The Beginning Gardener

How To Build A Raised Bed Vegetable Garden

2012-01-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

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.

Pacific Callas is specialized in providing the highest quality calla lily bulbs, direct from the world's best growers. We have numerous varieties of calla lily bulbs in all colors. Sporadically, we have ‘special-items’ of calla-lily related products, such as a calla lily fabric handbag. These products are always unique.

Botanical Interests
A very unique, high quality line of organic and untreated garden seeds not available in discounting chain stores. We have over 500 varieties, 140 of which are certified organic. All seed varieties are untreated. None are GMO's. Our packaging was designed to educate our customers - we have "tons" of information on our packets.

Planning An Herb Garden

2011-11-27T08:37:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

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

2011-07-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Purchasing Plants And Seeds

2010-06-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Before you purchase seeds and plants for your organic garden, determine which types of vegetables and plants will be productive. Your organic garden can supply your family and friends with many of the basic vegetables found in the produce section of conventional markets. It is a good idea to plant the type of vegetables that you normally purchase for your family.

If you are buying starter plants, choose plants that look healthy and young, avoid plants that show signs of aging, and plants that are crowded or weak. Plants that are old or diseased will not do well, and may harm some of the healthy plants in your garden.

When you are ready to buy seeds for your garden, be sure to check for sell by dates. You should limit your choices to plants and crops that will thrive in your region. Read the directions for the seeds you want to plant to get to know the plant's needs, and to determine if you can grow them successfully in your region.

Many vegetables can be sprouted from seeds that germinate in about seven days. These sprouts can be planted in small pots or containers, and transplanted directly into garden soil after six weeks, or when they are six inches tall.

Seeds that are grown indoors may have better lighting conditions and germinate quickly, but some vegetable and plant sprouts are hard to transplant, those seeds should be planted directly into the ground.

Your organic garden should be exposed to six hours of sunlight. Gardeners with sloped land should plant on slanted ground with their crops facing the sun.

Designing Your Garden

2010-03-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

Your organic garden will become a job with daily demands for water, and the need to mulch often. Transplanting, pulling weeds, and turning compost will become routine garden chores requiring time and dedication in order for your flowers, herbs, and vegetables to survive.

Think about how much time and effort you are willing to set aside for your garden's productivity and success, some gardeners work for an hour each day on their vegetables and plants.

At this stage of planning, design your organic garden on paper first. This is a good way to organize your garden and avoid haphazard planting. Prepare a scale drawing of your garden with labels for each row of plants or bed of flowers. When you are satisfied with your drawing, it is time to prepare the soil for your organic garden.

Soil preparation can take a lot of work depending on the condition of the soil. Beginning gardeners should plan on an area that measures no more than eight feet by ten feet to avoid becoming frustrated with a large garden that can get out of hand.

Began preparing your garden site by eliminating perennial or surface weeds. In an area that has never been cultivated, or where there is heavy weed growth, you may need to apply a non-selective, systemic herbicide to eliminate stubborn weeds. Spring or fall is the best time to apply this type of herbicide. Stubborn weeds may take up to fourteen days to die, your garden site should be free of weeds before you start to plant.

After your garden site has been cleared of weeds and rocks, have the soil tested for nutrients, and make the recommended soil adjustments. When the soil's pH and fertility have been adjusted, continue preparing your garden by adding fertilizer or a layer of compost on top of the soil, spreading it evenly throughout the garden.

Garden soil must be broken up, or tilled before seeds are planted. To determine if your soil is ready to be worked, squeeze a generous amount into a ball, if the soil is too dry, it will not form a ball. Soil that holds the shape of a ball is too wet, and if it crumbles in your hand, it is ready to be tilled. Never till your soil when it is wet.

When the soil is ready to be tilled, use a steel garden rake to form rows, hills, or raised beds for the flowers, herbs, and vegetables you will be planting.

Garden Site Selection and Soil Preparation

2009-09-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Successful organic gardens start with adequate preparation of the garden site. Your flowers, herbs, and vegetables must be grown in an area that receives six hours of direct sunlight with proper drainage, soil nutrients, and moisture. Your garden will need sufficient air circulation to avoid disease, and to promote healthy growth and development.

