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Undoubt
edly, the main reason tomatoes are so widely grown is that home-grown tomatoes taste so much better than their store-bought counterparts. But another reason for growing tomatoes is the intrinsic vigor and hardiness of this nightshade relative, which almost always guarantees a successful harvest. However, the rapid growth of a healthy tomato plant can also lead to problems.
With tomatoes, we want to maximize the efficiency of photosynthesis and minimize the risk of disease. This is best accomplished by ensuring that each leaf has plenty of room and is supported up off the ground. When a tomato plant lies on the ground, or when its growth is extremely dense, many of its leaves are forced into permanent shade, greatly reducing the amount of sugar they produce. There is no free ride in the plant world. If a leaf uses more sugar than it makes, a layer of abscission cells develops between the main stem and the leaf petiole; eventually the leaf yellows and drops. Of course, sloughed-off leaves are replaced by new ones, but time is wasted. Prostrate plants get around to fruit production two or three weeks later than a pruned and staked plant. Most of the fruits they do produce are on the small side, and tend to come in one big, late harvest.
A properly pruned and supported single-stem tomato plant presents all of its leaves to the sun. Most of the sugar produced is directed to the developing fruit, since the only competition is a single growing tip. The result is large fruits that are steadily produced until frost. If more stems are allowed to develop, some of the precious sugar production is diverted from fruit to multiple growing tips. Fruit production, although slowed, never stops. The result is a nearly continuous supply of fruits throughout the season. In general, more stems means more but smaller fruits, which are produced increasingly later in the season. (This is much less applicable to determinate plants, due to their shortened growing season and better-defined fruiting period. Therefore, determinate plants require little pruning.)Pruning also affects plant health. The leaves of a pruned and supported plant dry off faster, so bacterial and fungal pathogens have less opportunity to spread. Soil is less liable to splash up onto staked plants. The bottom line: Upright plants have fewer problems with leaf spots and fruit rots because their leaves stay drier and free from pathogen-laden soil.
The way you choose to train and prune your tomato plants will affect how you space your plants, as well as the best method of support . There's no one right way to do it. Instead there are a few good patterns to follow.
Side stems affect plant vigorAs a tomato grows, side shoots, or suckers, form in the crotches, or axils, between the leaves and the main stem. If left alone, these suckers will grow just like the main stem, producing flowers and fruit.
Suckers appear sequentially, from the bottom of the plant up. The farther up on the plant a sucker develops, the weaker it is, because the sugar concentration gets lower as you move up the plant. On the other hand, side stems arising from below the first flower cluster, although stronger, compromise the strength of the main stem. For a multi-stemmed plant, your aim is to have all stems roughly the same size, although the main stem should always be stronger, because it has to feed the entire plant for the next five or six months. Here's how I achieve this.
I keep tomatoes free of side stems below the first fruit cluster. When trained to one vine and left free-standing, tomato plants develop strong main stems. To encourage a strong stem, I remove all suckers and I don't tie plants to their supports until the first flowers appear.
Determinate
tomatoes need no pruning other than removing all suckers below the first flower cluster, because pruning won't affect their fruit size or plant vigor. If you do any pruning at all above the first flower cluster on determinate tomatoes, you'll only be throwing away potential fruit.
Indeterminate
tomatoes can have from one to many stems, although four is the most I'd recommend. The fewer the stems, the fewer but larger the fruits, and the less room the plant needs in the garden. For a multi-stemmed plant, let a second stem grow from the first node above the first fruit. Allow a third stem to develop from the second node above the first set fruit, and so forth. Keeping the branching as close to the first fruit as possible means those side stems will be vigorous but will not overpower the main stem.
There are two ways to deal with a sucker that isn't destined to become a stem. The simplest is to pinch it off entirely; not surprisingly, this is called "simple pruning." This should be done when the sucker is still small and succulent. Grab the base of it between your thumb and index finger and bend it back and forth. The sucker should snap off, producing a small wound, which will heal quickly. Avoid cutting the sucker with a knife or scissors, because the resulting stump can become easily infected. Once a sucker becomes too tough and leathery to snap off, however, you'll have to use a blade. I recommend a retractable razor knife.
In Missouri pruning, you pinch out just the tip of the sucker, letting one or two leaves remain. The advantage is that the plant has more leaf area for photosynthesis and to protect developing fruit from sun-scald. The disadvantage is that new suckers inevitably develop along the side stems, adding to your future pruning chores. Personally, I prefer Missouri pruning, despite its shortcomings. I relish revisiting each Missouri-pruned side stem, repeatedly reinforcing my initial godlike decision to cut or not to cut. Either method works, though, so enjoy your newfound power.
Where to pruneIn simple pruning, remove the entire sucker at the base. In Missouri pruning, pinch out the tip of the sucker.
<You'll find that suckers grow very quickly during the hot summer months. I can't count the times I've returned home from a five-day road trip in July to find my formerly well-tended tomatoes covered with foot-long suckers growing in all the wrong directions. This is indeed a situation that tests one's resolve. It helps to know that side stems started this late in the season will always be spindly and produce inferior fruit. You must be heartless and tip them all.
Blest be the tie that doesn't bindOnce flowering commences, all tomato vines must be tied to their supports. Although vigorous, the plants are also easily damaged, so take care in how you tie them and what you use. Cloth strips work well as long as they're not too old and threadbare. Pieces of panty hose cause the least damage to plants, but they're not biodegradable.Twine should be at least 1/8 inch thick, or else it can cut into the tomato stems. Twine made of natural fibers like jute or sisal will break down sufficiently over winter not to cause problems with tiller tines, as panty hose would.
There are two types of ties. Training ties direct plant growth upwards, and supporting ties keep it there. The top foot of a tomato stem, or leader, is very succulent and easily snapped; it needs to be directed upwards, gently. I wrap a short piece of twine around the middle of the leader, cross it over on itself, and loosely tie it to the support. The resulting figure-eight tie reduces the chance the tender stem will rub against the support and get bruised.
How to TieThere are two reasons to tie tomatoes, and there's a different tie for each one. Train the leader to grow upright with a loose, figure-eight tie. To support burgeoning fruit, loop a long tie above a fruit cluster, and tie it to the stake 6 to 10 inches higher. Loop the tie twice around the stake and tie it tightly so the tomatoes don't pull it down with their weight.
