3 Acre Garden: September 2012

How To Keep The Bugs Out of Your Garden

You have worked for many hours on planning, preparing and planting your garden. Only to have those annoying pests then move in and destroy what you worked so hard to build up. Insects can damage your plants within a matter of hours once they've found the fruits of your labor.

The best way to control these bugs is to keep them out of your garden to begin with. There are many pesticides that you can use to keep the bugs away, but you need to make sure they're safe to use.

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Some of the sprays can be harmful to the health of other animals and possibly small children. You want to get rid of these pests, but make sure you don't get rid of all of them, since there are some you actually want to keep in your garden.

How To Keep The Bugs Out of Your Garden

Some of these helpful pests, such as ladybugs and spiders, feed on the annoying insects that damage your plants. They're essentially the best bodyguards one could have for their garden.

One of the best ways to control the insects and pests that damage the plants in your garden is by allowing helpful pests in that will drive those harmful ones away or eat them.

By planting inviting plants or "homes" for the helpful insects, you can keep the harmful ones at bay quite efficiently. Check with your local gardening center on which plants attract the good pests.

Another thing to keep in mind is to keep your garden clean. The harmful pests are often attracted to piles of leaves, grass cuttings and dense spots of weeds. These pests can thrive in those areas, so weed your garden regularly and clean up the leaves and grass cuttings that find their way into your garden.

Some organic gardeners use a hot pepper wax that they lightly spray on the leaves of their plants. The oils from the spicy contents of this wax wards off the harmful insects and other pests as well.

The wax solution is safe for your plants and doesn't affect the produce at all, so don't worry about "spicing" up your vegetables. As long as you properly clean them before consuming them, you won't notice any residue.

There are some plants that give off a scent that repels those bugs and keeps them away from your precious produce. Such plants - like marigolds and the borage herb plant - are very effective at keeping those pests away from your tomato plants. Plant them nearby and watch your tomato plants grow to be healthy and robust.

Every gardener wants to see their garden thrive after putting in a lot of hours of hard work and dedication into it. No one wants to see that labor go down the drain by losing their plants to those annoying pests that move into your garden.

Before planting your garden, do your research and find the best companion plants to repel the annoying pests and the ones that invite the good insects in according to your geographic location.

How To Keep The Bugs Out of Your Garden

Paul Duxbury writes extensively on Gardening and Landscaping at The Gardening Column [http://www.gardeningcolumn.com] and has a range of Gardening websites including The Garden Care Centre [http://www.garden-care-centre.com]

Garden, Deer, and Rabbit Fencing

Are you tired of deer's or rabbits invading your valuable gardens and plants? Well if you are then all you require to keep them away is a fence. A fence is nothing but a free standing structure which is designed to prevent and restrict any sort of movement across the area where it has been mounted. The lightness of its construction is the main basis which distinguishes it from the construction of a solid wall. A fence does not block the vision like wall and thus possess its unique functions and uses. Fences may be constructed to cater to varied purposes and needs like agricultural purpose to prevent the predators out or the livestock in, temporary fencing to provide security and safety, decorative fencing to enhance the beauty of the space enclosed, perimeter fencing to disallow trespassing and to keeps the pets or children wandering away etc.

One of the most common purposes to which fences are mounted is to safeguard garden. A garden fence simply provides a safe haven for the budding of plants and flowers in the garden, and keeping away the so called invaders which are animals and birds. It also provides a boundary between two houses and at times is also constructed to hide something unwanted in the garden from the view of the outsiders. Garden fences are available in a varied range starting from the economical ones to the expensive and costly ones. But the user before selection of the garden must assure that the chosen fence will complement the home and the garden. Besides giving consideration to appealing appearance there are other factors also which should be given optimum consideration so that the purpose with which the fence is mounted is well catered. The other factors are security and strength. Since garden fences are available in varied choices, the strength it possess and security it assures should be given equal weight age or else the user will very soon find the garden fence been dominated by the weather conditions or broken by regular invaders.

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Deer fence is a very different kind of fence than the garden and agricultural fences as they are constructed in keeping in the mind the deer's. The special deer fence is generally made of light weight woven wire generally connected to a light post. But the height of the fence is kept high and tall so that the deer finds it impossible to jump over it. On the other hand rabbit fence is also constructed with barbed or woven wire, but they are constructed very closely and there is hardly any diameter between each strand so that the rabbits cannot invade the bounded area or field. Rabbits are not known to jump high so the height of the rabbit fence is kept low.

Garden, Deer, and Rabbit Fencing

Now there's a better way to keep animals out of your garden and protect your flowers and plants from damage. Garden Fence or Garden fencing is sleek, secure, simple and inexpensive way to protect your garden. Visit http://www.gardenfence.com/ for more details.

Garden Gift Baskets For The Avid Gardener

If you have a friend or relative that is an avid gardener, there is no more thoughtful gift than a garden gift basket for a holiday, birthday or anniversary present. At first, you may seem overwhelmed when shopping in your garden center or on the internet. There are a few things to consider when trying to find just the right "flavor" for your garden gift basket to give to the people who love to play in the dirt, so t speak.

First you must determine how much you want to spend for the garden gift basket. After you have the dollar amount, walk through the aisles of the garden center to see what items are available. Of course, you could also do an internet search to see what the most popular tools and gadgets are selling. You will be surprised at the range of goods that are available from the inexpensive to the extravagant. Keep in mind that you will want to get quality products that will last so your friend or relative will have years of enjoyment.

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If your gardener is a novice you may want to start with the basics, a pruner, a watering can, gardening gloves, or special nozzles for the hose. There are many garden centers that have gift baskets already made up. It could include some gardening tools and seeds revolving around a specific theme like, vegetables or roses or herbs. If you choose to go with the herb theme and want to do it on your own, include some tasty herb seed packets, some small, pretty pots and a journal where notes can be kept.

Garden Gift Baskets For The Avid Gardener

If you have a gardener with a well used garden rake and tool belt, you can pretty much surmise that they have all of the state-of-the-art tools and have been collecting gardening equipment for years. Here, a simple but thoughtful gift would be a work apron that has be monogrammed or personalized with a funny garden saying. A well seasoned gardener will appreciate the thought you have put into the gift.

To really get the best gift for your gardener you should know the level of their expertise and if they have a theme. For example there are gardeners that only grow roses while there are others that specialize in herb gardening, knowing this will help you pick out the perfect gift. For instance a scarecrow would look dumb in a rose garden whereas a hummingbird feeder is way out of place in a vegetable patch. And be careful with the "cutesy" garden decorations, some people love garden gnomes or stone gargoyles whereas someone with an award winning exotic tropical garden wouldn't think of having one.

If after you have gone through all these options, level of expertise and if they have a theme or not and you still don't know what to buy, the answer is simple. Purchase them a gift certificate from your local garden center. Every gardener needs supplies through the year and your gift will help to offset the expense of their garden.

If after considering the gardener's experience level and theme of their garden you remain stumped, a gardening gift certificate allowing them to select their own gift is a surefire way to please and inspire them as their garden grows through the years.

With a little inspiration you can find the perfect gift basket for your avid gardener. Don't forget to put a pretty bow on the basket! Here is a natural pesticide that you may want to print on a card and include in the gift basket:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

Every gardener likes to keep the garden as chemical free as they can.

Happy Gardening!

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.

