When many people think of gardening, their thoughts turn first to roses, and there is no wonder. Roses are among the most popular, and certainly most beautiful, types of flowers there are. In addition, roses are a huge part of both the gardening hobby and the professional flower business. There are even rose and flowers shows were master gardeners proudly show off their lovely creations to an awestruck crowd.
Whether your ultimate goal is to take the big prize at the next rose show or just enjoy a few roses in your garden, it is important to get a feel for the many varieties of roses on the market. Roses are among the most varied flowers on the market; they come in virtually every color of the rainbow and in blooms ranging in size from a fraction of an inch to almost a foot in width. This article focuses on a few of the most commonly seen rose varieties.
impinellifolia Roses Pimpinellifolia roses are renowned for their hardiness, and their attractive foliage and lovely blooms make them a great choice for the beginning rose enthusiast or the experienced gardener. These roses come in pink, red, yellow and white blossoms, and they grow on attractive and very compact bushes.
Boursault Roses Boursault roses are of the climbing variety, and they are said to be the result of a cross between an early variety of China rose and the R. Pendulina rose. This cross is thought to have occurred during the reign of Napoleon, who was a well known rose enthusiast. The blossoms of this rose are somewhat large, and they grow in either small or large clusters depending on the variety. The blooms come in various shades of pink and red. Many varieties can reblossom later in the season.
Sempervirens Roses The Sempevirens is similar to the Boursault, in that it is also a climbing rose. The Sempervirens originated in the Mediterranean region of the world, and it has large leaves accented by small white flowers which grow in large clusters. This variety of rose was studied extensively by rose enthusiasts as far back as 1820, and it continues to be one of the most popular varieties of climbing rose on the market today. This variety of rose is seen in various shades of pink and white.
Setigera Roses The Setigera variety of rose, known to the scientific community as R. setigera, has a reputation for being a hardy and tough plant. That hardiness may be due to the fact that R. setigera comes from the prairie region of the United States, a difficult environment to say the least. The setigera rose has been used in breeding programs to create many very hardy varieties of climbing roses, most notably the crosses with the Noisettes and Gallicas varieties.
Wichuraiana Roses The Wichuraiana rose, also known as R. wichuraiana, is a frequently seen wide spreading cluster rose. It is used both as a climbing rose and as an attractive ground cover.
About the author: Steve Hall is the owner of http://www.your-official-guide.com, your one-stop location for getting the information you are looking for on a wide ranging and ever-growing list of subjects.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
growing aloes
When growing your aloes it is good to know what the aloe habitat of that aloe species is and try to imitate that as much as possible.? On the other hand, most aloes for sale are hybrids and even if they were a species, it is seldom possible to get the right identification.
There are a few rules that can be followed for any aloe.
Aloe hybrids are much easier than aloe species in that the hybrid has a wider choice of growing conditions inherited from at least two different aloes species.
In the wild aloe habitat most species occur on hill/mountain slopes or ridges.? Follow this pattern by giving aloe plants plenty large and small stones around the roots for drainage. Good drainage is essential; as is? humus and old manure.? In the wild, leaves and dry grass get blown amongst the rocks and stones.? Add some Dolomite gravel it will not harm the plants as it dissolves slowly so that?it gives a good calcium/magnesium balance which is appreciated by most, and essential to some aloes. If dolomite is not available, sprinkle roughly one half teaspoon? Epsom salts and a full teaspoon lime around the plants at monthly intervals for 3-4 months in the rainy season.? Aloes can withstand some rain and water in a warm climate provided they get a chance to dry out every few days.? Aloes can also withstand short periods of frost in a dry climate.? Growing aloes in the open garden, in a wet cold climate? is near to impossible.? However by planting aloes in pots or containers and moving them inside you can still grow your aloes.?
Having said that -? Aloe polyphylla comes from the high mountains in Lesotho, covered in mist and often in snow - this aloe is very difficult? to grow in other areas in South Africa. However it is growing virtually without problem in the United Kingdom and many countries with cold wet winters, which brings us back to - "aloes are easy to grow given the right climate and growing medium for that aloe species".
