Posted on Feb 28, 2010 under dried foliage | Comments are off
For the natural gardener, pest control might seem like a daunting task. After all, you’re committed to not using harmful chemicals in your garden, yet these chemicals can get rid of pests quickly and easily. There are still many ways you can take control of your garden without resorting to chemical treatments. Natural pest control is actually quite easy. We certainly understand that many gardeners become anxious when they see pests on their plants and want to react decisively when they see their plants damaged. But we must remind you of the central principle of organic gardening: growing plants in harmony with Nature. And insects, even those that eat your plants, are a crucial part of that system. When you see insects in your garden, take some time to really watch what they’re doing. Are they actually destroying the plant or just nibbling it a bit? Many plants can outgrow minor damage. Also, in many cases, insects attack stressed out plants. Do you have enough healthy plants to spare the sickly ones? Can you restore sickly plants to robust health so they can resist insect attack? The best defenses against insect attack are preventative measures. Grow plants suited to the site and they’ll be less stressed out. Don’t let them be too wet, too dry or too shaded. Design a diverse garden, so that pests of a particular plant won’t decimate an entire section of the garden. Healthy soil will naturally produce plants that are resistant to insects and disease, but pests are a part of gardening. There are different ways you can control pests naturally. There are a number of natural botanical sprays and powders available in garden centers. These are derived from plants and not made in a lab. We’ll look at a few of the more common ones available to you. Insecticidal soap is sodium or potassium salts combined with fatty acids. If you use soap, it must come in direct contact with the insect and it must be wet. It is no longer effective once it has dried. The fatty acids in the soap penetrate the insect’s outer covering and cause the cells to collapse. This is one of the safest organic pesticides to use because there is no residue, it is non-toxic to animals, and you can use it on your vegetables all the way up to harvest. Be cautious, however, soap can burn or stress plants, so don’t use it in full sun or high temperatures. Bacteria spray is also commonly known as Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). There are more than 80 types of Bt used as pesticides. It is a stomach poison that releases toxins in the stomachs of insects that causes them to stop eating and starve to death. It is generally available in powdered form that is sprinkled or dusted on a plant. It must be eaten by the targeted insect. Bt strains are very host specific and will not harm people, pets, birds or bees, but it can be very slow acting taking days for the insect to completely stop eating and die. It can also kill some of the beneficial insects in your garden. Neem is a spray that is derived from the seed kernels of the neem tree fruit. It is sprayed onto the plant’s leaves which will upset the insect’s hormonal system and prevents it from developing to its mature stage. Neem is most effective on immature insects and species that undergo complete metamorphosis. Use caution with Neem as it can be damaging to pets, so keep them away from freshly sprayed leaves until the liquid dries. Neem is non-toxic to humans. Horticultural Oil is highly refined petroleum oil that is mixed with water and sprayed onto foliage. It coats and suffocates insects or disrupts their feeding. There is a low toxicity to humans, pets, and birds and does not leave behind any toxic residue. Be careful you don’t burn the leaves of your plants when you use this oil. Rotenone and Pyrethrum are most readily available ones and are often used in combination. They are derived from the roots of tropical legumes. It generally comes in powder form that is dusted onto the plant. These will inhibit the cellular process thus depriving insects of oxygen in their tissue cells. This is a broad spectrum pesticide and can be used with many types of pests. If you are using a spray, dilute it in water and use only as needed. Of course, follow application directions on the label. The best time to apply sprays and powders is in the evening or in early morning. And always read the labels of anything you buy commercially. Just because a pesticide is organic doesn’t mean it isn’t toxic. You don’t HAVE to use anything on your plants if you depend on other animals to help you control pests.
Posted on Feb 28, 2010 under dried pods | Comments are off
Giant Oar Pods measure 24 in. to 30 in. by 4 in. wide with 6 inch Stems. Sold in package of 4.
Available colors: Dark Honey with Light Oak accent and Mahogany Brown.
Flexible stems assist you in creating your design
Unique shape and coloring.
This is an all natural, green and renewable resource product.
Product Description These fabulous pod oars measure 32 in. They are approximately 4 in. across. The unique pod has a natural design of several warm rich honey colored hues have the flavor of an outdoor design or they are also available in cherry brown. They are on 6 inch bendable stems which will aid you in creating the perfect angle for your design. Sold in package of 4…. More >>
Posted on Feb 28, 2010 under dried flowers | Comments are off
A gardener is often confronted with the crucial question as whether to grow perennials or annuals. Now, perennials are plants that can survive more than one growing season, whereas annuals are plants, which finish their growth cycle in a year, starting life anew from one seed to another and finally fading, in the course of a growing season.
