How To Build A Raised Bed Vegetable Garden

Raised bed vegetable gardens are the perfect answer for gardeners with limited space or improper drainage. Affordable and easy to install, raised bed vegetable gardens can be filled with a variety of different soils and vegetable types. Your raised bed vegetable garden can be used to grow beets, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peas and various other root vegetables. 


Building a raised bed vegetable garden is a great weekend project that can be done with materials found at local hardware or garden shops. The most efficient material to use for your raised bed garden is lumber, which should be replaced every five years. Your raised bed vegetable garden should not be more than 2 feet by 4 feet to avoid stepping in, and should be placed near a water source that gets plenty of sunshine. Raised beds can be any shape that you want, be creative when designing your
raised bed vegetable garden, there are no boundaries, your imagination rules.

Things you'll need:
• lumber
• tape measure
• wood screws
• saw
• hammer
• shovel
• garden plastic
• organic fertilizer
• potting soil
• water

Choose the ideal location for your raised bed and dig until the dirt forms the depth of your bed to assure proper drainage. Measure the garden space you will use and draw a design of the bed's shape and size. Choose the type of lumber you will be using and cut into desired lengths. For a rectangular shaped bed you will need different sizes of lumber, two of one length and two of another. A square bed calls for four sides of equal length, while the triangle shaped bed uses three sides of equal lengths.

Connect the sides together to form the shape of your raised bed. Place properly cut and sized 4 x 4 inch post in each corner of your raised bed, secure the sides of your raised bed to these corner posts to increase strength. Check your box to make sure it is properly tightened.

Measure and cut piece of garden plastic or weed mat to place in the previously dug location, this will help reduce the amount of weeds growing in your raised bed vegetable garden. Place your raised bed over the garden plastic, cover the bottom of your raised bed with composted manure and layer the top with rich, organic potting soil.

Plant vegetables with little space in rows starting from the north. Taller vegetable plants should be kept on the north end of your raised vegetable garden so shorter plants can receive sunlight.


Tips & Warnings
• Use soil from other parts of your property to cut costs.
• Narrowly built raised gardens conserve water.
• Water your raised garden often.
• Use interlocking pavers for different vegetables or soil types.
• Pressure treated lumber contains arsenic and should not be used to build your raised vegetable garden.
• Lumber in contact with the ground may increase the risk of termite infestation in some areas.

Ideas To Enhance Your Raised Bed Garden:

Potatoes are one of the best vegetables to grow in a home garden. They are simple to grow, easy to store, and they taste a lot
better than potatoes sold in the markets. You can grow the best potatoes ever. We will show you how.

Grow The Best Potatoes Ever!



Grow Incredible Tomatoes!

What is a garden without tomatoes? They are delicious, nutritious, and very easy to grow. Anyone can grow juicy tasty tomatoes. Join us, and soon you will have a bountiful harvest of juicy tomatoes.



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Planning An Herb Garden

Herbs have been around since the beginning of time. They have used for cooking and treating illness for centuries. Fresh herbs are fairly easy to grow when you follow a few simple steps.

Choose Your Herbs
Think about the type of herbs you would like to grow, and decide if your plants will be annuals, biennials or perennials? When selecting herbs for your garden, make sure they are plants that thrive in your region.

If you decide on all three plant types, separate the annuals from the perennials so when it is time to pull out the annuals, you won't disturb the perennials. Ideally, perennials can be planted on the edge of your garden, you will have an easier time when tilling.

To get the most from your garden space, plants that grow tall should be placed in the back, and the shorter ones can be planted in front. Make sure your plants have enough space to grow.

Designing Your Herb Garden
There is no limit to the type of herb garden you can design. Designs can be square or round with boarders of stone or brick. Any object can be utilized for your herb garden. Use an old wooden ladder and plant your herbs between the rungs. Another unique idea for an herb garden is the wagon wheel bed. Plant different garden herbs between each of the wagon wheel's wedges to grow a variety of culinary herbs.

Get Your Plants Growing
Of course, different plants have different needs. This is the reason why you have to determine the herbs you want to plant in the planning stage. This can more or less help you find out how you should care for your plants. With starting seeds, remember it germination and soil temperature are essential. When the seedlings start to sprout, check the air circulation, humidity and sunlight. When small leaves appear, weak plants should be removed to avoid overcrowding.

Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Easy to grow kitchen herbs include basil, dill, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, and mint. All you need for a lush herb garden are effective drainage, sunlight, enough humidity or moisture, and fertile soil. Your herb garden will be a thriving success and produce enough herbs for your favorite dishes, and your bountiful harvest can be shared family and friends.

Caring For House Plants

Beginning gardeners may have a few concerns when it comes to caring for their house plants. When talking about house plants, there is no need to worry. Many of them are low maintenance and easy to care for. By following a few simply steps, you can surround yourself with thriving house plants, or a window box herb garden. The most important factors for healthy house plants water, food, light, temperature, humidity, and transplanting.

Water
A watering can is a must-have for every indoor garden. A watering can with a narrow spout will allow you to directly water the root of the plant. Soil moisture can be checked by inserting your index finger up to the first joint into the soil. If the soil is damp, don't water it. If the soil is dry apply a generous amount of water. There are also a number of innovative products that you can use to make sure your house plants get enough water. Decorative devices that water when you are away can be placed in pots or containers.

Feeding
Foliage house plants should be high in nitrogen, while flowering plants require fertilizers. Slow-release fertilizers can be mixed with the potting soil. However, some plants like cacti and orchids need special feeds. For best results, feed plants at the height of their active growth. Plant food is available in a variety of forms such as spikes, or time-released granules that can be sprinkled onto the potting soil. This type of plant food will eliminate the worry of feeding your house plants.

Lighting
Plants like Sanseveria and Aspidistra require no shade. They can be placed away from a window. Spider plants need semi-shade. You can put plants like these near a window that does or does not get sunlight. No matter what type of house plant you have, it will need natural sunlight, or artificial lights from a grow light system.

Temperature
Most house plants can survive in temperatures that range between fifty and seventy-five degrees. It is important to keep the temperatures from fluctuating, drastic changes in room temperature can cause major damage to the roots, flowers, or foliage.

Humidity
Some houseplants require a humid environment. One tip to maximize humidity is to put the potted plant inside a larger pot, and then fill in the gaps with stones or compost to retain the moisture. The compost will not dry out. Plants are capable of creating their own climate if grouped together. This tip also works for keeping the soil moist. You should spray house plants with water once or twice a day to increase humidity.

Re-Potting
Many plants require transplanting for optimum growth, but some types of house plants may not be suitable for this idea. Plants with small root systems can degenerate when they are disturbed. One way to check your house plants for transplanting is to turn it upside down. Tap the pot to release the plant and check the roots. If roots are all you see, then it is time to transplant. The new pot or container should be larger and deeper that the previous pot.

With some tender loving care, your house plants will flourish as they produce healthy flowers, bulbs, or herbs. House plants enhance the beauty of your home, and growing house plants are an effective way to teach children how to respect and nurture life in its varied forms.

The Most Common Types Of Roses For Your Garden

Whether your ultimate goal is to take the big prize at the next rose show or just enjoy a few roses in your garden, it is important to get a feel for the many varieties of roses on the market.


When most people think of gardening, their thoughts usually turn to roses. Roses are the most popular, and certainly one of the most beautiful flowers in the garden. Because of their exquisite beauty, roses are a huge part of both the gardening hobby and the professional flower business. There are even rose and flower shows were master gardeners proudly show off their lovely creations to an awestruck crowd. Roses are among the most varied flowers on the market; they come in virtually every color of the rainbow and in blooms ranging in size from a fraction of an inch to almost a foot in width.

The Most Common Types Of Roses For Your Garden

Pimpinellifolia
Pimpinellifolia roses are known for their hardiness, as well as their attractive foliage. Their lovely blooms make them a great choice for the beginning gardener or an experienced rose enthusiast. These roses have blooms of pink, red, yellow and white, and their bushes are compact and attractive.

Boursault
Boursault roses are of the climbing variety, they are a cross between an early variety of China rose and the R. Pendulina rose. This cross is thought to have occurred during the reign of Napoleon, who was a well known rose enthusiast. The blossoms are large, and they grow in either small or large clusters depending on the variety. The blooms come in various shades of pink and red. Many varieties can re-bloom later in the season.

