How To Split Garden Bulbs Properly

One of the features of bulbs that make them so attractive is the ability for the gardener to divide their bulb plants to produce new growth, share with friends, or just plant in different areas of the landscape.

In addition, many bulb flowers become overgrown, and reducing the growth through dividing bulbs is the best way to get things back under control.

It is generally easy to tell when a planting of bulbs needs to be divided. One sure sign is when a previously well blooming planting of bulbs has begun to provide only sparse blooms.

Most times the culprit is overcrowding, and the solution is to divide those bulbs. Properly dividing the bulbs will reduce the overcrowding and allow the remaining bulbs to bloom for vibrantly.

The techniques used to divide bulbs depend on the exact type of bulb to be divided. There are actually five different types of bulb flowers - true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes and tuberous roots.

The techniques for dividing each type of bulb vary, so it is important to know which type you are working with. Any good gardening guide will tell you which type of bulb you have, and that information is usually provided when you buy the bulbs as well.

True bulbs

To divide a true bulb, you should begin by carefully separating the original bulb from the smaller bulb growing at its base. When dividing lily bulbs, you should be careful to first remove the outer scales from the basal plate. After the outer scales are removed, the ends of the bulb should be dipped in a rooting hormone, and the bulb should be planted immediately.

Corms

Corms are not true bulbs, and they renew their growth each season through the production of a new corm, and sometimes also small cormels growing on top of the original corm. To divide corms, the gardener should simply separate the healthy new corms, as well as any cormels, from the original corms.

Tubers

As tubers mature, they increase both their size and the number of growing points. However, most tubers do not form distinct increases. Therefore, to divide tubers, a large tuber should be cut into two or more sections, being sure that each section contains at least one growing point.

Rhizomes

The new growth on rhizomes is produced from growth points located at their sides. Rhizomes are divided by breaking the sections apart at the natural divisions between them, being sure that each of the new divisions has at least one growth point on it.Tuberous roots

A tuberous root will contain several growing points. Some, like daylilies, form separate and distinct plants, which can simply be pulled apart. This type of sectioning is generally done in fall or summer while the plant is still in its growth stage.

Other tuberous root plants, such as dahlias, are more difficult to separate. In order to separate more difficult plants like dahlias, you will need to cut the clumps apart so that each root has a growth bud from which to start. With these types of plants, it is best to separate them in early spring, before planting.

The author Chris Adams is the manager of the container gardening website where you can a free copy of a ’container gardening secrets ebook’ and other gardening supplies and resource at low prices.

How to build perfect shade sails

Shade sails protect your family members from the oppressive heat of the sun and allows for relaxation outside your home. Shade sails are so called as they usually resemble the sails of a ship.

Building a perfect shade sails in your garden or backyard can be easy and it will also not cost you much. In fact, you can make your own shade sails using a few commonly available materials and doing it yourself will be both challenging and exciting.

You can choose a shape that you consider most aesthetic and something that will blend well with your garden decor.

Next, you should choose the fabric as there is a variety of outdoor fabrics available in the market. You will be best advised to select strong and sturdy canvas material that will withstand the color dying process. New canvas fabric is quite expensive but you can opt for good recycled materials.

While finalizing your design and size of the shade sails, bear in mind the space that you intend to cover. Cut the fabric to a slightly larger size, so that you will have enough fabric to cover the full area completely.
To make the installation, you need that aid of a sewing machine, a strong needle that is normally used for stitching tough fabrics. The fasteners also need to be strong and firm enough to hold up the cut and sewn material, but also to hold the fabric in place against strong gales.

Several yards of material will be necessary for each sail, depending on the size of your garden and you must do the necessary calculations. While the measurements need not be precise, it is important they are as close to the design as possible. With proper eyehooks and rope you can complete the process.

The actual step by step shade sails making process will be:

• • Cut fifteen yards of the fabric into three identical pieces for three different sections
• • Stitch the ends together providing seams of half inch.
• • Press these seams to one side and use topstitch to further strengthen it.
• • Fold the fabric in half after laying it out and keep the right sides together with the two seams lying on top of one another.
• • You should measure 172 inches up, along the creased edge and do the marking.
• • Snap your chalk line from the top to the bottom diagonally.
• • Cut down this chalk line to open up your fabric.
• • On all three sides of the sail make double hem of one inch.

