How to Prune and Harvest Herbs

Harvesting and pruning herbs is a great way to make use of herbs but it also benefits the plant.

Many herbs can be harvested on a regular basis though the strongest flavor is just before the plant flowers. This is the plant's volatile oils which gives the plants its aroma and taste, and what should be preserved.

The best time of day to harvest herbs is in the morning just after the dew has dried and there is no moisture on the leaves. The volatile oils will also be at their peak at this time. The plants can be hosed down the day before to spray away any dirt on the leaves.

When harvesting perennial plants, don't take any more than 1/3 of the plant so there is plenty left for re-growth. With annual herbs, up to half of the plant can be harvested by snipping the stem four inches from the ground.

Use sharp shears to harvest and always snip at an intersecting branch as this encourages new growth.

Herbs in the mint family like peppermint mint and lemon balm should be sheared right to the ground at the end of the season in late fall. This will encourage fresh new growth in the spring and keep the plant tidy.

Hardy culinary perennials like oregano, thyme and rosemary should be pruned before flowering and can also be pruned as needed for use. Prune the new growth leaving a few inches above the woody stems. Pruning it into a compact ball will keep the plant tidy and encourage new growth in the spring.

Some herbs like oregano can become leggy and untidy so these types always benefit from a good pruning. Herbs like catnip and catmint also develop a sprawling habit and benefit from more regular pruning to keep the plant tidy.

Check herbs to snip and remove all dead wood and leaves and trim unhealthy parts of the plant. This encourages the plant to put its energy into new growth.

Herbs grown in milder climates may produce a second growth into the fall that can also be harvested. Some herbs like parsley, thyme and rosemary can be harvested minimally throughout the winter if the climate is mild.

Once the herbs are harvested, they can be dried hung upside down in small bunches gathered together with an elastic band. The herbs should be hung away from heat and light as this will affect the volatile oils.

Once the herbs are dry and brittle to the touch, strip the leaves from the stems and store in airtight containers, away from a heat and light source.

The leaves do not need to be crumbled until just before use, as this retains more of the volatile oils.

Harvested herbs can also be preserved by freezing them in ice cube trays tightly packed in with water. When the cube are frozen, pop them out and store in freezer bags. Thaw as needed. Another method is to blend the fresh leaves with water or oil and freeze in ice cube trays. Store in freezer bags and use as needed.

This is a great way to enjoy the fresh flavours of fresh that don't dry well, such as basil and parsley.

A final method for preserving is to make herbal vinegars as this provides a way to enjoy the fresh flavor of herbs year round.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   Vegetable Gardening Beginners - Deciding What to Grow   Outdoor Lights for Decoration and Their Uses   Enjoying the Benefits of Quality Modern Landscaping Services   Win the Bed Bugs Battle   

The Easiest Vegetables You Can Grow

Growing your own fruit and vegetables can be a daunting task, especially for the city-dwelling novice. A failed crop or, indeed, a dead plant, can lower morale to such an extent that no further attempts in the area of gardening are made. Do not lose heart though. Here are some excellent reasons to grow your own vegetables.

It is far more satisfying to grow veg than to buy them in the supermarket. The pleasure of using your home-growns in the kitchen will add so much to the experience of preparing and cooking your meals. And, here´s the real secret, it´s easy. Whether you have a small indoor garden or an acre to till, growing your own vegetables is hugely pleasurable, yielding fast rewards. And the quality is undoubtedly better than what you will find in the supermarkets.

Growing your own vegetables removes worry about chemicals and pesticides. There is a lot of preoccupation these days about the integrity of fruit and vegetables sold in the supermarkets. They are sprayed with pesticides and waxes which help protect and beautify the produce, but which are inevitably harmful for human consumption.

Planning your garden

Preparation is key and planning your garden will make things much easier further down the line. Picking a sunny spot is vital. For guaranteed success dig your garden in a place that will get six hours or more of full sunlight. It should preferably be close to the house and a water supply, so it is easy to monitor. Finally, your garden should be sheltered enough, getting good air movement, but certainly not windy.

Preparing the soil is also important. Dig and rake the soil so that it is well aerated and free of rocks and debris. The soil should drain well, never leaving puddles after heavy rainfall. You will probably also need to add compost for nourishment. Your end result should be a nice crumbly texture.

Sowing seeds

Sowing seeds is really easy. Usually it is just a case of following instructions on the packet. Some seeds can just be sprinkled on to the soil, whereas others need to be covered up. As a general rule, the bigger the seed, the deeper it must be planted. Be sure to keep the soil moist by watering regularly and gently. When the seedlings are growing make sure that they all have enough space, this may mean pulling some out and replanting.

Courgettes

Courgettes grow in startling abundance. If you don't know your neighbours already this will be your opportunity. You will be desperate to give away these little (and large) green veggies to whoever crosses your path. Sow them from seed directly into the soil in late-May until early summer. You should water these little plants well to boost production. The courgette flowers can also be eaten, they are delicious either battered or fried.

