How To Coax Fresh Vegetables From The Garden All Winter Long

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Autumn typically signals the end of home grown vegetables from the garden, but with a little ingenuity you can harvest garden fresh produce well into the winter months. My Central Pennsylvania garden continues to supply fresh vegetables during the fall and winter when most gardeners in my growing region are content to dream about next summer’s bounty. Read on to discover simple tricks that will fortify your garden against the onslaught of frigid weather.

Fall often delivers brief cold spells with a few frost filled mornings, sandwiched between weeks of milder, frost-free conditions. The problem is that a single touch of frost can wipe out every tender annual growing in the garden. Fortunately, a little protection will enable frost sensitive vegetables and herbs to survive a cold snap, and reward the resourceful gardener with an opportunity to enjoy extended harvests.

Something as simple as the transparent, fleecy, floating row covers used to shield plants from harmful insects can also prevent frost damage. Row covers trap the warmth that radiates up from the earth much like the way that a cloud cover holds temperatures and prevents frost from forming. Row covers offer a few degrees of protection, keeping tender annuals safe from light frost. Use the thicker grade covers for maximum benefit.

Late summer is the ideal time to sow cold tolerant vegetables that will flourish in the fall and endure cold weather without complaint. Examples of hardy vegetables for fall gardening include: kale, spinach, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, kohlrabi, turnips, cabbages, oriental greens, rutabagas, and some varieties of lettuce. 

Once freezing conditions arrive, even cold hardy crops will appreciate some protection if they remain in the garden. Cardboard boxes and fruit baskets can provide shelter to individual plants, while old sheets, blankets, and heavy plastic tarps will protect entire rows or beds of plants. Apply the coverings in the evening when freezes are forecast and remove them the following morning after the sun warms the air. 

Another effective solution is to use a commercial variety of cloche, or to set up a portable cold frame over the garden bed. Cloches include the heavy glass, bell shaped jars, or variously styled and shaped rigid plastic devices.

One style of cold frame consists of a tubular frame covered by a woven poly material with flaps for venting. You can also obtain sturdier cold frames made with aluminum framing and twin wall polycarbonate panels that lift up for venting. Regardless of the type of protection used to cover your plants you must remove it or provide venting during the day as temperatures rise.

Resourceful gardeners can combine a few discarded window sashes and bales of straw to create a simple makeshift cold frame. Just arrange the straw bales into a rectangular shape around a garden bed and lay the windows across the top to form an enclosed and insulated growing area. This setup will work great to keep a bed of leafy greens growing further into the winter.

Oddly enough, water can protect and insulate plants from the cold. Commercial orchards actually spray water and mist onto their trees to prevent frost damage. 

In the home garden you can employ plastic gallon jugs filled with water to provide protection. Place the containers around plants, under floating row covers or tarps, and inside of your cold frames.

The water will absorb and store heat during the day and release it at night to provide warmth for your plants. You’ll get the best results by painting the jugs black so that they’ll absorb more energy from the sun during the day. Incredibly, even if the water in the container freezes, it will continue to release a significant amount of heat energy into the surrounding area.

Certain vegetables will survive on their own in the garden through bitterly cold conditions. Leeks, kale, and collards frequently withstand harsh winters without any protection. Fall planted garlic and shallots will develop strong root systems in the fall, spend the winter underground, and then spring up at the earliest signs of the arrival of spring.

Many root crops including beets, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, and parsnips can be left in the garden protected with a thick layer of shredded leaves or straw. You can then continue harvesting as needed, provided that the ground doesn’t freeze and prevent digging. Complete your harvesting before spring arrives though, since quality will degrade once the roots resume growing and switch into seed production mode.

With proper planning and a little extra care you can easily grow and harvest vegetables beyond the normal spring and summer seasons. Simply implement a few of the ideas presented in this article and you’ll soon enjoy your own home grown, fresh produce much longer than usual, possibly even year-round.

Gardening inside the Greenhouse

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Most homes have a front lawn or a backyard with trees and grass. The person can easily make a few changes then it will be better than it was before.  A good hobby that some individuals have taken in the spare time is gardening and the same thing can be done if one decides to have a greenhouse.

The first thing that needs to be done is assess the area where the greenhouse will be. If there is not that much space in putting a free standing version, then perhaps attaching the greenhouse to the home is a good idea.

The first thing to be done is to measure the area. The greenhouse should have enough sunlight for the plants and shade when it gets too hot. This can be done by making some observations at different times of the day.

The home may be affected by the cold climate or the heat during the summer. Preparations need to be done to install and heater and a ventilation system which could to counter the threat and make the flowers grow in the greenhouse. 

The kind of heater to be used for a greenhouse can be powered by electricity since the area isn’t that big. Getting something like those that use oil or gas may only be needed if the structure is expanded.

Both systems will provide the gardener sufficient oxygen and carbon dioxide that is needed for the plant to grow. 

Another way of giving plants enough space to grow is the type of panels used for the greenhouse. Since plants need sunlight to grow, the type of material used for the windows and ceiling are important.

Traditionally, glass can do the job but some studies have shown that too much sunlight passes through and kills the plants. To avoid this, panels made of film, plastic or Plexiglas is much better.

The greenhouse should also use the ideal kind of flowers that will survive the climate. The person can ask the sales representative at the gardening store or look at the label posted on each plant before buying and bringing it home. 

When everything is ready, the person has two options. The first is draw the design then go to a supplier who can do that or go directly to the contractor to make a drawing then have it made.

If the person doesn’t have an idea where to start, one can look at how the other people who do this as a hobby in the neighborhood do it. The person can also visit the arboretum or look at gardening magazines just to get an idea what kind of greenhouse is best for the home. 

The soil in that part of the house should be prepared before construction is under way. Basically, this is just to enclose the area so it is alright if there are plants in the site already.  

The greenhouse can later be improved to not only have soil but have water at all times that will enhance the plants growth. This technique which is done by farmers to increase crop production is called hydroponics farming. 

When the gardener, has enough money, soil can be changed to water channels that release water mixed with nutrients to the plants. There are various ways to do this and doing some research on the way this can be implanted will get the gardener moving on the right track. 

