文章
Miss Chen
2018年08月21日
The curious little resurrection fern, Polypodium polypodioides, may very well be the perfect plant for the unfortunately black-thumbed gardener -- or the incredibly lazy one. If there's a truly care- and maintenance-free living plant, this is it. The strange little fern virtually laughs thirst in the face and defies death as it takes even the severest of droughts easily in its stride. The resurrection fern simply takes a nap until conditions become more favorable. When rains return, the seemingly dead plant miraculously returns to life and its former beauty within a few hours. Resurrection ferns are readily available from mail order, online and brick-and-mortar plant retailers. If you live near a wooded area within this common little epiphyte's natural range, you can easily find fallen branches decorated with them just about anywhere on the shady forest floor.
Step 1
Remove the purchased resurrection fern carefully from its bag or packaging. Set it in a shallow container out of direct sunlight. Water all of its surfaces generously to the point of runoff with a repurposed plastic spray bottle. Within minutes, the plant will begin to unfurl its crumpled brown fronds and show signs of greening up.
Step 2
Fill a 4- or 6-inch pot with orchid growing medium if you wish to keep your resurrection fern as a houseplant. Set the pot in a shallow container of water until the surface feels moist. Remove it from the water and allow it to drain for about 15 minutes. Place the fern on top of the medium and set it anywhere out of direct sunlight.
Step 3
Spritz the resurrection fern with water and leave it alone. It doesn't need any fertilizer or further care.
Step 4
Choose a tree in your yard to which to secure the resurrection fern if you would rather grow it outdoors. While any tree will do, these plants seem to have an affinity for pecan and live oak. Carefully press one or more of the reviving fern's long, thin rhizomes into crevices in the bark of the tree's branch or trunk. Use lightweight wire to anchor the fern, if you wish.
Step 5
Collect a fallen branch with resurrection fern growing on it and haul it home to your garden if you'd rather harvest free plants. Prop one end of the limb against the trunk of one of your trees. Use some lightweight wire to secure the branch into place. Eventually, the fern will seed some of its spores right onto your living tree and propagate itself prolifically.
Step 6
Place the branch with resurrection ferns in any shady or partially shaded garden spot you wish, but these epiphytes do prefer to reside in and on living trees.
Step 7
Water the indoor or outdoor resurrection fern again when it begins to turn brown or look dry if you prefer to keep the plant fresh and green. Otherwise, withhold water and allow it to appear to die. Water it when you want to revive it.
Step 1
Remove the purchased resurrection fern carefully from its bag or packaging. Set it in a shallow container out of direct sunlight. Water all of its surfaces generously to the point of runoff with a repurposed plastic spray bottle. Within minutes, the plant will begin to unfurl its crumpled brown fronds and show signs of greening up.
Step 2
Fill a 4- or 6-inch pot with orchid growing medium if you wish to keep your resurrection fern as a houseplant. Set the pot in a shallow container of water until the surface feels moist. Remove it from the water and allow it to drain for about 15 minutes. Place the fern on top of the medium and set it anywhere out of direct sunlight.
Step 3
Spritz the resurrection fern with water and leave it alone. It doesn't need any fertilizer or further care.
Step 4
Choose a tree in your yard to which to secure the resurrection fern if you would rather grow it outdoors. While any tree will do, these plants seem to have an affinity for pecan and live oak. Carefully press one or more of the reviving fern's long, thin rhizomes into crevices in the bark of the tree's branch or trunk. Use lightweight wire to anchor the fern, if you wish.
Step 5
Collect a fallen branch with resurrection fern growing on it and haul it home to your garden if you'd rather harvest free plants. Prop one end of the limb against the trunk of one of your trees. Use some lightweight wire to secure the branch into place. Eventually, the fern will seed some of its spores right onto your living tree and propagate itself prolifically.
Step 6
Place the branch with resurrection ferns in any shady or partially shaded garden spot you wish, but these epiphytes do prefer to reside in and on living trees.
Step 7
Water the indoor or outdoor resurrection fern again when it begins to turn brown or look dry if you prefer to keep the plant fresh and green. Otherwise, withhold water and allow it to appear to die. Water it when you want to revive it.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月13日
Weeds are the bane of every gardener. They seem to flourish with no care or support while the plants the gardeners want require attention almost daily. Weeds steal water, nutrients, sunlight and space from vegetable plants and jeopardize the viability of the garden. Gardeners must take defensive measures to stop and control weeds to enjoy a plentiful harvest of vegetables.
Cultivation Method
Cultivating or tilling the soil around vegetable plants in a garden is an effective, nontoxic method for weed and grass removal. A day or two after a soaking rain is the best time to hand-pull weeds. Wear waterproof garden gloves; you might also want a small stool to sit on. Reach your fingers into the soil and grab the main root ball of the weed before pulling. Twist as you pull to break the weed's ancillary roots.
The use of a hoe or manual cultivator with a long handle trumps hand-pulling if weeding in the standing position is more comfortable. The tines of a cultivator loosen and turn soil, but the unwanted plants often require hand-pulling anyway.
While weeds typically grow roots near the surface of soil, some vegetable plants do as well. The closer the weed is to the vegetable plant, the greater the risk of damaging the vegetable plant's roots with cultivating tools. When working close to vegetable plants, pull weeds by hand.
