• Gardening tips

    Signs of over-fertilized Plants

    Fertilizing your plants can help them to get the nutrients they require for their overall growth. But at the same time over fertilized plants can cause more harm than good. Overfertilizing your plants can burn their roots. Signs of over-fertilized plants: Luckily, you can still treat your plants during the initial stages of over fertilization reversing this condition. How to treat an overfertilized plant. Plants that are over fertilized fail to grow resulting in stunting. Following these steps can remove excess fertilizer in the soil making your plants grow again. Hope you found this article helpful.

  • Permaculture

    How to help molting chickens 

    Have you ever wondered why your chickens lose a lot of feathers at a particular time of the year? This is because of molting, a natural process that happens in chickens. Molting is the process in which chickens drop their old feathers to regrow new ones. Molting generally occurs in chickens when the season changes from warmer to colder periods. Chickens usually start to molt when they are 16 to 18 months of age. Signs of molting in chickens Although molting is a normal process it can still take up a lot of energy in chickens. Feathers are 85% of protein and chickens use up a lot of their energy…

  • Gardening tips

    How to use seaweed fertilizer for plants.

    Seaweed fertilizer is an organic slow-release fertilizer that is extracted from seaweed. It contains nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, phosphate and magnesium) and growth hormones (cytokinins, gibberellins, auxins) which help to increase soil fertility and plant growth. Using seaweed fertilizer helps to strengthen the plant’s roots and promotes the growth of bacteria, fungi and microbes in the soil. Leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, roses and potatoes are some of the plants that benefit from this fertilizer. However, succulents do not benefit much from this organic fertilizer. One of the disadvantages of seaweed fertilisers is that it does not contain all the nutrients that a plant needs and must be mixed with other fertilizers such as compost or bone meal before adding to the plants. Seaweed fertilizers come in two forms namely granules…

  • Gardening tips

    5 reasons why your radishes are not forming bulbs.

    Radishes are one of the easiest to grow in your home. They germinate fast and can be harvested quickly, also they can be grown in small containers too.  Reasons why your radishes are not forming bulbs 1. Overcrowding. When radishes are planted very close together, they can end up producing smaller bulbs. Smaller varieties require at least 2 inches of space, whereas larger varieties of daikon varieties need at least 4 to 6 inches of space. Unless you grow small varieties such as the white icicle, radishes require at least 2 to 6 inches of space to produce big bulbs. 2. Optimum temperature Radishes grow best when temperatures are between 10 to 18°C. When temperatures exceed 32°C radishes start to bolt…

  • Gardening tips

    How to use diatomaceous earth in the garden

    Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder that is made from naturally occurring sedimentary rock. This sedimentary rock is formed from fossilized remains of hard-shelled microalgae. Diatomaceous earth consists of 80 to 90 % of silica. It can be used for various purposes and one of them is in gardening. Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic to pets. Here is how to use diatomaceous earth to control pests in the garden. How to control insects using Diatomaceous earth? Diatomaceous earth can help control pests such as mealy bugs, aphids, thrips, spider mites, beetles etc. Simply sprinkle some DE powder on the plant’s base and foliage. DE is not toxic and cannot harm the…

  • Companion planting

    12 Best companion plants for beetroot.

    Practising companion planting is a great way to plant more in less space and improve your yields. Beets require shade and cold climatic conditions to grow well. Planting them near certain vegetable plants can benefit both of the plants in some way. Best Companion Plants for Beetroot 1.Radish Radish and beetroot are both root crops that grow in similar conditions. Radishes can be harvested sooner and they help to loosen the soil for your beets to grow. 2.Corn Corn and beets make great companion plants. When you plant beetroot and corn during the spring season, your corn will grow big enough during the summer season and provide the shade that beetroots…

  • Gardening tips

    How to use neem oil as a pesticide.

    Neem oil is a natural pesticide used in gardens. It is extracted from the seeds of the neem tree. Neem oil contains a substance called azadirachtin which helps to control pests such as mealy bugs, thrips, spider mites, whiteflies, fungus gnats, leafhoppers and Japanese beetles. It can also be used to prevent fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, leaf spot, scab anthracnose and black spot. Things needed to make neem oil pesticide for your garden. Spray bottle Cold-pressed neem oil Liquid soap How to use neem oil as a pesticide. How often to use neem oil on plants? You can use neem oil on your plants once in 3 weeks…

  • Gardening tips

    Why is my cosmos not flowering

    Cosmos is a low-maintenance annual flowering plant that is grown in many gardens. It belongs to the Compositae family and there are about 20 varieties of cosmos. The commonly grown cosmos varieties include cosmos sulphureus and cosmos bipinnatus. Cosmos sulphurous comes in colours such as yellow, orange and red. Its leaves are opposite and pinnately divided. Cosmos bipinnatus flowers come in pink, purple and white colours. Its foliage has a fern-like appearance. Reasons why your cosmos is not flowering: 1.Overfertilizing Cosmos grows well and produces more blooms in average soil conditions. When there is too much nitrogen in the soil, the plant produces more foliage and less blooms. To prevent…

  • Gardening tips

    How to prevent blossom drop on tomato plants.

    Blossom drop on tomatoes is a common problem many gardeners face. You will find flowers blooming one day and the next day they will dry and fall off. Here are a few reasons why this problem occurs and here’s how to prevent blossom drop on tomato plants. Reasons for blossom drop on tomato plants: 1. High or low temperatures Daytime temperatures that are greater than 85°F(29°C) and lower than 55°F(can stress your plants). When the temperatures are too high your tomato plants focus on survival dropping its flowers. When temperatures are low your plant eventually dies. Grow tomato varieties that are more suitable to your region’s temperatures. If you are…

  • Gardening tips

    How to use bone meal for plants.

    Bonemeal is fertiliser that is made by drying and crushing animal bones into powder. It contains several nutrients and minerals that benefit plants by improving soil structure and quality. Bone meal is rich in phosphorus, calcium and nitrogen. It contains trace elements like magnesium, iron and zinc. The NPK ratio of bone meal is 3:15:0. Root crops like radishes, potatoes, beetroots and carrots benefit from bone meal. Vegetable flowering plants like tomatoes and peppers also love bone meal. Here is how to use bone meal for plants. How bonemeal benefits your garden: Although bone meal can improve plants’ overall health it should not used in soil that has a pH…