Another thing needed to properly work in the greenhouse is having the right equipment. This can easily be purchased at the local gardening store and these should be stored properly when not in use.

It will be a good idea to have this locked to prevent children from playing with it and accidents from happening. 

Gardening doesn’t always have to be done by a professional. The person can do in a creative way to make the house stand out. By doing some research first before having it installed, the place will really look great when construction has been completed. 

By knowing the proper techniques in maintaining the greenhouse and planting the right flowers, this place will be another room that will really make the individual feel at home.

How Greenhouse Climates Work in the Growth of Plants

By Ahmed Hajouj.


There are geothermal heated greenhouses that support a plant’s life process in changing climate conditions. These heated greenhouses consume a large amount of heat energy when it comes to gardening and agriculture. However, it should be satisfying to most gardeners because of the good results they provide to the growth and development of a plant.

Most of these energy needs and geothermal conditioning are basically structured according to the environmental and ecological orientation of most greenhouses. The energy needs are adjusting based on the certain climate changes that may occur from the different seasons of the year. They are built with light materials that have minimal insulating features to create a stable climate inside the greenhouse. 

The external climate brings a different approach to an internal climate system in a greenhouse. The necessity to have a greenhouse may occur during colder seasons where there is limited sunlight. The main purpose of having an internal climate system is to optimize the needed factors for plant growth. The internal climate factor that will be obtained is the photosynthesis process involved in environment and plant reactions. 

Photosynthesis is the reaction process between the plants and the sun’s solar radiation. This means that carbon dioxide is supplied by sunlight to create a life process for the plants. There is a certain amount of climate heat that is calculated to designate the needed supply for lighting and heating. The greenhouse climate is essential in calculating the needed heat and coldness to the demand of the greenhouse. 

The existence of heating and humidifying systems can adjust to the conditions of any external climate changes. Some processes that take part to the continuous energy balance maintained in any greenhouse is the water transport through the soil, plant canopy, and air. The formation of chlorophyll affects the entire internal climate. This happens because of the effect of heat transfer, solar light, oxygen and carbon dioxide cycle. 

Here are some factors in valuing each aspect of parameters that is important to the climate condition and character of the internal climate. 

1.  The air movement in the greenhouse may influence the needed heat transfer on the air composition to the plant canopy. It also involves the process of water transfer to the plant canopy. This process will sustain the energy balance needed by the plants to continue a healthier life process in the greenhouse. 

2.  The heating installation is essential for the proper distribution of temperature inside the greenhouse. It also allows a controlled air movement to maintain the humidity and moisture in air characteristics that is affected by the external climate changes. 

3.  The water transport in the greenhouse also plays a big role in sustaining the photosynthetic process in the environment the plants. The roots have aspects pertaining to cultivation base that offers a needed amount of water, which is also needed in humidity and greenhouse temperature. 

4.  The air temperature affects the whole energy state inside the greenhouse. It is the connective heat supplied in the different aspects of the environment. The characteristic of the air movement in the greenhouse influences the leaves and stems of each plant. 

5.  The light factor is very essential in producing photosynthesis reaction to the plant’s canopy and to the formation of carbon dioxide that serves a big role in the respiration of the plants. Its necessity takes significance on the plants’ development and life process inside the greenhouse. Solar radiation provides instant intensity of light spectrum to supply the needed warmth and heat energy during colder seasons. 

6.  The soil or ground base temperature affects the condition of the climate inside the greenhouse as well. The significant parameter involves the transfer of heat energy directly to the ground structure, which includes the roots and the water flow system that partakes in the plants’ growth.

7.  The carbon dioxide concentration also takes part in the life process inside the greenhouse. The normal average of carbon dioxide concentration in the external air atmosphere is 0.03%. This is important to maintain a balanced temperature and humidity density in a greenhouse. 

It is important for a greenhouse to have installed systems to create an environment that will provide continuous life process for plants in changing climate conditions. A well-planned greenhouse climate should assure a person of having proper distribution of light, temperature, water, carbon dioxide, and other essential factors needed for every plant to grow.

Create Lasting Color In Your Garden

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Designing a beautiful flower garden is a lot like conducting a symphony. You mix and match plants just like the notes of a great concerto. There are moments of drama and impact followed by ones of subtle beauty and texture. Strong notes contrast with soft ones. Individual notes seem stark by themselves, but when they come together, they create beauty much greater than any of the parts.

“It really doesn’t take a maestro to create lasting color in your garden,” says Bayer Advanced™ garden expert Lance Walheim, who wrote the best-selling book “Roses for Dummies.” “But there are some tips to make sure your garden looks great throughout the growing season”: 

1. Establish a color theme and stick to it. This will bring order to what often seems like a chaotic mix of bright colors. Try different flowers in shades of one color or blend complementary colors such as red and violet. For an even stronger impact, mix contrasting colors like yellow and blue or yellow and red. Take clues from the color of your home or hardscape. 

2. Use all kinds of plants. Nurseries and garden centers are full of flowering annuals and perennials, but don’t overlook flowering shrubs and small trees. Landscape roses in particular can form the blooming backbone of your garden. And don’t forget bulbs like tulips and daffodils. Expand the possibilities.

3. Work the seasons. It’s easy to plan a spring garden. The bigger challenge is to have great color throughout the growing season. Look for summer- and fall-blooming plants, but don’t overlook trees and shrubs with great fall foliage color or brightly colored fruit. 

4. Use a touch of white. White flowers make everything else look better, so add a few if you need an extra punch.

5. Throw in some bold foliage. Strong foliage plants, like purple fountain grass, variegated English ivy or dusty miller, contribute texture and make your garden even more striking.

6. Let your garden evolve. Great gardens don’t happen overnight. If a particular plant isn’t working, take it out and try something new.

After you’ve done all the work planting and landscaping your new color-themed garden, make sure it stays healthy throughout the growing season. Bayer Advanced™ All-in-One Rose & Flower Care contains an insecticide, fertilizer and fungicide that protect and feed your plants for up to six weeks. And there is no spraying; just mix and pour from a watering can around the base of the plant. It’s a great insurance policy for your living work of art.

