As the Garden Grows

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Archives for 2007

Planning a garden?

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Are you planning to beginning gardening this spring? Perhaps you are already a gardener but you plan on adding a new garden bed this season.

Do you know everything you need to know about preparing for a new garden bed? I’ve found some tips that will help you make your garden grow.

Anyone planning to begin a garden or set up a new garden bed should:

1. Plan your garden on paper before you begin. I did this back in the winter of 2002. I had measured my yards dimensions that fall, and I even took some pictures so I could easily remember what plants were already in the garden and how it was set up at the time. Then I began planning on paper using my measurements to map out the garden beds, and patio area.

2. Be sure that your new garden site is –

  • a. In full sun for at least eight hours each day, unless you have a shady yard of course.
  • b. Relatively level, but not in a low spot where cold air settles.
  • c. Well-drained, be sure to notice if the area stays wet for a period of time in the Spring as well even if it’s dry the rest of the season as this can affect your success with plants.
  • d. Close to a water source
  • e. Not near trees. Tree roots can interfere with plant growth and often trees steal the available water from the plants you’re trying to grow.

3. Know your current soil conditions. The soil in my area is a mix of both sand and clay! I amended our soil with triple mix (a mix of manure, peat and top soil). I also decided to create raised beds so that my plants would grow in a foot of my newly amended soil. The plants would also have good drainage and the soil would warm up earlier in the spring due to the raised beds.

Your own soil might need to be amended with lime or peat moss, manure or compost in order to improve it’s texture, and PH. Consider having your soil tested so that you can be sure that it’s PH levels are appropriate for the type of plants you’d like to grow.

4. When you begin your garden don’t go overboard. Plan a garden that you can maintain easily. If you over do the garden by making it too large or by attempting to grow plants with high levels of difficulty you might end up very disappointed. Keep in mind how much time you have for watering, weeding and maintaining the garden when you choose your plants.

5. If you are growing vegetables try to grow species that do well in your area. Tomatoes are a great plant to grow as they are fairly easy and produce an abundant amount of delicious tomatoes.






Refinancing a mortgage

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You know, we’ve owned our home now for five and half years but there’s some days that I sit in wonder that I actually own a home. I guess it’s because we lived in apartment for so long before we got our house that I still find it so amazing.

I even found it interesting last May and June when we were talking with our bank aboutMortgage Refinance and the various mortgage rates that they could offer us. Perhaps by year 10 of owning the house it won’t seem so unbelievable. Either way it’s very nice to finally own a home.

When we were starting to renew our mortgage I looked a few banks and brokerages who were offering Home Mortgage Refinance. We ended up using the bank that we’d already been using for our first mortgage but we reworked our rates and end up with a very low interest rate that we are both comfortable paying.

If you need more information on mortgage refinancing why don’t you visit the Personalhomeloanmortgages.com site to read their articles and see what kind of rates they offer. There’s a mortgage rate calculator right on the front page that will help you find a mortgage rate that suits you needs.

A new Orchid

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My husband I were shopping yesterday and we ended up in Walmart. We didn’t know before going to the closest store that it was closing down. Apparently a new Superstore Walmart will be opening a few blocks up the street from the current store on Wednesday.

Anyway, we got some great deals since they were marking down a number of products that they didn’t want to have to move.

As we went to the cash to pay for our items I noticed an area that had a number of potted flowering bulbs. They were all daffodils and they were flowering already so I didn’t feel that they were worth buying. Then, in the corner of that display I noticed a lone Orchid. I decided to check out the price and I was told it was only $5 so I got it. What a great deal!

The orchid was flowering, and has 6 flowers right now. The blooms are a delicate light mauvey pink. It’s a Phalaenopsis. The Phalaenopsis seems to be the most commonly sold Orchid and in general they are fairly easy to care for.

I already have two Phalaenopsis, and one other type of Orchid. Unfortunately I can’t remember what the name of the other Orchid is, but it has spiky leaves that are somewhat like thick grass.

My only concern with this Orchid is that it doesn’t have any leaves. I looked at it’s roots and it has a well developed root system and the roots look healthy. I’m hoping with some care that the Orchid will begin to grow leaves again and do well. At least it wasn’t too expensive.

One of my other Phalaenopsis is a baby of another one and it’s doing great. I’ve noticed that it’s leaves have really grown quite a bit in the last month. I’m hoping that the baby will bloom this year. It’s about two years old.

If you are thinking about getting an Orchid start with Phalaenopsis. They are the easiest to care for. Basic care instructions are:

Temperature – This species of Orchid does well at room temperatures between 60 F to 85 F. They do not tolerate cool temperatures at all.

Lighting- Partial sun, avoid direct sunlight. Place near an east facing window if possible.

Watering- Orchids like to have slightly moist substrate but they don’t like being wet, and they don’t like drying out. Watering about once a week should be sufficient.

Feeding- Orchids don’t need to be fertilized often. When I do fertilize I use one that is high in nitrogen but I weaken the strength of the mix by half. Do not fertilize any more than once a month.

Care – after the Orchid has flowered, you can cut the flower spike down to two inches.

Blooming- Phalaenopsis bloom at least once year, but sometimes bloom two to three times. I’ve found that each flower lasts two or more weeks, and the flowers don’t come out all at once. You can often get a month and a half to two months of blooms at a time.

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