The Chamomile Flower Is Not Just For Looks

The chamomile flower is not just a flower that is pretty; it is also a great remedy for many things. You may not even realize all the things that chamomile can help with, but there are a lot. This one herb can be of help no matter what stage of life you are in. It can help with babies, all the way to older people, and everybody in between. Here are some of the many things you can use chamomile for.

We'll start with the little ones. Chamomile tea can help a colic baby feel better. It soothes their upset tummy. You can also use chamomile tea to help with a fussy baby who is teething. You do need to make sure you make the tea an appropriate strength depending on the child's age. Chamomile tea is a great natural way to help your little one start feeling better in no time.

If you have had a stressful day at work you might try a bath with some chamomile. Put some chamomile in a cheesecloth bag and tie it shut and fill your tub two thirds of the way full with hot water. After ten minutes you of letting the chamomile soak in the water add cold water until it is the desired temperature. Now all you need to do is sit back and relax and let the chamomile work its magic. This is a great way to relax before bed too.

Chamomile is also known for softening the skin. The chamomile bath will also help soften your skin. Lotions are also now made with chamomile. Soap is another item that chamomile is now being put in.
Chamomile tea will not only help your little one, it can help you feel better as well. If you are suffering form menstrual cramps you may want to try some tea. In addition to helping subside the pain of cramps, chamomile tea can also be used to regulate your period. Chamomile can also help soothe those painful backaches that come with your monthly cycle.

Chamomile can help you when you are sick with a cold or the flu as well. The tea will help soothe a sore throat, or stomach cramps, or sore muscles, or many other aches and pains. What a great way to naturally relieve your aches and pains. You don't have to run to the medicine cabinet for some aspirins every time you have an ailment, you may want to try some chamomile tea instead. With chamomile in the house you are sure to help ease someone's pain. So, next time you go to the store don't forget to pick up your chamomile tea, remember it is safe natural, and wallet friendly.

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Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as flower arrangements at www.flowerarrangementsandplants.com

Six Rose Diseases And How To Treat Them

Roses are beautiful but can be a bit challenging to grow. There are many insects and diseases that can chip away at the health of your roses. He are six symptoms of disease in your roses and how to treat them.

1. Malformed young canes or canes that are stunted

this is a fungal disease which is called powdery mildew. It covers stems bods and leaves with a white powder that spreads in the breeze. The leaves will turn purple and curl. To treat this, spray with Benomyl or Funginex.

2. Black spots on leaves

Aptly named, this disease is usually referred to as black spot. These spots are circular and have fringed edges causing the leaves to yellow. To treat this you want to remove infected leaves and pick up any that have fallen around the plant. You can also buy artificial sprays to treat and prevent black spot.

3. Stunted or malformed flowers and leaves

Malformed leaves and flowers can be caused by spider mites. These little tiny mites can be green red or yellow and usually hang around on the underside of the leaves where they have a good old time sucking the juices. You can try applying Isotox or Orthene to help treat these little pests.

4. Blistered leaves

If you notice the underside of your roses leaves are blistered you may have the disease known as rust. Blisters are an orange red color in turn black in the fall. This disease can live throughout the winter and in spring when new sprouts formidable attack them. To treat this get rid of any leaves that are infected both on the plants and on the ground. Spray Funginex or Benomyl every seven to 10 days for treatment.

5. Flowers which are malformed or do not open

this is another problem with roses that can be caused by bugs called Thrips. These are fain brownish yellow bugs that have fringed wings and damage your plant by sucking the juices from the flower buds. To get rid of them you'll have to cut off the infested flowers. Malathion and Orthene may also be used to treat this problem.

6. Leaves that are weak and mottled or show tiny white webs underneath

Here you may have a problem with aphids. These tiny blogs can be green and brown or red and often hang around in clusters under the leaves and flower buds where they suck juices. Try spraying with diazinon or malathion in on to get rid of them.

