I am planning to grow tulips in my garden. The flowers look beautiful but I have really not seen a second flower growing (after the first flower dies or breaks). I want to know how it works. After the first flower blossoms and dries up, do more flowers grow on it one after the other or the plant then is a total waste??

The tulip bulb will only produce one flower per year. There is a trick to it and it’s important that you follow these steps: once your tulip flowers have faded, snap off the flower stem BUT leave the foliage/leaves to die back naturally. It’s not pretty, but they turn yellow and then brown. That helps the bulb store energy for next years tulip blooms.

If you purchased a tulip that naturalizes (it will tell yon on the bag if this tulip naturalizes), the tulip bulbs will grow "babies" giving you more flowers next year. The flowers are greatly increased if you divide the bulbs every 2-3 years. Once you see the bulbs emerge, fertilize with a bulb fertilizer and fertilize again once the foliage dies away in late Spring.

No experience with gardening!! I just bought a house with a small (4′ x 3′) garden in the backyard. Right now the garden is empty but I hope to get some flowers & bushes in soon. Do I need to separate the garden from the surrounding grass with some sort of barrier so they don’t grow into each other? Or will the roots of the plants keep each other from overgrowing? Secondly, I am looking for a hardy ground-covering type plant that grows with minimal care and perhaps has some nice flowers. Any suggestions?

If it was me I’d want to put in a barrier to prevent the grass from constantly encroaching on the garden. The ditch and landscape timbers can work, but more effective barriers would be:

1) tear off the sod around the garden spot (about a foot width) and a little deeper than just the sod. Then line with plastic (heavy duty plastic garbage bags work just fine, make sure to do a good job of overlapping the plastic. Then fill with rock…I find that works really well for many years

2) find a good edging… find something that will go down into the ground about 8inches. Don’t get the 4" stuff…it’s just not enough. Find any kind of edging or material that will let you put a wall down into the ground about 8" and that should prevent things from going into your garden.

As another poster said, 4′ x 3′ is a very small garden…you will not be able to do much with it. Most plants get big fast!

Have fun!

There are so many great things that a person can add to a landscape to either improve it or to basically start designing it from scratch. There are ideas everywhere if you are stuck for inspiration and some sources even tell you how to achieve certain results.

One great idea that you can introduce to a landscape is trees. However, if you do decide to use trees as part of your landscape, you really need to be committed because it takes a long time for them to grow and they will be there for many years to come.
You will want to use a tree that will not invade the space and overcrowd it. You should be aiming to get something which will complement the yard area, so if you have a smaller space, then a small to medium tree is something that you may consider using.

Things to Consider If You Use Trees for Your Landscaping Project

There are certain things which you should consider when you use a tree as part of a landscaping project. It really does need a lot of thought put into it and you need to look at your needs and circumstances too. You also need to do the right amount of research needed for the tree that you are considering to use for your landscape. This is because certain trees have special requirements, whilst others can grow to be extremely large. It is always important to know exactly what you are getting and what the end result will be too.

You will also need to consider how close to your house you want the tree to be. This is something that needs a lot of thought and it will depend entirely upon the type of tree that you are purchasing. The reason it needs a lot of thought is because if branches fall off the tree, it could hit the roof or even smash windows. Another thing to consider is that most trees will need plenty of sunlight, although you can find some trees that do perfectly well in the shade.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Trees For Your Landscaping Project?

If you have never used trees before for your landscape, you could be missing out because they look extremely good and they also provide oxygen. The trees will totally transform your landscape offering some protection from the sun too if you want some shade whilst outside. Having trees really does offer something special to the landscape and therefore they are worth getting if you have a big enough area for them.

A.Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/have-you-considered-using-trees-for-your-landscaping-project-97475.html

If you suffer from an illness that causes joint pain, such as osteoarthritis, it is possible that vitamin deficiencies might be contributing to the problem. Although using vitamin supplements including vitamin D, the antioxidant vitamins A,C and E, and essential fatty acids will not cure your joint pain, they can significantly relieve your symptoms and prevent the illness progressing.

