Archive for the ‘How To Care For Plants’ Category

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How To Choose The Right Compost and Create Happy Plants

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

Compost = Great Soil = Great Garden

How to choose the RIGHT compost. As we have talked about many times before, good soil will help you have a good gardening experience. So much great composting materials end up in the landfills everyday.

Compost is like fine dining to plants – they love it!  Some people think that compost is grass clippings and leaves collected from the yard, they are right, but it is so much more than that.

We here at “Watch Us Grow”all purpose liquid plant food we get asked quite often “what can I put in my compost pile?” and “How to choose the right compost”So we put together a list of some of the many items you can compost.

  • cow manure, pig manure, horse manure, chicken manure, rabbit manure, bat guano
  • apple cores & peelings, potato peelings, tea bags, bread crusts, toast
  • cooked rice, cheerios, macaroni & cheese, shredded brown paper bags, banana peels, fruit salad
  •  peat moss, melted ice cream, moldy cheese, old yogurt
  • crab, lobster, shrimp shells
  • human hair, pet hair, dust bunnies
  • vacuum cleaner bag contents, coffee grounds, egg shells, paper towels, shredded newspaper
  • houseplant trimmings, pie crusts
  • orange, grapefruit rinds, old pasta
  • finger & toenail clippings
  • onion skins, nut shells, watermelon rinds, old beer & wine.

Remember this is just a SMALL list of the possible composting material.

You get the idea,  just about anything can go in the compost pile.

If you have all this in your compost pile, your plants are going to love you after you add it to the soil. And also remember to always feed your garden with “Watch Us Grow” all purpose liquid plant food every 10 to 14 days throughout the growing season.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions, The Watch Us Grow Team

(800) 921-5542

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Growing From Seed | How To Start Seeds Inside

Saturday, February 18th, 2012

How To Start Seeds Inside?

Starting your own seeds indoors can be an enjoyable way to start the gardening season early. Whether it’s flowers or vegetables you want to grow yourself , make sure and check the seeds package to give you an idea of when to plant. For instance , vegetables have different projected harvest times, therefore different planting times.

Purchasing your seeds

There are many sources from which you can purchase seeds. Hardware stores, Grocery stores , Local Garden Centers and Greenhouses ,and from any of the many seed catalogs, just to name a few. You can buy organic , heirloom  , new hybrids , old favorites , there is so much to choose from. Any left over seeds can be saved until next years, just store them in a cool , dry , place. The refrigerator is a good place.

Planting your seeds

Here at Watch Us Grow recommend using the plastic flats with the single cells for each plant when growing from seed, this will eliminate the chances of injury to the seedlings that may occur if grown all together in a flat. Because you will have to separate them  later for placement in a larger pot.

You should use commercial seed – starting mix, this will work well for germinating seeds, very lightweight and free of weed seed. Always water the mix before you plant your seed, the mix will sink down in the cells. Fill them back up to the top and water again, once the cells are full, then plant your seeds.

Watch them grow

When growing from seed, you will need to find the right place for growing your seeds, window sills are not a good place to do this. They can get to cold for seeds to germinate. Find a place that is free of drafts and traffic, it’s a good idea to have some sort of underneath heat , you can purchase heating mats from some of the many seed catalogs you may recieve or go to your local Garden Center. Seedlings do well under fluorescent lights, or you can use so called grow lights. But regular cool white bulbs are sufficient. Have your lighting no more than 4 inches above your plants.

Your seedlings will need 12 to 16 hours of light per day. Lack of light is the main reason plants become stringy or leggy. But it is a good idea to setup your lights on a timer, the plants do need some darkness to develop properly.

Water and feed

You will want to keep the potting mix moist at all times, the best way to do this is with a spray bottle, just mist the cells. Seedlings draw energy for germination from the nutrients stored in the seed therefore no feeding is needed until the seedlings have several leaves on them. Then we recommend you use “Watch Us Grow” all purpose liquid plant food at a rate of  1/2 tblsp per gallon of water.
Mist the foliage with your spray bottle. repeat every 14 days.

Transplanting

When your plants outgrow their cells you will want to transplant them to a larger pot, be careful with seedling
it is still very delicate.

The next step takes place approximately 2 weeks before planting in the garden. It’s called “hardening off” there are a couple of different ways this can be done. You can bring your plants outside for a couple of hours at a time or put them in a cold frame.
After they are accustom to the outdoors it’s time to plant them in the garden, remember to water them in with a solution of “Watch Us Grow” all purpose liquid plant food , 1 ounce per gallon of water. Then foliar feed them the same solution every 10 to 14 days throughout the growing season.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions about growing from seed or how to start seeds indoors, The Watch Us Grow Team

(800) 921-5542

 

 

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Is our food supply in danger

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Lets face facts , if we had to raise our own food to survive most people would not make it.

This is a very real possibility – with the technology of patenting seeds called Genetic Engineering (GE). This technology is imperfect at best,it’s cell invasion that transfers selected traits of one specie to the engineered specie. This can result in a plant that will resist some of the common problems some crops have. But in natures complex world, such manipulation of genes and cells can cause major problems.

For example some of the GE seeds have genes from pesticides in them , causing the plant to behave like a pesticide. These muti national corporations with their bought and paid for Governments and regulators expect us to eat the GE foods produced from these seeds. They of course have obtained approval for human consumtion by saying that their GE foods and fibers are ”substantially equivalent” to the heirloom types , but in the same breath also say that their products are “quite different” and should have patent protection.

Wait a minute ,- who invented the first seeds which they are messing with. Oh yeah -… Mother Nature! They ( the mutinational corporations) need to wake up , don’t be messing’ with Mother Nature, she has a way of always coming out on top.

The worlds Farmers are the ones that have developed the best hybrids , over many years of testing and trials. Natural hybridization is the natural genetic modification of seeds , this practice has gone on for thousands of years. But when the mutinational corporations came on the scene they used agricultural scientist to gain the trust of the farmers, who in turn helped them promote their GM (genetically modified) seeds.

Actually got them to believe that the GM seeds were better than their own. The typical farmer wants to boost his yield because he believes it leads to more income,and this is exactly what the mutinationals want them to believe ,this is not the truth . If all farms had bumper crops consistently the prices crash and no one suffers worse than the farmer. Farmers who understand the market and consumer behavior make money.

Many of the GM seeds that promised greater yields have failed to perform, but have been successful in contaminating
exsisting farmland and the environment. The use of these GM seeds is possibly the largest uncontrolled biological experiment ever released into the open environment.The mutinationals don’t know the long term affects of the continued use of the GM’s nor do I believe they care.

Biological pollution replicates itself in the environment, and it will intensify with time. At this time we know of no way to reverse this, but we do know some of the consequences of continued use of these GM seeds.

One extremely alarming fact is (CCD)Colony Collapse Disorder,  70% to 90% of bee colonies disappeared in two states in the United States where GM’s were extensively used. A study by German scientists found traces of genes from the GM’s in the gut lining of baby bees, and believe that the GM’s are responsible for the CCD.

Albert Einstein once said that without the honey bee man would not survive for more than 4 years. Of all the multinationals none of them compete with each other, for instance Monsanto has control of canola, soybean and vegetable seeds. They also have 25% to 30% of cucumber , potato and tomato seeds.

Here’s a surprise-not  , the USDA is in bed with Monsanto, owning stock in a company that Monsanto succesfully took over. I guess this is just a fact of life, man is out to destroy this planet ,all for the cash.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions, The Watch Us Grow Team

(800) 921-5542

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Beautiful Gardens start with the soil

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Spring, when we gardeners start thinking about digging in the soil. Soil preparation is critical to succesful gardens. Plants receive many of their nutrients from the soil, so building your soil up to a point of it being beneficial is important. This does not happen overnight, you should be adding composted material to your soil consistently.

We as gardeners are lucky, we have a simple and low cost solution to our number one problem in the garden….. Yes, compost is easy to obtain and we all produce the materials used in the making of it daily. Much of our common kitchen waste makes for wonderful compost, also lawn clippings and leaves.

Another good source is animal manure, but it must be composted or it will likely do harm to your plants due to the fact that fresh manure is high in ammonia. Fresh manure can be applied to your gardens in the fall and by spring will be perfect for you to plant.

Most plant material after being composted is beneficial. Peat moss is always a good addition to the soil. Now that your soil is prepped and ready to go for another season you need plants. If you choose to buy plants, we recommend going to your local independent Garden Center or Greenhouse, they will have knowledgeable people that can answer any questions you may have. When choosing your plants don’t automatically think you should get the biggest one. Look for a full , lush and sometimes smaller plant with tight buds [if it's a flowering plant].

Remember to always look your plants over carefully,mainly keep a close eye out for bugs, you don’t need to bring any of them home with you. As far as planting your plants, the labels will tell you whether you should place them in the sun or the shade. Once they are planted feed regularly with a balanced liquid plant food. We suggest Watch Us Grow all purpose liquid plant food.

