At times, history classes may not have been easy to pay attention to, yet we have all heard of the potato famine that took place in Ireland. A disease that wiped out much of the population of the country is definitely worth taking a second look at. Each plant and vegetable has its own personal …
With gardening season in full swing, it’s important to keep your soil weed-free, nutrient-rich and well-aerated. This will help maximize your crop yield and have your flowers looking their best. And one tool can help you do it all: cultivators are the most efficient multi-purpose tools for any gardener. What is a cultivator? While similar …
Potatoes grow best when they have a steady supply of 2-3 inches of water per week without fully drying out. Potato plants should be watered deeply, especially if it gets very hot and dry. The soil should be moist 8 to 10 inches underground. Make sure not to overwater the potatoes for 2 weeks after …
A cultivator is a small tiller designed to be used in raised beds and already tilled soil. Tillers are much larger than cultivators and has stronger tines and a more powerful engine. A tiller is a large machine designed to be used on the ground in lawn areas such as vegetable gardens or creating larger …
When we start thinking about our gardens, great green bushes are pictured, along with healthy harvested onions, and beautiful bushy herbs. In this article, we will take a look at what an aphid is, aphids in potatoes, what to look for and how to avoid or manage them. What we don’t always think about is …
Aphids In Potatoes: what are they, what do they do? Read More »
To feed a family of four, start off by planting 40 potato plants. This will provide you with a potato based meal 2 to 3 times a week. The 40 plants will provide up to 6 months worth of meals. If you find 40 plants provides you with too many potatoes you can plant less …
Can you grow potatoes indoors? Well in a word – YES! Read on to discover how to grow potatoes indoors- it’s not as difficult as you might think! Everyone waits with bated breath as the months draw away from winter and towards the coming spring. We all want to get out there and plant our …
When raised beds are due to be replanted, a lightweight, easy to use tiller is an excellent choice. It makes preparing it for the next round of vegetables or flowers a breeze. But what is the best tiller for raised beds? Just to make it clear from the start – it will not be tiller …
Best Tiller For Raised Beds: how to choose correctly Read More »
In this article we will discover how to plant potatoes from eyes. A potato plant will grow again from a potato, a sprout will emerge from one of the “eyes” – a small dimple on the potato surface. When the conditions are right a full new potato plant will grow from this sprout. Do potatoes …
How To Plant Potatoes From Eyes: finding the eyes Read More »
What is “hilling up” potatoes Gardening is always thought to be simple and easy, looking from the outside. This is the idea: Plant the seed in the ground Water. Plant grows. Pick your fresh produce. However, once I got started, I realized very quickly that it just isn’t that easy. Different plants need different amounts …
So, you’ve just bought a property with plenty of space for a new garden? Well, if you haven’t been lucky enough to secure a weed-free plot of land with fine, loamy soil, rich with organic material, have no fear! Clay soil is great – if you plan on making your own bricks or pottery…but not …
Best Tiller For Clay Soil: tiller requirements listed Read More »
Ok, so the title of this article is, “Best tiller for breaking new ground”. Let me answer this now in the first paragraph and list the machines to choose from for those in a hurry. I will explain in detail my choices if you would like to read the rest of this article. The best …
Best Tiller For Breaking New Ground: how to choose Read More »
For a long time, women’s role in the garden was quite restricted. Upper-class women could only garden as a hobby, clipping a few blooms for themselves while taking care not to expose their fair skin to the sun. To women of the lower classes, a thriving kitchen garden would keep their families from starving. In …
It’s almost planting season! Do you have enough garden space for everything you want to plant this year? Are you ready to attack the soil with your fork and spade again or would you appreciate a bit of help this year? Is the Yardmax YT4565 the best heavy duty rototiller or not? Maybe you want …
The Best Heavy Duty Rototiller: the Yardmax YT4565 Read More »
In this article i will walk you through the steps and list the materials required to show you how to grow potatoes in a bucket- a great way to introduce yourself to the wonderful experience of growing your own potatoes. There are few vegetables more versatile than potatoes. They can be baked, boiled, fried or …
