Terrariums offer a unique home for your indoor plants. In this post I’ll show you how to make a miniature terrarium of your own.
Supplies Needed:
Small Stones
Moss
Terrarium
Sand
Soil
Note: Seeds or Succulents are also needed.
Step 1: Add an inch of sand to your terrarium
Step 2: Add a layer of small stones. These bottom layers will help absorb moisture from watering
Step 3: The next layer is a mixture of soil and sand. Potting soil mixed with sand is ideal.
Step 4: Now its time for Soil. Fill the remaining space in your terrarium with potting soil or seed starting peat moss. Note: If your putting a succulent in remember to leave enough room for your succulent to grow into the terrarium
Step 5: Take the plant you want to put in the terrarium out of its container and trim down the root ball removing any excess soils & dead roots off the bottom.
Step 6: Place the plant into your terrarium and slowly work in soil around it, pushing down and underneath the plant.
Step 7: Finally, place moss on top of the soil and around your plant & take a minute to admire your work.
Check out the video below for a look at our completed terrarium. Thank you for your time and dont forgot to contact hidden leaf landscaping for all of your landscaping needs.
Gardening: What you should know before buying a Trellis
This guide & Articles is currently in production & is subject to change.
Do you know what kind of garden trellis you need for your plants to grow? There are various options when it comes to trellis —trying to fo find the right one for your needs can be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with them
A quick look at the most popular types of garden trellises, and what each type is designed for makes finding the perfect trelis for your needs easy.
Arches – These are much more decorative. Many people tend to use them for flowers like roses.
Flat Trellis – These are also used for flowers. They are often used for privacy and are often made out of wood or metal.
Tripod – These are functional and beautiful. Your plants can grow up and inside of the trellis. Cages and Ladders
People most often use these for their tomato or vegetable plants since they are so strong and tall.
Fencing and Porches – Climbing plants like roses love these! You can even use a chain-link fence.
Woven Garden Trellis – Weave bamboo, wood or even some sturdy branches and you’ll have a fantastic trellis.
Choose Sturdy Supports
You must consider the maximum weight support of any trellis. Use materials that are sturdy enough for your vegetables to grab onto. That’s why I prefer bamboo. It is heavy-duty and can handle even the heaviest of climbers. You can easily find bamboo DIY guides if you’re feeling creative.
You’ll want to pick out weatherproof materials aswell. Keep in mind, this is going to be outside during rainstorms and inclement weather. Refrain from using anything that will break down in the wind and rain.
Bamboo is durable, and so is twine. You can even choose to use galvanized metal, reclaimed wood, or sturdy branches from around your own yard.
Decorative Or Not
Next, you’ll want to decide whether the garden trellis’ job is to be decorative, show off the plant, or to give the plant space to grow.
If you want it to be decorative, then you should buy something like an arched trellis. Other trellises such as tripods are much more functional because they were built with the sole purpose of supporting the vegetables on the vine
Based off my own experience, here are the best types of vegetables and flowers you can grow on a bamboo trellis without breaking it.
Cucumbers
Beans
Peas
Flowers
Cucamelons
Cherry Tomatoes
Avoid trying to grow heavier plants on it like melons as it will not be supported and it may ruin the way everything grows.
If you do want to grow heavier veggies on a homemade trellis, you can lean it to the side and supports so that it looks like a triangle. This will make it stronger and able to hold those heavier vegetables.
Pea plants grasp onto netting, twine, or thin bamboo poles with their curly tendrils. This pea trellis made with twine is a perfect solution to fit a lot of peas into a small space, but it can also be as successful and a bit more sturdy to use a woven bamboo trellis (plus it’s better for those less gentle pea pickers, AKA kids and the dog).
2021 brings on new, exciting landscaping/ gardening trends while revitalizing some older ones. After the particularly long (and odd) year that was 2020, many people feelt ike 2020 couldn’t come to a close sooner. In the last year many people found themselves spending more and more time at home and with that also using there backyards more then in the past. Studies show an increase in gardening & time spent outdoors in 2020, and continuing threw this year.
Outdoor Living Spaces offer privacy while also adding a vibrant landscape of color (with the right plants!) to your home or business
Adjusting to the new way of life brought on by 2020, things like; practicing social distancing, early curfews, buffering zoom meetings, choppy video calls etc became normal & are now common in many peoples lives. This makes having a place to relax & unwind more desirable then ever. Enter outdoor living spaces. Outdoor living spaces in particular are going to be one of the most sought after landscaping trends in this new year. Gardening, outdoor-living spaces, family garden projects, even something as simple as going out for a walk can be great sources of relaxation and or stress relief. If you can do all of these things in your backyard, why not?
Summers coming to an end, falls around the corner and with it comes Vibrant sunsets, blooming flowers, Garden harvests, Leaves and….bugs. There are simple ways you can keep bugs off of your property in order to protect your family, gardens & any upcoming harvests. One method is by adding plants that also repel insects. Learn how to rid your garden & home of pesky insects, while also adding color to your home with plants that repel insects.
