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Owning an automatic lawn sprinkler system makes it easy to keep your grass green without having to drag a hose around the yard. But they are not completely maintenance free, as any homeowner who has one will tell you… Sprinkler systems have their share of maintenance issues. But unless you do not mind forking over a lot of money to sprinkler repair professionals, you should learn to repair & maintain your system yourself. It is actually very rewarding to keep up your own system.

Here are the steps to troubleshooting your sprinkler system. Basically, it is the process of elimination-

1. To start with, you need a multi-meter to properly diagnose & troubleshoot various sprinkler problems. Do not let this intimidate you! Using the multi-meter is not at all difficult, & you do not need a degree in electronics to operate one. It is actually quite easy & self explanatory.

Most sprinkler systems operate on 24 Volts DC. When a zone is on, the controller should be sending 24 Volts to your zone valve. If you do not have 24 volts at the controller, there is something wrong at the controller. If you have 24 volts at the controller but not at the valve, there is something wrong with the wiring between the valve & the controller (a broken wire or bad connection). If you have 24 volts at the controller & 24 volts at the valve, there is something wrong at the valve or in the plumbing itself.

2. Valve problems are easily diagnosed. Your valves have few moving parts, & most of them work like this:

Your controller sends 24 volts to the valves solenoid. The solenoid has a plunger on it that moves up & down over a small hole. When the controller is sending voltage to the solenoid, the plunger is raised up & the hole is uncovered. Then, air rushes through the hole & into the valve & the diaphragm inside the valve allows water to pass through.

The first thing to check if you suspect a valve problem is the solenoid. Unscrew the solenoid from the valve & check the plunger on the bottom for dirt or debris. Clean the plunger. Then make certain the tiny hole in the area the plunger screws into is not obstructed. If there is something blocking the hole, use a small paper clip to get rid of it… If it still does not function properly, get rid of the top of the valve & inspect the diaphragm for wear or holes. Replace the diaphragm if it has a hole or is worn out looking. While you have the valve open, check the inside of the valve housing for rocks & debris. Worst case scenario, you may have to cut out & replace the entire valve.

3. So your valve checks out but you are still having problems with the zone. The next step is to check for leaks-

Leaks are usually pretty obvious- just look for the puddle in the yard. This is where a little manual labor comes in. After you find the leak, dig until you find the leaky pipe & repair the leak. Sometimes back-flow prevention devices leak. You can usually buy a repair kit for them, but you will want to check your local codes before working on your own back-flow device- some cities require a licensed professional to install, repair & test your back-flow for you.

4. Does your system use a pump? There a 3 common pump issues that you can narrow down-

1. A foot valve not opening, stuck open or clogged up. If your pump is loosing prime, first check your foot valve (the thing in the water at the end of the suction pipe). If it is stuck open or will not close, replace the foot valve. If the foot valve is clogged up, clean it up & make certain it is not laying in the mud or seaweed.

3. No power getting to the pump. In this case, you will want to call a licensed electrician.

So the next time your sprinkler system is having problems, do not rush to the phone to call someone. Get out there & get familiar with your system. Try to figure it out for yourself, it is not rocket science by any means. Besides, it is kind of a good feeling to know that you figured out & repaired it yourself.

This article was written by Manny Leger, author of the Sprinkler Repair blog

A trip to the local garden centre for garden furniture can be a confusing experience - what do I need ? what the best style for me ? What will suit my way of living ? & then Do I want, wood, metal, wicker or what ? Here we attempt to cover the basics of what’s available & some pointers to help you choose.

Metal can really set the tone
Metal Garden furniture will if anything look great with just about any style of garden.. Another classical piece of metal garden furniture is the single ornate iron bench, which can really set off a Victorian style garden. The options range from modern lightweight aluminium to the more traditional iron & it should be possible to obtain the perfect piece of metal garden furniture for your garden. Top Tip:

Regularly check metal furniture for rust. It is wise if it is kept outside to move it into the garage when the weather gets colder for protection.

