Green Lawn without Crabgrass

Crabgrass is one of the most dreaded sights in your lawn. No matter how well you care for your lawn, sooner or later a patch of crabgrass will start to crop up. If you do not act swiftly, this little one patch will grow and spread until it takes over your whole lawn. If you stay vigilant, and do these few things here, you can keep the crabgrass under control.

Before the crabgrass seedlings have a chance to sprout, apply herbicides fairly early in the spring. Two of the most commonly used herbicides are Dimension (dithiopyr) and Tupersan (siduron).

If you let your lawn grow on the long side (about 3 inches high) the grass will actually protect itself by depriving light to the crabgrass seeds so they can't germinate.

When you water your lawn, make sure the water runs deeply. And do not water frequently letting the soil dry out between waterings. You also do not want your lawn to get too soggy because other problems will develop. Because crabgrass is a shallow-rooted plant, it will tend to die more readily than your grass that has deeper roots. When the soil surface dries out, the shorter roots of the crabgrass will be left with no nourishment.

After your lawn has been watered, it is a good time to weed. Pick through it and just pull out (yank) the crabgrass and just toss it into your wheel barrel. When your grass is wet, it is much easier to weed. And make sure you dispose of the crabgrass properly, far away from your lawn.

Once you feel you have weeded all the visible patches of crabgrass (and dandelions, while you are at it), apply mulch to your lawn. This will prevent any remaining crabgrass seed from sprouting. If this weeding has left bare patches, re-seed your lawn in the fall. This re-seeding will fill these patches with grass instead of crabgrass in the spring.

Generally, the more lush, thick, and tightly compacted your lawn is, the more it will deter weeds and crabgrass. Because it is so dense, it will actually choke out weeds, dandelions, and crabgrass. Under favorable conditions and with proper maintenance your lawn is capable of being this rich and lush. It takes work maintaining it along with buying the right seed, applying fertilizer at the right times, and watering it the right amount.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

Consider a Bonsai Tree Garden

A Bonsai tree in regards to decoration in your house, is something many are considering now since there are many places online to access information on growing this particular plant provided by botanical experts and those who have been involved in growing bonsai trees for many years.

Actually planting a bonsai tree is just like planting any other tree. The trick is in the care and maintenance. It needs extra and you have to be willing to devote your time and effort into it. In fact as the tree starts growing, your workload usually grows as well.

Bonsai trees range from pine, maple, elm, and flowering apricots to more rare ones such as Japanese wisteria, juniper, flowering cherry, azalea and larch. There is a lot to choose from and people usually have a difficult time choosing their minds as to what they want in their home. But once chosen, the miniature tree becomes a possession of your very own desire. Whatever is chosen, the bonsai tree must look natural in its environment. Your selection is the primary step in considering a bonsai tree garden.

After the tree starts to grow it is now time to think of the particular style you want to be conveyed. Basically the bonsai tree can be styled as to whatever way you want it to be. Common styles would be the formal upright, informal upright, cascade, and semi-cascade. Others are raft, literati, and group or forest styling.

The styling names are given according to how literally the plant looks in the confined pot or space. Each styling method has its own beauty, and it is up to you, which would be the most natural setting in your home.

The styling of the tree is done through several known methods of shaping. One involves wrapping wires around the plant to encourage, or discourage it from growing in a certain direction. Thus, the specific design or style that you prefer starts to be created.

For many people, even the most basic of house plants can seem difficult to grow for some people. If you are one of these people, then I would recommend not attempting a bonsai garden. Bonsais seem to be some of the most enigmatic plants available.

Bonsai tree maintenance begins with the soil and watering. The both elements must work together in that instead of compact, thick, poorly draining soil, you need soil that drains freely and is open. What is important is the physical effect that the soil needs to have in order to be good bonsai soil. A generic potting mix can be used or there are also bonsai soil mixes.

As bonsais are trees it is recommended that they are kept outside. Naturally, because of this factor, watering will depend on the weather. So in dry and hot times of the year, it is important that the soil is moistened every day. In the winter or in cooler months, three days a week is normal for watering your bonsai.

Early in the spring to late in the summer, and then again in the fall are the recommended two times to feed fertilizer to your bonsai as part of your maintenance. Fertilizer with low amounts of nitrogen should be used. Many masters of bonsai tree maintenance choose fertilizing pellets that have a slower release rate and work over time.

There are two areas of pruning bonsais: branch pruning and root pruning. Most people just think it is necessary to do branch pruning, but pruning the root is also important especially with bonsais. The time to prune varies depending on the specific type of bonsai tree. Basic rule is the specific branches that you do want to cut are those that grow facing you, grow in toward the trunk or down toward the ground.

