The initial planning stage for a rose garden may throw you off balance, when you visit the local garden store to be greeted by innumerable varieties of roses. There are countless numbers of colors, shapes and sizes to choose from. The sheer range of the varieties of roses that one can access for a garden is simply incredible. Hybrid tea, floribunda, shrubs and ground cover, climbers and heirloom roses are the main types of roses and each variety can claim its individual characteristics and are suitable for different types of landscapes.

One of the critical aspects of growing a rose garden, which you must always keep in mind, is the plant’s love for sunlight. A rose plant may grow according to the height and shape which is typical of that particular species but whichever type of rose you choose sunlight would be the main concern. Thus, when you choose a spot for growing rose plants in your garden, make sure that the spot gets at least 5 to 6 hours of good sunlight per day.

Hybrid tea roses look lovely when planted in rows through out the garden. They make excellent cutting flowers and have large blooms which show up mostly on single stems. Floribunda roses on the other hand are known for their breathtaking beauty and show up with many medium sized flowers on a single stem. Ground cover roses, selected primarily for size and color, behave much like shrubs. As the name suggests, climbers can be taught to look like a vine by tying them to a trellis during their growth phase.

The origin of heirloom roses can be traced back to the 19th century. This particular type has recently staged a comeback in terms of popularity. They are tough plants and the flowers are famous for their fragrance.

You must sit back and visualize your rose garden before you actually select any particular variety of rose. It is always interesting to see a mix of many varieties and sizes of roses rather than looking at rows of same type of roses in a garden. You must also think of the color scheme which you wish to give your garden as colors enhance the look and overall feel. For designing your garden in the most optimal way, you could consult catalogs, magazines or even online resources. Like all gardens a good planning will result in a good looking, healthy and colorful garden in the long run.

Once your planning for the garden is over, you must follow certain easy maintenance tips if you wish to see your rose garden prosper well for long number of years in the future. For instance, a rose garden must be cleaned regularly. Remove all dead and fallen leaves as well as other usual garden debris as often as you can. This will enable you to reach the roots of the plant while watering. Or else, you will eventually water the stem and leaves, which in turn will attract various fungal diseases and other problems for your plants.

Your plants will need timely feeding for proper growth not only during flowering seasons but also during dormant months. There are plenty of fertilizers available at the local garden store. Whichever fertilizer you choose, make sure that you follow the specific directions for use so that your plants remain healthy and grow optimally. Mulch is a great friend of the rose garden and so is careful pruning, both of which add life and vigor to the plant’s growth for great many years in the future.

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.

It is unfortunate that rose gardens have earned the wrong reputation of being difficult to maintain. The truth of the matter is that rose garden is easy to take care of even for a novice gardener. All you need is the knowledge of maintaining, protecting and pruning the garden and you can expect healthy, good looking roses for many years in the future.

Like any garden, a rose garden also requires regular cleaning. You must take care to remove all dead and fallen leaves as well as all unnecessary garden debris so that you are able to access the roots of the plants when you water the. Or else, you will land up watering the stems and leaves which in turn will attract fungal diseases as well as rust. Remember rose plants should be watered only at the roots and no where else on the plant body.

Like any living thing, rose plants also need food at the right time to look healthy through out the flowering season as well as during the dormant season. While there are many varieties of fertilizers available at any local garden store, be careful to read the instructions for use printed on every label which many vary according to the type of rose. The right amount of fertilizer is important for proper growth and maintenance of your rose plant. The thumb rule is to feel the plants during early spring when the buds are starting to swell. After the plant has produced a full bloom, it is feeding time again. For most climate zones, the plants have to be fed during late summer. A fourth feeding in early October may be needed if you live in a climate zone which has a long growing season.

Mulch is always a good friend for the rose garden. in summer it retains the moisture level and keeps it at a constant level. Thus, mulch must be added to your regular plant care schedule shortly before the first bloom appears. Similarly, during winter months, the root system of the plants stands to get damaged due to the frequent freezing and thawing cycle. Mulch can protect the root system from such damages if you reinforce the plant with several inches of soil and add mulch to this soil.

