Nutrients Plants Need

By Poshali Ganguly

Every living thing needs nutrients fir its survival and so does plants. These nutrients facilitate the life cycle of the plant and its growth. There are 16 such nutrients, which the plant might need and out of these sixteen, nine are essential and the other seven are required by the plants but in the absence of the remaining seven the plant would not die. The nutrients can be further classified into the following:

• Primary Nutrients
• Secondary Nutrients
• Micronutrients

Essential Plant Nutrients: Description and Significance

The Primary Nutrients consist of Carbon (C), Oxygen (O) and Hydrogen (H) along with Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). The latter three are commonly found in most of the fertilizers and the former are found in air and water from the atmosphere. These nutrients are required and are utilized more than the secondary and the primary nutrients. Carbon is required in photosynthesis and are important constituents of biomolecules like cellulose and starch. Oxygen is elemental for cellular respiration, which generates energy for the plant called ATP (Adenosine Tri-phosphate). Hydrogen is also essential since it helps in the generation of sugars and thus contributes in the growth of the plant. Nitrogen is part of the DNA of the plant and is major contributor towards the growth of the plant. Phosphorus is an important part of ATP and has a role to play in the conversion of light energy into chemical energy during Photosynthesis. Potassium plays an important part in water retention by the plant; it also regulates the opening and closing of stoma.

The Secondary Nutrients consist of Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S) and Calcium (Ca) which though are required in smaller amounts are required by the plant for various reasons. Magnesium is a part of Chlorophyll pigment without which Photosynthesis would not be possible and the plant would fail to prepare food and energy. Sulfur is required for the generation of energy in the plant body. Calcium is helpful in the transportation of nutrients in the plant body.

Then comes the Micronutrients like Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe) and Molybdenum (Mo). These nutrients are required in very small quantities as the name suggests. Zinc has a huge role to play in the stimulation and activation of enzymes; therefore it is required though in a small amount for the proper functioning of the plant. Copper is also important for Photosynthesis and it also a part of various enzymes. Boron is an important component of the cell walls. Beside sit also helps in the transportation of sugar and cell division. Manganese helps in the building of Chloroplasts and it also activates enzymes. Iron also helps in photosynthesis and enzyme reaction. It also helps in the synthesis of chlorophyll. Molybdenum plays an important role in the fixation of Nitrogen and also is important element when it comes to the generation of amino acids.

Sources of Essential Plant Nutrients

There are various sources of plant nutrients some natural and some synthetic. The natural sources have to be necessarily air, water and soil but the synthetic sources are fertilizers and manures. There are certain fertilizers, which supply certain nutrients for example calcium and magnesium can be found in Dolomitic Lime or Aglime. Similarly sulfur can be obtained from Sulfur compounds, Gypsum and Magnesium and Potassium Sulfate. Micronutrients like manganese, copper, boron, zinc and molybdenum are available from manganese, copper and zinc sulfates, their oxides, oxy sulfates and in chelates. These nutrients can also be obtained from ammonium molybdate and boric acid.

What can be the Effects of Plant Nutrition Deficiencies?

The deficiencies of various nutrients leads to a various problems, which are as follows:

• Calcium deficiency would lead to a decrease in the growth level of the plants.
• Deficiency of Nitrogen would lead to stunted growth of the plants and also weaken the plant as a result of which it might also not flower.
• Deficiency of Phosphorus would lead to fading of leaves and slow plant development.
• Deficiency of Potassium would lead to the yellowing of leaves and premature withering.
• Iron Deficiency leads to development of white patches in between veins and that leads to the death of young leaves.
• Sulfur deficiency leads to the yellowing of leaves and weakening of plants, the effects are very similar to that of Nitrogen deficiency.
• Boron deficiency leads to deformation and death of leaves along with the death of growing buds.
• Manganese Deficiency leads to the yellowing of leaf veins.
• Magnesium Deficiency leads to the yellowing of leaves and poor development of the plant and the fruits.
• Zinc Deficiency can lead to the yellowing of leaves and a reduction in the size of the leaf.

How to trim a tree and more great tree care articles.

The Right Shrub For The Job

A professional garden designer chooses landscape shrubs and bushes in a certain way, while an inexperienced home gardener chooses them in another. The novice tends to go for plants that he or she has seen and liked in parks, gardens, and nurseries. The landscape architect or garden designer on the other hand, while taking personal preference into account, works according to a set of principles, which unlike other aspects of design, can be readily applied by the average home gardener.

