How to Decorate for Thanksgiving Get Togethers Using Nature

Decorating for Thanksgiving can be lots of fun and especially when using things that are from a home owners personal gardens.

Great natural things to use in decorating are pine cones, pine branches, pumpkins, gourds and wildflowers can even be used for arrangements for a centerpiece.  Pine cones look lovely when added to large baskets and can be set around on large fireplaces and throughout the home.  Pine branches will look lovely when laid on a large or small mantel with several pine cones scattered throughout them.  Another great item are pumpkins and gourds.  These are amazing to brighten up and bring in that wonderful fall orange color to a home.  Small pumpkins can be used as centerpieces for a very large or small dining room table.  They can also be placed on a fireplace in bunches or scatted around to give it a wonderful fall look and feeling. 

Wildflowers will make wonderful and beautiful arrangements that can be used throughout a home.  There are beautiful wildflowers such as black and brown eyed susan and sunflowers are great flowers to use in fall arrangements.  Also using some native grasses are beautiful when added to vases of wildflowers.  Arrangements for fall can be personalized with special wildflowers that the home owner or gardener prefers.

Outside decorations can also be made from natural items.  Scarecrows are so cute when they are created to fit a gardeners personality and can brighten a lawn by adding some hay bales and some large pumpkins to add bright color to a lawn decoration.  A large pumpkin can also be used to create a beautiful pumpkin by using wildflowers or native grass to add a great big tale to the pumpkin.  A small gourd can be used to add a head to the pumpkin to create that perfect thanksgiving turkey.

There are a lot of things that can be used to decorate and ideas can be found online or at local craft stores.  Using things that are already available will not affect a family budget either because these items will not cost a thing.  Pine cones and pine branches can usually be found in a wooded area and can also even be found on a lawn that has a very large pine tree growing.  Pine cones can also be spray painted to match an interior of a home and can have some cinnamon sticks added to a basket to create that wonderful thanksgiving feel and put the smell of the holidays into the air.

Fall Arrangements Can Be Done With Fresh Or Fake Flowers

Fall arrangements can be gorgeous and add a very festive feel to a room or home.  There are several great ideas to creating some beautiful fall arrangements.  Colors and flowers can also be matched to fit right into a room or setting.

Fall arrangements can be made using silk flowers or can be made using real flowers.  Using silk flowers you are guaranteed that the flower arrangement will remain pretty all through the season and the flowers will never have to be changed.  There are several different varieties of silk flowers that can be used from silk mums to silk sunflowers and they are also very colorful.  There are also dried branches and leaves that can be used when creating an arrangement out of silk flowers and also some wonderful and gorgeous flower picks that will have small pumpkins or gourds added to them.  A silk arrangement is also great to give as a house warming gift because the home owner can use over and over each year.  Silk flowers are also available in all the fall colors such as orange, red, yellow and in different shades of browns.  Silkarrangements can also be creative and made in bowls, cups, a basket and also for large areas can be made on washtubs and buckets.  Silk arrangements can also be creative and made on small hay bales that can be purchased from a arts and craft store.  These are great because they will never have to be watered.

Live flowers are also pretty and will make beautiful arrangements.  When using live flowers a container will need to be used that will not leak any water that is added to them.  Live flowers for fall can be in an array of colors and can also have some real fall leaves added to them for that special touch.  When using live flowers the home owner will need to make sure that the flowers will have enough water to help them last for several days.  Once the flowers begin to wilt new ones can be added to replace them.  Depends on what types of flowers are used as to how much water the arrangement will need.  Florists and grocery stores are the best place to purchase real flowers for an arrangement if the gardener or home owner does not have them growing in their gardens.  Live arrangements are beautiful and personal if made from fresh flowers that are grown in their very own gardens.

Being Outdoors Can Help You Eliminate Stress

Being in Nature can help relieve stress. This is a common, worldwide knowledge to all people. The scents and sounds of nature and the fresh air is perfect to relax the body. Common life can be hectic and extremely stressful but a few hours outside can revitalize your body and mind. There are many things that can be done outside to help ease the mind and quiet the soul. Gardening and landscaping can be great hobbies to help you and your family get outside more and get some fresh air and relaxation.

Gardening and landscaping is a very broad subject and involves a very large amount of things that you could do outside to relieve the stress. First you could start your own garden full of vegetables and fruit bearing plants. This gives you both fresh food and the relaxation of being outside, with just a little work of course. Fresh fruit and vegetables can also save you money and promote better health. Another possible escape to the outdoors is in landscaping around your home. This can be anything from adding a beautiful flower bed to the front of your home to a water garden to your backyard. This hobby can improve the look and value of your home while getting you outside and into the fresh air and dirt. Going to the beach, hiking, biking, climbing rocks all can be done outside to help you eliminate stress. For many people even fishing, hunting or just sitting in the woods admiring mother nature and the glories is enough to help their stress level be brought back down to 0. 