If your roses to not have any of these pests or diseases but are still unhealthy looking you might want to look at the way you are fertilizing them. Roses are very hungry and do require fertilization. Talk to your local gardening store to find out what's best for your area.

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Lee Dobbins writes for gardening.subjectmonster.com where you can learn more about all types of gardening including indoor gardening, container gardening and organic gardening. Get gardening tips to help improve your gardens today!

The Right Gardening Tools Can Make All The Difference!

It is well known that gardening in not only a relaxing hobby but beneficial to the body as an exercise. Some people see gardening not only as a hobby but an integral part of their daily lifestyle. If this is your situation, then it is very important that you are using the correct gardening tools for the work. The question is, is how do you know which tools are the right ones? Well, here are some gardening tips to help you choose.

Are you someone who loves being in the garden but hates being in the shops? Sorry, but you will have to do that hated shopping if you want to buy the correct gardening tools. It is important that you choose styles that suit you and this will mean spending time in the shops. You will need to do your research and that requires comparing tools available, so you'll have to visit more than one shop if you want to do a proper research. You need to ask questions about the tools, which means you need to make sure that who you're talking to knows what they're talking about! If you're not sure what you need, you must ask someone who has the required knowledge, and this is where the next tip comes in handy.

You can buy gardening tools from many places but not all have staff have the required knowledge. Go to a garden place that has staff trained in horticulture. They should know what tools are best for what you'd like to do in your garden. They will probably show you a range of tools, both in price and quality. It is always best to buy gardening tools that are made to last if you're a serious gardener. Try holding the tool to make sure you are comfortable with it. Sometimes, a cheaper tool is actually more comfortable to use. More expensive doesn't always mean better quality. Be very careful buying online unless you have actually seen the product. Once you know what brand you want to buy, do some price comparisons before you buy. Don't feel obliged to buy from the first store you receive help from.

Ok so you are ready to begin looking for gardening tools, but which tools do you need? Well here are a few necessary tools that every gardener should have:

* Garden Rake - Much different from a lawn rake and specific for gardens, working well to give you accuracy and control to prevent damage to your plants.
* Round Point Shovel - Great for digging large holes for your plants
* Spade - Takes care of intricate work
* Garden Fork - Works well in loosening soil and ridding of weeds in smaller garden
* Hoe - Great for digging up weeds that are tough and do not seem to want to budge.

Summary:

Taking time to carefully think about and choose your tools could mean a money saving effort on your part. Be sure to pick the tools you need and feel comfortable using, which will help you get your gardening jobs done efficiently and with enjoyment.

Article Source: http://www.article-exposure.com

Brooke Hayles
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How To Make Sure Your Wildflowers Survive In Your Home Garden

If you have ever taken a walk in the woods you may have seen all the beautiful flowers that can be found right in nature. These flowers are wild, but are still beautiful. Did you think to yourself, I wonder what these would look like in my yard? If you have wondered this same thing, here are a few tips for you to make sure your flowers will survive.

Even though these flowers are strong enough to grow and thrive in the wild, does not mean they will not take special care. First thing you will need to do is make sure you are ready for your wild flowers once you get them home. Once you take the flowers out of their natural habitat you will want to get them back in the ground as soon as possible. Make sure you have you flowerbed at your home ready to go when you arrive.

You will want to make sure you have a good water drainage system in place. You may have to dig deep and place some rocks in the soil to ensure good drainage. You will want to make sure the soil is moist and ready to support its new life.

When you get your wild flowers make sure you get some roots and soil with it. The roots will help the flower stay alive and adapt to its new home. You will also want to make sure it has some of its natural soil from the woods to help it thrive. You can not expect the plant to thrive if you change everything about its surroundings.

When you are choosing your flowers you need to pay attention to the environment around them. You will want to take note of what other flowers are near this flower, if any. Maybe this flower grows best if it is only surrounded with its own. If this is the case you should do the same at your home. You want to make your flowers new home as much like its natural home as you possibly can.

