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Grow Lights – An Introduction For Indoor Gardeners and their
From-Urban Leaf
Why Use A Grow Light?
The main reason to use a grow light is that they allow you to reduce (or eliminate) your dependency on natural light – i.e. sunshine. Light is essential for plant growth, but often (for example indoors, during winter, or in a densely populated urban area) it is in short supply. Grow lights allow us to grow plants in locations, or at times of year, where/when it would otherwise be impossible.
Grow lights can be used for seed starting, house plants, herbs, flowers, fruits, vegetables and more
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Can Grow Lights Replace The Sun?
Sunshine is a unique asset, and one that can never truly be replaced – even by the best grow light in the world. However, sunlight serves many purposes – it keeps us warm, it lets you see the lamp pole so you don’t walk into it, and it feeds the photosynthesis process for plants. Some, but not all, of the amenities that sunshine offers are important to plants. Grow lights are in fact capable of providing many of the amenities that plants care about.
Grow Light Quality Perspective
One of the main differences between grow lights and the regular light bulbs you use to illuminate your home is the spectrum of light that they distribute. The human eye can ‘see’ light with frequencies ranging from about 380 (we call it “purple”) to 740 (“red”) nanometers, however we are most sensitive to yellow light, and therefore the cheapest and easiest way for us to illuminate our homes is to provide us with yellow light.
Although plants can and do appreciate light from across (and even beyond) the visible spectrum, it is the red and blue frequencies of light that are most important to them. This is why you will find many grow lights online that look purple – being a combination of red and blue. Personally, we don’t really like these purple grow lights. Sure, they’re efficient from an energy perspective, but they also omit other frequencies such as UV, IR, greens and yellows. Granted, none of these are as critical as red and blue, however these other frequencies offer a myriad of plant health benefits which are still the subject of much research and learning within the scientific community. UV, IR, greens and yellows can impact things like disease and pest resistance, thickness and texture of leaves, as well as the taste, flavor and oils that a plant produces.
Although the ‘best’ frequencies of light for plants is still a hotly debated topic, the reality is that yes – grow lights are able to provide a suitable substitute to natural light from a light quality perspective.
Grow Light Intensity Perspective
One of the biggest challenges us humans face in evaluating and understanding light is our pupils. Those things in the front of your eyeball that expand and contract to let varying amounts of light onto your retina. The role of our pupils is to regulate the amount of light that comes into our eyes – when light is abundant these holes are small. When its scarce they open up to let more light in. What this means is that we spend our entire life walking around with automatic light adjusters influencing how we see the world – and in the most part, we are completely oblivious to these adjustments that are constantly being made. It also means that we are really really bad at evaluating the intensity of light.
For this reason, us humans have to rely on tools (that don’t have pupils) to measure light for us. Photographers typically measure light in ‘Lumens’ or ‘Lux’, and in the plant world we focus on a slightly different unit of measure called ‘PAR” – or ‘photosynthetically active radiation’.
Although modern grow lights are capable of delivering light in sufficient quantities for your plants, the truth is that not all of them do. Meeting the light-intensity needs of slow-growing decorative plants such as monstera, pothos or snake plants is relatively easy – even with a cheap or effective grow light at further spacing. However edible plants grow faster, and more rapid growth rates require more energy (think of them like teenagers). Getting a sufficient intensity of light for edible plants generally requires a better quality or higher power grow light, as well as have it properly distanced from your plant.
Economical Perspective on Grow Lights
Grow lights have been around for decades, and for a long time they have been capable of providing both the quality and quantity of light that plants need to grow. However, it hasn’t been until the past decade or so that they have become efficient enough that their cost of ownership is now low enough that they can offer an economical alternative to natural light for farmers, or growing food. Put another way; what that means is that the cost of running a grow light is now less than the value of the food we can grow underneath it. This wasn’t always the case, but is the reason why you’ve been hearing a lot more about indoor and vertical farming over the past 5 years or so. Grow light technology is the primary ‘enabler’ of this now booming industry.
What Grow Lights Are The Best?
Wanting to know what grow light is best for you is a common question, with a simple answer: “it depends” (sorry!!) Fortunately we have an entire mini-series of blogs and videos to help you out, but in order to get a good answer to this question we need to think about:
- What is your budget? Do you want to spend $20 or $2000?
- Where do you want to place it? In a hydroponic grow tent in your basement, or on your kitchen counter?
- What do you want to grow? Are we thinking tomatoes or succulents here?
- How much / many do you want to grow? An urban jungle, or just a single basil plant?
Here at Urban Leaf our focus is on edible plants – including herbs, fruits, vegetables and microgreens. Edible plants typically (there are exceptions, eg microgreens) have much higher light requirements than decorative houseplants, so our bias is towards higher quality or at least higher power grow lights rather than weaker ones.
Our mission is to encourage people to get to know their plants and how to grow them too, so we encourage keeping plants in the places where you spend the most time – such as your kitchen or living room. For this reason, we care a lot about their color (another reason we don’t like purple ones) and the way that they distribute the light.
And finally our focus is on helping people who want to maintain small gardens consisting of 1 – 10 plants in their home, and for this reason we feel that LED grow lights offer the most attractive combination of affordability, flexibility of arrangement, and energy usage.
How To Use A Grow Light With Your Plants?
