Decorate with Ornamental Gourds

 

Ornamental gourds add color to any backyard patio or indoor table. And at this time of year they add to the festive fall look. With Halloween and Thanksgiving coming up its time to use those ornamental gourds for decorating. Here are a few ways to decorate you home for the fall holidays.

CANDLE HOLDERS: Buy or grow your own miniature pumpkins and gourds. Look for ones with flat bottoms so that they will stand tall and not fall over. Cut a circle in the center of the gourd with a lid-cutting saw from a pumpkin-carving kit. Insert a votive or a tall candle. Place them intermittently on the table or on a tray with fall foliage. they also look good on the patio, windowsills and fireplace mantels.

CENTERPIECE: Buy a perfectly round bright orange pumpkin (I like to use a large pie pumpkin). This will be used as a centerpiece for your table. First, cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin with your pumpkin-carving kit safety knife and clean out the seeds and pulp.

Place a glass or vase inside that is the same height as the pumpkin and fill it with water. Arrange colorful mums or fall flowers of your choice inside the glass to make a beautiful show-stopping centerpiece. I like either use a few fern leaves and find a vine that will cascade down the side of the pumpkin. Place small gourds around the centerpiece and on the table.

ICE BUCKET: Buy a round orange wide pumpkin with a stable flat bottom. Cut off the top third portion of the pumpkin with a serrated knife. Scrape out the seeds and pulp. Line the pumpkin with a glass or plastic bowl. Fill with ice and you have an instant ice bucket for drinks. Place colorful fall leaves that you have dried or waxed to preserve around the pumpkin.

NAME TAGS: Use very small gourds as name tags or place settings. Place a name on the gourd with a marker or paint. This is a fun decoration for a children’s Halloween party

There are many creative ways to use gourds and pumpkins for fall decorating. You are only limited by your imagination.

Backyard Hydroponic Gardening

 

There is a move towards growing hydroponic gardens.  And I myself find this is an area I want to explore and to add to my gardening experiences.

Hydroponically grown foods taste better and are high in nutrients. I have found hydroponic tomatoes are superior tomatoes particularly in the winter months. You can also grow more plants in a small space than with regular gardening so this style of gardening in perfect for apartment cities and limited space.

There are two types of indoor hydroponic gardens: an active hydroponic area and a passive one.

Active hydroponic systems pass a nutrient solution over the plant roots. To set up such a garden you will need a large sized planting medium like vermiculite, perlite and pea gravel. To make a passive indoor hydroponic system passively you will be providing a system that uses a wick or capillary system to feed your plants. The wick, which works like a kerosene lamp, sucks your nutrient solution via its reservoir, to the root system of the plant. Sand, peat moss or sawdust is the usual medium used passive hydroponics.

Hydroponic gardening is quite easy to begin. You need a lot of natural light for the best results. A sunroom or greenhouse is ideal. And if you use solar heating you will establish an econ friendly and cheap growing environment.

Easy Hydroponics

The first thing to do when learning how to make an indoor hydroponic garden is to decide exactly what you want to grow. Ask yourself these questions. How many of each plant you want.

How much area will you need to grow your desired quantity of plants? Use the Internet or a hydroponic garden book to determine spacing.

You will need plastic piping and 4 inch diameter pots. Shade cloth is helpful for the first month, particularly if the growing climate is very warm. Mix fertilizer and water to a strength of 20 to 24 CF. If this is your first attempt at hydroponics have a reliable source of information available for plant mixes. The resulting pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5 for your plants.

Rinse the seedlings to remove any dirt before planting them. And don’t be too generous with nutrients. Hydroponic plants can cope with a low supply of nutrients but can die if you give them too much. My rule of thumb when beginning is to err on the low side.

Cubed chopped rockwool or fired clay are recommended as growing mediums but you can use chopped rockwool, rockwool slabs, rockwool blocks or cubes or fired clay and rockwool and expect good results form your hydroponic garden.

I look for the supplies I need from friends and as salvaged products. This would include pots, piping, cloth and growing materials. It cuts down of the expense of setting up your first garden.

Looking for a chain link fencing Winnipeg? Visit

Planting your hydroponic plants

• Plant the seedlings in the hydroponic solution.
• Check the water daily if you want to successfully learn how to make an indoor hydroponic system. This ensures the nutrient to water ratio is right.
• Remember that Water evaporates which is why you have to keep an eye on it. Hydroponic gardening is not for you if you can’t check your water ratio frequently.
• Your hydroponic plants will grow for 3 to 5 months. Overall you will not have many problems if you set the garden up correctly but you will have to watch out for root rot and pests.
• You will know when you plants are ready to harvest. This part of gardening remains the same.

It can be expensive to set up an indoor hydroponic system the first time but the results are well worth it. You have fresh healthy vegetables and plants available all year long. You may even want to share or sell the extra crops and plants to friends and neighbors

Ideas for Fall Backyard decorating and Parties

 

Pumpkins add that fall festive feeling to your home, gardens and family gatherings or parties.  Pumpkins grow in every shape and size. They even grow in a white luminous color. By decorating them, arranging them or adding other fall produce and decorations with them you can create a fresh new look for any occasion or backyard party.

Here are twelve ideas that you may use or may inspire other decorating ideas.

Create a fall centerpiece for indoor parties. You can use pie pumpkins or mini pumpkins to save room on a table.  Create a small centerpiece of each room, the patio, porch or balcony area.

Small mini pumpkins make great candlestick holders. Add fall leaves and acorns around the pumpkin for more of a fall feel.

A pie pumpkin hollowed out will hold flowers. Fall mums would look natural and very festive.

Paint your pumpkins to match your décor. This is a great idea if your children want a pumpkin in their room. They can decorate it in their favorite colors or relating to a hobby.

Use decorative ribbon and hot glue it around your pumpkins. A spray of fresh flowers or artificial flowers will also add to the arrangement.

Use small mini pumpkins as a nametag for dinner parties. Use a marker and add the name and a few leaves and flowers near the pumpkin.

Use a cookie cutter and cut out shapes in your pumpkin. Then you can illuminate these cutouts with votive candles.

If you can find a corer to cut out the same size hole or an exacto knife, cut in a pattern around the girth of the pumpkin. A swirl design, simple wave around the pumpkin or a pattern created by holes the same size will create an interesting and easy luminary design.  For a mass amount of light to be let out, put holes randomly all over the outside of the pumpkin.

Spray some glue on your pumpkin and cover it in glitter! This adds a festive look to any party, particularly if you have added a pattern or holes for a lighted luminary.

Paint your pumpkin in a color that will serve as your base color. I find red and yellow to have a striking look. Then find some fall leaves, place it up against your pumpkin and spray different color on top. If you add shading to the leaves you will create a 3-d look.

Get a start on winter decor, paint your pumpkin white, the crown and stem of the pumpkin black and decorate it like the head of a snowman! Stack 2 different sized pumpkins on top of each other for a true snowman look.

Use any other gourd or squash to create a fall harvest look. This is particularly nice on a porch or in the front yard. The addition of a bale of hay or corn stalks will add to the display.

Pumpkins lend themselves to fall and holiday decorating. By using pumpkins, natural objects, flowers or paint you can create any feeling or match any décor or easily create a party theme.