Click picture to enlarge What you need: Paperwhite bulbs Shallow bowl or pot Gravel or pebbles Paperwhites are powerfully fragrant Narcissus that are easily forced into bloom indoors. You can pot them in the usual way, or you can force them in water, using pebbles to support the bulbs and give the roots something to […]
Click picture to enlarge After several months, dust accumulates on plant foliage. This makes the plants less attractive and can be a detriment to growth. Click picture to enlarge Cleaning plants periodically prevents the spread of certain insects and makes the plants more attractive. An easy and effective way to clean a smaller plant is […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Bare root peony Shovel Composted manure Lime(depending on the pH of your soil) Choose a location that receives full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunshine a day) and offers rich, well-drained soil. Dig a hole that is approximately 12-18″ deep and just as wide. Click picture […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Bag of peat moss Knife Shovel Lay a bag of peat moss on its side. Make several diagonal slits in the bag, starting halfway up and working upwards. This allows some water to drain out of the bag, while retaining enough to create the desired bog-like environment. Click […]
Click picture to enlarge Streptocarpus have become very popular houseplants because they are easy to grow and bloom almost constantly. They come in a broad range of flower colors. Click picture to enlarge Plant your Streptocarpus with the crown high in the pot. Use a potting soil that drains well. This will prevent crown rot, […]
Click picture to enlarge If an orchid is not receiving enough light, its foliage will turn dark green and generally will not flower. Click picture to enlarge When an orchid receives too much light, its foliage turns very light green and in extreme cases, oval scald marks appear. Click picture to enlarge When an orchid […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Wire hanging basket form Sphagnum moss Assorted 2″ and 4″ plants Potting soil There are a couple different liners that can be used for planting a moss lined basket. There are preformed liners and loose spaghnum moss. For this demonstration loose moss will be used. First, moisten some […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Compost Garden fork or similar cultivating tool Rake Use a spade to spread at least 4 inches of compost evenly over the surface of the soil. It’s very important to first cultivate the soil either with a rototiller or a hand cultivator. Click picture to enlarge Fork in […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Fresh or dried herbs Boiling water Teapot Tea cozy or towel Lemon and honey To make a perfect pot of herb tea, start by filling a teapot with boiling water to warm it. Click picture to enlarge Drain the pot and add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs or […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: 2 4′ pressure treated 2X12’s 2 8′ pressure treated 2×12’s lumber 6 2′ cedar stakes 8 L brackets(with four holes) 32 1″ galvanized wood screws 10 3″ galvanized wood screws Skillsaw A drill with a philips head bit Shovel Rubber mallet Click picture to enlarge The first step […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: A small pot Cactus mix Grit for topdressing Remove a healthy leaf from the parent plant. Click picture to enlarge Wait two days before planting the cutting. This will give the wound time to callus over. This step is important because it will help protect the leaf from […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Pruning shears Large vase Bucket Bleach or a commercial flower preservative Dry cleaning bag You can start enjoying spring early by bringing limbs of various shrubs indoors about six weeks before they would normally bloom in your area. Cut 2 to 3 foot branches of flowering shrubs like […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Soil pH test kit Limestone to raise pH Aluminum sulfate or sulfur to lower pH pH (potential Hydrogen) is the measure of the general acidity or alkalinity of a soil. If the soil is too acidic or too alkaline, needed nutrients can be ‘tied up’ in the soil […]
Click picture to enlarge What you need: Bulbs Bone meal Shovel Rake The proper planting depth for bulbs is usually between 3-5 times the height of the bulb. Plant deeper in light soil than in heavy soil. Click picture to enlarge The first step in planting bulbs is to dig an appropriately sized hole. Add […]