Aloes are easy going and need very little maintenance.? The two ways to kill an aloe easy is with water and by aphids(with the help of ants).
For summer rainfall areas. An aloe can go for months without water, but they rot very easy when wet. ? Keep them in a dry place and resist the temptation to water them.? They will not die of thirst.? How much water is the difficult question.? Once or twice per month in the summer -? only in desert regions.? Where summer rain occur, do not water the aloes.? In very cold climates, no water in winter.?? No need to water in winter in any case, as they will get enough water in the summer.?
For winter rainfall areas.? Here the rules will be once or twice a month in the summer for the summer growing aloes only. Which is most aloes.? Plant the aloes on stones to keep the water running off quickly from the winter rain.? Not many aloes will grow in the winter rainfall areas, try to get aloes that have been doing well in your area.? We are in a winter rainfall area, but our rainfall is not very high and we get no frost.? The number one enemy of aloes are ants? Watch out for any sign of ants. ? They carry the aphids into the crevices of the rosette where the aphids damage the plants and that is a very quick way to loose an aloe to? rot Aphids/ants:-? Wash the aloe plants with a dish washing liquid that contains lemon in a dry climate and where the infestation is still on a small scale. ? However in a wet climate -? it will be necessary to use a poison powder in the case of damage where there are already a lot of aphids .? The danger of rot? is high, keep the damaged aloe plant dry.
wishing you green thumbs up
There are a few rules that can be followed for any aloe.
Aloe hybrids are much easier than aloe species in that the hybrid has a wider choice of growing conditions inherited from at least two different aloes species.
In the wild aloe habitat most species occur on hill/mountain slopes or ridges.? Follow this pattern by giving aloe plants plenty large and small stones around the roots for drainage. Good drainage is essential; as is? humus and old manure.? In the wild, leaves and dry grass get blown amongst the rocks and stones.? Add some Dolomite gravel it will not harm the plants as it dissolves slowly so that?it gives a good calcium/magnesium balance which is appreciated by most, and essential to some aloes. If dolomite is not available, sprinkle roughly one half teaspoon? Epsom salts and a full teaspoon lime around the plants at monthly intervals for 3-4 months in the rainy season.? Aloes can withstand some rain and water in a warm climate provided they get a chance to dry out every few days.? Aloes can also withstand short periods of frost in a dry climate.? Growing aloes in the open garden, in a wet cold climate? is near to impossible.? However by planting aloes in pots or containers and moving them inside you can still grow your aloes.?
Having said that -? Aloe polyphylla comes from the high mountains in Lesotho, covered in mist and often in snow - this aloe is very difficult? to grow in other areas in South Africa. However it is growing virtually without problem in the United Kingdom and many countries with cold wet winters, which brings us back to - "aloes are easy to grow given the right climate and growing medium for that aloe species".
Aloes are easy going and need very little maintenance.? The two ways to kill an aloe easy is with water and by aphids(with the help of ants).
For summer rainfall areas. An aloe can go for months without water, but they rot very easy when wet. ? Keep them in a dry place and resist the temptation to water them.? They will not die of thirst.? How much water is the difficult question.? Once or twice per month in the summer -? only in desert regions.? Where summer rain occur, do not water the aloes.? In very cold climates, no water in winter.?? No need to water in winter in any case, as they will get enough water in the summer.?
For winter rainfall areas.? Here the rules will be once or twice a month in the summer for the summer growing aloes only. Which is most aloes.? Plant the aloes on stones to keep the water running off quickly from the winter rain.? Not many aloes will grow in the winter rainfall areas, try to get aloes that have been doing well in your area.? We are in a winter rainfall area, but our rainfall is not very high and we get no frost.? The number one enemy of aloes are ants? Watch out for any sign of ants. ? They carry the aphids into the crevices of the rosette where the aphids damage the plants and that is a very quick way to loose an aloe to? rot Aphids/ants:-? Wash the aloe plants with a dish washing liquid that contains lemon in a dry climate and where the infestation is still on a small scale. ? However in a wet climate -? it will be necessary to use a poison powder in the case of damage where there are already a lot of aphids .? The danger of rot? is high, keep the damaged aloe plant dry.
wishing you green thumbs up
Preparing Successful Seedlings
Growing your own seedlings is very gratifying and far more economic than purchasing them. It also gives you far greater control over your existing growing conditions.
