RELATED ARTICLESCompost YES, Epsom Salts NO
You'll often hear garden writers recommending the use of Epsom salts in the garden as a general rule. First off, I'm not one of those writers. Secondly, Epsom salts are essentially magnesium so if your garden soil is magnesium starved, adding the Epsom salts will seemingly work miracles. If your soil is not magnesium starved, adding Epsom salts is a waste of time, effort and money.
Dog Days of Summer
Here are a few tips to keep your garden and a few specific problems from getting away from you during the month of August gardening. Your lawn, again usually three things or any combination of them may be the culprit(s) for making your lawn or patches of your lawn turn brown.
Gardening on a Budget
When we moved into our south Anchorage log home I had glorious plans for the 1/3 acre lot. Some previous owner had chopped down every tree counting on the neighboring woodlands for green and shade. The house was near the street with a lumpy hilly and narrow backyard that ended in the neighbor's goat pen. I was young, enthusiastic and confident that my green thumb could transform our piece of Alaska into a glorious landscaped garden. Now, 20 years later the neighborhood has evolved from birch/spruce woods to suburban sprawl and I'm still working on the transformation and enjoying every season.
16 Lawn Mower Safety Tips
1. Always read the instruction manual before operating your lawnmower. I know it sounds boring but there is a very good reason you are supposed to read it (didn't you ever wonder why you were never able to set the time on your vcr?).
Budget For Your Garden
Have you ever thought about how much it costs to maintain your garden? Most people never give it much thought - spending the odd day in the garden when they have time and impulse buying plants at the local nursery.
Toxic Pollutants & Their Effect on Fish Health
Once water temperatures increase in the summer months, fish
become more active and produce increasing amounts of waste,
leading to potential water pollution. Fish produce waste in the
form of ammonia, which is broken down into nitrites then nitrates
by beneficial bacteria. Both ammonia and nitrite are very harmful
to fish, even in very small quantities. Ammonia, in particular,
is more toxic at high temperatures and can cause severe problems.
In fact, water can hold five times as much dangerous ammonia at
77°F as opposed to 41°F. The effect on water quality is
exaggerated by a high pH, resulting in the formation of more
toxic ammonia.
Growing Organic! Herbs, Flowers and Fruit
Creating no dig gardens on top of the soil gives you many immediate advantages over the usual garden.
It is quick and easy
It will improve the soil underneath the bed
It is weed free and organic
A Rose is a Rose?
There are many varied definitions of what each color of rose symbolizes. Florists and floral experts alike will agree that flowers hold the meaning we give them and the feeling with which they are given.
How to Grow Cooking Herbs
Grow your own cooking herbs to add fresh zest and flavor to your menus year-round!
Fun, Funky Garden Plants
I have a love for funky, fun and unique garden plants.
Here's one to try. It's called Sea Holly, and it's
actually in the thistle family. Sea Holly is a perennial
garden plant, which means you plant it once and it
comes up year after year, somewhat depending on your
climate.
Cat Repellent or How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden
Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from using garden as litterbox? Tell me how to keep cats out of my garden. These are common questions of concern to all gardeners but is there a real answer?
Science Cant Explain Everything!
You will know that if you have spent at least some time reflecting on the world around you, some things cannot be explained in purely scientific terms. Armies of scientists and researchers swarm in labs around the world trying to take the mystery out of every bit of wonder we witness.
Add Rich Color To Your Garden With Blue Perennial Flowers
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.
Lazy Fish Worries
If your fish hang out at the bottom of the pond, or act restless
and lazy, then it's likely that your pond is suffering from poor
aeration.
Hummingbirds ? Attracting Those Little Flying Powerhouses
It's early in May a beautiful fairly warm day so I've decided to enjoy it and sit on the front porch.
Hummingbird Nesting Facts
Every spring the United States and Canada are blessed with the presence of humming birds migrating north to make a home for their coming young. They come from Mexico and South America in search of a cooler, more suitable climate to nest and have a family. Picking the right location for a nest is critical to the survival of the bird's young. Finding just the right spot is only half the battle, however. Next comes the actual construction, and for a pregnant humming bird it proves to be quite difficult a task.
What Is One Flower Benefit That You Know Of?
The biggest flower benefit of all is the fact that flowers make you happy.
Plan Before Buying Rose Bushes
So, you have decided to plant rose bushes in your yard or on your patio, porch or balcony. Now all you have to do is go out and buy some bushes and plant them. Right? Wrong!!
Bedding Plants and Plugs (small plants)
It is not difficult to grow bedding plants from seeds, and you may be surprised to know you do not need to have a greenhouse or some hot room to grow them in. I have managed to grow my plants by placing them in an old carton/pot covered in a polythene bag. However, please remember to leave the pot where sunlight can get to it, i.e., a window ledge or a balcony.
Organic Hydroponics - Simplified
These days, it's easy to get lost in the wealth of knowledge available on hydroponics cultivation. The dizzying collection of fertilizers, additives and supplement doesn't necessarily help the situation. From foliage to root, there's something for everyone and for every kind of situation.
