Air Cleaning Plants – Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums, a.k.a. Mums, are an easy perennial to grow. This is clear by their wide representations in gardens across the globe. Another reason people love growing Chrysanthemums is that they come in nearly every color, save blue. They also can be found of varying heights. Their flowers comes in single and double heads, anemone centers, but also doubles that are similar to daisies. Lastly, the growing period is longer than the rose. They begin in early July and finish all the way in December. When you make the decision to plant Chrysanthemums, you must choose between hardy mums and florist mums. The former are suitable for growing in harsher climates, while the latter are fine for indoors. Either way, Chrysanthemums filter out benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and ammonia from the air. So keep a few plants in your home and contribute to a healthier environment for you and your family. Light Mums love 6 to 8 hours of full light, but they will do well with a mere 5 to 6 hours. They do require their night cycle of darkness in order to develop their flowers properly, though. So any nearby artificial lights would destroy this cycle. Also, you probably will not see buds starting until the nights reach close to 10 hours long. Then it will be another 6 to 10 weeks before the flowers bloom. Water Mums require watering once a week, but be sure to let the water soak in. Never just sprinkle them with water or your flowers will not form properly. If your Chrysanthemums happen to dry out, just drop them in water or poke holes in the soil prior to watering them. It is important to keep watering them during the Winter. Soil Avoid mildew from wet roots by planting your Mums in well draining soil. Add some compost when you plant them and add a bit more on top. Just after the blooming ends, mulch your Chrysanthemums with 2 to 3 inches of light mulch, such as straw or bark chips. This will protect them from colder Winter temperatures. Propagation When you plant your Chrysanthemums, be sure to place them at least 18 inches apart. The fresh air that circulates around the plant will ward off mildew. Place about a half an inch of soil on top of the roots of your seedlings and keep them out of direct sunlight for three days. This is a recovery time from the shock of planting. You can also propagate Chrysanthemums from cuttings. Clip a 4-inch stem off that has leaves. Place it in vermiculite or some other non-soil substance for growing. Give it bright sunlight and maintain its moisture. Roots will appear within a couple of weeks. Place it in a cup-sized container with holes in the bottom, containing soil. Fertilize it weekly for 3 weeks, then transplant it to a regular pot and fertilize normally. Even aside from other forms of propagation, Mums should be divided every 3 to 5 years, so they do not crowd themselves out of resources. It also ensures the best flowering. Dividing should be done in the Spring as soon as new growth is apparent. Growing Grow bronze or burgundy Mums, because they hide their age much better. Try also to grow doubles rather than singles for the same reason. To keep your flowers coming you have to keep watering and pinching off the spent flowers. Pinching is best done from Spring to the beginning of Summer. Pinching also encourages branching when done in the Spring up to the middle of July. If you have warm weather then you will have to tend to your Mums daily. Cooler weather demands a simple every other day schedule. However, cool temperatures create more dramatic colors in the flowers. While Mums really are perennials, they end up as annuals, because they have such shallow roots and get pushed out of the ground easily be frost. When your Mums die back from the cold weather of Winter, cut the rest back to the soil. Keep the moisture off their leaves and especially the ice. Build up some extra soil around the plant to create a mound and dig a small drainage ditch around the mound to feed any runoff away from the roots. It is good to get into the practice of relocating your Chrysanthemums every 3 years to prevent infestations and diseases in the soil. If that is too difficult, then at least find a way to sterilize the soil. The Final Word Chrysanthemums are simple to grow and to propagate. They bloom through the months when other plants are completely spent. While many plants cannot...
