For a Greener World

The post below has been published already but I believe the idea must be reinforced and more people should have the chance to read it and get involved.

By the end of 2009 7.4 billion trees had been planted under the UN campaign by participants in 170 countries. In 2010,the International Year of Biodiversity, we may go farther and plant many more.

That's why I am inviting you all - family, friends, followers, readers at large - to grow green and join The Billion Tree Campaign, a United Nations Environment Programme. It is our duty to do something really meaningful for Mother Earth. And what could be more meaningful than trying to make up for all the damage we have caused to the planet? By planting a tree - a single tree - we may make a world of difference today and ensure that the next generations will be able to enjoy greener landscapes. So I challenge you all to plant at least one tree per month. It's not that difficult. What we need is to take action...NOW.

Let's get started. Go plant your tree! Click on the link to learn more about it.
 

Annuals or Perennials for Your Garden

The choice between annual or perennial plants for the garden may be solely economical. However, there are other factors to be taken into account, depending on the time you can dedicate to gardening or to the type of garden you want to grow. Linda Jenkinson gives us some ideas on the topic, and hopefully, after reading them, you will be able to make your own decision.   Do You Need Annuals or Perennials for your Garden?
by: Linda Jenkinson*
The crocus delights us in early spring as it dares to peek through the snow and lift its face to the sun. Soon after follow tulips, narcissus, iris, lilacs… all perennials that welcome spring with vibrant color and fragrance. Perennial plants bloom at different times during the growing season and delight you with variety in color and size from earliest spring to late autumn. However, many perennials like those mentioned, bloom only for a few short weeks and then disappear from the landscape until the following year. Annual plants provide a garden with continuous bloom and color throughout the summer. The “mission” of an annual is to produce seed. Seeds sprout, foliage grows, flowers bloom and then the plant goes to seed. When the annual completes its mission, the entire plant— flower, foliage, and root system —dies. Some annuals have a very short life span and depending upon when they are planted, may reseed and go through two or more growing cycles per season. Other annual plants grow continuously from spring planting until the first frost of autumn. Since annual plants die completely at season end, they need to be replaced yearly. Depending on the cultivar, annual seeds can be planted directly into a garden or sprouted indoors for transplanting when weather conditions and soil temperatures are right for growth. Annual transplants are also available each spring at gardening centers and many are sold in inexpensive flats that contain four or more plants. Annual plants can often be closely grouped to fill in barren areas of your landscape whereas perennials often need space to multiply and/or to grow to maturity.

* Linda is leading author of GardeningGuides.com -Your place for information on gardening topics and free e-books .
 

Earth Hour 2010

This Saturday at 8:30 PM everyone is invited to swith off their lights for one hour in order to join the worldwide movement EARTH HOUR  2010. According to the WWF website " millions of people, 1000s of cities and globally famous monuments will all switch off their lights for just 1 hour in a symbolic show of support for our one and only planet."

According to a WWF spokesperson, this year's Earth Hour will involve more  people than in 2009 when hundreds of millions of people from 88 countries switched their lights to cast their Vote for Earth.

You and I can make a difference. It is our way of telling world leaders that they must listen to our planet's demands and needs.

Gardening Tips - Part Four

 For a couple of days we have been looking at some useful gardening tips that may help you either get started with gardening or improve your already seasoned skills. Whichever the case, you will surely enjoy the tips organized by Hege Crowton as they remind us of the simple basic principles every gardener should be aware of. 

15. Avoid putting too much mulch on tree trunks; this would encourage unwanted pests to reside on them.

16. Use plant varieties that are common to your area or have been taken from an area with similar conditions.

17. Be sure to know the plants that are poisonous. If you are intent on growing them, make sure to have the necessary cure available in your household. Take note of this gardening tip, it can save your life.

18. The best time to water plants is during mornings.

19. Before planting a new plant in your garden, you must consider its height and size when it matures. This garden tip can help you save money in the future.

20. Newly transplanted plants may require special attention during its first week. This is to reduce the stress and shock it got during transplantation.

And last but not the least of the gardening tips...

21.Plants are living entities. If you want them to grow in your garden you have to treat them as such. They need to be taken care of. They are like your pets, you look out for them. In return you get that feeling of contentment watching them thrive.

A good way to take care of them is to consider that plants might have some feelings too. 


 

For a Greener World

 You are invited to stand up and join "For a Greener World".

I am inviting you all - family, friends, followers, readers at large - to grow green and join The Billion Tree Campaign, a United Nations Environment Programme. It is our duty to do something really meaningful for Mother Earth. And what could be more meaningful than trying to make up for all the damage we have caused to the planet? By planting a tree - a single tree - we may make a world of difference today and ensure that the next generations will be able to enjoy greener landscapes. So I challenge you all to plant at least one tree per month. It's not that difficult. What we need is to take action...NOW.

