Cold Frame Gardening - Why I Love Cold Frames

For something that is so simple and relatively inexpensive, a cold frame can increase the productivity of your vegetable garden hugely simply by extending the effective the length of the growing season.

Background
Historically cold frames were located on the exterior of a heated green house and comprised a glazed frame with hinged glass roof called a light. These frames were unheated, hence the term "cold" frame. The idea was that seedlings initially grown in the greenhouse would be moved to the cold frames to harden them off. To harden off a seedling, it is placed within the cold frame and over a period of weeks the roof light is opened more and more, gradually acclimatising the seedlings to the outside conditions. This process helps prevent any shock when the seedlings are planted out which can cause a check in growth. This is particularly important with cauliflowers where a check in growth can result in the heads never forming properly.

Cold frames today
Modern cold frames have eschewed glass in favour of modern materials, generally polycarbonate. Modern polycarbonates are as clear as glass and in the double glazed variety fitted to most cold frames provide thermal insulation as good as glass. Polycarbonate does not shatter, or break harmfully and is therefore a perfect material for use in gardens where there are pets or children.

Generally cold frames are designed either glazed down to the ground or with a solid wooden frame. There are pros and cons to both designs, although for the British climate I consider the solid wooden sides an advantage as they absorb warmth throughout day and slowly release it during the night, leading to higher average temperature at night. However on an overcast day the fully glazed cold frames can capture more sunlight which can help prevent the seedlings from getting "leggy" due to lack of light.

Uses
Cold frames are incredibly useful for hardening off seedlings, which can be a real chore without one. However they can also be used like a mini greenhouse to germinate plants earlier than they would otherwise grow outside. With just a cold frame it is possible to have home grown cauliflower ready as early as late May. Simply sow your cauliflower seed in your cold frame at the end of October and the seedlings should be ready to plant out at the end of February or early March, easily gaining a month or more of growing time.

I use my cold frame nearly all year round, in fact during the course of a year, all of the following usually end up in the cold frame at some point:

• Cauliflower
• Onions (from seed)
• Courgettes
• Sweet corn
• Lettuce

A cold frame is one of those things that you don't think you need until you have one and then you wander how you ever managed without. Mine gets so much use it easily justifies its price. Although just the effort saved when hardening off seedlings would be sufficient to make it great value for money.

Two years ago I would not have bothered with a cold frame, thinking they were unnecessary, however I have become a true cold frame convert and really could not conceive gardening without one anymore.
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Garden Ponds And Winter Weather

If you are someone who keeps a fishpond in their garden you already know that it is something that requires a bit of regular maintenance and care. Of course the beauty and joy that a fishpond provides is enough of a reason to accept the small margin of work required to keep it in top-notch condition.

If your pond is located in an area where winter weather brings freezing conditions, however, the fishpond is going to need a bit more work with the changing of the seasons. For one thing you will have to understand the necessary steps for winterizing a fishpond, and you will also have to do a bit of research about the appropriate pond care in winter for your particular area.

The preliminary steps for winter pond care begin in the fall when the owner should take the time to make sure their fish are in the best physical conditions possible for the long winter hibernation. This is done by supplying them with a vitamin and mineral supplement and ceasing to feed the fish once temperatures have dropped to less than forty-five degrees on a constant basis.

The next part of winterizing a fishpond includes preparing the environment to allow the fish to survive the winter months. This means that the primary steps of pond care in winter will include keeping an opening in any ice to allow oxygen to enter the water and some of the carbon dioxide captured beneath the ice to escape. It will also usually mean installing some sort of heater to keep the waters from dipping to a temperature that will kill off the hibernating fish resting in the deepest area of the pond. This is something that leads to the next part of pond care in winter – the removal of ammonia from the water, and this is usually done via an aerator of some kind.

While the regular pumps and filters are not going to be run or play a role in winterizing a fishpond for the winter months, the aerator is going to reduce the vast amounts of toxic ammonia generated by the fish.

As the winter draws to a close, the owner should make a point of inspecting the fish and the pond liner to ensure that there are no problems caused during the harsh winter weather. The later winter months are a good time to investigate the fish to see if they have developed any noticeable conditions on their skin or if any bacterial issues have occurred too.

