Gardening Tips - Planting Pansies in the Fall

Summer is officially over. While most people that genuinely enjoy living in an area that has all four seasons, they probably wish summer were just a little bit longer!

Fall is the main season for planting almost everything! For those who live in the 4-seasons regions, fall is the ideal time to plant spring-flowering bulbs, fruit trees, and some perennials.

In the early 80's, the gardening industry initiated a campaign called "Fall is for Planting." While some folks saw this as simply a publicity stunt to help nurseries sell surplus stock at the end of the growing season, there are good reasons to consider planting certain things in the fall. Time to take the idea of "fall planting" to a new level!

Many of your flowers and vegetables are withering... some may have declined so much that you've decided to remove them from the garden and from your deck and/or porch containers. This year, rather than simply cleaning up all containers that just recently had flowers, why not replant some of them with pansies! Most nurseries have a very extensive offering of pansies... at a reasonable price.

Planting pansies in the fall? Why not?! Not only do pansies extend the flower season beyond the normal time frame, but they can continue to grow and bloom through the winter!

Most people always think of pansies as spring flowers; but, pansies can extend the flower season well into the late fall and even early winter. Some pansies can actually survive temperatures in the single digits! So, put off cleaning up some of your outdoor planters, and plant pansies to have some living color much longer this year!

Planting pansies in the fall is not relatively a new trend, but more and more people are becoming aware of the opportunity. Certain nurseries might even be running specials. For example, Burpee is offering pansies for fall delivery. And, the folks at Southern Living Magazine have a nice little online slide show of 19 decorating ideas with pansies and violas.

If you do choose to plant pansies this fall, be sure to plant as early as possible, choose healthy plants that will withstand the colder weather, and ensure good drainage for your plants.

Chances are that you still have several weeks to plant some pansies in your containers or flower gardens. Jump of the nurseries offer of fall delivery & try something new this season!

Click here for other timely gardening tips.
Writer for Mantis and Mantis Owners.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Bellman

Some Benefits of Greenhouse Gardening

Greenhouses are a great place to grow plants. This is because of a number of factors related to the environment in which the plants would normally be exposed to. Plants growing in a greenhouse are placed in a more controlled environment which benefits them in a number of ways.

When radiation from the sun enters into the structure it is absorbed by surface is inside the structure, such as the plants or ground. The air is then warmed up by hot surfaces of the plants and ground. This warmed air cannot escape the structure, but the radiation from the sun continues to enter. Thus the air inside the greenhouse becomes warmer than the outside air. The humidity inside the greenhouse also increases as the moisture given off from the warming surfaces cannot escape outside the structure.

Because of the greenhouse effect that occurs inside the structure, the growing season for the plants is effectively made longer then what it would normally be outside the structure. If managed properly a greenhouse can provide an optimum environment for growing plants. The environment inside the greenhouse will enhance plant growth as the amount of heat and water vapor in the air can be controlled.

A greenhouse can protect delicate plants from extreme weather such as heavy rains and wind. A greenhouse could also protect your plants from hailstones often produced by thunderstorms. Plants are also protected from frost and early season snowfalls if they are placed in a greenhouse.

Using a greenhouse for the purpose of growing a garden has many advantages. Knowing what these are and making proper use of them will only benefit the plants you grow inside your greenhouse.

Best Regards

Building a greenhouse for your garden will require some greenhouse plans. Click "greenhouse plans" to find out more. These plans include PVC piping, lean-to, victorian style and small grow rack style greenhouses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Luciw

The Nutrition And Versatility Of Ohio Apples

By Sharlene Fleming

Ohio apples have a lot to offer in terms of nutrition and flavor. You might want to sample these beautiful fruits to see for yourself how the varieties can be so different yet so full of original taste. Different recipes may be improved when you add this simple but still flavorful fruit to your rotation of seasonal ingredients.

This fruit is nature's perfect delivery system for a balance of nutrients and fiber. The fruit is rich in potassium and carbohydrates, so you can get a quick energy boost from eating one. The bulk of the apple's fiber is in the peel, so eating one raw can give you the most fiber benefit in your diet. One medium apple has 80 calories, so this filling food also happens to be low in calories.

The range of orchards in the state also bear quite a variety of this type of fruit for you to experiment with in different dishes. The tart variations are best when baking with cinnamon and other flavorful sweeteners. The sweeter varieties are great for meals or desserts, or even served as cider. When shopping, your local store may have signs designating the types and the flavors that you can expect from each one.

This type of fruit could be a good way to begin your morning. From a simple apple with your cereal to some jam to spread on your toast, the fruit might be a wakeup call for your taste buds. Try some apple sausage or even a flavored coffee cake to nibble on through the day.

Your next lunch also could benefit from this type fruit addition when it comes to a low-calorie, high-fiber filler. A turkey wrap could become even sweeter with a few slices added along with raisins. You might also consider slicing up an apple to add to your next salad to help keep you feeling full without adding a lot of calories.

Dinner can be a showcase time for you to fully explore the ways this fruit can enhance your diet while making main dishes taste more special. Try pork tenderloin dishes stuffed with apple and leeks for a new and distinctive flavor. Or, go with a lighter but still satisfying puree of pumpkin and apple-blended soup that may be surprisingly filling. Most Mediterranean styled cookbooks emphasizing low-fat alternatives will spotlight this fruit in many different dishes.

