Stay Updated, Subscribe to the Latest Technology Blog
If you want to survive in this cutthroat competition in the market, you should stay updated. Especially, when you are in the field of technology, every single hour, there is one of the other update on gadgets or operating systems i.e. software. While it is difficult to keep your eyes on various sources, the best way to stay updated is to subscribe to blogs that cover tha latest information on technology.Whether you need technology updates for personal or professional use, the latest technology blogs serve the purpose. Such blogs cover the latest news from the electronics companies, product launches, gadget reviews, and many more stuff that you want to know on day-to-day basis.Staying updated in technology helps you in many ways. If you are an individual, technology blogs update you with the latest gadgets in the market. You may simply search the latest reviews that talk about pros and cons of electronic devices. The reviews can give you idea about which product is better to buy today, and what precautions you should take while using it.If you run an IT company, subscribing to blogs on technology can help you learn the latest trends in the market. You can guide your team to research and come up with new ideas to be put into your service or product. Technology blogs are the best source to know the features of smartphones, tablets, wearable devices, and the like. In addition, the programmers in your company can learn a lot from technology blogs whenever there is a new operating system announced by Google Android, Windows or Apple.The latest technology blogs are written by experts in various technologies. A blog is a place where veterans in relevant fields write to share their knowledge and thus, blogs on technology can be trusted for information on technology. For instance, programmers can rely on the blog to know better about the latest iOS SDK by Apple. They can learn the features, and also how to use the SDK to reap all the benefits in their programming.Technology blogs include the topics on web designing, web development, UI & UX, mobile application development, the latest iOS or Android update, modern devices such as wearables, and other programming languages (like php,.net, Python, Java, etc.). These days, technology blogs also talk about automated mobile app development platforms and cross platform development.Subscribe to a technology blog and receive notifications whenever there is a new post on technology published.
Benefits of Buying Affordable SEO Services From Internet Marketing Experts
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is used by website owners to improve their Google search ranking & associated traffic. A team of SEO experts is required to do a complete SEO job for a website. There are multiple affordable SEO internet marketing companies available to deliver SEO Packages. To buy SEO services online is more economical rather than hiring a SEO in-house team to do the same job. An online SEO company needs to evaluate your website if you are looking for custom made solutions. But for most of the small and medium sized websites, a pre packaged SEO service should be sufficient. You may buy SEO online, also when you need to execute only a few SEO elements for your website.There are multiple elements when it comes to complete SEO. It starts with on-page optimization and includes a variety of submission services. A new website or a website which is doing SEO for first time, requires a complete re-haul of its website to include keyword suggestions from on-page optimization team. Again SEO experts would do a very good keywords analysis to come up with right kind of keywords for your SEO project. You should therefore buy services only from a qualified SEO internet marketing company. An affordable SEO solution would also do the sitemap submission for your website to various search engines.This SEO service is quite affordable and you may buy only a part of submission services, as what suits your marketing budget. There are multiple offerings under this banner; including directory submissions, article submissions, social bookmarking etc. One may also look for affordable SEO services, which provides RSS Feed submissions & Press Release submissions too. When you buy service, you should confirm if the online SEO Company provides content writing services too. Most of the time, a website may not have relevant articles, press releases etc, stuffed with the suggested keywords. These articles are required during submission service.If budget permits, one should look for SEO internet marketing company which provides Blog posting, Forum participation, Video submission & various other value added services. An affordable SEO service may provide all these services under a single banner. With a qualified SEO experts team at your disposal, your website search rank on Google would improve drastically. Needless to say this would help improve traffic to your website resulting into better profits. Thus it’s important to buy affordable SEO services from a well qualified online SEO company. It’s a prerequisite to your online business success and profits.
