How to grow radish like a pro?

Radishes are one of the most liked vegetables because of their crunchy texture and spicy flavour. 

Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Although they are very easy to grow, we encounter some common problems while growing radishes. In this section, we will see about growing radishes right from the seeds and the various tips to grow radish like a gardening pro. In addition, we will also see about the companion plants that can be grown along with radish in our home garden. 

The first thing that we will see is how to start radish plants from seeds. 

* Soil for growing radishes must be loose and adding compost, dried leaves and grass will improve soil fertility. The soil must also be consistently moist for the good growth of roots. Drought or dry conditions will make the growth of radish tough due to soil crusting and will also alter the flavour. 
* The seeds must be spaced half-inch deep and one inch apart. 
* Optimal growth of radish requires full sun and light shade is toleratable at times. 
* Radish mature quickly and will be ready to harvest within 4 to 5 weeks. 

Let's see few tips for better growth of radish:

1. Practice succession planting by sowing radish seeds every 7 to 10 days, for continual harvest. 
2. When the soil becomes crusty, break it and loosen it by adding some water. 
3. Several radish varieties can be planted together for enhanced growth of radishes. 
4. A tip to know the maturity of the radish roots is to look out for the bulged tops that push themselves out of the soil as they near maturity.
5. For radishes with their best taste and flavor, harvest them immediately after they mature, because the longer they stay in the ground, the hotter they become. 

Moving onto the next segment, which is fertilizing radishes.

Before you plant the seeds, fertilize the top 2 to 4 inches of the soil with all purpose fertilizer and sow the seeds half an inch deep. 

If you would like to avoid commerical fertilizer add some compost on the top layer. 

The initial fertilizer application is enough for the growth is radishes, but if you would like to enhance the growth, you can go for an addition of nitrogen rich fertilizer in the quantity of 1/4 cup for every ten foot. If you are one who loves to consume the radish foliage also, then this fertilizing option is for you. 

Now, the most important, point is companion planting for radish.

The first factor to consider for companion planting is the time of maturity of the plants. 

Radish is a rapidly maturing plant and so, we can consider co-planting radish with other plants that take up a slower maturity time. For instance, peas, leaf lettuces, tomatoes and peppers, are plants that take more time to mature and so can be grown along with radish. 

The second factor is the co-planting of plants that can benefit from radish. 

Radishes will greatly help to repel cucumber beetles and hence planting cucumber along with radish will increase the yield of both the plants. 

The third factor is planting of plants that will help radish plants. 

Strong smelling herbs such as nasturtium and plants such as onions are excellent companions for radish plants. 

Some plants that should not be planted along with radish are broccoli and hyssop. 

Last tip is that, radishes can also be planted together with flowers and herbs, along the borders of the garden or gardening beds as the rich foliage gives an attractive look along with flowers. 

 

20-20-20 balanced fertilizer - Do's and Don'ts - Every gardener must know this.

When it comes to gardening growing a healthy plant is the goal for every gardener. As a result we tend to look out for various fertilizing options. With immense varieties in the market, we are generally left confused as to which one to use. Be it natural or synthetic fertilizer, choosing the right fertilizer with all the essential macronutrients in the right amount is highly essential for healthy plant growth. 

As we are aware, NPK - Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous are the three most important macronutrients for healthy plant growth. 

Just to recap, nitrogen is that which is essential for green, lush foliage development. 

Phosphorous for flower and fruit production. It also induces healthy root growth. 

Potassium helps in cell development in plants which inturn helps for stress tolerant plant development. 

Now, we will see what is actually a balanced fertilizer: 
A balanced fertilizer is one with equal proportions of all the three macronutrients (NPK). For example 10-10-10. This is the number you see on the fertilizer bag. When you see such identical numbers it means that it is a balanced fertilizer. 

Though this may sound great as a fertilizer to plants, each plant requires different nutrients in various ratios. Not all the plants require equal amount of nutrients in the same quantity.

So, altering the ratio based on the kind of the plant is highly essential for good growth of plants. 

When you add balanced fertilizers on a regular basis, the excess nutrients will harm the plants. 

Now, as we know that balanced fertilizer is not the right option for plants in your garden, what next?

We need to choose the ratio of NPK fertilizer depending on the plant type. 

For example, if you are looking to fertilize plants inorder to produce more fruits, then you need to choose a formula with higher middle number inorder to promote more flowers and fruits. Say, for tomato plants you can either choose 5-10-5 formula of NPK or 10-20-10.
When it comes to plants that are grown for its lush green foliage, such as lettuce, it is advisable to go for higher first number formula. Example, 10-5-5. This is because more nitrogen will promote more foliage. 

