Using heirloom seeds . It’s becoming an increasingly popular style of gardening. So what are they and why should you choose them?What are heirloom seeds?Heirloom seeds are are old-time seeds that have been handed down through multiple generations. They have been open-pollinated instead of hybrid and usually cost less. They tend to more hardie, adaptable and have great flavour. Why use heirloom seeds?Heirloom seeds range from fruits vegetables, plants and also flowers. Unlike commercial seeds that are used to produce quantity, heirloom tend to have unique colours, textures or tastes. Growing from a seed can also be a large money saving unlike propagating. Are they organic or GMO?Heirloom are not always organic as presumed. Many varieties are however they can be produced utilising fertilisers or pesticides. Check with your seed supplier first. Are heirloom seeds organic or GMO?A common misconception is that all heirloom seeds are organic. While many varieties are organic, some heirloom seeds may be produced utilising fertilisers or pesticides so it’s best to check with the producers of the seed. You can be sure however that heirloom seeds are not GMO (genetically modified). GMO have been altered and modified whereas heirloom are natural and passed down through generations of growing. Heirloom vs hybridHeirloom seeds are open-pollination naturally by nature. By bees, birds, insects, the wind. Hybrid are produced manually with the notion of cross breeding two genetically different varieties of seeds together to gain positive traits from both plants. Growing heirloomVarieties of herloom you may want to grow might include tomatoes, capsicums, pumpkins and potatoes, all of which are ideal for growning at home. Planting heirloomPlant heirloom the same as any other vegetable. Add compost to the soil to prepare. Dig a small hole for the seeds a couple of inches from the surface and cover. Water and use liquid fertiliser as needed. Happy planting!The post All about heirloom seeds appeared first on Garden force.
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Keep your trees healthy and strong with good pruning. It will not only keep them in good shape, it will remove damaged and dead branches allowing room for new growth, while preventing the spread of viral and bacterial fungal infection. Here are 5 simple steps to help you correctly prune and avoid damaging the tree. Trim with safety from the ground without a step ladder. Equipment you will need:Handsaw STEP 1: Trim smaller branches with prunersStart by putting on your safety glasses and gloves on. Make sure you have a sharp blade so you can cut through the branches with ease. Use the pruners to trim for low hanging small branches near the base of the tree. STEP 2: Cut medium branches with your handsawUse the handsaw to cut any protruding or lower level branches too big for the pruners. Cutting the branch off close to the tree trunk and avoid cutting the main trunk so you do not damage the tree. Ideally the blade on your handsaw will be very sharp so you can make trimming with ease. Cut the branch on an angle that protrudes slightly off the trunk. STEP 3: Prune hard to reach branchesCut hard to reach branches from the ground with your pole pruner. There are attachments for the pole pruner, including a saw for thicker branches. STEP 4: Cut thicker branches with loppersTo cut through thicker branches with ease is loppers. They are like giant secateurs designed to give your better leverage for use on pruning big branches STEP 5: Saw thicker branches using an undercutUndercut is a technique to cut the larger branches upwards, instead of cutting from the top down. Cutting top down can lead to the weight of the branch snapping off resulting in tearing the bark exposing the tree to diseases. Start under the branch and saw upwards until you have cut halfway through. Next saw from the top of the branch, starting about 3-5 cm up the branch from the undercut. Continue cutting until the weight of the branch pulls it away from the tree. Once it is removed you can then cut the remaining branch away from the trunk. The post HOW TO PRUNE TREES appeared first on Garden force. Tip 1: Plan your garden bed before you start.Plan before you plant, put plants together that have similar colors. It always looks best to have smaller plants/flower in front of the larger plants/flowers. Tip 2: Location, Location, Location.Different plants need different amounts of sunlight, choose you plants by the amount of sunlight your garden bed will receive, shade, part shade or full sun. Make sure you check the plant tag for light, watering and space recommendations. Tip 3: Mix it up.To keep your garden bed active all year round it is best to choose both perennials and annuals in your garden. Perennials will continue to grow year after year, while annuals will bring excitement and glamour during different seasons.
The post 3 Tips to Building Beautiful Garden Beds appeared first on Garden force. Sunflowers also know as Helianthus Annuus, they are beautiful large headed yellow flowers with a black central part that contains 1000’s of tiny florets that will later become sunflower seeds. The petals of the sunflower are most commonly bright yellow but do also come in other varieties of orange and red. The typical sunflower can grow anywhere between 1.5m – 3.5m in height with the giant sunflowers growing as big as 8m in height. If you are looking to grow your own sunflowers at home in the backyard here are the 3 top tips to make sure you have the best chance at growing vibrant sunflowers. Tips 1: When is the best time to water sunflowers?The roots of the sunflower can spread quiet wide which helps make them somewhat drought resistant. The optimal time to water the sunflower regularly is 20 before and after flowering. When watering before the 20 day period it is best to do a deep water which helps the sunflower establish it’s root ready for growing a top heavy flower. Tip 2: Do sunflowers need fertilizer?Fertilizer is not required to grow beautiful sunflower but it will definitely help, If the soil you are planting is is thin and poor it would be a good idea to add a slow acting granular fertilizer. Keep in mind the better the diet the larger the flowers. Tip 3: Do Sunflower need support while growing?In the early stages of growth their should be no need for any staking to support the stem but once the stem has reached 2.5m and over it would be a good idea to add a supporting steak as the stems can become quiet brittle, staking the flower will help with stem support and assist in growing a bigger flower. Sunflowers are a beautiful flower to grown in your garden and look great as decorations inside once they have flowered. Not only are they a beautiful flower but there seeds are full of vitamins, they are rich vitamins B & E. sunflower seeds contain about twice the iron and potassium and about 4 times the phosphorus of beef.
The post Top 3 Essential Tips For Growing Amazing Sunflowers appeared first on Garden force.
The heroes of the home garden, rich in nutrients and antioxidants, a home-grown tomato surpasses store-bought fruit in terms of flavour. There are hundreds of tomato varieties with different uses and slightly different flavours. After a few years of trial and error, you’ll discover some delicious varieties that appeal to your tastebuds. What you will need
Test soil temperaturePlant your tomato seedlings when the soil temperature reaches 15°C after the last frost. This is usually in August and September. Plant tomato seedlingsStarting around October, plant tomato seedlings in a sunny spot with lots of air circulation. Rotate tomatoes each year and never plant them in the same bed two years running. Plant tomatoes a little deeper than usual, as they will grow roots along any stem that comes into contact with the soil, creating a deeper and stronger root system. Do not prune the lateral branches, as this will reduce your yield. If you find they are becoming unwieldy, just thread the stems through your trellis. Create a trellisTomatoes are a vine fruit and need to be supported by a trellis. Use 1.6-metre bamboo stakes to build a teepee tunnel above your plants, depending on the length of your bed. Tie horizontal bamboo to the vertical stakes at 20-centimetre intervals with string and train the tomato stems to weave around them as they grow. WaterKeep the soil moist — neither dry nor wet. Water plants with seaweed solution and don’t over feed them — you can simply add a pelletised manure through the growing stage. Make sure you remove any leaves that come in contact with soil, and mulch around each plant to a depth of 15 centimetres. Save tomato seedsSave the seeds and carry on the strain. |
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