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<title>Latest Gardening Articles</title>
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<description>Articles at Article Cabinet</description>
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<title>Different Layouts For Your Organic Vegetable Garden</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/different-layouts-for-your-organic-vegetable-garden.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/different-layouts-for-your-organic-vegetable-garden.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:02:09 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Once you have decided that you are going to be growing your own vegetables you can enjoy all of the benefits of home gardening. On the other hand, considerable planning is necessary if you want to go ahead with this project. Here some layouts that you could choose for your organic garden. <strong>Container Gardening</strong> - This is pretty much the opposite of the backyard gardening option. It is possible to start growing organic vegetables, even if space is limited. Some plant species can quite easily grow inside large pots and all sorts of other containers. Container Gardening is a perfect option for people who live in the downtown area where there is not really any garden space available. The methods used are almost the same, but on a much smaller scale. Of course, your crop yield will also be considerably smaller also. <strong>Raised Garden Bed</strong> - Raised garden bed's mean the soil is placed in a separate raised area of land. This is done by constructing a closed frame of wood and placed on the ground. Without doubt this offers many benefits for your organic vegetable garden. Having the raised platform will make it more accessible and you will also benefit from having more power over the soil mixture. This means you can grow vegetables where the condition of the soil is not so good, also drainage will be significantly improved. <strong>Square Foot Garden</strong> - In this configuration, the space used for planting vegetables is small in tightly packed square lots. It emphasizes the use of compost and other organic farming methods. Raised beds are often used, but space is much narrower and better defined, this has the advantage of easy access that people will find much better. Consequently, tending to the crops and other general maintenance is also made easier. This provision is ideal for beginners to the organic vegetable garden world. <strong>Backyard Garden</strong> - If you have enough space behind the house you could consider turning your back yard into an organic vegetable garden. This is possibly one of the most useful home improvement projects that you could do. You will have plenty of room to grow your vegetables, as well as having enough room to organize your plants properly. You can expect more crops from using this method. Although this also means that you will be required to spend some more time looking after your plants. <strong>Interior Garden</strong> - Few people realize, but it is possible to grow vegetables inside. This system is ideal for people who have no place to install an outdoor garden. There are vegetables and other crops that need little sunlight to grow. It's a good idea to get some <a href="http://myorganicvegetablegardening.com/">gardening advice</a> before proceeding with this project. Maximize the limited space that you have by planting vegetables that you will definately use. Whatever your choice of vegetables to plant, you need to look after and water them regularly. These are just some of the different layouts that you can use in your own organic vegetable garden. Take into account all factors such as climate, soil quality and types of vegetables before starting on any project.</p> ]]></description>
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<title>The Mantis Home Tiller/Cultivator is Lightweight and Easy to Use</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/the-mantis-home-tiller-cultivator-is-lightweight-and-easy-to-use.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/the-mantis-home-tiller-cultivator-is-lightweight-and-easy-to-use.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:05:53 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Uncle Frank and Aunt Bea are very well known in their neighborhood, located in a small town in western New York. I would almost guess, they are well known in the town! Most any given neighborhood has someone like Uncle Frank. Every winter, he uses the snow blower for his sidewalk...for the neighbor's sidewalk...for the folks across the street...and the elderly couple up the street. Uncle Frank just loves to use the snow blower! But I'm not sure, every neighborhood has someone like Aunt Bea! She has fallen in love with the mantis tiller! In fact, she has nicknamed herself, "Queen of the Till on the Hill"--yes, they live on Hill Street.<br /><br />That's right! For their 40th wedding anniversary, Aunt Bea informed Uncle Frank that she wanted a tiller. Not just ANY tiller, but the mantis tiller. She read how easy it is to use and wanted to put a garden outback. She went on and on about how lightweight it is, how it is environmentally friendly and that it doesn't make a lot of noise.<br /><br />Amused by her request, Uncle Frank ordered the tiller and tied a bright red bow on it when it arrived. He half expected that Aunt Bea would never use the thing, but she quickly proved him wrong. By the end of the week she mastered digging, tilling and cultivating, and produced a beautiful garden.