Archive for September, 2009

Considerations for Adding Garden Arbors and Trellises

Published by
ebell
at September 30, 2009 in Arbors and Garden. 1 Comment

Adding a garden arbor or trellis to your yard can be a nice “upgrade” for your landscape or garden.  Arbors, pergolas, and trellises will add to the overall look of your yard and can even boost property value.  However, there are several issues that should be taken into consideration before you begin the process of adding a new arbor or trellis.

One of the first and most important questions to ask yourself, is how does this project integrate into my current garden area?  Do you have a wood fence that you want to match the style or color of?  Or do you want your yard to have a more eclectic look?  Vinyl arbors and trellises for example are available in many colors, and often times provide a very clean, modern look.  Wrought iron or aluminum is another choice, and can provide a very classical and formal look-even something of a “castle-like” appearance if you choose black painted metal.

Manchester II Aluminum Arbor

One good idea is to purchase a landscaping software program for your computer that will allow you to take a digital photo of your home, upload it to the computer, and then incorporate various landscaping ideas or elements to the photograph so you can envision how the end result might look.  Such software programs are readily available for purchase, and operating them requires just a bit of time with the tutorials and some general computer skills.  The results are well worth the time before you begin the actual on site project.

Now that you have thought through the end result, it’s time to decide if this is going to be a “do it yourself” (DIY) project or if you’ll seek outside help, such as a licensed contractor, to do the job for you.

If you choose to make it a DIY project, how much time will you need to allocate?  Can the project be completed in a weekend, or will it require a week or more of full or part time work on your part?  Do you need to schedule vacation from work in order to start and finish in a timely manner?  Nothing is more frustrating than having an unfinished project linger on much longer than you had anticipated.  If you have a friend or family member who would be willing to help you out, now might be a good time to call upon their resources.

If you do seek outside help, one of the most important things you can do is check references.  Most reputable landscaping companies will have photo albums of their completed projects.  Look through the photos to get an idea of the overall quality of workmanship.  If you see that the contractor has completed a similar project to what you’re looking for, inquire of the name and phone number of their previous customer.  Then call those homeowners to inquire about their level of satisfaction with the job and the contractor.  Be sure to ask the following important questions:  Were you satisfied with the quality of work?  Was the work performed in a timely and satisfactory manner?  Did the end cost come in at or below the initial estimate, or did unexpected or hidden fees pop up during the project?  Lastly, inquire if you can drive by and have a look at the finished project.  Any homeowner who is happy with the end result will probably be very pleased to show it off to someone else.

No matter what your final decisions are, taking the above items into consideration will be well worth the time spent before you begin the project of adding a new arbor or trellis to your garden.  Good planning and execution is the key to a successful end result in any home project.

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Benefits of Greenhouse Gardening

Published by
ebell
at September 29, 2009 in Garden. 0 Comments

For those of us who live in colder climates, experiencing five months or more of winter each year, the benefits of greenhouse gardening can be enormous.  Gardening with a greenhouse allows for an extended growing season that can begin and end months outside of the traditional outdoor growing season in your climate.  Greenhouses may even allow you to grow plants year round.  Greenhouses can also provide a warmer mini-climate for plants that typically would not grow in your zone, allowing you to cultivate many varieties of plants that are unique to your area.

Greenhouse kit

When growing plants in a greenhouse, it’s important to remember that the air temperature inside can be as much as 30 to 40 degrees warmer than the outside air temperature.  While the warmer air is wonderful for your plants during the cool months of late fall, winter, and early spring, in the hot summer months, these temperatures can pose a real threat to your plants.  When the temperature inside a greenhouse gets too high, your plants can actually burn.  In the hottest part of the summer, it’s a good idea to add a shade cloth to your greenhouse to help keep the inside temperatures down.  When building your greenhouse, consider aligning the roofline in an east-west direction so that the largest area of the roof is exposed to the south.  This will accomplish two things.  First, if a shade cloth is required, you’ll likely only need to cover the southern facing side of the roof, saving you time and money in materials.  Second, by having more roof area exposed to the intense southern sun, you’ll get maximum solar gain in your greenhouse during cooler months, when you need it most.

