Archive for January, 2008
Monday, January 21st, 2008
by Kenny Powers
It’s a beautiful thing having year round fresh food when you grow indoors. You save a lot of money growing your own food, and you can eat healthy and organically. You’ll eat food that tastes fresher than anything you’d ever get in a grocery store. Grow fresh food, even if you live in the city. When you grow indoors, you can enjoy fresh tomatoes even in the middle of winter.
Many people are concerned about growing indoors because of the risk of fire. Lamps can get hot, and there’s often complicated wiring involved that may be best left to an electrician. Grow lights also tend to get pretty hot, which can damage the plants and increase the chance of fires. No fresh vegetables are worth compromising the safety of your home and family.
Safety is one of the biggest advantages to using LED grow lights. You don’t need the experience of an electrician. You simply just plug the light into any standard electrical socket. There’s no complicated mounting systems as the lights can easily be suspended. The beauty of an LED plant light is how safe it is to install. It’s safer because it’s so simple.
Tags: gardening
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Sunday, January 20th, 2008
by Mike J Tuckey
While patios can be a great place to entertain guests they can also become extremely uncomfortable in summer as the strong sun bears down. A patio awning is a cover that provides protection from the sun’s rays and heat. They can also keep you dry during the rain of winter. Either way, they are a fantastic way to keep you comfortable while you enjoy your outdoor patio.
There is a large variety in the different colors and styles of patio awnings on the market today. You’ll quickly find that you are spoilt for choice. Therefore, to sort the wheat from the chaff you need to keep a few different factors in mind including how much you can spend, the type of house you have and what you use your patio for.
The style and color of the awning is without doubt the most important factor that you need to consider. A patio awning is such an important and obvious feature of the outside of your home. If you choose one that clashes with the style of your house then you will be quickly disappointed and your overall enjoyment of your new awning will be significantly reduced.
Tags: awning, deck, garden, gardening, home, home and garden, home improvement, Landscaping, patio
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Saturday, January 19th, 2008
by Kent Higgins
List for Vines and groundcovers for the Cold NORTHERN STATES
BEARBERRY”One of the best ground covers for dry, difficult situations, this low plant, which is known scientifically as Arctostaphylos Uvaursi is ideal for steep slopes. It grows in sun or partial shade and prefers a dry sandy soil somewhat on the acid side. Its broad leaves are a good green the year round.
COMMON PERIWINKLE – Large areas can be beautifully carpeted with this plant known as Vinca minor. Use it under trees and in other shady locations in any ordinary soil. It grows 6 to 8 inches high and has light blue flowers in early spring. In this cold region it may winter burn if not covered by deep snow.
CREEPING ]UNIPER – This needled evergreen makes a fine ground cover to one foot high in sunny locations. It will grow in any soil but prefers one of a rocky nature. It is listed as Juniperus horizontalis and its variety Douglasi is especially interesting for its blue cast.
Tags: gardening, groundcovers, passion flower vine, vines
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Friday, January 18th, 2008
by Keith Markensen
Many northern lawns suffered a setback over the past year. Excessive heat and drought were followed by torrential rains that tore at the slim grass covering and washed out valuable soil. Heavy weed crops following the rains complicated the problem. Delayed fall seedlings were only partly successful and many lawns went into the winter in poor shape.
March is a great time for renovation of established lawns that must be done at the earliest possible moment. Grass seed sprouts better in cool weather. Grass makes its best growth during this time and to get the seeding done early insures later success. If the lawn was worked over last fall and the grass stand is thin, reseed the entire area, using 1/2 pound of seed per 100 square feet. It will not be necessary to dig or plow the area if this was done previously. Just running the teeth of an iron rake through the soil should suffice to provide enough loose soil for the seed.
What fertilizer?
Tags: coldframe, gardening, lawn, lawn fertilizer, old lawn
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Thursday, January 17th, 2008
by Callum E Metcalfe
Outdoor lights are probably the key part of any garden. If you want a stylish and relaxing garden then you should look at some outdoor lights. You should be able to find outdoor lights that suit your taste with ease because it’s available in a variety of shapes and sizes.
You can choose from lighting, fittings, fixtures, loungers and benches – whatever you want for your garden your easily be able to find it. Even if you have a small garden you will be able to find outdoor lights that are right for the space you have and the look you want.
If you get yourself some outdoor lights you’ll be able to relax in the outdoors and you certainly won’t be disappointed. Decking and patio areas are ideal for placing fixtures and fittings for entertaining your guests. Consider your space before you buy.
An essential part of outdoor lights will be the location of fittings and fixtures because they are so useful and can be very stylish. Sleek outdoor lights are very stylish these days so you will need to consider some sleek and stylish fittings and fixtures for your garden.
