Home Improvement Tips

Rock filled flower beds, or rock flower gardens, have become quite popular in recent years. They make for a lovely decorative feature to the property and they make for a fun hobby. Most plants that do well in a flower rock garden are easy to grow and require very little maintenance. The plants that thrive do so because they tolerate the reflected heat from the rock.

Herbs grow well in rock filled Mississauga flowers beds. Some popular herbs grown in these gardens include: Thyme, Rosemary, and Lavender. They require the soil to be well drained or they can wilt and die. Below is a list of a number of popular flowers that grow well in a rock filled flower bed.

Rock Rose: The Red Rose is one shrub that grows well in rock bed gardens. This plant is a small shrub and the flowers have a saucer shape and are a deep red color. These flowers bloom in the late spring and summer. The leaves are grayish/green and are fairly narrow.

Aster: The Asters, particularly the Alpine Aster are popular rock bed flowers. They bloom in the late summer and fall. The brampton flowers are produced in large clusters and come in a variety of colors that include: pink, red, white, lavender, and purple. They grow as bushy clumps so it is important to create enough space when planting. They can grow in a wide variety of climates. Depending on the temperature, germination can take from 15 to 30 days.

Japanese Barberry: This flower grows well in a rock garden. Small and spiny, it blooms in the spring and has reddish/purple leaves which change to red and orange in the fall. The flowers are a light yellow and then produce small red fruits. These flowers do not do well in really cold climates.

Alpine Columbine: The colors of the flowers of the Alpine Columbine are violet and white and the leaves are bluish-green. As well, these flowers come in a wide variety of hybrid colors and strains. These hardy plants grow well in a variety of climates. They bloom from early May through to June. It is a popular choice for a rock bed garden as they attract hummingbirds.

Primrose: The Primrose blooms early in the spring and comes in a wide variety of colors. They prefer cooler temperatures and do not like the direct sun for long periods of time in the hot summer months. There are a broad variety of Primroses.

Carpet Bugle: The most common color of the Carpet Bugle bloom is bluish-purple, but there also mississauga florists that can be white or rose. It serves as helpful ground cover in a garden. The color of the foliage can range from green to bronze to purple. They bloom from early spring to mid July. It is a great plant to help reduce soil erosion. They survive well during droughts.

Rock filled flower beds are a lovely addition to any home. The key to maintaining a flourishing flower garden is to know what flowers will thrive in the environment and what care is required to keep them healthy and in bloom.

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Layering is a safe, sure, simple way to increase many types of plants, and particularly the climbers and danglers with which this book is concerned. The first requirement is that the plant have long, lax or drooping stems – which vining plants do. The rest is easy, because the stem is not severed from the parent until the new plant is well rooted and can survive on its own. Humidifying devices, bottom heat, and close protection are seldom called for.

Garden plants layer readily, sometimes even spontaneously. And layering is equally easy for indoor or greenhouse vines. A wandering stem or runner is simply pinned down on the soil in a nearby pot, and severed when it is securely rooted.

Ground layering in the garden takes place at the base of the parent plant. Loosen and lighten a small section of soil, and mix in some peat or other humus to help hold moisture. Select a firm, semiwoody stem, and open the thick skin in one of several ways to speed up rooting. The stem can be nicked underneath with a sharp knife, or split and held open by a small piece of toothpick or match, or simply twisted just enough to break the outside skin and separate a few of the inside tissues. Some plants insist on rooting at or near a node, others don’t care where. And some softer stems don’t even need to be nicked.

Now, bend down the long branch and bury the portion to be rooted in the prepared soil, leaving the tip section of the branch sticking up. Anchor it with a stone, clothespin, or crossed sticks. When the buried stem is well rooted, cut the old branch between new and parent plant, and transplant or pot the offspring.

Simple ground-layering can be modified or embroidered so that more than one plant is produced from each operation. In serpentine layering the stems are covered with soil at intervals, with sections of the stem looping up in the air between. Multiple, or continuous, layering works on plants and vines that root readily all along the stem or branch. The entire stem is buried, except for the tip, and new plants that come up at intervals are cut apart and transplanted.

