Discover all the container gardening tips and tools you need!

The lack of living space can be an issue for lots of families, especially after children are born. That is why families wonder how to expand their living space, how to add another room, etc, other than simply purchasing a bigger house. A good alternative is to have a garden studio. Garden studios are inexpensive and yet fashionable. You can opt between various architectures, some traditional and others more modern. You can equip it with electricity, running water, toilet, etc. Installing a telephone and setting up an Internet connection can also be of use, especially if you use the space for work-related purposes.

The value to your property increases if you add a garden studio. You will have more living space and also increase your propertys market value, which is good, in case you ever decide to sell it. The layout and finishing are of your own choosing. You can position it where you prefer. Moving it to another location is not complicated, as it is designed to be easily moved.

You can use the garden construction for various purposes. Garden studios are fit for having small private businesses like showrooms in them. They are also good for artists, as they normally rent out studios away from the house. However, they will find creativity working in the garden, surrounded by beauty and peace, and no rent money will be needed.

Having a summer house is the dream of lots of people. A big summer house can be expensive, but a garden summer house is not, so think about transforming your garden construction into a summer house. It is close to your house and you can furnish it as you please. Add to it whatever you need to feel relaxed: books, music, a TV, etc. Include a small kitchen and a bar and you can even have small parties in your summer house.

A garden studio may be very well turned into a home cinema, for instance. Or maybe decide to create a relaxation area where the adults can go, read and have some time off.

You can give the garden studio the functionality that you wish, and even change it over time. This modern construction will be of real help to get more living space, no matter what you decide to use it for.

The garden studios are a subtle exercise in balance between function and aesthetics, between natural materials and attention to high technology and the effect on their surroundings.

Instead of installing cobblestones, bricks or pavers like everyone else consider a stamped concrete driveway or pathway for your home. The process of stamping is to pour concrete as usual and then imprint a pattern on it with special tools that can make it look like wood, brick, seashells, pavers or cobblestone and in any color you choose. It is more durable that individual pieces that can move or crack with harsh winter weather.

This new twist on an old idea has been popular in California for a long time and is gaining popularity around the world. It makes a plain concrete surface into a decorative one in an easy to do process with the right people doing it. The designs that are pressed into the cement are done with tools that look like cookie cutters and come in many patterns.

The process of installing a stamped concrete driveway or path is to hire a professional to pour the concrete and reinforce it to avoid cracking. This solid surface ensures that you will not be pulling weeds between the patterns like you would if you had installed pavers, for instance. The stamped concrete surface gives you a clean maintenance free area to enjoy without the extra labor.

This is not a project you can do by yourself or with your friends, you will need to hire a crew who has experience with cement as it is a craft that requires people who know how to work with it. They will have special tools to do the job right. After they have installed it the end result will look just as good as pavers but not exactly the same and perhaps will look even better. You have the licence to make it look however you want to by adding pattern and color that no one else on your block will have.

The concrete should be a minimum of 4 inches thick to which you can add color to the mix or afterward it is poured. Broadcasting is the addition of color after the cement is poured and it is evenly spread across the surface. The method of mixing color in the concrete is referred to as integral coloring. A release agent is applied to prevent the concrete from sticking to the texturizing patterns.

The texturizing process is done with mats of patterns that are pressed into the cement until the entire area is finished. You can also use a broom to create a texture in the surface. Acid staining can be done to old cement to give it a fresh new look and then color can be applied and sealed. You should allow 24 hours for the cement to dry. Curing is an important part of the end result to eliminate cracking and other issues. Pressure wash the release agent and apply a clear seal.

When stamping first came to be it was not done very deep for fear that it would crack. Now deeper grout lines are done with no problems. Concrete is one of the most durable construction materials in use but without the knowledge of how to work with it you could have poor results. Cracking, dusting, shrinkage, discoloration, blisters and scaling are just some of the problems you could run into if you don’t have the right mix.

Concrete is made from a mix of stone, gravel, water, air and cement. The cement used is called Portland cement which has limestone, clay and shale in it. Your stamped concrete specialists will know the best mix for your job. These professionals will know what to use for your climate eliminating the fear of problems.

