Plant Green Beans

Green beans which are known as
snap beans or string beans are the second most popular home garden vegetable being planted after tomatoes. This is due to the fact that they are easy to care for and these plants or vegetables also provide a good yield. They are the most-sought after plants as they are always used in culinary dishes such as casserole recipes, stir-fries or they can be eaten just like that. Green beans are known to be healthy and good for the health. Green beans which are several inches long with either round or flat shape normally come in green colors but in different places or countries, you can also find purple, red, yellow and streaked beans. These beans usually are picked at a young and tender stage before it is fully developed. Here are some instructions on how to properly grow and plant green beans.

What you need:

1. Green bean seeds
   
2. Shovel
   
3. Fertilizer
   
4. Water
   

Method:

1. Green bean seeds are suitable to be planted in an area that has warm and gains full sun location which is totally free of frost. The garden temperature must always be above 65 degrees and according to garden experts the soil must be at least 70°F in order to produce healthier green beans.
   
2. Determine the suitable land for planting the green bean with its soil well drained. Besides that, the soil must be fertilized in order to guarantee that you will receive plentiful and healthier crops. You must also ensure that the soil has not been planted with other types of beans, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce or cabbage so as not to mess it up. According to garden experts, it is recommended to move green bean plantings to a different location yearly or at least once in every three years to prevent their roots being infected by any diseases.
   
3. The fertilizing of the plant needs to be continued even when they are growing to ensure the plant’s healthy growth. Use a method of scattering 1/2 cup of fertilizer above each 10-foot row of beans and water the fertilizer well into the plants soil.
   
4. The next step is to dig holes of at least 1-inch to 2-inch deep which is a suitable depth for the green bean seeds. You need to sow the seeds apart at least 2-inch between them so that they get messed or be entangled together. In order to get the optimal growth, you must keep the seeds wet while they are germinating.
   
5. Apart from that, try to separate the rows by at least 18-inch to 20-inch in order to provide the plants with enough space for them to grow properly so that the end results will be satisfying.
   
6. Finally, you need to place a railing or trellis right by the side of the green bean plants because once they start to grow, the green beans need this kind of support and also they won’t seem messy and dirty.
   

Additional Reading:
http://www.greenbeansnmore.com/how-to-grow-green-beans.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2066383_plant-green-beans.html
http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-plant-green-beans
http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetables/p/GreenBeans.htm

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasqui/246052186/

Planting Green Beans is a post from: DIY Guides

Grow Potentilla Shrubs

Potentilla shrubs which are also known as cinquefoil, are an ideal choice of plants that is used for landscaping because it can be planted in mass or as a specimen. Apart from that, it is also lasting, compact and it is also a disease-free type of plant. The shrubs is easy to maintain and suitable in nearly any kind of soil condition. The plant comes in a variety of colors which includes yellow, white, cream, orange and red, while it normally blooms between the periods of June until October. Below are instructions and points to remember when planting the potentilla shrubs.

What you need:

1. Cinquefoil seed
   
2. Compost
   
3. Sand
   
4. Fertilizer
   

Method:

1. First of all, you need to decide on the variety of decisions that you want to plant in terms of its colors, the area that you want plant it, to choose either a mass shrubs with multiple color flowers or to grow it as a specimen. Making your choice is crucial in this first step to avoid any errors or problems when you start working on this.
   
2. The suitable period to plant the potentilla shrubs is between the month of April or May. That is the best time considered to plant potentilla shrubs to ensure a healthy growth of the plant. Although it can be planted in any kind of soils but to be safe and to ensure a good growth, it should be planted in a fertile soil along with soils that are rich in organic materials. In order to boost its nutrient, you can even add composted bark or peat to the area around the roots of the shrubs.
   
3. Next, you have to dig a hole of at least 6-inches in diameter and 6-inches deep. The soil that you dug from the hole can be made part of a well-draining soil for the shrub by mixing it together with compost and sand. These mixture of soils need to be placed back into the hole and press it down firmly. The potentilla shrubs seeds need to be planted at least ½-inch under the soil. You need to leave a gap of at least 5 feet apart between the shrubs in order to leave some space for the shrub to expand.
   