The Old Farmer's Almanac reports that a German study found that cultivating soil at night resulted in a 78 percent reduction in new weed germination. Weed seeds often need only a flash of light, which turning soil provides, to start growing.
Mulching Method
Distributing a thick 3- to 4-inch layer of mulching materials around vegetable plants in your garden discourages the growth of weeds and unwanted grass. Mulch blocks the sun so new seeds cannot germinate. When spreading mulch, keep the material 2 to 3 inches away from the stems of the plants.
Keep in mind mulch modifies ground temperatures. Inorganic mulch materials such as plastic sheeting, old carpet or weed-blocking fabric can warm soil. Warm soil benefits seeds undergoing germination or newly transplanted seedlings.
However, when summer's heat arrives, organic mulch materials excel at cooling soil. Organic sources of mulch include mature compost, shredded wood, pecan shells, wood bark, grass clippings, straw, shredded leaves and newspaper.
Sawdust is a poor choice for mulch as the bacteria needed to break it down steals nitrogen from the soil and garden plants.
Vinegar Method
Weeds cannot stand up against a soaking spray of vinegar. Vinegar contains acetic acid that lowers the pH to an intolerable level. Mix 4 ounces lemon juice concentrate with 1 quart white or apple cider vinegar in mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture into the spray bottle.
Spray vinegar mixture directly on the targeted weed. Coat the entire weed with the vinegar mixture. Wait to spray until the hottest part of the day. Take care to not let the spray drift over to garden plants. This vinegar mixture will kill the leaves and roots of young weeds. Established weeds with strong roots will likely require several applications. Spray established weeds daily until the roots die.
Cultivation Method
Cultivating or tilling the soil around vegetable plants in a garden is an effective, nontoxic method for weed and grass removal. A day or two after a soaking rain is the best time to hand-pull weeds. Wear waterproof garden gloves; you might also want a small stool to sit on. Reach your fingers into the soil and grab the main root ball of the weed before pulling. Twist as you pull to break the weed's ancillary roots.
The use of a hoe or manual cultivator with a long handle trumps hand-pulling if weeding in the standing position is more comfortable. The tines of a cultivator loosen and turn soil, but the unwanted plants often require hand-pulling anyway.
While weeds typically grow roots near the surface of soil, some vegetable plants do as well. The closer the weed is to the vegetable plant, the greater the risk of damaging the vegetable plant's roots with cultivating tools. When working close to vegetable plants, pull weeds by hand.
The Old Farmer's Almanac reports that a German study found that cultivating soil at night resulted in a 78 percent reduction in new weed germination. Weed seeds often need only a flash of light, which turning soil provides, to start growing.
Mulching Method
Distributing a thick 3- to 4-inch layer of mulching materials around vegetable plants in your garden discourages the growth of weeds and unwanted grass. Mulch blocks the sun so new seeds cannot germinate. When spreading mulch, keep the material 2 to 3 inches away from the stems of the plants.
Keep in mind mulch modifies ground temperatures. Inorganic mulch materials such as plastic sheeting, old carpet or weed-blocking fabric can warm soil. Warm soil benefits seeds undergoing germination or newly transplanted seedlings.
However, when summer's heat arrives, organic mulch materials excel at cooling soil. Organic sources of mulch include mature compost, shredded wood, pecan shells, wood bark, grass clippings, straw, shredded leaves and newspaper.
Sawdust is a poor choice for mulch as the bacteria needed to break it down steals nitrogen from the soil and garden plants.
Vinegar Method
Weeds cannot stand up against a soaking spray of vinegar. Vinegar contains acetic acid that lowers the pH to an intolerable level. Mix 4 ounces lemon juice concentrate with 1 quart white or apple cider vinegar in mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture into the spray bottle.
Spray vinegar mixture directly on the targeted weed. Coat the entire weed with the vinegar mixture. Wait to spray until the hottest part of the day. Take care to not let the spray drift over to garden plants. This vinegar mixture will kill the leaves and roots of young weeds. Established weeds with strong roots will likely require several applications. Spray established weeds daily until the roots die.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年04月29日
If you're a vegetable gardener who enjoys growing green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), you can choose from dozens of different varieties, all flavorful when picked at their peak from a home garden. For a bean that's equally good picked young or at a more mature stage, try a flat-podded green bean variety. Often called Italian beans, the plants thrive and produce a heavy crop when given sun, well-drained soil and a bit of extra care.
Getting Started
Like all green beans, Italian beans are frost-sensitive and grow as annuals in all parts of the United States. If winter temperatures drop below freezing and spring is cool where you live, wait until all danger of frost has passed and your soil temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, to ensure seed germination by eight to 10 days after planting.
You can choose Italian beans that grow as tall vines -- pole beans -- or as more upright plants -- bush beans. For example, a cultivar called 'Romano' is a pole bean that's 6 to 9 feet tall and yields beans in about 60 days, while a bush variety of 'Roma II' is only about 20 inches tall and takes 53 days to produce beans for harvest. If you grow a pole type, space seeds about 4 to 6 inches apart in rows, or plant in small hills, with four to six seeds per hill. Space rows about 3 feet apart and allow 30 inches between hills. For bush beans, plant in rows with 2 to 4 inches between seeds and 18 to 24 inches between rows. For any type, plant seeds about 1 inch deep and water well after planting.