These are just two of the many things that can be done outside around your house to relieve stress. Being outside is a very good idea for those who spend long hours at work and are often stressed, and has many benefits for both the short and long run. So look into gardening or landscaping around your home to improve both your mental and physical health, and get outside more.  

How To Make a Raised Garden Bed

More and more people are going through tough times economically so when it comes to gardening they want to do it because of the many rewards – saving money, canning, preserving, dehydrating, freezing and eating food fresh and organically instead of buying it in the store. Raised beds are becoming more and more popular because people just don’t have the time to weed them on a regular basis nor do they have time to rent equipment to get the land ready. Raised beds are very beneficial and in some locations be used year round.

Raised beds can be used with wood, containers or even tires. The most cost efficient and the most common is the wooden raised beds. With our step by step instructions you can successfully make a raised bed in no time!

Tools – hammer, wood, potting soil/compost/manure mixture, newspapers, level, saw, nails

Step 1 – Determine the area that you are going to place your raised bed. Go ahead and make sure there is no unwanted weeds and the ground is semi-level.

Step 2 – Measure the area and cut your pieces of wood so that you can make a box or rectangle, cut your pieces of wood and then nail or screw them together at the ends to make your shape.

Step 3- Once your box or bed is made, you can lay newspapers in the bottom, a few layers will work best this will keep weeds from growing. Cover the newspaper and fill your bed with potting soil, manure or compost mixture. Filling your bed a few inches from the top works best.

Step 4 – level your soil by taking a board and running it slowly across to level the soil out. Now you are ready for plants, seeds or anything else that you want to plant in it.

Raised beds are very beneficial and are becoming increasingly popular because if you ever decide that you do not want the bed anymore they are easy to remove and your grass will grow back instead of having a tilled up area. Raised beds will also keep moisture in and keep a steady soil temperature so that even in the coldest months all you will need to do is cover your plants for safety. Making a raised bed is enjoyable and fun, so enjoy! 

Do You Save Or Are You Living PayCheck To PayCheck?

    In recent years the economy of the United States of America has changed drastically for millions upon millions of people. People who were once paying their bills, putting money away for a rainy day, and still having extra for all the fun things in life are now living paycheck to paycheck. These people are doing everything in their power to keep their homes and put food on the table for their families. A growing trend among millions of Americans is planting their own home gardens to help supplement their food supply. Many people start this process with little or no knowledge of how to do this, but find that it really not that hard at all. Plus the benefits are not only improving their grocery bill, but is also putting healthy produce on their families plates.

The local library and of course the internet is a great source to learn all the ends and outs of gardening. Once you have a grasp on what to do it is time to buy your supplies. These supplies can be purchased at most any hardware or home improvement store. However if you rather do your shopping online there are many online nurseries that allow you to purchase your plants through them most of the time at a wholesale price and they will be delivered right to your door. When considering what plants you wish to put into your home garden there are several things to take into consideration. The first being what types of food does your family like to consume. Another consideration is that most come in a lot of different varieties. There are many different types of tomatoes, melons, gourds, berries and so forth. Then you also need to consider how much space you will actually have in your garden. Some plants such as cucumbers and squash have vines that run and take up a lot of space. Then other plants such as tomatoes often grow to the point that they need your help to support them from toppling over. This is also an easy fix and supplies can be bought at a home improvement store or you can get creative with materials found in your garage such as a pole and a pair of panty hose.

Then with plenty of sunshine, some moisture, and a little hard work and patience on your part you and your family will love the rewards. As items are ripe and ready to come off the veins you can immediately serve them up to your family or you can prepare them for a later time. Most all vegetables, fruits, and herbs can be either frozen, canned, dried, or made into another product such as jellies, preserves, or can be used in pies. No matter how you choose to use them not only will you have full tummies, but your wallet will be a little fuller as well.

Mother Nature Brings Life To Paintings

  There are millions upon millions of paintings and other pieces of art that exist in the world today. Each artist has their own unique styles, a favorite method of painting, belief about art and what their art is about, but have you ever wondered what inspires their art in the first place. If you look at some of the darker paintings that artist might say they were inspired by death, disease or war. Then take a painting of a little girl and the painter might say they were inspired by their daughter, the innocence of being a child, or hope of the future. Then the paintings of natural landscapes. With these types of paintings, photos, and other art forms most likely the artist would say they were inspired by nature itself.

Mother nature has inspired painters, sculptors, poets, photographers, and writers for centuries and will continue to do so. Mother nature is full of beauty, unique colors, changing seasons, and unique creatures that roam freely. I recently watched a local painter stand on the banks of a river and paint his surroundings. His canvas was covered with the green leaves of the maple trees and the white and pink dots that served as the blossom of the dogwood trees. Then the detail of the water running over the rocks was so detailed that you could almost hear the river running in the painting. I asked him what inspired him and he did a complete 360 pointing at trees, flowers, the sky, a rock, and anything else that was a natural part of the setting and said “that”. He explained that he could come back to the same same spot daily and would it would be different in someway or inspire him in a different way. He said one day the dogwoods will be in full bloom and all the trees bare different hues of greens. Then I come back early fall and the Oak and Maple trees are no longer green, but are reds, oranges, and yellows. The differences are a natural painting or photograph that only nature can produce, but inspires so many painters to try to interrupt it.

