http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/gardening/gardening-with-perennials.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/gardening/gardening-with-perennials.html Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0500
Choose perennials that are easy to grow, brightly colored, pastel, short, or tall. Bleeding Hearts, Chrysanthemums, and Delphiniums are great perennial choices. Bleeding Hearts are heart-shaped, pink-to-rose flowers needing moist soil and partially shaded location. Chrysanthemums are single, semi-double, and double flowers in all colors but blue needing moist, well-drained soil and full-sun location. Delphiniums are very tall flowers of many colors, though, mostly blue needing moist, well-drained soil and full sun location. Geraniums, Hosta, and Lupine are also great perennial choices. Geraniums are easy-to-grow flowers of many colors needing mostly any soil type and full sun or partial shade location. Hosta are showy flowers with bright foliage from 4” to 3’ needing moist, well-drained soil and partial to deep shade location. Lupine are large spiked 3-4’ tall flowers of many colors needing a cool location. Phlox and Rudbeckia are additional perennials of great choice. Phlox are soft pastel flowers, some with a contrasting center, ranging from low lying to tall flowers needing moist soil and full sun or partial shade location. Rudbeckia are yellow, daisy-like flowers with contrasting centers needing any soil type and full sun location.

Begin perennials indoors to allow slow growing flowers extra needed time for germination. Moisten the germinating mix you will be using with warm water. Fill small containers with the moistened germinating mix. Lightly pack the mix into the containers almost to the top. Label each container with the seed you will be planting. Determine the planting depth of each of the seeds. Insert seeds, as determined, into the soil. Add a light layer of mix to cover the seeds. Water the newly planted seeds using a fine spray, and cover all containers with clear plastic until the seeds germinate. Seeds and seedlings should never be allowed to dry out, yet, too much water can harm and even kill seedlings, and over watering can make soil temperatures too cold. Consistently warm temperatures, about 70-75 degrees, are important for germination to take place. Electric mats can provide bottom heat. Proper lighting is also important for germination to take place. Use white lighting above containers and adjust intensity as needed by raising or lowering lights. Once germination takes place, new seedlings will need natural or fluorescent light to grow.

Replant perennials before their roots grow too big for their containers. Begin this process by watering the seedlings in their containers and watering the ground where they will be planted. Work some compost or manure into the ground then rake the bed smooth. Decide where you will be placing your seedlings, keeping taller growing plants to the back, and determine how far apart each seedling should be. Measure and mark the spot each seedling will go by poking finger-deep holes into the ground. Take one seedling out of a container by holding the stem gently and pushing up a little from the bottom of the container. Set the seedling into the first planting hole. Hold it so that the soil around the seedling is even with the garden soil. Pull soil around the roots of the seedling, and pack gently. Continue with each of the seedlings until all are planted. Water each new plant. Let the water soak in, and water again.

Arrange perennials that bloom in spring, summer, and fall together for color from season to season.



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Learn more about perennial gardening, pots and planters, backyard ponds and fountains, and more, at www.yardiac.com.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/child-safety-product-tips.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/child-safety-product-tips.html Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0500
Great out-of-the-house child safety products for little ones under the age of three include full-size five-point harness car seats, pool patrol alarms, and Baby B’Air travel straps, which secure babies to lap belts when flying. When choosing low laying car seats, be sure to add a seat leveler underneath the back end of the seat to correct the angle of the seat for proper breathing and comfort. Car seat head supports also aid in comfort, as well as, proper neck and spinal health.

Also for children under the age of three, there are many helpful indoor child safety products. Electric socket covers and shock shield electric cord clips keep little fingers out of sockets and guard against electric shock. Anti-tip furniture straps anchor all types of dressers, wall units, and all other easy-to-tip furniture. Safety night lights have no exposed bulbs and remain cool to the touch. Shock shield night lights also have no exposed bulbs and remain cool to the touch, in addition, they protect against electric shock if the light is pulled out of the socket. Cord holders eliminate easy-to-reach tangled cords. Magnetic, sliding, and adjustable locks keep all types of doors and cabinets from opening. Window wedges keep windows from opening any further than a small amount. Many different types of gates secure stairways, hearth areas, and other dangerous corners of the house. Play yard gates also surround and secure entire play areas.

There are many child safety products for children over the age of three, as well. Great out-of the-house child safety products for children over the age of three include car seats and car booster seats with solid metal seat belt buckle assists, life vests, bike helmets, no-climb deck guards, and bike headlights and reflectors. Great indoor child safety products for children over the age of three include bathtub handles, fire escape ladders, and child safety blankets.

For children of all ages and for all places and occasions, one of the best child safety products available is a fully stocked first aid kit.



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Learn more about child safety and child safety products: www.onestepahead.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/gardening/gardening-with-bulbs.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/gardening/gardening-with-bulbs.html Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0500
Choose bulbs that are fancy, fragrant, small, or grand. Caladiums, Daffodils, and Glory of Snow are great bulb choices. Caladiums are decorative, heart-shaped bulbs of green, white, silver, pink, and red. Daffodils are beautiful trumpet-like bulbs of many colorful choices that grow to the height of 4-20”. Glory of Snow are star-shaped pink, white, and blue bulbs that grow to the height of 4-5”. Hyacinths, Lilies, and Tulips are also great bulb choices. Hyacinths are foot-high bulbs of vibrant colors and rich fragrances. Lilies are flared trumpet-like bulbs of all different sizes, colors, and varieties. Tulips are strong, reliable bulbs of many different colors, sizes, and varieties.

Plant bulbs in spring if they bloom in fall, and in fall if they bloom in spring. Till or turn the soil in the area where you will be planting, remove any debris, and spread compost or manure over the area. Till or turn the soil and remove any debris again, then lightly rake the area. Determine proper spacing, then begin planting each bulb with the top facing skyward at a depth equal to three times each bulb’s diameter-- if a bulb is one inch across, plant it three inches deep. Cover and lightly pack bulbs with soil. Water thoroughly.

Stake bulbs that are larger by placing one end of a 4-foot pole beside the bulb while planting. Fill in the hole and pack soil to remove any air pockets and to secure the pole. Water thoroughly. As the plant grows, pinch off flower buds and side leaves from the stem so that only two ore three buds are left at the top of the stem. Rest the stem against the stake, but do not secure it. Once the stem is about twelve inches high, loosely secure it to the stake with rope. As the stem grows, continue securing it every eight to twelve inches.

Protect bulbs from animals during planting. Arrange some stones at the bottom of the planting hole, place the bulb on top of the stones, place more stones around it, but do not cover the very top of the bulb, then fill in the hole. If additional precautions need to be taken, line the bottom and sides of the planting hole with metal wire. Fill lightly with some soil, place the bulb, then finish filling in the hole with soil. This method is used most often when planting beds of bulbs.



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Learn more about planting and caring for bulbs and about buying bulbs at wholesale prices guaranteed to grow: www.bloomingbulb.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>