<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><rss xmlns:atom='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' version='2.0'><channel><atom:id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758</atom:id><lastBuildDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:26:23 +0000</lastBuildDate><title>Gardeningtips News</title><description>All The News About Gardening</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/</link><managingEditor>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</managingEditor><generator>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>27</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-1518080125750814319</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:31:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-11-02T19:35:34.112-08:00</atom:updated><title>Get in Shape by Using Gardening</title><description>While the garden is usually more productive than a raise and beautiful plants to obtain tasty fruit and vegetables, some gardeners never as huge amounts for the year, can be found in the garden. Because you can almost as much muscle (if not more) the financial year, how you're doing work, it is also very productive. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You  may wonder, how gardening could give more to the exercise of that work. Just think of all the different facets of preparing a garden. There are holes dug, bags and pots to be transported, and weeds to be withdrawn. All these things do work, will help to nearly all the muscle groups of the body. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My brother is a fanatic of the work. Almost every time I start his house calls, I quit suspend certain activities from fatigue, muscle weakness. I've never really loved to work, if, as it seems that the permanent lifting of heavy things that are putting pressure on my body, not once with positive results. But it is in the works, I'm almost as excited by the idea of &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/beginner-flower-gardening.php"&gt;the garden&lt;/a&gt;. I work outside of improving my garden almost daily. I think I have to my brother when he stated that I am almost as muscular as he is, but I have already taken a single dumbbell! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Before you go in your garden, you should always be. Even if your goal is not to work and a little exercise is always a good idea. Often the gardener for long periods longer bent or curved. That can not be good for your back. This will not only be the one hand, but you should always frequent breaks when the level of expenditure weather in these positions. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The weed control and the size are just some of the best training units can be a gardener. With the ever-continuing or stand, the legs have an excellent workout. If your weeds are particularly resistant, your weapons are particularly invigorating just the effort needed to remove them from the ground. If you plan to download the entire training very seriously about it, you always need the transition of weapons of bodies and division of work between the different areas of the body. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the hands, the resources to a little exercise is in the transport and lifting of bags and pots. Between the nursery and in your house, you must sacks on numerous occasions (at the box office, in your car, in your garden, and then spread in a row). As long as you remember, lifting with your legs, not your back, transporting bags and pots, a training big enough, even though you're probably not very often these acquisitions. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mows your lawn can also be a good exercise. If you have an old mower, which are not self-propelled, watching the grass grow makes you more about training to go to the gym for a few hours. While mowing the lawn, use your chest, arms, back, shoulder and keep the mower before. Your thighs at the end and also worked a lot to the mower. You get not just a muscle to all the work, but it can damage your health at heart. That is good for you, like cardio-vascular diseases, as well as an excellent way to lose weight because of the increase in heart rate and breathing heavier. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you plan to the garden as an opportunity to get in shape or lose weight, you can get heavy. It will certainly expand, drink plenty of water, and apply a sunscreen. Unless you take action to prevent some negative effects as from the muscles, dehydration and sunburn, I think you have a great time and finish in a healthy person to stand.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/11/get-in-shape-by-using-gardening.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-5954816530527881340</guid><pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:12:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-11-02T20:19:15.200-08:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>Rose Gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>Antique Rose</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>How to Antique Rose</category><title>How to Antique Rose</title><description>When we think of an antique, a rose might not come immediately to mind. But the old roses are there for centuries. Shakespeare used the word "Eglantine" When there is the rose in his Sonnets and plays. “Eglantine” is described in the dictionary as a rose with fragrant leaves and pink &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/permalink.php?article=Flower-Garden-Design-Tips.txt"&gt;flowers&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are not familiar with the word "Emporium", it means a big shop with a wide range of things that can be purchased. There are ancient empires rose delight producers has increased. You buy an old pink emporium already rooted in a rose. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How can we prepare for an antique grow? First, choose an area that offers several hours of the morning sun. It is best for the factory space for air circulation in good health as the bush to grow and develop. Break the ground, a bar is handy if you want to plant a large number of plants in a field. It is better for the rich land on which the growth of your antique. The ancient will better if you add good quality &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/organic-gardening-supply.php"&gt;organic&lt;/a&gt; matter and, if the soil is well drained. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When is a site preparation for planting antique? It is best to prepare for spring or summer if you live in a southern climate. If you're new to planting, it is a simple assumption that all planting must be done in the spring. But it depends on the climate of the region where you live. If you buy seeds, it is usually useful maps on the backs of seed packets to use as a guide. If you make a purchase from a nursery, you should ask this country. Of course you can always try those who go online to search or the local library or use the advice of a gardener. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How long can you a former in a container before planting outdoors? If necessary, you can create a container of antiques in a few months. You want to give them more attention than when they located outdoors. Remember to fertilize and water often --- and do not forget a good drainage and air flow around the plants! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you add to your mulch antique roses? A gardener who breathes pure neglect to add mulch! The cuts in the weeds. This May seem strange, because it contributes to the growth of a type of plant and inhibits the growth of the other. Mulching also means less stress for your roots of the fire. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How many times whether the ancient water? It contributes to the depth of your antique once a week, which means, saturating the soil where you planted your rose. Several hours or overnight it will succeed. This is where it is extremely helpful to have a soaker hose for soaking more than one plant at once.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;An old pink is not free of disease, but it is resistant to disease. It is always important to look at insects or other damage. If you spray, it is preferable to use a fungicide light. If in doubt, read the labels on the product carefully. Pruning your antique light and respect. It will not bloom and when the new growth has suffered damage as a result of heat or frost.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/10/how-to-antique-rose.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-556377967759412050</guid><pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:54:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-11-02T20:06:00.266-08:00</atom:updated><title>Rose Gardening</title><description>Ask someone who has a green thumb to the garden, and you may need audio tape device to remember that all recommendations have you! Almost everyone who has interest in the garden for flowers and plants will eventually Mosey is in the area. It's almost irresistible, because the beauty and fragrance of one of the most popular plants on earth. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A rose is not like the others. Rose Garden to open, then surely the reasons for disputes among the other gardeners. This is a subject like education of children. In the crowd rose in the garden, their plants are often referred to as their own children. They must be fed and properly managed and to flourish in their majestic beauty. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gardeners have been talking with their plants to mollify, at the best of health. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Rose Garden, to participate in your hands dirty. If you really benefit from the experience, you must dig with enthusiasm and kiss you for your adventure. Now there are gloves, you know, but the Earth welcomed the practical experience. Some say it is quite satisfactory, as one with the soil. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is certainly an art to the garden. The experience can be as simple or scientist as you have chosen. You may want to do things as mulch, a shovel, a hoe, weed killers, or watering the tube, and perhaps have something of what the growth or Miracle "food" for your rose plants. Not to mention band aids, if your plants have thorns! You are sure to dive at a time when the nature of the plant, which produces rose thorns. It is part of the experience in the garden in order. &lt;br /&gt;Roses are known to contract diseases, so you want to know your plants and be able to recognize the health changes in their leaves, color, and the entire health. Everything can be vivid and so must. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Certainly, some research is recommended when you begin to garden. It would be desirable, on the lookout for your type of plant is repealed. The lovable Miniature roses may need different treatment than any other type of plant is repealed. Also, a rose that grows well in one area of the globe may struggle in another.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You do not know where to start? The Internet has vast amounts of data rose in the garden. There are gardens in many areas. You can use your local library or promoted to the business book of books or magazines. Perhaps this is a good way, with neighbors that you never know approach. There are also many elderly, the gardener of the mentoring student is in the garden. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Remember, if your work is, you may want to share the beautiful &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/gardening-flower-plant.php"&gt;flowers&lt;/a&gt; with someone special, someone or many. A child of the teacher, certain person alone in a nursing home or in hospital, someone who is not in a position to benefit from the first experience in the &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/permalink.php?article=Flower-Gardening-Tips.txt"&gt;Rose Garden&lt;/a&gt;, a family or a friend. So, you choose carefully and choose enough to share! A rose is not just for himself alone enjoying.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/09/rose-gardening.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-3484971281915530471</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:05:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-11-02T18:09:55.425-08:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>Choosing The Right Gardening Tools</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>Gardening Tips</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>Gardening Tools</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>gardening</category><title>Choosing The Right Gardening Tools</title><description>If you consider seriously and out of your garden every day to increase the attractiveness of your garden, do you want the right tools to help you, just to do so. You might be tempted could, in a shop and buy only the next, you see, but you're much happier if you have a lot of thought into the kinds of formats and tools you buy. There are styles designed just for the garden, and you're better to buy. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You'll find most of the tools you need in your local garden or renovation business. Normally, employees simply rejoice, you find the ideal tools. If you are in a shop that specializes in garden, you can usually tips and more service. Memory used in the garden are generally not missed a wealth of wisdom, and they will learn, as I almost everything I know today, on the garden. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If it is difficult, the right tool, or if you want a little money, you could search for the supplies you need. You need to shipping and a week or two, but often when you have more than a tool, the sum of savings in the amount. You must always buy from a vendor, well-known, albeit in research and in advance of whatever negative, that people had to say about their experiences buying. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What digging the basic tools go, you might have already everything you need. There are different types, you should receive, if for different tasks. A roundabout is a good shovel in the hole digging around the plants. A cat is necessary to work all the more complex. A garden fork is not so much, but I have a tool in my hangar, and I was happy for them again. After these different varieties of digging tools can help you to minimize the work that you have to do. For example, if you try to dig a large hole, with a little cat, you are quite tired. This applies even if you try to do more detailed work program with a large shovel clumsy. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A rake is an absolute necessity. You've probably already very much, but I guess that there was a lawn rake and not a garden rake. There is certainly a difference, and if you try to rake grass in the garden, then you will not be happy with the results. Even if you have a sort of entrepreneur or a rake. You’ll want to look for a bowhead rake. I found these are the best targets for the garden. They provide a maximum degree of control and precision, not accidentally rip your valuable plants. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Regarding the chopping go, I do not think that all gardeners should be less than 3rd There are so many useful varieties on the market that I have a hard time to recommend a single, and therefore I will tell you all that I use. Whatever more, the onion hoe, it's very easy and ideal for small crops and weeds. The Warren hoe is a larger model, with a peak. If you have to dig a hole or vile tares are the one for you. There are several varieties, but I recommend those who I have mentioned. During the garden in order computer science, see the need of various types. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Most people believe that just the &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com"&gt;garden&lt;/a&gt; consists of a simple shovel. But there are many, many tools, with many more changes that you use in your career in the garden. Normally you can use a few different tools, but you find that you always greater than varieties for specific situations. This is simply a question of recognition when his instrument better than the others.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/08/choosing-right-gardening-tools.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-4558104486356298606</guid><pubDate>Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:36:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-11-02T17:55:34.136-08:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>The Improvement In Your Garden</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>Gardening Tips</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>efficient gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>gardening</category><title>The Improvement In Your Garden</title><description>&lt;meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"&gt;&lt;meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"&gt;&lt;meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"&gt;&lt;meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"&gt;&lt;link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CMERATU%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:worddocument&gt;   &lt;w:view&gt;Normal&lt;/w:View&gt;   &lt;w:zoom&gt;0&lt;/w:Zoom&gt;   &lt;w:punctuationkerning/&gt;   &lt;w:validateagainstschemas/&gt;   &lt;w:saveifxmlinvalid&gt;false&lt;/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;   &lt;w:ignoremixedcontent&gt;false&lt;/w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;   &lt;w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext&gt;false&lt;/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;   &lt;w:compatibility&gt;    &lt;w:breakwrappedtables/&gt;    &lt;w:snaptogridincell/&gt;    &lt;w:wraptextwithpunct/&gt;    &lt;w:useasianbreakrules/&gt;    &lt;w:dontgrowautofit/&gt;   &lt;/w:Compatibility&gt;   &lt;w:browserlevel&gt;MicrosoftInternetExplorer4&lt;/w:BrowserLevel&gt;  &lt;/w:WordDocument&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"&gt;  &lt;/w:LatentStyles&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;style&gt; &lt;!--  /* Style Definitions */  p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal 	{mso-style-parent:""; 	margin:0cm; 	margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 	font-size:12.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 	{size:612.0pt 792.0pt; 	margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; 	mso-header-margin:35.4pt; 	mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; 	mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 	{page:Section1;} --&gt; &lt;/style&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 10]&gt; &lt;style&gt;  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable 	{mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; 	mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; 	mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; 	mso-style-noshow:yes; 	mso-style-parent:""; 	mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; 	mso-para-margin:0cm; 	mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; 	mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 	font-size:10.0pt; 	font-family:"Times New Roman"; 	mso-ansi-language:#0400; 	mso-fareast-language:#0400; 	mso-bidi-language:#0400;} &lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A good medium, season to your garden is a function of water. These can be soothing and aesthetically. I noticed that there's nothing as the meeting relaxing on a bench next to my garden and listen on my fountain while I read a good book or do some studies. Put water into a function is quite simple and relatively cheap, is immense and the friendliness of your garden. In addition, maintenance is minimal.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In general, persons with the installation of wells to the station is natural. For some reason, around a magnificent scene of water gives you a positive energy. It is also good if you practice Tai Chi or some form of yoga or meditation. The buzz standing water is exactly what most people should focus on what they do. Even if you're not in this kind of thing, just in a garden with a fountain, a kind of meditation is good, even if you do not try to do so. I recommend to everyone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you decide for the first time in a well, you must be very careful in one command is well with the rest of your garden. If you have any other decorations you want to check if it goes well with your subject. Are you considering the fountain in your garden as a defeated inch, or is it as it was to be there? If you're like me, of course we can not say if the well is a good complement to your garden, just you. My solution was for my sister (a natural person and fashion design on such tools), with a picture of my garden business. I was able, in his opinion, that to me see what it would be. Thus, I have the free choice of a beautiful rock wells, with the marvelous&lt;br /&gt;the rest of my garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But I had a little problem with my well of electricity supply. You see, my garden is not quite near my house. I thought it would be quite sticky, for an extension in my backyard, that is what I have to come up with another solution. I have my situation with a collaborator Home Depot, and he quickly found the exact solution me, I need the: an extension to bury! He was taken every few hours to dig a small ditch in my yard, and I had my sink without a cable is laid in my yard. After about this problem, my plan has wells.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So if you're looking for an opportunity for your elegant garden and a beautiful place to be, I hope you consider a well. The whole process is surprisingly cheap, and I think you'll be very satisfied with the results. With a well in your garden is not only comforting, but it also adds a lot of character, another garden Bland. Remember that gardens are not only for us, vegetables! A garden is a place to go if you wish, remove the rest of the world and live in your own idea flawless.&lt;/p&gt;  </description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/08/improvement-in-your-garden.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-1973614239050572294</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:06:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-28T01:06:00.818-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>compost</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>composting technique</category><title>The Greens and Browns of Composting.</title><description>Imagine yourself as a chef of a fancy restaurant. To cook a delicious meal, you carefully measure the ingredients and combine them to create wonderful dishes. The same can be said when creating composts. This time, however, instead of the people in the restaurant as your customers, you will be answering the needs of your plants. And just like cooking, you are given the task of putting together in equal amounts the “greens” and “browns” of composting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; “Greens” and “browns” are nicknames which are used to refer to the organic materials used in creating compost. The major differences between these two elements are not so much on the colors of the organic matter themselves but rather on their basic components. The Greens are organic materials rich in nitrogen or protein. Meanwhile, Browns are those organic matters that have high carbon or carbohydrates contents.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Because of their high nitrogen and protein contents, Greens allow micro organism in composts to grow and multiply. Also, the Green components generate heat in compost piles. The Brown elements on the other hand contain the energy that most soil organisms need. Furthermore, because of their high carbon contents, the Browns function as a big air filter, absorbing the bad odors that emanates from the compost pile. The carbons also help prevent organic nitrogen from escaping and also aids in the faster formation of humus from the compost.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In case you’re stumped whether an organic waste or material belongs to the Greens or Browns variety, one of the easiest way to test it is to wet the material. If you find the material to stink after a few days then it belongs to the Greens variety. Again, remember not to be fooled by color.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For example, although leaves come in green, brown, red, etc. colors, they are classified as Browns. Leaves are high in carbon. The evergreen leaves for example have higher carbon contents than any other leaves. However, there is always an exception. Oak tree leaves do not fall under the Greens classification. Oak leaves contain high amounts of nitrogen which makes them fall under the Greens category.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Other examples of Greens include animal wastes, grass clippings, and those left over food from your kitchen. AS long as you don’t use harmful chemicals like inorganic fertilizers and pesticides on your grass, then the use of grass clippings I is okay. Meanwhile, papers, wood chippings, sawdusts, bark mulches and other wood products are most often than not fall under the Browns classification.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sugar products are also classified under Browns. These include molasses, syrups, sugar and carbonated drinks. You could use these sugar products to activate or increase the activities of microbes in your compost pile.