Many times we buy plants on impulse then find there is nowhere in the garden that really suits them. Before buying plants carefully examine your garden to see how much sun and shade it gets, whether the soil is well drained or waterlogged and whether your aspect is sheltered or windswept. You'll then be equipped to go and buy the best plants for your situation; shade-loving plants for the sheltered areas, sun-lovers for the warm spots, drought-resistant plants for the parched areas which may be either sunny or shaded, and swamp plants for the poorly-drained parts.
But wait! Test your soil first, to determine the pH level of your soil and what kind of nutrients you need to add if any. Is the soil acid or alkaline? Most plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic, but there are some that must have alkaline soil to grow. You can alter the soil's pH level, but it's much easier to simply plant for the soil you have.
Now you are ready to plant. Well - almost. Will you plant in groups or singly? If you buy 'one of everything' your garden may seem rather spotty. Group plantings are organized, harmonious and you can vary the color for interest.
Before planting out, place your chosen plants around the garden bed in their pots to see how they will look. Re-arrange them until you are satisfied. Grouping plants in sets of threes or fives usually looks better than planting in groups of even numbers. Be sure that you have an interesting combination of colors and textures of plants. Tall plants should go to the back, or the center if your garden will be viewed equally from all sides. Try to keep your plants away from trees. The roots of trees are fiercely competitive and will steal all the nutrients and moisture meant for your flowers.
The right color scheme is one way to maintain harmony in your garden. Imagine the color of the flowers when they are in bloom. Some colors may clash with others, but can still be planted side-by-side if they have a different blooming season. Foliage color is also important. Many flower plants have silver, grey or purplish foliage that is just as attractive as the flower. This means that they are still attractive well past the blooming season and so have added value.
With so many sources for live plants In the market these days, you might start wondering why some people would even bother growing his plant from a seed. This has got its own point but nothing still beats the satisfaction in growing something from its basic form- in this case, a plant from a single seed.
Self-satisfaction is one main reason why people still opt for wildflower seeds while there are so literally hundreds of other easier ways to put up a wildflower garden. The wildflowers from mail orders and garden centers are really great but these would never duplicate the satisfaction of the gardener if he knows that he accomplished one of the most vital happenings in the world- the growth of a plant.
Another reason is the money value. Seeds are far cheaper since there is not much investment on the part of the seller. Aside from this, the cost of shipping, storage, and handling costs and other extra payments will be eliminated since a) seeds require minimum space for strange and handling and b) wildflower plants are more difficult to transport due to bulk and care that must be dedicated for each plant.
The third reason why there is wisdom in buying wildflower seeds than choosing to more mature wildflower plants is the variety of choices. The diversity of wildflower plants in gardening centers could never equal the variety that could be offered if they were stacked in small packages.
So, if you are thinking of growing your own little garden of wildflowers, you might consider investing in wildflower seeds than live plants.
If you would give it a try, then you should know some of the basic knowledge in growing wildflower seeds. Fractions of this are the following:
Check for instructions- Before you begin with experimenting with your wildflower seeds, it is best that you check the instructions that come in the packages. This way, you will better identify which wildflower seeds must be soaked in water first, or which should be frozen first or which should undergo other sorts of treatments before beginning to scatter them in the soil. Also, carefully following the seller's instructions would also serve as your easiest way out of potential risks.
Gather all the materials needed- If the carpenters have their hammer, screwdriver, and stuffs that they would build things with, gardeners also need to have some specialized items that would help you grow your wildflower seeds into lovely flowers and plants. These include seed pots and trays, seed tray covers, potting compost, and other more common gardening tools.
Know the process by which your wildflower seeds would spring into its lovelier and more attractive forms- Like all living things in this sphere, wildflower seeds also have their lifecycle that has some basic succession like all other plants and some more species-specific processes that they undergo. To effectively grow wildflower seeds into their best shape, you have to know these processes and understand the principle behind.
If you are an experienced gardener, this really is no big deal for you as you have already seen the life that these creatures possess. But if wildflower seeds are your trial stage, you might want to do some researches to help spare you from beginner's failures.
