The Green Home - And Yard

So surely a garden is always green - it does not need to be made environmentally friendly? Well, yes and no; while we read much information about how to create green housing, less is written about the yards. Some yards are green, but some are not. Many of us still add to the pollution by spraying pesticides on our fruit trees and vegetable patches.

Apart from avoiding this harmful action, there are actually ways to be proactive and to improve the environment, just by using your own back yard. One easy way to be proactive is to start your own compost, and this will mean that you will be improving your own earth by keeping your own bio-degradable scraps. Eventually composting these scraps will produce microorganisms that will enrich your soil with nutrients. There are many informative articles on the Internet which will tell you how to start composting.

Another way to help the environment is by buying fruit trees. Trees emanate oxygen into the atmosphere, and so help to offset carbon emissions. Many buyers have been swayed into a house-sale by the fact that a garden already has fruit trees and an established vegetable patch on it.

Could having your own beehive be a plus when selling a home? It is certainly an environmental plus in today's world. Scientists are alarmed at the lack of bees to pollinate flowers and vegetables; if more home-owners kept a small hive, they would not only have their own honey, but the vegetables and flowers in the local neighborhood would also be pollinated and would therefore produce a harvest.

Bee-hives do not need to very big, and they can be positioned in a spot where they will not bother the neighbors. They should not alarm the public, but if you position the hive so that the flight path into it (of about ten feet) is all on your land, there will be no worries. After the first ten feet, your bees are up and buzzing just like everyone else's. Starter sets for beginner bee keepers and various instructions for setting up are all listed on the Internet.

Of course growing vegetables is another 'green garden' habit and can be indulged in at any time of the year. Winter vegetables are being planted now, and brussel sprouts, broccoli, squash, turnip; lettuce and green onion can be planted now in readiness for the winter. If you are wary of green fly or black fly forming, you can always be organic and spray the plants down with diluted washing up liquid

Other ideas to be green in your garden include switching from a gas lawn mower to an electric one and not watering your lawn, but just letting it fade from lush green into muted amber!

Many sub-divisions have been lobbied to allow (or re-instate) clothes lines back into the back yards where they can dry with that outdoorsy smell. If you are unsure of your rights, an umbrella clothes dryer is usually allowed as it is lower than the fences and therefore not easily seen. Line-drying clothes can save quite a bit on your energy bills, and on your 'scented freshener' bill!

PorchLight Real Estate Group combines local market knowledge with cutting edge marketing skills. For more information on Denver CO real estate or to do a search for Arvada real estate, visit us online at PorchLightGroup.com.

Cycad Ferox - Encephalartos Ferox

Description

E. ferox is not usually regarded as having much of an exposed trunk, although it is certainly possible to find specimens in the wild with stems of up to 2m above ground level. Branching of the trunk is uncommon and usually occurs only when the growing apex becomes physically damaged. In mature plants the trunk reaches 25cm to 35cm in diameter.

Leaves of this species are 1m to 2m long and usually straight, although sometimes a slight kink in the rachis is seen. The dark green pinnae, somewhat holly-like in appearance, occur as more or less opposite pairs, set along the rachis to make a slight V-angle and diminish in size to a series of prickles toward the leaf base. Median leaflets are typically flat or only slightly ruffled, 15cm long and up to 5cm broad. In some plants the leaflet margins are quite markedly rolled under to give a tubular appearance. An extreme of this leaflet type is seen in some of the specimens at Fairchild Tropical Garden, which are said to be derived from Natal seed. The leaflets have 2 to 4 small teeth on each margin and 3 to 5 spiny lobes at the apex.

E. ferox usually bears 1-3 cones but on older specimens as many as 5 or 10 cones are borne by female or male plants respectively. The cones are usually a brilliant scarlet colour, occasionally tending to pink shades and golden-yellow cones have been seen in plants in the Sileze area and from certain Mozambique localities. Male cones are subcylindric, 40cm to 50cm long and 7cm to 10cm in diameter. Female cones are more ovoid, 25cm to 50cm long and 20cm to 40cm in diameter. Cone scales are somewhat wrinkled and end in a pronounced beak. Each female cone bears about 500 seeds which have a bright red outer skin (sarcotesta) and are typically 4.5cm to 5cm long and 1.5cm to 2cm in diameter.

