They love growing in shaded areas, under low-light conditions, under trees or the shade of bigger plants. They are great as fillers or ground covers in landscaping.

FLOWERS THAT GROW IN SHADE

1. SALVIA
   • Grows from seeds
   • Lasts all year
2. CINERARIA
   • Grows from seeds
   • Suitable for colder weather
3. GERBERA
   • Buy or divide existing plant
   • Blooms all throught the season
4. GERANIUM
   • Grow from seeds or cuttings
   • Lasts throughout the year, thrives more in colder weather
5. DIANTHUS
   • Grow from seeds, cuttings can be propagated too
   • Lasts all year and flowers profusely
   • Grows in full sun too
6. BEGONIA
   • Grows from cuttings and seeds too
   • Behaves like a succulent
   • Flowers all year
7. IMPATIENS
   • Grows from seeds or cuttings
   • Flowers profusely in winters and sparingly in summers

GROWTH & CARE TIPS FOR FLOWERS GROWING IN SHADE

• Water sparingly, in the morning. Too much standing water can kill the plants.
• If growing in pots, check drainage first.
• Keep them clean to avoid insects and fungal diseases.
• Don’t over-fertilise.
• Keep them well-ventilated.
• Make sure the soil is sandy for better growth and more flowers.
• Deadhead regularly to promote blooming.

• VERBENA
• MARIGOLD
• CALENDULA
• GOMPHRENA
• BALSAM
• SUN FLOWER
• PORTULACA
• DIANTHUS
• STATICE
• PETUNIA
• VINCA

HOW TO GROW SELF-SEEDING FLOWERS?

• All of these flowers can be grown from seeds easily. Grow them in pots or ground.
• Keep deadheading during blooming season.
• At the end of the season, let a few flowers bloom and go to seed.
• Don’t collect the seeds, let them fall onto the ground.
• When it’s time to germinate, in the correct season, the seeds will come up on their own sprouting new seedlings.
• When the seedlings are 2″-3″ tall, transplant them into pots or whereever you want to grow them.

CARE TIPS FOR SELF-SEEDING FLOWERS

• Flower varieties that come up on their own are hardy seasonals
• They do not require a lot of extra care
• Water them regularly as they require ample water to bloom profusely
• Plant them in good soil at the beginning of the season
• Fertilse every 20 days during growing season
• Dead-head regularly to promote more flowers
• Keep the plants clean and well-ventilated
• These flower varieties thrive on full sun, provided regular watering
• They grow in big as well as small pots
• Plant 2-3 plants per big pot for a fuller look

They are permanent, low-maintenance, fll up quickly, survive the heat and need less water.

5 LOW MAINTENANCE PERMANENT PLANTS FOR YOUR SUMMER BALCONY GARDEN:

• SPIDER PLANT
• BROMELIAD
• SYNGONIUM
• JADE
• WANDERING JEW

HOW TO SELECT PLANTS FOR HANGING BASKETS?

• Plants with thin stems fall beautifully in hanging baskets
• Trailing plant varieties work well
• Plants with fibrous root system do well in baskets
• Plants that grow fast so that can fill up baskets quickly
• Plants with big leaves cover basket area fast

HOW TO MAINTAIN PLANTS IN HANGING BASKETS?

• Use rich soil with compost and cocopeat to retain moisture
• Line the baskets properly with coir liners, coconut husk, plastic or even fabric
• Mulch the baskets to preserve moisture
• Till the soil frequently to encourage growth
• Make sure there is not too much water drainage
• Replenish with fertuliser frequently

HOW TO MAKE FLOWER BULBS GROW & BLOOM IN WATER

WHICH FLOWER BULBS CAN BE GROWN IN WATER?

1. DAFFODIL
2. TULIPS
3. FREESIA
4. AMARYLLIS
5. TUBEROSE
6. GLADIOLUS
7. HYACINTH

CAN YOU MAKE GROW FLOWER BULBS INDOORS?

YES. Flower bulbs can bloom indoors as well. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Place flower bulbs in water near a window or a well-lit spot
• Change the watrer frequently (every 2-3 days)
• Show them outdoor light once a week
• Make sure the container is big enought to hold growing roots
• Don’t fertilise, the bulb has food stored in itself
• Have patience, it takes 60-90 days
• The flower size could be a bit smaller indoors

Do u plant flower bulbs in water or indoors too? Do comment & share your experience!

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FRAGRANT HYACINTHS ARE EASY TO PROPAGATE ONCE THEY FINISH FLOWERING. MOST OFTEN, THEY MULTIPLY WHILE THEY GROW AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS DIVIDE THE BULBS AND REPLANT OR STORE THEM. 

