Roses Tips

Transplanting Roses – Tips For Success

When is the best time to transplant roses? This is one of the most common questions asked by novice gardeners and one of the most popular topics discussed by dedicated Rosarians. There are no right or wrong answers and any experience gardener will have his or her own rules regarding this based on experience. There are general guidelines offering good advice for novices to follow, which can give successful results. However, it is a good idea to keep a record of the dates when you transplant your roses and observe their progress. This will give you a clear indication of which is the best time for you, to transplant your roses given the type of climate you live in.

For generally guidance, the best time to transplant roses is during a time when they are dormant. In northern climates this period falls at the end of the winter season. In a warmer climate transplanting can take place in late autumn or winter

Exposed roots can be transplanted any time as long as the temperature is above freezing level. Rose transplants will not survive if they are subjected to 10 degrees below 0 F. Container grown roses can be transplanted at any time of year but Spring is best, this will give the roots chance to spread and strengthen themselves before the winter sets in.

It is possible, although it goes against the general rule, for you to transplant roses before they become dormant. It isn’t always necessary to wait, if you don’t want to, you can transplant at any time during the growing season even during the height of summer.

If you cannot wait until the growing season to transplant your roses then you will need to put some safety measures into place to ensure your roses survive the ordeal. Before you transplant during the growing season, please follow these steps.

1) On the day before you plan to transplant your roses, give them plenty of water, making sure the roots are thoroughly wet; this will protect the roots and help them survive

2) Choose and prepare the ground before hand, making sure the area is in a sunny position. The soil needs to be enriched and nourished with plenty of peat and organic fertilizer.

3) Transplant your roses as soon as you take them from the ground. It is vital that the roots are not subjected to sunlight and dry air. If this isn’t possible, keep the roses in a cool dark place, never expose to sunlight or heat, as this will damage your roses irreparably.

4) When you have successfully transplanted your roses you must water them thoroughly. Roses need constant watering during the growing season especially if they are adapting to new ground. Never let the soil get too dry, especially in the height of Summer.

5) There is no need to add any further fertilizer until you see new growth. If you add fertilizer too soon, before the roots have settled, you risk damaging them. The fertilizer may be too strong for the roots at this time. Remember, your roses have just experienced a traumatic disturbance during transplantation.

If your roses are not at their best and are beginning to wilt do not replant them during the growing season, otherwise you risk damaging them further, and they will not survive.

Roses are one of the most beautiful and aromatic plants that you could have in your garden. To obtain the maximum from your roses make sure you choose their location carefully. A well-positioned rose, which receives at least six hours sunshine everyday, plenty of air circulation, is in a reasonable quality soil which is not too waterlogged can produce the most beautiful flowers. As long as they are protected from freezing temperatures, have plenty of space for root growth and not overshadowed by other plants they will continue to grow year after year and give you the most amazing results and beautiful roses.

Garden Starting

A type of garden structure, a garden arch helps turn a mundane garden into a masterpiece. It is one of the ways a homeowner-gardener expresses a belief that their living environment includes the sum total of their property—not just the four walls of the house. It says that beauty and form are important to the people who live here. By adding shape, texture and variety to your home landscape design, a garden arch provides practicality, an acknowledgement of time’s passage, a visual metaphor, mood and whimsy.

A Garden Arch: Placement and Shapes

Sometimes used interchangeably with the term “garden arbors,” outdoor arches are classic architectural shapes that are often used near the doorway to a garden or home. When placed in a series, they mark a special spot, as when used to cover the pathway to a garden gazebo. If you have a flat yard, they can create vertical dimensions in your landscape. When paired with a gate, they simply say, “Come in—welcome.” You can include them in your patio design or deck design, let one be the entrance to an outdoor room, or use one as a focal point in a small garden design. Whether you designate them as pure decoration or put them to work, arches can support vegetables, fruits, vines or climbing roses.

Outdoor arches come in many shapes. A list would include:

• Traditional French shape. Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France have made this shape famous for outdoor arches. There, the central alley is covered by climbing roses supported by iron arches. These arches have a flat profile, making them work well for wider spans.

• Roman arches. These arches are larger in both height and width and, when used in a row or series, almost give the appearance of a loggia or pergola. When covered with flowering vines, you can create a softscape made of green plant material, interesting texture, color and fragrance. Consider combining Roman arches with an outdoor water fountain or outdoor sculpture.

• Gothic style. Festooned with hoops, finials, swirls and twirls, this style fits perfectly in an English garden design.

• Fruit tree arches. Sturdy and practical, these arches can be used with small fruit trees and bushes. For instance, a fruit tree can be planted on either side of the arch and trained to meet at the top.

A Garden Arch: Materials

Many decisions will go into your material selection—style, hardiness and budget. You will also want to consider your other hardscape selections and make sure all looks are well-coordinated. Here are some of your options:

• Galvanized steel arches. Unmatched in strength and longevity.

• Copper arches. Providing exceptional beauty and durability. Works well in a Japanese garden design.

• Wood arches. Eco-friendly wood makes stunning outdoor arches in simple and complex shapes.

• Wrought iron arches. A classic choice.

• Vinyl arches. They have the look of painted wood, but will not warp, crack or rot. They look good and, with proper construction, will last a long time.

