Compost is an excellent fertilizer

You can make your own backyard compost container from welded wire mesh, concrete blocks or wooden shipping pallets—anything in which you can form a pile of compost material that’s roughly 3–5 feet across and no higher than 5 feet.

However, it’s easier to buy a commercial compost bin with features that make turning the contents easier, thus speeding up the decomposing process. The Home Depot carries compost bins by brands such as Exaco Trading Co., some units made from recycled plastic and the world’s first continuous-cycle compost bin. This 3-bin compost allows you to add new waste from the top while removing mature compost at the bottom.

Step 1: Mix it
Place the bin near your garden and back door. A small indoor bin is handy to use along with the larger one outdoors. Throw scraps into the indoor bin and, as it fills up, empty it periodically into the outdoor one. Compostable items such as kitchen scraps, tea bags, coffee grinds and grass clippings can be added to the bin; so can brown materials such as dried leaves, sawdust, straw, wood ash and the woody stalks of plants.

Step 2: Layer it
Layer materials high in carbon, including lawn clippings, chopped leaves, green plants and agricultural crop residues with materials high in nitrogen, such as manure, alfalfa meal, hay, paper products, sewage sludge and wood. Just about any organic material can be added to the bedding, including food scraps, eggshells, tea leaves and coffee grounds. Never add chemically treated wood, diseased plants, human or pet waste, meat, bones, fatty foods or weeds. Add water regularly during the compost-building process and after it’s done, letting it trickle into the pile to help get rid of air pockets.

Step 3: Turn it
You can begin to make compost in as little as a few weeks if you speed up the process by turning the pile with a pitchfork once a week and adding fresh manure. Mixing it allows oxygen into the center of the pile, encouraging the growth of bacteria and fungi, which break down organic material into simpler substances. Regularly turned organic matter will become finished compost in 4–8 months.

Step 4: Break it down
Compost is ready to be used when it is dark and crumbly and has an earthy smell. You can sift it to separate material that hasn’t finished composting, but those pieces will continue to decompose in your garden. The smaller the pieces, the faster they will break down.

Step 5: Spread it
Once it’s ready, work the compost into the soil to give it an organic boost before planting. Spread it on the soil’s surface as mulch on flower beds and around the base of landscape plants. Compost may also be used as a top dressing for lawns or as an ingredient in potting mixes. For more great eco-friendly tips, check out the Healthy Homes tab on the Eco Options website.

Article courtesy of Home Depot.

1) Meconopsis- I love these because of the vibrant color they add to any garden design. They are nearly all blue but what a blue! In shades from blue of bright blue skies down to azures and china blues, there is no dull plant among them. The Himalayan poppy as it is otherwise known comes in many varieties and the flowers last days ,unlike other floppy flowered species. In Scotland one soul has carpeted an entire hillside in the plants creating a dazzling effect. So vibrant is their blue that you can use them as focal , punctuation or color block plants.

2) Carnations – standards of form, consistent and neat, carnations add to and enhance any color scheme. From low growers to tall, robust stands, these flowers offer no-nonsense growth and color. Easy to grow and propagate from pipe cuttings, they grow in most sites and soils.

3) Davidii involucre – the Handkerchief tree with its huge white flower bracts making it look like doves or paper hankies are in the branches, what attracts me about this tree is not only its compact and neat form but the story behind its discovery which adds an air of mysticism. David, after whom it was named, searched for the plant. Every time he came to where it was last reported, the last stand had ‘just been cut’ so he ventured deeper and deeper into the hills to obtain his specimen, which he did finally and brought it back to Europe. His adventures are mind-blowing and his discovery all the more interesting for them.

4) Lavender – versatile, fragrant, attractive to insects, this plant can be grown tall, clipped, in hedges or as a focal plant. Lavenders add to any planting design and can offer features for those with visual impairments as the scent and feel make it a very individual plant. Silvery leaves and vivid blue flowers make an attractive combination and lavender can be used in any garden and most soils.

5) Gunnera manicata – large, hand like leaves atop tall spiked stems make this the most magnificent bog side plant. Huge and invasive though it can be, it can change the atmosphere of a garden and create deep green depths of plantings. Slightly menacing and simply enormous, the palm like leaves enfold you almost in their hugeness. Awe inspiring in its growth and sheer volume of plant. You can get dwarf gunnera too but the full size one, if it can fit, is truly magnificent.

6) Crab apple – a truly useful tree all year round, the blossom comes in February followed by leaves in march, then fruit which start orange and swell to deep red. The fruit feed birds through the winter and will last until the final one is eaten- around January, just before the blossom starts again. Bark can be attractive with green and red tones so this tree is useful and hard working in any garden. Dwarf varieties make it suitable for most sites.

7) Eryngium – the truly architectural medium sized plant – this adds form and texture to any garden plan. Sensuous, spiked and with wonderful seed heads which look fantastic as they trap frost on cold mornings, a true masterpiece of form all year round.

