Aven Gardening

10 Self Watering Herb Garden Ideas

May 20, 2019 by Helen Allen Leave a Comment

Self-watering herbs save you on herb related expenses. You can also plant your herb garden to stock those herbs you rarely find in the stores. Besides, when stressed, the fresh scents produced by the herbs can offer an excellent atmosphere for meditation. However, with self-watering herbs, you have to endure many watering sessions to prevent the herbs from drying out. Here are ten self-watering herb garden ideas.

1. Countertop Herb Garden -Gardenista

With this type of garden, you need a pot and about five plants. You have to ensure that only similar plants go together. For instance, plants that require drier conditions should go together while those that need wetter conditions should get planted together. You can then place the herb garden on any countertop especially in the kitchen or your study room as long as the plants have access to plenty of sunshine. You also have to continually trim the herbs so that they don’t become bushy.

2. A Pallet Herb Garden-The Kitchen

Pallets have many uses, and interestingly, they can serve as a kitchen garden. This project can make a good do it yourself self-watering herb garden because you only need a pallet, soil, herbs, and water.

3. Tin Can Herb Garden- HGTV

With the tin can herb garden, you can utilize all the aluminum tins that would have otherwise ended up in the dustbin. You can do it yourself on a lazy day or even include your family during planting. All you need are the tins, plants, a bit of soil, and a watering can.

4. Mason Jar Herb Garden- Camille Styles

This plant garden by Camille Styles is natural to put up and maintain. For the project, you require mason jars, wooden board, nails, screws, paint, brush, soil, and the herbs to plant. Ideally, the herb garden design is such that the mason jars containing the herbs hang on the wooden board. The garden is not only beautiful but also gives you the pleasure of plucking herbs outside in your garden.

5. Wooden Basket- Country Living

You can transform that wooden box or basket lying idly in your bedroom or garage into a kitchen garden. You don’t have to keep making trips to the market to fetch fresh herbs while you could grow them inside your house or outside. For this DIY, you should make sure that you plant crops with similar requirements of sunlight and water in the same basket for ease of management.

6. Tea Tin Herb Garden- Apartment Therapy

You can assemble all matching tea tins to make a herb garden instead of disposing of them. Only one plant should go into one tin. Also, ensure that you put some few pieces of rocks at the bottom of the tins to enhance drainage. Better still, you can drill holes through the tins to act as drainage.

7. Chalkboard Vertical Garden – Williams-Sonoma Taste

You can do the project yourself, or you can buy a vertical chalkboard themed planter for indoor gardening. However, as you plant your herbs, make sure that the ones that require less water are placed at the top while those that need higher water intake should go to the bottom of the planter.

8. Self-watering Wine Bottle Planters- Little Projectiles

This lovely idea by Little Projectile is easy to start and maintain. All you need is to cut wine bottles and use the top part for planting. Ideally, you should fill the bottle with soil and ensure that a string hangs at the center of it. Once you grow your herb, dunk the wine bottle with the neck down into another jar filled with water. The string used is meant to draw in water into the soil. It is one of the most manageable planters as you only need to fill the jars with water regularly.

9. Upside Down Herb Garden- Persephone Magazine

You can convert the coffee and other tins into a DIY piece of art while at the same time using them to grow herbs. As you set up your tins, you have to ensure that they cannot leak or you can place them in areas that aren’t prone to damage from leaking. You can set the tins with the planted herbs over curtain rods, kitchen sinks, and ceilings as long as they get plenty of sunshine. The tins should also you can be placed within reach for ease of watering the herbs.

10. Fabric Wall Pockets- The Kitchen

If you have limited space to put up your kitchen garden, then you need not to worry. You can quickly grow your herbs in sewn canvas pockets that you can hang on your walls. For this DIY project, you can utilize your old or unused canvas fabrics to come up with the pockets. Then you should fill each pocket with soil and grow your crops.

Summary

There are just so many ideas of how you can easily grow your herbs at home. You, therefore, don’t need to keep rushing to the fresh market while you can have your herbs within your reach. There is nothing as comforting like knowing that your family feeds on organically grown herbs grown right at home. You can utilize anything from the old baskets, boxes, pallets, fabrics, to the wine bottles to grow the self-watering herbs at the convenience of your home. The good thing about such projects is that there is one perfect for those with different house conditions such as large windows, larger countertop, or even a spacious kitchen garden.

How to repot an orchid (Phalaenopsis)

May 16, 2019 by Helen Allen Leave a Comment

To have the best chance of successfully repotting orchids, it is best to know what of orchid it is so that you will it’s growth patterns. There are two main types of growth patterns for orchids, and the methods for each are slightly different. There are the Monopodial and the Sympodial kinds of orchids.

Repotting Monopodial orchids

Monopodial orchids like the Moth orchid are notable for having stems that grow upwards. Each year one or two leaves grow at the top of the stem while older leaves eventually drop off.

Best time to repot

For Monopodial orchids repot when the lower leaves have dropped off or died. It would help if you aimed to repot every two years between the spring and fall.
It would help if you never tried to repot Monopodial orchids when these are in bloom, do it as soon as the flowers drop off.

Materials required to repot
Potting medium (shop brought or homemade)
Rubber or latex gloves
Scissors and a new razor blade, pruner
A pot (check size and material)
Label
Recipe for pot medium

Here is one of many pot medium recipes, experiment until you find one you like:
Five chunks of fresh fir bark
1 part gardening charcoal (barbeque charcoal does not work)
1 part perlite/sponge rock

Pick your pot

Picking a suitable pot is key for any repot to work. The size needs to be right, too small and the plant will be cramped, too big and the roots will rot as the pot will hold too much water.
Also, it would help if you decided between plastic and clay pots. If you can spare the extra money for clay use clay pots as orchids will grow larger and can fall out of plastic pots. Roots will not rot in clay pots either.
If you reuse pots clean them out with bleach and water, allow 2 hours for plastic pots to dry and two days for clay pots.

Take the plant out of the old pot

Grab the plant by the stem and gently lift it out of the pot, break the pot if you have to.

Remove the old pot medium.

It would help if you made that the maximum amount of the old medium is removed from the plant by gently shaking it. If bits are stuck rinse with tepid water.

Remove dead leaves and stalks.

Carefully using your hand or the pruner remove all dead leaves and stalks from the plant.

Remove dead roots

Take the new razor blade to remove dead roots; you can these are dead if they feel hollow. If the entire source is gone, then remove the whole of it.

Prepare the new pot

Sprinkle the bottom of the pot with a layer of pot medium.

Put the plant into the pot.

You can now put the plant in the pot, laying the roots underneath, the bottom leaf needs to be just above the top of the pot.

Put in the potting medium

Now fill the rest of the pot with the potting medium, gently press into place.

Label your plant

Put the full Latin name on to the label, so you know what plant it is if you need help and advise about it.

Write the month and year of when you have repotted the plant, and also the date it flowers. If a plant has not bloomed in 3 years, then throw it away or see if someone else can grow it better.
Attach the label on to the pot or the plant and make it is not lost. More committed orchid growers will keep log books too.

Watering the plant

When the orchid is first repotted it will need to have plenty of water, some people even put the whole pot into a tub or larger container for an hour. Do not use cold water as it will harm the roots; using tepid water is the best option as it causes no harm at all. Always avoid watering with water containing ice cubes as this kill orchids or any other type of plant. Cold water harms plants just like sharp frosts will do.
The watering needs to be done thoroughly so that all the pot medium has been soaked. Once the whole plant is watered then make sure excess water is removed to prevent roots rotting.

About Monopodial Orchids

When it comes to roots sticking out of the pots that is a normal thing to happen with orchids. With other plants, it would be reason enough to be alarmed about the health of the plant. Orchids are different as the roots will grow in any direction to get the water and nutrients needed.
Orchids also have aerial roots to take moisture out of the air, to go with the random way the roots grow.
Orchid roots grow large, and they twist around things, again nothing to worry about. It is how their roots grow and spread in the wild, where there is more room to expand. There are little pockets too in the origins that trap nutrients.

Often it is not the roots that persuade people to repot orchids. Instead, it is the potting medium, or at least how its breakdowns. Fresh pot medium is suitable as it absorbs water but allows excess amounts to be drained away once it breaks down into smaller parts it retains water.