Sun, Soil and Water
For strong plants that produce a heavy crop of beans, choose a planting spot that gets full sun for most of the day. These plants grow in any type of garden soil that's well-drained and don't require fertilization. Instead of fertilizing, boost the soil's fertility by adding about 2 inches of compost to your planting area before seeding, mixing it into the soil well.
The plants do best when they receive even moisture. One inch of water each week, including rain, is ideal. Good moisture is especially important during blooming and when pods start forming, so provide extra water during dry spells. Water with a soaker hose or drip irrigation to keep foliage dry and prevent fungal growth. Adding about 2 inches of mulch under the plants also helps conserve soil moisture.
Other Requirements
If you grow pole-type Italian beans, provide a trellis or fence at least 5 feet tall to keep vines off the soil, but set this in place before planting to avoid damaging plant roots. The plants produce tendrils that naturally adhere to wire or string.
Getting Started
Like all green beans, Italian beans are frost-sensitive and grow as annuals in all parts of the United States. If winter temperatures drop below freezing and spring is cool where you live, wait until all danger of frost has passed and your soil temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, to ensure seed germination by eight to 10 days after planting.
You can choose Italian beans that grow as tall vines -- pole beans -- or as more upright plants -- bush beans. For example, a cultivar called 'Romano' is a pole bean that's 6 to 9 feet tall and yields beans in about 60 days, while a bush variety of 'Roma II' is only about 20 inches tall and takes 53 days to produce beans for harvest. If you grow a pole type, space seeds about 4 to 6 inches apart in rows, or plant in small hills, with four to six seeds per hill. Space rows about 3 feet apart and allow 30 inches between hills. For bush beans, plant in rows with 2 to 4 inches between seeds and 18 to 24 inches between rows. For any type, plant seeds about 1 inch deep and water well after planting.
Sun, Soil and Water
For strong plants that produce a heavy crop of beans, choose a planting spot that gets full sun for most of the day. These plants grow in any type of garden soil that's well-drained and don't require fertilization. Instead of fertilizing, boost the soil's fertility by adding about 2 inches of compost to your planting area before seeding, mixing it into the soil well.
The plants do best when they receive even moisture. One inch of water each week, including rain, is ideal. Good moisture is especially important during blooming and when pods start forming, so provide extra water during dry spells. Water with a soaker hose or drip irrigation to keep foliage dry and prevent fungal growth. Adding about 2 inches of mulch under the plants also helps conserve soil moisture.
Other Requirements
If you grow pole-type Italian beans, provide a trellis or fence at least 5 feet tall to keep vines off the soil, but set this in place before planting to avoid damaging plant roots. The plants produce tendrils that naturally adhere to wire or string.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年04月09日
As a vegetable gardener, you're probably familiar with the good feeling most gardeners get from harvesting their own crops. It's disappointing, though, to see garden produce such as green peppers (Capsicum spp.) develop black areas and stop growing when they're only partially formed. Several problems can cause blackening of pepper fruits. So identifying the specific cause is an important first step in dealing with the problem and saving the remaining crop.
Plant Diseases
Peppers usually are grown as annual plants in all parts of the United States, but they are perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 11. Whether grown as annuals or perennials, they thrive in well-drained soil and full-sun exposure.
Most pepper types, including bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), a common type, start setting fruits about six weeks after they are planted. The fruits gradually enlarge and, depending on the variety, may stay green or turn yellow, orange or red when fully mature. Although usually trouble-free plants, peppers can be susceptible to plant diseases that may damage and discolor their fruits.
Fungal Problems
Several fungal disorders can cause ripening pepper fruits to develop black spots. One of the disorders is anthracnose, which leads to round lesions on pepper fruits; the lesions sometimes have black rings in their center and can enlarge enough to cover and collapse entire fruits. Another fungal disease, called Phytophthora blight, also can cause black areas on pepper fruits, with those areas eventually covering entire fruits. Phytophthora blight also produces black areas on pepper plant stems and overall wilting of the plants.
The best way to prevent fungal problems is to inspect transplants carefully and choose only those without any wilted or damaged leaves. Also, choose varieties certified as disease-resistant. Water the plants at their bases to keep their foliage dry, which helps prevent fungal growth, and space the plants at least 18 to 24 inches apart to give them good air circulation.
Once you see signs of a fungal problem in a pepper plant, you might be able to save the plant by pruning away and discarding its affected parts, cutting behind diseased areas and into healthy tissue with sharp shears that you wipe with rubbing alcohol between cuts to prevent spreading the disease. If the entire plant is affected, discard it to prevent the fungus' spread to other plants. It's also helpful to rotate planting areas because fungi live in the soil and can reinfect the next year's crop.
Viral Infection
An infection caused by the tomato spotted wilt virus may cause light-colored rings on pepper fruits, and the rings may slowly turn black. The affected plant's leaves become bronze-colored and wilt, and a severely infected plant could die. This virus is spread by a thrip, a tan or yellowish brown insect about 1/25th inch long. If thrips or tomato spotted wilt virus symptoms appear on a pepper plant, then mix 5 tablespoons of insecticidal soap with 1 gallon of water, and spray the mixture on all parts of the plant until they are dripping wet. Use the spray on a windless day when the temperature is at or below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If an entire plant shows symptoms of the virus, it's best to discard it.