Ah, it is summertime and you want to take up planting and gardening as a hobby. Who can blame you! It is a relaxing, fun, and rewarding hobby. If you are trying to plant tomatoes, and you have no clue how it works, read on. I am a total newbie to green thumbing my way through life.
First, you have to “Make sure you buy healthy tomato plants so you will be getting more tomatoes from your plants. If the plant is not sturdy to start with, Miracle grows can give it a boost. Follow the directions on the container, so you give it the correct nutrients. Keep feeding your plants tomato Miracle grow plant food as directed.” Okay, so we have got this down. We need to make sure the plants are healthy. Check!
Next, let the digging begin. Say what! I said start digging, “dig a hole that will cover at least 2 swirls of the plant. Yes, that is right! You will be burying some of the tomato plant branches to get more tomatoes from them. This idea gives the plant a better root system.” Alright, so we dig to keep the plant firmly rooted in the ground. The deeper the hole, the better off we are.
As the plant grows, you need to watch out for the branches. “As the tomato plants grow, take off a few of the branches that do not have buds or flowers on them. Again you are giving your tomato more nutrients to fewer stems and you will get more tomatoes from these plants by snipping one or two every now and again throughout the growing season of your tomato plant.” Remember, we are taking off the branches, not just the leaves. You want to get rid of any excess branches that are not blossoming.
Then, we need to talk about watering the plant. “Water every day by moistening the ground and not wetting the plant. The leaves can be parched by the sun if you let them get wet from watering. A tomato needs frequent watering to produce more tomatoes. “
Here’s an old trick that e-How shares with us, “An added idea is to place an old tire around the plants. Fill the tire rim with water. This creates a warm water mist to your tomato plants as the sun hits the rubber. You will get more tomatoes from your plants if you place the tire after you plant them in your garden.”
Alright, let us summarize the steps: make sure the plants are healthy. If they are not healthy, make them healthy with some Miracle Grow. Then, make sure they are rooted, supported, and watered!
Photograph of tomatoes on a vegetable stall at Borough Market in London, UK (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Native to the Andean region of South American and under cultivation in Peru in the sixteenth century, tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) have been grown for thousands of years. The Spanish introduced them to the European cultures. Europeans were not open to trying tomatoes until the end of the sixteenth century, as tomatoes, being part of the nightshade family, were considered poisonous. Later, the French tried them and began to call them “pommes d’amour”, apples of love. They felt that tomatoes carried aphrodisiac qualities. It wasn’t until the 1900s when the tomato gained popularity in North America.
Scientific research shows the health benefits of this tasty fruit. In recent years, researchers discovered that tomatoes were natural sources of the element lycopene. This antioxidant has been shown in tests to dramatically reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and many cancers, including prostate and colon cancers. Tomatoes are an excellent source of phytochemicals, nutrients, fiber, and contain practically no fat or sodium. They are significant sources of vitamins A, B, and C and a source of iron and potassium. In fact, one medium-sized tomato provides 20 percent of the daily-recommended value of vitamin A and 40 percent of the daily-recommended value of vitamin C.
How To Grow
Tomatoes are very easy to grow from seed. In all, there are more than 100 types of tomatoes to choose from. Though most people believe ripe tomatoes are red, they actually come in many colors, including green, yellow, purple -- even striped. Unless you grow your own, you will not have the opportunity to experience the many varieties. If you don’t have the time, buy tomato plants from garden centers. Look for different varieties as they are becoming more readily available from growers.
Six to eight weeks before transplanting, start tomato seeds by filling a seedling flat with a good quality seedling mixture. Use excellent quality potting soil from the garden center to make sure the soil is sterilized and has a high percentage of sphagnum peat moss and perlite. Don’t use garden soil, as it tends to become hard and inhibits proper rooting of seedlings, and it may contain insects, disease, weed seeds, or chemical residue.
