#how to garden

[home--farm]

Woven composter

Compost has turned my clay and sand back yard into a gorgeous gardening space. I started trench composting, where you dig a hole and bury kitchen scraps, but the land eats like its starving so I went all in on composting.

Every year I make a new compost space in early spring and then plant a squash plant on top. I was inspired by the abundance of vine maple seedlings and willow in my neighbourhood, and by the simple tutorial from Sarah Bäckmo linked in the picture.

(picture from Sarah Bäckmo's site)

The first year I found someone pruning their willow tree and loaded up the car with prunings. Last year I participated in a local park clean up and took home what I wanted from that. This year I've been carting home loads on my bike or under my arm. You need A LOT of material to make a big basket, but it's well worth doing. And, on the coast at least, this is just the time of year to do it.

[fairygarden1]

Let you control everything from your home

[ausetkmt]

I didn’t always pay attention to the sun when gardening. I gave it no thought when I built one of my first gardens. And that was a big mistake.  I just woke up one day and decided, “yep, right there, that’s the spot.” After building the garden, I realized this was not true. The location was all wrong. I placed the garden in an area where it only received a few hours of sunlight at max. I planted the garden on the north side of a fig tree, where it was shaded for most of the day. Had I built the garden on the other side of the yard or even on the other side of the fig tree, the garden would have received full sunlight. I enjoyed that garden and made the most of the shaded space, but I knew I wouldn’t make that mistake again. 

When it was time to expand the garden, I would spend paying attention to the sun and surrounding trees in different areas before planting.  There are specific criteria to check before building a garden and planting.  Forgetting to check for these things can make your gardening experience less than stellar.  Where you think you want the garden may not be the best spot for it. 

How To Determine Sun Exposure

Tracking the sun is essential in setting up a new garden. Tracking and mapping the sun will help you choose the perfect place for your garden. To track sun exposure, grab a sheet of paper, draw your yard, and begin to note where you see the sun during different times throughout the day.  If you’re not an artist and don’t want to draw your yard, then make a simple chart like the one below.  Note how many hours and which hours out of the day the area receives sun.

If you want to avoid sun mapping, make sure you plant your garden in the right direction.  Don’t worry. We’ll talk about that next.

Which direction should my garden face?

Southern Facing – Garden sites do best when they are south-facing.  A southern-facing area receives the most exposure to the sun.  Sun-loving crops like squash and tomatoes perform best in these layouts.

East Facing – These gardens receive morning sun. The morning sun is great because the plants receive sunlight during the coolest time of the day, the morning. Here you can plant anything that requires a little shade to succeed.

West Facing – Western exposure gives you afternoon and evening sun, which will work if it is all you have, but you run the risk of your plants overheating because you are receiving the sun when the temperature is at its highest. 

North Facing – The least ideal orientation for a garden is north-facing.  This area would receive the least amount of sun exposure, not to mention that it would be shaded if there were any obstructions, such as trees or buildings.

While south-facing is preferred, you can garden in any of these settings.  You may have to adjust your gardening goals. I have plenty of fruit trees, roses, and vegetables planted on the north side of my garden.  They may not receive the ideal light, but they are growing.  Don’t be afraid to alter the plants you plan on growing in these spaces.

Which way to place my garden beds

The information about cardinal direction applies to determining the garden area used when laying out the actual beds.  Whether you have containers, raised beds, or inground beds, orient them north to south. Doing so will ensure they receive as much light as possible with minimal interruptions.  Proper plant placement is vital if you must use the East to west orientation.  If you pay attention, you can avoid shading many of your plants, thereby reducing the hours of direct sun they receive.

The amount of sun an area receives is known as sun exposure.  Sun exposure is key to the success of plants.  Remember the story of my first garden plot?  I ignored sun exposure, and this limited what I was able to grow.  With sun exposure, there are three essential terms: full sun, partial sun, and shade. Most vegetable or fruit plants require full sun to be successful.  Root crops and other leafy greens grow in full or partial sun. The amount of light available to the plant directly relates to its ability to produce food through photosynthesis, impacting its health and vigor. 

Full Sun

Partial Sun

Depending on whom you ask, partial sun and partial shade are interchangeable.  Partial sun is an area that receives 2-6 hours of sunlight a day.  Just like with full sun, this does not have to be continuous.  Many veggie plants will also thrive in this setting.

Shade

The shade is an area that receives less than 2 hours of direct sunlight daily.  I do not recommend vegetables for the completely shaded area, but plants thrive in these conditions.  Plants that prefer these conditions usually have thin, broad leaves; their broadness leaves a greater surface area to absorb whatever sunlight makes it through.  These plants are typically damaged by receiving too much sun exposure.  Due to the characteristics, some ground covers fall into this category.  Do not let the fact that these plants prefer shade fool you. They are still producing stunning colors throughout the seasons. 

