Helpful Gardening Tips Blooming Now

Organic gardening is not as easy as some may think! There is a lot more to it than just watering some seeds or digging around in the dirt. It is truly an art form. It has requires many techniques and products that require a green thumb as well as some hard work to achieve a great organic garden. Here are some tips to help you with your own:

Garden Plants

Did you know that watering your outdoor garden plants with garlic water can help to chase away pests? Just peel the leaves off several cloves of garlic and place them in a large container like a clean gallon size plastic milk jug. Fill the container with water and let the garlic steep for a day or two before watering your plants.

Recycled newspaper can be used in the garden. Newspapers are an eco-friendly addition to your garden that can keep weeds at bay and help your soil retain important moisture. Simply wet some newspaper, and place it around the bases of your garden plants. Sprinkle with soil to ensure the paper does not blow away. It will smother any weed seedlings trying to emerge and help the soil hold onto its moisture.

Did you know that cute lady bugs are beneficial to plants because they kill harmful aphids? Lady beetles, also known as ladybugs, eat large numbers of aphids throughout its life. One beetle can eat 5,000 aphids! You can purchase ladybugs at a garden center, or through online resources, if you don't have any in your garden. Plants love ladybugs!

Nursery

Grow plants from seed rather than purchasing plants from a nursery. It can be tempting to purchase plants that already have a head start, but it is usually not necessary. By growing from seed, you could find yourself landscaping your yard for under $50.00 worth of different plant seeds, rather than spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars at a plant nursery.

Give your garden a boost with instant color. If your garden is looking a little dull, a quick trip to your local nursery will do the trick. There, you will find colorful annuals and perennials in full flower, waiting to be planted into the ground, a window box or a hanging basket. This is especially handy if you are entertaining, and you need to brighten up the yard, or if you are trying to sell your house. Spots of color help to make a home look inviting and cheery.

Seeds take a lot more time and effort to grow than nursery transplants. That being said, planting seeds is much cheaper and gives a greater sense of satisfaction to see something actually grow from seed. Hard to grow plants or perennials are best purchased from a  plant nursery. This is a great way to have a ready-made garden!

So, organic gardening is a lot more that dropping seeds in the ground. It takes skill and hard work outside. No doubt, you want to enjoy the fruits of your hard labor! Use the handy tips above to help you get the most out of gardening the natural way!

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Gardening Tips For Fun And Functional Purposes

Gardening can be a fun hobby and for some people, it is even a source of food. But in order to create the garden of your dreams, it is important that you are well educated on the subject. The following article is going to give you valuable advice that both beginners and experts alike can use.

Garden Plants

For garden plants that crave and need a lot of water, use five gallon buckets to keep those thirsty fruits and vegetables happy. Simply drill or punch several 1/8" to 1/4" holes into the bottom of a five gallon bucket, fill with water and set near the parched plant. Gravity allows for a slow and steady watering of those plants and if you live in an area where you get frequent rain, you will be capturing plenty of rain water to keep those buckets fairly full all season long.

Use your leftover pasta water in your garden! Plants are big starch fans and thrive with water that contains higher levels of starch, like the water left over after you boil pasta or potatoes. Make sure, though, that you let the water sit until it reaches room temperature prior to watering your plants with it!

Make sure that you are familiar with the level of humidity that your garden plants require. Some plants simply cannot survive without proper levels of humidity. Some plants require high humidity or tropical conditions, while others require arid or desert levels of humidity. Educating yourself will help you to avoid poor plant choices.

Nursery

Grow plants from seed rather than purchasing plants from a nursery. It can be tempting to purchase plants that already have a head start, but it is usually not necessary. By growing from seed, you could find yourself landscaping your yard for under $50.00 worth of different plant seeds, rather than spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars at a plant nursery.

Give your garden a boost with instant color. If your garden is looking a little dull, a quick trip to your local nursery will do the trick. There, you will find colorful annuals and perennials in full flower, waiting to be planted into the ground, a window box or a hanging basket. This is especially handy if you are entertaining, and you need to brighten up the yard, or if you are trying to sell your house. Spots of color help to make a home look inviting and cheery.