Blossom End-Rot
A problem called blossom end-rot also can produce black spots on pepper fruits. Each spot looks sunken and rotted, and it appears on the fruit's blossom end -- not the fruit's stem end. If you see a small, black spot on an otherwise healthy pepper fruit, then it's fine to pick the fruit and use its unaffected areas, but discard its blackened end. If, though, the damage involves most of a fruit, then pick and discard that fruit, allowing the plant to put its energy into other, healthy fruits.
Blossom end-rot develops when the soil is poor in calcium or when plants have difficulty using the calcium that's present. The best way to prevent the problem is to avoid moisture stress to the plants by ensuring they get at least 1 inch of water weekly. Add about a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch on the soil surface under each pepper plant to conserve soil moisture, keeping the mulch back a bit from every plant's center to discourage fungus.
If you encounter blossom end-rot in your pepper plants, check their soil's pH level with a soil test kit before the next growing season, ensuring that it's pH 6.5 to 6.8, a level that helps make soil calcium available to the plants. If necessary, pre-treat the soil the next spring as recommended in the soil test result. If, for example, the soil's pH is 7.5, then add 1 1/5 pounds of aluminum sulfate for each 10 square feet of area to lower the soil's pH to 6.5.
Plant Diseases
Peppers usually are grown as annual plants in all parts of the United States, but they are perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 11. Whether grown as annuals or perennials, they thrive in well-drained soil and full-sun exposure.
Most pepper types, including bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), a common type, start setting fruits about six weeks after they are planted. The fruits gradually enlarge and, depending on the variety, may stay green or turn yellow, orange or red when fully mature. Although usually trouble-free plants, peppers can be susceptible to plant diseases that may damage and discolor their fruits.
Fungal Problems
Several fungal disorders can cause ripening pepper fruits to develop black spots. One of the disorders is anthracnose, which leads to round lesions on pepper fruits; the lesions sometimes have black rings in their center and can enlarge enough to cover and collapse entire fruits. Another fungal disease, called Phytophthora blight, also can cause black areas on pepper fruits, with those areas eventually covering entire fruits. Phytophthora blight also produces black areas on pepper plant stems and overall wilting of the plants.
The best way to prevent fungal problems is to inspect transplants carefully and choose only those without any wilted or damaged leaves. Also, choose varieties certified as disease-resistant. Water the plants at their bases to keep their foliage dry, which helps prevent fungal growth, and space the plants at least 18 to 24 inches apart to give them good air circulation.
Once you see signs of a fungal problem in a pepper plant, you might be able to save the plant by pruning away and discarding its affected parts, cutting behind diseased areas and into healthy tissue with sharp shears that you wipe with rubbing alcohol between cuts to prevent spreading the disease. If the entire plant is affected, discard it to prevent the fungus' spread to other plants. It's also helpful to rotate planting areas because fungi live in the soil and can reinfect the next year's crop.
Viral Infection
An infection caused by the tomato spotted wilt virus may cause light-colored rings on pepper fruits, and the rings may slowly turn black. The affected plant's leaves become bronze-colored and wilt, and a severely infected plant could die. This virus is spread by a thrip, a tan or yellowish brown insect about 1/25th inch long. If thrips or tomato spotted wilt virus symptoms appear on a pepper plant, then mix 5 tablespoons of insecticidal soap with 1 gallon of water, and spray the mixture on all parts of the plant until they are dripping wet. Use the spray on a windless day when the temperature is at or below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If an entire plant shows symptoms of the virus, it's best to discard it.
Blossom End-Rot
A problem called blossom end-rot also can produce black spots on pepper fruits. Each spot looks sunken and rotted, and it appears on the fruit's blossom end -- not the fruit's stem end. If you see a small, black spot on an otherwise healthy pepper fruit, then it's fine to pick the fruit and use its unaffected areas, but discard its blackened end. If, though, the damage involves most of a fruit, then pick and discard that fruit, allowing the plant to put its energy into other, healthy fruits.
Blossom end-rot develops when the soil is poor in calcium or when plants have difficulty using the calcium that's present. The best way to prevent the problem is to avoid moisture stress to the plants by ensuring they get at least 1 inch of water weekly. Add about a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch on the soil surface under each pepper plant to conserve soil moisture, keeping the mulch back a bit from every plant's center to discourage fungus.
If you encounter blossom end-rot in your pepper plants, check their soil's pH level with a soil test kit before the next growing season, ensuring that it's pH 6.5 to 6.8, a level that helps make soil calcium available to the plants. If necessary, pre-treat the soil the next spring as recommended in the soil test result. If, for example, the soil's pH is 7.5, then add 1 1/5 pounds of aluminum sulfate for each 10 square feet of area to lower the soil's pH to 6.5.
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文章
Miss Chen
2017年11月12日
There are good reasons gardeners typically choose to grow blueberries from cuttings or nursery shrubs -- they take less time to produce blueberries and reproduce their parents' traits accurately. For the patient gardener, though, growing blueberry shrubs from seed can be an adventure with surprising results. Choose the right type of blueberry and give it enough sun and acidic soil and you might find your name on a new variety.