<br /><br />The following Monday Uncle Frank woke up and went downstairs for his usual two scrambled eggs and toast, only to discover Aunt Bea was nowhere to be found. He ate a bowl of cereal and headed to the barber's for his monthly haircut. Seated next to Uncle Frank, was Bob, his neighbor. Bob laughed and told Uncle Frank, "That's quite the gadget Bea has. She was out edging our sidewalk at 6:00 AM and on her way over to Liz's to help her with some weeding!" Uncle Frank just laughed.<br /><br />Later that day at lunch, Aunt Bea talked about her busy morning and how great the mantis tiller is. She even pulled out her appointment book to show who she was going to "help" later on in the week!<br /><br />I personally think it's great! When the two of them are together for too many hours, they drive each other nuts. Now that Uncle Frank can go on his snow blowing excursions during the winter months and Aunt Bea can dig, till, cultivate, weed, etc. during the other months, that's great! Maybe they have the makings for a long happy marriage! They certainly have neighbors who are thrilled with Uncle Frank's and Aunt Bea's hobbies</p> ]]></description>
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<title>Ordering Fresh Flowers</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/ordering-fresh-flowers.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/ordering-fresh-flowers.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Aug 2010 06:41:16 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Ordering fresh flowers is an incredibly useful thing to be able to do. Whenever we are stuck for a gift to get someone, flowers are always a great option that anyone will appreciate. Here is something that will look great in someone's home and can brighten up their rooms, but at the same time won't take up too much space or be permanent. This is great for the person who seems to have everything as if you were to get an ornament for someone with an already cluttered house you would risk them not having any space for it, or having to display it on their side board or windowsill when in reality they can't stand the site of it - which isn't good for anyone.<br /><br />The other great bonus of ordering fresh flowers is that you can do so from the comfort of your home and can get them delivered anywhere at any time. This is of course very useful for if you want to send your flowers long distance - for example maybe your recipient lives a long way away and you want them to receive the flowers without them having to wait until you arrive. At the same time ordering fresh flowers is great for someone who has forgotten an event such as an anniversary, birthday or valentines day. This way you don't have to run out last minute to find a present from an ill-suited shop, but can instead reassure your partner or friend that their gift is on the way - and the fact that they're fresh will make sure it doesn't seem like an afterthought. In fact, by ordering fresh flowers online from certain websites it can be possible to avoid ever missing a special occasion again. This is because it's possible to order fresh flowers in advance to arrive at a certain date. This way as soon as&nbsp; your remember that someone's birthday is coming up, you can then order the flowers to arrive for that date. Alternatively an even better method is to set a standing order for flowers to arrive at certain dates, this could mean that your recipient receives their flowers every year on their birthday without fail and you don't have to do anything to make this happen. Ordering fresh flowers finally makes a great surprise gift - we all love receiving post and imagine how happy your recipient will be when they get a knock at the door only to be presented a fresh bunch of flowers from you. It's a great way to give someone a good start to their day and to let them know you're thinking of them.<br /><br />Choosing your flowers when you order fresh flowers is important and you need to imagine what the flowers will look like when they arrive in the flesh (as it were) rather than online. If you happen to know that the person has a favourite flower then this is always a great bet as it will mean that you can get them something that you know they like and will also tell&nbsp; them that you listen to what they want and that you care enough to remember which is very flattering. Finally for something different try looking into ordering fresh flowers as part of gift baskets to give them a more creative and considered present.</p> ]]></description>
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<title>Make Your Garden Glow  in This Summer with Outdoor Solar Lights</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/make-your-garden-glow-in-this-summer-with-outdoor-solar-lights.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/make-your-garden-glow-in-this-summer-with-outdoor-solar-lights.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:27:27 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p><strong>Outdoor Solar Lights: The Garden Accessory Everyone Will Love</strong><br /><br />All anyone can talk about these days is going green &ndash; wearing green, recycling, buying organic, using solar panels &ndash; but what about going green in the place it matters most, the garden? Those with green thumbs are in luck, because the resolution on everyone&rsquo;s list this year (to use less and recycle more) can be accomplished right in your own garden, and without using a shred of energy! Enter outdoor solar lights, a garden accessory that everyone will love. Not just for those looking to illuminate driveways and trees, outdoor solar lights come in every shape and form imaginable, from string lights to four foot tall lighted outdoor trees for Christmas. Below, a few favorites you can&rsquo;t afford to miss.