There is an endless supply of dessert ideas using the fruit. With cinnamon, you can blend together delicious pie fillings, strudel dishes or elaborate cobblers that go beyond traditional holiday fare. Open up most any general cookbook and you can find countless ideas to make use of the fruit for maximum sweetness at the end of a meal without sacrificing its nutritious benefits.

The state's orchards are open and ready for your business when you are craving the rich, hearty flavors of Ohio apples. Take an orchard tour today, or book a family outing in fall, which could include a tour of the orchard, some hot cider and samplings of delicious apple dishes. Nothing welcomes the cooler months quite like the warming, satisfying flavors of these fruits.

About the Author:

Read more about Making The Most Of Using Ohio Apples visiting our website.

Maintaining Your Hydroponic Nutrient Solution to the Appropriate Balance

By Sheilla May

Hydroponics is known as a gardening technique that uses water that is rich with hydroponic nutrient solution necessary for optimum development of plants. When compared with those plants that were grown in soil, the ones that were grown in this way develope rapidly, tastes better and are healthier.

This discovery has encouraged a lot of people to try it in their homes since there are numerous benefits that can be derived from it without needing much work.

The ultimate key in the success of this approach will be the right usage as well as maintenance of the nutrient solution. Before even beginning to set-up the hydroponics system, the gardener must get as much details about the essential hydroponic nutrient elements.

It is a must that the gardener learns about the so many essentials of hydroponic nutrient solution and its proper formulation. The gardener must also be able to learn how to make the proper correction or adjustment on such elements. This way, it will easy to tackle any nutritional problems that can happen.

The plants that you'll raise largely depend on the nutrients that will be made available to them with using these hydroponic nutrient solutions. The gardener need to ensure that he will provide nothing less than the best recipe.

If you'll fail in preparing and keeping the right nutrient solution, it can bring some undesirable results. It can result deterioration, or worse, the death of those precious plants that you're growing.

Although you will less likely deal with some gardening problems such as pest infestation, you still have to make sure to come up with the best hydroponic nutrient solution. You need to consistently monitor if the plants were able to absorb all of the nutrients you're giving it.

Keep an eye out of the pH level while keeping a close eye on as well on the potential nutritional problems. Periodically checking the solution also a must so that you can avoid excess or deficiency in nutrients. When doing hydroponics gardening, it's always best to handle things one at a time to make sure nothing will go wrong.

Good hydroponics kits are made available in the market and it can aid you in getting started. Starter kits usually include the seeds and the hydroponic nutrient solution that are required for starting the system. It is not difficult to prepare the solution. What is only required from you will be to carefully read the instructions and diligently follow it particularly when it comes to the formulation of the solution.

Aside from what is provided on your kit, there are still some resources which help in creating your very own mix of water nutrient solution. But, you have to do your own research on this matter to ensure that you'll know what specific amount of hydroponic nutrient solution is needed by your plants.

About the Author:

To understand everything about this matter cannot be explained in a short article. Discover more here and have a look at such fantastic guide that explains in step by step details exactly what you need to do to get started and get things done with ease. => http://www.myhydroponicskits.com

Looking At Gardening From A Different Point Of View

By Sasha Peterson

Do you dread working out in the yard? Are you too busy to do everything that needs to be done so you don't really enjoy the time spent gardening or mowing your lawn? Even if you have someone taking care of things around your yard, you might want to take back some of those chores before we're done talking here. Here are a few things for you to think about if you are interested in gardening or hoping to get back into this cool little hobby.

I think you realize that there is a part of you that misses and need to be out there digging around in the dirty. It is simply a part of being human to wish to connect with nature from time to time and feed this desire that dwells within each of us. In the past, you would have grown most of your food yourself and your days would have been spent entirely working outdoors to either grow food, store food or plan to grow food again once the winter had passed. By avoiding this part of your human nature, there is a chance that you're missing out on a part of life that you might not think that you need.

Of course, we're all busy these days. We all work too much and the nature of our society these days tears us away from what we are programmed to do. We work in offices; spend hours and hours a week in a car commuting to and from work. If we have children, we're shuttling them to soccer practice or ballet lessons. So, to have someone do the brunt of the yard work sometimes makes sense. While yard work can be a chore, feeling as if you are forced to do it makes that time spent outdoors less enjoyable rather than more enjoyable.

I really want you to take some time this week and do something to get your hands dirty in your garden or yard. You don't have to go crazy and kill yourself trying to make everything perfect. It doesn't have to be a big thing. Even tending to one flower bed in an area that you can see every day would be a great little project that is manageable.

As creative beings, it's part of us to want to make things and nurture things. This could be a family, a relationship, having children or tending to a small garden or flowerbed. If you are an apartment dweller, you can still have a little flowerbox where you can plant some flowers. There's nothing holding you back. Just try to feed that inner desire to nurture and create and you might find that your life and your attitude towards life make a shift thanks to a little gardening or landscaping.

About the Author:

Go here to discover more about landscaping. See what these Greensboro landscapers are doing for their clients' yards.