Vegetable seeds need a light, friable soil that will hold moisture, to grow. Seeds must absorb 40-60% of their weight in water to trigger germination. They also need air. When they sprout, they take up moisture from the film of water around the soil particles, they take up air from the space between those particles. So soil quality is extremely important. Compacted soil will not allow your seeds to sprout.
A good seed raising mixture could be the answer if you are unsure of the quality of your soil. Individual 'peat pots' are a great invention because the whole pot goes into the ground without disturbing the roots of your baby plants.
Warmth is also important to growing from seed. Most garden seeds will germinate if soil temperature is around 20C. For colder climates seed beds must be kept warm either by having them in a sunny protected spot in or near the house (like a porch or garage, out of the elements) or in a glass covered cold frame. For most vegetable seeds you can expect a germination time of 6-20 days. In another 4-5 weeks, those seedlings should be transplanted into your outdoor no dig garden bed.
It's a good idea to treat seeds with a good, all purpose fungicide (something like a Rose Dust or Tomato Dust will be fine) before planting. Place a small amount, just the tip of a knife end, into the packet, reclose and shake until the seeds are covered. This will protect them from 'damping off', a common problem with very young plants.
Care of Seedlings
Seeds must be kept moist but not wet until the seedlings emerge. This may take between 1-3 weeks, depending on the plant type.
As they grow stonger, thorough but less frequent watering is required. They will need shade when young but should be increasingly exposed to the sun so they become used to conditions in the garden. Water in the morning rather than at night.
Transplanting
Mark where you plan to put each of your plants. Use a trowel to make a hole large enough to take the root system. Gently prise out the seedling from its container taking as much of the soil as you can with it into the garden bed. Firm the soil around the plant in its new position, cover the area with mulch and water in gently.
It is best to transplant in the late afternoon or evening to give the plants time to settle in less stressful conditions.
Vegetable seeds need a light, friable soil that will hold moisture, to grow. Seeds must absorb 40-60% of their weight in water to trigger germination. They also need air. When they sprout, they take up moisture from the film of water around the soil particles, they take up air from the space between those particles. So soil quality is extremely important. Compacted soil will not allow your seeds to sprout.
A good seed raising mixture could be the answer if you are unsure of the quality of your soil. Individual 'peat pots' are a great invention because the whole pot goes into the ground without disturbing the roots of your baby plants.
Warmth is also important to growing from seed. Most garden seeds will germinate if soil temperature is around 20C. For colder climates seed beds must be kept warm either by having them in a sunny protected spot in or near the house (like a porch or garage, out of the elements) or in a glass covered cold frame. For most vegetable seeds you can expect a germination time of 6-20 days. In another 4-5 weeks, those seedlings should be transplanted into your outdoor no dig garden bed.
It's a good idea to treat seeds with a good, all purpose fungicide (something like a Rose Dust or Tomato Dust will be fine) before planting. Place a small amount, just the tip of a knife end, into the packet, reclose and shake until the seeds are covered. This will protect them from 'damping off', a common problem with very young plants.
Care of Seedlings
Seeds must be kept moist but not wet until the seedlings emerge. This may take between 1-3 weeks, depending on the plant type.
As they grow stonger, thorough but less frequent watering is required. They will need shade when young but should be increasingly exposed to the sun so they become used to conditions in the garden. Water in the morning rather than at night.
Transplanting
Mark where you plan to put each of your plants. Use a trowel to make a hole large enough to take the root system. Gently prise out the seedling from its container taking as much of the soil as you can with it into the garden bed. Firm the soil around the plant in its new position, cover the area with mulch and water in gently.
It is best to transplant in the late afternoon or evening to give the plants time to settle in less stressful conditions.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Growing Vegetables in Containers - The compact solution
Container vegetable gardens are a great alternative for those that don't have access to backyards. There can be a range of reasons to grow your vegetables in containers...easy access to the kitchen, safer environments for children and the handicapped or just lack of a yard to use for gardening.
