Dating the Wrong People: The Nanny, The Ex's Pals, and More

People you just shouldn't date.

Have you fallen for someone and now wonder if you may be crossing a line by seeing him or her romantically? Not every person you have feelings for is the right one to date. Here are some people to avoid when it comes to the question of starting a relationship.

Your Nanny

It's easy to see how feelings can develop for the folks you pay to care for your children. After all, you hired someone that would love and tend to your kids the same as you would and that's bound to bring up feelings of tenderness in you. Couple that with the reality that a nanny will likely spend time in your home and become a quasi part of your family, and you've got a recipe for trouble.

Your kids will become very confused when they see you displaying mushy feelings for the lady they look to for support on their behalf. A nanny is a sacred part of the household, so don't distract her by making her pay more attention to you than she does to your children. She isn't meant to be your partner.

Your Boss

Any person who has authority over you is generally a poor choice when it comes to romance. The lines of appropriateness get crossed, because even with the best of intentions favoritism is bound to rear its head. You may think you really earned that bonus over the rest of the staff, but how will you ever know for sure? Also, if you happen to break up, is your job then in jeopardy?

Your coworkers will resent the closeness you have with your boss and begin to treat you differently as well. No one likes to know that another person is talking to their boss about them, and when you date someone in authority at work the subject of the office will naturally come up.

Your Best Friend's Ex

In general, it's best to stay away from anyone that dated one of your friends. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule and that depends on the individual circumstances of the breakup, the amount of time the relationship lasted, and the time that has passed since your friend has seen or talked to their ex. Anyone that your friend was in love with, had a long-term relationship with, or has kids with is someone to avoid romantically.

However, if your friend dated someone casually for a short time, it's generally considered okay to get involved. Still, it's a good idea to talk to your friend before you proceed. Even if the person in question is a long-forgotten flame, your friend won't want to be taken by surprise when you show up on his or her arm at a party.

Your Ex's Friends

The "do unto others" rule applies to this scenario. Would you want your ex-girlfriend or boyfriend going on dates with your pals? It's not that your ex will be jealous necessarily, rather, he or she will probably just feel very weird seeing someone they were once with hanging around their social circle. Once a break up happens, it's usually a good idea to part ways and go back to your separate lives.

Your Kid's Friends

You may feel young at heart, but to your children, you are a generation older and should not dip into their pool of friends to find romance. Even if you imagine there is a spark with one of their pals, do your grown-up child a favor and let him or her live their lives without you hanging around and hitting on their cronies.

The bottom line is that even if you suddenly have feelings for someone, it doesn't mean it's appropriate to start up a romantic relationship. There are plenty of ways to meet people today. Choose a partner that will bring you happiness without causing additional drama in your life.

This is just a guideline for the kinds of people who are a bad idea to get in a relationship with. But what about if you're already in a relationship with someone who's being unfaithful? Visit Are You Cheating to learn more about what you can do.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome was described as a mental disorder for the first time in 1838 by Esquirol (Riggs & Foa). Even though the definition has changed over the years, the essential elements that were established in it still stand "obsessive-compulsive [patients[ experience both intrusive thoughts, ideas that generate distress and repetitive behaviors that are carried out compulsively" (Riggs & Foa, 2006, p. 169).

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most common mental disorders, being ranked as the fourth most common psychological problem to be diagnosed on record. With this in mind, it is still possible for the number of those suffering from OCD to be far larger in reality. Stein (2002) claims that obsessive-compulsive disorder is a frequent, chronic, costly, and disabling disorder that presents in several medical settings, but is under-recognized and undertreated.

Causes and Diagnostics

The exact causes are difficult to determine, with several hypotheses being circulated. One of them is based on the idea of behavioral modifications in the case of the human species due to life conditions that forced the individuals to take precautionary measures against the imminence of constant threats for one's physical safety (Bracha, 2006). Another theory, the biological version, claims that people suffering from OCD exhibit modifications in the serotonin receptors and even neurological imbalances that can be transmitted genetically (Menzies, Chamberlain, Fineberg, Chen & Del Campo, Sahakian et al, 2007; Berthier, Kulisevsky, Gironell, et al, 1996).

Onset

Usually takes place during adolescence or youth (young adulthood), being an extremely rare occurrence during childhood or for people over 40. Even though for 5% of the cases the disorder goes into remission or the individuals only experiences obsessive-compulsive episodes once every few years, it's important to know that without a correct diagnosis and a proper treatment, the condition may get worse, as far as to affect the individual's life with factors like extreme fatigue, a general lack of functionality, losing relationships with loved ones and culminating with physical symptoms (for instance, some people obsessively wash their hands over and over until they inadvertently develop skin conditions).

Obsessions and Compulsions

Obsession

Obsessions are ideas, thoughts, impulses, or persistent images that are experienced as being intrusive and inadequate, and that cause profound anxiety. The individual usually believes that the content of his/her obsessions is external to him/her and is usually perceived as undesired and uncontrollable. The most frequent obsessions are repetitive thoughts concerning contamination (for example, contamination by shaking other people's hands), repeated doubting (for instance, wondering if he/she did a random action, such as leaving the door open), the necessity of having things in a certain order (such as arranging everything in symmetry), aggressive or horrible impulses (for example, that of harming one's child or yelling obscenities in a church) and sexual imagery (for example, a recurring pornographic image).

Compulsions

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors (for example, washing the hands, putting things in order, checking things over and over) or mental acts (such as praying, counting, repeating certain words over and over mentally) that have the purpose of preventing or reducing anxiety rather than causing a certain pleasure. In most cases, the person feels compelled to act on the compulsion to reduce the stress that comes as a result of an obsession or to prevent a given event or situation that he/she fears. The most frequent compulsions involve washing and cleaning, counting, verifying things, asking for or soliciting constant reassurance, repeated actions, and putting things in perfect order.

If you constantly find yourself wondering "Do I have OCD", the best course of action is to visit a mental health professional for a proper diagnosis. For a person to be diagnosed with OCD, he/she must exhibit (A) obsessions and compulsions and (B) an understanding, at one point in time, of the irrational nature of these obsessions. Furthermore, (C ) the aforementioned obsessions are hugely time-consuming (taking a minimum of one hour every day) or interfering significantly with the person's normal routine, his/her professional functionality, or with one's usual activities and social relations. (D) If the individual exhibits other health issues, the content of the obsessions or compulsions is not strictly limited to them (for example, the obsession with food when an eating disorder is present). Finally, (E) the disturbance is not related to the ingestion of certain substances (drugs, medicine) or any other physiological disorder.

Treatment

To keep the individual under normal functioning parameters, treatment and medication are a must. At the same time, behavioral therapies need to be accompanied by medication, with serious proof indicating that this type of therapy aids one considerably in rebuilding one's equilibrium and harmony (Schwartz, 1998). Another treatment method for extremely serious cases is electroconvulsive therapy (Cybulska, 2006). Experimental treatment methods are still being tested (administering vitamins, psychedelics, nicotine, etc), but their effectiveness is up for debate. The disorder shows great signs of amelioration when treatment and therapy are being administered, however, interrupting the treatment may trigger serious OCD episodes.

Even though it can be kept under control and managed, OCD remains a disorder that can greatly affect people's lives, the life of the patient as well as the lives of the ones who are close to him/her. There is no gender differentiation, men and women being equally exposed to the development of this condition. However, a connection between this type of condition and a high IQ level has been established (Peterson, Pine, Cohen & Brook, 2001).

Garden Design - Principles of Design

The Elements of Design are: light, space, line, form, size, pattern, texture and color.

The Principles of Design are: balance, proportion, rhythm, contrast, dominance and scale.

The Handbook for Flower Shows concludes its chapter on the Principles and Elements of Design by stating that the Elements of Design are tangible ingredients while the intangible Principles of Design are directions for combining those ingredients into a successful design.

It took me a while to grasp how flower show judges are trained to think because I was familiar with critiques in art class, where the students made suggestions about how a work of art might be improved. In a standard flower show, the judges evaluate the designs and award ribbons before the show is open to the public. The judges often leave brief comments on the entry tags for arrangements, but they are never supposed to suggest that maybe if you had used more red flowers, that red flower in your arrangement might not stand out so much. The judge is supposed to leave a written comment such as: red too dominant, disrupts rhythm. That comment tells the designer what the problem is without telling them how the problem might be solved.

I cant imagine that there has ever been a gardener who hasnt felt at some time that the design of their ornamental garden might be improved. When we do this, most of us start thinking about color from flowers or foliage. We may consider adding a shrub with variegated leaves. When we do that, we are thinking about the Elements of Design. It would be better if our first thoughts were about the Principles of Design.

When a flower show judge leaves a comment which says red too dominant, disrupts rhythm, the designer is likely to look at their arrangement and think of possible ways to solve the problem. Maybe the red flower is too bright for their desired arrangement and they should have chosen a different flower. Maybe they should have used more red flowers to establish a rhythm. Maybe they should have used red, rather than green foliage in the arrangement. All of these alternatives could solve the design problem. The red flower isnt really a problem. The problem is caused by a visual ingredient being too dominant. If the designer had evaluated their own arrangement by thinking about the Principles of Design, they might have avoided that design problem.

When we add a shrub with variegated leaves to our garden, are we solving a design problem? We may actually be adding to existing design problems, since avid gardeners often have too many interesting plants competing with each other for visual dominance. If we focus on the Principles of Design, we may be able to see design weaknesses in our gardens before we focus on possible solutions.

This is the first in a series of articles devoted to the Principles of Design. In them, I am going to try to relate floral design to garden design because floral designs are on a smaller scale and contain fewer visual ingredients than gardens. Once you have thought about how to use bright red flowers in an arrangement, it may be easier to understand how red flowers might be used in a garden without disrupting the gardens visual rhythm.

If you have problems maintaining your garden or trimming, cutting the trees, let Portland TT help you. With its team of professional experts, they provide services for tree trimming, yard and garden maintenance and more.

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Home Lawncare and Gardening - Planting Container-Grown Plants

Bare-root Plants

When you buy perennials online, usually they are shipped as �bare-root�, which means that the soil has been washed away from the roots after the plants were dug from the field, or removed from the container. Depending on the plants, sometimes the roots are also trimmed. The purpose of this is primarily to lighten the container prior to mailing, and so that the roots can be wrapped in moist newspaper. Postage is expensive and the last thing you want to do is to pay for the mailing of soil. When you receive these plants, planting is done by creating a small mount of soil at the bottom of the planting hole. The perennial is then placed on top of the mount, and the roots are gently fanned out above the top. The roots are covered with more soil and watered in well. These types of planting tend to create anxiety with new gardeners, but really, there is no reason to. Bare root perennials are typically very sturdy and can easily be transplanted in this manner.

Establishment Ease

Because the gardener spreads out the roots in the process of planting, bare-root perennials tend to establish themselves quickly in their new environment. The only thing to watch out for is how deep the crown should be planted. The crown is the central hard mass between the green leaves and the roots. Some plants should have the crown planted at soil level; others should have the crown just below soil level. Typical mistakes involve planting the crown too deeply. While bare-root perennials may at first glance appear more difficult to handle than container-grown plants, in the end, they tend to establish themselves faster and better.

Container-grown perennials

At garden centers most perennials are purchased as pot-grown, or container-grown. This means that the plant is displayed growing in a pot which you bring home. Occasionally, plants are �field grown�, dug and potted, prior to sale, but typically the plant has spend most of its short life in this same pot. When you get container grown plants home, they are planted by digging a hole the size of the pot, removing the plant from the pot, making sure that the top of the soil of the plant�s root ball is level with the top of the surrounding soil, and then water well. It could not be any easier, or at least so it seems.

Root-bound Problems

One of the most common problems with a containerized plant is getting a root-bound plant. When a plant has lived a long time in the same pot, the roots may have started to encircle the pot. If this plant is planted like this, the roots will continue to follow the same circle and the result will be a dense mound of roots which has completely displaced available soil. Soil is required for roots to take up nutrients, oxygen, and water. Compared to a �bare root� grown plant, which roots have been fanned out and are growing into the surrounding soil, a root-bound containerized plant will continue to grow in a circle and soon strangle itself. Ideally, the gardener should remove the plant from the pot at the nursery before purchase and inspect the roots. The root ball should hold together without the soil falling apart. The roots should be visible but the root ball consist of primarily soil with some white roots showing. If there is no visible soil; the root ball is a big mass of roots, as in the above picture; the plant is root bound and you are better off buying another plant.

Planting Root-bound Plants

Sometimes, however, we all end up buying a root-bound plant. When this happens, they can be planted successfully provided the roots are teased apart, or the circling pattern disrupted so they no longer grow in a circle. One way to plant root-bound plants is to gently tease the roots apart with your hands first. Simply breaking the root ball gently and pointing the roots in an outwards direction is often enough. Sometimes, the root ball can be so dense, however, that this is simply not possible. Watering the root ball and washing away the soil will then often loosen the roots sufficiently to allow disentangling of the roots. Some plants, like this Rudbeckia fulgida (Black-eyed Susan), may create such dense root balls that breaking apart with your hands is very difficult, and watering won�t help either. In this case, you can use garden scissors and cut several vertical slits into the root ball. With your hands, you can then gently point the bottom edges of the root ball outwards. Most perennial plants do well with root pruning. These plants will produce new vigorous branching roots if the old roots are severed. With these, I like to saw off the bottom of severely root-bound plants before planting. Scarifying the sides of the root-ball with scissors is still a good idea. Not all plants do well with root pruning, however. Some plants, like lilies for example, prefer not to have their roots disturbed or damaged. Read the tags carefully. It pays to ask.

Planting guidelines

Once the root-ball has been scarified or loosened, planting should be done following these guidelines:

Plants usually establish best if planted in loose aerated soil. Break up soil in an area twice as wide and one and a half times as deep as the root ball.
Most perennials prefer a good organic soil. All types of soil can be improved by mixing the native soil with a bit of compost.
Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole, and then firm gently. Place the plant in the hole making sure that the top of root-ball is level with or ideally slightly above ground level
Backfill with amended soil around the sides of the plant. It is usually easiest to fill the cavities on the outside of the root-ball with some soil and then water it in. Add some more soil and repeat until no more soil will fit on the side of the plant.
Water the plant well initially by flooding the plant. Then let the water drain and repeat. For the next few weeks, until the plant grows new roots, you should water more frequently than you otherwise would with established plants. Even so-called drought tolerant plants need extra water until they are established. A deep soaking minimum twice per week is recommended. If you are planting during very hot, sunny times of the year, water daily to begin with.

The planting advice above applies to bare-root and container-grown plants alike. If you buy container grown-plants and plan on growing them in pots on the patio, for example, make sure buy a new planter at least 2-3 times the size of the original pot. E.g. a 6� pot should ideally be planted in a one gallon container. A gallon perennial should be housed in a container no smaller than 3 � 5 gallons.

If you don�t want to get into all this hassle and have professional experts do all the work of cutting and planting trees and shrubs or garden maintenance, then you can�t go wrong with Portland TT.

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Home Lawncare and Gardening - Planting Container-Grown Plants

Principles of Organic Gardening Organic Gardening, not a Big Deal It has been practiced since time immemorial without the fancy name.

