Dec 21, Artichokes: How to Grow and Care for a artichoke plant

Artichoke vegetable gardening:

Artichokes can be started three ways - with seeds, dormant roots or shoots that have been taken from plants. These plants can get quite large, up to six feet in diameter as a matter of fact. The plant has a wide variety of climates in which it can be grown.

You can purchase plants that have been started with seed at your local garden shop or you can start them yourself. If you plan on starting them a greenhouse or using fluorescent lamps is a good way to start them.

The idea is to get a head start on the growing season. The seedlings require plenty of nutrients while developing. They should be fed with a rich fertilizer and they will be ready to transplant in about 10 weeks.

The gardening soil should be warm and the frost period should be over. When they reach about 10 inches tall the stems should be full. They should be planted no less than 4 feet between plants. Each plant should be fed with fertilizer or compost.

Blood meal and bone meal are good fertilizers as well. The use of chicken manure or rabbit manure will also work well for feeding this gardening vegetable.

Often the plant will not all turn out to be the same as the type that is pictured. The best way to ensure you get good veggies is to pull out the ones that do not appear to be doing well.

Planting extra will help ensure that you get enough. Discard the ones that do not appear to be growing. The plants that are left will be the best tasting.

Caring for the Artichoke Plant

The vegetable is available in several different types. The Green Globe variety is one that is grown where the weather is colder.

This is a variety that will produce quite heavily. It does not matter which type you grow, you will want them to be tender and the key to this is watering them frequently.

When the weather is dry, they should be watered about three times per week. The lack of water as well as a frost after planting can cause the vegetable to become tough. Watering is extremely important if there are buds forming on the plants.

While the water is important for the plant, it is also important for the roots of the vegetable. They will need moisture and one of the best ways of keeping them moist is to use mulch.

The soil they are planted in should be a type that has good drainage. The area of the plant that sprouts may rot and if this happens your ground is too wet and is not draining well.

Not many people know this but the vegetable is a thistle family member. The part that most people relish are the buds. Violetto is an Italian variety that has an extended bud of a gorgeous purple color. This type is a little later maturing.

The buds will develop on the tip of the stalks. The first one to mature and probably the largest is called the terminal bud. This one should be sliced off the plant just through the stem under the bud.

The bud should be tightly closed at the time and fairly large. The buds should not be allowed to flower if you want the next year's crop to be a good one when planting them as perennials.

Similar Posts

Growing Zucchini

Vegetable Gardening

Growing Cilantro

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Artichokes

Listed under Gardening Plants

View the original article here

Dec 29, Bittersweet Vine:

When it comes to identifying the bittersweet vine, the first thing that you have to know is that is there are 3 different plants that are called by the same name.

These three have characteristic difference over each other but ever single one has a level of toxicity and cannot be taken internally. One of these vines is more deadly than the others.

Though the other two vines were used as herbal remedies, this practice is no longer done.

False variety, Celastrus ScandensAsian variety, Celastrus OrbiculatusTrue variety, Solanum Dulcamara

False Bittersweet Vine

This vine plant is quite a rare find and is on the endangered species list. It is indigenous to Eastern and Midwest North America but can also be found in the Northern and Central regions.

In the past, it grew abundantly in Maine. Consuming this any part of this plant can result in intestinal problems. The smooth wooden stems twirl upwards towards the sun.

During the fall season, the false variety is a wonderful sight to behold as it is quite colorful. The red-orange berries appear in small clusters at the tips of the vines and the ovate leaves are striking green in color.

Asian Bittersweet Vine

This vine plant is considered as an invasive plant and can become a pest when left out of control. If it covers another plant, it will eventually strangle it, and it can do much damage to structures like walls and posts.

The rate of growth of this vine is quite rapid and due to its hardy nature it can thrive in nearly any kind of environmental condition.

Its leaves are more rounded than that of the false variety and the berry growth is spread throughout the thorny woody stem. When these berries are consumed, they can cause diarrhea, stomach cramping and vomiting.

True Bittersweet

This vine plant is more commonly known as Poison Berry or Nightshade. As the name will indicate, ingestion of the berries of this plant will cause poisoning.

This plant is indigenous to Europe and America. It is a showy vine that has very attractive rounded berries which change from the color green when unripe, to orange, then red.

It is interesting to note that the fruit of this vine plant is only poisonous to humans and animals but not to birds.

This is because these vine plants depend on birds to consume their berries and drop down their seeds for them to propagate even more.

Similar Posts

Hummingbird Vine

Carolina Jasmine Vine

Bougainvillea Vine

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Bittersweet Vine

Listed under Vine Plants

View the original article here

Dec 10, How does vermiculite help plants grow

If you'd like to stay updated whenever new material is posted, sign-up for the RSS Feed in the upper left corner of page. Once you do you'll be able to read our posts from your favorite browser. Thanks for visiting. Sign up for our Newsletter Below and get "How Do Plants Grow" E-Book now for FREE.

With ?How Do Plants Grow? you?ll enjoy far more success with any vegetable, flower, herb or plant you touch.Your green thumb will become golden, and your garden the envy of friends and family. Close This Box
Dec 17, 2010

Annual plants including Bachelor?s buttons, or cone flower actually do best growing in the fall. Though many plant the flower in the spring with the other annuals, they blossom and come to life

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Annual plants"

Dec 17, 2010

Homegrown Hydroponics

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Homegrown Hydroponics"

Dec 15, 2010

With this sitemap you'll find what your looking for quickly and easily

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Sitemap: Find what your looking for fast and easy with our sitemap"

Dec 15, 2010

Hydroponic growing is a method of growing plants using artificial lights to mimic the natural sunlight and nutrient solution.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponic Growing"

Dec 14, 2010

The outstanding beauty of Allamanda Cathartica, what is commonly known as Golden Trumpet, Yellow Bell, or Buttercup Flower, made it the official flower of the City of Can?vanas in the Caribbean

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Allamanda Cathartica:"

Dec 14, 2010

To get started, a gardener needs the basic hydroponic supplies such as the hydroponic systems, grow lights, growing medium, nutrient solution, airflow supplies.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponic Supplies "

Dec 14, 2010

I have to do a science fair project. If you copy and past the web-site URL below into a browser you can pick-up a e-book for Free, that explaines your

Permalink -- click for full blog post "what type of life cycles do plants have?"