Repotting is important part of the general bonsai tree maintenance. In general, smaller, younger plants, need repotting every two to three years, while the older plants do not need to be repotted quite as frequently. A gravel layer and a layer of soil should be added in the bottom of the new pot before transferring the tree and wrap wires around the root ball, twisting them together so that the tree is secure. Then add more soil until it reaches the bottom of your bonsai tree trunk.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

Must Have Luxury Garden Gadgets

Gardening and lawn care is so much more fun when you have all the latest gadgets and tools. You know you are truly prepared when you step outside in your lawn aerator shoes and wearable garden stool, rolling your pecan picker upper, with your trusty power drill auger at your hip! If you are the type of person who loves gadgets and gizmos as much as you love gardening, then you are in the right place. Make sure you are not missing out on any new gardening equipment that you did not know you could not live without!

For your hanging plants or container gardens, you should definitely have self watering planters. Some are stackable and help you easily create a self watering vertical garden. Imagine the neighbor’s envy! If you do not have self watering gardens, there is still a way to get excited about patio plants and container gardens.

I am talking about an electronic watering can that, in tests, helped plants produce anywhere from twenty percent to fifty-eight percent more vegetables. Flowers will grow much larger and produce more blooms with up to seventy-six percent more weight. How does it work? Oxygen. The oxygenating watering can uses an electrolysis element to increase the oxygen content of your water by up to one hundred fifty percent. It works, because the more oxygen that gets to the roots of your plants, the more nutrients they can take in.

Another must have is the electronic soil tester. It electronically measures moisture in the soil, soil pH, sunlight and the combined nitrogen, phosphorus and potash (NPK) fertilizer levels. If you are unsure about what all that means, never fear. It comes with a list of preferred conditions for different types of plants, so if you hide the list in your waterproof write in the rain garden notebook, no one will realize that you may not know what the levels mean. The electronic soil tester will help you decide what locations in your yard are ideal for certain plants, if the soil needs adjustment or if it is time to water.

Enough with the small stuff, we are moving on to the lawn. There are a lot of little individual gadgets that can help you with lawn care, but the automatic hose reel is definitely the hottest new gadget on the market. Not just any hose reel, this one has a computer. Program it to water, leave the house and it puts itself away when it is done. It has forward assist so you do not even have to pull it out. It rotates in all directions, retrieves the hose on its own and has the coolest gadgets inside. It has clamp on attachments, like a fireman’s spray nozzle, and it even clamps to the faucet, so you never have to twist or struggle with it. You won’t even break a sweat. It has a double o-ring design which makes it leak proof and a kink free hose. This one is far superior to any other hose reel on the market. Plus, it kind of looks like a robot and you can order it in a variety of cool patterns, like giant golf ball or Texas flag. This is not your ordinary hose reel. It will create envy in all that encounter it.

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Gardening with Disabilities

Many people with disabilities find that they need to be creative and modify things so that they can enjoy everyday activities, such as gardening. Something as simple as watering the plants can be a huge challenge to someone in a wheelchair, or even someone with back pain. Here are some ideas to make gardening more enjoyable and accessible to someone with physical challenges.

Raised garden beds and elevated garden tables are great for people confined to wheelchairs or people who cannot bend over a lot. Raising a garden bed to a comfortable height makes gardening more ergonomic and puts many things within reach.

Box gardens are available in various sizes and heights. You can also easily build one or get help building one in no time. Simply stack landscaping timbers or boards to the desired height, stake the boards and you are done. You can make your box garden any size that you wish. Many people find that they can sit on the edge of the box garden without ever having to bend over.

An elevated container garden is great for decks, patios or places that have wheelchair access. They are also great for balconies or for people who do not have much yard space. An elevated container garden, or table garden, is basically a wooden box with legs. You can buy them already made or you can take an old table and build up the sides to hold soil.

If you build your own garden, be sure to use a naturally rot-resistant type of wood like cedar or redwood. Pressure treated or weather treated wood contains a lot of harmful chemicals that can get into your garden soil and plants or even enter through your skin while you are gardening.

Once your garden is in place and planted, you will only need to water and harvest the vegetables. Watering with a water hose can be very difficult for someone with arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, weak hands, Parkinson’s disease or just about any other disability. Simply attaching the hose to the faucet can be impossible. Dragging the heavy hose, getting out kinks and squeezing the sprayer handle can all be painful, damaging or exhausting. You may want to get an automatic hose reel.

There are all different types. The best one for someone with disabilities is one that has a forward assist motor so that they do not have to pull the hose. It simply slowly feeds out so that you can just position it where you need it. It should also retract the hose automatically with the push of a button. Make sure that you get one with a kink-free hose. Some are programmable, which means once the hose is in place, you can just leave it and it will water when it is supposed to, retracting the hose when it is done. Some have clamp on attachments, which means that there is no twisting to attach the hose to the faucet or the accessories to the end of the hose. A fireman’s spray nozzle is much easier to use than a regular sprayer gun.

Once you are set up, you can enjoy gardening regardless of your ability level. Garden boxes, elevated gardens and an automatic garden hose reel can make gardening a joy.

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Hellebores Beauties

Modern Hellebores are of such complex breeding they are sometimes now referred to as the Helleborus x orientalis group. The strains keep improving introducing rich color combinations and superior flower forms. Picoteed petals, double flowers and upward-facing blooms are all being created. The Hellebores Brandywine™ strain, a premium fine developed strain, contains wonderful rare apricots, picoteeds, and yellows among the single, anemone, and double flowered blooms. This particular breed of hellebores is in the garden where mediocrity is intolerable.

