Take Up Gardening for Improved Wellness

Take Up Gardening for Improved Wellness
By Patrick Smyth

Gardening offers many benefits, whether you have an expansive yard with room for huge flower and vegetable beds, or if you live in an apartment with a small balcony just large enough for a few containers. Aesthetically, a well-tended garden is pleasing to look at, for you the gardener and for your friends and neighbors. You will enjoy just looking at the rewards of your labor, and the compliments from your neighbors will add to your satisfaction.

The therapeutic benefits also include stress relief in the activity itself. Working outside in the trees and grass and digging in the dirt are great ways to shift your focus from mental stresses to physical exercise and nature. As you concentrate on the weeds, the seeds and the bees your mind lets go of the things that frustrate you. You will discover a whole new world in the soil and in your garden as you watch things grow.

The boost to your motivation and positive attitude should be reason enough to want to grow something. Of course, the benefits of growing your own food go far beyond stress relief. Gardening can be a great form of exercise, if you have beds that need to be turned, weeded, mulched and holes dug for planting. Imagine losing weight and gaining muscular strength while growing food and flowers that please you. You win twice!

When you grow your own vegetables, you know exactly how the crop has been grown. If you don't use harsh chemical pesticides to control bugs and herbicides to control weeds, you will have vegetables that are free of any chemical agents. When you buy vegetables in the supermarket, you have no idea what chemicals were used in their growing, harvesting or packing before they ended up on the shelf.

There can be a significant economic benefit to growing your own food. A small packet of seeds can grow hundreds of carrots, cabbages, kale, Swiss chard, lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, zucchinis, onions, garlic and more at a fraction of the cost of buying those items in the store. Some plants, like kale, collards and Swiss chard, have very long seasons often lasting through the winter and into the next year. Many herbs such as chives, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme and others are perennials. One plant will keep producing for years.

Gardening can improve your social life as well. The garden and the process of gardening adds a new a talking point with neighbors and friends who visit you. You will impress friends and family when they learn that the vegetables on their plate came from your own garden, proudly tended and harvested by you. Their impression of you will improve as well, as one with broader interests, knowledge and the discipline and dedication to stay with the program through the entire season.

Don't worry if you have never grown anything before. Planting seeds or seedlings in good soil with lots of compost, keeping it supplied with water and protected from weeds and bugs takes little more than diligence. Nature knows how to make the plants grow. All you have to do is be there to tend to it along the way. Pick up a simple book or two on gardening "made easy" and between that and what you learn simply by doing you will become an expert productive gardener in no time.

Patrick is a coach, speaker, and trainer to individuals and business leaders. He helps leaders to achieve success by clarifying their vision, strategic plans, leadership, change management, brand and marketing strategy. He helps individuals to remove self-limiting beliefs and fears that prevent them from acting on their goals and dreams. 615-261-8585 http://www.patrickgsmyth.com

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Southern California Gardening Can Take a Back Seat To Holiday Festivities in December

Southern California Gardening Can Take a Back Seat To Holiday Festivities in December
By Bill Camarillo

December is the ideal month to take time off from gardening and enjoy the holidays, but for those who love to garden regardless of the season, there is still plenty to do.

Turn Off Automatic Sprinklers: Most cities ban watering for 48 hours after a rain but you can usually wait longer to begin watering again. Rain usually saturates the soil much better than sprinklers. Turn off automatic sprinklers and let the weather be your watering guide or install a soil moisture sensor so sprinklers only turn on when needed.

Fill in Lawn Bare Spots: Add grass seeds to bare spots in your lawn. Place a topper mix over the seeds to protect them from birds and to help germination. Winter rains, if they come, will give the seeds the water they need to grow. Be aware, however, if drought conditions continue, you will need to water the seeds to stimulate growth.

Prune Weak Tree Limbs: Winter often brings strong winds that can snap tree limbs. Examine trees for weakened limbs or limbs that could cause damage to property if they fall. Remove the limbs now.

Get To The Bottom of Leaf Curl on Fruit Trees: Citrus leaf curl could be caused by a number of issues: insects such as aphids, too much watering (or not enough watering) and nutrient deficiencies. Take a sample of the curled leaves to a knowledgeable garden nursery for a diagnosis and suggested remedy so your trees are healthy by spring.

Plant Dormant Deciduous Fruit Trees: Late December is the time to plant young dormant deciduous fruit trees. They are available at good prices because they often come without soil (bare root). Deciduous fruit trees need cold nights (below 45 degrees) to encourage buds to bloom and bear fruit. Some trees need more chilly nights than others. Fruit trees that do particularly well in southern California's more temperate climate include apple varieties, apricot, blueberry, sweet cherries, figs and varieties of nectarine and peach.

Add Indoor Color With Plants: December means entertaining during the holidays. Add festive indoor color with seasonal plants such as poinsettias and blooming chrysanthemums, lilies, antherium, begonias, cyclamen and African Violet. These plants don't mind low light. Keep them away from heaters and fireplaces.

Start A Compost Pile: Create your own compost pile. Add equal parts carbon and nitrogen: leaves and shrub and tree prunings (carbon) and grass clippings, flowers, coffee grounds and fruit and vegetable scraps (nitrogen). Pick a well-draining, 3' x 3' location. Start with a layer of leaves, followed by green materials and food waste, a layer of soil and then more leaves and wooden materials. Every few weeks, turn over your pile so it is well aerated and doesn't overheat. Consider putting a tarp over the compost pile when it rains. It will keep the pile from getting soggy and will hold in heat-necessary for microbes to decompose the material. You will have fresh compost for your garden by spring.

Get A Jump On Weeds: One rainstorm can trigger weed growth. Keep weeds under control by placing a layer of mulch in flower and vegetable beds.

Bill Camarillo is CEO of Agromin, an Oxnard, California-based manufacturer of soil products and the composter for cities throughout Southern California. Each month, Agromin receives more than 30,000 tons of organic material and then uses a safe, natural and sustainable process to transform the material into premium soil products. The results are more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, the opportunity to close the recycling loop, allow more room in landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.agromin.com, https://www.facebook.com/agromin/

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Different Types of Materials Used in Making Artificial Grass

Different Types of Materials Used in Making Artificial Grass
By Mark Hurst

Owing to its close resemblance to the real grass and many other advantages, artificial grass is much in demand. If you are one among those who want to have greenery around, but cannot afford time to maintain it you should consider buying synthetic turfs. There are certain things that have to be kept in mind when you choose to buy this grass. Price of the lawn, where to look for reliable lawn turf suppliers are some of the important considerations.

Quality is the Prime Consideration:

Always remember that heavier the face weight, the more traffic it can bear on it. So, you need to be very careful about choosing the right type. Choose a popular brand that has heavy face weight.

Types of Material they are Made Up of:

There are three types of synthetic materials that are used in making fake grass:

• Nylon
• Polypropylene
• Polyethylene

Artificial turf made up of polypropylene fibres is the least expensive option that the home owners choose. However, this is not a wise decision as turfs made up of this material has a low melting point and it wears out much more easily than the other materials. This material is suitable for the golf courses or for the sports' field where greenery is required.

Polyethylene is another material that has a soft texture, this is a perfect landscaping installation which is used on the soccer fields, on the football fields and on landscapes. If you want a luxurious landscape, this material would be perfect for you. This high-quality material is just the right type for you when you want a high-cost water guzzling and natural grass lawn.

Nylon is the strongest of all types that are available in the market. This type can withstand heavy traffic and high temperature and can retain its original shape. Though nylon grass turfs are durable and the piles are stiff, but this is not used for landscaping. However, this type of material is also not used because of the cost and pile stiffness. This material can be used as secondary thatch of yarn that improves overall strength and stability. This is primarily used for secondary tuft thatches. This is the strongest synthetic fibre.

Synthetic grass made up of right quality can make our landscape look perfect. If you are among those Nature's lovers who want to have greenery around, consider installing artificial lawn turfs. There are certain things you should know before them like lawn turf price and dependable suppliers.

