Category Archives: Gardening

Tips and ideas to plant and grow your own food to get fresh vegetables and fruit from your backyard for self-sufficient living.

10 Famous Herbs To Grow Indoors During Winter

If you wish to smell your food better than its taste, here is a superb idea of having an indoor herb garden all the year long; despite of the fact that whether it’s a sunny shiny weather with lots of sunlight for your plants or a freezing winter season with only four to five hours of sunlight. The discussion below suggests the top ten popular herbs to grow indoors easily despite of being light shortage in winter. Here, the question arises: how to grow herbs indoors and what are the best medicinal herbs to grow indoors which we can also beneficially utilize for cooking or medicinal purposes.

Can You Grow Herbs Indoors: Six Simple Steps:

For successfully growing an indoor herb garden, you have to follow six simple steps as below:

1. Arrange for the provision of adequate light.

2. Make selection of good quality appropriate soil for growing herbs in pots.

3. Maintain watering schedule for your plants.

4. Maintain feeding cycle of your plants esp. after 10 days when you have sow them.

5. Give boosting vitamins to your plant which is the best way to grow herbs indoors.

6. Enjoy the product of your plants.

Top Ten Indoor Herb Garden Ideas for Growing Herbs Indoors in winter:

Following enlists the most recognized tips for growing herbs indoors and suggests you the most easy-way for  growing herbs inside your house near your kitchen window to bless your kitchen with a heavenly aroma.

1: Basil

For having great smelling superb diy indoor herb garden basil is the best and easy option to grow. In order to grow a basil plant in a good condition; you need to keep its pot towards a south facing window as it grows well by receiving maximum warmness from the sunlight. You may also like to check out hanging herb garden ideas.

basil indoor

2: Bay

Bay is one of the best herbs to grow indoors which grows well in a container. It adds flavor to your culinary dishes and oil when infused for long period. Since it loves to stay in open space with lots of air; it is never suitable to grow a bay plant in a crowding position.

bay tree

3: Chervil

Chervil is a beautiful herb that grows well when planted during the days the summer season is departing. This is chiefly because of the reason that Chervil grows extremely well when it gets a temperature that ranges 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit on an average. You may also like to check out shade loving herbs to grow.

Chervil indoor

4: Chives

Chives are the pink flowered plants that add great beauty to your indoor herb garden. It should be careful while planting chives that it does not crowd with other plants in vicinity as it is weak in competing with other plants.

Chives indoor

5: Oregano

If you love Italian food like pizza and lasagna, you must be definitely in love with the most beautiful aromatic as well as flavored herb of oregano which can easily be planted indoors. Since this plant loves the warmness of the sun, therefore it is usually placed near south of the window.

green_oregano indoor

6: Parsley

Parsley is one of the most abundantly used herb for garnishing as it has bundles of digestive and well as mineral and vitamin benefits. Since it is extremely fond of sun, this plant grows well either eastward or westward.

Parsley in container

7: Rosemary

A rosemary plant grows well even from a simple cutting received from its plants. It is widely used in cooking recipes and grows well in the southward window of your home where it gets the maximized sunlight.

Rosemary indoor

8: Sage

By planting a tip cut from an outdoor sage plant, one can easily plant an indoor sage plant even in the dry winter season. However, since sage loves the sun strongly, therefore it’s always good to face this plant towards the south.

Sage indoor

9: Tarragon

Tarragon will be the most faithful herbs to grow indoors in pots which will survive even during the bitterly cold weather if fed with a good organic fertilizer in the fluid form. It can be grown by planting its dried leaves indoors and facing its pot towards the south for maximum sunlight. You may also like to check out vegetables and herbs to grow indoors.

Tarragon indoor

10: Thyme

Thyme is widely used in Italian dishes and can be easily grown indoors by either planting its soft tip roots or digging the seeds of the plant and facing it towards either the east or the west.

Thyme indoor

10 Colorful And Rich Nectar Flowers That Attract Butterflies To The Garden

Nothing is better wandering through a lavish and colorful garden drifting with fascinating fragrance. The days get completed if you get to watch the beautiful butterflies fluttering from one flower to another. However, you must not be having an idea what flowers attract butterflies easily. The excerpt guides you about how to attract butterflies to your garden?

Listed are the 10 colorful and rich nectar flowers and plants that attract butterflies and keep your garden attractive.

1: Butterfly Bush:

If you want to know what plants attract butterflies, have a look at this one. Butterfly bush, also known as, ‘Buddleia davidii’Bud is one of the best plants to attract butterflies. It belongs to the family of the shrubs, which tend to grow faster during summers. Therefore, if you want to keep it short, you must cut it out during the early spring. This shrub produces wonderful, nectar rich pointed flowers in beautiful shades of pinks, purple, white and yellow. The butterflies would be around them all the time. Popular flowers from this plant that allure butterflies include:

  • Buddleja globosa – these are a strange type of lovely orange flowers
  • Rotheca myricoides – these are somewhat leaf shaped flowers with gorgeous light purple color.

