Plant Hardiness Zones

When selecting plants for the landscape, is important to select plants that will grow in your climate. The United States has 10 of growing or climate zones. These zones range from the zone 1 in the extreme northern part of United States, to his own 10, which covers the southernmost part. Zone 1, is for the most hardiest of cold weather plants. Temperatures in zone 1 can reach 50 degrees below 0. Zone 10 on the other hand, is is a more tropical climate. Zone 10 plants only need to worry about cold temperatures of 30 to 40 degrees.

Your local nursery or garden center should have plants that are appropriate for your climate zone. however, if you are buying your seeds or plants over the Internet and, or through a catalog, you need to know which climate zone you live in. For example southern Florida, extreme southern Texas, and parts of California, are in Zone 10. the rest of Florida, parts of Louisiana, Texas, and much of California, or in zone 9. Zone 8 covers much of the Southeast from eastern Virginia through the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and much of Texas. Zone 7 covers an area a little farther north than Zone 8. states in June 7th include Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, in parts of Texas. Zones 5 and 6 cover much of the middle part of United States from the New England states through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and even much of the desert Southwest, including Nevada. Zone 4 is somewhat colder climates include states such as Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, northern New York State, the Wisconsin, South Dakota, states in the Rocky Mountains, in Montana. Zone 3 includes the cold states such as northern mean, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Zones 1and 2 are mostly found in Canada.

Average minimum temperatures for each zone

Zone 1: below minus 50 degrees

Zone to:-50 degrees to minus 40 degrees

Zone 3:-40 degrees to minus 30 degrees

Zone for:-30 degrees to -23 is

Zone 5-20 degrees to minus 10 degrees

Zone 6:-10 degrees to 0 degrees

Zone 7:0 degrees to 10 degrees

Zone 8:10 degrees to 20 degrees

Zone 9:20 degrees to 30 degrees

Zone 10:30 degrees to 40 degrees

Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to find a variety of plants that will thrive in your climate zone. And if you are in doubt, talk to your local garden center. The experts there should be able to steer you in the right direction.

About The Author
Dean Novosat is an avid gardener and landscaper. He has transformed many boring yards into beautiful landscapes. He has several websites including http://www.the-garden-doctor.com and http://www.dr-landscape.com.

Want a Garden But Not Enough Room or Soil? Then Hydroponics Gardening Could Be For You.

Hydroponics gardening is a great idea for anyone who wants a garden but doesn't have enough land or soil. Hydroponics gardening is, essentially, a way to cultivate plants using a nutrient solution instead of soil. With hydroponics gardening, it's easy to grow lovely flowers and succulent vegetables virtually anywhere you want! It's true that hydroponics gardening needs much less time than an ordinary garden. In fact, you might spend only five minutes a day maintaining you're hydroponics garden.

Once a month the nutrient solution will have to be changed but this will only take a few minutes. Big fruiting vegetables like peppers and tomatoes may not be able to thrive but most other vegetables and flowers will do great.

Tips for the newbie to hydroponics gardening.

While hydroponics gardening can be a little confusing sometimes when starting out, you'll soon get the jest of it. The same as you need gardening supplies for a ordinary garden, you'll need hydroponics supplies for your hydroponics garden. The most popular system is the passive system. This is where the plants sit directly in the nutrient solution. All passive air systems use an aquarium air bubbler otherwise the solution can become deoxygenated and could rot the plants. If you can find the right system for you, hydroponics gardening could produce you with all the flowers and vegetables you could possibly want.

For more information go to: http://www.gardeningsupply.info/.

About The Author
Jan Money is a freelance writer from Poole, Dorset, England. Jan has been writing gardening articles since 2005.
For all your gardening needs and information: http://www.gardeningsupply.info/

Landscape Design

Landscaping is a wonderful pastime enjoyed by many. It provides a natural beauty and needs no ornaments or other attractive items to help achieve its magnificence. What it does need, however, is a little TLC from you and great ideas to keep the landscape design ever changing and up to date.

Landscape design is an art that not only gives you the freedom to express yourself, but also makes your home more beautiful and inviting. Landscape design is an ever growing popular pastime for middle class suburban adults, who find enjoyment in complementing their home and neighborhood with new and exciting landscape designs. More are learning how to do their own landscaping, rather than hire a company to do it for them.

There are many methods of landscape design to explore. You can trim your hedges or bushes in a decorative manner. For instance, you may want to cut every other hedge a foot shorter than the next to produce a rolling effect. You could also put a large decorative fountain in the middle of your yard. This is a costly option but, if you can afford it, looks gorgeous.

If you don't feel that landscape design is for you, then think about it like this...how much expense and trouble have you gone through to make sure the inside of you home is coordinated and looks great for visitors? Does your living room have a theme? Do you have paintings and sculptures placed around your home? More people see the outside of you home than the inside. Most of your neighbors base their view of you by how good your yard looks. So why go through the trouble inside if your not going to do the same outside?

If you are considering landscape design, or have already dabbled in it a bit, you will need a good website to go to, such as www.thelandscapingpro.com, for all of your exterior design needs. There you will find everything you seek all in one spot.

About The Author
David Dunlap is the founder and owner of The Landscaping Pro, an online resource for any sized landscape project. For more information, visit http://thelandscapingpro.com or email at david@thelandscapingpro.com

Building a Compost Bin

Compost can act as a great fertilizer, enriching the soil with organic materials rather than making use of chemicals that can do more harm than good if used improperly. Composting is a great way to save money as well. Using compost requires that you thoroughly mix it into the soil, reducing compaction and providing oxygenation to the soil. Compost can help plants stay healthier, and that contributes to their ability to repel diseases and survive insect attacks. A healthy landscape can be achieved with a little help from composting.

It is important to note that composting does require a little extra work. The pile needs to be turned, and you need to make sure that you have adequate break down of the items in your compost pile. You need to be discriminating in what you put in your compost: it should only be items that will break down naturally. Plant matter (including pulled weeds) and some foods are excellent in compost and will add to the health of your soil, and thus to your landscape over all. There is no reason, however, that your compost pile needs to be a true pile. A bin can help you better contain your compost and keep it from being spread across your yard in a smelly mess by animals or a really fierce storm.

