The DIY Gardener

        This herb has been used as far back as ancient times when it was scattered or hung about to ward off evil, or strewn before the English monarch’s ladies with thyme and rue to keep sickness and disease at bay. In dried or oil form it was used against infections or to protect against insects. Literally, it was used for everything from depression to liver disorders. Today, growing rosemary is still a favorite whether it is in the vegetable, herb, or kitchen garden as it goes well in meat dishes, many baked goods—especially bread, and much of the Italian or Mediterranean dishes popular today. Growing Rosemary:      A perennial, rosemary is a woody evergreen whose bushy stems are grayish in color with shoots growing almost the entire length of the plant. These … Read entire article »

Sunflowers—the signature flower of the state of Kansas can get up to twenty feet tall with blooms reaching two feet across. They have been used for everything from ground seed flour for bread by the Native Americans to dyes for clothing and the body to a snakebite remedy. These perky plants always point their blooms toward the sun so plan on that when you decide on growing sunflowers. That in mind, the taller (but not tallest) varieties make splendid backdrops for tall wild flower arrangements while miniature varieties make good borders. Tips for Growing Sunflowers:          Because sunflowers are rapid growers their seeds are best sown directly into your outdoor garden. Once planted, they should be covered with a screen, as the birds love them. As a matter of fact over half … Read entire article »

Growing Brussels Sprouts     Believed to be named after the city of Brussels, where it was first made popular,                 Brussels sprouts are buds that grow in the V that forms as the leaf emerges from the stem. Cousin to cabbage and resembling it on a smaller scale it is grown for these edible buds. This green vegetable is of the family Brassicaceae and from the same family including cabbage, collards, kohlrabi, kale and broccoli. This family is known as cruciferous. Many people like growing Brussels sprouts because they contain a great variety of healthy nutrients such as Vitamins A and C as well as folic acid and fiber. It has a low fat content and 3.38g of protein. It is now believed it might guard against cancer while boosting DNA repair. Most … Read entire article »

Building your own backyard chicken coop offers many advantages. The first is the production of eggs and newly hatched chicks of other organic fertilizer made of high quality chicken that can be used for plant growth. When you first want to create a chicken coop, it may seem long and tedious at first, but its not as bad as most make it. Here are three tips to consider when building your chicken coop, which can significantly reduce the time of planning. A. Make sure you have enough space Chicken come in different shapes and sizes to make sure that you choose matches your needs and you have enough space in your yard. The last thing you want to start building a chicken coop, only to find that it does not fit into your backyard. Another important point is … Read entire article »

Themes –Traditional Landscaping –A New Trend –Wildflowers – A Simple Water Feature There are vast amounts of backyard landscaping ideas around us. People are creative everywhere you go. Using a larger apple tree as a backdrops or a focal point for cherry or other ornamental fruiting trees, on down to the smaller canes—such as raspberries or shrubs such as blueberries can be every bit as beautiful a sight as large standing flowers in clumps or a simple array of ornamental grasses. Whether your backyard sits within a tiny lot or sprawls several acres most of us are prone to want to tailor it to our taste in some way. Some may just want to add a few bushes against the house with some perennials scattered in and about while others have elaborate … Read entire article »

There is nothing like the fresh taste of a tomato. It is what makes them one of the leading vegetables purchased in the US and many, many other countries. Maybe it’s their sparkling color, the fact that they are packed with vitamins and minerals essential to healthy living, or maybe it’s because they are low in calories, and just about the best source of lycopene, which has been widely associated with the prevention of several types of cancer, you can get. Indoor tomato gardening, as well as outdoor, is equally as popular despite the fact there are a number of insects and diseases that could plaque the plants—and ultimately you. Still, the taste is worth it and for all that could go wrong little usually does. This is true of indoor tomato … Read entire article »

Have you ever seen a luscious tomato plant growing in the sun—arms, uuh, branches open as if to soak up        every sun ray aimed at it? Actually, there are few things in nature so beautiful. They are the perfect green color with little hairs, visible on the oldest branches, glistening in the sun just after it has been watered adding new dimension to the picture already before you. Tomatoes. They require so little when growing and if you have started with a good spot, a good soil, and have plenty of sun throughout the day they almost take care of themselves. Oh, there are a few insects and caterpillars that find it a tasty meal or breeding ground but with a careful eye and the right products they can be kept … Read entire article »

Blueberries are a perennial plant—native to North America, and belonging to the same family as the cranberry. When growing blueberries, consider the fact that they are nice looking shrubs that add great eye appeal year round—white blossoms in the spring, glossy green leaves in the summer and in autumn brilliant red foliage. With the many different varieties the size of the plant can range from 3½ feet to 12 feet and beyond. The fruit, which is quite nutritious, can be eaten fresh, frozen for year round use, baked into muffins and pancakes or made into jams or luscious syrups. Blueberry bushes set fruit from late spring through the fall depending on the growing conditions of your area and have the typical requirements of most fruiting plants—plenty of sunlight, acidic soil and adequate drainage. … Read entire article »