Air layering is a procedure for thick, upright, canelike stems. The stem is nicked or opened near a node or not, depending on the plant; and that section of the stem is enclosed in a ball of moist sphagnum moss. This is held in place by a firm bandage of polyethylene, a plastic that permits passage of air but holds in moisture, tied to the stem at each end of the ball with soft cord. Check occasionally to make sure the sphagnum has not dried out. When you see roots inside the plastic, cut off the stem just below that point and pot up the new plant, its root ball intact in the moss.

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Unless you have possessed a system like this before in a home you would not believe just what a vast change it can create to the appearance of your own home at night.

A low voltage landscape light system is perfectly simple to put in and look after that you wouldn’t credit how different all are going to look in your backyard once it is illuminated.

You may go for spread illumination which is going to light up an area of garden in general and not identify any precise part.

In some ways it might look as a public garden or recreational area where lighting makes it possible to stroll day or hours of darkness, evidently smaller but just as attractive.

The helpful idea concerning low voltage systems is that the energy, i.e. 12V, is small enough to be quite harmless. It is so reliable that you can probably have the lights on whilst you are siting them to finest effect. There is never danger to you.

One drawback I would be keen to bring up is that the illumination furthest away from the electrical device might never seem as intense as those close.

You have the ability to get over this particular problem by fitting up a higher-rated transformer. It goes without saying that you may always make use of these type of duller lighting by making that into a sort of facet so that the lighting grow to be progressively brighter as they approach your house.

Individuals converse about ‘curb appeal’ and if you are happy with your house then that is an idea that you might fancy to give consideration. Some well situated illumination could cause your own home look quite grand.

There is not anything such as a properly lit up house to welcome anybody. Also when you come back at night you really do not need to go into your own home in the shadows, it should make you feel a good deal more secure if you are in a properly lit zone.

Usually speaking a low voltage landscape light system can be a lot more proficient than higher voltage lighting which may generate areas of dimness in between. That could in actuality be harmful as a security measure.

The low voltage lights are so practically priced that you might possess loads of them and therefore you are going to evade those dark spots in between illumination.

The means by which these lights improve the appearance of your own property will as well enhance the value of it. It will be supposed by everyone who sees it as a quite sought-after property, even if you do not desire to sell it, it is even so good to understand that you have improved its worth.

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Home gardeners find that rooting scented-leaved geraniums is not always easy. Often they have a favorite plant they want to propagate and after several attempts meet with failure. Among the many kinds, some root very easily, while others are very tricky.

Of the popular scented-leaved geraniums, the lemon-scented and the rose-scented varieties root easily and quickly under common propagating methods.

The lemon-scented (Pelargonium crispum) is a small stemmed plant, with tiny crinkled leaves, which requires considerably more water than most geraniums. Take cuttings about 3-3/4 inches long and trim off all leaves from the bottom up to 1-1/4 inches. Make a clean cut beneath an eye, dip the end into 3X rooting powder and insert the cuttings in clean sand, deep enough so that the lower leaves do not touch the sand. Shade until signs of growth are evident. Then remove shade and keep plants a little drier.

Oak-leaved varieties (Pelargonium quercifolium) are not too difficult. Take tender cuttings, but if they are hardened, root them under drier conditions. A 1X rooting powder is best. Practically all hardy and easy-to-root as well are the flowering scented varieties, none of which demand anything beyond normal cultural conditions. Here again water well, and allow the sand to become rather dry, but not arid, before watering again.

Spice-scented and fruit-scented varieties vary considerably in their needs, but here is how some of the more familiar kinds should be handled.

Use Rooting Powder

Cuttings from the nutmeg geranium (Pelargonium fragrans) and its varieties are made from the heaviest wood available and dipped in a No. 1 or No. 2 rooting powder. These are dependable rooters, but it is best to leave them in the sand for three or four months until the tuberous-type roots have formed.

Apple-scented geraniums (Pelargonium odoratissimum) are propagated from the very short joints which radiate from the main stem and then potted directly into 2-1/2″ pots filled with good soil. They will invariably lose all their leaves, but will fill out with new growth. So it is a must to know why there are brown tips on plants.

Ginger-scented, lemon-balm and almond-scented are all very easy to root under ordinary conditions.

