Tips of Gardening

Dealing With Rose Diseases That May Ruin Your Rose Gardening Pleasure

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:52:00 +0000

Many people could not resist a rose's beauty and scent. These flowers are known to be a bit complicated to grow, but anyone could start rose gardening in the comfort of his own backyard.

To make sure that your most prized roses are in the pink or even red of their health, simply follow these tips on dealing with every rose health dilemma:

1. Black Spots on Leaves

This disease is commonly known as black spot. Black spots appear as circular with fringed edges on leaves. They cause the leaves to yellow. The solution is to remove the infected foliage and pick up any fallen leaves around the rose. Artificial sprays may be used to prevent or treat this kind of rose disease.

2. Stunted or malformed young canes

Known as powdery mildew, this is a fungal disease that covers leaves, stems and buds with wind spread white powder. It makes the leaves to curl and turn purple. Spray with Funginex or Benomyl to treat this fungal disease that could ruin your rose garden.

3. Blistered underside of leaves

A disease of roses known as rust, it is characterized with orange-red blisters that turn black in fall. In spring, it attacks new sprouts. This disease can even survive winter. What you can do is to collect and discard leaves that are infected in fall. Benomyl and Funginex spraying every 7-10 days may help.

4. Malformed or stunted leaves and flowers

What could have caused this is the presence of spider mites. They are tiny yellow, red or green spiders on the underside of leaves. They also suck juices from leaves. The application of Orthene or Isotox may help in treating this infestation.

5. Weak and mottled leaves with tiny white webs under them

This might be caused by aphids. They are small soft-bodied insects that usually brown, green or red. Often clustered under leaves and flower buds, they suck plant juices from tender buds. Malathion or diazinon spray may help roses to survive these bugs.

6. Flowers that don't open or are deformed when they open.

Thrips could be the reason behind this deformation and unopened flowers. It is characterized with slender, brown-yellow bugs with fringed wings thriving in flower buds. They also suck juices from flower buds. One should cut and discard the infested flowers. Using Orthene and malathion may also treat this health problem of your roses.

This valuable information regarding the diseases your roses are prone to have will prove to be very helpful in making your rose gardening endeavor more rewarding.

6 Easy Tips On How To Care For Your Plants

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:51:00 +0000

Many people worry a lot when it comes to caring for their plants. When talking about house plants, there is no need to worry. There are just a few things you need to consider.

1. Watering
A watering can is a must-have in every garden. It is recommended that you purchase the one with a narrow spout to ensure adequate watering. But that does not always apply, so the finger test may come in handy. Insert your index finger up to the first joint into the soil. If you feel that the soil is damp, don't water it. Otherwise, do.

2. Feeding
With foliage plants, they always need to be high in nitrogen. For flowering plants, on the other hand, K2O is needed. Fertilizers such as the slow release ones can be mixed with the compost. However, some plants like cacti and orchids need special feeds. Feed plants on the height of their active growth.

3. Lighting
Plants like Sanseveria and Aspidistra require no shade. They can be placed away from a window. Spider plants need semi-shade. You can put plants like these near a window that does or does not get sunlight. Others need sun or no sun at all like cheeseplants.

4. Temperature
With houseplants, they can survive in temperatures a little bit higher than 15 - 250 C or 55 - 750 F. But drastic fluctuations of temperature may not be good for them.

5. Humidity
Some houseplants require a humid environment. One tip to maximize humidity is to put the pot inside a larger pot and fill in the gaps with stones or compost to keep in the moisture. The compost will not dry out. Plants are capable of creating their own climate if grouped together. This tip can also be used for keeping the soil moist. If you want, you can spray them with water once or twice a day depending on the day's temperature.

6. Repotting
Other plants require repotting for optimum growth but some plants may not be suitable for this idea. They would not want their roots to be disturbed or other plants' root system is small. One way to check if your plant needs repotting is to turn it upside down. Tap the pot to release the plant and check its roots. If roots are all you see, then repot.

You just need to have a little care for your plants and in turn, you'll reap its benefits. You don't only have a garden that can add to your house's beauty you can also learn how to respect and nurture life in its varied forms.

