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	<title>Bear at Home &#187; Organic matter</title>
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		<title>Growing healthy food organically</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2012/02/growing-healthy-food-organically/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:17:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[Growing healthy food organically]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Growing healthy food Organic food is nothing new. From the earliest recorded history, food has been organic—grown without synthetic chemical pesticides and manures or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Only in...
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:National_Organic_Program.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="The National Organic Program administers the O..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/National_Organic_Program.jpg/300px-National_Organic_Program.jpg" alt="The National Organic Program administers the O..." width="300" height="287" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Growing healthy food</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Organic food is nothing new. From the earliest recorded history, food has been organic—grown without synthetic chemical pesticides and manures or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Only in the 20th century did the food supply become non-organic. While non-organic food remains a new phenomenon in the world, more people—from gourmet chefs to average consumers—prefer food more like it was before chemicals.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Growing organic food, without synthetic chemicals and fertilizers, is actually more economical and takes less labor over time as you work with nature. Modern growing methods, used by many organic farmers, make it easy and efficient to grow an abundance of crops in your own backyard or balcony—often without breaking a sweat. At the same time, you enjoy eating healthy food, more savory than anything you could buy. Methods for how to grow organic food range from traditional wisdom to 20th century innovations. But simple ideas and common sense can guide you to grow healthy plants and soil.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="kensorganics.com" target="_blank">Organic gardening</a> begins with the natural landscape and always depends on plenty of variety—from living soil to diversity of plants. You can start with just a few square feet of garden space or a few containers in a sunny area. You can always expand once you get the feel of organic gardening. Some shade is fine, as long as there is sun several hours a day.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Healthy soil is critical!  Healthy soil is alive with billions of microorganisms and thousands of worms busy breaking down organic matter and producing necessary nutrients for plants. If your soil is bad, you can have it tested for free at a local county extension office or test it yourself with a kit. But by adding organic matter to the topsoil, you can soon build up a strong soil structure. Remove old debris from the ground and break up soil—without turning topsoil too far down. Cover the garden area with thin layers of fresh organic matter—leaves, dried grass, decaying plants or compost. Compost is decomposed organic matter, which has been reduced to a dark, rich and sweet smelling texture. You can use compost as a soil amendment or protective mulch. You can make your own compost, find some in nearby fertile landscapes or purchase some from a quality garden store. Organic matter inoculates your garden soil with the beneficial life forms necessary to work the soil. Any simple organic matter will also attract worms if there are none in your existing soil. Mix organic material into the topsoil, but not too deep—and do not compact or walk on soil around where plants are growing. Living organisms in soil need oxygen and space to thrive in. Be patient.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Microorganisms, insects and worms will do most of your garden work over time, breaking up soil and producing plant nutrients. Keep soil damp, but not soggy, so it can allow in air. Start your own compost pile to mix with soil from time to time. Composting can be an elaborate operation or as simple as heaping up clean organic material—from leaves to paper bags and kitchen scraps to grass clippings. Mix pile and keep it moist. It will decompose to rich, dark matter. Plant Organic Seeds and Plants Organic food must begin with organic seeds and plants. Conventional seeds are treated with chemical herbicides, insecticides and fungicides.  It is important not to use chemical pesticides or fertilizers in the garden. Food grown with synthetic chemicals of any kind is not organic. Pesticides kill the very insects, which are predators to the bad pests. By building healthy soil with organic matter, you will provide plants with a complex soil structure of immunity. Healthy soil and a diversity of plants will create an ecosystem more naturally resistant to pests.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Grow natural pesticides, like garlic, anise or catnip. For other strategies to protect against pests, you can practice multi-cropping. For instance, marigolds next to tomatoes and onions help to repel aphids and spider mites. Many organic pesticide products are also available. Grow organic food with healthy soil and your garden will produce all summer long—or all year long. There are many ingenious methods for how to grow organic food. Instead of spending money on countless bags of pesticides and manure, which kill the soil, use the organic matter already in your own backyard to build healthy soil. Then let nature do most of the work—while you enjoy the harvest. The key to a healthy organic garden is biodiversity—a variety of plants supported by a living soil full of active microorganisms, insects and worms.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Organic gardening is far less about toiling and tilling the ground and much more about letting nature work at its own pace to produce more harvest. Even if you have no land, you can <a href="kensorganics.com" target="_blank">grow organic</a> food on your balcony, up on the roof, in a community garden or even in an old lot.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Starting an Organic Garden</title>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:17:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
