Posted by Vladmir Skillet
LED Grow lights are taking the indoor gardening world by storm, and it isn't a wonder why. With an increase in efficiency, optimized color spectrums, less heat, and longer life cycles it is a wonder why everyone hasn't switched already. But just how much of a difference are they really in comparison?
Energy Efficiency: How Much Electricity Does it Really Save?
Conventional grow lights tend to be quite expensive to operate. Most people have a preconceived notion that it is just a light bulb, so how much energy could it actually use? If you are using a Metal Halide or a High Pressure Sodium lighting system, you grow area requires about 25W per square foot. Most indoor gardens will range in size from 25 to 50 square feet, so looking at the latter number, this would equate to approximately 1250 watts of power to maintain the garden. To put this size into perspective, this is a garden approximately 5 feet by 10 feet, or half of a medium bedroom. In the USA, the average electricity cost was around 12 cents per kilowatt hour. That means, running your indoor gardening lighting system would cost around $750 per year to have the light on an average of-- hours per day. This obviously starts to add up quite significantly in a short period of time. LED grow lights on the other hand will save as much as 75% of the electricity cost, or $550 per year.
Less Heat
In addition to electrical savings for the light itself, there is also a savings on the cooling costs of the system. Conventional grow lights will be as hot as 750 degrees Fahrenheit. LED grow lights on the other hand are a much lower and manageable 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows for a wider array of plants to be grown in the same area without the worry of dehydrating or wilting particular sensitive plants, as well as reducing the energy use for cooling the room from the high heat output off the HPS or MH lamps and ballasts.
Longer Light Life Cycles
Lamp life is often rated in the number of hours they operate on average to failure. LED lights have a period where they perform at a higher lumen output and the way they are rated is slightly different because of it. Conventional light bulbs will last between 12,000 and 20,000 hours on average before they require replacement. LED lights will operate at 90% lumen efficiency up till around 50,000 hours. This is how they have come to be rated on life cycle calculations, however it is important to note that they often will be able to remain at 80% lumen efficiency for as long as 100,000 hours. If you buy your LED lights over sized for your area, you may be able to save additional money in the long run by operating them for the entire 80% efficiency.
Optimized Color Temperatures
Of course, one of the prime reasons LED grow lights are so efficient, is that the light is specifically target to match the optimum spectrum that plants require for photosynthesis. Most plants are green because they absorb the red and blue frequencies from the incoming full spectrum light. This means, as far as photosynthesis is concerned, that green light is not used. LED lights target the red and blue frequencies in their output to allow more of the energy to be directly taken up by the plant. Healthy, more productive plants are the result.
It's obvious that as energy costs continue to increase that indoor gardening is going to need to continue to adapt. Many people are making the switch to this type of artificial lighting and it is pretty obvious why. It is now both economical and biologically more productive to make the switch. So what are you waiting for?
The Indoor Garden Centre is a website dedicated to help people develop an Indoor Herb Garden. For more information on indoor LED Grow Lights visit Vladmir Skillet's post on grow lights.
Tags: artificial lighting, Gardening, Gardening Articles, grow lights, hobbies, hobby, Indoor Gardening, LED grow lights
Posted by Rebecca Whitten
Many indoor growers have utilized hydroponic systems to measurable success. By growing exclusively in water that is nutrient laden carefully designed for them growth can be increased.
All types of plants require nutrients to grow and flourish. Most species have a specific concentration of nutrients that are ideal for them and can promote optimum growth. Many types of growing plants will even have changing nutrient needs as they develop.
Methods such as hydroponics allow growers to supply precisely which nutrients their plants might require on an ideal schedule. Indoor cultivation techniques that utilize even the highest quality soil cannot compare to hydroponics.
Dirt is difficult to always recycle and finding out what nutrient concentrations are correct throughout it is impossible. The option to change nutrient concentrations at will sets hydroponic methods apart from other growing techniques.
An additional aspect of gardening that hydroponics can enhance is water availability. Water and light is vital for plant growth. Many growers know that without enough water crops would be unable to flower but for lots of species over watering can be dangerous.
