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Vital Things that You Must Know about Garden Pest Controls

Garden Pest Controls is all about  ‘Garden Diseases Solutions’.

After choosing the perfect plants and creating a wonderful layout for your garden, you must not allow all your efforts go down the drain because of garden diseases and small insect pests. Your best defense is the knowledge about garden diseases solutions and learning more about garden pest controls. Gardening can be tough, but it is definitely fulfilling to see the great results of your labor of love.

To help you achieve your goals, here are the most important things that you have to remember.

Garden Diseases and Garden Diseases Solutions

You have to learn how to spot the enemies that are slowly wreaking havoc on your garden before the problem gets any worse. Here are some of the most common garden diseases. Learn about the damage caused in gardens by these, as well as the right garden diseases solutions.

  1. Black Spot Fungus. If you start noticing black spots growing on some of the leaves of your plants, take a closer look at the other plants in the garden. The black spots may have affected most of the other plants, and if they are left alone, the fungus may affect your whole garden. This problem is also called diplocarpon rosae, which can affect any kinds of plants with fleshly leaves and stems.

The best cure for this disease is prevention. This is done by doing a regular inspection of the plants in your garden, and then treating infections as soon as you see them. If not treated, the black spots will cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall. You can treat this using any commercially available fungicide that come in handy bottle sprayers. If the problem is widespread, it is better to buy a concentrate that you can incorporate on your tank sprayer.

These spots spread quickly. Make sure that you thoroughly inspect your garden on a regular basis and treat this problem before you see any further damage caused in gardens. This typically occurs when the plants are constantly wet. The sun and good air circulation, help in getting rid of these spots.

  1. White Leaf Spot. Also referred to as downy spot, this problem can weaken the trees, which leaves are infected with white spots. As a result, the trees may become vulnerable to other diseases and small insect pests. The best solution to the problem is by keeping the trees well fertilized and watered.

This white spot is a kind of fungus that typically attacks host trees, such as walnut, hickory and pecan. It usually happens when the temperature is warm and during the rains of spring. If not treated, the affected leaves will develop yellowish spots that will turn into brown. This is an indication that the leaves have decayed and will soon fall down.

  1. Clubroot. This is a difficult garden problem that is caused by a soilborne fungus. This typically happens to cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, mustard and cabbage. What makes it difficult? This can live in the soil for up to 10 years and for this duration, the whole area is unfit to grow your crops. The best prevention to this in order to avoid further damage caused in gardens is to follow the rotation process in planting your plants. There are also commercially available fungicides that can help in treating the soil. Perform the action several months before you plant anything into the soil.

Solutions to Garden Pest

Before you can create or buy the right garden pest controls, you have to know more details about your enemies. Here are some of the most common small insect pests that may already have infiltrated your garden:

  1. Tortoise beetles. These are small turtle-shaped beetles that chew on the foliage of various kinds of plants, which include cabbage, raspberries, eggplant, corn and strawberries. These beetles are usually dark and have a metallic color, but they also have the ability to alter their color in order to blend with their environment and avoid the predators.

To protect your garden from these pests, make sure that the plants are properly fertilized and watered. Get rid of weeds and keep the planting area clean. Among the many solutions to garden pest that you can apply in this case, the most handy is to remove the pests by hand. You can easily do this if you have detected the problem early on. If not, you can use a residual insecticide to control the problem.

  1. Ants. Although ants are not dangerous to the plants, these can still pose cosmetic and heath damage to turf grass. It is also nicer to walk into a garden without fearing that you may accidentally step on an anthill.

In this kind of problem, you can use these homemade garden pest controls. For one, you can try using dish soap with water and spray this on an anthill or any areas where you suspect are crawling with ants. You can also create a spray that is made from sugar and borax. If you prefer to use chemical solutions to garden pest, only use them to perform spot control. This will minimize the area that the chemical solution can reach. Inspect the garden and use a spray or the granular form of the chemical solution to get rid of the ants.