Herb Garden

3 Tips For A Successful Container Herb Garden

If you are like me, I absolutely love the smell of fresh herbs. However, buying fresh herbs at the grocery store would often make my wallet cry, so I would pass them up. Often times I didn't buy enough or they would spoil before I used them all. So like me, Container Herb Gardening can give you an abundant, readily available supply of fresh herbs. It doesn't matter if your living quarters are small because you can put the containers inside in the kitchen within reach. Even next to the coffee pot.Growing herbs in containers is the perfect gift for gardening friends, as well as for cooking. Take into account these 3 tips for the successful container herb garden, for some flavorful and or smelly results.

Tip #1. Select the herbs you want to grow. Choose from basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, mints and dill. All are easy to grow in containers, require very little maintenance, and are adaptable for a wide variety of dishes. Plants such as lavender and yarrow spread quickly and can take up all your space, so these are ideal for container herb gardening in small batches.

You will want to grow herbs that you will actually cook with. Because your fresh herbs are full of flavor and not diluted, you only need to use half the amount of fresh herbs as store bought herbs in recipes. In fact, when substituting dried herbs for fresh herbs, one tablespoon of fresh herbs equals about one teaspoon of dried herbs. You might even consider growing a container full of organically grown herbs. It's safer for you and less expensive because you aren't using pesticides. Organic pest control is a comprehensive approach instead of a chemical approach.

Tip #2. Seeds or budding plantings' are viable options. Growing herbs in a small garden is quite affordable especially if you start from seeds. Don't skimp on seeds of good quality, go ahead and spend a little more. Remember seeds can spoil just like other natural food products. I typically don't get my seeds from plants, but it's your choice. In doing that, you just need to understand how to properly dry out and store the seeds. Remember to check the dates on the package, to ensure your seeds are fresh.

If you are using plants to start your container garden, plant the plants at the same height. If you plant them too shallow, some hair roots may be exposed. If you plant them too deep, they may choke or suffocate due the all the soil overhead. Also, check to see if your plants have become root bound. If roots start coming out of the drainage holes, replant them in a larger container. Roots have feelings too. Have you ever worn a pair of pants and have gotten a wedge. Ouch. !

Tip #3. Where are you placing the containers (pots, etc.)? Mother Nature will not provide the right amount of water and sunshine. Container herb gardening provides the mobility necessary to protect your herbs from bad weather and seasonal conditions, as well as hungry animals and insects. Inside, you can place your containers in the right location for the herbs they contain. Most herb plants require similar growing conditions: a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day. Plants may need full sun, partial sun or partial shade. For example, parsley and thyme like to be in a sunny spot. Plants will only receive what you give them; therefore, you will be able to regulate the pH, nutrients, nutrient strength, water amount, and light amount. This makes it important that you research the plants you will be growing so you know what they need to survive.

Now that your vision has been expanded a little, you can see that the possibility of creating that special herb container garden that can happen now. You will be able to incorporate all of your 5 senses; touch, taste, smell, feel. What you will hear is everyone applauding the wonderful flavor or smell you create. Using these 3 tips for a successful container herb garden will have you well on your way to herb heaven.

Building Greenhouse

Tips For Building A Great Greenhouse

Here are some tips to help you build a great greenhouse:

To build a workable greenhouse, you will need a construction plan. Then you can consider ways and means. There are several ways to go about building.

You can draw up a contract with a manufacturer of greenhouses to supply all the materials, all the heating and cooling equipment, and the masonry. You can even get him to find you a builder to erect the structure, and also a plumber for the water and heating installations.

Or you can purchase the material you need (new or used), and have some local labor come in and build your greenhouse. Or you can do it yourself, perhaps with some help from your family.

If you prefer the prefabricated units, you can erect a greenhouse with little or no extra help. You can glaze it with regulation glass panes, Fiberglas, or plastic. Ready and able to supply all this are innumerable firms. As you plan your greenhouse, there are further decisions you will have to make.

Where to Place Your Greenhouse

You must decide upon a site, and this involves several considerations. You want a location where you can work conveniently and where there is maximum sunlight. Even though you may plan to start with only shade-loving plants, you will probably find that other kinds are profitable, too, and so eventually you will want to be able to grow light-loving plants. You can always apply shading to make a house darker, but you can't make the sun come around to a greenhouse that has been unwisely located in a shaded place.

Fluorescent and incandescent lighting can be used to raise light intensities in winter and on dark days, and this is a very practical means of utilizing small problem or special-purpose areas (as discussed later).

But you certainly don't want artificial lighting to be your primary light source—not while sunlight is free!

Therefore, you want a location with a south-eastern or southern exposure, and the land should be well-drained. Then, for the sake of customers, you need a location which is easily found, and where parking will be easy.

If your eventual aim is expansion—that is, having a series of greenhouses—plan that series from the very start. Make your first house fit in—on paper—with those you will build later, so as to form a complete unit. Many greenhouse operations start on a small scale but soon need to expand, so select an adequate site at the start.

What Type of Greenhouse?

There is a type of greenhouse to meet every preference, every gardening need, every budget. I have seen sun porches and chicken houses converted into greenhouses; greenhouses built as second-story units over garages; free-standing or detached greenhouses; step-into pit houses, and many kinds of attached-to-dwelling ones. There are heated, partially heated, and unheated greenhouses, each successfully designed to suit someone's gardening-for-profit plan.

Greenhouse designs are numerous but types fall into these main divisions: span, lean-to, uneven or partial span, and the pit house, which may be any of these types but with a greater portion of the walls below ground level. If you have plenty of room—real acreage or a large lot—the free-standing span house may be best for you. This type, if properly placed, receives maximum sunlight throughout the day in every season.

