Ideal Security For Your Greenhouse Garden

Surveillance cameras for security system

Greenhouses are not cheap, we all know that. But they are actually even more expensive than you might think. That is because there are a lot of additional costs of running a greenhouse. Things like electricity and all the supplies you need in them, of course, but then also things that many people don’t think about. And one of those things is a good security system.

Surveillance cameras for security system

This includes a lot of things. You need surveillance cameras to monitor the entrance or entrances to your greenhouse. Any master gardener will have valuable tools and other things, like LED grow lights, inside and those need to be protected. In addition to surveillance cameras, you also need a way to record what those cameras see. And ideally, you will also have a way to monitor them in real time.

In order to see them in real time, they need to be connected to a wireless network. You can then monitor them from your computer or your smart phone. This is great, because you can check out the cameras whenever there is an alert. And that brings us to the next point.

In order to get these alerts, you need things like motion sensors, also known as motion detectors, and sensors on the doors and windows and any other entrance to the greenhouse. This may include ventilation ducts.

greenhouse for indoor plants

Whenever one of these sensors senses either movement or some kind of entry, it sends an alert to your phone. You can then quickly look at the camera feeds in real time and see why the alert was issued. If you see someone trying to break in, you can alert the police and they can arrive on the scene and arrest the perpetrator.

Since a lot of thieves arrive at night, it is also good to have floodlights. Ideally, you don’t want them on all the time. Actually, you want them on, but you want them fairly dim, so that they don’t take too much power.

Then, when the motion sensors go off, the floodlights go to full power and light up the area real bright. Generally this will scare away any intruder, but it also gives you a much better view from the security cameras.

And of course, those cameras, which you can view in real time, can also be recording at the same time, so that there is a record of everything. This is important, because the police will want this.

The best kind of lights to get are solar powered. Then you don’t need to worry about lugging them in anywhere and you also don’t need to worry about recharging them. They are charged automatically during the day by the sun, and then they have that charge that will last throughout the night.

If you need to plug them in, you have to run extension cord from the nearest outlets and you also have to worry about power outages. When the power goes out in the neighborhood, or if a thief cuts the power, your lights do not work. The solar powered lights will always have power.

Battery-powered lights are the same, but you have to charge them constantly. This can become tiresome. That is why solar powered lights are better for the situation.

There are other security measures you can take. I generally like to add some fake security cameras, because it makes it look like you have more cameras than you really do. You definitely want a few real ones, but some fake ones are great to add in.

In fact, it is good to make the fake ones especially visible and to make the real ones less visible. This works to scare off thieves, but if they do detect that the fake ones are fake, they may not see the real ones and they will get caught red-handed.

If you have an expensive greenhouse and it is filled with expensive tools like grow lights, you definitely want to make sure that all of that is safe from intruders. Even a vegetable garden can be something valuable that someone will want to steal from.

That is why I suggest, at the very least, to get security cameras for every door, along with sensors on those doors and on the windows. I also suggest getting the motion sensors and making sure that you control everything from your smart phone, so that you have instant access at all times. This will keep your precious garden safe from burglars.

Hammocks Let You Enjoy Your Hard Gardening Work

hammocking in my garden

lying in hammockBeing a master gardener is hard work. You spend all day outdoors in your garden digging holes and cutting branches and twigs or the lawn. You also need to weed and fertilize and move around a lot of heavy dirt in a wheelbarrow. It is manual labor and there’s lots of it to do if you’re attending to your garden. But you love doing it, because you love your garden. You definitely need a way to relax after gardening, however.

My favorite new way to do this is my hammock. I recently bought myself a gorgeous Mayan hammock from a website called Hammocked. I’m sure there are many similar sites, but I really like this one, because they help you find the perfect hammock for you and guide you all throughout the process of buying hammock.

hammocking in my garden

That kind of guidance was especially important for me, because I had no idea what kind of hammock to get. When I first got the idea in my head that I would put up a hammock in my garden, so that I can relax after the hard work but still be out in the garden while I’m relaxing, in other words to enjoy my hard work right out there among it, I pictured myself in what is called a rope hammock.

I also wanted a calm place to practice my singing. I recently got a new microphone, which I use to work on my vocals. The hammock is the perfect place for light singing practice with my new mic. I basically do my vocal warm-ups lying down, before getting up for some real singing practice.

The rope hammock is what most of us imagine when we think of a hammock. It is one of those things you seen with the ropes tied together. You’ve probably been in one and that it’s a nice for a little bit. But after a while these things get pretty uncomfortable. I thought that was a drawback of hammock in general. That you enjoyed them for a while, then you get out, because they become uncomfortable.

