Top Ten Ways to Spruce Up Your Yard

1. When it comes Spring, do you notice brown patches, even under the new growth of green grass? That means your lawn needs de-thatching, or a good, deep raking to lift out dead weeds and grasses from the previous season. Once that is done, you can encourage lush, new growth by using a rolling application cart to deliver both fertilizer and weedkiller to the lawn. Repeat fertilization in late Spring, and again in autumn.
2. Mowing is not just whacking down the grass and letting it lay there. You need to learn how to mow properly to keep it at its best and greenest. If you have a mulching mower, it will cut so that the grass is scattered in small bits, back onto the lawn, fertilizing as it goes. For regular mowers, purchase a bag attachment so that the clippings come off the lawn with you, or mow at a higher setting, and more often, so that you take off just the smallest amount, and it can remain on the lawn and not interfere with the growth.
3. If your yard has “bare” on thinly grassed spots due to shallow, dense tree roots, hard soil, or an excess of shade, there are a number of remedies to make it look more attractive. Providing there is sufficient soil, rake it up well, water, and scatter a variety of grass seed that is specifically for shaded areas, if that is the problem. For sunny areas, choose the appropriate seed. When there is not enough earth, invest in some topsoil, and seed after it is spread. Should you find that even properly cared for, the grass does not grow well, you might try some of the hardier ground cover plants from your local garden center.
4. For adding a little color to the yard, especially after the “blahs” of winter, try planting some flowering shrubs. From the brilliant yellows of Potentilla, and the reds and whites of Spirea, to the lavender of Forsythia, you’ll have all the pleasure of flowers, without the work of a garden.
5. Consider planting bushes that will develop berries that linger into the fall and winter. Not only will they provide color on the bare branches, chances are they will attract birds that your whole family can enjoy watching and identifying. Another tip for color in the colder season, is to choose varieties such as the Burning Bush, a deciduous plant that grows green through the summer, and turns flaming red in the Fall.
6. Have you got a fence that you need, but don’t really like to see? Try planting climbing plants along the length of it, including the annual Morning Glory, or floribunda roses. Clematis will also climb clothesline poles and turn them into a tower of beautiful blooms. Hide unsightly posts by planting a few low maintenance Canna Lilies. These summer bulbs and tubers grow plants up to 6’ high, with brightly colored blossoms. Unless you’re in zones 7-10, they’ll need to be taken up in the Fall.
7. Perennial gardens are well worth the work of the first year, and even the next Spring, in establishing them. If you take the time to research varieties and growing conditions, you can plant a bed with enough different flowers that you’ll have blooms throughout the whole season, and plants that come back every year.
8. For something different, try putting a pond in the backyard. This doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of excavation and twiddling with the ground. There are pond liners that will slip into the area you have dug out. If you’re planning on keeping fish, you’ll need a circulating pump, as well. Plant some water-loving greenery and flowers around the perimeter, and you’ll have a neighborhood conversation piece.
9. If you have chosen not to have flowerbeds, you can still add an element of distinction to your yard, with outdoor d้cor accessories. For pathways, choose from the highly decorative selections of stepping stones that mimic ancient Greek mosaics, Roman tablets, or which come with charming and whimsical characters or sayings. Add a Romanesque birdbath or water fountain in the center of the lawn. And for just a touch of color, Roman urns on either side of your front door/steps, planted with bright red geraniums.
10. House flags and garden flags are an excellent way to add color to your lawn and driveway. Adjustable brackets can be attached to the house, garage or fence posts, to hold a pole, and the larger house flags. Garden flags are hung from T or inverted U shaped frames, and look wonderful planted along a path. Celebrate special occasions, holidays and the changing of seasons, with inexpensive flags that can be used year after year.
About Author :Johann Erickson is the owner of Online Discount Mart and TV Products 4 Less.

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Hydroponic Gardening - Getting Results With Your Hydroponic Vegetables!

Did you ever wish to have the type of garden which would produce delicious vegetables, fruits, and flowers throughout the whole year? Did you even know that was possible? Well it is - if you do hydroponic gardening! And you can create a hydroponic garden in your own home.
The secret to successful and productive hydroponic vegetable gardening year round is in finding the right well-balanced nutrient solution. The nutrient solution that you use to circulate around the roots of your plants will create for you a happy and healthy vegetable plant or it will kill it. The proper nutrient levels must be found and maintained. Here is a quick checklist of items that should be checked and maintained to create an environment conducive to a healthy thriving plant.
The pH level of the plant determines the type of nutrient solution they need. The plants that thrive on acid need a pH level below 7 while other plants will need a pH level above that.
Also, to maintain optimal absorption of the nutrient solution, it is necessary to make sure proper air circulation is occurring at the roots of the plant. A waterlogged plant will certainly not thrive!
Pre-mixed nutrient solutions can be found from a variety of sources and can even be made by the home gardener. But if you are a beginner at hydroponic gardening you may want to opt for the pre-mixed nutrient solutions.
The basic ingredients for any hydroponic solution contains a proper mix of potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate. These must be fully dissolved in the mixture before being circulated through the vegetable plants' root systems.
Micro-nutrients such as boric acid, manganese chloride, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate and iron sulfate are often used in the nutrient solution as well.
The nutrient solution can be used for a maximum of two weeks when plants are small. Once plants have matured the nutrient solution should be replaced every week.
Many hydroponic plants are grown in a greenhouse. The correct mixture of carbon dioxide in the air is necessary in order for these plants to thrive. This can be done a number of ways that includes: - burning hydrocarbon fuels - dry ice - decomposition of organic matter - compressed bottled carbon dioxide
Maintaining a proper temperature is also very important for their survival. The ideal temperature for your plants is normally between 40 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature for a particular plant growing will vary however.
In addition, if it is too humid it may not be healthy for your plant. A very dry climate is not good for most plants either.
The amount of light your plants receive can cause your plant to thrive or it can doom your plant. Too much light will dry out your plants while too little light will be ineffective. Different plants will respond differently to light and many hydroponic gardeners will have to experiment with different light to attain the ideal environment for the plants' growth.
Some plants may be affected by air pollution while others are not. If this is an issue, you may want to grow plant species that are not bothered by air pollution,
In summary, plants are affected by the following elements: pH balance, light, air, water, temperature, and pollution. If you take all of these things into consideration in your particular hydroponic vegetable garden your plants will be sure to thrive. About Author :
Author Anthony B Hydroponic Gardening

The Orchid Plant

The orchid plant is a beautiful, if somewhat delicate plant. The orchid plant, with a little care, can make a showy addition to any home. Once you understand their needs, orchids can become reliable plants that add beauty to any room in your home.
When you are choosing an orchid plant, it may seem like the choices are endless, and for good reason. All orchid plants belong to the family known as Orchidaceae, which is one of the largest families in the world. There are nearly 30,000 species of orchids available, all with their own wonderful characteristics.
There are, however, similarities among the orchid plants. Most orchids grow best in a warmer temperature. Unless you live in a reasonably tropical zone you will not be able to grow orchids outdoors. With the right arrangement in your home, you should be able to grow most commercially available orchid plants in your house.
While keeping the orchid plant in an area where it can enjoy a warm temperature is important, equally important is the need to regulate the humidity and air flow in the room. Orchid plants will grow best when they are in a room with an above average amount of humidity. Keeping your orchid protected from drafts is also important as well. Do to their inability to withstand drafts and their need for a high humidity level, orchid plants often do well when placed in the bathroom of a home.
You can not forget about light as well when looking for a location for your orchid. While the orchid plant needs a good amount of light to bloom, it is often difficult to find this perfect spot. Many times the obvious choice, by a window, will leave the orchid exposed to too much air flow. Orchid plants can also be grown under lights, and there are many wonderful grow lights available that will fit into a traditional light socket.
By growing your orchid plant under lights, or at least having the light available, in case your planned location does not work out, you will help keep your orchid plant happy. While the orchid plant may seem demanding, it really is consistent in its needs. Once you have devised a plan to raise your plant, you will likely enjoy its showy blooms for years to come.
How can you tell if you have the best possible location for your orchid plant? While an orchid can live in less than ideal conditions, it is not likely to bloom in them. If your plant is still green, has plenty of leaves, and otherwise looks healthy, but has yet to bloom, you may want to reconsider its living conditions. Try moving your orchid plant to an area that is warmer, has more light, or a higher level of humidity. If these changes do not help, your orchid may need to be repotted.
Once you have developed a plan to successfully raise orchid plants, you may want to add to your collections. With a wide variety of commercial plants available, with many different characteristics, there is an orchid plant for everyone. Whether you make your choice based on fragrance, bloom, or by just picking the one you like best, orchid plants make a great choice for the serious gardener, or the casual hobbyist.
About Author :More useful Information at: Plant Resources and Information

