It’s funny to think about, buy your choice in gardening gloves can make a big difference in your overall ‘green’ experience. After all, how many of you like dirt under your fingernails and blisters on your palms?
The solution to this problem is multi-sue gloves for gardening. The more time you spend getting down and dirty in the garden, the more you need them. But there are other considerations beside dirt. Here are other gardening chores that may require gloves to protect your hands:

Building Retaining Walls
If you’ve ever done any heavy landscape construction, then you know that it is one of the fastest ways to tear up your hands. Lifting and lugging several hundred bricks or blocks can rip your skin to shreds. You will need to consider getting gloves for gardening with leather palms.

Using Hand Tools
You also need to do a lot of digging with shovels when you garden and landscape. Anyone who has ever dug a trench knows that blisters will form very quickly. In addition, during winter, your snow-shoveling must be done with gloves on. You should also consider your hands when you reach into your ice melter bucket or bag to spread the ice melt salt. Once again, leather palmed gloves are going to be your best defense.

Using Power Equipment
I don’t normally wear gloves when I mow the lawn, but I do wear them when I am using my snow blower because of freezing temperatures. Not only will you need the leather for this, you will also benefit from some insulation.

There are hundreds of different types of gloves on the market, and the type of gardening glove you buy depends on the way you garden. In my case, I have 3 different sets for the different jobs mentioned above.

After choosing the type of gardening glove you need, you must make sure and pick out the perfect fit. Gloves that are too big have a tendency to slip off while gloves that are too small could cause aches and cramps. Any glove that doesn’t fit could defeat the whole purpose of wearing gloves and cause blistering. To find a glove with the best fit possible, try the gloves on both hands, make a fist, and imitate the movements you make when gardening. If there is no pinching or slipping and the glove is comfortable then you have found your match.

Gardening gloves can be bought in many places and are produced by many companies, causing them all to have a different quality and price. Most gloves can be washed in cool water and then air dried. There are many different types of gloves you can purchase to satisfy your varying needs, such as cotton and cotton-polyester for general-purpose chores. These are among the most popular gloves and are perfect for light chores in cool and dry weather. Leather gloves can also be used for general chores but are heavier than cotton and polyester. Grip enhancing gloves are designed with rubber dots for extra gripping power. Cut and puncture resistant gloves are designed to offer extra protection against sharp edges

If you are the type person that only wears gloves as an optional luxury for various tasks, you should think seriously for using specialized gardening gloves for many of the activities you will be doing outside. There is really no reason not to wear gardening gloves; they protect your hands from the elements and don’t ever cost all that much.
With winter on the way, the market ready for you to purchase your winter gardening gloves. While you are there, pick up some cheap ice melter before the next big storm hits.

It’s funny to think about, buy your choice in gardening gloves can make a big difference in your overall ‘green’ experience. After all, how many of you like dirt under your fingernails and blisters on your palms?
The solution to this problem is multi-sue gardening gloves. The more time you spend getting down and dirty in the garden, the more you need them. But there are other considerations beside dirt. Here are other gardening chores that may require gloves to protect your hands:

Building Retaining Walls
If you’ve ever done any heavy landscape construction, then you know that it is one of the fastest ways to tear up your hands. Lifting and lugging several hundred bricks or blocks can rip your skin to shreds. You will need to consider getting gardening gloves with leather palms.

Using Hand Tools
You also need to do a lot of digging with shovels when you garden and landscape. Anyone who has ever dug a trench knows that blisters will form very quickly. In addition, during winter, your snow-shoveling must be done with gloves on. You should also consider your hands when you reach into your ice melt bucket or bag to spread the ice melt salt. Once again, leather palmed gloves are going to be your best defense.

Using Power Equipment
I don’t normally wear gloves when I mow the lawn, but I do wear them when I am using my snow blower because of freezing temperatures. Not only will you need the leather for this, you will also benefit from some insulation.

There are hundreds of different types of gloves on the market, and the type of gardening glove you buy depends on the way you garden. In my case, I have 3 different sets for the different jobs mentioned above.

After choosing the type of gardening glove you need, you must make sure and pick out the perfect fit. Gloves that are too big have a tendency to slip off while gloves that are too small could cause aches and cramps. Any glove that doesn’t fit could defeat the whole purpose of wearing gloves and cause blistering. To find a glove with the best fit possible, try the gloves on both hands, make a fist, and imitate the movements you make when gardening. If there is no pinching or slipping and the glove is comfortable then you have found your match.