 

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions, The Watch Us Grow Team
(800) 921-5542

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Posted in All Purpose Plant Food, Fertilizer, Gardening Seasons, House Plants, How To Care For Plants, Modern Gardening, Organic Gardening, Tomato Gardening, Verticle Gardening | No Comments »

Tomato Troubles?

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Tomatoes sometimes become sick during the growing season. We will give you some of the causes, and some preventive measures you can take to have a healthy gardening experience.

Tomatoes can be attacked by a combination of problems. Insects, bacteria,fungus, viruses are the most common. Environmental factors often are the reason, some of these are over watering, excessive sunlight and temperature swings. Another problem is poor soil, it weakens their immune system.

Also insects can spread disease just by traveling from an infected plant to a healthy one. For instance, Thrips can carry spotted wild virus. Beet leaf hoppers are a major carrier of curly top virus. If you commonly have problems with these pests you will want to grow a variety that is resistant to them. There are cultivars that are naturally resistant to different viruses. Talk to your local Garden Center personal, they are very knowledgeable about what varieties will do best in your area.

If you have a sick plant, treat it quickly or remove it completely from your garden to help prevent the further spreading of disease. Remember if you prune diseased plants DO NOT compost trimmings , this may further spread the disease. The best thing to do is burn the trimmings. And remember to clean your shears completely after having any contact with infected plants.

Another way to help prevent pests is to do “companion planting” some companions to the tomato plant are Marigolds, Carrots and Nasturtiums. Plant them next to the tomatoes or around the border of the garden, they release scents that naturally repel many insects. You can also try “sacrifice planting”this is the practice of planting a plant that is more attractive to insects than tomatoes.

For example, plant some sweet corn on the opposite side of the garden, a large percentage of tomato fruit worms will be diverted to the corn plant. When the corn becomes infected and has eggs layed on it, pull it out of the garden and discard it, again burning is the preferred way to get rid of it. This will eliminate the next generation of pests before they hatch.

  The following are some solutions to common tomato problems

. Use mulch to hold moisture on hot days

. Space tomatoes far enough apart to allow good air circulation

. Harvest fruit quickly after it becomes ripe, over ripe tomatoes attract pests

. Make sure any compost used is fully decomposed or it can attract pests

. Support tomatoes with cages to promote good air circulation

. Always feed you plant with a well balanced all purpose liquid plant food we suggest “Watch Us Grow” all purpose liquid plant food

 

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions, The Watch Us Grow Team
(800) 921-5542

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Organic vs. Conventional Farming

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Organic vs Conventional Farming…. Do we have enough?

Many people in first world countries don’t even give it a second thought. Never having to worry about where your next meal is coming from rarely goes through the mind of these people. But throughout the world many do think about it,and for many it’s daily. I’m not writing this article to bash Organic farming, I think it has it’s good points as far as mother earth is concerned. I do believe that people are brainwashed to a certain extent about Organics vs. Conventional farming. For instance,most think that anything called or labeled Organic is good.

It’s just not true, there are many grey areas in the Organic laws & rules that are turning the whole organic farming movement into a cash cow for those involved. And as is with most everything our Government is up to their eyeballs in it.

The real point I want to make  with organic vs conventional is that we need conventional farming to feed the worlds population!

If we tried to do it with Organic farming we would starve, the following are some Statistics from the National Agriculture Statistics Service of USDA, organic corn yields could only produce 71 % of the national average for conventional corn production.

Organic soybean yields could only reach 66% of the national average, and organic wheat yields could only produce between 62 to 66% of the national average grown conventionally. To put these numbers into perspective,the organic yields of corn in 2008 are equal to what conventional farming was producing 22 years ago.

Organic soybeans equal to what conventional farming was producing 29 years ago, and organic wheat equal to 57 years ago. These numbers are alarming at best. Until organic production can equal or surpass conventional ways of farming, I believe we need to stay the course with finding even better ways to improve conventional farming.

One way we here at “Watch Us Grow” all purpose liquid plant food suggest is to incorporate foliar feeding along with conventional dry fertilizing. It has shown that growers can lessen the amount of dry fertilizer applied to the ground. Use “Watch Us Grow” all purpose liquid plant food as a supplement and have as good and better yields.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions, The Watch Us Grow Team
(800) 921-5542

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Growing Fruits

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Considering the hardships we’re all experiencing when it comes to buying eco-friendly fruits and vegetables that are not entirely injected with harmful substances for our own health, growing fruits in your own garden seems to be a top-notch idea. There are plenty of tips and pieces of advice you really need to be fully aware of, if you’re planning on becoming your own fruit provider, and you’re about to read some insightful ideas.

