Saturday, 24 March 2012
Bone Meal for Healthy Plants
Bone meal fertilizer is often used by organic gardeners to add phosphorus to garden soil. Bone meal fertilizer is essentially what it says it is, a meal or powder made from ground up animal bones
The three most important nutrients for plants are nitrogen, for green leaves; phosphorous, for healthy flowers and roots; and potash, for overall vigor and disease resistance and bone meal is an excellent source of phosphorous and it is easy for gardeners to use.
The effects phosphorous has on plants that can be easily observed by gardeners are in vitality, the time of blossoming and maturity. Flowers will produce more colorful blooms.
Phosphorous is critical as a stimulus to root development and roots branch out and root hairs form profusely in the vicinity of a source of phosphorous. Because of its effect on roots, phosphorous is a major factor in determining early growth of a plant and its vigor throughout the season. Throw a handful of bone meal in the hole when planting trees, shrubs and rose bushes and to help them establish a healthy root system faster.
Be sure to consistently water so the phosphorous in the bone meal can be released slowly and taken up by the plant's roots.
Wheelbarrow Flat Tire!
Many of you many find that if you have not used your wheelbarrow all winter or it's been cold where you live.....the tire may be flat.
Most wheelbarrow tires are tubeless and it takes a bit of effort to get it re-inflated but it can be done by following some simple steps.
1. Once the tire is ready for inflating, clean the tire bead, (the area that will be in contact with the metal rim) and remove all dirt. In order to inflate the tire you must line up the tire bead and press it tightly against the rim. Use tire bead sealer or dish soap to assist in the bonding process.
2. Tie a rope around the center of the tire tread and start to cinch up until the bead presses up against the rim. If tire just won't seal, gently rotate and and press the tire down from the center to stick the bead to the rim using the grease or jelly. Listen to remove all leaks and try inflating again.
3. Inflate the tire using a compressor (found at a gas station), or a small compressor that plugs into your cigarette lighter. A hand pump may not have the PSI required but a foot pump should.
If you are having problems getting the tire inflated or just don't want to deal with the process, take the tire to your local tire store and have them inflated the tire for you!
Most wheelbarrow tires are tubeless and it takes a bit of effort to get it re-inflated but it can be done by following some simple steps.
1. Once the tire is ready for inflating, clean the tire bead, (the area that will be in contact with the metal rim) and remove all dirt. In order to inflate the tire you must line up the tire bead and press it tightly against the rim. Use tire bead sealer or dish soap to assist in the bonding process.
2. Tie a rope around the center of the tire tread and start to cinch up until the bead presses up against the rim. If tire just won't seal, gently rotate and and press the tire down from the center to stick the bead to the rim using the grease or jelly. Listen to remove all leaks and try inflating again.
3. Inflate the tire using a compressor (found at a gas station), or a small compressor that plugs into your cigarette lighter. A hand pump may not have the PSI required but a foot pump should.
If you are having problems getting the tire inflated or just don't want to deal with the process, take the tire to your local tire store and have them inflated the tire for you!
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets are a wonderful way to have a burst of gorgeous flowers especially if you don't have the time or the space for a flower garden. You can but pre-made hanging baskets or have the pleasure of making your own beautiful creation.
Choose Your Basket
Typical hanging baskets are made of wire or plastic and come in
diameters of 8 to 24 inches. Wire basket liners include sphagnum moss,
coco fiber, plastic, and pressed paperboard. Sphagnum moss and coco
fiber are porous, so they will dry out more quickly than pressed
paperboard or plastic.
Add Soil
Fill the basket with a lightweight potting mix. You can buy a packaged
mix or make your own with equal parts peat moss, perlite, and
vermiculite. Fill the soil to within an inch or two of the rim for ease in watering.
Plant the Basket
Baskets packed with a single kind of flower have loads of impact.
Combinations can be handsome, too, if there's space for the multitude.
When using multiple species, include tall, midrange, and trailing
forms for variety. Place taller plants near the center and trailing
plants along the edges. Try to include varying bloom sizes. For
example, vinca, miniature rose, and petunia offer large flowers, while
hyssop, lobelia, and calibrachoa have dainty blooms.
