All about Home

If you drink a lot of coffee, you probably have quite a few metal coffee cans on hand. With just a little effort, you can make a useful and pretty handmade gift for your friends and family.

First, wash out your can and peel off any labels. Next, apply a coat of metal primer to your can. Let the primer dry thoroughly. Then, apply a coat of bright acrylic paint to the can.

Once your can is painted, you can decorate it. I like to apply crackle medium and then add a top coat of color. This effect is beautiful if you paint a deep blue undercoat and a rich red overcoat on your can.

You may want to rubberstamp bugs or garden tools onto the can instead. To do this, use stamps that are flexible so that you can stamp onto the curved surface of the can. You can apply a light coat of acrylic paint to the stamp and then press the stamp onto the can, carefully rolling the stamp so that the whole image is stamped onto the can. If you mess up, don’t worry. You can wipe the stamped image off the can and start over.

Another great decorative technique for decorating cans is decoupage. Use empty seed packets with pretty artwork or cut pictures from magazines and decoupage them to the can in an attractive pattern.

Once your can is decorated, apply a coat of sealer to the finished product. If you will use the can outside, you may want to let this coat dry and apply a second coat of sealer.

Now, you are ready to prepare your can for planting. Turn the can upside down. Use a 3 inch nail and a hammer to poke drainage holes in the bottom of the can. Turn your can over and fill it to just an inch below the rim with good potting soil.

Next it is time for you to decide which herbs you will be planting in your can. Chives, basil, oregano, thyme and parsley all are great choices. Of course, you can also put a lovely scented geranium in the can, instead.

As a finishing touch, add a tag with information about caring for the herb and a few great recipes. It is easy to attach the tag with a simple florist pick.

Finally, consider other ideas for your coffee can. For instance, instead of adding potting soil and an herb, add a garden trowel, gardening gloves, a packet of seeds, a box of tea and a package of tea biscuits for do it yourselfers.

You have always been envious of your neighbors’ spruced up garden by the yard. Flowers and lush shrubs abound in their tiny nook of paradise. You ask yourself why you never get to have that kind of garden. And, you usually dismiss such wondering with lines like “I don’t have a green thumb!” or “I can’t afford a gardener or a professional landscaper,” which are both lame alibis.

If you want your yard to look regal with a simple but well-maintained garden, you only need two things – determination and the know-how of such an endeavor. Psyche yourself to muster such will that would consequently urge you to look for sources of information on how to go about it.

For your own gardening happiness, here’s a rundown of tips on how to make your gardening by the yard endeavor a very rewarding one.

1. Deadheading

One good rule of the green thumb is to keep your border free from wilted flowers and dried leaves. Deadheading or removing dead flowers’ heads will promote the blooming of your plants. Some perennials such as phlox, daylily, and Lady’s Mantle get their growth jumpstarted by deadheading.

2. Prune selectively

It is a must to shorten the size of your annuals through selective pruning. This will help the plants to grow more.

3. Pinch out tops.

Certain plants respond when their tops get pinched out. Such plants include Coleus (a foliage plant) and herbs.

4. Fertilize lightly.

A minimal amount of fertilizer will further boost the growth of your vegetation. If you water your yard frequently, you have to fertilize it more regularly because of nutrient depletion.

5. Weed out.

This is one of the best ways to preserve the beauty of your garden by the yard. Moreover, removing weeds also provide better absorption of the soil’s nutrients. If you can’t help but use herbicide, do this safely and make sure that other plants don’t get affected.

6. Water them well

One good tip when it comes to watering your garden by the yard is to do it for shorter periods of time, more often. It will do well if you increase your frequency of watering a bit come summer time. But doubling the time you water your plants will do more harm than good, e.g. erosion.

7. Say no to chemicals

Chemical is just as bad to plants as it is with humans. So better avoid using it as a pesticide. Physical pest controls or other alternatives are better options.