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Ways to Keep a Healthy Flower Garden

Ways to Keep a Healthy Flower Garden
By Stephen Macharia

Setting up a healthy flower garden requires a lot of money, effort, and time. However, homeowners don't enjoy the fascinating appeal of the flowers because most flower gardens don't reach their full potential of three years especially when focusing on perennial flowers.

Maintaining flower garden is therefore a necessary step as it helps in keeping a healthy garden by attracting beneficial insects such as bees to the garden. The following tips will help you to achieve a healthy flower garden.

CHOOSING THE SUITABLE SOIL.

Flowers require the right soil during planting time. A good soil for a healthy flower garden need not to be too sandy or too sticky but it must have sufficient organic matter for proper drainage. Potted flowers usually suffocate in the same old soil therefore it's necessary to make potting soil with your compost. When flowers are planted in flower beds, they require to be covered by compost so that they can get nutrients throughout the season. Compost improves soil's tilth on any type of soil and offer protection to weak feeder roots with reasonable soil temperatures.

PROVIDING THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF WATER.

Watering the flower garden need to be decided carefully to know the time of watering, the method used, and the amount of water to be used. A lot of water can make the plants to rot while insufficient can make them to die and wither. For a healthy flower garden, an overhead irrigation system should be discouraged since it leads to spreading of diseases while some systems deliver water into the surroundings rather than in the water where it is needed. In fact, it's necessary to follow the watering suggestions for the flower and update your irrigation system.

CONTROLLING WEEDS.

Weeds can make a healthy flower garden to look ugly and unappealing. They take up nutrients and water that are needed by flowers and they act as a habitat for pests and insects. Controlling weeds when they are small is easier since they do not produce seeds at that early stage. Weed control methods include hoeing, hand pulling, and spraying.

CONTROLLING DISEASES.

When flowers are not doing well, it's an important idea to determine whether they are affected by diseases or insects. Using the required watering techniques and planting the flowers in the correct spacing reduces diseases in the long run. Furthermore, using the recommended guidelines keeps the flowers healthy and resistant to diseases. However, if the disease occurs you can use fungicide as a treatment or selected pruning methods. Sometimes, in severe cases it's important to remove the plant completely.

INSECTS AND PESTS CONTROL.

Each type of flower attracts different type of pests, but while some of them are beneficial; some are harmful to the flower as they can cause diseases. It's better to look for ways to handle the damage left by some insects since they can be too small or nocturnal.

It's a better idea to choose a control that causes highest death rate while having minimal effects to the environment and other beneficial insects like bees. There are several methods to choose and they include biological control, sprays, and traps.

USING THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF FERTILIZER.

Knowing the correct proportion of elements in fertilizer packaging is essential in keeping a healthy garden. The universal system used to represent the elements by percentage in the order of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium. However, the percentage doesn't add up to 100% because they are packed with other filler materials such as limestone and sand. Nitrogen ensures a good foliage growth, phosphorous promotes a good root system, and potassium is good for flower formation. Therefore, flowering plants require these three nutrients.

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Black Currents

Black Currents
By Richard Haigh

I have always found The Black Currant a good crop to grow. I have five on my plot.

They are quite easy to grow without many pest, however they will need netting against birds. The bush is very profitable crop. I harvest them, freeze and eat every day with strewed apple for my breakfast.

A mature bush should yield 6 kilo of berries.

If you are just stating out with Black Current, there a few things you must do to get good returns;

: Select a site partly shielded from the north and easterly winds.
: Deep dig in manure, for this crop is one of the of the grossest of feeders (along with Rhubarb)
: This plant loves rich soil so much it is good to give an annual dressings of organic manure.
: Give the plant plenty of space by allowing at least six feet between each.

Black Currants are easily increased by taking cuttings during October/November/December. Make sure that you select young, healthy growths with well-ripened wood, making each cutting about fourteen inches in length.

Do not remove the basal buds-- that is the buds that would be below the soil after the insertion of the cutting. This is important to make sure that Black Current plant is bushy in growth.

These cuttings should be inserted firmly to a depth of four inches in sandy soil.

The first year after insertion the cuttings should be induced to throw out side branches by pinching out their top. at least seventy-five per cent of these cuttings should strike, and the second or third year after insertion should see them large enough for transference to permanent quarters.

How to Prune Black Currants:

Black Currants fruit on the young wood, which means that as much of the old wood that can be spared must be annually cut out.

A well grown Black Current bush has plenty of basal growth and if these are allowed to remain at full length, they will replace branches that are destroyed by pruning.

This pruning should be done any time after the crop has been gathered, and the earlier the better. The reason is that the young branches that are left make quick progress once the rooting system is relieved of the burden of supporting old and useless wood.

There can be no question that if this system of pruning is more generally adopted, we should hear less about the pest know as "big bud".

Because Red and White Currants fruit on the old wood, therefore the method of pruning is entirely different.

If we assume that each bush is equipped with nine or ten main branches, the leading growths must be shortened ever year or so that only about two-third of the wood made during the current season remains.

The side growths are shortened to within two or three buds of their bases.This is called winter pruning, which is generally carried out in January.

In summer the same bushes may be pruned by just pinching out the tops of the leading growths and reducing side shoots so that five or six leaves remain on each.

Summer pruning not only induces the basal buds on the pruned shoots to develop, but also helps the crop to mature quickly by admitting more light and air.

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Grow Tents And How To Choose The Best

Grow Tents And How To Choose The Best
By Satvik Mittal

Grow tents are fabric boxes that are coated with heat and light reflective material on the inside. The tents offer control over indoor growing and work very well when incorporated with the right ventilation, bed materials and grow lights as well as nutrients for the plants being grown. Setting up an indoor cultivation system that is bound to be effective enough means that all these important components ought to work together. But the tent offers the overall protection to the indoor plants and hence it should be selected carefully for optimum results to be achieved.

Grow tent benefits

� The reflective surface of a grow tent makes sure that the plants get enough light output from grow lights used inside to ad growth.

� The tents also increase canopy penetration for the plants by redirecting the light upwards and sideways. When you have a grow tent you can be sure that a good percent of light will reach below the canopy.

� The tents work in maintaining humidity and temperatures that are even all through the grow space.

� The confined space offered by the tent offers grow bed ventilation system efficiency compared to if it had an entire room to deal with.

� Grow tents are also helpful in facilitating humidity, heat and removal of odors from the indoor growing space.

Considerations to make when buying

There are so many options available in the market today and it is easy to be lost for choice. But with a few considerations before or when buying your grow tent, you definitely will be able to select the most suitable for your plants.

Size - Grow tents come in different layouts and you can choose according to the type of plants you wish to grow and the amount of plants you want to accommodate in your space. Larger layouts are better in terms of offering better maneuverability within the grow space, whereas smaller layouts maybe easy to set up and manage. Select a layout that you feel works best for your indoor plants and their requirements.

Height - Whereas some tents come in standard heights, it is possible to find grow tents that make it possible for you to adjust the height according to plant or space requirements within the indoor garden space. The adjustable tents have extension poles that can be adjusted as needed and they come in handy in different indoor growing situations. Make sure the grow tent height you settle for is good enough for your plants depending on how high they can grow and suitable enough to also accommodate other indoor growing accessories.

Materials - A grow tent will only withstand the outdoor elements if it is made with sturdy strong materials. Consider the material thickness and strength as well as quality, so you can choose a tent that will serve your grow needs for a long time to come. You should also think about safety of the materials used so all surfaces remains safe and functional. A good tent should also come with reliable stitching and bug resistant features.

Gorilla Grow Hydroponic Tent is one of the best in the market. The tent is not only strong but it also is the tallest and thickest the market has to offer. Find out more and get growing!

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Garden Room Design Tips

Garden Room Design Tips
By Satvik Mittal

Garden rooms make great additions to the garden and they also provide you or your family with that extra space that can be used for a number of reasons. You can make a garden hideout for your children so they have some place to play when out in the garden or you can choose to have a garden room that is a gym, studio or small office where you can get your work done. Whatever your needs for the room, you definitely will want to achieve the best in terms of putting it together. A few tips can prove helpful in ensuring that you design a functional room in your garden without necessarily making the garden look overdone or overcrowded.

