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Tips For Keeping Your Garden Beautiful And Healthy

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Your garden should be able to add beauty to your home and provide you a good view of nature. It should be something that can give you peace and tranquility when you want to relax and have some peace of mind. However, your garden won’t give you all these if it’s dirty and pest-ridden, nor will it be pleasing to the eye if it’s full of weeds and weak and dying plants.

 

If you want to have a beautiful and healthy garden, then here are some tips worth following.

Buying Plants

Let’s say you’ve gotten rid of all weak, sickly, and dying plants and you want to replenish your garden with new ones, what should you do first?

At the nursery, you need to check the plants you’re going to purchase. You need to make sure that they’re healthy and that they’re not carrying any pests or diseases that can infect healthy plants.

You also need to check the roots and the leaves. Make sure that the roots look and feel firm, and see to it that its color is white. If you notice that the roots look dark and mushy, avoid it. It’s not going to be a good buy. The stems and leaves may look healthy, but its roots are saying otherwise. In a few days, its rotted root system is going to kill it.

As for the leaves, see to it that its color is vibrant. Avoid plants that have dead spots on its leaves, and avoid those, too, that have holes.

Insect Damage

Pestiferous insects can do a lot of damage to plants. They feed on the leaves, stems, and even the roots. They even feed on the flowers. Not only can they cause extensive damage to plants, but they can also spread infection and diseases. In the end, these pestiferous insects are going to leave you with weak and dying plants, plus an unsightly garden as well.

If you want to keep pestiferous insects away, then you have to allow beneficial insects to stay. These beneficial insects are the natural predators of the pestiferous ones, some examples of which include green lacewing, damsel bug, minute pirate bug, ladybug, bees, spiders, beetles, etc.

Having beneficial insects in your garden can help keep plants healthy and beautiful since they prey on pests. Unfortunately though, if you’re using chemical products and pesticides for your garden, these beneficial bugs are oftentimes killed together with the pestiferous ones. Their numbers dwindle drastically that, when the population of the pestiferous insects climbs back up, there are a few left of the beneficial ones to control them.

For this reason, choose natural and organic pest control methods first to spare the population of the beneficial insects.

Organic Insect Repellents

As mentioned earlier, if you’re going to use pest control methods, it’s wiser to use organic and natural ones. You can even make your own homemade insect sprays. They work wonders to control pest population; plus, they’re safer for humans, pets, and the environment as well.

For garden pests though that can’t be controlled through these means, you can get in touch with a pest control company to get rid of them for you. Just see to it though that the company’s offering green solutions for pest problems.

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Jennifer Daggett, a blogger and freelance content provider, writes for http://Admiralpest.com. She usually gives tips for controlling pests the natural and organic way.






How Does Your Garden Grow – An Introduction To Raised Beds

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The push towards a “green” lifestyle has inspired many people to consider growing their own food. The growing cost of groceries plays are part as well, and besides, it’s just healthier to eat fresh, organic food. Whatever your particular reason for wanting to grow your own food, there are some things to consider when it comes to building a raised bed.

Not all Beds Are Built Alike

I’ve seen some gorgeous garden arrangements, and I’ve seen some slapdash beds that look so unstable I worried about planting lettuce in them. Wood rot is going to happen, as is some settling, so plan for these when designing your bed. Wet soil with giant cabbages growing it in is considerably heavy, legs built from 2×4’s are going to need some bolstering.

Whether built a few feet off the ground for comfortable sitting, or built at waist height for less bending, the width of your bed should be no more than your arm’s can reach easily. Tending the garden becomes a tedious chore when it cannot be accomplished with comfort and serenity.

