Bare Bones Gardener asked:


One thing you either might have to watch out for or embrace is something I call Garden Creep.

This is the ability of certain gardens, let alone the plants in them, of slowly growing and spreading or even multiplying over time.

Any dedicated gardener can explain to you the visible symtomology of the disease. New garden growths appear almost randomly at times as new outbreaks of gardens pop up in sometimes rather unexpected corners and sections of the area.

This problem is also seen in certain plants as well. When they have managed to obtain a foot hold in an area, where the available space for them, is inadequate for their realistic size. You will find these plants spilling outwards or upwards into space they were never intended to occupy. This causes constant problems for entryways & walkways, as well as air space occupiers like power lines. These planbts then have to constantly attacked and kept back within their territory, often at great cost in time and money to their garden owner.

Lawn areas and sometimes even pathways in it’s way are encompassed and/or swallowed up. It even can escape from your area onto and around footpaths and along road verges.

It appears I reckon to be a possibly viral disease that affects both the gardens and their gardeners alike.

It means that these garden areas extend over a period into every little space they can infect and take over, sometimes far outside the originally intended boundaries of the initial garden/s.



Powered by Yahoo Answers

Garden Lodges asked:


Garden offices are specially designed offices set up in a person?s garden. It provides a very convenient work atmosphere for people who want to work from home. With your home just a stone?s throw away you get to experience the same comfort as working from home without the usual distractions. New mothers, a person suffering from disability, a person whose main office is very far away or even a person who just wants to work from home would be benefited from having a garden studio at home. A Garden office or lodge blends in beautifully with the garden and actually makes it more attractive. Even the materials used are eco-friendly. Not only can you use the garden office for work, but can also convert it into a guest room or an extra bedroom as and when required.

The dazzling range of garden offices offered by gardenlodges.co.uk is one of the most comprehensive available in the market. The flexible modular design of the structures allows you to customize the office according to your needs and also get it attuned to your beautifully manicured garden; thus solving adequately all your garden designing needs. The garden offices of gardenlodges.co.uk are built is such a way that you can stay and work in them throughout the year without any problems. A very negligible amount of heating is required and the same goes with air conditioning. Consumption of electricity is also minimal. Eco-friendliness is highlighted during the construction of the garden offices. The materials used and the technique, both put stress on that fact. Provisions to add a bathroom or even a kitchen allow you to use your garden office as a mini-home.

The garden offices available at gardenlodges.co.uk are constructed keeping with the standards of the British Building Regulations. Each garden office built by gardenlodges.co.uk is done following a careful study of the site conditions, and after taking into consideration other aspects like garden fencing. They are also carefully insulated and double-gazed. Environmental factors are also considered during construction and eco-friendly larch cladding is used to finish the construction. Cedar roofing shingles are used not only for protection but they also mellow as the years pass. Excellent soundproofing is provided that allows you to not worry about sound escaping out and extra care is taken to provide unrestricted passage of natural light.



Powered by Yahoo Answers

Alison Stevens asked:


Heirloom tomatoes - also known as heritage tomatoes - are some of the many older varieties from which seeds have been saved over the years and passed from one generation to the next. Most tomatoes purchased today in supermarkets or grocery stores are hybrids which have been bred to produce higher yields, uniformity of shape and color, shipping durability and longer shelf life, rather than flavor.

Heirloom tomatoes are prized firstly for their amazing flavor. In addition to their outstanding flavor they frequently have a distinctive shape and come in a range of colors from purples to orange to green and more. Many heritage tomatoes are every bit as hardy as the hybrid varieties.

Heirloom tomatoes have become increasingly popular and more readily available in recent years. These tomatoes, in particular, bring as much to the garden as they do to the plate and they can’t be beaten for their outstanding flavor and the beauty they add to recipes and dishes with their many shapes, sizes, and colors.

These plants have become more popular with gardeners due to their excellent flavor and wide diversity of shapes, colors, and sizes. Previously, these tomatoes often were bred for flavor, rather than resistance to diseases and pests, the vagaries of weather or the rigors of transport. Today, heirloom tomatoes are considered worthy garden varieties that have stood the test of time.

