Read at : Dave’s Garden Weekly Newsletter

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1114/?utm_source=nl_2008-05-12&utm_medium=email

A Budget Greenhouse Solution (with some nice pictures !)

By Ian Maxwell (GranvilleSouth)
May 10, 2008

Unless you live in the tropics, you need a greenhouse. The problem of course, is the cost as permanent greenhouses sell for thousands of dollars. There is a way out though, that allows gardeners on even the tightest budget to enjoy a little piece of tropicana. All you need to do is spend a little, bend your back & apply some imagination.

There is something special about greenhouses. I have wanted one far longer than I have been a gardener; a desire garnered as a kid exploring the parks & public gardens of my hometown. The structures I haunted back then were old & substantial; brick & glass constructions that I could only dream of owning now. A lot can change in 30 years though.

Materials available today mean greenhouses can be made cheaply, light-weight & for all sorts of gardeners. Even with budget models, gleaners enjoy a broad range of options. “Cheap” can mean a couple of thousand dollars, less than $100.00 or anywhere in between. This article will look at these choices & a way of getting a dependable set-up for as little as $70.00 or $80.00.

In simple terms, obtaining a greenhouse means building or buying one. Handy gardeners may take the first option, but most of us will find it easier to buy. Probably the best value is in greenhouse kits. These are available in a range of styles & sizes, from gardening stores & through a variety of online suppliers. They are generally aluminium or timber-framed structures, with walls made of materials such as UV-resistant polycarbonate or acrylic. They retail from around $US500.00 to $4000.00 & can include features such as inbuilt shelving, multiple entrances & ventilation fans.

Whilst greenhouses like Rion & Juliana’s are nice, their price tag will not suit every gardener. Confronted with this situation around six months ago, I tried Ebay & found a cheap way out. At the time, I had just taken the lawn from a patch meant for a new garden bed & knocked down the stump of a long dead pine. Plans for the garden were still quite vague, but they did include the possibility of a greenhouse.

What I found on Ebay was a polycarbonate tent, selling as a temporary or portable greenhouse. They were going for around AU$80 & in the product pictures, looked about as sturdy as the Begonias I was hoping to grow in one. That is, not very but nonetheless, I had an idea. If I placed the greenhouse in a sheltered spot & laid the pine stump down the centre, I could use it to rope down the frame & make the structure steady.

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Read at : Plant care Tips

http://www.plantcaretips.com/sub-irrigation-indoors.html

Subirrigation with House Plants

Should You Consider Using Sub-Irrigation

One of the biggest areas people have problems in caring for their house plants is with - watering. Usually it’s too much.

One method called SUB-IRRIGATION, which can help take a lot of guesswork out of watering.

Many interior plant professionals (plantscapers) use subirrigation as their preferred method of watering. They find watering plants from the bottom, easier and quicker than top watering. This can also improve plant quality and plant health by spending more time on the plant and its physical maintenance, such as grooming the plant, cleaning leaves, etc. instead of watering.

Do you know the “European Tribune” : http://www.eurotrib.com/ ?

About the European Tribune

The European Tribune is founded by active contributors to the US progressive blogosphere, aiming to emulate its energy, wealth of information, and community spirit with a focus on European and international issues. The European Tribune is a forum for thoughtful political dialogue between European countries on their national and European affairs and also with Americans (and Canadians and others!) on world affairs.

In the context of the Bush administration’s “War on Terror”, official transatlantic dialogue has become bitter and rancorous and we must make sure that citizens on both sides of the ocean have a chance to better understand each other’s problems, internal debates and ideas. Information on the domestic politics of both sides of the ocean - and how it is perceived from elsewhere - are a core staple of the European Tribune. Global issues like peak oil, the emergence of China, the future of the European Union, immigration, pollution will be discussed from various perspectives.

Lighter stories, travel experience, personal testimonies and the like are explicitly encouraged.

Read at : Google Alert - gardening

http://www.thekansan.com/opinions/x1820415434/COLUMN-Container-gardening-offers-uncontained-possibilities

COLUMN: Container gardening offers uncontained possibilities

Newton —

Gardening is for everyone! If you don’t have a huge backyard to grow vegetables or a big area to plant a flower bed never fear. There is always a way to garden in limited space.