Promising A Flower Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:50:00 +0000

Flower gardens come in different styles and varieties, their appeal can be very addicting to any flower gardener. As a gardener, knowing how to improve your flower garden can make a big difference in the aesthetics and over-all health of your garden.

Here are simple ways to make your flower garden bloom more for your gardening heart's content:

1. The essentials must always be given major consideration.

Just like with any gardening endeavor, a flower garden must have its adequate supply of water, light, and fertile soil. To lack one of these gardening necessities is almost preparing the death bed of your flower garden. Water the flower garden more frequently during dry spells. Also, make sure that you plant the flower bulbs deep enough to provide sufficient room for the rooting.

2. Mix and match perennials with annuals.

Perennial flower bulbs need not to be replanted since they grow and bloom for several years while annuals grow and bloom for only one season. Mixing a few perennials with annuals ensures that the show goes on with your flower garden.

3. Deadhead to encourage more blossoms.

Deadheading is simply snipping off the flower head after it wilts. This will make the plant grow more and produce more flowers. Just make sure that you don't discard the deadhead on the garden or mildew and other plant disease will attack your plants.

4. Know the good from the bad bugs.

Do you know that most garden insects do more good than harm? Butterflies, flies, beetles and bees are known as pollinators. They fertilize plants through unintentional transfer of pollen from one plant to another. And 80% of flowering plants rely on them for survival. Why do you think flowers are that colorful and pretty? I’ll be you thought it was to make humans more fond of them? It's actually to lure more insects.

Sowbugs and dung beetles together with fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms make the soil friendlier to plants. This is because they subsist on dead materials, breaking them into simpler molecules that fertilize the soil. These bugs are known as the ever trusty decomposers.

Now you don't just shoo away bugs whenever you see any. Choose your enemies.

With those loads of information in mind and practiced, your flower garden will surely thank you with a breath taking view when it's time for them to bloom again.

History Of The Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:49:00 +0000

To appreciate the significance of roses as garden plants, it helps to know a little of their extensive history. The early Romans were true lovers of roses. They carpeted their floors and showered their guests with rose petals, bathed in rose oils, drank rose wine, decorated warriors with rose garlands and treated their sick with medications made from rose petals and hips. When the supply of roses was not sufficient to meet demands, they built heated greenhouses so they could have flowers 12 months a year.

Evidence of the devotion given to the rose by early Christians is seen in stained glass windows in hundreds of medieval churches throughout the world. This tradition continues in modern churches today. Even the word rosary, a series of prayers reliving the life of Christ, originally meant rose garden. Throughout history, from writings by Confucius several hundred years before the birth of Christ to England's War of the Roses in the 15th century, roses have been a part of world events.

However, the roses that held such fascination long ago did not look much like the modern hybrid teas and grandifloras most of us grow today. The rose garden of Josephine, first wife of Napoleon, at Malmaison, their home in France, is still in existence. This garden contained almost 250 different roses, mostly rose species and natural hybrids. Quite a number of these roses are still in existence today, although they are not widely distributed through commercial outlets.

The large collection of roses gathered by Josephine at Malmaison was an important step in the development of today's modern roses. For the first time, horticulturists could observe in one location the tremendous diversity of the rose family. From the Orient came ever-blooming China roses such as 'Parson's Pink China'. From Reunion, an island country in the Indian Ocean, came the semi- double, pink Bourbon roses, which were also ever-blooming. These were stunning in contrast to Europe's Gallica roses, which, although extremely fragrant, bloomed only in early summer.

Even though rose breeding had been going on for centuries, many of the roses displayed at Malmaison were natural hybrids and species found in nature. Consequently, the true lineage of many roses is uncertain and often confusing. Even still, horticulturists found the possibilities at Malmaison exciting. They began creating their own crosses, changing rose gardening forever. Hybrids between ever-blooming China roses and Rosa moschata led to the Noisette roses. At the same time, the Hybrid Perpetual was developed from mixed parentage. These were crossed with Tea roses from China, resulting in the first hybrid tea rose. Soon, the era of modern roses was in full swing.

