, more than 20 million home and community gardens yielded 8 million tons of food. The harvest represented 40 percent of the fresh vegetables consumed that year.
For 2009, says Mr. Gilbertie, “Tomatoes are the number-one crop.” But he is gratified by the change in customers’ sophistication. “For years, everybody wanted one Early Girl, one Big Boy, one cherry plant. Now they’re going to more plants, in more varieties. Brandywines, Mortgage Lifters, Jersey Devils.”
Though seedlings go on sale in Gilbertie’s Westport retail store the first week in May, Mr. Gilbertie urges patience when putting them into the ground. “Around Mother’s Day, everyone gets planting fever. But you don’t gain anything by planting early here — last year we had a late frost in May.” Ms. Pierson concurs. “For Zones 5 and 6, you really can’t plant until Memorial Day. Plant late and be late, it’s O.K. Stronger plants with better fruit is always worth the wait.”
To my surprise, Ms. Pierson said that she now grows her own tomatoes exclusively in containers on her patio. “I came to it because of rodents and other critters. It’s just more protected by the house.”
Don’t I know it. Defending my own well-fenced tomatoes from rodent guerilla raids, I’ve tried everything from fake rubber snakes to netting to predator urine that costs nearly as much as Chanel per ounce. The pricey natural repellent of rosemary and mint I sprayed on last year worked pretty well. Will I calculate the cost-per-tomato saved? Nah. When you’re standing amid the vines with sun-warmed tomato juice on your chin, economy is no match for lust.
2009年3月13日星期五
Harvesting Fruits And Vegetables
You've planted, you've tended, and now it's time to enjoy the end result of all that work.
Here's how to harvest better and easier:
Pick often and small. The biggest harvesting sin gardeners commit is waiting until produce is too big or too old. This results in collecting produce that is tough, bitter, or diseased. Check your vegetable garden daily and pick what you can when it's small and tender. (Frequent harvesting also encourages more production.)
Harvest when plants are dry. Harvesting when wet can spread disease.
Harvest early in the day. Produce tends to be better hydrated in the early morning. And once you've harvested it, be sure to eat within the next day or two so you don't squander all that freshness!
A neat trick with leaf lettuce is to use the "cut-and-come-again" method. Instead of pulling the lettuce, cut it off with a knife or scissors just above the ground. It will regrow quickly, giving you a bonus harvest or two.
Is It Ready to Be Picked?
Here's how to harvest better and easier:
Pick often and small. The biggest harvesting sin gardeners commit is waiting until produce is too big or too old. This results in collecting produce that is tough, bitter, or diseased. Check your vegetable garden daily and pick what you can when it's small and tender. (Frequent harvesting also encourages more production.)
Harvest when plants are dry. Harvesting when wet can spread disease.
Harvest early in the day. Produce tends to be better hydrated in the early morning. And once you've harvested it, be sure to eat within the next day or two so you don't squander all that freshness!
A neat trick with leaf lettuce is to use the "cut-and-come-again" method. Instead of pulling the lettuce, cut it off with a knife or scissors just above the ground. It will regrow quickly, giving you a bonus harvest or two.
Is It Ready to Be Picked?
Here's how to tell if your garden's bounty is ready to be harvested:
Broccoli: Harvest as soon as the florets are fully formed. Wait any longer and they'll start to flower.
Carrots: You can eat these at just about any stage that they have any orange root at all. The smaller the carrots, as a rule, the sweeter and more tender. Wait too long, however, and carrots will develop a "soapy" taste or get pithy.
Cauliflower: Harvest as soon as the florets are fully formed. Wait too long and they'll go mealy on you, having an unpleasantly grainy texture.
Corn: Harvest after silks start to turn brown. Most of the kernels should be filled out. When a kernel is pierced with your fingernail, it should run milky, not clear, to show that the sugars have developed. Eat within the day, if not within a few hours.
Fall crops: Some vegetables have better flavor after a frost, so wait until then. These include cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts.
Green beans: Should be smooth and still have their sheen with few bumps from developing seeds inside. Pick as soon as possible―the smaller green beans, those no thicker than a chopstick, are the more tender. Eat within 2 to 3 days.
Green peas: Pods should be nicely filled out but still just barely have their sheen. When a pod is opened, the pea should taste fresh, green, sweet, and not at all starchy. Eat within the day, if not within a few hours.