 

How To Build A Simple Home Aquaponics System

Here is a great Video I want to share it with you:

How To Build A Simple Home Aquaponics System

The Hot and Cold Truth on Composting

The Hot and Cold Truth on Composting

Hot and cold” calls to mind Katy Perry’s song about being in a relationship with someone unpredictable. Others associate it with the changing seasons, or to describe food. Green living advocates are singing a different tune when it comes to hot and cold, because for them, these are the basic methods of a practice known as composting.

Composting is humanity’s way of giving back to Mother Nature. It is the intentional effort to collect all organic material from household waste and manage its decomposition in pits or bins to produce a soil-enhancing substance known as compost. According to EPA, thirty percent of wastes are comprised of organic materials (food scraps, leaves, twigs, grass clippings), which can then be composted and kept out of landfills.

While decomposition of organic material occurs naturally, the process is not necessarily efficient. In hot composting, the right mixture of brown and green ingredients is incorporated with water and air to build a suitable environment for microbes to thrive which in turn speeds up the decomposition. This method is also called aerobic composting. Temperatures in these piles can reach up to 160°F (71°C) killing weeds and deterring worms. A well-managed aerobic compost pile decomposes completely in less than a year.

In contrast, cold composting is slower and the temperatures rarely go up because there are fewer microbes present to consume the organic materials. The advantage of this method over hot composting is it requires less labor and is suitable for households who don’t generate a lot of waste.

Success in composting can be achieved by managing your pile well. It begins with knowing what should go into your compost. Meats, fish, bones and animal fat are big NO-NOs. These items are very attractive to vermin, raccoons and possums. Do not ever add pet waste as this will increase the risk of propagating pathogens, plus the smell will be unpleasant. Always cover bins and install fences to prevent unwanted entry to the piles.

Following rules of thumb on the right of mix of browns (carbon rich materials) and greens (nitrogen rich materials) counts in building a healthy compost pile. As a guideline, use a third of greens with two-thirds browns. Browns are bulky and allow oxygen to penetrate the mixture and nourish aerobic microbes. Excessive greens make the pile dense and smelly. To keep your pile in good shape, always cover fresh green materials with browns. You can never go wrong with adding more carbon-rich material.

Giving your pile a quick turn every two to three weeks will keep the microbes alive as they work on decomposing the waste. Adding crumpled newspaper or other coarse material like straw can provide sufficient aeration too.

Using compost in the garden improves the overall structure and texture of the soil, allowing it to hold moisture and oxygen better to encourage the healthy development of plant roots. Furthermore, it gives you the opportunity to do your share in reducing solid waste and preserving the natural environment.

What is Composting and Simplest Composting Methods

In this article, we will explain what is Composting and also the Simplest Composting  Methods:

4 Ways of Giving Back to Nature by Making Compost like a Pro

Every living thing will decompose one day, and organic materials such as leaves and grass are no exception. Nature has a way of recycling any organic material that has undergone decomposition into a rich soil (compost), and this is called composting.

When one does his own composting in his backyard, what he is doing is actually a faster version of natural composting. Whether one employs the basic type of backyard composting, worm composting, or grasscycling, the idea is to bring nutrients back into the soil to set the stage for new plants to grow. Being crumbly and dark brown, finished compost mimics the appearance of soil, and even smells like a forest floor.

The simplest composting methods in composting are classified into four kinds:

1. “No-turn” Composting

Compost has to be turned from time to time to allow air to circulate, and this is what makes it the least easy task involved in composting. The “no-turn” composting method, though, lets a compost get aerated without turning. By mixing in straw or other coarse organic material into the compost pile, the latter will develop into a compost material as fast as if it were turned on a regular basis. Moreover, studies show that the nitrogen present in this method may be at a higher level than that present in turned compost.

The big advantage to using the “no-turn” composting method is the ease with which new materials may be added on top of the compost pile. Fresh compost may then be easily harvested from the bottom of the compost bin used.

2. Composting Leaves

This method is preferred when there are too many leaves to be placed inside a compost bin. What is so easy with this method is the way leaves can be left to turn into compost by themselves, even without having to use the bin. The only thing to be considered in composting leaves is to make sure that drainage is adequate in the area where composting is to be done. Ensuring that the area is shaded will also help in preventing the leaf pile from drying out.

