Jorielle's Blog
Jorielle's March 2008 Entries
Last Post 254 days, 5 hours Ago
Mar 31, 2008 | 10:42 PM PST
To encourage flowering, keep watering to a minimum, and heavy pruning will keep bougainvillea growth within bounds. Keep suckers pruned back and long branches removed to maintain shape, but be careful of the sharp thorns while doing this.
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.
Mar 31, 2008 | 9:39 PM PST
Taking cuttings of geraniums is quite simple.
- First, prepare the soil and pots. You can use pots, a tray, peat pellets, whatever you like. I recommend sterilized potting soil in peat pots or 4 inch cheap plastic pots. If you are using indoor potting soil it's a good idea to add some sand or pumice for good drainage.
- Next, locate some nice cuttings on your plants. Early spring is the best time to do it. Select succulent stems with green growth tips.
- Make cuttings about 4 inches long. Cut straight across with a sharp knife. If you cut on an angle, only part of the stem will root. A straight-across cut is necessary.
- Don't put the plant down on a table and cut down like an axe.
- Do hold the plant out and swipe in the jaunty fashion that florists use in cutting the stem ends off of roses. The movement should be smooth and swift but not dangerous with knives and blades flashing about.
- Strip the leaves (if there are any) off the bottom 1 1/2 inches of the cutting.
- Immediately stick the cuttings into soil. Some people even do the cutting underwater.
- With a pencil, chopstick or similar object poke a hole in the soil where each cutting will go. The hole should be about 2 inches deep. Each 4 inch pot should have one hole. If you are using a tray, the holes should be about 4 inches apart. Rockwool blocks also work well. These are available in the propagation sections of garden stores and also at hydroponics stores. A 2-inch block for each cutting is a good size to select.
- Dip each cutting in #1 rooting powder, available at all garden stores, some hardware stores, and a few florists.
- Stick the cutting in the hole.
- Using the pencil again, poke the hole closed so that the soil is firm around the base of the cutting.
- Water
- Place in a bright location, such as right next to a window. Don't worry about cold drafts; it will build up the garden-readiness of your plants.
- In a few weeks your cuttings will be rooting -- but don't pull them out. That would wreck all that hard work.
- You will tell when your cuttings have "taken" because they will start to grow. Feed them with all-purpose plant food. Schultz green drops (7 per litre) will do. I like Dutch Plant Pills. Just about anything will do to keep them happy indoors until it's time for your geraniums to go back outdoors.
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.
Mar 30, 2008 | 10:40 AM PST
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.
Mar 28, 2008 | 11:21 PM PST
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
Mar 27, 2008 | 10:57 PM PST
http://feverishthoughts.com/ga
rden/2006/11/23/thanks-giving-
cactus/
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.
Mar 26, 2008 | 11:12 PM PST
Tag: Strelitzia
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.
Mar 26, 2008 | 10:58 PM PST
Tag: cilantro
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)
Mar 26, 2008 | 10:42 PM PST
Tag: chives
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
Mar 26, 2008 | 10:26 PM PST
Tag: cucumber
Sow 3 seeds to a 4-inch pot, 3-4 weeks before transplant date. Keep the soil moist and temperatures above 70F during the day and 60F at night. When the first set of true leaves appears, thin to one plant per pot by cutting the extras with scissors. Transplant after the soil has warmed to about 70F. Set out the plants on a cloudy day or in the evening, being very careful not to disturb the roots. You can direct-seed cucumbers if the soil is at least 70F and promises to stay at least this warm during the germination period. Use row covers to keep the soil warm.
This is a genuine warm-season crop, demanding warmth from germination to harvest. But cucumbers also mature quickly, so they don't need a lot of care.
Fertilize with a complete organic fertilizer, such as fish emulsion, every 2 weeks. Once flowers appear it is very important to maintain even soil moisture, or misshapen, poor-tasting fruits will result.