Dec 13, 2010

Discover what top gardeners know about Alkaline soil and how you can use this insider info to increase plant growth, improve overall health, and boost flower development

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Alkaline soil: Discover what top gardeners know"

Dec 13, 2010

I have bought this cactus. The seller told me that it was called rose cactus plant. But, I have kept researching the cyberspace and yet, no matches. I

Permalink -- click for full blog post "what is this plant species? what is its name?"

Dec 13, 2010

Alfalfa Meal: Other elements that are abundant in alfalfa meal are sugars, starches, fiber, proteins and 16 amino acids, including folic acid, riboflavin, panthotenic acid, and niacin.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Alfalfa meal is a good organic fertilizer containing 3% of nitrogen, 1% of phosp"

Dec 13, 2010

Air plants is a general term for any plant grown without soil. Here's how they do it...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Air plants"

Dec 12, 2010

In hydroponics system the nutrients essential for plant growth are delivered using a growing medium. The hydroponic system is further classified between recovery and non-recovery.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponics System "

Dec 12, 2010

The agrimony herb is a hardy perennial, it can adapt to nearly any type of soil, though it flourishes in soil that is rich in alkaline with good drainage.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Agrimony Herb"

Dec 12, 2010

There are several varieties of the Agave Americana. One has a large yellow stripe down the center of each leaf, while another has yellow margins around the edge of each leaf. Other varieties are entir

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Agave Americana"

Dec 12, 2010

Aerobic composting starts with the creation of a pile. A pile can be made using organic material like dried leaves and other similar items that decay naturally. This pile will...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Aerobic composting is the nature?s way of composting"

Dec 12, 2010

Abelia is a famous shrub that grows from 1 to 6 feet tall. Native to eastern Asia such as Japan West to Himalaya and Southern part of North Mexico, abelias are a genus with 30 species and hybrids...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Abelia Has Graceful Arching Branches With Beautiful White f"

Dec 11, 2010

Hydroponic greenhouse, or the undertaking that uses a greenhouse in hydroponics, will reap you more benefits than traditional methods.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponic Greenhouse"

Dec 11, 2010

When setting up a hydroponics lighting system, the farmer or cultivator should be knowledgeable about the color temperature of lights. The color spectrum of the bulb is indicative of its temperature.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponics Lighting "

Dec 10, 2010

Beyond nutrients plants need to survive and flourish, well-drained, soil is a vital part to growing healthy plants. Vermiculite is an excellent growing medium, often added to garden beds and potting soil mixes. It is lightweight, airy, maintains moisture, and stores vital nutrients. The bottom line is vermiculite helps plants grow. I will be posting a full article about the benefits using vermiculite as a soil conditioner shortly. Stay tuned.

Dec 9, 2010

What is the animal life and their adaptations? How are coastal deserts formed

Permalink -- click for full blog post "coastal deserts"

Dec 9, 2010

Hydroponics equipment includes the growing tray, plant pots, growing medium, support, reservoir, drains, water pump, timer, plastic tubing, and grow lights.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponics Equipment"

Dec 8, 2010

A hydroponic garden does not use soil to cultivate plants. Instead, different growing mediums are used. Among them are rockwool, coconut fiber, perlite, vermiculite, sand, gravel, and more.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponic Garden "

Dec 7, 2010

When I was working for a high end landscaping company as a gardener, it upset me how many plants were just thrown away as the clients' tastes, seasons

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Pink tropical hibiscus"

Dec 7, 2010

Gardening can be very enjoyable if you do not have to worry about garden pests. When you put harsh chemicals on your plants, it is never good for the environment. There are predators that ...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Garden Pests "

Dec 7, 2010

Hydroponic is derived from Greek words hydro which means water and ponics which mean labor. In hydroponics gardening, the yields are even greater because the extra oxygen in the growing medium

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponic "

Dec 6, 2010

The world of insect eating plants is amazingly exotic. Their appearance is unlike any. Discover 12 of the top carnivorous plants of the world.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Insect Eating Plants -- Top 12 Carnivorous Plants"

Dec 5, 2010

I am working on a science fair project about gardening and i need help finding a flower that can bloom before the month is over (When project is due).

Permalink -- click for full blog post "What is a fast-blooming flower that is fairly small?"

Dec 5, 2010

Garden pest and diseases are a gardener?s nightmare as they can easily shatter the investment and render laborious efforts useless overnight.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Garden Pest and Diseases"

Dec 5, 2010

Infestation of vegetable garden pests decimate the vegetable garden. When pests are not controlled, the whole vegetable garden can be consumed. Before pest control is implemented, it is best to...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Vegetable Garden Pests"

Dec 5, 2010

I have planted rutabaga in my kitchen garden about 8 weeks back. The problem is that few of my plants have withered and one leaf if has large holes in

Permalink -- click for full blog post "beginner growing rutabaga"

Dec 3, 2010

These natural pest control methods keep your garden free of pests and synthetic chemicals

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Safe And Natural Pest Control Methods"

Dec 3, 2010

Organic gardening pest control, according to many government organizations, farmers, and gardeners, is the ultimate approach. Unlike the commercialized methods, the organic pest control does not...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Organic Gardening Pest Control"

Dec 2, 2010

Whrn growing a garden, it is important to earn the skill of identifying garden pest. Pests can be insects or mammals. Most mammals such as squirrels and rodents are definitely detrimental

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Identifying Garden Pest"

Dec 1, 2010

privacy policy

Permalink -- click for full blog post "privacy policy"

Dec 1, 2010

Many gardeners find ways to effectively control garden pest, if not to totally eradicate them. Many of the pesticides do not work on all insects or pests

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Control Garden Pest"

Dec 1, 2010

As jatropha curcas matures, the tree bears separate female and male flowers. The flowers bloom in clusters and are known as succulent with...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Jatropha Curcas"

Dec 1, 2010

Love the smell of this plant but living in the state of Washington, my (2) Night Blooming Jasmines (under grow lights) became winter additions to our

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Growing Night blooming Jasmine Indoors during winter"

Nov 30, 2010

General Hydroponics

Permalink -- click for full blog post "General Hydroponics "

Nov 30, 2010

In today?s time, insect pest control is viewed from different ways. But it can be summarized between natural and non-natural methods.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Insect Pest Control"

Nov 30, 2010

Common plant insects that are detrimental to plants include white and red spider mites, mealy bugs, scale, whitefly, thrips, cabbage worms, wire worms, and hornworms.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Plant Insects"

