Garden Tips

By Chris L. Jensen

The edging surrounding your garden is practically as important as the flowers themselves. The edging frames your garden, like the frame of a picture. It gives it well defined boundaries to separate your flower garden from the rest of your yard. A good edging enhances the beauty of your flower garden, turning it into a masterpiece.

These is an assortment of edging options to choose from, and it is up to you to pick the one that will best compliment your garden. A low retaining wall, made from brick or rock and mortar, is a popular choice, as it is solid and permanently boarders your garden. These types of wall edgings can be quite expensive; however, and you may decide that you would like to choose something not as permanent to edge your garden. You never know when you will want your garden to expand!

Another option is to simply line up bricks or rocks, using no mortar. Bricks can be lined up, stacked in a short wall, or set up diagonally, leaning against one another. Rocks can also be lined up or stacked to crate an edging for your garden. Rocks should be small enough to be easily moved, while large enough to make a visual impact. Rocks can be found while digging in your garden or for other landscaping projects, or in a friend's yard or empty lot. Just be sure to ask for permission before taking rocks from someone elses property.

You can also purchase edging materials at a home improvement store or garden center. Have a look around and check out all the options that might look good in your garden. You can choose from plastic edging, which provides a simple border when stuck vertically in the ground, tiny fences, landscaping timbers, and boarders made from artificial rock. The options are almost endless. Just be sure that what ever you decide, that you select a good quality, durable product. You need something that will hold up, so you wont have to replace your edging year after year.
Border plants, such as perennials like alpine phlox, make a beautiful, natural edging. Low growing plants that grow quickly and can be divided and replanted each spring make a nice choice, so that you do not have to purchase new annuals every year. As with selecting any plants for your garden, make sure that you select plants that will work with your climate and the amount of sun your garden receives.

The lush, thick growth of comfrey, make it an excellent choice to border a large garden. It will stop grass from encroaching on your garden with its heavy growth. The flowers are beautiful and will be attractive in your garden, and you can use the leaves as mulch when they fall off. Comfey is only appropriate for large gardens, however, as smaller gardens can quickly become overtaken.

A delicious choice for edging your garden would be to plant strawberries or herbs. You can use the fresh herbs in your meals when cooking - just clip off as much as you need when you visit your garden.

You can select from a variety of plants, rocks, bricks or store bought edging to border your garden. Keep in mind that the edging you select should serve as a frame to accentuate and display your flower garden as though it is a work of art.

Chris Jensen is a contributing Expert, Author & Editor of Jetfly Blog. For more related articles and reviews visit Jetfly Home & Garden Blog now. We work hard to provide the Best up-to-date related online product deals, check out Jetfly Gardening & Plants Shop for Todays Current Online Bargains.
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By Wesley Lynx

Have you adored orchids for your whole life, always giving them as gifts instead of regular flowers, or perhaps even had your own potted orchids? Since you're so passionate, and have the know-how, you should start your own home business as an orchid cultivator by starting your own orchid greenhouse!

Let's not get carried away, though. Before you can sell all those gorgeous orchids, you need to build a greenhouse for them to grow. Not only that, but you'll have to make sure you can afford the financial investment involved in your growing operation. It is not just a matter of putting them in the soil, then harvesting them, you have to take special care of the plants like they were your own children. You need the right type of soil, specific growth ingredients that orchids need to thrive, and so on. So, before you jump run out and start buying tons of stuff, ask yourself this: "Am I ready to grow my own orchids? Do I have the money needed, the will power required and the special knowledge required?" If you answered "yes," then read on. If not, you might want to wait for a while before building your own orchid greenhouse, or just keep dreaming.
Assuming you have what it takes, then it's time to build! Here are five critical steps towards making this dream a reality:

1. Buy the appropriate materials needed to build. Look for corrugated fiberglass panelling, with some plastic sheeting and home insulation. These should be the basics, and they're relatively inexpensive.

2. Draw up some plans for the structure and location of the greenhouse, the foundation (area under the orchid greenhouse), and what type of floor you want to have. This is crucial, as the success or failure of the project will depend upon the choices you make in the beginning.

3. Make a blueprint of the orchid greenhouse, and also keep a notebook for detailed information, such as how you want the greenhouse partitioned and layed out, what are the growing zones and what height will the construction have.

4. It's now time for specifics! How will you make the lower wall? Will you paint it, or will you keep cover it with wallpaper, or something else? Do you want to build in seating so you'll be confortable while inside? Also, don't forget to include a storage area for your supplies.

5. Last, but equally important, you should take care of the exterior environment. After all, you want your orchid greenhouse to get as much sun as possible, so make sure you put it in a sunny area and not somewhere where trees shade the greenhouse for most of the day.

Well, that's it, the five steps that will get you close to building your dream orchid greenhouse. But remember, building it is only half the battle. The other half is caring for your orchids, since they are delicate, sensible flowers, and any miscalculation or improper setup of the greenhouse will affect their overall quality.

Any plant growing business is no easy job, and if you aren't positive that you can handle it, my advice would be to pay for real professionals, as paying them will guarantee you a good job. Good luck with your orchid greenhouse, and remember to have fun!

Find out more about starting your own orchid greenhouse by visiting http://orchidgreenhouse.blogspot.com
Good luck, and happy growing!
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By Dave Truman

There's nothing better than a salad made with fresh lettuce from the garden. Adding lettuce to your garden can be a welcome addition. Not only is healthy and tasty to eat but it needs very little space to grow. But there are some guidelines you should know before planting lettuce.

