Plant Gardens 101

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…)

The importance of having good seeds has already been declared. They must not only grow, but grow into what we have bought them for–be true to name. Without the latter quality we cannot be sure of good gardens, and without the former they will not be full ones. A meagre “stand” from seeds properly sown is a rather exasperating and discouraging experience to encounter. The cost for fertilizing and preparing the land is just as much, and the cost of cultivating very nearly as much, when the rows are full of thrifty plants or strung out with poor ones. Whether you use ten cents’ worth or ten dollars’ worth, the best seed to be had will be the most economical to buy–to say nothing of the satisfaction that full rows give. Inexperienced gardeners seem universally to have the conviction that the only thing required in seed sowing is to cover the seed with soil. What sort of soil it is, or in what condition, or at what depth or temperature the seed is planted, are questions about which they do not trouble themselves to think. (more…)

The Amazon jungles, mangroves, virgin forests, tropical forests and even plants in a kitchen garden have all originated from seeds. Many plants have survived over the ages through wind dispersals and alternative forms of reproduction. However, the predominance of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants in all landscapes confirms the importance of a seed.

A ripened ovule of a gymnosperm or angiosperm is called a seed. An angiosperm or a flowering plant has a seed enclosed in the ovary that later forms a fruit. Gymnosperm, conifer and related plants seeds lie open to the elements. A seed contains an embryo, which facilitates growth of a new plant under favorable circumstances. It also has a supply of accumulated food and is wrapped in a seed coat. This stored food is initially a tissue called endosperm derived from the parent plant. Over time, the endosperm becomes rich in oil starch and protein. In some species, the embryo is embedded in the endosperm, which will be used later by the sapling, upon germination. In some other species, the embryo absorbs it as it grows within the developing seed. (more…)

You know your soil is “clean”, that your soil is not contaminated in any way because you got your soil tested, so now you’re looking for some organic seeds to plant. At this point you are probably asking yourself, “How do I know that the seeds I am buying are organically grown and where is the best place to buy my seeds?”

Well, you can wait till the last minute and chance buying your seeds at your nursery or such places as Canadian Tire or Home Hardware. However, your best bet is to plan ahead and order via seed catalogs so that you can identify whether the company’s seeds are organically grown.

When looking for companies, look for those who have labels for the seeds which they grow and sell. Those who grow and sell organic seeds will use one or more of these labels: U for untreated, O for organic, OP for open-pollinated, and H for heritage. (more…)

Flowers have been grown and nurtured over years for personal and business purposes. A flower provides visual bliss in addition to a soothing aroma and an array of delightful colors. One can give cut flowers as gifts to celebrate events, express feelings or just grow them in a backyard.

It may sound strange when a botanist refers to singular divisions of a flower while referring to male and female reproductive organs. However, this is true. Flowers are used as a reproductive organ only in certain angiosperms plants. A pistil is located in the center of a flower and it contains female organs. It has a rounded lower base, which is the ovary. These contain reproductive cells called ovule. (more…)

Clones in hydroponics are better than seeds

You are much better off starting from a clone rather than a seed in hydroponics. There are a lot of reasons for this. When you start from a clone, you know the genetics of your plants. Meaning the clone came from a mother plant, and the reason it was taken from the mother plant is because the mother plant showed signs of fast growth and good crop development. So you know with 100 hundred percent absolute certainty that the clone taken from the mother plant will have those same genetics. That’s because it is simply a copy of the mother plant. That’s what a clone is. A clone is cutting those taken from the mother plant which is now rooted and turned into an exact copy of the plant it was originally cut from. So clones are identical to the mothers in every way. And will display the exact same characteristics as the plant they were originally taken from. That’s the great thing about clothes. You know exactly what they are before they pop out of their seed. (more…)

Outdoor Plants Before you shop, choose plants that will withstand the rigors of your climate. Select the location in your yard where you will grow each plant: sunny, shady, windy, etc. Select plants that are disease resistant, especially to pests that are already present in your environment.

Buying and selecting quality plants: Whether you are planting seeds, bulbs, transplants or mature plants, always buy from a reputable source. Look for sources that back their plants with a money-back guarantee. This is especially important when shopping by mail or on the internet, as you will not have the chance to personally inspect for quality.