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some other Greens include vegetable and fruit wastes, eggshells, as well as coffee grounds, filters, and teabags. For the Browns, they have hay, straw, and cornstalks. Pine needles fall also under the Browns category. However, it is suggested that using too much pine needles on the compost pile will give the Browns too much of an advantage.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once can achieve a successful compost with the correct ratio of Brown and Green components. Ideally, a “Browns” and “Greens” of composting ratio of 3:1 would ensure a successful compost.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This means, you will have three parts or the pile made of components high in carbon (Browns) and one part of it made up of nitrogen-rich ingredients (Greens).</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/greens-and-browns-of-composting.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-4736981249123432762</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:02:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-27T23:02:00.554-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>process of composting</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>compost</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>composting technique</category><title>Top Reasons for Composting.</title><description>Some of us may be hesitant in making and using compost. They find the task of making one troublesome and time consuming. Or they might have false perceptions of smelly compost piles and having such a messy process right in their backyards. While others would prefer buying their fertilizers, soil amendments or conditioners, and mulch from their garden stores to avoid all the hassle of reading about compost and actually making one.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here are my top personal reasons for composting. I only hope that you move your butt out of that chair and begin your own compost pile before you reach number ten.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first reason I find composting highly worthwhile is the fact that the materials used are absolutely free and are readily available. Compare that with the ever rising costs of commercial fertilizers and other gardening products in the market today. All you need is a little extra effort to find the best materials for your compost pile, but otherwise, everything’s for free.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second one is that compost provides more nutrients and minerals needed by my plants than commercial organic or synthetic fertilizers. The overall effect of compost is also longer than commercially available fertilizers. It’s free and it works better, who wouldn’t want that? Plus, if you organize your ingredients just right, you can provide a whole lot more range of nutrients.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another good reason would be the benefits of compost to the soil structure. When applied to the soil, compost can help the soil be more resistant to erosion, improve its retention of water, and in some types of soil (like clay) it can reduce the chance the soil becomes compact. This is also important for farmers since compost can make the soil easier to till conserving time and fuel needed to operate the machines.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With the right composting technique, the process can kill those troublesome weeds as well as pests and disease-causing organisms present in the materials being composted. High temperature composting is the technique I am talking about. Although, this technique is not the backyard variety but rather a more laboratory or industrial type variety, I still find it a good reason why we should make composts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There have been studies which indicate that using compost can suppress the growth of diseases in crops. Other studies also show that crops grown over compost rich soils can resist better pest or insect attacks. Likewise, some news and observations in the field also shows that crops grown using compost bear produce that can be stored longer. If that’s not reason enough, I don’t know what else you are looking for.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For the environmentalists and conservationists, compost has something for them as well. Using compost together with the soil can build soil carbon which can eventually reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It may take a lot of compost to have a positive effect on the greenhouse gases but that fact is quite useful as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is also found out that compost works well as an antidote for soils that are toxic with agricultural chemicals. Compost can balance the levels of soil acidity, and helps farmers to go organic after years of using synthetic agricultural products.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These are my top reason for composting. Some of it may not directly benefit my personal needs but having those reasons to cling onto is a good thing to motivate the use of compost.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/top-reasons-for-composting.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-2634740554153400608</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:58:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-27T21:00:39.931-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>process of composting</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>compost</category><title>Learning the process of composting</title><description>Organic matters tend to decompose naturally. But you can actually help make the process easier by learning the process of composting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Having a compost may be easy or hard, depending on the way you will do things and how you will manage your time in doing so.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hot or Cold?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are basically two ways in having compost done. It can either be hot or cold. The cold type is the easier route. You just have to leave the pile to rot. That is the idea. You gather useful materials for your compost. This includes matters like leaves, grass trimmings, vegetable peelings, fruit scraps and all the waste that can be seen in the garden. But this will take a long time because you are not really helping the materials on the pile to disintegrate much faster.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is the difference of your second option, the hot type. For this, there is an art and method being followed starting from the time that you put your materials on bags or compost bins. Some people recommend that you place the green leaves first, add soil, then you can add the kitchen wastes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The latter includes the peelings of vegetables and fruits, eggshells and other kinds. Just do not add up on the materials that will attract unwanted visitors to your compost. Do not throw in excess food especially meats.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You must keep the pile that is holding up your compost moist. But keep it at a moist level. Your pile must not be totally wet. To do this, you must add up just bits of water to the pile periodically or when you deem that it is necessary. Others will suggest using beers instead of plain water. Beers contain yeast that will then make the bacteria on the pile contented with glee.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Your compost pile should always be maintained. Aside from keeping it moist, you must add up on the trimmings as well as the soil whenever necessary. You can also add some manure to help advance the decomposition process. Aside from these, you should also take time to turn the pile every once in a while. This way, air circulation will improve and this will also make the process faster.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When will you know that the end result is ready to be utilized? If it already smells like earth and it already looks like dark soil, then it is time to get it out of the bin and utilize it on your gardens.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some gardeners believe that the products of compost alone will not make your garden soil completely healthy. You must aid that with other materials and use the compost just like how you will use a conditioner on your hair. It can be treated as an amenity but not the complete package.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To make the process easy on your part, you have to remember that you are doing this for the sake of nature. You are only giving back what it has given to you. And look around you very closely before starting out the process. Your location should be good enough to accommodate this process. This should not cause any inconvenience on your neighbors as well as your family members.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Composting is good and can be easily done. You just have to remember to do everything with the responsibilities completely retained in your heart and on your mind.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/learning-process-of-composting.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-7077745741578006563</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-27T20:34:42.621-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>water conservation</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>optimizing garden</category><title>Optimizing Your Garden for Drought or Water Conservation</title><description>Living in Colorado and being a gardener has been rather stressful in the past few years, as this state has been undergoing a rather severe drought. The city is imposing watering restrictions which are not giving enough water to lawns and plants. I’ve had to renovate my garden to make it more water efficient. Now, because of the techniques I’ve employed, I’m the only one in my neighborhood with a garden that isn’t completely brown. So if you live in an area that is going through a drought or if you just want to save water, I suggest you use some of these techniques as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First, I took out all my plants. The soil I was using didn’t retain water very well, so I had to water about twice as much as necessary in order to get it to actually absorb into the roots. If you have this same problem, you can fix it by loading the soil up with lots of compost. This not only&lt;br /&gt;prevents water from escaping, but encourages the plant’s roots to be healthy and able to survive more.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once I was done optimizing the soil for my new low water consumption plan, I was ready to replace all my plants. I decided that the placement of all my plants would reflect the amount of water necessary to keep them alive.  All the plants that don’t require much water I placed in on one side of my garden, and then just progressed in the amount of required water to the other side of the garden. As a result of my new arrangement, I don’t have to waste water on plants that don’t need it as much.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The installation of a drip irrigation system was another move on my part that reduced the amount of water I needed to fully water my garden. The great thing about these systems is that they constantly drip into your plants, so that every single drop is absorbed. With traditional watering systems, usually the roots get too overwhelmed with the sheer amount of water in the soil. Thus, lots just seeps right past. This is all taken care of with the drip system.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you still seem to need more water than you can supply to your garden, you might consider which plants you could replace with less water dependent plants. If you want a good shrub that doesn’t use up more than its share of water, look for Heavenly Bamboo. It is not only tolerant of&lt;br /&gt;droughts, but looks rather decorative in any garden. Herbs such as rosemary are useful in preparing meals, and are rarely thirsty.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you’re trying to find flowers that will still be lush and beautiful despite the lower amounts of water, look for penstemon varieties like Garnet, Apple Blossom, Moonbeam, and Midnight. You can attract hummingbirds and butterflies with varieties like Cosmos and Yarrow. The best part about all these plants is that they don’t look rugged and withstanding, but they sure are. Your neighbors wont be saying “Look at them, they downgraded their plants just to withstand the drought. What chumps!” Instead they will be marveling over how you keep your flowers so&lt;br /&gt;beautiful in the midst of the watering regulations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of my favorite drought resistant plants is the Lavender plant. I could go on for pages about it. A large group of Lavender plants looks unbelievably gorgeous in your garden, and hardly requires any water to flourish. Pineapple sage is another personal favorite. It is a 2+ foot shrub that smells strangely of pineapple. It’s another major attracter of hummingbirds, and the leaves are also useful to add taste to drinks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So if you are in the position I was, and you’re dealing with a drought and perhaps watering regulations, I suggest you try some of the things I’ve mentioned. Even if you’re just trying to conserve water or be generally more efficient with it, I think you’ll still be able to benefit.