Archive for March, 2009
March 31, 2009 at 4:04 pm · Filed under Bonsai
Say ‘art’ and most will think of painting or sculpture. There is a kind of sculpture, though, that takes as its raw material not stone or wood but a living tree. That is the art of bonsai.
From the Japanese word for ‘tree in a tray’, Bonsai is the art and product of shaping trees by careful pruning to produce a miniature tree or bush. Not produced from genetic dwarfs, bonsai are the result of years of patient shaping of ordinary species by master artists.
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March 31, 2009 at 4:03 pm · Filed under Bonsai
The craft of shaping miniature trees in a small pot first arose over a thousand years ago in China, where it was known as pun-sai.
Even then the variety of individual bonsai was astonishing, as known from ancient drawings. Gnarled, faux-windswept trunks, with sparse leaves to full-flowering miniature blossoming trees dot the historic record.
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March 31, 2009 at 4:01 pm · Filed under Lawn, Garden Landscaping
Taking care of a yard is a year round job for some. For those who get a brief break due to snow on the ground, there are still some things you might want to study up on before Spring.
The first thing to keep in mind is that Spring isn’t the only, and not always the best time to do prep work. If you need to re-seed bare patches, just before the first snowfall of the year is a good time to start. The seeds will get worked into the soil by the weight of the snow and lay dormant for Winter.
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March 28, 2009 at 8:09 pm · Filed under Planting
Becca: Little Green Bees
Well, I’m taking a break from playing in the tropical rainforest that is Pensacola right now so I can confess my seed killing tendencies to the world. At one time, I considered myself a very talented gardener. As I try newer and more difficult things, I’m finding that I have ever so much more to learn! I guess that’s good , right? Otherwise, life would be unbearably boring.
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March 28, 2009 at 1:42 pm · Filed under General
A hose is indispensable for nearly every lawn and garden. Even in areas that get regular rain, there are often dry spells that can be dangerous for plants. No matter how good your automatic sprinkler design, there are usually areas that don’t get enough, causing dry spots. And, there’s no good substitute for cleaning up spills or mud run-off from the patio.
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March 28, 2009 at 1:41 pm · Filed under General
Some people garden and perform lawn care their whole lives using no gloves at all. But apart from the calluses and the dirt, some of us mere mortals require a little help from technology. Fortunately, the technology of gloves has come a long way in the past 50 years.
Today, thanks to advances in materials science and ergonomics, there are gloves suitable for all tasks that are tough and comfortable. One thing hasn’t changed much over that time, however. Hands are still the same basic shape and size.
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March 28, 2009 at 1:40 pm · Filed under General
Sharp shears are a necessity to avoid ripping those stems rather than slicing them neatly. It also decreases the muscular effort required to make the cut, saving your hands. Fortunately, keeping shears sharp as new is simple with the proper tools and technique.
For larger shears, such as grass or hedge shears, the technique is very similar to sharpening a rotary lawnmower blade. Clamp the shear into the jaws of a bench vise. Clean off any debris and oil lightly with a fine machine oil.
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March 26, 2009 at 8:55 pm · Filed under Garden Landscaping, General
One of the great things about landscape design is the flexibility it offers. You can make it very simple and get your feet wet so to speak. Later, you can re-do the area, or do another area in a more complex design as you gain more knowledge. It’s easy to get started, but you can never run out of things to try. Master designers who have been at the practice for years are still learning and experimenting!
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