One glance through a gardening magazine, and we are showered with images of pristine gardens, beautifully appointed with hundreds of varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs. While many of us aspire to have yards as beautiful as those in a magazine, few of us have the time or resources to achieve such perfection. However, with a little work and some good planning, even those of us with the blackest of thumbs will feel good about our efforts in the garden. When reviewing your outdoor space, try to identify those areas that you're not very happy with. What do you want to change about them?...

In the long, hot days of July and August, there is nothing quite as refreshing as a cool slice of watermelon. It is a summertime treat enjoyed by young and old alike. Watermelons are an ancient fruit whose culture is believed to date back to almost prehistoric times in the Mediterranean and northern Africa. Today, the watermelon remains a favorite crop among home gardeners. While watermelons are not a particularly difficult fruit to grow, there are some basics that every gardener should know in order to produce their best possible watermelon crop. Watermelons are a fruit that require ...

Watermelons are delicious, heat-loving annual fruits that adore warm climates. This makes it very easy to grow watermelons in tropical countries. However, you can also plant watermelons in cooler locations. Just choose the short-season types and do all you can to protect them from chilly temperatures. Materials you’ll need to grow watermelons include fertilizers, compost makers, floating row covers, garden trowels and garden hoses as well as plants, mulch, shovels and seeds. Step 1 – Select a location with full sunlight. It should also be sheltered from chilly winds, particularly in...

There are hundreds of thousands of plants on earth. Many of them we have as landscaping or in the house for dcor. What many people don't know is that the most beautiful plant can be poisonous for your dog. Like the stunning lilies many of us get at Easter or the aloe Vera plant we use for burns. These plants are poison for your dog. Ferns, avocado and ivy are also poisonous. Your dog may never touch any of these plants or he/she may simply take a sniff and move on. Puppies are typically the worst offenders when it comes to eating house plants. They eat nearly anything and ever...

Using plants indoors has always been a choice for many people. And artificial plants make it easy for people to give the atmosphere a very different look. There are many reasons why you can use artificial plants, as compared to fresh plants. There are many advantages and the use is very easy as well. A good variety of artificial plants is available in the market today. Most of these plants are designed based on some influence from fresh plants. They give them a more natural look, and also make them more attractive. When you pick artificial plants, there will be no restrictions to the size...

Think about it, have you ever seen a fat vegetarian? Probably not. In fact, for most of us, vegetarian is almost synonymous with lean and healthy, isn't it? And when you start any diet, what's the first thing the experts tell you? Generally it's to increase the amounts of vegetables you're eating and to eat limited amounts of meat, especially high-fat red meat and pork. And what happens when you resume your old eating habits? Generally the weight will come right back on. Even the greatest will-power can't overcome the unhealthy effects of eating high-fat meat. When you eat a diet t...

Excited, thats how you felt when you saw that space in your backyard. Don't go out and buy garden plants yet! Your garden will be a disaster unless you doing some basic planning. What kind of soil do you have? How big of an area? What type of the garden do you really want.Think it over. Before buying plants you should be attentive of where are you going to place the plants in the garden - shade-loving plants for the sheltered areas, sun-lovers for the warm spots, drought-resistant plants for the parched areas which may be either sunny or shaded, and swamp plants for t...

Fats are an essential part of any well-balanced diet, including a vegetarian diet. Fats are made of smaller units - called fatty acids. These fatty acids may be saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Saturated and monounsaturated fats are not necessary in a vegetarian diet as they can be made in the human body. However, two polyunsaturated fatty acids - linoleic acid (omega 6) and linolenic acid (omega 3) - cannot be manufactured by the body and must be provided in the diet. Fortunately, they are widely available in vegetarian/vegan plant foods. Evidence is increasing that omega ...

Summertime and watering Too much of a good thing can lead to fungus. During the summer months, we notice that the number of gardeners who call us concerned that their plants have fungus increases significantly. One of the first things we ask is, "What time are you watering your plants and how frequently are you watering?" We also ask if it has been unusually rainy or humid. Fungi need water to grow. It is a big problem during the summer months because people tend to overcompensate for the heat by over watering their plants. The longer your plants stay wet, the more invit...

Indianapolis is the well-known capital of the U.S., which is the state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. The 2000 Census report tells that the city's population is around 781,870. It is Indiana's most crowded city and is the 13th largest city in the U.S., the 3rd largest city in the Midwest, and the second most densely inhabited Capital in the U.S at the back of Phoenix, Arizona. Indianapolis is also known as Rust Belt city, due in part to an aggressive downtown renewal campaign. The 1960s saw a shift in the economic base of the city that is also one of the reaso...