Garden Maintenance Articles
Garden pond, by Pirate AliceThe two most common forms of algae that ponds experience are planktonic algae and filamentous algae. Planktonic algae is the type that gives pond that distinctive pea green, soupy color. Planktonic algae in moderation is very important as is the base of the food chain in a pond. However, it is when it is in excess ...
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Besides knowing whether a plant is sun or shade-loving, it is helpful to know the range in which plants thrive in order to decide whether you can successfully grow it in your garden.
There are many places that you can find the temperature zones for Canada and the United States. These countries are divided into 11 regions based on the lowest average temperature, starting from zone 1 (sub arctic) to zone 11 (subtropical).
Cold is ...
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To grow great-looking, healthy blooms, take a look at your garden soil. Flowers grown in poor soil make for sad plants. Always have a little pile of composted manure in some outer corner. This is very convenient when you may be planting just a few plants at a time. A pile of manure is priceless when it comes to soil improvement. Use an inch of this black gold as ...
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A natural fertilizer is one that consists of some
natural earth product which may be processed
mechanically, but is not treated with acids
or substances to increase its solubility.
Phospate rock, finely pulverized, is a natural fertilizer.
 An artificial, chemical fertilzer
 is a combination of some earth
 product  and a strong acid .
 Super phosphate, which is
  made by treating phosphate rock with
 sulfuric acid, is an example.
Â
A hundred pound bag of superphosphate includes
50 pounds of phosphate rock and 50 pounds of
sulfuric acid.
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 Fertilizer is anything added that improves the fertility
 of the soil.
 A good organic fertilizer feeds the soil
 rather than only feeding the plant.
 This is the safest way to fertilize plants .
 A fertile soil has a balance of minerals and micronutrients
so subtle, that I do not think that any chemical could add
them all.
However it is known that manure, compost and leaf mold will.
Organic fertilizers improve the soil to allow it to ...
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Many problems that require the use of synthetic pesticides
can be reduced or even eliminated by selecting plants carefully.
Choose plants that are best suited for your region and your soil.
Use mulch around your plants to discourage weeds and remove any
weeds that you do find immediately, before they set any seed.
Look around to see what thrives in your neighbors' yard.
Consider using disease-resistant ...
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Is manure necessary in making compost?
Even if animal manures are not available, compost
can be made successfully. Cut or shred the plant
materials as finely as possible in order to expose a
maximum amount of surface to the organisms of
decay.
The leaves of all trees are a valuable source of
organic matter and minerals.
Leaves of such trees as eucalyptus, camphor and walnut
should be exposed to the weather for  a time before
composting so that components they contain which
might interfere with organisms of dcomposition will
be leached out.
Shredding helps prepare any leaves for composting.
 As soon as the heat has subsided, the heap of
finely ground plant materials may be inoculated with
earthworms especially bred for the compost heap and soils
rich in organic matter.
These worms will supply the manure and the various animal
excretions needed.  It is also worth adding animal residues as bone meal, dried blood,
dried meat meal, dried fish and dried manure if available.
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Both birds and bees rank high among the important creatures
who assist gardeners in their quest for perfection.
Wise gardeners do what they can to attract birds, for they know
that they help to control destructive insects in the garden.
Explore the ways that many organic gardeners have devised
to attract birds and keep them around for as much of the
year as possible.
Certain plants are particularly attractive to birds, and these
species should be kept in mind when planning your garden.
Bees are a must for any orchadist. They will take great care
to encourage their presence by avoiding the use of chemical
insectides, all of which are toxic to bees.
One of the cheapest ways to control insects in the garden
is to get a variety of birds to do much of the work.
The best way to attract birds is to put feed out for
them all year round. Provide suitable nesting places
and keep some nesting materials nearby.
Do not forget to keep a supply of fresh water on hand
as they enjoy a bath and a drink, especially near
nesting times when mother does not need to leave
the eggs or baby birds to search for water.
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Do you water your garden frequently ?   Leave a section of hose laid out
down the center of your garden. Drive double stakes of wood at intervals to keep the hose
from decimating your plants as you pull it back and forth.
I sometimes drive a stake at the corner of each bed to protect
plants while dragging my hose around.
We sometimes make the mistake in thinking that if we wave the hose
around our plants, we are doing a great watering job, when in fact,
we are doing more harm than good.
Plants do best with a deep watering, maybe once a week
unless there is a drought.
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Gardening in the 'Good Old Days'.
I have just been reading about gardeners in the 18th and 19th centuries, and I have been quite amazed at the similarity of the problems that gardener's face today.
Organic gardening was alive and well in those days, as I outline in my soon to be released ebook "How To Master Organic Gardening."
Although, I think,the double purpose of a garden has been ...
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