Raised Bed Gardening From the Ground Up

  • Use Recycled and Reclaimed Materials – Shopping local for materials which still have plenty of life in them is a cost-effective alternative to buying something which may be treated with toxic chemicals. From wood to marble, there are plenty of attractive options for the garden retreat of your dreams.
  • Use Your Resources – Building a raised bed out of discarded wooden pallets results in a bed that is solid, and attractive. Instructional videos for building different styles of raised beds out of wooden pallets are numerous on Youtube and people practically give pallets away on Craigslist.
  • Create Your Own Compost – Landfills are overfilled as it is, and your garden sure would love to devour the rest of that orange if you’re just going to toss it out. While you’re at it, toss in some coffee grounds, eggshells, lawn clippings, paper waste, and anything made of natural materials (think yellow pages and cotton t-shirts). No animal products like bones, and meat, please, this just invites flies and those are never fun.
  • Plant What You Love – Talk to the experienced growers at your local farmer’s market or community garden to find out what grows best in your region, as well as the ideal time to plant. Plant those things you love to eat, but also plant a variety of different regional favorites. Zucchini is known to be a prolific grower, for example, a few seeds go a long way.
  • Plant What’s Expensive – It’s okay to plant some exotic goodies too, especially if they cost a pretty penny at the market. You may need to put in a little extra effort in the form of shielding plants from the sun, or extreme temperature changes, but it will be well worth it when it comes time to harvest.
  • Keyhole gardens, Ultimate in Efficiency -Recently I’ve become enamored with keyhole gardens. This particular form of raised garden takes advantage of water-shortage situations by using a central composting pit for most of the hydration and nutrients for the plants growing within. The keyhole refers to the little notch in the circular garden that allows easy-access to the compost deposit. Three standard-size keyhole gardens (less than 6” in diameter) will feed a small family comfortably.
  • Or Start Small – Not quite ready for the commitment of a fully-fledged raised bed or keyhole garden? It’s okay, it takes time to develop a green thumb. Build up some confidence by planting some herbs in decorative containers. Not only do herbs smell fantastic, they also taste great in a variety of recipes and they are very forgiving plants.

Water Efficiently

It can be tempting to water your garden beds till the soil is like mud, and that’s okay for some, but it’s also a potential waste of water. In some Florida towns like Clearwater, gutters are important for collecting enough water to keep a garden. There’s nothing better than rain water for hydrating your garden. Growing your own food is not only essential for optimal health, it’s good for the environment too, since it saves from making frequent trips to the grocery store.  

Rachel Cook is a sustainable living enthusiast who loves to pitch in and volunteer her time at organic farms around Hawaii. When Rachel needs inspiration for low-cost maintenance projects that extend a home’s value while remaining eco-friendly, she browses sites like www.raincontrolaluminuminc.com.

Vegetable Gardening 101: 6 Edible Pest Repelling Herbs And Flowers

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Vegetable gardening is a hobby that many people enjoy, but the care needed to make such a garden grow healthily and pest free requires plenty of effort. It is a challenge to keep your vegetable garden free from pests, but the application of chemical control methods can create more problems. As such the only solution to a pest free and healthy garden is to apply eco-friendly pest control methods. When you invest in natural forms of pest control such as repelling flowers and herbs, you get more than your money’s worth as not only will the pests be eradicated, but you also get a more beautiful garden with the addition of these flowers. In fact many vegetable gardeners now protect their gardens naturally instead of applying dangerous pest control products which can sometimes contaminate vegetables, however, when pest infestations are severe, professionals must be consulted.

 

1. Rosemary

This herb resembles an evergreen and it can produce lavender blossoms which can help repel flies and moths. It can be placed among plants especially carrots and cabbage as it can mask the scent of these vegetables making it difficult for pests to locate them. However, not only is rosemary beneficial to a vegetable garden as a natural form of pest control, but it is also handy when it comes to cooking delicious roasts.

2. Oregano

This is an amazing addition to any type of garden because it can keep aphids, ants and flies away. You must remember that oregano is an invasive plant which can take over large areas when planted without a barrier. This is why it is essential to have this herb planted inside a can. You can cut off the top and bottom parts of a can and insert it into the ground making sure that the top is in level with the ground so that the can will act as a barrier. Just like rosemary, it is also a useful herb to have around because they can make pasta dishes more delicious.

3. Basil

In order to repel mosquitoes and flies, you can plant basil in your garden. Its white or lavender blossoms and unique scent makes it a useful companion especially for tomatoes as basil can enhance its flavor. You can also take a few in a pot and place it in the kitchen’s window to help keep flies out and so that you can easily take a few leaves whenever needed to add to your pasta, pizza and salad recipes.

4. Mint

Like oregano, mint can also spread out quickly and choke out other vegetables. It can repel ants and aphids, while the blooms can provide a subtle color to make the garden more attractive. Mint must be planted in a submerged pot, but it can also be planted as a border so you can control its growth easily.

5. Marigolds

To make sure that your entire garden is well protected, you can plant marigolds all throughout. They can repel pests including nematodes which can attack vegetable roots. You can also plant them around your garden for a bright yellow border. They must be planted in direct sunlight and in well drained soil.

6. Nasturtiums

These colored flowers can brighten up a vegetable garden and keep beetles away as well. Not only are these flowers useful in making a garden beautiful, but the blooms can also be included in salads since they are edible.

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  • Photograph by: Ricorocks.
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  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/oBiBm9

Valerie Williams is a freelance writer specializing in natural forms of termite control in Santa Fe and other types of pest control in homes and gardens. She also provides information about natural pest control methods for vegetable gardens, how they affect lives and the various services of professionals that help treat severe infestations.

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