I get so distracted I trip over my own feet.

My video camera is in the other room but right now it’s 6:30 PM and it’s just stopped raining. The sky is really dark and there are some birds singing their little hearts out, looking for love. There isn’t a breathe of wind at the moment.

As soon as the Blue Jay takes off the squirrels will sneak down from above and scoot right over to the spot and take it home with them. Probably up a tree right now laugh their little behinds off.

I took the image above with my new camera and shot the picture through my office window, screen and all. I have a video of a Blue Jay in the bushes on our backyard property fence. The Blue Jay is bobbing in and out of those thorny branches like they weren’t even there.

It took me a while to figure out how to get the video from the camera and then I had to figure out how to get it into a format I could add to my Backyard Gardening Tips Youtube Channel and that took about two coffees but I got it, eventually.

I’m almost glad I busted my other camera because this new video camera not only takes great video it also takes pretty good pictures and takes almost all the shaking out.

Some Really Appealing Paver Stone Patterns

Paving stones are available in a variety of colours so it’s fairly easy to match your driveway or patio area to your house and surroundings. Having a variety of colours allows you to create patterns like in the image above.

Our home is an older home and the driveway has seen better days and needs to be redone. Our existing patio is made of cheap concrete patio stones as are the walkways. So I’ve been doing a little online research to see what we should get for our next home improvement project.

System Pavers shows the benefits of using interlocking paver stones. First and foremost for Jenny and I is to have a guarantee and System Pavers have a 25 years guarantee against cracking or breaking.

I watched a pave stone driveway being built and noticed they use sand between joints so that the paver stones have some flexibility and won’t pop up. For us, living in a big heavy snow zone, we love the fact one can shovel and blow snow from their driveway without hitting pavers that have raised a little.

System Pavers has driveway paving stones that are high quality which keeps them from swelling during the wet or rainy season, so the pavers don’t lift and cause problems.

So happy that the 2012 planting season is finally here in New Brunswick once again. The fresh morning air somehow seems more invigorating with muddy hands, a trowel and maybe a hot cup of coffee.

And with that in mind, I yet again explain why year after year, raised bed gardening is definitely the way to go.

One of the things why newbie gardeners object to raised bed gardening is because it entails a lot of preparation. To this argument, I hasten to explain that while creating your raised beds does take some muscle power, the advantages are certainly worth it. In more than ten years of growing my prized flowers and vegetables in raised beds, I have proven that this method provides the following benefits:

Raised Beds Give Better Soil Quality & Control

Unless you’re lucky enough to have the perfect gardening soil composition in your garden year after year, you will need to amend your soil to make sure that it has the balance required by your crops. Our home garden, well entire backyard, is heavy dense clay that makes a pick-axe a requirement but not with a raised bed garden.

Raised bed gardens are a cost-effective and efficient way to amend your soil because you only have to fertilize and mulch the bed areas themselves and not the entire garden surface.

Better Soil Drainage And Aeration

The elevated height makes water less likely to pool near the root systems, so that your plants are less vulnerable to mould and rot even in wet conditions. And because you never need to step on the surface of a raised garden bed like you would in a flat bed, your dirt does not get compacted and is well-aerated. Good drainage and good aeration are conducive to healthy root systems.

Improved Soil Temperature

The increased surface area at the sides means that the soil can benefit from increased exposure to the sun. The soil temperature in a raised bed is going to be higher than a flat bed, and if you are living in a cold climate this means you could start planting a little sooner in the spring.

Easier on The Back And Arms

This is definitely one of the things I love about raised bed gardening: no more stooping low or kneeling on the dirt. You can really work at a comfortable level and this makes a lot of difference when aerating or cleaning out weeds around your plants. Raised beds are also a great way to make your garden wheelchair accessible. A handicapped friend of mine had higher than usual garden beds made so that he can still enjoy his hobby while bound to his chair.

I also see that there are raised bed gardens at the YMCA community gardens.

If the reasons I cited above has made you convinced to try raised bed gardening, one thing that you should keep in mind is that raised bed gardens tend to drain faster, so you will need to take extra precautions to make sure that your bed soil is moist. You will need to water more often; mulching the top layer is also another way to retain soil moisture. In general though, raised garden beds require minimal maintenance and you can use your beds for several planting seasons, especially if you take the time to mulch well every spring and fall.

