Clearing a Lawn of Wild Onions

I am sure that there are some gardeners and home owners that just despise those pesky wild onion plants that appear on our lawns during the early fall months every year.  There are several ways to rid a lawn of these terrible weeds.

Gardeners and home owners can use a wide variety of chemical solutions that can be purchased at a home and garden center.  These solutions will need to be applied to these weeds at certain times so it is best to get all the information needed when purchasing these.  Also it may be hard to kill these weeds with chemicals because their stems or leaves will grow straight and will allow chemical solutions to roll right off of them.  They are very hard weeds to kill so it might talk some work.  It is also a good idea to mow over these before it gets really cold one night and that may help to kill them out if it is going to frost real heavy that evening.

Another way to get rid of these weed is if you only have a few in the yard they can be dug up but you need to make sure that they are dug up completely and none of the bulbs are left.  If there are any bulbs left from the plant they will come right back in no time at all.  Also the bulbs from these pesky weeds can grow under the soil about 6 inches deep.  Do not try to pull them up because you will probably not be able to get roots and bulbs out this way.  They will need to be dug up individually and taken care of.

Getting rid of these weeds can be a very big job and it may also help to mow over them and open up their leaves so that any chemical solutions that are used can penetrate the leaves and stay on them.  They have a really smooth leave and liquids seem to run right off of them.  Gardenersand home owners can check with a local home and garden center to find out the best way to get rid of these.  Also when they are mowed they will put off a strong onion odor that is just terrible unless you like the smell of onions.  These weeds haunt all gardeners and home owners every year if they are not properly removed when they are seen growing.

Walking and Enjoying Nature

Nature has been a part of human lives for ever since the first human. We have constantly been surrounded by nature and its glory. Living off the land has been a major part of life for ever since the first plant was planted. But here of the recent times advanced nations are getting further and further away from nature and further into electronics and items of the modern world. It can be extremely stressful and can grieve the body viciously. Every once in a while a good time spent outdoor will help release the stress and reset the body.

Walking and enjoying nature is the best way to do this, but simply walking outside may not be sufficient. There are many things you should look for on picking a route to walk. You should take into consideration many things including traffic, weather conditions, accessibility, and surroundings: because taking a stroll through the middle of town is not going to be as relaxing as you need. Traffic involves both cars, bicycles, and pedestrians. If your walking on the road you need to be aware of blind spots for cars such as hills and curves, these places are very dangerous as the car may not see you until its too late. Always remember to be walking into traffic when on the road. When walking on private paths you should take care of not running in to's cyclists and pedestrians. Also be sure to carry a phone at all times in case something happens, a relaxing walking path will involve little traffic so that you can be alone to get fresh air.

Weather conditions should be took into consideration especially if the path you follow involves a creek that may flash flood in the example of a thunderstorm. Your walking path must be accessible and easy to get to so that you don’t strain yourself to the point its no longer relaxing. The last major thing is to make sure that your surroundings remain natural and peaceful so that you have little interference from man-made objects.

With all of this took into consideration good walking path can be found, so that you can start walking and enjoying nature as it is meant to be enjoyed. So look into finding you a relaxing walking path.

Growing your own Orchard

Having your own orchard is a brilliant idea for any house that has the room for one. Having your very own orchard is both a stress reliever and a way to save a considerable amount of money. Orchards are large sections of fruit bearing trees. These allow you to grow your own delectable fruits for you and your family. Also the act of gardening and caring for these trees can be a way to connect the family together and be a very useful stress reliever for those who have very stressful lives and just need to get away for a while.

There are many different types of trees available for growing your own orchard. The most popular trees for growing in orchards range from fruiting trees to trees that produce edible nuts. Apple trees are the most common trees to be grown in a orchard and are very easy to grow require just the basic care to keep them  growing and thriving in most areas. Another great tree to grow in a Orchard is the Peach Tree. Peaches are well-known for their amazing sweet taste and can be added to almost any pie or preserves. Plums are another good fruiting tree with amazing fruit.   These fruits are small and sweet and  can be used to make pies, preserves, puddings, and taste good alone too .These trees are a little harder to grow but can be very rewarding. Paw-paws and Persimmon trees are other types of fruiting trees that are great to have Growing in your own orchard. Pecan trees don’t produces fruit but do produces edible nuts that taste amazing and can be used on many different types of foods, including the famous pecan pie.

 These types of trees are perfect examples of useful trees to make orchards from; however you can use other types of trees too. Some people will make large orchards of trees that flower irresistible blooms to make an area look amazing. Having a Orchard is a very beneficial thing to have and can cut out many hundreds of dollars in fresh fruit that your family consumes. These trees are fairly easy to care for and give you something to care for in your spare time that will reward you in the future. 

How to Keep Deer Out of Your Garden

With the economy so low, it seems like everyone is turning to growing their own vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes and flowers. Not only is growing your own stuff cheaper but it can also save you a lot of time and money in the end because you can preserve your food for future use or even barter and trade your rewards for other things you need. For example, in many areas there are places where you can take your raised, freshvegetables or even homemade pies and jams and turn it into a trade for mechanic work, money, hands in the fields, feed for your animals and much more. The only downside to growing your own vegetables and flowers is in many areas the deer and other animals that may beat you to your crop.

Deer and other animals have to eat too, is there really a way to keep them away? There are many pesticides that you can purchase to help keep deer away but the downside to those is that they also can be ingested by you and your family if your plants aren’t washed properly. Why not turn to old home remedies? After all, for many years people didn’t have pesticides to purchase they had to come up with their own solutions. A few of the top ones are listed below –

Hair – Many people still use this method today, they will save cut human or pet hair and place it around the outside edges of their gardens or flowers and as the deer smell the hair they will assume a person or pet is near and it will turn them away.

Scarecrows – Making scarecrows, hanging kites anything that will move in the wind will help keep birds and deer away from your gardens and flowers.

Hot Sauce and Garlic – Mixing together hot sauce and garlic, then spraying it onto the edges of your garden, flowers or even the trunk of the trees will deter away deer from the area.

Moth balls – sprinkling moth balls around the outside edges of your crops or flower beds will deter the deer away once they smell them

Dial Soap – Cutting up dial soap and evenly spreading them around your perimeter will absorb into the ground and the smell will keep the deer out.

All of these home remedies have been around for many years and will help keep deer and pesky animals away from your plants without harming you or your family! 

How to Make a Bird Feeder

The weather is turning colder and if you haven’t already noticed the birds are starting to take notice too. Birds and squirrels are starting to squirm everywhere looking and searching for food so that they can stock up for the winter months. One of the favorite things that a lot of kids and adults like to do is make bird feeders. Making bird feeders can be fun and enjoyable as well as adding quality time if you have kids that love arts and crafts.

There are many different ways to make bird feeders using just some common household items like milk cartons, soda bottle, glass bottles, glass jars and even things found outside such as pinecones can be easy and fun to use. Pinecone bird feeders are easy and can combine exercise in the mix as well! Many of us don’t live right where pinecones can be found, so why not take your kids or even yourself on a nature walk so that you can find some pinecones and make your birdfeeder?

Once you have found the pinecones of your choice, all you will need is some string or yarn, a plate, bird seed and peanut butter. Take your peanut butter and put it onto the plate, then take your pine cone and roll it through the peanut butter coating it well and then while it is still sticky you can sprinkle birdseed onto it. Lastly but not least tie the string or yarn onto the top of the pinecone and hang it from a tree. Not only are you recycling what we find in nature but as the birdseed is eaten off the pinecone returns to nature, the string can be used in helping aid with nesting and nothing is left outside that can’t be used by the birds or squirrels!

Make bird feeders can be fun and creative all at the same time. Using things like pine cone bird feeders allow you to make something that benefits everyone because it uses what you can already find in nature! Why not let your creative juices run and make some bird feeders that you can hang outside?

Nature Is Better For One's Mind Than Electronics

The world today is full of the wonders and great inventions of technology. These neat “toys” have helped our world in so many  and computers. However this also means that the younger generation are spending more and more time inside and are missing out on all the treasures that can be found in nature. Mother nature has provided us with an amazing playground and a vast library of knowledge that you just can not take advantage of if you are tethered to a video game all day.

A walk through a state park, on the seashore, or even just spending some time in your own backyard can open a whole new world to a young person. Nature is full of colors that only nature can produce, interesting plants, odd insects, and amazing creatures that you might not find in a zoo.

If you live near the coast take them on a shell hunt. Once you get the shells home you can not only investigate what types of shells they are, but these shells can serve as a great material in craft projects. They can be used to make jewelry or can be glued to decorate most any surface. Sea shells look great as a decoration on flower pots, jewelry boxes, or you can even turn them into creative Christmas ornaments.

The forest and wooded areas that are in your area can offer you and your children a great chance to spend a ton of quality time together. During this quality time and exploring what miracles of mother nature your child can gain a lot of information. One great great activity would be a leaf scavenger hunts. Provide each child with a photo of different species of leaves such as oak leaves, maple leaves, elm leaves, and other leaves. Once the scavenger hunt is over the leaves can be dried between two pieces of wax paper and your child can then make them into a book.

Another way to teach your child about nature is to allow them to plant a small garden or even just a few plants in planters. Let them choose foods that they enjoy such as watermelons, cucumbers, or corn. Not only will they learn a ton about plants, but they will learn responsibility and fill a sense of accomplishment when the whole family sits down and enjoys something that the child has grown from a seedling.

No matter how you get your child out from in front of the television and in nature the important thing is just doing it. Nature will not only teach them some great information, but also teach them to take a moment and admire the natural beauty that surrounds us all each day.

