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chrisraska asked:


Does anyone know where I can buy Vermiculite for gardening other than online?

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The urban gardener asked:


Key Facts on Hydroponics

Hydroponic plants do not require soil to grow in. They use different growing media instead. All the required nutrients are supplied through nutrient solution. Hydroponic system allows cultivation of plants, irrespectively to climate and environmental condition. Hydroponic system allows increasing the density of plants significantly (up to 3 times higher in comparison with traditional soil gardens). It may be surprising but hydroponic plants consume considerable less water than those, growing in soil. Since soil is not used in hydroponic systems, there is no need to worry about crops rotation. Hydroponic plants are healthier, because there are no or very little risks for them to get infected by parasites, living in soil. Hydroponic gardening does not depend on seasons of the year. You can grow plants and gather harvest all year round.

Hydroponics in the Present

Thanks to many technological achievements and innovations, hydroponic growing has already become much more effective, convenient and affordable. Plastic, used for manufacturing of hydroponic equipment, such as plumbing products, fittings, growing pots and containers, etc., made it possible to lower the cost of hydroponic systems significantly.

Multiple electronic devices, such as pumps, timers and monitors, have made hydroponic growing a fully automated process. Furthermore, the hydroponic plants themselves have evolved significantly, ensuring high yield results even if used under the most extreme environmental conditions, for example, at the submarines.

Hydroponics in the Future

The next goal of hydroponics developers is to make indoor gardening eco-friendly and more energy-saving. In this regard, current achievements in the development of solar heating systems look very promising. On the other hand, current innovations open new opportunities for designing new growing light systems with higher lumen output, better spectrum profile and lower electricity consumption. In the long run, hydroponic systems may allow increasing the amount of grown plants to completely satisfy the needs of people in food products, without using additional natural resources and soil.

Furthermore, maybe in the nearest future hydroponic systems, which have already been tested in space on the space stations, will even become another valuable step in the space exploration by the humans.

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The urban gardener asked:


What is Hydroponic Gardening

These days, when the humanity faces many challenges, associated with natural resources depletion, bad ecology and many health problems, stemming out of the wrong food choices, it is, perhaps, the best time ever to return to natural ways of producing food for the sake of our own and our planet.

It was a common practice for our ancestors to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers for their own needs. Nowadays, the natural way of growing plants reappears with hydroponics as the particular technique, which makes plant cultivation possible even in urban areas without the use of soil. With more and more people involved, hydroponic gardening develops rapidly these days. Irrespectively to whether it is your hobby or professional activity, indoor gardening brings significant benefits for all.

Hydroponic and soil indoor gardening – The World of Gardening for the Future

If you are only making your first steps in mastering the art of hydroponic gardening, our site will become a valuable resource for you. Our hydroponic library is a source of theory on the basics of indoor plants growing, and our shop is a one-stop destination to find everything you need for your hydroponic needs, starting from vegetable seeds and wide variety of growing media to start growing your plants, and finishing with reliable equipment, such as growing lamps and climate control, to help you gather rich harvest.

The definition of hydroponics

Hydroponics most often refers to the science of growing plants (vegetables, herbs, flowers) without the use of soil. Plants are cultivated on a special growing medium, and all the nutrients, required for growing, are supplied via specially formulated nutrient solution. The primary task of any growing medium, used in hydroponic gardens, is to support plants’ roots along with retaining water. There are many books on hydroponic gardening, so if you would need to expand your knowledge in this field, please browse our Literature section or the online library for further information on hydroponics.

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Container Gardening Outdoors: Wikipedia defines Container Gardening as follows: (Container gardening is the practice of growing plants exclusively in containers instead of planting them in the ground. In some cases, this method of growing is used for ornamental purposes. This method is also useful in areas where the soil or climate is unsuitable for the plant or crop in question. Limited growing space can also make this option appealing to the gardener).

Container gardening outdoors is becoming the rage because it requires very little space. A lot of families have small yards and not enough space available to put in a garden. More families are living in condos, apartments and town homes, allowing for them to experiment and enjoy container gardening outdoors. It’s not only convenient, but allows them to feed their families healthier meals and saves them a lot of money.