While most gardening books recommend that a raised garden bed should be no more than four feet wide (three feet if one side of the bed is going to be against a wall or a fence), I would suggest going with whatever works for you. Obviously, your bed should not be too wide so that you can easily reach the plants towards the middle. If you happen to be more comfortable with a bed that is narrower or even wider than the recommended four feet, then that should be perfectly fine.

Sunny is Global Brand Manager at ClassicBedSteads – ClassicBedSteads is online retailer of Antique Beds, Luxury Beds, King Size Mattress and double mattress.

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As a kid growing up on a farm part of our home gardening experience was having an apple orchard and let me tell you there were no apples that went to waste with me around. We would even take the damaged apples and my brother and I would make apple cider.

New Versus Old Apple Trees

Many gardens already benefit from having fruit trees in them, but if these plants have never been properly cared for, it may be a good decision to buy new trees. If uncared for, apple trees can quickly grow out of control, making the production of apples less than perfect. Old trees can be revived a little by pruning, and you should take care to remove branches from the centre of the plant, as a priority. This will allow more light to filter through the leaves, creating optimal ripening conditions for any fruit that have developed.

If an apple tree has been neglected for too long, it may be the perfect chance to invest in some new plants. This provides the advantage of being able to buy your favourite specimens, such as a braeburn apple tree, so that you can opt for a variety of eating and cooking apples. In addition, it means that you can grow plants as standard trees, or in an espalier or fan shape, to make harvesting easier.

Pruning Your Apple Trees

The pruning of fruit trees, such as apples, really shouldn’t be done unless the plant is in its winter dormancy. Whilst a stray branch or diseased twig can be removed during the growing season, you should strive to only prune when the plant is between leaf fall and bud burst. Any weak, crossed, diseased or damaged branches should be removed, whilst the centre of the plant should be opened up. Meanwhile, height and spread can be reduced by cutting branches back to a strong growing side branch.

Harvesting And Storing Apples

Stored under the right conditions, apples can last all year. Harvesting should be done before apples have fallen from fruit trees, and only fruit without damage should be considered for long term storage. Each apple should be wrapped individually in paper, and stored in trays. Good ventilation should be provided, but humidity should be reduced to avoid apples rotting. Apples which have marks or damage can be used for cooking immediately, whilst those in perfect condition, can be stored away so that your apple tree crop will last all year.

Author Bio

YouGarden is an online gardening centre run by three horticulturalists who have over 50 years combined experience. They have one simple ethos “Gardening for Everyone” and sell everything for from easy to grow veg and flowers to including ‘mini orchard’ patio trees.

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Nearly all weed/grass trimmers I’ve seen for under $100 are electric. Those I saw that use gas at that price were of poor quality. Corded models like the Weed Eater from Poulan offer more power than battery-operated models, as batteries supply limited power and obviously eventually need re-charging.

The Weed Eater from Poulan cuts with a 12-inch width, and the 3.75 amp motor easily takes care of the thicker weeds and grass. The only downside to corded trimmers is the distance from the power source, but as the Weed Eater retails for less than $50, it is the best choice for occasional use around the home.

Our electric cord is just exactly long enough to reach every corner of our yard and home garden area.

Black & Decker Grass Hog

Having to charge battery weed trimmers adds a time constraint to your weeding and trimming. Battery-powered models do have their positives though, like being ale to carry them anywhere. They are also far lighter and quieter to use than petrol models.

I love the fact that for less than $100, the Grass Hog switches to an edger, unlike its competitors in its price range. It covers a 12-inch cutting width. The motor runs off a nickel cadmium battery, which lasts for approximately and 15 to 20 minutes of cutting per charge. To compensate, this model comes with a second battery, so its possible to use for up to an hour before a recharge. You’ll find this retailing for around $99.

Homelite UT41110

Usually, when going for the cheapest option, you are sacrificing quality, and probably know deep down that the purchase will die within a matter of months. Of course, this isn’t always the case as this Homelite costs less than $30, and considering this affordable price, performs well on weeds and grass. Its 13-inch blade and ample motor are better than many battery-powered units costing three times the price.

