Numerous people who live in urban areas and who are concerned about the smell of their compost disturbing their neighbors choose an enclosed compost bin design.

One of the most known types of enclosed compost bin designs is the compost tumbler. In order to mix the materials, all you have to do is to turn the tumbler using a crank that is attached to the structure. You may notice that there is not a surplus of wooden compost bin designs. This is because of a very important reason. The waste materials are placed inside and the lid is closed.

As the waste materials break down, they have a tendency to also cause most woods to rot. When considering the purchase of a wooden compost bin always check to make sure that the wood is either naturally resistant to rot or treated. Some woods, such as cedar, are more resistant to rot and as a result can be used in compost bin designs. This type of compost bin design is an excellent choice if you do not have a lot of space.

This is a very simple and space saving way to benefit from composting. First, think of whether you need an enclosed compost bin. Of course, if you have more space available to you then you may wish to choose a larger compost bin design. Only limited types of wood can be efficiently used to produce compost bins. Compost bins can be produced from a variety of different materials.

These are great if your home produces a lot of yard and kitchen waste and you want to make use of it by turning it into compost. This will help you to avoid having to replace your compost bin in the near future because of rot. There are many different types of compost bin designs available today. If you have never composed before trying to decide among the many different types of compost bin designs can certainly be quite confusing. While an enclosed compost bin is certainly not an essential, you may find it more convenient depending upon your needs.

You will find metal as well as plastic compost bin designs. This is why it is essential that you never place your compost bin directly next to a wooden structure. There are enclosed bins as well as open bins. It can be easily placed anywhere you wish.

Every garden has its fair share of annoying drawbacks, one being various kinds of pests. And dont think for one minute that organic gardens are without them!

What is different in an organic garden as opposed to a conventional garden is the way you fight these pests. In our organic garden we want to fight them in an environmentally safe way, and not use strong chemicals that will cause harm to plants, good insects, your soil, and to you and your family. And they will often accumulate and also trickle down into the ground water.

Tips 1 for Your Organic Garden Pest Control: Handpicking For bugs big enough to be seen and picked, this is by far the most easy and least costly way. Enjoy your garden in the early morning and in the evening, and while doing that scrutinize your plants and remove all the little fellows you can see that are doing harm to your plants. Drown them in soapy water or just squeeze them.

Tips 2 for Your Organic Garden Pest Control: Homemade solutions to spray in your garden Bugs will suffocate when covered in soapy water, so a simple solution of 1 dl of natural soap added to 1 liter of water will do the trick. Spray your plants every other day for a week or two with a spray bottle to get rid of all the bugs that hatch. Make sure you spray the whole plant, even under the leaves.

Aphids are easily removed by this, but sometimes spider mites are slightly harder to get rid off.

If you want to try a more efficient and stronger solution to spray on your plants, here is one: Mix well 2-3 garlic cloves, some large chili peppers and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in your blender. Strain, then add the fluid plus 1 tablespoon natural soap to 1 liter of water and make sure you mix the ingredients well together. This should be sprayed on your plants in the morning or in the afternoon/evening, and preferably when cloudy, to avoid damage on the leaves.

The effects of this solution are more widespread than the soapy water, as it may scare away even moles and mice if they smell it near their holes. But the backside of this remedy is this: It will scare away the good bugs as well. But there is a way to avoid this:

Organic Garden Pest Control 3: Biological pest control Let the good bugs do the job! The ladybug is very efficient, it eats plenty of aphids (and is pretty to watch!). Lacewings and praying mantis are also good at this, and can be lured into your garden by plants that attract them. You can also buy these good bugs or other parasites (that is, parasitic on your pests) to establish an ecological balance among your garden bugs. These bugs or parasites can be bought in egg sacks or live, and are very efficient and a really environmentally friendly way to pest control.

Organic Garden Pest Control 4: Choosing scary plants and maintaining good plant health Note, the plants are supposed to be scary for the pests, not for you! Good plants for this are wormwood, lavender, marigolds, garlic and onions. I believe all of these are easily fitted into both your flower garden and your vegetable garden. For example, onions can be planted amongst carrot plants to prevent the carrot root fly from harming your carrots (companion planting), and marigolds can be planted anywhere!

Also, it is very important to keep your plants strong and vigorous by making sure they get enough nutrients and grow in a healthy soil. Then they will be able to better withstand attacks from various pests.

