Dec 24, Barrel Cactus Is A Vital Source Of Food And Water Where It Thr

In the harsh desert, where few men can survive, the barrel cactus has meant life to the Native Americans. The Mojave, Chihuahua and Sonoran desert, where the cactus thrives, has made the this cactus a vital source of food and water. It is amongst one of the most valued of desert plants.

The cactus is one of the desert plants that have been put under protected status in various areas. Uncountable cacti have been cut down to make the highly popular barrel cactus candy. If this destruction of this natural resource will be allowed to continue, it will make theses species of cactus extinct.

Historical Usage

The cactus can be prepared as a stew. The flowers are harvested when they have just bloomed and boiled like cabbage. The more mature blooms are mashed and added to water to make a tasty drink.

The water that is used to make the exotic beverage is extracted for the pulp of the barrel cactus. The water that is squeezed out from the pulp can be consumed as it is. In case of dire need, the pulp is chewed to bring nourishment to the body and quench parching thirst.

The most famous food item that the cactus is known for is candy. The pulp of this desert cactus is used to process this sweet candy. It is reported the candy was outlawed in the U.S. in 1952 to protect the species.

The top of the cactus when cut, may be used as a cooking container. The cooking is done by the addition of hot stones into the provisional pot. The sharp spines are not edible. They were made into needles, fishhooks and other similar tools.

Description

The cactus is of the genus Ferocatus, which means fierce cactus. Desert cacti of this genus are cylindrical in shape. It grows near the desert slopes and canyon walls.

They are one of the largest desert plants that can grow up to a height of 11 feet tall. These desert plants are ribbed and covered with spines. The Fishhook species has curved spines, hence the name fishhook.

During the months of April until June the blooms appear. They are beautiful and edible yellow-green to red flowers located at the crown of these desert cacti.

This usually grow along desert washes, gravely slopes and beneath desert canyon walls in all of the hot desert of North America from the Mojave, Chihuahua and Sonoran desert of southern California, southern Arizona west to Texas and south into Baja, California and central Mexico.

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Dec 25, The fertilizer bat guano is extracted or harvested by hand

The fertilizer bat guano is a type of animal manure?mainly sea birds, bats, and seals?which is used as an organic fertilizer.

It has its origin in the Inca civilization, at which time, the guano was highly treasured.

The word guano, which is a Quichua language, means droppings of the sea birds.

The bat poop is virtually odorless, rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and other trace eliminates. Two common methods of application is adding it to top dressing and manures.Hydroponics supply stores carry this organic fertilizer from many manufacturers.

The Incas at their time would appoint guardians over the islands and coasts, where the bat poop would accumulate. The guano during the Inca era is perceived to be the most famous and excellent type because of its complete nutrients.

The guano would gather on the rainless islands and coast of what is known today as Peru. The atmospheric conditions then ensured a minimal loss of the nutrients. The nitrogen content in the manure was intact.

Farmers at ancient times relied on the guano for plant and soil fertilizer.

Besides the NPK content, the fertilizer bat guano is also rich in microbial flora and soil improving chelates.

Worldwide, it has been documented as an excellent organic fertilizer.

In today?s modern era, the bat guano refers to the accumulation of droppings from the cave floor. The droppings may include bat poop, animal remains and minerals. Its value did not change as the US congress enacted a law on August 18, 1856.

The law grants protection to Americans who will discover an area rich in guano. While the possession of such area shall be granted to the one who found it, the law prohibits anybody who is not American from benefiting from it. It was supposed to be an exclusive usage by the North Americans.

The guano serves as soil conditioner and organic fertilizer. It is abundant in nitrogen and other organic materials, which makes it ideal both for indoor and outdoor uses.

The nitrogen content in the guano amounts to 10%, while the phosphorous is 3%. Its potassium content is 1%.

It is used as a slow release fertilizer to assure a continuous benefit for the plant and soil. Bat guano is also known to contain bioremediation microbes, which are helpful in cleaning up toxic substances. The guano is also used as foliar spray to fight plant fungus.Bat manure is found mostly inside the caves, where it is protected from the scorching heat of the sun and wind. Thus, it does not break down as easily as do most organic matter. It is also for this premise that its nutrients remain intact.