The hard-to-find colors and flower forms took 15 years in the breeding of this particular strain representing the best of decades of European collections. Sometimes known as the D.L.C. Hybrids after their breeder David Culp, this breed boasts impeccable flower form coupled with unusual colors and combinations. Single, anemone, and double blooms are found in a full range of solid, bi-colored, freckled, and even rare picoteed forms. The colors are the traditional deep red burgundy, pale greens, and ivories plus very unusual yellows, pinks, and apricots. The Brandywine strain of hellebores will definitely add variety and unusual richness to your garden collection display.

Breeder David Culp collected the original plants for this strain from the premier Hellebore gardens and collections of Europe. Fifteen years were spent hand-crossing them to select only the finest in color and flower form for the Brandywine™ Strain. The results of this work show in the diversity of flower forms. He used rare species and award-winning plants to create this strain.

Another wonderful characteristic of Hellebores, and inherent to this strain, is their resistant to heat, humidity, drought, and cold. Because the plants are poisonous, rabbits and deer leave them alone. Brandywine™ Hellebores are about 12 to 18 inches tall and a foot wide. They make ideal ground covers, and are used for mass plantings in woodland areas. An evergreen and very adaptable, they flower in late winter or early spring. The blooms will dry on the plant becoming papery and eventually fall or blow off. Capture fine European breeding in its most refined form by introducing this multi-colored very special hellebores to your shade garden this season.

Here are some gardening tips and plant characteristics to guide you when planting hellebores: The soil should be usually moist in texture, yet well drained; plant in shady to partly shaded areas; plant in the growing zones of 4-9; they are perennials and will bloom the first year in late winter to early spring, lasting for a fairly long period; their blooms are magnificent solid and speckled multi-colored with dark green foliage; and they grow upright about 12 to 18 inches tall. You can use these beauties in great cut flower arrangements too!

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

What is Hypertufa?

Hypertufa forms are anthropic rock made from various aggregates bonded together. This has become popular recently for making garden ornaments, pots and land forms.Unlike clay and porcelain pots that have to be brought in when the weather turns cold, hypertufa forms and vessels can remain outside. They will start to receive extra character as moss and lichen will start to grow on them.

There are numerous recipes for making hypertufa. The heavier your ingredients the heavier your final project. When reading a recipe for concrete or hypertufa, cement should be the first ingredient listed; 1:1:1:1 for a hypertufa mix would look something like this 1 part (cement)., 1 part (peat) 1 part (perlite), 1 part (sand). In general, most recipes have a 1:3 ratio. They can be as diluted as a 1:7 ratio, and can be as rich as a 1:1 ratio, depending upon the application.

Just to clarify and to prevent the purchase of an unwanted ingredient because the name was often is misunderstood, remember the following: Portland cement is not concrete; rather it is an ingredient of concrete. Loosely defined, concrete is mortar with gravel aggregate added. When in doubt, read the ingredients listed on the label. Individuality can be added with small pebbles and rock for interest, like as in conglomerate rock found in nature.

When working with Portland cement, silica sand, silicon dioxide, silica fume, vermiculite, perlite, natural pigments and oxides, paints, and/or sealers, you mist make it your personal responsibility to acquaint yourself with the chemical properties, safety and environmental issues of those substances. Start by reading all of the label when you purchase the ingredient. People do work with and around these products every day, and know they should not be used carelessly. If you have an existing health issue (like lung problems such as chronic bronchitis, use good sense.

Everyone should be wearing masks approved for use with silica. Wear household cleaning gloves when handling and mixing concrete and hypertufa. You can switch to lighter weight disposable gloves after mixing. Wet concrete and hypertufa are caustic to the skin and moist membranes (like your airways and eyes). Always wear eye protection. When finishing (wire brushing, carving, sanding) concrete and hypertufa, keep the object wet so that no dust is created. Be sure to use good ventilation, a particulate air filter, and put washable mats at the entrance to living areas to avoid tracking dust into your living environment.

Clean up can go much faster when you work with plastic sheeting or bags to carefully gather the material to be thrown away. Make sure to vacuum rather than sweep.

When finishing objects, wear protective clothing. Shower, change and launder immediately after working because a lot of dust goes right into your clothing. Consider disposable paper jump suits that are used extensively in the ornamental concrete industry.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

Going Green! Organic Gardening

Organic gardening is all the rage and for good reason. Risks to pets, people and the environment are just beginning to be understood. Becoming an organic farmer takes a little planning. Typical garden problems need to be proactively managed as opposed to correcting them after they happen.

Pesticides and toxic chemicals can build up in your system or have long-term effects on your health. Pesticide exposure has been linked to nerve damage, cancer and birth defects.

