10 Useful Tips For Growing Strawberries In a Pot

October 28, 2022 Farhan Ahsan 1 Comment

Strawberries are one of the most favorite fruit all over the world. They can have a sweet and sour taste, are perfect to be eaten idly or can go well with different desserts and salads too. The strawberry smoothie shakes and juices are also very popular among the people of all the ages as they are refreshing and taste excellent. For those who are very much fond of strawberries, they can grow them at home in pots or in garden easily without any problem. By growing at home, you can enjoy some fresh strawberries right from the garden which are free from different chemicals and also you can have as much as you want. Growing strawberries in pots is a very simple task if you know about the nature of strawberries and the environment in which they grow well.Those that don’t have much space in their gardens but are fond of this fruit can easily grow them in containers, which can either be a strawberry pot or a hanging basket or planter.

Many people don’t know how to grow strawberries in a pot? It is very simple task but seems difficult as most people do not have basic knowledge about this plant. You just need to select the type of container which can be a clay pot, a can and even the rain gutter, add some soil, plant seeds and water on a regular basis, and then enjoy some of the best strawberries right at your home. Here are 10 tips for planting strawberries in pots which will not only help you in growing the best strawberries in your garden but will help you to know how to grow strawberries in containers:

1: The best way to growing strawberries at home is to grow them in a container which has a good drainage. For this reason, the plastic containers with punched holes in the bottom and strawberry pots are highly recommended. Those who have made a rack of rain gutters for the strawberry containers should also have punched holes in the bottom for drainage. Related: growing eggplants in containers.

2: If you are using a small container, for example a container with 10 to 12 inches of diameter and depth of 8 inches, then watering them frequently is highly recommended. But don’t water it so much as your plants don’t need soggy soil; just water it when soil gets dry one inch below the surface. Keep in mind that strawberries have small root balls and so can grow equally well in the small containers.

3: Containers which have light color should be used for growing strawberry plants. This will help in keeping the roots cooler than those dark colored pots which can conduct heat. Dark colored pots may also burn the plants due to conduction of heat. Related: growing blueberries in containers.

4: You can start growing strawberries from bare root crown and seedlings too. But seedlings in a small 3 or 4 inch container establish themselves quicker than bare root crowns.

5: The soil needed for the strawberries should be loamy potting mix that has pH between 5.3 and 6.5.It should also be loose as this will help in holding water which is required by the strawberries for their growth and will drain out the excessive water.

6: When strawberries grow in the container, they will spread out in all the directions and can take about 2 feet of space. If you have planted them in hanging pots, then they will have a good space to spread out.

7: Growing strawberries indoors is also possible; however you should make sure that they daily receive 6 to 8 hours of the sunlight. For this, you can plant your strawberries near a window which may have sunlight for 6 to 8 hours.

8: Birds and other animals such as squirrels and other rodents love strawberries. In order to protect them from these animals, add netting or fence around your plants or install some measures like wind charms or scare crow kind of things which may scare away these birds and animals.

9: After every 3 to 4 weeks, you should provide liquid fertilizer in your strawberry containers which should have high content of phosphorus. This will give them necessary nutrients for growth. The selection of fertilizer should be done according to requirements of plant.

10: Strawberry plants have a short life. One needs to replace the plant after every three years.

Planting

When To Start Vegetable Seeds Indoor And Outdoor-Helpful Chart

October 28, 2022 Farhan Ahsan 2 Comments

Temperature has great effect on starting any vegetables seeds. The change in temperature alter the days a seed takes to germinate. So you must be aware what is an ideal temperature for starting any vegetables seeds. Here is handy chart of temperature variations effect on seed germination in terms of time.

For sowing indoor-Air temperature for hardening off

For directly sowing in the garden-the time it takes to germinate by soil temperature

Flowers

7 Alluring And Colorful Flowers That Are Easy To Grow For Beginners

October 28, 2022 Farhan Ahsan Leave a comment

Flowers are heart of the beautiful garden – their appeal, presence and fragrances not only refreshes the mind, but adds beauty to the dwelling too. There is no rocket science related with how to grow flowers in your garden space. However, you may be required to pay special attention to the growth of these flowers. As beginners, you can always start with easy to grow flowers so that you get hold of it. The excerpt talks about top 7 flower plants that are easy to grow and handle.

1: Lily of the Valley:

The lovely,extremely pleasant and fragrant flowers are a wonderful choice to be placed in the garden. They are in full bloom during the springs – their lovely pale pink and dull white petals of this gorgeous flower requires almost no maintenance. They grow well in moisture soil and shady area, so you can place them in walkways and drive area too. Your whole home would be fragrant with a distinctive scent with these little fellows.

2: Jacob’s ladder
This type of easy grow flowers have a wonderful adaptability power. They have resistance capacity and can be grown under shade and sun too. These types are amazing to be grown in terrace garden where sun light does not reach effectively. They are bell shaped, gorgeous purple color that grown in bunches. However, you just have to take care that the soil must be well-drained where they are placed. You may also like to see rich nectar flowers that attract butterflies.

3: Goblin – blanket flower:

This is one of the best summer easy growing flowering plants– Goblin, blanket flower. You can grow it between June and August, as they require full sun for growth. This perennial flower has adaptability nature that it grows in seaside conditions and various soil conditions. The flower color varies between deep maroon, bright yellow and red. They have average life of 2 years.

4: Red Valerian:

The color of this gorgeous flower varies from lilac-red to strong red to mauve-pink. They grow in full sun to partial shade from late June to August. These flowers have a lovely scent but it is not strong. They grow in clusters with lots of tiny florets all over.

5: Marigold:

If interested in growing flowers from seed, than you can not avail any other, better option than Marigold. These sexy and adorable, bright orange and yellow type flowers ask for attention and sunlight. While they are growing, make sure you add fresh water twice or thrice a day. Add good quality fertilizer once a month. You may also like to see flowers that attract Hummingbirds.

6: Cowslip Primrose:

With extremely alluring smell, these tiny white and yellow lovely flowers are perfect to be planted in the garden space. These tiny yellow flowers grow under normal conditions with average water and soil.They are just like regular primrose but with dropping flowers. They also allure butterfly,bees and birds to make your garden more charming.

7: Lungwort

This is one of the most cutest and easy to grow flowers in garden space that lacks proper sunlight. They have hairy, bright green leaves with spots in it. They are ideal ground coverers and during early spring, they start developing in form of clusters. They have a funnel type shape which is pink types in the beginning and later they turn blue.

Designs and Ideas

13 Creative and Innovative rain Gutter Garden Ideas

October 28, 2022 Katherine Anne 1 Comment

The rain gutters are installed at the top of the roofs so that it can provide drainage to the rain water and voids them to pool on the roof which may cause them to leak or become moist which can also be dangerous for the house. These rain gutters are made from different materials such as plastic, PVC and other metallic material like aluminum. While the rain gutter can be very beneficial for protection of the roof and drainage of the water, but do you know that they can be excellent for gardening too?

There are many rain gutter gardening ideas present on the internet while others can do it by just using their creativity and imagination. They can be excellent planters for different types of plants and can actually be an amazing decorative piece for the exterior and interior of the house as well. Many people prefer gardening in the rain gutters because they don’t take much space and either can be hanged or fixed with the walls. These ideas are highly recommended for those people who have limited space in their house but love gardening. Moreover you can also decorate and paint these rain gutters to look even more attractive. Below mentioned are 15 gutter gardening ideas which will surely light up your house:

1) Strawberries in a rain gutter trees

The strawberries are one of those fruit plants which don’t need a deep space to grow. Since they can be grown in a shallow space and the rain gutters are shallow containers they can be very ideal for the growth of strawberries. You can make the complete area with these decorative rain gutter trees and enjoy fresh berries right at home.

2) Plant seasonal flowers in your rain gutter

One of the cutest small gutter garden ideas includes planting different flowers, especially the seasonal ones such as marigolds, violas and pansies. These flowers are small and may bloom beautifully in their seasons. The bright colors and the lovely smell can be an excellent decoration for the exterior of the house. You can hang these rain gutter lines on the walls and plant a variety of these flowers so that they can make your house look bright.

seasonal flowers in rain gutters — Image via : purelightwindowcleaning

3) Hanging gutter garden can be a great outdoor decor

The rain gutters like this one at huffingtonpost can actually be a great container for hanging pots. This is one of the best vertical gardening ideas where you can plant those plants which don’t need deep containers and can grow well in a shallow area. You can hang these rain gutters in a vertical position, especially by attaching them to the ceilings of the house. They look the most amazing with the seasonal flowers hanging by the patio.

4) The in budget rain gutter gardening

The rain gutter is a great in budget gardening idea. If you are on a low budget and space, then simply use unused rain gutter, add some soil in it and then plant some seeds of those plants which don’t require much area to grow. They can be hanged by the ceilings or can be hanged on different trees and also drilled in the wall.

5) Herb gardening with rain gutter

Many people love growing herbs in their house, after all it is a great idea to grow herbs right in your house and not to go to the market to purchase a certain herb. With rain gutter like this one by huffingtonpost, you can actually make a wonderful herb garden right in these pipes. The best idea is to hang them outside the kitchen window. You may just have to reach out and pluck a few herbs whenever there is a need.

6) Aquaponics or self watering rain gutter garden

If you’re interested in raising fish and also want to enjoy some fresh veggies too then you can build this aquaponics or self watering rain gutter system that works together. Read the instructions at here farmxchange.

7) The red chili rain gutter garden

Red chilies can easily be grown at home. When it’s time to harvest, the entire plant can be full of red chilies. If you want to add some spice in your home food, then making a chili garden can be a great idea, especially if planted in the rain gutter. You can make an entire area for these red chilies.