Grow lights vary tremendously in terms of the amount of Plant Available Radiation (PAR) that they emit. At the same time, plants vary greatly in terms of the amount of light they need. There are two main variables you need to consider, and are typically able to adjust, when it comes to grow lights however – they are distance and duration.
Grow Light Distance To Plants
Light degrades VERY quickly with distance. In fact, a ‘point’ source of light follows what is known as an ‘inverse-square law’. What that means is that every time you double the distance from a light, the intensity reduces by a factor of 1/4th. So a PAR value of 400 umol/m2/s at say 4” (or 10cm) from a grow light could be adequate for your basil plant, but when you move that grow light to be 8” (20 cm) away from the plant, the PAR value would fall to roughly 100umol/m2/s, which is likely too low.
Now there are ways that the impact of this inverse square law can be offset – most commonly this is done with lenses or optics that attempt to ‘channel’ the light in the direction of the plant. Although these are helpful, and give you more flexibility in terms of plant placement relative to your light, the fact remains that the right distance between plant and light will depend on the intensity of the light and the light requirements of the plant – and could be anyway from 2” (5cm) to 6’ (1.8 meters).
How Long Should A Grow Light Be On For?
Generally speaking, the right answer for grow light timing is going to be between 8 – 16hours, and you should probably pick a timing that suits your lifestyle and its placement. You probably don’t want a grow light on for 16hrs if it’s in a bedroom, for example, and 8 hours might be too short if you’re counting on this light being a centerpiece or feature of your living space. Keep in mind though that delivering the same amount of DLI(Daily Light Interval) in a shorter amount of time requires a higher light intensity. That (likely) means a more expensive light. Plus, if the intensity gets too high, you risk burning your plant from too much light – all plants have a finite limit to the rate at which they can absorb light comfortably, and if you exceed this you will either damage or even kill them. At the other end of the duration spectrum, remember that plants (like us) do need to ‘sleep’. They have what's called a photorespiration period. In fact, for many plants a period of darkness is essential to flowering or fruiting.
Are Grow Lights Safe?
Like many things, grow lights are safe so long as they are used responsibly. As long as you apply common sense then you, your pets, and your home are likely to remain safe.
Some common dangers to be aware of in relation to grow lights include:
- Grow lights are bright. Just like you shouldn’t look straight into the sun, we don’t recommend looking straight into grow lights either.
- Grow lights can emit heat. This is less of an issue for LED lights (which we recommend for small-scale hobbyists) but other types of grow lights such as HPS do get very hot and can burn.
- Grow lights are electrical appliances. Generally speaking LED grow lights don’t use huge amounts of electricity, and if you’re only using 1-2 small ones you won’t have much to worry about, but if you start using larger sized versions or a greater quantity of any electrical appliance the current they will draw does increase. Make sure you understand concepts like watts and amps (discussed in ‘Grow Lights For Indoor Plants – How To Measure It, and Understanding Watts, PAR and DLI’) if you are planning a bigger setup, as you will need to make sure that your power boards, cables, and electrical system are able to handle it.
- Although it is uncommon in consumer grow lights, some do emit UV or ultraviolet light. UV light is just beyond purple in the visible light spectrum, and in high doses can damage human skin – just like UV from the sun can. That said, the UV that grow lights emit is both rare, and when it is present the quantities are fairly benign relative to what you would encounter when you go outside from the sun.
To learn more about grow light safety check out ‘Are Grow Lights Safe?’ (coming soon).
Are You Sure You Actually Need A Grow Light?
If you’re confident that you need a grow light then you’re in the right place – our mini-series on grow lights as part of the Indoor Edible Gardening 101 Series contains all the information you need to understand these products and select the right one for you.
That said, if you can get away with only using natural light, why wouldn’t you? It’s cheaper to install and costs nothing to run!
We hope you’ve found this introduction to grow lights useful. If you still have unanswered questions, please leave them below – we check comments daily. If you’ve found this information useful, then all we ask is that you share it with a friend! Our goal at Urban Leaf is to make Indoor Edible Gardening easy and accessible, so if you think this blog could help just one extra person get started with growing their own food then it’s a win for us, and a win for the planet, so we’d be grateful if you could help us spread the word.
If you’d like to learn more about how to grow your own food, be sure to follow the link below to sign up for their email list for regular content, ideas, and the occasional special deal on gardening products.
Plant and Seed Supplies
Kanso Designs
Kanso (簡素) refers to the simplicity or elimination of clutter.
It is an expression in a plain, simple, and natural manner. It is a mindset that has been adopted and cultivated from our time living in Japan.
Three years in the making — The Kanso Collection is rooted in history and purpose.
Whether it’s the idea of turning waste into resour
Kanso (簡素) refers to the simplicity or elimination of clutter.
It is an expression in a plain, simple, and natural manner. It is a mindset that has been adopted and cultivated from our time living in Japan.
Three years in the making — The Kanso Collection is rooted in history and purpose.
Whether it’s the idea of turning waste into resource or simple visual elegance, Kanso Designs strives to cultivate more meaningful spaces for our customers and our community.
3 Empowering Benefits of Container Gardening
From my friends at Grow Your Own Vegetables
For countless reasons, from limited space or mobility to the local soil composition and length of growing season, container gardening can be an incredibly powerful tool if you wish to have a bodacious and diverse garden. We are going to walk through three of the core benefits of container gardening and how they can be used to create the exact growing conditions to accommodate your garden dreams.
