Gardening

I will return home at the end of July and would like to start some sort of gardening project in August. But I have never done any kind of gardening/landscaping. I have no idea what kind to buy and plant. I am completely clueless.

We live in Kansas were we experience all 4 seasons. It gets quite windy in our area. The front of the house is facing the south.

(August is not a good time of year to start gardening in the USA except for states such as south Florida)

You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.

Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.

Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.

Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.

And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.

To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.

Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:

http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.oakesdaylilies.com (Daylilies)
http://www.caladium.com (Caladiums)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com

Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
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Container/pots/window boxes needs:

All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.

Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:

http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html

For centuries, one of the most popular things to do around one’s home was to create a garden. Gardens were filled with flowers, plants, or food, and they provided enjoyment and sustenance for the homeowner.

The tradition of gardening continues to this day as gardens of all types and shapes can be found around nearly every home. Some gardens are small and might even fit on a windowsill. Others are much larger and can occupy a significant portion of the property.

Some gardens are obviously more than a haphazard collection of plants and flowers, they are planned, organized, beautiful, and often thematic; and those gardens are the product of landscape gardening.

Landscape gardening has origins that go back centuries and to different continents. English gardens of the 18th century had many elements that are associated with modern landscape gardening.

English gardens (or landscape gardens as they were known in England) often revolved around a pond, and would have small bridges and pavilions that were used as vantage points.

In the Far East, Japanese and Chinese gardens were prevalent, and remain popular to this day. Eastern gardens typically had stone features, and like English gardens they often feature water, bridges, and a pavilion.

However, landscape gardening is not limited to those styles, and the evolution of the craft has taken many turns through the decades. Modern gardens may incorporate the features of their ancestors, but they can have a personality of their own as well.

Landscape gardening not only embraces elements of gardens past, but also demonstrates many aspects of architecture as well. Attention to color, line, scale, and texture all must come together to create an aesthetically pleasing garden.

Good color schemes typically match similar colors to other similar colors, such as warm reds to warm yellows, and cool blues to cool greens. Warm colors tend to excite the senses and attract attention, while cooler colors are likely to have a relaxing effect (perfect for a mediation garden!).

Another classic element of architecture that gardening requires is attention to the line. The line of a design relates to the way a viewers eye follows the groupings of plants and border areas.

Smooth flowing lines or abrupt straight lines can impart a different feel and elicit a different response from those who are viewing the garden. Texture and form are closely related to the concept of the line.

Form relates to the prevalent shapes in your garden, such as triangular conifers or rounded bushes, and texture is predicated by the way various plants work together to create a look, whether that look is soft, course, or something in between.

Once you have established your selection of plants and flowers, and your textures and forms, you can compliment those items with a hardscape that is fitting with your tastes.

Fences, walls, stonework, fountains, statues, and gazebos, they are all hardscape items that are integral to landscape and they will help provide your theme and focal points. Install those items first and then fill around them to create a wonderful garden.

Landscape gardening remains popular not only because of its beauty but its function as well. Not only can a garden provide solitude and harmony to your home, it can help augment the best parts of your property such as a great view or wandering creek.

A landscape garden can also be used to block out undesirable views, or to cover parts of your property that are not as appealing. Ultimately the direction you go with landscape gardening is entirely up to you.

By adhering to the classic lements of landscape architecture, and finding a theme and texture that compliments your home, your foray into landscape gardening is sure to provide you with enjoyment, relaxation, and added value to your home.

Riley Hendersen
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/bringing-a-yard-to-life-with-landscape-gardening-113772.html

I want to start a small garden and grow squash, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, peas, watermelon, and morning glories. The tomatoes and peas and 1 pot of morning glories would be on my porch. The rest would be around my trailer. I was planning on using morning glories as a bug repellent. What are some other natural bug repellents? I don’t really like the idea of using chemicals.

Garlic and onions are a natural repellent for ants. Rosemary repels many flying insects (including flies and mosquitoes). When I plant garlic or shallots with my tomatoes, the vines grow much faster and thicker. Plant icicle radishes (let them go to seed) and yellow nasturtiums in with your zukes and melons to repel insects. Marigolds repel nematodes. Which kind of peas, green or "southern"? Don’t plant any member of the onion family around beans or peas. The vines will be stunted. Green peas get some protection from insects by planting them with geraniums or aromatic herbs. Southern peas like to be planted with cucumbers, corn, petunias, and radishes.

Good luck!

Which gardener would not sit inside in winter with some plant catalogues on their lap as they sip their tea and dream of the next year’s garden? This is simply a good fun especially to get indoor gardening supply and have a little winter gardening fun. You may use it for starting seedlings or simply raise indoor plants; however either way with right indoor gardening supply, one need not wait for the summer to get his fingers dirty again.

Light- let that remain

Perhaps, the most vital thing to address about indoor gardening is regarding the level of light. During the winters, days are shorter which means less light. When the house does not have suitable windows facing south to capture good light, you would continually have to append the light quotient by adjusting the plants around for capturing better sun. It is not optimal solution though. For the winter indoor gardening, apt light sources are among the essential indoor gardening supply stuff. Few people rely upon fluorescent lights, and some others use halogen lights and high intensity discharge lamps. Few even try growing them with the incandescent light, but it doesn’t work very well for every plant.

