The Care of Cattleya Orchids
July 3, 2008
Cattleya Care: a bit more in-depth.
This month we are going to go into some detail about the care of cattleya orchids. These orchids are probably the easiest to care for and like all plants need water, light and fertilizer. Playing some nice music or talking to them doesn’t hurt either.
Most of the wild cattleyas grow in rain forests of South America, namely in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Mexico. They flourish in the Andes from altitudes near sea level to high altitudes of 9 - 10,000 feet. These orchids are truly epiphytes or air plants. So, they are used to being partly covered by the canopy of the rain forest and get considerable humidity and bright light to grow.
Being in the forest as noted above they are used to diffuse light all be it bright light. They generally do not have direct mid day sunlight. The bright light helps them to develop hard pseudopods. The pseudopods are the orchids main way to hold water which is so important for their growth and life. It is from the pseudopods that the orchid flowers come from.
Invite Spring Early - Grow in Your Basement
June 29, 2008
Now’s the time to get ready to grow your own seedlings! It’s not really difficult, and can extend your growing season by many weeks. For example, by planting brassica’s (cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower) in February in your basement under grow-lights, you can put large, sturdy transplants into your garden by the end of March or early April, and be eating them when others are just seeing them come up! However, remembering that photosynthesis, using light, heat and moisture causes plant growth, you must follow a few key natural principles very carefully, or you will be disappointed.
First, seeds must have moisture to germinate and grow. And the soil mix must be moist, but not soggy, or you’ll drown the new plant, since it must also have oxygen!
Second, while heat is essential, temperatures must be maintained in a narrow range for ideal germination to occur. Most vegetable seeds germinate quickly between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. After plants are up, many of them will grow in cooler temperatures, but most all will become dormant (stop growing) at temperatures below 50 degrees.
The Perfect Yellow Roses for Your Home or Garden
June 25, 2008
Yellow roses are beauties, aren’t they? Don’t they look beautiful on a sunny morning? Yellow roses say spring just their look and color. The yellow rose, while somewhat rare in its natural habitat, is becoming a popular item in the floral shop. Yellow roses might be what you are looking for, and if so, there are several ways to find the perfect yellow rose for your home or garden.
Yellow roses are one of a number of different colored roses that are available in garden centers and even discount department stores. But, there are so many varieties to choose from that you shouldn’t limit yourself to whatever those places have on hand. Check out your local garden center for an idea of what they offer, but then explore the yellow rose varieties online as well. It is not a difficult task to find rose distributors who are able to supply yellow roses to the average customer. And, in doing so, you allow yourself to have many choices at your fingertips!
The Exotic Rose of Sharon
June 23, 2008
Perhaps you were browsing the pages of a catalog and found a beautiful picture of the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus Sriacus)? Or maybe you were lucky enough to see a Rose of Sharon in person at a local garden center?
Are you wondering whether these will make a beautiful addition to your home? Getting a little knowledge of these beautiful plants will allow you to make a decision.
Although once somewhat uncommon, the Rose of Sharon has become a widely loved plant. Not your typical rose bush, these are more like shrubs. Other names for Rose of Sharon include althea and shrub althea. Some can grow up to 10 feet tall, while most maintain a height of 5 feet. Sounds like a tree? It looks like a beautiful shrub with blooms of a variety of colors. The Rose of Sharon makes for a great fence as well. Placed several side by side in a row, they create a natural fence that will enliven any landscape.
What You Should Know About Miniature Roses
June 19, 2008
Miniature roses are exactly what they sound like. They have all of the fragrance and beauty of a regular rose, but they have smaller blooms. These particular roses are great for indoor planting.
Miniature roses are one of many types of roses available widely. These roses, as their name implies, are smaller versions of the more common roses. They offer the same beauty and fragrances as their larger cousins. The consumer can find a large selection in a variety of colors and shape available to them. Caring for these miniature roses is no more difficult then caring for the larger variety. But, taking the time to learn about the miniature rose is key in maintaining them over a long period of time
Miniature roses come in many colors and varieties. There truly is something to please everyone. These roses are great additions to a flower bed, window box or even inside the home or office as a potted variety. With so many choices available, the demand for these roses has risen. Once hard to find, they are now available in most garden centers and even in discount department stores as well. Now, this is not to say that the consumer can’t find better, more hardy options other places.
Would You Like More Information About Climbing Roses?
June 16, 2008
What is more beautiful than seeing a home or building with an arch of climbing roses in the landscaping? Climbing roses are one of many plants that branch out and intertwine themselves among arches, trellises, or even buildings and railings. They can add a great landscape element to any foundation.