Making A Wreath Can Be Fun And Make You Money!

There are several ideas for making wreaths.  Wreaths are a good way to express seasons.  There are also a lot of craft materials that can be used to create a special wreath and add personal touches to them.

One wreath that is very simple to make are the mesh wreaths.  The mesh comes in a wide variety of colors and also comes in colors for each season and holiday.  All that is needed for these simple wreaths are mesh, a wire support for the mesh and whatever you would like to decorate these with.  Some things that work best to add special touches are flower picks, silk flowers and ever signs.

Wreaths can also be made of dried flowers and silk flowers.  Using a grapevine wreath and decorating it is a beautiful way to create these special wreaths.  Grapevine wreaths they come in many ways really expensive.  Wreaths for all holidays can be created with beautiful grapevine wreaths and they hold up very well if you would like to hand the wreath outside on a door or banister.  Adding beautiful silk flowers and even small scarecrows to these will make them a lovely decoration for the fall season and things like snowmen can be added with some beautiful poinsettias for the Christmas season.  Spring flowers can also create a beautiful wreath to use during the spring and summer months of the year. 

It is also best to use hot glue guns or floral wire to attach certain items and attach the silk flowers to the wreaths.  Using floral wire is best if planning to place the wreath outside.  Sometimes during the hot months the hot glue will melt.  Also beautiful bows can be made of the mesh material to add a finishing touch to all wreaths.  Working with the mesh material is very easy and bows can be pulled and shaped into the correct size for all wreaths. 

Wreaths can also be made for favorite ball teams such as football and baseball.  These wreaths can be displayed during the playing seasons for these sports.  Wreaths will add beautiful color to a home and will give it a wonderful comfortable home feeling.  When a home is decorated it is so beautiful and will add color and life.  When adding personalized wreaths it will also make it feel more like home and very inviting to visitors.  Making a beautiful area in your home will brighten spirits and make the whole family fell happier.

Fruit Trees, We All love them, Why Not Grow Your Own?

Fruit trees are fantastic to add life and color to a lawn or to a large garden.  Fruit trees will be great to have around because they will guarantee that the homeowner will always have the freshest fruit available.

Fruit trees will need to have some investigative work completed on them before planting.  Gardeners and homeowners will want to make sure that the fruit trees they are interested in will grow great in their climate zones and the soil conditions that will be available to them.

Also when planting a fruit tree there needs to be plenty of room for their limbs to branch out so that they care bear an abundance of fruit for you to enjoy.  There are a wide variety of fruit trees and most of them will prefer to have full sunlight to grow in but some may do well in a little bit of shade.  Fruit trees will also need the soil prepared so that they will do well and adding an organic fertilizer will help with keeping the soil full of nutrients for the trees.

Fruit trees will also attract a wide variety of wildlife to your lawn or garden.  They will attract those beautiful birds and when the tree is in bloom the hummingbirds will love them.  The fruit trees will also attract squirrels that will love to run and play in the lovely trees.  Also fruit trees will attract bees and yellow jackets because of the sweetness that the fruit will produce.

Fruit trees will look amazing when they are in bloom and most of them will have white and pink blooms and will add a lot of life and beauty to a home owners lawn.  There are several to choose from such as apple, pear, cherry, persimmon and citrus trees.  The Citrus trees will grow better in the states that are farther south such as South Carolina, Georgia and Florida because of their temperatures and climates.

All information that a home owner or gardener will need can be found online or at local home and garden centers regarding fruit trees.  Online plant and tree nurseries will also have an abundant of information regarding fruit trees because this is one of their specialty plants.  They will provide all the growing information needed to make your fruit trees bare great and delicious fruit.  Growing your own fruit trees will be fun and can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Jelly Is A Great Way To Save Money

Who doesn’t love a good piece of toast with your favorite jam or jelly on it in the mornings? Jelly can be made from all sorts of things. There is Mt. Dew jelly, Dr. Pepper Jelly, Pepper Jelly, Watermelon Jelly, Grape Jelly, Strawberry Jelly, Blackberry Jelly and the list goes on. Jelly is easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of knowledge. Jelly is often a beginner’s choice because it only requires a few ingredients and little instructions. Below is a few of the most popular Jelly recipes.

Its need – large pot, small pot, jelly jars, canning pot and rack

Mt Dew Jelly

3 ¼ cups Mt Dew or favorite soda choice

2 tbsp lemon juice

4 ½ cups sugar

1 package sure jell pectin

Remove your lids and rims from your jars and place them all in a medium pot, cover them with water and turn onto medium heat.

Pour the Mt Dew and lemon juice into a large pot, bring to a boil, boil for 3 min. Turn down to low heat and then follow the Sure Jell instructions (you will want to follow the directions for cooked jam/jelly)

As the jelly starts getting thicker you can remove each jar and fill it with jelly (leave ½” headspace), set each seal and rim onto the jar and tighten.

