Growing plants in a container garden is not only a great hobby, but useful for those that like growing their own food.

For anyone that does not have the time or even the space for a normal full sized garden but enjoys gardening very much, you may want to think about container gardening. This is a very good option for people who have limited space and wish to grow an assortment of different plants. Container gardens may not look the prettiest, but they are a very practical solution that many can use to their advantage. You can decide to grow some vegetables that you may wish to eat or even just plant some flowers in your container garden.

With container gardens you must first find a container to grow the plant of your choice in. You can find many decorative styled ceramic pots or nice looking containers of many kinds to grow your plants in. The size and shape of the container you wish to use is completely up to you, but anything from large cans of food to washtubs can be put to use for this purpose. Moreover, the size of the plant will also determine how large of a container you need, so if you are growing a pumpkin you will need to find a container that will fit accordingly. The larger the container you have the better, since this allows for ample root growth with the different plants you are growing in your container garden.

You can even try mixing flowers with vegetables with your container garden so it will not only be useful but very nice to look at. Plants such as squash or okra look very well by themselves, but if you are growing spinach or eggplants they may look a lot better if they are accompanied by some flowers. Other vegetables like radishes or tomatoes are also another great addition that you can add to your container garden.

With all of the different types of vegetables out there, you can make a wide variety of different arrangements with flowers and vegetables together. It can be a lot of fun for anyone with a container garden to experiment and try combining different plants in your containers. It is very likely that you will need quite a few large containers to properly supply your container garden, so remember that you do not have to buy the most expensive containers you find. In fact, it is best to look around for the cheapest large containers you can find to save yourself some money.

Most of the warm season vegetables you will probably be growing will need large containers, so look around for inexpensive large containers that can hold enough dirt to properly plant your vegetables. Growing plants in a container garden is not only a great hobby, but can come in very useful for those that like growing their own food.

Fortunately, there is the trademarked biodynamic agriculture that provides a better way to go beyond organic farming. The trademark belongs to Demeter International – Demeter being the Greek goddess of the harvest – which is composed of over 50 member nations including the United States.

Demeter International is the largest certification organization for biodynamic agriculture, of which the certification issued must be renewed annually under the strictest of standards. The criteria for certification include but are not limited to biodiversity and ecosystem preservation, livestock integration, soil husbandry, and the prohibition of GMOs in the farm. Basically, the farm where the produce bearing the Demeter logo must be treated as holistic organism from the littlest of microorganisms to the farmers themselves.

With such stringent criteria, consumers are assured only of the highest-quality products manufactured using only the most organic methods. Yes, organic farming and biodynamic farming share many things in common such as the use of biological methods in regards to soil health, food quality and human treatment of animals as well as the use of compost, cover crops and green manures. But the similarities often end at these points. Biodynamic farming also has its major differences with organic farming such as the following:

Organic foods can now be produced with the use of imported organic fertilizers but biodynamic harvests rely entirely on the nutrient-rich soil.
Organic farmers are allowed to use imported organic pesticides. With biodynamic farming methods, however, the emphasis is on humus development to build up resistance against insects, pests and diseases coupled with balanced predator-prey relationships. There are nine prescribed preparations for stimulating humus development, which are designated by the numbers 500 to 508.

While organic farmers can utilize imported organic feed, biodynamic farmers must make their own livestock feed source at least on an 80 percent level. Biodynamic agriculture emphasizes biodiversity with at least 10 percent of the total farm area devoted to such a purpose. Organic farming has no such limitations on the farms.

Where organic farmers can have just certain portions of their farms and corresponding produce certified as organic while the rest may not fall under the category, biodynamic farms must be certified as such from one end to the next. Organic farmers will plant without regard to astronomical events. Biodynamic farmers will take into account lunar influences in deciding the best time to cultivate certain crops.

We now have a choice beyond organic produce. Biodynamic products are now more available in grocery stores and supermarkets. Just be prepared for the higher prices, which are 10 to 30 percent higher on average than organic produce. Then again, for the benefits of healthier food and a healthier environment, the higher prices are worth it.

Our food crops depend on bees for pollination.