Whereas, during the end of season inorder to prepare plants for the winter stress, you can go for higher last number formula of NPK, where Potassium (K) is more. This will slow down the growth of new tender leaves, which will otherwise be affected by harsh weather conditions and inturn promotes healthy cell structure development. These will help the plant to tolerate the winter stress. In this case you can use 3-10-20.

In case if you would like to use a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 formula, do this once a year and water the plants adequately after fertilizing it with a balanced formula, so that the excess macronutrient can diffuse into the soil. 

Finally, always try to figure out the need of the plant and then choose the proportion of NPK fertilizer as per the need of your plants and the soil. 

A must know gardening tip - All about using hydrogen peroxide for plants and gardening.

 

Hydrogen peroxide is common in our first aid kit. But, how many of us are aware that hydrogen peroxide is also common in gardening. Hydrogen peroxide provides immense benefits for plants. We will discuss in detail about how hydrogen peroxide benefits plants, how much hydrogen peroxide is safe for plants,  how to use hydrogen peroxide for plants and many more details.

Now, let's see what are the benefits of hydrogen peroxide to plants.

Hydrogen peroxide is very effective in maintaining a healthy root system.It treats root rots.

Apart from this it is used for
1. Hydrogen peroxide actually releases oxygen and provides additional oxygen supply to roots, thus promoting vigorous growth of plants.
2. Pest control
3. As a foliar spray that prevents fungus
4. Pretreating seeds
5. Treating soil fungus
6. Accelerate germination: Soaking the seeds in a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide will enhance sprouting rate immensely.

With so many benefits to plants what is that which exactly makes hydrogen peroxide beneficial to plants?

Similar to water, hydrogen peroxide is also made up of the same atoms of hydrogen and oxygen, except that hydrogen peroxide has one additional atom of oxygen and this is what gives it the beneficial properties.

We might also wonder, if hydrogen peroxide is harmful to plants?

After looking into the make up of hydrogen peroxide, which is very similar to water, hydrogen peroxide is definitely not harmful to plants, provided it is used in diluted quantities. Generaly 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide is the one which is commonly available in stores. They can also go upto 35%. When it comes to gardening purposes, 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is safe for plants.

The next common question is that, how much hydrogen peroxide should I use for the plants?

To give your plants a good boost of oxygen and to control the pests, dilute 5ml of 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide in 240 ml of water and spray it on the plants. If you want to treat plants with root rot or fungal infections, dilute 15 ml of hydrogen peroxide in 240 ml of water.

If you want to use hydrogen peroxide for a larger area of your garden, then consider using 35% hydrogen peroxide solution and dilute 1 part in 10 parts of water.

Once we know the amount to be used we also have the question, how often should hydrogen peroxide be used for the plants?
We can water the plants with hydrogen peroxide solution once a week and we can also use hydrogen peroxide after it rains.

Rarely known 6 highly effective organic weed control for your summer garden.

Most of the times we tend to pull out the seedlings that grow along with the weeds. This is what I did to my little lettuces that was growing inbetween my onions. We either tend to do this either by mistake or our weeder equipment just pulls out the veggie seedlings as it weeds.

But this information that I am going to share here is what I knew only later, after causing much humiliation to my veggie seedlings in the summer garden. 

Remember these important factors in organic weed control: 

1. Critical period of harm: Weeds cause harm to your plants only during the critical period, which is 6 to 8 weeks after sowing or transplanting the veggies. It is only this period of competition by the weeds that causes great harm to the yield. Weeds that grow after this period do not affect your plants but, we must be watchful to prevent the formation of seeds. 

Protip: The weeds that you weed out can also be used back in your garden to increase yield of your vegetable plants. Know how.  

2. Sensitivity to root disturbance: This is another major factor that needs to tbe considered while weeding. If your weeding session causes intense harm to your black peas and beans then they might never recover. Also a slight mangling of vines to the cucumber family may cause great harm to the plants. It will prevent the plants from proper ripening. 

Related article: Highly effective homemade fertilizer for your vegetable plants

3. Plants with their own organic weed control system: The vigorous vining of canopy tend to cause a dense canopy effect to the weeds by shading them and thus turns out to be an effective self weed prevention system. Similarly, the dense green ground cover of the stems of sweet potatoes also tend to form their own weed control. 

Know this: Do you notice these common signs in your plant - Be alert.

You can use such plants strategically in your summer garden to prevent weeds organically. For instance, growing canopy forming crops like squash as a weed suppresser in the bed will also help the plants in the adjoining row by extending it's weed control system to the adjoining rows. These canopy forming plants will also help to retain soil moisture.   

