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Importance of Legumes. The legume family contains approximately 18,000 species. For the average person, legumes are peanuts, beans and soy beans, lentils and peas. As food, legumes provide important nutrients. As an agricultural crop, legumes may be used not only for their commercial value as food, but also as a green manure crop.
Read MoreHow to Water Winter Rye Grass in Arizona. Rye grass grows well in the mild winter months in the lower desert of Arizona. Referred to as a winter lawn, rye grass flourishes in the cooler months and then dies back as the temperatures rise. Caring for your winter lawn, from fall to spring, requires watering your lawn properly to conserve water.
Read MoreProcess of Hydroponics. Hydroponics, the practice of growing plants without the use of soil, uses specific water delivery processes to deliver nutrients directly to plant roots. Hydroponics includes a number of different systems, but each follows a general process resulting in the growth of a plant or plants within that system.
Read MoreWhat Is the Organic Material Formed in Soil From the Decayed Remains of Plants & Animals?. A healthy soil contains oxygen, microorganisms, decaying plant and animal matter, and decomposed plant and animal organic material. The remains of the once-living organisms are essential to the soil and form the component of soil known as humus. Humus works with the other elements in the soil to develop soil texture, produce and retain nutrients, and reduce incidence of soilborne diseases.
Read MoreTypes of Soil Textures. Three types of particles are found in soil: sand, silt and clay. Soil texture is classified by the type of particle that makes up the majority of the soil. Each soil type has a distinctive textural feel and holding a sample of your garden soil in your hand may help you determine the type of texture that makes up your garden soil.
Read MoreGarden Plants to Grow Together. Growing two or three different types of plants together within a confined or designated garden space is the practice of companion gardening. Each plant contributes to the benefit of the others. This practice provides an organic method of pest and disease control, and increases yields in your vegetable garden.
Read MoreContainer Size & Plant Growth. Container gardening offers many advantages, including having a variety of different colored and sized pots and unusual containers. Many factors influence the success of plants in containers, including container size. When grown in the appropriate sized pot, a plant thrives because its root system is properly contained.
Read MoreBlock Planting for Vegetables. Block planting for vegetables results in tightly focused areas of planting and is a technique well-suited to raised beds. Vegetable seeds are planted in grid formations as opposed to the more traditional row patterns. The technique may also be referred to as square foot gardening, raised bed or intensive gardening. The concept behind block planting is to maximize the vegetable yield by utilizing a minimally defined area.
Read MoreWhat Is the Purpose of Planting in Mounds?. The purpose of building up a mound and adding plants to that mound may be practical, aesthetic or both. Mounds are built in layers. The bottom may be compostable newspaper or cardboard to act as a weed barrier, followed by healthy soil mixed with compost, and the surface protected with organic mulch. This basic structure is adaptable to suit specific needs, such as adding a layer of hay for plants that need higher levels of nitrogen.
Read MoreVegetable Planting Dates in Phoenix. The city of Phoenix, Arizona is located in the low desert region of the state. The climate is mild, with January being the coldest month, though temperatures rarely dip below freezing. In the summer months, however, temperatures soar to 110 degrees F and higher. This temperate climate makes for an extended growing season, allowing you to grow vegetables almost year-round.
Read MoreMost Important Plants Grown in Ancient Egypt. Plants indigenous to ancient Egypt included flowers, reeds and herbs, all of which were useful to the people, making them an important part of the culture. Plants were used to make furniture, baskets and paper, while others had medicinal uses. Still others were, of course, used for food and for offerings to the gods.
Read MoreWhat Are the Causes of Curled Tomato Plant Leaves?. If your tomato plants are producing tomatoes but the edges of the leaves curl upward, this is known as leaf curl or leaf roll. If your plants are not producing, and the leaves are yellowing as well as curling, it may be due to a viral infection. When the leaves curl on a tomato plant, the cause may be due to environmental conditions, a virus or contamination from airborne agricultural chemical application.
Read MoreHow to Cut Bermuda Grass. Bermuda grass provides a low maintenance, drought tolerant lawn for those living in regions with mild winters and high temperature summers. Bermuda grass spreads both by seed and by stolon; stolons are shoots or rhizomes that grow above and/or below ground. This perennial turf requires minimal amounts of water, and can be seeded over with rye grass for winter lawns. You do, however, have to cut Bermuda grass close to the ground and adjust the heights of your lawnmower blades throughout the summer season.
Read MoreHow to Loosen Clay Soil. Clay soil is hard and unyielding when dry and turns into sticky clumps of dirt when wet. There's little space between particles in clay soil, and this results in poor drainage. It also means plant roots have a difficult time penetrating the soil, and so the plants may fail to thrive. If you want to loosen the clay soil before planting your garden, you can turn the soil, add amendments and treat the soil for long-term health.
Read MoreHow to Plant Water Garden Plants. A water garden can be a small water-filled container, such as a barrel or tub. It can also be a pond or other similar water feature. Water gardens can be defined as a contained body of water in which aquatic plants are grown. Aquatic plants include water lilies, watercress, hyacinths, cannas, cattails and water lettuce. To plant these water garden plants, you can choose from several different types of containers, which are suitable for submersion. These pots act as anchors for the plants in the water garden.
Read MoreHow to Use Motherwort. Historically, the motherwort herb was used during childbirth to facilitate contractions as well as calm the mother during labor, giving it its common name of motherwort. A perennial herb, its medicinal uses include easing heart palpitations, menstrual disorders, menopausal discomfort, and as a mild sedative. All but the root of the plant is used for making tea, tinctures or decoctions. Always consult your physician or healer about use of herbal remedies.
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