Advantages

Container gardening has many advantages. People with physical limitations may appreciate the ability to garden without bending over or kneeling. Container gardens can also bring the garden closer to one’s home or outdoor living area, such as along a sidewalk that is accessible from a wheelchair. Container gardens can place culinary herbs close to the kitchen to snip and used in cooking. Container gardens on patios or decks give people with limited outdoor space, such as apartment dwellers, the opportunity to enjoy plants.

Potting mixes that are used in containers are lightweight and easy to work. Small containers or those with wheels can be moved with the seasons to place the plants in favorable growing environments. When not in use, containers can be stored out in the garage or basement.

Disadvantages

Kansas’s weather can make container gardening a challenge. Extreme summer heat coupled with high winds can quickly dry the roots of container plants. This can be minimized by carefully selecting plants, growing media, site and watering methods.

Growing media

Heavy, poorly drained soils are a key contributor to poor plant growth. A well-aerated, well-drained, lightweight soil is best for container gardening. The soil must support the plants and provide water, nutrients and space for the plants to grow.

Garden soil is not recommended for containers because the watering required by causes garden soil to compact, leading to poor aeration and drainage. Soilless mixes are carried by many garden centers and are ideal. These mixes are less likely to contain weed seeds or disease organisms than garden soil. Ideally, soilless growing media should be replaced every year.

Plant selection

Containers can hold one to many different types of plants. When using more than one plant species in a container, arrange them to take advantage of their forms, colors, textures, heights, and bloom times. Containers with multiple species are arranged with a vertical plant, such as an ornamental grass, vine on a trellis or spike in the middle to provide height to the arrangement; plants with color such as geranium or lantana around the vertical element to attract attention; and plants with trailing habit such as ivy or ornamental sweet potato to spill over the rim.

Perennials and annuals are often a good combination as the perennial plants can be purchased in large sizes to make an immediate impact while the annual plants are developing. Herbaceous and woody perennial plants used in containers can be saved and planted in the garden in the fall. Choose plants that are adapted (sun, shade, wind, reflected heat, and other site conditions) and meet the functional and aesthetic requirements of the existing landscape. Select plants with similar growing requirements if they are placed in the same container.

Plant care

Container grown plants must be watered and fertilized more frequently than other garden plants because of their restricted root system. Plants should be fertilized according recommended label rates, every two to three weeks using a water-soluble fertilizer.

Potting soils may contain small amounts of fertilizer. These mixes will not need fertilizer for the first six to eight weeks.

(continued)

Scott Eckert is Harvey County Extension agent, horticulture.

Read at : Gardening Tips ‘n’ ideas

Gardening Tips ‘n’ Ideas <scrobins@westnet.com.au>

Growing herbs for cooking

Culinary herbs, those used for cooking, are one of the most essential ingredients one could grow in their garden. If you’re already growing your own veggies then planting and nurturing some natural flavourings is the next logical project. But the question I get asked most when people discover that I am was a chef and that I love to garden is, “Which herbs should I use for [insert main ingredient here]?” Most people either worry that they’re going to get it wrong and therefore don’t use anything or they don’t care and use herbs inappropriately. If you’ve ever tried carrot soup with chocolate mint, you know what I’m talking about.
As a guide I suggest to most people to taste the herb and get a feel for the sensations that are derived from it. Is it strong and robust or is it a more delicate flavour? Is it bitter or sweet? And then think about the main ingredient you’re trying to cook with. What flavours does that have and are they strong or mild, bitter or sweet? Then it’s just a case of marrying the two and producing your mind-blowing meal.

Read at : Google Alert - gardening

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8299600

Pots Galore! Container Gardening

By Sonia Uyterhoeven
Provided by

Here are some simple suggestions for planting beautiful containers this summer.

Container Basics

The first step in container gardening is to choose the size and texture of container that suits your taste, plant choices and container location. We offer a wide variety of containers in our online shop, including earthy terra cotta, faux stone and versatile, durable resin. One of my new favorites is an eco-friendly and very attractive container made from coconut husk fiber that will begin to biodegrade after about 3-5 years. It’s lightweight, with good color and texture, provides terrific drainage and air flow for your plants, and can be used outdoors.

Use containers with holes in the bottom for drainage, and follow these tips for successful container gardening:

• Larger containers require less frequent watering.
• Use potting soil, not garden soil, to plant your containers. Garden soil is too heavy and will not be free from pests and diseases.
• Space the plants much closer together than in the garden-you can grow twice as many plants in the same amount of space.
• Don’t fill the container to the top with soil and mulch. Leave ¾-inch empty at the top of the container. This space will allow for easier and more effective watering and keep soil and mulch from spilling out.
• Fertilize your container. Nutrients will leach out with frequent watering. Use a slow-release fertilizer, and supplement it with liquid fertilizer, such as Monty’s Joy Juice starting in mid to late July. You can easily use half the amount of fertilizer recommended on the label and still get good results. Over-fertilizing weakens plants and promotes leafy growth with few flowers.
• Use mulch to retain moisture.
• Deadhead your flowers regularly to keep them blooming. Cut back or prune any plants that become too large.
• Check containers daily to see if they need to be watered.

Design Considerations

Attractive, well-planted containers are an essential component of today’s garden. In his new book, Pots in the Garden, award-winning horticulturist Ray Rogers offers a fresh approach to container planting and explains the basic design principles of container gardening. Rogers demonstrates how to use color, texture, and spacing in containers, and much more.

Whatever your gardening experience, key design considerations for creating interesting container gardens are as follows:

Foliage: Foliage is an extremely important and often underrated component of any design, whether in a container or in the garden. Long after flowers are gone, foliage continues to provide wonderful contrasts and texture. Examples include: coleus (Solenostemon); cardoon (Cardunculus cynara), New Zealand-flax (Phormium).

Fine Textures: Fine textures are feathery and delicate; they enhance foliage and colors in neighboring plants. Examples include: fennel (Foeniculum vulgare); Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima); cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus).

Bold Textures: Bold textures create an impact. They add stability to a design and create focal points. Examples include: canna-lily (Canna hybrids); elephant ear (Colocasia esculenta); banana (Musa hybrids).

Shapes: Container designers often organize plants into three categories: accent plants add height to a container, mounding plants add mass and color to the composition, and trailing plants spill over the edge. Although these three different components are frequently used when designing a container, this is not a rule.

Accent plants: Accent plants are striking features that create a focal point for the composition. Vertical plants that give the container height can be accents. Tropical plants are very effective accents with their broad leaves and exotic feel.

Mounding plants: Mounding plants are wonderful fillers for an arrangement. They cover up bare spaces and add depth and fullness.

Trailing plants: Trailing plants are important features of many arrangements, particularly hanging baskets. They blur the lines between the container and the plants.

Color: Designing with color is fun. Everyone should be encouraged to experiment with it. Some colors are hot (red, orange, and yellow), while others are cool (blue, purple, and pink). White often brings out the intensity in another color, looking very classy when paired with green and pastel and pretty when paired with pale yellow. Beautiful arrangements can be made by combining varying shades or hues of the same color.

Repetition: Repetition is as important for container design as it is for garden design. When there is too much variety, the eye does not have a resting point. Repetition creates continuity in an arrangement and ties the composition together. Repetition does not necessarily mean using the same plant repeatedly in one container; plants can be repeated throughout a grouping of containers. Using plants with the same color or shape can be a form of repetition. Conversely, using the same plant in different colored containers effectively creates a sense of continuity.

(continued)

For more gardening tips visit us at http://www.nybg.org/hgc_online/?partner=worldnow. To see our favorite selection of garden products visit us at http://www.nybgshop.org/?partner=worldnow.

Read at : Google Alert - gardening

http://www.usaweekend.com/08_issues/080511/080511gardensmart-organic-garden.html

Organic gardening techniques and philosophy

Biointensive, sustainable and permaculture explained

By Fran Sorin

Organic gardening often is thought of as simply gardening without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers — but it is so much more than that.

Organic gardeners strive to replenish resources the garden consumes by adding organic matter to give the soil the nutrition it needs.

And they work in harmony with nature by selecting plants best suited for the site. As a welcome bonus, plants that thrive in your existing climate and conditions won’t require as much time and attention.