With guidance, cucumber vines climb pea netting on the same trellis used for other vertical garden crops.
You can harvest cucumbers whenever they are large enough to use, and most gardeners find smaller fruits more flavorful than big ones. Check the wines daily, as the fruits grow quickly. Be sure to harvest when the cucumber is still dark green all over. A yellowing at the blossom end indicates an overripe fruit that is past its prime.
Spacing in beds: trellised, 18"; on ground, 36".
Watering: moderate until flowering; heavy from flowering to harvest
Light: full sun
Mar 25, 2008 | 2:34 PM PST
Cannas are native to the northern and southern hemisphere. However, they do well over most of the United States provided there is plenty of heat. Cannas are very dependable-- easy to plant and easy to grow.
Cannas should be planted in spring after danger from hard frost. In zone 7 we recommend planting from March 15th to April 15th. Adjust the guideline to your zone. Before spring planting, soil can be amended with compost, manure, and a low nitrogen fertilizer similar to 6-12-12 analysis. Best results are achieved when planted in a loose, well-drained soil. However, they will tolerate a wide range of growing conditions.
Plants bulbs 12 to 18 inches apart. Lay long part of the bulb horizontal to the earth’s surface with eye up, if visible. This is not critical, as cannas will grow no matter which direction they are planted. Cover with 2" of soil. In colder regions, (6-8 weeks before spring), bulbs can be planted in pots and placed in greenhouse conditions. When danger of frost is past, remove from pot and plant outside. Cultivate often to keep soil loose and free of weeds.
Cannas should be watered thoroughly once a week by slowly soaking the area around the roots. For optimum performance apply a foliar fertilizer, such as Miracle Grow, twice a month. Although cannas will continue to bloom if not dead-headed, cutting old spent flowers and seed pods will make them prettier and neater in the garden.
Insects rarely bother cannas. Leaf-feeding insects and leaf-rolling caterpillars can be stopped by regular applications of Orthene.
Cannas will multiply producing three to five bulbs for each one planted. Dig clumps of bulbs in late fall or after the first frost for re-planting the following spring. Two methods of storage are:
1. Remove old stalks, leave bulbs in clump with soil intact. Pile clumps and cover with plastic and store in basement. Never store in mesh bags as that will allow bulbs to dry out.
2. Bulbs can be washed, divided, dried and layered with peat moss in waxed boxes with lids or in plastic bags, with a few air holes, to prevent drying out. Store in basement or other cool place such as a garage, under the house, in a well house or cool room. Bulbs must not be allowed to freeze during storage. The ideal storage temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees.
In zones 7-10 where the ground doesn’t freeze below four to six inches, cannas can be left in the ground all winter. Leave old stalk intact and cover clump with 6-12" of grass clippings, leaves, compost, cotton burrs, etc. However, old clumps should be thinned in the spring every 1-2 years by digging out thick areas of bulbs to space bulbs to about one foot apart.
Information supplied by commercial canna grower and wholesale shipper Horn Canna Farm
Mar 25, 2008 | 1:39 PM PST
There are over 250 species of Aloes in the world, mostly native to Africa. They range in size from little one inch miniatures to massive plant colonies consisting of hundreds of 2 foot diameter plants. Although most Aloes have some medicinal or commercial value, the most commonly known is the Aloe barbadensis... better known as Aloe vera.
All Aloes are semitropical succulent plants, and may only be grown outdoors in areas where there is no chance of freezing (USDA zones 10-11) . However, they make excellent house plants when they are given sufficient light. Potted Aloes benefit from spending the summer outdoors. Older specimens may even bloom, producing a tall stock covered with bright colored coral flowers. Aloe flower nectar is a favorite of hummingbirds!
Because Aloe plants consist of 95% water, they are extremely frost tender. If they are grown outdoors in warm climates, they should be planted in full sun, or light shade. The soil should be moderately fertile, and fast draining. Established plants will survive a drought quite well, but for the benefit of the plant, water should be provided.
It's best to leave your Aloe plant in the pot and place it near a window that gets a lot of sun. You can move the pot outdoors during the summer months.
Aloe vera is a succulent, and as such, stores a large quantity of water within its leaves and root system. During the winter months, the plant will become somewhat dormant, and utilize very little moisture. During this period watering should be minimal. Allow the soil to become completely dry before giving the plant a cup or two of water. During the summer months, the soil should be completely soaked, but then be allowed to dry again before re-watering.
Aloes have a shallow, spreading root system, so when it is time to repot choose a wide planter, rather than a deep one. Use a planter with a drainage hole, or provide a 1-2 inch layer of gravel in the bottom of the pot to ensure adequate drainage. Use a good commercial potting mix with extra perlite, granite grit, or coarse sand added. You may also use a packaged 'cacti mix' soil. Fertilize yearly, in the spring with a dilute (half strength), bloom type fertilizer (10-40-10). Aloes are propagated by removing the offsets which are produced around the base of mature plants, when they are a couple inches tall (or larger). They may also be grown from seed.
As to the claims of the medicinal properties of the Aloe plant, I can only speak from my personal experience. I have kept an Aloe plant around for years, primarily for burns. In case of burns, an immediate application of fresh gel has relieved much of the pain, and prevented blistering, many times. I also found it to be quite effective to relieve itching from stings, bites and various 'stinging' plants, such as poison ivy. It is also good for the same problems, when they are encountered by your pets.
When you need to use it medicinally, just remove a lower leaf from the plant, slice it open, and apply the gel on the affected area.
http://www.aloeupflorida.com/c
areofaloevera.htm
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Keep in sandy soil that is well drained. Potted plants need filtered sun or full shade.
Mar 24, 2008 | 12:57 AM PST
Cultural information: There are five different types of Dracaena marginata on the market today. The green variety pictured above, Tri-color, Bi- color, Colorama, and Magenta. The plants that have color in their names are varying shades of green, white, pink to reds. Magenta has burgundy colored foliage that may turn green if in to low of light. "Dragon Trees" are available from small starter plants to twenty foot plus specimens. They are grown in several variations such as Staggered plants, Exotic shape, Branched, tips or bush and tree form.
Check for watering weekly... allowing the soil to dry to the touch about 1/3 down the pot. Yellowing leaves can be an indication of over watering, under watering or simply just normal leaf drop.. Under watered plants will shed a large amount of totally yellow leaves from the lower portion of the head, whereas a plant that has been over-watered, the leaf will yellow from the tip towards the stem. Feed only once a year... the Dracaena family does not like to be fertilized.
Dracaena Marginata is not a plant that you grow for flowers - it's the foliage you're after. You can either grow it in the ground, planted en masse, or as a stand alone feature planted by itself in a decorative container.
And, it can grow just as well indoors as it does outdoors (that's if you live in a semi-tropical to tropical planting zone, that is). Dracaena's aren't very fond of frost but they can tolerate colder climates so long as they're protected. They don't like too much water but prefer their growing medium to be moist.
Draceana's come from the Dragon Tree, dracaena draco, which is a native plant to the Canary Islands, so their growing habits, likes and dislikes, and temperamental preferences are all very similar.
They can grow to more than 4m (12-13ft) but can easily be kept smaller by pruning the stems prior to spring.
The stems of a draceana marginata are commonly flexible and thin and seem adequately disproportionate to its height and also the foliage that tops it. They can easily be bent and shaped to conform to your structural desires by using bonsai wire to contort each stem.
If your dracaena is only single-stemmed and you want it to branch out, cut the foliage from the top and reduce the stem to the desired height. Within a few months the foliage will begin to bud from the wound and new branches will grow.
