Garden Student

Ruth Stout, who passed on in 2006 at a grand old age, left behind a rich legacy for gardeners. Ruth’s study highlighted aspects found in the world of nature, like the presence of a layer of mulch, as well as leaving the ground unbroken (in effect, letting the inhabitants of the soil do the “turning” – earthworms, microbes, and such). Through her observation of various natural settings, followed by strategic implementation of these features, gardening was shown to become more productive, while reducing the work load.

Application of organic plant waste material directly onto the soil to a depth of an inch or more generates the following results:

- The bottom layer of mulch will gradually rot into the soil, providing a constant supply of nutrients, while eliminating the need for maintaining a compost pile.

- Moisture retention due to the mulch layer means reduced need for watering – saving on both resources and labor.

- Mulch effectively prevents weeds from growing, thus reducing another laborious chore.

- Because of greater nutrient levels, plants can be positioned twice as densely as normally recommended.

- Even so, those plants will actually produce more than non-mulched plants. In real terms the combination of denser spacing and higher production means a fourfold increase overall.

In addition, leaving the soil unbroken saves the laborious task of turning the soil, while the soil’s compactness allows the “wicking” action of moisture and nutrients to flow.

I have had the pleasure of proving these results in my own garden, as have countless other practitioners of mulch gardening.

Gardeners and farmers are advised to study the finer points of the system before implementation.

See the links below, which expand on this system of applying nature-wisdom for increased productivity while saving on resources and labor.

J Graf is the coordinator of Insight21 and Earth Vision – doorways for the 21st Century.

The type of lights you use in your home can make a big difference to the design of your home’s interiors. Today, more than ever before, there is a vast choice in light fixtures and more and more people are opting for decorative lighting to add some cheer and revelry in their homes. No longer do decorative lighting fixtures need to be used during festivals or special occasions; now these interesting products can be used to beautify a specific area of your home or simply add more ’spark’ to an entire space, outdoors or indoors. Easy to install and not very expensive, lights have become an integral part of the any home today and it’s easy to understand the reasons behind it. Let’s look at them closely.

Reasons to Use Decorative Lighting

Want to give your home a character? Want to beautify a corner or a room? Do you want to spread some cheer and usher in an atmosphere of joy and cheer in your house? Decorative lighting is the best way to go it all. These lights make a HUGE impression and can be used both indoors and outdoors. Today, lights form an integral and important part of interior design and these products offer more than just practical benefits. Most lights are not just sources of illuminating a space, but they are also used as a design element. Decorative lighting fixtures are available in a wide array of shapes, sizes, materials, and finishes. Of course, there is a whole range of decorative lights in the markets that are designed to meet all your needs. Some of these are:

1) Classy lamps in brushed nickel, or stainless steel or copper finish. Popular amongst them is brass. These decorative lighting pieces easily blend with colorful décor found in most homes nowadays.

2) Decorative lights are also available in different colors and you can choose the exact colors that meet your requirements. From painted to textured to gold or silver finish, these lights are trendy, attractive, and long lasting.

3) Decorative lights are also popular in antique finish. Try portable light fixtures in an antique finish to create a timeless look in your home. Conventional, yet liked this look is quite in.

How to Buy Decorative Lighting

With so much choice, how do you select the right lights for your home? Here’s how:

1) Use the services of a certified and reputable lighting consultant. Allow him to make the choices.
2) Carry the picture or mental image of your light when you go shopping for decorative lighting.
3) Always have a budget in mind. Try not to exceed it unless it’s something you simply can’t resist.
4) Try buying lights that match the color of the room’s walls.
5) Always remember the function of a decorative lighting product so that you can make the right choice.

No matter what style of a decorating scheme it is that you have at home, one of the best ways to add some drama and a certain unique style to it is with the help of some indoor lighting. When looking for lighting fixtures, there are a few things that you need to take into consideration. First, what brand of lighting fixture it is that can give you the best quality possible? Second, will you purchasing your lighting fixtures from a physical store or online? The second option is usually more cost-effective – because online stores usually do not maintain a physical store – so they can afford to give online consumers a great discount. Third, make sure that the brand of lighting fixture that you will buy offers a wide selection in terms of style, design and cost. Now, if you are looking for some quality bedroom lighting, Metropolitan lighting has a range of lighting fixtures that you can purchase.