Long Tail Keywords and Insurance SEO
Long tail keywords, whether they happen to be related to insurance or any other business, are typically a three to five word search phrase, though they can be a longer and highly specific search term. These phrases can be relatively broad or extremely narrow, as internet users seek relevant content when searching for information, products and services. Google and Bing search bots index website information including Meta and on page content, and when users enter search phrases, the engines subsequently display their search results allowing users to navigate to the relevant pages (SERP).Engines offer both organic and paid results, allowing users to select those responses they deem most germane to their query. What does this mean to the average insurance agency, broker or carrier? Insurance agents and brokers need to determine the long tail keyword phrases applicable to their organization and optimize their website for those phrases. Some insurance SEO long tail keyword examples include:New Mexico Truck Insurance
Arizona Machine Shop Insurance
New York Restaurant Insurance
Professional Liability Insurance
Florida Property and Commercial Insurance
New York Coastal Condominium InsuranceThe more keywords included in a phrase and the more specific the term, the narrower the results, and the less frequently that term is searched. Conversely, the shorter the phrase (auto insurance for example), the broader the results, and the greater the competition for the phrase. It’s important to note that the on page insurance SEO optimization is only part of the job. For effective insurance SEO, off page optimization is extremely important including news releases, social media marketing and ePublishing. Effective long tail research and optimization can and will result in improved insurance website traffic, and when combined with an up to date website and advanced insurance website tools, should translate into an increased book of business.How does the Google Penguin and other algorithm shifts impact your insurance SEO and long tail keyword initiatives? These types of algorithm shifts were directed at websites that violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. The algorithm shifts account for greater emphasis on original content and social media than back link popularity. Further, insurance organizations which were focused heavily on backlink building, link swapping and directory submissions, often in pursuit of broader keyword phrases were adversely impacted by this shift. These algorithm shifts actually favor long tails keywords, as the content surrounding those keywords should be very specific, and thus very relevant to both users and search bots (search engine indexing engines). As Google, Bing and other search engines continue efforts to deliver more relevant content, quality content and focus on long tail keywords should be the mantra for an effective insurance SEO initiative.Though organic insurance SEO and social media marketing is an important aspect of insurance marketing, insurance organizations seeking to rapidly build their pipeline will find the fastest path to B2B insurance lead generation remains insurance eMarketing and appointment setting calls. B2B insurance marketing often requires targeting a very specific niche, carrying a specific value proposition to a predetermined title or titles. For example, an insurance agency might want to discuss restaurant insurance or business interruption policies with dining and entertainment establishments. Though effective use of insurance SEO for this target market is important, agents and brokers should remember that insurance SEO initiatives are only one tool for insurance agency lead generation. Insurance SEO initiatives should be complemented with insurance eMarketing and appointment setting campaigns to ensure optimum lead generation attainment.
Causes Of Software Project Failure
Most software projects fail completely or partial failures because a small number of projects meet all their requirements. These requirements can be the cost, schedule, quality, or requirements objectives. According to many studies, failure rate of software projects is between 50% – 80%. This essay is a compilation of failure causes of software development projects; this essay summarises several areas that play a vital role in software project failure.So, what really is the reason for software project failure? The sad fact is that software projects fail because we do not recognize that good engineering principles should be applied to software projects just as they are to building office buildings. We try to defend ourselves by saying that software construction is “different”. One of the most serious complaints against software failure is the inability
to estimate with acceptable accuracy the cost, resources, and schedule necessary
for a software project. Conventional assessment methods have always produced
positive results which contribute to the too well-known cost infested and
schedule slippage.Over the last 20 years many cost and schedule estimation techniques have been
used with mixed sensation due to restrictions of the assessment models. A major
part of the estimations failure can be due to a lack of understanding of the
software development process and the effect of that method used in the project
plan, schedule and cost estimates.Failure Case Studies
Below are few of the case studies considered which will be analysed to fetch
the main reasons of failure of the software system.Northumbria University developed accounting software to manage its day to day
business. The project could not come up with the desired results and failed to
meet the deadlines. Te investigations showed that the basic project management