Garden Gift Baskets For The Avid Gardener

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at Gardening Landscaping Tips, Gardening Outside and Herb Gardening

Garden Designs With a Swimming Pool

Having a pool in your backyard can be a great recreational avenue for the whole family. Match a beautiful garden to a good swimming pool design and you got yourself a great place to host formal as well as family parties. Since you require no permits to build a swimming pool in your backyard, you can employ any good contractor to build one for you.

A good swimming pool design requires a lot of planning. First, you have to settle on the shape of the pool area. It does not have to be a mundane rectangular shape. You can try out ellipse, circular of free curve styles of swimming pool designs by simply using a long enough piece of rope or garden pipe. Once you have settled on the shape, the next step is the size and distance of the pool. Depending on the maximum number of people you will entertain in the pool and the area that you will require for the garden, you will have to choose the dimensions. The distance of the swimming pool design from your house also matters from the aesthetics point of view. The last step in planning for a pool involves what accessories you will be putting around the pool area. These accessories will require space and so must be integrated into the overall pool and garden design. With all these plans ready you are can now start building your pool.

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One secret to having a hassle free garden design Melbourne is to use whatever elements you already have in your backyard to enhance the appeal of the pool area. This can include trees, shrubs and even rock formations. If flowers are natural to your neck of woods, then use this natural element to surround the pool area, if vines are the natural part of your backyard then grow them over the fences and walkway to your pool. Trees are another great beautifier. Remember to plant only those trees that go well with your swimming pool design. This includes trees that do not shed leaves such as Coast Banksia, Yellow Gum and Black She-Oak. Another great garden design Melbourne is to use rocks to decorate the pool surroundings. Large and medium size boulders when used to make rock steps leading up to the pool or by themselves can serve as a unit of the beauty of the garden.

Garden Designs With a Swimming Pool

To get a good knowledge of the plants that will survive in the unpredictable climate of Melbourne, you can pay a visit to The Royal Botanic Gardens or to any of the other local community gardens and parks. The trees and shrubs that you find there will definitely live longer than any other type of species in your backyard, as they are indigenous to the city. If you do not want to personally build a garden into your swimming pool design, then you can approach a garden design Melbourne based contractor or landscaper. These people are well versed in the aspects of beautifying a swimming pool area with gardens. Although employing a garden design Melbourne contractor is expensive, the different types of landscape they can provide your pool area with is worth every penny you will spend.

Garden Designs With a Swimming Pool

With many areas experiences lower rainfall, your garden design ideas need to be very water wise. The same obviously applies for swimming pool designs, which can be made to save water.

Garden Huckleberries - Annual Berries You Can Count On

Did you know there's an annual berry that you can grow just like you grow a tomato? They're called garden huckleberries.

Garden huckleberries are in fact related to tomatoes, as well as peppers and potatoes. They're a member of the nightshade family and their Latin name is Solanum melanocerasum, syn S. nigrum guineense.

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They produce deep purple or black berries beginning in early fall. But wait until the berries have been kissed by frost before you pick them, they'll be much more flavorful. The fruits are bitter and must be sweetened and cooked before eating.

Garden Huckleberries - Annual Berries You Can Count On

Start huckleberry seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Grow the seedlings just like tomatoes or peppers. Keep them well watered and feed them weekly with a liquid fertilizer applied at half of the manufacturer's recommended strength.

Move them outdoors and harden them off beginning about two weeks before your average last frost. Put them in the shade during the day. Gradually move them into the sun and leave them outdoors for a few more hours each day until they're outside all the time. Bring them indoors if frost is predicted.

Plant them in full sun in the vegetable garden after all danger of frost has past, about the same time you plant your tomatoes. Add a trowel of compost to the soil around each plant when you transplant your seedlings.

They're thirsty like tomatoes too, so keep them well watered. Remove weeds, or better yet, mulch to suppress weeds and conserve moisture. Small white flowers appear in July. Remember to feed with a liquid fertilizer weekly, especially after the flowers open.

In early fall the garden huckleberries will begin turning black. They will be ready to harvest about two weeks later, when their skin changes from shiny to dull. They'll be rather soft and their insides will turn from green to purple. Try to resist picking them until after they have been exposed to at least one light frost. Afterward, pick the ripe ones and leave the unripe ones on the plant. They too will soon ripen, so don't give up on them.

When I used to think of growing berries in my garden, I thought of perennial berries like strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. But it can take a couple of years for these plants to produce fruit.

Now I think of garden huckleberries. The produce fruit the first year and each plant produces just enough berries for one pie.

Pretty convenient, don't you think?

Garden Huckleberries - Annual Berries You Can Count On

Sharon Sweeny is a creative copywriter, specializing in gardening and self-sufficient do-it-yourself lifestyles. She divides her free time among her garden in Minneapolis, alternately juggling half a dozen creative projects and blogging on gardening at http://moxiegardener.com while pondering the exact location of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.

Want to get the best writing for today's Internet? Whatever niche or market you are in Sharon Sweeny [http://sharonsweeny.com] will help get you noticed. Work with a professional who gets the job done right and on time with no excuses.

Garden Art Ideas -- How to Make Your Planters Into Beautiful Garden Art

Garden stores have so many different types of garden art for your to choose from - there are beautiful water features like ponds and fountains, as well as statues, wind chimes, birdhouses, and so much more. But why not go ahead and make your own garden art? Why not make sure that your garden fully reflects your own personality, and nobody else's?

When it comes to making your own garden art, there are so many different possibilities as to what you can do that it can almost be overwhelming. That is why I am going to focus on just one type of garden art in this article: planters. Check out these fun and unique ideas for your garden pots and planters:

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The Spilt Planter

Garden Art Ideas -- How to Make Your Planters Into Beautiful Garden Art

Add a little humor to your garden with a "spilt planter." Find an ordinary pot or barrel and tip it on its side in your garden. Fill the planter part way with soil, and then spread the rest out in front of it as though it has spilled out. Choose a few of your favorite flowers and plant them in the spilled-out soil. Warning: this fun and whimsical idea is one that may have do-gooders coming up and trying to fix the spill... until they see that the plants are actually planted in the ground.

Bathtub Planter

Find a bathtub (a clawfoot tub, preferably) at a thrift store, garage store, or even from your remodeled bathroom. Fill her up with good soil and then plant a small garden! It can also be fun to use a bathtub as a pond. It is even possible to find a way to hook your garden hose up so that you can have water coming out of the bathtub waterspout.

Thrift Stores Gems

There are many other things that plants can be planted into (besides planters and pots... and bathtubs). Why not go to an antique shop or a thrift store and see what you can find! You can plant a pair of cacti in a pair of cowboy boots. Why not plat a snapdragon in a tea cup? You can use vases, pots and pans, tires, helmets, and so many other things as planters. You may not know what item can double as a perfect garden planter until you go out and find it.

Pottery By Your Own Hand

Why not sign up for a pottery class and make your very own planter! Granted, you may make a pot that is only large enough for one petunia, but it is so much fun to create your own shapes and to glaze your pot in whatever color you want. Homemade pots with a flower in each make excellent gifts, as well.

