Creating the Perfect Hydroponic Garden: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking to create a thriving hydroponic garden but feeling overwhelmed by the numerous steps and tools involved? Worry not! Our comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process, breaking it down into simple, manageable steps. In no time, you'll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor and marvel at the lush greenery you've cultivated.

Sawdust Decomposition

Sawmill sawdust has a moisture content of 40-65%, which is good for compost. Lumber yard sawdust, on the other hand, is kiln-dried and is biologically inert due to dehydration. Therefore, it is not as desirable in compost unless rehydrated with water (or urine) before being added to the compost pile.

Basil Consumption Per Square Meter

Family Mint Height 2 to 3 feet A B P, Hardiness frost sensitive annual Spacing 1 per square, 2 dwarf per square Spring no Summer yes Fall no Winter no Seed to Harvest Flower 12 weeks Seeds Storage 5 years Weeks to Maturity 4 to 6 weeks Indoor Seed Starting 4 to 6 weeks before last frost Earliest Outdoor Planting after soil has warmed Additional Plantings 3 weeks and Basil is a non-invasive member of the mint family. 'Sweet Genovese' is the pesto basil. And although we associate basil with...

Hardiness Zones

Zone Fahrenheit Celsius Example Cities 1 Below -50 F Below -45.6 C Fairbanks, Alaska Resolute, Northwest Territories (Canada) 2a -50 to -45 F -42.8 to -45.5 C Prudhoe Bay, Alaska Flin Flon, Manitoba (Canada) 2b -45 to -40 F -40.0 to -42.7 C Unalakleet, Alaska Pinecreek, Minnesota 3a -40 to -35 F -37.3 to -39.9 C International Falls, Minnesota St. Michael, Alaska 3b -35 to -30 F -34.5 to -37.2 C Tomahawk, Wisconsin Sidney, Montana 4a -30 to -25 F -31.7 to -34.4 C Minneapolis St.

Sexing Koi Fish

Sexing your KoiSexing Koi is difficult if they are not in breeding condition and more so when they are young. As the males come into condition, they develop little white spots, called tubercles, on their pectoral fins. Do not confuse them with white spot which is an ailment. The tubercles will be seen about March and subsequently, depending on how warm the water is.

Northwest Ohio Butterfly Pictures

Everyone loves butterflies and butterfly pictures. How could you not like a butterfly They're colorful, they aren't afraid of humans, and they just kind of float around all day looking for a flower to land on. Kids like to chase them and they don't bite if you catch one. Northwest Ohio is best known for its re-established population of karner blue butterflies.

Juvenility - The early growth stage of the plant

The early growth stage of the plant, juvenile growth, is characterized by certain physical appearances and activities that are different from those found in the later stages or in adult growth. Often leaf shapes vary; e.g. the juvenile ivy leaf is three-lobed while the adult leaf is more oval. The habit of the plant is also different; the juvenile stem of ivy tends to grow horizontally and is vegetative in nature, while the adult growth is vertical and bears flowers.

Hydroponics is all about healthy roots

Root systems vary in size from those of a seedling, perhaps a few inches long, to those of a 300' redwood that can grow larger in size than the visible tree itself Regardless of the physical size of the plant, roots serve three essential functions 1 the uptake of water and nutrients 2 storage for manufactured materials 3 providing physical support for the plant above ground.

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Marigolds

Just about everyone will recognize the pompom flowers of the marigold. The most common flower colors are orange, yellow, and red/orange bicolor, but they can be found in burgundy, red, and even a creamy white. Flowers can be single, double, or crested, and between 1 and 6 inches in diameter.

Gibberellic Acid Sprays

Gibberellic acid GA is a naturally occurring compound in a group of plant hormones called gib-berellins. GA application to table grape clusters may produce several responses. When it is applied to clusters early in their development, it may lengthen the cluster stem rachis to reduce cluster compactness. However, this response to GA application is often negated by the natural elongation of the cluster in a later stage of cluster development.

The Best Plum Varieties

Of all the stone fruits, plums are the most varied. They range from hardy little cherry plums and sand cherries to hybrids with the hardiness of natives, sweet European plums and the prunes made from them , and sweet or tart Japanese plums. European plums tend to be small, and most varieties are egg-shaped. The flesh is rather dry and very sweet.

Growing Potatoes in Warm Climates: Expert Advice

In tropical gardens, growing potatoes can be a rewarding experience if you choose the right varieties. Tropical climates are characterized by high temperatures, humidity, and rainfall, which can be challenging for certain potato types. However, there are a few potato varieties that have been specifically bred or adapted to thrive in these conditions.

Growing Japanese Maples For Profit

For hundreds of years, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) have been grown and admired by gardeners, who view them as a collector's tree because of their unique beauty. These lovely trees make a unique addition to any garden, with foliage ranging from delicate lacy leaves to variegated leaves in a rainbow of colors from red and green to pinks and white highlights. Landscape designers love Japanese maples because they can be used in so many ways in the landscape.

Commercial Composting Toilets

Commercial composting toilets have been popular in Scandinavia for some time at least twenty-one different composting toilets were on the market in Norway alone in 1975. One of the most popular types of commercially available composting toilets in the United States today is the multrum toilet, invented by a Swedish engineer and first put into production in 1964. Fecal material and urine are deposited together into a single chamber with a double bottom.

Take a Walk Back in Time Through Goll Woods

Goll Woods State Nature Preserve near Archbold, Ohio is one of my favorite places to visit. The preserve contains the last remaining virgin forest in Northwest Ohio.

What's Special about the Ohio Buckeye Tree?

It's interesting how the buckeye tree is such a fascination in the state of Ohio.  Ohio is considered the buckeye state and the buckeye nut is the mascot for The Ohio State University.

Walk or ride on the Historic Towpath Trail

The eight-mile Towpath Trail extends between Farnsworth  and Providence Metroparks and is ideal for both hiking or biking. The trail also runs through Bendview Metropark and actually is the only way to get to Bendview.  I think this trail is one of the nicer trails in Northwest Ohio.

