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Things to do during winter for your spring garden

Don't you just love that lovely soft blanket of white that undulates over your lawn and garden plots? Doesn't it just bring winter joy to your soul?

Okay, maybe not. Maybe you're one of the people who sees winter as a long season before the only real important season comes along. You call the good season "Growing Season."

In either case, there is plenty you can do for your garden now, in the winter conditions many of us find ourselves in, that will help your garden get a head start in the Spring.

COMPOST
That's right, you can compost during the winter. In fact, winter is a prime time for composting. This is because when temperatures reach below freezing outside, interesting things happen to vegetable matter. In fact, the tissues in tough vegetable stems and stalks freeze up and then lose their toughness.

A case in point of this fact is the frozen vegetables that we get in the store. You know how you can open a bag of frozen broccoli, steam the florets to serving temperature and tenderness, and then enjoy them? Have you noticed how broccoli prepared this way has a far different consistency from fresh broccoli that is steamed? This is because freezing the broccoli simply changes the molecular make-up of the stems.

So toss your broccoli stems, your squash rinds, your old carrots and such into your compost. Or you can even just toss them into your garden plot. They will get covered up by the snow and won't be an eyesore. If you don't get snow, just remember how wonderful your garden is going to be after feasting on all that organic matter over the long winter!

PLAN
During the last growing season, you probably found some things you wanted to do differently when planting season rolls around again. Winter is a prime time to plan your garden. You can measure things, draw up a schematic and even stake things out if you want to go that far.

I've enjoyed doing this, as I can usually fine tune the layout of my vegetable and flower gardens.

Speaking of flower gardens, winter really is a great time to plan your future award-winning plot. My wife and I like to research different kinds of annuals that will bloom at various times in the spring and summer. With all the time we have in the winter, we can plan a garden that will be constantly blooming in at least one area.

SEEDS
Once you have your garden planned, you will probably find yourself with more wintertime on your hands. So go online and start researching seeds! You will find plenty of places that sell all sorts of heritage seeds and others.

One gardening friend of mine spends months choosing which types of tomatoes she is going to plant come growing season. Last year she planted a striped variety.

STARTS
As winter wanes, you can get your seeds started in order to be able to get them in the ground when the weather warms up. Be sure to get the right kind of supplies and also make sure you have a window that will get plenty of the bright winter sun, but that is still warm.

Then as the weather warms, you can harden off your flower and vegetable starts and then put them in the ground!

All in all, the die-hard gardener can still enjoy the winter. What's more, your garden will do even better in the next growing season if you have nourished and planned it well.

Organic Gardening Tips By Jared Garrett

Instructions And Guidelines Essential For Using Landscaping Gravel

If you are looking for landscaping gravel, as with anything else there are going to be those companies which stand out from among the rest, and it is these companies that you are going to want to give your business to. When it comes to landscaping gravel, there are a few companies in particular which are worthwhile to take note of.

This is definitely one of the best options that you have when it comes to landscaping gravel, and they are a company which is truly dedicated to providing the absolute highest standard of quality to each and every one of their customers. They believe that their growth and success are directly related to their customers, and they are a dependable, innovative and diverse company that is committed to continuing to provide this quality service to their customers in the future.

Techniques of Using Landscape Gravel:

They achieve their growth and profitability goals through a professional atmosphere which encourages innovation and hard work, the commitment of their employees who together have formed a team of conscientious individuals, through development and education which has also made them efficient and professional, a guarantee that their customers receive only the utmost satisfaction and value, and the knowledge that their community is the foundation for their business.

This is another great option that you have for purchasing landscaping materials, and they are a wholesale retail stone yard that offers a vast and varied selection of quality natural stone and other landscaping materials for all of your building and landscaping projects. As well they carry a full line of retaining wall and pavers systems by UNILOCK and Firestone, two of the best names in the business.

Landscaping Gravel Methods:

This is another great landscaping product manufacturer, and they have been in the landscaping business for over 25 years now. They offer one of the largest and most varied selections of landscaping tools and products in the world, and you can even shop online off of their website, if you have access to a computer and the Internet.

Of course there are plenty of other options that you can choose from as well, however when choosing a company such as this, if it is not one of those previously discussed here, then you are going to want to make sure it is legit and that the prices are reasonable before going ahead and giving them your business.

After all there are definitely bad apples out there and you want to make sure to steer clear of these. There are various kinds of ornaments or structures that can be used to decorate you landscape area. There are several manmade structures like gazebos, water formations, trellises etc that you can integrate into the landscape. These are sure to make the area more interesting and more natural looking if they are made of natural materials that do not stand out.

A professional landscaping firm will be able advisee you on choosing and positioning landscaping features to optimize your energy savings. When your landscaping project is finished, you?ll have both a more beautiful home and lower home energy bills all year long!

Organic Gardening Tips By: David Faulkner

How To Grow Amazingly Healthy Plants In Your Greenhouse For Profit Or Pleasure

Here are some tips to help you grow amazingly healthy plants in your greenhouse for profit or pleasure:

Fertilizers:

If you use cloth, it can be placed outside as well as inside for cooling and shading. In fact any type of shading used outside, but with an air space between the shading and the glass, will help you operate your greenhouse more economically.

Most growing plants need fertilizing at least twice a month. Liquid fertilizing is very popular. Some growers dilute fertilizer )i or % recommended strength and then give it at weekly intervals. Apply fertilizer to moist soil, for if the soil is dry, the chemical may burn feeder roots and cause a setback.Types of Plant Food

There are many brands of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the market. If you prefer an organic type, I suggest fish emulsion, Ovene (a stick form of concentrated sheep manure), or liquid manure. You can prepare liquid manure by placing a half bushel of cow manure in a burlap bag and steeping it in a half tub of water for 2 to 3 weeks. Dilute this "brew" with water—to the color of weak tea—and then apply to your greenhouse plants. If you prefer the inorganic fertilizers, choose Ra-pid-gro, Hyponex, Plant Marvel, Spoonit, or something similar.