Related article: 5 must know gardening idea and gardening hacks

4. Growing leafy greens as weed controller: Leafy green veggies or herbs such as mustard can be grown in between onions and other veggies. These will shade out the weeds that are growing and will prevent them from flourishing in the critical period. Mustard greens tend to grow out as a natural mulch that is great and great to prevent weeds. In addition to shading out weeds, it enhances the soil greatly and reduces soil borne diseases. 

Related article: Homemade fertilizer rich in Nitrogen and Potassium. 

5. Consider nurse crops: Nurse crops are short term crops that can be grown in the summer gap. These will keep your bed or soil engaged during the summer gap and provide organic weed control until you need the space back for your veggie seedlings. Buckwheat and peas can be excellent nurse crops. Once you want to clear the space for seedlings, just pull out these and use them as mulch on your bed. 

Related article: Want to grow huge amounts of potatoes successfully in containers at home - know this. 

6. Use enhanced mulch system: Using news papers as mulch on the soil or your raised bed is a good option as it tends to keep the weeds out much effectively. You can lay a thick layer of newspaper around the plants and then cover it with a layer of common mulch that you use such as, sawdust, grass clippings, wood chips etc. 

Tomato plants with lots of flowers but no fruits - Gardening Tips to grow tomatoes.

When it comes to growing tomatoes successfully, one major problem that we face is a good plant with lots of lush foliage, and flowers, but no fruits. There are various factors that affect the fruiting of your plants and these include temperature, soil, poor growing conditions and improper watering. 

Read till the end to get a good insight on the various factors that lead to poor fruit production in your tomato plant. 

Lots of flowers, but no fruits in the tomato plant.

If you have a good foliage along with a lot of flowers in your plant, but no tomato formation, then this might be due to the following 3 reasons.

1. Lack or insufficient pollination: Poor pollination is one of the common  factors that cause improper fruiting in tomato plants. To improve pollination, in places where you can attract natural pollinators, try using artificial ways of pollination. Here are a few examples of artificial pollination methods.

• Try using an electric toothbrush to generate a good vibration that induces pollination. 

• 

• Use pollination spray to produce fruits. These pollination sprays also known as blossom hormone sprays induce fruit production even in flowers that are not pollinated. These fruits will have the same taste and appearance, but will not have seeds. 

2. Wrong type of fertilizer: Potassium is one of the major factors required for good production of tomatoes. Feeding your plants with insufficient fertilizer of the wrong type of fertilizer will decrease or cease productivity. To keep your tomato plants well fed you can also make your own fertilizer. 

3. Fungal diseases: Botrytis which is a common fungal disease affecting tomato plants will also cause the flowers to drop and hence there will be lack of fruit production. 

No tomatoes on plants with lush foliage. 

A good green foliage on the plants is a sign of a healthy plant, but no tomatoes on it may be due to 3 main reasons.

1. Insufficient direct sun: Direct sunlight for around 6 to 8 hours is highly essential for tomato plants to bear lots of tomatoes. If your plant is in a location that does not satisfy this need of the plant, shift it to an appropriate location immediately. It will take a few days for the plant to adapt to the new conditions and begin fruiting. 

2. Improper watering: Water is the next important factor for successful tomato production. Improper and inconsistent watering will lead to flower drops and thus no production of tomatoes. Tomato plants love a lot of water and so watering them adequately will help increase yield. 

3. Choosing the wrong variety:  There are certain varieties of tomato plants that grow well in certain climates. For example in an extremely hot climate of above 30 degree celsius during the day, choosing a heat-tolerant variety of tomato is highly recommended. This is because intense heat can prevent the plants from producing tomatoes, by making the plants drop flowers or in certain cases there will be no flower production itself. 

Caring for your tomato plants is also highly essential to produce good yield. Know these rare tips that can help you produce greater yield from your tomato plants. 

Fabric grow bags - Are these good for plants - A must know for every gardening enthusiast.

Grow bags made of fabric are becoming more nad more popular. When compared to the regular Terracotta plant pots and the plastic planters these   fabric grow bags are highly beneficial.

Let's see in detail about the advantages and disadvantages of fabric grow bags.

    BUY NOW

No more worries about overwatering:
One major advantage of these grow bags made of fabric is that we need not worry about excess watering as the fabric allows excess water to drain out easily.

Stains on fabric might be a problem:
One major disadvantage on the other side is that, the seepage of water might leave stains on the outer side of the fabric grow bags.

But, this can be easily overcome because there are a lot of two-tonne colour varieties of grow bags which minimalists the staining problem.

