Gardening Basics

Wicker Furniture: The Wonders of Rattan Exposed

Posted by Jona Sim

Rattan furniture that is available in the market today can be considered one of the best because of its durability and quality. This wicker furniture requires little maintenance and can last for a very long time. Do you want to know some interesting facts about how rattan is made into the furniture you using right now?

Apparently, rattan is the main material used for making rattan furniture. Their structure features a solid core unlike the seemingly similar bamboo which is hollow. Rattan, being very strong and robust, are very light in weight but can withstand great amounts of stress, making them perfect for furniture.

Rattan mainly comes from the tropical forests of the Asia. They could grow to several hundred feet in length. Rattan is easy to harvest with the use of simple tools. They grow much faster than most tropical wood which makes it excellent for forest maintenance.

Rattan is made into furniture primarily by heating them to be easily bent into the shape required. After being shaped into desired form, it will stay that way forever. One of the best qualities of this furniture is their ability to withstand warping.

Wicker furniture is furniture that is made by interlacing rattan’s outer skin to form a unique weave design that is called a wicker. Rattan and wicker are usually confused with each other and used interchangeably. But it is mainly the rattan pole which becomes the frame of the furniture, and the wicker is what is weaved into the frame to complete it.

Rattan furniture is very much paint-friendly just like other wood. Knowing this, it’s not uncommon to find a color of furniture that can easily match the setting of your home. This furniture can make excellent additions inside or outside your home or office, be it in the patio, living room or dinning room, even in your bedroom.

Rattan furniture can also add dramatic and artistic theme to your home. It gives you the feeling of being secluded in an island paradise, away from the busy city life. It also brings along a good natural side for your home, perfect for a good relaxing time.

For maintenance, furniture made from rattan only needs a little effort. Just a few strokes of dusting and wiping can easily bring back the new look of your furniture. For the wicker work, using a vacuum cleaner with a brush can get rid of the stubborn dust. Just remember that no matter how strong rattan furniture is, it cannot withstand the punishment of the sun’s heat, neither being wet in the rain.

Rattan furniture is a great choice if you are looking for long lasting quality furniture that needs little maintenance. In buying wicker furniture made with rattan, it is best to visit a store’s showroom so you can personally examine and feel the product. But if you don’t have the time, shopping online is your best bet. You get to browse different manufacturers and compare each other’s prices, designs, warranty, and customer service policies. Get advice from experts and allow them to help you choose the best furniture that will suit your needs and your home.

Enjoy Plants without Having to Mow the Lawn

Posted by Thomas Fryd

Living in an apartment anywhere, you don’t have room for a big garden outdoors but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy indoor plants in the rooms you spend most of your time in.

Gardening is available and possible for those who live in small apartments and in large apartments alike. You can have indoor plants near any window, in the kitchen, or in the living areas. You can even have moisture loving plants in the bathroom if you would like. if you don’t have a lot of space on counters or on the window sills you can also use tables, or you can use hanging planters to make the most of your space. Don’t forget the top of the fridge, there is room there in the kitchen for plants too!

Plants can live in just about any room of the apartment

No matter what type of apartment you have, you will find there are plants that will love your areas. If you have a very dry home, desert loving plants will love to be in your space. If you live near the ocean, think aquatic plants that don’t have a problem with moisture in the air. When you live in an area where there is snow in the winter and long hot summers, think about plants that like the air to be about 50 - 85 degrees for your home.

If you are comfortable, often times the plant is too going to be comfortable in the surroundings. Learn more about the types of plants you want in your home by researching specific types online. Read up what the plant needs to survive, thrive and to grow the white bird of paradise is a great choice.

When using indoor plants to add to the dcor of your apartment, you can also think about adding flowers that are made of silk or that are dried to the pot. While this is going to add color, you don’t have to worry about additional light or pollination needs of the plant. Small amounts of dried plants and flowers are also known for providing additional fragrance in the home, such as eucalyptus in a potted plant, the aroma is a very clean but strong smell that you might just love. Lavender is another fragrance that dried flowers are known to provide in the home.

Living in an apartment, you can place indoor plants on outdoor ledges during the summer months. Or you might want to consider putting your indoor plants out in planters that hang from the windows. Indoor plants do not have to be put outdoors at all in the summer months, but these are just suggestions that some people enjoy.