Lettuce: As soon as you can see it, you can eat it. Lettuce foliage is delicious even when tiny. However, when lettuce starts to get leggy, it's starting to bolt, that is, send up flower stalks. At this point, it is bitter and should be pulled up and discarded.
Melons: Fruit is ripe when the stem pulls away from the fruit with only slight pressure. Blossom end―the end opposite the stem―may soften. The fruit develops a pleasant aroma.
Sweet peppers: Green peppers are ready to eat as soon as they're full sized. Many green peppers will continue to ripen into red peppers if left on the plant until late summer.
Tomatoes: Ripe tomatoes feel heavy for their size. They will be fully colored, though there still may be green or other uneven coloration on the "shoulders" at the top of the fruit, depending on the variety. Should pull away easily from the plant. Often taste even better if allowed to sit on a windowsill for another day. Do not refrigerate because it diminishes the fullness of flavor.
Zucchini: As soon as the bright golden flower drops off, harvest. Some gardeners, to assure tenderness and flavor, harvest with the flower on. Do not allow them to get large, that makes zucchini tough and bitter.
Growing Cole Crops
The cole crops comprising broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage, are noted for their hardiness and ability to withstand the cold. Since all cole crops require similar soil conditions and methods of cultivation, details are given for broccoli but are not repeated for the other crops.
Sprouting broccoli is adapted to widely different soils as long as they are fertile, of good texture, and moist. It is a heavy feeder so both compost and commercial fertilizer should be liberally used. Plants grown indoors in the early spring and set in the open about April 1 begin to yield sprouts about 10 weeks later. Seed can be planted straight into the ground for the fall crop. The sprouts carrying flower buds should be cut when they are about 6 inches long. If you keep them cut and don't let them blossom, you can have a continual supply throughout the season as small side shoots grow to replace the head.
Brussels sprouts are somewhat more hardy than cabbage and will live outdoors over winter in all the milder sections of the country. They are slower growing than other cole crops taking between 90-100 days to reach maturity. As the sprouts swell, break the lower leaves from the stem of the plant to give them more room, but always leave the top leaves which are needed to supply nourishment.
Cabbage ranks as one of the most important home-garden crops. It is often planted out in the autumn, as its extreme hardiness enables it to live over winter at relatively low temperatures and thus become one of the first spring garden crops. Early varieties mature in as little as 62 days, but late types can take as long as 110 days.
Cauliflower is a hardy vegetable but it will not withstand as much frost as cabbage. Neither will it produce a head in too much warm weather. To whiten or blanch cauliflower heads in the garden, pull the large outer leaves up over the head and secure with a rubber band. Keep this in place for a few days to whiten the curd.
Growing Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of America's most popular vegetables and with good reason, since they are easy to grow in your own backyard. There are countless varieties available to home gardeners ranging from giant beefsteaks to the minature cherry types.
Many have a superior flavour and a skin too thin for long journeys to the supermarkets but perfect for a trip up the garden path. Study the seed catalogs and make your selection.
Seeds should be planted indoors 5-7 weeks before the plants are to be transplanted to the garden. Tomatoes can not be planted outside until all danger of frost has passed, so time your seed sowing accordingly.
When you are ready to transplant the seedlings, prepare the soil well. Dig holes eighteen inches apart and 6-8 inches deep. Put a handful of compost or a little fertilizer in the hole and then cover with two inches of soil. Place the plant in the hole and gently firm the soil around the plant. Place a bamboo pole or other support next to the plant taking care not to danmage the roots. There are several different types of support available commercially. This link takes you to one called "Tomato Ladders" but below the picture you can see details of other types.
After transplanting water well, at least for the first week. Do not apply a mulch straightaway since the plants will benefit from the warmth of the sun on the soil.
As the plants grow, tie them in to the supports and pinch out the side shoots that sprout from the juction of the main stem with the branches. If you find that the plant is growing too tall, cut the top of the main stem. Apply a little ferilizer when the flowers bloom and the first fruits start to appear. Do not overdo the fertilizer since this will tend to promote leafgrowth at the expense of the fruit and also delay the harvest.
Growing Legume Vegetables
The legume vegetables comprise beans and peas which are among our oldest and most important garden plants. Because they thrive in most soils and climates, they are also some of the most popular.
Green beans cover both the snap and lima varieties which prefer a well drained and reasonably fertile soil. The seeds are planted into the ground once the soil is thoroughly warm. If the soil is liable to forming a hard crust, cover with mulch to ensure that there is nothing to hinder the
emerging seedlings.