They are highly prized by cooks and are wonderful to use because of their variety of colors, unusual appearance and strong flavors. They are much tastier than hybrid varieties and can readily be reproduced true to type.

When young, the plants can be susceptible to cutworms which will cut the plant off at the top of the soil. This can be avoided by placing a collar made from aluminum foil around the base of the plant. Plants within this category of tomato generally ripen early in the season and are often have a short fruiting season. Most hybrid tomatoes, if regrown from collected seed, will not be the same as the original hybrid plant. This tends to ensure the grower’s dependency on seed distributors for future crops. As with many plants, tomato cultivars can be acclimatized over several growing seasons to thrive in a particular geographical location through selection and seed saving.

Save some seeds to plant next year if you can beat the birds to them. Starting seeds directly where you want the tomatoes to grow will produce plants but your yield will be limited. You will get better results by starting your seeds in trays indoors. If using grow lights keep the plants within 6″ of the lights. Once the seedlings send out a second set of leaves, it will be time to transplant them from the starting tray to individual pots. Gently loosen the soil in the starting tray and separate individual plants. Fill the pots loosely with moistened starting mix and use a dibber to make a hole in the mix. Gently firm the soil around the seedling and moisten lightly. If you start your seeds very early, you may need to transplant some of your biggest plants again as they will outgrow their pots.

When it looks like it is time to plant your seedlings outside, you will need to harden the plants by moving the pots outside into the shade during the day. Bring them inside at night. After a week or so your heirloom tomato plants should be ready to plant in the garden. Once planted out, water regularly and support them as they grow with stakes or tomato cages.



Powered by Yahoo Answers

Pluto asked:


Now I need to know how large the indoor plants need to be before transplanting them to a large outdoor pot. I have cayenne pepper plants and heirloom tomato plants.

Powered by Yahoo Answers

Jack Gordon asked:


all about organic gardening

The following article presents the very latest information on organic. If you have a particular interest in organic, then this informative article is required reading.

The best time to learn about organic is before you’re in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable organic experience while it’s still free.

organic gardening

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage–at least it seems that way. If you’ve been thinking you need to know more about it, here’s your opportunity.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on gardening now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Organic Gardening

Organic gardening is the exact same as regular gardening except that no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are used. This can make certain aspects difficult, such as controlling disease, insects, and weeds. Organic gardening also requires more attention to the soil and the many needs of plants.

Organic gardening starts with the soil. Gardeners must add organic matter to the soil regularly in order to keep the soil productive. In fact, compost is essential to the healthiness and well being of plants grown organically. Compost can be made from leaves, dead flowers, vegetable scraps, fruit rinds, grass clippings, manure, and many other things. The ideal soil has a dark color, sweet smell, and is full of earthworms. Some soil may need more natural additives than regular compost can give, such as bonemeal, rock phosphates, or greensand. A simple soil test will tell you the pH balance and which nutrients you will need to use.

One thing that makes even gardeners that are very serious about organic gardening reach for pesticides is insects on their plants. The best way to defend plants against insects is to take preventative measures. One thing that can be done is to make sure plants are healthy and not too wet or dry because insects usually attack unhealthy plants and if healthy, they can often outgrow minor insect damage. A variety of plant types is a good idea to keep pests of a particular plant type from taking out the entire garden.

Perhaps the best way to defend against insects is to make your garden enticing to insect predators, such as ladybugs, birds, frogs, and lizards. You can do this by keeping a water source nearby or by growing plants that attract insects who feed on nectar. Other ideas are sticky traps, barriers, and plant collars. There are some household items that prevent against insects too, like insecticidal soaps, garlic, and hot pepper.

To avoid plant disease in organic gardening, choose disease resistant plants and plant them in their prime conditions. Many diseases will spread because of constant moisture and bad air circulation, so the site of your garden and the way it is watered can help ensure against diseases.

Weeds can be an annoying and frustrating part of organic gardening. Organic mulch can act as a weed barrier, but for even better protection put a layer of newspaper, construction paper, or cardboard under the mulch. Corn meal gluten will slow the growth of weeds if spread early in the season before planting, as does solarization. There?s also the old-fashioned art of hoeing and hand pulling that always works. Your best bet in weed prevention is persistence. Mulch well and pull and hoe what you can; after a few seasons you can beat the weeds for good.

