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You might want to know how many liters are in a gallon exactly but not trust Google’s simple results. Actually, you are right. The calculations just ‘depend.’ Besides liters to Gallon conversion, Here are the exact calculations for both US and UK. and some other most asked definite conversions.

How Many Liters Are In A Gallon Exactly?

This is an excellent test question that may be asked to anyone living in the United States or the UK.

Due to the fact that a gallon is not always a gallon, one must use caution and precision in this situation. There are two primary gallons that are defined: the British imperial gallon and the US customary gallon. Both of these gallons are often used.

The latter is only used for liquids; historically, there has been some reference to a dry US gallon (which is of yet a different size), but it is not mentioned in NIST Handbook 44 Appendix C (2017) and appears to have fallen out of use, so I will not include that one. The dry US gallon is of yet a different size.

1 British imperial gallon is equal to 4.54 609 liters, and this measurement system is used in the United Kingdom.

The volume of liquid contained in one US customary gallon is equivalent to 231 cubic inches. Because one inch is equal to one-thirty-sixth of a yard and one meter is equal to 0.9144 yards, one inch is equal to 0.0254 meters, which is the same as 0.254 decimeters.
Thus, 1 [US] gal = 231 × (0.254 dm)³ = 3.785 411 784 dm³ = 3.785 411 784 L because 1 L = 1 dm³.

Each and every definition is, by definition, accurate, and each and every calculation has been performed accurately. Therefore, the conversions that are in bold are the precise quantities; there has been no rounding. You may be handling measurements with nowhere near that level of precision (or accuracy), in which case you may wish to round for your practical use of the values that I have provided.

Alternatively, you may need to know the exact value in order to avoid calculation conflicts. If this is the case, you should know it. I will give you all of the numbers so that you may decide how many there should be rather than having me decide for you how many there should be.

A few distinct varieties of gallons are available, such as dry and liquid US gallons.

The following are the conversion factors from gallons to liters: (for US, UK, and for both fluid and dry measurements). Multiply the number of liters you have by the conversion factor to get the number of gallons you have.

• 1 Gallon (Fluid, US 9= 3.7854118 Liters
• 1 United States gallon (dry) is equal to 4.4048838 liters
• 1 gallon in the UK is equal to 4.54609 liters

Because one gallon is equal to 231 cubic inches and one liter is equal to the volume of one kilogram of water (1000 mL or 61.0237 cubic inches), the answer to the question “how many liters are in a gallon?” is 3.7854118. This is due to the fact that the volume of one liter is equal to the volume of one kilogram of water.

How many fluid ounces are in 1 liter?

In order to provide a decent response to this question, we need to have the ability to convert between liters and an American volume measuring unit, as well as between that unit and ounces. In order to avoid marking a test in which I just provided the students the conversion factor, 1 gallon is equal to 3.785 liters; I’m going to answer this question instead.

Regarding the second conversion, one gallon is equal to 128 ounces of liquids. These equivalences may be turned into conversion factors that alter the units but do not affect the value. For example, if a=b, then a/b = 1 and b/a = 1, and multiplication by 1 does not change the value. Now all that remains is to create fractions that will provide us with the appropriate unit:

Take note of the units: because we are comparing gallons to gallons and liters to liters, the result is that we are left with ounces. This almost ensures that the solution is correct; nevertheless, if the units we need do not naturally come from the calculation, then the answer is certain to be incorrect.

How many ounces are in a gallon?

One gallon of fluid in the United States is equal to 128 US fluid ounces.

An imperial gallon is equivalent to 153.722 fluid ounces from the United States.

A gallon of Imperial measurement is equal to 160 fluid ounces of Imperial measurement.

a United States gallon may be broken down into 133.228 imperial fluid ounces.

If you are referring to the unit of mass measurement known as an ounce, the answer to your question relies on the density of the liquid.

How many grams are in an ounce?