Aside from your living room and kitchen, your bedroom is another part of the house that you need to pay attention to. Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for everyone, especially if you’ve had a long day at work. Now, with the proper bedroom lighting, that is exactly what you will have – a good night’s sleep. The atmosphere in your bedroom should be relaxing and restful. For this, you can purchase Metropolitan lighting fixtures which are specifically designed as bedroom lighting. Pendant lights which can be dimmed, accent lights, spot lights, under the cabinet lights, bathroom and vanity lighting – these are more are the types of bedroom lighting fixtures that you can choose from.

So are the bedroom lighting fixtures from Metropolitan Lighting considered to be reliable and of high quality? They definitely are! Metropolitan Lighting products are manufactures by the Minka Group, and they are among the most trusted brands of lighting fixture manufacturers in the industry. The unique line of products that they offer are made with different finishes such as brass, bronze, iron, wood and Murano glass. The designs offered by Metropolitan lighting which are suitable as bedroom lighting fixtures offer a mixture of functionality and style.

Now, aside from bedroom lighting, Metropolitan Lighting also offers a line of indoor lighting products including the following: Metropolitan chandeliers, Metropolitan close-to-ceiling lamps, island or billiard lights, ceiling medallions, wall sconces, pendant lights, bath and vanity lighting, pendant lights and a lot more. They also have a complete line of outdoor lighting fixtures that you can choose from. Again, Metropolitan Lighting is a brand that you can trust. As such, you can rest assured that the line of products that they have offers the best in terms of quality, design, price, durability – and the service that they provide for their clients. By placing strategically the bedroom lighting products from Metropolitan Lighting, you can easily get a good night’s rest while at the same time enjoying the aesthetic quality that the lighting fixtures will provide for your favorite room in the house.

Your home is probably one of the biggest investments that you will ever make in one lifetime – which is the reason why it pays to exert every effort in making sure that your home looks and ‘feels’ like the best that it can be. First of all, you need to consider the materials that you will be using for the structure itself. A secure and sound building is the foundation of a strong house that is built to last. Now, when it comes to the decorating – you should take into consideration the quality of the materials that you will be using, as well as its aesthetic effect. One of the best ways to make any part of the house a focal point in your decorating is with the help of strategic outdoor lighting and indoor lighting fixtures. In no time at all, your home can be transformed from ordinary into something dramatic and extraordinary.

Now, let us take a look at some of the indoor lighting fixtures that you can use, not just to illuminate but to decorate your house as well. The best place to start is your living room – where chandeliers should be the main attraction. Once the furniture has already been strategically placed, your indoor lighting fixtures can be installed to put some finishing touches on your decorating scheme. Again, chandeliers can be the focal point of your living room. This type of indoor lighting fixture comes in different shapes, sizes and styles, but the best part is that the little crystal or glass detailing used on each piece can provide your living room with the design factor that you are looking for. Next, for other parts of the house, you can use accent or spot lights to illuminate walls or light up walkways. It is a good idea to have lights that can be dimmed. This type of indoor lighting fixture will not just create drama but help you save on energy as well.

The living room is not just the other parts of your indoor lighting scheme that you can have fun decorating. You should also think about installing bath and vanity lighting fixtures. Or how about the kitchen? If you have a love for cooking, this part of the house should be well-illuminated so that you can clearly see your work. In bedrooms or guest rooms, a typical table lamp would do, but you can also install pendant lights for some added drama.

Next, for your outdoor lighting, here are some of the products that you can choose from: exterior sconces, post lanterns, landscape lighting, exterior ceiling fixtures, exterior pendant lights and security and flood lights. The good thing about installing outdoor lighting fixtures is that you are not just adding to the beauty of your house, but you are also ensuring its security. Outdoor lighting fixtures, when strategically placed, can serve as a good distraction for any intruders who might think about barging into a house it is not well-lit. With such a wide array of indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures to choose from, you can rest assured that your home can be the best that it can be when you combine illumination with style and great designs.