Marjoram The Herb Of Happiness

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Called the “herb of happiness,” Origanum majorana, commonly known as sweet marjoram or knotted marjoram, is an herbal symbol of peace and well-being. Marjoram is grown as an annual in the colder parts of the world but is perennial in warmer regions. To keep it growing as a perennial, bring it indoors for the winter. Marjoram may be grown as a houseplant and as it has a tendency to trail when grown indoors, it makes a nice hanging basket. Marjoram has small, grey-green, oval-shaped leaves that are velvety to the touch. Tiny white or pink flowers, reddish stems, and the grey-green colour of the leaves make marjoram an attractive border plant. 

Marjoram grows 10 – 24 inches (25 – 60 cm) tall. Cultivation requirements: does best in full sun (will tolerate slight shade); well-drained soil; no fertiliser; water soil sparingly but do not let dry out; pinch back the tips or harvest sprigs to use in cooking to keep it bushy and productive. 

Marjoram is easily grown from seed or cuttings. For spring planting, start seed indoors 6 – 8 weeks before your last frost date. Keep the soil moist during germination. After germination, move the seedlings into a sunny position, and transplant into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. If you are bringing marjoram plants in-doors for over-wintering, pot up in fresh potting soil. Check for critters and if your plants are infected, spray with a soap and water spray.

Marjoram requires at least 5 hours of sunlight a day. If you are growing marjoram on a windowsill, turn frequently to ensure all sides receive light. Marjoram can be grown under fluorescent lights. Hang the lights 6 inches (15 cm) from the plants and leave on for 14 hours a day.

In the garden, marjoram entices bees and butterflies for maximum nectar production and pollination. It is a good companion plant for all vegetables especially beets, eggplant, pumpkin, onions, and zucchini as it aids in their growth and fights off insects. Grow marjoram in pots in the garden as well as in the soil. In the kitchen, use in tomato dishes, onions, dairy, eggs, potato salad, soups, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, oil dressings for salads, carrots, and cauliflower. Fresh leaves and young shoots can be added to salads. It is a major ingredient, usually dried, in sausages, poultry seasonings, Italian recipes, or stuffings. Sprinkle fresh or dried marjoram on pizza. Sprinkle finely chopped fresh leaves on meat or fish before roasting, grilling, or baking. A tea can be made with marjoram to treat colds, headaches, and stomach upsets. Add 3 teaspoons (15 mL) fresh marjoram to 1 cup (250 mL) boiling water. Let steep, then drink slowly. Use marjoram sparingly as it is deceptively potent. Add during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Marjoram will keep several days in the refrigerator. The leaves can be harvested as soon as the plant starts blooming. The leaves dry easily and can also be frozen. Many cooks prefer marjoram rather than oregano (closely related), as marjoram is much less pungent. To make potpourri, dry leaves whole and then crush to release the scent.

Keeping The Weeds Out A Must

By Ahmed Hajouj.


One of the evils naturally attending any landscape endeavor is the fact that weeds need to be taken care of. There are plenty of ways to keep the weeds out, but chances are that at some point you are going to have to do some weeding. Even the best herbicides and the best-laid plastic liners are not full proof. Inevitably it will be necessary to pull weeds by hands. But by making sure that you remove the offending plants, you will have a better-looking landscape over all, and can maintain a well-groomed yard.

The proper way to weed by hand involves getting close to the weeds. This means getting down on your hands and knees and using your hands or maybe a small handheld tool to remove the weeds. Getting close to the weeds allows you to attack each individually while causing very little, if any, harm to your more desirable plants. Additionally, while you are down there, you might as well look at your plants to ensure that they are in good health. Weeding can serve two purposes: getting rid of interlopers and allowing you to be aware of problems to your own plants before it is too late.

You should pull even the smallest of the weeds. It is easier to pull them when they are small. Their roots are less developed, and they have less chance to wreak havoc on your own plants. After all, a weed takes moisture and nutrients that are intended for you plant and then hogs them for itself. If you get the weed when it is small, then it does not have ample time to weaken your plants. It is best to the pull the entire weed out, including roots. Merely snipping them at the base leaves the main problem still in the ground. You can us a small trowel to help you get under the weed. It also helps to water your garden a few hours before hand to help the soil give a little.

Pulling weeds early in the day will help you, as it is cooler and you can start the day off with some invigorating exercise. You should weed regularly, once or twice a week. You could weed every day, but many people do not have time for that. But by setting a regular weeding schedule, you can make it part of your weekly routine and make sure that small weeds do not grow into large, ugly monsters. Dead weeds can be added to the compost heap, as they do not decompose into more weeds. They merely break down into helpful organic material.

Another thing that can help keep weeds down is mulch. Mulch keeps weeds out and it retains moisture in your garden. It is possible to use plastic mulch, and this will almost entirely keep all weeds out. However, it will not return nutrients to your soil, nor is it environmentally friendly. Organic mulch, created from the compost pile, can keep weeds down as long as it is applied thickly. Any weeds that do happen to poke through the mulch are very easy to pull. Paper can be used in mulch, as long as you let it sit in the compost pile with everything else, and it adds extra weed protection. Organic mulch is environmentally friendly, and it acts as a natural fertilizer. Effective composting practices can save you a great deal of money in your landscaping efforts.

Of course, it is possible to use weed killers and herbicides to get rid of weeds in your landscape, or to keep them out. They make use of chemicals and are often the fastest way to get rid of weeds. They are very effective: often the most effective ways to get rid of weeds. Additionally, they require very little effort to apply. It is important, however, to be careful. The chemicals are harmful and if improperly applied can damage your plants. They can also cause you trouble. Be sure that all weed killers and herbicides you use are legal and approved by the government. And read the labels to ensure that you apply them properly and that you utilize proper protection to yourself, as some of the chemicals are harmful if you breathe them in or if they come in contact with your skin.

How To Grow Ornamental Grasses

By AHmed Hajouj.