This is one of those queries designed to trip you up. The conversion from grams to ounces may be done using one of two different units of measurement. A method known as the AVP is typically used in the United States.

According to this measure, one ounce of AVP is equivalent to 28 grams. The second system is called the troy system, and it is about 10 percent heavier than the ounce system. An ounce of troy weight is equal to 31.1 grams. This is the technique that is used when dealing with precious metals such as gold and silver.

How many ounces are equivalent to 100 grams?

• 2.54lbs=1000g 1KG
• 2.54lbs x 16oz/lb=40.64oz=1000g
• 40.64oz/10 =4.064oz for 100g (1000/10)

Conclusion

If you do not mean an ounce of fluid when you say “ounce,” then you will need to be familiar with the density of whatever it is that you measure in a half gallon.

You must still specify whether you are referring to US fluid ounces and gallons or Imperial fluid ounces and gallons to avoid confusion. There are several key distinctions. While the Imperial and US fluid ounces are almost identical (to within approximately 4 percent of one another), there is a substantial difference between the two gallons.

It is known from biology that a system can grow for some time without difficulty. But there is a critical limit that a system will not survive the crossing.

The biochemist, system researcher, and environmental expert Frederic Vester remarked that cancer cells are initially doing just fine:

“They keep growing (according to the motto: why think about tomorrow, the main thing is that sales are increasing!) until they burden the host organism so much that its functions are damaged, and it collapses – and with it, the cancer cells.”

At first, the uncontrolled growth may appear “successful” from the perspective of these cells – but only until the viable system is destroyed. It must, therefore, also have a balancing or dampening or “negative” feedback in order not to overgrow the right level and to cushion crises.

As growth eventually hits a limit, it is essential to dedicate yourself to establishing stabilizing feedback loops.

You might want to read this: How Will Growing Algae Reduce The Carbon Dioxide Emissions?

The increasing threat to our livelihoods makes us aware of the limits of an economic system that relies on unlimited growth and an ever-faster cycle of money, goods, and spirit.

This results in growing instability, leading to social disorientation and uncertainty. The unease with the paradigm of endless economic growth is not only documented in the book “Exit” by the social scientist Meinhard Miegel but also in the long-selling books by Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker (“Factor Five”), Harald Welzer (“Self Thinking”) and Ralf Fück’s “Intelligent to grow”).

The Austrian chocolatier Josef Zotter’s book “Headstand with fresh fish” also offers enriching reading. The secret to his success is natural growth: “It is quite possible that the day will come when growth comes to a standstill, and the process stops. Isn’t it like that everywhere? There comes a day for everything when it stops, disappears, dies. As in life. That is the cycle.”

He is skeptical of the economic prophets who claim that one must grow in order not to perish.

Logically, he says, “because everything is based on credit. On buying growth with borrowed money. With the result that you have to keep growing so that you can afford your growth…”

However, “zero growth” is also not a realistic and desirable perspective in view of the mass poverty in the world. But “keep it up” doesn’t work either. The book by Ralf Fücks advocates the third option, sustainable, socially inclusive growth.

A few years ago, Angela Merkel introduced the term “sustainable growth”. David Cameron spoke of “balanced growth”, and Barack Obama preferred “long-term, sustainable growth”. Former European Commission President José Manuel Barroso advocated “smart, sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth”. The World Bank promised “inclusive green growth”.

For Ralf Fücks, the key to sustainable growth lies in decoupling value creation and using nature. However, ecology must not come along with the gesture “You mustn’t”. He refers to Gunter Pauli, a pioneer of the new economy, for whom the answer to the ecological crisis is a “second green revolution”. It begins in mind: from thinking about linear production chains to designing material cycles.

In the opinion of the social philosopher Edward Skidelsky, endless economic growth, which many consider a prerequisite for increased prosperity, progress, and well-being, is pointless. In this context, it is interesting to take a look at snails, which not only grow slowly but also stop growing at the moment when they could become too big for their snail shell. Unlike us humans, they know their limits.