Teak ? the old favourite
Since teak is the most durable of all hardwoods, most customers prefer garden furniture made from teak wood. You can never go wrong with teak garden furniture, because it is classic, inherently elegant, & most importantly, can last for decades & decades. Indonesian teak garden furniture is a great place to start for your outdoor improvement project.

When you begin shopping around for your teak outdoor furniture, in addition to the quality of the wood, you also want to consider other things such as the construction of the furniture. When investing in your outdoor patio or garden, or decorating the verranda, & even for indoor decorating, teak wood outdoor patio furniture is simply a wise choice for many people.

A wide range of high-quality teak furniture, including teak outdoor furniture, teak patio furniture, & teak lawn furniture are available to grace your outdoor space & includes such items as Benches, tables, chairs, lamps, planters & other ornaments for the garden, poolside, backyard, deck, & park decoration are counted among teak outdoor furniture.

Top Tip:
Keep it looking good for longer !
If your garden furniture is made of wood, make it a habit to regularly check for splintered wood or cracks. Right. With dozens & dozens teak wood bench styles to select from, create an outdoor focal point for your yard or garden.

Teak furniture is generally low-maintenance, but there’re some simple things you can do to make certain they last a lifetime still looking fresh. but washing it with warm soapy water to get rid of any dirt or dust is a good idea, especially prior to you applying an teak wood oil (remember to let the wood dry before applying). . Plastic Garden furniture

while some people may scoff at the thought of plastic garden furniture, the convenience provided by the material has persuaded many people to go for it.

Plastic rattan is set to be one of the biggest contemporary garden furniture products of this season, available in many different colours & designs.

Wicker Furniture
Outdoor wicker furniture is available in different styles, designs, frames & fabric colors. Wicker patio furniture is among the most beautiful & comfortable outdoor furniture available. Rattan & wicker furniture add class to any deck.

Top Tips:
Tip 1 -Many do not realize that the beautiful layout they see in the ads for wicker furniture often does not include the padding or cushions.
Tip 2 -Maintaining rattan & wicker deck furniture is relatively easy.
Tip 3 - Wicker furniture is available in natural, stained or painted surfaces. Wicker dining furniture lends subtle & natural charm to the dining space. Most outdoor organic wicker furniture is painted at the factory, using a multiple dipping process to maintain its depth of colour.
Tip 4 - Synthetic woven furniture usually has aluminium frames for increased strength & durability. Wicker furniture has already stood the test of time & will probably be around a long time. Wicker sun room furniture can be divided into outdoor & porch furniture, semi-outdoor furniture, & indoor furniture
Tip 5 - Today’s wicker is made of a number of materials. There are people who prefer wicker furniture, especially when they are considering how to accentuate their patio, or simply add a ‘country feel’ to their home.

Tip 6 - As with many types of outdoor furniture. Genuine wicker can be often used & can be an attractive material for chairs in particular., but remember it is damaged by exposure to moisture & excessive sunlight.

Synthetic Wicker can work well
There are howevermaterials with the look & appeal of wicker., but are actually synthetic wicker, which may be more appropriate for constant outside use. . Synthetic wicker is often used on aluminium to provide sturdiness yet a wicker appearance.

Don’t forget to budget for covers for your new furniture. Wicker should be kept dry, so if wicker is placed in an uncovered area, it should be brought inside when it rains or completely covered.
Molded PVC Furniture

Molded PVC furniture is a popular choice, in colors that harmonize with the natural surroundings. There is more. There is more. There is plenty of choice available to buy & can be easily found in many styles & designs that are priced to suit any budget.

Toby Russell is the owner of the outdoor & garden furniture website, http://www.gardenfurnituresuperstore.com which specialises in offering any very wide & extensive choice of garden furniture & accessories from leading suppliers.

Spring revives our spirits & we in turn need to revive our gardens in spring. You might worry about the odd gust of cold wave that might still harm your garden which you have so religiously worked on for the spring. Do you follow? The best thing in such a scenario is to start some seeds inside your home. A soil less mixture is best to start the seeds & you would not have any problems finding it in any nursery close to you.