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Busting Grow Room Odors with Activated Carbon

Grow rooms and Green houses, particularly at harvest time, may give off all kinds of disagreeable odors. These odors are produced by many vegetables like cabbage etc. at ripening time. Unless removed from the air exhausted from the grow room, the odors can be a nuisance to people in the neighborhood. There are other sources of odor and impurities too, in indoor cultivation that may add to the discomfort like heat and humidity of an indoor environment, pollen, grow media etc. Also since air flow is crucial to crop health and development, proper air circulation has to be maintained to bring in oxygen and carbon dioxide and vent the stale, odor laden air through an exhaust system. It is therefore necessary to filter the air that is vented from the grow room in order to remove odors and impurities.

Versatile Cleaning Action

Activated carbon, with its phenomenal absorbent capacity has long been in use as a purifying agent for air and water. Its action in removing gases, particulate matter and even micro-organisms has found many applications in diverse fields from gas masks for use in wars to absorption of radioactive gases in nuclear plants. Activated carbon filters have also proved very effective in controlling odors from grow rooms and green houses.

Activated Carbon in Hydroponics

Commercial activated carbon usually comes in the form of pellets; these have millions of tiny pores on the surface. These sub-microscopic pores form an extensive network that effectively increases the area of the absorptive surface manifold. Activated carbon works by acting as a very efficient sponge, trapping within its pores all kinds of impurities, gaseous as well as particulate. The smaller pellets have been shown to be especially effective in trapping malodorous contaminants as they leave little space for air to escape through.

Activated carbon is safe and 100% non toxic, therefore it can be used in grow rooms where the cleansed air can be re-circulated. The best results with carbon filters are obtained with these are used in conjunction with an exhaust system, which cleans the air as it leaves the grow room. With this method all stale air gets exhausted and fresh oxygenated, C02 rich air is continually introduced into the grow room.

The typical activated carbon filtering set up comprises an exhaust fan drawing air through the charcoal activated carbon filter. The air is first passed through a poly pre-filter cover that is designed to trap larger particles before it reaches the carbon pellets. When the air passes to the carbon pellets, the odor molecule is scrubbed and drawn out through the exhaust system. The activated carbon air filter and exhaust system should be installed at the highest level in the grow room because warm, odor laden air tends to rise.

Humidity and Temperature Considerations

High temperatures and humidity adversely affect on the filtration capacity of activated carbon. It becomes important, therefore to adjust air flow into the filter with temperature fluctuations for effective functioning of the filter. One simple control method makes use of a thermostat to adjust the air flow with temperature variations. Besides temperature variations, extremely high levels of relative humidity also lead to diminishing absorption capacity. A relative humidity of 60%, it has been observed, is the upper limit beyond which filtering performance drops sharply. The relative humidity should therefore not be allowed to exceed this limit.

Optimizing Air Flow with Ducting

The flow of air inside a grow room is of key importance, especially in an all plastic inside wall environment that is now becoming increasingly popular. Such grow cabinets and grow rooms like Hydrohut tend to give off a plastic smell due to organic deposits on the inside polyurethane walls. Wiping the inside of plastic sheet with paper towels and water removes the offensive deposits and effectively de-odorizes the environment in the grow room.

Other odors can be more persistent in such conditions and the best way to tackle these is to have proper ducting arrangements to ensure optimized air flow. As intake and exhaust vent holes are provided on the grow rooms providing proper ducting is not difficult. Fresh air from outside should be blown in with an adequately sized blower through a duct, through intake hole. Similarly, air to be exhausted should be forced out of the Hydrohut through a charcoal filter with an exhaust blower, through the exhaust vent hole. Fitting a charcoal filter inside the grow chamber will help remove harmful organic molecules. If there are multiple grow rooms in a room, a carbon filter should be placed inside each grow room to avoid air quality problems.

Not using ducting can lead to all types of problems. For instance, blowing in air and not providing a way out by not using ducting will result in the impure air passively finding its way out and then re-entering the grow room. Even in cooler conditions in ocean side towns it is advisable to use proper ducting to ensure intake of fresh air and venting of stale, odor laden air.

Ideal Filtering Solutions

Activated carbon filters offer ideal solutions to odor and air borne contaminate removal problems. They absorb impurities to the extent of about 20 to 40% of their own weight. Carbon filters also act against mold and bacterial contamination in greenhouses and grow rooms. There is no residual smell, besides; there is no additional electrical cost for the user associated with incorporating activated carbon filter in the exhaust system. With their 99 % aromatic absorption rate activated carbon filters ensure the removal of all odors from the air. Activated carbon filters are also available in environment friendly models that allow the user to refill or replace the carbon cartridge as necessary.