8) Lettuce in rain gutter garden

Lettuce can be a great leafy vegetable to be grown in the rain gutter garden. They can be planted vertically on the lines and you will be able to produce the lettuce right in the comfort of your home. You can now enjoy fresh lettuce salad every day.

9) Gutter garden plants for indoor planting

There are many gutter garden plants available in the market. Many of these plants can be planted in very small containers and then those containers can be kept in line on the rain gutter. They can be excellent for indoor planting.

10) The pvc rain gutter garden

You can use pvc rain gutters and joint them around a two stand vertical frame. Make a small holes in the upper portion and fill them with soil.Now you can plant peas in them. They can be excellent addition to your garden and will look unique.

11) Rain gutter or Trough garden.

This is stunning gutter gardening idea for those who live in apartments or in a limited yard space.You make rain gutters as a base of colorful plant buckets and their roots will grow towards water source so you don’t have to water overhead.

12) Self watering rain gutter garden

The rain gutter garden at facebook can be made with different small rooted plants. However another idea for these rain gutters is that it can have an automatic watering system, especially for those plants which require a lot of watering.This page link has lot of self watering rain gutter gardening ideas.

13) Cactus rain gutter garden

You can easily grow a variety of small cactus in your rain gutters. These rain gutters of small cactus can then be mounted on the side of home,near a window or on a balcony.

Planting, Urban Gardening

15 Low Maintenance Plants That Require Little Gardening Work

October 26, 2022 Farhan Ahsan 1 Comment

Low maintenance landscaping allows you to have a beautiful yard without putting in hours of hard work each week. By using low maintenance plants you can design a low maintenance garden that will provide your landscape with beauty and function for years to come.

Low Maintenance Plants

Start by planting low maintenance plants that are suited to your particular landscape and growing climate. Select plants that require minimal pruning, dead-heading, separating and clean-up that grows well in your climate. For example, a slow-growing conifer will require less of your time and energy than an oak tree, and perennials require less planting effort than annuals. Opt for the easiest to maintain trees, flowers and shrubs to meet the landscape needs you have.

Micro-Climates

Every landscape has its own variety of micro-climates. One section of your yard may be shady all the time while the another section may be in full sun and remain dry all the time. Select plants that do their best in each micro-climate for easy-care. Plant drought tolerant plants in the sunny, dry soil and shade-loving plants in shady areas and the plants will be right at home with little effort on your part.
Always select plants that do well in your particular growing zone for easy-care. A tropical plant, like a bird-of-paradise, will require much less hands-on care in Florida than it will in New York. Plants that are native to your growing zone will be the most easy care plants and require the least of all maintenance.

Low Water Plants Choices

1- Blue Flax

This is a short lived perennial with each plant producing a small blue flower for one day. Blue flax grows well in most regions, preferring to be planted in full sun and under low water conditions.

2- Cosmos

Cosmos is fragrant and colorful and makes quite a visual impact with their height and bold colors. Cosmos loves full sun, low water and will spread quickly.

3- FeverFew

This is a white flowering, scented herb that has several medicinal uses when harvested. Plant feverfew in a low water areas around outdoor eating areas to help keep insects away.

4- Morning Glory

This low maintenance plant will climb on most any vertical surface and produce new flowers each morning. The morning glory vine grows best in poor soil with very little water. Related articles: Low light house plants that are easy to grow.

5- Johnny Jump Ups

This is a low growing, self-seeding beauty that produces tri-colored blooms and is striking when planted en-masse.

6- Crepe Myrtles

These are drought tolerant, shade-providing, blooming beauties that all low maintenance garden ideas should incorporate at least one of. Prune to any size or plant it and forget about and the shrub will reach a mature height of 20 feet. Colorful, crepe-like blooms will appear in late summer when most other plants are finished for the season.

Sandy Soil Choices

Hot, dry climates that need drought tolerant plants typically have sandy soil and these flowers love to have their ‘feet’ in the sand.

7- Beach Sunflower

This flower is often seen growing on sand dunes and can grow upright or lay down. It’s self-seeding and requires no care.

8- Beautyberry

This plant grows best in sandy soil and light shade. The plant will reach a mature height of six feet, bearing clusters of purple berries from late summer through fall.

9- Firebush

This flowering plant is a tall growing bush that bears nectar-rich red blooms all summer when planted in full sun and sandy soil. Firebush is a favorite flower of hummingbirds and butterflies.

10- Golden Aster

This Low maintenance looks similar to a yellow daisy and loves to be planted in sandy soil and full sun. Golden aster produces long-lasting yellow blooms on two-feet tall plants.

11- Trumpet Honeysuckle

This twining vine loves the sun and sand. The vine produces clusters of red, tube-shaped flowers in the spring that attract hummingbirds.