The first thing you need to do before you build a compost bin is decide what your needs are. Many people actually use a three-bin system. The bins may be connected, or they may be individually lined up. Some people use the bins for different types of compost (regular compost, slow compost like woody plants, and leaves collected in the fall). Others like to have a three-bin system for the turning purposes. Move the compost from one bin into the next, allowing it to turn. Then you can start a pile in the newly vacated bin. By the time the compost makes it into the third bin, it is ready for use. Others find that a single bin is sufficient for their needs, and just go out to stir it around occasionally.

Next you need to determine what materials you will use to build your bin. It is important to note that some exposure to the elements is necessary for more effective and quicker composting. Chicken wire is not particularly good for compost bins as it can stretch out of shape very easily and does not wear well. Materials like 16-guage plastic-coated wire mesh and hardware cloth are better choices, as is hog wire. Wood makes an interesting choice, but it is important to note that it will eventually compost itself and will need to be replaced. Do not used pressure-treated wood, as it has toxic levels of copper and chromium, and there is evidence that arsenic can leach into your compost. Other materials that are acceptable for building compost bins are spoiled hay bales, old cinder blocks or bricks, wooden pallets, snow fencing, and a discarded rabbit hutch. The hutch is desirable because there is very little that needs to be done to make it ready.

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to build a compost bin is to construct it from wooden pallets. Most warehouses, grocery, and hardware stores are more than happy to give these away for free, or for very cheap, as it saves them the trouble of having to discard them. You can use plastic ties to hold four of them together in a box formation. Adding another bin to create a system is easy: just attach three more pallets using one side of the already made bin to complete another box. Be warned: after about two years you will need a new bin, as this bin will be composting itself.

A cinder block or brick bin is also rather easy and cheap to build. If you visit a demolition or construction site, you are bound to find the materials you need readily available. Simply ask for permission to take them. As with the pallets, if you take them away, it saves the company from having to pay for the costs associated with disposing of them. Simply create a square enclosure by stacking the blocks or bricks on top of each other. Make sure you leave space between the blocks for ventilation.

About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.com

Weed Control Facts - Winning the Battle of the Weeds

Keeping your landscape plantings, flower beds, and nursery crops free of weeds is a battle, but if you approach it with a strategic plan, you will prevail. In order to develop a plan, you first must understand how weeds work, and what kind of weeds you are dealing with.

Basically weeds grow either from seed, or they reproduce from their roots. As the roots grow outward from the parent plant, new plants sprout up from the lateral roots, creating more parent plants and the process continues and the weeds thrive. Weeds that tend to reproduce from the root are usually more difficult to control.

Weed control facts? Weeds are plants, and they function just like the desirable plants in your yard. They need water, sunlight, and nutrition to survive. Of these three key survival needs, the easiest one for a gardener to eliminate is sunlight. Through proper mulching you can eliminate the sunlight.

But first, let's look at the steps you should go through before you mulch, then we'll discuss the best mulching techniques to use. In order for your weed control efforts to be truly effective, you should do everything in your power to make your gardens as weed free as possible before you plant or mulch. There are a couple of ways you can go about this, either organically or with chemicals. I don't like using chemicals, but I do use them for weed control, and I use them for pest control when necessary.

I'll discuss organic control first. The first thing you should do is remove all unwanted vegetation from your planting area. Using a hoe, spade or other digging device, undercut the roots and remove the undesirable plants, roots and all. Then you should work the soil by rototilling or turning the soil by hand.

Once worked, let the soil sit for four days or so, and work it again. Keep doing this over and over as long as time permits. This process serves two purposes. It brings the roots that were left in the soil close to the surface so they can be dried by the sun, which will make them non-viable, and it disturbs the weed seeds that have started to germinate, which makes them non-viable as well. The longer you continue this process the more weeds you are eliminating from your garden.

Weed control facts? Depending on the time of the year, there are a few billion weed seeds drifting through the air at any given time, so to think that you can eventually rid a garden of weed seed is false thinking, but at least this process is effective for the remaining roots, which are the most difficult to control.

With that process complete, go ahead and plant your garden. When you're done planting you can either mulch the bed, or keep turning the soil on a weekly basis to keep it free of weeds. Most people opt to mulch. Not only does mulch help to control the weeds, but if you select a natural mulch it also adds organic matter to the soil which makes for better gardening results down the road.

Before mulching you can spread newspaper (7-9 layers thick) over the soil and place the mulch over top of that. The newspaper will block the sunlight from reaching the surface of the soil and help to keep weed growth to a minimum. The newspaper will eventually decompose, and not permanently alter the make up of your garden. Paper grocery bags also work well, so the next time you hear, "Paper or Plastic?", you'll know how to answer.

What about black plastic, or the weed barrier fabric sold at garden centers? I don't like either and I'll tell you why. For one, neither one of them ever go away, and the make up of your garden is forever altered until you physically remove them, which is a real pain in the butt.

Weed control facts? Plastic is no good for the soil because soil needs to breathe. Plastic blocks the transfer of water and oxygen, and eventually your soil will suffer, as will your garden. It's all right to use plastic in a vegetable garden as long as you remove it at the end of the season and give the soil a chance to breathe.

Weed barrier fabrics allow the soil to breathe, but what happens is that when you mulch over top of the fabric, which you should because the fabric is ugly, the mulch decomposes and becomes topsoil. Weeds love topsoil, and they will grow like crazy in it. Only problem is, they are growing on top of the fabric, and you are stuck with a ton of problems, like a weedy garden, and a major job of trying to remove the fabric that is now firmly anchored in place because the weeds have rooted through it.

Weed fabric is also porous enough that if an area becomes exposed to the sunlight, enough light will peek through and weeds below the fabric will grow, pushing their way through the fabric. I don't like the stuff. I've removed miles of it from landscapes for other people because it did not work as they had expected.