About Hummingbirds and How to Attract Them to Your Garden

Visualize watching a bright green hummingbird in your garden moving from flower to flower in search of the tasty nectar within. These beautiful and tiny birds weigh about 2 to 20 grams and are found in a wide variety of environments from the high Andes to lowlands, and from dry desert areas to rainforests. They have slender beaks, extensible tongues, ten primary feathers, and tiny feet suitable for perching but not walking.
Hummingbirds can fly straight up, straight down, backwards, left, right, and even upside down. While most birds obtain their flight strength only from the down stroke, hummingbirds have power on the up stroke as well.
Most hummingbirds flap their wings about fifty times a second and have a very fast heartbeat and high body temperature. They feed every ten minutes or so throughout the day and typically consume two-thirds of their body weight in a single day. Their source of nutrition is primarily nectar from flowers, as well as sources of protein from insects and tiny spiders.
The key to attracting hummingbirds to your garden mainly consists of the right type of flowers and places where they can perch and rest during the day, such as trees or large plants. Hummingbirds are guided by visual means and are particularly attracted to certain shades of red. According to The Hummingbird Society, there are several possible explanations for their preference of red blossoms. Given that insects also see nectar, they can be regarded as competitors. Nearly all insects see well in the visible and near-ultraviolet light but poorly in the red end of the spectrum. Also, a red blossom may appear nearly black and unattractive to a number of insects, but not to the hummingbird, which can see the full visible spectrum but also some in the ultraviolet. This makes it less likely that an insect has taken nectar from a red flower. Another likely explanation is that during migration, red blossoms effectively contrast with a green environment more than other colored flowers do.
Hummingbirds are welcomed guests to nearly all gardens. By planting flowering shrubs and plants that are their favored food source, we can easily attract them to become regular visitors to our gardens. Below is a short list of their preferred flowering plants by common name, separated by region:
Southeastern United States:
•Butterfly Bush •Cardinal Flower •Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle •Cypress Vine •Native Trumpet Creeper •Texas Sage
Southwest United States:
•Indian Paintbrush •Lantana •Lily of the Nile •Mexican Honeysuckle •Texas Sage •Western Coral Bean
West Coast United States:
•Beebalm •Bottle Brush •Cape Fuchsia •Colombine •Salmonberry •Woodland Orchard
Northeastern United States:
•Blue Lobelia •Cardinal Flower •Hollyhock •Red Morning Glory •Salvia •Scarlet Sage
Midwest United States:
•Coral Bells •Coral Honeysuckle •Foxglove •Hosta •Impatients •Lilac
Even though flowers are the natural means to attract hummingbirds to your garden, man-made feeders filled with a mixture of water and sugar (sucrose) are an essential alternative. Sugar, whether from a flower or a feeder, is a necessary nutrient in a hummingbird’s diet. Tests have shown that hummingbirds favor sucrose in flower nectar more than other sugars such as fructose and glucose. Therefore, with the proper ratio of ingredients, your feeder becomes a good substitute to the flowers that hummingbirds like best.
The formula for the mixture used in hummingbird feeders is 4 parts water (not distilled) to 1 part table sugar. Boil the mixture for one to two minutes, then cool and store in refrigerator. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Do not use red food coloring, honey, or artificial sweeteners in your mixture, as this could be harmful to the hummingbirds.
If one of your goals is to attract hummingbirds to your garden, a visit to your local nursery is a great starting point. Find an experienced employee who can tell you which species of plants grow well in your area and have a history of successfully attracting hummingbirds. Most importantly, be imaginative and have fun planting and growing your garden to attract beautiful hummingbirds.
About Author :Copyright 2005, Lesley Dietschy, All rights reserved.
Lesley Dietschy is the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange, a popular home decor, garden decor, and home improvement website. Please visit the website for quality resources, articles, ideas, tips, free projects, and much more. The website also has a shopping marketplace and a unique Gallery featuring Pine Needle Baskets and Gourd Art. http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com

Five Tips for Growing Miltonia Orchids

Miltonia orchids are also referred to as pansy orchids because their open flowers closely resemble pansies. They are very fragrant, but a little more difficult to grow than other species of orchids. This article will give you a few tips for growing miltonia orchids.
Temperature
Miltonia orchids require the temperature to be intermediate to warm. During the day, the ideal temperature is somewhere between 70 and 85 degrees. At night, the temperature should be 55 to 65.
Humidity
You should always make sure your miltonia orchids get plenty of moist air. The humidity should be between 55 and 65 percent. If the temperature and lighting around the miltonia orchids rises, you also need to increase the humidity. This will reduce the stress on the plants.
Fertilizer
Miltonia orchids need fertilizer on a regular basis. You should give them fertilizer approximately every 20 days, especially when there is development of new growth. The ideal type is nitrogenous fertilizer at half-strength.
Lighting
You should make sure your miltonia orchids get a lot of bright, indirect light. The best way to tell if they are getting proper lighting is by looking at the color of the leaves. The leaves on miltonia orchids should be light green. If they are dark green, you need to give them more light. You should decrease lighting if the leaves are reddish green or yellowish.
Pests
There are a few pests that are troublesome for miltonia orchids. They include spider mites, scale, and aphids. Using neem oil is one of the most efficient ways to control these pests.
These are a few tips for growing miltonia orchids. Make sure you give them the proper temperature and lighting so that they can grow well. These orchids also require a humidity level between 55 and 65 percent. You also need to give them fertilizer every 20 days or so. About Author :
Do your plants a favor and stop by care4orchids.com for more tips on growing orchids. You will learn everything you need to know to grow beautiful orchids.

Water Wall Units Explained

Water walls are almost a must in today’s contemporary style gardens. Often the focal point of the garden, this is due not only to their grandeur but also to their tactility. Modern day urban noise such as traffic can be drowned out by such a feature creating a calming environment favourable to sipping a glass of wine and enjoying relaxed conversation. Necessary to create these impressive walls is a prefabricated unit called a Water Wall Trough or Sheet Descent Unit. These units are specifically designed to produce an even flow of water along the entire length of the unit. There are two main types of Water Wall Troughs. Made from Stainless Steel, Copper or PVC, each type distributes the water in a different way. Below we explain the differences between the two main types of Water Wall Troughs available.
Sheet Descent Water Wall Unit Water Distribution Effect
Pictured above, this unit distributes the water from the trough over the spout or lip and down the surface of the wall into a catchment reservoir or pond (can also be used as a ‘free-fall’ unit). This unit brings subtle noise and movement into the garden. Wonderfully tactile, it invites the onlooker to touch the wall and feel the cool water running through the hand. The shimmering effect of the water can be captured at night with the inclusion of subtle lighting.
Installation
This unit should not be installed any higher than 2.0m above the surface of the water in the catchment reservoir. If used as a ‘free-fall’ unit this height reduces to 0.8m. Flow Requirement This unit requires approximately 4500 litres per hour per metre width. This should produce a film of water approximately 3mm thick. Some adjustment in flow is achievable with the use of an inline value. See examples 1 & 2 for further explanation.
Catchment Reservoir
Waterfall catchment troughs are designed to be positioned at the base of a sheet descent water wall where the wall surface is fairly even ie. tiles, render, smooth stone, metal, glass etc. They are large enough to suit most submersible pumps. Where a surface is irregular and likely to cause splash such as with pebbles, rock etc a larger catchment reservoir should be used to stop the water from splashing out of the feature. Not only is this a waste of water in times of drought but it is truly amazing how quickly a water feature can empty when splash becomes a problem. Rectangular Statue ponds are recommended in these circumstances.
Pump
The pump required is governed by the flow requirement and head height (ie. the height at which the waterfall is installed above the surface of the water in the catchment reservoir). Example 1:- Installing a 1.0m Sheet Descent at a head height of 2.0m
This unit has a flow requirement of 4500 litres per hour (4500 (litres) x 1 (metre)) therefore requires a pump that will supply 4500 lph at 2.0m high. Check pump performance charts to find a pump that will supply this flow at the required height. In this example a Blagdon Amphibious 8000 will push 4980 lph at 2.0m high and is therefore suitable. Example 2:- Installing a 0.8m Sheet Descent at a head height of 1.5m
This unit has a flow requirement of 3600 litres per hour (4500 (litres) x 0.8 (metres)) therefore requires a pump that will supply 3600 litres at 1.5m high. Check pump performance charts to find a pump that will supply this flow at the required height. In this example a Seerose UP90 Fountain Pump will push 3840 lph at 1.5m high and is therefore suitable. Projecting Water Wall Unit Water Distribution Effect
This unit projects the water out from the wall in a clear and even arc, re-entering the water approximately 200mm away from the wall providing a dramatic, lively effect. This involves the senses and proves difficult for even the most staid personality to resist the urge to reach out and play with the curtain of water produced by this unit. Further enrichment is accomplished with the use of lighting at night. A simple submersible spotlight positioned under the curtain of water is all that is required.
Installation
This unit should not be installed any higher than 1.2m above the surface of the water in the catchment reservoir. The water will begin to break up if installed any higher. A high-flow projecting waterfall is available which may be installed up to 2.0m high (please enquire).
Flow Requirement
This unit requires approximately 7200 litres per hour per metre width. This should produce a film of water approximately 5mm thick. Some adjustment in flow is achievable with the use of an inline value. See examples 1 & 2 for further explanation.
Catchment Reservoir
Rectangular Statue ponds are recommended for use with a Projecting Water Wall as the catchment reservoir needs to protrude at least 500mm from the wall to avoid losing too much water from splash.
Pump
The pump required is governed by the flow requirement and head height (ie. ie. the height at which the waterfall is installed above the surface of the water in the catchment reservoir).
Example 1:- Installing a 1.0m Projecting Water Wall at a head height of 1.0m
This unit has a flow requirement of 7200 litres per hour (7200 (litres) x 1 (metre)) therefore requires a pump that will supply 7200 lph at 1.0m high. Check pump performance charts to find a pump that will supply this flow at the required height. In this example a Seerose UP150 will push 7740 lph at 1.0m high and is therefore suitable. Example 2:- Installing a 0.8m Projecting Water Wall at a head height of 0.5m
This unit has a flow requirement of 5760 litres per hour (7200 (litres) x 0.8 (metres)) therefore requires a pump that will supply 5760 litres at 0.5m high. Check pump performance charts to find a pump that will supply this flow at the required height. In this example a Seerose UP120 Fountain Pump will push 6840 lph at 0.5m high and is therefore suitable. TIP It is always better to ‘oversize’ the pump rather than to purchase a pump that will only just suit. Allowances need to be made for loss of flow through tubing and fittings. It is far more practical to buy a pump larger than required and restrict the output buy a valve, as it is impossible to get more performance than the maximum specified on any particular pump.
About Author :Danielle Dickinson is an avid water feature enthusiast. She is a regular contributor to Gardening Magazines. Visit her website www.waterfeaturesonline.com.au for more information on building and maintaining any type of Water Feature as well as a huge range of water gardening products