Butterfly Bush

2: Butterfly weed – Asclepias tuberosa

This plant leads you to acquire some of the best perennial flowers that do not ask for much attention. In addition, it is pest free, so butterflies would certainly revolve around the rich, nectar flowers it would produce. Make sure the plant gets the desired soil, water and full sunlight so that it can grow faster. It is a perfect feed for monarch larvae and for big butterfly.

Butterfly weed - Asclepias tuberosa

3: Joe-Pye Weed – Eupatorium purpureum maculatum

This is certainly among the best butterfly garden plants.  It grows quickly and the height may be bothersome for you, so make sure you cut it at the right time. The oversized, nectar rich pink flowers from this plant is adored by the butterflies. They also produce a good number of seeds, which can help in re-producing the same plant.

Joe-Pye Weed - Eupatorium purpureum maculatum

4: Asters

These are elegant and small fragrant flowers, which are available in an amazing assortment of colors. Due to vibrant hues and wonderful smell, butterflies love them. If you want to observe butterflies in your gardens, plant these in your garden and see the magic.

Within Asters, there are many varieties; some of the best ones include:

Wild Romance- it has a hot, intense red hue, and features beautiful large petals. They are grown during the end of the summers, and by fall, they are in full bloom. This is a wonderful addition to any garden.

Asters flowers

5: White Dragon flower:

With a very different name, this Virginian flower belongs to a perennial flower category. It is beautiful looking and has a narrow foliage. The flowers have white cream color, which makes them look lovely. Monarch butterflies seem to love these particular flowers – you can easily spot the wonderful orange and black wings of the butterflies on these gorgeous white flowers. Not only butterflies, but also many other lovely creatures would be the guest of your garden if you have this planted in your garden area.

White Dragon flower

6: Black Knight:

You must have heard about this plant as it produces well-managed, large and beautiful color flowers. One strange type bush is known as Black Knight – it has gorgeous deep purple attractive flowers, which are of great attraction of butterflies.

Black Knight

7: Red Penstemon:

Due to its rich and tasty nectar, these flowers are butterflies best friends. These flowers are radiant, so they keep the beauty of the garden at best.

Red Penstemon

8: Keys of Heaven:

Keys of Heaven, as the name suggests, these flowers are beyond beautiful. Butterflies adore the gorgeous deep red oversized blooms. In addition, the sweet scent makes them lovable.  They can be planted in the pots too.

Keys of Heaven

9: Day-Lily:

With a shiny gold color and grass-like folded petals, these are a perfect delight for the butterflies – not only this; they enhance the beauty of the garden too. They are easy to grow and have a longer life.

Day-Lily

10: Violets:

Extremely color enriched, eye-catching and fragrant, these flowers are the first attraction in any place. How can butterflies resist them, they are absolutely loved by the tiny beings. Violets have a deep purple color with smaller petals. They are simply easy to grow and has a longer life.

 Violets flower

10 Easy Tips for Growing Blueberries in Containers or Pots

Blueberries  is consider to be the healthiest fruit because it consists of larger quantity of antioxidants than the other fruits, fibers and extremely low calories and conjointly lowers the probabilities of diseases connected with heart and will increase memory power. They’re a decent medium of getting vitamins and conjointly strengthen the blood vessels. Blueberries aren’t solely in style, however conjointly repeatedly hierarchical within the U.S. diet as having one among-st the best inhibitor capacities among all fruits, vegetables, spices and seasonings. Antioxidants are essential to optimizing health by serving to combat the free radicals that may harm cellular structures moreover as deoxyribonucleic acid. We tend to advocate enjoying raw blueberries — instead of relying upon blueberries incorporated into baked desserts as a result of different fruits, raw blueberries offer you with the most effective flavor and therefore the greatest nutritional advantages.

Related: vegetables that grow well in pots, growing egg plants in containers ,tips for growing strawberries in pots and growing lettuce in containers.

1)      How to plant blueberries is the first and basic question. If planting a row of blueberries takes into account “hilling” the plants; raise them on top of the natural soil level by 12”-18” high and 3′ wide. This improves drain, and provides a row for perpetually adding organic matter.

planting blueberry

2)      Planting multiple varieties with completely different maturity dates additionally stretches out the harvest season. In this way you can get fresh blueberries in every two months.

3)      It is important to know that how to plant blueberry bushes. Before growing bushes you need to know about its kind and variety. Planting blueberry bushes will be easy if you have good knowledge about seeds and variety of blueberry. There are 3 kinds of blueberries: high bush, low bush and hybrid half-high. The usually planted blueberry is that the high bush. Most blueberry breeding has centered on this species. You can have variety of blueberries which depends upon the season. On high bush varieties, begin with massive cuts, removing wood that’s over six years recent, drooping to the bottom, or situation the middle of the bush. Conjointly take away low-growing branches whose fruit can bit the bottom. For low bush blueberries cut all the stems to ground level. Blueberries can solely grow well in soils that meet their needs.