Let's get started. Go plant your tree!

Flowers and Other Garden Plants - Part Three

 This is the third part of GARDENING TIPS by Hege Crowton. Some of the tips may sound like obvious to the advanced gardener, but they are important to be remembered, especially if you do not have much practice. Check them out below:

10.Flowers are beautiful, but they are also expensive. Get one that is resistant to many elements. Flowers from your local community already have developed resistance to conditions present in your area.

11.For most garden plants, their roots go only as deep as 6 inches. Putting fertilizer deeper than that would be a waste of money. Put them shallower as they seep down when the plants are being watered.

12.Earthworms are important to plants. They till and aerate the soil for the roots to breathe. Non-organic fertilizers can kill them. This gardening tip dates back to the old days of gardening.

13. Having several kinds of insects that are beneficial to your garden would be good. These insects can be encouraged to stay by having diverse plants in your garden.

14. Spot spraying weeds with household vinegar, instead of using commercial weed-killers, can eradicate them. This is another environment friendly gardening tip. 

 

Basil in the Garden

Basil will add to your garden with its good-smelling leaves. Plant it in pots along with other herbs or in a garden corner next to taller species.

Gardening Tips - Part Two

  

This is the second part of Hege Crowton's article. Check it out for handy details:

5. There are several plants that are only suitable for a specified climate, a certain kind of soil or can only grow with certain plants. You have to know what plant grow in the conditions you have in your area this is for you to avoid unnecessary purchases. This is a money saving gardening tip.

6.Landscaping is a good investment which can double the value of your home. This is one gardening tip that can earn you money.

7. Growing grass on bare ground is an easy way to make your home look better and appreciate in value. This is one gardening tip that promotes earning money while growing grass legally.

8. Aside from looking great in your home, trees also provide some sort of protection from direct sunlight exposure and strong winds.

9. Vines on the walls, fences and overhead structures also would offer some protection and would also look great. 

BOUGAINVILLEAS ON THE ROOF

Bougainvilleas are naturally beautiful and are able to leave any corner of your garden just gorgeous. Like this roof:

GARDENING TIPS - Part One

Whether you are a newbie at gardening or a pro, the following tips will certainly be handy. The post below is part of an article written by Hege Crowton, an expert copywriter,who is known for doing in-depth research before writing her articles.


"Gardens come in different varieties like the plants you find in them. There are several gardening tips that can be used for all types of gardens.

1.Mulching protects your garden topsoil from being blown away. It also provides nutrients as it decomposes and improves the appearance of your gardens. Mulching has other benefits and is one of the most recommended gardening tips by gardeners and farmers alike.

2.Healthy plants are more disease resistant. Plants are like people, a person with a strong immune system can combat diseases. A healthy plant does the same.

3. Pests can be eradicated by cleaning the plant with a watery solution of soap. Just make sure to rinse after. This gardening tip is best heeded for fruit bearing trees or edible plants.

4. Using compost fertilizers are a great way to have healthy plants. It is also a great way to save money on expensive fertilizers. Non -organic fertilizers also tend to leave chemical residues that can accumulate in garden soils and harm not only the plants but the gardeners as well. They cause toxins to go to the water supplies. Another gardening tip recommended not just by farmers and gardeners but also by environmentalists."

To learn more about composting, you may check out last Tuesday's post (March 16th).

AZALEAS

Either grown in pots or in flowerbeds, azaleas will add to your garden.

SUNFLOWERS BRING OUT JOY

Yellow looks just great in any garden. That's why sunflowers with their beautiful design will leave your place surprisingly joyful! Check out 03/03/2010 post for more ideas about flower types.

EASY STEPS TO COMPOSTING - Part Two

Too bad! Yesterday I failed to post the second part of Fran Barnwell's article on composting. Sorry, everyone! But here it goes; check out what she has to say about items that must not be used in composting.


"What NOT to compost:

- all meat products and bones; bread, cooked food - these will attract vermin
- dog or cat waste
- woody material - which takes too long to compost
- weeds - these can 'infect' your compost with their seeds
- anything that is non-biodegradable, such as plastic.

And because you won't always feel like taking a trip to the compost heap when it's wet or cold or every time you peel vegetables why not keep a lidded container by the back door which you can fill up and then make the trip to the compost bin every one or two days?

Over a period of time - 3 months to 1 year, depending on conditions - all this matter will have broken down into lovely dark brown crumbly compost, which you can fork into your beds and borders. It makes an excellent soil conditioner and can be used as surface mulch, helping conserve moisture and discourage weeds.