With these simple tips, soon enough you won’t have to go green with envy with your neighbor’s spectacular garden by the yard.

Home gardening is a wonderful pastime that the whole family can enjoy.  In addition, gardening has become an increasingly popular hobby for people of all ages.  Currently, studies show that in the United States, eight of ten households take part in some type of home gardening endeavor.  Based on these statistics, gardening is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the nation.

Typically, when people start planting their garden, they start with flowers.  In addition, most people will pursue planting roses.  The novice garden does not realize that roses usually take the most time and effort as compared to other flowers.  With such an enormous array of flowers to choose from, it is best for the novice to start of with easy care plants and flowers.

Vegetable gardens have become quite popular too.  A vegetable garden can bring a sense of pride and accomplishment when you place those fresh vegetables on your dinner table.  The list of vegetable plants is endless, therefore when planning your vegetable garden choose the right vegetable for your growing climate.  For instance, cool weather crops would be green beans, zucchini, and cucumbers.

Many gardeners will consider planting fruits as well.  In a warm climate, you could plant watermelons, and trees such as apricots and peaches.  A berry garden is also fun, planting strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.  These types of berry gardens are easy to care for and take less space than a traditional vegetable garden.

Herbs are another favorite for the home garden.  If you have limited space, you can grow your herbs indoors in a sunny window.  The most often used herbs for cooking are basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and cilantro.  These herbs are easy to grow too.

Landscaping your yard is another form of gardening.  There are different types of grasses and shrubbery to decorate your yard.  Decorative rocks, ponds, and statues are also included as a form of landscape gardening.  Landscaping your yard is not limited to plant life.  As with a garden, your lawn and shrubbery need upkeep.

As mentioned earlier, gardening can be fun and educational for the whole family.  In addition, what a delight to see the flowers bloom and harvest the vegetables.  However, as with anything else, to be a successful home gardener takes work.  Plants need to be weeded and watered.  Do not get discouraged if the flowers are not as brilliant as expected or the beans did not do so well.  Research the plant in question and then try again next planting season, eventually you will have a wonderful garden.

Herbs have been around since time immemorial. Ever since, herbs have served different kinds of purposes. Herbs have been used to treat illness and also in cooking. They were even believed to have magical charms. Do you want to have your own herb garden? Here are a few ideas on how to establish an herb garden.

Plan you garden.

Consider the herbs you want to plant. Think about their types. Would you like annuals, biennials or perennials?

How much space will they occupy in your garden? If you want, you can purchase a book that can give you the right information on what specific plants you are planning to grow.

List or draw your garden on paper first. Separate the annuals from the perennials so when the time comes that you have to pull out the annuals, you won’t be disturbing the perennials. Perennials can be planted on the edge of your garden so when it is time to till your garden; you won’t have a hard time.

Another thing to remember is that you have to plant the tall ones at the back and the shorter ones in front. Also, provide your plants with enough space to grow. Proper position shall help you in this area.

Some Design Ideas

You can consider having a square herb bed. You can have your square bed divided into four by two paths crossing at mid point measuring 3 feet. You can border it with stone or brick. A wooden ladder may also do the trick. You can lay it down on your garden and plant your herbs between its rungs. You can also choose to have a wagon wheel bed. Planting here is like planting with the wooden ladders. Plant your herbs in between the wagon wheel’s wedges.

Get Your Plants Growing

Of course, different plants have different needs. This is the reason why you have to determine the herbs you want to plant in the planning stage. This can more or less help you find out how you should care for your plants. With starting seeds, remember its germination and soil temperature rules. If you see the seedlings sprouting, check the plants’ air circulation, humidity and sunlight. When you see some leaves appear, allow proper spacing.

One of the plants that are easy to grow are herbs. You just have to provide them with an effective drainage, sunlight, enough humidity or moisture and fertile soil. Even with just minimally meeting these requirements they will be bound produce a good harvest.