These benefits become especially applicable where the green space is little-to-none, such as in apartments and large cities! Container gardening can be used for something as large as outdoor pots for planting fruit trees that may otherwise not thrive or even survive in your local soil or as small as a series of windowsill-dwelling potted herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and basil. With the right soil, container, and container gardening can offer most or even all of the benefits of a raised bed without the required construction or the relative permanence.
First, container gardening gives you the power to cater directly to a plant’s soil and nutrient needs without having to balance all the factors of remediating your native soil or building raised beds. The next core benefit is a vast one! Gardening in containers can help you get more out of your growing space, regardless of if that growing space is in a garden, on a concrete landing, in an empty lot, or in some found space inside an apartment. Finishing our list is the accessibility that container gardening provides to those with limited mobility.
1. Picky Plants!
Containers allow you to have various soil structures and to apply a specific combination of nutrients; therefore, you can accommodate for a more diverse selection of plants compared to what you can do with native soil. Exercising control over the soil structure and nutrients is one of your best tools for investing in your plant’s healthy growth and production. For example, if your native soil is alkaline, but you are looking to plant blueberry bushes that need acidic soil, then you can fill a suitable container with acidic soil while feeding an acidic nutrient blend to the plant. Through multiple seasons of carrot cultivation in the high clay content soil that we have in so much of the Pacific Northwest, our Director of Operations, Denise Beins learned that root vegetables like carrots and parsnips do best when given a looser soil structure.
Sunlight is another factor that you can have more control over with container gardening. As long as you have a way to transport them, plants grown in containers can be moved to follow the exact sun conditions needed as the seasons progress. Learning the right blend of soil, light, and nutrients for each plant you want to grow could prove overwhelming, so take care as to not to overburden yourself by trying to know each plant’s needs all at once! I recommend focusing on learning the needs of a couple or few plants per season. Pick your favorites, and after a few seasons you’ll have a proficient and well-rounded understanding for growing your ideal palette of plants.
2. Making the most of your garden space
Container Gardening Outdoors
Container gardening can help you get the most out of outdoor space! Added to the benefits of customizing your soil structure and nutrient mix, container gardening can make seemingly unusable land into a bountiful part of your garden! Areas that have been paved, laid with gravel or stones, or have low-growing ground cover or brush that could suffocate young seedlings can all become healthy growing space with an intentionally selected container, soil, and nutrient mix. Containers can also turn an apartment patio into a garden. You can even cultivate otherwise invasive plants, such as many varieties of bamboo and mint, without having that worry! Another fun idea includes companion planting mutually beneficial plants, or simply planting fun arrangements/combinations, such as a “Salsa Planter” with cilantro, perilla, hot peppers, and garlic chives.
Container Gardening Indoors
Indoor container gardening truly makes a night and day difference! For those without access to growing space otherwise, container gardening can be the difference of not being able to grow anything to being able to grow nearly any plant you’d like! Whether it’s sheer excitement to start cultivating your own garden or seeking access to whole fruits and vegetables, your local community is probably filled with testimonies of people experiencing the empowerment of having an indoor garden you can look to for inspiration.
The most common examples of these include hanging gardens, windowsill gardens, and a seed starting station. Hanging gardens utilize a space to its fullest by efficiently utilizing the vertical space. Windowsill gardens bring the vivacious energy of the garden into your home, and their foliage can also help illuminate your home by reflecting sunlight into the space. A seed starting station can range from simple or elaborate; from a warming mat and a grow light on a side table to a wire rack arranged with warming mats, a grow light, air circulation, and a drip tray below to protect floors when watering.
3. Accessibility for gardeners with limited mobility
It is a common challenge for a gardener to come to a time in their life where they may have physical limitations from the methods they have used to garden. Whether it’s temporary from an injury or their body physically losing mobility with age, For those with limited mobility, there are many solutions for enjoying fresh veggies using container gardening!
One method is utilizing large, tall containers, measuring 2-4 feet off the ground, although these may require assistance to get started. These may be wood framed, large plastic or materials such as terra cotta (a couple options are showing below). One thing to consider is you may want these large containers to have wheels so they are mobile incase you can move according to the sun or for other reasons.
Another option is to incorporate some of the indoor gardening ideas mentioned above. You can grow lettuce, herbs and more in a windowsill and add fresh produce to your meals.
Using containers in your garden can expand possibilities for you so that you can achieve your garden dreams! There are lots of gardeners just like you (and us here at GYOV) who have found creative ways to enhance their harvest and enjoy the beauty that cultivating plants brings into your life!
Grilling Supplies
Z Grills- Tube Smoker
Z Grills- Tube Smoker
Z Grills- Tube Smoker
1. WORKS WITH ANY GRILL & SMOKER – This tube smoker provides additional smoke to any grill and smoker, like wood pellet grill gas grills, charcoal grills, electric grills, and portable grills.
2.HOT & COLD SMOKING- It can be used to cold smoke cheese and nuts, or hot smoke steaks, chicken, pork, lamb, ham, fish, and more.
3.UP TO 5 HOURS
1. WORKS WITH ANY GRILL & SMOKER – This tube smoker provides additional smoke to any grill and smoker, like wood pellet grill gas grills, charcoal grills, electric grills, and portable grills.