When plants are resting, they do not need fertilizer. Bulbs— amaryllis, haemanthus, other amaryllids, and tuberous or rhizomatous gesneriads—need no fertilizer and a minimum of water during their dormant period.

A complete commercial fertilizer includes proper proportions of the three main plant foods—nitrogen, phosphorus or phosphoric acid, and potash or potassium (N, P, and K). Percentages are numbered on the container in that order. A favorite with many growers is 5-10-5. This means the fertilizer contains 5 per cent nitrogen, 10 per cent phosphorus, and 5 per cent potash.

Shading

Learning when and how to shade my plants was for me the most difficult phase of greenhouse operation. You can purchase various shading compounds (one called Garlands is preferred by many growers). Cement, liquefied with a mixture of water and linseed oil and diluted until it is just thick enough to adhere to glass, seems to work best for me. I brush it on the glass with an old broom extended by a stick fastened to the handle. This shading holds for the summer, even through hard rains, and a small amount adheres during the winter. By spring, when I give the greenhouse the annual housecleaning, the shading has about disappeared and the glass is ready for another coat.

Since you want plants to reach a saleable stage in minimum time, you will have to pay considerable attention to fertilizing. A regular program is necessary. Decide on dates when you will fertilize plants, then try not to deviate from schedule unless the weather upsets the expected rate of plant development.

Oganic Gardening Tips By: Gerald Mason

In today's world, many are concerned about the signs of aging, the rise in the number of allergies and the well being of the environment. We often shout about just causes, moan about growing old and hanker for the good old days.

Plus Points For Organic Gardening

Organic gardening is the way of growing vegetables and fruits with the use of things only found in nature. Why would one want to indulge in organic gardening?

1.One can easily make compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though this is a bit more time-consuming than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it certainly helps to put garbage to good use and so saves the environment.

2. Organic farming does not use chemicals that may have an adverse affect on your health. This is especially important when growing vegetables. Chemical companies tell us that the chemicals we use are safe if used according to direction, but research shows that even tiny amounts of poisons absorbed through the skin can cause such things as cancer, especially in children.

On the average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult. This can lead to various diseases later on in the child's life. With organic gardening, these incidents are lessened.

Remember, pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose - to kill living things.

3. Less harm to the environment. Poisons are often washed into our waterways, causing death to the native fish and polluting their habitat.

4.Organic farming practices help prevent the loss of topsoil through erosion. The Soil Conservation Service says that an estimated 30 - 32 billion tons of soil erodes from United States farmlands every year.

5. Cost savings. One does not need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening. Many organic recipes for the control of pest and disease come straight from the kitchen cupboard. Sometimes other plants can be grown as companions to the main crop. An example of this is the marigold, which helps to repel aphids from vegetables. Mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil can make a cheap garden pest spray. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on plants.

6.A simple mulch of pine needles will help to suppress the growth of weeds as well as keeping the moisture in.

7.Organic gardening practices help to keep the environment safe for future generations.

5 Pieces of Equipment Gardeners Can't Live WithoutGardening is fun and rewarding and may be considered a hobby, talent or both and sometimes it's just luck. Gardening is not as easy as it looks and involves dedication, time and consistency and many trials and errors. There are many aspects to maintaining a healthy garden, but some aspects are more important than others. An individual who likes to garden can have the knowledge to produce the best garden in the world, but without the right equipment and materials it just wouldn't be possible.

Below you will find a list of the top 5 pieces of equipment which gardeners simply cannot live without:

1. Trowel. A trowel is a shovel-like piece of equipment which is used to dig up dirt and set small plants. There are many styles to choose from and type of handle on your trowel will determine how well it works. Easy grip, non-slide and non-slip grips are the best form of handle to choose. These will be easier to use and will require less work than any other form of trowel.

A trowel with no grip will be difficult to use and could end up ruining your garden. Try one out in your hand first to ensure it feels comfortable. There's nothing like having your hand cramp or the trowel slip while using it to dig in a beautiful, new plant.

2. Pitchfork. A pitchfork is a gardening tool which has 2-6 prongs and a long handle. The sizes of pitchforks vary, depending on what they are being used for. The space between each prong varies as well. Pitchforks are used to separate, lift and throw loose pieces of material such as dirt and leaves.

3. Spade. A gardening spade has a long, thick handle and a heavy flat blade. This tool is used to dig up and move pieces of dirt from one place to another. It can also be used to pack down dirt once the flower has been planted.

4. Pruning Shears. Pruning shears are tools which have a long handles and blades. This type of gardening equipment is used to allow gardeners to precisely prune rose bushes and other plants and unruly vines, etc. It can also be used to cut the grass at the edges of walkways and garden beds, in those hard to reach places. It is also used to trim the edges and remove dead leaves or wood on flowers.

There is no other piece of gardening equipment which can do the same job as pruning shears. Without the use of this piece of equipment, your garden will end up looking messy and disorganized. Always, always, always invest in good quality pruning shears. Good ones have a lifetime guarantee and low-end ones will make shrapnel of your heritage rose.

5. Wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow is one of the larger pieces of garden equipment. It is a cart with a handle and at least one wheel which is designed for easy transportation of materials from one place to another. Purchasing a wheelbarrow will save you a lot of time and effort, especially if you are off to the compost heap, and will make for a pleasant gardening experience. Another option is the 4-wheeled gardening cart.

There are many pieces of gardening equipment which will make this hobby easier and more efficient, however the ones listed above are recognized as the most important. These pieces of equipment will likely last a very long time.

Organic Gardening Tips