<Fruit will form along this stem. If left to the devices of the loose training ties, the weight of the fruit will pull the ties down the stake. Eventually, the stem will bend over and crease. Luckily, as the stem matures, it toughens; by the time fruit develops, the stem can tolerate a tighter tie. To support a fruit cluster as it fills and gains weight, I loop a longer piece of twine, 12 to 18 inches, around the stem just above the fruit cluster, creating a sling. Then I gently pull it up to take the weight off the stem. I wrap the twine twice around the stake, and firmly tie it to the stake 6 to 10 inches higher than the point of attachment to the vine. To keep the tie from slipping, I knot it underneath the point where the sling meets the stake.
A final pruning pays offLater in the season, about 30 days before the first frost, there is one last pruning chore. The plants must be topped. The fruit that has set must be given every opportunity to mature. To this end, I direct all carbohydrates produced by the plant to the fruit by removing all the growing tips. This, too, can be hard to do. Every gardener is reluctant to admit the season is coming to an end. However, this final pruning can make all the difference between hard, green fruits, hurriedly picked before frost, which later rot in a paper bag, and ripe, home-grown tomatoes in your Thanksgiving salad. Be tough, fight your nurturing instincts, and top those plants.
Drawings: Susan Carlson
From Ki
tchen Gardener 27, pp. 16-19
Very Generous Cuttings
Hearts & Flowers (Aptenia cordifolia) is a type of ice plant best suited to growing in containers. It has little, heart-shaped, succulent leaves. Plants mound to 6 inches tall and spread 2 feet with dense, shiny green foliage and small, but showy raspberry-colored flowers. Hearts & Flowers are great for hanging baskets and medium-sized patio pots, alone or in combination with taller growing plants. This plant requires full to nearly full sun and plenty of water. But as with other succulents, let the soil dry some before watering thoroughly. In the heat of summer it’s still likely the plant may need daily watering, especially in hanging baskets.
Statice is a flower that grows in the wild all over the world. Perhaps it's also growing in your garden. Statice finds the perfect home in salty marshes and arid or desert areas. So, it will be no surprise to you that this is one flower that tolerates a drought now and then. It is also called "Sea Lavender".
Grow them as wildflowers or in containers or window boxes. Statice has airy sprays in strong yellow, rose, lavender, blue and white make an interesting garden accent. It grows from 12 to 24 inches. Wonderful everlasting, so easy to dry, Statice keeps its color well in winter bouquets.
Statice are grown from seeds. Statice seeds can be directly planted into your flower garden after all danger of frost. Space or thin plants to 14-18" apart.
Statice plants like full sun. They grow well in poor to average soils. Being drought resistant, they do not need much water or care. Give them an early boost by adding a general purpose fertilizer before planting if the soil is poor.
To dry flowers, remove the leaves and hang upside down in a dry, ventilated area.
Keep it cool.
Most folks put their cyclamen in the house and it is too hot!!! The leaves begin to droop and turn yellow and soon the plant looks so bad that if it isn't dead you wish it would hurry up and die.
We're going to talk about Southern California on this page and other temperate areas. First lets look at where cyclamen come from. The cyclamen is a semi-alpine plant. They are native to the mountains in the area of Turkey.
Again, Number one rule: Keep your cyclamen COOL. Here in S. Calif. or other temperate areas that means outdoors in a shady to semi-shady spot. If you have to put it indoors, pick the coldest spot. Give it some fresh cool air outdoors when ever you can.
Number two rule: Grow your cyclamen in the winter. In Southern California Cyclamen are one of the best winter blooming plants. You can use them in pots on tables, by the front door or planted in a nice shade bed. Great for atriums.
Even though you will see cyclamen all year round in nurseries and super markets, it is really a cool weather crop. Just remember that when the weather gets hot your cyclamen will get ready to go to down hill and will want to go dormant. This is a normal cycle.
Number three fact, not a rule. Cyclamen is a tuberous plant. A tuber is a storage organ and most tuberous plants have a rest period. Potatoes are tubers, onions are not. When your cyclamen has been blooming and growing for the winter, spring season and the weather warms up for the summer, then your plant begins to want to rest. At that time the leaves will fall over as if they were wilting and eventually fall off . The plant will stop blooming. Most people think that they have killed their cyclamen. They throw it away and feel a little guilty. Your cylamen is not dead. Just resting for the summer. If you leave it alone with out too much water many times your plant will start to grow again in the fall and give you another season. The miniature species is especially good about this.
Number Four rule: Don't bury your cylamen too deep. You need to be sure that the top of the little tuber is just above the soil level. Plant it too deep and it will soon get Crown Rot and do 'you know what'. In fact, if you cover up that crown area you might as well hold the funeral right away, because it will die soon!!
Don't put too much water right in the crown area.
Be sure you have good air circulation too.
Keep your plants well fed.
Pull out the stems that have gone to seed.
Hint! The seeds are hard, the new buds are soft. They look very much alike so this is an important little fact.
Pick a few flowers to go into a bud vase. They are so pretty and last quite well.
Watch out for cyclamen mites. They are too small for you to see but they do a huge amount of damage right in the crown/bud area. Cyclamen mites will give you a distorted and hard little non-growth right in the area where the buds and new growth come out. It is usually wiser and more economical to just throw the plant away. Your chances of cleaning it up are terrible. $20.00 worth of sprays, followed with failure and the infestation of other plants nearby. After all it's only a plant, not a person.
by Brad Thompson
Cane begonias are a popular type of begonia and besides the various species canes, there are hundreds of cane hybrids. Cane begonias are distinguished from the other types by their bamboo like stems. Most are free blooming and have large clusters of flowers, many are even ever blooming. Many also have fragrance that can be smelled in the morning hours from female flower clusters.
There are four main types of begonias; Superba Canes, Intermediate type Canes, Rubra type Canes, and Mallet Canes. Previously the term angel wing was used to describe this type of begonia but that term has been replaced by the name cane, at least officially.