Looking for polished concrete or patio designs? Artevia specializes in concrete driveways and a wide range of backyard landscaping projects.

Growing strawberries in containers

Growing strawberries in containers or pots is easy to do, even if you don’t have much outdoor space. But you say I don’t have room for a garden! Not to worry, this article will show you how to grow strawberries in containers on your deck or any sunny outdoor area. In fact, pots, cans and, other containers are a great way to grow strawberries. Just feed and water your container-growing strawberry plants regularly and enjoy strawberries throughout the summer. Clay pots designed for growing strawberries work best with special pockets on the sides for multiple strawberry plants. What you’ll need to grow strawberries in containers or pots. Strawberry crowns preferably plants certified as disease free. Choosing containers: proper drainage is very important for strawberry plants to grow and produce plenty of fruit. You can either plant them in hanging containers or raise the containers to allow drainage. Any type of clay planter pots that have drainage holes in the bottom and saucers to keep the soil from washing away, will work just fine pick a size that fits the area you intend to grow your strawberries and how many containers you have. Most nurseries and garden centers also sell special strawberry pots which have pockets up and down both sides. If you use the strawberry pots, be sure to fill each one to the lowest pocket with soil. If you use cans, fill them so you have about one-and-a-half inches of the rim still showing.

Selecting Strawberry Plants – The two main types of strawberry plants are ever-bearing and seasonal. Either type will work fine for container growing, but if you live in a colder climate then the ever-bearing type may not survive the winter months, so seasonal producing strawberry plants may be your best bet. Preparing soil for strawberry plants: Strawberries like soil that is loamy, with lots organic material they can consume. Planting your strawberries after filling each container with the amended soil, also plant your strawberry plants so the roots are covered. Unless you have very large containers, place only one plant in each container. Strawberry plants should be about two feet apart from each other so that they get plenty of sunlight. Watering container grown strawberries, don’t over water your container strawberries they should be watered enough to keep the soil damp but not so much that you have any standing water. Again it’s important to be sure your containers are able to drain adequately without the soil being washed away. Fertilizing container grown strawberries throughout the summer months. Fertilize your plants every other week with a high phosphorus liquid fertilizer to encourage them to flower. Strawberries are one of summer’s special pleasures, and making your own strawberry patch is easy and fun to do Strawberries are a summer favorite, and growing them is easier than you think. Selecting the right strawberry variety will save you from having either too many or too few strawberries when you need them most. Even novice gardeners can expect great triumph in the container growing of strawberries. Container strawberries can be grown anywhere in a container, even inside an apartment with no balcony, patio, or yard.

Choosing the best variety of strawberry plants is vital to accomplishment in container growing strawberries. Aromas – Ever bearer; fast fruiting strawberries, resistant to powdery mildew and spider mites, large strawberry fruit, has some pollination issues. Since you are container growing the strawberries, follow one simple rule – only plant one strawberry plant per container. And remember strawberries can be grown in nearly any type of container hanging baskets, pots, tin cans, pocketed strawberry pots, and in tiers, to name a few. I hope these tips help you grow sweet and tasty container strawberries. For more tips on gardening go to www.Teegoes.org

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Ideas For Container Gardening

Container Gardening Ideas

So for my first official article, I would like to talk about the many reasons and ideas behind using container gardens. Some of these reasons are extremely straight forward, especially for those that rent their home and are not allowed to dig up a place in the yard. Or people living in big cities, dorms or other places where space is limited.

However the not quite so straight forward reasons are the ease in which a person can grow with containers. I use containers for my Peppers, my herbs and the more sensitive plants I grow. Herbs with many watering needs can be planted along side each other using container gardens. Not to mention you can bring anything you plant inside for the winter, extending your season year round if you desire.Now the key is you must use the correct containers with the correct soil.

I use container gardens to make an area more decorative, and to add scents to other spots. I keep one container garden on a counter in my kitchen so when I need fresh herbs I just have to turn around and pluck them, not to mention it looks and smells wonderful. Some containers are made with considerations for water foremost, while others are made to be decorative, and will stand on that merit alone.Most containers are made for practical reasons, such as strawberry towers.