Wind Power Issues Report #145 NY State Reports

Highland Hill Farm Vice President William J. Hirst of Fountainville, PA, announces that Highland Hill Farm will fund projects, research, and fund litigation to promote and protect citizens and the environment from the placement of wind power turbines in New York and Pennsylvania. Wind power is not a bad idea according to Mr Hirst, but placement of 450 foot towers has to respect property rights of adjacent property owners and operators of tower must prevent the windfarms from harming the local ecology.
********************************************************************* Environmental Threats by Proposed Windmills at Fairfield, NY ....Big Windmills Make Big Ecological Problems Highland Hill Farm Vice President William J. Hirst of Fountainville, PA, announces that Highland Hill Farm will fund projects, research, and fund litigation to promote and protect citizens and the environment from the placement of wind power turbines in New York and Pennsylvania.
Environmental Threats by Proposed Windmills at Fairfield, NY
There is a proposed large scale wind power electricity generating project located in Herkimer County, in central New York state. Among the nearby surrounding properties affected is a 160- acre parcel that is currently being used as a tree resource, East Penn Gardens, a natural growth tree farm, owned by James R. Hirst, a supplier to Highland Hill Farm. This project has an attractive shrewdly designed name. It is euphemistically called "Top Notch," in the proposal by PPM Atlantic Renewable, a foreign-owned wind power company. This company proposes to place a total of 56 wind turbines, each generating a maximum of 1.5 megawatts, in the adjacent area surrounding the East Penn Gardens parcel.
The turbines, with the turbine blades 450 feet up in the air (the Statue of Liberty's torch is only about 300 feet up) will forever change the environment of Top Notch AND the surrounding areas. Highland Hill Farm and East Penn Gardens will both fight this project in every possible legal manner. According to an article from www.LiveScienc e.com , : When power companies started installing towering arrays of white wind turbines as a clean, efficient energy alternative to oil and coal, critics pointed to the farms as noisy, unattractive, and fatal to passing birds. Many of these concerns were since addressed, but questions still remained about local and global weather impacts. Wind energy output is growing by about 30 percent a year globally. To answer the global question, David Keith of the University of Calgary and his colleagues estimated the drag that wind farms hypothetically expanded to cover 10 percent of the Earth's land surface could have on the planet's circulating atmosphere. The result showed global cooling in polar regions above 60 degrees North latitude and global warming in temperate regions such as North America at about 30 degrees North latitude. A forecast for a hotter, drier Earth could result if we build too many wind power generating plants throughout the world. The results were released yesterday and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Somnath Baidya Roy of Princeton University headed up a related project that studied the impact of simulated, extensive wind farms on local weather and found they could cause a drying and warming effect in the morning when somewhat inefficient turbines end up pushing warm air across moist and cool overnight soil. Local wind speed would also increase slightly, the experiment showed. Baidya Roy and his colleagues figured the meteorological costs of a simulated 60-mile-square wind farm by running a mathematical model of a climate system in Oklahoma on a computer. The local impact study was published recently in the Journal of Geophysical Research. "People treat renewable energy as if it's a free lunch. That is not true," Baidya Roy said. "You always have to pay a price for any consumption. We have to look at the costs and make a choice." As you will see in the bulleted list below, the ecology of East Penn Gardens will be effected in many serious and detrimental ways: -The natural bird and bat populations will be at risk as air flows to and from the woodlot are changed. -It is estimated that the mean temperature change in the 160 acre East Penn Gardens parcel where measurements have been made will be up to 2 degrees Fahrenheit. This will of course increase evaporation rates. Plant and animal life will be stressed and surrounding wetlands will be drier. -Changing the temperature of this immediate typical temperate arboreal zone (cool, moist, northern forest) will affect native trout. When temperatures rise, dissolved oxygen in the water gets lowered, understandably, the fish suffer... -There are known EPA officially registered endangered species of plants and animals living in the East Penn parcel's wooded forests and marshy wetlands. These species will undoubtedly have their habitat changed, most likely for the worse if the "mega-scale" turbines are installed. -There will be shadow problems and windmill flicker problems. In short, the huge blades break up sunlight into a staccato facsimile of flashes like Morse Code as they spin around, don't they? -The noise from the blades may not compare with a helicopter's rotor blades, but the low hum we hear affects other life forms differently. Wind turbines generate both audible and low frequency [deep base vibration] sound waves. Imagine standing amidst 160 acres of formerly serene forest with 15 gigantic wind turbines installed near and around you, located on 3 sides.
A recent study claims that 20% of all species worldwide will become extinct if the temperature rises just .8 degrees Centigrade, or more than 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit, by the year 2100. Won't a similar 2 degree Fahrenheit change in the East Penn Gardens local area described threaten local habitats? Of course it will. The study claiming that global warming would cause species to become extinct was in Nature 427, 145- 148 ( 8 Jan. 2004 ); by C.D. Thomas et al.
Highland Hill Farm will begin legal filings that will attempt to block this project. James Hirst believes wind turbines placed so close to his property, discharging air, changing the flow of air, raising the temperature, changing the incident light, and adding sound waves, at his property is a use of his air rights and he will file an injunction to address this question. Highland Hill Farm will help fund this legal claim as, according to William Hirst, this will serve to protect everyone's rights to their air space from industrial discharges without due process and or compensation. Just as one homeowner in a neighborhood cannot emanate offensive odors, or noise(s), block sunlight, or block the view, for any other neighbors, and not just those immediately adjacent to his or her property, neither can Atlantic Energy Renewable do so, even in a sparsely populated rural area like Herkimer County, NY.
The local zoning codes, define the tower setback zone for residences at 1250 feet, for public roads at 500 feet, and unoccupied private property at the height of the tower, measured only to the rotors' center, and not including the base, as being 30'. This zoning code allowance means that a 50 foot tower can be 30 feet from the property line because the base and rotor tip extended range is not included in the height calculation from a property line (the 30 feet limit established by the code restriction establishes that the rotor blade must be 30 feet from the ground), thus a 40 foot tower with a 10 foot diameter blade can be as close as 30 feet from a property line. If the base of a tower is elevated, then the rotor tip could be raised up from ground level and the tower could even be closer than 30 feet from the property line! This is a extremely vague, don't you agree? The statute creates setbacks which deny some classes of property owners their property rights. Therefore, some property owners are denied "due process" and "equal protection" under this law. Furthermore, this law does not promote the health and welfare of the community, nor establish reasonable guidelines for safety of the community, nor protection of property values by zoning use restrictions.
This download shows typical construction area which Atlantic Renewable has filed with its Environmental Assessment Report. Atlantic Renewable has submitted this as part of its permitting process. We see no evidence in these photos (the poor quality is our fault in copying, sorry) of any attempts whatsoever to control erosion during what is, in fact, the most sensitive stage of site development. Construction is when extra care, extraordinary concern is required to alleviate impacts on any site and the surrounding environment. Atlantic Renewable energy spokesmen claim their company's projects do not harm the environment. Yet, if they are showing in their application photos in which they are already not protecting the environment during construction, when effects on the environment are so crucial, how can any of us have even the slightest confidence Atlantic Energy Renewable will attempt to protect the site and its surroundings during ordinary routine operations, after they finish construction?
Don't forget, conserving oil is NOT a reason for erecting wind power electricity generating turbines. According the EPRI, the Electric Power Research Institute, in 2005, only 2.8% of America's electricity came from oil-fired generating plants. And, we should also note that wind powered generating turbines only produce an average of about 25%, or one-quarter, of their maximum production rating, because wind speed often falls below 12 miles per hour in even the windiest places (from the AWEA, American Wind Energy Association).
Imagine a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without peanuts. Imagine going to a ball game and having no buns for your hotdog. Imagine image our skies without birds. This is why during the months of January and February, all sales at Highland Hill Farm will be used for the campaign to stop the proposed "Top Notch" wind power generating turbines. We want to help promote awareness of the issues by the general public, as well as fund legal actions to assist property owners in their quest for justice, so that they are adequately compensated, in legal terms, "to be made whole." Further, Highland Hill Farm has contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to get them, along with state government agencies, begin a program to place leg bands with transponders on affected birds which will be able to turn off rotors of wind power turbines when birds approach. Once a species of bird is extinct, there is absolutely no way we can bring them back, at least not currently (pun intended). Almost all wind turbines are fitted with automatic braking devices. They can be damaged when the rotor blades go too fast if wind gusts are strong enough... It is indeed possible for transponder/shutoff systems to be incorporated into wind power turbines to stop the killing of endangered birds.
Bill Hirst Highland Hill Farm About Author :
James Ryan has a large nursery in Bucks County Pa near Doylestown. He has thousands of Green Giants and writes about there uses. His web sites include http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.digatree.com/Living Fences

