Even Non-Gardeners Can Grow Cucumbers

Cucumbers are are easy to grow and provide a bountiful harvest with minimal use of space. Grow vining cucumbers along a fence, trellis, or using beanpoles. Cucumbers may be the highest producer in volume for the amount of ground they require to grow.

Cucumbers thrive in zones 4 and higher. Either plant seed any time after the last frost or sprout inside and transplant after the last frost. Plant the seed 1/2 into the ground. It will take 5-10 days for the seeds to sprout. Plant several in each hole and thin.

They like well drained fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Use 10-10-10 for fertilizer. Harvest time will depend on the type of cucumbers you grow.

They need watering regularly. Keep the soil moist. Wilted leaves are a sign of too much water being lost. Keeping the plant wet invites all kinds of problems. Water with sprinklers in the morning but water the soil by hand as needed.

If you are running your plants along a fence or trellis then space them 6-10 inches apart. Use 4 plants for each 6 foot beanpole with 3 anchors. You are providing structure so the plant can spread out and absorb as much light as possible.

There are literally hundreds of varieties of cucumber available. Grow several each year and regrow the ones you like. Replace the others with new varieties. Burp-less is probably the most popular with new gardeners.

Should You Use Grass Clippings as Mulch?

by janet ashby

Using grass clippings for mulching is a long established practice, as clippings are organic and can be of benefit to any garden if correctly applied. But there are some points to consider before you use grass clippings in this way.

It's important for you to understand the purpose of mulching when you choose your mulch, because when used correctly it can conserve much-needed moisture from rain and other forms of watering. The key is to get mulch that doesn't mat and lose water; therefore, it needs to be loose and coarse so that water can get through it to the soil. To be most effective, mulch should be able to maintain a three-inch thickness with no matting. The best way to prevent the spread of weeds is to use a three-inch layer of mulch, which also acts as insulation by keeping soil warm in cold weather and cool in the hotter months. Ultimately, this protects the roots of the most shallowly rooted plants.

Organic mulch has a number of benefits, as it add nutrients to the soil when the organic material decays. It can also help to improve soil structure, because it allows various organisms to live that are essential for garden soil to thrive.

If your lawn is properly cared for, you shouldn't have any grass clippings, which are a common yard waste. In order for your clippings to be fine-textured enough to decompose where they lay, you should take care to mow your lawn at the proper height: 2 1/2 inches to 3 1/2 inches when the temperature is cool, and 1 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches during warm weather. You should also mow your lawn often and use a mulching blade, cutting only one-third of the blades' total height. If you leave these clippings in place and allow them to decompose, they'll eventually add nutrients back into your soil which will have numerous benefits for your grass. Up to 24 percent of the necessary nutrients for grass can be supplied by grass clippings alone, which contain roughly 4 percent nitrogen, 2 percent potassium, and 1 percent phosphorous.

One of the concerns about using grass clippings as mulch is the threat of insecticides, weed killers and other chemicals that have been used on your lawn in the three weeks prior to the time you need the clippings for mulch. Another problem with clippings is that they compact tightly and get soggy, making it more difficult for water to penetrate through and reach the soil. Moreover, grass clippings that are applied in thick layers will warm up as they decompose. This can damage the roots of some plants, alter the soil temperature and have a negative effect on plant growth, and contribute to the development of disease. If you're going to use grass clippings as mulch, first subject them to hot composting.

About the Author

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Grow Bountiful Fruit Trees

by Rudy Silva

Is it time for you to upgrade your home yard with trees? Have thought about planting fruit trees with other types of trees? There are some great fruits to plant. They come in different sizes so you can pick small or large. You will have to pamper the trees to get them started. Do you have experience planting? Use the tips in this article to start planting your fruit trees.

Planting fruit trees in your yard can be productive. It provides shade for you and the whole family. Birds are also attracted and may be happy in building their nest on the trees. Growing trees can give you a pleasure when they start to bear fruits.

If you plant a single-semi dwarf apple tree, in a season you can produce up to 500 apples. Its productive life can reach 20 years. There is also a tree that has a shorter span in producing fruits, and it can take 8 months up to one year depending on its harvest time.

The benefits of planting fruit trees are many, you have to consider many things including, the type and size of trees, the location of the trees to grow, the condition of the soil, and the maintenance. It's not that easy to grow fruit trees, but you can fully enjoy the rewards when it bears fruit.

If you want to have a shady tree, an oak or maple tree is the best choice to plant. It can be grown several feet away from your home in your backyard. Make sure that your fruit trees are not planted near your fence. When they are grown, they can damage your fence and can cause trouble to your neighbors.

The soil conditions are also an important consideration. If you are in a community that always experiencing drought, you can choose a Russian olive tree, Pear tree, and apple tree. These trees are well-suited for dry land. To improve the soil conditions you can add compost, mulch, or top soil. Make sure to water the soil constantly. An arborist can recommend to you different trees that are appropriate to your soil.