Camellia japonica- with varieties of white, pink or red shades, this is the show off heralding the start of spring. One of the earliest to flower, this showy, blowzy shrub needs acidic soil but in the right place will blossom for years and create a truly heart stopping display. The deep green of the leaves only serve to set the colors of the flowers off. Like a shy bride, this shrub suddenly bursts into flower overnight almost- a real stunner.

9) Rosa ‘Peace’ the wonderfully formed, almost perfect flower of the Peace rose with hints of apricot, pink, orange and gold, this is the true stunner of roses.

10) Chrysanthemums so many flower forms, so many plant forms, this is a true versatile, clown prince of display. From dwarf to tall, reticulate to double pom poms or spooned flowers, the range of colors, size and form is incredible. Often bred but with older varieties still around, this attracts insects, create cut flowers and blooms late in the year – what more could you want?

This is my top ten at the moment but I also adore digitalis, with their amazing self seeding, glorious flowers with their bee paths to direct the insects to their nectaries, the climbing roses, the honeysuckle, Campsis (trumpet creeper), Tulips, apricot trees in blossom and so many other wonderful plants to choose from. This is why my top ten changes and plants slip in and out of it. No doubt it will change again as I find even more plants. Plants never cease to provide an endless source of amazement and variety.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Preparation
You’ll need a bit of earth in full sun, about 10 feet by 10 feet. In garden that size you can grow two tomato plants, two pepper plants, onions, cilantro, and garlic. To prepare your garden, dig the soil to a depth of 8 or 10 inches. Add a couple of bags of compost, dig it in, and rake the soil smooth. Make a path down the middle from north to south.

Planting
Garlic is planted in the fall. To plant, break the bulb into separate cloves and plant the cloves separately along the west and east sides of your patch. Harvest in late summer.

Tomato plants should be planted in early summer, well after the last predicted frost date. Buy an early and a late variety for summer-long harvest. Place the plants at the north end of your patch on either side of the path, and support them with sturdy tomato cages.

For peppers, you can choose anything from fiery habaneros to sweet and mild “Fooled You.” Pepper plants should be planted at the same time as tomatoes. Place them in front of the tomato plants so they get full sun.

Onions can be grown from seeds or from sets. Seeds should be planted very early in the spring, after the soil thaws. Sets can be planted a little later. Plant several short rows in front of the peppers.

Sow cilantro seed on finely-raked soil at the south end of the garden, in front of your onions, after the last frost date.

Care
Water deeply, making sure you soak the soil to a depth of several inches. Water again when the soil is dry down to about an inch below the soil surface. To conserve water and smother weeds, mulch with several inches of chopped leaves or straw. Keep the weeds pulled so they don’t compete with your plants. The compost you dug into the garden bed will provide plenty of nutrition for most of the season, but tomatoes and peppers will benefit if you dig a little organic fertilizer into the soil halfway through the growing season.

Salsa Time!
Once your tomatoes and peppers begin producing, you should have early onions, garlic, and cilantro ready for harvest. Here’s one recipe for turning your produce into fresh, delicious salsa:

3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped onion
3 medium or 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 peppers, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl. Refrigerate several hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Article courtesy of Contractor Source.

Gardeners are one of the largest hobby groups in the world. Gardening can be as simple as a few containers or as complex as a few acres. Regardless of the scale, the same basic rules apply:

1. Realize that gardening is more of a process than a project. Plants take time to grow and along with the plants, you will grow patience. Accept the fact that not everything you attempt is going to look like a magazine cover. Also remember that some of the things you do may be great.

2. Learn about your gardening space. Indoors or out, locate where and when the sun shines. Pay special attention to the soil. Do a soil test to determine what type garden soil you have. Amend it or choose plants suited to it.

3. Learn about yourself. How much time and money do you want to invest? Gardening can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. It’s always a good idea to start small, finding more to do is seldom a problem.

4. Learn about plants, especially the ones you like. Whatever plant you chose to grow, from turfgrass to orchids, do some homework. If for some reason the plants you like most aren’t recommended for your garden site, keep looking. You’re sure to find something you like just as well, maybe even better.

5. Water, fertilize and prune regularly as recommended on the plant tag.

6. Get some good tools. You don’t need one of everything to begin with. A spade, rake, trowel and pruners have started many exceptional gardens.

7. Learn to recognize symptoms before they become problems. Pests, diseases and environmental stressors of lawns and houseplants usually start small, giving you time to react and correct them. Knowing the problem allows you to select the right treatment.

8. Ask questions. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding experienced gardeners who are more than willing to share advice and opinions.

9. Be safe. Follow product instructions carefully, especially pesticide and fertilizer.

10. Keep a record or journal of what works and what doesn’t. Use this information when planning for next season.

11. The plant tag is a good source of information. Sunlight and water requirements, mature size and shape, planting instructions, bloom time, pruning needs and more are all right at your fingertips.

12. Gardening can be strenuous; sore muscles and blisters are often the result of a gardening session. Doing a few basic stretching exercises and investing in a good pair of gloves are worth the time and effort.

13. Perhaps most importantly, although gardening can be hard work, don’t forget to have fun.

Courtesy of Lowe’s.

