Author: August Dunning

Tasteless food is a good measure of the micro-mineral concentration in your soil. ASAP Plant Minerals is the effective way to assure biosynthesis of phytochemical nutrients in crops. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus work in synergy with micro-minerals and need them present to grow not just plants, but plants with nutrition. The strong fragrance in flowers and rich taste in food is due to micro-nutrients present during photosynthesis of phytochemicals. Testing leaves is an easy way to see what’s going on underground.

Plants need two distinct groupings of fertilization. The well known type of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur applications that are adjusted depending on season. In the spring, the nitrogen and phosphorus with a lower potassium combination is applied to stimulate root and green growth, then as photoperiod shortens after the summer solstice, potassium is high, with nitrogen and phosphorus delivered at a lower concentration to stimulate fruit maturation. The other type is the micro-mineral elements, which are poorly understood and mostly neglected having not as obvious an effect on growth as NPK. Minerals stimulate photosynthesis of phytochemical nutrients inside the chloroplast cells at the microscopic size frame and their effects are less apparent until the crop is harvested and can be tasted. The major difference between the two is that the first type produces the size of food, the second type puts the nutrition into food. ASAP understands these two areas of soil and plant nutritional requirements and can offer some clear thinking on the subject.

It is extremely important that the right amount and kind of the first group fertilizer is applied to fruit trees and grape vines. For example, too much nitrogen (N) can result in oversized, poorly-colored fruit which does not keep well. If growth continues late in the season (because of excessive N), trees fail to harden properly and are more subject to winter injury. Diseases such as fireblight of pear and apple, or canker of peach, can be more serious if N levels are too high. Too little N also causes problems such as poor fruit set, small fruit, pale foliage and stunted growth. N control is the most common and serious nutritional problem in Ontario orchards and vineyards. Excessive levels of N occur more frequently than deficient levels. Micro-nutrient stripping in the soils in the United States is more common. K deficiency and excess are also frequently encountered. Grapes, for example, often show K deficiency as the crop matures, even though the clay loam soils on which they are grown test high in K. This is more serious in dry years or with heavy crops.

Soil pH should be checked every 2 to 3 years. Micro-nutrients are very sensitive to acid or base conditions and incorrect pH can produce unavailability or toxicity. Excesses or deficiencies of micro-nutrients also can result in serious metabolic functional problems in crops. This is where ASAP Plant Minerals has its greatest effects, micro-minerals are essential for the utilization of the big three and even more important if you are growing food for nutrition. With increased fertilizer costs and environmental concerns, proper fertilizer use becomes even more important.

Excessive potassium can lead to magnesium deficiency. Low magnesium levels particularly in vineyards and apple orchards are becoming more common. Without understanding the intricate link between NPK and micro-minerals Zn, Mn and B deficiencies are created in orchards when micro-minerals are not replenished. When the big three are used year after year; these minerals are simply removed. All disorders, however, can be most readily identified by leaf analysis to evaluate what is missing in the soil by identifying what is found in the leaf tissue. In many cases, growers have found that the cost for each leaf sample has been returned many times over in reduced fertilizer costs and/or in better crops of higher quality fruit.

Leaf Analysis:

The Ontario Leaf Analysis Service for fruit, initiated in 1958, was one of the first to be introduced in North America. An analytical service is now available from accredited private laboratories for apple, peach, pear, plum, cherry, grape, strawberry and blueberry. Growers of these crops have an effective method of predicting fertilizer requirements and of measuring responses to their fertilizer and cultural programs. Each lab has a basic and complete two tier analysis.

The best method of determining the kind and amount of fertilizer to apply to fruit trees is by leaf analyses. It effectively measures macro and micro-nutrients and indicates the need for changes in fertilizer programs. Leaf analyses integrates all the factors that might influence nutrient availability and uptake and shows the balance between nutrients. For example magnesium (Mg) deficiency may be the result of a lack of Mg in the soil or from excessive K levels or both of these conditions. Leaf analyses can indicate the balance between K and Mg and show hidden or incipient deficiencies. Adding N, for example, when K is low may result in K deficiency because the increased growth requires more K.