Weed control facts? Controlling weeds with chemicals is fairly easy, and very effective if done properly. I know that many people don't approve of chemical weed controls, but millions of people use them, so I might as well tell you how to get the most effect using them.

There are two types of chemical weed controls, post-emergent, and pre-emergent. In a nutshell, a post-emergent herbicide kills weeds that are actively growing. A pre-emergent prevents weed seeds from germinating. Of the post- emergent herbicides there are both selective and non-selective herbicides. A selective herbicide is like the herbicides that are in weed-and-feed type lawn fertilizers. The herbicide will kill broad leaf weeds in your lawn, but it doesn't harm the grass.

One of the most popular non-selective herbicides is Round-up®, it pretty much kills any plant it touches. Rule number one. Read the labels and follow the safety precautions!!! Round-up® is very effective if used properly, but first you must understand how it works.

Round-up® must be sprayed on the foliage of the plant, where it is absorbed, then translocated to the root system where it then kills the plant. It takes about 72 hours for the translocation process to completely take place, so you don't want to disturb the plant at all for at least 72 hours after it has been sprayed.

After 72 hours you can dig, chop, rototill, and pretty much do as you please because the herbicide has been translocated throughout the plant. The manufacture claims that Round-up® does not have any residual effect, which means that you can safely plant in an area where Round-up® has been used. However, I would not use it in a vegetable garden without researching further.

No residual effect also means that Round-up® has no effect whatsoever on weed seeds, so there is absolutely no benefit to spraying the soil. Only spray the foliage of the weeds you want to kill. Be careful of over spray drifting to your desirable plants. To prevent spray drift I adjust the nozzle of my sprayer so that the spray droplets are larger and heavier, and less likely to be carried by the wind. I also keep the pressure in the tank lower by only pumping the tank a minimum number of strokes. Just enough to deliver the spray.

Buy a sprayer that you can use as a dedicated sprayer for Round-up® only. Never use a sprayer that you have used for herbicides for any other purpose. Once you have sprayed the weeds, waited 72 hours and then removed them, you can go ahead and plant. Mulching is recommended as described above. To keep weed seeds from germinating you can apply a pre-emergent herbicide.

Depending on the brand, some of them are applied over top of the mulch, and some are applied to the soil before the mulch is applied. A pre-emergent herbicide creates a vapor barrier at the soil level that stops weed seed germination, and can be very effective at keeping your gardens weed free. They usually only last about 5 or 6 months and need to be re-applied.

Visit a full service garden center and seek the advice of a qualified professional to select the pre-emergent herbicide that will best meet your needs. Never use a pre-emergent herbicide in your vegetable garden, and be careful around areas where you intend to sow grass seed. If you spill a little in an area where you intend to plant grass, the grass will not grow. They really do work.

That's what I know about weed control. Read this article several times. Your success depends on getting the sequence of events correct.

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

About The Author
Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by, http://gardening-articles.com/.

Is a Landscape Architect Really Necessary?

Many people feel that when they are ready to design a landscape, that a landscape architect is necessary. They do not feel that their natural tastes or inclinations are "correct," and they feel that they may irrevocably ruin their yard if they try something on their own. While it is true that some people may cause irreversible damage to their homes when they try their hand at design without a landscape architect, what they do not realize is that their problems have very little to do with design. A landscape architect will not actually install your features or plant your flowers, trees, and shrubs. That is up to you. You either have to do it yourself or hire someone to follow the plan drawn out by the architect. So, the question becomes whether or not you really need the help of a landscape architect to design your home environs.

Landscape architects can be very useful when it comes to using space. A square deck may save you money, but it may look out of place, and it may not be as usable as you would like. This is where a landscape architect can help. She or he can look at your available space, and suggest possible uses for it. These architects are experienced in combining utility with attractiveness, and it may be worth your while to spend $50-$200 for a consultation or two. It really depends on your budget, and whether you can afford such expensive advice. The architect may also be able to give you ideas for walkways, fences, and patios. However, it is important to note that most landscape architects are not gardeners, and many of them are not experts in plant care.

When working in a certain area, many landscape architects make use of commonly used plants that are widely known to grow well in a particular region. This means that you may end up with a design that, rather than being personal, looks very similar to other designs. Also, your architect is not going to be able to instruct you on what you need to do to amend your soil if the plants recommended will not flourish with the make up of your soil. Plus, many architects specify mature plants in their designs. This is because they are visualizing the attractive completed project. Mature plants cost much more than smaller plants, and such specifications may price you out of your landscape project.

The fact of the matter is that most people can determine their own preferences for landscapes by drawing out their own plans. With the help of local urban planning Web sites or a local university's plant specialist, it is possible to discover which plants thrive in your climate. Additionally, you can browse online to find plans for a variety of projects and flower gardens. If something looks comfortable and attractive to you, then there is no reason why cannot incorporate it into your landscape design. The key is trusting in your own taste.

Something that can be a lot less expensive than hiring a landscape architect to consult with and then to design your yard (the whole process can cost upward of $800-$1,000), it is possible to use software. Many stores sell this software, and it is available online. It is fun to use the software to figure out various possibilities for your home, and some of them even come with information like what you need for a specific design, and approximate cost estimates. This software not only provides great amusement, but it can also be helpful as you try to figure out what you would like to do about your landscape.

Landscape architects can be very helpful. They can help you determine feasibility and show you how to best utilize a space for beauty and function. However, these services do not come with a hefty price tag. An argument can be made for saving money in the long run, but unless you have a massive project undertaking, the services of a landscape architect are rarely completely necessary. You can sketch out your own ideas, or you can make use of software. And, as the average do-it-yourselfer does not often participate in a complete landscape overhaul, he or she is more than qualified to design for his or her own small landscape improvement projects

About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.com

Driveway Landscaping

Landscaping driveways does not necessarily mean the driveway itself, although the design of your driveway can impact the look and feel of your landscape. Rather, many people neglect to landscape their driveways to look attractive. This includes adding landscaping elements to the sides of the driveway, as well as at the bottom and the top of the driveway. There are many softscape and hardscape elements that can be added to make the area surrounding the driveway more attractive.