The insatiability of the wealthy western world must be contained
With his son, the British economic historian Robert Skidelsky wrote the book “How much is enough?” The overheated “More, more, more!” masks the question of a good life. For both, life in the digital age is “good” when seven basic needs are satisfied:

• Health
• security
• respect
• development of personality
• harmony with nature
• leisure
• friendship.

The essential goods are universal and final for them and carry their value within themselves. And stand for themselves, which is why family relationships were not listed but assigned to the overriding good of friendship. Where classic social ties no longer apply today, it becomes a survival strategy associated with the good feeling of not being alone in life and reducing the large and complex to a simple human scale.

As a busy gardener, you might want to have some fun objects or accessories around or on you. But most likely, you can’t find time to search for these things. We thought the same way and wanted to create some free gardening t-shirt designs for you, which are ready for printing.

My friend has recently started a small business on Etsy. Although she has been working as a graphic designer in a corporate studio, she decided to do some extra fun activities.

She sells her designs as digital products, such as home wall decorations, upscaled vintage photos, junk journal supplies, SVG t-shirt designs, etc…

I asked her to create some gardening-related digital products to give away for free to our visitors.
She was so welcome and willing to do that.

She did some research and saw some of the most demanded designs and recreated similar and better ones.

Depending on your feedback and reviews, she will create more products for us and publish them here under the same post.

You can also express your desired designs, and she can do her best to make them.

Free Gardening t shirts for our visitors

Gardening topics are so saturated, and we wanted to do something different. As one of our dear visitors, you might love and also need it.

If you love any of those designs, you can download and print them on any surface, such as mugs, t-shirts, paper, etc.

How to print them?

There are a good number of online POD (print on demand) services you can visit, such as Printful or Printify. You can also Google it and see the nearest POD services.

If you are planning to use a design as wall decor or garden entrance sign, you can print them yourself at home, send it to a local print house or service which makes cut prints or Glowforge-type laser cuts.

After you visit one of those sites, all you need to do is choose your product, i.e., a t-shirt, upload your image on it, adjust the size and place of the image on the product and order it. Enter your address and make the payment.

For some items, such as wall arts, this makes it way more cost-effective than purchasing it as a ready-made art product.

Although the PNG file included is very high quality, I would always be stuck to the SVG version as long as the service is OK with uploading this file extension.

Use Rights for Free Gardening T-shirt Designs

The right of the images belongs to her and her store. So, the usage rights include only PERSONAL USE. It’s not allowed to use them commercially, giveaway them somewhere else, or include them in any other place or package. You can’t print them on a product and sell them either.

PNG and SVG, but what is SVG?

For the ones who have no clue about file extensions, I want to clarify it.

PNG is a transparent sublimation file, and you can use it anywhere, just like an SVG file. But because it’s a pixel-based file type, you can’t enlarge it beyond its limits, or it will be blurry.

Opposite to that, SVG is a vector-based file, and you can enlarge it as much as you like, and it will always keep its sharpness and high-resolution look.

As I mentioned above, she will keep updating and adding more products depending on your feedback.

If you like her free designs and buy a coffee for her, you can visit her store here and buy another digital product for your interest there. Or, you can also share this post and increase the chance for others to see it and visit her store. Don’t worry; they are extremely cheap.

Here is our first file:

1) This one is a nice colored floral “gardening mom” t-shirt design in SVG, PNG, and JPEG format.

You can download this set here. The ZIP file includes JPG, PNG, and SVG.

2) I will be in my office gardening design:

3) I grow my own food t-shirt design free download:

4) Yes, that’s true. Sometimes I wet my plants T-shirt Design

5) Keep Calm and Garden On T-shirt Design

I will be updating this post every day with a new one. Stay tuned for the new free designs.

You might want to read this: Gardening On Mars: Why Is Gardening Essential For Survival?

