Create your own classic planter. Make this classic planter from scratch; it's heavy on the charm and light on the wallet During a garden visit a few years ago, I admired some alpine troughs. The rustic containers, which looked like stone, were actually hypertufa that anyone could make—as easy as playing in the mud, the gardener assured me. Made from Portland cement (pure, not pre-mixed), peat moss and vermiculite, hypertufa is simple, cheap and high on charm, and can be fashioned into an array of sizes and shapes, from small, classic garden pots and shallow containers to alpine troughs and large, flaring bowls. Water and weather resistant, hypertufa is less likely than ceramic or terracotta to crack or crumble during freezing. The entire process—from making the form (which takes about an hour) until it’s ready to plant up—takes about three weeks; the majority of time is for curing. Hypertufa ages well, taking on a slight weathered look through the years.
You will need: Deciding Which Grow Light is Right for You. Using a grow light is a great way to boost plant growth and to extend your growing seasons. Many plants have requirements for light that may not be met without supplemental lighting, depending on your location and the season. You should consider a grow light if you want to actively grow in the winter, especially if you live in a particularly cloudy area or if you have exceptionally short days (most plants like about twelve hours of light.) Without sufficient light, plants are not able to adequately photosynthesize and they will not mature properly. There are several types of grow lights available, each produce specialized types of light that will benefit your plants in different ways at different stages in their lives. You can find a complete listing of all available grow lights.
Fluorescent Grow Lights These grow lights emit a soft white full spectrum of light. T-5 Fluorescent Grow Lights Use less energy and provide a more intense light than there fluorescent cousins. LED Grow Lights. Home page - EarthBox - Homegrown Vegetables Without A Garden. Growing Tomatoes from Seed - Tips for Growing Tomato Plants from Seed. Why grow tomatoes from seed? There are always plenty of tomato plants for sale at local garden centers, but for the largest variety you will need to consider growing tomatoes from seed.
Since tomatoes are heat lovers, most gardeners don't have growing seasons long enough to start tomatoes from seed outdoors. To get around that, tomato seeds are often started indoors, under lights. A word of caution, it's easy to get carried away buying tomato seeds. A family of four can easily feast throughout the summer on 6 plants. 1. Choosing Tomato Seed Photo: JohnMason / stock.xchng If you choose to grow tomatoes from seed, here are some considerations: Organic Seed - Look for certified organic seed. 2. Photo: © Marie Iannotti Tomato SeedsContainers - Any small pot or container, at least 3 inches deep, will suffice, as long as it has drainage holes at the bottom. 3. Tomato seed germinates fairly quickly, within 5-10 days. 4. 5. Use your label to make a 1/4 inch furrow in the planting mix. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Starting Seeds Indoors | My Square Foot Garden. Starting seeds indoors can be a fun way to garden while the weather is still cold and dreary. If you are a beginner, skip this step and just buy your plants! Supplies: Your garden planPotsPotting soilScissorsBucketSeedsPencilLabels and permanent markerStorage containers with lidsGrow lightsHeat lampTimer that turns lights on and off Be sure your pots and potting soil are sterilized so you don’t spread disease to your new plants.
Refer to your garden plan to determine how many plants I you need to start. Put some potting soil in the bucket and add water until it is moist, but not sopping wet. Poke a hole in the middle of each pot with your pencil, and drop in 2-3 seeds. Place your pots in a storage container and cover with the lid. After the seeds germinate, remove the lid keep them 1 or 2 inches under the grow lights.
Direct a soft fan at the plants to simulate wind and provide resistance. Make Your Own Willow Arbor. Heritage Plants Database - Seeds of Diversity Canada - Historic Seed Catalogue - McKenzie's Seeds; Western Canada's Greatest Seed House 1908. Sites-Gardeners-Site. Squash: Planting, Growing and Harvesting Squash Plants. Lettuce: Planting, Growing and Harvesting Lettuce Plants. Bell Peppers: Planting, Growing and Harvesting Bell Pepper Plants.
Botanical name: Capsicum annuum Plant type: Vegetable USDA Hardiness Zones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Sun exposure: Full Sun Soil type: Loamy Soil pH: Neutral Peppers are a tender, warm-season crop. Planting Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before last spring frost date. Care Soil should be well-drained, but maintain adequate moisture either with mulch or plastic covering. Pests Harvest/Storage Harvest as soon as peppers reach desired size. Recommended Varieties Look for varieties that ripen to their full color quickly; fully mature peppers are the most nutritious—and tastier, too! Green to Red: ‘Lady Bell’, 'Gypsy,' ‘Bell Boy,’ 'Lipstick' Yellow: 'Golden California Wonder' Recipes Wit & Wisdom The popular green and red bell peppers that we see in supermarkets are actually the same thing; the red peppers have just been allowed to mature on the plant longer, changing color and also gaining a higher content of Vitamin C.
Tomato companion plants corn beans carrots lettuce peppers. Cabbage planting dates vegetables outdoors gardening. Cucumbers: Planting, Growing and Harvesting Cucumber Plants. 2013 Best Spring Planting Dates for Seeds for Fairview, AB. How to Plant a Square-Foot Garden - Organic Gardening. Alberta Nurseries Presents... Gardeners Web. Starting Seeds Indoors gardening. How to Build an Inexpensive Hoop-Style Greenhouse | Alberta Home Gardening. One of the most valuable assets in my garden is my greenhouse. It has allowed me to grow plants that I normally would not be able to grow, produce crops that the season is not usually long enough to produce, and protect my plants from frosts, hail, or other severe weather that normally would have destroyed my garden.
But I don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on a greenhouse. I just priced out an 8’x12’ greenhouse for $3,500. I would love to have a large, professional greenhouse, but that simply isn’t financially feasible for me. So, instead I’ve found a way to make a large greenhouse that is functional, easy to build, and inexpensive. Required Materials List Note: All wood should be green, treated wood to resist rot. . (4) 2×6 – 16’(2) 2×6 – 12’(14) 2×4 – 12’(19) ¾” x 20’white pvc pipe(9) 10mm x 10’ rebar(1) 20’x50’ roll of 6mm plastic(1) Bundle of 50 4’ wood lathe (or optional staples)Zip tiesNails or screwsMetal bandingDoor hinges and handles Step 1 – Laying Out the Frame.
How to Make a Square Foot Garden | Alberta Home Gardening. I’d like to introduce you to a new way of gardening. It’s called square foot gardening. I planted my first square foot garden last year and I’m hooked. Here’s the basic gist: Most gardens are planted in long rows separated by three foot aisles. This means 80% of your garden (that you water, weed, and fertilize) grows nothing. You just walk on it. The square foot method eliminates that 80% of your garden that you don’t use by planting in blocks.
Using the square foot gardening method, you divide a 4′ x 4′ box into sixteen 1 foot square gardens. . #1. It doesn’t matter what kind of soil you have, because you won’t be using it. Peat MossCompostVermiculite Just mix these three ingredients in equal proportions and you have the finest soil you could imagine. . #2. Yup, that’s right. . #3. Your square foot garden takes up only 20% of the space required by a traditional garden. . #4. I just built two square foot gardens this spring and here were my costs: Total: $48 for two – $24 each.
Required Materials. Alberta Home Gardening.