Place plants on tables in your bedroom, in the living room, or in hallways. You can use counter space in the kitchen or in the bathroom for plants, and you can use various tops of appliances or even televisions for placement of indoor plants for your apartment.

A Guide To A Beginner’s Herb Garden

Posted by Rachel Rae

Herbs have been around for a very long time and served different kinds of purposes. They have been used to treat sickness and season cooking as well as being used in many craft projects. Interested in starting your own herb garden? Here are a few ideas on how to begin an herb garden.

Plan your garden. Consider the herbs you want to plant. Think about their types. Would you like annuals, biennials or perennials? Are you wanting certain plants for cooking, or another purpose?

How much space will they occupy in your garden? If you want, you can purchase a book that can give you the right information on what specific plants you are planning to grow. You can also check out a gardening book or catalog or the nursery you purchase plants from to give you that information.

Make your garden plan on paper first. Separate the annuals from the perennials so when the time comes that you have to pull out the annuals, you won’t be disturbing the perennials. Perennials can be planted on the edge of your garden so when it is time to till your garden they won’t be in danger of getting dug up, or try to place them in an area of the garden all their own.

Another factor to consider is to plant the tall ones towards the back and the shorter ones in front. Give your plants plenty of space to grow and also find out their sunlight requirements and make adjustments accordingly. Properly positioning will help you in this department.

If you would rather keep herbs out of your garden (and some are quite invasive) you could have herb pots. These are large containers with three or more outlets for the herbs. Fill the pot up to the first outlet and plant it before continuing on with the filling and planting process. Usually, the herb that requires the most water is planted in the bottom hole, while the variety that requires the least, goes in the highest hole. Use a great quality potting soil and make sure it has proper drainage.

You can design your garden in a creative manner. Try using a wooden ladder or wagon wheel and lay on top of the garden. Then plant your plants in between the sections for a square or circular division and interesting look.

Of course, different plants have different needs, but many of them require alkaline soil. This is the reason why you have to determine the herbs you want to plant in the planning stage. This can help you find out how you should care for your plants. If you germinate your herbs from seeds, remember to follow the directions on the packet for soil, watering and temperature.

Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. You just have to provide them with an effective drainage, sunlight, enough humidity or moisture and fertile soil. Even with just minimally meeting these requirements they will be bound produce a good harvest.

You’ll also want to consider what you plan to do with the harvest. Will you cook them fresh? Freeze or preserve them in some other way? You’ll discover that you have some favorites each year and which ones didn’t perform as you would have hoped.

Why It’s Essential To Have A Lawn Maintenance Schedule

Posted by Andrew Caxton

A lawn maintenance schedule will help to keep your lawn looking its best. Just like everything else in life, a schedule keeps you on time and doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

Slow Release Products

One of the tools you have in maintaining your lawn is to use slow release products. These provide feedings over a period of time. You will find them throughout your home improvement stores. They work quite simply. When you apply them, they do not provide all of their nutrients right away. Rather, they provide them over a few weeks or even months time. Gradually they are released into the soil. The grass then picks up the nutrients when it needs it. The roots take care of any exposed locations and weeds do not have the chance to grow.

When applying any type of fertilizer, it is necessary to follow all of the provided instructions by the product. Most products have these printed right on the bag. You should know which products should be added to your soil, based on your climate, your soil type as well as the overall quality of grass you have. Every lawn will have a specific need of its own. Use a spreader to spread the fertilizer out, too, as this will help to provide an even coating. There are plenty of ways to hit your lawn maintenance schedule here but one of them is to use a four step program. This will provide the best choice in the long run.

Crab Grass Prevention

One of the first things for the year on the lawn maintenance schedule should be a product to control crab grass. This is applied in April or May, depending on where you live. There are hundreds of types of these grasses, but most are unwanted. This prevention keeps them out.

Weed Control

Next, on the lawn maintenance schedule is weed control and it should happen in May or June. Any plant that does well where you do not want it to is considered a weed. They remove the nutrients, water and light from the grass and can cause the grass a number of problems.

Summer Care

Some fertilizing products are great for the summer months when your lawn needs additional help. These will help to enrich the soil so that the grass can develop thicker and become stronger. Use them according to your local need.

Fall And Winter

During the fall months, you need to prepare your lawn for the freezing temperatures and the snow that is around the corner. These products can do that for you.

When you follow a lawn maintenance schedule, you prevent damage to your grass and you have a great looking yard.