Astronauts need food, water, and oxygen. Plants, and gardening on Mars will therefore be essential companions for a Mars mission.

It sounds like science fiction, but it’s all grounded science. If NASA really does send its first human-crewed flight to Mars, as planned, sometime in 2030, astronauts won’t just carry a primary food supply.

They will probably travel with a greenhouse of sorts to grow plant seeds and seedlings they bring with them. Homegrown soybeans, wheat, lettuce, or other vegetables are critical to the success of their mission.

Plants are true all-rounders. In addition to essential nutrients, they also provide everything else that we humans need to survive: clean water, oxygen, even building materials can be obtained.

Astronauts as space farmers

“Space farming, i.e. growing plants in space, is crucial if one day we want to venture into space on long-term missions – in other words, become an interplanetary species,” says Grace Crain, an astrobiologist at ETH Zurich.

She is currently conducting research on the European space project Melissa, which aims to develop a regenerative life support system for long-term missions in space.

Because astronauts on Mars missions have a problem: They can’t bring with them the amount of food, vitamins, water, and oxygen they would need for their stay.

And regular supply deliveries are not only far too expensive but rarely possible due to the planetary constellation. So the astronauts have to grow their own food – on site.

Different laws than on Earth

That is easier said than done. After all, different laws apply in space than in earthly fields.

Gravity, for example, is much lower or – as on the International Space Station ISS – almost non-existent. As a result, there is less sunlight for plant growth and no atmosphere to protect against harmful radiation. In addition, there are no soils on Mars that would be suitable for agriculture.

“Any astronaut would have died!”
“Mars contains the salts of perchloric acid, which are toxic to humans,” explains Grace Crain, mentioning the blockbuster “The Martian,” starring Matt Damon.

“Here, the movie, which is otherwise pretty factually accurate, was just wrong. No astronaut would have survived eating vegetables from the Martian soil for that long!”.

Greenhouses in mini format

So it’s unlikely that giant tractors will one day plow across the Martian soil. “It’s more likely that we Earthlings will first set up greenhouses and create small copies of our Earth’s cycle in them,” says astrobiologist Grace Crain.

The astronauts bring valuable commodities with them: Fecal matter, which acts as a fertilizer—carbon dioxide, which plants need to grow. Bacteria can be used to extract nutrients. The plants grown with it would produce clean water, air, and food from it—the perfect cycle.

A piece of home

The greenhouses would have to be built well protected, in cave systems, for example. There they would be protected from cosmic radiation and meteorite impacts. Solar cells or a small nuclear power plant could provide the necessary energy.

The Mars pioneers would thus have a little piece of home in every respect on the planet millions of miles away.

Is Gardening on Mars posible? Can we soon grow vegetables on Mars?

Earthworms – important helpers in agriculture and horticulture – can also multiply in soil that is modeled on the Earth on Mars. So would horticulture be possible on Mars?

According to Wageningen University, Dutch researchers found two tiny worms at the end of an experiment with the special soil, rocket, and adult earthworms. In the experiment, the biologist Wieger Wamelink actually wanted to observe the rocket’s growth in a substance modeled on the soil from Mars.

The US space agency NASA made the mixture of Hawaiian volcanic material available to the researchers. Then, the scientists put manure and adult earthworms on the Earth.

“The manure obviously stimulated growth,” said Wamelink. “The biggest surprise, however, came towards the end of the experiment when we found two young worms in the simulated Martian soil.”

Colonization of Mars possible soon?

A sustainable, closed ecosystem is an essential prerequisite for the nutrition and survival of humans on Mars. Worms play an important role here, as they break down dead organic matter and make them reusable. The “Food for Mars and the Moon” project has set itself the goal of building such a sustainable agricultural system.

Since 2013, the researchers have been growing various types of vegetables as part of the project, including green beans, peas, radishes, tomatoes, potatoes, rockets, carrots, and cress. The only species that has so far defied all attempts is spinach.