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Garden Design

What else can enchant your heart more beautifully than a blossoming flower? Bunch of flowers? Greenery pleases every eye! In order to find just a little more glimpse of it, we do not mind spending a lot of money and time going to landscapes for vacations! What if you could bring a bit of this beauty to your home as well? It would be nice, wouldn’t it? Luckily, it is possible to do so by creating a garden of your own, based on various gardening patterns and garden designs. And you really do not need to have vast space or lots of money to go for it. It is only a matter of opening your mind and taking the right decision.

The garden designs are available in many variants to suit any type of climate and surroundings. The only things you should have are: some space and passion to maintain this beauty! And the best part of it, with the innovative ideas and tips mentioned below, you can create a remarkable garden of your own.

A good garden design is the one that underlines the existing architecture and resonates well with the contemporary life style.



Japanese Garden Design

The traditional Japanese garden commonly contains lots of rocks, artificial water features like ponds and fountains, sand, moss and few sculptures. All these elements when placed together, artistically, create a natural and serene sight. If you are looking forward to create a Japanese garden for your place, then following are the facts that you need to keep in mind.

Firstly, empty space is an important element of this garden design. You should not clutter the space with a number of sculptures or big rocks. A justified use of every element will bring in the desired look.

The plants included in Japanese garden design are bamboo, moss, rubber plants and tea plants. If you have good space, you can also include flowery trees like cherry and camellia in your garden.



Italian Garden Design

The Italian gardens though look astonishing but are quite complex in their designing methodology. Just to avoid expensive errors, it is advisable to employ a garden designer if you are looking forward for such garden. The Italian garden design has the potential to render beauty to any and every kind of architecture. It establishes a perfect harmony between the house and the surroundings. But at the same time the garden needs a lot of time and money for its maintenance.

With the advice of the professional garden designer, you can pick the plants and trees well adapted to the climate you are living in and the soil of your garden. The Italian design involves lots of shrubs and trees planted along the boundary of the garden and the central part is kept empty though green.



Beautiful gardens are not bind to these specific patterns. Explore your imaginations, use fewer plants, pick pleasing blends of textures and colours, keep it simple and maintainable, and here you are with your own garden design!

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Bats and Migration

Where bats live is dependent on the availability of food. When the food supply declines, usually due to weather, bats have two options. They can hibernate to pass through the low or non-existent food supply period, or migrate to a place with a more abundant food supply. In some areas, bats will also do a combination of both. Migration involves two parts. Movement from one location when food is scarce and the return to that same location when the abundance of food returns. There is no clear distinction between migrating bats and hibernating bats. Some bat species, like the silver-haired bat, migrate and hibernate. The same is true for red bats. Red bats migrate from the northern portion of their range and hibernate in the southern portion of their range. Most temperate bat colonies start dispersing in late July as young begin flying.

In August, most are in the process of migrating. Most North American bats travel less than 483 km to hibernate, with the most common distance traveled is 322 km on the North - South axis. Few temperate bat species migrate to tropical or equatorial regions. Some bats also migrate up and/or down in altitude as food supply changes with season. Little is known about the long distance migration habits of most of our common bats, like the Mexican free-tailed and the big brown bats. Some bats that are banded in the United States migrate south to countries with little or no research collecting of bats. Information of their final migratory destination is not known. Principal migrating species in North America traveling moderate to long distances (300 - 1500 km) include the genera Tadarida, Lasiurus, Lasionycteris, Leptonycteris, Choeronyteris and Pipistrellus. Some of these bats travel long distances from northern Canada to the Gulf states and Mexico. The nectivorous bats, like Leptonycteris and Choeronycteris species follow the availability of food by migrating with the flowering season.

The most documented long distance migrating bat is the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadaria brasiliensis). This bat ranges from Oregon to south Mexico. Bats in the northern California/Oregon region are non-migratory, spending inclement weather in torpor or hibernation. Bats of this species in the eastern Nevada, western Arizona and Colorado regions are non-migratory as well, however do not hibernate. Mexican free-tails from southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado migrate to western Mexico. The most well known colonies, like Carlsbad Cavern and the caves in Texas and southeastern United States migrate to eastern Mexico. Some Myotis species also migrate to winter roosts traveling over shorter distances.

