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Hi everyone

Welcome to this edition of your Gardening Weekly, today's edition is entitled:

Which Ones are the Weeds?

QUOTE: Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.
- Henry Ford

I have always wondered who ever determined what was a weed and what was a flower.  There are some delightful looking weeds that grow in the garden even when we don't want them to be there.

I guess the best explanation of what represents a weed, and what represents a flower is, a weed is a plant that is growing somewhere that it shouldn't be.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/plants.html

I'm sure that if we started planting these plants that we call weeds, the ones that we call flowers now would start sprouting up everywhere.

I have known people who will happily leave weeds in the garden if they think their color and style will add to the variety of their garden.

More often than not however, we fight the never-ending battle to eradicate these unwanted residents from our gardens only to have them grow back faster than ever.

Adding a covering of mulch will help to reduce the return of weeds.  Another method that helps is to lay dampened newspaper on the ground before covering it with mulch. This is very effective.

The problem with weeds is the fact that many of these plants are better at seeking out the nutrients in the soil and by doing so they are using the goodness that we want for the plants that we choose to have in the garden.

Many weeds also attract insects to the garden that can affect the condition of other plants.

No matter how diligent we are at removing weeds from the garden they will always reappear as their seeds are transported by insects, the wind, and even on the clothing and shoes that we wear.

Replanting from one garden to another can easily introduce new weeds so it is always important to check the soil and the roots of the plants that you are moving to ensure you aren't transplanting weeds also.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/plants.html

Thanks,
Annie
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com

Hi everyone

Welcome to this edition of your Gardening Weekly, today's edition is entitled:

Weed Killer Damage

QUOTE: If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done
- Anonymous

If by chance you are using a weed killer and it accidentally gets on to your plants you should hose it off immediately.
The sooner you can do this the less chance of damage affecting the condition of your plant.

Sometimes while we are spraying elsewhere a wind can carry the spray to other plants and it won't be until sometime later that the damage from this appears.

This damage will appear as leaves that have become smaller, narrowed and twisted.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/plants.html

Once this damage is seen there is nothing that can be done other than to remove the damaged portions of the plant and hope that more damage will not occur over the following days.  Often a plant will recover if it has only received a light residual amount of weed killer that has blown over from a breeze.  It really depends on how much weed killer it was exposed to and how big, or how durable the plant it.  Some plants are a lot more susceptible to weed killer than others and only a small amount of exposure to this will be enough to kill the plant.

You really need to take care when using weed killer to ensure that none of it drifts to areas where it shouldn't be.
Only use weed killer when there is no wind and hold the sprayer close to the weeds so it will only go on them and nowhere else.

It is also wise to have dedicated containers for weed killer and other sprays in the garden as residual weed killer left in a container that you would use for other things in the garden could ruin your plants.  If it is not possible to have more than one container for poison and another for other garden sprays then you should always ensure that you clean it thoroughly after use to remove all the poison.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/plants.html

Thanks,
Annie
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com

Hi everyone

Welcome to this edition of your Gardening Weekly, today's edition is entitled:

Seaweed for the Garden

QUOTE: I have found, through years of practice, that people garden in order to make something grow; to interact with nature; to share, to find sanctuary, to heal, to honor the earth, to leave a mark.  Through gardening, we feel whole as we make our personal work of art upon our land.
- Julie Moir Messervy

One of the best soil conditioners you can get for your garden is seaweed.  What makes seaweed even better for the garden is the fact that it doesn't need to cost you anything if you are prepared to collect it when it gets washed up on the beach, or alternatively from the surface of the water when you are out in a boat.

If you don't live near a beach then you can still get the benefits of seaweed in your garden by buying dried seaweed in very affordable packs from garden centers.

This is the most convenient way to use seaweed on the garden, as it has already been prepared in a state that allows you to spread it evenly throughout the garden.  There is the added benefit that the seaweed sold in the stores doesn't smell as much as the seaweed that you would collect from the beach.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/soil.html

Seaweed is also very good as a plant stimulant.  It is particularly good for people who are reluctant to use any types of chemicals on the garden, as seaweed is completely safe for the plants, people and also for pets.

Many people are unaware that seaweed is also used commercially as it has proven to be a very powerful soil conditioner and in many tests has worked better than some of the manufactured soil conditioners that are commonly sold on the market.

By buying dried seaweed from garden centers you can be assured of the quality and consistency of the product and you can expect results while having the convenience of it being readily available when needed by being able to store it until required.

Seaweed has been used for centuries in gardens around the world and is becoming more popular as people are looking for alternative natural products in preference to chemicals based products.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/soil.html

Thanks,
Annie
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com

Hi everyone

Welcome to this edition of your Gardening Weekly, today's edition is entitled:

Frost Damaged Plants

QUOTE: If seeds in the black earth can turn into such beautiful roses, what might not the heart of man become in its long journey toward the stars?
- G.K. Chesterton

The appearance of wilting leaves, and leaves that have a water logged look can be a sign that your plant is suffering from frost damage.