A Time for All Things For successful gardening, you need to learn the optimal times for sowing each seed. Winter Gardening: Raised Bed Construction Build raised beds by composting in site. Never bother moving the compost. Easy on the back. Leaves of Gold Tree leaves contain the nutrients which were leached into the subsoil. They need to be returned to the area where they fell to keep the soil at its current state of health. Delicious Weeds Use them in salads. List of my favorites. Some of them kept my family from starving after World War II. Cats in the Garden of Eden Written by Dusty the Gardencat who is an authority on how cats and gardeners can get along. Find out what a cat needs to be happy and not to damage the garden. Creating Your Own Garden of Eden Don�t fight the environment in which you are trying to garden. Cooperate with it. Getting Started Organic Garden from Scratch If your are starting from scratch, here are some hints on how to do it the easy way, i.e without killing yourself. Marijuana, Ukrainian Companion Plant Marijuana protects the garden from pests and diseases. It also provides the highly-valued fiber for the strong yet delicate clothes of the Ukrainians, and the seeds are the source of a valuable cooking oil. Companion Plants Chamomile instead of Herbicide and Pesticide Companion plants to grains eliminate the need for any other disease or pest control. They also increase the yield of the harvest without negative side effects. My Organic Gardening Bible Book review of the authoritative companion planting book by the champion of the method, Louise Riotte. Cultivating Specific Plants Tender Onion Greens All Season Long Growing many varieties will give you tender onion greens to harvest all season long. Deadly Spring Beauty Spring flowers display the most beautiful assortment of colors. Most of them are poisonous to protect them from being eaten by animals. Enjoy them outdoors but do not bring them into the house where they will make people sick. Fruit for Frigid Climates Only trust nurseries which tell you the growing zone of each tree. The most reliable varieties were developed in Manitoba and are available in Canada and the northern United States. Fruit Tree Pruning, Introduction The why, what, and when of pruning fruit trees of the rose family, e.g. apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, apricots. Fruit Tree Pruning, Instructions The how of pruning fruit trees of the rose family, e.g. apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, apricots. Step by step instructions. Pumpkins not just for Hallowe�en Principles and method of growing super cucurbits, e.g. pumpkins, cucumbers, marrow, squash, off the ground. Pest and Weed Control How to Send Your Slugs to Your Neighbor�s Yard Slugs don�t like a healthy environment and will migrate to an unhealthy one. Don't fight the dandelions, enjoy them. Here is a non-native plant which is beneficial to organic gardening, so why fight it? Chamomile instead of Herbicide and Pesticide Companion plants to grains eliminate the need for any other disease or pest control. They also increase the yield of the harvest without negative side effects. Marijuana, Ukrainian Companion Plant Marijuana protects the garden from pests and diseases. It also provides the highly-valued fiber for the strong yet delicate clothes of the Ukrainians, and the seeds are the source of a valuable cooking oil. Environmental Concerns What are you doing to my beautiful creation? Do you ever wonder what the creator thinks of the way we are manipulating his creation? Listen to him share his views with St. Francis. Naturalized Gardens, Legal but not Desirable In spite of legal protection, city inspectors harass gardeners who are practicing environmentally friendly gardening methods. Recycling Christmas Trees Make them useful in the organic garden all year long. Of Artists and Other Geniuses Through the Eyes of a Poet Goethe was not just Germany�s greatest poet. He pioneered natural gardening, and he wrote about it in his poetry. Earth Day Every Day Gardening methods shared by my youngest and oldest reader, winners of my first Natural Health contest. The Old Woman Who Walks Close to the Earth If you need help doing some home garden maintenance or planting trees by a team of professional experts, check out Portland TT for more.

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Growing Vegetables in Raised Beds

Raised beds are also known as deep beds, and though organic gardeners didn�t invent them they know the true value of them.

For large or small gardens, for vegetables, flowers or a mixture of both, deep beds are ideal. You�ll be surprised what you can grow in it.

They are usually double dug when they are first made, so as to give a good depth of workable soil.

Advantages of raised beds for vegetables

� space is used efficiently as there is more growing space in small plots

� no soil compaction as you don't walk on the bed

� good soil structure easy to maintain

� less digging once beds have been made & forking before planting often all that is needed

� good drainage through deep soil

� all-weather access - walk on paths not sticky soil

� easy access to crops from both sides

Disadvantages of raised beds

� deep beds drain well and are excellent for overcoming waterlogged Northern Irish soils so keep newly sown seeds and seedlings well watered as the excellent drainage can dry the soil too quickly before seedlings have germinated and established

� a few crops not particularly suitable - eg potatoes which need ridging to stop tubers going green

� a lot of physical effort is needed to make them (but it's worth it)

� tall plant supports more difficult - eg runner beans as no firm soil to put stakes in

Suitable edging materials

� old wooden boards - eg old floor boards, but they rot eventually

• concrete building blocks on edge - durable, relatively cheap, but very heavy to install

� old roof tiles or slates

� old bricks on end

� logs - will rot eventually

Suitable path materials

Space beds about two feet apart to allow access paths .

� grass - needs regular cutting - making sure your lawn mower can get between the beds

� straw over thick newspaper - needs regular renewal

� bark, sawdust or shavings - needs regular renewal

� gravel - needs edging to beds - expensive

� slabs, bricks - expensive

� landscaping fabric - unattractive - best with bark covering

How big should a bed be ?

� any length or shape, but no more than four feet wide at any point

� up to four feet wide allows you to reach in from either side

� of a length that isn�t tedious to walk round

� long beds are better split, with a path between them

� try a four by four bed as a starter.

When is the best time to make a raised bed ?

� during autumn, so that the soil can be weathered by frost to give a good tilth

� in early spring once the soil is dry enough to walk on and dig

Making a raised bed by double-digging

Double digging is best for medium to heavy soils, where there are a lot of weeds or large stones, and particularly when the bed is being made in a lawn or other grassland.

1. mark out the position of the bed accurately

2. remove any turf or vegetation, put to one side and then bury it in the bottom of the bed as you proceed to dig it (not perennial weeds though)

3. working across the bed, dig out soil to a single spade's depth (removing any stones and perennial weeds as you go) and place it to one side

4. loosen the next spade depth down with a fork, removing any stones and perennial weeds as you go

5. fork well-rotted manure or compost into this loosened soil

6. dig the next top spit of soil (removing any stones and perennial weeds as you go) and place onto the loosened and manured soil

7. fork manure or compost into this replaced top spit of soil

8. repeat steps 4-7, working down the length of the bed

9. when you get to the end of the bed replace the soil which was set aside and add manure or compost

That�s the last digging you�ll do. It will only need forking in future years. Even our old friend scutch (couch grass) will now be relatively easy to remove.

Making a raised bed by single-digging

Single digging will probably suffice on light, free draining soils as long as there isn't a layer of compacted stones in the top soil.

1. mark out the position of the bed accurately

2. remove any turf or vegetation, put to one side and then bury it in the bottom of the bed as you proceed to dig it (not perennial weeds though)

3. working across the bed, dig out soil to a single spade's depth (removing any stones and perennial weeds as you go) and place it to one side

4. fork well-rotted manure or compost into the trench

5. dig the next spit of soil (removing any stones and perennial weeds as you go) and place onto the manure/compost layer

6. fork manure or compost into this replaced top spit of soil

7. repeat steps 4-6, working down the length of the bed

8. when you get to the end of the bed replace the soil which was set aside and add manure or compost.

How should I plant my crops in a raised bed ?

� space plants relatively close together in blocks rather than rows to make best use of the space available

� closely spaced rows either across or along the bed are a possibility with crops like carrots, parsnips, radishes

� crops which are transplanted should be spaced in either a square or offset layout

Feeding organic raised beds during the growing season

� fork in manure or compost every spring

� mulch around plants with well rotted, sieved compost or manure

� spread a mulch of grass clippings around plants once they are established. They will dry to a nice brown colour, keep weeds down, and feed your plants as they rot down. Two such mulchings will last the whole growing season.

� liquid feed as required using home-made feed

� apply organic �fertilisers�

� grow a short term green manure crop between vegetable crops

Putting beds to sleep for the winter

� remove crop residues and weeds, and compost them

� mound the soil up away from the edges of the bed

� cover the soil with old carpet or black polythene weighted down with stones or bricks

alternatively

� sow an overwintering green manure if you are sure it will establish properly at that time of year

� mound the soil up and cover with a light cover of manure or compost, topped off with grass clippings

After very heavy rain, this newly made deep bed (this time without side walls) flooded during the winter in my level, slow draining garden. It was fine in the spring.

If you need help maintaining your garden or clearing trees, be sure to visit Portland TT to know more about their professional services.

Growing Potatoes Organically in a Northern Ireland Garden

The climate in Northern Ireland is frequently mild, damp and totally conducive to potato blight !

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, potatoes are relatively easy to grow organically and whilst the effort required can be considerable, the freshness and flavour make it all seem worthwhile. If space is not limited then it is quite possible to grow potatoes for use the whole year round, otherwise grow a few earlies for summer use; a few plants could even be grown in tubs !

Site & soil

Fortunately, potatoes are really not too fussy, provided the soil is free-draining but moisture retentive. Plenty of organic matter, well incorporated will both feed the crop and hold moisture, helping also to prevent common scab.

Higher soil pH's (above 5.8) should be avoided if common scab is likely to be a serious problem (as on light soils) and liming should take place in the rotation after potatoes and not before.

To avoid the ravages of Potato Cyst Nematode (eelworm/PCN) never grow potatoes on the same piece of ground more than once in 5 years. If you do get eelworm then try a resistant variety or stop growing potatoes altogether as yield will go down and down very rapidly.

Cultivation, planting & ridging

The ground should be well dug over prior to planting and plenty of organic matter incorporated. Potatoes are a good crop for breaking new ground as the deep digging or double digging required breaks up ground well and allows you to remove perennial weeds such as scutch (couch grass). There is then further digging when the crop is lifted !

Digging the ground during winter allows the frost to assist in forming a good soil crumb structure (particularly on clay soils), but can lead to loss of nitrogen by leaching (washing out) in wet areas.

A mulch of manure or compost after digging, plus a covering of polythene or old carpet etc, can help prevent leaching. If this is not possible then dig and manure in the early spring.

If your supply of organic matter (manure or compost) is limited then dig it into the bottom of shallow furrows, place the seed potatoes on top and build soil ridges over them. Once the tops are about 2 inches tall make the final ridges with a draw hoe so that the tubers new have plenty of soil covering them.

In the Northern Ireland climate, unless you are on a frost-free site, plant earlies in March/April and maincrops from the 3rd week in April onwards; slightly later if late frosts are likely (I had a severe frost in the 3rd week in June in 1997 ! )

A 24-28" wide row is suitable (two 24" rows will fit a 4� bed). Plant earlies at a 12" spacing and maincrop at about 10".

If larger potatoes are required for baking then space the setts 2" wider apart.

For smaller potatoes reduce spacing by 2". Avoid close spacing in varieties which produce large numbers of tubers eg Kerr's Pink and Maris Piper.

Seed selection and chitting

Choose seed potatoes carefully. Always buy certified seed as it is much healthier, and to be truly organic avoid seed which has had fungicide dressings. If seed potatoes look as if they have had sprouts removed then reject them. Small seed tubers about the size of a hen�s egg are the best value but if only larger seed tubers are available then it is best not to cut them in half before planting as the risk of rotting is high.

In Northern Ireland's short growing season, crops grown from chitted (sprouted) seed potatoes emerge, grow and mature much more quickly; by as much as 3 weeks.

Earlies should be set to chit in the light early in the year, preferably before they start to sprout. The aim is to get 2 or three shoots only at planting time.

With main crops seed should be stored as cool as possible (without frosting) until mid-March. Seed should then be boxed up and placed in a light position so as to get several short, strong, green sprouts at planting time.

Feeding

Additional feeding will help to give a heavier crop and good cooking quality. This is best provided by a mulch of manure, compost or comfrey leaves. Liquid feeding and watering are really too much trouble for potatoes unless the summer is very dry.

Weed control

After thorough seedbed preparation, earthing up (ridging) should remove most of the weeds, but some hand weeding may be necessary up until the tops meet across the rows, after which the tops will normally suppress most weeds.

Pests

The biggest problem will probably be slugs. To avoid problems potatoes should be lifted once the skins are set and not left in the ground. If slugs are a perpetual problem then try a variety which is known to be less susceptible to them.

Wireworms and possibly leatherjackets may be a problem in ground freshly broken from grass. This will normally have disappeared by the time potatoes are next grown in the same place.