Gooseberry-leaved geranium (Pelargonium grossularioides) is another very small-wooded variety which should he well shaded and given a little more than the usual amount of water, especially after the first week or two in sand.

Mint-scented varieties (Pelargonium tomentosam) including Peppermint, Pungent Peppermint and Joy Lucile require only the usual practices given cuttings.

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Its obvious that wooden sheds are great for storing any small to medium sized object. But they can really be used for so much more than just storage. So, even though you can call them “sheds”, they can just as easily be used as a pool cabana, workshop, playhouse for the kids, artist studio, guesthouse, etc.

Converting your shed from a storage shed to, say, a garden shed, or some other purpose is fairly easy. You can even use a wooden shed for a couple of purposes at the same time, if done correctly. As an example, you could use your shed as a garden shed with a potting bench as a place to pot your plants and also to store any chemicals that should be stored away from the main house.

You might be wondering why you should build one for yourself. Not only are wooden sheds fun to build, but for someone wanting to learn more about woodworking and building, they make a great starter project. And, usually it only requires one weekend of time from start to finish.

Once you know WHAT you will be using your shed for, now you may be wondering WHY a wooden shed? They may cost more than a shed made from plastic or metal, but using natural materials has a long-term satisfaction value. And, by building a shed from a set of good shed plans, you will have options that you just can’t get from other types of sheds.

Metal or plastic sheds are not as easy to modify or add on to as it is to wooden sheds. And, if repairs are required, they are quicker and less expensive to make on a wooden shed. You’ll know what I mean if you have ever tried to fix a dented metal shed.

The best wood to use for sheds is cedar. Cedar contains oil that occurs naturally. This oil is what gives the wood its distinct aroma and also protects it from insects and rot.

Another option you have is to buy a wooden shed kit that comes already cut to size. And, depending on the manufacturer, a lot of the assembly is already done. This makes for a fast and easy way to get a shed put up in your backyard.

You’ll find more information and tips on construction and how to use garden sheds to their fullest potential at: BestWoodenSheds.com. Also included are shed plans, wooden shed kits, and more!

Chill November winds spur us on to get things done before the ground freezes in cooler sections of the country. Now is the time to finish cleaning up gardens before the appearance of the first snow or colder weather.

Some General Chores

Continue to rake up fallen leaves, dead annuals and vegetables and to shear perennial tops, placing them on the compost pile. Destroy corn stalks and other vegetables tops which harbor diseases. Sanitation practiced now will do much to prevent pests and disease next year.

For Cleaning Tools

Clean tools to prevent them from rusting. Go over lightly all metal parts with a stiff brush and then rub with light oil. On very rusty tools, use a commercial rust remover and rub down handles with equal parts of linseed oil and turpentine. Sharpen grass clippers and lawn mower blades before putting away and remember to grease and oil metal parts of garden furniture.

To Winter Mulch

Mulch flower beds, perennials and bulbs after the first frosts have frozen the ground. Use only material which will not mat down plants. Cranberry tops, straw or hay, marsh hay or pine needles or boughs are all excellent materials for mulching. Leaves tend to pack too closely and should only be used in a layer of one-half inch thick. Mulching prevents the ground from freezing and thawing, one of the chief reasons for its use.

Bring in Potting Soil

Bring inside garden soil, compost, sand and pebbles, as well as other materials that will be needed during the winter months for repotting house plants, forcing bulbs or for starting seeds next February or March. Keep the soil covered to retain its moisture and keep the bacteria alive.

Pruning Trees and Shrubs

Many trees and shrubs may be safely pruned now that the leaves have fallen, removing broken, dead or diseased wood. Do some pruning of summer blooming hydrangeas, rose of sharons, vitexes, and tamarisks by thinning out crowded branches. Shrubs that flower on old wood should be pruned just after flowering is past in the spring. These include flowering quince, forsythia, weigela, vanhoutte spirea, viburnums, deutzias and bush cherries.

On House Plants

Syringe house plants frequently if room is dry to provide some of the humidity they need. All house plants will benefit from this syringing except succulents and cactus. Shift plants around every week or two so they will not lean towards the light. Watch for mealy bugs, scale and other insects, spraying with neem oil or an insecticidal soap. Re-pot plants that become pot bound. It is a good policy to water plants thoroughly less frequently than to water often.