Vegetable gardens in containers can also be extremely attractive and serve the dual purpose of style and function around your patio.
The no dig vegetable garden can be just as successful in containers provided similar guidelines are followed.
Drainage is vital so ensure your containers have appropriate drainage holes to allow water to escape. If they don't, the plants will literally 'drown' and will be susceptible to diseases. They also need a sunny space. The advantage with vegetables grown in containers is that you can move the containers around to follow the sun if no one spot in your patio or garden is suitable.
Vegetables grown in containers will need some additional attention. Their root system is restricted to the pot so make sure you keep them well watered. Containers are far more likely to dry out in hot conditions which will kill your plants or have them 'fruit' poorly.
It is also very important that a mulch is put on top of the container. This will slow evaporation and keep the surface temperature of the soil cooler. Plants like tomatoes have small, fiberous roots which will dry and die in hot soil.
Container vegetables may need some additional fertilising due to the extra watering. Nutrients will be washed away quicker in a container than in the ground. A diluted water soluble fertiliser is the best option to use regularly with vegetables.
There have been many varieties of vegetables that have been bred to grow in containers. They are generally referred to a 'dwarf' varieties for obvious reasons. A list of suggested varieties and container sizes may help with your selection. Check with your seed supplier on the varieties they recommend.
Having said that, there are many vegetable varieties that will do very well in containers. Tomatoes, lettuce, beets, carrots, cabbage, peas, beans, capsicums and peppers are all good choices. Cucumbers, cauliflower and broccoli will also do well as will virtually all herbs.
Crops like potatoes, corn, pumpkins and vine fruits generally need more room than a container can provide. But the size of your containers and the varieties available to you will dictate what you grow. As with most gardening, trial and error is your best education.
About the author: Judy Williams (www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) is an avid organic gardener. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
Vegetable gardens in containers can also be extremely attractive and serve the dual purpose of style and function around your patio.
The no dig vegetable garden can be just as successful in containers provided similar guidelines are followed.
Drainage is vital so ensure your containers have appropriate drainage holes to allow water to escape. If they don't, the plants will literally 'drown' and will be susceptible to diseases. They also need a sunny space. The advantage with vegetables grown in containers is that you can move the containers around to follow the sun if no one spot in your patio or garden is suitable.
Vegetables grown in containers will need some additional attention. Their root system is restricted to the pot so make sure you keep them well watered. Containers are far more likely to dry out in hot conditions which will kill your plants or have them 'fruit' poorly.
It is also very important that a mulch is put on top of the container. This will slow evaporation and keep the surface temperature of the soil cooler. Plants like tomatoes have small, fiberous roots which will dry and die in hot soil.
Container vegetables may need some additional fertilising due to the extra watering. Nutrients will be washed away quicker in a container than in the ground. A diluted water soluble fertiliser is the best option to use regularly with vegetables.
There have been many varieties of vegetables that have been bred to grow in containers. They are generally referred to a 'dwarf' varieties for obvious reasons. A list of suggested varieties and container sizes may help with your selection. Check with your seed supplier on the varieties they recommend.
Having said that, there are many vegetable varieties that will do very well in containers. Tomatoes, lettuce, beets, carrots, cabbage, peas, beans, capsicums and peppers are all good choices. Cucumbers, cauliflower and broccoli will also do well as will virtually all herbs.
Crops like potatoes, corn, pumpkins and vine fruits generally need more room than a container can provide. But the size of your containers and the varieties available to you will dictate what you grow. As with most gardening, trial and error is your best education.
About the author: Judy Williams (www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) is an avid organic gardener. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
Gardening Your Personality
Many gardeners are the nurturing type: just like Mother Nature. People say they have "green thumbs" because they can make anything grow. Is your personality the growth type? Are you the kind of person who wants to see others grow and develop? If so, you probably love to be around children and, though you are exhausted at the end of the day, you feel like it is all worth it if you have helped other people. So is there green in your garden?