The fertilizer bat guano is extracted or harvested by hand, and transported to a processing plant. There, it undergoes processes such as refining, heat treatment and testing. It is then sealed and distributed for commercial uses.

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Dec 24, Banana plant: How to plant, grow, and care for the tasty fruit

Many people are intimidated by the idea of a growing banana plant.However, as long as you keep in mind a few basic growing factors, your tree should grow and prosper, yielding delicious fruit for your family to enjoy.

The most important factor when growing a banana plant is to choose the location wisely. It is vital to grow your it in an area that has plenty of heat and sun, because your banana will cease to grow fruit if you place it in an area with too much shade.

Secondly, you should pay special attention to the soil Regular potting soil will not do well for your plant. You?ll need to make sure that the soil that drains well and is full of organic matter.

A common result of the failure to use the right soil is root rot. To avoid this problem, many planters use soil designed for palm tress and/or cactus.

Thirdly, your plant should be grown somewhere that will not be susceptible to extremely high winds. Due to the shape of the plant, high winds can cause the tree to break, particularly when the plant is full of fruit.

Fourthly, as with any plants, your tree will need plenty of watering. Some people believe that because the banana tree is a tropical plant it will not need as much water, but this belief is false. It needs a frequent supply of water to maintain the tropical leaves and to ensure the sweetness of the fruit.

Generally, in order to make sure the plant has plenty of water, the top inch of the soil should be moist, and the plant should be watered every 2 to 3 days.

There are four basic steps in planting a banana. These steps include choosing a proper location, giving the plant plenty of water and the right type of soil, and protecting your plant from high wind. Through keeping these steps in mind as you begin planting, you will sow the seeds for a successful harvest.

As with many plants, it is tempting to believe that getting a banana plant in the ground (or in the pot if you are growing it indoors) is the hard part of the growing process.

Unfortunately, however, getting the plant in the soil is the just the first step of the growing cycle. The actual tough part is the maintenance phase.

This step, which encompasses the care of the plant after it has been planted and before it is harvested, will determine how much and how sweet the fruit of the will be.

First and foremost, it is essential that your plants continue to get water during the winter months. They will not need as much water as they require during the growing seasons, but you cannot just stop watering and let it dry out completely.

As a general rule, once the temperatures start hitting below fifty degrees, make sure you water the plant at least every couple of weeks if they are outdoor plants.

If they are indoor plants, you?ll need to increase that amount. But be careful not to over-water. This is common particularly in indoor plants, and too much water can lead to root rot.

If you have an outdoor plant, another concern of yours will likely be protecting the plant from frost. The good news is that banana trees, though they are tropical plants, are truly hardy plants.

If you are growing fruit during a cold spell, then you will likely loose that fruit. But the plant itself will survive, save a few dead leaves, and will rebound come warmer weather.

A final consideration is the addition of fertilizer. Banana plants do require a lot of nutrition as they grow, and as such, do best with additional fertilization.

The most important ingredient that your fertilizer should contain is potassium. Through proper fertilization, your plant will grow more fruit than a non-fertilized plant would.

With proper fertilization and watering, your plant will thrive and survive most cold spells. Unlike many tropical plants, the banana plant is a truly hardy tree and thus, it is very difficult for even the inexperienced handler to fail at having a successful growth.

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Dec 30, Best Indoor Plants

Here are five of the best Indoor plants that make your home look great and they clean the air so the benefits are twofold.

The look of beautiful houseplants adds to the d?cor of any style of home and gives it a professionally decorated look. If you love houseplants, here are five of the best plants that you can easily grow to provide a wonderful look for your home.

Five of the best indoor plants

Angel Ivy Ring Topiary . This is also known as wire vine. The grown plant will be about a foot tall and eight inches around. This plant does not like to be over watered or to become dry. It likes misting.

The best temperatures for growing the Angel Ivy are from 65 to 80 degrees. Watch for spider mites on your ivy topiary and pull out the dried up leaves as you find them.

The Angel Ivy topiary likes bright light but indirectly. When feeding the plant, use half of the amount recommended of all-purpose fertilizer and only feed about once every three months.