Distribution & Habitat

The natural habitat of E. ferox comprises a fairly narrow strip of coastal scrub extending from Sodwana Bay on the Zululand coast up to a point about 650 km north of Maputo in Mozambique. It is fairly well established throughout this area and although the species is not officially listed as endangered, rare or threatened, numbers have been reduced due to encroachment of habitation in Mozambique, afforestation activities in Zululand and the activities of unscrupulous collectors. In Maputaland (previously Tongaland) the main four localities are south of Kosi Bay, the shores near Lake Sibaya, the Sileze area and the Tembe elephant park. In the coastal zones it is often found associated with the wild banana, Strelitzia nicolai, while further inland it occurs in wooded scrub. Apart from its occurrence on the African mainland, the species is also found on Innaca Island, about 35 km east of Maputo. The habitat experience typically hot and humid tropical weather with an annual rainfall, mostly falling in summer, of 1000mm to 1250mm. In certain of the grassland areas there are cyclical fires at about a four year frequency to which the species seems well adapted. Its occurrence on stabilised sand dunes is a character, which E. ferox shares with E. arenarius in the Eastern Cape. However, plants of E. ferox do not grow right down to the shore itself, the latter quality amongst cycads apparently being confined to E. hildebrandtii in East Africa. The furthest inland occurrence of E. ferox is that of a solitary specimen found by Natal Parks Board officer, I. Steytler, in 1964 on the Makatini Flats about 40 km inland from Sodwana Bay. This does seem to be somewhat outside the usual narrow coastal range and Cynthia Giddy speculated that its presence might have arisen from transport of a seed by the Trumpeter Hornbill which is common in the area and has been observed swallowing whole cycad seed, later to regurgitate the kernel.

Cultivation & Propagation

E. ferox grows well in frost-free areas and enjoys plenty of heat and water, consistent with its conditions in habitat. One of the fastest growing of all cycads, it can cone within 12 years from the time of seed germination. Plants prefer shady conditions with well-drained soil and respond positively to both inorganic and organic fertiliser applications. Whilst this species will serve well as a container plant, it is used to best advantage as a landscaping feature plant where its luxuriant foliage contributes dramatically to a tropical impression. Groupings of several plants compound this effect and of course increase the possibility of eventual seed production

Notes:

An Italian plant collector, Cavaliere Carlo Antonio Fornasini, is generally credited with the "discovery" of E. ferox. Fornasini botanised in and around the Inhambane area in Mozambique from 1839 onwards and kept up a continuous flow of specimens to his countryman, Professor Giuseppe Bertolini, who worked in the northern Italian city of Bologna. Bertolini, himself the son of a well-known botanist, drew and described many of Fornasini's specimens in a series of dissertations entitled "Illustrazione di Piante Mozambicesi", which was published in a local scientific journal. Memorie della Accademia delle Scienze dell Istituto di Bologna". Amongst the specimens sent by Fornasini were two large cycad leaves from a quite beautiful ("una bella pianta"), but not very common plant which had stems "as thick as a human torso" and bore amongst its leaves "several fruits similar to a pineapple ...... but not very good to eat". Fornasini also remarked that the natives extracted a type of starch from the stems. Thus on 27 March 1851 Bertolini published a two-page report on this cycad which he named Encephalartos ferox.

In July 1920 two young botanists, Robert Aitkin, newly-appointed lecturer at Natal University College, and postgraduate student George Gale, set out on a arduous trip to the Pondoland (now Maputaland) in northern Natal. From their subsequent report ...."the means of transport was the only one possible in a country unoccupied by white settlers, viz. a wagon and a span of sixteen donkeys. Progress by this means is extremely slow .... it will scarcely be surprising that a day's journey rarely exceeds twelve miles." But their efforts were well rewarded when they came across a stand of cycads where (in what seems to be a somewhat exaggerated report)....."The tallest plant seen was 11 ft. in height and about 3ft. 6ins. in girth. Plants of 6 to 9 ft. are common". Specimens were collected and are still preserved in the National Herbarium at Pretoria. During the same expedition Aitken and Gale also came across the stand of Raphia palms later named Raphia australis at Kosi Bay. The following year a Colonel Lugge made a similar trip and his cycad specimen is still on file in the Natal Herbarium. During the next ten years or so, a number of people visited the area in which these plants had been found and brought back plants, many of which were planted in Durban homes.