Cane Culture
Potting
Canes are one of the easier types of begonias to grow and will grow in all the different types of pots available. Plastic pots are the most commonly used type of pots for canes. They grow well as either hanging baskets or as potted plants. They also do well grown in the ground. Like nearly all begonias, canes require a well drained potting mix and resent soggy feet.
When repotting, canes should be placed as low in the new pot as possible. This may require removing extra mix from the bottom of the rootball to be able to have them sit lower. The reason for potting lower is to bury more stem buds which will encourage more basal growth and also cause more roots to form on the buried parts.
Pruning
Unless grown indoors, where pruning can be done any time of year, most canes should be pruned in the spring. Unless you’re purposely trying to grow a tall specimen plant, most varieties should be pruned fairly hard to encourage new basal shoots. Canes not pruned have tendency to become bare stemmed on their lower parts. Superba types should be pruned back fairly hard in Spring, then allowed to grow freely the rest of the year. The other types should be cut back the same but the smaller leaved varieties benefit from routinely pinching the tips to force side branching and fullness.
Canes routinely send up strong sturdy stems from the roots. This growth appears almost like some sucker type growth but this is the normal growth of the plant. On superbas, these can be left alone. For growing in baskets, or for the other types of canes, these stronger shoots should be pruned back as they appear, down to the lowest outward facing bud. This will force the plant to put out weaker side branching. This will fill in the plant and make it conform to the rest of the plant’s growth.
Watering and Fertilizing
Canes don’t like to be overwatered. Mature plants however are among the most tolerant of overwatering than any of the begonia types. A well draining mix is preferred. Extremely warm areas of the country made need a more water retentive mix though. Canes should be watered after the mix surface has become dry. Canes benefit from quarter strength fertilizer given weekly through out their active growing season. Over watered canes will drop lower leaves. Avoid getting water on the leaves of canes when they are in direct sun or the weather is overly hot to avoid causing leaves to burn. Under ordinary conditions getting water on the leaves doesn’t bother most canes. Any varieties that are prone to brown tips will be less prone to this problem if you avoid getting their leaves wet when watering though. An example is B. albo picta which is very prone to brown tips.
Light and Heat
Cane begonias do best when given good light all year. Most benefit from full early morning or late afternoon sun. Filtered sun all day is preferred. There are very few canes that will perform well in complete shade. Most won’t bloom in low light. Canes in hot climates may burn if given late afternoon direct sun. Most canes do well in 50% shade provided by shade cloth in coastal areas of California. Begonias in Texas or other hot climates may require more shade than other areas.
In frost free areas most canes will over winter outdoors with no protection. Many canes suffer from leaf drop during colder weather. This is normal unless caused by disease, overwatering, or pests. Some of the more tender canes such as B.’maculata’ and it’s hybrids, mallets, small stemmed and miniature canes, and especially mildew prone varieties may require winter protection. This can be provided by a temporary greenhouse or by bringing indoors if you don’t have a greenhouse to move them to. Even an unheated clear plastic shelter will usually be enough to carry them through.
Canes are prone to sudden leaf drop during sudden extreme temperature changes. Not sure of the cause, may be a genetic feature designed to protect the plant from extremes. It is normal but you should be aware of this problem when moving plants. It is common for plants taken to shows to drop leaves and all their flowers afterwards. They quickly recover when put back in their normal growing conditions however.
Propagation
Nearly all canes can only be reproduced by stem cuttings except for the species which of course can be started from seed. Only a handful can be started from leaf cuttings and all of these are hybrids between canes and other types such as some of the mallets.
Special Uses and Tips
Cane begonias are very flexible and there are varieties for nearly every specific purpose. They also respond very well to training. If planted in the ground and allowed to grow in a semi wild state, most will be tall large plants. Many of the superbas and some of the others can attain eight or ten feet tall easily if allowed to. With the exception of a couple of the more vigorous superbas though, nearly all begonias can be kept to a small manageable size. There are very few that can’t be confined to an eight or ten inch pot and kept to two feet tall or less tall for many years. Most canes can also be grown as nice full hanging baskets with proper pinching and pruning. Some of the superbas would require large baskets however. Canes can also be easily trained as standards or grown on trellises.
Cane-like begonias: like bamboo with flowers
If you ever have seen an "angel wing" begonia, you know the cane-like group. So-called angel wings comprise a large portion of the classification.
Cane-like begonias have long stems with slightly swollen joints ("nodes")-they resemble bamboo. The leaves and flowers arise from the joints. With optimum care, some cultivars can reach six feet or more in height in a container, as much as 15 feet or so in the ground in mild winter areas. Others remain short enough for indoor culture.
Many people find them easier to grow than some other kinds, such as Rex Cultorum and tuberous types which have special needs.
Cane-like begonias are grown for both foliage, which sometimes is spotted or textured, and flowers, usually large, cascading clusters of white, pink, red, or orange, for a large part of the year. Timing varies from variety to variety.
The classification is subdivided into three types: Superba, with deeply cut foliage sometimes spotted; Mallet, with maroon or deep rose leaves; and all others. Among the cane-like begonias are B. albo-picta, B. 'Irene Nuss', B. 'Lenore Olivier', B. lubbersii, B. 'Lucerna', B. 'Sophie Cecile', and B. 'Tingley Mallet'.
The best place to grow a cane-type begonia is in bright light -- even sunny if the sun isn't intensely hot. It's best to use a standard-size pot to accommodate a large root system, making it a clay or wooden container to provide the weight necessary to keep a tall plant from falling over. If you use a plastic pot, take measures to keep it upright.
Plant in rich, humusy mix. Cane-type begonias tolerate a heavy mix to support tall growth. (Most other begonias require a coarser, more porous mix.) Water when the soil surface is nearly dry to the touch. Never overwater. A balanced fertilizer (one containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) may be applied at half-strength twice as often as recommended on the label whenever the plant is in growth.
Most cane-like begonias are not fussy about temperature or humidity. Any range that is comfortable for people is fine. If leaves brown and get crisp on the edges, the humidity is too low. If leaves yellow and fall off, you are watering too often. These begonias rarely need staking, but require pruning in winter or early spring: remove old, woody canes and shorten green ones to about four or five nodes, some canes longer and others shorter. (New canes just starting should be left alone.) Repot into fresh mix at the same time.
