Gardening Safety
By admin | June 18, 2008
When you learn the art of gardening, there are few safety considerations that you need to address. No matter what type of gardening project you are undertaking, be it a bloom of flowers, a bounty of vegetables or an entire backyard landscape, you will encounter many common safety issues.
One of the most common risks in gardening is exposing yourself to pollen, and activating pollen allergies. Most people suffer from some type of allergy, and when pollen is in the air and plants and flowers are blooming, it can be hard to spend any length of time gardening. If you know for a fact that you have pollen allergies, you need to consider them when you start gardening. People with particularly severe pollen allergies should probably avoid gardening all together.
Another allergy, although not as common, is an allergy to bee stings. Many people are so allergic to bee stings that they require medication to relieve the swelling and allergic reaction. If you are gardening during the late summer and early autumn, bees are especially prevalent outdoors. If you are gardening during this time, and are allergic to bees, limit your gardening time and take necessary precautions.
Sunburn is a very common risk while gardening. To protect yourself from sun damage, wear lightweight long sleeved shirts and long pants, if weather permits. Wearing long sleeved clothes will also prevent mosquito bites. Make sure to apply sunscreen on all areas that will be exposed during your gardening time. Don’t forget to cover the back of your neck and ears.
To avoid the heat when you are gardening, try to get most of your tasks done in the early morning. Keep in mind that the hottest part of the day is between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm, so plan your gardening activity accordingly. Although it may not seem like it, gardening is a terrific form of exercise. Knowing this, you should always include a bottle of water nearby while you are gardening so you can remain hydrated.
© Cookgroup Marketing LLC - All Rights Reserved. This article brought to you by http://Grow-Your-Garden.com/gardeningtips. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice, author name, and URL remain intact.
Jason Albright is a contributing editor at Cookgroup Marketing LLC. His background is with lifestyle topics including: Gardening, Outdoor Living, Home Decor, Travel Destinations and Food and Wine.
Tags: busch gardens, flow, flower, flowers, garden, gardening, herbs, lowers, olive garden, savage garden, types ofStart Your Seeds Indoors For A Jump On Spring Planting
By admin | June 1, 2008
Spring is creeping in, hallelujah, and it’s time for us to start digging in the dirt. For all of you frustrated gardeners that live in colder climes I bet you can’t wait to start planting your garden beds with flowers, herbs and vegetables. Over the long winter you forget how much you miss those showy blooms and the riot of color a beautiful garden can supply.
If you live up north, there are a variety of ways to cope with the short growing season. Frost, which can happen as late as May or June, delays your plans for planting seeds. With the many quick growing plants this does not pose a problem but with vegetables and ornamentals a little head start is very helpful for healthy, lush plants.
Starting those plants indoors solves the problem of unwelcome frost. Getting an early start indoors will really make a difference for frost intolerant plants. Another benefit of starting seeds indoors is that as soon as the frost danger has passed, you can plant your seedlings into your garden giving you a good extra month of gorgeous blooming flowers.
When starting seeds indoors, you must simulate the same conditions as those planted outside. Your basics for all plant life, whether inside or out, are soil, water and light. The difference is that your indoor seedlings will need a little more attention and each plant will have its own considerations.
Always start with sterilized soil, this is essential. There is a fungus known as Damping-off-Disease that can wipe out your hard work in a matter of days. For some reason the propagation of plants indoors allows just the right conditions for the spores of these fungi to grow rampantly.
You can easily avoid this plight by using sterile soil or a sterile medium. You can use your own soil but it involves a lot of work and may not be worth the effort when commercial mediums are readily available. To use your own soil, you must sterilize it in the oven after sifting out the clumps and debris. Most commercial mediums sometimes referred to as “soil less” are usually a combination of peat moss and vermiculite. When using these mediums make sure it is clearly marked on the bag that they are sterilized.
After deciding the medium that you will use, there are a variety of containers available to start your seeds. I have used flats, peat pots, dixie cups and even egg cartons successfully. As with any plant, the size of the container used is determined by the plant you are growing and only experience can guide you here.
