Ashley asked:


I live in TN. So, far we have had about 2 weeks of warm weather (60s & 70s) before spring even set in. Last year, our winter ended right around this time also unlike past decade where cold weather ( < 60F) would last through April. So, should I wait a little longer or can I go ahead and start my flower gardening now?

MARCO

Organic Gardener asked:


Perfect soil

What is the function of soil in our yards and gardens? Simply put, soil provides plants with mineral nutrients, water and anchorage. The basic types of soil are clay, sand, and silt. The percentage of each determines whether you have sandy clay loam, silt, loam, etc.  There are so many variables that affect soil that your yard may have a different soil type than the one across the street.

Some soil properties that are influenced by the texture of soil include aeration, drainage, water holding capacity and temperature. For example, sandy soil has excellent aeration, warms quickly in spring and has a low water-holding capacity. The exact opposite is true for clay. It has poor aeration, warms slowly, and has high water-holding capacity.

Here are the four major components of soil:

The solid portion, or rocks and minerals Decaying organic matter, microorganisms, living or dead plants and other organic matter Liquid Soil air

 

Amounts of each of these components determine whether or not plants will grow and thrive in the soil. Ideal or perfect soil consists of 25% air, 25% water, 40% mineral matter and 10% organic matter. As you already know, this never happens!

However, what we do to improve our soil will affect our plants.

You can re-mineralize your soil by adding Minerals Plus or Texas Greensand. You can increase organic matter by adding a good organic compost. This also increases earthworm activity and beneficial bacterial growth.  Spray-N-Grow increases microbial activity that helps keep air and water moving in the soil. To find out more about your soil, use the Sunleaves Three Way Meter.  It allows you to test your soil for pH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and will give you immediate results.

Naturally, some soil needs more work than others, but with a little work and some good organic garden products, you can pretend that your soil is perfect! All of the gardening products listed in this article can be purchased from Spray-N-Grow.  



ISAIAH

MoodyGem asked:


I have read many articles that suggest using old tires for container gardening. My father is considering making a vegetable garden out of tires. Does the tire pollute the soil and there fore the vegetables? I it is bad to burn tires.. Should I be concerned about the quality of the vegetables? Have you seen any scientific evidence about this topic? Or environmental tests?

ANDY

Inge asked:


I have an old tree in front of my home. I like to add a flower bed around the tree, but I am new to planting and gardening. Also, my lawn needs a lot of care. Last year my husband tilled part of our lawn and we replanted new grass, but our lawn looks very unhealty with a lot of try, burned like spots. What can I do to have a healthy lawn, and how do I go about creating my flower bed around the tree. I like to put a border around the tree like a small wall maybe. I want the flower bed be higher than the actual lawn. We have mostly clay dirt. Can you give me some advice and/or help. Thanks.

SCOTTY

Organic Gardener asked:


Ten basic rules for gardening 

Rule #1 - Buy plants from a very reputable source–I prefer nurseries over discount stores and warehouse stores. 

Rule #2 - Select plants that will grow in your climate–consider your high and low temperatures. 

Rule #3 - Plant your plants in the right place in your yard–sun-loving plants in the sun, shade-loving plants in the shade. 

Rule #4 - Provide your plants with complete nutrition. Most fertilizers and plant foods don’t. Spray-N-Grow and Bill’s Perfect Fertilizer provide major and minor elements identified by botanists as necessary for plant growth and production. 

Rule #5 - Water your plants properly. 

Rule #6 - Keep your plants bug free. Look for bugs on your plants as often as possible. Apply an organic and environmentally friendly bug killer if necessary. 

Rule #7 - Watch for plant disease. Spray your plants with Physan 20 or Serenade if you see any wilting, black spots, etc. 

Rule #8 - Weed around your plants or use All Down Organic Weed and Grass Kill or Burnout Weed and Grass Killer. 

Rule #9 - Deer, rabbits, squirrels and other animals may try to feast on your plants. If you see evidence of munching, use a humane animal repellants. It may take a little detective work to figure out what type of hungry animal is invading your garden. 

Rule #10 - Gardening is a physical activity–take care of yourself. Wear a hat and gloves. Use sunscreen and watch for stinging insects. Use safe products–many common gardening products are not organic or all natural. To buy garden products mentioned in this article, visit Spray-N-Grow’s website ( http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com ). Their garden products are safe for people, plants and pets.



MARK

Garden Lodges asked:


A recent survey shows that an increasing number of professionals are using home based offices. This is because a home based office not only allows one to save time in commuting but at the same time enables one to reduce work hours as well; thus getting to spend more time with the family. However, home based offices come with some innate problems like lack of living space as well as privacy. For professionals facing such a dilemma, therefore a garden office is the best solution.

In recent times, many employers too prefer professionals who work from home as they not only show improved productivity but at the same time allow the company to save on the cost of infrastructure. However, what worries the employer is the lack of peaceful ambience in an employee’s home that would let him complete his work peacefully. Garden lodges products are designed mainly to be used as garden offices and are the best solution in such a case. After conducting a careful detailed site survey of your garden, you can choose a garden office that will best suit your needs. When you are working from home there are many options. You can work from anywhere – right from your kitchen table to the loft. Whatever be the option for a home based office, a garden office still remains the best solution as it offers you an independent working space separate from your home. Most importantly you can have the much-needed privacy that a garden studio offers for carrying out your work more effectively and efficiently.