To think like a professional, do not at first have specific plants in mind, but rather distinguish between the various design functions that shrubs perform in the garden, and then choose those species that fit the design criteria you have established. It’s like a manager choosing from a list of candidates, the person or persons for a certain job in the company. Certainly, subjective factors play their part, but primarily, the hirer will be looking at the objective credentials of the candidates, such as qualifications and work experience. Here then are some of the “qualifications” that your “candidates”, i.e. your shrubs, should possess before including them in the garden.




Sheared Hedges

The role of a neatly trimmed, sheared hedge is to act either as a formal screen or as a background to some showy focal point. Not every shrub is suitable for the purpose. As a relatively formal garden element, the plant’s foliage should be neat, small, and of fine texture. Plants with large leaves and course texture, like Hibiscus for example look poor and ragged after the hedge trimmer has been at them. That is why “unspectacular” bushes such as Pistacia lentiscus or Myrtus communis make excellent trimmed hedges.

It is tempting to choose species that grow quickly, but this is not necessarily wise in the long run, as rampant plants, like Elaeagnus pungens, are more difficult to maintain on a regular basis. Undoubtedly, that is the reason why the “boring” Privet plants (Ligustrum sp.) are often the choice of the landscape professional.

Informal Screens

Shrubs that are grown as loose, informal screens are usually more suited to larger spaces as opposed to small backyard gardens. The plants can be larger, faster in growth, and have courser leaf texture, than those designated as trimmed hedges. As screens, they ought to be evergreen, and to recover well from pruning. Examples include species of Viburnum, Myoporum, Cocculus. Conifers, such as the large varieties of Juniper, are especially suitable, as they generally do not require pruning

Flowering Shrubs

A landscape bush that acts as a screen can also double up as a flowering shrub. It is worth distinguishing here between those such as Plumbago, that bloom almost continuously through the growing season, and others, like Grevillea and Callistemon, that have a brief, seasonal, flowering period. Strangely, the continual flowerers often produce negative reactions amongst homeowners, perhaps according to the principle that familiarity breeds contempt! They are best used in the farther reaches of large gardens, and perhaps avoided in small spaces. With regard to color, shrubs that sport decorative fruit should not be overlooked.

Sculptural and Emphasis Plants

I addition to screening and background functions; a number of shrubs are highly decorative as individual specimens, creating either a clear focal point or a subtle emphasis amongst a mass of “regular” plants. Yucca and Plumeria for instance, have definite sculptural qualities, while the colored foliage of purple-leaved plants creates a striking contrast. The key with such “special” plants is to use them as sparingly and carefully as possible. Nothing shows up the amateur more, than the sight of plants with purple, silver, or variegated leaves, dotted throughout the garden.   Source: http://www.greenthumbarticles.com/author/Jonathan-Yaakobi-a70.html

More info on shrub care.

Make Your Own Garden Fertilizer - Cheap & Easy

One of the keys to successful organic gardening is healthy soil. By feeding your soil with rich, homemade fertilizers before planting then you will be giving your plants the best chance of success, and encourage robust, vigorous growth. You will also be avoiding adding potentially dangerous chemicals to your soil, and saving money in the process! Organic garden fertilizer is easy to make and cheaper than commercial, chemical fertilizers as you can make it from waste you generate every day around your home.
Ideally you should feed your soil twice a year, particularly in areas where you grow vegetables or annual plants, which deplete the soil of nutrients more rapidly.


Animal based fertilizer
Animal based fertilizer can be made from animal manure that has been well rotted or decomposed. You can use horse, chicken, cow or sheep manure, and fertilizer made in this way will add structure and warmth to your soil.

Once the manure has rotted down and decomposed you can either dig directly into the soil, or use in a liquid form by pouring water through your fertilizer and collecting the runoff. However it's important to ensure your fertilizer is well combined with the soil for a least 3 weeks prior to planting, to ensure it is well integrated.
Plant based fertilizer
Plant based fertilizers are probably easier to make than animal based fertilizers as they use produce and scraps from around the home. Plant based fertilizers include home made compost, worm fertilizers and green manure.
Worm fertilizers are easily made using commercial worm farms which you can buy from your local garden centre, or online. This can be a great project if you have children and the resulting fertilizer and worm 'tea' is very beneficial for your garden. Weight for weight, worm fertilizer is five times more nutrient rich than the surrounding soil, and it requires very little effort on your part. Feed your worm farm with green waste from your home, and you can also include damp newspaper and other organic matter.
Growing "green manure" is very beneficial for your soil if you have the patience to wait for it to grow. Green manure is a nitrogen fixing crop such as clover or lupin that you grow in your soil, then cut and dig in. The decomposing matter feeds the soil as it breaks down, and the roots help to improve the soil structure.
Making your own compost
Organic compost is easy to make, satisfying and cost effective, and is one of the best ways to feed your soil organically. Compost is the result of green waste which has decomposed. It improves the soil by returning nutrients, helping to retain water, and improving the structure of the soil. It also helps soil aeration and drainage, allowing the soil to 'breathe'.
You can make compost in a commercially bought compost bin, or make your own bin from chicken wire or wood. (If using wood try to ensure it is untreated). Place your compost bin in a sheltered area, but not one that is shady or cool.

You can use a range of household green waste in your compost - vegetable scraps, egg shells, grass clippings and leaves are all ideal. It's also hand to add straw or hay every so often to help improve the structure. Do not, however, include grease, bones or meat scraps in your soil as they can attract vermin.
Try to keep your compost pile no more than 3 feet high, and turn it every couple of weeks to ensure good ventilation. Depending on your climate, you should have compost ready to use between 1 to 6 months after you begin.
When is it ready?
A question I'm often asked is, how do you know when your compost is ready? Compost that is ready for use is crumbly, and a dark, rich brown or black in color. It has a distinct, sweet smell when you crumble it in your hands.
Which brings us to one final point about compost piles - they should not smell. If you compost pile smells then something is not in balance; you may have too much water or not enough air in your pile. This can generally be fixed by forking over and mixing your compost.
By making your own range of organic fertilizers at home you not only save money, you know exactly what is going into your soil, and therefore into your plants. And what can be more satilfying than that?
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/make-your-own-organic-garden-fertilizer-easily-and-cheaply-3027332.html


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Organic Methods To Send Ants Packing

This introduction to organic ant control will answer three questions:

1. Do these insects truly cause damage in your yard?
2. Which herbs have traditionally been used to repel them?
3. Which products can help you in your organic ant control efforts?

Is It Really Necessary?

If you mention in certain circles that you practice ant control in the yard, you're likely to have some smart aleck pipe up and rant, "That's not really necessary. These insects don't cause much damage to plants, so just leave them alone." But what your Mr. Know-It-All isn't recognizing in his rant is that, indirectly, ants can cause significant damage to plants.
Ants have a sweet tooth for honeydew, a substance secreted by insect pests such as aphids, scale and whitefly. Not content to take a "hunter-gatherer" approach to supplying themselves with honeydew, ants act as "farmers," herding around the insect pests that produce the honeydew. The herders protect these insect pests from predatory insects that would, otherwise, kill them.
Ant control, then, can be regarded as a measure to take against insect pests such aphids, scale and whitefly. Incidentally, as if the direct damage caused by these herded insect pests weren't sufficiently troubling to convince you that ant control is a legitimate concern, consider this: sooty mold, a fungus that often coats honeydew-stained plants, can damage a plant by depriving it of sufficient sunlight. Oh, and sooty mold turns ornamental plants into eyesores, too, by the way.
Now that you understand when and why it's necessary to take action, let's consider a few organic methods used to tackle the problem. Note also that, in addition to the organic tips discussed below, successes in organic ant control have been reported using everything from parasitic wasps to talcum powder.

Organic Ant Control With Companion Planting

As gardeners, I think we're enamored with the idea that the solution to one plant's problem may well lie in another plant. Indeed, companion planting has helped gardeners deal effectively -- and organically -- with pests for centuries. There are even companion-planting solutions for ant control. Specifically, the fragrance of certain herbs has been thought to repel certain insects, including ants.

Before I cite examples of plants used traditionally for organic ant control, however, let me issue a disclaimer. One gardener may swear that such and such an herb discourages ants; but that doesn't much help another gardener (living, perhaps, in a different region) who tries the same herb but fails to enjoy the same results. Remember that a given herb may not repel all types of ants. If you wish to try companion planting for organic ant control, be ready to experiment: Don't take anything as "the Gospel truth," or you may suffer disappointment.
Besides, the nice thing about companion planting is that, even if it fails, all you're "stuck" with (besides the insects you're fighting, that is) are some additional plants -- plants which you may end up liking so much for their ornamental value, etc. that you decide they're now must-haves for your yard (so you haven't wasted any money, at least).