The important thing to be actually considered here is the space that each seed gets to grow. It is always a good idea to plant the seed in two inch rows & to give adequate space for each seed to germinate. Keep in mind that your seeds should be planted in a shallow, well draining container. This helps in proper sapling formation. Remember to place your seeds in a warm & moist place. A ready solution to provide moisture would be to place a thin plastic covering on the container.

Getting ready for spring gardening might appear at the outside to be a very rigorous exercise but if you do not take the requisite precautions then all your efforts can go waste. Also the satisfaction of having a blooming spring garden is definitely unbeatable. Coming back to the seeds that you have started, once they start to grow make certain that they are now able to get the maximum possible light.

After 4-6 weeks of the plant having been growing, make them ready for transplanting by hardening. Hardening is a process where the transplants get a feel of a place where they will be growing. Do you follow? This way acclimatizing the transplants is always a good idea. Keep in mind that you will get the best results if you transfer the transplants to the soil in the morning & on a cloudy day (preferably). Also make certain that the area around the transplants is moist.

We’ve talked a lot about the seeds now we need to talk about the garden as well. The lawn needs to be moved & all the thatch which might have accumulated since the fall needs to be removed. This thatch can take away the nutrients etc from the plants which will be planted. Also the lawn should be mowed & all the wild weeds & tangled dry grass with live grass need to be extracted. This could be a great time to supply your lawn with fertilizer if you feel it needs a feeding. As the spring signifies a fresh start so should your garden for the soon to be put in transplants.

Online flower shops, Tidy’s Flowers http://www.tidysflowers.com

I would challenge you to find a culture that has not used hay (in all forms) for mulch & other gardening chores. There is more. There is more. There are many ways to use hay for composting. Here are a few ideas…

Have you EVER wondered (read struggled) to figure out what to do with the left over corn stalks? Think about it for one minute… All that green & all that tough fiber that corn ‘builds’ as it is creating those wonderfully sweet kernels. There is more. There is more. There has just GOT to be something left in those ‘leftovers’ to go back into the ground. I do not know about you, but I have chopped (by hand, with a machete), I have torn apart, I have stomped on, I have ripped my fingers, I have pulled my hair…. There IS an easier way. Bury them. Yes, bury them, with HAY. Then let them sit all winter. When spring comes, stick a shovel down into that rotting mess & stick a seedling in it… You would be surprised :o at the result. The roots will intertwine, the worms will come out to play. And you have reduced your workload to practically nil… in my book, that is a win/win situation.

With the hours I keep, (sound familiar?) our fall ‘clean-up’ amounts to leaving everything that was growing right where it lays, & covering it all with hay. (usually the bales I use to do my fall decorating… it is my favorite time to decorate.) It does not take a lot, even four or five inches deep, old man winter will lay it ground level by spring. (Hint: I had grass clipping piled to my waist, & four months later, it was four inches thick) You can usually plant seeds right in it by spring. Peas & cabbage, potatoes especially! Not only does it save you work (like THAT idea? But it enables you to make full use of intensive planting techniques.

Look ma! NO WEEDS!! Can anyone say ‘FAR OUT”? Hay is a awesome alternative to weeding. Instead of pulling un-wanted plants out of the ground, & disturbing the roots of every other living thing around it, bend the weeds flat & cover them with hay.

Ever hear of the ‘no till’ method of planting? It was created by farmers with too much leftover hay. (I am SO kidding! Pile some hay on the area you want to plant next spring & you will find the area completely ready to plant without pulling that heavy noisy, gas fueled tiller out once. It is possible to plant any kind of crop the following year without disturbing the sod. Ruth Stout (did you not read about her in Mother Earth News?) says that spading, plowing & cultivating are all completely unnecessary, & do more harm than good. She says if a heavy hay cover is laid on even the toughest ground in the summer, plantings can be made in it the following spring. No other preparation of the soil is required. (I LIKE that idea)

Cabbage, tomatoes & other transplanted seedlings are exceedingly easy to put out in hay. Use a string to mark the row, (if you tend to get things crooked like I do) & a box to carry your seedlings, & you can plant almost as fast as you can meander… stick your shovel down to make a break in the (what is now soft decaying matter) gently place your seedling into it, pat it in with your foot, & move on to the next. Why I will bet you could set 100 seedlings in a ½ hour without breaking a sweat. And they will grow splendidly, too!