Shade Loving Plants

Not all landscapes are sunny and most are a mix of sun and shade. Use these easy care plants in the shady areas of your yard.

12- Hostas

Hostas plant enjoy a secluded shady spot and will grow into a 2 x 2 feet mound of broad green leaves. Hostas grown in heavy shade rarely bloom, but if the plant does receive a little sunlight it may send up a few spikes and produce some tiny purple bell-shaped blooms. Related articles: easy to grow low light indoor trees.

13- Lady Ferns

These low maintenance plants grow well in heavy shade where the soil remains moist. Lady ferns produce delicate-looking, deciduous fronds on plants that can grow up to three feet across.

14- Japanese Spurge

This is an ornamental plant that typically is grown as a ground cover. Japanese spurge is an evergreen perennial that produces tiny white flowers in spring.

15- Ginger

This pretty low maintenance plant has culinary uses and grows well in heavy shade. Ginger root is harvested and used to make tea, season foods and in the making of some home remedies.

Disease and Pest control, Natural Solutions

7 Effective Natural Tick Repellents You Can Make at Home

October 26, 2022 Farhan Ahsan Leave a comment

Summer is here and so are blood-sucking, disease-carrying ticks. There are several chemicals options on the market that are effective at getting rid of ticks, but if you don’t want to use chemical tick spray to get rid of these yard and garden pests, use some of these recipes to make your own natural insect repellent for a safe and effective natural pests control.

1: All Purpose Homemade Bug Spray

Here we have two great recipes for homemade tick repellent by mommypotamus. One is water-based and the other is lotion-based. Both are easy to make and safe for children. The water-based version won’t stain clothing and the lotion-based version is long-lasting and works well to protect skin.

2: Permethrin Tick Repellent

Permethrin is a compound that is derived from the favorite flower of fall; the chrysanthemum. This recipe found for natural tick repellent on Emaxhealth.com is easy to make, safe for use around children and is great to use when making a homemade tick collar for your pets. Just apply a few drops of this natural permethrin tick repellent to your pet’s collar and they will be protected from ticks bites for up to a month. You may also like to see fruit fly traps.

3: Natural Pest Control For Dogs

Most flea and tick products contain toxic chemicals that can harm your beloved pet by causing skin or respiratory problems. By using these ideas for homemade pesticides you will be able to keep your dog free of flea and ticks while allowing them to enjoy the great outdoors during the warm summer months without side effects from tick spray.

Learn several useful and natural ways to keep your dog pest free year around by hippyhomemaker. The website also offers valuable information of types of natural oils that should never be used on dogs.

You may also like to see getting rid of snails and slugs.

Natural Pest Control for Dogs — Image via: **hippyhomemaker**

4: Essential Oil Tick Repellent

This recipe from BStone over at BrightHub offers a way to smell good while protecting yourself from tick bites. Not only are tick bites painful, but many ticks carry Lyme disease which cause a bitten person to develop a bull’s eye rash and flu-like symptoms. If the Lyme disease is left untreated, the symptoms will worsen and can cause chronic health problems such as joint pain, heart problems, respiratory problems, neurological issues and problems with the digestive system.

This mixture of several essential oils is kept handy in a spray bottle and should be sprayed over clothing and on skin anytime you venture outdoors. The smell-good tick repellent is safe for children and pets. You may also like to see diy Screened In Porch to keep away from bugs.

Essential Oil Tick Repellent1 — Image via: ***BrightHub***

5: Homemade Tick Repellent For Clothes

This natural tick repellent recipe by healthextremist comes from a Connecticut writer with a website called the Healthextremist.com Ticks in Connecticut were recently found to be carriers of the Powassan virus, which is said to be worse than Lyme disease (which ticks are carriers of also). protect your health with this easy to make recipe will effectively keep ticks off of clothing while you enjoy exercising, gardening or other outdoor activities so you will be protected against the disease-carrying bites of ticks. You may also like to see homemade pesticides,

6: Homemade Tick Repellent For Pets

Maryruth Belsey Priebe has provided a wealth of information for pet owners on her website, Ecolife for repelling ticks for dogs. Maryruth tells about essential oils and how to apply them to your pets to keep them safe while they outdoors, how to make tick shampoo for your pets plus how to make an herbal tick collar.

If you have wondered how you can allow your pet to enjoy the outdoors while keeping them tick-free, this is one website you must visit. While Maryruth may not answer the question, ‘how to get rid of tick in the yard’, she certainly answers the question of how to keep pets tick-free while they are in the yard. Keeping ticks off your pets will also keep them out of your home, carpeting, clothing and your skin. You may also like to see mosquito and fly repellent plants.

7: Essential Oil Insect Repellent Spray

We have primarily dealt with how to kill ticks so far, but we all know ticks are not the only summer time menace outdoors. Mosquitos can also ruin a summer BBQ or game of horseshoes in the backyard, plus mosquitos are carriers of several diseases that no one wants to contact.