A lean-to, as the name suggests, is erected against the side of another building. The partial span or uneven type has a greater distance from eaves to gable on one side of the house than on the other. In the north, the low winter sun comes directly through such a roof for maximum light. And in the summer, when the sun is high, this greenhouse draws light reflection from both sides.

The cost of pit-house construction is low. Many growers use pit houses only during early spring and into fall. They are left idle during the coldest months of the year to avoid a heating bill. Other growers operate a pit house economically by having it dug off the basement and served by the household heating system. This arrangement affords ample space for potting, household tools, and other necessary equipment.

Before you do anything—even before you start dreaming about building a greenhouse—check with your city engineer or building inspector. It is important to know what the building regulations are as to greenhouse placement and construction. In some residential areas, construction of any kind of commercial structure is prohibited. Find out everything about all relevant laws—and don't consider yourself "too smart" to need a lawyer.

Permaculture

How to have a green thumb without an aching back

Ruth Stout, who passed on in 2006 at a grand old age, left behind a rich legacy for gardeners. Ruth’s study highlighted aspects found in the world of nature, like the presence of a layer of mulch, as well as leaving the ground unbroken (in effect, letting the inhabitants of the soil do the \"turning\" - earthworms, microbes, and such). rnrnThrough her observation of various natural settings, followed by strategic implementation of these features, gardening was shown to become more productive, while reducing the work load. rnrnApplication of organic plant waste material directly onto the soil to a depth of an inch or more generates the following results:rnrn

1. The bottom layer of mulch will gradually rot into the soil, providing a constant supply of nutrients, while eliminating the need for maintaining a compost pile.rnrn- Moisture retention due to the mulch layer means reduced need for watering - saving on both resources and labor.
2. Mulch effectively prevents weeds from growing, thus reducing another laborious chore.rnrn- Because of greater nutrient levels, plants can be positioned twice as densely as normally recommended.
3. Even so, those plants will actually produce more than non-mulched plants. In real terms the combination of denser spacing and higher production means a fourfold increase overall.

rnrnIn addition, leaving the soil unbroken saves the laborious task of turning the soil, while the soil’s compactness allows the \"wicking\" action of moisture and nutrients to flow.rnrnI have had the pleasure of proving these results in my own garden, as have countless other practitioners of mulch gardening. rnrnGardeners and farmers are advised to study the finer points of the system before implementation. See the links below, which expand on this system of applying nature-wisdom for increased productivity while saving on resources and labor.

Mediterranean Garden

What Makes Up a Good Mediterranean Garden?

A Mediterranean garden is one of the eye catching gardens that have the look and feel of a European get away even when the garden is located in Southern California. This is a tasteful and colorful type of garden that is found in places like Italy, Spain or Greece with a maraud of colors and old world charm.

The Mediterranean garden also includes things made of stone, concrete or ceramics and can include fountains or ponds that lend a cooling and relaxing atmosphere to the garden. In a true Mediterranean garden there are plants and trees that are of olives, citrus, and vines of grapes, along with Pomegranates. Plants that are found in these gardens are Lavender, Rosemary, Oleanders and even the common Geranium. This garden is usually built upon a mixture of edible herbs and fruits among the color and beauty of flowers to make it an appealing and aromatic place to relax. Relaxation is one of the key features in the Mediterranean garden; this can be from a simple stone bench, a swinging seat or the table located on the stone or brick patio. One thing that is out of place in this garden is wood and metal, this is a garden built on old world charm and not the modern conveniences of today, like the wood that is placed to hold some beds in place or help to raise them.

The most important thing to remember with a garden of this type is to choose the plants that will go into it carefully and be aware of their watering needs. This garden is not located in the climate of Italy, Spain or even the South of France; it is located in a place like Southern California. That means the plants must be able to tolerate the climate in this location successfully to flourish yearly.

These gardens can also include plants like roses that can be found in a huge variety of colors and flower sizes to help compliment the garden in their elegant way. They are a relaxing garden that often have stone or brick pathways winding through them to lend to the Mediterranean feel.

One feature about this type of garden is the aromatic herbs that can be planted such as sage and rosemary that other types of garden might not include, the herbs are ones based on the herbs that can be found in the Mediterranean gardens of Italy or Greece. In the garden it is possible to find a relaxing seat hidden amid the floral and scents of herbs.

While these are lively gardens filled with color and smell they also should include the old world charm that is gained by the use of cement, stone and brick found in these original gardens that are often used to make paths through the garden for a relaxing look of a place to gaze upon the colors and smells.

This is the type of garden that can fit the style of any home and can give the appearance of a warm inviting hideaway.

Compost Tumblers

Compost Tumblers – The Most Effective Method of Composting

There are many different methods of composting, and there are a number of products now available to those who compost. The compost bin to buy depends on the needs of the garden or home. With that said, compost tumblers provide an efficient, low maintenance, and reliable method of composting.

One of the many misconceptions about composting is that there is an odor associated with decomposing materials. The odor that is referred to is caused when microbes don’t thrive amongst the compost. Microbes are the microscopic living organisms that convert biodegradable waste into rich organic soil. Like any living being, microbes require oxygen to exist. This happens by turning the compost. When the compost sits neglected, microbes don’t get their oxygen. When the microbes don’t get their oxygen, they die, they smell, and the compost doesn’t decompose nearly as fast. The smell associated with composting only happens when compost is neglected.

This is where compost tumblers come in very handy: they are incredibly easy to maintain. Every time you throw something in your compost tumbler, you just turn it a few times. It is never neglected, it is never stinky, and it turns out fresh organic soil in record breaking time. Typically, with a single compost bin or compost heap, decomposition time can take between six months and two years. Compost tumblers, when used and turned regularly, have been known to create humus in as little as a month or two. This does, of course, depend on the user. What can be accurately said is that compost tumblers will cut decomposition time in at least half.

