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Sunset Red Maple trees are fairly easy to plant because they are fairly rugged and durable. The Sunset Red Maple is a great choice for your landscape. Yet to plant or transplant them you do need to follow some basic guidelines. These trees are similar in planting to Autum Flame and October Glory maple. Red Maples are sometimes known as Swamp Maples. This name gives away its habitat being located naturally in moist areas of open woodlands and commonly along creeks and bottomlands. These soils are constantly moist to wet. Red Maples are found throughout the North Eastern States.These trees when grown in the open reach 70 feet tall by 40 feet wide. This tree is sturdier than the Silver Maple and is a delight to own in back yard as a shade tree.

On of our finest selections is the Sunset Red Maple. The Sunset Red Maple tree is a fast growing hybrid red maple tree. This Acer rubrum cultivar was developed by J. Frank Schmidt and Son Nursery. A Red Sunset red maple is one of the finest trees you can plant at your home. Red Sunset foliage is a lustrous green in the summer, which changes to brilliant shades of red and orange-red in the fall. We have a large selection of liners and some 2″ caliper stock ready for your selection.

All people handling seedlings and small trees need to help with the life support of your plants. Seedlings are like fish out of water and need care which is often overlooked between the time the seedlings are lifted and transplanted. Improper care means higher mortality. Do not try and reinvent the wheel. You must protect seedling from moisture and temperature extremes, as well as physical damage. Seedlings are living and should be handled carefully. For a higher survival rate, treat trees carefully and plant them immediately. I like to have a backup plan for planting if the weather turns bad. I will sometimes switch from lining out the seedlings to potting them up if I realize that the soil conditions will not be right for an extended lenght of time. If planting must be delayed a few days, keep the plants in a cold, protected place with air circulation between the trees. Keep the trees out of the rain and wind. To check if the trees need water, feel the media at the roots.. If it isn’t damp, water the trees and allow the excess water to drain. In cool, damp weather, the biggest threat to these trees is from mold. Try to keep out of soil seedlings moist by either restricting water loss with a water vapor barrier or by wetting the roots at regular intervals. While handling or planting try to reduce temperature and air movement around the seedlings. Windy days can dry out seedlings so consider waiting for calmer weather. Once your soil conditions are correct OUR FREE USE PLANTERS will make planting a snap so its will be worth waiting for good planting conditions.

HOW TO PLANT

Ideal planting days are cool and cloudy with little or no wind. If possible, avoid planting on warm, windy days. The soil should be moist not wet. Care in planting is more important than speed. Make sure the roots are never allowed to become dry. Bare root seedlings should be carried in a waterproof bag or bucket with plenty of moist material packed around the roots to keep them damp. Ideally, bare root boxes should be kept refrigerated or packed in ice or snow. Don’t freeze the trees. Competition from weeds, grass, brush or other trees is very detrimental to survival and growth of seedlings. Choose areas free from this competition or clear at least a three-foot square bare spot before planting. Seedlings should not be planted under the crown of existing trees, or closer than 6 feet to existing brush. Avoid areas near walnut trees. Brush aside loose organic material such as leaves, grass, etc., from the planting spot to expose mineral soil. If organic matter gets into the planting hole, it can decompose and leave air spaces. Roots will dry out when they grow into these spaces. Open up the hole, making sure the hole is deep enough for the roots to be fully extended. If roots are curled or bunched up, the tree will not be able to take up water correctly, will often weaken and die, or may blow down later due to poor root structure. Take a tree out of your planting bag or bucket only after a hole is ready. When exposed, the fine roots can dry out in as little as 30 seconds. Seedling shoots and roots lose water to air, roots require more protecting.Unlike leaves ,they do not have stomata (closeable openings on the surface of the leaves) or any waxy coatings to help reduce water loss. If the roots apear dry they are probably dead. Now I know you are thinking,”I will place them in a buckect of water and store them there until planting”. This will not work. Submerge plants for no longer that a couple of minutes. Placing them in water cuts them off from oxygen. Remember to remove the container before planting a containerized tree. A helpful hint to all those new gardeners just starting is to remember to always plant green side up. Hold the seedling in place in the hole, making sure the roots are straight, fully extended and that the tree is neither too shallow or too deep in the hole. Fill hole, allowing soil to fall in around the roots. Tamp with hands or with your heel. Don’t crush the roots by jumping up and down around the seedling like there is a snake curled up around the seedling. It is delicate. Fill with more soil, if necessary, and tamp. Tamping is important. If soil is not firmly packed around the roots, there will be air pockets that can dry out the roots, and the seedlings may be weakly anchored. It is far easier to plant the tree strait up then have the tree leaning and have to adjust the tree later. (Addition of fertilizer and plant vitamins at the time of planting is not generally necessary.) Take your time in planting. Proper spacing will help you grow a more valuable crop. I have tried to get more production from a limited area by over planting and then thinning, but I always have had trouble in harvesting …. digging is slower and poor quality usually results for a portion of the crop. Avoid these tree planting errors:

Tangled roots Planting too shallow Planting too deep Air pockets Turned up roots (this is called J rooting) Planting trees that are not tolerant of wet soils in poorly drained areas Planting over rocks, septic tanks and leach fields, on sand mounds

CARE OF TREES FOLLOWING PLANTING Check periodically to be sure that brush, grass and other vegetation is kept under control by mowing, mulching, spraying or a combination of these treatments. Always obtain advice from a licensed pest control advisor before using chemicals. You ag extension agency may offer courses in application of chemicals. Monitoring the appearance of your trees will help you to detect signs of insects, diseases or other problems. Apperances also help sell your product. Look for foliage turning yellow, new foliage drooping or other signs of poor health. It is easier to take successful corrective action if the problem is detected early.

Over watering is a common problem in irrigated plantations. You probably won’t need to water more frequently than every 7-10 days. Give your trees a thorough, deep soak and then let the soil dry out before the next watering. This encourages the roots to grow down in search of water. Frequent, shallow watering encourages root growth near the surface and the trees are more dependent on irrigation and are less windfirm. Animals can be a major cause of damage to young trees. Porcupines, gophers, mice, rabbits, deer and cattle are the most frequent source of damage. In many states you may have to call your game commission and get their recomendations on legal methods to protect your crop. In our state, you can get help from the Pa. Game Commission to kill deer that are a threat to your seedlings or obtain a free fence to keep deer away from your seedlings. Over the years we have lost more trees to mice than any other animal. Put rat baits out on a regular basis. Over the years we have lost more seedlings and plants to mice than any other culprit including deer and rabbitts combined. You an see more articles about the care of trees plants and nursery stock at our web site http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.highlandhillfarm.com

The modern name for filberts has evolved from European folklore. The original name was connected with Saint Philbert’s Day (Saint Filbert), the day that harvesting the nuts began, August 22nd, the day of observing the Saint’s day of celebration. The famous Roman historian, Pliny, recorded that ‘hazels’ (filberts) were frequently gathered by the Romans as food. Pliny believed that filberts (hazelnuts) had originated in Damascus, Syria, where they grew naturally in forests; however, archeological records have shown some fossilized remains of filberts (hazelnuts) that were 5000 years old in prehistoric excavations from China. Almonds are found growing wild today in many European countries and Asia Minor. There, the climates are mild during winter with cool summers near moist soils and large bodies of water like the Black Sea boundaries around Turkey and near the Mediterranean Sea surrounding Sicily and Italy.

The first commercial nursery in the U.S. was established by Robert Prince in 1737 in Flushing, N.Y. George Washington visited this nursery by river barge in the spring of 1789 just after being elected the nation’s first President. During the Revolutionary War, General Washington sent armed guards to surround and protect this valuable nursery that contained American filbert trees and “Barcelona” filbert trees that were imported from Spain. When Lewis and Clark conducted their exploration of the Northwest during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, they returned with collected specimen plants to be used as nursery stock at Prince Nursery for propagation, research, and sale. Professor of Horticulture and Pomology, Dr. MacDaniels, of Cornell University, did much filbert hazelnut research at a very large nut orchard that he established early during the last century near Ithaca, New York.

Filberts are alleged to conjure up mystical powers by certain cult members and have been thought since ancient times to be used as ‘divining rods’ to locate underground springheads of water, buried treasure, minerals, ores, and as various remedies for illness and ailments of many kinds.