Mix up a batch or two of this essential oil repellent spray by Tasty Yummies to use during your next outing to repel mosquitos, ticks, fleas and other biting insects..

Several recipe options are given so you can mix up your own personal batch of insect repellent spray that works for your skin and is pleasing to your sense of smell.

Essential Oil Insect Repellent Spray — Image via: ***Tasty Yummies***

Garden Projects Plans

Keyhole Garden Ideas to Make your Own Keyhole Bed

October 26, 2022 Farhan Ahsan Leave a comment

Keyhole gardens are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. Keyhole garden beds are raised beds that are shaped like a keyhole. The shape is usually round or square, with a center area cut into it which makes the center compost well (containing the composting material) extremely accessible without having to actually step into the raised bed. Another main purpose of the keyhole design is it maximizes growing space in a raised bed that’s not actually very large. You can grow a lot in a small keyhole garden because of the design.

Keyhole gardening is ideal for children, people with ambulatory considerations, and in areas where soil is hot, dry and hard to work with. This style of raised garden bed is ideal for growing lots of vegetables in small spaces. They can also be very attractive depending on what materials you use to construct them and how you plant them. There’s lots of ways you can make your own DIY keyhole garden.

1- Simple Keyhole Idea Using Natural Bricks

This keyhole garden design by morenascorner utilizes the center area as a self-contained composting and feeding apparatus- perfect for someone who likes the idea of fertilizing naturally. The natural rocks used to make the walls of this keyhole garden are lovely too. As this recommends, using recyclable materials that break down into soil to improve the raised vegetable bed’s soil condition and stifle weeds at the same time is a very earth friendly approach.

2-DIY Keyhole Garden

We love this keyhole design filled with dahlias by thehomesteadingboards. The clean look of the manufactured block would work well with most modern home looks. And, in many areas, dahlia tubers need to be planted and lifted each growing season, so the extreme accessibility of a raised keyhole bed is ideal for this. You can take your favorite chair or stool to the center of this keyhole design, sit, and enjoy planting and lifting your dahlia tubers yearly without strain. This design would work well for any sort of plant choice that requires care like dahlias.

3-Veggie Keyhole Garden For Small backyard.

A keyhole like this one by au.lifestyle.yahoo.com that utilizes the idea of a central composting and watering system with the indented pathway for accessibility is a great hybrid of both ideas you see in a lot of raised keyhole garden beds. All you need to do is walk into the middle of this design to weed and water, and add more to the central composting basket. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

4- Valhalla Keyhole Garden Project

The Valhalla Project took inspiration for their first keyhole design right out of Africa where the keyhole garden bed idea is reported to be originated from. Since the Valhalla project centers on helping to reintegrate ex-combat veterans, they’ve included some information about the work that current deployed military members are doing to help educate people in other countries about better farming techniques. They’ve also included a video which shows how a keyhole garden works in Africa. It’s a large example that shows the central basket where water and fertilizer from composted materials are kept in the center of the garden. The very attractive wall is constructed using bricks that are laid on angle and stacked. The Valhalla Project’s example uses this same method and construction technique in their own keyhole example.

5- Video Guide On Keyhole Gardening In Africa

Sendacow.org.uk has a wonderful video showing how families in Africa use their own keyhole gardens to grow the food they depend on for every meal. Keyhole gardens in Africa have helped the very poor not only supplement their already meager diets, but they have also saved lives and improved living conditions for so many people. You can use this same information anywhere around the world as a way to further create a raised vegetable garden on your own land that’s self-sustainable and very productive. In theory, you too could grow all of the healthy produce you’d ever need with raised vegetable beds created in the keyhole style.

6- DIY Keyhole Garden by The Green Thumb

This very short and simple video on facebook shows you how to make your own keyhole beds in a day with minimal materials and cost. It’s very good to see someone actually construct a keyhole garden bed right in front of your eyes- it makes the whole idea of the project feel more real. This video does a great job at showing you how simple it is to create a beautiful keyhole garden of your very own.

Conclusion

We hope you find lots of help and inspiration here. Keyhole garden beds are popular because they’re useful, very eco-friendly, easy to build and maintain, affordable, and beautiful. We hope you can enjoy one too!

Planting

10 Edible Weeds That Have Rich Taste and Nutritious Value

October 26, 2022 Farhan Ahsan 9 Comments

Most home owners and gardeners spend hours every summer killing weeds in their lawn and garden. They don over-the- shoulder canisters filled with chemicals, a mask and gloves every Saturday and head outdoors to do battle with their green enemies. But as those who fight this summertime battle already know, those little green enemies are a formidable foe and keep coming back again and again. Maybe it’s time to make peace with these plants and look at them from a new perspective. Many of these weeds we try in vain to kill are not poisonous weeds, but are actually edible. They can add a rich taste and nutritional value to salads, stir fry or stews, and best of all, they’re free for the picking. Learn the art of identifying edible weeds and give some of these 10 edible weeds a taste test, you just may discover a fondness for their flavor.