Climbing roses are different from the regular roses that are planted as they are trained to grow upward like vines. Some of them are hybrid teas, wichuraine, and large flowered climbers. They are a beautiful addition to the look of one´s house
Would you like more information about climbing roses? It is easy to learn about this great beauty. First of all, there are many types of climbing roses. They range in color, texture, and look. They also range in hardiness as well. Of course, you need to know what you are looking of in your climbing rose. When choosing climbing roses, some things that you need to consider are size, shade tolerance, disease resistance and colour.
Most important is knowing your hardiness level. This tells you what will grow in your area. Also as important is to pick varieties that will grow in the element you are placing them. What type of soil will you use? Will the area have full sun, partial sun, or will it be in shade.
How to Care for Long Stem Roses
June 13, 2008
Widely considered to be the most popular roses for all occasions, what many people think of as classic long stem roses are in fact Hybrid Teas. A mixture between the Hybrid Perpetual and Tea Rose from China, these long stem beauties have long pointy buds with up to 30-50 petals per bloom.
Since the first discovered Hybrid Tea in 1867, there has been an explosion leading to thousands of long stem varieties coming in virtually every color except for blue or black. These long stem roses tend to flower continuously and can grow 2-6 feet tall. High susceptibility to disease and less fragrant smell, when compared to other types of roses, is often attributed to the great deal of inbreeding that has taken place to achieve the attractiveness of long stem roses.
Keep your long stem roses growing tall When planting your long stem roses, be sure to select an area where they will get 6 hours of sunlight and good air circulation.
Do hard pruning in the late winter or early spring just as new growth begins. Remove old damaged canes from the center to let in fresh air and sunlight, leaving the thick healthy ones forming a circle on the outside. Cut the remaining stems to 12-24 inches and fertilize in a few weeks time.
Black Walnut Trees Produce A Natural Insecticide
June 9, 2008
The black walnut tree manufactures a substance that is a natural insecticide according to experts at the Texas State University in Austin.
American black walnut tress contain a tannic acid chemists call juglone. The reddish yellow substance leaches from leaves, and some believe exudes from roots, or transfers from branches and foliage to the roots. Tree physiologists agree that roots of other plants that come in contact with those black walnut tree roots die–even other black walnut seedlings.
Juglone is sometimes washed out of the still green walnuts during late summer or even autumn rains. The growth of plants 60 to 80 feet away are inhibited by the juglone. The substance affects plants of various families. Studies have found that tomatoes, alfalfa, potatoes, apples, blackberries, rhododendron, mountain laurel and pine trees are all affected.
According to a professor and extension forester at Iowa State University, juglone is known to repel various garden insects. Just by placing branches of the tree around the house and under furniture dog and cat owners are amazed to find that their pets have fewer fleas.
For more information on natural flea control:
http://www.apluswriting.net/onlynaturalpetstore/fleacontrol.htm
For more information on natural garden products:
Want a Garden, But Don?t have Enough Dirt Or Space? Hydroponics Gardening Is The Answer!
June 6, 2008
Hydroponics gardening is the perfect solution for anybody who wants a garden, but does not have enough space or dirt. Hydroponics gardening is, simply put, a method of growing plants using a nutrient solution instead of dirt. With hydroponics gardening, you are able to grow beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables virtually anywhere you want.
In addition, hydroponics gardening requires much less maintenance than a normal garden would. In fact, you will usually spend less than five minutes a day maintaining your hydroponics garden. Every few weeks the nutrient solution will have to be replaced, but that too will only take a few minutes. While some heavy fruiting vegetables like tomatoes and peppers may not be able to thrive in the nutrient solution, almost all other types of flowers and vegetables will just fine in a hydroponics garden.
Tips for the person new to Hydroponics Gardening.
While hydroponics gardening might seem difficult to a person doing it for the first time, you will be able to quickly get the hang of it. Just like you need gardening supplies for a regular garden, you will need hydroponics gardening supplies for hydroponics gardening.
Herbs: Growing Your Own
June 3, 2008
The first thing you need to do when deciding to create your own Herb Garden is to decide on the size of the plot of land you want to use. This will depend on what herbs and how much you want to grow. Unless you are an experienced gardener or a herb fanatic don’t make your plot too big at first. Remember, you can always add to it later. You can create a raised bed to grow your herbs in and always add more when you decide you need to grow more. Remember to plan out your planting sequence and keep records of what is planted where as well as marking your planting with plastic nametags.
You need to remember that most herbs usually like well-drained soil so start your bed with a good layer of gravel that will help drainage. Place your soil on top of this but remember to add some compost into this. If you have a free draining soil to start with you should be able to manage without the gravel. Make sure your plot is in full sun as many herbs originate in the Mediterranean region.
