Now that I have your attention, anyone can be a farmer. Even if
you have to raise them in pots. You can too. I feel the best
opportunity in agriculture is in raising plants and trees.
Growing plants can be done almost anywhere. You don’t have to
have large fields and hundreds of acres. You have to have
imagination. People who grow dope do it in cellars and in caves.
Select plants to raise that you see being sold in quanity by
local nurseries or garden centers. In our area arborvitae are in
hot demand. These plants can be started from cuttings or you can
buy rooted cuttings. Thousands can be grown in a 20′x20′ area in
small containers. Arborvitae are not the only plants that you
can choose. Dwarf conifers and bonsai are other avenues to
consider. The first thing to consider is what plants you like.
They make a nice starting point. I like arborvitae. Plus they
are easy to grow. There are many types that
are available. These can be grown from cuttings<
/a> or you can purchase rooted cutting or small liners. I
suggest that you raise Emerald
Greens. They are compact and very popular. A 2-3″ rooted
cutting in 3 years should be 2′ if growing conditions are
optimal. These might sell for as much as $5-10 depending on your
market and quality. If you were to raise 1000 of them that might
be $5-10,000. You can market them just as I do on the internet.
Being small you can ship them via UPS practically anywhere. An
example of a plant that is not suitable for small plot urban
farming is an Oak tree. It is very fast in growing (good), but
has a big tap root, and is best marketed when over 6-8′ tall.
You will use up your space with a hard to confine, large tree
that is not suitable for close compact container production.
Shipping will also be more costly as starter plants tend to be
larger hence larger shipping fees per tree. Besides I have sold
many people 50 -100 arbs at a time but no one, 100 oaks at a
time. My largest order for arbs to one homeowner was 265. Try to
target plants that will sell multiples to a customer rather than
just one at a time. If you target single plants to individual
customers you need high value plants for your sales cost per
unit will be higher. You will hear the same story from your
customers about 1 plant as you will about 10 plants. I can tell
you without a doubt that each customer will tell you about his
property and his neighbors dog. I would rather hear the story
once for each 10 plants that I sell. That is why I like plants
that sell in multiples to a single customer. Additionally an
unusual or exotic plant is seldom purched in quanity and the
buyer has little knowledge of the plant. They will have many
more questions about this plant. This translates to a higher
amount of time spent on a smaller volume of product sold.

Arborvitae are commonly used evergreen shrubs or trees useful
in urban areas where low maintenance and durability is needed.
Many cultivars with forms such as being globed in shape,
columnar, or narrow pyramidal, tend to be near buildings, doors,
and walkways. Other forms which are larger are used for screens
and buffers that are planted in rows. These plants will be easy
to raise on your small urban lot.

The form of arborvitae is small, medium, or large depending on
the cultivar. Some reach 50′, others only 3′. Most prefer full
sun to partial sun. Planting in dense shade conditions should be
avoided. A moist , well drained, loamy soil in full sunlight are
ideal conditions for growing healthy arborvitae. These plants
will tolerate rocky, clay, urban conditions of heat drought and
pollution. The most important pest we have is bagworms which
must be controlled to prevent complete defoliation. Some
cultivars have multiple leaders which also prove to be a
detraction for the plant. Pruning out multiple leaders in some
cultivars is a simple remeady. As you raise these plants if you
find that you are selling more than you can raise on your
property, an add in the newspaper such as, “Wanted: land to grow
trees on” will help you find vacant parcels to use in growing
more stock. This land may be free to use as many owners want in
urban areas land to be used as it is then maintained. We have
had many offers of free land to use in raising nursery stock.
(You should check with your local BTK Code Enforcement Officer
to make sure that this use is acceptable.) Another suggestion is
that you work for another local urban grower. They may have
facilities set up that they would allow you to use after hours.
When they see that you are a willing go getter, they might even
ask you to grow special plants that they don’t want to grow
because the volumes are light or they are to intensive in labor.
At any rate it is the best way to learn the trade and its
secrets. Most nurserymen will tell all their trade secrets
because its the best way to help the industry and build a
network of reliable and knowledgeable associates. See my web
site at http://www.seedlingsrus.com

Because of their relative ease of planting and growing, bulbs of all kinds are a popular flower choice. A wide variety of flower bulbs are available today. Tulips, lilacs, daffodils, crocuses, irises, dahlias, and gladiolus are just a few of the flower bulbs available. Even within one flower family, there are often many variations. For example, there are over one hundred tulips available for fall planting alone.

