Gardening BlogGardening Advice and Tips

If you’re looking for ways to keep your garden watered without wasting too much time and money, you’ve probably gone through a lot of options in your mind. Maybe you’ve considered a sprinkler, a hose, or a good old-fashioned watering can. All of these methods might be convenient, but most of the time you will end up wasting water on plants that don’t need any more. If you live in a drought stricken area like I do, you know that every bit of water counts. I ended up getting a drip irrigation system. I haven’t regretted this decision at all.

When you install a drip irrigation system, you can choose one of two varieties: above ground and below ground. The above ground version drips small amounts of water continuously onto the ground, and allows it to soak in. It is all regulated from a pressure controller, which ensures that the water just comes out at a drip instead of a spray or a stream. These pressure regulators are very inexpensive. The whole drip system can be set up with a pressure regulator and a garden hose with holes poked in it (although it is ideal for you to get a pipe designed for this type of use, I’ve found that the hose method works acceptably).

The underground system is a bit more of a pain to install and maintain.  But if you’re really into the aesthetic aspect of your garden and don’t want any visible watering system, then you might consider it worth it.  It’s essentially the same as the above ground version, only a small trench is dug for the hose or pipe prior to any planting. This allows the water direct access to the roots for the most watering efficiency. Plus, you can impress your neighbors by having a beautiful garden without ever going outside to water it! They’ll be baffled.

To choose between the two systems, you need to take several things into account. Do you have the same plant layout year round? If it is always changing, you probably won’t want to bury your hose. It can be a pain to dig it up and re-align it with all your new plants every year or so. Even if your plant layout never changes, you need to consider how much you really mind seeing a hose in your garden. If it really bothers you to the
extent that you’re willing to work for a few hours to get rid of it, then by all means bury it. But otherwise I would suggest staying above ground if for nothing else than the convenience of repairing and rearranging.

One of the main advantages of the drip irrigation system is its efficiency. Instead of spraying large amounts of water willy-nilly like a hose does, it makes the most of your precious water by putting it exactly where it is needed. It can also provide your garden with constant watering, instead of just having to go thirsty whenever you’re not around to water it.

So if you’re looking for an easy, cheap, convenient, and efficient alternative watering method, you should go out to the gardening store today and purchase the necessary items to install a drip irrigation system. I think you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to maintain a garden after you have it.

Temperature changes several times a day. And during the night, it could really drop to a low level that may not be healthy for plants. Thus, to keep the temperature at a suitable level for a successful plant growth, greenhouse heaters are needed. In choosing the right greenhouse heater, you must take into consideration not only the capability of having a good temperature during cold, winter nights, but also the costs to be incurred in installing and running it.

Kinds of Greenhouse Heaters
- Electric heaters. This kind of heater is most suitable for smaller greenhouse structures. Electric heaters can efficiently maintain specified temperature levels. These do not produce any fumes and there is no further need for ventilation when these heaters are being used.

- Gas heaters. Since these heaters are fuelled either by natural gas or bottled ones, they can be less efficient that the electric heaters. Their waste products due to combustion are discharged into the greenhouse and ventilation is required when they are in use. Also, these heaters should be placed in a safe location and need constant monitoring and replacement.

- Paraffin heaters. This kind of heaters is the most basic among the three. Paraffin heaters need constant refilling and wick-trimming. They also need fuel to run, thus, fumes are again discharged into the greenhouse and would need ventilation. However, paraffin heaters can reduce the risk of frost damage and act as emergency standby.

Heater Mounting
- Hanging. These heaters are mounted directly to the ceiling or hung from it. It is advantageous to use because of less floor space consumed. They should just be hung high enough as to not be an obstruction.

- Wall. This type of heaters is mounted directly to the wall and vent towards the outside of the greenhouse. No floor space is required but the area in front of them should be clear.

- Floor. This type is not mounted as they have their own stand and can be placed anywhere on the floor of the greenhouse. That is the disadvantage of this type because it occupies a lot of space.

Heater Combustion
- Open. This kind of heater uses air inside the greenhouse for combustion. As long as the air does not have contaminants in it, this will work just fine. Flammable liquids should not be placed near an open combustion heater, though, because its burner is not sealed.