Arthritis takes many different forms and is the most common chronic illness in America. It is occurs when the cartilage that naturally protects and cushions the joints is worn away causing inflammation and a great deal of pain. Vitamin D deficiency does not cause arthritis but can increase its severity and consequently the symptoms.

Some vitamin D occurs naturally in the body and is produced by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight for a limited period of time. People who live in climates where they are exposed to very little sunlight are particularly encouraged to take Vitamin D supplements for this reason. Although vitamin D is found naturally is some foods such as eggs and fatty fish, most people need to eat foods fortified with vitamin D to get their recommended daily allowance.

Vitamin D deficiency means that the body is not able to naturally rebuild cartilage in your joints when it is worn away. This leads to a more rapid development of arthritis. A deficiency of vitamin D can also lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets, so it is recommended that young babies are given vitamin D supplements if they are breast fed as breast milk will not provide them with sufficient vitamin D.

Deficiencies of antioxidant vitamins accelerate the development of joint pain in a very different way. Vitamins A, C and E are able to neutralise free radicals in the body that can attack joint tissue and contribute to the symptoms of arthritis. Free radicals also cause other serious diseases such as cancer, so making sure you get enough antioxidant vitamins either in your diet or in supplements is essential.

Vitamin A is found naturally in retinol from dairy products, as well as egg yolks, oily fish and beta-carotene in orange and yellow vegetables. To ingest vitamin C naturally you need to eat citrus fruits, broccoli, peppers or tomatoes. Vitamin E can be gained by eating vegetable oils, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, spinach, and avocado. These vitamins are widely available in vitamin supplements if you think you may not get enough in your diet.

Another vitamin substance that you may be deficient in if you have joint pain is essential fatty acid. Taking this as a supplement will not prevent the onset of arthritis, but it will reduce inflammation and therefore reduce pain.

If you are suffering from joint pain, ask you doctor or pharmacist to recommend a vitamin supplement that incorporates all of these substances. Reversing your vitamin deficiencies may not cure the source of your joint pain, but it will certainly allow you to lead a more comfortable and active life.

Rebecca Prescott
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/how-vitamins-deficiencies-and-joint-pain-are-related-132278.html

If you need a low maintenance, simple border for your yard, then you may want to consider using shrubs. With very little effort, you will find that shrubs can add beauty and a touch of color to your yard and home. You will find a great variety in shrubs to allow you to find the one that best fits your lawn and your landscaping design.

Different Types of Shrubs
There is a great variety of shrubs that you can use in your landscaping design. These shrubs help give your lawn color and texture to help make it more visually attractive. Some common shrubs include dogwood, azalea, lilac, hardy shrub rose, and hydrangea. A border with colorful shrubs will make a beautiful focal point around your home or walkway. The landscaping shrubs can also help to add height to your garden and lawn.

A Great Border
A beautiful border will consist of many different layers of colors, height, and textures. It does not matter what shrub that you choose, it will add color and texture to your lawn and landscape. Keeping your shrubs trimmed is essential to help keep them at a manageable level and allow them to show their natural beauty and style.

Shrubs can also be used to line your property line between you and your neighbors. They will make a border without closing in the space as trees do. They are a great choice for this particular purpose that you and your neighbors will appreciate and enjoy.

Taking Care of Your Shrubs
Good soil that drains well is essential to keep your shrubs healthy. It may be necessary to add some compost to your soil to make it healthier before you begin planting your shrubs. When you are ready to plant your shrubs, check to make sure that the roots are not root bound. If they are, you only need to loosen the roots using a knife to make them ready to plant. Make sure that your shrubs get plenty of water so that they will stay green and healthy.

Do not be concerned if your landscaping shrubs do not look filled in at first. Before you know it, the shrubs will grow and fill in those gaps. That is one of the benefits of using shrubs in landscaping. It is not necessary to plant a great deal of shrubs to cover an area. You can use smaller flowers or plants to fill in the gaps. Use your creativity to create a landscaping plan that works for you and your needs.

A.Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/adding-shrubs-to-your-landscaping-plan-92327.html