Once the shade sails has been successfully built, it has to be erected and for that, you may follow the following procedure:

• • Plant a post made out of suitable wood or metal to serve as an anchor point and further reinforce the base of the post by cementing.
• • Attach a connector to each corner of the sail and then tie a rope to the connector. You may also use a turnbuckle to the end of the rope to facilitate further tensioning, whenever needed.
• • Attach the rope using suitable means to the anchor points in your garden.

• Finally, hoist the sail up into position and ensure that the fabric is taut with no wrinkles or creases. Use the turnbuckles for final tightening.

Did You Know? -- 10 Bonsai Facts

Did you know...
1 - That the origin of Bonsai, while often attributed to the Japanese, is actually Chinese in derivation? Many experts agree that bonsai, know as Pensai in China, was practiced by scholars, monks and the noble classes of China as far back as 600 A.D.

2 - That the word "Bonsai", which is pronounced "Bone- Sigh", is made up of the two Japanese characters: "Bon" meaning tray and "sai" meaning plant, which when literally translated means: tray plant? Of course, the cultivation of bonsai trees has advanced much since its humble start as plants in trays.

3 - That an earthquake is responsible for shifting the "epicenter" of bonsai cultivation in Japan? In 1923 an 8.3 magnitude earthquake devastated the entire Kanto region of Japan. Destroying vast portions of the two largest cities: Tokyo and Yokohama; along with a majority of the commercial bonsai businesses. As a result, the bonsai business community, in an effort to save their livelihoods, collectively purchased a tract of land outside of Tokyo, in the Omiya region, where their businesses once again flourished.

4 - That in 1976 the people of Japan, in honor of the USA Bicentennial Celebration, presented to America 53 priceless bonsai trees and 6 remarkable viewing stones? These gifts were to become the foundation of our national collection.

5 - That the bark of a tree has three very important and practical functions? It is waterproof, so it prevents leaking from the phloem; It also houses small structures, called lenticels, that allow the tree to breathe; and the bark’s third function is to protect the phloem from all kinds of impacts, abrasions and attacks from pests; including: insects and fungi.

6 - That wounds on bonsai trees do not heal in the same manner as the wounds of humans and/or animals? That is to say, trees are not able to repair damaged tissue; instead they continue to manufacture a new layer of cells with each years growth, until the wounds is entirely covered over.

7 - That if you look at a cross-section of a tree trunk you will see rings and each of these rings indicates a full years worth of life and growth? Scientists can tell by the thickness or thinness of a ring in which year more rain and more subsequent growth took place.

8 - That mature trees, both bonsai and those on the front lawn, develop what is known as a ’collar’ around the base of the largest branches? This swelling takes years to develop and is caused by the up and down, forward and backward, motion of the largest and heaviest branches as they are pushed to and fro by the whims of Mother Nature.

9 - That autumn is the most favorable season of the year to prune a majority of deciduous bonsai? There are at least two good reason for this: first, the fact that all of the leaves have dropped off of your bonsai is a good sign that it has entered dormancy and, therefore, will not ’bleed’ or lose sap when it is pruned (although it is still advisable to apply ’cut-paste’ or ’wound sealant’ to all sizable cuts); and second, now that the bonsai is bare you can see and reach undesirable and/or dead branches that had been covered and made unnoticeable and/or inaccessible by the trees seasonal foliage.

10 - That bonsai trees, as well as, other trees and plants, are capable of absorbing synthetic nutrients through their foliage - oftentimes more readily then through their roots? When foliar feeding, be sure to carefully follow all of the manufacturers’ instructions and never foliar feed in direct sunlight, as leaves can burn quickly. For more bonsai information, including how to care for your bonsai you may want to check out "Bonsai Gardening Secrets" which is packed full of useful information. Click here to go there now.Video Source: Youtube

Beginner Instructions in Growing Tomatoes with Hydroponic Procedure

Growing tomatoes through hydroponic system is a wonderful procedure in growing fresh harvest. You could generate tomato fruits that may contain a lot more nutritional value with a lot better flavor when compared with tomatoes which are developed in an outdoor environment in the traditional process. Growing tomatoes through hydroponic process is a method through which you will utilize nutrient solutions like water and fertilizers.

Beginner gardeners can perform growing tomatoes in hydroponic system as it features precise guidelines and effective apparatus that’ll absolutely guide them. Gardeners also provide water and fertilizer in an excellent technique. Applying hydroponic system in growing tomato plants may even yield much better quality of fruits because they are given with the appropriate numbers of growth specifications which contribute in the fruits’ better taste as well as nourishment.