You should also make sure the flower is done blooming. Plants tend to survive a transplant better if they are moved after they are done blooming. You may need to go out in search of your wild garden more than once, depending on what kind of flowers you like. You can choose flowers so that you have some in bloom from March until the first frost. This is a great way to make your garden look great for a long time. If this is what you would like to do you will definitely need to go wild flower hunting more than once. This will take some time and effort, but will be well worth it when you have a beautiful garden of wild flowers to admire.

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Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as flower arrangements at www.flowerarrangementsandplants.com

Start A Hot Hobby By Growing Your Own Hot Peppers

I have always wanted to make my own salsa, and I anticipate in the next year or so I will be able to do that when my wife graduates and we find her a great job in a larger city. My plan is to start our own garden, and grow all the essential things I will need to create original, authentic sauces, including bitingly hot, spicy salsa.

I would really like to experiment with hot sauces like Louisiana style, Mexican, and Asian style sauces. In order to make a hot sauce with my garden, I needed to become familiar with the Scoville scale that measures hotness. I also needed to become extremely familiar with jalapenos

I do not know much about gardening, but the area where we live is very fertile, and there are lots of people around who know how to do it, so I can get some real pointers from them. My brother in law, as a matter of fact, comes from a family where the dad grew vegetables in a huge backyard garden. They were always giving us peppers, squash, onions, tomatoes, and all sorts of great vegetables that I knew would work wonderfully in a salsa mix.

So what I will need to do first is investigate about home gardening, and find out which peppers and other vegetables grow well in the area that we will be moving to. Then I will need to decide how large I want the garden to be. In order to do that, I will simply reference the information on the Internet, and also get some advice from friends that have small gardens. I suppose it would not hurt to visit the local do it yourself store as well, since I will be headed there anyway for seed and fertilizer.

One question I will have is what kind of yield to expect? Once I have my garden set up and ready to go, I need to have some kind of idea on how much food will be grown in that area. Then I can prepare for it, and when it is time to harvest the vegetables, I will have plenty of storage space for all the produce.

After harvesting, I will review some recipes for salsa. I'm already a fairly good cook, so once I've learned a recipe and it turns out well, then I will feel comfortable experimenting with different seasonings and combinations of peppers. Afterwards, I can share my new, homegrown concoction with some friends, and if they like it than perhaps I will approach the local grocer. Salsa is definitely one of my favorite foods. Hot or mild, sweet, tangy, sour, it doesn't matter, I love it all.

It will take some work, and I know there are some unexpected challenges coming my way with the idea of starting a garden, but I think it will be worth it. I look forward to the upcoming year and the prospect of learning how to start my own garden, harvest it, and create a delicious salsa that everyone will love!

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Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as hot sauce at www.shop4hotsauce.com

Bamboo Does Require Maintenance - But Oh How It's Worth It!

Bamboo is an extremely hardy plant yet it still requires a solid level of maintenance to ensure it continues to flourish. Keeping bamboo well fed and moist is one of the keys to maintaining it in a healthy state. One of the common misconceptions with bamboo is that it doesn't require maintenance. In fact, the truth is that bamboo, particularly in containers requires watering more often than most other plants.

Relying on the elements such as rain for outdoor bamboo plants just won't cut it. In summer, regular watering is essential and if possible, automated watering systems are preferred. Keeping the soil moist will result in a happy plant yet as is often the case with most vegetation during winter, less is needed.

Bamboo Maintenance

Fertilizing your plant in spring and summer is highly recommended. There are several fertilizing methods available however, these depend on whether the bamboo is kept in a container or in the ground. For container plants, a slow release fertilizer is the preferred option while organic is ideal for in-ground plants. I have predominantly container plants and the slow release fertilizer works a treat. I have also found bamboo is partial to a seaweed boost.