It turns out that is not true at all. Hammocks are insanely comfortable for a very long period of time. I even learned that the ancient Mayans slept in the hammock and many people still do the same in South America. It seems they go camping in hammocks and travelers travel with them. They use different styles of hammocks for this, of course. The rope hammock just wouldn’t do.

The parachute hammock is one of the more popular ones, because it is sturdy, comfortable and cheap. But it is not as comfortable as the South American hammocks. Among them, the Mayan hammock caught my eye, because it has a loose weave.

This means it is a lot cooler to lie in that other hammocks, which is exactly what I want in the summer months. I want to enjoy the breeze as I’m swinging between my trees and my garden. In the winter months, I’ll move it inside and swing there. And I don’t care how warm my hammock is, I’m not hanging out in subzero temperatures.

Now I know a lot of you have only an indoor garden. You’re probably thinking does it make sense to get a hammock for an indoor garden? Of course it does!

Your indoor garden is beautiful too, right? Why not get a hammock and enjoy it

In fact, with your indoor garden, you can enjoy it all year round. It doesn’t matter how cold it gets outside, you can still be comfortable in your hammock indoors. It might not be as nice and the warm months, when a grow light obviously can’t quite replace the sun, but the rest the time it is even better.

In fact, now that I have my hammock, I can wholeheartedly recommend one for anyone. Even if you don’t have a garden or balcony or really any space to hang it all, get yourself a hammock. You can always find the space to hang it.

And don’t worry about people stealing it. If it’s in your indoor garden, you should have a security system set up anyway. Keep your surveillance cameras watching every entrance to the greenhouse and your equipment and hammock will stay safe and secure.

You can hang it up under the ceiling or somewhere in your place. I have friends that have small apartments and have recommended them getting a hammock. They’ve hung it up between two walls in the corner of a room and they absolutely love it. Most use it for quick naps in the afternoon and I have to say, that is been one of my favorite uses too. Get a hammock, it will change your life.

How I Got Started On The Path To Being A Master Gardener

gardening shovel

Today, you know me as a master gardener. You also know me as someone who consults people on their gardens and helps them choose the best style, the best layout, the best plants and the best methods to use. I’m a gardening consultant and I am very good at what I do. More than that, I absolutely love what I do. It is the best job in the world and I would never want to do anything else. But how did I get here? Did I always want to be a gardener?

gardening shovelThe answer to that last question is no. When I was young, I wanted to be a princess. Because, of course I did. I also wanted to be a ballerina and a singer and dancer and basically any other typical job the little girls aspire to.

Once I got a little bit older, I really wanted to be a banker. Specifically, I wanted to be a bank teller. Yes, I know. Aiming high, right? But whenever I went to the bank with my mom and I saw the teller, I just thought it looked like such a cool job. I’m really glad I changed my mind on that one. I would’ve been extremely bored with that.

When I was in junior high, we moved to a new location and to a new house that my parents bought on a fairly large piece of property. I guess it wasn’t that large, but it was larger than anywhere we live before and that meant that my mom could garden.

She always enjoyed gardening, since she grew up on a farm. Farming was simply in her blood and whenever we visited her family, I got a small taste of that. I always enjoyed it, but never considered it beyond that. However, now that my mom started gardening at our new home, I occasionally helped her out. And I really loved it.

hand full of plant soilI love the you’re actually helping life grow. You plant the seed and many years later you have a tree that gives you apples. It’s just an amazing feeling and so much fun to do. It does take a long time, which is a little bit frustrating at times, but you can also just buy trees that are already grown. During this time, my mom became a master gardener. She did more as a hobby than anything else. She loved doing it to relax.

For me, though, watching her get her master gardener certificate and watching her garden and, more than that, helping her in her garden, left a lasting impression on me. It was then that I decided that I want to do something in the field of gardening. When I was in high school, I got a summer job at a gardening store. I continued this throughout college to help pay for school.

In college I studied botany, figuring it was the closest degree to gardening. It was far more scientific than I wanted, though. I enjoyed working in the garden using my hands. I do not care too much about studying plants. I just want to grow them. Nevertheless, that degree allowed me to get jobs that eventually led to me becoming a consultant. Once I was a consultant, I also got my master gardener certificate. As mentioned before, that helped me in that I could now charge a lot more for my services. It also meant that I was finally where I wanted to be in life.

What Is A Master Gardener?

masterful garden

I have decided to write a quick little post to clear up a question I get asked all the time. That question is: what is a master gardener? Many people think it is someone who has gotten a Masters degree in gardening. This is sort of true, but not quite.

