home improvement

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21
Oct 11

Climbing Roses: Taking Best Care of Them

Many people love climbing roses and dream of having their own rose gardens.  However, some can make them grow healthy and well fed, while others just can’t achieve the same results.  This is because there are some peculiarities about growing roses that you must know if you aspire to have one of your own.

Tools and Materials Needed:

  • Rose fertilizer

Step 1–Know What a Healthy Rose Is

Find out how a healthy rose looks like – this rose is a nice and pretty blooming flower.  Just like humans, those that receive good nutrition and care are the healthiest, and these usually show on their physical appearance.  In other words, a healthy rose is a well fed rose.

Step 2–Taking Care of Climbing Roses

Make sure your climbing roses enjoy regular exposure to sunlight as to blossom: they need at least six to eight hours of it. Roses are more complex than other flowering plants out there.  Next, climbing roses need water, but not too much or else, they might drown.  This means that the soil where the water is must be well-drained.  However, the most important factor for growing a healthy climbing rose is the soil.  Rich, highly nutritious soil is the core of growing healthy roses.  Always make sure that the soil is well fertilized, and you can be sure that your roses are most likely to grow healthy and well fed.

In addition, you need to clear the weeds from the plot, especially the perennials. When you plant roses, make sure you do not use the same plot for two or more years where flowers were previously planted. You expose the climbing roses to the risk of rose sickness.

Step 3–Choosing Rose Fertilizers

Choose a good fertilizer for your climbing rose but keep in mind that the type of fertilizer used is not really vital.  Most individuals who grow roses for money-making purposes make use of commercial rose fertilizers, and these are fairly fine for the many rose varieties, including climbers.  There are also rose growers that use liquid fish fertilizer to enrich the soil.  This kind of fertilizer is also good for a great variety of roses.  The only point about the rose fertilizer is that it should be a type that slowly releases nitrogen. Keep in mind that roses need a stable supply of nitrogen, but too much of it can make more vegetation grow rather than boost blossoming.

The soil is moist in the spring, and you can sprinkle a handful of a chosen fertilizer around the roses, rake in carefully, keeping away from the stems. Apply fertilizer in summer time again when you spot signs of second blossoms’ flush. It is recommended to not feed late in the year because this practice will encourage soft growth that exposes roses to risk of diseases.

Step 4–Help the Rose Climb

Keep in mind that roses don’t climb by themselves like the wines. You should train them by tying their canes to some kind of support. This holds true if you want you rose to grow to an arbor, wall or post. You can peg the flower to the ground and train it to form unusual shapes. As to train the climber, you have to bend the canes to produce more blooms. In addition, make sure that the tip or end of the long canes is pointing downward.

Step 5–Winter Protection for the Climber

Untie the rose canes if tied to a fence, trellis or wall and wrap them in insulating material just like you would wrap the pipes to stop them from freeing. You can then retie the rose canes to the fence, trellis or wall.

 Growing climbing roses is not a difficult task.  It can be a bit challenging when you are just starting out.  But once you get the hang of it, you can do it with your eyes closed.

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30
Sep 11

Organic Soil Conditioners to Improve Plants Health

Organic soil conditioners are beneficial in improving the structure of the soil and the overall health of plants.  Regardless of whether your soil is sandy or rocky, these conditioners will greatly enhance the growth and yield of your plants.  And because these are organic, they are safe to use and are good for the environment.  Some of the widely-used organic soil conditioners you can choose from are compost, manure, vermiculture, limestone and gypsum.  These will improve the physical condition of the soil, adding just a small cost to your budget.

1. Compost

Compost is an ideal organic soil conditioner because it comes from the decayed remains of leaves, plants and animal droppings.  Composting can be done in any household and in any amount, depending on the waste matter that has been accumulated.  A mixture of raw fruit and vegetable peelings, shredded paper, eggshells (crushed to moderation), dead leaves and flowers and some animal droppings can make a good batch of compost.  Air and moisture are important when making the compost material.  It might smell a little, so, you may consider finding a place where ventilation is good.

2. Manure

Animal manure or droppings are also a good source when it comes to improving the condition of the soil.  Manures provide the needed nutrients to the plants as they are broken down by the microorganisms living in the soil.  Aged manure (more than 6 months old) is a better choice than the fresh one.  Fresh manure is usually acidic and may kill the plants instead of boosting their growth.  When the manure is mixed with dead leaves and plants, it forms humus which is a rich nutrient-filled soil, providing proper aeration to the plants and helping conserve water.

3. Vermiculture

Vermiculture or worm composting is the process of raising and breeding earthworms, and harvesting the castings to be used as an organic soil conditioner.  However, the worms needed in this process are not the common variety earthworm that burrows in the soil.  The earthworms used here are called red worms or red wrigglers.  They skim the surface of rich organic matter and feed on the microorganisms in the manure, compost wastes and sometimes leaf litter.  The result is earthworm “poop” that is filled with nitrogen and other essential nutrients that will greatly benefit your plants in the long run.  The castings do not have an odor; so, you do not have to worry about any smell they may give off.

4. Other Soil Conditioners

Limestone is sometimes applied to add to the calcium and magnesium content of the soil.  If you occasionally sprinkle shredded bark on the soil, it will help it to hold more water. Gypsum helps water penetrate deep down into the roots and lowers the alkalinity levels of the soil.  In addition to these beneficial properties, it adds sulfur and calcium nutrients to the soil.

Remember that like humans, plants also need supplements and conditioners that will aid them in their growth and productivity.

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2
Sep 11

Get Rid of Yellow Jackets in Your House the Attic

Yellow jackets can build nests inside your house, in walls and in the attic. You want to get rid of yellow jackets, but this can become much more than just a nuisance. It can be painful, take plenty of time or money, or all three together.

