A pergola is a wonderful architectural element to add to any garden or landscape design.  Pergolas are great for casting shade, providing support for climbing plants, and marking the transition point from one area to another.  But with the vast array of designs and styles available today, how does a homeowner know which is the best?  In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of several common pergola designs so you can determine which is right for you.

When we talk about pergola design, we’re partly referring to the materials used to construct it.  The most common material choices are wood, plastic, or metal.  Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.  We’ll begin with wood, which is arguably the most popular material choice.  When purchasing or building a wooden pergola, the most important consideration is the type of wood used.  Redwoods, such as cedar, are preferable because they are naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insect infestations.  If building your own pergola, you may want to shy away from treated woods, particularly if the structure will be used to support climbing plants.  The chemicals in treated wood can poison and kill some types of plants.  When constructing the pergola, be sure to use stainless steel fasteners that won’t rust.

Plastic pergolas, while not as rustic and traditional looking as wood, can offer a more upscale and polished look.  The primary advantage of plastic over wood is longevity.  Where wood will eventually decay, plastic will not.  A high density vinyl is the superior choice for durability and weather resistance.  PVC vinyl can be an especially good option, because of its extreme sturdiness.  The other critical consideration in vinyl products to be used outdoors is UV resistance.  Look for a plastic that contains a UV inhibitor to prevent the material from discoloring when exposed to the sun’s strong rays.

Metal is another material choice that offers a completely different look and style.  While metal pergolas are rather expensive, they do offer a whole new level of sturdiness and durability, even more so than plastic.  Cast iron is a common metal choice, though it is very heavy and will rust when exposed to the elements.  Aluminum is better alternative, because it’s lightweight, yet still extremely strong.  When shopping for aluminum pergolas, be sure to inquire about the hardness rating of the metal.  Hardness ratings of aluminum should be T-4, T-5, or T-6, with T-6 being the hardest, or strongest, and thus the most preferable.  The other major advantage of aluminum is that it will not rust.

Aside from material choice, the other major factor in pergola design is the style of the structure.  Classic pergolas usually feature straight lines with a craftsman style, but there are a multitude of other design options available today.  Determining which design is right for you and your yard is a strictly personal choice, but should be affected by the style of your home and garden.  A colonial home with English garden is a perfect setting for a traditional pergola.  If you live in a modern home with a Japanese garden, look for a pergola with Asian-inspired design.  For Tuscan style homes, look for a pergola with Mediterranean flair.

Finally, when faced with the decision of whether to buy or build your pergola, be sure to factor in the cost of your own time.  If you are someone who enjoys DIY projects, has a good inventory of tools, and works well with your hands, then building a pergola may be a relatively easy project that you’ll enjoy.  On the other hand, if you want to have a finished product as quickly as possible and you don’t have a lot of building experience, you can probably save yourself a lot of time and frustration by purchasing a ready to assemble kit.

No matter what your choice, a pergola is a great architectural detail to add to any landscape.  With a little forethought and planning, you’re sure to end up with a beautiful end result that will serve as a focal point in your yard for years to come.

Home Products ‘N’ More offers a variety of pergola designs, including cedar, vinyl, and aluminum. For free shipping on all pergola kits, visit us at http://www.homeproductsnmore.com/Aluminum_Pergola_s/94.htm
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It’s that time of year when gardeners are looking ahead to spring and beginning to plan their summer gardens.  Those of us who like to start our plants early from seed are probably preparing our indoor greenhouses to do so.  If you are new to gardening or are hoping to start a garden this year, now is the time to purchase an indoor greenhouse kit.  In this article, we’ll explain how to get it set up and prepared for growing your seedlings.

First you’ll need to choose an appropriate location for your indoor greenhouse.  The best possible place would be in front of a sunny, south facing window or patio door.  You’ll also need to consider the ambient room temperature and humidity.  The ideal levels will vary depending on the types of seeds you’re growing, but generally speaking, most seeds will germinate best at temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels between 40 and 60 percent.