Each aspect of mother nature serves as a natural beauty that not only artist can take advantage of but so can everyone. All it takes is taking a moment to look at your natural surroundings and truly take it all in. Take a walk along the coast and witness the beauty of “God's treasure chest”. Feel the sand between your toes, watch the waves crash into the shore, and listen to the palm trees rustle against one another in the sea breeze. If you are not a beach goer then take that walk in the forest. Admire the leaves of the different species of trees, be silent as you watch a doe wonder the woods, and listen to the babbling brooks in the distance. Nature and all its aspects will continue to serve as inspiration to us all and continue to be the centerpiece of some of the greatest works in our art museums the world over.

Did You Know Tree Nurseries Carry Perennials?

Perennials are a great way to spruce up an old garden or add color around a home.  There is a very large variety of perennials to choose from and everyone is certain to find the ones that will look best in their gardens.

Tree Nursery Co is a great online nursery to purchase all varieties of perennials.  This great nursery will have all the information needed to plant and bring the perennials to life.  They will provide all information regarding soils, sunlight, climate zones and also will have information available on how far apart to plant perennials.  Perennials are also great because they will come back year after year.  There are also beautiful perennials that will grow in shaded areas.  All of this information is available on Tree Nursery Co website.

A great perennial is the Iris family.  There is a large selection to choose from and this perennial will come in several colors.  Irises will also need to be thinned out because they will become thick as they spread and will produce more blooms if they are thinned out.  Irises that are removed can be replanted into another spot and they will continue to provide gorgeous blooms each year.  Brown Eyed Susan and Black Eyed Susan is another great perennial.  These beautiful yellow flowers will fill a garden or natural area.

Perennials will make a garden beautiful especially when there are several different types that have been mixed and mingled together.  This will make a garden amazing looking when they are all in bloom and they will be beautiful.  Perennials when they are blooming will also bring those beautiful butterflies to a garden and can sometimes draw the hummingbirds.

Perennials are also great to add to containers.  You can use just about anything to plant perennials in.  Some great ideas are wheelbarrows, old boots and shoes, buckets and they can also be planted in the usual flower pots.  Perennials will do their best when planted into the ground because they will get a lot of nutrients from the soils and will get water from those rainy days.

Tree Nursery Co offers great perennials and will also make sure that they are shipped in perfect condition right to your door and will be ready to spruce up those gardens after the winter months.  

Making Floral Arrangements

Making flower arrangements can be lots of fun.  A lot of imagination and creativity can be used when trying to create a wonderful masterpiece with flowers.  There are also items that can be used other that flowers to add spice to arrangements.

There are a lot of varieties of flowers that can be used when thinking of arrangements.  Silk, dried or liveflowers can be added to arrangements to make them beautiful and breathtaking.  Imagination can run wild when creating a special centerpiece for a table or for any area in a home.  Flower arrangements are also a great way to say “Thank You” to a special person for something that they have done for you or someone else.  There is not anyone that would not like to receive a beautiful arrangement of flowers and they also help to brighten peoples day.

Flower arrangements can be made in lots of containers such as vases, bowls and baskets.  When making an arrangement the right flowers need to be selected.  When using real flowers pick the ones that will last for several days and will stay vibrantly pretty.  Silk flowers are a great way to go because these will always be pretty and can be used over and over.  Special touches such as dried items can be added to add beauty to arrangements and also pictures can also be added to add a personal touch to an arrangement. 

Pick the right container or vase that the flowers will fit into perfectly and have room for water in them if you are using real flowers.  Also if you are using a foam base for flowers you will not want a clear container so that the green or white floral foam will not show.  When using real flowers the stems will need to be trimmed at an angle to allow them to get the right amount of water they need and some plant food can also be added to help keep them alive longer.

Items such as a beautiful bow can also be added to a vase or container of flowers to add a lot of color to the arrangement.  Flower arrangements can also be created to fit the season and all holidays.  Fall and Christmas arrangements can be made beautiful but a budget should be set on how much will be spent because they can become very pricey if purchasing silk flowers.  Craft stores will also offer great sales on silk and dried flowers and a consumer can sometimes get them at 50% off.

Plant Your Own Berry Orchard

Berry bushes can be used for a lot of landscaping ideas.  Berry bushes would make great hedges or borders and can serve as privacy fence and to produce wonderful fresh tasting fruits to enjoy.