Pot makeovers

If you already have a pot that you like, why not just dress it up a bit? Go ahead and glue a ribbon around the rim or even add sequins, buttons, scrabble letters, or other items! You can also completely makeover a pot - you just need some Mod Podge (a wonderful, glue-like substance) and some magazines. Cut or rip out some favorite pictures from magazines (or use photographs, newspaper, brown paper bags, tissue paper, etc.) and Mod Podge them all over your pot. Use a weather-proofing finishing spray to top it off. (If you are using a terra cotta pot or another pot that breathes and is not glazed, be sure that you heavily coat the pot with Mod Podge before you add your pictures, and consider placing another planter inside the pot to keep the magazine pictures from puckering when you water your plant.

Garden Art Ideas -- How to Make Your Planters Into Beautiful Garden Art

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on gardening and garden art, please visit Garden Art.

Garden Augers in Your Garden

You are probably familiar with drills for metal and wood but are probably not as familiar with the soil drills known as garden augers. These valuable devices stand out in the ranks of specialty garden tools for the quick job they will make of many often encountered outdoor jobs.

You easily can find garden augers in a broad range of sizes. The biggest are intended for rapidly planting trees and even telephone poles. The small ones are for garden use, drilling smaller holes most for properly planting bulbs, seeds and smaller plants.

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All garden augers will need a source of rotating power to use. For a very small auger this may be a hand driven drilling device. For the biggest garden augers a very powerful force is required such as from a tractor drive shaft. The most popular small sizes of garden augers are intended to work with variable speed electric hand drills.

Garden Augers in Your Garden

Most garden augers are not intended to work in highly compacted dry, very rocky soil or gravel but in already cultivated soil an auger can greatly accelerate a variety of tasks.

Augers are generally used for all kinds of planting in home gardens. The very largest of augers require heavy duty motors to be effective but they are the only way to go when you have a big planting job. Some of these can drill holes many feet deep and six inches or more in diameter.

These big augers are also popular for placing fence posts. They turn a slow and back-breaking job into a very fast exercise. Only the hardiest of fence builders would consider digging fence post holes by hand when appropriate augers are readily available at most tool rental shops for very reasonable prices.

A really quick way to plant spring and summer bulbs in addition to many bedding plants and seedlings to use the auger to create the correct sized hole then place the seeds, bulbs or plants. The very popular garden augers varying from about three inches on down to under two inches are just right for this kind of job. You'll need a small, variable speed drill to power the auger and it can make holes from a few inches up to two feet deep to make really quick work of planting.

The things you can do with garden augers doesn't stop with planting though. Another great use is remove the roots of weeds that have long roots going deep into the ground and are extremely difficult to get out with other common garden tools.

Bushes and trees, in particular older and established trees and bushes, need regular deep fertilizing, aeration and watering. Many deep bores drilled under these plants will deliver nutrients, water and life-giving oxygen to the roots and will often bring back life and vitality to older plants. Use your garden auger to drill multiple deep holes under the trees or shrubs before applying fertilizer and then watering.

Any job that requires drilling a hole into the ground is probably a candidate for employing a garden auger. For example, you sometimes want to run PCV irrigation pipes under an obstacle including sidewalks or foundations. Outdoor electrical wiring is another obvious job for a garden auger.

My observation is that you should always buy from a recognized manufacturer. I've had great success with the Yard Butler Company of San Diego, California. This company uses tool grade steel making their augers, and used with care will not fail the first time you use them. Yard Butler has been manufacturing specialty gardening tools for over half a century and has earned an enviable regard among gardeners for building better tools.

I suggest you avoid purchasing the least expensive augers such as those mass produced in China and sold by the large garden and home supply chain companies. My experience shows that they instantly bend or break and end up costing more in the long run. Treated with care a quality garden auger will last for many years and prove a real time saver in your garden and around the house.

Garden Augers in Your Garden

Yard Butler quality, specialty garden tools for your garden.

The Garden of Eden

In the Bible, in the 2nd and 3rd chapter of Genesis, we have the story of the first man Adam, and his wife Eve, in the Garden of Eden. God created this Garden with plenty of lush, greenery and trees bearing all kinds of fruits and placed the couple to enjoy the fruits of the garden. He had given them all the freedom except, to eat from the 'Tree of knowledge'. The story goes on to tell how man and the woman fell from obeying the command when tempted by the Serpent who symbolises the devil and sinned against God. Consequently they were driven out of the garden and also were prevented to come again in the garden or to have access to another tree, 'The tree of Life' which was now guarded by a guardian angel.

Many Biblical students, scholars and the Christian people around the world take the story to be literal. They believe in the Eden Garden as a real physical place somewhere on the face of the earth. Sin of human is a popular theme with the Christian church which culminates in happy ending with the coming of Son of God, Jesus on the earth who lived on this earth, taught the love of God to humanity and sacrificed his life on the cross for all. Human relation with the Divine is restored through this act of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and they regain the lost paradise, the Garden of Eden in Christ. While all this is true, but the story of Garden of Eden has deeper meaning which appears different on the surface but below stores wealth of wisdom, enlightenment and bliss. Let's explore it in a new angle.

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What is the Garden of Eden?: The Garden of Eden is the Sub-conscious mind of human being! We all are aware of the conscious mind that is awake and works on the basis of our senses and logic. We also know that we have the subconscious mind, which runs on the basis of what is fed to it through our conscious mind. The subconscious mind rather plays a major role in carving out our beliefs, personality and character. Even when you are sleeping, the subconscious mind is working to keep your heart beats intact, it controls your blood flow and it is this mind that brings about the wonderful healing in your body when you are injured or sick. It is here that you get those hunches and that eureka feeling many times when you quieten your conscious mind, it is taken to be the place where the Divine connects to human and human to Divine. Garden of Eden was made by God says the Bible and your subconscious is made by God. There were many fruit bearing trees in this garden and that exactly figuratively tells the function of the subconscious mind. Our life bears fruits bad or good on the basis of what is fed to the subconscious mind and emotionalized. Friends if you believe something with your conscious mind to be true and emotionalise the belief with your feelings it goes in your subconscious mind and produces the exact situation or event. When someone sits under a fan believing that it is going to make him sick and he is going to catch cold, the subconscious mind is fed with the message and produces the exact symptoms in him. The person now is really sick! Many wonderful healings around the world are witnessed due to this same principle. If a person believes that he is going to be healed of an ailment and emotionalises the feeling, his subconscious mind will accept the command and bring about the healing! The Garden of Eden was giving fruits of all kinds, so is your subconscious mind bearing fruits of healing-sickness, joy-unhappiness, richness-poverty with what you are feeding it. The seeds that you plant through your conscious mind are important and that is why Jesus said, 'You can't gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles' In pre-fall stage Humans were directly connected to this wonderful channel of Divinity, the subconscious mind and so everything in the garden of Eden was easy, blissful and plenty.

The Garden of Eden

What is the Tree of Knowledge?: God wanted human to have easy access to his plenty through the principles of working on subconscious mind, but he had created man in his own image and he knew he had to caution him against going by conscious mind. The conscious mind is pictured in the Tree of Knowledge in the story of the Garden of Eden. This was the tree that God forbade human eat fruits from. God has made everything easy for access through the working of the subconscious, the subconscious works on the principle of Faith. The conscious on the other hand works on the principle of logic and doubt. I don't deny the good use of conscious mind that this world has witnessed. Friends, doubt prevents us from many miracle moments in our life. We usually go the hard way like Adam and Eve had now to toil and sweat to earn their bread after they gave the conscious mind the dominance. Human beings are under this curse that the Bible talks about, we believe and hear only our conscious mind and that's why our life produces the same results of lack, disbelief, fear and unhappiness. I don't say the conscious mind is evil, but it is limited from the wisdom of God. Human beings made the sub conscious mind the slave to conscious mind when as per God's plan it should have been exactly the opposite. The serpent who is usually symbolizing the devil is nothing but the element of doubt and fear in our conscious minds. When human beings were driven out of the Garden of Eden and a guardian angel was placed near the 'Tree of Life' it is a symbol of human now having no easy access to the wonders of subconscious mind and the consequent life in abundance that it results into.

