Top 100 Opinions » Gardening

Rain Garden – A Unique Way of Landscaping

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:57:01 +0000

It is obvious that everyone of us wish to make our home look beautiful and attractive. Applying various landscaping ideas to your outdoors increases the value of your home too. Adding a garden is the most common landscaping idea preferred by a majority of home owners. However, you can create a new style of garden called rain garden that is unique and different from the traditional garden.

A rain garden is a garden containing native perennials, shrubs and flowering plants which are planted in a small depression that is formed generally on a natural slope. The rain water runoff that flows from driveways, patios, lawns or roofs is held and soaked in the depression. A rain garden is an attractive and low-maintenance landscape alternative. It helps in protecting and restoring water quality.

Many people get confused with the rain garden and water garden. Remember that they are not the same. A water or a pond garden contains water throughout the year. However, a rain garden is dry most of the time. Water is held by the rain garden only during and after a rainfall. Most of the times, a rain garden is constructed on the downside of a slope on your property. It is positioned perpendicular to the slope of the land. Also, the length of the garden is more than its width. These features make it to catch the maximum amount of rainfall. The design and build of rain gardens depend on the soil conditions also. However, they require the least maintenance. You need not worry of the growth of plants in rain gardens as they mostly prefer native plants. So, better create a rain garden which is a beautiful part of landscaping.

Know the Plants that are Apt for Rain Gardens

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:58:14 +0000

Using creative ideas of landscaping make your home look beautiful and elegant. One such idea is to add a rain garden. A rain garden is a landscape or a planted depression which allows to hold rain water runoff from driveways, roofs or lawn. It needs less maintenance and in turn is helpful for improving the water quality. However, when you plan to have a rain garden in your home, then you should know certain things on the type of plants which can be grown in it.

A rain garden should incorporate native vegetation. Native do not require fertilizers for growth. They have good root systems and can utilize the water and nutrients present in the native soils. Anything like shrubs, perennials, wildflowers or a combination of these three, can be grown in rain gardens. It is preferred to choose wetland vegetation such as wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, sedges and small trees which take up excess water that comes into the rain garden.

Red maple, Sugar maple, Red chokeberry, Swamp milkweed, Lady fern, Wild ginger and Smooth asters are some of the plants which can be grown in rain gardens. The native plants are tolerant to local climate, water and soil conditions. They attract local wildlife such as native birds and make the surroundings look beautiful and pleasing.

It is better to choose plants with moderate moisture requirements for areas which have moist and well-drained soil. Plants having low or moderate moisture can be grown at areas which are dry. Such plants are better for planting at the edges of the rain garden. The growing zone of rain gardens should have hardy perennial plants. Having known these things, select the right plants for your rain garden.

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Know About the Maintenance of Rain Gardens

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:59:41 +0000

Gardening a home yard is a common way of landscaping. You can create a flower garden, vegetable herb garden, rock garden, water garden or a rain garden. Any of these gardening areas make your home more beautiful. Let’s know few things about the rain gardens here. A rain garden is a place where natural vegetation is included in water that is held in a depression. The water includes the rain water runoff from different areas like driveways, roofs or laws. Creating a rain garden is more interesting and beneficial. It also requires less maintenance.

As said, rain gardens include growth of native plants. These native plants have stronger root systems and can use the natural nutrients from the water and the native soils. So, they do not need fertilizers and hence, there is no need to worry about providing fertilizers for the rain garden plants.

However, you need to follow some maintenance tips at the time of establishment of rain garden and also during the periods of little or no rainfall. When the plants are young and still in the period of establishment, they need some supplemental water during dry periods. This occasional watering may be necessary during the first year. Apart from watering, weeding should also be done during this period. Once the plants become established, they can out-compete the weeds.

The maintenance of rain gardens after establishment is very minimal. It only requires considerable and periodic pruning, mulching, thinning and plant replacement. Do not forget to inspect the rain garden immediately after the rainfall event to make sure that the rain garden is working as per the design.

