5 Houston area home and garden shows offer contractors big ideas

5 Houston area home and garden shows offer contractors big ideas

Household transforming and decorating is booming, and a number of displays and markets are planned for the following handful of months.

Here’s a lineup that features the Junk Hippy current market, the significant property demonstrate at NRG and suburban functions organized by Texwood Shows. (Complete disclosure: I’ll be a single of many speakers at each of the Texwood Exhibits.)

Junk Hippy

Classic and handmade items will be for sale at the Junk Hippy industry 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 22 within Campbell Corridor at the Pasadena Conference Centre, 7601 Crimson Bluff, Pasadena. Admission is $5 at the door young children 13 and youthful get in free of charge. Upcoming demonstrates are planned for Feb. 26 and July 16 in Rosenberg as nicely as July 30 in Pasadena. Information: junkhippy.com

Houston House + Backyard garden Show

Tv personalities Chet Garner of PBS’s “The Day Tripper” and Ty Pennington previous host of “Trading Spaces” and other household makeover shows will be amongst the speakers at the Houston Home + Garden Clearly show, noon-8 p.m. Feb. 4, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Feb. 5 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 6 at NRG Centre. Tickets are $8 for each man or woman youngsters age 12 and more youthful get in free. Details: houstonhomeandgardenshow.com

Lake Houston Residence and Outside Living Clearly show

Certfied experienced organizer Ellen Delap, inside designer Mary Scalli and radio show hosts Randy Lemmon and Tom Tynan are in the lineup for the Lake Houston Property & Outside Dwelling Display 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 19 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Humble Civic Heart Arena Elaborate, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway, Humble. Tickets are $7 on-line and $10 at the door. Children age 12 and more youthful get in absolutely free. Data: texwoodshows.com

Montgomery County Dwelling & Outside Living Exhibit

Grasp gardeners will be on hand to reply thoughts and KonMarie organizer Ashley Barber will offer strategies for organizing your lifetime together with other gurus at the Montgomery County Household & Outdoor Living Display 9 a.m.-6 p.m. March 5 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 6 at the Lone Star Convention & Expo Middle, 9055 Airport Street, Conroe. Tickets are $7 on the internet and $10 at the door. Young children age 12 and younger get in free. Information and facts: texwoodshows.com

Cy-Reasonable House & Outside Living Present

Household remodelers, distributors of property products and a lineup of speakers will be on hand for the Cy-Good House & Outdoor Living Display, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. March 26 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 27 at the Berry Center, 8877 Barker-Cypress Road, Cypress. Tickets are $7 on the net and $10 at the door. Youngsters age 12 and more youthful get in free of charge. Details: texwoodshows.com

diane.cowen@chron.com

Sarah Browning: Onions are good in kitchen, good in garden | Home & Garden

Sarah Browning: Onions are good in kitchen, good in garden | Home & Garden

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These Kitchen area Leftovers , Are Wonderful for Your Backyard. Cleaning up immediately after making a home-cooked food usually entails tossing foods scraps or undesired leftovers. Instead of trashing these kitchen remnants, you could really use them to give your crops a valuable increase. . Listed here are 10 kitchen leftovers that your leafy companions will value. . 1. Eggshells. 2. Incredibly hot Peppers. 3. Coffee Grounds . 4. Overripe Fruit. 5. Vegetable Peels. 6. Banana Peels. 7. Nutshells. 8. Unsalted Cooking Drinking water. 9. Citrus Peels. 10. Employed Tea Baggage

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Onions are a cooking staple and not challenging to mature in the residence back garden. So why not increase your possess this summer? But which to select? There are quite a few selections in the garden catalogs.

Day duration specifications

The to start with alternative to think about is whether or not to select quick-day, working day-neutral or extensive-working day onions. Onion cultivars are grouped in accordance to the range of daylight several hours or day duration expected to cause the starting of bulb improvement.