During the growing season, judicious tip pinching will keep overly vigorous canes in bounds and promote growth of new canes from the base. (Cane-type begonias rarely branch above soil level.)
As begonias go, canes are relatively free of insects and diseases when plants are healthy and tended properly. Many believe any apparent ailment should be diagnosed specifically, then treated with the least toxic product that will work. Often a water spray, hand picking, or an insecticide derived from natural ingredients (Dipel, pyrethrins, rotenone) will do the trick without endangering beneficial insects, animals, or humans. Always follow label directions exactly. Some collectors prefer to prevent infestations altogether through a more extensive chemical program. If you have questions, consult an experienced begonia grower, a competent nurseryman or nurserywoman, or a Cooperative Extension agent in your county.
The easiest and most reliable method of propagating cane-type begonias is from stem cuttings. Take a tip cutting with two to four nodes -- root it in a rooting medium such as perlite or sand. Species can be grown from seed, as can hybrids -- but hybrid seed produces plants not identical to the parent.
Cultural Practices: Tolerates poor soil and drought, but does much better in good soil and regular water.
Blooming Habits: Blooms only when the plant is 10 years old or more. The flower stalk is large (7 to 13 feet - 2 to 4 m) with yellow-green drooping flowers organized as a raceme. The plant then dies leaving suckers that grow into replacement plants.
Spineless Century Plant is a hardy survivor, tolerating heat, drought, and moderate salt exposure. Little irrigation is needed once the plant is established. It grows best in full sun but can adapt to some shade. After 10 years or more (though not a century), a lofty flower spike is produced, with terminal panicles of pale yellow to white blooms. The stem producing the flower dies soon after. Plants can be grouped together in a mass or planted alone as a specimen in a rock garden. Larger commercial landscapes have room for multiple mass plantings which can create a dramatic impact.
Agave attenuata is a plant that is much overlooked in pot culture. The 2 ft. leaves are soft green or gray green, somewhat translucent, with no spines. Agave attenuata is a native of Mexico.
The plant is extremely drought tolerant but does better with ample moisture. As plants get older, they produce stout trunks up to 5 ft. tall, and form clumps to 5 ft. across. Soft Leaved Agave is an excellent house plant for southern exposures. It lacks the spines that most Agaves have.
Grow them in sun or shade almost any soil as long as it is not swampy. They will survive and grow even if you forget to water them for 6 weeks in summer!
Generalities: This plant in the spring, summer, autumn, winter assumes a yellow colouring; it is medium in size and can reach 1 m high. It keeps its leaves in the winter. Growing they develop a round-shape shrub. The Century plant is a succulent plant.
Fertilization: During the beautiful season it’s good to enrich the soil of our succulent plants; we advise using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.
Exposure: The Century plant needs a minimum temperature superior to 15°C, during this time of the year it is best to check the night temperatures before setting it outside. For a balanced development, it is best to position the The Century plant in a place where it is exposed to at least a few hours of direct sunlight.A great part of succulent plants can endure low temperatures, even below 5°C, but if we’re growing them in a harsh climate we must avoid watering.
Watering: We suggest watering these plants only from time to time, but we must remember to wet the soil deeply using 120-121 glasses of water every 4-5 weeks . Succulent plants can also endure long periods of time without watering; usually as the climate gets colder they need less water, while during the summer months they should be watered abundantly .
Treatments: The spring weather, with a high temperature swing between the day and night hours, and pretty frequent rains, can favour the development of fungus diseases, which should be treated pre-emptively with a systemic fungicide, to use before the gems grow excessively; at the end of the winter we also suggest a wide range insecticide to prevent the attack of aphids and cochineals. We should always remember to do these treatments when there aren't flowerings in the garden.
Soil: These succulent plants need to be located in an accentuated and drained substratum. We suggest repotting every 2-3 years.
There are at least three green varieties ("macrophylla" has larger leaves, 2.5+ cm long and 1.7+ cm wide, while "microphylla" has smaller ones, .6 cm long and wide), and three named variegateds. Another form, "Gold," has its new leaves emerging completely golden ochre, before fading to bright lime.
"Aurea" is a form (new by the early-1960s) having a reddish stem, small light green leaves featuring a yellow center, flushed with pink beneath.
"Foliis Variegatis" is a form (dating at least from the early-1950s) with leaves variegated or mottled yellow. It has been sold under the name "Rainbow Bush."
"Variegata"
(from at least the early-1960s, it has also been sold under the name "Rainbow Bush" and is also known as "Tricolor") has leaves with distinct tiny carmine-red or purplish-pink margins or edges on pale whitish-green or milky-green leaves with pale green centers and margined creamy-white. There is more green on the undersides of the leaves, often with an appearance of the color having been brushed onto the leaf. The red margin is most distinct on new buds, making up almost all of its coloring. (New buds on the green varieties have much less red margin.) The red might fade a bit with maturity, or deepen red on the same plant. During the cool of winter the red on the margins intensifies and appears to enlargen slightly. During the growing season, branch tips which are pale greenish-red turn to reddish-brown sooner than they would on the green varieties. Old age, insufficient watering, or longterm full sun exposure on this variety shows itself with browned withering of part of the leaf edges and fading of the green in the center as the leaves turn yellowish-white. The leaves curl lengthwise slightly before darkening. Such leaves when dropped might still show a slight red margin and a hint of green although semi-opaque.
Both "Foliis Variegatis" and "Variegata" are slower growing and smaller than the green varieties of the species.
It is not known where, when or by whom the varieties were first discovered. It is not known where the largest stand of any of the varieties can be found, either growing in the ground or containerized.
Port
ulacaria afra, or Elephant Bush, is native to South Africa. In nature they will reach 12 feet (4 m) in height with an equal spread. In containers, they will stay much smaller and their size is easily controlled with selective pruning and pot size. The attractive reddish-brown stems with dark green ¾ inch (2 cm) leaves make a great bonsai plant with very little care involved. They are hardy in USDA zones 10-11 where they are used as hedges.
