Keeping Your Fruit Tree Pest Free

by Kent Higgins

Protecting your fruit trees from pests in the summer time can be frustrating and seem to be an impossible task to accomplish. Doing so without pesticides or chemicals is even more so. Many people are scared by the prospect of using chemical pesticides, believing that they will infect the tree and its fruit. If done properly, however, this is rarely the case. You can get rid of pests using chemicals and not infect the tree or its fruit in the process.

If you’re using chemicals, you’re likely using a pump (atomizing) sprayer or a hose-mounted bottle sprayer. In either case, your technique is what will keep your trees healthy and safe.

Using a pump sprayer, you can more accurately determine the mix of chemicals and where the spray will land. On the down side, however, you won’t be able to spray as far and are more likely to get it on yourself. So wearing proper clothing that covers your body and a mask will keep you from inhaling the spray. You’ll also need a ladder and more maneuverability as you’ll be required to be much closer to the spray areas.

Using a hose-end sprayer, you will have longer range and wider coverage-including the top of the tree. However, you won’t have the accuracy and the mixture is totally dependent on water pressure, which you can’t easily regulate. The chemicals you purchase to use this way are much more concentrated and need to be well-diluted in order to be safe. This means good water pressure. So if you’re going to spray and your water pressure seems low, wait and see if it improves later in the day or earlier in the morning.

When you actually spray with these devices, the object is the same: even coverage over all surfaces. The spray should not be dripping from the leaves, but every surface should get an application. A ladder can help you get to the harder-to-reach areas of the tree. Apply the spray evenly, moving it back and forth so you don’t hit the same spot twice.

With neem tree and other larger trees, spraying of insecticide from the inside to the outside (trunk to leaf) is best and will ensure best coverage. The best method of spraying is starting from the top and working down, you’ll be able to see where the spray has dripped down and avoid re-covering those areas. This also allows you to methodically cover all areas of the tree without question as to whether you’ve done a spot or not.

Once you’ve completed spraying, be sure to completely clean off your equipment to get any residues off of them and then thoroughly clean your clothes and yourself to make sure you’ve washed it off completely. Wash your clothes separately and in a small load so as to get as much water into the wash basin as possible, ensuring the chemicals are thoroughly rinsed away.

Finally, water the base of the tree and around it on the ground in a parameter slightly larger than the tree’s spread. Soak the ground thoroughly to make sure all the chemicals which dripped down are heavily diluted. This keeps them from absorbing too readily into the tree itself, thus keeping your tree and its fruit healthy.

About the Author:

It’s time to clear things up on the subject of neem insecticide. Visit us for lots of free information at http://www.plant-care.com/pest-control-without-pesticides.html.

January 15, 2009 · Filed Under Gardening

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Hydroponics – Dirt-Free Gardening

by Ashley King

Gardening without the use of soil is called hydroponics. Generally, hydroponic gardening involves the use of water as a growth medium. No doubt you can find a more scientific description of the process. However, the average gardener doesn’t actually require more knowledge than that.

Many people might wonder how hydroponic gardening is possible. It’s generally believed that plants need soil. It’s a source of water, energy, support and nutrients. These are all required in order for the plant to thrive. But these elements are also available from other sources.

Water is an absolute essential for any plant. However, soil isn’t the only way to provide it. Many plants grow wild in rocks or sand, and even floating on a body of water.

Plants also need energy in the form of sunlight and heat. But sun warmed earth isn’t the only source of energy. Sunlight works directly on leaves the same way it does for plants in the soil. The essential process of photosynthesis occurs when you leave the upper part of a plant exposed to sunlight. Some plants flourish even with no light at all. They will, however, still need some energy to power their natural growth processes.

Most commonly grown plants require some sort of support to hold them up. Planting them in soil is the most common and effective means of achieving that. This is why a plant’s roots spread out and its stems are resistant to the wind’s force. However, there are other options for supporting your plants. Try weaving string through a fence-like structure, or fasten some craft sticks to the top of a container. There are other ideas that will also do the trick.

Nutrients are another of the important elements for a healthy plant. These include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and various trace elements. Normally, a plant will absorb these nutrients from the earth that surrounds it. However, they can also get these essential nutrients in other ways.

A common way of doing this is to keep the plant’s roots covered in a water-based liquid nutrient solution. There are systems that utilize a hydroponics grow tent to retain moisture. A nutrient solution is misted onto the roots regularly in order to keep them saturated. This is similar to another growing technique that doesn’t use soil, the practice of aeroponics.

Hydroponic gardening can produce beautiful, healthy plants. There are many varieties of plants that are able to flourish without soil, as long as they’re cared for properly.

About the Author:

Hydroponics is an increasingly popular technique for year-round, indoor gardening. Find out more at Hydroponic Gardening.

January 11, 2009 · Filed Under Gardening

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Greenhouse Gardening 2009

by Michelle Duncan

You may see the large commercial greenhouses and think how difficult it must be to tend to all those plants on a year round basis. What you dont know is that many of the day to day happenings are automated and that makes things a lot easier. That same type of automation can also be found in some backyard greenhouses as well. This means its easier for you to grow your favorite plants year round.

Having a basic greenhouse can be fun and exciting. It all depends on what you choose to grow, how much time and effort you want to spend on your greenhouse garden and your attitude. Any time you start a project, you need to have a good positive attitude and be ready to put your best effort forward.

A mistake some people make is building or buying a large greenhouse thinking this is the best way to go. They dont realize that all you need is a very basic greenhouse to get started and you can always make improvements throughout the years. You will be able to grow your favorite things from orchards to vegetables and greenhouses can be bought and built in a number of different sizes.

If you are building your greenhouse, be especially careful with where you are building it and the size as it will be much harder to move than a greenhouse kit that you could buy. Also leave adequate room for your other garden activities in the spring and summer and make sure there is adequate light for all the plants in and out of your greenhouse.

Supposedly, The Roman Emperor Caesar wanted cucumbers year round and someone discovered they could do it covering a wooden frame with glass and keeping warm rocks heated during the winter and greenhouses were born. Its still that way today, gall or plastic wrapped on a frame, walls and roof, that let light in and keep everything else out; just a very basic greenhouse.

Like the Romans who were the first greenhouse gardeners on record, you will want a heat source for the cold winter months. You can heat rocks like they did or make room in your budget for a greenhouse heater. Wire racks and rods will also help keep your plants and hanging baskets organized and are well worth adding them to your budget as well.

About the Author:

Plastic garden greenhouses make a great starter garden greenhouse.

January 7, 2009 · Filed Under Gardening