* Lovely Greens *: How to Make a Better Strawberry Pallet Planter

Over the past year I've come across scores of diy pallet projects, some of them intriguing and others not quite there yet but still having potential. One that I see time and again is the idea of using a single wooden pallet as a strawberry planter. Filled with soil and with plants inserted in the gaps they're usually leaned up against a wall but sometimes bolted on to keep from tumbling over. It's a clever idea but I've steered away from trying it myself because I suspect that they'll require constant watering and erosion control and also because I'm not convinced that they'll work long term. Almost every image I've found of pallet planters look to be newly planted rather than a tried and tested design. Still I was interested in the idea and with the gift of eight pristine wooden pallets, I started scouring the internet looking for alternative tutorials. First of all, choosing pallets for diy projects involves a bit of know-how. You will need the following materials: Optional:

How to Make a Decorative Pond From Old Tires Tyre Ponds are a great little garden feature that can enhance the overall aesthetics and integrated pest management of a site. By inviting biodiversity into the site we can make the system more resilient and attractive which tyre ponds do so elegantly. Here are the steps you need to do in order to create your own decorative pond. It is a fun way, that helps you re-use an old tire. Ready for more amazing ideas?

Planning Your First Vegetable Garden Intensive Cropping This type of planting a garden with vegetables means using in wide bands, generally 1-4 feet across and as long as you like. Intensive cropping reduces the amount of area needed for paths, but the closer spacing of the plants usually means you have to weed by hand. Because of the handwork required, when thinking how to plan a vegetable garden with rows remember: It is important not to make the bands wider than you can comfortably reach. Intensive cropping also allows you to design your vegetable garden, making it a good choice, for example, if you want to grow vegetables in your front yard. It's a great solution for mixing vegetables with ornamentals, as well. A specialized version of intensive cropping is the "square-foot method." It also makes sense to leave some areas of the garden unplanted at first. Don't miss these other vegetable-garden design tips! Download our free vegetable garden plans!

Vegetable garden planning: beginning gardening Here’s our quick guide for the beginner vegetable gardener. Whether you’re a beginner or an old hand, planting in a pot or a plot, this advice will help you to plan and grow your tastiest vegetables ever. Why garden? If you’ve never tasted garden-fresh vegetables (lots of people haven’t!), you will be amazed by the sweet, juicy flavors and vibrant textures. We’ll highlight the basics of vegetable garden planning: how to pick the right site, figure out how “big” to go, and how to select which vegetables to grow. Start Small! Remember this: It’s better to be proud of a small garden than to be frustrated by a big one! One of the common errors for beginners is planting too much too soon and way more than anybody could eat or want. Start Smart Plant in a sunny location. Photo credit: Nina Buday shutterstock Deciding How Big A good-size beginner vegetable garden is about 16x10 feet and features crops that are easy to grow. Make your garden 11 rows wide, with each row 10 feet long. When to Plant?

How to build raised garden beds construction tips Credit: Alabama Cooperative Extension System Raised garden beds are fairly easy to construct and even easier to maintain. Here is advice on how to build raised garden beds for your backyard. Benefits of a Raised Garden Ideal for smaller spaces (versus a conventional row garden) Great for rocky, poor, or abused soil Produces a higher yield for the area, thanks to better drainage and deep rooting Allows for a longer growing season, since you can work the soil more quickly in the spring in frost-hardened regions Makes gardening easier; for example, intensive planting creates shade mulch to keep the weeds down Raised Beds Video Here is a fantastic video on How to Use Raised Beds in Your Garden. After you finish watching it, click here to try out the online Almanac Garden Planner which has a special raised bed feature. Construction Tips Materials Many people are concerned about the safely of their wood frame. Planning and Design Consider a location that's level and has the right amount of sunlight.

canada frost freeze freezing dates chart Below is a chart showing frost dates in the spring and fall for various Canadian cities. (Also, see our frost dates for U.S. cities.) PLEASE NOTE: The reference source for Canadian frost dates is Environment Canada's National Climate Services. If your city is not listed, click here. Dates below reflects normal averages for a light freeze (29° to 32°F, or -2° to 0°C); local weather and topography may cause considerable variations. The link to more frost dates in Alberta is www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex10