Care Tips for Planting and Growing Orchids Inside Your House

Orchids are typically an outdoor plant, thus it can be difficult to flower indoors. However, you can buy orchids that can thrive indoors or in a greenhouse. You do need to be familiar with the characteristics and conditions that orchids need to thrive in to result in a healthy indoor living condition. Here are some tips to care for the wholesale orchids you have purchased.

Contrary to typical plants, orchids do not grow in soil.  In fact, planting an orchid in soil will kill the plant.  In the wild, orchids grow on the bark of trees. Orchids should be grown in a similar way. Pots should be filled with loosely packed material such as bark or stones. Water is capable of draining quickly and also exposes the orchid roots to air. If wholesale orchids are left in standing water, they will eventually die.

Wholesale orchids also need to have the temperature variations of the plants that are grown in the wild. In nature, orchids go through a range of temperatures between night and day time hours.  This can be achieved indoors by creating a drop in temperature at night by a minimum of ten degrees. This will encourage flower buds to set more readily. Wholesale orchids can survive without this change in temperature, but they will not necessarily thrive without it.

Depending on the color of the leaf on the orchid, this will demonstrate whether or night the orchid is getting the proper amount of light. If it is not getting enough light, the leaves will appear dark green. If the leaves have a grassy color, then the plant is getting the right amount of light for blooming. Too much light can result in a yellowish color on the orchid leaves.

Growing orchids can be a fun rewarding experience inside your home.  Use the research above to help the orchid make the transition from the outside to the indoors without putting the life of the orchid at risk.  Follow the proper care instructions for an indoor orchid and you will be able to provide a colorful look inside your home.

Caring For Christmas Trees

Christmas trees are a long time symbol of the Christmas season, but improperly cared for Christmas trees are unlikely to make it through the entire holiday season. Properly cared for fresh cut Christmas trees, on the other hand, can last several weeks. 

First and foremost, the key to long-lasting Christmas trees is to give them plenty of water. Many people have developed outlandish concoctions for Christmas trees, ranging from mixing things such as bleach, sugar, syrup, 7-up or vodka in the water. Research has shown, however, that plain water is the best bet for caring for Christmas trees. Furthermore, the water doesn’t have to be distilled or bottled or fancy in any way. Tap water is just fine. 

To further ensure the longevity of Christmas trees, it is helpful to make a fresh cut at the base of the trunk. This cut should be straight and made about an inch from the end of the trunk and the tree should be placed in water quickly. This cut helps Christmas trees better absorb water from within the tree stand. 

If the tree is not to be put up right away, it is still a good idea to cut the trunk of the tree and place it in a bucket of water. The tree should then be stored in a shady, protected area that is unheated. When the time comes to set the tree up, the end of the tree should be cut once again to further aid in water absorption. 

The type of tree stand used with Christmas trees is also important in their ability to last. For most Christmas trees, the water reservoir should hold at least ½ gallon of water, but the more water the better. Keep in mind that freshly cut Christmas trees will absorb up to one full gallon of water, or even more, in the first 24 hours after a new cut is made. They will continue to absorb one or more quarts each day, depending on the room temperature and the amount of lights and other decorations on the tree. 

Recognizing Christmas Trees that are drying out: 

One of the surest signs that Christmas trees are beginning to dry out is water absorption. For a tree that is drying out, water use substantially slows down or stops altogether. The needles of Christmas trees that are not watered regularly will dry and fall off as the tree dries. In addition, the boughs will droop and the tree will lose its fragrance. Trees kept near TV’s, fireplaces, air ducts, and radiators have a tendency to dry more quickly. 

It is also important to keep Christmas trees watered because a dried sap seal will form over the end of them within four to 6 hours after the water drops below the base of the tree. This makes it impossible for the trees to absorb water, even after the reservoir is refilled. This problem can be remedied by cutting the bottom of the tree once again, but this is difficult to do with a tree that has already been decorated.

