11.02.2008
6.13.2008
Choose Ground Covers as a Lawn Alternative
Planting a lawn is sometimes too easy an answer for filling an empty spot in your yard and garden. That carpet of green grass in your yard, as wonderful as it looks, uses up valuable resources such as water and fertilizer. To keep your lawn looking its best, you also invest a lot of your time and physical labor — oh, and don't forget the expense. You do have alternatives and can have good reasons to use them.
Face it. Dry climates, such as the desert Southwest, and the amount of water a large lawn needs make having a lawn out of the question for some people. You may have a garden situation where other, more usable or low-maintenance alternatives are a better choice.
Ground covers are usually low growing, often spreading plants that form a uniform layer of foliage when planted close together. Ground covers range from very low-growing plants that are just a few inches high to more shrubby types that are several feet high.
The pros and cons of ground covers
Ground covers provide an even carpet of green (or other color) foliage that, from a landscape sense, has a similar overall impact of a lawn. The effect isn't as formal and refined, but you still see a carpet of foliage. The downside of most ground covers is, of course, that you can't walk or play on them like a lawn. In addition, ground covers don't provide the quick solution that a lawn does. (Most ground covers take several years to fill in.) However, the upsides of ground covers are impressive:
Ground covers need less water than lawns. Once established, many ground covers get by on very little water and can withstand periods of drought. Install drip irrigation, which really maximizes water efficiency, and you're on a water-saving roll.
Ground covers offer diverse beauty. You don't see just flat and green; ground covers come in a variety of foliage textures and colors and with colorful flowers, berries, and fall foliage color.
Ground covers are ideal for sloping ground. Forget about growing (and mowing!) lawns on steep hillsides or slopes. The water washes away and gets wasted before it can soak into the soil. Mowing lawns on slopes can be dangerous. You can use ground covers, on the other hand, to stabilize soil on slopes. You can use drip irrigation, which applies water very slowly without runoff. You don't need to mow ground covers.
Ground covers need less care. Ahh, a life with no mowing and less fertilizing. If you use mulches or plant through landscape fabrics (clothlike material that smothers weeds), you don't even have to weed. Ground covers are sounding better all the time, right?
Ground covers are perfect for small spaces. Ideal areas for ground covers include narrow, curbside areas that are impossible to water properly, and other small spots that are a pain to mow.
Ground covers can make your lawn look bigger. If a smaller lawn is what you're after, you can still have the big, expansive look by planting ground covers around the outside of it. You get a small play surface and the formality of a lawn — say, right around the front door — without all the commitment of time and resources. Very trendy!
Ground covers can grow in shade. Many ground covers, including Japanese spurge, English ivy, and dwarf periwinkle, grow better in heavy shade than most lawn grasses.
Like most plants, ground covers have their own requirements for sun, shade, soil, water, and so on, so you need to do some research before you make a final selection.
Low-growing ground covers
Many of these ground huggers can withstand light foot traffic. In other words, you can walk on them periodically, and they're ideal for planting around stepping stones or in the narrow planting strip between the sidewalk and street. All the following plants are evergreen, meaning they have leaves all year. (Deciduous plants lose their leaves in the fall.)
Wooly yarrow (Achillea tomentosa): This tough, hardy ground cover reaches to about 6 to 9 inches high and can take foot traffic. In the summer, yellow flowers complement the ferny, gray-green foliage. The leaves are also aromatic, a fragrant bonus when you walk on it (that is, if you like the smell).
Carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans): Carpet bugle grows 2 to 6 inches high with handsome, deep green or purplish leaves. This hardy plant sports blue flowers that grow on spikes in spring and early summer.
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile): This plant's fine-textured, aromatic foliage reaches about 6 inches high. Chamomile has yellow flowers (herbal tea is made from the dried flowers) and can withstand light traffic. The ground cover is hardy to about 0 degrees F.
English ivy (Hedera helix): This widely adapted, sprawling foliage plant sometimes has variegated leaves. Generally, this hardy plant grows 12 to 18 inches high and can climb.
Aaron's Beard, St. John's Wort (Hypericum calycinum): Sunny yellow flowers highlight this hardy plant, which grows 12 inches high.
Iceplant (Lampranthus):This large group of low-growing succulents has bright flowers. Most of these drought-tolerant plants are not very hardy and are best adapted to mild-winter climates.
Mondo grass or lily turf (Liriope or Ophiopogon): Grassy leaves and summer flowers identify these two similar, hardy plants. They also thrive in shade.
Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis): This attractive foliage plant is ideal for shady, moist situations. Japanese spurge grows to about 10 inches high and is hardy.
Spring cinquefoil (Potentilla tabernaemontana): Spring cinquefoil has neatly lobed leaves and yellow flowers and grows 3 to 6 inches high. This hardy plant can withstand foot traffic.
Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox): A spreading herb with aromatic foliage and white to pink flowers, this plant grows 3 to 6 inches high. Creeping thyme is hardy and can withstand traffic.
Dwarf periwinkle (Vinca minor): This ground cover displays dark green leaves and violet blue flowers. Growing 6 to 12 inches high, dwarf periwinkles thrive in shade and are hardy.
Shrubby ground covers
Shrubby ground covers include plants that are shrubbier and usually taller than the ones described in the preceding section. Unless otherwise mentioned, all are very hardy.
Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi): This hardy evergreen shrub grows to about 12 inches high and sports small white flowers and red berries. Kinnikinnick is also drought-resistant.
Barberries (Berberis): Barberries are available in many low-growing varieties, some with purplish-green leaves. The plant is deciduous with bright red fall color and red berries. It's also pretty thorny, good for planting under windows to deter burglars.
Cotoneasters (Cotoneaster): This large group of deciduous and evergreen plants includes many excellent ground covers. Cotoneasters boast white flowers and red berries. Some deciduous ones have beautiful fall color.
Winterberry (Euonymus fortunei): Winterberries are very hardy evergreen plants that come in many fine ground cover forms. Some have very attractive, colored foliage.
Junipers (Juniperus): These excellent, hardy plants have needlelike foliage. The tough and versatile juniper comes in evergreen's many heights and some interesting foliage colors.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides): The sprawling, vining evergreen plant has shiny foliage and fragrant flowers. This plant does best in mild-winter climates. Star jasmine is hardy to only 10 degrees F.
Face it. Dry climates, such as the desert Southwest, and the amount of water a large lawn needs make having a lawn out of the question for some people. You may have a garden situation where other, more usable or low-maintenance alternatives are a better choice.
Ground covers are usually low growing, often spreading plants that form a uniform layer of foliage when planted close together. Ground covers range from very low-growing plants that are just a few inches high to more shrubby types that are several feet high.
The pros and cons of ground covers
Ground covers provide an even carpet of green (or other color) foliage that, from a landscape sense, has a similar overall impact of a lawn. The effect isn't as formal and refined, but you still see a carpet of foliage. The downside of most ground covers is, of course, that you can't walk or play on them like a lawn. In addition, ground covers don't provide the quick solution that a lawn does. (Most ground covers take several years to fill in.) However, the upsides of ground covers are impressive:
Ground covers need less water than lawns. Once established, many ground covers get by on very little water and can withstand periods of drought. Install drip irrigation, which really maximizes water efficiency, and you're on a water-saving roll.
Ground covers offer diverse beauty. You don't see just flat and green; ground covers come in a variety of foliage textures and colors and with colorful flowers, berries, and fall foliage color.
Ground covers are ideal for sloping ground. Forget about growing (and mowing!) lawns on steep hillsides or slopes. The water washes away and gets wasted before it can soak into the soil. Mowing lawns on slopes can be dangerous. You can use ground covers, on the other hand, to stabilize soil on slopes. You can use drip irrigation, which applies water very slowly without runoff. You don't need to mow ground covers.
Ground covers need less care. Ahh, a life with no mowing and less fertilizing. If you use mulches or plant through landscape fabrics (clothlike material that smothers weeds), you don't even have to weed. Ground covers are sounding better all the time, right?
Ground covers are perfect for small spaces. Ideal areas for ground covers include narrow, curbside areas that are impossible to water properly, and other small spots that are a pain to mow.
Ground covers can make your lawn look bigger. If a smaller lawn is what you're after, you can still have the big, expansive look by planting ground covers around the outside of it. You get a small play surface and the formality of a lawn — say, right around the front door — without all the commitment of time and resources. Very trendy!
Ground covers can grow in shade. Many ground covers, including Japanese spurge, English ivy, and dwarf periwinkle, grow better in heavy shade than most lawn grasses.
Like most plants, ground covers have their own requirements for sun, shade, soil, water, and so on, so you need to do some research before you make a final selection.
Low-growing ground covers
Many of these ground huggers can withstand light foot traffic. In other words, you can walk on them periodically, and they're ideal for planting around stepping stones or in the narrow planting strip between the sidewalk and street. All the following plants are evergreen, meaning they have leaves all year. (Deciduous plants lose their leaves in the fall.)
Wooly yarrow (Achillea tomentosa): This tough, hardy ground cover reaches to about 6 to 9 inches high and can take foot traffic. In the summer, yellow flowers complement the ferny, gray-green foliage. The leaves are also aromatic, a fragrant bonus when you walk on it (that is, if you like the smell).
Carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans): Carpet bugle grows 2 to 6 inches high with handsome, deep green or purplish leaves. This hardy plant sports blue flowers that grow on spikes in spring and early summer.
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile): This plant's fine-textured, aromatic foliage reaches about 6 inches high. Chamomile has yellow flowers (herbal tea is made from the dried flowers) and can withstand light traffic. The ground cover is hardy to about 0 degrees F.
English ivy (Hedera helix): This widely adapted, sprawling foliage plant sometimes has variegated leaves. Generally, this hardy plant grows 12 to 18 inches high and can climb.
Aaron's Beard, St. John's Wort (Hypericum calycinum): Sunny yellow flowers highlight this hardy plant, which grows 12 inches high.
Iceplant (Lampranthus):This large group of low-growing succulents has bright flowers. Most of these drought-tolerant plants are not very hardy and are best adapted to mild-winter climates.
Mondo grass or lily turf (Liriope or Ophiopogon): Grassy leaves and summer flowers identify these two similar, hardy plants. They also thrive in shade.
Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis): This attractive foliage plant is ideal for shady, moist situations. Japanese spurge grows to about 10 inches high and is hardy.
Spring cinquefoil (Potentilla tabernaemontana): Spring cinquefoil has neatly lobed leaves and yellow flowers and grows 3 to 6 inches high. This hardy plant can withstand foot traffic.
Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox): A spreading herb with aromatic foliage and white to pink flowers, this plant grows 3 to 6 inches high. Creeping thyme is hardy and can withstand traffic.
Dwarf periwinkle (Vinca minor): This ground cover displays dark green leaves and violet blue flowers. Growing 6 to 12 inches high, dwarf periwinkles thrive in shade and are hardy.
Shrubby ground covers
Shrubby ground covers include plants that are shrubbier and usually taller than the ones described in the preceding section. Unless otherwise mentioned, all are very hardy.
Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi): This hardy evergreen shrub grows to about 12 inches high and sports small white flowers and red berries. Kinnikinnick is also drought-resistant.
Barberries (Berberis): Barberries are available in many low-growing varieties, some with purplish-green leaves. The plant is deciduous with bright red fall color and red berries. It's also pretty thorny, good for planting under windows to deter burglars.
Cotoneasters (Cotoneaster): This large group of deciduous and evergreen plants includes many excellent ground covers. Cotoneasters boast white flowers and red berries. Some deciduous ones have beautiful fall color.
Winterberry (Euonymus fortunei): Winterberries are very hardy evergreen plants that come in many fine ground cover forms. Some have very attractive, colored foliage.
Junipers (Juniperus): These excellent, hardy plants have needlelike foliage. The tough and versatile juniper comes in evergreen's many heights and some interesting foliage colors.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides): The sprawling, vining evergreen plant has shiny foliage and fragrant flowers. This plant does best in mild-winter climates. Star jasmine is hardy to only 10 degrees F.
6.12.2008
Adding Wireless Security to Your Home
Wouldn't you like to know what goes on at home while you're away? Lucky for you, a wireless home monitoring system can tell you. Basically, it lets you monitor your home from afar through the use of a wireless camera and sensors. For example, the Motorola Home Monitoring and Control System performs these feats:
Sends real-time notifications when there's trouble.
Sends photos, videos, and text alerts so you can view them remotely, from a Web browser or a cell phone.
Stores video so you can watch it anytime from your computer.
Archives things like temperature changes.
Motorola is careful to call this a home monitoring and control system, rather than a home security system. In its warranty information — in bold, capital letters — Motorola says, "This product is intended only for use to facilitate home monitoring and control and is not intended to be a substitute for a home security system." You've been warned!
Digging through the goodies
It all starts with Motorola's Easy Start Kit, which has a suggested list price of $300. It includes a USB gateway/controller that connects your computer with the wireless components, a wireless camera, and power adapters for both.
You can purchase other components separately:
Additional wireless cameras. Hey, why not have one in every room of the house? Plus the garage? And maybe the shed?
Wired cameras. You can have up to three.
Wireless door/window sensor. This alerts the system when a door or window opens.
Wireless temperature sensor. This lets you monitor for temperatures that rise or fall rapidly, indicating problems like fires or freezing temperatures. The sensor is especially handy if the home you monitor is a vacation residence.
Wireless water sensor. A good way to monitor basements, this sensor tells you when it detects — can you guess? — water.