For bush bean varieties, plant the seed about 1 inch
deep and 1 to 2 inches apart in the row. The rows should be 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart. After the beans are up, thin the plants to 3 to 4 inches apart. For pole beans the rows should be 3 to 4 feet apart and 5 to 6 foot poles will be needed to support the vines. When harvesting your crop, pick the beans as soon as are ready and the plants will continue producing for several weeks.
For bush bean varieties, plant the seed about 1 inch
deep and 1 to 2 inches apart in the row. The rows should be 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart. After the beans are up, thin the plants to 3 to 4 inches apart. For pole beans the rows should be 3 to 4 feet apart and 5 to 6 foot poles will be needed to support the vines. When harvesting your crop, pick the beans as soon as are ready and the plants will continue producing for several weeks.
English peas are a cool weather crop and should be planted early. For best results make successive sowings at ten day intevals. Peas can be grown in single rows, but double or even triple rows 4 to 5 inches apart are preferable since these will require less support. Another method is to plant the seeds 2 to 3 inches apart over a wide row which should be about the width of a rake. Sugar peas, the ones with the edible pods, can be grown in the same way. As with green beans, peas should be picked as soon as they are ready. In particular sugar peas need to be harvested while young and tender before pods become stringy and tough. Peas begin to lose their flavor within hours of harvest, so pick them just before you prepare your meal or otherwise pop them straight into your freezer.
How to Grow Vegetables - Part 2
Before you you start to plant your seeds there is one futher consideration - the layout of your beds. The standard practice has been to plant your crops in rows some eighteen inches apart or just wide
enough to allow you room to walk between the rows.
This means that
every time you walk on the land your soil is being slightly compacted. The alternative is to create a raised or wide bed. In this method you divide your site into a number of beds about four feet wide with a narrow path in between. This allows you to reach the center of the bed from either side without treading on the soil.
This means that
every time you walk on the land your soil is being slightly compacted. The alternative is to create a raised or wide bed. In this method you divide your site into a number of beds about four feet wide with a narrow path in between. This allows you to reach the center of the bed from either side without treading on the soil.
If you grow the same crop year after year in the same bed, there is an increased risk of disease infecting your crops. To minimise the risk you should avoid planting crops of the same family in the same soil for three seasons. You can achieve this by having a four bed rotation and moving the crops on to the next bed each year.
When choosing seeds it makes sense to choose disease resistant varieties where these are available. Saving your own seed is not always a good idea for at least two reasons. Firstly because seed saved from plants grown from hybrid seed will not come true, and secondly your home saved seed may have become cross-pollinated from other crops grown on your land.
In the warmer parts of the United States most seeds can be sown directly into the beds. You will have to cultivate the soil to a fine tilth and then sow the seeds at the depth recommended on the packet. In cooler areas, or where you want early crops, seeds will need to be sown in trays or flats indoors. Overhead light, either natural or artificial using flourescent tubes, and warmth is needed to ensure satisfactory germination and growth. Before they can be planted out in the beds, the seedlings have to be hardened off by placing them outside for longer periods each day so that they become accustomed to the outdoor temperature.
Once your crops are all planted out in the beds they will require regular watering, weeding and fertilizing. On average your plants will need one inch of water a week. If this is not provided by rainfall, you will have to make up the difference. It is better to give the garden a good soaking once a week rather than applying small amounts of water every other day. The best time to water is early in the morning. Hoe your beds regularly to control the weeds and leave the soil in a loose, friable condition to absorb later rainfall. Advice on fertilizing will be included with the information on individual crops.
Lettuce Salad Production
Lettuce salad production in the home garden is one of the most worthwhile forms of gardening activity that you can undertake. Lettuce has been the main and often the only ingredient of a Green Salad for many years and no summer would be complete without this regular addition to your diet.
There are four main lettuce types:
Crisphead which is the main commercial variety often sold under the name "iceland". Because of its long maturity period this type is difficult to grow at home.
Butterhead has a smaller softer head of loosely folded leaves. With a milder flavor than the Leaf lettuce and easier to grow, this type is a natural choice for the home garden.
Leaf lettuce has no head, just leaves that come in many colors and textures. This is generally considered to be the easiest type to grow.
Cos or Romaine lettuce has an upright cylindrical head of tightly folded leaves.
