Garden Guides, Your Guide to Everything Gardening

Whether you are new to gardening, or a seasoned gardening pro, Garden Guides has everything you need. For more than eight years, Garden Guides has been a leader in online gardening information, providing thousands of pages of detailed and extensive information on plants, pests, gardening tips & techniques, gardening recipes, seeds & bulbs, gardening books, nurseries & landscapers, and much more.
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Garden Guides Community


Visit our new and improved garden and gardening community section, featuring the most active garden forums on the internet, blogs, photos, messaging, and more!
Use our garden forums to discuss any and all aspects of gardening, from when to plant your bulbs, to dealing with garden pests, to what to cook with your home grown vegetables and fruits, and more.
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Keep up to date with all of your gardening friends by reading their blogs and sending personal messages.
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Advice & Tips
Garden Tips from Sesbania Tripeti
Garden Walk and Talk
Home Horticulture
Horticultural Solutions Series
Organic Vegetable Gardening
Texas Extension Publications Index

Horticultural Sites
AgriGator
Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America
Horticulture in Virtual Perspective
Texas Aggie Horticulture

Botanic Gardens and Museums
Directories
Gardens & Collections Directory
American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta
Societies & Associations
Directories
Membership Organizations Directory
Publishing
Books
Timber Press
Magazines
Amateurs' Digest
Canadian Gardening
Fleurs, Plantes & Jardins
Fruit Gardener
Garden Gate Magazine
HORTUS: A Gardening Journal
Japanese Garden Journal
Northern Gardener
Plants
Directories of Nurseries & Catalogs
Garden Bazaar
Cyndi's Garden Catalogs List
Mail Order Catalogs: How to Contact them and Opinions Thereof
Related Virtual Libraries
Agricultural
Landscape Architecture
Plant Biology
Travel & Tourism

GROWING TECHNIQUES

Articles for your interest:


Best-Ever Seed Tape
Building A Root Cellar
Bulb Forcing
Bulb Planting
Cold Frames
Companion Planting
Creosote Concerns
Cutworm Collars
DIY Copper Tripod
Dividing Ferns
Dividing Plants
Double Digging How-To
Easy DIY Shade Tent
Enhance Pepper Yields
Espalier
Garden Beds
Gayla Trail's Urban Gardening
Green Roofs
Greenhouse Buyers Guide
Grow Food Scraps Indoors
Grow Hotter Peppers
Grow Huge Tomatoes
Hanging Basket How-To
How Deep Do You Sow?
Keep Tulips Out
Melting Icebergs
Natural Daffodil Patterns
Naturalizing Bulbs
Newspaper Seedling Pots
Organic Vocabulary
Overwintering Bulbs, Tubers, and Rhizomes
Overwintering Your Favorite Plants
Plan A Beautiful Vegetable Garden
Plan A New Garden
Poisonous Plants
Predicting Frost
Pruning Made Simple
Seed Starting Chart
Seed Swaps & Heirloom Seeds
Simple Bamboo Trellis
Simple Seed Starting
Simple Squash Trellis
Simple Strawberry Pot
Spring Bulb Flower Project
Spring Planting Tips
Starting from Seeds
Test Garden Favorites
The Right Tools
Trellises
Urban Gardening Ideas
Watering Smart
When To Plant Your Seeds
Window Boxes
Winter Garden
Winter Vegetable Gardening
Your Autumn To Do (and Don't) List

Subject Area Gardening Pages
Aquatic Plants and Ponds
Pete's Pond Page
Ponds & Aquatic Plants Forum
Bonsai
Bonsai Forum
Cacti and Succulents
Cacti & Succulents Forum
Cactus and Succulent Plant Mall
Ceropegia Journal
Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous Plants Forum
Conifers
Conifers Forum
Daylilies
Daylilies Forum
Daylilies Growing Along the Information Highway
Flamingoes
Official Flamingo Gallery
Fuchsia
Gelderse Fuchsia Info-site
Grasses
Ornamental Grasses Forum
Heirloom Plants
Heirloom Plants & Gardens Forum
Herbs
Herb Forum
Herbalism Forum
Kathie's Herb Page
Hostas
Hosta Forum
House Plants
House Plants Forum
Hydroponics
Hydroponics Forum
Irises
Home Page for Irises
Iris Forum
Japanese Gardens
Japanese Gardens Database
Japanese Gardens Forum
Kitchen Garden
Kitchen Gardener
Orchids
Linda's Orchid Page
Orchids Forum
The Orchid Mall
Perennials
Perennials Forum
Perry's Perennial Pages
Rhododendron
The Rhododendron Page
Roses
Antique Roses Forum
rec.gardens.roses FAQ
The Rosarian
Rose Forum
Rose Gallery
Rose Propagation & Exchange Forum
Wildflowers
Australian Native Plants Forum
Meadows & Prairies Forum
Native Plants Forum
Woodlands Forum