Onions

Onions are the staple ingredient to any good meal, adding substance and flavour to sauces and stews. They are, therefore, a welcome addition to your garden. Onions can be grown from sets or seeds, but planting sets is infinitely more fun and relatively risk-free. Sets are immature onion bulbs that are planted in the soil. Dig a small hole in the soil, enough to fit your bulb twice, and cover it. Space your sets around 15 centimetres apart for the best result. Plant in early spring.

Carrots

Carrots are another staple to the kitchen. Dice them to add substance to a stew or soup, grate them into a salad or just chop them up and eat as cruditees. Plant your carrot seeds as soon as the soil can be worked after winter. Carrots are ready for harvest when you see their tops peeking over the line of the soil.

Peas

Peas in a pod are the perfect plants for kids. They will love popping them Sugarsnaps are perfect for this. Sow three rows of pea seeds at the very beginning of spring and harvest them when the pods are fat. These little plants are fairly low-maintanance and can survive on the moisture from rainfall.

Lettuce

There is nothing better than a fresh garden salad from your own garden. The quality is better. The leaves are crunchier. And there are so many varieties of lettuce the only difficulty will be in deciding what you want. Try buying salad bowl, spinach and rocket seeds. These are easy to plant and maintain. You will, however, need to keep an eye open for garden pests, especially slugs, who love these tasty greens. Sow every two weeks in order to space out growth and to ensure that you always have fresh leaves on your kitchen table.

Radishes

Radishes are great for the novice gardener. They are easy to grow and are often ready in only three weeks. Plant in early spring, sowing the seeds around six inches deep. They will be a spicy, crunchy addition to your gourmet salads.

Whatever your level of expertise, gardening should be a fun, pleasurable experience. There is nothing like the feeling of eating a meal you planted and prepared yourself. And once you start, you will be guaranteed your thirst for learning will increase.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   Three Common Gardening Styles   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   LED Horticulture Lights Vs Fluorescent Lamps: Which Is Better for Growing Indoor Plants?   

What Is a Suitable Pond Water Feature for a Family?

Families can often have a difficult time deciding on the type of pond water features they should have in a garden to provide aesthetic beauty and keep the children within a family safe. Alongside the decision of what style of water feature you should place in a garden, the type of safety features installed and pump style can add to the myriad of choices available for those making the decision.

A poorly chosen or installed pond water feature can prove to be life threatening for small children; those under five are at the greatest risk of drowning in a water feature of shallow or deep depths. Even when choosing a shallow pond water feature such as a fountain, the family should consider safety features. A fence surrounding the pond water feature can provide some security, but are not always completely child-proof and can sometimes be climbed over by children who are then in danger of drowning if they fall. A protective mesh can also be installed, which covers the surface area of the water to reduce the chances of a child falling into the pond. Safety features, such as mesh that covers the surface of garden features can be dangerous if not installed correctly as the mesh can sag and allow the child to sink into the water and drown in case of an accident.

Shallow pond water features, such as koi ponds that have little water volume in them can be a good choice for families because the depth of water is not as deep as in other ponds. A shallow water feature can also use a low voltage pump to keep the pond water moving through the pond. Low voltage pumps are available that can be buried beneath the surface of the ground to avoid dangers such as tripping and electric shocks to members of the family. To further reduce these risks you can use a solar pump that floats in the water of the pond and is capable of moving small amounts of water around the pond. Solar pumps remove the issue of any electrical connections adjoining to the mains power supply completely; large scale water pumps used to power fountains are not generally permitted to be buried underground and run the risk of small children tripping over wires in the garden.

Often a better option for a family with small children is to use water features such as a bubble fountain that buries the reservoir containing the large pool of water beneath the ground. A water spout rises to ground level and is covered with a large amount of stones or rocks that water bubbles over as it is pushed through the water spout. Other options include a wall mounted fountain that makes it virtually impossible for children to get stuck in the small reservoir of water they use.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Topsoil for Green Lawns   

Using Wind Chimes to Enhance a Small Rock Garden

With proper and creative planning, you can create your own rock garden-there are literally thousands of plants that can grow in it, but only if you make sure to give them the right conditions. Moreover, rock gardens have that distinct physical condition that makes it compatible with a wide array of garden furniture, such as wind chimes, statues, fountains, and water features. Creating and keeping your rock garden in bloom may be a constantly challenging task, but the reward is priceless-aside from the admiration of friends and acquaintances, the nice impression you make on anyone who sees your garden, you also have your own "private Idaho."

What are Rock Gardens?

Contrary to what someone who hears the words "rock gardens" might conclude, it is not actually a garden featuring nothing but rocks, although rock formations do figure largely in the whole setup. Simply put, rock gardens are a clever (and beautiful) way of utilizing otherwise idle resources. Credit the ancient Chinese and Japanese for being among the first ones to realize and exploit the potential and use of rocks in beautifying their home environment. Historical accounts vary, but rock gardens in the Chinese and Japanese context are not only decorative in purpose, but symbolic as well- certain rocks held special meaning concerning religion, wisdom, and life itself, which is why even now rock gardens have a deep special place in their culture.

