Heightened Garden Security With Deer Repellent Plants03.12.10

Deer repellent plants are available in a very wide range of types to aid in the protection of either a flower garden or vegetable garden. These plants, while not designed for this purpose, have been found to keep deer from ruining an otherwise meticulously tended garden. Dependent on the type of garden that you have, a wide variety of plants to either accent the area or simply act as protection are available.

Deer have a nasty habit of going straight for the closest vegetable garden when they are in search of food. One of the easiest ways to create a beautiful perimeter fence is by planting certain shrubs and trees around the area that deer do not like to eat. This type of natural fence will aid greatly in keeping the deer away from the more important plants behind them.

By selecting plants that contain thorns or prickly leaves, their natural deterrent qualities can shine through. Rosebushes or even holly will make a very effective natural fence around a garden.For those gardens in a slightly drier climate, yucca plants may be used for their pointed leaves.

Also available are a wide variety of noxious plants that deer simply will not eat or go near due to their odor.The majority of these are in the form of herbs. Chives, onions, oregano and garlic are among list that may be planted in or around the vegetable garden and due to their strong odor, will keep the deer at bay.

There is a very large amount of choices available when it comes to finding deterrent plants of this type. One concern that will need to be met is that the plant chosen will in fact thrive in the area of the country that the home is in. Some online research will help to determine if the selection that you have made is right for your area.

Quite a few of the deer resistant plants available are of a flowering variety. This makes selecting one or more versions to add to an already existing garden quite a bit easier. The sunflower plant particularly makes a great deterrent against the deer and can be used on a perimeter in the same fashion as a fence would be.

There are literally hundreds of different deer resistant plants available for the gardener’s selection. Many of them offer blooming flowers that will allow a gardener to accent the plants they already have in place. By going online, these may all be explored and the correct ones selected for the area of the country that the garden is in.

Deer repellent plants, particularly the flowering ones, can actually aided gardener in expanding their vision by adding a new look. Many of these plants may have not been considered in the outset of designing a garden, but may be found to be a nice addition. Take the time to do some research into the many varieties of plants and shrubs available that not only serve this purpose but look great while they are doing it.

If you are looking for a list of all the deer resistant plants, please visit www.thebestdeerrepellent.com; there you will find resources that will help you with the best choices of plants for your garden. The site also has home made recipes and many many other information to keep the deer away from your garden.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening02.09.10

If you’ve decided to start vegetable gardening this year, then you are among the 7 million households that are beginning their first gardening experience too. More and more Americans are looking for fresher, safer, better quality and cheaper food that can be cultivated right in their own backyards. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beans and carrots are some of the most popular varieties. Before you begin, here are some gardening tips on planning, implementing and maintaining a bountiful garden.

The first thing you’ll need to do when designing a vegetable garden is selecting the best location and size. First, be sure your location gets as much sunlight as possible. Most vegetables must have at least six to eight hours of direct light every day for the best results. If you have a shadier area, you can stick your lettuce and spinach there. As you assess your property, make certain to take into account the shade cast by the deciduous trees and the house during specific times of the day.

Ideally, the garden will be conveniently located close the kitchen, so you can take care of it more easily and bring in your crop without hiking long distances. The best soil will be loaded with nutrients and drain correctly, so you might have to add compost and use garden tools to aerate the earth before you begin.

A gardening expert will usually tell you that raised beds are the best method for effective vegetable gardening. Garden guides love raised beds because they increase the growing area by reducing the amount of garden used for paths, they save fertilizer and compost materials, they are easy and convenient to work with, they work well with trellises, they are 12-15 degrees warmer than the ground so you can plant earlier, and they are beautiful to look at. To begin creating your raised beds, measure and stake down each garden bed and outline the beds with string. To raise the bed, loosen the soil with a shovel or fork and nestle your bed into the plot. Smooth the soil on the surface of the bed with the tines and back edge of a rake. Take your time when shaping the beds, for this step is very important. Each bed should rise eight inches above ground when all is said and done and the most productive raised beds are about three feet wide. You can line the beds with bricks, stones or wood, whichever you prefer.

The last step before planting is to feed the soil and make it ready for productive vegetable gardening. Whatever the plants take up out of the soil, you’ll need to ensure microorganisms or soil puts back in. Several inches of compost or natural manure fertilizer usually does the trick. For a 12 x 16 (200 square-foot) garden, use about 75 pounds of commercial compost or horse manure. If you’re using uncultivated soil, the best garden advice is to apply five pounds of organic fertilizer with 5% nitrogen for every 200 square feet. Rake the fertilizer into the first few inches of top soil to break up clay clumps and create a nutritious environment for growing plants.

The benefits of a vegetable garden can’t be beat. You’ll get to enjoy fresh picked produce and you’ll get some great exercise at the same time! From fall vegetable gardens to a raised vegetable garden, you’ll find the information you need at the Vegetable Gardening Site.

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More and More People Taking Up Vegetable Gardening01.14.10

The results are in from the January 2009 Impact of Home and Community Gardening In America study, which was conducted by Harris Interactive for the National Gardening Association. In their research, they contacted 2,559 households nationwide to determine how many home gardeners there are in America and what the impact of that might be. In fact, they found that 7 million more households plan on growing plants for food, including fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs in 2009, compared to 2008. Thirty-seven percent of all US households are actively engaged in food production now.

So just who are all these new gardeners? “The demographics of today’s food gardening households include a broad cross-section of the U.S. population. There are few other outdoor activities where virtually every demographic group is so well represented, no matter what their age, education, income, marital status, household size, gender, or regional location,” concludes the NGA report.

The food gardening experience is enjoyed primarily by women (54%), those ages 45+ (68%), college students (43%) and married couples with no children at home (67%). The gardeners are pretty evenly spread across the South, Midwest, West and Northeast. Those making $35,000 – $49,999 in household income are the most common gardening group (24%), although many who make over $75,000 (22%), under $35,000 (21%) and between $50,000 and $74,999 (16%) are also represented.

Among active home gardeners, 11% say they’ll increase the amount and variety of vegetables they’re growing in 2010, as well as share more of their produce with others. About 10% say they’ll spend more time on their gardens and do more preserving this year. Of the 21% of households who are beginning their first gardens, 11% say they’ll start by growing herbs, 10% say they’ll start with vegetable container gardening, 5% are beginning a full backyard vegetable garden and 4% will try their hand at berry growing.

The National Gardening Association wondered, “Just what type of food gardens do Americans have?” Are they big sprawling acres of produce or are they little windowsill boxes of herbs? The study found that half of all home gardeners grow food in containers, as well as growing food in the ground. The overwhelming majority of households (91%) grow food at their own home, while another 2 million grow at a friend, relative or neighbor’s house, and another 1 million grow in a community garden. The average garden size was about 600 square-feet, although 57% had gardens of 100 square-feet or less. The National Gardening Association invites all these new growers to visit their website at www.garden.org to learn gardening information, receive gardening advice and gain valuable home vegetable gardening tips.

The benefits of a vegetable garden can’t be beat. You’ll get to enjoy fresh picked produce and you’ll get some great exercise at the same time! From the organic vegetable garden to herb gardening, you’ll find the information you need at the Vegetable Garden Site.

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