HARVEST TECHNIQUES



Articles for your interest:
Braiding Garlic
Dallas's Recipe for Homemade Fruit Pectin
Fall Cleanup Guide
Food Dehydration Basics
Freeze with Ease
Freezing Basics
Home Canning Basics
Making Fermented Pickles
Mar Vista
Natural Holiday Ideas
Organic Food Sources
Portable Salad Box
Readers' Harvest Recipes
Safer Food Storage
Wendell Berry: The Pleasure of Eating
What To Store In A Root Cellar
When To Harvest
Winter Squash Cooking Tips
Your Harvest Guide
Your Organic Thanksgiving

General Gardening Sites

Calendar of Garden Events
International Gardening Sites

Discussions and Mailing Lists
Regional U.S. Gardening Sites

Advice & Tips
Subject Area Gardening Pages

Societies & Associations
Horticultural Sites

Publishing
Plant Databases

Directories of Nurseries & Catalogs
Cooperative Extension Service

Related Virtual Libraries
Botanic Gardens and Museums

Search
Glossary of Botanical Terms

Updates to this Page

General Gardening Sites
The Garden Gate
GardenWeb
WebGarden
GardenNet
International Gardening Sites
GardenWeb Australia
GardenWeb Europe
Giardinaggio in Italia
I Can Garden (Canada)
Trädgårdsskötsel i Sverige
Regional U.S. Gardening Sites
Bay Area Gardener (San Francisco Bay Area)
California Gardening Forum
Florida Gardener
Florida Plants Online
Gardening in the Pacific Northwest - NWGarden.com
Great Lakes Gardening Forum
Louisiana Gardener
Metro New York Home & Garden
Mid-Atlantic Gardening Forum
Northwestern Gardening Forum
Northern Gardening Forum
Rochester Gardening
Southern Gardening Forum
Southwestern Gardening Forum
Zone 10

PESTS

Articles for your interest:


Ants
Aphids
Bagworm
Cabbage Loopers
Click Beetles
Colorado Potato Beetles
Common Broccoli Pests
Corn Earworms
Critter Control
Deer Fly Defense
European Earwigs
Fire Ant Controls
Flea Beetles
Fruit Fly Defense
Fungus Gnat Control
Gardening With (And Without) Deer
Get the Itch Out
Horticultural Oils Explained
Houseplants: Pests and Diseases
Identifying Insect Pests And Beneficials
Japanese Beetles
Meadow Voles
Mealy Bugs
Meet The Beneficial Insects
Mildew Resistant Plants
Mormon Cricket
Mosquitoes
Onion Maggot
Plum Curculio Control
Potato Beetle Control
Red Imported Fire Ants
Resources For Deer-Plagued Gardeners
Slug Stoppers
Slugs
Slugs And Snails
Soft Scale Infestation
Squash Bugs
Squirrels
Strawberry Root Weevils
Tarnished Plant Bug
Wireworm
Yellow Jackets

Garden Guides



Garden Plants
Garden How-Tos
Community
Garden Pests
Garden Resources
Garden Supplies

DISEASES

Articles for your interest:


Alien Tomato
Catfacing Causes
Club Root
Corn Smut
Mildew Resistant Plants
Powdery Mildew
Prevent Tomato Diseases
Preventing Plant Disease
Raggedy Rhododendrons

Garden Plants



Flowers, Herbs, Fruit & Vegetables
Trees & Shrubs
Plant Information Sheets
Plant Guides
Garden Basics
Plants by Type & Name

COMPOST

Articles for your interest:


Basic Leaf Mold
Build a Compost Pile
Compost Buying
Compost Ingredients
Compost Lingo
Compost Questions
Composting 101
Cures for Common Compost Questions
Fast Cooking Compost Pile
Frank Peterson's Compost Shredding Tip
How to Make Compost
Safe Compost Bin
Shower Door Compost Bin
Simple Composting Method
Strange Compost Contents
The Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio
Worm Power
Worms & Garbage

Garden How Tos



Basic Gardening Tips
Container & Indoor Gardening Tips
Over 1,000 Recipes
All Gardening Tips

LAWNCARE

Articles for your interest:


5 Steps to a Better Backyard
A Healthy Lawn, A Beautiful Lawn
Fall Lawn Care
Herbicide Drift
How to Mow
Leave Leaves Alone
No-Fuss Yard Makeovers
Organic Lawn Care
Organic Lawn Problem Solver
Salty Street

Garden Resources & Supplies



Find Seeds & Bulbs
Gardening Books
Seed & Bulb Retailers
All Garden Supplies

Garden & Plant Nurseries
Landscapers Directory
All Garden Resources





Garden Pests


Helpful & Harmful Pests
Garden Pest Tips

TECHNIQUES

Articles for your interest:


2007 Farm Bill
2007 Test Gardeners
Beneficial Borders
Big Plant Potting Mix
Companion Planting
Control Insects Without Pesticides
Editors Choice Awards 2007
Forcing Branches
Gardening with Kids
Genetically Engineered vs. Hybrid
Great Green Roof Plants
Green Cities
Green Office
High Line Video
Home Horticultural Oil
Invasive Plant Solutions
Marigolds Protect Melons
Organic Gardening Almanac
Organic Gardening's Waterworks Project
Protect Your Trees From Ice
School Gardens
Soldier Bug Nursery For The Garden
Storing Saved Seeds
Water Well
Water Wiser
When Is a Soap an Herbicide?

Reference


Zone Finder
Event Calendar
Calculators
Public Garden Directory
Buyer's Guide
Dictionary



Expert Advice
Plant Finder
Weed Library
Gardening Articles
Flowers
Annuals
Bulbs
Perennials
Roses
Edibles
Small Fruits & Berries
Herbs
Fruit & Nut Trees
Vegetables
Landscaping
Container Gardening & Ponds
Lawns, Ground Cover, & Wildflowers
Yard & Garden Planning
Trees, Shrubs, & Vines
Garden Care
Pests & Problems
Soil, Water, & Fertilizer
Plant Care Techniques
Tools & Equipment
Seeds & Propagation
Home & Health
Cooking
Garden Crafts
Health
Houseplants
Garden Travel
Q and A Library
How-To Projects
Pest Control Library
Food Garden Guide
Fruit Gardening Guide
Herb Gardening Guide
Vegetable Gardening Guide
Plant Care Guides

UNDERSTANDING SOIL

Articles for your interest:


10 Easy Soil Tests
Build Healthy Soil
Carbon Nation
Disease Defense
Get a Soil Test
How To Get An Accurate Soil Test
Is Your Soil Ready?
Mulch Materials Research Report
Soil Nitrogen Content

Celebrating Seasons Home


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Articles


Seasons in the Garden
• Spring Equinox Arrives This Month
• Think Green...in the Garden
• Favorite Container Garden Combination
Seasons in the Kitchen
• Beet Salad
Seasons at Home
• Spring is for Lovers — Including Bird Lovers
• Encouraging Amaryllis Rebloom
Gabby Gardeners
New & Cool Gadgets

GARDEN DESIGN

Articles for your interest:


All-The-Time Blooming Gardens
Aquatic Plants
Beautify Your Lawn
Container Pond Care
Culinary Mushroom Log
DIY Backyard Garden Designs
Designing With Annuals and Perennials
Fountains
Garden Design
Garden Design Worksheet
Great Grasses We Love
Grow A Rain Garden
Planning Your Winter Landscape
Plants for Garden Paths
Post-Katrina Garden Rebuilt
Prairie Home Companions
The Country Cottage Garden
The Season of Wildflowers
Vines
Water Saving Tips