The European filbert (hazelnut) tree, ‘Corylus avellana L.,’ is the world’s most common and commercially advantageous filbert that is familiar and available to markets of today. This European filbert tree grows to 20 feet in orchards when trained into a tree by removing the lower limbs. Orchardists there expect filbert trees to bear after three years of planting and a mature tree averages 20-25 pounds of nuts per year. Two different trees are necessary to insure nut production through cross pollination.

The developing nuts are green in color, but when mature, the nuts turn a chocolate brown; however, the filberts (hazelnuts) are not released from the hull until 6 weeks later, after drying. The nuts may grow in clusters up to 12 nuts, about the size of acorns, and are usually mature during the last week of August, being collected during the last of September. Although filberts are gathered by hand in Europe for commercial markets, they are gathered mechanically in nut orchards of Washington State and Oregon in the United States.

American filberts, ‘Corylus Americana Walt.,’ were described in historical literature as growing among native forests in bush form, although commercially the plant can be formed into a small tree up to 12 feet tall by removing the lower limbs. This filbert tree is very cold hardy, surviving cold extremes down to minus 30 degrees F; Zone 3 to 9, from a range that extends from Maine south to Georgia and westward to Missouri and Oklahoma. The American filbert (hazelnut) tree is commonly propagated by dividing clumps. This filbert tree is very aggressive and can emerge from severely burned over forests to become reestablished from the very woody, large rhizomes that grow about six inches beneath the soil; the American filbert is very shade tolerant and grows in light intensity as low as 1% along streams, woodlands, pastures, roadsides, and forest edges. The tree can produce nuts as early as the second year. Filberts are eaten by mammals, quail, deer, and large birds. The kernels of filberts are used in cereals, confections, candies, cakes, and canned as pure hazelnuts or mixed nuts for sale at Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Filbert hazelnuts are also used to flavor soups, to be eaten raw or to be ground into a flour to form a cake like bread.

One report from the University of Georgia farm claims that filberts (hazelnuts) have matured on plants that are located there at the trial orchard.

World production of filbert hazelnuts is dominated by Europe and the Mideast; 75-80% of the world’s nuts are harvested from orchards near the Black sea, bordering Turkey. Another 15% of filberts are produced from Italy and Sicily, and a 2% share of the market comes from Washington State and Oregon.

As a health concern, many people need to reduce their risk for heart disease. The FDA claimed “consuming just 1.5 ounces of hazelnuts per day may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease” as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Doctors have proven at a Boston, MA hospital health study that states, “men who consumed nuts twice or more in a week had a 47% lower risk of sudden cardiac (heart attack) death, and 30% lower risk of coronary heart disease death.”

Patrick A. Malcolm, owner of TyTy Nursery, has an M.S. degree in Botany and has cultivated almond trees for over three decades.

There is nothing better tasting than or more comforting that sitting in your own dining room or patio and preparing yourself a nice tomato salad, or maybe a fresh bruschetta, with vine, beautiful, plump, red tomatoes, right from your own back yard.

This summer instead of having to go to the supermarket every couple of days to make your favorite tomato based dishes, take some time to learn how to plant, grown and harvest this wonderful tasting vegetable, which is also good to have on a daily basis if you are on a weight loss regimen, combined with the powerful diet supplement Acceletrim.

So first things first, select an area in your garden where the temperatures is around 50 to 55 degrees. Select the type of tomatoes that you want to grown and do some definite research on what is the temperature, and soil that that certain kind of tomato can grow, since the area where you live might to be suitable for that type of tomato. Once you’ve got the right kind, make sure that you plant them about 3 feet apart. Remember that as the tomatoes start to grow, the plants will need some support so set up stalks to support when you see the tomatoes starting to grow. Only harvest when fully ripe, and remember to keep them outside of your fridge, you don’t want all that hard work to go down the drain, tomatoes start losing their flavor once under 55 degrees. So eat them, enjoy and stay healthy.

What is more beautiful than seeing a home or building with an arch of climbing roses in the landscaping? Climbing roses are one of many plants that branch out and intertwine themselves among arches, trellises, or even buildings and railings. They can add a great landscape element to any foundation.