Growing Demands of Growing tomatoes in Hydroponic System

Light - Garlic are usually sun-loving crops, additionally they utilize more blue light in the light spectrum. You have to make usage of metal halide high intensity discharge lamp because it give the blue section of the light spectrum. You have to show the tomato plants under the light for about eighteen hrs on a daily basis.

Humidity- Tomato plants additionally really like water. Nevertheless, after they manufacture their own food (photosynthesis), they need to transpire water outside. Therefore, you will need to influence the humidity in moderate level in order that the consumption and using of nutrition by tomato plants won’t be changed. This can be done through manipulating the air circulation as well as ventilation. It is important to retain the humidity levels in 70% and at night time maintain it at 80%. Substantial levels of humidness can cause interruption of calcium ingestion of the crops, be responsible for insufficiencies that will manifest unintended effects for an extended time.

pH- You will need to keep the ph of nutrient solution from 6. to 6.3 for the tomato vegetation. Use a pH meter or maybe indicator paper like the Merck color pHast Indicator Strips. When the pH gets to be acidic or perhaps basic, that is less than 6. or higher than 6.3, you possibly can change it. You can add sulfuric acid in order to reduce the pH. It’s fine to use base for instance potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, or even the baking soda to enhance the pH level.

Temperatures - Tomato plants demand temperature ranges from seventy to eighty degree Fahrenheit (twenty two to 26 degree Celsius) in the daytime and 10 F (5 C) lower while night time comes. This may promote suitable continuing development of your plants. Furthermore, when the temperature is not controlled well it may cause harming results to your vegetable for instance unbalanced nutrition, inhibited progress and even death of your crops.

Liam McDonald is an organic gardening and farming enthusiast. If you would like to know more information about Growing tomatoes hydroponic please go to http://tomatoes.organicgardeningfarming.com/growing-tomatoes-hydroponic/. If you are as enthusiastic as Liam, then you should sign up to his FREE Organic Gardening Farming Magazine by clicking this (OGFM).

Characteristics of Different Types of Soil

The most important factor when beginning to cultivate your garden is to know your soils texture. Take a handful of moist soil and roll it between your palms until it forms a sausage shape. If it feels gritty and breaks apart immediately, the soil is predominately sand. If the soil feels smooth, and holds its shape for a short time before breaking apart, it is mostly silt. However, if it feels sticky and holds together, then it is clay.

Sandy Soil Easy to cultivate and warm up quickly in spring. It drains well so the plants do not stand with their roots in water for too long. However, as it drains quickly, plants need to be regularly watered and fed if they are to thrive.

Silty Soil This soil type is richer in nutrients than sandy soil. It is also heavier because it can retain moisture and has a tendency to become compacted. It does however tend to drain well and much easier to cultivate than clay.

Clay SoilWeighty to lift and difficult to work. Drainage is usually bad; the soil is acid and clinging to the feet in wet weather. When preparing the beds for vegetables in clay soil, the organic fertilizer should be added at a rate of two bucketfuls to the sq. yd.

Loamy Soil Contain sand, silt and clay, in such well-balanced proportions that none produces a dominating influence. These are amongst the most fertile soils. Almost any crop can be grown in them. They warm up quickly in spring and rarely dry out in summer.

Chalk SoilIt fertility depends largely on the depth of soil overlaying the chalk bed formation. If the topsoil is thin the ground will be poor and hungry. It will be bone dry in summer and the plants will need far more watering and feeding than on any other soil. If however, it is fairly deep, good growing conditions are possible.

Peaty Soil It occurs in fen or boggy areas. Peat is composed of excessive quantities of humus and is associated with water-logging.

The soil is usually very acid and contains few nutrients. It does have one advantage in that it warms up quickly in spring. It is excellent for plant growth if fertilizer is added.Visit Gardening Information website and learn gardening tips. You will also discover which gardening tools match the tasks in your garden.Video Source: Youtube

Gardening: Gardening Book

Gardening books come in all different shapes and sizes and offer more information on gardening than can be found anywhere else.  Anything anyone ever wanted to know about gardening can be found in a gardening
book.

Gardening books are not expensive, and will end up being worth much more than you will pay for one.  Not only can gardening books be used for personal use, they are also an excellent gift for a gardening friend.