If you don’t have the perfect place in your home that meets all these conditions, don’t worry.  Most of us don’t!  With a few pieces of equipment, it’s easy to artificially create the right conditions.  To make up for a lack of sunlight, you’ll need grow lights.  Grow lights are a special type of full spectrum light bulb that replicate natural sunlight.  The bulbs can be purchased at most hardware stores and will fit into standard fluorescent tube light fixtures.  To make up for chilly temperatures, you can also add a heat lamp to your indoor greenhouse.  Take care when positioning the heat lamp, making sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.  It’s important not to place it near anything that could be flammable.  Lastly, if your home’s air is rather dry, as is common in the winter, a simple humidifier will solve this problem.  Look for a humidifier with a humidity gauge on it, allowing you to set the unit to maintain a specific humidity level of your choosing.  The humidifier will then it will automatically turn on and shut off as needed to maintain that level.  Anytime you’re using electronic devices, always remember to take caution with the cords.  You don’t want to string a cord across a traffic path and inadvertently create a tripping hazard.

Once your indoor greenhouse is set up in a good location, it’s time to begin planting your seeds.  You’ll probably want to begin by taking an inventory of supplies, and you may need to make a shopping trip to your local garden center to pick up anything that you don’t have.  A bag of good seed-starting soil mixture is a must-have item, as are some small peat pots or other containers for planting.  One option is to purchase plastic trays from your garden center that feature small individual cells for starting seeds.  These plastic trays are usually economical enough that you can recycle them at the end of the year and buy new ones next year.  An even less expensive option is to wash and save yogurt containers, drill holes in the bottoms, and use those for planting seeds.  Last but not least, you’ll also need to have a spray water bottle for keeping the soil moist.  You won’t want to use a watering can in the beginning, because the flow of water will be strong enough to wash away the seeds and young seedlings.  A spray bottle will allow you to lightly mist the soil, keeping it moist without damaging the fragile young plants.

Growing plants from seed is an enjoyable and rewarding hobby.  Not only does it give you something fun to do inside during the last few months of winter, but it also saves a lot of money as opposed to buying young plants at the nursery in the spring.  If you’ve never tried indoor greenhouse gardening before, go out and buy a few supplies and get started today!

Home Products ‘N’ More offers free shipping on all indoor greenhouses and other home greenhouse kits. Visit us today at http://www.homeproductsnmore.com/Mini_Greenhouses_s/414.htm
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Vegetable gardening can be very stimulating. If you are just planning to have you own organic garden, here is a vegetable gardening guide to help you along with the new pastime and get you started. First you need a space at your disposal, if you are an apprentice it is advisable not to start with a big space. You must begin with a single raised bed of 9′x12′. Then as you learn all about organic gardening, you can add number of beds to dwell upon.

Prepare the bed early in the season then it is time to sow, you can first plant the kind of vegetable which your family needs. This doesn’t mean you have to supply vegetable for your family for the whole year. Be contented with small achievement that you can little by little increase. You can search the internet, read gardening books and catalogues to assist you in deciding on what kind of vegetable to grow in certain time of the year or season.

The next significant step you must do after planting is uprooting the weeds surrounding your crop. Weeds are obstacle in making your vegetables grow healthy. You have to hoe on a regular basis even if you do not see weeds among the plants. Avoid walking on the beds. Another method to exterminate weeds is by mulching. Organic mulches like pine needles, grass and straw are advisable to use, you just apply it when the soil is wet. You can preserve the dampness of the soil as well as enhance the temperature through mulching.

Another important aspect in vegetable gardening is watering the plants. Frequent watering supports root formation, steadiness of the plants and revival of nutrients. It is best to put in sprinkles or drip irrigation. It is essential and a must for seeds and transplants to be watered every day. Water the plants before it withered.

The last thing to deal with is the problem with pest and diseases. You should never use pesticides for the basic reason that they terminate bugs that are useful too along with the damaging ones. The common strategy to overcome this trouble is to grow other plants along with your main crop. You can plant onions and garlic together with carrots. Grow flowering plants around the beds because it draws beneficial insects.

Hope this vegetable gardening guide will be of great help in creating your own organic vegetable garden. You can also learn more from browsing the internet, by reading books on gardening or talking about it with neighbors. Have fun on building your own garden.

Clint Sidney is a gardening enthusiast and enjoys giving information about Vegetable Gardening Guide. You can learn more about gardening at GreatGardener.eHelpshome.com.
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