Gardening In A Square Foot

If you haven’t heard of square foot gardening, you’re about to learn one of the most useful and versatile gardening techniques ever created. Conceived by Mel Bartholomew, author of Square Foot Gardening, the techniques have been enthusiastically adopted by gardeners all over the world. Square foot gardening is eminently suited for container gardening, patio and roof gardening, backyard gardening, organic gardening, herb gardens, vegetable gardens, flower gardens and more.

The basic concept is to start small ? the unit of measure is the square foot. Although Bartholomew’s original square foot garden was four feet square, many schools, community gardens and home gardeners start even smaller ? a couple of one square foot containers is plenty to get you started. According to Bartholomew though, a four square foot garden provides just enough harvest for one person.

How to Create A Square Foot Garden

Creating your own square foot garden is as easy as building (or buying) a box in which to garden. My own first square foot garden was a two square foot garden on the cement apron outside my back door in a city apartment. I used four square wicker plastic lined wicker wastebaskets bought for a dollar apiece at the All-for-a-Buck store. Any container that can hold 6-8? of dirt, and has drainage holes in the bottom will work. The biggest requirement for location is sun ? choose a nice, sunny spot to place your garden.

Did I say dirt? Amend that. Bartholomew recommends what he calls ‘Mel’s mix’ instead of soil. Mix 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 compost to fill the squares of your box or container. A 10 pound bag of each was plenty to fill my little 2 square foot garden.

Choosing and Laying Out the Plants for Your Square Foot Garden

The most important factor in laying out your garden is the one-square-foot grid. You’ll be planting one type of plant in each square ? how many of them depends on the recommended spacing between plants ? which you’ll find on the back of the seed packets. Depending on the needs of the specific seedlings, you can plant 1, 4, 9 or 16 plants in each square. To break it down ? if the recommendation on the seed packet is 1 foot apart, you can plant 1 in a square. If they need six inches between plants, you can plant 4. Two inches gives you room for 9 plants, and one inch spacing means you can fit 16 plants into one square foot.

My own first square foot garden was a spaghetti garden with this layout:

1 Basil Plant 4 Tomato plants

1 Oregano Plant 16 Onion plants

After You Harvest Your Square Foot Garden

Harvest the crop in each square foot when it’s ready, and continue harvesting until it’s no longer producing fruit/vegetables. At that point, uproot the plants in that square (use them for compost!), and plant another, different crop. By refilling and rotating the crops, you avoid depleting the natural nutrients of the soil, and keep every bit of space productive throughout an entire growing season.

About the Author This article courtesy of http://www.floral-world.org/

Shaan Randow

picture by mom2rj

Gardening in Containers

Container gardening is a wonderful idea whether you have a garden bed or not. It's perfect for apartments or small areas, but can also really enhance your patio. Here are some tips on gardening in containers.

Every Garden can benefit from the addition of container gardens. They add interst and variety, plus are easily moved around. If you live in an apartment or have a small area to work with this may be the only solution for you.

Your Container

Your container can be pretty much anything and is only limited to your imagination. Just make sure there is adequate drainage for your plants. I love old buckets, discarded kitchen pots and baskets for a rustic feel. For a formal garden choose a more traditional container.

Regardless of your choice of container, make sure it's not to big or too small for your planting.

Your Soil

Do not use garden soil for your container plants. Garden soil is too heavy, dries out too quickly and will not provide the needed nutrients your container plants need. You can find good potting soil at your local garden center or you can mix your own.

To mix your own make sure you include soil, peat, sand and a slow release fertilizer.

Maintenance

You'll need to pay close attention to your container grown plants -- much more than plants in your garden beds. The soil will dry out more quickly so frequent watering it a must. You'll also need to fertilize more frequently. Water in the morning or evening whenever the soil is almost dry and water thoroughly until water comes out the bottom drainage holes.

One thing I really love about container gardening is mobility. If a particular grouping doesn''t work you can simply move your pots and change your garden design.

Have fun, experiment and be creative!