Where does Jesus fit in all this?: Jesus came as the prototype of what is expected of human, which is why the Bible also refers to him as the 'Second Adam'. What was expected of Adam, Jesus fulfilled through is life. He worked on the principles of this subconscious mind and was open to the Divine, his Father's wisdom all the time. The many miracles and healings he performed were surprising to the common conscious mind but to him they were a cake-walk as he was connected to his Father, through the working of Subconscious mind. Now the favourite question, why did he have to die? The first reason is obvious that Jesus was condemned by the Jews and Roman authorities for blasphemy i.e. calling and making himself the Son of God. The second and most important reason is that Jesus was called as Son of God and Son of Man for a reason, when you are driven by the principle of your Subconscious mind working, you become like Jesus, divinely connected to your heavenly father and other times you are like Adam when you are running on the limited conscious mind, you are Son of Man. So the point is the Son of Man had to die to resurrect as Son of God. Your conscious mind has to be sacrificed to resurrect and witness the wonders and working of Sub conscious mind in your life! That is real salvation, when you stop being Adam, the Son of Man and become resurrected as Jesus, the Son of God, divinely connected.

Conclusion: Friends, let us awaken to this truth that is found not just in the Bible but in all the religious scriptures. Till we are alive, we will live with our conscious mind more active but now we know the truth and if we allow good thoughts, thoughts of love, healing, bliss to enter our minds, the subconscious mind will produce the same and then we will experience paradise on earth, the very Garden of Eden opening its door again to realise 'Paradise Regained'.

Sohan.

The Garden of Eden

Garden Design - Incorporating Hostas and Ferns

You may think that if your only option for a garden is a shady
area, you may not be able to create a garden. If you use shade
loving plants, however, it is very possible. Hostas and ferns
are perfect options for shady areas. They add grace and charm to
any garden area, and their foliage is beautiful.

Since other plants might not do well in the shade with the hostas
and ferns, you can compliment them by adding elements such as a
statuary, stone bench, brick wall, or birdbath. The deep greens
of the ferns and hostas will work well visually with the stone or
brick accessories. You will love relaxing in your shady area!

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Since the area will be in the shade, it will hold moisture longer
after rain or in the mornings, so creating a cobblestone or brick
path will help to keep your feet clean and dry. A natural bark
path is another option, especially if the garden is among trees.
The brick or tiles should be used for formal gardens, but more
informal gardens will look good with pebbles or paving stones.

Garden Design - Incorporating Hostas and Ferns

A water feature is a very appealing addition to your shade
garden. It will remind you of a natural stream, and you will
feel as if you are in the wild, where the ferns and hostas
naturally grow. It doesn't have to be expensive to add this
feature, as it can be as simple as a reflecting pool.

If you use some boulders in your shade garden, mosses and lichens
will look great growing on them and will thrive in the shady
area.

To add some contrast and diversity to the garden, some of the
hostas should have variegated foliage, with cream and gold
colors. When placed in front of the dark greens of the other
plants, they will stand out and really show how green the rest of
the garden is. The colors will likely match those of the stone
elements that you add, whether it's a bench, birdbath, or
anything else.

Woodland wildflowers should bloom well, even in the shade. The
colors of these will look great against the other dark colors.
Be sure to sprinkle seeds for both early ad late blooming plants,
so something is always blooming. Some early bloomers are crested
irises and creeping phlox. Examples of late bloomers are
goldenrod and mountain anemones.

It can take some time to prepare the soil and design where the
hardscape elements of the garden will go, but once everything is
in place and planted, the maintenance of your shade garden will
be low. Ferns like the classic Boston fern will be a great addition to your landscape, whether
it's your only option or you have it just in the shady part of a
full garden landscape.

Garden Design - Incorporating Hostas and Ferns

The Boston fern plant has been a favorite since the 1900's. In fact ferns are making a comeback. learn more about this classic plant which has been improved at http://www.plant-care.com/boston-fern.html

Green Landscaping Trends For The Homeowner In 2011

The big buzz in home improvements over the past few years has been going green, and this trend is not going anywhere in the near future. How green something is considered, is now an important factor in most home-based choices. When buying a high-efficiency washing machine or energy-efficient windows, it is easy to know you are making a green improvement for your home. But what about landscaping, how do homeowners really know if they are making a positive environmental impact when it comes to landscaping?

Your best chance of making a net environmental gain with your green landscaping upgrade is by following the experts. Here are some of the green landscaping trends experts have identified for the year 2011. Most of which can be readily adapted for your backyard.

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According to the Garden Writers Association, the prime garden trends for 2011 are:
-Gardening with a purpose
-Eco-scaping
-Sustainable containers
-Succulents
-Vertical gardening
-New urbanism

Green Landscaping Trends For The Homeowner In 2011

Unless you are planning to reclaim a vacant parking lot, or open an urban park, 'New urbanism' is probably best left to city planners. The rest of the items on the Garden Writers Association's list are plenty achievable for the home landscaper or homeowner.

Eco-scaping, defined by the GWA as, "The move to de-lawn large tracks of turf and transform lawns into sustainable landscapes..." is a great way to improve the look of your yard in a sustainable way. Installing a living wall made up of green retaining wall blocks is a great way to replace stretches of grass with eco-friendly plants that will both beatify your yard and save water.

Filling the green retaining wall blocks of your living wall with succulents, another of the Garden Writers Association's top trends for 2011, is your best bet to saving water over the long-term. Plants belonging to the succulent class retain water in their leaves, stems, and roots. Succulents thrive in a selection of conditions, and are considered by many to be some of the easiest plants to care for. Some recommended types of succulents to plant include members of the Euphorbioides family, Sedum sarmentosum, and Phedimus takesimensis.

Another trend identified by the GWA is that of sustainable containers. For smaller plants, this could mean something as easy and inexpensive as a reused food container. For bigger plants or blocks of plants, look to use containers made from recycled materials. As it turns out, while the building blocks of most living walls are made of poured concrete, those constructed from components that meet the criteria as green retaining wall blocks, should also contain a significant amount 100% recycled plastic.

Green has not just become a trend in home landscaping because it is seen as the popular or socially conscious thing to do. Both of these factors have led to the proliferation of green trends in landscaping; as seen in the examples above, green landscaping has become increasingly popular because it saves money in the long run. By choosing proven methods of green landscaping, your next outdoor home improvement project can reap rewards for years to come.

Green Landscaping Trends For The Homeowner In 2011

SmartSlope is an eco-conscious supplier of green retaining wall blocks. The green retaining wall blocks are used to form SmartSlope's innovative green living walls. Only the best living walls are created with SmartSlope's green retaining wall blocks.

What Do Garden Snakes Eat?