Water Well
Water the soil mix thoroughly after planting. Thereafter, you may have
to water daily in hot weather. Break open the crust and rewet the soil ball thoroughly.
Pinch the tops of plants if they begin to look leggy.
Choose Your Basket
Typical hanging baskets are made of wire or plastic and come in
diameters of 8 to 24 inches. Wire basket liners include sphagnum moss,
coco fiber, plastic, and pressed paperboard. Sphagnum moss and coco
fiber are porous, so they will dry out more quickly than pressed
paperboard or plastic.
Add Soil
Fill the basket with a lightweight potting mix. You can buy a packaged
mix or make your own with equal parts peat moss, perlite, and
vermiculite. Fill the soil to within an inch or two of the rim for ease in watering.
Plant the Basket
Baskets packed with a single kind of flower have loads of impact.
Combinations can be handsome, too, if there's space for the multitude.
When using multiple species, include tall, midrange, and trailing
forms for variety. Place taller plants near the center and trailing
plants along the edges. Try to include varying bloom sizes. For
example, vinca, miniature rose, and petunia offer large flowers, while
hyssop, lobelia, and calibrachoa have dainty blooms.
Water Well
Water the soil mix thoroughly after planting. Thereafter, you may have
to water daily in hot weather. Break open the crust and rewet the soil ball thoroughly.
Pinch the tops of plants if they begin to look leggy.
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Cactus Gardens
Cactus are some of nature's most beautiful and exotic plants and in California some cactus are native and most species can grow anywhere with a little accommodation. A cactus garden can liven up your yard and give your home a look that nature intended.
The first step is to decide where you want your cactus garden. The best spot place for a cactus garden is on hill, because this allows the garden bed to easily drain but you can still make a cactus garden if your yard is flat.
Cactus soil is a necessity that you can purchase cactus soil at your gardening center or home improvement store. You can make your own cactus soil by thoroughly mixing two parts potting soil, two parts sand and one part gravel.
Choose cactus plants that will do well in your area and you should be able to get this information wherever you buy your cacti. Don't forget to account for the space they will require when they mature, plants like agaves can get very large over time but you can always transplant them if necessary. A bonus will be the volunteers that the cactus send out once they are settled and happy in their new garden.
Your cactus garden will need very little maintenance. No watering or irrigation is needed, the rainfall will be enough which is very important here in California. Feeding your cactus with 10-10-10 fertilizer once a year in the spring is the only thing you will need to do.
Check out the following web sites for a wide range of cacti for your garden.
The Cactus Jungle
Cactus Specialties
The Great Petaluma Desert
Cactus & Succulent Nurseries in California
The first step is to decide where you want your cactus garden. The best spot place for a cactus garden is on hill, because this allows the garden bed to easily drain but you can still make a cactus garden if your yard is flat.
Cactus soil is a necessity that you can purchase cactus soil at your gardening center or home improvement store. You can make your own cactus soil by thoroughly mixing two parts potting soil, two parts sand and one part gravel.
Choose cactus plants that will do well in your area and you should be able to get this information wherever you buy your cacti. Don't forget to account for the space they will require when they mature, plants like agaves can get very large over time but you can always transplant them if necessary. A bonus will be the volunteers that the cactus send out once they are settled and happy in their new garden.
Your cactus garden will need very little maintenance. No watering or irrigation is needed, the rainfall will be enough which is very important here in California. Feeding your cactus with 10-10-10 fertilizer once a year in the spring is the only thing you will need to do.
Check out the following web sites for a wide range of cacti for your garden.
The Cactus Jungle
Cactus Specialties
The Great Petaluma Desert
Cactus & Succulent Nurseries in California
Saturday, 10 March 2012
California Poppy
I know that spring is truly here when I see the whimsical California Poppies opening their beautiful petals to the sun. Nothing can be so simple and yet so joyous as a field of orange poppies gently swaying in the breeze.