Tips 5 for Your Organic Garden Pest Control: How to get rid of ants, fleas and other crawling insects An environmentally friendly way to get rid of small insects like ants is spreading a thin layer of Diatomaceous earth on the ground. This mineral dust pierces the exoskeleton of these small but annoying creatures, leaving them to dry out. You need to repeat the process after watering or heavy rain.

Hollyhock horror! That is what I think of the fungus causing the leaves of this lovely oldfashioned flower to turn reddish brown, and then fall off leaving the naked stem with only the flowers at the top. But there is an environmentally friendly way to save them:

Fill a kettle with horsetail, add water to cover and boil for at least 10 minutes. Then filter, dilute 5 to 10 times with water, pour into spray bottle and spray your plants all over, including under the leaves.

Wishing you the best of luck with your organic garden!

Does your lawn have yellow patches in the summertime? Is it full of weeds like prickly grass, dandelions and onions? Do you have fire ants and look over at your neighbor’s yard dreaming of the day when your yard will took look so green and so fresh? Do you desire to walk with a bare foot across your lawn without worry or stress? Well what you desire is attainable. You too can enjoy a beautiful lawn and garden.

Getting your lawn in good condition will make you feel happy and will make you want to come home, but it will also increase the value of your home by 10 to 15 percent. That is an excellent reason to get your hands dirty this summer! What follows are a few easy things that you can do to get started in your garden. Turning your yard from dry dirt to soft and plentiful grass is a continuous process, but the benefit of it justifies the time and effort.

One essential thing to do before getting started is to get all the products and tools that you are going to need to do your garden overhaul. You can pick out any items that you may need conveniently at TractorSupply.com. You can also visit their site to find a plethora of seeds, fertilizers, and products to assist in the gardening process. For this project, you will definitely need an aerator, spreader, and weed puller as well as grass seeds and fertilizer specialized for growing in your area. Online shopping is the best place to compare the types and costs of a multitude of products, including a quality mower.

The following are a few things to remember when getting your garden ready for the season:

To maintain a healthier and stronger garden, set your mower to the highest setting and keep it there. The taller the grass, the healthier it is and it will keep weeds from growing by blocking out the sunlight. It also makes for roots that grow deeper and stronger and soil that is cooler which means your grass will be drought resistant. A mulching mower is also helpful to keeping your grass growing strong. Although keeping a low cut lawn may seem appealing initially, you actually end up creating more work for yourself and for your grass.

An important item to remember when watering your lawn is to make sure that you water DEEP and INFREQUENTLY. Get a good quality sprinkler system that can reach or entire lawn without creating too much spill over. Otherwise, water just one section at a time. Your lawn does not require that you water it every day either. Instead, try watering your yard for a long period of time and then not again for several days. This will help your lawn’s resistance to drought and will creating deeper growing roots.

If you are going to use fertilizers, make sure that you fertilize during the fall season. If you fertilize too often, you end up promoting rapid growth. This may sound like a great thing, but it actually makes the grass more likely to be attacked by disease and insects. Along with that, do not use lots of pesticides on your lawn. These will likely kill good things that keep the soil aerated. When growing a healthy lawn, you ultimately will not need any pesticides.

So why is the fall the best time to fertilize? Grass lies dormant, or asleep, during the fall which means that the roots will be the ones taking advantage of the fertilizer, helping you to have better looking and feeling grass.

Tractor Supply will get you started in the right direction toward a more beautiful lawn and garden. So do not let another summer pass you by with hard crunchy grass. Get in that yard and make it beautiful!

Just because Pacific Coast gardeners live in a very favored climate, where winters are mild and the ground rarely freezes, many are under the impression that you can plant most things the year around and expect them to grow like magic. Nature has provided certain seasons for successful growth of each kind of plant.

Doing Dahlias

Dahlias demand, because of their warm Mexican background, a warm and consistently even temperature. if you start your dahlias too early because the weather is warm they may develop healthy and rapid growth but, if the weather should change and the ground become chilled, growth will be checked. This starting and stopping develops a hard woody structure and results in dahlia plants that cannot perform at their best. Dahlias must be planted late enough so that the weather is settled and be kept under even growing conditions. Tubers are usually set from late March to June.