<br /><br />1. <strong>Eight Solar Light Value Pack:</strong> This combination pack comes complete with eight separate solar lights that soak up the sun&rsquo;s rays by day and brighten your driveway, walkways, patios and pools by night. For those worried about their lack of electrical skills, fret not! These lights require no lighting or electricity. They feature white LED lights that utilize a rechargeable solar battery (included). All you have to do is put the stakes into the ground and let the sun shine in!<br /><br />2. <strong>Solar Rock Light:</strong> It looks like a rock, feels like a rock, and acts like a rock &ndash; but it&rsquo;s not a rock! In fact, it&rsquo;s a solar light. It utilizes the sun&rsquo;s rays to highlight your plants, mailboxes, front door &ndash; anything you want to highlight, the solar rock light has you under control. It emits a soft, non-fluorescent light that shines a few feet away. This light features a built-in sensor for automatic dusk-to-dawn operation, so you&rsquo;ll never have to worry about turning it on or off, or making sure that you unplug it in the mornings. There are no wires and plugs involved! It includes two AA rechargeable batteries and four LED bulbs.<br /><br />3. <strong>Solar Powered Christmas Lights:</strong> One of the things many people struggle with when they try to go green is getting rid of their Christmas lights. We&rsquo;re a nation of folks that love to decorate, and the urge is hard to curb come December 1st. Many of us love to decorating with small, twinkling lights long after Christmas has come and gone, so it&rsquo;s good thing that there&rsquo;s such a thing as solar powered decorating lights! No outlet needed &ndash; these lights take their energy from the sun, turning on automatically at dusk and running for around eight hours. Imagine how much you can save on your energy bill without Christmas lights next year. These look great on your front porch, or wound around your lamppost. Wherever you decide to put them, they&rsquo;re sure to bring a healthy dose of holiday cheer without the carbon footprint. <br /><br />4. <strong>Fold Down 4 Foot Lighted Outdoor Tree:</strong> Speaking of Christmas decorations, most who celebrate the holiday feel that Christmas isn&rsquo;t complete without a tree&hellip;in both their living room and their front yard. However, the amount of lights and energy necessarily to keep both an indoor and outdoor tree light through the season is astronomical. Consider changing out your old outdoor decorations for a lighted outdoor tree that includes 150 colorful lights! This tree, made of PVC and iron, folds up for easy storage, so you can use it year after year. Brighten up your lawn, porch or landscape in just moments and save dozens on your energy bill.<br /><br />5. <strong>Solar Post Driveway Light:</strong> Live on a dark street? Last house on the block? Illuminate the path to your front door with a solar post driveway light. This standup light is perfect for lining your driveway, garden or walkway. It gathers energy from the sun during the day and lights up automatically at night, making your home feel safe and welcoming to both yourself and guests. The light stays illuminated for up to eight hours, and the light stakes into the ground effortlessly. The light features a durable, weather resistant construction with plastic and stainless steel. <br /><br /><br />6. <strong>3 Way Solar House Light:</strong> Illuminate the entrance to your home without spending a dime with these solar house lights. No need to call the electrician for wiring; these lights soak up the sun during the day and automatically power on at dusk. Come dawn, they automatically shut off, letting the sun do the work for the remainder of the day. These lights include a pack of three, and feature a wall mount kit, free standing base and stakes for lighting pathways. Though they&rsquo;re plastic, these craftsman style lights look like a million bronze bucks. They&rsquo;re classy and inexpensive, and will help you seriously cut down on your energy bill. <br /><br />Whatever you&rsquo;re looking to illuminate, you&rsquo;re sure to find a solar light that works for you. Forget the annoying wiring, and the high cost energy bills and go solar.</p>
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<title>A Garden In Your Apartment?</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/a-garden-in-your-apartment.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/a-garden-in-your-apartment.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:35:46 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ With the economy costing more jobs every day, people have to make sacrifices. While for some sacrifices will until entail eating out a few times less per week or cutting down on movie rentals, other's will have to make bigger sacrifices, such as moving from a house into an apartment. While it may sound extreme, with the loss of income some families are being forced into making these type of tough decisions every day.<br />