Lettuce prefers a well-drained, moist soil into which plenty of organic matter has been incorporated. It is a cool season crop that tends to bolt or run to seed in hot weather. To achieve a constant supply throughout the season, small sowings should be made every 10-14 days. The first seeds can be sown indoors and transplanted when the risk of frost has passed.
As the seedlings grow, they wiil need to be thinned. Leaf lettuce needs a spacing of 4-6 inches between plants and Butterhead and Cos 6-10 inches. Apply fertilizer to the soil before planting and again when the seedlings reach 2-3 inches high. Depending on the weather, the plants will need approximately one inch of water per week to ensure healthy growth. Harvest the crop when it is young and tender since lettuce tends to become bitter tasting with age.
Follow these guidelines for lettuce salad production and you will be able to enjoy a fresh green salad throughout the summer months.
How to Grow Vegetables
If you have never grown vegetables before the first thing that you need to decide is where to plant them in your garden. Most vegetables need 6-8 hours of sunlight a day although greens can manage with less.
Choose a site in an area that will not be shaded by buildings or trees and one that is near to a water supply. You will not want to have to cart water any further than absolutely necessary. Protect the site with a fence to keep out dogs, rabbits and other animals which can damage your crops.
To grow vegetables successfully the soil needs to be fertile, deep, friable and well drained. Unless you are very fortunate your soil is unlikely to meet these criteria, but over a period of time you will be able to increase the fertility of the soil by following good cultivation practices.
The first task is to dig over the whole of your site. Dig to a depth of 8-10 inches and continue working the soil making it loose and friable. Do not dig when the soil is too wet. How do you know? Squeeze together a handful of soil. If it sticks together in a ball and does not readily crumble under slight pressure by the thumb and finger, it is too wet.
The soil will be improved by the addition of organic matter. It helps release nitrogen, minerals, and other nutrients for plant use when it decays. Well-rotted compost or manure can be dug into the soil. Alternatively a mulch of partially rotted straw, compost or crop residue on the soil helps keep the soil surface in good condition, slows water evaporation from the soil, and suppresses weeds.
Vegetable Gardening the Why and the How
Make Vegetable Gardening your path to the freshest, most healthy and greatest tasting food. An extravagant claim you may say but just think about it for a minute. When you buy vegetables from a supermarket they will first have been harvested and packed by the grower. Then they are transported to the store, sometimes over a great distance. If you are lucky you may find that the produce is fresh in the day that you shop, but it could well be nearing the end of its shelflife by the time that you visit. With home grown crops you cut your lettuce or dig your carrots just before you prepare your meal so the freshness is guaranteed.
The health claim is based on two factors,
firstly the longer the period
between harvesting the crop and eating the produce, the greater the loss of the essential vitamins and minerals in the food. Secondly the question of chemical sprays used on the crop. Although you can buy organic produce for a premium price, most vegetables will have been treated with various chemical sprays and insecticides and you will have no way of knowing what has been used. When you grow your own food, you will know exactly what sprays have or have not been used.
Although taste is subjective and a matter of personal opinion, it is generally agreed that home grown vegetables are superior. The vegetables you buy in the supermarket, pre-packed, graded and scrubbed though they may be, have inevitably lost the subtle flavour of fresh vegetables in the long journey from field to store.
Rose Gardening Enjoy the Colors and Scents.
There is nothing more delightful than a mass of fragrant, colorful rosebushes in full bloom. No other family of plants has such a wide range of shapes, sizes, forms and color as the rose - nor such a complex family tree!
Hybrid T's are the classic rose gardening plants which bear shapely and often fragrant blooms on long stems. They grow between 2-4 feet tall and bloom intermittently from mid summer to fall.
Floribundas are similar but have a mass of blooms in clusters.
A grandiflora is a cross between a floribunda and a hybrid tea. This rose grows up to six feet tall and produces classic hybrid tea flower clusters.
Ramblers are vigorous climbing roses with long pliable stems which usually have one flush of blooms.
Climbers have stiffer stems and the flowers are borne on a more or less permanent framework.
Miniature roses are smaller scale replicas of the bush or climbing roses growing only about eighteen inches high.
Old garden roses are cultivated varieties grown before 1860 when the first modern bush roses were introduced. There are both bush and climbing forms which mostly have a single flush of flowers in early summer. They are notable for their fragrance and elegant blooms. Modern breeding techniques have produced varieties that extend the flowering season.