Waterproof lining:
These two tonne fabric grow bags also come with a water proof protective liner which helps the grow bag stay clean for a longer period of time. The top layer of the grow bag is covered with waterproof lining and thus prevents excess water from being drained. The colour us also protected by the waterproof lining. You can now additional colour and look to your garden, patio, backyard and balcony with these fabric grow bags.

   BUY NOW @ best price

Aeration zone:

Aeration zone at bottom is not lined with waterproof layer. So, the bag becomes breathable and the airflow to the roots becomes easy. Root circling is thus prevented and the plant grows well. These fabric made grow bags promotes air pruning for healthier and happier plants.

   BUY NOW

Stiff bags:
These grow bags made of fabric is stiff enough to stand well even when empty and so they can be easily filled.

Comfortable handles:
Fabric grow bags also come with super strong handles that make it easy to carry the grow bags nad shift it around.

Dimensions:
These fabric grow bags come in various dimensions such as 12" diameter and 10" height - which is a 5 gallon bag. The other one is a 7 gallon bag with 13.5" diameter and 11" height.

These non-woven planter pots will definitely make a beautiful addition to your garden.

Grow these vegetable plants together and see what happens.

Companion gardening which is growing certain plants together will help

to improve the yield of plants. Growing certain vegetables, flowering

plants, herbs and fruits as companions will help resist pests, benefit your

garden in general, help bug control, improve yield and increase soil

health. There are a lot of benefits when it comes to companion

gardening. 

Here is the list of plants that can be grown together as companions

in your home garden. These companion gardening tips for your home

will help you maintain your garden easily. 

1. Garliccan be planted along with cauliflower, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries,

broccoli, beans and peas. 

2. Carrots can be planted along with onions, rosemary, tomatoes, dill,

peppers, broccoli and beans.

3. Spinach can be planted along with strawberry, cauliflower and cilantro.

4. Melons can be planted along with marigold, squash, sunflower and sage.

5. Corn grows well along with cucumber, sunflower and tomatoes. 

6. Onions grow well with beets, carrots, lettuce and peppers. 

7. Potatoes can be combined with peas, beans and corn. 

8. Egg plant grows well with beans and pepper.

9. Cucumber can be planted along with corn and cabbage. 

10. Celery can be planted with beans and tomatoes.

Protip: Here are other best companions for your vegetable plants. 

1. Marigold: Marigolds when planted along with vegetables help in repelling insects.

Tomatoes and Marigolds are great companions, as Marigold helps repel

hornworms which bother tomatoes the most. 

2. Nasturtium and Rosemary are herbs which when planted with beans will help to deter beetles

that attack your bean plants. 

3. Oregano is also a wonderful companion for your vegetable garden as it deters

most insects, just like marigold. 

Companion planting, actually, is harnessing the power of nature to

enjoy a good yield and at the same time it is nature’s way of preventing

insect and pest attack on plants. 

5 Rarely known gardening tips for growing huge quantities of tomatoes

Caring for tomatoes throughout the growing season is highly essential and following these tips will help you maximise the harvest while minimizing effort and work. 

1. Nutrient dense soil - Rich in Phosphorous:

Did you know that tomatoes love nutrient dense soil, especially Phosphorous. Of the NPK fertilizers, Phosphorous is the one that promotes flower and fruit development in addition to sturdy root development. Over feeding tomato plants with Nitrogen fertilizer will promote a lot of  green foliage, but will not encourage flowers and fruits. 

2. pH of the soil matters:

If you are expecting big reaps from your tomato plants, then looking into the soil pH number and maintiang the ideal pH is essential. Maximum nutrient absorption of tomato plant is between 6.2 and 6.5. 

3. Deep and horizontal planting of tomatoes:

Tomato plants unlike other vegetable plants have roots throughout the stem and so, planting the stem deep and horizontal will enhance the growth of the plants, thus increasing yield. 

4. Loosen the roots:

For healthy tomato plants, the roots must be loosened before transplanting it. Most of the time the roots appear entangled and circled inside the container. Before transplanting the plant loosen the root ball and then plant it deep and horizontally. 

5. Always add a companion to your tomato plant:

Never plant tomatoes alone This will increase the pests. A secret tip to reduce pests is to plant them with companion plants such as dill, cilantro, fennell etc.These will provide nectar for the wasps and thus control hornworms that damage tomato plants. Similarly, lowers like alyssum provide nectar for tachnid and syphrid flies which prey on pests such as leaf rooted bugs, whiteflies etc, which harm the tomato plants. 

10 beautiful gardening ideas for home

Creating a beautiful garden is a great passion for almost everyone. Gardening tips and gardening ideas for home are always sought out inorder to give that extra great look to our garden. 

