Posted on January 11th, 2012
Gardening these days is much more involved than it used to be and what could have been accomplished with a simple spade and set of clippers now involves outdoor electricity and sophisticated tools. Elaborate water gardens flow and keep the water oxygenated for the fish with electrical pumps and people now light the way to their homes with electric lanterns positioned along the path.
With this much reliance on electricity you need a way to access it outdoors. Short of contacting your Texas Electricity Providers, which you should always do, you’ll want to get a hold of a Residual Current Device which can be plugged into a separate circuit on the consumer unit of your electrical setup. You’ll also want to purchase some waterproof sockets.
Again, if what you have is a modern garden with modern needs (outdoor electricity, etc.) then you’ll want to consult a professional before doing anything major. There are a number of alternatives you can use like low-voltage, battery-powered garden lights and tools that can all reduce the risk of using electricity outdoors.
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Posted on February 4th, 2012
Square foot gardening has been around since the 1970′s. This gardening style and philosophy embraced by Mel Bartholomew attempts to make the most of the least amount of space. Planting in raised beds which are marked in 1′x1′ squares, gardeners are able to account for variations in soil as well as temperature, wind and sun while creating a space with unlimited potential.
Building the raised beds is an easy enough process. All one needs are four strips of untreated lumber that are 2″x6″x4′ to get started. Use wood screws to fasten the strips into a perfect square. Then mark the box into the corresponding square foot segments creating 16 different crop possibilities.
Should the garden need added protection from the elements the sides of the box are always perfectly ready for attaching screens and netting by simply screwing them into the sides of the slats where needed.
Because this is Texas there are wild swings in soil content, and the best way to compensate for that is by making one’s own from composting or by simply purchasing a ready made mix.
Finally, find the zone appropriate seeds, seedlings or clippings, to plant.
Remember water, weed regularly and enjoy!
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Posted on January 22nd, 2012
With the recent news of pesticides being found in many of our food and drink, finding ways to garden without using insecticides is valuable. There are many beneficial insects that can help you grow plants and vegetables without any chemicals. Some plants actually attract these types of insects and can make it possible to grow organic with ease.
The most common insect that eats unwanted pests is the ladybug. These little red bugs are attracted to strong smelling plants, Marigolds, Dandelions, Yarrow, scented Geraniums and all types of herbs, especially mint and dill. A ladybug can eat up to five thousand aphids a day. They also eat other soft bodied insects and larvae.
There are several other types of beneficial insects that will eat bugs that harm your garden and surprisingly enough most of them are also attracted to all types of herbs and marigolds. It may be a good idea to inter-space these plants with vegetables for protection from the pests that can ruin your garden. Make sure you know which insects are beneficial and which are harmful so you do not destroy any of the good bugs. Some other varieties of plants to look for that attract these natural pest eaters are Lavender, Statice, Zinnia, Lobilla and Sunflowers. Make the beneficial bugs welcome by planting a smorgasbord of plants that they love to visit. They will in turn give you help with destroying insects that do your plants harm.
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Posted on January 9th, 2012
Most people think of worms as slimy disgusting little things. But in a garden worms can actually be one of your best friends. Worms are an important part of the garden environment. By using Vermiculture, you can make environmentally friendly natural compost without harsh artificial chemicals.
Vermiculture is simply making compost out of waste using different species of worms. The worms break down the organic waste and make a healthy compost for your garden.
You can make this compost at home all you need is a place to start. To begin you can get a large bin. You can find a large bin at any local garden store. You want to use Styrofoam, wood or plastic. Metals heat up and can rust, which will contaminate your compost with unwanted chemicals. You need to make sure there are hole in your bin. Then you can add the worms and kitchen waste. Worms can turn the kitchen waste into compost without you having to put in additional effort.
The benefits to this far outweigh the cost of having to keep take your kitchen waste outside to a bin. You can properly dispose of your waste without adding to a landfill. You will never need to use additional water or the worry that you will damage your sewage system with improper use of a garbage disposal.
Using healthy organic compost will also improve the health of your garden. Organic gardens are much better for the health of you and your family. Fruits and vegetables produced in an organic garden are healthy and you do not have to worry that chemicals from the soil end up into the food you eat. Having an organic flower garden is also healthy for you. Because every chemical you put into the ground ends up in the water. Organic is healthy for everyone!
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Posted on August 11th, 2011
Gardening is a great way to have fun while growing fresh vegetables, however pulling weeds can make anyone tired of working in the garden. Plastic can be used in several ways to prevent weeds from growing in your garden. In the fall, after you have harvested your last crops, you can put black plastic in your garden and kill the weed seeds that may have begun to sprout in your garden. The plastic attracts heat, which kills the seeds.Confused? Here ‘s a little help . This is a much better way than Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted on August 8th, 2011
Plants need water, and in warmer climates even more so. Water cost money to keep precious plants alive. Drip irrigation is cost effective more efficient, and anyone can do it. How can drip irrigation save money on the water bill? Drip irrigation is a series of tubing that runs along the roots of the plants. The drip irrigation system design delivers water right to the roots. The drip system prevents leaves from getting wet thus preventing Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted on August 6th, 2011
Texas has a favorable climate to all-year long gardening, because of this successive plantings can be used to help gardeners better utilize their space. Successive planting is when a crop is grown in a spot, and then after it is harvested the crop is removed and another crop is planted in its place. Successive plantings can be one of the best options for gardeners who have limited space.
Those who have limited space to place a garden or have small raised beds can often get more crops from successive plantings Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted on August 2nd, 2011
Crop rotation is a common practice for farmers in large scale growing operations. The practice is used to control pest populations and disease as well as to replenish soil nutrients that are depleted during the growing season. While it is more difficult to organize an effective crop rotation in a smaller garden, the benefits of doing so are worth the effort.
Insect and disease damage can quickly render a garden a complete loss, while nutrient depletion from overuse Read the rest of this entry »
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