In England in the 1800s, many exotic botanical treasures were being imported from the far-flung reaches of the British Empire, and people wanted to grow these treasures locally, if only to impress their friends. In 1919, Reginald Farrer's two-volume book 'The English Rock Garden' was published, and it subsequently became a sensation among professional and amateur gardeners. Fast-forward to the present, the modern application of rock gardens may be regarded as essentially Japanese in influence, but it is actually more a blending of different cultures, philosophies, and aesthetic sensibilities. For example, the rock garden you may find in an average American home represents modern ideas about beauty, as well as its success relies on the botanical knowledge pertaining to the kind of plants that can thrive in any rocky environment.

Special Rock Garden Plants

Not all plants can grow in a rock garden, and even those who do still require a lot of care and soil preparation to ensure their health. A stone garden stands on a well-planned bed that considers durability (the rocks should not roll down the slope), stability (it should not fall down like a stack of cards, or, well, rocks), and good soil drainage, while not altogether chucking aesthetics aside. Only when these basic matters are taken care of can you choose the plants that will call your garden home. Among the most common choices include succulents, such as sedums, hens and chicks, and agave. Alpine perennials are also excellent choices, such as dianthu and campanulas.

Playing with Colors

Another exciting aspect of stone gardens is how you can play with colors. Depending on their mineral composition, rocks come in various colors, such as bright red, orange, black, white, gray, slate, and others. You can use the natural colors of rocks to create the look you want to achieve. Under the guidance of a color chart and what you understand about color theory and harmony, you should choose the color of rocks according to whether you want your rock garden "warm" or "cool." Red, orange and yellow and any color based on blends of these colors are warm; blue, purple and green are cool.

Of course, not everything depends on the rocks alone. You can also select specific plants that serve your chromatic purpose. For example, if red sandstone is your main feature and you want everything else to work with it, you should use plants and garden fixtures based on red, as well as transitional colors that are derived from red. And to further enrich this setting, you can add a musical dimension by installing wind chimes in the right places.

Building a garden-even small ones at the corner of your existing garden landscape-is a delightful challenge. But if done correctly, it can be an immensely rewarding experience.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Key Points to Consider When Starting Up a Lawn Mowing Business   Setting Up Your Own Aquaponics System   Collect and Swap Your Own Seeds to Save Money in the Garden   

The History of Bokashi and How It Works

Bokashi composting is not only an ancient practice, but it is also an excellent alternative to traditional aerobic composting. No one is 100% sure exactly where bokashi first originated, or the precise steps in its evolution that brought it to the system we have today, but there are respected theories that tie this tradition to northeast and central Asia. One thing is for certain: bokashi composting is ideal for modern society.

Bokashi is a powder made from bran used in anaerobic composting. This type of composting has several key benefits for the average Joe. A traditional compost heap is a requires a significant amount of work to keep properly maintained. Compost needs to be monitored, turned, aged and sifted... not to mention the pungent smell of compost is off-putting for many people.

Today's EM Bokashi compost eliminates the work, pests and smell associated with decomposition based composting. The practice is believed to have its earliest roots in ancient Korea. Through Korean composting traditions and new scientific research, compost engineers were able to design what we know as bokashi today.

Korean natural farming encourages the growth of certain natural indigenous microorganisms (IMs). These IMs are generally cultivated in cooked rice, milk or another media. Surprisingly similar to the way yogurt is created and maintained, a single culture can be kept alive and producing starters for compost heaps for generations.

EM Bokashi is made with Effective Microorganisms®, or EM•1® Microbial Inoculant. EM•1® is mixed with molasses, water and bran and fermented. The EM•1® ensures a consistent finished product. Effective Microorganisms® was discovered by a man named Dr. Teruo Higa in Japan. Dr. Higa has a doctorate in agricultural research and fruit tree cultivation from Ryukyus University in Okinawa, Japan. Like many great discoveries, EM® came about through an accident -- Higa threw out some waste from his experiments with microorganisms and found the surrounding plants began to flourish.

The EM® that Dr. Higa found in his waste pile was not the EM® that we see today. The current batch of EM•1® took a degree of refining before becoming the product sold today. The current EM•1® Microbial Inoculant mostly consists of lactic acid and phototrophic bacteria as well as yeast.

EM Bokashi came shortly after the EM® concentrate in 1982 and was combined with a special airtight bucket to be easily used in homes and schools. Since that humble beginning, Bokashi has spread to over 120 countries around the world.

Bokashi requires a high carbon media on which the microorganisms colonize. The media of choice today is wheat bran or rice bran. Bokashi starters are sold in a dried form and are mostly used in home composting. The method does not produce the smell of normal composting. The sealed container encourages a pickling process, preventing the materials from rotting, and keeps out pests such as insects.

Because EM Bokashi can be used in tight quarters and in sealed containers, it is ideal for people who want to compost in a small living space. The most common application is using an EM Bokashi bin in a household kitchen. The homeowner can dump kitchen scraps and vegetable matter into the bin and spread a layer of EM Bokashi mix over top of the scraps.

The EM Bokashi awakens in this nutrient-rich environment and the microbes quickly begin to grow. While they grow, they ferment and break down the organic (lignin and cellulose) components of the kitchen scraps in the bin. This causes the food scraps to pickle, maintaining their original shape, but preparing them to final breakdown in the soil. A liquid can be drained out of the Bokashi Bucket Fermenter and used as compost tea, which is a liquid fertilizer useful for growing plants. If the user has no desire to make use of the compost tea, the material is perfectly safe to be drained down a sewer line.

