A great way to jump-start your garden and save money is to start your plants indoor before planting season. You will also be sure of the conditions the plants were grown in, unlike plants bought in stores. There are a few tricks to know to make your seedlings thrive.

To start, you must choose appropriate containers for your seedlings. The best ones to use are wood pulp pots or peat pellets. It’s less trouble for you and healthier on the seedlings, since you can plant them directly in the ground. But you can use any small containers, like egg boxes or yogurt containers. Just make sure there are holes at the bottom for drainage.

You must also fill the pots with appropriate soil. Any well-drained soil will do, but it is best to use sterilized, store-bought soil instead of soil from outside. This way, you can be sure it doesn’t contain any fungus or illness which could be dangerous for young plants. And you do not want to bring all the insects and worms from outside into your house!

You can now plant your seeds in the containers. Follow the instructions on the seed packages for depth. You do not need to put many seeds in a pot. Just a few will do.

You should now water your seeds. When you are done, cover the pots to conserve moisture and place them in a hot place. Keep them out of direct sunlight. They do not need any sunlight at this stage anyway, but keep an eye out to make sure they have enough water.

Once the seeds have germinated, they will need more sunlight. Move them to the brightest spot you can find, preferably a south-facing window. You will have to be even more careful now and water them often, since small pots cannot hold a lot of water. Also, the seedlings are fragile at this stage, so do not drown them or cause them to break by watering too fast.

If the seedlings get too big for their pots before planting season, you can move them to bigger pots to make sure they stay healthy and strong.

When you have a week or so to go before moving them to your garden, bring them outside during the day to harden them. Do not put them in direct sunlight at first and bring them back inside during the night.

And finally, when your plants have grown enough (with at least four leaves) and the weather is warm enough, you can move them to your garden.

If you did not plant them in pellets or wood pulp pots, you will need to remove them from their pot with a blunt tool, like a table knife, while you support the plant with your fingers. Dig a hole slightly deeper than the height of the pot, lower the plant in the hole and firm the soil gently around the stem. Water them carefully and your garden is ready to go!

This article was brought to you by Ian Williamson of Gardening articles at http://www.real-articles.com/Category/Gardening/92.

Indoors or out, you’ll find miniature roses very easy to grow. These little guys sometimes get overlooked because they give off little fragrance, yet they can be the perfect visual accent to any home or garden.

Compared to their full-sized cousins, miniature roses are practically maintenance-free. Just give them a "bath" once a week, and they’ll last forever.

Small is Comparative

A common misconception about miniature roses is they will make ideal houseplants. Before moving them indoors, realize that miniature roses can grow up to 4 feet in height. This large houseplant will need a very generous source of light. The micro-mini roses, however, only grow to about 5 inches tall and are just as easy to maintain.

If you’re determined to have miniature roses indoors, there are several tips that will make caring for them easier.

Planting Indoors

Place your plant in direct sunlight. They flourish in the sunniest windows of your home. If the stems appear to stretch out, leaving wide gaps between the leaves, your rose is not getting enough light. Either move the plant to a new location or provide supplemental light.

Make sure to bathe your plant weekly. Spraying will reduce the risk of a spider-mite attack. Gently mist the tops and undersides of the leaves. The spray also removes dust.

Make sure that your plant looks comfortable in its pot. If the pot is too small, the plant will be cramped. If too large, your roses will be reluctant to grow.

Planting Outdoors

Outdoors, most miniature roses bloom from spring until the winter. If covered with mulch, it will have a good chance of surviving frost and cold winters. You can plant your roses directly into the ground, a hanging basket, or in an 8 to 10 inch pot. Make sure your plant isn’t shaded by large trees or anything that will cast a shadow. These little plants love direct sunlight.

If you choose to plant your roses directly into the ground, dig a hole about 1 foot in depth and diameter. Take your rose out of its pot and gently untangle any loose roots. Place the roots down into the hole. Refill the hole with loose soil, so that your miniature roses are level with the top of the ground. Water your plant thoroughly. These same rules apply to potting your plant.