A master gardener has studied the subject of gardening extensively and has received a certificate qualifying him or her as a master gardener. But this is not the same as a Masters degree for other subjects. The certificate does state that the holder has extensive in-depth knowledge on all things gardening. It is often required for a lot of commercial gardening jobs. It is also a good thing to have if you do freelance work, which is what I do.

Ever since I’ve gotten my master gardening certificate, I have been able to charge much more for my consulting work. This is work where I help people plan their gardens and then execute those plans. I consult with them on what exactly they want to grow, how much work they want to put in, what the situation is with the local climate, etc. Basically, I help them plan every aspect of their garden. Then I usually help them execute that plan. I do this for indoor gardens as well.

I introduced them to contractors who can do everything for them or I show them what they need to do themselves. Usually for small gardens, people like to do the work themselves, but for larger commercial gardens, they obviously don’t. Companies and the like usually hire a landscaping firm. I know a lot of these and I can always give them good deals. This is another way I help.

masterful garden

I do get a lot of friends who always want me to help them with their gardens and I never know what to do. I know other professionals have the same issue. Doctors get asked a lot of medical advice, but if you spend all day giving people advice, you don’t want to do in your free time as well. Especially not without getting paid.

The same goes for me. I hate giving out gardening advice or helping my friends and family with their gardens. That sounds selfish, but think about it. I spend so much time doing this all day long that I don’t want to do more of it. Plus people pay me a lot of money. I could take more jobs in my free time and make much more money, but I choose not to, because I want to do other things with my free time. So, when people asked me to help them with their gardens, they are basically asking to steal my time. It is kind of rude.

So if you have a master gardener in your family, please don’t do this to them. Acknowledge that they worked hard to get their certificate and that they work hard to make money with it. They do not want to dispense free advice all day long, no matter how close your relationship. They wouldn’t do that to you with your job, would they? Okay, if the answer to that is yes, then you are fully justified in doing the same to them. But in my case the answer is no, so please stop asking me, friends and family. I would like to remain friends, after all.

Indoor Herb Gardening 101

herb garden with thyme

Growing a herb garden can be tricky at first, but well worth the efforts once achieved. There is something so fulfilling about growing your own herbs for cooking. The flavor is so much better when fresh herbs are used. The difference is undeniable. And growing them indoors is very easy.

It is best to start off with the easier herbs in the beginning then move up to the ones that are little more difficult to grow after you get a feel for it. Learning to read the plants and letting them tell you what they need is the best way to learn the skill.

herb garden with thyme
Some thyme growing in an herb garden

Always start with herbs that have been started for inside. Buying herbs that were started outside and moving them inside can throw them into shock. Lemongrass, mint, parsley, Vietnamese coriander and baytree are a few good ones that are a little easier to grow for a beginner.

Lighting and soil drainage are very important to these plants. You might lose a few in the beginning. Eventually, you will become good at understanding what they are telling you. 6 to 8 hours of southwest facing natural light is ideal for most herbs, but not always possible.

In that case, you can use clamp-on reflector lights with compact fluorescent grow bulbs. They should be placed 4 to 6 inches away from the plants. Keep lighting mobile so that it can be repositioned . Herbs will grow toward the light so lighting will need to be adjusted as plants grow. There are also lights that can be mounted under the cabinets for herbs grown on top of the counter. No plants will do well without good lighting.

Tarra cotta is excellent for your herbs home. A pot should be no smaller than 6 inches in diameter for individual plants and no smaller than 10 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep for multiple plants.

Drainage is also very important. Using just any soil is a mistake. Use high-quality organic soil that is rich in loam. You can add 1 part perlite to 25 parts soil to help with drainage. Soil should not be compacted and should be grainy. Grinding up some eggshell with a little water added to it can be a great way to add some extra lime to your potting soil. Your plants will love you for it.

Watering herbs should be done about once a week with soil draining well and drying out in between waterings. Check with fingers to see if soil is dry. If it is dry, water plants at the base of root and soil thoroughly. Drain good and let dry again.

If plants start to get brown spots this could be a sign of too much light. Raise lights slightly off herbs. If they become long and leggy with few leaves this could mean too little light. Move them to where they can get more.

Herbs don’t need a lot of water. Over watering is a common mistake most people make. Another common mistake is overlooking security. Grow lights and other equipment can be quite expensive and make your garden a target for thieves. You want to set up a good security system to deter intruders. And if they still try to break in, your surveillance cameras will catch them and hopefully lead to their arrest.

