Beautiful Home Garden

Useful tips on gardening 5

Maintaining Tomatoes by Utilizing Natural Tomato Fertilizer

MAY 15, 2016 BY ADMIN LEAVE A COMMENT

Tomato gardening is simple, but there are more than a few methods to make sure your crop yield is constantly high. The first thing you must think about is the cultivar you will be using. The old fashioned sweet-type variants are recommended, but some of the newer hybrid varieties are known to be more tolerant  to pests and a range of fungal disorders. Some cultivated selections are also sweeter and juicier than the rest, while other varieties rely on soil type and climate factors for their over-all quality.

Next, make use of one or a number of techniques for growing your tomatoes. Some farmers tweak out the suckers, while others prefer not to. Select a good support system for your tomato crops, or you can simply let the plants trail if you have ample space.

After you’ve chosen a type and a plant training technique, the next thing to do is determine which fertilizer to use. Tomatoes need a continual supply of minerals. Because of this, you are required to choose a fertilizer that has a high quantity of the needed minerals, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

The ratio of these minerals are evidently printed on labels. The numbers you will see there will correspond to a specific N-P-K formula. A label with 5-5-5 on it tells you that equal proportions of N, P, and K are present, while 5-1-1 means the tomato fertilizer holds five times as much nitrogen as phosphorus and potassium.

These nutritional elements each play an important role in enhancing the growth and development of your crop. Nitrogen contributes to greener foliage. Phosphorus can promote blossoming and fruiting. Potassium improves root elongation and growth.

If you’re set on going organic all the way, you can use fish suspension liquid fertilizer instead of chemical fast-release fertilizers to provide the needed nutrients to your tomato crop. An organic fertilizer in liquid form can easily be absorbed by your plants, and is perfect for a fast developing plant like tomato. You can spray this organic tomato fertilizer directly on your plants, or you can apply them to the soil in granule form.

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Growing Chamomile To Calm Those Frazzled Nerves

MAY 15, 2016 BY ADMIN LEAVE A COMMENT

Nothing like sitting down with a cup of Chamomile tea after a hectic day. A great way to soothe the nerves.

It’s delicate flavor will begin the soothing process, and when the chemical compounds within the tea take hold, you’ll feel so much better.

There are 2 main kinds of chamomile for you to select from. These 2 varieties share similar functions, but because the appearance is different you should find it a cinch to choose the right kind for your needs.

German chamomile has a number of uses, including teas and fragrances (like in lotions). The combination of this herb’s woody, apple smell and daisy-like appearance will brighten any room.

German chamomile is self-seeding, which is nice because it is an annual and this saves you some trouble with planting it again and again. You can even collect the seeds to use somewhere else in your garden or give some to a friend.

It prefers dry conditions and plenty of direct or full sun. It will grow straight up, unlike Roman chamomile, and your German chamomile herb should grow to a height of nearly 3 feet.

To propagate German chamomile, start with seeds in a container indoors or sprinkle the seeds on the ground. Regardless of whether you plant the seeds indoors or outdoors, you do not need to cover them because they are so little. Keep the sod moist, but not wet, and if you’re germinating your German chamomile in pots, wait until your seedlings are at least 4 inches high before you transplant them. If you are growing it outside, every four weeks throughout the growing season sow more seeds so that your harvest can be even greater. German chamomile produces few flowers, so the more you grow the better.

I haven’t seen the type of German chamomile that is double-flowered, but I am sure it is wonderful.

Roman chamomile, which is frequently called “true chamomile” or “English chamomile” is also good in teas to ease nervous tension. English chamomile has the same woody, apple-like smell of the German chamomile, but it is special in that it is a creeper or ground cover rather than a bushy herb.

Because this herb is a creeper, it will not reach more than 10 inches high. The Roman chamomile can get a little taller in the summer as well as grow pretty white and yellow flowers that are similar to German chamomile but more pungent.

The oil from the Roman chamomile can be used to lighten or soften your hair. Some varieties are even used to flavor sherry.

This plant is not actually best if started from seeds, so I recommend you buy it or start with a division from someone else’s Roman chamomile.

Fortunately Roman chamomile is drought resistant and able to thrive for long periods without water, for those of you who forget this necessary task.

It’s remarkable that even though these 2 herbs have the same name, look similar and taste alike, scientists have determined that they aren’t even related.

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Growing Herbs for a First-Aid Kit

MAY 15, 2016 BY ADMIN LEAVE A COMMENT

Herbs are commonly used in many of the medicines you have in your medicine cabinet. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier and cheaper if you grew your own healing herbs? By using herbs from my garden to fill my medicine cabinet, I have saved tons of money.

Herbs are fantastic to use for the following ailments:

• Coriander, chervil and thyme all help fabulous for aching joints. For an affordable antibacterial, try calendula, lavender, lovage, marjoram, oregano or peppermint.
• No one likes bad breath. Parsley, mint, anise and sweet cicely can help everyone breathe easier.
• Constipation is never any fun. Both dandelion and fennel can assist in getting things going again.
• It is amazing how many herbs can assist with flatulence, including peppermint, summer savory, lemon balm, ginger, caraway, coriander, beebalm and lovage.
• By the end of the day I can usually go for some chamomile tea for my frazzled nerves. A few other herb plants that I think are soothing are goldenrod, lavender, dill and lemon balm.
• There is no better cure for a hangover than thyme. It works better than the raw egg/tomato juice drink folks might tell you to down.
• Can’t get rid of your hiccups? Dill will take care of them. It will be wonderful, and if you like dill, it can be a tasty cure.
• To treat your insect stings, including mosquito bites, use aloe, goldenrod, hens-and-chicks and summer savory.
• Lying awake at night? Most of those herb plants that can calm your nerves will assist here too, but chamomile and dill are most likely to assist you with your insomnia.
• For your seasonal allergies and other nasal congestions, use horseradish, sage and violet. The horseradish will clean out your nasal passages fast.
• Peppermint is great for indigestion and stomachache, but dill, lovage and fennel are also helpful.

Please don’t be alarmed with all these treatments—they isn’t snake oil! If you are unsure, you can always experiment with them to see if they work.

• Aloe Vera:I have 2 different aloe vera plants that are constantly suffering from me breaking off pieces to treat burns (including sunburn) and mosquito bites. As a succulent, aloe vera does not require very much in the way of creature comforts and I have to be mindful not to over-water it myself. If you have planted your aloe vera in a container, but sure it has well-drained soil and lots of sunlight. You’ll also want to make sure that it stays firmly rooted by packing the dirt around the stem.
• Chamomile:As one of the more popular medicinal herbs, chamomile is helpful for both mental and physical maladies.. Chamomile comes in two varieties (German and true or Roman chamomile), and if you allow them, both of them will raise themselves next season in a process called self-sowing.
• Horseradish:If you need to clean out your sinuses, just take a sniff of horseradish. As a member of the mustard family, horseradish has a peppery flavor that does not attract horses at all. When you are working with horseradish, it is the root that is the important, but do not neglect the leaves, which will grow to 2 feet long–they can look awesome in your floral arrangements.