Children and infants are at a dramatically increased risk for damage done by chemicals and pesticides. Children have excretory systems that are still developing. This means that they are less able to rid their bodies of chemicals consumed. Chemical damage can alter the biology of their bodies permanently, causing all sorts of problems. Developing organs and tissues can suffer when chemicals block absorption of nutrients.

Needless to say, avoiding chemicals and pesticides in your garden is a good step towards protecting the health and well being of yourself and your family.

To grow an organic garden, you need to anticipate problems that you may encounter. Keep a garden diary to document problems that you encounter and treatments that were effective for you. This way, you can adjust your planting patterns and types of plants each year. Many people find that it takes a bit of research to really have a successful organic garden.

If you have had a garden in your area before, you probably already know what to expect. For example, you may be able to predict that your garden will get fire ants and rabbits will make themselves at home. If you already know what you will be up against, preventing problems will be easier. Talk to your neighbors if you are not sure.

Prevention is key. You really do not have to worry about many bugs. Nature has a good balance of its own and over ninety percent of bugs will not harm your plants. Simple organic solutions can help you keep bugs and animals that you do not want out of your garden.

For example, human hair spread around the garden will keep out rabbits. Lavender and basil deter ants. Rosemary will repel mosquitoes. The way that you arrange your plants can help protect certain vegetables, too. Garlic and peppers planted around tomatoes and squash will help protect them from harmful insects and rodents.

Finding the right balance of beneficial bugs and plants may take a little time and effort, but the fruits of your labor will be well worth it. Once you have the right combination of plants, caring for your organic garden is as simple as watering. Keep your garden hose on a hose reel for quick and easy access. You will love your organic garden and how easy it is to take care of.

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Gardening with No Back Pain! Hay Bale Garden

Have you ever heard of growing your garden on bales of hay? Well, if you are interested, it is not very hard and has a lot of advantages over the traditional garden, especially if you do not want to do a lot of bending over, tilling and digging. Hay bale gardens are also great for growing a garden when you do not have much yard space. People have been known to grow straw gardens on their driveways or even on their rooftops!

To plant a hay bale or straw garden, soak your straw or hay bales in water every day for up to two weeks. Some people simply make a slit in the top of the hay with a spade and insert their plants into the slit, just as if it were dirt.

You can speed up the hay conditioning process by watering for three to four days, then adding a layer of hummus, peat moss, potting soil or compost to the top of the bales. Simply plant your seeds inside and add any plants that you may have started already.

How does it work? Well, hay contains many microorganisms. When they get enough water, they will start eating away at bacteria inside the hay. All of this action makes compost material inside the bale, creating a perfect environment for your plants to grow. Hay bales drain very well, so you never have to worry about too much rain or watering. Make sure that you maintain the moisture level inside the hay bale and you are all set.

You can reuse your hay bale garden next year. After two years of use, you may want to replace the bales. Two-year-old hay bale gardens make wonderful compost for the rest of your yard.

There are a lot of benefits to having a hay bale garden. One, the drainage makes root rot and other soil-borne illnesses a non-issue. Tomatoes especially grow well in these conditions. Because they cannot get too much water, they will have strong roots and the tomatoes will not become grainy, pale or deprived of nutrients.

One of the most enjoyed benefits of the straw garden is the lack of bending over, digging and tilling. Many people love gardening but simply cannot handle the physical labor of caring for the plants. With a hay bale garden, you can make it as high as you need it to avoid the need to bend over. If you stack bales to keep plants within reach, make sure that you stake them to avoid them tipping over.

Another benefit of hay bale gardening is that rabbits cannot climb up to the plants. Furthermore, dogs and other animals will not see your garden as a great place to dig and play.

Taking care of a hay bale garden is so simple that you will wonder why you ever did it any other way. Simply water and you are done. Keep your water hose on a garden hose reel to always have it handy. If you are physically challenged, consider an automatic hose reel for super easy watering. Enjoy your hay bale garden!

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden

What a treat it is to watch a hummingbird fly up to one of your blossoms and hover before it takes a sip. They are amazing, colorful, little creatures with motors that enable them to tread air. There are several things you can do to attract more of these wonderful birds to your garden.

The first thing you can do is to keep planting native flowering plants in your garden as much as possible. Select nectar-producing plants that are native to your region because some cultivated hybrids produce less nectar than their wild counterparts. Keep in mind that hummingbirds are attracted to flower colors and nectar, not fragrance.

The list of favorite hummingbird plants, both native and non-native, is extensive. Just to mention a few here: favorite perennials for hummingbirds are bee balm, columbine, hollyhock and cosmos. A few annuals are nasturtium, petunia, and zinnia. Some vines with flowers hummingbirds are attracted to include honeysuckle, rosary vine, trumpet creeper, and cardinal climber. Among the shrubs are lilac, butterfly bush, azalea, hibiscus, and weigela. While attracting hummingbirds to your garden with these plants you will also be attracting butterflies as well, a pleasurable side benefit.

