The Garden Shedde

This is a great time to start planning your garden for 2009.  One of the best ways to start is to look up the plants that you would like to add to your existing garden and flowerbeds.  Make a list of everything you want to add along with a place to do a little research to make sure that they will do well in your area.  If you’re not sure what will work in your area, contact the nearest Universities Agriculture Department and get their input as to what is the best plants to use that are native to your area.

Another great thing to start thinking about is composting.  If you are not currently doing a compost pile or own a composter, now is the time to do it.  You can create a great nutrient rich compound for your garden and pots right at your own home with all the biodegradable scraps thrown out by your family.  This is good for you and good to keep these same scraps out of the landfills; a win-win situation.

Not having room to grow the things you want to can be a problem.  That is one reason you may want to take a look at the mini greenhouses.  They can be placed on many different surfaces including patios, landings and decks, though you will need to make sure the area is level and can handle the weight of the mini greenhouse.  This makes it easy to grow your favorite vegetables, herbs and flowers if you live in the city in an apartment, town home or condo.

If you have more room and want to have a little bit bigger greenhouse you can.  There are several small greenhouses that are also portable and work in smaller areas than the typical greenhouse.  These can be fastened down by using tie down kits but they do need to be placed on a level surface.  If you get the right sized metal racks for potted plants and a rod for hanging plants you will be amazed at how many plants you will be able to place in this small greenhouse.

One of the things we don’t often think about this time of year is what gardens we have available in our communities.  One of the best places to go and check to see what community gardens are available in your community is to go to the ACGA (American Community Garden Association) website.

You will be able to read about what a community garden is and, if you don’t have one, how to start one.  Once you see how community gardens work you will be won over at how wonderful they can be.  Please check out the ACGA and make plans to contact and visit the community garden in your area and if you can, please donate to this fantastic cause.

There is a great tradition in our house to make Christmas not only white, but green.  From using recycled wrapping paper to eating fresh foods we do what we can during this time of year to make sure we take care of the earth as well as each other.

With this in mind, I want to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday Season and may you have the Best Green Christmas Ever!

It is said that the Romans invented greenhouses in order to serve the freshest vegetables possible to Caesar.  Whether that is true or not, who knows?  What we do know for sure is that a greenhouse is the best way to get fresh food to your families table on a year round basis and right now, you’re family is far more important than Caesar’s is.

The best news is you won’t have to dig a pit and keep the rocks stocked throughout the winter to keep your greenhouse warm.  This can be done with the help of a greenhouse heater.  You also have advantage of some great greenhouse accessories to help you with your year round greenhouse gardening.

You also have the advantage of some great do-it-yourself greenhouse kits that allow you to easily build your own greenhouse in the backyard.  If you purchase these kits at the right time you can get some very handy accessories to go along with them that will give you a head start when it comes to gardening with a greenhouse.

It may not be the news you want to hear but working outside in the garden or shoveling snow is good for you! Yes, It is also great to stop and smell the flowers or appreciate the wonderful view of untouched snow, however, it is beneficial to your heart to plant, pick and shove.

There are a few things you need to know before you start.  The first is to make sure you dress for the weather and the task.  That doesn’t mean just dressing according to the temperature but also wearing gloves to protect your hands, hats to protect you from the wind and sun and, if you are kneeling for a long period of time, use knee pads or a foam mat to protect those knees.

When shoveling snow, make sure you protect your back and stretch out before you start and get that back loosened up.  Wear good boots or shoes that give you some traction in the snow and ice and don’t overdo.  Just because it’s cold outside does not mean you don’t need water so make sure you hydrate often.

The last tip is to choose the right tools for the job.  It’s important that you use tools that are meant to do the task at hand and built well.  This will go a long way in getting the job done safely.  Once you’re ready, get out there and have fun, help your heart and make your yard beautiful!

It’s easy to look around and see what native plants are growing in your area.  All you have to do is go to a park in your neighborhood and look around or go out into a protected area and take pictures of the plants that you would like to incorporate into your yard or garden.

Get in touch with your state agriculture or extension department and show them the photos and ask if the species is available to plant and how to best take care of it.  That’s just one of the great services they provide to families in their state.  Take advantage of this and other services to improve your yard and garden for the coming year.

Some people are naturally inclined or trained in building things and it’s great to take advantage of those skills for things you want around your home.  When going about building your own home greenhouse, you will need to do some research on things from framing to coverings and everything in between to make sure you are doing what you need to be doing.  One thing a lot of first time greenhouse builders miss is the venting, which is a must for a successful greenhouse experience.

Another thing to consider is the efficiency of the greenhouse.  When you purchase greenhouse kits they are built to be very efficient right out of the box with the best frame for the covering as well as having all the materials you need to install and venting instructions and placement.  Basically, after determining the size and where you want to place it, everything to get the greenhouse up is there.  Once you compare ease of use and cost, most of the time a greenhouse kit will cost you less than building your own.  However, the satisfaction of building your own greenhouse may trump cost.  That is a personal choice and both will do the job.

I just received an early Christmas present, and I love it!  It’s this birdhouse:

It’s easy to clean, lots of room but a good size for smaller birds.  I have looked at some of these for a while, but this gift was a surprise!  A bird house really was exactly what I needed.

I wonder if it is too late in the season to put it up.  Does anyone know the best time to put a new bird house up?

There are many people across the US that live in areas that have been and are still affected by drought situations.  To save water and follow local laws, many of us just stop watering our yards and plants and watch as they whither away and bake in the sun with little or no water.

While there is little you can do about some things, there are plants that you can plant in your yard that need little water to not only survive, but to thrive and bloom.  You can plant a water conservation garden and maintain a beautiful garden landscape even in drought conditions.  With a little thought and direction, we don’t have to sacrifice our yards completely in order to save and conserve water.