For better lawn, plant new grass at your lawn. For learning more, view this website.

Braided Money Trees Give More Than Money

Posted by Thomas Fryd

Pachira Aquatica, also known as the Braided Money Tree is a unique and stylish plant that can add an exotic taste to anyone’s home. This plant features multiple trunks which wind around each other and can reach up to seven feet in height. There is also a bonsai version which can grow as large as a foot in height.

On top of these winding trunks sits a plentiful patch of green foliage, creating a great contrast of brown trunks against green peak. It’s one of the more natural looking plants you can add to your garden, and will do well to offset the often bright, contrasting colors of a variety of flowers. The bonsai version is a great choice for an indoors garden.

Caring for bonsais takes some time and planning. If you’re planning on growing one from scratch you’ll really need to study up on the matter and make sure you know what you’re getting into, as it can be an exacting process. Acquiring an already developed plant would be your best bet, and the one most people will choice.

Even more than most plants, watering is very important. Not just the watering but also the soil and pot as well, as these will facilitate how well the bonsai can drain the water. The pot should contain at least a couple holes for drainage, and these should be covered slightly so as to let water drain through without the soil seeping out. Small rocks should do fine for this purpose. The soil itself should be a loamy mixture of small pebbles and soil.

These bonsais don’t need much water, once a week should do the trick, but this depends on the soil and pot. The soil should dry out between watering, and recognizing the proper amount of moisture in the soil will go a long way to maintaining a healthy bonsai. Too much moisture and the leaves will wilt and yellow, too much and they’ll become wrinkled and curled. In addition, you should also mist the leaves lightly with a spray bottle to give them some moisture and remove any dust particles.

Placing the bonsai in an area with a good deal of sunshine is perfect, but this should be indirect sunlight. More than a couple of hours of direct sun, or being in an area that is too hot in general is poor for the plant’s health like in ficus tree care. An area with a small bit of sun followed by shade is ideal, and this is most commonly found in the corners of rooms. You can freely move the plant around as needed though if a good permanent spot is proving difficult. The plant should also be kept away from areas that are too cool. If the bonsai is kept on a porch or deck, be sure to bring it in on nights where the temperature is expected to dip below 50 degrees.

Compared to some plants, Braided Money Trees have a fairly simple and easy maintenance routine. By following these few simple guidelines you’ll be sure to have a unique and striking plant for many years to come.

Simple Herbs to Grow in Your New Herb Garden

Posted by Sarah Duke

If you are just starting out an herb garden for the first time, you may not be sure which herbs are best for your garden. Well, there are many herbs that you can choose from; however, there are some that are a bit harder to grow. The following are a few great simple herbs that you can easily grow, even if you are a beginner.

Parsley - Parsley is a relatively hardy annual in zones 2-11. Both flat-leaf and curly varieties are easy to care for and grow very well without a lot of extra care. It can do well in full sun to light shade, and needs rich soil that is well-drained but moist. It doesn’t do particularly well in heat.

Cilantro - Cilantro is used in many Spanish dishes and has a distinct flavor. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You’ll find that it is very easy to care for and it will grow pretty well in just about any type of climate.

Chives - Chives are a perennial herb. Chives can grow well in almost any soil, and almost any conditions. Chives have been known to be seen growing in old gardens that haven’t been tended in many years! It’s hardy in zones 3-9, and prefers full sun. It does do better in rich soils, but doesn’t need it to survive. Chives have a rich, oniony flavor, and they taste great on baked potatoes.

Oregano - Oregano is probably one of the most popular herbs to grow in an herb garden and it is tasty with a variety of foods. You can use it in many dishes, including pork, chicken, and pasta dishes. It is an herb that does great in just about any area. It should have soil that is well drained and also likes full sun, but it will even grow in soil that is rocky and poor.

Thyme - Thyme is a perennial herb. It is hardy in zones 4-6. It’s a small, shrub-like herb that requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is quite hardy in its standard zones, and doesn’t require much care at all.

Basil - Basil is another annual herb that does well in warm weather. It grows well in many places, but for the best flavor, it needs to have conditions that are hot and dry. The soil should be very rich and a bit moist and it should be kept in full sun. It’s important that you make sure that basil gets plenty of heat and light and between watering it the basil should have time to dry out.