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<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Raised_bed.jpg"><img title="Raised bed of lettuce, tomatoes, 6 different t..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Raised_bed.jpg/300px-Raised_bed.jpg" alt="Raised bed of lettuce, tomatoes, 6 different t..." width="300" height="210" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Growing your own fresh, organic produce is satisfying on so many levels. Flavor; the convenience of walking out to your garden to select fresh vegetables to prepare for a family meal; reduction of food costs; and knowing the origin of your food source, are just a few. Gardening can be both an art and a science, and it can take some trial and error to get to the point where you can rely on your own green thumb to provide an adequate food source for your family. Here are a few basic tips that can help you get started with your own organic backyard garden.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Placement</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Choosing an area for your garden is the first step, and should be considered one of the most crucial. Vegetables require a fair amount of sunshine, so choose a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of sun per day. If you need to clear an area of vegetation before working the soil, wet down the area and cover it with a layer of black plastic for 3-4 weeks prior to digging up the area. This will rid the plot of existing grass and weeds, and will also sterilize the soil, killing any dormant weed seeds. To ensure a truly organic garden, you&#8217;ll also want to make sure that your garden is not located in an area that was recently treated with lawn chemicals or pesticides. If you have difficulty meeting any of these requirements, a raised garden bed is an excellent and easy solution to existing soil or location problems, as it can be located anyplace on your property, including a sunny patio.<strong> </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Soil</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The soil needs to be well-drained, and have a rich organic consistency. Add peat moss, and a variety of composted materials to build up your soil. If you are using a raised bed garden, you can create your own soil mix by combining peat moss, vermiculite, and compost in equal portions. All of these materials can be purchased at your local garden center.<br />
You&#8217;ll also want to start your own compost pile for ongoing inexpensive soil amendments.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Planting</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When selecting what to grow, it is best to start small, and choose plants that your family likes to eat or that can be added to dishes that appeal to your family. Be sure to choose seeds that are organic or open pollinated, and if purchasing seedlings, choose the organic varieties. Garden centers and online seeds shops are a good source of <a href="http://www.thegoodthing.org/HeirloomSeeds.html" target="_blank">organic seeds </a>and seedlings, however if you are unable to find them commercially, starting your own seeds indoors in a greenhouse is a cost-effective way to ensure that your plants are organic. First-time gardeners may want to start with plants such as beans, peas, carrots, onions, squash, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and pumpkins as they are all easy to grow and need little care. Be sure to water transplanted seedlings and newly planted seeds well to encourage germination.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Weed Control</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If you sterilized the soil prior to planting your garden or you&#8217;re using the <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/squarefootgardens" target="_blank">raised bed garden</a> technique and created your own mix of soil, weed growth should be minimal. Sowing seeds in close proximity, and companion planting (such as growing marigolds next to tomatoes) results in very little room for weeds to grow between plants. Once the vegetables are established, mulching around the plants and on garden paths is a very effective method of maintaining a weed free garden, and also builds up your soil as the mulch decomposes. When using mulch, be sure that it contains only organic materials (not grass clippings that have been treated with lawn chemicals). Keep any new weeds at bay by hoeing and weeding by hand regularly. When hand weeding, be sure to pull the weed from the base of the plant to ensure that you get the entire root. Pouring boiling water over the entire plant is also an effective way to kill established weeds.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> Insects and Pests</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Many insects are beneficial to your garden, and organic gardening encourages bees, butterflies, earth worms, and frogs to make themselves at home. Earth worms can be purchased and added to your soil. Lady bugs are also a welcome friend to organic gardeners as they feed on aphids which love to chew on leafy greens. Remove any unwanted pests by hand. Slugs, which can do a great deal of damage in very little time, can be deterred by using beer traps (shallow containers such as jar lids, filled with beer). Rabbits, deer, and other four legged creatures can be kept out of your garden by installing a fence around the circumference of the plot. Fencing is easily installed by using steel fence posts and 4&#8242; high wire mesh. Secure the bottom of the fence to the ground with stakes, and make sure the openings at the bottom of the mesh are small enough to keep the baby rabbits out too, as they can be very destructive all by themselves.  If you need more deterrent, tried used kitty litter or a commercial prepared product such as Liquid Fence.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Water</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Watering your garden until plants are well established, and during dry spells, will keep them healthy and better able to ward off diseases and pests.<br />
Watering in the morning will reduce problems with pests that like dark, moist places to hide (slugs). It also gives the plants extra energy to get through the hot, sultry days of summer.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Journal</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Keeping a <a href="http://www.thegoodthing.org" target="_blank">garden journal </a>that includes dates, plant names, and photos will help you track what works and what, if any modifications you need to make for planning your garden next year. The photos will help with crop rotation, by helping you track where things were planted so you can move them around every year.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Don&#8217;t forget to get the whole family involved. Teaching your children to garden is educational and they&#8217;ll learn lifelong skills that are healthy, enjoyable, and useful. Gardening is a hobby that can bring your family closer together, while creating memories and healthy eating habits that each of you can benefit from and cherish for years to come.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
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		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:20:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[When it comes to plants, vegetables and fruit growing, gardeners can be very dedicated to making sure that everything is perfect and that their top soil is of the finest...
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<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cow_dung_cakes_and_heap_set_out_for_drying.JPG"><img title="Cow dung cakes and heap set out for drying" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Cow_dung_cakes_and_heap_set_out_for_drying.JPG/300px-Cow_dung_cakes_and_heap_set_out_for_drying.JPG" alt="Cow dung cakes and heap set out for drying" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">When it comes to plants, vegetables and fruit growing, gardeners can be very dedicated to making sure that everything is perfect and that their <a title="Top Soil" href="http://www.topsoil.co.uk/" target="_blank">top soil</a> is of the finest quality. The average amount of time that most gardeners spend tending for their gardens is quite remarkable and time spent improving <strong>top soil</strong> is never overlooked. There’s no wonder that Gardening in the UK is one of the most participated in hobbies going. The cost of gardening is one of the most annoying parts of garden upkeep making it sometimes a chore.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The cost of gardening in general and specifically of improving top soil need not be prohibitively expensive however. There is little point therefore in spending great amounts of money when some simple cost saving top soil improving tips will do the job. The first thing that every serious gardener must do to ensure that their top soil is of the highest quality is to ensure that a compost heap is built. All professional gardeners will tell you that a compost heap is the single most important thing that all gardeners of any experience can do to improve their top soil.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Compost heaps are essentially away to speed up the process of decaying matter, so that this can then be added to the top soil to improve its nutrient and organic matter content. This additional nutrient and organic matter content is crucial to the performance of good top soil. Nutrients are essential for plant life, and whilst some plants will require higher concentrations of certain minerals, good compost will certainly give a good base. Organic matter helps improve the top soil by making its consistency suitable for water retention as well as providing adequate drainage. If organic matter isn’t included properly then nutrients could get washed out and drained away during heavy raining periods.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One of the most important parts of compost making is to ensure that the right kind of organic matter is used in the first place. plenty of information is available online as to what to include in good compost.</p>
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://sustainableprojectmanagement.com/2011/05/thinking-of-using-a-composting-bin/">Thinking Of Using a Composting Bin?</a> (sustainableprojectmanagement.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://realestatenoevalley.com/2011/05/10-things-to-consider-for-sustainable-landscaping/">10 things to consider for sustainable landscaping</a> (realestatenoevalley.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://bayviewhunterspoint.com/2011/04/be-green-start-composting/">Be Green Start Composting</a> (bayviewhunterspoint.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://bearathome.com/2011/05/vegetable-gardening-how-to-get-started/">Vegetable Gardening &#8211; How to get started</a> (bearathome.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://bearathome.com/2011/04/is-topsoil-really-necessary-for-my-garden/">Is Topsoil Really Necessary For My Garden?</a> (bearathome.com)</li>
</ul>
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<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://bearathome.com/2011/06/thereas-so-many-different-kinds-of-soil/' rel='bookmark' title='Kinds of Soil'>Kinds of Soil</a> <small>For those who enjoy gardening with plants, shrubs, flowers or...</small></li>
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		<title>Kinds of Soil</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2011/06/thereas-so-many-different-kinds-of-soil/</link>
		<comments>http://bearathome.com/2011/06/thereas-so-many-different-kinds-of-soil/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:54:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardening soil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kinds of Soil]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[For those who enjoy gardening with plants, shrubs, flowers or vegetables, the one of most important aspect is the quality of your soil. Soil is never straightforward due to its...
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<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 246px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Soil_profile.png"><img title="Soil profile 236x288 38.76 KB" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Soil_profile.png" alt="Soil profile 236x288 38.76 KB" width="236" height="288" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For those who enjoy gardening with plants, shrubs, flowers or vegetables, the one of most important aspect is the quality of your <a title="Soil" href="http://www.topsoil.co.uk/" target="_blank">soil</a>. <strong>Soil</strong> is never straightforward due to its changeable properties from one place to another, and this being the case, gardeners have to be selective about what they choose to grow.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Soil can be broken down into some relatively straightforward kinds, which, as a beginner in the garden or as someone who’s keen to understand the differences and how these affect plant growth, these should be understood.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The first kind of soil we’re talking about here is clay soil. Clay soils are called so because they are heavy in clay content, which makes them heavy, sticky and often wetter than other soils. Clay soils are prone to poor drainage because of the lack of air and therefore become waterlogged easily. In order to make clay soil easier to work with, sand could be added to loosen it up. Clay soils that have good drainage are heavy in nutrients, and plants will do very well.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sand heavy soils are often much thinner and grittier than clay soils, draining well and offering less nutrients for plants Sandy soil with a good organic matter content should be able to hold enough moisture and nutrients to make it very successful as a growing medium.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Avoiding chalky soil is sound advice for gardeners because these soils make for poor quality. Chalk soil can contain a lot of stones and it’s often found to be the cause of yellowing leaves as water drains away too quickly and essential nutrients are blocked.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The main kinds of soil then to look out for are listed here, but you can get others like silty and peaty. Most can be used by the gardener, however chalky soils require so much additional input such as fertilizers and organic matter that they can seem pointless to work.</p>
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		<title>Is Topsoil Really Necessary For My Garden?</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2011/04/is-topsoil-really-necessary-for-my-garden/</link>
		<comments>http://bearathome.com/2011/04/is-topsoil-really-necessary-for-my-garden/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:12:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden]]></category>
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<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hestem%C3%B8j.jpg"><img title="Manure, a field in Randers in Denmark" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Hestem%C3%B8j.jpg/300px-Hestem%C3%B8j.jpg" alt="Manure, a field in Randers in Denmark" width="300" height="243" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Is Topsoil Necessary?</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If you’ve ever thought a lot about <a title="Topsoil" href="http://www.topsoil.co.uk/" target="_blank">topsoil</a> then you’re in a very small minority of people. Unlike other aspects of gardening, like discussing the prize onions at the local country show, <strong>topsoil</strong> doesn’t hold the same interest as a topic.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Well, it’s time topsoil became a hit conversation because it’s really very interesting. It’s not just one but two attributes of topsoil that make it so exciting.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The primary point to make is that topsoil is one of the most important elements to Earth’s make-up and if it didn’t exist, we wouldn’t be able to survive.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Is Topsoil Necessary?</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Without a topsoil of good quality it becomes ever more tricky for the gardener to grow the best plants and veg. New topsoil is only required if the existing soil is of dubious quality and has never been looked after.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Understanding the level of organic matter in your topsoil’s texture will determine the level of nutrients that will make your vegetation grow better. The texture should feel like a slightly heavier uncooked crumble mixture for an apple crumble and it should feel moist without gushing water.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Adding organic matter to the soil is one way to improve the texture of the topsoil should the crumbly feel go amiss. Using farmyard manure with plenty of straw mixed into it will do the topsoil a world of good, especially if left over the winter to breakdown.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Some topsoil however will not improve no matter how much you add quality enhancers, and when this is the case, it’s time to buy new topsoil.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Topsoil suppliers should meet the highest standards of production to avoid contamination and the standards set out in British regulation can ensure this happens.</p>
<h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em;">Related articles</h6>
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</ul>
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		<title>Gardening Mulch</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2011/02/gardening-mulch/</link>
		<comments>http://bearathome.com/2011/02/gardening-mulch/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:10:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bark mulch]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[garden mulch]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[mulch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mulching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organic matter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organic mulch]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[wood mulch]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Garden Mulch is a protective covering placed on the surface of the soil . I prefer to use a variety of organic materials for garden mulching, but you can also...
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<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mulch.jpg"><img title="Shredded wood used as mulch. This type of mulc..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Mulch.jpg/300px-Mulch.jpg" alt="Shredded wood used as mulch. This type of mulc..." width="300" height="216" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Garden Mulch is a protective covering  placed on the surface of the soil . I prefer  to use a variety of  organic materials for garden mulching, but you can also use plastic film, they are a  important  tool for the <a title="Organic Dad Home Page" href="http://www.organicdad.co.uk/" target="_blank">organic gardener</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mulching  is well worth the time and effort it takes as it both helps keep the  moisture in your soil by preventing  evaporation and also helps prevent  weed seed from germinating. It will additionally  protect the soil surface from the damaging effects of heavy rain and compaction . Another  benefit of using organic mulch is that it will encourage the worm population who  will generally help improve and maintain a good soil structure.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A variety of materials can be used as mulch , however the texture is very important , they need  to be fairly compact but also allow air and moisture  to filter through to the soil surface . Organic Compost , wood chippings, bark, leaf mould, lawn cuttings that have been dried out , well rotted manure and straw will all make good  garden mulch. They will give you a choice  of finishing’s bark mulch and wood mulch giving a more decorative  effect and they will also last longest .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mulch can be lay-ed   up to several  inches  in depth  provided  it does not completely cover  your plants. It should not be heaped  up around the base of any plants because as it rots down  it will also rot the plant to. Depending on the type and depth of mulch used it will last from two months to three years and as it decomposes  it will improve  your soil too.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The best time to apply garden mulch  is when the soil has warmed up from the winter cold, yet is still moist . You should avoid mulching  when the soil is dry, very wet or very cold  as it will simply remain in that condition, affecting the growing conditions of your plants. The best time to mulch is either after planting or for plants sown in situ when they are a few  inches  tall  . Make sure the soil is well watered in advance  but do not completely saturate  it and dig up  any existing weeds that may  be already growing.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You can also  purchase  plastic mulches which can be useful in the short term and are ideal  for summer crops, like tomatoes and cucumbers. You can either lay the firm over the area you intend to plant and cut cross slits and plant in between, or plant first and then with care   roll the film over, making slits and pulling the plants through. Anchor the edges of the film with a covering of soil to secure . Plants can be watered, when required, through the gap between the stem of the plant and the foil .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Black films are best for  preventing weed germination , clear or transparent and white films will help the soil to warm up , great  for early planting and the latter  will also reflect light up onto your crop .  Which ever mulch you choose it will  aid  you to make your <a title="Organic Dad Home Page" href="http://www.organicdad.co.uk/" target="_blank">organic garden</a> that much more rewarding.</p>
<h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em;">Related articles</h6>
<ul class="zemanta-article-ul">
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://greenanswers.com/q/181724/food-agriculture/gardening/what-purpose-using-mulch-my-garden">What is the purpose of using mulch in my garden?</a> (greenanswers.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://r.zemanta.com/?u=http%3A//www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/helen-yemm/8209660/wood-chippings-fine-to-use-as-mulch-Helen-Yemm.html&amp;a=30836614&amp;rid=4545a325-4e7a-44de-9a45-fa93c364b844&amp;e=f96157265cd809cbd35b2e8c851e03a9">Wood chippings fine to use as mulch</a> (telegraph.co.uk)</li>
</ul>
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		<title>Organic Gardening: Is it for me?</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2011/02/organic-gardening-is-it-for-me/</link>
		<comments>http://bearathome.com/2011/02/organic-gardening-is-it-for-me/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:44:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Fertilizer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardening guide]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green manure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organic agriculture]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[What is organic gardening]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[What is organic gardening? Organic gardening brings the principles of organic agriculture to your garden. This involves matters such as how soil is built, how soil is conserved, and how...
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<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HomeComposting_Roubaix_Fr59.JPG"><img title="Home Composting, Roubaix, France" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/HomeComposting_Roubaix_Fr59.JPG/300px-HomeComposting_Roubaix_Fr59.JPG" alt="Home Composting, Roubaix, France" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What is organic gardening? </strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Organic gardening brings the principles of organic agriculture to your garden. This involves matters such as how soil is built, how soil is conserved, and how pests are managed. From a big picture point of view, organic gardening involves working in cooperation with nature.  It involves viewing your garden as part of nature as a whole.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In simple terms, organic gardening means that you grow your garden without using synthetic products or chemicals such as those used in pesticides and fertilizers.   You would use sensible methods to replenish the soil like feeding the soil with composted plants, or rotating the plants that are planted in a given area to allow the soil to get enriched.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Creating and maintaining an <a href="http://zakta.com/zakta/view_2_628403418_5_Organic_Gardening" target="_blank">organic garden</a> can be fun and satisfying  .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Why is the soil so important?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The soil needs to be fed and nourish, so that it can nourish our plants in turn. This simple, common sense idea is a core principle in organic gardening.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You can encounter types of soil in a garden.    Clay soil is rich in nutrients and holds water better, but the soil can sometimes hold the water too well and not let enough air in. Sandy soil, on the other hand drains water well, but is usually low in nutrients. In either case, the solution is to add some organic matter to improve the soil&#8217;s texture and improve the nutrient content in the soil.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How can you eliminate pests without chemicals?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If you are an organic gardener, does it means that you have to live with pests in your garden?  That certainly seems to be a common question in the minds of gardeners unfamiliar with the tenets and methods of organic gardening.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The gardener&#8217;s job of watching over the garden and plants diligently remains the most important first step.  Secondly, the key is to adopt a mindset of acting in a way that is in cooperation with nature.  Thirdly, the gardener has to become more knowledgeable about the specific issues they face and simple, and natural options that may be there to solve them.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For example, with pest control, a wide range of organic pesticides are available to help with the problem. But, sometimes, if you know what the problems is, you may not need to do anything at all because the insect that hit your garden will be gone at the end of the season never to return. i.e. You don&#8217;t have to be in a trigger-ready state always to &#8220;kill&#8221; the invader.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Another example, with pest control, is the use of friendly insects that would, in turn prey on the insects afflicting your plants.  This is an example of using a method consistent with nature itself, where there is a natural food chain of insects that feed off other insects. Ladybugs love to eat aphids. Birds will eat grubs.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Another safe, effective and natural method is to use physical barriers like sticky traps to catch flying insects. Many safe methods like this are there in the tool-set of the organic gardener.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here are some commonly used  techniques to keep your garden thriving, organically:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li> Let there be some pest damage &#8211; there is no need to strive for a 100% pest free garden always</li>
<li> Choose disease-resistant plant varieties wherever possible</li>
<li> Use smart planting of companion crops that can discourage pests naturally</li>
<li> Move crops around the garden and rotate crops from year to year to disrupt the cycles of pest reproduction</li>
<li> Use physical barriers like row covers to protect plants during pest migrations</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Becoming  aware of   methods like these will  help   the gardener in making  wise choices in dealing with pests in the garden.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How can you enrich the soil without fertilizers?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There are many ways to  have nutrient-rich soil  , without resorting to chemical fertilizers.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You can use &#8220;green manure&#8221;. Green manure is a type of crop that is grown for a specific period, with the  main idea   of adding nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Leguminous green manures like clover and vetch fix the atmospheric nitrogen in the soil  in a manner that plants can use. Other green manure crops can help increase the organic matter  in the soil. Some cover crops behave as  natural suppressants of weeds   while preventing soil erosion and compaction at the same time. Oat, Rye, Fava Beans, Clover, Mustard, Fenugreek etc. are all popular green manures.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You can use &#8220;compost&#8221;. Compost is basically a combination of plants, animal materials, and other organic materials decomposed into a rich black soil.  As an additive to the soil, compost provides a rich growing medium and nutrients for plants.  You can make compost yourself by using vegetable, food and other organic waste materials from your home. Many methods and materials are available to help with composting. Compost is like a natural fertilizer for plants.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You can use &#8220;mulching&#8221;. Much is a protective ground cover  placed over the soil to help it retain its moisture, and suppress  weeds from growing  . Organic mulches  also provide nutrients to the soil as the cover decays.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Summary</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As an organic gardener, you work in sync with nature, and adopting nature-friendly ways to prepare your soil, nourish your soil and keep it safe and healthy. All this without ever having to resort to polluting, dangerous and toxic chemicals!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There are some good resources available online and you can start here   by using this guide to the best Web resources on <a href="http://zakta.com/zakta/view_2_628403418_5_Organic_Gardening" target="_blank">organic gardening</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For the best Web resources on other gardening related topics  , please consult this <a href="http://zakta.com/zakta/gardening.php" target="_blank">gardening guide</a>.</p>
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		<title>Orchids Types &#8211; Epiphytic</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2011/01/orchids-types-epiphytic/</link>
		<comments>http://bearathome.com/2011/01/orchids-types-epiphytic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:23:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Epiphytic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lithophyte]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Orchidaceae]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Orchids Types]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organic matter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Species]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Many individuals want to know more about orchids types.  Are you certainly one of them?  If so, you may find the following article helpful in your search for information.  We...