- Separated. A gas heater uses this kind of combustion mechanism wherein it uses the air outside the greenhouse for combustion. Its burner is also sealed to trap all the air in from outside of the greenhouse. The exhaust pipe is run to the outside of the structure.

- Sealed. This kind is a lot similar to the separated combustion type. The burner is completely sealed inside and there is no access to air inside the building. Sealed combustion heaters use direct vent both for exhaust and intake.

Heater Vents
- Unvented. Being unvented heaters, combustion-produced gases are directly released to the heated area. Unvented heaters are only for temporary use because of the sensitivity of some plants.

- Gravity. The exhausted air from this type of heater should rise through the pipe and released outside, thus, the vents should be vertical. The air expelled must be replaced by outside air.

- Power. These power vented heaters have a blower that pushes air through the pipe and outside the structure. The vents may be arranged vertically or horizontally, and the vent pipes are smaller making it more efficient.

- Direct. This kind of venting is special to sealed combustion types. It has only one vent pipe with both the inlet and exhaust; one pipe is inside the other. The amount of air that leaves the pipe is the same amount that it pulls as intake. There is no additional air outside needed to replace the expelled air.

Another thing to consider in a greenhouse heater is its output range or the measure of the heat output. You can ask your nearby greenhouse store to check out your needed output range based on the area of your greenhouse and other factors. There are also web sites that can do the computation for you.

There are definitely several kinds of greenhouse heaters to choose from. For you to decide on which one to purchase, it is best to first do an assessment of your current greenhouse structure and its needs. You can also ask advice from experts in building and maintaining greenhouses for better results.

To learn more about greenhouse growing, visit: Greenhouse Growing

The American Rose Society did not at first accept the term ‘floribunda’. Is a rose that is crossbred a true rose? I suppose that would be a matter of opinion. Roses are highly crossbred. A floribunda could be dubbed the modern rose. You might think of it as an enhanced rose, bred to bring out the best in a flowering plant.

So, what is a floribunda? Although many varieties have been developed, a floribunda is a hybrid that was originally a cross between a polyantha and a tea rose. There was a man who developed many varieties in 1920; his nickname became Papa Floribunda.

This flower is grown mainly for garden color. The floribunda grows lower, which can be a positive attribute. Known as a cluster rose, the floribunda tolerates neglect better than any other rose type except shrub roses. A floribunda is a good landscape choice because it can provide an almost nonstop source of color.

Positive aspects of the floribunda include: abundant flowers, long-lasting blooms, versatile for landscaping, can be used as a hedge or just to accent the landscape, some have a more intense fragrance than most other roses, and they have a delicate appearance.

Negative aspects include: not eligible for Queen of Show, need plenty of feeding, fare far better on a regular feeding schedule (be sure to consider this if you are the type of person who forgets to feed your plants or just doesn’t have the time to devote to a regular feeding schedule), takes 3 years to reach maturity, has shorter stems, and has a small size.

Floribundas will be healthier with good air circulation; so when pruning, it helps to leave the center of the bush open. If you have trouble remembering when to prune, prune near a holiday or a special day during the pruning season. If you leave the older canes when pruning, you are rewarded with larger amounts of color later. Also, take care to remove a cane that rubs another. Pruning will aid in air circulation, which helps to cut down on insects and disease as well.

Other things to remember to maintain healthy floribundas that are grown in pots are: plenty of root space, good drainage, a pot that is heavy enough to sustain against wind should the pot be kept in an area more susceptible to windy conditions, a pot that is wide enough to provide stability. [ A word of caution: saucers under pots can invite root rot.] Even in floribundas, chemicals are needed to control problems. Concentrates must be applied with care so as not to cause leaf burn.

Some interesting names of existing floribundas are: Playboy, Playgirl, Pure Poetry, Eye Paint, French Lace, Show Biz, Cherish, and Trumpeter.

If you wrap your roses in paper or foil, then plunge them deep into water, it will keep their stems from sagging should you desire to display them.

The word floribunda alone could be a helpful source of entertainment for a gardening parent. Give your child a pencil and piece of paper while you garden and ask he/she to see how many words they can make from the letters in the word floribunda!

Visit http://gardeningwebguide.com and get your FREE e-book “Rose Types and Care of Roses”

Isn’t it amazing that all that waste food that we can’t or don’t want in the kitchen is such a good food source for the plants in our garden.