There is so much to enjoy with container gardening outdoors other then the fresh vegetables and herbs. By growing the different types of vegetables and herbs, you add color and life to your back yard, deck or patio. There are a variety of containers you can plant in, with terra cotta being the most popular. Not only do they look nice outdoors, they come in a variety of sizes for your specific needs. Planting in containers outdoors is so much fun and you can create a nice effect in your yard by adding pots of flowers that add a lot of color to make it visually appealing.

The containers you choose for your vegetables and herbs are totally up to your own personal tastes. Any type can be used from terra cotta being the most popular to plastic buckets, milk cartons and wooden crates but be sure they are untreated. Also be sure to have proper drainage in the pots to prevent overwatering and root rot. Another important thing to think about is the weight of these containers. If you are a small person, you don’t want to be moving these heavy pots around the yard. Once these heavy pots are filled with soil, plants and water, they can weigh more then you probably can or want to lift. However, that is totally an individual decision and if you know for certain that the heavy pots won’t be moving around the yard, then it doesn’t matter and weight is not a problem.

Remember that no space is to small when it comes to container gardening outdoors. The flexibility of being able to move your plants around the yard or deck is so rewarding. It is wonderful to be able to add a container full of vegetables, herbs or even flowers to a bare spot in the yard to make it more visually appealing. If you have stairs, you can line them with a variety of ornamental pots or plant stands to create a focal point to that area all the while watching your garden grow

In most parts of the country, not all plants can withstand the winters. But don’t let the winter dull the look of your yard or deck. Planting evergreen boughs and ornamental twigs or branches in wrought iron urns or fibreglass planters will keep your yard looking alive and add some color.

Don’t worry if you try and something doesn’t work for you. Next year try something different. There is no real rule book, just decide what you want to grow and make it happen.  Container gardening is very forgiving and fun to experiment with. Just enjoy the rewards you and your family will reap as you experiment with different vegetables and herbs.

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The urban gardener asked:


Fluorescent Grow Light

 Inexpensive and readily available in hardware stores and be utilized with regular light sockets. Producing less heat or none at all compared to full-size fluorescent grow lights.

Not just because of its small size and low heat output; compact fluorescent lights also produce the widest range of color spectrums to any type of lighting. It is ideal for shelf gardening due to their low heat output making the use of multiple shelves on top of each other possible. Compact fluorescent lights can be used with seedlings and small plants in a well designed hydroponic system indoor garden.

 Common Problems with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

 Problems with compact fluorescent light bulbs like inefficiency and poor light *********** are common.  Several compact fluorescent bulbs maybe used and consume energy as that of one HPS bulb, but do not produce the same useable light for the hydroponic indoor garden. 

Optimizing Fluorescent Grow Lights

 With the disadvantages of comparative inefficiency compared to HID lights, several things maybe done to counteract this.

Properly matching lights to the corresponding growth cycle.

Increasing Watt ratings increases light penetration

One cheap and easy way to maximize energy consumption is by the use of reflectors. Compact fluorescent lights have a 360 degree of distribution but only 90 degrees of it can be practically used. Reflectors direct the light to corners in order to maximize the light produced.

 High Intensity Discharge Lighting

 HID light bulbs are the most after lighting system by both hobbyist and professional growers. It has made possible all-year, all-season planting for thousands of indoor gardeners and industrial nursery growers. Due to their efficiency ( 10x more light produced than conventional incandescent bulbs) and color spectrums ideal for plants have resulted to better yields and plant quality all year round. Metal Halide (MH) light bulbs mainly produce blue lights, making them ideal for plants undergoing the vegetative phase of development.

Industrial cultivators the world over are the main users of HID grow lights. HID lamps provide numerous advantages that conventional Fluorescent and incandescent lights lack. Monetary benefits abound, it boosts overall plant production giving better harvests, and environmental factors are eliminated allowing all year-round production. HID lights operate stock 110 to 220 volts AC home currents and have a standard three prong adapter to link up. HID grow lights mostly come with a ballast resistor and reflective hood.