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Rain Barrel Water Usage for Gardening

admin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:45:38 +0000

A rain barrels is a system that collects rain water from the roof. Generally, a rain barrel is composed of a 55 gallon drum, a vinyl hose, PVC couplings, a screen grate to keep debris and insects out, and other off the shelf items. Rain barrels features a hole at the top of the barrel and second hole at the bottom of the barrel. Rain barrel are available in different sizes and shapes and these are designed to suit the individual needs.

In the following ways rain barrel water can be used for gardening:

Rain barrels hold water that has been collected from roofs and this stored water can be used to water the plants in the garden.
Nutrients present in the rain water helps in faster growth of the plants than the artificial fertilizers.
Rain water is used by many people to water the pot plants, seedlings, tricky and fussy plants because it do not contain chlorine.
With the help of the rain barrels you can store the rain water and this water can be provided to the plants during the hot summer months.
Apart from using rain water for gardening, it can be used for washing car, patios and furniture etc.
Rainwater is at more favorable temperatures for plant growth than cold well or tap water. Soft, pure, chemical free rainwater maintained at proper ambient temperature helps plants grow vigorously.
Another benefit of rain barrel is that, it is a very simple process to install these rain water barrels.

Therefore, rain water stored in these rain barrels are of great help for gardening.

Benefits of Glass Swimming Pool Fences

admin — Sat, 28 May 2011 15:56:08 +0000

Many of us wish to have a swimming pool in our home. Certain landscaping ideas such as fencing, landscape lighting, patios and others make the pool look much attractive. Fencing the pool is one of the most useful and aesthetic way of landscaping your pool. Many parents remember the incidents of their neighbor’s children falling into the pool because of lack of fencing. It is therefore not good to neglect proper fencing around the pool.

Different materials such as vinyl, glass, wood, aluminum and others are used for swimming pool fences. Each material has its own features and benefits. However, glass fences are found to be much beneficial. It is more easy to stop your children from entering the pool in your absence by using a glass fence. When compared to other materials, glass is strong and hence you can relax even if you are not with your kids.

Glass can be shaped into different styles. So you can get the glass fence that exactly matches the shape of your swimming pool. Glass swimming pool fences look much stylish than any others. It is also easy to install them. It is also said that the life of the glass fences is much greater than other types. Fences made of some other materials like wrought iron may get rusted after some time. They need to be replaced once they are rusted. But, a glass fence avoids such problems of rusting. So they can be used for a long time. However, they should be cleaned properly.

With these benefits, many people prefer to choose glass fencing to the swimming pool. However, care should be taken that they are not broken.

Build your Own Summerhouse in a Garden

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:53:18 +0000

Many people prefer to construct garden buildings for different purposes. A garden summerhouse is one of the best ways for home extensions in garden. A summerhouse is considered as the place or shelter used for relaxation in warm weather. It provides a cool and shady place for relaxation or retreat from the summer heat.

There are many companies offering services for building various types of garden buildings including summerhouses. However, those who cannot afford expensive costs of those services wish to build their own summer house in garden adding value to your property. You can design and build a summerhouse of the model that best suits your budget and also exact needs.

Once you decide to erect a summerhouse in your garden, design a proper plan. You can use a summerhouse for different purposes. It can be used as a playroom, garden office, and so on. The design of a summerhouse varies with its purpose or use. Different things such as soundproofing, electricity, running water, internet and cable television are also required for a summerhouse. So you need to plan for these things accordingly.

The other factor that you need to consider while building your own summerhouse is its size. The cost for its construction depends on the size. Also consider the size of the garden so that it is not crowded or replaced by the building. Before starting the construction, decide the area or location of the building in your garden. Some people wish to have it nearer to the main building without being overlooked by neighbors. However, some people wish to have it separated from the main house. So considering the size, location and purpose of the building are the important things to be considered for constructing a summerhouse in your garden.

Then based on the planning, purchase the appropriate materials required for construction. When you shop for the items on your own, you can get them at better prices. Different types of materials can be used for its construction. Using softwood can make your summerhouse look natural. You can also paint it if is necessary. There are many materials that are cheap but long-lasting. Consider the suggestions from experts or go through the internet for better options. You can have much fun in building your own garden summerhouse. In turn, you can also save much money.