Ficus - This is a very popular plant among indoor growers. The leaves are a very deep shade of green and some plants may be a braid type. This is when four or more stems are intertwined together to create a braided look and the top is nice and full.

The ficus needs to have uniform watering to keep it from dropping leaves. The tree can be from two to four feet in height. Indirect lighting is best although they can handle low light if they get used to doing so.

Chinese Evergreen - A plant that is great for those who have not had much practice at growing houseplants, the Chinese Evergreen is suitable for low light areas. With dark green and an almost silver colored leaves the plant should be dry before watering.

The Chinese Evergreen does not fare well in temperatures less than 45 degrees. These plants will grow from 18 inches to 3 feet. This is an excellent plant for the beginning indoor gardener.

Pony-Tail Palm - This is an unusual looking plant but that is what it makes it such a great indoor plant. The trunk looks abnormally swollen and the leaves seem to just whip out of the plant - some can get six feet in length. The Pony-Tail palm can store water in the trunk. This is why they can go for a year without water.

When keeping this plant indoors you should let it dry well before watering it again. This palm likes to have high light and can even tolerate full sun. When growing these plants you will find not only are they unusual looking but they are easy to grow. Growing anywhere from 14 inches to 6 feet tall, this will be a welcome addition to any room in your home.

Moth Orchid - This plant is a beautiful species of orchid. Not only that but this is one of the best plants for purifying the air in your home. The Moth Orchid has petals of white with small stripes of fuchsia. The odd thing about this plant is the buds.

They are normally numbered at least five and they start at the bottom of the stem and open one at a time until the last one at the top opens. Blooming from spring to fall they will often stay in bloom for 2 to 3 months at a time.

They like indirect light and will be one of the best indoor plants you could choose to put in your home. The benefits and beauty together make this an awesome indoor plant.

If you are wanting a few easy to grow and attractive plants to include inside your home, these five are among the best indoor plants you could choose.

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Ready for Winter Sowing!

If you long to start your own plants from seed, yet barely have enough room for a houseplant let alone an elaborate light set-up, consider the winter sowing method. Winter sowing is appealing for many reasons, but my favorite part about it is that it's super simple. In general, when you decide to winter sow, you are letting Nature do the work of seed starting for you. You pot up seeds, but, instead of placing them under lights indoors, you set them outside and let them do their thing. In essence, you're taking advantage of many plants' ability to self-sow, but controlling where those baby plants spring up. Most winter sowers (and there are fans abound where winter sowing is concerned!) reuse plastic milk jugs, deli trays, yogurt cups, or two-liter soda bottles to plant their seeds in.

While I am absolutely in love with starting seeds indoors (I like all of the stuff--the lights, the heat mats, the little flats and cell packs...) I always end up planting up a few milk jugs for winter sowing. It saves room under lights, which I reserve for those items that need a little more coddling.

If you're interested in learning more about winter sowing, check out the WinterSown site. Founder Trudi Davidoff is a truly addicted gardener, and one who is passionate about getting people to get out there in the garden. If you're interested, Trudi sends out seeds appropriate for winter sowing via her website. There are plenty of details about the free seeds, as well as which seeds work well for winter sowing, on the WinterSown site.

So, have you done wintersowing before? How did you like it? And, if you are new to the idea, does this seem like something you'd like to try? If you're interested in discussing your wintersowing experiences, I've set up an area in the forum for exactly that purpose!

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Dec 19, Hydroponic Stores

Many hydroponic enthusiasts turn their hobby into a lucrative undertaking by hosting hydroponic stores. Raising plants hydroponically benefit the environment.

Proven by scientists and experienced first-hand by farmers and gardeners, hydroponics does not cause soil erosion.

Thus, if agriculture continues to be bombarded by eroding of soil, scientists believe that hydroponics is the solution. In regions where the lands are not arable or when the entire community is highly urbanized, hydroponic farming can sustain the vegetable and fruit demands of the locality.

True to what scientists proclaimed, hydroponically raised plants do not waste water. This is because the necessity of watering is combined with nutrients. Each time the plant roots are watered, nutrients are delivered.