Photosynshesis in plants allows plants them to produce their own energy. Chlorophyll in plants enables plants to convert CO2, water and energy from light to nutrients and sugars. When all this elements like CO2 and nutrients are readily and plenty in a desired surrounding, the potential for growth is bound only to the amount and quality of light available.

 High Pressure Sodium (HPS) light bulbs produce reddish light, it is ideal during the fruit phase of the plant cycle. Cooler (blue) and Warmer (orange) color spectrums raise chlorophyll production and fruit energy. The sun produces cooler lights when it is higher in the skyline, seen in the summer calendar months. It is essential for plant growth shape and keep it tight. Warmer light, experienced when the sun is lower in relative position to the skyline is important for blooming plants and during the fruit phase.

Choice of lights can also depend on the type of plants grown. Metal Halide growth lights are ideal for bushy harvests such as cabbage and vegetating herbaceous plants. Blossoming plants on the other hand is better suited by high pressure sodium growth lights. Conversion light bulbs are also available for different organizations. More expensive than other lights, conversion lamps give that extra advantage of starting your plants with a metal halide growth light giving taut, small development and being replaced by high pressure sodium light bulbs when the fruit stage of the plant is reached. Recent developments have introduced convertible ballast resistors for regular metal halide growth lights and high pressure sodium light bulbs.

HID grow lights main advantage is that it eliminates such factors as climate, temperature and time of day. Season dependent plants can be grown throughout the year; they provide an alternative to solar light. For those who are garden and flower hobbyists, this would be a plus.

Hydroponic growth lights also gives you control over light exposure. Allowing us to hasten a plants growth or that flower to bloom. Ideal light color, duration and concentration are the key factors in growing those choice plants.

 High Pressure Sodium Bulbs 

A clear ceramic arc tube suspended inside a glass bulb characterizes High Pressure Sodium Bulbs. Xenon gas is the main component inside the inner tube which is then ignited to produce an arc of light. Sizes range fro 35 watts up to 1000 watts. The most popular of which are the 250 watts, 400 watts and 1000 watts.

 Advantages of High Pressure Sodium Bulbs

 Efficiency is one of its advantages; they provide the best light *********** and have strong light spectrums necessary for plant growth. Mainly producing red and yellow lights or little or no blue lights, they mimic the autumn sun. Popularity for HPS lights are mainly attributed to their low energy to light ratio and is the most economical and efficient than any other type of lighting system. HPS lights work best during the flowering or fruit stage of the plant growth cycle.

 Disadvantages of HPS High Pressure Sodium Bulbs

 High Pressure Sodium Bulbs produce great amounts of heat. Proper ventilation and good garden construction and planning help to offset this negative effect. Like all HID growth light systems price is the main drawback compared to fluorescent lights. HPS lights are currently more cost effective compared to other HID growth light systems.

High Pressure Sodium Light bulbs are replaced after 24 months to ensure their and your gardens efficiency.

 Metal Halide Bulbs

 Metal Halide bulbs are constructed by placing an inner arc tube inside vacuum-sealed glass tubing. Electric currents passed through the inner arc which in turn ignites mercury and iodide materials in the tube.

 Advantages of Metal Halide Bulbs

 Metal Halide Bulbs mimic sunlight during summertime. Producing a blue spectrum of light most ideal for plants in their vegetative growth phase. They are also a good choice for indoor hydroponic garden systems because of their efficiency in producing light.

 Other Metal Halide Bulb Information

 Available from 70 to 1500 watts, Metal Halide bulbs present a wide variety of choices. Most popular and commonly used are the 250, 400 and 1000 watts metal halide bulbs. Ballast specifically tailored for each bulb is also essential. Mounting positions depend on its specific bulb type (marks or guides are usually provided). HOR bulbs are mounted horizontally, BU/BD is vertically mounted and U (universal) bulbs could be mounted either way. The vertical position is the most ideal and provides utmost efficiency.