To get the best from your dahlias, provision should also be made to afford them the right environment. Dont forget, dahlias like full sun or grow spindly. The proper supply of their seasons food must also be mixed with the soil prior to planting. Dig in a generous supply of decayed humus and bone meal or a complete plant food. These should be thoroughly mixed in the soil throughout the whole area in which you expect to plant. Follow during the blooming period with monthly feedings of liquid food. By blooming time each dahlia has sent feeding roots several feet away from the original spot of planting in quest of food.

In planting, each tuber should be laid flat, 6 inches deep and 3 feet apart with 4 feet between rows.

A stake should be placed 2 inches from the sprouted end at planting time. Cover the tuber only a few inches, allowing the sun to warm and stimulate growth. As growth progresses, fill in the hole completely.

Lawn Mowing

The height at which a lawn should be cut depends upon the type of grass grown. The bents require close mowing and should be kept at about 1/2 inch. Fescue grasses can be cut almost as close. Kentucky blue grass should be left at a height of 1-1/2 inches. Newly-sown lawns should receive their first trimming when the grass is 1-1/2 inches high. Dont wait until it shoots up 4 to 5 inches. The mower should be set so that only the grass tips are cut off and keep the mower blades set high for the first 6 to 8 cuttings. Then they can be lowered for a closer cut. Frequent mowing is important. It produces a fine-textured turf. If grass is allowed to become too tall before it is cut, growth becomes coarse and the leaves lose their healthy, deep green color.

Water Gardens

Build water gardens which include plant watering systems in April. The start of warm weather means newly set out water-liles and other plants will grow fast. The use of water in the garden dates back to pre-Bible days. The ancients knew that a pool or waterfall adds color, excitement and life. Even more important, they knew that water helps cool the air by evaporation. The old Persian and Spanish garden makers in centuries gone by wisely used this principle.

Thats probably why so many architects included water effects in the California-Spanish period homes of the mid-twenties here in the West. Nothing ties in more naturally with outdoor living than water gardens handled skillfully. Nothing can be more dramatic especially if colored under-water lights are used for dazzling night time effects.

Flowers from Seeds

Aprils warm weather makes it possible to sow virtually every annual listed in the catalogues. The Torch tithonia will respond well if planted now. It likes heat and while it may not be a traffic stopper in cool, coastal sections, it will scream with color inland and other spots with long, warm growing days.

Roses Roses Roses

Growing prize roses… are not the result of wishful dreaming but the result of action-regular feeding, irrigation and spraying. Armfuls of roses will be yours if you spray every 10 days or so with a multi-purpose spray. A spray with good residual effects means that the aphids can really be licked.

Pep Up The Garden Color

Brighten up your garden with some new chrysanthemum varieties. During the next 6 weeks western nurseries will be featuring improved kinds. Get acquainted with the improved colors now available. Dont forget, too, that cuttings can still be made from your last years clumps. They root easily.

Get Feeding on Schedule

You get more value from your plant foods if you feed while your plants are at their most active period of growth. Most plants are in full surge of growth, so fertilize now. Members of the “organic cult” of gardeners stick strictly to organic plant foods like the ever-valuable fish emulsions and natural manures. Those “on the other side of the fence” rely on chemical nutrients. Perhaps the safest system is a blend of both so that plants achieve maximum growth.

While it is true that spending days and days of devoted lawn care and getting lawn care help can give you a great lawn, finding the time to do that is a completely different story.It is because of this reason, that many people invest the money in getting help from professional lawn care specialists. However, even if you only have a few hours to devote to lawn care, you can still get your lawn looking pretty terrific. Follow our guide below for some short cuts to lawn care help and maintenance.

Fertilize, Weed Control, and Groom your Yard

Of course, that is the ideal thing to do if you really want a great looking lawn. Doing that though, brings us to the original problem, which is a lack of time. If you can manage to spend a few hours after work, on weekends, pulling leaves, fertilizing, and managing your lawn then you are way ahead of the rest of us. However, if you are a little pressed for time and you need a decent-looking lawn in a hurry, follow the lawn care help tips we have below.

Tip #1 – Water

Like all things, grass needs water to grow. Make sure that your lawn care help includes a good deep watering at least a couple of times a week. This is a huge and essential part of maintaining a good lawn, so you must not forget to provide this. A good sprinkler system is by far the easiest and best way to give your lawn the water that it needs. If you need your lawn look nice, this is a really great way to get it that way, even if you have a house full of guests that may inspect it.

Just water the lawn both the morning before the party and lightly the morning of the party. You need to make sure that you pay attention to the word lightly, as you don’t want your grass to be soaking wet when your party guests show up. Providing your lawn with these two shots of water, well speed up the greening effect on it.