Growing herbs is a fun hobby and after some practice and a little reading you can become quite skilled at it. You will be adding extra flavor to your cooking in no time.

Using Plant Grow Lights During the Winter Months

plant soaking up some light for growing

Plants cannot thrive without light. However, not all plants can survive outdoors in harsh winters. If you want to grow juicy tomatoes and violets in the dead of winter or produce fresh garden herbs and salad throughout the year, grow lights will make it possible for indoor plants to flourish any time of the year in all weather conditions.

There are different types of grow light systems, depending upon the type of plant you wish to grow. For the beginner, choosing the right indoor grow lights may be a bit daunting. Fortunately, using plant grow lights is a simple and great way to kick start your year-round gardening season. Just go through our guidelines below on using grow lights during the winter months to grow a wealth of stock, green seedlings. This video may also help:

Type of Plant to Grow

Since vegetable plants need more light than many exotic plants, you need to decide what type of plant you wish to grow indoors, based on the amount of electricity you can use and the space available.

The Right Color

Sunlight consists of a spectrum of light, including all colors of the rainbow; from red through yellow and blue through violet. Although plants require the full spectrum to carry out photosynthesis, red and blue light are the most important, though.

plant soaking up some light for growing

Red light lies in the 610-720 nm spectrum range which stimulates flowering most of all. Violet-blue light lies in the 400-520 nanometer range and promotes chlorophyll absorption that is especially important for rapid and strong plant growth.

There are several types of grow light types available on the market, each with their strengths and features. Incandescent grow bulbs are low cost but are also the least efficient, while fluorescent grow lights have low heat output and offer a decent spectrum of light for growth.

However, LED grows lights are the latest technology hogging the limelight for their great characteristics. Not only do they have minimal energy usage and an ultra-low heat output, they also provide an ideal light spectrum range. This makes LEDs the most efficient, effective and eco-friendly method to grow indoor plants.

The most efficient LED grow lights are those called 600 watt grow lights. Technically, LED fixtures actually use less than that, but the are equivalent to a 600 watt traditional grow light in terms of out put, hence the name. For a rundown of the best 600w LED grow lights, head here.

The Right Intensity

The intensity of light received by a plant is determined by the wattage of the bulb and the distance of the plant from the light source. Flowering houseplants like African violets will grow healthy at a distance of 10 to 12 inches from a light source, while foliage plants like ivy will be happy even if placed 36 inches away. Other flowering plants like citrus, orchids, and gardenias and most vegetable plants need higher light intensity to flower and produce fruit.

The Right Duration

Regardless of types of plants being cultivated indoors during winter, all of them need some rest. Plants ‘breathe’ in the dark which is vital for their healthy growth and the setting of buds and fruit.

Most vegetables and flowering plants should be kept in light for 12 to 16 hours per day. At least 8 hours of darkness per day is ideal for plants. By making use of artificial grow lights in your garden, you can have absolute control over the environment you give your vegetation and make sure it remains healthy by offering the best possible environment for growth. LED lights are the way to ensure that your vegetables obtain exactly what they require.

The Benefits of Gardening in a Greenhouse

greenhouse used for gardening indoors

The benefits of a greenhouse can not be overlooked. They are many and wide. A greenhouse has many benefits besides only promoting plant growth. While providing a nurturing environment for plants to prosper, it also offers many other functions.

Greenhouse gardening is certainly the next level of gardening. Whether you are gardening for commercial purposes or simply as a hobby, you may want to strongly consider investing in a greenhouse. Review these few benefits of greenhouse gardening and you may realize that a greenhouse is right for you!

greenhouse used for gardening indoors
A large greenhouse

Promotes a safe and optimum growing environment for plants

Greenhouses protect your plants from harmful pest infestations that arise with the passing seasons. You will not have to worry about those pesky beetles, locusts, and caterpillars doing any damage to your garden. It will be entirely protected within the confines of your greenhouse.

Greenhouses also protect your plants from adverse weather. It’s tough to predict the weather throughout the seasons, but with your plants safely nestled inside of a greenhouse, you won’t need to worry. Crops are fragile, but greenhouse gardening can ensure their protection and safety.

Want to make sure your plant growth is optimized?

If so, greenhouse gardening is an outstanding option. Plants will enjoy enhanced growth through the use of a greenhouse. Greenhouses provide the perfect environment for plant growth by securing enough heat and water vapors to preserve the warmth and humidity within the greenhouse. Thus, your plants will grow much quicker and better than they would have in an outdoor garden.

Removes the need for landscaping

Landscaping can prove to be a tough task, and as a result, many potential gardeners run away from even trying to start their flourishing garden. Greenhouse gardening makes landscaping unnecessary. In this respect, a greenhouse can make life much easier.

