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Going Green For Your Garden This Year? Natural Pest Control May Be The Answer…

The Living Series’ Green Gardening and Lawncare

Whether you’re a novice gardener or a seasoned green thumb, this informative and engaging DVD will help you grow a lush, green, healthy lawn and a beautiful garden without the use of chemicals or pesticides.

Join Cheryl Shour as she explores a typical lawn and garden, showing you how to improve the soil with natural, organic fertilizer that will allow your plants to thrive and grow healthy and strong. Learn about lawn care and maintenance, soil requirements, aeration, de-thatching, appropriate plant selection, composting, water management, weed and pest control as well as the tools you’ll need to get started. Achieve the lawn and garden of your dreams, all using safe and natural techniques that will protect you, your family and pets, your community and the environment.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Like photography or woodworking, you can never own too many tools for hobby gardening. And like other hobbies, owning the right suite of garden tools determine if you achieve worthwhile results.

Here are the indispenable tools we recommend for your garden tool collection:

1. Square-ended shovel. They’re harder to force into the dirt, but a square-end shovel will remove large amounts of earth more easily. Use them on soft earth or moving dirt piles that have already been dug. They’re also good for distributing manure-based fertilizer and compost over target garden areas.

2. Triangular spade. These are great all-purpose tools, especially for creating large holes needed for planting trees or transplanting large plants. One great variation is a telescope-handle shovel with a very narrow blade - somewhat like a trowel but with a long handle. They can be used to make small holes while standing and are perfect for certain weeding chores.

3. Gardening shears. They come in a dozen shapes and sizes, but get ones that fit your hand. Most have moon-shaped blades, with one side being concave and the other convex. You’ll want a variety of sizes for trimming dead flowers and stems and small and large branches. For safety and easy storage, only buy shears with locks that hold the blades closed.

4. Rake. Plastic rakes are common, but metal rakes last longer under heavy use. Even if you own a power leaf blower, sometimes it’s easier and neater to use a rake. Specialty rakes de-thatch the lawn in spring or prepare your yard for winter in the fall. For small re-seeding jobs, use a rake to work seeds into the topsoil. And, nothing beats a rake for scraping away dead weeds and small rocks.

5. Wheelbarrow. This is the workhorse of the garden, and you’ll use one more often than you think. Transporting a dozen annuals in small pots—with soil, tools and a watering can—is easy with a wheelbarrow. Spread manure-based fertilizer by emptying the fertilizer bags into the wheelbarrow. Distribute over an area and spread it evenly with a rake. It’s much easier than holding a 40-lb bag in both arms and shaking.

6. Lawn Striper. Now for the finishing touch. Your lawn and garden are planted, fertilized, pruned and dethatched. Now add some personality! The striper is a roller that attaches to most walk behind lawn mowers. The roller bends the grass creating a striping effect like you see on baseball fields, golf courses, and professionally groomed lawns.

Pick up a set of these tools, and you’ll be ready to keep your lawn and garden in peak shape year-round.

Popularity: 17% [?]

As summer brings the double punch of high temperatures and low rain to many parts of the country, a smart gardener steps up his or her game, too. Check out these tips for a long-blooming summer border:

Deadhead regularly. Remove the flowers off your plants after they fade, usually with a small pair of snips. If the blooms are not removed, the plant will expend energy producing seed. When deadheaded properly, the energy is redirected to other parts of the plants, and can often result in a second round of blooms.

Fungal disease is cause by two principal ingredients: high heat and humidity. While not usually lethal, fungus certainly can make your plants less attractive. Promote air circulation between and through plants by spacing them several inches apart. Try not to water your plants from above; use a soaker hose instead.

Pay attention to your watering schedule. The best way to promote a deep and healthy root system is to water deeply on an infrequent schedule. The amount of water varies based on a number of factors. However, it is safe to say that under normal conditions, established perennials need little supplemental water. Annuals, though, require about an inch of water each week.

Follow these practices regularly and you’ll find your beds and borders in top form and with blooming plants through the season.