A Roman Catholic Missionary, Father Jacob Gerstner, collected plants in the 20's. A Mr. R.H. Rutherfoord of Obotini gathered specimens in 1927. All these people obtained their specimens independently and there was subsequently a rather curious set of correspondence in the Natal Mercury, in which each of them claims to have discovered the Kosi Bay cycad. Another story tells of a Zulu woman wearing a necklace of the red seeds and being seen in Durban's West Street by a passing botanist who, on questioning the lady, was told that the seed had come from a plant near Tongaat. In 1930 Sir Arthur Hill and Dr. J. Hutchinson, distinguished botanists from Kew Gardens, visited Durban and saw well established plants of this cycad in several local gardens. On returning to Kew, Hutchinson wrote up a description of the species in the 1932 issue of Kew Bulletin and thus twelve years after its first discovery in Natal, Encephalartos kosiensis was officially named. When Hutchinson named E. kosiensis 1932 he was careful to note that this species was undoubtedly allied to E. ferox. Only about ten years later was the question raised of just how similar or how different these two taxa were and it was Miss I.C. Verdoorn who suggested that they might in fact be one and the same species. The key to the whole episode was Bertolini's original water-colour painting which his grandson found and sent to Kew. A copy of this painting found its way to H. Basil Christian, keen cycadologist and founder of the Ewanrigg Gardens near Harare. Christian immediately wrote to Kew and in a letter dated 5 December 1946, says ..."in my opinion this photograph definitely settles the question. ... Had Hutchinson seen this, it is possible that he may not have described the Kosi Bay plant as a new species." Since about 1950 the two taxa have been regarded as synonymous and E. ferox as the earlier of the two names, has precedence.

E. ferox is fairly well represented in public and private gardens the world over. According to CITES reports, local nurserymen have shipped plantlets to Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, U.S.A., Canada, England, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Japan and the Philippines. Mature plants are established in many European botanic gardens, including those in Warsaw, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Munich. Most major American botanic gardens have specimens with perhaps the finest plants being found at the Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Florida.

http://www.wild-about-you.com/AfricaCycads.htm

Lawn Care - Common Lawn Problems (and Simple Solutions) Faced by Home Owners - Part 1

There are many frustrated home owners who just cannot get it right with their lawn. This frustration stems from some of the following lawn situations:

• dying or dead lawn areas under or adjacent to pine trees, conifers and river she oaks
• dying or dead lawn areas under melaleuca trees and shrubs, jacaranda trees and so on
• weakened lawn areas as a result of raking leaves instead of mowing the affected areas with a Lawnmower (with Catcher!) - this is very important
• shade from trees and shade from fallen leaves

Today we will address the issue of under performing lawn areas under or adjacent to pine trees, conifer trees and river she oaks. Some lawns we come across are surrounded by rows of pine trees, conifer trees and / or river she oaks. The leaves (or more precisely, the needles) of these trees are full of acid. Over time as the pine tree needles fall to the ground and accumulate, the soil pH changes to a more acidic pH. The soil around these trees, being acidic, make it difficult for the Lawn and Turf grass to perform well.

Some homeowners become frustrated with the poorly performing lawn, and to make matters worse they use a Rake to collect and pick up all the pine tree needles. So the lawn has become weaker with the accumulation of pine tree needles, and then the lawn is torn apart by the raking.

The solution here is to remove the pine tree needles with regular mowing using a catcher to collect all the grass clippings and the pine tree needles. The frequency of mowing with a catcher (for the section of lawn affected by the acidic pine tree needles) is determined by your desire to improve the quality of the lawn. Generally, we recommend our customers to mow these areas weekly (all year round - or for as long as the pine trees are dropping there leaves) for optimum results.