My FAVORITE plant to grow in hay… can you guess? I will give you a hint. If you have ever bit into one that still had some dirt on it… YES, I am talking about potatoes. You can grow the BEST potatoes in the world & be the envy of all your gardening friends by laying the eyes on top of the leftovers of last year’s hay mulch. Lay them out & cover them with hay. That us IT. You can increase your yield a tad by adding some well rotted manure to this mix. I just can notsay enough about this method of growing potatoes. My father taught me to do it… The potatoes are clean & easy to harvest. Depending on how closely you plant them, you can easily inspect them for pests. (The fancy term is integrated pest management) And I do not know if you have this compulsion to see how they are ‘coming along’ but I know I do. It is quite easy to pull the hay back without disturbing the growth of the potato, & ‘take a peek’.

After you have used hay mulch regularly for a few years, you can practically forget all about pH problems with your soil. And you can altogether forget about using poisonous chemical ‘fertilizers’ & (yawn…) ’soil conditioners’ as it would be like throwing gasoline on a fire. There is nothing I do not grow with hay mulch & I barely made my way thru biology & chemistry. I do not really WANT to knowwhy a base causes this to happen or why ions are released or held onto. I just want to grow good healthy plants to feed my family nutritiously. And adequate organic matter acts as a practical buffer & helps to neutralize the extremes of pH in any soil. (I DID retain that much from my studies…

Do your feet get cold in the winter? When your feet get cold & wet, would it help to wrap them in plastic? (you know.. keep the wet IN?) Stacking up a heavy hay mulch onto the cold wet garden in the early spring is not a good way to start. Hay is a ’slow burn’. It is not especially good for the short term. If hay has not had a chance to compost all winter (you know… ROT) it will not do much more than keep the cold & the wet in. If you have got hay to use, wait till the soil temperature warms up & use it as a mulch. You can move things along by adding some rotted manure or compost to it, but it takes time. Do not hurry your garden….

Lots of hay bales always makes me feel rich. Do not ask me why. It is crazy I know but I feel some weird form of security from them. I use them to create borders. I use them to kill grass. I use them to set pretty potted plants on & make arrangements. I use them to stick my fork in when I am too lazy to take it to the garage. I use them to sit on… well, I think you get the idea. And yes, eventually they rot. There is nothing more in this world that I like spreading around better than a well rotted bale of hay. (no wonder I am still single after all these years…) The earth worms love ‘em. And if I ever need a few, I know straight where to go straight to find them… okay. I think I have run out of ideas for you & now I am just rambling.

I hope that I have convinced you of the value of hay composting. It was my intention. It is easy, cheap, & it is NOT labor intensive. It IS sustainable. That is MY way to garden!

Garden Simply gives education enhancing you & your family’s health through good eating, organic gardening techniques, & tips to help you get the most of your effort. Live an all around sustainable lifestyle reading the very latest community & sustainable gardening news out there. It is serious information for serious fun! Join Garden Notes! Sustainability is a community effort!

You have heard the term “Curb Appeal” in reference to houses. In order to enhance your home’s “curb appeal”, a great looking lawn is a must. Easily said, but how do you get & keep that great looking lawn? Here are some tips that are sure to create & keep a great looking lawn & enhance your property “Curb Appeal”.

1 . Have your soil tested by your local Cooperative Extension Service. Find out what your lawn needs.

2. Fertilize 3 to 5 times per year on a regular schedule that is appropriate for your lawn grass. Each type of lawn grass & area of the country will have somewhat different requirements. Fertilizers available today are high in Nitrogen or (N), low in phosphorus (P) or the middle number of the fertilize analysis on the fertilizer bag & medium amount of potassium (K). Look for a fertilizer with a analysis like 25(N)-3(P)-11(K). Most experts would recommend from 1/2 to 1 lb of actual N to the application. Example, with the 25%(N) from above (25% x 1/2(N)lb = 2 lbs of a fertilizer 25-3-11 be applied to 1000 sq ft or 25% x 1 lb = 4 lbs per 1000 sq ft. If you have any question or concern, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service for your local requirements.