A Garden Pond with Water Lilies and Goldfish
A garden pond can add an extra dimension to your yard or garden. An area of calm where you can watch the brightly colored fish lazily swimming in the cool water while you enjoy the sight and smell of the lilies and other aquatic plants. It may involve a little effort to install your garden pond, but once it is finished, you will have something that you can enjoy for many years to come.
Once you have decided that you would like to have a pond in your garden, you will need to consider what type of pond you want. Do you want to keep fish or do you just want an attractive water feature? Do you want a pond with both fish and plants or just plants? The answers to these questions will determine both the size and shape of your pond. For instance koi require a water depth of at least four feet whereas
goldfish can manage with less.
A pool for plants will need a shelf round
the edge for marginal plants and a deeper section for water lilies. If you plan for both fish and plants there will be additional requirements.
A pool for plants will need a shelf round
the edge for marginal plants and a deeper section for water lilies. If you plan for both fish and plants there will be additional requirements.
The next question is what do you want your pond to look like? If you have a formal garden layout then a square or circular shape will be appropriate. For the more usual informal style an irregular outline will be more suitable. Although most ponds will be dug down below the ground level, an alternative is to have the sides built up so that you have a raised pond.
Your final decision is the type of construction to be adopted. The three alternatives are a liner, a ready shaped polythene unit or concrete. One merchant that supplies pond kits for both preformed units and liners is MacArthur Water Gardens. When you are ready for some water plants take a look at DirectGardening.com who offer a selection of water lilies as well as a complete collection to start you off.
Grow Herbs in your Garden
Herbs can add a touch of magic to your garden with their supernatural associations and practical uses.
Records show that herbs were in use in ancient Greece where they were valued as flavorings and for their fragrance. Certain herbs were also credited with mystical properties. Herbs were introduced into Britain by the Romans who also valued the reputedly supernatural powers of the
plants, as well as their culinary and medicinal uses.
In Britain, too, herbs became a focus of superstition, reaching their peak of importance in the Middle Ages when every village had its witch, and every witch her herbs and potions. Herbs were also used to combat the witches' powers; garlic, hyssop and wormwood all combated witchcraft and evil spirits.
The medicinal qualities of herbs were even more important. In 1597 John Gerard, the London herbalist and apothecary, published his "Herball", a volume containing 1000 pages with woodcut illustrations of some 3000 plants. A rather smaller collection of some 400 plants was included in Nicholas Culpeper's Complete Herbal first published in c1640 and still available from bookshops today.
The medicinal qualities of herbs were even more important. In 1597 John Gerard, the London herbalist and apothecary, published his "Herball", a volume containing 1000 pages with woodcut illustrations of some 3000 plants. A rather smaller collection of some 400 plants was included in Nicholas Culpeper's Complete Herbal first published in c1640 and still available from bookshops today.
For most of us today the main use for herbs will be as flavorings in cooking. A few plants within easy reach of your backdoor so that they are handy for the cook will be well worth the effort. You can even grow a small selection in a container on a sunny windowsill.
Generally herbs thrive on a light and well drained soil. Although herbs can be planted in borders throughout your garden, it is more usual to group them in one place. Many formal planting schemes have been devised ranging from a chequerboard design of alternating square slabs and plants to using an old wagon wheel with plants in between the spokes.
Choose Flower Seeds for Color and Scent
Using flower seeds is the cheapest method of propagating plants particularly when you want a large quantity. When you need to fill a border buying plants will be expensive and you will have less choice. With flower seeds you can afford to plant more lavishly and to experiment with some of the unfamiliar varieties.
Whilst garden centres may have some hundreds of plants on sale at any one time, seed companies number their stock in the thousands so you can have a far wider choice. Furthermore since flower seeds are so cheap you can afford to try out some of the rarer varieties. Even if you do not succeed, it has only cost you a packet of seeds.
You can also save seeds from your plants once they have finished flowering. However plants grown from saved seed will not always come true, ie be the same color or shade as its parent. When the original planting was a mixture of colors, this will not matter, but if you want to have all the plants of one color, then you will need to buy new flower seed. When using saved seed there is always the exciting (but rare) chance that you may produce a new and outstanding variety.
Growing flowers from seed is the ideal introduction to gardening for children. Plant a few sunflower seeds in a pot and place it on a windowsill so that the emerging seedling is in full view. Once the seedlings are large enough, they can be planted outside to await first the stunning golden flower and then the competition to see whose will grow the tallest.