Gardening gloves can be bought in many places and are produced by many companies, causing them all to have a different quality and price. Most gloves can be washed in cool water and then air dried. There are many different types of gloves you can purchase to satisfy your varying needs, such as cotton and cotton-polyester for general-purpose chores. These are among the most popular gloves and are perfect for light chores in cool and dry weather. Leather gloves can also be used for general chores but are heavier than cotton and polyester. Grip enhancing gloves are designed with rubber dots for extra gripping power. Cut and puncture resistant gloves are designed to offer extra protection against sharp edges

If you are the type person that only wears gloves as an optional luxury for various tasks, you should think seriously for using specialized gardening gloves for many of the activities you will be doing outside. There is really no reason not to wear gardening gloves; they protect your hands from the elements and don’t ever cost all that much.
With winter on the way, the market ready for you to purchase your winter gardening gloves. While you are there, pick up some cheap ice melter before the next big storm hits.

Amongst the most invasive of plants in the UK, the Japanese knotweed is the most destructive and costly of all weeds, and is hated by gardeners throughout the country.

The problem with the herbaceous knotweed plant is that a completely new weed can grow back from even the smallest of segments – a section as small as your fingernail left in the ground is able to grow back fully. Cut stems can readily grow in lawns, soil or even in water. In spring, this plant will emerge and rapidly grow into a plant which is up to three metres high.

Small sections of this plant can be spread widely by soil transportation and also by small pieces being carried in waterways. This plant is such a problem in the UK that any soil removed from an area known to have knotweed present cannot be re-used and is supposed to be buried at a depth greater than five metres. The intentional spread of this plant is now illegal in the UK.

The cut plants can survive for up to three years, and are highly resistant to composting techniques. In fact, one of the worst things that can be done is to cut back your Japanese knotweed plant and then put it into the compost. When you come to use the compost on your garden, you can be sure that you will be fostering a great collection of new knotweed plants.

So, what can be done about japanese knotweed? Over an extended period of time you can repeatedly and harshly cut back and dig out the plant and its root system. Although it is difficult to remove all of the plant, over a number of years it is possible to weaken the plant so much that it becomes less of a problem. You must NOT compost the plant, and should not remove the cut sections to another site. Burning is the most effective way to remove the waste sections, where allowed. You must also ensure that rain water cannot wash away your cut sections or roots because this is seen as an intentional spreading of the weed.

Another method of control is to use a weed killer such as Roundup, which can begin the battle of removing this plant. However, even though this type of weed killer is very powerful, it may take many years to completely eradicate the Japanese knotweed from your garden. If you treat the plants more than once a year, such as at the start and middle of the summer, you will be more likely to remove the problem. Consulting a professional is a good idea, they will know the best course of action.

Do not mow or flail knotweed as the tiny fragments will create more plants. If you cut or remove a plant you must either burn it yourself or carefully remove it to a licenced point for destruction. Do not chip the remnants of your plant – the chips themselves may grow back into new plants.

Acting quickly at the first sign of the Japanese knotweed is the best course of action. If you are harsh in your removal of the plant (disposing of it safely) then you can prevent the spread of this invasive plant. Don’t forget that this plant is strong enough to cause structural damage to buildings. It can grow back from the smallest fragment and it is very aggressive in its growth. If in doubt at all, call in an expert company to treat and remove your knotweed.

As the Japanese knotweed spreads throughout the UK, along waterways, roadsides and on abandoned land, vigilance is required to make sure that it does not push out many of the weaker native plant forms. There are a number of sites on the Internet who make it their mission to remove this foreign invader. We must all do our part to remove this weed as much as is possible.

As you start a garden, you must first till the soil, fertilize it, and then plant your flowers, trees, bushes, vegetable plants, etc. There are different ways you can do this, either by planting seedlings, transplanting entire plants, or sowing seeds. If you want to save some money, you can sow seeds. This way, all you have to buy is seeds which will probably only cost you a couple dollars for a large pack.

One way to sow the seeds is by sowing them in trays and growing them first, and then transplanting them into the garden. First, get some planter trays. Fill them with soil, pat it down, and moisten the dirt. Sprinkle the seeds over-top, spacing them according to the directions. Cover them again with a small layer of dirt and pat it down. Soon they will start to grow, and when it’s time to plant, with no dangers of frost, transplant them in your garden. This is a great way because they have a higher chance of surviving and it’s still as cheep as buying seeds with just an added expense of trays.