In North America, roses were also making an impact. There are about 35 species of roses that are native to the United States. As far back as the early 1600s, American Indians in the Northeast were planting roses to add flower color to their villages. Many native American roses, including Rosa californica, Rosa setigera and Rosa palustris, are rugged plants that are supremely adapted to the climates of their origins. In this current age of conservation when plants are required to thrive and look attractive with a minimum of care, as well as reduced amounts of water and fertilizer, these native American roses are ideal subjects.

In addition to native species, early settlers in North America also introduced many roses originating from other parts of the world. In the late 16th century, William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, brought 18 rose plants from England to the new world. He later wrote a book for pioneers about the value of roses as medicinal plants.

Today, roses are big business. The rose is the world's most popular flower, and the national flower of the United States. Each year commercial rose growers produce millions of plants that are sold throughout the world. To meet the demand for new varieties, rose hybridizing and variety testing continue as important parts of the rose-growing process.

Characteristic Of A Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:35:00 +0000

Like most plants, the flowers of a rose plant are sexual beings. The petals surround the sexual parts of the plant, which include both male and female organs. Roses have both male and female parts, all in one lovely flower, making them able to self-pollinate. Maybe the flowers are so pretty that they fall in love with themselves! The stamens, so lovely in many varieties of roses, are the male parts of the rose. The anthers, at the top of the stamens, produce the pollen that fertilizes the ovules, or eggs, located at the bottom of the pistil, the female part of the flower, inside the hip of the flower. Rose flowers can self-pollinate, but the resulting plant is rarely as good as the original.

The sepals are leaf-like structures that cover the rose buds before they open, protecting them. Sepals slowly separate to reveal the color of the developing flower and finally pull away entirely, allowing the petals of the bud to unfurl. The sepals are often a very attractive part of the flower, particularly if their feathery ends extend above the top of the bud. When they drop, allowing the petals to open, they are often a very decorative underpinning to a beautiful flower. You can find much beauty in all the parts of a rose flower, but what most people consider perfection in a rose bloom is the petals; their color, their substance, their arrangement, and their fragrance.

A rose may have no petals at all, like the famous green rose, Rosa chinensis viridiflora. What appear to be the petals of the flower are actually lots of sepals. Many people consider the green rose ugly, but others find a strange beauty in its greenness. The green rose is of the China family of old garden roses and, as with all Chinas, this plant is tender in cold winter climates and must be brought inside during the chilliest months. Unlike most other old garden roses, however, the Chinas, including the green rose, bloom all season long.

A rose can also have so many petals that it will not open in anything but the hottest weather. Sometimes these many-petaled roses are so fabulous that they are worth growing, even if you see only a few blooms a year during a heat wave. The most notorious rose for having so many petals that many of the flowers end up as squishy rotten balls at the top of a strong cane is the hybrid tea 'Uncle Joe'. The plant is a large one, often reaching 6 or 7 feet tall, with wonderful, deep green foliage. In hot weather, when the flowers do open, they are among the most beautiful of the red hybrid teas.

The most common petal formations fall into three categories:

Single: Many beautiful roses have only a single row of petals (usually 5). Like the wonderful 'Dainty Bess', a single hybrid tea with five large, pale pink petals surrounding bright red stamens, single-petaled roses can be very lovely. 'Eyepaint' is another beautiful single rose.

Semi-double: Roses considered semi-double may have only two or three rows of 12 to 16 petals. The pink floribunda 'Simplicity', which Jackson & Perkins sells as a hedge rose, has semi-double flowers.

Double or fully double; These roses have lots of petals. A rose is considered double if it has more than 17 petals. Sometimes roses with 26 to 40 petals are called fully double and those with over 40 petals are called very double. Double roses are generally larger and showier than singles or semi-doubles. The red hybrid tea 'Mister Lincoln' has double flowers.

Embrace Your Soul With Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:34:00 +0000

Be nice to yourself and indulge in one of nature's awesome creations. It's true we don't actually NEED flowers in our daily schedules BUT since when did humans stick to what they needed!