Tip #2 – Mow

Another essential tip of proper lawn care is mowing. Don’t be concerned with the clover, or dealing with the crabgrass before you mow your lawn. If your party is tomorrow then you really do not have enough time to take care of the uneven texture of your lawn.

Simply all that you really have to do, is mow your lawn down weeds and all the day before the party. Don’t forget that you need to do it in the afternoon, because you want your lawn to be nice and dry after the morning water.

The whole idea behind this quick lawn care tip is to give your guests the impression that it is a well taken care of the lawn, and your hope is that they don’t notice the slight differences in texture. One of your guests could possibly notice upon closer inspection a few stray clippings but that’s no big deal really. When pressed for time, the end result is worth it. Besides, it is always nice to have the nice fresh green smell of freshly mowed lawn during an outside party.

Chestnut Tree

Local business man sampled his first Chinese chestnut at a produce dealers booth. He purchased 5 pounds and said, “I am buying these for my father. He never got over the loss of the native chestnut and these are the first Ive found with the oldtime flavor.”

This incident probably better illustrates the nostalgia of an old man rather than the worth of the Chinese chestnut but it does give an appraisal of its flavor by one who knows.

The destruction of the American chestnut, Castanea dentata, by an oriental chestnut bark disease is an old story that need not be repeated here for this article deals with two species which can be grown in this country in spite of the blight.

These two exotic species which are now also being crossed with the native chestnut to develop new varieties are the Chinese Castanea mollissima and the Japanese Castanea crenata. Both have a high degree of resistance to the blight having been exposed to it for unknown centuries in their native lands.

My own personal experience with these began about 1928 when I secured a small quantity of seed from the government planting at Glen Dale, Maryland. My efforts have been in the direction of nut production rather than timber as this seemed to offer more promise of immediate reward.

Practically the first thing I learned about chestnuts was that the species cross-pollenize and hybridize about as readily as pop corn with field corn. The offspring of that seed were an interesting lot of hybrids.

One bore nuts the third year; another, very vigorous, never bore more than a few nuts and those only after many years; a vigorous, upright tree ripened large, glossy nuts in August; a small, shrubby specimen insisted on blooming from June to frost, setting abundant clusters of burs that produced very small nuts. This was probably a hybrid of the Chinese chinkapin, C. seguini. Thus, I learned the importance of planting pure strains.

Both the Chinese and Japanese chestnuts are trees of moderate growth and size but more spreading than the American species. Neither is as winter-hardy as the American. Both will grow wherever peaches are hardy.

Neither is particular as to soil as long as it is reasonably fertile and well drained. As a safeguard against late spring frosts, air drainage is important but on the whole, the climate, soil, site and culture suitable for peaches suits the oriental chestnuts fine.

With me, the Japanese has been more precocious and prolific and has generally produced larger nuts. Select strains developed in Japan have nuts more than 2 inches across”the largest known. In contrast to the select strains, seed of a shrubby wild chestnut I imported from Japan produced very small nuts with some plants maturing nuts when only knee high and 18 months old. The Chinese, however, has proven to be the more vigorous and blight resistant of the two and to have higher quality nuts.

At the present time, the Chinese species is considered to be the more desirable for both home and commercial plantings. In the South the trees grow more rapidly and are larger than in the North and so should be planted spaced not less than 40 feet apart.

Seedling trees vary widely in precocity, productiveness and size and quality of nuts. Under favorable conditions of culture, seedlings of good parentage have been known to produce an average of 40 pounds of nuts per tree at ten years from setting. Select trees, in some cases, have produced more than twice that amount.

Out of the thousands of seedling trees distributed by the Department of Agriculture and set out in small plantings throughout the eastern part of the United States, some selections have been made and a few have been given variety names and are being propagated by grafting and budding.

Among the named varieties selected from government plots are Meiling, Kuling and Nanking. Those selected from private plantings are Abundance, Hemming and Hobson. These may be expected to be superior to average seedlings in productiveness, early bearing and size and quality of nuts.

Under good conditions Chinese chestnuts are very regular bearers. Hobson, a medium sized nut of good quality, usually bears for me the second year after grafting if left undisturbed in the nursery row. A tree on my home grounds, top-worked in 1932 to the Hobson variety, has borne 16 consecutive crops. A nearby tree of the same age, of the Carr variety, however, has failed twice during the same period due to late spring frosts.