Tip 1 - Think about room space and positioning

How you wish to use the room should be what guides your space and positioning considerations. Remember that the room can be placed anywhere in the garden, even if it is not that close to your main house or on the patio. You can actually hide it from view or choose a sunny spot so that you have enough light coming into the garden room. If you are looking to enjoy more privacy while using the room, then choose the location carefully.

Tip 2 - Choose the appropriate structure

When it comes to garden rooms, the structure options are numerous. You can choose anything from tented spaces, glass boxes, mobile shepherd huts or fully constructed and insulated rooms. Again, your usage should help you determine what kind of structure is best for your garden. The size available in the garden can also be used in determining whether a mobile structure or a semi-permanent one is best. There are so many ready built solutions for garden rooms you can choose from but you can always have something unique built from scratch to match your personal preferences. But whatever you structure you choose, remember to bring weather into consideration so you have a structure that remains functional during the seasons you need to use it the most.

Tip 3 - Blend the room with the garden

Your aim when designing a garden room is to create a visual flow that is seamless between the room and the garden. Choose construction materials that compliment garden design and items that you could have in the garden. Unpainted wood, for instance easily matches the outdoor settings, especially if you have trees and other shrubs. You can also make other choices to add definition to your structure without making it look overdone in any way.

Apart from blending, you can also add decorations to the room. Vivid bright colors and patterns can be very good outside, but you should choose the palette carefully. Go for refined and relaxed colors, but be as bold and exciting as you wish to be. You can also make other additional choices like fairy lights, lanterns or cushions to lift up the mood in your garden room. There is just so much you can do to bring your garden room to life.

A garden room that is carefully designed can be quite functional. There are so many garden rooms UK you can choose from depending on your needs and garden space available.

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Add To Your Garden and Landscape During November

Add To Your Garden and Landscape During November
By Bill Camarillo

November is the ideal time to add to your landscape and garden. The weather is not too hot and not too cold, perfect for outdoor activity. November is also the start of the rainy season in southern California, and with any luck, rainy weather this month will help new plants take root.

Plant Pansies: Pansies add quick color to any flower garden. If planted in November, flowers can last through the winter and spring.

Avoid Overwatering: Plants and trees require less water in fall and winter as many become dormant. If the weather remains warm, however, watering is required. Let the weather be your guide. If your lawn sprinklers are on timers, prevent overwatering by installing a water sensor so sprinklers automatically shut off when it rains.

Plant Ornamental Cabbage And Kale: These hardy plants can easily tolerate cold temperatures. Leaves come in purple, red, creamy yellow and white. These colors will deepen as the weather cools. Add cabbage and kale as landscape accents or plant in containers. They prefer full or partial sun.

Divide Perennials: If your perennials are bearing smaller flowers and have dead spots at their base, it is time to divide them into smaller plants. Perennials that should be divided in fall are those that flower in spring and summer. First, moisten the soil around the perennials. Dig deep and remove the entire root clump. Cut apart the individual root clumps and immediately plant them at the same depth. Each divided clump needs leaves and a root ball. Cover the newly planted perennial with composted soil. Dividing and planting now will enable the roots to grow and establish during cooler months, giving them a good start to grow and flower in spring.

Plant Strawberries: Strawberries can be planted just about year round. Plant them now for a January harvest. Space plants one foot apart in rich, loose soil in full sun. Water as needed.

Plant Trees Now: Fall is the ideal time to plant trees. Our fall climate, with cool nights, mild days and moderate rainfall, gives trees a strong start that will serve them well when growing season begins in spring. Cooler weather is also a good time to transplant existing small trees and shrubs.

Scatter Wildflowers: Purchase packets of wildflowers from your local nursery and scatter them in your flower garden when rain is in the forecast. If the weather cooperates and some rain occurs regularly, you can continue to scatter wildflowers after each rain so their germination and flowering schedule is staggered in spring.

Water Seal New Wood Fencing: If you've added new wood fencing during the summer, make sure you have applied a water seal to protect the fence from wood rot after it rains.

Bill Camarillo is CEO of Agromin, an Oxnard, California-based manufacturer of soil products and the composter for cities throughout Southern California. Each month, Agromin receives more than 30,000 tons of organic material and then uses a safe, natural and sustainable process to transform the material into premium soil products. The results are more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, the opportunity to close the recycling loop, allow more room in landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.agromin.com, https://www.facebook.com/agromin/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Bill_Camarillo/241277
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Installing And Maintaining Garden Flags

Installing And Maintaining Garden Flags
By Satvik Mittal

The fields of indoor and outdoor d�cor have evolved a lot today. Today, people want to increase the visual appeal of their home magically from simple and affordable things. It is these simple things that make a big difference to your property. While we are talking about affordable and elegant d�cor items can garden flags be left far behind? These flags can be easily installed at any place in your area, and you will be delighted to see the quick transformation in the ambience of your home.

The best part about these flags is that they can be customised as per your preferences. You will find these flags in all kinds of themes, sizes, shapes and colours to suit your diverse needs. You can also make them at home easily with very easily available raw material. Like all other home d�cor items, these flags need to be given due maintenance, so that they don't get damaged or torn. Here are some tips that you can follow to ensure the safety of your custom garden flag.

Safety from sunlight

Irrespective of the theme of flags you choose, you should remember that overexposure to sunlight can make them look faded and damaged in no time. These flags are essential outdoor d�cor items; therefore, you cannot avoid them from being exposed to sunlight. So how do you ensure that the fabric of your flag remains fresh for a long time even time, even though it is under the sun for long hours? You can make use of some UV fabric protector sprays on your flag so that damage due to sunlight is reduced considerably. This spray prevents dust from accumulating on your flag's material. Hence you can keep your flags fresh and bright for a long time.

Be aware of climatic changes

Garden flags are not very sturdy. Their flag posts are also quite slender. So, they get easily damaged in harsh climates. Whenever you expect a windy day, it is better to remove your flags, fold them nicely and put them away in a cool & dry place. This way, you can avoid flags from getting torn due to the force of the winds. Keep your flags lowered during times of heavy rain and winds if you want to increase their life.

Installation place

If you want your garden flags to last for a long time, you should install them in grounds that have been soaked with enough quantity of water. There shouldn't be any sharp objects like trees, buildings, lamp posts or any other relevant item along the path or nearby the flags. This way, you can be sure that your flags will not get torn easily.

Regular cleaning

Garden flags are placed outdoor always. Hence, they are exposed to a lot of dust, even if you apply fabric protector sprays on them. You should clean your flags with a mild detergent twice a month at least so that the fabric remains fresh and pollution-free. Allow the fabric to dry nicely before folding them and storing them in a dry place until you take them out to replace the next set of flags.

Installing a custom garden flag at your patio or gardens requires a lot of effort from you. These flags serve the purpose of improving the visual appeal of your building only if they are maintained properly.

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Introducing the Best Weed Pulling Tools

Introducing the Best Weed Pulling Tools
By Lucas Hemmings

Weeding is something every amateur gardener should be careful about. Weeds can't be completely eliminated if you leave even a part of the root and stem embedded in the soil. With the kind of nutrients available in the soil of a regular garden, these sturdy little growths will sprout back in a matter of weeks, as if they were never gone in the first place! It's clear that weeds need to be removed fully, root and branch. Weed pulling tools are the gardener's best bet in this scenario. Using weed killer chemicals can be counter-productive for soil fertility as it consists of very strong toxins. It should be used in limited quantities. Weed pulling tools are a better bet for home gardeners as well as small farmers- urban and rural. These tools can be used when the soil is loose and easily disturbed, which allows the gardener to remove weeds easily.