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/optimizing-your-garden-for-drought-or.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-4278653391388107552</guid><pubDate>Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:07:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-27T01:07:00.989-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>controlling pests</category><title>Organic Garden Guide to Controlling Pests for Your Vegetables</title><description>If there is anything that prevents your organic garden from yielding the best vegetables, it will have to be the pests that invade and surround your area. Now, if you are really serious about controlling those pests and keeping them out of your garden for good, a volume of materials is readily available for you to be equipped and knowledgeable about the various types of pests that can threaten your crop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The very hard thing about pest control is the fact that there are so many types of pests that can invade your garden; it will really be quite a challenge to recall them in one sitting, so full immersion to your gardening activities is the only surefire way to inculcate ample knowledge on pests to watch out for.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the tried and tested tactics for pest control is by familiarizing yourself with the famous insects and animals. These enemies of the garden will really hamper the growth of your crop only if you let them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Beetles&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You have two options for beetles: manually remove them by hand or spray them with insecticide that is poisonous to them. If left untreated, beetles have the capacity to bore so much holes on your leaves and eat away at your vegetation over time, especially when their population has already burgeoned. Beetles comes in a variety of types, but the remedy for it is usually the two techniques mentioned above.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Aphids&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You will often find sticky groups of insects that are invading your garden in hues of red if you have aphids in your garden. Fortunately, you can easily remedy this by spraying it with soap insecticide or any similar material. Aphids are common to almost every garden vegetable you can possibly imagine, so if you are growing vegetables, you are most likely to encounter these sticky organisms.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Cabbage Worms&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Neem oil is the cabbage worms' worst enemy, so if you spray them with it, they will be out of your garden in a jiffy. The thing is, you can determine whether cabbage worm are in the garden if you find green caterpillar and holes on the leaves of your plants. You can also pick them by hand if you are more courageous or maybe spray them with insecticide if you don't have neem oil handy at the time of infestation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Cut Worms&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you see crawling, dull caterpillars that are brown in color, then you have found cutworms invading your territory! Placing paper collars around plants after digging around the area may help prevent cutworms from taking up your precious soil and nutrients. Some chemicals may also work like insecticides, but this is a general cure. You also need to dig a lot because the cut worms have this tendency to snuggle up on your plants for shade and life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maggots&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maggots are extremely disgusting, and they tend to make your landscape ugly if you do not try to get rid of them. Bleaching is one of the best ways to get rid of maggots. If your organic garden is also situated beside a garbage bag, you may choose to transfer your garbage bag elsewhere because leftover meals like meat tend to attract these maggots and they might decide to branch out of the garbage bin and into your garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are many other kinds of pests that you can control in your garden given the right handy tools and knowledge on how to best eliminate them from your organic garden.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/organic-garden-guide-to-controlling.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-4692878484444348383</guid><pubDate>Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:09:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-26T01:09:01.269-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><title>Steps to Success with Organic Gardening</title><description>If you have long been curious about organic gardening, you may now be familiar with how things are being done in this process. But even so, you must not tire out from learning new things to help you with this venture.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is important to keep yourself updated with how things are being done. You should be in tuned with the local gardeners in your area so that you can talk things out with enthusiasts like you. If your goal in going organic in terms of gardening is to help nature, then you are on the right track. For sure, nature itself will find ways to help you out and for you to be able see solutions to your problems just around the corner.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is how generous nature is. And this is also the basic idea of the organic process of gardening. It is to give back to nature what nature has bestowed you with. In gardening, you will have to veer away with synthetic materials. You only have to use what can be found on the ground or the environment around you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For example, in fertilizers, you have the option to make your own compost. But this is no easy task. Doing so will take a lot of effort and time on your part. The first method to go about this is to gather dried leaves, certain animal manure, vegetable peels and the likes on a compost bag. You have to attend to it periodically to add moisture once in a while and to make sure that you are doing things right.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second method is to pile up the materials that you have gathered on the ground. Pile those up in a space that you will allocate for your compost. You just leave them there and let nature takes its course through those materials. Through time, years even, that pile will be turned into compost materials that you can also use as fertilizers for your garden. But you've got to be careful to choose only the part that is not infested with pests. If not, you'll have bigger problems with your garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The latter method will take longer. And because it is open and you cannot regulate it, certain elements can be accommodated into the pile which may be harmful to your garden. So when you are already using that, you still have to check very closely so that you will retain your garden's health and beauty.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You have to remember that you must be picky with your plants. Ask a local dealer what plants will grow easily on your location. You must not opt for something you like that will not survive the site's conditions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Learn the art of mulching. You have to do this periodically in your garden beds. This will kill the growing weeds. You'll be able to monitor the unnecessary pests and get rid of them. This also moderates the temperature of the soil. And by mulching it, you'll prevent the soil from eroding.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have a variety of plants in your garden. This way, you will be able to attract beneficial insects. These are the types that would feed on the pests that your garden may incur.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And the most important thing to do in organic gardening is to befriend your plants. You must know all them fully well. This way, you will have an idea as to what to do in cases where a problem struck and you have no one to help you.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/steps-to-success-with-organic-gardening.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-1837655671473828484</guid><pubDate>Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:06:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-25T01:06:00.659-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>gardening supplies</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic vegetable</category><title>Organic Vegetable Gardening Supplies</title><description>Organic farming is the trend these days because it is cheap and it is environment friendly. Before you get started, you need to get some organic vegetable gardening supplies from your local store.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These supplies consist of different things. Soil is perhaps the most important given that this is where you will plant your vegetables. Before you prepare the land or put in the seeds, you have to check its condition.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Since you are not sure about its pH level, you should get some compost first and put it there as it neutralizes it if this is too high as well as provide a range of nutrients to prepare the soil for cultivation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some people don’t buy compost but make it themselves. For that, you can use weeds, dead leaves, vegetable and meat waste products and manure. This is because they are biodegradable and at the same time, cuts down the amount of garbage that is dumped in landfills.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When the soil is ready, you will then get the seeds. Before you throw them in, make sure that they will be able to survive your existing environment. For that, you should do some research online or talk to the sales clerk at the store before you buy them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you don’t want to buy seeds, you can also buy vegetables that are already growing. When you select them, be sure to check the leaves so you avoid getting those that are already discolored or wilted.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Pests are the biggest threats among farmers and gardeners. For that, you can use other insects, birds, ladybugs, praying mantis’ and the toad. Another is the use of horticultural oils that break down quickly and pose little toxicity to humans or pets.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Weeds are another problem. For that, you will have to put on your gardening gloves, get on your knees and start pulling them from the ground. It is also possible to spray the area with horticultural vinegar or corn meal gluten granules that prevents weeds from germinating and releases nitrogen into the soil. Keep in mind that this should be applied during early spring or fall when most weeds come out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another non-toxic chemical you can use to combat weeds are fish or seaweed based liquid based fertilizers. These also release nitrogen, phosphate and potash that is good for your crops.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For people who don’t have a backyard, you can still do organic farming by buying pots. Ideally, you should use those made out of clay, plastic or wood. You just have to water them often since they need more water being in here than out in the garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Having all the organic gardening supplies ready will make it easy for you to plant your crops and harvest them so you are ready to rotate this with another variant.  If there is more than 1 gardening store where you live, perhaps you should compare their prices first before buying them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Should there be some items that are not available, try looking for them online because you can probably get a few good deals here as well as some tips and advice.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is truly no other way to garden other than organic vegetable gardening that saves you both money and makes sure what you eat is chemical free. So go ahead and experience the difference.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/organic-vegetable-gardening-supplies.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-2033536192862326050</guid><pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:05:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-24T01:05:00.909-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic vegetable</category><title>Organic Vegetable Gardening Is the Way to Go</title><description>In the US, farming is $6 billion industry. To keep it that way and with the health and welfare of the public in mind, the Department of Agriculture has taken steps so farmers can shift to organic farming. This does not only save money but also has some health benefits.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But first, we have to know what organic farming is. This is a technique that has been practiced by ancient civilizations that simply relied on the land they worked on, the sun and the water to make the harvests grow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was only when scientists invented fertilizers and pesticides that we moved away from this technique because it was thought that this will make the crops bigger and harvesting faster.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Unfortunately, the use of fertilizers and pesticides has done more harm than good. The chemicals used are harmful but never in small dosages. But imagine what if somebody consumes this in excessive amounts and unknowingly develops an illness or their baby has birth defects.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Such threats are real which is why we have to do something before it happens. Before the Department of Agriculture wanted everyone to go into organic farming, tests were conducted.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The results show that organically grown vegetables have more nutrients and vitamins compared to conventional farming. The same goes for its taste.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic vegetables do not have hydrogenated fats, artificial flavor or coloring, sweeteners, additives, preservatives or residual antibiotics. This means that what you get is all natural. But don’t forget to wash these first before it is cooked to remove any residue from the compost used in helping it grow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The government or the Department of Agriculture is not the only one who should push farmers to shift towards organic farming. You can do your share by talking to the farmers themselves as they are the ones who plant them. You can also start planting organically grown vegetables yourself because they cost a bit more in the supermarket.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Before you start planting, check how big is the area so you have an idea what kind of vegetables can be planted given your limited space. You then need to buy the necessary tools and make some of them yourself. This information can be found online, in books and from the gardening store.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you don’t want to start making an organic vegetable garden using seeds, you can get starter plants instead but be aware that they cost a bit more and this takes the thrill out of gardening.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But if money is no object to you, by all means get this from the store. Just make sure that there is a stamp which certifies that this has been approved by the Department of Health, Quality Assurance International, California Certified Organic Farmers or the Oregon Tilth Farm Verified Organic.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If everyone does their share, no one will use chemicals and fertilizers anymore. Everyone can live healthy and eat healthy. At the same time, we are able to protect the environment so future generations will be able to use the land we have used to plant their crops in the future. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic vegetable gardening is truly the way to go. If you noticed, some restaurants have done their share as well by making people know that whatever they use is organic.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/organic-vegetable-gardening-is-way-to.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-3369095645147822076</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:04:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-23T02:04:00.627-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic vegetable</category><title>Organic Vegetable Gardening Information</title><description>Organic vegetable gardening is making a comeback. This is because people are more health conscious about the food they eat and in some places, there is already a food shortage so some have decided to plant and grow these on their own. To help you get started, here is some organic vegetable gardening information.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic vegetable gardening does not use fertilizers and chemicals which can be harmful to humans. It also does not use genetic engineering or irradiation. Instead, it uses simple farming techniques like tilling the land, giving it enough water and sufficient exposure from the sun.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When harvesting is finished, something new is planted which is better known as crop rotation that helps keep the soil fertile.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Growing organic vegetables is not something that only farmers can do. This can be done by homeowners since they can plan some of these in their own backyard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first thing that you have to do is choose what kind of vegetables you want to grow. You also have to understand how big these can grow so it will be easy to plot how many can be placed per row.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The next step is to check the condition of the soil. There are kits you can buy from the store to check its fertility. If the soil is good, then you can start by clearing it of rocks and weeds by mowing, pulling or digging them out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You should then add compost, bone meal or rock phosphate and greensand to the soil to supply it with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. You can also add lime or sulphur to adjust the soil’s pH level only if you have to.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It will also be a good idea to till or dig in fertilizers using organic matter. This must at least be an inch of sharp sand if the soil you have is made of clay and then you rake the soil into beds and rows. You should leave it be for at least a month before you start planting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Don’t forget to use organic mulch to blanket the garden.  You can use ground bark for that since it will decompose over a season or two.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can also use a compost file made out of recycled leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, eggshells and kitchen waste since these serve as a good fertilizer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The organic vegetable garden will grow but it will be always under threat from weeds and insects. For that, you have to use other animals and insects to fight these pests. You don’t have to buy them because setting the ideal conditions will invite them in to your home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As for the weeds, you can get rid of them by pulling them out or spraying home made vinegar as this stops them growing. If you plant thickly enough, you will be able to discourage weeds from growing in between the plants.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Planting your own organic vegetable garden isn’t that bad given that the only ones who will be consuming what is planted are those that live in the household. But it’s going to be a bed of roses from the time you till the land to the time that they will be harvested.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The advantage of working on a small spaced is that you can easily inspect the whole area so nothing is left behind.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/organic-vegetable-gardening-information.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-7274541772574704753</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:02:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-23T02:02:01.028-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>container</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic vegetable</category><title>Organic Vegetable Gardening Can Be Done Using Containers</title><description>Organic gardening isn’t only for farmers or people who have backyards. This is because it can be do using containers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic vegetable gardening containers have advantages. You can use it décor every time you decide to let it get some sunlight when you place it by the balcony or patio. If the weather gets too cold outside, you can bring it indoors. But best of all, you don’t have to deal with certain threats that can only happen outdoors like weeds, insects or soil borne diseases.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic vegetable gardening containers do not use soil. You need to use potting mix that is much lighter and provides excellent drainage. You need to use organic fertilizer though to help it grow. An example of this is mulch that can be made from chipped bark, garden compost, leaf moulds and manure which helps prevent it from drying out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another thing the plants inside these containers need is a lot of water. Ideally, you should put these in small amounts at least 30 minutes after an initial watering because putting in too much could drown your plant.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The containers can be hung aside from just putting these on the ground. If the container that you purchased does not have any holes, make a few.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By now you may be asking, “What are the ideal vegetables to be planted in these containers?” To give you can idea, these are bush beans, capsicum, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach and tomatoes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You know that organically grown vegetables need sunlight. If you have a lot of these containers and it is getting pretty windy outside, you can protect them from falling by grouping these together with the taller ones with these as your walls.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The best organic vegetable gardening containers are those made from clay, plastic or wood. The length of the roots and its width is the deciding factor when choosing what size you will buy from the store. For instance, if your vegetable happens to have 6 inches of roots and grows to about 10 inches wide, it is best to get a container that measures 8 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches wide. You must always give room for allowance as this may grow bigger. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We mentioned earlier that one of the advantages of the organic container is that you don’t have to deal with insects. But sometimes, bugs like the hookworm manage to get to your plant. If this happens, just bring the container to the sink and wash the leaves. Should there be slugs, get rid of them by sprinkling diatomaceous earth on the soil.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If there are aphids on your vegetables, fight fire with fire by getting other insects to do the dirty work. A pack of ladybugs will do the trick without causing any collateral damage.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The use of organic vegetables containers makes it people without a backyard the chance to plant their own crops at home. This is ideal for residents living in condos and apartments so they can save money to pay for rent or buy other things when the sustenance they need is just sitting by the balcony or window.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you want to try it, go ahead and ask someone at the gardening store for some help to get you started.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/organic-vegetable-gardening-can-be-done.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-1109454593877616396</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:01:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-27T20:42:16.814-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable gardening</category><title>Organic Vegetable Garden Basics</title><description>It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to plant vegetables. But if you want to do this the old fashioned way which has been proven to be very effective, you should know the organic vegetable gardening basics.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first thing you have to know is what is organic vegetable gardening? It is simply a way of farming that does not use any synthetic products which includes fertilizers and pesticides. In short, you work with nature to get what you want.