The third installment in my container garden series is a colorful combination using every color in the rainbow. The first container was a dramatic and stylish pairing of dark purple and golden yellows. The second was a modern mix of de-saturated warm and cool colors, and the focus was on pairing textures. This container is […]
I have always treasured Japanese Maples. Long ago I decided that Acer Palmatum were precious and began to covet them, and since then, my feelings have only grown stronger. I live in the redwood forest, where the trees are all evergreens. One reason I’m so attracted to the Japanese Maples is because they are one […]
Billbergia nutans is the most unusual bromeliad I have ever seen. Named Queen’s Tears, this hearty plant is called one of the most commonly grown bromeliads by Wikipedia, but I think she is a rare beauty. I picked up my first Queen’s Tears from a Brazilian at the Sebastopol flea market 8 years ago, and […]
On Tuesday I shared my technique for planting a container garden filled with harmonic plants. Today I have a recipe for a garden that combines cool colors with warm ones for a dynamic and lush planting. Search out tall elegant grasses, and then pair them with low growing sedums. To bridge the gap, add broad […]
Gardening is a rewarding craft that bridges the gap between art and earth. Plants grow and thrive and all they need to do it is a bit of water, sun and love. They give us colors, textures, and flowers, all of which can be combined in endless ways. Provide them with a container and some […]
Clematis is just about my favorite plant. It is a flowering vine, with literally endless variations. It’s a vigorous grower, and can be easily trained to climb trees, trellises, or along a railing. The different types indicate their flowering tendencies and their pruning needs- for instance, some clematis are deciduous, and loose their leaves in […]
Two galvanized nails set in a plug of plaster-of-Paris. That’s it. The Cheap Vegetable Gardener, who created the sensor for an automated grow box project, explains:
Technically a gypsum block measures soil water tension. When the gypsum block is dry it is not possible for electricity to pass between the probes, essentially making the probe an insulator with infinite resistance. As water is added to the problem more electrons can pass between the probes effectively reducing the amount of resistance between the problem to the point when it is fully saturated where the probe has virtually zero resistance. By using this range of values you can determine the amount of water than exists in your soil.
[via Hack a Day]