Nov 29, 2010

Choosing the ideal grow lights for your plants can be done by considering where and how the plants grow best in their natural habitat. Most vegetables thrive best in full sunlight, while foliage plant

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Grow lights"

Nov 29, 2010

With hydroponics gardening Nutrients are rapidly sent into the roots, where they are absorbed easily and quickly. The nutrient solution is perfectly pH balanced and delivered to the plant roots.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponics Gardening"

Nov 29, 2010

Indoor Hydroponic Systems

Permalink -- click for full blog post "indoor hydroponic systems"

Nov 28, 2010

If you'd like to learn How To Care For Different Kinds Of Plants - then you've arrive at the right place.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Different Kinds Of Plants"

Nov 28, 2010

Desert plants and cactus. Here are a few gardening tips you need to remember about plants of the desert.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Desert Plants -- Flowers Trees And Plants Of The Desert"

Nov 28, 2010

Hydroponic nutrients and solutions are essential for any hydroponic system or indoor gardening operation as they already have complete and balanced formulas, as well as the specific minerals needed...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hydroponic Nutrients"

Nov 27, 2010

About Us

Permalink -- click for full blog post "About Us"

Nov 27, 2010

Although a zebra plant bears flower, its attractive foliage and colorful spikes are what make them among the gardener?s favorites.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Zebra Plant: Best Method Of Growing The Plant Indoors Or Outside"

Nov 27, 2010

The Yucca plant, or otherwise known as manioc or cassava, is a white, starchy tropical vegetable. T

Permalink -- click for full blog post "YUCCA PLANT "

View the original article here

Dec 12, Agrimony Herb

Agrimony Herb, Agrimonia Eupatorium

The Agrimony herb has been used for its medicinal benefits since the time of the ancient Greeks.

Agrimone, means a plant with healing powers for the eyes. The plant parts that are sought after are the flowers, leaves and stem.

It was widely used as an herbal remedy for other illness such as stomach ailments, urinary related disorders, skin diseases, joint pains, respiratory problems and for its blood clotting properties to stop bleeding wounds and ulcers.

The root part is used for dye. The healing herb is no longer widely use except for minor applications like treatment for athlete?s foot.

A perennial that grows up to two meters high, this herb has numerous small yellow flowers that grow on long spikes.

This herb has leaves that are covered with hair-like seed vessels called burrs that will stick to skin when touched.

The entire plant emits a distinct sweet, antiseptic, strong fragrance that gets enhanced when the plant parts are crushed.

Planting

Since this is a hardy perennial, it can adapt to nearly any type of soil, though it flourishes in soil that is rich in alkaline with good drainage.

Watering should be done often as the herb is not drought tolerant and will refuse to flower if left dry for a lengthy period of time.

The ideal sunlight requirement is that of full sun but it can also thrive in partial shade. The spacing between plants should be at least 10 inches. This plant is notably pest resistant and disease free.

There are two ways that the herb can be propagated. One of the methods is by planting seeds. The seeds are encased in the burrs. To use the seeds, they have to go through a germination process.

The process that is used is stratification. This is done by placing the seeds in moistened growing medium for a period of six weeks in the refrigerator.

After the new plants have emerged, this can be taken out and be replanted at a depth of half an inch.

The other way of propagation is by root division. In places that have the fours seasons, this is to be done during spring to give the plant time to establish their root system before winter.

When dividing the roots, there has to be a healthy stem connected to roots to make a single new plant.

Harvesting

The flowers, leaves and stem are best harvested when the plant is in full bloom. This is when the healing benefits of the Agrimony herb are at their peak.

The leaves can be harvested occasionally in small amounts. The seeds are ready to be harvested in late summer or early fall when the burrs that contain them easily fall off.

Similar Posts

Avena Sativa

Ginseng

Growing Medicinal Herbs

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Agrimony Herb

Listed under Growing Herbs

View the original article here

A Pruning Tool for Every Job

December 16th, 2010

It has been awhile since I’ve blogged, but the end of the gardening season (due to earlier than normal harsh cold weather) and a new baby will do that to you.

When I was getting my garden ready for fall I had to do some pruning and cutting back of various plants and it occurred to me that I had a lot of tools for the job, each with a slightly different purpose. I thought I should do a blog post about them, explaining why I own each, and what they’re used for. Maybe it is not too late for Christmas to get some gift ideas from this list.

Bypass Pruners

These are the old standby universal pruners. They work by having a blade pass by an anvil or stop. They produce clean cuts better than hammer pruners which can crush the ends. They can wear out though and require maintenance every once in awhile, I tend to just buy new ones, though I feel bad when I do it. These are best used for small tasks like deadheading roses, or cutting unwanted dahlia blooms. You can also use them for harvesting some vegetables like grapes or squash.

I actually prefer a different style though for my bypass pruners. I like the Fiskar’s powergear style, much more power available. I apparently forgot to take a picture of my set, so I’m borrowing from Amazon. Mine also has a titanium blade, and they are my favorite pruners for all small tasks.

Sheep Shears

Yes, seriously, sheep shears. These open and close very fast, far faster than spring loaded bypass pruners. They are excellent when doing many small cuts like for topiary, or for harvesting small vegetables like beans. I also use them to trim back the new growth on some ivy when it gets to where I don’t want it. They don’t have the power to trim more rigid or thick things, but for fast cutting of small things, they are a great tool.
 

Offset Pruning Scissors

I’m unsure where I bought these, but they are offset pruning scissors, kind of like a cross between the sheep shears and the bypass pruners above. I use them a lot when I need to cut something out in the garden, like a plant tie, but they can also be used when you want to do a topiary and need something that will produce an even, flat, surface. I also use them sometimes for harvesting. Though, they’re not as easy to use one handed as the sheep shears.
 

Folding Pruning Saw

These are a must for pruning anything that is too big for hand pruners. Like 3 inch tree branches for instance. It takes some elbow grease but the large saw teeth make short work of most woods, then the saw folds up for easy carrying, in your pocket even. The saw also happens to cut drywall passably well (if not neatly).
 

Hedge Sheers

When you’re doing large hedges, this is the standby pruner to use. The larger handles also allow you to get more leverage allowing you to sever thicker branches without resorting to a saw like above. They also come in handy when you need to prune back something hard, like say growth at the end of the season for something you prune back every year like a butterfly bush. I also use it to help remove daylily scapes in late fall. Finally, with plants that need to be pinched back like mums or some sedums, I will just lop off the top inch of all the stems with this tool to save time. Next to a good pair of bypass pruners, this is the second most important tool for your pruning arsenal.

