Make Mulch in Minutes

Here is a revolutionary idea that will save you time, money, and help your greenery to grow: Let the leaves fall where they may. And let the cut grass lie. That's right. Don't spend hours raking grass clippings and bagging leaves. Instead leave them right where they land and let them nourish your grass and garden.

Mother Nature has her own way of making mulch when insects and fungi break down fallen leaves to help release the leaves' nutrients. And they do it in a time frame that really lets the soil absorb these nutrients. Sometimes putting down fertilizer causes plants to go into overload because they get too much, too soon.

Just don't expect the leaves from black walnut or eucalyptus trees to be much help. The leaves from these trees actually produce herbicides. So these are leaves that you will want to rake up and bag, unless you have plants that can withstand the herbicides that these trees produce.

If you don't like the look of fallen leaves, you can chop them up with a mower and then spread them around.

A Garden on the Side

If you have a side yard that you are not making use of, you should know that it is never too late. You don’t need acres to garden and you can do wonders with a small space. Doing the best you can to maintain and beautify your property means it will be a restful place for you to return home to and that it will have plenty of appeal when the time comes for you to sell it.

Here are three tips for making the most of a side yard:

1. Stick to a few colors. If you overstuff a small space with too many colors, it will be overwhelming. Stick to a limited color scheme.

2. Keep things trimmed. Since a side yard is small, you don't want overgrown plants to take over. This is especially true if these plants spill over onto a path.

3. Garden on a curve. If your side yard lends itself to a straight path, why not engineer it to curve a little? This will add interest and the garden won't seem as constricted.

Container Gardens, part 2

Last week, I wrote about container gardening. You can use small spaces in and around your home to provide food for you and your family. Even if your thumb isn't green, you can give it a try because it isn't like you'll have to till a lot of soil.

Last week, I wrote about container gardening. You can use small spaces in and around your home to provide food for you and your family. Even if your thumb isn't green, you can give it a try because it isn't like you'll have to till a lot of soil.

As you can imagine, one very important aspect of container gardening is the container itself. Do you just get a regular flower pot? How do you choose?

The space you choose will dictate the size of the container, as will what you want to grow. No matter what kind of container you pick, it is important that it provide for adequate drainage. Try not to select a container with a narrow opening.

Avoid using flimsy plastic posts, as the sun will take its toll on them. Many plastic pots are inexpensive, but not the best choice if you want your container garden to thrive. If you live in an especially hot area, pick containers that are light in color so your plants won't take in too much heat.

You can use: gallon cans, wooden boxes, planter boxes, bushel baskets or ceramic pots.

Container Gardens, part 1

With the recent economic downturn, people are looking at creative ways to save money and get what they need. Some people who would not have thought about gardening before are starting to grow food in their own gardens in an effort to cut costs.

Those of you who live in small spaces will not be left out of this trend. You can opt for a container garden. What is a container garden? It is simply a garden that is housed in some kind of container, rather than on a plot of land.

It may come as a surprise, but any vegetable that can grow in a backyard can be grown in a container on a porch or window sill. Still, some vegetables are much better suited to containers. Among these are: eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, beans, lettuce, squash, and radishes.

Although the vegetables that grown in container gardens can grow in regular soil, you are advised to use synthetic soil for your container garden. You want something that will drain well and does not have any seeds for weeds.

Check back on Monday for more tips on container gardening.

Bad Mulch is Bad News

We read a lot about the possibility of chemicals and pesticides contaminating the food we eat, but have you thought about the food you feed your garden?

The soil in your garden, like your digestive system, is sensitive and cannot thrive being fed just any old thing.

The right mulch can do wonders for your garden. It keeps the soil moist, deters erosion, acts as a buffer against heat and cold and keeps weeds at bay. Layering mulch over your soil during the fall can maintain your soil in the winter months.

The wrong mulch, however, can end up doing more harm than good. Mulch you buy may contain herbicides that can choke the life out of the very plants you are trying to grow.

If you buy mulch be sure to ask if it contains herbicides. Your local garden center is not out to destroy your plant life, but the store may not consider the source when stocking mulch.

One way to know exactly what is in your mulch is to make your own. Clippings from your own grass and as well as the leaves you rake can be run under the lawn mower to make mulch. You can even find a use for those pesky weeds by turning them into mulch, as long as you have cut them before they go to seed.

Waterwise Gardening – Save Money and Add Value to Your Home – Part I

Waterwise gardening is one of the fastest ways for you to save money on home owning expenses. Unless you have a pool, the two biggest users of water in your home are toilets and landscape watering. In fact, in the summer months half or more of all the water you use goes onto your lawn and/or garden. Below are four ways you can dramatically cut your water usage by using waterwise gardening practices.

1. Mulch your garden – Mulch reduces the evaporation of water and helps to keep it locked in the soil longer, reducing the need for watering. It also keeps weeds down and helps to prevent runoff, thus keeping water where you want it.

2. Add organic matter to the soil - Organic matter is a sponge for water. Increasing the amount of organic matter in your soil is a good way to trap water and keep it there. Mixing leaf mulch or lawn clippings into the soil is a cheap and good way to incorporate additional organic matter. You don’t have to buy that expensive stuff.

3. Reduce the amount of lawn – The thirstiest part of any landscaping is the lawn. In most yards over 75% of the lawn is never walked on except to mow it. Really look where you want play areas or grassy spots to be and then convert the rest of the yard into landscaped beds with waterwise plants.

Waterwise Gardening – Save Money and Add Value to Your Home – Part II

Here are four tips you can add to those in our previous blog to cut your water usage by using waterwise gardening practices.

1. Deliver water directly to the roots – Sprinklers only have a 40-50% efficiency in delivering water to where it needs to go (i.e., to the roots of your plants). Drip irrigation is 90% effective. Because it only targets where your plants are it also reduces weed growth because it leaves soil with no plants in it dry.

2. Install a rain barrel and use it to water your plants – Why let all that free water that falls from the sky run off of your roof and go down the storm sewer? Did you know a 1,000 sq. foot roof will yield 625 gallons of water from a one inch rainfall? Catch this in a rain barrel and then use that water to water your plants when things get dry.

3. Plan your landscaping – Take advantage of your site, its sun, shade, wind, and soil. Plant native plants that are well adapted to the climate, soil, and water conditions in your yard. Perennials will come back every year and will require a lot less work and water than annuals. Resist the temptation to go for exotics that will require a lot of maintenance.

4. Take good care of your plants – Healthy plants use less water, fertilizer, and pest control than stressed ones. Keep your flower beds weeded, thinned, and pruned. Always be on the lookout for pests. This will allow you to save on watering.

Prepare Your House Before Leaving on Vacation

It's vacation time. The kids are out of school, the city is hot and muggy, work is dragging, summer chores are piling up -- looks like you need a vacation! Traditionally, August is when most Americans go on vacation. They flock to the seashores, tramp through the mountains, relax around hotel pools, visit friends and relatives, take in a festival, visit the state fair -- you name it, we do it!

Prepare your house before you leave on vacation to prevent unwelcome surprises when you return.

• Security. If you have a security system, alert your service. If not, you'll want to purchase a few light timers at your local hardware store. Make sure you set them so your lights go on and off at different times to simulate normal activity patterns. Park your spare car in the driveway to make it look like someone's home. Stop the mail and the newspaper. Ask a neighbor to check your house every few days to make sure everything looks OK and pick up advertising circulars, etc.
• Maintenance. Particularly since August is usually a fairly dry month, most lawns won't start to look overgrown for 10 days to two weeks. If you'll be gone longer, hire your neighbor's energetic son or daughter to mow the grass. By now bedding plants should be well enough established to survive with normal rainfall. However, if you have hanging baskets or container plants, you might want to ask a neighbor (or that energetic kid) to drop by and water every few days.
• Final check. Before you leave, give your house a final check. Make sure your stove, dishwasher, coffeepot, iron, etc. are turned off. Unplug your TV, stereo, DVD, computer, etc. to protect your electronics in case of an electrical storm. You don't want a power surge to create a fire. Clean leftovers out of the fridge and empty the trash. Make sure outside hoses are turned off. Make sure the garage door is closed and locked.

A few simple precautions and a little planning before you leave and you'll be able to vacation with peace of mind. Enjoy yourself!