There are a few things to consider when shopping for a compost tumbler. Compost tumblers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. As always the case, think first of your own composting needs. This will help to determine what size tumbler you need. Consider as well your own physical needs. Some people struggle with turning huge heaps of compost; one major advantage that compost tumblers offer is that they require very little physical exertion to turn. The height of some tumblers can be a factor because height determines ease of accessibility.

Another factor to consider is the material used in the construction of the tumbler. A good choice in material for compost tumblers is food grade plastic. This material is UV resistant which means that it will be durable, and last a very long time. Some compost tumblers have metal parts, which isn’t necessarily an advantage because they become weather rusted in certain climates. A food grade plastic compost tumbler generally outlives the rest, and maintains a nice warm temperature for the microbes that dwell in there.

Yet another important factor to consider before you buy is maneuverability. For the most part, when filled with compost, you’re probably not going to be moving your compost tumbler around your lawn or garden. However, there are some models that are bulkier and harder to move than others. If you know that you will at some point be required to move your bin, you should absolutely factor this into the equation. There are several rolling models that simply roll across your lawn, churning the compost as you move it. Now there are also several models that actually include wheels; one of which doubles as a wheelbarrow. So if maneuverability is an issue, you certainly are at no loss to find portable compost tumblers.

Whatever your composting need, give compost tumblers a shot. You might have to invest a bit more money up front than a standard compost bin, but you’ll find that the returns of this method of composting are well worth it.

Rock Garden

Evergreens and Shrubs for the Rock Garden Background

Evergreens and shrubs used for forming the background or setting for the garden are not subject to the restrictions for the actual rock garden, particularly as regards height.

Nevertheless the transition from the small scale on which the rock garden is planned to taller trees in the background should not be made too suddenly; and whatever is to be visible from the interior of the rock garden should be in keeping as to character.

The graceful drooping fronds of a hemlock, or the irregularly spreading branches of a pine, will give no sense of jarring contrast, such as would be inevitable in the use of trees symmetrically columnar or pyramidal in habit, or of the blue or yellow or golden forms which are so patently the result of the horticulturist's art.

It is quite as impossible to give any definite directions for the placing of trees and shrubs to be used within the rock garden as it would be to pen a few paragraphs informing the reader how to paint a picture.

Even the builder of the rock garden himself cannot tell in advance where these plants will go; he must feel his way as the work progresses, putting them here and there in imagination, and frequently placing and replacing the plants themselves, before actually planting, until he is fairly satisfied that they are located where they will give the effect desired, or as near it as can be obtained.

The best time for placing evergreens and shrubs in the construction of the rock garden is after the outlines of the rock work have been pretty well completed, with the largest stones and the most prominent stone groups in place, but before the finishing touches and any patio fountains are added.

This is advantageous both as to the mechanical details of planting, and also in the design or arrangement of the garden, as the trees are more likely to look as though they really belonged with the rocks, and not merely stuck in as an afterthought.

In habit of growth, most of the dwarf trees and shrubs belong to one of three general types: the upright growing, true dwarf tree form, such, for instance, as the Dwarf Alberta spruce or Dwarf Irish Juniper; those of dwarf shrubby or bushy growth, such as Dwarf Japanese Yew, Dwarf Mugho Pine, or Spreading Cotoneaster (C. divaricata); and those of procumbent or creeping habit, such as the Gray Carpet Juniper (sabina tamariscifolia) and the Rock Contoneaster (G. horizontalis).

As a general rule, the dwarf-tree forms are most effective when planted on the lower levels of the rock garden amongst the large water features, or directly against the bases of the large rocks which rise above them; the shrub-like forms against or among large rocks, perhaps a bit higher up where they may find a suitable background in the stones about them, or, if of drooping habit, may fall gracefully over the stone surfaces; and those of creeping or horizontal habit of growth, where they may form a mantle either against the base of the rock surfaces, or by trailing down about them from above.

Heritage Garden

Design and Content of a Heritage Garden

Whether native-born or "transplant", we who live in Adams County, Pennsylvania are surrounded by history - historic battlefields, legacy farms, and preserved landscapes meet our eyes every day. Small wonder, then, that many local gardeners are drawn to this heritage, and want to include a little bit of history in their own gardens. If you live in geographic locales bordering the county of Adams, you have your own similar histories.

It is difficult to know how to accomplish this today, with so many questions to ask. How did past residents of this area set up their gardens? What plants did they grow for their kitchens, their home use, and their livelihood? Sadly, very little evidence survives. Farmsteads have lost their outbuildings, and "low maintenance" yards have replaced the subsistence gardens and colorful yards of yesteryear.

Recently, there has been growing interest in old-fashioned and native plants to replace the exotic varieties and cultivars that abound in nurseries and catalogs. In addition, traditional and organic gardening methods are popular today among home gardeners. This trend means that now you have many choices for designing your own heritage garden.

Do you have fond memories of your grandmother's garden and want to replicate it in your own? Perhaps your mother gave you cuttings from her favorite plant that you have lovingly nurtured for years. Or, maybe when you moved to a new house you transplanted your favorite shrub. These ties to your past have deep personal meaning, evoking happy times, and reflecting your personal and family heritage.

