I’ve had my EZ grip stainless steel compost pail for about a week now and I have to say, I could not be more happy with my choice.

I have always considered myself fairly eco-friendly, and I’ve had a compost pile in the yard for quite some time now, but up until I bought this thing, I’ve been stuck with trying to remember to take out the fruit peelings and coffee grounds as soon as I was done with them.

For some time, we tried a plastic container on the counter, but it invariably started to smell horrible and we ended up with a nasty fly mess, so that ended almost as quickly as it began.

Now at long last however, I think I have discovered the solution.

This elegant little compost pail fits right on my (always spotless, of course) kitchen counter and can hold up to a week’s worth of kitchen scraps before its full. All the while, because of the filter, it doesn’t smell! To make things even better, because it is stainless steel, I don’t have to worry about it getting knocked off the counter and cracking, unlike that ugly old plastic bucket.

Why do we value the orchid so highly? The question has been asked for generations and yet the answer is in the elegent, delicate and exotic nature of orchids. They can be difficult to grow without the proper information and with 20,000 species, the specifics can be daunting. And yet, the prize flowers have been used for centuries as corsages.

Orchids were a symbol of upscale living. Wearing such a prized floral corsage was exquisite. With time, many bridal bouquets included delicate vanilla Phalaenopsis orchid. One species that is less difficult for orchid lovers to grow is the Vanda, the Urdu (Hindu) name for an orchid in numerous colors and spottings. The Vanda has the appearance of a strange, yet amusing face.

The Vanda Orchid

Does your orchid have 5 pedals? It may be a Vanda Orchid. They have 5 petals and come in a range of colors from royal blues and purples to elegant whites with a multitude of spots. You may also notice multiple blooms on a single stem. Some of the rarest orchids are the blue orchids - many of these are Vanda Orchids - or some hybrid of the Vanda Orchid. They also are known for blooming from tree bark, which you could see in nature throughout the Himalayas, New Guinea, and even down under in Australia. Baskets are a great place for Vanda orchids to grow - and many hobbyist use baskets.

The question is as old as time: “Why are orchids so highly prized?”. Orchids, delicate, exotic and difficult to grow have more than 20,000 species. In the early 1900’s, orchids were worn chiefly in corsages by elegant ladies who could afford the price of the lavender-hued cattelyas.

Orchids were a symbol of upscale living. Wearing such a prized floral corsage was exquisite. With time, many bridal bouquets included delicate vanilla Phalaenopsis orchid. One species that is less difficult for orchid lovers to grow is the Vanda, the Urdu (Hindu) name for an orchid in numerous colors and spottings. The Vanda has the appearance of a strange, yet amusing face.

Vanda Orchids - How Can You Tell?

Does your orchid have 5 pedals? It may be a Vanda Orchid. They have 5 petals and come in a range of colors from royal blues and purples to elegant whites with a multitude of spots. You may also notice multiple blooms on a single stem. Some of the rarest orchids are the blue orchids - many of these are Vanda Orchids - or some hybrid of the Vanda Orchid. They also are known for blooming from tree bark, which you could see in nature throughout the Himalayas, New Guinea, and even down under in Australia. Baskets are a great place for Vanda orchids to grow - and many hobbyist use baskets.

Whatever is added, it should be as durable as the bark. Avoid any rapidly decomposing materials, such as dried bracken.

Most orchids will be happy in ordinary plastic pots; in fact, these are preferable to clay pots owing to the dry nature of the compost. Clay pots are useful for top-heavy plants, standing the plastic pot inside a slightly larger clay one. Those orchids which persist in making aerial roots can be treated differently; they can be put into hanging baskets, or wired onto a piece of cork bark. Cork bark is best because it takes a very long time to rot and because the roots can easily adhere to the rough surface.

Young plants in small pots will need to be potted or ‘dropped’ on into larger pots every six months or so, and this also should be done in spring and autumn. The summer growing and winter resting seasons are not good times to disturb orchids and should he avoided. Repotting becomes necessary when the plant has outgrown its pot, or preferably when it has just filled the pot. Sympodial orchids grow forward, producing each new pseudobulb or growth in front of the previous one.

Chysis bractescens is an untidy plant to grow, and if grown upright will continually strive to turn itself the other way. Eventually the pseudobulbs grow out at all angles. Taking a closer look at this plant, it will be found that the heavy, club-shaped pseudobulbs are wasted at the base; they grow from a considerably thick, strong rhizome and swell out as they mature, consequently becoming top-heavy. Even when accommodated in an open basket this plant will look decidedly uncomfortable, and the best answer is to grow it in a pendent position on a piece of bark.

Many sympodial orchids can be propagated by removal of the oldest backbulbs - those pseudobulbs which have discarded their foliage and have become surplus to the plant’s requirements. Not all leafless pseudobulbs should be removed for this purpose as this may reduce the strength of the plant.