In nutrient film technique system, the nutrient solution flows freely over the plant roots 24 hours a day.

In other systems, a timer is attached so that the submersible pump delivers the nutrient solution to the root system every after an interval of time in a day.

The nutrient solution in recovery type f systems is circulated or recycled.

Hydroponics is a blessing to those who are blessed with a green thumb as they can satisfy their desire to cultivate herbs, flowers, vegetables, and fruits even when the space is limited.

Raising plants hydroponically can be done on rooftops, verandas, and indoors such as a closet or shed.

With such a high demand, opening hydroponic stores yields additional advantages. Besides earning profits, it promotes awareness to the public which may be encouraged to switch to hydroponics.

The more people employ hydroponics, the least damage the earth may incur.

Most owners of stores have already established their reputation among their clients that despite a-not-so-visible store location, people will frequent those stores.

For starters, earning the trust of clients and prospects is a good technique. Location may play a significant role so people may know about the hydroponic store that has just been opened.

There are different hydroponics systems being used today. A few of them are aeroponics, deep water culture, ebb and flow, nutrient film technique, continuous flow, static solution culture, bubbleponics, and more.

Each of the system uses different components to work with the mechanics. A few of them uses the same parts such as submersible pumps, pipes, and reservoir.

There are also many growing mediums used and nutrient formulas prepared. It would be better for the hydroponic stores to have all of these so clients have more options.

Many owners reach out to their clients by engaging in conversations about their clients? needs and suggesting tips and techniques for free. Some give free hand-outs about hydroponics.

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Dec 22, 3 Methods For Attracting Ladybugs To Your Garden So You Can Eliminate Garden P

Attracting Ladybugs:

The ladybug is definitely a cute bug we?ve almost all seen and handled as youngsters. The appearance of orange and black dots made them as adorable as can be. If you ever held one in your hand it would eventually crawl up your arm then fly off in to the air.

Dependant upon your parental input, many consider the ladybug good luck. However, who ever thought such a cute and lovable little bug can be so useful in getting rid of garden pets in your garden?

The ladybug and Ladybird Beetle are one of the same. This bug is known for having a huge hunger for several soft-bodied garden pests such as whiteflies, mites, and their personal favorite aphids. In a nutshell, you want to attract and keep these bugs in your garden.

3 Ways of Attracting ladybugs into your garden:

Technique # 1:

Garden pest already in your garden

First, simply having aphids and other garden pests on your crops and vegetation will entice the predators to your garden. Apart from this simple fact, choosing particular plants will magnetically attract the bugs as well.

The ladybug seem drawn to umbrella shaped flowers. The natural herbs cilantro, dill and fennel fall under this group. Other useful plants include dandelions, white cosmos, and fragrant geraniums.

Technique #2:

Choose organic and natural gardening methods

What I am talking about here is the decrease, or better yet removal of chemical repellents and potions. These pest-eliminating sprays will do the job. Not only will they expel unwelcome bugs, they kill off the ladybug and other helpful insects like green lacewings.

In addition, the chemical substances destroy ladybug eggs and poison their food source. This creates living conditions no bug in his right mind would want to live in. If you?re serious about attracting ladybugs, do not use any bug repellents on your plants and flowers.

Technique 3 #:

Get Yourself Some Ladybugs:

Even though you have the perfect types of plants, do not use chemical sprays, and aphids are invading your yard, ladybugs still may not find their way to your garden.

So, exactly what are you to do?

Pay a visit to your community horticulture facility or search the web. These locations will provide you the chance to buy live ladybugs. They are often sold 500-1000 per package and are reasonably priced.

When you buy live ladybugs they usually come with recommendations. Included in this article are a couple points to keep in mind. First, buy some ladybug food (Wheast).

The food will continue to keep the insects hanging around should they run out of aphids, to feed on. Second, Release them after sunset and before daybreak. And lastly, water your garden plants before releasing them so the insects can satisfy their thirst.

The good thing about attracting ladybugs is they will cause no damage to your garden. They will cut out the need for toxic sprays and motivate future generation to call your backyard garden home.

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