Pole Pruner

This is the tool that has no substitute. Sometimes a step ladder isn’t enough and you need to get really high. If you’re on the ground you can prune branches as high as 20 feet, if you’re on a hill, a ladder, or a roof, you can get even higher. This tool has a lever action lopper on one side to cut 1 inch (or so) branches, and a pull action saw on the other. I’ve cut branches as wide as 8 feet thick with this saw, it was a super intense shoulder workout, but I got it done. If you have trees, owning one of these is far cheaper than hiring a tree guy.

Hedge Trimmer

Now the power tools. This is your standard battery operated hedge trimmer. I like the battery operated ones because cords are annoying, and so is gasoline. Sure it needs battery replacement, and I don’t always have the power to do my entire yard at once (assuming I even want to) but the battery lasts for say a good 30 minutes of cutting, and because I own multiple items in the Black and Decker line I have multiple interchangable batteries, so I can make sure one is always charging. You can use this item for pretty much anything you’d use your hedge sheers for, this just takes less muscle and is faster, and the longer cutting blade allows you to more easily to straight/flat cuts on large hedges.

Chainsaw

Chainsaws are incredibly dangerous, every year thousands of people seriously hurt themselves. The Black and Decker Alligator Chainsaw makes it safer with the mouth design and blade guards. Unfortunately I don’t really like this tool. The one I have is corded, which is annoying, very annoying. The chain also falls off the track constantly for me. I don’t know if it is my fault in improper usage or bad design, but it takes at least 5 minutes to put it back on, making this tool a labor to use. I would almost always rather use a handsaw. So I rarely use this. I’m sure if it was battery operated and the blade would stay put I would use it far more often. There is a battery operated one available.

Posted in: Gardening » 

Top of page...

View the original article here

Dec 12, Agave Americana

The Agave Americana plant also goes by the name Century plant and is very unique in appearance. It has no stem, but rather has large grayish-blue/green leaves that stem from a basal rosette.

These leaves can grow as long as 6 feet and up to 10 inches wide. They have sharp spines along the edges and on the tips of the leaves.

The margin spines curve like fishhooks, while the spines on the tip of each leaf can get up to an inch long. From the center of the Century plant grows a large stalk. It can grow 20-40 feet tall and has large yellow-green flowers at the top.

There are several varieties of the Agave Americana (see Agave Americana image above). One has a large yellow stripe down the center of each leaf, while another has yellow margins around the edge of each leaf. Other varieties are entirely striped.

The Century plant originates in the arid plains of Mexico. It can also be found in certain areas of the Mediterranean and in parts of Africa and Europe. It grows very well in dry, sandy, or gravelly soil.

The soil must be very well drained and preferably acidic. Century plants need full sunlight and they are very tolerant of droughts. It should be planted in late spring or summer, so that it has time to get established before any frost.

Although they are called Century plants, they do not actually take a century to bloom. However, it does take up to 10 years for blooms to appear in warmer climates.

In colder regions, the plant can wait as long as 60 years before blooming! Once the plant blooms, it dies, but leaves behind many offshoots throughout its lifetime.

The Agave Americana can be used for many things. In Central America, these plants are often used as fencing.

The sharp spines keep animals in and people out.

They are also used as ornamental plants in desert or rock gardens. However, they must be tended or they will quickly overtake any area in which they are grown.

They can be kept smaller by being planted in containers, but should only be watered in the summer.

Sap from the Century plant can be used as a diuretic or laxative. The leaves can be broken and the juice inside is good for healing bruises.

It can also be ingested to help indigestion, flatulence, dysentery, jaundice, and constipation. A derivative from the leaves is also used to product steroid hormones.

The base of the Century plant, as well as the flower stalk can be roasted and eaten. They are sweet and full of fiber. The seeds are often ground into flour and used as a thickener for soups or to make bread.

There are also types of beer and tequila that can be made from the Agave plant. Gum from the roots and leaves can be used to help treat a toothache.

The Agave Americana is a hardy plant that requires minimal care. It has many uses and functions that make it a worthwhile asset to many individuals. However, due to their large size, they are not ideal for every garden or landscape.

Similar Posts

Christmas Cactus

Jade Plants

Prickly Pear Cactus

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Agave Americana

Listed under Desert Plants

View the original article here

Dec 12, Aerobic composting is the natures way of composting

Aerobic composting is the nature?s way of composting. Living organisms that rely on oxygen will feed on organic matter, making it decompose. When this process is used, there will be no strong foul odor that is released by the

If the pile is stinking, that may be because there are other types of composting that is happening in the pile or there is are certain things in it that emit the odor.

The Process:

Aerobic composting starts with the creation of a pile. A pile can be made using organic material like dried leaves and other similar items that decay naturally. This pile will generate its own heat to start the active composting process.

You may opt to turn the composting material after a week or so to help with the aeration process and for the pile to decompose evenly.

The next part of the process is the curing stage. You will notice that the Compost Pile will no longer continue to break down even if you turn it.

When it is at this stage, there is a certain type of fungi that will grow to continue the composting process.

When the organic material becomes dark brown to black in color, the particle size is reduces and it looks like soil, then the composting process has completed it cycle. It is ready to be used and will give a lot of nutrient benefits to your plants.

Safety Precaution

It is important to remember that the Compost Pile needs a lot of air especially during the first stage.

Adding oxygen into the pile by means of turning will allow the living organisms to function better, remove trapped gases, water vapor, and excess heat.

It is important to remove excess heat from the pile especially if you live in a hot climate as it might be a cause of fire from overheating

Similar Posts

Building A Compost Pile

Coffee Grounds for Plants

Composting Materials

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Aerobic Composting

Listed under Compost Pile

View the original article here

Dec 12, Hydroponics System

Hydroponics System

Hydroponics gardening is an innovation of cultivating plants soil-less. Its applications can be traced back to ancient times in China and Babylon. And it was not until many decades earlier when scientists allotted due attention to it.

Today, hydroponic gardening uses different systems which can be differentiated by being passive and active.

In passive hydroponics system, the nutrients essential for plant growth are delivered using a growing medium. The plant?s growth rate is slow because many of the nutrients are accumulated in the growing medium and cannot be absorbed entirely by the plant roots.