About the Author
Jill has been an avid gardener for the last 15 years. She faces the challenges of New Mexico's high desert at 6800 feet.Resource websites are http://www.bulbandseed.com and http://www.agardenwalk.com/

Jill Dow

Gardening is Good Therapy

Many of us garden just for the sheer joy of it. But did you know that all over the country the healing aspects of gardening are being used as therapy or as an adjunct to therapy?

Although this might sound like a new concept, garden therapy has been around for decades. For example, the Garden Therapy Program at Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, and in regional hospitals in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Rome, Thomasville and Savannah, has been helping people for over 40 years through gardening activities known as social and therapeutic horticulture.


So what exactly is social and therapeutic horticulture (or garden therapy)??


According to the article ‘Your future starts here: practitioners determine the way ahead’ from Growth Point (1999) volume 79, pages 4-5, horticultural therapy is the use of plants by a trained professional as a medium through which certain clinically defined goals may be met. ‘‘Therapeutic horticulture is the process by which individuals may develop well-being using plans and horticulture. This is achieved by active or passive involvement.’


Although the physical benefits of garden therapy have not yet been fully realized through research, the overall benefits are almost overwhelming. For starters, gardening therapy programs result in increased elf-esteem and self-confidence for all participants.’


Social and therapeutic horticulture also develops social and work skills, literacy and numeric skills, an increased sense of general well-being and the opportunity for social interaction and the development of independence. In some instances it can also lead to employment or further training or education. Obviously different groups will achieve different results.


Groups recovering from major illness or injury, those with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and mental health problems, older people, offenders and those who misuse drugs or alcohol, can all benefit from the therapeutic aspects of gardening as presented through specific therapy related programs. In most cases, those that experience the biggest impact are vulnerable or socially excluded individuals or groups, including the ill, the elderly, and those kept in secure locations, such as hospitals or prisons.


One important benefit to using social and therapeutic horticulture is that traditional forms of communication aren’t always required. This is particularly important for stroke patients, car accident victims, those with cerebral palsy, aphasia or other illnesses or accidents that hinder verbal communication. Gardening activities lend themselves easily to communicative disabled individuals. This in turn builds teamwork, self-esteem and self-confidence, while encouraging social interaction.?


Another group that clearly benefits from social and therapeutic horticulture are those that misuse alcohol or substances and those in prison. Teaching horticulture not only becomes a life skill for these individuals, but also develops a wide range of additional benefits.


Social and therapeutic horticultures gives these individuals a chance to participate in a meaningful activity, which produces food, in addition to creating skills relating to responsibility, social skills and work ethic.?


The same is true for juvenile offenders. Gardening therapy, as vocational horticulture curriculum, can be a tool to improve social bonding in addition to developing improved attitudes about personal success and a new awareness of personal job preparedness.


The mental benefits don’t end there. Increased abilities in decision-making and self-control are common themes reported by staff in secure psychiatric hospitals. Reports of increased confidence, self-esteem and hope are also common in this environment.


Prison staff have also noticed that gardening therapy improves the social interaction of the inmates, in addition to improving mutual understanding between project staff and prisoners who shared outdoor conditions of work.?


It’s interesting that studies in both hospitals and prisons consistently list improving relationships between participants, integrating with the community, life skills and ownership as being some of the real benefits to participants.


But in addition to creating a myriad of emotional and social benefits, the health benefits of being outdoors, breathing in fresh air and doing physical work cannot be overlooked. In most studies, participants noted that fresh air, fitness and weight control where prime benefits that couldn’t be overlooked.?


Although unable to pin down a solid reason, studies have shown that human being posses an innate attraction to nature. What we do know, is that being outdoors creates feelings of appreciation, tranquility, spirituality and peace. So it would seem, that just being in a garden setting is in itself restorative. Active gardening only heightens those feelings.?


With so many positive benefits to gardening, isn’t it time you got outside and started tending to your garden? Next time you are kneeling in fresh dirt to pull weeds or plant a new variety of a vegetable or flower, think about the tranquility you feel while being outdoors in your garden. Let the act of gardening sooth and revitalize you. Soak up the positive benefits of tending to your own garden.


