Archives for September 2009

Composting: Reducing Carbon Emissions

Learning how to compost is one of the most earth friendly things you’ll ever do. Composting is simply a process of transforming your kitchen and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil. Composted soil is an optimal fertilizer for your yard, and helps with all gardening issues, including drainage, disease, and pest problems. It’s an easy, natural way to give life to the soil around your home in a natural way that doesn’t contaminate your soil with chemicals or poisons.

With composting instead of tossing the waste into the trash, you’re also actively reducing the amount of waste you’re sending to the landfill. The world’s landfills are bursting at the seams, while the population keeps growing, and this is becoming a more and more critical issue.

Many families can reduce the amount of waste leaving their homes by half or more, by composting everything they can. If you recycling everything you can, there ends up not being much to send to the landfill in the first place. The Earth and every future generation will thank you.

By composting, you’re also reducing greenhouse gas emissions in what can add up to be a rather significant sum. By composting, not only do you to cut back the greenhouse gasses created in the landfill, but composted soil actively pulls carbon dioxide out of the air. In fact, it’s possible for a person who actively tills compost into the land around just their home, to offset a year or more of the average American’s carbon emissions.

Think about what an impact it would make if every family composted instead of sending their waste to landfills. The soil around our homes would become healthy and nutrient-rich, the landfills would become controllable, and our greenhouse gas emissions would minimize too.

Learning how to compost is easy; there are plenty of resources on the net – a simple search can give you all of the information you need. Then, start with a simple compost bin or even make one yourself and get started with no investment but a little time.

Different rose types-shrub roses

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Different Types of Roses-Shrub Roses

Of all the rose types, the Shrub Rose is somewhat confusing because a rose, any rose in fact, is actually a shrub. Most varieties of roses can be considered shrub roses including hybrids, modern roses, old garden roses, and even miniature roses.In appearance this type of rose looks like a type of shrub, hence its name. The types of roses known as shrub roses are ideal for most parts of your garden.

Shrub roses can be used as a screen or hedge plant for privacy, as a border, in the background, and any other way you can think to use this bountiful bush. The blooms are not really scented but are available in a range of colors. Pink, red, white, and yellow are all common colors for a shrub rose’s abundant and vibrant flowers.

Unlike many other types of roses, Shrub Roses are perfect for planting anywhere. They’re “plant-friendly” and can mingle into any mixed assortment of flowers. In addition, Shrub Roses are very winter-hardy and they have excellent disease tolerance. These round easily-maintained bushes are not typically considered a “small” plant. Several types of shrub roses can exceed six feet in height. If desired, Shrub Roses can be trained to grow like hedges.

The modern shrub rose types are smaller than their ancestors. Several modern shrub rose types have been popularized in recent years. Different types of ground cover rose types such as Cliffs of Dover, Flower Carpet and Jeepers Creepers have been a treasure for homeowners with sloped or uneven lawns. They also grow wonderfully in hanging baskets and containers. Regardless which of the different types of shrub roses you choose, Shrub Roses can be a wonderful feature at the entrance to your garden or home.

If you purchase your shrub from a nursery, you’ll want to dig a hole that is double the width and length of the pot that contains your shrub. Use a sharp instrument to cut the plastic pot away. Disturb the root ball as little as possible. Once you have the plant free from its container, place it in the hole. Fill in the remaining space with loose soil and soak the plant with water. Make sure the plant is in a very sunny location. Generally speaking, Shrub Roses require a minimum of eight hours of full sun on a daily basis. The direct light combined with moist soil will ensure maximum flower production.

Fortunately, Shrub Roses require very little maintenance. The soil should always be moist. If you live in a climate that receives very little rain during the summer months, you’ll want to water these types of roses twice a week. If you’re looking for gorgeous results and optimal growth, fertilize your roses in the spring and fall with organic fertilizers. Pruning these rose types is does not really happen it is just a matter of a general tidying up. Shrub roses will release their own dead foliage, creating a neat appearance through every season. Some of the prettiest roses are ‘ever blooming.’ Purchase this type of shrub if you’re looking to purchase a recurrent bloomer that will profusely bloom several times annually.

Before you plant another green shrub, consider planting some different types of Roses instead. The biggest problem you will have with these types of roses are picking from the wide range of rose types available!

A Kitchen Herb Garden Is Easy and Enjoyable

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The flavor of fresh picked herbs simply can’t be beat. sinking your teeth into your meal and having your taste buds tingling with flavor is an experience to be delight in. Certainly, dried herbs might be more appropriate at times, but they are lacking the essential oils of fresh herbs that make flavors come alive. For the sake of your taste buds, why not grow a kitchen herb garden. Even if you don’t have a green thumb and don’t have a vegetable garden, herbs are uncomplicated to cultivate inside and all you need to get going are a few pots, soil, plant food and a bit of water, natural light and care.

When making a kitchen herb garden, you must keep in mind that there are mainly two sorts of herbs – annual and perennial. Both annuals and perennials are ideal for interior herb gardening and a delicious supplement to any recipe.

Annual herbs including dill, cilantro, chervil, basil, marjoram, chamomile and savory have one growing season and then die, however raising them in the house will likely lengthen that timetable somewhat. Perennials that are appropriate for a kitchen herb garden include sage, mint, chives, rosemary, tarragon, lavender and thyme. These types of herbs create new growth each season and the more you snip off to use for cooking, the bigger and better these plants will get.

Because perennials and annuals have dissimilar growing patterns, it may be wise to use different pots for each kind. Therefore, once an annual herb eventually dies or needs to be replaced, you will not be interrupting the well being and progress of a perennial that could produce for many more seasons.