Depending on the type of bamboo you have, then keeping them in check will keep both the plants and your neighbors happy. Spring time is when the running variety sprouts new shoots. You need to be wary that overcrowding doesn't occur and pruning stalks at the base can prevent this. Pruning these stalks every couple of years will keep down the threat of over clumping bamboo. Trimming also encourages extra foliage.

If you did your homework before planting your in-ground bamboo then you would have had to decide between running or clumping bamboo. The latter is non-invasive while the running variety needs to be kept in check. I have heard plenty of horror stories regarding running bamboo which could easily have been avoided. For instance, planting in escape proof barriers is a preferred way to stop the plant from spreading. Believe me, you don't want to think about this when the plant is a couple of years old and well established.

I don't have running bamboo however, my neighbor does and his example of how to host this "invasive" customer should be used as a guide if you are thinking about growing it. Wonderful additions to any garden and shade personified, running bamboo can get out of control if the proper precautions aren't taken. My neighbor used both an escape proof planter and also installed a deep barrier along his fenceline. It was a little extra work but the result is in the finished product and he has some of the most magnificent bamboo in our neighborhood. Plus, it's kept in check . You'll also want to check any regulations imposed by your local authorities regarding the planting of running bamboo. There may be restrictions.

Bamboo at it's bloomimg best is hard to beat. If you are considering making it a part of your landscape then my advice is to start small and gradually increase it's presence over time.

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Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster. Get the latest news and reviews onbamboo maintenanceand related bamboo information at:www.bamboogalore.com

Use Water Efficiently

Water scarcity all over the world has evolved into a problem that needs immediate solution by all those involved. The water facilities, public or private, the local, governmental or international associations and organizations, the national environmental departments and the vast public have to be informed on what water quantities they should be consuming and how that translated into a deficit or overflow of water resources.

Especially when one considers watering gardens and back or front yards, watering them deeply and thoroughly sounds like the only option. But there is also another issue that one has to consider; water frequency. The number of times one waters the plants that exist outdoors as well as indoors is extremely important for controlling the overall water consumption patterns. Watering plants infrequently, depending on their specific needs, is not a bad idea. Instead of leaving the watering process last for more than three hours each time-which does not benefit the soil or the plants-it is best if one decides to water them twice or once a week; again depending on the season and specific plants watering requirements. Since plants send out extra roots in dry conditions to seek water, this type of watering plan will encourage rooting and greater tolerance to dry spells. In addition, as nature illustrates, plants often bloom more profusely when stressed, as the natural instinct to reproduce creates more flowers.

Thus, you should water responsibly, using correct watering techniques. For example, you can water only during late in the afternoon, but before the sun comes down, so as to prevent the weather conditions from heating the water and thus reducing its evaporation loss. Moreover, you should water less often and for longer lengths of time to encourage deep root growth. Extremely important is for your irrigation system to be in its proper working condition. If drip irrigation will not work for you, try a hand held hose rather than a sprinkler. If you use a sprinkler, make sure you don't water sidewalks or driveways. Install a drip or other water conserving irrigation system, as slow drip and deep root watering systems can save up to 60% of all water used during garden care. Professionally installed and maintained irrigation systems will further help conserve water. Many people have also invested in developing some kind of rainwater capturing systems from their roofs, in order to use it later to water their garden and ornamental plants.

Another important issue is the proper condition of your soil. Since water does not easily penetrate clay soils and it manages to pass too quickly beyond the root zone of plants in sandy soils, adding an organic matter to clay and sandy soils will increase the penetrability of clay soils and the water holding capacity of the sandy ones. Furthermore, you should consider keeping your lawns to a proper height. Gradually let lawns reach a height of 3 to 4 inches, as longer blades of grass can mean going 3 to 4 days longer between waterings.

Concluding, saving water and keeping your garden looking beautiful is easy when you think about it and you can always follow these ways to see how water wise you can be around the house.

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Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Gardening, Real Estate, and Investing