Archive for the ‘Garden Topics’ Category

Picture bonsai books can truly paint inspiring scenes. A long glance into a forest of miniature trees can’t help but draw out feelings of peace and relaxation. Indeed, these small trees are images of enduring beauty. It isn’t uncommon for people to dream of walking through rows of these trees. Because it is so tempting to get lost in the natural beauty, a lot of individuals want to become masters of the art of bonsai.

In days of old, there was a lot of drama when it came to identifying ideal specimens. Serious collectors of bonsai plants would trek across difficult ground even under severe weather conditions just so they could locate naturally dwarfed trees. After finding these, what followed would be hours of careful digging. You might even come across a bonsai book with an artistic rendering of collectors gently carrying their mini discoveries through the long path home.

Collectors mainly had no choice but to go through the arduous task of searching. Bonsai masters however didn’t need to go through the same steps. They could just pick accessible specimens and reproduce the stunting effect of nature. Some of the best plants to use are rhododendrons and azaleas. Mini trees however have also been created from maple trees, peach trees and cherries.

You can become a master yourself if you ask to become an apprentice. Of course, since the Japanese started it all, it would be most appropriate to seek to become the apprentice of a Japanese master. Because of the popularity of bonsai art though, it is now also possible to find a good bonsai ebook that is written by someone with a different nationality and cultural background. Ebooks of this type would be great resources to tap because most authors are so passionate about bonsai that they have taken great pains not just to master the art but to learn its historical and cultural contexts. In other words, you get to discover how to make mini trees under the appropriate perspective.

An excellent guide can be just as helpful as real teachers. Among the vital points that you can gain from a good resource is potting, repotting, pinching and wiring. Aside from these necessary inputs, great bonsai books can give excellent additional advice. These can range from identifying which is the right tree for you, what you should do to cultivate dwarves from seeds and what it takes to include mini trees in a planned landscape. With an authoritative and expert guide, you’d be able to astound friends with your new skills.

There are a great many manuals for creating bonsai trees. It’s obvious though, that some books are better than others. You don’t really have to look for one that is made by a full blooded Japanese master. It is still a sensible move though to opt for materials written by individuals who have gained their skills through authentic resources and seasoned practice.

It is no longer necessary to go through extreme measures to find natural mini trees. A bonsai book can help you recreate the natural beauty that you seek. Gab a guide and start making your mini forest.

Storing seed which you got from other fruit and vegetables is a way of gardening at home organicly. Save and store your plant seeds for growing at a later time for when you decide to plant.While there is no guarantee that the seeds might grow from storing them, you can take the additional tips to keep them that will allow them to grow like they would of within their own environment

When you start storing your seed products, you must clean and dry them so that you can protect the seeds from any kind of molds, mildewing or humidity. If you are taking your seeds from a natural vegetable or fruit, you should clear away the additional matter, such as the cob, seed covering or gel coating from tomato seeds. It is possible to save most seeds without any extra needed work, just wipe them dry and separate them from the husk or core. If you want to grow and save your own seeds, save something that you want to enjoy growing and eating. Planting your own food is an enjoyable experience.  The most popular seed to save are tomato, cantelope, watermelon and pumpkin.  Even if you didn’t get your seed from vegetables or fruits, storing seed that you got from the gardening store will have the same effect.

Seed storage is one the many issues that you face when doing organic home gardening because you want to have useable seeds for next year – storing the seed you do not use. When creating your storage area you want to take into consideration the hot and cold temperature and humidity because you want to store them in a space which has a continual low temperature and lower levels of humidity. Any large amounts of temp imbalances will decrease the amount of time that your seed will be good for. You can even use your freezer or fridge because you might not require much space. If you decide to place them in the refridgerator or freezer, the ensure you put them into the back put away from the fan. You want a constant temperature and when the fan kicks on it will disburse cooler air, the same as when you open the door, warmer air may go in. Preferably once you put them inside these appliances, your almost causing hibernation within the seed. If you need to keep them for long term, try a freezer, shorter durations I’d use a refridgerator. Keep in mind any kind of humidity may harm them and reduce their life cycle or make them never germinate.

When you store them, arrange them into small packets and place the small packages inside a bigger container. This also insulates them and protects them from any variances in temps or any abnormally cold that could damage the seed. By storing them in smaller packages, it enables you to use what you want the next time you need them. You can use plastic baggies or envelopes – be sure to mark the date and type of seeds they are if you discarded the originally packing.

When it is time to plant, it may be best to take the seed you need to use and place them into another container, after that into a place that is slightly warmer then the place they were originally stored a few days. This is a good time to prepare the seed plant containers. If you had them inside the freezer, put them into the fridge – if they were in the fridge, place them in a cool place like a basement or cooler room in the house. This is the most difficult part because you still want to avoid the humidity issue. Not every place is exact and its hard to judge temperatures and how the seeds will react. You just want to have them stablized and provide them a few days to thaw before you plant. Some seeds might do better after freezing or refridgerating, since it mimics the natural winter weather.

How do you know if you have good soil?

Healthy soil will have high organic content and will look like dark chocolate cake crumbs. This soil has already produced a crop of carrots and is still rich.

Well the first thing is to look at your plants. Just like you, if you don’t eat well, you don’t feel well. You’ll feel tired. People will tell you that you don’t look well. Garden plants that have poor soil or good soil will tell you.

If your plants appear droopy, yellow, or what I call “soft”, your soil may be the cause. Plants whose leaves are strong, dark green or rich in color, and firm are healthy. The easiest way to determine whether you have adequate nutrition in you soil is by simply looking at your plants.  You want perky plants.

There are two things you can do. Test and add organic matter.

The simplest way to test you soil is to take a sample of it to a local nursery or Extension office in order to have it tested. This is really the only way.

Soil pH:

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) things are. It is measured using a pH scale between 0 and 14. Acidic soil has a pH between 0-7. Basic soil has a pH from 7 to 14. Many garden catalogs will tell you which plants prefer alkaline or acidic soils; however, most plants thrive around the middle of the scale. To modify your pH, you may need to add one of the following:

• Lime to raise the alkalinity
• Sulfer to lower the pH

It is best to add either of these in stages to keep from shocking your plants. Generally, it is recommended to add no more than 5 pounds of either component to 100 square feet of garden.

Organic Nutrition:

Your soil will be richer by adding organic fertilizer and amendments. Inorganic, chemical fertilizers will damage your soil in the long run. Organic fertilizers and nutrients will feed the soil microbes in the soil, which thereby naturally break down the organic materials into usable forms for the plants.

Consistently adding compost to your soil, especially in carbon/nitrogen balanced amounts will quickly enhance the quality of the soil. Leaves and grass, consistently added, can build your soil faster than nearly any other method. The Living Garden online video training series (or DVD) provides additional tips for a effective garden.

SHOT for your plants.

SHOT organic soil amendment is also a powerful, soil-balancing amendment. The main ingredients are worm castings, fish waste, and ORMUS. The vital role that worms play in building soil is well documented. Their castings contain high concentrations of the nutrients that are in highly usable forms. Fish waste is also a fertilizer high in nitrogen. SHOT uses both of these products in its production. When combined with the high-energy state of ORMUS, shot is able to stimulate the roots of your plants. It helps the plant build the important mico-root hairs that pulls the nutrition to the plant. The result is that the fruit of the plants are higher in nutrition and the flavor and taste are more intense.

You’ll never find commercial vegetables that taste the same.