Ornamental grasses have become extremely popular in the past ten years or so, and if you buy them at a garden center they are kind of pricey. Learning how to grow them yourself is actually quite easy. They can be grown from seed, but I won’t pretend to be an expert at that for several reasons. One, I don’t know anything about growing them from seed, and two, I have no desire to propagate them from seed because seedlings require too much care.



The easiest and most effective way to propagate them is through simple division. Of course you will need at least one parent plant of each variety that you would like to grow. If you shop around you might be able to find some 4″ inch pots at a fair price.



One of each variety is good for a start. I find that the best time of the year to divide them is in the spring, just before the new growth emerges. If you buy the stock plants in the early spring, you might be able to divide them right away. If you buy them at any other time of the year, just plant them in your garden or other suitable location, knowing that you are going to dig them up in a few months, or a year or so.

When spring arrives you can divide them at any time as long as they are not well into putting on new growth. The earlier the better. To divide them simply dig up the root mass and start dividing it into pieces. The divisions do not have to be to be very large. It’s difficult to describe, but as long as you have some roots, the new plant is likely to grow. 

If you have small young plants you can probably just tear the root mass apart with your hands, but if the root mass is very big then you are going to need some tools. You might need some heavy duty tools!



Last spring I divided several grass plants that had been in my landscape for a few years. When I dug out the root mass it was much larger and more dense than I expected. Using a very good digging spade and some real elbow power I was able to chop the root mass into quarters, and I replanted the quarters back into my landscape. That still left many clumps that I wanted to divide into very small plants that I could pot up in 2 quart containers. The root mass was too dense to tear apart with my hands, so I literally got a hammer and a 4″ wide mason’s chisel and chiseled off pieces. It worked and I now have a couple of hundred beautiful little grass plants in 2 quart containers.



Since then I have talked with a friend of mine who works for a large wholesale grower, and he told me that you never want to let an ornamental grass plant get that big if you intend to divide it. He said they plant small divisions in the field in the spring, and dig them up the following spring and divide them again. He assured me that if you get them just 12 months later, they can be easily torn apart by hand.



That sounds like a lot more fun than what I went through!

Fall Planting

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Most people don’t think of Fall as a time for planting new landscaping and garden plants. To most, it’s time to put garden ventures to sleep until Spring. While it may not seem so, Fall planting of trees, shrubs, Perennials, bulbs, and cool weather grasses like Fescue is a very good idea.

Roots of newly planted plants and trees can continue to grow and become established in temperatures as low as 40 degrees. And since the roots don’t have to supply the rest of the plant with energy to grow, more energy is focused on root production. Come Springtime, because of an established root system, plants shoot out of the ground with plenty of energy for top growth.

Soil Temperature

Planting in the fall, soil temperatures are still warm from a long Summer. The warmer soil temperature encourages root growth.

In the Spring, the soil is still cool from the Winter and roots are very slow to become established. Even if you grow plants from seed indoors and transplant outside when the temperature warms, new sprouts still don’t have the advantage of Fall planted plants.

When Exactly Is Fall?

The Fall season officially begins with the equinox in late September. However, Fall weather varies considerably from one part of the country to the next. Basically, the best period for fall planting is around six weeks before the first hard frost in your area. You can get an idea of the average first frost date near your area from here: http://www.almanac.com/garden/frostus.php . Just keep in mind that the roots need to have time to become established before Winter sets in.

Autumn Bloomers

Fall isn’t just a time to put the garden to sleep and start getting ready for Spring. The growing season isn’t quite over yet. You can add color and new life to the garden by replacing dying Summer Annuals and Perennials with Autumn blooming plants like Pansies, Chrysanthemums, and Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Marigolds, and others.

It’s also the time to plant spring flowering bulbs and divide Perennials.

The Secret To Healthier Plants Let S Ask My Grandfather

By Ahmed Hajouj.


My Grandfather was an old school farmer from way back who depended on his crops for his living. He, like farmers then and now, knew that the secret to optimum yield and plant health begins in the soil. If the soil was just right and other conditions were favorable, his yields were higher and he could make a descent living that would get his family through the rest of the year.

My grandfather also knew that the condition and health of the soil directly influenced the plants ability to resist disease and insects. Having to use any type of insecticide on his farm was virtually unheard of. And yet, he had no insect problem.

So the question of what is the secret to healthier and more beautiful plants should really begin with the question of what is the secret to healthy soil.

Many factors will influence the quality and condition of your soil. And at the top of the list is the ph (acidity or alkalinity) of soil. Most folks have heard about soil ph but very few know how important it is and the difference it makes in color, yield, flavor, heath, etc.

If the ph of soil is incorrect, nutrient uptake is limited or restricted altogether. It doesn’t matter how much fertilizer you add, the plants won’t be able to use it efficiently. Iron, for instance, becomes locked into soil that is too alkaline. It won’t matter how much iron you add, the plant won’t be able to pick it up and use it.

If growing is not optimal, plants start to yellow or look sickly, and there is no obvious signs of insects, the first place to start is by testing the soil. In granddads day, folks would actually taste the soil to test the ph. If it was sweet, it was acid. If it was sour, it was alkaline. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to go out to our gardens and eat dirt. Modern test kits are available at garden centers, they’re inexpensive and easy to use.

Most plants prefer a slightly acid to neutral soil. Neutral is a 7 on the scale while slightly acid is a 6 on the scale. And I did say most plants. Some plants do prefer more acid soil and some do like alkaline. It’s a good idea to know a little bit about what you’re growing.

Now, my grandfather had a magic ingredient that he continually added to the soil. This magic ingredient would actually create healthy soil, buffer perfect ph, and facilitate proper nutrient uptake. It also made plants not so tasty to insects. 

A magic ingredient? Not hardly. A lost art and science. Definitely. His magic ingredient was that he dutifully returned everything back into the soil. Everything from plant wastes to manure to kitchen scraps. His magic ingredient was nothing more than pure natural organics. If a soil was found to be out of balance, it was a matter of a simple adjustment. A little bit of sulfur to buffer alkalinity or a little bit of lime to buffer acid and also tilling in more bulk organics.

