Your Home and Kitchen Solution

Archive for November, 2011

Do you live somewhere that it rains more often than not? Do you love fresh fruits and vegetables? Why not consider an indoor grow box or closet. Why pay all the high prices at the local grocery store when you can grow your own amazing veggies at home. Most people think that hydroponics is a relatively new concept, but in fact the concept has been around since 1627. It was published in a book by Francis Bacon called “Sylva Sylvarum”. It wasn’t until 1842 that researchers figured out a list of nine essential nutrients that plants needed to grow without soil. With research and design, the indoor grow closet has evolved into something truly worth while.

So what is a indoor grow closet? It is a device used for growing plants indoors and they are usually designed to be self-contained and small enough to fit in a closet or in a small corner of the basement. They are automated systems that keep a flow of water constantly supplying the roots of the plants with a nutrient rich solution. Generally they have a couple of vents, one fresh air vent to bring in air and an exhaust vent to remove stale hot air. Some really high end systems may even have air conditioning to keep running temperatures down as well as help put more CO2 back into the system to boost the plants growth rate. These types of grow boxes are usually used by people who don’t have enough room for an outdoor garden or they live in a small condo and still want to grow their own fresh veggies. Indoor grow closets can be used year around no matter what the weather decides to do, even in the dead of winter you can still grow some sweet fresh tomatoes.  A good closet grow box should include a sturdy cabinet type of box, high intensity lighting, ventilation, a hydroponics system, CO2 generator, odor eliminator, and a temperature monitor. These are the essential components needed for your indoor grow cabinet to really work well.

Indoor grow closets can also help you save water, on average they will use 1/20th the water you would use on a regular soil garden. Outdoor gardens are beautiful and fun to nurture, but they can have an negative effect on the water quality of your local water supply, run off form your garden may contain harmful pesticides and chemicals that could damage the local Eco-system. Another fundamental component of an indoor hydroponic grow closets are the lights. the best lights for growth are Metal Halide for the growth stages and High Pressure Sodium for the growth and flowering stage. The one main drawback to these types of lights is the cost to run them, they draw a lot of power which means higher electricity bills. Some high end indoor grow closets may contain lights mounted on a track with a motor to move the lights back and forth so the plants get the maximum exposure to the lights for greatest growth results.

If you wish to decorate your home so as to give it a stylish look and feel, check out some options in home décor designs and decoration:

If you wish your home to reflect that nostalgic home décor sense and style of the past, go for the retro <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=http://www.newartnewdesign.net>
home décor designs</a> of the late sixties and the seventies. Wall papers with bold prints in bright colors and shades would add loads to your home interiors and would reflect your strong and challenging lifestyle. You may even use velvets and flocks in wallpapers and fabrics for sprucing up your home interiors.

However, if you want to keep it subtle, there are plenty of choices such as soft greens, palest pinks, and gentle aqua. These pastel shades when used in the form of wall colors, wall papers, and fabrics for sofas, couch, dining chairs, and curtains would add a soft, feminine touch to your home interior decoration. You may even use grey to add a dramatic effect to your home décor. Grey looks glamorous and mixes and matches well with almost every hue.

If you are looking for a unique home décor design idea, here it is. Use contrasting colors. Use bed linens, cushions, drapes, or window curtains in bold colors to add a striking effect to the otherwise soft and pastel colored home interiors. Or, if you are using bright shades, use whites, creams, doves, or ivory colors. By doing so, you can make your home eye-catching.

To give a designer look to your home, buy modern home furniture. Modern home furniture looks elegant and stylish and would help you create a unique style statement with your designer home décor.

For designer home décor, you may also use lampshades in sensuous shapes and designs.

For more home décor designs, home renovation tips, and ideas and suggestions for designer home décor, you may visit .newartnewdesign.net

Make your New York City or Philadelphia home ready for the winter with a few home improvement projects this fall. As the cold winter weather approaches, make sure your home is prepared and you and your loved ones stay warm. In the process you will be saving money on future energy bills and doing your part to protect the environment.

New York and Philadelphia both experience unusually cold winters, even for their geographical location and northern latitudes. The presence of large bodies of water combined with arctic dry wind masses from the northern interior of the continent gives these cities bitterly cold and wet winters. The combination of several factors makes this area of the United States prone to extremely cold winters and hot summers. That makes your home improvement projects during this fall all the more important. You can make your home warmer for the coming winter months and save money on future bills in the process. Here are a few ideas for a home improvement project that will prepare your home for the upcoming winter.