Aside from the flowers and greens that adorn your garden, there are some slithering creatures that can add color or emphasis on your garden. These are the garden snakes that harmlessly slide on the grass of your garden especially in springs when the flowers start to bloom. These reptiles are sleeping under the ground during winters and they just come out when the weather is warm enough for their cold-blooded body. The garden snakes usually have different colors and some of them develop the colors of the garden. To protect themselves and to trick their preys the garden snakes develop camouflaging through the colors of the plants. They just come out of the open lawn when they need to warm their body.

The snakes may scare your visitors if they spot one in your garden, they might ask you what those snakes are doing there. For sure you'll reply that they are hunting for foods. "What do snakes eat?" If the kids happen to ask you this question just answer them they eat small people like them. Just make sure to tell them that you are only joking before they kill your pet. And give them the right reason why you have that snakes in your garden.

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Setting jokes aside your answer might be true to some snakes. Even if the snakes cannot eat you in whole but they surely bite. Snakebites can be deadly so better be careful with snakes. It is advised not to play with or to come closer to a snake, but not with the garden snakes. The garden snakes are harmless unless you harm them. They fight back when they sense danger. You can come closer to the harmless garden snakes and you can even hold them, but be sure not to hold them too tight. Letting them crawl around your garden won't harm anyone. They even help in taking care of the plants. What do garden snakes eat and how can they thrive in the gardens? The garden snakes feed on frogs and bugs that feed on the leaves of your plants in the garden. Younger garden snakes feed on worms that eats the stems and leaves of small plants. When they become larger they eat frogs, bugs, mice, and spiders in the garden. Humans are not included in their diet so your friends need not to worry about your garden snakes.

What Do Garden Snakes Eat?

Garden snakes usually spend their days under the shades of plants when the sun is at its fullest and they come out if they need to warm up. The beautiful colors of the garden snakes make them more noticeable as they slowly crawl out on the lawns and on the garden pathways. So the next time someone asks what do garden snakes eat? You know the answer.

What Do Garden Snakes Eat?

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about What Do Garden Snakes Eat [http://mygardeningfun.info/what-do-garden-snakes-eat], please visit My Gardening Fun [http://mygardeningfun.info] for current articles and discussions.

Garden Soil - Naturally Sterilizing Garden Soils With Solar

Most garden soils and especially organically created garden soil will never need the extremity of sterilization. However, in some instances such as nematode infestation, it may be desirable to completely sterilize the soil. The major drawback to this, whether naturally or chemically, is that it also kills beneficial soil organisms. However, depending on certain circumstances, it may be necessary.

It's almost impossible to eliminate all weeds seeds, diseases, nematodes, and insects. And especially organically or naturally. However, it is possible to cut the population of most to just a few simply by using the heat of the sun in the hottest part of Summer. That is, in most climates. I'll explain more on that later.

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In the hottest part of Summer, usually August or July, it's possible to raise soil temperatures over four inches deep to above 120 degrees using clear plastic sheeting. Simply till or spade manure into the surface soil as deep as you can get it. The manure will help to generate heat.

Garden Soil - Naturally Sterilizing Garden Soils With Solar

Next, moisten the area and cover with clear plastic sheeting. Keep the sheeting on the ground and make sure all edges are tucked tightly, covered with dirt, or held down in another way. This will basically create an oven that will produce soil temperature often above 120 degrees. This will generally "cook" the largest percentage of unwanted soil problems. Keep covered and moist for at least four weeks.

In cooler climates where even Summer temperature don't get very high, it's possible that this method will actually help germinate some seeds and multiply unwanted soil diseases. It basically creates a cozy greenhouse atmosphere with good temperatures for germination.

On a smaller scale, you can have better success and possibly eliminate all unwanted diseases, weeds, nematodes, and insects. Placing soil in black pots, moistening, and covering tightly with clear plastic will produce soil temperatures in excess of 150-160 degrees. Keep covered for two weeks and make sure it stays moist. Not much can live in that.

Again, keep in mind that this also kills beneficial soil organisms. However, the tradeoff may be necessary. And you can rebuild the structure of the soil over time by adding lots of organics to the soil.

Garden Soil - Naturally Sterilizing Garden Soils With Solar

Article by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more landscaping ideas, visit his site at: www.the-landscape-design-site.com.

A Plastic 5 Gallon White Bucket Makes an Easy to Create Bucket Garden

If you travel to any home improvement store, you can easily find a plastic 5 gallon bucket to start your bucket garden project. Whether you use a 1 or 5 gallon bucket for your garden, it is very easy to get started and can quickly grow into larger a larger garden over time. To create your first garden bucket, start with a single 5 gallon container and drill a few holes for water drainage. When ready for the next step, add some topsoil and sprinkle in some compost to get prepare the vegetable plant for its new home. Add a vegetable plant (pepper, tomato or other) and you are done within a few minutes.

A Bucket garden consisting of 5 gallon plastic buckets can be very beneficial to the weekend warrior in several ways:

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One of the benefits of a container garden is its portability. If you live in a home that does not provide optimal conditions for a stationary garden, bucket gardens can provide the flexibility you need to address issues like; minimal access to sunlight, strong wind conditions and animal invaders like the dreaded bunny. A bucket garden is a little tougher for animals to access and can be surrounded by fencing if needed.

A Plastic 5 Gallon White Bucket Makes an Easy to Create Bucket Garden

If you live in a condo or apartment, access to a private plot of land to grow vegetables may not be available. The large 5 gallon container can provide a small area for you to have your own piece of land for the herbs and vegetables you desire. Although they are not visually pleasing, they can easily be dressed up with some pastel paint for designs that add a bit of flair to your plastic 5 gallon bucket.

Back or knee concerns can be less of an issue as these large buckets can be placed on platforms for easier access during weeding, watering or harvesting activities. Of course, the initial lifting of the plastic pail can be a bit stressful, but once in place, there is less of a need for bending over.

Many beginning gardeners like the bucket garden approach to grow their vegetables in phases. You can start with a small number of containers at first, which can be less overwhelming and much easier to manage. Over time, you can increase the buckets in your garden when you feel you are ready. This can be a more organized approach and be less stressful as you decide which vegetables you want to plant. You may decide to add containers in sections or add vegetables by various growing seasons.

Mixing and matching garden containers can be a creative process and still practical. Adding something like an old clay chimney pot to a garden can add color and texture variation to the look and feel of your new found.

In summary, starting your bucket garden with plastic 5 gallon containers is an easy way to get your garden started. You can add containers gradually over time to increase the variety of plants or when time permits. Have fun with your garden by adding some color with basic paints or additional textures of tin buckets or other off the wall containers.

A Plastic 5 Gallon White Bucket Makes an Easy to Create Bucket Garden

A gallon storage container can be used to store just about anything. They can be used as containers in food grade situations such as for storing grains in the pantry over the winter. 5 gallon storage buckets are easy to use and can have many uses.

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

This is a list of commonly used yard and garden tools. For those that maintain their own yard, you will probably say that all the tools listed are already in your garage or backyard shed. The list was developed for first time home owners wanting to care for their own lawn and garden. This should provide them with the basics- enough to begin normal lawn maintenance. On the other hand, it may be enough of a warning to help them decide that they do not want to tackle what seems to be never ending task of lawn care.

To prevent this article from sounding like an advertisement, I will not list any lawn and garden maintenance companies for those that prefer not to purchase all the necessary yard and garden tools. After factoring in the time, manual labor plus the cost of the tools, there will no doubt be some drop outs for the do it yourself lawn maintenance program.