Little things do matter and this is all too-true in nature, of which bees immediately come to mind. This point was brought to us by the box-office hit animated movie titled “Bee Movie” starring Jerry Seinfeld and Renee Zellweger, among other stars. In that movie, bees played an important role in food production, which drastically suffered when the black-and-yellow insects ceased to be busy making honey, literally.

Role of Bees in Human Survival
We should all be concerned when the likes of the bee colony collapse disorder affect our little friends. After all, bees are essential not only for their honey and beeswax but, more importantly, for their roles in food production for humanity’s benefit.

Many of our food crops for both man and animals depend on bees for pollination. Thus, many apiarists make a brisk living taking their swarms of bees from one farm to the next especially in areas known for being not so bee-friendly.

Just to name a few of the crops relying on bees for pollination, you have forage and legume crops (alfalfa and clover), fruit crops (apples and berries), nut crops (almonds and chestnuts), oilseed crops (cotton and soybeans), and vegetables (asparagus to zucchinis). Name any food crop and it is likely to have been pollinated by a bee.

It is estimated that if the bee population was somehow reduced by at least 30 percent, more than half of the world’s food supply will be adversely affected. With droughts, earthquakes and other natural and manmade disasters befalling us nowadays, losing the bees is yet another challenge to our survival as the dominant species on Earth. We may even go the way of the dinosaur and the dodo, no thanks to the elimination of our little striped helpers.

Roles of Humanity in Bee Survival
Just as much as bees have a role in ensuring the survival of humanity, we also have roles in ensuring their survival. This way, we can ensure that the symbiotic relationship we have with bees will endure for many more generations.

There are many things we can do to achieve such a life-sustaining purpose. First, you can talk about it, perhaps even look into local legislation affecting the life of bees. You will be surprised at how many people you can actually touch with this pet project.

Second, you should plant more fruits, flowers and vegetables in your garden to attract more wild bees. You never know if your small efforts to nurture the species in your garden can and will positively benefit outlying areas.

Plus, you will get the health and finance benefits of growing your own organic food produce in your garden. Now, that alone should encourage anybody to go into organic gardening even on a small-scale basis.

Third, you can know more about bees by joining local apiarist organizations. This way, you will be able to help out in bee conservation efforts.

When we help each other out, man and bees, we can make the world a better place for everybody. Now, that is the greatest thing that we can do for ourselves and for others – indeed an eco-friendly way to co-exist.

The savings you have in water consumption are well worth the price of a collection tank

Rainwater is precious simply because it is water. You can use it for a variety of purposes from watering the plants to washing the clothes and even taking a bath. It is clean, clear and free. Still, not so many homes have rainwater tanks because of the misconception that these containers are ugly additions to the house. This is not true nowadays because of the availability of rainwater tanks in various shapes, sizes, colors and materials to suit every style preference and water need.

Plastic Tanks
We have been around plastic products for so long that there is bound to be one in every category. This is true of rainwater tanks made out of food grade plastic, which is also called polyethylene. The advantages of plastic tanks are that it is relatively light, durable and affordable. You only need to place it on a sand base to start usage, which can last anywhere from 15 to 25 years. You can purchase them at bargain basement prices especially from online sites.

Unfortunately, plastic tanks are made from petrochemicals. As any eco-friendly consumer knows, petrochemicals are not exactly the friendliest of materials to work with where Mother Nature is concerned. But if you can have it recycled, your conscience can be assuaged.

You may also have issues with the taste of the water especially under the hot sun, which many have described as, well, plastic-y. We suggest not drinking the water in this case just to be on the safe side.

Steel Tanks
Galvanized tanks have been with our society for at least 150 years. You will discover that these are often the most affordable water tank although durability may be a minus factor. Most of steel tanks will last for a maximum of 5 years before rust sets in.

The 5-year life expectancy does not apply to all galvanized tanks. You will find top-of-the-line steel tanks that will last for 10-15 years like Zincalume. Colorbond claims a 20-year life soan but it can be substantially shortened by deep paint scratches leading to faster corrosion.

Concrete Tanks
You can install concrete water tanks either above or below the ground, either of which has its merits. For example, if you install the tank below the ground, you can save space but if you can install it above the ground, you will be able to save time on cleaning the tank.