Farmers and gardeners back then couldn’t rely on a lot of chemical fertilizers because they were either unavailable or they simply couldn’t afford them. Oh I’m sure they would have liked to have had them since it would have made life much easier. However, what we didn’t use then that we do use now is why they had healthier plants, higher yields, better tasting food, more nutritional food, and even more colorful flowers. Again, the difference is organics. 

Organically prepared soil eventually becomes stable and naturally balance in ph. All necessary plant nutrients become available and plants are able to use what they need and only when they need it. An excesses of individual nutrients in organic soil will actually be buffered and not do the plants any harm.

Plants grown in organic soils are naturally more resistant to insects and disease. They’re simply healthier and insects and disease generally attacks plants that are already unhealthy to begin with. 

Chemical fertilizers are like a quick shot in the arm and plants will greedily take in more than they need. This weakens a plants ability to resist disease and insects. Then, of course, you’re going to need insecticides. However, healthy organic soil is also full of millions of beneficial bacteria and micro-organisms. Chemical fertilizers and insecticides will kill these very necessary elements and weaken plants immune systems even further. And so in using chemicals, we create a never ending no win cycle.



Creating organic soil will take a little effort and won’t happen overnight. It will take a few seasons. However, the rewards will far outweigh the effort. And eventually you’ll find that you spend less time taking care of your garden and more time enjoying it.

To begin with, start saving those leaves and grass clippings. This is a wonderful no cost resource. If you don’t have any of your own, I’m sure your neighbors will give you some of theirs. You can compost them or shred them as top dressing that will eventually break down into the soil.

I’ll also suggest two books to you. Rodales Complete Book Of Composting and Rodales Encyclopedia Of Organic Gardening. These two books alone will give you all the knowledge you need for composting and organic gardening.

Other secret ingredients are all around you, are usually free, and are often found right in your own trash can. Kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and even some papers can be composted.

Have a friend with a stable? Some folks will let you clean out their stable just for doing it. This is a very inexpensive way to add a lot of bulk organics very quickly. Keep in mind though that manure is better composted as it is extremely alkaline due to a high content of urea.

On top of all of this there is an endless list of organic materials, mineral dusts, and rock fertilizers available through organic gardening stores and sites. 

So there you have it. I did learn something from my grandfather. And so did you.

Planting Bulbs The Right Way

By Ahmed Hajouj.


This article explains a few things about planting bulbs, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know. 

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything. 

There are many varieties of flowering plants, but few offer all the advantages of bulb plants. For starters, bulbs are generally inexpensive to buy, and they can be purchased through the mail or over the internet, since they are durable and easy to ship.

Bulbs are also beautiful, and some of the most beloved flowers in the garden, such as hyacinths, daffodils and of course tulips, are bulb plants. In addition, many bulbs can remain in the ground through the winter and bloom the next year. 

Even though bulbs are among the hardiest of all plants, it is important to exercise caution when planting them, and to buy only the best and most healthy bulbs. By choosing the healthiest bulbs, it will be easy to create a beautiful and healthy garden year after year.

When shopping for bulbs, it is important to look for the firmest, plumpest bulbs you can find. A good, high quality bulb will seem surprisingly heavy for its size. It is important to avoid bulbs that are too soft, since softness is often a sign of bulb rot. In addition, bulbs that are very light in weight, or that appear shriveled or cracked, should be rejected. These bulbs may have lost too much of their moisture to bloom in the garden.

The best blooms are generally provided by the largest bulbs. For instance, the largest daffodil bulbs will generally provide the biggest daffodils, and the biggest tulip bulbs will produce the largest tulips. Since bulbs bloom again and again, however, a most cost effective approach for the patient gardener is to buy small bulbs and allow them to grow over time. Each bloom will be larger than the last, and letting your own small bulbs grow can be a real treat for the gardener.

After you have bought the best bulbs you can find, it is important to exercise care when planting them. In order to thrive and grow, bulbs should be provided with a good well drained flower bed. If you have a poor draining soil, you may want to plant them on a slope or used a raised bed for better drainage.

Many people like to prepare an entire bed only for bulbs, while others prefer to intersperse their bulbs with other kinds of plants. Either approach can be great, but it is important to do the planting properly. To plant an entire bed of bulbs, you should first remove weeds and other vegetation from the bed. You should then spread between one and three inches of organic matter over the soil, then put down a small amount of a high quality fertilizer. When using fertilizer, it is important to follow the instructions on the package. After you have tilled and raked the soil, it is time to plant the bulbs.

Most bulbs should be planted three times as deep as the bulb is wide, so the average two inch wide bulb should be planted to a depth of about six inches. In sandy soils or hot climates, the bulbs should be planted a little bit deeper, while in heavy soil they should be planted a bit shallower. While it is fine to space bulbs close together, the more closely spaced the bulbs the more need there will be to divide them in a few years.

Using a bulb planter is a great idea when planting bulbs. If you do not have a bulb planter handy, you can use a garden trowel to dig the holes. Each hole should be dug a few inches deeper than needed, and a tablespoon of fertilizer should be placed in the base of each hole. The fertilizer should then be covered with a thin layer of soil, on top of which the bulb should be placed. The rest of the hole should then be filled with soil.

After planting the bulbs, you should be sure to water the bed thoroughly in order to get them off to a good start. Proper moisture at the start will allow them to establish a healthy root system.



Is there really any information about planting bulbs that is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to another.

8 Tips To Get Your Kids Enjoy Home Gardening

By: George Hapgood


Dirt has always been one of the kids’ best toys, so home gardening could just be one fun activity for your children. Excite them by allowing them to pick whichever plant they want to grow. Here are some tips to help you make your little ones become enthusiastic with home gardening.

1. Choose the right plants

Kids will more likely choose plants and flowers with bright colors, so have a load of varieties of plants. Examples of bright flowers are zinnias and cosmos; these will keep your children fascinated. Don’t forget the sunflowers. Anything that is tall and fuzzy will surely overwhelm a kid. Make sure these plants will not cause any allergic reactions from your kid.