Growing Pea Sprouts for Chinese Food
Pea sprouts, a.k.a. pea shoots, pea greens, or pea tips, are an essential element of Chinese food. Perk up your lunches and suppers with fresh pea sprouts that you grow in your own garden. The nice thing about growing pea sprouts is that even if you are a poor gardener and have failed growing mature pea plants, you will succeed with ease at growing pea sprouts. Within 2-3 weeks your job will be done. You will be eating fresh, crisp pea sprouts and boasting to your friends about your crop. Of course, you will need to beg, borrow, or steal some dry pea seeds to get started. To make things super simple, buy dried peas from the market. They will work fine. About 500 seeds will run you less than $1. If you want something very special, buy some snow peas and use their seeds instead. It may be a bit more expensive, but they will offer a unique flavor to add to any dish. Be sure to plant more seeds, rather than less. You will eat plenty of sprouts in no time at all. It takes many seeds to satisfy the palette when they taste so good. Begin by soaking the seeds for 3-4 hours in water. While they are soaking, choose some pots that are deep enough for roots, at least 4 inches. Rinse the pots, and then sprinkle a little baking soda in them. Wet your sponge and scrub. Rinse again at least 3 times. Punch many small holes in the bottoms for water drainage, since good draining soil is ideal for pea sprouts. Now you can add either compost or soil, but make sure the result is a sandy, well draining soil. You would do best to mix a little compost in with the sandy soil to contribute rich nutrients. Pack the pea seeds in as densely as you like. There is no worry here about spacing the plants, because you will harvest them too early for this to be a concern. When pea sprouts grow in warmer weather they turn out woodier and less tender than if grown in cooler temperatures. This means you can grow them indoors during the winter. However, remember this one point: try not to overwater them. One very sober warning is that if you grow your tender, delicious pea sprouts outside you will be feeding the neighborhood wildlife. You might find it more productive to grow these in a window indoors or a small greenhouse. After merely a day, you will see roots pop out and then the plants will begin to grow small shoots. Within only 2-3 weeks, your sprouts will be perfect for harvesting. Do not wait too long or you will find too many tendrils on your plants that will turn out to be too tough to eat. Harvesting at the 2-3 week mark will yield tender tendrils though. You can clip them off near the soil and grow a second crop. They may be smaller than the first, but they will taste as sweet and tender. You can store the pea sprouts in a plastic bag in the fridge for as long as a week and they will maintain much of their great flavor. However, if you want crisp pea sprouts you should use them with 24-48 hours from the time you have harvested them. Cooking these beauties up is simple. Fry them in oil with a lot of garlic, the way pea sprouts are cooked in traditional Chinese...
Peruvian Lily – Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria is indigenous to South American countries, such as Brazil and Chile. While it is technically a flowering herbaceous plant, you will find it most commonly sold as cut flowers. Alstroemeria is a perennial that strongly resembles the Lily. It is easily identified by the upside down leaves. Since the plant grows spirally, the leaves end up with their bottoms on top. This has led to its association with devotion and friendship throughout many different cultures, the reason being that friendship also has many twists and turns. The petals are typically striped, while the flowers come in lavender, pink, salmon, apricot, orange, white, red, and yellow. They are without fragrance, though. Planting Choose a site with spotty to full sunlight, unless you live in a location where the temperature of your soil exceeds 70 degree F. Then choose a place where your Alstroemerias will be protected by the Sun in the afternoon. If you do not, then your plants will not yield flowers, but will remain dormant. Putting your plants in a greenhouse will allow you to control the temperature during the first 6 weeks and create high quality flowers on shorter stems. Clear the ground of debris, including organic (i.e. grass). If you are facing clay for your soil, consider instead building a top soil consisting of 70% organic material and 30% perlite. Otherwise, dig into the soil that is already present, tilling it for planting. Whatever soil you plant them in, it must provide enough air and drainage. Place Alstroemeria in 2-inch deep holes 3′ apart. Cover the rhizomes until it is level with the surrounding ground. Make sure to plant only when temperatures are above 50F. It can be in the Spring or the Autumn. Of course, you should water the rhizomes when you plant them and keep them wet until the first shoots come up. Then water with approximately 1″ of water every week until Alstroemeria is well established. You can protect Alstroemeria from the heat of Summer by surrounding the base with a ring of mulch 3″ deep. Bark or compost works best, but avoid placing it directly on the plant. Growing The stems of dead flowers should be trimmed to free up energy to make new ones. If your Alstroemeria is over 2 years old, supplement its soil during the growing season with nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Alstroemeria will flower profusely for 3-6 years, after which the quality and quantity of blossoms will diminish. Rather than wasting your efforts on such a small return, it is better to replace your plants with new ones. Do not expect many flowers the first year, if you are growing them outside. A