4. The plant needs water but can also endure drought or bog conditions. Apart from that, you should always fertilize the plant occasionally because fertilization helps to keep its branches from being hard and woody which will not suit the plant at all.
   
5. Maintaining the potentilla shrubs is easy and it can also be pruned into uniform shapes. By pruning the shrubs will also help to reduce dead patches especially during growing season and when you prune, choose the older wood to be pruned. This could be done during the winter or dormant months as that in the blooming month the plant will grow well again.
   

Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2307214_grow-potentilla-shrubs.html
http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Cinquefoil
http://www.gardenguides.com/75763-grow-cinquefoil.html
http://www.megahowto.com/how-to-grow-shrubs-in-small-garden

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeks2dream/2492038774/

Growing Potentilla Shrubs is a post from: DIY Guides

Vertical garden

If you are planning to grow plants in a small space at your home, a vertical garden is the perfect solution. Vertical gardening is a method that includes flowers and growing plants that rises up off the soil bed. Here are the steps on how to make your own vertical garden.

To have a vertical garden seems fashionable nowadays. It is nice as it’s a different way to present your garden, depending on your creativity. Think of it as a modern way to have gardens. The usual garden style has become passé now and vertical gardens are the new ‘it’ thing. Vertical garden is also known to many as a living wall, green wall or sky farm.

Things that you need:

1. Chain links/ cross posts
   
2. Divots
   
3. artificial wall
   
4. plant stands
   
5. elevated pots
   
6. wall ornaments
   
7. torches
   
8. lanterns
   
9. string lights
   
10. lights woven
    

Steps:

1. First, measure the space and plan for a vertical garden of multiple layers. The layers will make the garden look interesting to the eyes.
   
2. Then, decide on the background. Cross posts or chain links in fences create perfect anchors for plant hangers and trellis mounts.
   
3. Create new divots to hold plugs of planting material where plants can root and grow. You can also use the existing divots on your wall of stucco or concrete.
   
4. Artificial wall that is specially designed for growing vertical gardens are also available, you can purchase them in any home improvement store or the internet.
   
5. Next, use the wall, hangers and trellis as the backdrop for the second vertical garden layer. The second layer should be a little bit shorter than the backdrop.
   
6. Create a third layer that is shorter than the second layer. Keep the plants one level off the ground by using plant stands and elevated pots.
   
7. The last layer for in-ground planting beds and pots of plants is the ground. You can use small potted trees as accents.
   
8. Add wall ornaments, torches, lanterns, light woven to create visual interest and round out the garden.
   
9. For the finishing touch, add plant accents such as chia pets or free standing plants that grow quickly and can be moveable anywhere in the vertical garden.
   
10. Other good plants to consider are grasses, mosses and various flowering plants.
    

Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_3391816_build-vertical-garden.html

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlinksva/3364026611/

Creating a vertical garden is a post from: DIY Guides

Among popular fruits which many people love to grow in their garden during the summer months is the tomatoes. Although tomatoes are easy to grow, still not many of us can successfully grow large bushes and vines covered with lush, big and bright red tomatoes. If you want to know how to grow the perfect tomatoes for your summer salads and salsa, here are the steps.

Things that you need:

1. Tomatoes seeds
   
2. organic matter
   
3. water

Steps:

1. First, you need to find the suitable site for your tomatoes planting. An area with a great coverage of sunlight is the best for planting the tomatoes. They will grow healthier with plenty of sunlight provided.
   
2. Next, make sure that the soil you are going to use is the best and suitable for the plants. Tomatoes grow best in crumbly, very dark loam soil. You can try to treat dry and thick-like soil back to life. However, if you have a good soil, there is nothing much you need such as adding fertilizer to it.
   
