Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Top Tips To Take Your Organic Gardening To The Next Level!



Due to the fact that consuming organic foods is gaining popularity, choosing to live a holistic lifestyle is also becoming more prevalent. Many people who appreciate the benefits of this lifestyle enjoy growing their own foods using safe, organic gardening methods. Read up on some great organic tips below.

Plant perennials that are slug-proof. If slugs or snails find their favorite perennials in your garden, they'll snack all night. When you wake up in the morning, there will be very little left of your plants. Snails and slugs like to eat perennials with smooth and thin leaves, especially if they are young plants. There are, however, certain types of perennials that slugs and snails hate. Most of these varieties either have tough leaves or taste unappealing. Some of examples of these are achillea, heuchera, campanula, helleborus, and euphorbia.

Plan your garden before you plant it. This way, when the sprouts start shooting up, you can recall where you planted each plant. It can also keep you from planting any of your garden favorites too close to each other.

If your garden requires a lot of low work, then save yourself some strain by investing in knee pads. Excessive time spent kneeling often results in significant stiffness and pain. Having a pair of excellent knee pads for gardening can help cushion the knees to provide additional comfort.

See to it that you fertilize your garden. One type of fertilizer that really helps plants grow is manure, but be sure to utilize a type that is commercially composted to reduce the chances of pathogens. There are a number of options for fertilizer, but the truth is that what you use is unimportant; you just have to remember to use something.

Learn the best harvest time for each vegetable. Each veggie has its own prime time for harvesting. Harvesting zucchini is best done when they are small and baby peas should be harvested when they are young. Tomatoes, though, are tastiest when they have been allowed to ripen on the vine as long as possible. Remember that the vegetables will taste best if you harvest them at the proper time.

You need to be smart when it comes to watering your garden. You can save time by using soaker hoses when watering plants. By doing this, you won't need to water your plants individually. To avoid damaging delicate plants, you should water them with low pressure. You can go about your business and leave your soaker hose at work for an hour or two.

Plant your seeds carefully, taking your time. The first thing you should do before planting is moisturize the soil. Take the seeds and place them evenly across the gardening area, giving them plenty of space to grow. Multiply the size of each seed by three and bury the seed that deep. Read the seed pack as some varieties shouldn't be covered with soil because they require light to sprout.

Get more profits from your property. Landscaping can make the value of your property go up. Certain plants could increase the value by 20%. Try to find plants that are relatively low-moisture plants, suited well to your particular environment. This will add a lot of value to your property.

When it is harvest time, use a laundry basket. The laundry basket will function as a makeshift strainer for the fruits and vegetables. Just rinse the produce right in the basket; the water will drain through the holes.

Killing weeds the natural way? Take layers of newspapers and use them for weed control. Weeds can only grow in sunlight. They will suffocate and die if you cover them with newpapers. It's easy for newspapers to break down over an extended period of time, making them great for compost. Of course, you may wish to cover the paper with mulch to make it appear more attractive.

For the best results when growing an organic garden, you should shake your seeds up a little bit. After planted, make sure you agitate the seeds at least twice daily, using your fingers or even a Popsicle stick. While it seems a little odd, it has been reported that this can encourage plant growth.

As you pick up more tips, acquire new techniques, and learn more in general about organic gardening, you will find organic gardening becoming easier for you. Keep in mind that the advice you've read is only the beginning.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Planting Vegetables from Seed and Seedling

You can plant vegetable seeds indoors or outdoors. If you plant seeds indoors, you transplant them into your garden later. With direct seeding, you skip the indoor step and sow the seeds directly in your garden. If you're serious about growing vegetables, you'll probably end up using both options. Consider these points when making your choice:
  • You get a jump on the growing season when you sow seeds indoors. This process is calledseed starting (or starting, for short). If you start at the right time, you can have vigorous seedlings ready to go into the ground at the ideal time. In areas with short growing seasons, starting seedlings indoors really gives you a head start.
    The best candidates for an early start are plants that tolerate root disturbance and benefit from a jump on the season, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, leeks, onions, parsley, peppers, and tomatoes.
  • Seeds are easier to start indoors than outdoors. You can more easily provide the perfect conditions for hard-to-germinate or very small seeds, including the ideal temperature, moisture, and fertility.
  • Some vegetables don't like to be transplanted. These vegetables include many of the root crops, such as carrots, beets, turnips, and parsnips. They're cold-hardy vegetables, so you can direct seed them pretty early anyway. Crops like corn, beans, and peas are also pretty finicky about transplanting and grow better when you direct-seed.