How to propagate dracaena maginata
Draceana's can be propagated by a variety of ways but the most easiest is by taking a cutting from the stem and after applying some rooting hormone to the base (don't forget which end is 'up') firmly push it into some potting mix. Water frequently and apply a liquid fertilizer when the foliage begins to appear.
Other methods of propagating dracaena include air-layering and basal root cuttings.
Fertilising dracaena marginata
Soluble liquid fertilisers are the best form of nutrient release for dracaena's but during their dormant period you can also add some slow release pellets to their growing area or container.
Mar 22, 2008 | 11:15 PM PST
Dracaenas fragrans / deremensis "Janet Craig"
Janet Craig is one of the most popular Draceanas used indoors, likely due to it's ability to grow in low light and tolerate considerable dryness.
The temperature requirements for Janet Craig is a comfortable 75 degrees and the water requirements are low. Dracaenas are one of the plants used in the NASA Clean Air Study and has shown to help remove Formaldehyde.
The wide leaves on Dracaenas can and do accumulate dust. Wipe leaves down regularly with a damp cloth to remove dust. Although most Dracaenas have few problems with pest, occasionally mealy bug and scale can attack the plant.
Yellow and brown tipping of Janet Craig leaves is quite common as they age. There are a number of causes for this.
Allowing the soil to get too dry, even just once in a while.
Using water that is on the hard side. Switch to filtered or distilled.
Using fertilizer at more than half the recommended strength.
Allowing roots to wander out of drainage holes. Unpot the plant, trim off large roots at the bottom of the rootball, add an inch of fresh soil to the bottom of the pot, and then put it back into the same pot.
Allowing the pH of the soil, to get too low (too acidic). Adding some horticultural lime or gypsum to the soil will help reduce the soil acidity.
Once the tips have discolored, all you can do is to trim off the discolored part and take the appropriate remedies mentioned above. This should limit future damage.
If many of the leaves have been removed or look badly trimmed, then you might consider pruning back some of the stems.
Mar 22, 2008 | 11:20 AM PST
Spider Plant
Spider plants are wonderful house plants for beginners, caring for "spiders" is easy and most of the time only downright neglect will kill the "airplane plant" or Chlorophytum comosum.
Overall, the Chlorophytum is a quick grower putting out "babies" on long stalks, variegated strap like leaves coming from its center of the plant. Most of the time the spider plant seems to find its home indoors in a hanging basket where it makes an attractive display.
As the "airplane plant" throws out long stalks or stems it will produce small flowers followed by the decorative hanging "babies". The plantlets make propagation a simple task. The young plants when rooted can be replanted and transplanted outdoors and used summer bedding, but when planted this way they will need propection from direct sun.
The Chlorophytum plant originates from South Africa and grows easily in hydroculture (growing in rocks). Keep it well fed and pot-bound. When its stems fill the pot, and when the white, wormlike rhizomes bulge over the surface, it can divided easily.
A spider plants long leaves grow from the center of the plant and are usually green at the edges with a white stripe down the middle. Some varieties have white edges and a green central stripe. When buying "sipders" look for clean, untorn leaves with no brown tips.
Growing Basics - Light
Grows in most locations though its variegation is most pronounced when the plant is near a window. Keep away from midday sun.
Temperature
Very tolerant of a variety of temperature ranges.
Soil
A good soil like an African violet mix or hydroculture
Repotting
Plant likes to be pot bound. It's all right to remove some of the fat white tubers or rhizomes if they fill surface of the pot.
Separating Spider Babies and Plantlets
Diagnosing Spider Plants When Things Go Wrong
The Spider plant is really a great house plant to learn about plant care, however, it does require some attention and is an excellent plant teacher! They are inexpensive to purchase an wonderful plants to learn from.
Mar 22, 2008 | 11:04 AM PST
Asparagus
by Neil Moran
Planting
This perennial vegetable features attractive, feathery fern-like foliage that can grow to 3 feet tall. Time and effort is required to prepare the asparagus bed, but if done properly the bed will last for years.