Organic gardening is an excellent way to assure that your plants will be free and clear of all pesticides and, if taken care of properly, will be as healthy as possible. Organic gardening may take a little more time and care than regular gardening, but after gardeners get the hang of it and figure out all the quirks of their garden, it is definitely worth the extra time.

There’s no doubt that the topic of gardening can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about gardening, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article

There’s no doubt that the topic of organic can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about organic, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article



Powered by Yahoo Answers

Teak Garden Furniture asked:


This durability not only affects the price, it affects the usage of the product, too. Who wants to sit on a rickety chair or at a wobbly table? If you have guests, do you really want them sat at some modern monstrosity of moldy or peeling plastic? Sit them on your heavy duty teak garden furniture around a teak table and you will almost certainly get some admiring comments.

When shopping for teak garden furniture, it is important to look out for the heavy duty variety since their are some lower quality (and, it has to be said, cheaper) which do not last as long as the more solid version. You’ve come this far, don’t economize now!

Maintenance of teak garden furniture is minimal. If you want, you can take the benches, chairs and tables in over the winter but, provided you apply a coat or two of teak oil every Spring, it should come to no harm. Teak oil can be purchased from any big DIY center and a little goes a long way. Don’t use creosote, linseed oil or any other solvent - insist on teak oil and you will be rewarded with a piece of furniture that looks as good as the day you bought it. Why not take the opportunity to do a little ‘annual service’ and check the nuts and bolts that hold the furniture together?

We don’t take our teak garden furniture in. Living where we do, there are sunny days even in the middle of winter and it is a real luxury to be able to take a mug of tea or coffee, some biscuits and a good book, sit down on a teak bench and go and take in some sunshine and fresh air.

In fact, it’s such a good idea, I think I’ll grab that hot drink and go and use our teak garden furniture!



Powered by Yahoo Answers

ms. finch asked:


already i’m kind of sore from planting and weeding. it’s so friggin chilly out even though a few days ago it was warm. How do i keep from getting bored by gardening? i enjoy it but sometime it leave me feeling jaded.

Powered by Yahoo Answers

Kolawole Olambiwonnu asked:


Nowadays, more and more people are getting into organic gardening. Although organic gardening applies to all forms of plants, most often when you say organic gardening product, the first things that come to mind are vegetables and fruits. But, products of the organic way also cover other plants like ornamental and flowery plants. Regardless, may it be growing vegetables, flowers, or even fruits, people are trying to reap the benefits of the organic way.

Organic gardening is a science. It is not just simply planting the seeds and waiting for the plant to grow, flower or bear fruit. The process involves careful planning since organic gardening follows the natural principles of nature in soil cultivation, managing pests, and propagating plants.

However, don?t be daunted since we only mention that organic gardening is a science to emphasize that we don?t just let nature do the work. We grow our plants or crops by applying a system that is approved by Mother Nature. That?s the essence of it.

There are a lot of elements involved in organic gardening but for our discussion we will focus on general aspects of soil cultivation and pest management.

To succeed in organic gardening, we need to keep the soil healthy. You can?t use chemical fertilizers, obviously, since it negates the very purpose of the activity and also the long term use of such fertilizers damages the natural components of the soil. Composting is an essential part of organic gardening. Composts have various benefits for your plants. One, it provides the needed nutrients and improves the overall soil constitution. Second, the compost can help the soil retain more water which means less time spraying your plants with a garden hose.

Aside from proper soil cultivation, the problem that is dreaded by most growers is pest control. From flying to crawling, from walking to boring, managing pests is a vital key in producing quality organic produce or maintaining a healthy organic garden.

In an organic garden, the plants should be able to handle the damage of ordinary insect attacks or damage from common diseases. However, if you feel you need to support your plants there are several ways you could do so. You can spray your garden or plants with solutions that are friendly to the environment such as diluted soapy water or organic sprays from naturally occurring insecticide plants, the neem tree for instance.

