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Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category

Would you like a summer bedding plant that you do not have to renew year after year? Well by planting hybrid Gladiolus corms, you can attain mid to late summer colour year after year with only occasional renewal.

Colourful blooms

Sometimes called gladioli bulbs (more correctly gladioli corms), these South African members of the Iris family are ideal for colour impact. Most garden centres stock gladioli in whites, pinks, oranges, reds (best for impact), bicolour and the rare blue flowered varieties.

Planting

Most Gladiolus flowers last approx 2 to 3 weeks, so if you’re sneaky and stagger your plantings at weekly intervals you can stretch out the length of time they will be in bloom. Plant from the start of April till the end of May in an area that receives upwards of 4 hours of sunlight a day. Plant the bulbs 4 to 5 inches deep (10 to 12cm) and at an approximate spacing of 4 inches, ideally your soil will be rich with free drainage to prevent rotting of the bulb over winter. Group the bulbs in clusters of 5 or more of the same colour for impact, except in a cottage garden where the mixing up of Gladiolus colours is quite acceptable. It is advisable to water well in dry weather as the foliage can be extremely thirsty. Look after the cultivation requirements and you will be rewarded by sword-like leaves topped by trumpet or funnel shaped flowers in vertical rows which bloom from the bottom upwards. The sword-like leaves inspires the Latin name Gladiolus which means little sword, in fact some people refer to them as sword lilies.
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You can get the better of grubs, though they’re among the most damaging lawn pests in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans spend millions of dollars a year replacing the lawns that grubs destroy. They’re small, white insects with a brown head curled into a “C” shape.

White grubs live a few inches under your lawn and feed on the roots of your grass. Grubs are the larvae-or “juvenile” stage-of various kinds of scarab beetles, including Japanese beetles, chafers, and June and May beetles.

“When grubs are close to the surface, starlings and crows, as well as moles, shrews and skunks, can be seen digging them up because they’re a food source,” says Bayer Advanced™ lawn expert Lance Walheim, who wrote the book “Lawn Care for Dummies.”

Identifying grub damage can be tricky. Look for:

• A general thinning and weakening of the lawn

• A wilted or dried-out look to your grass, even when soil is moist

• Large, brown, irregular patches of grass

• Large patches of dead turf that can easily be pulled up in one piece, like a piece of carpet.

“Grub damage is most severe in late summer, but problems can begin as early as mid- to late spring. Grubs are easiest to control when they are young, so prevention is key by taking action starting in May through early summer,” says Walheim.
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If you’re not the type of person that wants to spend their time managing an elaborate fruit or vegetable garden, you might consider planting and maintaining an herb garden. While the product might not seem as significant, you’ll still enjoy the constant availability of fresh, delicious herbs to flavor your meals with.

First you’ll want to choose the herbs that you’ll plant. You might have a hard time doing this because of the huge scope of herbs available. But the best way to choose is to do what I did; just look at what you have in your kitchen. By planting your own collection of these herbs, you can save money on buying them from the grocery store while having the added benefit of freshness. Some of the herbs you might start with include rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, and parsley among others.

When choosing an area to put your herb garden, you should remember that the soil should have extremely good drainage. If the dirt gets watered and stays completely saturated, you have no chance of ever growing a healthy plant. One of the best ways to fix the drainage problem is to dig a foot deep in the soil, and put a layer of crushed rocks down before replacing all the soil. This will allow all that water to escape, thus saving your plants.

When you are ready to begin planting herbs, you might be tempted to buy the more expensive plants from the store. However, with herbs it is much easier to grow them from seed than it is with other plants. Therefore you can save a bundle of money by sticking with seed packets. Some herbs grow at a dangerously fast rate. For example, if you plant a mint plant in an open space then it will take over your entire garden in a matter of days. The best way to prevent this problem is to plant the more aggressive plants in pots (with holes in the bottom to allow drainage, of course).

When it comes time to harvest the herbs you have labored so hard over, it can be fatal to your plant to take off too much. If your plant isn’t well established, it isn’t healthy to take any leaves at all, even if it looks like its not using them. You should wait until your plant has been well established for at least several months before taking off any leaves. This wait will definitely be worth it, because by growing unabated your plant will produce healthily for years to come.
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Recent reports from the World Health Organization have demonstrated that obesity is becoming a serious problem in many parts of the globe. Indeed, the WHO noted that as far as worldwide health issues are concerned, obesity is on the verge of becoming a more widespread problem around the globe than is under-nourishment. The WHO further suggests that the trend towards obesity in an ever growing number of nations the world over is expected to continue upward during the next decade.

Along with the increase in the number of people who are over-eating or not eating healthy foods, there has been an uptick in the number of men and women who have taken a keener interest in “watching what they eat,” in developing a more healthy diet. One step that a significant number of people from around the world have taken in regard to ensuring a more healthy diet is growing their own fruits and vegetables.

If you are a person interested in developing a healthy eating regimen, you will want to take a close look at the benefits of growing your own fruits and vegetables. In point of fact, there are many significant health benefits to be derived from growing and using your own fruits and vegetables.

At the outset, it is important to note that the process of planting and cultivating your own fruits and vegetables can have significant health benefits in and of itself. Too few people get enough proper exercise on a regular basis. The act and process of tending to a garden actually is good exercise. Additionally, gardening has been proven to be a significant stress reliever for a person, resulting in lower blood pressure and other demonstratable health benefits.

Researchers have long noted that the average person (in most countries around the world) does not consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables. By planting and producing your own fruits and vegetables, you have a ready source of wholesome food that can be consumed on a more regular basis.
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