There are several berry bushes that are available to create beautiful ideas.  Some of them are Gooseberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Blackberry and Currants that come in red, black and white.  Berry bushes will bring lots of beauty to a lawn or garden and can also give wonderful fruits that can be transformed into wonderful jams and jellies.  They can also be used when baking those wonderful homemade pies and cakes and with fresh fruit they will always taste better.

Berry bushes will give lots of fruits if they are taken care of properly.  Old branches need to be removed regularly once fruit is finished growing on them.  Also it is a great idea to prepare the soil in which the bushes will be planted with organic material such as old leaves and mulch.  This will fertilize the bushes naturally and will help them grow to be healthy and produce a lot of fresh fruits.  Berry bushes will need to be fertilized each year with the organic materials.

Berry bushes will also add a beauty to lawns and gardens and they will be fun to just stand and eat the fresh fruits right off the bushes.  Blackberries and Blueberries are great to just eat freshly off the vine.  Another great idea when shopping for berry bushes is to spread them out and find ones that will grow and produce most of the year.  Plant them at different times and this will guarantee that fresh fruit will be available most of the year.

Also gardeners and homeowners will need to get as much information on planting and caring for the berry bushes.  Berry bushes will thrive and grow well when lighting and soil conditions are perfect and will produce a lot more fruit when properly taken care of.  Some berry bushes will also add beautiful colors during the fall months of the year to brighten and bring color to a landscape.

Berry bushes can also provide food for birds.  If for any reason the gardener or homeowner cannot pick the berries the birds will absolutely love them and will feast on them.  Some of the berries bushes will also keep other wildlife off of a lawn or out of a garden but will make beautiful hedges around properties or fences. 

Win an iPad

Who doesn’t want to win an iPad? iPads are on everyone’s wish list it seems but they are so pricey that for most of us it is just a wish rather than a reality. iPads are the new wave of the future and have so many great features to offer. A lot of memory, Word, Email, Internet Explorer, Facetime, its portable, thin, light and easy to take with you. What if I told you that you could win an iPad for FREE? No gimmicks, no scams, no hidden agendas. Just by simply clicking this link http://www.treenurseryco.com/ipad-giveaway/. This will take you to the TN Tree Nursery Co website where you can register to win a FREE iPad. It’s simple, just go there and you can get up to 8 entries just by sharing us on your FaceBook page, Twitter page and by putting in your email and while you are there shop around…you may find something that you like! 

Fall Fesitivities

The air is getting crisper and the temperature colder so what does that mean? It means fall is in the air and with fall comes so many festivities and things to do. Fall brings harvest fairs, yard sales, bazaars, carnivals, hayrides, candy apples, fairs, pumpkin carving and many other fall festivities. Fall means scarecrows, Halloween, pumpkins, roasting marshmallows, hunting and hot chocolate. Fall is a great time of the year! Fall also means cooler weather and time to get our plants in the ground for next year. Bushes, shrubs, trees, fruit plants, berry bushes it all can go in the ground in the fall!

There is just something about fall and spring that triggers an instinct in people and makes them want to start working outside. No one really enjoys working outside in the hot heat but many people love working out in the cool pulling weeds, landscaping, mowing, pruning shrubs and planting new plants. Why is cooler weather better on planting plants? When the ground temperature is cooler and more stable the roots of your plant can adapt and get well established versus when the ground is hot and dry. The cooler weather will keep the moisture in and the ground moist which will allow for the roots to get established and take a hold better.

Fruit trees, berry bushes and trees need to be planted in the spring or fall months when the air is cooler, but not below freezing and the ground is moist, with cooler ground temperatures. During the fall and spring months the roots can take a good hold and grasp better allowing them to grow to a fuller maturity. Once your plants get a good establishment you will have full, mature plants in no time. So just because the temperature starts getting colder and fall approaches it doesn’t mean that its time to curl up inside and do nothing, get outdoors and enjoy the weather! Enjoy the pumpkins, fairs, scarecrows and landscaping! 

Jams and Jellies

Making jam can be a very fun process especially when the fruits are very fresh and ripe.  You may even have trouble eating the fresh fruits before we get to make the delicious jams out of them.

There are a lot of recipes that are available to make wonderful sweet jams.  A recipe needs to be found that will fit the type of fruit that will be made into jam.  There are recipes that are simple and some that will have several steps to preparing the fruit and getting it ready for the jam.

Any fruits that will be used to make jams will need to cleaned, washed and have all of the stems and leaves removed from them.  Some fruits will also need to be peeled before they are ready to make jam out of them.  It is also a great idea to not produce large batches of jam and to do them in small batches.  When the jam is made in smaller batches it will help the fruit keep color and flavor because the fruit will not have to be cooked as long.  When making jam there will also need to be plenty of sugar on hand since each recipe will call for different amounts of sugar to be added.