Flower Bulbs for easy growing
Flower bulbs can provide reliable all year round interest with relatively little work. From the first snowdrops and croci of early spring to the nerine lilies and the hardy cyclamen which can supply a flash of late color until beyond the first frosts of winter, flower bulbs can be relied
upon to brighten up your garden.
In summer there are the many varieties
of flowering allium and the spectacular iris family. Many bulbs are hardy and can be left in the ground from year to year to grow and multiply. Suitable places where they will be undisturbed include grassy areas, at the base of trees or shrubs and uncultivated parts of borders or rock gardens. Where bulbs are planted in grass, mowing should be delayed for six weeks after flowering to allow time for the foliage to decay naturally.
In summer there are the many varieties
of flowering allium and the spectacular iris family. Many bulbs are hardy and can be left in the ground from year to year to grow and multiply. Suitable places where they will be undisturbed include grassy areas, at the base of trees or shrubs and uncultivated parts of borders or rock gardens. Where bulbs are planted in grass, mowing should be delayed for six weeks after flowering to allow time for the foliage to decay naturally.
When buying flower bulbs it is important to ensure that you are getting a quality product from a reliable company. Holland is the world's oldest and largest producer of flower bulbs and Dutch farmers have been growing bulbs since the 1500s. One company that obtains its stock from the Dutch bulbfields is Dutch Gardens They have a large selection of bulbs and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
For planting information and growing tips, click this link. On the next page we tell you which bulbs can be grown indoors and how to get the best from them. Further details on tulips can be found here. The daffodil, iris and lily are discussed here.
Need Advice on Garden Supplies?
Read our reviews of garden supplies, tools and accessories. Find all the best plants and seeds together with advice on cultivation. We are here both to provide the information and advice you seek to plan your garden projects and also to help you find the plants, tools and supplies you need to realise your plans.
Whether you are a beginner just starting out with your first garden or an experienced pro, we are sure you will find something of interest here. The Garden Supplies Advisor, as its name suggests, has been set up for your benefit, so we invite you to take full advantage of all the facilities provided.
You may like to start by reading one of the articles to give you ideas for a new project. For instance, are you looking for advice on lawn care?
How about some new ideas for planting annuals and bedding plants? What sort of roses should you choose for your plot? What about flower bulbs, and when should they be planted? Climbing plants - the ones you can train and control and those you can't and will hate. Herbs - how to grow and use them? How do you start with vegetables? Should you become organic? Learn how to make a secret garden bed. What supplies do you need for a zen garden? All these topics and more are covered.
If you think that a garden pond sounds like a good idea, let us give you the low down on the different types available and the work involved so that you are fully prepared before you start. On a smaller scale, there are now many types of Water Feature available to suit all tastes. You can even have a pondless waterfall.
Pergolas and arches which support climbing plants come in various designs made out of wood or metal. We review the different types which can either be stand alone features or act as a division between sections of your garden. The section on Garden Decor covers the large variety of items that are available to add that special touch. From statues to sundials, birdhouses to wishing wells, gazing balls to garden gnomes, we show you where you can find everything from the truly elegant to the utterly weird and wacky.
Garden tools help to make a good gardener, and without them you cannot give of your best. Tools should be of a high quality and from an established firm. If the manufacturer has a reputation worth keeping, the gardener is likely to be in safe hands. Economise if you will on the number of your tools but never buy cheap ones. Weak tools, the rake and hoe heads which are poorly fastened so that they first waggle and then fall off, are all too common. It pays to buy tools of as good a quality as the budget will allow.
The topic of Garden Supplies covers a wide field, so do take a little time to browse through our site so that you can see what information and ideas you can find. Use the search box below if you are looking for a specific item.
Vegetable Gardening
You wouldn’t dream of moving into a house without taking a look at the area. It’s the same in a garden. Before you can grow anything, you need to know what sort of conditions you have. Then you can choose plants that are suited to them. There really is no need to waste money on plants that will hate your environment.
You’ll need to know what sort of soil you have, how much light there is and the prevailing weather conditions. Is it a windy site, a particularly cold one, or is it sunny and sheltered? All the information you need to succeed is here.
You’ll need to know what sort of soil you have, how much light there is and the prevailing weather conditions. Is it a windy site, a particularly cold one, or is it sunny and sheltered? All the information you need to succeed is here.
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