As the Garden Grows

What's blooming today?


You are here: Home / Archives for hobby

3 Garden Care Tips For Novices

by

Gardening may seem to be complicated for those who are just beginning the hobby. However, if you have the basic knowledge to help you maintain your garden or lawn effectively, you can do just fine. All you need is the right tools, good routine, information and enthusiasm to succeed. A major concern novices have is using chemicals or practicing eco-friendly gardening options. To some, eco-friendly ways are safer and easier to apply without straining the pockets. Healthy gardens and lawns are often a result of natural gardening care.

Natural Fertilizers

Soil requires nutrients that are provided in a proper feeding schedule in order for it to remain healthy. Applying fertilizers is easy to do, as all you need is to first rake the area, then release the organic fertilizers and then water it. These fertilizers are produced without any chemicals and additives. They can be used on their own or combined with other natural fertilizers to maintain the quality and nutrient content of the soil.

One type of natural fertilizer is alfalfa meal that can be bought in pet stores as well. It is rich in phosphorus and vitamins K and P. Chicken manure is also a favorite because of its nutrient and phosphorus content. You can either raise your own chickens or conveniently purchase the manure from local farms. Cow manure is also used as a natural fertilizer and this can be bought from local farms. Just be sure that the cows graze on open pasture and consume nutrient dense food for quality manure. You can also make your own fertilizer by making compost. When you make compost, remember that meat, fish, animal waste, dead animals, salad dressings and plastic must not be added to the compost pile.

Keep A Watering Routine

A good watering routine will ensure that your garden is always healthy and well fed. However, your routine must match the weather you are experiencing. During the summer months, you will have to water your plants more often, though in smaller volume to avoid drowning them. This is why having a sprinkler system is convenient and effective. It will save you both time and energy, from having to constantly return to the garden and keep it hydrated. You can also opt for an automated sprinkler system which features a timer for easier operating. However, you may have to move the sprinklers around in your garden from time to time to suit your garden’s development.

Weeds And Pests

All gardens will have weed and pest problems at some point or the other. Both are dangerous to a garden because weeds can eliminate nutrients resulting in weak patches, while pests can seriously damage plants. Weeding must be done routinely and pest control must be done carefully to avoid removing beneficial insects as well.

Gardening will take some effort and determination to achieve remarkable results. It will require your regular attention and not just whenever you have time. You must also be curious to learn new gardening techniques and discover new natural gardening treatments. Stick to a schedule and devote at least 30 minutes to your garden. If you are unable to provide your garden with the care and attention it needs on a regular basis, you can always hire the services of a professional to help you have beautiful and presentable garden.

Valerie Parker is a freelance writer specializing in garden care. She regularly contributes articles to websites focusing on Idaho Falls Sprinklers and gardening.






My garden is one of the things I hold important to me

by

Grab the Photo Hunt code.
Photo Theme. Visit participants.


This weeks theme is Important

This weeks photo hunter theme is important and I decided to show you what’s important to me as far as gardening goes.

IMG_1147

It’s no secret to anyone that reads this blog or any of my other blogs that my garden is important to me. Gardening is a great hobby and activity. I’m passionate about gardening.

Tomato2

The act of planting new plants each year and maintaining my garden helps keep me fit and gets me outdoors for some much needed fresh air. My garden is also a source of comfort and peace. It’s where I go to relax.

I’m off work due to Crohn’s Disease, but when I’d come home from a hectic shift in the ER, no matter how tired I was, I’d often head straight to the garden. Either to simple enjoy my plants and flowers or perhaps not so surprisingly to do some work! Just a few minutes in my garden would erase the stress of an ER shift.

IMG_1601

lucious strawberry I’m an organic gardener. I don’t use any chemicals in my garden beds or on my plants at all. Everything is natural and my garden is fertilized with manure, leaf mulch, and alfalfa tea.

cherrytomatos I mainly post photos of my flowers on this site and others that I maintain, but I also grow a fair amount of veggies and fruit. Some of the veggies, particularly the leafy greens, are grown in large balcony planters beside my back porch.

Other fruit and vegetables such as Tiny Tom tomatoes and beans are grown in planters on the patio, while plants such as peppers, carrots, raspberries and strawberries are grown right in the garden beds among the flowers.

IMGP2982

Now wouldn’t a nice bowl of fresh raspberries be great right now?

Seashells can be used to create interesting decor accessories

by

My parents used to be what I’d call winter Texans. Yes, they were snowbirds, but instead of going to Florida like many of the other snowbirds they found a place to call a home away from home in Texas.

My mother liked to do various crafts while she was in Texas and she’d bring them home when they came back in the spring. She made decorative plant pots and even hanging patio lights.

However, my favorite types of things that she made were made with sea shells. She’d get nice glass wear and fill them with shells and believe it or not a pretty glass full of attractive shells is quite nice. She’d also use plain glass jars and glue shells to the outside. The jars could then have tea light candles inside them. This made simple yet attractive candle holders.

She also used shells and starfish to decorate the outside of plant pots. She wouldn’t cover the whole pot with shells, no, she’d just make an attractive pattern on the pot.

When I visited Quality Shells a few minutes ago, memories of my mother and her craft projects came rushing back to me. All those memories got me thinking that seashells, sand dollars and starfish could be used to create decorative items for table center pieces, or candle holders at weddings and other party settings, or then could be used as I’ve described my mothers use of them.

I have some shells that I just leave on top of a mantle piece. I like the look of them lying loose on the mantle. Their colorful shells catching my eye as I pass them during the day.

If you’d like to use shells for your own craft projects why don’t you visit Quality Shells and select some of their beautiful shells for your next project?

Meta