4)      Soil should drain well. If water stands within the location you’re planting for two days, don’t plant a blueberry. In acidic soils is best suited for growing blueberries in pots. Incorporating made organic matter into the soil or as a prime dress is good. All these steps helpful to resolve the question that how do you grow blueberries and also prevent other plants from the effect of acidic soil.

5)      The key for success in growing blueberry bushes is the selection of proper climate and to provide good company to blueberries bushes. It produces additional and larger fruit once planted with minimum cross-pollination.

6)      Plating blueberries in container and ground are different. Precautions and process are different in container and ground. Even in container we grow high density planting. Here some tips which are valuable for how to grow blueberries.

7)       Blueberries needed supply of water three to five centimeter per week. Use fertilizers at least one time in a month. For well development of blueberries plants its needed proper rainfall and pruning. Pruning blueberries plants promotes new growth and production. Blueberries will be ready for eating or transporting in July and August months. The plants of blueberries produce its highest production in six to seven year after planting.

8)      For Blueberries December and January is a best and ideal months for planting. In generally it has PH of 4.5 to 5.5.  It is important to know that when to plant Blueberries because some points affect it  such as  water (plants of blueberries regularly needed water or regular Rainfall), sun (plants of blueberries need sun rays that’s why it generally found in the wild forest and mountain), some quantity of Fertilizers (apply fertilizers 15 day to one month after plating), soil (they like water but they don’t like soggy place and they required high organic acidic, they will not grow properly if planted in wrong soil), some Mulch, and Pruning etc.

9)      It is not a busy task you only ought to keep few things in your mind whereas planting berries in a pot. Use a big size pot to grow the blueberries seeds and it requires little care.

10)   If you want to grow them using seeds then it requires more time. For growing blueberries from seeds you must have patience. The quality of seeds must be good otherwise it will not grow in a container, it the container will be big then it can get more acidic environment and space to grow.

 

10 Tips For Preserving And Storing Seeds For Short And Long Term

The technique for home organic gardening is storing seeds from other plants rather than going to the market and purchasing processed seeds which have different kinds of chemicals in them. Planting seeds can be a great hobby and a time pass, especially when one is free, this is a joyous activity, nothing is better than planting vegetable, herbs and fruits in your own garden and then watching them grow in the period of time and then cultivating or plucking the fruit, vegetables and the herbs they bear. One will not only enjoy having the delicious herbs, vegetables and fruits grown in their home, but they are also very healthy since no harmful chemical and fertilizer is added to them. In today’s world if we see, many doctors may not recommended having an apple with its skin, why? That is because of the harmful chemicals and fertilizers added to the apple tree and spraying on them, which is causing different types of diseases. By growing them at home, they will be safe in it and will also taste better.

Related: sprouting seeds and starting seeds indoors.

Many people don’t know how to store seeds, this article will guide about seed storage for long and short term. One can save their seeds and can plant them later on; some steps should be taken in order to store them. The most common seed, which one can store, are of cantaloupe, pumpkin, watermelon, eggplant, tomatoes and different seeds of different herbs. They always have a successful growth and will give one an amazing and enjoyable experience. One can also store seeds of pomegranate, apple, apricot, pear, peach, cherry and others. In order to plant garden seeds and to know how to store seeds long term, then here are 10 points which can guide you to seed storage.

        1) When one is taking seeds direct from the plant they should first clean and dry them. In order to clean them, the entire soil and dust residue should be removed by using a tissue paper or a kitchen towel. They should be dried properly by using a kitchen towel and leaving it under the sun for a while. Place them in a zip log bag and store in a dry area.

        2) When taking a seed of the plant, remove all the additional matter which might be present. With the help of the fingernails remove the gel coating, shell, husk or the cob which might be present. Dry them and store in a zip lock bag. This will prevent them from having fungus, moisture and molds.

         3) For storing seeds long term, one should know how to preserve seeds in the fridge or the freezer. First of all one should clean and dry the seed and then store it in a zip lock bag. The temperature provided with the seeds in the refrigerator and freezer should be constant until the seeds are ready to be used for plantation. The seeds should be kept at the back of the freezer or refrigerator where it is away from the fan and has a constant temperature. The enzyme activity will be stopped in the seeds and this is the best method for the long term seed storage.

         4) To store seeds in an open atmosphere, one can use an airtight jar or a storage container. In 4 layers of tissue paper, add 2 heaped tablespoons of milk powder, fold and keep it with the seeds in the air tight jar. This will prevent any moisture to enter the container, or one can also use silica gel, replace after every six months. This is the best way to store seeds, especially the rare seeds and exotic seeds for a longer term.