Making a leaf pile involves layering the leaves loosely until the pile reaches at least 4 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height, with a layer of dirt placed in between each leaf layer. The pile should be kept damp; to check, simply get a sample from within the center and crush in one’s hand. If some moisture drops get squeezed out, then the pile is good to go.

Four to six months is what it takes for a leaf pile to develop into a dark and crumbly compost material. Since it is low in nutrients, leaf compost is not usually used as a fertilizer; rather, it is best used as a soil conditioner to improve the soil’s quality.

3. Leaf-mould tea

Leaves may also be used to make leaf-mould tea for feeding nutrients to plants. A small pile of leaves is made and placed in burlap for immersion in a water-filled bucket or garbage can. The “tea bag” is then left to develop for three days, after which it is removed from the bucket and the leaves inside are removed and dumped into an existing compost pile. The leaf-mould tea produced is then transferred to a smaller bucket, and is now ready for use in watering plants.

4. Enclosed Compost Bins

They are the most practical to use when it comes to small-scale outdoor composting.

Makeshift Compost Bin. Any heavy-duty garbage can will do, thus making this composting method easy on the pocket. Aeration holes measuring 1.5 cm are drilled in rows 15 cm apart from each other. To speed up the composting process, organic materials with high levels of carbon and nitrogen are placed inside the can and are mixed from time to time to make sure oxygen is evenly distributed. To prevent the contents from lying stagnant inside the can whenever the bin is rolled, they have to be flipped. This is done by securing the bin’s lid, laying the bin on its side, and rolling the bin. A 2×2 or 2×4 cedar piece, running top bottom, has to be bolted to the bin’s interior to make sure the contents will budge.

Compost digester. This is a compost bin wherein the top and sides are enclosed and the bottom is open. Left to sit directly on the ground, this compost bin is ideal for use in homes with composting units that may be small but are effective at deterring pests. A compost digester wins points in the savings department. Then again, turning the compost is not easy with this method and several months have to pass before the finished compost is produced. Also, compost digesters are made of thin-walled plastic, causing its edges to easily chip, especially during winter.

Compost tumbler. Winters are not a problem when using a compost tumbler to make compost. A compost tumbler is made of an insulating material, making it ideal for maintaining the high temperature in its interiors. Moreover, this method features the ease of turning the tumbler regularly to aerate the microbes and keep them active. A built-in interior “paddle” also helps to speed up the composting process by providing more aeration and by preventing clumping of the composting material. Furthermore, a compost tumbler is inaccessible to pests, making it the ideal choice for use in residential areas with the odor-free and neatly-enclosed compost it produces.

That was all about what Composting is and the Simplest Methods of Composting.

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Composting 101: What It Is and How It Is Done

Here, you will learn stuff about Compost and Composting 101, What is Composting, How it’s done etc.

Before we dive into Composting, we think great to define Composting as Wikipedia explains it:

The term “composting” is used worldwide with differing meanings. Some composting textbooks narrowly define composting as being an aerobic form of decompostion, primarily by microbes. For many people, however, composting is used to refer to several different types of biological process. In North America, “anaerobic composting” is still a common term, but in much of the rest of the world and in technical publications the more accurate term anaerobic digestion is used as the microbes used and the processes involved are quite different.

That was for Composting terminology. Now, let’s move on and learn more…

Composting can be best defined by recognizing the five good reasons it should be done.

It produces less waste. 30% of the waste stream is made up of food and yard waste. Water treatment facilities, landfills, and waterways will benefit from handling less waste when food scraps and yard trimmings are turned into compost instead of getting thrown away.

It results in less pest problems. The use of pesticides is decreased along with the reduced number of pests to deal with.

It conditions the soil. This allows water to be retained better in the soil, which results in the sustainable release of nutrients into the soil. As a result, plants grow healthier, yield better produce, and become more resistant to diseases and pests. Even clay and sandy soils can benefit from the soil-conditioning ability of compost. And beneficial organisms can take advantage of compost by feeding on it.

It saves money. Doing away with fertilizers and soil conditioners helps to cut back on expenses. Plants grown with compost also lets one enjoy fruits and vegetables with increased nutrient content.