3. Mow your lawn as high as you can during the hot summer. This will provide protection from drying out & help to shade the ground to stop water loss. There is more. This saves on watering & helps to crowd out weeds. Mowing at a lower height during early spring should be fine as it is usually a wetter time of the year.

4. Water 1″ to 1-1/2″ per week, depending upon rain fall. amounts watering lightly promotes a shallow root system which is not good when the hot, dry summer arrives. Over watering will cause roots to rot. OK. So, a soaking once per week is much better for a good lawn. Remember, adjust the amount of water you are adding by the amount of rainfall.

5. Aerate at least once a year. This will promote root growth & allow water, fertilizer & other nutrients to enter the root system more readily. It will help to reverse the soil compaction that has taken place the result of mowing with a large riding mowers. If you add the weight of the large mower & the person riding, you have many 100 pounds running around your lawn. If you have a low growing small leafed weed, it is knotweed & you have a compacted soil condition.

6. Keep the mower blades sharp. Dull mower blades rips the ends of the grass blades & causes a gray looking condition across the yard. If you do not have a electric grind stone, find a local mower shop or hardware store to sharpen the blade at least a couple times a mowing seasons.

7. Mowing more often will encourage your lawn to grow a thicker turf. Do not cut more than 1/3 of grass height off at one cutting.

8. Control weeds with a lawn herbicide throughout the growing season. For homeowners, ortho weed-B-gone works great. The best defense against weeds is a lush, thick lawn that crowds out weeds.

9. Mulch or not the grass clipping that is a big question.
a. Bluegrass - NO
b. Bermuda - NO
c. Zoysia - NO
d. Fescue - Maybe if the grass is not too long cutting.
e. St. Augustine - YES
f. Centipede - YES
In Bluegrass lawns, I have seen a layer build-up of thratch to 1- 1/2″-2″ thick. When this happens the roots become shallow with 2″ thick. When this happens the roots become shallow with no roots into the soil at all. Insects & diseases like a thick thratch layer as well. If you want to mulch your grass, you may find problems overtime.

10. Try to mow in different directions each time you mow. This will help stop compaction & ruts from the mower’s wheels.

11. Watch for dead patches in your lawn. This may indicate insect or disease damage. Treatment should be made only after you know for sure what’s causing the brown areas. Again, your Cooperative Extension Service can shed some light on what the problem is & the proper cure.

Lawrence L. Hoyle has been trained & has work in the Landscape Profession for 52 years. Landscape Designer for 46 years & was on the Extension Faculty of Purdue University for 12 years. His main website is http://www.web-landscape-design-ideas.com Online Landscape Design Service For Homeowners & Landscape Contractors. “Plan Before You Plant”

The NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) used to be commonly used among commercial & smaller scale hobbyist or amateur hydroponic growers. Its use has diminished among commercial growers in recent years mainly because new hydroponic techniques exist today that are better suited to large-scale farming.

Amateur hydroponic growers howeverstill use NFT often. It is not that expensive, it is very easy to use, & it can be easily adapted to suit many different plant types.

The NFT is one kind of solution culture in hydroponics. Solution culture hydroponics involves the growing of plants without growth medium & without soil. Many hydroponics growers believe that solution cultures are the only true form of hydroponics. There is more. There is more. They say that when growers add solid growth mediums, they are adding nutrients to the plants in the same way soil does. NFT on the other hand, treats the plants only with nutrient solutions prepared by the growers & delivered to the plants root system via water.

NFT Hydroponics Systems work by generating a constant water flow at the plants’ root systems which are suspended in a tub. The slow moving water solution is spread out across a flat surface at a depth of approximately 1 to 3 inches. There is more. There is more. This shallow solution depth is constantly maintained to create a nutrient film over the plant roots.