heated greenhouse is ideal, but even outside you can encourage between 120-150 stems per square meter following the first year. The rhizomes are the location of most of the development in the plant. When the soil is too hot, development suffers, resulting in poor flowers. Consequently, the Autumn and Winter are prime periods for shoot production in the Alstroemeria. In early Spring the leaves are more prone to scorching, particularly when temperatures are changing so quickly. To avoid this, simply ventilate and heat whenever humidity surpasses 85%. Watering You should heavily water your Alstroemeria since the roots are mostly located as deep as 25cm below the surface of the soil. In Autumn and Winter, during intensive growth, reduce watering for a few weeks. Nutrients When growing Alstroemeria, pH plays a strong role in controlling nutrients. For example, at a pH higher than 7, deficiencies in both iron and manganese arise, showing in a yellowing of the leaves. This yellowing can also happen because of a loss of roots, either due to a period of high production or from a loss due to low light conditions. If the plant gets to this point, both cold soil and too much water will exacerbate the...
8 Basic Tips for Beginning Gardening
When you plan your garden choose plants that require similar nutrients, soil, and sunlight. This will make your chores far simpler and you will have a better garden. Soil Types There are only three fundamental soil types: sand, silt, and clay. You should identify which kind you have and choose plants appropriately. Otherwise, you can pot a different kind of soil for use with each plant respectively. Organic Fertilizer ‘Fertilizer’ has become a naughty word in our eco-conscious world. Keep in mind, though, that cow manure, which is as natural as rain, is also fertilizer. It is always best to use organic fertilizers, because the role of fertilizers is to augment the nutrition levels in the soil. If you are putting inorganic substances into the garden, then you are suppressing the nutrients and discouraging plant friendly microbes and worms. Remember to follow instructions carefully. Mulch the Soil Mulching minimizes the weed growth. Weeds compete for water and nutrients, which means mulching preserves water and nutrients for your plant’s use. A dense layer of mulch will hold in moisture and adjust temperature according to the climate. In warmer climates it will keep the soil cooler and in colder climates warmer. Bark mulch is the best kind. Diseases and Pests You should familiarize yourself with the most common diseases and pests for your plants; only then can you keep your garden population healthy and green. Remember to choose the method for controlling diseases and pests that utilizes the least amount of chemical agents. Pruning You should prune as early as you can. Watch for buds that are beginning to appear. The warmer Spring weather aids in the healing cuts you make, but a young tree should be pruned as little as possible. More of the tree’s energy is directed toward healing the pruned part and less toward growth of the specimen. Clip off sprouts from the roots, since they do not contribute flowers or fruits and are unattractive. To maintain an attractive appearance, prune the oldest parts each year and leave the youngest. Keep in mind that each plant grows at different rates, so prune appropriately. For example, trim a lilac more often than a rhododendron, since the lilac grows faster. When you are dealing with flowering shrubs, prune after the last blossoms are spent to avoid removing flowers before they blossom (i.e. mock orange). When pruning, remove any dead or diseased parts of the plant all the way down to the healthy parts. Any broken branches are also good candidates for pruning. Flowering Plants Encouraging plants to flower requires the same kind of attention as does growing any plants. However, there are two special elements pertaining to flowering plants that you should keep in mind. Firstly, you should remove spent flowers as soon as they pass their prime. This stops them from falling into the soil and creating ideal conditions for diseases. It also allows energy to go to the rest of the plant. This is especially true of flowering annuals, but is just as applicable to flowering shrubs. Secondly, you should maintain your own compost and supplement it with potash or potassium. This must be the largest nutrient in the compost that you will use in your flowering plant’s soil. Water When deciding when to water and how often, there are no solid rules that apply to every plant. So you must become an excellent observer as you care for your plants. The plant type, soil type and contour, the weather, the plant’s exposure to wind, rain, and sunlight, the season, and so many other factors affect how watering should be administered. That having been said, there are some general principles that can be applied. Remember not to water every day for plants that need regular watering. Water a longer time every 2-3 days to encourage their roots to grow deep. Shallow roots give the plant a weak foundation, but watering every few days grows a stronger base for your plants. The quickest and easiest method for determining whether or not a plant requires watering is by checking its soil. If you get a soil core sampler you can occasionally take a sample from 6-12 inches underground. This is the surest way to determine what is going on where your plant’s roots live. If it is moist, everything is fine. If it is dry, then your roots are not getting any water and you should water. Composting Take the organic scraps from your kitchen garbage and place them in a compost heap. You can also include shredded materials from your pruning. Do not put fruit or vegetable scraps that include the outside of the...