Blooming Time: In the spring, they have clusters of small, inconspicuous pink flowers.
Culture:
Portulacaria afra do best in full sun with a well-drained soil mix.
Propagation:
Portulacaria afra is easily propagated by cuttings in April- May.
Portulacaria afra 'foliis variegatis', or Rainbow Bush, is a strikingly beautiful variegated form of Portulacaria afra. The cream and light green leaves really stand out against the purplish red stems. The leaves will reach up to 0.75 inches (2 cm) long, but they are usually smaller. This form is a slow grower and its size is easily controlled by container size, making it a wonderful indoor bonsai subject. The plants are hardy in the landscape in USDA zones 9-11.
Blooming: Most Portulacarias do not bloom in captivity. In nature they have small pinkish blooms.
Culture:
Portulacaria afra 'foliis variegatis' need full sun to partial shade or very high interior lighting with a well drained soil mix.
Propagation:
Portulacaria afra 'foliis variegatis' is easily propagated from cuttings.
Portulacaria afra 'Variegata' (Rainbow Bush) - A native of South Africa. Sprawling, slow growing succulent with attractive reddish-brown stems and a variegated cream and green ¾ inch leaves. A very easy to grow succulent that works as a great bonsai plant, hanging basket or even a hedge in frost free climates. In nature they will reach 12 feet in height with an equal spread. In containers, they will stay much smaller and their size is easily controlled with selective pruning and pot size. The stems of this scandent shrub will thicken very fast giving the plant an old appearance at a young age. The pink flowers are seldom seen outside the wild. The knobbed tan-reddish stems makes a nice foil in the landscape. Well suited for a xeriscape garden where it is drought tolerant once established. Cold hardy in USDA zones 10-11 or Sunset 8,9, 12-27.
The Bougainvillea is a versatile vine or shrub with vibrant colored bracts (modified leaves) instead of flowers. They have vigorous growth habits and long blooming seasons. They are resistant to strong pruning but unless you want to shape or direct growth, pruning isn’t really necessary. Prune if you must in the winter. As your plant leafs out in the spring it should bloom again although it may skip a season. While it can be pruned year round, the best time to prune the Bougainvillea is during its dormant period between December and February.
Bougainvillea may be pruned at any time of the year. Bloom initiation does not depend upon pruning - a bougainvillea has a bloom cycle followed by a rest period whether pruned or not. A hard prune is recommended when you need to contain growth or when you are preparing to move your bougainvillea indoors for the winter. The ‘Soft Prune' is recommended for bougainvillea only when trying to obtain a special form. A bougainvillea, like most vining-type plants, will continue to grow outward without sending out side branches from each leaf-bud point unless the stem is pinched. If you want one long stem, then don't pinch out the tip. By pinching out the tip, most bougainvillea cultivars will send out new stems from 2 to 3 leaf-buds below the cut. Some varieties do not send out any new stems, so their appearance is always stringy or bare.
http://www.askmar.com/Bougainv
illeas/Bougainvilleas.pdf
Barbara Karst
Vigorous, showy vine shines with bright red bracts gives a fine cover to patios or arbors. Also a good ground cover for banks. Use as annual color in colder climates. Evergreen. Full sun. Fast grower to 20 to 30 feet long. Cutting grown.
Climbing plant used for masses of color. Can be trained as ground cover, or planted in pots. Good for bank cover. Used on terrace or patio as summer annual. Nice screening plant, use as accent. Evergreen species in native or similar climate. Becomes deciduous in colder climates.
Climbing, thorny vines grow well on south and west walls. Most characteristic climber in hot climates such as Mediterranean, Southwest and the Indian subcontinent. Can get as large as 12 feet. Without support and corrective pruning, becomes broad, sprawling shrub.
Showy part of flower is formed by papery bracts surrounding true flower, which is small and inconspicuous. Colors range from red, magenta, pink, orange, yellow or white. Thrive in hot weather, some bloom almost continuously. Flower production comes so quickly that replacement of frost damage is not a deterrent.
The leaves have smooth margins. Vines make dense cover of medium-sized, medium green leaves. Extreme drought results in leaf fall. The root balls of this plant fragile and sensitive to disruption. Can be grown from stem cuttings, planted at an angle in a box containing sand and watered every day until roots and shoots appear. Horticultural varieties do not produce seeds. It is essential to achieve required shape and size. Done after flowering season or start of rainy season. Flowers will sprout from tips of new growth. In 1768, Admiral Louis de Bougainvillea began his long journey to the Pacific Ocean and discovered the vine that now bears his name. Plant is susceptible to iron chlorosis. Leaf and flower drops can be messy in late summer.
After each blooming cycle (approximately every 4-6 weeks), trim or pinch the soft tips of young plants stems to encourage new growth. Pinching means removing the growing tip. This will create multiple offshoots, thicken the plant’s appearance, and yield a more colorful bougainvillea.
Unless you stop a vine like this, it will continue to grow outward. You must pinch in order to promote a more bushy plant.
Bougainvilleas may be pruned at any time of the year. Bloom initiation does not depend upon pruning - a bougainvillea has a bloom cycle followed by a rest period whether pruned or not.
Young plants should be pinched often to produce a bushy large plant. Most bougainvillea cultivars tend to grow without producing side shoots.
I always soft pinch out the tip of any "liner" (baby plant) that I am potting up, then 4 or 5 weeks later, soft pinch out the tips of all stems on the plant. If the plant hasn't filled out after another 4 or 5 weeks, I pinch it again. Some cultivars will branch better than others. Do not be afraid to pinch a bougainvillea -- the more you do the better the plant will branch.
If I want to grow a "Standard" bougainvillea, then I do not pinch (see section about how to grow a Standard).
After you have a bushy plants, it is best to prune for shape. For container bougainvillea, I perfer to prune all my pots or baskets back to the edge of the container after blooming has stopped. This keeps them compact and causes a beautiful basket or pot to be a spectacular sight the next time they bloom. Prune your bougainvillea and you'll be rewarded for the effort.
It's far easier to winter over cutting-grown plants when they are started earlier. The ideal time to take geranium cuttings is the first half of August. This gives the newly rooted plants a chance to establish in optimum late summer conditions before they're asked to survive over the winter indoors. A warm south-facing window is ideal for geranium plants. They thrive in warmth and full sun, and don't mind a dryish soil.