Have you ever noticed how even a small chandelier can lend an almost ‘royal’ aura to a room? This branched decorative lighting fixture have dozens of lamps, as well as crystal and grass prisms which make the illuminating effect look grand and glorious. The history of chandeliers can be traced back to the medieval times, but it was during the 15th century that the designs of these lighting fixtures became a bit more complicated. Today, chandeliers can easily be seen in a typical home – and is often used as the focal point of one’s decorating scheme. Now, if you are looking for a brand of chandelier which you can use to light up and serve as the centerpiece of your home decorating, there are a couple of brands that you can rely on: Hinkley and Fine Art Lighting.

So what do these two brands have to offer if you are looking for a chandelier to serve as the focal point in your home? First, let us take a look at the brand Hinkley. It may be true that when it comes to the lighting industry, a typical consumer has a number of brands to choose from – but not all of them are created equal. When it comes to Hinkley Lighting, their focus relies on using lighting fixtures such as chandeliers, to add that final touch to you decorating scheme. The good thing about the types of chandeliers offered by Hinkley is that there are different styles to choose from. Take your pick from Hinkley chandeliers which have the following styles: contemporary, craftsman style, mission style, rustic, country, traditional, Tuscan and transitional. Moreover you can select from a variety of finishes that they have. Depending on the color scheme of the room, you can choose Hinkley chandeliers which have a silver, nickel, gold, copper, bronze, brass, black or a painted finish for a more contemporary look.

Another brand of chandeliers that you can choose from is the Fine Art Lighting brand. If you are thinking of an Asian decorating scheme, you can select an Asian chandelier which has that influence from the Far East. Renaissance, traditional, transitional, Tuscan and contemporary chandeliers are also available form Fine Art Lighting. When it comes to the finish of the lighting fixture, you can take your pick from silver, gold, copper or bronze.

As you can see, whether you will select Fine Art lighting chandeliers or Hinkley chandeliers, you can definitely find the exact size, design, style and finish that you are looking for because of the comprehensive selection that these two brands offer. If you are on a budget, you can even select one of the more affordable Fine Art Lighting chandeliers which are below $10,000. Again, chandeliers are a great way to revisit the past in your house – but still have that modern, contemporary touch that you need. Take your pick from the many Hinkley and Fine Art lighting fixtures and you can rest assured that you will find exactly what you are looking for.

The chocolate industry is ever improving and developing. If before, middlemen are involved whenever a big chocolate company has to order tons of raw cocoa beans from farmers, now things are different.

The middlemen can now be eliminated from the equation and cocoa farmers could go straight to chocolate manufacturers and strike an agreement with them. And this development is actually a good thing – because the interests of both the parties involved are best served.

When chocolate manufacturers can confer directly to the farmers, they can provide the farmers with definite instructions as to how they want their cocoa beans produced. Cocoa beans are especially cultivated and fermented to meet the manufacturer’s exacting standards. With the presence of a middleman, getting the right quality and aroma of beans can be a very difficult feat. Middlemen rarely know anything about cocoa or any other product they carry. This is another reason why direct communication with farmers is essential.

Cocoa farmers are doubly benefited if they have the means to negotiate straight with a chocolate manufacturer. This is because they can get premium prices for their products. Most cocoa bean farmers depend on their produce to earn a decent living. So when middlemen are eliminated from the equation, their products get the best possible rate in the market.

And when cocoa bean farmers and chocolate manufacturers bargain on a price, the result will always be a discount for the chocolate makers and a mark up for the cocoa bean farmers. This is the advantage best obtained when no middlemen are involved, as both industries are given premium rates for the products they need or provide.

However, rarely do cocoa bean farmers get the chance to discuss sales matters directly with the actual people who require their products. This is primarily due to topographical difference and language barriers. The finest cocoa beans in the world come from the Dominican Republic. However, the biggest market for such beans is the U.S. It is also in the U.S. where world-renowned chocolate makers are holding business.