One of the problems with growing orchids in open baskets is that not only will their roots come through the sides of the basket, but often the new growths do as well! When this happens, the result is an awkward-shaped plant with pseudobulbs in all directions.

BY modern methods, the flowers for our winter bouquets may be dried throughout their growing periods. Not only will they provide out of season enjoyment, but they can vie at any season with fresh blooms and they will hold their own on the show table, too.

The processes by which the flowers are dried is not difficult, but patience and careful handling are required. The first step is to assemble the necessary materials and prepare a work area which is dry, yet well ventilated.

All of the flowers we will discuss will be dried in an old fashion mixture of 2/3 powdered borax and 1/3 dry, sifted sand. A practical quantity for the average drying box would be four pounds of borax, thoroughly mixed with 3 and 1/3 cups of sand. This mixture does not deteriorate and an occasional sifting will keep it usable year after year.

For some flowers, wires (available in 18-inch lengths from the florist) are used to substitute for the natural stems or to extend stems which are too short. When wrapped with green or brown corsage tape they are seldom obvious and their pliability is an advantage in making the arrangement. Twenty-three gauge wires are medium strength and will support most flowers.

A raised bed vegetable garden is the best option for vegetable gardening in cooler climate zones. Regular gardens can often be soaked and freeze overnight if they are not drained properly.

Building a raised bed vegetable garden allows extra water to drain out faster and the soil will become warmer quicker. With appropriate protection it also allows you to grow vegetables that you would not normally be able to grow due to the cold climate.

If you want to grow bigger and healthier vegetables and herbs, then you should consider incorporating a raised bed design into your garden plot. The extra depth of the soil in a raised bed is beneficial for your plants. The plant roots have extra room to grow and are more likely to produce large, hardy specimens than if they were in a crowded, shallow space.

To construct a raised bed vegetable garden you need to pile in the soil with a shovel or rake. The width of the raised bed depends on how large you desire the garden to be. A common dimension is 21 inches. The dirt that is used for the beds has to be a superior quality soil. It is acceptable to use common garden dirt that has been mixed with amendments such as compost, peat moss, and manure. Also, you can buy superior quality soil.

If you’re on a budget designer lamp shades may be something you can’t afford. Instead of looking wistfully at the pictures in interior design magazines, here are 4 things you can do to get great looking lamp shades without the high price tags.

1. Use Your Mouse

Browsing around online lighting stores You are likely to come across lamp shades you love with just a few clicks. You will be amazed at the selection of lamp shades on offer at reasonable prices. Nothing beats the convenience of online shopping and because you are able to compare prices you can get a very good deal.

Check out eBay too where lamp shade manufacturers and small lighting stores often sell goods at cheaper prices. Remember to add any shipping charges when thinking about your budget however. And check feedback to make sure the seller is reputable.

2. Look for Discounts and Sales

Sales seem to happen all year round these days so make sure you keep an eye on those stores which sell lamp shades if you are looking for a good deal. If you find a designer lamp shade you love on sale just make sure that it is right for your lamp before you buy, otherwise it is no bargain!

Watching Birds is Fun!

Enjoying birds and bird watching is one of the best ways to get out of the house and into the countryside and away from your back yard. By watching them in their natural habitat you will see them in their normal environment and it will be a different experience than watching them at the bird houses and bird feeders in you yard.

More and more people are now becoming bird watchers and birding will continue to become more popular. More time means more birding time and longer bird watching trips can take place. Also bird watching generates and appreciation for nature, our environment and the fact that we need to protect habitat for the birds.

All new birders need to understand some basic principles before they venture out on their first birding adventures so that they have some success in finding birds and are not disappointed. A bird feeder in the yard is always a good starting point, but to see more and different birds you have to travel further to find different habitat.

The Early Worm Watches The Bird!

The completed tree can be sprayed, wetting the plants and bark alike. From now on the tree will require spraying two or three times a day during the summer, and less in winter. With little in the way of compost around the base of the plants there is no danger of overwatering, but as shrivelling from underwatering can occur quite rapidly moisture is important.

Taking the first plant and a suitably-sized wad of damp osmunda fibre or similar material, place the latter against the tree with the plant on top. Any exposed, non-aerial roots can be tucked underneath the fibre. Once the plant’s exact position has been settled, a length of the wire is taken around the branch and plant and pulled as tight as possible with the pliers, and then twisted, and the end cut off short. Two or three tics may he necessary to secure the plant, which by now must be very firm in its position.

The old wire can be cut and pulled out, when it will probably be found that the plant is well rooted onto its bark. Careful teasing will lift the plant and its osmunda base clear of the hark, and the old fibre can he left in place to be used again.