Native Gardening Supplies

Owning Your Very Own Herb Garden

One of the easiest ways to make your home and outdoors green is to plant various herbs, whether it be basil, mint or thyme. They’ll not only create a wonderful aroma and fresh fragrance, but they are quite versatile and can be planted just about anywhere. These are the perfect types of plants for the beginner gardener, as they are quite easy to cultivate and take care of.

There are hundreds of herbs on the market that you can purchase and grow in your garden. Not only are they wonderful to add to various dishes, but many of them can also be used for medicinal purposes. For beginners, starting out with basil, parsley and rosemary is a good idea, considering how often these are used and how easy they are to maintain. Having the convenience of simply walking outdoors to your own garden and picking a fresh, aromatic leaf from one of your herb plants is wonderful to have.

Getting Started With Your Herb Garden

For those who have limited gardening experience, starting with an herb garden is a great place to start. You really can plant herbs in any place that houses an adequate amount of light and warmth. Most of the time, herbs are planted in gardens along side any other vegetables that are planted. But you may also choose to plant them in planters, or plant them in smaller pots to be kept indoors.

Most herbs are generally annuals or perennials, but some are also biennials. It is important that the soil that they are planted in is rich in nutrients, and is well-drained. Too much water pooling in the soil can damage the roots. In cooler months, you might want to do some mulching in order to protect the herbs from damage. When the temperature does fall, it is recommended to cover the soil with hay or straw in order to maintain the temperature of the soil.

Where to Buy Herbs

LocalHarvest.org sells a wide range of herbs for you to plant in your very own herb garden. This site is wonderful because it not only supplies the freshest herbs and plants, but it also connects you to local farmers who are supplying exactly what you are looking for. After all, the best organic food is what’s grown closest to you. For items that you can’t find locally (during certain seasons), you can shop in their online catalog to find things that you can’t find locally.

Parsley is one of the most popular and widely used herb. You can find Italian Flat Leaved Parsley Plant at LocalHarvest.org for $3.15 per flat. These flavorful parsley leaves are perfect for all Italian dishes. The delicious and vibrant taste is only one of the benefits of this leaf: parsley is also highly nutritious, and is grown year-round. It is a biennial plant that will come back to your garden year after year. Just a few sprigs of this tasty herb is all you need to flavor up any dish. Buy them today at LocalHarvest.org!

TheGrowers-Exchange.com is also a great online place to shop for fresh herbs. They cultivate fresh herb plants, and add more and different herbs every year based on consumer needs and response. They strive to grow robust and healthy herb plants with the best practices.

If you want a wonderful, sweet smelling herb leaf, than basil is the one for you. You can buy large leaf italian basil at TheGrowers-Exchange.com for $5.95. This is a must-have for any avid herb gardener. Basil is also one of the more popular herbs used, and for good reason. It is a wonderful herb to add to all sorts of dishes, especially sauces and vegetable dishes. You’ll have a rather easy time cultivating this herb, as it is quite robust and yields well even under non-ideal weather.

You’ll also find rosemary herb plants at TheGrowers-Exchange.com for $5.59. This is another traditional herbplant that is versatile and hardy, and will perform well all throughout the year. Even when temperatures dip quite a bit, this hardy herb plant will last. You won’t be able to miss the aroma of this herb as you brush past it.

Other Places to Find Herb Plants to Buy

You’ll also find a wide variety of fresh herb plants at places like GardenHarvestSupply.com. All of their herb plants are grown in large pots in order to enable the root system to grow as freely as possible. Starter plants are guaranteed to survive and ready to thrive.

Shady Acres Herb Farm is another great online shop to browse through. They have a great passion for herb gardening, and has done so over the last Over the past 34 years. you’ll be sure to find your basil, rosemary, parsley, or any other sort of less-known herb you like.

Why Start an Herb Garden?

Everyone should have access to fresh herb plants at their leisure. Having a fresh supply of herbs on hand, ready to be thrown in a dish is much better than using dried herbs that are sitting in your pantry, losing flavor for years. If you are unable to use all the herbs you’ve grown, you can simply freeze or dry the herbs to use during the colder months, or you else you can grow your herb garden indoors to use all year round.

As stated earlier, harvesting herbs is quite easy, especially with some of the heartier versions. You can either plant them directly in your vegetable garden – or even in any other garden that may have flowers, plants and shrubs. You can also plant herbs in planter boxes that will provide them with some mobility. If you live in a small condo and only have a tiny balcony to use, you might want to grow a “vertical Garden” against the wall, where you can literally stack herb plants one on top of the other with the use of hanging baskets or skids.