For the beginner, it’s a smart move to avail yourself of seedlings rather than growing your herbs from seed. Many folks find it somewhat tricky to start from seed and become discouraged. Although as soon as they become young plants or seedlings, they are really easy to keep up. You can mix and match several herbs in a single large pot or use smaller single pots and plant the herbs individually. It’s completely up to your own inclinations, however you have to remember that annuals will need to be planted with other annuals and perennials are supposed to be grown separately.

The sort of container is unimportant providing there is a drainage hole at the bottom to keep the dirt from getting saturated. The location of the containers, in contrast, does matter, and you need to have a windowsill or some alternate place to locate your kitchen herb garden where it will receive plenty of sunshine. If you can provide the sunlight and some nurturing, you can soon be using fresh herbs in your next meal and bringing your taste buds alive.

Carnivorous Plants

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Being a gardener doesn’t have to be dull. If you want something different, carnivorous plants are bound to get attention. From the common Venus Flytrap to the Cobra plant, these interesting plants serve several purposes. In regions that have large numbers of bugs, it lowers the amount of flies or other insects that annoy you. While the benefit is strictly related to the size and species of carnivorous plants that you own, these plants can grant a small level of relief while providing entertainment to adults and children alike.

There are five different types of carnivorous plants. The most common type, the same family that the Venus Flytrap contains, is the snap trap family. Snap traps depend on a mouth that closes in around its pray, where the plant will eat whatever it snares.

Next are pitfall traps. These traps rely on food falling into the plant and being unable to escape. These plants undergo constant evolution, as water can pool in the pitchers of the plant in addition to the bugs that the plant eats. These plants range from colorful to ugly, and do not have hinged parts like their snap trap cousins.

Flypaper traps are among some of the most interesting carnivorous plants. These plants ooze out a glue which ensnares and devours insects for nourishment. These carnivorous plants should be approached with caution in the residence, as the secretions can cause agitation to the skin.

Bladder traps are a fascinating subset of carnivorous plants. These plants function through the osmosis of water to create a suction within the body of the plant. Once an insect or aquatic species has been trapped within, escape is difficult. Unlike many carnivorous plants, these are more commonly found underwater than above ground. Some species of bladder traps, such as the Bladderwort, lack roots, which make them a creative addition to any collection.

Finally, the lobster pot traps are among a few of the most Interesting appearing carnivorous plants that you can acquire. These plants survive by allowing insects an easy way to gain entry, but no chance of departure. In the case of the corkscrew plant, the internal structure of the plant have downward pointing obstructions and a y-shaped leaf structure that stops the escape of its prey. The unusual shapes of lobster pot traps are directly related to their evolution to prevent the escape of insects.

For those desiring in borderline species, there are several varieties of plants that do not meet all of the requirements of carnivorous plants, but have sharing characteristics. These plants include the Brocchinia Roridula and members of the Martyniaceae species. The plants lack one of the three required aspects, which is to attract, kill and digest prey, to be classified as a true carnivorous plant.

Carnivorous plants should be placed where young children and babies cannot reach them. While most of them are relatively harmless to humans, digestion of these plants should be avoided, due to the digestive enzymes that the plant utilizes to break down prey.

The Advantages As Well As The Serious Threats Japanese Knotweed Create

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With a scientific name of Fallopia japonica, Japanese knotweed is a herbaceous plant that is local to eastern Asia, specifically in Japan, China, and Korea. It has hollow stems with distinct nodes, making it appear like a bamboo, even if the two plants are not closely associated.

Although the most often used scientific name of the plant nowadays is Fallopia japonica, it is also called in other scientific terms: Polygonum cuspidatum and Reynoutria japonica. The latter is its oldest name, which was assigned in 1777 by a Dutch botanist. In addition, its other English names include donkey rhubarb, elephant ears, fleeceflower, Hancock’s curse, Himalayan fleece vine, and pea shooters.

There are several uses for Japanese knotweed. Beekeepers value the plant as it is a significant supplier of nectar for honeybees at some stage in the year when there is little blossoming. It creates monofloral honey, which is likewise called as bamboo honey. Also, the plant’s new stems are edible, which taste similar to mild rhubarb. It is a good provider of vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.

Another known use of the plant is that it is an origin of resveratol, the same compound seen in the skin of grapes and red wine. The substance helps lessen bad cholesterol, thus reducing the possibility of heart attacks. Another useful compound taken from this plant is emodin, which helps regulate bowel motility. Likewise, the plant is in particular useful owing to its capacity to survive at whatever time of the year and in severe situation.

However, as much as Japanese knotweed has a lot of uses, it is deemed as an invasive plant especially in North America and in Europe. In the 19th century, the plant was brought to Europe and the United States, and it was used to feed animals, as an ornamental plant, and to prevent soil erosion. The plant has been found to be a liability, nevertheless.

It is regarded as one of the world’s one hundred most horrible invasive species. It is regarded as a serious threat to land developers, builders, and gardeners. Moreover, the problems it may cause consist of damage to pavements, roads, drains, walls, and even buildings. It may likewise inhabit river banks, thus preventing entry to rivers. Another Japanese knotweed problem is that it spreads easily and quickly. It can expand from small parts of root cuttings, and it can grow to three to four inches a day. As a result of the damage that this kinds of plant can cause, the UK for instance has come up with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The Act prohibits its spread in the wild.

The Japanese knotweed, certainly, has two sides. It is an advantage and a problem at the same time. And, it cannot be immediately disregarded as a good or a bad weed at the same time.

Archives for September 2009

Different Types of Roses-Shrub Roses

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