When we bought the home we live in now the garage and basement had all kinds of poisons to put on the property to kill off stuff they didn’t want growing or to kill weeds in the lawn. We never used them once and had to call the local landfill just to find out how to dispose of such death.

We didn’t realize we were going to be organic gardeners, never actually thought about it, we just didn’t want to have poisons around.

We may find that we do things that make us NOT organic gardeners but if we are I don’t know about it yet. You can be sure I will change if I find something we thought to be organic that isn’t. We want to be 100% organic so we know we are doing everything we can to live healthier and organically.

I feed beer to our garden slugs, I hear a lot of burping out there at night, so I think they have fun before they expire, I hope that’s still organic.

We prefer to dig out rather than spray with pesticides. Before we resort to digging out deep rooted plants we don’t want we will look for an organic method that will kill it, if not we start digging.

We do try to grow things that cover the grounds so weeds don’t get a start and use mulch to cover other areas. It helps keep the weeds down and the moisture from evaporating so quickly on those warm or hot days.

One thing that we know is organic for sure is our compost. We found a compost bin out behind the garage when we moved here but they had never even used it. We only use yard and kitchen waste that is able to be composted. All we have to do is turn it a bit and add water to it.

We try not to use city water as it has chlorine in it so we collect rain water in a barrel and use that when we can. We are going to add a couple more barrels because we didn’t collect enough rain water to do the job so we did have to use city water for most of the summer.

We sleep better knowing we are doing our part at going 100% organic.

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Outdoor patio is one of the best places to relax. But, there are times that outdoor patio are also the best place where we can have party with family and friends. It is the times we socialize and mingle with them. Spring is the most ideal season we can throw party in outdoor patio. While having our best time outside the patio we always spend time staying in the patio furniture. Before we held a party do we really know the importance of the patio furniture?

I list down some of the outdoor patio furniture and their importance:

Table and Chairs
The most important among the outdoor patio furniture is this set. Tables and chairs main purpose is used for eating meals. We play board games with our family and friends during our spare time oftentimes. There are various materials that tables and chairs can be made of. Three of the most popular materials are plastic, wood and aluminum.

Benches
All at the same time, many people may sit on a bench. If you have a big family and guests, it’s ideal to have a bench in the patio. There are other benches that are made of metal and plastic materials but it is typically made of wood. We are relatively close to each other when we use bench that’s why it is the perfect patio furniture for bonding and chatting.

Porch Swings
Porch swings give added attraction in the outdoor patio though they are rarely found in most of the outdoor patio. Porch swings can accommodate three adults all at once. While sitting, porch swings can give us added relaxation than regular bench.

Planters and Garden Accents
Planters and garden accents are outdoor patio furniture’s add-ons. {Planters give added beauty and attraction to any areas in outdoor patio.} Planters main purpose is to hold any plants so it’s made weather resistant. Also, garden accents do the same function as planters. But, garden accents are much more visibly eye-catching. Every garden accent is designed uniquely. It gives us a pleasant feeling by having them in our outdoor patio.

It’s always nice to have all of this outdoor patio furniture. After everything, we all like to see our home well groomed. Now, it’s better to know their importance then consider having them afterwards.

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Growing your own Halloween pumpkin is it’s own adventure! The end result is your own Jack O lantern creation that you started from a seed!  While most varieties of pumpkins are fairly hardy, there are pointers that can help you produce a giant pumpkin sure to impress your family and friends when Halloween rolls around. Here is what you need to know about growing pumpkins for Halloween:

Starting the seeds. It is crucial to know when to start your seed in order to have fully grown pumpkins by Halloween.  Keep in mind that the earliest pumpkin starts are for Giant Pumpkins that require 150 days or more of growing time. Giant pumpkin growers time their starts for maximum growth in order to produce a world record fruit in time for the fall weigh offs which run from early to mid October. You should note that there is plenty of flexibility on the start date for other varieties. These can be timed to mature from September to October, and can be started indoors or out. While fully mature pumpkins are particularly hardy, new growers should take note that pumpkins are tender annuals. Frost will kill them, and cold weather will stunt their growth. You should keep this in mind when starting your plants. Recommended “ideal” starting dates for your pumpkin plants are as follows:

• Giant Pumpkins:  Start indoors from April 25 to May 15th Set outdoors after the first true leaves form. Provide cold and frost protection.
• Jack-O-Lanterns / Field Pumpkins: Direct sow into the garden from May 15th to June 15th. Start indoors up to two weeks prior to setting outdoors Provide cold and frost protection.
• Miniature Pumpkins: Direct sow into the garden from May 25th to July 1st. Start indoors up to two weeks prior to setting outdoors

How many pumpkins will you get? One pumpkin plant will normally produce three to five pumpkins. Miniature varieties have been known to produce up to a dozen or so. There will usually be several more female fruit, but some of them will not develop for a number of reasons. Keep in mind that if you are growing pumpkins for size and weight (giant pumpkins), you will eventually select one pumpkin and remove the rest from the vine. By doing this, you allow the plant to direct all of it’s energy into growing just that one pumpkin. It should be noted that a small number of growers keep a second fruit on the vine as an “insurance policy” in case disaster strikes the first fruit. You should understand however that this does not preclude the possibility that you can grow enormous pumpkins if you keep more than one on the vine.

Adding weight to your pumpkin. If you so choose you can turn your everyday pumpkin into a giant pumpkin. You will need to fuel the growth of your fruit to produce the biggest pumpkins you have ever seen. Of special note is that in August, you also need to be diligent and guard against insects and plant disease, especially powdery mildew. Here are some additional tips for adding weight to your pumpkins:

• Keep your patch well watered. This is a great way to get your kids involved. Turn over a small amount of soil and see if it is moist several inches down.
• Adding a layer of compost feeds the plant and helps to retain soil moisture. It can also help to keep weeds down.
• Keep in mind that big pumpkins have big appetites. Regular applications of fertilizer will yield the best results. Switch to a fertilizer that is high in potassium to really bump up the weight of your pumpkin.
• Cover the pumpkin vines with garden soil. This will promote secondary root growth, and results in much bigger pumpkins.

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