Gardening 101

by Mara Hernandez-Capili

Every year in Lake Charles Louisiana, gardeners and plant lovers or enthusiasts, young, and old gather together to commemorate Garden Festival. Garden Festival is a part of the horticulture program, here they enhance and educate people of southwest Louisiana about horticulture. Horticulture is the science of plant cultivation, while Horticulturists are the persons who work and conduct research regarding plant and crop propagation and cultivation.



It is a fun filled day where there are exhibits and contests to see how far gardening has gone, and how broad gardening has become. It is a one time annual experience where professionals and non commercial welfare of people are unified.



During the festival, there are exhibitors who provide basic knowledge about gardening and the art of Horticulture among spectators. Amongst the demonstration and lessons given are the prevention of mishaps in garden and lawns. Also, facilitators educate the public regarding tool familiarization, clubs and societies located in the area, stores where to obtain gardening products and accessories and of course the places where they could sell their home grown plants. It is simply a day of knowledge.



Some of us believe that gardening is way too easy- that you just have to plant a seed and wait for it to grow. This is not certainly the case and the Garden festival might just prove us wrong on this belief. Gardening is a serious job that without proper tools and knowledge gardening itself would be as hard as constructing a new building with our bare hands. Gardening takes a lot of information, proper deliberation, and passion.



Gardening is indeed a satisfying hobby. Aside from its money-making aspects, it is also a very simple way of helping Mother Earth. As flower beautifies every home, its roots and shades also reduce the heat absorption of place. It's really a "green thumbs" up to those who loves gardening. Check out the website below for a complete list of events and festivals at Louisiana.

About the Author:

Mara Hernandez-Capili is a writer and a researcher on events in Travel and Leisure. Visiting events such as the Louisiana craft fairs will open one's spirit on the beauty of the world beyond home's borders. If youre staying in Louisiana, the author suggests checking out the Louisiana craft shows for entertainments to make your stay memorable.

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Gardening Supplies For Growing 100 Pounds of Garden Potatoes

by Scott Moore

Potato gardening is simple. You don't need many gardening accessories. The potatoes we eat are starchy tubers that grow underground very naturally, swelling and getting larger as the top half of the plant matures. Many claim to grow 100 pounds of potatoes in a small 4 square foot gardening area as they cover their emerging crop in layers of soil as it matures.



First off you need garden seed potatoes. These are potatoes you've seen in your kitchen that have sprouted shoots. Individual potatoes that are sold at grocery stores sometimes have growth inhibitors sprayed on them, but bagged potatoes that you see sprout are good seed potato candidates.



Before you plant your 'seed" potatoes, you'll want activate their spouting. By simply keeping them in a warm place in bright sunlight, you'll activate this process. Some use egg cartons or baskets as temporary holders.



Prepare you potatoes the day before by cutting them into golf ball size portions with each cube having at least 2 eyes. You'll want to keep them exposed to the air overnight which hastens a callous covering the cut part. This callus prevent the seed potato from rotting in the garden.



Potatoes need full sun and loose, well-drained soil. If your soil is full of clay make sure to add compost and lots of peat moss so the vines can grow easily. Make sure they get about an inch of water a week.



One can use build a potato box or automobile tires as a garden accessory and plant place 6 seed potatoes inside filling the tire or container half way with soil. When the vines grow about 6 inches high place another tire on top or add boards to your container and cover the vines half way with soil. Keep adding soil and tires until you reach the desired height. Tires can be stacked 4 to 8 levels high.



Potato sprouts will appear in about 2 weeks. When they get about 2 or more inches high (this will take about 3 weeks) add soil to partially cover the growing vines. Do this again 2 weeks later. This process is called "hilling". Add an inch or two of soil every week so there is enough soil above the developing potato garden to prevent them from sticking out above the soil line because the potatoes will turn green



Harvest carefully, by hand or with a shovel. Generally, you can harvest from 2 to 4 months after planting. Turn the soil over and search through for potatoes at the bottom of the mound. The tubers can branch out and gentle digging at the bottom layer of your container will yield a potato or two. You can harvest the entire crop when the tops die off. All the sprays and fertilizers to grow healthy potatoes: Gardening Accessories

About the Author:

Gardening supplies from top gardening sites. Find consultation from compost to harvest. View latest garden tool innovations, fertilizers, plant food and hydroponic supplies, garden pest protection and disease control. Gardening Supplies

Why Every Gardener Needs a Garden Shed - Plans and Design

by William Boyle

Spring rolls around and its time to dip into the pocket book and start getting ready for the summer. There's planting to be done, and repairs to do. Perhaps there's a landscaping project on the horizon.



Once the plans are in place and the items are bought its time to get out the tools. Now this is where the real challenge begins. Where did you put them last fall? Probably find some in the basement and then there's that corner of the garage that has some of the bigger ones. Oh yes don't forget about the spare room probably tucked some away in there too.



This has all got to tell you something. As if you really need, a garden shed. It's going to save you time and money in the long run. It's going to save you time because all of your outdoor tools and equipment can be stored in one place. That means when you are in need of something you can just go and get it because you know where it is. When your garden and outdoor implements are scattered all over the place, it takes a lot of time just remembering where they are and then the search is on.



Money wise they save you a great deal. One of your agreements against the garden shed investment may be you just don't want to put out that kind of money after all you've managed so far.



The longer you live in a house the more you accumulate. You may have managed up until now but the time is coming sooner or later you just won't have enough storage space.



Yes, it's going to cost you money to buy your garden shed. Think of it this way though how much has you spent on soil weeding products and fertilizer. You use a portion of them then one of two things happen. You let them sit outside where they get destroyed by the elements, or secondly you end up throwing them out because there is no place to put them.



Most of the lawn and garden equipment that you have probably purchased has not been cheap either. When it's not stored properly, it can become damaged or even ruined. The other thing to consider is some of the equipment is not safe to be laying around especially where there are young children.



Finally, a garden shed really does add to the ambience of the landscaping. It makes it look neat and just shows that someone really cares about their outdoors. If you aren't sure, what style to get just look around your neighborhood and you will get a good idea. You need to base your choice according to your needs. If you don't own a lot of garden supplies and equipment then one of the smaller ones will work nicely. Don't forget though that those winter items can be conveniently stored here as well so plan your required space accordingly. Once you have got past the fact that you had to lay some money out for your shed you are going to be most glad that you did.

About the Author:

As seen on Woodcraft Magazine, MyShedPlans offers over 12,000 sheds plans and woodworking plans. Download your shed kits at the official site now. It is a free plan of a beautiful large storage shed.