It teaches an important lesson. Composting at home allows kids a glimpse of the cycle of life by studying nature.

Composting is easily done by following these tips:

1. Get the compost started. To speed up the composting process, grass clippings, chicken manure, comfrey leaves, and young weeds may be used.

2. Protect the compost from flies. Exposed compost material like fruit skins and vegetable scraps should be covered to discourage fruit flies. A great cover to use is an inch or two of grass clippings; for good measure, calcium or lime may be added. It is best to have a well-stocked supply of grass clipping nearby to address this need.

3. Get rid of unpleasant odors. This is easily done by preventing any meat scrap or bone from being included in the compost. Each addition of new compost material to the pile should be covered with grass or mulch and added with calcium or lime to neutralize odors; or dried leaves, straw, and peat moss to ward off the smell of ammonia.

4. Encourage steaming. Having a steamy compost pile is good news – it means that a significant number of microorganisms are doing their job in the composting process.

5. Fix a soggy compost pile. An early spring or winter can cause a compost pile to lose its proper carbon-nutrient balance by getting it soaked in water instead of simply becoming moist. This is prevented by covering the compost pile to anticipate the coming of spring rains. Drainage should be available if the compost is laid on the ground; a trench may also be provided to allow runoff of excess water.

To restore the activated state of the compost pile, carbon-rich materials should be added to aid the composting process in two ways: absorb the pile’s extra moisture and to bring back the balance of carbon and nitrogen levels (one part nitrogen and two parts carbon). Simply add a carbon material to the pile, turn over or fork out, and then add a nitrogen activator to speed things up.

6. Do away with clumping. Moisture inside the compost bin can cause wet grass clippings and leaves to clump. To deal with this problem and also to prevent reduced aeration, one must make sure that the leaves and grass are mixed thoroughly with all other composting materials by forking to break them apart or by gradually adding them to the lot.

7. Prevent raccoons from getting at the compost. Instead of setting traps or poisons, it is best to simply prevent them from getting near the compost pile. A makeshift wood or metal lid may be used, or a compost bin that comes with its own fitted lid may be bought.

8. Move it around. Nutrients from the compost can drip down from the bin after continuously watering the compost. These nutrients can still be utilized to enrich the soil in any area that the compost bin is placed.

9. Use compost as such. Compost is a soil additive, so it can’t replace soil as a medium for growing plants. Its purpose is to provide nutrients to the soil, from which the plants can receive and use them.

Another great article about Composting is here:

What is Composting and Simplest Composting Methods

http://www.gardeningmaniac.com/what-is-composting-and-simplest-composting-methods/

An Awesome Way To Build A Greenhouse, Make Sure You Build A Large One!

I’m quite new to gardening, myself and my wife bought a lovely house 12 months ago with a nice South facing garden and lots of potential. Even so, learning how to plant, grow and maintain a garden has been quite a journey!

I discovered buildingagreenhouseplans.com a few months ago, I’ve been eager to start my first major project but like all weekend warriors, taking on such a mammoth task was really hard to get into. I’d asked for help at local DIY stores who were reasonably helpful, yet couldn’t really offer anything that I actually wanted.

So, I decided to buy the buildingagreenhouseplans.com guide almost exclusively for the “How to build a greenhouse on a budget” section. I actually ended up reading the book from cover to cover, discovering that many of the tips in other sections could actually be built into my new greenhouse from the start.

Following the book, I decided to build my greenhouse using galvanised steel frames. I did have the choice of mild steel but didn’t fancy painting it every year to keep it in good shape. I learned why lean to greenhouses are best and incorporated the lean design into my house, it’s actually quite technical / scientific building a greenhouse but the guide takes all the jargon out of the conversation. The book reads like a friend who knows absolutely everything about greenhouses, telling you what you need to know without confusing you with any overly technical stuff!

The book was an absolute godsend whilst designing my greenhouse. Whatever you do, don’t skip the design part because every single tip used in the guide really does make a difference to how easy the greenhouse is to use, keep warm and ultimately grow healthy plants.