Most species have specific water levels they require during their growth; too much or a lack of can stunt development.
While cultivating with soil mediums, whether inside or outdoors, it is hard to control the water available for your plants. In systems it is easy to accurately control the water that is available for your plants.
Hydroponic systems are normally fed by pump and reservoirs. These watering aids help to regulate when plants are watered and the nutrient concentrations they receive.
If you have no outside space for a garden or would like to produce quality plants hydroponics can give you the freedom to grow just about any plant species you want in the security of your own home.
The author has many year of indoor growing experience with hydroponic systems and is knowledgeable about the many indoor garden techniques and supplies such as grow bulbs
Tags: Garden, Gardening Articles, hobby, horticulture, Hydroponic System, hydroponics, Indoor Gardening
Posted by Michael McAfee
Tomato Selection Tomato varieties are as vast and many as there are stars in the sky. Your nursery should sell those plants which perform best in your area. Be sure to select the dark green plants which are shorter with the thickest stems, with no holes in the leaves. Stay away from plants that are tall and thin. Tomato plants come in a vast array of sizes, shapes and colors. Selecting the best plants to grow is vital to a healthy tomato garden.
Indeterminate vs. Determinate Indeterminate plants require support, usually in the form of a cage or stake. They produce earlier and larger yields than determinates. Many say they have a better flavor as well. Indeterminates will grow until they are killed by frost. As long as conditions stay favorable these plants will continue to produce. Determinates are typically short and stocky. They are bred for this and ripen the bulk of their fruit in five weeks or less. They normally do not need to be supported. However, some vigorous determinates may need to be aided to keep from lying on the ground. Dwarfs do not need support and do well in containers. Miniatures are very small plants with penny-sized fruits which are grown more for decoration rather than consumption.
Resistance Tomatoes are susceptible to quite an assortment of diseases. Included are: bacterial spot, botrytis fruit rot, bacterial canker, bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt, mosaic, septoria leaf spot, curly top, tobacco mosaic, and early and late blights. Choosing disease-resistant plants is vital since many of these diseases cannot be treated. This is especially true in hot regions where humidity is high, which provides the perfect environment for many of these infections.
Disease resistance is noted by the following abbreviations: As, alternaria stem canker; A, alternaria (early) blight; L, gray leaf spot; T, tobacco mosaic virus; V, verticillium wilt; N, nematodes; F, fusarium wilt, race 1; F2, fusarium wilt race 2.
Listed below are some of the best tomatoes and their resistance:
Beefsteak- Indeterminate; open-pollinated red beefsteak with meaty, faintly ribbed 1-pound fruits.
Better Boy- Indeterminate; high yield of twelve ounce fruits (VFNAs).
Big Beef- Indeterminate; hybrid red beef-steak with good-flavored, meaty 10-ounce fruits; exceptional disease resistance; All-America Selections Winner; (VFF2AsLNT)
Brandywine- Widely perceived as the best tasting tomato available; no resistance; pink heirloom with 10 ounce fruit.
Caro Rich- Low acid, does well in cool temperature, orange five ounce fruit, high in Vit A.
Celebrity- Red hybrid with large production of seven ounce fruit, AAS winner, exceptional disease resistance; (VFF2AsNLT).
Early Girl- Indeterminate; red hybrid with high yields of rich-flavored 4-ounce fruits; early fruit production; garden favorite; (V).
Jetstar- Must be staked or pruned, yields large production of red eight ounce fruit; lower in acid.
Marglobe- (F); cracks easily, produces sweet 7 ounce red fruit.
Rutgers- (F); red hybrid with enormous yield of 9 ounce mildly flavored fruit.