Potatoes grow best when they have at least 8 hours of sunlight every day. They don’t need full sun to thrive and too much heat is not ideal – discover the facts in this article.. Spring is here! It’s time to begin planning your vegetable patch. Careful planning is crucial for the success of any …
Spring is here! It’s almost time to get your garden plot ready for planting. Is your soil ready? Well cultivated, weed free soil is the gold standard for planting into, and one of the best tools for the job is a cordless tiller. We’ve got one to shout about! Cordless cultivators are quiet, lightweight, efficient …
Spring is here again and it’s time to prepare the soil for whatever you intend to plant….Yesss! Your goal as always, will be to have perfectly aerated, nutrient-rich and well-mixed soil. This should be done with the intention of keeping your garden weed-free all season long once your plants are growing (good luck with that …
What Is A Cultivator Used For: defined and explained Read More »
In chemistry, pH is a scale that ranges from 1 to 14 and is used to specify how acidic or alkaline a substance is. Acidic solutions have a lower pH number, while alkaline – or basic – solutions have a higher pH number. If the pH level is exactly 7, such as that of pure …
In chemistry, pH is a scale used to specify how acidic or alkaline a substance is. Acidic solutions have a lower pH, while alkaline – or basic – solutions have a higher pH. If the pH level is exactly 7, such as that of pure water, it’s neutral. If your soil is too alkaline some plants won’t grow well so you’ll …
How To Lower pH In Soil Fast: what to add and why Read More »
What is a compost tumbler?: A compost tumber is a rotating drum with a hatch or lid which is opened to empty your composting materials inside. The lid is then closed and you turn a handle which rotates the drum around. This mixes the contents of the drum and keeps the heat and gasses trapped …
These tiny, tart apples can be a healthy treat for dogs, if served properly. Though the flesh of the apple is safe, the leaves, stems and pips are all toxic to mammals – even humans, if they consume a large quantity. Are crab apples poisonous? The chemicals in these parts of the crab apple tree …
It is important when gardening to use the proper tools for the task at hand. And while any pair of heavy-duty kitchen scissors could handle basic yard work such as deadheading flowers, or pruning foliage, the best tool for the job is a great pruner. A tool that can be found in any gardener’s collection …
It could be argued that a gardener is only as good as their tools – having the right tool for the job makes working in the garden less of an effort and infinitely more enjoyable. While some tools are specific to certain types of gardening and not necessary for everyone, a good pair of shears …
More than any other factor, the fertility of your soil will impact the success of your garden. Whether you live in a new suburb or an old farming town, you may encounter infertile soil – and whatever is causing the soil infertility needs to be addressed before you can expect the maximum yield from your …
Learning how to properly store your potatoes once they have been dug from the garden is an important part of your potato growing season. Potatoes should be stored in a cool dark room with good ventilation. The potatoes should be harvested dry or dried before entering the store- this will help to prevent rot and …
Your potato plot should be sprayed with broad spectrum herbicide 6 weeks before ploughing or digging and tilling. The planted area should be sprayed again with a broad spectrum herbicide before the potato plants come through the ground -this is known as pre emergence. The spray should have residual activity – meaning it continues to …
No matter how you slice, dice, or mash them, potatoes are delicious. A staple food for many cultures across the globe, they are a vegetable which would be difficult to live without. Although store-bought potatoes are tasty, nothing beats the flavour of a freshly-unearthed tuber from your own garden. I will help you pick the …
The Best Tasting Potatoes to Grow: variety selection Read More »
Potato blight is caused by a fungus, of which there are two different types – Alternaria solani in Early potato blight and Phytophthora infestans in Late potato blight. For a gardener, there is very little that is more heartbreaking than pouring time, energy and money into a crop only for it to fail. Some pests …
What Causes Potato Blight: what you need to know Read More »