The next rather obvious way to attract hummingbirds is to set out feeders. Set out as many as you know you will maintain. There are dozens of styles of hummingbird feeders on the market today. When choosing the models for your garden, remember hummingbirds like clean and filled feeders, so pick ones that are easy for you to use and clean. The most attractive color to hummingbirds is red so look for red in the feeder itself. Avoid yellow because bees and wasps are attracted to this color. Two precautions for the feeder’s solution are to never use one with red dye and never use a honey water solution in them. Both are toxic and deadly to hummingbirds. Plain white table sugar dissolved in water in a four-to-one solution is about as close to real flower nectar as you can get for the feeder’s solution.

Another tip for the feeders is to only fill them with enough sugar solution to last, at the most, two or three days. Feeders should be emptied and cleaned as soon as the sugar solution starts to appear cloudy.

Make certain that there is always fresh water available for drinking as well as for bathing. Hummingbirds like to bathe just as much as any other bird, but prefer water dripping off of leaves or spray coming from sprinklers and pond fountains. Hummingbirds like both the sun and shade areas in your garden. The sunny areas are usually where they feed while the shaded areas provide places to perch as well as to build their tiny nests. Willows and eucalyptus trees are used for nesting materials along with bits of leaves, spider webs, moss, and lichens.

Follow these simple suggestions and watch for these magical little birds to appear and enjoy your garden.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

Japanese Gardening

As people start to get involved with gardening, it is discovered that there are many forms or styles of gardening. People’s interests are Increasingly drawn to the age-old form of Japanese gardening. Just like any other form of gardening, Japanese gardening requires the proper knowledge and materials.

For many centuries garden design has been considered an important part of Japanese art. From granite to bamboo, Japanese gardening encompasses a wide selection of materials. There is a vast number of stores and books available providing an abundance of tools and knowledge necessary for you to build and cultivate your own style of Japanese gardening.

The typical basic Japanese garden contains water, an island, a bridge to the island, a lantern, and a teahouse or pavilion. Japanese gardens can be found anywhere from Buddhist temples to your private home. An integral part of these gardens is the use of stones. An enduring quality is conveyed through rocks placed in strategic locations. Water, whether it is flowing in a stream or still and quiet in a basin, symbolizes purity. The plantings around these elements focus on the tranquil sanctuary designed to allow you to relax and escape from the stresses of everyday life.

A prominent material used in Japanese gardens is granite. Granite shows up in lantern structures, bridges, stepping stones, paths, and statues. Japanese lanterns can be classified into four separate categories. Pedestal lanterns are called tachi-gata; buried lanterns are ikekomi-gata; small set lanterns are called oki-gata; and yukimi-gata are snow-viewing lanterns.

Another consistent element in Japanese gardening is that of the bamboo, most of the time used in a fence structure. It is known for its elegance, beauty and flexibility, and there is absolutely no other material that comes even close to matching bamboo for the Japanese garden. Items such as copper chains, copper rings, hoppers, and bamboo screens are also considered as more minor essentials, and add a certain needed dimension to the garden itself.

The garden design will evoke feeling, movement, and reflection. This form of gardening is perhaps the style that needs more thoughtful conception than any other style. Each plant and rock has a meaning or purpose. The different elements and how and where they are placed will enhance the overall experience of being in the garden. For instance, the appropriate placement of chimes where there is an occasional gentle breeze is important in making an interpretation effective.

Among the noteworthy Japanese gardens In the United States are Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, California, Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, California, Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, San Antonio Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio, Texas, and the Seattle Japanese Garden in Seattle, Washington.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

Organic Garden with Ants

Ants can be a problem in a garden. They eat beneficial bugs, such as ladybugs. They also help aphids to survive. Ants generally do not harm plants, but may inflict painful stings on humans. If you are growing an organic garden, want to control ants, but do not want to use harmful chemicals and pesticides, you are in luck.

First, consider controlling the number of ants, not getting rid of them all together. Ants can aerate soil, keep wasps away and eat larvae of other insects. Caterpillar control is the best reason to keep at least some of the ants! But, they can sometimes spread diseases from one plant to another, encourage aphids and other unwanted insects to come to your garden, and will sometimes kill certain plants. Carpenter ants are the most harmful to vegetable gardens. Most ants, however, only eat sugary nectar or the excrement of aphids and are not harmful to any plant.

Simply watering daily can keep ant numbers down. It is not effective at getting rid of them completely, but it will make them uncomfortable and can help you avoid a real invasion. Soapy water seems to work well, but may also discourage beneficial insects from making a home in your garden. Almost all bugs are beneficial to your garden, so be selective about what you actually eliminate.

If they are truly bothersome to you, consider planting a barrier of plants that ants cannot stand. Any mint, cloves and lavender are best at repelling ants. Mint will spread and will grow back year after year, sometimes taking over an area. So, if you use mint, you may consider growing it in containers instead of directly in the ground.

There are a host of plants and herbs that can take care of most bothersome insects in your organic garden. Some even add nutrients to the soil and make certain vegetables taste better. For example, chives repel pests that usually attack fruit or tomatoes while improving the flavor of your carrots. Garlic is known to repel more pests than any other plant you could put in your garden. Beets and soybeans add nitrogen and magnesium to the soil. Dispersing onions and garlic through your garden can even keep rabbits from eating your vegetables.

