Category Archives: Gardening

How To Design Grow Rooms For Your Plants?

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So, you’ve decided to set up a grow room for your plants. Despite being such a great idea, not many people get to make it a reality, perhaps due to its seemingly intimidating nature. All plants require specific levels of nutrients, humidity, air circulation, and lighting. As such, it may appear quite complicated, especially for the beginners.

However, recent innovations in the construction industry and other technologies have made it simpler to build a grow room. All you need is to find enough space that’ll serve the purpose and you’ll be ready to roll. Wondering how to go about your next project? Read on for some tips on designing indoor grow facilities.

grow-room

Deciding On The Space

The best thing about this project is that you can use just about any space. For instance, if you have spare bedrooms, sheds, walk-in closets, or garages, then you have a place to start. The next step will be to decide how much space you actually need to avoid congestion while also preserving parts of your home for other purposes.

However, don’t stress yourself too much on this as any space you have can work fine. Anything upwards of 2x2x4 should be adequate for your plants. You just need to plan it well to not only sustain the plants but also accommodate the equipment that will be used in creating the right environment.

Creating A Controlled Environment

To have a successful grow room, you’ll need to control the environment to favor the growth of plants. This entails the use of various techniques and tools such as dehumidifiers, LED lights, and an air circulation system. Of course, some of these things will depend on your geographical location and the room itself.

1. Lighting

One of the biggest investments you’ll need for your grow room is proper lighting. The best option when it comes to this area is the LED grow lights which will not only provide sufficient light, but also help in the temperature department. In addition, you may need to buy a few cables if the room doesn’t have a power supply.

Keep in mind though that these bulbs are high-wattage and will consume a significant amount of power. As such, make sure to make a few adjustments in your utility bill budget as it will most definitely increase with time.

2. Irrigation

Of course, a grow room isn’t complete without a water source as this is one of the basic needs in the growth of plants. You’ll need to design an irrigation system, which will require a set of pipes and a tank or a connection to your home’s main water supply. While still working on plumbing, install a floor drain to avoid stagnation and ensure that you use waterproof walls for durability.

grow-room-plants

3. Air Circulation

A good grow room is one that supports sufficient air circulation to ensure proper growth of plants. Therefore, your HVAC system must be able to accomplish this need. If your geographical location hinders the quality of air, you can use a filter to ensure that the air within the room is of a higher quality. The reverse can also be done if the air from the room emits a distinct odor.

4. Temperature Control

There’s a need for consistent temperature and humidity control as this is crucial in the success of your project. If the temperatures are too low, plants will grow slowly and might not reach their desired level. Hot environments, on the other hand, will lead to damaged crops. Most people with indoor grow rooms use air conditioners for this purpose and fans to get rid of the hot air. The fans also prevent the lights from searing your plants. To enhance the operation of all these instruments, it would be a good idea to insulate the room, especially if the temperatures in your region are not favorable.

Conclusion

Although it might seem quite straightforward, coming up with a well-designed grow room is a demanding adventure for many people. However, you’ll find it a lot simpler if you follow the tips discussed in this article. Decide on the room that you’ll want to redesign for this project. Apart from the size and other basic features, make sure that it’s at a safe distance from your main home, especially if you expect a lot of noise from fans and other machines.

Among the most important factors that will need a little investment on your part include lighting, plumbing, flooring, walls, water supply, and air conditioning system. Remember that bringing new components like bulbs and fans into the mix will have a significant impact on your utility bills. Therefore, be ready to make the necessary adjustments going forward.

The Greener Garden: 4 Sustainable Options To Explore

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Many of humans’ daily activities contribute to the decay of planet Earth. In fact, even when gardening, carbon emissions are released, which might add to the current problem of global warming. However, the good news is gardening can be done properly through various efforts and actions.

Minimizing environmental impacts should be your ultimate goal for a greener garden. If you’re wondering what sustainable practices could eliminate lesser waste in your garden, there are certain changes you can do. No matter how minor they are, these small steps can accumulate. And soon, you’d be able to fully adopt healthier and greener gardening methods. Here are some sustainable options you can explore to turn your garden greener.

sustainable options to turn your garden greener.

1. Reuse Materials That Can Be Used For Gardening

Recycling is a popular effort to make to go green. By incorporating used materials into your garden, you can do impactful initiatives to help save the environment.

For instance, you can declutter your home and find items you can repurpose into garden materials, like pots and plant vases. Whether you need upcycled stuff for your indoor hydroponic vertical farming or outdoor conventional garden beds, there are many recyclable things you might find in your garage or attic. Or you can also check out recycling shops and find materials you can repurpose for your garden needs. Who would have known your stunning flower pots were made out of recycled items?

