Gary Le-Mon our expert of the day, writes:

James William Smith our expert of the day, writes:

Liz Norman our expert of the day, writes:

Next to the rose, orchids are the flowers most in demand in both the private and commercial marketplace. No plant family has as many different flowers as the orchid family. Orchids are known to grow in most every part of the world with the exception of Antarctica and the deserts.

Most African orchids are white, while Asian orchids are generally multicolored. Some orchids grow only one flower on each stem, while others can have more than a hundred blooms on a single spike.

When not in bloom, orchids very much resemble wild grasses and or palms. They can be grouped according to the way they retrieve their nutrients. The majority of the species are found in tropical, moist broad leaf forests or mountains. These orchids anchor themselves onto other plants, mostly trees. However, they are not considered to be a parasite.

Then there are a few species that grow naturally on rocks or on very rocky soil. Both of these species gets their nutrients from the atmosphere. Such as rain water, litter, humus, and even from their own dead tissue. Orchids are also one of the most adaptable plant groups on earth. Some Australian orchids grow entirely underground.

Jules Sims our expert of the day, writes:

Richard Vande Sompel our expert of the day, writes:

Any deck that may look great and be situated in the exact best location, but if it is not comfortable, it will have limited use. Several factors affect deck comfort, some physical in nature and some psychological. These include protection from the elements of nature, the control of things that are considered annoyances and ergonomics.

In some cases the solutions are very simple. A wall that is placed correctly can do much to buffer wind and sound. Sun and glare can be reduced by a few yards of shade cloth. Other problems might not be solved so easily and may involve the addition of an entire structure to the deck such as a screened gazebo.

Some comforts are of a less physical nature. This is especially true for privacy. A simple solution could involve something as simple as pulling down a shade or it might require adding a trellis, arbor or pergola to the deck.

Mary Hanna our expert of the day, writes:

Tomato container gardens are an alternative to a traditional tomato garden. Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables, well in this case fruits, of people around the world. They can be used in so many ways, in a salad or to make a sauce for pasta and a myriad of other ways in your culinary pursuits. Sadly in some places tomatoes are being priced at three dollars per pound or more. Fortunately, everyone can grow their own tomatoes, even people that live in apartments. The answer is to grow a tomato container garden. You can grow them on a patio or balcony or in a bright sunny room in your home.

The number one essential is sun. Tomatoes require a lot of light and will not thrive without out it. The materials you will need to gather for your tomato container garden are simple. You will need containers that are about five gallons in size. Only plant one tomato plant per pot. You will need soil, tomato seedlings and stakes or a wire cage to hold the plant upright. String, or products called twist-tie or sturdy-tie will be needed to tie the plant to the stakes or cages. You will need a plastic tray for drainage; good drainage is essential to the health of your tomato container garden. Last need on the list is fertilizer.

Lee Dobbins our expert of the day, writes:

Dewan Md. Badruddoza our expert of the day, writes:

Vikram kuamr our expert of the day, writes:

William Grimes our expert of the day, writes: