Articles by Mark Spencer on ArticleSnatch.com

Spring Weed Control

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:29:47 -0500

Weeds are remarkable plants that will quickly colonise any bare patch of soil. As soon as the weed seeds start to germinate during the first mild spell of the season it is time to act fast. As the weather starts to warm up annual weeds quickly germinate and colonise bare ground, while existing and new perennial weeds will also start into growth. Weeds not only compete with your chosen garden plants for any available food and water, but they also provide shelter for a number of garden pests and diseases. If you can remove perennial weeds now it will save you hours of work later in the season. Dig out any perennial weeds making sure to remove all the roots. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]> growhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and spring weed control visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Spring Bulbs

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:26:05 -0500

The green shoots of spring bulbs forcing their way through the garden soil in February are a welcome sight. For not only do they foretell the arrival of spring, but their colourful flowers brighten the garden and lift our spirits. Experienced gardeners know how to create a succession of bulbs flowering from January right through to early summer by planting a variety of different types. It’s not a complicated skill to learn and simply relies on considering the normal flowering time of the bulbs and arranging them as you plant them, to create bursts of colour throughout the season. Among the earliest flowers to appear in early spring will be the snowdrops, followed on by dwarf irises, crocus, early daffodils and grape hyacinths, until the crescendo of spring is reached with wonderful, late flowering tulips dancing flamboyantly in the breeze. Most spring flowering bulbs are planted in the autumn for the best results, but that doesn’t mean that you have missed out. Take a trip to your local nursery and garden centre in spring, where you will find pots of flowering bulbs for sale. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and shoots of spring bulbs forcing their way through the garden soil in February visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Reliable spring colour

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:45:50 -0500

When the flower buds of spring bulbs start to swell and take on colour it won’t be long before the whole display is in full swing and the drama of the flower border will unfold. Even if you don’t plant your spring flowering bulbs in the autumn you can still catch up by buying ready grown pots of bulbs at the garden centre. You don’t need many to make a great impact and you can plant them all around the garden to add instant colour to pots, beds and borders. Pay a visit to the garden centre now and choose a few plants to transform a garden planter or window box. Planting a container is a quick and easy weekend project that will bring weeks of enjoyment. Choose containers that complement each other and plant up some of them with spring flowering bulbs for a stunning spring display but complement these with a collection of shrubs and evergreen plants that will add further colour interest and texture. Add another dimension to your spring garden by choosing fragrant plants. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and Reliable spring colour http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Lawn Care â Early Spring

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:44:16 -0500

After a difficult winter the effects of the weather will have taken their toll on most garden lawns. The weight of the snow and the very heavy rainfall will have helped compact many lawns, making them slow to drain and leaving the grass roots prone to rotting and water damage. You can aerate a compacted lawn in spring, you may need to wait until March or April if the weather is still bad, but don’t leave it too late. Aeration helps to opening up the structure of the soil and improves the drainage around the grass roots to encourage healthy growth. Use a hollow tine aerator to remove plugs of soil and fill the holes with a good lawn dressing. When the lawn looks good it transforms the whole garden. Treat it to some tender loving care as soon as possible to help rejuvenate the grass plants that make up the lawn and help them to perform to their full potential. As the weather warms up your lawn will start to grow more rapidly. Don’t be tempted to cut it if the soil is very wet or there is frost or snow on the ground. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and lawn care in early spring http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Greenhouse Heaters

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:26:05 -0500

If you want to keep your greenhouse at the ideal temperature for overwintering most frost sensitive plants, a minimum temperature of 7C (45F), you need to heat it during the coldest part of the year (autumn and winter). Many gardeners never heat their greenhouse, citing ecological and environmental reasons for their choice. But if you don’t heat it at all and rely on the heat of the sun to warm the glass, your greenhouse will only protect your plants from the weather such as wind and rain and will not necessarily protect anything that is not hardy. To heat a greenhouse you need fuel or electricity. If your glasshouse has no power supply then you will need to rely on paraffin, oil or gas heaters. These types of heaters must be checked regularly to ensure that they have not run out of fuel and are burning evenly. Electrical heaters are much cleaner and fume free to use and can be fitted to a timer and a thermostat to ensure that the minimum amount of energy is used. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouse]]> greenhouses]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and Greenhouse Heaters visit http://growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