Michael McAfee has almost nearly forty years of gardening experience, and has composed a very practicle guide to growing tomatoes. For a limited time you can get a free copy by visiting Your Tomato Garden. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
Tags: food, Garden, Gardening, Gardening Articles, growing tomatoes, hobby, homegrown tomato tips, homegrown tomatoes, how to grow tomatoes, tips on growing tomatoes, tomato, tomato garden, tomato gardening, tomatoes, vegetable garden
Posted by Fred Thomas
After being introduced to the highly innovative and ingenious home robots from the iRobot corporation, the Scooba robot floor cleaner and Roomba robot vacuum home robot models that will slave over your indoor cleaning needs, now comes RoboMower which, like its present companions in the domestic robots industry, is also causing quite a stir with its aim to free everyone from doing the same old boring chore of lawn mowing. A robot lawn mower, sounds cool right? Wait until you read more about this incredibly popular robot lawn mower.
Why is this robot lawn mower so amazing?
*It will automatically mow your lawn.
*You do not need to rake up all the grass clippings and put in a bag after mowing.
*This robot lawn mower is not like your gas engine mower. It has an electric motor which means it is so quiet you can hardly even hear it!
*This robot is good for the environment. No more having to deal with toxic and flammable gas, oil, or exhaust. This robot is quiet and efficient.
*This lawn mower is the easiest lawn mower in the world to use. You hardly do more than turn it on and let it go about its business.
*Have kids? No problem. The designers of RoboMower made it very safe, even safer than a regular mower. There is no need to worry about your child getting hurt around it.
*The size and shape of your yard does not matter. RoboMower autonomously learns the shape and size of your lawn.
Having a robot lawn mower around is actually the most convenient way for one to be able to maintain a healthy looking lawn. And with not much work from you since automatic robot lawn mowers are designed to help you save a lot of time and effort when it comes to the upkeep of your lawn. You may even mow your lawn anytime of the day without the worry of disturbing your neighbors. Thus, youll end up having more free time for yourself as well as for your family. You can practically have the luxury of having the weekend to yourself.
A robot lawn mower is very safe as I mentioned earlier. It automatically knows how to go around trees, rocks, and any other obstacle in your yard. It has lift detection so that if the robot is lifted up, the blades automatically lock so that you or your children can not get hurt. The robot also has bumpers to avoid scratches. There is also a cut only along the edge of the lawn feature if you want to let the center of your lawn grow.
Very environmentally friendly, the robot lawn mower does not need gas nor oil and has no emissions, it even actually helps retain your lawns valuable nutrients.
I hope you enjoy this article on the benefits of owning a robotic mower. For the lowest prices on robot lawn mowers check out robomower and for the largest selection of robots with prices you can compare from the major retailers visit buy robot
Tags: Gardening Articles, hobbies, hobby, robot, robot lawn mower, technology
Posted by Connor Schnitzinflurbin
Selecting Tomatoes As far as tomato variety goes, your choices are endless. Your local nursery will stock tomato transplants that suit your climate. Choose dark green stocky plants with no blooms and no holes in the leaves. The ideal plant should be as wide as it is tall. Avoid the tall spindly plants. They are available in a myriad of sizes, shapes and colors. The key to a triumphant tomato garden is choosing the right type of plant.
Determinate (bush) vs. Indeterminate (vine) Determinate tomato plants are short and bushy. They are bred for their small size, and to ripen the majority or their fruit all at once. Most determinates do not need caging or staking, but some plants called vigorous determinates, could possibly need help keeping themselves off the soil. Dwarfs, however, do not need support and are idea for growing in containers. Miniatures are tiny plants with short stems and marble-size fruits that are usually grown for decoration rather than for consumption. In contrast, indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow until they are killed by frost. They do require support, and will produce earlier and greater fruit yields than determinates. Some say the taste better too. As long as the conditions are favorable, indeterminate plants will remain productive.
Resistance Tomatoes are susceptible to quite an assortment of diseases. Included are: bacterial spot, botrytis fruit rot, bacterial canker, bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt, mosaic, septoria leaf spot, curly top, tobacco mosaic, and early and late blights. Choosing disease-resistant plants is vital since many of these diseases cannot be treated. This is especially true in hot regions where humidity is high, which provides the perfect environment for many of these infections.