Have you ever wondered how do farmers grow potatoes? Many farms use the following equipment when growing their potatoes: A crop sprayer – used to protect the crop from diseases. A plough to begin field cultivations. A rotovator/rototiller used to make the soil fine before planting. A seed potato planting machine to position the seed …
There are few things more delicious than the taste of a ripe tomato – they are synonymous with summer, topping burgers and salads as well as making up lovely sauces and condiments like salsa and ketchup. But how do you select the best tomato varieties for a greenhouse – read on to find out! As …
In this article, I will show you how to make two homemade potato blight sprays. One is called Bordeaux formula– made with lime and Copper sulphate. The other is called Cornell formula– made with dishwashing liquid and oil. Over 150 years ago, a fungal disease unknown to scientists invaded Ireland. Potato blight destroyed crops throughout …
All organic matter will decompose naturally sooner or later. Micro organisms – tiny living creatures invisible to the naked eye – feed on the decaying food, plant matter, and other organic materials and help transform it into a nutrient-rich soil additive. Nature has been composting since the beginning of time, and many cultures throughout history …
With more and more people living in cities with limited space outdoors for gardening, many urban gardeners are turning to container gardening. This practice is great for herbs and other shallow-rooting plants, but root vegetables do not always grow well in containers. Potatoes need plenty of fertilizer to grow well. Learn how to make your …
It is no secret that homeowners all want the thickest, greenest lawn on the block. They seed it, spread fertilizer and pesticides, and water it regularly. They use chemical or organic methods to improve the health of their grass and keep it weed-free. But what can you do when you’ve tried all that and your …
The tomato grows from a plant native to the Americas, which although it was thought to be poisonous when introduced to Europe in the 17th century, eventually became wildly popular worldwide. Hydroponics were not in use in those days as we know it – this is a 21st century guide to how to grow tomatoes …
It’s no secret that gardeners all hope to achieve the highest yields. One of the surest methods to succeed is to start with a soil perfectly suited to the needs of the plant about to grow in it. But how do we achieve this? There are so many different types of soil additives – some …
Do you want to know how to grow a really good crop of potatoes? This article is the definitive guide! Growing potatoes can be summarised in the points below: To begin you should remove all weeds, grass and other green foliage from the soil. Next you should dig the soil over at a depth of …
Should you add perlite or vermiculite for vegetables? Which will help achieve the best result and why? Every gardener hopes for the best possible result from their crops – and will seek out the best techniques and tricks to improve the yield of their garden. Recently, several soil additives and alternatives have become popular. But …
Gardening is a wonderful hobby – a great sense of satisfaction can be derived from watching the fruits of your labour grow and mature. It can also – with the proper planning and tools – be a pain-free hobby for people living with arthritis. The purpose of this article is to find the best secateurs …
Best Secateurs For Arthritis: make pruning easier Read More »
Though there are as many different gardeners as there are gardens in the world, there is a common thread binding them all. Every gardener hopes to raise the perfect specimen – countless hours have been spent inventing new tools and gadgets, and experimenting with new methods of cultivation. Some methods are extremely successful, and some …
There is nothing as beautiful as the first snowfall of the year – crisp white flakes gently falling to cover the barren land beneath, shrouding it in a sheet of pristine white. When that initial snowfall turns into months of seemingly endless white blanketing the earth, we begin to wonder if we’ll ever see the …
One of the oldest tools known to humankind, the axe has been in use since the Stone Age. They have changed and evolved over the years, every successive generation of axe makers and wielders improving on what came before. Now, at least in the forestry industry, axes have been replaced almost entirely by chainsaws and …
In this article i will take you through the various steps required to show you how to build a concrete block pillar from start to finish. Positioning your pillars First thing you need to do is mark out the ground where you want your pillars to be – sounds easy but there are a few …