Careful pruning is the last tip for the successful maintenance of your rose garden. The recommended time is early spring when pruning should be done for a healthy and reproductive growth through out the flowering season. Get yourself a good and strong pair of shears for your pruning exercise. Take special care of the central part of your rose bush and prune this area specifically. This will ensure circulation of fresh air till much later in the season. All dead wood, weak growth and old canes must be removed at this point. The ideal height to which the plant has to be cut would depend largely on the type of rose plant and the specific recommendation. Rub alcohol on your pruning shears to prevent any spreading of mold or fungus to other parts of the plant or your garden.

Following these simple tips you can turn your rose garden into a dream garden which can add beauty and glamour to your landscape.

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.

Container gardens are the ideal solution for people who enjoy gardening but simply have little to no space. With this type of garden, you have the opportunity to plant a wonderful selection of vegetables and flowers, but instead of using land outside, you use small containers. Obviously, for individuals living in apartments, city dwellers, or homes without outside yard space where only a small balcony or patio is available, a container garden makes perfect sense. Regardless of the size your space is, your garden can be designed with wonderful variation for color and fragrance.

The first thing is choosing the containers for your garden. Interestingly, with a container garden, you can use literally anything. For instance, some great choices include things such as old bathtubs, washtubs, whiskey barrels, glass jars, kitchen bowls, ceramic pots, watering cans, you name it, and you could probably start a container garden in it. As long as the container will hold soil, plants, and water, you are set to go.

With a container garden, the type of container you choose will need to have a good drain hole in the bottom. If not, you can put two pieces of masking or duct tape in a crisscross pattern on the bottom and then with a small drill, begin to drill through the center, slowly working your way outward until the size is approximately one-inch in diameter. Then, prior to placing soil in the container, we suggest you place broken potshards or gravel in the bottom to help keep the soil inside the pot, especially when watering.

Popular choices for container gardens are wooden containers. In this case, just make sure the container is quality wood or you might be dealing with a bad case of wood rot. In addition to this, never use pretreated wood. With this, the wood has been treated with preservatives that can leak down into the soil, causing damage to the plants. Therefore, if you have your heart set on wood, simply choose something such as redwood or cedar, both excellent options.

You also want to make sure you have fun creating your container garden. Many times, you can find colorful trinkets or figurines already around the house or garage that would be perfect to enhance the look of your garden. If not, rather than spend a lot of money, you could check out local thrift stores, shopping for containers and knickknacks. With a container garden, you can create a sophisticated look, something Victorian, perhaps a rustic country look, or a garden that is colorful and whimsical.

Another important aspect of the container garden is the soil. Since you are planting in a confined space, soil from your yard is generally fine but you might consider buying a bag of good soil, which typically costs less than $5. The reason is that bought soil provides you with a cleaner mix, which is both disease and weed free. An important tip to remember when and if you ever report any of the plants – never reuse soil form the containers.

The growing mixture you use with container gardening is also designed so water will drain off quickly. The importance of this is to allow enough moisture to keep roots moist without the plants sitting in soaking wet soil, which can lead to root rot and other diseases. You also want to consider the plants that you grow since some may require different balances of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Just be sure you leave two inches from the top of the container between the top of the soil.

Because the soil for your container garden is formulated to drain quickly, fertilizer is important. A good rule of thumb is that the lighter the soil the more frequent you will need to fertilize. We suggest you go with a diluted type of liquid fertilizer. Two of the best options for healthy fruits and vegetables, as well as vibrant flowers are liquid seaweed or fish emulsion. However, remember that again, different plants have different nutritional needs to try to purchase those with the same requirements.

Typically, container gardens need about five to six hours of direct sunlight daily. Now, if you plan to grow vegetables such as carrots or beets, they would need more with fruits like tomatoes and cucumbers needing even more. For flowers, this would depend on the type of flowers being grown. In this case, your best option is to read the sunlight recommendations for plants when buying and purchase flowers with like requirements.