Once the Bokashi bin is filled with alternating layers of bokashi mix and food scraps, is full it is then left to ferment for a couple of weeks. When this time is up, the contents are then buried six to eight inches under the soil and left to finish breaking down. Microbes, worms, and insects in the soil digest the materials into humus in as little as two weeks. This is all done without the tools and work associated with traditional composting!

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Win the Bed Bugs Battle   

Finding the Best Landscape Design Company

When it comes to landscape design, it's not at all an easy task and that's the reason most people opt to hire professionals to do the job for them. However, picking the perfect landscape designer isn't always easy and you may end up having a really hard time coming to a decision.

There are plenty of landscape designer companies these days and therefore there's a lot of competition - this is good for you as the prices would be better due to the tough competition. Even though they may all look the same, if you do a little bit of research on a specific company you'll find out a lot more about them. Therefore, make sure to do your research before you hire someone.

Tips to finding the perfect landscape designer

As already mentioned, finding the perfect landscape designers isn't an easy task and that's the reason you need to make sure that you keep in mind the following tips:

Check their licence

Before you even bother to check out the other aspects of a landscaping company, the first thing that you need to do is check out their business licence. If they're not licenced to do the job, you should never hire them.

Some of the licences that they would need to possess include: A general liability licence, irrigation licences, nursery certificates and much more; however, the licences differ from state to state.

How do they charge you?

Another important factor to consider is the affordability of a landscape designer company. Do they charge a flat rate or do they consider your garden and give you'll a personalized quote based on what you need? Of course the latter would be preferred - right?

Usually when considering pricing landscape companies consider three important factors: the labour involved, equipment needed which also includes the plants, materials and soil as well as their overall profit.

Check out client reviews

If you're hiring a landscape company that is already set up, they would definitely have past clients that you would be able to talk to and even visit to take a look at what they've done to their gardens.

Wouldn't it be great if you would be able to see what your garden would look like before they even begin working on your garden? Therefore, when conducting your research for the best landscape designer check out their website for client reviews.

Communication

You need to make sure that the company you hire is open to communication. That is, they should listen to what you have to say as well as give you detailed updates about the landscaping project.

Once you find a suitable company which fulfils these needs, you could go ahead and meet up with them to find out more about what they could do for your garden.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Enjoying the Benefits of Quality Modern Landscaping Services   

6 Tips to Do Gardening on Tight Budget

A lot of people are into gardening but those people end up losing all of their money because there are a lot of things to buy. For people who are highly interested in improving the looks of their garden, all you have to do is be creative with how you work on it. Gardening on a tight budget may have you thinking that it's impossible, but you'll be glad to hear that we have tips for you to get started while saving.

· If you naturally have a green thumb, you can easily make something out of your garden with the help of other people's garden. Buying pots of plants in shops can be quite expensive and you may even end up using your credit card for it. Ask your neighbors if you can get a few cuttings from their plants. Putting them in a glass of water will help it grow. Just make sure you replace the water regularly, or around every 2 days.

· By putting up a few things in your garden, you can easily update its look. Water features can make a huge improvement for your garden but of course, fountains and those water items can be expensive. Save all of your old cups and glasses and be creative with it. Glass bowls would look really fresh in a garden. You can just look for ideas in magazines or online.

· If there are a lot of things that you have to buy for your garden, you can go to flea markets to get cheaper prices for the items. You can even haggle for it to get even better prices and sometimes, the seller will give you a better discount if you are going to buy everything from them or in bulk.

· Lighting can also make a huge difference on your garden. Remember you don't have to put a lot in order to make it beautiful. You just have to strategically place everything so that they are blending in.

· Try to attract the natural pollinators as well such as bugs and other insects. This will help you garden grow faster. Leave a few cracked items in your items for them to hive and you will attract those little critters in no time.

· You can also plants bulbs in your garden because they are quite easy to grow and are low maintenance. As soon as they're big enough to be cut, plant them all around your garden so that by the next season your garden will be blooming all over. You can plant snowdrops in your garden, they look pretty even if they are just scattered everything.

Follow these tips and avoid using your credit card that may end up hurting your credit score and credit report. Be creative and look for ways to save money. Make use of the old items in your house to save even more money.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   LED Horticulture Lights Vs Fluorescent Lamps: Which Is Better for Growing Indoor Plants?   Vegetable Gardening Beginners - Deciding What to Grow   Outdoor Lights for Decoration and Their Uses   

Why Some New Lawns Can Develop Weeds

The laying of a new lawn is usually a time of happiness and pride for many people. A new lawn really does look spectacular after its installed and now has pride of place in our yards, framing our lawns and gardens with natural green beauty. However, for some people these times of happiness can quickly be eroded away as the new sod is overcome with weeds. Leaving the homeowner bewildered as to how these weeds got into the sod and why they seem to be overtaking the new lawn.