Many outdoors enthusiasts have a host of modern tools and gadgets they can use when preparing to go into the wilderness. Although many of these top survival tools include high tech modern equipment, speciality knives and GPS machines, one of the greatest tools of the trade for outdoor survival is a simple bushcraft hatchet/axe. Finding …
Flowers are ornamental plants used in designing landscapes, interiors and exterior areas of our houses. They add life and colour to our rooms and buildings and they also release oxygen and soothing smells. Many of us love flowers, we want them in our houses, on top of our kitchen counters and on our dining table, …
Easiest flowers to grow in pots: and to maintain. Read More »
To answer the question “When to plant early potatoes?” this all depends on where you live and climate. Where I live in the UK the earliest we usually plant early potatoes is in the middle of February. This is when the outside air temperature starts to heat up the ground to at least 10 degrees …
In this article we are going to talk about how to prune an apple tree in winter and what are the important steps to be followed and if there any issues to be aware of. Winter pruning apple trees It is important to carry out any pruning the apple tree may need during winter time …
What do you call a cactus that isn’t a cactus? Answer – A Euphorbia Lactea. Sometimes known as the candelabra plant, the crested euphorbia, or the crested elkhorn, the coral cactus is actually a combination of two succulent varieties. The grafted plant resembles an unusual coral, and depending on the variety, the edges of its …
Caring for Coral Cactus: and how to graft your own Read More »
Chlorophytumcomosum has many common names: Airplane plant, St. Bernard’s lily, Spider ivy, Ribbon plant, and Hen and chickens. But we know it best as the Spider plant – not because they attract or harbour spiders, but rather because of the way it reproduces. The offshoots hang from the ends of long wiry stems like spiders on a silken …
This article is titled how to cut long grass by hand. It is an unusual title because in these modern times people usually use engine driven equipment for labour intensive tasks. If you have long grass and by long I mean more than a foot long, there are a couple of hand tools which you …
What are hydroponics? Simply put, hydroponics is a method of growing plants that uses a nutrient-rich, water-based solution instead of soil to support plant growth.The root system is placed in an inert medium – usually clay pellets, peat moss, perlite, rockwool, or vermiculite. This allows the roots direct contact with both the air and nutrient …
It’s mid February as i write this article and most of the Northern Hemisphere is currently blanketed in snow. While shovelling snow, many homeowners are fondly remembering the lush green grass of summer. Well, with spring just around the corner, it’s time to begin thinking of lawn care. Soon, we will be fertilizing, watering, and …
If you live in coastal areas you will understand the importance of picking your outdoor fixtures carefully, as the salt air can cause havoc with standard grade outdoor fittings, leading to premature rusting and failure. The best outdoor lights for coastal areas will have their housings made of non corrosive materials such as bronze, copper, …
Best Outdoor Lighting For Salt Air: Which lights perform best in coastal areas? Read More »
Though it may not seem like it right now, spring is just around the corner. And homeowners everywhere will be looking for a tried-and-true method for a greener, healthier lawn – fast. Epsom salt is a well-known home remedy – used for soaking sore and tired muscles, or exfoliating away dry skin, and many gardeners …
Yes you can eat crabapples, although they have a very sharp, bitter taste if you were to eat them raw and if you ate too many of them they would cause you to have an upset stomach, but they would not poison you. Cooking Crabapples are best cooked before they are eaten. They contain very …
A chiminea is a great feature to have in any backyard. It keeps you warm on a cold night and creates a great ambience just having it glowing and crackling even if you are alone or having friends around for company. It also adds an interesting art piece to your yard and is always a …
Best Chiminea For Heat: How To Find The Right Chiminea For You Read More »
Windmill water pumps, which is actually an incorrect term for them – A “windmill” is something which harnesses the power of the wind to drive a grain mill. The correct term is a “windpump”. although we tend to get call anything which has blades and is turned by the wind a “windmill”, Another example are …