It would be difficult to house all of the different bulbs in one store, and even more overwhelming for a customer to try to decide which one is right for them. Luckily, stores don’t even have to try. Consumers can simply open a flower bulb catalog and see pictures of all of the different varieties available. Many of the catalogs will give all of the pertinent information to consumersname of flower, colors available, water requirements, sun requirements, geographic area, price, etc. These flower bulb catalogs make it easy for customers to decide at a glance what type of bulb they need.

Jackson and Perkins is a well-known flower bulb catalog company. John Scheepers, Inc. offers a catalog of Dutch flower bulbs. Old House Gardens bills itself as “American’s only source devoted to antique flower bulbs.” Finally, Van Dyck’s offers a catalog of flower bulbs and perennials.

Many of these companies now offer online flower bulb catalogs in addition to or in place of their print catalog. Most also now take orders online and accept credit cards, so it is possible to complete the entire transaction online.

Flower Bulbs Info provides detailed information on wholesale, discount, spring, summer, and fall flower bulbs for sale, flower bulb catalog and company information, and advice on planting flower bulbs. Flower Bulbs Info is the sister site of Flower Delivery Web.

We may want to sit down and relax whilst at our home; certainly the best place to sit would be by the patio. This is the most relaxing place that we can find time to spend. Just imagine the fresh breeze of air and the wonderful birds singing outside. This is probably the best place outside the house we would want to spend time. Certainly furniture could add a magnificent touch to this place. Obviously the patio furniture has to be attractive and well suitable for the out door. Great and wonderful designs have been done to make this type of furniture attractive and comfortable.

There are many types of patio furniture designs, these may include; wrought iron chairs, plastic chairs and reed chairs. The most beautiful furniture designs seem to be the reed designs. This furniture was made of reeds carefully woven between metal frames. The furniture designs are almost as those in the making of baskets. The chairs almost looked like there were sitting baskets. The other interesting type of patio furniture is the wrought iron designs. These designs are quit elegant and artistic in the making. The wrought iron designs are quit simple and fit well with the patio setup.

Proper Sago Palm care is essential for a beautiful looking plant. The Sago Palm tree, scientifically known as the Cycas revoluta, is one of the most primitive living seed plants. They are unusual ornamental plants that are very hardy. In the United States, they are typically found in warm moist climates like the Houston area. They are related to conifer trees. They are characterized by a rough trunk with light feathery leaves.

Sago Palms are one of the simplest plants to grow, whether indoors or out, no matter your level of gardening expertise. They live for an extremely long period of time, and are tolerant of many different temperatures, levels of sunlight, and types of care. There are several things to remember with Sago Palm care. Do not bother the plant as it new leaves emerge. Moreover, do not allow the plant to dry out during this time. While Sago Palms are quite tolerant, temperatures too high or too low can damage the plant. The growth rate for a Sago Palm is very slow. Most only increase in size one inch per year.

While not difficult, sago palm care is essential for the maintenance and reproduction of your Cycas revoluta.

A part of Sago Palm care includes reproduction. Sago Palms are dioecious, which means there are both male and female plants. If you wish to propagate these plants, it is best to do it through hand pollination techniques. May is pollination season. The female seed is ready to be removed in January or February. Once removed, you should place the seed in water for a number of days. Take off the red covering, but do not remove the hard white coat. You can then plant the seed or hold it until spring. The seed must be planted sideways. Do not expose more than the top edge in moist soil. If the soil gets soggy, you might have problems growing your Sago Palm. The seed will usually begin to sprout in three months, but it will require several years to reach more than one inch in height. An excellent way to propagate Sago Palms without hand pollination is to remove an offset of a healthy Sago Palm by popping it off gently with a small shovel. It should be allowed to dry for at least a week. It should then be planted and well watered.