2.HOT & COLD SMOKING- It can be used to cold smoke cheese and nuts, or hot smoke steaks, chicken, pork, lamb, ham, fish, and more.
3.UP TO 5 HOURS SMOKING – Just add your favorite wood ball (apple, pecan, hickory, mesquite, oak, cherry, etc.), use a torch to light it, let it burn for about 3-5 minutes, then blow the flame out and put the smoker tube on the grill. One tube smoker can be filled with your favorite pellets to provide billowing smoke for 5 hours.
4. MADE OF 100% STAINLESS STEEL 304– This 12-inch smoker tube is made of 100% high-quality 304 stainless steel. It's anti-rust and heat-resistant, durable and sturdy, not be broken or bent easily after repeated use.
ZGrills- Meat Press
Z Grills- Tube Smoker
Z Grills- Tube Smoker
Experience the irresistible allure of a Cast Iron Grill Press: Achieve perfect grill lines, flatten your food, and remove excess fat!
WHY USE A MEAT PRESS?
There are many reasons to use a meat press.
Most people use a press to remove unwanted fats out of meat.
A press can also be used to flatten meat like burgers to help them cook faster o
Experience the irresistible allure of a Cast Iron Grill Press: Achieve perfect grill lines, flatten your food, and remove excess fat!
WHY USE A MEAT PRESS?
There are many reasons to use a meat press.
Most people use a press to remove unwanted fats out of meat.
A press can also be used to flatten meat like burgers to help them cook faster or bacon or ham to prevent the edges from curling.
Add perfect grill lines on your meat by using a press.
Paninis and other grilled sandwiches are made easier by using the press.
Follow the link below, to
Yard and Patio Supplies
Fifthroom- Home, Garden, and Leisure
Fifthroom- Home, Garden, and Leisure
Fifthroom- Home, Garden, and Leisure
Bring your backyard vision to life with our quality, customizable outdoor structures and furniture.
Fifthroom.com is more than an e-commerce destination for your outdoor living needs!
We are on social media each day sharing with you our new products, projects, and DIY tips - just to name a few!
Our social media channels are where you ca
Bring your backyard vision to life with our quality, customizable outdoor structures and furniture.
Fifthroom.com is more than an e-commerce destination for your outdoor living needs!
We are on social media each day sharing with you our new products, projects, and DIY tips - just to name a few!
Our social media channels are where you can also find the latest news on promotions, sales and holiday gift ideas.
Be sure to sign up for their newsletter for lots of great ideas.
Viva Terra
Fifthroom- Home, Garden, and Leisure
Fifthroom- Home, Garden, and Leisure
At VivaTerra we are dedicated to bringing an eco-friendly lifestyle to every part of your home decor (and more)! Before it was "trendy" to be green we recognized the importance of this mission and the inherent beauty within it.
Our merchants travel far and wide to bring you the very best products from across the globe, each filled with dec
At VivaTerra we are dedicated to bringing an eco-friendly lifestyle to every part of your home decor (and more)! Before it was "trendy" to be green we recognized the importance of this mission and the inherent beauty within it.
Our merchants travel far and wide to bring you the very best products from across the globe, each filled with decorative charm and representative of our commitment to socially and environmentally conscience practices and materials. Below are just a few of the things we look for when creating our collection.
VivaTerra has everything you need to refresh your home and garden
Plow and Hearth
Fifthroom- Home, Garden, and Leisure
Modern Blaze- Effortless Glow For Your Home and Garden
Don't let the cooler weather stop your outdoor entertaining!
Shop Plow & Hearth today to help keep the Outdoor Party going all Fall! and Hearth Items.
Modern Blaze- Effortless Glow For Your Home and Garden
Modern Blaze- Effortless Glow For Your Home and Garden
Modern Blaze- Effortless Glow For Your Home and Garden
Gas patio heaters are powerful heaters fueled by either Liquid Propane or Natural Gas. Easily stay warm and toasty outdoors by installing these heaters.
There are two types of gas patio heaters:
- Overhead Patio Heaters - Overhead patio heaters allow for more floor space since these are mounted on the wall or ceiling.
- Portable Patio Heaters
Gas patio heaters are powerful heaters fueled by either Liquid Propane or Natural Gas. Easily stay warm and toasty outdoors by installing these heaters.
There are two types of gas patio heaters:
- Overhead Patio Heaters - Overhead patio heaters allow for more floor space since these are mounted on the wall or ceiling.
- Portable Patio Heaters - Portable patio heaters can be used anywhere outdoors. Tabletop models are also available. These are patio heaters that you can store during the off-season.
NICETOWN- Outdoor Curtains
Modern Blaze- Effortless Glow For Your Home and Garden
NICETOWN- Outdoor Curtains
Our outdoor curtains provide the perfect solution for anyone looking to add privacy and style to their outdoor spaces. These curtains are designed to withstand the elements, making them perfect for use on patios, decks, and other outdoor areas. They are made from high-quality, weather-resistant materials, ensuring that they will last for
Our outdoor curtains provide the perfect solution for anyone looking to add privacy and style to their outdoor spaces. These curtains are designed to withstand the elements, making them perfect for use on patios, decks, and other outdoor areas. They are made from high-quality, weather-resistant materials, ensuring that they will last for seasons to come. They also offer shade and protection from the sun's harmful rays, making your outdoor space a more comfortable place to relax and entertain. With our versatile design and wide range of colors and patterns, the curtains can be easily incorporated into any existing outdoor décor.