You can refer to some online sources to learn how to make gardening materials out of buckets, clay pots, used pipes, and worn-out furniture. Just exercise your own creativity when recycling objects. Doing so may even allow you to expand your home’s individuality and explore new styles for your garden. This green trick wouldn’t only help the planet but would also allow you to enhance your creativity and resourcefulness.

2. Incorporate Native Plants

Choosing the right plants is a critical aspect of growing a sustainable garden. It’s therefore essential to incorporate native plants in it. These plants are a part of the balance of nature, which have existed in your region for many years. They’re easy to plant, grow, and maintain.

For example, one of the easiest plants to take care of is perennials that are already adapted to your climate, rainfall, and soil type. These require less maintenance, use less water, and thrive better than other plants. Of course, you can add trees and shrubs into your garden, but perennials are perfect to serve as a permanent garden display since they last all seasons long. You may also use self watering window boxes to conserve water.

3. Attract Wildlife

Attracting wildlife is another helpful strategy to raise a greener garden. Garden animals, such as worms, toads, and bees, could be pretty significant as they serve different roles and purposes. For instance, frogs feed on pests like bugs, beetles, or grasshoppers, which if left lingering in your garden might cause damage to your produce or plants. Another helpful animal is earthworms, which could bring more air and water into your soil. Lastly, bees pollinate flowers, which could add to the overall beauty of your landscape and garden. You can bring more life to your garden by making it bee-friendly.

bee-friendly garden

To have a healthy garden, you need more living organisms, especially in your soil. A healthy ecosystem is formed by hundreds of thousands of microbes interacting with each other and with plant roots. One way to encourage healthy microbes forming in garden beds is to use compost and organic mulch as fertilizers.

For a garden ecosystem to be resilient, the soil ecosystem must be healthy. In the plant roots, bacteria and fungi release nutrients that are carried by worms deep into the soil. These rich nutrients would make your produce fresher and more nourished, too. When you generate more living things, it would create rich biodiversity in your garden, which would, in turn, make your garden greener.

4. Shift To Organic Gardening

Organic gardening, a method of growing fruits and vegetables without using synthetic fertilizers, is an essential part of sustainability. Using fewer chemicals in your garden is not only ecologically sound but also more cost-effective. An added benefit is that organic produce would be healthy for you and your family.

You can do small baby steps by simply adding organic compost to your soil to make it healthy and rich in nutrients. And when you need to handle pests, there are natural and organic matters you can use to help you get rid of them. In fact, there are homemade pest control remedies that could work wonders in your garden.

Conclusion

Making your garden more organic and greener is enough effort to help save the environment. In addition to being beautiful and sustainable, stewarding nature enhances the garden as a whole. Hopefully, with the tips mentioned in this article, you’d be able to grow a fruitful and biodiverse garden.

How to Heat a Greenhouse With Solar Panels

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Heating a greenhouse with solar panels is a great way to reduce your energy costs and help the environment. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of heating your greenhouse using solar power. We will discuss types of greenhouse heating systems, as well as the pros and cons of each of them.

By the end of this guide, you will be able to make an informed decision about whether or not heating your greenhouse with solar panels is right for you!

heat a greenhouse with solar panels

Benefits of heating greenhouses with solar power

Using solar panels to heat up your greenhouse can have some great benefits that will serve you in your present and future. Here are some of the benefits of using solar greenhouses:

1. Cost savings

Installing a solar greenhouse at first may need some money, but this will allow you to have zero running costs later. You will won’t need any other source for power, hence you will save a lot of electricity bills.

2. Easy to implement

Installing a solar greenhouse is not a complex thing to do. You don’t need that much work or to have all the information about it to make it run.

3. Reliability

Solar greenhouses can run smoothly without any problems as long as it’s set up right.

It gets its power from the sun so you won’t have any problems with the power if the electricity goes out or maintenance is needed, you will always be ready to go.

4. Environment friendly

One main point of the benefits of a solar greenhouse is that you also do your duty towards the environment and reduce your carbon footprint by a ton.

Types of solar greenhouse heating systems

1. Active solar greenhouse system

An active solar greenhouse system uses solar panels to generate electricity from sunlight and then uses this energy to circulate heat to plants using fans, heaters, and pumps.

This type is widely used at almost every solar greenhouse at least to capture the solar energy used to generate the heat.

Advantages of active greenhouse systems

  • Very efficient at transferring heat to plants
  • Can be used with any type of greenhouse

Disadvantages of active greenhouse systems

  • Requires solar panels and other heating equipment, which can be expensive
  • May require more maintenance than other types of solar greenhouses

Solar panel placement in an active system

The solar panels in an active system should be placed so that they will get the most direct sunlight possible. This may vary depending on your location and climate.

In general, the best place for solar panels is on the south side of the greenhouse. However, if you live in a very sunny area, you may be able to get away with placing them on the east or west side.

2. Passive solar greenhouse system

A passive solar system doesn’t need any electrical or moving devices to get the heat. In this system, the greenhouse captures the most out of the direct sunlight using large glass or plastic windows that get covered at night to keep it warm.

There is a common term in this system known as the thermal mass which is another name for storing more heat using water tanks, rocks, concrete walls, soil, etc.

The main idea is that we use materials that soak up the heat of the sun store it for a long time and also take a long time to release it. The advantage of using thermal mass is that it provides a stable heat source during the day that can be used to heat the plants at night or when they need heat.

Advantages of passive greenhouse systems

  • Very low cost
  • Can be used with any type of greenhouse
  • No moving parts means less chance for things to break

Disadvantages of passive greenhouse systems

  • May not work well in cold climates

3. Mixed solar system

This is one of the best options that can be used to heat a greenhouse. It is very effective and efficient as it combines using solar panels with devices like fans and heaters to heat the greenhouse. It also uses a thermal mass method to generate heat so it has a part of all methods.

Advantages of mixed greenhouse system:

  • Can be used with any type of greenhouse
  • More efficient than using just solar panels or thermal mass

Disadvantages of mixed greenhouse system:

  • May require more maintenance than other types of solar greenhouses
  • Takes a lot of space

How to heat your greenhouse using solar power

Now that you know about the different types of solar greenhouses, let’s walk through the process of how to heat your greenhouse using solar panels.

The first step is to calculate how much power you will need to heat your greenhouse. You can do this by simply multiplying the size of your greenhouse in square feet by the number of degrees you need it to be warmed up.

For example, if you have a 500 square foot greenhouse and you want it to be heated for eight hours per day, then you would need 4000 watts of power.

Once you have this number, you can size your solar panel system by using a solar calculator. This will tell you how many panels you need and what size they should be.

After getting the panels, now it’s time to install and connect them to a battery system and an inverter. Finally, you need to connect the inverter to your greenhouse heating system.

And that’s it!

Now you’re ready to start heating your greenhouse with a solar energy provider!

Conclusion

There are a few different ways to heat a greenhouse with solar panels. The best option for you will depend on your climate, location, and the type of greenhouse you have.

In general, using solar panels is a very effective and efficient way to heat your greenhouse. However, it can be a bit more complicated than just using a passive solar system.

If you’re not sure which option is best for you, consult with a solar specialist. They will be able to help you find the best way to heat your greenhouse using solar power.

The Benefits of Indoor Plants and How to Keep Them Fresh

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Having a natural ambiance around your house and workplace is not only aesthetically pleasing but has also proven to increase productivity and positively impact mood and behavior. No doubt that indoor plants trigger a feeling of happiness from inside. Setting up foliage in your environment reduces anxiety and stress since interaction with nature improves self-being.

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Many studies and researches have proved promising impacts of having greenery in your surroundings. Here are but a few of the benefits of indoor plants:

1. Increased healing period

People are arranging more and more planters in hospitals, workplaces, and homes. Be it outdoor or indoor plants, they all contribute to making the environment a better place to breathe and survive. Furthermore, being surrounded by plants and flowers has proven to be an effective method of lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, improving sleep cycles, boosting immunity, and uplifting mood.

2. Enhanced energy and performance

Happiness leads to success and great performance in overall life. Giving a natural touch to your environment energizes and soothes the soul inside out. Incorporate a wide range of planters indoors and outdoors to naturally stimulate an active and refreshed mood.

3. Plants absorb noise

Did you know that big trees absorb the noise in highly populated and activated areas? Yes, plants, trees, foliage, and vegetation all act in part as sound absorbers. This is why in areas with generally a lot of greenery (such as suburbs) you are likely to hear a lot less noise. The same principle applies to indoor plants. They soak up sound making for a quiet, relaxed, and serene indoor atmosphere.

4. Greenery relaxes you

Connecting with nature is always an effective way to relax and unwind. No matter if it is sitting by the beach watching the waves crashing into the rocks, or feeling the fresh morning air blowing across your hair, being close to nature is just calming. This biophilic interaction relaxes the soul, body, and mind.

5. Improves focus leading to better memory

Isn’t it amazing to know that plants enable enhanced focus, concentration, and memory retention? Studies show that the arrangement of flowers and plants indoors has significantly improved the productivity of tasks at home and workplaces. Having a close connection with nature not only helps concentrate on the task but also improves the quality of the work. It is highly beneficial to include plants in your surroundings for improved cognitive skills and performance.

How to Take Care of Indoor Plants?

Taking care of plants is easier said than done. It is not enough to simply water them and provide them with sunlight. The right combination of the two is essential in order for a plant to grow and too much or too little of either water or sunlight can quickly see a plant wither and die.

Growing plants indoors requires an immense amount of love and sincere hard work. But what if you don’t have the time and energy to take care of indoor plants. Maybe you have a busy schedule or just don’t have much experience with gardening. What do you do then?