As stated by most seasoned gardeners, the gardening of annual flowers is just the right thing to do, particularly if you are a beginner. Annuals tend to bloom straight after they are planted, and a good number will blossom right through the growing season. In addition, because annuals just survive a single growing season, the following season you are offered the chance to set up a completely fresh garden.
Annuals can easily adapt anywhere and while most of them need adequate light, sufficient water and soil that is quite enriched with nutrients, you will discover that annuals can survive even in the most severe conditions. Annual flowers such as browallia, ageratum, dianthus, coleus, impatiens, fuschia, pansy, lobelia, salvia, wishbone flower, and inca, flourish quite well in partially sheltered settings. Some annuals, such as poppies, prosper in the most infertile soils.
Besides, annuals can thrive in both dry or damp weather, and either dry or damp garden spots. Annuals, which are drought-resistant, consist of dusty miller, cleome, petunias, zinnia, and globe amaranth, whereas annuals that prosper in damp or marshy places include fuchsia, browallia, pansy, and nicotiania. Annuals tend to thrive well when placed in containers. Cut annuals look extremely pretty in flower displays.
Quite a few annuals are deemed hardy annuals, since they are capable of withstanding the first spell of frost without wilting, flowering, and depositing seeds right into the following year. Ultimately, they will droop. These annuals can be grown in autumn or spring ahead of the very last frost. Cornflower, calendula, larkspur, foxglove, sweet alyssum, pansy, viola, dianthus, and stocks are hardy annuals; now, these varieties of annuals generally cannot put up with the heat.
There are also half-hardy annuals that can endure chilly, moist climate, but are unable to bear frost or icy temperatures. Now, the best time to plant these annuals is right after the previous spring frost, and they consist of bells of Ireland, baby’s breath, candytuft, blue sage, forget-me-not, celome, love-in-a-mist, torenia, snow-on-the-mountain, and strawflower. Midsummer witnesses quite a number of half-hardy annuals appearing a bit pale, but a few may begin to flower again by the end of summer or autumn before they die.
Next, come the tender annuals that are very susceptible to chilly soil temperatures and suffer damage by frost and cold temperatures. Without a doubt, tender annuals seeds will decay and will not sprout in case the soil temperatures are well under sixty degrees. A couple of weeks from the previous spring frost need to go by prior to these being planted in the open air. Tender annuals consist of balsam, ageratum, celosia, begonia, globe amaranth, coleus, marigold, impatiens, morning glory, nicotiana, nasturtium, verbena, petunia, scarlet sage, zinnia, and vinca.
Moreover, there are annuals that flower in the cool season and ones that grow in the warm season.
Cool season annuals include geranium, pansies, snapdragon, and petunia, which tend to go limp due to the heat of the summer. Undeniably, annuals that prosper in the cool season prefer temperatures ranging in the 70s-80s in the day and these blossom very well in the spring and autumn. Warm-season annuals include blue daze, zinnias, pentas, and four-o’clocks, which are unable to grow unless temperatures rise well into the 80s-90s in the day and touch 60s-70s at night.
Now you have made up your mind to have a shot at gardening of annual flowers, and possess a list of plants, but are uncertain with which flowers you should begin your gardening efforts. You could try out pansies and violas, which blossom for several weeks and quite a few of them can even tolerate a gentle frost.
Snapdragons also are a wonderful idea to start with. They occur in a spectacular array of hues and are able to attain quite a good height. Alternatively, you could settle for petunias, the preferred choice of most gardeners. There is an extensive range to select from and besides, they are easy to look after. Petunias flower very well in cool climes. An excellent plant to grow from seed is the nasturtium, a flower which blossoms all through summer and well into autumn, displaying fall shades. Finally, take a glimpse of lobelia, which blossoms in cool climes and is able to grow in a sheltered area.
After you have resolved the kind of flowers you fancy planting in your gardening of annual flowers venture, the time has come to start the actual growing process. In most cases, a fine time to plant annuals is late in the afternoon. You need to water your forthcoming flowers as well as the soil into which they will be placed ahead of undertaking anything. Remove the plants from the flowerpots very carefully, or you will agitate the roots, and in case the roots are packed closely together, you need to free them lightly, prior to placing the plants in the soil.
Your job is still not done after planting the annuals. While a good number of annuals require very little care, they still need attention to enable them to grow sturdy and healthy. Of course, weeds should be removed from your garden and regular watering carried out (every plant has different water requirements and hence you should ensure that you in no way under-water or over-water the plants).