2. Starting seeds

Give your children the freedom to help you with the staring seeds. Some seeds might be too small for the tiny fingers, but their digits can be of help in covering them with dirt.

3. Home Gardening Memoir

To last the kids’ enthusiasm until the plants grow, make them create a home gardening journal. This activity will allow them to use their imagination to sketch on what the plants will be like and write down when they placed in the ground the seeds and when they first witnessed a sprout pushing up.

4. Make sure that the garden is somewhere very visible for the kids.

Before you start home gardening, pick a spot where the kids often play or walk by. Every time they see and pass by their garden, the more they will sight changes. 

5. Dirt playing

Always remember that children are fond of playing with dirt or mud. They can help you ready the soil, even if what they are only doing is stomping on the clumps. To make home gardening with the kids more fun, you can provide them with kid-sized tools to make home gardening very engaging for them.

6. Your kids own the garden

A picture of each plant will enable the children to foresee what the flowers will look like. You can also put your child’s name on a placard, so everyone can see that it’s their garden.

7. Playing with the water

Playing with water is right up there with playing with dirt. Look for a small watering can that they can use to water their garden. You can show them how to let the water go right to the roots of the plants. Hoses want only trouble. They are simply formidable for little hands to control.

8. Kids commit mistakes

Adults, too, are sometimes impatient. Give the kids full control to their garden. If they create a mess, let it be, it’s their mess. Allow them to get pleasure from it and take dignity in their own piece of territory. Just don’t forget to tell them how to clean up that mess.

Maintaining Your Roses

By Julia Robertson


While it is true that you will spend more time on rose maintenance than most other plants, the care you give them during the growing season can be done easily while simply enjoying the blooms. Many people choose not to grow roses because they believe that they entail too much work.

Following these simple steps will make your roses beautiful and keep the plants healthy.

Fertilize your plants every three weeks during active blooming with a complete fertilizer formulated for roses. Roses need a balanced diet, as do most plants. You will want to choose fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This is often made easier by simply choosing one of the many brands of rose food available at any home and garden center.

Watch closely for pests and diseases and react quickly to destroy them. Black-spot, mildew, and blight together with insects, such as Japanese beetles, are some of the more troublesome rose disease and insect problems. Control is easy and prevention is practical with the regular use of chemicals that controls most fungal diseases and detrimental insects. Use pesticides labeled for roses as needed and weekly fungicide applications to control powdery mildew and black spot. Always apply according to label directions.

If you do not care to use pesticides on your plants there are organic methods for dealing with many insects. Pesticides do not differentiate between the good bugs and the bad ones and you do not want to kill beneficial insects. There are organic soaps available for purchase that will deal with most insects. You can also purchase beneficial insects at your local nursery like the praying mantis or lady bugs.

Roses require about an inch of water per week per bush. Watering bushes during dry periods will ensure continuous flowering during the growing season. Drip irrigation is best to water slowly, thoroughly, and deeply without wetting foliage.

This can be accomplished by purchasing soaker hoses. These hoses are snaked through your rose bed, preferably under the mulch to hide the hose, and attached to a regular hose when watering. This way watering is a simply matter of just turning on the spigot once a week. Keep the plants mulched with pine needles or bark to conserve water, cool the soil and discourage weeds.

Remove spent blooms to keep plants blooming and encourage new growth. Cut flowers regularly to enjoy inside as well. Practice disbudding to encourage the growth of larger blooms. Disbudding is the early removal of bloom buds. This practice removes the competition for nutrients to the buds that remain.

On Hybrid Tea roses, you will see that the terminal bud is the first to form. This is the bud on the very tip of the stem. Shortly after, secondary buds are formed around the terminal bud. Removal of these secondary buds early on sends the rose’s energy to the terminal bud producing the larger bloom.

The removal of these secondary buds should be done early in their development. You simply pinch them off with your fingers.

When walking through your rose garden, look for any diseased canes, dead wood, and/or suckers. Cut these away anytime they occur, but do not prune severely in the summer.

Finally, pull out any weeds as soon as you see them. Once different weeds get established in your garden, they can be difficult to control. I would advise to never use any type of weed killer – regardless of what the commercials may say – around your roses.

The roots are very close to the surface and even the most careful application can result in the death of half of your favorite bush. It is an avoidable nightmare.

Soil Plus Compost Equals Lush Healthy Plants

By Ahmed Hajouj.


You find that your plants are giving you fits in your landscape because it seems like a parade of weeds, insects or diseases have invaded and taken over. The problem is probably not due to insects or diseases but the poor soil that the plants are in. This poor soil is the major cause of invading insects and/or plant diseases.

With the poor soil comes weak and unhealthy plants that are more likely to get insect or disease problems. By improving the soil with compost, either before or after planting, will create a big difference. Anytime is a great time to add compost.

Compost is made of rich organic matter, which is crucial to growing healthy and fruitful plants. It is the result of a natural process of decay and recycling of materials such as leaves and twigs. In every corner of the world, in every meadow, forest and wetland composting is taking place. By copying this process, our plants will reap the benefits also.

The major benefit of compost is that it binds water and nutrients in reserve, freeing them when plants need it the most. It holds double its weight in water, hence cutting back the need to water and increasing a plants capacity for our dry months.

Utilizing compost is an inexpensive way to better the soil. Compost cuts the need to fertilize since it’s rich in plant nutrients and slowly discharges them over time. And by not having to replace plants every year and the costs connected with plants that die because of poor soils.

Humic acid is a plant-growth stimulant found in compost. Vegetable crops tests show that humic acid, even in low concentrations, produces healthy, lush plants.

Creating compost is an easy task. With all of the grass clippings, twigs and leaves from the yard, fall is a good time to make a compost pile. There are several ways to make compost. Even if you buy a compost bin or build one from wood pallets, here are several tips to help you get going.

1. A compost pile should be approximately 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. This measurement is ideal for getting the pile to heat up.

2. All items going into the compost pile should be wet. When the yard waste is dry when added, it will reduce the decomposition process.