If you have someone in your life that could benefit from garden therapy, contact your local health unit to find out more about programs in your area. Not only will the enjoyment of gardening help bond you together, but it will also create numerous positive mental and physical benefits for both of you.


So get gardening today for both your physical and mental health. You’ll enjoy the experience so much that you’ll immediately thank yourself. Valerie Giles operates the Grow Your Own Garden Website which focuses on gardening products, flower and vegetable seeds, atio furniture and garden accessories. Everything ou need for the gardening season.http://www.grow-your-own-garden.com/

Valerie Giles

Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Gloves

Ahh, spring! It has sprung! Gardeners (and budding gardeners - no pun intended) have begun the quest for a weedless lawn, or a bountiful garden. But if you're looking for gifts for someone with a green thumb (or someone with green thumb envy), consider the situation first.


Some people think of gardening as a chore. Others see it as relaxing. Some will see it as exercise, and still others consider it art. Some people have the magic touch in the garden, while others couldn't grow mold if they tried! This is important when considering gardening gifts. You need to know if you should give something to make gardening easier, more fulfilling, more challenging, or more fun.


For those people who see it as a chore, gardening just adds more items onto the never-ending to-do list. In this case, you need to consider gardening gifts that will make these outdoor chores easier, faster, and less of a hassle.


Power tools and storage & organization aids usually fall into this category, along with the ever popular lawn tractor. A leaf blower/vacuum can make clean-up a breeze (again - no pun intended). The same can be said for a pressure washer. Heavy jobs are made easier with a wheelbarrow or yard cart. And organizing a collection of garden tools is simple with a storage bench or shed. Other ideas include a convenient watering timer.


If your gift recipient enjoys gardening as a hobby, you'll want to take a look at gardening gifts that can bring more fulfillment or enjoyment to the outdoors. They would benefit from a magazine subscription like "Garden Design", or a gardening book ("Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass") to help cultivate their ideas. Garden enthusiasts like to sit back and enjoy their hard work, so patio furniture and accessories would also be a great gift.


And let's not forget the gardener wanna-be: those whom we love that just can't seem to keep that plant alive - whose thumb isn't really green at all! Start off with a how-to book like "Lawn Care For Dummies" or "Taylor's Encyclopedia of Garden Plants", and complement that with some basic gardening tools or accessories. These types of gifts would also be great for first-time home buyers.


For the gardener who already "has it all", you might want to consider something a little more unique, like an indoor grow light, solar stepping stones, or a cascading fountain. And if you're just not sure what to get, there's always a gift certificate or gift card.


For more gardening gift ideas, visithttp://www.the-gift-wizard.com/gardening-gifts.html
About the Author
The Gift Wizard is a gift researcher for http://www.the-gift-wizard.com/

The Gift Wizard

Herbs For A Spaghetti Garden

Herbs are one of the delightful pleasures of life. They add flavor to your food, scent to the air and beauty to your garden. In colonial times, no home was complete without an herb garden for the lady of the house to use in her kitchen, and it wasn’t unusual for those herb gardens to be separated by use ? savory herbs, tea herbs, medicinal herbs. That’s a tradition that’s made a comeback in many modern gardens.


One of the more popular types of kitchen gardens is a spaghetti garden. Oregano, basil, garlic, bay and parsley are such easy to grow plants that it’s a pity for anyone to use dried and bottled herbs if they have a sunny patch of ground or a window-box. A few square feet of garden space can easily yield all the herbs that you’ll need for delicious Italian meals. They’re even easy enough to grow in a sunny window for year round use.


Bay Laurel


Bay leaves add a piquant hint of spice to stews, soups and especially spaghetti sauce. The bay laurel is a small tree that grows slowly ‘ about a foot per year ‘ making it eminently suitable for growing in a container. Unless you live in a mild climate zone (where the temperatures don’t drop below 25 degrees in the winter), you’ll do best to keep the tree in a pot and bring it indoors during the winter.