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Well, luckily for you, there are many tools available that allow one to grow plants indoors in a manner that is easy, convenient, and effective.

Here a few tips and tricks to make sure your indoor plants flourish and thrive.

  • Pick the right type of plant that best suits the location and environment. Humidity, temperature, and other external factors such as air quality, etc. can all impact the growth of indoor plants.
  • Make sure you water the plants regularly but never too much at once. Excess water is just as harmful as no water as if the soil gets too wet the plant is unable to get the oxygen it needs from the roots in order to grow and will wither and die. To make sure your plants get the right amount of water at the right time use a self-watering planter. See the best self watering planters here and choose one that best fits your indoor or outdoor gardening needs. This tool will help make your gardening tasks a lot easier and a lot less time-consuming.
  • Fertile soil is extremely essential. Add in compost and fertilizers to provide the plant with the nutrient it needs in order to grow.
  • Take care of cleanliness. Prune leaves and branches to give the plant shape.
  • Keep away pesticides and insecticides and allow benefiting insects to make the soil fertile.

What are the Benefits of an Organic Greenhouse?

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Growing products in a greenhouse environment are ideal for providing healthy organic options for consumers. Organic means everything used with production is exempt from harmful pesticides and other contaminants. Professional like those with

The Prospiant greenhouses incorporate only natural elements to prevent disease and keep plants free of pests. Merely because the products are grown in a greenhouse does not automatically imply these have been produced using organic methods.

There are strict guidelines that need to be followed in order to receive 100% organic certification.

Benefits of An Organic Greenhouse

The Benefits of Growing Organically in A Greenhouse

Typically, commercial growers use a number of pesticides and fungicides to control disease and pests on plants; however, more are turning to organic production methods with the public’s growing demand for toxin-free, healthy choices.

The “Research Institute of Organic Agriculture” indicates, based on studies performed, more of the public are choosing organically-grown products since these contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Growing plants within a greenhouse environment using organic methods offer many advantages. Some benefits of an organic greenhouse you can anticipate include:

1. Eco-friendly

Opting for greenhouse production using organic methods proves environmentally friendly. Many growers tend to use solar power for lighting with rainwater as a watering resource, and waste is recycled for compost for plant use.

Hobby or home greenhouse enthusiasts have the option of home-grown compost combined with natural pesticide choices much more readily than a larger commercial facility. That does not make the leaders in the greenhouse industry who are 100% certified organic any less prepared. These greenhouse growers become informed on the safest soils, seeds, containers, overall products, and the ideal environment needed to produce the healthiest plants for consumers.

The commercial greenhouses are placed under stringent guidelines to receive certification as organic growers, so you know their processes are on point.

2. Organically grown plants offer a more extraordinary flavor and more nutrients

Products certified as organic contain as much as 40% greater antioxidants than those grown conventionally. In addition, these options will provide more minerals and nutrients while offering fewer nitrates.

There will be no GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms, or preservatives in any plants that are grown organically.

3. There is a much longer growing season with a greenhouse

When growing in a greenhouse, the season is prolonged. The temperatures are relatively consistent with the structure retaining the heat of the sun’s rays allowing growth even in those colder climates or in the cooler seasons.

The weather is also not an issue, as it would be if you were attempting to maintain a garden in the field. You can work the plants even if there is a rainstorm or other foul conditions.  And because the climate is controlled, there are more options for the plant families, including exotic options instead of being restricted to local varieties.

4. Protection from predators and pests

When growing a garden in the field, growers are at the mercy of wildlife, particularly deer and small animals like moles, groundhogs, and squirrels. The greenhouse environment is more easily controlled with various barriers like screens or plastic. A commercial greenhouse will have more effective and elaborate means for preventing entry.

That being said, things happen. Nature usually doesn’t care what you want to do. If pests can find a way into your greenhouse, they will get in. How do you fix this problem? Modern pests control specialists use the best of technology: Everything from organic pesticides to pest control scheduling software to get the right tech to your greenhouse at the right time.

5. The suitable insects can be kept as a benefit for the plants

Some insects serve as a benefit to the plants, including ladybugs. These have the capacity to reduce the number of pesky insects. The beneficial insects do not stick around in the outside gardens. But in a contained greenhouse atmosphere, the insects keep problems with pests under control.

Many gardeners find methods for attracting these bugs to keep them happy and coming around. It is a natural pesticide technique for an organic garden.

Commercial greenhouses will, of course, use much more efficient natural pesticide methods, but hobbyists or at-home greenhouse gardeners can benefit from this advice.

Certifying A Greenhouse as Organic

A commercial greenhouse (or even a hobbyist or at-home greenhouse atmosphere) can be certified as organic if the stringent NOP rules are met. The difference between a traditional and an organic environment is not significant, but there are considerations when developing the operation.

Why Greenhouse Ventilation is Essential

“Grassroots principles” is the understanding of the guidelines for operating a 100% organic greenhouse and determining what organic growing entails. Certification is not granted as 100% organically grown without following the NOP regulations.

Not only does a grower need to ensure the seeds, containers, soil, and pesticides are all natural, organic materials – the soil should be 30% compost, 60% loam, 10% blend of vermiculite, perlite, peat most; containers should be biodegradable; seeds should be organic – but the lighting, ventilation, heat, and air circulation should be consistent, so the plants thrive.

Final Thought

Because plants are grown within a greenhouse environment does not automatically mean these are certified as 100% organic by the NOP. The regulations set forth by the NOP are stringent, but commercial growers choose to do what they need to follow the guidelines since organic products are in demand by the public. More people are concerned with toxins and contaminants in their products, preferring to buy organic options instead.

The commercial greenhouses have an advantage over the field growers since their growing seasons are prolonged, weather-resistant environments, and contained, meaning they can control the growing conditions. That includes the lighting, ventilation, air circulation, and heating, allowing the plants a better opportunity to thrive. This gives the public not only organic options but better, healthier plants.

Why Purchasing LED Grow Lights Makes Sense?

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Do you have a desire to grow plants in your home but you live in an area where natural light is not sufficient? Luckily, there is a solution thanks to LED grow lights. LED grow lights have been in the market for many years but it was not until recently that their popularity began to soar. Compared to the traditional HID grow lights, LED lights do not use toxic materials and can last up to six times longer. They do not require cooling and will not cause plant burns or increase the risk of fire.

However, when it comes to buying LED grow lights, you need to know that not all companies offer the best LED grow lights. If you are looking for LED grow lights that are both high quality and cost-effective, be sure to check out the best companies and get yourself an LED light of your choice from the variety of options.

Grow-Lights-Horticulture

Why Redbud soil company? Here are four reasons why you should purchase your LED grow lights from this industry leader.

1. Heat Efficiency

Traditional HID grow lights are notorious for producing too much heat which can be dangerous at times. This is why you should switch to LED grow lights. Redbud soil company have stocked up the latest LED grow lights that have a low heat output and low electricity usage.

If you are on a budget, these lights will save you money since you will not need to incur additional costs for buying big or sophisticated ventilation systems. LED lights from Redbud are superiorly engineered and have upgraded cooling heat sinks that prevent any heating issues.

2. Variety of Products to Choose From

There is something for every farmer at the Redbud soil company. Whether you are looking for a small light to grow plants inside your house or you need a commercial light for your greenhouse, Redbud soil company has everything under one roof.

The best part is, if you are looking to make a big purchase, you can pay as low as $120 a month if you qualify with Klarna. Visit redbudsoil.com and fill up the prequalification form and the customer support team will reply to your request within 24 hours.

indoor-gardening-grow-lights

3. They Accept All Major Payments

Thanks to technology and e-shopping, you can buy your Led grow light in the comfort of your home or office and Redbud Soil company will have it shipped to your address. All you have to do is select the product, add it to cart, fill in your details and payment information and Redbud Soil will work round the clock to get it to you on time. Redbud soil accepts all major payments which make it very convenient for all customers.

4. Plenty of Information on Their Website

The Redbud soil company website is an information hub especially to new growers who are looking to venture into the market. If you are a firm believer in using organic practices to ensure optimum plant performance then the Redbud soil website will be of great help to you.  Their blog also contains useful information on garden management and how to deal with plant pests.

How to Improve the Quality of Your Soil

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Soil is important, whether you’re growing prize winning roses, landscape shrubs or your own fruit trees. All need to be in the right type of soil to get the nutrient they need. Even beginners can improve the quality of the soil in the garden. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:

1. Add Compost

Compost is not just for preparing the beds in the spring. Compost can be placed into your raised beds in the fall and improve their conditions over the winter. Because they will be sitting over the beds all winter, this doesn’t even have to be completely broken down compost either. A lot of the process will happen right there on the bed.

compost-organic-waste-farming

The concept of safe food using organic waste generated compost is picking up in South Asia

You can even use this method as a practical way of getting rid of all the waste you pick up from your garden in the fall. Just spread this over the bed and cover with mulch. The mulch protects the soil and the nutrients in the compost.

2. Use Soil Amendments

Different soil amendments can be added to your soil to make it more suitable to your purposes. Choosing which soil amendment to use with your sol will be a matter of matching the proper solution to the problem you are facing. For example, there are amendment for increasing the nutritional content of your soil and others for improving the soil’s texture also known as tilth. For example, if your notice that the water is draining away too fast, you can add an amendment that allows you to soak up the moisture and the reverse is also true.