In the Vegetable Garden

Mulch strawberries with marsh hay or sawdust, as well as asparagus after the tops are cut to the ground. Blackberries, raspberries and currants will also appreciate a mulch as they are shallow rooted. It is too early to mulch in warmer parts of the country, but get the materials ready.

Trees and Shrubs

Continue to plant deciduous trees like the ficus benjamina and shrubs until the ground freezes. Also plant evergreens and water well as they give off more water during winter than they can replace. By watering woody plants freely before the ground freezes, their barks will be less apt. to suffer from sunscald, while the leaves of evergreens will be in less danger of windburning.

Care of Roses

Finish planting roses in well-prepared soil that is rich in organic matter. Mound new as well as old plants with soil, taken from elsewhere, to protect from winter injury. Fill depressions with leaves or marsh hay to prevent water from settling in these low spots. With standard or tree type roses, bend carefully and cover the tops with soil to prevent winter killing. Plants may also be lifted, placed in a trench and covered with soil where winters are very severe.

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Ideal plants for those value fragrance rather than color, are the scented-leaved geraniums.

These offer a combination of pleasant perfumes and a wide variety of foliage form and texture. Since they are plants that are comparatively easy of culture, maintaining a collection is relatively simple.

Scented geraniums can be grown as house plants, in a greenhouse or as garden subjects left out all year in the more temperate south and southwestern parts of the country. They demand only ordinary care. Give them good garden loam, sunshine, moderate water, a reasonable amount of feeding, as well as occasional pinching, and they will thrive happily.

The scented varieties never become dormant. During dark, winter days, to be sure, they do not grow as fast as in spring and summer, but they always remain in full leaf, their hidden fragrance awaiting the slightest touch. As house plants, they are excellent, where they succeed in any sunny window. They are also not excessively sensitive to house conditions, such as dry atmosphere, high temperatures and the occasional presence of minute amounts of gas.

When to Water

Water these geraniums only when the soil begins to dry, but then do it thoroughly. One way to determine the moisture of the soil is to feel it with the fingers. Another is to tap the pot lightly with a stick. The quality and pitch of the tapping sound indicates the degree of saturation. A dull, heavy sound means the soil is moist, while a sharp, ringing sound that it is dry. Some growers, after a little practice, can determine the amount of moisture by the weight of the pot. Always, however, take care to avoid the easy method of watering plants by a set schedule. The condition of the plants themselves should be the only guide for watering.

Pinching plants is necessary to induce branching. The blind -grower finds out when to do this by feeling their shape. Only the growing tips should he removed gently with the fingers. Since the scented varieties are naturally more bushy than the zonals, they require less pinching.

Repotting plants like the butterfly bush is needed only a couple of times a year. When the pot becomes full of roots, move to a larger container. At any time, the root ball can be gently removed from the pot and the roots felt with the fingers to determine if repotting is necessary. The “scenteds” will be healthier, however, if kept slightly pot bound to maintain firm, woody growth. Plants grown from cuttings taken in late summer are satisfactory for house plants and do not require so much room as older, larger specimens.

Fertilizing is scarcely a problem. Newly-potted cuttings do not need feeding for several months. After that give a light sprinkling of ammonium sulphate or a balanced chemical fertilizer. The root ball should be moist before feeding to avoid burning the tender roots. Fertilizing during the period of slow growth is not advisable.

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There are quite a few considerations to be aware of if you are looking to build a wooden shed in your backyard. You might be asking yourself if its best to purchase a precut shed kit or is building one from scratch the way to go. Aside from costs, here are a few of the pros and cons of shed kits:

Pros

The time it takes to build a precut shed is one of the biggest advantages. It takes a fraction of the time to put one of these kits together as compared to building from scratch they come with all the materials and step-by-step instructions. You also don’t need to be able to read a blueprint. Since all the pieces are cut precisely, there’s no need to measure each board – another time saver.