Water Faithfully

Don’t let the soil dry out. The first 3 weeks are crucial to any plant’s health. Water every day for those 3 weeks. These roses do enjoy their water! After the 3-week period is over, your goal is to just keep their soil moist. Check the soil daily — If it feels dry, give it a little water.

Miniature roses will look great in your living room, along the edges of your flower beds, or anywhere your home or garden needs a little burst of color.

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit http://www.grow-roses-now.com to learn more about this fascinating hobby.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

March ushers in spring. Well, for most of us it does. Crocus begin to bloom, spring rains wash away winter crud and put that certain smell in the air. Robins and Redwing Blackbirds return to Michigan.Keeping the feeders cleaned and filled becomes more frequent as activity increases in my yard.

I feed and enjoy my birds year round and feeding in spring is just as important if not more so then winter feeding. By the time spring arrives most of nature’s offerings have been eaten. Yes, seeds, fruits, nuts,dead bugs and bug eggs are pretty much gone. With habitat disappearing everyday, we play a bigger role each year in helping our feathered friends.

Migrants are coming and going now and the influx of birds keeps my Michigan yard hopping. Returning birds are hungry and weary. By offering food and fresh water you may get a strange visitor like a warbler or two.Some birds like a Rose-breasted Grosbeak may like your habitat and offerings. He’ll find a mate and stay the summer with you.

Spring brings mating season. Mating season is a high energy time of year. Chasing off would be territory grabbers and courtship takes time and energy. I like to think I helped along with the romance when I see Mr. Cardinal giving Mrs. Cardinal one of my sunflower seeds. (I’m just an old softy).

Take a look at the time and energy it takes to build a nest. What about egg laying, incubating, brooding and feeding all those hungry mouths.Is there a price tag on the entertainment value birds give us? I get a big charge out of watching parents feeding fledglings. By offering food, water and habitat, I’m helping to insure the next generation of avian friends.

Sure, some of my friends come and go with the seasons while others stay year round. By offering quality food, fresh water, protection and a place to raise a family I will continue to have birds year round. For me, that is priceless.

Many birds have different likes and dislikes, but you can’t go wrong with black oil sunflower seed. Oilers are by far the most wanted seed we can offer to attract the widest range of birds in your area. A bonus with oilers is this…. European Starlings can’t crack them open so they will soon leave your feeders. Offer in a separate feeder some white proso millet or sprinkle some on the ground for the ground scratching birds.Peanuts in special peanut feeders will have the woodpeckers, titmouse, nuthatches, chickadees and other birds hanging around all day. Nectar feeders require more work, but are well worth the rewards.

Offer your seed in different feeders for different types of birds. Place your feeders where you can enjoy them. Offer nearby protection for quick get away. Keep fresh water on hand for drinking and bathing.I’ve enjoyed birds in my yard for 40 years and hope to for another 40.

Learn more by going to http://www.backyardbirdingtips.com/

Ron Patterson is a "Wildlife Habitat Naturalist", "Michigan Certified Nurseryman" and speaker. He’s been feeding and caring for birds for more then 40 years. With his expert knowledge on plants and habitats, Ron helps others to enjoy birds and garden for wildlife. Ron also writes a weekly newsletter "Backyard Birding Tips." You can sign up for Ron’s newsletter at: http://www.backyardbirdingtips.com/

The biggest flower benefit of all is the fact that flowers make you happy.

Research has proven this.Flowers actually make you happy.When you are down, look at a flower arrangement and you will be in a happy mood.

Put a flower arrangement in your office, you can reduce your stress.When you are tensed at the office, you can calm yourself down with flowers.When things are not how you want them to be, ease your mind by putting flowers on your office desk.It might help.

When you get scolded by your boss, increase your tolerance level with flower arrangements.Flower arrangements have a big impact on you.

Spend happy family time at home when you decorate your home with beautiful flower arrangements. When you are happy, your husband is happy, your children are happy and your guests are happy, too.