When setting up your own NFT system you will need a shallow, flat-bottomed tub & a submersion pump which will keep the water flowing over the plant roots. There is more. There is more. The plants should be placed close together in order to enable the nutrients to more readily cling to the roots. There is more. There is more. The submersion pump will constantly recycle the water back into the system. And because the water is being constantly recycled, you will need to closely monitor the nutrient levels in the water.

The NFT technique does have a few potential drawbacks which need to be addressed. For example the nutrients necessary for the plants can cause damage to the submersion pump. If the submersion pump fails, or if there is an electrical failure, your plants will not actually be getting the nutrients they need to survive. A relatively short disruption in the pump can lead to complete failure in your plants.

Nevertheless the NFT Hydroponic System remains a viable method of hydroponic gardening for small scale & indoor gardeners. By closely monitoring the pump & nutrient solution, hydroponic gardening can be made nearly risk free & quite productive!

Hydroponic Gardening Website: Tony Buel Read Full Article at: Setting Up an NFT Hydroponics System

If you have decided that you want to feed the birds there is a lot you’ll have to find out before you can get it all set up. You need to know which type of bird feeder you need depending on which birds live in your area & which ones you want to attract o your yard. No matter the choices you’re planning on making the first thing to consider is that whichever feeder you select you want it to be easily able to satisfy a certain number of basic needs. You want one that is easy to clean. That means considering the plastic & metal ones first. They are far easier to clean properly than the wooden ones. Even if the wood ones appeal to you more because of how they look this is one factor you really need to consider. You might need to select cleanliness or attractiveness.

They must be well made. When you have put something out to feed the birds you want to be easily able to count on it lasting. Do you follow? That requires it being something that is well-built enough to be easily able to withstand various weather conditions. It needs to be easily able to withstand winds, rains & anything that winter weather can throw at it… As well, the bird feeder needs to be easily able to keep the seeds you have put into it dry. You also want one that is big enough you need not have to fill it every day. Lastly you want to get a feeder that will not actually be too hard to put together. If you have to spend hours assembling it the average person will not bother purchasing one. So you’ll need to either find one that is simple to put together or get one premade.

Bird feeders are usually thought to be either tray feeders, tube feeders or lastly hopper feeders. There is more. These designations are based closely on size & shape of the feeder. But there’re other kinds as well. These are a little more unusual & include those for hummingbirds, suet feeders or peanut feeders. Every one of these will feed a variety of birds but no two are necessarily useful for the same type of bird.

Mayoor Patel is the writer for the website http://www.bird-feeders.wares-are.us/. Please visit for information on all things concerned with Bird Feeder

It’s a beautiful, chilly March day, & I am dreaming about planting my garden this spring. While it is definitely still too cold to plant my garden, with a little planning & preparation, I can start my vegetable garden indoors to be ready to plant outdoors as soon as the last frost passes.

Generally you can now start vegetables from seed four to ten weeks before the last frost. Where I live the last frost occurs in the middle of May.

Some vegetables transplant easier than others. Lettuce, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, onions, peppers, & tomatoes generally transplant well. Carrots, peas, corn, cucumbers, pumpkins, beans, & squash are harder to transplant, so it’s not recommended to start these plants from seed.

Vegetables can be successfully started from seed if you keep them the correct temperature & provide them with the appropriate amounts of light & moisture.

You can make your own seed starting mix by combining equal parts of peat moss, perlite, & vermiculite, which are all available at any garden supply store. You can use just about any container that will hold soil to plant your seeds, as long as you have drainage holes. You can buy seed starting trays that makes planting really easy. Just make certain your container is clean.

Plant the seeds as recommended on the seed packets. Cover the tray with a plastic cover or plastic wrap to help keep moisture in. Remove the cover or plastic wrap when seedlings appear. Keep soil moist with a misting spray bottle. Make sure the soil does not gets too wet.

Keep your seedlings between 65-75 degrees. You can set them in a sunny windowsill, but it’s best to use fluorescent lights up to 16 hours a day two to four inches above the seedlings.