There are some simple answers to this perplexing question, and the cause of the problem is not a single one, but rather a combination of factors which all contribute at the same time to cause a mass of new weeds in a new home lawn.

Initially the homeowner will of course be upset, and the very first place to point the finger is at the sod farm, with the reasoning that the new sod must have left the farm full of weeds. We can say confidently that this is highly unlikely. Sod farms are professional businesses who must supply a product of the highest quality, or otherwise risk going out of business. So these farms will have very strict controls on weeds and diseases at the farm. Which then ensures only turf of the highest quality ever gets sold. So lets take our focus off the sod farmers.

Now we're on the right track, and a little bit of logic will give us our answers.

If we have weeds in our new lawn, then they were grown from weed seeds. So we must ask ourselves where these weed seeds came from. Firstly, let look at our own yards first, and remember what was in our lawn area before the new sod was laid. If the lawn area was left neglected for some time before the new sod was laid, and had weeds present, then we can now see that it was those weeds which implanted seeds into our lawn soil prior to the new sod being laid.

Alternatively, if the lawn area was clean and weed free prior to the installation of the new sod, then we can look around at the nearby yards in our immediate area. If we can see there are yards full of weeds nearby, then it is also logical that seeds were dispersed into our turf area from these sources.

Weeds often put out masses of seeds, and these weed seeds can last up to 10 years in the soil before ever germinating. A percentage of these seeds will germinate each year, creating new weeds, with each generation waiting under the soil for the perfect time to spring forth.

So now we've found the true source of our weeds, and why they were waiting for so long hidden under the soil, we must now work out why so many weeds suddenly sprang forth when we put in our new sod. This too is very easy to understand with just a little more logic.

What did we change when our new turf was first laid? Well of course we immediately began to apply masses of water to get the sod established, and we may have put down a little fertiliser to help with the growth of the new lawn. In doing so, we created optimum growing conditions for our turf, which is great, but we also just created perfect growing conditions for all those thousands of weed seeds underneath the lawn, which were previously hidden in the soil.

All that wonderful lawn care was just what all those weed seeds have been waiting years for, perfect growing conditions for their survival, at which point we find that the majority of these seeds suddenly all germinated under these peak growing conditions. And as a result, filled our beautiful new lawn will ugly weeds.

So we can now see why some new lawns get infested with weeds so quickly after installation. Of course we can minimise some of these problems from occurring by properly killing all weeds in the area to be turfed before the new sod is laid, however this will not cure the problem entirely.

Once a new lawn is laid, and if it becomes filled with weeds, we must wait until the turf is fully established and healthy before any weed treatments can be undertaken, otherwise we risk damaging the new turf. Instead, we can mow regularly during the establishment phase, which will control many of the weeds from re-seeding, while keeping the lawn looking clean and tidy. Once the lawn is healthy and established properly, we can then look at using weed sprays to remove the weeds completely from our beautiful new home lawns.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Three Common Gardening Styles   

Why Should You Choose a Solar Water Feature for Your Garden?

Are you thinking about adding a water feature to your garden? Have you been thinking about going solar to save on your energy costs? These are questions that you may be asking yourself, and they have a great answer. Solar water features in a garden are something can bring you pleasure in more ways than one. Solar features do not use the electricity that electrical features do and they tend to be much easier to install than their counterparts. They also have other benefits that you may want to consider when choosing a water feature for your garden.

The Benefits of Solar Water Features

The benefits of a solar feature are not limited to less energy consumption. They are much easier to install than an electrical installation and can be less hassle. You may even be able to install a small feature that can be moved or changed to accommodate your tastes.

The solar products that are available today are much more affordable than they once were. This makes them not only attractive but affordable. It may even be cheaper to buy a solar feature than to have an electrical system installed for a water feature. It also makes them an easy weekend project for people who like DIY-type projects.

The solar water products that are on the market today may also be a lot quieter than their electrical counterparts. This makes them a more ideal solution for the water features in any garden. If you want a quiet place to sit and read a book with the pleasant sound of a waterfall; solar power may be the way to go.

Installing Your Solar Water Feature

One of the best things about your solar feature is that it can be installed in a matter of hours depending on what type of feature you want to install, but even if it is a bigger project, it will still be much easier with no electrical installation. All you will have to do is find the place and start your project.

Once you have decided on the type of feature you want to install you will be ready to start getting your hands dirty. If you are making a waterfall or pond; you will need to find the spot you want to start with and lay the liner for the water fall or pond. A waterfall should have a basin to collect the water. You can also combine a waterfall, pond, fountain, or any other features. If you are going to install lighting; you can use solar power as well, which you will find that there are many choices of lighting, which will allow you to light up your water feature at night.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Three Common Gardening Styles   Setting Up Your Own Aquaponics System   

Easily De-Thatch A Lawn With Lawn Mowing

All lawn types will naturally build up their thatch layers over the years, in fact, thatch is a normal part of every lawn, and is what provides that nice soft cushioning feeling underfoot. If it weren't for the thatch layer of turf the sod would very quickly wear out when exposed to everyday use, and the soil would rapidly dry out from the heat of the day, as it is the turf thatch layer which is responsible for insulation of the lawn soil against moisture loss from evaporation, and from wear.