You can adjust the conditions of the soil to your exact needs with the right soil amendment. This could be compost or other rich matter that absorbs moisture or an amendment like greensand that allows water to drain away more easily.

Here are some common soil amendments that you can consider using for your garden as needed:

  • vermiculite (worm castings)
  • compost
  • greensand (or green sand)
  • grass clippings
  • cornmeal
  • alfalfa meal
  • straw
  • kelp meal

3. Plant a Cover Crop

When you are thinking about improving soil quality, don’t forget the power of cover crops. This is not just an idea for large scale agricultural weed suppression. They are also a major benefit for backyard gardeners as well.

Cover crops are especially good for treating the soil as they provide oxygenation and improved nutrient availability. Alfalfa with its very deep root system pulls nutrients upwards from the lower levels of soil and make these more available in planting season. Then a couple weeks before you begin planting, this cover crop will be tilled back into the soil, increasing its organic composition and nutrient content.

This can also be used to improve the levels of nitrogen in the soil when using legumes as a cover crop. Fava beans, crimson clover and alfalfa are all good examples of nitrogen high crop covers. If you will not be growing anything particular over the growing season, you may consider a cover crop that protect and aerate your beds. (Pro tip: cherry trees are a great choice for the beginner backyard orchardist and benefit greatly from good soil).

4. Try Lasagna Gardening

Also called sheet composting or “No-Till” gardening is another good way to improve your gardens soil quality and a perfect way to begin your raised beds and continue them. As you notice the quality levels of soil in your bed begin dropping down, you will keep adding new layers like lasagna which begins improving the quality of your soil from the top to the bottom. After the end of each growing season new layers are added.

For more information about your garden and the process of sheet composting, check out this article on the lasagna gardening method beginner’s guide. But there is one thing you will need to consider when using the lasagna method of composting. If you will be renovating your raised beds with the sheet composting method, you will need to wait a full 6-months before planting as you will need them to fully break down.

So this method will be best suited to those garden working with rotating beds or those gardeners who only plant one season. The following link included here will give some pointers on how this can be changed about and planting can be done sooner. Basically, if you would like to begin planting sooner, you will need to spread out a layer of compost and or healthy topsoil –– roughly 2 or 3 inches thick. You can then begin planting directly through this top layer.

5. Prepare Raised Beds for the Winter

Never forget the importance of using the end of the year garden season is your opportunity to improve the quality of your soil in a number of ways. This end of the year ritual is like “closing down the shop” till spring. But, if you live in a warmer area of the country this might not even be necessary.

Here are some things to do. First, cut the plants as opposed to pulling them from the soil. Cutting the plant will allow the roots to rot away and this will make your soil lighter and airy. Then you can spread some compost out on the soil and cover this with a layer of mulch, the compost will be feeding nutrients back to the soil while the mulch will protect the soil and keep the nutrients bound in.

You can also just plant a cover crop and call it a year. Be sure to check out our article on winter gardening for some more things to do in the cold months.

Growing Organic Plants Indoors: What To Know

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Indoor plants are a welcome addition to any home. They help spruce up the atmosphere and bring literal life into the room. But sometimes it is difficult to grow these plants due to a variety of reasons, and one of the bigger reasons is the lighting. Throughout the year, the amount of light changes, and it is difficult to find a single spot in the house where a plant will always get sufficient light, due to the movement of the sun.

To solve this problem, grow lights were created, and have become increasingly more popular for home botanists. People have used different types of lights including fluorescent, incandescent, and LED’s (Light Emitting Diodes).

LED grow lights are quickly becoming the most common choice for growing organic plants indoors.

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Why LED’s?

LED lights are the most common choice to go with because they are the most energy-efficient and have a wide variety of colors. The light color that works best for chlorophyll absorption, photosynthesis, and growth is a Violet-blue light in the 400-520 nanometer range. Red light(610-720) promotes flowering and budding.

LED grow lights produce a large spectrum of light, and the ones with the most complete spectrum will be the best ones to grow with. They also put off much less heat than the other options, making it possible for you to put the light closer to the plant in this case.

Types of LED Grow Lights

Standard Purple LED’s are the cheapest option for growing, which is their main selling point. They contain hundreds of small low wattage lights(3-5 watts per LED) composed of red and blue lights to emit a purple light.

COB lights (a.k.a Chip on board) lights have many hundreds of tiny lights to make up the one single small chip on the board. They emit a much stronger and brighter white light, which offers better light penetration than the purple LED’s.

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Spread Style LED’s are another powerful light option, and are more specifically tailored to greenhouses with their “rack” style of lighting, which can cover a large area. They are one of the most efficient LED lights on the market, which also leads to them being a rather expensive option.

Plant position and light placement

The position of the plants and the lights should aim to mimic the natural position of outdoor plants.

