Archive for March, 2010
Nothing tastes better than garden-grown tomatoes or fresh-cut basil. The time to plant summer vegetable plants is in April to assure a bountiful harvest by July and August.
Plant Your Vegetables: Plant most all types vegetables including tomatoes, squash, beets, corn, sunflowers, spinach, cucumber, melons, okra, peppers and zucchini. Plant either from seed or from starter plants. Before planting, revitalize your garden soil by adding compost especially designed for gardens.
Rotate Your Crops: Maximize plant growth and health by rotating your crops (i.e., plant tomato plants where peppers were grown last year). Planting similar vegetables in the same location year after year pulls the same nutrients from the soil to feed the plants. Rotating crops to different locations in your garden means less stress on the soil. Crop rotation can also reduce the buildup of soil-based diseases and pests. Certain pests prefer specific types of plants. By rotating your crops, pests and diseases won’t have easy access to the plants they prefer. Relocate crops at least 10 feet from their previous location.
Plant Your Herb Garden: Basil, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, cilantro, thyme, chives, dill and tarragon are just some favorite, easy-to-grow herbs that should be planted in April. Be sure to pinch back flowers that bloom from the herbs to extend the harvest season.
Color for Summer: Summer-blooming bedding plants should be planted in April. Annuals that bloom all summer include alyssum, bedding dahlia, gloriosa daisy, marigold, petunia, verbena and zinnia. Summer shade plants include begonia, forget-me-nots and impatiens. Bulbs planted last fall will begin growing in spring. Throughout spring and summer, remove dead flowers and brown foliage to build strength for new blooms.
Pinch and Prune: Pinch back new growth on chrysanthemums and fuchsias to keep the plants bushy. Bougainvilleas also benefit from pruning to shape and restrain growth. Prune roses to where stems are at least as round as a pencil. Although not very attractive now, pruned rose bushes will be thick with leaves and in full bloom within a month
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About the Author:
Bill Camarillo is CEO of Agromin, an Oxnard, California-based manufacturer of premium soil products and the green materials recycler for communities throughout Southern California. Each month, Agromin receives and processes thousands of tons of urban wood and green waste. Agromin then uses a safe, organic and scientific system to formulate its soil products from the processed recycled green materials. www.agromin.com.
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Companies that manufacture garden sheds have come to the realization that people want a lot more these days than the common old wooden shed used for storage and gardening. In attempting to meet customers’ expectations they have come up with some unique and modern designs that appeal to all kinds of people. Whether you are searching for additional storage space, a workshop for your hobby, or a base for your gardening project, then look online for a wide variety of outdoor buildings.
Garden sheds are popular as they have a lot of advantages to offer. As well as being an economical way of acquiring more space, if you want to splash out they can even sometimes add value to a property, and they often provide a quiet place to escape to away from a noisy household. Dangerous power tools and hazardous liquids and chemicals can be locked away from inquisitive youngsters, and theft of bicycles, lawnmowers, barbecues and garden furniture avoided.
A garden shed is a great addition to every back garden or yard, possessions normally kept in the house or garage can be moved into the shed, thus freeing up more space. Children’s larger playtoys and camping equipment all take up valuable space and can be conveniently stored here for easy access.
You can easily get electricity and water added to your basic garden shed and then you are able to operate as a darkroom if someone in the family is a budding photographer, or a woodworking area where power tools can be used out of the way of children and pets. When considering why you need a space in the garden then first you need to identify what space is required for storage, the size of the working area, and if you need windows, the size of the door, etc. Once you know exactly what you want then start searching and find out what materials and are available and how much it is likely to cost you.
There are all kinds of shapes and sizes and dimensions of garden sheds, the most affordable to purchase are the basic sheds that can be constructed from wood, plastic or metal and cost just a few hundred pounds. If your garden is only small and you want to keep as much open space as possible, then you should consider a corner or upright shed for your needs. A corner shed saves a lot of space as it can be tucked away tidily, whilst an upright shed, although taller, has a limited base area. Shelves can always be added to create more storage space.
Other alternatives that you can consider are a small wooden Sentry Store with internal shelves, manufactured from pressure treated and supplied with stainless steel fixings throughout, or a small metal shed constructed from hot dipped galvanised steel, and maintenance free.
If you need a lot of storage space or a large workshop for a messy craft hobby then you are looking at more expensive products. Large garden sheds can be found upwards of £300 and give you a lot more space. Priced at just over £500 is the Dutch Style Shed measuring 2.4m x 2.4m with huge internal space and large double doors making it ideal to store large or tall equipment. Or a metal shed measuring 3m x 4m can be found for under £400, constructed from hot dipped galvanised steel and maintenance free.
Most garden sheds will not need a building permit. In most areas, buildings that are 100-110 square feet will not require any sort of building permit. To be sure, you should give your local municipality office a call.
Your garden shed can be as basic or fancy as you like, it all depends on your needs and how much money you have available. There are all kinds of outdoor living options these days, from the traditional wooden garden sheds and metal sheds to summer houses and garden offices. Whatever your reason for needing additional outdoor space, you are spoilt for choice.
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About the Author:
Michiel Van Kets writes articles for Gardens 4 Living, a well established store in the UK selling garden sheds and other gardening products online. Bargain hunters should look for large garden sheds for sale, or browse through an extensive range of metal, plastic or wooden garden sheds – a must-have item for all gardens and the most popular shed material. Complete your garden today with products from Gardens 4 Living, a store by garden enthusiasts for enthusiasts.
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