Giving a gift of flowers is always a thoughtful, if not provocative, experience and is a gift that is definitely not about money. A large bouquet from the local florist will no doubt be beautiful and well worth the cash it costs. And equally, the small bouquet of wildflowers lovingly collected by an adored one will bring joy into your life.

Sprays of dried flowers and grasses can make beautiful displays in your home over holiday seasons, or why not everyday?

Flowers are pressed into scrapbooks and journals. They are also pressed for their scent and many perfumes are flower-based. Oils are extracted for natural remedies and cosmetic applications.

Flower preparations can be time-consuming to produce and therefore often expensive to the consumer. The absolute best way round this is to go directly to the source and Grow your own!

It doesn't matter what month it is or what the weather's playing at. You can still plan your flower garden. The choice of flowers, plants and herbs available is so extraordinary, you may as well start planning straight away!

Your flower garden can include all kinds of practical plants as well as looking gorgeous...

Herbs attract the nice guys in the bug world which in turn helps rid your flower bed of the pests! Thyme flowers are so delicate and beautiful they really shouldn't be allowed!

Edible flowers include marigolds, nasturtiums and even some roses. NB: double check on edible -ility before you pop a plant in your mouth!

Decide on themes, colours, scents and set about choosing your favourite blooms. A beautiful flower display takes a lot of careful planning - or alternatively you could buy a wildflower mix and scatter the seed randomly. Nature is often it's own favourite artist!

If you're still not convinced, browse through a few gardening catalogues. Wake up and smell the flowers - you won't remember how you lived without them!

Organic Lawn Care Products You Must Buy

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:32:00 +0000

Whenever the grass turns green, garden owners are anxious to begin their work on the lawn. With just the right amount of patience, they will enjoy a fine lawn in the months to follow.

For example, new grass inspires the garden owner to spread fertilizer in order for the young blades to flourish. Most owners opt for organic fertilizers because it is the recommended practice for most bluegrass and fescue lawns. Not only is it healthy for the soil, it is also healthy for the environment in general.

The right time to apply organic fertilizer is during the fall. This is when the roots sustain the plants until summer. Let’s say the fertilizer application during the fall has been missed, the owner can still do this during the spring. The amount of nutrients in the organic fertilizer must be a half pound of nitrogen for every 1000 sq. ft.

Another organic lawn care product that can be used is lime. This is often applied during early spring after the soil tests. A number of lawn grasses achieve their finest growth whenever the soil’s pH is 6.0 to 7.0. The garden owner must have his soil analyzed every 2 to 3 years. The results from the soil tests determine how much lime must be applied.

Pre-emergent organic herbicides must be applied between March and April in order to control the growth of crabgrass. Crabgrass emerges once in a while and the organic herbicides can be used to control its growth. However, it won’t affect crabgrass that has already started growing. Therefore, the best time to apply herbicides is when crabgrass is still sprouting.

Spraying fertilizer is mostly done during the fall. Spraying weed killer can also be done during this time. Just make sure that the weeds are growing. During the drought, spray when the weeds are growing.

Use different sprayers when applying herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Mark these sprayers correctly so you know exactly what the containers are for. Mixing these organic lawn care products with one another can damage the plants because of the residue.

March may be early for insect control but you must always care for your lawn during early spring. If you missed feeding it during the fall, then you can compensate for it during this season. When winter comes, it will have enough organic lawn care products to last those cold days and nights.

Growing Fruits And Vegetables The Way Nature Intended Them To Be

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:30:00 +0000

Gardening can add more quality to the way you live and even to some extent may also add quantity to one's life. There are many benefits of gardening, particularly organic gardening that can make one can forget about whatever is bothering him or her.

Organic gardening is the way of growing vegetables and fruits with the use of things only found in nature.

Why would one want to indulge in organic gardening?

1. Organic gardening is less boring.

One can easily make his own compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though this is a bit more time-consuming than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it would surely be one rewarding activity.

