Today, our world suffers from the excessive garbage we are producing. Hence, we are all encouraged to reduce, reuse, and recycle. One way to contribute in lessening the garbage we are generating and utilizing it in a productive way is through composting. It can easily be done and will produce what most gardeners often called, a “black gold”.

Here are the ways on how to compost:

1. First thing you must do is choose a container on where you will make your compost. It will be very convenient if you will dig a pit on your backyard. In this way, the smell of the rotting materials is far away from your house.
2. Make sure to sort your garbage. The non-biodegradable wastes including the bottles and plastics which have nothing to do with your compost. The food left over, dried leaves, and all the decaying thrashes you see are the needed elements. Discipline yourself to separate this garbage and make sure to put them all in your compost pit in an orderly manner.
3. The biodegradable wastes have their own function in making your compost pit a success. Green materials such as newly cut grasses, weeds, manure, and seeds have high nitrogen content. Nitrogen is needed to produce heat in your compost. The brown materials such as dried leaves and flowers, sawdust, and woods are high in carbon and will serve as the fiber of your compost.
4. Earthly elements are also needed. Soil of course, because you will layer your compost with good soil. Air also is very important so that your compost can breathe out and not yield foul smelling results. And of course water, make sure that your compost is damp and wet enough as if like a sponge that absorbed an adequate amount of water.
5. Lastly, make sure to always check and maintain your compost. Turn it over once in a while. As if cooking it. All parts of it must decompose equally at the same time so that it will result into good humus.

Humus is the result of your compost. It is very useful for it is packed with nutrients that can be used in your gardening. Good soil with humus makes you produce good crops.

Weeds should be pulled away in your garden to prevent damaging other plants and vegetables. There are some wild plants that shouldn’t be taken out of your garden because they can be a source of food with lots of nutrients and medicine as well. You might want to consider cultivating more of these plants that taking them from your garden.

1. Nettles. This is a treatment for hay fever, laxative, diuretic, and blood detoxifier. A promising treatment for ADHD and Alzheimer’s disease and can stop bleeding and relieve dandruff.
2. Dandelion. Its greens provide more benefits than its flowers. It supports the liver, rich in potassium, detoxifier, diuretic, balances blood pressure and hormone.
3. Passionflower. A beautiful and powerful flower that relieves anxiety and insomnia, promotes relaxation and calmness.
4. Vervain. Calming and anti-anxiety. It can treat haemorrhoids, headaches, menstrual cramps, ulcers and diarrhea.
5. Chickweed. Expectorant, diuretic, anti-rheumatic, excellent source of silica, B vitamins, gamma-linolenic acid, and vit. C.
6. Plantain. Detoxifier and blood purifier. It can treat skin disorders and other skin conditions, heals wounds and sunburn.
7. Golden Rod. Relieves sore throats, colds and flu, arthritis and allergies.
8. St. John’s Wort. Treats depression, menopausal symptoms, anxiety disorders, nerve damage, and migraines.
9. Yellow Dock. Reduce bowel inflammation and liver and kidney function. Laxative, diuretic, rich in calcium, iron, vit A, and vit. C. It also helps in digestion.
10. Lemon Balm. Treats nervousness, digestive disorders, menstrual cramps, and insomnia.
11. Echinacea. Treats colds and flu, reduce lymphatic swelling, treat skin disorders, heals wound, and treats herpes, candida and urinary tract infection.

These plants and herbs can be brewed into tea or dripped into alcohol for tinctures. You can make it to make topical ointments.  Weeds are the undesirable plants that grow in your garden. But with the benefits that these weeds are giving, they can no longer be considered as undesirable. Other plants (or weeds!) to include in this list that are also common in every garden are yarrow, jewelweed, purslane, peppergrass, mullein, and kudzu. All these plants can ease indigestion and fight flu and other common diseases.

It is relatively easy for any gardener to make their own raised garden bed. You will need to consider the type of wood that you will use, the height of your elevated garden bed, and whether you will construct your raise bed by yourself or you will buy some parts of your raised bed.

The best type of wood to use for your raised garden bed is cedar because it is rot resistant. Some great choices for woods are Juniper, Yellow PortOrford Cedar, and Vermont White Cedar but the commonly used is the Western Red Cedar. Another rot resistant and great wood is the Red Wood but the availability is more limited. The life of the wood will depend on your area weather condition and the type of chosen cedar wood.Usually, it would take 10 years before the cedar will wear down.