Blueberry Basics
Match the type of blueberry you plant to the conditions in your garden. Wild lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) are hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 7 and plants demand between 1,000 and 1,200 chilling hours -- time below 45 degrees Fahrenheit -- for annual bloom and berry production. Lowbush blueberries bloom in May and June on 2-foot tall shrubs that form colonies. Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) bushes grow as tall as 15 feet. Northern highbush plants typically grow from USDA zones 3 through 7 and need 800 to 1,000 chilling hours annually. Southern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid) plants are typically hardy in USDA zones 5 through 10, and require only 150 to 800 chilling hours a year. All blueberries thrive in full sun in a moist, but well-drained, sandy loam with an acidic pH of 5.5.
Romancing the Seed
Most blueberries do not self-pollinate -- they need a nearby mate with similar genetic qualities to fertilize their flowers. This means blueberries are an unpredictable lot whose offspring seldom duplicate either parent. For this reason, it's usually better to purchase seeds collected by plant societies that contain known cultivars, but some prefer to harvest their own hybrids in the fall. Hold fruit in the refrigerator for several days before maceration and repeated rinsing with water. Remove floating pulp and sterile seeds with a paper towel -- viable seeds sink to the bottom. Scarify seeds by placing them in damp sphagnum moss and filing them in the freezer or fridge for 90 days – that's over 2,000 chilling hours. Keep seeds refrigerated until planting time.
Making a Home
After scarifying seeds in the fridge, plant blueberry seeds outdoors in the fall in warm climates and in spring in the North. For better cultural control, plant them in dampened Sphagnum peat moss in trays. Wherever you plant the seeds, cover then with only 1/4 inch of soil and keep the area continually moist. Blueberries can take six to eight weeks to germinate. Hybrid highbush seeds germinate more unreliably and might take longer than their wild lowbush cousins -- so don't give up until 12 weeks have passed. Sprouting plants need sunny, warm conditions.
Moving Day
Plants will only grow 5 to 6 inches in their first year, so Northern gardeners might want to keep their plants in a sunny window during their first winter. Keep indoor trays on sunny windowsills with a florescent light mounted 14 inches above each tray to provide supplemental light. You won't know what combination of traits your plant has until it begins blooming and bearing after two or more years of growth.
Blueberry Basics
Match the type of blueberry you plant to the conditions in your garden. Wild lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) are hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 7 and plants demand between 1,000 and 1,200 chilling hours -- time below 45 degrees Fahrenheit -- for annual bloom and berry production. Lowbush blueberries bloom in May and June on 2-foot tall shrubs that form colonies. Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) bushes grow as tall as 15 feet. Northern highbush plants typically grow from USDA zones 3 through 7 and need 800 to 1,000 chilling hours annually. Southern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid) plants are typically hardy in USDA zones 5 through 10, and require only 150 to 800 chilling hours a year. All blueberries thrive in full sun in a moist, but well-drained, sandy loam with an acidic pH of 5.5.
Romancing the Seed
Most blueberries do not self-pollinate -- they need a nearby mate with similar genetic qualities to fertilize their flowers. This means blueberries are an unpredictable lot whose offspring seldom duplicate either parent. For this reason, it's usually better to purchase seeds collected by plant societies that contain known cultivars, but some prefer to harvest their own hybrids in the fall. Hold fruit in the refrigerator for several days before maceration and repeated rinsing with water. Remove floating pulp and sterile seeds with a paper towel -- viable seeds sink to the bottom. Scarify seeds by placing them in damp sphagnum moss and filing them in the freezer or fridge for 90 days – that's over 2,000 chilling hours. Keep seeds refrigerated until planting time.
Making a Home
After scarifying seeds in the fridge, plant blueberry seeds outdoors in the fall in warm climates and in spring in the North. For better cultural control, plant them in dampened Sphagnum peat moss in trays. Wherever you plant the seeds, cover then with only 1/4 inch of soil and keep the area continually moist. Blueberries can take six to eight weeks to germinate. Hybrid highbush seeds germinate more unreliably and might take longer than their wild lowbush cousins -- so don't give up until 12 weeks have passed. Sprouting plants need sunny, warm conditions.
Moving Day
Plants will only grow 5 to 6 inches in their first year, so Northern gardeners might want to keep their plants in a sunny window during their first winter. Keep indoor trays on sunny windowsills with a florescent light mounted 14 inches above each tray to provide supplemental light. You won't know what combination of traits your plant has until it begins blooming and bearing after two or more years of growth.
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文章
Miss Chen
2017年11月05日
Unlike many fruit-bearing trees growing in the United States, blueberries offer the home gardener a chance to cultivate these delectable berries in small backyards as long as the proper conditions exist.
Blueberries belong to the heath plant family that includes cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries, azaleas and rhododendrons.
Most members of this family live only in North America and all these plants thrive in acidic soils.
Creating the ideal soil conditions will maximize the blueberry harvest and help the plants flourish.
Coffee grounds can help create these ideal conditions.
Blueberries belong to the heath plant family that includes cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries, azaleas and rhododendrons.
Most members of this family live only in North America and all these plants thrive in acidic soils.
Creating the ideal soil conditions will maximize the blueberry harvest and help the plants flourish.
