Not Found in Your Local Greenhouse (compost tumbler)
No commentsBy Abel Jones
Do you scour your seed catalogs or look at all the new varieties that have come out in your gardening magazines? You can’t wait to go to your local greenhouse and purchase them for your garden or flower bed. But when you get there, you find they don’t carry that variety.
Why not start them yourself?
So how do you start? First of all make a list of the varieties that look interesting to you. If you are a newbie at seed starting, try and pick some plants that would be easy to grow. There is no use getting discouraged with finicky plants your first time at it. Also keep your list to a minimum. You don’t want to overload yourself in the beginning.
Purchase seeds early enough in the season so that you can give them a good start if they need extra time. If seed companies haven’t been sending you catalogs, then go on the internet and search for seed catalogs and I’m sure you can find some sites that will be happy to send you a catalog.
Some plants need a long growing season, so you will need to start them early in the house if you live in the northern areas of the country. Vegetable plants like tomatoes and peppers or flowers such as impatiens and pansies.
What do you need if you are going to start your own seeds? Clean containers, good soilless seed starting mix, fertilizer, warmth, and plenty of light. You can buy special containers, re-use some from plants you have purchased, or some type of container you have around the house. I use empty milk cartons plenty of times. You can also use the milk cartons for making labels so you remember what seeds are in the container.
Do you happen to have some old seeds from past projects that were never used? See if they are still viable by pre-sprouting. Dampen paper towels, spread out the seeds, and put the folded towel in a bag. Place in a warm area and check every few days. If they haven’t sprouted in 10-14 days, I would give up and throw them out. You can also do this to speed up the germination of new seeds before you plant. Just handle very carefully when planting so you don’t damage the root. This is not good to do with very small seeds.
You are now ready to plant. If you are re-using cell packs or flats, wash first with a mild dish detergent and then dip in a mix of 1 part bleach to 9 parts hot water, let dry. In cell packs, place 2 seeds in each cell to be sure of getting at least one sprouted seed. If two sprout, snip out the weaker of the two with scissors. Very fine seeds could be spread onto a flat filled to the brim for good air flow.
Start at the right time. If started too early, seedlings will get weak and spindly without good lighting. If you don’t have a really good sunny windowsill you will need a special grow light to be sure of good growth.
When it is time to put your plants in the ground, you will want to harden them off for a few days to prepare them for the outdoor environment. One way is to hold off on the water a little and also place them outside for just a few hours a day, increasing the time gradually. In a week they should be able to handle the outside world without transplant shock.
Do you have a little experience starting your own seeds? Maybe you want to try something a little more challenging. How about tree, shrubs, or wildflower seeds? Generally, these seeds need stratification to germinate. That is, they need to go through some cold and moist temperatures plus warmth to break dormancy. Some will want darkness and some light. You need to know the specifics of the plant you want to start.
To stratify your seeds try this method. Sow seeds in moist soilless mix in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid or plastic wrap to hold the moisture and prevent spills. You don’t need a large amount of mix to get them to sprout. Place in the refrigerator for one week and then remove to let them warm up for a day or two. Place in the freezer for one week and then remove to let them warm up again. Alternate this method at least twice before keeping them in a warm environment to allow them to germinate.
If you have some really hard seeds, then you can try scarification by rubbing the seed with sandpaper or an emery board. You can also nick the seed with a knife but be sure not to damage the embryo.
Learning to start seeds can be fun and rewarding but it can also be frustrating if you don’t take time to learn the basics before moving on to the harder to start varieties.
To learn about acacia fiber and acacia baileyana, visit the Acacia Plant website.
The Great Gift that are Flowers
By Mohammed Wilder
Flowers are a great gift, useful in home decoration or in landscaping. When thinking about what to grow in any certain space, one has a wide array of choices for what kind of flowers would best be planted. Choices many times have to do with when the flowers should bloom and when they will be most appreciated.
Wildflowers, of course, are available in abundance. Gathering and pressing wildflowers is a popular pastime, and for those who live near open fields or other natural places, a bouquet of wildflowers is the easiest way. The bright array of blossoms that can be gathered in the wild require no effort other than finding and picking.
If you are trying to grow flowers in a specific bed, there are many choices, having mostly to do with when the flowers will bloom. A basic choice is between annual flowers, which last only for one growing season, or the hardier perennials, which can grow for years and years if properly cultivated.
Annual flowers can be better for a longer blooming time, for more robust blossoms, and for more micromanaged growing conditions. Perennials in many cases will produce less vivid flowers over a number of years. There are also Biennials, flowers which don’t blossom at all the first growing season and die after the second. There are obvious disadvantages to biennials, but for the avid gardener, they remain part of a varied flower bed.
Annuals come in different varieties, and some are more fragile than others. More delicate plants, called ‘tender’ annuals, are probably more for the advanced gardener and in suitable conditions. Stronger annuals will be more likely to outlast rough soil or handling and other potential problems. Some annuals can withstand the vestiges of frost or stand up to the elements in other ways.
Perennials, then, need to be studied for their blossoming patterns, and for other particular growing conditions. Perhaps the most popular perennial is the rose, grown in thorny bushes. The rose is among the most familiar flowers, used widely in our social rituals, as a gift between lovers or friends, and enjoyed as the subject of classic poetry and literature. Rose bushes are tenacious and with the right conditions can provide lasting enjoyment in your yard or garden.
The gardener will want to look at growing conditions, as also at color schemes, to create a vivid and eye-catching garden. Consider whether the plants will be needed only for a season, or whether they should last into future years, growing along with their tenders. In any case, a lively crop of blooming beauties will enable the gardener to do as the florists suggest: Say it with Flowers.
Learn about indoor bamboo and growing bamboo indoors at the Bamboo Flower site.
The Smelly Rose: The Garlic Herb
By Abel Jones
Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for centuries for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Known as the ’stinking rose’ and Russian penicillin, its medicinal purposes have been documented for centuries and have always been a popular remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. Garlic was used in World War I and World War II to cure many diseases and because it is a potent antiseptic. Garlic is universally known for its health benefits. It is an excellent source of phytochemicals and contains vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), C, iron, phosphorous, sulphur compounds, and calcium. Medical studies have shown that it lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and hypertension, prevents some cancerous tumours, protects against bacterial and fungal infections, and is good for the blood and heart. It is useful as an expectorant in respiratory ailments, eliminates toxic metals, and supports the immune system. Garlic may prove to be useful for diabetics, as it seems to regulate blood sugar levels.
As a culinary spice, the Indians, Egyptians, and Europeans have appreciated garlic for thousands of years, and most notably the Italians and Chinese who have made extensive use of this much-loved plant. There are records of garlic use dating back 3,000 years and botanists believe that garlic probably originated in central Asia thousands of years ago. In North America, early colonists discovered that the First Nations people were using a native species of garlic to treat a variety of medical problems including snakebite and intestinal worms.
Garlic is a moderately hardy herbaceous (herbaceous means a plant that lacks woody tissue and dies to the ground at the end of the growing season) perennial. It grows from 2-3 feet (0.6-1m) tall and has flat, long, pointed green leaves extending from the base. The young leaves grow 2 feet (0.6 m) tall and have a delicate chive-like flavour. Garlic has erect, hollow, green stalks that support pink or whitish flowering clusters or bulbils that appear in mid-summer. The leaves are organised into segments called cloves and may have anywhere from 4-15 cloves in a bulb. Garlic does best in rich, well-drained, highly organic soils, prefers full sun, although it will grow in partial shade. Avoid over-watering or the bulbs will rot. Garlic has white energy for chromotherapy purposes.
Garlic is available throughout the year but it is easy to grow your own. To plant, separate cloves from the head and plant cloves with the pointed end up. Garlic can be planted in early spring or late fall. It is best to plant cloves or bulbils available from nurseries or garden catalogues as store bought garlic is often sprayed with a sprout and root inhibitor that confuses its natural growth cycle. Fall plantings produce the best yields, as garlic needs a long growing period and a cool period below 10 C (50 F) for two months. If over-wintering in zones 3 or 4, plant cloves at least 3 inches (8 cm) deep and mulch with leaves or straw; otherwise plant bulbs 2 inches (5 cm) deep and 6 inches (15 cm) apart. (In the winter, I plant store-bought garlic in pots and snip the leaves to impart a fresh garlic flavour to salads and soups.) Garlic is generally pest and disease free.
Harvest garlic when the leaves die back and begin to turn brown and collapse. Pull up the mature plants and dry in the sun for a week; then trim or braid the stalks and hang the garlic braids in the shade to dry further. To store, keep in a dry, dark place with good air circulation. Garlic will keep for up to 6 months if stored in temperatures no higher than 0 C (32 F). Leaves, bulbs, and bulbils may all be eaten.
In the garden, garlic helps protect plants from fungus and pests. Scientists at New Castle University have shown that a barrier of garlic oil is an effective slug and snail repellent. Planted near roses, it aids in fighting black spot. Garlic spray is used to discourage many insects and combats various blights found on vegetables and flowers. To make garlic spray, mince garlic and add water. Some people add a few drops of vegetable oil to the spray to make it cling to flowers and foliage. Garlic spray is a non-toxic alternative to using harmful chemicals in the garden.
In the kitchen, garlic can be used fresh, dried, or powdered. Fresh is best. To peel, place the garlic cloves on the work surface and whack with the flat edge of a knife. The garlic will crack out of the skin making it easier to peel. You can also put the garlic in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain, and then peel when cool. Crush with the flat edge of a knife and slice or chop as necessary. Garlic can be used to enhance the flavour of seafood, salad dressings, stews, casseroles, vegetables, soups, meat dishes, pasta, vegetables, and poultry. When roasting meat, make slits in the meat, sliver garlic, and stuff into the slits. Roast the meat as usual. Roasting or baking garlic mellows the taste. To eliminate garlic breath, chew the traditional breath fresheners: parsley, fenugreek, or fennel.
Read about umbrella thorn acacia and acacia honey at the Acacia Plant website.
Your Source For Composting Instructions And Information
Thursday, March 25th, 2010 at 4:00 pm and is filed under gardening. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