Climbing roses are different from the regular roses that are planted as they are trained to grow upward like vines. Some of them are hybrid teas, wichuraine, and large flowered climbers. They are a beautiful addition to the look of one’s house

Would you like more information about climbing roses? It is easy to learn about this great beauty. First of all, there are many types of climbing roses. They range in color, texture, and look. They also range in hardiness as well. Of course, you need to know what you are looking of in your climbing rose. When choosing climbing roses, some things that you need to consider are size, shade tolerance, disease resistance and colour.

Most important is knowing your hardiness level. This tells you what will grow in your area. Also as important is to pick varieties that will grow in the element you are placing them. What type of soil will you use? Will the area have full sun, partial sun, or will it be in shade.

Before getting discouraged, though, realize that there are many varieties of climbing roses to choose from and more then likely, you will find something to meet your needs. To find variety, forget about choosing your local hardware store, discount department store, or even the local gardening outlet. While these places often have a good selection, they don’t have the most.

Use the internet to find some great climbing roses of the most beautiful variety. Often you can have a catalog sent to you with many choices, or you can find and buy online. You will be able to find just what you are looking for, or maybe even something you never imagined.

Climbing roses can add a lot to any landscape. Take the time to choose climbing roses that fit your area and landscape design. Also, grab a book or do a little research online about the care the type of climbing rose you chose will need. Taking this time to do these things will give you the best climbing rose you can get.

About the Author

Ken Austin
Online Discount Shopping Guide
Roses and Rose Gardening

Garden planning is an avocation that can be carried to extremes. I have heard rumors that there are actually places that pay people to plan gardens for them. No one would be that silly. Imagine being paid to do something that is well, an obsession.

Personally I have perfected garden planning. It is considered high art when I undertake flower garden design!
I post do not disturb “genius at work” signs in preparation.
Pictures of flower garden ideas drift like colors in your mind.
Formal gardens, whimsical gardens, oriental gardens, rock gardens.All the garden types you can dream of are at your fingertips, if not actually in your yard!
Somehow the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew come to my mind as a attainable garden goal.
Better homes and gardens has a wonderful tool to help you plan layouts and colors.
better homes and gardens flower garden planner. It’s a fun way to spend a blustery afternoon.

Planning the layout and textures of gardens is very diverting.
I can spend hours making lists from the garden catalogs.
These usually arrive just in time to take my mind off of winter.
Winter is relative after all. In Florida the land of sunshine, just a few grey windy overcast days,Can precipitate severe gardening withdrawal, fits or even swoons may follow.
I think it is probably akin to those heavy snow days in the north.The kind that cause cabin fever.
Give me a cup of coca and a couple garden catalogs, and I am happy. Burpees catalog another favorite of mine is the white flower farms catalog.

I won’t even mention what awaking to a frost with a temperature of 20 degrees will do to you if you garden in Florida. Living in paradise I consol myself with knowing that in a few weeks summer will arrive.

Then I will of course be nattering about heat and sweating in the summer.

I actually plan flower gardens on paper; I draw them out, several hundred dozen times. Of course I always find a reason to change this or that, depending on catalog advice, which direction the wind is blowing and whether or not it’s a full moon. Great bargains can be found if your patient. Then I throw the flower garden layout ideas in the trash and start buying what’s on sale at the flea markets. Gardening is always good.

Pet Campbell is a gardener, photography and artist, transplanted from the cowboy kingdon of Montana, to gardening in Paradise Florida.

You can do your own tropical flower arrangements and add life to your office or home. Tropical flowers are generally much hardier than their softer cousins. They are brilliantly colored and have a longer shelf life especially if you care for them properly.

Here are some things you can do to maximize their life:

1) Every type of fresh cut flower will produce a certain amount of ethylene gas during shipping but this can be taken care of by immediately unwrapping them and submersing them completely in a room temperature bath or large tub of water for 10 to 20 minutes. This applies to almost all the tropicals except for the fuzzy protease and most orchids.

2) Cut the stem of your tropicals about an inch from the bottom at about a 45-degree angle. The slant ensures that the stem will draw the maximum amount of water. Do this several times during the week and you will extend their life.