Seeds take a lot more time and effort to grow than nursery transplants. That being said, planting seeds is much cheaper and gives a greater sense of satisfaction to see something actually grow from seed. Hard to grow plants or perennials are best purchased from a nursery. This is a great way to have a ready-made garden!

As was stated above, people garden for many different reasons. Becoming knowledgeable about the topic can help you create your dream garden. The above article provided you with valuable tips you can use to make and keep your garden. Take this advice and you are on your way to becoming a garden expert.

Tips on How To Keep Pests Out Of Your Garden

Tips And Tricks On Keeping The Pests Out Of The Garden

Gardening is a fantastic stress relieving activity that many people swear by. Making your own organic vegetable garden is a great way to improve your lifestyle, while also producing your own food, saving you money and providing you with quality produce right from your yard. Read on to find out how to have more success at it.

Garden Plants

For garden plants that crave and need a lot of water, use five gallon buckets to keep those thirsty fruits and vegetables happy. Simply drill or punch several 1/8" to 1/4" holes into the bottom of a five gallon bucket, fill with water and set near the parched plant. Gravity allows for a slow and steady watering of those plants and if you live in an area where you get frequent rain, you will be capturing plenty of rain water to keep those buckets fairly full all season long.

Use your leftover pasta water in your garden! Plants are big starch fans and thrive with water that contains higher levels of starch, like the water left over after you boil pasta or potatoes. Make sure, though, that you let the water sit until it reaches room temperature prior to watering your plants with it!

Make sure that you are familiar with the level of humidity that your garden plants require. Some plants simply cannot survive without proper levels of humidity. Some plants require high humidity or tropical conditions, while others require arid or desert levels of humidity. Educating yourself will help you to avoid poor plant choices.

Nursery

Grow plants from seed rather than purchasing plants from a nursery. It can be tempting to purchase plants that already have a head start, but it is usually not necessary. By growing from seed, you could find yourself landscaping your yard for under $50.00 worth of different plant seeds, rather than spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars at a plant nursery.

Give your garden a boost with instant color. If your garden is looking a little dull, a quick trip to your local nursery will do the trick. There, you will find colorful annuals and perennials in full flower, waiting to be planted into the ground, a window box or a hanging basket. This is especially handy if you are entertaining, and you need to brighten up the yard, or if you are trying to sell your house. Spots of color help to make a home look inviting and cheery.

Seeds take a lot more time and effort to grow than nursery transplants. That being said, planting seeds is much cheaper and gives a greater sense of satisfaction to see something actually grow from seed. Hard to grow plants or perennials are best purchased from a nursery. This is a great way to have a ready-made garden!

Improve your health and well-being now by applying these easy tips and making your very own organic vegetable garden at your home today. Don't keep paying for inferior produce at the local supermarket when you could be improving yourself and providing your own food at home

http://www.onlineplantnursery.com

Trees Planted Around Buckingham Palace

Trees Used Around Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is known as one of the most popular attractions in Europe for it's rich history and beautiful architecture. Although the palace is beautiful, its landscaping truly enhances the style and beauty of the home with the garden of Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth often holds parties in the garden where many of the trees are planted, which spans over 42 acres with gravel paths, open to the public in August and September of each year. The garden is also eco-friendly with 99 percent of its green waste recycled and has an average of 600,000 visitors annually.

One mulberry tree is on the property and dates back to the time of James I of England when he planted it in hopes of harvesting silkworms. Mulberry trees are known for growing juicy berries in the spring, growing up to 3.5 inches each in size. An addition of several other mulberry trees have been added alongside the original tree, providing plenty of shade as they are also used as a form of privacy with their large and thick leaves.

Also in the gardens are several  types of Japanese trees that are all different in shape and design. The Japanese Black Pine, the Japanese Pagoda Tree, and the Japanese Pagoda Tree have at one time or another been planted in the garden, often larger and more green than Japanese Maple Trees.

Indian chestnut trees are also used, appearing lush and extravagant in the summer when they become in full bloom. Indian chestnut trees are large in size with large glossy leaves, originally brown when they first grow.

Alongside the incredible trees hosted at the palace, there are also 350 different types of wildflowers for a colorful arrangement with an ornamental touch to the space, including Herb Roberts and Creeping Buttercups. The wildflowers are composed mainly of native British wildflowers, alongside the 150 different types of trees on the property. 