Tomato plant disease resistance is labeled with these abbreviations: N, nematodes; T, tobacco mosaic virus; V, verticillium wilt; A, alternaria (early) blight; As, alternaria stem canker; L, gray leaf spot; F, fusarium wilt, race 1; F2, fusarium wilt race 2.
Listed below are some of the best tomatoes and their resistance:
Beefsteak- Indeterminate; open-pollinated red beefsteak with meaty, faintly ribbed 1-pound fruits.
Better Boy- Indeterminate; red hybrid bearing large crops of 12-ounce fruits with fine flavor; good leaf cover; (VFNAs).
Big Beef- Red beef steak with meaty ten ounce fruits, exceptional disease resistance; All America Selections Winner; (VFF2AsLNT).
Brandywine- Widely perceived as the best tasting tomato available; no resistance; pink heirloom with 10 ounce fruit.
Caro Rich- Low acid, does well in cool temperature, orange five ounce fruit, high in Vit A.
Celebrity- Vigorous determinate; red hybrid with heavy yields of 7-ounce fruits, outstanding disease resistance; All-America Selections Winner; (VFF2AsNLT).
Early Girl- Indeterminate; red hybrid with high yields of rich-flavored 4-ounce fruits; early fruit production; garden favorite; (V).
Jetstar- Indeterminate; red hybrid with high yields of firm, meaty, low-acid 8 ounce fruits; does best when staked and pruned.
Marglobe- Vigorous determinate; red with sweet 6-ounce fruits; susceptible to cracking; (F).
Rutgers- (F); red hybrid with enormous yield of 9 ounce mildly flavored fruit.
Michael McAfee has almost 40 years of gardening experience, and has written a very practicle guide to growing tomatoes. For a short time you can get a free copy by visiting Your Tomato Garden. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.
Tags: food, Garden, Gardening, Gardening Articles, growing tomatoes, hobby, homegrown tomato tips, homegrown tomatoes, how to grow tomatoes, tips on growing tomatoes, tomato, tomato garden, tomato gardening, tomatoes, vegetable garden
Posted by Scott Jackson
So you have probably heard of iRobot's Roomba and the Scooba robot floor cleaner. But did you know that a robot lawn mower called the RoboMower also exists? This robot lawn mower is best described in one word: killer. No more having to do the same old boring "mow the lawn" chore. No more having to pony up to your children to mow the lawn or worse, a professional gardener. This awesome robotic lawn mower will hook you up.
Why is the RoboMower so amazing?
*This robot lawn mower can automatically cut your lawn grass.
*No more having to rake and bag your cut grass after mowing the lawn.
*Unlike most lawn mowers, this crafty robot lawn mower is actually very quiet while it does its magic, you can practically hear a pin drop.
*You will not need to worry about gas, oil or emissions when it comes to this highly efficient home robot.
*There is really hardly any instructions at all. You mark the boundaries of where you do not want RoboMower to go and that is it.
*Even if you have young children, you will not need to worry about this robot lawn mower hurting your kids, it has features designed for safety.
*The size and shape of your yard does not matter. RoboMower autonomously learns the shape and size of your lawn.
This robot lawn mower is a mulch mower which means it helps maintain the health of your lawn when it mows. This lawn mower is so quiet you can use it at anytime of day. You can even schedule it to mow your lawn while you are away. Talk about freeing up your time. You will easily gain an hour or two worth of free time every weekend by no longer having to mow. How much is that worth to you?
Another great convenience from having a robot lawn mower is its many safety features that enable it to identify trees, rocks as well as other obstacles. You wont need to worry about it bumping over anything. It has specially equipped bumpers to avoid scratches, a mower lift detection so that you will not cut yourself with, child lock " safe from curious little children, plus a whole lot more. In order to keep your lawn looking healthy, a robot lawn mower, as a matter of fact actually uses the cutting method because it has been proven to be much more beneficial for grass. The robot lawn mower also has the edge-mode feature wherein you can assign it to just cut along the edge of your lawn in order to maintain its beauty.