Climate, water, and soil are the essentials for growing healthy flowers, herbs, and vegetables. The plants you choose for your organic garden must be suited for the climate or region where you live. Frustration and disappointment can be avoided when you become familiar with the type of plants that will thrive in your region.

Your organic garden should be near a good source of water. At least an inch of water per week will be required to keep your plants healthy. Do not plant near trees or shrubs that compete for water or cast shade on your organic garden.

Your garden will need well drained soil with high levels of organic matter. Properly prepared garden soil promotes seed germination and the growth of healthy plant roots.

Various types of plants and flowers require different levels of soil acidity, some plants can thrive in alkaline soil, while other flowers or vegetables are sensitive to lime and will not do well.

Garden soil pH (potential Hydrogen ions) can be tested to determine what type of soil you have, and to measure the amount of lime or calcium in the soil. Depending on your region, soil acidity levels generally range between six and seven degrees.

Plan on adjusting the soil in your organic garden to suit the flowers, herbs, and vegetables that will be planted there. Inexpensive soil testing kits can be purchased, or you can take a soil sample to a garden center to have it tested for you.

The soil test records the levels of potassium, phosphorus, and micronutrients found in the soil, and provides recommendations for soil adjustments. Soil adjustments help improve garden soil and prepares the ground for crops and plants.

Raising your soil pH increases the alkaline, you can use crushed marble, lime, hardwood ash, or pulverized oyster shells. Lowering soil pH makes it more acidic, you may use ground rock sulfur, peat moss, wood chips, sawdust, or composted leaves to lower soil pH. If your garden soil has too much alkaline to be adjusted, use organic potting mix or garden soil.

Adjusting your soil pH can be done with materials found in garden supply centers. Soil pH and fertility can be checked every two years and soil adjustments should be made gradually throughout several growing seasons. If your garden soil has too much alkaline to be adjusted, you can try raised bed gardening, or square foot gardens using organic topsoil purchased from garden supply shops, nurseries, and hardware stores.

Healthy garden soil should contain equal amounts of clay, silt, sand, and lots of organic matter to nourish plants and promote root growth. A well balanced garden soil has the proper amount of minerals and nutrients, and contains twenty five percent water, twenty five percent air, and fifty percent of organic matter.

The soil in your organic garden should be rich, loose, and crumbly to produce healthy plants and crops. Plants or flowers can not survive in tight, dry, compacted soil that has no nutritional value. The goal for your organic garden is to have healthy, productive soil for your flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

Healthy soil is the essential key to strong, productive plant life and is vital to the air, water, wildlife and our ecosystem.

The soil in your organic garden should be rich, loose, and crumbly to produce healthy plants and crops.

Plants and flowers can not survive in dry, compacted soil that have no nutritional value.

Biennials

2009-08-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

Biennial plants are flowering plants that take two years to complete its life cycle. Biennials grow vegetative structures such as stems, roots, and leaves during the first year and becomes dormant in colder months.

Some biennial plants may require cold treatments to help their flowering process. This treatment is known as vernalization. Vernalization is the act of exposing biennial plants to prolonged low winter temperatures that enables them to flower in the spring.

The vernalization period varies according to biennial plants. Vernalization temperatures normally range between forty and fifty degrees Fahrenheit. During vernalization, plants obtain the ability to produce flowers or seeds, but some plants may need additional growth time and seasonal feedings before they flower.

In extremely cold conditions, biennial plants may complete their life cycle in a few months instead of two years. Biennial plants may produce seeds during their first season if seedlings or young plants have been exposed to cold climates.

First year biennials have short stems and form rosette type leaves that are close to the ground. In their second year, the stems of biennial plants bolt or become elongated, producing flowers that may contain seeds or pollen. Biennials flower only once, and die after producing seed, fruits, or flowers.

Biennials are sown in late summer and can be planted from seeds or seedlings in the fall. Self sowing biennials are easy to grow. Strong, fast growing plants are usually not harmed by disease or garden pests.