Their migration is not necessarily in latitudinal direction. These bats may travel in any direction depending on the location of the hibernaculum. Little brown bats (Myotis lucifigus) migrate from 200 km to 800 km in distance between summer and winter roosts. Gray bats (Myotis grisescens) migrate several hundred square kilometers from northern Arkansas hibernaculum to Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Most records of big brown bat migration distances are less than 40 km in distance however, there have been exceptional distances of 230 km recorded. Tolerance of colder weather may be one reason for the short distances. In general, tree roosting bats are migratory since trees do not provide enough shelter for the winter. Hoary bats from all areas migrate more equatorially and are found below 37¡ Latitude during the winter. Both Lasiurus and Lasionycteris species are sometimes found in migrating groups,

sometimes accompanied by migratory birds. Long distance flights consume a lot of energy. Bats that migrate lose about .5 g per 100 km traveled. Navigation must be accurate and flight efficient. Migrating bats are known to use vision, echolocation and the sun as orientation and may use other factors as well, but these have not been studied. Not only are the energy demands of migration costly, other threats to the bat's survival are more likely during migration. Adverse weather, higher chance of predation and disease are all factors that the bat may face. Accidents during migration such as running into buildings with wind gusts also happen. Another threat to migratory bats are pesticides. Pesticides are stored in the body fat over the course of the summer as the bats eats insects exposed to pesticides. When the body fat is burned during migration, resins are released into the bloodstream and may cause illness or death.Written by Denise Tomlinson, director of Bat World Everglade and wonderful organization in Florida dedicated to saving bats. For more information go to batworld.org.

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Indoor Gardening Tools - The Essentials!

Every workman needs to be fully equipped with his occupational tools in order to perform effectively, and so is the case with gardeners. As in the case of conventional Gardeners who carry out their tasks outside, indoor gardeners also require the necessary equipment to perform their chores. There is a particular indoor gardening appliance designated for each task and this ensures that the work is done efficiently and speedily. Furthermore, the appropriate equipment will help in reducing the need for unnecessary tools with the right choice of gardening tools.

A broad range of indoor Gardening Equipment is available on market shelves for you to pick. The range is so extensive that even the most passionate indoor gardeners are not aware of some of these tools. The equipment on offer include regular tools such as rakes, unusual tools such as fertilizer feed spoons, gloves for the fingers, and accessories like "glow light" to provide sufficient illumination for healthy growth.

Is there a requirement for particular indoor gardening equipment? The answer is in the positive since indoor gardening involves the growing of plants in planters and hence the space utilized is far less when compared with an outdoor garden. Hardly any of the usual gardening implements can be employed indoors since the tiny, restricted area of the planters that make for the gardening space simply rules this out.

With appliances and equipment being ergonomically designed, you can bet your bottom dollar that these miniature tools are so crafted as to reduce hand and wrist strain. High-end indoor gardening equipment that reflects quality is usually more powerful than its miniature size so signifies. Possessing indoor gardening equipment may be as simple as switching on your computer, discovering a website that deals in gardening equipment, and placing the order for what you require. On purchasing the equipment you desire, you should maintain them in a proper condition.

Following are some regular maintenance hints for all types of indoor gardening equipment (can be applied for outdoor equipment also):

1. At all times get rid of the dirt after using the tools and clean thoroughly.

2. Completely wipe dry the tools before packing them.

3. If the tools contain any chemicals like fertilizers ensure they are totally washed clean.

Maintaining your indoor gardening equipment in the proper condition will ensure that it looks as good as new and does not wear out easily and quickly. Thorough cleansing prior to and after using the tools makes certain that no likely bugs or contaminants are transmitted to plants.

Indoor gardening equipment, irrespective of what they are used for can lead to very animated discussion. Usually, they are so small and striking that people are magically drawn to these baby tools. Add glamour to your gardening equipment space with the inclusion of the proper tools required for indoor gardening rather than employing improvised tools. These miniatures make excellent gifts for gardeners.

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My Garden, My Tools

If you're thinking about taking your gardening seriously and becoming out there every day to increase the attractiveness of your garden, then you Will want to get the correct Tools to assist you in this. You might just be tempted to go out to the store and just buy the nearest things you see, but you'll Be much more felicitous if you put a large total of thought into the styles and types of tools you're buying. There are styles designed solely for Gardening, and You'll be better off buying those.

You may find most of the tools you will require at your local gardening or home betterment shop. Ordinarily the laborers will be simply thrilled to Aid you in finding the ideal tools. Aid you go to a shop that specializes in gardening, you may normally get a good deal of counsel as well to Service. Gardening store laborers are normally an untapped wealth of wisdom, and they're how I learned nearly all that I acknowledge about gardening Today.