HOW TO PROPAGATE HYACINTH BULBS

METHOD 1 – DIVISION

• After Hyacinths have finished flowering, dig out the bulbs carefully while the foliage is still green. This is to ensure that we obtain bulb-lets before they die or rot off due to heat/moisture.
• Also, they cannot continue to grow in the same place in full sun once summers arrive.
• Some bigger healthier bulbs may have formed smaller child bulbs while others may have not. We will treat them differently accordingly.
• Wash off the soil and separate the clumps into smaller units.
• Pry open gently and do not pull hard. The roots will separate themselves.
• Now plant the main bulb (that was already multiplying) & the bulb-lets in well-draining soil. Ensure that the soil does not allow water to stand by adding sand.
• Also, mix in compost for healthier bulbs.

METHOD 2 – PROPAGATION BY CUTTING THE BULBS

• Now take the bulbs that were not multiplying & cut off their leaves.
• Remove the roots as well.
• The lower portion of the bulb is called the “Basal Plate“. This is where the roots grow from.
• Now, there are two ways to force multiplication.
• First is to cut off the basal plate using a knife and scoop out a bit of flesh.
• Second way is to simply make cuts in the basal plate vertically & horizontally. This is to kick start propagation.

STORING BULBS WHILE THEY PROPAGATE AND SPROUT NEW SMALL BULBS – MAKING BULBLETS

• Take a shallow container filled with moist coco-peat.
• Dust some fungicide (baking soda works well) on the cut portion of the bulbs.
• Place them upside down in the coco-peat.
• Place in a dark place.
• Spray occasionally to keep moist.
• You will notice small bulb-lets forming in a few weeks.
• Plant the bulb outside once this happens.
• Do ensure that bulbs are taken out of soil once their leaves die. They will not multiply after that but only rot.

HAPPY GARDENING 🙂

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There are 3 ways you can PROPAGATE TULIP BULBS.

STEP 1 – CUTTING

1. REMOVING BASAL PLATE : Remove the thick base disc of the bulb and mark a deep X with a knife.
2. CUTTING THROUGHT THE BULBS : Remove the dark peel and mark deep cuts vertically on the sides of the bulb
3. REMOVING TENDER PARTS: Cut out any tender parts making a flat surface for new bulblets

The part where cuts are made is where new bulblets will sprout.

STEP 2 – PREVENT ROT

1. APPLY FUNGICIDE: This is not optional. No fungicide means the bulbs will rot instead of propagating.

STEP 3 – STORAGE OF BULBS

1. Place the bulbs individually on newspapers.
2. Cover with peatmoss or damp cocopeat
3. Place in a box and store at a dark place
4. The box should have some ventilation (e.g. a shoebox with holes poked on sides)

STEP 4 – KEEP A CHECK

1. KEEP IT DAMP : The bulbs should not dry out completely while storing
2. REMOVE ROTTEN BULBS: If any bulb starts to rot, remove it immediately to save the other tulip bulbs that are propapagting

TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE PROPAGATING TULIP BULBS

• New bulblets take time to grow and flower. Plant them each season and store for next season till they are ready to bloom.
• Tulip bulbs rot easily while propagating. Don’t skip fungicide and keep propagating bulbs separate from each other.
• Do not let the bulbs dry out, they will not grow again.
• The propagating medium should be damp but not wet. More mositure means more chances of tulip bulbs rotting.

Learn HOW TO TURN A GERANIUM LEAF INTO A NEW PLANT.

1. TAKE A GERANIUM LEAF WITH THICK STEM
2. PLACE THE LEAF IN A JAR OF WATER
3. ONLY 2-3 CM OF LEAF GOES IN WATER
4. PLACE OUTDOORS IN LIGHT BUT NOT DIRECT SUN
5. CHANGE THE WATER EVERY 3 DAYS
6. GIVE IT ATLEAST 15 DAYS TO START ROOTING
7. TRANSPLANT WHEN THE ROOTS ARE THICK

TIPS FOR SUCCESFULLY GROWING GERANIUM PLANT FROM A SINGLE LEAF:

• Use multiple leaves, not all will sprout roots
• Do not place in direct shade
• Don’t transplant while roots are thin
• Keep the water clean
• Don’t place the entire stem in water, it can rot
• Do not crowd the leaf stems in water
• Keep the leaves clean

10 STEP quick and easy method of rooting coleus cuttings.

1. Take cuttings that are 4″-5″ in length. Make sure the cuttings are fresh.
2. Remove the bottom leaves.
3. Place the cuttings OVER soil surface horizontally not inside. This prevents rotting.
4. Place a small light-weight pebble over the cuttings at the tip so that it holds down in place.
5. Water lightly around the pebbles
6. Place at a well-lit spot.
7. Fresh leaves will start growing first, then you can check for roots.
8. In about 7-10 days, you will see roots emerging.
9. Let them grow a bit more.
10. Plant vertically in a pot and enjoy the coloured foliage.

What are the benefits of propagating coleus by SOIL layering?