In The Garden

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:55:32 -0500

December Planting - Many trees and shrubs are dormant now and so it’s a good time to plant them as they less likely to be stressed during the process. As a general rule, never plant if the soil is frozen or waterlogged as this will be very difficult to do and will subsequently cause untold damage to the roots. Always use a quality planting compost and mix this into the soil in the before planting. Take a look around the winter garden and locate areas that are bare of interest and colour. There are many shrubs that perform during the depths of winter that can be planted now. For plenty of ideas visit your local garden centre or plant nursery where you will find displays of seasonal plants that are looking great now. Depending on your space you can simply buy some winter bedding plants, a dogwood for coloured winter stems or a tree with amazing winter bark. For instant colour and interest, plant up a container or two of winter bedding and small colourful plants to bring some drama to the patio and garden. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]> greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Livestock in the Garden

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:17:41 -0500

Garden Hens Some gardeners will tell you that you can’t have a nice garden and keep hens. That is a matter of opinion. Don’t be fooled, hens can be hard work, they can be very messy and they do scratch around the beds and borders, but provided you have a fairly large garden and are sensible about where they can forage, you really can garden and keep hens. For gardeners there are plenty of benefits in keeping hens. Their droppings are very rich in nutrients; much too rich to use neat, but you can add them to the compost heap to enrich your home compost beautifully. If you use a dust free sawdust for bedding, then the soiled bedding can be composted down to create a wonderful, nutrient rich sol conditioner. If your garden is pristine then you can still allow the hens out in the autumn, winter and early spring when they will rummage around the garden feeding on bugs, slug eggs and other garden nasties. A couple of hens or a trio can be controlled and directed to particular areas where they won’t do too much damage. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]> greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about Greenhouses and Livestock in the Garden visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Sprouting Seeds

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:52:55 -0500

In the midst of winter fresh shoots are very valuable. Don’t always assume that everything you grow needs to be in the garden or the greenhouse. There is another easy way to supplement your diet with homegrown produce early in the season; you can sprout seeds. Many of the seed companies now supply special, untreated seeds for sprouting all year round. Sprouting seeds are so full of vitamins, antioxidants and vitality that they almost ooze a halo of health and vigour. When you think that every seed contains essential nutrients and enzymes to germinate and grow until the plant can produce it’s own food, then of course they will be full of goodness. You can’t get much fresher than your own home sprouted seeds and it is so easy to do, you literally just add water. Plus you can be assured that they were nurtured and grown in the very best conditions and didn’t feel a thing before you munched on your lunch. You can sprout seeds indoors for tasty stir-fries, lively sandwiches or colourful and healthy garnishes for homemade cuisine. Sprouting seeds can be grown all year round but are particularly useful over the winter months. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]> greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about Greenhouses and sprouting seeds visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Using your produce

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:06:47 -0500

Apples and apple cake Autumn harvest is a wonderful time in the garden, but sometimes there are gluts of produce that have to be used up and gardeners become very versatile and very creative, dreaming up recipes and sometimes quite weird and wonderful ways of using up an abundance of one type of fruit or vegetable. In days gone by things that couldn’t be stored would be pickled, bottled or made into jams and chutneys. Since the invention of the deep freeze householders have been able to prepare and freeze a wide variety of fruit and veg but really there’s nothing like using it fresh and tasting its real flavour. I love it in the spring when I can create a whole meal from garden produce. There’s something very satisfying about using your homegrown produce to feed your family. When you grow something and harvest it to eat you are so much more aware of the time, effort, energy and even the money that has been invested into that crop. As a result every morsel and mouthful has even more inherent value. **End Summary** Topics: greenhouses]]> greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about Greenhouses and using your produce from your greenhouse visit http://growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Coldframes Vs Greenhouses

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:17:19 -0500

A lot of people when they are looking to obtain a greenhouse actually do not understand one crucial part. They automatically assume that since they are obtaining a greenhouse that it has the capabilities to grow plants within its walls. Any structure that is retorted as being a greenhouse is able to house many different plant times and does not have any regards for the environment outside of the dwelling. In fact, people opt to obtain a greenhouse simply because any adverse weather conditions that their plants could face being outside are eliminated. Plants that are grown in a greenhouse are normally referred to as being grown in a controlled environment. Greenhouses are known as controlled environments because you actually control the temperature within the glass house. One thing that many people do not know concerning greenhouses is that many of the plant growing dwellings that are sold on the market are actually not greenhouses. The structures are actually known as cold frames. Cold frames differ from greenhouses in a lot more respects than many people even know. Being able to tell the difference between a cold frame and a greenhouse is crucial to your growing plants survival rate. **End Summary** Topics: Greenhouses]]> Greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouse and Coldframes Vs greenhouses visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Tips on how to make the most of your greenhouse