2. Less health harming chemicals on the food that you and your family may consume.

Pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose kill living things. One of the best known benefits of organic gardening is the zero tolerance for pesticide use. This is the most widely know reason for the boom of organic gardening and is also the best of what we get from the benefits of organic gardening.

3. Less harm to the environment.

Organic gardening has residual effect on ground water. The Environmental Protection Agency says that 38 states have cases of contaminated ground water.

The protection of the topsoil from erosion is another concern dealt with the practice of organic gardening.

The Soil Conservation Service says that an estimated 30 - 32 billion tons of soil erodes from United States farmlands every year. Commercial farming causes this.

4. Cost savings

One does need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening. One example of organic fertilizer that one could make use of is as lowly as the stale coffee and coffee grounds. If one wishes to attract off aphids from vegetables, plant marigolds.

One frugal garden pest spray could be concocted through mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on plants.

Mulch, which is used to keep moisture in and weeds out, could be in the form of grass clippings and pine needles.

5. Organic gardening makes one feel better knowing he is doing his part in safeguarding the future of the next generations.

On the average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult. This can lead to various diseases later on in the child's life. With organic gardening, these incidents are lessened.

Everything You Need To Know About Laying Organic Mulches

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:28:00 +0000

Mulches are inexpensive and are probably one of the best garden investments you can make. Let's talk a little about the familiar organic mulches, since many of you probably already use them. We'll just go over the basics. Remember to apply organic mulches 2 to
4 inches deep.

Many choices exist for those who use organic mulches. Availability, cost, and personal preference will undoubtedly influence your choice. Bark mulches, for example, can be costly unless you live near a tree service company or have a friend in the business. They do have a tendency to rob soil nitrogen from crops because of their high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

Remember to apply nitrogen fertilizer before you put down your bark mulch. If you have composted the bark mulch, you won't need to use fertilizer, because the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio will change for the better during composting. Keep the bark mulch from direct contact with plants to avoid disease problems. And keep the bark mulch away from nearby wooden structures, too, because termites in the bark might munch their way on to bigger and better things.

Another organic mulch, peat moss, is expensive and, unlike bark, it's hard to find a cheap supply under any conditions. Many organic gardeners dislike peat moss as a mulch because it requires a lot of water and time to get wet. Another disadvantage to peat moss is that it dries out during droughts. Once it's dry, it becomes hard and difficult to wet, and rain will run off it. It's best to keep peat moss as an organic amendment for growing mixtures and soils where you plan to plant acid-loving shrubs.

Another group of organic mulches that is desirable but not always available includes buckwheat hulls, cocoa shells, ground corncobs, ground tobacco stems, licorice roots, peanut shells, spent hops, and crushed sugarcane. Buckwheat hulls can cake and prevent water getting to the soil, so keep them to a 2-inch depth. Watch how you water, since forceful watering will scatter buckwheat hulls. Cocoa shells have some fertilizer value, but keep them to 2 inches in depth. Their potash content is high, so deeper layers of cocoa shells might harm sensitive plants. Ground corncobs, unless you object to their light color, are relatively problem free. Don't use ground tobacco stems to mulch tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, dahlias, or any other plants susceptible to tobacco mosaic virus. Tobacco stem mulches may carry this virus. Licorice roots resist blowing and floating, making them ideal candidates for sloping gardens. Several qualities of peanut shells, such as their significant nitrogen content, ease of application, durability, and attractive appearance, make the shells an excellent mulch.

Spent hops have some nutrient value and resist blowing. If you use spent hops, make sure they are aged; if they are not, they may heat up, have an unpleasant odor, and even damage your plants. Some mulches, in particular sawdust and wood chips, are relatively common and inexpensive, but have some decided drawbacks. Unless you have composted them (and few people do), these woody materials have a very high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. The high ratio means that these woody materials will steal soil nitrogen away from your plants as they decompose. Therefore, you have to put down some nitrogen fertilizer before you put on the mulch, if you want to avoid depleting your soil. This need for fertilizer translates into extra cost and work. Sawdust and wood chips are more trouble than they're worth.