When your seedlings start growing leaves, weed out the weakest looking plants, & start fertilizing once or twice or two times a week.

When you see many sets of leaves, you can transplant the seedlings to individual pots filled with potting soil. If you transplant to a peat pot you can place this pot directly in the garden when it is time to plant.

After the chance of frost has passed, gradually toughen the plants for about two weeks before you plant them so that they can adjust to their new environment. Set them outside for a couple of hours a day to get used to their new conditions, gradually increasing the amount of time spent outside each day.

If you’re not sure of the date of your last frost, or would like more information about growing vegetables in your area, you can contact your local agricultural extension office either by telephone or via their web site. They offer free, help-fulgardening information for amateur gardeners.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer & mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For lots more gardening, recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, & more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

Most little girls (and big ones, too) do not like worms. There is more. There is more. To some of us, nightmares are made from such creatures. There is more. There is more. Their negative reputation precedes them; they are the quintessential creepy crawlers, oozing themselves side to side in a bed of slime, tangling themselves together into a pulsating mass. (I think I am scaring myself here. Oops!)

Back in the Dark Ages (AKA the 1960s), I had a high school biology teacher who seemed to thrive on worms & assorted insects, the more bizarre the better… One exceptionally odious assignment for a particularly sunny, breezy day was to dig up & then transport back to school the next morning a full dozen of the plumpest, wiggliest earthworms we could find, with an extra five points for each additional worm we evicted from the ground. How could I ever complete this assignment without having a nervous breakdown? Eww! Fortunately for me, a boy down the street with whom I had a platonic relationship for the previous ten years, rode to my rescue (figuratively & literally as bikes were still an accepted mode of transportation), armed with a garden trowel & a roomy glass jar. My hero! Gallant gentleman that he was, Marc dug for me a baker’s dozen of the juiciest, writhing earthworms ever to come out of a rose garden. And so, here begins my uneasy alliance with the earthworm.

Forty years later & a movement to be environmentally friendly is in the air. We recycle water, recycle paper, recycle old automobile tires, even recycle used computer printer ink cartridges. Right. Why should not our friend, the worm, join the crusade? However - we will need to look at its cousin, the common red worm, Eisenia foetida, to do the job. Also known as the tiger worm, brandling, angle worm, manure worm, or red wriggler, the red worm lives in a different ecological niche than does the common earthworm burrowing in garden soil. You can find the red worm making its home near the surface in areas of high concentration of organic matter, such as what might be easily found in pastures, leaf mould, or underneath a compost pile. Another breed of red worm, Lumbricus rubellas, can be often used in worm composting as well.

The art of worm composting is known officially as VERMICOMPOSTING. The worms can be bought at garden centers, mail order, or online. Some vendors offer special ‘high-performance’ breeds or special ‘hybrids.’ Take this with a grain of salt - there is no such thing as a hybrid worm. That is just wishful thinking.

Let us start with a description of the components needed for vermicomposting. Of course, the most important item is a large supply of worms which will leave worm castings (dung). Also essential is a fair amount of decayed organic material. In an optimum scenario, worms have the ability to eat up to their own weight of organic waste in the course of one day. Even though they consume the organic matter, the true nourishment comes from the micro-organisms to be easily found inside the worms, busily eating away. Strange but true, the worm casts have eight times as many organisms as their food does. There is more. There is more. These micro-organisms encourage healthy plant growth; the castings do not have any injurious disease pathogens, which have been reliably destroyed in the worms’ gut. This is literally an instance of vermicomposting having its cake & eating it, too. A big cheer for the red worm!

About 1,000 red worms are needed to start your compost heap on its way to fame & fortune in Fertilizerland. Worms reproduce at an incredibly rapid rate; within a month, your initial 1,000 worms will have doubled their numbers to 2,000 (and they thought rabbits reproduce at the speed of light!). Under ideal situations, one pound of worms (1,000 worms) can multiply to 1,000 pounds (one million worms) in the space of one year but, to be more realistic, one pound will probably increase itself to 35 pounds during that same time. The reduced numbers are the result of the hatchlings & capsules (cocoons or eggs) becoming nonviable when the vermicompost is harvested.