A tree usually ripens its crop in about one week but individual differences in trees extend the harvesting period over a month or more. In Georgia, harvest begins in August. In the north, it may extend to October.

Ripe nuts generally fall free from the spiny burs. Those of the Chinese species average somewhat larger than those of the American but not as large as the European and Japanese. Color varies from a bright mahogany red to a dull gray or brown.

With all the chestnuts the kernel is covered with a skin or pellicle which carries a bitter and indigestible substance known as tannin. In the American and Japanese chestnut this pellicle adheres closely to the kernel and is very difficult to remove.

In the best selection of the Chinese, however, the pellicle separates freely from the kernel leaving it clean, bright and free from bitterness. This characteristic, coupled with the sweetness and texture equal to the American species, makes the Chinese the best of all chestnuts for culinary purposes.

Today prospective chestnut planters have little to fear from blight. Ten years ago, I had a Hobson, Carr and a number of seedling trees tested for blight resistance by having cultures of Endothia parasitica, prepared by the U. S. Division of Forest Pathology, injected beneath the bark. No infection resulted except in a few seedlings. Most of those infected recovered”only one or two died.

The other great pest of theAmerican chestnut was the weevil that infested the nuts soon after they ripened. Where present, this weevil also attacks the Chinese species. Almost perfect control of this pest has been achieved, however, by thorough spraying of bearing trees. Spraying should begin six weeks before the ripening of the earliest nuts and be continued at two week intervals until harvest.

The only hazard commercial growers have to face is competition offered by the European species. But since in the East, the home grown crops can be placed on the market a month ahead of the European whether grown abroad or on the Pacific coast, there is little to fear from such competition.

This is attested to by the fact that local dealers eagerly took my crop at the wholesale price of 35 cents a pound. Later, in November, European chestnuts were being offered on the local market at 20 cents a pound retail!

Moreover, the chestnut blight has invaded Italy and threatens all of Europe. Castanea sativa, the European species, is fully as susceptible to the blight as was the American. Whatever the outcome, it would seem as if importation of European chestnuts faces curtailment in the coming years.

As an orchard crop the Chinese chestnut undoubtedly has a future in this country though it must be admitted that it is still in the Johnny Appleseed stage. Some commercial plantings have been made in Georgia and a few as far north as Erie, Pennsylvania, where the lake somewhat tempers the winter climate.

Many general nurseries are now offering seedling trees like flowering fruit trees although named varieties of grafted trees are, as yet, available only in limited quantities from nurseries specializing in nut trees.

As more are made available, the home owner will get them. Wherever the peach survives the winter, he can enjoy his own fruitful “spreading chestnut tree” within a few years from planting. He will probably have two or more for chestnuts are self-sterile and more than one seedling is needed for cross pollination.

With plenty of room and left to itself, the Chinese chestnut assumes something of the size and form of a large apple tree and is as inviting to children to climb in. It makes a pleasing shade tree that is very decorative on the home grounds. It is lovely in late spring when the feathery tassels of blossoms appear, beautiful all summer and interesting in fall when loaded with burs.

There are observed differences in the field between two pH meters’ readings. This can get many growers confused with the true value of the pH of the medium on which their plants grow. This article will answer the confusion.

The acidity or alkalinity of the soil or solution, which is very important with growing plants, is measured with a pH meter. pH, or the power of Hydrogen, is the concentration of H+ ions for acidic solutions and OH- ions for basic solutions. The pH is a critical factor in the plant’s growth as it is directly related to the availability of the nutrients.

Some growers noticed that their pH readings usually fluctuate when tested with two different meters in the same nutrient solution. There are several possibilities that can be attributed for this fluctuation.

One of the possible reasons is that the two pH meters use different brands of batteries. One set of batteries used in one pH meter might be older than the other battery used in the other meter. Though the batteries supply the same voltage, the power from older batteries is normally weaker than the newer one. Moreover, even a slight corrosion on batteries can also cause differences in pH readings.

Unseen dirt on probes can also affect the pH reading’s accuracy. Therefore, probes need to be cleaned regularly to prevent the accumulation of dirt and salt crystals.

Growers need as well to understand that pH meters have a limitation in the accurate measurement of the pH value. Hobby meters, which are usually used by growers, might display a slightly different reading from the laboratory bench meters.