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For those of you that want to go join the club and go forward with caring for your lawn, you may notice none of the tools have related prices. There are several reasons. Mainly the prices can change at anytime and I simply cannot keep up with them all. You can get pricing while shopping for the tools. I recommend that you do that anyway.

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

Gloves
Rake
Hoe
Shovel
Spade
Trowel
Pruner
Pruning Saw
Sprinkler
Garden Hose
Lawn Mower
Edger
Weedeater - gas or electric
Blower - gas or electric
Fertilizer Spreader
Wheelbarrow
Hedge Shears
Tank Sprayer
Hammer
Heavy Duty Extension Cord

Again, this is not an all inclusive list of yard and garden tools. It does cover most of the basic tools necessary for regular lawn maintenance. While many home owners have acquired a large number of other gardening tools over the years, the basic list here should be enough for the average startup home gardening and lawn care maintenance project.

The benefit of shopping for the tools yourself is that you can find the best prices. An additional benefit is that you will learn more about each tool and its respective manufacturer. So, review them all. Whether searching locally or on the internet, you will learn about quality and prices. Both will help you determine the right yard and garden tools for your lawn care needs.

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

Loren Bailey is one of the content advisors and contributors for TopLawnCareTips.com, which offers tips and suggestions for lawn and garden care

Why is New Jersey Called the Garden State?

Why is New Jersey called the Garden State? In 1926, Alfred Heston published an historical account of New Jersey citing a moment in 1876 when Abraham Browning compared New Jersey to "an immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends, with Pennsylvanians grabbing from one end and the New Yorkers from the other. He called New Jersey the Garden State, and the name has clung to it ever since." Although, New Jersey has historical roots tied to gardening, its modern ties to its nickname might be even more extensive. This is despite the famous 1954 incident where the Governor refused to sign a bill that would add this nickname to the state license plates. Although true that New Jersey is also strong in many other areas of manufacturing, mining, and construction its historical and modern ties are very extensive.

New Jersey has nearly a dozen garden clubs and several state associations with two large community gardens, Denville Community Garden and the Greater Newark Conservancy. Look around and you will find bird sanctuaries, garden museums, arboretums, and many historical garden sites. In addition, New Jersey has almost 10.000 individual farms spanning nearly 800,000 acres of farmland and among those leading the nation in many forms of agricultural production. New Jersey is a large supplier of tomatoes, corn, blueberries, cranberries, spinach, bell peppers, peaches, lettuce, apples, strawberries, potatoes, hay, and soybeans. Additionally, New Jersey is also famous for their wines and fruit wines with nearly three dozen wineries spanning the state.

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New Jersey is extensively covered in parks and tress with more than 50% of the state still wooded. In fact, New Jersey strongly pushes for land conservation and protection of its natural trees, resources, and wildlife. The push for modern "greenways" by many of the local organizations is one example of the modern way the New Jersey citizens define themselves by their state nickname. The New Jersey greenway vision is a push for "interconnecting systems of parks, trails, and protected natural areas, farmland, and historical places" according to Ed McMahon, director of the American Greenways Program. With a future vision of keeping in touch with its traditional roots its clear that many modern citizens continue to identify with the state nickname.

Gardening is an extremely popular hobby in New Jersey. New Jersey is also famous for its master gardener programs at Rutgers where from 1984 to 2008 the program has accumulated over 1.2 million volunteer hours by the locals willing to learn and help out, according to a report by the university. This program has been extremely beneficial for getting people more excited and interested in gardening and landscaping in the area. The push for gardening even extends into the Northern New Jersey suburban housing where container gardening and window box gardening have become increasingly popular trends. The nickname not only defines New Jersey from a historical point of view it remains today an important symbol that represents what the average person from New Jersey relates to as well.

Why is New Jersey Called the Garden State?

Matt Buquoi is the owner of Flower Window Boxes, a window box company that specializes in affordable no rot window boxes. He has seen an increasing trend in the gardening and window box industry in the New Jersey area.

History Of The Pawpaw Tree

Pawpaw trees were discovered in 1541 by the Spanish explorer, Hernando Desoto, on an excursion into the Mississippi Valley, and he sent samples of this plant back to Europe.

William Bartram in 1776 stated in his botanical book, Travels, that he found pawpaw trees growing on the Alatamaha River in Georgia and in east Florida, which he described as, 'Annona incarna,' the name later was updated by modern taxonomists. "The fruit the size of a small cucumber ...containing a yellow pulp of the consistence of a hard custard, and a very delicious, wholesome food."

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This fruit is agreeably flavored and considered to be the largest native fruit of North America. The pawpaw trees are said to be endangered or threatened in the states of New York and New Jersey, in the forests where it grows naturally.

The pawpaw tree grows across most of the eastern United States as a native tree. Mature pawpaw trees produce fruits 2" wide by 10" long, looking and tasting very much like a banana. The fruit is liked immensely by most people and may be purchased at many outdoor markets in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, etc. The pawpaw pulp has the consistency of creamy custard and may be eaten raw, baked, or used as a pie filling. The trees grow about 15' tall and have been known to produce as much as 60 pounds of pawpaws per tree. Some individual pawpaws weigh up to a pound each. Zones 5-10

Much interest has been recently directed towards research and development of improved varieties of the pawpaw at Universities in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. The large fruit is not well known in much of the United States, but its flavor and exotic shape make it a candidate for the expansive, potential of specialty fruit markets in the future. Taste it once fresh and you will feel compelled to have some of these pawpaw trees growing in your personal fruit orchard.

One of the great horticultural mysteries of the world is: why have most paw paw trees, that were plentiful throughout early U.S. forests, virtually disappeared from their natural habitat today? That answer may lie within the research results (Peterson 1991), that showed that the paw paw is sensitive to ultraviolet light, thus, paw paw seedlings may not grow back after the forests have been harvested, and there are very few virgin forests left in the United States. Paw paws can be found growing there abundantly, but once the forests are clean-cut, the paw paw will not usually become re-established.

These experiments must be clearly remembered, when you order your paw paw trees. They must be planted under partial shade of other trees, however, you may plant your pawpaw trees in the open, if the trees are grown under shade cloth for a couple of seasons. The tree will lose its sensitivity to full sunlight once it has become established and the shade cloth can be discarded.

Some gardeners wish to plant their pawpaw trees in pots for a couple of years under shady conditions, but this is not necessary if the above guidelines are followed. Since paw paw trees are tap rooted, growth will be slow during the first year, but after that, very rapid growth occurs afterwards.

Paw paw leaves are large and that large leaf surface generally indicates a need for large amounts of soil moisture, and therefore, generally, paw paws are found in their greatest numbers near river flood plains. Leaves or other organic composted materials are very beneficial to paw paws.

The skin of paw paws is thin and edible and can vary in color from a light green to a golden yellow. Most people prefer to eat the pawpaw fruit after it becomes soft to the touch. The custard- like pulp tastes like banana and varies in color from white to deep orange. The seed are few and large, thus, pawpaws are easy to eat raw.

Most paw paws are sold at roadside markets, because the shelf life is short. Commercially, the paw paw is important in juices, pies, cakes, custards, ice cream and other processed products.

