Useful Herb Gardening Information

Useful Herb Gardening Information

Herbs may be a very tolerant kind of plant but they need care nevertheless and here are a few areas that you should remember when you start an herb garden.

Before you start an herb garden clean up the area where the plants are going to be planted. This includes digging the soil to remove all weeds that may already be present, their roots and other organic matter. Dig up the soil thoroughly to ensure there are no lumps which will block the easy passage of water and disturb the growth of your herbs. Well rotted organic matter should also be included in the soil to increase its ability to retain water and keep the roots moist.

Most herbs can up by themselves and do not need any external assistance to extend themselves. But staking is an important thing to do in several varieties which need a support to grow up on. Use good quality stakes, available in many shapes and sizes for you choose from at your garden supply store. It is better to use a nice stake right from the beginning of the plant’s growth so that it grows to cover the stake which is no longer visible and the plant is growing healthy around it.

Weeding is also a very important thing you should regularly do when you start an herb garden. This is so as the weeds use up space and nutrition that is meant for the herbs and do not allow them to grow well. Also herbs being small plants are usually the same size as the weeds, so eliminating the weeds is necessary. Never allow the weeds to flower and remove them before they reach that stage as it become quite difficult after that with new weeds growing all over again and again.

Herbs do not need too much in terms of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Try to incorporate as much nutrition as possible using organic matter and mulch. You don’t want to be taking a dish full of chemicals when you sit down to eat your home-grown herbs. That in a way defeats the purpose that you had in mind when you decided to start an herb garden.…

Home Improvement Can Be Fun!

Home Improvement Can Be Fun!

Home improvement and home remodeling can be an arduous task, but if you are really committed to redoing your home, it can be a very fun experience! Last summer I decided to do a little home improvement and home remodeling. I wanted to put in a jacuzzi in my backyard and redo my master bathroom. Some of it I was able to do on my own, but for the more tricky repairs, I called in a handy man to help me.

I decided to put in a jacuzzi in my backyard primarily for relaxation purposes. My husband also wanted a jacuzzi and so did my kids. So I went to a pool and jacuzzi store and picked out one we all agreed on. I had a handy man come in to do all of the digging and assembling. He had to dig a very big and deep hole in my backyard in order for the jacuzzi to fit there. It took him just about a week to put in. It came with ten powerful jets and five less powerful ones. The jacuzzi had steps all around the circumference, so you could enter in anyway. It was about five feet deep and had handle rails and a cover to cover it when it was not being used.

My husband and kids loved the new jacuzzi! They use it just about every night. Sometimes my husband will bring a book out there at night and just relax there reading his book. When it is a cold night, it feels so good to get into the boiling hot tub. The kids sometimes invite a friend or two over to enjoy the hot tub. They even asked me if they can have a jacuzzi birthday party. I guess I’ll have to think about that one.

The next task on my list after the building of the jacuzzi, was redoing my master bathroom. I knew what I had in mind. I wanted to retile the floors and walls, put in a new shower and bath, and pick out a new shower curtain, towels, and floor mat. The tiling my husband actually helped me do. We picked out a pearl-white tile color. We used small one by one inch tiles for the walls and one by one foot tiles for the floors. It was a very clean look. Then we had a handy man come in to put in a new shower and bath. The new shower had a shower head with stronger water pressure and it hung down vertically from the ceiling. We had the handy man make the bath larger. Before only one person could fit in there, now two people are able to fit comfortably in the tub.

Once all of the repairs were done, I was able to have fun and decorate. I picked out matching hand towels, bath towels, a curtain, and floor mat. They were all a cream color with one purple stripe. The cream color was used to match the tiles of course. I am really satisfied with my new home repairs and suggest everyone do a little remodeling on their home, just to change things up a bit!…

Whose Problem? – Neighbours, Friends and Enemies

Whose Problem? – Neighbours, Friends and Enemies

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.~G.K. Chesterton.

It is an astonishing wisdom to realise and recognise the truth that at some point in time all people will have their turn against us. It’s only natural when we’re the sort of people who are hurt in a flash.

The Tale of Two Neighbours

I recall someone telling me about something funny that happened to them regarding their next-door neighbour. Only a short time after shifting suburbs and getting used to the new area they found that the next-door’s dog would bark incessantly. It drove them crazy. They knocked on the neighbour’s door to call attention to the matter. But the neighbour wouldn’t answer. It was sounding as if the dog wasn’t being properly cared for. So, they ended up calling the local council to report the problem.

The next-door neighbour then became known and it seemed that problem had resolved itself. They’d been contacted by the local council (as a result of the complaint) and they’d decided to have the dog fitted with an expensive device that prevented excessive barking. And then the dog became known and it was actually a lovely little dog; one that endeared itself to the whole neighbourhood.

