Are your plants talking to you? Granted, they may not be able to speak, but most plants can convey messages louder than words if you just pay attention.
For example, if you closely monitor the condition of most plants’ leaves, you’ll likely know when you need to water. For example, look at the photos of the black eyed susan vine shown below. In one image, the plant needs to be watered. In another image, it has already been watered. Can you tell which is the before photo and which is the after? (We’ll reveal which is which at the end of this post, so if you can’t wait, just scroll all the way to the bottom).
Other plants can convey nutritional needs. For example, at a first glance of the sugar maple tree pictured below, you might think this photograph was taken in the fall, based on the leave’s red color. However, this photo was actually snapped in late June. This tree was suffering from an iron deficiency, which we were able to identify based on the color and condition of the leaves.
So the moral of the story is, don’t ignore you plants! Watch closely and pay attention… your plants may have something important to tell you.
(And about those photos of the black eyed susan vine, the photo on the right shows the plant before watering and the photo on the left is the same plant a few hours later, after it was watered.)
As the days grow shorter and summer slowly creeps to an end, we get ready for the annual ritual of fall yard cleanup. This can mean different things, depending on where you live and what type of landscaping you have. For example, if you have large trees in your yard, you’ll likely spend a lot of time raking and bagging those leaves. For other homeowners, fall yard cleanup means the annual trimming back of bushes and shrubs. No matter what type of fall yard cleanup you’ll engage in, having the right tools will make the job faster and easier.
In many communities, homeowners are now required to put all yard trimmings into brown paper bags for city composting programs. This is often times easier said than done. These square leaf bags are tall and flimsy, and tend to fall down or blow away easily. A simple lawn or leaf bag holder can make all the difference by holding your bag up and open so it can easily be filled. Home Products ‘N’ More offers the Square Leaf Bag Holder to do the job:
For those homeowners using round bags or garbage bags, the Round Leaf Bag Holder may be a better option:
Another product that works particularly well for raking leaves or trimming bushes is the EZ Leaf Hauler. This product is much likea giant dustpan that you can rake your leaves into. Envision a 5′ x 7′ tarp, now put sides on it, and then multiple pull handles so it can easily be drug around the yard wherever its needed. The EZ Leaf Hauler is also great for positioning under trees or bushes before you start trimming them.
Do you know of another unique lawn cleanup product that might fit in well with our other prlducts? We’d love to hear about it! Please feel free to contact us with ideas or new product suggestions, as we’re always looking for ways to make our website bigger and better.
Growing basil isn’t difficult, and with the vast number of recipes that call for this fresh herb and the wonderful flavor it imparts on good food, it’s a great addition to any garden. The best thing about basil is that it’s generally an attractive plant and it doesn’t take much space. So even if you don’t have a dedicated “garden”, most people can still find a bit of room somewhere in their landscaping to squeeze in a basil plant or two.
Basil can either be grown from seed or purchased as young plants from a nursery. For those who want instant gratification, of course, it’s easier to simply buy your basil plants. However, I prefer to grow my own from seed. I get a great sense of accomplishment from knowing that I started my plants from their very inception. To grow basil from seed, just find a warm place in your home and start the seeds in little pots about 8 weeks before you want to plant outside. Basil germinates pretty reliably, so you shouldn’t have much trouble.
The key to great basil plants is to pinch them back. How does this work? Whenever you want to cut some basil, always make the cut immediately above a set of leaves. As the plant regrows, the stem will then “branch out” into two stems wherever it has been cut or pinched back. The result is a fuller, bushier, and healthier basil plant.
If your plant ever begins to form tiny white flower at the tips, you know it’s definitely time to pinch back or cut back radically! Letting your basil go to seed will result your plants eventually dying off sooner than they need to. Your basil may look a little thin and sad after you’ve cut it back significantly, but just keep it well watered (or you can also add a little fertilizer, if you want) and it will grow back even bigger and fuller than before. So for great basil plants, just keep trimming and pinching, and don’t let any flowers form!