Biennial plants are grown to produce, flowers, fruit and seeds, as well as vegetables with edible leaves and roots. Biennial vegetables such as beets, carrots, parsley, celery and lettuce, or plants that can not survive in winter, are grown as annual plants. Flowering biennials such as impatiens and chrysanthemums, are usually grown as ornamentals or hedges.

Perennials

2009-07-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Perennials are plants or flowers that live for more than two years. Small, flowering perennials grow and bloom in the spring and summer, die back during the fall and winter, and return in the spring from healthy root stock. Unlike annuals, perennials are not self seeding.

Some common types of perennials are evergreen, which retain foliage all year long, deciduous perennials loose their leaves, flowers, or fruit seasonally, and monocarpic perennials flower, set seed, and dies.

The life cycle of perennials varies from plants that live for a few years, to trees that are more than three thousand years old. Ranging from tiny to tall, most perennials will flower for many seasons during their lifetime.

Perennials are found in a wide variety of plant groups from ferns, which are vascular plants, to flowering plants like orchids, grasses and ornamentals.

Perennial plants and flowers produce bulbs, tubers, rhizomes (underground plant stems or roots), or woody crowns that allow them to adapt from one season to the next, and helps them to survive as they lay dormant during cold or dry seasons.

Perennials can adapt to extreme environmental conditions such as hot and dry weather, or very cold temperatures. Perennials in warm climates will grow continuously, while plants in more seasonal climates are limited to the growing season.

Perennial plants develop large root systems that grants access to nutrients and water found deep in the soil, which helps them to emerge early in the spring.
Depending on the type, perennials may produce one or more flower crops per year, with a blooming period of one week, to more than a month.

Durable perennials return to life each year without being replanted but should be replaced every four or five years to retain their luster. Perennial plant clumps can be divided and transplanted to other areas of the garden where they will quickly regrow into healthy seed producing plants.

Annuals

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Flower gardens are grown especially for decorative purposes and is a combination of different colors, height, textures, and fragrances. Featuring various flowers that bloom at different times of the year, a flower garden is a mixture of annuals, biennials, and perennials.

Annuals are plants that sprout, flower, and die in one year. Summer annuals such as Cosmos, Tricolor Chrysanthemums, and Star Daisies are grown outside in the spring and summer, surviving for only one season, these types of plants germinate, flower, and die the same season.

Some annuals do not flower, and others will have a longer life span if they are prevented from seeding. The seed-to-seed life cycle of an annual plant can last from one to several months, depending on the species.

Annuals can be seeded in about five weeks with the help of fluorescent lighting or lamps. Some food plants, such as domestic grains, peas, lettuce, cauliflower, watermelons, beans and corn are annual plants.

Winter annuals like Wild Pansies, Primroses, and the Madagascar Periwinkle germinate in the fall or winter, and bloom in late fall, winter, or early spring. These are cool season plants that bloom when most plants are dormant, or in seed waiting for the weather to warm up before germinating.

After flowering and setting seed, winter annuals will die and wait until the soil temperature is cool again in the fall or winter before germinating seeds. Ecologically, winter annuals provides fresh vegetation for animals or birds, and vegetative cover that can help prevent soil erosion during winter and early spring when there is almost no ground covering.

Most annuals are easy to grow and maintain with adequate water and at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.

Beneficial Garden Insects

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Earthworms convert organic matter into castings filled with living microorganisms, nutrients, and humic acids that enriches the soil. They are beneficial living organisms that feed on plant litter and dead organic matter twenty four hours a day.

Consuming their weight in food each day, earthworms help aerate and loosen garden soil as they tunnel into their burrows, allowing air and water to circulate to other living microorganisms and plant roots.

Earthworms in garden soil are usually beneficial, but not absolutely necessary, many organic gardens thrive nicely without them.

Because earthworms creates mounds as they burrow and their castings roughens the surface of garden soil, organic gardeners in some regions consider these earth movers to be pests that need to be controlled.

Organic pest control starts with learning how to identify helpful garden insects from pests that can destroy your garden. Beneficial insects such as ladybugs, lacewings, ground beetles, and spiders are natural enemies to destructive garden pests.