Organic Gardening


Seed Starting Chart
Check out our seed starting chart to help you keep track of when and what seeds you started. More
Composting 101
We asked the pros for their secrets to composting. Find out about the compost equation and two ways to compost here. More
Prevent Plant Disease Now!
It seems simple, but a key to organic gardening is choosing disease resistant varieties. More
Organic Gardening's WaterWorks
We are joining forces with the ACGA, Aveeno, and Nature's Path Foods to bring rainwater harvesting systems to 15 community gardens this season. More
Test Garden Favorites
We try out the hottest new varieties in our test garden each summer. Find out our new favorite flowers and vegetable and where to find them. More

TREES & SHRUBS

Articles for your interest:


Bark Quiz
Choosing the Perfect Christmas Tree
Colorful Conifers
Coral-bark Maple
Diagnosing Tree Problems
Friends Of Black Walnut
Heeling In How-To
Holly Days
Moss Control
No Cure for Nuts
Non-Invasive Bamboo
Nut Trees
Overwintering Fig Trees
Paperbark Maple
Planting Trees for Long Lives
Pruning Spiraea
Recycle Your Christmas Tree
Regional Guide to Native Trees
Tree Buying Guide
Trees & Shrubs--10 Great Varieties
Trees For Every Purpose
Trees Save Energy
Trees and Transplant Shock
Trees for Organic Gardens
Viburnums
Wisteria
Witch Hazel

VEGETABLES Articles for your interest:
Alliums
Amaranth
Artichokes
Asparagus
Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Carrots
Chard
Cucumbers
Dead Peas
Edamame
Garlic
Greens
Grow More Peppers
Heirloom Pumpkins & Squashes
Lettuce
Parsnips
Pea Root Rot
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Pumpkins for Small Gardens
Pumpkins for Small Gardens
Rhubarb
Snowpeas
Spinach
Spinach Planting Tips
Sweet Corn
The Perfect Tomato Plan
Tomatoes
Weird Tomatoes
Winter Squash
Zucchini

HOW-TO SOIL TECHNIQUES

Articles for your interest:


5 Steps to Sowing Success
Comfrey Power
Cover Crop Basics
Cover Crop Benefits
Fertilizing Your Garden
Fix Clay Soil
Homemade Worm Bin
How to Lower Your Soil pH
Mulching Ruth Stout Style
Nutrient Deficiency Problem Solver
Poor Topsoil
Potting Soil Recipes
Preparing the Soil in Spring
Soil Chemistry
Test Your Soil's Fertility

FRUIT

Articles for your interest:


Apple Storage Success Secrets
Blueberries
Grapes
Grow Juicy Sweet Watermelons
Hardy Avocados
Kiwifruit
Melons
Peach
Pears
Raspberries
Strawberry
Trellising Grapes

ANIMAL TRACKS

Articles for your interest:


Ants
Bats
Cicada
Goldfinch
Kestrel Nesting Box
Native Bees
Praying Mantis
Skunk
Spring Peepers

HOUSEPLANTS

Articles for your interest:


Amaryllis
Growing Lucky Bamboo
Healthy Indoor Herbs
Houseplants: Pests and Diseases
Indoor Blooms
Orchids
Organic Houseplant Care
Poinsettia
Potted Plant Care
Scale Back
Tips for Christmas Cactus Care

About US!

Our blog site began as a vision for Gail to use her networking skills in a way that could benefit moms. As the journey continued and she recruited Amber, the vision started to become a reality. We, as mothers, know that in order to succeed at our jobs of being a mother, it is important that we are educated, organized, and informed about all aspects of our lives and the lives of our children. Therefore, it is our goal through this website to “network” with other moms in the Sumner County area to help each other along the journey of motherhood. Together, with the help of our friends and family in Sumner County, we are building a “networking” site that will help moms to meet the needs of a running a family, household, and our lives more efficiently in hopes to succeed at our jobs of being a mother, the highest calling of a woman’s life!

FLOWERS

Articles for your interest:
5 Annuals for Brilliant Color
5 Great Tasting Edible Flowers
5 Native Bouquet Design Tips
Angelica
Antique Roses
Aster
Biennials
Black Colored Plants
Colchicum
Coleus
Cyclamen
Dahlia
Daylilies
Dianthus
Fennel
Ferns
Five Steps to More and Better Flowers
Five Summer All-Stars
Flowering Tobacco
Flowers For Fall
Flowers That Plant Themselves
Flowers That Take The Heat
Flowers for Cutting
Foxglove
Fragrant Flowers
Giant Coneflower
Helenium
Hollyhock
Hollyhock Rust
Honesty
Hosta
Hydrangeas
Iris
Lenten Rose
Lilac Arrangements That Last
Lily
Luscious Lavender
Overwintering Mums
Pansies
Peonies
Phlox Without Fail
Pitcher Plant
Primroses
Rose Campion
Roses
Rudbeckia
Rusty Snaps
Sage Advice
Salvia
Saving Potted Daffodils
Sedum
Silver Sage
Starting Wildflower Seeds
Stock
Sunflowers
Sunset Hyssop
Sweet Alyssum Volunteers
Sweet Peas
Sweet William
Switch Grass
Tulip Bloom Problems
Tulips
Wilting Petunias
Wisteria
Zinnias

The Garden Rant Pack!



Just Who Do They Think They Are?


Susan Harris
Elizabeth Licata
Michele Owens
Amy Stewart
About Us

WEEDS

Articles for your interest:


12 Of The Most Common Weeds
Dodder-Susceptible and Resistant Plants
Field Bindweed
Poison Ivy
Test Your Weed IQ
Weed Control, The Organic Way
Weeding Aids
Weeds: An Organic Strategy

Pick Tennessee Products



Trees, Flower, & Plants
Nursery Products
Flowers
Tennessee Cut Flowers
Tennessee Flower Growers
Christmas Trees
Christmas Tree Directory
Balled & Burlapped Trees
Selecting Cut Trees
Sod Suppliers
Compost & Soil Suppliers
TenneSelect: Select Plants for Tennessee Gardens
New Plant Selections
Annuals
Perennials
Herbs
Shrubs
Trees
Vendors & Supporters
Forestry Products
Directory of Tennessee's Forest Industries
Utilization and Marketing
Obtain Tennessee Tree Seedlings (PDF)

BACKYARD WILDLIFE

Articles for your interest:


Attracting Birds in Winter
Audio Bird Quiz
Backyard Bird Feeding
Bird Attacting Evergreens
Chicken Resources
Create a Butterfly Garden
Fall Bird Feeding Tips
Fast, Free Butterfly Baths
Mason Bee House Care
The Bee Crisis
Wildlife Garden
Winter Bird Feeding
Winter Birdbaths
Winter Plants That Birds Love

Seed Swap



One gardener's extras are another's treasures


In this free forum, you can find the seeds you've been looking for, or share your excess seeds with others.


Traditional swaps are a 2-way trade. Interested parties will contact you by phone or email. If you don't have any seeds to offer, don't dismay, you may still find someone willing to help you out with your request.


Your submission will remain posted for 30 days.

HERBS

Articles for your interest:
Basil
Chives
Cilantro
Cooking With Lemon Herbs
Cool Herbs for Spring Meals
Flowering Herbs
Herb Tincture
Herbs Indoors
Oregano
Parsley
Pesto, Presto!
Rosemary
Thyme
Welcome Herbs Into The Landscape
Wild Edibles Recipe
Windowsill Herb Gardening

PROJECTS

Articles for your interest:


Basket Birdhouse
Bird Seed Wreath
Build A Bat House
Build A Deer Proof Fence
Build a Simple Bird Water Garden

Urban Gardening



Moss in the City Home
Receive this newsletter by e-mail New Outdoor Container Garden Giveaway
Articles


New this month:
• Spring Weather in Winter
• Great Garden Gadgets
• Cleaning and Sharpening Your Garden Tools
• February Q&A
• February Tips

Edible Landscaping Home


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New this month:
• Food for Thought: What's the Buzz?
• Edible of the Month: Kiwi
• Brie Glazed with Kiwi Fruit
• Quick Spring Greens
• March Q&A
Articles
Edible Landscaping Primer
About Charlie Nardozzi
Edible Resource Guide

Grants & Resources
Grants

Resource Directory

Fundraising




Digging Deep
Classroom Projects

Thematic Explorations Parents' Primer

Classroom Stories

Activities

Kidsgardening FAQs

Growonder

School Greenhouse Guide

Exploring Hydroponics

Pollinator Curriculum

Harvest of History

Mountain Adventures

Online Teachers' Course



Community
National Garden Month

School Garden Registry

School Garden Search

Events Calendar

Gardening Tips



Gardens Alive

Caring for Your Plantings While Conserving Water

Efficient Water Use on Outdoor Plantings.