The sensors work 60 to 80 feet from the gateway (the device that attaches to your computer), so it's best to place the gateway (and its PC) in a central location. The sensors can transmit through walls, ceilings, and floors, but the range is limited. The gateway and sensors transmit and receive on the 418-MHz frequency.
The example system featured in this article includes these things:
USB gateway
One wireless camera
One wireless door/window sensor
One wireless temperature sensor
One wireless water sensor
The system can handle up to eight sensors. There's enough capacity left to add sensors to many of your doors and windows. You may want to use some of that capacity for additional temperature and water sensors, however. It also can handle up to three wired cameras and up to six wireless cameras.
The system has a remote service that costs about $20 per month. It lets you monitor and control your system from afar, using a Web browser.
You can download the latest drivers and other software for Motorola's system here.
Setting yourself up for security success
Before you can begin using your new security system, you need to set up the hardware, install the software, and configure the system.
Setting up the hardware
Setting up everything is easy. Get the hardware ready to go:
1. Remove the Easy Start Kit and sensors from the packaging.
2. Some assembly required: Attach an antenna to each sensor.
3. Insert batteries in each sensor.
Battery life is 1 year with normal usage.
4. Install the sensors in the appropriate locations.
Please see the instruction manual for each sensor. You can have up to eight sensors.
Software installation is a lengthy but fairly simple process. After installing the software and hardware, it's time to configure your home monitor software.
Check frequently for software updates. If you don't update, you may not be able to use the Shell HomeGenie remote Web features.
Setting alerts
Events can also be called alerts. An event is triggered when a certain event happens. For instance, when the temperature probe registers a temperature above a certain threshold, the software can send you an e-mail or text message. You also can tell the camera to take an image that goes into the archive and which can be sent to you as an e-mail attachment.
Here's how you set an event:
1. In the Home Monitor software, click the Event Setup menu button.
The Event Setup screen appears.
2. Choose a sensor device from the pull-down menu.
3. Chose an event.
The event is different for each sensor.
4. Choose Action Device.
This is usually one of the cameras.
5. Choose between Actions: Capture Video or Capture Image
6. Select from the Notify with E-mail menu if you want an e-mail notification.
You must create an e-mail or text message profile before you can use those options. Click Edit E-Mail Profiles or Edit Text Profiles. Enter your e-mail address.
7. Edit your SMTP (outgoing e-mail) information:
Select Edit SMTP Info. Enter your outgoing e-mail address. (It often begins with smtp.) Enter your e-mail address. If your SMTP server requires authentication (ask your ISP), enter your account name and password.
8. Select from the Notify with Text Message menu if you want a text message sent to your mobile phone.
9. Select Update.
That's it! You just created an event. You now can create one or more events for each of your sensors.
The software floods you with e-mails if you pick a frequently occurring event, such as when the camera detects motion. After a short rest period each time, the event continues triggering indefinitely as long as the camera senses motion. Keep this in mind as you create events.
Sends real-time notifications when there's trouble.
Sends photos, videos, and text alerts so you can view them remotely, from a Web browser or a cell phone.
Stores video so you can watch it anytime from your computer.
Archives things like temperature changes.
Motorola is careful to call this a home monitoring and control system, rather than a home security system. In its warranty information — in bold, capital letters — Motorola says, "This product is intended only for use to facilitate home monitoring and control and is not intended to be a substitute for a home security system." You've been warned!
Digging through the goodies
It all starts with Motorola's Easy Start Kit, which has a suggested list price of $300. It includes a USB gateway/controller that connects your computer with the wireless components, a wireless camera, and power adapters for both.
You can purchase other components separately:
Additional wireless cameras. Hey, why not have one in every room of the house? Plus the garage? And maybe the shed?
Wired cameras. You can have up to three.
Wireless door/window sensor. This alerts the system when a door or window opens.
Wireless temperature sensor. This lets you monitor for temperatures that rise or fall rapidly, indicating problems like fires or freezing temperatures. The sensor is especially handy if the home you monitor is a vacation residence.
Wireless water sensor. A good way to monitor basements, this sensor tells you when it detects — can you guess? — water.
The sensors work 60 to 80 feet from the gateway (the device that attaches to your computer), so it's best to place the gateway (and its PC) in a central location. The sensors can transmit through walls, ceilings, and floors, but the range is limited. The gateway and sensors transmit and receive on the 418-MHz frequency.
The example system featured in this article includes these things:
USB gateway
One wireless camera
One wireless door/window sensor
One wireless temperature sensor
One wireless water sensor
The system can handle up to eight sensors. There's enough capacity left to add sensors to many of your doors and windows. You may want to use some of that capacity for additional temperature and water sensors, however. It also can handle up to three wired cameras and up to six wireless cameras.
The system has a remote service that costs about $20 per month. It lets you monitor and control your system from afar, using a Web browser.
You can download the latest drivers and other software for Motorola's system here.
Setting yourself up for security success
Before you can begin using your new security system, you need to set up the hardware, install the software, and configure the system.
Setting up the hardware
Setting up everything is easy. Get the hardware ready to go:
1. Remove the Easy Start Kit and sensors from the packaging.
2. Some assembly required: Attach an antenna to each sensor.
3. Insert batteries in each sensor.
Battery life is 1 year with normal usage.
4. Install the sensors in the appropriate locations.
Please see the instruction manual for each sensor. You can have up to eight sensors.
Software installation is a lengthy but fairly simple process. After installing the software and hardware, it's time to configure your home monitor software.
Check frequently for software updates. If you don't update, you may not be able to use the Shell HomeGenie remote Web features.
Setting alerts
Events can also be called alerts. An event is triggered when a certain event happens. For instance, when the temperature probe registers a temperature above a certain threshold, the software can send you an e-mail or text message. You also can tell the camera to take an image that goes into the archive and which can be sent to you as an e-mail attachment.
Here's how you set an event:
1. In the Home Monitor software, click the Event Setup menu button.
The Event Setup screen appears.
2. Choose a sensor device from the pull-down menu.
3. Chose an event.
The event is different for each sensor.
4. Choose Action Device.
This is usually one of the cameras.
5. Choose between Actions: Capture Video or Capture Image
6. Select from the Notify with E-mail menu if you want an e-mail notification.
You must create an e-mail or text message profile before you can use those options. Click Edit E-Mail Profiles or Edit Text Profiles. Enter your e-mail address.
7. Edit your SMTP (outgoing e-mail) information:
Select Edit SMTP Info. Enter your outgoing e-mail address. (It often begins with smtp.) Enter your e-mail address. If your SMTP server requires authentication (ask your ISP), enter your account name and password.
8. Select from the Notify with Text Message menu if you want a text message sent to your mobile phone.
9. Select Update.
That's it! You just created an event. You now can create one or more events for each of your sensors.
The software floods you with e-mails if you pick a frequently occurring event, such as when the camera detects motion. After a short rest period each time, the event continues triggering indefinitely as long as the camera senses motion. Keep this in mind as you create events.