Sempervirens
The Sempevirens is similar to the Boursault, it is also a climbing rose. This elegant rose originated in the Mediterranean. It has large leaves accented by small white flowers that grow in large clusters. This variety of rose was studied extensively by rose enthusiasts as far back as 1820, and it continues to be one of the most popular varieties of climbing rose on the market today. This variety of rose is seen in various shades of pink and white.

Setigera
The Setigera variety of rose, known to the scientific community as R. setigera, has a reputation for being a hardy and tough plant. That hardiness may be due to the fact that R. setigera comes from the prairie region of the United States, a difficult environment to say the least. The setigera rose has been used in breeding programs to create many very hardy varieties of climbing roses, most notably the crosses with the Noisettes and Gallicas varieties.

Wichuraiana
The Wichuraiana rose, also known as R. wichuraiana, is a frequently seen wide spreading cluster rose. It is used both as a climbing rose and as an attractive ground cover.

The Best Gardens For Small Areas

Container Gardens Are The Best Options For Small Areas

No matter what type of house or apartment you live in, you can grow a lush garden filled with kitchen herbs, colorful flowers, or chemical free organic vegetables. Gardens for small areas can be done in window boxes, on the balcony or patio, and containers of different sizes. While there are a variety of gardening ideas for small areas, the most widely used method is container gardening. Nearly any item with good drainage can be used for a container garden. The most important factor when choosing a container for planting is the amount of drainage it provides. When excess water can not drain away from plants they will soon become waterlogged and their roots will drown.

Traditional Containers
Traditional flower pots and planters such as those made from terra cotta or clay are widely used for outdoor planting. While they are sturdy and long lasting, they may shatter or crack over time. Plastic containers are lightweight and easy to move around, but unlike clay pots, they are not absorbent. Metal containers are strong and durable but they should not be used to grow kitchen herbs or other edible greens. Wooden boxes are the container of choice for most experienced gardeners

Non-Traditional Containers
When planning a garden for small spaces, non-traditional containers can add charm and elegance to your outdoor surroundings. Items such a wheel barrels, outdoor fire pits, broken chairs, whiskey barrels, and old mailboxes are some items that are often used for garden planters. Your choice of non-traditional containers will be limited only by your imagination. Look for items that will drain naturally, or those that can be drilled with drain holes.

Other Gardening Solutions For Small Spaces
Another ideal solution for small space gardening is hanging baskets. These sturdy hanging planters are widely used by those who live in apartments, condominiums, or town homes. Hanging baskets are perfect for growing kitchen herbs such as basil, lemon grass, chives, and mint. They are also used to grow peppers, tomatoes, ferns, and miniature roses. Window boxes can be built to use in a room that receives full sunlight, and the porch or patio is a good spot for a raised bed vegetable garden.

No matter space you have, you can grow a lush garden of savory herbs, colorful flowers, and organic vegetables grown without pesticides. Use your imagination to visualize fragrant blooms or edible greens as you look around the back yard, shed, or garage. If it supplies proper drainage for plants it's good to go. Metal buckets, empty cans, a worn pair of boots, a discarded wastebasket, or that beat up old lunchbox are some great items to get your container garden started. Before long, you will have a bountiful harvest that you can proudly share with family and friends.

Refreshing my motorcycle safety knowledge

Refreshing my motorcycle safety knowledge

Guest post written by Ben Clarkson

I avoid riding motorcycles when it's cold outside because you already have the wind blowing over you when you're riding. So this time of the year is one of my favorites because it's just now warm enough to go ahead and start riding again. I think not riding year-round like some people I know makes it a little more special for me.

But I also try and brush up on some of my basic motorcycle safety at this time of the year too. I went online to find some new tips or old ones to use and when I was doing that I found some information about and decided to getwildblue for my home internet service.

I think that one of the simplest tips is to wear a helmet. I can't think of how many people I've seen riding bikes without helmets and it makes me nervous for them every single time. IÕm also sure to wear long sleeves, long pants and boots no matter the weather so that I can protect myself from road rash.

Toss and Grow Annuals

Toss and grow annuals are excellent choices for beginning gardeners, they are easy to maintain, and your flower garden will bloom all summer. Certain types of annuals can be sowed directly into garden soil after the last frost of the season. Simply toss seeds into prepared garden soil and use the bottom of your shoe to gently press them into the soil a little. Regular waterings and sunshine will transform your outdoor space into a tranquil garden of incredible blooms in spectacular colors.

Asters (callistephus chinensis)
Easy to grow annuals that produce large three and a half, to four inch flowers in an array of beautiful colors. Seeds should be tossed in full sun, or in an area that is exposed to part sun and part shade. Aster seeds germinate in about eight to fourteen days. Keep seeds moderately moist during germination, do not allow soil to become dry.

When seedlings began to sprout, thin plants to be twelve inches apart. Strong sprouts can be transplanted to other sections of the garden, weak or unhealthy sprouts should be discarded. For continuous blooms throughout the season, harvest and remove dead flowers. Rotate planting site every year to prevent plant disease. Asters thrive in moist, well drained soil, and they are wilt resistant. Blooming from early summer to late fall, Asters grow up to two feet tall with sturdy stems that are excellent for cut flowers. Often found in flower beds and mass plantings. Asters also make beautiful bouquets.

Bachelor's Buttons (centaurea cyanus)
Features brightly colored flowers in colors of pink, white, red, rose, blue, and lavender. These are fast bloomers that can grow between sixteen and twenty inches tall, they flourish in full sun and partial shade. Toss seeds six to ten inches apart to avoid overcrowding. Cover lightly and water daily, seeds normally germinate in about seven days. Also known as Cornflowers, these hardy annuals can be regularly sown to produce blooms throughout the season and usually reseeds itself. Used in flower beds or borders. Their long stems make excellent cut flowers for bouquets and vases.

Catchfly (viscaria oculata oculata)
Carefree drought tolerant plants that thrive in rich garden soil. Also does well in poor or sandy soils. Beautiful dwarf plants that measure twelve inches high and ten inches wide. Easy to grow annuals produce hundreds of two inch blue or magenta blooms beginning in late spring, lasting through fall. Seeds are easy to grow and plants do not require regular waterings or dead heading. Toss seeds eight to ten inches apart in the early spring into well drained garden soil with full exposure to the sun. Plants will start to flower in six to eight weeks, do not transplant. Can be used for edging, borders, cut flowers, or annual flower beds.

Cosmos (bipinnatus/sulphureus)
Have large, beautiful open blossoms in a range of sensational colors including dark and light red, white, pink, and other light shades. Plants have lacy fern-like foliage, and can grow up to four feet tall. Can be used for border planting, as a garden background, or along a wall fence. Select a sunny location and toss seeds in spring when there is no threat of frost. Water the soil and keep it moist until seedlings are two inches tall, and then water as necessary. During extended dry periods, water generously. Growth is maximized in good soil with moderate moisture. Remove fading flowers and seed pods to promote further blooms. Heat and moisture can severely reduce germination, store seeds in a cool, dry place.

Dianthus (barbayus/chinesis)
Features about three hundred species of flowering plants including Carnations and Lunaria. Dianthus are usually perennial, but some flowers and plants are listed as annuals or biennials. Dianthus flowers are distinguished by their five frilled petals with pink margins, and are often very pale to dark pink in color. They have varying heights of ten to twenty inches. Flowers are produced during the spring or summer with blooms typically lasting up to the first frost of the season. Toss Dianthus seeds about twelve inches apart in fertile soil with good drainage and at least five hours of sunlight each day. Water daily until seedlings began to sprout, as plants become established, limit their water intake to once or twice a week.

Yellow foliage on Dianthius plants is a sign of over watering, gardens in dry climates should try to avoid this common mistake. Dianthus are re-seeders, plants that are spent do not have to be removed right away, but spent flowers should be promptly discarded to promote continuous blooms. Most Dianthus plants are tolerant of disease and garden pests. New dianthus plants can be started in spring or summer from seeds thrown directly into garden soil or from stem cuttings taken in late spring or early summer. These cuttings can be planted in the fall and will be ready to flower the following year.