 

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Composting according to Dictionary.com states as follows: (a mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil).

Compost vegetable gardening is the natural decay of organic matter converting yard trimmings into a product that can then be returned back to your garden. The final result is a rich dark acrobatic soil through the process of decomposition. At this point, bacteria and other organisms feed on the material to break it down with the help of such creatures as earthworms eating the bacteria or decomposed material to create a perfect compost.

Compost vegetable gardening improves the quality of your soil. When added to your garden, the compost breaks up the hard clay type soils, helps sandy soils to retain the water and releases important nutrients that help your vegetables to grow into healthy plants.

Fallen leaves, pine needles, flowers, grass clippings and your remaining garden plants are all organic trimmings you use for your compost. It is not recommended using any trimmings that have been treated with herbicides and pesticides for your vegetable garden. Compost is also made up of kitchen food scraps such as vegetables and fruit pieces, eggshells, tea and coffee grounds and turns them into every nutrient your vegetable garden will ever need. It is not recommended to add any meat by products into your compost.

Compost vegetable gardening contains carbon and nitrogen. The leaves, straw and sawdust are high in carbon and the grass clippings, manure and vegetable scraps are high in nitrogen. This is often referred to as “greens and browns”. Greens as in grass clippings are high in nitrogen and the browns such as the leaves or sawdust are high in carbon.

Composting needs the right amount of greens and browns to break down quicker. If you were to take sawdust alone and expect it to decay, it could take years. But if you were to add greens such as grass clippings or food scraps, it would decay more quickly and produce compost in much less time. You need to just experiment with compost to learn what works and what doesn’t.

Your compost is finished when the original material has broken down into a dark crumbly product. There may be some woody chunks remaining, but can easily be screened out and returned to another pile of compost. It is a good idea to stop adding to your compost pile once it gets to optimal size and let it continue to decompose while starting a new pile.

Adding the compost to your garden is done in different ways. One of the ways is adding about 6 inches the compost to your garden in the fall, watering it good and covering with burlap sacks to hold in the moisture to allow it to continue to decompose until spring. Another great way is by adding your decomposed compost to your garden in the spring and tilling it into your garden soil or you can hand till it gently into the top 6 inches of the soil. Allow it to sit for a few days before planting.

There is no right way or wrong way to learn how to compost. You will gain knowledge to what works best for you by experimenting with the organic matter. You can alter the process to suit your needs to find out what best works in your home situation.

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mira a asked:


Besides insect repellent lotions or sprays. Is there anything further I should use to minimize insect bites? Mosquitoes are ramped in my area. And now that the weather is getting warmer, I’d like to some pruning and gardening. Is there anything additional I should do to protect myself and dear daughter?

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There is nothing like the satisfaction of growing your own vegetable garden. Few experiences can match the pleasure you will receive as you put these beautiful vegetables on your table for you and your family to enjoy. The joy of knowing that you raised them yourself from a seed or small plant is a pleasurable activity, not to mention the time you get to spend outdoors in the warm sun and fresh air.

When it comes to growing a vegetable garden, experience is probably the best teacher there is. As you experiment in your garden, your knowledge will grow and so will the rewards that come with a bountiful harvest.

When choosing a space for your vegetable garden, you don’t need a large area to begin with. Begin growing in containers is another option, especially if you don’t have much yard space available. What is important is having at least 6 hours per day of sunshine, access to easy watering and lastly having good soil. With those three important elements you should have no problem growing a great vegetable garden.

Preparing you garden is a process that takes time. The proper mixture of the soil should be 40% sand, 40% silt and 20% clay. This insures no water gets trapped inside that it chokes the roots and the roots will rot if there is to much water in your soil. Composting is a great way to keep your soil rich and healthy. There are various ways you can set up to start your own compost pile for you garden. There is plenty of useful information online to help you get started.

The best approach the first time you begin to grow a garden is to consider what you and your family like to eat most. It’s always tempting to try to grow large varieties of vegetables, but it’s best to narrow down the list to the easiest and most productive varieties. Some of the best to begin with are tomatoes, radishes, lettuce,  onions, beans and squash. Don’t try to begin with vegetables such as corn as they take up to much room, asparagus requires a couple of years for the first harvest and maybe green peas as they are very limited to growing seasons.