The pawpaw tree was voted by Better Homes and Gardens, in the year 2000, as the landscape tree of the year. The pawpaw and the pawpaw tree are loaded with beneficial health extracts. The bark contains fluids that demonstrate anti-tumor properties and have been used over the years to fight scarlet fever and red skin rashes. These extracts from pawpaw trees are highly useful as an organic insect killer (pesticide).

Pawpaw fruits are rich in minerals such as magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, potassium, and phosphorus. The fruit also contains abundant concentrations of Vitamin C, proteins, and their derivative amino acids.

There are a number of grafted cultivars of paw paw but their range of adaptation is very narrow, and many cultivars that produce heavy crops of large fruit in Kentucky, Indiana or West Virginia do not perform satisfactorily in Georgia, Florida, Carolina or Alabama. Consider buying improved seedling paw paw trees, which appear to be more adaptable universally. Try some of these trees in your orchard for a real tasty treat.

History Of The Pawpaw Tree

Learn more about various trees by visiting the author's website: http://www.tytyga.com

Organic Gardening - Reasons Pepper Plants Can Turn Yellow

One of the most common problems that the home gardener have with their pepper plants is the yellowing of their leaves. This can be caused by a few different reasons. The first is the lack of nitrogen and magnesium, another reason is chlorinated water, soil splash on the lower leaves from watering and a fungal problem.

The first reason, the yellowing of leaves is most of the times caused by a lack of nitrogen and magnesium in the garden's soil. This can be simply a result of the nutrients being leeched from the soil due to excess water. Pepper plants only need 1" of water per week. Another reason is the plants may need an application of fertilizer that is high in nitrogen to get past this problem.

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Normally you wouldn't want to give pepper or tomatoes a high dose of nitrogen, it will usually result in lush foliage and not a strong harvest. You need to get the plants healthy again, so if they need a dose of nitrogen do it sparingly.

Another thing that works for me is to apply an epsom salt spray to my pepper plants. Epsom salt will supply magnesium and calcium that can be absorbed by the leaves for a quick recovery. You may want to try this foliar spray. I mix 3 tablespoons of epsom salt to one gallon of water and spray the foliage.Then I apply a slow release organic fertilizer that is high in nitrogen to the soil around the plant. At this time I remove any flower buds so the plants can solely concentrate their energy on there foliage. There is still plenty of time for a productive harvest.

If chlorine is the problem, you can simply rid the water of chlorine by just running the water into a bucket and letting the bucket stand for a few hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate.

Lower leaves that turn yellow on your pepper plants can be simply caused from soil splash when watering. They will yellow and wilt. Remove these yellow leaves and your plants should do just fine.

Organic Gardening - Reasons Pepper Plants Can Turn Yellow

A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.

John Yazo

[http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com]

Swimming Pool Renovation Ideas - 5 Best Upgrades to Consider for Your Swimming Pool

Making a decision to renovate a swimming pool is not an easy task, but the recent advancement of swimming pool technology makes renovations well worth your while. Homeowners can now transform an old, troublesome pool into a luxury swimming pool, with every possible amenity, that runs smoother than it ever did. Unfortunately, many people settle for their existing pool because they do not receive adequate information regarding the possibilities of a pool renovation. Maybe they simply underestimate the transformative possibilities of renovating an existing pool. Don't be intimidated by the task of renovating your pool with the latest industry trends.

Here are the 5 best upgrades to consider for your swimming pool renovation:

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1. Salt Water Chlorinator - Swimming Pool Purifier Extraordinaire

Salt Water Chlorinators represent a new wave in swimming pool service technology. Salt water chlorinators remove the need for liquid chlorine, granular chlorine, or chlorine tablets. The key here is convenience. Salt water chlorinators eliminate the storage and manual application of chlorine. When chlorine is needed, salt is converted into chlorine through a simple chemical process, the same process that is used to create these other chlorine additives. The creation of chlorine within the swimming pool itself has increased sanitizing effects due to the chemical process by which the chlorine is formed. Overall, a renovation that includes a salt water chlorinator cuts down on the hassle of adding and monitoring chlorine. These chlorinators will also prevent itchy eyes and green hair by regulating their own chlorine levels. Save your goggles for the beach. Spend more time swimming in your pool and less time taking care of it. Salt water chlorinators take complete responsibility for your pool.

2. Color LED and Fiber Optic Pool Lights - Swimming Pools That Shed Light on Backyard Nightlife

One renovation that would significantly upgrade your pool's visual effects is the addition of color LED and fiber optic lighting. This new trend of backyard night lighting is heating up swimming pools and landscapes all over the world. Color fiber optic and LED pool lights can be inserted directly into the floor or wall of a pool or spa, allowing entire bodies of water to glow in a wide array of neon colors. A well-lit pool surrounded by fiber optic spot lights can bring your pool and landscape to life. These fiber optic and LED lights increase the overall value of your pool; they enhance the functional use of an outdoor living space by encouraging homeowners to swim and entertain in their back yards well after sundown. In addition to extending the hours of swimming pool use, color LED and fiber optic lights also create dynamic backdrops to evening gatherings. Fiber optic star lights can be sprinkled along the bottom of the pool, wall of a waterfall, or inside of a grotto with astronomical effects. Dazzling visual displays can be seen as the LED and fiber optic lights shift in color and set the mood for a romantic late-night swim or a bustling backyard bash. Including fiber optics or LED lights in your pool renovations will change your nightlife.

3. Aggregate Finish Pool Plaster - A Durable Surface That Sparkles from Top to Bottom

Much like pool lighting, aggregate pool plaster finishes produce richly-colored pools. Pool plaster protects concrete gunite pools from damaging, but new plaster technology has developed much more aesthetically-pleasing alternatives to boring, white Marcite plaster. Aggregate finishes not only produce more durable surfaces than the outdated Marcite but they also come in a wide variety of textures and colors. As quartz, crystals, and pebbles have increased the plaster's durability, the standard has also been raised for the overall visual appeal of pool plaster. These surfaces reflect and refract colors and light, producing exhilarating effects from the bottom of the pool all the way up to the surface. Aggregate finishes can be polished and smooth or bumpy, using pebbles, for a natural feel. Overall, renovating your swimming pool with an aggregate finish can garnish it with sparkling color and increase the life-expectancy of the finish to anywhere between 10 and 20 plus years, as opposed to Marcite which lasts no longer than 10 years.

4. Electronic Auto Fill - The Endless Water Supplier

Renovating your pool with an electronic auto fill can provide an excellent, practical addition to a swimming pool. Much like the salt water chlorinator, electronic auto fills, in general, cut down on the time you spend worrying about your pool. Water levels in pools drop every day as a result of evaporation and people coming in and out. If the water is too low, pool pumps and filters cannot function properly. Electronic auto fills monitor the water level of the swimming pool and fill the pool accordingly until it reaches its proper level. You no longer have to worry about where the water level should be, nor do you ever have to run a hose into the pool for an hour or two. Renovating with an electronic auto fill serves as yet another solution to your swimming pool concerns.

