One of the major benefits of using hydroponics is the ability to set up a system indoors. With an indoor system one can have a thriving vegetable garden all year long. This is a major plus for most people.

There are several myths surroundings the use of hydroponics. For educational purposes let’s look at some of the more widely spread myths:

Myths versus Facts

Hydroponics is a Brand New Technology

False: The use of hydroponics has actually been in existence for many, many years. There is a belief that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in ancient times were actually grown in some form of hydroponics.

Can Only be Used Indoors

False: Many of the larger produce farms use hydroponics in their fields to ensure that all plants are given the nutrients needed for maximum plant performance. The use of hydroponics in the field allows for crop production where previously nothing could be grown, i.e. the desert or fallow ground.

Is Horribly Expensive

False: The use of hydroponics is no more expensive than regular gardening. One just spends the money on different items. Think of your expense for fertilizer, pesticides, garden tools, special soil etc. Now the expense is for small pumps and nutrient based liquid (that is recycled).

Promotes Huge and Unnatural Plant Growth

False: Hydroponics merely uses the nutrients that plants need in a liquid form. One does not have to worry about the variations in the soil; all plants receive the proper amount of nutrients they need to flourish. This does however let the plants grow to their maximum potential, leading some to think they are ‘unnaturally’ large.

Hopefully these facts will help to clear up some of the confusion surrounding the use of hydroponics.

The Original Post is Located Here: Hydroponics Myths and Facts

Watering your Growing Tomatoes

The tomato plant can be pretty finicky when it comes to being watered. If you’re starting off with a transplant tomato plant seedling, water your plant once every three days. Then, once the root system is established, you’ll need to water less often but more water at a time. This is because the tomato plant you see above-ground is about the same length as what is below ground in the root system. For true success in growing tomatoes, water your plants every 7-10 with a deep soaking.

Growing Tomatoes in Containers

Growing tomatoes in a container is a handy way to baby them so that they will thrive. This is for a couple of key reasons. First, the tomato plant is a hot growing plant, which means that it can only reach its potential when the soil is warm. When kept in a container, the soil is able to heat up quickly. And second, the tomato plant can be fragile and sensitive to the elements such as wind and rain. When you keep your tomato plants in a container, you can easily move them safe inside your house or a greenhouse or onto a covered porch porch.

Elevate your Growing Tomatoes

Tomatoes are probably the most common plants that home gardeners want to elevate from the ground. For growing superior tomatoes, you can either use a wire cage designed specifically for tomato growing or fashioned with wire caging bought from a local home improvement store. Alternatively, you can stick a stake deep in the ground and have your tomato plant grow around it. You can encourage your tomato plant to grow along the stake by attaching it with string or scraps of cloth.

So even though growing tomatoes can be pretty finicky, the delight you will get from your fresh tomatoes makes up for the learning curve. Just find the right Tools and Equipment for your Home Tomato Garden.

The Original Post is Located Here: Tips for Growing Tomatoes

Are you living in a place that simply seems inhospitable to your garden sometimes? For example, you may live in a colder climate, with a growing season that just isn’t long enough for some plants. Or maybe you live in a place that gets too much rain for some of the things that you long to grow. A great solution to this problem is to use a greenhouse exclusively to grow your plants. For this type of gardening, you’ll need a larger greenhouse.

If you want more control over things than you would normally have, a medium sized greenhouse may be just what you need. Sometimes, you’ll have some warning that a beetle or blight is about to hit your area. In such a situation, you could benefit from having a greenhouse, by which you can minimize the chances that your garden succumbs to disaster.

If all you want to do with a greenhouse is nurture seedlings until they are ready to be replanted in our main garden area, you would benefit most from a small greenhouse known as a cold frame. They are compact in size and can be accessorized with an electric cable buried in the ground underneath to create a constant heat source for your growing seedlings.

And just in case you were worried, whether it is large or small, a greenhouse doesn’t have to be a big investment really. If you are willing to make one yourself, go rummaging for materials, or go online looking for a bargain, you can get the greenhouse you want in a price you can afford.

Also have a look at my provious article, Which Is Right for You – a Permanent Greenhouse or a Plastic Tunnel?

The Original Post is Located Here: What Size Greenhouse Would You Benefit Most From?

Off course there are the normal small gardening tools that you know very well like the shovels and the spades and so on. Here I want to have a look at the ones that you don’t think of every day. So, let’s take a look at the not so obvious small gardening tools that will take your gardening a long way.

Small Gardening Tools – Gardening Gloves

Gardening gloves are a must. When you’re working with such a wide assortment of materials – weeds, stakes, soil, rocks, shovels, and the like, a good pair of gardening gloves will definitely be your ally against grime, blisters, and cuts. Before you purchase gloves, make sure they fit properly. A good pair of gloves will fit snugly but not to the point of discomfort.