Your driveway landscape is the entrance to your property. If you ignore it, the driveway can look more like an ugly scar than a part of your landscape. If properly incorporated, however, it is possible to create a nice looking element in your landscape, tying it in to the rest of your design and looking as though it truly belongs. It is very worth your while to make an attempt at landscaping around your driveway. You need not spend a great deal of money to landscape your driveway, but if you carefully choose features and elements that are attractive and creative, you can have a fairly low-cost driveway landscape that is inviting to visitors as well as to those who live inside the house.

Before landscaping the driveway, however, there are a few things to take into account. First of all, you need to make sure that what you are doing will not be so much wasted work. Take into account your neighborhood. If there are a great deal of children, a flower bed at the entrance, near the street, may not be a wise decision. It may be trampled careless children, or the flowers may be picked. While these actions do not usually the products malice, they can result in a ragged and disheveled looking driveway entrance. In such a neighborhood one might consider accenting the entrance with an attractive fence, rock wall, or even a small rock garden. Also determine the footpaths traveled by those who live in the house. Make sure that any elements you add to the sides or ends of the driveway are not interfering in established walkways.

Some of the common hardscape options are walls and fences. These are projects that can add distinction and accent to your driveway area. A rock wall can be especially interesting if you use different colored rocks. It is also possible to plant grasses and small, hardy flowers in the cracks between the stones used to construct the wall. This can be decorative and it can add a more interesting aspect to your rock wall. Short, attractive fences, and even some of higher height, can also accent the driveway and give it a little more color and character. Small hanging baskets or lanterns can be used with either a fence or a wall to add more beauty.

There are plenty of softscape options for dressing up the area around the driveway. The first thing you need to decide (and this goes for hardscape accents as well) is whether you plan to use the landscape elements to run the length of the driveway or to simply accent the entrance to the driveway. If you are working with a very small budget, simply accenting either side of the driveway, near the bottom, is a good idea. It will cost much less, but add a great deal to the look of your over all landscape. Some of the softscape ideas that work well either to follow the driveway up or simply to add character to the entrance, include beds of colorful annuals, groundcover along the drive to create a natural and interesting border with the lawn, ornamental trees, and shrubs. The shrubs can even be cut to be topiary and have interesting designs.

A curved driveway is interesting of itself, and can be made even more so if a focal point is added to nestle in the curve. This focal point should be something of beauty. It can be as simple as a stately oak, or a specially designed flowerbed or rock garden. Or, instead of being something simple, the focal point can be something else entirely. Landscape bridges, wishing wells, garden arbors, and water gardens all make excellent focal points that can be exceptionally attractive.

About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.com

Easy Landscaping and Curb Appeal for Florida Homes

The idea that an appealing outside is your best offense for intriguing potential buyers is based on the simple concept that first impressions really count. The great thing about learning some key elements of landscaping is that you can apply them to a home that you are just settling into, as well as one you are about to sell. For those who are selling or buying real estate in Tampa Bay Florida, some extra curb appeal advice will go a long way.

Florida is popular for nature-lovers. Instead of trying to keep up with garden hobbyists, present a clean, green impression, rather than a mini-arboretum. The decluttered impression that you want for the inside, should apply to the outside. Imagine a buyer coming to view your Tampa Bay Florida real estate house and all they can think is either, "how will I keep up with all those tropical flower beds?" or "how long will it take me to undo all of this?" Not that you should tear down all your hard work from a spectacular garden; just be sure to have it freshly pruned, trimmed and weeded for buyers, so they don't feel like they have to have a green thumb if they want to buy your home.

Select your plants according to how much sun and water they need. Then, focus on buying smaller selections (or larger if your budget allows) of some of Florida's award-winning specimens like the East Indian Holly Fern, which is wonderful for mass ground cover, and the Dwarf Golden Dewdrop for a beautiful border shrub with its yellow-gold leaves. Make up for size with color, with the purple-blooming Princess Flower, or the Yellow Elder, that will grow quickly (up to eight or ten feet tall). The plants you pick should attract the eyes to the house with their complimentary shades. For example, forest green trim on a house is complimented by shrubs with yellow leaves, and homes with neutral features can always use a few splashes of dramatic color in their landscaping.

Take a picture of the front of your house with you as you visit nurseries and garden shops. Garden professionals can suggest which colors and varieties will work best for your particular home. They should also be able to tell you what kind of mulch, pebble or lava stones you should use for each. The colors of these can also add a lovely contrast of color.

Plant a few annuals near the mailbox and an odd number of shrubs or hedges in front of the house to create depth. Make your house inviting with colors that compliment, but don't complicate. If your house is basic in design, plant a few romantic Magnolias or exotic Calathea to break up the lines. Likewise, a house with a modern exterior can be dressed down for the conservative eye with neatly trimmed Serissa Foetida hedges and simple splashes of annuals.

If you want something even more simple, try buying big, decorative pots and filling them with a few shades of hardy flowers. This takes care of catching the eyes of the buyer, yet implies the perfect level of impermanence for the more fickle-natured. You can offer to leave the pots, or take them with you if the buyer doesn't want them. This can be a quick fix for those who are trying to move, sell and maintain a family and full-time job at the same time. There are plenty of ways to get elaborate with landscaping, but if you need to keep things easy, focus on complimentary colors, hearty specimens and as neat of an exterior as possible, so buyers and visitors will see your house as a breath of fresh, tropical air

About The Author
Bob Lipply is a licensed broker associate with Remax Realtec in Palm Harbor, Florida. He has many years of experience in selling Tampa Bay Florida Real Estate and has helped many families relocate to Florida and find their dream homes. Visit his website at http://www.lipplyrealestate.com or contact him direct at 1-888-423-5775. e-mail address is info@lipplyrealestate.com

Building a Concrete Patio

A concrete patio can be an attractive part of the landscape, provided it is properly decorated after it is placed. It is also a convenient landscape element, as the patio is usually square and is easy to mow around. Additionally, it is an excellent place to enjoy outdoor cooking and entertaining. Concrete is durable and it can withstand a great deal of wear and tear. Building a concrete patio is something that you can do on your own in about three days. With a little investment of time, you can save money by installing your patio yourself, rather than paying someone else to do it.