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://bearathome.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/20090309-Orchid-Show-023.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4280" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" title="20090309-Orchid-Show-023" src="http://bearathome.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/20090309-Orchid-Show-023-224x300.jpg" alt="" width="224" height="300" /></a>Many individuals want to know more about <a href="http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=3282075" target="_blank">orchids types</a>.  Are you certainly one of them?  If so, you may find the following article helpful in your search for information.  We hope you discover some useful pointers.</p>
<p>Some orchids&#8217; types are so completely different in appearance that it is troublesome to consider they may be associated, but they do have quite a few mutual traits, which will differentiate them from different flowers. An enormous variety of species makes an extremely varied household group. There are literally over twenty thousands distinctive orchids&#8217; species, significantly more than different plants&#8217; varieties.</p>
<p>A lot of people suppose that species is the same as orchids&#8217; types, but it&#8217;s totally different at all.When talking about types of orchids, we have to overview their progress characteristics, and they&#8217;re just about as variable because the flowers. Orchids might be broadly categorized into three basic orchids&#8217; types depending on their progress characteristics:</p>
<p>Epiphytic</p>
<p>They usually grow on another plant for assist, and are usually attached to trees. They are not parasitic, but use the host plant for support only. Epiphytic orchids&#8217; crops may be discovered high up in the tree cover, growing from branches, rooting in pockets of humus, decaying leaves or different organic matter.</p>
<p>Lithophytes</p>
<p>These types of orchids develop in or on the rocks and feed off moss, nutrients in rain water, litter, and even their very own lifeless tissue. Examples of lithophytes embrace a number of species slipper orchids.</p>
<p>Terrestrials</p>
<p>There does exist one other <a href="http://www.orchids-typesonline.info/Orchids-Types-And-Species.php" target="_blank">orchids types</a> witch are much less recognized in cultivation. They are terrestrials and dwell within the soil and should have fibrous roots, rhizomes, or tubers. A lot of these orchids do not produce aerial roots or lengthy climbing stems.</p>
<p>It is fundamental to tell apart what exactly orchids types you&#8217;ve got, simply because varied types of orchids have totally totally different care, water and re-potting techniques. The fact is that with a bit forms of orchids&#8217; knowledge the flowers will not solely prosper, but will reward you repeatedly with marvelous, lengthy-lasting flowers.</p>
<p>Clearly, there may be much more to learn about <a href="http://www.orchids-typesonline.info" target="_blank">orchids types</a>.  This brief article is just a start, and the next step is to do some more research.  In any case, the information within the article set the stage for a more detailed remedy of the subject.</p>
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		<title>How to Create Organic Compost</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2010/10/how-to-create-organic-compost/</link>
		<comments>http://bearathome.com/2010/10/how-to-create-organic-compost/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:46:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[compost]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting process]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Garden Organic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[How to Create Organic Compost]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organic Compost]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Image by net_efekt via Flickr Give it a little thought and you’ll see that organic composting is an easy way to practice the art of recycling. And when you create...
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<dl class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 250px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60364452@N00/3409167144"><img title="Red Wiggler Worms" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3388/3409167144_d03f1a1c07_m.jpg" alt="Red Wiggler Worms" width="240" height="160" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd zemanta-img-attribution" style="font-size: 0.8em;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60364452@N00/3409167144">net_efekt</a> via Flickr</dd>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">Give it a little thought and you’ll see that<a title="organic composting" href="http://www.landscapeliving.com/" target="_blank"> organic composting</a> is an easy way to practice the art  of recycling. And when you create compost  for your home garden , not only will the plants thrive from this easy recycling , but so will you and your family , as you eat the plentiful bounty  that your garden produces .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What you are doing when you compost  is decomposing previously existing organic matter , so it can be used to provide  nutrients for the soil  to help new plants grow . The process requires some effort , therefore it is smart  to do a bit of  reading and consulting on the subject first, to ensure  you do it right .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You&#8217;ll need to gather all your necessities into a container  or at the minimum  into some situation  that  you can use for staging . Some educational resources  suggest obtaining  a real composting drum which  you can move the matter around from time to time . Another way to accomplish the same goal is to use a over-sized  trash receptacle  may do, or even a hole in , used solely  for this project .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You will use  all of that  vegetable and fruit organic scraps  you could  be discarding . Add hay, grass and leaves, and you&#8217;ll have a good mixture . The rule , as stated on  the <a title="garden organic" href="http://www.landscapeliving.com/" target="_blank">Garden Organic</a> website, is using  your best estimate of equal amounts  of &#8220;green&#8221; and &#8220;brown&#8221;  ingredients .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">&#8220;Green&#8221; items would be  choices  like  nettles, grass cuttings , the raw vegetable leftovers from your kitchen , coffee grounds and tea bags, soft green prunings from plants , and animal manure from herbivores . All of these things  are nitrogen rich , and they rot fast . &#8220;Browns&#8221; may include  cardboard items  such as  egg or cereal container, landscape clippings, paper shreds, dead bedding plants , sawdust, and wood shavings . Items such as these are carbon rich, and decompose slowly .