Over the years, all warm season grass types, and most especially when these grasses are grown in full sun, will continue to build up an excessive layer of thatch which will then cause other problems for the home lawn. An overly thick thatch layer will most often scalp when normal lawn mowing is undertaken, will increase the difficulty of lawn mowing, will prevent much of the water being applied to the lawn from ever reaching into the soil, and will trap this water in the thatch layer - thus promoting lawn diseases and other pest problems. The list of problems of an overly thatched lawn just keeps going on, so if our lawns do become thatched over the years, it will need to be eventually dealt with in order to keep our lawns in their best health possible.

The easiest way to control thatch in lawns is by regular maintenance routines which control the thatch on an ongoing basis, and the good news is that doing so is really very easy. Once a year in the Springtime while mowing the lawn, we simply lower the mowing height to deliberately cut deeply into the thatch layer of the sod. Sometimes this process will require going over the lawn area twice to finish the job properly.

If de-thatching a lawn using the lawn mower, it is important to remember never to mow the turf too low, as this can possibly damage the lawn or even kill it in some circumstances. Instead we must find a balance between the sponginess of the sod and how much thatch we remove in one of these lawn mowing sessions. For a heavily thatched lawn, we may need to do a less perfect job and remove only a portion of the thatch in the first mowing. After which, the lawn should be left to fully recover back to full health, at which time the lawn can be cut low again to remove an even greater amount of thatch. Using this method of careful thatch control really is the safest and surest way to safely remove any excess thatch buildup in home lawns.

The lawn mowing method of thatch control should never be a highly aggressive treatment on the lawn, we never want to mow so low to the soil that all is left of the sod is some prickly brown stems. Instead, the process should be mild in nature, regular lawn mowing, mowing at a lower height, and at a height which we can see is biting into the thatch. When the job is complete the sod should still be green and look relatively healthy, while still looking scalped from the low mowing.

Be sure that the turf is receiving adequate water for the week or two following the lawn mowing thatch control, while monitoring the turf for any developing brown patches. Should any brown patches occur in the sod, the best response is to keep ensuring the affected lawn is getting plenty of water until it fully recovers. A very light application of a quality lawn fertilizer can also be applied at a reduced application rate of around 25% of what is normally applied, but this fertilizer application is not necessary.

Good yearly thatch control is a great practice we should all get into when we own a warm season lawn type. Such lawns can include Zoysia grass, Bermuda grass, St Augustine grass, and Kikuyu as examples. The only final consideration we must provide for anyone undertaking these practices is to never use this thatch control method at any time when the weather is expected to be hot. Hot weather in the heat of summer can cause severe damage to a scalped lawn. Alternatively, we also don't want to undertake thatch control too late in the Fall, as the lawn may not have time to repair itself fully before the onset of Winter. The best times to undertake thatch control in turf is early to late Spring, or early in the Fall.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Enjoying the Benefits of Quality Modern Landscaping Services   Key Points to Consider When Starting Up a Lawn Mowing Business   

What Is a Cold Frame Greenhouse?

A cold frame greenhouse in its simplest form is a box with a transparent lid or top. It was originally built to use beside a larger heated greenhouse on a farm. The term "cold frame" comes from the difference between the larger warm greenhouse and the much smaller unheated cold frame greenhouse. They were often placed at the foot of the larger greenhouse on the south side of the building. This allowed for maximum exposure to the sun, which was especially important during the colder months of winter and spring.

Originally the cold frame greenhouse construction was very simple. Its frame was made of wood and the transparent top was made of glass or some type of clear plastic. The top of the structure has a slope to it, allowing for sunlight to warm the inside of the structure, when the sun it not very high in the sky. The sloping top also helps drain-off rain water.

Because the air and ground inside of the greenhouse is warmer then the outside air and ground it is useful for extending the growing seasons of the plants placed inside it. Seedlings can be planted earlier in the spring, using the warmer confines of the greenhouse. Later in the season the seedlings can be removed and planted in the ground when the weather is warmer, the days are longer and there is no risk of frost. The structure also provides protection from strong winds, frost and unexpected snow falls.

Building a greenhouse of this type is very simple and can be done without much instruction. However there are kits available for purchase, if you need to go that route.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Enjoying the Benefits of Quality Modern Landscaping Services   Win the Bed Bugs Battle   

Garden Pests - Fight the Pests the Natural Way

Every garden, at one point or another, encounters pests and bugs. Bugs are always found in a natural environment, and on plants and leaves. Though these bugs are not life-threatening, some of these bugs can cause significant damage to plants and, therefore, should be got rid off as early as possible. A proper plan of action must be in place to get rid of garden pests permanently or at least for a longer time period. First things first, understand the kinds of bugs and identify the 'bad bugs', such as Aphids, slugs, snails, Japanese beetles, Root Maggots, Army Worm, etc., that can ravage through a beautiful garden. The next step would be to appreciate the use of natural, chemical-free or organic pesticides and methods to keep the garden free of pests.

There are plenty of natural methods to fight garden pests.