          5) Whenever one is storing seeds for a longer term in the zip lock or air tight jar, always label them with the date and year in order to know which seeds need to be planted since the prime time for the seed storage is around 3 years.

          6) In order to store veggie seeds, spread them out on a kitchen towel. Once dried roll them over and store in a zip lock bag. Whenever one wants to plant them, they can tear down the kitchen towel roll and plant the seed along with the towel in the soil.

          7) The best way for storing vegetable seeds, especially for cucumber, then here’s a tip. Squeeze out the pulp with seeds and add them in a container with water stirring for a week. The dead seeds will appear up, discard them again and then add water until the well seeds are cleaned. Once cleaned, dry them and lay them out on a paper to dry and then store in a zip lock bag.

           8) To store seeds from fruits or vegetables, take the most ripen one and then wash them clean and pat dry. Keep them secured in an airtight jar or zip lock bag.

           9) One can store seeds in a container with cotton balls, make sure there is no moisture otherwise the seed germination will start.

         10)  For storing pomegranate seeds, scoop out the seeds and wash them properly, pat dry and store in airtight container in the refrigerator where the temperature is constant, which is in the back area.  

20 Creative DIY Garden Markers And Labels 

Do you love labeling plants and other decors of your garden? How about having some simplest, DIY garden markers and that even made from items like corks, shells, pebbles, containers and cans. You can use the broken pots and wooden pieces too. If you are interested in getting some plant markers for low cost, be creative and play with these stunning ideas and inspire your living.

1: Adhesive Aluminum Board Garden Marker

With the help of Aluminum duct tape, you can fulfill your desire easily. With the help of a pen, you can write the name of the herb, shrub or vegetable on the backside. It would give an embossed effect when turned right. Stick it to a plastic stick and have fun. See the tutorial at auntpeaches.

Adhesive Aluminum board
Image via: auntpeaches

2: Gaudy Vegetable Garden Markers

For this kind of an idea, you would need:

  • White clay
  • Floral wire
  • Paint marker
  • Gold leaf
  • Wire cutter

Put one end of the wire into the garden pots and other end on card on which the name of the vegetables in written. It looks simply wonderful and stylish. Get the directions at stylemepretty.

Gaudy vegetable garden markers
Image via: stylemepretty

3: Twigs As A Garden Markers

Use any wooden pieces, but make sure they are cut into pen like shapes. Add paper to it or cardboard, and write the names of your garden mates. They look lovely when lying over the pots or bushes. Get the detail at cathiefilian.blogspot.

Twigs as a garden markers
Image via: cathiefilian.blogspot

4: Standing Alphabets Plant Marker:

In your pots, you can place the shinny, painted alphabets and keep them as markers. It is a fun an activity, but moreover helps you in making your garden more appealing. Get the instructions at julieblanner.

See also: DIY garden ideas

Standing Alphabets
Image via: julieblanner

5: Polymer Clay Markers:

Making these types would be real fun – where is your scrabble by the way? The things that you would need are:

  • Polymer clay – you will have to make a stick shape out of it.
  • Butter knife
  • Letter stamps

Get the details of this garden marker at thecraftyscientist.

Polymer clay markers
Image via: thecraftyscientist

6: Metal Stamped Spoon Marker:

The painted silver spoon with names of the herbs and vegetables, when placed in the pots look mesmerizing. Materials needed include:

  • Spoon
  • Stamps
  • sledge hammer
  • Steel Stamping Block
  • Concrete slab (for making the base)
  • Impress Art Stamp Straight Tape
  • Paint
  • Cotton swab
  • towel (paper)

Get the directions at icanmakemetalstampedjewelry.

metal stamped spoon marker
Image via: icanmakemetalstampedjewelry

7: Wine Bottle Garden Stakes:

Cut the wine bottle cap with a cutter and than flatten it up by beating with hammer. Make two holes in the center and insert the pipe/stick for the support. Get details of this bottle garden stakes at instructables.

Wine bottle garden stakes
Image via: instructables

8: Keyword Keys As Markers:

You must be having old, rejected keyword in your store room. Pick out that and use the buttons as lovely markers. Simply attach them to stick or even toothpicks. Check out details at instructables.

Keyword keys as markers
Image via: instructables

9: Feast Cans DIY Marker:

Simply grab four feast cans, create flower out of the body and use wire hanger to place it. Get the tutorial at instructables.

Feast cans DIY marker
Image via: instructables

10: Concrete Markers:

The name may suggest that it is all about a tiresome process, but reality remains way different from it. You would find it a fun activity which coloring the concrete pieces and making the garden flooring. See the Details at instructables.

See also: DIY plant wall.

Concrete Markers
Image via: instructables

11: Chalkboard Spray Paint Marker:

This is one of the easiest type of diy plant marker – look for old gift or business cards and paint it with Chalkboard spray. With grease pencil, write whatever you have too. Your plastic plant labels are ready to be put into fork stands. Get the tutorial at farmhouse38.