The first thing to do, of course, is plan your patio. You need to figure out how big you want the patio, and mark off the area. Additionally, you need to make sure you have all of the necessary tools. 50 square feet is a fairly common size patio, and for that (at about six inches thick) you need 25 bags of pre-mixed concrete. Make sure that you get the pre-mixed for best results and easiest construction. You will also need to make sure you have concrete tools and an automatic concrete mixer. If you do not wish to purchase these tools, it is possible to rent them from a home improvement or hardware store.

Next, you need to excavate the area with a garden shovel. The best thing to do is excavate six inches deep. This is so that you have a two-inch layer of gravel beneath four inches of concrete. This is especially important in the north, where the freezing and thawing cycle can cause drainage problems. The gravel allows for adequate drainage, and that prevents cracking due to frozen water trapped beneath the patio.

After you have excavated your patio area, you need to build a form to hold the gravel and concrete. This form is usually made from wood. It acts as a frame of sorts to keep the gravel and concrete in place, instead of spreading beyond the confines of your patio. The form can be constructed from wood or strong plastic or rubber, and should be sunk into the ground lining the entire border of the patio area. If you want the patio flush with the ground, the top of the form should be level with the surrounding lawn. After that is done, put in the gravel. Make sure you tamp it down firmly to avoid shifting later on. Two-inch high flat pieces of rock should be installed as well, on top of the gravel, to act as supports for rebar reinforcing (the rebar will be built in the middle of the four inch slab of concrete

About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.com

Landscaping...How Does Your Garden grow

The landscaping of the exterior areas around your house should be as personal in taste as your interior decoration.

A driveway and garden are usually the first impressions a visitor has of your home. They should always be as trim and well cared for as your house itself.

Naturally, landscaping, like most things, depends on individual taste. Some people prefer a wild, natural look in gardens and outdoor areas. Others prefer the clipped hedges, planned walks, planting and ordered flower borders of the stylized English garden.

Before planning your landscape, check the zoning regulations of your community, if you live in the city. This must be the first step, as many zoning laws determine the limitations on the height of trees, shrubs and other foilage, and their placement. Interior and corner lots often differ in these respects.

The cost of landscaping varies with each house, as does the planning. The location of the house on the property, the size, shape and elaborateness of areas planned for trees, shrubs, lawn and flowers are of course the controlling factors. The larger, more intricate garden naturally cost more than a smaller area.

Here are some good basic pointers to remember when planning your landscaping.

Privacy - Shrubs, bushes, a cluster of trees can serve as screens from adjoining properties, walks, roads and create a park like effect at the same time. Clever landscaping of a patio, terrace or swimming pool adds to their usability and attractiveness, also provides perfect privacy.

Integration - A driveway should be fully blended with the foilage to create an attractive first impression of your property. The proportion of trees, grass, shrubs, bushes and flowers should be carefully balanced with concrete, graveled, asphalt or flagstone driveways to dispense with a paved, sidewalk effect.

Shade - A single, large tree may be a joy to look at, but make sure it does not obscure the house or shade it too much. Plant a tree or cluster of trees at the edge of the lawn, so that you get the most benefit from the shade on hot days. Make sure the trees do not overhang swimming pools or sun patios, and obscure the sun. Also bear in mind that trees near a pool mean falling leaves and debris to clean out of the water constantly.

Levels - A garden on flat land can be planted with little regard to change in grade (level). Some land is not totally flat, so do not overlook grading problems in your plans. However, a garden that has more than one level is more interesting and much more effective designs can be achieved. But, naturally, the cost are higher.

Drainage - If you are designing your own garden before calling in a landscaper, remember to settle the drainage problems first, or discuss it with the expert. You don't want puddles, ruined turf or plants, so settle the drainage system in the beginning.

Basic Planting - Once your design is complete, you have two courses you can follow in the planting plan. If your budget allows you to do the whole planting job at once, the sequence should be as follows: plant trees and shrubs first, then sod or seed your lawn. Should it be neccessary to carry your landscaping over a period of years, plant lawn first, add trees, shrubs and flowers later when you can afford it.

Plans - Your garden requires landscape plans, just as the interior of your home. If you have definite ideas about what you want, and the effect you wish to achieve, draw up some rough plans on graph paper. Then you can discuss the project fully with the landscaper. If you are an amateur gardener and wish to do your landscaping yourself, you will not need a set of plans to determine each area of your property.

About The Author
Lisa French is a freelance writer of home decorating articles and webmaster for Decorating-Country-Home.com. Use of article requires an active link to http://www.decorating-country-home.com/landscaping.html.

'Re-tiring' Old Mulching Routine Paves the Way to Ten Worry-Free Years

The yearly routine of digging up last year's mulch and replacing it with a fresh supply can be time consuming, messy and expensive. But one new product can put consumers on the road to a full decade of worry-free mulching -- and that road is paved with recycled rubber.

Each year, millions of truck tires are recycled nationwide. The rubber from these tires does not rot, fade or break down, even after years of exposure to the elements. As a result, discarded tires are treaded treasures for Rubberific Mulch, which gives new life to old tires by turning them into one of the longest lasting and safest ground coverings on the market.

"Not only does Rubberific Mulch help the environment by recycling old tires that otherwise would languish in landfills, but it offers time- and cost-saving alternatives to traditional mulch," says Mike Miller, Rubberific Mulch president. "It has the appearance of wood-based mulch, but with a unique durability that will last for ten years, with very little upkeep."