Direct seeding is when you plant seeds directly into the soil. Carrots and beans are just one example of direct seeding. You place seeds at the required depth, water thoroughly and then patiently watch the plants emerging through the soil. It is almost always a good idea to plant extra seeds to allow for some not germinating and once the plants are growing you can thin them out.

All of this is an exciting moment to witness and makes all preparations so worthwhile. You can also purchase plants already started from a green house. Tomatoes are a good example of that or starting them in your home in early spring. The benefits of planting the seeds indoors is you can have your vegetables ready to harvest several weeks earlier then if you were to plant them in the ground.

Many vegetables can be harvested in different stages. One example is leaf lettuce. You can pick the young leaves as often as you need them and they will continue to grow and produce more. The same applies for summer squash and cucumbers. You can harvest them when they are young and only a few inches long or you can wait for them to mature to full size. With a lot of the vegetables, the more you pick, the more they will produce. If it looks good, try it, you have nothing to lose.

It is important to understand that some vegetables need to be picked in early morning to keep them fresh or harvesting just before your meal is to be prepared for the freshest flavors. Other crops can be left in the ground until it’s a convenient time for you to harvest.

It is truly an amazing, rewarding experience to grow a vegetable garden. Get the family involved and you will all reap the full benefits that go along with the hard work by reaping the enjoyment of fresh vegetables on your table for dinner.

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The definition of raised bed gardening from Wikipedia states:

Raised bed gardening is a form of gardening which the soil is formed in 3–4 foot (1.0–1.2 m) wide beds, which can be of any length or shape. The soil is raised above the surrounding soil (6 inches to waist high), sometimes enclosed by a frame generally made of wood, rock, or concrete blocks, and enriched with compost.

Building a raised garden bed in early spring ensures the gardeners can plant earlier then the traditional in ground garden. With the raised bed gardening, soil dries and warms up quicker in the springtime allowing earlier planting. Word of caution, beds should only be as wide as can be so you can easily work from both sides.

To reduce soil compaction is to reduce foot traffic on the beds themselves. Make the beds narrow so that the center of each bed can be planted, weeded and watered from the footpath next to the bed.

Preparing your raised garden bed with two to three inches of organic material mixed into the soil. Organic material may include compost, bark, leaves, manure, planting mis, sawdust, etc. By adding additional nitrogen also help the organic material to break down more efficiently.

Raised garden beds require closer attention to the moisture of the soil. Be extremely careful to not overwater your beds or to allow them to dry out, as they will dry out quicker then in ground gardens. However, raised garden beds are smaller in size then your traditional gardens, making them much easier to maintain.

The idea of  planting your vegetables in raised beds at higher densities, spaced far enough to not overcrowd but close enough to block out weeds, will lesson the labor you have in the garden. The better the root growth, the deeper soils mean more production per square foot.

There are disadvantages with raised garden beds. The close proximity of the plants can promote plant diseases caused by reducing air circulations and allowing plants to remain damp for longer periods of time after watering. Air circulation is very important in raised beds. However, if you do have good air circulation, you need to be careful that your beds don’t dry out to fast by using soaker hoses or you can also add mulch to cut down on the time and amount of watering you do.

Raised garden beds are extremely easy to build. It doesn’t take much. Basically, you build an open top and bottom box in any shape you want it. Decide what you want to make your beds out of. Draw out your plans, measure your garden space and add the measurements into your drawing. By doing so, you will be able to determine how much material you will need.

Once you’ve gathered together all the materials you will need. You can simply nail or screw your beds together and they will increase in strength once you place the soil in the beds. Before you add the soil, it’s a good idea to put down a barrier first by using a piece of gardening plastic. By doing so, it will significantly reduce the amount of weeds that grow in your bed. Remember once you place your beds, it will be somewhat permanent, so make sure you have it in the best possible location.

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