The active hydroponic system is opposite. To deliver the nutrients, a pump is required, thereby, ensuring that the plants absorbed the nutrients very well. As a consequence, the plants grow rapidly and healthily.

The hydroponic system is further classified between recovery and non-recovery. A recovery system is that which its nutrients are recyclable.

The nutrients in non-recovery are not. Thus far, the hydroponics systems are wick, ebb and flow, nutrient film technique, deep water culture, and aeroponics.

The simplest type is the wick system. It does not have moving components. Its mechanisms are similar to an oil lamp or tike torch, whereby, the liquid is dry up by wicking it up.

Many enthusiasts use different materials and different ways in making a wick system, its principle remains the same. A wick system is passive and non-recovery type.

Ebb and flow system requires a submersible water pump such as those of a fountain pump and household light timer to run the cycles.

It has a reservoir where the nutrient solution is stored and which is placed below the plants. The timer works together with the water pump. It sets schedules in releasing the nutrient solution. It is active and recovery type.

Nutrient film technique ? another recovery and active type of hydroponics system is the nutrient film technique in which, the plant roots are suspended in a grow tube.

The grow tubes are positioned in a certain angle so that the nutrient solution is recycled as they go through the roots and back to the reservoir. It uses air stones to supply the needed oxygen requirement.

Deep water culture ? it is also a simple system after the wick. In this system, the plant roots are suspended directly into the nutrient solution.

It uses a growing medium like a Styrofoam rafts so plants can be placed onto and hence floats on the water. Air stones too are used in the nutrient reservoir.

Aeroponics The plants in aeroponics system are suspended on top of a reservoir. It uses the same principles in water-based hydroponics and air vapors which are created from nutrient solution and sprayed in the reservoir to engulf the dangling plant roots.

Similar Posts

Hydroponic Greenhouse

Indoor Grow Lights

Hydroponics Equipment

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Hydroponics System

Listed under Hydroponics Gardening

View the original article here

Dec 13, Alfalfa meal is a good organic fertilizer containing 3 of nitrogen, 1 of phosp

Alfalfa meal is an organic fertilizer prepared from leguminous Alfalfa plant. The Alfalfa plant is good at sending deep taproots into the soil for enhanced soil aeration and conditioning.

As a fertilizer, the alfalfa meal is a good source of the essential nutrients. It has 3% of nitrogen, 1% of phosphorus and 2% of potassium.

It is also a good source of calcium and other trace elements. One significant element that is naturally present in alfalfa fertilizer is the triacontanol.

It is a powerful growth hormone that regulates plant growth. However, its effect is short term, and thus, used as a tea on seedlings.

Other elements that are abundant in are sugars, starches, fiber, proteins and 16 amino acids, including folic acid, riboflavin, panthotenic acid, and niacin.

These elements are all effective at conditioning the soil and encouraging soil microbial activity. Besides these, it also contains vitamin A.When applied as an organic fertilizer, it blends very well with grasses and can be utilized in xeriscaping to restore the balance in the local ecosystems. It also composed of several water soluble micronutrients, which are helpful in boosting the health of soil organisms.

Growers of orchids and rose gardens found alfalfa tea to be very beneficial to their plants. The alfalfa tea can be prepared by soaking 1 cup of the meal in 5 gallons of water.

The tea is used as a foliar fertilizer to boost the flower?s capacity to bloom healthily, and to improve the tolerance of the plant to cold temperature.

In many gardens, growing seasonal plants can deplete the soil?s natural nutrients, elements and minerals, making it less fertile over time.

Using an organic fertilizer such as the alfalfa helps the soil to restore these nutrients, and bring back its capacity to grow plants.

It does so by using the microbacteria to break down, and generate heat to accelerate the decomposing of minerals within the meal. Further, the rhizobacteria activity dissolves the nutrients and makes them readily available for use by plants.

The alfalfa meal makes a good alternative to blood meal or compost for delicate plants that need lesser amount of nitrogen.

Using this organic fertilizer to plants is easy. One only has to sprinkle the meal over the lawn or garden and then water it. The standard measurement of using the meal is 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

It can also be applied around each shrub, tree or rose bush.

Similar Posts

Bat Guano

Bone Meal Powder

Fish Emulsion

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Alfalfa Meal

Listed under Organic Fertilizers

View the original article here

Dec 9, Hydroponics Equipment

Hydroponics equipment is required to start a hydroponic garden. Unlike the traditional approach to gardening, the hydroponics which in Greek terminology means water for hydro and labor for ponic, does not use soil for planting.

The plants thrive by supplying the essential nutrients through a solution channeled through a medium.

Depending on the type of system used in hydroponics, not all equipment is necessary. Also, some equipment varies.

However, in most cases, hydroponics equipment includes the growing tray, plant pots, growing medium, support, reservoir, drains, water pump, timer, plastic tubing, and grow lights.

Growing Tray

Hydroponic trays are platforms where plants are the garden in built. They are available in different sizes and colors.

Plant Pots

Also known as containers, the pots make it easy to hold plants. The choices are wide in terms of shapes, color, size, and materials. Among others, there plant pots made of net baskets, smart pots, and grow bags. There are also those with mesh-bottom.

Growing Medium

Growing mediums or grow rocks are normally used in most hydroponics gardening, except in the ebb and flow system. Some of the growing medium, where plants are grown include the oasis cubes, coconut fiber, perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay pellets, air, rockwool, gravel, water, lava rock, saw dust, fiberglass insulation, sand, and sphagnum moss.

Support

The support system refers to the support given to the tray. It is suspended above the reservoir. The setup of hydroponics decides which support is ideal like a milk tray or customized support. In deciding the support system, it is best to consider the weight of the water and nutrients as well as the plants especially when they mature in time.

Reservoir

A reservoir is any large plastic container where the nutrient solution is stored.

Drains

In hydroponics gardening, two drains are needed?one for draining the water nutrient back into the reservoir, and another for overflowing into the growing tray. Generally, growing pipes are made of plastic to avoid rusting. They also come in varied sizes to fit the requirements of hydroponic gardening.

Water Pump

The water pump, as part of hydroponics equipment should be considered wisely. The size should be able to deliver the hydroponic system requirements. To know the appropriate size, a consideration of amount of water and distance is vital.