You will have seen perlite when you open up a bag of compost, all the little white specks mixed throughout the compost are pieces of perlite. In this article you will find out what perlite is made from, how, why and where you should use it in your garden. What is perlite Perlite – also …
Learn how to grow parsley in this informative and easy to read post all about parsley. Parsley is a beautiful herb which really excels when pulled fresh from the plant- but can you freeze fresh parsley? Read on to find out more about how you can enjoy this wonderful herb too! Though mainly used a …
Mark Twain once said that cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education! Thankfully, a college education is not required for growing your own cauliflower at home, but are you aware of problems with growing cauliflower? This cool weather plant can even yield 2 harvests per growing season outdoors if you plan carefully. It …
Problems With Growing Cauliflower: the correct method of growing Read More »
Dig out the hole 6 inches 15cm wider than the outside side of the pillar you want to build. It should be 2 to 3 feet/ 60cm to 100cm deep depending on how soft your ground is – the softer the ground the deeper you’ll need to go to hit hard ground. Add services If …
Adding just a fist-sized portion (100g) of mushrooms to your diet can provide a laundry list of important vitamins and minerals. They are a natural source of protein and vitamin D and contain many B vitamins such as niacin and riboflavin, fiber, and potassium. If you are interested in growing your own do you know …
In this article i will describe to you how to hang a field gate from start to finish. How to hang a field gate Measure the length of the gate you want to hang. Add 6 inches 150mm to the gate length (4″ 100mm for the gate hanger brackets and 2″ 50mm clearance at the …
One of the most common issues faced by gardeners – hobbyists and professionals alike – is powdery mildew. This disease is easily recognized by its namesake powdery residue.Most commonly found on young leaves and shoots, powdery mildew is not usually fatal to the plant though it is a nuisance. There are multiples causes that contribute …
There’s nothing more satisfying than eating fruit and vegetables you’ve grown yourself. Yet, in most climates, it’s too cold for plants to grow outdoors for much of the year. Luckily for gardeners, nowadays many greenhouses are quite affordable and easy to assemble. Some gardening stores have pre-fabricated greenhouses in stock with experts on hand to …
Type of Greenhouses: a guide to the different types Read More »
Fall might be upon us, but we’ve been getting so much rain here recently that I’m afraid my hedges are going to be overgrown in no time. It’s not too hard to remember to keep the lawn mowed, but sometimes I almost forget about my hedges. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a few trimmers, and …
Before you begin your tree clear up, cutting firewood, or even landscaping tasks, it is essential to have a chainsaw in good working order: well-maintained and with a sharp, high-quality chain. This will turn a slow frustrating job into a breeze! Which is the best type of chainsaw chain? These are the types of chain …
The title of this article means more to me than to most people, because I have learned the hard way, the difference between ordinary floor paint and epoxy resin floor paint. I have an insulated room which I wanted to have a wash clean floor in. I had heard about epoxy resin floor paint and …
Peas are one of the first things I like to plant in early spring. They love to germinate in cool temperatures and can handle being planted as early as a month before the final frost date for your area. Discover all the different pea plant growth stages in the article below. Peas don’t like to …
Having a nice looking hedge around your home or garden is something everyone enjoys. Studies have shown that homes with plenty of green space nearby provides a positive mental boost to those who live in the home. I have a yew hedge at the front of my house which is still in its infancy, but …
Potatoes can be planted as soon as the ground becomes workable in early spring. Usually, by mid-February you can get out and prepare the soil for planting. Potatoes will not grow until the soil temperature has reached 45F so when you plant them you will need to be patient until the soil warms to this …
How Late Can You Plant Potatoes: seed to harvest Read More »
Yew plants require deep, well-aerated, drained and fertile soil to grow and thrive in. It will not matter if the yew is being planted to be a tree or as part of a hedge, if you do not provide these conditions you may end up with a yew hedge that is not growing properly. One …