Examples of Herbs Used in Organic Ant Control

Click on the links below to determine if lavender, sage, catnip or tansy might be plants you'd be interested in trying for organic ant control:

• Lavender
  
• Sage
  
• Catnip
  
• Tansy

In experimenting with herbs for organic ant control, remember that you have some leeway in terms of exactly how you use the plants. This is an important consideration when you realize that tansy, for example, can be among the worst invasive plants. So note carefully that you don't necessarily have to plant the herbs for organic ant control around your specimen plants.
Instead, you can harvest the leaves from the herbs (grown elsewhere), then simply strew the leaves around a specimen plant. If you suspect a plant to be overly aggressive, plant it in a raised bed, where you have more control over it. Remember, too, that you would be targeting only specimen plants susceptible to aphids, scale and whitefly when employing this ant control method.

Organic Ant Control Products

"But," perhaps you object, "I don't have time to experiment with traditional methods of ant control. Is there an organic product that I can buy in stores or on the Web?"  Fortunately, for the committed modernist, yes, there are organic products sold for getting rid of ants.

One such ant control product is the Tree Tanglefoot Pest Barrier, an organic paste composed primarily of sticky substances (waxes and resins) that act as a sort of "fly paper" for ants. Another is Orange Guard, which functions as both a repellent and an insecticide for getting rid of ants. Its active ingredient (d-Limonene) is organic: orange peel extract. Eco Exempt IC-2 is another organic insecticide for ant control, being composed of mineral, wintergreen and rosemary oils.

Final Thought on Getting Rid of Ants

In closing, let's return to my initial question of whether it's necessary to get rid of ants, at all.  I stated essentially that controlling aphids, scale and whitefly entails, in part, controlling ants. But the corollary of this conclusion (vis-a-vis the health of your specimen plants, at least) is that if you do not have a problem with aphids, scale or whitefly, then you may not have to worry about getting rid of ants, either: many ants are, in themselves, harmless.
So don't overdo it! In defense of ants, your Mr. Know-It-All would have been correct to point out that ants do prey on certain insect pests. Ant control can be counterproductive when practiced blindly.
If only ants didn't have such a sweet tooth!  Source: http://landscaping.about.com/od/pestcontrol/Organic_Pest_Control_for_lnsect_and_Rodent_Garden_Pests_.htm

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The Best Landscape Materials

The best way to get the most out of the landscape materials that you are going to use for your landscaping project is to do your study about the layout of the area and chalks out a plan of action regarding the design as well as timetable for completing the landscape undertaking. Having completed these preliminary steps you are then ready to pick and choose the best landscape materials that will make your project turn out just right.
Beautiful Landscape

You will of course, need to incorporate in your design all those factors that will help in creating a beautiful landscape and also those factors that will also compliment the property. Colors as well as kind of landscape materials must be chosen with great care and should fit in well with the materials being used in your home.
Stones are the most often used type of landscape materials and the reason for this widespread usage is that stones help in reflecting nature and they also signify durability as well as strength. This is the reason why nearly every landscape design incorporates use of stones. However, other landscape materials are also becoming popular and so today there are also bricks and cement that are also finding favor amongst buyers.
In fact, certain bricks are being especially manufactured for use in landscapes and they are especially well liked when used in homes that are already constructed by bricks. Most landscape designers tend to match landscape materials with the materials used in the home though some people do choose landscape materials regardless of the fact that these materials do not compliment the materials already used in the home.
When it comes to choosing landscape materials you can opt for designs that are oriental, or you could go with bamboo design as these will compliment the landscaped structures very well. The Internet holds a vast amount of useful information that you can tap into before making the final selection regarding proper landscape materials. Otherwise, you can ask a landscape specialist about the proper landscape materials for your garden or yard.

Today, backyards have become an area around the home where homeowners love to showcase a special kind of beauty and this has given rise to the need to buy suitable lawn and garden supplies that will help decorate a deck, patio or improve the landscaping.
For those people who are worried about their budget and who find that stones are landscape materials that are too costly to buy, they can use products made out of cement which are less costly and which are just as attractive as actual stones.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/taking-the-best-landscape-materials-3412745.html


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Hanging Plants Outdoors For An Oldschool Effect In Your Garden

Every variety of plant used in a design fits inside an imaginary line that defines the limits of the plant material pertinent to the kind of indoor and outdoor decorating where it will be used. Strictly speaking, vines are plants that cling to, or twine around, something that supports them as they grow upright. Their natural habit is vertical.