To grow lettuce or any other vegetable, you need to have good soil. For lettuce, keep the nitrogen level high by using 30-10-10 NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) fertilizer. This will provide the lettuce with the nutrition it needs to produce healthy leaves.

When planting lettuce seeds make sure they are planted 1/8-3/8 inch deep, separated by 6-12 inches (2-3.5 m) from the next plant. Romaine lettuce can be planted closer together but other crisp lettuce need more space. If you plant in rows, keep the rows separated by about 20 inches (6m).

The roots of lettuce do not grow very deep so it is important to weed often. Many other grasses and plants with deeper root growth can invade the lettuce.

Since lettuce lacks deep root growth it has to find moisture near the surface. Therefore it is important to keep the soil moist but not saturated. Try to keep the water off of the leaves and into the soil except for the occasional washing. Wet leaves especially during nighttime temperatures can lead to disease.

Like any other vegetable, lettuce plants have problems with diseases and pests. Many insects enjoy the lettuce leaves and the folds of the leaves also offer many places for fungi to grow.
Aphids, flea beetles, leafhoppers, slugs and cutworms are common insects that feast on lettuce. Washing the leaves with a high-pressure hose can temporally help get rid of the insects. Insecticide lightly applied to the lettuce will provide better long-term control.

One common fungal disease is anthracnose (Microdochium panattonianum). This fungus can stay alive in soil for many years. Bottom rot (Rhizoctonia solani) is another common fungus. This type of fungus usually occurs in soil that drains poorly. To combat these fungi, keep foliage dry and plant in good soil.

Another common problem with lettuce is bolting. Bolting is not a disease or pest but occurs when the plant goes to seed and the leaves stop growing. Bolting happens when the temperatures are consistently too high. To prevent this from happening, plant lettuce in shaded area or plant next to a shading crop such as corn.

Lettuce is a wonderful vegetable to have in your garden. With proper preparation and care, you can enjoy salads with fresh lettuce throughout the growing season.
Looking for creative ideas for your vegetable garden layout? You can stop searching - visit the Vegetable Gardeners website at http://www.vegetablegardeners.com/ for lots of helpful tips and advice. Plus get your own copy of our free reports for growing better vegetables.
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By Robert Roy

The fall season for orchids is an important one. It is one where a great number of the orchid plants need care as well as the change in the basic requirements. Most orchids use this season as a "rest period" to get ready to produce blooms in the winter or spring.

From the summer season to the fall there is a less a requirement for water as the temperature decreases. You will need to monitor this closely. Don't forget it you see wrinkling on the leaves this means that you need more H2O.

As a general rule this time of the year requires the use of an orchid fertilizer richer in phosphorous is needed to boost the bloom potential. This means that there is higher percentage in nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium in the fertilizer mixture. As you use fertilizer on the orchid plants use it as half strength and generally once a week.

I like to fertilizer after I have watered the plant. Once again be sure that you allow the water and fertilizer to run out of the pot. Leaving water and fertilizer in the pot allows root rot to destroy the orchid - very quickly.

The temperature is also getting cooler in most parts of the country during the fall. So if you have plants outdoors you may start to think about getting them indoors. Most orchids can do well in with temps in the 50's and few do ok into the forties. I like to suggest that your plants come inside when the night temps are in the mid fifties.

Now let's get to some specifics for some of the different genera. For cattleyas there growth rate will tend to slow as the fall progresses. The sheaths on the catts will show some changes indicative of blooming over the next six months. Don't forget the fertilizer and watering. These plants do well in bright lighting.

Also, if you are bringing your orchid indoors from being outside check carefully for any pests that may be clinging to the plant.

Cymbidiums may start blooming in the fall and they need to be in shaded cool areas. Cyms have a genetically based warmth tolerance but for the best blooms they need an area that is shaded and somewhat cooler. The spikes with the flowers, called inflorescence, needs to be staked to prevent the heavy flowers from weighting down the spike.

Phalaenopsis are just starting to go through the next stage to ready for blooms in the late winter and spring. They need the cool difference in daytime and nighttime temps. It is recommended that there be about a 10 - 15 degree Fahrenheit difference.

Phalaenopsis also need to be watered and fertilized less often during this first few months of fall. They are resting. It would helpful to give them a fertilizer with a higher phosphorous percentage to help boost the blossom potential. This fertilizer is also called "blossom booster".

Dendrobiums also need a "blossom booster" as well at this time of the year. Remember their flowers are usually plentiful and grow toward the top of the spike making them top heavy. Use a stake to help hold them erect and be sure that the pot is heavy enough to keep itself upright.
The green leaved Paphs are also getting ready to have flowers. The shafts are displaying the spikes. Be careful with these orchids as a sudden heat spell will prove disasterous to the new blooms. Keep them in a cooler area and with good air circulation.

Paphs don't like to get dry so be careful with watering. If you were watering twice a week try cutting down to once. But while doing this test your medium with the dry tip of a pencil. Stick it down about an inch or two into the pot, if the tip comes out wet your fine.

This should help you to have great orchids both in the fall season and beyond.
Get the Guide to Growing Great Orchids, Mastering Orchids, a 70 page guide for half price ($9.95) Just subscribe to our monthly free orchid newsletter, Orchidaceae.http://www.orchids-plus-more.com/orchid-newsletter.html
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