  • Give each of the plants an even amount of space(unless it is a plant that may help seed another plant), and space the plants accordingly.
  • Use a level surface, and if possible, keep in a spot that is out of a cat’s reach(easier said than done, I know).
  • Hang the lights straight over top of the plants to mimic the sun, at about roughly 6-12 inches over(this distance can change depending on the plant type) Adjust the lights accordingly as the plants grow.
  • Make sure to test the lights out and confirm that all the plants are getting sufficient light. If you are looking to invest in more lights and more plants, testing out the amount of coverage that the lights have over a certain amount of plants may be the best way to determine how many more lights you should purchase.

How long should you leave the grow light on?

This again depends on the type of plant. Most flowering plants or vegetables grow optimally with a long summer day’s worth of light (12-16 hours), but remember that darkness is an important part of the cycle as well. Plants use the darkness to break down the energy that they produce during the day for growth and flowering, a process known as respiration.

To make sure that you do not exceed the recommended time to keep the lights on, you can set them up with timers. Once you set these timers up to go off at the appropriate time, it’s one less thing that can go wrong.

Conclusion

As stated multiple times, everything tends to be plant-specific, and even if you set something perfectly at first, the constantly changing plants will most likely require readjustment of the lights. Pay attention to the plants especially in the early stages to make sure they do not fall victim to LED burns or other complications from improper placement.

Home Improvement and Eco-Conscious Plant Care

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Although gardening has been proven to have significant mental health benefits, let’s be honest, sometimes it can feel like hard work. Moreover, if sustainable gardening practices are not followed, it can have adverse effects on the environment. Fortunately, incorporating eco-friendly practices into your gardening routine is simple. The range includes methods for improving your home using eco-friendly garden decor and garden plants.

eco-friendly garden decor

1. Make the Most of LED Light Bulbs

When you want to explore sustainable home improvements, a great way to start is by switching to energy-efficient lighting. Just replace any burnt-out lightbulbs with LED bulbs. It’s a straightforward and inexpensive step that makes a significant impact.

While LED bulbs may have a slightly higher initial cost compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, their long lifespan and energy savings make them well worth the investment. You can use LED bulbs for general household lighting, as well as for holiday or landscape lights.

2. Grow your own food

What plants are best to help the environment? These are local plants, and this is where you should start your journey. They are better adapted to climate conditions and require less maintenance. One of our best environmentally friendly gardening ideas is to cultivate your own vegetables and herbs. Not only will you enjoy the process of seeing your plants grow, but you’ll also reduce your carbon footprint.

The good news is that you don’t need a large plot of land to start growing your veggies. With the plant identifier app, you can find plants for almost any condition. In the plant app, you can create a farm for yourself right on your balcony or organize a vegetable garden of any size. You should use the best plant identifier app for Android and iPhone to identify plants easily. However, this is not the only ability of the app for plants, as there are recommendations for care, special plant preferences, etc. Even if you are an inexperienced gardener, the app for iPhone will help fill the knowledge gap.

indoor-grow-room

3. Combine Plants Correctly

How do you live an eco-conscious lifestyle? This means taking care of your garden first. Eco-friendly and organic gardening promotes the presence of beneficial organisms while deterring harmful pests. One effective method is companion planting, where two plant species with mutual benefits are grown together.

With numerous plant combinations to choose from, here are some noteworthy pairs:

  • Tomatoes and chives: These garden staples work well when planted side by side. Chives emit a strong scent that deters aphids and pests, safeguarding the tomatoes without impacting their flavor.
  • Garlic and potatoes: Another powerful duo, garlic repels pests that commonly affect potatoes and other tubers. Planting garlic between potato rows helps fend off Japanese beetles, onion flies, and moth species.
  • Carrots and leeks: The scent of these vegetables confuses their respective predators. Leeks repel carrot flies, while carrots repel onion flies and leek moths.
  • Peppers and basil: Basil acts as a protective plant, keeping aphids, spider mites, and fly species at bay. It’s also believed to enhance the flavor of peppers.

4. Choose Energy-Efficient Appliances

Energy-efficient appliances have witnessed significant advancements in recent decades, reducing heat loss in ovens and retaining cold in freezers. When shopping for new appliances, prioritize those certified by Energy Star, which indicates compliance with the U.S. Department of Energy’s stringent energy efficiency standards.

Even if you’re not currently considering upgrading your appliances, you can enhance energy efficiency by covering pans while cooking, opting for smaller appliances when feasible (like a toaster oven instead of a full-sized oven), and running your dishwasher or washing machine only when they are full.

5. Upgrade Windows and Doors

Windows and doors in homes can result in considerable energy loss. During winter, poorly insulated ones permit heat to escape, while during summer, they allow heat to enter, making it challenging to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. This becomes even more problematic when single-pane glass windows or poorly sealed ones are used.