procedures were not followed. This case study is referenced in this essay at
different points where necessary. [1]Thai subsidiary (SMTL) of a Hong Kong-based multinational company (SMHK)
engaged in the manufacturing of electronic equipment. They implemented an
integrated software package; which was a failure at the several factors. These
factors were mostly management related. Such as a poor fit between the business
process assumptions inscribed in the software and the business processes in SMTL,
poor leadership at different levels, cultural differences, organizational
environment, and poor human resource management.St John’s Hospital is a District General Hospital provides medical and
nursing services, which includes both general surgery and medicine.All these
services are supported by diagnostic imaging, laboratory, ambulance, pharmacy
and therapy services, which are all on site. As the major hospital in a tourist
area, it deals with many visitors in the holiday season, generating a large
amount of non-booked admissions work.Software Management & Leadership
It has been shown repeatedly, that effective leadership is essential for successful IT implementation (Klenke, 1994). A leader must also have cultural sensitivity, communication skills, creativity, ability to delegate, and the ability to develop and retain human resources (Luthans, 1994). The software manager at (SMHK) was a western, where as the lower managers were Eastern. So there was a cultural clash going on always. Jack (Manager) always try to introduce creative thoughts. And most of the time the lower management could not do them. Hence there was a clash going on all the time.Employees also felt that management hardly ever “listened” to their concerns
or attempted to address them. Consequently, many employees were eager to leave
the company, and did so as soon as they found alternate opportunities in other
companies.Project Planning & Scheduling
Project planning means creating work breakdown, and then allocate responsibilities to the developers over time. Project planning consists of construction of various tasks, timelines and essential pathways including Gantt charts and PERT charts and different written plans for various situations.It is quite usual in software development process to work backward from the
project end date which results in complete software project failure. It is
impossible that a project can be completed efficiently from the planning stage
to the implementation stage.Allocation of roles and responsibilities has to be clearly defined, and it
becomes crucial while hiring the stall from outside. University’s higher
management failed to apply the basic project management rules which laid to the
project failure.Proper scheduling is also required before the start of the project. It
includes the time scheduling, teams scheduling. Project managers don’t know what
they have to plan and schedule. They just only tell the programmer what to do
and the programmers can come up with a proper solution.The development was moved to a new office and the office was not fully
equipped with the proper infrastructure. As time is also a big factor in success
or failure of a project. So it delayed the development process and contributed
towards the project failure. Infrastructure was not fully scheduled and
management team didn’t know where and how the project development will be
started.The top secret of a winning software development project is to control the
quality up and lower the risk. Contingency plan is also the part of planning. In
case things went wrong then this plan can be followed to lower the affect of the
failure of project. Same was the case with university’s accounting software. The
management team had no such a contingency plan nor did they evaluate the risk
involved in the development of the new system. So it caused more trouble without
the backup system or backup plan.The management just try to follow the methodologies like SDLC or RAD, but don’t know which methodology to use and at which time should apply the right technique.Cost Estimation
Cost estimation is mainly involved the cost of effort to produce the software project. But it’s not limited to the effort only. It also includes the hardware and software cost, training the employees and customer, travelling to the customer, networking and communication costs. Cost estimation should be done as a part of the software process model.Cost estimation needs to be done well before the start of the project
development. Failure of the budgeting for the cost of the project results in
complete disaster. As stated above the infrastructure cost, development tools
cost and hardware cost also needs to be estimated first.Same thing happened to university’s accounting system development. They
purchased the new system well with out any serious estimation of the cost and
the income sources.Below are the reasons why wrong cost estimation is done.Inappropriate estimation methodology
Another reason would be the use of an inappropriate cost estimation methodology. Not a single methodology is better than other. Every methodology has its own strong and weak points which should be considered. Dr. Barry Boehm’s book Software Engineering Economics lists seven estimation methodologies. One or more of these methodologies can be used to estimate the cost of a project”Good suggestion is that more than one software cost estimation methodology
should be used for accurate estimation”.Cost estimation tools
There are many drawbacks in manual cost estimation. This technique is almost obsolete now. These days successful cost estimation includes the use of appropriate commercial software cost estimating tool.Good software estimating tools do not always guarantee reliable software
estimates. Wrong input of the software size will result in wrong estimate.