Care and Repair of Garden Tools

Knowing how to properly use and maintain garden tools will increase their life, help prevent personal injury, and increase your gardening enjoyment. For example, properly uncoiling a hose will prevent you from tripping or catching your foot in the coil. The points of an upturned rake can inflict painful and sometimes serious puncture wounds when stepped on, to say nothing about the possibility of the handle flying up and striking you in the face. Tools must not be left where their edges or point may be hidden by grass, leaves, or other material. Keep your fingers away from the blades of the lawn mower: merely striking your hand against the blades can lead to a brutal injury. A small, slight crack in a wooden handle can be repaired by wrapping the handle with tape. A glass filament tape is particularly useful for such a job.

Splinters in wooden handles of rakes, hoes, and shovels can be cured by sanding the surface until it becomes smooth again; this not only protects your hands, but keeps the cracks from spreading and causing the handle to break. A good way to preserve a wood handle is to apply several coats of quality varnish or to paint it. The metal parts of the tool may be painted, with a primer coat, and two coats of exterior paint. However, any metal part which goes into the ground should not be painted.

Aside from preservation by paint, the tools are easier to find when their handles are of a color which makes them conspicuous if left lying on the grass: The color, therefore, should not be green or brown, but a bright contrast to the grass such as red. yellow, blue, or white. The metal edges of shovels, hoes, rakes or other garden tools may become nicked. These may be smoothed with a metal file. Any rough surfaces should be gone over with steel wool or other abrasive which is good for metal. Dents may be straightened out by hammering with a mallet. A wheelbarrow break, in the wood or metal parts, should be repaired at once. Painting the wheelbarrow helps preserve the wood. The moving parts need occasional oiling, to run smoothly. For winter storage, keep tools in a dry spot as dampness could be harmful. Wipe all tools clean of any dirt or grass before being stored. The metal parts should be coated with a mixture of petroleum jelly and light oil, to prevent rust.

Caring for your garden tools will help them last year after year!

Chinquapin History

There are two types of chinquapin trees, also called ‘chikapin trees,’ that are available commercially in the United States, the Allegheny chinquapin and the Georgiana chinquapin. The Allegheny chinquapin, ‘Castanea pumila’, is considered a shrub by some; however, some researchers claim that its dwarf size does not justify its reclassification. Many old-timers remember sweet memories from their youth when baskets were filled with the spicy, sweet, nutty flavored chinquapins. These nuts were eaten fresh, roasted or baked into snack confections for any occasion. The nuts from chinquapin trees grow with only one nut to a burr, whereas chestnuts, a close botanical relative, produce two or more nuts per burr. The Allegheny chinquapin, ‘Castanea pumila,’ is widely distributed throughout the Southeastern U.S. and is cold hardy up to Zone 6 and all the way down to Zone 9. The Allegheny chinquapin prefers to grow on a neutral, uphill soil, especially at higher elevations. These nuts are often gathered by local inhabitants and are available at many locations at nearby markets and roadside stands.

The Georgiana chinquapin, ‘Castanea alnifolia,’ is best described as the creeping chinquapin and it readily spreads in shady thickets by means of giant underground stems that produce many shallow roots. These plants are found in huge colonies throughout South Georgia and produce numerous nuts in late summer and early fall with a distinct sweetness and characteristic spicy flavor that remains indelibly bonded within the memory. The plant is easily grown and transplanted, but is more vigorous in a shady location. The burr is about one inch in diameter, producing a brown waxy nut in the center. The Georgian chinquapin ‘Castanea alnifolia’ is cold hardy in zones 8-10, growing about 4 feet in height, slow growing but excelling in poor sandy soils that are well drained.

Luther Burbank reported in his book Trees, Volume 8, that chinquapin trees appeared to be almost immune to the chestnut tree blight of the American chestnut trees that, within a 50 year period of history—beginning in 1912, practically had eliminated the American native chestnut tree. Burbank hybridized thousands of chestnut trees in an effort to renew the American chestnut forests to their former splendor. He noted that any hybrid that had successfully survived the chestnut tree blight to become a viable commercial orchard selection would undoubtedly contain the immune qualities within the chinquapin that had been implanted into the American chinquapin tree genetic makeup.

Caring For Your Plant Bulbs

The only way to keep up with the latest about Caring For Your Plant Bulbs is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about Caring For Your Bulbs, it won't take long for you to become an influential authority. 

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything. 

Bulbs are generally among the easiest of all plants to care for, and this hardiness makes bulbs one of the most popular among all kinds of gardeners.  Even though bulbs are easy to care for, however, it is still important to care for them properly to ensure you will have a garden full of dahlias, lilies, daffodils, tulips and other bulbs.  