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When choosing the right vegetable to plant is knowing which of these are suitable to the soil and the climate. If you live in an area that experiences droughts, buy those that do not consume that much water.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Before you drop seeds into the soil, make sure the land is ready by tilling the land so it is clear both of rocks and weeds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The next step will be to add compost, bone meal or rock phosphate and greensand to the soil to supply it with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. If the pH level of the soil is too high, add lime or sulphur to adjust it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One more thing you have to do before planting the seeds is putting in organic fertilizer. You can use recycled leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, eggshells and kitchen waste which should be applied a month before planting begins.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then it is time to plant the seeds. Each seed must be spaced by a certain distance the roots do not fight for water. In between each of the vegetables, you can plant other things as well because the tighter the space, the lesser the chances that weeds will grow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Pests are the biggest threat to your organic garden. To fight them, you can use birds, frogs or other insects. You don’t have these creatures to fend off other insects. You simply have to create the ideal environment by putting a bird house or a small pond. Once they are in place, they will do the rest by patrolling your garden and eating those who seek to eat your crops.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Putting up a few barriers can also help. Row covers are known to prevent moths from landing and laying eggs. You can also use sticky traps and foil collars to stop pests and borers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are also organic pesticides around but some of them can only kill one or two kinds of pests. So before you buy them, make sure you know what you are dealing with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Crop rotation is the best way to preserve the fertility of the soil. This is done after you harvest the vegetables so it is ready for planting once again. For this to work, you have to plant in the same area a different vegetable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Anyone can learn organic vegetable gardening basics and soon have their own little farm in their backyard. It is fresh and you can pick this anytime you want which is very convenient as these are only a few feet from your home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Should everyone get into organic vegetable gardening? Perhaps because there is a food shortage right now and most of the vegetables imported do not use this technique. The government for its part has given incentives to farmers here to shift to this method but its going to take more effort to persuade countries that do business with the US to do the same thing.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/organic-vegetable-garden-basics_22.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-6115327279158754861</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:01:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-22T02:01:01.236-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable gardening</category><title>Organic Vegetable Garden Basics</title><description>It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to plant vegetables. But if you want to do this the old fashioned way which has been proven to be very effective, you should know the organic vegetable gardening basics.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first thing you have to know is what is organic vegetable gardening? It is simply a way of farming that does not use any synthetic products which includes fertilizers and pesticides. In short, you work with nature to get what you want.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When choosing the right vegetable to plant is knowing which of these are suitable to the soil and the climate. If you live in an area that experiences droughts, buy those that do not consume that much water.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Before you drop seeds into the soil, make sure the land is ready by tilling the land so it is clear both of rocks and weeds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The next step will be to add compost, bone meal or rock phosphate and greensand to the soil to supply it with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. If the pH level of the soil is too high, add lime or sulphur to adjust it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One more thing you have to do before planting the seeds is putting in organic fertilizer. You can use recycled leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, eggshells and kitchen waste which should be applied a month before planting begins.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then it is time to plant the seeds. Each seed must be spaced by a certain distance the roots do not fight for water. In between each of the vegetables, you can plant other things as well because the tighter the space, the lesser the chances that weeds will grow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Pests are the biggest threat to your organic garden. To fight them, you can use birds, frogs or other insects. You don’t have these creatures to fend off other insects. You simply have to create the ideal environment by putting a bird house or a small pond. Once they are in place, they will do the rest by patrolling your garden and eating those who seek to eat your crops.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Putting up a few barriers can also help. Row covers are known to prevent moths from landing and laying eggs. You can also use sticky traps and foil collars to stop pests and borers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are also organic pesticides around but some of them can only kill one or two kinds of pests. So before you buy them, make sure you know what you are dealing with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Crop rotation is the best way to preserve the fertility of the soil. This is done after you harvest the vegetables so it is ready for planting once again. For this to work, you have to plant in the same area a different vegetable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Anyone can learn organic vegetable gardening basics and soon have their own little farm in their backyard. It is fresh and you can pick this anytime you want which is very convenient as these are only a few feet from your home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Should everyone get into organic vegetable gardening? Perhaps because there is a food shortage right now and most of the vegetables imported do not use this technique. The government for its part has given incentives to farmers here to shift to this method but its going to take more effort to persuade countries that do business with the US to do the same thing.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/organic-vegetable-garden-basics.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-9139574584194800153</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:59:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-22T01:59:01.436-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable gardening</category><title>Information You Should Know About Organic Vegetable Gardening</title><description>Organic food products are the trend these days after studies have shown that the age old practice of using fertilizers and pesticides happen to be harmful to our health. This means that we have to change our approach and try something else.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The concept of organic vegetable farming is not new given that ancient civilizations have been doing it for years. We somehow forgot that thinking that modern science could help us produce better crops.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But if we go back to the basics, we realize that the resources need to make this work is right before our eyes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First is the soil. Although 2/3 of the Earth is made up of water, the remainder is what we use for infrastructure while a certain percentage of that is devoted to agriculture.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second thing you need is water. The ancients used an efficient irrigation system so that water from the rivers would go to the land they planted on. These days, we have the technology to divert water to these areas using pipes. When it has not rained for a long time, we are able to make artificial rain.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Third is sunlight. We may not control its movement but if we are able to plant our crops in an area that has sufficient exposure to the sun, whatever we plant will grow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But between the period of putting the seeds in the ground and before these are harvested, farmers have to be on their guard. The crops are threatened by insects. This is why people are advised to use other insects, birds and toads.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organically made fertilizers also come to play here and some examples of them include the application of compost, manure and cover cropping.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The soil where the vegetables were grown and harvested may not be ready to plant the same crops so maintain its fertility, farmers are also encouraged to rotate their crops.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To make sure that farmers who practice organic vegetable gardening are doing it right, the Department of Agriculture together with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture or IFOAM that has been in operation since 1972 sees to it that certain standards are in place.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some people will argue that organic farming is not able to produce the same amount of yields as compared to those who use fertilizers and pesticides. This is true however, in times of drought, these crops are still able to survive because there is still enough water underground. This means farmers will still be able to harvest and there is a steady supply of goods in the market.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is expected that the demand for organic vegetables will grow in the future. This is as more people become of food safety issues and how this affects the environment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can do your share by trying organic vegetable gardening in your backyard. The things you need are very affordable. You just need to practice what farmers do in the fields.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In fact, such information can now be found in books and online so do some research and put this into practice. It is fun and rewarding to see that what you worked on for weeks is now being served on your dinner table.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Back then, you have to remember that there were only a few skilled jobs and one of them was being a farmer.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/information-you-should-know-about.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-6977658414483619591</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:58:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-21T01:58:00.363-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>nature</category><title>Helping Nature through Organic Gardening</title><description>If you are pondering about organic gardening, keep doing so. Not many people are like you who think of such causes for the benefit of nature. Nature may be smiling at you now. With the advent of all the problems with the world around us, specifically the global warming, such simple steps to ease the bigger problem is already a big leap to be carried out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This will take a lot of hard work. So you better be prepared for it. Once you are already into the process, take time to familiarize yourself. Do not give up just because of a minor problem. Just think of it like nature is testing you how big your love for it is. So prove it worth your tears and fears regarding this type of gardening.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What makes this hard? Unlike the ordinary kind of gardening, going organic will remove from you the freedom to use just about anything that is commercially available as long as it will help you with your venture. No way. You cannot use synthetic materials on this one. Everything must be organic. It must come from nature itself. You must have done it using elements that can be found on the ground. Or you can also buy those available in the market as long as they claim to be organic.