How to Make a Succulent Turtle

May 13, 2019 by Helen Allen Leave a Comment

Recently when searching through social media, I came across a Succulent Turtle somebody else had made. It was actually a topiary design yet it set the thought in motion that there would be a way to have a Succulent Turtle in any garden.

The materials used to make a Succulent Turtle.

Most of the materials needed will not cost a lot, buy from your nearest dollar store during the gardening season or buy via Amazon.

12-inch wire
4 – 4-inch clay pots
A small roll of chicken wire
Sphagnum Moss

Succulent of your choice (Hen and Chicks will do nicely). An old plastic pot (or plastic sheeting), some washers and wire. Snips to cut the wire.

Materials needed Hen and Chicks succulents

Guide to making the Succulent Turtle Topiary :

Measure out a square of chicken wire a little larger than the basket. Proceed to fill the basket with soil and water then put landscape fabric (coir would do) over the top to prevent anything coming out of the basket. The belly is fixed with florist wire and the washers.

Then fix the wire mesh to the rim of the basket before attaching the 4 legs to it. The two front legs do not have to be equal distances away from the rear pair of legs.

The head was formed by rolling chicken wire into a head shape, while the tail was made by shaping wire to look like a flattened cone. Some of the sphagnum moss was used to stuff both the head and the turtle. Then head and tail were attached to the body, making sure the head is raised to avoid having a moping turtle.

Plant your new Succulent Turtle

After making the Succulent Turtle the next step is to plant it.

You will need to slash the landscape fabric or coir (the coir is harder to cut through) and put the plants inside the turtle.

There is the option to paint the legs or cover them with some of the moss aside from just leaving them as they are. That could depend on what plants you have planted as these should be colorful enough.

If you opted not to paint over, or cover the legs in moss, then the turtle could look a little plain until the plant’s flower in spring or summer. Just be patient as once the flowers come into bloom the turtle will look even cuter than when you finished making it.

To make sure that your Succulent Turtles attracts plenty of attention and admirers plant it full of plant types that produce colorful flowers. Plants such as begonias are ideal for turtles, especially in the summer months. Nobody would have thought that a turtle’s shell could be so bright and cheerful.

All in all, it can be amazing what you can achieve with 4 small clay pots, a roll of chicken wire, a bit of moss and some water. Just add your imagination and begonias to have a really Succulent Turtle ready for the summer.

10 Best Hydroponics Herb Garden Kits To Grow Indoor All Year Long

May 10, 2019 by Helen Allen Leave a Comment

Hydroponics herb garden kits are a clean and comfortable way to grow your own herbs in your home all year round without having to put much effort into it. As the herbs are fed via nutrient-enriched water, there is no need for soil, so there is no dirt or fuss involved in the growing process at all.

So here is the list of the 10 best kits for having your own herb garden at home, and remember no fuss, so you are already on to a winner.

1. The Miracle-Gro AeroGarden Herbal Garden kit

It is a classic among hydroponic herb garden kits and provides with plenty of herbs for your money. Indeed the AeroGarden was the kit that launched the whole trend in the first place. There are now several variations sold by Miracle-Gro, including a version where you can control it all via wifi.

Yet this about the original version, and still the best kit to get you used to the whole concept of producing a herbal garden in such a way. The AeroGarden will even remind when you need to put the LED on or if more feed is required.

2. Hydrofarm Emily’s Garden hydroponic system

Now the Emily’s Garden system has actually been on the market for 25 years now. This system does not have any lighting with it making it suitable for outdoor as well as indoor use. It comes with 6 planters and a 2-gallon reservoir, so there is the capacity to grow strawberries and veggies as well as herbs.

The parts for the Hydrofarm are generic and readily available online or from your local gardening store. The seed kits are relatively common, so you have free range as to what you grow using this system. Should you decide that you need extra lighting that is not an issue as any LED hydro phonic lighting set will fit with it.

3. EcoPro Indoor Hydrophonics Grower Kit

This kit is designed to do the same things as the AeroGarden at a fraction of the cost, and it does achieve that. It is a no-frills hydroponics kit that will allow growing your own herbs. It has space for 8 pots (you provide your own) and comes complete with a water pump.

The lights allow you to grow things in it all year round even in the winter. The kit is well suited for novices or also showing children how to improve things. It is ideal too if you only have room for a small indoor garden.

4. Click & Grow Smart Urban Grow Kit

This kit from Click & Grow is not technically a hydroponic system as you will provide water and light to the plants and not nutrients. However, it does work in similar ways, so it made sense to add it to the list.

The Click & Grow system uses technology initially developed by NASA in experiments to grow plants in space. That technology means that this kit uses less electricity and water saying that it is cheaper for growing plants. It is also effortless to use.

5. The Drip System

It is based on a really simple idea. A timer determines when nutrients are dripped into the water. It is possible to put any good nutrient back into the reservoir you can be used again. Apart from setting up the system, there is no effort involved at all. The system is very economical in terms of water use.

6. Water Culture

The Water Culture system works best for growing lettuce. The system works by adding oxygen via a pump into water infused with nutrients. The oxygen-rich water is good for medicinal herbs as well. It is not suitable for larger plants as they will not get enough nutrients.

7. The Wick System

There are timers or switches in the wick system, just 2 wicks, and gravity required to slowly release the water and the nutrients to the plants underneath the system. The only effort is hanging up the system. This system does not work quickly enough to be used for bigger plants.

8. PowerGrow Hydrophonic Bucket Bubbler Kit

This system is cheap, simple and effective so really if you are on a budget. It comes with 4 5 gallon buckets each with their own lidded pots and air pumps with tubing. The buckets and air pumps mean that the plants will thrive on water, air, and nutrients. The kit is easy to set up and is of high quality.

9. The Indoor Hydrophonics Starter Kit Pathonor 11

Another simple yet reliable system that allows plants to flourish. It looks and acts like a basin enabling plants to grow without the threat of algae eliminated by the holes at the top. It is, and it seems cool too. You can grow up to 5 plants for each container.

10. AeroGarden Sprout LED Herb Seed Pod Kit

The Sprout LED kit comes with extra seed and herbs. The sprout lighting means that up to 3 plants can be grown at any given time all around the year. The LED lights indicate that the plants grow faster as well. The lights even let you know when they need turning on to ensure maximum growth levels. The growth pack contains a few varieties of herbs along with 3 ounces of the specially formulated feed, together that will provide a year’s worth of herb output from the system.

29 Types of Orchid

May 6, 2019 by Helen Allen Leave a Comment

1. The Brassavola Orchid

Anybody that develops a liking for orchids will soon realize how exciting this family of plants is. To assist you in gaining an understanding of these plants here is a guide to 30 different types of orchids.

This white flower only provides scent from the evening onwards, and moths pollinate it.

2. Catasetum Orchid

This type of orchid sheds its leaves, so there is no need to be alarmed if it does this to you. There are male and female varieties of this orchid, with some being pollinated by bees.

3. Cattleya Orchid

It is easily the most popular type of orchid included in flower bouquets. There are many hybrid variations of this orchid; some of them appear individually in this list.

4. Cycrochies Orchid

Cycrchies is a subtype of the Cattleya orchid; the male version is also known as the Swan Orchid.

5. Cymbidium Orchid

This type of orchid produces smaller but more numerous flowers.

6. Dendrobium Orchid

This type of orchid produces top-heavy plants yet with well over 1000 species it is hard to give specific features for this type. Some of the most common species are yellow, white, yellow and lavender.

7. Encyclia Orchid

The Cockleshell orchid as gardeners also knows it. Some say it is like an octopus because of how it’s petals look.

8. The Epidendrum Orchid

Now the Epidendrum type of orchid needs to be in a great deal of light before any of its flowers bloom.

9. Ludisia Orchid

The Ludisia orchid produces an appealing flower

10. Masdevallia Orchid

This type of orchid will only grow during the summer

11. Miltonia Orchid

This kind of orchid is called the wimp orchid, and it resembles pansies. It flowers throughout spring and also summers too.

12. Lycaste

The Lycaste is another type of orchid that loses its leaves during the winter months.

13. Oncidium

Oncidium orchids are compared to dancing girls, yet you to keep them in humid and damp conditions; otherwise, the leaves will fall off.

14. Paphiopedilum

The Lady’s Sandal orchid produces nice looking flowers as well as multicolor leaves.

15. Phaius

The Nun’s Cap orchid is certainly one of the larger types of orchid, generally being grown from cuttings 4 foot in length.

16. Phalaenopsis

The Moth’s Orchid is so much easier to say than trying to pronounce the Greek name for it. If you are new to keeping orchids, then this would be the ideal type to buy first, low maintenance but with lovely flowers.

17. Phragmipedium

If you cannot resist the urge to water orchids every day, then this is the best type for you, as it is virtually impossible to over water them.

18. Psychopsis Orchid

The Butterfly Orchid is relatively easy to cultivate as far as orchids go, so it is a bit of a mystery as to why it is not more popular than it is. You only need modest amounts of water and light for it to produce flowers for a few months every year.

19. The Vanda Orchid

Now the Vanda orchid is a type that needs to be well catered for to thrive. Get these if you have time to spare and want to make the conditions right.

20. Zygopetalum Orchid

These orchids when well cared for produce scent from the start of fall to the end of spring.

21. Barkeria Orchid

These orchids tend to produce purple flowers and originate from Mexico. Consider putting this outside as they can grow tall.

22. Coryanthes Orchid

This variant is also called the Bucket orchid as the petals look like buckets, and it is a fragrant flower. It would help if you grew these in baskets to allow the stem to come out of the bottom.

23. The Disa

Disa orchids need to be cared for differently than other types of orchid to allow to survive. It needs more water than the rest it will die.

24. The Gongora Orchid

The Gongora is related to the Stanhopea plant. It is a thirsty type of orchid needing to be watered frequently no matter what season of the year. They produce spicy fragrances similar to nutmeg.

25. Laelia Orchid

The Laelia usually produces pink and purple flowers. They are almost identical to Cattleya orchids and need to be grown and nurtured in the same way.

26. Lady Slipper Orchid

Different types of orchid are covered by the Lady Slipper moniker, as the flowers all look similar to Lady Slippers. The slipper refers to the part of the plant in, which the insect gets in and cannot leave until it has pollinated the orchid.

27. Mormodes Orchid

The Mormodes differ from the other kinds of orchid as their stems twist differently.

28. Odontoglossum

This type comes from the Andes so are quite at home in a cold environment provided that there is enough humidity. It produces beautiful flowers in a wide range of different colors.

29. Sobralia Orchid

As the flowers for this beautiful type of orchid can grow large, it may be worth checking if you have enough room for these before buying any.

19 Vegetable Garden Layout Plans and Spacing Samples

April 29, 2019 by Helen Allen Leave a Comment

Do you hear the birds singing? Are you getting the itch to go outdoors and start your new garden project, but don’t know where to begin? Yes, there are many aspects to think about when starting a garden. For instance, what do you want to grow? Is having a visually appealing garden important? How will you protect the garden from curious pets?

Once you’ve given some thought to what type of garden you want, its time to start the fun part: planning your garden design. I have unearthed some of the best garden layouts on the internet for you to think about. I hope they help you dig in and find that perfect garden design.

1. Raised Garden Beds

The Raised Garden Bed design is a perfect choice for beginning gardeners.
-Uses a grid pattern to organize and scale layout.
-Each vegetable is natural to see, easy to identify and easy to reach.
-Simple to grow the same plant in several varieties

The Raised Garden Plan is easy to build:
-Build a grid structure
-Fill with high-quality potting soil or nutrient-rich compost

2. Pallet Garden Plan

If you’re tight on space, growing in a small yard or closed area, you’ll want to be smart about how to make use of the limited room. It is the beauty of the Pallet Garden Plan. Perfect for smaller gardens
Uses the pallet vertically saving floor space
-Maximizes growing area.
-To make a Pallet Garden:

Gather a wooden pallet or two.
-Place it upright against a sturdy wall or inside another existing raised bed at one end.
-Secure the vertical palette tightly to the frame or another support structure.