Transplanting seedlings into the ground

Harden off vegetable seedlings that have been grown indoors or purchased from a greenhouse before exposing them to the elements. Hardening off is a way of increasing your plant's stamina before planting — similar to slowly acquiring a base tan before taking that outdoor, tropical vacation. Plants that have been growing outside at the nursery can go right into the ground, but greenhouse-grown plants are lush and soft and have never known a single day of sunshine in their lifetimes. You have to introduce them slowly to the harsh, real world.
To harden-off seedlings, leave the plants in their containers and put them in a shaded area with some indirect light for a few days. A north-facing, covered porch is ideal. Whenever a freeze is predicted, bring the plants inside overnight. If these are shade plants, you can leave them in this protected site for a few more days and then put them in the garden. For sunny-spot plants, give them a few days in the shaded area and then place the plants in a sunny location for an hour one day. Give them a couple of hours of sun the next day, and so on, increasing their exposure each day. At the end of a week, the plants are thoroughly accustomed to sunlight and wind and are ready to go into their new home.
Don't overharden your plants. Certain crops, such as cabbage and broccoli, can bolt(flower before they're supposed to) quickly if seedlings over three weeks old are repeatedly exposed to temperatures lower than 40°F (4°C) for a couple of weeks.
Before transplanting your seedlings, you need to prepare your soil and sculpt beds or rows, and your garden must be ready to plant. When setting out plants in biodegradable peat pots, make slits down the sides of the pots or gently tear the sides to enable the roots to push through. Also, tear off the lip (top) of the pot, so that it doesn't stick up above the soil surface and pull moisture out of the soil. With premade growing blocks encased in netting, cut off the netting before planting.
Choose a calm, cloudy day to transplant, if possible. Late afternoon is a good time because plants can recover from the shock of transplanting without sitting in the midday heat and sun. If you don't get an ideal transplanting day and the weather is hot and sunny, shade the plants until the sun goes down. Don't be alarmed if your plants look a little droopy after you set them out because they'll soon recover. Cabbage seedlings can droop and look almost dead, for example, and then be up and growing in a day or two.

Sowing seeds directly in your garden

Unless you live in an area where summers are really short, you're better off sowing some types of vegetables directly in a garden. Large-seeded, fast-growing vegetables, such as corn, melons, squash, beans, and peas, usually languish if they're grown in containers for even a day or two too long.
Before direct seeding, make sure that the soil has dried out sufficiently before you work it, and be sure that the soil is warm enough for the seeds that you want to plant. Pea seeds, for example, germinate in soil as cool as 40°F (4°C), and you can plant them as soon as you can work the soil in spring. Squash seeds, on the other hand, need warmth. If your soil temperature is much below 65°F (18°C), the seeds are likely to rot in the ground before they sprout. The best way to determine the temperature of your soil is to use a soil thermometer, which you can buy at a garden store.
You can plant seeds in a variety of patterns. The method that you choose depends on your climate, your tools, and your taste:
  • Row planting: Mark the placement of a row within your garden, and then make a furrow at the correct depth along the row. Some seeds may not sprout, so sow seeds more thickly than you want the final spacing of the crops to be. Thinning rows is less of a chore if you space seeds as evenly as possible. Cover the seeds with fine soil and then firm them in with the back of a hoe to make sure that all the seeds are in contact with the soil. Water gently. If you plan to use furrow irrigation, fill the furrows with water first and then push the large seeds into the top of raised beds.
  • Wide row planting: This method allows you to plant more seeds in less space by concentrating watering, weeding, and fertilizing in a smaller area. Rows are generally 10 to 16 inches (25 to 41 cm) wide. Sprinkle seeds over the entire row — with most crops, try to land the seeds about 1/2 to 1 inch (1 to 2 cm) apart. For peas and beans, space them 1-1/2 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm). Cover small seeds with a thin layer of potting soil. Lightly pat the potting soil down again to bring the added soil into firm contact with the seeds.
  • Bed planting: Planting in beds is essentially the same as planting wide rows.
  • Hill planting: Plant seeds for vining crops that spread out, such as squash, melons, or cucumbers, in hills or circular groups. Loosen the soil in a 1-foot-diameter (30 cm) area, level the area, and then plant five to six seeds close together. Thin out all but the two strongest seedlings.
    If your soil is heavy, you may want to plant in a raised hill, or mound. The raised soil warms up more quickly than the surrounding soil and drains better. Just don't let the mound dry out!
Soon after seedlings grow their second set of true leaves, you need to thin them out to avoid overcrowding. (The first set of leaves that a seedling produces are called seed leaves or cotyledon,which are followed by the true leaves.) When you thin plants, either discard the extra seedlings or move them to another part of your garden.
Newly transplanted seedlings need extra attention until they get established. Shade them from the hot sun for a day or two and be sure to keep them well watered.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Cohen Residence Entry Path

