Fw: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Wednesday March 5, 2008

March 5, 2008

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Wednesday March 5, 2008

Having trouble seeing this email? View the most recent issue or stories from previous issues.

More from ArcaMax.com!Funnies | Puzzle Games | Quizzes | Unsubscribe

Get Ready for St. 's Day!

Gardening Daily Tips

For JoyceWednesday March 5, 2008 • Butterflybush (Buddleia davidii) • Q & A: Sprinkers or Drip for Vegetable Garden? • Q & A: Health Benefits of Plants • Tip: Plant Root Crops • Reader Photos

Content provided byThe National Gardening Association.

Butterflybush (Buddleia davidii)Today's Featured Plant

Butterflybush (Buddleia davidii) Read the full profile of this plant at ArcaMax.com. Interested in reading about other plants? Search through hundreds of plant profiles and helpful articles by keyword. Comment on this Story | Printer Friendly | Send Story to a Friend | Top

Q & A: Sprinkers or Drip for Vegetable Garden?

Question: Is it okay to use a overhead sprinklers in a vegetable garden or not? I've just finished building a raised bed garden and am about to install a watering system. I was planning to use a micro sprinkler system surrounding the plot with a weekly watering schedule yet to be determined. I've heard that watering from the top can wash off pollen, and supposedly that's bad, but what about when it rains? Doesn't that wash off pollen too? I've seen hundreds of farms using gigantic sprinkler systems to water their crops...I assume they know what they're doing. My veggie garden consists of tomatoes, peppers, beans, carrots, onions, lettuce, eggplant, peas, and an assortment of herbs. Answer: You can water most plants with overhead sprinklers, and farmers often must. But drip watering is almost always better and more precise. Sprinklers (or rain) may wash away some pollen, but the main concern is disease. Splashing water or wet leaves are what many plant diseases need to spread. Sprinklers also waste some water to wind and evaporation, which is a big concern where you live. Drip watering systems deliver water to the exact place it's needed: the soil at the base of the plant. The water is applied slowly and is able to soak in. Water doesn't blow away or run off. Leaves stay dry, limiting disease problems. I'd encourage you to explore using a drip watering system. Good luck! Comment on this Story | Printer Friendly | Send Story to a Friend | Top

Q & A: Health Benefits of Plants

Question: Do you have any specific information about the health benefits of having plants in our surroundings? Answer: in the working world. Not only can plants actually clean the air in an office building, but the positive feelings developed by being around plants can effectively help reduce fatigue and mental stress associated with a high-pressure job. In an article in the Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences in 1996, plants not only raise humidity levels, making the workplace more comfortable and less "itchy", but the moisture given off by plants seems to suppress the growth of airborne microbes. In a study by Washington State University, people with plants in their work environment were twelve percent more productive and had lower blood pressure than those without plants. Comment on this Story | Printer Friendly | Send Story to a Friend | Top

Tip: Plant Root Crops

Plant radishes, beets and carrots when soil thaws, usually a few weeks before the last frost. Sow seed in rows or broadcast them. Gently press into soil, and keep moist. Comment on this Story | Printer Friendly | Send Story to a Friend | Top

Today's Reader Submitted Photos

Click an image above to see full size and read caption.

To see more of our subscriber photos visit our full Photo Gallery. Enter your Gardening Daily Tips pictures so you can show them off to other readers right here in this ezine and on the ArcaMax.com Web site. Click here to submit your photo. Sincerely, ArcaMax Editors

Recent Stories Q & A: Germinating Wildflower Seeds Q & A: Poor Apple Production Tip: Plant Azaleas and Camellias Poppy, Oriental (Papaver orientale) Q & A: Thinning Nasturtium Seedlings More Archived Stories

Sign In

Fw: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Wednesday March 5, 2008

Recommended Posts

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation

Activity