It seems to be a silly question: is there green in the garden? Most people think that green automatically appears in the garden. Leaves and stems are almost always green. But green can also be used as an accent color itself, though it's often overlooked - just like the nurturing individual - a teacher, a preacher, a farmer. These nurturers are vital to the world, but often go overlooked.
Why does the color of a garden even matter? Many psychologists have studied the effects of colors on the human psyche for years. Colors both reflect our current emotions and elicit certain emotions from us. In other words, if you feel happy, you may wear your yellow shirt to work. Yellow is a happy color. If you look on the walls in the doctor's office, they are most likely blue or some other calming color. Green is a color of growth and nurturing. Used in the garden, can give those feelings liberally.
Many people focus on the brightly colored flowers - the reds, yellows, and oranges, but they overlook what a simple green can do for the garden. The next time you go to the greenhouse to pick out flowers for your garden, take a moment and consider this. It's important because the garden - and your whole house - should reflect your personality. If you are the nurturer, let the green come out and show the neighborhood that this is your sanctuary.
When it comes to greenery, use it liberally in the garden. It's difficult to have too much green. Using green in the garden has a two-fold effect. First, by filling the garden with a green backdrop, the other colors will stand out more vibrantly. If you set off a firework in the middle of the day, it's rather unimpressive. But if you place it on a dark backdrop, it will light up the sky. Green in the garden helps to accomplish this. Green also has a second effect. It gives the appearance of a lush, healthy garden. It's nice to see the different flowers in a garden, but if you fill in the areas between them with some greenery it makes the entire landscape seem to jump to life.
So when it comes to your garden, does your loving and nurturing side come to the front? Can your neighbors see the effect of your green thumb? With the careful placement of some green plants, you can bring your garden to life and make it an extension of yourself. After all, you spend a great deal of time, effort, and money in the garden. Shouldn't it reflect part of you?
About the author: Kirsten Hawkins is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food. Visithttp://www.food-and-nutrition.com/ for more information on cooking delicious and healthy meals.
It seems to be a silly question: is there green in the garden? Most people think that green automatically appears in the garden. Leaves and stems are almost always green. But green can also be used as an accent color itself, though it's often overlooked - just like the nurturing individual - a teacher, a preacher, a farmer. These nurturers are vital to the world, but often go overlooked.
Why does the color of a garden even matter? Many psychologists have studied the effects of colors on the human psyche for years. Colors both reflect our current emotions and elicit certain emotions from us. In other words, if you feel happy, you may wear your yellow shirt to work. Yellow is a happy color. If you look on the walls in the doctor's office, they are most likely blue or some other calming color. Green is a color of growth and nurturing. Used in the garden, can give those feelings liberally.
Many people focus on the brightly colored flowers - the reds, yellows, and oranges, but they overlook what a simple green can do for the garden. The next time you go to the greenhouse to pick out flowers for your garden, take a moment and consider this. It's important because the garden - and your whole house - should reflect your personality. If you are the nurturer, let the green come out and show the neighborhood that this is your sanctuary.
When it comes to greenery, use it liberally in the garden. It's difficult to have too much green. Using green in the garden has a two-fold effect. First, by filling the garden with a green backdrop, the other colors will stand out more vibrantly. If you set off a firework in the middle of the day, it's rather unimpressive. But if you place it on a dark backdrop, it will light up the sky. Green in the garden helps to accomplish this. Green also has a second effect. It gives the appearance of a lush, healthy garden. It's nice to see the different flowers in a garden, but if you fill in the areas between them with some greenery it makes the entire landscape seem to jump to life.
So when it comes to your garden, does your loving and nurturing side come to the front? Can your neighbors see the effect of your green thumb? With the careful placement of some green plants, you can bring your garden to life and make it an extension of yourself. After all, you spend a great deal of time, effort, and money in the garden. Shouldn't it reflect part of you?
About the author: Kirsten Hawkins is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food. Visithttp://www.food-and-nutrition.com/ for more information on cooking delicious and healthy meals.
Planting Roses In Your Garden
Roses are an old standby for any garden and one of the worlds favorite flowers. There are over 5,000 varieties of roses in the United States and they can be used to enhance your garden in many ways � as creepers, shrubs, vines, climbers, hedges or just as beds of pure colour.