6.11.2008
Making Compost - Black Gold for Your Organic Garden
The best and most refined of organic matters is compost, which is organic matter and/or manures that have decomposed until they resemble loamy soil. Thoroughly decomposed compost contains lots of humus — the beneficial, soil-improving material your plants need. Whether the original source was grass clippings, sawdust, animal manure, or vegetable scraps from your kitchen, all organic matter eventually becomes compost.
Making your own compost is probably the simplest way to ensure high quality compost and save some money. It's really not as complicated as you may think: The many commercial composting bins and containers on the market make it a mess-free and hassle-free process.
A well-constructed compost pile — built with the proper dimensions and maintained correctly — heats up fast; decomposes uniformly and quickly; kills many diseases, insects, and weed seeds; doesn't smell; and is easy to turn and maintain. Conversely, a pile just thrown together rarely heats up and, therefore, takes longer to decompose. This type of cold composting doesn't kill any diseases, insects, or weed seeds; may smell bad; and definitely looks messy.
Containing your compost pile makes it look neater, helps you maintain the correct moisture, and prevents animals from getting into it. You can build your own, as shown in Figure 1, or buy a commercial home composting unit. The advantages of a commercial composter include the availability of a wide range of attractive sizes and shapes and ease of use. Choose from box-shaped plastic and wooden bins and barrels or elevated and easy-to-turn tumblers, as shown in Figure 2. Store-bought bins are costly, however, and produce only small quantities of compost at a time, especially compared to a homemade bin that's built from scrap lumber or wire.
Figure 1: Build a simple wooden bin to hold your compost pile.
Figure 2: Commercial composters help you make compost yourself.
Here's what you need to know to build a good compost pile:
1. Choose a shady location, out of the way, but still within view so that you don't forget about the pile.
The soil under it should be well drained.
2. Make a bin.
Create a wire cylinder that's 3- to 4-feet in diameter or build a three-sided box (similar to the one in Figure 1), that's 4 to 5-feet high and wide.
3. Add brown materials.
Add a 6-inch layer of "brown" organic matter — such as hay, straw, old leaves, and sawdust — to the bottom of the container.
4. Add green materials.
Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of "green" organic matter, such as green grass clippings, manure, table scraps, or even high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as cottonseed meal, on top of the brown layer.
5. Repeat these layers, watering each one as you go, until the pile is 4 to 5-feet tall and fills the bin.
A smaller pile won't heat up well and a larger pile can be difficult to manage.
6. Within two days, mix the layers together thoroughly.
Particle size should be varied, smaller particles hasten decomposition.
7. Cover the pile with a tarp to keep rain away and preserve moisture.
If the pile gets too soggy or too dry, it won't heat up.
Not all organic matter is good for the compost pile. Following is a look at what to add to a pile, what not to add, and in what ratios to add it:
What to add to the pile or composter: What you put in the compost pile is up to you — just remember that it needs to be from an organic material. Here's a short list of possibilities:
• Hay, straw, pine needles
• Leaves
• Kitchen scraps (egg shells, old bread, vegetable and fruit scraps)
• Animal manure, except for dog, cat, pig, or human
• Old vegetables, flowers, or trimmings from trees and shrubs
• Sawdust
• Wood chips
• Weeds
• Shredded black and white newspaper. (In the past, color printing used heavy metals in the ink. Most color printing now uses soy-based inks, but it's better to avoid them in the garden altogether to be on the safe side.)
What not to add: Some items don't belong in your compost pile. While hot compost piles can kill off many diseases, weed seeds, and insects, it's not a sure thing, and some of these unpleasant guests may survive to invade your garden again. Certain materials can also invite unwanted wildlife to the pile or spread human diseases. Avoid adding the following to your compost bin:
• Kitchen scraps like meats, oils, fish, dairy products, and bones. They attract unwanted animals, such as rats and raccoons, to the pile.
• Weeds that have gone to seed or that spread by their roots, such as quackgrass
• Diseased or insect-infested vegetable or flower plants
• Herbicide-treated grass clippings or weeds
• Dog, cat, or pig feces.
Let's talk ratios: In composting corners, you often hear about the C/N ratio or carbon to nitrogen ratio. Basically, all organic matter can be divided into carbon-rich (brown stuff) and nitrogen-rich (green stuff) materials. Using the right mixture of brown to green stuff when building a compost pile encourages the pile to heat up and decompose efficiently. Although nearly any combination of organic materials eventually decomposes, for the fastest and most efficient compost pile in town, strike the correct balance (C/N ratio) between the two types of material — usually 25 to 1 (that is, 25 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen).
Table 1 shows which common compost materials are high in carbon and which materials are high in nitrogen. Notice that the softer materials, such as fresh grass clippings, tend to be higher in nitrogen than hard materials, such as sawdust. Mix these together to form a pile with an average C/N ratio of 25-to-1 to 30-to-1, and you'll be well on your way to beautiful compost. Use the following ratios as guidelines. Actual ratios vary depending on the sources of the materials and other factors. And speaking of sources — be sure that your compost materials haven't been contaminated with pesticides or other chemicals.
Table 1: Carbon/Nitrogen Ratios of Various Materials
Material and C/N Ratio
Table scraps, 15:1
Grass clippings, 19:1
Old manure, 20:1
Fresh alfalfa hay, 12:1
Fruit waste, 25:1
Corn stalks, 60:1
Old leaves, 80:1
Straw, 80:1
Paper, 170:1
Sawdust, 500:1
Wood, 700:1
Quick and easy compost recipes
To make the most compost in the shortest amount of time, try some of these proven recipes. For each recipe, mix the ingredients thoroughly and follow the directions in the next section, "Keeping your pile happy." Depending on weather and compost ingredients, you should have finished compost within one to two months.
Recipe #1: Four parts kitchen scraps from fruits and vegetables, 2 parts chicken or cow manure, 1 part shredded newspaper (black ink only), and 1 part shredded dry leaves.
Recipe #2: Two parts kitchen scraps, 1 part chicken manure, and 1 part shredded leaves.
Recipe #3: Two parts grass clippings, 1 part chicken manure, and 1 part shredded leaves.
Keeping your pile happy
A hot pile is a happy pile. If you follow the method of just throwing everything together, the pile will rarely heat up. If you follow the method of building the pile carefully with a balanced C/N ratio, the pile will start to cook within a week. Now you need to keep it cooking. Here's the procedure:
1. Keep the pile moist by periodically watering it.
Dig into the pile about 1 foot to see if it's moist. If not, water the pile thoroughly, but not so that it's soggy. The pile needs air, too, and adding too much water removes air spaces. If you built the pile with moist ingredients, such as kitchen scraps, it won't need watering at first.
2. Turn the pile when it cools down.
Using a garden fork, remove the outside layers and put them aside. Remove the inside layers into another pile and then switch. Place the outside layers in the center of the new pile and the inside layers along the outside of the new pile.