If you plan to grow flowers in your container garden, now the fun part starts with choosing what you will grow. Although you have literally hundreds and hundreds of possibilities, the following are some of our recommendations:

Browallia – Upward facing chalices that are simply beautiful. These desert bluebells can handle all types of conditions. Additionally, these flowers are beautiful as the main attraction or filler plants.

Coleus – This type of houseplant produces magnificent leaves of bronze, white copper, gold, yellow, red, pink, and purple. Hardy and strong, Coleus are a perfect addition to any container garden.

Impatiens – The flowers of Impatiens are dainty yet prolific. The petals shimmer with a magnificent coral, peach, and pink color with a darker petal margin that makes each bloom distinct.

Periwinkle – This type of flower is virtually disease and pest free. Best of all, it readily reseeds itself. The flowers are a beautiful white and pink color, adding gentle color to your garden.

Snapdragons – Everyone loves Snapdragons. If you have a container garden that can accommodate some height, these flowers provide a magical carpet of color with vibrant yellow, orange, pink, and red.

Black-Eyed Susan – Perfect for container gardens, these flowers are actually fast-growing vines that produce incredible yellow, orange, and white flowers with solid eyes, thus the name.

Keep in mind that these flower recommendations are just a few that you might consider. The best thing with any container garden is to do what you like. Once you have decided on a container and soil, choose flowers, plants, vegetables, herbs, or fruits that you enjoy.

The importance of proper watering cannot be stressed enough for your container garden plants. Container Gardens are exposed to wind and sun so they dry out quicker than plants in the ground. There are no exact rules about watering your container garden plants. You have to become acquainted with the needs of various garden plants. The best tip is to examine them daily and water the plant when the surface of the soil begins to look dry. Feeling the soil will also help you determine the moisture needs of your container garden. Or, take the easy way and invest in a water meter if you are not sure.

How much and when to water will depend on the kind of plant and soil, the type and size of container, and the amount of exposure to sun and wind. Climate and the weather also play their part. During hot spells most plants in your container garden need daily water, except those in small clay pots, which may require it twice. Some plants, like fuchsias and tuberous begonias, wilt when dry, but geraniums and succulents are not so sensitive to neglect. On the other hand, it is good to let soil dry out a little between watering. This prevents the soil from depleting its nutrients.

Since unglazed containers dry out quickest, watch them more closely. Wooden tubs, window boxes, and planters dry out more slowly; metal is the slowest of all. Groups of plants in large containers keep moist longer than single specimens. A good technique to avoid excess dryness is to have groupings of plants, arranged close together. This allows the container plants to shade one another to keep cool and stop moisture evaporation.

There are several methods of watering the plants. If you have many containers in your container garden, depend on the hose, allowing water to flow through slowly and gently. Water small pots with a watering can that has a long spout or buy one of the self watering containers now available. When plants are grouped closely in a container garden, set up a sprinkler or hose with a fine spray nearby, allowing it to run for a long while, until the soil is soaked. In many states where the climate is dry, an automatic sprinkler system is a must to keep your whole garden hydrated. Remember this tip with geraniums and petunias, avoid sprinklers which spot blossoms.

One thing is certain; you must not depend on rain to keep your container garden plants hydrated. Even heavy showers deposit a surprisingly small amount of moisture, and unless rains are frequent and lengthy, you must do your own watering. Remember those window boxes and other containers near houses or under trees can stay dry in spite of an all-day downpour.

Though it is essential to give enough water to your container garden, it is equally important not to over water and so cause root rot. Over-watering also prevents aeration of the soil, and will cause the plant to drown.

One good method is to set your container garden, if the containers are not too large, in a basin or pail of water for several hours, or until the surface of the soil feels moist (this is the theory behind self watering containers). Or immerse the pot in a tub or large barrel of water and leave it there until air is eliminated and the bubbling stops.

The best general rule is to soak soil thoroughly when you water and then allow it to go just a bit dry before you water your container garden again. Best of all, keep a small spiral notebook and paste the care of each plant into it so that you will always have the needs of each individual plant at your fingertips.

If you go away for long periods during the summer, give the container garden serious thought before making it a project. On the other hand, you can enjoy both holidays and plants if you are absent for only short periods. The best safeguard is to entrust your container garden to a responsible friend. Or if you are going away for a vacation at your second home, or one that you have rented, take the container garden with you as a little bit of home.