Timers

Depending on the needs of the grower, timers can have a single time schedule or several. For advanced level of hydroponics gardening, larger and sophisticated times are suitable as it can deliver the needed frequency.

Plastic Tubing

To prevent algae build-up, the tubing must be transparent. This enables the grower to monitor activities in hydroponics and existence of other organism.

Grow Lights

In order to synthesize foods, grow lights are the best alternative to sunlight as hydroponic gardening is generally an indoor garden system. The variety of grow lights available is to ensure efficiency in crop harvest.

Hydroponics gardening seems to be the ultimate choice in farming crops. It benefits the environment and enables the grower to have higher amount of harvested crops.

Similar Posts

General Hydroponics

Hydroponics Nutrients

Indoor Hydroponics Systems

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Hydroponics Equipment

Listed under Hydroponics Gardening

Hydroponics Gardening

View the original article here

Growing Happy, Healthy Amaryllis

Who doesn't love the exuberance of amaryllis flowers? And this time of year, they are everywhere. I've confessed before that I'm not great in the houseplant department--anything that manages to stay alive in my house for a decent period of time is a tough plant indeed. But I am trying to reform my ways. One thing I am determined to do is keep my amaryllis healthy so I can see it bloom again next winter.

About Houseplants guide Jon VanZile has a terrific article about growing amaryllis. He explains the two phases of amaryllis growth, as well as what to do during the summer to keep your amaryllis thriving. I'll be using his tips, and am looking forward to reporting success with my amaryllis around this time next year.

View the original article here

Dec 17, Homegrown Hydroponics

Homegrown Hydroponics

In hydroponics, cultivation of plants is done by flooding their roots with nutrient solution for quite awhile without the necessity of soil.

The plants are either placed on a growing medium such as vermiculite or perlite or whichever setup that can hold them in place and moistened regularly.

Hydroponics is an ancient school with Babylonians and Chinese as among the cultivators. However, it was not until a decade earlier when homegrown hydroponics is conveniently included among the specializations of gardeners and hobbyists.

Today, hydroponics can be done at home by anybody.

To get started, one should obtain the basic hydroponics equipment. Hydroponics supplies are container, light, pump, reservoir, growing medium, reticulation, and nutrient solution.

A container is where the plants are held. It must have draining mechanism.

Light is important as it supports photosynthesis. As homegrown hydroponics is done indoors, lights must be sufficient enough to encourage photosynthesis.

The pump is the engine of hydroponics. Its function is to pump nutrient solution through the reticulation pipes from the reservoir into the container.

A reservoir holds the runoff of nutrient solution from container grow-beds.

In hydroponics, there are systems which necessitate the use of growing medium. It is useful in holding seedlings in their rightful place. A few other growing mediums are expended clay pellets, gravel, and coconut fiber.

The pipes through which the nutrient solution shall pass and drain through compose the reticulation system.

There are water-produced nutrients, mineral nutrients, and minor mineral nutrients that are helpful to plants. Most nutrients are readily available commercially with different formulations.

Included in the water-produced nutrients are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. On the other hand, the primary mineral nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulphur, calcium, and magnesium.

Belonging to the minor mineral nutrient group are manganese, boron, sodium, chloride, copper, iron, zinc, molybdenum, and nickel.

Two of beneficial nutrients are silicon and cobalt.

The plants that can be cultivated in hydroponics are nearly all that can be planted on traditional gardening or farming.

Fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowering plants are raised hydroponically. These seedlings may be taken from anyone?s garden.

Nevertheless, if such is the case, ensure that the soil is thoroughly removed. Hydroponics stores also offer ready to plant seedlings exclusive to hydroponics.

Many see the potential of homegrown hydroponics. Some would say that the global hunger can be cured by hydroponics. Scientists are currently developing on this subject through various experimentation.

Similar Posts

Hydroponics Lighting

Hydroponic Greenhouse

Gardening Plants For Hydroponics

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Homegrown Hydroponics

Listed under Hydroponics Gardening

View the original article here

Dec 11, Hydroponics Lighting

To achieve the best lighting results, hydroponics lighting sometimes uses a combination of 2 or more varieties. If for some reasons, natural sunlight is utilized in hydroponic gardening, the grow lights are still used to supplement the natural light.

However, if the source of illumination is solely grow lights, the system must be installed properly.

In setting up the hydroponic lighting system, the farmer or cultivator should be knowledgeable about the color temperature of lights. The color spectrum of the bulb is indicative of its temperature.

The warmest hue is red to orange light with 2000 Kelvin degrees and the coolest hue is blue with 6000 Kelvin degrees.

Between these two colors, the blue light is considered to be the closest to resemble the normal sunlight and which is the best for full-vegetation plants. The warmer color temperature is best for fruit or flowering plants.

During the flowering or reproduction phase, the plants draw light from the red-orange spectrum. To attain the most favorable lighting installation, the lighting should cover the range between red-orange and blue.

There are many types of grow lights used to mirror or supplement the sunlight. The most common type is the Metal Halide bulb, a High-Intensity Discharge or HID grow lights that leans toward the blue hue of the spectrum, resembling direct sunlight.

It is also the most preferred lighting for all growing situations and the best for leafy and full-vegetation cultivation.

More powerful than fluorescent, the Halide lights are ideal for larger or mature plants. Its light is no unpleasant to the human eyes, thus, they are common whenever there are plant exhibits.

However, the Halide lights are not ideal for flowering or fruit production stage of edible or ornamental plants.

Sodium lights, with warm orange color are popular for flowering or fruit production phase of plants. The high pressure sodium bulb is also HID with 2200K color temperature.

Nevertheless, sodium lights are not efficient as an artificial lighting hence too they should be used in combination with natural sunlight or other grow lights.

The fluorescent lighting is the third alternative. They are less expensive and emit less heat. Therefore, they can be positioned closer to the plants.

Other choices of hydroponics lightings are incandescent lights and LED lights.

No matter the choice for hydroponics lighting, the significant consideration is the impact it has on the plants. Also, the environmental conditions could somehow impact and influence the effect of lighting systems.

Similar Posts

Hydroponics Gardening

Hydroponics Nutrients

Indoor Hydroponics Systems

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Hydroponics Lighting

Listed under Hydroponics Gardening

View the original article here

Dec 11, Hydroponic Greenhouse

Integrating greenhouses in any gardening is thought to improve your harvest. Hydroponic greenhouse, or the undertaking that uses a greenhouse in hydroponics, will reap you more benefits than traditional methods.