Bay - While this is actually a shrub, bay is a great herb to start out with in your herb garden. It is a very hardy herb and does well in many zones. It needs soil that is rich and not overly wet. However, it does fairly well in most conditions. The best flavor from this herb comes when the leaves have been dried. So, you’ll want to dry the leaves before you decide to use them.

When you grow these herbs, try to pay attention to the climate they like. While they may be hardy and grow in a variety of places, they’ll do the best when you keep them in a climate suited to their needs. So, as long as you consider the zones they grow best in, usually you’ll find these herbs will grow well for you and they’ll be easy for you to take care of as well.

Go Green: A Healthier Diet Promotes a Healthier Environment!

Posted by Gail M. Davis

Would you like to “Go Green” without turning your life upside down? You can make environmentally friendly choices that have a big impact. In fact, you can improve the environment and your diet at the same time! Let’s look at some basic modifications that can improve not only your personal health, but also the health of the planet.

Planning is essential if you want to “Go Green”. You’ll need to shop carefully. Review the weekly grocery ads before creating a meal plan for the week. Make your shopping list at the same time. Shopping when you’re hungry or tired leads to poor choices.

You can cut down on shipping costs and lessen our dependence on oil by using local, seasonal produce. At the same time, you know you’re helping local farmers and the local economy. What could taste better than the freshest produce? You may have to pay a little more but the food will stay fresher longer and be healthier for your family. Vow to prepare one new vegetable for your family each week.

The commercial meat industry requires an excess of energy. Plan vegetarian meals for your family at least twice a week. Plant protein tends to be cheaper than meat protein, so use beans to add fiber and other nutrients to your meals. As your family grows to accept meatless meals, gradually add more.

Instead of choosing vegetables that are prepackaged in individually wrapped containers, choose your produce loose from bins. Don’t buy prepackaged lettuce for your salads. Buy a head of lettuce and make your own. You’ll be surprised how much fresher it tastes! Try out your farming skills. If you’ve never grown anything before, start small. Grow basil for pesto or mint for mojitos. If you don’t have a big yard, plant in pots on your patio or deck. Tomatoes and peppers are just two vegetables that grow easily in pots.

Don’t contribute to the bottled water craze just because it’s convenient! Use a neoprene bottle and refill it at home. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, purchase a filter. 70 million plastic bottles are thrown away in this country each and every day. Sure, some are recycled, but not nearly enough. Just think of the money that can be saved if water isn’t shipped from location to location!

Save the earth, your wallet, and your waistline by packing your lunch at home and carrying it with you to work. Use a reusable bag or lunch box. Don’t use plastic cutlery. Change out your silver when you get home each night. 1.8 million tons of takeout containers and utensils end up in landfills so don’t be a part of that.

“Go Green” by making healthier lifestyle choices. Save your diet, use fewer resources, and lessen your environmental impact on the planet. Major changes aren’t necessary. Just vow each day to do your part by following these simple guidelines.

Do You Know The Best Lawn Care And Fertilizing Techniques?

Posted by Andrew Caxton

You need great lawn care. Part of that is to know how to fertilize your grass to get the best overall results.

It can take a lot of work to keep your look green and looking amazing most of the year. The fact is that during certain times of the year, it can be hard to maintain a quality growth from your grass. Many people do not know what to do to handle lawn care. For many, brown spots and bad looking lawn results will happen. If you want a great looking lawn, you should take the time to add a few tips to your lawn care and fertilizing methods.

What To Do First

One of the first things to do before getting started at maintaining your lawn and incorporating a fertilizing program is to know the various aspects of lawn care and fertilizing in general. A mistake that many make is just adding fertilizer to their lawn and hoping that things will turn out the way that they want them to. This will not work for you and you may in fact be doing more damage than good. A good thing to start with is having great resources for this information such as getting it from a few gardening and lawn care books. Many options are available to you. In addition to doing this, be sure to invest in quality gardening magazines which provide the latest information on lawn care and fertilizing.

Talk To The Experts

Another resource that you have is that of your local garden shop. The people that work here will know quite a bit about gardening and will know which types of problems and solutions exist for your needs in your local area. Be sure to ask them to recommend the correct products for you to use as well. Even when they do, you should read labels correctly to know what application methods are. This way, you have all of the information that you need regarding lawn care and fertilizing for your lawn’s best results.

Following A Schedule Correctly

One thing to incorporating into your lawn care and fertilizing is a schedule to follow. Some times of the year are less than adventitious to add fertilizer to your lawn. In other cases, your lawn will really need an addition of fertilizer. Some types of fertilizer should be applied at certain times of the year. Having a schedule to follow will allow you to improve the overall quality of your lawn and will give you the best results overall.