In this article I will be covering how to grow Turnips (and Swedes), how long do turnips take to grow and how to nurture them through the early (risky) period, and the pests and diseases you may encounter along the way. Turnips Turnips and swedes are similar vegetables although slightly different. A turnip usually grows …
How Long Do Turnips Take To Grow: sow to harvest Read More »
It is only when you have your garden looking really good and things are growing well that you start to notice how much of a pest slugs and snails can be. When I am asked how to keep slugs and snails out of my house or out of a garden, the first question I ask …
Why Do Slugs Come In The House: how to repel them Read More »
In this article we look at the different ways you can go about digging up a flower bed. We cover what to do if you have an existing flower bed with plants already growing in it and if you don’t have an existing flower bed how to go about creating one which will best suit …
If you ask a professional groundscare person which type of lawnmower gives the best cut for your lawn, they will all say reel mowers give the best cut by far. Whether you decide to use an engine driven one or a manual push one you will be amazed at how sharp and clean cut your …
In this article, I will review 5 of the best mid-sized backpack leaf blowers on the market. This is a beginner’s guide to highlight the differences in 5 similar blowers. Leafblowers are a very useful tool to have around a garden. They can be used for a wide range of tasks such as clearing up …
Best Backpack Blower On The Market: 5 of the best mid-sized blowers Read More »
Robotic lawnmowers have well and truly arrived. Now which one should you choose?A lot of people take great enjoyment from cutting their lawns, but a lot of people also find it to be a chore. The chore can be magnified if your lawn is also quite large.We are going to explore the relatively new concept …
Creating a deep, finely tilled bed to plant your vegetables, hedge or flowers in can be one of the most labour intensive, back breaking jobs a gardener will face. In this article i will show you how to pick the best rototiller for rocky soil. Don’t go through hours of back breaking work- it is …
The best trimmer line for edging is the same best trimmer line for all the other jobs. It doesn’t matter what the job it is for, the best trimmer line is the one you put into the trimmer and it lasts all day. There are a lot of fancy trimmer lines with many sides and …
Edging your lawn has to one of the most high impact jobs to improve the appearance of your property. It really does catch peoples eye and gives your home a tidy appearance. Learn how today in this great article, how to edge a lawn by hand. Edging a lawn is the process of leaving a …
The topic of best chemical for cleaning my driveway is one which is brought up many times. If you have spent a lot of time mowing, edging your lawn and planting beautiful flowerbeds it would be a shame to have an unsightly driveway let you down. Types of Cleaners There are basically two types of …
In this article I will look at how to get rid of leaves without raking, using other implements rather than using the traditional hand rake. Why bother to lift the leaves from your lawn? It is a good idea to lift the leaves from your lawn because if the leaves lie on the grass for …
The main secret of how to make stripes in yard and improving the visual impact of your lawn is having a lawnmower with a heavy roller behind the cutting blade. It is this rolling of the grass in one direction and then rolling the next stripe in the opposite direction which makes the grass reflect …
How To Make Stripes In Yard: transform your lawn Read More »
Today I will show you how to get potatoes to sprout eyes. I do this a few weeks in advance of planting, which can mean your potatoes will be ready up to 2 weeks earlier than usual. So you have decided to plant some potatoes, but if you are unsure what steps to take to …
How To Get Potatoes To Sprout Eyes: preparation for planting Read More »
Choosing the best place to plant your potatoes will be different for everyone. We al have different areas available to grow things in. Some people may have a large vegetable garden. Others may only have access to grow potatoes in a large bag. And some may choose to grow potatoes in a tyre, raised bed …
Have you grown potatoes in the past and they turned out very small? If the answer is yes, then there will likely be a few reasons why this happened. One of the most important questions will be how much fertilizer was applied. But do you know what is the best fertilizer for growing potatoes? The …
What Is The Best Fertilizer For Growing Potatoes? Read More »