Now on to the last category of organic mulches: compost, grass clippings, leaves, straw or hay, and salt-marsh hay. Compost makes an excellent mulch, especially if your soil is low in organic matter. It's one of the few mulches that also acts as a slow-release fertilizer. Water from your hose or from rain leaches out nutrients that microbial activity has converted to soluble forms. By the end of the growing season, the lower part of the compost mulch has become part of the upper soil profile. In a few years, you can have an organic-rich soil without any work.

The plus is that you need far less compost to take care of the area around or under plants than you need for a mulch covering a much larger area. Still, if you make lots of compost, you might consider using the excess as a mulch. If you don't recycle your grass clippings to your lawn with a mulching mower, you can use the clippings as a garden mulch. Just don't apply your layer of grass clippings all at once. Do it gradually, because a thick layer of green clippings will heat up and form a dense mat as decay sets in. The mat will restrict the flow of air and water to the soil. Apply the clippings in thin layers and allow each layer to dry and turn brown before you add the next layer. One bonus to using grass clippings is that they contain nitrogen, which will eventually leach into your soil, thus slowly fertilizing your plants.

You can also use leaves as a mulch, as long as you're aware of a couple of problems that exist. First, leaves are available mostly in the fall. Such timing is great for winter mulches or the leaf compost pile but is bad for a summer mulch. To get around this problem, you can pile the leaves until next year.

The other problem is that leaves can mat into a soggy mess. To overcome the matting problem, you can mix the leaves with fluffy materials, such as hay or straw, or you can shred the leaves. Leaves do release some nutrients during decomposition as a mulch; but many people still prefer using them to make leaf compost. Straw, hay, and salt-marsh hay all make reasonable mulches. You can sometimes buy spoiled hay at a modest price. The going rate for unspoiled hay or salt-marsh hay argues against their use as mulches; however, if you find a bargain, these mulches are great for vegetables.

Modern Gardening Equipment

noreply@blogger.com (Hopefully Useful) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:46:00 +0000

You keep on following the rules that in order for your plants to grow healthy, sufficient water, soil quality, and sunlight must be provided. But little do you know that the types and quality of equipment you use in taking care of your plants also have an effect on your plants' health or good growing conditions.Defective tools might just cause damaging "wounds" on your plants or even totally destroy or cut your plants. To avoid this, it is a must to look for the best gardening equipment that will assist you in giving that tender loving care for your plants. When you say the best gardening equipment, it means a tool that will allow energy efficiency and that permits labor saving methods.Here are some of the best gardening devices reviewed by who else but the gardening aficionados themselves.

1. Garden ShreddersJCB SS2400 received five stars out of five from the gardening equipment reviewers from recommendedbuys.co.uk. It has a 2400 watts motor and comes with a silent gear crushing system. It is one promising tool to improve and hasten your shredding activity and.Ryobi ESR - 2240 Electric Shredder is an easy to assemble garden shredder that aids in making healthy hedges and tree prunings with a maximum of 40 mm. It comes with built-in wheels and a plunger for increased portability.

2. Edge TrimmerBosch AHS42-16 Electric Hedge Trimmer also received five stars out of five rating from the gardening equipment reviewers from recommendedbuys.co.uk. It has 420 watts output.

3. CultivatorsMantis Tiller Cultivator comes with patented tines to aid in cutting smoothly through hard compacted soil. It is perfect to use in preparing vegetable plots, flower beds, etc. It also helps in thatching, aerating and cleaning the moss. It also comes with a free border edger.

4. LawnmowersBrill 78370 Luxus Push Reel Mower rated 4.5 out of 5 stars Tools-hills.com customers. It has a large top cover that protects shrubs and overhanging flowers.American Lawnmower Deluxe Light Reel Mower 1815-16 received 4.5 stars out of 5 from Epinions.com buyers. It is commended for its being able to operate on elbow grease alone, thus, does not cause pollution. It is not for too tall grasses.

5. Leaf SweeperAgri-fab 26 Push Leaf Sweeper is for smaller lawns and is available with 200 litre collector. It also comes with an infinite height adjustment feature.