When it comes to choosing the first herbs you’d like to plant, consider planting basil, parsley and rosemary. These are not only extremely versatile and used quite often, but they are also very hardy and easy to grow. Others you might like to try out as well include thyme, mint, dill sage and chives.

My Take

Planting and harvesting an herb garden takes very little time and care in comparison to other types of plants. People with very limited space can easily enjoy herb gardening thanks to the small amount of space required for these little plants. All you have to do is make sure your soil is loaded with nutrients, and that you are providing your herbs with adequate sunlight and water. There is nothing like having fresh herbs outside your door that you can pick any time you are preparing a dish. The taste cannot be compared to anything store-bought or dried. Fresh herbs are simply wonderful.

Grow Your Plants From The Soil Up!

The most important component in growing a healthy and productive garden is the use of good, healthy soil. Soil that lacks the essential nutrients and characteristics necessary to grow a garden that will produce fruitful plants, trees, flowers and vegetables is completely useless. You must make sure that the soil is cared for properly in order for bountiful plants to emerge from it.

The best soil is evaluated highly on the basis of fertility and texture. Fertility refers to the pH balance of the soil, which then makes the nutrients found within the soil available to the plants. Texture refers to the cohesiveness of the soil particles.

The pH levels of the soil are extremely important. The reason for this is that the nutrients in the soil are only available to the plants if the pH levels are within certain levels. If the soil is too acidic or alkaline, the plants will be unable to reach the nutrients within the soil. This is why maintaining  proper pH level of the soil is so crucial.

Organic matter is another essential component to healthy and fertile soil. Organic matter – dead animal or plant matter – helps to give your soil some tilth, which will help to maintain microbial activity, and provide many nutritional benefits.

Where to Buy Soil Treatment Products

There are many places that supply a host of soil treatment products to help you achieve the proper soil as the basis of your healthy garden. The Home Depot has a plethora of products for the home and garden, including soil treatment products. Not only are they located all over North America for you to pick up the necessary products in person, but you can order online as well. Here is an idea of what is available at The Home Depot to help improve the quality of your garden soil:

Revive Organic Soil Treatment is sold at The Home Depot for $16.48 for a 1-Gallon tub. This product is a soil nutrient that is made with plant by-products, decomposition extracts and chelated iron. It also helps to promote water penetration and root activity.

Another great place to find all you need for soil treatment for your garden is Teraganix.com. They specialize in products that assist in the restoration of the natural balance of nature utilizing only natural and organic ingredients and soil organisms. Here is a great product you can find with Teraganix:

EM·1® Microbial Inoculant is sold for $14.99 at Teraganix.com. This EM·1® Microbial Inoculant is a naturally fermented live microbial product. This is a great alternative to synthetic products, and can be used for all sorts of plants, soils, flowers, and fish ponds.

TheLawnStore.com will always have what you need to effectively treat your soil and prepare it for planting and growing your plants, flowers or vegetables. This pH test kit is a great buy for your garden:

Manutec Soil pH Test Kit (Manutec Soil pH Test Kit) is available at TheLawnStore.com for $24.95. This product is great for testing your soil’s pH levels before you even start planting. This kit will allow you to keep your garden in its best shape possible.

Other Places to Find Soil Treatment Products

Aside from the places mentioned above, you might also want to check out places like Fairgreen Sod Farms or Lowes, who carry a wide range of soil treatment products for your garden.

Why Soil Treatment?

Soil treatment helps to “heal” bad soil much like medicine will make a human healthy again. Having good soil is the first step towards a healthy garden. If you have bad soil, you need to fix that issue first before even thinking about planting a seed or plant. If you suspect that you have bad soil, have it tested at a local nursery.

If you do in fact have bad soil, there is still a chance for you to make it good. Adjust the pH levels so that it falls within the ideal acidic/alkaline range. Add organic matter to the soil to help adjust both the  fertility and the texture of the soil.

Organic matter can be used from a variety of things, such as:

• Compost
• Manure
• Peat moss
• Grass clipping
• Raked leaves
• Covered crops
• Decaying fruit and vegetable matter

My Take

Ensuring that your soil is fit to help grow the healthiest plants and flowers is essential before you start doing any planting at all. Determining if the soil’s pH levels, fertility and texture are at their best are critical components to having fertile soil. It’s important to take the time necessary to tend to your soil first, so you can reap the benefits of lush, fruitful plants and flowers in the future.