Garden Supplies
NatureHills.com
PlantingTree.com
PlantingTree.com
1. We want to help keep your plants ever-green. With Smart Plant & Tree Care, load your own plants into a digital garden & receive weekly custom care instructions on your phone!
2. We ship directly from the nursery to your doorstep to uphold the quality you deserve. Let our professional growers build the roots & put in the work that sets
1. We want to help keep your plants ever-green. With Smart Plant & Tree Care, load your own plants into a digital garden & receive weekly custom care instructions on your phone!
2. We ship directly from the nursery to your doorstep to uphold the quality you deserve. Let our professional growers build the roots & put in the work that sets your garden up for success!
3. Every plant from NatureHills.com comes protected by Plant Sentry™ providing you with plants free of invasive pests & diseases. That means plants arrive safe & healthy at your doorstep.
It's never too early to start thinking about spring blooms. Planting in the fall can actually be very beneficial to your garden. With warm soil and cool air, plants can establish a strong network of roots to be ready for spring.
PlantingTree.com
PlantingTree.com
PlantingTree.com
Proper Planting Technique
- Soak the soil of your new plant (in its container) within a couple of hours of planting. This helps reduce shock.
- Dig a hole that is at least twice the width of your plant, but about the same depth. It never hurts to score the soil at the bottom of the hole or even till it to loosen the soil. If you have good soil
Proper Planting Technique
- Soak the soil of your new plant (in its container) within a couple of hours of planting. This helps reduce shock.
- Dig a hole that is at least twice the width of your plant, but about the same depth. It never hurts to score the soil at the bottom of the hole or even till it to loosen the soil. If you have good soil that is easy to dig then you can skip that step. But, if you have difficult soil, like clay, that step is all the more important.
- Place your plant in the middle of the hole. For large plants and trees be sure that they are even and straight from all sides before filling the hole.
- This is a good time to water if the soil is dry. Fill up the hole and let it soak in.
- Now fill the native soil back in. You can use up to 50% planting mix mixed with the native soil if you have poor soil. Just keep in mind that your plant will need to acclimate to your native soil to survive.
- Use your hands to press down the soil to remove air pockets. Avoid using your feet as this can overly compact the soil and make it harder for your plants to thrive.
- Water at the base of your plant. Allow the ground to become thoroughly saturated.
- Add a mound of mulch around your plant. Mulch protects the roots, keeps the soil moist longer, and reduces weeds that can compete with your plant for water and nutrients.
Grilling and Patio
When is the Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture?
When is the Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture?
When is the Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture?
It is difficult enough picking through the thousands of patio sets available to find the one that is perfect for your home, but how do you know you are getting the best deal? Considering how many sales take place on a yearly basis throughout the retail sector, it can be tricky to gauge when is the best time to buy patio furniture.
That’s
It is difficult enough picking through the thousands of patio sets available to find the one that is perfect for your home, but how do you know you are getting the best deal? Considering how many sales take place on a yearly basis throughout the retail sector, it can be tricky to gauge when is the best time to buy patio furniture.
That’s why the experts at Appliances Connection have done the legwork for you by determining the best months for buying patio furniture and providing handy tips to help you pick the right type for your home. We even included one of our favorite items we think you’ll love!
What Are The Best Months to Buy Patio Furniture?
The best time to buy patio furniture depends on your overall goal. If you are looking for the latest models, styles, and colors, then you should start shopping in March or April. This is when companies start rolling out their newest looks for the upcoming summer season.
You may even be able to catch a pre-season sale!
If you are not as particular about the selection of outdoor furniture and your main objective is to fit something nice into your limited budget, then you should start shopping at the end of the summer season.
Stores will start putting summer season items on sale in August. By October, there will be deep discounts because the stores need to clear the space for holiday items. Of course, if you wait too long, there may be a very limited selection of patio furniture, and you may not be able to find something that you like.
Shopping online for patio furniture is an excellent option, and you can do that all year long. Many online furniture stores have sales that correspond with the seasons, too.
Let's review. When is the best time to buy patio furniture? For best selection of the newest styles, shop in March and April. For the best sales, shop from August to October.
Tips for Picking Patio Furniture
When buying outdoor furniture, follow a few simple tips so you pick out the pieces that you will use the most.
- Measure your space. Get out the measuring tape and take notes. Then, bring along your measuring tape when shopping for outdoor furniture, so you don't accidentally buy a patio sofa that is too long for your space. Also, keep in mind that you don't want any furniture too close to your fire pit or grill.
- Consider the weather. Outdoor furniture is usually made with the outdoors in mind, but you still need to make some wise decisions concerning materials. For instance, if your furniture will be out in the hot sun, don't buy metal furniture that will get burning hot. If it rains a lot in your area, you might want to stay away from wood, which can rot. If strong winds blow through your yard frequently, buy something on the heavier side so it won't blow away.
- Shop for comfort. You probably want to use your outdoor furniture a lot, right? Test it out at the store before you buy it. Comfort is important when creating an inviting outdoor living area.