Small Gardening Tools – Gardening Journal

Even if you are only planning on gardening for one season (and who would think this way?), you would benefit greatly from a gardening journal. You can buy a formal gardening journal, a plain journal, or even a spiral bound notebook of lined or grid paper. Using a gardening journal will help you plan out your garden site so that each plant gets the proper amount of sunlight and moisture. You will also be able to record when you water and fertilize and track what works for your particular plants. This is a habit you won’t regret when it comes to improving on your gardening skills and making a better garden each year.

Small Gardening Tools – Small knife

Though this one may be tempting to keep in the house, resist. A small sharp knife, either a kitchen knife or a pocket knife will be your best friend for tasks small and large. You will be presented with plenty of opportunities for opening new bags of materials, cutting pieces of twine used for staking and other functions, and so many other things that you will encounter in your vegetable gardening hobby.

Finally,

A good set of small gardening tools are all that stand between you and frustration, blisters, and improving your gardening skills. Why would anyone try to go without them?

The Original Post is Located Here: Small Gardening Tools

A Storage Shed gives you space

A storage shed can give space where you simply have none. If you’re like most homeowners, your garage is basically stuffed with other home tools, general lawn care tools, vehicles, and maybe a few boxes that you’ve never quite gotten to unpacking. There’s simply no space in your garage for a dedicated garden area. And your house is not too full of open spaces either, certainly not ones that you’d be comfortable with putting dirty tools, gloves, and the like. Having a storage shed frees you from trying to make space in these places and allows you to focus on the gardening itself.

A Storage Shed protects your tools

Many novice gardeners think that they can store their tools and supplies on their porch, but even if it is a covered porch, this is not a suitable option. Your metal tools and open bags of fertilizer and pesticides especially need to be protected from rain ruining them, wind tipping them over, and pets rifling through them. Having a storage shed in this case will make sure that your tools and supplies last longer and will keep everyone safe.

A Storage Shed provide easy access

Iit’s great to have easy access to your gardening materials. This is especially true if you have a large backyard or a narrow one. Having a shed positioned adjacent to your garden will keep you from making long trips to and from what you need.

Finally,

When you use a storage shed to store your gardening tools and equipment, you will have more time for the hobby you love.

The Original Post is Located Here: Three Reasons Why A Storage Shed Will Improve Your Gardening

It’s a simple fact that different vegetables appreciate different pH levels and nutrients in the soil. Knowing what the pH level of the soil for your garden plot is can help you space out what plants can naturally thrive in which locations. Soil testers can tell you that your soil is just not ready to grow a certain type of vegetable yet.

What can you do in that situation? Well, no soil is irredeemable. Once you know the pH level of your soil, you can add lime or sulphur to make it less acidic or more acidic, depending on what your soil is and what you’re trying to grow. You can also keep your soil at a stable, neutral pH in the long run by fostering the growth of earthworms in your garden and using compost for a natural and organic fertilizer.

You may think at first that such powerful information about your garden would come at quite a high price. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Basic soil testers are quite affordable and will provide you with good information. For more detailed information and instructions on your garden, you can send away a soil sample to a testing lab. I would say that this is only necessary if you’re having trouble growing certain vegetables in your garden or the stakes are high for some reason, like you want to enter your vegetables in a fair or other competition.

No matter what sort of gardening you’re doing, you will be sure to benefit from the use of soil testers. It will give you the information you need to make smart gardening decisions instead of playing guessing games.

The Original Post is Located Here: Soil Testers – A Smart Tool for Gardeners

This is the first decision, but lets assume you have decided that you do need a greenhouse. Now you will have to decide what type of materials you want this greenhouse to be made of. That will very much depend on whether you want a permanent greenhouse or a movable greenhouse and also how much you are willing to spend.

When you decide about the type of greenhouse you need, consider the size of your backyard where the greenhouse will be housed, the visual impact of different greenhouse materials, your gardening style and your budget. So, let’s consider your option if you are looking for a removable structure and also if you are looking at a more permanent greenhouse.

Movable Greenhouse

If you want to have a greenhouse structure that you can take up and down depending on what season it is and your specific needs at the time, consider the plastic tunnel type greenhouse. In general, the plastic tunnel materials are cheaper than more permanent materials. Plastic tunnel greenhouses come in small and large sizes, even large enough to walk through. You can make your own plastic tunnel greenhouse from a set of plans and materials you pick up at a home improvement store or you can buy plastic tunnel greenhouses pre-made.

A more Permanent Greenhouse

A more permanent greenhouse is one made from plastic, glass, or fiberglass panels. These premanent greenhouses look like small houses in which you can grow just about anything. Unlike plastic tunnel greenhouses though, these are permanent structures that can’t be easily taken up and down for a particular season. Also, most gardeners find them difficult to put together themselves. A simpler solution is a glass greenhouse (or one made of plastic or fiberglass panels) that is already put together for you. Further keep in mind that your plants might need ventilation, artificial light, and heat in your permanent greenhouse, all which add to the cost.