If you actually create a planting chart and do a little research, you can encourage the most beneficial insects, such as bees, centipedes and microscopic nematodes. At the same time, you can repel the more damaging insects simply by strategically placing plants in certain areas. Improve your soil, improve the taste and nutrient content of your vegetables and inspire growth simply by planning out where you want each plant to live.

Growing an organic garden is rewarding, but expect it to be a bit of a challenge. Learning about how plants and insects benefit each other is a great place to start. Consider letting nature take its course for the most part. If ants are your only problem, then you are doing very well! You can allow them to make their tunnels, aerate your soil and pollinate your plants. If you really want to keep them off of certain plants, put ground hot peppers, molasses or double-sided tape around the stalks of certain plants. Keep your garden hose reel handy for occasional ant population control and your organic garden will be yours again.

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Indoor/Outdoor Herb Garden

Herb gardens can be therapeutic, fragrant, beautiful and delicious. Planting an herb garden is easy and fun. You can grow it indoors or out. Even starting from seed, you can start to harvest your own fresh herbs within about a month.

Start with small pots, window planter or plant directly in your garden. Planting in small containers can give you a little bit more control over your herbs’ sun and weather exposure. Make sure that the containers you choose allow for plenty of drainage. Most herbs have delicate root systems that can easily rot if they are kept too wet. You can add rocks, moss or sand to the bottom of each container to encourage drainage.

The next step is to prepare the soil for your herb garden. You can just use potting soil, but a little extra effort can go a long way. Ideally, twenty-five percent of your mix should be compost material. Manure, humus and peat make good compost if you do not have your own compost bin. If your soil has a lot of clay, you may need to work in a little sand. Clay soil is usually orange or reddish in appearance. It is hard and does not drain well. If your soil has too much sand, it may drain too much. In this case, add more potting soil or compost.

Once your soil is prepared, you will be ready to plant. Sprouting from seeds will help you avoid soil borne diseases that may be lurking in nursery potted plants. Soak new seeds in water overnight if you have time. Another method is to place the seeds on a wet paper towel inside of a plastic sandwich bag for a few days. Make sure that you keep it sealed. When sprouts are about an inch long, very carefully transport them to their permanent location. If you want, you can plant seeds directly in their containers. Make sure that you cover them with plastic wrap to protect them while they are so little. Soil should be moist when you plant.

When plants are about two inches tall, remove the plastic and let them get some sun. Be careful about temperatures over eighty degrees at this stage. Baby plants can easily get too hot or too dry and die. Bring indoors at night if you are in an area that is still experiencing any colder weather. Most people choose to keep their herb garden inside until plants are more mature. A window sill is a great place to ensure that you are letting your herbs get enough light.

Watering is very important. Since you want your planters to drain well, you will also have to watch for dryness. Ideally, the soil should be moist, not wet. Water your herb garden about daily. Watch for wilting, yellowing, crusting or extra dry soil. If your herb garden is outside, use a hose reel to keep your water hose close at hand for easy watering. Enjoy harvesting your herbs for months to come!

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Lichens as Useful Organisms

Lichens exist because of a symbiotic working relationship between fungus, offering protection and structural support, and algae, giving the food from photosynthesis. Lichens have the amazing ability to retain water and because of this, ecosystems and wildlife benefit from the moisture and humidity created.

Lichens have been used and valued by both people and wildlife for centuries. Generally growing best in non-polluted areas, they serve as a refuge from predators for amphibians and insects, who hide and lay eggs in lichen. From atop hot, sunny mountain rocks to the substrates of tree bark, rocks, watersheds, soil and leaves, lichens grow both in terrestrial and aquatic landscapes around the world. These diverse organisms can be found in various areas of different weather extremes.

Throughout history native cultures and traditions have found practical and medicinal uses for lichens. Native Americans in New Mexico collected lichen to use for dye to color the yarns and fabric in their rugs and other woven materials. Usnic acid, derived mainly from the Usnea species of lichen, most often found hanging from trees, is used in antibacterial and antifungal medicines. Lichens are also used in perfumes, botanical supplements, toothpaste and even deodorant.

Many species of North America birds use lichens. The spruce grouse and wild turkey eat lichen. Warblers and Vireos use lichens in their nests, and Golden Plovers use the Thamnolia vermicularis species in their nests. The Olive-headed Weaver in Madagascar makes its nests solely from lichen in Usnea (mentioned above). In the process of constructing their nests, Hummingbirds may include soft thistle and dandelion seed fluff, along with expandable, stretchy spider silk and leafy materials, and may add a dab of pine resin as glue before a final layering of lichens around the entire outside of their nest for lightweight insulation and camouflage.

Deer, elk, antelope, cows and small mammals also utilize lichen. In southeastern Alaska mountain goats include Lobaria linita species in their diet. Northern flying squirrels use lichen Bryoria fremontii species both as nesting material and food. Two species of Bryoria consist as the primary diet of the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey. During the winter season, caribou using their keen sense of smell will search for lichen to eat beneath the snow.