Hobby meters can cost up to $250 but they are cheaper versions in contrast to the laboratory pH meters. Laboratory pH meters are priced around $1000. Nevertheless, if the difference is just 0.3 or less, this difference is not that significant to generalize that the pH meter reading from the hobby meters is inaccurate. Thus, growers need not to worry about their pH readings from hobby meters. After all, who would spend a thousand dollars for a typical hydroponic garden?

You can save a lot of money by growing your own perennial plants from seeds. The only downside to starting from seeds is that you might have to invest a little bit of extra time to grow your plants. However, for many avid gardeners half the fun of growing plants from seeds is the fact that the seedlings grow slowly and take a bit of tender loving care. After all, anybody can walk into a store and purchase a plant with beautiful flowers that has been raised in a commercial nursery and stick it in the ground. Growing a plant yourself from just a little seed is something to be a proud of.

In order to get started you’ll want to study, organize and plan for the type of garden you want. In particular you’ll want to choose which plants to grow and what the growing requirements are for the different types of seeds you plan to purchase. Different seeds will have different growing requirements in order to germinate properly.

Certain types of plants including plhox, delphinium, and bleeding heart will need to be started outside in the fall. You can usually learn the unique requirements for different types of seeds by reading the package and following the directions. For seeds that require cold treatment you can arrange them in flats and set them outside for between 30 and 45 days. After this they should be placed inside under lights.

Be sure to purchase your seeds instead of gathering them from mature plants. That way your seeds “come true” and grow into the kind of plant you expect. Usualy when seeds are collected from mature plants the results are not what you’d expect. The offspring often do not grow into plants that look like the parents.

You’ll need to purchase soil mix and seed-staring inserts after you buy your seeds. Be sure to get the right type of soil mix for your seeds as different types will have certain growing requirements. The seed-starting inserts are then placed inside fits. Usually 20-row inserts are good to buy because they will fit nicely inside 20 inch long flats.

A lot of gardeners use an indoor portable greenhouse to keep their seeds growing under lights while they wait for them to germinate and grow large enough to be planted outdoors. There are many different sizes of portable greenhouses available to suit your needs. Usually you’ll find a larger selection online that what you’ll find at local stores.

In the Deep South roses during May are now perhaps in full bloom; in the Louisville area large buds are about to burst forth in a blaze of glory; in the extreme north new growth is very small and tender; but wherever you live nature is doing her best.

Many things help produce blue ribbon winners, but three things are absolutely necessary if rose plants are to grow even halfway satisfactorily and continue blooming after the spring or early summer crop.

Lets have a look. Without sufficient water no plant part functions properly; fertilizers and nutrients cannot be taken up and digested; living cells especially in the foliage cannot divide and increase but decrease in size and amount, the process of manufacturing food via the green matter in the cells and sunlight is limited. In fact if the soil becomes too dry, the moisture already in the plant may be drawn back into the soil and in due time the plant will wilt and die.

Soil is seldom very dry in the spring or early summer, just another proof that nature is going to produce seed if possible. Sometimes water must be furnished to promote maximum growth. How much depends on how the rose beds are mulched (you do, dont you?) and the soil type. If mulched heavily (two inches for most materials) the soil will not dry out so quickly. A fine earth mulch is achieved by scratching the surface one-half to one inch deep as soon as the soil is workable after each rain or watering. I do not believe it as satisfactory in our area (Texas) as a good fibrous or refractory material. Refractory or solid materials are expanded by heat to form light, porous particles such as perlite, expanded aluminum silicate, vermiculite, expanded mica ore, or expanded shale. These are inert, add no humus but are long lasting because they do not decay. They should be raked up and removed before mounding with soil for winter protection but may be reused next year.

Plants must have plenty of water, yet the soil must drain well and not be waterlogged. You can easily determine if water is needed by taking a small trowel, remove a small amount of soil midway between two bushes to a depth of at least six inches”if it sticks together without exerting much pressure water is not needed. If the soil must be squeezed hard to stick together water is needed. lf it crumbles after considerable pressure it has become too dry and some feeder roots have already dried up. Should soil ever become this dry at least two inches of water will be needed (run hose for two hours in one spot). Do not let it get that dry. lf you dislike digging watch the weather report ” if rainfall of less than one inch has fallen in a seven day period use the hose. Better yet if there is a rainfall of less than an inch use the sprinklers to add the difference. A light watering on dry soil in hot summer is much worse than no watering. My beds usually have at least two inches of mulch and will take ten days to dry out but when water is applied there is enough to go ALL the way to the deepest roots. Only overhead sprinkling system soaks all surrounding areas thus preventing movement of moisture from the rose beds to drier areas.