- Think about storage. During the off-season, where will you store your outdoor furniture? Your new purchases will last a lot longer if they aren't outside all year long. Think about whether you have room to store everything you want to buy. Be sure to check out Appliances Connection Black Friday Sale. Save up to 50% off, with free shipping.
What is a Pellet Grill
When is the Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture?
When is the Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture?
Pellet grills are outdoor cookers that combine elements of charcoal smokers, gas grills and kitchen ovens. They are powered by electricity and fuel by hardwood pellets that smoke foods at constant temperatures using a fire fed by wood pellets, with their temperature controlled by the volume of pellets burned. 100% all-natural hardwood pe
Pellet grills are outdoor cookers that combine elements of charcoal smokers, gas grills and kitchen ovens. They are powered by electricity and fuel by hardwood pellets that smoke foods at constant temperatures using a fire fed by wood pellets, with their temperature controlled by the volume of pellets burned. 100% all-natural hardwood pellets are their fuel, allowing them to provide direct or indirect heat. With a wide temperature range, a pellet grill smoker can help you cook up the finest ribs, briskets, or foods that begin with other letters using different cooking methods even if you’re not a Pro griller or an expert.
For a large selection of Pellet Grills and supplies, click on the Z Grills link below. They have a nice selection of Grills, including the new Wi Fi grills. Also, some great recipe ideas for the grill.
New Ideas for Old Patios
When is the Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture?
New Ideas for Old Patios
If you have an existing patio space that needs a little tender loving care or a little refurbishing, a lot of creativity can go a long way.
You can refurbish an old patio floor in many different ways and even change the space so that it is reinvented and reusable.
Fire Pits
If you have a patio that is uncovered and wish to utiliz
If you have an existing patio space that needs a little tender loving care or a little refurbishing, a lot of creativity can go a long way.
You can refurbish an old patio floor in many different ways and even change the space so that it is reinvented and reusable.
Fire Pits
If you have a patio that is uncovered and wish to utilize the space for something more than just a folding chair and table, then a fire pit might be the right choice for you. Having a professional come in and install a fire pit will create a totally different look and feel to your already existing patio.
Fire pits are great ways to entertain company, making them feel comfortable and cozy as they sit around it. There are countless ways to create a fire pit using brick, stone, and many other materials.
Gazebo
If you have an existing patio floor to use as your base, you could incorporate the design of a gazebo in that space. A gazebo comes in many forms such as wooden, PVC, wrought iron, trellis, and lattice, to name but just a few.
Gazebos also come in traditional, Chinese, Victorian, and dozens of other styles - from contemporary to classic. The opportunities for adding a gazebo to an already existing dead space patio are many.
Curtains, plants, fire pits, and furniture of every style and color added to your gazebo make it customizable to you, your family, and your tastes.
Indoor Furniture Outdoors
Long gone are the days where patio furniture was made only out of plastic with removable cushions. When entertaining outdoors, you can use sofas, easy chairs, and even recliners with plenty of comfortable throw pillows added into the mix. As long as you make plans to install an awning or covering of some sort (see below), your furniture is well protected.
Some homeowners are bringing almost an entire stainless steel kitchen equipped with massive barbeque grill, hood range, and wet bar onto their covered patio. Awnings
If you have a patio that is a dead space, one of the greatest ways that it will serve you better is to create an awning for that space. An awning provides coverage from weather such as sun, wind, and rain, and provides a comfortable and cozy feel.
Awnings are stationary as well as retractable.
Seasonal
One of the greatest and most inexpensive ways to spruce up an old patio is to decorate according to seasons.
Having a patio chock full of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns during fall is inspiring, making the season all the more festive. These are just a few ways to use up old space in the form of an existing patio.
Organic Gardening Tips
Keep Pests From Breaking Into Your Garden And Spoil Your Gardening Spirit Part 1
Keep Pests From Breaking Into Your Garden And Spoil Your Gardening Spirit Part 1
Keep Pests From Breaking Into Your Garden And Spoil Your Gardening Spirit Part 1
Unwanted insects in your garden are just that: unwanted.
Unwanted insects may eat and destroy your crops, something shared by any farmer or home gardener.
Organic gardening is a means of controlling unwanted insects naturally, without the use of dangerous pesticides. There are many ways to control garden unwanted insects naturally that a
Unwanted insects in your garden are just that: unwanted.
Unwanted insects may eat and destroy your crops, something shared by any farmer or home gardener.
Organic gardening is a means of controlling unwanted insects naturally, without the use of dangerous pesticides. There are many ways to control garden unwanted insects naturally that are also cheap, easy and good for the earth.
Protect your organic soil and beneficial insects.
While pesticides may eliminate the pest, they most often cause more harm than good. Unfortunately, many home and commercial gardeners are unaware of alternatives to pesticides. That’s because they are a big part of our culture. Reaching for a quick fix—albeit a dangerous fix—is a deep seeded and detrimental habit.
Yet apart from damaging the soil and being a health hazard to people—including our children—pesticides present a major problem. They eradicate species indiscriminately, causing helpful garden co-habitants to disappear along with the harmful ones.
An organic garden with
beneficial insects... indeed. The fact remains that not all insects are unwanted insects.
Any kindergartner can tell you that bees help flowers. He or she could also tell you that a ladybug is good luck. But more than just good luck, ladybugs are a highly helpful natural pesticide to have in your garden, feeding on a myriad of unwanted insects including aphids. If you ever see little alligator like insects around your garden, leave them be! These are the larval stage of ladybugs.