Mulching in the Fall
All gardeners know that when Fall comes there are a few critical chores that must be done, regardless of how onerous they may be. Raking leaves, removing dead plant materials, and mulching are among a few of them. Mulching is not a glorious task, but it comes with the territory of gardening. Many gardeners turn to fertilizers to improve the state of their gardens, but do not think fully through the ramifications, let alone the options. As an example, most liquid fertilizers on the market today contain nitrogen as their main component. While this makes it easy for the plants to absorb the fertilizer, it also allows what is left in the soil to wash into the water table. The consequences are richer nutrients in our water, encouraging algal and bacterial growth. Think about the quality of water you will use to take a shower or to drink, next time you reach for the liquid blue nitrogen. Benefits of Good Mulch Mulch prevents soil erosion by diverting runoff. It also creates a layer that holds in the moisture. Mulch sets up the perfect conditions for plants’ roots by maintaining cooler temperatures in the summer and warmer in the winter. There are so many benefits from using mulch that it should be considered as a first resort for improving the health of your garden. By laying down a 2 to 4-inch layer of mulch, you deter the growth of weeds. As the mulch degrades, it contributes to soil aeration. The ability of the soil to drain is improved. Soil particulates are more capable of aggregating as well, developing a healthier soil structure. This same layer can protect against some plant diseases. Mulch physically deters lawnmowers and weed whackers from damaging trees when placed around the base of the tree. Types of Mulch Typical kinds of mulch found in gardens include organic, rocks, plastic sheets, landscape fabric, and newspaper. The best is certainly organic materials, since it will have fewer detriments on the health of your plants. Wood chips are the most popular mulching choice, due to their aesthetics and durability. They also can contribute a fine aroma to your garden area. Heavy rain is a killer on bark mulch, carrying off many pieces. Cedar, Pine, and Cyprus are among the best-known bark mulches. Other kinds of organic mulches include shredded leaves and compost. These contribute the greatest amount of nutrients to your soil and help your garden grow. You can turn the leaves under the top soil after they have decomposed. Just pile on a new layer of leaf mulch. You can also use grass clippings as mulch if your grass has not had any chemicals used on it. Rocks are very specific mulch. They increase solar radiation and heat up your garden area. They are also quite permanent, so use them with care. There is no nutritional value added to your soil. However, rocks do kill weeds. Plastic sheets are typically black and highly effective at stopping weeds from growing up. They trap water in and kill weeds very effectively. It is not healthy for spots with poor drainage. It is useful in the early Spring to get the soil warmed sooner and planting of tomatoes jumpstarted. Add bark mulch to lower the heat absorbed and to hide it as an eye sore. Your local landscape store will carry many kinds of woven materials for use in mulching. These include plastic, fiber, and even paper. They are treated with a chemical coating to prevent their own decomposition. They differ from plastic sheets, by encouraging the circulation of both moisture and air. The proper use is to cover it in an additional layer of some other mulch to prevent weeds from taking root atop of it. Newspaper is made chiefly of organic materials, aside from the inks. If the paper is glossy, the chemicals take over the mix and it becomes dangerous to use as mulch. If it looks bad to place layers of newspapers around your plants, you can cover them with a thin layer of bark mulch. This also prevents them from blowing away. How to Mulch When you mulch around trees avoid creating mounds at the bases. The build up of moisture on the bark only encourages pests and diseases, which damage the trees. Even the own trees’ roots will take advantage of the warm moisture and grow up to strangle the tree. Prior to adding new mulch, relocate much of the previous year’s to the composte heap. Next, lay enough mulch to account for a 3-5-inch layer. Pull it back away from the base of the trees, but put it around...