The Beauty of Growing Your Own Exotic Fruit

Just about everyone enjoys the taste of an exotic fruit, especially when it has been freshly picked from a garden and provides you with an amazing, unique taste. Many people – especially in certain parts of the country – are unaware of the fact that they can actually grow exotic fruits right in their own backyard. Although certain exotic fruits are easier to cultivate in more tropical parts of the country, they are still possible to grow and enjoy in just about any part of the US.

Although many of the exotic fruits in existence are quite rare, they really are no more difficult to harvest that your average apple or peach tree. For those who especially love certain exotic fruits, but are unable to find them sold commercially anywhere around them, planting your own exotic fruit trees is the perfect solution.

The convenience and ability to go out to your yard and pick a fresh, gorgeous exotic fruit from a tree you harvested yourself is a wonderful thing. Not only do these taste divine, but the fruit itself will add a wonderful vibrance to any backyard, with their bright colors, unique shapes and wondrous aromas.

Where to Buy Exotic Fruit Seeds and Plants

A great place to start looking for exotic fruit trees and plants to buy is TopTropicals.com. They sell and supply rare tropical plants for the home and garden, including exotic fruit trees. Here is one exotic plant in particular:

The Achras (manilkara) zapota sells at TopTropicals.com for $74.95 for a 3 gallon pot. This exotic fruit has a very sweet taste and a richer flavor than most other smooth-textured cultivars.

The Grumichama Cherry sells at TopTropicals.com for $30 for 3 gallons. This particular cherry is actually purplish-black in color, with a white, sweet flesh. Not only that, but this cherry also produces small clusters of fruit. It is incredibly tasty and delicious when eaten fresh off the tree, but it can also be enjoyed stewed or as a jam. Not only do these taste amazing, but they also make a wonderful hedge that will grow to up to 6 feet tall.

Another place where you`ll find exotic fruit seeds and plants is Fruit Lovers, who supply rare fruit seeds and exotic tropical fruit to consumers from all over. Here you`ll find all sorts of seeds and plants for your exotic fruit garden:

Bilimbi, Pickle Fruit is sold at Fruit Lovers for $10 for 10 seeds. The Bilimbi, Pickle Fruit is a close relative of the starfruit, and is shaped like a mini cucumber. These are yellow when ripe, and have a sour taste. These are often used as relish for pickling.

Other Places to Find Exotic Seeds and Plants

Logees.com is also a great place to look for exotic fruit seeds and plants, as well as how-to information on growing your very own at-home exotic fruit garden.

Marx Foods is another great place to look for the exotic fruits you want for fresh snacking and beautiful decorating in your exotic backyard.

Your search for exotic fruits is made quite easy by searching through Exotic Fruit Club, who supplies a whole host of exotic fruits and plants.

Planting Exotic Fruit Trees in Your Home’s Garden

Having your very own exotic fruit tree right in your backyard is a wonderful way to decorate your landscaping, provide a wonderful aroma for your garden, and provide you with the ease of plucking gorgeous and juicy fruits right off the tree to enjoy at your leisure.

It’s very important to be able to take a few pointers and instructions prior to planting your exotic fruits. First of all, you need to make sure the soil is in proper balance of pH levels. You have to make these specific to the fruit as well. For example, starfruits rely on a pH level of about 5 to 7. Anything less or more than this will cause the soil to remain imbalanced, and not provide the flower production that you would normally see.

In order to maximize your chances of providing your trees with valuable nutrients, you have to have soil that is loaded in these nutrients. Adding organic material to your soil will be quite useful and beneficial to planting any exotic fruit plant.

Help the water in the soil drain well by loosening it with a tiller on occasion. Certain exotic fruits, like the lychee fruit or star fruit don’t tolerate heavy soil on the roots very well.

Water the plant appropriately, according to the type of exotic fruit tree you are planting. For example, the kumquat fruit tree needs lots of water, while the lychee tree is quite drought-tolerant. Just make sure that there is not too much water in the soil after watering.

If you live in a very warm climate, you’ll be able to have your exotic fruit trees left outside year-round. However, those who live in climates where the threat of frost exists, it’s best to plant the exotic trees in large pots, keep them outside, than bring them in just before the next frost arrives.