Lichens are extremely sensitive to habitat alteration and therefore a good indicator of non-polluted areas. The association between a large diversity of lichens and unpolluted habitats is so evident, that scientists use lichens as indicators of ecosystem continuity to help identify areas that should be protected.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

It’s Time for the Always Popular Geraniums

Both the Geranium and Pelargonium are members of the family Geraniaceae. So the Geranium and Pelargonium are related, but they are quite distinct. A true Geranium, also known as cranes bill, referring to the shape of their fruit, has symmetrical flowers containing ten fertile stamens, while most Pelargonium have bilaterally symmetrical flowers with up to seven of the ten stamens fertile. True Geraniums also have a different seed dispersal technique than Pelargoniums. Geraniums actually fling their seeds away, and Pelargonium seeds float away on the breeze and usually have a feathered end that Geraniums do not have.

Growing naturally almost entirely within South Africa, Pelargoniums are tender perennials. The leaves of true geraniums are usually deeply divided and cut while those of most Pelargoniums are not. Because they originate from areas of South Africa where they have withstood summers of drought, the stems of Pelargoniums are rather thick, succulent. Forming a mound of many slender stems arising from a central core with fibrous roots, Geraniums have the appearance of normal herbaceous perennial plants.

The perennial plants sold at garden centers that are labeled "Ivy Geranium", "Scented Geranium" and "Zonal Geranium" are actually different species of Pelargonium. The common names used on true Geraniums are "Hardy Geranium", "Geranium" and "Cranes Bill".

Some types of Geraniums can grow tall in which case they do benefit from shearing after the first flush of bloom. Cut back all stems to about three inches. The plants will put on a new flush of leaves and may even bloom again. It is always good to constantly dead head Geraniums.

True Geraniums are drought tolerant, so they need little water. And be cautious not to over water because the damage this causes can be hard to reverse.

Geraniums can be grown from seed. Collect the seeds before the cranes bill (the fruit) part curls back and expels the seeds. The timing can be tricky and should be after the pod is dry. Store the seeds in a cool, dry place, and then chill or freeze the seeds for 4-6 weeks to help break their dormancy. The seeds need to be sowed 1/2" deep and kept moist. Most varieties will bloom the second year after planting from seed.

Some popular Geraniums to enjoy in your garden are ‘Ballerina’ with delightful light pink pedals and ‘Patricia’ with a brighter pink bloom. ‘Orion’ a Geranium hybrid has lavender flowers with white centers. A hardy Geranium with brilliant blue blooms all summer is ‘Johnson's Blue’. A splendid new member of the shade-loving Geranium is ‘Lavender Pinwheel’ with petals that resemble tiny watercolor paintings as the outer edges of lavender turn soft mauve towards the interior of each flower.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.

Organic Weed Control

Weeds are a problem for almost everyone. Controlling them without harming pets or the environment can be done if you use certain techniques. Organic weed control is becoming more and more popular because it is cheap, safe for the environment and it works!

The most obvious way to get rid of weeds in your yard or garden is to simply remove them by hand. There is actually a technique to this that will help you better control weed growth. If you simply pull the weed out, you can break off roots, allowing the weed to grow right back. Using a shovel or spade does the same thing. Cutting roots can actually allow each root to grow its own plant, causing the weeds to only multiply. Use a small forked garden tool to gently work the roots up out of the soil without damaging them and the weed will not grow back.

If weeds are in your lawn, there is a very simple and safe solution. Mow your grass before weeds have a chance to seed. You may have to be very dedicated to mowing on a schedule, even twice a week, to avoid maturing weeds that can spread. One good thing about weeds is that they add drainability to the soil. This will help your grass to quickly choke out cut weeds. As weeds are eliminated, nitrogen will return to the soil making your grass more aggressively take over future weeds. Make sure that your mower is on a high setting so that your grass will keep cut weeds shaded. Weeds need a lot of sun and cannot grow if the grass is high. Grass that is left longer will also grow slower because it is not in a hurry to make more nutrients for the roots.

You may notice that weeds shoot up after a rain. They love water and can quickly take water from your grass. Make sure that you spot check your lawn after a rain and get rid of any new weeds. Do not water your lawn unless your grass starts to wilt over or seriously dry out. This will help starve out weeds that are waiting to spring up.

Using the right fertilizer can help keep weeds under control. If you have a lot of dandelions, chances are your soil pH is too high. Adding a thin dusting of lime will bring the pH back down to where your grass likes it and the dandelions do not. Use organic compost or organic fertilizers to avoid creating a perfect weed habitat. Weeds generally pop up where grass has a short coming. Creating the right environment for grass will help ensure that weak spots do not occur.

Check with your local nursery to identify weeds. Change your lawn according to which weeds are thriving and your grass can take over. Keep items picked up off of your lawn to avoid creating a weak spot where weeds can grow. For example, leaving your garden hose lying on the ground can block out light, killing grass and creating a perfect spot for a weed to take hold. Use a hose reel to keep your water hose up off of the ground and neatly stored away. When your soil is right, your lawn will be right, without the use of harmful chemicals.

