Freitag, 10. Juni 2011

Choosing the Right Gardening Tools

Picture by Rarely Obscure
There are many variables you need to have knowledge of when it comes to gardening tools. There are a wide range of tools available and some are similar to those made for major agricultural applications. You will find that most gardening tools for home usage are simple to use and can be electrically powered or manual. If this is your first experience with a garden then you will first need to decide on where you want it to go.

A critical role in this decision will be how easy it is for you to reach the different areas of your garden. Also, it is not unusual to have the same tool in two versions, one with a short handle and another with a long handle. It really is a matter of your own personal preferences.

You may at first glance consider the typical lawn rake outside the bounds for garden use. But actually they are often needed for the same reasons people use them on their lawns. Lawn rakes can be sold under different names too, such as ground rakes or grass rakes. During the fall, you can keep garden beds clear of fallen leaves with a rake. A garden rake can also be perfect for spreading mulch around new plants, or leveling freshly prepared soil in garden beds. You'll find plenty of different shapes and sizes of rakes available to suit your preferences. To make clearing garden beds easier and to get in between your plants, you can even buy rakes with really narrow heads.

Longer term maintenance and care for mature garden plants will require pruning activities depending on what you are growing. When pruned at the right time, some larger plants do very well.

Pruning might also be required to avoid any problems that excessive growth might cause. Pruning shears are the most popular tool for this task but there are people who use standard scissors as well. In some cases, though, you could need a pruning saw, especially if the branches are very thick. You'll need a saw mainly for more robust bushes and shrubs. If you aren't certain of how your plants need to be pruned, all you need to do is search online because there's plenty of guides available.

Having both a garden and a lawn is nice, because there are ways that the can benefit each other. A leaf rake is another tool that is good to have, because leaves will certainly blow into your garden during the fall. Not everyone keeps their garden up for the entire year, but let it go during the off season. To keep your garden from becoming a lot of hard work during the spring, you should do some work when fall comes. To break up the soil in your garden, and keep it clean throughout the year, you will need a leaf rake. When you are weeding your yard or garden, you must not leave the debris to long, or it will blow all over, even throughout your garden. There are many times that you will use your leaf rake to keep your garden clean. There are some auto mechanics who spend a lot of money for tools they rarely use, but those tools are very much appreciated when needed. The same can be said about owning all of the important gardening tools, because some day they will all be used.

Donnerstag, 2. Juni 2011

Choosing The Type of Garden You Want to Build

Picture by Maciej Lewandowski
When creating a garden there are many various styles to choose from. You can build a traditional garden in the manner of English, French or Japanese styles (among many others), or you can build one that's completely your own creation. A good idea would be to use an attractive garden as a basis, and then add your own additions as time goes on. In this article, we'll be discussing some ideas for gardens that can help you get started.

Many consider the French garden to be exceedingly orderly and proper. While it can be modified for a more limited area, this garden type was conventionally placed on large estates. Paths lined with well heeled trees or hedges is an indicator of a French garden. On a grand scale, topiaries and mazes will be present many of the former in the likes of animals and other forms chiseled from hedges or other plants. This type of garden is very symmetrical, with exact geometrical lines. Fountains or pools and other adornments are also found and add to the garden's sense of lavishness.

Water gardens are a very intriguing sort of garden that you may wish to have, regardless of whether you currently have a body of water on your property or not. If you have no natural water near your property, you can install a fountain or even a big tub of water in the middle. It is important to get lots of sunlight for a water garden, as it's required by the aquatic plants.

Fish are always incorporated into a water garden because they are able to clear up the debris left in the pond. Water gardens can cost a lot of money to get started and they're a big project to complete, but they do look very nice. You would be better off with a smaller water garden if you aren't experienced with this type of gardening.

Roof gardens are becoming increasingly popular as land available for cultivation has grown more tight. It would be out of the question for many city dwellers who live in small apartments or brownstones to garden in a traditional manner. People throughout the world have made extensive use of rooftop gardens though they are just now coming into favor in the United States. Form a community garden club in your apartment building that will help not only with the gardening work but benefit from the produce. A personal rooftop garden may fit your needs if you have a flat area on the roof and limited gardening space on your land. Depending upon the style of garden you want to have, make a choice that is compatible with your particular region in the world. Your garden needs to have all of the plants, vegetables, and flowers that you want as you are the one that is going to be taking care of it. Whatever garden you create is only limited by how much time you have, the amount of work you are going to put into it, and your imagination.

If you would like to see some professional garden plans, check out this Collection of Landscaping Ideas.