Turn the pot upside down, and the pliable stems will turn back and up toward overhead light. But there are hundreds of hanging or trailing plants - not true vines - that serve the same or similar decorative purposes because their long, arching stems either hang down or will grow upright when tied to a support. These are included because the picture would be incomplete without them.

An imaginary line gives a basis for excluding some borderline cases, like the orchids, bromeliads, and other plants that are effective in hanging baskets but do not have "viny" habits. It also excludes any creeping or trailing plants useful only as ground covers, but includes any that serve at least one additional decorative purpose.


It is fascinating to discover the ingenious appendages or characteristics nature gives plants to help them climb, cling, creep, or dangle. It is also important to distinguish between the different climbing and hanging habits, because they often determine the decorative use of the plant or the support that should be provided for it. All the plants described fit into one or more of the following categories.

Vines that climb by twining their stems usually require a thin support, like wire or cord, to twine around. They also have definite ideas about which way they will twine. The familiar bittersweet is one of many that insist on twining from left to right, or counterclockwise; Hall's honeysuckle twines from right to left, clockwise; and neither will change its habit, no matter what you do.

Vines that climb by twining tendrils (leaflike appendages, or modified leaves or flower stalks) are not usually so particular about which way they go so long as it is up. The tendrils of the passionflower vine form tight, wiry coils like bedsprings; some tendrils branch (the cissus tribe); some have blunt ends that curl into a hook; some are hooked and needle-sharp, like the doxantha.

Vines that climb by clinging with tendril discs actually combine two climbing tools - tendrils, and small adhesive discs at the tips. For example, when the center branch of the forked tendril of the Virginia creeper touches a surface, it gets busy twisting, turning, maneuvering to bring the other branches into contact too. Then the tip of each tendril develops a disc and seeps out an adhesive resin to hold it tight to its flat support.

Vines that climb by twining leaf-stems (sometimes flower-stems), like clematis, elongate the stems and curl them around a thin support.

Vines that climb by a modification of the leaf itself are fewer, but intriguing. The tapering tip of the gloriosa lily leaf, for example, looks much like a coiling tendril as it circles its support.

Vines that climb by clinging with rootlets from the stem, or sinking them into some porous surface, need no other support to help them climb a stone or brick wall. The ivies are of this type. Indoors, the climbing philodendrons attach themselves to bark or a moss pole in the same manner.

Hanging plants with long, lax, or arching stems make magnificent basket specimens if they are in proper scale. The variegated flowering maple is a fine example. For larger containers or for tying or training upright, vine-wise, in the garden or landscape, there are many semishrubs like jasmines and climbing roses. The latter, of course, help themselves along somewhat with thorns.

Plants that produce, runners - long, lax, stemlike extensions with new plants appearing at the ends - will hang gracefully from pots or baskets. The runners usually strike roots and establish themselves wherever they touch soil. Examples are the episcias and saxifragas.

Prostrate plants with creeping or trailing stems include a number of outdoor ground covers like pothos plants that root at intervals as they move over the soil, and some indoor gems like selaginellas and pileas.

Vining and other plants are classified as annuals, which flower the first season from seed; biennials, which flower the second season after sowing seed; and perennials, which live on from year to year. Perennials that will flower the first year from seed are often grown as annuals.

Perennials may be herbaceous, dying back to the ground in winter, or woody, with top growth persisting and growing on the following year. And woody perennials may be deciduous and drop their leaves in winter, or evergreen. The evergreens are further divided into types with needlelike leaves (conifers) or broad-leaved.

What better time than right now to explore and learn more on the subject of pothos plants. Take advantage of our years of experience, visit plant-care.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Higgins 

Tree Maintenance:
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The Greenest Lawn: Don't Settle For Less

Everybody wants their lawn to be as green as possible, right? Especially when summertime gets closer, lawn care will be a high priority for lots of people. As you think about all that must be done, consider showing off a greener, healthier lawn than ever before. When you drive through your street and see how splendidly green some lawns are, you must know this: The amount of nutrients the grass receive makes a big difference. Caring for your lawn in the best way is actually essential for the "green" it produces. Proper mowing, aerating and watering your lawn will result in a much greener yard.