Understanding and identifying sun exposure are the first steps to setting up a new garden.  To learn more about setting up a new garden, check out all the articles in the beginner gardening series.  After reading those, you should be armed with enough information to head outside and successfully JUST GROW IT.

[meaganelaine]

Healthy Soil, Happy Garden: The Power of Regenerative Farming

Healthy Soil, Happy Garden: The Power of Regenerative Farming. Learn how to garden with natural Methods for regeneration #organicgarden #permaculture #soil #regenerativeagraculture

Field of sheep. Animals are a great way to add fertilizer and bring biodiversity to the garden. Welcome to the world of gardening, where the magic of nature meets the enthusiasm of the human spirit. As a regenerative gardener , I am excited to share with you the importance of healthy soil and how you can create it in your own backyard. But first, let’s talk about what regenerative farming is all…

[toolzee]

How to Keep a Garden Functional? 10 Best Tips

 Everything needs some care for full functionality. A live plant is not always fully functional if the gardener does not care about it. In a garden, there are many plants and trees and their nature is also different. To keep the entire pant perfectly alive, some measures should be taken. We are here to discuss how to keep a garden functional.

Visit for details about How to keep a garden functional?

[yardenercom]

English Ivy Temperature Tolerance Explained

If you grow English ivy, discover exactly how hot and cold of temps it can take! Get info on the ideal year-round temperature range, cold hardiness zones, and top tips to shield ivy from extreme winter/summer weather of all kinds.

[solsarts]

Led through the mist By the milk-light of Moon All that was lost, is revealed

Our long bygone burdens, mere echoes of the spring But where have we come, and where shall we end?

If dreams can't come true, then why not pretend?

Oh, how the gentle wind Beckons through the leaves As autumn colors fall

Dancing in a swirl Of golden memories The loveliest lies of all 🍂♪

[fordragonfliesandme]

Join My Monthly Newsletter Group!

Would you like more interesting content? Well, I’m starting a NEW Monthly Newsletter with new & exciting content you’ll only find there! New recipes, gardening tips & tricks, organization how-to’s and so much more. <a href="<!– Begin Mailchimp Signup Form –> <link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/classic-071822.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <style type="text/css">…

[happyheidi]

Bʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴄᴀᴛ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴘᴏsᴛ

[poetry-by-dee]

Gardener

I never had a green thumb For every flower I've planted, Seem to always wilt and die Drowning from affection Or lack of attention I never really had a knack Of growing pretty things

When the gardener left The confines of my chest It was no surprise How quickly it got overrun With dandelions and thorns, Dried up arteries of warmth And soil lacking hope

Spring spared tall grasses To dance with the florets Summer sparked fireflies to burn it away While fall rain changes Making the ground orange and gray That I didn't bother looking At my back door anymore

But when winter blew in, I knew the new gardener had arrived For you stood in my garden No care for the fallen flakes The gnarled roots and holes, Or the shadows of ghosts Crawling on the floor

With every stare and laughter, A touch or two of banter Even a feather like kiss at the door Planted flowers upon flowers I couldn't pronounce Flourishing in my heart No shame to be found

Unlike the others before You showed me how to be green Trim the fine edges in leaves Notice the soil thirsty glee Which plants needed to be weeds And what lullabies to sing When flowers turn blue

That's how I knew You wanted me to be your gardener, too.

-By Dee

[home--farm]

Red fox carlin peas

After a few days in the garage and then a few more days in a sheltered outdoor spot, the red fox carlins have gone in. They'll still need some protection when it gets cold, so I have a fleece on standby.

I wanted to grow Red Fox Carlins because of the story associated with them: "... first recorded during Elizabethan times.[8][7] It has been suggested that the name "Carlin" comes from "Carling Sunday" or "Care Sunday" after the population of Newcastle were saved from starvation in a siege of 1327 or 1644 when a ship arrived from Norway with a cargo of these peas on that day.[9]" (from wikipedia). I love heirloom veggies, and we're growing more than a few heirloom peas this year, along with a few more modern peas like Alderman.

The crimson flowered fava have gone in too, as seeds. The squirrels find them irresistible so a lattice of offcuts from when I made my woven compost bin has been pressed into service.

[fairygarden1]

New ideas.

[ausetkmt]

Whether you seek to create a safe haven free from prying eyes, or your neighbor has installed a fence that looks unsightly, a privacy screen could be just the thing to transform your garden into a secluded sanctuary. From star jasmine to conifers to bamboo, here are some of the most popular choices of screening plants that offer a bit of privacy:  

1. Honeysuckle 

Honeysuckle can provide excellent screening while providing a soft, country garden look. Many types of honeysuckle are semi-evergreen, meaning that while they do shed some of their leaves in winter, they still provide partial cover during the colder months. 

With some species expanding by up to three meters a year, honeysuckle is a fast-growing plant that is relatively easy to care for. It thrives in light shade and benefits from a late summer prune, followed by a tidy-up in late winter. 

Honeysuckle is prized for its sweetly scented blooms, which come in many different colors, including white, yellow, orange, pink, and lilac. Originating in Asia, Japanese honeysuckle is regarded as an invasive species, since it easily overgrows other plants, drowning out light. It is therefore imperative to take care to select the right species for your region and your garden.   

2. Star Jasmine 

Trachelospermum jasminoides is a pretty evergreen shrub and an excellent choice for growing up a trellis in a partially shaded area. It grows vigorously, providing dense, even coverage, while its clusters of star-shaped flowers fill the air with sweet perfume on balmy summer nights. Come the wintertime, its leaves will turn bronze, but they will not fall. 

A twining climber, star jasmine grows up to 20 centimeters per year, providing steady coverage without running riot. Planted near a seated area, the plant can create a secluded green space, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the exquisite fragrance. 

A surprisingly tough species that requires little care after planting, star jasmine is a great groundcover to prevent soil erosion. However, it does slowly expand, turning into multiple plants and taking up more room, so it is best to avoid flowerbeds where it will be competing with other plants for space. Give it plenty of room where it will not bother anything else. 

3. Skip Laurel  

Skip laurel is a great choice for keen gardeners who enjoy taking care of their plants. It does require regular maintenance, as its dense evergreen foliage looks best with annual pruning. Given the right care, skip laurel can form a hedge up to 10 feet tall, culminating in a thick year-round privacy screen. Its small, glossy leaves offer a tidy, classic look.  

When planted in well-drained soil and a sunny spot, the species produces beautiful white flowers in spring. However, some varieties are quite choosy in terms of soil types and climates. 

4. Bamboo 

Bamboo is actually an ornamental grass that comes in a numerous different varieties. It can provide lush, evergreen screening in a very short space of time if planted correctly. 

Bamboo will typically tolerate a range of soil conditions, from sand to clay. It can also cope with all sunlight conditions—it requires just four hours of filtered sunlight per day to grow. 

Bamboo is incredibly fast-growing, which is great for those seeking privacy in a hurry. Some species are invasive, however, so it is important to do your homework to select the right one for your garden. You also need to choose a species that is sufficiently cold hardy for your climate zone so that it remains evergreen and allows you to enjoy your privacy all year round. 

5. Holly 

With its sharp, spiny leaves and attractive red berries, holly can be used to not only protect your privacy, but also to create a living barrier around your property that both looks great and deters trespassers. Plus, at Christmastime, you’ll have minimal decorating to do.  

Available in a variety of shades, including attractive variegated types, there are also soft-leaved hollies available that are more appropriate for homeowners with small children. Meanwhile, the variety “Dragon Lady” is an excellent choice when it comes to deterring humans and animals. It bears prickly, glossy leaves year-round and produces beautiful red berries. 

6. Conifers 

Whether your yard is large or small, there are conifer varieties to perfectly meet your privacy needs and form an attractive evergreen screen around your outdoor space. A conifer can also provide a focal point in your landscaping, around which you can design your garden. 

“Conifer” is an umbrella term that refers to a very wide range of trees and woody shrubs that bear cones. Juniper, cedar, pine, yew, spruce, cypress, and redwood are all conifers.  

In order to create privacy, trees need to be planted quite tightly. However, some conifers do not do well when planted so close to their neighbors. 

With many different cultivars, including “Emerald Green” and “Green Giant,” arborvitae makes an excellent hedge. Part of the cypress family, they are tolerant a wide range of soil conditions, and their deep green foliage requires little maintenance. The species is incredibly hardy, withstanding temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Lawson’s cypress is another popular conifer, as it offers soft evergreen cover year-round. However, both arborvitae and Lawson’s cypress will reach dizzying heights without an occasional prune to keep them in check. 

[collegeboysam]

Fake Armand enjoyers trying to excuse what he did when real gremlin Armand lovers know one of the best parts about Armand is that he's a fucked up scheming devil beneath his "woe is me" doe eyes, who enjoys fine art in all forms as much as he finds deep delight in stalking someone nearly to madess while threatening to murder them if they bore him, falling in love in the midst of psychological torture once he discovers the most fascinating side of his prey, a nuclear warhead who has always wanted to be loved with his more dark and ugly sides included and not only for his beautiful Botticelli's angel exterior. The real Armand is finally coming out after decades of hiding behind the mask he thought he had to construct around himself.

[ministarfruit]

day 10: love is devotion ♡

(femslashfeb prompt list)

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 279

Now Danny didn’t mean to make a Bootube channel. He’d meant to send that sleep deprived ramble to Tucker, but he had clicked on the wrong app and yeah. Apparently people enjoy his space rambles- or it could have been the ghost blob-cats that had decided to flop onto him. (Honestly he wasn’t surprised they would start to mimic the shapes of things in their surroundings)

Tucker? Found it hilarious, as did Sam and Val and… um, okay this has become their shared channel now, nice. Though there are some strange comments on some of the videos. Really, what do they mean green sky and crazy tech???