Tools are Essential to Happy Gardening

Spending time with in the garden and caring for your own lawn can be a relaxing and rewarding experience. Many home gardeners gain a strong sense of pride and ownership of their home through caring for perrenials, vegetable gardens, turf and landscapes. This kind of direct contact with the soil, the sun, and the growing process can serve as a relaxing and enjoyable pastime. Those hesitant to get started are often discouraged by the idea of hours spent bent over pulling weeds or dragging around water hoses. With the right tools, this doesn’t have to be the case. Using the right tools for the right jobs can really take much of the tedious or exhausting part of gardening away, leaving you to enjoy fruits of your labor without putting too much stress on your back or hands.

Many home owners who are taking their first dip into the gardening experience do not take the time to find out what tools will make their work easier. They go to work unprepared and find themselves either burned out, exhausted, or frustrated. For example, if weeding is the task at hand, both hand tools and upright tools should be close by. Trying to pull away at weeks and scrape at the soil without a good gardening claw, hoe, or other soil turning tool is a quick recipe for a sore back and beat up hands. Even the proper gloves can make a huge impact, gloves that are easy on your hands but tough enough to take some abuse.

Another common gardening chore is lugging around the garden hose. Pulling a garden hose off a real and making sure it is neatly put back in place can really eat up time, and dealing with kinks, knots, and bad hose memory can be enough to make anyone a little annoyed. Thanks to advancements in technology, automatic hose reels can make it easy to unwind and reel water hoses with great ease. The most sophisticated of garden hose reels are nearly impossible to tangle and tidy up the water hose with the touch of a button.

There are a host of other gizmos and tools that make a gardener’s life just that much easier, so it is also very important to consult gardening friends for new ideas and helpful hints. Education is half the battle with becoming a successful home gardener, and part of that education is making sure you are working smarter rather than harder.

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including garden hose reel and landscaping.

Hardy Vines and Their Ability to Liven Up Any Landscape

Newly constructed homes as well as older ones benefit from a well-manicured lawn and landscaped gardening, whether planned and detailed, or wild and inspired. Many beginning gardeners have trouble thinking outside the box, planting only vertically growing plants such as roses, peonies, pansies, and the like. A whole new world of adventurous and inspired gardening can be accessed by planting hardy vines and perennials, broadening and enriching the texture and increasing the dimensions of your garden in exciting ways.

One of Americans’ favored vines because of its hardiness and trainability is the clematis. Clematis will climb and coil its way around erected strings or framework, basically whatever is provided. There are many different types of clematis, one favorite being the Jackman clematis, adored for its oversized blooms that can be over six inches wide at their peak. The Jackman can grow to over ten feet in length, and provided it as ample sun and moist soil, it will give the better part of three seasons of healthy green growth and attractive blooms.

Different types of ivy also make great climbing vines and are very beneficial as groundcover as well. Ivy is one of the hardiest climbers because of its ability to tolerate shady areas where many other plants cannot. Ivy can be planted around the base of bushes, or on a sun-starved side of your house that just needs a little touch of greenery for beauty. Erect some lattice or a pleasant garden bower, and you’re in business. Ivy is an excellent climber, but you must be careful to train it not to grow up the trunks of your precious living trees, for it has the ability to choke the life out of even the tallest, most substantial growing trees, due to its fastidious nature and flourishing growth. Pruning and training ivy will reward you with a lush living landscape that your neighbors will enjoy every time they pass by. One of the most popular ivies chosen is English ivy because it needs little water, and it grows whether exposed to substantial sun or not. Many plantings must be within reach of your hose reel, but this is not a concern with English ivy. Also, once it is established, it will provide your landscape with years of worry-free coverage.

Truly, there are a myriad of choices when it comes to hardy growing vines. The best place to locate the ones that flourish in your area is at your local garden shop or bookstore. Once you pick the variety best for your purposes, plant it, and enjoy the results!

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including hose reel and landscaping. Please visit www.roboreel.com for more information.

The Plant You Can Grow To Organically Repel Mosquitoes

I don’t know anyone on this planet that enjoys the company of mosquitoes. They are definitely one of the most revolting vermin this world has to offer; existing only to suck blood from healthy bodied people and animals and spreading vile diseases such as Malaria and the West Nile Virus. As summer heat warms dirty, standing water patches in bogs, swamps, and yes, backyards, mosquitoes grow and take hold in new ecosystems, driven by nature’s instilled desire to breed, bite, and “bug” other inhabitants. New ways of controlling burgeoning mosquito populations are continuously researched, and new chemical mixtures and sprays rush to supermarket shelves, hoping to do the deed. A study has shown that mosquitoes are repelled naturally by a plant that is easily grown and cared for, and that will please your neighborhoods feline population as well: catnip.

Researchers in Iowa, undoubtedly spurred on by the rise of cases of the West Nile Virus in the United States, researched and tested several plant varieties, hoping to find a safer alternative to the active ingredient in many commercial mosquito repellents, DEET. DEET has been shown to cause brain-cell death and behavior changes in laboratory animals, and poses these risks and others when used to protect young children from mosquitoes. While DEET is no longer being manufactured, it still exists in small quantities in insect repellant sprays that are still sold. A head research scientist involved in studies at the University of Iowa found through extensive testing that the essential oil found in catnip, nepetalactone, is nearly ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than the toxic chemical DEET. This study also found that catnip oil repelled cockroaches as well, yet another of our world’s least appealing insects. Though testing has surely shown that mosquitoes and roaches are repelled by catnip, researchers aren’t sure why, but assume it must cause some sort of irritation to the vermin, if only that they don’t enjoy its smell.