You might be wondering why your lawn is not as green as you would like. One of the most common reasons for this is traffic. The amount of traffic your lawn receives can be a factor in how it looks like. If there are people moving through certain areas of your lawn, the much needed aeration through the soil will be disturbed. When that happens, the grass will have a lack of oxygen, which is never good. This situation can be solved by aerating your lawn. You may notice some flat areas on your lawn, or places where the soil is compact. If you do, then you most definitely must aerate the lawn. You can find the best aerating tools online.  To achieve the best results, be sure to aerate your lawn in springtime or maybe even fall. Whatever you do, DO NOT aerate your lawn during summer.


Another reason may be that it doesn't receive enough sunlight. Lawns that are shaded, for example by trees, have difficulty producing nice, green grass, simply because it's hard to receive the right amount of sunlight. If this is your case, what you have to do is trim the branches that stand in the way of the sunlight reaching the grass. If you need help with pruning or further advice on trimming trees, it's a good idea to consult a Arborist.

You can also help your lawn stay green by making sure the grass isn't being invaded by thatch and debris. The lawn must be raked consistently and it's important that you buy a good rake to remove thatch that are over half-inch long. What this does, is it allows for better aeration through your grass, as well as
proper movement of the essential nutrients in the grass and soil.

Knowing when to mow your lawn is crucial in keeping it looking its greenest. You must find that balance, and always be aware of the mowing height and clippings you use. The following measurements are usually applied: For grass that's a little more coarse, a 1 inch length can be maintained. Finer grass can be mowed to a 15 mm to 20 mm length. Too short may stress out the grass; to long will prevent water and sunlight to move properly into the soil.  You may have to adjust the height of your lawnmower to do this.

It can not be mentioned enough: Watering must be done right in order to maintain a great looking lawn! When and how to water your lawn is very important in making your grass greener. The best time to water your lawn is in the (early) morning. This way, the soil will absorb the water instead of it evaporating by the heat of the sun. You should also make sure you water the grass evenly instead of watering in sections. Of course, the easiest way to do this is using an irrigation system.

Last but certainly not least, your soil is a very important factor in helping your lawn to achieve it's greenest color. The texture with the grains should be just right, as well as the right pH balance. If one of these is a problem, the soil can easily be balanced out by adding compost or fertilizer. This in turn will give the grass the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and green. When selecting fertilizer for your lawn, always consider a few of things: Your type of soil, the problems you see the grass is having, and the time of year you are thinking of fertilizing. It's always a good idea to consult your local garden center.

So, if you want to have the greenest lawn in your street, remember this: The traffic and surroundings of your lawn, aeration, the right nutrients, mowing and watering your lawn the right way will contribute to a healthy, green lawn.
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_51456_27.html?ktrack=kcplink

Planting A Tree:
One great way to add a focal point in your lawn is to plant a tree. But that's not all. Trees add more to your landscape than just beauty, here's more information on the benefits of treesand why everybody should be tree planting.

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Tree Removal:
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How to Collect Rainwater

All conscientious allotment owners collect rainwater. Collecting rainwater is a good idea for two reasons: 1. doing so is environmentally responsible because it conserves natural resources, and 2. rainwater is better for your plants' health and well-being because tap water contains potentially unhealthy chemicals such as magnesium and calcium. These chemicals neutralize acidic soil which many plants need in order to flourish.

Rainwater tends to be slightly acidic on the pH scale because as rain falls, it picks up a bit of carbon dioxide which, in turn, causes the rainwater to become weak carbonic acid. This carbonic acid is natural and is not harmful to plants. What is harmful to plants, however, is rainwater that has fallen through polluted air and becomes acid rain. All in all, though, rainwater is better than tap water for plants because it's free and contains relatively fewer chemicals.


The process for collecting rainwater is simple. You'll want to install one or more water butts (also known as water tanks) to collect the rainwater. A good idea would be to install two or even three butts to collect additional water that you'll need in the hot, dry months of the year. These additional tanks will also be useful if you find yourself experiencing a sudden hosepipe ban or restriction. Remember to keep the butts covered so they don't become breeding grounds for algae and/or mosquitoes.

To create an easy and effective drip system for watering your plants, hook up a drip irrigation system or a length of leaky hose to your water butt. Then bury it in and among your plants so they can directly receive adequate irrigation.

Some plants such as potted plants require more water than others. To provide for them adequately, try taking an upside-down carbonated drink bottle and poking a few holes in the lid. Then fill the bottle with water and stick it into the ground near the plants' roots. This strategy makes superior drip feeders for drought-sensitive plants.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shaz_Mkenzy

Tree Care:
Tree care database. Secrets to pruning trees.