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Landscape Software

November 6th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Landscape software can range in price from a free version all the way up to hundreds of dollars depending on the features that are available in the software.  Make a list of the features you want in the software before you decide which landscape software program is right for you.  For example, do you want to use the package to design decks, fencing, swimming pools, gazebos, driveways, retaining walls, sheds, stairs or outdoor recreation areas.  Not all landscape software packages come with the same features so make sure you purchase the package that will fit your needs best.  

Most landscape software programs will come with free technical support however there are a couple of programs that will charge you an additional fee for the support.  You’ll want a program that has a help index, help tutorials, FAQs, support forums and help menus.

You will also want to investigate how easy it is to use the landscape software.  Are the controls within the software easy to find and understand?  If the product isn’t easy to use, most of the time you will give up in frustration.  Look for landscape software that is easy to install, setup, and allows for easy image imports and exports.  Try to find a package that features a large catalog of plants and materials that can be used in the designing process.  This will allow more flexibility in the designs that you can create.

A nice feature of some packages is that the landscape software will help you choose the right plants for the area you are designing.  You can create a variety of landscaping designs without ever lifting a shovel or spending a dime on plants.  Some landscape software will allow you to view your landscaping design as it matures, you’ll see how the shrubs, flowers and trees look five, ten or twenty years from now.  This feature can be especially helpful if you are planning on planting close to a structure such as a building.

Pumpkin Patch In Your Landscaping

October 4th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Growing a pumpkin patch in your landscaping requires a lot of space.  Some experts suggest 50 to 100 square feet per hill for the average pumpkin patch.  However, if you want to grow giant pumpkins you will need more room than that in your landscaping design.

If you want to have mature pumpkins in October you will need to look at your timing when planting.  Pumpkin seeds won’t germinate unless the soil is at least 60 degrees.  If the area that you live in is slow to get warmer weather in the spring, you can start the pumpkin seeds indoors.  Just make sure you check the maturation dates on the particular seeds you are planting; some varieties have a growing maturation date as short as 50 days.

If you are planting your pumpkin patch outdoors, plant four to five seeds an inch deep in a pumpkin hill, which is simply an 18-inch mound of enriched soil that receives full sun.  Leave 5 to 6 feet between your hills for pumpkin plants that vine, 3 to 4 feet for semi-vining plants.  Once seeds sprout, leave two or three of the strongest seedling per hill.  Mini pumpkin patch can be planted with much less room; you can plat two or three seeds every 2 feet if planting in a row.

Use drip irrigation in your pumpkinpatch to keep the soil evenly moist and leaves dry.  This helps reduce the risk and spread of disease.  Be on the lookout for cucumber beetles and squash bugs in your pumpkin patch.  These bugs love every part of the pumpkin – from the seedling to the vine to the fruit.  Damage to the vine from these bugs can spell disaster to your pumpkin patch.

Harvest your pumpkins when they are a deep, solid color (orange for most varieties) and the rind is hard.  Pumpkins are typically ready to be harvested in late September or early October.  When harvesting your pumpkin patch, cut the stem leaving a 3 to 4 inch stem.  If you are not going to use your pumpkin right away, store them in a cool (50 to 55 degree), dry location to help them last longer.

Backyard Gardens

September 8th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

In a perfect world, gardens would stay green and weed free all year long with very little watering, pruning or pampering.  In the real world, gardens can be a lot of work.  Here are some tips for your backyard gardensthat will save you time and energy.

• You can include a paved or gravel path through your backyard garden area to cut down on the space that is available for planting.  The pathway will add texture to the overall design.
• Bigger is not always better.  Keep your backyard garden at a manageable level.  Try to plant most of your plants close to your water supply too.  This will cut down on the amount of time you need to spend dragging hoses around.
• Plant your flowers according to the distance recommendations or directions.  If the directions say to plant your flower 8 inch apart then leave at least 8 inches between your plants.  If you plant your flowers to close together, you’ll have to spend time thinning them out once they start growing.
• You could use containers to create your backyard gardens.  This will cut down on the amount of time you need to spend weeding and watering your plants.  Don’t plant any more containers than you can reasonably take care of.
• Mulching your backyard garden area will help control weeds and keep the soil moist.  This will improve the overall quality of your plants and will cut down on the amount of time you need to spend weeding, watering and general tending to your backyard gardens.
• If you are thinking about planting trees or shrubs, pick an evergreen variety over deciduous plants.  This will save you time during autumn because you won’t have all the leaves that fall to rake up.
• Plant perennials instead of annuals.  Perennials re-emerge in the spring which saves you money because you don’t have to purchase new flowers every year for your backyard garden.
• Have a plan for your backyard gardens.  Make a list of the types of easy care plants and blooms you want for your garden and that will fit your lifestyle.  Take that list to your local nursery and ask for any recommendations that would make your backyard gardens area as maintenance free as possible.

Tomato Tips

August 25th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Even though we are getting towards the end of the 2008 growing season in the area of the country that I live in, I wanted to share some tomato tips information.  If you are like one of the over 35 million gardeners that will plant tomatoes, you can choose from big beefsteak or a small cherry tomato.