Mastering Grapevines: Trellis Selection & Cultural Practices

All cultural practices applied to grapevines are aimed at achieving the goals of acceptable yield and acceptable fruit quality. The intensity of a grower's vine management will reflect what he considers acceptable yield and fruit quality. Modest crops of imperfect fruit may be quite acceptable to a backyard grower, but such standards would put a commercial grower out of business. Several good vine management options for table grape production are presented below.

The Scout Trail at Oak Openings Preserve

The scout trail is a 15.5 mile trail that basically goes around the perimeter of Oak Openings Preserve. It is my favorite trail in Northwest Ohio. This trail is known by a couple different names. On the Metroparks' Oak Openings Preserve map it is referred to as The Oak Openings Hiking Trail. It is better known as The Scout Trail. Local Boy Scout troops have taken care of the trail for many years.

Seedling Organization in Monocotyledons

Plant Root Shoot Transition

Seedlings of monocotyledons, without any exception, possess only 1 cotyledon. This cotyledon represents 1 leaf. There is no morphological or developmental indication of either syncotyly or anisocotyly Tillich 1992 . The cotyledon is sub- Fig. 4A- F. Modes of participation of leaf base shaded and hyperphyll white in the leaf construction of monocotyledons. A Unifacial hyperphyll cylindrical or ensiform , not differentiated in petiole and lamina e.g., uncus spp. . B Hyperphyll with unifacial...

Leaf Morphology in Monocotyledons

Alismatidae

At a primordial developmental stage foliage leaves in angiosperms are subdivided into a proximal leaf base and a distal leaf part. The distal part Oberblatt was recently named hyperphyll see Weberling 1989 45 similarly, the proximal part Unterblatt can be called a hypophyll. In many monocotyledons the hypophyll tends to be much more extended and contributes a far greater part to the leaf than in dicotyledons, but there are several exceptions to this rule. The discussion on the interpretation of...

Cyperus haspan L. - Haspan Flatsedge

Cyperus haspan L. - Haspan Flatsedge Family - Cyperaceae Stems Stem. Stem in cross section. Leaves N A Inflorescence Flowers Spikelet close-up. Flowering - July - October. Habitat - Marshes, bogs, lake and pond margins, ditches, low fields. Origin - Native to North America. Other information - This species can be found mainly in the southern half of Alabama. The plant can be identified by its sharply trigonous stems, compressed spikelets, and trigonous fruits.

Systena hudsonias Forster Coleoptera Chrysomelidae

Redheaded flea beetle is distributed widely in the eastern United States and Canada. Although it has been collected in Montana, it is rarely found west of Manitoba, Kansas, and eastern Texas. Smartweed flea beetle occupies a similar range. It is distributed widely in the eastern states and provinces, but is found only as far west as South Dakota, Colorado, and New Mexico. Host Plants. The adults of both redheaded and smartweed flea beetle have been observed to feed on various...

Systena elongata Fabricius Coleoptera Chrysomelidae

Beetle Coleoptera

Palestriped flea beetle is widely distributed in the United States. It is found from New York to Florida on the east coast and west to California. This native pest is rare or absent in the northern states from New England to Washington. Its pest status seems to be limited to the central United States from Virginia to Colorado. In Canada, this flea beetle is known from Alberta and Ontario, but is so infrequent as not to be considered a pest. A closely related species, elongate flea...

Family Bruchidae Seed Beetles and Weevils

Bean Weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus Say 49 Broadbean Weevil, Bruchus rufimanus Cowpea Weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius and Southern Cowpea Weevil, Callosobruchus chinensis Linnaeus 52 Pea Weevil, Bruchus pisorum Linnaeus 54 Family Carabidae Ground Beetles 57 Fabricius , Seedcorn Beetle, Stenolophus lecontei Chaudoir and Slender Seedcorn Beetle, Clivina impressifrons LeConte 57 Cabbage Flea Beetle, Phyllotreta albionica Corn Flea Beetle, Chaetocnema pulicaria Melsheimer and Toothed...

Disonycha mellicollis Say Coleoptera Chrysomelidae

Pictures Spinach Flea Beetles

Spinach flea beetle and yellow-necked flea beetle occur throughout the United States and Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains. Three-spotted flea beetle occupies the same area as the aforementioned species, but also occurs in British Columbia, Idaho, and Utah. These insects are native to North America. Host Plants. These flea beetles are known principally as pests of the family Chenopodiaceae beet, spinach, and Swiss chard. Therefore, it is not surprising that they damage...

Super Sturdy Squash Trellis

The fact that a little butternut squash seedling can grow into a 15-foot long vine and produce loads of fruit in just a few months always astonishes me. I love their big, heart-like leaves and the fact that the fruit lasts so long (I've still got half of a homegrown butternut squash in the crisper drawer of my fridge). The only problem with squash is they are total space hogs.

Phyllanthus urinaria L. - Chamber Bitter

Phyllanthus urinaria L. - Chamber Bitter Family - Euphorbiaceae Stems Leaves N A Inflorescence Flowers Fruits. Flowering - May - December. Habitat - Waste ground, disturbed sites, lawns, fields. Origin - Native to tropical east Asia. Other information - This species can be found mainly in southern Alabama. The plant is easy to identify because of its dense leafy stems and globose fruits, which can be found along the stems below the leaves.

Toxic Plants

Everyone wants a healthy pond full of beautiful Koi and lovely plants but do you know which plants are DEADLY to your Koi Keeping your Koi healthy is the Most Important part of being a Koi owner (and what this site is dedicated to). You are always careful to make sure your water is stable and you do not over feed your fish but have you ever thought of the hidden dangers Some of those beautiful and delicate plants you have in your pond could be causing your fish to get sick.