Local and regional heritage can also be featured in your garden. Two or three fruit trees, or, if you have the space for it, a small orchard could reflect Adams Countys agricultural industry. If you live in an older town, you may notice that your lot has a long, thin shape. A hundred years ago, virtually every home in small towns had an herb and vegetable plot, a chicken coop, and a small pasture and stable for the family horse or cow. If you are fortunate, some of these outbuildings still stand, and continue to be useful as tool and storage sheds.

The design and content of a heritage garden provides countless opportunities to experiment and innovate, depending upon the size of your property (not to mention your budget). An English cottage garden is compact and densely planted with a mix of perennials, annuals, herbs and even vegetables. A landscape in the Victorian style features formal mounded beds, broad lawns and exotic plants and trees.

A well-known characteristic of Pennsylvania German gardens is the use of raised beds. This technique gives a neat and tidy appearance, and also provides rich, loose soil in locations where rocks make tilling difficult. Raised beds can be created with rocks, planks, or four-by-fours. Other traditional features of heritage gardens include picket fences, woven stick barriers, and crushed rock or flagstone walkways.

There are many resources available to help design your heritage garden and choose plants. The local library can recommend publications that include

• Landscapes and Gardens for Historic Buildings by Rudy J. and Joy Putnam Cavetti
• Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting
• Seed Saving and Cultural History by William Ways Weaver


Old photographs also offer inspiration for recreating a historic garden, and there are old county images preserved at the Adams County Historical Society, or reproduced in the series Adams County Pictorial History published by the Gettysburg Times.

Sources on the Internet include
• PA Native Plant Society
• Eastern Native Seeds Conservancy
• Audubon Center for Native Plants


Use your favorite search engine to look for historic gardens, heirloom plants, native plants or heritage gardens. Information about historic gardens that you can visit such as Winterthur, Ladew Topiary Gardens, Mount Vernon, and Colonial Williamsburg can also be fount on the Internet.

Plant selection for heritage gardens is much easier today. Many nurseries and catalogs now offer "heirloom" flowers and vegetable as well as tree and shrubs that are native to our region. Seed sharing has become a very popular way to spread the use of traditional plants. Two historic sites that are well-known sources for seeds are the Heirloom Seed Project at Landis Valley Museum, Lancaster County and the Thomas Jefferson center for Historic Plants in Virginia.

If heritage gardening appeals to you, take a closer look at the unique historical and agricultural environment of the area surrounding you and consider the satisfaction and pleasure to be found in recreating a little bit of history in your garden.

Geraniums

Potting Geraniums

All being ready, put the drainage in a suitable sized pot. Place first a suitable crock, or a large oyster shell over the hole; then lay a few large crocks upon that, and smaller upon those, so that the drainage may occupy about three fourths of an inch.

Place a thin layer of moss upon the drainage, and upon that a sprinkling of soot or charcoal dust; after that a thin layer of the rougher parts of the compost, and finally a layer of soil. Then turn the plant out of the old pot, pick out the old drainage, and loosen part of the old roots, spreading them over the new soil as much as possible.

Then see that the collar of the roots is just below the rim of the pot, and fill in around the ball with the fresh soil, pressing it down gently as it is put in. When the pot is full, give it a smart stroke or two upon the bench to settle the soil; level it neatly, leaving it about half an inch below the rim of the pot. This finishes the potting.

Then give a good watering of tepid water, perhaps with some kind of patio fountain. For four or five weeks, while new roots are running into the fresh soil, they will not need a large supply of water; but when the roots reach the sides of the pots, and the leaves and shoots are advancing in growth, then water will be required in abundance. They should never be allowed to flag.

After a hot, sunny day, let the plants, in addition to the water at the roots, have a gentle syringing. Exercise discretion, however, on this point. The geranium is a spring and summer blooming plant. It is very difficult to obtain a flower from December to April; therefore, during the winter it should be kept cool, and moderately dry.

About the first of February re-pot the plants, give more heat, sun, and water, and your plants will bloom profusely in May. A wall water feature may be helpful in accomplishing this. The varieties grown only for their leaves may have more generous culture during the winter months.

Varieties of Geraniums

Ivy-leaved geranium (P. lateripes), is a pretty trailing species, with ivy-shaped leaves and purple flowers in the summer.

There is also a variety with white flowers. It is a pretty window plant, and always does well. It needs
plenty of light, sun, and generous culture.

The varieties of horseshoe geraniums (P. zonale hybrids), are all good window flowers, and will often bloom in winter.

The following are the best old varieties: Scarlet, Dazzle, Tom, Thumb, Defiance, Cerise, Cerise unique,
Pink, Bosa mundi, White, Boule de Neige, Lady Turner, Variegated Leaved, Flower of the Day, Golden Chain, Alma, and Bijou.

These latter varieties need a greenhouse to develop the rich colors of the foliage, yet they do well as bedding plants in the summer. P. graveolens is the common rose geranium.

Hydroponics Garden

HYDROPONICS--GROWING GREENS THE SOIL-LESS WAY

You see fish nibbling on plants in an aquarium, and seaweeds in the ocean, and you observe—these plants can grow without soil. You call this technology, hydroponics. Hydroponics is also called soil-less gardening, soil-less culture, chemiculture, and water gardening.

Taken from two Greek words—“water” and “work”, hydroponics simply means growing plants without soil. Hydroponics system is used to grow plants without soil in water to which nutrients have been added. Thanks to the people who conducted experiments on the feasibility for growing commercial crops using the hydroponic system in the early 1900s—a century before that, hydroponics was just used as a research technique.