Tomato Tips #1:

The easiest and fastest way to grow a tomato crop is to start with transplants.  Only start with seeds if you have an area that you can grow the plant indoors until it is sturdy enough to plant outdoors.  If you decide to start with seeds, plant the seeds in pots that are filled with soil, peat moss and vermiculite up to 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last spring frost in your area.  Once the seedlings have sprouted two sets of leaves, you will need to transplant them into a bigger pot.

Tomato Tips #2:

Seedlings will need lots of heat and light, so you’ll want to place them in a sunny window or under an artificial light.  If you are placing your seeds under an artificial light, position the lights approximately 4 to 6 inches above the seedlings to encourage a stouter stem.  If you have started growing your seedling indoors, before you plant them permanently outside, set them outside for a couple of hours every day.  Plant them permanently outside once the temperature stays above 55 degrees.

Tomato Tips #3:

Make sure to support your tomatoes with stakes, cages or trellises.  Tomatoes can be grown until the first frost kills them.  If you are limited on space for your garden, choose the Roma or another bush variety tomato for containers or small areas.

Tomato Tips #4:

Tomatoes grow best in soil that has a pH level between 5.8 and 7.  Test your soil.  If you have a clay or sandy type soil, mix in some compost.  Don’t overdo the use of nitrogen fertilizers because that will only produce more leaves, not more fruit.

Tomato Tips #5:

You need to make sure that your tomatoes get at least an inch of water per week.  Watering early in the morning will decrease disease and leaf burn.  Establish a consistent watering schedule for your plants and then stick with it.

Tomato Tips #6:

Mulch your plants to keep them moist.  Mulching will also help protect low-growing tomatoes from being damaged from resting on the ground and prevent soil from splashing on them during watering.  Soil splashing on your plants can cause disease.  Mulching also keeps the soil cool and controls weeds.  You can use leaves, hay or herbicide-free grass clippings to mulch your plants.  Once these materials break down, they will add organic matter to the soil.

Tomato Tips #7:

If you have suckers on your plants, remove them.  Suckers dilute the flow of energy.  Your plants will try to grow more fruit and mature all the fruit if there are a lot of suckers.  Removing them will give you fewer but earlier fruit.  Just be careful not to remove to many leaves because they are producing the energy needed to make delicious tomatoes.

Brick Walkway Patterns

August 7th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Using the same brick walkway patterns in the main paths that meander through your garden as the patterns in your deck will create a uniform flow for your backyard garden design.  You can also use a variety of brick walkway patterns to break up individual areas in your garden.  This will create unique areas within the overall design.  By making your main pathway curvy or winding, you’ll create the illusion of a bigger area.  If you decide you want a more formal garden area then you’ll want to stay with wide and straight brick walkway patterns.

Unless you have experience laying bricks in mortar, you might want to consider hiring a professional to build your path.  Laying bricks in mortar is an acquired skill that takes years to learn.  However, you can lay bricks in sand.  Laying bricks in sand requires more muscle than precision.  This particular method is easily removed but can be very durable if left alone.  A brick in sand walkway can settle over time which in some cases adds to the atmosphere you are trying to create.

When developing your brick walkway patterns you are only limited by your imagination.  Do you want to create the look of a cozy English cottage garden design or do you want to create a formal manor type design?  You will probably want to use pavers instead of bricks for your garden walkway.  Pavers will hold up to weather conditions much better than ordinary bricks.  Pavers have been developed to withstand moisture from the ground, extreme weather conditions and temperature changes.  Ordinary bricks could disintegrate, crumble or crack.  Better you start on your brick walkway patterns make sure you choose a product that is manufactured specifically for walkways and paths.

Watering Your Plants

July 5th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Plants are just like people, they each have their own preferences.  Read the tags or labels that come with your containers to find out the preferences before watering your plants.  Information on watering and other general care requirements are almost always on the labels that come with the plant.

The type of device you use will determine the best time for watering your plants.  If you are going to use a drip system or soaker hose than evenings is the best time to water.  If you are using a sprinkler system, water in the morning so the foliage dries before nightfall.  Try to avoid watering your plants during the heat of the day because you will lose quite a bit to evaporation.

The type of soil that you use for your plants will also dictate how often you need to water.  If the soil is sandy, your plants will dry out faster than if the soil has a lot of clay.  You can always improve the condition of your soil be using manure, peat moss or humus.

When it comes to watering your plants, thorough but less frequent watering is the key.  Thoroughly watering your plants will encourage the roots to grow deeper.  As the roots grow deeper the roots will have a larger area to draw water from and limits the number of poor-performing surface roots.

Water annuals when the top few inches of soil begin to dry.  Most perennials, shrubs and trees have roots that are in the top foot or two of soil, so concentrate your water to those areas.  For the first year or two, water perennials often so they can establish a strong root system.  Once the root system has been established, you can water less frequently.

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Credits: Work From Home | Matteo Turchetto | Andreas Viklund