Cropping in sawdust

In the 1950s and 1960s the Saanichton and Agassiz research stations developed a method of cropping greenhouse tomatoes in sawdust. This method received general commercial acceptance in British Columbia, and to some extent in Alberta, in the 1970s and 1980s, but it is now being replaced by rockwool. Some of the advantages of sawdust culture are its low cost, light weight, and the wide availability of sawdust itself. Although rockwool also claims some of these qualities, sawdust could again...

When to feed your garden

Whether you're using store-bought or natural fertilizer, such as compost or manure, most plants like to be fertilized at planting time, just to get off to a good start. Thereafter, you may fertilize again on a monthly basis. Reduce or stop when fall's cooler weather arrives. Fertilizer inspires fresh new growth, and you don't want that then fall is a time for plants to slow down and approach dormancy, and cold weather can damage new growth. You should, however, feed the lawn in autumn to...

Spread Of Pollution Through Dry Soil By Outhouses

Compost Guide

'' A' . i r I'- i.-jZ , Outhouses will transmit pollution three meters 10 feet vertically and one meter 3 feet laterally, in dry soil. Low-Cost Technology Options for Sanitation, A State of the Art Review and Annotated Bibliography. World Bank. p. 52. Outhouses will transmit pollution three meters 10 feet below the outhouse hole and one meter 3 feet sideways in dry soil. They can be expected to leak pollution 50 feet sideways in wet soils, following the direction of groundwater flow. Another...

Loamless or soilless composts

Loamless composts introduced the advantages of a uniform growing medium, but with components that are lighter, cleaner to handle, cheaper to prepare and which do not need to be sterilized (unless being used more than once). Many have low nutrient levels which enable growers to manipulate plant growth more precisely through nutrition, but the control of nutrients is more critical, as many components have a low buffering capacity. Peat has until recently been the basis of most loamless composts....

Seed Planting

Lima Bean Growth Chart

Seeds should be planted as deep as the thin vertical dimension of each side. Lima and fava beans may be planted on their sides. Their root systems, which emerge from an eye, can grow straight down. The seeds should be covered with humus-containing flat soil, which is similar to the soil with decomposed plant matter found over germinating seeds in nature. The compost stimulates the germination process. Seeds, whether they are planted in beds or in flats, should Hexagonal spacing , 1 1- 1- 11 lt...

Baccharis halimifolia L. - Groundsel Tree

Bark of mature plant. Leaves Inflorescence N A Involucre Involucre of staminate flowers. Ray flowers Absent. Disk flowers Pistillate flowers. Staminate flowers. Flowering - August - October. Habitat - Old fields, fence rows, woodlands, waste ground, marshes. Origin - Native to North America. Other information - This weedy shrub can be found mainly in the southern half of Alabama.

Japanese Iris Roots

Peaches And Cream Siberian Iris

Irises, the Rainbow Flower a Rainbow , Flower-de-Luce Around the world, approximately 270 iris species are known plus hundreds of subspecies, collected forms, and natural hybrids. All come from the Northern Hemisphere and can be found growing as far north as Scandinavia and as far south as Florida, from Europe to Japan, as well as in many parts of North America. Their habitats range from mountainsides to deserts, open grasslands, dense woodland, and sandy coastal areas. Irises grow from 5 to...

Leopard moth Zeuzera pyrina

Zeuzera Pyrina Damage

The caterpillar of this species tunnels into the branches and trunk of a wide range of tree species, such as apple, ash, birch, and lilac. The tunnelling may weaken the branches of trees which in high winds commonly break. Life cycle. The Leopard moth has an unusual life cycle. The moth is large, 5-6 cm across, and is white with black spots. In early summer the female lays dark-yellow eggs on the bark of the tree. The emerging caterpillar see Figure 14.14 enters the stem by a bud, and...

Requirements for Photosynthesis

In order that a plant may build up organic compounds such as sugars, it must have a supply of carbon which is readily available. Carbon dioxide is present in the air in concentrations of 330 ppm parts per million or 0.03 per cent, and can diffuse into the leaf through the stomata. Carbon dioxide gas moves ten thousand times faster in air than it would in solution through the roots.

Stages in succession

Referring now to secondary succession, there is commonly observed a characteristic sequence of plant types as a succession proceeds. The first species to establish are aptly called the 'pioneer community'. In felled woodland, these may well be mosses, lichens, ferns and fungi. In contrast, a drained pond will probably have Sphagnum moss, reeds and rushes, which are adapted to the wetter habitat. The second succession stage will see plants such as grasses, foxgloves and willow herb taking over...

Maintaining Nutrient Concentration And pH

Bleach Relationship Chart

For optimal growth to take place, the nutrient concentration and pH must be consistently balanced over time to insure plants have what they need, when they need it. In any circulating hydroponic system, with every pass the nutrient makes past the root system, an exchange is taking place. As a result, as time goes by, your nutrient solution changes in concentration. Therefore, so does each plant's ability to uptake essential elements. The easiest way to keep on top of your nutrient solution is...

DIY Project: Compost Fence

I just discovered the coolest addition to my neighbors' yard a compost fence Scott and Jen moved in last fall and they accumulated a seriously big pile of slow-to-decompose branches, pine needles, and evergreen leaves when they cleaned up their new yard. Rather than stuff this bulky material in their yard waste bin they decided to reuse the material on site. Their new compost fence doubles as a screen and a depository for their yard waste .

Microorganisms In Compost

Actinobifida chromogena Microbispora bispora Micropolyspora faeni Nocardia sp. Pseudocardia thermophilia Streptomyces rectus S. thermofuscus S. thermoviolaceus S. thermovulgaris S. violaceus-ruber Thermoactinomyces sac chari Aspergillus fumigatus Humicola grisea H. insolens H. lanuginosa Malbranchea pulchella Myriococcum themophilum Paecilomyces variotti Papulaspora thermophila Scytalidium thermophilim Sporotrichum thermophile Source Palmisano, Anna C. and Barlaz, Morton A. Eds. 1996 ....

Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag. - Lemon Bee Balm

Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag. - Lemon Bee Balm Family - Lamiaceae Stems Leaves Inflorescence N A Flowers Flowering - May - July. Habitat - Pastures, dry disturbed sites, roadsides. Origin - Native to North America. Other information - This attractive species can be found in a handful of counties mainly in south-central Alabama. The plant can be identified by its square stems, opposite, thin leaves, and multiple verticillasters terminating the stems.

Balance Formal Versus informal

Formal Balance Food

Balance means maintaining a sense of proportion in your design. In a formal garden, you achieve balance through right-left symmetry arranged along a central axis. In other words, if you plant one lilac on the left, you have to plant an identical lilac on the right. In an informal garden, balance is asymmetrical, with differing elements arranged without a formal axis. Instead, this type of garden relies on a more subtle equilibrium of their overall mass. Have a look at the two plans in Figure...

Dichondra caroliniensis Michx. - Carolina Ponysfoot

Family - Convolvulaceae Stems N A Leaves Inflorescence N A Flowers Flowering - February - November. Habitat - Moist hammocks, floodplain forests, roadsides, lawns. Origin - Native to North America. Other information - This weedy little species can be found throughout most of Alabama and is probably more common than is reported. The plant an be easily identified by its creeping habit, rounded leaves, and small, whitish flowers. This is a common lawn weed in the southeastern U.S.

Four methods of watering by capillary action

Choose a tray with raised sides and good drainage. Line it with polythene sheeting. Stab holes in the applied. To gain experience use a minimum number of pot types and sizes, and as far as possible stick to one compost formula so that experience of these limited conditions will improve watering technique. Watering from above with a rose, attached either to a watering can or a hose, will give a light rate of application. This helps prevent severe caking of the compost and so enhances penetration...

Waterproofing Baskets

Waterproofing Baskets

Buy clear polyester resin and hardener separately and a brush from a craft store. Be sure to use the hardener according to the instructions. Tear some newspapers into long strips about five inches wide. Brush the polyester resin on the basket bottom and sides, then line with the newspaper strips until you have filled the entire basket. Continue the resin-paper process until you've lined the basket with six coats of paper. When finished, add an additional coat of resin. Hanging basket trees...

Starting Seeds Indoors

Growing Plants Under Lights Indoors

Make sure you have the right conditions and equipment for starting seeds indoors. You should have a sunny area, preferably a greenhouse or a place with light coming from above. Many people believe that a window with a southern exposure is ideal. They end up with a lot of leggy plants leaning toward that window. For stocky, healthy transplants, it's hard to beat this lighting system. If you don't have a greenhouse or overhead sunlight, you can grow your transplants indoors under lights. The...

New Depth Only Inches Deep

Starting Vegetable Box

Don't bother ' I said. For years, experts said your garden soil had to be improved at least 12 inches deep some even said 18 inches. But my experiments were V7 t proving otherwise, especially when 1 used good homemade compost as one-third of the mix. I asked myself, If six inches of perfect soil is T our tOVC OJ good enough for windowboxes and commercial greenhouse benches, gardening to the why not in backyard gardens And why dilute it by adding the mix simplicity of SFG....

The Square Foot Gardening Story

Teacher Foot Story

ou have forever changed garden ing for me. Well, we tried all these new ideas in the community garden the next year, and, guess what They worked Everyone understood and grasped the Square oot Gardening concepts quickly and easily, and since most of the participants were beginning gardeners who were well acquainted with the disastrous experience from the previous year including the overgrown weeds and mounds of zucchini and rows of cabbage that ripened all at once they were very willing to try...

All New Square Foot Gardening Fxd

Square Foot Planting Guide

Always things people are throwing out. I've done that in India, Haiti, Argentina, Nepal, Thailand, Ghana, and even in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and New York City, so don't be afraid to go, look, and ask it's out there. COFFEE GROUNDS AND FREE BUCKETS Anyplace people gather, there will be waste thrown out. Check out farmer's markets, local fairs or street carnivals, flea markets, even places like Starbucks guess what they would have for you there . In addition to compost material, many of these...

Penny Pincher

My idea of the best kind of wood is free wood. Go to any construction site, tell the foreman you are building a Square Foot Garden, and ask if they have any scrap lumber. Chances are they will be throwing out just what you need. They may even cut it for you if you ask nicely. Then your box is free. When constructing your SFG box, cut all four pieces of your wood sides to the same length, and then rotate the corners to ensure you end up with a square box. If you want a different look than the...

Vernonia angustifolia Michx. - Tall Ironweed

Vernonia angustifolia Michx. - Tall Ironweed Family - Asteraceae Stems Leaves Inflorescence N A Involucre Ray flowers Absent. Disk flowers Flowering - June - September. Habitat - Sandy open ground, sandy woods, sandhills, dry hammocks, roadsides, old fields, pine barrens. Origin - Native to North America. Other information - This striking species can be found mainly in the southern half of Alabama. The plant is easy to identify becasue of its linear leaves, pubescent stems and acute phyllaries.

Building Sunken Beds

Landslide Anchoring Plants

Sunken beds use topography to your advantage to collect water. They work best in hot dry climates and red, water use even tor soils that don't suffer from excessive drainage. Build them only where there', no sa'lt nn hi though, as they can increase soil salt levels. proDiem. Divide the area into several smaller 3- to 4-foot-wide pits for individual beds. At high altitudes, create one large bed. Remove the topsoil from each bed onto a tarp. If you can't tell the topsoil from the lower soil,...

Do Pecan Trees Grow In Tropical Climates

Pecan trees grow q uite tall up to 18 metres with a 12 metre spread. They are deciduous and prefer cool winter conditions. Pecans make a lovely shade tree in summer, and a small orchard of pecan nut trees would enhance any property. There are at least 160 varieties of pecan nuts grown, but only a limited number are available commercially. Check with your nursery for the variety best suited to your area. Pecan trees do best in a heavy soil. They don't even mind clay soils. Plant young trees...