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Few Organic Fertilizers

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:26:39 +0000

Organic garden fertilizers are used to improve soil fertility and not for long term complete source fertility program. Its very essential to enrich organic garden fertilizers using compost, manures and cover crops as your primary source of additional nutrients.

Organic garden fertilizers are non-synthetic type naturally available substances used to make soil more fertile. A few commercially available organic garden fertilizers are bonemeal, plant-based fertilizers, soybean meal, seaweed meal, rock phosphate, organic garden potash (plant source), gypsum.

Bonemeal: It is used to stimulate root growth and also used for base dressing before planting shrubs, fruit, and other perennials.
Plant-based fertilizers: These are comfrey, alfalfa, and soy to cultivate vegetables.
Soybean meal: It is a high-nitrogen source used on vegetable beds once in a year or as a base dressing in unfertile soil.
Seaweed meal: It helps in improving humus levels in soil. It is applied to annual beds, fruit trees, bushes and lawns.
Rock phosphate: It is used to rectify a phosphate deficiency. This is considered as a better non-animal substitute to bonemeal.
Organic garden potash: It is distributed over one season and is used to cultivate fruit and vegetables.
Gypsum: It supplies calcium without changing pH of soil. Generally gypsum and dolomitic limestone mixed in 80:20 ratio is used to lighten heavy clay soils.

Different Types Of Plants For Indoor Container Home Garden

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:22:01 +0000

These days most of the people are living in apartments. They don’t have sufficient place for garden. But you can create garden in containers like pots, tires, boxes etc. You can place that container plants at your balcony, windows, and door. Here are some of the plants, which can grow in containers.

1. Biennials:

Canterbury bells: These bells are in purple, lavender, blue, pink and white color. This is choice biennials.
Herbs and Fragrance: You can grow the herb garden in a container. Rosemary, marjoram, parsley, sage, fennel, mint and chives are the different type of herbs.

2. Perennials: Perennials plants include rose, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon, apple, and peppermint.

3. Angel ivy ring topiary: It is also called as wire vine. It grows 12 inches tall and 8 inches in diameter. It is a fast growing seasonal flower plant.

4. Cactus Combo Bonsai: These plants will have defense mechanism. These types of plants can grow at high temperature and low moisture places also. It requires 6 to 10 inches container to grow.

5. Chinese evergreen: Chinese evergreen will grow in low light. And also it requires less maintenance. These leaves are in silvery gray and dark green color.

Indoor plants will clean the environment and also act as a decorating tool in the home. And these plants are easy to maintain.

Growing Plants through Hydroponics

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:09:02 +0000

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions instead of soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel or mineral wool. A variety of techniques exist. Plant physiology researchers discovered in the 19th century that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water.

In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant’s water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with hydroponics, but some will do better than others. It is also very easy to do; very young children often undertake the activity with such plants as watercress. Hydroponics is also a standard technique in biology research and teaching and a popular hobby.

Passive hydroponics, semi-hydroponics or passive sub irrigation is a method of growing plants without soil, peat moss, or bark. Instead an inert porous medium transports water and fertilizer to the roots by capillary action. Water and fertilizer are held in a reservoir and conducted to the roots as necessary, reducing labor and providing a constant supply of water to the roots. In the simplest method, the pot sits in a shallow solution of fertilizer and water or on a capillary mat saturated with nutrient solution. Since routine maintenance is much simplified, passive hydroponics can reduce the labor required to maintain a large collection of plants.

The various hydroponics media available contain more air space than more traditional potting mixes, delivering increased oxygen to the roots. Allowing air to reach the roots is particularly important in preventing root rot in epiphytic plants such as orchids and bromeliads, whose roots are exposed to the air in nature. Passive hydroponics also may add additional ambient humidity through evaporation. It is important in passive sub irrigation to wash out the system from time to time to remove salt accumulation. Plants that require drying between watering or a dry dormant period may fail to thrive under the constant moisture of passive hydroponics.

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