Under the umbrella of organic gardening, you’ll find several types of natural and eco-friendly gardening. Each type offers slightly different techniques and philosophies. Here’s a look at three of them.

Permaculture gardening is an integrated approach; plants, animals, land, people, buildings and nature work together to support a multidimensional ecosystem. In other words, you’re working with, not against, nature.

To be a permaculture gardener, repurpose an area of your lawn to create a food-producing garden that includes fruit trees and vegetables. Or just grow meadow mixes and other flowers that are beneficial to wildlife.

Sustainable gardening contributes to, rather than takes away from, the planet. This type of gardening conserves water, doesn’t use chemicals and doesn’t add to pollution. And because it is sustainable (which really means it sustains itself), this gardening technique requires less work and input from the gardener, which also makes it more efficient and less time-consuming. As with all of these forms of organic gardening, the foods grown via sustainable gardening — whether they’re vegetables, herbs or fruits — are much healthier to eat. So it can have a positive effect on our health as well as the environment.

To be a sustainable gardener, maintain soil health by using increasing amounts of compost. Use only natural fertilizers such as seaweed and kelp, which encourage plants to grow at a natural rate and help prevent pest problems. Choose hardy plants that are well-adjusted to your climate and will feed birds and attract other types of wildlife.

(continued)

Fran Sorin is the author of “Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening” and is a CBS Radio News contributor. To sign up for her newsletter, go to fransorin.com.

Michael sent me a very interesting message.  I hope you enjoy his contribution !

Willem, this is from the Kusa Seed Society catalogue:

http://www.ancientcerealgrains.org/seedandliteraturecatalog.html

TITLE:  India’s Miracle Seeds.

Abstract. This is a true story about world hunger and the heroic accomplishments of one human being, an agricultural-genetic genius, to deliver a practical solution.  Beginning with landrace stocks of indigenous food-barley and employing classical “old school” methods of hand-crossing, a deep pool of agronomically-sophisticated food-barley plants was created, then exhaustively scientifically tested and proofed.  A pipeline was readied to deliver the seeds for these plants to the poorest farmers on the planet.  “The new plants were highly biologically efficient  capable of high grain yield under low-input and stress conditions.  Nutritionally rich in protein and lysine, the plants are adapted to low-fertility, poor irrigation, and tolerant of alkaline and saline soils, with the capability of yielding 5,000 pounds of grain per acre.”  A major national scientific program had yielded a genuine solution to resolve national and global hunger via a viable set of “miracle seeds” for dispossessed mini-farmers struggling to reach the bottommost rung of the ladder.  Inspected and confirmed by the elite accoladed leaders of Western agronomy’s “green revolution,” the new agricultural invention shone bright with promise.

And then, the bottom fell out.  Human avarice staged a violent “scientific assassination”  (the scientific creator of the plants had his career up-ended), production fields holding the irreplaceable seedling genetic-stocks were tractored-down (disked-in at sunset) and the entire foodgrain project was savagely destroyed.  Five of the foodgrain “miracle barley” strains survived and are presented in the Seed Section of this Catalog.  Here is the true story of historic-scale, genuine “good work” and the dark forces that rose up to stop it.   A critical contribution to the literature on the issue of world hunger.  “The seed story of the century.  A must read.”

http://www.ancientcerealgrains.org/seedandliteraturecatalog.html

Michael Crown

What we do echoes in Eternity…

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy”
Hamlet

Read at : Google Alert - gardening

http://site.cleanairgardening.com/info/cut-your-grocery-bill-with-a-home-garden.html

Cut your grocery bill with a home garden

Are high prices at the grocery store cutting into your budget? Wholesale fruits and vegetable prices increased 20% in April of 2008, the fastest monthly increase since 2003. Overall, food prices are expected to rise 4.5% this year. With food prices climbing, more and more people are rediscovering the joys of gardening. Starting a vegetable garden is easier that some people expect. To plant a patch of dill or oregano, there’s no need for fancy tilling equipment. When poor or contaminated soil is the problem, a raised bed planter is all you need for a patch of vegetables. Even if you don’t have a yard, or if space is at a premium, hanging planters are a perfect way to grow healthy, nutritious vegetables.

Start small and put your green thumb to the test today!