Potato blight

With the local climate blight can be a serious problem. It appears as dark, spreading spots on the top of the leaves with a faint whitish growth underneath. It is incurable and prevention is the best bet. Bordeaux mixture, the only organically allowed chemical spray, applied carefully (do not over-spray) protects the foliage. However, this may be disallowed for commercial organic farmers at the end of March 2001, and may then become difficult to obtain.

If a bad blight attack occurs, cut the tops off and remove them as immediately. Leave the potatoes in the ground for at least 3-4 weeks and then lift them. The tubers must also be sorted very carefully before storing them.

If crop loss is often severe then growing only early will help to reduce losses.

Harvesting and storage

Always lift potatoes on a dry day. Do not store damaged or diseased potatoes. Store as cool as possible without getting them frosted. Store in paper or natural hessian bags in the dark. Avoid car exhaust fumes.

Growing in deep beds

Either 2 rows along the bed or three staggered rows are possible, but two rows are easier to manage. Varieties which produce tubers right at the top of the plant (eg Maris Piper, Navan, Sharpe's Express) will require good mulching to prevent greening of the tubers as earthing up is less easy in beds than it is in rows. Dense tops may need supporting to keep paths clear.

If you need garden maintenance or planting new trees and plants for your home garden, be sure to check out Portland TT.

Using Edger to Outline Flower Bed and Border or Separate Lawn

Your landscape and flower garden look neat and professional with the right edging to border the flower beds. There are many choices. Which border edging is best?

The purpose of using planting bed edging or edger or border is to separate the flower bed, shrub bed or groundcover area from lawn grass and keep grass out of the planting bed; garden edging may also be used to outline and define a specific area in the landscape. Flower bed edging and borders help contain mulch and prevent it washing off onto the lawn or adjacent paving. When installed next to a lawn area, the edging directs your mower away from precious flowers and also protects them from weed trimmer damage. There are many good reasons to use an edger to border your flower bed, and there are many different kinds of edging available.

Garden Edging Style Tips and Pointers

Edging is related to your overall landscape design and layout of hardscape and plantings. If your landscape is a formal design you will want planting areas or flower beds with straight edges and geometric shapes. These are easily edged with standard materials.

If your landscape design is informal, you will have curves. These require an edging that is flexible or is installed in short increments so it can be fitted or formed to shape. When you lay out the beds, use sweeping curves rather than squiggles. This will result in a more pleasing design and make edging and subsequent maintenance easier.

The edging can either be unobtrusive and nearly invisible or it may complement the flower bed or add a decorative element to the landscape. This is a matter of personal preference.

Garden Edging that Works: Functional Requirements

In functional terms, the edging should keep the lawn grass out of the flower bed. It should be high enough to keep mulch in the bed. The edging should stay in place and be trouble free. And it should be designed and installed so that it does not frost heave if you live in a cold winter area. Finally, you may prefer an edging style that allows you to run your mower wheel on it and mow completely along it, thereby omitting the need for weed trimming after each mowing.

Different Types of Garden Edging or Border

There are pro�s and con�s to every bed edger or border material, ranging from cost to looks to durability. Here are some things to think about in making your choice. The least expensive and sometimes most effective edging can be achieved if you:

� Take advantage of an existing edge such as a walk or drive and planting right up to it.

� Leave a bare earth barrier between planting area and lawn to serve as a mowing strip

� Cut edge by hand with a flat spade, half moon edger, trencher, or power edger

� Set out a line of stones, clam shells, cedar shakes, slate shingles, etc.

� Edge the bed with concrete, bricks, slates or pavers laid flat to form a mowing edge

� Line bed with landscape timbers or railroad ties (not suggested for vegetable gardens)

Purchased pre-made edging

is available in garden centers and home improvement stores. There are many different kinds to pick from including:

� Rolls or strips of flexible edging, roughly a four inch wide length of plastic or aluminum, should be dug down into the soil and held in place with pins. Inexpensive and popular.

� Ready made decorative edges; many styles and materials and price points � come in two to four foot long sections, stand on heavy duty spikes pushed into the soil

� Ready made concrete edging � several styles/colors, straight or curved sections, heavy

� Interlocking pavers and blocks � many styles/colors available, can be expensive

Custom edging treatments

can be elaborate and expensive if professionally designed and installed, but the effect can be an asset to your property. For example: bender board, bricks set on diagonal, or a series of adjacent upright posts like a bulkhead. Construction materials can be stone, brick, decorative concrete block, wood or metal but must be durable and the installation should be suitable to your climate and overall landscape style.

"No Edging" Alternatives

If you prefer to avoid edging altogether, you could eliminate the lawn and cover the whole area with groundcover and planting areas, or perhaps encourage a wild flower meadow if local ordinances allow. Another option would be to use a raised bed instead of gardening at ground level.

By now you should have a good idea of the many uses for edging or edger in the landscape and garden, either along lawns, flower beds and borders, shrub beds, or ground cover areas; information about some of the benefits and drawbacks of different kinds of edging; and be ready to select and install the right edging or border for your garden.

If you need garden maintenance or planting new trees and plants for your home garden, be sure to check out Portland TT.

Using Edger to Outline Flower Bed and Border or Separate Lawn

Your landscape and flower garden look neat and professional with the right edging to border the flower beds. There are many choices. Which border edging is best?

Garden Edging Style Tips and Pointers

The edging can either be unobtrusive and nearly invisible or it may complement the flower bed or add a decorative element to the landscape. This is a matter of personal preference.

Garden Edging that Works: Functional Requirements

Different Types of Garden Edging or Border

� Take advantage of an existing edge such as a walk or drive and planting right up to it.