Homelite UT41110’s shaft weighs a light 5 pounds and is telescopic, which makes it easy to use by people with limited strength. The guard inhibits a clear view of what you’re actually, so this may not be the best trimmer using near your prize-winning roses!

Troy-Bilt TB20CS

‘You get what you pay for’ is a good AND true quote that covers pretty much everything, and that includes grass trimmers… apart from the Troy-Bilt grass weed trimmer. Anything below $100 is usually badly designed, with an even worse engine.

However, the Troy-Bilt is powered by a 31 cc unit, a curved shaft, and the two-cycle engine provides substantial power. To reduce arm strain, an ergonomic design has been applied, praised by Bestcovery. The 12-inch cutting blade can munch through the heavier weeds than electric versions, but some problems have been reported with the two interchangeable heads. A snip – no pun intended – under the $100 limit at $99.

Earthwise Corded Electric String Trimmer

The Earthwise Corded Electric grass trimmer is 3.75 amp and fairly inexpensive. It doesn’t have many features, no anti-vibration, no-tool line replacement or replaceable head, and doesn’t even feature a shoulder harness or a metal blade conversion kit. It doesn’t include multiple heads, either. However, the Earthwise Trimmer has 2 trim lines and an automatic line system, plus a string trimmer line. But at only 11 inches, it hasn’t the biggest cutting area. The Earthwise Trimmer has a composite score of 46 out of 100 and a line diameter of 0.06 inches.

The unfortunate thing about starting a home garden, for beginners, is that it can quickly become overwhelming and the fun goes right out of the idea of having your own home garden in your backyard.

Start Gardening With A Small Garden Plot

Jenny and I started our first home garden in containers as we didn’t have a yard to call our own yet. It was a great way to have a few flowers around the house and even a few strawberries and tomatoes.

The longer we were container gardening the more we longed for a regular vegetable garden and a place of our own so we could plant flowers where ever we like. It was a few more years before that was going to happen so it was container garden a while longer. Although at one place we lived we were allowed a little garden blog next to the front steps. This is where Jenny was able to plant her Petunias.

Home Gardening Tips For Beginners

If you are limited to container gardening it’s fun to purchase some good looking containers so your container gardening looks great. We buy containers in a variety of sizes depending on what we want to grow.

Even though today we have a full in-ground vegetable garden and a few raised bed gardens we still use containers to fill in empty spaces around the yard plus it’s nice to have a herb container garden close to the kitchen.

We find it so great having fresh herbs all year long. Herbs are pretty easy to grow in containers. Even as beginner home gardeners we were able to have a herb garden indoors and outdoors.

Get A Garden Trellis For Your Container Plants

Home gardening beginners can grow a variety of vegetables and flowers. We mostly grow vegetable in containers these days. We have also found that by using a garden trellis we can grow tomatoes and other vine crops such as cucumber and squash. The trellis helps make a more vertical garden, rather than having them sprawl across the lawn or driveway.

Container Garden Beginner Tip: We found that using a trellis with some of our tomato plants helped to keep the pots from blowing over on those windy days. We put the trellis into the ground a bit instead of trying to stick poles in the pots like we did at the beginning.

A Container Garden In Your Driveway

One of our early container gardens was at the head of our driveway, where they would get a lot of direct sunlight. The only problem was just how hot the driveway got during the day. Fortunately I read a little trick online that helps us solve this problem.

When containers or pots heat up it’s not good for the roots and can actually kill them. Plus the water evaporates so fast they constantly need attention. We did learn that if you take your container garden and raise it above the driveway air could circulate under the containers and pots.

Just by lifting the container, even a two inches made a huge difference and our little home garden grew healthy and strong.

So, home gardening beginners can have an awesome gardening experience if it’s taken one step at a time. Jenny and I have been growing as home gardener for 7 years now and it only gets more interesting.

I also have a fishing New Brunswick blog and if I had to spend too much time in our home garden I wouldn’t be able to have new fishing experiences to share with my readers.

Choosing Wisely

Walking into the nursery, I had no idea which flowers to choose. Many were lovely, but were they hardy? Could they handle life at a 90-degree angle? Ultimately, I found that it was best to use a screwdriver to widen the holes in the screen for big bulbs. I could make a deeper hole and have more striking flowers. Certain flowers definitely work better than others; because of drainage you don’t want to use a very thirsty bulb. You’ll want to consider the hours of sun in your preferred mounting spot too. Some of my favourites were pansies, miniature roses, and daisies.