An example of how leaf analyses data might be interpreted:

A Fuji apple leaf sample taken the last 2 weeks of July tests 2.30% N. This is at the low end of the optimum range and suggests a need for slightly more fertilizer N. If the trees had been heavily pruned the previous spring a greater increase in fertilizer N might be applied since pruning would have increased leaf N concentrations. On the other hand, if the trees are to be pruned heavily next spring, the same rate of fertilizer N might be applied this year since growth and N uptake will be stimulated by the pruning. If the trees are on M26 or M9 rootstock, an even greater increase in N rate should be applied since the leaf N is no longer in the optimum range. If the leaf K is 1.4% an increased rate of K fertilizer is needed since this is the bottom of the optimum range and an increase in N fertilizer rate will increase the need for K. The increased K rate may increase the need for Mg if the Mg concentration is below .25%.

Testing fruit and leaf is an easy and safe way to investigate the condition of the minerals in your soil to assure the growing medium of your plants. But applying ASAP Plant Minerals in fall and spring will always provide the stripped micro-nutrients back to your soil for the big three to work.

About the Author:
August Dunning is the head Research Director at http://www.asaporganics.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/soil-analysis-by-leaf-testing-for-correct-fertilization-242146.html

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Author: Jasper Sayer

Flower gardening is becoming more and more popular every day. Flowers can brighten everyone’s day, they smell nice, and are a great hobby. Flower gardening is simple, inexpensive, and loads of fun. Flower gardening can be done for yard decoration, simply as a hobby, or even professionally.

There are some decisions that have to be made before even flower gardening can be started. You must decide if you want annuals that live for one season and must be replanted every year, or perennials that survive the winter and return again in the summer. When buying and planting, pay attention to what kind of flowers thrive in your climate as well ass the sun requirements.

When flower gardening, you must decide what type of look you want before planting. For instance, mixing different heights, colors, and varieties of flowers together in a “wild-plant style” will give your garden a meadow look and can be very charming. If short flowers are planted in the front of your garden and work up to the tallest flowers in the back you will have a “stepping stone style”.

You can order seeds for flower gardening from catalogues or buy them from a nursery. Most people will go to the nursery and buy actual flowers and then transplant them. After you have prepared your garden area and bought flowers, it is a good idea to lay the flowers out in the bed to make sure you like the arrangement and that they will be spaced properly.

One of the easiest processes in flower gardening is the planting/ if you have seeds just sprinkle them around in the flower bed. For planting transplants dig a hole just bigger than the flower, pull the container off, and set the flower in the hole right side up. Cover it with the loose soil and press down firmly, then water.    Maintaining a flower garden is even easier than planting one. Although they might make it on their own, a bag of fertilizer applied in the early spring is a good idea. Pinch back any blooms after they start to fade and keep them good and watered. To save yourself work during the next season of flower gardening, rid your garden of all debris and spread out organic nutrients like peat moss or compost. Don’t forget to turn over the soil to properly mix in the fertilizer and rake smooth when finished. If you have perennials planted be careful not to disturb their roots in this process.    Flower gardening is as easy as 1, 2, and 3: simply decide what to plant; plant it, and water, water, water! Flower gardening is undoubtedly gaining in popularity and gives anyone excellent reason to spend some outdoors and test out their green thumb.

About the Author:

Learn about how to grow potatoes and how to grow strawberries at the How to Grow Things site.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/lets-do-some-flower-gardening-570712.html

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Author: Ian Fleming

Flower gardening is brought to you by

http://gardeners-handbook.info

When you think of any kind of gardening, the first thing
that pops
into your mind is flower gardening. Flowers and gardens being
naturally synonymous with each other. And dedicated gardener that
you are, you’ll naturally be doing your own flower gardening this
year.

