Tag Archives: garden

Gardening Advice

You Should Try An Organic Summer Garden Experience

Leave a comment

If you have the time and the inclination to create an organic summer garden there are few better ways to go when it comes to the potential impact on the planet. A summer garden is a thing of beauty to be enjoyed by all you invite into your garden. That being said, there are certain pests we’d all like to keep out of our gardens as well. The problem is that the pesticides of the past have undetermined side effects that have the potential to cause lasting harm. If we can avoid introducing those chemicals to our own gardens we are protecting our kids from dangers we may not even be aware of yet and protecting the other animals that may innocently come in contact with our gardens such as birds and butterflies from being harmed by the chemicals present in most common pesticides.

What does this mean to gardeners when it comes to efforts directed towards keeping out potential pests? Quite honestly, it means we are going to have to get a little bit creative in those efforts turning to natural solutions rather than chemicals. One way in which this can quite easily be accomplished is by encouraging animals that prey upon the pests to make your garden their home. Of course, this could potentially bring about its own set of problems but from a gardening perspective it is often very sound reasoning.

Use organic mulch. While this isn’t necessarily a means of pest control it is a wise move when it comes to organic gardening. Not only does the mulch provide the very useful mulching properties throughout the growing season but once the growing season has ended can be turned over and used in order to boost the organic material within the soil. This in turns provides nutrients that are important to keeping the soil fit for sustaining plant life in future growing seasons.

Attract birds to your garden. This has a two-fold benefit for the organic gardener. First of all the birds are often natural predators for many of the bugs that make a nuisance of themselves in the average summer garden. Second, birds leave behind their own little fertilizing additions to the landscape of your garden. Don’t you wish all solutions were this simple?

Keep your garden healthy, well fertilized, watered regularly and appropriately, and free of weeds. A good offense is the best defense. A good immune system and constant hand washing are the best defense the human body has against catching colds and viruses. The same holds true for gardens and their ability to fight pests. Keep your garden strong and healthy and it will repel many of the pests that may cripple other gardens on its own. It certainly doesn’t hurt anything to keep this philosophy in mind and you may be amazed at how well it works.

Organic gardening is more than a plan for your garden it is a return to the ways of old in the world of gardening. For centuries before pesticides were created man managed to live off the abundance of his gardens. It makes sense that by returning to those ideals we can also enjoy great food and a bountiful harvest in the modern world. Make the choice today to make your summer garden an organic garden and reap the benefit in better health and greater enjoyment of the gardening process.

Learn about weeping cherry tree and yoshino cherry at the Cherry Facts site.

Landscaping

Location Is Key In A Rain Garden Design

Leave a comment

A rain garden design is an environmentally positive approach to gardening. Soil and plants have the ability to process chemicals, various wastes like oil and even pet waste. However, the way our cities are design allow the water to drain into a river or some other reservoir, perhaps even untreated. A rain garden design, however, traps water and forces it through the root systems of plants and flowers that essentially filter the toxins out and process them into a non-dangerous state. There are many factors to consider when designing an effective rain garden that will determine its effectiveness at processing waste. One of them is the location of the garden, which is the focus here.

First of all, many people interesting in a rain garden design feel the best place to put one is where all the rain collects already. Many landscapes have an area such as this. One side of our yard would always develop into a small pond every time it rained hard. Our yard sloped down to the back of the neighbor’s garage. Many would think that because that’s where all the water is going, that would be the ideal place to grow a rain garden. Unfortunately, this is not the case. This is one of the last places to consider a rain garden design.

The ideal rain garden design needs an area the is exposed to sunshine most of the day. The area in my yard where the little pond would form during rain storms was shaded most of the day. Without the sun, the drying cycle would not be optimal. Direct sun will help to kill pathogens, which is one of the most beneficial functions of the rain garden design. Furthermore, direct sun will promote healthy and robust flower and plant growth.

Secondly, an ideal rain garden design will ensure that there is no structure within ten feet from any structural foundation. Foundations are susceptible to damage from flooding and saturation. So, the location of your rain garden design should be sunny and away from you house, garage or any neighbor’s house and garage.

Finally, the area you choose for your rain garden design should be as flat as possible and should drain well. You want the area to collect rain water, but you also want it to be able to drain quickly. Furthermore, stagnate water in the summertime attracts mosquitoes which isn’t only a bother but can also increase your and your families chances of contracting mosquito born viruses, which is becoming a greater concern these days.

As was mentioned above, location is only one consideration. This article should have gotten you thinking about which location in your yard would be ideal for a rain garden design. You will want to further consider the plant and flower species you choose and how water will be funneled into the garden during rain storms.

Jonathan writes on gardening topics for Elegant Garden Design.