• One of the coolest ways to get rid of pests is to resourcefully use the natural ecosystems and useful insects such as lady bugs, lace wings, spiders, praying mantis, etc. This is called fighting nature with nature.

• Lady bugs are easiest to find and voraciously feed on bugs such as aphids, chinch bugs, grape root worms, thrips, mites and whitefly, as well as most of the other soft-bodied eggs and insects. Make friends with lady bugs and maintain your garden the organic way.

• Praying Mantis has a huge appetite for most garden insects and their larvae. These insects grow fast and efficiently control garden pests. Their eggs can be mail ordered easily.

• Lacewings are perfect to get rid of aphids and quite a few other varieties of insects. They are usually found around flowers such as asters, yarrow and black-eyed Susan.

• Brachonids and Ichneumon Wasps are great for destroying leaf-eating caterpillars.

• Hover Flies are also beneficial insects that consume aphids larvae and other insect larvae. They are usually attracted to composite flowers such as asters, goldenrod and yarrow.

• Nematodes are also excellent to control pests in the garden. There are basically three major kinds of nematodes. One which is harmful to the roots of the plants, the second one which helps in organic decomposition, and the third one which is extremely useful against beetles, cutworms and root weevil larvae.

The nematode eggs are usually microscopic in nature and they hatch and grow in soil usually in millions. However, they are completely harmless to humans and pets.

• Marigolds offer natural pest control. Not only are they beautiful to look at, they also attract beneficial insects that help control pests. Many insects are repelled by the scent of these flowers.

There are also several organic pesticides to prevent garden pests.

• Ground coffee, vinegar and herbs such as tansy, thyme, lavender and catnip should be mixed with water and sprayed on plants to avoid bug infestation.

• A pesticide spray can be prepared by soaking garlic, ginger, onions, Indian lilac and mint in water overnight. This solution acts as a deterrent to soft body insects.

• Egg shells and salt are great to kill slugs and snails.

• Mixing mineral oils or canola oil with water and spraying on the underside of leaves kills insects.

• Mixing baking soda with water or milk with water and spraying on plants and leaves is also a completely natural and healthy way of eliminating bugs.

Extensive use of chemicals for pest control will create long lasting damage to the environment and may also have some adverse effects on the person who handles such chemicals. Therefore, many gardening experts recommend usage of organic chemicals. Besides the safety factor, it has its own set of unique benefits as well.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Enjoying the Benefits of Quality Modern Landscaping Services   Vegetable Gardening Beginners - Deciding What to Grow   Outdoor Lights for Decoration and Their Uses   

Setting Up Your Own Aquaponics System

Aquaponics is a symbiotic, integrated farming system that involves raising fish in tanks and using their nutrient rich water to grow fruit, vegetables and other plants. Once it is set up and cycled (creating sufficient amount of bacteria to produce enough nitrates for the plants and keep ammonia levels down for the fish), a small or home based system should only take a few minutes a day to care for the fish. If the fish are happy, the plants will require little to no care; and if your system is properly set up, the plants will take care of cleaning the water, so you won't spend your time cleaning the fish tank.

Aquaponics is one of the best and easiest ways to produce fresh, natural and healthy fruit and vegetables for the whole family without the pesticides of mass production, the high prices of store bought organics or the chemicals and non-renewable minerals required to feed a purely hydroponic system. You can choose to raise the fish as a hobby or harvest them for food, either way you are getting two direct benefits: fish and produce. Additional advantages include pride and self-confidence that comes from building something on your own and an opportunity to involve the whole family in a productive healthy activity.

How do Aquaponics Work?

A basic system is composed of: a fish tank, a unit to remove solids, a hydroponics subsystem to grow the plants and a sump to receive the water once it has gone through the system. From there the water is pumped bank into the fish tank and the cycle begins all over again. A bio-filter mechanism is necessary to convert ammonia to nitrates, most systems do not require a separate filter because they are the filter (ammonia attracts airborne nitrosomonas bacteria that convert it to nitrites, the nitrites then require some media or filtration system, depending on your system, to flow through where the nitrite to nitrate converting bacteria can grow and do their job).

Your main task will be to keep the fish environment healthy with proper PH balance, light, and temperature. On a home system this should only require a few minutes so of your time every day to check conditions, makes whatever adjustments might be necessary and feed the fish.

Space: How Much Space is Required for an Aquaponics System?

One of the great things about aquaponics is that it is a scalable system. A home-based system can be almost any size: a small indoor fish tank/aquarium set up to feed a few plants, a corner of the yard, the whole yard. You can build a decorative aquarium style system in your house; you can use your garage. You can also decide to go big for your extended family, or even bigger for commercial purposes. You can make your decision based on the outcome you desire such as production volume or space availability. You can decide to grow it incrementally: start small until you get the hang of it and then grow it to any size. Really it is all up to you.

If you only have room for a small footprint but you need more volume you can build a vertical system. Vertical columns above the fish tank house the plants. A vertical unit that takes up 1m X 2m (3 feet by 6 feet), for example, is twice as efficient as a hydroponic system of the same size. You can get 200 heads of lettuce in one year out of a single five foot column and it is much more water efficient than traditional farming with soil.

Location: Where Should You Put Your Aquaponics System?