Nothing beats the power of the flower.

When you are happy, studies have shown that your lifespan can be extended.That means, you have more time to enjoy your life, more time to achieve greater things.

Wouldn’t you like to see your grandchild get married? Wouldn’t you like to travel to places you’ve dreamt of going but never did? Wouldn’t you like to spend more time with your family?

Decorate your home with flower arrangements and the result is much more than a lovely home.

You don’t even have to spend money on expensive chemical drugs to make you happy. Flower arrangements can do that for you.

If you have trouble trying to sleep at night, avoid taking sleeping pills.Place some lavenders near your bedside.The calming aroma can take you to sleep.

Nature is the best healer.

When flowers make you happy, it shows on your face, too.Your complexion will improve. Your friends will be asking you to reveal your secret.They thought you have just enrolled into a new beauty salon in town that they are not aware of.

Another flower benefit is the fact that flowers are there during your life’s beautiful moments.

Whether it’s your birthday, your wedding or your anniversary, flower arrangements will always be there to share your happiness.

Flower arrangements emphasize on human relations.When a relative gives birth to a new baby, you can send a lovely flower arrangement to share her joy.Flowers arrangements can strengthen family ties.

These are simple little things in life but flower arrangements make them meaningful and worth celebrating.

You celebrate Christmas with flower arrangements.You even decorate your home with flower arrangements during Thanksgiving.You send your friend a flower arrangement for Easter.

You see, flower arrangements bring people together.Nowadays, that sort of thing is hard to find.

Look harder, it might be in your garden all this while..

Liztiany Zakaria is a flower arrangement hobbyist who does flower arrangements for friends and family members.For more information on flower arrangements, visit her website, http://www.flower-arrangement-advisor.com

Wind chimes are an eclectic addition to any landscape. They add a dynamic element to yards that host flower gardens and water features and can accessorize walkways, herb gardens, and entry ways. There is no limit to how you can use wind chimes to enhance your backyard environment.

If you are one who enjoys sound integrated into your outdoor view, you might want to consider creating a wind chime garden – it will set your view to music. A wind chime garden can cover the entire area of your back yard, or be limited to a small section of your backyard landscape – the choice is up to you. The beauty of a wind chime garden is that you can design it to be uniquely your own – you decide on wind chime placement, tone and style. Following are a few ideas to get you started thinking about how you might implement a wind chime garden into your outdoor scenery.

1) Select spots for your wind chimes throughout your yard, paying close attention to the direction and patterns of the wind. Through proper placement, you could create your own gentle, whimsical outdoor concert.

2) Choose wind chimes that are simple in appearance to void clashes in décor styles. This way, they will effortlessly blend in wherever they are placed. When it comes to wind chimes, it’s more about the sound than the look. In fact, many of the more decorative types of wind chimes are not made in such a way that allows for the same pristine sound quality as those of a simple aluminum design.

3) Create a wind chime garden by hanging your chimes at different heights. For example, place a set of wind chimes up on a deck, another in a smaller tree line and yet another among your flowers. The sound will dance with depth across your yard each time a breeze blows through.

4) If you like the look of wind chimes and want them in your sight, hang them where they will reflect the sun as it comes up in the morning and moves down at night. Aluminum wind chime gardens go well with stone décor, flowing water (like in a water fall or a bird bath), and near evergreens.

5) Sprinkle your wind chime garden with dream catchers, bird houses and sculptures. This will provide additional visual aesthetics while providing areas of mass for the wind chime sound to bounce off of – depending on the frequency and directions of your breezes, you could hear an entirely new sound when least expected.

6) If you have a street that runs near your house carrying a lot of traffic noise, consider concentrating your wind chime garden on the side of your yard that borders that particular street. You might want to mingle taller flowers and designer grasses with bold toned wind chimes to create a sound barrier. Then, place lighter toned wind chimes nearer the house, radiating from the outside edge of the wind chime border. This additional placement of wind chimes will further soften any traffic sounds that do happen to make it through.

