How to start a vegetable garden Spring has sprung, and even if you have a black thumb, you may be feeling inspired to dig in the dirt. How about starting a vegetable garden? Though the process involves more than picking a random spot, making holes and planting seeds, taking these simple steps can help ensure a successful growing season. Plan your plot. Test the soil. Purchase the right tools. Prep the soil. Choose the right seeds. Plant your seeds. Keep it up. Have other ideas on how to start a vegetable garden? See also: MNN homepage photo: tboard/Flickr
Mr. Smarty Plants - Native plants to stop pond bank erosion Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. rate this answer 1 rating Wednesday - June 04, 2008 From: Railroad, PARegion: Mid-AtlanticTopic: Erosion ControlTitle: Native plants to stop pond bank erosionAnswered by: Nan Hampton I recently purchased a home with a small pond in which a nearby stream daylights. Mr. Evergreens Equisetum hyemale (scouringrush horsetail) Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern) Carex intumescens (bladder sedge) Gaultheria hispidula (creeping snowberry) with a photo from Nearctica.com Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry) Pyrola asarifolia (liverleaf wintergreen) Andromeda polifolia (bog rosemary) You can see a list of plants native to Pennsylvania that grow in wet soils by visiting our Native Plant Database and doing a Combination Search, choosing 'Pennsylvania' from All states and provinces and 'Wet' from Soil moisture.
Vegetable Garden Guide: Vegetable Seed Guide - Martha Stewart Depending on when you order your seeds, you will have less or more time to start seedlings or plant them directly into the ground. Here's a quick reference for what can be planted when. Early Seeds: The following seeds can be planted directly into the ground (direct sow), even before the danger of frost has passed: Asian greens, beets, carrots, lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips. Post-Frost Seeds: The following should be planted outside after all danger of frost has passed: beans, corn, cucumbers, pumpkins, squashes, Swiss chard. Indoor Seeds: In warm climates, even tomatoes can be sown directly into the garden. Eggplants and Tomatoes: 6 to 8 weeks before last frost Artichokes: 8 weeks before last frost Peppers: 8 to 10 weeks before last frost Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, and Cauliflower: 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting out Leeks and Onions: 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting out
Mr. Smarty Plants - Native grass for erosion control on Shoal Creek in Austin, TX Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants. Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page. rate this answer Not Yet Rated Wednesday - June 22, 2011 From: Austin, TXRegion: SouthwestTopic: Erosion ControlTitle: Native grass for erosion control on Shoal Creek in Austin, TXAnswered by: Nan Hampton What is the best grass seed for erosion control in Austin, TX - Shoal Creek goes through my back yard and I need to seed some areas and it gets lots of sun. You have lots of choices for grasses that grow in the sun. Tall grasses (more than 3 feet): Andropogon gerardii (Big bluestem) Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) Medium grasses (1 to 3 feet): Schizachyrium scoparium (Little bluestem) Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama) Aristida purpurea (Purple threeawn) Bouteloua gracilis (Blue grama)
Turn a Sunny Window into a Hydroponic Garden Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service. In general, if it a woody stem, it can take dryness. It's basically a bush. Oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage. If it is soft and green, cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil, it can't take dry (or cold) conditions that well, and may grow well in hydroponics. or just put it in dirt. In the winter, the ratio of darkness to light from the sun makes for bad growing conditions, so you might want to get a light if you want to grow something with fruit, like tomatoes or mary jane. Flagged
Quick! Call the Seed Bomb Squad January 6, 2010 by Robin Plaskoff Horton Handmade from a mixture of eco-friendly, locally sourced and recycled materials such as used egg boxes, shredded office paper, organic compost and flower seeds, this bomb contains nothing flammable, though I wouldn’t board a plane with it hidden in your underpants. If you’ve resolved this New Year to become more engaged with your surroundings, to interact with the environment, then you might want to consider becoming a bomber. As the manufacturer reassures, the bomb is made only from post consumer paper, used egg boxes, the occasional tea bag, natural waste plant fibers, organic compost, organic fertilizer, flower seeds, recycled card packaging, and…love. Note: After publishing this post, I received a comment from the designer and manufacturer indicating that the product is not yet available in the US: “Etsy is a US site but people in the UK can still order from the site and their payment will be changed into UK pounds through Paypal.
His Neighbors Thought They Were Eyesores, But Soon They All Wanted These Boxes Luke Keegan was tired of his front yard, so he wanted to do something spectacular with it. This is truly a work of art. He started by making 8 6′x4′ raised beds to plant in with reclaimed redwood barn siding He filled up the boxes with planting materials, and before he knew it they began to sprout. He hooked up hoses and an irrigation system to keep the plants growing. And grow they did. The first to sprout was arugula. Then spinach. Beets. Radishes. Carrots. Peas. Green onions. Tomatillos. Cucumbers. Peppers. Even tomatoes started to grow. He also planted many beautiful flowers as well as squash blossoms. This is what it all looked like from the roof. More and more veggies grew, faster than he could even handle. What are your thoughts about Luke’s garden?