Finally

A greenhouse whether it is a permanent greenhouse or a movable greenhouse will take your gardening to a new level. It will you allow to grow plants that you never thought possible. Whichever greenhouse you decide is best for you, make sure you get the right tools and equipment.

The Original Post is Located Here: Which Is Right for You – a Permanent Greenhouse or a Plastic Tunnel?

One of the main things to protect your plants from is cold. Most of these solutions are easy to implement and relatively inexpensive. For example, if you have a good supply of cardboard boxes and paper bags, you’ll be able to protect your seedlings and sensitive plants from cold nights with ease. Since it’s hard to find cardboard boxes that are small, paper bags are a definite favorite among home gardeners. Just be careful that you only use a paper bag on a clear, still night because the bag will be useless to your plants if it blows away or disintegrates in the rain.

When you need to protect a large part of your garden from the cold, you’ll need more than just a bag or a box. Old sheets can definitely come in handy on a cool spring night or early fall freeze. If you need extra protection, you can construct a makeshift greenhouse or cold frame with plastic sheeting and wood or plastic supports.

Some solutions will be a little bit more expensive. For example, to protect your plants from a variety of the elements – scorching heat in the summer, frost in the fall or spring, or various harmful insects, I recommend purchasing a floating row cover. The lightweight material won’t crush your plants, but will keep these unwanted insects at bay. And nothing can outdo a fence when it comes to keeping away small animals, both domesticated and wild. A good fence ensures that you, not some raccoon, are enjoying the plants in your garden.

Yeah, we need all kinds of tools and equipment for our home vegetable gardens. Some ideas, like the above to protect your plants are really very simple.

The Original Post is Located Here: Resources You’ll Need to Protect Your Plants

For me, there’s nothing more satisfying than arraying all the tools that I’ll need for a particular task or hobby. The flip side to that is realizing in the midst of an activity that I don’t have what I need to finish the job. And trust me, you won’t be immune to this feeling if you’re going to be gardening vegetables for anything longer than 5 minutes. In this article, we’ll survey the large gardening tools you’ll need and a few tips on how to choose the right ones for your needs.

Large Gardening Tools – A Garden Hose

You may think that, if you are starting with a smaller garden, you won’t need any large gardening tools. This first large tool will make you think again. A garden hose is a large tool that is vital to growing a vegetable garden. Some of the plants you grow will be more water-loving than others, and plants tend to go underwatered if you are relying only on a watering can. The larger the hose is around, the faster the water will come out, so choose a large diameter hose only if you are growing hardy vegetables that won’t mind a powerful watering. I recommend looking only hoses labelled no-kink or kink-proof because this kind will save you a lot of hassle over cheaper hoses.

Large Gardening Tools -A Wheelbarrow

A wheelbarrow is the second large gardening tool that is not optional. Even if you are growing a small garden, you’re going to have to bring in various other tools and materials, such as heavy topsoil, trellis material, and fertilizer, not to mention hauling away from your garden the plentiful harvest you hope to bring in in the end. Different wheelbarrows are rated for a particular weight, so estimate generously. Heavy duty wheelbarrows are made of metal, while less sturdy varieties, suitable only for smaller gardens or to be used in concert with a metal wheelbarrow, are made from plastic or cloth.

When you start your home vegetable garden, you’ll be glad you have these large gardening tools. Both the wheelbarrow and the garden hose will save your back and keep you from making many unnecessary trips.

The Original Post is Located Here: Large Gardening Tools

As I said before, hydroponic garden growing has made indoor garden growing a reality. Hydroponic garden growing should not be confused with greenhouse growing. A hydroponic grow tent is a smaller, self-contained unit that grows plants in a water solution, not soil. You can put a hydroponic growing tent anywhere, certainly where outdoor gardens are not possible and even indoors in the winter.

A big benefit of hydroponic garden growing is that your plants will grow much faster than with conventional gardening. Because your plants don’t have to work as hard to gather nutrients through the soil, they can concentrate their efforts almost entirely on growing. This gives you a faster and sometimes even larger harvest in the end. The one downside of this facet of hydroponics is that if anything goes wrong with the nutrient balance, things go wrong fast for your plants. As a consequence, you may have to lose a few plants before you really get the hang of hydroponic garden growing.

Since your plants are growing indoors, often away from each other in their own tents, you will have fewer pests to deal with. Thus many people who want to garden organically but have trouble with all the variables involved in soil gardening can turn to hydroponics for an easy solution.

Hydroponic garden growing has made garden growing possible and in some ways easier for so many people. Try this method out, and I’m sure you’ll agree! When you do try hydroponic garden growing or is an old hand it, please leave a comment and tell us more…

Check out this tour of a nice, Low maintenance hydroponic garden located at the Pattaya floating market.

The Original Post is Located Here: Hydroponic Garden Growing