comeawake.com - Page 2

Home

Toro Leaf Blower & Garden Vac

Written by k · 3 Comments

My Experience with the Toro Leaf Blower/Vacuum

Well fall is here and with it comes a lot of work preparing your garden for winter. This year I set out to try and get a few new tools to make the job a bit easier and faster so I could devote more time to an indoor project of mine. For my yard, one of the most time and work intensive chores is taking care of the millions of leaves that fall or are blown into my yard. I have read about, wondered, and I confess even drooled over one of those nifty leaf blower/vac combination machines that I’ve seen a couple of neighbors with so this year I broke down and got myself one.

After checking prices and reading a bit, I decided to purchased the Toro 51599 Ultra 12 amp Variable-Speed Electric Blower/Vacuum with Metal Impeller from Amazon which saved me about $20.

This Toro leaf blower /vacuum is AWESOME! It has saved me so much time and honestly it worked much better than I thought it would. I went with an electric leaf blower model because I felt more comfortable with it and I personally can’t stand gas fumes following me around while I work. Shipping was great, I received it in 3 days and once I opened the package there was very little to do to get the Toro leaf blower vac ready to go. I was pleasantly surprised with the ease at which I wielded it; it’s pretty lightweight (maybe 10 lb) and is nicely balanced. I went to work using the leaf blower function to free leaves from around the edges of my yard where they hang on undergrowth and pile up and then switched to the leaf vacuum mode to suction them up, mulch them, and empty into bags. After I got the hang of using it, a job that prior to owning this leaf blower vac took several hours (with help) took me about 1 hour to complete! Enough said.. go and get yourself a Toro leaf blower; you will save on time, work and begging (for helpers)! Buy @ Amazon

Categories: Seasonal Topics - Tags: leaf blower, leaf management, leaf vac, Winterizing

Taking Care of Your Container Garden

Written by k · Leave a Comment

Container Gardens Aren't Just for Looks!

Container Gardens Need Consistent Watering

There is really one main difference between caring for your plants in a container garden and those planted in your garden plot, flower or raised bed gardens. The plants in your container garden are essentially that, ‘contained’ and they can not rely on the strategies that in-ground plants may utilize in dry times. In a container, there is no chance to spread roots out wider or deeper in search of water and rainfall won’t usually give them much of a boost either.

To offset this crucial difference, you really need to consistently hydrate your container garden. This means a steady, moderate supply of water that won’t subject your garden to endless cycles of over drying followed by over watering. With this vital key covered, your container garden will avoid much of the potential stress that plants in pots must try and overcome.

Container Garden Tips:

Freshly potted plants or container gardens which are exposed to full sun or windy locations will be extra vulnerable and need careful, attentive monitoring.

Root bound plants will have a large amount of roots that spread outward and eventually circle around the inner edge of their container. With less room for growth, more roots per area and so many roots close to the wall of the container, these plants will need quick attention. If you notice roots coming out of the drainage holes, or even at the surface of the soil your plant clearly has out grown its container. To check for cramped roots, turn the container over or on its side, tamp the bottom to loosen it and release the plant. Look over the roots and see if they have any telltale signs of overcrowding.

Plants in dark colored containers may need more frequent watering because of the tendency for the darker color to become hotter than its light colored counterpart.

Any plant with many thin, large leaves or even a moderately leafy plant will require more water then those with smaller more succulent type foliage.

If your container garden plants are planted in a lighter type of potting soil, they will tend to dry out faster.

With these tips in mind and a consistent schedule of maintenance. you will be all set to get maximum enjoyment out of your container garden all season long!

Recommended Books on Container Gardening:

Container Gardening: 250 Design Ideas & Step-By-Step Techniques This book is truly inspiring! Chock full of beautiful and useful ideas for your container garden no matter the size or location. Recommended for beginners and advanced gardeners alike!

McGee & Stuckey’s Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers This one is geared more towards vegetable container gardening, and is a great reference for those that want to venture out of their tiny herb container garden and into a larger and even more edible garden!

Categories: Garden Design - Tags: Garden Design, House Plants

Care of Spider Plants

Written by k · Leave a Comment

Spider plants are an essential part of any household or office plant collection. A spider plants long leaves grow from the center of the plant and are usually green at the edges with a creamy white stripe down the middle. Spider plants are one of the most common houseplants, and are extremely easy to grow and propagate. Overall, spider plants are excellent for beginning house plant enthusiasts.

The spider plant is really a great house plant to learn about plant care and is an excellent plant teacher. Spider plants have also been shown to improve indoor air quality by removing formaldehyde from the air around it. Spider plants reproduce extremely easily when they are given the right conditions to grow in and when you know how to transfer the young shoots from the mother plants, you will be able to get many individual plants from one. If you take proper care of your plants, and propagate them, you will soon have a house full of spider plants with many to share with your friends and family.

Spider plants need an easy draining, well aerated potting mix. A general-purpose potting soil or soil-less medium works well. Be sure to allow the soil to dry slightly between thorough watering. Root rot can result from a soil mix (or container) that does not drain quickly or from overly frequent watering. Also be aware that many houseplants can be sensitive to the chlorine and salts in most tap water, so using distilled or a mixture of both can prevent problems later on. Watering your houseplants from an alternate source such as your fish tank, a compost tea, or your outdoor rain barrel is beneficial. Continue reading “Care of Spider Plants” »

Categories: House Plants - Tags: House Plants, Improvements

Caring For Your Neglected Philodendron

Written by k · Leave a Comment

One of the most common houseplants in America and one of the most abused is the Philodendron. Found in households and office buildings around the world, the most common variety is often seen as a straggly 10 foot long sparse vine with a few heart shaped leaves scattered along its length. Philodendrons originate in the tropics and are part of the Aroid family (Araceae). Philodendrons plants come in many shapes and sizes, from small trailing vines to giant trees. There are many different species of Philodendrons, each possessing its own characteristics as to leaf size, shape or coloring.

Most Philodendrons are at home in the jungles of tropical America and are suited for medium filtered-light intensity similar to a dense jungle floor. Because of this adaption, they are prime candidates for surviving in the low to medium light of many homes and offices. While most philodendrons will do well in low-light situations, the more colorful varieties require brighter locations.

Philodendrons grow best in a somewhat tightly fitting pot and will form a nice intertwined ball of roots, so you can plant them in a pot which may almost seem too small. Pot your philodendron in the late winter or in the spring. Fill the bottom of the pot one quarter full with broken crocks for easy drainage, which should then be covered with a moss, turf or coarse leaves to prevent the drainage from becoming clogged. Feed your philodendron in the spring and again in midsummer with a liquid house plant fertilizer. You can propagate your own philodendrons by taking a cutting with at least 2 joints on it and planting it.

The plant will tolerate low light conditions, but too little light will cause the plant to be sparse, with new leaves growing in smaller and farther apart on the stem. All philodendrons should be checked regularly and kept evenly moist. Over watering may lead to yellow leaves and under watering will cause the leaves to turn brown and fall off. Never let the soil get so dry that the leaves start to wilt, this may mean that the small, fine root hairs that absorb moisture and nutrients are in trouble. Clean the leaves with soapy water or an insecticide regularly to prevent the pores from becoming clogged up with dust and to control insects.

The heart leaf, elephant ear, and lacy tree varieties of philodendron, along with aloe vera and spider plants are all referenced in a NASA research study that was conducted to test what results common varieties of house plants might have on indoor air quality. You can read more here.