What makes it better is the fact that we can grow vegetables in our gardens, cook and eat them, and whatever we don’t use goes back into the garden to make the next lot of vegetables grow better and healthier than ever.

Compost not only helps to feed your plants by improving the quality of the soil but it can also control diseases in the garden.

You can create compost simply by throwing all your waste on a pile and waiting for it to rot, however this can take quite a long time if the compost pile is quite large.
The rotting process is aided by keeping the heap moist and this might require watering in hot climates.

Having the compost in an enclosed container can help to retain the heat, which will speed up the process.
It is possible to buy specific containers that are made for fast composting and apart from the fact that they will keep your yard looking a lot tidier, you will get the benefits of using the compost sooner and there will be less ‘bad smells’ in your garden.

Contained composts are also a lot better at keeping vermin out which can become quite a problem with uncovered waste on your property.

Some of the premium compost containers can be rotated, thereby giving you access to the compost at the bottom of the container, which is ready for use without having to dig through the fresh waste at the top.

This convenience will ensure you have quality compost that you can use as soon as it is ready rather than waiting months for the contents to rot.

Go to http://GardeningWebGude.com and get your FREE e-books “Organic Gardening Guide” and “Rose Types and Care of Roses”

A farmer who has worked the land and still faces the same problems will eventually get tired. That person has to then make a choice. That is whether to sell the farm or try a new approach to make it profitable.

This decision will not be easy. Perhaps this is because the land has been with the family for years. Every known pesticide and herbicide has been used but still during the same time each year, the same pests still come and do considerable damage.

This approach will require something new and this is the best time that scientists and other experts will suggest that the farmer buy a greenhouse.

The greenhouse is an enclosed structure that allows the farmer to grow crops in a controlled environment. This means that the right nutrients and proper sunlight are provided all year round without anymore having to worry about pests.

This can be made of glass, metal, wood or plastic. The farmer just has to decide where the greenhouse will be placed and the size to get.

Greenhouses can grow a variety of things. People first used this to grow flowers but tests have shown that this can increase the productivity of crops 10 times more than traditional farming.

This has enabled farmers to grow fruits and vegetables giving these individuals more profit than ever before.

One technique that has proven very effective when using greenhouses is hydroponics farming. This is done by using water instead of soil to grow the crops.

Scientists and other experts have found more than one way to do this which is gaining popularity in the agricultural industry.

People can get greenhouses in different shapes and sizes. A lot of customers prefer the free-standing models. If ever the supplier does not have the size for the farmer, this can be custom built and delivered in a few days.

The kind of structure used for the greenhouse depends on the weather where the farm is situated. Should the area have strong winds, then the structure made out of metal instead of wood will be a good choice.

The other thing that makes up the greenhouse is the panels. Just like the frames, this can be installed using different materials. The market currently has it in plastic, film and glass. If the farm experiences hailstorms or snow storms often, it will be a food idea for the farmer to get panels made of plastic or Plexiglas.

Since these are shatter proof, the farmer will be able to save money. This is because when ordinary glass is used and it is damaged, it has to be replaced.

Greenhouses work well especially during winter. Suppliers also provide the equipment to keep the crops warm. The heaters used will depend on the size of the structure and the budget of the farmer.

There are some models that are powered by electricity, gas and oil. This machine will give the farmers the means to meet the demands of the people during this period.

Since it takes a lot of effort on the part of the farmer to maintain the farm, another thing that can help is the installation of a timer. Greenhouses can have timers which will release water mixed with nutrients at certain times of the day to help the plants grow.

Owning a farm is not just about planting crops and harvesting it. Since there is a lot of work to be done, the person must be prepared always to face the challenges ahead. This could be in the form of diseases, pests and the weather.

Buying a greenhouse has proven to be the effective way of growing crops and with the efforts of the farmer; the investment for this structure will soon pay off.

More crops will be sold during harvesting season and profits will grow. The farmer could then invest in more greenhouses if there is still space in the farm.

Should the farmer decide to get one, the things to be considered are the budget, the size of the farm and the weather conditions that exist. By getting the right structure for the job, the land will grow and pass on to the next generation.

For a large selection of Greenhouse kits:
Yardiac.com - The Ultimate Garden Center