Sow seeds no deeper than the thickness of the seed: sprinkle the seeds onto the soil-filled flat and press them down gently. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of fine, horticultural-grade vermiculite to prevent drying. Water just enough to moisten the soil with a fine mist spray such as the sprayer on the kitchen sink or a mister bottle. Keep the seeds evenly moist to ensure the mixture never dries out as both germinating seeds and seedlings are very intolerant of dry soil and will die if they are dry for even a short time. Cover the flat or pot with plastic wrap or a clear plastic bag. Remove the plastic as soon as seedlings emerge.
Tag each container with the date planted and the tomato variety. To promote rapid germination, place the flat on a heated table, top of the refrigerator, or a heat register. Once they germinate and seedlings begin to appear, move them from the heat source into a location with lots of light. They need very high light levels to grow properly: a south-facing window without blinds or curtains is ideal. Use grow lights to enhance growth. Hang the lights 6 inches (15 cm) from plants and leave lights on for 14 hours a day.
Transplant the seedlings into larger, individual containers once the first ‘true’ leaves appear. After transplanting, fertilize once a week with a plant-starter fertilizer such as 10-52-10 at ¼ strength. As an organic gardener, I do not use commercial fertilizer, only fish fertilizer on my transplants. They are strong, healthy plants and are fed weekly until moved outdoors. Harden-off and plant them very deeply where the stems will develop roots helping the plant become established.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders and need ample quantities of compost or decomposed manure. Mulch and water in dry weather to maintain soil moisture and stave off wilt disease and blossom-end rot. Blossom-end rot is caused by water stress or calcium deficiency. Watering regularly and evenly is the key to preventing blossom-end rot. Never water tomatoes from the top. Water tomatoes from below and water deeply.
In the garden, tomatoes are compatible with chives, onion, parsley, marigold, nasturtium, and carrot. Tomatoes and all members of the Brassica family repel each other and should be kept apart. Plant garlic between tomato plants to protect them from red spider mites. Tomatoes will protect roses against black spot. To make a spray for roses, place tomato leaves in your vegetable juicer, add 4 or 5 pints of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Strain and spray on roses when it is not convenient to plant tomatoes as companions. Label and keep any unused spray in the refrigerator.
In the kitchen, tomatoes can be used for salads, soups, juices, sauces, stews, baked dishes, sandwiches, stuffed, grilled, broiled, pasta dishes, and salsa. They combine well with meat, fish, poultry, pasta, rice, as well as other vegetables. Store tomatoes at room temperature. To ripen green tomatoes, place in a brown paper bag with an apple at room temperature for several days. If fresh tomatoes aren’t available, use canned tomatoes or canned tomato juice, which are fine substitutes.
This is a picture of hands sifting through potting soil in a garden bed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If you’re a new gardener the very sight of warm spring weather makes you think about planting. The onset of warmer temperatures is nature’s way of saying that the winter frost has passed and the gardening season is well on its way. While your seeds will need to be prepped in different ways, there are some basics you can do such as prepping the soil so that you’re ready once planting season begins.
Let’s Get Physical
It is important to point out that there is going to be quite a bit of physical work involved, however, it is very self-explanatory and can be done with ease. The process is a simple step by step and does not all have to be done at once. So for those who have a larger garden area, prepping your soil in parts is okay so that you don’t stress yourself out physically.
Start Date
Don’t let the warm weather full you. Simply because the temperatures have changed does not mean it is the best time to begin working on your soil. Prematurely digging into wet soil can damage the structure and cause long term damage to your crops. A great way to test the moisture levels in your soil is to take a handful of it and drop it to the ground while holding it approximately at waist height. If the soil does not break apart that means that it is not ready to work with.
Making Room
If your soil is dry enough to work with than you can begin garden bed preparations by getting rid of all the surface vegetations. This means removing any unwanted weeds or dead crops from the ground.
Fixing the Soil
Once you have your garden bed all cleared out it is time to add any amendments to the soil that you may need. Some prefer to add in a few inches of compost as well as fertilizers to enhance the quality of the soil. If you can, you should also check the PH balance of your soil to see if you need to add either limestone to acidic soil or pipe sawdust for soils that are alkaline. This can be done by scattering either limestone or pipe sawdust around the soil and then incorporating it in. When soil is in good shape you only have to dig a few inches utilizing a fork, however, for compacted soil it may take more time to dig so that you can get the ingredients mixed into the soil.