• Limited-working day: 11 to 12 several hours daylight

• Intermediate or working day-neutral: 12 to 14 hrs daylight

• Prolonged-working day: 14 or a lot more hours daylight

Small-day onions are generally utilised in the southern U.S. for wintertime onion generation. It looks like they would be a wonderful preference for increasing huge bulbs in Nebraska gardens, way too — the faster bulb enhancement starts the improved, proper? But when developed in northern areas like ours, short-working day onions start bulb enhancement too before long, ensuing in disappointingly smaller bulbs.

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This is simply because they do not have ample time for leaf advancement before bulb development starts off. Leaf development is vital, since just about every leaf translates into a person layer in the bulb. Gardeners want to have as several leaves as probable prior to bulb enhancement begins.

Lengthy-day onions are the ideal option for our spot. Crops have a lot of time for spring and early summertime leaf progress to happen just before bulb progress is activated by for a longer period times. Plant as early as probable, preferably starting with transplants, acquiring them in the floor as shortly as backyard garden soil is dry sufficient to work and daytime temperatures arrive at 50 degrees.


Sarah Browning: Make way for the wintertime harvest

Sets, seeds or transplants?

Planting onions from compact bulbs or “sets” is not the very best way to expand significant onions for storage. Plants developed from sets often start off blooming in mid-summertime and stubbornly refuse to end. At the time that takes place, bulbs will not enhance much in dimension.

This occurs because onions are biennials. They mature foliage and a bulb in the to start with time, then bloom and set seed in their next escalating period. Escalating the sets counts as one particular expanding year, though it is a short a single, and the plants are primed to reproduce by location flowers following development resumes in your back garden. This would make onion sets a terrific way to expand eco-friendly onions but not the most effective way to mature big onions for storage.

Escalating your onions from seed or transplants is a better choice considering the fact that they are not biologically primed to bloom the initial yr of progress. Escalating your individual transplants from seed is probable but time consuming so transplants are the most straightforward solution and lots of garden catalogs now provide bundles of the little grass-like transplants.


Sarah Browning: From gladiolas to greens

Onion transplants 

Get your transplants into the yard as before long as soil is dry adequate to get the job done totally, and daytime temperatures get to 50 degrees. Onion transplants will tolerate light frosts. Create a sleek workable soil floor right before planting. Onions mature best in perfectly-drained soil, 6.5 pH, with a large stage of natural and organic issue. Raised beds, 4 to 6 inches substantial, operate well to provide good soil drainage if the native soil is significant.

House vegetation 4 inches aside in large row planting. When working with “wide” rows, vegetation are not positioned solitary file in one very long row but are spaced during a row ranging from 6 to 36 inches throughout. Use a row width that is practical for you to arrive at from both of those sides, to make harvesting and weed control a lot easier. Position the transplants 1 to 1.5 inches deep in the soil.

The form of the onion bulb is decided both by cultivar collection and the increasing depth of the basal plate, a part of compacted stem at the base of the onion from which the leaves and roots mature. If the basal plate is around the surface of the soil, as normally occurs when onions are immediate seeded, the onion bulbs will be a flat disc condition. Transplants established a bit further in the soil resulting in the bulbs to be a lot more globe-shaped.

Onions also need to have a great deal of daylight and common watering. The set up of drip irrigation the duration of the rows makes watering a lot easier and additional uniform. Gentle mulch will aid reduce the range of weeds, as well as conserve soil dampness. Hold onions evenly moist, but not waterlogged, in the course of the expanding time, specially immediately after bulbs commence enlarging. Even moisture is extremely crucial dampness anxiety can result in double and/or break up bulbs.

Owing to their shallow root units, onions compete inadequately with weeds. Shallow cultivation is required do not hill up soil on onions, as this can really encourage stem rot.


Sarah Browning: Dreaming of spring’s flower backyard garden


Sarah Browning: 3 more vegetation to inspire gardeners

Sarah Browning is an extension educator with Nebraska Extension. To check with a concern or arrive at her, phone 402-441-7180 or publish to her at sarah.browning@unl.edu or 444 Cherrycreek Street, Lincoln, NE 68528.

 

From Our Garden: Today’s garden plot becoming urbanized, revolutionized | Home & Garden

From Our Garden: Today’s garden plot becoming urbanized, revolutionized | Home & Garden

A news flash came across my phone recently, saying: “A major food shortage is coming again in the United States.” That headline coupled with what we are seeing in the places we shop is enough to cause a level of anxiety.

Deep down we have the feeling that we should grow some of our own food. You may be thinking you want to but don’t have room for a garden, or your HOA will not let you. I assure you that the vegetable garden has become urbanized and revolutionized over the past few years for a couple of reasons.

The first is thanks to great new varieties of tomatoes, peppers, herbs and even berries that fit today’s garden to perfection. The second reason is thanks to Brie Arthur, a visionary horticulturist and author of “The Foodscape Revolution: Finding a Better Way to Make Space for Food and Beauty in Your Garden.” I’ll explain the importance of the foodscape in a minute.

Whether it is in rural areas, historic districts or the newest neighborhood, garden plots have gotten smaller. Even the well-known community garden projects that display raised beds or boxes are a far cry from the farm-type plot of our grandparents’ era.

This small garden concept is not just here, but in Europe as well. I follow several UK gardeners on Instagram who refer to their garden as their allotment. An allotment is roughly 300 square feet, which may seem like a luxury in today’s modern neighborhoods. All of this has led to a host of new, compact vegetables. Tomatoes are, of course, first when it comes to popularity with those wanting to grow edibles.

Master Gardeners: Going from lazy to seed | Home And Garden

Master Gardeners: Going from lazy to seed | Home And Garden

Over the years, I became lazy and acquired most of my vegetation in pots and packs from large-box suppliers and nurseries. Since of a very noticeable raise in price ranges, I am slowly and gradually drifting toward starting up my crops from seed.

Whilst this procedure does demand far more time and energy, I have been really joyful with the benefits. Looking at the seedlings come up and grow into maturity is really gratifying. The additional bonus is I have additional zinnias, much more hollyhocks and more herbs than when I was acquiring transplants. And we all know extra is superior.

Think about developing with seeds

If you’ve by no means experimented with expanding from seeds you should really take into account giving it a whirl. Don’t go crazy at the starting, I suggest starting with just one or two seed packets. For instance, if you have a few of huge containers and you want a colorful presentation, then plant zinnias. They are easy to increase, bloom from summer to frost and will reseed. They arrive in many types, measurements and colors. Some packets element stunning combined shades.

Factors to consider

Looking through the again of the seed packet is important. 1st of all, get notice of the stamped packing date right before invest in. It really should be for the recent 12 months mainly because more mature the seeds are, the poorer their germination amount.

The packet will include a brief description and illustration of the plant and if the plant is an annual, biennial or perennial. Also involved will be information on times to germination, depth to plant, spacing involving vegetation, peak and days to bloom. It could show when to slender, when to transplant soon after the past predicted frost, and could advise a hardening off period prior to transplanting exterior. Each seed packet has a shade-coded map indicating the advised interval for planting outdoors.

When acquiring seeds at a store or via a catalogs think about the USDA plant hardiness zone which for the Victoria place runs from 8 to 9b. The zones reveal the lowest winter season temperatures in the area based on historic file.

About these annuals

When obtaining once-a-year flower seeds be knowledgeable that only a handful of them expand efficiently when planted right into the ground. These include alyssum, bachelor buttons, larkspur, marigolds, periwinkle, poppy, sweet pea, sunflower and zinnia.

A speedy commence and preserving dollars

If you have a warm space with lots of light indoors, you can get a head begin on growing your plants. Later on you can transfer them to containers or into the ground.

To save funds, you can plant seeds in paper egg cartons, plastic jugs, paper cups, beforehand made use of plastic pots and handmade newspaper pots (go on the net to www.gardenbetty.com). Make sure the containers have sufficient drain holes.

You may use no matter what potting soil you now have or a seed starter blend. Gently h2o every single day until eventually seeds have germinated. You also can set the pots in trays of drinking water for a few of several hours and then eliminate them. Never make it possible for soggy soil.

If you have a location or two outdoor with correctly well prepared soil, you may well want to sow seeds there at the time the threat of frost has passed. Make sure the space is raked stage. Overplant to guarantee a very good stand, and yet again, gently water each day, but do not saturate the soil. As the plants expand you will have to water significantly less and a lot less, but constantly preserve a sharp eye out to make absolutely sure the soil does not crust in excess of.