Gardening books come in all different shapes and sizes and offer more information on gardening than can be found anywhere else.  Anything anyone ever wanted to know about gardening can be found in a gardening book.

Gardening books are not expensive, and will end up being worth much more than you will pay for one.  Not only can gardening books be used for personal use, they are also an excellent gift for a gardening friend.For the beginner, gardening books are almost a necessity in starting a garden.

Books will give step-by-step instructions and easy to understand directions on how to plant a garden, from breaking up the dirt to how much water your plants need.  They will give all of the necessary details about every type of plant, such as how much light they need to survive, how often they need to be watered, how much nutrients must be added to the soil, and any other little quirks that plants have.

Gardening books are very informational and range anywhere from just a pamphlet size book with a few pages to a novel size book with hundreds of pages.  The information provided is top notch and a lot of it cannot be found anywhere else.

Books provide hints and tips on how to make your plants healthier, how to keep your garden free of weeds, and how to prevent against and fight diseases.Often times gardening books will give readers ideas they had never thought of before.  For example, there are hundreds of vegetables and herbs out there that many people would never think of growing in their backyard, but would be very good to grow in your own personal garden.

There are also millions of flowers many people don’t think about but that are very beautiful.  There are hundreds of people that would probably trade their rose bush for an exotic flower, and with a gardening book they could read about what types of flowers are available and will grow in their area.

Whether you enjoy gardening or not, gardening books are wonderful gifts if you have a gardening friend.  It is personalized and you can give a great gift that isn’t that expensive.

You could even give it to someone who doesn’t garden.  Who knows, maybe they will be interested and decide to plant a garden.

Gardening books are excellent for any type of gardener at any level.  No matter how much gardening knowledge and experience you have, I guarantee you there is a gardening book somewhere that has something in it you don’t know.

Gardening books can be used no matter what you grow: shrubs, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and trees, even those of you who grow weeds! 

Gardening: Gardening Magazine

Gardening: Gardening Magazine

Even the most seasoned gardeners will have a question about their garden once in a while, and you can bet that beginners will be full of questions.  Gardening magazines can help with questions that arise
involving nearly every aspect of gardening.

Not only will gardening magazines give instructions on gardening, they also provide readers with the latest news in the gardening world. Even the most seasoned gardeners will have a question about their garden once in a while, and you can bet that beginners will be full of questions.

Gardening magazines can help with questions that arise involving nearly every aspect of gardening.  Not only will gardening magazines give instructions on gardening, they also provide readers with the latest news in the gardening world.

Gardening magazine subscribers are privy to all of the latest information regarding things such as new gardening tools, fertilizers, and pesticides that are introduced to the market.  For example, there are always new programs and clubs for gardeners to join, or perhaps a local gardening class that is available.

When new tools are produced, such as a new kind of blower or vacuum, or new kinds of lawn mowers or tillers that are available, a gardening magazine is the best place to get all of the information.  Not only will these magazines tell you about these products, they will also give you options on where to find them and for the lowest costs.    

Gardening magazines offer hints and tips on how to rid your garden of those ever pesky insects.  They will also discuss the many ways to recognize and fight diseases that may overtake your plants.  The information you get from these magazines could be what ends up saving your garden.    

Gardening magazines usually come with a gardening maintenance section that will instruct readers on things like how to prune, when to divide, which fertilizers would be better for your plants, and how much to water.  They provide simple, easy to understand instructions on everything from how to deal with weeds to planting tulips.    

Gardening magazines give ideas about landscaping and, if enforced, could change the entire outlook of your yard or flower garden.  Garden designs can be difficult at best, and magazines can supply gardeners with inspiration and ideas on what will look good and suit their area.      

Garden magazines also give subscribers the chance to write questions to be published so that they can get a specific answer from a gardening professional.  They also provide gardeners with the chance to share their knowledge and expertise with the public by submitting articles of their choice for publication.  One of the highest honors in gardening is to have your lawn or garden displayed in a magazine for everyone to see.  It is definitely the pinnacle of gardening.    

Gardening magazines provide gardeners with inspiration, ideas, instruction, and even entertainment. Many times gardening magazines will also provide readers with coupons that they can use to purchase items that will either improve, enlarge, or enhance their gardens.

Gardening magazines are a primary source for both beginner and experienced gardeners everywhere to get all the latest news and age old gardening traditions at the same time.