After you have completed adding the amendments to the soil to improve its overall structure and quality you are now ready for the final step. You will need to break apart all of the large solid clumps of soil you might find laying around. This can be done with a fork easily. Then after breaking up the clumps, you should shape the bed using a rake. After your garden bed has been shaped properly you are ready to begin sowing or planting once your garden season officially arrives.
Tree planting near Austerfield (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So you have decided to take up planting trees, but you don’t know when to plant them. Read on the topic here! In “Know When to Plant What: Find Your Average Last Spring Frost Date” by Cheryl Long, an article published in 2008, Long writes, “The key factor that should guide your decisions is your average last spring frost date. Most cool season crops, like cabbage, broccoli, lettuce and many others, can tolerate a light frost and will grow best when sown a couple weeks before your last spring frost.”
It is important to track the frost dates in your area in order to make sure your plants do not wither or freeze in spring’s transitioning weather. There are many websites that offer advice on the correct dates for optimum planting time depending on the plant. Most dates range from the end of March until the end of April. For instance, http://www.heirloomseeds.com/schedule.htm gives a detailed list of plants and vegetables that should be planted in specific times. Cheryl Long notes that “There are U.S. maps that show last frost dates, but it’s hard to find your exact local dates on them. Your best bet is the National Climatic Data Center. Choose your state and then locate the city nearest you, and it will show your average last spring (and first fall) frost dates, based upon weather data collected by the National Climatic Data Center from 1971 through 2000 from that location.”
According to Landscaping on About.com, “Planting trees when they're dormant is advisable since that's when handling them is least disruptive to them. When do they go dormant? In the Northern Hemisphere, they begin to enter dormancy at some point in the autumn and begin to leave it at some point in the spring.”
Therefore, planting is not just something to do in the springtime; it is something to plan ahead preferably in the fall time. Greenwood Nursery.com explains that there are some pre-planting steps to keep in mind. First is site conditions, “Before you plant, think about the characteristics of your site. Characteristics such as soil type, slope, accessibility, proximity to water, etc, will definitely affect the viability of the trees you plant.” The second aspect of pre-planting is the selection of tree species. “Different tree species have different tolerances to the environment, particularly in their formative years.
To improve the chances of having strong, healthy trees, think about conditions such as the average amount of annual rainfall, the dates of the first and last frost, and so on. Then select species that enjoy those particular conditions” And finally, Greenwood nursery.com reminds us to control weeds around the “to keep competing for vegetation at bay, use a herbicide suitable for use near the type of tree you plant. Reason? You're less likely to damage the delicate trunks and roots than if you were to use a hoe. Or the neighbor's mower as our reader discovered!”
Good luck with your spring planting adventures and may your trees flourish!
A scanned red tomato, along with leaves and flowers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Planting tomato plants is easy. They are among the easiest garden plants to grow and if you live in an area warm enough to grow them, you can plant them the way I do, and they are almost maintenance free. Here are ten tips to start your best tomatoes yet.
1. Choose disease-resistant heirloom varieties and buy from reputable nurseries.
2. Choose plants with dark healthy leaves and thick stems. Long lanky stems are signs that they either grew too fast or they didn't get enough sunlight while growing.
3. Make certain that the area where you plant your garden has at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. Remove rocks and weeds from the garden area where you intend to plant. I never put manure or fertilizer in the soil where I plant tomatoes.
4. Invest in and put up a sturdy fence upon which to grow your tomatoes. I like to use a good quality cattle panel held up with metal fence posts buried every four feet. Good quality tomato cages also work as well.
5. When soil temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, dig a trench four inches deep and long enough to bury the entire stem of the tomato plant. Without a fence, you would have to plant tomato plants 4 foot apart but since you are growing your tomatoes up a fence, you can plant each plant a foot from the one beside it.
6. Remove all but the uppermost leaves of your tomato plant, then plant the entire stem, leaving only the leaves above ground.