Basil


Basil is an annual, but it seeds itself so easily that I’ve never had to buy another after planting my first year. There are many varieties of basil, but all grow fast and require frequent pinching back to keep them from growing leggy and tall. To harvest: when the plants have reached about 6-8 inches tall, you can begin harvesting. Simply use your thumb and forefinger to pinch off the top 1/3 of the plant, just above a leaf intersection. Be sure to pinch off any flower buds before they go to seed. Six to eight plants will provide enough basil to make pesto for the entire neighborhood.


Garlic


Garlic is possibly the easiest plant in the world to grow. Simply break apart a clove of garlic (yes, right from the grocery store!), and plant the cloves about 4 inches apart, 2-4 inches deep in light soil. Water lightly, and watch them grow. Harvest when tips of leaves turn brown ‘ do NOT let them flower. To harvest: dig up the bulbs, and use them. In the interests of keeping a fresh supply going, plant one or two cloves from each bulb!


Parsley


Parsley is easily the most used herb in the world. It comes in both flat (Italian) and curly varieties, and complements the flavor of everything from delicate sauces to hearty stews. It’s often used as a garnish on plates, or chopped and added to soups, dressings and salads. It adds vitamins and color, and subtly brings out the flavor of other ingredients in the meal. The parsley plant is a biennial, flowering in its second season. It prefers a little shade on a hot sunny day, and should be kept well watered to avoid wilting and drying. To harvest: pinch back woody older stems all the way to the base, allowing new leaves and branches to grow.


Oregano


A perennial ground cover plant, oregano is a prolific grower that can send out shoots that grow up to six feet in a single season. If encouraged with pruning and bunching, oregano can grow into a small border plant. It prefers light, thin soil and lots of sun, so keep it on the south side of your garden. Harvesting can start when the plants reach 4-5 inches. Simply pinch back as you would basil. The young leaves are the most flavorful part of the plant, and are actually considerably stronger dried than fresh. To dry, lay the harvested leaves out on newspaper or drying screens in the sun until the leaves crumble easily. Dried oregano will retain its flavor for months.

About the Author This article courtesy of http://www.florists-guide.com/

Tim Henry

Herbs For A Tea Garden

Is there anything more refreshing on a hot summer day than a tall glass of iced tea with a sprig of fresh mint? Or a more calming end to a long day than a steaming infusion with chamomile or mint? A tea garden can ensure that you have a steady supply of your favorite herbs ? and it’s surprisingly easy to grow.


Most tea herbs grow quite happily in moderate sun, so choose a spot that gets about 6 hours of full sun a day. If you choose to grow your tea herbs directly in the ground, be aware that many of them will spread voraciously, choking out any other plants nearby. To prevent that, sink bottomless buckets or baskets into the ground and plant the herb plant inside it to help control the roots. Of course, if you choose to garden in containers, that won’t be a problem at all.


Chamomile


Chamomile is a very pretty, lacy annual (though there is one variety that is a perennial) that grows about 2 feet high. It likes partial shade to full sun, and sandy, dry soil. The tea is made from chamomile flowers rather than leaves. Harvest regularly once the plants start to flower. To dry chamomile, cut stems back to new leaf growth and tie in loose bunches. Hang upside down in a dry, dark place till the leaves are crumbly. Or: dry just the flower heads on drying screens in the oven or in the sun.


Catnip


Catnip has been used for medicinal teas for colds and stomach upsets since ancient times. Its most often combined with other herbs ? lemon balm and lemon grass are particular favorites. The plant is a perennial that grows readily in dry, sandy conditions, but can be coaxed along in nearly any sort of soil or light conditions. Added bonus: catnip is a natural pest repellant, both in the garden and dried. To take advantage of its pest repellant properties, dry and place in cloth pouches and tuck under baseboards or closets. Tea is made from dry or fresh leaves, combined with chamomile, comfrey or lemon balm.