Place the jars into a boiling water bath for approximately 10 min. Remove the jars (I always sit them onto a towel because placing them directly onto the counter cools them down too quickly) let the jars sit and you should hear them ping as they seal. The consistency maybe a little runny but it will sit up over time.

Watermelon Jelly

6 cups pureed watermelon, remove seeds as you cut it

5 cups sugar

½ cup lemon juice

1 pack powdered pectin

Choose a good ripe watermelon and chunk it up, removing any seeds. I place my cut up watermelon into a blender and blend it up. Once I remove it from the blender I pour it through a strainer to remove any chunks or seeds and just keep the juice.

Mix together the sugar, pectin until dissolved, slowly add in the watermelon juice and lemon juice

Pour them all into a non reactive pot and cook to a temperature of 220 degrees, do not cook to fast or the watermelon will burn and stick to the bottom, stir frequently.

While the watermelon jelly is cooking you can heat your rims, jars and lids.

Once the mixture is starting to get thick pour the mixture slowly into the jars and replace lids and rims. Wipe off any excess. Put the jars into a boiling water bath for approximately 10 minutes. Place cooled down jars onto a towel and allow them time to seal. It make take a few days for the jelly to set up if it doesn’t right away. 

Making a Terrarium

Want to add a little bit of greenery around your house?  Why not make a Terrarium?  A Terrarium can add life and beauty to a dual space in your home.  Put them in the kitchen, home office, living room, or anywhere you want.  They can be made in any size or shape glass container that you want.  Terrariums are very easy to make and each one is unique.  The hardest part about making a Terrarium will be is picking out the plants that you want.  So lets talk about what the best plants to put in a Terrarium. You can use just about any plant that will fit into the container that you choose.  The best’s plants to use would be the moon valley friendship plant, spider fern, star-shape Cryptanthus bivittatus, nerve plant, Peperomia caperata, Selaginella kraussiana, Pilea glauca, Tillandsia stricta, black mundo grass, moss, Saxifraga stolonifera, and the hens and chicks.  You don’t have to just use these plants for your terrarium though, almost any small plant will do.  A cactus is not recommended because they will more than likely rot within a week of being planted in a Terrarium.


Once you pick your plants then you need to get the other supplies.  The Supplies that you need are your glass container, activated charcoal pieces, potting soil, gloves, your plants, sheet moss, and a watering can.  Now it is time to assemble your terrarium garden.  Step one is to fill the bottom of your glass container with one to two inches of the charcoal.  Now combined the soil and a little bit of extra charcoal with your hand.  Then add the soil mixture to your glass container filling it one third to a forth full   All that is left is to add your plants to your soil.  Be sure not to jam your terrarium too full of plants or they may not do well. Once you have put your plants in you can add more soil to pack down if needed and then water your plants.  Be sure to place your terrarium so it can get some natural sunlight.  Just read about what type of sun your plants like.  Remember this is your terrarium so make it how you want and have fun.  This is a very easy project to complete and every terrarium turns out beautiful.  This is also a great gift for family or a friend.  So get creative and get to work! 

Canning Is Becoming Increasingly Popular

Canning is a marvelous way to preserve those fresh vegetables and fruits.  There are several ways to can your foods and some very simple recipes out there for people with little time put into canning items.

When canning fruits and vegetables we need to make sure that the jars and lids that will be used are clean and ready.  One way to do this is to wash all the jars and lids and make them ready go.  We will also need to pick a recipe that will fit the needs of the items that we are canning.  Find recipes online and can also be recipes passed down in your family.

Once the recipe has been completed and the fruits and vegetables have been prepared and placed into the jars the lids will need to be sealed on them to make sure they stay as fresh as possible.  This can be done two ways.  The jars can be placed into boiling water to seal the lids tightly or they can be placed in a pressure cooker to seal them.

When the jars are sealed tightly we will need to let them cool before we store them.  With jars sealed and ready we will be sure to have the freshest canned goods in the months when fruits and vegetables are not growing and will be delighted with the fresh taste that this technique will preserve.  Through canning we can also don't allow fruits to spoil.  Canned goods can have a very long shelf life and most of the recipes will give information on how long the fruit or vegetable will stay fresh and ready to eat once they have gone through the canning process.

There are several recipes available from canning beans to making and canning your very own spaghetti sauces or making homemade salsa.  Another great reason to can is so that you will know exactly what ingredients are in your fruits and vegetable when you consume these.  Canning can also reassure us that there are no chemicals placed into our food products to maintain them and they will be all natural.  Someone that is looking to can some food items can find all the information that they will need along with great recipes when searching online.