There exist several methods to enhance the energy efficiency of windows and doors:

  • Opt for double- or triple-paned windows featuring low-emissivity coatings.
  • Choose doors equipped with weather stripping and a tight seal.
  • Install window coverings like blinds or curtains to minimize heat transfer.

LED-grow-lights

6. Use Drought-resistant Plants

Growing plants that require minimal watering is one of the most effective and low-maintenance methods to reduce water usage. The popularity of drought-resistant plants, such as grasses, shrubs, cacti, and low-lying flowers, is increasing due to their water-conserving properties and ease of care.

Lavender, rosemary, yarrow, and sage are among the favored choices for drought-resistant plants. Before introducing any plant to your garden, always ensure that it is not considered an invasive species in your area. Additionally, prioritize local plants over imported species whenever possible.

Conclusion

Home improvement and plant care are interrelated activities that are often perceived as separate. To achieve a sustainable lifestyle, it is highly advisable to grow your own food and conserve resources. All this can be achieved using the tips above.

Save Money with Sustainable Gardening

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If you’re looking for ways to create a sustainable and energy-efficient home, make sure to consider your gardening practices. Gardening is a great way to produce your own fruits and vegetables. If you’re gardening, you’re already helping to reduce plastic waste because your food is coming right from your backyard rather than from the store.

You can become even more green by practicing sustainable gardening! Sustainable gardening uses principles and practices that help to protect the environment without doing further harm. It embraces organic gardening methods, conserves resources, and substitutes harmful practices (such as using pesticides) with more eco-friendly practices. And not only is it good for the environment, but it can also help save you money!

Here are 5 ways you can begin using sustainable practices in your own garden.

Reduce energy use

When planting and maintaining your garden, look for ways that you can be more energy efficient and create less pollution. For example, instead of using gas or electric-powered tools, look for tools that you can use by hand. Using a cheap cordless battery powered drill instead of an electric powered drill. Dig with shovels, clip with pruners, weed by hand.

Another way to reduce energy is to consider how you’re protecting your garden. Some people like to put an electric fence around their garden to keep out deer and other animals. Electric fences use painful electric shocks to deter animals from entering; depending on the setting of the fence, these shocks can be harmful to wildlife, pets, and humans. Instead of an electric fence, use a metal fence. A metal critter fence saves energy, is more cost-efficient, and does not harm animals. Another alternative is to install a wooden fence in order to protect your precious greenery.

Conserve water

Water is a precious, limited resource. Instead of watering your garden from a hose, create a collection system out of rain barrels. A rain barrel system collects runoff from your gutters when it rains. It is advisable to use aluminium guttering as aluminium has very strong rust resistance.

You can empty the water from the container as needed to water your garden and other areas of your lawn. Sometimes we water the plants too much than needed. It also helps a lot in saving water that we know how much or when to water our plants. There are freely given learning materials about this all over the internet. One place in particular, the Occupy The Farm website, gives simple yet detailed guides regarding this.

You should also keep in mind that runoff from your garden makes its way back into the water supply. Herbicides or pesticides contain harmful chemicals that can contaminate our water. Using natural herbicides or pesticides, such as vinegar, can still help kill weeds and prevent pests without harming the environment.

Make your garden a habitat

Sustainable gardening can help you create a backyard wildlife habitat. Even if you’re hoping to keep larger animals out of your veggies, there is a way to open up your garden to smaller critters. There are certain plants you can grow that will help provide food and shelter to animals such as bees, butterflies, and birds. Habitats will vary by area.

Grow native plants

Growing plants that are native to your area means that the plants will naturally thrive in their environment. They’ll do well in the existing light, moisture, and soil conditions so you won’t have to put as much effort into taking care of them. Another reason to grow native plants is that they won’t disrupt the ecosystem. Non-native plants can seed and spread to surrounding areas and prevent native species from growing.

You can save seeds from your plants from season to season. For example, if tomatoes are native to your area and did well in your garden, save the seeds from one of your tomatoes to plant again next year. Some people also like to scout out woods and fields near their home for native plants that they can seed in their own garden.

Start composting

Composting is good for you and for the environment! When you compost waste, there is less material going into the landfill. That waste then creates an organic material that you can use in your garden. Compost helps maintain soil quality and fertility, serves as a natural fertilizer,  increases water retention, and improves plant growth.

benefits-composting

It is easy to start composting. There are a few different types of composters you can buy or create. Enclosed bins are the most practical method for most home gardeners. The type of materials you can compost will vary slightly depending on your composting strategy. In addition to various types of food waste, you can also add yard waste such as leaves or grass clippings.

Conclusion

Sustainable gardening practices don’t just help you save money, they help you protect the environment. Look over your current gardening practices to see if there are ways that you can reduce the amount of energy you’re using, if there are ways for you to produce less waste, and if there are ways you can help your local ecosystem.