The need for business expansion is very important to be able to link cocoa farmers and chocolate makers to one another. It is either the chocolate manufacturers open up an office in the Dominican Republic or the Dominican Republic farm owners send representatives to permanently work in U.S. soil.

It’s a good thing that there are indeed several cocoa bean farms that had invested in opening up offices in the key cities of the U.S. to facilitate cocoa bean sales and distribution. Dealing with these types of companies is strongly advised because they can deliver exactly what you need. Furthermore, they also follow U.S. business codes and ethics, which is very important in the exportation business. By going straight to the U.S. office of your preferred Dominican Republic cocoa bean farm, then it is almost a guarantee that you’ll get exactly what you paid for. And if in rare case you weren’t pleased, their office is just within the city. You can always call them whenever you’ve got problems with the shipment.

Gardening can add more quality to the way you live, and might even add quantity to your life. There are many benefits of gardening, particularly organic gardening. It’s so much fun you may even forget what’s bothering you.

Organic gardening is growing vegetables and fruits using whatever nature provides.

Organic gardening is cool.

1. It’s not as boring.

You can easily make his own compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though composting takes a little longer than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it’s surely less expensive and more rewarding.

2. Fewer chemicals on the food you and your family consume.

Pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose — to kill living things. One of the best known benefits of organic gardening is the zero tolerance for pesticide use, also the biggest reason for the boom of organic gardening.

3. Less harm to the environment.

Organic gardening has a beneficial effect on ground water. The Environmental Protection Agency says 38 states have multiple cases of contaminated ground water.

Organic gardening helps fight topsoil erosion. The Soil Conservation Service says commercial farming causes an estimated 30-32 billion tons of soil erosion from U.S. farmlands every year.

4. Saving money.

You don’t need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic gardeners continually come up with great ideas, like fertilizing with stale coffee or used coffee grounds. And planting marigolds nearby to draw aphids away from vegetables.

Make a quart of garden pest spray with water and three tablespoons of a simple mixture of one 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil.

Mulch, used to keep moisture in and weeds out, can be created from grass clippings and pine needles.

5. Organic gardening feels good. You know you’re helping safeguard future generations.

On the average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult, which can lead to numerous diseases later in life. The organic gardener is helping give today’s children a healthier tomorrow.

Who wouldn’t want that?

Go ahead. Search for “organic gardening” and learn more right now. By spring you’ll be raring to go organic.

This is the first in a series of articles on common gardening mistakes. The first mistake is gardening without a plan. In this article, I’ll give you some suggestions how to form one.

I’ve made this mistake myself: finding an interesting plant at the garden center and buying it with little or no idea of what I’m going to do with it, then returning home and walking around the yard looking for a place to plant it.

Being a plant enthusiast, I’ve done this type of thing very often with wild abandon. I’ve bought strange-looking plants, begged for cuttings, shaken seeds into my pocket and pinched off tiny branches in passing. I’ve tried growing things where anyone who knows anything said they couldn’t be grown. I’ve bought plants, not for the plants themselves but for the epiphytes that were growing on them. I’ve espaliered apples and hybrid cherry trees to the walls of my home in south Georgia. To indulge myself further, I’ve enlisted with government programs to help with new plant trials. Several years ago, a visitor from a department of agriculture said it looked like I was running a one-man “experiment station.”

On the other hand, there have been days when I’ve not wanted to see another plant, much less to care for it. So you can see I’m a hopeless case.

Why then am I presuming to advise you about developing a landscape plan? Because I’m learning from my mistakes and I want to share what I’ve learned with you.

There is something to be said for the thrill of finding an exciting new plant and adding it to your collection. It seems therapeutic. To be sure, the opportunity to buy that plant at that price may not present itself again. But if this pattern is followed consistently, your yard will look more like a confusing jumble than a thoughtful expression of yourself. In fact, it can become a source of frustration for you.

So I suggest that you begin with a basic plan for your landscape. It doesn’t matter whether you live on a five-acre mini-estate, or have a patio garden; you need a plan. Obviously, the smaller garden is simpler and easier to deal with. You should be flexible about it, for the garden is almost like a living, ever-changing organism. Not only does your garden change, but so do you. Your desires and needs tomorrow may be a different from what they are today. But it you have a basic plan, you can flesh it out as you go. You can even change it fundamentally if you need to so so in the future.