There are hundreds of recipes available to make great tasting jams such as Peach, Blackberry, Strawberry, Pear and there is even a recipe for tomato jam available.  There is also a great product called pectin that will help jams set up and become jelled faster and ready for the jar.  This product will reduce cooking time when just adding sugar to the fruits.  Jam can be canned in pint or half pint jars and will also make wonderful house warming presents or gifts at Christmas and other holidays.  Jars will need to cleaned thoroughly before placing prepared jams into them and will need to be sealed tightly so that the jam will stay fresh and will stay preserved.  Jams are great because they will be fresh and the cook can regulate what goes into them and can make sure that there are no additives in them to make them stay fresh longer.  Making jam is wonderful and will be great to eat on freshly toasted bread in the mornings when the weather is cold and crisp and will also make us feel great knowing that we have grown or preserved the fresh taste of the fruits.

Mums Make Great Additions to Your Fall Landscape

With summer coming to an end, this means that many of the summer flowers that everyone loves so much are dying back.  This does not mean that your yard and home has to go without flowers for the fall season, you can decorate with Mums.  Mums are great perennial flowers that many people get for the fall season.   They are very easy to grow and to keep up with.  Mums look beautiful in the ground and in flower pots placed on the front steps of a porch or sidewalk.  Mums are very simple flowers that are not complicated to take care of at all if you follow just a few simple instructions, you should be good to go! You just need a place that will get at least 5 to 8 hours of sunlight a day.   Morning sun would be the best option, but they will still be fine if you can only give them afternoon sun.  If you are wanting to plant your Mums in a pot/container remember to use a fertile and well-draining soil because you don’t the flower to end up getting too much water.  If mums stand in water too long the moisture can mess up the root systems.  Mums that are planted in pots will need to be watered more frequently than mums that are planted in the ground.  One thing that you can look at to see if your flower is not getting enough water is if the lower leaves begin to turn brown and wilt.   This means you need to water your flower more often.   When watering you flowers try not to get too much water on the blooms because this could cause your mum to get a disease.  

Try and plant your mums so that can give it plenty of room to grow, placing them too close to other 

structures can harm the roots of the plant cause the plant not to flourish.  Also, try not to let mums get too much artificial sunlight during the nighttime because mums need an extended period of darkness to bloom.  Remember to pick off any dead blooms to try and support new blooms to grow.  If you follow all of these tips then you should have no trouble at all growing your mums.  Mums if taken care of right can last all season. They come in a variety of colors ranging from orange, yellow, pink, burgundy, purple, and white.  They also can range in size and shape.  You can’t go wrong with decorating you yard and home with this wonderful fall flower.         

Fall Brings An Abundance Of Apples

With fall upon us it seems like 

everywhere we turn there are apples, 

apples of all kinds, candy apples, 

apple pies, apple turnovers, apple 

cider and fresh apples. Fall is the 

prime time for apples and there is 

so many things to do with them.

Apple trees are one of the most 

popular fruit trees planted among 

homeowners. Not only are apple 

trees easy growers but they require

little maintenance and as long as you 

plant both a male and female tree 

you should have a large crop of 

apples year after year. Apple trees are

tall growers and have a large spread. 

They will not produce a crop during the first year but most likely start yielding after their 

second year. In most cases apple trees can reach heights of up to 35 feet and prefer full sun 

to partial shade with moist, well drained soil to grow at its best.

There are a wide variety of apple trees, Gala which is flat looking and wide they are most often 

found in a dark shade of red and are very sweet. Red delicious and yellow delicious apples are 

most commonly grown and used to eat fresh, making pies, applesauce or used in other recipes,

the granny smith apple which is bright green and used in baking because of their tartness. 

Honeycrisp apples are ranked top at the flavor chart because they are so sweet and give a 

mouth watering flavor to every bite.The only downside to growing apple trees is that not only 

are apples loved by humans but they are loved by most wildlife species so if you are not 

watching your apple production daily the birds, squirrels and deer will find your apples first 

and eat them right off the tree. Once your apples are ready to be picked you can pick them 

right off the tree with a ladder or a hook, but the best part in many places across the country is 

getting them off by shaking the tree itself allowing the apples to fall to the ground. Many

homeowners find it easier to put an old blanket or sheet on the ground to catch the apples as 

they fall and then picking them up that way.

Apples have a lot of nutritional value that humans and wildlife animals need on a daily basis, 

so why not grow your own apple trees so that you can have lots of grown apples right in 

your yard?

Flowering Trees

Flowering trees are a great way to bring a bright, brilliant burst of color to a lawn or a landscape.  These trees come in a wide variety of colors and sizes and will look great on lawns or in large garden areas.

Flowering trees can grow to be large trees and can also be used as ornamental trees for gardens or small lawns.  These trees grow and will have a wonderful variety of colors to choose from when shopping for flowering trees.  They can be pink, purple, white, red and some may even have yellow blooms to enjoy during the spring and summer.  Some flowering trees are even known to carry their blooms on over into the fall months of the year.

The most popular of flowering trees are dogwoods and crepe myrtle trees.  Dogwood trees look fantastic when in bloom and will offer gorgeous flowers to enjoy and will also supply birds with wonderful berries to eat and enjoy.  Crepe Myrtle trees are lovely when in bloom and will bring a special burst of color during the summer months when they produce their beautiful blooms of white, red and pink.  Sometimes the crepe myrtle trees will also have burgundy blooms that are just fantastic to look at and enjoy.  Dogwoods and crepe myrtles are the ideal tree to add to lawns and flower gardens because these trees will not grow to be very big and can be trimmed to the height that the homeowner or gardener would prefer.  Dogwood trees will usually grow to be around 30 feet high and crepe myrtles can be as high as 25 feet when fully mature. 

Another great flowering tree is the Empress Tree.  This tree will give spectacular color when in bloom and will also have a very sweet fragrance to the blooms.  It will give beautiful purple or lavender flowers that will be enjoyed during the spring and summer months of the year.  Empress trees can grow to be anywhere from 30 to around 80 feet high but will look magnificent when in bloom on any lawn.

A consumer when shopping for flowering trees need to make sure that the perfect tree is picked for a lawn or garden.  Researching flowering trees and finding out what types of care they will need to get them to survive and become healthy trees will help make sure that the right tree is purchased.  Tree Nursery Online has a wide selection of flowering trees available and will also have all the information a consumer or gardener will need to make sure that the right tree is chosen.

How To Put Your Extra Harvest To Use

The weather is turning colder and it seems like everyone's gardens are slowly coming to an end. You find yourself ending up with more food than you really know what to do with or you have so much food left you can’t eat it fast enough. Throwing it out isn’t an option..what choices do you have? Canning and Dehydrating are perfect ways to take care of them!

Canning can be a great way to go ahead and take those extra veggies and turn them into quick and easy meals. The only thing you can’t can is what you don’t try! Squash, meat, okra, potatoes, peppers, cucumbers, corn it all can be turned in to stews and canned. You can even pickle it. Do you use tomatoes a lot, do you make a lot of spaghetti sauce? Canning your own tomatoes can save you lots of money from buying store bought.

Freezing your food is also an option but then you have to stop and think..do I have the extra freezer space? What if the power goes out? My food won’t last.

Dehydrating, is another great way to preserve your food without having to use up a lot of space and room. They also can keep for many years if done right. Investing in a dehydrator can not only save you time but money in the long run. You can make your own jerky, dehydrate your own onions, peppers, okra, squash, tomatoes almost anything you can think of. Fresh herbs is a staple item in most households and by dehydrating peppers, onions, tomatoes you can turn them into crushed bell peppers, tomato paste or even chopped onions that you can use on a daily basis.

Canning, dehydrating and freezing your food are great options if you have lots of extra food growing in your garden or can get food items at bulk wholesale cost that you can use and don’t want to throw away. Canning, dehydrating and freezing are personal preferences and it is really up to you on which one you find the best for you and your family. In the long run all three choices can save you lots of time, money and protect you in the long run. 

Fall Decorating Tips and Ideas

Fall is such a beautiful time of year with the weather and trees changing.   Since it is so beautiful outside why not make your home beautiful inside too?  With Fall just around the corner it is time to start thinking about how to decorate for the Holidays and all the other get together’s you may be having at your house.  When entreating people at your house you always want to have your home looking its best.  Fall decorations can really bring your home to life and make it feel warm and inviting.  Here are some tips on what you can do to make your house ready to entertain for the Fall and Harvest Season.

One way to make your house ready for entreating is by having a wonderful centerpiece.  Making a Fall centerpiece does not have to be hard or expensive at all.  All you need is a Pumpkin, floral foam, a plastic container (small enough to fit inside your pumpkin), seasonal flowers, dried leaves, and berries.   This is a very simple project that anyone can do.  Step one is to place a cube of floral foam into the plastic container that you have and make sure that it fits, if not cut down till the foam fits into the plastic container.   Now you are going to want to pour water on the foam (enough so a small amount pools at the bottom of the container).  Step two is to arrange the flowers, leaves, berries and anything else you want to put in your centerpiece.  Step three is to cut a pumpkin open and scoop out all of the seeds.   Once you scoop out all of the seeds then you can place your plastic container with the flowers into the pumpkin.  Step four is to enjoy and place in the center of your table.  This project is very easy and can be completed in no time.  Be sure to keep your foam saturated to extend the life of the flowers and keep your centerpiece looking fresh. 

You can also do this project with fake flowers, leaves, and berries.  Most craft stores have fake pumpkins and Fall flowers in stock this time of year.  The advantage of using the fake flowers and pumpkins is that it will last all season and you can reuse it.  Whichever one you choose you cannot go wrong with this project.  Your friends and family will be bragging on how beautiful your centerpiece is and how complicated it looks to make.        

Fall Planting

With the first warm breezes of spring the garden supply centers generally see and enormous  surge of business as gardeners and landscapers rush to purchase fertilizer, now tools, mulch, compost, and trees and plants to get in the ground as soon as the threat of frost even remotely appears to be over. Few people realize it, but spring is not the only season for planting trees and shrubs, in fact most trees and shrubs actually do very well when planted in fall when a little care is exercised. By planting in the fall the new tree or shrub will have plenty of time to establish its root system before the spring growing season begins this is a big bonus for the plant. The fact that trees and shrubs can sometimes be found on sale in the fall is a big plus to the gardener. To successfully plant in fall and have healthy happy plants come spring, a few simple steps should be followed.

1.       DO NOT PRUNE. Pruning serves to stimulate the plant to produce new growth and this should be avoided during the fall and winter months.

2.       DO NOT FERTILIZE. For the same reason as why not to prune. The new plant needs to spend its first winter establishing itself and not devoting energy toward new growth.

3.       DO SELECT AN APPROPRIATE PLANT. Be sure and select a tree or shrub that is rated to do well in the USDA Zone in which it is to be planted.

4.       DO make sure the hole that is dug is at least three times the diameter and around the same depth as the root ball of the plant. This will keep the soil nice and light and allow the roots to spread and all important water to reach the roots. If the root ball is covered in burlap don’t bother removing it, the burlap will rot in short order and allow the roots to spread naturally. If the plant is in a container remove it and carefully loosen the roots since container grown plants have the tendency to become root bound.

5.       DO PLACE THE PLANT in the hole and carefully back fill with native soil, of if the soil is heavy clay be sure and mix in some peat moss to lighten it and allow better water and root penetration.

6.        DO WATER THE PLANT. One of the most important things for the new plant is water. A berm of soil can be built up around the hole to prevent water from running off instead of soaking in. The plant needs to be kept well watered until temperatures begin to cause the ground to freeze.

7.       DO NOT put compost, fertilizer, or rich organic material in the hole this will encourage the roots to grow more horizontally and therefore give the plant a better root base when growing season comes.

8.       DO add a layer or rich organic compost to the surface of the soil around the tree without allowing it to actually touch the trunk of the tree. This will allow the nutrients to leach down into the soil and give the plant a good feeding and head start in spring.

Though spring is the time when most gardeners get out and start planting and working the soil, by following these few steps the careful gardener can get a head start by planting trees and shrubs in fall.

Fall Means Fair Time

When it comes to the fall, what does that mean to a lot of people? It’s time for the fair. The fair to many people is the one thing that they look forward to going to for months. It means quality time with their family, loved ones, friends or significant other, but to many others it means all the exhibits. There is just something about the fair that makes a lot of us excited like a little kid. The smells, the feel in the air, the lights, the fireworks, the sounds makes one excited that it is fall and fair time.

Most fairs have a lot of exhibits that people don’t know about because they don’t take the time to wonder around in the exhibit halls. For example, most fairs have several exhibit halls, one is filled with lots of handmade crafts, photography, cakes, baked goods and other items that people take the time to make. Another exhibit hall may be filled with vegetables that were grown locally that are record setters like pumpkins, watermelons, squash, potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables native to that area. Then there is the exhibit hall or farm building where they hold the cows, sheep, goats and petting zoo so that people can observe them and watch as they are being shown off, milked or sheared. 

The most favorite exhibit hall is the floral exhibit hall. The floral exhibit hall is home to all the gorgeous fresh grown flowers that have been cut, preserved or turned into floral arrangements. There you can find perennials, vines and annuals of all kinds to see, smell and look at. You will see specimens of roses, hummingbird vines, English ivy, day lilies, black eyed susan’s, daffodils and many other flowers all in one place. It is a gardener’s dream!

So next time you go to the fair, don’t focus on the food, crowds and rides – go see the exhibits, you may be surprised by what you see or find! 

Winter Gardening Tips

As the summer harvest winds down and the first crisp winds of autumn bring the first chill to the air many gardeners are already starting to plan what they will be putting in the ground come spring. This may be the wrong idea, however, because gardening isn’t just a spring and summer hobby, it’s a four season pastime. By following a few simple steps the garden can be prepared for cold weather which will make spring planting easier, and allow some of the cold resistant vegetables to actually flourish.

First, as with any seasonal preparation, the soil has to be considered before anything else. There will be some nutrient depletion in the soil after the growing season, and no winter vegetables are to be grown or if the bed is to be used for planting annual flowers in the spring this is the best time to replace those used nutrients. Be sure to remove any spent vegetables or annuals from the garden bed, if these plants were healthy they can, in turn; be composted and added back to the soil later. Till or turn the soil with a spade to a depth of about six inches, this will help to loosen and aerate the soil which will be beneficial the next spring, then add about a two inch layer of compost to the top of the soil and rake it to spread it evenly. This will allow the compost to enrich the soil to root depth during the winter. If growing cold tolerant vegetables be sure and mulch around them too as this will not only feed the plant but also serve to help keep it warmer and producing longer. Perennial vegetable like asparagus should be covered with a layer of mulch when they begin to go dormant for the winter, this will aid the plant and lead to an earlier harvest in spring. 