Chalkboard spray paint marker
Image via: farmhouse38

12: Cork And Fork Markers:

Use forks as stands, and put named corks over them. It would be a lovely homemade garden marker for any type of garden. See the tutorial at artsyvava.blogspot.

Cork and fork markers
Image via: artsyvava.blogspot

13: DIY Garden Markers

You can use wooden spoons and color them in special way so that you can relate them to different herbs and vegetables. Have a look at ready-set-read.

DIY garden markers
Image via: ready-set-read

14: Pebbles Garden Labels:

You can use the over-sized, round stones and name them so that you can use them as markers. Get detail information at lubirdbaby.

Pebbles Labels
Image via: lubirdbaby

15: Vintage Spoon Ideas:

 Use spoon of any kind and draw a sketch of herb on some paper with led pencil and then fill it with some colors or you can use clip art of computer.After pasting it on spoon,it will look stunning plant marker. See the details at artsyvava.blogspot.

See also: DIY bean bags.

Vintage spoon ideas
Image via: artsyvava.blogspot

16: Picture In Bottles:

If you think writing down names is common, you can differentiate your garden by adding pictures into jars. Have a look at this idea at marthastewart.

Picture in bottles
Image via: marthastewart

17: Pictured Stones Marker:

If you are not good at drawing, add some pictures to sand stones and fill them with color. These would allure your gardens’ charm. Check details at lubirdbaby.

Pictured Stones
Image via: lubirdbaby

18: Wine Cork Plant Tag:

From a decent wine cork, you can have cute name tag for garden. Make sure it is attached to the thin bamboo well. Get the details at thechicsite.

Wine Cork plant tag
Image via: thechicsite

19: Broken Pot Markers:

It is not strange that garden areas come across lots of broken pots. Use them for the purpose of markers by adding picture or wording over the top.

Broken pot markers
Image via: markers

20:Paint Pebble Plant Markers:

You can write names on pebbles and place them around your favorite plant. All these activities are more than fun and excitement. Tutorial: housetohome.

Paint pebble plant markers
Image via: housetohome

Indoor Succulents-10 Easy Tips On How To Grow Succulents

Many people prefer succulent plants for outdoor garden and indoor decoration. For those places which experiences dry and hot weather, these plants can be excellent for growing in those areas. These plants may sound very much similar to the cactus, however they may not have thorns or spikes but fleshy stamp and leaves are there. Many people have started growing succulents indoors because they don’t require much sunlight and can grow well indoors.

Maintenance of these plants are very easy, especially when grown indoors, the succulents in pots won’t be a lot of trouble unlike other indoor plants. The ones that grown in pots will remain in a perfect size because of the smaller place they will be getting from the container, however if grown in flower beds outside, their size will be much more, however they may require more water since they will be under direct sunlight. If you are a person who enjoy care-free living or are busy most of the time and at the same time love having plants indoors then growing succulents in containers is the best option for you. These plants may even produce flowers, which could be your indoor fresh flower bouquet in your house.

Related: common types of succulents

Some of the most common succulent house plants are Burro’s Tail, Christmas cactus, Crown of Thorns, Jade Plant, Panda Plant, Ponytail Palm, snake Plant, and many more. What many people don’t know is that how to plant succulents indoors? Planting these amazing plants indoors is very easy. With proper guidance and research you can grow some healthy and beautiful succulents indoors in different containers and pots. You can line them by your stairs indoors, in your kitchen, living room and other places you like. Unlike cactus, these succulents may have a variety of colors and when it is the blooming season; your interior will look pretty with all the flowers around. Here are 10 tips for growing indoor succulents:

        1)  The best place for keeping your succulent plants indoors is somewhere near the window, especially on the eastern side. The sun rises from the east, in this period the intensity of the rays are less and so will be excellent for the plants. Keep in mind that excessive sunlight can cause yellow spots on your plant which is also known as the sunburns.

        2)  Many people would think that they have to provide a lot of water to the succulents. Just like any plant, watering succulents should be kept to normal range. Between the watering periods the soil should be dry so that they can grow well, moreover, during the winter season they shouldn’t be watered much (only once a week).

      3) Without any doubt, the glass containers or pots look very pretty, however they are not recommended for planting the succulents. This is because the glass container won’t be able to drain water or let it evaporate, however the clay pots or containers can help the moisture to evaporate or excessive water to drain. Succulents don’t like sitting in soggy or damp soil, they just require normal moisture content or water.

      4) There is hardly a chance you may get bugs in your small indoor plants, but if by chance you do, avoid using the chemical because they are kept indoors can be hazardous to your health. Make a solution of diluted alcohol, water and dish soap liquid to kill the bugs. Bugs are usually attracted to those succulents whose soil is moist and soggy.

         5)  Add fertilizer to the indoor succulent plants only once in a year.