When picking out roses for your garden, it is important to get healthy plants. Make sure the stems are green and not shriveled and the roots are moist and partly fibrous. The most expensive rose is not always the best rose; it may be only a newcomer, much discussed and, therefore, a favorite.
In general, there are two types of roses: bush roses and climbers. Bush roses are shrub like and climbers produce canes that require some sort of support. The most commonly planted type of bush rose is the hybrid tea rose. Other types of bush roses include polyanthas (roses in large clusters), the fioribundas (large-flowered polyanthas), and the hybrid perpetuals (vigorous growers with a great crop in June and continuous blooming throughout the summer).
The climbers include ramblers, whose long pliant canes have large clusters of small roses that can be used for covering walls, fences and banks. The climbers also are pillar roses, adapted to growing near buildings and on posts and the climbing hybrid tree.
If you are contemplating planting roses in your garden, make sure you pick out the proper spot and prepare the soil appropriately. You should use garden loam with organic matter that contains peat moss, leaf mould, compost, rotted or commercial manure. Prepare the soil in the rose beds well before in order to allow for settling of the soil.
You can plant roses in fall or spring, but fall is actually best. When planting roses, inspect the roots to make sure they have not dried and if they have make sure you soak them before planting. Trim back any roots that are weak, long or broken.
Set the plant in a hole that is large enough so that the roots can spread. The part of the plant where the top attaches to the roots (called the bud) should be just under the surface of the ground. Plants should be spaced 18� apart. Prune the branches back to about 8� from the soil.
To grow good roses it is necessary to cultivate, to prune and to spray. If you have a well-cultivated bed you need not worry about watering. But if you start to water in hot weather, you must keep it up, soaking the roots thoroughly about once a week.
Spraying every 10 days guards against the diseases and insects that attack roses. Nicotine sulphate wipes out the green lice; arsenate of lead is used against chewing insects; or sulphur and arsenate of lead may be used in a dust, as may DDT dust.
When winter approaches, protect your roses by piling sod or straw mulch around them. If you have climbing roses, remove the supports and place the canes on the ground, peg them, and cover with soil mounds.
When picking out roses for your garden, it is important to get healthy plants. Make sure the stems are green and not shriveled and the roots are moist and partly fibrous. The most expensive rose is not always the best rose; it may be only a newcomer, much discussed and, therefore, a favorite.
In general, there are two types of roses: bush roses and climbers. Bush roses are shrub like and climbers produce canes that require some sort of support. The most commonly planted type of bush rose is the hybrid tea rose. Other types of bush roses include polyanthas (roses in large clusters), the fioribundas (large-flowered polyanthas), and the hybrid perpetuals (vigorous growers with a great crop in June and continuous blooming throughout the summer).
The climbers include ramblers, whose long pliant canes have large clusters of small roses that can be used for covering walls, fences and banks. The climbers also are pillar roses, adapted to growing near buildings and on posts and the climbing hybrid tree.
If you are contemplating planting roses in your garden, make sure you pick out the proper spot and prepare the soil appropriately. You should use garden loam with organic matter that contains peat moss, leaf mould, compost, rotted or commercial manure. Prepare the soil in the rose beds well before in order to allow for settling of the soil.
You can plant roses in fall or spring, but fall is actually best. When planting roses, inspect the roots to make sure they have not dried and if they have make sure you soak them before planting. Trim back any roots that are weak, long or broken.
Set the plant in a hole that is large enough so that the roots can spread. The part of the plant where the top attaches to the roots (called the bud) should be just under the surface of the ground. Plants should be spaced 18� apart. Prune the branches back to about 8� from the soil.
To grow good roses it is necessary to cultivate, to prune and to spray. If you have a well-cultivated bed you need not worry about watering. But if you start to water in hot weather, you must keep it up, soaking the roots thoroughly about once a week.
Spraying every 10 days guards against the diseases and insects that attack roses. Nicotine sulphate wipes out the green lice; arsenate of lead is used against chewing insects; or sulphur and arsenate of lead may be used in a dust, as may DDT dust.
