Lawn or Garden Not Picture Perfect? Enter Get My Pest Out Photo Contest

(PR.com)-- With summertime fast approaching a lot of people dream of having picture perfect lawns and gardens, but outdoor pests can spoil the view. Now through July 30, homeowners can upload photos of their worst pest problems at www.getmypestout.com, for a chance to win thousands of dollars in prizes to help make that summertime dream come true.

Whether it’s grubs, fire ants, disease, or any other kind of pest destroying lawns or gardens, weekly winners will be selected by popular vote, receiving products to help control pest problems, and three Grand Prize winners each will receive $1,000 gift certificates to local retailers that may be used to help solve their yard pest problems.

“Homeowners send us photos all the time asking ‘What can I do?’ or ‘What is this?’” says Daphne Huey, marketing manager, Gulfstream Home & Garden. “Here is a chance to showcase their pest problems and have a chance to win.”

Gulfstream Home & Garden, the sponsors of the contest, also are offering tips on yard care and ridding yards and gardens of pests through Facebook and Twitter, and the Get My Pest Out blog.

Entrants are encouraged to use their social networks to drive votes to their photo entry during the contest which began May 24. One Grand Prize winner will be selected by each of three methods: Popular vote, highest rated, and judges’ selection.

For more information and contest rules, and to enter, vote or rate photos, visit www.getmypestout.com.

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Satellite Photo Gallery - Images of Earth - Our Changing Planet

NF Note: We took a quick look at some of the photos on the site. Pretty cool. You may want to check it out as well.

24-7 - The Earth, our home in space, is a varied and dynamic place. Since the beginning of human history we have sought a better understanding of the world around us. With the new technology of the aerospace age and satellite image technology, we can look back and appreciate the diversity and the beauty of the Earth in a way not possible until the 20th century

To view Satellite Photo of Glaciers go to:
http://www.impressionsofearth.com/glaciers.html

Copyright 2008 Monique Romeijn/Impressions of Earth. All Rights Reserved.

Since 1990's a new generation of satellite sensors with powerful capabilities have been launched to collect massive amounts of data about our planet and the many changes it has experienced.

Satellite images have been collected for scientific and technical purposes as well as just appreciating its simple beauty. These satellites collect information that our eyes cannot. There are dozens of remote sensing satellites orbiting the Earth collecting invaluable information about the Earth's surface, oceans and the atmosphere and how they interact.

Satellite images provide important land coverage information for mapping and classification of land cover features, such as vegetation, soil, water and forests for monitoring and managing Earth's vital natural resources and the current global climate changes.

Impressions of Earth - Satellite Photo Art Gallery

To View Gallery Click go to: http://www.impressionsofearth.com/home.html


Global Climate Change

The Earth's climate has changed throughout history. From glacial periods (or "ice ages") where ice covered significant portions of the Earth to interglacial periods where ice retreated to the poles or melted entirely - the climate has continuously changed.

To view a 3D view of Malaspina Glacier, Alaska go to: http://impressionsofearthblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/malaspina-3d1.jpg

To view a 2D view of Malaspina Glacier, Alaska go to: http://www.impressionsofearth.com/albums/album_image/6269442/3574415.htm

The shallow end of this Glacier is melting swiftly. Glaciologists have determined that areas of the glacial lobe were 98 feet lower in 2004 than they were in 2000. That's double the rate of pre-1999 thinning.

The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years.

Scientists have been able to piece together a picture of the Earth's climate dating back decades to millions of years ago by analyzing a number of surrogate, or "proxy," measures of climate such as ice cores, boreholes, tree rings, glacier lengths, pollen remains, and ocean sediments, and by studying changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun.

Since the Industrial Revolution (around 1750), human activities have substantially added to the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels and biomass (living matter such as vegetation) has also resulted in emissions of aerosols that absorb and emit heat, and reflect light.

The addition of greenhouse gases and aerosols has changed the composition of the atmosphere. The changes in the atmosphere have likely influenced temperature, precipitation, storms and sea level. However, these features of the climate also vary naturally, so determining what fraction of climate changes are due to natural variability versus human activities is challenging.

Earth-orbiting satellites and other technological advances have enabled scientists to see the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate on a global scale. Studying this data collected over many years reveal the signals of a changing climate.

Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere will increase during the next century unless greenhouse gas emissions decrease substantially from present levels. Increased greenhouse gas concentrations are very likely to raise the Earth's average temperature, influence precipitation and some storm patterns as well as raise sea levels. The magnitude of these changes, however, is uncertain.

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Secrets of Season-long Stunning Color in Your Garden

NF Note: Hey, it's another photo contest! We know our readers avid photographers so get ready and get snapping!

(ARA) - In summer, there’s drought; in winter, snow and cold. Does it seem like Mother Nature is determined to leach the color from your garden? It is possible to keep your garden colorful much of the year. All you need is the right combination of plants and a little green thumb savvy.

“One of the top tricks of great gardeners is to plant in the fall,” says Stephanie Cohen, author of many gardening books.

“Establishing most plants in the fall is easy and an excellent way to ensure they’ll be successful in the spring. Adds Cohen, “The weather and soil conditions are better in the fall, as opposed to spring when it tends to be cold, muddy and wet.”

Cohen recommends first, when planning your color-filled garden, to choose easy to grow and drought-resistant plants. Check with your local agricultural extension if you’re unsure what plants will do well in your region and climate. Some particularly hardy flowers – like impatiens, petunias and pansies – can bloom year-round in moderate climates. Be sure to plant a variety that will bloom at different times in the year and within the season.

Next, incorporate some stunners into your garden planning. Roses may well be the essence of floral elegance, but traditional varieties tend to be fragile and labor intensive. Cohen recommends one of the new landscape shrub varieties, like The Knock Out Roses, that require far less care yet bloom spectacularly year round.

These roses grow well anywhere in the country – from the wintry landscape of Minnesota to the sultry shores of Florida – and come in seven colors and bloom styles to suit every garden and landscaping need. From upright shrubs in containers that cover a hard to reach hillside forming a colorful hedge, to adding a focal point in your garden, these beauties will perform every time.

Moving out of the planning phase, be sure to put your plants in the ground at the time of year that’s best for each. For example, some drought-resistant plants can stand up to summer’s heat and go in the ground anytime, even July or August. Flowers, no matter how hardy, generally have an optimum planting time.

“Fall is an excellent time for planting, and roses are no exception,” says Steve Hutton, plantsman and president of The Conard-Pyle Co.

For fall color, Hutton recommends planting Knock Out shrub roses during the closing months of summer. The flowers will bloom well through the end of September in most hardiness zones. Just remember to give them plenty of water and lots of sun.

When planting, always use fertilizer and consider installing drip lines for irrigation with maximum efficiency and minimum waste. Be sure you know a plant’s preferred sun exposure before you slip it into a bed. Many drought-resistant plants can easily handle full sun, but many flowers crave a mix of sun and shade.

“The right plant in the right spot means longer life with less care and use of natural resources,” reminds Hutton.

Once you’ve established your garden, regular maintenance – like removing dead blooms, pruning roses, etc. – and watering should be all you need to ensure your garden is gorgeous and colorful year round.

Enter the "Knock (Us) Out" Photo Contest

If you’d like some recognition for your hard work and brilliant planting strategies Conard-Pyle is sponsoring the “Knock (Us) Out” photo contest. Enter your photographs online now until Oct. 31, 2008. Competitors should take pictures of their creative use of Knock Out roses in one of three categories – home garden, commercial landscape and most creative use. Grand prize is $350 plus five Knock Out roses and 10 companion plants. Runners-up in each category will win $150 and five Knock Out roses.

Visit www.theknockoutrose.com for contest details.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Visit Edisto Island SC with Sandy Toes

NF Note: Edisto Island, South Carolina, is about 40 miles from Charleston and remains unspoiled. The small beachfront community is ideal for families who want to find their place in the sand. To date, there has been no excess development on the island and everyone finds "Edislow Time." Join "Sandy Toes" and see some of the natural beauty of the island.

Click here to join Sandy Toes on a beachcombing adventure.

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