Gerry Faehrmann is the managing director of Lawn Green Pty Ltd based in Sydney, Australia.

Lawn Green specialises in "turning Your tired old grass into Lush Green Lawn" - using its Waterless Weed and Feed Lawn Care program.

For more information on the Common Lawn and Turf Problems facing Home Owners please visit the website at http://www.LawnGreen.com.au/common_lawn_problems_faced_by_homeowners

Other information regarding Frequently Asked Questions can be found at http://www.LawnGreen.com.au/lawn_green_s_faq_frequently_asked_questions

While you are at our website please register online for our Free Report on "The 5 Secrets To A Great Looking Lawn."

Human Waste As an Alternative Energy Source

With all of the news buzz these days around renewable energies such as solar and wind power, even harnessing the energy of ocean waves, one often neglected energy source is right under our noses, so to speak: human waste. It may not be as appealing or pleasant as the alternatives, but energy generation from human waste could be the most important of all. World population increases every day along with demand for energy and resources, and resources become scarcer and more coveted. The only potential resource that will increase proportionate to population is our own waste. Feces and urine are abundant and readily available wherever there are humans. Currently vast quantities of energy made from fossil fuel combustion and (often potable) water are used to process said waste products. New projects in composting toilets, biogas harvesting, biofuels creation and even microbial fuel cells could allow us to reverse the cycle and take advantage of this untapped resource.

Though skeptics believe that composting toilets will never be successful in the Western world, new technologies as well as old are being used to solve two problems: how to treat our waste, and how to produce enough food without poisoning ourselves and our environment with expensive chemical fertilizers. The next generation of composting toilets, such as that made by Clivus Multrum, are solving these problems and making the system more appealing to consumers. The low-flow composting toilets that they produce contain a basement level compost bin and service is included with the product. A much more low-tech version of the composting toilet is being used by the NGO Estamos in Africa. Although the organization's aims are to improve sanitation and reduce illness, their programs are also helping small-scale farmers make a living. The organization provides composting toilets at no charge, and has greatly improved the quality of life for many poor families. The organization's director, Feliciano dos Santos, just won the 2008 Goldman Environmental Prize in Ecological Sanitation for this work.

Many countries have well-established methane-capture programs that use animal waste, such as pig farms in Australia and cattle ranches in the United States. But what of the gas creation potential of human waste? Developing countries are pioneering this technology as a way to save money and create renewable energy. With the help of the Heifer International Foundation, rural farmers in Uganda's Mukono district are mixing human feces and urine with other biological waste such as water hyacinth and banana peels to create biogas, and using the byproduct to fertilize their fields. The biogas produced contains 60-90% methane, and is being used for lighting, cooking and some engines, and many residents are improving their quality of life and rising above the poverty level. Likewise, Cyangugu prison in Rwanda is creating biogas from the excrement of its prisoners. The Kigali Institute of Science and Technology built the digester for the prison, which is using the resulting product to cook 50% of the prisoner's meals, and saving $22,000 annually -- a great deal of money in Rwanda. But developing countries aren't the only ones taking advantage of human generated biogas. The Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vancouver, British Columbia, once the subject of a lawsuit regarding a violation of federal pollution laws, has piloted a $1.1 million project to harvest methane from the city's sewage and feed it directly into the natural gas distribution system. The project, which is expected to be operational in 2009, projects a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 500 tonnes annually, and enough energy production to power 100 homes. A similar project is underway in San Antonio, Texas.