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One of the big advantages of having a house is that you get a yard, and one of the big pluses of having a yard is the fact that you get to have a nice garden. For those who are making the transition to apartment living, having a garden can seem like a dream whose time has passed. I mean, you can't have a garden indoors, right? Well, good news: with <a href="http://www.accessdiscounts.com"><b>grow lights</b></a> and grow light accessories you can grow almost anything that you could in your gardens from inside your apartment. All you need is a pot, some soil, a few seeds, some tender love and care, and a grow light. <br />
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So how does a grow light allow you to have an indoor garden? The key is in the bulbs. Grow lights bulbs give off a special kind of light that plants crave. You see, technically a tomato plant doesn't need an outdoor setting; all it needs is the nutrients that are given off by the sun. If you're able to provide that same nourishing light indoors then, bang, you have fresh, plump tomatoes. And no, regular lights won't work. It's the wrong kind of light, that's why you need the special type of bulbs that only grow lights can give you. <br />
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Here's more good news: you can put these grow lights anywhere. It's not like you have to set up these pots and lights in the middle of your living room, you can use a spare closet or corner. You don't need a lot of room for the actual grow lights, actually most of the room will actually be used for the pot. <br />
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And if you manage to find yourself back in a house in a few years, remember, grow lights can be used indoors year round. This means that while your outdoor garden is snowed in, you can grow fruits and veggies in the comfort of your own home. Why would you limit yourself to only having fresh vegetables in the spring and summer when you could be enjoying them year round.  Remember: vegetables that you grow yourself always taste better.<br />
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<title>Landscape Garden Design Ideas</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/landscape-garden-design-ideas.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/landscape-garden-design-ideas.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:59:18 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Having a beautifully landscaped garden is among one of the greatest therapeutic experiences one can create. Though there are people who think that this is an easy fit to achieve, the truth is that it does take a little invention and great design ideas for anyone to accomplish this feat and ensure that they create an eye catching garden. There are two major ways through which you can approach this venture, first, you can hire garden designers or alternatively choose to create your own designs. If you opt for the latter, then it is ideal to have some ideas on how to go about the same. <br /><br />Landscape garden designs can be inspired by several sources and as such, it is good to note where your inspiration comes from before you embark on creating your own garden. For starters, you can create a landscape garden from geometry which in this case could include circles, squares, curves and fractels. Though there are some people who don't associate geometry with art it is ideal to note that since time immemorial, thy have been treated as symbols and more so the square and the circle and for this reason, considered as sacred and ideal for landscaping designs and ideas. <br /><br />The second great idea for landscaping is the railroad. This is loved by most people due to the simplicity it displays and the emotions it evokes in people which in this case is romance. While you are considering opting for this, it is important to ensure that the right ideals are set in place to ensure that you do not depict the picture of a railroad sticking out aimlessly without direction. As such, it is best to ensure that you set up a mini landscape. When you are using the railroad idea, it is important to choose the right plants to bring out the look you want. For instance, you can use Irish or Scotch which are ideal for stimulating lawns. Another ideal plant that can be used in this kind of landscape is the miniature Elm which has tiny leaves and is ideal for creating a scale tree look. On the other hand, you could also use dwarf Alberta spruce which is perfect for creating a miniature garden that sets off the perfect look for your landscaped garden. <br /><br />Another idea for landscaping is edible landscaping which in this case means that you create the landscape using some edible trees and fruits.&nbsp; In most cases, this can be broken down into two, ornamental and practical and as such, you should make your choice wisely. For starters if you choose ornamental, you have to go for lawn ornaments while if you choose practical designs, then you have to settle with French designs. In most cases, this will have a ground cover that provides foliage against soil erosion and hedges that can flower and as such, ensure that they safeguard your home.<br /><br />By choosing any of the landscape designs mentioned here, you will be better placed to carry out your landscaping ideas effectively and as such, ensure that you come up with pleasing results..</p> ]]></description>