3. Let it cook again.
How hot it gets and how long it cooks depends on the ratio of C/N materials in the pile and whether you have the correct moisture levels.
4. When it's cool, turn it again.
You should have finished compost after two to three turnings. The finished product should be cool, crumbly, dark colored, and earthy smelling.
Sometimes, a compost pile never heats up, smells bad, or contains pieces of undecomposed materials. Chances are that one of the following conditions occurred:
The pile was too wet or dry.
You added too many carbon materials and not enough nitrogen materials.
The pieces of material were too big or packed together. Shred leaves, branches, and pieces of wood to decompose more quickly.
The pile was too small.
Making your own compost is probably the simplest way to ensure high quality compost and save some money. It's really not as complicated as you may think: The many commercial composting bins and containers on the market make it a mess-free and hassle-free process.
A well-constructed compost pile — built with the proper dimensions and maintained correctly — heats up fast; decomposes uniformly and quickly; kills many diseases, insects, and weed seeds; doesn't smell; and is easy to turn and maintain. Conversely, a pile just thrown together rarely heats up and, therefore, takes longer to decompose. This type of cold composting doesn't kill any diseases, insects, or weed seeds; may smell bad; and definitely looks messy.
Containing your compost pile makes it look neater, helps you maintain the correct moisture, and prevents animals from getting into it. You can build your own, as shown in Figure 1, or buy a commercial home composting unit. The advantages of a commercial composter include the availability of a wide range of attractive sizes and shapes and ease of use. Choose from box-shaped plastic and wooden bins and barrels or elevated and easy-to-turn tumblers, as shown in Figure 2. Store-bought bins are costly, however, and produce only small quantities of compost at a time, especially compared to a homemade bin that's built from scrap lumber or wire.
Figure 1: Build a simple wooden bin to hold your compost pile.
Figure 2: Commercial composters help you make compost yourself.
Here's what you need to know to build a good compost pile:
1. Choose a shady location, out of the way, but still within view so that you don't forget about the pile.
The soil under it should be well drained.
2. Make a bin.
Create a wire cylinder that's 3- to 4-feet in diameter or build a three-sided box (similar to the one in Figure 1), that's 4 to 5-feet high and wide.
3. Add brown materials.
Add a 6-inch layer of "brown" organic matter — such as hay, straw, old leaves, and sawdust — to the bottom of the container.
4. Add green materials.
Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of "green" organic matter, such as green grass clippings, manure, table scraps, or even high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as cottonseed meal, on top of the brown layer.
5. Repeat these layers, watering each one as you go, until the pile is 4 to 5-feet tall and fills the bin.
A smaller pile won't heat up well and a larger pile can be difficult to manage.
6. Within two days, mix the layers together thoroughly.
Particle size should be varied, smaller particles hasten decomposition.
7. Cover the pile with a tarp to keep rain away and preserve moisture.
If the pile gets too soggy or too dry, it won't heat up.
Not all organic matter is good for the compost pile. Following is a look at what to add to a pile, what not to add, and in what ratios to add it:
What to add to the pile or composter: What you put in the compost pile is up to you — just remember that it needs to be from an organic material. Here's a short list of possibilities:
• Hay, straw, pine needles
• Leaves
• Kitchen scraps (egg shells, old bread, vegetable and fruit scraps)
• Animal manure, except for dog, cat, pig, or human
• Old vegetables, flowers, or trimmings from trees and shrubs
• Sawdust
• Wood chips
• Weeds
• Shredded black and white newspaper. (In the past, color printing used heavy metals in the ink. Most color printing now uses soy-based inks, but it's better to avoid them in the garden altogether to be on the safe side.)
What not to add: Some items don't belong in your compost pile. While hot compost piles can kill off many diseases, weed seeds, and insects, it's not a sure thing, and some of these unpleasant guests may survive to invade your garden again. Certain materials can also invite unwanted wildlife to the pile or spread human diseases. Avoid adding the following to your compost bin:
• Kitchen scraps like meats, oils, fish, dairy products, and bones. They attract unwanted animals, such as rats and raccoons, to the pile.
• Weeds that have gone to seed or that spread by their roots, such as quackgrass
• Diseased or insect-infested vegetable or flower plants
• Herbicide-treated grass clippings or weeds
• Dog, cat, or pig feces.
Let's talk ratios: In composting corners, you often hear about the C/N ratio or carbon to nitrogen ratio. Basically, all organic matter can be divided into carbon-rich (brown stuff) and nitrogen-rich (green stuff) materials. Using the right mixture of brown to green stuff when building a compost pile encourages the pile to heat up and decompose efficiently. Although nearly any combination of organic materials eventually decomposes, for the fastest and most efficient compost pile in town, strike the correct balance (C/N ratio) between the two types of material — usually 25 to 1 (that is, 25 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen).
Table 1 shows which common compost materials are high in carbon and which materials are high in nitrogen. Notice that the softer materials, such as fresh grass clippings, tend to be higher in nitrogen than hard materials, such as sawdust. Mix these together to form a pile with an average C/N ratio of 25-to-1 to 30-to-1, and you'll be well on your way to beautiful compost. Use the following ratios as guidelines. Actual ratios vary depending on the sources of the materials and other factors. And speaking of sources — be sure that your compost materials haven't been contaminated with pesticides or other chemicals.
Table 1: Carbon/Nitrogen Ratios of Various Materials
Material and C/N Ratio
Table scraps, 15:1
Grass clippings, 19:1
Old manure, 20:1
Fresh alfalfa hay, 12:1
Fruit waste, 25:1
Corn stalks, 60:1
Old leaves, 80:1
Straw, 80:1
Paper, 170:1
Sawdust, 500:1
Wood, 700:1
Quick and easy compost recipes
To make the most compost in the shortest amount of time, try some of these proven recipes. For each recipe, mix the ingredients thoroughly and follow the directions in the next section, "Keeping your pile happy." Depending on weather and compost ingredients, you should have finished compost within one to two months.
Recipe #1: Four parts kitchen scraps from fruits and vegetables, 2 parts chicken or cow manure, 1 part shredded newspaper (black ink only), and 1 part shredded dry leaves.
Recipe #2: Two parts kitchen scraps, 1 part chicken manure, and 1 part shredded leaves.
Recipe #3: Two parts grass clippings, 1 part chicken manure, and 1 part shredded leaves.
Keeping your pile happy
A hot pile is a happy pile. If you follow the method of just throwing everything together, the pile will rarely heat up. If you follow the method of building the pile carefully with a balanced C/N ratio, the pile will start to cook within a week. Now you need to keep it cooking. Here's the procedure:
1. Keep the pile moist by periodically watering it.
Dig into the pile about 1 foot to see if it's moist. If not, water the pile thoroughly, but not so that it's soggy. The pile needs air, too, and adding too much water removes air spaces. If you built the pile with moist ingredients, such as kitchen scraps, it won't need watering at first.
