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...
Angraecum Can Add Zest to Your Home Garden
A dash of color in our dull and drab existence can add fervor to life. Nothing can do this better than flowers, especially an orchid. The Angraecum is the genus of about 200 species of monopodial orchids that are evergreen along with being epiphytic; many more are on the way of being discovered in the rainforests of Madagascar and tropical Africa. One of these is found in Sri Lanka and three others are believed to have their genus in Japan and Philippines. Description: They are quite varied and can be either a flower or a vegetable, growing naturally in dry woodlands, which gives them fleshy leaves. They grow from the axis of the leaf and are typically white but are also available in yellow, green and even ochre. They have a long spur at the back of their lip. The plants tend to grow upright and bear star-shaped white or green flowers which releases fragrance in the evening. They are mostly pollinated by moths, which are attracted by the flower’s color and fragrance. The fragrance that is released at night often reveals its location, even before it is spotted in the darkness. Conditions for growth: They would grow best in moderately warm temperature or comparatively cooler winter temperature. The air around the Angraecum must be humid and the plants should be protected from direct exposure to sunlight. They also need a continuous stream of fresh air. The best way to grow them is in epiphytic mixture of orchid potting. They should be watered uniformly all though the year, although their frequency is reduced in winters. You must spray them once or twice every day. The Angraecum is not suitable for division and hence is not ideal for propagation. The robust species can however, surprise you by producing offsets, which are best separated once they have grown roots. Requirements to grow them in the best way: Like every orchid, they need some extra care to grow. You have to be careful that they don’t catch fungal decay due to excessive dampness; therefore, the best option is to water them in the morning. Provide them with a temperature between 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and 16 to 29 degrees Celsius. Although they grow best in bright light, they need indirect sunlight coming from the east. The best option for the soil is to use shredded fir bark or small-to-medium lava rock and the pot must have a disposal hole. Use plant food or fertilizers that are custom-made for orchids, such as green jungle forest foods. To hold the water and increase humidity, you need to put some pebbles or gravel in and around the drainage dish. Be sure to position the pot on the gravel and not on the water. By adhering to all these points, you are all set to add a zesty, candy and floral scent to your living space that will have a direct impact on your life and your personal...
Begonias: Your Indoor Home Decor
If you like to decorate your living room with hints of greens then it is better to plant Begonia because it looks so pretty and is also easy to maintain. Once these plants have the flowers and they bloom, then they can add up to the beauty of your home. Surely these plants require more tending and attention while they grow than the average regular plants but obviously because these plants are much more delicate than the rest of the lot. Plants like begonias blossom all round the year. But I would advise to not to bring home a plant on instinct, the begonias will need a proper care and soil conditions so that you do not disappoint yourselves over a dead plant. Types of Begonias Begonias have a wide variety and you could have a whole garden to yourself only having begonia. Depending upon colour, size and shape there are more than 500 kinds of begonia. Now a day they are also found in various hybrid variations, so if the shop owner of the plant shop gave you a plant which looks a little different be rest assured that it might very well be a hybrid variant of a begonia. Growth Requirements for Begonias A lot like the African violet the begonia is a plant of the tropical origins and requires a humid atmosphere to be able to grow. The best temperature range for begonias to flourish is between 60°F to 70°F. Which even if not set as an ideal temperature at your homes will still do as long as you do not place the plant near any hot water pipes, near your radiator or on the patio. While watering a plant of begonia you need to make sure that you mist the leaves well as this also helps to keep the plants free of dirt and insects. These plants do not take direct sunlight well so place the plants somewhere in your home where there is the hint of light but it should not fall directly on the plants. Other Requirements for Begonias If you are planning to plant a begonia in your home then any type of soil would work, but try and get some of the commercially produced soil available in the gardening stores for the best results. Try to keep the soil loose as the roots need to breathe. And thus pick a pot which has a hole so that the water can drain out nicely and avoid the rotting of the roots. Begonias propagate in different ways depending on what variety you have got. Also these plants are more prone to insect attacks so take good care of your plants to keep the bugs out. These simple steps should keep your begonia plant healthy and your home look pretty with a touché of nature and colours in...
Ardisia: An Evergreen Houseplant
Ardisia, also known as Coral Berry, is a houseplant that produces red berries during summer season. Though flowers of this plant are inconspicuous still they add to its beauty and can be commonly found from the onset of the summer season. Both flowers as well as berries are part of the plant for several months at a stretch; it also gives answer to why Ardisia is known as an evergreen plant. Although it’s a slow growing plant still its height varies from 2-6 feet. Appearance It is called an evergreen plant and its leaves generally boast a glossy appearance along with a rigid texture. The color of flowers varies from white to light pink. The cluster of red berries can be seen hanging from the plant, which later becomes food for plants and other insects. The berries become quite showy after ripening completely. Temperature Since it’s a houseplant, so there is hardly difficulty for growing it in houses or greenhouse plants. They remain an evergreen plant unless forced to succumb by an extremely chilly climatic conditions. You can find huge cluster of this plant in areas where climatic conditions are such that Ardisia can resist winter. The plants are capable of re-seeding themselves quite easily, so all they need to multiply is favorable climate. You can take homegrown Ardisia outside the house during summer season but ensure to keep the plant away from drought. Requirements Ardisia loves deep rich soil having lots of organic matter but at the same time it is capable of blooming in any non-soggy soil. Creating mulch around the plant is good for its proper growth. Just like any other plant, Ardisia also needs sunlight but it can’t bear direct sunlight, as it can possibly dry it up, so if you wish to plant it outdoors, ensure to plant it under trees and make mulch around it for complete protection. It needs to be kept moist during summer season but avoid covering it up completely in water. During winter season, the water requirement of the plant reduces fairly. If you wish to do repotting or dividing of the plant, then it is advisable to finish off this task in spring season. As mentioned earlier that this plant grows slowly, so the seeds you plant would take approximately 18 months for becoming a full-grown plant with berries. Summary Ardisia has a stunning appearance, hardy body and clustered berries. It can flourish both indoors as well as outdoors. It has very less survival rate in chilly climatic condition. Mulching around the plant helps considerably in its growth. Although it’s an evergreen plant, placing it in drought prone area is not advisable. It has not been yet proved that its leaves or berries are poisonous still it is advisable to keep children away from the...
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