Pelargoniums

Geranium Regal

The order Geraniaceae is divided into five tribes, one of which is called Geraniae, which in turn also has five genera, two of which are Geranium and Pelargonium. It is at this point that the reader can become confused by virtue of the fact that gardeners still continue to refer 10 pelargoniums as geraniums despite botanists changing the name of the genus well over a hundred years ago. We therefore have two very different types of plants both being referred to by the same name, which can...

Columnaris Cotton Mouth Disease

Fin rot and sunken eyes on an infected fish. Columnaris is NOT some exotic new koi disease. However, it can show up occasionally and when it does it can cause a lot of damage to your fish in a short amount of time. Unfortunately it is quite often misdiagnosed. What is it It is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Flavobacterium Columnare.

Types of Hoes

Collinear Hoe

Peopl, think of tetf mMPW the gt fall into two d mct lt rhecommon, lar,,Nad lclient mg -I. but it s morecumU for 3th stvles. Undesigned for weeding have small,, black that arveas r clSy spaced plants. The must be kept quite harp to work efficiently. A .variety of hoesl evolved over time to suit different working styles and positions only the most common types are described Standard garden hoe American pattern hoe. Used for digging, chopping, moving dirt, creating broad furrows or raised beds,...

The Pin Oak Tree

The pin oak tree can typically be found in swampy, low lands of forested areas. It is very common to see it in seasonal standing water where no other oaks are growing. It likes acidic soil which is common in the swampy spots of the forest. In the Oak Openings Region of Ohio the higher sand dunes will quickly give way to swampy areas.

7 Tips for Using a Weed Eater Like a Pro!

The weed eater is a lightweight trimmer that costs far less than a lawnmower, but you have to master the art of cutting grass using a weed eater. The rotating weed eater nylon works efficiently as it cuts smoothly through the grass to give your backyard some facelift. It s simply something everyone would love. Despite being easy to use, these weed eater gadgets require some skills, especially when cutting grass with a weed eater.

Storing Table Grapes

Most of the table grape varieties grown in a temperate climate store well in a typical farm cold storage for at least seven to 10 days. With a little effort, that time period may be lengthened. Desiccation and decay are the storage hazards of table grapes. Fumigation, the use of sulfur dioxide pads or other fungicidal techniques combat storage diseases of grapes in large commercial operations Zabadal et al., 1988 . Put only healthy, dry grapes into storage. Pick grapes for storage early in the...

Ohio Bird Migration

The big bird migration in Northwest Ohio happens every April and May.  And this isn't just the passing of hundreds of different types of migratory birds pass on their way to more northerly nesting areas.  Its a major event! Songbirds (mostly warblers), shorebirds, and waterfowl migrate from their winter havens in the south.  Many come from as far away as South America and Central America.

Honey fungus Armillaria mellea

Rhizomorph Armillaria Mellea

This fungus belongs to the Basidiomycota group of fungi. Damage. This fungus primarily attacks trees and shrubs, e.g. apple, lilac and privet. In spring the foliage wilts and turns yellow. Death of the plant may take a few weeks or several years in large trees. Confirming symptoms are the white mycelium, rhizomorphs and toadstools mentioned below see Figure 15.15 . Figure 15.15 Honey fungus. Note the dense clump of honey-coloured toadstools, and also the fungal strands rhizomorphs spreading out...

Easiest Way to Freeze Corn

Every year my family and I buy several bushels of corn and spend a day freezing it all. It takes FOREVER, makes a HUGE mess, and afterwards nobody wants any corn for at least 3 months. But we're always so glad to have the fresh, sweet corn in the winter months. This year though, I decided to try a new way. The worst part is shucking and pulling all those little silks off.

Food chains

Woodland Habitat Food Chain With Names

Charles Darwin is said to have told a story about a village with a large number of old ladies. This village produced higher yields of hay than the nearby villages. Darwin reasoned that the old ladies kept more cats than other people and that these cats caught more field mice which were important predators of wild bees. Since these bees were essential for the pollination of red clover and clover improved the yield of hay , Darwin concluded that food chains were the answer to the superior hay...

Growing Spring Onions

Onion Growing

Common name onion Botanical name Allium cepa Origin Southwest Asia Soil and growing conditions affect the flavor of an onion as much as the variety, so check with a garden center or with your Cooperative Extension Service for specific varieties that will do well in your area. Onions are hardy biennial vegetables usually grown as annuals. They have hollow leaves, the bases of which enlarge to form a bulb. The flower stalk is also hollow, taller than the leaves, and topped with a cluster of white...

Heirloom Tomatoes Turn $50 Into $6,000 With 'Ugly' Tomatoes!

Growing heirloom tomatoes is one of the best ways to grow profits in your garden. Tomatoes have always been the most popular vegetable in the grocery store produce department, and at farmers markets. Heirloom tomatoes are even more popular, and bring higher prices because they taste so good.

Dissolved Oxygen

Koi Pond Aeration is dependent on the Ponds Dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen (DO) refers to oxygen gas that is dissolved in water. Fish breathe oxygen just as land animals do. However, fish are able to absorb oxygen directly from the water into their bloodstream using gills, whereas land animals use lungs to absorb oxygen from the atmosphere. There are three main sources of oxygen in ponds Direct diffusion from the atmosphere. Wind and wave action. Photosynthesis.

Vinegar pray leps Cats Away

LIse vinegar to chase away wandering tomcats and neutralize the smell that they leave behind. The cats can smell the vinegar but I can't, says Victoria Price of Silver Spring, Maryland. She puts vinegar around the base of her birdbath, on her patio wall, and on the trunk of a cedar tree that's a popular gathering placc for cats. As long as the cats can smell the vinegar, it works like a scent fence to keep them away.

How to Harvest Basil & Keep It Fresh

It has no flavor. It has no texture. And it is a very sad substitute for fresh basil, which is so tasty and easy to grow A single basil plant can yield 12 or more cups of leaves in a single season. So what's the secret to getting the most out of your basil Eat a lot of it The more your harvest the more your plants will produce Pinch Right Above the Little Leaves When harvesting basil, it's best to pinch off a piece of the stem rather than just snipping off a leaf...

How to Make Icelandic Yogurt with Goat's Milk

We are finally getting enough milk that we aren't consuming it all fresh (and actually, I used a gallon to make yogurt and another gallon to make into cheese today because we have so much ) so I've been experimenting. My next project will be soap. But for today, I want to share how we make our yogurt. Now, I have to admit something first. I don't like yogurt. I have trouble with the texture.

Starting New Plants From Parts

Vegetables Plants Pictures

Seeds and transplants are not the only forms from which to raise new plants they're the forms you'll use most often, but some vegetables are started from other plant parts suckers, tubers, slips, crowns, sets, cloves, divisions, or cuttings. In some cases plants can be grown either from seed or from plant parts. Onions, for instance, take a very long time to germinate from seed, so it usually makes more sense to grow them from sets. Other plants grow best from plant parts. The following are...

Vining crops Cucumbers squash pumpkins and melons

How Save Leggy Zucchini Plants

All these crops have the common trait of growing their fruits on long, trailing vines, although some varieties now grow in more compact bushlike patterns. Many of these species can pollinate one another, too, making it nearly impossible to get seeds that grow fruit resembling the original varieties. Plant leggy tomato transplants horizontally in a trench. Plant leggy tomato transplants horizontally in a trench. Cucumbers are classified as slicers long and thin and picklers short and prickly ....

Soil structure

Rotavators

In order to provide a suitable root environment for cultivated plants the soil must be constructed in such a way as to allow good gaseous exchange, whilst holding adequate reserves of available water. There should be a high water infiltration rate, free drainage and an interconnected network of spaces allowing roots to find water and nutrients without hindrance. There should be no large cavities that prevent thorough contact between soil and roots and allow roots to dry out in the seedbed. The...

10 Most Profitable Specialty Crops to Grow

Growing specialty crops is the perfect way to turn your gardening skills and knowledge into extra income. Unlike commonly grown crops like grain and vegetables, specialty crops are not widely grown and bring higher prices for growers. It's not unusual to find growers earning as much as 60,000 per acre with these unique cash crops. All of the 10 specialty crops listed in this article are easy to grow and produce above average income from a small plot of land.

When To Plant Okra

Okra Hibiscus Esculentus

Fingers, gumbo Botanical names Hibiscus Emerald 56 days Clemson Spineless 58 days Dwarf Green Long Pod 52 days . Okra, a member of the cotton and hibiscus family, is an erect, tender annual With hairy stems and large maplelike leaves. It grows from three to six feet tall, and has large flowers that look like yellow hibiscus blossoms with red or purplish centers. When mature, the pods are six to 10 inches long and filled with buckshotlike seeds. Okra is used in Southern cooking, in gumbo or...

Training and Pruning Young Apple and Pear Trees

Clothespin Training Fruit Trees

Pruning is especially critical just after planting and during the first few years of growth to make sure that the overall structure of the fruit tree is correct and to encourage early fruiting. Pruning cuts on young trees stimulate vegetative growth below the cuts and delay fruit bearing. So keep the number of cuts made on a young tree to a minimum, making only cuts that are necessary for proper structural development. If you do a good job of pruning and develop a structurally strong tree with...

Soil texture

Soil Texture Classification Triangle

Stones can help water infiltration, protect the surface from capping, and check erosion by wind or water. Soil texture can usefully be defined as the relative proportions of the sand, silt and clay particles in the soil. Soil texture describes the mineral composition of a soil. In most cultivated soils the mineral content forms the framework and exerts a major influence on its characteristics. Examples of different textures are given in Figure 17.11. Figure 17.11 Soil textural triangle. The...

Diaprepes abbreviatus Linnaeus Coleoptera Curculionidae

Diaprepes abbreviatus is found widely in the Caribbean Islands, and was discovered in Florida in 1964. It has since then spread slowly, but occurs throughout southern and central Florida. It is thought to have been introduced with ornamental plants shipped to Florida from Puerto Rico, and there fore has the potential to spread again by this means, particularly to other warm weather regions such as southern Texas and California. In Puerto Rico these pests are known as vaquitas....

Woody Ornamentals

Woody Plant Combinations

Soil care for ornamental trees, shrubs, and vines is essentially the same as for fruit and nut tree You're ing in more expensive plants that can't be moved once they mature, so it pays tot reat them well. Investigat i potential problems with drainage and pH before you buy plants so you have plenty of time ideally six month I or more to make any corrections. You won't be able to correct drainage after you plant. Also remember thatanjH soli improvement should extend over a large area. When soil...

How To Start a Tree Farm

High-Value Bark for Crafters If you own a few acre, consider becoming a tree farmer. It's earth-friendly and more profitable than you might imagine when you grow high-value trees. Traditional tree farms are much like a plantation with one primary crop, saw and pulp logs. In the South, most tree farmers grow loblolly pines, in the Northwest, douglas fir and elsewhere a variety of evergreen and deciduous trees grown primarily for pulp and lumber.

Approaching Prospective Customers

Backyard Hydroponics

Now that you have a great product, nice packaging, and an idea of what is important, here are some suggestions on what to do and say. Start off with the smallest store you can find the smaller the better , since the chances that the person you encounter will be an owner or manager. If they express a sincere interest, you can The infamous Habanero pepper - another excellent specialty spice used in Thai and Cajun cooking. The infamous Habanero pepper - another excellent specialty spice used in...

TREES How to Make Money Growing Trees

Dear Gardening Friend, Did you know trees are one of the most profitable plants you can grow in a backyard nursery If you've been looking for the ideal profitable plant to grow for income, read on to learn more about how trees could be the perfect choice for you. Growing trees for profit is an ideal part-time or full-time business for anyone who wants to be their own boss and enjoys being outdoors working with plants.