Sometimes the idea of developing a plan seems intimidating. I understand that all too well. We may be stymied by the enormity of it all and end up doing nothing. But begin we must. Keep in mind that your plan does not need to be comprehensive. You don’t need to include every single plant and color. A very, VERY “bare-bones” plan is all that you need at first.

Here are a few questions you should answer in order to get started with your plan.

1. Shall I develop the plan myself, or enlist the aid of another?

Sometimes we don’t know where to begin, so a little assistance is needed. If that is true for you, consider seeking an adviser. Find one that meets your needs.

Perhaps you need a lot of help, especially if you have a larger property. If so, consider using a Landscape Architect. You can find some in your area by going to the website of the American Society of Landscape Architects and clicking on Firm Finder. Fill in the search fields, and in a few moments you will have plenty to choose from.

Many garden centers offer consultation and installation services. A quick search through your phone book or online should turn up a few. These are often quite flexible, ready to help when you need them without requiring big commitments.

Your Cooperative Extension Service can provide a wealth of information, and so may docents and staff at public gardens.

2. What is my lifestyle, and how can my landscape enhance it?

Consider your vocation, family and friends, hobbies and various interests. How does your garden fit with all that?

3. What is the size of my landscape?

This is something that you may not be able to change at the moment, if ever. But your plan should take it into consideration to your best advantage. If your landscape is large, perhaps you should consider dividing your plan into smaller segments. Work outward from your home. Those areas you use more often should be treated first. Those that you use less often should be given less priority.

4. How much time do I have to devote to it?

Don’t confuse this with how much time you’d LIKE to devote. Come on now! Be realistic. Count the hours in your day and in your week and ask yourself, “Self! How much time can I devote to my garden?”

5. Is gardening among my favorite activities, or not?

I believe that the urge to do a little gardening and nurturing is part of our human nature. But if gardening isn’t your top priority or favorite hobby, that is okay. What is a pleasure for some is a distraction for others. By being honest about it, you can develop a plan that fits your lifestyle.

You have many interests and desires. Your landscape, however large or small, should contribute to your personal fulfillment. With that in mind, posing and answering questions like those above should help you determine how your landscape can become a source of pleasure rather than of frustration. Then, whether you intend to develop your own plan or seek assistance, your ideas can begin to form around your personal needs.

Learn more at http://www.goGardenNow.com and at http://gogardennow.blogspot.com/

Plumbago auriculata, or Cape Plumbago, is a somewhat strange landscaping shrub. It has many fine qualities, not least its profuse blooming of sky blue flowers through most of the warm, growing season. For Mediterranean and dry climate gardeners in particular, its capacity to withstand drought, neglect and poor, alkaline soils makes it one of the most useful landscaping shrubs available. Yet it often induces negative reactions from home gardeners. Why is this?

I think the main reason is that it tends to be used incorrectly – as a trimmed hedge by a walkway for instance. As with all plants however, an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses gives one the chance of planting it in situations where it will perform well. Here are a few reasons why Plumbago auriculata is a poor choice for a trimmed hedge, and why it has sometimes earned a bad reputation for itself.

*Firstly, it looks poor at close range. If viewed at a distance, it can create a lovely splash of cool, blue color. Close up though, it tends to appear ragged and messy.

*Secondly, both its flowers and leaves are somewhat sticky, a fact that can turn the bush into a nuisance in narrow spaces.

*The plant is a major litterbug, constantly shedding its sticky leaves and flowers on the pavement, or onto parked cars.

Cape Plumbago is best planted therefore, as a large-scale ground cover, or as a foundation plant, in the more spacious areas of the garden. It grows as a loose, mounding bush to about 2 meters in height (6ft) with almost double the spread. It can be pruned back hard every few years or so, to create a more compact, dense growth habit. Established plants flower beautifully without the addition of chemical fertilizer, although adding compost once a year will always be beneficial.