The seasons are irrelevant

Have you ever wanted to plant something only to realize it is not suited to growing in the current season? Instead of getting right to it, you have to wait for possibly months before you can even get started. The temperature just isn’t right.

With greenhouse gardening, the waiting game is over. Since you can control the temperature of your greenhouse, you can start planting seasonal plants no matter what season it is! The planning of your garden will no longer need to depend on the weather; it can be solely up to you!

Another key point? If you love relaxing in your hammock in your garden, you’ll know that most of us (those in clod climates) can only really enjoy this for a few months a year. With a greenhouse, you can enjoy your hammock all year round! It is never too cold for hammocking inside a greenhouse.

beautiful greenhouse
A very elaborate greenhouse

They can be customized

You can get your greenhouse customized to fit your needs. You can customize everything from the number of doors to the size of your greenhouse, the placement of plants and more! If you have the perfect greenhouse in your head, you can make it a reality. Before you know it, you can have the garden of your dreams.

 

Greenhouse gardens require an initial investment, but if used the right way, the investment will certainly pay off down the road. If you want to make your garden great, versatile, protected, and weatherproof, greenhouse gardening very well may be the way to go. It is what I recommend to all my clients and in fact, I worked in some of them when I was on my path to becoming a master gardener. Take the next step with your garden and start greenhouse gardening today!

Get started

  1. If you would like to get a greenhouse, kits are a great way to go. Here are a few on Home Depot’s website.
  2. Another option is to make one yourself. Here are some great instruction.

The Best Vegetables to Grow in your Indoor Garden

Vegetables grown indoors

Growing your own vegetables is a great way to save money. Not only that, but you will also avoid getting pesticides and other nasty things in them. This process is also better for the environment. In this article, we will have a look at what the best vegetables to grow yourself indoors are. It is not as hard as you might think.

Vegetables grown indoorsThe good news is, you do not need much to grow your own vegetables. So what are the best vegetables to grow yourself indoors?

Growing Your Own Carrots

Carrots need a lot of sun to grow. They will need to have no less than eight hours of direct sunlight to grow properly. You can place them under partial sun, but they will take their time growing. Artificial grow lights are a good way to make up for a lack of sunlight.

Seventy to eighty degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature required for carrots. Simply place some light and sandy potting soil into a pot. Make sure it is loose. Be sure that it is approximately eight to twelve inches in depth, with three inches of headroom.

Carrots need to have good drainage. Once you have done this you can sow carrot seeds thickly into the surface of the soil. Once you see the leaves begin to grow at least two inches tall, you will see some thin seedlings. If you notice fungus on the carrots or in the soil you can water it off with chamomile tea. It may sound strange, but trust me: this really works.

Peppers Are Great For A Personal Garden

In order to grow peppers, all you need is a large container and a sunny spot. Simply give your peppers a huge supply of water. They need at least four gallons of water in order to grow successfully.

Radishes Are Great To Grow Indoors

The radish is a very simple vegetable. It only takes a couple of days for them to grow. All you need is a small trough. Make sure it has small holes at the bottom. This will allow the radishes to drain.

The trough should also not be too wide. Simply place the seeds into some soil. Make sure it is a thin layer of soil. The radishes will then need to be kept in an area with plenty of light. If you do not have enough natural light, use grow lights. The soil should always be kept moist.

Growing Green Onions Indoors

Green onions do not take much to grow or look after. Simply plant the bulb into some soil and before you know it, they will begin to grow. Simply use a small container and put it in a sunny spot. You don’t need to do anything until they are nearly six inches long, when it is time to harvest your delicious green onions.

Lettuce Grows Great Indoors

It is best to grow lettuce in cool seasons. It is a very simple vegetable to grow inside. It does not take much to look after them. All you need is an every day potting soil, and a small amount of water. Drain the soil well and give the lettuce plenty of sunlight. Supplement with a red-band LED grow light for best results. Lettuce is great because it contains vitamin A and has a rich taste.

Mushrooms Are Not A Vegetable, But Are Great For Any Garden

Mushrooms are an excellent addition to your vegetable garden. They contain lots of antioxidants, are rich in fiber and have plenty of vitamin C. All you need to grow mushrooms indoors is a bag. This bag should contain special compost that has mushroom spawn in it. In order for the mushroom to grow successfully, you will need to keep the soil damp.

These are just a few of the best vegetables (and fungi) to grow yourself. There are plenty of other great vegetables you can grow. Why not give it a try sometime? You might be pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is to do.