Hybrid and Openpollinated Seeds

Burpee Pixie Tomato

At Burpee we are frequently asked why some seeds are more expensive than others. The answer is that hybrid seeds are more expensive to produce than open-pollinated varieties. Hybrid varieties are particularly easy to grow and harvest, and there are many wonderful varieties available at good prices. Hybrid seeds are produced by crossing two different parents, and will grow only one generation of plants. The offspring from a hybrid revert to resemble the parentage, so saving seed from hybrids is...

Complete versus Incomplete Fertilizer

Complete And Incomplete Fertilizers

A fertilizer is said to be a complete or mixed fertilizer when it contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium the primary nutrients . Examples of commonly used complete fertilizers are 6-12-12, 10-10-10, 15-15-15 and 20-10-10. An incomplete fertilizer will be missing one or more of the major components. Examples of incomplete fertilizers are 34-0-0 ammonium nitrate , 46-0-0 urea , 18-46-0 diammonium phosphate , 0-46-0 triple super phosphate and 0-0-60 muriate of potash . Incomplete fertilizers...

Plant Structure and Growth

Simple Fleshy Fruit Examples

A knowledge of the structure and growth of plants is an aid to understanding some of the problems that develop when growing plants. All seed-producing plants have vegetative organs roots, stems, and leaves and reproductive organs flowers, fruits, and seeds . Ferns have vegetative organs and reproduce by spores. Roots anchor the plants. They also absorb water and plant nutrients from the soil and carry these upward to the stem. Some roots are modified for food storage. Carrots, peonies, and...

The rhizosphere

Exude Oxygen Plants

The rhizosphere is a zone in the soil that is influenced by roots. Living roots change the atmosphere around them by using up oxygen and producing carbon dioxide (see respiration p118). Roots exude a variety of organic compounds that hold water and form a coating that bridges the gap between root and nearby soil particles. Micro-organisms occur in greatly increased numbers and are more active in proximity to roots. Some actually invade the root cells where they live as symbionts. The Rhizobium...

Microbe-Lift BSDT

Broad Spectrum Disease TreatmentFormulated with Malachite Green & FormalinMalachite green and formalin are two drugs that are more effective and less toxic in combination than when used individually. This is the definition of synergism. What makes Microbe-Lift BSDT the pre-eminent product in this field is the fact that it is formulated with malachite green chloride, instead of the more toxic oxalate salt. As with any malachite green and formalin treatment, do NOT use with other medications.

Bulb With Fleshy Leaves Drawing

Bulbs Structure Bulblets Propagate

Bulbs are modified stems in which the scale leaves are modified for food storage. There are two kinds of bulbs, tunicate and scaly, and they differ in the development of their scale leaves. Tunicate bulbs, such as daffodils and tulips see below , have fleshy, very broad scale leaves, more or less surrounding the previous leaf so that the leaves make nearly complete concentric rings around the growing point. Each scale leaf has an axillary bud. The outer scale leaves become dry and membranous...

How to Make $40,000 Or More Growing Potted Trees

New tree growers who need to turn a profit right away should take a look at container growing, a system used by many commercial nurseries. Growing trees for sale in pots, whether they are heirloom fruit trees or tiny trees for bonsai collectors, is easier, faster, more profitable and produces high quality trees. Here are seven reasons why Trees that have been grown in containers are ready to sell and need no expensive machine or labor to dig up.

Choosing a Greenhouse

Choosing Greenhouse Structure

Tim purpose ot a greenhouse is to provide plants with a more sympathetic growing environment than would Impossible in the open air. While providing plants with all the light they need, a greenhouse offers both heat and protection against wind. The earliest ancestor of the greenhouse was the high stone or brick wall built around a cultivated area. Such walls offered not only wind protection but, by retaining heat from the sun's rays, conditions warm enough to grow relatively tender crops in the...

Trachyspermum roxburghianum DC Craib

Benth. amp Hk f. Habitat Cultivated throughout India. Ayurvedic Ajamodaa, Ajamoda, Ayamoda, Ajmoja, Dipyaka. Action Seeds carminative, stomachic, stimulant, cardiac tonic. Used for dyspepsia, vomiting, hiccough, bronchitis, asthma, and pain in bladder also as an emmenagogue. The seeds yield the coumarins bergaptene, 7-methoxy-6-methyl cou-marin and umbelliferone. Beta-sitos-terol is also reported. Major constituent of the essential oil from the seeds are...

Tripsacum dactyloides L. L. - Eastern Gamma Grass

Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L. - Eastern Gamma Grass Family - Poaceae Stems N A Leaves Leaf sheath. Inflorescence Flowers Pistillate flowers. Staminate flowers. Flowering - May - November. Habitat - Low woods, hammocks, swamps, ditches, roadsides, waste places. Origin - Native to North America. Other information - This common grass species can be found throughout most of Alabama. The plant can be identified by its large leaves and large inflorescences.

Xanthorhiza simplicissima Marshall - Yellow Root

Xanthorhiza simplicissima Marshall - Yellow Root Family - Ranunculaceae Stems Leaves Leaves at anthesis. Inflorescence N A Flowers Flowering - March - May. Habitat - Shaded stream banks. Origin - Native to North America. Other information - This species can be found mainly in the northern 2 3 of Alabama. The plant is easy to identify becasue if its compound leaves and diffuse inflorescences of small reddish-green flowers.

Colour indicator method

Soil Texture Chart

Clean test-tubes ideally ones that have stoppers that can be removed top and bottom for easy cleaning BDH pH colour chart kept in an envelope to prevent fading The soil to be tested should be a representative sample of the area being analysed see p379 . Before the pH test is started, its texture should be identified see p307 . The soil, preferably dried and sieved, is now added to the test-tube for 'loams' this should be to a depth of 2 cm see below for heavier and lighter soils . Add to this...

Transpiration

Cross Section Marram Grass

Any plant takes up a lot of water through its roots for example, a tree can take up about 1000 litres about 200 gallons a day. Approximately 98 per cent of the water taken up moves through the plant and is lost by transpiration only about 2 per cent is retained as part of the plant's structure, and a yet smaller amount is used up in photosynthesis. The seemingly extravagant loss through leaves is due to the unavoidably large pores in the leaf surface stomata essential for carbon dioxide...