In addition, because the actual intention of the annual flower is producing seeds and proliferating, if you get rid of the wilted flowers ahead of them depositing seeds, the plant tends to bring forth additional flowers to foster its objective of producing seeds. Now, this process of singling out the wilted flowers is known as ‘deadheading’ and it is a key factor in ensuring your annual garden flaunts dramatic shades.
A few gardeners also do away with the developing tip of the annual flowers, which promotes thicker, more solid and orderly growth. Most annuals could be cut in the middle or end of summer to induce them to bloom once more in autumn. Be sensible and conscientious in the gardening of annual flowers and, most certainly, you will not come away disenchanted!
Posted on Feb 28, 2010 under silk flowers | Comments are off
Each with approx 8 leaves, roses measured approx. 2.5″ x 2.5″
Real Touch (Artificial Latex), It feels real and thick when you touch it
Size approx: 26” H x 8″ W
Steel wires used partially to hold the shape, makes it easy to bend or shape to your satisfaction.
Vase and Marbles NOT Included
Product Description These beautiful Plants can be used anywhere around the house. They are neat and beautiful yet cleaning and hassle free! Steel wires used partially to hold the shape, makes it easy to bend or shape to your satisfaction. Shipping charge quoted applies to the buyers within the 48 contiguous U.S. states ONLY. For orders shipping to other states or country, please contact us first for shipping quote. Size may be slightly different depends on how you shape it. Size meassu… More >>
Today, we can find different flower types – even those which supposedly cannot be grown in the country. We have tulips, carnation, and most especially, roses.
When we talk of horticulture in the Philippines, we almost always mean ornamental horticulture. In general, horticulture is about flowers while ornamental horticulture involves flowers and other ornamentals. In the Filipino context, these two are the same and offers several products which are available for both domestic and foreign trade.
• Cut flowers involve fresh flowers and buds which are cut from plants to create bouquets, wreaths, corsage and other special flower arrangements.
• Foliage and other plant parts involves the fresh leaves and branches of trees including the shrubs, bushes, grasses, mosses, and lichens which are also used for ornamental purposes
• Dried ornamentals are basically dried, dyed and bleached plant materials
• Other ornamentals are trees, shrubs, bushes, roots, and cuttings which are used to decorate indoors and outdoors.
With the variety of products offered by the horticulture industry in the country, we can see how important flowers in this country. In fact, there’s even a festival in the Philippines celebrating flowers! There’s the Baguio Flower Festival, Kadawayaan Flower Festival in Davao and everywhere else in the country celebrates Flores de Mayo, translated in English as “The Flowers of May”.
Do you want to express your sympathies for a family’s loss? Do you want to express your deepest desires? Sometimes, saying things out loud can become too plain and might not be enough to convey the emotions you want to express. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words. This is never any truer anywhere than this country of smiles. Saying I love isn’t enough to show a Filipina just how important she is to you, especially when you are miles apart. So what do you do? How do you thank a friend for the help they have given you? Or tell your business associates how much you appreciate their time? Well, you can do it the Filipino way – send flowers.
Flowers have their own language, so they say. If you need to say something to someone, there’s no better way to do it than sending them flowers. Through a florist, you can send coded messages of love and admiration; you can show your affection or even ask for forgiveness. Now you don’t have to speak words of love you’ve always found hard to say.
Of course, flowers just aren’t for the Philippines – they have an international language. There are many flower shops around the world and many florists say that it is probably one of the most profitable ventures today.