Or another way is to ?equip? your garden with friendly insects. You can find out what kind of pests are there in your garden and look for its natural enemies. This way, population of pests can be controlled by your own army of insects. By introducing natural predators, you will no longer fear of pests getting immune from insecticides. But, pest management for an organic garden really involves combinations of techniques.

With proper care, and the right techniques, your organic garden can be sustained. You can be assured that the soil is cared for and healthy, plants will be able to pollinate effectively, water will be conserved, and plants in general will survive longer.

All these elements when combined together will result to a hefty harvest of an organic garden product of your choice. Your vegetables or fruits will be fresher than before. You will have a garden with vibrant and healthy flowers.



Powered by Yahoo Answers

Natalie’s Mommy asked:


I’m wanting to do some gardening crafts this spring and the only thing i can think of to do is some stepping stones (i know how to do these). I don’t have a lot of money to spend, but i’m wanting cute,easy and cheap ideas to help spruce up my yard.
thanks for your input!

Powered by Yahoo Answers

Ewa in the Garden asked:


Moss is either loved or hated in the garden. People very often passionately rake it away. Why not to look at it as blessing to your garden? Its kinds are very difficult to recognize - you need proper book for that and magnifying glass. I don’t remember since when I love moss. I think since always. Soft, fragile and moist. In my garden moss is welcomed everywhere. I try to grow it on my stones as well. Few months ago I covered them with yoghurt dilluted with water 1:1. No great effect yet, just little greenish something appeared.

You can appreciate moss beauty especially in the winter - when it is lush green and so soft to walk on. Grows in the lawn in the shadow? Great! I don’t need to move it. Grass is weaker and weaker in these spots, and moss patches are larger and larger… and more and more green. Moss reminds me my second big and earliest garden fascination of Japanese Gardens.

I look for tranquility and harmony in the garden. In the smaller gardens it is even more important to not overload it with too many different plants.

I like them for meditative and tranquill character. I remember that in communist time in Poland there was not so many books about landscaping and Far East - that was of my special interest at that time. I made friends with the owner of the shop selling used/old books. Whenever something about Japan appeared on the shelf I was getting a phone call and I immediatelly run to the shop to see it.

There is six features as a synonym for an excellent not only Japanese but landscape garden.

According to the ancient book of gardens, there should be six different qualities to which a garden can aspire.

They are grouped in their traditional complementary pairs, they are:

spaciousness & seclusion

artifice & antiquity

water-courses & panoramas.

As the specialists say "it is difficult enough to find a garden that is blessed with any three or four of these desirable attributes, let along five, or even more rarely, all six."

Yet there is such case in Japan.

Its name is “Kenroku-en” which means “garden that combines six characteristics”, which is named by Sadanobu Matsudaira, a feudal load in the present Tohoku district (northern part of mainland Japan).

Plants recommended for Japanese gardens:

Trees and shrubs

Acer plamatum, Acer japonicum, Acer ginnala, Amelanchier canadensis, Cercis chinensis, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Cornus kousa, Cryptomeria japonica, Gingko biloba, Pinus nigra, Pinus thunbergiana, Pinus densiflora, Magnolia kobus, Magnolia stellata, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus mume, Prunus serrulata, Prunus armeniaca, Sciadopitys verticillata, Tsuga canadensis,

Trees and shrubs of medium size

Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’, Spirea japonica, Chaenomeles japonica, Chaenomeles lagenaria, Euonymus alatus, Enkianthus campanulatus, Forsytia x intermedia, Forsytia suspensa, Juniperus chinensis ‘Armstrongii’, Kerria japonica, Mahonia aquifolium, Pieris japonica, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Syringa vulgaris

Small shrubs

Buxus microphylla, Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’, Daphne cneorum, Ilex crenata, Juniperus chinensis ‘Blue Vase’, Pinus mugo ‘Compacta’, Rhododendron obtusum, Rhododendron kaempferi, Spirea japonica, Spirea bumalda, Thuja occidentalis ‘Globosa’, Viburnum carlesii

All these plants are accompanied by different kind of grass, moss, perennials, bamboo, ivy that might be chosen according to the climate zone.

If you are interested to read more please visit http://wwww.ewainthegarden.blogspot.com



Powered by Yahoo Answers