Several techniques can be practiced. One is to arrange smaller containers in boxes of peat moss, sawdust, or soil, which has been well soaked. Then there is the pot-in-pot method, whereby small pots are set in larger ones, with moist peat moss inserted between.

As mentioned above, in many of the garden centers self watering containers are offered for sale. These are ideal for your container garden when you are traveling or taking a vacation.

Wish you had a rose garden that would be neighbor’s envy, but owner’s pride? It is not that difficult really. All it requires is a bit of pre-planning and alert maintenance. When these two elements are in place, you could enjoy a healthy blooming rose garden all season long. The way to go is to remember the five import P’s: Plan, Prepare, Plant, Prune, and Protect.

Plan: Proper planning is the first important step in any gardening and rose gardening is no exception to this rule. Start by scanning through various catalogues, magazines related to gardening as well as information available at your local garden store. Color is the most important aspect to consider when choosing a plant. Visualize your garden with the roses and all the accompanying plants. Next think about the size and shape of the plants you wish in your garden. Here you have a lot of choices: from tough climbers to miniature roses suitable for container gardens, there is a plant to suit every position and need of your garden. There is one point to remember though: the rose plant needs a lot of sunlight to grow – a minimum of 4 to 5 hours depending on the variety you have chosen. This means that a shady spot in your garden may not be the right spot for growing roses.

Prepare: After you have selected the variety of rose, its shape and size, your next step is to prepare the soil. According to experts, pre-conditioning and priming of the soil is critical if you want the end result to be healthy and beautiful. In other words, all the hard labor that you put in at the beginning will pay rich dividends later by way of healthy and robust plants. You have to start the soil preparation by digging the soil about a foot deep. Do not throw away the soil as you will need it later. Then make a mixture of compost, peat moss or manure into the soil. Then put in the dug soil and begin your plantation.

Plant: After the soil has been made ready, you can begin your plantation according to specifications which may vary according to the type of rose. Start by digging a hole which is about six inches larger and deeper than the plant you are inserting in the ground. Remove the sapling very gently from its packaging or wrapping so as not to damage the roots during the transplantation process. Put back the soil gently but firmly around the plant and water generously. At this stage, add a layer of mulch which will retain the moisture of the soil as well as protect the root system of the plant during its growth phase.

Prune: Though the newly planted plants may not need any pruning till the next growing season, all the existing rose plants may need pruning. The best time for pruning is during early spring when the buds are starting to swell.

Protect: Rust, pests, fungal diseases and inclement weather are some of the imminent dangers which your rose garden will have to face and conquer. Pests can be controlled by using simple and mild pesticides; fungus and rust can be prevented if you only water the roots, avoiding the stem, leaves and flowers as well as by careful pruning and deadheading. You could depend on mulch for providing adequate protection to your plants during summer as well as winter.

Practice these five important P’s: Plan, Prepare, Plant, Prune and Protect and become a successful and proud owner of your own beautiful rose garden.

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.

Starting from the breakfast cereals to the vegetables on the superstore, every thing seems to have an ‘organic’ origin these days. What is the true significance of the term ‘organic’ really? While there are numerous definitions and theories available explaining the term, when it is a matter of gardening or rose gardening in particular, the meaning is very simple. Organic gardening is nothing but letting the plants grow naturally after the soil is fed with natural nutrients. This means that the plant grows with out any assistance from chemical fertilizers or ‘harmful’ pesticides. In other words, organic gardeners work in conjunction with nature rather than controlling the soil with the help of any chemical supplement.

There are many ways in which you could include organic gardening ideas in to your own rose garden. According to experts, appropriate priming of the soil is crucial if you wish to see your rose garden healthy and blooming. Start by digging the soil about a foot deep. Do not throw away the dug up soil, as you will need it at a later stage. Then add compost, peat moss and manure to this soil and then continue digging, this time mixing the soil with the additives. This will make sure that you have begun your rose gardening on a right note, as you have used only natural ingredients. Before you begin planting, add some bone meal to the first layer of dirt and replace the first foot of the soil.