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Is it Too Late to Plant?

Heavy rains may have delayed the planting of your garden this year. Many people are wondering if planting a garden now may be a futile task. It is true that some plants produce better if planted in the earliest days of spring, but not all need to be planted so early.

Many avid gardeners say that you should start your plants from seed. Sprouting your seedlings in a controlled environment can help you reduce the chances of introducing certain diseases into your garden. Wilt, club rot and other root disorders can be harbored in the soil of plants that you buy at your nursery. Sprouting your seeds indoors also helps you to control the environment. You will not have to worry about too much rain or soil temperature.

Onions, peas and peppers planted earlier in the season produce more. If you are getting a late start on these vegetables, you may consider using more mature plants from your nursery. If you are worried about diseases, use a garden box or a small corner of your garden to plant these. Water the soil with boiling water to kill microorganisms a day or so before you plant. If you do notice disease, remove the plant and the soil. Fill with peat moss or soil from your nursery to avoid further problems.

Tomatoes, eggplant and greens grow better when planted later in the season. The soil needs to be very warm and well drained for these vegetables to thrive. If the heavy rains have drenched your garden, consider building up a box garden. They drain very well and the soil stays warmer, helping these vegetables grow and produce. The soil in a box garden is also generally loose allowing roots to spread and absorb more oxygen. Use a layer of landscaping fabric under your box garden to avoid grass, weeds and soil diseases from creeping into your garden. Weeds and competing grasses can steal nutrients and water from your vegetables.

Temperature and your growing zone may help determine which vegetables you want to put out in a late planting. Onions and lettuce are really the ones that must be planted early. They can withstand lower temperatures than any other vegetables, down to thirty five degrees Fahrenheit. But, they generally cannot take the summer heat, especially in warmer climates. They will generally wilt or die at above eighty five degrees. Beets, carrots and cauliflower can withstand down to forty degrees, but they can take the hotter summer temperatures of up to one hundred degrees, so they still may do well in a late planting. Most beans, beets, cabbage, carrots and cucumbers do better when planted later, anyway. They need very warm soil to survive.

Once you have planted, keep the soil moist but well drained. Use a garden hose reel to keep your hose close at hand for frequent watering. Watch for soil crusting or extreme dryness. In a box garden, the drainage can save your plants from drowning, but it will need more water than a garden planted directly in the ground. Planting late can mean that you have to wait a little longer than your neighbors to harvest, but it does not mean that you cannot enjoy fresh vegetables from your garden this summer.

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Ornamental Pampas Grass

Consider adding height and softness to your garden with pampas grasses. Pampas grass originating from areas of South America is one of the most recognized ornamental grasses that will give your landscape a special distinction adding height with a soft airy feeling. Pampas grass forms impressive clumps that can reach up to ten feet tall, and in late summer produce very large white or pinkish plumes that are alone three feet long. They can look magnificent when blowing in a light breeze.

Being from South America, it is no surprise this grass loves full sun and are drought tolerant. The soil in which they grow should provide adequate drainage. A layer of mulch, up to four inches deep needs to be placed around the base of the plant to reduce competition from weeds and helps conserve moisture in the soil. Organic mulches are the preferred. If desired, avoid pruning the stems and plumes in the fall to add interest for your winter landscape. Do cut the plants back to the ground in spring before growth begins. For the most part fertilizer is not necessary. If your soil is very poor, using an all-purpose garden fertilizer in spring will help.

If propagation is desired, then divide clumps in the spring after the grasses are cut down to the ground. They are hardy plants, and older, more progressed clumps may require an axe, saw, or spade. If you are starting out with seed, sow the seeds in spring either in the garden or inside in a moist seed-starting mix.

If portions of the plant have spotted leaves, the plant may be suffering from fungal disease. Fungal disease is usually started with moisture not evaporating in proper time. Especially after mid-afternoon, avoid wetting the plants' foliage. It is also helpful to divide plants so that the clumps do not become especially large. In this way the plants will receive good airflow, which also discourages fungal rot diseases.

Several species of grasses are sometimes mistaken for pampas grass. A special property of pampas grass is that the edges of the leaves are sharp, and can cut gardeners who do not take care to wear gloves when working around them. Since pampas grass can very easily spread its seeds widely, the plant is considered a pest in some parts of the country, including areas of Southern California.

Sometimes called pink pampas grass, Cortaderia selloana ‘Rosea' has silvery plumes in late summer containing a definite pink tinge. Growing to about ten feet tall with silvery-white plumes in late summer Cortaderia selloana ‘Sunningdale Silver' has plumes that tend to hold up better to bad weather than many other pampas grasses. Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila' grows to about six feet tall and has silvery-white plumes in late summer. Cortaderia selloana ‘Monvin' or Sun Stripe also grows to about six feet tall and has silvery-white plumes in late summer, but the difference is that the foliage is striped with yellow.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.