The best thing about a garden studio is that it combines functionality with aesthetics. If you do design your garden appropriately you can create an office that not only has convenient electrics and lighting but will also provide you with a professional environment. Being a separate construction that has been designed specifically for office work, it will provide the right ambience for your work all the year round in comfort and security.

Gardenlodges.co.uk will provide you with the best solution to your home working dilemma. The traditional garden lodges are priced at around £12,995 and use modern construction techniques that result in an elegant blending of functionality with aesthetics. The garden offices provided by gardenlodges.co.uk complement any property. What sets the company apart from its competitors is that it allows you to personalize your garden office and create your own unique design best suited for your exact requirements.



JUNIOR

Organic Gardener asked:


Water-wise “naturescapes” offer savings

When it comes to watering your lawn and paying water bills, sound gardening practices can cut down homeowner investments of effort, time and money, reports the American Association of Nurserymen. And, you don’t have to turn your lovely colorful landscape into a rock garden featuring a sprinkling of cactus plants.

This popular approach to water management and water-conserving landscape design has been commonly known as Xeriscaping, and because the term comes from the Greek for “dry” many people assume it describes desert landscapes. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In contrast, the approach focuses on working with nature’s guidelines to create a lush looking landscape. As a matter of fact, “naturescaping” can be another way to describe this water-wise landscape design and management.

Turning your yard and garden into a “naturescape” requires some common sense and planning. That entails choosing the best plants, soils, locations, and irrigation systems for efficient water use. Some of those water-wise plant materials include vibrantly colored perennials and lush varieties of shrubs.

The keys to “naturescaping” involve how, when, and what you water in taking care of your property. Low-volume irrigation systems such as drip-watering devices reduce water use by 50 percent. Early-morning watering cuts down on evaporation.

Water-wise “naturescapes” offer savings. Grouping plants by water requirements is a smart way to guard against overwatering some plants and underwatering others. Save water by replacing leaky parts of irrigation devices and positioning sprinklers to shower areas of vegetation, as opposed to the driveway, garage, or deck.

A constant among guidelines for being water-wise is maintaining the health of your plants. Strong plants don’t need as much water as weak ones do. We have many reports from gardeners that Spray-N-Grow helps their plants withstand drought much better than those not sprayed with Spray-N-Grow. That’s because Spray-N-Grow helps plants develop a better root structure-more roots that are larger and longer. Plants that have a better root structure are more able to “find” any available moisture.

Be sure to add the needed soil amendments and mulch around plants to keep the roots moist. When adding to your landscape, don’t forget to include drought-resistant plants and grasses to those you already have.

Before you begin planning your new “naturescape” or planning how to convert your current landscape into a more water-efficient one, be sure to check with the experts at your retail nursery/garden center. They can offer the most valuable assistance for getting the best results.



VAN

fionainluv asked:


I am trying to find more information about the type of gardening or farming where you maybe plant a blueberry bush underneath an apple tree. This is supposed to allow natural type pesticides as well as keep soil rich.

ERWIN

Organic Gardener asked:


Show them how much you enjoy gardening. Spend time in your garden. It is especially easy to stimulate a child’s interests when they see you having fun.

Make gardening easy. Don’t expect a perfect garden. Allow your family to work at their own pace and within their attention spans and age range, especially children.

Dig it! Kids love to dig. This is a great way to teach the basics while letting them play and just have fun. 

Let them play an active role in planning. Take your children to the local nursery and let them pick seeds or transplants to start their garden. Take your time and let them browse and enjoy all of the beautiful plants.

Grow a theme garden. This is a great way to let your children use their imagination and express their creativity. The sky is the limit. Some great ideas are gardens that coincide with the holidays, alphabet gardens, a garden themed in their favorite colors, a sensory garden where you can experience different smells, tastes, textures and sights, or a “Freedom Garden”.

Give children their own “kid sized” tools. They don’t have to be expensive. You can go with an old spoon and a bucket that you have around the house or you can venture down to the garden center and purchase garden tools made for children’s hands.

Give them a space to call their own. It doesn’t have to be big. This will teach them ownership and responsibility, and your children will be able to take credit for their own little space.

Get crafty! Press or dry flowers to make a beautiful arrangement, make potpourri, or make a pomander ball. Children love making things and will be amazed at the crafts and gifts that they can make from the garden.

Grow a vegetable garden. Your children will be amazed that they can grow their own food. Be sure to use organic pesticides.

Use gardening to brush up your children’s math and science skills. Let them count the seeds they are planting, or teach them how plants are living things. Not only will you capture their attention, you will be polishing their skills as you go.

Have a contest. Kids love to be rewarded. Be sure to give each child a reward; the biggest tomato, the prettiest flower, or perhaps the best tasting herbs (a little Spray-N-Grow will help!)