To preserve the natural nutrients of the soil, mulch is an important additive. In summer it helps keep the weeds away and retains the moisture level of the soil. Mulch benefits the soil even in winter when it offers protection to your roses from the perilous cycle of freezing and thawing which damages the underground roots of the plant caused by the frequent shifts which it entails. To protect the roots of the plant during harsh winter months, you could strengthen it by adding several inches of soil to which mulch has been added. This protective measure will ensure that a healthy plant will show up in early spring.

While retaining the moisture of the soil as well as regular feeding with organic ingredients like peat moss will guarantee healthy growth of the plant, you have to take care of the several varieties of garden bugs and pests. According to organic gardening theory, bugs are part of nature and thus part of any garden also. Your local garden store can supply your with organic solutions in the event of any persistent pest problem which you might be facing.

Companion planting is another concept frequently used by organic gardeners. These additional plants not only add to the overall beauty of your garden but also keep many common pests at bay. Examples of useful companion plants are onion and garlic. The added benefit of these companion plants is that it adds to the variety in your garden.

A very intelligent way to avoid using chemical or artificial fertilizers yet get the most out of your rose gardening efforts is to choose the particular rose types which are indigenous to your area. You could easily get as may varieties in color and size of roses which are well-suited to your climate as well as soil. These flowers are easiest to grow as they need only the basic care and are well suited to your natural environment.

Thus organic gardening and organic rose gardening is not just a pleasurable experience but strikingly simple too.

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.

Wish you had a rose garden that would be neighbor’s envy, but owner’s pride? It is not that difficult really. All it requires is a bit of pre-planning and alert maintenance. When these two elements are in place, you could enjoy a healthy blooming rose garden all season long. The way to go is to remember the five import P’s: Plan, Prepare, Plant, Prune, and Protect.

Plan: Proper planning is the first important step in any gardening and rose gardening is no exception to this rule. Start by scanning through various catalogues, magazines related to gardening as well as information available at your local garden store. Color is the most important aspect to consider when choosing a plant. Visualize your garden with the roses and all the accompanying plants. Next think about the size and shape of the plants you wish in your garden. Here you have a lot of choices: from tough climbers to miniature roses suitable for container gardens, there is a plant to suit every position and need of your garden. There is one point to remember though: the rose plant needs a lot of sunlight to grow – a minimum of 4 to 5 hours depending on the variety you have chosen. This means that a shady spot in your garden may not be the right spot for growing roses.

Prepare: After you have selected the variety of rose, its shape and size, your next step is to prepare the soil. According to experts, pre-conditioning and priming of the soil is critical if you want the end result to be healthy and beautiful. In other words, all the hard labor that you put in at the beginning will pay rich dividends later by way of healthy and robust plants. You have to start the soil preparation by digging the soil about a foot deep. Do not throw away the soil as you will need it later. Then make a mixture of compost, peat moss or manure into the soil. Then put in the dug soil and begin your plantation.

Plant: After the soil has been made ready, you can begin your plantation according to specifications which may vary according to the type of rose. Start by digging a hole which is about six inches larger and deeper than the plant you are inserting in the ground. Remove the sapling very gently from its packaging or wrapping so as not to damage the roots during the transplantation process. Put back the soil gently but firmly around the plant and water generously. At this stage, add a layer of mulch which will retain the moisture of the soil as well as protect the root system of the plant during its growth phase.

Prune: Though the newly planted plants may not need any pruning till the next growing season, all the existing rose plants may need pruning. The best time for pruning is during early spring when the buds are starting to swell.

Protect: Rust, pests, fungal diseases and inclement weather are some of the imminent dangers which your rose garden will have to face and conquer. Pests can be controlled by using simple and mild pesticides; fungus and rust can be prevented if you only water the roots, avoiding the stem, leaves and flowers as well as by careful pruning and deadheading. You could depend on mulch for providing adequate protection to your plants during summer as well as winter.

Practice these five important P’s: Plan, Prepare, Plant, Prune and Protect and become a successful and proud owner of your own beautiful rose garden.