First and foremost, you need to realize that growing fruits is not the easiest task you might handle, but it is not the hardest either. You need to know that pesticides and fertilizers are still going to be a big issue; luckily, you can lay your hands on a great gardening product that can really do you a lot of help: Watch Us Grow All Purpose Liquid Plant Food. You can use this fertilizer to rapidly grow your favorite fruits in a very health-oriented manner, you can ensure the quality of your fruits and their exquisite taste and you won’t have to worry about having wasted your money on seeds and other specific products.

Next, you need to decide upon the type of fruits you are most interested in. Make sure the soil you are about to use for your fruit garden is appropriate for the type of fruit you have in mind. Then choose soft berries, because these are some of the easiest fruits you could grow at home, they have excellent flavors and they are ready to be harvested when they are fully ripe.

Of course you also need to rely your decision on the actual size of your garden; you can also choose to grow tree fruits, provided you are have enough space to plant these trees and maintain them properly. Dwarf fruit trees might be some of your best choices, considering these trees are small in size and you can pick up their fruits extremely easy from above the ground. You can opt for blackberries, strawberries or berries that are known to grow on vines or bushes.

Picture these trees and the way they would look like inside your garden and make sure you’re making the perfect pick. Contemplate the growth of apples, pears or cherries, if these are some of your favorite fruits. Don’t worry about your crop being shred to pieces because of improper soil or damaging weather conditions. You can make full use of the All Purpose Liquid Plant Food fertilizer and enjoy your fresh and healthy fruit.

If you’re worrying about crawling pests, you don’t have to; there are plenty of ways of getting rid of those, and one of them refers to the use of tree bands that can actually capture these pests while they’re climbing up the trunks of your fruit trees. You can also use some highly efficient sticky plastic bands that are able to prevent ants and caterpillars from ruining your fruits.

All in all, there are many things you should be aware of before embarking on this sometimes demanding trip of fruit gardening; but with the right plan in your mind and Watch Us Grow All Purpose Liquid Plant Food, you’ll be ready to go.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions,
The Watch Us Grow Team

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Container Gardening At A Glance

Monday, June 20th, 2011

If gardening seems to always be on your mind and seeds and fertilizers are always a big issue for you and your decision-making processes, you might find container gardening a bit more limited, but a lot easier. If you own a balcony or a patio, you can bring on your exquisite gardening skills and make the most out of these small spaces.

You will find these mini-gardens a lot cheaper to be handling and maintaining, and even developing, and you might be able to find the time you need to cater to your plants’ needs a lot easier. You can make things even more exciting and you’re your own rooftop to display the large array of your gardening ideas and abilities.

You need to start by acknowledging the fact that even though you might now own the regular garden soil in a backyard, you still need to buy plenty of stuff such as special pots, window boxes, hanging backs and other containers and plant your own exotic or non-exotic plants.

You need to makes sure your plants are going to have all the light that they need, given the fact that their location will most likely be a more peculiar one. You also need to keep in mind that there are plenty of plants you can grow in your special containers even though the light sources might not be the best you can find. Ivy or licorice seeds are great plants you can make full use of inside the walls of your containers without having to fear your plants are not about to grow efficiently.

Moreover, you need to think of your container gardening as the perfect place to be using your All Purpose Liquid Plant Food fertilizers in and benefit from the rapidness in the healthy growth of your plans. There are plenty of folks who have reported wonderful results in relation to the use of the All Purpose Liquid Plant Food on their gardens, so your container gardening hobby is also going to win a lot from its use.

Other great tips that should encourage you to go on with your plan of setting up a great garden right inside your balcony or on your rooftop refer to the actual size of the containers you are about to use. Even though several small containers might sound like a safe idea, you could use a large pot instead and make full use of different filler plants to come up with the best view possible.

You should also decide upon the exact number of plants to include in your containers or large pots. The ideal number would be somewhere around three per pot, plus the extra filler plants which are going to add a plus of beauty and excitement. Make sure the pot you are about to use features a great drainage hole and avoid combining styles. You might find your ideas ravishing, but you might end up admiring some not very appealing pots. It’s really helpful to always try to add a certain common element – namely a plant, a flower or a type of veggies – that can be found in all of your grouped pots.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions,
The Watch Us Grow Team

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Flower Gardening

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

The great thing about flower gardening is the fact that you can use it as a way of putting one of your biggest hobbies into practice, while relaxing and having a blast. Some people find listening to classical music the most soothing of all experiences; other, like you, prefer to spend hours giving care to their flowers and thinking of great ways to improve the display of their flower gardens.