7. In planting hole, pour one gallon of water and dust the hole with about a tablespoon of dried kelp powder. Make certain to spread it around the hole and not just dump it all in the bottom of the trench. The water guarantees that the plant stays well hydrated and the kelp contains growth hormones that give the plants a healthy boost.
8. Now plant the tomato into the planting hole. Lay the plant so that the leafy part of it is next to the fence. Cover the entire stem.
9. Sprinkle another tablespoon of kelp along the area where you planted the tomato stem and dust with the diatomaceous earth around the base of the tomato to prevent cutworm damage.
10. Water a second time with another gallon of water. If your soil is sufficiently warm enough, mulch around plants to conserve moisture and to prevent diseases in the soil from splashing up from the soil when it rains or when you water.
Now that you planted your tomato plants, water your plants regularly and keep the vines tied to the fence. With proper care, within a few weeks, you will have a terrific tomato crop that the entire neighborhood will envy.
Donna Brown under the pen name Cygnet Brown has written simple organic gardening tips for the beginning gardener like the ones in this article in her book Simply Vegetable Gardening. The book is available through her website at http://www.cygnetbrow.com
Spring means that the garden centers are packed with people, and car trunks are packed with plants. Everybody has dirt on their knees, dirt under their nails, and is excited about gardening. To make certain that this excitement yields positive results, let's discuss the basics in this article of spring planting tips.
Auricula display at Malvern The Malvern Spring Gardening Show is the first major horticultural show of the season and these plants are at their best in spring. Each stand has a display and a sales area for selling plants to visitors.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Installing new plants and having them grow successfully is not difficult, nor is it as complicated as some would have you think. Is it as easy as just digging a hole and setting the plant in? Yes, it certainly can be. I won't get into bed preparation, as I have covered that in other articles that are available at http://www.freeplants.com
Let's start with B&B plants. B&B is short for balled in burlap. Closely examine the ball on the plant that you have purchased. Did the diggers wrap twine around the ball to hold the plant secure? If they did, you should at least cut the twine and lay it in the bottom of the hole, or remove it completely. Pay close attention around the stem of the plant where it emerges from the root ball, as diggers often wrap the twine around the stem several times as they tie the ball. This is extremely important because if the string is nylon, it will not rot and will girdle and kill the plant two or three years from now.
When B&B plants are stored in the nursery for extended periods of time it becomes necessary to re-burlap them if the bottom starts to rot before the plants are sold. If the plant that you buy has been re-burlaped it is possible that there could be nylon stings between the two layers of burlap, so check the stem carefully. As long as the nylon string is removed from around the stem of the plant, it is actually harmless around the rest of the ball, and you do not have to remove it.
Is the root ball wrapped in genuine burlap, or imitation burlap made of a non-biodegradable plastic material?
Genuine burlap will rot quickly underground and does not have to be disturbed before planting. If you're not sure or suspect a poly type burlap, you don't have to remove it completely, but should loosen it around the stem of the plant and cut some vertical slices around the circumference of the ball.
Now here's the critical part. What kind of soil are you planting in?
If your soil is heavy clay, I highly suggest that you raise the planting bed at least 8” with good rich topsoil. If you can't do that for some reason, install the plant so that at least 2” or more of the root ball is above the existing grade and mound the soil over the root ball. Keep in mind that plants installed this way could dry out over the summer, but planting them flush with the ground in heavy clay can mean that the roots will be too wet at other times of the year.
The “experts” suggest that when planting in clay soil you dig the hole wider and deeper than the root ball and fill around and under the plant with loose organic material. That sounds like a really great idea, doesn't it? Some of these experts also recommend that you dig the hole extra deep and put a few inches of gravel in the bottom for drainage. Where do you suppose they think this water is going to “drain” to?
Keep in mind that most B&B plants are grown in well drained soil. That means that the soil in the root ball is porous and water can easily pass through. Now imagine if you will, a root ball about 15” in diameter, setting in a hole 30” in diameter. All around and under that root ball is loose organic matter. Inside of that root ball is porous soil. Now along comes Mother Nature with a torrential downpour. There is water everywhere, and it is not going to soak into that hard packed clay soil, so it is just flowing across the top of the ground searching for the lowest point.