View this website to learnt cutting grass techniques.

Keys to Lawn Maintenance: Sprinkler Care

Posted by Andrew Caxton

When spring comes, you need to check you sprinkler system to ensure that your lawn gets all the water it needs. A failure in the work of your sprinkler will waste water, resulting in brown patches, local areas damaged and dry grass about to die. Learn here how to prevent these problems.

What to do in the early warm days

Lawn care maintenance runs all the year long and every season has its particularities. You turn off your sprinkler system in the fall and forgot about it but now is the time to turn it on again. What to do in the early warm days. A sprinkler system, specially those which are installed in large lawns, is made up of pipes and head. Any of this item can present a leak, or need to be replaced. To discover any probable trouble in the system turn it on in the day and watch close how it works. See if any pop up head is leaking or delivering water off the place desired. Fix this as soon as you can to prevent further complications.

Replace any damaged piece, and if you realize you can do all the work needed by yourself, call someone qualified. Bad repairs are just as bad as any damage. When you see that that water flowing through your system is not enough, you must check out for a low pressure problem. After you check all, you can begin to use your system for all the season.

Fall Care For Sprinkler System

Fall announces the coming of cold months. Make sure that there is no water inside the sprinkler system of pipes, it is important to avoid future freezing and cracking of the pipes. Water when frozen expands and this results in the cracking of the pipe, leaving you with a lot of problems for next spring. Your lawn care task for fall include the caring of your sprinkler system in fall in the mood of draining all the water left in the system, as we said, to prevent the damages caused by freezing. If you don’t know how to do it, call a professional. Sprinkler is not a cheap equipment and it is better to make sure a professional will fix any problem

Now you can be sure that you have taken all the measure to maintain correctly your sprinkler system, and you have already known the importance of landscape equipment in your lawn care routine, making the life more enjoyable in your always green garden.

Spruce Up Your Fence With Decorative Touches

Posted by Kent Higgins

Fences serve a variety of purposes. They can be latticed as a simple boundary between areas or as a support for roses or other plants, or they can be closed to protect one from the elements or to act as a barrier for privacy. Fences can also come in a variety of materials depending on their use. The majority of fences are built from planks of wood, and are probably the most attractive and natural looking. Other fences may come in materials made from cement or corrugated sheet-metal, and these more effectively withstand the elements. These are usually erected in a lattice or zigzag pattern to better withstand the force of the wind.

The most prevalent ailment facing fences is rot at their base, as the base is most susceptible to both wet conditions, from pooling water, and dry conditions. Good forms of wood for withstanding rot include California redwood, southern cypress, white and red cedar, locust and chestnut wood. Additional steps can be taken to preserve wood from rot by coating or painting them with preservatives. These must penetrate the wood to be effective, and may require different products depending on the brand of wood used. A good preservative applied two to three times to any strip of unpainted, clean and dry wood should do an admirable job in protecting it.

Besides the base, another area susceptible to rot is any point at which two pieces are nailed together. Coating these areas before erecting the fence will prove more effective than simply coating the length of the fence afterwards.

Your fence posts will need to be set up deep into the earth, the depth of which will differ depending on the fence height and weight of the boards. Heavy posts should be set in concrete.

The most popular fences in common use are the white picket fence, the post-and-rail fence and the hurdle fence. With an increasing eye towards privacy, styles like the louvered and lattice fences are also gaining in use.

Post-and-rail fences are constructed from posts placed at 10 foot intervals, with 11 foot long tapered rails inserted into the posts. Hurdle fences have a braced frame with split rails along its length, with the end pieces from each panel making up the posts.

Picket fences, most commonly painted white, have posts spaced anywhere from 8 to 12 feet apart, with 3×4 inch rails and pickets two to three inches wide. The pickets should be raised at least two feet off the ground and extend beyond the top of the highest rail.

Board fences are ideal for privacy purposes, and can be slanted in a louver effect for even greater results in this regard. Board fences can be styled any number of ways, with alternating broad and thin boards, boards applied vertically, or even a staggering of the boards on the sides of the rail. This makes a nice backdrop for bromeliads.

Basket weave fences are made from thin, pliable boards, and also provide a good screen for privacy or a perfect background for planting.

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