It's my preference to winter over young cutting-grown plants because they are a conveniently modest size for wintering indoors at a sunny window. In the spring they can in turn serve as mother plants, sources for more cuttings and an extended collection of geranium plants in the summer garden.
However, if you have the space for them in the house the original mother plants can be cut back and potted in late summer, and kept in a bright location indoors during the winter. In really good conditions, such as in a sun room, they will bloom sporadically through the winter.
Zonal, or common garden geraniums (Pelargonium hortorum) are among the easiest of all plants to propagate from cuttings. The trick is to keep water away from the cutting bases in the pot, because dampness at that vulnerable point causes a rotting known as black leg. And unlike almost all other cuttings, zonal geranium cuttings should not be given a humidity tent during the rooting period -- again, to avoid the damp conditions that are hazardous to these geraniums.
First, prepare containers to receive the cuttings. Bulb or azalea pots are well suited for geranium cuttings, because their shallow depth helps prevent the problem of an overabundance of damp soil below the cuttings.
Scrub the containers with hot, soapy water, and fill them with a sterile, lightweight, porous planting mixture. The main thing is that the blend stays open in texture and does not compact or hold on to excess moisture. Tiny, fragile roots must be able to penetrate it easily and not be subject to rot by waterlogged conditions.
I usually start with a ready-made mix such as Redi-Earth and add half as much sterile, bagged soil. To increase aeration in the mix I add perlite, about half as much as the soil.
Select only your best plants from which to take cuttings. Look for healthy, vigorous plants that have produced the most numerous, beautifully formed and vibrantly colored flowers. If you have several different varieties, or colors of geraniums that you want to duplicate with cuttings, take the cuttings from each one separately. Have a container filled and ready for each set of cuttings and label each one right away.
To make the cuttings, either snap or cut off growth four to five inches (10 to 12.5 cm) long. Remove any flowerstems from the cuttings and shorten them to about three inches (7.5 cm), making a slanting cut immediately below a leaf joint. Remove the lower leaves and little leafy wing-like bits that grow along the stem so that none of these will end up beneath the soil.
Poke a hole into the planting mix with a pencil and insert the cutting, firming it securely into the mix. Place the cutting deeply enough so that it is well supported. If you are rooting just one cutting, use a pot three inches wide. If you are rooting several, use a communal pot eight to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) wide.
Group cuttings are best placed around the outside edge of the pot, with a small indentation left in the middle for watering. Adding only moderate amounts of water to the centre of the pot keeps each cutting watered while allowing it to remain a bit on the dry side at its vulnerable point. When watering a single cutting, direct the flow of water away from the stem around the pot rim.
For the rooting period set the cuttings in a warm, bright place out of direct sun. Coolish air temperatures (to minimize evaporation from the leaves) together with warm soil to induce fast rooting are ideal. Pot the cuttings in individual containers as they root and begin to show new growth.
Outdoor Geranium CultureWait to plant geraniums outdoors until frost danger has passed and the soil temperature reaches 60°F. Choose a site with lots of sunlight, ideally eight hours or better. With less sun, the plants will bloom sparsely. Soil should be open and porous to allow for good water drainage, oxygen penetration, and healthy root growth. A heavy soil will benefit from the incorporation of several inches of peat, compost, or perlite before planting geraniums. Do not use manure or vermiculite. Sandy soil will also be measurably improved by the addition of organic matter.
Geraniums will not bloom well if they are overfertilized. Two pounds of 10-10-10 dry fertilizer or 4 pounds of 5-10-5 dry fertilizer for 100 square feet can be incorporated into the soil at planting. A half-rate application of this dry fertilizer can be spread at mid-season in July. Water these dry fertilizers into the soil. An alternate fertilizer scheme is to use 2 level teaspoons of water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer in 1 gallon of water, applied every three weeks. Use either dry or water-soluble fertilizer methods, but don’t use both or you will overfeed the plants.
When you plant, make an irrigation furrow or dike around the plants to serve as a reservoir for summer watering.
Water geraniums thoroughly, but allow the soil to dry between waterings to avoid root rot. Do not allow the plants to wilt, however. Cycles of wilting, followed by a heavy watering, cause leaf drop and result in poor growth.
Remove faded flowers and dry leaves from the plants. These attract Botrytis fungus which attacks leaves and young buds. Protective fungicide sprays may be necessary during periods of cool, moist weather. Check your garden center for products labeled for use on geraniums. Fortunately, insects are generally not a problem.
If you have a bright location indoors, you can bring your geraniums inside and keep them growing as houseplants until it’s warm enough to put them out the following spring.
The practice of storing geraniums in the basement over the winter works better with cold, damp basements than it does with dry, warmer, modern basements.
Indoor Geranium CultureProspects for success when growing geraniums indoors depend largely on having enough light to promote flowering. Geraniums thrive in full sunlight. In the absence of a bright, sunny window, supplemental fluorescent tube lighting kept 10 to 12 inches from the plants will help growth. Fluorescent lights can be used from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. to supplement natural light.
Overwatering will cause geraniums to rot. Feel the soil to determine when to water. If it’s dry to the touch, water thoroughly. If it feels moist and cool, don’t water. Geraniums tolerate dry soil conditions better than excess moisture.
Geranium pots can be either clay or plastic, but must have drain holes. Saucers placed under the pots to collect water should be emptied a few minutes after watering. If a large, shallow pan is used to display several plants, gravel can be placed on the bottom. The evaporating water from the gravel surfaces will increase humidity.
In the home, geraniums do not require frequent fertilization. By potting young plants in a good soil mix (1 part soil, 1 sand, 1 peat), additional nutrition will not be required for two or three months. Water-soluble 20-20-20 can be used at the rate of 1 level teaspoon in 1 gallon of water. For plants that are kept indoors year-round, fertilize during growth periods only.
Geraniums thrive in a wide range of temperatures. Ideally, they should be grown at 65°F day and 55°F night temperatures. Often geraniums are grown at temperatures that are too warm. Many houses and apartments have radiators by the windows to compensate for heat loss. Thus, maintaining plants near a light source without overheating may be a problem. Avoid cold, drafty areas as well as hot, dry locations.