About the Author:

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.

Whenever we talk about cultivation or gardening we are constantly referring a matter called ‘soil’. But what is it and where does it originate from? Soil originally was formed from plant and animal decay. Billions of years ago, great masses of rock were crumbling under the massive pressure created by heat, water and subsequent friction. When millions of rock masses clashed with each other, bits of rock were strewn, small pieces of rock combined together to form larger rock pieces while some dissolved in water. Time of total chaos, as one can imagine.

Helped by the enormous gaseous exchange which was all around the earth there were tremendous temperature variations. This alternating heat and cold created havoc when rocks and stones crumbled and everything around went through a complete upheaval. This is the time when the earth was born. Imagine the havoc created by little temperature variations in our every day life – with the sudden freeze and thawing, water pipes bursting. Now imagine this havoc multiplied by several billion times. You can picture this presumably.

From these series of rubbing against each other, stones crumbling under pressure, it is easy to imagine how sand was formed. This is one of the layers or types of the soil – the sandy soil. You see great stretches of sandy soil in sea beaches. Come to think of it, if the earth only had sandy soil, it would be highly unproductive. But the early forms of plant and animal life, when dead, decayed to form rock mass and another type of soil emerged. Thus when we speak of soil, it could be a mixture of sandy soil, which could have sand, clay, vegetable matter or humus and sometimes animal waste as its constituents.

This brings us to another type of soil called the clayey soil. Some of the rocks, billions of years ago dissolved in water, as it covered it. This was aided by extreme temperatures and a gaseous substance in the air called carbon dioxide or carbonic acid. This gas can corrode rocks and eat away some of the elements in the rock. You have surely seen some large rock formation where one portion seems to be eaten away and juts out as if it has been broken off by some force. This is the effect of this corroding gas. This ‘eaten off’ part then changed into a substance which we call ‘clay’. As is evident this changed form is a result of not a mechanical but a chemical process.

The difference of the origin of sand and clay is thus: while sand was formed as a result of a mechanical process, clay was a result of a chemical reaction. The difference is also in the quality of the end result. An example of a purely mechanical process can be given if think of a large lump of sugar. When you break it into very tiny pieces, the components are still sugar. Sand from rock mass is pretty much the same. On the contrary, chemical changes can completely alter the end product. For instance, the rock through chemical processes turned into clay, an otherwise completely foreign substance. Thus a clayey soil is often referred to as mud soil because of the water content in its formation.

There is another type of soil called the lime soil. If I tell you now that farming soil was originally made from limestone, the expected question would be: from where did limestone turn up suddenly? Again, going back to the origin of earth, there were millions of animals belonging to the lower strata in the overall hierarchy of the animal kingdom who absorbed water particles of lime. This lime was subsequently used to make their skeletons and homes which they made to protect themselves from larger animals of prey. A coral under the sea is a perfect example of skeleton forming animal.

With time, the animals died and decayed but their skeletons remained. When large masses of such skeletons were pressed together over millions of years, limestone was formed. Examples of limestone are marble, a crystalline type of limestone, chalk, etc. You can tell whether it is limestone, if you drop a bit of this acid on some lime. See the effervescence. Then try it with chalk or marble. The same fizz occurs here too. No special acid test is required, but ordinary household vinegar can give you the same result.

Thus these are the three types of soil which a vegetable grower has to deal with.

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.

Before we discuss the art of vegetable cultivation, let me briefly outline the principles behind cultivation in general.

Cultivation is a process by which the soils is freed from weeds and encourage growth. This is bone for following two procedures: pumping in air into the soil and triggering availability of unavailable food and holding on to soil moisture.

The importance of cleaning his garden of weeds is something which any gardener knows whether he is an amateur or a professional. Weeds grow extremely fast and perhaps the crop has just seen two days’ of healthy growth when immediately after a splash of rain, the weeds have nearly covered all his legitimate crops! It is extremely difficult to remove weds from within the crops without harming the tender plants. Imagine a patch of carrots or onions, which is suddenly covered with weeds – it means that those unwanted growth is taking away precious nutrition right from under his own crops.