To help consumers choose the type of mulch that is best for a lawn or garden, the experts at Rubberific Mulch suggest asking the following questions:

Attractiveness -- Will the mulch look good in the front lawn or garden?

Longevity and durability -- Does the mulch hold up for long periods of time, even through inclement weather?

Protection -- Will the mulch protect and benefit the plants it surrounds?

For consumers seeking the ideal mix of attractiveness, durability and year-round protection, Rubberific Mulch is a cost-effective solution. The texture, size and shape of the shredded rubber is virtually identical to wood mulch, and is available in realistic colors, such as cypress, redwood, cedar and earthtone. Its strength allows it to withstand wind, rain, snow and ice with little or no washout, and it will not rod or fade, even under stifling humidity and harsh sunlight. Plants will reap additional benefits from Rubberific Mulch, which does not attract insects and will not absorb water meant for them.

For backyards with swing sets or other kid-playing zones, Rubberific Mulch offers the additional benefit of superior safety. The impact of a child's fall is significantly less on the rubber-based mulch than on more traditional ground coverings.

Rubberific Mulch is available for purchase at select Lowe's home improvement centers throughout the Midwest. It also can be ordered in a variety of custom colors at www.rubberificmulch.com, or by calling (866) 936-8524.

About The Author
Courtesy of ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

Using Landscape Design Software

One option for would-be landscapers is to plan out their design on landscape software. Most of the time this software has great features that can help you decide where to put different plants, and how different features would look in a yard. The great thing about landscape design software is that you pay for it once, and then you can use it over and over again. While it cannot completely take the place of a landscape architect, it does allow the improver to get a good idea of what is possible.

Most software programs meant to help you design landscapes come with graphics that look like a variety of plants. These images often include flowers, shrubs, trees, and even vegetables. Additionally, some programs also include information on common garden pests as well as how different plant diseases look. Tips on how to prevent diseases, and sometimes even how to treat them often accompany this information about garden blights. This can save you time and money as you more effectively take care of your own garden needs.

Other features that come with some landscape design programs include already laid out garden designs. So, if you do not know where to begin, you can receive inspiration by looking at ideas suggested in the computer program. Additionally, some programs provide easy to follow suggestions on how to properly plant the garden or build some small landscape features. There are plenty of ideas present that you can either use straight from the program or even that you can modify a little bit to better fit your ideas of what you would like.

One of the best features available with landscape design software is the fact that you can scan digital photos into the computer and work with those. Rather rely on a graphic image of something that looks sort of close to what your house looks like or its situation, you can use a picture from a digital camera so that you can create a design based around what your yard looks like now — and then you can see what it could look like with a little difference in the landscape.

In addition to showing what your home would like at the current season with certain plants and trees and flowers, there are programs that also take you through the seasons. Therefore, you could see what your yard would likely look like when the plants that change colors enjoy a seasonal change of leaf, or how it would look in early spring, just prior to blooming. This can help you plan to move in plants that have different blooming times, and plants that still look attractive even after they are done blooming.

Not only do many programs show what your yard could look like, but they could also help you find the right plants for your garden and climate conditions. You enter in your soil conditions, and the area in which you live, and the program can help you run a search for the plants that would most likely flourish in your particular landscape. Then, using the click and drag method, you can set these potential plants into your virtual landscape and see how they would look. With the possible plant varieties before you, you can move them to various points in the yard until you are satisfied with the result. When you are ready to get started, you can use the program to work out a plan of action to help you bring your landscape creation out of the virtual world and into the real world.

Landscape design software can actually help you save money in the long run. Most programs for personal computer run between $25 and $75. You can purchase a program and then instead of spending hundreds of dollars to have a stranger design you landscape, you can design your own. Additionally, with programs that help you set out the garden, you might even bet a GPS device that help you more precisely survey your yard and more accurately position your plants and other features. Additionally, with a plan developed to help you accurately gauge what you need, you will have less waste when you go to start your landscaping.

About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.com

A Beginners Guide To Pond Supplies

Have you ever dreamed of creating a backyard oasis? Someplace where you can relax and enjoy nature, even if you live in the middle of a big city? If so, then a pond may be just what you have been looking for. While building a pond is not necessarily difficult, there is more involved than simply lining a hole in the ground and filling it with water and some fish.

Before you start the pond building process, you must first gather your pond supplies, decide on the size and the location for your pond and, of course, how deep your new pond will be. The depth will depend on where you live and whether or not there will be fish sharing your new oasis with you.

The easiest way to build a pond is to start with a pre-formed plastic pond liner. These types of liners come in a variety of shapes, sizes and depths to fit any homeowners needs.

You will often find this type of a liner in a pond kit. However, if you prefer more of a do-it-yourself approach to pond building, you also have the option of digging your pond free-form and lining it with heavy gauge pond plastic. This comes in a roll and is laid inside the hole and cut to fit.

When you are digging the hole for the new pond, it is a good idea to include shelves and maybe even shallow caves. These will come in handy when you are decorating with plants to give height and depth to your new addition and provide a sheltered place for any fish you might add.

If you will be adding any type of animal life to your pond, it is extremely important for their survival that you dig the pond deep enough so that all of the water doesn't freeze. In most parts of the United States this depth is between a foot and 18". The reason is that fish, frogs and turtles all need some liquid water throughout the winter. Sufficient water movement is also essential to their survival.

You will need a filter, especially if you choose to add fish, frogs or turtles to your completed pond. It is very important to get the best filter that you can afford, as you will need to clean up anything that the filter leaves behind. The better the filter, the less there is to clean up. There are a couple of different styles to choose from in filters.

You can get a submersible or an outside filter for your pond. A submersible filter sits under the surface of the pond and sucks water from the bottom through a filter surface putting clean water back in. An outside filter sits on the edge of the pond and gets its dirty water from the pond at a depth of about 18" or so. Traditionally, both kinds are hooked up so that the water is deposited back into the pond via a waterfall or small stream.