A beautiful looking plant can only be achieved through proper Sago Palm Care.

Sago Palms make lovely plants. It is important to remember, though, that proper Sago Palm care, while not difficult, is essential to the life of the plant

Adam Peters writes regularly for http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com. Peters contributes adding reviews very often on decorating and design topics. You can also reach interesting articles on the latest trends in gardening and plant care for interior and outdoors decorations at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com/sago-palm-care.html.

What You’ll Need

• Tape Measure
• Paper for Pattern
• Plywood, Saw, and Sandpaper
• Upholstery foam and Batting
• Muslin or sheeting
• Decorative Fabric
• Electric Drill, screws, and staple gun
• Cording, braid or other trim (if desired)
• Method

1. Measure Your Bed

Decide how tall and wide to make your headboard. Headboards are either equal to, or slightly wider than the width of the mattress. 8 inches of the headboard should be visible, when the pillows are leaning against it.

2. Create A Stencil

Using paper create a stencil of the shape you want for your headboard. Rounded corners are great for a softer look.

3. Cut the Headboard Shape

Lay the paper stencil you just created onto the wood. Trace around your stencil on the wood. Using a power saw, cut the headboard shape.

4. Sand the Headboard

Using a medium-grit sandpaper, lightly sand around the edges of the headboard.

5. Prepare the Foam

Cut a sheet of upholsttery foam to the size of teh wood frame plus 1 inch. Lay the foam over the frame and staple in three or four places, then secure with spray adhesive.

6. Upholstery Batting

Cover the layer of foam with a sheet of upholstery batting, cut 2 to 4 inches larger than the size of wood. Using your staple gun, tack the batting to the back of the frame, making sure that the top and side edges are smooth and even.

7. Attach the Sheeting

Cut a piece of plain white sheeting 4 to 6 inches larger than the headboard shape. Staple the sheeting to the back of the wood, making sure all corners are even.

8. Decorative Fabric

Iron your outer layer of decorative fabric and smooth it face-down on the work area. Place the covered headboard face down on top of it. Cut the fabric the same size and shape, adding about 4 inches extra to wrap around the back of the headboard.

9. Staple the Top

Starting at the center top, begin stapling the fabric to the back, making sure that any pattern on the fabric is properly centered and straight. Pull it just enough to get a smooth front side, but not so much that it puckers.

10. Staple the Bottom

Once you have about 12 inches of the top stapled, switch to the bottom edge. Smooth the fabric around the wood and staple several places on the bottom edge. Continue working in sections along the top and bottom.

11. Staple the Sides

If everything looks good, set it down and begin to secure the fabric to the sides, folding over the outer sides and staple the fabric to the back. Make sure the corners (if you have any) look neat and tidy from the front.

12. Linen Backing

If desired, staple a plain lining fabric onto the back of the headboard, covering all the raw edges of fabric, batting and foam.

13. Attach the Legs

Now is the time to attach legs to the headboard if necessary. Set the headboard in place. You may wish to stand the headboard against the wall behind the bed, using the mattress to stabilize it. You can also drill holes in the legs and attach them to the frame of the bed. Or you can attach the headboard directly to the wall behind.

About The Author

Olivia Filipetto is publisher of bedroomfurniture.com, providing all you need to know about enchancing your bedroom.

bedroomfurniture@gmail.com

The choice of orchid pot you use, the potting medium, watering,
fertilizing and location will all have an impact on the success
of your orchids. Let us have a look at different containers that
you can choose from. The choice can be bewildering if you are a
beginner to orchid growing. These are most commonly made from
either plastic or terracotta clay.