It used to be the first cold snap that was a signal to put away the patio furniture and say good-bye to lounging on the lanai. Patio space heaters are a piece of modern technology that has changed all that, and now we can use our outdoor spaces well into weather that generally would be too uncomfortable.

The best Tabletop patio heater is the Havana Bronze Commercial Patio Heater. 

This unit produces 46,000BTU’s of dependable gas heat. With its piezo starter, it lights quickly and easily, and the durable, powder-coated finish will fit in with just about any decor. 

Plus, based on tabletop patio heater reviews, this unit ranks among the top units on the market.

How to choose the right tabletop patio heater?

When choosing a patio heater, you should consider a couple of different things. Even as much heat as these heaters produce, you are still outdoors, and you won’t turn a chilly evening into a hot night at the beach, so temper your expectations.

Plus, heat rises, so most of the heat will escape upward unless you have a covered patio or lanai. That said, patio heater reviews for this model say you can definitely feel the heat from as far as nine feet away from the unit.

After assembling the unit and connecting your gas tank (a 20 lb. LP gas tank that is not included with the unit, but that can be easily found at most home and garden, hardware stores, or online), the unit turns on at the push of a button with the piezo ignitor. 

There is a large heat control dial to increase or decrease the heat output from the heater as well as turn the unit completely off. For safety, a tilt switch will automatically turn the unit off if it is tipped over.

Better than a fire pit, this heater will produce heat without smoke or open flame and is whisper quiet. The unit can be moved to wherever you want it or for easy wheeling into storage with the wheel assembly. The heating elements are located at the top of the unit, and a heat shield is used to reflect heat back downward.

The Amazon Basics Havana Bronze Commercial Patio Heater heats using the efficiency of radiant heating, so there are no blowers or fans to break or cause excessive noise. Because it uses radiant heating, the heat is distributed evenly around the unit, producing few, if any, cold spots.

The stainless steel construction makes this the best patio heater in terms of durability. The powder-coated finish will last a lifetime and will always look its best with minimum care. The heater has a bronze finish which will fit into almost all patio decors.

When assembled, the unit stands approximately seven feet, five inches, and the base is eighteen inches in diameter. You can use sand or water to weigh the base down, so the unit is harder to tip over should something accidentally bump it or if the wind is blowing strong.

If you enjoy your patio and want to be able to extend the time you can use it, then this is the heater around. Quite, attractive, top-rated, efficient are all adjectives to describe this great unit.

Let’s dive into some technical aspects and specifications of the patio tabletop heaters that you need to know before you buy them. 

Patio tabletop heaters specifications, advantages and disadvantages, and more:

What is the structure of a Patio Heater?

Patio heaters are also known as gas heaters and radiant heaters. In order to ensure optimal heat radiation, the devices are adjustable in height.

Since there are different types of gas heaters, the structure is also slightly different. However, all models have a metal or glass grille to protect against burns. This grid is built around the flame.

How does a tabletop patio heater work, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of using it?

Gas-powered patio heaters are among the classic heating devices, can be used flexibly, and, in addition to providing heat, can also look good when, for example, a flame can be seen.

Like a wood fire in a fireplace, gas heaters work with convection heat (warming the ambient air). In order to generate this heat, gas is first ignited, regardless of whether it is a patio heater or a gas torch.

The resulting gas flame heats a radiating element, after which the resulting heat is directed into the environment by a reflector built behind it. The gas combustion heats the ambient air over the solid, thus creating an overall pleasant, domestic atmosphere.

Advantages

• Good heat results outdoors
• Heat can be generated in a targeted manner.
• Models are offered with drive types such as electricity and gas so that they can be used flexibly.
• The desired temperature can be set individually
• Very safe when used as directed
• Independent of external power supply
• Excellent range
• Automatic shutdown function
• Cozy ambiance through visible flames
• Easy to use

Disadvantage

• The risk of injuries for individuals when accidentally touched during operation.
• Energy guzzler despite power control
• not environmentally friendly
• It cannot be used indoors
• Not noiseless and odorless

How much gas does a patio heater use?

Gas Consumption of a tabletop patio heater

According to the rule of thumb, a gas heater consumes an average of around 0.334kg of gas per hour. With larger patio heaters, the consumption increases to approx. 0.6kg/h.

In addition to size, however, other factors are also relevant for gas consumption.

For example:

• a defective gas supply
• outside temperatures too low
• a defective heater or
• badly filled bottles
• Significantly influence or increase gas consumption.

The gas bottles, which are usually filled with propane gas, are usually used in “domestic” use in the 5kg or 11kg version and thus, depending on the heating output and the model of the heater, can last from almost 10 hours to 20 or in some cases even up to Giving off the heat for 60 hours.

What do I have to consider when it comes to the safety of patio heaters? How safe is a gas heater?

Without exception, the safety precautions for patio heaters should be carefully observed in order to rule out a possible fire hazard. Regardless of the gas or infrared heating system, when buying a gas heater, you should first of all – always make sure that the device is USA compliance or CE-certified and, especially after prolonged use, that you carry out regular maintenance. Ideally – every two years at the latest – by a specialist.

The following applies to every type of patio heater:

• Keep children and pets away from tabletop patio heaters
• Carefully assemble the radiant heater according to the instructions for use and check the lines so that there are no sealing defects
• Always keep a safe distance from easily flammable objects
• Installation on a level, stable surface and protect against possible knocks so that the heater cannot tip over or fall
• After switching off the heater, it is still hot!

Safety, especially with gas heaters

For increased safety, there should be an ignition fuse on your radiant heater so that the undesired escape of gas is prevented. The lowest power should always be set during commissioning. If necessary, you can always get spare parts from a specialist retailer.

Use in closed rooms is excluded. This also applies to tents, except (!) They are very spacious, adequately ventilated catering tents. However, a safety distance of at least two meters above and one meter next to the radiant heater must be guaranteed.

In addition, a gas heater may only be set up in such a way that any escaping gas cannot get into the air or light shafts. Due to the fact that liquid gas is heavier than air, it can create an explosive combination in these conditions. Setting up the patio heater under low-hanging awnings should be avoided at all costs due to the high temperatures above it.

Most of the gas heaters are equipped with an automatic switch-off function to prevent an explosion if they tip over. So when buying your heater, it is advisable to make sure that it is available.

Shade trees are a common element in the ordinary homeowner’s garden, but grass and flowers sometimes struggle to flourish in the shaded area beneath the branches.

The property owner may be content with a layer of mulch to cover the dry places, but certain plants, such as hosta plants and flowers, can be used to create a lovely shade-loving garden. The project will take more time and effort than a conventional flower garden, but the end product might be breathtaking.

Here is a detailed guide on how to grow flowers under trees for creating an awesome shade garden:

How To Grow Flowers Under Trees?

Site Preparation is Important

Simply digging up the dirt beneath a tree to plant some flowers is not a brilliant idea since it may harm the tree’s roots. While the goal is to improve the space underneath the tree, cutting into or removing even a tiny portion of the root system might kill the tree.

To say the least, a damaged or dying tree would be a great disappointment for the homeowner, so proper care should be taken to avoid harming the tree roots.

While it takes some time and physical effort, creating a raised bed around the tree is aesthetically pleasing and beneficial to the tree and any vegetation planted under it. The raised bed also makes it easier to mow the grass around the garden.

The size of the tree will determine the size of this space, although it can be as big or little as the homeowner likes. Bricks or stone can be used to build a low retaining wall before the garden soil, and topsoil needed for the plantings is added. Shade-loving plants and flowers typically prefer loamy soil that is high in nutrients, so a mix of aged compost and bagged soil should be used to fill the bed.