Tags: summer+gardening+tips

Popularity: 21% [?]

You may have a lovely pond in your backyard, filled with fish and eye-catching water plants. However, sometimes we spend so much time on what goes into our water features that we may not give as much thought to what can be done with the perimeter.

Here are some plants that will thrive at the water’s edge:

Ornamental grasses. These plants add so much to a pond – height, texture, movement, even the sounds of swishing in the breeze. Grasses, with tall and spiky foliage, contrast well next to the relatively flat body of water. Tall, plumed grasses will do well on the far edges, with dwarf varieties from your pond on the sides.

Bulbs make for great waterside plants. You can choose bulbs to add color, diverse bloom shapes, height, and scent, depending on your needs.

Shrubs will likely be the sturdiest plants you select for the pond perimeter. These are great for adding a sense of permanence to a water’s edge that may also include grasses and blooms. Select dwarf varieties, no larger that 2 or 3 feet tall. You may want to pick shrubs that will offer berries or interesting flowers, which will add visual appeal as well as draw in wildlife.

Ferns, with their feathery fronds and deep colors, complete the classic poolside vision.

Tags: pond+planting, water’s+edge+gardening

Popularity: 22% [?]

Gardeners in seaside locations encounter a unique set of challenges, including salty spray; drying winds; sandy soil that may lack nutrients; and (in Zones 5-6) cold winter weather.

Salt can be damaging in a variety of ways. It stunts plant growth and can sear foliage. The damaging effects of salt cannot be neutralized with chemicals or fertilizers.

Planting is difficult in sandy soil. There are few nutrients. Water drains right through it, and sandy soil is easily blown about in seaside conditions.

The effects of wind are obvious. Soil dries out quickly and in turn plants lack necessary moisture. Also, high winds can tear leaves and foliage.

Fortunately, the seaside gardener can work around these issues.

Work with your soil to make it more hospitable for your plants. Mix in plenty of organic matter (such as compost) to allow your soil to keep in enough moisture. Also, the organic matter helps prevent salt from accumulating. Your new, “heavier” soil, with a higher moisture content, is less likely to blow in your seaside winds. Rinse your plants after a storm to remove any salt.

You’ll need to protect plants from the elements. Use rocks or some other hard material to edge beds and borders. Ensure that your soil is level with (or a bit below) the soil level in your lawn. This will encourage your plants to retain moisture and will help keep your soil in place within the beds.

If your garden is battered by the wind, you might want to install a fence, wall or hedge that has open spaces to allow breezes through. Mulch with faily heavy materials, such as pebbles or bark chips.

Select plants for your conditions. Plants that are known to survive in coastal climates are often fleshy, “furry,” waxy, or gray or silver in color. Rosemary and thyme (as well as afew other herbs) do well in coastal gardens, as do ornamental.

Tags: Coastal+Gardens, Seaside+Gardening

Popularity: 23% [?]

There is a growing interest in home gardening with heirloom plants. The term refers to varieties that are usually at least a half-century old and have been open-pollinated to produce seeds with the same traits as the parent plants.

Heirloom seeds can be varieties that have been grown in your particular area by your family for decades, or seed varieties brought over by immigrants, or perhaps plants that had been offered commercially prior to the 1950s.

Your parents or grandparents may have saved seeds for you to grow. There are also seed banks dedicated to the preservation of heirloom varieties. (Look for more information on them online.) You can participate in these banks by donating seeds from your own family heirloom varieties, or by obtaining some heirloom seed for your own planting purposes. You can return the “loan” with seed you have produced from these same heirloom plants.

The appeal of these plants is undeniable. They usually have more scent and flavor than moden hybrids. Also, the genetic diversity in heirlooms (compared to today’s hybrids) provides a natural resistance to disease. For many heirloom fans, growing these varieties is all about preserving them for future generations. If you grow heirloom plants in your garden, consider setting aside some seed to pass along to your family’s next generation or donate some seed to the heirloom seed projects.