Flower gardening need not be limited only to summertime. If you
plan carefully and plant ahead of time, your garden can be filled
with an abundance of flowers for most of the year.

If we start by seasons, then for spring flowers, the best thing
you could do would be to plant bulbs. Any nursery will have them,
and if you’re more inclined towards the exotic, and rarer flowering
bulbs, there’s a good chance you can have them ordered specially.

Favorites amongst bulb lovers are early springtime Crocuses, and
cheerful Snowdrops. Tulips though, are by and away the most famous
of bulbs in demand by flower gardeners, and are available in a
variety of shades, including a black-colored one, which is really
more of a deep maroon and one of those rare flowers I was talking
about earlier.

Remember that all spring flowering bulbs should be planted in mid
autumn, as this is the best time for them. Come any closer to winter
and you’re in danger of losing your bulbs altogether.

Moving through to summer, we find that perennials are a firm favorite
for flower gardening as they yield blooms almost continuously
throughout the season, and sometimes beyond. With a little luck and
care, you’ll also find that most of your perennials will last through
to next year, and the year after that, and, well you get the picture
right? You’ll also find that as the years and the seasons wear on,
your perennials will become fuller, and generally will become more
abundant than the first year you planted them.

As autumn gently closes in most flower gardens are left bereft of
anything but a few small hardy plants. If you’re into more dedicated
flower gardening however, that need not be the case for you. Hardy,
drought resistant plants like Asters number among the many types of
fall flowers available, and will look stunning in late summer/early
fall, Generally, autumn plants will grow to a good 3-4 feet in height,
and have vivid colors, as well as the more genteel pastel colors to
choose from. Ornamental grasses are another favorite and will nicely
complement your fall flowers.

To round off the year and your efforts at flower gardening, don’t
despair as there are many winter blooms available. Amaryllis, Hyacinth,
and Narcissus are a few of the more common known flowers and are
available in bulb form. If you want something a little more out of
the ordinary, you could always try Winter Jasmine, or Winter
Honeysuckle.

So, take heart, take plenty of notes, plan, and buy to your heart’s
content. By the end of it all you truly will have a flower for every
season, and your flower gardening efforts will be rewarded most
bountifully

Tomorrow’s article will be on Gardening Books - see you then!

All the Best - Ian Fleming

http://gardeners-handbook.info

About the Author:

Ian is an avid gardener from sub tropical Queensland, Australia

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/flower-gardening-52945.html

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Author: Nicholas Tan

Organic gardening is the exact same as regular gardening except that no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are used.  This can make certain aspects difficult, such as controlling disease, insects, and weeds.  Organic gardening also requires more attention to the soil and the many needs of plants.

Organic gardening starts with the soil.  Gardeners must add organic matter to the soil regularly in order to keep the soil productive.  In fact, compost is essential to the healthiness and well being of plants grown organically.  Compost can be made from leaves, dead flowers, vegetable scraps, fruit rinds, grass clippings, manure, and many other things.  The ideal soil has a dark color, sweet smell, and is full of earthworms.  Some soil may need more natural additives than regular compost can give, such as bonemeal, rock phosphates, or greensand.  A simple soil test will tell you the pH balance and which nutrients you will need to use.

One thing that makes even gardeners that are very serious about organic gardening reach for pesticides is insects on their plants.  The best way to defend plants against insects is to take preventative measures.  One thing that can be done is to make sure plants are healthy and not too wet or dry because insects usually attack unhealthy plants and if healthy, they can often outgrow minor insect damage.  A variety of plant types is a good idea to keep pests of a particular plant type from taking out the entire garden.

Perhaps the best way to defend against insects is to make your garden enticing to insect predators, such as ladybugs, birds, frogs, and lizards.  You can do this by keeping a water source nearby or by growing plants that attract insects who feed on nectar.  Other ideas are sticky traps, barriers, and plant collars.  There are some household items that prevent against insects too, like insecticidal soaps, garlic, and hot pepper.