Estimation software also needs to be customised for the specific need of
organization. These customisations require the data from the past projects as
input for the tool to estimate.There are number of reasons these tools can return the wrong estimate.Choosing the right estimation tool
Choice of a right estimation tool is necessary for the right estimation. The tool is not capable of handling the input and thus it can come up with the wrong estimate and hence cause the software project to fail.Ease of customisation
As mentioned above the selected tool must be customisable according to the organisation needs, so that the organization can customise it according to the needs and past project data.Easy to use and learn
The cost estimation tool should be easy to use and learn. It must include help and examples, simple and straight forward user interface. It must require less training to learn the system and inputs should be well defined.Accurate Estimation
The estimation tool must have the capability to analyse all the parameters and come up with the accurate estimation for the cost.Risk Management
Risk management is an important factor towards software project failure if it’s not managed timely and effectively. As nothing can be predicted that what will happen in future so we have to take the necessary steps in the present to take any uncertain situation in the future. Risk management means dealing with a concern before it becomes a crisis.Risk IdentificationAccording to the Universal risk Project there are two types of conditions which can be a symbol of as risk.
IF-THEN Statements
“IF technology is not available, THEN we will not meet the requirement”
“IF we cannot hire sufficient qualified software engineers, THEN we cannot meet the planned development schedule
CONDITION-CONSEQUENCE Statements
Given the “condition”, there is a likelihood that the “consequence” will occur
“Given that this specific test fails (the CONDITION), the CONSEQUENCE is that the planned schedule will slip”
Project managers have to identify the areas where the risk can be and how it
can affect the development of the project. Risk can be of technical nature or
non technical. Project managers needs to be aware of both the risks. Most of the
projects managers are not good in either of the side. A good manager with
programming skills can be good in identifying the technical risk but not in non
technical risk.Risk Analysis
After the risk is identified there is a need to make the categories of that risk. Risk analysis is the process of examining the project results and deliverables after the risk analysis and applying the technique to lower the risk. After risk analysis is complete, the proper risk analysis plan needs to be made to cope with any uncertain situation. First identified risks are categorized and make the hierarchy of those risks. At this point the risk is classified as the positive or negative risks.Risk Prioritization
After the risk is analyzed, the next step is to priorities the risk. At first focus on the most sever risk first; and les sever later. These risk factors can worked from time to time so that the final project out come is free of risk. So most of the time project management team fails to identify the sever risk and work on the less sever risk. This often results in the form of a crisis.Risk Avoidance
Dealing with the risk is an art. Some times the management takes the projects with out identifying the proper risk involved in the project. So an experienced manager will take the project after proper risk analysis and avoid any risk involved in the project.Risk control
Managing the risk to achieve the desired results and deliverables is done through controlling the risk at its best. This is a pure intuitive process and depends on the experience of the project management team, or risk already managed in past projects which were done by the same organization.Conclusion
This essay has presented three basic factors which can cause the software development project to fail. Planning & Scheduling, cost estimation and risk management. All of these factors are to be considered at the management level and then transferred to the lower management.Planning & Scheduling comes at first, good planning and scheduling makes the
strong foundation for the software project. Project planning consists of
construction of various tasks, timelines and essential pathways including Gantt
charts and PERT charts and different written plans for various situations. If
these factors are not taken into part then the software may encounter problems
during the development and the final product will be a failure.Cost estimation depends on the budget of the project, customer type and the
size and effort to be put in the project. Cost estimations are done many times
during the life cycle of a project. It affects the project in many ways, wrong
estimation complete failure, affect the good-will of the organisation if the
costs are not covered, stake holders are affected and waste of resources.Managing the risk is a practical approach for decreasing the ambiguity and
possible loss related with a software development project. Potential measures
can be considered as opportunity-focused (positive risk) if their consequences
are favourable, or as threat-focused (negative risk) if their consequences are
unfavourable.