3. One beneficial step for your tomatoes planting is adding organic matter to your planting hole. The choice for organic matter that you can use are manure matter. You can also adding Epsom salts to the planting holes as one of the nutrients enhancement trick.
   
4. To add magnesium to the soil for the tomatoes, add one or two tablespoons of Epsom to the planting holes. Plants which lack of calcium tend to be prone to diseases. If you want to avoid this happening to your tomatoes plants, add crushed egg shells for calcium to the soil.
   
5. Make sure that your tomato plants get enough water. For maintenance, look out for blossom-end rot.

Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5080955_grow-perfect-tomatoes.html

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/werms/238172698/

Growing perfect tomatoes is a post from: DIY Guides

Every third year, you should repot your roses to maintain the plant’s growth and health. The best time to repot your roses is towards the end of the autumn season when the day temperature has come down. By the middle of October, this is the most preferably time of pruning to your roses. Here are steps on how to repot your roses.

Things that you need:

1. Secateurs or sharp knife
   
2. pebbles/bricks/crocks
   
3. soil manure mixture
   
4. oilcake or activated sludge

Steps:

1. First, prune the roses in pots to remove any unnecessary branches or flowers. Turn the rose pot along with the plant upside down.
   
2. Then, ask someone to help you to hold the rose plant with the soil. Ask your helper to give a little jerk towards the rose plant. The rose plant with the whole soil mass will slip out of the rose pot.
   
3. Let the roses along with the soil mass to rest on the ground. Remove any crocks and pebbles from the bottom. Use a secateurs or sharp knife to cut the long and thick roots trying to come out from the soil mass.
   
4. Next, scrape off a little soil from all sides of the soil root mass. Clean the rose pot with water accordingly and let to dry. Use pieces of pebbles, crocks or bricks to make a layer to cover the drainage hole of your rose pot. If your old pot cannot accommodate the rose plant anymore, buy a larger pot to suit the rose plant size.
   
5. After that, you can prepare a fresh quantity of soil-manure mixture. Then, transfer the rose plant along with the remaining soil mass to the rose pot. Sprinkle over the surface a layer of one handful of oilcake or activated sludge on top of the soil.
   
6. Maintain your rose plant by enough watering and sunlight.

Additional Reading:
http://growing-roses-beginners.blogspot.com/2009/10/repotting-roses-how-to-repot-potted.html

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennerosity/2753920633/

Repotting your roses is a post from: DIY Guides

The broad beans or some people call the fava bean is a common legume species cultivated almost all over the world although it comes from northern Africa and southwest Asia. Egypt, Italy, Greece and Portugal are among the countries which traditions involve using the broad beans. These beans are essential parts of your diet and can be counted as a hardy plant that you can grow by yourself. All you have to do is to buy sufficient broad beans seeds, suitable gardening tools and not afraid of getting soils on your hands. So here’s how you can plant your own broad beans.

Things that you need:

1. Broad beans seeds
   
2. gardening tools

Method:

1. First, prepare the soil in your garden for planting. Make sure that the soil you are going to use is free from weeds, rocks and should be freshly tilled. Broad beans planting can give benefits to the condition of your soil as legumes fix nitrogen in the soil.
   
2. Then, calculate on how much you wish to devote for planting broad beans in your garden. Broad beans can grow fairly as large plants about 2 feet tall, so you might want to make sure that the place is suffice for your plants to grow up. If you want to buy small packet of broad beans, try buying them from a seed catalog. You can purchase seeds in a small 2 oz packet or ½ lb to 1 lb sacks of broad beans. 75 feet of broad beans row can be grown from 1 lb sacks of seeds.
   
3. Sow the broad beans in late April or early may. The bean plants will mature around early summer when the nights are cool. The nature of large lima-like beans is that these broad beans love cold soil.
   
4. To care for the beans plant, protect them from being disturbed by animals. You can choose many fence systems that are available in the market to keep the animals out and are preferable to chemical deterrents. Avoid making your soil over flooded or too dry, just keep them slightly moist. Broad beans are easy-to-care plant, as this is why they thrive in so many places.
   