Now that you have the pond dug out, lined and a filter selected, it is time to fill it up, decorate it, add fish (if desired) and enjoy.

About The Author
Daniel Roshard is an interior designer fascinated by outdoor architecture, he is currently studying public parks and outdoor design. Daniel is writing articles about home improvement and landscaping issues at http://ponds.advice-tips.com/

Building an Arbor

It may be difficult to believe, but building an arbor for your landscape can actually be quite inexpensive. If you keep the arbor small, to a two-post size, you can have a very attractive landscape feature for a small cost. Even the novice landscaper can build a small arbor without too much trouble in about two days (three at the most). It can be a very rewarding project that provides a sophisticated sense of beauty to your over all landscape design.

Essential to building your arbor is thinking of it as five distinct phases. This will help you break the project down into doable goals and help you accomplish the task better. Breaking projects down into sections also aids the landscaper, as he or she will find that the task does not seem so daunting when done in bite-sized pieces. Additionally, a sense of accomplishment at the end of each stage can help the landscaper stay motivated throughout the project.

The first layer is to prepare the site for concrete placed under ground to secure the structure. In order to lay the concrete, you need to first get some things out of the way. Dig two holes where you want the posts to stand. The holes should be one inch wide and three inches deep. Put half an inch of gravel or crushed stone inside the holes. This will help water drain away, preventing cracks in the concrete. Set one post in each hole and lay a board on top of them. Use a carpenter's level to determine whether or not your posts are standing at equal heights. Adjust, if necessary, until the level shows that your posts are equal in height. You can use scrap lumber, nailed to the posts, to form temporary stabilizers.

The second layer is anchoring your arbor posts (they should be 4×4 posts) into the concrete. Before doing this, check again for equality in height with the stabilizers in place and make your adjustments to the stabilizers to adjust the height. Next, mix your concrete using concrete mix and water from a garden hose in a wheelbarrow

About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.com

Do It Yourself: Drip Irrigation System

Installing an irrigation system in your yard can help make maintenance easier. After all, you will not have to hand set sprinklers all day and try to remember where you have already watered. A sprinkler system, however, is not a project for the average do-it-yourselfer. This is because there are multiple precise calculations that need to be made, and a great deal of special handling necessary to properly set up the sprinklers. A drip irrigation system, on the other hand, can be set up fairly easily by most do-it-yourselfers and conserves water to boot.

A drip irrigation system consists of a series of tubes. These tubes have holes place in them at specific intervals, corresponding with the placement of your plants. Most of the time, these systems are placed under the soil, providing deep and efficient watering for the plants. These systems promote water conservation, as there is very little evaporation, the space between plants is not needlessly watered, and there is no wind to carry the water away before it reaches the roots. Plus, watering deeply means that you do not need to water your plants as often. While drip irrigation may not be especially helpful for lawns, it can be utilized to water some portions of the lawn. Root health is promoted by drip irrigation systems, and this means hardier plants that are more resistant to pests, drought, and disease.

Because they require the opening of holes along their length, drip irrigation systems are most often installed around flowers and shrubs, and even trees. This targeted approach to watering is more effective and more efficient that more traditional sprinkler irrigation. Additionally, it helps ensure that each of the landscape's individual elements are properly watered and cared for. A drip irrigation system is unobtrusive and can be easily concealed so that the unsightly tubes do not mar the look of your property.

Installing drip irrigation is relatively simple. It is possible to create the system yourself, using hoses and making use of water available to your home, but it is much easier to use kits. There are kits available at most home improvement stores and warehouses that can help you better install a drip system. Most of the time, this installation only takes one day (or even less!). The kits come with easy to read instructions that clearly explain all of the necessary steps. There are some tools needed for the installation of your drip irrigation system, but they are generally tools that are commonly found in most households.

Not only can you install a drip irrigation system, but you can also make plant maintenance even easier by adding a timer to your system. We know that timers can be used with more traditional sprinkler systems, but many people are surprised that a timer can be used with a drip system. The timers are also available at home improvement stores and can be easily installed to go with your irrigation systems. Timers help you feel peace of mind knowing that you will not need to try to remember to water your plants. Additionally, they ensure that your plants will get the right amount of water at the right time. This can be valuable in helping you save time and money in costs associated with water usage.

It is good to note that drip irrigation systems can be used in conjunction with "irrigation zones" in your landscape. Plants that have similar water needs should be planted in the same area so that they can be more efficiently targeted by watering. You can help clearly demarcate irrigation zones by establishing separate beds for plants that need certain amounts of water. Your plants will also be healthier, since you will not be over watering or under watering some plants because of the water needs of its neighbors. Also be sure to note that areas that face south need more watering than areas located in areas with northern exposure. When installing a drip irrigation system, you need to keep these things in mind to ensure that your plants are best cared for by your targeted plan. Drip irrigation is one of the best ways to make efficient use of your water resources, and when combined with the concept of irrigation zones can be even more efficient.

About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.com

Do Your Own Landscaping Design

Know what I love about getting the garden all cleaned up, it stays that way for much longer than when you get your home all cleaned up.

More and more people are turning to landscaping their gardens, not just planting a tree here and a shrub there but looking at their garden as they would look at the inside of their home. More thought as to the overall look and appeal and how plants can compliment each other.

The results are very rewarding. There is so much help too if you are not confident in the planning, your nursery, wonderful landscaping books, TV and radio shows and the Internet are all there waiting to guide you.

Be careful with books, make sure the book is for your area and the plants suggested for a design are suitable for your part of the world.

It's fun to get a graph pad and do your own design, give it a try and you could surprise yourself.

One word of advice, if you purchase plants from the big chain stores and they have been in air- conditioning or inside a building even with the shade cloth inside/outside style of shop, never take the plant home and put it in the garden straight away.

Take about three weeks acclimatizing the plant. Keep the plant inside or on an enclosed patio and gradually over the three week period, increase the outside time and decrease the inside time. Doing it this way you have a better chance of the plant surviving and growing into a beautiful specimen for you.