Choosing the Right Plants for shade gardening

Shade-loving plants are not always the brightest and most showy, but there are many choices of attractive foliage plants and flowers. Most plants that prefer to grow in a shady area will also tolerate filtered sunlight, like colocasia esculenta, but they should never be exposed to direct sunlight for more than an hour or two.

Too much heat could make them wilt and also deplete the moisture in the soil. A lot of great information is available at online gardening sites. Several filters can be used to identify the best plants to grow in the shady garden beneath a tree.

Climate

Climate is probably the most critical consideration in choosing plants, so searching by zone is essential. Additional filters that produce a list of annuals, perennials, flowers, foliage plants, and shrubs will provide essential information.

Most gardeners include a variety of flowering shrubs, foliage plants, and perennial flowers in their basic garden. Adding some colorful annual flowers and foliage plants gives the gardener the ability to change the color palate and presentation of the garden year after year.

Choose Plants That Bloom in Various Seasons

Crocus and some varieties of tulips bloom in early spring, often while there are still a few patches of snow on the ground. If the shade tree is deciduous, the bare branches will not block the sunlight during early spring, so these early bulbs will provide a color show long before the other flowers are planted there.

Bleeding hearts are an early spring perennial that is not bothered by an occasional temperature dip below the freezing mark. Their graceful stems hang heavy with pretty heart-shaped flowers well into late spring.

Lily-of-the-Valley is another spring-blooming perennial flower that requires little care and gradually spreads to fill in the spaces between larger plants. The delicate white flowers have a sweet scent and are suspended from foliage that remains an attractive green all summer.

When the flowers growing from bulbs have faded and dropped their petals, it is time for late spring and early summer flowers to take center stage.

Astilbe adds a bright punch of pink, white and red color to the shade garden when it begins blooming in late spring.

This perennial grows to 24 inches, and the showy flowers last through midsummer. A toad lily does not sound very attractive, but these flowers are beautiful and available in various colors. The bulbs can be purchased as a collection of colors, and these perennials bloom from late summer through fall.

Most gardeners plant a few varieties of shade-loving annuals that will provide continuous color throughout the summer months. Balsam is a fast-growing annual that blooms profusely throughout the summer and fall until the temperatures get too chilly.

The plant stands about 15 inches high, and colorful white, pink, lavender, and red flowers sprout from the stems. Begonias and Impatiens are also great annuals that flower all summer, and they should be used in the front of the garden since these plants are relatively short. Foliage Plants Offer Size and Substance.

Foliage plants

There are a number of foliage plants that do very well in shady areas. Coleus is probably the most widely used, and it is available in many colorful shades and leaf patterns. Since the plant averages about 12 to 15 inches in height, it works well as a background for the small annual border flowers.

It is important to pinch off the flower stalks that grow upward from the Coleus leaf to encourage the plant to spread out rather than grow into a tall and gangly shape.

Perhaps the most widely used foliage plant for shade gardens is the Hosta Lily. This is a perennial bulb that also comes in a wide variety of colors and shapes. The leaves begin poking their heads above the ground in spring, and the plant quickly grows to full size within just a few weeks.

By mid-summer, flower stalks will rise above the leaves, and delicate white or lavender flowers will be suspended from them. While the flowers are attractive, Hostas are used primarily for their beautiful foliage.

Plant With Care

Although a raised bed offers ample depth for putting in most plants, some holes will need to be dug a little deeper. It is important to avoid damaging the tree roots, so care should be taken to dig between the roots. The problem area beneath a tree can become a lovely garden when adequately prepared and planted.

However, it is also essential to maintain the garden according to the requirements of each plant growing there. If you find the information on ‘how to grow flowers under trees’ valuable, don’t forget to share it with your friends!

I would bet quite a few let it rip since we have been having drier weather in many places around the country. Is it green grass you want?