You may also like to check out: common garden weeds and natural weed killers.

1- Dandelions

With flat green green leaves that grow low to the ground and bright yellow flower that children can’t resist picking, dandelions are well known lawn weeds.

The leaves of these wild greens have a bitter flavor and the bigger the leaves, the more bitter the flavor. The flowers and stems are sweet and crunchy.( See also edible flowers)

2- Clover Weed

While hunting for a 4-leafed clover for luck, pick a few extra to chop into a soup or salad. The leaves can be dried and made into tea. Identifying edible weeds doesn’t get any easier than clover.

3- Chickweed

Chickweed has a a 6 inch stem with small round leaves and produces small white flowers in top of a mature plant. The entire chickweed plant can be eaten raw or cooked and has a spinach-like flavor.

Chickweed also has medicinal uses and can be brewed into a tea and used a diuretic or made into a poultice and applied to minor cuts and burns.

4- Curly Dock Edible

This wild plant produces long edible leaves that curl and both leaves and stems can be eaten. The leaves have a tart taste. The seed of curly dock weed can be dried and brewed as a substitute for coffee.

5- Lamb’s Quarters

These edible plants is also called goosefoot because of the size and shape of the leaves. It can be eaten raw, steamed or sauteed and offer a flavor and texture much like spinach. Seeds from lamb’s quarters are edible and have a flavor like quinoa.

6- Plantain

Not to be confused with the fruit that goes by the same name, this little weed that grows in gardens and landscape across the country is one that children are very familiar with. Plantains have low-growing broad leaves with spikes of green seed pods that are easy for kids to strip off and throw at each other.

The young leaves of this edible weed can be raw, steamed, boiled or sauteed. As the plant matures, the leaves become tough, so pick them while they are small and tender.

The seed pods can be cooked and eaten like a grain or ground into a flour for variety of cooking uses. The seed pods are rich in fiber and provide the same digestive benefits as psyllium seeds.

The plantain weed has also medicinal uses and can be ground and used as a topical onitment on minor cuts, rashes and burns.

7- Mallow

Mallow has a seed pod that resembles cheese and that causes this edible weed to also be known as cheeseweed. Both leaves and seed pods are edible and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. The polder plant leaves tend to be tough, so harvest leaves while mallow is small.

8- Pigweed

Also known as wild amaranth, is a fast growing and tall edible weed that seems to pop up overnight as a garden weed. The large, flavor leaves can be used in any dish that calls for leafy greens, either raw or cooked. The long seed pods which sprout from the weed top can be gathered and cook in the same way as store-bought amaranth, either cooked of ground.

9- Purslane

Purslane spreads along the soil in any moist, shady area and it’s high omega-3 content makes it an edible weed well worth hunting for and adding to your dinner plate. This edible weed is a succulent that has a crispy texture and peppery taste and adds a nice crunch to salads. Purslane is also used as a thickening agent for soups and stews.

10- Queen Anne’s Lace

Also known as wild carrots, Queen Anne’s lace produces a large head of tiny white flowers that resemble lace. The flower heads are good to eat raw, but are typically lightly battered and deep fried. The seeds can be can be added to soups and stews, or brewed into a tea.

Tools and Equipment, vegetable garden

7 Free Vegetable Garden Planner Software For Better Gardening

October 26, 2022 Farhan Ahsan Leave a comment

If you would like to grow your own fresh vegetables, but don’t know where to start, these 7 vegetable garden planner software sites from our round up will help you from plowing to harvesting. The free garden planning advice given for home vegetable gardens on these software sites is invaluable to both novice and seasoned gardener alike.

1-Smart Gardener Vegetable Planner Sotware

The first one in our list is Smart Gardener that helps you plan a vegetable garden layout and select the right plants for your layout, growing zones and household size. This vegetable garden planner software will also help you keep track of work that needs to be done in your garden by creating a customized ‘To-Do’ list for you.

The free garden planning software also keeps garden journal for you so you’ll have past gardening information at your fingertips for future reference. You can enter photos and notes into the garden journal, but all pertinent information will be journaled for you, a big plus for busy home gardeners!

vegetable garden planner software, Image source: **Smart Gardener**

2- Free Kitchen Vegetable Garden Planner

Kitchen Garden Planner by Gardeners will help you virtually build raised bed gardens so you can create a vegetable garden design that will produce an abundant crop in minimal space.

Use this vegetable garden planner to create your own garden design or choose a pre-planned design. Expert advice and several gardening resources, including pest and disease control advice, are also available through this software that I like about this software.