Building the basic frame of the greenhouse took a weekend to do. Thankfully, the greenhouse guide has easy to follow plans including cross-section drawings, great for a guy with no design savvy at all! You have the choice to follow the plans to the word or make small alterations. I actually got a friend who’s a real wizard at drawing to alter my chosen design to give me a little space to build an irrigation system within the greenhouse. (Something the guide tells you how to do)

The second weekend, we tackled the glass sections – taking the guides advice and using cheaper plastic panels rather than actual glass pains. This has the added benefit of being a bit safer too, neither of us really had the guts to use glass panels because of the risk of dropping them! One handy thing about the guide is the options it gives you, meaning you can build your greenhouse using the tools and materials you have in your local area.

By the end of weekend two, we had a fully waterproof greenhouse, complete with solid steel frames and strong plastic panels. The guides’ tips to keeping the house warm must have been having an impact because I measured 20 degrees inside while the outside it was 15 degrees with a pretty cold northerly wind!

By weekend three I was really because we’d moved from building the house to actually setting it up. We wanted to grow vegetables in our greenhouse so I read the book quickly through again. Ventilation, beds and actually fitting the irrigation system were the final jobs to tackle!

One thing I’d never realised was that plants give off water vapour at night and a good greenhouse would need decent ventilation. The guide actually has a really good 8 step guide to avoiding mould, insects and other nastiness from ruining your veg. I followed all the advice, placing certain beds in certain areas and ensuring good ventilation. It’s actually amazing how much thought goes into a decent greenhouse set-up, something I seriously doubt you’d get with flat pack greenhouses from the local DIY store!

I decided not to use extraction fans, but to use our natural wind that comes generally from the East. I fitted vents on either side of the greenhouse, ensuring a gentle movement of air throughout the house. So far this system has worked a treat and if you need something a little better, the buildingagreenhouseplans.com guide offers a few options like setting up extraction / ventilation fans. I’d have been lost without the guide and I doubt my first crop would have been as good!

One part of the book my wife found really useful was the “10 plants you never thought about growing in a greenhouse”. I actually wish I’d built a larger greenhouse now (We’re actually considering a small extension to it) because she’s taken to growing all sorts of weird and wonderful items like peppers, spices and even coffee beans.

I’d never heard of coffee beans being grown in a climate as cold as ours! My wife proved me wrong and our greenhouse is more than capable of producing quite tasty grounds! This is almost all down to a section in the guide for modifying your greenhouse for cold, damp or hot and dry conditions. We modified ours for reasonably harsh winters which mean it’s a pretty cosy place, even in winter!

There’s also a really amazing tip that shows you how to heat up your greenhouse without using electricity! Yep, that’s no electricity! I never actually believed the tip would work, even buying an electrical heater just in case.

So far the electric heaters had been on twice! That’s twice all winter! The amazing thing about our greenhouse is the way it adapts to different conditions staying cool in summer and warm in winter, without much additional heating / extraction at all!

Like I said, we’re so impressed with our greenhouse we’re actually going to build a small extension to ours. We’ve had to pay a friend to come and help us build it. That’s the only drawback to this guide, it’s so damn good you’ll end up using it for many more plants than you intended!

My advice to anyone would be to buy the guide, read it from cover to cover at-least twice and build your greenhouse a good 33% larger than you think you’ll need! One of the tips in the building a greenhouse guide actually suggests building as large a greenhouse as your can, not for the reasons I give you but the author is completely right. If you’ve got the space to build a decent sized house then do so; you’ll almost certainly enjoy your new hobby as much as us and need more space!

I would also suggest buying decent tools to do the job. The great thing about the guide is you’ll save a truckload of money when compared to buying a standard greenhouse kit. Give your body a break and spend just a little of that saved cash on a decent wood saw and screwdrivers, your body will thank you and those tools might come in handy for small alterations or extensions later on!

Other than that, just enjoy your new hobby. Even the building of a new greenhouse is exciting, especially if like us you’ve never built anything like this before. Enjoy every part of your hobby because you’ll learn so many interesting things and grow some of the best tasting veg you’ve ever eaten!

You might even grow spices that smell and taste wonderful!