Coffee grounds can help create these ideal conditions.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月30日
Hibiscus flowers are one of the most spectacular blossoms a container gardener can grow. The blooms are large, colorful and incredibly graceful. The foliage of the Hibiscus plant is also beautiful – the dark green, glossy leaves, provide a wonderful contrast to the extravagant blooms.
Tropical Hibiscus flowers are one of the enduring symbols of the tropics. These much-beloved, large and showy flowers can be grown inside in temperate zones, but it’s not an easy task. The trick with success is twofold: managing the deadly winter, and fending off hungry insects. If you can fall into a rhythm, it’s possible to keep a hibiscus plant thriving for a decade or more, with blooms in the summer.
Growing Conditions
Light: Place outside in the summer, gradually acclimating to more light. In the winter, give as much direct light as possible.
Water: Water freely in the summer, but excellent drainage is a must. Never let the mix become soggy. In the winter, let dry almost completely before watering again.
Temperature: Even a few nights below 50ºF (10ºC) will kill a Hibiscus. Move them inside when the temperature is consistently 55ºF (13ºC). They prefer between 55ºF and 70ºF (13ºC and 21ºC).
Soil: Use a well-drained potting mix. Ensure also that the plant isn’t packed in too tight in order to keep its drainage is good. Poor drainage could rot the plant’s roots and slowly wear it down.
Fertilizer: Feed in the early summer with a slow-release fertilizer or weekly with a liquid, blooming fertilizer.
Repotting
Repot as necessary, yearly or biannually. Hibiscus will grow into trees in their native habitats, but this may be unwieldy in a home setting. There’s also some benefit to keeping the Hibiscus in a relatively smaller pot, as it will make for easier pruning and moving. Failure to repot these plants often can leave them in soil without adequate nutrients for their survival, and repotting will often spur on growth if you’re finding that your Hibiscus plants seem to have stalled out. Watch out for falling leaves or other signs of stress.
Propagation
Hibiscus can be propagated with soft-stem cuttings in late spring, when the plant begins to grow again. Use rooting hormone and shelter the cutting from direct sun until it begins to grow. Many gardeners bag their plants, which seals in heat and moisture and increases newly planted cuttings’ chances of surviving. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t propagate your Hibiscus plants right away; it’s a process that takes time, even for experienced gardeners, and upon success you’ll find your new plants all the more rewarding.
Grower’s Tips
Hibiscus should be moved outside in the summer, then back inside during the winter. Tips for a successful transition include:
Trim the plant hard before moving it inside for the winter. It will go into near dormancy until late winter.
After you trim it, but before you bring it in, treat it thoroughly for insects. Neem oil and liquid detergent work well, or use a hose to blast off insects.
Once inside, don’t overwater, but provide as much humidity as possible, including daily mistings. Don’t expose to blowing air from vents.
When the weather warms to above 50ºF (10ºC) at night, move it back outside and acclimate slowly.
Tropical Hibiscus flowers are one of the enduring symbols of the tropics. These much-beloved, large and showy flowers can be grown inside in temperate zones, but it’s not an easy task. The trick with success is twofold: managing the deadly winter, and fending off hungry insects. If you can fall into a rhythm, it’s possible to keep a hibiscus plant thriving for a decade or more, with blooms in the summer.
Growing Conditions
Light: Place outside in the summer, gradually acclimating to more light. In the winter, give as much direct light as possible.
Water: Water freely in the summer, but excellent drainage is a must. Never let the mix become soggy. In the winter, let dry almost completely before watering again.
Temperature: Even a few nights below 50ºF (10ºC) will kill a Hibiscus. Move them inside when the temperature is consistently 55ºF (13ºC). They prefer between 55ºF and 70ºF (13ºC and 21ºC).
Soil: Use a well-drained potting mix. Ensure also that the plant isn’t packed in too tight in order to keep its drainage is good. Poor drainage could rot the plant’s roots and slowly wear it down.
Fertilizer: Feed in the early summer with a slow-release fertilizer or weekly with a liquid, blooming fertilizer.
Repotting
Repot as necessary, yearly or biannually. Hibiscus will grow into trees in their native habitats, but this may be unwieldy in a home setting. There’s also some benefit to keeping the Hibiscus in a relatively smaller pot, as it will make for easier pruning and moving. Failure to repot these plants often can leave them in soil without adequate nutrients for their survival, and repotting will often spur on growth if you’re finding that your Hibiscus plants seem to have stalled out. Watch out for falling leaves or other signs of stress.
Propagation
Hibiscus can be propagated with soft-stem cuttings in late spring, when the plant begins to grow again. Use rooting hormone and shelter the cutting from direct sun until it begins to grow. Many gardeners bag their plants, which seals in heat and moisture and increases newly planted cuttings’ chances of surviving. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t propagate your Hibiscus plants right away; it’s a process that takes time, even for experienced gardeners, and upon success you’ll find your new plants all the more rewarding.
Grower’s Tips
Hibiscus should be moved outside in the summer, then back inside during the winter. Tips for a successful transition include:
Trim the plant hard before moving it inside for the winter. It will go into near dormancy until late winter.
After you trim it, but before you bring it in, treat it thoroughly for insects. Neem oil and liquid detergent work well, or use a hose to blast off insects.
Once inside, don’t overwater, but provide as much humidity as possible, including daily mistings. Don’t expose to blowing air from vents.
