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Types Of Decorative Mulches In Garden

Darrel Harminson — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:39:37 +0000

Mulches helps in preventing the growth of weeds which can quickly infect the garden and also competes with plants’ nutrition. They are very useful during hot and sunny days as they prevent evaporation of water. Several mulches are available which are not only functional, but also decorative. They provide more beauty to garden with their fanciful appearance of colors and textures.

Gravel:
Gravel is a kind of inorganic mulch which is used on pathways, shrub beds, steps and driveways. Based on the material used, they may be fine or rough in texture. Types of gravels are pea gravel, pebbles, lava rocks, limestone, crushed rocks and river rocks. Decomposed granite and rocks extracted from granite or marble remnants are also other alternatives. Gravel will not retain weed seeds or diseases, and it will also not withhold the soil of nitrogen. They are available in various colors and must be selected based on the type of garden.

Recycled Glass:
The best method to recycle and reuse broken glass is by utilizing it as mulch. Recyclers grind, jumble and round out the sharp corners of different types of recycled glass and sell to landscape shops, home improvement centers or online retailers. Glass mulch will not absorb, so the water goes directly into the plants. It will not fragment and fertilize the soil, as done by organic mulch. Glass mulch will function well in any type of garden, but is best suitable for contemporary or tropical gardens. Mix and match various colors to design boundary or logos or design and add visual impact to garden.

Rubber:
Recycling rubber to produce rubber mulch is associated with a unique encapsulation process to provide a strong long-lasting color. Using rubber mulch has many benefits like, improved moisture holding, soil insulation and evaporation reduction. Moreover, it is cheaper than gravel, crushes growth of weeds, molds and fungus. Rubber mulch can be used on planting beds of any kind.

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Few Gardening tips for Beginners

Philip Amalong — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:40:25 +0000

Are you interested in gardening and looking for some tips before starting a gardening program? Here are some of the basic but important things you should remember before starting a gardening program. Proper planning is very essential to succeed in gardening.

First of all select a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight everyday. Check if the location has good drainage. Make sure that the water doesn’t stand after a rain or watering the plants.

Pluck out the weeds, trees and shrubs that would compete with your garden plants for water, nutrients and light. Beginners generally have a tendency to go to extremes, as they do not realize the work it involves. It is always better to start out small and increase gradually.

But before planting, you should be ready with some tools to prepare the soil to plant. At least you should have a hoe, rake, spade, sprinkler, string and stakes before you start anything. It is better to test your soil before planting to know how much of what kind of fertilizer is needed.

Then prepare a good planting bed that has been dried sufficiently. Planting on wet soil damages the structure of the soil. Check if its dry enough by squeezing a handful of sand.

Plant the seeds or saplings at reasonable depth leaving enough space between them. If you are planting transplants, remove them from containers before planting. Planting is not the end; you should actively involve in many other works as regularly plucking the weeds, control insects and pests etc.

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Cultivating A Backyard Edible Garden By Yourself

Richard Campbell — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:23:33 +0000

Many people are planning to cut on expenditures to comply with the bad economy. However, for some, it seems to be a hard and confusing task. Everything seems to be as important as earlier, now where could you cut on?

How about planning to set up a edible garden in your backyard-garden? This helps you to cut on your shopping for vegetables, at least. In addition, the pleasure of eating your own vegetables (which you grew) is also the one, you shouldn’t miss.

Start with deciding which vegetables to grow. Select the one, which you like most. At the same time, make sure that it is feasible to grow those vegetables in your backyard, without many issues. Then continue with identifying the space you can use to grow your garden. Don’t hesitate to make a small deal of adjustments, if required. They are worth it.

Facilitate the place with suitable soil, for the plants to grow healthily. Use decorative planters, crocks, or window boxes if required.

Now plant. Start with planting your plants in rows. It helps you in terms of providing sufficient water to all plants as well as your tillers to battle weeds easily.