Now, you will practically find hydroponic home gardens and commercial cropping operations all throughout the US and other countries—indoors or outdoors in various mediums, like water, gravel, sand, sawdust, vermiculite, or other soil-less materials. But don’t think that hydroponically grown plants are entirely different--like all plants, plants that are grown hydroponically need light, water, and oxygen to survive.

Hydroponic home gardens

Since hydroponically grown plants never come in contact with disease-ridden soil, they are healthier than their garden counterparts. In a hydroponic garden, the plants are also given an optimum balance of the nutrients they need. Hydroponic kits give specific instructions on how this is attained. The fruits and vegetables that are grown are therefore rich with the desired nutrients and vitamin content that are delivered via a solution rather than via the soil as in a regular garden.

Some mediums that have been successfully used are shredded compound like coconut or peat, rockwool (may come in cube form, a spun synthetic fiber found in potted aquarium plants). One of the best horticultural rooting medium that has been developed for hydro systems is a sponge, which is quite expensive. Another one that has been used is in grow rooms is perlite.

Hydroponic systems for commercial operations

For commercial operations, a big advantage for growing using hydroponics is that plants can be grown closer together rather than if they were grown in the field. The yield is much greater n volume. Multiple cropping or growing several plants or crops in the same tank can be practiced. Space is saved, and weeds and pest problems are eliminated when you use the right hydro sysmtem.

One downside that can be told for hydroponic systems is that the equipment can be costly, and personnel needs a lot of training. In addition, the amount of physical support required is tremendous. The plants are usually held upright by wire supports. Another option to grow hydroponics is to root them in a sterile medium, like pure sand or gravel. The elements, like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other essential nutrients that are normally found in soil must be supplied not only in optimum concentrations but in correct balance.

And more…eliminating toxins from the soil

Grow hydroponics—but there is more to this. Inversely, contaminated land can be cleaned up—by harvesting waste. It may seem strange, but possible by using plants that could suck up toxic metals from the soil. Land contaminated with metals can be cleaned up in an environmentally friendly way—by simply harvesting and disposing the plants that were earlier made to suck up the toxic metals from the soil.

Roof Garden

Is Urban Roof Garden Possible?

A roof garden is any garden situated on the roof a building. A flat or gently sloped roof transformed into a landscape environment.

These are grown plants atop structure that started during ancient times, about 2,500-3,000 years ago in Rome and Mesopotamia. It became popular in the 19th century. Here are some benefits of Roof Garden:

• Very attractive & decorative
• It can provide food & other useful plants
• It helps in controlling environment temperature (reduce heat loss during winter & heat gain in summer)
• It is considered as architectural enhancement and for recreational opportunities
• It promotes biodiversity; valuable inner city habitat and feeding stations especially for insects and birds.
• It controls flood
• It creates usable space for people

Hydroponics, the use nutrients solution in growing plants instead of soil and other alternative means can expand roof gardening. Wanting a roof garden for less space, square foot and living walls gardening are advisable. These use less space than traditional gardening. The square roof method is when the garden space are divided into beds that are accessible, each is divided in one square foot where different seeds are planted in each space to avoid crowding and thinning of plants.

It is beneficial since there is much less to be done, it conserves water, and it’s pesticide-free and very accessible. The living walls gardening or vertical gardening as sometimes called is either freestanding or part of the building that is partially covered. This is considered as experimental and new concept in roof gardening. A variety of this are active walls that kept behind glass and with the aid of a fan, the air circulates. It best suits in the heart of the cities since available vertical surfaces are being used. We can simply say its urban gardening.

We have to consider the roof itself when building one. The roof should be flat and accessible. Wet soil can weigh more than eighty pounds per square foot; your roof must be able to support this weight. Peat moss can also be use to ensure there will be sufficient soil. Make sure that roofs are also waterproof. In order to keep up, climate should also be taken into consideration. Urban areas are mostly shaded while if it’s in direst sunlight, plants will be withered. Think of what kind of garden you want to have before choosing the plants. Lastly, Plastic pots are definitely lighter than clay pots. By using light materials, it will reduce the strain on your roof. Fences and screen or net lawn can be use to protect the plants.

One of the most famous roof gardens is Queen Semiramis’ Gardens nailed in Babylon, one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. It’s famously known as the hanging garden of Babylon. It was towered hundreds of feet into the air. It surpasses in splendor any city in the known world. It was built around 600 B.C. and was destroyed by several earthquakes after second century B.C.

Another beautiful roof garden is the Kensington Roof Garden in London. It is the largest roof garden in Europe – are accessible from Derry Street, through a doorway marked "99 Kensington High Street". The garden has a restaurant, nightclub, and are nailed in 30 meters above street level with a panoramic view over west London. It is not very known because this is not a tourist attraction but open to public as restaurant and nightclub.

Above these, roof gardening encourage environmentally responsible practices like eliminating pesticides, eliminating molecular biology and composting different material which is the best form of any of fertilization.

Garden Furniture

Modern Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture can be wonderful thing for the family. Having a good amount of outdoor furniture can make your backyard a regular hangout locale.

But there are always questions you need to think about and answer before you make your final decision as to what kind of furniture and how much furniture you want to have in your backyard.

Depending on how many people you have over regularly can make a difference as to whether or not you have minimal or a surplus of outdoor furniture. Also, what kind of people you have over should also make a difference.

If you have teenage children, then you might want some furniture that is strong, sturdy and that will hold up to the most rambunctious children. But if you have small children, like babies or toddlers, then easily accessible but not easily movable, soft and padded furniture is what you should consider.