I use container gardens because I love to touch the soil, and feel the leaves. I use container gardens to enjoy the sights and the smells, and even to take delight in the mud under my fingernails. And the rewards are many. Both in tangible harvests, and a difficultto define sense of well being.

Now for some container gardening ideas and tips.

Container Gardening Tips (from Container Gardening Zone) :
Want to keep the bugs off of your container gardens but don’t want to use harsh chemicals. Take a small containerin it, combine 1tsp. Combine thoroughly. Take a squirt bottle, mix 2tsp of the above mixture and 1C water. spray the above mix on any plants you may be seeing aphids or flies on.

Another wonderful thing to use as a Container Garden is an wooden barrel, cut the top off and put the soil in, the barrels give your yard an antique look and work great.

Container Gardening Ideas (from Container Gardening Zone):
Another fun thing to do is grow a “Tickle Me” plant also called a Sensitive Mimosa. If your not familiar with the Sensitive Mimosa , it is a plant that, well moves when you tickle it, I’m being serious it does. Best of all it is perfect for Container Gardens.

For more Container Gardening Ideas go to http://www.containergardeningzone.com

Organic Container Gardening – Growing Strawberries in Containers

Fresh, bright red and juicy strawberries are often used as dessert toppings and decorations because they make any food appear visually sweeter and mouth-watering. No wonder why many people love strawberries. But did you know that you can grow strawberries in your home? And for those interested in organic container gardening, strawberries are actually one of the easiest fruit-bearing plants to grow in pots. As long as all their growing requirements are met, strawberries can thrive well in any potted environment.

But before you rush to your local nursery to purchase a seedling, here are some points that you must consider to in order to successfully grow your own potted strawberries:

One: Choose the variety that suits your climate. There are two main types of strawberries – seasonal and ever-bearing. Seasonal variety bear fruits during May-June while Ever-bearing produce crops twice a year, one early in summer and another late in summer. If you live in colder regions, you’re more suitable to grow the seasonal variety because ever-bearing strawberries don’t thrive well in cold weather. But you can winter your plants by covering them with plastic sheets to keep the cold out. And since they are in containers, you can easily bring them in, especially during the night, to protect them from the cool evening draft.

Two: Pick pots or containers with enough drainage holes. Strawberries do not like to sit in soggy soil so good drainage is important. You containers must be at least 8-10 inches deep.

Three: Start with a good potting soil and enhance it by mixing organic matters in. You can also add fertilizers to the starting soil. When transplanting a young seedling, add enough soil such that the roots are covered and the bottom leaves are level with the top of the soil. But also, make sure that you leave at least 1 to 1 1/2 inch space between the rim of the pot and the top of the soil.

Four: Strawberries like it warm so give them daily doses of sunlight, making sure that you turn the plant around on a regular basis to expose all sides evenly.

Five: Avoid overwatering your strawberry plants. Water only when the top ½ inch of the soil feels dry to the touch.

Six: Feed your strawberries regularly with organic fertilizer to encourage them to bloom. Organic fertilizers that are high in phosphorus are your best bet because they aid plants in flowering and seeding.

Seven: Strawberry plants may produce fruits during the first year, but don’t expect too much. For the ever-bearing varieties, you can suppress flowering (by removing the buds) during the first season to ensure more fruits on the next year. They are sure to yield a good harvest during the second year. Wait until spring before your strawberries ripen.

Eight: When picking strawberries, pick only the ones that are already bright red in color with no green patched left.

Nine: Like you, some pests will not be able to resist the sweetness of your strawberry fruits. Slugs and ants are most likely to pester on plants that are placed at ground level. You can hang your potted plants to prevent these pests but make sure that the hooks are sprayed with ant-sprays. Birds, raccoons and other bigger animals can be attracted to the bright red berries too, so install a barrier or cover your plants with netting to stop them from enjoying your strawberries before you do.