Here are 10 sime tips for a beautiful garden. These garden ideas for home will make your garden look awesome. 

Beautiful gardens appeal to our senses. The colours and immense diversity of design combinations, fragrance, flavours, sounds from birds and insects attracted to the plants and variety of textures.

Go for a drive around your neighbourhood and take notice of the gardens that catch your eye or next time you visit a friend’s garden, be observant and tune in to what you love about it. No doubt they will be applying some design principles and elements that apply whether they are used in art, graphics, building, interior or garden design.

“A garden is a thing of beauty and a job forever.” – Richard Briers

Simple concepts can make a HUGE difference to the enjoyment of your garden space and particularly so, when it is a micro garden. Designers use these principles all over the world to make spaces really stand out and visually beautiful. Less really can be more if you know how.

1. Add flowers or flowering plants

Splashes of colour break up green, provide variety, contrast and focal points. Try sowing both annuals and perennial flowers. e.g. cosmos, hydrangeas, sunflowers and marigolds.

You don’t specifically have to plant flowers though. A wide range of herbs and vegetables have beautiful flowers too. These include: chives (purple), spring onions (white), dill (yellow), thyme (pale pink to purple), basils (white or purple), pineapple sage (red), rosemary (purple), rocket (white), as well as all flowering vegetables and fruits.

Read more...

NASA clean air study - Top ranked NASA approved air purifier plants for your home.

20 small balcony garden ideas for home

Garden ideas for home:

Most of us who live in apartments love to have a garden, but space constraint is one of the major blocks that makes it almost impossible. One good idea to make this dream of having a garden come true for those who live in cities and highly crowded apartments is to make a small balcony garden. When it comes to garden ideas for home, interesting and attractive ideas are always sought for. 

These garden ideas are easy to implement DIY garden projects with a minimal budget. Terrace garden ideas for home are also becoming more and more popular. But, those who cannot implement the roof garden idea for home, such as those living in a rental house or in an apartment can go for balcony garden ideas for home. 

Small balcony garden ideas for home:

There are various garden design ideas including vertical garden ideas for home. Here are 20 best, attractive easy to make small balcony garden ideas for home. 

If you are a lover of a lot of plants and would like to have a jungle look in your home, then this particular garden idea for your balcony will make your desire come true. 

If you want to give your balcony garden a trendy look, with vertical planter idea and a good place to relax with your family, then designing your balcony like this will get you a lot of space to sit and relax amidst plants. 

You can make your small balcony look much more spacious by using the hanging baskets on your railings, or by making the space on the outer side of the railing your planter space. 

Use the extra vertical space on the side walls to have beautiful hanging plants that add charm to your balcony garden. 

A balcony that receives good sunlight can be designed with a mix of sun loving outdoor plants and indoor plants. This simple balcony garden gives a lot of space to relax as well. 

If you are a beginner gardener, and want to set up a balcony garden, then it is quiet easy to start with easy to grow plants that can be placed on the vertical space on the wall. Placing the plants on the vertical garden space will also help you to monitor and care them easily. 

If you love a clean look and a minimalist approach, then the garden design idea above will be highly suitable for you. 

To give a simple neat and trendy look to your balcony using wooden planks and wooden planters on the corners will give an attractive look to your balcony garden. 

If you are willing to spend an extra budget for your balcony garden set up, then using some lights and wall hangings in your balcony garden will add an extra charm to your home. 

Making a green wall idea for your balcony garden in an excellent garden idea for home. It gives that fresh look and feel to your home. 

For those who love a lot of flowers adding perennial flowering plants to your balcony will  make your sit-out look bright and colourful to enjoy your tea time. 

Even the smallest, narrow balcony can be made look green with an artificial grass on the floor and plants in hanging pots.

A simple, yet rich look to your balcony can be given by using this tree branch garden design idea for your balcony. 

If you are not some one who would like to do a lot of work and yet want to make your balcony look beautiful with plants, then this kind of design is for you. 

A flower bed  on a raised balcony floor kind of a look can add more colours and beauty to your balcony. The actual balcony space can be used to design a sitting space to enjoy the beauty of the flowering plants in your garden. 

If you want to have all sorts of plants and shrubs in your garden and have only the balcony space to make your garden, then this kind of an  design will allow you to place even shrubs that look like trees. 

Gardening for beginners can be made very easy with this kind of a balcony garden design. Flowering plants and easy to care plants can boost up your gardening passion. 

A lot of hanging plants on your balcony terrace can add more lush green look to your balcony garden.

A simple elegant garden design for your balcony will  make you fresh and will look cool. 

The creepers that can be planted in y our balcony space will add shade and green look to your balcony, giving it a park like look to your home.