Long Handled Weed Pulling Tools

Long handled weed pulling tools are perfect for farms and large gardens where more ground has to be covered by the farmer. Weeds growing in the pathways between planted crops can be easily removed with these tools. Precision weed pullers like collinear hoe, SHW Upright hoe and Dewitt Half moon hoe can be used to work on small isolated weed patches that are just sprouting up in loose, cultivated soil. When the weed infestation is a bit larger in extent and growth these hoes can be switched for long handled stirrup hoes which can drag weeds from the base without much physical effort from the operator. This hoe can be used to cover larger plots in lesser time. Long handled tools allow the gardener to work without bending down or stooping to apply more pressure. This saves a lot of effort and causes no physical discomfort to the farmer.

Short Handled Weed Pulling Tools

Short handled weed pulling tools are used when farmers work with raised soil beds or weeds growing among the cultivated plants. A long handled tool would end up damaging the plants as well, while these tools allow the gardener to work in a small area. Winged Weeder Junior, Circle hoe and mini stirrup hoe are the smaller weed pulling tools which are easily available.

Combination Pulling and Chopping Tools

Combination hoes are best used when the soil is hard and dense, making weed pulling that much harder. Both long handled and short handled tools are available in the combination type. The head of the tool is much heavier to allow chopping and light soil digging. The area around the weeds should be worked upon to expose the base and roots. After the soil is loose, the weed can be pulled away easily. These combination tools are heavier, but they are more economical to own than having separate pulling and slicing tools.

The Tool Merchants is an online store selling some of the best hand tools such for digging, weed pulling, weed removal, knives, pruners and sickles used in gardens, orchards, forests, and outdoors. To learn more about other gardening tools, visit thetoolmerchants.

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Choosing The Best LED Grow Lights For Your Indoor Garden Or Greenhouse

Choosing The Best LED Grow Lights For Your Indoor Garden Or Greenhouse
By Satvik Mittal

Plants naturally need light to thrive and when you are growing them indoors or in a greenhouse, LED grow lights are some of the best considerations you can make. Horticultural growers today rely on the benefits of these lights to grow plants and there are so many options available in the market. The long life and efficiency of the LED grow lights are among the factors that make them popular among the users. They make very good alternatives to natural light as far as indoor plants go.

Light aids photosynthesis and accelerates plant growth. Without proper lighting, you really cannot expect your plants to do that well. They conserve energy and at the same time maximize production, but then again, you must be in a position to select the most suitable for your indoor garden.

Output spectrum - One of the things that you should consider when looking for the best LED grow lights is the ability to adjust the output spectrum. They come in a wide range of colors and you should get a solution that makes it easy to manage the output according to the plants you have selected and even the season. Varying the light output makes it possible for you to simulate seasonal light changes that suit growing cycles of your plants.

Power cooling system - LED grow lights that are high powered will usually need cooling. For this reason, it is very important that you select fixtures that come with a cooling system that actually works and is of high quality. The fixtures may not radiate any heat because they come with metal pads that offer a quick, easy way for heat to leave but consider a fan or heat sink.

Size of grow space - One of the factors that will help you make the right LED grow light choice is the size of your grow space. The size dictates the number and also the size of units that you need. Generally, 25 watts of power is suitable for a square foot of growing space for plants considered high light. Get professional help if you are not very sure to make sure that all plants receive the required light for superior growth.

Mounting - LED grow lights mounted on metal core circuit boards are better that normal device circuit board. They are most suitable for higher power levels and high temperatures. The circuit board should also be mounted on heat sink that is sizeable enough; a sink with several fins works best in spreading heat faster for just as fast cooling. With such a fixture, overheating and damages are kept minimal.

Type - Most aid plants from seedling to flowering; these are full cycle LED grow lights. But in some situations all you need are lights for blooming or vegging. Some lights are designed for specific plants and growth stages hence there is need to get information first on the light types before making your purchase. Consider the plant and light requirements to choose the right type of LED grow light.

Your Sydney hydrophonics store should have all the necessary indoor farming equipment to help you get optimal production. Find everything you need, including LED grow lights easily online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Satvik_Mittal/1728302
http://EzineArticles.com/?Choosing-The-Best-LED-Grow-Lights-For-Your-Indoor-Garden-Or-Greenhouse&id=9547999

Why California Native Plants Should Be Planted in the Fall

Why California Native Plants Should Be Planted in the Fall
By Stephan Kazanchian

One of the best ways you can conserve water and support the native California ecosystem is by replacing your lawn with California native plants. This isn't just good for the environment, however. Thanks to being drought-tolerant, these natives are also good for your wallet. AND, it so happens that the best time to plant these plants is during the Autumn.

Why Springtime Planting Isn't Ideal

Southern California is mainly desert and so the plants that evolved in this climate have their own cycle, which often includes going summer dormant. If a particular species doesn't go completely dormant, it can still be sensitive to watering during the summer months. Hot, moist soil can stress, shock, and/or rot the roots of native plants. So what does this have to do with Spring?

Native plants need regular watering at the beginning to establish them. Once established, they will need little to no watering and can survive in the natural course of the seasons. The key phrase here is "once established." If you plant during the Spring, the weather is only going to get hotter and dryer, placing unnecessary stress on plants that aren't yet established, which means you'll have to over-water to compensate for the excessive dryness and heat, which will likely lead to root rot and death for the plant.

The Ideal CA Native Planting Season

To avoid unnecessary stress on your plants and to help them establish as naturally as possible, plant in the Autumn, ideally in late October to early November. The temperatures are starting to cool and there is more precipitation, which gives your plants a low-stress establishment period. Additionally, the rain and cooler temperatures mean you don't have to water as often, already saving on the water bill, and letting nature help your plants establish themselves.

Examples of California Plants

Even once you've decided to plant a native garden, there are still choices to make regarding which plants will be best for your soil and the way the sun hits your yard. Not all plants will work in any spot in any yard. You can get ideal planting information from the plant's description at the nursery or from a professional native landscape designer should you take that route. In any case, these are a few of our favorite CA native plants for your consideration:

• Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)
• California Lilac (Ceanothus)
• California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
• Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii)

For more information on California native plants, we recommend visiting (virtually and physically) the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants in Sun Valley, California. You can also visit the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) website for information.

Saving Water, Saving Resources

Transitioning into a native, drought-tolerant garden isn't just about saving water, but leading a more eco-friendly, environmentally-conscious existence and that is one of our missions at Vosh. Our regular car wash uses less than three gallons of water and we also offer waterless car washes to conserve our most precious natural resource: water. For more information about us and our on-demand car wash app, visit http://vosh.me/about.html.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stephan_Kazanchian/2204333
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Weed Control Methods

Weed Control Methods
By Peter Van Smith

Controlling weeds is perhaps the most difficult thing, sometimes the most obnoxious species of weeds need attention and caution while uprooting or killing them.

There are two methods by which weeds can be uprooted ie. Chemical controls and by manual removing of weeds

Manual uprooting of weeds is extremely difficult and it would be unfair to say that it can completely be eliminated from the roots.

Another method is Chemical Control-Herbicides are most commonly used to manage land and water plants. It is apparently the only and best possible method of completely removing the weeds from the roots. Many variety of herbicides are available in the market that can be used to treat the simplest kind of weed to the harshest ones. These chemicals are often easy to apply and can be done as prescribed on its leaflet.

Another advantage is that you can remotely or conservatively use it as per your need and depending on the nature of the weed that needs to be treated. However, its treatment involves lot of implications as one needs to keep in mind the aquatic species that thrive inside the pond as they could get affected if too much quantity of chemical is applied.

Water treated with herbicides can have water use restrictions depending on the specific application.

Herbicide treatment should be undertaken in presence of some expert practitioner or field expert to ensure optimal results.

Some of the Common Aquatic Plant Herbicides can be notified as follows:

Harvester, Fluridone Aquacide Pellets, Cutrine Plus, Shore Klear, Aquathol Super K and Hydrothol are the most common treatment options.

Fluridone and Aquacide Pellets are two of the safest herbicides to be used in fish ponds. Shore Klear is best known for control of majority of weeds like cattail, rushes, reeds, smartweeds, and in floating plants like water lily and lotus. This chemical is usually applied to the plant directly and not to the water. Aquacide Pellets work great for Milfoil, Coontail, and all other broadleaf weeds.