When the weather warms to above 50ºF (10ºC) at night, move it back outside and acclimate slowly.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月28日
If you want your neighbors to think you’re an award-winning gardener, try planting dahlias in your garden this year. Just when everything else starts to show the strain of midsummer, Dahlias begin a showstopping performance that lasts through fall. Dahlias need just a little bit of special care in some climates, but the rewards far outweigh the work.
About Dahlias
Buying: Dahlias are sold as tubers, but they may also be available planted in pots at garden centers in the spring. For the most interesting selection, visit your nearest Dahlia society.
Cold Hardiness: Dahlias are considered true perennials only in zones 6-7 and warmer. In cooler climates, they can be treated like annuals, or you can dig up and store the tubers over the winter. Cold hardiness for Dahlias depends on the variety, so check the label when buying.
Size: Dahlias range from foot tall dwarf varieties to towering 8 feet (2.4 m) giants.
Quality: Look for plump, firm tubers with no spoiled spots and at least one eye. Unlike potatoes, Dahlia tubers have eyes only on the top, where the stem meets the root.
Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun 6-8 hours a day is ideal, although if you live in a hot climate you may want to give them a little cooling afternoon shade.
Soil: Loose, fertile, well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Dahlias put out tiny feeder roots that require light soil that holds moisture without being soggy. Clay soil should be amended with compost, sand, and/or humus.
Water: Dahlias need regular water but will rot in heavy wet soil.
Fertilizer: Dahlias need lots of nutrients, especially when blooming. Rich soil and balanced organic fertilizer will help.
Cautions: Dahlias are very susceptible to rot and freeze, so keep this in mind when choosing your planting site.
How to Plant
When to Plant: Plant Dahlias in spring, after all danger of frost has passed. If the weather has been soggy, wait until the soil dries out a little.
Soil Preparation: Till the soil about a foot deep. Work in plenty of well-rotted compost, sand, or humus. Avoid manure or fresh compost – it’s too high in nitrogen. If you’re buying soil, make sure it hasn’t been treated with weed preventers since Dahlias are very susceptible to herbicides.
Planting: Plant Dahlia tubers about 2 feet (60 cm) apart and 6 inches (15 cm) deep, with the eyes facing up.
Watering: Ideally, you shouldn’t water new Dahlias, but let the spring rains work their magic. If it’s already hot and dry, you can give them a light watering.
Support: Taller varieties need stakes for support. Install a bamboo stake or tomato cage when planting, so that you don’t cause damage later.
Identify: Tag plants with the name of the variety to prevent confusion if you dig them up to keep over the winter.
Mulch: Add a couple of inches of mulch to hold in moisture.
Growing Tips
Fertilizing: Feed Dahlias about once a month with an organic fertilizer lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium, such as a 1-2-2 ratio. With enough compost, your Dahlias will do fine without fertilizer.
Watering: Make sure your Dahlias get an inch of water per week. Keep track of rainfall so that the water is consistent.
Deadheading: Clip off spent blossoms to encourage more blooming.
Disbudding: While optional, some gardeners remove many of the flower buds to focus the plant’s energy on fewer, larger and showier blooms with long stems. The flower buds come in clusters of three. If desired, remove the two side buds and allow the middle one to grow, and keep pinching off any more side buds that form along the end of the stem.
Pinching: For a more natural look, pinch back Dahlia plants when small to encourage branching.
Dividing: Dahlias can be divided in fall or spring. Dig up the tubers and use a sharp knife to cut into sections, making sure each section has at least one eye. Allow tubers to dry overnight before replanting.
Overwintering Outdoors: If Dahlias are hardy in your zone, simply cut them back after the first heavy frost and apply an extra layer of mulch to protect them from the cold. Remove the extra mulch in spring.
Overwintering Indoors: In colder climates, dig up and store the tubers in a basement or garage, then divide and replant them in the spring.
Weeding: Hand pull weeds around Dahlias, or smother with mulch. Don’t use any sprays.
Cut Flowers: Dahlias make stunning bouquets! Cut the blooms in early morning for best results.
About Dahlias
Buying: Dahlias are sold as tubers, but they may also be available planted in pots at garden centers in the spring. For the most interesting selection, visit your nearest Dahlia society.
Cold Hardiness: Dahlias are considered true perennials only in zones 6-7 and warmer. In cooler climates, they can be treated like annuals, or you can dig up and store the tubers over the winter. Cold hardiness for Dahlias depends on the variety, so check the label when buying.
Size: Dahlias range from foot tall dwarf varieties to towering 8 feet (2.4 m) giants.
Quality: Look for plump, firm tubers with no spoiled spots and at least one eye. Unlike potatoes, Dahlia tubers have eyes only on the top, where the stem meets the root.
Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun 6-8 hours a day is ideal, although if you live in a hot climate you may want to give them a little cooling afternoon shade.
Soil: Loose, fertile, well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Dahlias put out tiny feeder roots that require light soil that holds moisture without being soggy. Clay soil should be amended with compost, sand, and/or humus.
Water: Dahlias need regular water but will rot in heavy wet soil.
Fertilizer: Dahlias need lots of nutrients, especially when blooming. Rich soil and balanced organic fertilizer will help.