There are many great tips and secrets you could put into practice and reach your goals as well, and one of them is, of course, the All Purpose Liquid Plant Food all-natural fertilizer that enables flowers, vegetables, fruits and other types of plants to grow rapidly into some of the most gorgeous varieties your eyes have ever witnessed.

If you are not familiar with this product but you’ve been contemplating the thought of trying it out, this might be a great time to do it. Your flowers definitely need it, whether we are talking about your roses, pink peonies or other choices of your own heart.

Perennials are exquisite plants that have the great tendency of springing to life month after month and beautifully blooming every time. They are the main strategic pillars of your flower garden, especially during those waiting periods when your flowers are not yet fully grown and your garden holds very few precious stones to be shown to the greater audience. These plants can last up until winter chooses to install its white coat over nature; you will notice these perennials fading away as soon as their leaves will start to die. But you’ll be their main greeter once they’ll return. Hostas or peonies and even daylilies are able to last for several decades, so you can see how advantageous it is to be growing this type of plants.

If you’re giving thought to the idea of completely revigorating or boosting the entire display of your flower garden by adding some perennials, you need to be patient, at least during their first year. This is normally the time when you’ll be able to see more of the clumps, and less of the flowers. Nonetheless, you needn’t let yourself be discouraged; your lovely flowers will have plenty of time to do their thing and grow into beautiful plants, and, by the end of their third season you will be amazed to admire their splendor. Should you choose to use the All Purpose Liquid Plant Food fertilizer, you can rest assured all of your flowers will soon start to look like they’ve been on steroids for plants!

You need to take into consideration the type of soil you have at your disposal, maybe contact your local flower shop guy and inquire about the plants or flowers you can rest assured are going to be efficiently growing and learn everything you need to know about the specific weather conditions in the area you live. While some plants might look awesome in those glossy gardening magazines, they might not really be at your reach.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions,
The Watch Us Grow Team

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The Miracle Of All Purpose Liquid Plant Food

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

The essential role of pesticide and fertilizers is unanimously recognized, admired and much-appreciated by every passionate gardener. Whether you are just starting out your first real garden or if you’ve got some experience in the field, you need to know that fertilizers such as All Purpose Liquid Plant Food make a lot of sense and a huge difference when it comes to comparing a garden that has met with this fertilizer, and one that has no idea what this amazing product is all about.

Of course there are other types of fertilizers out there, but the” Watch Us Grow” seems to be on top of its class. The promotion of lush and extremely green plant growths has never been easier with the help of the All Purpose Liquid Plant Food; so with a few gardening skills up your sleeve and this magical potion, you can leave everyone starring for a while.

You need to decide whether you are willing to use some potentially harmful fertilizers and pesticides, or if a fertilizer that is extremely healthy for both your plants and you, greener and really strong is something of your liking.

Once you give the Watch Us Grow All Purpose Liquid Plant Food a try, you are definitely going to regret not using it before. Whether you are a huge Asparagus fan or if cucumbers are more on your taste, you can rest assured your veggies are going to look and taste healthier than ever. Given the fact that this magic potion is highly concentrated, you will be satisfied to hear about its cost-effective features.

If you’re looking to do a little veggie gardening, you can enjoy the fact that your tomatoes or cabbage is going to be easily fed through their roots or leaves, that they will benefit from the perfect combo of nutrients that will make them grow as never seen before, and you’ll get all these while knowing you’re vegetables will be completely safe to be eaten.

Moreover, this amazing All Purpose Liquid Plant Food is known for its remarkably fast results that are directly related to the fact that it goes to work almost on the spot. Should you decide to give it a try, you can expect to witness some impressive veggies spring to life in no time.

It might also help quite a bit to know a few veggie gardening tips; for instance, you could boost your veggie garden’s efficiency by clearly developing an awesome garden plan. You should be able to use the beginning of the year, or the first 3 months, per say, to develop this extremely important plan of yours. Draw sketches and don’t be afraid to use your imagination and own taste, think of the veggies you adore and see if the soil you own can handle all of your plans.

You could also use companion planting, which literally means coming up with a great way of boosting the efficiency of your veggie garden; all you need to do is think about the vegetable you can pair and encourage them to grow and develop together.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions,
The Watch Us Grow Team

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