Shade cloth

For those of us who enjoy vegetable gardening, another benefit of gardening with a greenhouse is the ability to start vegetables from seed early in the year.  While many nurseries and garden centers to sell vegetables as young plants in the early part of the year, these small plants can be expensive to buy.  Certainly when planting on a larger scale, starting your plants from seed is a much more economical option.  Additionally, when planting some certain types of herbs and vegetables, starting plants from seed may be a requirement, as most nurseries don’t grow the more obscure varieties and hybrids.

In the case of vegetables that grow well in containers, such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, strawberries, and many herbs, a greenhouse can be a way to grow your own produce year round and save money on your grocery bill.  One option is to begin your vegetables in the greenhouse early in the year, and then move then outdoors during the warm summer months.  When the weather cools off again in the fall, the plants can be brought back into the greenhouse to extend harvests for several more months, or as long as the lifespan of each individual plant will allow.

While a greenhouse can be a significant up front investment, the rewards of greenhouse gardening are almost endless.  Your greenhouse will pay you back with new and unique varieties of plants, bigger and better harvests, and a wealth of invaluable gardening experience.

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Getting Started With Greenhouse Gardening

Published by
ebell
at September 28, 2009 in Garden. 0 Comments

The process of planning out a new greenhouse is almost as big of a job as building the structure itself.  There are so many questions to answer!  How big should your greenhouse be?  What is the right location?  What type of greenhouse is right for you?  Will you build your own structure from scratch, or will you purchase a ready to assemble greenhouse kit?  The planning stage alone can take several months, plus the additional time and sweat work of actually building the greenhouse.

But once all this is done, then the real fun can begin!  So once you’ve got your greenhouse built, what is the next step?  How do you set up your greenhouse and get ready to begin greenhouse gardening?

Determining the types of plants you want to grow is usually the first step.  Are you growing tropical plants that will have to remain in the greenhouse year round?  Or are you starting plants from seed early in the spring, with the intent of moving them outdoors when the weather warms up?  The types of plants you grow will have an impact on how you set your greenhouse up, including the type of shelving and work spaces you will need.

Greenhouse supplies

When purchasing shelving and work benches for your greenhouse, look for fixtures that can fit right into the greenhouse itself.  For example, if you’ve bought a greenhouse kit, you may also be able to purchase shelves that snap right into the greenhouse walls.  This type of shelving is a good choice because it saves space and is usually easy to install.  For a work bench or potting surface, look for something sturdy and durable.  A slatted surface is nice because soil can fall through the cracks and onto the ground, or into a collection bin you place below.  On the other hand, a smooth surface makes for easy cleanup.

Once you’ve got your shelving and work surfaces in place, it’s time to begin greenhouse gardening!  Soil preparation is a very important first step in this process.  Visit your local garden center and talk to a professional about what type of soil you need.  Different plants will require different soil pH levels, and tester kits can be purchased inexpensively at garden stores.  Usually, a good bet is to purchase a commercial potting soil mix to build your base up in the gardening trenches of your new green house.  This is an excellent way to get started, because the soil mix will be rich in nutrients that your plants need.  Be sure your new soil mixture includes sand, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and fir bark for adequate drainage.

Another possibility for getting good soil is to begin your own composting system.  Garden composters and tumbling bins can be found through mail order catalogs or online stores, and they will produce the richest, most fertile soil you can imagine, and your plants will grow better than they ever have before.

compost tumbler

Soil should be watered only on an as-needed basis.  Over watering inside a greenhouse may cause plant death due to the climate control system inside the greenhouse.  Drip irrigation systems are good, but most greenhouse owners prefer to water plants manually to prevent getting too much water in the soil.  Water only when the soil feels dry.  If you are going to be out of town for a few days, document your watering habits for a week or so before hand.  This way, if you ask a friend or neighbor to water for you in your absence, you’ll be able to tell them exactly how often they’ll need to water.

Greenhouse gardening is a wonderful hobby and a great way to improve your gardening skills.  Once the hard work of planning and assembling the greenhouse is done, you’ll be rewarded with years of enjoyment spent in your greenhouse.  Plus you’ll have bigger and better plants to show for your efforts.  Happy greenhouse gardening!

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