Raise Bed Gardening: Three-Easy Step

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Raised beds, also known as garden boxes, are great for growing small pots of flowers and vegetables. They keep pathway weeds from the garden soil, prevent soil compaction, provide good drainage and serve as barrier to pests such as slugs and snails. The sides or the garden beds keeps the garden soil from eroding or washed away from heavy rains.

Raised garden reduces back strains when bending over to tend your plants. This is good for older gardeners who are suffering from back pains. A raised bed makes gardening easy. This is ideal for smaller spaces. It produce higher yield for the area because of the better drainage and deep rooting. It also allows for a longer growing seasons, since you can work the soil more quickly in the spring in frost-hardened regions.

Upon mentioning all of these benefits of raised bed gardening, many of you would like to make your raised bed garden. Here are some of the basic steps:

1. Materials - Choose the wood that you would like to use. Make sure that that wood lasts. Example, the cedar contain natural oils which prevent rotting makes it more durable. Choosing thicker woods can make the wood lasts longer.

2. Planning and Design - Look for a perfect location where there is enough sunlight. The ideal bed width is 4 feet. Length isn't that important. Plots are often 4 feet wide by 8 feet long or 4 feet wide by 12 feet long. The depth of the bed can vary. Six inches is a minimum. Plants need at least a 6- to 12-inch rooting zone, so 12 inches is ideal. Before you established the bed, make sure to loosen the soil with a garden fork so that it is not compacted.

3. Building the bed - To support timber beds, place wood stakes at every corner of the beds. Make sure that all stakes are in equal level from ground. Use galvanized nails or screws to fix the boards and the stakes.

Now, your raised beds is ready for planting. Fill the bed with soil and compost. You can mix it with fertilizer if you would like. Take note that soil in raised bed dried out more quickly especially during summer. Make sure to water it regularly.

Faux Plants: Perfect Decoration for Business

Plants are great addition to home decoration. Indoor plants beautify our home and office space. It can also reduce air pollution components. However, not all of us would love to have live plants. In some cases, homeowners and business owners, preferred to use artificial plants instead. Artificial plants has low maintenance and durable. Artificial plants from window.com are not made up of silk, instead it is made up of high quality industrial grade polyethylene.

Artificial plants are very common to hotels and restaurants. When my husband and I went to Maine for vacation, we stayed at The Grand Hotel Ogunquit. The place is really perfect place to stay. It's just a few minutes from the historic Portsmouth and Portland. It is also near the famous Perkins Cove which I love so much. The receptionist and staffs are extremely friendly and polite. The rooms has enough space for children to ran around. It is very comfortable and cozy. The paint color, decor and lighting fixture are superb. The continental breakfast served made my mornings great. The faux plants as the centerpiece adds glamour to the place.

Before we headed up to Maine, I checked online about the perfect place to stay for our getaway and we choose the Grand Hotel. I've read a lot of beautiful reviews about it and we've experience it firsthand. My husband love the place so much that he even extended our vacation. We actually take advantage of their Spring Package with 2 nights and 3 days stay. And our dinner at Clay Hill Farm, is so romantic. It's like we're having our first date. It was so exciting.

I will surely come back and stay again at the Grand. I will recommend it to my friends to stay there too. It was a great experience that I can't forget.

Live Plant As Unique Gift: A Birthday Surprise

Today, is a brand new day. I can feel the cool breeze of air. Blooming flowers and plants and trees are starting to sprout. It's Spring Time after all. And today is a special day for someone who has been so good to me since I met her. She have accepted me as part of their family wholeheartedly. Since today is her birthday, I will surprise her with a gift. And also, we have already set up a surprise party for her.

The venue for our surprise party is the on Rivington. The dining room is perfect for our 80 guests who are her closest friends and relatives. Everyone is so excited and our celebrant didn't have any idea at all. We attended the mass and after that, I invited her to have a dinner. As soon as we step at the door of the restaurant, she we was puzzled to see that the restaurant's lights were turned off. And when the lights turned on, everyone is singing her happy birthday. She was teary-eyed when she saw all of her friends and relatives.