7) Create a living wind chime garden by incorporating sight, sound, smell, and touch into a selected area – preferably the one you will spend the most time in. This can act a stress relieving vista – the place you go to unwind at the end of each day. Your wind chimes provide the sound and partner with the other elements in the area to form a pleasant sight. The scent sense can be aroused by floral elements and touch can be integrated into the wind chime garden in the form of comfortable seating. Light a large candle or burn a fire in a metal fire pit to create a romantic aura.

8) Incorporate wind chimes in your flower garden on sections of wrought iron trellis or hang them inside the upper areas of a gazebo. Place them near doorways and breezeways for a special effect as guests come and go – wind chimes are quite welcoming upon arrival and a pleasant good-bye upon departure.

9) Create an outdoor room, placing your wind chime garden in an area beyond the main seating area so that the chimes ring as gentle background music to engaging conversations or star gazing. What is an outdoor room? It is a concept that is growing in popularity — a fully-furnished space, complete with a fire place or fire pit, a wet bar and even rugs. The area is “walled in” by trellises, potted plants, stone half-walls, etc. A wind chime garden that sits just beyond the “room” adds an unparalleled ambiance to an evening “out.”

Regardless of your preferred decorating style – whether it is southwest décor, country home décor, fen shui home decorating or something else – a wind chime garden can be a unique and relaxing part of your outdoor spaces. The best part of creating a wind chime garden is that you can make it as unique as you are. Show off your personality using the scents, sights, and sounds of nature and wind chimes as your personal creative tools.

Tuned Wind Chimes Stephen Betzen is a loving husband/supporter/and friend to his wife Rachel Betzen. Rachel and Stephen are dedicated to socially and ethically responsible business practices. Lovers of gardening and simple living. They own and operate an online wind chimes store.

Well it is now September, and the mornings are great aren’t they? It is now beginning to be the best time to plant trees and shrubs. It is a great time because the above ground temperatures are dropping and the below ground temps are still warm.

This helps plants get a jump on next spring because the roots still develope in the warm soil while the tops slow down in growth. Also, there are less winds and typically more moisture during this time of year, which of course reduces stress on newly planted shrubs and trees. You should be able to plant just about anything, including pansies, (which will last thru next May) mums, winter veggies (starts), most trees and shrubs.

There are a few exceptions: Palm trees might be better planted in the spring and summer, in order to get a good root establishment before the winter sets in.

Oleanders may experience some winter kill if planted too late in the season, especially the 1 gallon size. The larger sizes seem to suffer the least winter kill. This is usually for the the first winter, after that they will have even less winter or no winter kill as they age. Using a winterizer fertilizer with plenty of potash will help increase winter hardiness just about all shrubs and trees.

It is recommended for valuable plants that may suffer from winter damage. Use this product before October 30th. Don’t forget to use compost, peat moss, or soil builder and root stimulator on all plantings, and make sure plants have adequate water.

These tips are designed for the southwestern states and Chihuahuan desert.

Gary Guzman is the author of the above article. You can read it online at: http://guzmansgreenhouse.com/seasons/septembergardentips.htm

Algae control in ponds is fairly straightforward. If we ignore the initial spring burst of green water that tells us the pond is coming alive, we make the first good step.

However if the green persists, it tells us there is an imbalance in the pond ecology. The solution to that is to fix the imbalance. While some pond keepers would have you chuck in some chemicals, the reality is these are merely band-aids and won’t “solve” the problem, they’ll only mask it. If you want to solve the problem consider the sources of the problem.

Many ponds have too many fish in them. At one inch of fish per one square foot of pond surface, you can either have three big ones at 10-inch length or 30 little ones at one-inch length. (note that 3 ten-inch fish will likely give you 100 one-inch fish every year) If you have a greatere fish population than this, understand two things are happening. The first is the pool ecology is being upset because of too high a level of fish excreted waste and high fish populations are likely eating the oxygenating plants that deal with this excretion waste material. The real solution is to lower the fish population. I note if you have fish and are feeding them, the other recommendation is to stop feeding or to drastically reduce your feeding. Excess food creates excess waste which in turn creates green pond water.