Prepping Can Be Done For Many Reasons

More and more people are getting into prepping, why? Prepping is a way to provide for yourself or your family in the event of a natural disaster, war or some other foreseen event. Prepping can be done in many different ways with a combination of an added extra expense each month or little expense each month. Prepping to many is classified as stock piling on guns, ammunition and war items but prepping can simply be done because you want to stock up in case the winter is bad. There are many reasons and ways to prep.

For many families using coupons each week to save on groceries or getting groceries for free is a great way for them to stockpile on groceries and prep for later use. Ladies, men, children and college students will spend hours on a weekly basis sitting cutting and clipping secular coupons, printing off online coupons and comparing multiple websites with multiple grocery stores in order to find the best deal. Coupons are being used all around the nation to save hundreds and thousands of dollars each year. People are saving 90-95% or more of their grocery bill using coupons. Coupons are very beneficial because they can be used to save money on groceries to allow you to spend money on other items such as ammunition if you are prepping, survival items or more staple items like soap, can goods or cooking supplies that you will need with every day cooking if the power should go out.

Growing your own fresh herbs or edible plants can also be a great way to prep and stock up on items that you need in case of an emergency. Edible plants can be found in many different varieties. The dandelion for example is edible and can be cooked up or eaten fresh on salads. The dandelion can also be used to help with aiding in stomach cramps, dizziness and headaches. Mustard salad can be eaten raw, cooked or ground into fresh mustard. Wild onions can be eaten cooked into food for added flavor or eaten raw. Strawberries, Bartlett Pear, Blueberries and Grapes all can be grown and made into jams, jellies, pies, preserves or stored fresh for future use as well as to provide with daily nutritional vitamins.

Prepping can be done many different ways, just by simply saving on groceries and spend the money somewhere else, stocking up when you can find good deals, canning and preserving or buying extra staple items as you can. 

Apples Are A Fall Favorite

When the winds blow out the heat and humidity of summer and the nights of autumn turn cool and crisp many people go in search of that one fruit that is its best in autumn. The reader may think that special autumn fruit is the pumpkin, and while the pumpkin is very much associated with autumn and harvest time decoration, the pumpkin is no fruit at all, but a gourd. The real king of autumn fruits is the same one that most kindergartener's first learn to spell, the apple.

The apple has been an important autumn food since ancient times, and since then its fleshy sweet goodness has been enjoyed eaten raw, cooked, dried, and made into ciders, both hard and soft. There are, today, over seven thousand varieties of apples but the most popular by far for eating raw and for most types of cooking are the red delicious, the gala, the golden delicious, and the honey crisp.

The red delicious is the apple most people think of when they hear the word ‘apple.’ This variety is known for its rounded shape, firm, sweet flesh, and most of all, for its brilliant red skin. The red delicious, consistently ranks close to the top in sales of all apple varieties, though in recent years this standing has been closely challenged by some other types. The red delicious is and apple which, due to its thick skin and firmness, is fairly bruise resistant and has a fairly long shelf life, keeping its lovely color sometimes for weeks.

The gala apple has also become a very popular variety. Gala apples are a bit on the small side when compared to other varieties and are identified by its fairly thin, greenish skin which is usually striped with red. The flesh of the gala apple is sweet and a bit mealy in texture, and the apple has a good degree of bruise resistance.

The golden delicious, despite its name, actually isn’t closely related to the red delicious variety. This flesh of the golden delicious is a bit softer than the other varieties, and with its thin skin, the golden delicious can be a bit prone to bruising and shriveling. The very sweet flavor of this apple makes it a good choice for eating raw, cooked, added to salads, or, perhaps best of all, made into apple sauce or apple butter.  

The honeycrisp, another very popular variety, is another of the smallish apples and can’t be identified by its skin which is usually a dull red striped with a greenish tint. The honeycrisp, as its name implies, is a firm fleshed and very sweet tasting apple. When stored in cool dry conditions this apple has a very good shelf life.

Autumn days can be cool and crisp, and made much sweeter when accented with the taste of fresh from the harvest apples. Whether wanted for cooking, eating raw, drying, making sauce, or apple butter, there is a variety of apple that is sure to fit the bill. Though the eye may be caught for a moment by the grinning, carved pumpkin on the lawn, the humble apple fits the bill to fill the appetite and please all the senses.

 

Garden Delights Online Plant Nursery, Who Are We?

Garden Delights Online Plant Nursery has been in business over 56 years.  This gives this nursery a lot of experience in growing and nurturing all types of plants and trees.  Garden Delights is also a family owned and operated online plant nursery.  This fabulous online nursery is located in McMinnville, Tennessee.

Garden Delights online plant nursery is state certified and also offers wholesale prices on all their plants and trees.  This high nursery understands consumers and also takes care of them by offering the best whole prices that are available.  This online nursery has over 2300 acres where there trees and plants are grown to perfection every year.  This nursery only offers the best quality of plants and trees and will only shipped top quality plants and trees to consumers and clients that order from them.