Free Kitchen Vegetable Garden Planner, Image source: **Gardeners**

3-Vegetable Gardening Online

Vegetable garden planner by vegetable planner.vegetable-gardening-online.com provides a grid for planning a vegetable garden online that is customized for your household’s needs and growing zones. Plant your garden online before ever breaking ground so you can tinker with plants and planting and design your own garden plans with a click of a mouse. This is one of our most favorite vegetable garden planning software.

This vegetable garden planner software will also provides zone chart, worksheets, planting guide and more. A garden gift shop is also available so you can purchase needed and wanted items for yourself or a gardening friend. You may also like check out landscape design software.

4-Interactive Vegetable Garden Planner

GrowVeg.com provides an inactive garden that allows you to plant and replant until you get your vegetable garden plans just right. The interactive vegetable garden planner on this software site has vegetable garden designs that range from raised beds, in-ground rows and square footage garden plots.

You choose the design then choose from 130 different vegetable and herb plants to set out in your online interactive garden, then in the soil of your home vegetable garden.

interactive vegetable garden planner — Interactive vegetable garden planner, Image source: ***GrowVeg.com***

5– Vegetable Garden Planner

Here we have The Old Farmer’s Almanac vegetable Garden Planner Software that has been helping people with everything from starting a vegetable garden to preserving their vegetable harvest for years. The Old Farmer’s Almanac in paper back version was often referred to as the ‘gardener’s bible’ and nothing was plowed, planted, harvested or preserved unless the almanac was first consulted.

Now the updated online software allows the modern day gardener to have a wealth of digital information at their fingertips so they can grow vegetables in a home garden just as tasty as grandpa did. The garden planner software will also send you email reminders of garden tasks which need to be done.

almanac garden planner — Almanac garden planner, Image source: gardenplanner.almanac

6-Online Garden Planning Tool

Plangarden.com is a vegetable garden planner software that allows you to layout, plan and manage your home vegetable garden online. This software site allows you to quickly plan how you want your garden to grow and offers expert advice to frequently asked questions. Learn when to start seeds indoors, how far apart to space the plants when setting them out in your home vegetable garden and when to harvest.

Discover innovative gardening ideas that just might be the answer to your challenging landscape or growing zone issues. Plangarden.com also offers a forum where you can interact with other gardeners to chat and get or give advice. You may also like check out fast growing vegetables.

online garden planning tool — Online garden planning tool, Image source: ***Plangarden.com***

7-Vegetable Garden Planner

Vegetable Garden Planner provides users with an easy to use garden bed layout tool that allows you to place and re-place each plant until you get your garden arranged just the way you want. Planning a vegetable garden is hard work, but this free garden planner software helps make the job easier by allowing you to know right where every plant will thrive and produce its best before it’s set in the soil.

This garden planner software also allows you to upload photos of your growing vegetables, keep a garden journal, make and update a to-do list and record your planting and harvesting times for future reference. You may also like check out vegetables that grow well in pots.

Conclusion!

Now you have vast options to consider planning your vegetable garden. You can choose any of the above free vegetables garden planner software we have shared with you for planning your own garden that best suits your requirements. Hope you like our article! We will be excited to see you once you have done your work!

Urban Gardening

Small Space Gardening – 20 Clever Ideas to Grow in a Limited Space

October 26, 2022 Farhan Ahsan 1 Comment

Urban gardeners have to face quite a few challenges in order to nurture their love for greenery around them, and one of the biggest is shortage of space. Well, it’s about time to smile if you are interested in urban gardening, because we bring you these 20 Clever Ideas to Grow in a Limited Space.

1- Hanging Pots Idea

These hanging pots can serve as one of the best small space garden ideas. Even if you are not an avid DIYer, you can still succeed in erecting few wooden bars with a reasonably strong chain running through them to support the pots in which you can grow something.

2- Raised Container Gardening Idea

This idea can also be very helpful for gardening in small spaces, brought to you by Raised Urban Gardens. You can save some money if you are able to construct the tables yourself. Otherwise, you can also buy these readymade.

3- The Garden Tower idea

This is also an increasingly popular urban gardening technique shared with you by PREPARING YOU FOR SHTF, which can help you yield significantly despite scarcity of space in contemporary urban living.

4- Two More Small Garden Ideas

Lowe’s NEVER STOP IMPROVING have 2 more small garden ideas to share with you.

This is one of the most popular vertical garden ideas using pvc pipes nowadays, which can be done even with very small space at your disposal.

And this is another variation of square foot gardening, helping you get variety of plantation in a small space.

5- Simple Triangle Stand

If vertical garden ideas inspire you, this might be the best of them to please you.

6- Container Mound Garden Idea

This pile of containers neatly stacked on top of each other will surely turn your garden into a greener and more beautiful place, which will make you thank TIPSAHOLIC.

7- Three Superb Urban Gardening Ideas

Personal Liberty are delighted to share 3 more of urban gardening ideas with you, beginning by “Rain Gutter Lettuce Garden”.