Very environmentally friendly, the robot lawn mower does not need gas nor oil and has no emissions, it even actually helps retain your lawns valuable nutrients.
I hope you enjoy this article on the benefits of owning a robotic mower. For the lowest prices on robot lawn mowers check out robomower and for the widest selection of robots with shop for the lowest prices from all the major stores see buy robot
Tags: Gardening Articles, hobbies, hobby, robot, robot lawn mower, technology
Posted by April Kerr
For the Japanese, bonsai represents a fusion between their ancestors' power and eastern philosophy of harmony between people, soul and nature. It must be mentioned that bonsai trees are not plants, being appreciated as a form of art.
Bonsai is not a simple plant. It tells a story about Heaven and Earth, about the gift offered to the world through shin-Zen-bi (truth, essence and beauty). In ancient times, growing a bonsai was considered a sacred act.
Bonsai is a symbol of prestige and honor. Nowadays, bonsai trees have become even more popular than they were in the past, because more and more people have the possibility to grow such a tree. A bonsai must be perceived as an entity in itself, but also as a part of nature.
Many bonsai trees are inherited from generation to generation. For a bonsai to survive and grow according to our desire, the main condition is to keep it constantly outdoors, in the balcony or garden.
As we said before, most bonsai trees represent symbols. For example, in China, it is popular to grow bonsai that have various shapes (animals, dragons, fantastic landscapes). Despite this fact, bonsai must have a natural appearance.
Planted in special pots, bonsai trees must be kept outside, and occasionally exposed on tokonoma, or on specially designed tables. To create a bonsai, you need patience and attention, combined with imagination and passion.
The bonsai owner's artistic sense should not be pushed aside - the tree must represent you by reflecting your personality and imagination. Thus, people worldwide have created a variety of bonsai styles inspired by nature and landscapes. There are known five basic styles defined by the bonsai trunk shape. All the other styles and forms were developed by adding new elements.
Before buying a bonsai, you must understand its needs. Bonsai trees are not some ordinary objects used as decorations; they have a spirit of their own and different personalities. A bonsai is completely dependent on its owner and it must be appreciated as an entity.
If you want to emphasize the aesthetic effect, you can use ornamental stones. This way, bonsai trees will seem more wild and closer to reality.
April Kerr owns website Bonsai Tree Care which has details of tips on caring for a Japanese maple bonsai tree and how to care for a cherry bonsai tree.
Tags: art, Bonsai, flowers, Garden, gardener, Gardening, Gardening Articles, hobby, japan, Japanese
Posted by April Kerr
There are many myths and stories about bonsai trees. Most of them are unrealistic, confusing those who don't know very much about this form of art. Bonsai is not a species of plant, as some wrongly believe. It is simply a miniaturized form of horticulture.
Bonsai is not a simple plant. It tells a story about Heaven and Earth, about the gift offered to the world through shin-Zen-bi (truth, essence and beauty). In ancient times, growing a bonsai was considered a sacred act.
Bonsai is a symbol of prestige and honor. Nowadays, bonsai trees have become even more popular than they were in the past, because more and more people have the possibility to grow such a tree. A bonsai must be perceived as an entity in itself, but also as a part of nature.
A bonsai can live hundreds of years. Some bonsai trees are transmitted from generation to generation, being admired for their age and beauty. The most important is that they have the desired aesthetic effect, but also must be considered the size of the pot where they are kept.
Bonsai trees must look natural, as they recreate a part of nature. However, in China, most bonsai have strange shapes, representing animals, dragons and cultural symbols. Above all, such a tree must be in balance with the elements around it.
Bonsai trees need natural light. Place them in a bright room, close to the window. The lack of sunlight makes them to become weaker. During the summer, it's important to keep the bonsai outside. If you place it on cement or near a cement wall, don't let it in the sun for more than one hour. Excessive warmth will affect its roots and the tree might die. Also, if you live close to the sea, keep the bonsai away from sea breeze, because salty air is not good for it.