Garden Delights has had the opportunity to supply their plants and trees to prestigious companies and locations such as Arlington National Cemetery and Trump Towers just to name a couple.  Garden Delights has plants and trees that have been purchased from them planted all over the United States and is very proud of this.  Garden Delights has earned the trust of consumer, landscapers, home owners and all types of gardeners by offering the best quality and at the best whole sale prices.

The owners and operators of Garden Delight are top notched and understand the care and time that it takes to get their plants and trees to grow to be top grade and they are willing to take the extra steps to insure that all their plants are beautiful and healthy.  Garden Delights inspect each plant before shipping to consumers and businesses because they want to be known for having the best plants and trees available from an online plant nursery.

Garden Delights website is very elegant and very easy to use.  They offer categories of each types of trees and plants that they sell with easy to read descriptions that are also very easy to understand.  They include all information needed on each plant and tree that they sell so that consumers and gardeners can grow their plants to be beautiful and will bring a unique touch to their gardens and landscapes.  They also offer a Planting Instruction section on their website that will give excellent planting instructions for each one of the trees and plants that they give.  Garden Delights offers excellent customer service because they understand what it takes to make their customers happy and also the quality that the consumers are looking for when purchasing plants and trees from an online nursery.

Plants for Winter Wildlife

Summer days with the droning of cicadas and the sun warming the green fields are almost over. Late spring and summer are times of plenty for people and for wildlife. Bushes are replete with sun ripened berries, the grass grows tall and green, the boughs of trees offer shade and shelter to a myriad variety of birds, mammals, and insects, and there is plenty of browse available for the animals of the forest. Soon though, the winds will blow chill and whip the winter bared branches of fruitless trees over fields that lie stripped after the harvest. Winter is a time of want for wildlife, but with a little forethought the gardener can supply a twelve month harvest of food and shelter for the wildlife in their area.

When planting trees the gardener should keep in mind that deer, squirrel and chipmunks, in those areas where the smaller mammals do not hibernate, trees such as the oak and hickory bear and abundance of food in the form of acorns and hickory nuts. Deer especially love the acorns of the white oak and will gorge themselves on this natural source of nutrition for as long as possible while squirrels will seek out hickory trees and will begin to harvest and ‘squirrel away’ the fat-rich nuts for as long as they can be found. For smaller animals such as birds the highly popular dogwood is very useful for the tiny red berries it bears in late fall and into early winter.

Evergreens, such as pines, firs, and cedars, as well as practically any varieties of evergreen shrub should not be overlooked. While most evergreens bear very little in the way of food, except for the tiny nuts found in pine cones, they do provide much needed shelter to smaller animals which are very susceptible to the cold weather. In more rural areas deer will even use groups of evergreens

which have been placed as borders and hedges as handy places to shelter themselves from the storms of winter.

Bird feeders are fine, and hay or corn left out for larger wildlife is good, but with a little thought and planning a gardener can easily landscape an area to not only supply themselves with a spring and summer bounty of shade, fruit, and flowers but also provide for the native wildlife in the area. A spring spent growing lovely flowers and a summer spent taking in a bountiful harvest can easily become a winter spent watching the birds, squirrels, and other wildlife as they enjoy the food and shelter the gardener has provided for them.

 

Recycling, Repurposing & Saving Money

With the economy getting tight and budget cuts everywhere, people are starting to get creative every which way they can. Many homeowners are beginning to cut money on their ways of gardening, groceries and even repurposing to make some extra cash to make ends meet. There are so many different ways to recycle and repurpose that people are sharing their ideas all over the social media sites. Some of the best ones are listed below.

1.       Recycling old tires – People are starting to recycle old tires by collecting them off the side of the road and using them as garden containers. They make great containers to grow your root vegetables or garden herbs. Add a layer of newspapers on the ground, then lie them on top and fill with a mixture of topsoil and compost, then plant your vegetables inside. The tires and newspapers will keep the weeds from growing and the smell of the rubber will keep rodents like rabbits out.

2.       Growing your own herbs and dehydrating them – Many homeowners are starting to grow their own fresh herbs which can be grown from seeds or small starter plants purchased at your local garden center and then as they get large enough you can take them and dehydrate them, drying them out and chopping them up and storing them in jars and containers to use later on. This also works well for onions, okra, peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables that you use often to cook with. 

3.       Repurposing – Repurposing can come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from purchasing something at a yard sale or your local thrift shop and refinishing it to turn around and sell to make a profit. Repurposing, is also classified as finding things like wood pallets and turning them into furniture, planters, herb gardens or using them as other creative ideas.

4.       Couponing – Ladies and men alike, even college students are turning to couponing in order to save money on groceries so that they can stretch their dollars and spend it somewhere else. Couponing has been taking the nation by storm and more and more people are spending hours clipping coupons in order to save hundreds of dollars on their grocery bill!