Lemon Balm


A hardy, drought-resistant perennial, lemon balm grows so readily that it is actually considered a pest plant in some parts of the United States. The plant looks a lot like mint ? to which it’s related ? and has a hint of minty flavor to it. Like most other tea herbs, it can be used either dried or fresh, though the dried leaves have a more intense flavor. The plant grows about 24 inches tall, and must be pinched back and pruned often to keep it under control.


Mint


Ah, mint! There are so many varieties of mint that you could easily plant a mint garden with no other plants at all. At last count, there were an estimated 6,000 varieties ? and growing, since the plant cross-pollinates so easily. It’s also the most pernicious spreader of all the herbs. One plant will take over an entire garden within two seasons if it’s not contained. Mint likes rich soil and light shade, but will grow in almost any conditions. It also makes a great, easy to maintain house plant.


Some favorite mint varieties for tea are:Peppermint ? of course! Peppermint is the most popular of all the mints, with its sharp, spicy, cooling tastes.


Spearmint ? the mint of mint juleps. Spearmint grows readily in any climate.


Apple mint ? a hint of fruity flavor underlying the cool, fresh taste of mint


Chocolate mint ? yes, chocolate! This one is far better with dessert than as a tea. Crush the leaves and whirl in a blender with vanilla ice cream for an incredible treat.


About the Author This article courtesy of http://www.florists-guide.org/

Tim Henry

How to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden

The flittering of the butterfly through your garden is no accident if you planned your garden carefully. The adult butterfly flitters from flower to flower - sipping nectar from many flowers in your gardens, while other adult butterflies search for areas to lay their larvae. It is good to take note that the butterfly garden is going to differ from other areas of your garden. Your natural instincts will be to kill off pests, larvae and creatures in the garden, but in the butterfly garden your best results are noticed when you use organic gardening: Which means no chemicals at all.

If you want to include the use of butterflies in your landscape you will need to create a safety zone for your butterflies to feel safe. Butterflies frequent habitual zones, where they feel safe and where areas of the landscape meet with the tree lines. Creating your butterfly gardens near or around trees will help in attracting even more of these graceful creatures to your gardens.

A tip in attracting the Black Swallowtail or the Anise Swallowtail is this: Plant parsley, dill or fennel in your gardens, these plants attract this certain butterfly. If these herbs are not your favorites, you can attract other types of butterflies using other flowers. To attract the Fritillary butterfly for instance, plant Lupine flowers your garden. Or you may want to consider planting Snapdragons to attract butterflies that are native in your own area. Your early butterfly gardens are going to attract butterflies only in passing, but creating and growing the gardens that offer a safe haven for the butterfly will urge them to stay in your garden.

Butterflies are attracted to areas of your gardens where they can gather food for their offspring. The caterpillar will eat from the plants while the adult butterflies will sip on the nectar of the flowers. As your plants, shrubs, and flowers mature, the amount of butterflies to your gardens will also increase. The plants and flowers that you put in your garden this year will attract only a few, but in the years to come the natural instinct of the butterfly will lead them to your garden.

What is the adult butterfly searching for in your gardens? The butterfly searches for areas to take shelter from the high winds, the rains, and the summer storms. This is where the trees and shrubs in your gardens become important in protecting the butterfly and offering shelter. During the normal, warm sunny summer day the butterfly wants the wide-open areas of your lawn and garden.

Butterflies will seek soft soil that is sandy-like to find water. The sand-like soil that allows water to puddle up after a rainstorm is a butterflies delight. The developing stages of the caterpillar to the butterfly are observed often in the established butterfly garden.

By creating the atmosphere in the garden that offers the shelter, food, water and the fragrance the butterfly is searching for you will have Butterfly Garden success.

Need flower and garden products? Visit The Garden Source Network today!
About the Author This article is provided courtesy of The Garden Source Network - http://www.garden-source.com - a large gardening network devoted to helping you find all the gardening materials you need, such as Seeds, Live Plants, Roses, Trees and Beautiful decor. This article may be distributed and published on any website, as long as this statement and URL remain intact, and the website address is linked properly.

Kathy Burns-Millyard

How to Choose Water Garden Plants

By Brett Fogle

So the water garden bug has bitten. You’ve dug and leveled and sweated and said words you hope that no one else has heard. Now it’s time for the fun part ‘ picking out your water garden plants!