Thus not only is removing unwanted weeds important but repeated cultivation is also necessary for letting in fresh air, moisture and heat into the soil. All these are needed for transforming all the unavailable nutrients carried by the soil into some meaningful food which the plants can survive on. Much before any agricultural theory was developed on this aspect, cultivators and farmers had realized the importance of loosening the soil as much as possible for a healthy crop to grow. Remember plant roots not only need to eat nutrients, they also need plenty of fresh air to survive.

Next to air, the next important thing a plant needs is water. The importance of water to the soil can not be seen or felt, unless you appreciate this scientific phenomenon called the ‘capillary action’. Hold a strip of blotting paper in your hand and hold it in a glass of water. Water immediately rises through the invisible tubes formed inside the paper. Now cut across another strip and hold the two edges and repeat the procedure. The water will not rise to cross the line as the connection has been cut.

Much in a similar way, the water contained under the soil is continuously evaporating back into the atmosphere. The water on the surface obviously vaporizes first and then the water underneath; through millions of invisible tubes. You could stop this unnecessary waste by repeated cultivation where the soil surface is dug up not more than one or two inches deep. What you are actually doing thereby is to cut off the connection in the tube! So, when you severe the connection in the tube for the water to evaporate, you are able to maintain a mulch of dust just underneath and preserving valuable moisture for most small vegetables to grow and prosper.

The ideal thing to do is to cultivate those areas of your garden which are not under any shade once every 10 or 15 days. Does that look like too much work? Simply, push the wheel hoes right across as fast you can walk whereby you will keep the dust mulch as a constant protection. If you wait for the weeds to appear, you will never be able to walk fast on the soil and will harm the new plantlets by doing this activity. The weeds in any case have eaten all the vital nutrients.

Now that you know the importance of cultivating the land, you will naturally ask me, how can I do this? The answer is: get a wheel hoe. Get one of the simple ones as they can save you hours of labor if you are trying to do everything by hand. Of course it is possible to grow a vegetable garden without a wheel hoe but a small investment made right at the beginning will save you hundreds of man hours later. A wheel hoe makes the task of cultivation extremely easy and if you have trouble getting, at least get a scuffle hoe.

Getting rid of weeds is no easy task. While some hand work is necessary, here are a few suggestions which will reduce your work load: Do this job when the soil is wet – immediately after the rain. During this time the soil is soft and easy to pull out the weeds without breaking them. Just before weeding, take a wheel hoe and cut a narrow visible strip which is shallow over the rows of plantation. Remember this narrow strip has to be cleaned of weeds using your hands. The best tool for doing this job is a double wheel how with a disc attachment, or you could use hoes meant for large plants. You must take care to take out every bit of weed and see that the soil is adequately broken up. Just as you weed out the mature weeds, you should also destroy the sprouting weeds which are about to grow. To save your fingers from over-wear, you could use a simple hand weeder to accomplish this job comfortably.

To acquire the requisite skill of handling a wheel hoe you simply need lots of practice. The only place to watch while using this tool is the wheels only. The rake, disc or blades can take care of themselves.

At the time of second or third hoeing, you have to do a simple operation called ‘hilling’, which is nothing but gathering a mound of soil around the stem of the plant. The ‘hilling’ procedure is now nearly discarded and currently taken over by a process called ‘level culture’. The reason for such discarding is very apparent: when you make a small mount around the stem, the two angular inclines have more exposed surface than the base level. Going by the theory of soil evaporation from the surface, the inclines are obviously larger the base area and more moisture tend to evaporate from these surfaces. While in wet soils hilling is advisable, but very seldom on other soil types. The inclines also carry a disadvantage in the sense that it is difficult to maintain the dust mulch which is essential for soil maintenance.

Rotation of crops.

To get the maximum out of your soil, there is one important rule to be followed in vegetable gardening if you want healthy and rich vegetable crops. That is called crop rotation. The fundamental rules of crop rotation are:

1. Crops of the same vegetable family – like cabbage and turnips should not be planted one after the other.
2. Vegetables which feed near the surface of the soil like corn must be planted after deep-rooting crops.
3. Root crops must be followed by vine or leaf crops.
4. Crops that grow quickly should follow crops which are grown all season and occupy the land throughout the season.

