Fine Gardening

Archive for August, 2009

Container gardening has become a popular method of fine gardening in the past decade or so. Prior to that, container gardening was almost exclusively used by space-starved apartment dwellers. Nowadays, container gardens are found on decks, in nooks and crannies, and in even incorporated into traditional gardens!

Container gardening involves selecting appropriate plants to put into movable buckets or barrels. It is important to match the appropriate plant to the appropriate container and put them in the best location possible. However, since container gardening is both versatile and portable, it is easy to change your design if you find you don’t like your original idea.

When looking to design a creative container garden, the first step is to look at the type of containers you will use. Terra cotta pots are the most popular container gardening choice, but they will often crack after two or three years of use. Don’t limit yourself. Try fiberglass, wood, or concrete. Found objects can be perfect for container gardening: try an old sink or a tin washtub. If you find a container in the shape you want, but not the color, try painting it. Home improvement stores are full of ideas and supplies for creating any kind of faux finish you could dream up.

The next element of design in your container garden should be the plants themselves. It might be possible to grow species you would not otherwise be able to, as you can control the soil mixture and sun exposure in each individual container. Container gardens are also great places to grow rock plants as long as your container has good drainage. Think of the purpose you want these plants to serve. Should they be tall to screen an ugly area of the backyard, or should they be low and colorful to outline a sidewalk? Choose your plants accordingly.

Container gardening means versatility of location. Use your containers in a creative configuration on the corner of your patio. You can also use them to create a border around your traditional garden. The containers can even be put into the ground as a quick fix if one of your other garden plants dies. Some people have found success placing a row of containers on top of a low wall. However, these containers should be sturdy enough to withstand wind and passersby. Others have mounted their containers on garden walls to add height their garden design. Sometimes a single container on the landing of a staircase can brighten up the entire space. Just make sure that the container and the plant work well in your chosen location.

Truly, the possibilities are endless when it comes to container gardening. It is easy to see why it has become so popular.

What is the secret of choosing best lawn grass seed? It is not necessary that all grass seeds are of the same quality. However it is seen that most of the garden owners buy lawn grass seed depending on their price and their brand. Thus breeders of various farms work in order to create better grass seeds. The superior varieties yield deep green colors. They are tolerant to drought conditions and most importantly they are resistant to various types of pest infestations. Additionally this means that they are also disease resistant.

It is also seen that most of the grass obtained from ordinary lawn grass seed is not able to withstand high foot traffic. In case you have a pet dog, the grass takes further toll when the pet runs and tosses around the garden. In such cases best option is to choose for those lawn grass seed which are able to withstand heavy foot traffic.

Yet another aspect of selecting the lawn grass seed is to select the species that are suitable to your climate and compatible to your site use. You should even look at the kind of maintenance you intend to perform. Maintenance is an important aspect if you have to look after an athletic field or commercial lawns. The price of the lawn grass seed is less as compared to the actual seeding program. Thus you must choose the best varieties of grass seed that is available in the market.

But what are the factors that determine grade of lawn grass seed? Try to look for organizations that are related to this field and see whether they have evaluated and passed the given variety of seeds. The seeds are tested for a period of 5 to 6 years, by planting them across a vast diversity of backdrop. Once the seeds are evaluated, they are given a rating. So, you must look for the lawn grass seed that have best rating. Also, you should look for those seeds which have just been introduced in the market. This is because they will be more advanced as far as their genetic make-up is concerned.

Sometimes you should look at local aspects like how sunny or shady is the place where you plan to sow the seeds. According to your geographical location, you can look at species which are better than the existing ones in the market or ones which exist in the neighborhood.

In the market you will get mixture and blends of the seeds. The mixture comprises of several species while the blend comprises of one species of different strains. It is better to select a blend over the mixture. This is because different varieties will have better chances of survival even if some of the lawn grass seed tend to get spoiled.

People who are usually interested in beauty and maintenance of their gardens combine lawn care and landscaping in order to obtain best results. Some of the best tips include lawn edging. This helps in providing a defined perimeter between the yard and the sidewalk. Many gardeners use this technique for separating flower beds too. Apart from the lawn edging removes the chances of weed from propping up thus adding to the lawn care.

The lawn care industry is booming. The businesses offer the customers customized lawn care or depending upon the customer’s time constraint they offer weekly or annual services in a package. These services include application of herbicides, pesticides, and various types of chemical fertilizers.

Thatch removal is yet another great idea for lawn care. Thatch removal helps in providing greater air flow and diminishes the chances of fungal growth or insect infestation. Additionally it helps the lawn by preventing it from frost damage and reduces the process of evaporation. This in turn translates into the fact that you don’t have to water the plants so frequently during summers. But why is thatch removal so important in lawn care.

Thatch is layer that comprises of stems that are both living and non-living. There are rhizomes, stolons and roots present between the grass and the soil surface. When you remove this layer the grass automatically become healthier and green, thus adding to the landscape.

Aerating is an important constituent of lawn care. This process should be performed twice a year – in spring and in fall. This procedure helps in reducing the surface compaction. Try to remove small bunches of turf from the lawn. It not only helps in absorbing more water, it helps in absorption of nutrients too. For a healthy lawn, aeration should be performed at least once a year.

When you really want to beautify your lawn, how can you forget about planting various types of plants? Plant various types of shrubs and flowers along with herbal plants to ward off the insects. Herbal plantation is an important aspect of lawn care, as herbs not only repel insects, they also add to the odor of the atmosphere.

Mulching is yet another great way of lawn care. Add fresh mulch to your garden. It also makes a good addition to the vista of your house. Apart from this mulching helps the plants to retain moisture and nutrients. Weeds growth is also limited. The most popular mulch is the shredded hardwood in brown or red.

The bottom line is that lawn care improves both the health and the landscape of your garden