You can also convert fallen leaves into wonderful compost. Rake up any leaves from your lawn - you may have to do this several times over the autumn - and collect them from the borders. Put them all into a black waste sack, sprinkle with water, put a few holes around the sack with a fork, tie the top, and leave it in a corner for about a year. What you end up with is known as leaf-mould."
Fran Barnwell

About the author:
If you want step-by-step tips and advice to start gardening, you may sign up for her free ezine, or order her eBook 'The Ultimate Guide to Gardening for Beginners' at www.NewToGardening.com

EASY STEPS TO COMPOSTING - Part One

If you are environmentally-oriented, you know how important it is to recycle. The article I'm sharing with you today is exactly about that: recycling and, as a result, get good, safe fertilizer for your garden. Check what Fran Barnwell says about composting.

"It is becoming more and more obvious these days that we need to recycle as much as we can, and anyone with a garden has a head start and can make a great contribution. To many novice gardeners, including myself, this subject can be somewhat difficult to grasp; but in fact it is really straightforward - there are just a few very simple rules:

You need a compost bin, and the type you decide on rather depends on the size of your garden, but there are a couple of options:

A purpose built plastic bin purchased from a garden centre, not too expensive; and you just fill up from the top and a few months later, you can take compost from a small hatch at the base.
Alternatively, if you can wield a saw and some nails, you can make a wooden slatted enclosure, one metre square - or you can buy them ready made - and cover it with a piece of old carpet to keep the worst of the weather off.

What you can compost:

- all uncooked vegetable and fruit peelings
- teabags, tea leaves and coffee grounds
- egg shells
- dead flowers from the house
- and from the garden, soft prunings spent bedding plants, dead leaves, lawn mowings
- spent compost from hanging baskets or containers
- some dryer materials such as shredded paper, rabbit and guinea pig bedding.

The only thing you have to be careful about is to mix different types of material; if you have too many grass clippings in a big mass, they will turn soggy and slimy, or if there is too much paper and prunings, it will be too dry. So keep an eye on it, especially if you are using the wooden enclosure, and mix it with a fork occasionally."


In tomorrow's post, you will find the second part of this article.

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY GROW ROSES - Part Two

Yesterday we learned the first five tips for successful rose planting...now we are looking into the other five that will ensure, if followed, great results. Check it out below:

6. Four weeks after planting, you should start soaking the bed every 2 weeks or so. You should do this in the morning for the best results.

7. Begin fertilization approximately 3 months after planting. Use 3-6 inches of mulch to control the moisture, temperature, and to stop weeds from coming up. Mulch also helps to lock in the vital nutrients your roses' need in order to remain healthy.

8. Planting in the Spring is the best.

9. You want to plant your roses in an area that is well circulated with air. Your roses will not grow in an enclosed or tight area.

10. Dig a hole that is two times bigger than the amount of space that your roses take up. It makes it easier to plant them and creates a spaced area for them to grow with freedom. Poor circulation for your roses can cause fungal diseases. Using a larger hole also makes it easier for you to pull them up later and pot them if you’d like.



About the author:
© 2004, Kathy Burns-Millyard and Garden-Source.com

This article is provided courtesy of http://www.Garden-Source.com-

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY GROW ROSES

Planting roses isn't actually complicated, as long as you have some good advice and tips to start with...

1. Check with your local gardening center or florist for the best type of roses to grow in you climate. If you are a novice, you should look fo? disease resistant types of roses because they require a lot less maintenance.

2. When planting roses, you want to pick a spot that is well lit in the morning. You also want an area that is sunlit for at least 6 hours a day. Roses need a great deal of light if they are to grow properly. If you live in a really hot climate though, you'll probably get the best results by not planting your roses in direct sunlight.

3. Pick an area that has plenty of well drained soil. Great soil has a PH level where the amount of acid in the soil is at about 5.5-7.0. You can get a testing kit for your soil at any garden center.

4. Organic matter like manure or lime helps to nourish the roots of your roses. You should soak the roots in water or puddle clay for many minutes, and cut off any root's ends that are broken.

5. The first 3-4 weeks after planting your roses, you should water them often. Usually this is when the top 2 inches of soil is dry. Roses need a lot of hydration and food to remain healthy.


About the author:
© 2004, Kathy Burns-Millyard and Garden-Source.com

This article is provided courtesy of http://www.Garden-Source.com

AN ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY TIP ...

...to get rid of weeds

Yesterday you learned about "solarizing" as a way to get rid of weeds and save your garden, making sure that your efforts to grow nice plants will be rewarded. However, contrary to today's ecologically correct attitude,there are people who would rather use herbicides right away instead of trying other less aggressive solutions. I don't recommend this at all as you would damage the soil and your health as well. You should try spot-spraying weeds with household vinegar, instead of using commercial weed-killers, to eradicate them. This is an environment-friendly gardening tip to be adopted.