Make sure the space you are contemplating is suitable. It can be and interior or exterior location such as your yard, your garage, or even your living room for smaller systems. The following is a list of basic considerations that should go into selecting a space:

Keep it simple: make sure the floor or ground is level. Decide how you are going to get electricity to power the pumps. Be safe, avoid long extension cords and complicated setups: make sure you have or can easily install an outlet nearby. Consider whether the design you choose will require a cover a cover of some kind ( it depends on the system you decide to go with). Although it si not all that loud, there will always be some noise coming from the system ( pump, running water) and since it should run day and night, you will probably want to avoid locating it too close to your bedroom or anywhere else where you need absolute quiet. Will you be able to maintain proper conditions for the fish and plants? (temperature and light for example)

The System: Which One Do You Choose?

You will need to decide what aquaponics model you want to adopt. There are many designs but three main models to choose from. (within those there are a number of design options):

MEDIA BASED (ie gravel, clay pebbles etc.): This is the most popular model for home based systems. There are different types of media based systems that you may want to consider: Continuous flow (uses expanded clay pebbles) this is a simple set up and it works, Basically the water trickles down after having been pumped up to the media bed, there are some disadvantages that make some people prefer other methods such as Simple Flood and Drain. Flood and Drain (uses gravel), can be set up as an Ebb and Flow system or Simple Flood and Drain, which may be the simplest and easiest system to set up and is effective, you just need to ensure that fish tank levels don't drop too much when the water is flooding the beds. Other methods include CHIFT PIST (Constant Height in Fish Tank, Pump In Sump Tank and Sump Tank Two Pump. DEEPFLOW / RAFT - more commonly found in commercial systems. The medium in this case is water (30 to 40 cm /12"-16" deep) in long channels. Plants in net pots are floated on rafts made from Styrofoam, plastics or other floating material. Their roots are always in water. NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE [NFT]: Can be used both commercially and at home but is the least common in either case. These systems require mechanical filtration and higher maintenance than any other. It is similar to Deepflow but instead of being immersed in water the roots receive nourishment from a rivulet of water as it runs through the channel.

Finally, you will also need to decide what fish to raise (for food or as pets, you will also need to consider legalities for some species, climatic conditions etc.) and what plants to grow (many choices here). Space, method, system design, prep, fish, plants, prep... this probably all sounds really overwhelming and complicated but it is not; just take it one step at a time. You can build a system and have it running within a short time producing food for you and your family.

There are a number of ways to achieve this. You can hire someone to build it for you, which can be costly and defeats the purpose of doing something from scratch yourself. You will also be less self-sufficient when it comes to maintenance. You can opt for a pre-fab kit, an intermediate solution that is more costly than doing it yourself but probably less costly than a custom design and installation. Aside from cost, the problem you run into here is that your choices will be more limited; you will be stuck with whatever the kit gives you. Finally, the least expensive, most flexible and most self-sufficient option is to do it all yourself, which, believe it or not, is simple enough. As long as you have a good set of comprehensive, easy to follow instructions, you will soon be eating fresh, healthy natural produce from your very own aquaponics garden!

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Enjoying the Benefits of Quality Modern Landscaping Services   

Finding the Perfect Landscape Designers

Landscape design is really interesting and you would definitely have a good time planning the layout of your garden. However, if you want the job to be perfect you should consider hiring a professional landscape designer and work along with them.

But, picking the right landscape designer isn't going to be an easy task as there are plenty of design companies out there and hence coming to a decision is going to be really difficult.

Finding the perfect designer

Let's take a look at a few tips that you could follow in order to find the perfect landscape designer for your home garden.

Make sure that they're licenced

There are plenty of designers that aren't licenced and still perform a great job. However, when you're picking a designer, try to go along with someone who's licenced for the job as it would a lot easier to work with them.

Some of the licences that they would need to possess include a liability licence, certificates from nurseries as well as irrigation licences if you plan to install pools.

How much and how do they charge you?

Another important factor that you need to consider when picking a landscape designer would be the amount they charge you as well as the way they charge you.

If they're going to be charging you based on hours, you need to make sure that they're efficient and don't simply delay the job in order to be paid more. On the other hand if they charge you a fixed rate you need to make sure that it's economically feasible and they're not just cheating you.

Also, when calculating the overall cost, find out whether the designers are going to be getting the materials or if you would have to buy them yourself. This is a really important factor that most people fail to ask before they sign the contract.

Check out some reviews

You're definitely not going to be the only person who's hiring a particular landscaping company and therefore before you hire someone you should check out what others have said about them.

Take a look at their website as well as other review sites as you're bound to get a lot of information this way.

Communication

As far as possible hire a company that is open and keeps you informed as to what they're doing on your garden. Also, the best landscapers listen to your opinions and don't try to get the job done all on their own.

Landscaping Tips and Ideas   Outside Rooms That Can Serve Several Functions   The Unique Beauty of Personalized Wind Chimes   Enjoying the Benefits of Quality Modern Landscaping Services   Topsoil for Green Lawns   LED Horticulture Lights Vs Fluorescent Lamps: Which Is Better for Growing Indoor Plants?