3. Layers of the yard waste should be applied, that is, a layer of grass clippings then a layer of leaves and so on.

4. To turn a compost pile is not a absolute necessay task unless you are in a hurry. By turning the compost pile it will accelerate the decomposition process. 

5. The finished product compost can be applied to a new or an established garden or landscape. If you are still planning your project, be sure to add plenty of compost onto your soil before you plant. The compost, over time, will integrate itself with your existing soil. Therefore, no need to till or dig up the place you are improving. 

It doesn’t make any difference if your soil is sandy, clay, or rock; adding compost will improve it.

To top dress an established landscape, you can add a layer of compost on top of the existing soil. If you have established plants, add 1 – 2 inches of compost all around the plant. The plants will still get the benefits of the humic acid and other important plant nutrients abundantly found in compost. 

The plants and landscape will reward you with a lush, healthy growth. Additionally, it will step-up your plants’ natural resistance to insects and diseases. This method is nothing but back to basics.

Gardening Plants

By Ahmed Hajouj.


When it comes to gardening plants, there are too many to name.  Gardening plants can refer to flowers, shrubs, herbs, vegetables, fruits, and many more.  There are also gardening plants that are in season at different times of the year, some in fall and winter, others in spring and summer. Whatever type of gardening you decide is your forte; there are plenty of gardening plants available to suit your preferences.

If you want gardening plants that you can actually use instead of just look at, vegetables, herbs, and fruits are all very satisfying.  Edible plants add an excitement to gardening because of the produce available at harvest time.  The main vegetables grown in smaller, home gardens as well as larger ones include corn, peas, cucumbers, potatoes, squash, peppers, onions, carrots, spinach, lettuce, and beets.  Popular fruits are pears, plums, tomatoes, blueberries, apricots, cherries, and strawberries.  Herbs are used for their wonderful fragrances, to spice up a salad, and in cooking.  Herbs that are often home grown include thyme, sage, dill, mint, lavender, and chives.

It is fairly easy to have a colorful garden in the spring and summer months, but it is a whole different ball-game during the cold, winter months.  Even though it is difficult, with planning and a little more care you can have a colorful garden year round.  One gardening plant that thrives in the fall and winter months is the Rudbeckia, a beautiful yellow perennial.  Others include the Christmas rose, the Japanese Anemone, and Cosmos.

When you think of flowers you automatically think of a spring garden full of many different, beautiful colors.  Spring and summer gardening plants are some of the prettiest things on earth and give inspiration to all who grow them.  Some of the most grown spring plants are tulips, daffodils, and violets.  Favorites of the warmer months of summer are lilies, dahlias, and roses.

When gardening, many people will opt for decorative grasses or shrubs.  Monkey grass is an all time favorite, especially for a sidewalk.  These will gardening plants can be for looks, can act as a border or fence, and can be used for privacy.  Shrubs are easy to take care of and add a defining look to any yard or garden.

There are so many different kinds of gardening plants available.  Many gardening plants actually have a purpose and can be used, whereas many of them are just for looks.  The kind of gardening plant you choose to have in your garden is completely up to you, but remember, no matter what kind it is, it will require some maintenance and without proper care you will end up with a garden full of just dirt.

Other Factors in Garden Creation

By Ahmed Hajouj.


So now you've picked out what type of garden you will have, what the location will be, and what kind of fertilizer you need, now is the time to really get started in choosing your garden environment. First you'll want to choose what your garden barriers will be. What will separate your garden from the rest of the world? Next you'll want to choose the decorations and support for your plants. Often some kind of metal mesh is necessary to keep your plant standing up. You will also want to choose how much soil and fertilizer to buy, and how to arrange all the plants in your garden.

Choosing a border is actually a fairly important step in getting your garden started. It might not actually affect the well-being of the plants, but having a garden is a fairly aesthetic ordeal for many people anyways. So usually you will want to choose between metal and wood. You can stack up boards around the perimeter of your garden, and give it a rather nice cabin look. If you're looking for a more modern look, you can obtain some metal lining at your local home improvement store for rather cheap, and installation is medium difficulty.

Finding something nice-looking to support your plants can be a little bit more challenging. Sometimes a short metal pole can work well, but often for plants such as tomatoes you will need a wire mesh for it to pull itself up on. You can find these at any gardening store, usually
pre-shaped in a sort of cone shape ideal for plants. The plant just grows up through it, and usually it will last until the plant is grown enough to support itself. After that you can take a pair of wire-cutters and just snip it free.

Deciding how much soil to buy can be slightly easier. Look up information on your plants and find out the ideal soil depth. Then dig out that much from your garden, take the measurements, and find out the exact amount of cubic feet of soil that you will need. Go to the store and buy it,
preferably adding on a few bags just so you can replenish the supply if it compresses or runs out. If you live in an area where the ground is rough, dry, and barren of nutrients, then you might even want to add a few inches of depth to the original recommendation.

Arranging the plants is rather important to the success of your garden. I'm not talking about some kind of feng-shui thing, but depending on your watering, some plants might hog all the water and leave the other plants high and dry. Some plants have longer roots than others, and are more aggressive in the collection of water. If you place one of these plants next to a plant with weaker, shorter roots, it will quickly hijack the water supply for itself, and choke out the other plant.

I hope I've led you to realize that placement isn't the only important thing about a garden. There are many other factors that might not seem very significant, but spending a proper amount of time considering them could change the outcome of your garden. So if you're working on building a garden, use and reference you can (the library, the internet, and magazines) to look in to some of the factors I've mentioned.

The Purposes of Hydroponics Greenhouses

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Hydroponic greenhouses provide an inorganic method of raising plants. Most plants that are hydroponically raised must be treated with proper care in controlled conditions. The use of gravel is common on this kind of greenhouses where the gravel supports the roots of the plants because no soil is used in raising the plants. It also balances the assorted nutrients that feed the plants in the form of liquid. 

Those large commercially oriented greenhouse have automated ways to refine and propagate seeds. All the things needed to grow the seeds are all set with automated care and maintenance. There are sensitive sensors on the gravel that automatically turns on the pumps that contains water or other chemical solutions that are applied on the seeds.