Then one day, whilst my friend was playing ball with one of his children the ball went onto the next-door neighbour’s roof. Another time the soft ball bounced into the next-door’s yard and hit two cars with one of the neighbours outside, a witness to the event. You can imagine how sheepish my friend had suddenly become!

The irony of it all was the next-door neighbour never once complained, and my friend, the one who registered the complaint with the local council, now felt rather awkward about the whole arrangement.

Neighbourly Affairs – A More Balanced View

The main point when it comes to neighbours is we cannot know beforehand how matters with neighbours will go. So, we should be very grateful for good neighbours; those treating us with grace. Likewise, we should also be neighbours who are full of grace, and not quick to register complaint.

If we consider for one moment that we are someone or everyone else’s neighbour we can begin to see the dilemma.

We are potentially someone else’s problem just like our neighbours to us might potentially be a problem. The propensity to hurt isn’t just others’ vocation or volition – it’s ours too!

There’s a great amount of truth and wisdom to the reality that we’re not just in receipt of the problem, we too are part of the problem.

It’s something important to be aware of.

Copyright (c) 2010 S. J. Wickham.…

So You Want To Build Garden Decking? Here Are Some Important Points To Consider

So You Want To Build Garden Decking? Here Are Some Important Points To Consider

Maybe for some time now you have really wanted the perfect garden decking but have been unsure as to what’s involved and where to begin. Below are some important points to help you get started.

Before embarking on a build you will need to have a pretty accurate idea of cost, design, lighting, size, type of materials, and how it will be completed. Many designs that are in magazines or books can be created by you at low cost. If you want something more original you can create your own design that is perfect for your home, with the particular features that you love.

The first thing that you need to be very clear about is your budget. Once you know how much money you plan to spend you can you get an idea of the design, and the type of materials that you will be able to use. You may also want to look online to see decking examples created by keen DIY’ers and professional companies. Many garden design companies will have a website with an image gallery that you can view online to give you some ideas and inspiration. You will also be able to view pictures in the various gardening magazines to give you additional guidance.

The material that you use can complement your home and decor. Bricks, wood, and steel can all be material choices that you can apply for your project. Some will last longer than others, some will be cheaper and some will definitely look better. It all depends on what look you want to achieve and how the project will compliment the landscaping of your home. You can use more than one material type to enhance the style you desire.

Most decking is not complete without lighting. If you like to host social functions outside or simply enjoy outdoor dining, you will want to integrate some kind of lighting to compliment your landscape. There are a myriad of lighting choices you can pick. However, you will want to pick something that has the ability to not use a lot of energy or can be converted to low voltage so that your energy costs will not skyrocket. Don’t forget to think ahead when starting your project, as there will be preparatory work required for the lighting that you won’t want to leave until the decking is completed.

There are lots of keen and ambitious people who decide they can complete their garden decking project on their own. If you decide that you want to go about doing this yourself you should speak with a landscape consultant and even a builder to help you get started. You don’t need to rush the project, and it’s very possible that the decking will evolve somewhat during the construction process. Once you’ve completed the job you can take pride in knowing that you completed the job yourself.

If you think it’s too much work for you to take on, commission a professional garden landscaping and design company to undertake the whole project.…

A Look at the Home Water Dispenser

A Look at the Home Water Dispenser

Do you trust your city water (H2O)? Not if you are smart. There have been over two thousand pollutants found in our drinking supply, and that is not the worst of the situation. While treatment plants are doing their best to purify it, they have limited funding and old systems. And they are using cheap chemicals to clean and purify it. While this method is working to kill most of the bacteria and other harmful substances, it is still filling our supply with chemicals that are also harmful contaminants to the human body. For this reason, all of us should take our health seriously and invest in a home water dispenser.

In 2008, a study showed that 53% of Americans were worried about what might be in their drinking H2O. And since that time, this number has greatly increased. Many drink it in bottled form. And while this might offer a good temporary solution, it can get quite expensive if you have to purchase all of drinking supply this way.

And not only this, but you will be adding to the waste of our land. A much more cost effective and earth friendly solution would be to obtain a filtered dispenser that you could use at your own convenience.

Have you ever heard of a home water dispenser? This is a cooler in a free standing system that will keep your H2O cool and ready to dispense whenever you need it. It is quite a handy device to have and will keep you from purchasing bottled H2O again and again. Instead, you can use the same reusable cup to get a drink and quench your thirst whenever you feel the need.

The H2O that you supply to this cooler should be purified before it is placed in the cooler unit. You can use reusable tanks that are refilled at a filtered source for this. Some coolers even come with the flexible option of being able to heat and cool H2O. You can choose the hot variety whenever you need something warm, and the cooler when you want to quench your thirst.