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Do not include , say the advisers at Garden Organic, would include  fish, meat, cooked food, feces from your pets , and disposable diapers.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You can create  organic  compost in your bin or  container by mixing  the greens and browns  together in equal amounts , plus mix with some scrunched up cardboard and twigs  in a few places  to build spaces for air and to encourage  drainage. With age, Allow some time and) the blend of matter  which are deepest will produce heat and this tells you  that the composting process is well underway . You&#8217;ll need to stir  the matter   periodically,  to ensure  the bottom and top layers change places  and non-composted material also has  the right environment to turn into compost . The movement of the mixture  provides oxygen, a main catalyst for the composting progress. The more often  you turn the matter , the more rapidly the greens and browns will deteriorate.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The <a title="composting" href="http://www.landscapeliving.com/" target="_blank">composting</a> itself , once the material  is in the chosen container, can  take as much as one  year if the container  is full and you do not disturb it (apart from turning). Expect the process  to need at least  six months even if you use  smaller amounts and blend it often . But you  can take  at least a partial shortcut before turning  compost that&#8217;s been in the chosen container for some time , by checking if  the matter  at the bottom have composted sufficiently to be remove . You might just lift  off the top , less-composted material  and pull finished compost from the bottom to mix into  your garden  soil, and you just return   the other  compost back into the container , adding  new layers on top.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There are some plant materials  that should never be used in  your compost, such as like those that had been infested with insects and  molds. Some of these might be permissible to include, but unless you&#8217;re willing to do a lot of careful research to discover which is good and which isn&#8217;t, it&#8217;s smart just to leave all of them out. After all, you’re  not likely  to run out of other composting material.</p>
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		<title>How To Make Your Own Compost</title>
		<link>http://bearathome.com/2007/02/how-to-make-your-own-compost/</link>
		<comments>http://bearathome.com/2007/02/how-to-make-your-own-compost/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:09:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bear at Home</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[compost]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home & Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[How To Make Your Own Compost]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organic matter]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Image by bill barber (back later this month) via Flickr A soil can never get enough compost because soil can always be improved with additional organic matter. Compost is organic...
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/2573217273"><img title="The Barber Garden: Peonies and Split Rail Fenc..." src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/2573217273_00826f369a_m.jpg" alt="The Barber Garden: Peonies and Split Rail Fenc..." width="237" height="240" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd zemanta-img-attribution" style="font-size: 0.8em;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/2573217273">bill barber (back later this month)</a> via Flickr</dd>
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<div id="body">
<p style="text-align: justify;">A soil can never get enough compost because soil can always be improved with additional organic matter. Compost is organic matter that has broken down sufficiently such that its mineral and nutrient components can be readily absorbed by plants. You can either buy compost or create compost yourself.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In order to create compost, you will need to dump yard scraps in a corner of the yard. Alternatively, you can also collect the yard scraps in a composter bin. An ideal blend would involve equal amounts of soft/green material (like manure and leaves) and hard/brown material (dead leaves or chopped twigs). Whenever you mow or rake your lawn, add your grass clipings and leaf rakings to your compost heap. An ideal compost pile reaches 3-4 feet high.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In order for compost to be formed, significant air is required. Aeration can be provided by moving the pile with a pitchfork. However, you can also add perforated PVC pipes the center of the pile to help aerate compost piles.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Tip:</strong> High temperatures will help to semisterilize the compost, killing disease spores and other pests.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">After you have accumulated a heap of compost, add a compost started or a garden soil to help jump-start the decomposition of the organic materials. You can also speed up the decay of organic material by breaking up your organic matter (such as twigs) into smaller pieces before adding them to the pile.</p>
<p><strong>Sources of Organic Matter</strong><strong>Soft and Green</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Livestock manure</li>
<li>Fruit and vegetable peels</li>
<li>Grass clippings</li>
<li>Green leaves</li>
<li>Strips of turf</li>
<li>Alfalfa</li>
<li>Peat moss</li>
<li>Seedless weeds</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Hard and Brown</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Wood chips</li>
<li>Ground-up twigs</li>
<li>Sawdust</li>
<li>Pruning scraps</li>
<li>Brown leaves</li>
<li>Straw</li>
<li>Shredded bark</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="sig" class="sig">
<p style="text-align: justify;">Go to GardenSM&#8217;s DIY Gardening Guide for more <a id="link_74" href="http://www.gardensupermart.com/gardening_tips/gardening_tips.asp" target="_new">gardening tips</a>.  Check out Holland Greenhouse Plus&#8217; line of ergonomically-designed and affordable <a id="link_75" href="http://www.gardensupermart.com/buypond/c324181.2.html" target="_new">gardening tools</a>! They all come with telescopic handles and inifinite position posi-locks to faciliate basic gardening tasks. Their handles are made from lightweight tubular anodized aluminum, with a soft foam grip design, and their head and blades are constructed with the finest-quality powder-coated steel.</p>
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<p>Article Source: <a id="link_76" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Gerry_Fung">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerry_Fung</a></p>
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