Packing It In

My first few attempts left me with a mostly empty frame and a huge mound of dirt on my patio. The solution that worked for me was using a bag of pre-fertilized potting soil (who wants to go back in there once the thing is up?) and packing it tightly with the help of leftover wood scraps. Once the screen was attached to the frame, I laid it screen-side down and added the dirt in layers. Then, with a discarded piece of the backing in hand, I pressed it down firmly into the garden. I even stood on it sometimes. The more tightly packed the dirt, the more secure the vertical garden.

Mounting the Garden

Nothing would be more heartbreaking than finishing your garden just to have it come crashing down. Don’t skimp on mounting supplies, or research. If you’re using a brick wall, get masonry screws and drill bits. If you’ve decided to make a smaller garden and hang it indoors as art (trés chic!), invest in a stud finder and strong brackets. The associate at my hardware store suggested mounting nails that actually spread apart and secure themselves in the wall.

Vertical gardens are a spreading trend, and for good reason. They’re a great conversation starter, and for the professional look, not too much work. Even a novice gardener/woodworker can handle this project, as I’ve proven by tackling it with a very not-green thumb. The most important thing is to make it your own and have fun with it. If you’re unsure of your gardening skills, or pressed for time, try a fern or Korean box. Non-flowering climbing plants are a little more forgiving in terms of watering and pruning. Good luck!

About the author: Maire loves to write and walk her Scottish Terrier, Pete.

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If you have a small yard, the following tips can help you make the most of it. Transform even a tiny yard into a peaceful backyard oasis with a little careful planning.

1. Rethink The Lawn

Unless you have pets or kids who need some play space, consider ditching the lawn or removing some of it. Americans spend over $700 million annually on lawn pesticides and herbicides, according to the Safer Pest Control Project. These chemicals harm birds and wildlife, pollute ground water and are even known to cause cancer.

In the South, high humidity, heat and insects make growing a healthy lawn challenging. Instead, fill your yard with native plants, low-maintenance perennials and herbs suited to your climate and growing conditions.

2. Use Mulches Thoughtfully

Mulches are a wonderful garden resource, but it’s important to choose the right one for the job. Arborist mulch, which is a by-product of commercial landscaping operations, has a natural look and works well for perennial beds, under trees or in casual garden paths.

Wood mulches reduce weed growth, conserve moisture and regulate soil temperatures. Gravel mulches are appropriate for paths and unplanted areas, but they’re not suitable for planted areas. Gravel mulches become very hot during the summer, burning tender plants and trees. Gravel mulches also compact the soil so oxygen can’t reach plant roots. Many gardeners use landscaping fabric underneath garden mulch, but keep in mind that the fabric eventually breaks down and requires replacement.

3. Improve Your Garden Soil

Most soils, especially those in urban areas or new subdivisions, are lacking in nutrients and microorganisms. While you’re preparing your garden space, dig at least 4 to 5 inches of compost into the soil. Your plants will look and perform better for years to come. If you plan to grow vegetables and live in an urban area, have the soil tested. Many urban soils are contaminated with lead or other heavy metals that can leach into vegetables.

4. Define Garden Areas

Think of your garden space as an extension of your home and break it into rooms. You’ll probably want a hardscape space near your house for lounging or dining al fresco. Include room for patio furnishings, such as a cast aluminum patio set. Tuck a garden bench in a corner for peaceful contemplation and save space for a play area. If you like to cook, place a few pots of herbs within arms’ reach of the back door to provide fresh flavour to meals.

5. Choose a Garden Theme

When planning a small garden space, make sure the garden’s theme reflects your home. For example, a modern home looks terrific paired with a minimalist or Japanese-style garden, while a simple clapboard cottage begs for a care-free profusion of flowers.

6. Select Plants With Care

The single most important step in developing a home or backyard garden is choosing plants carefully. Consider your climate and the amount of sunlight your garden receives and choose plants that will thrive there with little care from you.

French hydrangeas, for example, thrive in a shady Southern location, but are not hardy north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6. Agaves and other succulents are an ideal choice for Southern gardeners because they love heat, tolerate drought and require almost no maintenance.

Many herbs, including rosemary and basil, grow almost year-round in warm climates. Consider, also, the mature size of any plant you select, especially if you have a small space. That arborvitae may look charming when it stands only 2 feet high, but it will eventually grow 30 feet high, crowding a small garden. Plant dwarf trees and compact varieties of shrubs and perennials in your small garden.

7. Use Pots And Planters

Pots and planters offer flexibility for the small gardener, we call it container gardening. Tuck herbs and colourful annuals in planters and scatter them around a patio. If you have a hankering for vegetables, but lack the room, try growing them in pots. Plant compact varieties of tomatoes or train cucumbers, beans, and small zucchini on trellises for vertical growing. You can grow almost any vegetable in a pot, providing you give it enough room, moisture and sunlight.

8. Add Accessories

A few simple accessories are all you need to bring your outdoor space to life. Think sculptural elements, chimes, water features or furniture like a weather ready slate top fire pit. Keep the look clean and unified. Accessories should complement your garden look, never overpower or distract from it.

Small yards can seem challenging to deal with at first, but you’ll soon grow to love the intimate cosiness of your small garden. Best of all, the time you spend working in a small garden is minimal, so you can spend more time enjoying it!

Author Bio:

Karen Ho Fatt, an interior designer and nature loves spending time in her home garden at every opportunity. Karen maintains a site at, www.familyfirepit.com with more tips and advice on creating garden rooms.

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As you stand on the porch, surveying the “lower 40”– actually, if you’re a home vegetable gardener, you probably don’t have a “lower 40” and should be glad of it. Agriculture is a hard life, requiring farm equipment, hired labour, chemicals, and probably a government subsidy, just to keep it all going.

We Only Have A Small Vegetable Garden

But, even with a small garden plot, you can get the unparalleled taste of home grown veggies, without ever experiencing the aggravation of full-out farming.

Grow fruit and veggies that works best in your soil and climate. Don’t bother with land intensive plants like corn, leave that to the farmers. However, in many places you can grow ice box melons, cantaloupes, tomatoes, and other truck farm fruits.

Plan Your Vegetable Garden

Start off with a diagram of your garden plot. Account for as many variables in the diagram as possible. The space, the fencing needed to keep out critters, the irrigation, how many and how much of each type of veggie, reduce it all to paper. Figure in your terrain, and access to sunlight as important factors.

For example, due to the rockiness of the area, or the way it’s situated in the backyard, you might be better off thinking about two 5×5 plots, instead of one 10×10. If there’s a boulder back there, you might be better off trying to work around it, rather than face the expense and labour in removing it.

We Include A Vegetable Container Garden

I like to figure some part of my veggie plot is going to be in containers. Take tomatoes, everybody wants them, they are part of the salad duet of lettuce and tomatoes, they’re versatile for sandwiches, and some folks eat them alone.

But they may need more sun than the garden plot part of your property receives, and they might need to start in containers anyway to keep them going. So what’s going to be in containers should be part of your diagram, too.

Figure out what you want and how much of it you can devote to your home vegetable garden plot. Half a row of carrots or a whole row? Will all the plants in my veggie plot handle water the same? Because what I really want to do is lay the garden hose in one end of the plot and have it water everything equally.

Melons and zucchini throw runners to bear fruit, and these take up a little extra space. You also don’t want these runners to wrap themselves around more delicate plants and strangle them. Maybe a separate area would be better for them if available?

Consider Using Trees As Shade

Fruit or root plants–tomatoes, and peppers, for example, thrive in full sun. But there are plenty of leafy plants including broccoli, beans, and cauliflower, that do well with a few hours of sun, and mostly shade. So, if you already have trees in the yard that will form a natural shade canopy, and still let in the required amount of sun rays, consider planting those by the tree.

But don’t expect your veggies to grow in total shade.

As with the containers, think outside the plot. Can I make use of the porch for an herb garden that grows in a box or two?

Taking the time to diagram the garden before planting, and to figure out which parts of the yard or porch are best for which purpose, will save time and money compared to trial and error methods.

Once you have a diagram, you can refine it, or take it with you to the local nursery where the experts can help provide the seeds, tools and other equipment best suited to your veggie garden.

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