There are hundreds, even thousands of ways to save money. Savingmoney is all about adjusting things to your lifestyle, changing things up so that you can still have what you need and can get by on. Use your mind, be creative! 

Wildflowers can bring plenty of color to your home

Wildflowers are a wonderful way to bring a splash of color to gardens and other areas of a lawn.  Wildflowers can be very easy to grow and they will give beautiful blooms that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Wildflowers come in all different shapes and colors so every gardener or homeowner will find some type of variety that they will love.  Wildflowers are the easiest to grow during the spring and summer months. When planted in these months they will avoid cold days and nights and will avoid the frost season.

Having a garden or natural area full of wildflowers will paint a wonderful masterpiece on a lawn or landscape.  They will bring life and beauty to a bare space and it will definitely be transformed.  Wildflowers are easy to grow as long as the soil conditions and sun light is great and they get plenty of water, especially during a dry season.

Wildflowers are also a great way to bring bright and beautiful flowers inside.  They look lovely when placed in a vase and can brighten any room of a home or business.  Gardens with lots of wildflowers and different colors are beautiful when in bloom and some wildflowers will also attract those beautiful little hummingbirds.  They love to feed on the nectar of wildflowers that are blooming.  Hummingbirds are very magical to watch as they gather food from the blooms of wildflowers. 

GardenDelights Online nursery offers a wide selection of wildflowers that will look beautiful and they will always be healthy plants that will make a garden or natural area look stunning and fabulous when in bloom.  There are different colors available such as orange, white, pink, red and also purple just to name a few of the colors.

Some wildflowers are perennials and will come back every year.  One of the wildflowers is the Blackberry Lily and is gorgeous when in bloom.  This wildflower will come back every year and may also need to be thinned out as it comes in.  These wildflowers can be thinned as soon as they die out for the blooming season.  This will give more wildflowers for a gardener or homeowner to plant in other areas of a landscape or lawn.  Garden Delights Online Nursery will also have all information available on wildflowers such as light conditions, soil conditions and also the heights and widths of the wildflowers.

Bushes can bring life to any area

Bushes are ideal for an area that does not have a lot of room.  Bushes will also bring a property to life because they come in a wide selection.  Bushes can be found that will be green all year long and there are also bushes that will produce beautiful and colorful blooms during certain times of the year.

Bushes can be used to create wonderful and beautiful gardens and natural areas.  Bushes will also add a lot of curb appeal to a home or lawn and they can be stunning when taken care of.  Bushes are not usually very hard to grow and get started on a lawn and are usually pretty fast growers when they get established in the correct soil conditions.

Bushes can also be purchased in a selection of different sizes.  Bushes can be bought that are already 2 to 3 feet high and they can also be purchased as very young plants so that the gardener can start them and shape them to certain heights and specifications.  Consumers will pay more for the larger size bushes rather than the smaller ones.  

To get bushes growing and for them to become healthy it is important to find out about them before they are purchased.  Garden Delights Online Nursery has all the information needed for the bushes that they sell and even have the heights and size information as to how large or small their bushes will become.  They also offer all the soil information and light information to make bushes thrive.

Flowering bushes will provide a garden with beautiful color when in bloom and can also attract a wide variety of birds to a garden or lawn.  Bushes can also be trimmed and shaped to suit a garden or provide beautiful shrubbery to line long walkways or driveways for homeowners and business owners.  Flowering bushes such as the Hibiscus bush are beautiful and come in different colors such as white, pink and also red.  Some of the flowering bushes will also supply wonderful fragrances that can be enjoyed while they are in bloom.  Azalea bushes are another great one for homeowners.  When several are planted and they all bloom they can create a spectacular view and beautiful color.  When purchasing bushes it is great to know which ones will thrive in certain climates and become great additions to certain areas on lawns and properties.  Consumers and landscapers will need to make sure that the bushes that they purchase will have room to grow and thrive and will have the right amount of water and sunlight.

Trees Can add Curb Appeal

Trees are a good way to add that much needed curb appeal to a lawn or property.  Trees produce wonderful features on lawns and will add a wonderful amount of beauty year around.

Trees come in a very wide selection.  There are shade trees, flowering trees, ornamental trees and fruit trees available at Garden Delight Online Plant Nursery.  When ordering trees from this fantastic online nursery they will supply the customer with all the information needed to make sure their trees survive and are very healthy as they grow to their mature heights.

Trees will bring brilliant color all year round.  Spring and Summer trees will supply a lawn or landscape with bright greens as their leaves begin to grow and cover the trees and some trees will even supply beautiful blooms that may have wonderful fragrances.  During the Autumn months a lot of trees will provide gorgeous leaves as they change from green to red, yellow or orange colors that will bring a gorgeous burst of color.  During the winter months as the leaves are gone trees will look beautiful when covered with snow and they will add a unique masterpiece to a lawn or property. 

