Archive for May, 2008
Saturday, May 31st, 2008
by Colleen McCullough
Tired of thinking what present to give your kid for a certain special occasion? Why not consider a toy that is educational?
There are many toys nowadays that can be really educational just like for an instance a Webkinz toy of Ganz.
At first look, a Webkinz toy may not be that inviting or even interesting as it may just appear like an ordinary small plush toy. But watch out when you finally have it in your hands and have its unique secret code that will allow you to access the Webkinz World website and from there get a virtual version of the pet for virtual interaction, you’ll surely won’t let it slip away from your hands and sight anymore.
At the Webkinz World, your kid will learn how to be responsible as he will need to purchase pet food, clothing, and room items for his or her toy. He or she can also meet some new friends online who can be his or her playmates when playing some educational games like in particular board games.
Tags: Babies, children, crafts, elderly care, gardening, hobbies, pet, shopping, toys, Webkinz, Webkinz toy, Webkinz World
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Friday, May 30th, 2008
by Kim Archer
Growing bonsai is an art that needs total commitment. These fascinating mini trees require much attention, and won’t last long if they are neglected. Before you start out on your first bonsai you need to be aware of a few basic rules. You have to keep in mind that you are dealing with a living, growing tree that needs proper care.
Many people wonder what the big deal is when it comes to growing a bonsai tree. Some people can’t understand why a bonsai tree requires so much careful attention? If that’s what you think about the art of growing bonsai, please don’t even start.
The environment has to be just right in order to produce a healthy bonsai tree. Room temperature and lighting must be carefully monitored. It’s essential that you give it the correct quantities of fertilizer and water. A bonsai tree is actually quite delicate and can die very easily.
Here are a few tips to help ensure that your indoor bonsai trees will thrive.
1. Water the plant thoroughly to ensure that the roots get an adequate amount. The quantity will depend on the species you are raising. Also make sure that you have proper drainage as there should be no accumulation of excess water.
Tags: bonsai, bonsai tree, gardening, houseplants
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Thursday, May 29th, 2008
by A Nutt
Organic gardening is a chemical-free and earth-friendly method of gardening. Organic gardening and conventional gardening differ on how they control pests and nourish the soil. Conventional gardening uses chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers while organic gardens use organic means of enriching the soil and organic weed killers and fertilizers.
Organic gardens follow natural practices that include: Organic Soil: Quality soil is the main component of creating a successful garden. By providing nourishing natural substances to the soil, you will be well on your way to growing healthy plants and vegetables. For an organic garden, it is essential to add natural additives such as organic compost, manure, chopped leaves, and mulches. Before adding natural compounds, you should do a soil test to determine whether the soil has any mineral deficiencies. To improve the quality of the soil, you can add a number of natural products that are rich in nutrients. Natural additives can include organic compost, fish emulsion, and blood meal. If you do not have the time to make your own natural soil feed, there are many natural products available for purchase. Such products that are rich in nutrients include seaweed meal, straw mulch, and worm casts. Making worm compost is a great way to compost organic waste
Tags: agriculture, bussines, chemical free, environment, gardening, health, organic gardening, organic gardening supplies, organic supplies
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
by Greg Dharma
Appropriately enough, with a scientific name derived from the Greek words agros, meaning field, and stemma, meaning wreath, Corn Cockle was traditionally used in harvest festival wreaths. Equally appropriate were its various colloquial names.
The seeds of Corn Cockle represented small loaves of bread in the games of village children in Bohemia and the Rhineland – hence its German name Brotchenblume; or, if it grew in corn, it was known as Kornrade.
Both these trefoil species are native to Europe, temperate Asia, and North Africa, and both have been introduced to North America. At one time various species of Trifolium were used in the study of the autonomous movements of plants and their organs. In darkness the leaves are able to move within a range of as much as 120 .
Today, such precautions are no longer necessary since, largely due to modern methods of farming, Corn Cockle has virtually disappeared from the fields and adjacent countryside throughout Europe.
For centuries ordinary folk regarded Milfoil as one of the best of the herbal remedies, and it continues to be used medicinally to relieve spasms, to stimulate digestion, soothe coughs, and check bleeding. However, prolonged use of Milfoil – the active constituent is in the flowering top parts – may result in allergies, inflammation, headaches, and poisoning.
Tags: advice, diy, family, flower, free, gardening, home, howto, ideas, improvement, online, organic, outdoors, recreation, resources
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Tuesday, May 27th, 2008
by James Patterson
Forms of adaptation required to preserve the species vary. One of the simplest ways of guaranteeing survival is by the production of vast numbers of seeds, and flowers of the field are known to be particularly vigorous in this respect.
Although difficult to eradicate it is a welcome plant in that it is one of the earliest to flower in spring. What makes eradication of Coltsfoot difficult is its extensive root system. The rhizomes, the foodstore of the plant, spread horizontally below the surface of the soil at depths ranging from 20-250 cm, with the greatest concentration found 1 m down. From this, shoots rise to form new rooting plants on the surface, and in autumn, several flower buds form below the surface, close under the leaves, in readiness for the following spring.
As the Latin name persica indicates, the Field Speedwell comes from the Orient. It was grown as an exotic plant in the botanical gardens at Karlsruhe, becoming established in the vicinity as an escapee in 1805. It took only a few decades for it to spread throughout Europe and now, almost two centuries later, it is found growing in fields, fallow land, and gardens in most parts of the world. In poor weather, reproduction may be by self Pollination without the flowers opening. It is a common weed in damp soil, particularly in root crops.