We ate a bountiful food served and prepared by CO-OP and Drink. The mouth-watering food satisfied our hungry intestines. The party doesn't stop there. We have also prepared a program and games. Since her two children is out of the country, they prepared a message for her. She was crying when the message was read for her. Guests also really enjoyed the party.

Each of us prepared a special gift as well. Some give her a bag, wallet, 2-day getaway, a spa experience and many more. But for me, I give her a very unique gift - a live plant. It is a bamboo bonsai. It is so perfect as a centerpiece for her table at the living room. She so glad and very much overwhelmed of the surprise party. She thanked everyone who have come and celebrated with her.

Showcasing Window Box In Brooklyn, New York

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We may all not have the "green thumb" as they say but we can always try our luck. We can start doing gardening at home. Gardening is not easy but it also take time and effort as well as patience. It does not mean that if you didn't succeed for the first time, you can't do it again. As the saying goes, try and try until you succeed. Gardening provides a great help in the development of community and businesses.

In Brooklyn, New York they have the Greenest Block Contest. There are two categories: residential and business. The purpose of this contest is to promote streetscape gardening, tree stewardship, and community development in the borough of Brooklyn through block and merchant associations and other community groups. Anybody can join and its free. Their judging criteria includes variety and suitability of plants, horticulture practice, street tree care, soil and mulching, maintenance, color and total visual effect and citizen participation. Having this kind of contest will encourage residents and business owners to plant and improve their front yards.

The picture above are the winners in the window box contest. The wooden window box showcased the lovely flowers and lushy green plants. The top picture bagged the first place made by the Arky's in 487 10th street. While the bottom picture won the 3rd place by the Wilson's in 99 Sterling Street. You may checkout other winning window boxes at the Greenest Block website.

Also windowbox.com has also a "I Love My Window Box Contest which is open for everyone. Whether you buy your window box from window.com, hooksandlattice.com or any other retailer, you are free to join. Mechanics, rules and tips is available in this website. If you think you have an eye-catching and head-turner window box at home, then it's time to show it off. Make everyone envy and earn a prize. 

Great Gardening Ideas With Fiberglass Window Box

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Who would not get envy to the beautiful and artfully perfect garden in your neighborhood? Thinking of having one but don't have that green thumb? Gardening may not be easy but it takes time and effort to have one.

I went to visit my aunt in Calgary last weekend. Her neighbors have a lot of beautiful flowers and plants. Especially now that it's already Spring time, all of the flowers are blooming. There is a house across that street that has a fiberglass window box planted with petunias and begonias. The colorful flowers are so lovely and inviting. Since my aunt don't have that plants and flowers I asked her to have one and I could help her. She asked me to list down the needed materials.

Here is my list:

1. compost

2. fertilizer

3. window box and brackets

4. flowers such as begonias or lobelias

The next morning, we woke up early and started our gardening plan. Uncle Ron started to mount the brackets to hold the window box. It doesn't cost us a lot to buy the fiberglass window box because we bought it through window.com. It's easy for us to purchase it online and have it delivered immediately. We choose the fiberglass window box because it is low maintenance. It didn't give us a hard time looking for the size that we need because they have it, in different sizes and lengths. 

We mount the window box and put the compost in it. We also mix the compost with fertilizer. We planted it begonias and lobelias which is perfect for Spring. You can also read my blog on how to plant a window box. We are so excited to see the result. And yes, we did it. We now have that neighborhood envy garden. 

Simple Gardening Ideas For A Beautiful Garden

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At home, my aunt has a beautiful garden, planted with ornamental, flowering plants and bonsai. She also joins in garden shows every year. She always make sure that all plants are watered daily. She has an assistant who always take care of her plants like pulling out weeds and grasses. She also put fertilizer to her plants to make sure they are always healthy. Those plants that cannot sustain too much heat are placed in a shaded area.

My aunt is really strict in terms of her plants. She enclosed the garden with fence to avoid stray animals that eat and damage her plants. She also buys and sells rare plants. She has a lot of one of a kind and rare plants that she don't want to sell. Her plants comes in many varieties. Many people come and buy plants from her for landscaping and for home decoration.