The highest height for an elevated garden bed is 36” but the most usual height is 11”. The recommended width of the bed is 4’ to be able to reach the centre of the bed. It is necessary that you bed is narrow so you won’t have to step on the soil and avoid soil compression. The longer the length of the bed is better to prevent bowing for as long as your space allows it.

Building an elevated garden bed does not need expertise and special tools for as long as you follow simple steps in building your raised bed.

• Choose your location. Consider the amount of sunlight and water in the site that you will choose. You need to consider also the type of plants that you will grow.
• Decide on the shape and size of your garden. Consider the access to your plants as well as the depth of your soil bed.
• Prep your site. This includes preparing for the soil such as digging and cultivating. You need to consider the size and the shape of the bed as well as the plants that you will grow.
• Construct your bed. Construct your bed using your chosen type of wood and cut it according to desired shapes and sizes.
• Level the frames. Make sure that the frames are levelled properly so that water will not run off.
• Fill your bed. Fill your bed with well cultivated soil, compost and manure to provide more nutrients for the plants.

Planting vegetables also need proper timing. Even novice gardeners know that dates of gardening season matters. Gardeners should know that basil should not be harvested late and plant tomatoes early. Professional gardeners know that the secret for a successful gardening is, aside from the quality of the soil, timing.

The best time in planting vegetable garden depends on location. For gardeners in South Florida, planting throughout the year is possible. In some areas, you need to consider your last freeze date each year. There is no best answer for this and for some, you can grow vegetables any time of the year. For gardeners in the United States, the best time to plant would depend per location.

• For gardeners in the Northeast USA, May would be the best time to plant.
• For gardeners in the Southeast USA, April is the best time for planting.
• For gardeners in the Northwest USA, April,too, is the best time to plant.
• For gardeners in the Southwest USA, April also is the best time.
• For gardeners in the Central USA, the best time would be May.

If your location have spring weather and freezing winter, you can adjust the right time in planting your vegetables. If you are not sure of the right timing for certain vegetables, you may ask a local gardener for the right timing. Here are more tips for right vegetable planting schedule

• January. Mustards, potatoes, cauliflowers, cabbage, peas and lettuce.
• February. Broccoli, potatoes, celery, carrots, turnips, collards, beets and cabbage.
• March. Corn, watermelons, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, beans and peppers.
• April. Eggplant, cucumbers, squash, okra, cantaloupes and sweet potatoes.
• May. Cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, okra, beans, collards and spinach.
• June. Peas, okra, cherry tomatoes and sweet potatoes.
• July. Beans, peas, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, and okra.
• August. Watermelon, eggplant, broccoli, onions,cucumber and squash.
• September. Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, beans and squash.
• October. Cauliflower, onions, radish, cabbage, carrots, mustard, lettuce and turnips.
• November. Collards, onion, turnips, lettuce, rutabagas, swiss chard and beets.
• December. Mustard, collard, beets, broccoli, carrots, spinach, onions, peas and radish

Each lawn and garden has weeds and eliminating them organically may be a difficult task. Weeds ares undesirable and pesky to your plants. They grow out throughout the year so you need to eliminate them  as frequently as possible. There are ways to easily remove the weeds such as organic method that may eliminate the weeds from growing in your garden. Compared to a chemical weed control which is fast and convenient, organic weed control may involve long hours of labor but it is better for the soil, the environment, plants and for you.

Weeds are plants that are unwanted in your garden. Other plants – not just grasses – can also be considered as weeds if they are unwanted in the garden. Other characteristics of weeds are:

• They spread fast
• They spread all over the garden taking place of other plants.
• Unpleasant to people and animals.

You can get rid of these weeds without resorting to chemicals and in a natural way.