• It is easy & gives quick results
• The soil type and drainage does not matter
• You can track the progress
• The chances of cuttings rotting are almost zero
• There is minimal root damage while transplanting

FOLLOW THESE 8 TIPS

1. NO EXCESS WATERING
2. FERTILIZE WITH EPSOM SALT
3. KEEP IT CLEAN
4. PLANT IN SANDY SOIL
5. DIVIDE EVERY YEAR
6. AVOID DIRECT SUNLIGHT
7. GIVE AMPLE SPACE
8. PLANT CROWN ABOVE SOIL LEVEL

GERBERA NEEDS BOTTOM WATERING

• Gerbera hates standing water or overwatering.
• They need to be kept slightly damp but never wet.
• The best time to water gerbera in any season is in the morning.
• Never let the crown stay wet, it will rot and kill the plant.
• Self-watering pots are great for growing gerbera daisies.

EPSOM SALT FERTILISER FOR GERBERA DAISY

• If you want lots of flowers on gerbera daisies, then fertilise with Epsom salt every 15 days.
• You can spray or add a tsp. to soil near the base of the plant.
• In rainy season, it is advisable to spray since the soil leeches quickly.

KEEP GEREBERA PLANTS CLEAN

• Keep the plants very clean and pull off brown leaves regularly.
• It increases air circulation at the base of the plant and prevents insects & fungus.

GERBERA DAISY PREFERS SANDY SOIL

• The soil needs to drain off water quickly.
• Add cocopeat in moderation in gerbera plants.
• A handful of sand and vermicompost added to normal garden soil forms the ideal potting soil for gerbera daisy flowers.

DIVIDE GERBERA PLANTS FOR MORE FLOWERS

• Do not let your gerbera plants get rootbound.
• If the plant has completely taken over the pot, take it all out gently and divide into new plants.
• This promotes healthy and fresh growth with more blooms.

GERBERA DAISY PLANTS GROWS IN INDIRECT LIGHT

• Gerbera is a bit sensitive towards direct harsh sunlight.
• Place it where it gets full light but not direct sun.
• Gerbera will not do well indoors or rarely bloom.

GEREBRA DAISY FLOWERS NEED SPACE

• Gerbera plants need ample space and air circulation to grow and bloom.
• The larger the pot, the more blooms you will get.
• Leave soil empty on the sides, gerbera does not like to grow with other filler plants.

PLANT GERBERA DAISY PLANTS CORRECTLY

• The crown of the plant must be slightly above soil level.
• If the base of gerbera plant is under soil, it will rot because that’s where the leaves and buds sprout.
• If the crown is too high. the roots will be exposed and gerbera plant will be damaged.

Always divide your GERBERA DAISY in spring for lush green plants with abundant flowers. This will also prevent diseases by allowing more circulation and space for roots to grow.

Follow these 7 easy steps for PROPAGATING GERBERA DAISY FLOWER PLANTS:

1. WATER BEFORE YOU BEGIN – Drench the soil thoroughly at least 15-30 mins before you begin to divide. This will soften the soil and roots for easy removal. Hydrated roots are also very important so that they don’t dry out while you are replanting them.
2. UPTURN ENTIRE POT – Try to turn the pot around and remove the entire plant instead of pulling it out. This minimises damage to roots. If you cannot turn around a heavy pot, then loosen soil from all sides and lift gently. Gerbera daisy is a delicate plant and roots can get damaged easily.
3. PULL APART GENTLY – The number of plants you can divide into is clearly visible.  Shake off as much soil as possible. Pull apart the each section gently from the crown area. If it’s too tight, wash in water and it will divide easily.
4. PLANT BACK IMMEDIATELY – Do not keep the roots exposed for too long. Choose a good-weather day to do this. Make sure no direct sunlight falls on the plants while you are dividing them.
5. USE EPSOM SALT – Half fill the new pot and add Epsom salt where the roots will go. 1 tsp. is enough for one plant but it creates magic. Epsom salt helps the gerbera daisy plant settle without dying, pick up quickly and promotes flowering.
6. PLACE THE CROWN CORRECTLY – This is the most important step while dividing gerbera daisies. The crown should never be under soil. It is the part where the leaves and buds sprout. Place it directly above soil level and make sure it never stays too wet. Compact the soil around it and add more if needed. You can water it once to check the soil level after some time and adjust accordingly.
7. KEEP IN SHADE – Never place the new plants in direct sunlight. Keep them outdoors but under the shade till they pick up.

BENEFITS OF DIVIDING GERBERA PLANTS

• It keep them healthy & clean
• Air circulation prevents diseases caused by humidity. Less leaf yellowing, less fungus on soil, less chances of root rot.
• It promotes more blooms
• Roots get more space to grow making gerbera plants stronger & healthier
• You get more free gerbera plants!