You can quite often pick up some bargains in the plant department, doing the acclimatizing can save you money.

Gardens like everything else has trends. These trends usually follow the interior decor trends. This is a good thing as the outside and the inside will compliment each other.

If your home is cottage style, then a garden along the cottage lines would look great and you would have the flowers to decorate your home to add to the look. A modern minimilistic interior then a minimal no fuss landscaped garden.

Landsscaping and gardening can improve your stress levels too. Feeling a bit stressed about something, take yourself out into your garden and potter, tip prune, pull out a few weeds, water a few plants, separate a few clumping plants and pot up for later Give yourself at least a half hour and feel the stress go.

Works for me, hope it does for you too.

Landscaping and gardening, wonderful!!!!

Carmel Baird
http://www.ctbmarketing-australia.com/landscapingebooks.htm

About The Author
This article was written by CTBaird of ctbmarketing-australia Internet Marketing and Online Home Business Opportunities reviewed for you. http://www.ctbmarketing-australia.com.

Transform Landscaping with Outdoor Lighting

Your enjoyment of your home increases exponentially when you have a beautifully landscaped yard. Whether you've nurtured your home's landscaping with your own hands or hired a landscaper to create your slice of paradise, you no doubt experience pride and pleasure when you see dappled sunlight peeking through the trees or the riot of colors your perennials lend to your garden in the morning light.

Increasingly, homeowners are going to the next level with landscaping, and are investing time and money in outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting enhances both the appearance of your home and your landscaping, as well as the enjoyment you and your guests experience when you entertain outdoors.

Typically, outdoor lighting focuses on focal points in the yard, though it can also be used as security lighting. Bill Locklin, owner of Nightscaping, the preeminent outdoor lighting company, suggests using 12-volt outdoor lighting to bring out the features of large trees, specimen plants, architecture, and water features. His suggestions include the following:

Large Trees: If the tree has open growth, let the light spill down through the leaves and branches, creating interesting shapes and contrasts in highlight and shadow. If the tree has full foliage, like some pines, try cross lighting or using a grazing light. If your focal point tree has an interesting bark texture, try grazing it to accent this feature and add a greater element of visual interest.

Specimen Plants: Consider hanging plants as well as ground plantings for focal point lighting. Try to throw shadows of smaller plants on walls and other surfaces for added effect. Bonsai plants are very effective when silhouetted to accent their unique shapes.

Architecture: Look at decorative construction techniques in masonry and wood facades. For example, place fixtures at the bottom of the gables and project the light up from each side so that it meets at the tip of the peak, or place two fixtures under the peak and aim them down to the lower edges. A home's door can be a focal point, as in the case of hand-carved wood, raised wood panels, pr artistic metal designs. Draw attention to the door from overhead, being careful not to cast glare in the eyes of those entering and exiting the building. Likewise, objects in the atrium, such as columns, arches, breezeways, ledges, shutters, cupolas, weather vanes, and seasonal and holiday flags can all be architectural focal points that can have attention drawn by professionally designed outdoor lighting.

Water Features: Fountains, fishponds, and moving streams all lend themselves to the introduction of landscape outdoor lighting. Filtered, crystal clean water can be lighted either from within or from above. Dirty water is usually best lighted from above or used as a reflecting surface to accent surrounding features. Designer fountain lighting can add drama to a yard's fountain.

Outdoor path lighting is also important, both for aesthetic and safety reasons. You, your family, and your guests should be able to safely move around your property after dark. Walkways should always be lighted both as a directional guide and prevent people from tripping on obstacles.

Outdoor lighting - whether it is path lighting, designer fountain lighting, or security lighting - gives your home another dimension, one to be enjoyed for years to come.

About The Author
Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://www.majon.com
To learn more about subjects like Outdoor Lighting please visit the web site at: http://nightscaping.com
For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Home and Garden directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Home_and_Garden

Concrete Curb Landscaping

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The concrete curbing industry is currently experiencing a period of high growth as home owners look for new ways to customize and personalize their homes without over capitalizing their investment.

For the last ten years or more, many people have been able to take advantage of steady growth in the housing and property market, which has enabled more people than ever to become home owners. This growth in the housing market has been driven by a range of factors, one of them being the baby boomer generation, who have gained access to large amounts of superannuation, which has in-turn has stimulated the property market. Most economists would now agree that property and housing sector is due for a period of reduced growth, although other businesses are set to thrive in these conditions. The concrete curbing and edging business is one of these businesses. For more visit http://www.concrete4curbs.com/

Obviously, people who do not own their own home are not going to be interested in spending money on concrete curbs and edges to beautify their rented dwelling, and this is why the housing boom has been so pivotal for our industry. Concrete curbing business owners need home owners with which to build a clientele and today the number of homeowners is higher than ever before. More importantly, this new generation of homeowners are far more informed about the value of renovating and landscaping their homes. They understand the importance of what realtors call “curb appeal”. Also they understand that it is very easy to overcapitalize your investment by spending up big on features that make little if any difference to a homes value.

This is where concrete curbs and concrete edging is enjoying growth in demand. Homeowners can see that for a small outlay, they can get significant improvement in the aesthetics of their outdoor areas. By getting concrete curbing around their garden beds and concrete edging along their paths they can make a significant change to the look of a garden without a big outlay.

With every demand for a service emerges a new business opportunity. Concrete curb businesses are in a niche due to the fact that the outlay required for starting the business, or startup costs are very low. Essentially the major costs are that of a concrete curbing machine, a trailer and an operator. To find out more about the initial startup capital required visit http://www.concrete4curbs.com/ . Clearly this kind of opportunity is well suited to an able-bodied person who is looking to take some control over their finances and working environment. Obviously it requires people to take a greater degree of responsibility, although the low start up an operating cost mean far less stress on a financial level. Concrete curbing and concrete edging is definitely an area worth looking into.

About The Author
Steve Joseph is a regular contributor to http://www.concrete4curbs.com and permission to reproduce this article is given only on the basis that all links remain active and intact.