When you decide you want a greenhouse, you can expect your harvest to be 3 times larger compared to traditional growing systems using the same sized space. It is easier to maintain the desirable conditions of gardening when a greenhouse is used. The ventilation, temperature, and lighting requirements are easy to regulate, for example.

Moreover, there shall be more space to set up the watering and lighting system necessary in hydroponics.

In greenhouses, these systems can be positioned exactly where they should be which is really important in hydroponics gardening as the water and light requirements are more crucial than in conventional gardening.

The lighting system benefits more when greenhouses are available. In turn, the plants have higher chances of survival and their production yields are improved as the needed light is met.

Nevertheless, it is significant to note that too much light can harm your plants even those cultivate hydroponically.

To make natural sunlight efficient in the presence of a greenhouse, the daylight is diffused and filtered. One way to do this is by using blinds and shutters. This regulates lighting level and the angles of sunlight can be adjusted in favor of the plants.

It will also result to less consumption of energy as the need to run lights is less frequent.

During colder temperature, plants grown hydroponically with greenhouses can thrive well as the greenhouse can maintain the favorable temperature without the need for heaters.

In areas where the temperatures are normally cold, yet, the sun is visible, hydroponic greenhouse kits proves particularly beneficial.

There are also greenhouse kits that come in different installation processes. These kits have water tank with pump, plant holder, liquid plant nutrients, and seeds.

Beginners may do well in choosing plants easier to maintain. The hydroponic system too should be decently small. This includes the lettuce and spinach.

Mostly for beginners, learning the right combination of water and liquid fertilizer and determining the proper water level is accomplished in the first stage of hydroponics gardening.

As skills are acquired, the gardener may move on to cultivating taller and more complex crops such as tomatoes and peppers. Also, consideration of more elaborate heating and ventilation system, plumbing, and temperature control should be done thoroughly.

Similar Posts

Gardening Plants for Hydroponics

Hydroponics Nutrients

Hydroponics Lighting

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Hydroponic Greenhouse

Listed under Hydroponics Gardening

View the original article here

Dec 12, The Abelia Has Graceful Arching Branches With Beautiful White f

Abelia is a famous shrub that grows from 1 to 6 feet tall. Native to eastern Asia such as Japan West to Himalaya and Southern part of North Mexico, they are a genus with 30 species and hybrids in honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae.

During summer or early fall, the shrub blooms small bell-shaped flowers in clusters at ends of branches or among its leaves. One indication that flowers are about to blossom are the presence of butterflies particularly tiger swallowtail feasting on the plant.

Bees and butterflies just love the fragrance of the white to pink flowers, which last for several weeks. The shrub is prided with glossy dark green leaves which turn purplish bronze to red in autumn.

They cover the graceful and arching branches of the shrubs. If the flowers have five lobes, the leaves, which extend to one and a half inches long, have three verticils.

With its showy display of blooms are splendid in covering the ground, that even when the petals drop, the shrubs are still a beauty with their copper sepals that color the surroundings during fall. Caring for the plant is not difficult. It prefers selective pruning, and shies away when sheared.

Many garden experts recommend trimming more stems to the ground in winter or early spring for more open and arching shrub growth. Adaptable plants they are; they prove their worth as borders, visual barriers, near-house walls, and space dividers.

A lover of heat, the plant grows best when it is situated between light shade and full sun exposure. To avoid getting dry, watering regularly is advised; however, one must be careful not to over water it. In spring, propagation can be done through leaf cuttings, herbaceous stem cutting, and woody stem cuttings.

Of the many species that belong to such genus, 7 garnered the highest popularity.

They are Abelia x grandiflora, Edward Goucher, Kaleidoscope, Little Richard, Prostrata, Sunrise and Sherwood. Abelia x grandiflora is a cross between two Chinese species.

It is the most famous of the Abelias with its 8 feet maximum growth and 5 feet maximum width. It may lose its leaves when temperature drops at 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although it freezes to the ground at zero degrees Fahrenheit, the shrub recovers to bloom the same year to grace the borders.

Edward Goucher is lacier, more compact and less hardy. Its maximum growth is 3 feet and bears tiny lilac pink flowers with orange throats.

Kaleidoscope can grow between 2 and 3 feet and can be as wide as 5 feet. Its leaves are stunningly yellow while its flowers are pure white.

Little Richard is a dwarf species at 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Its shimmering dark green leaves survive longer in cold winters. It too has scented white blooms. The Prostrata variety is low grower at 1 feet, making it excellent as groundcover, foreground shrub and bank planting.

Sunrise variety boasts of bronzy green leaves that turn red and purple in fall. It grows up to 6 feet tall and wide. Sherwood ?sherwoodii? are proud to display their lavender flowers. They tower over other shrubs at 6 feet tall and wide.

Similar Posts

Angel Trumpet

Blue Plumbago Plant

Hibiscus Plant

________________________________________________________________

Top of Abelia Page

Listed under Landscape Plants

Source of photo:

View the original article here

Dec 15, Hydroponic Growing

The concept of hydroponics may sound new to some. In reality, however, it is not. Hydroponic growing first appeared in Egypt. Archaeology findings reveal that hydroponics was used by Aztecs, ancient Chinese, and Babylon.

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using artificial lights to mimic the natural sunlight and nutrient solution.

Optionally, enthusiasts may also use growing mediums such as wood fiber, brick shards, gravel, sand, diahydro, expanded clay, rock wool, coir, perlite, polystyrene packing peanuts, and vermiculite.

The most common medium used is water and the oldest system was deep water culture. Today, there are several hydroponic systems used including ebb and flow, aeroponics, and nutrient film technique.

In the last century and after hundreds of experiments later, scientists discovered that hydroponics has a lot advantages.

In some areas where agriculture is plagued with poor performance mainly due to low quality of agricultural land, hydroponic growing is a huge advantage as it could supply the crop demands of the locals. Some regions cultivate vegetables hydroponically to supply to the tourists.

Even in urbanized countries where a few space is left, growing fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruits is never a problem with soil-less gardening. One good example happened in 1970s when scientists introduced hydroponic growing to farmers and home gardeners.

The locals were able to produce plenty of edible vegetables despite not having arable land. Such incidence provides precedence that global hunger can be cured efficiently through hydroponics.