3) Tropicals grow in warm rainy climates and they enjoy being wet. For this reason keep your tropicals away from drafts and cool places and direct sunlight. Spray mist them daily to keep the moisture content up. In nature tropical blooms have pods facing upward, as they like to pool water in them. You can also do this with your fresh cuts.

4) If you find that the water gets cloudy then put a few drops of bleach in the water. This helps to prevent bacteria from growing and this will not hurt the flowers.

5) Make sure that when you design your flowers in a vase that you do not have any greens below the water line. This will rapidly decay the rest of the arrangement.

6) If you have purchased bird of paradise for your arrangement and they are not open, you can gently ease them apart by taking your index finger or thumb and slowly push your way at the base of the flower and force the blooms up.

Most tropicals will last between 7 to 14 days if properly taken care of. I have seen cymbidium orchids last as long as 3 weeks. So enjoy these vibrant exotic flowers in your home or office.

Willie Jones is a freelance writer, researcher, floral designer, and artist, for Art Inspires, Inc. Make sure you enroll in the free motivational poster drawing at www.artinspires.com

My Grandfather was an old school farmer from way back who depended on his crops for his living. He, like farmers then and now, knew that the secret to optimum yield and plant health begins in the soil. If the soil was just right and other conditions were favorable, his yields were higher and he could make a descent living that would get his family through the rest of the year.

My grandfather also knew that the condition and health of the soil directly influenced the plants ability to resist disease and insects. Having to use any type of insecticide on his farm was virtually unheard of. And yet, he had no insect problem.

So the question of what is the secret to healthier and more beautiful plants should really begin with the question of what is the secret to healthy soil.

Many factors will influence the quality and condition of your soil. And at the top of the list is the ph (acidity or alkalinity) of soil. Most folks have heard about soil ph but very few know how important it is and the difference it makes in color, yield, flavor, heath, etc.

If the ph of soil is incorrect, nutrient uptake is limited or restricted altogether. It doesn’t matter how much fertilizer you add, the plants won’t be able to use it efficiently. Iron, for instance, becomes locked into soil that is too alkaline. It won’t matter how much iron you add, the plant won’t be able to pick it up and use it.

If growing is not optimal, plants start to yellow or look sickly, and there is no obvious signs of insects, the first place to start is by testing the soil. In granddads day, folks would actually taste the soil to test the ph. If it was sweet, it was acid. If it was sour, it was alkaline. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to go out to our gardens and eat dirt. Modern test kits are available at garden centers, they’re inexpensive and easy to use.

Most plants prefer a slightly acid to neutral soil. Neutral is a 7 on the scale while slightly acid is a 6 on the scale. And I did say most plants. Some plants do prefer more acid soil and some do like alkaline. It’s a good idea to know a little bit about what you’re growing.

Now, my grandfather had a magic ingredient that he continually added to the soil. This magic ingredient would actually create healthy soil, buffer perfect ph, and facilitate proper nutrient uptake. It also made plants not so tasty to insects.

A magic ingredient? Not hardly. A lost art and science. Definitely. His magic ingredient was that he dutifully returned everything back into the soil. Everything from plant wastes to manure to kitchen scraps. His magic ingredient was nothing more than pure natural organics. If a soil was found to be out of balance, it was a matter of a simple adjustment. A little bit of sulfur to buffer alkalinity or a little bit of lime to buffer acid and also tilling in more bulk organics.

Farmers and gardeners back then couldn’t rely on a lot of chemical fertilizers because they were either unavailable or they simply couldn’t afford them. Oh I’m sure they would have liked to have had them since it would have made life much easier. However, what we didn’t use then that we do use now is why they had healthier plants, higher yields, better tasting food, more nutritional food, and even more colorful flowers. Again, the difference is organics.

Organically prepared soil eventually becomes stable and naturally balance in ph. All necessary plant nutrients become available and plants are able to use what they need and only when they need it. An excesses of individual nutrients in organic soil will actually be buffered and not do the plants any harm.

Plants grown in organic soils are naturally more resistant to insects and disease. They’re simply healthier and insects and disease generally attacks plants that are already unhealthy to begin with.