The second solution is to increase the oxygenating plant level. A rule of thumb for doing this is to add one bunch (10 stems or so) of a floating oxygenator plant such anacharis for every 3 square feet of pond surface. Reducing the fish population and adding the oxygenators will clean up the algae in few days. If you add oxygenators without reducing the fish population, the fish will likely eat the plants and the green pond water will not go away.

Understand there is not magic bullet here. You have to get that ecology in balance and the way to do that is to follow a few simple rules to control fish and plant populations. The two thumb rules above will solve most algae problems.

Doug Green, award winning garden author with 7 books published, answers gardening questions in his free newsletter at http://www.water-gardens-information.com

Pruning and deadheading are essential to proper rose care. Alas, there are nearly as many opinions about how and when to prune as there are roses in need of pruning.

While seasoned rosarians have their favorite tried-and-true methods, this article is geared toward new-comers who are unsure where to start. As time goes by, you may feel the urge to modify these techniques or even develop new ones of your own. Great! If it doesn’t kill your roses, go right ahead.

Rose pruning isn’t as complicated as some people make it out to be. In fact, there are only 7 basic rules. If you keep these in mind whenever you pick up your pruning shears, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful bushes that reflect the care that you put into them.

Basic Pruning Rules

1. Always remove any dead or decayed growth. This keeps your bushes looking good and denies disease and insects a place to call home.

2. Always keep the center of the bush free of growth. This denies insects a place to live, and allows good air circulation to avoid fungus infection.

3. Remove crossing branches to promote stronger growth.

4. Shape your rose bushes as they grow. This will change them from wild and wooly to prim and proper, as all good roses should be.

5. Always using sharp pruning shears.

6. Clean the shears after each use to remove any disease or fungus spores.

7. Seal the cuts you’ve made on canes to keep out disease. Regular Elmer’s glue works fine and it is cheap.

Pruning Terms And Techniques

Hard (or "Low") Pruning — Cut canes back to 3 or 4 buds from the base or the bud unions. The end result will be strong canes about 4 to 5 inches in length. This pruning technique works best with new hybrid tea, grandiflora, and floribunda varieties. You should not do hard pruning with established bushes because they may not recycle. The only exception is as a last-ditch effort to revive sick or neglected bushes.

Moderate (or Medium) Pruning — Cut strong stems back to approximately half of their length. Weaker stems may be cut back even more, if needed. This technique works well with established gardens of floribundas, hybrid teas, grandifloras, and tree roses.

Light (High or Long) Pruning — Cut the canes back to around 2/3 of their length. After all the unwanted "wood" is removed, any remaining stems are "tipped". Light pruning is not usually recommended for most bushes, because it tends to produce early blooms and poorly developed flowers. Use this technique only if others are not working and the bush is an eyesore.

Proper pruning is easy, and it is the key to a happy, healthy rose garden.

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit Grow-Roses-Now to learn more about this fascinating hobby.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

There is a common message among professional chainsaw users… Make sure the chain is performing at maximum efficiency.

It’s amazing but many inexperienced chainsaw operators tend to overlook this very important aspect.

So what can you do to ensure your chain is performing 100%? There are several guidelines to adhere to. For example.. When is it time to sharpen the chain? There are obvious giveaways such as the saw doesn’t cut in a straight line; or the chain rattles and jumps; or fine dust is produced instead of saw chips. That’s just for starters.

There are simple preventative measures that can prolong chain use. While it may be tempting, and remember, chainsaws are not indestructible; avoid cutting into rock and any abrasive material.

Never allow the chain to loosen. Check the tension often. This is a reasonably straight forward procedure.

Some operators might be tempted to "go the extra yard" with their machine and get an extra cut. Not recommended. Experienced chainsaw users will tell you.. "Never force a cut with a dull chain." You will not only do damage to the chainsaw itself but you’ll also run the risk of suffering serious injury.