There are both tabletop water dispensers as well as free standing ones. These will also come in a variety of different sizes and prices. You will need to determine how much your budget can afford and what options would be most practical for your use. Most hold anywhere from three to five gallons of water.…

Protect Your Garden With Pressure Treated Fence Panels

Protect Your Garden With Pressure Treated Fence Panels

There are an abundance of uses for garden fencing but the one that is of highest concern currently is protecting your garden for the winter and using fencing as a shield. It is important to remember that fences have a variety of uses. Not only does garden fencing protect your garden from the harsh weather conditions but they offer an attractive surround which will allow you to obtain some eye catching summer and winter garden images. With blustery winds expected to set in very soon garden fencing is the perfect protection for your garden.

The panels you choose is very much your decision but treated panels in particular have a design that allows the wind to pass through the fencing rather than pressure the fence which reduces the chances of your garden fencing collapsing.

Treated panels differ as they are dipped in wood treatment which allows the wood to soak up a protective dip. This then means that your fencing is not just protected by a coat of paint on the exterior but protected throughout the entire wooden panels which adds to the strength and reliability that the fence panels offer.

Pressure treated fence panels are constructed by being screwed in rather than nailed which makes the fence sturdier. Certain treated panel designs such as hit and miss have one front and rear panels that are screwed into a middle framing. Being designed in this way it ensures that wind has the opportunity to pass through small gaps which reduces the strength of the winds not only adding to the stability and reliability of your fence but also protecting your garden.

Compare this type of construction to the non treated fencing and you will certainly see a difference as the non pressure treated panels are nailed to each other rather than screwed which does not make them unreliable but not as stable as the treated designs.

As you would expect pressure treated panels are more expensive so it will also depend on your budget on which fence you can afford to buy. The advice we would offer if you are looking to buy garden fencing to protect your garden this coming winter and would be to purchase pressure treated panels. There are extensive ranges of fencing types that are treated so you will be able to find a garden fencing style to suit your home.

For example if you are looking for an original design then the horizontal hit and miss fencing are ideal. Or would you rather have a more attractive and contemporary design like the Prague fence panels. Garden fencing can be styled simply by altering the top of the panel for example a curved or wavey design adds appeal simply and effectively.

Whether you are looking for front or rear garden fencing there are treated panels to suit all of your needs with 4ft heights; perfect for the front garden and 6ft for the back garden.…

Small Garden Design – Three Herbs to Add to Your Design

Small Garden Design – Three Herbs to Add to Your Design

In her wisdom, nature has supplied us with a large number of organic herbs that can remedy virtually any illness. Here are just three that, depending on your small garden design and growing circumstances, can certainly be used with your design.

Ginger- this is prepared as an ingredient in many dishes and foods. The juice from old ginger roots are really delicious and are included in a lot of Asian cooking.

Ginger has a really distinctive smell and has been used for generations for medicinal cures. Ginger is praised as an effective treatment for the common cold: Add one tsp of grated ginger to hot sweetened water in order to feel much better fast. Ginger has additionally been long used as an useful treatment for both an upset stomach as well as swelling.

New research indicates it might likewise assist cut down cholesterol levels and avoid blood clots. However there are likely damaging bad reactions with ginger as well. It is not advised to add ginger to your diet if you are on blood thinners..

The ginger plant gives a gorgeous add-on to your small garden flower itself begins as groupings of pink and white buds that blossom into a stunning yellow bloom. Thought to be indigenous to the southern part of Asia, Ginger grows best in warm areas

Cinnamon- This spice has been used since antiquity. The Old Testament particularly mentions cinnamon many times. Cinnamon moreover has a lengthy background of being used as a medicine and has been used to ward off typical colds and deal with diarrhea. A lot more recently, the plant has been reported to possess beneficial effects in the therapy of Type 2 diabetes.

Garlic- Man has used garlic as both a food and a medicine for thousands of years. There are Egyptian records regarding garlic back as far as the pyramids and it is still cultivated there today. As a medicine, garlic was used as a remedy for digestion, respiratory difficulties and to kill parasites.

Today, research has found that garlic has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties. Some other research suggests that garlic helps prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, as well as some types of cancer.

As a food, garlic is used around the world as a seasoning or condiment because of its strong flavor and aroma. Garlic is also used in garlic bread, bruschetta, and canape.

When used in your small garden design, the garlic plants will help repel small pests such as rabbits and moles. The plants themselves are very hardy and are not subject to many common plant diseases.

So there are just three suggestions for adding edible content to your small garden design. With the thousands and thousands of other herbs around you can mix it up to your heart’s content!…