Gloves you may want to consider to protect your hands.
25
May
Though you will have many tools that will be utilized in your garden, your most used tool will be your hands. You use your hands for dividing, mulching, digging and weeding, and though there are tools you can purchase to do these jobs, it is often much easier just to use your hands. You will need to protect all of your tools, including your hands. We will review gloves now. We will look at each of the jobs and the right glove for each.
There are lots of different gloves to choose from for basic gardening. You have choices of composites, leather and cotton gloves. Cotton gloves are cheap yes, but they wear quickly and weigh a lot when they are wet. All leather gloves are better, but still get wet and are better protection for thorns.
The new spandex/lycra composites fit relatively well for men but women have a harder time making them work. There are one size fits all gloves, are stylish and colorful and do not hold water at all. They keep the moisture away and last well due to the hard wearing nylon on the palms and fingers. These are great for the ladies but not so much for the guys. Bionic gloves look familiar if you have ever seen sports and they are tough and convenient.
Rubber coated gloves are great for comfort and if wetness is a major factor, work wonderfully. Mudgloves shed water well and come in lots of colors and are reasonably priced.
When working on rose bushes and dealing with the thorns that come with these beautiful flowers, there are rose gauntlets with protection to the elbow. If you have rose bushes, you will definately want to consider these.
If you are one of those people who don’t particularly like gloves, the answer may be the new spray on gloves. These are a silicon spray that seals the hands from grime and cleaning up is a breeze.
These are all ideas to protect your most precious tools: your hands.
Choosing grass for your lawn.
20
May
How to Grow Ornamental Grass From Seed – Courtesy of GardenGuides.com
Choosing grass for your yard is a very important task. The grass you choose needs to fit your landscape maintenance plans as well as have the ability to thrive. You may choose to lay sod or seed or you may choose ornamental grass.
First, choose where you will lay the grass and remember that you be sure that you can efficiently water and care for the lawn. Lawn grass works better in larger square areas, which makes it easier to water and mow.
You will want to consider doing a soil analysis to do soil conditions. You can increase the chances of having a successful lawn by choosing grass sod or seed compatible with the soil that you have in place. Also, consider the climate of the location you live in before you choose the grass you want to plant. Bermuda grass and St. Augustine work well in hot climates, Kentucky bluegrass is popular but does not do well in drought conditions. Then hardy zoysia grass, buffalo grass and centipede grass are good for locations that don’t see much water.
Ornamental grass is not good for using as the lawn. They grow taller and look more distinctive and needs less maintenance. Some ornamental grasses do well in dry soil while others require more moisture.
You need to consider how long the grass will grow and remember that the willows and other large grasses do work well in small areas. In a large area you can look at planting fewer different types of grasses. Ornamental grasses should be planted in large patches of color and/or texture which can contrast nicely with other portions of landscape.
Another thing that you will want to consider is your budget for your lawn. Each grass is different when it comes to lawn care, will you do it yourself or will you hire a lawn care company to work in your yard.
Growing fig trees.
13
May
One tree that is popular for their sweet and delicious fruit is fig trees. They can be grown in warmer climates but also do well in colder areas if you give them proper protection. They can be grown in containers so that you can bring them in out of the extreme cold. There are several types of figs to chose from. Some produce green or golden figs that have mild flavor or purple, reddish or dark brown figs which have a bolder flavor.
You can propagate fig trees, which means you take a cutting from an area of new growth on an established tree. In order for the cutting to develop roots, you will need to take it in late winter when the tree is dormant. You will wrap the cuttings in a damp paper towel and place in the freezer for two weeks.
Now you will need to trim the edges at a slant and apply a rooting hormone, place in rich, well drained soil mix and keep moist until the roots appear. Another way to get the tree started is to get seedlings or a young tree from a garden center.
Now you will want to pick a location for your tree, be sure that the spot gets at least 8 hours of sun per day. Morning sun is most important so that the dew will dry quickly in the mornings, which will assist in preventing fungus and disease. Place fig trees at least ten feet apart. You will want to mix compost into the soil, but not manure. New trees must be kept moist, but once they are established only need be watered during prolonged dry periods. If you grow a fig tree in a container then transplant, it will need a bit more care, as the soil will dry more quickly.
Fig trees grown in colder climates require special care to protect against winter weather. Wrap the trees in burlap and place a layer of clear plastic over the burlap. This will help them not to get cold weather damage. Insulating the base of the fig trees with straw or old leaves is a good thing. Container grown fig trees can be moved to a garage or shed for the winter. They require little light and little water during the dormant period.