5. After 65 days, you can harvest the broad beans. The bean’s pod should be about 7 to 10 inches depending on the variety you chose to plant. Inside each pod, it should contain 6 to 8 light-green seeds. You can freeze these beans for future usage, shelled and dried, cooked or sell them in fresh market.

Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4621977_grow-broad-beans.html

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheatfields/3729190304/

Growing board beans is a post from: DIY Guides

There are many types of weed plant killers available in the market nowadays. Although they are very affective, commercial weed killers can be very costly to purchase. These killers also utilize harmful chemicals that many people should avoid. If you want to spend less money yet still have an effective weed plant killer, you can use ingredients that you have in your kitchen at the ease of your home. Here are the steps on how to kill weeds plants using your own homemade weed killer.

Things that you need:

1. Salt
   
2. white vinegar
   
3. liquid dish detergent
   
4. outdoor sprayer

Steps:

1. First, pour one gallon of vinegar into an all-purpose outdoor sprayer or any container of your choice. The other type of vinegar that you can use is white distilled vinegar or apple-cider vinegar.
   
2. Then, add one cup of salt. You can use any brand of salt as you wish. Add two tablespoons of liquid dish detergent. However, avoid using any scented detergents.
   
3. Next, stir up to mix all of the ingredients. If you have mixed the ingredients in a garden or lawn sprayer, put the lid or cover on securely and then shake to mix.
   
4. You can spray directly onto weeds or you can pour directly into the cracks of driveways and walkways where the weeds are growing. Be caution not to get mixture into your eyes, mouth or nose. Wear face cover when spraying.
   
5. This weed killer preparation will make one gallon of homemade weed killer. This will efficiently kill the plant such as poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak too. Be careful on where you are going to use this weed killer as it practically kills all vegetation. Avoid spraying the mixture closely to any vegetation you do not wish to kill, especially on the grass.

Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4965803_using-this-homemade-weed-killer.html

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/galfred/231857536/

Killing weed plants easily is a post from: DIY Guides

You will have to bury a root ball no matter what type of plants that you will plan to grow. Whether you are planting fruits or ornamental trees, most of them contain a root ball or system of roots with attached soils. It supports the health of the tree. In order to provide suffice nourishment to the tree that it supports, the root ball must remain in a growing medium at all times. The root ball will eventually die if left without the right type of soil, fertilizer and water. Here are the steps on how to plant with root ball.

Things that you need:

1. Shovel
   
2. nursery tag
   
3. lime or peat moss
   
4. pitchfork
   
5. water
   
6. soil pH testing kit
   
7. soaker hose
   
8. tape measure

Steps:

1. First, choose a location for the plant. Consider the space and sunlight requirements that can be referred on the nursery tag attached to the tree or on its container.
   
2. Check if the soil drains well as most of tress dislike growing in a soggy soil. Wet soil can cause root rot diseases which kill most of trees. If you want to test the soil drainage qualities, make a 1-foot deep of hole and fill it with water. The soil has good drainage if it drains within four hours. But if it takes more than that such as 12 hours or more, consider choosing another place.
   
3. The other information that you can find on the nursery tag is the soil pH requirements. You can determine the acidity of the soil before planting by using a soil pH testing kit. You will have to amend it with either lime or peat moss if your soil pH is off after you break it up with a pitchfork.
   
4. Measure the nursery container or the burlap with a tape measure that is protecting the root ball. Dig a hole that matches the height of the container. Then, dig the hole twice the width of the container.
   
5. Replace the tree from the nursery container. If the tree has a root ball wrapped with burlap, remove the metal basketry with a pair of wire cutter. Untie the burlap at the top of the root ball. Peel the burlap down just far enough to expose the root flare.
   
6. Place the root ball gently in the hole, dead center and backfill it halfway. Add enough water with a garden hose to moisten the soil and secure the root ball. Continue backfilling up to the root flare. Tamp down the soil with your hands or foot to remove any air pockets. Water the tree liberally and provide with approximately 1 inch of water per week.

Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5912613_plant-tree-root-ball.html

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snokite/2820103573/

Dealing a plant with root ball is a post from: DIY Guides

Having a safe and clean water cistern is very important. To ensure that you have a guaranteed source of safe and drinkable water that flows from your water cistern tank, you should take the time to clean it every 5 years or so. This can be done on your own, without the need of experts’ help. Cleaning your water cistern tank is also important to ensure a longer life span.

What are water cisterns?

Rainwater harvesting is a very simple way of conserving nature’s most precious resource. You do not necessarily need big and expensive equipment to do so. All you need is some creativity. Back then, when there were no main pipes to bring water into the house, people relied on natural sources for water. These sources consisted of rainwater, wells as well as streams and rivers. Out of all these sources, rainwater remains easily available for harvesting anywhere in the world. Basically, a rainwater cistern does exactly what its name says; it collects rainwater in the cistern to be used for birdbaths, watering plants, drinking, and other daily usages. In a rainy climate, installing a rainwater cistern might provide you with independence from your normal tap water supply that flow from the treatment plants. This is why your water cistern tanks should be clean for you.

1. Whether it’s a newly installed tank or one that’s been there for a couple of ages, you should always clean it thoroughly. To do so, drain out all the water first. By doing so, not only are you getting rid of old water, you will also be able to step into the tank to clean the insides.
2. Once the tank is empty, use a broom and brush to scrub the inside walls and floor of the tank to get rid of sediment and excess dirt.
3. Next, mix a quarter cup of bleach with 10 gallons of water. Use this mixture to scrub the walls of the tank. This will get rid of the more stubborn dirt from the inside surfaces. For safety purposes, make sure that your tank has good air ventilation for the bleach fumes to escape as it can be harmful when trapped inside the tank. The next step is to rinse off the bleach. To do this, use a hose to spray down all the inner surfaces of the tank. Once the tank no longer smells of bleach, it is thoroughly cleaned.

Additional Reading:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/7-tips-for-cleaning-and-sanitizing-water-cistern-tanks

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/omaromar/617273965/

Cleaning your Water Cistern Tanks is a post from: DIY Guides

A rainwater cistern is what used to be used back then in those days when there were no modern technology and pipes didn’t even exist. Back then, when there were no main pipes to bring water into the house, people relied on natural sources for water. These sources consisted of rainwater, wells as well as streams and rivers. Out of all these sources, rainwater remains easily available for harvesting anywhere in the world. However, before you start putting out buckets and waiting for rain to fill them up, there are some things that you will need to consider. Basically, a rainwater cistern does exactly what its name says; it collects rainwater in the cistern to be used for birdbaths, watering plants, drinking, and other daily usages. In a rainy climate, installing a rainwater cistern might provide you with independence from your normal tap water supply that flow from the treatment plants.

1. Purchase a cistern

   To be able to collect rainwater, you will first need a container for it to fall into. You can purchase ready made cisterns from local hardware stores. Today, you can have your cistern made out of wood, clay, or even metal to suit your home and the climate you live in.

2. Install the cistern

   If you have purchased a ready made cistern, chances are that the people at the hardware store would be willing to help you install it, especially if it is too big for you to carry by yourself. Just make sure that you have the plan of your house figured out before you call them in as you would want to optimize the amount of rainwater you can catch, as well as ensure that it is not in a place that gets heated up easily.

3. Empty collected rainwater

   If your cistern does not come with a connected pipe, you will have to empty it out manually. Alternatively, you can also have your cistern connected to the water pipes in your home as your primary supply of water.

To have a rainwater cistern really works for the environment and look on the bright side, water won’t go to waste easily or for nothing.

Additional Reading:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-collect-water-using-a-rainwater-cistern

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabliaux/404828004/

Collecting Water Using a Rainwater Cistern is a post from: DIY Guides