When it reaches our newly planted tree surrounded by loose organic matter, it is going to seep in until the planting hole is completely full of water. (Remember my article on getting rid of standing water and the French drain system?) By using this planting technique we have actually created a French drain around our poor little plant that cannot tolerate its roots being without oxygen for long periods of time. Because the bottom of this hole is clay, even though we've added gravel for drainage, there is nowhere for the water to go, and this plant is going to suffer and likely die.
If you cannot raise the planting bed with topsoil, and are planting in clay soil, I recommend that you install the root ball at least 2” above grade and backfill around the ball with the soil that you removed when you dug the hole. Backfilling with the clay soil that you removed is actually like building a dam to keep excess water from permeating the root ball of your newly planted tree. The plant is not going to thrive in this poor soil, but at least it will have a chance to survive.
Once again, raising the bed with good rich topsoil is the best thing you can do to keep your plants healthy and happy.
No matter what kind of soil you have, be careful not to install your plants too deep. They should never be planted any deeper than they were grown in the nursery. Planting too deep is a common problem, and thousands of plants are killed each year by gardeners who just don't understand how critical planting depth is.
Staking newly planted trees is always a good idea. If your new tree constantly rocks back and forth when the wind blows it will have a very difficult time establishing new roots into the existing soil. Stabilize the tree with a stake. You can use a wooden stake, a fence post, or for small trees I often use 1/2” electro magnetic tubing, (conduit), available at any hardware store.
You can secure the tree to the stake with a single wrap of duct tape. In about six months or a year the sun will dry the glue on the duct tape and it will fall off. Check the tape to make sure that it has fallen off. You don't want to girdle the tree with the tape.
Container grown plants are much easier. Follow the rules for depth of planting as described earlier. Before gently removing the plant from the container check the drain holes in the bottom of the container for roots that might be growing out the holes. If so, cut them off so they will not make it difficult to get the plant out of the container.
The easiest way to remove the plant from the container is to place your hand over the top of the container and turn it completely upside down and give it a gentle shake. The plant should slide right into your hand.
Examine the root mass as you hold it in your hand. Sometimes when plants have been growing in a container for a long time the roots start to grow in a circular pattern around the root mass. This is not good, and you should disturb these roots before planting so you can break this circular pattern. You can take a knife and actually make about three vertical slices from the top of the root mass to the bottom. This will stimulate new roots that will grow outward into the soil of your garden. Or you can just take your fingers and loosen the roots that are circling the root mass and force them outward before you plant them.
What about fertilizer, bone meal, peat moss, and all those other additives they are going to try and sell you at the garden center?
Raise your planting beds with good rich topsoil and forget about the additives. Be very careful with fertilizers, they can do more harm than good. I landscaped my house 14 years ago and I haven't got around to fertilizing the plants yet, and have no intention of doing so. They look great.
As far as bone meal and all those other soil additives are concerned, don't get too caught up in all that stuff. The only thing that I know for sure is that they will make your wallet thinner, but I don't think you'll see a difference in your plants. Over the years I've landscaped several hundred homes with fantastic results, and I never added any of these additives to my planting beds.
Did I mention planting in good rich topsoil? That's the secret!
of your soil and what kind of nutrients you need to add if any. Is the soil acid or alkaline? Most plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic, but there are some that must have alkaline soil to grow. You can alter the soil's pH level, but it's much easier to simply plant for the soil you have.
. Foliage color is also important. Many flower plants have silver, grey or purplish foliage that is just as attractive as the flower. This means that they are still attractive well past the blooming season and so have added value.
, it is best that you check the instructions that come in the packages. This way, you will better identify which wildflower seeds must be soaked in water first, or which should be frozen first or which should undergo other sorts of treatments before beginning to scatter them in the soil. Also, carefully following the seller's instructions would also serve as your easiest way out of potential risks.
, this really is no big deal for you as you have already seen the life that these creatures possess. But if wildflower seeds are your trial stage, you might want to do some researches to help spare you from beginner's failures.