The same oil that causes roaches and mosquitoes to flee, nepetalactone, causes at least two thirds of the feline population to flip their lid. Catnip is extremely easy to grow, both indoors and outdoors, whether from a seed or a start. Catnip does require adequate, but not constant, sun, and only minimal waterings are needed. Keep your hose on its hose reel (especially if growing inside!) and simply use your watering can to water the crop about once a week. You’ll be entertaining your cats and bidding adieu to pesky mosquitoes and roaches in no time!

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including garden hose reel, landscaping, and lawn treatment. Please visit www.roboreel.com.

Successfully Growing Your Vegetables in a Cramped Little Garden

Metropolitan areas offer many things to their inhabitants. Jobs are plentiful, eateries and watering holes are in high abundance, and arts and nightlife scenes are often very appealing. Those looking to move from more rural areas to perhaps an apartment or condominium in the city might feel they will be forced to sacrifice many of the attributes the country provides. Space is at a premium in the city. Suburbia and rural living offer more of it, and many people living in more spacious areas enjoy growing their own vegetables and tending personal gardens in their spare time. The fact is that vegetables are able to grow and thrive in smaller areas, and just because your space is limited, it doesn’t mean you and your vegetable garden need to be.

As a result of new research and development involving genetic modifications of standard vegetables and fruits we have all come to expect in a backyard garden, many seed companies offer seeds and starts of miniature or dwarf versions more suited for growing in limited space. Just imagine, growing tomatoes in a bucket on your tiny condominium deck could be so rewarding and the perfect addition to a summer salad. You can grow strawberries in small containers in your bedroom windowsill, strawberry shortcake, anyone? Growing your vegetables in containers has its advantages over a conventional garden because you can move your plantings inside if cooler weather should threaten and give your growing vegetables artificial indoor light in the interim.

Achieving a proper soil and fertilizer mixture is essential in your indoor/outdoor miniature garden’s success. At your local home improvement or garden store you can choose from a large variety of potting soil mixes especially designed for container gardens. Special care needs to be taken ensuring proper drainage yet adequate water retention to help nurture the growth of your plantings’ roots, keeping them evenly moist. A liquid fertilizer is preferred, as it will possess the ability to remain in the soil longer, achieving positive results. The liquid fertilizer should be evenly applied at every other watering. Since you probably don’t have a hose reel and garden hose in your apartment, you might need an attachment for your kitchen sink or a simple jug or cup could do the job of applying the daily irrigation for your burgeoning plants.

A final consideration is location for your garden. This of course depends primarily on the types of plants that are growing. For instance, lettuce only needs about four hours of sunlight daily, but your tomatoes require about eight. Plan accordingly, placing appropriate plants in appropriate environments according to their needs and specifications. By following these simple guidelines, you will have a perfect little garden, providing you with vegetables you can enjoy year round, in the middle of the urban jungle.

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including garden hose reels, landscaping, and lawn treatment. Please visit www.roboreel.com.

Getting Rid of Those Pesky “Doggy Spots” on Your Lawn and Keeping Fido

If you’re like me, you’re a dog person. There’s just something about the companionship and friendship a dog provides. They’re eternally loyal, steadfast and true, if sometimes a tad smelly in breath and body. I love dogs, but I also enjoy keeping my lawn nice and green, which is extremely difficult having a dog in the yard. You will be happy to find out, however, that there are ways to lessen the appearance of brown spots in your lawn caused by your furry best friend. The solutions are quite easy and will help you keep your lawn green throughout, and eliminate those patchy-brown, favored spots of Fido.

It is helpful to know exactly why your dog’s relief brings such discoloration to your lawn. Dog urine burns your green grass because it is extremely rich in nitrogen. If you are already using a nitrogen-rich fertilizer on your yard, the added effect of your four-legged friend’s contribution will burn those spots because the extra nitrogen is more than your lawn can handle. If you are able to discern the spots your dog is attracted to well enough, try using little or no fertilizer in these areas, to help balance the nitrogen content. To help with nitrogen absorption and dilution, it would be helpful if you took your hose from your hose reel and sprayed the areas your dog likes, daily. This extra water can help more evenly spread that rich nitrogen across a broader patch, lessening its discoloring effects. Treat the problem directly as well, by making sure your dog drinks plenty of water, helping dilute the concentration of nitrogen content at the source.

Another popular fix for this less talked about problem is replanting. Plant more urine-resistant grasses such as Ryegrass or Fescue in the affected areas. Though you may love the look and lushness of your Kentucky Bluegrass and Bermuda, these grasses are extremely urine-sensitive, so it is important to keep the pooches away from these to protect their beauty.

By saturating affected areas with water from your hose reel, replanting these areas with more urine-resistant grass, and diluting the nitrogen in your dog itself, you can help keep your lawn as green as it should be. There are also many products on the market to help train your animal to relieve itself in a certain area, so those should not be counted out if all else fails. Green grass is beautiful, and it does not have to be sacrificed because you share your affection with your furry friend as well!

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including hose reels, landscaping, and lawn treatment. Please visit www.roboreel.com.