A unique tree that can also be found is a rare Plymouth pear tree by a gardener who grew the tree in his personal yard for over 20 years and gave it as a gift to Queen Elizabeth. The type of tree is normally difficult to find, only growing in Plymouth and Cornwall, often a smaller size than typical pear trees.   

http://www.onlineplantnursery.com

Teaching Children To Garden

Tips On Creating A Garden For Children

Getting kids involved in gardening is easy and a lot of fun. With just a few simple steps, your kids will be growing delicious food in no time.

Prepare the Soil
Kids may not be ready for the tilling, raking and hoeing necessary to start a garden, but you can still involve them in the process by teaching them how each step works to create a fertile foundation. Let older kids help turn over the soil and apply compost to get everything ready for planting. Explain how creating a healthy garden bed will benefit the garden as a whole so kids can begin to understand the connections between the earth and the food they eat.

Sow the Seeds
Take your kids seed shopping and let them select a few veggies to grow. Read the seed packets together to see what each one needs to thrive and how long it will take to start producing. Try to choose seeds that are easy for little hands to handle. Garden plants such as green beans and lettuce grow just about anywhere and offer quick and prolific returns for kids' efforts. When it's time to plant, let older kids make rows themselves or help their younger siblings. Then show them how to space the seeds and cover each row with the proper amount of soil to get the best results.

Water and Tend
Invest in a set of tools just for your kids so they can learn how to tend the garden once everything begins to grow. Protective gloves, watering cans and trowels are all essential for the budding gardener. Show your kids how to thin out plants and clear away weeds to keep everything growing strong. Explain the importance of regular watering and, if necessary, feeding for proper plant nutrition.

Harvest
Harvesting the bounty of the garden is the most exciting part for kids. As they watch their chosen plants grow and get closer to a finished product, explain the various stages of plant development. Point out how the different types of flowers on garden plants become food and teach them how to recognize when each variety is ready for picking.

http://www.onlineplantnursery.com

Small Area Gardening

Small Space Gardening

Even if you don't have a big back yard, that doesn't mean you can't create a vibrant, thriving garden. You can try out your green thumb on a patio, balcony, or even a sunny windowsill! To create a lush landscape in your tiny space, consider these gardening tips for small spaces.

1. Make use of vertical space. If you're gardening in limited area, the key is to start thinking upwards. Attach hanging planters to the ceiling, or add window boxes to your balcony. You can even stack an old, weather-safe bookshelf with planters to fill with low-growing flowers or herbs. Use the materials you have on hand, and be creative.

2. Evaluate your light levels. Many first-time gardeners fail to appreciate just how important correct light levels are for plant growth. Remember that if you're gardening on a balcony or windowsill, you won't get as much light as you would in an open garden plot. Unless you're really sure your spot will get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day or more, it's best to stick with garden plants that prefer partial to full shade.

3. Choose your plants wisely. Gardening in a small space, roots won't have the luxury or growing and spreading as they normally would, and the pH of soil can be a bit different than it would be in open ground. Select garden plants for your garden that have shallow, contained root systems and are relatively pH tolerant. If you pick plants that aren't a good fit for your containers, growing zone, or light levels, you're setting yourself up for frustration!

4. Choose the right pots. Pots are more than just soil-holding vessels; they're important components of your tiny garden's ecosystem. Plastic pots are inexpensive, lightweight, and hold water well, but their thin sides means plant roots can sometimes scorch in the heat of summer. Terracotta pots look beautiful, but can wick moisture out of the root system. Glazed ceramic pots are a good option - they hold in water without wicking it away from the plant, and have enough heft to prevent mid-summer scorching.

5. Water carefully. Especially in the heat of summer, container plants will dry out much faster than they would in a conventional garden. They'll also consume more fertilizer - so stick to a more stringent water and feeding cycle than you normally might.   

http://www.onlineplantnursery.com

Container Gardening For Senior Citizens

Fresh air and sunshine have a tendency to make people happy. Most people who have access to the outdoors on a regular basis tend to take this fact for granted. For seniors, spending time cultivating perennials, ferns and other plants outdoors is a great way to incur many benefits. These benefits include a general sense of well-being, a sharper mental state, better moods and increased physical health.