Care of Moth Orchids

Do you have a knack for being with moths? Most people would say, "no way". Yet, the moth orchids that I am talking about are the ones that sway nicely in the breeze and some of the newer hybrids have a nice fragrance. These moths are easy to care for, especially a beginner. These moths are found very frequently in gardens. These are the phalaenopsis orchids. Phalaenopsis orchids are the one of the easiest orchids to care for in a home. Their blooms can last up to 3months and there are some of the most colorful hybrids. Like other orchids they require light, water, temperature, fertilizer and humidity. Seems like a lot but it really isn't The best light is indirect light. It can be bright but not direct sunlight. If you have a west facing window sill this will do just fine. Direct sun can damage the leaves of the moth orchid. Humidity is needed for the moth orchids. They actually grow in the wild in humid rain forests. In the warm months it would be nice to mist them every day or two. They also enjoy a bright bathroom. Let's look at the temperatures that phals like. They are an intermediate temperature orchid. This means they like temperatures from 55 to 75 or 80 degrees. As a must, the must be a temperature gradient of 10 to 15 degrees for at least 14 days in the fall to stimulate their flower spike. Moth orchids have no pseudopods to store water and for this reason they should not completely dry out. It is fine line to let them nearly dry out and at this point water them. You should be able to tell by seeing how light the plant is before you water it. Another way is stick your finger tip down about an inch into the plant and it should feel almost dry. It is at this point you should water. Let the water run through the plant (in the top and out the bottom) for about 20 - 30 seconds. It is important that any orchid plant does not sit in water because it will get root rot. Fertilize the plant twice a month with a week fertilizer solution. It is recommended to cut amount of fertilizer recommended by one half. Fertilize about every other week with a balanced fertilizer except durng the summer months of growth when you can use a high nitrogen fertilizer.
This article may be duplicated as long as credit is given to this author and the orchids-plus-more.com
About Author :This site http://www.orchids-plus-more.com is devoted to these wonderful orchid plants. Did you know they are the second in popularity only to the poinsettia plants? You will find a good deal of information on how easy orchid care really is. They are wonderful to have around your home or for that special gift. Orchid flowers are beautiful and can last for years. Your plant will be appreciated for years and years.

The Viburnum Blackhaw

Blackhaw Viburnum (V. prunifolium) The rounded, stiffly branched habit of Blackhaw viburnum reminds you of a Hawthorn. Other common names are Sloe, sloe-leaved viburnum, stagbush, shonny. It can be grown as a small tree because plants attain a height of 12 to 14 feet. The dark green, glossy, leathery leaves turn a dark reddish to purple in the fall. Creamy white flowers are borne in flat-topped flower clusters during May. The fruit turns blue-black at maturity. The fruit, which is sweet and edible, is nearly half an inch long, bluish black, covered with a bloom, and ripens in early autumn. It contains a small and somewhat flattened stone. The mature fruit make good preserves. The leaves are small enough that they don't pose a raking and cleaning problem. Birds frequent this shrub for feed and shelter. Plants are native and tolerate shade but flower and fruit best in full sun.Habitat and range.The blackhaw occurs in dry woods and thickets and on rocky hillsides from Connecticut to Florida and west to Michigan and Texas, but is mostly found in the South. On our plant durability list, we rate this a 9 for ease of transplanting and site adaptability. There are also few serious pests that homeowners need to concern themselves with. We have seedling, transplants, and B&B plant to 4'.
Blackhaw viburnum grows in woods and thickets in moist or dry soil. Blackhaw viburnum can be a round-headed tree or multi-stemmed shrub. This plant is described as having a handsomely coarse aspect in winter. The late fall color is variable from plant to plant, from purplish, reddish purple, bronze, dull deep red to shining red. The flowers can have so many yellow stamens that they appear creamy rather than white. Although it will tolerate some sun, blackhaw viburnum is best used as a medium understory or edge-of-the-woods shrub. In the landscape this plant can adapt well to locations that don't get full sun such as a shaded side yard that needs a border or screen. Clay soils that are moist can be planted with this plant. This plant is hardy to zone three. Viburnums are the most attractive, versatile, adaptable shrubs for any landscape. They can be used as hedges or screens and in mixed perennial and shrub borders. They can also stand as specimen plants. They usually in the form of shrubs, but can become small ornamental trees.(sieboldi) They range in size from the small Dwarf American Cranberry at 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide, to the Siebold at over 15 feet tall.
Viburnums are plants with year round interest. Viburnums have white to pink flowers in the spring. Some are fragrant. They have large, attractive and often textured leaves. Some viburnums have wonderfully fragrant flowers that are produced in snowball like clusters in the spring. The flower clusters can be of pink buds, which develop into white flowers. Some fruits are red and turn black with age. Leaves are glossy, dark green and turn a burgundy color in the fall. Midsummer berries are an important food source for birds. Viburnums are a must for the avid birder. Viburnums can have colorful red to purple leaves. Some viburnums can become medium-size trees, especially if they are pruned. Viburnums are specimen plants or as anchors in mixed borders and hedges. You won't find a more versatile group of shrubs for hedges or for massing in groups, since viburnums hold their own in every season and landscape. Some viburnums, such as Prague viburnum, are evergreen and have fragrant flowers. Others, such as leatherleaf viburnum, are semi-evergreen in colder climates, losing their leaves when temperatures dip below 10 degrees.
We like Viburnums because of their adaptability and durability. While they would prefer full sun and moderately watered, well-drained rich soils, they grow very well in part shade in alkaline, clay soils. Diseases and pests are not common for viburnums. We have more trouble from my kids running over them with brush hogs. They claim they were testing their durability. Yet all the viburnums they chopped to the ground survived. In fact, we sold these plants for a premium as they produced better numbers of desireable stems. Their fibrous root system makes them transplant and propagate easily. (We do have more difficulty with the Korean Spice rooted cuttings.)
If you are shopping for a sharp hardy shrub consider one of the many cultivars of the Viburnum family. In fact select a couple of them. You will be rewarded with shrubs with all season interest.
Viburnums have long been popular garden plants, celebrated for their white, often fragrant spring flowers and their fall color. But it's the Asian viburnums that are prized. Perhaps the most widely known viburnums are the Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii), and the Korean spice viburnum (V. carlesii), both of which fill the air with an enchanting clovelike aroma in mid-spring. (The Mohican is a cross of the two.) Also popular is the doublefile viburnum (V. plicatum f. tomentosum), valued for its layered habit, fall foliage, and clusters of red fruits, and its close relative the Shasta, a gold medal winner. Viburnum acerifolium (Maple-leafed viburnum) Although I wouldn't garden without any of these, I have a special fondness for native viburnums. They may not provide the flower fragrance of their Asian counterparts, but I love them for their fall foliage color and for their fruit displays, which attract birds to my garden in the fall and winter months. In addition, several are useful to waterwise gardeners or in urban conditions. They require only corrective pruning, and none commonly suffer from pests or diseases.
Viburnums are considered moist woodland plants. In nature they are found along steam banks from Long Island to Florida. When you come to our 5275 West Swamp Rd. location ask us to show some in their native habitat that we found along our stream bank. These plants perform well under normal landscape conditions. I especially like the floral display in the spring and these viburnums that bear fruit in the fall. Winterthur has great red leaves and abundant fruit in the fall. This cultivar needs a cross pollinator such as viburnum nudum.
Native Americans used Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum) for arrow shafts. There stems are long and strait. This plant will grow in places many plants struggle. So if you have had trouble with plants in a harsh location try this cultivar. Viburnums We raise over 10 types of Viburnums on our farms from seedlings to 5' shrubs. If you have poor soils due to compacting from construction, try viburnums. Being rugged and hardy, they perform where other plants fail. American Cranberry Bush KoreanSpice Blackhaw ArrowwoodViburnum Chicago Luster (we have 500 3-6' that must be sold by Sept 28 2005) Dawn Summer Snowflake Shasta Winterthur Blue Muffin Burkwood Erie Tea Judd Korean Spice Praque Siebold
About Author :Bill raises viburnums on his farm in Doylestown Pa. His web site details many of the plants that he raises. http://www.seedlingsrus.com