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:11:21 -0500

A greenhouse gives you a haven in which you can grow different plants regardless of the time of year it is. Greenhouses are avidly used all around the world, and provide many gardeners with a carefree gardening experience. In many respects, since plants are kept safe under the protection of the greenhouse, many of the qualms that people complain about when it comes to environmental conditions are completely eliminated. This is one of the many reasons why so many people seek a greenhouse for their homes. But are you getting everything that you should be getting out the greenhouse that you have nestled in your backyard? Believe it or not, there are many different products that are presently available that ensure you are getting all that you can get out of your greenhouse structures. A product that has been able to make growing plants in greenhouses so incredibly easy and care free are electronic, or automatic water sprayers. There are sprayers that you can set to water your plants a certain number of times and at a specific time throughout the day. We have all seen these automatic sprayers in different locations. **End Summary** Topics: Greenhouses]]> Greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and Tips on how to make the most of your greenhouse visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Gardening in a mini greenhouse gives you the same advantages as a larger one

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:35:25 -0500

When you hear someone mention the word greenhouse, what is the first thing that comes to mind? A lot of people whenever they hear the term greenhouse think of a large glass structure that houses a variety of different plants inside of it. The size of a greenhouse and what people believe it should be is actually a common misconception of what the structure truly is. Greenhouses actually come in many different sizes and in many different shapes as well. In fact, one thing that is growing excessively popular is the amount of people that are actually opting to commence gardening in a mini greenhouse. The main difference between a regular greenhouse that you are probably used to and a mini greenhouse, is the fact that a mini greenhouse is simply smaller in size. You can still utilize the mini greenhouse in the same essence that you use a larger stature one. In fact, a lot of people are actually drawn to mini greenhouses because most of them are actually made to be portable. **End Summary** Topics: Greenhouses]]> Greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and advantages of Gardening in a mini greenhouse same as a larger one visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

Do you find yourself questioning what to grow in your greenhouse?

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:48:37 -0500

So, you have already finished setting up your greenhouse structure, and everything looks great. There is only one last thing that you are required to decide upon, and that is what you are going to grow inside the dwelling. There are a lot of people that find themselves in your same predicament, simply because there are so many different things that you can grow and harvest inside of these glass encasings. The main purpose of a greenhouse is to provide protection from any outside ailments that could end up ruining your plants. People naturally use their greenhouses in order to be able to grow different plants in regardless of the growing season that it may be. Some of the most popular things that people grow inside of these glass encasings are fruits, vegetables and flowers. If you have a particular fruit or vegetable that you would like to eat all year from your backyard garden then a greenhouse would fit your desire nicely. By far, the most popular vegetables to be grown inside the glass dwelling are tomatoes and cucumbers. **End Summary** Topics: Greenhouses]]> Greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouses and questions on what to grow in your greenhouse visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

what is the difference between planthouses and greenhouses

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:13:27 -0500

Greenhouses have actually been referred to by many different names in the past. In fact, you may have heard them called a plethora of different things such as open shelters or even planthouses. Many people often get confused because there are so many different things that you can actually call these dwellings. However, the difference between greenhouses and planthouses is there is no difference. People, call greenhouses planthouses because it is a location where plants can be grown and harvested within. The houses allow you the opportunity to block your plants off from any adverse weather conditions, as well as the opportunity to grow plants that are out of season. This glaze will help detour some of the radiation that is coming down off the sun. Too much sun as well as not enough sun can actually be fatal to the plants that are harbored inside of the dwelling. People obtain greenhouses for many different reasons. However, the most common reason is because they are looking for a safe haven where they can grow their plants and assure that they do not get disturbed by any harsh. A greenhouse is a controlled environment for your plants. **End Summary** Topics: Greenhouses]]> Greenhouse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To know more about greenhouse and difference between planthouses and greenhouses visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php