Tags: Heirloom+Plants, Heirloom+Seeds

Popularity: 21% [?]

As we get into the heart of the growing season, here are some quick tips for all gardeners:

Plan carefullly when selecting plants. Before it goes into your garden, make sure you consider size, speed of growth and aggression. You don’t want to throw off the balance of your bed or border with plants that will overrun your other selections.

Mulching is essential and is useful in a wide variety of ways: controlling weeds, keeping moisture in the soil, and improving plant health are just a few.

Keep weeds at bay. Weed daily to catch weeds while they are still small. Edging will help keep weeds (and other plants) from invading your beds and borders. If necessary, an herbicide used selectively can help you control weed growth.

Fertilize to provide the optimal environment. Test your soil and choose supplements accordingly. Use a slow-release fertilizer and you may find it lasts all growing season.

Have the right tools at hand. Keep your clippers, pruners, shovels, etc, in great shape (free of rust and dirt, and sharpened and lubricated). Store your tools so that they are easily located. You’ll find having equipment in good working order and easily located will cut down on the time you spend maintaining your garden.

Assess and take action. Every three to five days, take a stroll through your garden to look for signs of insect infestation or disease. If you catch problems early on, they will be much easier to resolve.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Ornamental grasses are sometimes overlooked in gardens in favor of showier blossoming plants. Although these low-maintenance plants provide color and interest throughout the spring and summer, they really hit their peak at the end of the season. As summer comes to an end, ornamental grasses develop seed heads and color beautifully.

Insect- and disease-resistant and with low nutrient requirements, you’ll find planting and maintaining these grasses to be a breeze. When transferring new plants to your bed, water them well to help establish the root system. Once an ornamental grass is established, it rarely needs supplemental watering. Supplemental fertilizing for established plants is not really necessary, either.

The principal work in maintaining these plants is keeping the grasses cut back, which is best done in late winter or early spring. With a pair of hand clippers or a weed trimmer, cut back your plant’s foliage to 4 to 6 inches.

You’ll find that ornamental grasses are a solid choice for low-maintenance beds and borders. In addion to color and texture, grasses add motion and sound, too. These plants are good for accent foliage or in larger “drifts.”

Popularity: 19% [?]

Most gardeners dream of lovely and eye-catching beds filled with vibrant colors. You can have this lovely feature in your garden, but keep a few tips in mind.

Different colors can compete for attention, so beds with three or more colors look best when other distractions are kept to a minimum.

The easiest way to begin your multi-color bed is to emphasize one or two types of plants that bloom in a kaleidoscope of colors. Impatiens is a good example of this. You might fill a shady bed with five shades of impatiens, or a specific lily that blooms in several different colors. Use a flower filler in a soft texture to fill gaps, and repeat it throughout the border. Match the color of your filler blooms to the strongest color in your multi-color bed.

If you want to play it safe, you can use one of the tried-and-true triads: red, yellow, and blue; violet, pink and white; or orange, chartruese and blue. Incorporate one of these shades as a neutral tint, like pale yellow, peach, or white. Most people think the most appealing three-color combinations include two complementary or harmonious colors, matched with a light, neutral shade.

Popularity: 22% [?]

A mixed border usually refers to a combination of annuals, perennials, with some flowering vines, shrubs, bulbs, and/or dwarf trees. Plant collectors love mixed borders, as they allow the collector to show off a diverse selection of plants. Gardeners who have small planting areas also appreciate mixed borders as an opportunity to pack in a lot of plants in a small space.

When planning your mixed border, consider the area’s growing conditions. Research what plants will grow in your space, and make smart choices for the plants you’ll include in your mixed border. A successful bed contains plants that will thrive your in the plot’s soil and sunlight. To ensure an eye-catching border that lasts throughout the growing season, mix in plants that will blossom at different times.

Without planning, a mixed border can turn into a wayward jumble of plants. Use color and texture themes to unify your mixed border and provide a beautiful and attractive bed for your landscape.

Popularity: 25% [?]