Spraying for insects and fungus should not be done on a haphazard basis, a regular schedule must be maintained for good control. The thrips are now moving from the south, they will follow the spring bloom on north and much damage will be done every day. One spraying per week will help but not control (at least I have found nothing that will). You may kill all in your garden today but many more will fly in by tomorrow, and as new blooms open there will be unprotected petals for their feeding.

The bloom such as rose blooms is the primary source of infestation, that is all you need to concentrate on when you are planting a rose garden. Hold the spray high, let it fall right on the tips of the buds and into the open bloom. This does not take long and if done two or three times a week during the blooming period you will have good flowers. After the first big bloom crop the thrip problem is lessened and frequent spraying will not be needed. At least once each week check for insects, under as well as on the upper surface of the foliage (I usually do this when removing old blooms). There are plenty of good control materials on the market. lf the material you use is not doing the job, you better check your sprayer and the one doing the spraying.

Those little rabbits are mighty cute right now. hopping and playing in the moonlight but they may be the parents of several more before winter. How are they to know those plants are not growing for them to chew up when winter snow comes? Eliminate them right now while young and dumb. Cruel? Perhaps, but it will keep your blood pressure down next January.

We have discussed pinching buds off one or two of the new basal breaks to buildup the plant. It does pay dividends later on. As soon as the bud is large enough to definitely see which is the top set with five leaflets pinch off the bud just above this five leaflet. Let the weaker stems bloom, they wont make much in hot weather but those pinched will.

Soil is the gardener’s bread and butter, much like dough is for the chef. Without good soil all the effort in the world can come to naught, just as poor dough can lay to waste even the most extravagant culinary effort. Soil varies by area into three broad categories, and also varies in quality from area to area. The categories that soil falls into are claylike, sandy and silt. Ideal soil contains a good mixture of the three types, and is called good garden loam. Clay soil possesses the greatest water-holding capability, while sandy soil possesses the least.

Humus is an organic substance that helps bind soils together. It also makes the soil more receptive to water, actively absorbs light from the sun and fertilizes and improves the texture of the soil by pulling beneficial compounds from plants. Humus can be found in organic fertilizers such as manure and compost heaps, and can also be purchased as a stand-alone product.

Like the grass, trees and plants that take root in it, soil is a living thing, composed of millions of organisms. The four key ingredients needed to maintain an optimum soil health are sunlight, water, food and bacterial activity. Save for the sun, the other three elements can all be added to the soil through organic fertilizers.

Many people maintain a compost pile at their residence, some with the express purpose of using it as fertilizer, and the benefits of doing so are enormous especially in working to achieve a tropical looking landscape. To keep a quality compost pile, the bottom of the container must first have a layer of inactive material added to it, such as dried leaves or weeds, followed by a thin layer of soil, then another layer of material, and so on. After decomposition has reached a suitable point, the compost can then be added to the soil.

This compost or another organic fertilizer like manure can then be added to an inorganic fertilizer if desired to make an ideal meal for your soil. Organic fertilizers come with ratings that designate the parts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that they contain, and this knowledge is important based on your soil and environment type.

For large fields, planting certain cover crops can also have the effect of fertilizing the soil organically. Cover crops are an easy way to fertilize large stretches of land, though it will take a full season before their full effect is realized. Alfalfa, soy-beans, legumes and other similar crops have the effect of adding nitrogen to the soil when planted, and also provide a boost of nitrogen when plowed over. Nitrogen levels of these cover crops are at their peak just before maturity, and should be plowed over at that point for optimal results.

Another effective means of fertilizing soil is by mixing an either an organic or an inorganic compound with a dose of water and then adding it to the soil. This provides even distribution of the fertilizer and promotes quicker absorption. Another method is to spread the fertilizer by hand (please use gloves when spreading manure) and then hose down the lawn or relevant area afterwards.

In areas with less calcium rich soil like the Atlantic Coast, you should consider using lime to offset this deficiency. Pulverized limestone, which is high in organic materials can be used sparingly for this purpose.

By knowing your soil type and quality, you can take the measures necessary to ensure it achieves the right levels of nutrients and elements needed to survive, which will further ensure the survival of anything else growing in it.