When winter approaches, protect your roses by piling sod or straw mulch around them. If you have climbing roses, remove the supports and place the canes on the ground, peg them, and cover with soil mounds.
Do Plants Have Special Needs?
Some gardeners treat their plants like people, and they have some good reasons to do that. Just as each of us is different in a certain way, plants have different needs in order to grow in good conditions. Of course, you can create a garden by randomly seeding this and that but the final result has little chances of being satisfactory. There are many factors that come into the gardening process: plant species, soil type, climate, humidity, temperature, shade etc.
Some plants, such as cucumbers or tomatoes, for example, need plenty of water in order to grow large and produce good harvests. Some flower species such as Candytuft, English Daisies or Roses need a good amount of humidity as well. When these water hungry flowers and vegetables are deprived of humidity, they remain small and their leaves are yellowish. Insufficient amounts of water also make these plants more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Other plants, however, thrive in the exact places where one of the flowers and vegetables mentioned above would perish. Sweet Alyssum, for example, is one of those flowers that are extremely drought resistant. In fact, too much humidity is potentially dangerous for Alyssum. Baby's Breath is another flower that is very well adapted to hot and dry environments.
Protecting your plants from pests is another thing you should keep in mind when building your garden. Some plant diseases are contagious between species, so most expert gardeners try to protect their plants by a smart placement. Those plants that are likely to have the same parasites or diseases are planted further away from each other in order to diminish the risks.
You will often find gardeners that prefer to use container planted flowers and vegetables. This is an interesting approach to gardening, as the containers area easily moved, much like you would rearrange your furniture. When the weather gets too hot or too cold for some plants you can just take the container out of the garden and into a more suitable place. There are some problems related to container plants. The most difficult thing concerns the confinement of the roots, a factor that will limit plant growth to less than you would achieve if the same plant were in the soil. Containers also have different humidity and drainage elements that may prove to be negative for some plants.
Of course, you may also try to start things the easy way. There are many plants that are easy to grow. Beans are probably one of the fastest and easiest to grow vegetables. Carrots and onion are also easy to maintain and they require very little attention from the gardener. There are also different flower species that won�t waste too much of your time. Cleome flowers, for example, will manage on their own in the roughest of conditions. Other flowers that are easy to grow are the Coreopsis and the Gaillardia.
Some plants, such as cucumbers or tomatoes, for example, need plenty of water in order to grow large and produce good harvests. Some flower species such as Candytuft, English Daisies or Roses need a good amount of humidity as well. When these water hungry flowers and vegetables are deprived of humidity, they remain small and their leaves are yellowish. Insufficient amounts of water also make these plants more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Other plants, however, thrive in the exact places where one of the flowers and vegetables mentioned above would perish. Sweet Alyssum, for example, is one of those flowers that are extremely drought resistant. In fact, too much humidity is potentially dangerous for Alyssum. Baby's Breath is another flower that is very well adapted to hot and dry environments.
Protecting your plants from pests is another thing you should keep in mind when building your garden. Some plant diseases are contagious between species, so most expert gardeners try to protect their plants by a smart placement. Those plants that are likely to have the same parasites or diseases are planted further away from each other in order to diminish the risks.
You will often find gardeners that prefer to use container planted flowers and vegetables. This is an interesting approach to gardening, as the containers area easily moved, much like you would rearrange your furniture. When the weather gets too hot or too cold for some plants you can just take the container out of the garden and into a more suitable place. There are some problems related to container plants. The most difficult thing concerns the confinement of the roots, a factor that will limit plant growth to less than you would achieve if the same plant were in the soil. Containers also have different humidity and drainage elements that may prove to be negative for some plants.
Of course, you may also try to start things the easy way. There are many plants that are easy to grow. Beans are probably one of the fastest and easiest to grow vegetables. Carrots and onion are also easy to maintain and they require very little attention from the gardener. There are also different flower species that won�t waste too much of your time. Cleome flowers, for example, will manage on their own in the roughest of conditions. Other flowers that are easy to grow are the Coreopsis and the Gaillardia.
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