Plant varieties within these four categories are what you need to eyeball: deep-water, marginals, oxygenators, and floaters. (If you think these words are big words, just be happy we’re not talking about medicine.)

After you’ve diligently planted your new plants in plastic tubs, pans, or clay pots, packing the fertilizer- and chemical-free soil down tightly, load the container down with pea gravel to keep the soil from floating away. (Don’t ask why this works, but it does.) Plunk your plant into the water at the appropriate depth (You’ll read about that in just a minute) and you’re on ready to go!

Plant-dunking should be generally be done during the growing season. For new ponds, wait four or five weeks for the water plants to do their thing before you add your fish. If you just can’t hold your horses, or your fish, for that long, you can jump the gun a couple of weeks, but the idea is to let the plants first get established.

When picking your plants, you’ll no doubt be wowed by water lilies of the tropical persuasion. These aquatic wonders are popular compared to their hardier cousins with knock-out fragrance, big blooms day or night ‘ depending on the variety ‘ and a habit of blooming their little hearts out nearly every day during the growing season. They love their warmth, though, so unless you live in a year-round, warm-weather climate, be prepared to hasten them into a greenhouse or at least muster up some funds to buy them some ‘grow’ lights to tough it out through the winter.

They will definitely bite the dust at freezing temperatures, but give them night-time temps of at least 65F and daytime temps of 75F or warmer, and your love affair with tropicals will only grow that much more torrid.

Hardy water lilies, while not the showboaters that tropicals are, are . . . well, hardier. Their big advantage is that they can stay in the water year ‘round unless it freezes so deeply the rootstock is affected. And being the tough guys they are, you can plant these puppies deeper than the tropicals, some living it up in depths of 8 to 10 feet.

Both hardy and tropical water lilies are real sun worshippers. At least 5 to 10 hours a day is what it takes, along with regular fertilization, to keep these plant pals happy.

Everybody and their brother with a water garden wants a lotus plant. (Sisters, too, no doubt.) These water-lily relatives come in hardy and not-so-hardy strains, so make sure you know what you’re buying. Much bigger than water lilies, lotus have huge, famously splendid blooms that not only will knock your socks off, but make you forget you have feet altogether. Their leaves and seed pods are so breathtaking, they’re a favorite in costly cut-flower arrangements. Big, bold, and beautiful, with water-depth needs of 2-3 feet, these shouters are really better off in big ponds that get plenty of sun.

Marginals (sometimes called ‘bog’ plants by those less high-falutin’) are grass-like plants that strut their stuff in shallow areas no deeper than 6? that border the water garden. They also do well in mud. Cattail, bamboo, rush, papyrus, and many other plants fall into the family of marginals and grow best with a minimum of at least three hours of sun.

Some plants are there but not seen, working stoically under water and without fanfare to fight algae, oxygenate the water, and provide food for fish. (In lieu of these plants, if your pond is small, you can fake it fairly adequately with an aquarium pump.) Easy on the wallet, varieties of these plants can be bought in bunches and like their soil sandy and/or gravelly. Like hardy water lilies, they, too, will warrior it through the winter.

Water hyacinths have become a recent rage, especially for the lazy among us. No soil is required for these beauties. Toss them in the water and they’re ‘planted.’ A water hyacinth ain’t just another pretty face, though; these plants do their part in the war against algae and blanket weeds by keeping sunlight scarce on the water’s surface. But one note of caution: This plant may take over the world if allowed. It’s invasive as all get out, so keep it under control or you (and your neighbors) may wish you’d never laid eyes on it.

A water garden isn't a garden without plants. Take your time, know your climate, and choose wisely. Your rewards will be great in return.

To read the full article, click here:
http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com/Newsletters/July2004/pond-plant-selection.shtml
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and pond-filters-online.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary 'New Pond Owners Guide' for joining, just visit MacArthur Water Gardens at http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com/. brett@macarthurwatergardens.com