HOW TO DESTROY WEEDS

Before weeds destroy your garden, you should destroy them. :) It's no fun at all to see those beautiful, carefully chosen plants being suffocated by undesired grass. Let's take a look at some of the techniques recommended by Peter Selkin:

Solarizing

One of the most effective ways to destroy weeds in a new garden is to solarize them down. It is actually quite simple. Using just a sheet of clear plastic, capture the sun's heat and literally cook the weeds and their seeds until they are dead. This will take a couple of weeks in sunny climates. If your garden is in a cooler or cloudy region, try this technique during the more sunny times of the year and allow a good 8 weeks for the process to work. Here's the steps to successfully execute this strategy:

1. Mow the ground as close as possible to remove as much of the plants as possible. The best terrain for this technique is bare ground.
2. Make the soil damp. The process will be accelerated by moisture.
3. Take a sheet of thick, clear plastic over the entire area as tightly as possible and then fasten it down with heavy stones.
4. In order to keep in as much heat as possible, seal off the edges by covering all the way around with soil or pieces of wood.

Try not to till the soil after you have solarized since it often brings new seeds to the surface. When the soil gets really hot, this process will also destroy many forms of soil dwelling pests and diseases.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Selkin

GARDEN WEEDS, by Peter Selkin

Today I'm gonna share with you this article by Peter Selkin. Take a look at Part 1:

Eliminating weeds from your garden takes hard work and a couple of different strategies.

1. Pull them by hand: Add them to your compost pile if they don't have seeds.
2. Mulch fodder: The stems and leaves of weeds are actually good content for mulch when they dry out as long as you eliminate the seeds.
3. Change the climate conditions: Certain weeds will fail to grow when deprived of their specific nutrition and weather conditions.
4. Increase the competition: Stock your garden with your chosen plants that are stronger and grow faster than weeds.
5. Cook them: Using a clear plastic covering kill the seeds so they can't reproduce.
6. Chemicals: Only as a last resort use herbicides and weed killers.

Often times weeds are really symptoms of a bigger underlying problem with your garden or the soil underneath. Sometimes weeds will flourish in poorly drained soil. Other types of weeds do well in soil that is either too acidic or too alkaline.


Check Part 2 tomorrow!

Peter specializes in outdoors activities and electronic gadgets. You can also check out his latest website, Red Coffee Maker which also has an extensive review on the Hamilton Beach Red Coffee Maker.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Selkin

HOW TO DO GREAT GARDENING

Once you have chosen the plants you want for your garden, you will need to check whether you have the right tools to start growing it. Let's take a look at the four most important tools every gardener can't do without:

1. Pitchfork - a pitchfork is a gardening tool that has 2 to 6 prongs and a long handle. There are different pitchfork sizes, and the choice will depend on the type of work you will do, be it separate,lift or throw loose pieces of material such as dirt and leaves. The space between each prong varies as well.

2. Pruning shears - these tools have long handles and blades. By using a good pruning shear you will be able to prune rose bushes and other plants such as unruly vines. You will also be able to cut the grass at the edges of walkways and garden beds, in those hard-to-reach places. Pruning shears are also used to trim the edges and remove dead leaves or wood on flowers. Because this type of equipment is so useful, you should always invest in good quality pruning shears as they will help you keep your garden tidy and organized.

3. Spade - A gardening spade has a long, thick handle and a heavy flat blade. You will use it to dig up and move dirt from one place to another.

4. Trowel - A trowel is a shovel-like piece of equipment used to dig up dirt and set small plants. Among the various trowel styles, make sure you choose those ones which have a type of handle with an easy grip, non-slide and non-slid grips so that your job will be easier. A trowel with no grip will be difficult to use and could end up ruining your garden.

Now that you have the tools to start gardening, let's go for it! If you dedicate some of your free time to planting, pruning, trimming, you will most likely have a beautiful place to be admired from the front porch.

How To Start A Garden

  
First Things First

One of the first things to be done when you decide to plant a garden is to choose the types of flowers you want to see blooming. In the United States, the following are among the most popular types of garden flowers:

1.Cosmos - These are flowers that may grow from 12 inches to 4 feet tall. Perfect for cutting gardens, cosmos are often picked out and used in flower arrangements.

2. Marigold - Yellow, orange, red, or a combination of all colors, marigolds bloom within 45 to 50 days from sowing. They seldom require additional water than what the rain provides.

3. Morning glory - Its heart-shaped leaves may display a variety of colors including white, blue, red, pink, and lavender. Morning glories may grow to over 10 feet high.

4. Sunflowers - Their yellowish-orange petals with a black circle in the middle are eye-catching and they stand out in any garden. Their height may reach 6 feet or over.

5. Zinnias - Because they are constantly blooming, zinnias make great choices for your garden. You will have to water them on a consistent basis if there is not much rain.Be careful so as not to water the leaves because this may cause mold and potentially lead the plant to die.

Of course there are numerous types of flowers for a great garden, but the ones above will help you get started if you are a bit inexperienced