Modern Landscape by Houston Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers RH Factor Landscape Design
Modern Landscape by Houston Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers RH Factor Landscape Design
Eclectic Landscape by Houston Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers RH Factor Landscape Design

Friday, March 28, 2014

Private Residence, The Estuary

This transitional home offers plenty of space, clean architectural elements, and an inviting outdoor living and pool area. Builder: Harwick Homes Architect: Richard Wengle, Ontario Designer: Mazen Studio, Ontario
Transitional Living Room by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes
Transitional Pool by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes
Transitional Staircase by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes
Transitional Pool by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes
Transitional Pool by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes
Tropical Pool by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes
Transitional Pool by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes
Tropical Exterior by Bonita Springs Home Builders Harwick Homes

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Balmoral Tropical Patio Brisbane




Tropical Patio by Brisbane Landscape Architects & Designers Utopia Landscape Design
Tropical Patio by Brisbane Landscape Architects & Designers Utopia Landscape Design
Tropical Patio by Brisbane Landscape Architects & Designers Utopia Landscape Design
Tropical Landscape by Brisbane Landscape Architects & Designers Utopia Landscape Design
Tropical Landscape by Brisbane Landscape Architects & Designers Utopia Landscape Design
Tropical Landscape by Brisbane Landscape Architects & Designers Utopia Landscape Design
Tropical Landscape by Brisbane Landscape Architects & Designers Utopia Landscape Design

Landscape Architecture + Construction

Areas Served DC Metro Area Business Description Surrounds Landscape Architecture + Construction is a high-end design/build firm comprised of Registered Landscape Architects, skilled craftsmen, and experienced landscape crewmen all joined together as one team to serve the needs of homeowners who envision an outdoor living environment that will be the envy of their neighbors and friends. One of our experienced Landscape Architects will consult with you one on one to achieve the perfect concept for your home. This design will be inspired by your personal style and taste, making each project unique while complimenting the existing architectural character and local topography. Then, our team will work flawlessly together to move your project from paper to reality with stunning results. Whether you want the natural tranquility of an organic design with free flowing water over massive boulders, or the refined beauty of a formal setting, contact Surrounds today to find out what we can do for you.

Traditional Patio by Sterling Landscape Architects & Designers SURROUNDS Landscape Architecture + Construction

Sterling, VA US Contact: Jesse Edwards Type: Landscape Architects & Designers Address 21580 Blackwood Ct., Sterling, Virginia, United States, 20166 Fax: (703) 430-6058

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White Falls

Artfull Environment
River`s Edge
Grand Vision
Elegance in Design
Tuscan Influence
Silcot Meadow
Sophisticated Surrounding
Rustic Design
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Tropical Retreat
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