The bonsai owner's artistic sense should not be pushed aside - the tree must represent you by reflecting your personality and imagination. Thus, people worldwide have created a variety of bonsai styles inspired by nature and landscapes. There are known five basic styles defined by the bonsai trunk shape. All the other styles and forms were developed by adding new elements.
Each detail is essential when it comes about recreating a natural landscape. Bonsai trees must be perceived as an artistic expression and not just as a combination of separate elements.
In the past, using ornamental stones to decorate the bonsai was a very popular practice. The excessive use of stones and statuettes around a miniaturized tree created a new art called Saikai.
April Kerr owns website Bonsai Tree Care which has info on gardenia bonsai caring tips and ways to care for a cotoneaster bonsai.
Tags: art, Bonsai, flowers, Garden, gardener, Gardening, Gardening Articles, hobby, japan, Japanese
Posted by Leslie Patton
by Leslie Patton
Testing water and keeping your water clean is the most important thing to do with your pond. The pH and the hardiness of the water also needs to be tested. You also need to test for ammonia and nitrates.
There is three types of filtration for your pond, mechanical, chemical, and biological. Biological filters come in three different types down flow, up flow and lateral flow. Skimmers pull water from the surface and remove things off the top.
You also need some type of aeration other than your filter. Some decorative types would be a waterfall or a fountain. If you don't have these you can also add a regular pump.
Algae can be a real pain. Goldfish and Koi can feed off of it. It can also take over your pond. This is caused by high nitrate levels and direct sunlight. A UV sterilizer can help to reduce algae.
New ponds take time before fish can be added. Test the water regularly and hopefully within 4-6 weeks you can add your fish. You can be adding your new plants while you are waiting.
One thing to consider adding to your pond is a overflow pipe and a drain in the bottom. You will be glad you did it later on.
Maintaining and keeping your pond clean is critical. You need to skim all debris off the top and vacuum dirt off the bottom. If you have a bottom drain you can open it to clear out the dirt.
Springtime is when you need to do the heavy duty cleaning. In the summer you need to watch the algae growth and do partial water changes.
Springtime is when you need to do some cleaning. In the summer you need to monitor the algae and do partial water changes. In the fall you need to remove dead leaves and also dead plants in your pond.
Tags: caring for backyard pond, caring for koi pond, fish, Gardening, Gardening Articles, hobby, how to care for koi pond, pet
Posted by Leslie Patton
by Leslie Patton
The location of your pond is very important. It needs to be close to the house for electricity. It also needs to be out of direct sunlight, so the water doesn't get too hot. The shade is good, but then you have leaves and roots to deal with too.
Do you want goldfish or koi? Koi are very beautiful and hardy. However they can grow to be three feet in length. This is important to consider. If you want a small pond you should probably go with the goldfish.
The pond needs to be deep enough to protect the fish. It needs to be deep enough so your fish don't freeze in the winter and it needs to protect the fish from predators.
You also need some type of ledges and or plants to help provide your fish shelter. Do a little research to figure out what type of plants are best for your area.
Ponds can be built with concrete, premolded liners, flexible liners, or rubber. The lime in concrete can be deadly to your fish and it can be very expensive. Premolded liners a good for beginners, but they tend to be too small if you want koi. Flexible liners are great to do many different pond designs, they can be more work to set up and they do tear once in awhile. Rubber comes in sheets and can be bought specifically for pond use. It is fish friendly and can last up to 20 years!
Get your hole dug before you go to get your liner. This way you can be sure that you get enough liner. It wouldn't hurt to buy a little extra, you can always take it back.
Decorating your pond is where you can make it your own. You have alot of different options. You can do an island, waterfall, fountains, plants and even lights.
Plants are important for maintaining a healthy environment. There is several different kinds of plants, floating shallow and submerged. Mix and match them to create a stunning look.
Tags: animal, backyard koi pond building, backyard pond, building koi pond, fish, Gardening Articles, hobby, how to build koi pond, koi pond building, water garden
