The Green Thumb Site

Welcome! This site contains information for anyone interested in gardens, flowers, plants, and water gardening. Read on and enjoy your stay! If you have comments or questions, feel free to visit our sister site at GardenSM.com Container Gardening To grow healthy container plants, you need to do a little research about your plants. For example, how far apart should they be? How tall will they grow? This is particularly important if you are planting a window box with a variety of plants. For example, if sunflowers need constant sun, don't plant them with a flower that cannot endure full sun. In container gardening, you also need to ensure that plants have effective drainage and good soil. Place small rocks at the bottom of your containers so water will drain, and dampen potting soil before placing it in the pot.

Building Your Own Backyard Garden Pond "Water brings a magical 'fourth dimension' to gardens: reflections, sparkle and musical sounds. You can have a fountain or pond to attract wildlife, and grow plants that are only happy in a watery environment. There are so many ways of working with water that you are spoiled for choice. You can go formal or natural, traditional or modern; choose from open ponds or enclosed water features. There's something to suit every style and size of garden." For more information about water gardening, there is a wealth of information on the Internet.  Some of the best garden pond resources include  http://www.pondmarket.com, http://www.gardenponds.com, http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com, http://www.gardenponds101.com, and http://www.gardensupermart.com.  To buy online pond supplies, including pond kits, preformed shells, pump kits, and filters, check out: GardenSuperMart.com Online Store

Drying Flowers
For best results, flowers should be dried before fully open. When drying flowers, hang them upside down in low-light (light will fade your flowers) but in a setting containing good ventilation. After they are completely dry, spray them with hair spray so they'll keep their position.

Caring for Cut Flowers
Cut flowers from your garden in the morning for best results. Before arranging them in a vase, recut them at an angle under running water. Place them in a vase of lukewarm water, preferably with a packet of floral preservatives. You can also put 7-Up in the water, which acts as a plant food. Keep cut flowers out of direct sunlight and away from fruit.