Wipe Out Those Winter Garden Woes

Do you look at your garden at this time of the year and wish it were more alive? Well, as those of us who have their homes on the market have found out – there are ways to make your front yard look attractive even in the dead of winter!

Liquid Gold in Your Garden!

How to make manure “tea”. Take a large bucket and suspend a long pole over the top, get a porous bag, fill it with manure and hang the manure bag over the bucket, then when it rains, the manure gets liquefied. Then you can drain it off and use it. Gold for your garden!

Mowing the Lawn – Is It Always Necessary To Remove The Clippings?

If you mow your grass correctly, you’ll have a better lawn, and can save time by not having to collect and empty the grass clippings. You’ll be doing your bit for the environment too.

Herbal Recipes From Gaia’s Garden

How to make your own creams, salves, oils, and tinctures from fresh and dried herbs in your own kitchen. One of my greatest joys is gathering herbs and flowers over the course of the summer to use fresh or to preserve by drying, infusing in oil, or tincturing. Though I can’t prove it, I sense something special in herbs grown close to home that benefits us on an essential, vibratory level.

Lawn Care – Why It Is So Important To Remove Thatch And How To Do So

One of the conditions required to grow a beautiful lawn is the periodic removal of thatch. Thatch is the layer of the lawn’s roots and stems that builds up above the soil’s surface. A high percentage of organic matter in the soil is desirable when that organic matter has broken down to the black and crumbly state known as humus.

Basic Tips For Caring For Your Bonsai Plants

More and more people are getting drawn to the finely cultivated beauty of bonsai plants. Some may think that they are half-starved mini plants but they are actually carefully cared-for works of art. When caring for your bonsai plants, you should take note of some important tips.

How to Plant Hostas

Planting Hostas in soil: Preparation is the key to success. If you can double dig your hosta or flower bed in early autumn and leave the sods of soil intact do not walk over what you dig.

How to Divide Hosta Plants

Early Spring is the best time of year to dig your hostas up and divide them. Use a garden fork and loosen the soil gently right around the hosta clump then gently place your fork in below the clump and lift it up give it a shake with the fork to loosen the soil.

Grow Hostas From Seed

Growing hostas from seed can be real fun to bring on your own unique plant as every seedling will be different. Before starting be sure to use well sterilised seed trays make sure the container is dry before filling with a good seed compost use fresh seed compost or make your own. To each 10 litres of peat add one teaspoon of phostogen powder fertiliser then add 1 litre of fine vermiculite and mix well add water to make the mix moist lift a handful of compost in your hand and squeeze no water should come out.

How to Grow Agapanthus Plants

Container grown Agapanthus: Plant one Agapanthus per pot as they soon grow to fill the container but they will only flower as soon as their roots have filled the pot completely. Agapanthus like their roots confined to flower well. You are better to pot the plants up slowly into a slightly larger pot each time this way they will flower every year, but if you do not mind waiting then yes plant one Agapanthus straight into a large container.

How To Look After Perennial Plants On Arrival From Mail Order Nursery

When your parcel arrives in the post from a mail order nursery open the parcel right away and soak the roots in water for at least 15 minutes. Then depending on plant either pot into a suitable sized container or straight into the ground. You can pot plants right away all year round to help build up the root system again and then plant out when the soil and weather conditions allow.

Pruning Clematis

There is 3 basic groups of pruning for Clematis you only need to prune if the plant has taken over its growing space. Group 1 the species early flowering types like Clematis montana, C. macropetala and C.

How To Grow Rhodohypoxis Plants

Rhodohypoxis from the family (Hypoxidaceae) originated in South Africa mostly where there is high summer rainfall and dry winters near the Cape and Natal. In their natural habitat they can be found on open grassy slopes in areas of high altitude.

Organic Slug Control – Slugs No More!

For the past two years I have been experimenting with different controls to prevent Slug and Snail damage to our Hosta stock on the nursery. I tried the usual beer traps or milk traps worked to a certain extent but only worked in a small area around the traps.

Bonsai, an Alluring Japanese Art Form

The art of bonsai raising embraces the growing of tiny trees, usually in shallow trays, or small pots. By precision pruning and growing them in small containers, it is possible to retain their small shapes. It takes but a short time, to learn the basic art of pruning a bonsai tree and give you great satisfaction, but maybe a lifetime to master this art.