How to Make a Weed Dabber

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm
The tool that I am going to tell you about is for using herbicides such as RoundUp. The biggest mistakes that people make when using non-selective herbicides like RoundUp is overspray getting the herbicide on plants that they did not intend to spray, and over applying the product. If you spray to the point of run off, you are applying way too much.
The weed dabber is a tool used for spot treating weeds without getting the herbicide on other plants.
Start by going to your hardware store and buying a piece of 1- 1/2" PVC pipe. You only need a piece 30" long, but they might make you buy a 10' section. It's pretty cheap though. You'll need a plastic PVC cap for one end of the pipe, and on the other end you'll need an adapter to convert the PVC pipe to a standard pipe thread. You'll have to let the clerk at the hardware store help you find the best combination of fittings to use. What you need to do is to get the PVC pipe reduced down to a male garden hose type fitting. Hardware stores sell brass fittings that convert standard pipe thread to the same thread used on garden hoses.
Probably what you'll end up with is an adapter that will convert the 1-1/2" PVC to 3/4" male pipe. Then an adapter to convert the 3/4" male pipe to a male garden house fitting. They also make a cap that you can install on the end of a garden hose, you'll need one of those. This cap must have a rubber garden hose washer in it so it seals properly.
The PVC fittings have to be glued on so you'll have to pick up some PVC pipe glue and cleaner. You have to use the cleaner to remove the film and gloss from the PVC pipe and fittings before you glue them. Once you have them cleaned, just apply a coating of glue to both the pipe and the fitting, slide the fitting on and twist it at the same time. Hold the fitting tight for 60 seconds and it will be glued tightly.
Cut a piece of pipe 30" long and glue the pipe cap on one end, and the PVC to pipe thread adapter on the other end. Apply a small amount of pipe dope or Teflon tape to the threads of the adapter, and screw the male garden house fitting onto the adapter. Screw the garden hose cap to the male garden hose fitting.
Now back to the end of the pipe that you glued the pipe cap to. Drill a very small hole right in the middle of the pipe cap. You might have to experiment a little with the size of the hole you need, but make sure you start with a very small hole. I'd start with 1/16". Cut a piece of regular household sponge in a square about 1-1/2" square. What you are going to do is place this sponge over the small hole you drilled in the pipe cap, and secure it there by covering it with a piece of lightweight screen or mesh cloth. Maybe even a piece of an onion bag. You can secure the mesh to the PVC pipe with a hose clamp, or electrical tape.
Remove the garden hose cap from the other end of the PVC pipe, and fill the pipe with pre-mixed (ready to use) RoundUp. Replace the garden hose cap and you have yourself a weed dabber. The RoundUp will seep out the hole in the end of the pipe cap and be absorbed by the sponge. As long as the garden hose cap is tight the vacuum in the pipe will keep the herbicide from running out too fast. Once the sponge is damp, you can start dabbing weeds. Remember, you only want the weeds damp and not dripping wet. As long as you are leaving some RoundUp on the weeds as you dab them, the herbicide should kill them.
Depending on the temperatures, it could take a week or so before you can see the effects of the herbicide. If the sponge gets too dry you can loosen the cap a little to release the vacuum and more herbicide will be released onto the sponge. Or you can simply turn the tool upside down and that should let some air into the chamber, thus releasing the vacuum. As always, read the label and follow the directions on the herbicide package.
Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com
About Author :Michael J. McGroarty has more than 30 years experience in the landscape gardening/nursery industry. He's spent the better part of his life on his hands and knees in the dirt working with plants and his hands-on experience allows Mike to write in a manner than many gardeners find to be helpful and beneficial.

Introduction to Plant Grow Chambers

Technically, grow chambers are not classified as a hydroponics growing technique. It's actually a housing or a container for the hydroponics system, accessories and lighting fixture.
Grow chambers are perfect for the home grower because the system is enclosed, putting everything in one container and out of view. Of course, keeping your grow space nice and neat is only one of the many benefits a grow chamber offers.
Some systems are approximately the size of a refrigerator allowing you to grow your plants in one side of the chamber and mother plant with clones in the other. Grow chambers varies in size. The Phototron, for example, is much smaller than the PowerGrow system. Phototron lights illuminate plants from the side because they are placed vertically in the cube. Placing light vertically illuminate the whole plant without lost of lumens on the lower section of plants.
Most systems are built with a reflective interior to efficiently distribute light and increase the amount of lumens reaching the plants, resulting in a higher yield. Some systems are build with Foylon reflective interior to maximize luminescence to 99% light reflectivity.
A Co2 tank may be added to increase Carbon dioxide. If you paid attention in biology, you should know that plants intake Co2 and release oxygen. The system usually comes with built in ventilation for removing stale air and prevent heat build up. Some systems use VHO (Very High Output) fluorescent bulbs which does not generate as much heat as HID's or HPS lamps, but still offer a high lumen output. Using cool burning lamps allow you to place the plants closer to the lights for maximum intensity without burning tender foliage.
Benefits of using a grow chamber 1. Self-contained 2. Energy efficient 3. Ventilation 4. Reflective interior maximizing light intensity and illumination 5. * Co2 6. Grow continuously (replace harvested plants with clones) 7. Eliminate odors 8. Humidity control
Additional notes: Overall grow chambers are an effective and efficient way to grow plants in a small self-contained area of your home. However, it's not recommended for people growing tall plants. Because the grow area is constricted to a specific height, plants that exceed the height of the system will possibly burn on the lamp, bend and block other plants from receiving light.
* Optional accessory add-ons
About Author :HydroponicSearch.com is an agriculture, horticulture & aquaculture search engine & educational site

Blue Flowers Add Style and Color to any Garden

Blue flowers are some of the most striking plants around and can add a rich splash of color to any garden. Plant them in a cluster of all blue or mix them in with other flowers for a rainbow of color.
When planting flowers, it is important to remember to follow the instructions on the tag for the plant. Always buy plants that will thrive in the conditions in which you intend to grow them. A plant that loves sun will not do well in a shady area and you will only be disappointed with the results.
When planning your garden, be aware of the bloom time of the flowers. Planting perennials with different bloom times near each other will insure a garden that has blooms all season long. Remember also to plan for the height of the plants, putting the taller ones in the back.
Consider the flowers on the list below for your garden.
Polemonuim aka Blue Pearl - A compact plant with deep sky blue flowers that grows to 10". It blooms in late spring to early summer. Plant in partial shade and in well drained soil.
Blue Sea Holly - This dramatic plant has a lavender blue cone like flower with long spiked petals. It grows to 30" and is a favorite for dried flower arrangements. Plant in full sun - blooms in mid to late summer.
Delphinium aka Butterfly Blue - Bright blue delicate flowers adorn a plant that blooms in early to mid summer. It reaches 10" tall and prefers a sunny location with rich moist soil.
Campanula aka Blue Carpet - Bright blue to lilac colored flowers bloom for weeks in the middle of summer. This low growing perennial grows to 4" and prefers full sun with well-drained soil.
Penstemon aka Blue Buckle - This plant has tubular shaped blooms in blue to purple and flowers in mid summer to early fall. It grows to 15" and likes well-drained soil with full or partial sun.
Hydrangea aka Nikko Blue - Gigantic clumps of blue flowers adorn this shrub for most of the summer. In the fall, the flowers turn a golden color. This plant is a new variety that prefers rich soil but will grow in shade, partial sun, or full sun.
Vinca - Medium blue flowers and glossy green leaves form a carpet that grows to about 6" tall and blooms in mid spring. This plant will grow in most soil conditions, in the shade or sun.
Ajuga aka Bronze Beauty - This short bushy plant has spikes of blue flowers that grows quickly. Great as a ground cover or in raised beds. It blooms in spring and prefers a shady area.
Scabiosa aka Butterfly Blue - A bushy perennial with lavender blue flowers that bloom from June to October. This plant likes full sun and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Verbena aka Babylon Blue - Blue purple flowers petals adorn a plant that blooms in early spring. Great for window boxes and planters.
For more information about planning your garden, visit http://www.springgardenflowerguide.com and http://www.gardencenterinfoguide.com

Landscaping Contractors - How Not To Get Burned

You are in the right track in case you are planning to invest in a home landscaping project. What need your attention are time, a budget and an efficient planning.
Getting hold of a proficient landscape contractor, one who doesn't cut a hole in your pocket yet leaves you satisfied with his work is what the investment involves. Be rest assured to see that landscaped lawn of your dreams taking shape in a tailor-made manner and definitely not the typical neighborhood kinds that are such clich้s.
Begin with a detailed plan now that you are determined to carry on with this venture. Jot down on a piece of paper all that you have in your mind and categorize them according to your specifications. Prepare yourself for happy days ahead as you see your fondly imagined landscape turning into reality.
Chalk out your budget subsequently. Ask yourself if the creation of your envisioned landscape an achievable task. Or are you required to make a few alterations?
Don't lose heart. Your position is favorable as you realize your need and are ready to accommodate a few compromises in you plan in case of budget constraints. The best part is that you can negotiate with your landscape contractor once since you are armed with a budget, a plan and a schedule for your landscape makeover. The contractor in turn will guarantee you the best deal in terms of budget and your specific needs.
Its time to opt for your landscape contractor now that you have worked out all details.
* Ensure what you exactly want out of the landscape contactor and tell him the same. He can help you in numerous ways. In case you prefer working in the garden, you can choose to share the task with him making it more affordable.
* You should realize in advance your requirements and speak to your professional contractor accordingly. Make him comfortable by putting your trust in his capability and letting him know that.
* It is wise to acquaint yourself with the company you want to get into a contract with. One way is to ask for photographs or tours of projects they have previously handled for judging their competence level and experience. Seeking references and professional affiliations is another to employ.
* To make sure that that your contractor is answerable to you, check the legal credentials of the company.
* Every bit of the contract should be on paper. No verbal commitment holds the value of a legal document.
Follow these simple thumb rules and you won't be disappointed with the outcome - your dream landscape will no longer be a mere fantasy! About Author :
Mohammed Habeeb is involved with an online landscaping project that informs and educates the landscaping enthusiast through well-written articles. Discover how to get better at Landcaping Designs, Ideas, Plans, and Much More...