My Take

Being able to have exotic fruit trees and plants in your own backyard gives anyone a sense of having the tropics right in their own home. There is nothing better than picking a fresh fruit off the tree, and enjoying the sweet juices from these exotic fruits whenever you desire. Not only do they provide you with a tasty, convenient snack, but they also beautify your yard with their colorful and aromatic presence.

Buy Planters to Use as Part of Your Garden

Planters have the ability to add a touch of class and elegance to any outdoor space, whether it’s a patio, deck or pool area. You can use these to accent other inground planted trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs. Or else, you can plant all of your plants and flowers solely in planters to create a truly unique garden. The sky is the limit when it comes to designing your outdoor garden with planters of all shapes, sizes and materials.

Where to Buy Planters For Your Garden and Home

The Round Resin Brunello Planter is available for purchase at SimplyPlanters.com for $29.99. This beautiful planter is weather-resistant, and made of highly durable yet lightweight poly resin plastic. It features an anti-shock, fade-resistant and crack-proof shell that can be used to decorate any space – either indoors or outdoors.

The Round Resin Madison Planter is available at SimplyPlanters.com for $49.98. These are super durable, and are constructed out of poly resinplastic that is highly resistant to cracks, fading and any type of wear and tear. Any space can be made beautiful with a few of these lovely yet simple planters, that are perfect for use indoors or outdoors.

The Cape Cod Tall Planter is available at Garden.com, and prices start at $109. These come in black, clay and white colors. These planters feature a beaded panel design, as well as a single wall molded design. The self watering tray insert helps root growth and acts as somewhat of a sub-irrigation system. This planter is wonderful, and would truly make a gorgeous showpiece in any garden.

What to Look For When Choosing the Perfect Planters For Your Garden

There is no denying the fact that planters – whether made of wood, plastic, stone or any other type of material – can add sophistication, esthetic appeal and a unique aspect to any garden. Using planters to house your flowers and shrubs can be done simply to accent your garden and be placed strategically in certain corners or spots.

Many other avid gardeners like the fact that planters provide an easier way to garden. Perhaps some people simply don’t have the time to tend to a large planted garden, or may just not have the space necessary for a large garden. Planters give these people the option to grow their beloved plants and flowers within large or small planters that can be tended to indoors or out. They truly make wonderful decorating pieces as well.

Here are a few factors to look at when shopping around for the right planter for your garden to make gardening easier for you:

Strong, Durable Materials

If the planters you will be using are going to be used in an outdoor garden, you absolutely must buy planters that are made of durable material and are made with solid construction. This will ensure that they will be able to last throughout the seasons, and will be able to endure any harsh weather conditions that may arise.

Having planters that are made with durable materials will also help to adequately protect the roots of your flowers, shrubs, or any other plant that is housed within the planter. Ideal materials for outdoor planters include stone, fiberglass or poly resin plastic. Those planters that are made for commercial use will certainly be of the highest quality material and construction.

Self-Watering Inserts

Many planters on the market come with self-watering trays that act as some form of a sub-irrigation system to keep the roots well hydrated. Having a component such as this in your planter will certainly make things easier for you as a gardener, and will allow you to spend less time having to water your plants. Not only with these self-watering devices help cut down the number of times you have to water the plant, they will also provide just the right amount of water that the plant needs to stay hydrated and healthy.

Size

There are obviously a wide range of sizes of plants, shrubs, flowers and trees. If you are looking to house a very large bush or tree that will grow quite large in the near future, than you will obviously want to get your hands on a planter large enough to handle this size tree and its roots. If, however, you are only planting herbs, such as basil or parsley, then a smaller planter will do. Just take into consideration how large the particular plant will grow, so that there will be enough room for it to grow efficiently.

My Take

Despite our technologically advanced and concrete world, it is highly possible to keep a little bit of nature in our homes and in the outdoor spaces that surround us. With the use of these beautiful and highly functional planters, we can have healthy and budding flowers, shrubs and trees right in our own homes. These planters will allow us to take good care of our plants very easily and efficiently, without much time and effort at all. It’s rather easy to find a planter that will truly enhance the esthetics and natural beauty of any garden.

Turning the Concrete Jungle Into an Urban Jungle With Forsythia, Calycanthus Floridus & Korean Spice Viburnum

The trend towards turning everything ‘green’ has been taking over. As time progresses, more and more people are realizing the importance of taking care of the earth, and incorporating nature into our daily lives – regardless of where we live. Urban settings are becoming more and more green with the introduction of green rooftops, and small apartment decks adorned with sweet-smelling exotic flowers. Bringing a bit of nature to your urban dwelling can be done easily and effectively with the inclusion of some beautiful and colorful flowers and shrubs.