During winter taking care of cold sensitive plants can be as easy as covering them with an old blanket, tarp, or even unfolded newspaper on those night when the thermometer dips below level to produce frost. For smaller plants or young sprouts simply cut the neck out of a plastic two liter bottle and cover the plant to create a sort of mini-greenhouse. When covering plants to protect them from the cold it is a good idea to cover them before nightfall as this will help to hold in residual heat from the daylight hours.

One of the least know and even lesser understood ways to protect tender plants, especially if they are caught by a late frost and have begun to produce buds, is to cover them with ice. As night approaches simply place the garden sprinkler near the plants and let it run. This will cause ice to form on the plants, but, contrary to popular opinion, as the water freezes it actually gives off a bit of heat and this can be enough to protect those tender shoots and buds from the bite of that late frost.

Gardening is a pastime that has seen a real resurgence in recent years as many people turn back to nature to produce some of the food they consume and to beautify their surroundings. For some this is a mere hobby, for other it has become big business. Either way, a few simple steps in winter can mean a real boost to the spring growing season.

Vines can bring lots of life

Vines are a great idea to bring life and vibrant color to a lawn or property.  Vines are easy to train and get them to grow in the manner in which will satisfy the home owner.

Vines are beautiful when draped over a trellis or an archway during the spring and summer.  Vines that will have beautiful flowers and blooms will also attract butterflies and those magnificent hummingbirds that everyone loves to watch.

Vines can also be used to cover an ugly fence or building that maybe in need of painting.  Honeysuckle vines are great to get to run up the side of buildings and fences.  They will smell wonderful during the spring and summer and will attract those beautiful hummingbirds and butterflies.  Hummingbird Vines are great to add to fences and a trellis and can also be used to cover tree trunks and planted around gazebos and patios.

Vines are an easy plant to grow as long as the sunlight conditions and soil conditions are right for the vine that will be planted.  There are also some vines that will work well as a wonderful and beautiful groundcover and will look great in a natural area.  Most of the vines that will provide flowers and gorgeous blooms will also be fragrant and will be beautiful when in bloom.  Some vines such as the Wild Strawberry will also product beautiful berries and there are Wisteria vines that will have blooms that look like clusters of grapes as they bloom.  Wisteria is a gorgeous vine and will add a very special touch to a trellis and fence.

Tree Nursery Co has several varieties of vines available and their vines are also in top notch condition and will be healthy.  This online nursery also provides a great plant description with each vine available and will provide all the information needed to make sure that the vines grow to be healthy.

It all depends on what type of vine a gardener or landscaper is looking for and what the purpose of the vine will be.  Vines can cover lots of space and some of them will be fast growing and some may take a little longer to reach maturity.  It is best to research the vines and find the one that will work best for the project that is being completed.  Vines are also a great idea to plant around a large porch and there are a wide variety that would look great when planted around porches.

Tree Nursery Online - Who Are We?

Tree Nursery Online is a wonderful plant and tree nursery that has been in business for 54 years.  This nursery is also family owned and operated and is very family oriented and is located in Altamont, Tennessee.  This nursery offers a wide variety of all kinds of trees and plants that are healthy and in number one quality condition.  Their plants and trees are cared for on a daily basis and are taken care of to make sure that they all grow to be healthy and will not contain any diseases or be infected in anyway.

Tree Nursery Online is passionate about their products and always makes sure that their customers receive what they have ordered.  They have years of experience from taking care of trees and plants when they are first planted and following and tending for their trees and plants until they are mature enough to sell to prospected buyers and consumers.

Tree Nursery Online has had many prestigious costumers from the Tennessee State Parks all the way to The Washington Monument so their products are seen all over the United States and also in some foreign countries as well.  This nursery takes pride in their products to make sure that they are grown to perfection.  This plant and tree nursery will not send anything to a customer that they would not plant in their own lawns and gardens. 

Tree Nursery Online has huge greenhouses that their plants and perennials are grown in to insure that they are healthy and are getting the proper care when growing.  This fabulous plant and tree nursery will grow large amounts of plants so that they can offer the best prices to the consumers.  Their website is very user friendly and is easy to navigate and find the exact plants that a consumer or prospected buyer may be looking for.  This website will provide sizes, growth, zones, soil conditions and other information that is needed for all of their plants and trees. 

Tree Nursery Online has been in business for so long that they know exactly what customers and landscapers are looking for in quality of plants.  This nursery thrives in satisfying the customers and buyers and also offers large quantities of plants and trees.  Their inventory can be purchased in smaller quantities or will even sell by the truck loads and also have very reasonable shipping costs for their orders.  Tree Nursery Online has very affordable prices and their website makes it convenient to shop from the comfort of your own home.