Techniques Archives - Page 3 of 4

Straw Bale Garden vs Traditional In-ground Garden – A Critical Comparison

Straw bale gardening seems to be an “in-thing” to try and I have written about it in Pros and Cons of Straw Bale Gardening. I see people on line praising the technique, but I also see a lot of people reporting failure. What is rare is any side-by-side comparison of straw bale gardening to traditional in-ground gardening. Even proponents of straw bale gardening don’t provide evidence for their claims by making a comparison.

I wanted to see for myself how well it worked, so this year I decided to do a comparison between my traditional vegetable garden and straw bale gardening. Here is what I found.

Straw Bale Garden vs Traditional In-ground Garden — Straw bale garden vs traditional In-ground garden

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Tire Gardens for Potatoes and Tomatoes – Is it Safe?

Several gardening trends are colliding. Lots of new gardeners want to grow vegetables and raised beds are very popular. Combine that with a desire to be green and reuse material and tire gardens seem to be a good option. These are gardens made with old discarded tires.

Tires have another big advantage. They accumulate heat which potatoes and tomatoes just love, especially in colder climates.

But are these tires safe? Do they leach toxic material that will get into the food and contaminate it? There are lots of opinions on this, but very little in the way of a scientific review. Time to change that.

Tire Gardens for Potatoes and Tomatoes - Is it Safe?, photo source Lovetoknow — Tire Gardens for Potatoes and Tomatoes – Is it Safe?, photo source Lovetoknow

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Should You Buy Ladybugs for the Garden

Ladybugs, which are also called ladybirds and lady beetles are good predators for things like aphids and many people recommend buying them as a natural method of pest control in the garden.

Does this work? Should you buy ladybugs for the garden?

Should You Buy Ladybugs for the Garden, photo source Sam Prestigiacomo

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The Stumpery Garden – A Perfect Place for Ferns and Woodland Gems

A stumpery garden is a way to take your shade garden to a new level. It is the perfect place for ferns, hosta and all other shade loving plants. It’s a gardening style that lets you be as artistic as you want to be. Now cover all that with lovely moss and a great habitat for insects, toads and mushrooms, and you start to see the wonders of a stumpery.

Its the next big gardening craze and in this post I’ll tell you all about it, and show you how to design and build your own.

The Stumpery Garden - A Perfect Place for Ferns and Woodland Gems — The Stumpery Garden – A Perfect Place for Ferns and Woodland Gems

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Myths About Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Gardens

Rainwater harvesting systems are a hot topic in gardening circles. As we become more aware of the value of water, gardeners want to collect rain and use it to water their plants. Not only does this make financial sense, but in many cases the quality of the water is much better than tap water. And it is great for the environment because it sends less water to the city for processing.

Along with any good idea comes a number of myths. In this post I will look at myths pertaining to the use and harvesting of rainwater.

Myths About Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Gardens, photo from Buzzword

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Straw Bale Gardening – Pros and Cons

Straw bale gardening has a small but steady following. Historically, it has been used for a long time, but fell out of favor as more traditional gardening practices developed. In recent years it has seen increased interest but so far it is mostly a novelty form of gardening. Is this a technique we should all be using?

In this post I’ll look at the claimed benefits and examine the pros and cons of the system.

Straw Bale Gardening - Pros and Cons, photo by Colling-architektur — Straw Bale Gardening – Pros and Cons, photo by Colling-architektur

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Hugelkultur Gardening Method & Hugelkultur Raised Beds

You have probably heard the name; hugelkultur gardening (pronounced Hoo-gul-culture), but few people have actually tried it. It is also now being used to make hugelkultur raised beds.

Is this a gardening technique that you should try? What does the science say about it? Should we all stop what we are doing and make hugels?

Hugelkultur Gardening Method & Hugelkultur Raised Beds, Photo source: RichSoil

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Companion Planting – Are Scented Plants the Best Choice?

A common quote on the internet is, “It’s best to use strongly scented plants for companion planting because they confuse pests looking for their host plant.” This is a commonly voiced opinion, and it usually follows with a list of fragrant plants that make good companion plants, such as marigolds, onions, mint, chives, lavender, wormwood, and many other herbs.

This seems to make perfect sense. Insects looking to lay eggs on a cabbage might be confused when they smell a marigold and leave the area thinking there are no cabbages.

Read any of the thousands of websites and books about companion planting and they all agree; that strongly scented plants are your best option. The only problem is that none of these suggestions are based on science. ………. The facts are going to surprise you.

Person planting marigolds — Companion Planting – Are Strongly Scented Plants the Best Choice?

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Sheet Mulching (Lasagna Gardening) – Does It Harm Soil?

Sheet mulching, also called lasagna method or lasagna gardening, is a popular technique for creating a new garden. Some people even use it as an annual mulching system to keep weeds down.

Lots of people claim success with the technique because it does kill grass and weed plants. Others claim that sheet mulching reduces the oxygen levels in the soil, thereby harming the biology in the soil. Which side of the argument is correct? Should you be using sheet mulching in the garden?

Sheet Mulching (lasagna gardening) - does it harm the soil biota — Sheet Mulching (lasagna gardening) , Photo credit The Real Dirt Blog

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GA3 – Gibberellic Acid Speeds Up Seed Germination

Gibberellic acid is a natural plant hormone that can be used to speed up the germination of seeds. It is mostly used on seed that is difficult to germinate or ones that takes a long time to germinate. This post will examine how it works, and your options for using it.

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Select the Best LED Grow Light for Great Results

Is it time to update your grow light fixtures? Are you looking for a new grow light system? In both cases this post will provide you with all of the information you need to make the best choice.

LED lights have come a long way and if you are buying a new light today, LED is the way to go. They last a long time and provide a good level of light at a very low electrical cost. They are good for you, your plants and the environment.

If you already have a florescent grow light, consider replacing the bulb with an LED bulb that fits in your existing fixture.

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10 Garden Jobs You Can Stop Doing

Most gardeners work far too hard. Why? Because a lot of books and web sites tell you it’s the only way to keep plants growing well. As a young, inexperienced gardener I followed all the advice but over the years I have developed a new style of gardening. I now only do the work that is required.

This blog will save you hundreds of hours of work each year.

In this post I will reveal 10 things that you can stop doing in the garden because they are not needed by your plants. The focus in this post will be on ornamental gardens (perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees). In another post I will deal with vegetable gardens specifically.

Garden Jobs You Can Stop Doing — Gardening the right way

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