Best plants to repel Insects & add color to your home (2020)
Chyrsanthemums
Take Chrysanthemums for example. A vibrant annual flower and one of the best plants to deter bugs. Deters:
Ants,
Japanese beetles,
Roaches, Bed bugs
Spider mites, Ticks,
Silverfish, Harlequin bugs, Lice
These annual flowers can help keep your backyard a fun, safe, and vibrant place this season:
Marigolds
One of the most well-known plants for repelling insects, growing African marigolds or French Marigolds around vegetable gardens to repel harmful insects, rabbits and deer is a gardening habit that goes back for centuries.
French marigolds repel whiteflies and kill bad nematodes. Mexican marigolds are known to offend a host of destructive insects and wild rabbits as well. Fun fact: The Marigold was regarded as the flower of the dead in pre-Hispanic Mexico and is still widely used in the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Petunias
This perennial is sometimes known as “nature’s pesticide,”. It not only deters some common garden pests, this plant adds a burst of color with its puple hue and keep bugs at bay. Note: Petunias requires very little maintenance, making them great for garden beds, hanging baskets, and containers.
Deters
Tomato horn worms,
Aphids
Leafhoppers,
Squash bugs
Asparagus beetles
Herbs
Thyme
This herb will help repel harmful pests like whiteflies, cabbage maggots, corn earworms, tomato hornworms,, and small whites.
useful in the garden as shrubs or groundcover. The best-known species, garden thyme is usually cultivated for ornamental use or a culinary herb. Its a bushy wood based evergreen shrub can reach grow 6-12 inches tall, and spread 16 inches wide.
Mint
Some varieties of mint, such as peppermint and spearmint, also have insect repellent properties. Note that not every type of mint causes a reaction in the same insects. Spearmint and peppermint are reputed to work well against insects like mosquitoes, flies, and spiders, making them ideal for the backyard garden.
Lavender – Bay leaves – Citronella – Lemongrass
Note- Article is still in progress. This list will be updated soon with more info
Sprays & Traps
Household items Methods
Fortunately there are ways to rid your plants (indoor&outdoor) of bugs without using chemicals. The following methods contain products readily available in your home.
Fortunately, there are ways to rid your plants (indoor and outdoor!) of bugs without using chemicals. The following methods contain products readily available in your home.
1. Spray soapy water
Soap dehydrates aphids and spider mites. Mix 5 TBLspoons of dish soap w/ 4 cups of water in a bottle and spray plants with the solution.
2. Neem oil spray
Made from the seeds of neem trees native to India, this age-old, natural insecticide and anti-fungicide repels aphids, mites, scale and other small, soft-bodied insects.
3. Pyrethrum spray
This natural insecticide is made from dried chrysanthemum flowers. Mix the powder with water and dish soap to create a spray. Pyrethrum spray paralyzes flying insects on contact, so many pest control companies use it to control mosquitoes.
4. Beer trap.
Beer is a favorite for Snails & slugs specifically. Place a few saucers of beer to trap and prevent these bugs from reaching your plants leaves / roots. An alternative to beer is Grape juice; grapefruit or orange rinds also make good traps.
5. Garlic
Garlic’s strong smell repels bugs & vampires. Consider putting a garlic clove into the soil of plants to keep bugs away.
6. Herbal water spray
Essential oils from sage, thyme, basil, rosemary, mint, rue and lavender repel some insects. To create a spray, take crushed leaves or trimmings, soak in a bucket of water overnight and strain. Or, dilute store-bought essential oil with water. You can also plant these herbs in your yard to detract insects.
7. Alcohol spray
Create a solution by mixing 1 or 2 cups of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol with a quart of water. The solution will repel insects from houseplants and tropical foliage.
8. Nicotine
To repel leaf-chewing insects, make a nicotine tea by soaking 1 cup of dried, crushed tobacco leaves in 1 gallon of warm water and one-fourth teaspoon of dish soap. Strain after 30 minutes, and spray the mixture directly on the leaves.
9. Water
Much like a heavy downpour, a strong spray of water from a house can remove bugs from plants
10. Tomato Leaves natural insecticide
Tomato plants are part of the nightshade family that contain alkaloids such as the aptly named “tomatine,” which can effectively control aphids and other insects. To make tomato leaf spray for a natural insecticide, chop 2 cups of fresh tomato leaves (which can be taken from the bottom part of the plant) into 1 quart of water, and let steep overnight. Strain out all plant material and spray the solution on plant foliage.
Other:
Spices Repel Insects
Draw a boundary line along door frames or windowsills with a mixture of turmeric powder and cinnamon or cayenne in equal quantities to keep ants from entering the house.
Baking Soda Kills Cockroaches Red Wine Vinegar Kills Flies
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in a bowl and set it in a place that is frequently visited by flies.
Note:
Killing off all of the insects in your garden is not the desired result here, as any healthy ecosystem requires an abundance of beneficial insects, microbes, and fungi, both in the soil and on the plants themselves, so introducing other predatory insects (ladybugs, praying mantis, etc.) or creating good habitat for them, as well as building soil fertility, can also be an effective pest management approach.
Contact Hidden Leaf Landscaping for your next home project
That’s it for Hidden Leaf Landscapings guide to repeling insects with colorful plants & household spray remedies ” for now. Thanks for reading & get to planting! Check back with Hidden Leaf Landscaping for more Gardening, lawn care, & landscaping help and don’t forget to contact us for your next home project or lawn care needs.