As you age, it becomes important to take care of your mental and physical state. Container gardening is a great way to keep yourself sharp while boosting your health levels. Healthcare professionals consistently laud the benefits of gardening for seniors. Gardening is an exciting hobby that lowers your blood pressure, reduces stress and alleviates depression.

Physically speaking, taking care of garden plants promotes mobility and keeps your fine motor coordination skills sharp. One of the great parts about modern gardening is that it no longer needs to take place in a dirt-filled plot of land. If you are worried about the physicality of gardening in a traditional garden, then you have many other options.

One of the best options for seniors is to grow herbs, perennials, vegetables and other garden plants in containers. Container gardens are much more manageable for those who have a limited amount of space and time for their hobby. These gardens are perfect for someone who requires less strenuous activities but still wants to reap the benefits of spending time outdoors.

When shopping for container gardening supplies, make sure to choose items that are conducive to your living conditions. If you don't have much space, make sure not to plant a tree that requires a lot of room; choose something smaller like some ferns.

Be wary of the area you are going to plant in. Some plants need a lot of sun; others do well in the shade without much water. Also consider the weight of the plants and the containers you plan on keeping them in. If you need to move your plant indoors during the winter, you may end up needing to pick something that is easily moved.

Container gardening gives people of all ages a sense of purpose. Having a garden cultivates a sense of self-worth and promotes physical activity. Seniors benefit greatly when they take part in activities like container gardening.    

http://www.onlineplantnursery.com

 Online Nursery

Beautiful Flowering Trees

Arboreal Beauty

Trees have been intertwined with human civilization since at least the advent of written records and have been revered for the protection and resources that they offer. Trees make appearances in some of the world's most influential literature, from the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in Judeo-Christian traditions to the cross-cultural "tree of life", and even represented the universe in Nordic cultures. Mankind's love affair with trees has resulted in a universal appreciation for the inherent aesthetic beauty of trees, which manifests itself in the inclusion of markedly beautiful trees into landscaping. While the beauty of trees is a fairly subjective topic of discussion, there are three types of ornamental tree that are world-renowned for their seasonal splendor; the Yoshino cherry trees, Kwanzan cherrytrees and Cornus florida, or flowering dogwood trees.

Yoshino Cherry Trees
The beauty of cherry blossom trees, or sakura, has inspired eloquent lines of poetry from admirers since they were first cultivated in Japan centuries ago and the Yoshino variety has become the poster child for their undeniable grandeur. The average American would best recognize Yoshino trees as the famous cherry blossom trees that cover Washington D.C. and are featured in Macon, Georgia's noted International Cherry Blossom Festival. The Yoshino cherry blossoms are small and delicate and their color usually ranges from white to a pale pink. Each flower has 5 petals, as do most Japanese sakura, and they generally bloom in early April, depending on the climate. Yoshino cherry trees make a beautiful addition to any home or public space and there small size makes them a fairly easy tree to maintain.

Kwanzan Cherry Trees
Kwanzan, or Kanzan, cherry blossoms differ quite a bit from those of the Yoshino, but are often planted together as the contrast between the white Yoshino and the deep pink Kanzan blossoms creates a stunning panorama. The blossoms are much tougher than the delicate, airy Yoshino flowers and contain up to 50 petals per flower.

Flowering Dogwood Trees
The flowering dogwood tree is far and away one of the most majestic trees in North America. Its wide, sprawling branches provide the perfect canvas its spring explosion. The flowering dogwood is an American icon of sorts, but its viability as an ornamental tree is questionable as their fragile bark makes gardening activities a potential death sentence.   

http://www.onlineplantnursery.com

Unruly Garden Plants

No one will be surprised that I was seduced by the beguiling rhetoric of Plant Delights owner Tony Avent when I ordered this plant (above):

We were thrilled to find yet another in the overlooked genus boehmeria that makes a great garden specimen. The deciduous Boehmeria platanifolia makes a 5′ tall x 4′ wide texturally enchanting clump of upright stems, clothed with fascinatingly bold, deeply-incised green leaves, each attached to the stem by a bright red petiole. The top of the stems are adorned in late summer…I use the term “adorned” loosely…with floral stalks that look like limp pipe cleaners. Visitors to the garden seem quite enchanted with this…we hope you feel the same.