No matter the location of the water tank, you must place a polyethylene liner all around the interior of the concrete material. This way, lime will not leach and you will not end up with alkaline water. Plus, you may have problems with corrosion of the steel framework without the liner.

Fiberglass Tanks
Fiberglass is very durable materials for rainwater tanks in addition to being unaffected by chemicals. You may also install them above or below the ground. However, fiberglass tanks are more prone to algae growth and tend to crack easily. These issues are usually solved by painting the tank and making regular inspections, respectively.

Ultimately, your choice in the materials for the rainwater tank will depend on your budget as well as your sense of environmentalism. No matter which tank you choose, however, it cannot be denied that the savings you have in water consumption are well worth the price of the tank.

Butterflies perform a vital role in our ecosystem and their global population decline should not be ignored.

There are millions of species of insects in the world and most people will agree that the butterfly is among the most beautiful of all insects. That is why it is such a shame that the population of insects in the world has been declining. Yes, this is a sad but true fact. All across the globe, the numbers of the butterfly population have been slowly and steadily shrinking. Sadly, we have taken the butterfly for granted when the population numbers were high. Now, they are declining and we have limited options regarding what to do to deal with the scenario.

The decline of the global butterfly population is not something that should be ignored. Butterflies perform a vital role in our ecosystem. They provide food for other creates which aids creating the life cycle of the natural world. Additionally, butterflies act as pollinators which means they help grow the various species of plants which humans are reliant upon for oxygen.

Various factors have contributed to the global decline in the population of butterflies. Destruction of their natural habitat and exposure to pesticides has definitely contributed to the slow erosion of their population. This means that human beings are certainly contributing to the decline in these creatures. Understanding this fact does bring forth a little hope. That is, since humans are the problem, we humans can take the steps to reverse the issues that are causing the various issues.  Okay, this may not be the easiest process in the world but it can be done with the right drive and effort.

The first step here is raising your educational level on the subject. By learning as much as you can about the decline in the butterfly population, you can do what is necessary to reduce your own negative impact. Perhaps planting flowers in your yard that butterflies use as a food source would be a good first step. You could also inform others about what you have learned on the subject of problems and issues facing butterflies. Even something as seemingly ‘minor’ as blogging about the subject could prove to be a great help in terms of expanding awareness. Really, anything that you can do to spread the news about the problem will increase the numbers of those aware of the problem. This, in turn, opens the door for being able to reverse the problem since preventive steps can be taken. Yes, this requires some effort but the effort will be well worth it in the end.

It also could prove to be a wise idea to sign on with an organization dedicated to preserving the global population of butterflies. Many of these organizations are run as private charities by those looking to learn more about the problem while also taking the vital steps required to reverse the problem should certainly look into what these organizations have to offer. Working with like-minded people can have a great impact on increasing awareness of the problems leading to the global decline in butterfly populations. This can later set the stage for reversing such trends.

When starting your garden, avoid the itch to plant to early, and pay attention to dates of the last expected frosts.

Having a vegetable garden of your own is definitely a great option. It is the beginning of April now and you may be wondering if you can start your garden now and how to go about taking on this task. If you haven’t done gardening in the past or you would like to know how to do it more successfully, here are some tips and ideas that can help you out.

First of all, you need to realize that there are many different climate zones out there. Not every climate is going to be the same. However, in many climates, mid March is a great time to begin some of the cold weather crops, which can include radishes, salad greens, and even peas. You can also start some of your other plants, such as tomatoes inside.

April happens to be a great time to plan the cold weather crops as well. Many other crops other than the ones we mentioned can also be planted at this time, such as early carrots, onions, and early new potatoes. This is a great time to find wild dandelion greens to make salads with.

Once May comes along, everything becomes easier. The temperature gets warmer, the soil temperature is rising, and it is a great time to plant about anything. Now you can plant those warm weather crops from seeds, such as summer squash and beans. Any plants you started indoors, such as eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes can be moved to an outdoor garden during this time as well.