Emory E. Smith, The Golden Poppy, 1902
Vast fields of Golden Poppies have ever been one of the strong and peculiar features of California scenery. The gladsome beauty of this peerless flower has brought renown to the land of its birth. Present everywhere, at all times in some form, it is not surprising that it has taken firm hold of the affections of the people, and that the homage of the nature-loving world is so freely offered it.
California poppies have been grown successfully in many parts of the world, from cool temperate regions to lowland tropics.
Emory E. Smith, The Golden Poppy, 1902
Vast fields of Golden Poppies have ever been one of the strong and peculiar features of California scenery. The gladsome beauty of this peerless flower has brought renown to the land of its birth. Present everywhere, at all times in some form, it is not surprising that it has taken firm hold of the affections of the people, and that the homage of the nature-loving world is so freely offered it.
California poppies have been grown successfully in many parts of the world, from cool temperate regions to lowland tropics.
- California poppies should be planted by direct seeding when possible
- They transplant best when very young
- They need good drainage
- They do not perform well in small containers
- They grow best in cool, sunny conditions
- They respond poorly to heat
Our Wonderful Dogs and an Amazing Photographer
OK, I know this is way off topic but the photos that photographer Seth Casteel takes are incredible! The underwater shots are the most original and amazing shots I have ever seen and I would have loved to had my beautiful boy Gunner photographed by Seth before I lost him last year.
Here is their information from their blog:
Based in Chicago and Los Angeles and available for photo shoots nation-wide, Little Friends Photo specializes in documentary-style pet photography, embracing the at-ease mentality of pets on location in their natural surroundings. The results are spontaneous, priceless moments of your pet's personality captured in photographs that will last forever.
Check out his blog at Little Friends Photos Blog and his website at Little Friends Photo
Here is their information from their blog:
Based in Chicago and Los Angeles and available for photo shoots nation-wide, Little Friends Photo specializes in documentary-style pet photography, embracing the at-ease mentality of pets on location in their natural surroundings. The results are spontaneous, priceless moments of your pet's personality captured in photographs that will last forever.
Check out his blog at Little Friends Photos Blog and his website at Little Friends Photo
Friday, 9 March 2012
Butterflies!
What gardener doesn't love to see beautiful, delicate butterflies floating through their garden, they bring such a simple wonder and joy!
You'll be happier with your Butterfly Bush if you accept its growth habit, which is not neat and tidy. Its narrow branches support lilac-like clusters of blossoms a foot or two in length, with side branches and blossoms. Some species can droop all over your flower bed so you'll want to allow at least four feet between bushes to keep some semblance of neatness.
Butterflies and bees will flock to the honey-scented blossoms, whose dilute nectar is sweetest in midday sun. Near a path or patio, the shrub provides delightful fragrance for you, too.
The Butterfly Bush grows well in Northern California and is generally pest-free, except for spider mite infestations during drought or stress. It performs adequately in spare soil but prefers a sunny spot with well-drained soil, a light application of fertilizer in spring, and a few deep waterings in summer.
One way to attract lots of butterflies and pollinating bees is to plant a Butterfly Bush which will act as a magnet for all the butterflies who pass through your garden seeking nectar. Many butterfly gardeners plan their garden around Buddleia (pronounced BUD-lee-ah), a genus that includes over 100 species and cultivars.
You'll be happier with your Butterfly Bush if you accept its growth habit, which is not neat and tidy. Its narrow branches support lilac-like clusters of blossoms a foot or two in length, with side branches and blossoms. Some species can droop all over your flower bed so you'll want to allow at least four feet between bushes to keep some semblance of neatness.
Butterflies and bees will flock to the honey-scented blossoms, whose dilute nectar is sweetest in midday sun. Near a path or patio, the shrub provides delightful fragrance for you, too.
The Butterfly Bush grows well in Northern California and is generally pest-free, except for spider mite infestations during drought or stress. It performs adequately in spare soil but prefers a sunny spot with well-drained soil, a light application of fertilizer in spring, and a few deep waterings in summer.
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