I was one of those visitors. At the Plant Delights show garden outside of Raleigh, this looks like a large, vigorous shrub, and it didn’t take long for it to achieve those proportions in my Buffalo garden. All the promises were realized, including the lush profusion of deeply incised leaves, the red stems, and even the limp, pipe cleaner flowers—lots of them (in bud now). On the other hand, I can’t say that this unusual plant—seriously, I probably have the only boehmeria in Buffalo—gets that much attention from garden visitors. One person mistook it for a ligularia, and congratulated me for doing so well with it. Otherwise, no one has ever mentioned it. Usually, I have to point it out myself.

But you know, it doesn’t matter. Every time I walk by this plant I think of my decision to order it from Plant Delights and marvel at its success in its small dank corner. This obscure plant gives me almost as much pleasure as all the showy lilies that visitors marvel over at the end of July.

A year ago, I added another lesser-known perennial to the shade garden. I purchased Collinsonia canadensis (stoneroot) from an online plant nursery; at the time there were no visible signs of the plant showing above the soil of its black plastic gallon pot. I had faith, however, and bought it on the strength of its promised height and shade tolerance.

The promise was quickly fulfilled, and this year it looks like the plant is spreading to the same shrub-like proportions as the boehmeria. Not that anyone seems to notice. No landscaper or garden designer would ever choose these unruly specimens—they’d have good reasons. But I love my big, leafy, obscure plants. Probably for the same reasons.

Pest-Resistant Perennials

Do you have a problem with pests in your garden? There are many different perennials which can look fabulous in your landscaping or garden project which are considered incredibly resistant to common garden pests. And because they're perennials, their flowers will keep coming back, year after year!



The most common pest-resistant perennials include the Clematis, the Siberian Iris, and the Cheddar Pink. Want to know more about these pest-resistant perennials? Read the full article here!

Interested in purchasing pes-resistant perennials? Check out our online plant nursery! 

Introducing the Orange Daylily

Daylilies are fantastic to plant as a summer flower in gardens which tend to get over-hot or are plagued by persistent garden pests. They are also striking when used to add height to a garden, and make a lovely contrast to green, mid-height ground covers or when planted in front of taller shrubs or against a garden wall.



Like most perennials, Orange Daylilies prefer full or partial sunlight, and loamy, moist, well-drained soil. Orange Daylilies are considered easy to grow, and through the root rhizome is likely to slowly spread over time. Do you love day lilies, orange or otherwise? You may want to consider checking out this online plant nursery, which boasts the cheapest daily prices on the internet!

Landscaping Can Raise A Home's Appraisal and Increase Value

Attractive landscaping is often a cost-effective improvement on a property which boosts curb appeal and a potential buyer's opinion right from the start! If well-executed, well-designed landscaping can add tens of thousands in value to a property's selling price.
Landscaping for a house sale may be one of those few cases where you could claim that money grows on trees... and bushes... and flowers!

A Virginia Tech study in 2007, for example, found that homes with colorful landscaping and a diverse array of plants could result in an increase in equity from 5.5 to 12.7 percent! The horticulturalist responsible for the study, Alex Niemiera, found that plant size, plant maturity, diversity, complexity of design, all seemed to affect the incease in equity witnessed.

Let's do the math on these figures. Say you're listing a property at $399,900. If you calculate the range seen in the Virginia Tech study, adding tasteful landscaping to your property could increase its value anywhere between $21,995 and $50787! That can represent as much as a 400% (or more!) return on investment.

How does that compare to other types of home improvement investment? According to a recent Money Magazine report, kitchen remodels gain between 75 to 125 percent, bathroom remodels are between 20 to 120 percent, and swimming pool additions are between 20 to 50 percent.

And what's an even cheaper way to increase this ROI? Find cheap plants! Going to websites like www.tnnursery.net or other online plant nursery websites which specialize in wholesale sales can save you a bundle!

Read more about home and property values at Nashville homes for sale!