Other beneficial garden insects are predatory bugs that feed on spider mites, small caterpillars, and corn ear worms. Hunting and parasitic wasps are mini wasps that are barely visible and attack insect eggs.

The larvae of hover flies consumes aphids in tiny spaces that can not be reached by other beneficial insects. Beneficial insects are attracted to organic gardens with accessible water sources, pollen and nectar plants.

When you have become familiar with beneficial garden insects, you can diversify your garden to attract the helpful insects you need to protect against destructive garden pests.

You can control pest naturally without harmful chemicals and enjoy wonderful flowers, herbs, and vegetables from your organic garden with complete peace of mind because you have done nothing to harm your family, the earth, or other living organisms.

Organic gardeners enjoy natural lush green lawns, fragrant flower gardens, thriving ornamentals and a bounty of delicious vegetables, melons, or berries. Organic gardening presents a safe, easy way to beautify your outdoor space, and provide your family with healthy vegetables that have not been treated with harmful chemicals, radiation, or harsh pesticides.

Grow Organic

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Organic gardening means growing flowers, herbs, and vegetables using natural compost from things found in nature, it is a conscious decision to cultivate plants without poisoning the earth.

Using the natural controls of nature to eliminate or control disease and garden pest, natural organic gardens are ecologically friendly and respectful to the vast array of beneficial garden bugs and worms. Organic gardening is the natural balance of the soil, its nutrients, water, air and plants.

Good soil is the cornerstone of organic gardening, and the best way to improve garden soil is to add more organic matter. When organic matter breaks down into humus, it provides needed benefits for the soil. Soil filled with organic matter promotes healthy root growth to sustain plant life.

Decomposed organic matter feeds microorganisms that are beneficial to the soil and plants. The presence of humic acids breaks down plant matter adding nutrients to the soil, providing better soil aeration. Soil structure is improved, allowing roots to penetrate easily.

Adding decomposed organic matter to garden soil darkens it's color, which helps the soil to warm up in the spring.

Another important aspect of garden soil is composting. Composting is a recycling process that helps to improve soil structure and fertilization. Compost is made from vegetable scraps, leaves, dead flowers and cuttings, grass clippings, fruit peelings, rinds, or kitchen and garden waste.

Compost provides nutritious food for your flowers, herbs, and vegetables. It is the key to sustaining a healthy and productive organic garden. Made up of organic materials, compost produces healthier soil and plants, controls the soil's water flow, and improves drainage.

Organic mulch is also used to promote healthy soil. A cover layer of organic material such as corn stalks, hay, shredded bark or dead leaves are placed on top of garden soil to help control weeds.

Mulched gardens can survive long dry spells with little water, mulch helps the ground to retain moisture and guard against wind and rain erosion. Organic mulch is full of minerals that gradually decomposes into the soil to supply multiple benefits for your organic garden.

Mulch for your flowers, herbs, and vegetables reduces pathogen problems, provides nutrients to feed the soil, controls soil temperature, and conserves water. Mulching
is naturally organic, eliminates the need for herbicides, and is the best option for weed control.

Gardeners who mulch regularly can avoid crop loss due to nematodes (microscopic worms that feed on plant roots), prevent soil rot on plants and vegetables, and the mulch can be incorporated back into garden soil at the end of the growing season.

Adding organic fertilizers to garden soil produces a natural source of nutrients to generate healthy crops and nourish the soil. Chemical fertilizers destroys bacteria the soil needs to resist insects and disease. Natural and organic fertilizers are environmentally friendly with a slower release that makes nutrients last longer.

Compost tea, seaweed, fish emulsion, and corn-gluten meal are widely used as fertilizers by organic gardeners. Cottonseed meal, sea kelp, bone meal, and compost are some organic fertilizers used to supply flowers, herbs, and vegetables with the nutrients they need without poisoning the soil and destroying other living organisms.

Rich, fertile garden soil is full of living organisms feeding on course organic matter that breaks nutrients down to a form that can be easily absorbed by plant roots. Microorganisms such as mold, algae, bacteria, and fungi help decompose organic matter.