Obviously, pesticide manufacturers are not as intelligent as your average kindergartner—they kill bugs on a wholesale level while upsetting ecosystems and ruining your plants as well as your soil.
Are your garden pests resistant to pesticides?
Commercial farmers today have a strong reliance on pesticides. Large companies sell pesticides to farmers who use them on their crops. Over the years the unwanted insects become resistant to the pesticides and increasingly larger amounts must be used.
And so it is, that the farmer pays more and more money and dumps more and more of them onto his/her crops. AKA, our food.
The result is a coated crop and a pesticide resistant bug, a crop that is more susceptible to the insect pest.
Are you harming the local bird population?
Recent studies have been conducted concerning pesticides’ effect on local bird populations. Birds eat the insects, which have ingested the pesticides. Because the pesticide is an indiscriminate poison, the bird is targeted as well. Furthermore, if the birds do not immediately disappear, their eggshells become thinner and thinner and often break when parent birds sit on the eggs. This is a huge problem with bald eagles in North America.
With no insects and no birds those predators which live off of the birds disappear too, causing a huge disruption in the local ecosystem which is never beneficial to growth of any kind.
Keep Pests From Breaking Into Your Garden And Spoil Your Gardening Spirit Part 2
Keep Pests From Breaking Into Your Garden And Spoil Your Gardening Spirit Part 1
Keep Pests From Breaking Into Your Garden And Spoil Your Gardening Spirit Part 1
Birds eat insects!
Encourage birds to come into your garden by placing a bird bath in the garden and by planting plants that will attract birds such as sunflowers. There are even perennial sunflowers that not only attract birds year round but, can also be planted like a hedge and repel deer and other animals.
Natural pest control is root
Birds eat insects!
Encourage birds to come into your garden by placing a bird bath in the garden and by planting plants that will attract birds such as sunflowers. There are even perennial sunflowers that not only attract birds year round but, can also be planted like a hedge and repel deer and other animals.
Natural pest control is rooted in a vigorous, balanced ecosystem.
Years of pesticide use may be so disruptive to a local ecosystem that the land may become unusable after only a few years. They remain in the soil and become more concentrated with each year of use, eventually rendering the soil unable to produce vigorous plants.
The soil can heal however. So, there is hope.
Some products like methyl bromide can be amended by simply adding organic matter to the infected soil. The result is addition of the organic portion of this pesticide to the organic matter that you already added and liberation of the bromide ion.
At the very least, you can add organic matter to a laden soil to simply dilute the concentration. However, you can also look up the MSDS online for that to learn how to amend it.
Organic alternatives to pesticides.
There are many natural, organic alternatives to pesticides that are more long lasting, safe, vigorous and generally effective.
One of the simplest pest control devices is a barrier. By covering a row of crop with a light netting (which allows the sunlight to come through) flying unwanted insects are effectively kept away from the plants. These are generally used for food crops.
Cabbage can be protected from flea beetles and green beans from Mexican Bean Beetles.
Another simple method of pest control for a small garden is handpicking.
Many slugs and Hornworms can be handpicked off of plants with great success. Drop unwanted insects into a dish of soapy water to kill them. Certain moths and bugs can be knocked out of trees with a stick; allow them to fall onto a large piece of cloth so that they can be gathered and, later, submerged in a soapy solution or incinerated.
Beneficial insects will control the bad insects.
Some insects like the Ladybug and the Green Lacewing are called beneficial because, they are the good guys who are on the hunt for the bad guys that are feeding on your plants.
Here is a list of beneficial insects.
Green Lacewings -Chrysoperla carnea. Green Lacewings are an all purpose beneficial insect that feed on insects such as aphids and other insects that will come and feed on your plants. Green Lacewings are perfect for a backyard garden, larger garden, or a greenhouse.
Certain varieties of plants are more resistant to insects.
Some research into the types of plants you grow and the unwanted insects common to your area could prevent a lot of pest problems. Also, some plants themselves are pesticides. For instance, planting tobacco around your vegetable garden is an excellent way to discourage slugs and aphids!
How native plants can revive your garden.
Buy local transplants to avoid bringing non-native unwanted insects into your garden. Add mulch and other simple barriers around your crops, check your garden regularly. Healthy plants are naturally more resistant to predators; just like having a strong immune system. All of these methods are natural and easy preventative measures to help you obtain a pest free garden.
If your preventative measures did not work, there are many, natural and organic plant sprays that can control unwanted insects.
A mixture of Petroleum oil and water sprayed onto a plant is a natural pesticide that has been used effectively for hundreds of years. Many oils, shells and plant extracts can also be used as safe, effective, natural pesticides.
Natural pest control is a safer and, ultimately, more effective means of keeping a vigorous organic garden. With a little more knowledge it becomes obvious that the use of non-organic pesticides is not only ineffective but dangerous and irresponsible. By understanding your native habitat ecosystem and working in partnership with establishing a balance of beneficial insect predators such as ladybugs, praying mantis, and birds, as well as planting species that naturally prohibit invasion by unwanted insects, you too can have a vigorous garden by working in partnership with your garden.