Four O' Clocks (mirabilis jalapa)
Trumpet shaped flowers that open up in the late afternoon or early evening. Brilliant colors of red, yellow, white, pink, and magenta bloom from bushy plants that almost care for themselves. Producing blooms from early summer to fall, Four O' Clocks can grow up to two feet tall and may have flowers of different colors on the same plant. Four O' Clocks are heat resistant, tolerates smoke and air pollution, thrives well in almost any type of soil or climate, and survives nicely on very little water.

You can toss the seeds where they will have full exposure to the sun and forget about it. These bushy plants with beautiful flowers can be used as shrubs, borders, or hedges. Seeds fall from flowers, or are scattered by the wind causing new plants to grow wherever they settle. Not only are they re-seeders, Four O' Clocks have tuberous roots that enables their continuous growth. They are a great choice for those who love flowers but are not crazy about garden work, or for those who are unable to care for a flower garden on a regular basis. You can add their fragrant beauty to your yard with little effort, just toss and enjoy.

Gloriosas Daisies (rudbeckia hirta)
Can be easily grown from seeds tossed in your flower garden. These hardy annuals create large daisy or aster type flower heads in vibrant colors. Displaying blooms that last all summer, Gloriosas produce massive five to six inch blooms on plants that can grow up to thirty-six inches tall. They thrive well in high summer temperatures, are resistant to heat and humidity, and can survive in regions with cooler climates or heavy rainfall.

Plant Gloriosas in an area that receives full sunlight or partial shade and good air circulation, their blooms will last throughout the season. Toss seeds into warm garden soil and press gently, do not cover with soil. Space seeds at least two feet apart to avoid overcrowding, soil should be moist with good drainage. Uses for Gloriosa Daisies include flower beds, borders, and cut flowers. Spent flowers can be dead headed to prolong blooming, water regularly to keep the soil moist. Gloriosa Daisies prefer regular waterings, but they are fairly drought resistant. For best results, do not let the soil dry out.

Marigolds (tagetes)
Dependable and weather resistant toss and grow annuals in a variety of different species. They can grow as high as two feet, and will attract butterflies and other pollinators to your flower garden. Marigolds bloom from early summer to late fall in colors of pale yellow, deep gold, orange, and red. Toss Marigold seeds ten inches apart in moist, well drained soil with full exposure to the sun. Seeds usually germinate in seven to ten tays, keep soil moderately moist during germination. Removing dead flowers as plants mature will promote blooming and prevent the strong smell of Marigolds indoors. Strip foliage from cut flowers before adding them to a vase. Common uses for Marigolds are borders, cut flowers, ornamentals, and as companion plants to attract beneficial garden insects.

Wildflowers (angiosperms)
Hassel free, easy to grow, and stunningly beautiful. Perfect for flower beds, borders, wildflower gardens, and cut flowers. Wildflowers commonly grow to be three feet tall. Sprinkle seeds into well drained garden soil with full exposure to the sun, lightly cover with soil. As seedlings began to sprout, thin plants to twelve inches apart and replant strong seedlings in other areas of the garden. Water regularly and remove spent flowers to promote further blooming.

Zinnias (elegans/angustifolia)
One of the easiest annuals to grow. Plants can grow up to three feet tall with bright and beautiful blooms that often measure four to five inches across. Zinnias produce flowers all season, lures butterflies to your garden, and thrives in the summer sun and high temperatures. Seeds can be tossed directly into moist, well drained garden soil that gets full sun exposure. Plants should be spaced between twelve and eighteen inches apart, and weak plants should be thinned out to prevent overcrowding. Water Zinnias as close to the roots as possible to avoid mildew. A ground based soaker hose can be used to reduce wet foliage, or water plants early in the day so leaves can dry off before the sun sets. Used as borders and in outdoor flower beds, Zinnias are beautiful flowers with long stems that make them the ideal flower to fill your favorite vase. Remove foliage from blooms when using as cut flowers.

All of these easy to grow and maintain annuals are ideal plants for beginning gardeners. They germinate quickly and produce long lasting blooms for you to enjoy as borders, in flower gardens, as cut flowers or ornamentals, and to share with your family and friends.