Veggie Growing: How, When, Where, Tips and Advices to Grow Veggie

Veggie Growing: A Rewarding Hobby

Having your own vegetable garden is a rewarding hobby that also gives you organic food right from your very own backyard. It is not hard to do even for beginners as long as the soil is decent and the vegetables to be planted are well-planned. The important thing to remember when you want a successful vegetable garden is to understand what needs to be done to keep your plants vigorous and healthy.

HOW TO GROW VEGGIES

Beginner gardeners should adapt the adage of ‘feed the soil’ as it stands to reason that good soil is sure to give the best produce. Traditional chemical agriculture uses synthetic fertilizers that are directly ‘fed’ to the crops.

This may be well, but it has been found that extreme usage of chemical force-feeding leads to soil impoverishment. The soil, once rich with life forms, microorganisms, and insects, is now transformed into one that has little or no nutrition and exists only as a means to anchor the roots of the plants.

Mushroom Growing 4 YouGranted that using mineral nutrients (rock phosphate, greens, and agricultural lime, to name a few) and fertilizers need to be added periodically to the organic garden, the best thing that can make the soil rich would be organic matter. This includes shredded leaves, compost, cover crops, or animal manure.

Nothing improves the structure and fertility of any kind of soil than organic matter. It gives nutrients and a continuous nitrogen source that make plants grow healthily and vigorously. It is also an important food source for soil microbes. The processes of decomposition and decay are carried out by the organisms in the soil and, in turn, make these nutrients available to the plants.

WHERE TO GROW VEGGIES

As travel brochures always tote, it is the location that makes a trip alluring. The case is also true for gardens. It is crucial that the space in your garden is used efficiently, the amount of sunlight is taken into consideration, safety precautions against wind and frost are studied, and it must be close to a source of water. Consider the following factors:

  1. Space

A huge garden may look fantastic, only if you have the space, time and energy for it.

  1. Avoid row planting

Old fashioned row planting will not work efficiently in backyards. The rule of thumb in backyard planting is: having fewer rows means more available square footage, which you will have to walk around on or plant in other crops. Having raised beds or open beds will be an ideal solution to free more space for other new crops. Another advantage would be less soil compaction which will make it fluffier and beneficial for the plants’ roots. It also does away with too much garden drudgery like mulching, weeding, and watering.

  1. Vertical planting

Another wonderful idea to use other than raised beds would be trellis planting. It is the best way to save space in the garden which would be ideal for small gardens. Even with a large garden, trellis gardening will still work best for vining crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers. Fences surrounding the garden would be perfect to use as a trellis for the plants. Needless to say, they also add beauty and balance to the garden.

WHEN TO GROW VEGGIES

A vegetable garden can benefit from a crop rotation cycle, which simply means planting the same crop in the same place once every three years. By doing so, the same nutrients are not depleted when planting is done year after year. Disease pathogens and insects or pests that usually stay in the soil after the crops have been harvested will be thwarted by this kind of planting practice.

A plan of the garden has to be made on paper when you want to use the three-year crop rotation system. Putting it down on paper will show the exact location of the crops, especially if you grow a variety of vegetables. Remembering their exact location after harvesting has been done will be difficult and hard to remember if the plans have not been graphed on paper. It will also be great if you save those garden plans that you can put to good use after harvesting.

Another way to make full use of the growing area in your garden would be to plant crops in succession. The best way to do this would be to plant a few transplants or seeds at a time, to encompass the whole growing season. You can start by planting every week in any season something that is new in the garden. The first cold-hardy peas and greens can be planted in late winter to early spring, and as soon as the weather warms, plant the heat-loving plants such as eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes.

As soon as you have harvested, keep the beds clean to give space to the new vegetables that will be planted. Another option would be to plant quick-growing plants like radishes side by side with long-season plants like parsnips and carrots. This will then give breathing space to the long-season plants right after you have harvested the quick-growing ones.

TIPS AND ADVICE WHEN GROWING VEGGIES

It may be a lot of hard work for beginner gardeners, but the sight of the healthy crops that you will harvest will make you feel proud and accomplished. The best advice would be to always keep good records of everything that you have observed and learned from your gardening.