Other chemicals or herbicides like Diquat are most effective in treating emergent weeds. One needs to wait for a period of 14-days or so before this treated water can be used for livestock consumption, drinking or crop irrigation.

It's extremely imperative to know what the most suitable time for its application is:

First when the weeds are actively growing, during early spring, when the water is cool and at the time when the decaying of weeds is very slow.

Typically, treating on a calm sunny morning works ideal.

Accurate application rates will ensure optimal results, not cost more than necessary and will keep the ecosystem safe.

For pond owners, weeds can be quite a problem. If you are looking for effective weed control methods, help is at hand. At Aquacide, we offer products which help Pond owners to effectively control weeds..

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peter_Van_Smith/2090111
http://EzineArticles.com/?Weed-Control-Methods&id=9539041

No Time To Slow Down: October Is Planting Season in Southern California

No Time To Slow Down: October Is Planting Season in Southern California
By Bill Camarillo

Just when your summer garden's best days are behind it, October comes along and a new planting season begins in southern California.

Cooler Weather Means Less Stress on New Plants: While Santa Ana winds can still bring hot spells in October, average temperatures are generally mild--in the high 70s. The soil is warm so it is perfect for developing new root systems. Less daylight hours means less water evaporation so less watering. And who knows? It may even rain in October.

Prepare The Soil For Your Fall Garden: Remove any remaining summer vegetables that have stopped producing and weeds that may be sprouting. Turn over the soil, being careful not to dig too deep. Add organic soil amendments to give your fall garden a fresh start. Make sure you select the soil amendment that's right for your soil. Soil tends to be clay (slow draining) or sandy (quick to erode). Amendments can provide the proper balance.

Plan Your Fall Garden: Buy and plant six packs of seasonal vegetables including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, peas, spinach, Brussels sprouts, lettuce and rutabaga.

Add Trees, Shrubs And Groundcover: Just about all types of trees, shrubs and groundcovers do best when planted in fall. The exception is citrus trees. Ice plant does well as a groundcover on hillsides and does not require much water. Lantana is another drought-tolerant groundcover with almost year-round flowers that come in a variety of colors. Other groundcover to plant now include verbena, purple sage and mountain lilac.

Keep Critters Away: Rabbits, ground squirrels, gophers, opossum and raccoons are just some of the animals that can feast on fall vegetables. Keeping these animals away from gardens is just as important in fall as it is in summer. Depending on the vegetable plant, consider lining your garden bed bottoms and sides with rust-resistant chicken wire or hardware cloth to keep gophers from digging up roots. Rabbits love broccoli and leafy greens. Surround your garden with chicken wire or other barrier high enough so rabbits and other animals can't enter.

Revitalize Lawns: If you are still watering your lawn, it might as well look good. October is the time of the year for lawn repair. If your lawn suffers from patches of crabgrass, remove the area and seed with a lawn seed that matches your lawn. Consider changing over to more drought tolerant grass such as Bermuda, St. Augustine and zoysia. When planting from seed, use topper mix to help keep the seeds moist and at their optimum for growing.

Plant Cool Weather Flowers: Flowers that do particularly well in fall include sweet peas, pansies, violas, primrose, calendula, chrysanthemums, cineraria, dianthus, delphiniums, Iceland poppies, nemesia, snapdragon and wild flowers. Wildflowers that thrive in southern California and can be planted now are California poppies, larkspur, linaria and gypsophila.

Bill Camarillo is CEO of Agromin, an Oxnard, California-based manufacturer of soil products and the composter for cities throughout Southern California. Each month, Agromin receives more than 30,000 tons of organic material and then uses a safe, natural and sustainable process to transform the material into premium soil products. The results are more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, the opportunity to close the recycling loop, allow more room in landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.agromin.com, https://www.facebook.com/agromin/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Bill_Camarillo/241277
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How To Control Algae And Green Water In Your Pond

How To Control Algae And Green Water In Your Pond
By Peter Van Smith

Algae is perhaps the most annoying thing that one witnesses in his / her pond. In addition to this, algae also spoils the look of your pond and the nearby surroundings. You will also feel foul smell emanating from the pond and deplete oxygen for the aquatic species in pond. With few simple tips you can control the growth of algae and even stop its growth completely.

Let's first understand what causes its growth.

Algae uses photosynthesis technique which means plants, algae and certain bacteria harness energy from sunlight into chemical energy. Pond algae can be categorised
into two:

1. Green Water: These type of algae is so tiny that they can pass through even the finest of net or filter. These type of algae usually need sunlight and nutrients to be able to grow.

2. String Algae: This is also popularly known as hair algae, this filamentous species extends in the form of long strands and tend to tangle together.

Now let's ponder our thoughts over eliminating algae.

Appended below are some of the tried and tested method that control the growth of algae and also help prevent its growth.

1. Insert Plants

The first step in this direction is to add plants inside the pond. This process will help plants to consume all nutrients produced by fishes, leaving very little for algae.

Increasing the quantity of plants at the bottom of the pond helps in oxygenating the pond and provide a new lease of life to the flora and fauna inside the pond. Believe it or not but this is perhaps the easiest and long-term solution to keep water clean and clear.

What kind if plants to be put inside the pond- The choice of your plants also make a lot of difference. One should choose floating plants, such as lotus and lilies and lotus these plants add vigour and charm to your existing pond. Do remember to shield your pond from excess sunlight.

2. Water Treatments

Its advised to use different kinds of water treatment for effective results. You can treat even the most vivid forms of algae, even green water and string algae can be treated by repeated treatment. However, you need to be sure of the dosage that one applies to treat algae.

3. How to control Green Water

UV clarifiers perhaps is the best medium to combat green water as it exposes algae to very high levels of ultra violet rays that destroys its reproductive ability.

Maintain balance to control algae growth

One needs to understand that you will never find a situation when the pond will be totally free of algae. However you can keep all your processes in checks to ensure
that it is controlled or removed as soon as you find it hitting the rock bottom of the pond. All your alage control treatments will help in ensuring that the algae control is taken care of and is controlled in a proper manner.

Algae in Pond can be a source of nuisance for pond owners. With the right treatment, most algae problems can be controlled. If you are looking for effective algae control options, visit Killlakeweeds.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peter_Van_Smith/2090111
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Control-Algae-And-Green-Water-In-Your-Pond&id=9535339

Are Aquatic Herbicides Safe For Your Fish?

Are Aquatic Herbicides Safe For Your Fish?
By Peter Van Smith

As the term indicates, aquatic herbicides are chemicals specifically prescribed for use in water to kill or control the growth of aquatic plants. These herbicides can be sprayed directly on floating plants or can be applied in conjunction with the water. To reduce their need, individuals needs to implement best management practices for their property.

Two types of herbicides are mostly used- Systemic herbicides that have the ability to kill the entire plant. Contact herbicides-it only kills the area where the herbicide is applied, leaving other parts of the plant alive and allow them to re-grow. Additionally, they can be further bifurcated as selective and non-selective herbicide.

Now let's look at some of the pros and cons of applying herbicides and whether their application is safe for the aquatic species.

Pros

• Cost effective technique: Application of aquatic herbicide is economical in comparison with other aquatic plant control methods, especially when used in controlling wide-spread infestations of lethal aquatic weeds.

• Easy application: It's easy to apply aquatic herbicides even on the most difficult to tackle plants and weeds

Cons

• Safety: There are certain type of herbicides which are not safe to be used in ponds where swimming, fishing, irrigation is conducted

• Certain type of herbicides are fatal to the environment, hence one should be selective while applying herbicides.

• Mostly herbicides do take time to kill plants, though it all depends on the kind of herbicide used, it can vary from few days to few weeks depending on the nature of weed that need to be tackled

Application of Herbicides in Ponds

If herbicides are not used properly it could lead to low oxygen levels inside the lake or pond resulting in death and decay of many plant and aquatic species. Hence to ensure right application of the pond area, its best to call an expert who will consider many factors like temperature, herbicidal mode of action, time of treatment, quantity of herbicide to be applied, etc before applying.

You can also add proper aeration devices that will ensure continuous flow of oxygen. Proper application of herbicidal treatments will essentially provide good control of weeds even in the long run and prove to be much more effective for the treatment.

So if we need to decide whether application of herbicides Is safe for fish or not? In a nutshell, the answer is "yes". If they are properly applied as per given recommendations, they pose no threat to environment.

Since 1956, Aquacide Company has been committed to providing environmentally sound Products to help manage your recreational lake or pond. At Aquacide, We offer a broad selection of pellet, granular and liquid-based herbicides that are tailored to your property's needs. If you need to know when to apply aquatic herbicides or do these products harm fish, you are at the right place. Let experts at killlakeweeds.com guide you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peter_Van_Smith/2090111
http://EzineArticles.com/?Are-Aquatic-Herbicides-Safe-For-Your-Fish?&id=9535321

Designing My Home Garden

Designing My Home Garden
By Ammie Harm

When building our new home, we had to design a front garden and a garden for the side of the house that wasn't getting much light.

My front garden area was quite a large area and the climate that I live in is fairly coastal, so I really needed to do a lot of research into what types of plants would actually grow in my area. Not only that, but the soil that was on my property wasn't very good, and I had to get a lot of organic soil bought in to substitute the sandy type of soil that was there.

When I did manage to find the plants that I wanted, and started to plant them I found having a little seat was handy, as my back was getting really sore from leaning over and bending down a lot. Not everyone would benefit from a bulky item when gardening but with the chunky wheels on some gardening seats I found would take me all over the garden without getting stuck.

My garden hose nozzle was one that I could easily adjust and was similar to this product on the page, watering the garden with this was so much more simple, rather than using an older style nozzle or a pouring type device.

I asked my husband to go to the local hardware and get me a gardening kit with a small shovel and the like, but they fell apart so quickly, therefore, I decided I'd never do that again. Instead I searched amazon on the internet and was able to find my most favourite set of gardening tools which I've also included on this page.

I found that gardening was great not only for a way of switching my busy brain off from the daily grind, but was a way in which I could encourage our kids to get out in the sunshine and assist with the duties that all gardeners at times need help with. My son in particular loved to get around the garden with a little trolley type device when he was younger, carrying all the little budding plants that we were planting and the tools that I didn't want to carry around my hips. It was really cute to watch him really get into the whole prospect of planting a tree and watching it grow. Little pulling carts were wonderful for him transporting our gardening tools, and it made him feel special helping us out.

Gardening with a lot of color has a way of brightening up our day too. I love gerberas' and pansies and have them all over my garden beds. They don't flower all year long though, so I've had to come up with other solutions for winter flowering plants like the snowflake tree. This ensures at least one of my garden looks pretty all year around.

Author: Ammie Harm

http://www.beautifulgardenideas.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ammie_Harm/2329679
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Tips to Enjoy Your Weekends With Your Family and Friends

Tips to Enjoy Your Weekends With Your Family and Friends
By Mark Hurst

The sun is bright and shining in the sky and you may feel the urge to enjoy this summer time with your family and friends. Well, this is the feeling with many of us to go out in a beautiful lush green garden and enjoy some qualitative time with family.

It is not only the garden area, which is the ultimate requirement for enjoying some quality time, but, there are a lot of other things as well, which can really make a difference in giving you some fun time.

Here is the list of the things, which can make your weekend memorable and enjoyable...

The first is your family members themselves. It is very important to have all your acquaintances, close to you, whenever you are planning to have some family time. Normally, what happens is that we always tend to miss someone or the other, when we are enjoying the family time. And this is the reason why, if possible, to invite everyone who is close and important to you, whenever you plan to have some family time.

Try to have a barbeque at your home or if possible, make an arrangement for it in your garden area. This is the best place to have a barbeque with some drinks to compliment your party time. This always works and believe me, having a barbeque experience at your home or garden area is something which is loved by everyone and it's really very impressive.

A proper lighting is also something which can add to your fun time. If you are planning to party during the day time, then lighting may not be very important. But, if you have an evening party session, then lighting can be of immense importance in uplifting the mood and creating an ambience for you.

And last but not the least is having a proper seating arrangement in your garden. At the first place, you must have a beautiful natural garden or a lush green artificial garden. Then, it is important to have a proper seating arrangement in your garden. Artificial garden furniture is your ideal option to accomplish this goal. These affordable and light in weight garden furniture is perfectly crafted to suit your outdoor space. They are built keeping in mind the rough and tough weather conditions of the outside world. So, once you get this furniture in your garden area, you don't have to worry about it for years to come.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mark_Hurst/2278370
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Strawberries! Learn How to Grow and Look After Them

Strawberries! Learn How to Grow and Look After Them
By Adelyn Taylor

If you would like to give it a go and plant some in your garden, you should totally do that. This is a plant that thrives in a wide range of different soils, such as heavy clay and light sand. You can sow them all the way from June until September in an open area, where the sun can shine on them throughout the entire day. If you are thorough in your garden care efforts, you can expect strawberries to last for good 2-3 years. Here are a few things to consider:

Preparation - before you plant strawberries, make sure you dig over the soil and remove any perennial weeds. Add manure for improved organic results. Place every strawberry plant 35cm apart in rows. The rows themselves should be at least 75cm apart. Water well and consider some protection for your plants, as birds and other pests can quickly eat the fruit.

Hoe regularly - it is a good idea to maintain a regular hoe routine between individual plants and rows.

Consider mulch - as May approaches, you can place straw mulch under fruit trusses. It serves a dual purpose: on one hand it prevents invading weeds from taking hold near the strawberries; on the other hand, straw prevents fruit rotting when lying on the ground. Barley straw is likely the best type of mulch you can use, because of its softness and because it is more pliable.

Grow in baskets - you can grow strawberries in baskets, which is a nice way to protect them from slugs. Five or six plants can easily survive in a single basket, as long as you water every single day during the growing season. In the period between flowering and harvest, you can feed the strawberries with a potassium-enriched product, for example, tomato feed. You can expect the same plants to produce for the next year, although you are better off renewing the crops.

Harvesting - strawberries are prone to rot, so it is vital to pick up any fruit as soon as you think it is ready. This will also reduce the chance of attracting various pests and diseases. During the ripening period, you should check strawberry plants every day to look for red fruits. Different strawberry varieties have different shades of red, but you will know when it is ready. As you pick strawberries, make sure the green stalk remains on the fruit.

After harvesting care - remove the straw mulch when you are done harvesting. You can compost it and use it in other gardening projects. Cut off the leaves and remove them, leaving new leaves. The goal is to let sunlight reach the centre part of the plant, which guarantees better crops next year.

That is all there is to know about strawberries. Be sure you follow the main tips on how to plant and look strawberries, and you can soon enough harvest these delicious fruits!

Find more on Fast Landscape Gardening website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Adelyn_Taylor/1949191
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Artificial Grass and Its Pros and Cons

Artificial Grass and Its Pros and Cons
By Mark Hurst

When you are thinking of giving a transformation to your outdoor space, you might think to install artificial grass in it. These fake grasses, in the recent years, have gained a lot of buzz and they are considered to be the best alternate option when you have a plan to create a lush green garden. Everything has pros and cons and so is the case with artificial turf.

Here, we would discuss about the positives and negatives of installing an artificial grass in your outdoor space...

First, let's see the Pros section

One of the biggest advantages of using fake grass for your garden areas is that it has a very low maintenance cost. Even, some of the grasses in the market are available in no maintenance at all. It is especially recommended for huge playgrounds or commercial parks because the maintenance cost's scale is very low. According to the experts, it is financially very friendly as the cost of maintenance is very negligible, even after keeping in mind the factors like vacuuming, repairing, refilling and even watering.