All trees require maintenance, which is another consideration in growing fruit trees. During the first year, pruning fruit trees are very important to get rid of any dead limbs or branches. These limbs should be inspected for any pest infestations. Trees that are planted closer to your houses should be pruned regularly.

There are three sizes of fruit trees that you can choose from. There are dwarf fruit trees, which are ideal for small spaces. They do very well in an 8' diameter area. They are the easiest way to prune and harvest because they do not grow tall. The fruit has a normal size; the disadvantage is, it can produce less and has a shorter life span.

The semi-dwarf fruit tree requires a growing area of 15' diameter, and they can range in height from 10 to 16'. They need annual pruning to keep the height down and the shape balanced. These trees are very productive; it can produce hundreds of fruit in one season.

The standard fruit trees are huge, which requires more space. It is more difficult to prune and harvest. At the peak of their growth, they can reach 40' high, if left un-pruned. They are great for grandchildren to climb on and to attach a swing to it.

In choosing the trees to plant, it is helpful to go to the local nursery to check the different varieties. There are fruit trees that do not self-pollinate, so be ready with your pollinators.

About the Author

Visit us at http://www.naturehills.com/ to see what fruit trees you might like. Do you like the fruits framers grow, you can have the same. These trees produce a lot of fruit when mature. Choose the type of fruit that you like. Visit us at Fruit trees to decide which tree we can ship to you.

Grow A Winter Garden

by Louanne Baelde

Okay, so the sun is not out there as long. Avid gardeners don't let that stop you. Winter doesn't have to be a time of scarcity. Bring life back to the cold winter months. It's absolutely amazing to see tiny little green stalks popping out from under the snow.

There are steps that you can take to assure that your garden will look colorful all winter long. Plant beautiful shrubs or trees with vibrantly colored bark with artfully textured twigs. These cater to feed our winter birds, and add color to instead a drab winter garden. Some vines appear to be ice sculptures with the winter freeze. Such architectural delights!

No need to spend a bundle on fertilizer. Compost and mulch is one of the best fertilizers that you can use, and certainly very affordable. Many gardeners place bales of hay on top of their new plantings to keep them warm. Snow is one of the best covers for both carrots and parsnips.

Now of course, you will definitely want to have your winter gardening facing south. Your new winter vegetables will need as much winter sunshine as possible to be a success.

Planting different evergreens work great in the wintertime. They help to shield the plants and not only look absolutely beautiful, but serve as a windbreak. Boxwood shrubs normally stay green all winter, and when planted on the north side of your garden, will also give you added protection for your winter garden.

One of the things that you can do to keep your plants healthy in the winter is to cut back on the watering. This will help to prevent the green foliage from freezing.

Unbelievingly, some live where it's as low as -25 and still sell fresh produce all year round at their local farmer's market. Many of these planters plan for the whole year when they plant, and not just for the summer. These growers usually use the wooden frame structure technique. Now, what exactly is this technique? Well, it's a wooden frame that is topped by other glass or plastic that covers and protects the plants from the elements. Yes, these types of structures are the ones that are often used to start seedlings in the spring. They can definitely now have double uses.

Turnips, parsnips, carrots, beets and leeks are all ideal choices for your winter garden for up until about the end of December, depending on your geographical area of course. Fresh carrots are often pulled out of the snow in December and often, even in January! After that up until about the month of April spinach, Swiss chard, and kale come into play.

Many will attempt potatoes and yams in potted pots on the balcony. Others will try fresh herbs on the window sill.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different ideas. Growing your own fresh produce is so beneficial.

For those that are in the coldest areas of the country, using potted plants are always another great choice. Some go as far as to have a winter garden as planting in their house, rooftop, balcony, and window sills, or next to a trellis stashed away neatly at the corner of the house.

To know which types of seeds to select for your climate and zone, gather one or two planting catalogues and note which seeds will grow and work best with your geographical area.

Don't forget to keep your statues, bird houses and bird feeders for the winter garden, as they make a magnificent addition to your winter fashion wardrobe. Gates decorated with wreaths also add a festive theme to your garden entry.

Grow your own vegetables all year round. It's not as hard as you think. You will be amazed at not only the amount of money that you will save, but the absolute fantastic taste difference.

About the Author

You may find several gardening tips and gardening resources at http://ez-gardening-tips.com EZ-Gardening-Tips.com Top gardening directory and gardening articles.

How to harvest and dry parsley

by Steve Gunther

Harvesting and drying your own parsley is very simple to do and assures that you will have homegrown parsley all winter long. I use the parsley from my garden to re-fill my dried parsley spice container and I can taste the difference. Here is how to do it.

1. I am not picky in how I harvest my parsley. I simply grab a clump of it and snip it near the base with a sharp pair of garden scissors. The parsley will grow right back and fill in the clump that I just cut.

2. Take the cut parsley and rinse it to make sure that any little insects or dirt/dust is off.

3. Get a large baking sheet and spread the parsley out on it. Try to make sure that the parsley is not piled to high in any one area of the baking sheet as this will slow down the drying process. Alternatively, you can hang clumps of parsley with twine tied around their stems in a dry cool place to dry out.