In the North plants should be set out in early spring. In the South, set them out in the fall because it can be so hot in the summer that the young plants may not survive. Asparagus does well in most types of soil, but it should be well drained. Place plants 2 feet apart with 5 feet between rows. Once the bed is established, which takes three seasons, 25-30 crowns will produce enough asparagus for most families.
Dig a trench 12-18 inches deep and the length of your row. Add 6-7 inches of aged manure or compost or a little peat moss. Sprinkle on a dusting of balanced fertilizer and add a couple of inches of soil from beside the trench. Mix well. With the mixture you have made, build up mounds at the bottom of the trench about a foot apart. Set each crown on top of a mound and drape the roots down the sides. Growth will be slow if roots are placed flat.
Fill the trenches making sure the crowns are at least four inches below the soil surface. The soil level of the row should be a little below the rest of the garden. When the shoots grow up, fill in the trench with a little more soil to give the stalks good support.
First Year Care
Place a thick mulch around the small spears after they come up to keep the weeds down and hold in moisture. Let the new plants grow through the summer and fall without cutting shoots or ferns. Let the tops die down in late fall without interference.
Second Year Care
This spring and every spring hereafter you need to cut the old ferns that died over the previous fall and winter and clear them out before the plants begin to grow. Also remove any mulch that's left in the bed. Fertilize and cultivate well between the rows. Be careful of spreading roots. Mulch around the spears when they are tall enough. Don't harvest this year.
Choosing Plants
Begin with two-year-old roots ordered from a quality garden catalog or garden supply store. One-year-old plants will be cheaper but these younger plants often don't survive transplanting, and your first harvest will be delayed for a year. The very patient gardener may want to try starting seeds in special beds and transplanting them to their permanent home when they are two years old.
To Store Asparagus
Stand the spears upright in a jar with about an inch of water in the bottom. Keep the jar in the refrigerator.
Third Year Care
Repeat the process of cutting back the ferns, removing the mulch and fertilizing. Harvest some spears by cutting with a sharp knife just below the soil when they are 6-8 inches tall. Cut only the ones that are as thick as your finger and let the skinny ones grow into ferns.
Each year you will need to leave some spears to grow into ferns. After the last harvest, pull all weeds and fertilize the bed. Mulch heavily to prevent the growth of weeds.
Mar 20, 2008 | 11:32 PM PST
Hi, I want to learn gardening this year. I have some plants in my yard and house. I want to know their names so I can better take care of them. Many thanks!
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Mar 20, 2008 | 11:16 PM PST
When you bring your plant home, let it sit in a bright area near a window, but NEVER in direct sunlight. You can successfully grow lucky bamboo in a bathroom with no windows if you give it some indirect sunlight once a week or so.
Because this plant thrives in water, it's best to give it good water. Tap water is fine but put the water in a glass or a bowl and let it sit for 24 hours before adding it to your lucky bamboo. The chlorine and fluoride in tap water will evaporate or neutralize during that time, and your lucky bamboo will be much happier with this purer water.
Most lucky bamboo plants are grown in pebbles and water. Change the water once a month. To keep your plant extra healthy, add a couple of drops of aquarium plant food when you change the water. It's not necessary to do this every month.
If your lucky bamboo has been grown in soil, keep the soil evenly moist. Plant food is not necessary if the plant is getting its nutrients from the soil.
A stalk that turns yellow has often been overfed with plant food. If your plant is yellow, change the water immediately, and do not give it plant food for a month.
Once the stalk turns yellow, it is very difficult to reverse the damage; if it is clear that you can not save that stalk, remove it immediately to prevent any plant diseased from spreading to the other stalks.
With proper care lucky bamboo plants can grow two or three feet tall, and last for years.
When it gets a bit ugly and needs pruning, consider cutting the canes back to their original length when first potted in China. This will let the plant start over and no doubt restore balance to your life and home.