Useful Facts to Know about Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets are also often called hornets. They are social insects, living in large colonies which include a queen and scores of workers and warriors. Becaufse of their size and coloring – alternating black and yellow stripes on the abdomen – the workers and the warriors are often confused with honey bees. In order to distinguish the honey bees, one must look for brown dense hair on the body and the flat behind legs that hold pollen. Honey bees can sting only once while the yellow jackets can do it time and time again, making them an even a bigger annoyance.

Yellow jackets are useful when it comes to farming because they kill harmful insects, but definitely don’t serve any good purpose around your house.

The good news is that colonies are seasonal and will disappear as the warm weather ends. Only fertilized queens live through the winter. They come out in April and May when the yellow jackets build their paper nests in your garden or house.

Use Expert Help

While there are many homemade and commercial methods to get rid of yellow jackers, most of them work outdoors and do little inside. This is why, the best advice for those who end up with hornets nests in the house, is to call an exterminator. People who have used expert help say it is not that pricey and it ends up being money well spent. Many exterminators also offer pesticide-free methods such as vacuuming the nest in the wall through its entrance. It is not recommended that you ever attempt this on your own.

How to Deal with Yellow Jackets on Your Own

Prevention is a Must

For those not patient enough to wait for the chill to kill the colony, or not wanting to shell cash on professional help, prevention is the first thing to consider. Protein based food, including pet food, and sweets are the most attractive for these scavengers and should be kept secured and sealed. Opened soda bottles and cans, and anything of the sort, should never be left sitting on counters or the porch, empty containers should be properly disposed of, with garbage bins’ lids tightly closed. It is also crucial to caulk and seal holes in the siding or the roof of the house since this is how yellow jackets get inside and where they prefer to build their nests.

Locate and Eliminate the Nest

If yellow jackets in your attic are already a fact, the first thing to do is to locate the nest. A good method is to listen through the walls and the ceiling with a stethoscope. Once you find the entrance to the nest, it is recommended that you sprinkle powdery insecticide around the hole – it will kill the workers and the warriors that wander out. Some of them will also bring the poison inside, which will further reduce the hornets’ population.

The entrance hole should be patched and sealed, but not without first injecting, if possible, dust insecticide inside the nest or inserting the nozzle of an insecticide can and spraying. Otherwise some of the yellow jackets will chew through the wall and come out.

Use Caution and Common Sense

When dealing with insecticide to get rid of yellow jackets, always keep in mind small children and pets and remember that hornets are aggressive animals. Again, if you cannot afford a professional, or there isn’t one around, you must wear protective clothing, avoid perfumes, hair spray or bright colors. Also, the best time to attempt and eradicate the problem is the evening, especially colder ones, since yellow jackets do not fly in low temperature or in the dark.

Traps

Traps – commercial and homemade work, but they will never get rid of yellow jackets, or at least not with the entire colony. They kill only the workers and the warriors, who leave the nest. The queen will remain inside and reproduce unharmed.

Homemade traps are best when they are made of protein (chicken meat, fish or liver) or sweets mixed with insect poison. For those who have small children and/ or pets, and want to do it completely pesticide-free, protein or sugary baits could be hung over a container filled with soapy water. The yellow jackets, taking a large piece of the bait, will fall in the water and drown.

Some say that protein baits work better in spring and summer when yellow jackets need protein to feed the young while the sugary baits are best for the fall. It is recommended that baits are put outside early in the spring because they will, most likely, kill many workers and reduce the number of future nests, which takes us back to the importance of prevention.

Commercial Insecticide Sprays

Despite the wide availability of insecticide sprays, always keep in mind that inside the house, they could be harmful and do very little to solve the problem and help you get rid of yellow jackets.

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2
Sep 11

Basement Flooding: How to Properly Deal with It

Basement flooding is a disturbing problem that has to be solved by many home owners on a regular basis. However, rather than facing the facts, some people choose to wait as if the water will disappear on its own. Such an approach is dangerous and can bring disastrous results in the long run. Rather than waiting in prayers, it’s better to find and employ the best method for dealing with the problem. Here are the basics as to why basements may fill with water.

Home Location

Unsuitable location is one of the most typical reasons for basement flooding. As a rule, houses are constructed over terrains which slope down and away from the top, with accumulated water easily draining in downward direction. Yet, if your house is erected in the lower part of the estate, you may expect frequent flooding. Logic says that water flows from high to low terrains. If you happen to be in situation like that, call the elements for help. In time, they will level the land by erosion and do away with your problem.

Debris

Debris, gathered in the eavestroughs, may overflow with water and cause flooding. There is a simple solution to that: climb up to the roof and clean the eavestroughs. If they overflow after you’ve done that, its better to replace them with larger size.

Wall and Floor Sealing

Poor wall and floor sealing is another reason for frequent flooding. The basement tiles have to be sealed properly or water will be quick to seep through them. This scenario is quite likely in unfriendly weather conditions such as downpours and storms. If furniture is sailing freely in your basement after a downpour, you might want to check the sealing.

The Gutter System

A blocked gutter system is another another cause for basement flooding. The manifold which connects your home and the public sewer system may get plugged. This blockage may be the cause for flooding on your premises. In such cases, you have to inform the relevant local authorities. Don’t wait long because water level may go up rapidly, damaging the foundations of your house.

Drainage System Installation

In a similar fashion, incorrectly installed or malfunctioning drainage system may cause leakages and floods inside your basement. Downspouts which are positioned too close to the wall (less than 6 ft), or such that are draining towards it, may have an overloading effect on the weeping tile. This may lead to leakages in the basement area. The downspouts have to drain towards your backyard or the street rather than towards your house.