Where to Find Exotic Forsythia, Calycanthus Floridus & Korean Spice Viburnum For Your Garden

There are hundreds of shrubs and flowers to choose from to create the perfect garden for your outdoor space – you really can’t go wrong. Three flowering shrubs in particular that would brighten up any patio or garden are the Forsythia, Calycanthus Floridus and Korean Spice Viburnum.

"Show Off Starlet" Forsythia

Forsythia – This shrub marks the arrival of spring for many. The branches of these shrubs are laced with beautiful and bright golden-yellowblooms. Certain forsythia are even able to bloom in colder regions, and can survive in temperatures as low as minus 32 degrees Celsius. Many types of these forsythia shrubs have long branches that extend upwards of 9 feet. For those with space constraints, there are also dwarf versions which only reach 1 foot in height.

A 4.5 inch pot of the “Show Off Starlet” Forsythia can be purchased at NatureHills.com for $24.95.

Korean Spice Viburnum

Korean Spice Viburnum – This is a very popular shrub, which tends to bloom for about 10 days in early May. You can truly create a wonderful aromatic aura with the sweet smelling fragrance of this shrub. The white flowers that bloom on this shrub resemble snowballs, which decorate the whole shrub quite beautifully. The maximum height of 5 feet will be reached slowly, since these shrubs do not tend to grow very quickly.

A great advantage to this shrub is that it is not particularly picky about the type of soil that it grows in. In addition, beetles will not be a problem, considering the tough leaves that this Viburnum has. This shrub is wonderful to keep near a window, since the sweet smell can be drifted in by the light breezes of the day.

The Korean Spice Viburnum can be found at ShrubSource.com for $17.99.

Calycanthus Floridus

Calycanthus Floridus – This is one of those shrubs that really should be used more often in gardens – whether large or small. The flowers bloom in May, and are quite unique in feature. These flowers are chocolate colored, and give off an incredible fragrance that is sure to appeal to anyone who walks near it.

A tube of Calycanthus Floridus (tubes are are usually 1-2 years old and range from 3″ to 3′ tall) can be found at ForestFarm.com for $9.95.

Create Your Urban Oasis With Exotic Shrubs

Your urban garden can be created with a little imagination and help from Mother Nature. Even the tightest corners and smallest spots can be lined with fragrant and gorgeous shrubs and exotic flowers. Here are a few methods of incorporating plants into your urban garden.

Vertical Gardening

When you are limited to a certain amount of space, than vertical garden can be the perfect solution. Working with a small space will require a bit of creative thinking. Using every bit of space that you have – including your walls – will allow you to maximize your space, and truly envelope you in a lovely garden.

To incorporate a vertical garden to your space, try stacking raised beds and fastening them to the wall one on top of the other. Fill them with your favorite sweet-smelling flowers and shrubs, such as a Forsythia which blooms gorgeous yellow flowers. One great advantage of having your plants above ground is that you won’t have to worry about pests invading your plants.

Square Foot Gardening

With this technique, you’ll want to use 3×3 or 4×4 raised beds filled with high quality soil to ensure rich growth of plants and shrubs. You’ll then want to divide the main plant bed into separate areas and then begin planting your flowers and shrubs, like the Calycanthus Floridus. By dividing these areas, you’ll have adequate spacing in between shrubs in order to give them enough space for them to grow properly and healthy.

One-Pot Garden

If you really suffer from limited space, you can simply plant your Korean Spice Viburnum in a large pot. You can also begin your urban garden by first planting your flowers and plants in a pot in order to easily care for them indoors as they grow and become hardier with time. You can then transfer them in-ground when they are ready, or else just transfer them into a much larger pot to allow the roots to grow and expand. You may even want to line your patio or deck with a variety of pots all adorned with gorgeous plants and shrubs.

My Take

Any space can be lined with aromatic plants, flowers, shrubs and herbs. Bringing nature to the city is quite important, and can help bring a certain amount of serenity and simplicity to an otherwise concrete jungle. There are many techniques that can be used to plant shrubs and flowers, as well as a variety of designs to use, depending on the size of outdoor space and your climate. Get started with your urban garden, and before you know it, you’ll be surrounded by bright, colorful and fragrant plants and shrubs.