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<title>Leyland Cypress Staking Methods</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/leyland-cypress-staking-methods.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/leyland-cypress-staking-methods.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2010 01:01:58 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Leyland Cypress - Arborvitae Planting -Staking Methods<br />
<br />
Select the Proper Tree Stakes<br />
<br />
Your choice of tree stakes is partly dependent on what size trees you plant and the variety. I don't think any tree catches the wind like a Leyland Cypress! I know some landscapers feel like it could keep the tree from becoming <br />
strong if you stake them. I have come back 1 week later to look at trees we planted and the homeowner had already let the family gardener remove my stakes so the trees would become stronger! I disagree. A newly planted tree will not be perfectly rooted when the first winter comes, and the weight of ice and snow will probably pull it over 30 degrees or so.  If you are not watching and straightening them up, <br />
they will attach roots in that position and you have to really harm the root system to straighten up the tree. Even if you have a Ball and Burlap (B&B) tree with a heavy root ball and you feel there is no way the root ball will shift, <br />
the wind blowing the trunk back and forth will break the trunk loose in the root ball and the tree will die. If it is a Leyland Cypress, it will "wilt" or "droop" within about two weeks, and the damage is done. <br />
<br />
Six foot metal fence posts are the best choice for ten or twelve foot Leyland Cypress trees. Leyland Cypress trees are top-heavy, and catch the wind like a sail! I like the metal fence posts called TEE-posts. The average price is $3.39 each. If you don't already have one, purchase a fence post driver wherever you buy your posts. They cost about $16-$19. <br />
 Using this tool makes driving the posts easier and could prevent metal chips from striking your face.  <br />
<br />
Rebar tree stakes are recommended only for very hard ground. I have planted in rocky ground where you couldn't drive a metal fencepost in the ground, but you can always drive 3/8" rebar with a 2 lb hammer. Buy them already cut to 2' lengths <br />
at Lowe's or Home depot for 99 cents each. After your trees are all tied, slip a piece of garden hose over the re-bar, and cut the hose off about 4" longer than the rebar. This will prevent injury if someone falls on the tree stake.   <br />
<br />
Staking with 2" X 2" pointed stakes is recommended for deciduous trees, even if they are ten footers that weighs 500 lbs. These include trees like Sunset Red Maples, October Glory Maples, Dan Fenton Hollies, Nellie Stevens Hollies, River Birch, Crepe Myrtles. These trees are fine with the 5' stakes, especially if the hole is tight like it should be, because these trees don't "catch" the wind like a Leyland <br />
Cypress or Thuja Green Giant will. This size tree stake is also fine for smaller Leyland Cypress and Arborvitae trees, 6' or smaller. A good place to buy is an equipment rental place. The stakes come in bundles of 12 and can be loaded on your truck with a forklift. They can also be found at Home Depot or Lowe's. <br />
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Positioning tree stakes - Leyland Cypress and Arborvitae are usually planted in a straight row or a zigzag pattern. For a straight row, drive your stakes in line with the outer perimeter of greenery, and in between the tree trunks. Each <br />
tree will be secured in four directions, tying to two stakes "in front" of the line of trees, and two stakes "in back" of the line. The "end" tree only gets tied three directions in a "Y" formation, because on the end of the row you won't put two stakes, just one which is in line with the tree trunks. Using the above technique, all trees are tied in 4 directions, except the end trees are tied in 3, and it only costs you 2 stakes per the number of trees you planted. Leyland Cypress or Arborvitae need to be staked at least three directions because they are top heavy and catch wind.  <br />
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<br />
Securing the trees and stakes - For large trees eight foot and taller, my favorite tie is called tree tie webbing from a.m.leo item LT500G,  500' roll is around 50$, it is soft green material, and 900 lb test! If you double this material, you can stake 20' trees with this. You can also use aluminum electric fence wire. Push it through an 18" piece of garden hose where it wraps around the trunk. Never secure tree stakes to just a limb; always wrap around the trunk. If it is not convenient for you to pick up electric fence wire or you just don't want to pay for that size roll, you can use rebar wire. It is available at every Lowe's or Home Depot near the concrete in small rolls the size of a doughnut for about $4. The disadvantage of rebar wire is it will rust and sometimes is rusty when you buy it. For smaller trees, 6' and under, use any type of nylon rope.  I use something called pro-series 550/2t tying twine, made by CWC and available at A.M. Leo. It will disintegrate out in the weather after about 1 season which is as long as you need smaller trees to be staked.  I leave the stakes and ties in the ground for 1 full year, and for large trees 16' and taller maybe 2 years. If you do leave the ties in place for a second year, check and see if they need to be lossened slightly due to the tree growing some during year 1. For large trees, 18' and taller, reach as high as you can and secure the tree tie webbing around the truck, then secure to the BASE of the stake directly in front of the NEXT TREE OVER, so that the line is at 45 degree angele. If a tie is made 7 or 8' high on a tree trunk, then tied to a stake directly under that tree, there is no strength, the stake will actually pull out because of direct upward pressure.  <br />