Another perspective of seeing the advantage of maintenance friendliness is that you do not have to waste hours in keeping a check on its growth or watering it for nourishment. This saves you a lot of time and gives you the freedom to enjoy your time, rather than wasting it in maintaining your garden.

Since, you do not have to water them, it saves a lot of water for the planet and thus is considered to be eco-friendly as far as saving water is concerned.

Unlike natural grass, it does not require pesticide treatment for keeping it at bay from pests and insects.

Durable and UV Resistant_ these grasses are made from the finest of synthetic fibres, which ensures hardwearing and long lasting features to the grass. Some grasses like Wentworth artificial grass, Troon, Pine Valley, English Garden and Tennis come with an impressive 10 years of long warranty period. These grasses also come with a UV resistant layer coating keeps them safe from harsh and direct rays from sunlight.

Cons of using artificial turf...

There are many harmful chemicals used to manufacture these grasses which are considered to be health hazards like lead, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, chromium and selenium.

Artificial turfs absorb heat at an impressive rate, which means they become very hot in extreme warm weather conditions.

Once you install artificial grass in your garden, it kills all the organic qualities of that soil. This means that you will never be able to grow anything natural in that space.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mark_Hurst/2278370
http://EzineArticles.com/?Artificial-Grass-and-Its-Pros-and-Cons&id=9511483

Small Tips to Revamp Your Interiors and Exteriors This Summer

Small Tips to Revamp Your Interiors and Exteriors This Summer
By Mark Hurst

With summers knocking at the door, you might feel the urge to revamp your interiors and exteriors. Most of us want to make our living space, i.e. our dream home a beautiful place. We do a lot of changes in and around just because we love doing it as changes create a different world and it keeps us live, animated and cheerful.

Here are a few tips to create a beautiful interiors and exteriors to welcome this summer with a blast...

Let's start right from the entrance point. Placing a wreath would obviously uplift the mood of any guest coming in and simultaneously it would create a warm welcome feeling for your guests as well.

Decorating your hallways can be a great way of making your interiors look different. One better way of doing it could be using the floor rugs in your hallways. They help in creating a royal like feeling.

Candles always have a special role to play in creating a beautiful interior. Candles associate a very calm and soothing environment into your decor and believe me, the feeling is awesome.

Colours play a very key role in unifying the whole of the decor elements together or it can be wisely used to create a beautiful contrasting theme as well. Choose light colours for the places where sunlight has difficulty in reaching out. And for all your other places, choose whatever you like the most and have fun with it. Try to unify your decor elements with colour. Some good examples to start off could be your curtains, bed linens, sofa cushions or any other thing in your room. Try and see the difference yourself.

When it comes to outdoors, your garden is the most important thing. If you have a reasonable budget, then buy artificial grass and install it in your garden. Recently, they have become the talk of the town. They come with impressive features like no watering, no mowing, UV resistance, durability, long lasting features and the best part is no maintenance at all.

Just a garden wouldn't be enough, since you need a garden furniture to sit, relax and enjoy the day. There are multiple online stores where you can get cheap and affordable garden furniture. The best advantage of having them is that they are light in weight and are made to withstand the harsh weather conditions as well. So, you don't have to worry about shifting them to and fro.

And in the last, we would say use your creative skills to come up with some new and unique ways to decorate your home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mark_Hurst/2278370
http://EzineArticles.com/?Small-Tips-to-Revamp-Your-Interiors-and-Exteriors-This-Summer&id=9496150

What Impact Do Gardening Services Have on Your House?

What Impact Do Gardening Services Have on Your House?
By Adelyn Taylor

Property owners that have nice looking yards tend to be more pleased with the property they are living in. Owning a garden that looks nice, healthy, and hygienic doesn't only make most properties look beautiful, in fact, it can have a bigger impact on an individual's life than someone might think. That is why everyone should ensure that their garden is completely clean. You may decide to do that alone or get professional gardening services. Below are some of the primary reasons why you need to make sure that your garden is clean:

It raises the value of any property

Most homeowners have to think about one important question: Will they want to sell their home? If the answer is yes, then a good looking garden is among the most critical steps to achieving success. Employing a gardening service will ensure that the garden looks as good as possible. If a home's front and back yards look great, it could dramatically boost the value of that home. If the house looks more inviting, people will be more likely to purchase it. The main places prospect buyers will look at is how the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and the front and back yards look. If any of those aspects seem neglected, the property's value will decrease greatly.

Living with far less pressure

Stress is an element of everyday life. It's unavoidable. However, there is no need to be concerned. There are methods for individuals to significantly decrease the amount of tension they experience at home. One of these techniques is by keeping a suitable garden. Not only will hiring a gardening service make a property owner's front and rear yard look amazing, but it will also take away the stress that can come with trying to maintain a yard. Home owners will find themselves feeling far more relaxed and stress free once they are able to look out at their yard in the morning and see how clean and beautiful it looks.

Experiencing more freedom

While hiring an efficient gardening agency will assist house owners to live comfortably with less tension, it can also be an extremely freeing experience. If a house owner chose not to book a gardening firm, they would need to maintain their garden by themselves and they would spend several hours every month trying to keep their landscape looking the way they want it to. Making the decision to book gardening services would allow house owners to use the hours they would have spent on maintenance elsewhere. They could spend those additional hours throwing a party, having a family trip, or any other activity that may interest them.

It is smart

Booking a gardening service is a win-win situation for all parties involved. Those that choose to book a gardening business are employing the society, which helps someone else's family. Additionally, that person would get to live with a lot less stress and much more freedom than before, which only makes life much better.

For further information, you should contact Fast Landscape Gardening on 020 3322 6097.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Adelyn_Taylor/1949191
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Easy Lawn Care: Tips for a Perfect Lawn

Easy Lawn Care: Tips for a Perfect Lawn
By Muhammad Danish

A lush and green lawn is a wonderful sight to behold but many homeowners believe a green lawn is difficult to achieve, let alone maintain. Below are a handful of simple tips homeowners can follow to establish a terrific lawn and maintain it.

Eliminate and prevent weeds before they sprout

Weeds are a big sore eye for any homeowner who has a lawn. The simplest way to get rid of them is to remove them by hand. Other than that, homeowners should also use pre-emergent herbicides to prevent weeds from germinating further. Pre-emergent herbicides are best used during the spring and during early mornings when there is enough moisture. Most weed control products need moisture to stick to weed leaves. It is also important to follow packaging instructions when using lawn treatments or lawn care products to ensure safety and correct application.

Mow high and mow frequently

Many homeowners think that cutting their lawn short will save them time and energy because they would have to mow less frequently. However, this can greatly affect their lawn's overall aesthetics, not to mention that this also encourages weed growth. Homeowners should remember to keep grass a bit tall and mow more frequently. The general rule here is to not cut off more than a third of the grass blades. Also, keeping mower blades sharp is important to prevent grass tearing. When the grass looks frayed or shredded after mowing that is already a good sign that mower blades need to be sharpened.

Regularly water and feed the lawn

The best time to water ones lawn is during the early morning when the sun is not yet up and won't dry out the soil and grass. Nighttime watering, on the other hand, may result in prolonged moisture and excess moisture can cause a plethora of plant diseases. Many homeowners also have this notion that wetting grass is enough, which is incorrect because plants need to be soaked up from the leaves down to the roots and soil. Feeding the lawn with fertilizer is also a good practice to keep grass healthy and maintain their lush appearance and color. Nitrogen is the most important plant nutrient so purchasing and using nitrogen-based fertilizers will do wonders for your lawn.

Reseed sparse areas

Some lawn areas will definitely be thinner than others and the best way to remedy it is through reseeding. Reseeding is an easy way to lush up a lawn with many sparse areas. Reseeding should ideally be done during the fall. Homeowners should also be careful not to use any pre-emergent herbicides while reseeding because this will prevent grass seedlings from growing.

Lawn-train dogs

Homeowners who also have dogs should spend time to properly lawn-train their pets. Dog urine contains high levels of nitrogen and too much nitrogen can cause grass to turn yellowish or it can kill them. It is necessary to properly train dogs that spend a significant amount of time in the yard. Train them to only use one part of a lawn to prevent them from spotting and ruining other areas.