Types of Gardens

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There are many types of gardens, most common is residential gardening. Residential gardens are specific areas near the residence that are used for gardening.
Most residential gardens are found in the front or back yard, or on the side of the house, but there are other types of residential gardens to be considered.

Residential gardening can be done in window boxes, on the patio or balcony, an atrium, or when it can be done safely, on a rooftop. Rooftop gardens can be decorated with container grown flowers and plants, herb gardens, or a trellis for vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, or cucumbers.

Rooftop gardens that use hydroponic growing systems eliminates the need for heavy soil, which may be dangerous in some cases.

Indoor gardening involves growing houseplants, flowers, herbs, and certain types of vegetables inside your home or apartment. Indoor gardens are usually contained in greenhouses or a conservatory. It is a common practice to incorporate indoor gardens with air conditioning or heating systems.

Container gardening is the practice of growing plants or flowers in containers that may be located inside or outdoors. Convenient options for patios, balconies, and rooftops, container gardening can be done in hanging baskets, pots, planters, or any kind of container that supplies good drainage for your flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

Impact gardening is utilizing a small area to get the maximum effect, or the most planting space. Plants can be kept close together to block out weeds and reduce the competition for water.

Vertical gardens, also known as living or green walls, are parts of a building or a free standing area completely covered in vegetation, soil, or some type of inorganic growing medium. Vertical gardens can generate up to ten times more produce than
horizontal gardens.

Raised bed gardening is done in wide beds made of wood raised above the soil from six inches to waist high. Various plant types can be grown close together to help combat weeds, and because raised bed gardens are never stepped in, the soil does not get compacted and plant roots can grow easily.

Raised bed gardens are used for growing beets, radishes, carrots, lettuce, basil, tomatoes, garlic, marigolds, zinnias and many other flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

The best thing about raised bed gardening is that it can be done without squatting or bending.

For apartments or homes with limited space, square foot gardening can use up to twenty percent less space than traditional garden rows. Square foot gardening can be done in wooden boxes on top of a table or some other type of raised platform to accommodate gardeners with disabilities, those who may be in wheelchairs, or who have trouble bending and stooping.

Square foot gardening offer many advantages, the soil does not get compacted, seeds can be planted close together to combat weeds, and you can hand-water plant roots directly to conserve water and protect delicate plants, seedlings or sprouts.

Community gardening refers to a plot of land that is gardened by a group of people as a social activity granting access to fresh produce, plants and flowers.
This type of gardening is an opportunity for friends and neighbors to contribute to community and environmental improvement. Community gardens are owned by local or city governments, or by non-profit organizations.

Urban gardening involves using available soil and containers for growing plants, flowers, or herbs in an urban environment. Urban gardening is generally done inside the home, but urban gardens can be found on rooftops, terraces, patios, and balconies. Urban gardeners can install inside or outside window boxes to grow herbs or other small vegetables, plants, or flowers.

Garden varieties are as diverse as the gardeners who plant them. Some gardeners specialize in cultivating certain types of plants like ferns or prize winning roses, or they may plant feature gardens such as a White Garden that produces white flowers or plants with a white cast to their foliage.

Rock gardens, terrariums, and landscape gardens features a particular style or atmosphere, and water gardens, or aquatic gardens combines pools, ponds, or fountains with aquatic plants.

Some gardens are planted especially to attract butterflies or hummingbirds, and rain gardens are designed so rainwater from rooftops or driveways flow into the garden instead of storm drains or surface streets, eliminating water pollution, erosion, and flooding.

No longer considered as just a hobby, the high prices and low quality vegetables found in markets across the country have been incentives for more families to start their own gardens.

Caring for your garden is a routine that will become habit-forming. You will become dedicated to watering, weeding, composting and mulching.

The ability to distinguish beneficial garden insects from destructive bugs and other pests will be useful as you cultivate healthy flowers and plants.

Gardening is environmentally friendly, and a project that the whole family can enjoy. Children will learn the benefits of healthy eating and why organically grown fruits and vegetables are better for us and the environment.