2. Turn the pile when it cools down.
Using a garden fork, remove the outside layers and put them aside. Remove the inside layers into another pile and then switch. Place the outside layers in the center of the new pile and the inside layers along the outside of the new pile.
3. Let it cook again.
How hot it gets and how long it cooks depends on the ratio of C/N materials in the pile and whether you have the correct moisture levels.
4. When it's cool, turn it again.
You should have finished compost after two to three turnings. The finished product should be cool, crumbly, dark colored, and earthy smelling.
Sometimes, a compost pile never heats up, smells bad, or contains pieces of undecomposed materials. Chances are that one of the following conditions occurred:
The pile was too wet or dry.
You added too many carbon materials and not enough nitrogen materials.
The pieces of material were too big or packed together. Shred leaves, branches, and pieces of wood to decompose more quickly.
The pile was too small.
5.24.2008
Creating Paper Bag Luminarias for Holiday Decorating
Traditionally, luminarias are made of votive candles set in paper bags weighted with sand and placed in rows along walkways, driveways, and even rooftops. You can use them in new ways, however, to light paths, a mantel, or a staircase. Because they're so simple to make, you can use them as projects for children. Light up your nights for the holidays by making some luminarias for your home and customizing them for a specific holiday.
You can decorate, punch, or cut designs from lunch-size paper bags to make holiday luminarias quickly and easily. Use bags in holiday colors (you can find them at party supply stores) to give your luminarias a holiday look. For instant decorating — no embellishments required — use the preprinted themed bags that are often used for holding goodies.
Place one to two inches of sand in the bottom of each paper bag. Nestle a tealight or votive candle into the center of the sand. When you're ready to use your luminaria, just light the wick of the tealight or candle.
Stamping, stenciling, or drawing designs
You can customize plain bags by stamping, stenciling, or drawing designs on them with craft paint or markers. Stencil stars for the Fourth of July, or stamp shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day. A simple drawing of a jack-o'-lantern for Halloween or a stenciled Star of David for a dusk celebration can provide a beautiful way to welcome guests and make any occasion special.
For a simple way to make a luminaria with a complex design, use a computer to print clip art in black ink on plain copy paper. Trim the copy to fit just inside one side of the plain brown bag, and then glue or tape it into place. When you light the luminaria, the black lines of the design show up on the outside of the bag. With this little trick, you can quickly make luminarias that look as if you spent lots of artistic energy on them.
Try to find designs that look like silhouettes or are completely black: They show up better when the luminaria is illuminated.
Perforating designs
When you perforate outlines of designs in your paper bag luminaria, bright pinpricks of light shine through the paper. Perforating outlines of designs in paper is easy. Just follow these steps:
1. Place several layers of folded newspaper on a cutting board.
2. Tape your paper bag, with the bottom flap unfolded, to the newspaper with pieces of masking tape or removable tape.
3. Take a thumbtack and prick evenly spaced holes along the outline of the design, making sure you prick through both layers of the bag.
Cutting out designs
Cutting small designs out of the paper bag will allow a little more light to shine through your luminaria. But remember, when you cut more paper from the bag, you also allow more wind in, making the candle flame more likely to go out.
When cutting out designs, use shapes that are 1 to 1-1/2 inches in size. Anything larger will weaken the structure of the bag, making it more likely to sag.
1. Place several layers of folded newspaper on a cutting board. Tape your paper bag, with the bottom flap unfolded, to the newspaper with masking tape or removable tape.
2. Draw or trace the outline of the design on the bag.
3. Cut out shapes with a craft knife.
If you want to use cookie cutters for patterns or larger motifs, you can use two bags (with one serving as a liner) to give the cut bag strength. This layered effect is very pretty when you use a contrasting colored bag for the inner liner.
When burning candles, always follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe and proper use. For more about candles and a close look at candle safety tips, head over to the National Candle Association.
You can decorate, punch, or cut designs from lunch-size paper bags to make holiday luminarias quickly and easily. Use bags in holiday colors (you can find them at party supply stores) to give your luminarias a holiday look. For instant decorating — no embellishments required — use the preprinted themed bags that are often used for holding goodies.
Place one to two inches of sand in the bottom of each paper bag. Nestle a tealight or votive candle into the center of the sand. When you're ready to use your luminaria, just light the wick of the tealight or candle.
Stamping, stenciling, or drawing designs
You can customize plain bags by stamping, stenciling, or drawing designs on them with craft paint or markers. Stencil stars for the Fourth of July, or stamp shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day. A simple drawing of a jack-o'-lantern for Halloween or a stenciled Star of David for a dusk celebration can provide a beautiful way to welcome guests and make any occasion special.
For a simple way to make a luminaria with a complex design, use a computer to print clip art in black ink on plain copy paper. Trim the copy to fit just inside one side of the plain brown bag, and then glue or tape it into place. When you light the luminaria, the black lines of the design show up on the outside of the bag. With this little trick, you can quickly make luminarias that look as if you spent lots of artistic energy on them.
Try to find designs that look like silhouettes or are completely black: They show up better when the luminaria is illuminated.
Perforating designs
When you perforate outlines of designs in your paper bag luminaria, bright pinpricks of light shine through the paper. Perforating outlines of designs in paper is easy. Just follow these steps:
1. Place several layers of folded newspaper on a cutting board.
2. Tape your paper bag, with the bottom flap unfolded, to the newspaper with pieces of masking tape or removable tape.
3. Take a thumbtack and prick evenly spaced holes along the outline of the design, making sure you prick through both layers of the bag.
Cutting out designs
Cutting small designs out of the paper bag will allow a little more light to shine through your luminaria. But remember, when you cut more paper from the bag, you also allow more wind in, making the candle flame more likely to go out.
When cutting out designs, use shapes that are 1 to 1-1/2 inches in size. Anything larger will weaken the structure of the bag, making it more likely to sag.
1. Place several layers of folded newspaper on a cutting board. Tape your paper bag, with the bottom flap unfolded, to the newspaper with masking tape or removable tape.
2. Draw or trace the outline of the design on the bag.
3. Cut out shapes with a craft knife.
If you want to use cookie cutters for patterns or larger motifs, you can use two bags (with one serving as a liner) to give the cut bag strength. This layered effect is very pretty when you use a contrasting colored bag for the inner liner.
When burning candles, always follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe and proper use. For more about candles and a close look at candle safety tips, head over to the National Candle Association.
5.23.2008
Creating a Low-Maintenance Feng Shui Garden
You can achieve a beautiful Feng Shui garden even if you don't have a lot of time to devote to gardening. Keeping a garden low maintenance is easy if you plan carefully and keep up with chores so they don't get out of hand (turning a one-hour chore into a ten-hour chore). For instance, you can pull small weeds from your front flowerbed once a week or you can skip it and end up spending an entire weekend in July hacking through a jungle sized weed patch where you can barely see your plants.
