Savvy Gardening: Garden Ideas, Tips, Pictures, and More


Archive for July, 2008

Jul 30 2008

What’s in a zone?

When I first started gardening, I had absolutely no idea what zones referred to.  I was often asking the question, “Why can’t I have that plant?  I mean, I like the flower, I have the right amount of shade or sun, the right amount of everything to have that plant, so why can’t I?”
The reason [...]

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Jul 30 2008

Tulips - Common Tulip Pests

Published by Author under Tulips

Tulips are very hardy plants but, like any, have a number of pests small and large that need to be guarded against.
Several bugs commonly infest tulips, not least of which is the common aphid. Green Peach and other types are typical. They’re white to greenish and about 1/8 of an inch long. Because of their [...]

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Jul 28 2008

A different type of rock garden

A few years ago I came across an idea in a book titled, “The Beginner’s Guide to Gardening by Reader’s Digest.”  It was very interesting and used something that completely surprised me.  I am a huge fan of unusual planters so this was one idea that I just had to share.
If you are doing any [...]

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Jul 25 2008

The Alternate to Koi

Published by Sirena Van Schaik under Water Gardens

A few years ago as I was sitting in the lunch room at work, a coworker and I started chatting about gardens. I have to admit that upon hearing about her garden, or rather her parents garden, I was beat hands down. There was no way that I could say my garden was [...]

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Jul 24 2008

Plant of the Week: Camellia

The history of this vibrant flower is as amazing as the large blooms that fill the deep green shrub. The Camellia can be dated back to 1200BC and was a popular flower used in Korean weddings. The flower itself is said to represent both longevity and faithfulness.
The Camellia is an excellent plant that [...]

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Jul 22 2008

The Beginner Gardener: Getting Ready

Every gardener, whether he is an avid veteran or an occasional hobbyist, started somewhere.  Maybe it was alongside his parent’s or when she moved into her first home.  Whenever she started, every new and even experienced gardener must ask him or herself several questions before starting a garden.  In this article, I am going to [...]

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Jul 20 2008

Tulips - Common Tulip Diseases

Published by Author under Tulips

The overwhelming majority of diseases in tulips, as for other living things, are caused by bacteria, fungi and/or viruses. Combating them in the case of tulips, fortunately, is usually not a full-time occupation. Tulips tend to be hardy and disease resistant. There are a few common problems, though, that are worth watching out for.
Many start [...]

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Jul 17 2008

Slugs and Snails: Not a gardener’s friend

This year my vegetable garden has been under constant attack by snails.  Usually, I am a “let bygones be bygones” but this year the snails have apparently been taking advantage of my usually generous nature.  I can’t believe the number of snails that I pull out of the garden on the daily basis and I [...]

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Jul 16 2008

Dealing with Shade

One of the hardest problems that I ever faced was when I had to contend with a completely shady garden. There was no sun anywhere to be had and I almost succumbed to having only hostas in my garden. That is however, until I started looking into other alternatives for that shade infested [...]

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Jul 13 2008

Choosing Tulip Bulbs

Published by Author under Tulips

How best to choose tulip bulbs is a mixture of aesthetic and practical concerns.
If there’s a tulip flower that isn’t beautiful it would be hard to find. That makes for a wide variety of choices when it comes to picking on the basis of appearance alone.
Solid colors do tend to dominate, though. Tulips are available [...]

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Jul 12 2008

Community Gardens Bring Together People and Green Spaces

Published by Author under Community Gardening

Something green and wonderful is growing across the country. Friends, families and neighbors are rolling up their sleeves and nurturing community gardens that are sprouting to life.
An estimated 18,000 community gardens are growing throughout the United States and Canada. Not only are these gardens good for the environment, they also help community members nourish relationships. [...]

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Jul 06 2008

Orchids - Common Orchid Pests

Published by Author under Orchids

Orchids, like many plants, are prone to a number of common pests. Sometimes treatment can be as simple as brushing the offending pest off the plant. In other cases, mild chemical sprays can help keep your orchid pest free without harm to you or the plant.
Get off to a good start by ensuring that any [...]

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Jul 05 2008

How to Have a Beautiful and Fruitful Garden

Grow Edibles and Enjoy Produce Year After Year
(ARA) - Many gardeners who love their ornamental landscape are not sure if they want to give up space for a vegetable garden that needs to be replanted every year. Fortunately, there are dozens of incredible edibles that add beauty and style to the garden — and provide [...]

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Jul 04 2008

Orchids - Common Orchid Diseases

Published by Author under Orchids

Like most plants, orchids are vulnerable to many different diseases. Treatment ranges from simple brushing off to a whole routine of ‘hospital’ care.
Among the most common problems are viruses. There are over 25 reported viruses known to infect orchids, but there are probably many more. Two of the most common are the cymbidium mosaic virus [...]

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Jul 04 2008

Hydroponics - Lighting the Hydroponic Garden

Published by Author under Hydroponic Gardening

Most plants grown in a hydroponic setting require light, lots of it.
They photosynthesize to produce their own nutrients. They require warmth to keep biochemical reactions going, and going at the right rate. They regulate many processes by the amount of light present, speeding some up and shutting down others.
During photosynthesis plants take in carbon dioxide [...]

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Jul 03 2008

Hydroponics - Hydroponics Growing Media

Published by Author under Hydroponic Gardening

Like any plant, those grown in a hydroponic setting require support and water. Because of the name, many of those new to hydroponics will arrive thinking that plants are always grown in water. That is certainly done, but there are many other choices for media. Hydroponics is really just soil-less plant growing, with some other [...]

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Jul 02 2008

Hydroponics - Hydroponic Gardening Kits

Published by Author under Hydroponic Gardening

Complete hydroponic kits are available that range in price everywhere from a few dozen dollars to a few thousand.
At the lowest end of the scale some kits offer little more than someone could make for themselves by gathering common household items. But they do implicitly package a little knowledge needed to get started. By including [...]

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