Indoor gardeners should prune or pinch their plants. Removing the growing point will produce a plant that is stocky and well-branched. Several vigorous stems may be allowed to form a shrub-like plant. Occasionally, geraniums are trained into the shape of a tree. To do this, allow a single stem to develop and remove all side shoots. Use a stake for support. When the desired height is reached, remove the top growing point. Allow only the upper side buds to form shoots. With time and shearing, these shoots will form the shape of a tree.
The taller types of Geranium benefit from shearing after the first flush of bloom. Cut all stems to about 3". The plants will put on a new flush of leaves and may reflower.
Basically, you renew an overgrown pelargonium ("geranium") by pruning to the lowest good pair of leaves. Once they've come back to a pleasing shape, keep after them so they don't get leggy again. The growing season for these in SoCal is year-round, so you can prune pretty much whenever you like.When you prune, try rooting some likely cuttings; these are particularly easy plants to root.
Zonals or Pelargonium hortorum have more succulent stems than Regals. It is sometimes best to cut back gradually. Prune each stem back to its lowest pair of leaves. Wait for some new growth, then cut back some more until the plant is compact and well-shaped. Stellars should be treated as zonals. Fancy-leaves must be soft pinched to get side growth. Dwarfs are slow growing--only pinch for shaping purposes.
CORRECT CUTTING: MAKE CUTS JUST ABOVE THE NODE AND SLANTED so that moisture cannot sit on top of the cut.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/
ext/HO-073.pdf
Sadly, most potted Poinsettias end up in the garbage after their bloom period is done. It doesn’t have to be that way if you have the time and patience to do what's necessary to make your Poinsettia rebloom.
When the leaves have fallen (usually by late March or early April), cut the Poinsettia back to about 8" in height. Continue a regular watering program, and fertilize your plant with a good, balanced. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth. Transplant the Poinsettia into a larger pot (no more than four inches larger than the original pot).
Continue regular watering during the growth period, and fertilize every two to three weeks. Once all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55° F or above, you can put the Poinsettia outside (being sure to bring it back in if there's any chance the temperature will fall below 50° F)! If pruning is necessary to keep the plant bushy and compact, be sure pruning is done by September 1.
Then comes the hard part; complete light control. From October 1, the Poinsettia will need to be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. You’ll have to cover the plant with a black polythene bag or a large box, as any stray light, such as that of a streetlight or lamp, can stop the re-flowering process.
In the daytime, from October through December, the plant will need 6 - 8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60 - 70° F. Temperatures outside of this range can also delay flowering.
Following this regime faithfully for eight to ten weeks should give you a flowering Poinsettia for the Christmas season; the actual bloom time will depend on the particular variety.
Flowers: White, multiple nodding flowers at top of stem, 3 petals and 3 sepals each.
Blooms: January - May.
Leaves: Flat, long and linear, from base of plant; with pronounced keel (linear ridge) on underside.
Fruit/Seeds:
Several black seeds in a rounded pod, mid-summer.
Location:
Disturbed areas with loose soil, grassy areas, lawns, road medians, etc.
Status: Alien - Invasive.
Bulb growing to 0.35m. It is hardy to zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from February to July, in flower from April to June. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees and insects. We rate it 5 out of 5 for usefulness.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations: Hedgerow, Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Deep Shade.
Bulb - raw or cooked. The rather small bulb is up to 20mm in diameter[200], it has a mild garlic flavour and can be used as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods. It is harvested in early summer when the plant has died down and will store for at least 6 months[K].
Leaves - raw or cooked. A leek substitute[22]. The leaves are available from late autumn until the spring, they are nice in salads when they are young, or cooked as a vegetable or flavouring as they get older[K]. The leaves have a milder and more delicate flavour than onions[183].
Flowers - raw. Juicy with a mild garlic flavour, they make a tasty and decorative garnish on salads[K].
Cultivation details
Prefers a rich moist but well-drained soil[1, 42]. Shade tolerant[31], it is easily grown in a cool leafy soil[90] and grows well in light moist woodland[203].
Plants are not very hardy outside the milder areas of Britain, they tolerate temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c.
The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply[1].
The seeds have an oil-bearing appendage which is attractive to ants. The ants carry the seed away to eat the oil and then discard the seed, thus aiding dispersal of the plant[203].
Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes[18, 20, 54]. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other[201].
The flowers are sweetly scented[245]. The picked flowers can remain fresh for several weeks[89].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
http://www.backyardgardener.co
m/plantname/pda_4b79.html
There are several species of Schlumbergera but the ones that most people know of is the Christmas Cactus. In fact that name is commonly used to wrongly describe other species of Schlumbergera.
One Schlumbergera that is commonly mistaken is the Thanks Giving Cactus also known as the False Christmas Cactus and properly defined as Schlumbergera truncata.
There is a very strong resemblance between both the Christmas and Thanks Giving Cactus and the easiest way to determine which is which is to look at the leaves on your plant. The Thanks Giving cactus has sharply serrated or “toothed” leaves, whereas the Christmas cactus has smooth sided more rounded leaves.
Another strong difference between the two plants is that the Thanks Giving Cactus begins to develop buds near the beginning of November and is often in full bloom by the time that the American Thanks Giving takes place. Christmas cactus bloom around Christmas time and often into January and February.
Actually both the Thanksgiving Cactus and Christmas Cactus are known to bloom twice a year, with the first blooms of the Thanks Giving cactus between October and November and the second between February and March, while the Christmas Cactus tends to bloom in December and January, and then again in April or May.
Thanksgiving cactus is a winter-flowering houseplant native to Brazil, which comes in a wide array of colors including red, purple, oranges, pinks and whites although reds, whites and pinks are the most common. When planted in a decorative pot, Thanksgiving cacti make a wonderful holiday table centerpiece, or as a gift for friends and family.