As you plan your garden, determine how much maintenance each type of plant needs. For example, a tree may require pruning, leaf cleanup, and mulching. A garden shed could need annual painting or a deck may need annual sealing. Factor these time demands into your garden planning.
A large lawn obviously takes a lot of time to mow, edge, and trim; so if you can limit the amount of lawn (and keep it in a regular shape, like a square or rectangle), you spend less time mowing.
Choosing carefree plants
If you plant only those plants that thrive in your environment, you have fewer gardening chores to keep up with. Remember these tips for easier caretaking:
After a native plant has been established in your garden (a year or two), you don't need to water it. (Or at least, not very often.) So choose drought-tolerant native plants and dump the garden hose.
Substitute groundcover for grass, particularly in those areas where you have difficulty getting grass to grow.
Eliminate plants that are susceptible to pests and diseases in your area. Check with your local extension agency.
Even though annuals are replaced, um, annually, choose those that work best in your area to reduce maintenance.
Shrubs can be low maintenance if you choose healthy, native plants.
Choose plants that produce less litter. Crab apple trees create crab apples, and someone has to pick them up (or, if that someone is a kid, throw them at passersby). Pinecones may make festive centerpieces, but again, someone has to collect them. Choose trees with small leaves (less raking) and avoid fruit trees to reduce maintenance time.
Selecting simple garden structures
Keep your garden structures low maintenance, too. This reduces the amount of time you spend repairing, painting, and replacing objects in your garden. Here's how:
Don't paint or stain garden structures. Naturally weathered wood looks good and doesn't require much upkeep.
One pair of gardeners bought a certain house largely because of the huge deck in back, on which they envisioned hosting lots of parties. Well, they got to host their parties, but they didn't love it so much when they realized the original homeowners had painted the deck and now they had to re-paint it every year or it looked terrible!
Choose dark-colored wrought-iron furniture for low-maintenance tables and chairs.
Install a self-contained fountain or birdbath rather than a pond. Ponds require much more maintenance and are more difficult to install.
Growing a garden with minimal effort
If you've chosen suitable plants and have reduced maintenance time on sheds, furniture, and other garden structures, you're well on your way to keeping gardening demands to a minimum.
Now, place the right plants in the right places, and you reduce maintenance needs even further! For example
Create beds of plants. Don't mow and trim around four different beds if you can mow and trim around one (albeit a big one).
Group like plants together. Plants that need like amounts of water, for example, can be placed together to reduce maintenance time.
Place plants where they grow best. So plant sun lovers in full sun and shade lovers in shade.
Avoid unnecessary pruning by knowing how big a specific plant grows and planting it where it has room to reach its full potential. Tomorrow comes sooner than you think. Consider the case of the gardener who planted a pin oak as a sapling when he first purchased his house. His wife said, "You're planting that too close to the house, aren't you?" and he said, "It'll be 25 years before we have to worry about that." Well, before he knew it, he was chopping down that pin oak because it was dropping branches on the roof. Remember, conscious and deliberate placement and planning are important in Feng Shui. A Feng Shui garden isn't meant to be enjoyed for just one season but for many years to come.
Keep more delicate plants in containers. That way, you can simply bring them indoors instead of having to create elaborate protective measures for delicate plants in the ground.
Prioritize maintenance jobs. Make sure that the most important jobs — the ones most beneficial to your plants — get done. The others can wait.
As you plan your garden, determine how much maintenance each type of plant needs. For example, a tree may require pruning, leaf cleanup, and mulching. A garden shed could need annual painting or a deck may need annual sealing. Factor these time demands into your garden planning.
A large lawn obviously takes a lot of time to mow, edge, and trim; so if you can limit the amount of lawn (and keep it in a regular shape, like a square or rectangle), you spend less time mowing.
Choosing carefree plants
If you plant only those plants that thrive in your environment, you have fewer gardening chores to keep up with. Remember these tips for easier caretaking:
After a native plant has been established in your garden (a year or two), you don't need to water it. (Or at least, not very often.) So choose drought-tolerant native plants and dump the garden hose.
Substitute groundcover for grass, particularly in those areas where you have difficulty getting grass to grow.
Eliminate plants that are susceptible to pests and diseases in your area. Check with your local extension agency.
Even though annuals are replaced, um, annually, choose those that work best in your area to reduce maintenance.
Shrubs can be low maintenance if you choose healthy, native plants.
Choose plants that produce less litter. Crab apple trees create crab apples, and someone has to pick them up (or, if that someone is a kid, throw them at passersby). Pinecones may make festive centerpieces, but again, someone has to collect them. Choose trees with small leaves (less raking) and avoid fruit trees to reduce maintenance time.
Selecting simple garden structures
Keep your garden structures low maintenance, too. This reduces the amount of time you spend repairing, painting, and replacing objects in your garden. Here's how:
Don't paint or stain garden structures. Naturally weathered wood looks good and doesn't require much upkeep.
One pair of gardeners bought a certain house largely because of the huge deck in back, on which they envisioned hosting lots of parties. Well, they got to host their parties, but they didn't love it so much when they realized the original homeowners had painted the deck and now they had to re-paint it every year or it looked terrible!
Choose dark-colored wrought-iron furniture for low-maintenance tables and chairs.
Install a self-contained fountain or birdbath rather than a pond. Ponds require much more maintenance and are more difficult to install.
Growing a garden with minimal effort
If you've chosen suitable plants and have reduced maintenance time on sheds, furniture, and other garden structures, you're well on your way to keeping gardening demands to a minimum.
Now, place the right plants in the right places, and you reduce maintenance needs even further! For example
Create beds of plants. Don't mow and trim around four different beds if you can mow and trim around one (albeit a big one).
Group like plants together. Plants that need like amounts of water, for example, can be placed together to reduce maintenance time.
Place plants where they grow best. So plant sun lovers in full sun and shade lovers in shade.
Avoid unnecessary pruning by knowing how big a specific plant grows and planting it where it has room to reach its full potential. Tomorrow comes sooner than you think. Consider the case of the gardener who planted a pin oak as a sapling when he first purchased his house. His wife said, "You're planting that too close to the house, aren't you?" and he said, "It'll be 25 years before we have to worry about that." Well, before he knew it, he was chopping down that pin oak because it was dropping branches on the roof. Remember, conscious and deliberate placement and planning are important in Feng Shui. A Feng Shui garden isn't meant to be enjoyed for just one season but for many years to come.
Keep more delicate plants in containers. That way, you can simply bring them indoors instead of having to create elaborate protective measures for delicate plants in the ground.
Prioritize maintenance jobs. Make sure that the most important jobs — the ones most beneficial to your plants — get done. The others can wait.
5.19.2008
Creating a Low-Maintenance Feng Shui Garden
You can achieve a beautiful Feng Shui garden even if you don't have a lot of time to devote to gardening. Keeping a garden low maintenance is easy if you plan carefully and keep up with chores so they don't get out of hand (turning a one-hour chore into a ten-hour chore). For instance, you can pull small weeds from your front flowerbed once a week or you can skip it and end up spending an entire weekend in July hacking through a jungle sized weed patch where you can barely see your plants.
As you plan your garden, determine how much maintenance each type of plant needs. For example, a tree may require pruning, leaf cleanup, and mulching. A garden shed could need annual painting or a deck may need annual sealing. Factor these time demands into your garden planning.
A large lawn obviously takes a lot of time to mow, edge, and trim; so if you can limit the amount of lawn (and keep it in a regular shape, like a square or rectangle), you spend less time mowing.
Choosing carefree plants
If you plant only those plants that thrive in your environment, you have fewer gardening chores to keep up with. Remember these tips for easier caretaking:
After a native plant has been established in your garden (a year or two), you don't need to water it. (Or at least, not very often.) So choose drought-tolerant native plants and dump the garden hose.
Substitute groundcover for grass, particularly in those areas where you have difficulty getting grass to grow.
Eliminate plants that are susceptible to pests and diseases in your area. Check with your local extension agency.
Even though annuals are replaced, um, annually, choose those that work best in your area to reduce maintenance.
Shrubs can be low maintenance if you choose healthy, native plants.
Choose plants that produce less litter. Crab apple trees create crab apples, and someone has to pick them up (or, if that someone is a kid, throw them at passersby). Pinecones may make festive centerpieces, but again, someone has to collect them. Choose trees with small leaves (less raking) and avoid fruit trees to reduce maintenance time.
Selecting simple garden structures
Keep your garden structures low maintenance, too. This reduces the amount of time you spend repairing, painting, and replacing objects in your garden. Here's how:
Don't paint or stain garden structures. Naturally weathered wood looks good and doesn't require much upkeep.
One pair of gardeners bought a certain house largely because of the huge deck in back, on which they envisioned hosting lots of parties. Well, they got to host their parties, but they didn't love it so much when they realized the original homeowners had painted the deck and now they had to re-paint it every year or it looked terrible!
Choose dark-colored wrought-iron furniture for low-maintenance tables and chairs.
Install a self-contained fountain or birdbath rather than a pond. Ponds require much more maintenance and are more difficult to install.
Growing a garden with minimal effort
If you've chosen suitable plants and have reduced maintenance time on sheds, furniture, and other garden structures, you're well on your way to keeping gardening demands to a minimum.
Now, place the right plants in the right places, and you reduce maintenance needs even further! For example
Create beds of plants. Don't mow and trim around four different beds if you can mow and trim around one (albeit a big one).
Group like plants together. Plants that need like amounts of water, for example, can be placed together to reduce maintenance time.
Place plants where they grow best. So plant sun lovers in full sun and shade lovers in shade.
Avoid unnecessary pruning by knowing how big a specific plant grows and planting it where it has room to reach its full potential. Tomorrow comes sooner than you think. Consider the case of the gardener who planted a pin oak as a sapling when he first purchased his house. His wife said, "You're planting that too close to the house, aren't you?" and he said, "It'll be 25 years before we have to worry about that." Well, before he knew it, he was chopping down that pin oak because it was dropping branches on the roof. Remember, conscious and deliberate placement and planning are important in Feng Shui. A Feng Shui garden isn't meant to be enjoyed for just one season but for many years to come.
Keep more delicate plants in containers. That way, you can simply bring them indoors instead of having to create elaborate protective measures for delicate plants in the ground.
Prioritize maintenance jobs. Make sure that the most important jobs — the ones most beneficial to your plants — get done. The others can wait.
As you plan your garden, determine how much maintenance each type of plant needs. For example, a tree may require pruning, leaf cleanup, and mulching. A garden shed could need annual painting or a deck may need annual sealing. Factor these time demands into your garden planning.
A large lawn obviously takes a lot of time to mow, edge, and trim; so if you can limit the amount of lawn (and keep it in a regular shape, like a square or rectangle), you spend less time mowing.
Choosing carefree plants
If you plant only those plants that thrive in your environment, you have fewer gardening chores to keep up with. Remember these tips for easier caretaking:
After a native plant has been established in your garden (a year or two), you don't need to water it. (Or at least, not very often.) So choose drought-tolerant native plants and dump the garden hose.
Substitute groundcover for grass, particularly in those areas where you have difficulty getting grass to grow.
Eliminate plants that are susceptible to pests and diseases in your area. Check with your local extension agency.
Even though annuals are replaced, um, annually, choose those that work best in your area to reduce maintenance.
Shrubs can be low maintenance if you choose healthy, native plants.
Choose plants that produce less litter. Crab apple trees create crab apples, and someone has to pick them up (or, if that someone is a kid, throw them at passersby). Pinecones may make festive centerpieces, but again, someone has to collect them. Choose trees with small leaves (less raking) and avoid fruit trees to reduce maintenance time.
Selecting simple garden structures
Keep your garden structures low maintenance, too. This reduces the amount of time you spend repairing, painting, and replacing objects in your garden. Here's how:
Don't paint or stain garden structures. Naturally weathered wood looks good and doesn't require much upkeep.
One pair of gardeners bought a certain house largely because of the huge deck in back, on which they envisioned hosting lots of parties. Well, they got to host their parties, but they didn't love it so much when they realized the original homeowners had painted the deck and now they had to re-paint it every year or it looked terrible!
Choose dark-colored wrought-iron furniture for low-maintenance tables and chairs.
Install a self-contained fountain or birdbath rather than a pond. Ponds require much more maintenance and are more difficult to install.
Growing a garden with minimal effort
If you've chosen suitable plants and have reduced maintenance time on sheds, furniture, and other garden structures, you're well on your way to keeping gardening demands to a minimum.
Now, place the right plants in the right places, and you reduce maintenance needs even further! For example
Create beds of plants. Don't mow and trim around four different beds if you can mow and trim around one (albeit a big one).
Group like plants together. Plants that need like amounts of water, for example, can be placed together to reduce maintenance time.
Place plants where they grow best. So plant sun lovers in full sun and shade lovers in shade.
Avoid unnecessary pruning by knowing how big a specific plant grows and planting it where it has room to reach its full potential. Tomorrow comes sooner than you think. Consider the case of the gardener who planted a pin oak as a sapling when he first purchased his house. His wife said, "You're planting that too close to the house, aren't you?" and he said, "It'll be 25 years before we have to worry about that." Well, before he knew it, he was chopping down that pin oak because it was dropping branches on the roof. Remember, conscious and deliberate placement and planning are important in Feng Shui. A Feng Shui garden isn't meant to be enjoyed for just one season but for many years to come.
Keep more delicate plants in containers. That way, you can simply bring them indoors instead of having to create elaborate protective measures for delicate plants in the ground.
Prioritize maintenance jobs. Make sure that the most important jobs — the ones most beneficial to your plants — get done. The others can wait.
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