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Monday, November 23, 2009

Bonsai Plant Care


Bonsai plants are very similar to Bonsai trees in so far as if you give them a lot of care and attention and keep them healthy you will get a beautiful miniature plant in return. There are many different varieties of plant that you can use to create Bonsai plants. Some plants require very precise care routines to maintain a healthy and aesthetically pleasing plant, but regardless of what breed of plant you are using there are some basic guidelines to follow that will keep your plant in condition. All of these tips will be dependant on the type of plant you buy but are meant as rough guides only.

Temperature.

Indoor Bonsai plants will need protection from the elements during cold weather because many of them are tropical or subtropical plants. The singly most effective form of protection is bringing them indoors. However, if you are planting your Bonsai outdoors you should plant them somewhere where they are protected from wintry conditions. Alternatively it does a plant a lot of good if you put them out for some warm weather when the risk of frost is gone completely. The humidity indoors can cause dehydration of Bonsai plants, which is the biggest killer of these timid plants.

Watering.

It is important to water Bonsai early in the day before the temperature lowers in the evening. The type of plant you have will determine the watering regime you need to undertake. How much moisture the plant needs is a very important factor and you should always water the soil as thoroughly as possible to ensure that all the roots get a good watering.

Light.

Because the sun is at it’s brightest and strongest between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. you should try as far as possible to keep your Bonsai out of the sunlight between these hours. It is also important to remember that electrical items around the house give off a very humid heat that can damage not only the leaves of you Bonsai but can also dehydrate your plants or trees and eventually kill them. It’s also important to alter your watering schedule to meet the demands of increased light, heat and humidity.

Fertilizing.

You can use fertilizers to help the growth of your Bonsai plants, but it’s best to use mild ones that only contain trace elements. Trees are usually fed during the growing season to help with their growth and shouldn’t be used in either plants or trees during dormant growth periods.

See Below Video for more explanation,


Andrew Green
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Sunday, November 15, 2009

Hydroponic Gardening Versus Regular Gardening

Hydroponic gardening has been hyped as a better alternative for years. In ground gardening is basically simpler and more straight forward than hydroponic gardening. The necessary condition for engaging in regular gardening is having garden space and soil for planting. The soil, in its natural state, supplies the nutrients that your plants need.

Hydroponics eliminates the soil as a necessary precondition for gardening. In hydroponic gardening, many materials like coconut fiber, sand, gravel, etc, may be used as a medium for growing plant life. You remove the dependence of plants on soil by giving these plants their required nutrients through specially formulated fertilizer that easily mixes with water and is readily absorbed by plants and crops.

The hydroponics process is, of course, much more complex in practice. Because your plants do not have a naturally occurring nutrient source, you have to be extra careful about monitoring all aspects of raising your plants. You have to follow strict and regular water cycles. As such, you may even use advanced applications and computing paraphernalia which could automate the processes for you and leave little room for gross errors.

Hydroponic and Field Gardening Square-off

Inground and hydroponic gardening mainly differ in the method by which the plants receive nutrients. Regular gardening makes use of what’s readily abundant in nature, soil. Hydroponic gardening makes use of whatever medium is available and just makes sure that the plant receives sufficient amount of nourishment through the use of specially formulated fertilizers. Both regular gardening and hydroponic gardening, however, still require the right amount of sunlight and the right pH level for the plants to survive.

Advantages of Hydroponic Gardening

Hydroponics allows for a precise and scientific system through which the amount of water, the nutrients in water, the frequency of hydration, and the amount of sunlight the plants receive can be strictly monitored and controlled. Hydroponics therefore does not leave much room for error and thus endows the gardener control over the outcome of his gardening efforts. If you are interested in a horticultural or agricultural career, you may wish to try hydroponic gardening methods. Or maybe you want to make better use of a hobby greenhouse? Square foot production and overall quality can both be improved with hydropnics.

Regular gardening is more of a hit-and-miss thing because you rely on the soil’s natural nutrients to support your plants. You can only try to increase the soil’s nutrients using fertilizers, but there’s no assurance on whether the nutrients you’re supplying is too little or too much. Regular gardening therefore, provides little stability in the crop produce.

Advantages of Regular Gardening

In a nutshell, regular gardening is preferable if you are a hobbyist who likes puttering in your backyard garden. You also do not need much money and expensive gadgetry to experience the benefits of regular gardening. Nature has a way of balancing things out, even given some natural disadvantages and deficiencies.