Plastic Orchid Pot

* A lightweight plastic pot, which may have several drainage
holes is more suitable for indoors, where it is far less likely
to be blown over. * The growing medium tends to dry out more
slowly than in a clay pot. * The best plastic pot has a thick
wall that does not break easily, it is light in color, and does
not heat up too much in strong sunlight. Clear polythene pots
are becoming popular as they allow more light to reach the roots.

Terracotta Orchid Pot

* It is heavier and therefore more stable. * It has one
drainage hole in the bottom, although some specialist orchid
pots also have drainage holes on the sides. * A succulent
drought-tolerant epiphytic orchid fares better in a clay pot, as
there is less chance of the growing medium becoming waterlogged.

Pots or large planters made from terracotta, wood, ceramic or
plastic make ideal containers for large spreading orchids such
as “Cymbidia”.

A terrestrial like the “Chinese Cymbidium” requires a tall
orchid pot which can accommodate the very long roots (up to a
meter!) that it can produce. Unrestricted root growth allows the
orchid to store nutrients and water that can then sustain the
development of superior flowers.

“Jewel” orchids such as “Ludisia” and “Anoectochilus” should
ideally be grown in a shallow, broad pot as they spread over the
surface. A glass terranium would be ideal, where the orchids can
wander in whatever way they like. There are also varieties of
orchid that are best grown and displayed in baskets at eye level.

Basket Orchid Pot

* A basket is very suitable for orchids with pendant flowers,
or heavy- rooted, sprawling orchids. * A basket container is
made of wire, plastic, mesh, wood or pottery. * It allows air to
circulate around the compost and roots. * A mesh orchid pot is
essential for the successful blooming of Draculas because the
inflorescences find it easy to grow through the underside of the
container. * Orchids like “Stanhopea”, “Gongora” and “Acineta”
should be grown in open baskets so that their pendant flowers
can be enjoyed to the full. * You will need to take care that
the orchids do not dry out in a basket.

As an orchid pot, the basket will need support blocks for your
orchid. The most suitable materials are cork, or the bark of
pine or oak. To do this, place the plant compost in front and
behind the roots. Tie the plant to the piece of bark in such a
way that no water is able to run into the centre of the plant.
You can tie up the plant with strips of ladies tights!

One tip is to be aware that the fine roots of some orchids may
penetrate the support block and make it difficult to re-pot your
orchid.

When a plant becomes overgrown or begins to fall apart, just tie
a new piece of bark to the old one so that the orchid grows onto
this. Some orchids like Oncidiums have slender roots that
rapidly travel over the surface of the bark.

“Lady-of-the-Night” is the popular name for “Brassavola nodosa”,
a night-fragrant white flowering orchid that grows well in a
hanging basket. Position it where its night fragrance can be
appreciated. It is drought-tolerant, but prefers additional
water during dry spells.

The orchid “Cattleya skinneri - Hettie Jacobs” can grow to
enormous size in a basket and needs strong support. But it does
produce clusters of lovely purple flowers between March and May.

The popular “Bee” orchid, produces a wealth of golden yellow
flowers even from a modest plant. A 20inch (50cm) wire basket
with substantial pieces of bark will support a large plant of
this kind.

You might like to plant a selection of moth orchids in a large
basket for a superb show of long-lasting blooms, but these do
not like strong sunlight. Or maybe vanda orchids, that provide
flowers in all colours of the rainbow with huge blooms, some of
which can be the size of a saucer. Vanda will produce a mass of
lengthy roots hanging below the orchid pot, which you will need
to spray with water daily. Do not be tempted to cut back these
roots.

Be aware also that many orchids thrive on being pot-bound. It
may look as if the roots are smothering the pot, but it is their
thick root system that nourishes spectacular blooms. So do not
be in a hurry to re-pot too soon!

Whatever type of orchid pot you want, there is a wide range from
which to choose. If you love growing orchids, there is great
pleasure in matching an orchid with an appropriate orchid pot,
choosing the right compost, light and temperature, water and
fertilizer. The careful balance of these will lead to your
ultimate success.