Some very important news from my friends at TTAC
SCOTUS Denies Bayer’s Roundup Appeal. By Ty & Charlene Bollinger
Earlier today, the Supreme Court of the United States denied Bayer’s appeal regarding the safety of its weedkiller, Roundup. The decision marks an end to the years-long legal battle to determine if Roundup causes cancer, and the company will likely be forced to pay billions of dollars to settle current and future lawsuits.
Bayer acquired Roundup maker Monsanto back in 2018 for $63 billion. Since then, the company has been buried in lawsuits claiming that glyphosate – the primary ingredient in Roundup – causes cancer. Bayer has lost more than 50% of its market value since the acquisition and stocks dipped by about 4% on news of the Supreme Court’s decision.
For the better part of a decade, we’ve talked about the extreme danger that glyphosate poses to public health. This was before Bayer – known for manufacturing aspirin and birth control – acquired Monsanto, a leading herbicide manufacturer. Glyphosate has been shown time and again to cause cancer, but Bayer made one final attempt to have those claims dismissed in court.
In August of 2021, a California appeals court upheld an $86 million verdict that found Bayer responsible for a couple’s cancer after using Bayer’s glyphosate-based Roundup against weeds. The court was abundantly clear about Bayer’s guilt in the case:
“We find that substantial evidence supports the jury’s verdicts. Monsanto’s conduct evidenced reckless disregard of the health and safety of the multitude of unsuspecting consumers it kept in the dark. This was not an isolated incident; Monsanto’s conduct involved repeated actions over a period of many years motivated by the desire for sales and profit.”
Last year, Bayer asked the high court to invalidate a $25 million jury verdict in favor of Ed Hardeman, who says decades of using Roundup on his Northern California property caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer.
The 2019 jury verdict in favor of Mr. Hardeman came in the first federal trial over whether Roundup’s active ingredient glyphosate causes cancer. The court’s denial bears not only on that case, but also on thousands of similar ones against the company.
“This has been a long, hard-fought journey to bring justice for Mr. Hardeman, and now thousands of other cancer victims can continue to hold Monsanto accountable for its decades of corporate malfeasance,” Hardeman’s trial lawyers, Jennifer Moore and Aimee Wagstaff, said in a statement.
Bayer has faced thousands of lawsuits over the past few years, totaling billions in damages. Plaintiffs have contended not only that glyphosate caused their cancer, but that Bayer knew it caused cancer and hid the information.
In a landmark 2018 ruling, a California jury found that Monsanto failed to warn consumers that their pesticides cause cancer. The plaintiff, Dewayne Johnson, was awarded $289 million in damages.
Bayer/Monsanto legal representatives disagreed, saying that “more than 800 scientific studies and reviews…support the fact that glyphosate does not cause cancer, and did not cause Mr. Johnson’s cancer.” In 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found the chemical not likely carcinogenic to humans after a decades-long assessment of glyphosate dangers.
But the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer-research arm of the World Health Organization, found glyphosate to be a “probable carcinogen” based on studies. The IARC’s ruling goes against the assessment of every other agency that has studied glyphosate, including the EPA, European Food Safety Authority, and WHO, who openly criticized the decision.
It’s not a coincidence that the FDA doesn’t require a single safety study on GMOs, as determined by a policy overseen by Michael Taylor. Michael Taylor, a former attorney for Monsanto, was given the position by the FDA after specifically creating it to promote GMOs. This allows companies like Monsanto to determine the safety of their products for themselves.
Taylor then returned to Monsanto as vice president and chief lobbyist before becoming the FDA Food Safety Czar. There is overwhelming evidence that Monsanto has maliciously interfered to bury any evidence that glyphosate is unsafe.
Matthew Stubbs, a lawyer at the firm Duncan Stubbs who represents Roundup plaintiffs, said: “We’re grateful that SCOTUS has put an end to Bayer’s strategy of deny and delay.”
He added, “Today, SCOTUS has set a clear path for recovery in the courts, and we look forward to having jury trials throughout the country for decades to come.”
Last week, a federal appeals court ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to take another look at whether glyphosate — Roundup’s active ingredient — is a carcinogen. Studies have linked it to some cancers.
In a 3-0 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the EPA didn’t adequately consider whether glyphosate causes cancer. “EPA’s ‘no cancer’ risk conclusion did not stand up to scrutiny,” said Amy van Saun, an attorney with the Center for Food Safety. A Bayer spokeswoman said the company believed the EPA would continue to conclude, as it had for years, that glyphosate-based herbicides aren’t carcinogenic.
In many ways, the damage has already been done. Our soil and water have been poisoned on a massive scale – perhaps irreversibly. A 2019 study found that 95% of beers and wines sold in the U.S. contain glyphosate. That includes about 75% or organic brands, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of Bayer’s widespread industrial use of Roundup.
People have died. Many plaintiffs may not live long enough to see a settlement thanks to Bayer’s recalcitrant refusal to own up to their mistakes.
But holding companies like Bayer accountable is essential if we want to live in a free, healthy world. Questioning the integrity of pharmaceutical companies has become an increasingly touchy subject, but there’s a documented history of lies, corruption, and flat-out evil behind many of the world’s leading manufacturers.
Now that Bayer has exhausted its last legal recourse, it is our sincere hope that we can start to heal from the decades of damage done in the name of the almighty dollar.
Posted by Ty and Charlene Bollinger