One great thing about bulbs is the colors they come in.  Bulb plants come in a wide variety of colors, and a flower bed full of bulbs can be one of the most colorful parts of any garden.

As with any type of plant, it is important that your bed full of bulbs receive plenty of water, plenty of sunlight, proper fertilization and a good quality soil.  Providing these basic elements is the best way to get your bulbs off to the best start.

When it comes to watering bulbs, it is important to remember that all bulbs need regular watering during their growth and blooming period.  For most bulbs, the active growth period begins shortly after they go into the ground, and it continues until the foliage on the plant has died back.  The die back generally occurs after the flowering has stopped, or in the autumn of the year.  

If there is not enough rainfall available, the gardener should be sure to supplement the water with deep watering, deep enough to reach the root zone, as the roots will be growing underneath the bulb.  In addition, providing a good layer of mulch will assist the roots in retaining their all important moisture content.  It is important to note here, however, that the bearded iris should never be mulched, since mulching it will cause it to rot.

Proper fertilization is also very important to successfully growing bulbs.  The fertilizer should be applied at the time the bulb is planted, in the bottom of the hole, and covered with a thin layer of soil.  The bulb should never be placed directly on top of the fertilizer.  In addition, the bulbs should be fed with a high nitrogen content fertilizer at the start of the growing season.  Providing this extra feeding will help the bulbs to produce more attractive flowers.

After the bulbs have completed their blooming cycle, they will have used up a great deal of their nutrient content.  For the bulb to do well the following season it is important for those nutrients to be replenished.  There are two steps gardeners should take to ensure that their bulbs will bloom well the next year.

The first step is to be certain that the foliage is left on the plant, even if the foliage looks poor, until the foliage has yellowed and pulls off easily.  That is because the leaves will continue to make food for the plant as long as they are green, and this food will help the plant bloom better the next year.

The second step is to provide a good quality fertilizer right after the flowers have begun to fade away.  It is important to fertilize with a bulb food which is high in phosphorus and potassium, as this will help the plant thrive the next year.

In order to be their most effective, the phosphorus and potassium in the bulb food must be able to reach the root zone, and for this reason the fertilizer should be placed as close as possible to the roots.  For a planting that has already been established, the fertilizer should be stretched slightly into the soil to help it move deeper, and the feeding should be followed by a deep watering. 

There's a lot to understand about Caring For Your Bulbs. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.a

Cheap Landscaping Ideas

This blog is on cheap landscaping ideas. One of the main hassles of a garden is not planting, but weeding. Weeds grow with remarkable speed and can quickly overtake a garden. Using a poison or herbicide like roundup is not recommended as you might kill your plants. I know that the manufactors claim the product breaks down in the soil very quickly but I find with my lawn edges after a second dose of roundup no grass is growing there six months later. 

In moving into a new rental property I had a large front garden with a nice quickkerb concrete border to highlight the beautiful weeds. So I began to weed, got sick of it and left it for a month. Big mistake, there were now more weeds than ever. I was going to have to have mulch it or spend everyday in the garden. With the landlord not interested in paying for it it was going to have to come out of my own pocket. Now I don't mine paying for gardening supplies, plants, etc when its my own place, but I'm certainly not keen on giving my landlord a free ride.

So I needed a cheap mulching option, that would look good, work, but not cost too much.

I chose three basic supplies, newspaper -the local rags free and it doesn't take long to build up a stock pile of papers, sugar cane mulch - its comes in a big bags and is cheap, and finally a few bags of bark - not so cheap, but as you will see its used to give colour not as a mulch so only a little bit is required.

Step One:-

Prepare the garden, yes this means a huge effort and weed the whole garden by hand. Rake over the soil so its nice and smooth and then apply the newspaper. The thicker the better.

Min. six sheets thick. Spread it out and then with a hose wet it all down so it soaked. The now heavy paper won't blow around in the wind and will mold better to the grounds surface.

Step Two:-

Next spread out the sugar cane mulch. If you cant access cheap sugar cane mulch, try straw, but ensure it has no seeds in it. Make sure all the paper is covered. It doesn't have to be deep, just enough to cover all the paper. Once again apply water to damp down the mulch. Once watered it takes on a lovely golden colour.