How to Grow Summer and Winter Lettuces!

Growing Lettuces
It is perfectly possible by growing several varieties; to harvest lettuces out-of-doors from May until late October. They can then later be grown under cloches. Few salad dishes are complete without some type of crisp lettuce, rich in vitamins and minerals. Most have a mild flavour but Rocket, my own personal favourite has a strong peppery bite to it, even a few leaves added to the mildest variety gives added flavour to a salad.
The best results are obtained by sowing the seed in rich, well-manured soil where the plants are to grow. There are two main types of lettuce, cabbage and cos, but many varieties of both. Tall, short, dwarf, "butterhead" "iceberg" and many more, all shades of green and even red make up the varieties.
Summer Cabbage Lettuce
Soil Preparation
The soil should be prepared in the previous autumn. Add plenty of organic matter to the soil at the rate of 2 bucketfuls to the sq. yd. A week before sowing fork in a little peat substitute at a rate of 1 bucketful to the sq. yd. This will help the soil to be light with good texture suitable for growing lettuce. Add fish and bone meal at 4 oz. (120g) to the sq. yd. If the ground is not chalky also add carbonate of lime over the surface at 5 oz. (150g) to the sq. yd.
Sowing
In the south seed can be sown from the middle of March and a little later in the north in drills 1 ft. apart and at a depth of ฝ in. (12mm) make sowings every 14 days until the middle of July; this will ensure a succession of well-hearted lettuce. Seed can be sown in trays in a greenhouse at a temperature of 55 deg F. (13deg. C.) in January if a very early crop is required. They can be transplanted out when they are big enough to be grown on under cloches; by early March they may be set out in rows 9 in. (228mm) apart.
General care
During dry weather water well, thin out the plants where necessary as early as possible allowing 9 in. (228mm) between each plant. Small or dwarf varieties need to be thinned out to only 6 in. (15cm) apart.
Harvesting
Cut those lettuces with fully developed hearts early in the morning using a sharp knife making the cut just below the bottom leaves. Remove all those that have started to bolt or they will run to seed.
Winter Cabbage Lettuces
Lettuces that are grown through winter need well-drained soil; therefore light, sandy loam is best but raised beds are an option. They require shelter and are a suitable crop to grow in the same soil that was well manured for a previous crop, such as potatoes. The only preparation required is to rake the soil over apply fish manure with a 10 per cent potash content at the rate of 3 oz. (90g) to the sq. yd. Bone meal may be used instead with added wood ash at 6 to 7 oz. (210g) to the sq. yd.
Sowing
Seeds should be sown in rows 1 ft. apart and not more than ฝ in. (12mm) deep in early September. Sow thinly, the resultant plants should be allowed 5 in. (127mm) between each plant, ensure that any thinning out is done before the winter sets in. If during the time of sowing, the ground where they are to grow is not yet ready, being occupied by another crop, the seeds can be sown in trays until the time comes to plant them into their true position. Cloches should be placed over the plants to give them protection during the long winter months.
General Care
Keep the soil free from weeds. Early March of the following year dried blood may be given at 5 oz. (150g) to the sq. yd. This should be applied between each row taking care not to put any onto the plants.
Harvesting
The lettuces can be cut as soon as they are ready and when they are required, the first should normally be ready about May or June. About Author :
Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com
I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?exper

Lawn Care Tips

What type of lawn care tips work best for you depends on the time and money you decide to put into your lawn. If your lawn is your hobby, you can spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of time on it. On the other side of the fence, if what you want is a low-maintenance green expanse that you can enjoy with family and friends, you’ve come to the right page!
The best lawn care tip you can get is to start with a solid plan. 1.Do you need to plant grass? Do some research on the best seed for your area, where to buy it cheap, and when it’s available. Depending on where you live, you’ll plant either cool season or warm season grass.
Cool season grass, planted in northern areas, is usually best planted in early fall, but if you missed planting then, plant it in the spring when soil temperatures reach 50 F. Warm season grass needs soil temps of 70F to thrive and is the choice for southern plantings. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can plant warm season grass in the upper Midwest. Warm season grasses are bred to thrive in southern climates and are not winter hardy in the north.
2.Of course, you’ll keep new grass plantings moist, but once grass reaches a height of three inches, water it deeply once a week. A healthy lawn needs about an inch of water a week. When watering, remember to consider recent rainfalls. Shallow watering techniques keep grass from sinking the deep roots that your lawn needs to compete with deep-rooted weeds.
3.Do you already have a lawn? Aerate it in the spring while it’s still moist and before the spring rains are done. Aerating your lawn in the springtime gives microbes and other small life forms a breath of fresh air after winter. Aeration also makes new paths for drainage and keeps your lawn from becoming saturated.
4.A lot is written about lawn fertilizer and the big question is why? Grass is the most efficient user of nitrogen on earth! Feed your soil with nutrient rich compost and let your lawn get its nutrients the natural way. The more chemicals you use, the more you disturb the natural biological processes that convert organic matter into nutrients and the microbes and other small organisms that take natural care of your lawn.
5.Mow your grass high. A 2 ฝ to 3-inch high cut makes your lawn look fuller, feel softer, and helps keep it healthy. Taller grass shades pesky weed seeds and keeps them from getting established. In addition, a taller lawn is better able to absorb sunshine and better able to retain moisture, the two main contributors to a healthy lawn.
6.Enjoy your lawn. After all, isn’t that your main reason for having a yard?
About Author :
Hans is the owner and one of the editors of Lawn Mower Guide a Collection of Articles about Lawn Mowers and Lawn Care

Colorful And Popular Hybrid Tea Roses

The romantic long-stemmed rose is the instantly recognizable signature of hybrid teas, and it's what makes them the most popular variety of roses. Public gardens feature special sections devoted to roses, especially colorful hybrid teas. Home gardeners enjoy growing hybrid tea roses that make lovely floral arrangments. Florists love the Tiffany hybrid tea rose for its ability to stand up so well in bouquets. But despite the world famous renown of those fragrant hybrid tea roses, some expert gardeners say that you can't avoid the fact that they often require a great deal of care.
Some hybrid tea roses may be better suited to your area's weather and soil conditions than others. If your location has humid summers, you should be growing hybrid tea roses that resist mildew. Drier regions will demand your rose plants to have more vigorous root systems, to sufficiently sustain them against drought periods in addition to the necessary amount of hybrid tea rose care required. Varieties like the Blue Girl hybrid tea rose require quite a few treatments to fend off nasty diseases like blackspot.
While not generally recommended for colder climates, certain types such as the hybrid tea rose like the Terracotta offer hardier petals and last longer after cutting. Blooming big from late spring to fall, their colors darken from a chocolate shade in cool weather to a vibrant cinnamon on warm days! The Terracotta is one of the gently fragrant hybrid tea roses most suitable for cutting, as the scent won't be overpowering.
There are even more spectacular shades including the charming Vienna rose with its fruity orange on orange blend, or the lilac-toned Blue Moon rose that makes stunning floral arrangements with red and pink roses. The Elle hybrid tea rose, a 2005 AARS prizewinner, offers the most striking color combination of soft pink petals and a brilliant yellow undertone that makes this absolutely gorgeous flower, with its scent of citrus mixed with spice, a standout for your garden of hybrid tea roses!
Copyright 2005 Dana Noonan – www.RoseGardening101.com

5 Steps To Start Sprucing Up Your Garden

Spring gardening has an appeal to people because it is relaxing and therapeutic, but even more it is an easy way to pass the time. To prepare for the task of sprucing up your garden, you should consider the following steps:
1. Sharpen your tools. The most important tool to have sharpened is your lawnmower blade. Using a dull blade can injure your grass and make it susceptible to disease, which can be very costly to correct. In fact, this is so important, you may even want to consider having a spare blade on hand so that you never find yourself having to even consider using a dull blade. In addition, you should have all of your tools, such as shovels, hoes and pruning shears sharpened to a fine edge also.
2. If you are the type who hesitates to work in the yard because you feel you do more harm than good, this may not be the case. If have had problems in previous years getting foliage or grass to grow in your yard, something as simple as a soil test can help you towards planting a thriving garden. A soil test can determine the type of fertilizers and soil conditioners you need to use. If you are the owner of a new home and just beginning the landscaping in your front and back yards, this is a very important step to take if you intend to plant a new lawn. Testing the soil first can save you hundreds of dollars by helping you avoid laying down sod that dies quickly and ends up needing to be replaced.
3. You may want to consider keeping a journal. Keeping a journal will help you track your successes and failures in your garden, so that you don't repeat the same mistakes, and so that you know what methods work and don't work with certain plants, and which plants should be moved with the change of the seasons.
4. Throw away any outdated chemicals. Follow the instructions on the label exactly. If the chemicals are beyond their expiration date than dispose of them and buy new ones. Using outdated chemicals can be detrimental to your garden, killing off the plant life and making a mess of everything.
5. As your garden begins to grow and all of your hard effort starts to pay off, make sure and prune. Timing is very important when pruning. For some plants, the flowers that will come up next year will set within 10 days of the end of a bloom. Because of this fact, it is important that you be knowledgeable about the plants and flowers growing in your garden.
Gardening is not for everyone, which is why it is nice knowing there is the option of hiring someone to do the job for you instead of following the steps above. However, for many gardening is a relaxing and fun hobby that brings hours of enjoyment, both while working at it, as well as while looking over the fruits of their labor. No matter which category you fall into, these tips are a great way to help you get started. About Author :
More from this author at: mygarden-magazine.com