Top Five Accounting Software Programs
The days of handwritten ledgers are long past. These days, if you want accurate records and payroll, you turn to a viable computer solution to keep your business running smoothly. Managing inventory, accounts and receivable, and bills just can’t be done on a spreadsheet, either. You need a proven accounting software platform that can record every financial move you make, call up various reports when needed, and integrate with other programs your company uses.Question is, which software is best for you? Some packages are quite expensive, and could account for the bulk of your operations budget. As such, a program could provide more than you actually need, depending on the size and scope of your work. As you consult with computer enterprise software consultants about the right system for you, you may find the same brands touted over and again. Five popular and trusted names in accounting software may provide the basics and extra features your company will find useful.In no particular order, five top brands of accounting software include:1) Quickbooks – a trusted named in software, QuickBooks accepts credit card payments and imports spreadsheet files, and also allows multiple users to access and update the system simultaneously.2) Peachtree Complete – a top name in the industry, Peachtree provides a flexible integration that allows users to import data from other accounting programs. Most versions of Peachtree offer as many as 75 different templates for billing, payroll, and A/R.3) DacEasy – for a small business in need of the basics, DacEasy is a good option. There’s nothing too fancy, just straightforward options for billing and inventory and other functions.4) NetSuite – if you handle sales over the Internet, NetSuite offers options for eCommerce most will find invaluable. That the program breaks down functionality according to the different roles in your office is a plus.5) MYOB Business Essentials – you can import bank statements, customize forms, and naviagate your accounts with ease.When you are ready for an accounting solution for your business, talk with a professional consultant about these or other programs.
More Sights and Hotels of Lindos, Greece
Lindos, the jewel of the island of Rhodes, which is located on the southern end of the island and near the Turkish coast, is hub of the thousands of adventure-seeking, thrill-hungry travelers that come across the island. In addition to this, the island is one of the most popular vacation spots in Greece and in the Mediterranean. In fact, the high times of the year for the numbers of travelers, is from the months of March and October.This is also true for the other resort towns on the island, such as Faliraki, Lindos and of course the old town of Rhodes, which gets their fair share of tourism. In these towns, you will not find any goat herds or fishing villages, as most are on the nearby islands that surround Rhodes. Lindos has restaurants of many ethnicities, bars, nightclubs, shopping centers and markets, where you relax or buy the things that you want. You should, at least, take with you, a small souvenir to show you friends and family back home. Also, while in or near Lindos, try going water or wind surfing, if you are a water sport lover or just want to try these activities for the first time. The beaches that surround Lindos are as fine as the Greek vintage wine that is served in many of the resort’s restaurants.In speaking of the beachside of Lindos, there are rows of beach houses and hotels that are similar to the ones in Santa Monica or Venice Beach, California-but only more vibrant and colorful. Generally speaking, the beach houses shine in the Mediterranean sun, which gives the colorful trappings of the hotels, even more colorful appearance.If you do not want to be close to the beachside, there are hotels that are located, in the southern part of Lindos. These Lindos hotels [http://www.rhodes-hotels.info/hotels-Lindos.php] complexes are nearly of the same quality and style as the ones on the beachside and they are less noisy as well. Simply put, more privacy, less noise and nearly no clear view of the sea.