� Leave a bare earth barrier between planting area and lawn to serve as a mowing strip

� Cut edge by hand with a flat spade, half moon edger, trencher, or power edger

� Set out a line of stones, clam shells, cedar shakes, slate shingles, etc.

� Edge the bed with concrete, bricks, slates or pavers laid flat to form a mowing edge

� Line bed with landscape timbers or railroad ties (not suggested for vegetable gardens)

Purchased pre-made edging

is available in garden centers and home improvement stores. There are many different kinds to pick from including:

� Rolls or strips of flexible edging, roughly a four inch wide length of plastic or aluminum, should be dug down into the soil and held in place with pins. Inexpensive and popular.

� Ready made decorative edges; many styles and materials and price points � come in two to four foot long sections, stand on heavy duty spikes pushed into the soil

� Ready made concrete edging � several styles/colors, straight or curved sections, heavy

� Interlocking pavers and blocks � many styles/colors available, can be expensive

Custom edging treatments

"No Edging" Alternatives

If you need garden maintenance or planting new trees and plants for your home garden, be sure to check out Portland TT.

Using Edger to Outline Flower Bed and Border or Separate Lawn

Dwarf Evergreen Shrubs Enhance Shady North-facing Front Landscapes

Low-maintenance small evergreen shrubs are first-rate selections for DIY landscape foundation plantings. They enrich the looks of shady front yard landscapes.

Plant breeders continue to introduce shrubs that save maintenance time, effort, and money. These introductions are smaller than their normal-sized relatives and often labeled as dwarfs. They are relatively disease and pest resistant. Both needle-leaf and broad-leaf evergreen varieties offer year-round color interest.

The 19th century tradition of foundation plantings persists in many regions. Problems result when small trees and shrubs overwhelm foundation area spaces. Habitually, shearing plants into contorted shapes is used to maintain optimal sizes. This practice leads to bizarre looking and unhealthy plants.

Plant Suggestions

Below are suggestions for up-to-the-minute low-maintenance dwarf evergreen landscape plants for foundation landscape plantings. These plants are relatively slow growing and require little maintenance over the years. Shearing distorts their natural positive features and requires unnecessary work. Most do not require pruning except for snipping off wayward and winter-killed branches.

Suggestions are for plantings two to three layers deep:

small ground-huggers if desired

medium fillers, and

dynamic background plants. Ultimate heights of mature plants are lower than most front windows. Because these plants appear small when bought in containers, it is important to space according to mature spread. This avoids overcrowding of mature plants. Paxistima canbyi - Canby Paxistima - North American Native

� Size, Habit and Form: 12" tall, spreading to 3' or 4' or more, low, with multiple stems that are fine and flexible;

� Features: summer foliage is lustrous dark green color with leaves crowded on stems; autumn foliage bronzes a little; flowers in early May, not particularly showy, are small greenish or reddish, held in small clusters;

� Culture: prefers moist but well-drained soil, likes high soil organic matter content, tolerates high pH soils (alkaline); full sun is best, but does well in partial shade; avoid high fertilization. Taxus baccata �Repandens� - Spreading English Yew

� Size, Habit and Form � will reach 2 to 4' high by 10' wide in time but can easily be kept smaller; set plants 3' on center and prune lightly to maintain low growing, softly arching branches; form develops best when English yew has room to spread and is left unpruned;

� Features - tolerates temperatures as low as -20 degrees F/-28 degrees C; 'Repandens� is a female clone, so it bears fruit; bark, foliage and fruit can be toxic to children and grazing animals; one of the few conifers that thrives in shade. Generally pest and disease free, but can develop scale (and resulting sooty mold) and black vine weevil;

� Culture - prefers well-drained soil and is drought tolerant once established. Daphne odora �Aureomarginata� - Variegated Winter Daphne Size, Habit and Form � grows to 4' high and 5 or 6' across with time; may grow fast in right conditions, however, it often reaches only about two-thirds optimal size; Qualities - small waxy-looking fragrant flowers that emerge from purple buds in March and April; long, narrow leaves edged in creamy gold; Culture � likes fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil in part shade, foliage burns in hot afternoon sun, drought tolerant once established; mulch in March, add a handful of all-purpose organic fertilizer to keep foliage a rich green, prune lightly in summer to encourage dense growth. Sarcococca hookeriana var humilis (sometimes just S. humilis) � Dwarf Sweetbox (or Sweetbox) Size, Habit and Form � 1 to 2' high in time if never sheared; spreads slowly over area to 3' wide; Qualities - tiny creamy-white tubular fragrant flowers begin in February and continue throughout late winter; male and female flowers on same bush are followed by purple-black berries that add ornamental value; Culture � likes organically rich soil, tolerates a bit of drought after regular watering its first year; may be sheared each spring for increased compactness. Skimmia japonica - Japanese Skimmia Size, Habit and Form � 3 to 4' high, 3 to 4' wide; growth rate is slow; medium texture appearance, dense rounded mound, foliage is medium green crowded at end of 2.5 to 5" long stem; Qualities � creamy white flowers with mild fragrance emerge from glossy red-maroon buds, showy red fruit follow on female plants;Culture - Partial shade to shade; prefers moist, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Leucothoe axillaris - North American Native Size, Habit and Form � 3 to 6' high, 3 to 6' spread, showy red-tipped new foliage; Qualities � white flowers in pendant clusters in early summer; Culture - part shade to full shade, medium moisture. Leucothoe fontanesiana Size, Habit and Form - slightly larger in form than above, however, characteristics similar; Several cultivars available: 'Girard's Rainbow' - foliage emerges white, pink and coppery on this selection, maturing to green streaked with cream; less vigorous than the species, but handsome; 'Mary Elizabeth' - dwarf form with finely-textured, narrow foliage that bronzes in winter. 'Nana' (perhaps the same as 'Compacta') - a dense, dwarf form reaching 2' tall and wider; 'Scarletta' � easy to find in commerce, notable for its deep red new growth and bronzy-purple winter hue; 'Silver Run' - variegated form that appears to be hardier than 'Girard's Rainbow', offers foliage marked with creamy white area. If you need help maintaining your garden or cutting trees by a team of professional experts with years of experience, check out Portland TT.

How to Grow the Perfect Roses

Roses are very versatile, you can grow them in containers or you can grow them in the ground. Either way they can be extremely beautiful when taken care of the right way. You, like many, may be wondering how you can grow beautiful roses especially with the many varieties that are available. With proper care you can have perfect roses for years to come. They need a little help from you in the form of plenty of fertilizer, the correct drainage, a lot of water and sunshine! They will also need you to protect them from the wind with a fence or some other kind of barrier if you intend to plant in an area that gets very windy. Not to worry, your barrier can be as easy as another bush.

Types of Roses

There are a number of species of roses. You can choose between climbing roses or shrub roses and you will find scented varieties as well as those with little to no scent. When it comes to colors, you can find a number of different color varieties. With their long flowering season they give pleasure to your senses and to those of your visitors. Not only are the flowers nice to look at in their garden setting but they are also great for use as gifts. Give roses for mother�s day, you�d just need a nice vase. It makes for a nice, very thoughtful and personal gift. You can include other flowers from your garden as well to give a mixed bouquet.

You can opt for a climber and allow it to grow climbing over an old wall or tree stump. These options are great for hiding unsightly things on your property that you just can�t get rid of, for whatever reason. Or you can choose a shrub rose planted close to your house in a nice container.

The Perfect Soil for the Perfect Roses

Roses like water but they don�t like wet roots. So you will need your soil to have the best drainage. Waterlogged soil will damage your roses so you will need to add sand or grit to help improve your soil�s drainage if you don't have the best drainage. You can check your soil by digging a hole and filling it with water. If the water is still there after a couple hours you will need to improve the drainage of the soil before you plant your roses.

The hole will need to accommodate the rose�s entire root system so it can be firmly planted regardless of if you are planting in the ground or in a container. To stimulate root growth you can clip the end of the roots.

Apply fertilizer in spring and summer to ensure your plants are getting the nutrients they need to grow perfectly.

At the End of Flowering Season

You can prune your plants at the end of the flowering season. This is the time to get rid of dead leaves, dead wood and old flower heads. You can prune your roses in February to ensure you have good growth.

If you want to move your roses this would be an ideal time to move them. Note though, that roses don�t like to be moved so it is best to plan your garden space and place them in their permanent spot initially.

Don�t plant a rose in a hole where another rose has been. This can lead to root disease. Just treat your rose plants the right way and you can expect them to provide you with lots of viewing pleasure.

If you are in need of professional landscape planning our experts can help you. We not only plan but can offer landscape maintenance services so you never have to worry about taking care of your yard yourself. We offer our services to both residential and commercial customers within our service area.

Installing Landscape Fabric

How to Analyze and Prepare Project Sites

Landscape fabric yields excellent results when we carefully analyze and then prepare project sites. Checklists are important and useful before planting and/or mulching.

Installation of landscape fabrics (geotextiles) is an undertaking within landscape projects that may cut down on project maintenance over time. However, analysis and preparation of the project site is crucial.

We will probably be impatient with using valuable time to stick with a detailed plan for site preparation. However, time invested at this point always saves time later correcting problems that come up because of inadequate groundwork. This is not the time to cut corners!

Detailed checklists are important and useful in the site preparation process. Here is one such list to help with careful preparation of an area to be covered with landscape fabric and then mulched and/or planted:

A. Begin your project here.

* Measure and mark off the area with landscaping spray paint or sticks and twine.

* Remove existing vegetation by

○ stripping the top few inches and composting (ecologically sound, but time consuming);

○ covering with black plastic for a year or two to kill vegetation (the longest and most time consuming); or

○ spraying with a contact herbicide (the quickest but least ecologically sound).

* Rototill and manually work soil amendments - compost, and appropriate amounts of lime and slow-release fertilizer (or rock phosphate and green sand) - into the bed.

* Lay out the fabric and measure, cut and fasten it with anchoring pins.

B. If you plan to install plants, proceed with these next steps in "B." If you are making gravel pathways, stone gardens, etc. proceed to step "C."

* Between each plant, measure and mark diameters expected for mature plants. Mark the center of this circle - this is the "plant on center" mark.

* Make each planting hole by cutting an "X" with a skill knife at each "plant on center" mark. The diameter of the hole resulting from the "X" should be large enough to accommodate the plant. It is not necessary to cut out fabric.

* Tuck flaps from the "X" underneath the large sheet of fabric to prevent them from working up through decorative mulch layers and contributing to moisture deletion.

* Install plants and water thoroughly.

C. Cover the fabric with 2 to 4 inches of your choice of decorative mulch:

* shredded bark or bark chips;

* purchased (expensive) or homemade (cheap, but perhaps full of weed seeds) compost;

* peat or peat mixed with sand;

* gravel;

* coarse grit, or crushed stone or shells.

D. Pull germinating weed seeds and established weeds by hand. Dispose of these in compost or trash.

When it comes to taking care of your landscaping, it pays to know how to take care of everything from the landscape fabric to the plants and trees. If you want to get started, you can connect with more tree planting services in your area.