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By going organic, you'll be able to help nature replenish its resources. Yes, you get from it all the materials that you will be needing for this task. You will get the dried leaves, the sawdust, some vegetable peels and other materials from the ground. This is also your way of cleaning your surroundings. But such materials can be used as elements in compost.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can actually do your own compost by going over some books on how this can be done. You can also turn to someone who is successful with this type of gardening and ask that person for tips and tricks. You can use the result of that compost as fertilizers on your garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Finding a guru may serve a lot of purpose as you go along in this type of gardening. It doesn't matter if you will just be doing so as a hobby or you will turn it into a business. So start asking around and look for that person who can further mentor you in the trade of doing the stuff that surrounds such method of gardening.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By having the aid of an expert, especially if you are only beginning on this task, you will be better at helping nature. You will know what type of plants you can grow in what type of soil. You will have a clearer view as to how the elements of the ground can contribute to the success of your project. You will know what to do in cases of trouble with regards to the growth of your plants or the emergence of pests on your garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Nature will really love you for the way you will only utilize organic materials for the purpose of growing green things on your garden. And you will benefit a lot in the process of organic gardening. You will be able to become a guru of this type of task. You will be able to produce organic sources of food.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And you can also turn this into a business venture once you have mastered the art and you are already harvesting more than enough.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/helping-nature-through-organic.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-4031862381233046750</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-21T01:00:01.825-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>growth control</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>efficient gardening</category><title>Growth Control for Efficient Gardening of  Vegetables</title><description>A good garden aficionado must know that cultivation or weeding is effective for growth control. Weeds are your garden's most persistent and cloying enemy. You need to be able to know how to handle weeds in order to foster growth control for your organic garden. If you let weeds take over, they will completely obliterate your capacity to yield a rich number of vegetables.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They are the number one stealer of nutrients, sunlight and revenue for farmers, so the earlier you try to eliminate them, the better will it be for your gardening. This can eat up your time to such extremes at certain seasons, but monitoring weeds and eliminating them is definitely worth your time and effort. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Weeds are usually much harder to remove when they have matured. So it might require you a keen observing eye to really check out and inspect your garden for the earliest appearances of these culprits. Cultivating your soil regularly in the garden will help eliminate the younger weeds. Once you let those young weeds take hold and be firmly established in the garden, it will become a more herculean task to try to remove them from your garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Seasons also affect the appearance of weeds. Warm-season and cool-season weeds proliferate at different times of the year, and it will be your advantage to recognize which weeds are in season so you can more easily expect them in your garden and prepare your anti-weed arsenal more effectively. Some of the weed seeds may also lie in your garden, so make sure that you are able to cultivate your soil properly to remove them as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Make sure that your ground remains filled up with the good stuff. If you leave any portion idle or bare, the weeds are more likely to secure that area for their growth. If you are unable to fill the entire area with plant outgrowths, at least have a good cover to keep the weeds from invading your plant territory.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the case where weeds have already grown when you discovered them, chopping them off from the ground is the most efficient way to remove them. Some of these weeds may cease to be removed, and will not stop even when you cut them down. But repetitive cutting down of those weeds will help eliminate them for good after some time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The use of herbicides and pesticides is also advised, but it is not entirely necessary when you are able to do good cultivation of your land. The pesticides and herbicides, especially the commercially available ones, may prove to have other harmful effects. It may also pose as a threat to other useful organisms living in your garden. In any case, when you are presented with a huge weed problem, you may use herbicides and pesticides but only sparingly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mulching and composting are also good ways to help maintain the soil and ward off the weeds. Ultimately, you will not have to encounter huge problems in weed management if from the start, you are able to keep them from thriving in your garden in the first place.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are really consistent in digging up your space, you will have made the most out of your vegetables' garden and have exercised true growth control against weeds that can steal, kill and destroy your organic garden.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/growth-control-for-efficient-gardening.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-6302554251543012007</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:53:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-20T05:53:00.707-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>hobby</category><title>Getting Started with the Hobby of Organic Gardening</title><description>Organic gardening can very well pass up as a hobby for starters. This can be true if you are the type of person who has the passion for gardening. This may not be everybody's cup of tea. So consider yourself lucky if you are among those who can grow green things out of the blue.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gardening requires certain skills. You have to know the type of soil, what kind of plants you can place on them, how you will take care of those plants, aside from the many other considerations that you must be aware of when you are serious about it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It may sound complicated enough for the beginners. But if you have been marked as the one with a green thumb and you've already honed you skills on this, then you might as well try the organic way of gardening. This method is particularly special as well as hard. It will require you to double your effort as compared with the regular stuff that you do with the usual gardening tricks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Concept&lt;br /&gt;The basic rule on this type of gardening is that you will only use synthetic products in all your endeavor with regards to the task. This will include the important elements such as the fertilizers and the pesticides.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can actually get from the earth what you will then use for your organic venture into gardening. You will use such elements to be able to grow something new, these are your plants, your vegetables or whatever greens you may want to grow. Do you get the picture? To look at it from a bird's eye view, it is like working closely with nature. Or as others may say, this is like being one with nature.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic Fertilizers&lt;br /&gt;Is there such a thing, you may ask? Yes, and you are the one to make it. You can actually perform composting on the materials found on your garden. You can use fallen leaves and twigs, animal manure, but this will depend on the type, and many more.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic Pesticides&lt;br /&gt;This type of gardening wants, as much as possible, to stay away from pesticides. But if you can't afford to pick the insects one by one by your bare hands, then you can go to your local grocery store and ask for an organic pesticide that is available commercially.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The old way really is to be vigilant with your garden and take off every pest that you see. You should only turn to the organic pesticides when it becomes too many and uncontrollable that you can no longer handle. You can also try to bring in the animals that feed on those pests. This way, you'll have some help in picking those pests up. And that is also helping the other animals satisfy their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As a hobby, this may be time consuming. So if you cannot devote enough time into it, might as well find a partner or drop the idea until you've found the right time to carry on with the tasks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Organic gardening really entails a lot of hard work. So you better be prepared to perspire in the process. To ease your tiredness when you are already into it too deep, just think that what you are doing is helping nature. This is your way of giving back what nature has bestowed on you since the day you were born.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/getting-started-with-hobby-of-organic.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-5205018150971655047</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:49:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-20T05:49:00.892-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>fertilization</category><title>Fertilization 101: Growing Vegetables in Your Organic Garden</title><description>When we talk of fertilization for your effective gardening of vegetables in your organic gardening, it is almost similarly attributed to mulching. But there are also other aspects such as the introduction of fertilizers that can be available naturally or commercially. Simply defined, it involves placing matter, whether organic or inorganic, around your plants.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Aside from providing fertilization, it also protects your soil. Whether your garden is subjected under heavy rains or at the risk of weed infestation, the mulches provide ample protection and strengthening needed to supplement the natural growth processes of your organic garden vegetables. Aside from this, it also regulates the temperature of the soil; it can also render aesthetic appeal to the garden because it will help improve the ground texture and overall appearance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you have effectively established mulches in your garden, less watering is required because it will also help the plants retain water. The plants will also experience better growth levels and moisture retention.   Although known to help in weed control, it does not directly fight or ward off the weeds. It just helps as a filler for bare areas that are at higher risk of weed infestation. Also, persistent weeds can die down as it forces itself in the soil surrounded with mulch.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For the case of organic mulches, bacteria has the tendency to eat up the much-needed nitrogen, so in some cases, you might be required to inject additional dosages of nitrogen. Some examples of materials you can use for mulching include lawn clippings, compost mises, leaves, straw, sawdust, wood chips. These are examples of organic materials for mulching. If you opt for inorganic, it often has its optimum results on plants placed on a hill.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When fertilizing your soil via mulching, you may be required to be more meticulous with your organic garden. You might be required to water more frequently when you are using inorganic fabrics, and then you must also watch out for the greater tendency to wilt because the ground cover tends to be more crowded.