Current debates surrounding plant-based biofuels focus on competition between food crops and biofuels crops, and many experts worry that high demand for biofuels will exacerbate current food shortage problems. Several projects have tackled this issue by creating biofuels from algae grown on human waste. One of these is Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation, which harvests the algae used in the sewage treatment ponds in Malborough, New Zealand. The "green crude" they create from the algae can be used for all crude-oil applications such as gasoline, diesel and plastics. In a more direct process, a Canadian company called Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation is feeding human waste directly into a biofuels generation system using a "fast pyrolysis process". The system achieves 80% efficiency by recuperating waste gasses and heat from the process, and the end product, BioOil, can be used as a substitute for a variety of petroleum products. One of the most high-tech, cutting-edge technologies for energy creation from human waste is the development of microbial fuel cells. Developed by Dr. Bruce Logan of Penn State's engineering department, the system has been suggested as a way to take waste treatment plants off the grid. The fuel cell, still being refined to produce an acceptable energy output, uses wastewater to generate hydrogen fuel, and clean water is produced as a by-product. While the technology is not practical for other fuel-cell applications such as hydrogen-powered cars, it can be used anywhere there is a large supply of biological waste.

Many people cringe at the thought of human waste based energy systems, and would rather not think about what happens down the pipeline, but as humanity becomes increasingly demanding of energy we must begin to embrace unconventional methods of producing it. With the increasing success of the projects mentioned exists the possibility of eliminating human waste pollution worldwide. One day our sewage may be referred to as "brown gold", and could be more valuable than even crude oil.

For more information on alternative energies, including renewable energy solutions for your home and business, please visit the Alternative Energy Weblog (http://www.alternativeenergyweblog.com).

Common Houseplant Problems

House plants have problems just as your outdoor plants do. They can range from diseases and insects to over and under watering or over and under fertilizing. Knowing what cause the problem is the first step in curing it. With house plants if the base of the plant stem is soft and seems weak, then more than likely the cause is from over watering, simply allow your plant to dry completely out before watering again or re-potting with a good draining soil with a little sand mixed in will also improve your plants.

Leaf Drop "drooping leaves" are another common house plant problem commonly caused by an over exposure to cold or drafts, over fertilizing or to much sun. You should stop fertilizing for three to four weeks and move the plant to a window with a little less sun and check the rooms' temperature and for drafts also the cold from the window at night.

Yellow or Brown Spots means too much water or sun and the soil should be checked for moisture, if it's too wet let it dry out some before the next watering and then move to an area a little less sunny. If the leaves are turning brown then yellowing this may be from several causes, the most common is not enough or too much water or even over fertilization. A re-potting with fresh soil, and holding off on fertilizing for a month or so will generally do the trick, water only when the plant has become completely dry and avoiding too much sun,

Dry brittle leaves means that your home does not have enough humidity and your plants are not getting enough water. A good misting of the leaves and a good soaking of the plant itself is a quick fix for this. Soak the plant by watering it until the water runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, misting can be done with a sprayer or simply wiping the leaves down with a cloth or sponge, this is also a good way to get some of the dust off the leaves, bringing their shine back.

Most house-plants are slow to grow, generally from too little light, water or fertilization. House plants however don't need a lot of fertilizer, when you do fertilize with a slow release fertilizer and extra light can be given by moving the plant to a sunnier location or adding a grow light above it for the extra light it needs.

Eudora DeWynter offers tips on Common Houseplant Problems on her blog at http://www.gardentoolguru.com.

Variations Among Species of Palm Trees

Palm trees are popular in gardens all over the world and are usually found in the tropics, coastal regions, deserts and generally warmer areas. Some species grow faster than other species, particularly due to the climate which affects the growth in most types of palm trees. Some palm trees need continually warmer weather while some can bear the colder climates. In some trees, the warmer weather results in faster growth and, in those trees, the trunk becomes taller more quickly. This is important to consider when choosing the appropriate plants for your garden, particularly if you want a tall line of trees in a shorter period of time.

There are several types of palm trees varying by commonality to growth rate. Queen Palms are the most common species of palm trees and, actually, do fairly well in the colder climates. Queen Palms need a lot of water and quality soil. They reach around twenty-five feet in a time span of seven to ten years, but they can reach a height of sixty feet. The King Palm is a faster growing tree and grows faster with full sun. It requires a rich and nutrient soil and plenty of water, but with good care these trees can reach twenty-five feet in ten years and have a maximum height potential of approximately forty feet. The King Palm is a good species choice if you desire a shade or canopy of trees.