If your backyard is the life of the party then you should think about getting a variety of patio furniture. A table with an umbrella, some chairs, a bar area with barstools, a picnic-style table, and some additional chairs would all be things to buy if you have a busy backyard and patio.

Having a patio table that has an umbrella above it is really useful, especially for those hot summer days. Feeling the sun on your back, without it scorching your skin, feels wonderful when you’re having lunch with your family.

A question to ask yourself is whether there is an area in your backyard that you’d like to highlight. You could highlight your flowers, or a vegetable garden, or you might want to concentrate on the large open space in the middle of everything. Of course, instead of focusing on one particular area of your yard, you could highlight many areas of it and spread all of the furniture more evenly.

Another thing to think about before making your final purchases is how much sunlight will be hitting the furniture. Of course, this will depend on where you locate your patio furniture. If it’s in the middle of the yard, then, most likely, it will be right in direct sunlight. All furniture, no matter how well made, will eventually be damaged by the sun and will fade.

With all this furniture, your backyard might turn into a 24-hour social visit, so you need to be careful to pick out the appropriate furniture and the appropriate amount of furniture. What kind of furniture you pick can really set the mood for your backyard. It can either welcome people and ask them to return or make them feel uninvited and uncomfortable.

Flower Garden

The Wild-Flower Garden Tips

The very attractive garden is the wild flower garden. But someone say they have a bad luck with the gardening. You should know that it is not the good luck or bad luck, but it is the understanding and the attention. Each wild flower has the individual personality and characteristic. The plants always desire the environment that they have been accustomed to in the nature. If you take the plants out of their condition, they will sick and die. This is the reason why we should set up the suitable condition for them. You should notice the soil, the place, the condition, the surrounding, the neighbors and the other environments before you choose the wild flower from the nature.

These are the examples:

- If you find the A flower and the B flower are living together, you should put them together in your garden.
- If you find the A flower is living in the open situation, you should growing them in the same place. So if your flowers feel like they are living in their home, they will show the beautiful flower for you.

After the blossoming time is over is the best time for transplant the flowers. Just go to the forest and seek the favorite flowers. You should get the flower plants with the root and soil. They will be package in the closed bag or basket.

You will prepare the bed before you get the plants. It is not the good idea if your plants wait have wait to planting for a long time. The mixture of the soil in the bed is the wood’s soil and the leaf mold. The drainage system should be set up carefully. The plants do not like the closed water system. Some of the wood plants like the soil with the saturated water but not at all. You should put the stone in the bottom of your garden for the good water system. On the top soil of your garden, you should put some leaf mold and wood’s soil for the moisture system.

The early spring to late fall is the good time for you to create your wild flower garden. About March to April is the good time.

The spring beauty, saxifrage and hepatica should be start off in March. Everyone loves the hepatica. Before the spring, this plant will start to show the flower. The ray of warm sunshine is the best thing which the flowers are waiting for. The fuzzy covering protects the flower’s embryo. The hepatica plants will getting the leaf in the spring. It like the open place, rich and loose soil.

The spring beauty is the competition of the hepatica. The characteristic of the spring beauty is white flower with the little pink, thin and wiry stem, narrow and grass-like leaf. It grows in the great patches. You should plant the roots of them in the place where the sun light is not too much. Remember that the spring beauty loves the sun.

The saxifrage is growing in the dry and rocky places. We can find it in the chinks of rock. It is the rock garden plant. It loves the sandy place especially the big rock’s border. It has the white flower and the hairy stem.

SunFlower

4 Tips For Drying Sunflowers

Your drying strategy will depend on whether you're growing sunflowers for crop yield or in a personal garden. Today, we'll focus on a large harvest. The time required to dry the crop is going to be influenced by the moisture content, temperature of the drying room, and the humidity to which your harvest is exposed. Variances in any of these factors will change the dry rate. For example, raising the temperature a few degrees will cause the moisture level of your sunflowers to decline, thereby shortening the time needed to dry them. Below, I'll provide a few helpful tips that you can use when drying your next crop.

#1 - Use A Moisture Meter

You'll need to invest in a reliable moisture meter. If you're a hobby grower, you won't need one. But, assuming you're harvesting a large crop, a meter is essential for measuring the level of moisture contained in the seeds. It's only by taking this measurement that you'll be able to accurately judge the approximate drying period. If you're already an experienced grower, you'll probably already own one. If not, plan on spending $200 or more.

#2 - Don't Overcompensate

If you grow other crops that need to be dried (for example, corn and grain varieties), take care not to over-dry your sunflowers. Compared with a lot of other crops, lower quantities of moisture need to be removed from them. At any given temperature, it's easy to overdo it. If you've harvested your crop early to prevent bird and disease damage, they're going to have a higher moisture content and require more time to dry. Even so, keep a close eye on the dryer and take several moisture measurements with the meter.

#3 - Watch For Fires

Sunflowers always present the potential for a fire if you're using a dryer with an open flame. The reason is due to the fibers. The seeds have fine hairs and fibers that invariably rub loose when you're handling the crop. When they get caught in the flame, they ignite in the burner. If the hairs and fibers are consumed by the flame before touching the rest of the harvest, there's no chance that a fire will spread. The best way to manage the risk is to place fans that blow across the sunflowers, away from your dryer. That way, the fibers are pushed in the opposite direction of the burner.

#4 - Maintain Consistency

A common mistake made by both new and experienced growers is to neglect drying consistency. If you've harvested a relatively small crop, this won't be much of an issue. However, larger crops are susceptible to "patch drying" where certain areas of the facility receive more exposure to air flow than others. When that happens, you'll find that some of your sunflowers will be dried out while others retain too much moisture. Make sure that the fans and blowers you've set up deliver a consistent flow across the entire facility.