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Testing your soil is a good way to ensure effective fertilization. you cannot afford to buy fertilizer by the bulk, only to realize that it is not the right fertilizer suited for your soil. The best way to make sure that you are able to score the best fertilizer is by means of doing an actual test on a sample of soil taken from your garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once you apply fertilizer, it is often recommended to maintain it. Having a budget for high quality fertilizer is also a good must-have for a gardener, especially a beginner. There are also some fertilizers solely tailored at the beginning of the planting process and need not be maintained all throughout your gardening activities. In any rate, make sure that you are getting your money's worth and have thoroughly proven for yourself that the given fertilizer you are putting on your garden has been tried and tested on your soil type.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even if you put fertilizers or inorganic mulches in your soil, the organic matter is still the best source of fertilization for your plant, and it adheres closely to the natural growth process of plants. If at all possible, avoid introducing too much chemical interventions in your soil so that the plants will get used to growing and maximizing its potential via natural means.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/fertilization-101-growing-vegetables-in.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-4130391871718501012</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:48:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-20T01:49:00.715-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>organic gardening</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>feeding the soil</category><title>Feeding the Soil – One Vital Aspect of Organic Gardening</title><description>There is an important aspect of organic gardening that you can very well relate to. Imagine this. You are hungry. You haven't been fed. You haven't taken a bath. You haven't pampered yourself. You've spent so much time working and taking care of others, but you haven't tended yourself for your own good.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How would you feel? For a time being, you may be able to accept the fact. You may still tire yourself out without asking for anything in return. But as the days go by, you will feel the negative effects of the situation. You will no longer have the kind of energy that you used to. Your body will deteriorate until it can no longer function for the things that it used to do.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How is this related to the organic method of gardening? You can actually compare this to the state of the soil. Soil is a very important aspect in this type and all the other kinds of gardening. This is the base of everything. This will be the bed, or the house of your plants. You must choose the right one in the first place.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Depending on your location, the soils that you may acquire vary on such factor. You should base the decision in picking out the plants on the types of soils that are available in your area. Once you have picked the right kind, you are now on you way to the first steps of your gardening venture using the organic method.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Relating to the sample above, the soil must never be left untended. It must never go hungry. Or else, what happened to the example may also happen to the soil. You have to feed the soil. You have to bathe it. And you have to take care of it just like how you tend to yourself or to the plants situated on your garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You may know from your grade school days that the soil needs water, sunlight and air. But you are doing everything organically now. Does it carry out any differences? Yes, a lot. Although you still have to feed your soil and the plants on it enough sunlight, water and air, you have to add something else. You've got to have organic matters placed on the soil.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have you ever heard of composting? This is the process where you culminate decaying matters like leaves, grasses, peelings of fruits or vegetables, even manures and fish heads to act as your soil's fertilizer. This is organic remember? You cannot resort to anything synthetic. This is one proof that this process entails a lot of hard work than you can ever imagine.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Not only are you going to feed the soil, you also have to attend to it regularly. Mulching is like massaging the soil to keep its shape. This way, you will be able to get rid of the pests that your soil has gotten through the days or months, however long you have been gardening.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This will actually help you prevent acquiring bigger problems. There are many types of soils that need certain care and attention. For example, clay can hold up water better than the sandy kind. You have to know those kind of details to be able to improve on your organic gardening venture.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/feeding-soil-one-vital-aspect-of.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-3513707564843175102</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:44:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-20T01:47:32.381-07:00</atom:updated><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>vegetable</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>gardening styles</category><category domain='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#'>gardening</category><title>Different Vegetable Gardening Styles</title><description>Each gardener has his own set of characteristics that make him fit for certain gardening styles. If you know yourself and the right gardening style that will fit your rearing of your organic garden and help you yield your vegetables effectively, then you have pretty much gotten an edge over other gardening enthusiasts. But what are the different types of gardening that you can look out for? Here are some of the types that you can consider:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Residential Gardening&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is the most common of all gardening techniques. If you are just a beginner and not yet inclined to produce vegetables for industrial reasons, then residential gardening is for you. The primary purpose of residential gardening is to sustain a family or two of a steady supply of vegetables and at the same time, render aesthetic appeal to your backyard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Residential gardening does not require too much space. It can also be cultivated in window sills, balconies and other small areas that have sufficient light source, easy to monitor and at the same time, easy to maintain or free from pests. The good thing about residential gardening is the ease with which it ushers the gardening wannabe from having no knowledge of planting to expanding to other gardening styles, whichever deems the fancy of the budding gardener.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Specialized Gardening&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Specialized gardening involves non-residential areas that are known for its green quality and are often marketed as such. Parks, botanical gardens, amusement parts and other tourist attractions fall under this category. Often a staff is required to maintain due to its size, so effective administrative skills on top of gardening expertise may be required. It is also tailored for delivering in profit to certain causes or organizations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Impact Gardening&lt;br /&gt;If you are up to the challenge of blocking weeds with minimal costs, then impact gardening is for you. It involves using a relatively small space and maximizing its gardening potential. The plants are often crowded together.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Indoor Gardening&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Residential gardening is under the huge scope of indoor gardening. Other types under this category include the gardens of conservatories, greenhouses and academic institutions. Systems for heating and air conditioning may also be found for certain breeds of plants. If you are the type of gardener who really loves cultivating plants in and out of season, then indoor gardening is for you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Water Gardening&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you want to garden with minimal supervision and love water organisms, then water gardening is for you. This is a bit of a challenge for most gardeners because it usually doesn't involve the initial conditions of other traditional gardening techniques. The novelty of water gardening appeals only to those who have ample water facilities to cultivate this type of gardening style.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Community Gardening&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are motivated by group efforts, community gardening may be for you. It involves concentrated efforts of the different members of the community to be able to help make a greener place. It involves a huge scope, but the members of the community are given autonomy to style their areas in whichever way they choose.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/different-vegetable-gardening-styles.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item><item><guid isPermaLink='false'>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6853003642186202758.post-4329648320573880290</guid><pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:28:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2008-07-14T17:34:58.208-07:00</atom:updated><title>Herb Gardening</title><description>&lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/herb-gardening.php"&gt;Herb gardening&lt;/a&gt; is becoming more and more popular every day, and for a good reason.  Herbs have practical value, serve a purpose, and with &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/herb-gardening.php"&gt;herb gardening&lt;/a&gt; you can actually use your plants.  When most people think of &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/herb-gardening.php"&gt;herb gardening&lt;/a&gt; they automatically think of cooking, but herbs are also grown for their pleasant aroma and their beauty.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One important part of herb gardening is drying the herbs for use during the winter months, especially if you plan on cooking with them.  First the tops of leafy herbs have to be cut, washed, and hung up for the water to evaporate.  Then, tie stems together and hang up in a paper bag to dry.  After two to three weeks they must be removed; crumble the leaves, dry them out in the oven, and store in a glass jar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the most common herbs gown in herb gardening is basil.  “Dark Opal” and regular green basil are beautiful additions to any garden and often used as decoration.  Dark Opal has light pink flowers and dark red leaves.  Basil isn’t just used for its looks; it is used for extra flavor in tomato juices and pastes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Chives are very petite looking and resemble a blade of grass.  They are much stronger than they look, however, and will grow well through a drought and a drought.  Their toughness and sturdiness makes Chives a perfect plant for herb gardening, especially if the &lt;a href="http://neo-gardeningtips.com/gardeners.php"&gt;gardener&lt;/a&gt; doesn’t want plants that require a lot of hassle.  Chives are good used in salads, egg dishes, and many different sauces.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mint is also very simple to grow and is good to use in mint jelly, mint juleps, lemonade, and any other kind of fruity drink.  Mint is also good in herb gardening for its unique minty smell.  Two herbs that appear in nearly everyone’s herb garden are thyme and sage.  Both of these herb gardening favorites are used for flavoring soups, chicken, turkey, pork, and other sausages.  Sage is also grown sometimes for its beautiful blue spiked flowers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lavender is probably the best smelling herb in all of herb gardening and is often used in candles, as a perfume scent, and to improve the smell in linen chests.  The light purple flowers smell absolutely lovely.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Other types of herbs often grown in herb gardening include borage (used in salads), chervil (used in egg dishes), sweet marjoram (flavors lamb, fish, salad, and soup), sesame (flavors crackers, cookies, and bread), and dill (flavors meats and used in pickles).  Herb gardening allows gardeners to use herbs from their own garden for cooking, looks, and smell.  Herb gardening will produce much fresher herbs with more flavor than store-bought herbs, and are a lot cheaper.</description><link>http://blog.neo-gardeningtips.com/2008/07/herb-gardening.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Ansyari)</author></item></channel></rss>