While an under performing chainsaw may be obvious by feel, visible wear and damage should also be quite noticeable. The signs should be obvious without going into great detail.

Another commonsense preventative measure is to make sure the chain is always well lubricated. To check, hold the chainsaw with the bar and nose pointed towards a light colored background. Run the engine at half throttle and look for an increasing trickle of oil.

Finally, on the score of safety, always wear gloves when handling a chain.

These are just a few measures to ensure a chain is spot on and the old adage of "prevention is better than cure" certainly applies here. Look after you chain and by following some simple, commonsense steps, it should give you plenty of service in the long run and not to mention, looking after you hip pocket as well.

Dean Caporella is a professional Journalist and Sportscaster who takes an interest in a wide variety of topics. Dean grew up in farm country so chainsaws were part of the furniture. "They can be misused and without proper maintenance, dangerous. I hope to provide users with basic information in their application." Visit http://www.chainsawlife.com.

Flowers can be an integral part of cooking. While most of us are aware that violets can be candied and nasturtiums can be eaten in salads, there’s a bounty of flower varieties that are both edible and delicious.

Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth with Flowers

Violets are not the only flower that can be candied. Many spring flowers with small, delicate blossoms have a sweet, somewhat spicy flavor that is enhanced by dipping them in sugar. It goes without saying that any flowers that you gather for eating should have been grown without the use of pesticide – by growing them yourself, you can be sure that they’re untreated. A Candy Flower Garden that blooms throughout the summer can include:

Violets – Purple, blue or white, violets are among the first flowers to bloom in the spring. They spread easily, and grow happily when transplanted into a garden bed – and you do want to confine them to a bed unless you love the look of a full carpet of blooms spreading across your lawn.

Pansies – A relative of violets, pansies are just as delicately flavored and can be used as a substitute in recipes that call for violets. They make beautiful border flowers to boot.

Angelica – These delicate, lacy white flowers can be sprinkled in salads – but the stems and shoots make a delicious traditional candy that tastes a bit like licorice with a hint of mint.

Roses – Candied rose petals and rose syrup were mainstays in Victorian cooking. Sweet delicately flavored rose syrup gives baklava its characteristic flavor, and is a perfect foil for cardamom in Indian recipes.

To candy flowers from your garden:

Violets and pansies can be candied whole. Roses should be separated into petals. Most recipes for candied flowers call for the use of raw egg whites. Using a confectioner’s powdered egg white instead reduces risk of salmonella.

Mix powdered egg white according to package directions (equivalent of one egg white). Spread a cup of superfine sugar in a flat bottomed pan. Carefully dip each flower into the egg white, then press into the sugar. Use a fork to gently turn the flower so that all surfaces of the petals are covered. Lift out of sugar and lay on a screen or drying rack till completely dry. Apple and cherry blossoms can also be candied the same way.

A Soup, Salad and Savory Flower Garden

Early summer squash blossoms may be dipped in egg and flour, then fried in olive oil with garlic. The blossoms have a sweet, nutty flavor that is like nothing else. Other garden flowers that are delicious in soups and salads include:

Borage – Like the leaves, borage flowers are delicious in salads and cold soups. They have a cool, cucumber-like taste that translates well from flower garden to kitchen table.

Carnations – The flavor is as spicy as the scent. Carefully separate the petals from the bitter white of the flower’s base and sprinkle in salads for a surprising touch of color and spice.

Daylilies – Like squash blossoms, day lilies have a mildly sweet, nutty flavor that many people think varies by color. Dredged in flour and dipped in egg, fried daylilies are quite succulent and unique in flavor.

These are just a small sampling of the many edible flowers from your garden. Be careful in your taste-testing. If you are not sure if a flower is edible, do not eat it.

Ed Rooney is the creator of http://www.garden-helper.com - an online gardening resource for gardeners to learn, share, plan, and shop.