Garden plans are another way of keeping good records as they help you track the exact location of the crops. This will help you not to rely on your memory which will be difficult since harvesting may come after a long period of time.

Careful observation of your crop’s progress and advice from other seasoned gardeners (which you can also get online or through friends) must be noted down. The most important thing to remember in having the best garden year in and year out would still be keen observation on the way the plants grow, with both failure and success stories all written down.

Mushroom Growing 4 You

The Earthquake MC43 Mini Cultivator with 43cc 2-Cycle Viper Engine

Earthquake MC43

The Earthquake MC43 Mini Cultivator with 43cc 2-Cycle Viper Engine is highly recommended for aerating soil, working with fertilizer, and weeding. It is small, lightweight, and easy to carry. It can also be used to increase maneuverability through rows of plants without damaging them. Its high performance produces just the right amount of power that can be used to work through a variety of pre-tilled soil types.

While you plan to get a regular garden cultivator or tiller, it is more ideal to get mini-cultivator that features 43cc 2-Cycle Viper Engine from Earthquake. This is especially true if you have a small frame or you are not strong enough to carry heavy machinery. This machine is a smaller version of a gas-powered tiller that is usually heavy and bulky.

Its electric counterparts may be lighter, but they are not necessarily less efficient. Their only difference is their height and size. So, using this mini-machine is just like using a regular tiller or cultivator. You can get the same gardening experience without having to suffer from the heaviness or bulkiness of carrying the machine.

The Earthquake MC43 Mini Cultivator with 43cc 2-Cycle Viper Engine only weighs twenty pounds; that is half the weight of a regular tiller or cultivator. You can use it to go through small garden beds and narrow spaces. It is versatile and convenient. Users can adjust the on-board wheels for depth control and transport. It is also powerful and easy to control.

Product Features and Specifications:

Product Dimensions: 35.2 x 17.6 x 40 inches

Shipping Weight: 36.6 pounds

43cc Viper 2-Cycle Engine

6- or 10-Inch Tilling Width

Easy to Transport and Assemble

Adjustable cultivating depth with drag stake and wheels

Variable speed, clutch control, and throttle

The Reviews:

Customers are impressed with how powerful and easy to control the Earthquake MC43 Mini Cultivator with 43cc 2-Cycle Viper Engine is. The machine features the biggest engine in its class, and its overhand control allows the removal of weeds to be quicker and more convenient. So if you are worried that you might accidentally pull out your plants, you should go for this machine.

Customers are also delighted by the fact that this machine can blend fertilizer, mix soil, and loosen hardened dirt with ease. They have also found that its tilling width is perfect for preparing a small area. They can use the machine to de-weed and aerate their garden at the same time. It is safe to be used around herbs, flowers, and vegetables.

If you are concerned about physical stress, do not worry because it features a carrying bar that can make loading and unloading less of a hassle for you. It even comes with its very own two-cycle oil, so there is no more need for you to purchase oil to be mixed with the gas.

Then again, some customers are not thrilled about the way the machine works in areas with small rocks. Despite its robustness, it is still not powerful enough to break small rocks. Nonetheless, the functionality of the machine is still commendable.

To learn more or to Buy Earthquake MC43, click here.

The VegTrug™ Patio Garden with Covers

The VegTrug™ Patio Garden with Covers is created with sustainable fir and is designed to last for a very long time. It has a height of thirty-one inches, which makes it convenient to use. There is no more need to bend or kneel just to plant your garden. Even people in wheelchairs can use it with ease.

The VegTrug™ Patio Garden with Covers includes a built-in drainage and a fitted membrane liner. It is perfect for gardening on patios or decks. It even has a unique V shape that will let you grow plants with deep or shallow roots. It also has just the right height to keep pets, slugs, and rodents from reaching it.

If you are worried about ruining your deck boards or floorboards, worry no more because the product has feet covers. It also includes pre-formed liners. It is easy to set up and can be covered or netted if necessary. You can install the polyethylene micromesh cover to protect your crops against birds, insects, and strong winds.

The set includes a frame and a greenhouse cover. You can install its twenty-one-inch steel frame with push-fit connectors in just a few minutes. Assembling the whole thing only requires an adjustable wrench and a Philips screwdriver.

