Plant Gardens 101

The orchid family is not only the largest but one of the most diverse plant flowering families in the world. The orchid was one of the first plants to evolve on earth, it was around in the time of the dinosaur, over 120 million years ago. Given the length of time they have been around it shouldn’t be surprising that there are over 35,000 species with hundreds of thousands of hybrids.

The most famous orchid in the world is the vanilla orchid (planifolia). Coca Cola is the largest customer of vanilla as they use the seed for flavouring. Madagascar is the world’s largest producer. Orchids are very beautiful plants and that is why so much time and care is put into growing them. Vanilla on the other hand is grown for its commercial value rather than for its appearance but it is labour intensive. The vanilla crop is the main source of income for many independent farmers in less developed countries.

Reproduction
One of the ways in which the orchid is so diverse is its ability to reproduce. Some orchids rely on flying insects, others rely on crawling insects and finally there are orchids that rely on the wind for pollination.

The Bee Orchid attracts bees to its flower by its appearance. It looks like a receptive bee which entices the male bee towards its pollinia. Other orchids have long stems which look as they are butterflies when dancing in the wind.

Some orchids have evolved so that they act as a good platform which attracts a weary insect to land. The nectar brought by the visiting insect brushes against the pollinia. Orchids sometimes have very slippery flowers which often results in the visiting insect falling into the interior of the flower leaving only one exit point. This escape route forces the welcome intruder into brushing nectar against the pollina.

Darwin
Charles Darwin wrote about orchids when demonstrating his theory of evolution by natural selection. He made a prediction about the pollination method of one particular orchid, the Angreacum Sesquipidales. He predicted that given this particular species emitted a strong scent at night and was white, the insect that pollinated it would be a moth. Darwin was proved right and it is in fact a moth that pollinates the Angreacum Sesquipidales.

Popularity of Orchids
Orchids have become immensely popular recently but they have been written about and cultivated for a very long time. Orchids were first written about in 700 B.C. by the Chinese and Japanese. They weren’t, however, first cultivated until around 300 years ago when seeds were bought by traders from around the globe. It was only the wealthy that could cultivate them initially but luckily this pleasure is available to many more people these days. Even with our 300 year cultivating experience, many a gardener has been frustrated by the care needed to grow beautiful orchids but this only adds to their popularity.

Nigel owns OrchidCareExpert, a website which contains lots of useful information if you wish to know more about orchid care

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In most books on rock gardening, a large part of the space is devoted to the description of plants, and of individual varieties. This is as it should be, and to those who are taking up seriously this fascinating form of gardening, the acquisition of at least one or two of these larger volumes is by all means recommended. Anyone planning a rock garden should conduct more research than simply what this article contains.

Bulbs for a Rock Garden:

To one who thinks of bulbs in terms of Darwin tulips with three-foot stems, and the modern Giant Trumpet daffodils, in the spring garden, or of gladiolus and dahlias throughout the summer months, the rock garden would seem to offer no suitable place of residence for this important group of flowers. Many “complete” catalogs of rock garden plants contain never a whisper concerning bulbs, though often including shrubs, evergreens, and garden fountains (http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=1071). (more…)

When you have roses, you have to water them about one inch of water per soil. It can depend on the soil how often you need to water. Sandy soil need frequent watering, but as a rule of thumb once a week is good for most soils.

Using mulch on the soil around the plants to retain the moisture in the soil is a good practice. Mulch will also keep down the growth of weeds and keep the soil cool. Use mulches of dry grass clipping, wood chips or straw. Mulch needs to be applied about 2-3 inches deep. Remember to replace it when it needs to be replaced. Even though using mulch is good. Organic mulch can bind up the nitrogen as they decompose, so you will need to fertilizer to prevent deficiencies in the soil.

For roses to stay healthy and strong you will need to make yourself a fertilizer schedule. This will need to be performed yearly and the schedule will vary depending on the type of roses you are growing. Check with a plant expert in your town to find out, what type of fertilizer schedule you will need for your roses. As a rule of thumb general-purpose fertilizers like the 10-10-10 or the 12-12-12 are usually adequate. The ration is ½ to 1 full cup per plant. You will spread the fertilizer in a band starting 6” from the base of the plant and spread the band until it is 18” from the base of the plant. Your fertilizer will be a band around the plant will be 12” wide. Work it lightly into the soil and then water. Some roses will benefit from a second application after the spring bloom period ends. Then you can fertilize one more time in mid July for nonstop blooms or repeat-blooming roses. Never apply fertilizer after August; you do not want to encourage growth, which could be easily damaged during winter. Roses can be fertilized in the fall after the plant lay dormant. This fertilizer will not encourage growth, but will be there when they do start growing again in the spring. To increase hardiness during the winter fertilize with fertilizers high in potassium. (more…)

For many years, lovers have given roses and poets have written of their merits. Now, you may be considering showing how much you love roses by planting your own rose bushes. No doubt you’ve heard a lot about how to take care of roses – the diseases to watch out for and the ways to prune them. While it may sound pretty complicated, you’ll find that planting your own rose bush is much easier than you think. If you take the following guidelines into consideration and use them, you’ll be sure to do a great job and have a beautiful rose bush that will look wonderful.

Things to Do Before Planting Your Rose Bush

If you are waiting for spring to arrive so you can plant your rose bush, there are some things that you may want to do. You may want to start thinking about the types of bushes you want for your rose garden. There are hundreds of different rose bushes that you can choose from and it may be a bit difficult to make your choice. You may want to visit a nursery in your area to find out more about bushes. Also, look for friends and neighbors that have beautiful bushes and find out what types of bushes they are growing. Make sure that you know whether a certain bush is prone to disease or if it takes a lot of attention as well before making your choice. (more…)

You can use bird feeders and bird baths to attract wild birds to your garden but if you also plant a bird garden you can increase the attractiveness of your garden enormously.

Trees, shrubs and flowers can provide shelter from predators and the winter cold and provide natural food for the birds for the whole year. Providing a safe environment with a natural source of food will make your wild bird visitors feel safe and they will visit often. Your garden may already provide some natural food but small changes can easily increase the availability of the food and make your garden even more attractive.

Plan your Bird Garden

Find out which birds are common in your area and base your plan around them. You can find out from the local library or bird society or by watching birds that are attracted to bird feeders in your area. Include native plants in your plan as they are most likely to thrive and will provide suitable natural food for the birds. (more…)

While selecting flowers seeds for gardens or for landscaping purposes, an increasing number of people are selecting wildflower varieties. Botanists and flower enthusiasts advocate against the usage of the term “wildflower”. Expressions such as “native”, “exotic” or “introduced species” are recommended to refer to flowers not logically occurring in an area. Other frequently used terms are invasive species and imported or naturalized varieties. These terms are used to refer to plants launched in an area much earlier and now considered as native to the location.

A wildflower is a type of flower that grows in uncultivated places, indicating that it was not seeded or planted by humans with a purpose. Taking this into consideration, it may seem strange that wildflower seeds of a few mixed species are being sold in seed packets. (more…)

It‘s not always easy to attain beauty and accomplish perfection, but by following basic guidelines you can ensure a beautiful show of roses. One of the basic tips is to learn how and when to water your roses and keep in mind there are good times and bad times. So to encourage your roses and reward yourself with the best display ever, all year round, just follow these simple steps:

Morning Dew

We all know how wonderful it is first thing in the morning, when the fresh due has settled and everything is coming alive before the sun becomes too warm. This is the best time to water your roses, so they are fresh and prepared for the heat of the day. If you leave it until later, the sun will evaporate most of the water, leaving little chance for it to reach the roots. If you water in the evening the coolness will keep your plant damp, the leaves will stay wet which can cause mildew. However, not all of us are awake with the lark and able begin our watering regime that early. If you can’t water early, do it as soon as you can. If it’s early evening, try not to get the leaves too wet, just concentrate on the roots of the roses. The leaves will take care of themselves by taking in natural moisture from the evening air, keeping them free from mildew, insects, pets and fungal diseases, which can all damage roses. (more…)

Most bedding plants are easy to rise from seed, but some smaller seeds, such as begonias, can be difficult to grow. We do not need a greenhouse to germinate seeds. Placing a seed tray or pot with a polythene bag over it on a window-ledge is also effective. We can purchase seedlings with just two or three leaves. They are usually purchased by mail order and come in trays containing between 100 and 400 plants. They will require pricking out soon after they arrive into seed trays or pots. (more…)

Chrysanthemums, better known as their nickname, “mums,” are popular perennials that display a wonderful array of color when the tree leaves are also turning on a show of similar colors. Not only do mums come in a wide variety of colors, but also come in numerous sizes from small dwarf to giant shrub. Mums are easy to grow and can provide years of enjoyment if care is taken to select an appropriate variety. Chrysanthemums like the sun, do best in well-drained soil, and need proper winter protection.

Plant chrysanthemums in the spring after all danger of frost. They grow best in a variety of soils but need excellent drainage. Growth is poor and winterkill is likely if they are planted in poorly drained wet soils. Sunny locations are the best sites for most varieties. Plants in semi-shady locations will be taller, have weaker stems, and bloom later in the fall. It is a good idea to incorporate peat moss, compost, or rich manure into the soil. (more…)

Repotting orchids should be done at least every two years. If you fail to do so, your plant may die or at least produce few flowers. You can easily tell when it’s time to do so. If your growing medium has broken down or if new growths extend over the edge of the pot, it’s time for you to repot the plant. Although it can seem difficult your first time around, it’s not such a hard task. This article will give you a few tips to help you.

Timing
One of the first things you need to consider is when to repot. If you wait longer than two years, then the potting medium will break down. This will prevent air circulation from reaching the roots. Also, the medium will start retaining too much moisture, which will increase the risk of root rot. You should repot the plant in early summer before new growth starts to appear. (more…)

POTTING

All being ready, put the drainage in a suitable sized pot. Place first a suitable crock, or a large oyster shell over the hole; then lay a few large crocks upon that, and smaller upon those, so that the drainage may occupy about three fourths of an inch.

Place a thin layer of moss upon the drainage, and upon that a sprinkling of soot or charcoal dust; after that a thin layer of the rougher parts of the compost, and finally a layer of soil. Then turn the plant out of the old pot, pick out the old drainage, and loosen part of the old roots, spreading them over the new soil as much as possible.

Then see that the collar of the roots is just below the rim of the pot, and fill in around the ball with the fresh soil, pressing it down gently as it is put in. When the pot is full, give it a smart stroke or two upon the bench to settle the soil; level it neatly, leaving it about half an inch below the rim of the pot. This finishes the potting. (more…)

Under this title, we propose to treat of the plants usually known, in common parlance, as Geraniums, including both those horticulturally and botanically known as such, and Pelargoniums. Between these there are many minute and fanciful distinctions, which are only interesting to botanists, and need not concern the amateur. The true geraniums are herbaceous. For window gardening, their treatment must
be the same.

For the pelargoniums, we are chiefly indebted to the Cape of Good Hope; the geranium is found, in some of its varieties, in Asia, Europe, and America; two of the family, our “wild geraniums,” being familiar to us all as among the wild flowers of spring.

The scarlet, or horseshoe geranium, so called from the color of its flowers, and the dark marking of its leaves, is a very common and popular window plant. The rose, oak, and nutmeg geraniums are commonly grown for their fragrant leaves, and for their hardiness, as they can endure more hard usage than most plants. (more…)

Humming birds are found throughout the Americas including the Caribbean. Known for their hovering ability and unique ability to fly backwards, humming birds hover by rapidly flapping their wings at speeds up to 80 times a second. The Bee Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world at only 2 inches long and around 1.8 grams. The Giant Hummingbird is the largest hummingbird at 24 grams and approximately 8 inches long.

They have the fastest metabolism of any birds and to sustain this they must eat their own weight and more in food daily. To do this they must visit hundreds of blooms a day to harvest the nectar. They have long bills and tongues to reach deep into flowers. They are able to slow down their metabolisms when at rest, unlike most other high metabolism animals and this extends their lifespan which has been reported to be up to 17 years. (more…)

Now that summer has passed and winter is soon to approach, we need to shift our minds from mowing the lawn & weeding to snow removal. Lets make sure that our flowerbeds are ready for this season’s upcoming change with a little preparation to assure beautiful flowers will return next spring.
Our shrubs might need some protection also depending where you live. You might choose to give your lawns a little attention also. Either way, this is a great time to give our yard one better look before the snow flies and make sure all is comfy & cozy!

I hope to cover a few basics to help get your yard ready for winter

Watering; Even though we know summer is over and feel we no longer need to water, we do. A deep watering encourages a strong root system. If a plant does not have enough water taken into its root system before frost, I might not survive the winter. Water all plants sparingly throughout early autumn. This will help plants start with the transition. Once the leaves have dropped from deciduous trees give trees and shrubs a deep watering. Continue to water flowerbeds, trees & shrubs until ground frost will no longer allow water to absorb into the soil. I personally don’t always water this far into the season and still have great result year after year. Use you judgment for your soil type & geographical location. (more…)

Why antiques? Antique roses are those breed by species, sports, varieties, or cultivars prior to the first hybrid tea, (LaFrance) in 1867. Some people are not as strict in their interpretation of antique roses as the American Rose Society, and claim any rose 75 years or older as being old.

Why antiques? They have withstood the test of time. Many are alive and well, living in old grave yards, home sites, and near public buildings that are over 100 years old. Although some get black spot or something, they nevertheless flourish.

Why antiques? Modern day roses, especially the hybrid teas have to be pampered and babysat. Not only do they have to be fertilized, watered, and prune just right to live for any length of time. Hybrid teas are usually grafted on to other root stock. It appears to most horticulturalists they plants are hardier on their own rootstock. (more…)