If you still don’t want to buy trays, or are confident in your gardening skills and soil, you can sow the seeds directly in your garden. First, make sure all of your soil and garden is completely tilled, fertilized and prepared. Read the directions on the back of your seed packets to know what time of year to sow the seeds. They may not be all the same. Some might need to be planted earlier than others.

Make sure you wait until there is no possible danger of frost. For example, if you live in the northeast, it would not be a good idea to sow seeds in mid march. There are still possibilities of frost and cold nights. Wait until the ground is warm and the time is right. When it gets that time, first plan out your garden. If you are planting vegetables, make sure you have rows correctly labeled even before you start planting.

Once you’ve spaced everything out and all your soil is correctly fertilized, begin making shallow holes for your seeds. If you aren’t sure that you soil has all the right nutrients, do a soil test first to make sure you don’t have too much or too little of any nutrient. It can be the difference between dead and alive plants. Continue by placing one or two seeds in each hole, depending on the directions. Cover of the seeds and lightly water the soil.

Soon, you should start see small plants. If you have more than one plant growing in each spot, weed the weaker ones. If are growing flowers and want a full garden, you don’t need to worry about this as much. Continue weeding, watering, and tending to your garden to ensure the most beautiful and robust garden possible!

Soil is one of the most important parts of a successful, fruitful garden. If your soil is rocky, full of clay, or depleted of enough nutrients, you will not have healthy plants. Think about it, if a newborn baby was fed no nutrients from birth, would you expect it to be healthy? The same goes for plants. A seed will sprout with just water, but it won’t get much bigger as time goes on if there are no nutrients.

When you first plant your seeds in planter trays, the soil doesn’t need to be extra special. You can use plain potting soil if you want, just make sure it is light with no clumps. Also, you want to make sure it’s packed around the seeds enough so that they have something to hold onto.

When you are preparing your garden in your yard, you need to first break up your soil. Your garden plot can’t be full of rocks and clumps. Use the proper tools to cultivate and till your soil. When you are just starting to break of the grass and tough topsoil, use a shovel and pickax if necessary. As you get down further, use a hoe to chop it up and break it up even more. When you’ve done as much breaking up as you can, use a cultivator to break it up even further and scoop out rocks and other large clumps.

Once your garden plot is prepared, you need to fertilize the soil. You can mix in higher quality fertilizer or add cow manure. There are also many different types of fertilizer additives. Get an organic fertilizer and you can keep all your vegetables and fruits organic. It is also a great idea to start a compost pile. In the fall, rake up all your leaves and add it to your compost. In your kitchen, add all your food scraps, eggshells, and pools to a compost and then to your compost. Eventually this will all break down and turn into a very nutrient rich soil.

If you aren’t sure if your soil is good enough for your garden, have it tested. You can get a soil tester and do it yourself and send it to a lab. By doing this, you don’t have to worry if your soil has too little or too much of certain nutrients. When you find out your deficiencies and which nutrients you have too much of, you can adjust your soil accordingly.

You might be surprised how important your soil is in your garden. It can be the difference between thriving plants and shriveled dead ones. Don’t overlook your soil, it is very important!

Before you begin any garden, you have to make sure you have the right supplies. If you start digging up your yard and find out that you need a garden hoe to do this and a trowel to do that and you don’t have those tools, you will be stuck with an ugly yard and nothing to do. Before you start anything, you need to be prepared.

In order to figure out what you need, go through the steps of the gardening process and figure out what is necessary for each step. First, you need to cultivate the plot and prepare the soil. In order to do this, you will need a tiller. A tiller is motorized and easily breaks up the ground before you. They are very efficient and easy to use, but can be expensive.

If you don’t have the budget for a till, you can replace it with several tools. Of course, you will need a shovel for the initial digging. If you have especially tough, rocky land, you may need a pickax to help you with the initial digging. Once you’ve broken up most of the dirt and removed the tough grass on top, a garden hoe will be necessary to further break up the soil.

A hoe is small on the end and can be used to chop any chunks and left-over grass and roots. You should use a cultivator to remove rocks and other large pieces that don’t belong.