Some trees will not take any work at all to get the established and growing healthy while others may take a little more care and nurturing to grow to become beautiful healthy additions to landscapes.  Trees are also a great way to bring birds and other small wildlife to properties and are fantastic for nature lovers.

Landscapers and homeowners need to make sure that there is enough space to plant the trees that are wanted for lawns and properties.  The best way to make sure that there is enough room to grow certain trees is to do some research on how tall and wide a tree will become when fully grown.  Some trees will be rather small around 30 feet when others can be as tall as 180 feet.  Also the form of the tree is very important when deciding which type or variety of tree to purchase.  There will need to be enough room for the tree to grow if it is a large rounded tree and also if the tree grows in a cylinder shape.  Online tree nurseries will have all this information and will also supply pictures of trees for landscapers and homeowners to look at before purchasing a particular tree.  Trees also need certain soil types to grow well in and this online nursery will have all the information needed concerning soil types and conditions that their trees will need to grow.  

How to Grow Moss in Your Backyard

Growing moss is the perfect alternative to having a high-maintenance lawn that requires constant attention.  Moss provides lush, green ground cover that never needs cut and only needs occasional watering once the plant is mature.

Preparing your backyard for planting moss is relatively simple with little elbow grease.  It is most important to prep your soil, plant any complimentary vegetation before the moss and provide a moist environment with plenty of sunlight.

Prepping Soil

Before planting moss on your landscape, all debris and dead vegetation must be removed.  An effective method to even things out is to use a stiff rake and a coal shovel to pick up tiny rocks and unwanted materials that could keep moss from growing.

Divits and tiny indents in the soil can also be hazardous to the growth of moss.   Water can collect in these areas, killing the vegetation.  Once you have the debris away from the area where the new moss will reside, take a look at any vertical surfaces that the moss may meet.  If you plan to have your moss grow up a tree, for example, be sure gradually to increase the grade of the soil leading up to the tree.  When meeting a vertical surface, moss tends to stop growing so it is necessary to create a 'hill' effect leading up to the surface.

Plant Additional Plants First

Seedlings will not be able to grow under a thick bed of moss, so it is important to plant them ahead of time.  Annuals or perennials make great additions to any moss bed, so feel free to experiment with colors.

To make things easier on yourself, try getting mature flowers to plant along with your moss.

Growth Rate

There are many different types of moss and all of them take some patients to develop.  Pleurocarp moss types can double in size in only 6 months, depending on the level of care and attention.  When planting moss you need to space out everything using tiny pieces.  These will eventually grow together to form a beautiful carpet of moss across your landscape.

How to Water Moss

Moss requires a moist, sunlight rich environment to thrive.  When you first start growing moss, water everything daily for the first two months to promote optimum growth.  After that, water the moss every three days for the third month.

The watering eventually tapers off as the moss continues to grow, so months four and five it is only necessary to water weekly and monthly.

If you are tired of mowing your lawn and constantly landscaping, moss is an alternative that may be best for your backyard.

Before choosing the vegetation for your backyard landscape, try contacting a nursery specializing in moss for tips and advice on your next project.

Prepping your Garden for Labor Day Festivities

Labor Day is a time to celebrate those who work hard for a living.  Nothing is better than having a Monday off and enjoying a cookout with friends and family.

When hosting a Labor Day party, everyone wants to have a landscape that will leave people awestruck.  While there is no simple, overnight way to revamp an entire yard.

Pull Weeds and Prune Plants

Weeding your flower beds and garden can sometimes be overwhelming when left unattended for a period.   It is best to go after them when the soil is moist, so you are sure to pull the root with the rest of the weed.  If you are not a big fan of being on the ground in your garden, try planting beds of thick wild flowers.  Many wildflowers offer lush ground cover, making need for weeding much less when compared to a standard garden.

If you have set conifers, vines or trees,pruning can go far  For long, backyard vines, try 'training' them to grow in the desired shape by tucking in loose vines that fray out from the bunch.  When dealing with conifers or some types of trees, getting rid of dead leaves and branches on or around the plants will keep your landscape looking healthy and alive.

Be Sure to Water

Before tackling the weeds, water your flower beds and garden early in the morning to ensure things run smoothly.  Watering your plants in the morning will make them perk up for guests that may arrive in the evening.  Be careful not to water the leaves, as plants can burn during the day in the hot afternoon sun. 

Protect Delicate Flower Beds

When guests arrive for your Labor Day party, dont worry about your flower beds being trampled by excited children.  A simple solution is to install a small, decorative fence that surrounds any wildflower beds or gardens that are not divided from your regular yard space.

Get on a schedule to do landscaping every other day, to every three days.  This ensures that weeds and overgrowth does not get beyond your control.  There are a number of hassle-free vines, bushes and conifers that require less attention for those who have a busy schedule.  Consulting a plant nursery is a great first step in deciding what plants are best for your landscape and plan.

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