Thus when you are making the plantation plan, you must keep this rotation principle in mind. You can expect the crops to be healthy and grow without any more attention to it.

If you keep the above suggestions in mind, you can be the owner of a vegetable garden that will do you proud

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.

While deciding to create your home vegetable garden, it is necessary to rubbish the idea that such concepts are meant for the ugly ’patch’ in the backyard. In fact, with proper care and meticulous planning in the planting of the plants, your home vegetable garden can outsmart any other creative garden. In fact, with a harmonious scheme, the home garden can be extremely welcoming which can look more beautiful that any shrub, borders or flower bed.

Growing a vegetable garden need not be restricted to the backyard or a site which is out of site, behind the barn etc. Of course, if space is a limiting factor, then you have to make do with whatever space you can. Before you start, remember that there are essentially two factors to be kept in mind when it comes to the site. Exposure and convenience are the two important considerations – the details of which will follow shortly. By convenience it would mean that convenience of accessing the garden, the convenience of keeping an eye over it, etc.

One of the most important considerations for a home vegetable garden is the aspect of ‘exposure to sun’. Look out for sites which slope slightly towards the south or the east. If you want vegetables all summer and for many years, go for this site as it gets sun light early on the day and hold on to it till late. When the site is out of the way of northern and northeast winds, the better it is for your garden. Consider yourself lucky if there is a building or even a fence along wide which protects your garden from these cold blizzards. You can then expect an early start for your garden and successful years ahead. In case you are not already bless with such structures, you could construct a board fence, a hedge of some low height shrubs or young evergreens for offering protection. This important aspect of offering winter protection is often overlooked by the amateur gardener.

It is highly likely that you will not find a suitable area with the right soil for your garden., but even the worst quality of soil can be brought up to the desired standards especially when it is as small as a home vegetable garden. Remember that large tracts of sandy soil or even those filled with muck which has not been cleared for centuries have all been brought to standard levels after reasonable amount of soil treatment. So there is no point in worrying about your soil quality – as any quality of soil can be ‘brought up’ to desired standards. In fact, some of the ‘treated’ soil yields better quality of vegetables and flowers than even the highest grade of soils with average method of cultivation.

The perfect soil for vegetable gardening is a type called ‘rich sandy loam’. For your information, these types of soil do not happen naturally, but have to be made. Let us now discuss the four important ingredients required for vegetable cultivation – one of which is soil; the others are cultivation, moisture and temperature. When a gardener refers to a soil type as “rich”, it means that the soil is rich in food. But what kind of food does the soil have? Rich soil will contain foods which are readily available in the soil from where plants draw vital nutrients immediately after plantation. This means ready, available, and good quality food. That in short is a ‘rich’ soil.

Interestingly no soil in an area which has been inhabited for long by humans remains ‘naturally’ rich for too long. It should be made or kept rich. This can be attained in two ways: by cultivation where the soil ingredients are brought into available form and the other is by adding manure and other nutrients to the soil to make it rich.

When you talk about a ‘sandy’ soil, it means, as the name suggests, that the soil contains particles small enough for water to seep through without making the soil muddy or sticky, after rain. Sandy soil, if you hold it in your hands, should be able to fall through just as sand passes through. It is not apparent through appearance, but sandy soil should be friable.

Loam, according to Webster is a ‘rich friable soil”. In fact to understand it better, a loamy soil is where the proportion of sand and clay are in the right amount so that neither of the two components dominates the overall quality. Such a soil, even to the untrained eye, looks welcoming as if things can grow in it. A well cultivated land will show up immediately through a change in its appearance. A recent experience comes to mind when I saw an onion field which was created only on a fine strip of land. The rest of it was not even given any extra manure or any other fertilizer. But the entire field started to look gorgeous once the ground was plowed in the fall season.

Darren Williger is a tea drinking, guitar playing, meditating, wine making sales maker who writes for MiniGarden.com, RoseMaven.com, and HomemadeWine.com.