The greenhouse cover is made with reinforced polyethylene and features heavy-duty zippers and stitching. In addition, it has sturdy Velcro tabs and it zips open for quicker access to crops and ventilation. If you wish to use an additional cover, frame, liner, and trellis, you can purchase these add-ons and accessories separately.

Product Features and Specifications:

Winner of the 2012 Green Thumb Award for Outstanding New Product

Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

70 inches long, 30 inches wide, and 31 ½ inches high

Holds three hundred and eighty quarts of container mix

Comes in two sizes:

VegTrug™ Small weighs 46 pounds, has a soil volume of fifty-five gallons, and has a planting depth of 13 inches

Product Dimensions: 39.4 x 30.8 x 31.5 inches

VegTrug™ Medium weighs 61 pounds and has a soil volume of one hundred and ten gallons

Product Dimensions: 70 x 30.7 x 31.5 inches

Patio Garden with Cover VEGTRUG

The Reviews:

The buyers of this product were happy about its good quality, functionality, and affordability. In fact, their reviews were very positive. They liked the fact that the VegTrug™ Patio Garden with Covers allows users to garden with ease and convenience. They also approved of its elevated bed since it can prevent weeds and pests from destroying the plants.

In addition, they said that they like the V shape because it allows users to make the most of the available space, as well as mix plants. For instance, you can grow tomatoes at the center and crops with shallow roots at the edges. The customers also found the fitted fabric liner highly useful since it keeps the soil in place while eliminating excess water.

There is hardly any negative review about the VegTrug™ Patio Garden with Covers. Nearly every customer is delighted with the product. Most of them even said that they are likely to purchase another set again.

The Black & Decker LST136W 40V Max Lithium String Trimmer

The Black & Decker LST136W 40V Max Lithium String Trimmer is a powerful electric trimmer that can help it perform its functions more quickly. It does not release any emissions, so you can rest assured that it is not damaging to the environment. It can help you reduce your carbon footprint. It is also powered by a high-performance 40 V lithium ion battery and it includes a charger.

The battery charges fast, approximately for thirty minutes only and it can last for about forty minutes depending on your usage. This electric trimmer also has maximum power settings that allow users to tackle thick and tough weeds and grass. You do not even have to work on full power.

You can control the machine using its PowerCommand feature. You can also use the PowerDrive transmission to increase the power delivered by its battery. In addition, you can take advantage of the Automatic Feed Spool features that will let you work without needing to bump or make spool adjustments. This makes it possible to complete the task in just one charge.

Moreover, you can rotate the head of the machine to one hundred and eighty degrees for quick switches between edging and cutting tasks. You can also use the auxiliary handle if you need a quick release.

Product Features and Specifications:

Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 4.4 x 43.9 inches

Shipping Weight: 10 pounds

Has a very powerful PowerDrive Transmission that ensures the quick completion of the job

Has a PowerCommand dial that lets users select between maximum runtime and power

Has an Automatic Feed Spool that ensures continual work with no risk of bumping

Runs on 40V lithium ion battery

Can convert the trimmer into an edger by just turning the shaft

The Reviews:

The reviews for this product are very good. In fact, most of the customers gave it a five-star rating. They agreed that it is easy to use and has a good battery life. They are impressed with its powerful motor that allows them to complete their work quickly and easily.

The customers liked the fact that the Black & Decker LST136W 40V Max Lithium String Trimmer is fairly lightweight yet very powerful. It also has a quiet yet efficient operation. The customers also said that this machine is capable of handling light to moderate garden work without releasing any harmful emissions.

Then again, some customers complained that the product only includes one battery. They said that 40 V batteries are quite expensive and the replacement parts can be hard to find. They also did not approve of the plastic material of some of the parts.

Furthermore, the self-feeding line tends to be short. Hence, the trimmer may not always reach. Because of this, it is ideal to test out your kit as soon as possible so you can ask for a replacement if necessary.

Nonetheless, the Black & Decker LST136W 40V Max Lithium String Trimmer is still a good purchase. It is great for dealing with tall-growing weeds and other moderate yard work.

To Buy or read more reviews, you can visit this link.