If you are having a hard time finding the correct tool or If you want to save a good deal of cash, you might attempt looking online for the supplies you need. You'll have to pays the shipping costs and wait an extra week or two, but frequently if you buy more than one tool, the total savings will be worth it. You should at all times buy from a reputable vender, although, and search around in advance for anything negative that persons had to say about their buying Experience.

As far as firstborn digging tools go, you might already have all you'll need. There are various types that you should get although, for dissimilar particular Tasks. A round point shovel is good for digging holes for plants. A spade is essential for all the more intricate work. A garden fork you might not Use as much, but I have one in my tool shed and I've been thankful for it on multiple occasions. Having these dissimilar varieties of digging tools Can assist you to denigrate the work you have to do. Can, if you attempt digging a prominent hole with a small spade then you'll end up rather tired. The same goes if you are trying to do more detailed work with a prominent clumsy shovel.

A rake is an absolute necessity. You most likely already have one, but I'm guessing it's a lawn rake and not a garden rake. There is unquestionably a Divergence, and if you attempt to employ a lawn rake in a garden then you wouldn't be happy with the effects. Same if you buy a grading or a contractor's Rake. You'll want to look for a bowhead rake. I've found these are the most skillful for gardening intents. They will provide you the maximum control and Accuracy, so you don't without intention tear up your treasured plants.

As far as hoes go, I don't believe any garden caretaker must have fewer than 3. There are galore useful varieties on the market that I have a hard time Recommending just one, and that's why I'll tell you all the ones I normally use. The one I use the most is the onion hoe, which is very lightweight And ideal for small cultivations and weeding. The Warren hoe is a more spectacular model, with a pointed end. If you need to make a hole or dig out a pesky Weed, this is the one for you. There are various other varieties, but I recommend starting with the ones I noted. As you advancement in your Gardening savvy, you will find the demand for more types.

Most persons believe that gardening just consists of an easy and not involved or complicated spade. But there are a good deal of, a good deal of tools with many more variations that you will use in Your gardening career. Ordinarily you may start with just more than one dissimilar tools, but you'll at all times find that you may use more varieties for particular Situations. It's just a matter of recognizing when one tool could be more effective than another.

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Greenhouse Gardening as a Hobby

For people who would like to do more gardening but live in a short growing season area, a hobby Greenhouse is the answer. A hobby greenhouse is not large enough to produce vegetables or flowers on a commercial basis. It will, however, give you a place for a tomato plant or two and some fresh greens even if you live in the northern regions.

Greenhouse enthusiasts even have their own association, called the Hobby Greenhouse Association, which publishes a quarterly magazine. The organization also sponsers events and helps individuals connect to get help with the aspect of gardening that they are interested in, whether it's growing cacti or saving seeds.

If you are in the market for a hobby greenhouse, there are several types on the market. The smallest type is not large enough to walk into and must be accessed from the outside. It resembles an old-fashioned phone booth made all of glass and outfitted with shelves. This type is designed to fit as many plants as possible in as small a place as possible. The shelves are made of glass to allow as much light as possible to reach plants on the lower shelves. Another inexpensive version of this sort of hobby greenhouse is shelving covered with a zippered tent of clear plastic. This sort of arrangement is great for the small-scale hobby gardener wanting a place to keep her flowers or houseplant starts.

There are a variety of designs of hobby greenhouse that are large enough to walk into but made entirely of clear glass or plastic. They are often about the same size as a small storage building. Some independent builders have started making these to sell locally. Among national brands, one of the nicest is called the "Solar Prism." It is called this because of it's unique construction. This hobby greenhouse is made of a single piece of durable clear plastic which is designed to work like tiny prisms side by side. They trap the rays of the sun and shoot them back into the greenhouse at all angles. For this reason, these little greenhouses are said to glow when the weather is cloudy.

Better hobby greenhouses are equipped with automatic sensors that open vents which allow ventilation and keep the interior temperatures from getting too high. These are a great labor saver, but can get expensive. Another benefit sometimes found in nicer greenhouses is a built in irrigation or misting system. Members of the Hobby Greenhouse Association, or HGA, have invented many interesting designs of greenhouses.

If gardening is your hobby, greenhouse growing will interest you. With a greenhouse, you can have the earliest tomatoes and salad greens all year. You can also start seedlings for the main garden early in the spring when outdoor temperatures would kill them. A hobby greenhouse can be a good investment.

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