The use of water has become more and more of an issue for many communities. All across the country we see rationing and restrictions. And why not? Water takes valuable resources to process and make potable. Have we become much too reliant on a cheap source of clean water? We water our lawns to keep them fresh and green. We use chemical fertilizers that increase the amount of water required and do it, with little regard to how, when and why we water our plants.



What can we do?



Here are some tips to make the most of our water use.



Watering Lawns

1. Allow your lawn to experience natural cycles. Well established lawn grasses are tough and resilient. It is their nature to become dormant under drought conditions. Watering keeps them active and dependant upon an artificial source. In addition, if done incorrectly, it will encourage roots to grow nearer to the surface where they are unable to seek moisture effectively. If outdoor watering is limited to the extent that it is not possible to irrigate the lawn properly, it would be advisable not to water at all and to allow the lawn to go dormant.



2. Only seed your lawn in the fall. Seed and new grass require almost constant moisture. Often times spring is too short or dry to provide what is needed. In addition, weed germination is at a height in the spring and competition is fierce.



3. If you are inclined to water your lawn, water slow, long and deep. A sprinkler should spread water evenly and slowly. Run off is considered very detrimental to your water use as well as your soil.



Lawns require an inch of water weekly for best growth, either from rain or irrigation or both. Inexpensive rain gauges may be purchased, or a coffee can be used to measure the amount of water applied. It takes about 625 gallons of water to apply an inch to 1,000 square feet of lawn area. The soil should be saturated with water to a depth of 3 to 4 inches.



Use of a good organic fertilizer is recommended. Chemical fertilizers draw roots shallower and reduce valuable microbes that your grass needs for survival. This combination greatly increases thatch, an ideal condition for disease.



Watering Trees, Shrubs and Flower Gardens During dry seasons, watering is necessary to maintain healthy plants. Water is more important for new planting than for established ones.



Established trees and shrubs do not require as much water as new plantings, but during extended dry spells some watering may be necessary. Some principles of watering are as follows:



• Watering with a hose and nozzle is not recommended. Merely syringing the plants and soil is of little value to the root system through which water is absorbed.



• An open hose placed at the base of a tree with the water flowing slowly will provide needed water to the root zone. If the water is allowed to trickle into the soil gradually, it will seep down and saturate the area around the roots. Since the composition of soils varies, the rate of absorption will vary, but the water pressure should be as high as possible without surface run-off.



• By saturating the soil around the plants, less frequent watering will be necessary. Each plant or bed should be saturated approximately once every two weeks or less depending on the weather.



New plantings will require more frequent watering than established plants. The same type of saturating should be exercised, but once a week may be necessary for new plants.



A ring of soil around newly planted trees and shrubs in the form of a saucer is recommended. This could be built from gravel or excess soil after planting. Fill the ring at each watering to allow gradual seepage into the soil. For the first month, water new plantings twice a week, then weekly for the rest of the season.



Mulching can help to reduce water loss. The use of mulch on new or established plantings is an excellent method of conserving water. Beds, which are exposed to the sun, and drying winds without cover will dry out rapidly. Trying to keep these areas moist by watering is not adequate, and a great deal of water is wasted.



Some of the more common materials used for mulching are peat moss, wood chips, straw, salt march hay, sawdust, pine needles, hay, leaf mold, compost, dried bark, leaves and many others. Much less water will be required to maintain vigorous plants with the use of a 2-inch mulch.



Overall Watering Program for Outdoor Plants.In trying to conserve water and to realize greatest benefit from water used, it is wise to set up a regularly scheduled program.



• Do not try to water all planted areas at each watering.

• Section off your areas, and concentrate on these areas individually for maximum benefit.

• Saturate each area, and then allow to dry out before watering again.• Plan to use mulch around all planted areas to reduce water loss.

• Do not allow plants to wilt before beginning a watering program.

• Remember—two hoses at low pressure without a nozzle is the best method of watering.

• Over watering can be more harmful to plants than under watering. Roots need air as well as water. Do not keep soil saturated with water continuously.



THE SAFE SEED PLEDGE

Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative:



"We pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants."