If you feel that you don’t have the necessary skills to build from scratch, then this is a great option. In most cases, all you need are a few basic tools. Having all the pieces precut helps in making everything straight and square. Manufacturers take great care in engineering their sheds to make sure everything fits correctly. An added benefit, by the way, is safety due to the fact that there is less cutting and less steps involved.

Cons

These kits aren’t for everyone. As an example, handymen or woodworkers would probably rather build their shed from scratch. And, although there are quite a few plans to choose from, you might not find the exact plan you had in mind or desire. Building from scratch does allow unlimited possibilities. In this case, you may already have plans you intend to use. Make sure your plans include a materials list. This will help save you the headache when it comes to shopping for all the pieces.

As you can see, there are a lot of advantages to building from a kit as opposed to building custom. In the end, your choice to purchase a precut shed kit or build one from scratch depends on your comfort level working with tools. But, even with minimal experience, a kit can be a great way to start learning.

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An outdoor pond absolutely needs to be water-proofed. One of the easiest ways to go about this is using a pond liner. But how does one choose? Well, your liner should be selected with respect to the size and shape of your pond. Fitting it to your budget wouldn’t hurt either. There are two primary types of liners: pre-formed and flexible. Pre-formed liners are basically rigid shells that you can install in a hole or a raised pond structure. The drawback is that they can be pricey. On the upside, pre-formed liners are durable, easy to use, and come in many shapes and sizes.

Of course, not every pond design has a matching pre-made liner. So if you want an unusually shaped or a very large pond, flexible liner is the way to go.

Once you’ve opted for flexible liner, you have to choose the material. The two most common choices are PVC and synthetic rubber. PVC has the advantage of being cheaper but has a shorter life span than rubber liner. Either of these is available in pre-cut sheets in sizes from 25 to over 1500 square meters.

Durable and reusable, flexible liners can be modified to fit a pond of any shape. Certain manufacturers even allow you to order liner in custom sizes. You shouldn’t have any problems using it as long as you remember to clear out any sharp rocks and roots that may puncture the liner.

Pond Liner Guidelines

Examine the ground in your pond site. If it has a lot of rocks, you might want to purchase cushioning material to place under the liner. Also make sure that the liner has no harmful chemicals that may leech into your outdoor pond. And while most liners are ultraviolet light-resistant; it won’t do any harm to check.

Pre-formed liners have a set depth. If you’re using one, make sure that it’s deep enough to house all your fish and plants. Make the mistake of choosing too small a liner and you could end up with a stagnant outdoor pond.

Damaged liners are difficult to repair, not to mention that it will cost you quite a bit of money. Investing in a strong, durable liner will save you from a lot of trouble. Your local pond building community can probably help you choose the best possible materials. Remember, if you make educated choices and follow the liner’s installation guide, you can create a long-lasting pond that requires very little maintenance.

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You have decided to build a chicken coop for your flock. A great call. You can save a bunch of cash and can customize your coop to suit your requirements. Before you start though it is sensible to listen to the advice of experienced coop builders to avoid these common mistakes.

When asked about the most important mistakes they made when building their chicken coops, chicken owners listed the following :

1. Not making the coop large enough. You will plan on only having a few chickens, but when the baby chicks come or the chicken raising obsession kicks in, you may find your chicken house too tiny. The recommended size is 4 sq. feet per bird in the coop and 10 sq. feet in the run for standard chickens. For bantam chickens you can get away with [*FR1] of this space.

2. Not making the chicken house tall enough. It is hard to maintain your coop if you are continually hitting your head or crouching around!

3. Not insulating or using the incorrect insulation. Keep your chickens warm in the winter by insulating their coop. But do not use foam insulation. Reputedly chickens like to peck at it. Who knew? Ensure your coop plans take into account your local climate.

4. Not having a poop plan! When installing the roosts it is an excellent idea to install poop pans below them to catch the droppings. Position the feeders and waterers so that they do not splattered. You may also need a plan to get rid of the poop from the coop.

5. Not putting in enough windows or sufficiently big Windows : Windows provide light and ventilation. Ensure all the windows open so that your chicks get unpolluted air.

I am hoping this give you a “heads-up” on Problems to avoid when building your chicken coop. With good chicken house plans, wood, nails and a few good tools, you’ll be well on the way to offer a cozy home for your flock.

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