Seedlings require an enormous amount of light, either sunlight or artificial light or a combination of both. If they don’t get sufficient light the plants will get “leggy” or “spindly”, denying them a healthy start on the way to your garden. Even in a bright window with a lot of sun you may still need to use artificial light. If you do need to use artificial light, buy bulbs that are manufactured specifically for that purpose. Even though they are for the singular purpose of growing plants you still must keep them on for at least fourteen (14) hours a day. No artificial light can compensate for the intensity of direct sunlight.
The most important element of growing your seedlings indoors is watching the moisture. They must be kept moist but not soggy. The most advantageous way to water is from the bottom. Set your pots in a tray and pour the water into the tray allowing the pots to soak up all of the water. Never let your pots stand in water as this will cause them to rot. If you have your pots in a very sunny window place them in a tray with gravel. Keep the gravel “watered” just under the pots to keep them from drying out.
When you first start your seedlings cover them tightly with plastic wrap. This helps to maintain warmth and moisture, but be careful to uncover them when they begin to sprout so they don’t smother.
I know you may become anxious in January to start getting ready for planting season but it is important not to start you seeds indoors to early. If they outgrow your pots, you will have to thin them and transplant them to bigger containers. This is not the best scenario. For best results, you want to transplant them once outdoors as soon as they are large and healthy enough to survive. A good rule of thumb to start with is four to six weeks after sowing the seeds, making sure they have at least two sets of leaves. Right before transplanting your thriving seedlings, feed them with a very weak solution of a water soluble fertilizer to give them strength through the transplanting process.
Keep a diary on what has worked for you, since experience is always the best teacher. Experiment a little each year with one or two new flowers, herbs or vegetables, this will add variety and spice to your garden. Go to gardening forums on the internet and join the group, the experiences of others is always helpful and the spirit of community is enjoyable and satisfying.
Happy Planting!
Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She writes eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Gardening and Cooking. Please visit her websites at: http://www.GardeningLandscapingTips.com http://www.GardeningOutside.com and http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com or contact her at mailto:mhanna@gardeninglandscapingtips.com
Tags: flower gardens, garden beds, gardeners, gardening, herbs, planting seeds, spring garden, vegetableContainer Herbs - the Perfect Solution
By admin | April 12, 2008
Growing herbs for decoration or for cooking has become a popular indoor hobby. Growing herbs in a container indoors is a perfect solution for those who want to grow year round, or those who don’t have the garden space. Herbs normally do better in the ground, but by taking special precautions you can have a thriving indoor herb garden. Planting herbs in containers allows you to position herbs in an area of your home that will help them grow.
Combine different colors of herbs in your herb container arrangements. Artemisias, santolinas and curry plants have a silvery-green hue. Golden herbs like lemon thyme, calendula, and nasturtiums will give your herb garden a bright and sunny hue.
Herbs can be grown in groups in containers for a full and pleasing effect. Herbs grown in groups also benefit from the microclimate created between the plants. The amount of herbs you can plant in a container is only limited by the size of the container. Make sure to leave at least four inches square for each herb plant.
To successfully set up herbs in containers, start with a clean container that will allow good drainage for your herbs. Make sure the soil that you use is porous to allow water to absorb into the roots. Try a commercial potting mix rather than plain garden soil. The potting mix will have the right amount of minerals to support the growth of your herbs.
Once you’ve planted your herbs, make sure to check them regularly to see if they need water. Different herbs will require different levels of moisture, so make sure to water accordingly. Remove any weeds that pop up in your herb containers, and trim back any dead branches or leaves. Once every two weeks, give your herbs plant food to support their growth.
© Cookgroup Marketing LLC - All Rights Reserved. This article brought to you by Grow-Your-Garden.com/ . You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice, author name and URL remain intact. Jason Albright is a contributing editor at Cookgroup Marketing LLC. His background is with lifestyle topics including: Gardening, Outdoor Living, Home Decor & Travel Destinations.
Tags: busch gardens, flow, flower, flowers, garden, gardening, herbs, lowers, olive garden, savage garden, types of