Economy turns gardening into growth industry

A poor economy has caused many Americans to stay at home. And with more Americans at home, the gardening industry is actually thriving!

"With the recession in full swing, many Americans are returning to their roots — literally — cultivating vegetables in their backyards to squeeze every penny out of their food budget." [ link ]

Win an Algreen Terra Composter

This gorgeous Terra composter can be yours! For a chance to win this composter, send Algreen a picture of your Agua or Cascata rain barrel:

[ Algreen Contest Link ]

Newspaper Article

Interesting article up in the Waterloo Record today:

The humble barrel has served humanity for centuries with little need for innovation. Vessel for Niagara Falls daredevils, garment for Denver Broncos fans, material for downtown Waterloo sculpture -- the cooper's creation has performed its duty admirably.

As a landscaping object, however, the traditional barrel leaves much to be desired.

Read Full Article

Gourd Birdhouses

Looking for a simple and attractive birdhouse for your yard? Why not try one made out of a gourd?

For this you need:

• a dried gourd (you can plant gourds in your garden in the spring, and dry one of those out, or you can purchase already dried gourds.
• a drill
• a small spoon or stick
• cord or wire

First step is to clean your dried gourd. Was it with warm, soapy water, and let it completely dry.

Drill a hole in the gourd that is 1-2 inches in diameter. The hole should be placed about just a big above the halfway point on the gourd, as most birds like to hop down into the gourd. Clean out the inside of the gourd (using a stick or a small spoon).

Drill a couple of really small holes in the bottom of the gourd. This will help with drainage, and will keep the inside of the gourd dry.

Drill two small holes in the top of the gourd that you can thread your cord or wire through. This will be used to hang the gourd.

Put two layers of varnish on your gourd, to help it last longer. Wait at least 24 hours between each layer of shellac so that it dries completely.

Your birdhouse is now ready to hang!

Saving Water Never Felt So Good!

There are two reasons why rain barrels make sense:

(1) Global shortage in drinking water- Global warming is turning fertile land into arid deserts, and
(2) Environmental reasons- Man-made creations are altering ground-water run-off patterns, which is damaging the environment.

Prior to urbanization, rainfall soaked into vegetation and slowly flowed underground. This natural filtration process removed sediments and pollutants that can clog streams, reduce oxygen in the water, and poison aquatic ecosystems.

Unfortunately, in urban communities, paved surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks, and streets prevent stormwater runoff from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, the downspouts of houses are usually directed into sewers, which is discharged untreated into bodies of water. Sediments, debris, and harmful wastes from this stormwater can cloud the water, and damage local eco-systems. Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms; these algae blooms suffocate fish and other aquatic wildlife by stealing their oxygen.

One way you can eliminate harmful stormwater run-off is to invest in a rain barrel. Rain barrels prevent stormwater from entering directly into the water table, thus helping the environment. And rain barrels can look nice! The Agua rain barrel, depicted in the image above, is very elegantly designed, with smooth clay-like contours. It's made in Canada (Cambridge, Ontario) and is designed to withstand a Canadian winter. Call 519-624-2554 to inquire.