4. Place your oven on the "warm" setting or at 200 degrees or less. This will dry out the parsley without baking it or burning it. Many people, myself included, like to keep the oven door slightly cracked to let the moisture out. If you let the door cracked make sure to keep kids and pets away from it.

5. Occasionally check the parsley and turn it and spread it out more when needed. It will likely take a couple of hours for the parsley to fully dry out.

6. Once all of the parsley is completely dried, remove the tray from the oven and let cool. You are now ready to crumble the parsley and place it into bags or containers. I crumble the leaves and remove the stems at this point, however, you can remove the stems from each plant before step 3.

About the Author

Steve Gunther is passionate about vegetable gardening. Though only introduced to gardening himself a couple of years ago, he has immersed himself in the gardening community. Steve is currently starting a website dedicated to vegetable gardening http://getready2garden.com/ and a blog: http://getready2garden.blogspot.com/

How to Build a Pole Bean Tepee

by Steve Gunther

Building a tepee for your pole beans to grow up is a fun and space saving method of growing these delicious vegetables. Follow the steps below to create your own pole bean tepee!

1. First you will need to make mounds to plant the beans in. The mounds I build are approximately 6' from side to side and 8"-12" high.

2. You will need to find a pole for the center support. I like to use pressure treated 2"x2" lumber in 8' sections. These can be found at any home improvement store (will likely be back by decking materials).

3. Using a saw (miter, hand saw, reciprocating saw, any saw!) cut one end to make it pointed. It should now look like an 8' tall stake, pointed on one end and flat on the other.

4. Drive the stake into the center of the mound using a mallet or heavy hammer. You will want to bury the pointed end about 2' deep. You will likely need a step ladder for this part. Also, at this time you will want to screw an eyebolt into the flat top of the stake (get as large an eyebolt as you can without splitting the lumber).

5. Next, choose approximately 8 small wooden stakes (these can be found in several different lengths in most garden centers, you will need to cut them down to about 10" long with one end pointed). Try to space them evenly around the top edge of the raised mound around the center pole and drive them in at an angle away from the center pole (like tent pegs).

6. You will now need either heavy garden twine or fibrous light rope. You will start by wrapping one end around one of the small stakes with one heavy duty staple to hold it in place, run the other end up through the eye bolt on the large stake, then down to the next small stake, where you will again make a single wrap around the small stake and affix it with a staple. Continue doing this all the way around and when you are finished you should have something resembling a tepee.

7. The final step is to plant beans near the bottom of each of the small stakes and at the bottom of the large stake. As these plants grow you will need to train them around the twine. However, once the vines really take off you will no longer need to train them. In no time at all, all you will see is a large green bean tepee. This method makes picking the beans very easy and you can grow enough for a whole family off just one or two tepees.

About the Author

Steve Gunther is passionate about vegetable gardening. Though only introduced to gardening himself a couple of years ago, he has immersed himself in the gardening community. Steve is currently starting a website dedicated to vegetable gardening http://getready2garden.com/ and a blog: http://getready2garden.blogspot.com/

Garden Pests

by Steve Habib

If garden pests are not a problem gardening is so much more enjoyable. When toxic sprays and chemical are applied to plants, it never good for the environment, not to mention the health risk to humans and pets. There are a number of beneficial predators you can attract to your garden that are just as effective as any harsh chemical spray.

Some of these garden allies live within your garden already killing garden pests that harm plants and crops. Two types you may already heard of are toads and frogs. Both have always been attracted to gardens.

To entice these critters to call your garden home add a small pond, birdbath, or waterfall. This is something they will enjoy and will give them reason to stick around all year.

Toads and frogs are effective at controlling garden pests from getting out of control and devastating your garden plants. The Ladybug and Green lacewing are two beneficial insects known to feed on aphids and other pests.

One green lacewing can eat 200 aphids in a 3-week period of time. To get more of these friendly bugs to your yard, you can buy a food source from a garden nursery. You also can buy these bugs directly from suppliers found on the Internet.

The use of ground beetles is another way of getting rid of garden pests. During daylight hours they hide beneath rock and other yard debris. At night they emerge to feed on cutworms, slugs, snails and other unwanted pests. To encourage ground beetles to call your garden home, place some large stones where they can hide under until feeding time.

Birds are another effective way to keep pests out from your garden. Birds feed on caterpillars, slugs, snails, grubs and aphids to name a few. Placing bird feeders, baths and houses are an effective way getting birds to stick around your yard.

Providing water and food year-round is sure fire way of attracting beneficial predators to your garden. Once in your garden they do the dirty work of eliminating garden pest from plant and crops. Unlike most chemical sprays, the use of these predators does no harm to the environment or put your health at risk.

About the Author

Steve Habib is researcher on the subject of growing and caring for different kinds of plants. You can use his research to eliminate garden pests from your garden free. Just visit Garden Pests Now