Chemical fertilizers are like a quick shot in the arm and plants will greedily take in more than they need. This weakens a plants ability to resist disease and insects. Then, of course, you’re going to need insecticides. However, healthy organic soil is also full of millions of beneficial bacteria and micro-organisms. Chemical fertilizers and insecticides will kill these very necessary elements and weaken plants immune systems even further. And so in using chemicals, we create a never ending no win cycle.

Creating organic soil will take a little effort and won’t happen overnight. It will take a few seasons. However, the rewards will far outweigh the effort. And eventually you’ll find that you spend less time taking care of your garden and more time enjoying it.

To begin with, start saving those leaves and grass clippings. This is a wonderful no cost resource. If you don’t have any of your own, I’m sure your neighbors will give you some of theirs. You can compost them or shred them as top dressing that will eventually break down into the soil.

I’ll also suggest two books to you. Rodales Complete Book Of Composting and Rodales Encyclopedia Of Organic Gardening. These two books alone will give you all the knowledge you need for composting and organic gardening.

Other secret ingredients are all around you, are usually free, and are often found right in your own trash can. Kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and even some papers can be composted.

Have a friend with a stable? Some folks will let you clean out their stable just for doing it. This is a very inexpensive way to add a lot of bulk organics very quickly. Keep in mind though that manure is better composted as it is extremely alkaline due to a high content of urea.

On top of all of this there is an endless list of organic materials, mineral dusts, and rock fertilizers available through organic gardening stores and sites.

So there you have it. I did learn something from my grandfather. And so did you.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free landscaping advice, plans, and tips to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more free information on landscaping and growing plants, visit his site at: www.the-landscape-design-site.com

My Autopot Tomatoes – An Experiment In Hydroponics Container Gardening

The basic Autopot System consists of a plant pot on a membrane in a container. This container has a SmartValve built into it which is fed from a nutrient tank. As the plant in the pot uses nutrient the level of nutrient in the Autopot container is maintained by the SmartValve. This means that the plant always has the optimum level of nutrient at its disposal. As the plant grows and needs more nourishment, the SmartValve opens more frequently to replenish the nutrient supply from the tank. Because the plant pot is sat on a membrane, it will only take up what it needs in the way of moisture. This system ensures that the plant does not become too wet and drown or rot; neither can it dry out, provided that the tank is kept topped up.

In our climate in the United Kingdom, where rainfall is often quite high and sunshine limited, I have found that the results obtained with the Autopot system have far outstripped those of a conventional system of soil and a growbag. These results have only been studied so far using tomatoes, however I have no doubt that the same benefits would apply to virtually any type of plant.

I have grown a crop of tomatoes from seed this year and for the first time tried the Autopot system against a growbag and against pots hand watered with nutrient solution. The substrate used was washed coco coir. The seedlings were grown on to about 4″ in height using rockwool cubes and a small propagation tray. They were transplanted into 8″ pots (3 plants per pot.) and the pots placed in either Autopot systems or into containers about 2″ deep. Some were planted in soil in Growbags.

The Autopots were connected to a nutrient tank and the trayed pots were watered twice daily using nutrient from the same tank. The plants in the Growbags were watered daily and had plant food added to the water as directed on the container. It was found that the Growbag plants did not grow as well as the others and fruited less abundantly. The plants in pots and containers on trays fruited well, but during hot spells needed more frequent watering as the coco coir does not retain moisture as well as soil.

By far the best results were obtained from the Autopots. The plants grew quickly and were soon very well established. The root balls soon became dense and well formed. Within a short time the plants became sturdier than there less fortunate siblings and started to flower.

I had deliberately done no maintenance with any of the plants. They were planted, fed and left to grow without interference. This meant that the crops would be smaller than if I had pinched out the shoots, but there could be no discrepancy due to better maintenance. The results were quite staggering. The trayed plants produced some 250% – 300% more fruit than the Growbags and the Autopot had at least double the crop produced by the trayed plants.

The only drawback I found with the Autopot was that when it rained the water falling onto the surface of the substrate ran back into the nutrient container causing it to overfill. This problem did not seem to be detrimental to the plant’s growth or yield.

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business, Rickie Haughton is the owner of http://www.hydroponics-gardening-information.com. Your First Choice For Hydroponics Gardening Information, the Hydroponics-Gardening-Information website is packed with good content about all aspects of hydroponics gardening and offers a free Hydroponics Gardening Information Club membership to all subscribers.

Copyright (C) 2004, 2005, John R Haughton – All Rights Reserved

Gardening

What better way to relax after a hard day than to take a stroll in your garden or just enjoy the spectacular view of your garden sipping your evening tea and the vegetables from your very own garden cannot be found anywhere else! Gardening is an art which requires skill. Having a garden in your home is a luxury but it also requires a lot of pampering and care. Maintaining a garden would need time and work as it needs regular watering, fertilizing, weeding and monitoring for disease and insect problems

To develop and maintain a garden you will need proper planning. You would have to decide on where to start your garden, then decide on what you want. If you are planning for vegetable garden then what vegetables you want to grow or for a flower garden then what kinds of flowers you would want. You should also take into consideration the type of soil as soil is the most important element for healthy growth.

Vegetable garden:

The joy of eating home grown vegetables is something which you cannot describe. It is perhaps the most rewarding thing about gardening. It is not necessary that you need a big space to grow vegetables. Of course having a large space has its own advantage as you grow variety of vegetables but even if you do not have space you need not be disappointed. Some vegetables can also be grown in small spaces even in pots or planter boxes

Proper sunlight is important for your vegetables. Vegetables producing fruits need direct sunlight but leafy vegetables like cabbage or lettuce have to be grown in partial shade. The type of vegetables to grow in your garden will depend on the season they should be grown. Vegetables which come in spring include lettuce, radish, asparagus and they are quick growing vegetables. Winter vegetables are like potatoes, carrots and squash. Beans, peas, cabbage, cauliflower; tomatoes are seen in plenty in summers.

Use of Fertilizers:

Many different nutrient elements are essential for good growth of vegetables, but nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are the three most important nutrients. Nutrients like Calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are supplied by limestone and the other required elements they get from air, water, and soil. Fertilizers provide minerals to promote green growth, root growth, hardiness and disease resistance. These fertilizers are generally sold by grade and contain two or three major plant nutrients. If your garden has been fertilized for years, then the soil will have high levels of phosphorus and potassium. So nitrogen is the only required fertilizer as additional phosphorus and potassium are not required.
Different vegetables have different fertilizer requirements. Leafy vegetables require a lot of nitrogen as compared to other vegetables and root vegetables need more phosphorous and potash for their development.

Tips for gardening:

• Maintain the soil as the roots of grass plants obtain needed moisture and nutrients from the soil and in order for roots to function they need plenty of oxygen in the soil.

• Apply fertilizer before or at planting.

• Use little amount of fertilizer in frequent intervals.

• Regular watering of the plants is necessary. The recommendation for watering depends on the season.

• Well-drained soil that is slightly acid to neutral (6.0 to 7.0) is necessary.

• Regular monitoring for disease and insect problems

Jeffrey Meier of Jam727 Enterprises http://www.jam727.com offers products and information articles on a variety of subjects. If you would like read about more ideas on gardening tips please visit http://www.gardenofvegatables.com

Many can build a fire pit as part of their garden furniture and they should, as the advantages are so many, especially when it comes to decoration and adding style to the house. Having a fire pit is very good and enhancing for a residence, but having it custom built, it gives that right touch of taste that is necessary to be fully appreciated by its users. Besides the matching style with the rest of the house, a custom built fire pit gives the opportunity to shape the size and also to make it functional for all the different tasks that it might serve.

Of course, the two main reasons to build a fire pit are to get more heat and eventually do some fire cooking and both reasons are equally important and respectable. The beauty of building something from scratch, is that there are not limits to the creativity and the final result should really deliver what is intended and desired. There is of course the option of purchasing pre-made fire pits, but why? When with a little extra economical effort, it is possible to obtain the perfect solution. It is my opinion that is always better to build a fire pit and live comfortably with it.

Find out more about outdoor fireplaces and brick fire pits for this coming fall and winter.