To avoid plant disease in organic gardening, choose disease resistant plants and plant them in their prime conditions.  Many diseases will spread because of constant moisture and bad air circulation, so the site of your garden and the way it is watered can help ensure against diseases.

Weeds can be an annoying and frustrating part of organic gardening.  Organic mulch can act as a weed barrier, but for even better protection put a layer of newspaper, construction paper, or cardboard under the mulch.  Corn meal gluten will slow the growth of weeds if spread early in the season before planting, as does solarization.  There’s also the old-fashioned art of hoeing and hand pulling that always works.  Your best bet in weed prevention is persistence.  Mulch well and pull and hoe what you can; after a few seasons you can beat the weeds for good.

Organic gardening is an excellent way to assure that your plants will be free and clear of all pesticides and, if taken care of properly, will be as healthy as possible.  Organic gardening may take a little more time and care than regular gardening, but after gardeners get the hang of it and figure out all the quirks of their garden, it is definitely worth the extra time.

About the Author:

Submit your articles and get a PR4 backlink to your website! Submit Articles! We provide free articles and information. Check us out at Free Articles!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/gardening-organic-gardening-577519.html

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Author: Louanne Baelde

How To Raise The Strongest Most Beautiful BulbsBy Louanne Baelde

Bulbs are your best bet for success. It’s almost impossible to make a mistake because all the nutrients that the flower needs, are in the bulb. What you may find difficult, is actually choosing which bulbs you want.

This article will help you select healthy bulbs and will give you tips on how to get them ready, from preparing the soil, fertilizing, and planting.

Selecting Healthy Bulbs

The secret to a fantastic flower garden is choosing high-quality bulbs. Make sure that you always buy your bulbs from a reliable source, whether you are shopping from a catalog, outlet or local store. Even if the bulbs are a little more costly, you will save money on the long run, if the source is a good one, than simply searching for the best bargain.

Because the bulb stores the energy in the bulb (in the form of starch,) larger bulbs may produce larger flowers. This does not mean however, that you should buy only large bulbs. Don’t hesitate to buy smaller ones as well from a reliable source. These smaller bulbs may just need a season or two to catch up to the larger ones. If you want to have spectacular blooms this year, then buy the larger bulbs.

If you’re buying your bulbs from a local store, inspect them carefully. They should be firm and not have any cuts, blemishes or spots on them. They should not feel dry or light, but more on the heavy side for their size. The basal plate (where the roots emerge) should be solid and firm. It’s okay for the bulbs to have loose skin or little nicks. This would not affect their development in any way.

Getting Ready

It’s always important to choose the right spot for your bulbs, whether it be inside or outside. You probably know about the differences in planting in the garden; how certain plants will thrive better under certain conditions than others.

When you select your location for your new bulbs, try to think about its needs and where it may do best. Don’t forget that even a few feet can make a huge difference with levels of light. What may be suitable lighting at the edge of your shrubs may not be suitable over by the corner of your house, even if it’s only a small jog away.

Preparing the Soil

Except for Siberian irises, most bulbs prefer loose, porous soil because they need to have good drainage. If your soil does not drain well, improve it by adding nutrients, raising the beds, or installing drain lines.

Almost any soil can benefit from organic materials, especially sandy and heavy clay soils.

Fertilizing

Mix bone meal or superphosphate into the soil at the bottom of each planting hole. Because phosphorus does not move easily; it must be planted deep enough to allow the roots to reach it.

Planting

Try to plant your bulbs as soon as you can when the weather permits and is suitable for planting. If you can’t plant them right away, store them in a cool place such as your refrigerator. Never store them in closed bags as they might rot. Bulbs need to breathe!Open the bags or place them instead in paper ones.

Most bulbs are planted at a depth three times their diameter. It’s easier if you dig up a larger area at the proper depth, set them inside the hole, and then cover them.

About the Author:

For more great gardening tips:http://www.ez-gardening-tips.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-raise-the-strongest-most-beautiful-bulbs-51538.html

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