• Use mulch. Applying a thick layer of mulch yearly can eliminate weeds from growing and developing root systems.
• Boiling water. These kills weeds especially those that are in hard to reach areas. Just pour the boiling water directly to the weed and make sure that other plants nearby will get affected.
• Hoeing. It helps in removing the weeds in a garden raised bed. If the weed has started to produce flowers, take them out using your hands to ensure that the seeds are also removed.
• Manual methods. It is easier to remove the weeds when the soil is wet so it is best to wet the soil by using hose or do it after a heavy rain.
• Grow plants in a rich soil. This will prevent weeds from growing in your garden if plants and soil are both healthy.
• Use organic weed killer. There are weed control that are now available in the market. They consist of vinegar, corn gluten, soil microorganisms and other natural ingredients. Make sure that you avoid spraying other plants as they can also kill the plants.

There are a lot of healthy reasons why you should grow your own food. People often use a raised garden bed for their garden. Fruits and vegetables that come from your garden are the freshest fruits and vegetables that you can get.

Most people think that foods from America are the best food throughout the world – the most abundant, safest, cheapest, the most convenient, has the widest choice, nutritious, and many more. If this is true, then why there are lots of people who chose to grow their own food or buy straight from the farm?

Growing your own fruits and vegetables or buying straight from the farm is better because they are more tasty and nutritious than those bought in the supermarkets.  Households who have big gardens are lucky because they can be able to plant whatever they want. For those who have limited space, they can make use of community garden or they can use pots to plant fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, herbs, scallions and lettuces. They may also purchase their food at farmer’s markets wherein the farmers sell their fresh produce. Households living in the suburbs have usually a space designed for a real garden. On the other hand, small gardens can still be as productive with careful management and planning.

Food safety concerns should never be compromised. Even if you are in a period of pasteurization and high-tech food processing, diseases that are food-borne are still rampant in this country. Another thing that should be considered is the quality of the food. It is quite sad that nowadays, more and more people are choosing franchise fare or prepackage foods over foods that were prepared from scratch. One factor of a food with good quality is the nutritional value of the food. The nutrients of the food supplied by the Americans are declining due to many factors such as soil nutrients, distance that the food travels, and the nutritional content upon harvesting of the food. Processed foods are much worst. They do not have the nutritional content than natural foods. Producing you own food or buying straight from the farmers or homesteading has many advantages. It gives us safe and high-quality food.

It is daunting to start a garden. You will go through a lot of decisions and planning to make your garden look good and effective. The two most vital decisions to make are how would you want to utilize your space, and how do you envision carrying out your plans. Here are some considerations in starting your garden.

Start Small. If you are a beginner gardener, a big space may be difficult to start with and maintain. You may want to look into some sort of garden structure. Choose a garden that you can see often to encourage gardening. Assess and choose your site. Choose the best site for your garden. There are many factors to consider in choosing the site like the sun exposure, water exposure, shade, soil, etc. Make sure that your chosen site is not a walkway to prevent stepping on the plants. Evaluate the soil. After deciding on the place, checking the soil should follow next. This is the most vital but is the least appealing job for starting a garden. The soil’s pH should be checked to see the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. It should be within the desired range. Other factors to look at are the texture, nutrients, minerals, etc.

Set up the bed. This is another least appealing job but is also crucial. In preparing the bed, make sure you eliminate the weeds and the grass. If your soil is not good, this is the time to cultivate them. You may need to put compost and fertilizers to ensure the soil’s good condition.

Choose your plants. Limit yourself to a limited number of plants for your garden. If you want to grow vegetables, choose the ones that you eat or are hard to buy. Growing flowers can also be as hard as other plants since flowers requires more maintenance than other plants. Choose the color that you want for your flowers. Mix and combine different species of plants and flowers to create a lovely garden.

Planting. Plant your plants on the most convenient and comfortable time of the day. Make sure that they are properly planted and watered. Put some fertilizers if needed.

After planting your plants and flowers, label them and record their growth. Your effort and garden will be put to waste if you do not maintain them regularly.

Container gardening is as simple as growing plant, vegetables or flowers in a container. Talking about gardening, container gardening is so far the simplest, easiest, cheapest and most versatile type of gardening. It is best for people who live in an apartment or condominium, and wants to have their own garden, even with limited space. Container gardening is low maintenance. It is like a bed garden but only smaller and with bottoms. It has also the benefit of mobility, you can place them anywhere you want or transfer them to another location easily and conveniently. It is good for adults who have less physical capabilities because some containers, like the small ones, can be place on top of a table for easy access. It can also add to your indoor decor by planting flowers or any plants that may go along with your indoor colors. Container gardening isn’t affected by harsh weather and climate condition.