Should you Feed Wild Birds in the Winter

The "conventional wisdom" has always been that you should feed wild birds in winter because their normal source of food - small seeds and insects - has dramatically diminished. But is the conventional wisdom correct? By attracting birds to our feeders, are we making them too dependent on a free source of food, and weakening their ability to find food on their own? Do we actually put birds at greater risk because of cats and flying into windows?
These are not easy questions to answer because there has been little research into the subject. However a three-year study of chickadees by the University of Wisconsin found that winter survival rates were highest among chickadee populations that were fed - but only during the harshest winters. During more moderate winters (and lower latitudes) there were no significant differences in survival rates and spring hatching rates between chickadees that were fed and those that foraged for themselves.
What if the feeders are removed? Can chickadees "remember" how to find food on their own? In a similar study, feeders were suddenly removed after conditioning the birds to feeders for many years. The birds immediately resumed feeding on their own. Again, survival rates were the same as for chickadees that were not used to feeders. While more research needs to be done, these studies indicate that feeding chickadees - and, presumably, other wild birds -does not result in feeder dependency.
Some argue that feeders put birds at risk because of the presumed greater risk of predation. However, birds that eat from feeders eat more in less time than if they forage in the wild, giving them more time to watch for predators. You can minimize the risk to birds at your feeder by placing feeders where they are inaccessible by cats, and by adding tape or decals to your windows so birds won't fly into them.
The conclusions we can draw are that feeding wild birds in winter - or not - does no harm to their survival and spring hatching rates. So with winter coming soon, get your feeders in shape, and enjoy your birds!
About Author :Phil Winter is a web designer, owner of three e-commerce sites, photographer, and writer on many topics including the internet and photography. His e-commerce sites are: Wild Bird Goodies.com, Welcome Baby Gifts.com, and the newly-launched A Pampered Dog.com.

Cut Flower Gardening For Beautiful Bouquets

Imagine a never-ending supply of beautiful flowers for your home, bouquets and arrangements to give to friends, flowers to pluck at will for gifts, get-well visits, anniversaries and birthdays. By planting a garden stocked with flowers that happily give up their blooms for your pleasure, you can have fresh flower arrangements in every room in your home all throughout the spring and summer.
To create your own bouquet garden, start with a sunny spot in your yard. A garden spot that gets 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day is ideal. It should be within easy reach for watering, since a cut flower garden will need daily watering during any dry spells. You’ll also want to design it to make it easy for you to reach all the flowers in it, so a raised bed that can be approached on four sides is perfect. If you decide to plant against a fence or as a border, make sure that you can get to all the plants without stepping on others by putting in footpaths or trenches for walking.
The best way to start your cut flower garden is with bulbs planted in the autumn. Daffodils and tulips are among the most popular spring bouquet flowers. By getting them in the ground in the autumn, you’ll be able to start cutting early in the spring.
Some more unusual spring-flowering bulbs that make gorgeous cut flowers include:
Giant flowering onion – Grows 3-4 feet tall, with huge purple blooms. Great as a back border in a cut flower garden. Blossoms from mid-spring through early summer
Windflower – also known as anemone, with daisy like deep pink and white flowers, booms through midsummer
Crocus – blooms in early spring, though there are varieties that bloom through autumn
Hyacinth – Tall clusters of blossoms that are stunning in arrangements. Pink, blue, purple and white, they grow up to 12 inches tall. Bloom in early to mid-summer from fall planting.
Grape Hyacinth- Purple flowers that bloom in autumn and remain green throughout the winter—although it’s dormant in the summer.
Early in the spring, you can start planting gladiolus. These huge, showy blooms are a mainstay of cut flower arrangements, and come in just about every color imaginable. Gladiolus bulbs can be planted as early as two weeks before the last frost. If you plant a new set of gladiolus every two weeks, you’ll have cut flowers from early summer all the way through the first frost.
Roses are an entire subject of their own, but they deserve special mention when discussing cut flower gardens. Rambling and climbing varieties of roses are especially suited to cut flower gardens, putting out masses of blooms and responding to cutting with even more flowers. Trail a rambling rose along a wooden fence rail and you’ll have sweet-smelling roses for your bedroom dresser all summer long.
Also in early spring, you can plant your annuals. Snapdragons, cosmos and zinnias all bloom at different times during the summer, which will extend your ‘bouquet season’ into the fall.
Don’t forget to include ‘filler’ flowers in your cut flower garden. Foliage grasses and flowers like alyssum, baby’s breath, and Queen Anne’s Lace can fill spaces in your bouquets and add a lacy, delicate touch to a vase full of flowers.
About Author :This article courtesy of http://www.about-flowers.com/

What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is the production of food using all natural methods - avoiding all synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Its' core philosophy is that of sustainability or 'zero impact'. The organic farmer seeks to leave the earth in its' natural state after the harvest.
The focus of organic methods is on soil quality. Crops are grown without artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and livestock is reared free of drugs and hormones. Proponents of organic food believe it produces food with higher quality and nutritional value than conventional chemical-based methods.
Many countries including the US and the EU have certification programs to control the use of the term "Organic". This benefits the consumer by ensuring best practice has been followed. This varies from region to region but includes things like the minimum length of time a field can be left free of chemicals before it is allowed to be used for organic farming.
There are many different styles of organic food production but they all adhere to the same principles:
* no artificial fertilizers or drugs * no genetically modified organisms * prevention of soil depletion * 'biodiversity' - the growing of a range of crops not just a single species.
One recent researcher found that vegetables in the 1950s contained more than eight times as many trace elements as modern crops, which he attributed to the excessive use of nitrate fertilizers. You can read all the latest research at http://www.ge-free.com/
Organic farming has come about as a consumer reaction against the chemical based methods that have been used so widely in 20th century food production. Really though it is simply a formalised definition of traditional agriculture as it has been practiced for thousands of years before 20th century chemicals were invented.
So far, organic farming has been limited to small businesses growing for local markets. Organic farming methods are very expensive compared to their chemical counterparts, and the production yields are low when compared to 'conventional' farming.
Consumers of course are willing to pay a premium for the improved flavour and nutrition value of organic produce but it remains a premium market. This will change as more large scale organic producers enter production.
Most countries now have 'all organic' type food stores in the larger cities. So long as there are people who enjoy healthy living and an alternative to the chemical ridden norm, these businesses will continue to flourish.
About Author :Jeremy is the owner of http://www.ge-free.com/ and publisher of Organic Food News.

Gardening Fun With Children

Do you recall your very first plant? Your first garden? Perhaps it was the geranium seeds you planted in a milk carton or Styrofoam cup as part of a class project. Perhaps, if you were lucky, it was your own corner of your parent’s garden, staked out and set up just for the plants that you chose. My own garden memories include experiments with watermelon seeds (under the back porch where no one would step on them – and where, with no sun, they never grew), orange seeds (the ones in the garden never sprouted. The one I started in a paper cup on a window sill still grows in my mother’s back yard) and packets of all sorts of flower seeds.
Instilling a love of gardening in children gives them a lifelong gift on which they can draw – for pleasure, for sustenance and to add creativity and joy to their lives. There are so many garden-related activities and experiments that you can do with a garden. It boggles the mind that so many resources and references to gardening with children concentrate on ‘building a sunflower house’ when there are so many more creative ways to introduce children to the pure fun of gardening.
Packets of seeds that are labeled ‘kid gardens’ are one way to go about it – they do usually contain seeds for plants that grow quickly, at least in grownup terms. For a child, though, ten days is an eternity. Instead, take a trip to the local nursery with your child and let them pick one or two flats of flowers already in bloom. Invest a few dollars in a garden trowel and fork, and help your child transplant the seedlings into his own flower bed. That’s the sort of work/reward ratio that a child understands: one afternoon of digging and planting equals a flower garden. As the weeks go on, you’ll find their interest is maintained because they’re into the FUN part of gardening – watering, picking, and enjoying.
When they’re ready to start from seed, include them in early spring seed starting. Instead of buying plants, let them plant them inside to be ready to transplant in a few weeks. Take a tip from science teachers everywhere – plant several flats in regular trays, but plant one very special ‘demonstrator’. Fill a glass with soil, poke seeds down into the dirt against the side of the glass and put it on a sunny windowsill. Your child will have the fascination of watching what happens underground as his seedlings grow – the seed pod splitting, the roots spreading, and finally, the miracle of the first tiny shoots pressing upward toward the light and heat.
There are other very easy gardening projects that yield quick results for children, projects that have the bonus of being ‘winter-ready’. Cut up a potato, making sure that each chunk contains at least one eye. Plant it in a cup of dirt with the eye facing up – and watch it grow. You can do the same with an onion – just bury the onion in soil with the crown showing. It will only take days for the shoots to turn green and begin growing.
For more fun gardening ideas for kids, pick up a science activity book. You’ll find a world of growing and gardening experiments that children can try, including the ever popular ‘cucumber in a bottle’ trick.
About Author :This article courtesy of http://www.floral-world.net/