Don’t try to do it all! Pick a few of these tips that you know are best for your family and have fun with them. After all, gardening is meant to be fun and easy. And with a little help, something the whole family can enjoy.

Original Article



RICKIE

Bare Bones Gardener asked:


If you are looking for ways for you or your children to provide cheap presents for the extended family, or just like to give gifts that have a personal element to them, then here is a suggestion or two for you.

If you are looking to make a present for the gardener in the family or someone who has recently moved into their own home, someone in a flat or unit, or a person who can’t manage a full sized yard, or a family member who loves to cook with fresh ingredients, etc. Then why not consider giving them something from your own garden? Here I am talking about plants that you have divided off from your own garden plants.

There are many plants growing in the average garden that can be divided, or that have naturally self layered themselves. Where you could go along and take a rooted section, pot them up and with a bit of dressing up of the planting container, you could produce a really nice gift for someone you care about.

These plants include many herbs as well as perennials or shrubs and even some trees which manage to send out self-layering branches or suckers from the root system. Some perennials or bulbs will increase their size or number of bulbs over time. Chance seedlings coming up in the wrong place for you, can easily also be used. All of these provide you with an opportunity to cheaply create a wonderful present for someone else.

First things first you will need to obtain a number of pots either plastic ones left over from additions to the garden population, or from someone you know, or you can go out and purchase a pot plastic/ceramic/terracotta etc., to suit your needs. If the person you are giving the plant to is not a real gardener, then you might consider getting a pot with a waterwell in the base to increase the plants’ chances of surviving.

Next, you need to begin looking for your plant material, so take a careful look around your garden at the soil level. Check out which plants are showing multiple stalks growing out of the ground. Or those sprawling plants where a branch has leaned over on to the ground and taken root along the branch, maybe one where a branch has become buried under the mulch.

Or one where there is a sucker growing from the soil a short distance from the parent plant. Another possibility is seedlings growing in the garden a distance from the parent plant material. Maybe there is a clump of plants or a big patch of bulbs where you can do some dividing.

Many of these plants benefit from being divided up or being allowed some more growing room in the particular area where you have taken away some material.

Different parts of Australia will have a differing range of plant species, which lend themselves to this form of self-propagation. If you can’t find any plants that are doing this in your own garden, why not look at a friends or neighbours garden. Or you could maybe join forces and give a joint present using plants from another family member’s garden. Or another possibility is to buy a plant in a pot that has several plants already established in it.

Divide that up before you use half in your own garden, and still have half to repot and give away. Even if you are not confident about your gardening skills you can still pick up cheap plants at the local market, school/church fair, garage sale etc. Repot them into a bigger or nicer pot for a fairly cheap present.

Another possibility is to multiplant a few different plants into a long or large round tub. This will create an instant garden on the move. Some themes you might consider here is herbs, indoor foliage, bulbs, annuals, alpine/rock, cacti/succulent or even patio gardens mixing annuals and perennials.

It is best to moisten the ground around the plant that you are going to work on well before you do the dividing, as this allows you to remove the maximum amount of root mass during the dividing process.

The first step is to divide the clump or cut away the joining branch to make the separate plant available. Then using a spade, fork or gardening trowel, dig as far out from the potential plant as practicable, because this will give you the biggest root mass possible.

Go down as far you believe you need to, (this will depend on such circumstances as size of new plant, species of original plant material, type of soil, other plant or landscaping material around the area, etc.). As gently as you can dig out the new plant. Shake off any excess soil and refill the resulting hole in the ground if necessary.

Prune back the foliage of the new plant to roughly equal size of the root mass, trying to protect some of the new foliage growth. Repot as soon as practicable, so that the roots do not dry out and die.

Another thing to consider is what sort of pot you are gong to plant into; if it is only a plastic pot then you do not need to prepare it beforehand. However if you are looking at painting it, then do this before you get digging.

When painting up pots, you will need to do some preparation work for the paint to stick properly. Plastic pots should have their surface roughened up with a bit of sandpaper. While some terracotta pots should have a primer applied to the outer surface before you paint them. Try not to get primer or paint onto the inside of the planter, because while most wont, there are still some paints which contain chemicals that may affect or contaminate the soil and plant over time.

Other possibilities for decorating up pots include simply gluing on bits and pieces including stones, tiles, buttons, sticks, shells, ornaments, ribbon, stickers and decals, etc. Other ways of decorating up a pot for the initial presentation is to wrap up just the pot (not the actual plant), using either wrapping paper, cellophane, material, a cheap teatowel or even hessian. Hold these wrappers in place with string, ribbon, bandana, scarf, etc.

Other possibilities for adding value to the potplant is to provide some growing information and name tags for the plant/s included. Other little quirks you might add include a personalised name tag, (Hi, my name is David the Diffenbachia . . . ), or a little watering indicator, miniature hand tools, small amounts of fertiliser, pot ornaments, watering can etc.

So as you can see, creating a very personal gift for just about anyone can easily be within the grasp of anyone. Why not go out into your garden and start thinking about what presents you can be preparing for Christmas this weekend.



MORTON