Seeds: When possible, order seeds from mail order companies to ensure that you are receiving fresh seeds that have been stored at optimal temperatures. Read before you buy. Many companies offer information on height at maturity, flower and fruit size, disease resistance, how many days until bloom, growing requirements and zones. After you have gotten your plants off to a great start, be sure to keep your plants free of disease and bugs.   (more…)

Seed saving can be a rewarding and cost saving activity particularly if plants are selected for their good seed saving characteristics. This article will offer the beginning seed saver helpful advice on which plants to start with and how best to harvest, prepare and save the seeds. Bean/pea, lettuce, pepper, and tomato offer the beginning seed saver the best chance for successful seed saving. They produce seed the same season as planted and are mostly self-pollinating, minimizing the need to be mindful of preventing cross-pollination.

Always harvest seeds from the best plants available. Choose healthy disease-free plants with desirable qualities. Look for the most flavorful vegetables or beautiful flowers. Because seed set reduces the vigor of the plant and discourages further fruit production, wait until near the end of the season to save fruit for seed. Seeds are mature when flowers are faded and dry or have puffy tops.

Beans/Peas Toward the end of the season and while healthy pods are still being formed allow the pods on some plants to dry brown before harvesting. This is about six weeks after eating stage for beans and four for peas. If frost threatens, pull the entire plant, and hang in cool, dry location until pods are brown. (more…)

With proper planning there are several advantages that greenhouse enthusiasts have for seed germinating and getting their plants off to agreat start.

Jump Start the Growing Season - Just as greenhouse gardeners are able to extend the growing season they can get a head start as well. Many desirable plant varieties cannot be sowed until after the last freeze of the season and in some cases it takes even longer for the ground to warm to an appropriate temperature for optimum seed germination. In the greenhouse, seed germination can start three to four weeks before the estimated last freeze of the season giving greenhouse gardeners a head start on their open air counterparts. This is particularly important for success with long season vegetables (those that require 70 or more days to produce) e.g., melons, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, corn, carrots and parsnips among others. (more…)

Vegetable and flower gardeners love to get a jump on the spring planting season by starting their own plants from seed. There are several benefits that come from doing so, including a much wider variety of plants that are available only through seed, as well as a cost effectiveness that will not be found from purchasing started plants. One of the biggest reasons that gardeners fail with starting their own seeds is not that the seeds do not germinate, but that they are grown under poor light and do not thrive. These baby plants do well when grown under artificial grow lights.

Some plants take a long time to reach a plantable size outdoors from seed, while others need only a short time. You can find out how many weeks to start your seeds before your area’s last average frost date by looking at the information on the back of the seed packet. (more…)

Any reliable seed house can be depended upon for good seeds; but even so, there is a great risk in seeds. A seed may to all appearances be all right and yet not have within it vitality enough, or power, to produce a hardy plant.

If you save seed from your own plants you are able to choose carefully. Suppose you are saving seed of aster plants. What blossoms shall you decide upon? Now it is not the blossom only which you must consider, but the entire plant. Why? Because a weak, straggly plant may produce one fine blossom. Looking at that one blossom so really beautiful you think of the numberless equally lovely plants you are going to have from the seeds. But just as likely as not the seeds will produce plants like the parent plant. (more…)

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

For many gardeners, the garden actually begins in January when the first seed catalog arrives in the mailbox. While the cold wind howls outside, we retire to a cozy chair and leaf through the catalog, carefully notating which varieties of lettuce and tomatoes to try and wishing we had the space to plant each and every flower so artfully displayed on its pages.

But have you ever wondered where your great-grandparents acquired the seeds for their gardens, before there were seed catalogs and fancy garden centers? (more…)

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

Long before the first daffodils of the year come into bloom, seed catalogs are delivered to our mailboxes to herald the arrival of Spring. A good seed catalog contains so much information, it can sometimes be overwhelming for a novice gardener to decide which seeds to buy for their garden. Today I’ll explain how to interpret catalog descriptions for vegetable, herb and flower seeds.

Let’s start with vegetable and herb seed descriptions, since they’re fairly straightforward. A typical catalog listing for these seeds will look something like this description for lettuce seeds: (more…)