Mark Sheppler
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

How to Buy the Right Fertilizer


Have you ever wondered why your neighbors grass or tomato plants are so healthy and green? The trick to strong, vigorous plant growth is simply using the right fertilizer. A reputable soil testing lab will help you to analyze your lawn or garden before you buy fertilizer. This will point you in the direction of the proper nutrient needs of your plants.

Every farmer or home gardener has the experience to know that no land has the exact nutrient needs for their crops and plants. One effective tool many successful growers use is putting science behind their fertilizer choices. Every crop has a specific need and a grower needs to determine these needs which change from season to season. A soil testing lab helps growers to determine these needs.

A soil testing lab will determine the proper kind of fertilizer or lime you need to use. Additionally they guide you how not to over-fertilize your plants. Over-fertilization wastes time and money, and is a detriment to the environment. It often promotes burnt, overgrown plants with maturation issues.

The analysis begins with the grower taking multiple samples of the proposed growing area. Usually, samples are taken from the surface to a depth of six inches, and if it's for a lawn, samples are taken from two to three inches.

The lab will advise on proper handling of the samples taken. The sampling tools should always be kept clean. One must take not use a garden trowel or bucket that has been used for fertilizer in the past, to avoid the residue that may contaminate your samples. Samples taken that are overly wet will also cause an inaccurate analysis.

Once you receive the soil testing results, you will know the pH value besides learning the current levels of calcium, magnesium, phosphate, zinc, potassium, and manganese found in your samples. All of these minerals and elements will of course by influential to plant health. Your lab will also recommend the right fertilizer and lime you should use for the best most efficient growth.

Often growers don't understand why nitrogen, such an essential element, is not included in soil testing results. Nitrogen moves quickly n the ground and is difficult to get exact levels. It is a very mobile element, and any sample taken will not yield accurate results. Another key factor for plant cultivation is soil acidity. The perfect soil pH varies based on the types of plants you are trying to grow. For instance, acidic soils are ideal for blueberries, but lower acidity is needed for many vegetables.

It's always better to know your plant's underlying biology if you are want to get the best possible results from your plants. Sending your samples to lab testing can certainly get you great rewards especially when it comes to horticulture. If you are looking at achieving the best results from your crops this year, send your samples to a professional soil testing lab and determine the right fertilizer for you.


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Sunday, November 1, 2009

Types of Manure and Their Uses


All soils need conditioning and improving - mainly because each year the plants that grow there are taking valuable nutrients from it in order for them to grow and flourish. Improving soil with manures and fertilizers will go a long way to creating the beautiful plants and flowers you want from your garden.

Spent Hops

A by-product of the brewing industry. Although smelly, this is a good soil conditioner and one which is easy to handle. You might have to live with an 'aromatic' garden for a few days afterwards.

Leaf Mould

Autumn leaves can be rotted down in a wire netting enclosure of their own and then used as soil enrichment. Sweep them up while they are damp, pile them into the wire-netting enclosure and, like compost, keep them firm and moist. In a year's time they will have turned into crumbly leaf mould.

Composted Bark

A by-product of the forestry industry, this is usually pine bark which has been pulverized and composted.

Domestic Waste

Many local authorities and some water companies are now producing their own soil enrichment, which is based on domestic waste (both household and sewage) and composted straw. It is clean, recycled and perfectly safe to use.

Proprietary Soil Conditioners

These are usually made from animal manures and are often more concentrated in nutrients, so applied more sparingly. This means that they are not as valuable in improving soil texture and structure simply because their application rates are lower.

Peat

Current concern about our disappearing peat bogs has meant that peat is now frowned upon as a soil conditioner. From the gardener's point of view, as well as the conservationist's, this is a good thing. All the other soil conditioners mentioned here contain a certain amount of plant food, as well as being bulky and therefore improving the soil structure. Peat contains no food at all - its only value is in its structure. Because of this, its greatest value is as an ingredient of seed and potting composts as a soil conditioner.

Application Rates

Generally speaking, one or two bucketfuls of organic matter can be dug or forked into 1 square meter (1 square yard) of soil. Use your discretion - if your ground looks very hungry, go for the heavier application rate. Your plants will grow better as a result. Dig the enrichment into newly cultivated ground during the autumn and winter months or at planting time, or lay it on the surface of the soil between established plants as an 8-cm (3-in) thick mulch in spring when the soil is moist. It will help keep down weeds and seal in moisture.

Look after you garden and you garden will reward you handsomely. Why not create your own garden entertainment area with some teak outdoor dining furniture and the odd teak bench scattered unobtrusively around your garden in strategic viewing areas.

Source : Ezine

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