       6)  Many people don’t know how to grow succulents indoors and what type of soil to use. Unlike other plants they don’t use the same soil. The soil needed for the succulents should be well draining and porous, 70% of sand and 30% of soil is the best combination for them.

      7)   If you have kept the succulent plant in a place which doesn’t receive any sun light, then you might have to move your plants on at least weekly basis outside so that they can get some sunlight to grow better.

      8)  Avoid using chemical based liquid fertilizers and sprays on the succulent plants kept indoors. Not only it will ruin the plant but also be hazardous for you.

      9)   You can trim succulent plants only once in a year, if kept in small pot or containers, they might not even need any trimming.

    10)  Succulent are dessert plants and so can withstand both the hot and cold temperature, you don’t have to worry about the season change.

How to Make a Compost From Kitchen Scrape and Garden Waste

 

Compost acts like fertilizers for the soil and are organic material which provides important nutrition to the soil so that it can help the plants to grow. Many people may prefer using chemical based fertilizers and compost, but these are hazardous to health because the plants and trees grown from these fertilizers absorbs some of the chemicals which then goes into the human body and can have some harmful effects. The food grown commercially uses a lot of chemical based fertilizers which according to the studies has resulted in an increase in different types of problems and diseases in human. We all know that an apple’s skin is full of iron; however now doctors recommend to peel off the skin.

 It is better to make compost at home and one doesn’t need to go out to look for the required items. This compost can be made from the waste around your house which can be of the living things and food and they can be the most excellent fertilizer for your soil in which you can grow some healthy and delicious herbs, vegetables and fruits without any problem. Many people don’t know about how to make compost at home and are usually dumbfounded in this matter. Making the compost at home is the best way to make organic fertilizer and omitting the use of chemical based fertilizers and also reducing landfills since the waste goes in the landfill and emits methane which is a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming. There are three basic things which can make the compost, which food, browns, greens and water. The browns include the branches, twigs and dead leaves; the green includes the leaves, grass clippings, peels of fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, grated left over fruits. And for all these ingredients, the water is most important since it will speed up the fermentation process and keep the compost bind together and moist. You can make compost from the waste of your kitchen and garden.

Make compost from your kitchen waste

One can make compost easily indoors with the kitchen waste. How many times has it happened that you have thought about reducing the waste you send outside your house, in the garbage disposal and to the landfill? The kitchen waste can help in making a compost pile. The kitchen waste includes peels and skins of different vegetables and fruits, seeds of different fruits, leafy vegetables and grounded coffee.How to make a compost by kitchen waste? Very simple, just add all the waste and also the wasted food in the bin or bucket ; You can add the waste to it daily or until the bucket or bin is full. Once full, you can leave it for a period of 18 days for decomposition to be done and then it is ready to be used with the soil present in your garden, flower beds and pots.

kitchen compost

Make compost from your garden waste

How do you make compost with wastes in your garden? This is also very simple; just gather some leaves, buds and twigs. In your garden you will notice that there are many leaves, twigs and buds lying around, just gather them and toss them in the compost pit. When mowing the grass lawn, add the grass clipping in the compost. If you have pets around or a farm near by then it is even better because to turn the leaves into compost one needs carbon and nitrogen so that they can decay. You’ve to mix manure of animals (plant eating animals) such as cows, goats, and rabbits to the leaves, twigs, buds and grass clippings and then close the pit. This is the best way to make the organic compost and for this you’ve to use a churner or pitchfork to mix all these things so that it can fasten up the process for leave braking and also decaying. In order to purchase a compost bin, you can easily get them in the market. There are also many compost bin plans available on the internet which can help you in making one at home, such as those which are sealed pack, they should be kept in shady area and should be avoided by sun otherwise the compost will get dry.

organic compost

10 Helpful Tips On How To Grow Mushrooms Indoors

Mushroom is a fruit bearing body of a fungus which can be grown in soil or logs which are damp most of the time. There are edible mushrooms and other which are non edible and are usually poisonous. The edible mushrooms include oyster and button mushrooms which is widely used in foods these days while other edible mushrooms are Linghzi and Ganoderma which is largely used in medicines and as food supplement for different types of diseases. Many people don’t know how to grow mushrooms indoors and many would think about it as a difficult task since there are some requirements for planting mushrooms.

The trend for growing food indoors has become very common for three obvious reasons, first to fight off with the world food crisis, second to save some money by growing fruits and vegetables home rather than purchasing from the market and third to enjoy the best and fresh taste right at your home. In order to grow mushrooms, the first thing to decide is what type of mushrooms ones want to grow. The shitake, Oyster and Button mushrooms can grow well indoors and the result can be actually great. Below mentioned are ten tips for how to plant mushrooms at home:

       1) When growing mushrooms indoors, it is important to decide what type of mushrooms you are growing because different mushrooms require different growing medium to grow and one cannot grow every type of mushrooms indoors.

       2) How to grow oyster mushrooms at home and have a successful cultivation? The answer to this is to grow in the most perfect growing medium that is in the straw. This is because for the growth it has some nutritional needs which can be provided through damp star or even sawdust logs.

       3) For quick cultivation and successful growth of mushrooms, always damp or moisten the growing medium after every two to three days so that it keeps moist and can grow well. The best growing place to keep the container for the mushroom is in the garage, basement or laundry room or any place else which have a high moisture level, avoid the bathroom, it is defiantly not the place to grow something you want to eat.

        4) You can find the spores or mushroom spawn from different retailers however they are available online as well. You can purchase mushroom spawn which is sawdust with mycelia. Mycelia are an important root structure for the fungus and helps in growing. You can say this is a seedling which facilitates the growing of mushroom indoors.

         5) For those who are beginner or amateur, they should go for mushroom spawn for growing of mushrooms rather than spores because spores may take a long time to cultivate and is recommended for professionals only or those who have been growing mushroom since a long period of time.

         6) How to grow button mushrooms? They can be easily grown indoor however you require composed manure because they grow the best in that medium. They get all the necessary nutrients from the manure such as urea which is essential for their growth.

         7) When to grow mushrooms? When the temperature on a warmer a side. The temperature should be 21 degree Celsius and higher and the best example for this is the spring season or post summer season. The humidity is good in this period and so is the temperature which encourages the growth of the mushrooms.

         8) After three weeks of damping the growing medium along with spawn, one has to keep the container or the log in a place which should be cool and dark, temperature should be 15 Celsius. The growing medium should be sprayed with water and kept cool so that the mushrooms can grow.

         9) When to know the mushrooms are ready? It can be seen through the texture and the size of the mushroom specie you have grown. The steps of mushroom growth should be done very carefully because it is very important for grower.  The cultivation of mushroom is very important in various parts of the world.

       10) How to cultivate mushrooms? When they are ready, you just have to twist and pluck them out. These are simple and best steps to grow mushrooms in the field. 

10 Best Houseplants That Purify The Indoor Air Naturally

Back in 1980’s, the Associated Landscape Contractors of America together with NASA published the fact that, there are many plants, which have the ability to purify the indoor environment. Which could be the houseplants that have the power to purify the house space area? According to the research, a group of plants has the natural capacity to filter the unwanted, organic compounds, which can cause adverse effects on health. The growth of these phenomenal plants may help in cleaning the Mother Earth too. For indoor quality air, you must have the following houseplants:

1: Aloe Vera:

Aloe Vera being an herbal medicinal plant has lots of heath and skin care benefits, it has also the capacity for air filtration. It is easy to grow and handle; at the same time, it takes in all the essence of the harmful gases or by products of paints, chemical cleanser. It s a wonderful choice to keep in the kitchen space – its gel has the ability to cure wounds and burns too. Concisely, it is among the best great indoor plants with lots of utility.

Aloe vera

2: Spider Plant:

The biological name for the plant is “Chlorophytum Comsum” – the plant has lot of gorgeous white flowers and contains extra amount of foliage. It helps in reducing the effects of benzene, Xylene, formaldehyde, chemical from cleansing agents and carbon monoxide. It belongs to the family of indoor plants that clean the air effectively. You can place it in your car porch, main entrance or near the windows. Related: Low light house plants.

Spider Plant

3: Gerby Daisy:

You are not sure about the idea, how to clean the air in your home, get your house small pots of “Gerby Daisy”. The plant is rich in bold flowers that are effective in curbing the effects of trichloroethylene. This is the dangerous type of emission that is spread with the use of cleaning agents. Similarly, it would produce best results in filtration of byproducts of ink, like benzene. This houseplant is ideal to be placed in laundry space or near the bedroom. Make sure you provide it sufficient light for its growth. Related: tropical house plants.

Gerby Daisy

4: Snake plant:

The nickname for this houseplant is “mother-in-law’s tongue” – as the name suggests, it is a powerful plant, which can easily fight against formaldehyde. It is released from all those products cleaning agents, toilet detergents and skin care products. It is one of the popular indoor plants that can be placed in bathrooms and laundry spaces. It does not require much care for growth, so you would not have to pay much attention to it.

Snake plant

5: Golden Pothos:

If you want to clean indoor air by controlling formaldehyde, place this lovely houseplant in your territory.This hanging vertical plant is one of the most common in homes, particularly because it’s so easy to grow. It grows in the form of a green bunch and makes it a wonderful floral basket. At same time, you can increase the beauty of your house too. It would always stay green and healthy, even it dark – to your surprise, it is also known as  “Devil’s Ivy”.

Golden Pothos

6: Chrysanthemum:

The beautiful flowers from cool house pant would boost the appeal and elegance: whilst, the smell and bloom would help you in reducing all those intruders that affect the indoor air. For example, glue, paint, inks, cleaning agents, these all has many emissions that you are not even aware of. Keep it in fresh sunlight and air so that it keeps on growing and reducing all the nuisances. Related: small and large indoor plants.