Confluence Of Small Factors

There aren't any secrets to drying sunflowers. It's mostly a matter of applying a number of smart tactics and adhering to common safety measures. By using a moisture meter and taking steps to prevent overdrying, you'll enjoy a higher yield. And by setting up fans in the right positions (blowing away from your dryer's open flame), you can reduce the always-present risk of fire. Finally, apply a consistent flow of air. If you do those 4 things, you'll have a higher yield with better quality.

Growing With Children

What is the best way of getting your children interested in growing vegetables?

Well in my view you need to give them their own space. Tell them this plot is yours. It does not have to be large, about 2 feet square for younger children or you could even get them started by growing crops or herbs in pots. Older children may prefer something larger. I know that a small high density bed that is only 2 foot by 2 foot does not sound very big, but it will be to a young child. A larger bed may just seem too big to do anything with to them, so start them small. If you have more than one child, give them their own high density bed each or just make a larger bed and divide this up into a section for each child and then divide this into mini plots for each crop. For very young children I would not make the bed more than 2 feet wide as they can reach the middle of this from each side.

What I would do is start them off with their own high density gardening raised bed built from timber that is at least 6 inches deep. This will give a soil depth which is deep enough for most easy to grow crops. You need to fill this with a soil mix and I would recommend buying this in the form of bagged peat or coir, bagged well rotted manure and maybe a bag of sterilized topsoil as well. As you have some manure in there you need to instill in your children good hygiene with hand washing after gardening and before eating. Mix your soil ingredients together and then fill the high density garden bed. If you are using 6 inch timber you will only need 2 cubic foot of soil mix. Once you have done this I would divide the bed into 4 mini plots using a brightly colored plastic string. I have gone for plastic as it does not rot and is safer for little hands than wire. Simply staple this to the timber. To increase interest, get your child involved in building the high density garden bed and even a trip to buy the soil mix and the seeds.

You are now ready to start planting. But what do you plant. It all depends on the age of your child. Younger children want to see things happen quickly and the crop be ready as soon as possible. Older children may be prepared to wait to harvest the crop. For this reason I would suggest thinking about what crops to grow. Things like radish and lettuce are best as these are fairly quick to grow. That takes care of 2 of the mini plots and in the others I would suggest something like mixed salad, land cress, rocket or possibly 1 outdoor cherry tomato plant. Older children will have a much better idea of what they like and want to eat so go along with that but remember, the crops talked about here are quick growing.

Cherry Tomato

I know tomatoes take a long time to grow but a seed should be up in a week and then there is all the fun watching it grow to about 3 to 4 foot tall, keep tying it to the stake, pinching out the side buds, watching the flowers appear, then the tiny green fruit and so on. There is a lot to watch with tomatoes. You can start the plant off in a pot in the house. Try the kitchen windowsill. Put 2 or 3 seeds in and choose the strongest seedling. There is watering to be done, so buy a child size watering can for this job and make sure you stand the pot on a drip tray or old plate. If it is warm enough outside, you can just put the seeds straight into the mini plot. Make sure this is at the side farthest away from the sun as otherwise it would shade out the other smaller plants.

Back to the high density bed, what to do now? It should be divided into 4 mini plots and each one of these will take a different crop.

Radishes

I would get your child to sow radish in one of the mini plots. Try dividing this up for them into 3 strips and sow 2 rows of radish in one of them, 2 rows in the next 2 weeks later and 2 rows in the final strip 2 weeks after than to give a timed cropping. Simply draw your finger to make 2 drills in which to drop the seed about half an inch deep. Try to get the seeds about an inch apart but this will not be easy for little fingers and cover the seeds with soil mix. It does not matter if there are gaps or too many seeds in some places, it is all part of gardening experience. If there are too many seedlings simply thin them out. You should be able to fill gaps in with these thinnings but they do not always transplant but there is no harm in trying. When your child is planting the final third of the bed there will be radishes nearly ready for harvesting in the first third.

Lettuce

I would start these off growing in small flats or seed trays or better still in cells as these make a nice little plug to transplant. Rather than a hearting lettuce, I would grow a loose leaf type as they grow much quicker and can be harvested earlier. They also have the benefit of keeping growing as long as you harvest a few leaves of each plant when you need them.

Once they seedlings are large enough, plant out 4 in a mini plot. Watch out for slugs and other pests but otherwise just watch them grow. Harvest the young leaves when ready.

Mixed Salad Leaves

I would get your child to scatter these on the surface of the soil mix. Tip the seeds out on to your hand or a piece of paper and get your child to pick a few up at a time, scatter these and then add some more. Gently cover the seeds and I find a simple garden seed sowing sieve is best for this. Do not cover them too thickly. You treat these the same as for loose leaf lettuce but rather than one type of lettuce you will get a mixture of different salad leaves which can all be harvested together.

Land Cress or Rocket

These may be a little strong in taste but if your child has grown them they may be far more likely to eat them. Sow them as you would for lettuce. Grow in flats or cells and plant 4 to a mini plot. They will develop to fill the mini plot over time.

By starting your child gardening at an early age you may set them off with a lifetime hobby. There is the old saying “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime.” Well it is the same with young children and gardening. Start them gardening now and they may develop a life long interest in growing their own fresh vegetables and there is nothing finer than fresh, wholesome and tasty vegetables except the ones you have grown yourself.