Tags: articles, culture, family, gardening, guides, hobbies, home, information, landscaping, leisure, news, plants, reference, tips
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Monday, May 26th, 2008
by John Ray
Plant names often develop in a tortuous way. Common Fumitory is a good example: its leaves resemble those of rue, and, because it grows in poor ground, fallow land, waste places, and the like, this plant was originally dubbed ‘field rue’ (Erdrautc or Feldraute) in some parts of Germany.
Chamomile is a weed of root and grain crops, but it also grows in stubble fields, on village greens, by the wayside, and on bare ground alongside the fields. Occurring in lowlands and foothills, it is a native of Europe but was introduced to North America and Australia.
As the Latin word officinalis (medicinal) indicates, Common Fumitory was used as a folk medicine. The plant contains a number of alkaloids, such as fumarin, and other medicinal substances. In the Middle Ages, it was used as a laxative, and was also effective in treating gastric disorders. Common Fumitory also contains yellow and green colouring matter which at one time was used to dye sheep’s wool when other sources of dye were in short supply.
Tags: advice, diy, family, flower, free, gardening, home, howto, ideas, improvement, online, organic, outdoors, recreation, resources
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Sunday, May 25th, 2008
by Nick Shell
Although it is possible to grow dahlias without much attention, there is a great deal of difference between, for instance, the lovely blooms seen at the National Show -and the rather weedy blooms seen in many gardens. Many things go to make this so, but without any doubt disbudding is one of the main factors.
Disbudding is just one more of the processes used by the keen grower to reduce the number of blooms carried by any one plant at a specific time. By so doing the competition for the available nutriments is lessened, with the result that the blooms actually allowed to develop have greater strength and vitality.
Left to itself the dahlia, a most generous plant, will produce crop after crop of flowers, ever increasing in number. But, alas, many of these blooms are hidden by the foliage and are usually of very poor quality on very short, weak stems. This is particularly true of the successional crops, even if the first crop is quite satisfactory.
Tags: articles, culture, family, gardening, guides, hobbies, home, information, landscaping, news, plants, reference, tips
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Saturday, May 24th, 2008
by Jason Inns
It was the therapeutic substances present in Thornapple, including a high content of toxic alkaloids, which marked this plant out for attention centuries ago.
Cyanus, the botanical name designating the species, recalls the nymph Cyane, daughter of the river god Meiandros: she was changed into a dark blue spring whose waters fed the small brook Anapis near Syracuse.
Sun Spurge is a cosmopolitan plant introduced from Europe to North America and Australia. It is plentiftil on fallow land as well as in cultivated fields, particularly among root crops, and it is also found in residential neighbourhoods and vegetable gardens.
In Arab countries, Thornapple was added to drinks and tobacco to produce similar euphoric effects. Today, it remains an effective ingredient in anti-asthmatic preparations.
The flowering period is from June to September. When ripe, the fruit bursts to release the seeds which shoot out in all directions.
Originally native to the Mediterranean region and the Near East, the Cornflower has since become established almost worldwide. In dry hot weather it grows very rapidly and the ripe fruits, achenes, fall to the ground, sometimes germinating within ten days. However, the seeds may remain viable for up to a decade.
Tags: advice, diy, family, flower, free, gardening, home, howto, ideas, improvement, online, organic, outdoors, recreation, resources
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Friday, May 23rd, 2008
by Melanie Forson
There is so much information about lawn care that is available to the public, and while this is good it can sometimes be difficult to weed out the pros from the amateurs, and good information from information that will make you look like the laughing stalk of you street. Quality lawn care takes a lot of effort and work from pulling weeds to mowing having a nice looking lawn will take a high level of dedication from you, but the results are worth it.
You might be looking for lawn care that requires a little less time, but at the same time you are able to have a great looking lawn, then you might want to hire out some of your lawn care services to qualified professionals that will be able to assist you.
To have a great looking lawn you need to be sure that it is not invested with rodents or bugs such are ants, moles, wasp, or other creatures that could effect your lawn. You can purchase products that can get rid of just about any type of animal without doing damage to your lawn. These products work fast, and do a good job. Once you have gotten rid of all the bugs and animals it is time to move on.
Tags: basics on lawn care, gardening, lawn care
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Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
by James Peter
There are many other factors shaping the ecosystem, and one of the most important of these is topography: the configuration of the earth’s surface. A forest growing in a flat lowland area differs from a forest growing on a southward slope, and again from one on a northward slope.
These forests represent a transitory stage between acidophilic oak and acidophilic pine forests, and are found on poor gravel-sand or sand substrates. Pine/oak forests grow in soils which cannot he used for intensive farming and are a very common type of woodland at lower elevations.
Acidophilic pine forests – say pine woods with heather – grow on typical forest soil and particularly in extreme locations such as those with a shallow soil profile. These pinewood stands play a very important protective role.
In addition to classification by temperature scale, there is also division according to height above sea-level. Starting at the lowest elevation, growth belts are as follows: the planar belt (lowlands and flatlands, with oak/hornbeam forests predominating); colline or hill belt (hilly country, low, scattered hills, also with oak/hornbeam forests predominating); mountain belt (mountains about 800 m high, with beech forests predominating); orcal belt (mountains from 800-1400 m, covered with coniferous forests, mostly spruce, with occasional beech stands); Alpine belt (high mountains reaching above the forest limit, with spreads of dwarf pine, birch groves and Alpine meadows); and the nival belt (highest mountain elevations near the snowline, with lichens and mosses).
Tags: articles, culture, family, gardening, guides, hobbies, home, information, landscaping, leisure, news, plants, reference, tips
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