Many people grow houseplants in the winter months as a way to brighten the home and to keep the feel of gardening alive.

In my home houseplants are difficult to grow and I have had many people ask questions so here is a you tube about houseplants and a few varieties that are very hardy. And the plant selections are plants that add color to a home and in the winter that is important.

What I like about the selection of plants they talk about on this video is the selection of plants for high lighting in a room, medium lighting and low lighting.

In NW PA you tend to have more medium to low light in the winter unless you have a sunroom. And many renters and urban home have lower lighting conditions so this you tube and the mist below may help you select medium to low light plants for your home.

Medium light House plants

• Ficus
• Rex Begonias

Low Light House plants

• Philodendrons
• Peperomias

Ferns and pothos are also popular and easy to care for  houseplants for medium low light or low light conditions.

House plants are fun, great for the indoor environment and will keep the indoor gardener somewhat occupied while waiting for better weather.

Technorati Tags: indoor houseplants, indoor plants, lighting for plants, low light plants

Going green, or helping the environment out by using few chemicals in gardening is a growing trend. One way to help nature is to cut back on yard and garden chemicals by using natural insecticides.

photo credit: James Jordan

People are either for or against the use of natural insecticides.  These decisions are often decided by circumstances.  How advanced is the insect infestation?  What are you allergic to?  What will harm your plants?  What will be safe to use around your children pets or livestock?  What is available and accessible to you and how fast can you get it?  Do you need to use more than one method of control and removal? And with today’s economy, what is cost effective?

To get the most benefit from natural insecticides, you’ll need to understand the best way to use them.  What will work best for the type of insect you’re trying to control? But even with natural mixes you need to be careful what you mix.  Certain combinations of substances are unsafe or toxic.

One of the biggest benefits of a natural insecticide is that it comes from nature in some form.  That doesn’t mean it’s problem-free.  It just means you’re benefiting the environment by using a safer product that is not full of toxic chemicals.

An example is liquid garlic. Garlic is a natural plant that is grown around the world.  It can be used to keep insects off garden or farm plants. Mix with water and a dash of dish soap and this easy solution will ward off many insects.

Another example is boric acid.  Boric acid is defined as a white crystalline weak acid that contains boron.  Boron is a mineral substance, and minerals are of the earth.

If you use things made with what the earth provides, you benefit and so does the earth, animals and humans.  Natural insecticides are not always the quickest way to solve your insect problem.  And it’s not always less harmful.  That’s why education on your choices is a must.

On-line sites will help you with natural insect mixes and green gardening techniques.  And you will find additional information at your local library or gardening books.

I have used natural insect control for many years. I have noticed the longer I use natural insecticides the less insects I seem to have and the healthier my overall yard is.

Technorati Tags: gardening, going green, natural insecticides, natural pesticide mixes

A good-size beginner vegetable garden is 10×16 feet; this is a easy to mange size garden that will still produce plenty of vegetables. You can plant in the normal vegetable garden style, in the ground or you can opt for raised beds or square foot garden techniques.

photo credit: thebittenword.com

A plot this size, planted with the vegetables below, can feed a family of four for one summer. There will also be a little extra for canning and freezing or giving away.

There are vegetables that may yield more than one crop per season. These are beans, beets, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, rutabagas, spinach and turnips. For the plan below, your rows or raised beds should run north and south to take full advantage of the sun.

Garden plan

Make your garden 11 rows of 10 feet each or use 2 to 3 raised beds. Plant the following vegetables:

Tomatoes — 5 plants staked

Zucchini squash — 4 plants or two of zucchini and tow other squash varieties

Peppers — 6 plants

Cabbage

Bush beans

Beets

Carrots

Chard

Lettuce, leaf, Bibb or a mix variety

Radish

Grow marigolds to discourage rabbits and some insect varieties! Geraniums also discourage some insects and any flower adds beauty to a garden.

Leave 2 feet between bush beans, 1/2 foot between bush beans and lettuce, and 1 foot between all of the rest.

This is a simple easy garden plan. As you garden you can add new vegetables, get rid of others and experiment with different styles of gardening.

I started out using rows, went to square foot gardening to make better use of my space,

Note: If this garden is too large for your needs, you do not have to plant all 11 rows. You can also make the rows shorter. You can choose the veggies that you’d like to grow or add more flowers!

Tip: Radishes planted by the base of a squash plant will deter squash bugs. Radishes also mature quickly so only plants a few seeds at a time.

If you’re interested in planting potatoes, tomatoes and potatoes are not ideal companions and need “distance.” I myself plant them in barrels or bushel baskets so that I can just dump the crop at the end of the season for easy harvesting.

And for the beginning gardener. Read the instructions on the back of the seed packet. It will let you know how long the crop takes to mature, proper spacing and it will help you determine if you can grow two crops in a season.

Technorati Tags: beginning gardener garden plan, easy garden plan, garden plan, small garden, vegetables