Payday Loans 101: A Rundown on the Fundamentals
Payday loans happen to be one of the most advertised services you can find online. These loans are considered ‘short-term’ and are designed to offer clients a quick relief from financial troubles. People who are faced with unpleasant and unexpected finance-related problems often resort to loans for a quick fix. Others who find it difficult to stretch their budget until the next payday also come running to these quick loan providers for a little help. These payday loan stores usually offer round-the-clock services online.If loaning money would ease your monetary burden away, this type of loan can easily be the answer to your needs.So what are requirements are needed to avail the loans? Read on and learn the rest of the payday loan loans fundamentals.What are the basic requirements?A typical payday loan provider would normally ask applicants to complete or fulfill basic requirements to be eligible for the loan, such as the following:• Borrowers must be of legal age. This means borrowers must be at least 18 years old in the UK or 21 years old in the US.• Borrowers must also submit proof of permanent income.In some cases, when the borrower is unemployed, he will be requested to submit any document that would attest to his capacity to pay the amount loaned.• Borrowers must be a holder of valid savings or checking account.What is the application process like?Most lenders or loan provider now have their online portals so borrowers can apply even without having to drop by the office. Customer service representatives receive the applications and then process them. Borrowers can have their application approved in as short as one hour to 24 hours. The loan will then be digitally credited to their preferred bank account. Applicants with good credit standing often get to enjoy the money within the same day of application. The paperless application makes the entire process a breeze.Other options may be provided. To some people who do not want to have the money deposited to their account, they can avail of the loan through checks. Each lender has its own set of rules, but most loan providers employ a simplified loan processing system.What makes payday loans so enticing?Most lenders market their services as a ‘no credit checking’ required system. They tend to capture a bigger market as those who have failed to be approved in traditional loans get another chance at this. The convenience in applying online, the simplicity of requirements, and the lenient processing are all a big plus to those who need instant cash the soonest possible time.What are the loanable amounts?In the US, the minimum amount depends on the state. In some state, borrowers can loan $50 minimum to a maximum of $1000 that is payable in 2-4 weeks. With some payday loan providers, they tend to require checks from borrowers if the amount exceeds $500. Note that there are states that also prohibit this kind of business.How much are the interest rates?This is probably one of the most important points to consider when planning to apply for this type of short-term loan. Payday loans come with a very high-interest rate. To illustrate an example, a borrower may have to pay an extra $20 for every $100 borrowed. Note that as this is a short-term loan, the amount may have to be paid back the next pay day or a within a maximum of three months. On average, a borrower in the US is required to pay roughly 400%, this is according to the Consumer Federation of America. When a borrower fails to pay the loan within the given timeframe, a massive interest rate is again included in the calculation.Do banks offer payday loans?Commercial banks are now slowly inching their ways towards this industry. Apart from the enormous returns earned in short-term loans, the growing market and potential customers are also growing by the day. This is also another way for banks to convince people to open checking and regular savings account. The banks can have full control and can easily monitor the borrower’s personal cash flow, making it easier for them to background and perform credit check if he or she intends to renew her loan. It is also a more convenient way of deducting payments directly from a bank accounts. Therefore, it is no longer surprising if all commercial banks would eventually branch into this kind of business.What should borrowers remember?Payday loans, like a mortgage or any type of loans, is a responsibility. It entails obligations and comes with serious penalties if not settled. Borrowers need to remember that while the loans are instant, they should stay within a reasonable bracket when applying. A number of interests are non-negotiable and they should expect a massive difference between the loan principal and the amount to be paid. As in any other crime involving money and the neglecting payments, serious legal consequences await irresponsible borrower.
Planning An Herb Garden With Culinary Herbs, Medicinal Herbs and Aromatic Herbs