In closing, study up on the crops you are going to expand and the facts of suitable soil preparation. Plenty of on-line information is out there at agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/soil-preparation and thespruce.com. Extra expertise can make a huge distinction among good effects and no results at all.

The Gardeners’ Grime is penned by associates of the Victoria County Grasp Gardener Affiliation, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your inquiries in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901 or vcmga@vicad.com, or remark on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

YARD AND GARDEN: A gardening project for February | Home & Garden

YARD AND GARDEN: A gardening project for February | Home & Garden

February is just a few days away.

And while it’s still too early to be doing anything in the garden, we can be planning ahead and probably have more time than usual with the pandemic to do some craft projects.

Consider refurbishing the harsh-looking red appearance associated with modern terra-cotta pots that have been made by machine or even the real terra-cotta pots which have seen better days. You will nee to plan ahead as to where you want to place them and the affect you would like them to achieve.

Of course, our planters have to be clean and one can hope you did that last fall. If not, you can do it now – at least to the smaller pots. You need to remove any leftover salts, mildew or fungi that can be harmful to new seedlings.

Dump out old dirt and debris, removing any deposits with a stiff brush. Mix one-part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water in a basin or tub (you can use a spray bottle to saturate big pots). Immerse small pots in the basin; scrub all sides and soak 10 minutes. Rinse plastic glazed and large pots with a garden hose but soak small clay pots in clear water for 10 minutes to rinse and air dry.

OK, after the pots are clean and dry, we are now ready to do some painting. I will have to be honest and say that I’ve painted large pots that are still filled with soil and worried about cleaning the pot after the paint has been in place for some time and it is time to plant.

If you don’t have any leftover paint from other projects, you might have to purchase a quart or more of various colors of acrylic paint. You might wish to choose colors that match the architectural background of your garden.

To create the greatest impact, paint the pots in simple striking designs and select plants to harmonize with the overall color scheme. As a result, you are also planning what plants you will want to purchase come spring.

You should pick one light color and the other a darker color such as bright yellow and a contrasting medium dark green. Paint some of the pots the light color and others the darker color and then using the opposite color on each pot, paint large dots, stripes, or even V-shaped stripes leaving some of the pots the plain light or dark color.

This will work with so many flowering plants, but when it comes to plants like herbs that are basically green, I get a bit more artistic and paint a floral design on the planter as the plant itself will not have flowers. Use your imagination and come up with something that will make you smile.

I recently saw an article about giving new life to old cans such as paint cans or coffee tins. You need to clean the container much the same as described above for cleaning planters. Next, you will have to use a drill or screwdriver to make holes in the bottom of the cans for drainage. You will need, as you did for the above, acrylic paint, a brush and a clear gloss finish preparing the old cans as cool planters.

One idea was to paint the cans white or off white and many different colors of dots painted with a small brush. The tin cans are best protected with a spray-on clear gloss finish. Again, use your imagination as to the design to be painted – perfect round dots aren’t that easy. These cans can be hung on a fence (before painting punch two holes near the top to string a cord or wire through to hold in place on the fence) or set on the steps of an old step ladder or even tie to the limb of a tree as a welcome perch for backyard birds.

Enjoy your project and look forward to a bright sunny spring.

If you have questions about your garden or landscape, contact a master gardener at the University of Illinois Extension office in Mattoon at 217-345-7034 or our online hotline at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1523725. Be sure to visit U of I Extension’s horticulture website http://web.extension.illinois.edu/ccdms/ and like the Master Gardeners’ Facebook page www.facebook.com/ColesCountyMasterGardeners.

Home and Garden Briefs for January 21, 2022 | Journal-news

Home and Garden Briefs for January 21, 2022 | Journal-news

18th once-a-year West Virginia Tiny Farm Meeting establishedMARTINSBURG — The West Virginia Modest Farm Convention Feb. 21-26, 2022 will be held virtually in 2022. Registration in 2022 will be free of charge, but you need to have to register in order to acquire the log in details. For a lot more information, go on line at https://extension.wvu.edu/conferences/little-farm-conference

You should get hold of Lisa Jones at 304-293-2715 for further more info.

2022 Gardening 101KEARNEYSVILLE — Gardening 101 is featuring two options to tune into the once-a-year beginning gardening workshop. Pre-registration is expected for the in-individual program, and the course cost is compensated at the doorway. COVID limits may restrict the sizing of an in-man or woman course, and masks will be necessary. Check out the complete agenda and sign-up on the web at extension.wvu.edu/Jefferson.

The in-individual software will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on March 5 at Hospice of the Panhandle’s Education Center, which is located at 330 Hospice Lane, Kearneysville. Price tag is $5, and beverages and snacks will be delivered. Subject areas: Environment up a yard, picking seeds, conditions, pests and weeds, harvesting and storing make.

Virtual applications will be held March 8, 15 and 22 through Zoom with no charge. Matters will be composting, increasing tree fruit and modest fruit and landscaping.

For additional details, make contact with Emily Morrow at 304-728-7413, ext. 2.

Profitable Tiny Farms classJEFFERSON COUNTY — Jefferson County Extension is offering a plan for folks new to the farming earth.

This class series will help map how to commence a smaller farm—from pencil to plow. Sessions will heart on area agriculture-dependent companies, how to make choices on what to improve and offer and maintaining very good report for your small business.

Schedule:

Thursday, Feb. 3: Who can assist? An overview of neighborhood companies and the solutions they present.

Thursday, Feb. 10: Enterprise Improvement. Discover farm budgeting tips and tips.

Thursday, Feb. 17: Farm Documents. Study how to hold good records for by yourself and your and taxes.

Saturday, March 12: Neighborhood farm tour, depart from Extension Office at 9 a.m..

February classes will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Extension Office. Cost is $15 and will involve all study course components. Phone the workplace or pay a visit to extension.wvu.edu/Jefferson to sign-up on the net.

2022 Ag Ed meeting dates setKEARNEYSVILLE — The 2022 Agricultural Instruction conferences dates, subject areas and speakers are:

• Programs will be provided nearly on Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24. See record down below.

• Thursday, March 10 — Grazing for Profitability — Speaker Ben Goff, WVUES

The 2022 the January and March meetings will be held at the WVU Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Training Center situated at 67 Apple Harvest Lane, Kearneysville with evening meal at 6:30 p.m. and the instructional application quickly just after.

All through the thirty day period of February, conferences will be held practically. Info to be give at a afterwards date. Webinars — 7 p.m.

• Feb. 3 — Carbon Sequestration — Gabe Brown

• Feb. 10 — Grazing Substantial Elevation — Cooper Hibbard

• Feb. 17 — Adaptive/intensive grazing — Alan Williams

• Feb. 24 — Using Sheep and Goats to improve profitability — Brad Smith

PASA Conference registration openLANCASTER, Pa. — The 2022 PASA Convention functions a digital pre-conference as a result of Jan. 28, and an in-human being principal convention and trade clearly show in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will be held Feb. 10–12.

For extra info about the PASA Conference go to: https://pasafarming.org/meeting-household/facts.

2022 Appalachian Grazing Conference March 10-12MORGANTOWN — The 2022 Appalachian Grazing Meeting “Managing H2o and Grasslands” will be held March 10-12, 2022 at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Spot Lodge. Keynote Speaker is Greg Judy of Environmentally friendly Pastures Farm. For extra facts and to register go to: www.wvagc.com.

For Lodging, simply call: 1-800-630-2547 or 304-296-1700.

The Appalachian Grazing Convention is held each two a long time and delivers informative displays and demonstrations to farmers with cattle, goats and sheep. Members hear from America’s leading speakers on approaches intended to boost their revenue. On their channel, you will discover shows from preceding conferences and other useful product.

Backyard garden Tips• Get harvest provides.

• Seed mache (lamb’s lettuce or corn salad green) or claytonia (miner’s lettuce, Indian lettuce or wintertime purslane) in cold frame.

• Get strawberry crops.