Maybe you are looking for crops that are easy for you to grow, since it is your first vegetable garden. Some great easy crops you may want to try out include zucchini squash, peas, rutabaga, peas, and onions. They can be planted fairly early too. Peppers and tomatoes are fairly easy to grow too. Just ensure you start them inside before you take them outside to plant.

One important thing to remember is to avoid the itch to plant to early. Many people make the mistake of planting tender crops, such as watermelon, squash, beans, and tomatoes too early. It gets warm for a bit and then you get a frost a couple weeks later, wiping out your small plants. Instead of following the weather, look at the dates of the last expected frosts. This way you won’t plant too early and end up losing all that hard work.

If you only have space for a small garden, you’ll want to be careful what you plant. Watch out for some of the plants that take up a lot of space, such as squashes, corn, and pumpkins. Look for items that won’t take up so much room. If you do go with corn, always put it on the north side so it won’t shade all the other plants. There are some bush varieties of these plants to consider as well that won’t take up all your garden space.

It’s hard to get anything done if you’re sitting in a sweltering room in your home. But you don’t want to run your air conditioner, and although fans cost less to run than an air conditioner, they still cost money to run, too.

Well, there are some things you can do to reduce the heat inside your home.

First off, if you live in a house, consider planting some shade trees on the east and west sides of your home. As long as you’re planting deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves in winter) you can even shade the south side of your home as well. Typically, people help heat their homes naturally during the winter by allowing the south sun to come in. With deciduous trees, you keep the sun out during the summer, and let it in during the winter.

Plant shade trees or shrubs around your picnic table or porch, or, depending on how much land you have, plant a double row of trees to make a nice, cool soothing walkway, with perhaps a picnic table in the middle.

If you don’t want to plant trees, there are other things you can do to let the sunlight into your home, but keep the heat out.

Window curtains may shade the light, but they do very little to keep the heat out of your home. If you can’t afford to purchase new windows that are treated to keep out the heat, consider applying solar screens. They’ll serve the same purpose, and they’re removable during winter if installed for this purpose.

Solar screens should be applied to every window in your home that gets any amount of sun. They allow the light of the sun to enter, but keep the heat trapped outside, which of course keeps your home that much cooler, and thus necessitate less use of fan or air conditioner.

You can purchase solar screens commercially, or purchase the components and put them together yourself. In addition to keeping out the heat, solar screens will also reduce fading of your interior furnishings, carpets, and books.

Water Crystals – High Tech
One way to cut down on the amount of watering you’ll need to do for your plants is by using Water Crystals. These are super absorbent polymers in the form of white granules – also called hydro gels, polymer crystals, or water gels.

These water gels reduce watering requirements for shrubs, trees, and lawns. They help prevent stress in your plants in times of both drought and excessive moisture. They also help irrigate crops and trees, turf grasses, lawns, plants and flowers in gardens, containers and nurseries.

Rain Barrels – Low Tech (but still one of the most efficient watering methods)
If you want to go less high tech, having a rain barrel or even two can help you immensely with your watering needs. But since the theme of this article is using technology – how can you incorporate technology into your water barrel? Well, the easiest way is just with that simple technological marvel, the spigot, which you can affix to the exterior of the barrel. In this way, you can keep the rain barrel uncovered during periods of rain, but covered at all other times (which will help prevent the birth of mosquitoes!), and fill your watering can from the spigot when it comes time to water your plants.

With the right kind of rain barrel, you can have it set up so that you can use it to run through your sprinkler, or automatically water your plants. You simply hook up one, two or even three barrels together, so that you have a sufficient amount of water to use. And of course during those weeks when there’s no rain, you’ll still have your regular tap water to depend on to water your plants and lawn.

On the other hand, why use a barrel, or even connect three of them together, when you can use a cistern?

If you’ve got enough space, consider building an underground cistern, of concrete, which can hold thousands of gallons of water. It’s not necessary to go underground, of course, but it does help, aesthetically speaking.

Do some research into the advisability of using rain barrels or a cistern in your location.

For over 30 years ARBICO Organics has been producing and supplying commercial growers, landscapers, ranchers, pet owners and home gardeners with natural products for comprehensive pest control solutions. Find all of your organic gardening solutions at Arbico-Organics.com