Irrigation

Proper irrigation scheduling is a tricky skill that surprisingly few landscape professionals have mastered. By far the largest loss of plant materials on new landscape projects is the direct result of improper irrigation scheduling. You may be surprised to learn that the most common irrigation scheduling problem is not too little water, or even too much water, it is watering too frequently. Many of the common turf grass and landscape shrub diseases are made worse by, or even may be the result of, watering too frequently.

What is Horticultural Oil?

What is Horticultural Oil?

Oil based pesticides are an effective and ecologically friendly way to handle many garden insect pests and even some diseases. The majority of pest control oils are some type of mineral oil, a refined petroleum product. There are a few vegetable oils that are also effective pesticides, such as cottonseed oil and soybean oil. The oil is usually combined with some type of emulsifying agent so that it can be mixed with water and used as a spray.

Cleaning Your Sprinkler System

Every year, you should plan on cleaning your sprinkler system at least one time to clear out any debris and dirt that may have accumulated in the system when your sprinklers have not been used for an extended period of time.

Lime Trees For Your Home Garden

Lime is one of the most popular kinds of citrus in the United States today. If you have a lime tree in your backyard or are planning on planting one soon, there are several things you should know before planting this wonderful fruit tree.

Varieties

There are a number of lime varieties that are popular in the United States, but the two most popular are the Key Lime (also known as the Mexican Lime) and the Tahiti Lime (also known as the Persian Lime). Key Limes are sweeter and bear small fruit that is about two inches in size. Tahiti Limes are larger and bear fruit that is approximately thee to four inches in size.

Definition Pesticide

A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances specifically intended to prevent, repell, destroy or lessen the effect of a pest. The term pesticides is technically a catch-all phrase that specifically means one of the following: insecticide, herbicide, fungicide or any other chemical substances used to control pests.

Growing Asparagus in the Home Vegetable Garden

Asparagus is one of the few perennial vegetable crops. The shoots are picked as young spears in the spring. Later in the season the foliage matures into an airy, fern-like cloud which changes to a golden color in the fall. Because asparagus takes up a permanent place in the garden, but can be an attractive plant, many people with space imitations use asparagus as a border or hedge plant.

How to Make a Trash Can Composter

Not every gardener has the space for a large compost pile, and not all municipalities allow back yard composting. The good news is that it's very easy to compost in a small space. Even if all you have is a patio or balcony, you can use this method of making compost in a trash can. And, if you need to compost on the sly, no one will be the wiser---they'll just see another trash can.

To start out composting, purchase the most inexpensive 32 gallon or larger plastic garbage can you can find. Make sure it has a lid. If rats are a problem in your area, consider purchasing a metal trash can. Then, using a two to three-inch hole saw bit and a drill, drill holes all the way around the trash can (lid, bottom, and sides) six to twelve inches apart. Cover these holes with window screening. Good strong duct tape or epoxy will work. Put your trash can composter in a convenient place. If possible, raise it up on a couple of bricks to get even more air circulation to the contents of the trash can composter.

Improving Soil on the Small Farm

One of the biggest components of growing good plants is the soil. Simple, but many beginning farmers skimp on proper preparation of the soil before planting. With some testing, care, and amending, you too can have loamy, well-aerated, deliciously dark soil to grow the best crops.

Four Easy Do-It-Yourself Soil Tests

Learning as much as you can about your soil will help you decide what needs to be done to make it ideal for the plants you want to grow. If you can learn about your soil’s texture, composition, drainage, acidity, and mineral density, you will avoid, up front, the disappointing results that can occur when your soil is unsuitable for your dream garden.

How to Start a New Organic Garden

Planting and maintaining an organic garden is a rewarding experience. While many of the steps for making a new organic garden are similar to starting any type of garden, there are a few noticeable differences. For example, there is a lot more work up front, planning and analyzing the site. This work is essential for any organic garden: ideal conditions result in healthier plants, fewer pest and disease problems, and a more care-free garden.

What is Permaculture?

Ecologists Bill Mollison and David Holmgren came up with the concept in the 1970s, after observing the impact of industrial agriculture on the environment.

Improve Your Soil Organically

Give your garden the best chance at survival with these tips from Green Harvest Organic Gardening Supplies.

Healthy soils are a complex web of life, teeming with earthworms, fungi and bacteria. They smell good and are moist and crumbly. Roots are able to penetrate deep into the soil. Plants growing in healthy soils have fewer pest and disease problems. 

If your soil doesn't match this picture of health but instead dries out to a cement-like texture, is devoid of life, plants look sickly and are plagued with pest problems, then your soil is in desperate need of organic matter.

Organic Gardening Step By Step Guide

 If green is the new black, then organic gardening is the hottest new hobby taking backyards by storm. Once confined to the uber healthy out there, organic gardens are now popping up in communities across Australia, offering locals a place to garden socially and somewhere to get fresh, healthy produce.

Starting an organic garden in your own backyard isn’t hard and you don’t need a lot of space. An organic garden can be as big or small, and as ambitious or low key as you please. It needs to be located in an area that gets at least six hours of sun each day. Avoid areas near large trees as the tree’s roots will interfere with your plants.