Easy to Grow Seed Collection – Container Kitchen Garden

• Includes 5 carefully chosen individual seed packets for your own tasty veggies in pots, containers, or windowboxes
• Cameo Basil: intensely perfumed true Italian basil
• Pot of Gold Chard: beautiful golden stalks and green leaves
• Garden Babies Container Lettuce: tender and pretty mini-butterheads
• Romeo Round Container Carrots: cute and crunchy-sweet & Super Bush: red and juicy, sweet rich flavor

Product Description
Easy from Seed Collection “Container Kitchen Garden”

Designed for gardeners who want a vegetable garden in containers or small spaces, our new Container Kitchen Garden Seed Collection contains five packets of easy to grow, great tasting, compact varieties especially chosen for container growing. Comes with our step-by-step brochure “Growing Your Own Container Kitchen Garden” to guide you to abundant harvests.

Includes:
Super Bush: red and juicy, sweet rich flavor
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Easy to Grow Seed Collection – Container Kitchen Garden

Grow a Beautiful Garden the Water Wise Way

Grow a beautiful garden the water wise way

Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). “Water Wise” gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:

Planning

Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type of garden. Talk to the professionals at your local center/landscape firm to see which plants will do well in your area. You may be surprised to find that some very beautiful, colorful plants are low on water consumption-and they may fit into your landscape perfectly.

Group together plants that require the same amount of water. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade to cool buildings, air conditioning units, patios, decks, and other landscape features.  Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. Spike or aerate lawns to insure maximum water penetration. Control weeds which compete with useful plants for water.

Soil Improvement

Soil improvement is another easy and beneficial step in building a water wise garden. Soil that is well prepared at the time of planting influences the plant’s initial development and yields the best results. And plants placed in the proper soil will be healthier, often needing less water.

Soil characteristics include texture, structure, depth, and nutrients. To find out more about your soil content, test your soil with the following garden products: Accugrow Soil Test Kit or the Sunleaves Three-Way Meter.  

Wise Irrigation

Efficient irrigation is a critical part of water wise gardening. Your irrigation system can be simple, such as a hand-held hose, or elaborate, such as an in-ground sprinkler system. Consider a drip water conservation system, which can save up to 60% of water used by sprinkler irrigation. Whatever you choose, make sure you plan your watering to get best results.

Deep, infrequent watering, promotes root growth and is the wisest use of water and encourages strong rooting. This provides greater tolerance to dry spells.  Water early in the day, and on less windy days, to reduce evaporation loss. The ideal time is from dawn to 9:00 a.m.   Turn off sprinklers before water is wasted as runoff into gutters and streets.

Mulching

Mulching is always a benefit to your garden and can help prevent soil erosion and evaporation, conserving the water that is available and keeping your plants healthy and strong.

Maintenance

Maintaining your water wise garden means learning how to water all over again. You may find that watering less means having more time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Generally, plants should be watered less often and for a long period of time. Drip, soaker, or deep root watering promotes healthy plants and less water use.

Water Wise Gardening Tips

Follow these handy watering tips from AAN, and you’ll soon be started on your own environmentally sound garden or landscape.  For garden products mentioned in this article, please visit http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com

AeroGarden 9419-00Z Replacement Grow Sponges for Garden Starter Tray

• Start 70 seedlings indoors
• Biodegradable, nutrient-rich growing media
• Includes nutrients for a full set of seedlings
• Refill for AeroGarden Starter Tray 0019-00Z
• AeroGarden accessory

Product Description
Refill pack for AeroGarden Garden Starter Tray. Includes 70 BioCells and 10 nutrient tablets…. More >>

AeroGarden 9419-00Z Replacement Grow Sponges for Garden Starter Tray

Organic gardening: How to grow an organic vegetable garden

www.howdini.com Organic gardening: How to grow an organic vegetable garden What does it mean to grow vegetables organically? Scott Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening magazine shows how to plant and nurture an organic vegetable garden. Keywords: organic gardening organic garden organic vegetable gardening organic gardening tips

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How to Grow an Herb Garden

How to grow beautiful culinary herbs

You don’t have to be a chef or have a green thumb to grow an herb garden. Culinary herbs are extremely easy to grow. Once they get going, they add fragrance, texture and color to just about any garden or space. Harvest your culinary herbs to make everything from herbal teas, vinegars and flavorful recipes.

Herbs don’t require much space to grow. You can plant them in beds in a garden or you can grow them in a small container. Combining herbs can create a beautiful effect. Your bed or container is your canvas – and what you plant there can grow into a beautiful masterpiece.

Plenty of sun
Herbs love plenty of sunlight. When choosing a location for your herbs, look for an outdoor area or window that gets 5-7 hours of direct sunlight each day.

Well-drained soil
Whether you are planting your herbs in containers or a garden, start by testing your soil for nutrients and pH. It may be necessary to adjust your soil pH to the near-neutral pH of 6-7 that herbs grow best in. You will also want to add a layer of organic compost and minerals to the soil prior to planting.

Adequate water
Herbs like well-drained soil, but well drained soil needs to be watered more frequently. Don’t just water on a whim. Stick your finger down into your soil approximately 1″ to 1-1/2″. There is no need to water unless your soil feels almost dry to the touch.

Three rules of thumb for fertilizing your herbs
Fertilizer is often referred to as “plant food.” The most important thing to remember when feeding your herbs – use products that are organic. Remember, you are going to be consuming what you grow. If you don’t want to consume chemicals, don’t use them on your herbs.

Second rule of thumb – feed your herbs a balanced diet.
Fertilizer or “plant food” provides your herbs with the major elements they need to grow and thrive – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Your plants also need minor elements called micronutrients, which contain the minor elements required by your plants to grow.

Finally.
Feed your plants through their leaves (foliar feeding). Foliar feeding is 100-500% more effective than root feeding and offers quicker results. Look for organic foliar fertilizers and micronutrients. Spray all the leaves of your herbs every 1-4 weeks.

Harvesting and storage
Once your herbs are established it is important to cut them back on a regular basis. Never harvest more than 1/3 of each individual herb plant. The best time to harvest your herbs is in the morning, when the oils are still readily available in their leaves. Harvest your herbs before they flower. This will prevent them from putting forth seed and will encourage more vigorous green growth.

You can use your herbs right away, refrigerate them or put them in a plastic freezer bag and freeze them up to 6 months.

Whatever you do, enjoy growing your culinary herbs.
You will feel like a gourmet, each time you wander into your garden to clip a few herbs for your culinary productions. Even if you don’t cook much, snip a bit of fresh mint from your herb garden to transform a simple glass of ice tea into the most delectable treat. Or garnish a fruit plate, fresh vegetables and salads with your fresh herbs. Using them is as easy as growing them.