One day, when I was walking in the garden I ask my aunt if what are the important steps in taking care of plants. I wanted to know because some of my plants in my tapered iron window box in my apartment has withered. She said that light, water and fertilizer are the main factors that affect plant growth. Plants need light that enables photosynthesis. The general rule for gardening is that flowering and foliage plants needs direct light as compared to ornamental foliage plants which doesn't need direct sunlight. Succulents and cacti needs more light to survive. Plants that doesn't get enough sunlight that they need will have pale leaves, slow stem growth, leaves drying and dropping.

Plants also needs water. That is why it should be watered regularly. Potted plants, for example, should be watered enough to wet the potting medium. Too much water can rot the roots of the plants when it is collected at the bottom of the pots. House plants, on the other hand, needs humidity or moisture to cool them in hot weather and clean their leaves. Spraying them with water can increase humidity to the plants.

Just like humans, plants also need food to boost their growth. Fertilizers are plants' food. When feeding your plants, it should be done once in 2-4 weeks. Just follow the instructions in the fertilizer pack regarding on the proportion of fertilizer that should be applied on the plants.

I thank my aunt for giving me advises in taking care of my plants. I can have them grow healthy and beautiful now. I am so excited to go back to my apartment.

Houseplants Good For Our Health

Flowers and plants that we use to decorate our house are not simply for decorations or adornments. House plant does not only give color to your room or office but also gives us energy.  Along with its beauty and attraction, it brings real health benefits to your body.  These benefits reported are essential for our health such as to influence the state of our mind and to maintain our quality of life in a simple and natural way.

Plants that surrounds us provide many benefits. We can have plants in lancaster window box which give a pleasant view of your window. It will make you feel calmer and optimistic. As studies shows that sick people who face a window with a garden view recovered more quickly than those who had to look at the wall. Plants also fight fatigue and colds. According to a University of Agriculture in Norway, indoor plants can minimize fatigue, colds, sore throats and other cold-related illnesses by 30 percent or more, partially by increasing saturation in humidity and decreasing dust. So for those who are allergic to dust, just like me, plants can reduce the presence of dust from the air for up to 20 percent.

In addition to that, businesses and work environments are starting to believe that adding plants indoors do make wonders for employees' health, morale and well-being. According to one study published in Rehabilitation Literature, it showed that when they put plants into the office, they noticed enhanced work performance and increased productivity in employees.

Despite of the health benefits of the house plants, there are still a few people that are not encourage to plant or garden. Then, don't be afraid. Here online, we provide you all the basic necessities in gardening as well as tips and tricks in home decorating. Garden enthusiast has many resources to check online about gardening tips and supplies. If you need supplies better look on windowbox.com for they provide a wide range of gardening supplies from containers to live plants.

How To Create A Beautiful Hanging Basket

 

A hanging basket is a suspended container used for growing decorative plants. Typically they are hung from buildings, where garden space is at a premium, and from street furniture for environmental enhancement. Planting hanging baskets is not much different than planting containers that are on the ground. There are three easy steps in achieving that perfect hanging basket. 

1. Choosing you basket. 

Decide what hanging basket to choose. There are lots of different types: solid plastic, wood and wire. With wire, you need to first line the container with something to keep the soil from falling out. This is done with either sphagnum moss or pre-formed coir basket liners. The pre-formed basket liners made from coconut are readily available in store. These forms come in various sizes and are placed over the top of the container and gently pushed down so the liner conforms to the container. You can also use a loose coconut fiber as liner too. 

 2. Lining your basket. 

Before your star, put the wire on top of an empty pot for it to stay in place and stable. Put a layer of moss. Make it a thick layer of moss so that it can hold more moisture. Add more moss until it reach 3/4 of your basket then add a container mix or compost. You can also add a crystal rain so that it can hold more moisture. 

3. Planting your basket.

Most hanging baskets are planted at the top. If you are using moss or coir fiber lined baskets, you also have the opportunity to plant through the sides. Place the plants in equal space so that it will look nice when it grows. Add more sphagnum moss and container mix on the top. Now on the top, you can choose a plant that you like. At the center you can put a taller plant like a geranium. You can complete your basket with a mixture of beautiful flowering plants. 

Of course, don't forget to water your plants and do it everyday. In making your hanging baskets and deciding what plants to go in, you can be creative as you like. You can even plant herbs and vegetables and hang it near near your kitchen.