Planning an herb garden can be fun and rewarding. Herbs have been in use for centuries for culinary, medicinal and aromatic reasons. For generations tribal leaders and healers passed down the herbal secrets. Many modern medicines have an herb base. Modern herbalist mix medicinal herb for their clients. Many herbalists also mix aromatic herbs for beauty purposes. But, of course, the culinary herb is still the most widely used. You can become a kitchen gardener by growing an herb garden right in your kitchen on a sunny windowsill.For the discussion of herbal gardening today we will plant the herbs found in the Elizabethan Era and so often mentioned in William Shakespeare’s works. The plants selected will be culinary herbs, medicinal herbs and aromatic herbs, all to experience the aromas and flavors of that time.Herbal gardening is wonderful since the herbs can be grown in a variety of ways. Plant a container garden for you deck or patio for great colors, different textures and super aromas. Planning an herb garden in the ground will allow you to cultivate a traditional kitchen herb garden outside. Or if you have limited space, become an inside kitchen gardener and plant your herbs on a windowsill or in a window box.When planning your herb garden remember that the herbs need well drained soil, they hate wet feet. Test your soil for the herb garden and make sure it is alkaline. All Herbs need at least six hours of sunlight.When Elizabethans planted aromatic herbs, culinary herbs and medicinal herbs they used either a symmetrical rectangular or square patterns. The Elizabethans were very formal and felt their herb gardens should be too. Their herbal gardens had walkways, as strolling through the garden was a popular pastime. They had no TV’S! If you are planting your herbal garden near a patio, think about adding a strolling path for yourself. The paths will add character to you herbal garden.In planning an herb garden be sure to take in to consideration the growing habits of each herb. Plant the taller busier herbs in the back of the garden, the small, compact ones in the front. Most herbs are perennials meaning they will grow back each year. Any of the herbs that need to be planted annually should go in a spot in the herb garden that is easy to get to. Give each herb plenty of room to grow. The herbs need air circulation to prevent mold. This stage of planning an herb garden is essential since once the plants become mature they do not like to be moved.When you plant an herb garden, you can either start from seeds or get small plants from your garden center. The garden center plants will give a better chance of achieving success in the herb garden. When using seeds, plan ahead because the seeds may need to grow for several months before they are ready to plant into the herb garden. Especially if you are a beginner, I would recommend using the small plants from the garden center.Go to a reputable garden center to purchase you herbs. Inspect your herbs closely to make sure they are healthy. One infected plant can ruin your whole herbal garden. When using the small herbs from the garden center you will be able to harvest your herbs much sooner. When you take the herbs out to be planted in the herbal garden, gently remove the plant from the pot and loosen the soil around the roots. Place the herb in the spot you have chosen or the container that you have prepared. Cover all of the roots with soil and gently tamp down. Give your new herbs plenty of water checking the moisture each day. Never let the soil dry out but don’t make your herbs roots too wet. If you are planting a container garden remember that the dirt in a container will dry out more quickly then the ground. You might find that the herbs will droop for a couple of days. Don’t fret that is shock but they will recover.Once you have learned the herbs growth patterns you can start pinching off to get a bushier herb. When you first start out, keep a journal for your herb garden to keep track of each herbs strengths and weaknesses. After you get to know your herb garden you will be able to tell when the plants need attention.Over the centuries herbs have evolved into very hardy plants. Once you herbal garden is established it will need very little care. To hold moisture for the herb longer, mulch around the plants. This is a good garden tip whether you plant the herbs in container gardens or in the ground.Herbs are natural insect repellents but if you have to treat for pests be sure you use a non toxic treatment since you will be eating your harvest. Marigolds are a natural repellent so you may want to plant of few of these flowers. Planting companion plants is how most Shakespearian gardens were done.Harvest can begin as soon as you have several leaves on the herb. It is best to cut your herbs before they begin to flower for the best flavor. This is when the most oils are stored in the leaves. Wait until any morning dew has dissipated before cutting but harvest before the full sun is out. You can cut your herbs right before you wish to use them. If the stems are tender these too can be used in your recipes.If you have an abundant harvest you can freeze or dry the herbs. Dry them by hanging them upside down, in a bunch tied together, in a warm and dark place. You can microwave them by placing them between two paper towels and microwaving for 2 minutes. Put them in an air tight container, they will last up to 1 year.Freezing the bounty of your herb garden will let them last a little longer, a year to year and a half. Chop up the herbs and place on a sheet of wax paper. Freeze for at least 2 hours. Another method is to put the herbs in ice cube trays with water. Freeze until firm, pop them out and put them in to zip lock bags. When ever you need the herbs for soups, stews or sauces, just throw in an herb ice cube.Now, here is the list of Shakespearian Herbs to plant in your Elizabethan herb garden including culinary herbs, aromatic herbs and medicinal herbs. It will truly make you a kitchen gardener.Bay, box, Broom, Calendula, Chamomile, Chives, Heartsease, Hyssop, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Parsley, Peppermint, Rosemary, Rue, Salad Burnet, Summer Savory, Bachelors Buttons and Thyme. For more information on each herb, email me or search on the internet.Happy Gardening!Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.