Step Three:- 

Now apply the bark. Just grab handfulls and throw it around. You don't want to totally cover the yellow mulch, the barks mainly to give colour and to contrase with the mulch.

I have found this to be a very effective mulch. A year later and few weeds can get through. Nutgrass was the only successful one and I pulled those out by hand and even the nutgrass gave up the fight. The beautiful browns and golden colour unfortunately fade under the harsh sun, but by that time you should have plenty of flower to make up for it. Best of all - NO WEEDING, yes.

Caring For Wild Roses

Wild roses are source of all other rose species. They are found in the wild, hence their name—wild roses. They have small single flowers with usually five petals. These are normally not pruned, but it is during the early stage of growth that they must be shaped so that they will not grow too wildly.

Sometimes, wild roses are easy to detect because of their color. Their colors can range from pink, yellow or white. They will become very hardy, and, given the chance, will grow into large climbers or bushes. Because of their hardiness, they become resistant to diseases and pests. The flowers will appear only during summer and will sometimes be followed by attractive hips during autumn. 

Caring for wild roses can be done as with the normal roses, although wild roses can be hard to restore. You must give a lot of attention to the wild rose if you wish to bring one back.

If you want to turn your wild roses into healthy ones, you must be patient and fertilize it regularly. There are fertilizers available in the market that can be very useful in reviving your roses. 

All plants and bushes need to be watered properly. Not too little, not too much, just right. Adequate water can revive the old soil in which your wild roses have grown. This will make the soil damp and refreshed. You should water slowly, taking care not to over-water.

To keep your wild roses flourishing remove surrounding bushes as they may consume the fertilizers you use taking nourishment from the rose. 

Pests are everywhere and that includes on your plants. To prevent pests, you can inspect your roses for deadwood. For wild roses, it is expected to have some areas of the plant as withered and non-thriving. You should remove the dead areas to reduce pest infestation. 

You can also prune your wild roses. By pruning, you can shape the rose plant rather than having it branch out and appear wild. But do remember to only prune during the proper season.

Caring For The Indoor Bonsai Tree

The indoor Bonsai Tree is a beautiful addition to any home or office, and once you learn how to care for these unique trees, they are a great hobby. 

Indoor Bonsai Trees are actually a miniature replica of a natural outdoor tree. The cultivation of the indoor Bonsai Tree first began in China and Japan centuries ago, but today growing the Bonsai Tree has become a popular hobby in many parts of the world.

One of the best aspects of the indoor Bonsai Tree is that it only becomes more beautiful with time with the right care. The indoor Bonsai Tree must receive enough sunlight without being exposed to temperatures that are too high or too low. If you live in a fairly mild climate you may want to place your tree on a patio or porch when temperatures permit.

If you live in a climate that reaches extreme temperatures, you may have to place your indoor Bonsai Tree in a room that receives plenty of light, but not right next to the window. 

Watering your indoor Bonsai Tree is another important element to properly caring for it. Your tree should be watered when the soil begins to appear dry, and it is very important that you never let the soil get too dry. 

Using the proper soil for the type of indoor Bonsai Tree that you have is also an essential element to caring for your tree. Always ensure that you have the right soil when planting or replanting your tree.

The correct use of liquid fertilizer may also determine how healthy your indoor Bonsai Tree will be. To guarantee that you are using the right fertilizer and applying it correctly, seek advice for the type of tree that you have.

For the indoor Bonsai Tree to grow properly, it is extremely important that you trim it at the appropriate times. Tropical and sub tropical indoor bonsai trees have to be trimmed throughout the year. Not only do the branches need to be trimmed but also the roots. Nevertheless, as different plants grow at diverse rates, you will have to assess your tree’s growth and change the trimming accordingly.

With proper care, your indoor Bonsai Tree can grow to be beautiful and healthy. Once you get the hang of caring for your Bonsai Tree, you may even want to add several more to your collection.

California natural plant food

As a result of the increasing environmental issues we face nowadays, a great number of agriculturists have decided to replace inorganic plant food products with greener alternatives to take of their fields.