Applying these few lawn care tips will greatly improve the look of your lawn and maintain the lush, green look you're after.

Hello Happy Readers!

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Organic Gardening Supplies

Organic Gardening Supplies
By Anatoliy Tihomirov Simeonov

There are several among us who believe it is time to change our living habits, which includes using organic gardening supplies. Since we know what type of chemicals are being sprayed on our foods, there are many people who won't ever return to that again. It's one of many explanations why a lot of farms are switching to a naturally grown crop. This eliminates the risks that accompany traps and fertilizers, and it creates an appropriate back-up for consumers. So if you fall into this category you're ready to create a change. A great starting point is by using your organic gardening supplies.

Bear in mind; organic fertilizer is extremely different when compared to the chemical options. However, it's one of the biggest supplies utilized in organic farming because it raises the fertility quantity of a soil.

You also need composting supplies, which are employed for decomposition of the plant remains. It also gets rid of other living organisms and acts being an accelerator.

Another significant need needs to be nematodes. These are something which come naturally within the soil and assist the soil's fertility to improve as well. You might also need things like mite predators and organic fungicides or insecticides. You've probably heard of Neem oil before, but if you haven't it utilizes all these too to grow Neem trees. These happen to be medicinal in nature and can help control insects, mites, and fungi.

Other organic gardening supplies can include; spreaders and stickers. You'll find these within the spray process, however in order for the organic pesticides to work well they need to spread fast towards the plant. The stickers are used to guarantee the spray actually keeps the Guarana plant rather than dripping off.

You definitely don't want your plants to become susceptible to winter kill, which is why wilt pruf is really a necessary supply. It will also help against wind burn and transplant shock.

Then of course who can forget about organic seeds. The majority of these will produce plants which are pest and disease resistant, which is because of today's institutions providing extensive research on the subject.

There's also helpful traps for larger animals, birds, rodents, squirrels, deer, moles, as well as other others out there. While traps are popular, some people utilize repellent, bait, or even tree guards as a substitute.

Other organic gardening supplies can include; accessories, composting, garden hand tools, long hand tools, tillers, pruning and cutting tools, sprayers, gloves, as well as many more.

Plus, your organic gardening supplies would not be complete with no proper organic seeds to go along with them. You can find; herb seeds, grass seeds, cover crop, pasture seed, garlic seeds, potato seeds, sprouting seeds, organic buckwheat seeds, triticale seeds, beardless barley, tomato, or even tangerine. Each one of these organic gardening supplies are available if you're ready to begin.

Be informed about organic gardening products against chemicals. What is organic gardening? How to start organic garden? And how to design organic garden.

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August Heat Makes Southern California Gardening a Challenge in Southern California

August Heat Makes Southern California Gardening a Challenge in Southern California
By Bill Camarillo

Average temperatures in southern California are at their highest in August making it a challenging month to keep gardens looking their best.

Remove Nonproducing Vegetable Plants: We sometime continue to water vegetables plants that have produced little or no vegetables. By August, most vegetables planted in spring have already yielded a sizable crop. Remove those that are past their prime or have failed to produce. Focus your attention (and water) on healthy plants.

Add Plants That Love Hot Weather: If you want to spruce up your flower garden, add splashes of summer color with perennials that can take the heat. These include California fuchsia, chalk live-forevers (which produce long shoots of red flowers), yarrow, lantana and sage.

Deep Water Trees and Shrubs: Most trees and shrubs need a weekly deep watering during August. It is better to deep water (15 minutes on a slow drip) than water more often but for less time. Deep watering forces roots to grow down into the cooler and moister portion of the soil. Water in the early morning hours.

Plant Cool Weather Vegetables in Containers: Wait until the end of August and then plant cool weather vegetables in outside containers. Vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, chard, kale, leeks, onions and shallots. Place the containers in a shady location.

Clean Up Annuals: Your annuals may start to look a little raggedy in August. Remove dead blooms and stems to encourage new growth.

Cut Back Poor Growing Perennials: If perennials are struggling in the summer heat, cut them back to only a few inches tall. They will start to regrow in fall or early spring.

Rose Care: Feed, prune and water roses weekly or biweekly to encourage flowering into the fall and beyond. Faded flowers should be removed immediately to encourage new budding. Gently prune rose bushes to shape and strengthen lower canes.

Re-evaluate Your Landscaping: Even with water conservation efforts, water costs are still rising. August is a good time to examine your landscaping-decide which trees and plants are doing well without much water and which are not-and then plan to make changes to a more water-efficient landscape when the weather cools.

Tomatoes: Place a second crop of tomatoes in full sun that will grow through fall and ripen by Thanksgiving.

Plant Trees While In Bloom: Select trees for planting while they are in bloom. That way you can see their colors when making your selection. Summer blooming trees include Jacaranda, Magnolia Grandiflora and Crape Myrtle.

Bill Camarillo is CEO of Agromin, an Oxnard, California-based manufacturer of soil products and the composter for cities throughout Southern California. Each month, Agromin receives more than 30,000 tons of organic material and then uses a safe, natural and sustainable process to transform the material into premium soil products. The results are more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, the opportunity to close the recycling loop, allow more room in landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.agromin.com, https://www.facebook.com/agromin/

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Go For Interior Planting To Boost Workplace Efficiency

Go For Interior Planting To Boost Workplace Efficiency
By Ajeet Singh Thakur

Everybody loves plants but not all like the idea of growing and taking care of the same. However, this is mainly because people are largely ignorant of the blessings that plants offer to us on an everyday basis. Yes, plants give us shade, edible fruits, colorful flowers, oxygen, natural beauty, and many more things during their entire life span. It may sound strange, but numerous studies about workplaces have revealed that apart from improving the aesthetics of an office interior, plants actually boost the workplace efficiency too. Therefore, no wonder, workplaces across the world are now gradually embracing interior planting. Now the big question is how as the general notion of increasing workplace efficiency is boosting the morale of employees, keeping them happy and of course some other planned strategies.

Interior Planting Reduces Sick Leaves

Workplace efficiency suffers a lot when multiple employees ask for a sick leave. During such a time, it becomes tough to grant their leaves or to keep the workflow unaffected in their absence. Naturally, the rest of the employees have to work more to manage the workload, but just go for interior planting and the number of sick leaves will reduce drastically.

According to a study conducted for more than two decades, it has been found that interior planting has a positive impact on SBS i.e. sick building syndrome in which employees working in buildings experience stress, headaches, and many other health problems that eventually leads to sick leaves. Most of the workplaces have not so Eco-friendly construction material and moreover the toxic chemicals emitted from paint, carpets, etc. give rise to a large number of indoor pollutants. Interior planting simply minimizes the presence of these pollutants like formaldehyde from particleboard, paper, and carpets or benzene emitted from floor tile adhesives, paint, etc. In short, interior planting makes the air fresh by continuously emitting oxygen in abundance, so vital for us to stay alive!

Interior Planting Increase Ability To Focus

Have some interior planters with flowers or just green foliage and there will be a gradual increase in the ability to focus while at work. As per the study conducted by an eminent researcher Kate Lee, it is now clear that even a simple gaze at a computerize image of greenery can increase an ability to focus on a repetitive work. Views of green roofs too increase attention and improves mood. No wonder, many workplaces now have plenty of indoor plants and those who do not have much free space, prefer to go for interior planting via vertical planters. It also aids in making the employees self-reflective, which motivates them to work more efficiently. Have some pots of flowering plants and employees will be more inclined to think innovatively while at work and in innovation is now the key to success for any organization.

Some of the plants that are ideal for interior planting in an office environment are asparagus fern, peace lily, aloe, snake plant, spider plants, rubber plant, money plant, jade plant, and Dracaena reflexa.

The author has a passion of gardening and researches new ways to decorate the workplace with planting all around to increase the work efficiency of the employees. Get new ideas and ways by reading his contents visit: https://urbanedenco.com

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