Install extra insulation. Insulation around the entire home is necessary to make your home warm during the winter months. Insulation should be added in several areas of your home, not just your attic. There are also several types of insulation, and a good insulation system will employ several types. Inform yourself about these differences if you decide to take this project on by yourself.
Replace or repair your windows. Windows that are approved by the strict Energy Star system will certainly guarantee the warmest winters inside your home as possible. The strict standard is meant to make your home as energy efficient as possible. Remember that energy efficiency also means more comfortable winters and summers for you and your family.
Consider replacing the HVAC system. If you do not replace the heating, ventilation, and air condition system entirely then at least make necessary repairs or improvements to the duct work. You can check out HVAC systems at your nearest home improvement store. If the system is old or ineffective, then it may make financial sense to replace the system. You can always take smaller steps such as improving the duct work where leaks can happen.
Fix leaks in between your home’s living space and the attic, where heat escapes. Air escapes through light fixtures, exhaust vents, electrical runs, attic entries and other areas throughout the home. Move the insulation out of the way, being careful to protect yourself, and apply spray foam insulation at the gaps you see.
Replace the exterior doors or at least make necessary improvements to seal of the leaks. The same goes with the exterior doors. Air leaks can waste money on your energy bills and keeps you cold during those winter months.

These are just five ideas for your next home improvement project geared to making your home warmer this upcoming winter. Remember that each project you undertake now will also decrease the energy bills for years to come. Beat the cold during those New York or Philadelphia winters with a few home improvement projects that aim to make your home more energy efficient.

Organic container gardening is an excellent way to grow flowers and vegetables at home. It has removed the limit that associated home gardening with a large yard space. It makes possible for urban gardeners to grow plants in their high-rise apartments and compact condominium units. It is so space efficient and beneficial that even countryside gardeners still have some plants growing in pots despite owning a sizeable garden area.

The biggest and obvious difference is that instead of planting directly in the ground, you’ll be using containers to grow your plants. But using containers is where the added benefits come into play.

Containers double as barriers protecting plants from soil-born diseases and pests larvae that are present in the soil. It offers flexibility to move plants around as and when needed, to protect from unfavorable weather conditions such as hot summer and freezing winter days, for example. It allows for easier plantscaping, giving you more freedom to design a functional and attractive organic garden, as often as your whim dictates. Best of all, organic container gardening makes it possible to bring your garden indoors where you can enjoy the same benefit as you would outdoors.

And if that’s not enough, growing plants in pots is also fairly easy and requires no special effort. To illustrate the point, here are seven simple ways to grow vegetables and flowers in containers.

1. Choose the size of the container based on the size of the mature plant and its root system. Plants with expansive root system need large containers. The size and material of the container affects its ability to hold moisture. But moisture-retention capability can be improved through the soil or by lining pots with non-porous and non-absorbent materials. Choose decorative pots with provision for collecting drained water for indoor plants. Choose durable containers that can withstand the elements for outdoor gardening.

2. Ensure that containers are fitted with enough drainage holes to prevent standing water. Line the bottom of the container with coarse gravel to ensure proper drainage.

3. Start with a good standard potting soil mixture. Add compost to the potting mix to supply nutrient to the plant. Use organic liquid fertilizer to give your plants instant boost. Use slow-release fertilizers for a steady and longer nutrient supply.

4. Place plants in containers where they can enjoy adequate sun exposure everyday. Five to eight hours are recommended depending on the plant’s light requirement. Turn your plants regularly for equal exposure of all side to the sun.

5. During extremely hot days, move your plants under a shade to avoid wilting. Consequently, move them indoors to protect them from frost once winter sets in.

6. Water plants in containers more frequently than you would plants in the ground. Containers can only hold relatively small amount of soil and dry out quickly. Don’t water too often. Overwatering will suffocate the roots causing them to rot. Frequent watering also washes away the fertilizers in the soil. Don’t wait until your potted plants start to wilt before you water them.

7. Maintain 1:1 plant-container ratio for bushy flowering plants and vegetables. If you’re going to grow more than on plant in a container, make sure that they have the same sun, water and fertilizer requirement. Don’t have too many plants in a single container. Overcrowding impedes good air circulation that plants need.

When you are able to eat delicious vegetables from your own kitchen garden it is even more exciting. Organic gardening is a wonderful tool for those who have very little space in their kitchen garden and for those who are unable to bend. Indoor gardening also love the fact that there is very little weed problem, no hot sun shining down on them, and it is so much easier to have good soil and you do not need more space for this. Organic gardening or herb gardening in your favorite kitchen gardening is always fen and rewarding. A wide range of herbs and even chili peppers will produce better than expected on a sunny windowsill, especially during the summer months easily in your kitchen garden. In the absence of sun light you need little help in the way of an artificial grow light, but even that can be as simple as a full-spectrum bulb in a cheap shop light.

With the gaining popularity of organic gardening or herb gardening, many find it a convenient option to have a indoor garden. There is no problem with the space. You can also have your own herb garden using some instructions for a novice make your task more easily. But this type of herb garden needs some attention in watering and timely pruning. They not only add vibrancy to the dull and unhealthy garden, but they also provide the best and the most healthy food. Growing conditions of Herb garden or kitchen garden include full sun to partial shade, well-drained, mildly acidic/alkaline, neutral and moist soil, soil having a proper ph level, proper seeds with specified germinating period fertilizing every two to three months in the growing season to ensure heaviest bloom. You should remember one thing that When growing in a mixed pot or window box, choose plants with similar needs. Herbs like oregano, marjoram, sage, and thyme that love lots of sun and good drainage are a guaranteed mix. Lettuce greens also grow well together, but it’s best to give hot peppers their own pot.