Tags: gardening, lighting, lights, outdoor light, outdoor lights
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Wednesday, January 16th, 2008
by Peter H Craw
Professional is best- Education is key to winning the pest battle. Once you have come across the pest infested area, do as much research as possible on the type of pest you are sharing your space with as well as the nature and extent of your pest problem. Now that you have identified the type, nature and extent you will be able to determine the best way to get rid of the pest. Integrated Pest Management is the basis for successful pest control processes and procedures. This implies a mix of treatment methods to treat your pest problem. It will be best to call in professional pest control services instead of you trying to win the battle of the crawlies yourself. It will be less expensive, time consuming, dangerous and effort at the end of the day. Specialist knowledge is often required for certain pest types.
Frequency- The frequency of treatment is highly dependent upon the type of pest. Treatment may only be necessary once or repeated monthly. Routine application is the preferred choice.
Tags: ant control, chemical pest control, cockroach control, e, environment friendly, garden, gardening, h, home, home improvement, home repairs, home;improvement, home;repair, house, p, pest, pest control services, s, south africa
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Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
by Sydney J. Calderon
With the worrisome increase in food prices and even reports of food shortages, you may be wondering whether or not it would be a good idea for you to grow your own vegetables. It is something that anyone can do almost anywhere as long as they are ready to work hard.
Starting your own garden isn’t an incredibly difficult thing for people to do, but it isn’t a piece of cake either. By following a few common sense rules, you’ll soon be enjoying the “fruits” (and vegetables) of your labor. If this is your first time starting a vegetable garden than you will want to start off small. This will give you an idea of how to garden and all of the hard work and time that it requires. You may even want to consider using containers to grow your own vegetables.
To be able to grow your own vegetables, you should locate your vegetable garden in an area that gets six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. A spot near the house may be desireable, but consider any shade or trees that might block out the sun.
Tags: family, garden, garden design zone, gardening, home
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Monday, January 14th, 2008
by Steven Karback
Any corrective pruning should be finished in February. Remember to paint all wounds over one inch in diameter with a pliable water-proof paint. This prevents drying out and checking of the wood and resultant decay and also prevents the entrance of disease or insects.
Do not prune the early flowering shrubs such as forsythia, lilac, spirea, quince, currant, red bud, peach, etc., until after flowering as any material removed now will reduce the number of flowers. Prune these after flowering to encourage new growth for blooms next year.
This is the month to do shearing or pruning of evergreens as they are usually unsightly after this operation, but with the beginning of new growth, they are unsightly for a shorter period of time. Prune the flowering shrubs that bear their blooms on new wood like althea, vitex, crape myrtle, and buddleia – this will stimulate flower production.
Whatever pruning you do, especially on your shade grapes trees, be sure you know what you are doing or call a recognized tree surgeon. Do not butcher your trees or allow inexperienced “tree surgeons” to do so. Irreparable damage can be done and often results in the death of the tree.
Tags: gardening, landscape, pruning, shrubs, trees
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Sunday, January 13th, 2008
by Logan P Dyer
If you want a nice relaxing garden then you should consider buying some outdoor lighting to ensure your garden is stylish and enjoyable. You can find outdoor lighting in a variety of shapes and sizes so you shouldn’t have a problem finding some that’ll suit your needs and tastes.
Outdoor lighting and fixtures, benches, fittings and loungers make a garden stylish and very relaxing so you can enjoy it. There are plenty of options available, even for small gardens. Outdoor lighting is suitable for almost any garden size and shape.
Relaxing in your garden is easy when you buy outdoor lighting – a lot of people who have purchased outdoor lighting have never looked back. If you buy yourself some fittings and fixtures then you should consider where to place them. Patio or decking areas are ideal.
Fixtures and fittings are an important part of your outdoor lighting design because they are the centre of entertainment in your garden. Outdoor lighting that is sleek and stylish is very popular these days. Fittings and fixtures can be hard to choose but stick to simplistic designs.
Tags: gardening, lights, outdoor lights
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Saturday, January 12th, 2008
by Dan Meadows
One of the most perplexing concerns about replacing basement windows revolves around the sort of material to make use of, detaching the old frames, affixing the new frame to the wall, and to use either cement caulk or screws for mounting it. To give you a good idea, some tips are provided here:
In most cases, wood widows are probably the best choice. Aside from the fact that old homes have these kinds of frames, they’re easy to restore too. But, wood is much more pricey than the most common vinyl windows.Detaching the frames will not be much of a problem. Still, you have to be certain that the replacement is the best alternative.
Detaching the frames will not be much of a problem. Still, you have to be certain that the replacement is the best alternative. Sometimes after a thorough examination of an expert, it turns out that all that is needed is for the frame to be repaired.
However, if you are sure about removing it, by all means do it. The vinyl types may be cheaper but they can’t be repaired. Once it’s in place, that’s it. It stays in place until you want to replace it due to damage or if it gets too old already.
Tags: gardening, h, home, home and garden, home interior, home remodeling, home security, home;accessory, home;improvement, o
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