Posted on Feb 28, 2010 under dried flowers | Comments are off
The more you understand about any topic, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this section you’ll find that the issue of home farming is certainly no exclusion. Gardening with bulbs has many advantages for the gardener. For one thing, most bulb plants are inexpensive, and bulbs are resilient out of the ground and enduring in the ground. Shopping for the right bulbs is also painless; minimally choosing stable, healthy looking bulbs, and avoiding those that are cracked, dry or velvety is a good way to wish the best bulbs for your plot. There are so many types of bulbs, however, that it can be strenuous to find the right ones for your backyard. The clause presents the orders overview of some of the most prevalent flower bulbs. Gladiolus Gladiolas are among the most accepted of all bulb plants, and their distinctive sword shaped grass and cone shaped flora are instantly recognizable to gardeners and non gardeners alike. This unusual appearance has made gladiolas a beloved bulb with many gardeners, and they make a subtle centerpiece to any patch due to their large bulk and attractive appearance. The large summer acme gladiolas can breadth in height from three feet to a titanic six feet, and their type of ensign makes them great for any patch. So far, we’ve naked some interesting proof about home farming. You may want that the next information is even more interesting. Gladiolas are best planted in the coil, but only after the soil has warmed. Gladiolas typically shadow between 65 and 100 years after planting. Many gardeners place new gladiola bulbs at one or two week intervals over a four to six week part to like continual blooms. Each gladiola bulb should be planted four epoch as profound as the bulb is large, for demand a one creep open bulb would be planted four inches intense. The spacing of gladiolas should be between four to six inches. Gladiolas do best in gorged sunlight, and they should be watered evenly during their flowering and increase phase. In much of the country, gladiola bulbs can be left in the ground over the coldness months, but many gardeners choose to dig them up and mass them during the iciness. If you determine to take this manage, it is best to dig them after the plants have twisted fair. The bulbs should be located in a sole layer and stored in a cool, dry and unhappy place to dry for two or three weeks. After the bulbs have dried sufficiently they should be stored in nylon stockings or onion sacks and reserved in a cool and well ventilated place. Hemerocallis is the scientific name for the daylily, and it is one of the most well known types of bulb plants on the promote. Gardeners devotion the strong and worry boundless nature of the daylily, and their arching and sword shaped foliage present a prominent addition to any garden. Daylily hybrids can grow as tall as six feet and thrive in the bound and summer months. The daylily produces flora ranging in magnitude from three to eight inches, and they are unfilled in a varied type of ensign. The daylily gets its name from the statement that each of its flowers lasts only a sole day, but its buds open on successive days, and this enhances the beauty of the plant. The daylily is actually a tuberous core type of bulb, and they are best planted during drop or early mechanism. Daylilies should be planted between 1/2 edge and 1 inch silent and universe between 2 to 21/2 inches distant in the garden. As with other varieties of bulbs, it is important to water daylilies on an accepted basis during their budding spell. This paragraph’s coverage of the information is as absolute as it can be today. Nevertheless you should forever effect open the possibility that prospect inquiries could expose new proof.
Posted on Feb 27, 2010 under wreaths | Comments are off
Once the tree is up and the house is mostly decorated, making your own Christmas wreath can be a fun project for the family, and the end result is usually a beautiful piece that can be displayed prominently for visitors to enjoy. There are so many different types of Christmas wreaths that your imagination is truly the limit when you create your own. In this article, we’ll cover a few of the basics you should know for making a beautiful and unique holiday wreath this year.
The first question to ask yourself is whether you want a wreath made of live materials. If you choose real greenery, the wreath will have to be disposed of at the end of the season, as the needles begin to dry out. On the other hand, if you use artificial greenery, your creation can be stored away and used again year after year. Don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to the evergreen look, either. There are many other non-traditional material choices that make fun and unique wreaths, perfect for catching your visitors’ eyes and starting a conversation.
Some alternative material choices for holiday wreaths might include ornaments, firm gingerbread or sugar cutout cookies, or even dried tree or grape vine branches tied together. Another option is to purchase an inexpensive Styrofoam base and then cover it with any other material of your choice, such as ribbons, leaves, buttons, beads, or pearls. The type of base material you use can also be a great way to establish a decorating theme.
A themed Christmas wreath is ideal if you have a particular room of the house where you want to display it, or if you want to reflect a certain aspect of your personality, such as a favorite hobby or your profession. For example, someone who enjoys cooking or baking could created a themed wreath to display in their kitchen, using items such as empty spice containers, small kitchen utensils, and cookie cutters as decorations. For wreaths that will be displayed in an office or place of business, try to create something that is indicative of the type of work you do. For example, an accountant might use fun decorations like pencils, calculators, and miscellaneous faux tax receipts and notes.
Assuming you’ve used non-perishable materials, you’ll need to find a safe place to store your new Christmas wreath after the holidays are over. Many people simply put their wreaths in cardboard boxes, or cover them with a plastic garbage bag before depositing them in a closet or storage room. However, these are not the best options. For starters, cardboard won’t keep dust and dirt away. Cardboard boxes also tend to attract insects and wick up moisture. Plastic bags, while they do keep the dust off, won’t prevent your wreaths from being crushed in storage. A far better option is a sealed storage container. Even better, consider investing in a special storage box or bag that’s specifically designed for storing wreaths. With the time and money that you’ve put into creating your new wreath, it’s worth the small investment to keep it protected so you can enjoy it for many years to come.