If you layered your flower bed with mulch over the winter, now is the time to start removing the mulch to allow any perennials the chance to grow. Sometimes, the perennials may break through a thick layer of mulch, but most of the time the perennials will be damaged. Depending on the weather, you should start checking your perennial growth in late winter or early spring and determine if the ground is thawed yet. If the ground is thawing and you do not remove the mulch, you will ultimately smother the flowers. Removing the mulch will allow the flowers to breath and thrive for the spring’s growth cycle. Once the flowers have sprouted out of the grown, then you can replace the mulch around each flower.

If you are trying to plant vegetable in the spring, then you have to determine when the frost dates will be for that area. If you are just transplanting, then you can do that after the last frost date is past. If you are planting seeds that will sprout within 2 weeks or so, then you can plant them 2 weeks prior to the last frost date.

If you want to apply lawn fertilizers in the spring, then Scott’s suggest a four-part schedule starting with your spring grass. Generally, slow-release lawn fertilizers are the best type to apply on your grass. This schedule depends on where you live and your grass-type, so you should refer to Scott’s schedule for more information.

If you have crabgrass that you need to get rid of, then you can start killing crabgrass earlier in the spring by using pre-emergent herbicides. In many regions of the U.S., you will want to start applying the herbicides around May 1st, but application will vary depending on where you live and how warm a spring you’re having. Down South, herbicides will need to be applied even earlier to prevent crabgrass growth.

If you are not sure whether to fertilize an older well-established tree, then consider that fertilizing older trees in the spring can result in vigorous new growth, which includes a thicker leaf canopy and a richer color in the foliage.

If you want to prune your flowering shrubs, but not sure when, a general rule of thumb is to first determine the reason for pruning. If you just want to rejuvenate overgrown, neglected flowering shrubs, then the best time to prune is late winter or early spring. True, pruning flowering shrubs at this time will reduce or eliminate blossoming in spring that year, but the trade-off is in gaining healthier, more vigorous flowering shrubs for the long run.

If you want to just do a routine pruning to maintain the flowering shrubs within certain dimensions, then observe the shrubs’ blooming habits. For shrubs that bloom in summer or fall on the current year’s growth, prune in winter. For shrubs that bloom in spring from last year’s growth, prune after their blooms begin to die.

Solar Energy

You can use the energy from the sun to heat your home, thus solar energy. The amount of solar energy that is transmitted from the sun in the United States in just 20 minutes can supply our energy needs for an entire year. This energy is free. We just have to have a system in place to capture the energy. Solar heat works by absorbing the sun’s radiation and converting this to heat energy. Natural convection or air movement is an integral part of successful solar heating installations. This solar heat can then be used to heat your home whether a small area or the entire home. You can also use solar energy in your water plumbing system.

There are many benefits to using solar heat in your home, for example, it:
• is environmentally friendly
• does not pollute or produce greenhouse gases
• helps conserve the earth’s energy resources
• is the best choice for people with allergy problems and chemical sensitivities
• is stable in price. Although the solar energy is free, the system will have a one-time cost (equipment/installation), but then you don’t have to worry about future oil prices or inflation.

Passive Solar Heating
A passive solar heating design does not actually include any sort of mechanical heating device. Rather, passive solar heating functions by incorporating building features that absorb heat and then release it slowly to maintain the temperature within the home. These building features, often referred to as thermal mass, may include large windows, stone flooring, and brick walls.

For passive solar energy to be utilized effectively there must also be a means for the heated air to circulate throughout the home. The natural circulation of air is usually enough as long as doors are left open throughout the home, however, sometimes fans are also incorporated into the design to facilitate this.

While these may sound like relatively simple measures, passive solar heating features can reduce heating bills by almost 50 percent. And, in many cases, especially if you’re working with a builder who is familiar with the processes of passive solar heating, building a passive solar home may cost the same as building a conventional home.

Active Solar Heating
Active solar heating is similar to passive solar heating, but it is a much more involved process and generates much more heat than passive systems do. Active solar heating relies strongly on three components: a solar collector to absorb the solar energy, a solar storage system, and a heat transfer system to disperse the heat to the appropriate places in your home.

Active heating systems can be divided into two categories: air systems and liquid systems. The differences in the heating systems are in the way the solar energy accumulates in the solar collector. Liquid systems use a liquid to collect the energy in the solar collector; whereas air systems absorb the energy through the air.

Since solar collectors are normally installed on the roof of the building being heated, it is best to place the hot air outlet in the ceiling to shorten the duct run. A system installed in this manner mixes the air in a building like a ceiling fan in addition to supplying solar heat.

The downside of an active solar system is that the initial installation costs are much higher, since in most cases you will also need to install a traditional heating system for the times when the solar heating can’t work—many cloudy days in a row, for example. Active solar heating systems can be expected to supply between 40 and 80 percent of your home’s heating, depending on the size of the system you have installed as well as the climate where you live. However, in the long term you will reap the benefits (and break even) through significant savings on utility bills.