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<title>Leyland Cypress Spacing</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/leyland-cypress-spacing.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/leyland-cypress-spacing.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:58:43 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ HEIGTH determines spacing.<br />
The first question is how tall do you need them to grow? If a 14' row of Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giant will provide the privacy screen you need, you should be sure and "TOP" them at that height. To do that, you must let them grow a foot or so taller than the desired height, then just clip off the central leader, or main trunk. On evergreens, they should be "done" growing tall, and spend their energy thickening out. More height above what you need is a disadvantage for several reasons. The first is that during stress times, like a drought summer, or winter, the tree has to "decide" whether to send the moisture it does have to the upper limbs and truck or the lower limbs, it will always send the moisture to the top growth areas and starve out the lower limbs. Many people say their row of Leyland Cypress was doing fine, then "all of a sudden" this year they started showing brown on the lower needles. This is because the height reached the point relative to spacing that results in stress.<br />
RULE of fours.<br />
You should space the trees so the target height needed is no more than 4 times the distance between the trunks. If you need a 20' tall row to block your neighbor's house or windows, you could space as close as 5' on center. That is provided you will follow through, and when they reach 21 or 22' tall, top them back to 20' height. That means each tree will get the moisture from a 5' diameter ground area without competition from the tree beside it. It also means there will be enough room for a strong 5' diameter root system to to secure a 20' tall tree against the wind.<br />
ZIG ZAG pattern.<br />
This is a super solution if you can surrender some "width" of your property for the privacy screen. Let's take an example; someone needs a 30' tall privacy screen. If they use the rule of 4's, and plant a single file row, they should space at 8' on center, 4 times 8 = 32. If they are choosing to start with ten' Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giant, they will be 4' wide. That will leave you with 4' of air in between each tree and waiting a long time to close together. If you plant two parallel rows, with each at 8' on center, but staggered so that there APPEARS to be a tree every 4' you will have closure much quicker, yet still have the trees spaced for strength and low stress. In this case the first row should be 4' from the property line, and the second row should be 8' from the first. If tight on space, you could make the second row 6' back from the first row. One note is that the appearance of a tree every 4' is only when you are exactly perpendicular to the row. Also remember a ten foot Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giant may be 4 foot wide at it's widest point, but also they get skinnier as they get tall.  In this situation, you still need the 8' spacing based on the rule of fours, and the zig zag pattern will get you closure much sooner than a straight line row, but if you decided on 12 foot trees, they would be 5' wide at the widest point and you would have your results sooner.<br />
See my website For more planting info, see                    <a href=http://www.treefarmnc.com>See our website for info</a><br />
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<title>Leyland Cypress, Thuja Green Giant - when to plant</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/leyland-cypress-thuja-green-giant-when-to-plant.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/leyland-cypress-thuja-green-giant-when-to-plant.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Jul 2010 04:03:17 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giant are best planted before Oct 15, if you are located in VA or north of there. We are primarily talking about Ball and Burlap trees (which is our best seller) since they need to recover from having their roots cut when dug. It is not as risky to plant container grown Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giants, of course because their root system has not been wounded in any way. We just planted 147 six foot Leylands in Richmond, VA on Jan 9 and 10 this year. I shipped Leyland Cypress to Long Island and Thuja Green Giant to Westport, CT last fall slightly after the Oct 15th date and all did fine.<br />