Choosing a container for your plants is crucial to its growth. There is no right or wrong container in choosing a garden container but there are lots of right containers to choose from for your container gardening.

• Container Style. There are numerous styles of containers to choose from for your container gardening. The classic style is the terra cotta pot. The unlimited styles varies from wood to shells, plastics, or other recycled containers such as grocery bag, large bottles, etc.
• Container Size. The container size is very crucial in choosing your garden container. Choosing the wrong size of a pot may hinder plant’s growth and survival. The bigger the container, the bigger chance for the plant to survive. Some plants grow bigger roots so you will need a deep container for these plants.
• Container Material. Container material is also as important as size. Some plants like herbs and miniature indoor trees grow better in wood containers. Other container materials are made from terra cotta, plastic and ceramics. Terra cotta are most commonly use by planters while plastic are more durable and lightweight. It may deteriorate though when placed under the sun as time goes by. Ceramics, on the other hand are decorative pieces as well.
• Proper Drainage. Whatever the style, size and material of your containers is, make sure it has proper drainage or you can create a hole under it. It prevents root from getting excessive water without you knowing it.

Homemakers are already pre-occupied with their tasks inside the house so a garden is just a “second” priority after all the household tasks have been done. Although gardening is another task to be done, a garden idea makes the house more beautiful and lovely. It is also a relaxing hobby that gives many benefits not just to the gardener but also for everyone living in the house.

There are some garden ideas to consider before getting your garden ready for the New Year.

1. Design as you can. You should recognize how much time and effort are you willing to devote for your garden. Select appropriate garden materials such as plants. If possible, select plants that are low-maintenance and needs little watering or no watering at all.
2. Focus on vertical point. Great design begins at the base of your home and should have vertical accents.
3. Provide good lighting. Light makes colors and textures come alive.
4. Maintain things in balance. This means balance in colors, number of plants and flowers and garden designs. Too much of everything will make your garden look like forest.
5. Give way. Make a path way for you to walk through preventing you to step on the grass and other plants. This adds also to your garden landscaping.

A beautifully planned garden isn’t just about flowers and blossoms but nothing completes a garden like brightly colored butterflies and the sweet chirp of songbirds. Consider color theme garden ideas if you want to highlight the hues in your garden. Cottage gardens usually display a variety of plants in a small, yet romantic, space. Keep your mix of annuals, perennials, herbs, shrubs, and vegetables growing happily together. You can keep your garden formal while still keeping a wild, freely-grown look. The placement of rocks in your garden provides a challenging project with fantastic results. Before you delve into the details of your garden plans and designs, it’s helpful to understand the types and varieties of plants to choose from. Get everything from plant profiles and gardening basics and other garden ideas.

Now that the balance of summer is almost over in most of the country, it can be sad to see the last of the warm weather crops awaiting the killing frost. But, you don’t have to stop enjoying the pleasures of eating fresh vegetables from the garden! Planting a fall garden extends the growing season by a couple of months, and even more so if your garden is in a cold frame. As the tomatoes, peppers and squash plants stop producing, remove them from the garden, add them to the compost pile and use the space for planting a fall garden.

Take note that the position of the sun in the sky changes as the seasons progress, so pick a spot in the garden that will continue to get maximum sunshine. You may consider expanding an existing garden or starting a new one that is positioned to get the most late fall sunshine. This is also a wonderful time to build a cold frame for the garden. Even in northern climates, greens grow almost all winter long in a cold frame.

Think back to early spring and the cold-hardy vegetables that you planted then. Most were probably pulled out to make room for warm weather crops, but all of these can be replanted in a fall garden. Fresh leafy greens from spinach to lettuce resist the cool nights of autumn and provide the delicious fixing for late fall salads. Snow peas get their name because they are capable of handling very chilly temperatures. They add delightful variety to stir fry dishes and salads. Cabbage also grows well in cool weather, along with kale and chard. Other crops that tolerate the chilly nights are carrots, radishes, beets and onions.

Fall is also the appropriate time to plant vegetables for next year. Garlic is best when planted in the fall. Some fruit trees, vines and berries can also be planted in the fall for harvesting next summer.