When you begin planting, you will need some smaller tools. A trowel will prove invaluable to any gardener. They are used to transplant and help remove weeds. A trowel is simply a small hand shovel. You can also get a cultivator in a hand size.

Once your plants of started growing, you may need to prune them from time to time. For this, you will need some shears. Shears will help keep your bushes from over growing and by clipping back your plants, they will grow healthier and stronger.

Some other tools you may find useful include a hose, wheelbarrow, circle hoe, and fertilizers. You can use a watering can to water, but if you have a large garden, a hose will be much faster and more efficient. A wheelbarrow can help with gardening and any other yard work. A circle hoe is great to help weed your garden without killing your plants. It’s important to keep up your garden by weeding it and keeping it watered on a regular basis. Let these tools help you keep a beautiful healthy garden the whole season.

Most organic gardeners will quickly tell you that compost is a key ingredient in their gardens. Not only is compost one of the best ways to boost the quality of your soil and give your plants the rich nutrients they need to thrive, it’s also free, except for a small investment of sweat equity. It’s even a great way to cut down on the horrific amount of organic waste that ends up in landfills.

How Do You Start Composting?

There’s no expensive equipment required for composting. You’ll need a shovel or pitchfork and maybe a water hose. Pick a spot for your compost pile that is at least two feet away from any solid structure. Collect as much organic matter as you can. Pile on all your grass clippings and most of your organic kitchen scraps. These will add nitrogen to your compost pile. It is best not to include animal fats, grease or bones in your compost pile because those items can draw scavenging critters, but other than that, most food waste can become a part of the process. Keep a large coffee can in your kitchen to collect egg shells, vegetable peels, coffee grounds and all the other things you would normally toss in the garbage. Add dried straw or leaves, chopped into small pieces, to add carbon to the pile. Keep adding organic materials whenever they are available. Turn the contents of the pile with your pitchfork or shovel every other week or so and…voila, you have a cold compost pile.

What’s The Difference Between A Hot Compost Pile And A Cold One?

In a cold compost pile, the decomposition is taking place at a slow pace. It will eventually become usable compost, but it could take a year or more to reach that point. A hot compost pile, on the other hand, provides quicker action. It is also able to kill weed seeds and plant pathogens found in the pile and you’ll have usable compost in a much shorter time. It does require more work, though. To create a hot compost pile, you need to add moisture to the mix, keeping the ingredients damp and spongy. Turning the contents of the pile at least once a week also speeds up the process.

Compost Makes Everyone A Winner

When the pile starts looking like rich, dark soil, the compost is ready to use. At first, you may find the compost is all at the bottom of the pile, but you can use your shovel to pull enough of the material out to start using it in your garden. Use it just as you would fertilizer. You’ll soon see an amazing difference in the health of your plants. By composting, you will have a much better chance of reaping a rich harvest, and you will have done a great part in softening your impact on the environment. Composting is one simple way to make gardeners, and the earth, both come out winners.

Copyright 2008 Container Gardening Magazine.Com

Most of us will simply water our container gardens by hand, and enjoy doing it. However, increasingly people do need to travel during the flowering season and may need to irrigate their plants during their absence. If you have considered irrigating your container garden, read on for our introduction to the systems available.

Irrigation systems are designed to supply an adequate amount of water in a timely manner to plants. Keeping this in mind is important when designing an irrigation system. 

There are two types of systems sprinkler/spray head and drip or trickle irrigation systems. Both can be used for container watering. 

However, drip irrigation systems are a great way to provide constant moisture to container grown plants without saturating. Drip irrigation works by applying water slowly, directly to the soil. This type of irrigation is highly efficient. 

Drip irrigation kits are available at most garden centers. They allow you to water plants separately with emitters, or water groups of plants with micro-spray stakes or tapes that ooze water along their entire length. 

Unfortunately, drip emitters suffer from a handicap as they are easily plugged by silt or other particles not filtered out of the irrigation water. Emitter blockages also can be caused by algae growing in the tape or by chemical deposits at the emitter head. 

As a result, on a farm scale drip irrigation systems usually require more filtration and require higher water quality than sprinklers. If the water source is surface water (for example ditch, reservoir), high quality filtration stages should be used. If a borehole source is used less filtration may be possible. 

However, when for the home and garden, the source is a potable water supply the problem of filtration does not usually arise, so the drip type systems usually work well. 

Emitters come in many different flow rates and styles. Some emission devices are designed specifically for dense plantings and are considered to be broadcast emission devices. 

The alternative for container plants is of course the use of automatic sprinkler controllers. At the top of the range these can include electric control valves, pop-up spray heads and/or the use of pop-up rotors. This can make keeping your landscaping or yard maintained in your absence a simple matter, however, such automatic controls are unnecessary for short absences with drip systems as these can be left to run continually once set up.

By Susan Schlenger

There are many great deck ideas and just as many wonderful possible patio designs. However, there are a few things to consider when deciding which one to include in your landscape. Hopefully you will enjoy your landscape structure for many years to come. Here are some things to think about.

The first consideration is how high off the ground your structure will be. It may be at or just above ground level where no steps are needed. It may require just a few steps. However, the structure may have to be located off a second story and thus be at a very high elevation.

For those situations where the structure can be designed pretty much at ground level, a deck or patio can both be used. The deck, however, must be constructed in such a way that it is not resting directly on the ground. Typically, patios are chosen.

What if your structure needs a few steps? For situations where anywhere from two to about seven steps would be required to get to the lower level, either patios or decks may be selected. The main thing to remember is that whatever you choose will be off the ground. In the case of a deck, that space beneath the deck floor can be left open or covered with lattice. However, with patios, side walls must be built. This will add on to the cost. In addition, for higher walls, protection against falling off the patio must be considered. This can be achieved by either the installation of railings or having deep planters built in the patio.

If the structure is to be built very high off the ground, as would be the case where the exit door is from an upper level, decks make much more sense. Choosing to have a patio at that level would necessitate extremely high walls. Creating multilevel patios is possible and walls can be designed to be reasonable heights. However, the amount of levels and walls would still up the cost tremendously. And I mean by huge amounts of money.

Decks which are entered from second story rooms can be creative ones. They can have interesting shapes. Another option is to design a multi level deck. One area might be your main living area, while another might be a smaller area for relaxing, closer to ground level.

Advantages of Patios

- Patios are less expensive than decks, if average cost materials are used and no side walls are needed.
- Patios can be created with materials that require little or no maintenance.
- Designs of patios can take on many shapes.
- Curved designs are easier with patios than decks.
- Patios can be designed in sucha way so that they look very traditional or contemporary.

Advantages of Decks

- Decks do not need side walls.
- If the deck is at a higher elevations, it will be less expensive due the ability to just have an open lower area or lattice.
- Most decking material does not get hot.
- Seat walls and planters can be easily added at a reasonable cost.

The elevation of the door you are exiting out of, the style you are looking for and your budget will help determine whether a deck or patio is right for your project.

About the Author: Susan Schlenger is a Landscape Designer with a degree in Landscape Architecture. To learn more about both of these options, please visit Deck Ideas or Patio Designs at her website.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: www.isnare.com Home and Management

What are the Lighting Requirements for Common Container Grown Plants?

Basil, oregano, lemon balm, and chives are easy to start and will thrive in a sunny windowsill. Also plant garlic bulbs, seed onions, edible flowers (like nasturtiums and violets) and baby lettuces for impromptu salads.

Seeds to Seedlings Time Lapse

You can grow almost any herb on a windowsill. Not only will it give a delicious, flavorsome smell, but also adorn your kitchen in a pretty green and delicate flowers. These indoor planters are ideal for windowsills and tables; items like the whimsical terracotta “Lola Planter” can be used inside or out. The indoor gardening collection of anyone serious about creating the maximum effect should also include an array of plant stands in attractive designs.

However, most houseplants don’t like to be placed in the direct sun of a windowsill. Strong sunlight may actually burn their leaves. The simplest form of indoor container gardening is to place plants in windows that receive a decent amount of light.

Windows that face south and west are best and they usually receive enough light to grow leaf and root vegetables (beets, carrots, lettuce, onions and radishes) and herbs.

Light requirements vary by species and the amount of light that enters becomes less as one travels away from the equator, so be guided by local custom, but most houseplants get enough light in or near a south west facing window.

The room should also be kept between 15 and 25?C, the very best is to plant in a bright window away from direct sun (or equivalent if in summer outdoors in sun or part shade).

Water sparingly allowing moisture to slowly trickle into the soil; don’t over-water your plants.

Enjoy your container-grown plants!