When you plant Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giant in late fall, use Triple Phos fertilizer, usually 0-45-0 or 0-46-0 to encourage root growth only until spring. You don't want high nitrogen in late winter. If you are fertilizing other than late fall, a good schedule is last week of March and first week of September, either 14-14-14 slow release in 40 lb bags from LESCO or Nursery Special slow release in 50 lb bags. Use 1 lb per inch of truck diameter. There is a good LESCO off David White's rd in Southampton, Long Island, NY. For 12' trees, a 40 lb bag does about 10 or 12 trees, sprinkled around the drip line. If you are planting B&B trees, don't apply slow release down in the hole like I did for many years. It is meant to be top dressing, will dissolve too fast if in contact with that much more water than on top. Good slow release can feed for 4 months if applied correctly. For Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giants, I don't recommend Holly Tone even though it is recommended for evergreens.<br />
The very Best time to plant Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giant B&B trees is early spring, around April 1. This gives them maximum time to recover before their first test, being the hot summer. However, the biggest test is the first winter. I say that because if you live far enough north to have frozen hoses, all watering usually stops with the first freeze. The cold isn't the test, the lack of water is the test. It is called winter burn. Winter winds dry out the greenery on Leyland Cypress or Thuja Green Giant, so the outer few inches turn brown. Around April 1, it is recommended that you take hedge trimmers and trim off all the brown. Trees should put out new growth and be fine by the end of May. We dig and ship Leyland Cypress and Thuja Green Giant all summer with no problem, so far in 2010 we have shipped a load each week. We try and catch a cooler day around 90 degrees(instead of 100) load the trees wet, and our driver drives mostly at night so the trees arrive cool and happy.<br />
See my website For more planting info, see <a href=http://www.treefarmnc.com>See our website for info</a><br />
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<title>Synthetic Turf: A substitute to natural grass</title>
<link>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/synthetic-turf-a-substitute-to-natural-grass.html</link>
<guid>http://www.articlecabi.net/home-and-family/gardening/synthetic-turf-a-substitute-to-natural-grass.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jul 2010 06:49:11 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Synthetic turf is increasingly becoming popular because of its added advantages and low maintenance features. It is used as an architectural item during the planning of urban landscapes. Growing natural grass lawns is becoming tougher and messier by the day. They require more maintenance, time and resources to maintain them. <br /><br />Managing the green stretch of grass needed for sports purposes is becoming tougher because of their rough use by the sportsman. Watering and cutting huge grass playgrounds from time to time demands a good amount of human labor and time. Soil quality and water resources are necessary essentials that are required to maintain the grass lawns. With increasing sports events and little time to restore the grass growth is making it tougher to maintain it. <br /><br />Whether it is maintenance of tennis court or golf grounds, or landscaping your residential area, synthetic turf is becoming more popular as a substitute to natural grass. Synthetic turf has undergone many stages of development to restore various advantages and features inborn in natural grass. Whether it is running storm water or draining of water on its surface is no longer a restriction in adopting synthetic turf. Synthetic turf can be used in homes, tennis grounds, gardens and everywhere one can think of.<br /><br />The reason for its rising popularity is because of its various benefits. Here are few benefits that you can enjoy with synthetic turfs:<br /><br />Synthetic Turf Benefits<br /><br />It is Pet friendly<br /><br />No mowing is required<br /><br />Saves water as it does not grow <br /><br />No fertilizing is required<br /><br />Low maintenance cost<br /><br />Raw materials are completely tested for quality<br /><br />Non-toxic and meets all EPA standards for lead<br /><br />Eco- friendly and very safe for the environment!<br /><br />Durable in all weather conditions and does not attract insects and mosquitoes<br /><br />Helps in power saving and <br /><br />Perfect for people suffering from natural grass-related allergies<br /><br />Artificial turf can replace natural grass very easily and at almost every place. Artificial turf is now more preferably used in sports ground because it does not spoil due to rough play and it does not has to be maintained again and again. It looks exactly like natural grass and in the long run these turfs help in saving money and time. One does not has to worry about mowing, seeding, fertilizing or trimming synthetic turf and that&rsquo;s what makes it the first choice for homeowner&rsquo;s. It looks elegant and stays the same all year long. Unlike natural grass you don&rsquo;t have to worry about it turning yellow due to excess heat and low moisture. <br /><br />Synthetic turf can be easily purchased online and offline. There are several companies that focus on manufacturing synthetic turf. One can browse for them online and can place his orders instantly. Higher end and premium quality synthetic turfs are available at a comparatively higher cost than the normal turfs. One may also ask for warranty from the buyer over the synthetic turf he purchases.</p> ]]></description>
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