Gardening's Most Valuable Advice

Many people may not be aware that gardening can actually harm the environment. A large amount of carbon dioxide can be released through tilling the soil. This contributes to global warming. When you cultivating and compacting the soil, destroys good fungi. Fertilizers like nitrogen and manure often leach out of the soil and pollute the water you drink.
Global warming
Did you know that the earth's soil gives out carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 10 times more than all human activity? This comes from the pill bugs, microbes, fungi and worms when they breathe, digest food and then die. Although in the past plants have been capable of absorbing carbon dioxide caused by small-scale tillages, this isn't the case nowadays.
The increase of the globe's average temperature is because of the carbon dioxide the soil emits when tilled. The good news is that tilling can be minimized by mulching or sheet composting.
Good Fungi
In untilled soil, there is beneficial fungi known as the vesicular-arbuscular-mycorrhizae or VAM for short. VAM actually forms a symbiotic relationship with plants. Their filaments increase root hairs and provide nutrients to the plant. They give out zinc, copper, potassium and phosphorus. Plants provide carbohydrates for the fungi in return. It is possible to grow a garden without tilling the sooiil at all by mulching heavily until the soil is soft and friable.
Surplus Nitrogen
Many gardeners waste nitrogen and manures; farmers do otherwise. Farmers only need a quarter to a third of nitrogen to mix with an inch of compost, horse, or cow manure. Kate Burroughs of Sebastopol California, uses the same rule for her home-grown lettuce and sweet corns. When it comes to broccoli and pear trees, farmers only need a small amount. Notice that gardeners apply larger amounts of compost and manure than farmers. Obviously, they are not only wasting their fertilizer but also their money.
The best gardening advice that can be given to those concerned is to do all things with moderation. Keep in mind that too little and too much of something is not healthy. This is the most valuable advice one can have in gardening.
About Author :Find more about gardening and some useful gardening tips at About Gardening

Orchid Care

Fall Weather Can Help Your Orchids To Flower!
Orchids bloom most profusely in the fall through winter months. Now is the perfect time to prepare your mature healthy plants to bloom, but you only have a few weeks! What's the secret? Most orchids depend on a day and night temperature variation of about 8 to 10 degrees to stimulate them to bloom. As night temperatures fall in the next month or so, you have an opportunity to encourage your orchid plants to flower. Simply place your plants close to a window that is cracked at night, to let in a little cool air. Give your plants this treatment for about 3 to 4 weeks and you should begin to see flower stalks emerging soon after that.
How low should you let the night temperature drop? For paphs and phals, temperatures of about 55 to 60 degrees should suffice. Make sure your plants are not in a cold draft, or protect them with a light curtain. Placing them in an unheated room at night will also do the trick. Remember that day temperatures need to be about ten degrees higher. If your orchid plants have been growing outside this summer, you can simply leave them out for a few more weeks. If temperatures threaten to fall below 55, all but the coolest growing of orchids, such as cymbidiums, should be brought in.
Your plants must be healthy, and well care for to respond this treatment- if a plant has just flowered, don't expect it to bloom again right away. It may need to wait until spring before it sends up more flowers. This method generally works best with orchids that have their natural flowering season in the fall through spring months, including most phalaenopsis (moth orchids), paphiopedilum/paphs (slipper orchids) and cattleyas. Give it a try and you may be surprised when that reluctant orchid finally puts on a dazzling floral display.
About Author :Yassir Islam started growing orchids as a teenager. His passion for these plants has taken him around the world, from orchid hunting in Africa to judging orchids in Japan. More tips on getting your orchids to flower, and tons of orchid photographs, can be found on his free informational website, www.argusorchids.net

Organic Gardening In The Backyard - Fun, Healthy, and Easier

Organic gardening, which is sometimes thought of as something out of the 60s hippie culture, has been steadily growing in popularity over the years. Not only can you find entire aisles of organics at the local supermarket, the number of specialty stores dedicated to organically grown foods has increased dramatically. Part of this popularity is due to an increasing understanding of the dangers associated with synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Growing organically generally means gardening without these potentially dangerous chemicals. Many backyard gardeners are turning to organic methods as they realize how easy and effective organic growing can be.
Part of the reason chemical pesticides and fertilizers are so widely used is because they work well. In deciding to use organic methods in your backyard garden, you first will need to accept the fact that you will likely have more pest damage and lower yields than if you were employing chemicals. Many people are willing to make this trade off in return for the opportunity to harvest chemical-free foods for themselves and their families.
There are several different approaches and techniques used in organic gardening. You may find that you are using some of them already. If you have selected cultivars that are resistant to pests or drought, you are involved in one form of organic gardening. If you put out a scarecrow or bars of hand soap to keep animals away, this too is organic gardening. Compost is an organic fertilizer. Organic techniques are around in many gardens already. By utilizing them more and moving away from chemicals, you can improve the environment and lead a healthier lifestyle.
There are different levels of organic gardening and different reasons why people choose organic methods. Some do it because they do not want to harm any animals, even aphids or cutworms. So they try to develop a system where they can cohabitate peacefully, keeping insects and other animals out when possible and removing them or learning to live with them when other options don’t work.
Some people are not opposed to pest control and extermination but they don’t want to add any more chemicals to the environment or to the food that they eat. Others go organic as a means of getting back to a more historic, natural, and even challenging way of gardening. You will need to decide which methods match your personal philosophies and reasons for going organic.
Pest control and fertilization are two of the key areas to focus on with organic gardening. In addition to using native, resistant plants, mulching, and practicing crop rotation, the use of other natural methods of pest control and of compost and manure as fertilizer can go a long way toward creating a more organic garden.
Pest Control
There are many ways that backyard gardeners can control insects and other pests without the use of synthetic chemicals.
- Use mesh row covers to keep insects off of plants. They need to be removed from squashes, melons, cucumbers, peppers and other plants that require or benefit from pollinations during flowering. - Collars placed around young plants will help prevent damage by cutworms. - Allow natural predators such as ladybugs and wasps to assist you in your efforts by planting vegetation that will attract them to your garden and avoiding pesticides that harm them as well. - Screens, cold frames and fences can help keep some insects and animals such as rabbits out of the garden. - Aphids can be removed from plants with a strong stream of water. Hand removing insects such as potato beetles can be effective in small gardens. - Weed your garden and turn the soil regularly to help reduce the growth of insects that like to nest in certain plant debris. - Learn to identify the egg clusters of harmful insects and remove them immediately - Use homemade insecticides such as garlic spray or other harmless pest inhibitors. - Try using non-invasive methods of pest control including soap bars, cuttings of human hair, or an alert dog in the yard. These techniques may or may not be effective, but are worth a try before resorting to chemicals. - Some home pesticides such as those that use rhubarb or tobacco plants can be very dangerous to humans and other mammals. Use caution and be sure you know what you’re getting into before you begin.
Organic Fertilizers
Of course you want your plants to grow quickly and produce large yields. However, chemical fertilizers are potentially harmful to those who eat the plants and to the environment, especially if applied too heavily and allowed to run off into water supplies and habitat areas. Using organic fertilizers can decrease the problems associated with chemicals.
Manure is a natural, effective fertilizer if used properly. Not only does it improve soil structure, it provides the nutrients plants need to develop. Manure that is allowed to age and decompose before use is most effective. Pasteurized manure is less likely to include active weed seed or harmful bacteria. Do not apply too heavily.
Create and maintain a compost pile to use as fertilizer. Not only does it incorporate the use of natural organic material such as leaves, lawn clippings and household waste such as potato peels and carrot stems, it also provides a free source of fertilizer and reduces the amount of waste that is hauled to landfills.
If you choose to use chemical fertilizers, use sparingly and choose a slow release variety that is less likely to leech into vulnerable areas.
Companion planting, which is the practice of putting together two plants that seem to benefit each other, has been offered as a means of enhancing organic gardening practices. It is thought that plants such as nicotina and marigolds are natural pest deterrents. However, there is no firm research to support this as yet. Still, many gardeners have reported success with this method.
Additionally, planting vegetables with prickly vines, such as watermelon or squashes around the perimeter of vulnerable plants may help keep out rabbits and other animals that don’t like the scratchy vines.
These days, many gardeners are looking for ways to reduce the use of chemicals and rely on more natural and inexpensive means of providing food for their tale and backyard growing enjoyment. Organic gardening techniques provide fun and healthy options.
About Author :C.J. Gustafson is an amateur gardener and a professional photographer, providing valuable tips and advice about garden accessories and other vegetable gardening topics. She would rather lose a few ears of corn than go without wildlife in her garden.