There is a company in California called California Organic Fertilisers Inc. that produces a top-notch product to help agriculturists in the transition from inorganic products to natural plant food alternatives. This company has been around for over a decade, and they have always produced natural plant food products made of the best natural waste matter. One characteristic of their products is that they have high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which is a rare feature in a natural fertiliser.

Another characteristic of their products is that contain small quantities of trace elements that are vital during the development stage of plants. This company produces more than five natural plant food products namely Phyta-Green, Phyta-Grow, Phyta-Start, Phyta-Guard, Phyta-min, and Phyta-Qc.

The first product they manufactured was Phyta-Green and this is the perfect natural fertiliser to use in horticulture and greensward. This product encourages the creation of more microbes that are vital for the development of plants.

The second product they started to manufacture was Phyta-grow, which is sold as a natural plant food enhancer that will make your plants grow nonstop. This product is made of horse dung, blood aliment, bone meal and rock phosphate.

The third product that appeared in the market was Phyta-Start and this is used to improve young plants that are going through the growing stage. This product comes in a powder version that is made of inoculating microbes.

Another product California Organic Fertilizers manufactures is Phyta-Guard. This is product is ideal to fight off pests. Within this line you will find natural pesticides such as Citronella, Phyta-Oil garlic and citronella.

The next product the company created was Phyta-mins. This is used to give plants the vitamins they need and ground the substances it lacks.

Phyta-QC is the last product they manufacture and this is a product that will give extra aid to your plants because it will reduce any substance deficiency. 

this company is helping agriculturists all over the world to change their traditional methods of fertilizing their fields and crops and it is giving them many options to finally understand that the greener the better. 

Chives - Allium schoenoprasum

Known as common garden chives, Allium schoenoprasum, can be grown indoors and out.  Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, and calcium.  They are grown for the flavour of their leaves, which is reminiscent of onion, although much milder.  Both the stems and light purple flowers are used in cooking and the snipped leaves are an addition to many dishes.  Chives lose their flavour with long cooking so it is best to add them to dishes at the last minute.  For chopping stems, a pair of scissors is the best tool.

Chives can be frozen or dried.  They are less flavourful when dried rather that frozen, so they are best used when fresh and snipped, or snipped and frozen.  In both cases sort them carefully, removing any yellowing leaves and shoots, and keep only the plump green ones.  It is possible to place chives in non-iodized salt, keep them there for several weeks, remove the leaves, and then bottle the ‘chive salt’ for use in flavouring.

Chives are a perennial in the garden and grow approximately 12 inches (30 cm) tall.  They are extremely easy to grow, are drought tolerant, rarely suffer from disease or pest problems, and don’t require fertilizer.  Cultivation requirements for growing chives: full sun, will tolerate light shade; grow best in well-drained, organic, fertile soil; keep soil moist – use mulch, and water during periods of drought.  Chives tend to get overcrowded so dig and divide every three to four years.

Chives are easily grown from seed or can be brought indoors at the end of the growing season.  If you are bringing chives indoors, divide a clump, and pot up in good houseplant soil.  Leave your chive plant outdoors for a month or so after the first frost to provide a short period of dormancy.  Bring them indoors and provide the requirements needed for them to start growing again.  To harvest, snip leaves 2 inches (5cm) from the base of the plant.  Cut flower stalks off at the soil line once they have finished blooming.  This prevents the plant form forming seed and keeps it more productive.

Chives require at least five to eight hours of sunlight a day.  Grow them on a southern or eastern exposure to the light.  If you are growing them on a windowsill, turn regularly to ensure every side receives light.  If you are unable to provide this amount of light, they also grow well under fluorescent lights.  Hang lights 6 inches above the plants and leave lights on for 14 hours per day.

In the garden, plant chives with carrots.  They are good companion plantings for tomatoes and fruit trees.  Chives or garlic planted between rows of peas or lettuce control pashas and are reported to control the incidence of aphids when planted between roses.  In the kitchen, use chives in omelets, scrambled eggs, casseroles, rice, dips, gravies, butter, meat, and seafood. Chives can be added to soft cheese, salads, sandwiches, sour cream, vinegar, and bake potatoes.  Chive blossoms can be used for garnishing and are particularly attractive in salads.  Chive stems can be used for tying up little bundles of vegetables for appetizers.