Among others, cultivating plants hydroponically makes the perfect alternative to farming as the whole concept is devoid of laborious routine common in ground-based gardening.

It can be installed indoors, is not bombarded with fungal and disease infestation, does not require watering because the water is recycled, and soil erosion is not a problem.

At the present, hydroponic growing is available to everyone. Hobbyists and professional hydroponic gardener benefit well from such approach. Engaging in this method of gardening is not difficult to handle.

The basic equipment includes grow lights, growing medium which is optional, and nutrient solution.

Many believe that agricultural produce is greater in hydroponics because plant absorb the nutrients better from the solution than from soil.

Finally, nearly all types of plants can be cultivated in hydroponic systems. Gardeners successfully grow artichokes, asparagus, cabbage, beans, Brussels sprouts, beets, cucumbers, cauliflower, carrots, leeks, eggplants, celery, onions, yams, spinach, lettuce, peas, parsnips, and squash.

Fruits such as melons, raspberries, strawberries, radishes, and tomatoes are also grown. And so do most flowers and most herbs.

Similar Posts

Hydroponics Lighting

Hydroponic Greenhouse

Gardening Plants For Hydroponics

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Hydroponic Growing

Listed under Hydroponics Gardening

View the original article here

Dec 13, what is this plant species? what is its name?

by Anton John Vincent Frias
(Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines)

I have bought this cactus. The seller told me that it was called rose cactus plant. But, I have kept researching the cyberspace and yet, no matches. I need to research on the ways of its care and primarily the name. It is said to be a rose cactus for its rose shaped built.

View the original article here

Dec 13, Air plants

Air plants or Tillandsia are a type of Epiphytes, which means they do not need soil to grow. They still need a platform in which to start growing, and although the plant requires a host to grow, it is not like a parasite.

With air plants nutrients are collected from particles in the air and from moisture and dirt.

ROOTS are only grown and developed as a means of attachment and may also support the option of moisture collection.

Some plants also support wild life, mainly water-based such that they could live in collection areas of the plants' roots.

The plants can be found mostly in the tropical forests of South America and spread across several other not climates like and mountains in the Southern hemisphere.

Household grown air plants can add to the decorative elements of a room. However, these are not everyday plants you see everywhere in a city.

Like other plants light is another value in the life span of any plant, the light of which could be the sun or fluorescent lights as well.

Tillandsia loves direct light, but one should be careful not to leave it out too long to avoid burning.

This is especially critical during the summer months. A good fluorescent light source is a safer alternative for the summer season.

These soil-less plants require a greater intake of water compared to other plants; more so in hotter, dryer environments than cooler ones, and especially if they are used outside in gardens and the like.

Do not confuse the requirements with that of a sponge, because the plants cannot survive in deeper waters.

As stated previously, these plants are quite different when compared to most other house plants. To understand more about them, you should do research and find as much information as possible on how to raise these types of plants.

Once you?ve gotten down the basics of how they work and live, they start becoming more of a prize and are much easier to manage.

Because these plants are epiphytes, they can grow anywhere. This is a great advantage for the plant and the owner.

All you need is a place to support the plant, a shoe, a rock, a shell, or hanging mounts.

One of the more wonderful things about kinds of plants is their changing of color and beautiful blooms. As a result, they are collected in groups and often displayed as assortments or given as gifts.

Similar Posts

Carnivorous Plants

Insect Eating Plants

Cobra Lilly is also known as the California pitcher plant

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Air Plants

Listed under Exotic Plants

View the original article here

Dec 17, Annual plants

Annual Plants:

One of the things that can determine a Annuals Success or failure is the preparation of the soil. The four considerations for soil preparation are removing the vegetation, the degree of organic matter, pH level, and tilth.

Removing the vegetation is essentially removing the weeds that can cause harm. If plants have to compete with weeds for soil, light, and water, this can either make it fail to thrive or thrive less successfully than they otherwise would have.

Some forms of herbicide can be used prior to tilling the soil in order to rid the ground of competing vegetation.

Additionally, all plants do benefit from the addition of organic matter into the soil, these plants are not an exception to this rule.

The organic mixture can vary and can include such items as leaves and compost, but can also include manure or peat. In order to get the best results, 3-4 inches of organic matter should be placed on top of the 6-8 inches of soil.

A final consideration is the tilth level. This simply refers to the degree of wetness that a soil has and is typically decided by the time of planting.

The soil Home cannot be wet enough to clump, nor should it be too dry.

Ideally, the soil should be wet enough to break a clump full by using your thumb. If the soil doesn?t break easily, the soil isn?t appropriate for planting.

Summarily, it is very important to have adequate soil preparation. Skipping this step will set your annual plants up for failure before you have even planted them.

Many people plant their Annual Plants in the warmer months.

However, it is quite possible to grow annuals in the fall months, as well, even if you do not live in a perpetually warmer climate.

Bachelor?s buttons, pot marigold, nasturtium, petunia, and pansies will grow extremely well in the cooler climates.

Bachelor?s buttons, or cone flower annuals actually does the best growing in the fall. Though many plant the flower in the spring with the other annuals, they blossom and come to life more actively with the autumn weather. Additionally, they are easy to grow and reseed easily.

Pot Marigold, or calendula, can be easily identified because of the bright gold and rust colors these plants sport. They also excel in the fall.

Unlike most other plants, pot marigolds will also survive a light frost. Self-seeding is not a problem for this plant, and will likely bloom not only in the fall, but in the spring, as well.

Though you have to resort to direct seeding for nasturtiums, they will be well worth the effort. They have a great growing cycle. They bloom throughout the summer and will bloom in the fall as well. They do particularly well in the cool air of autumn.

Annuals nasturtiums, petunias do their best blooming during the cooler seasons, even though they begin blooming in the summer. The Wave petunias are the best bet if you do not like the practice of deadheading.

If you like deadheading, however, the practice can pay off when dealing with viola and pansy. Planted in the spring, the viola and pansy come up easily and quickly, but will stay around for the fall if you prune them correctly.

New buds will crop up long into the fall. Some of the newest types of violas and pansies can even survive a frost or light freeze.

Annual plants can and should be grown in the cooler months as well as the warm spring months. This gives your garden a more festive look for a longer period of time, and helps add diversity to your garden.

Similar Posts

Begonia Plant

Azalea Plants

Gardening Plants

_________________________________________________________________

Top of Annual Plants

Listed under Landscape Plants

View the original article here