It took me some time to actually find grass without weeds in my lawn for the images above. I don’t water the grass and depend on the weeds keeping my lawn rather green. How about you? How do you water your garden?

I just saw a NASA photo of Lake Mead and how much it has receded rather quickly in recent years. Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States and is fed mostly by the Colorado River and its tributaries.

“According to the U.S. National Park Service and the Bureau of Reclamation, the amount of water flowing out of and evaporating from Lake Mead in recent years has consistently exceeded the amount of water flowing in. To date, Lake Mead has been able to meet the growing demands downstream. “

How Do You Water Your Garden?

Does this cause you concern? If you live in areas using this water, I bet it does. So I started thinking if there is a benefit to watering gardens in these times of less rainfall.

Luckily, the rain gods have been vacationing in N.Y. this year and being more generous than in previous years, but watering is still necessary to keep blooming plants hydrated.

Looking out into dry and brown meadows the last number of years and seeing large forest trees in decline, I realized our insect populations are being severely hit from all sides, not the least of which is plant blooms not hydrated to provide nectar and produce pollen.

The plant may be blooming but not necessarily providing sufficient sustenance if it is too dry. I realized since natural spaces are not providing adequately due to the decrease in rainfall, home gardens are of more importance than ever for bees and butterflies.

I keep reading people did not see as many bees or butterflies. Could it be that parched garden plants are partially to blame?

This year I have been selectively and frugally hand-watering plants in bloom. What I found was a significant increase in insect visitation to the plants fully hydrated. We have had some rain that has relieved some of the problems of recent droughts, but it is still not sufficient for garden needs.

So, How to Water Your Garden?

I do not believe turning on the sprinklers is the answer unless entire gardens are in jeopardy, and I think places facing drought need water restrictions or rationing. I also think of planting more drought-tolerant plants but have seen some areas getting too much rain and killing off these plantings.

The weather has just been too volatile and unpredictable to plan for long-range landscaping. Many have faced areas with adequate rainfall as the norm is now dryer than average growing seasons. So how do we cope yet still be water conscious and conserve?

A few options are available.

• Rain barrels are great to have but don’t usually help if rains don’t come for months. They aren’t even allowed in places requiring the downspout to be connected to storm sewers.
• Retention ponds are an asset on large properties.
• Using gray water is an answer to watering problems. There are even restrictions on gray water use on food crops because of safety issues. Then there are concerns over laundry detergents and the effects of the elements into which the biodegradable detergents decompose.
• Only watering those plants is needed by wildlife or food for humans. Include those seasonally wildlife frequent while in bloom.
• Hand watering. I hand water by utilizing bath and cooking water.
• Use drought-tolerant plants. Plants such as asters are drought tolerant and can go longer before showing signs of stress or not attracting bees for lack of nectar. Monarda is very long blooming if kept moist.

It really is a conundrum in many respects. Do you be concerned or just accept what nature throws your way? I make a conscious decision each time I carry the bucket of water to the garden on which plants will receive it.

Today, the little birds were out in the garden feeding on Monarda. The feeders were down temporarily while the trumpet vine and Monarda were blooming, but now they are back.

Keeping blooms hydrated for the hummingbirds is just as important.

In the case of dragonflies being seen less, the insects they feed are apparently in diminished supply. What comes around goes around…

It is getting harder to just depend on nature providing the rain, even for drought-tolerant plants. This year as most, I do have a good selection of pollinators. They say to plant it, and they will come, but I add water to it too. Anyone saying native plants don’t require your care is wrong; just take a look at drying and bloom-free meadows that have no additional care.

So if you are or were missing the bees and butterflies, try keeping plants that they forage hydrated.

Think of all the water going down drains and how plants will be happier than you thought to reuse and conserve with a little work in carting it outside.

The companion post to this article on Nature and Wildlife Pics is pretty hummingbirds in the garden and native gardening. Have a look at happy hummers.