Another choice in faster growing trees is the Majesty Palm, which reaches around ten feet in ten years and can reach thirty-five feet within a twenty year period of time. This palm needs soil rich in magnesium and, as expected, plenty of water though they do not do well near the ocean due to the abundance of salt in the air. The King Kong or Black Trunk Palms are also faster growing trees with the potential to reach eight feet tall. Unlike some other species, though, this tree grows in width before it grows in height and also grows large, horizontal leaves. It is one of the wider types as far as trunk diameter. Finally, the Royal Palms are moderately fast in growth, possibly reach twenty feet in ten years with quality care. This tree requires a nutrient rich soil, a lot of sun and plenty of water. Similar to the King Kong or Black Trunk species, the Royal Palms grow a wider trunk before growing tall. It does not grow well in colder weathers, specifically before twenty six degrees Fahrenheit.

As you see, the needs of palm trees vary by species. You must consider the needs of the different types before you plant it to be sure you can meet its requirements and allow it to grow to its full potential. Some do well in continually warmer weathers, while some can handle the occasional colder weather. Also, be sure to ask the nursery about the day length of each type of plant. Some trees need a lot of continual sun while others do better in partial sun. It is important to understand the heat and sun requirements for the tree you choose.

Being particularly interested in plants, Peter J. Wilson has been editing a large number of detailed papers on this particular subject. You might find out more about his abstracts on plants and palm trees at http://www.alicante-spain.com

How to Start a Worm Farm

Getting started on a worm farm is not that complicated, all you'll need is a love for recycling and a little bit of worm trivia so here's some worm trivia that could help motivate and inspire you with your new venture. How much do worms usually eat? Mature worms capable of eating up to three times their own body weight every day and for those who are just starting in the world of worms and what to know how to make the worms eat more and have a lot more productivity.

The answer is simple - shred, mash or blend food scraps since these will make the food more digestible and is very easily eaten by the worms. Also maintain worm bed temperature at around 23-25 degrees Celsius, since it is at these temperatures that worms feel their best, but don't feed your worms foods high in acid content as it will screw up their digestive system. The following are a few things you'll want avoid feeding your worms, manure, onions, citrus fruits or peelings, garlic, garden waste sprayed with insecticides, dairy products like milk and cheese or meat.

Watering the farm will enhance the production of the fertilizer but take care not to add too much water in the farm or the worms will die. Take note that food wastes are actually eighty percent water content which is released as the worms begin to break it down. So, if you happen to pour water over the system every couple to few weeks be sure to just add sufficient water to make sure that the bed remains damp and cool, and you will have a constant supply of this fertilizer.

You will not be able to harvest the worms since they'll regulate themselves within any space and the amount of food made available to them. Here are a few other questions that you might find yourself inquiring.

Why is it common for worms to gather on the lid of the farm when it is raining? It's a perfectly normal response for these worms to act in this manner during the rainy season to avoid getting drowned.to avoid drowning. Just take the farm containers to an area where it won't be exposed to too much rain and drop the worms to the farm bedding.

Why don't the worms just relocate to the upper level of the tray? If could be the result of you putting in new food before the worms have completed the earlier batch. Worms have an instinct to stay with leftover food and won't seek out to find a new food source until it consumes what was left previously. Therefore, before adding new trays, halt the feeding of the worms for at least five days so you can be sure the old food has been eaten and make sure that the levels in the tray needs to be placed high enough for the worms to pass easily up to the next tray.

Do worms have the ability endure high temperatures? worms are able to stand a temperature ranging between ten to thirty degrees Celsius. so if it gets hotter than they can stand, place the farm in a nice shady cool place where it can regulate the moisture and humidity of the boxes. In colder temps make sure to cover the box with old clothes, blankets and wool shavings to sustain the warm temperature. It's also good to feed the worms at least a quarter more than you're supposed to since more food by the worms gives way for more heat to be generated within their bodies. So use these ideas and you can be on your way to create a great worm farm.

P Abbey owns and operates http://www.wormcompostingdiy.com - Worm Composting Troubleshooting