tinkyjo asked:


This website http://www.petfriendlyhouse.com/information/Plants/non_poisonous_plants.aspx lists some types of jasmine as non-toxic to dogs, while this website http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/vme/DrSue/poisplnt.html lists all jasmine as potentially toxic (and fatal, as I understand it). Does anyone know which jasmine plants are actually toxic and which are non-toxic? And which parts the toxic varieties are poisonous? (Leaves? Stems? Flowers? Seeds or berries? All parts?) My neighbors have a large jasmine vine on their fence, and I want to know how worried I should be for the safety of my dog. I live in Houston, and this is a picture or the plant: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7372796@N07/424302158/ . Any chance anyone knows what type of jasmine it is?

Jacob

lionessyourhighness asked:


The vision I have is one where homeless teens (15-up) can stay in a farm-like setting, where we can have horses and some land. I would need counselors on-call, and bunkhouses for the teens, as well as education grants to get them on track and independent, while feeling like they are part of a community. If they worked with the program, they would be given free room and board. This is my dream. We don’t have money for the land or the housing, food, seeds, etc. Has anyone ever done something like this? where do I start to get information? This is a very unique situation and I would love to get started but just don’t know how to get the money through grants?

Charlene

Michael J. Mcgroarty asked:


You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

Most Japanese Maple seeds ripen in the fall. Watch the tree and wait for the seeds to turn brown. The seeds are ready to be harvested when they are brown and can be easily removed from the tree.

  The seeds are attached to a wing, it’s best to break the wing off before storing or planting the seeds. Japanese Maple seeds have a very hard outer coating as do many ornamental plants. Under natural conditions the seeds would have to be on the ground for almost two years before they would germinate. All that happens the first winter is the moisture softens the hard outer shell, and the second winter germination is beginning to take place.

  In order for all of this to happen in the proper sequence so the seedlings actually sprout at a time of the year when freezing temperatures or hot summer sun doesn’t kill them, takes a tremendous amount of luck.

  You can improve the odds by controlling some of these conditions, and shorten the cycle. Once you have picked the seeds and removed the wing just place them in a paper bag and store them in a cool dry place until you are ready for them. You don’t want to plant your seeds out in the spring until the danger of frost has past. Here in the north May 15th is a safe bet.

  If May 15th is your target date you should count backwards on the calendar 100 days. That will take you to about February 5th if my math is correct. On or about the 100th day prior to your target planting date, take the seeds and place them in a Styrofoam cup or other container that will withstand some hot water. Draw warm to hot water from your kitchen faucet and pour it over the seeds. Most of the seeds will float, just leave them in the water overnight as the water cools down. 24 hours later most of the seeds will have settled to the bottom of the cup.

    Drain off the water. Place the seeds in a plastic bag with a mixture of sand and peat or other suitable growing mix. Even light potting soil will work. The peat or soil should be moist, but not soaking wet. Poke some holes in the bag so there is some air circulation, and place the bag in your refrigerator for a period of 100 days.

  After 100 days you can plant the seeds outside. If you have timed it correctly, you should be at or close to your target planting date.

  To plant the seeds just sow them on top of a bed of well drained topsoil or sterilized potting soil, and cover with approximately 3/8″ of soil. Water them thoroughly, but allow the soil to dry out completely before watering thoroughly again. If you water them frequently, not only do you stand a chance of the seeds rotting from being too wet, but you will also keep them cool, which will slow down the germination process.

  Once they start to germinate provide about 50% shade to keep the sun from burning them. Snow fence suspended about 30″ above the bed will provide about 50% shade. Japanese Maples will tolerate some shade so it isn’t too important to transplant them too quickly. Depending on how close together they are, you might be able to leave them in the same bed for one or two growing seasons. Don’t transplant until they are completely dormant.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter.  Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com



Monica

Janet Simpson asked:


Here is some useful information. How would you like to change your diet for a period of ten days to create beautiful, smooth healthy skin?

The basis of the plan is to introduce a large amount of quality nutrients into your diet so that you can transform the way your skin feels and looks.

Each piece of food that you eat will detoxify your body and rebuild your biochemical and energetic metabolism.

The natural unprocessed foods will supply every single cell in your body with phytochemicals which have the ability to rejuvenate and cleanse your skin.

Raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains and super green foods are excellent at rebuilding the body and strengthening the immune system.

The foods you will eat are also rich in anti-cancer compounds and anti-oxidants too.

If you take in on the inside good, wholesome, quality food it will be reflected on the outside. You will gain gorgeous, smooth, clear skin.

The basics of “The 10 Day Raw Plan” are:

Dry Skin Rash Diet – Tip #1

First thing in the morning you drink a large glass of raw fruit and/or vegetable juice. You should also add an element of green food such as spinach, green cabbage or spirulina.

Dry Skin Rash Diet – Tip #2

The second meal of the day is a large raw, organic salad which contains many difference vegetables. There should be at least 7 different types of food. Serve your salad with two teaspoons mix of sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and prepare a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.

Here are some vegetables for you to choose from: collards, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, watercress, kale, rocket, radicchio, fennel, carrots chard, turnips, parsnips, radishes, beetroot, celery, yams, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and swedes.

Dry Skin Rash Diet – Tip #3

The last main meal of the day is made up of some grain and vegetables. You can prepare some brown rice and steam vegetables. Or you can stir fry the vegetables.

Or as an alternative you can prepare some lentil or split peas soup and eat with some rye bread.



Dora

Colin asked:


If you are considering starting a lawn from seed, there is some information you need to know before making your decision.

Advantages over installing sod are that it is less costly and there are a greater variety of grasses to choose from. While there is a lot of labor involved, the beautiful results are well worth your time. This article will contain many tips to help make the process easier.

When starting a lawn from seed, be aware that it is going to take a lot of care. If you are an avid gardener, this probably won’t be a problem for you. If you are replacing a very large lawn, you may want to hire someone to help you remove old sod. Seeding results are better if you remove old grass before you begin. This can be done by removing 1 foot sections with a spade. If you are starting from scratch you will want to till the area in order to remove old root clumps or debris and rake it till you get the level you desire.

An important decision to be made is what type of grass seed you should purchase. Take your climate into consideration, consider whether the area is shady or wet and also determine what type of soil you have. This will help you make the perfect choice for your lawn. There are also ornamental grasses you may want to consider. If your soil doesn’t drain well, you will need to add some sand to the mixture before planting the grass seed. This will stop the ground becoming waterlogged. You will also want to check the pH level of your soil. Ideally, most lawns thrive with a pH level of 6.5-7.0, so if yours isn’t in this range you may need to add some amendments to attain this level.

If you have decided to start your lawn from seed, one thing you should think about is how much maintenance is required once the grass is established. Some varieties need little or no mowing, and others require mowing more often. Some also require more moisture, so watering may be necessary.

Once you have chosen yor seed it’s time to get the soil ready. The first step you should taking after preparing the site is to add a layer of organic material to your topsoil. Some people choose not to use topsoil. In this case, use peat moss, compost and manure, and make sure this is at one inch thick at a minimum. Leave the mixture loose so that the roots of the grass seed can spread.

As you can see, starting a lawn from seed does require quite a bit of work – but it is well worth the effort. You may also add fertilizer about a week before seeding. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for this step. After all the preparation is complete, you are ready to seed! Again, follow manufacturer’s instructions. They will tell you how much seed to use on a certain size area.

You can seed by hand or use a spreader – or both, this is completely up to you. If you have a large area it is useful to divide it into smaller sections and sow a portion of the seed into each section. To ensure you have an even spread sow the seed in two directions. After seeding, you will need to rake the seed into the soil. If birds are likely to be attracted to the area you can criss cross string about 4 inches above the soil surface.

Now, wait for your grass to grow! It should only take about 7-14 days before the seedlings appear. Keep the soil moist during this time and water preferably in the evening. Use a fine mist so as not to dislodge the seeds. Until your lawn becomes established, try to keep pets and visitors off of the grass.

Starting a lawn from seed does require effort and attention on your part. To keep you motivated during the process, just picture the lush green lawn you will have in a short time! Your neighbors will be envious.



Gilbert

sherwindf_ramos13 asked:


some one said that mahogany extracts from its seed can be made as a botanical insecticides. I just want to know what are the chemicals or substance that is present on the extract of mahogany from its seeds that can make it an insecticides and the people or scientist that give and study this information.

Troy