Any way for that matter, one must be aware about the light requirements of indoor plants which is being grown and should pick the lighting suitable for them.

Earth or Water

There is varied number of ways you could grow plants inside, few are based on the nutrients rich water-based system, and some others rely upon the good Mother Earth. Type of garden chosen would determine indoor gardening supplies one needs. The soil-less systems, generally called the hydroponics are considered as optimal indoor growing system. It reduces damage to the crops from pests and weeds. It is a little more complex to comprehend, but could be learned quite quickly. The indoor gardening supplies often have assortments of hydroponics kits which are available to average consumer.

When you are rooting the cuttings or growing the seeds for transplanting outdoor, then the jiffy peat cups and seedling starter kits become available in the indoor gardening supplies. It would allow you to plant the seeds indoors with minimum mess via soil. They are compact, very easily transported, and peat pots could be planted outside pot!

Indoor gardening is indeed a rewarding hobby. Most people focus on specific plant types. Few like cactuses, while others like tropical. Some other people grow the herbs indoors. Whichever plant you choose, it would have its very own unique growing needs and other optimal environments. Cactuses, apparently, would need a very dry and hot environment whereas the herbs love the hydroponic setups. Hence when you choose the indoor gardening supplies, always ensure about the plants you would grow and try mimicking the environment in which they essentially grow naturally for best results.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/indoor-gardening-supplies-in-winter-celebrate-christmas-with-your-plants-753633.html

1 is all gray w/orangeish yellow ring by head and the other looks like a leopard a rusty brown w/black oval spots both are only about 1 foot long

Are you talking about Ocean County, New Jersey? If so, then the first one is definitely a northern ring neck snake. The second one is probably a juvenile black rat snake, but an eastern milk snake also slightly fits the description. All are harmless and nothing to worry about.

I’m in Texas close to Dallas and am starting a garden this year. I’m planting tomatoes , squash , bell peppers , cucumbers ,okra , and herbs.. The past few years I have had no luck with tomatoes at all and I’ve tried everything. I did the topsy turvy thing last year and my plants got water loged and died. Any tips for me would be great, And also does anyone know anything about having a raised garden?

Hello fellow Dallasite. Check the link for Texas A&M info. Covers everything about our area. Raised garden info is there among a bunch of other info.

I can tell you from experience, planting small tomato varieties will help you be successful. Large tomatoes take too much time to ripen before the heat in mid summer kills the plant. A really good producer with excellent taste is the Sun Gold tomato. And the Butterstick Yellow Zucchini grows well.

Soil amendment is key, so a raised bed with compost as the soil really helps as well.

The National Home Gardening Club offer many benefits to its members. It is said to be the largest home gardening organization with paid membership. For a nominal fee, various benefits are available.

If you choose to become a member the National Home Gardening club, you will be entitled to the following perks.  1. Members can enter competitions to win free gardening products such as gardening accessories, tools, and other gardening supplies.

2. A coupon will be given to members to claim a free gardening shears.

3. Members can also access a free trial subscription of the Gardening How-To Magazine.

4. They may be eligible to test and keep gardening tools such as pruning shears. These are some of the products tested by members in the past two issues of the Gardening How-To magazine:

- Honda Harmony Lawn Mower

- Miracle-Gro Garden Weed Preventer

- Sunflower Garden

- Cobra Head Precision Weeder and Cultivator

- Preen ‘n Green

5. Members can enjoy a free directory of public gardens, which contains information about lush gardens, arboretums, and conservatories throughout the US.

6. They can interact and talk about tips, ideas and methods with other members.

7. Members can obtain gardening and landscaping tips and plans for the completion of various gardening projects.

8. They have access to the members-only gardening website.

9. Members can also preview gardening books, gardening videos, etc.

Indeed, the for-members-only benefits are that grandiose. They are all for the gardening enthusiasts to grab.

After the 30-day trial, you can continue your membership for only $1 per month.

Many garden-lovers think this is a small price to pay for all these privileges.

Jon Simms
http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/learn-about-the-national-home-gardening-club-701988.html

Thank you for your replies.

hgtv.com
diy.com

i love my flora and green space so what can i do to give it that extra bit of oomph this year.
fabulous answers from everyone.

Tabasco and water spray on the tomato plants for bugs(I use crab boil)
Plate of beer on the ground to catch slugs (just a little, drink the rest)
Coffee ground in the soil (nitrogen)
Banana peels in the rosebeds (potassium)
Egg shells in soil (calcium)
Epson salt and water sprayed to strengthen plants (magnesium)
Rusty nails in watering can (iron)
Keep garden tools handle up in a bucket of sand (prevents rust)

Hi, i’ve just moved into a new council home and i’m on a starter tenacy, I don’t know if it’s a permanent tenacy yet, they decide after a year. It’s just really getting me down, I don’t want to lose the place and keep thinking I will, we have decorated it lovely, the only problem is the back garden, it’s full of brambles, weeds, everything, it’s going to take weeks to get it done, and I think the council will think bad of me. Anyone got any ideas on gardening tips or designs or helping me to stop worrying about losing my home.
I might sound pathetic, i’m sorry.

You can pull the weeds out for starters, then you can put on some mulch which can make it look pretty already then you can add some colorful flowers like marigolds or tulips or maybe pansies.