Bearded Iris: The Most Popular Flower With the Most Colors
Every serious gardener has a corner reserved for bearded Irises. It is an elegantly ornate flower that stands heads and shoulders above your other plants. As a hardy perennial anyone can grow them if they are placed in the proper environment. The variety of colors is unbelievable, so much so that it is easily tailored to match any color scheme you might have going in your garden. The bearded Iris is the most popular flower with the most colors, without a doubt. Planting Rhizomes should be planted between July-September. Place the rhizomes just under the surface and the tops just above. The only exceptions to this rule are in hot climates and light soil, in which cases you must cover the rhizomes with about an inch of soil. Tamp the soil and water well. Just do not plant your irises too deep. Your Irises should be no closer than 12-24 inches apart or you will have to separate them in only 2-3 years. Close planting will yield quick results, including deep colors, but the plants will clump together. Also, close planting can produce a higher rate of disease among your irises; be careful. Steps Make a 10-inch hole 4 inches deep for planting and build a small mound in the center. Place the rhizomes on the top of the mound, fanning their roots out over the mound, like hair. Tamp the soil down lightly around the roots. Water them thoroughly. Growing If you are not in a hot climate, you will want to give your irises full sunlight. They love 6-8 hours daily. You can grow them in dark shade, but they probably will never flower. Give your Irises plenty of drainage. Two good ideas are to plant them on a slope or in a raised bed. If you cannot do these, at least add organic material, such as humus or compost to improve drainage. Irises do not tolerate standing water, nor stale air. Make sure there is adequate circulation. If you happen to have clay soil you can modify it by adding gypsum. While Irises can withstand variations in pH, they prefer an acidic soil of 6.8. If your soil is too alkaline just put some sulfur in it, but even before that you should have the soil tested to know exactly which corrections are appropriate for your garden. Try not to use nitrogen containing fertilizers, since they encourage disease prone growth. When you do fertilize your Irises, do so lightly in the Spring and then again once they bloom. Apply it near the rhizomes, but not directly on them. Avoid feed and weed solutions. One of the best types of fertilizers are solid alfalfa without salt. It is greatly beneficial to the soil. All perennials, such as Irises, take time to grow. You will observe a new central leaf after about 2-3 weeks. If the rhizomes are too immature or you are on the edge of a temperate zone, your Irises may not produce any blossoms the first Spring. Watering When you first plant your new Irises, the rhizomes will require moisture in their roots. So watch the top three inches of soil and water your plants when this soil dries out. Never water your irises too much. If you must err then you would do better watering them too infrequently. Keep providing moisture to the roots until the first rain. If there is not enough rain again then water as needed. It is better to provide a few deep waterings rather than many shallow ones. General Care Tips Bearded Irises are really not so hard to care for. The rhizomes require sunlight and the best way to ensure this is to clean your bed of weeds and debris. Break off blossom stalks right after the season in order to avoid accidental crossing of species. If the bees are allowed to cross pollinate then seedpods will result and fall to the soil. The plants that grow from these pods will certainly be less attractive than your original plants. Since July and August are the warmest months and plants tend to be dormant, for Northern Temperate climates, this is the best time to divide crowded Irises and replant them separately. You typically will not have to deal with overcrowding for 3-4 years after planting new specimens. Watch for a decline in the bloom. Take all clumps out of the soil and plant in fresh soil. Make sure to remove all excess soil and to throw out the old centers before replanting. Choose some of the larger rhizomes for best results. Make sure the roots of the moved plants and any new plants have...
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