Growing Requirements

Plumbago can grow in most garden soils, providing there is adequate drainage. It is sensitive to cold and is inappropriate where winter temperatures drop below -2c (28f).Its hardiness to heat and drought, make it ideal for water conserving gardens. In Mediterranean climates, it can get through the summer with virtually no irrigation, but in regions where average highs are over 35c it will benefit from about 100-200mm of extra water a year. It should not be planted in proximity to plants that need regular irrigating, as not only are its water conserving properties wasted, but is a type of shrub that actually flowers better in dry soils!

Well, of course fall is on the way. And though some parts of the U.S. are already enjoying moderating temperatures, we in the Deep South are not. So it’s difficult for us to get into the mood to think about planting fall bulbs. In fact, one customer recently wondered whether there are any fall bulbs that perform reliably in our heat. For some of us, average minimum winter temperature is only 40 degrees Fahrenheit. So I decided to put together a quick list of fall bulbs that do well in warm climates.

As you scan the list below, you’ll notice that a number and, usually, a letter follows each plant name. That is the warmest USDA climate zone where that plant is reported to succeed. If the plant does well in much colder zones, I feel it’s unnecessary to state the climate range. However, there are some bulbs that are only successful in the warmest zones, so I noted their range, e.g. “9-11.”

Rather than post a very long article including descriptions of these bulbs, let me refer you to the Resource Box which lists my web sites that contain this information according to the appropriate season. You will find the most complete and comprehensive information during the late summer and fall season when these bulbs are just becoming available.

* Allium aflatunense 9b

* Allium giganteum 9b

* Allium sphaerocephalum ‘Hair’ 9b

* Allium moly 9b

* Allium ‘Mount Everest’ 9b

* Allium neapolitanum 9b

* Allium oreophilum syn. ostrowskianum 10b

* Allium schubertii 9b

* Allium siculum syn. bulgaricum) 9b

* Allium sphaerocephalum 10b

* Anemone blanda 10b

* Anemone coronaria (De Caen) 10b

* Camassia cusickii 9b

* Camassia leichtlinii 9b

* Chionodoxa forbesii 9b

* Chionodoxa luciliae 9b

* Colchicum spp. 11

* Crocus sativus 9b

* Crocus speciosus 10b

* Crocus vernus 11

* Crocus zonatus 10b

* Erythronium revolutum 9b

* Freesia 8-11

* Fritillaria persica 10a

* Fritillaria uva-vulpis 9b

* Hippeastrum papilio (Butterfly Amaryllis) 8 – 10

* Hippeastrum hybrids ( Dutch and South African Amaryllis) 8 – 11

* Ipheion uniflorum 9b

* Iris danfordiae 9b

* Iris x hollandica 9b

* Iris reticulata 9b

* Lycoris aurea 10b

* Lycoris radiata 9b

* Lycoris squamigera 11

* Muscari latifolium 9b

* Muscari macrocarpum 9-11

* Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica 9b

* Ranunculus asiaticus 8a – 11

* Scilla hyacinthoides (syn. campanulata) 10b

The following narcissus are known to do well into zone 10b:

* Narcissus Accent

* Narcissus Actaea

* Narcissus Barrett Browning

* Narcissus Bell Song

* Narcissus Carlton

* Narcissus Chinese Sacred Lily

* Narcissus Dutch Master

* Narcissus February Gold

* Narcissus Fortissimo

* Narcissus Golden Bells

* Narcissus Grand Soleil d’Or

* Narcissus Hawera

* Narcissus Ice Follies

* Narcissus Jetfire

* Narcissus Mount Hood

* Narcissus Pheasant Eye

* Narcissus Pipit

* Narcissus Replete

* Narcissus Rijnveld’s Early Sensation

* Narcissus Rip Van Winkle

* Narcissus Tahiti

* Narcissus Sir Winston Churchill

* Narcissus Tete-a-Tete

* Narcissus Thalia

* Narcissus Yellow Cheerfulness

To learn more, go to goGardenNow.com and click on the Bulbs and Such category. Also, be sure and read the blog.