Exercise phobic will find spending an afternoon tending your garden highly preferable to a session of Body Combat at the gym. Trimming your hedge, pruning your shrubs and lugging the watering can around give your muscles a fabulous workout. Gardening is a great way to get buff without even realising you’re doing exercise, so if your once carefully-tended lawn and beds look more like a scene from The Jungle Book, get stuck in!

One useful tip here is that, if you’re having a mammoth gardening session, alternate heavy jobs like mowing and lugging wood around with lighter jobs like weeding so you don’t end up with too many aches and pains!

Does just thinking about it make you sweat? I am sure the majority of are nodding your heads in agreement. What I am about to suggest only takes a slight change in your thinking and a bit of planning and you can learn how to lose weight and get in better shape while gardening this year.

For those of you that are already gardeners, you know that gardening is one of the best ways to get exercise because it involves all of the muscle groups in your body.
Like I mentioned earlier, we only need to change the way you think about outside chores. See I am falling into the trap too, I just called them chores. Instead, you should think of them as outdoor exercises that are designed to enhance the condition of your body and help you lose weight.

As with any exercise program, check with your doctor before starting. Make sure you are dressed properly and that you stretch before beginning.
If you aren’t used to exercising in the garden or have been relatively inactive all winter, start slowly. Start with weeding, watering, and planting seeds.

As you feel yourself getting stronger you can increase your gardening repertoire to include: pruning, heavy digging, hoeing, pushing a loaded wheelbarrow, or mowing the lawn. I think you get the idea because the list of outdoor gardening exercise ideas is endless!

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Even carrying plants or a bag of potting soil to the car from the store and then out into the yard is exercise! You can potentially burn up to 300-600 calories per hour depending on your intensity and which gardening exercises you engage in.

You can lose weight by gardening – eat less and move more! The following list shows what a typical man weighing 180 pounds will burn in 30 minutes of activity. If you weigh more you can burn even more calories!
- Piling wood for 2h burns 720 kcal
- Digging for 1h burns 500 kcal
- Mowing the lawn for 30 min burns 300 Kcal
- Reading in a hammock for 3h burns 220 kcal
- Painting the fence for 1 1/2 h burns 450 Kcal

However, do keep in mind the following points while you work out for the perfect body in your garden.

Don’t over do it- one or two hours of gardening is plenty, especially when you are beginning. Don’t lift objects that are too heavy for you. If you injure yourself, chances are that you won’t be able to continue to garden for exercise and weight loss. Stretch before, during and after gardening. Don’t stay down on your knees while weeding or planting for extended periods of time- get up and move.

Get out in your garden and exercise at least 3-4 times a week. Continue your outdoor exercise routine even after you last blooms have faded. Shovelling the snow, raking leaves, and splitting wood are great calorie burners that will lead to weight loss. Don’t forget the added benefit of growing your own healthy fruits and vegetables and your yard will look beautiful from all of your hard work.

Do not get too worried about losing weight. Go ahead, have Fun and “Just do it”!

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/gardening-benefits-lose-some-pounds-keeping-the-plants-753715.html

I want my vegetables to be in full bloom in late spring or early summer. So, when should I start my Gardening to make that possible? Thanks!

It really depends on where you live. You need to figure out planting times for your frost zone. There are plenty of books or magazines that explain this, and I’m sure you can find advice online. For early plants, start your seeds indoors or buy mature plants once planting is safe in your area.

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Does anyone have any "Martha" tips on how to keep nails from looking like an auto mechanics when you are an avid gardener? Martha Stewart suggested to put rubber gloves under gardening gloves, but they make your hands sweat badly! Or, how best to clean "gardener’s hands?" Thanks!

Wear gloves. Or, if you don’t like wearing them, dig your fingernails into soap so it wedges under. If you’re also working with water, you’ll have to dig into the soap again. To get the dirt out of your skin, use a knuckle brush & lava soap. Then moisturize your hands afterwards with a bit of olive oil

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To clean gloves: Put the gloves on, take a bar of soap outside and wet the gloves under a faucet or hose. Soap up the gloves and scrub them, then rinse, remove and let dry.

I also found this site for more information http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf806260.tip.html on how to clean Gardening hands!

There is a kind of gardening called the hydroponics gardening. It is adopted by many people for different reasons. These are small size gardens and can be grown within a small area of land. They are good to grow vegetables especially red juicy tomatoes. It is easy to manage and is less expensive than the conventional way of gardening.

In this type of gardening we do not use soil and hence it is called as “dirt less gardening”. Most of the time, the yield in the hydroponics type of gardening is better. It is much easier to maintain and give the plant its needs at the right time. The plants will consume
What you provide them with. Thus the regulation of nutrient strength, pH, light amount, nutrients and water amount is enabled.

Hydroponics gardening will seem to be difficult if we make it so. We can control the light, nutrients and water cycles of the plants by using sensors in computers. If you grow a single plant then it can be made easier by using manual work to maintain it. There are some basic things that a home hydroponics system would need. They are, light (artificial or natural), water controlled pump (or other watering equipment), a growing tray, and an air pump to provide oxygen supply to the nutrients.

Hydroponics gardening requires a certain growing medium. They can be perlite, gravel, vermiculite, coconut fiber, air, Rockwool. You can get these from a nursery or a gardening store. You can get the parts and plant one of your own. Also,there are readymade kits available in market especially in the gardening supply stores.

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For a healthy plant growth micro nutrients are required. Like calcium, sulfur, magnesium, boron, cobalt, zinc, iron, manganese and copper. These are important and essential elements to be present in the plants. If not they will lead to health problems when consumed. The fertilizer used must be a quality brand when it comes to hydroponics gardening.

The pH balance is a significant factor in hydroponics gardening and it must be properly regulated. The absorption of nutrients is lessened if the pH level is unbalanced in a plant. This is where the advantage of hydroponics gardening comes. The simplicity with which pH level of plants is controlled is much greater than that of conventional dirt gardening.

Actually, There are different kinds of hydroponics gardening. Few of the basic types are water culture, wick, drip, ebb and flow, aeroponic and N.F.T. hydroponics gardening is affordable, easy, and you have an yield of fresh produce herbs & spices, flowers all year long!

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/hydroponics-gardening-the-best-form-of-nonconventional-gardening-753712.html

I live in Montana, and I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of fruits and veggies would I be able to grow in my area?

Also, if anyone had any gardening tips that would be great! I am planing on growing strawberries and rasberries (any tips on those), but if anyone knew of some others that could grow here that would be great.

This is our first time growing a garden, any tips or advice is greatly appreciated.

Hey Katerbear B,

Apples, Peaches, Plums should all grow in your area – be sure to get trees suited to your zone. 3a-4b depending on what part of Montana you live in.

For Vegetables, the principle of germination time plus growing to harvest time must be more than your number of non-freeze days.

Or, you can start the vegies inside. You should be able to grow summer squash, carrots, tomato, beets, herbs, and a bunch of other stuff.

Read a lot, you are in a short season area. Happy Gardening.

already i’m kind of sore from planting and weeding. it’s so friggin chilly out even though a few days ago it was warm. How do i keep from getting bored by Gardening? i enjoy it but sometime it leave me feeling jaded.

Garden through the comfort of your own home and computer on Yahoo Answers Home & Garden.

If you’re employed in the manufacturing industry, you know how important the term “Made in the USA” is today. The term is recognized by the US government, and when a manufacturer uses it on his products, it had better be true! Purchasing gardening tools made in the U.S. is a way to support American labor and get high quality in the tools you use for your garden.

Think of the tools you need to enjoy a Healthy, productive garden. Now, think of those tools made by your neighbors and countrymen. Here’s a sample of the types of tools you may consider:
- Shovels, hoes, tillers, spades, cultivators, edgers, weeders
- Saws, pruners, shears, trowels, dibblers, rakes, planters
- Compost forks, digesters, bins, tumblers, aerators, spreaders, broadcasters, shredders
- Mowers, tractors, chippers, trimmers
- Tents, plant hothouses, bed kits, timber, tiles
- Rain collectors, barrels, rain chains, irrigation tubing, gutter scoops
- Gloves, knee pads, pruning sleeves, hats, overalls, safety glasses, sun protectors
- Storage bins, sheds, hose and tool organizers, trellises, arbor kits, wiring

These are just a few of the gardening tools that will help you build and maintain a healthy garden. US manufacturers provide all of these products at high quality and for reasonable prices.

Garden Tools for Every Environment

It’s easy to shop for garden tools made in the USA. Wholesalers and retailers alike offer a wide assortment of garden tools, and they have tools designed for every gardening situation. Garden tool needs vary from the deserts of the West to the forests of the East, from the flat dry plains to the mountainous rain forests of the Northwest. Garden tools made in the USA are available to fit every type of environment and to support healthy productive gardens. Your garden tool needs will also vary according to the type of garden and plants you’re growing.

Shopping for garden tools made in the USA is easy and convenient. Wholesalers and retailers offer a wide variety of gardening tools for every purpose. From the deserts of the West to the forests of the East, from the mountainous rain forests in the Northwest to the flat plains, from the red clay of the South to the rich black soil of the Midwest, garden tools made in the USA are available and affordable. No matter what your gardening tool needs, you can find tools made in the USA to serve your purpose.

Environmental Leadership through Made in the USA Garden Tools

The USA has long been an environmental leader, and the desire to save and protect our environment has generated research to improve natural, organic gardening. Hand-held gardening tools made in the USA support environmentally-sound gardening because they don’t require electrical power or polluting fuels. Even when you must use power tools to clear your garden plot, you can find quality garden tools made in the USA that are both effective and fuel-efficient, minimizing the release of harmful pollutants and protecting your air quality.

Gardeners, Uncle Sam Needs You!

People garden for a variety of reasons – relaxation, creativity, food production, or simple pleasure. No matter what your reason for your choice to garden, having the right garden tools made in the USA adds to your rewards. Looking for that “Made in the USA” label when you shop for gardening tools does much more than assure you have high-quality, long-lasting tools. It supports our country’s economy and labor force. A quick search of the internet will produce a long list of garden tool suppliers with products made in the USA.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/gardening-tools-made-in-usa-find-out-what-to-get-753684.html

I am interested in turning my small time hobby of gardening into a bit of a career. Are there classes, certifications, training that I can take in order to become an expert on plants, trees, etc? I’d like to have a deep knowledge of the various kinds of trees, shrubs, flowers that work in different climates, how to best plant and maintain them, to design landscapes with a variety of well-coordinated plants, etc. Should I try to become a certified arborist? Where do I start exploring this potential new career direction? Thanks.

If you are serious about doing this I would advise taking a college course – either a bachelors degree or an associates degree in horticulture. As a professional horticulturist I have to admit that my co-workers and I tend to see Master Gardener programs & such as more for amateurs – whether this is valid of not is very debatable, however, if you are loooking to for a career in horticulture then it is something to consider.

One way to see what you really like & to get to talk to more professionals is to do something like volunteering at a botanical garden or some other Gardening type of institution.
One word of warning: having changed careers myself from an office job career to horticulture, horticulture or gardening is pretty hard work – working outside in all condtions etc. It also tends to be pretty low paid and can often just be seasonal, depending on where you live, It sounds like an ideal, fun, relaxing career, but, much as I love my job, I sometimes wonder if it would not have been best to leave it as a hobby.

I am not trying to discourage you in any way, I just would like to give you a balanced view of the career.

Gardening Magazine – Centerpoint Classic Gardening Landscape Is An Amazing Tool!
If you are looking for some serious tips on gardening, Centerpoint classic gardening landscape should not be missed. One of the issues suggests that the bulb gardens are the easiest to take care and are also the most attractive. Bulbs can be classified into various bulb families and further categorized into several varieties within those bulb families. For example, the tulip, that is one of the kinds of bulbs, also has different exotic varieties. The Centerpoint classic gardening landscape offers a comprehensive guide to famous bulb flowers and the appropriate conditions required to grow them. For example, the Gladiolus needs proper sunlight and constant watering while in its blooming and growth phases.

Centerpoint classic gardening landscape is also a good resource for information on checking pests. Pest control is an extremely important task as it prevents the pests from taking over your garden. As soon as you get the indications that your garden has got infected with pest, you must act with no delay. Many people use chemicals to kill pests, however, with rising awareness about environmental concerns, gardeners are slowly shifting to organic remedies. There are also few plants that are naturally pet resistant. Whereas, some plants like Marigold attract specific insects like aphids that eat away the pests.

Is your garden located in a place with hot and dry weather. Centerpoint classic gardening landscape has ample advice on different kinds of annuals that can be grown in hot and dry climatic conditions. The African Daisy, the dust miller, the gold medallion and the creeping zinnia are the kind of annuals that if once establish their roots firmly can sustain even in hot and dry weather conditions. Some other types like the Cypress vine, the hyacinth bean vine, the blue daze and the fan flower can also put up with hot weather, but need extra watering to survive.

If you are an ardent rose fan, the Centerpoint classic gardening landscape has loads of suggestions to help you get that prized photogenic look for your roses. Few of them are as follows:

- It’s very important to choose a sun lit location for your roses
- Treat the soil with few inches of organic mulch mixed with highly rich organic compost
- It is recommended that the bushes of your rose plants must be at least 18-24 inches apart
- The holes that the bushes are planted in must be deep enough to facilitate free and unrestricted growth for the roots
- Bushes must be placed in the holes in a very gentle manner and the holes should then be filled with some loose soil. Once through, you should press down the loose soil with firm hands
- Adding bone meal into the soil can be very beneficial
- Each rose plant must be watered properly for the first two weeks. Thereafter, watering even once in a week is enough.

Working with roses can be quite a scratchy affair. Thus you need all the right tools to avoid those pricky thorns. A pair of leather gloves with folded-down cuffs will be a good investment. Make use of bypass pruners to avoid crushing the rose plants’ canes and stems. In case your rose garden is very old, you’ll have to employ loppers since the old canes would be too thick to be pruned with normal shears. Other essential tools you will require are a shovel with a long padded handle, a short digging fork, a tough wheelbarrow, kneeling pads, a watering wand, a leaf rake and a garden rake.

Refer your copy of Centerpoint classic Gardening landscape, there may be many other tips that you can benefit from.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/center-point-classic-gardening-landscape-read-your-way-to-the-perfect-garden-753666.html

I want to start Gardening but I am not so sure what is best for the climate here in Arizona.

Agave, cactus, ephedra, nolina=bear grass, many types of yucca, our Lord’s candle, chamise, manzanita, desert holly, red barberry, ceanothos, Texas ranger, hollyleaf cherry, catalina cherry, lemonade berry, California buckwheat, needlegrass, sage, coffeebery, columbine, dudleya, fescue, iris, snowberry, desert marigold, chocolate daisy, pink fairyduster, and many, many more!
Try the Arizona Native Plant Society, P. O. Box 41206, Sun Station, Tucson, AZ 85704