5. Natural Stone Coping and Decking - Swimming Pools Decked Out in Natural Stone

Another useful swimming pool renovation is the addition of natural stone coping and decking. Stone coping and patios bring style to outdoor living spaces. A variety of stones can be used for coping and patios, such as bluestone, sandstone, and Tennessee Crab Orchard. Depending on the style of the swimming pool, various natural stones can complete the look with natural or formal tones. Contrasting materials can also be used to draw attention and frame focal points of the back yard. For instance, bluestone coping around a swimming pool with sandstone decking highlights the outline of the pool. Be sure to choose stones wisely, and keep in mind the practical needs of given spaces. Tennessee Crab Orchard pool patios, for example, stay relatively cool in the hot summer sun, keeping your bare feet from burning up as you relax around your newly renovated swimming pool. In addition, natural stone serves as a better choice than a simple paver patio; pavers usually become outdated after 5 years. Natural stone also proves to provide a better surface than stamped concrete because it is not slippery and the color does not fade.

Renovating Conclusions

Homeowners should take full advantage of their pool renovations by upgrading certain aspects of their swimming pool and outdoor living space. Visually, natural stone coping and decking, as well as color LED and fiber optic pool lights, create beautiful scenes that show off in exciting ways. On the service end, electronic auto fills and salt water chlorinators provide hassle-free solutions that keep pools crystal clear and running smoothly. Finally, aggregate plaster finishes combine practicality and beauty. Durable pool plasters protect swimming pools from damaging for 20 plus years. At the same time, aggregate finishes bring a colorful shimmer to concrete swimming pools. Don't overlook this versatile list of exciting upgrades when considering a swimming pool renovation. Upgrade your pool with each of these up-to-date amenities and you may never have to renovate your swimming pool again.

Swimming Pool Renovation Ideas - 5 Best Upgrades to Consider for Your Swimming Pool

Established in 1989, Cipriano Landscape Design is a recognized industry leader in custom residential landscapes and swimming pools. Today along with the Ramsey, N.J. office, the Cipriano family also owns a 10-acre farm and nursery in Mahwah, NJ. In 2008, the Cipriano team was recognized for their award winning production, winning four Northeast Spa and Pool Association awards for water creations within Bergen County, an International Award of Excellence from the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals and four awards of Superior Excellence from the New Jersey Landscape and Nursery Association. Click the link to see amazing Before/After pictures of pool renovations.

Create Your Own Garden Gazebo Landscape with These Garden Gazebo Landscaping Tips

Landscaping around a garden gazebo is relatively easy. There are many resources and books available that have specific landscape designs and plans. But by following the principles of outdoor design and decor listed below, it is possible for you to make your own garden design plan for your garden gazebo.

Determine the size and shape of the area you have for your garden gazebo and surrounding garden. This goes a long way in planning your design, and should be the first step in designing your garden gazebo area.

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Decide the type of gazebo placement you prefer. You can choose to have a symmetrical design or an asymmetrical design. A symmetrical design can be thought of as a mirror image. When symmetry is present, you would be able to cut the gazebo down the middle and everything would be the same on each side. This works nice for Victorian style garden gazebo placement, with the same plants on each side and paths coming to the gazebo at the same place on each side. With an asymmetrical design, the garden gazebo is placed on one side of the garden, and everything leads up to it from one direction. This placement works nicely with a smaller area.

Make your landscape plan starting from the focal point of the garden gazebo and radiating outward. Begin planning what the immediate structures, plants, and flowers will be directly on and around the garden gazebo before you make the decisions about the perimeter area.

Become educated about the plants you want for your garden. Before buying any plants for your garden gazebo area, make sure that you know what type of conditions are ideal for each so that you avoid planting something in the wrong place. Also, be sure that you know the size the plants will reach, both height and width, to avoid having certain plants take over an area or crowd other plants or your garden gazebo.

Create Your Own Garden Gazebo Landscape with These Garden Gazebo Landscaping Tips

If you have enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about finding the perfect garden gazebo for your outdoor living area including information about hot tub gazebos, spa gazebos, Amish gazebos, and more, visit http://www.need-info.com/gazebo to get all the facts and info today.

Indoor Gardening

In these days, indoor garden is gaining increasing popularity. More and more people go for an indoor garden. Undoubtedly, indoor garden has many benefits.

Indoor garden can make your house look beautiful. Meanwhile, you feel good with the beautiful scenery to enjoy everyday. Indoor gardening could be good for you.

Gardening

The plants you grow can remove carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air, which is good for your health for the pollutants are removed from your environment.

The benefits of indoor gardening just keep growing. These are some of the plants known to contribute to healthy air quality in our homes, buildings, and offices. Some plants may be better than others are but all plants clean the air as they beautify our surroundings and add oxygen and humidity to the indoor environment.

Therefore, when you are choosing what you will plan, you should be considerable. There are a variety of plants you can choose from. But before you go, you should make clear which plants are fit to grow in house. Some plants will not grow indoors.

If you are not an outdoorsy type of person, indoor gardening is just for you. With indoor gardening, you are unlikely to encounter with the insect, which is common in outdoor gardening.

Indoor gardening may be helpful in relieving your stress and depression. When you are in bad mood, you might as well spend some time on your indoor garden. The fresh plants and the vitality they show may make you out of your bad mood. You may get encouragement from these living things.

Indoor Gardening

Information for Your Life

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Organic Gardening - How to Control Stink Bugs on Tomatoes

The stink bug is a common pest with tomato plants and other plants in the garden. I North America alone there are 250 species and worldwide there have been over 4,700 species described in almost 900 genera. They live throughout the world in our fields, meadows and yards and can be controlled by a few different methods in organic gardening.

It is the member of the bug family pentatomidae and easily recognize with having a shield like body. There life cycle like all hemipterans undergo simple metamorphosis with three stages that are the egg, nymph and adult. Eggs are laid in groups on plant stems and the underside of leaves. The nymph look very similar to the adult but have a rounder rather than shield shape body. The nymphs go through 5 instars before becoming an adult and this all happens in a 4 - 5 week period. A major problem in gardens is that the adult stink bug will overwinter in the garden under debris, boards, logs or even leaf litter. There are some species that the nymph will do the same.

Gardening

A stink bugs diet in a garden can be devastating. They use there piercing mouth part to suck sap from the leaves, stems and fruit of plants and can cause injury to them. The stink bug actually begins it's life as a herbivores and then becomes a predator. As a predator it will overpower caterpillars and beetle larva and keep pest insects in check.

The defense system against other predators is it's smell. They expel a foul smelling compound from there thoracic gland when threatened. This smell sends a chemical message to other stink bugs that there is danger in the area and it can also suppress the attack of harmful microorganisms. This scent also plays a role in the attraction of mates.

There are organic methods to aid in the control of the stink bug. These methods include companion planting, trap planting, washing and spraying.

Companion planting is one of the best methods to prevent the stink bug from getting into your garden. This is simply done by planting herbs and other natural deterrent plants with your crop that will repel stink bugs, like marigolds, chrysanthemums, garlic, lavender, mints and thyme.

Another method that will keep the stink bug off your plants and deter them from your garden is to simply wash the plants with straight water daily for about a week.

There are sprays that can also be made by mixing either vegetable oil, olive oil or even lavender oil with 1/2 water and spray your tomatoes.

Trap planting is a method that attracts the stink bug to a location away from your garden. The stink bugs is know to like the color yellow. Crops other that your common crops you plant in your garden like sunflowers, buckwheat, triticale, sorghum and millet are plants that will attract the stink bug to a location that you can deal with them.

Fall cleanup of the garden is very important in pest control in an organic garden. Leaving debris in the garden give them the perfect environment to overwinter.

Organic Gardening - How to Control Stink Bugs on Tomatoes

John Yazo

[http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com]