Another sign of frost damage can be the appearance of brown patches on the leaves.  Other signs are shown when the shoot tips on your plants start to die back.  If the flowers on the plant don't open fully or they become discolored and then start to die off, then these are also signs that frost damage might have occurred.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/plants.html

There is no treatment for frost damage other than to remove the damaged portions of the plant in an effort to make it look a little healthier. Provided the damage hasn't been too severe you might not lose the plant.

Sometimes frost damage is not noticeable for a few days after a frost has occurred and this is particularly so if the frost was a very light one.

The best way to protect against frost damage, or to reduce the effect that frost might have on your garden is to choose the best plants for your climate conditions.  If you are living in an area that is susceptible to frosts then your best course of action is to choose plants that are frost-tolerant.

By planting in areas that are exposed or where frosts occur more frequently you will increase the chances of losing plants to frosts so it is wise to plant in sheltered spots or areas other than where there are frost pockets.

You can offer some protection to your plants by wrapping them in Hessian cloth or frost cloth until after the period of frost has passed.

There will be times in such climates where it is not possible to know when there will be a frost and these out of season frosts can kill a whole plant.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/plants.html

Thanks,
Annie
My Gardening Home Blog

Hi everyone

Welcome to this edition of your Gardening Weekly, today's edition is entitled:

Feeding Your Plants

QUOTE: Each flower is a soul opening out to nature.
- Gerald De Nerval

Just like people, plants have their own particular requirements and it is not the best policy to assume they all need the same feeding.  Some plants need a lot of attention whereas others require very little.

You can actually harm the growth of your plants by feeding them too much.  Once again there needs to be balance in the garden.  If you feed your plants too much fertilizer that is high in nitrogen you might get a lot more foliage but a reduction in the fruit or flowers that the plant will produce.

This is because the plants will be using that nitrogen as energy to grow faster rather than produce more fruit or flowers.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/soil.html

Plants are always giving us signs of their food requirements or if they have been stressed.  They will wilt, or they might change color, or their leaves might curl up and drop off.  If there is something wrong with a plants nutrition it can often be seen quite easily.  It is just a matter of reading these signs and knowing what is going on.  As all plants are different, to fully understand the requirements of the particular plants or trees that you are growing you need to get information specific to those plants.

If you find signs of stress in your plants you should take samples to the local nurseries of the leaves and any abnormalities that you might notice in the soil.

There might be signs of mold in the soil, which could suggest too much water, and the roots of your plants might be rotting.

If the leaves of your plants are turning yellow on the other hand they might be suffering from a shortage of water.

The three most important elements in the soil of plants are nitrogen; for the promotion of leaf and stem growth.
Phosphorus; for the root growth and Potassium; which helps in the growth of flowers and fruits.

If you find there are any deficiencies in these areas then additional nutrients will need to be added to the soil.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/soil.html

Thanks,
Annie
My Gardening Home Blog

Hi everyone

Welcome to this edition of your Gardening Weekly, today's edition is entitled:

Feed For Your Plants

QUOTE: I will be the gladdest thing under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
- Edna St. Vincent Millay

The best time to start feeding your garden is in spring.  At this time of the year the ground is still moist from the winter and early spring rains.

As the ground warms up with the hotter spring weather you get ideal growing conditions in your garden.

This is a crucial time for growth in the garden and you will need to ensure that your plants have the necessary nutrients to benefit from this period.

The small feeder roots that will be developing will seek the nutrients that you need to supply them.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/soil.html

By choosing the correct foods for your plants they will have better foliage, they will be stronger plants and will also have more abundant flowering.

There are three key factors that are needed in a balanced plant food and they are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

A plentiful supply of nitrogen will ensure that your plants have healthy foliage.  Phosphorus improves the plants root health and potassium will encourage the plant to bloom and fruit.

As you can see they are all needed for the overall health of the plants and you should always check on the packaging of the fertilizer to see whether the chemical analysis is suitable.

These fertilizers usually come in three forms - controlled release, liquid and soluble.  Controlled release formulations have the nutrients inside a semi-permeable membrane that allows the nutrients to be released into the soil in a controlled manner once it reacts with the soil moisture and temperature.

One application can last months and it is ideal for containers and indoor plants and established plants and trees.
Liquid formulations are similar to the soluble ones but they have been mixed with water and can be sprayed on the plants leaves for rapid response.

Soluble formulations and applied dry and dissolve once the area receives water, which will dissolve the salts and make the nutrients available for the roots of the plant.

All applications have their benefits and you need to decide which is best for the plants you are feeding.

Website Of Interest. Check out the following:
http://blog.mygardeninghome.com/soil.html

Thanks,
Annie
My Gardening Home Blog

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