No matter what your choices for your Christmas wreath, making it yourself is a fun and family friendly activity to celebrate the holiday season. With a little imagination, anyone can create an end product that is unique and reflects their own tastes, personality, and sense of style.
Posted on Feb 27, 2010 under silk flowers | Comments are off
Natural-looking & life-like
Lush artificial Pothos greenery
Designer wood planter
Perfect fit for above cabinets, fireplace mantel, and office half-walls
33″wide x 19″high x 15″deep
Product Description This lush Pothos ledge plant is handcrafted by House of Silk Flowers. Show your sense of style by adding this to the empty spaces above your kitchen cabinets, the fireplace mantel, or the top of that armoire. This arrangement is so versatile; you can even use it to bring a little life to your office. This ledge plant contains a professionally-arranged artificial pothos plant securely ‘potted’ in a traditional metal and wood basket with 4 stable feet. The plant has b… More >>
Posted on Feb 27, 2010 under dried foliage | Comments are off
You’ve spent quite a bit time and effort to make sure your garden is laid out in the most promising way and considering how best to grow that garden organically. Now you need to take care of your plot. Plants need light and water to grow. The light is already taken care of by Mother Nature; you have to take care of the water! Watering the garden every evening after dinner can be good therapy for the gardener, but it’s not good for the plants. When the soil is often sprinkled on top but never deeply soaked, plant roots tend to remain in the damp, upper few inches of soil where they are vulnerable to searing mid-summer heat and drought. Vegetable plants need an average of 2-inches of water a week. Be sure to water thoroughly so the soil is soaked to a depth of 4 to 6-inches. This will encourage roots to grow deep. Germinating seeds and seedlings need to be kept uniformly moist without being washed away, so water them with a gentle spray every day or two. Developing plants need to be watered deeply, but less often, to encourage deep root growth. Water to a depth of at least 6 inches and then let the surface inch or two completely dry out before watering again. As a general guideline, garden plants that have been watered properly, and therefore have developed deep roots, need a thorough watering every 5 to 7 days in hot weather. Hand watering delivers water directly to the plants, thus eliminating waste, but it takes time. Spot check to make sure you are delivering enough water, and be careful to give all areas of the garden adequate coverage. Sprinklers have the disadvantage of wasting water by watering paths and other open spots in the garden. They also lose water to evaporation and wind drift. Because they wet the foliage, sprinklers also can promote the development of leaf diseases. However, sprinklers are easier and eliminate the need to stand outside holding a hose for 20 minutes – especially if you have a large garden. If you use oscillating sprinklers, elevate them above the tallest plants so the water streams are not blocked. To make sure all of your plants are watered, place sprinklers so their patterns overlap. Runoff indicates you need to water at a slower rate. You can also consider taking a simple garden hose and making your own irrigation system by poking holes in the top of it at uniform angles. Simply place this hose between the rows of plants and move when the watering is done in that particular section. You should generally water your garden in the early evening when it is cooler. This will reduce the chance of evaporation from the hot sun and heat. Early morning watering is fine, but less effective. Be wary of over-watering your garden. This can cause your plants to be less successful and produce disappointing yields. Generally, the first few weeks after planting and transplanting and during the development of fruit or storage organs are times when plants may be adversely affected by shortages of water, so water plentifully during these times. Obviously, Mother Nature will provide you with some of her water as well. Monitor your rain levels and check to be sure that your garden has enough moisture if it has rained to see if you need to add to it. Healthy plants that produce a wealth of healthy food can get a well needed boost from some type of fertilizer. Composting can provide this, but there are other ways to fertilize. One of the best sources of organic fertilizer is animal manure. Cow, chicken, rabbit, horse and mink are among the most readily available in many parts of the world. It is best to use them after they have had a chance to rot for a few years. They provide some plant nutrients, favorable bacteria, humus, better aeration and they help retain more moisture when they are mixed with your garden soil. Manures are available from dairy farms, riding stables, and poultry farms. Usually you will have to pick them up from these sources, using your own truck. Sometimes firms that deliver soils or mulches will also stock and deliver one or two types of fresh or well-rotted animal manures. A check of the want-ad section of the newspaper will often reveal additional sources of supply. If you use fresh manures, they are best applied in the fall, as they are apt to burn or retard plants if they are applied during the spring, growing season. Well-rotted manures can be used in the spring. You should apply the fertilizer around the base of the plant. You can use either fresh or rotted manure to make a liquid-tea to feed plants. The tea is usually made of