Follow these organic container gardening tips and you’ll enjoy a sweet harvest of fresh, plump and red strawberries every year.

More Winter Container Gardening Articles

Organic Container Gardening – Growing Strawberries in Containers

Fresh, bright red and juicy strawberries are often used as dessert toppings and decorations because they make any food appear visually sweeter and mouth-watering. No wonder why many people love strawberries. But did you know that you can grow strawberries in your home? And for those interested in organic container gardening, strawberries are actually one of the easiest fruit-bearing plants to grow in pots. As long as all their growing requirements are met, strawberries can thrive well in any potted environment.

But before you rush to your local nursery to purchase a seedling, here are some points that you must consider to in order to successfully grow your own potted strawberries:

One: Choose the variety that suits your climate. There are two main types of strawberries – seasonal and ever-bearing. Seasonal variety bear fruits during May-June while Ever-bearing produce crops twice a year, one early in summer and another late in summer. If you live in colder regions, you’re more suitable to grow the seasonal variety because ever-bearing strawberries don’t thrive well in cold weather. But you can winter your plants by covering them with plastic sheets to keep the cold out. And since they are in containers, you can easily bring them in, especially during the night, to protect them from the cool evening draft.

Two: Pick pots or containers with enough drainage holes. Strawberries do not like to sit in soggy soil so good drainage is important. You containers must be at least 8-10 inches deep.

Three: Start with a good potting soil and enhance it by mixing organic matters in. You can also add fertilizers to the starting soil. When transplanting a young seedling, add enough soil such that the roots are covered and the bottom leaves are level with the top of the soil. But also, make sure that you leave at least 1 to 1 1/2 inch space between the rim of the pot and the top of the soil.

Four: Strawberries like it warm so give them daily doses of sunlight, making sure that you turn the plant around on a regular basis to expose all sides evenly.

Five: Avoid overwatering your strawberry plants. Water only when the top ½ inch of the soil feels dry to the touch.

Six: Feed your strawberries regularly with organic fertilizer to encourage them to bloom. Organic fertilizers that are high in phosphorus are your best bet because they aid plants in flowering and seeding.

Seven: Strawberry plants may produce fruits during the first year, but don’t expect too much. For the ever-bearing varieties, you can suppress flowering (by removing the buds) during the first season to ensure more fruits on the next year. They are sure to yield a good harvest during the second year. Wait until spring before your strawberries ripen.

Eight: When picking strawberries, pick only the ones that are already bright red in color with no green patched left.

Nine: Like you, some pests will not be able to resist the sweetness of your strawberry fruits. Slugs and ants are most likely to pester on plants that are placed at ground level. You can hang your potted plants to prevent these pests but make sure that the hooks are sprayed with ant-sprays. Birds, raccoons and other bigger animals can be attracted to the bright red berries too, so install a barrier or cover your plants with netting to stop them from enjoying your strawberries before you do.

Follow these organic container gardening tips and you’ll enjoy a sweet harvest of fresh, plump and red strawberries every year.

What is Container Gardening

If you are a garden lover, but have no space for your gardening appetite, don’t worry gardening is not necessarily out of your reach. In the available space of your house say balcony, patio, deck, or sunny window, you can create a container gardening, which will not only bring you joy but also vegetables. So, are you ready to start container gardening yourself…

In the past, gardening is an exclusive realm of the landowner. Nowadays even the flat dweller can grow his dream garden without having any fuss. One’s dream can be fulfilled by container gardening, which means the gardening in a special container. Container gardening gives delights of landscape without weekly mowing. In the container, you can raise some perennials, annuals, and even shrubs and small trees.

Don’t think container gardening can be achieved very easily. Container gardening also requires proper planning just like that of traditional gardening. Planning consists of finding your USDA zone (this will help to identify the suitable plant variety of your zone), amount of daylight you are receiving in your apartment, and finally choose your beloved plant variety.

It is always advisable to buy the plants from nearest nursery unless you have right conditions to go for indoor seedlings. You should not keep the tender plants of container gardening outside below 45° F temperature or in soaring winds. Moreover you should not leave the new plants through out the night in the outside to get frost it out.