Chrysanthemum

7: Red-Edged Dracaena: 

‘Red-Edged Dracaena’  (a vertical plant) as the name gives a hint, this air purifying plant has the ability to grow until the ceiling, and keep the air fresh and healthy within the areas it is placed. It fights best against formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and xylene.

Red-Edged Dracaena

8: Weeping fig:

Weeping fig is such a powerful plant that would help you in cleaning your indoor air from the pollutants left by furniture, paints, carpet or other detergents. However, the plant requires much attention for its growth and nourishment.

Weeping fig

9: Azalea

It is not only the most beautiful flowering shrub, but also a great fighter against formaldehyde, which results from foam insulation and plywood. You can use them in your basement too.

Azalea

10: English ivy

It belongs to the indoor air filtration plants that are easy to grow, and work best when it comes to protecting the air from the byproducts of household cleaning agents. Related: indoor vine plants.

English ivy

References

PMC,National Library of Medicine, Published online 2011 Oct 1. doi: 10.1289/ehp.119-a426, “Planting Healthier Indoor Air”, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230460/

10 Best Plants To Grow For Vertical Garden

When you want to indulge in building a living wall for yourself, you want to pull out all stops. Each and every aspect that goes into building a beautiful garden needs to be just perfect for the result you want, especially the vertical gardening plants. And of course, the correct selection of plants plays a major role in achieving this feat for a vertical garden planter. And it depends on so many parameters, that some homework goes a long way to get it just right.

Similar articles: vertical gardening plants, diy wall planters, best climbing plants, indoor climbing plants

Here are some great options for choosing the best plants for vertical gardening.

1)       Aeschynanthus radicans

Also known as the ‘lipstick plant’, it is one of the best plants for a vertical garden due to the fact that it works great for indoor gardening, and even outdoors. Even though it is supposed bloom at the optimum high in a warm and humid environment, with moist soils and great lighting, practically it stays healthy even in dry conditions and poor light. This plant looks beautiful with red flower buds and shiny green leaves. The vertical garden gives or Imparts a new look to your house. The selection of a right or best plant for the vertical garden is very important. The vertical garden should consist of best variety plants.

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2.)      Nephrolepis exaltata

Also known as a ‘Sword Fern’, the best part about this vertical garden plant is that it is very easy to take care to sustain the health and beauty of this plant. It works great in a humid environment; hence it is a great choice for an outdoor garden in areas with good amount of humidity. It is a good plant for garden. It keeps the temperature moderate and controlled.

Nephrolepis exaltata

3)       Acacia Cognata

The reason this plant is also called the ‘limelight bower wattle’ is that it gives a distinct appeal to your wall. It fills up the spaces in the wall, giving it a fuller look. So, even after your whole wall is complete, and you still need a finishing touch, this is the best choice. Such plants are easily available for the plant lovers or fans. It may be due to occurrence of best conditions. This kind of plant is available in the world with ease.

Acacia Cognata

4)        Epipremnum

This vertical garden plant is commonly known as ‘Pothos’. If you have a patch where the access to light is low, this plant is your best bet. Apart from this, the plant can easily be arranged to hang or climb, and hence it is a great choice for decoration. This plant is best for decoration. People love to buy this kind of plant for decoration or other purposes.

pipremnum

5)        Dracaena

This plant makes it in the vertical garden plants lists majorly because of its popularity. The major reason for it being a popular choice is the leaf color. You can expect hues of white, yellow, red and cream on your wall with this plant.

Dracaena

6)       Hoya Carnosa 

Popularly known as the ‘wax flower’, it is a great choice for a smaller garden. They are great for an outdoor garden and can be easily coaxed into growing along a definite direction on your wall.

Hoya Carnosa for vertical garden

7)         Stephanotis floribunda

This plant for vertical garden is widely known as the ‘Wedding Vine’, as it is a popular choice in wedding decorations. It has large white flowers and gives a great fragrance to your vertical garden. It sustains almost all conditions.

Stephanotis floribunda

8)        Epipremnum aureum

It is known as the ‘Australian native monstera’ and as it requires minimum care, it is great for someone who is just at the threshold of becoming an enthusiast. It also makes up for the lack of vertical gardening ideas if it is an experimental project.

Epipremnum aureum

9)         Spathiphyllum wallisii

These are the most common home plants for vertical garden and are known as ‘peace lilies’. These too don’t require much care and hence are easy to maintain even in low light or low humidity. Even the aging flowers of this plant just turn green so still look appealing.

Spathiphyllum wallisii

10)    Codiaeum variegatum pictum

Also known as a ‘Croton’, this shrub is great if you have access to bright light. It puts a lot of color on your wall, making it look beautiful.

codiaeum variegatum pictum