The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms, poses great biological risks as well as economic, political, and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately people and communities.



http://www.organicaseed.com/

www.greenpeople.org/seeds.htm

www.mariseeds.com/



Garden Guides,



Your Guide to Everything Gardening
www.gardenguides.com/



Whether you are new to gardening, or a seasoned gardening pro, Garden Guides has everything you need. For more than eight years, Garden Guides has been a leader in online gardening information, providing thousands of pages of detailed and extensive information on plants, pests, gardening tips & techniques, gardening recipes, seeds & bulbs, gardening books, nurseries & landscapers, and much more.



Garden.com

In our new home garden center you will find the best collection of information, tips and garden supplies anywhere on the Internet. Whether you are a professional or home gardener our online garden center will stock the garden supplies you need including: tools, decor, gates, statues, gloves, gifts, gnomes, fountains, sculptures, tractors, sheds and much more.



www.garden.com/

CINNAMON
1. Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol!
2. Studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for peiople with Type II diabetes..
3. In some cases cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.
4. In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
5. It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
6. In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.
7. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.
8. One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
9. Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.
10. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium

Tumeric
Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric (spice) to your diet:
1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.
7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.
16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.
18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

Turmeric can be taken in powder or pill form. It is available in pill form in most health food stores, usually in 250-500mg capsules.

Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it's fun to find new ways to use it in recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a pinch of it to egg salad. It adds a nice flavor and gives the egg salad a rich yellow hue.

Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.

Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is one of nature's most healing and therapeutic foods. I put it in many of my recipes not only because I love spicy food, but because of its healing and therapeutic properties. You've probably heard of capsaicin. It's the main ingredient of cayenne pepper and is used topically to treat everything from osteoarthritis to cancer. According to the University of Maryland:

Native Americans have used cayenne (or red pepper) as both food and medicine for at least 9,000 years. The hot and spicy taste of cayenne pepper is primarily due to an ingredient known as capsaicin. Although it tastes hot, capsaicin actually stimulates a region of the brain that lowers body temperature.

Taken internally or applied topically, capsaicin is a great natural healing remedy. To read more about the health properties of cayenne pepper and capsaicin, read the rest of the University of Maryland article.

Cayenne has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, diuretic, analgesic, expectorant, and diaphoretic properties. Cayenne is used worldwide to treat a variety of health conditions, including weak digestion, chronic pain, shingles, heart disease, sore throats, headaches, high cholesterol levels, poor circulation, and toothache. Capsaicin in cayenne pepper has very powerful pain-relieving properties when applied to the surface of the skin. Applied topically, cayenne cream eases pain by providing diversionary discomfort and by depleting the body's supply of substance P. External preparations are used to reduce arthritic pain and inflammation and to relieve symptoms of bursitis, fibromyalgia, diabetic neuropathy, and nerve pain that often follows shingles. Cayenne cream or ointment is particularly effective in easing the joint discomfort of arthritis. Applying cayenne cream to irritated areas may help psoriasis sufferers.

Cayenne is the most useful of the systemic stimulants. It stimulates blood flow, strengthening the heart, arteries, capillaries and nerves. Cayenne is used to regulate blood flow and to strengthen the heart, arteries and capillaries. Cayenne is been used as an overall digestive aid and is considered to improve the entire circulatory system and act as one of the best stimulants. When taken internally, cayenne soothes the digestive tract and stimulates the flow of saliva and stomach secretions. These secretions contain substances that help digest food. Cayenne is also used to relieve constipation as it stimulates gastric secretions, thereby activating a sluggish gastrointestinal tract. Cayenne can be an effective remedy for relieving congestion and coughs. It acts to thin mucus, thus improving the flow of body fluids. It is also used to boost energy and relieve stress-related fatigue and depression. Cayenne has a revitalizing effect on both the mind and body, dispelling tiredness, lethargy, and depression, mainly by opening passageways and dilating blood vessels. Cayenne may reduce the risk of heart attacks. It has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and the risk of blood clots.

Side effects, precautions, interactionsCayenne should not be used by children under two years of age. Topical cayenne ointments should not be used for more than two consecutive days in children. Capsaicin cream may cause an itching, burning sensation on the skin, but these symptoms tend to subside quickly. Capsaicin capsules may cause stomach irritation. Applying too much cayenne cream may produce coughing, sneezing, teary eyes and a scratchy throat. Large internal doses of cayenne may produce vomiting and/or stomach pain. Using capsaicin cream on the skin may increase the risk of cough associated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.