one part of manure and ten parts of water. Let it set for several days before you use it then spray directly on the plant. The process-dried manures are often available at garden shops and can be used for top-dressing or they may be mixed into the planting soil. Fish meal, blood meal, bone meal, animal manures, cottonseed meal and processed sewage sludge are organic sources for nitrogen fertilizer. Phosphate rock and bone meal are the two organic fertilizers used to supply phosphorus. Wood ashes and rock potash are the two main sources of organic potassium. Your local garden department will generally stock any of the above organic fertilizers. You can also make your own fertilizer. Look in our recipe section! When it comes to fertilizers, Seed meals and various kinds of lime are the most important ingredients. These alone will grow a great garden. Seed meals are byproducts of making vegetable oil. They are made from soybeans, flaxseed, sunflowers, cotton seeds, canola and other plants. Different regions of the country have different kinds more readily available. Seed meals are stable and will store for years if kept dry and protected from pests in a metal container with a tight lid. Lime is ground, natural rock containing large amounts of calcium, and there are three types. Agricultural lime is relatively pure calcium carbonate. Gypsum is calcium sulfate and is included because sulfur is a vital plant nutrient. Dolomite, or dolomitic lime, contains both calcium and magnesium carbonates, usually in more or less equal amounts. If you have to choose one kind, it probably should be dolomite, but you’ll get a better result using all three types. These substances are not expensive if bought in large sacks from agricultural suppliers. Organic fertilizers are much more conducive to the environment and the health value of our foods than the traditional chemical fertilizers. Why? Organic fertilizers, manures and composts release their nutrient content only as they decompose — as they are slowly broken down by the complex ecology of living creatures in the soil. Complete decomposition of most organic fertilizers takes around two months in warm soil. During that time, they steadily release nutrients. With non-organic fertilizers, overdosing can be a real problem. They are so strong that it’s easy for inexperienced gardeners to cross the line between just enough and too much. Yet, despite their strength, inexpensive blends are incomplete. They supply only nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Unless the manufacturer intentionally adds other essential minerals, the chemical mix won’t supply them. Chemical fertilizers rarely contain calcium or magnesium, which plants need in large amounts along with tiny traces of several other minerals. Inexpensive chemical fertilizers dissolve quickly in soil. This usually results in a rapid burst of plant growth, followed five or six weeks later by a big sag requiring yet another application. Should it rain hard, the chemicals dissolved in the soil water will be transported as deeply into the earth as the water penetrates (this is called “leaching”), so deep that the plant’s roots can’t reach them. With one heavy rain or one too-heavy watering, your fertile topsoil becomes infertile. The chemicals also can pollute groundwater. The risk of leaching is especially great in soils that contain little or no clay. Chemical fertilizers can be made to be “slow-release,” but these sorts cost several times as much as those that dissolve rapidly in water. The seed meals in an organic fertilizer mix are natural slow-release fertilizers, and they usually are less expensive than slow-release chemical products. You should fertilize your plants once every three to four weeks. You will want to pay attention to how your plants are doing and fertilize accordingly. Some plants need more fertilization attention than others. Beans, peas, and carrots are among the low demand vegetables for fertilizing. They need fewer requirements for additional nutrients than the medium demand plants. Most garden plants are medium demand plants. These would include tomatoes, corn, squash, zucchini, cabbage and peppers. Be careful not to over-fertilize these plants. A good rule of thumb is 4-6 quarts of fertilizer per 100 square feet with a 1/4 inch layer of compost. Some high demand vegetables are artichokes, cauliflower, turnips, and spinach. These will require the same 4-6 quarts of fertilizer per 100 square feet, but you need to increase the compost layer to 1/2″. High-demand vegetables are sensitive, delicate species and usually will not thrive unless grown in light, loose and always-moist soil that provides the highest level of nutrition. Of course, you need to stay on top of the weeding to insure your plants have enough room to grow and that those weeds don’t steal away their food! We suggest tending the garden at the same time every day. Morning would be best since it is cooler during the summer and you won’t have to bear the oppressive heat. Don’t let the weeds take control. This is why we recommend doing so every day so that you won’t have a huge job if you neglect it for a week or so. Taking care of a garden might require you to get on your hands and knees to pull weeds from the middle of your bean plants or cabbage rows, so do this. It’ll save stress on your back and, of course, bring you closer to the natural environment that is your organic garden! Then just sit back and wait for the benefits of your garden – fresh produce! Of course, the successful gardener knows that once cold weather arrives, their job isn’t quite done.