Bulblets and bulbils

Compost Trench Sketch

Bulblets are tiny bulbs that develop below ground on some bulbs. Plants that produce bulblets can be artificially induced to increase their bulblet production. This is done by removing the flower stem, and burying it until bulblets develop in the leaf axils. Dig a trench 6 in deep slope one side up to ground level. Pinch out any buds or flowers on the stem and then twist it out of the bulb, which should remain in the ground. Lay the stem in the trench along the slope, leaving part of it...

Monocot leaves

Monocot Leaves Line Drawings

Monocotyledonous plants, such as snowdrops and mother-in-law's tongues, have a series of parallel veins running the length of each leaf. Some of these plants can be propagated at any time of year from leaf cuttings, providing they have an inherent capacity to produce a plantlet on the cut surface of a vein and suitable leaves are available. Cuttings from normal leaves such as Cape cowslips Lachenalia , snowdrops Galanthus and snowflakes Leucojum tend to wilt quickly, so keep them turgid by...

Rose budding

Standard Roses Rootstock

Hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses should be propagated by inserting buds into seedling rootstocks rather than by taking stem cuttings. The advantage of rose budding is that the seedling rootstocks boost the vigour of the weaker varieties, which on their own roots may grow only 9 in or so, while reducing the potential of the more vigorous ones, which might otherwise reach 14-16 ft tall. The selection of a suitable rootstock is one of the most important decisions when propagating roses. Although it...

Conventional Sewage Treatment Plants

Sewage Treatment Plants

The only sewage digestion process producing a guaranteed pathogen-free sludge is batch thermophilic digestion in which all of the sludge is maintained at 50oC 122oF for 13 days. Other sewage digestion processes will allow the survival of worm eggs and possibly pathogenic bacteria. Typical sewage treatment plants instead use a continuous process where wastewater is added daily or more frequently, thereby guaranteeing the survival of pathogens see Figure 7.2 . I took an interest in my local...

Keiferia lycopersicella Walsingham Lepidoptera Gelichiidae

Tomato pinworm was first found in the United States in southern California in 1923. It now occurs regularly as a field pest in warm areas such as California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. It also is known from Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Tomato pinworm commonly overwinters in greenhouses, and may be shipped northward in the spring on seedlings cultured in warm areas, so the potential area of infestation is quite large. The origin of tomato pinworm is...

Cross Pollination

Cross pollination is done in order to produce genetic variability and transgressive segregation. There are two steps in cross-pollination. Emasculation involves the removal of the anthers so that the flower cannot self-pollinate. Emasculation is done the day before the flower opens, when the anthers are still immature and infertile. This stage is easily recognised because the petals are fully formed but still adhering to each other, so that the flower is closed. The petals must be gently...

Strawberries

My grandson aged 14 months once discovered the strawberry patch. He would race out there at every opportunity, stuffing as many ripe juicy strawberries into his mouth as he possibly could. Luckily for him, strawberries are quite easy to grow and using natural methods gives them a distinctive full flavour and firm texture. The most important aspect of strawberry growing is thorough fertilisation of the soil at least four to five months before planting out the young runners. Add nitrogen in the...

Filberts Hazelnuts

Nuts And Berries Photo

Filberts and hazelnuts are one and the same. Species hail from Europe, North America, and eastern and western Asia. One European species, Corylus avellana, is called European filbert, and both North American species, C. americana and C. cornuta, are often referred to as American hazelnuts. But there is no strict naming convention. The standard nut-produc-ing filberts are inclined to grow into large, suckering shrubs that form patches or thickets in time. They are usually trained into small...

Species Of The Genus Aldrovanda

Aldrovanda Vesiculosa Hairs

Aldrovanda vesiculosa CULTURAL INFORMATION Planting Media The plants require an acid water pH 6-6.9. Place at least 2 inches of garden, swamp or woodland soil or sphagnum peat moss in the bottom of the container which must be deep enough to provide the plant with a water depth of 6-12 in. 15-30 cm . II sphagnum peat moss is used, the moss will float for about a week until it becomes thoroughly wet and settles to the bottom of the container. Strain the floating debris from the surface after the...

How To Start a Christmas Tree Farm

Christmas Tree Farming If you're looking for a profitable cash crop for your small acreage, consider growing Christmas trees. They are a low maintenance crop, ideal for a spare time project, and can produce a good income for years to come. By planting a portion of your acreage with new trees each year, it will provide a steady income as the trees mature in an average of eight years and are harvested and re-planted.

Fecophobia And The Pathogen Issue

The belief that humanure is unsafe for agricultural use is called fecophobia. People who are fecophobic can suffer from severe fecophobia or a relatively mild fecophobia, the mildest form being little more than a healthy concern about personal hygiene. Severe feco-phobics do not want to use humanure for food growing, composted or not. They believe that it's dangerous and unwise to use such a material in their garden. Milder fecophobics may, however, compost humanure and use the finished compost...

Simple Urinal

Humanure Compost Bin

Want to collect urine only Maybe you want a urinal in a private office, bedroom or shop. Simply fill a five-gallon bucket with rotted sawdust or other suitable material, and put a tight lid on it. A bucket full of sawdust will still have enough air space in it to hold about a week's worth of urine from one adult. Urinate into the bucket, and replace the lid when not in use. For a fancy urinal, place the sawdust bucket in a toilet cabinet with a regular toilet seat. When the bucket is full,...

Gill Flukes

Flukes are tiny, often microscopic, trematode worms and may live in all Koi and not be a problem. However, if the fish becomes ill or stressed, this is when such parasites can multiply and create fatal situations. The Koi is unable to breathe properly so gasps at the surface for air. The gills become swollen. The flukes lay eggs which hatch within 4 days onto free swimming larvae that infect other fish.