Using hydroponic greenhouses gives a gardener the advantage of increasing the crop amount yielded in a single harvest. In normal agriculture, he may only produce the regular crop harvest. He may double or triple the crop production by applying the methods in hydroponic gardening. It should create big success in his greenhouse by using chemical fertilizers rather than the usual potting soil or organic fertilizers. 

Steve Fox of New Mexico proposes that greenhouse gardeners should increase the production of yielded crop by extensively practicing the use of inorganic chemical fertilizers. He may also avoid poisoning the soil from organic chemical fertilizers that kills the living microorganisms that are essential in the natural growth of the plants. He says that these chemicals should be used only on controlled conditions by special hydroponic greenhouses where the destruction of the gravel beds will be avoided which are important in the for the root support of the hydroponically raised plants. 

A person may wonder how the food he eats comes from hydroponic greenhouses knowing that this method used chemical inorganic fertilizer. This could bother a person’s mindset on the food that he eats. Many nutritionists have proven that these vegetables or fruits that came from hydroponic greenhouses are safe and nutritious because plants only absorb the fertilizer in an organic state. 

Daniel Arnon, a physiologist professor from the University of California have stated that the plant nutrients acquired from organic composts are applied to plants when they are converted into inorganic state because of the role of the microorganisms to fertilize the soil.  Many food scientists have studied and proved that all fertilizer elements should be converted first into soluble form before the roots of the plant use it. 

The widely used chemical fertilizers have oriented many greenhouses to feed the crops and not the soil. This may result to the death of the soil because of the break down of the organic composition. When it comes to fertilizing the soil, it is important to remember the proper organic steps to feed the soil so that it will produce sufficient inorganic fertilizer needed to produce more nutrients in it. This points out that organic gardening may not necessarily produce the needed nutrients, where in organic fertilizer must be formed first to supply the nutrients in the organic form.  

When a person applies raw chemical fertilizers on the soil, he may affect the soil condition. Microorganisms that may have been living in the soil would surely die because of these artificial fertilizers. The soil can no longer grow any plants unless the continuous use of chemical fertilizers is applied. 

Hydroponic gardening may not need the services of the soil. The plants are fed through exact nutrient dosages to increase their production and for faster growth. Business minded persons are interested on this kind of method. On the other hand, the world today cannot anymore accommodate the growing demand for food because of the unstoppable growth of the world’s population that is why chemicals are now widely used on many crops to satisfy with the increasing demand for food supply. 

Many experts realize that the use of chemical solutions in crops is bad for the environment. Most of these chemical solutions are made from petroleum products that should give a person the conclusion that these products are pollutants. However, the present times dictate the need to accept this reality because of the need to supply the farmers with the needed chemical solutions to produce and harvest more crops to sustain the production of food.

Planning a Greenhouse for Free

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Many people are growing more and more enthusiastic about getting themselves a greenhouse. Greenhouses are very practical to have nowadays especially when the prices of crops in the market are becoming more and more expensive. 

In building greenhouses, one has several options to choose from. One can actually hire a professional greenhouse expert to guide him throughout the whole process of building his greenhouse. From the creation of plans to the actual creation of the greenhouse, one can use the services of a professional. However, this approach will entail a lot of costs. The professional fees will definitely take its toll in the pockets of the greenhouse enthusiast. Another way to do it is to buy resources about building greenhouses. There are many resources out there that contain greenhouse plans and other tips which can be used in building a greenhouse. However, there are sources which give free plans and tips which can be very useful, especially for greenhouse enthusiasts who are just beginning.

There are several parts of a greenhouse which need careful consideration and planning. These are:

1) Base
The base is made from sawn timber. This kind of timber can easily be availed from local timber merchants. This timber is more commonly found in fences. The base for our plan is measured at 2400 mm by 3000 mm.

2) Side walls
The side walls should be built from 75 by 50 tanalised sawn timber. They usually come in 4800 mm.

When the base is established on a flat ground, the two side walls should be built. The two side walls should be put upright and temporarily in place on top of the base. They are to be attached to the base using galvanized nails.

3) Roof frame

The roof frame should also be built using the 75 by 50 tanalised sawn timber. The roof frames should be placed above the side walls. A roof frame should be placed at each end of the side walls. They are also to be attached using galvanized nails.

4) Windows

The windows should be made of 50 by 50  sawn tanalised timber. Some people would want a couple of windows for their greenhouses. The windows should be hinged so as to allow regulation of temperature.

5) Covering

The greenhouse covering should be made up of polythene which is resistant to ultra-violet rays. The covering is to be placed using thin battens which will hold the polythene to the greenhouse. The battens are to be nailed to the greenhouse studs and roof rafters.
One must be cautious about the kind of polythene which he will avail from the hardware store since most of the suppliers only have polythene which is not ultra-violet-resistant. 

There are other things to consider when building greenhouses. Here are some of them:

- One should check the local building regulations before engaging into greenhouse construction. If in any case that there are restrictions regarding deeds, one should look at the requirements regarding set backs and regulations about easement. Hoop houses are greenhouses which are made from frames which can be easily disassembled. These kinds of greenhouses are not considered as permanent structures and therefore exempt from the regulations concerning such structures.

-One should make a layout of the whole yard and the house before he constructs a greenhouse. A greenhouse would often times become the centerpiece of a garden or a yard and it is much recommended that people plan before putting a single nail into it.

-Time management and budgeting are two important things to constantly consider in building a greenhouse. One should allot around eight to twenty thousand US dollars if he is serious about constructing a quality greenhouse. However, there are greenhouse kits that are available out there that are not as expensive. One should know what to spend and how to spend it. The time table in constructing a greenhouse should be set according to the plans of the owner. Greenhouses can be built in a couple of days to a couple of years. It all depends on the owner.

One may find many free greenhouse construction plans in the Internet. All one needs to know is the know-how’s of search engines. These free plans come with good tips and wonderful illustrations to guide one in constructing a greenhouse for his plants.