3. The Multi-Bed Garden Plan

If space isn’t an issue, then the multi-bed garden plan can be an option for the gardener who wants to grow different varieties while keeping them separate.
-The Multi-Bed Plan allows you to build a variety
-Each vegetable or flower, big or small, can have its bed!
-Think wide spaces when using this plan
-In between each garden bed, allow walking space

4. 5000 Square Foot Vegetable Garden Plan

Maybe you need to grow much food to run a business, or perhaps you have a big family to feed or have much extra space (lucky you)! This garden plan allows for creative design.

-Find the garden plan that works for you.

-Remember this can be very simple

-Be creative

5. Garden Planner #3

This garden type layout does not waste space, and we love that. Balance easy maintenance and good design.A smart choice for the gardener who wants to grow a lot of food, but still keeps it tidy.
Think high growth and organized simple layout.

6. Intensive Garden Play for Maximum Harvest

It is a fabulous layout that you may use for the Spring, Summer, and Fall garden layouts.
Can fit a large variety in one medium sized garden space.
Keep track of plantings with a simple key drawing

7. 4×4 Foot Square Foot Gardening

Similar to the raised plan with a grid, this is a great garden design for fitting a blend of vegetables into one square space.

Simple design, straightforward, and easy to follow.
-Prevents plants from overlapping and stunting their growth. We don’t want that!

8. Summer Vegetable Garden Plan

This garden plan is brilliant for smaller plots. I love the clever use of the plant heights.
-Places shorter plants at the front and taller plants in back
-Includes everything from vegetables to herbs.

9. Fall Vegetable Garden Plan

It can be confusing to figure out how to arrange a Fall garden I admit. However, fear not, this is an easy plan to follow that includes all the fall veggies.

-Interesting details like a trellis for growing peas.

-Contains carrots and plenty of greens.

10. Spring Vegetable Plan

Like the Fall Garden Plan, this has a bit of detail you’ll find interesting too.
-A great looking plan that will go well if you need to keep up a tidy garden area.
-Eye-pleasing while serving up the freshest Spring greens.

11. Auntie Dogma’s Garden Design

Auntie knows things, and she certainly did when she drew up this garden plan. A beautiful garden design a valuable garden source.

12. Sobear Garden Plan

A garden plan that uses a walkway through the garden. The walkway is a nice feature to enjoy and reach plants at harvest time. The program allows for plants, flowers, and herbs.
For beginning or advanced gardener.

13. The Great Small Garden Layout

A plan that offers a relatively complete layout of many varieties of vegetables.
-Slightly more challenging to read but the names are clear.
-Will fit a wide variety of vegetables

14. The Flower Vegetable Layout

Are you a fan of flowers? You can immediately be drawn to a garden plan that blends flowers into the design.
-Places vegetables in the center where they can be changed seasonally.

Garden border are flowers.
-Layout uses Sunflowers and Marigolds to protect the plants from pests

15. High Yield Veggie Garden

This one is a little tricky because there is no plan. Instead, these are tips for planning your unique garden layout.
-Enjoy the process and freedom to create your garden plan.
-Includes where to begin and pointers to help you get started.

16. Partial-Shade Gardens

Did you know some vegetables love the shade? Yes, there are a handful of veggies that do tolerate, if not enjoy, partial shade.
-Grow gorgeous greens with partial sun
-Check out our list of shade-tolerant vegetables and design plans that consider the shadier aspects of gardening.

17. Backyard Garden Layouts

Backyards are a family’s playground and weekend entertainment area. It’s where we go to enjoy a warm summer evening, play ball with the kids or let the dog out to play.
-Finding just the right design for your shared family space.
-Raised garden beds or in-ground rows, or maybe a blend of both

18. Kitchen Garden Layouts

It’s no mystery that herbs and veggies taste their very best when they’re in season and come straight from the ground, washed off and eaten straight away. So it makes perfect sense to grow as close to the cooking as possible.
-Plant harvest outside the kitchen door.
-The layout has a pleasant selection of fruits, herbs, and vegetables that grow together like a happy family.
-Easily re-plant or swap out seasonal vegetables.

19. Companion Planting Garden

Growing plants together to benefit each other is at the heart of companion planting. It’s amazing to know that plants can protect more vulnerable plants around them.
-Provide protection from pests, high winds or a climbing support
– Ground cover for weeds