Adult red worms put out two or three capsules per week, each capsule producing two or three hatchlings after approximately three weeks. Beginning life at only ½ an inch long, the hatchlings resemble miniscule white threads which develop so quickly they are sexually mature in four to six weeks, ready to make their own capsules. By the age of three months, our original hatchlings have become grandmas & grandpas.

In order to survive, red worms must have a source of hydration on a steady basis. There is more. There is more. They also need a constant reserve of food. A hungry & thirsty red worm is a dead red worm. Remember to feed them daily. They can notdisplay their hunger and/or thirst such as a dog or cat might, so you must learn to fulfill their needs on a scrupulously kept schedule. What goes in must come out. Feed & water your worms well & their castings will make fine compost for you.

Some of the best foods for red worms are:

• Rabbit manure.
• Manure (every type but human but allow poultry manure to age a minimum of six months to a year before using).
• Food scraps.
• Shredded cardboard & newspaper.
• Powdered worm food. Purina actually markets a worm food called ‘Worm Chow.’ What’s next? ‘Aphid Ambrosia?? ‘Butterfly Broth?? The possibilities buggle [sic] the mind.

Some closing thoughts:

• Also called ‘compost worms?.
• Live two to five years unless there is an untimely meeting of worm to the sole of a boot.
• Makes two to five cocoons per week - four is considered normal under good conditions.
• Two to three worms hatch (the ‘hatchlings?) from each cocoon.
• 45-day hatch time.
• A span of six weeks takes the worms from hatchlings to adult breeders.

Watch where you step after the next rainstorm. You may be squashing someone’s mom!

Terry Kaufman is Chief Editorial Writer for Niftygarden.com, Niftykitchen.com, & Niftyhomebar.com

?2007 Terry Kaufman.

The bonsai plant has become a popular hobby if only because of its relation with nature, ecology & the environment. However - the bonsai requires special kind of raising & care to ensure its perfect health.

How can we provide our bonsai plants with the proper care & attention they need? The following are some important methods or procedures on how to care for our bonsai.

One essential care that we should give to our bonsai plant involves the soil & the fertilizers & nutrients that we mix on it… This is why we have to make certain that the soil that we’re using to plant our bonsai in should be of good quality.

The bonsai plant needs all the nutrients it needs. There is more. The soil therefore needs to be mixed with fertilizers & plant nutrients such as nitrogen, some potash & parts of phosphoric acid. Introduction of such fertilizers should be done two to three times every month, especially during the springtime of the year. During the winter & late part of the fall season, use of fertilizers should be only once a month.

The bonsai plant needs lots of sunshine, & this should mean direct exposure to the sun. In cases of indoor bonsai plants, they should be put out even if only for a few hours to receive some sunlight. OK. Sunlight gives the bonsai with its required dose of Vitamin D. On the other hand, if the plant’s foliage is trimmed of some leaves & branches, it would need less sun exposure than normal.

A particular type of bonsai would require a certain container of specific size & shape to optimize the proper growth of the plant, its foliage & roots. By example, the bonsai with a cascade style should be planted in a round pot. This shape is ideal as the cascade style abruptly bends down the rim of the pot. Likewise, we must assure that the position of the pot or container should be correct. Again, in the case of the cascade style, the pot should be placed on the edge of the stand or table to provide room for the bending foliage of the bonsai.

Definitely, water is one of the most important components needed in keeping out bonsai plant healthy. Watering the bonsai plant should be done with care. Since the bonsai is planted in a limited amount of soil, watering is also done with restriction & regular monitoring. Definitely, only a limit amount of water is given to the bonsai as too much water can do damage to the health of the plant. OK. Strict monitoring of moisture present on the soil should also be done. A reliable way of knowing is by putting your finger down the soil to determine if it’s dry or still damp with moisture.

Avid full time hobby bonsai grower. As been practicing bonsai & gardening for much more then 8 years. Owner of http://www.mishobonsai.com, a website with resources for Bonsai seeds & tree seeds.