Thanksgiving cactus grows well in light shaded areas. They prefer an evenly moist soil although they can tolerate dry conditions. So, do not allow the soil become waterlogged, especially during the dark days of winter. Do not let the soil dry out either. Reduce watering from fall through spring. Fertilize plants monthly from the time new growth starts in late winter or early spring, and throughout the summer using a one-quarter strength soluble fertilizer. Reduce fertilizer during the fall and early winter. The Thanksgiving cactus flowers best when kept somewhat potbound. Repotting is necessary only about once in three years. The potting media must be well-drained with good aeration, because the plant does not grow well in heavy, wet mixes. A good mix may contain one part potting soil, two parts peat moss and one part sharp sand or perlite.
For these cacti to form buds, during mid-September, these cacti will need 12 to 14 hours of total darkness along with cool nighttime temperatures. The easiest way to achieve this is to place the plant in a closet from dusk to dawn. Or you can cover it with a large brown paper bag. If you keep the plant in a cool room (around 50 degrees F 24 hours a day) in September and October, chances are excellent that it will produce flowers, regardless of day length.
The white Bird of Paradise Strelitzia alba is a larger tree form of the Orange Bird of Paradise. It often will be in clumps five to six feet wide and stand eighteen feet tall. The leaves are shaped the same as the Orange Bird of Paradise but are much larger. the leaves are 18 to 24 inches wide and three to four feet long. The petiole is often four to five feet tall. The flower is shaped like the Orange Bird of Paradise but is significantly larger, 10 to 12 inches long. The flower is also white with a light blue "tongue" and sits in a purplish bract (the boat like structure at the bottom of the flower).
Culture Information
Bird-of-paradise grows in most soils, but does best in fertile, organic soils with good drainage. It is considered to be a slow growing plant. For good flower production, place plants in sunny or partially shaded locations. Plants grown in partial shade will be taller and have somewhat larger flowers. In full sun, plants are smaller and flowers are on shorter stems. The bird of paradise will tolerate light salt spray but should not be used in exposed locations near the ocean.
Bird-of-paradise tends to produce more flowers along the outside of the plant. Thus, spacing the plants at least 6 feet apart will allow adequate space for flowering.
Planting Information
The planting hole should be dug 2 to 3 times the diameter of the root ball. Make it as deep as the root ball is tall. Before planting, thoroughly water the plant and remove it from the container. Gently place the plant in the hole, making sure the top of the root ball is no deeper than the soil surface. Planting too deeply may cause a delay in flowering. Fill around the ball with soil and gently firm the soil. Water thoroughly while planting to remove air pockets. Construct a saucer-like basin around the plant from the extra backfill soil. This will hold water until it drains down to the plant's roots.
Where the soil is hard, compacted or poorly drained, consider digging a planting hole half as deep. Mound the soil to cover the sides of the root ball. A plant installed in this manner might require more frequent irrigation during dry periods but is not likely to suffer from drainage problems.
Care after Planting
The success or failure of a new planting often depends on whether the plant receives adequate moisture during the establishment period (i.e., the first six months). Dry or soggy conditions will cause leaves to yellow and eventually die. Once established, bird-of-paradise prefers frequent watering from rain or irrigation during the warm growing season. During the winter months, plants should be watered only when the soil is fairly dry.
Mulch placed around the base of plants helps conserve moisture, stabilizes root temperature, and reduces weed infestations. Keep a 2- to 3-inch circular area around the stems of plants free of mulch. Mulches against the stems of plants may increase the chance of stem rot.
Common organic mulch materials include leaves, pine needles, bark, and wood chips. Inorganic materials like gravel and crushed stone are also suitable.
Fertilization and Pruning
For best growth and flowering, bird-of-paradise requires fertilization. Organic fertilizers (such as sewage sludge, manure, or blood meal), granular landscape fertilizers, or controlled-release materials such as Osmocote® or Nutricote® can be used. Spread fertilizer around plants every three months during the growing season according to the label directions. Dead leaves and old flower stalks should be removed to increase the aesthetic quality of the plant and to reduce the chance of fungal organisms building up on the dead tissue.
The bird-of-paradise can also be propagated by division. This method will produce mature, flowering plants in one to two years. For best results, divide clumps during late spring or early summer. Dig up and separate old clumps, dividing those with four to five shoots into single-stem divisions.
Plant divisions at the same soil depth at which they were previously grown. Keep the soil moist until roots are established (at least three months), then begin fertilizing.
There is a lot of identification problems with the Alba and Nicolai. It is a little difficult if you do not know what you are looking for. The difference is: The flower is also white with a light blue "tongue" and it sits in a purplish bract. The Alba has lighter colour leaves, whereas the Nicolai has blue-green leaves. Leaves can be 600mm wide and over 1-2m long, flowers can be upto 300-350mm long and more rounded at the end.
Culture: Strelitzia Nicolai (same as Alba) are quite fast growers in pots or outside in the open. They will take part shade - full sun. The Nicolai is just about drought tolerant, does not like severe frost. It tolerates salty coastal winds and salt spray up to a point. Fertilise regularly with a balanced slow release fertiliser for indoor pots. Outside fertilising requires a good well balanced fertiliser.
Harvest the entire plant when it's about 8 inches tall. When gathering cilantro, remember to harvest only what you need. Cilantro should be used fresh, as it quickly loses much of its potent flavor when dried or stored for more than a few days in the refrigerator.
Watering: modrate
LIght: light shade (for leaves)
Perennial in Zones 3-9, chives are very easy to grow, at home in a pot on the windowsill as much as in the garden. Sometimes chives can get a little invasive, tossing their seeds about the garden. It's easily remidied by snipping the flowers before they set seed.
Plant in spring where plants can grow for at least 3 seasons undisturbed. After 3 years, divide the clump and replant or give away the extras.
Set plants in soil amended with compost or rotted manure; no other fertilizing is needed. Chives makes an attractive edging in the flower garden.
In warm areas, chives can remain evergreen throughout the year. You can harvest leaves whenever they're large enough. Use scissors to snip individual leaves or give the entire clump a haircut. The flowers have a more pungent, oniony flavor than the leaves and should be gathered just as they open.
Use chives fresh in salads or blend snipped chives with sour cream, butter, or cottage cheese for dips and spreads.
Watering: moderate
Light: full sun to partial shade
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