“Cinder Block Stacked Garden” is another way to pursue your dream of urban gardening.

Or you can have some wonderful fresh and green salad grown through “Pallet Gardening”.

8- Hanging Garden Idea

Gardener’s Blog have something totally unique and beneficial for you if you are urbanised but still love gardening, i.e. the Hanging Garden.

9- Patio Transformation Garden Idea

And this is undoubtedly one of the best ideas for small gardens, which can literally transform your whole patio space. You will be compelled to appreciate and thank AOL HOUSE for this.

10- Rooftop Garden Idea With a Twist

It is hard to believe that you haven’t heard of rooftop gardening, but this one shared by Garden House Design just gives a whole new meaning to the concept.

11- Planter Box-On-Railing Garden Idea

Unlike its name, Pots-on-railing, this idea is quite simple in reality, requiring a railing and some old window boxes like this ones by iHaveNet to provide you with a little gardening space of your own.

12- Dwarf Tree Pot Gardening

The world of dwarf tree pot gardening will simply amaze you once you indulge in its beauty. The Get Wonderful Ideas at Micro Gardener.

13- Mini Garden Idea For Small Spaces

Get wonderful mini garden idea by AngloInfo to help you grow 21 varieties of vegetation only in a 3 squares meter space.

14- Salvaged Shutters Gardening Idea

If you really want to make your outdoor space look lovely, lively and green, Here is great salvaged shutters idea by Sunset to amaze you.

15- Garden Wall Idea

This garden wall idea by thesleuthjournal gives you another way of transforming your outdoor ambiance.

16- Vertical Salvaged Lumber Garden

A bit of creativity and hard work with salvaged lumber can help you amazingly in carrying out gardening in a small space.

17- Window Box Garden Idea

Window box garden idea by onehundreddollarsamonth is also a fascinating way of gardening for urbanites, this one shared by One Hundred Dollars a Month.

18- Mini Grow Bag Garden Idea

You can also fulfill your urban gardening inspirations with this wonderful idea, courtesy seeitgro.

19- Hanging Planters Garden Idea

Moosey’s Country Garden inspire you with these hanging planters to pursue urban gardening in some style and ease.

20- Balcony Gardening Idea

3bp blogpost introduce you to this balcony gardening idea to add some colors and freshness of nature into your urban life.

Low Maintenance Plants

Micro-Climates

Low Water Plants Choices

1- Blue Flax

2- Cosmos

3- FeverFew

4- Morning Glory

5- Johnny Jump Ups

6- Crepe Myrtles

Sandy Soil Choices

7- Beach Sunflower

8- Beautyberry

9- Firebush

10- Golden Aster

11- Trumpet Honeysuckle

Shade Loving Plants

12- Hostas

13- Lady Ferns

14- Japanese Spurge

15- Ginger

1: All Purpose Homemade Bug Spray

2: Permethrin Tick Repellent

3: Natural Pest Control For Dogs

4: Essential Oil Tick Repellent

5: Homemade Tick Repellent For Clothes

6: Homemade Tick Repellent For Pets

7: Essential Oil Insect Repellent Spray

1- Simple Keyhole Idea Using Natural Bricks

2-DIY Keyhole Garden

3-Veggie Keyhole Garden For Small backyard.

4- Valhalla Keyhole Garden Project

5- Video Guide On Keyhole Gardening In Africa

6- DIY Keyhole Garden by The Green Thumb

Conclusion

1- Dandelions

2- Clover Weed

3- Chickweed

4- Curly Dock Edible

5- Lamb’s Quarters

6- Plantain

7- Mallow

8- Pigweed

9- Purslane

10- Queen Anne’s Lace

1-Smart Gardener Vegetable Planner Sotware

2- Free Kitchen Vegetable Garden Planner

3-Vegetable Gardening Online

4-Interactive Vegetable Garden Planner

5– Vegetable Garden Planner

6-Online Garden Planning Tool

7-Vegetable Garden Planner

Conclusion!

1- Hanging Pots Idea

2- Raised Container Gardening Idea

3- The Garden Tower idea

4- Two More Small Garden Ideas

5- Simple Triangle Stand

6- Container Mound Garden Idea

7- Three Superb Urban Gardening Ideas

8- Hanging Garden Idea

9- Patio Transformation Garden Idea

10- Rooftop Garden Idea With a Twist

11- Planter Box-On-Railing Garden Idea

12- Dwarf Tree Pot Gardening

13- Mini Garden Idea For Small Spaces

14- Salvaged Shutters Gardening Idea

15- Garden Wall Idea

16- Vertical Salvaged Lumber Garden

17- Window Box Garden Idea

18- Mini Grow Bag Garden Idea

19- Hanging Planters Garden Idea

20- Balcony Gardening Idea

Is about simple living,growing your own food,raising livestock,Do It By Yourself,off grid living,gardening,homemade products