There is a false notion that all the plants grow in the ground won’t grow in the container gardening. It’s not so. If you have any doubt, please do experiment on it. Moreover, any container with holes for drainage can be used for your container gardening. 

Container gardening requires little budget in the initial stage. But it is having low maintenance with good satisfaction. Container gardening requires little fertilizer and water according to the specific needs of the plants.  

There is numerous pot growing vegetable varieties as container gardening. In this type, the vegetable plant requires only sunlight and water. Providing these two things can easily help you get fresh vegetables for your ratatouille or salad. You can get more satisfaction by serving these varieties nurtured by your own hands to your beloved pals.

Don’t despair-if you’re not having balcony or deck? Get nod from your landlord for window boxes, a modern container gardening. It is highly possible to grow many bloomy annuals year-round and indoor vegetables in your sunny window. There is another type of garden called community gardens, which will satisfy the city dwellers.

There is no need to end your container gardening since you have entered autumn. But you can continue your container gardening by selecting the plants that are withholding the frost. The common plant varieties that stand up to the frost are Eulalia grasses, Mexican feather grass, Cornflowers, Lavender cottons, Jasmine, Million bells, Stonecrops, etc.,  In order to extend the life of your garden from early spring to fall, you can replant to match the conditions. Even you can contact some of the America’s best gardeners through online to get design for your container gardening. They offer suggestions such as caring and choosing for pots, how to grow tips for succulents, roses, and bulbs, in containers.

Find More Container Gardening Annuals Articles

Candle holders – Cool Summer Evenings in a Hot Summer Thanks to Styling Candle Holders

Want to light up your summer? It’s not too late: you can have the coolest Candle Holders for your summer nights!

Yes, really cool, really styling Candle Holders. these Candle Holders will do more than light up your nights. They’ll transform you yard and summer evenings. Not familiar with today’s Candle Holders? Well, let’s introduce you! Here are some questions to get you started.

What colors do you have in your yard or Home?

Let’s re-phrase that: besides green grass and flowers, what colors have you chosen to decorate your yard with? Think about the colors of:

Your house siding

Any fencing, patios and decks

Walkways: concrete, treated wood, bricks, pavers, etc.

Patio and deck furniture

Flower pots, bird feeders, etc.

Do you have a committed color scheme in your yard, or is it anything-goes coloring? Once you know you can begin selecting your new Candle Holders. . . yes, they come in great colors now What kind of finish do you want?

Great Candle Holders in a variety Wall Sconces and Vases

For a traditional look you may want Glass Candle Holders. For a little different look some Wall Sconces have clear glass containers!

And of course there are several Candle Holders with the cool finishes of Glass.

Okay, and yes, the traditional Glass Candle Holders. Because we still love them, and we can pair them with other sizes now.

Well, that should give you an idea how far candle Holders have come . . . will they make it to your house this summer?

Candles aren’t the reason to re-think it, though: what you place the candle in is what it’s all about. And think “in”. You can use the usual candle holders that are really just bases to set a candle on . . . or you can step up the style and find glass candle holders that you set a candle in, like a tall glass shape. A sleek fitted bowl. Like adult versions of those tea light cups – with style!

Imagine this: next to your fabulous collection of blue Depression glass you place ten-inch cut glass candle holders. Think about it.

Organic Container Gardening – No Garden? No Problem

If you want to try your hand at growing your own organic flowers and vegetables but have no garden, don’t worry. Many people grow organic products successfully using a container. You can keep the container wherever is convenient or move it around if you need to.

A container describes any vessel which can hold soil. It might be natural, such as a clay or wooden container, or you can use an old wheelbarrow, plastic carton or bucket. As long as it is not going to fall to bits when watered, you can make use of it. It is important that your chosen container can drain because most plants dislike being over-watered. If the container does not have holes in it, you can make some with a drill or knitting needle, depending what the container is made out of. An inch or so of broken clay pots, gravel or pebbles in the bottom of the pot ensures good drainage, while a layer of leaf mold or ripped up paper on top of the clay or gravel can help to retain adequate moisture.

Living, organic soil is very important in organic container gardening. If you are using a garden, you can gradually add organic matter to the existing soil but if you plan to use a container, you need to begin with organic soil. You need organic soil, capable of holding water without drenching the plants’ roots too much because there is no subsoil in the container. Adding peat moss to the organic soil is a good way to do that. You can grow organic products in peat moss by itself without adding soil if you prefer.

Depending on the size of your chosen container, you can grow whatever you like in it. As long as the pot is big enough, you can choose from herbs, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, lettuce and many other vegetables. Organic seeds and plants should be used for organic gardening to produce a true organic product, but as long as you don’t plan to sell the product, it is up to you. It can be fun to experiment!

Pest control is much easier in organic container gardening than in regular gardening. You can see the whole plant and pick off bugs such as hookworms. You can bring it to a faucet to wash the leaves and stem when the plant is in a pot instead of in the garden. You probably won’t see cutworms if you are using containers but you might find slugs. Simply sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the soil around your produce to get rid of them.

If aphids make a home on your plant, you can sort this problem out by buying a pack of ladybugs which will eat the aphids without destroying your produce.

Anyone can have a go at organic container gardening. It is easy and can be very satisfying to grow your own food. Organic food tastes so good too. If you can place your container in a sheltered area with natural light, it is possible to grow produce in it throughout the year.

I am collecting Giles annual cartoon books. I started a few years ago before we emigrated Down Under and then didn’t start again until a few months ago. His cartoons were the source of a lot of my background information of twentieth Century history as he pictured the goings on in the news, often bringing down convoluted stories into a simple picture with a pointed caption mocking the situation. He almost always drew the little man, bringing the story down to the everyday level that anyone would be able to comprehend. He may be cooking at the bbq and passing a comment on BSC or other food fright or sitting watching the football and giving his take on a sports scandal.

The key to a great number of his cartoons was the Giles family. This consisted of Mr Giles, the archetypal ordinary man who came from anywhere suburbia, middle aged, long married and long suffering at the hands of his progeny. These were mainly a pair of teenage daughters who, through the years dragged home a series of unsuitable unsuitables who changed from teddy boys to mods and rockers, hippies, punks to new romantics. His eldest son Ernie and his mate Larry from next door who are around eight and bring all sorts of havoc. Larry is the type of boy who would attach a turbo charger onto a gas bbq and sit back and watch with a camera while somebody went to light it. Then there is Uncle George and Aunt Vera and their baby who live with them. George never speaks, just sits in the corner and smokes his pipe which steams like a charcoal bbq. Vera always has a sniffle and is holding a tissue to her nose and bottles of remedies around her. The baby is always being tortured for experiments by Ernie and Larry. They couple be in the background at a family bbq with the baby on a spit roast and Larry about to set the fire below.

Greatest of all is Grandma, the overpowering mother figure of the family attired in black with an ostrich head umbrella near to hand with which to thrash any miscreant who get too close. These may include jockeys whose horse she wrongly backed or a shopkeeper who sold a malfunctioning product. She is frequently the one speaking the punchline or the centre of the story, often as she comments upon a story she’s reading in the Daily or Sunday Express. An example would be from the sixties when the paper ran a series of features on sex for youngsters, she is seen reading it and laughing mightily with Ernie saying to his mother “Grandma says she could have written a better strip than that when she was a girl”. She is regularly the butt of the boys’ mischief, perhaps being served with a red hot coal from the charcoal bbq in a sandwich being delivered by Larry.

No matter the news, from the immediate post war era through the social revolutions and evolutions in society, government and whatever else, the cartoons of Carl Giles retained an irresistible humour bringing the biggest crises down to the understanding of the man in the street. The Giles family, whether at a family event like a camping holiday, going out in Mr Giles new boat or assembled around the gas bbq at a party, regularly gave the end product of the joke.

The annuals are still published to this day, though Giles himself died in 1995, and still contain previously unpublished cartoons and collecting them all is a worthy ambition.

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