Cautions: Dahlias are very susceptible to rot and freeze, so keep this in mind when choosing your planting site.
How to Plant
When to Plant: Plant Dahlias in spring, after all danger of frost has passed. If the weather has been soggy, wait until the soil dries out a little.
Soil Preparation: Till the soil about a foot deep. Work in plenty of well-rotted compost, sand, or humus. Avoid manure or fresh compost – it’s too high in nitrogen. If you’re buying soil, make sure it hasn’t been treated with weed preventers since Dahlias are very susceptible to herbicides.
Planting: Plant Dahlia tubers about 2 feet (60 cm) apart and 6 inches (15 cm) deep, with the eyes facing up.
Watering: Ideally, you shouldn’t water new Dahlias, but let the spring rains work their magic. If it’s already hot and dry, you can give them a light watering.
Support: Taller varieties need stakes for support. Install a bamboo stake or tomato cage when planting, so that you don’t cause damage later.
Identify: Tag plants with the name of the variety to prevent confusion if you dig them up to keep over the winter.
Mulch: Add a couple of inches of mulch to hold in moisture.
Growing Tips
Fertilizing: Feed Dahlias about once a month with an organic fertilizer lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium, such as a 1-2-2 ratio. With enough compost, your Dahlias will do fine without fertilizer.
Watering: Make sure your Dahlias get an inch of water per week. Keep track of rainfall so that the water is consistent.
Deadheading: Clip off spent blossoms to encourage more blooming.
Disbudding: While optional, some gardeners remove many of the flower buds to focus the plant’s energy on fewer, larger and showier blooms with long stems. The flower buds come in clusters of three. If desired, remove the two side buds and allow the middle one to grow, and keep pinching off any more side buds that form along the end of the stem.
Pinching: For a more natural look, pinch back Dahlia plants when small to encourage branching.
Dividing: Dahlias can be divided in fall or spring. Dig up the tubers and use a sharp knife to cut into sections, making sure each section has at least one eye. Allow tubers to dry overnight before replanting.
Overwintering Outdoors: If Dahlias are hardy in your zone, simply cut them back after the first heavy frost and apply an extra layer of mulch to protect them from the cold. Remove the extra mulch in spring.
Overwintering Indoors: In colder climates, dig up and store the tubers in a basement or garage, then divide and replant them in the spring.
Weeding: Hand pull weeds around Dahlias, or smother with mulch. Don’t use any sprays.
Cut Flowers: Dahlias make stunning bouquets! Cut the blooms in early morning for best results.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月27日
Every flower gardener should know the pleasure of growing Clematis. If you already have one in your garden, you’re probably scheming about how to squeeze in another! New to Clematis? Read on and discover how easy it is to be successful with the “queen of climbers”.
Selecting
Clematis have become a hugely popular perennial, and today, the average local garden center offers dozens of different choices. When selecting a Clematis for your garden, you’ll want to think about a couple things, which include its mature height, flower form and color.
If you have room for a vigorous 10- or 20-foot (3 or 6 m) Clematis vine, there are many wonderful cultivars that will fit the bill. There are also more compact varieties that are perfectly happy growing in a small garden or even in a pot on the patio.
The standard Clematis flower form is a large blossom with 6 or 7 petals, measuring 5 to 6 inches (12.5 to 15 cm) across. There are also cultivars with smaller blossoms, double blossoms, and lovely bell-like flowers. Colors range from white to wine red, lavender to deep purple, and there are even a few yellow ones.
It can take several years for a Clematis vine to mature and begin flowering vigorously. To shorten the wait and help ensure your success, it’s best to purchase a plant that’s at least 2 years old. Look for a container-grown plant in a quart or gallon-size pot. If you’re shopping for your Clematis at a garden center or nursery, select a robust plant that’s showing vigorous growth, rather than a weak plant with a beautiful picture.
Where to Plant
Hopefully you have a planting location in mind before you bring home your new Clematis . Ideally it’s a sunny spot.
Clematis prefer moist, well-drained soil that’s neutral to slightly alkaline in pH. If your soil tends to be acidic, you should sweeten it periodically with limestone or a little wood ash. Dig a good hole for your new Clematis, working in lots of compost and some granular organic fertilizer.
Be very gentle when settling the plant into its new home; the roots, crown and emerging vines of Clematis can be easily broken. Position the plant slightly deeper than it was growing in the pot, so the first set of true leaves is just under the soil surface. Water weekly for the first season, to help the plant get established. If you can get your Clematis through its first year, chances are good that it will continue to thrive. Mulching around the base of the plant will help conserve moisture, but keep the mulch several inches away from the crown, where the vines emerge from the soil.
Clematis are happiest with cool shade at their roots and warm sun on their foliage. Mulching around the roots will help keep the soil cool, as will the foliage of a low-growing perennial.
How to Support
Like other climbing plants, the growing end of a Clematis vine is searching for something to grab onto, and if it can’t find anything, it will stop growing. Make sure you provide it with something to climb on from day one.
A Clematis vine does not climb by twining around something, as a Pole Bean or a Morning Glory does. It climbs by wrapping its leaf stems around something. Because these leaf stems are not very long, anything that’s more than about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) in diameter is too wide for the leaf stem to twist around. The easiest things for a Clematis to grab onto, are twine, fishing line, wire, thin branches, wooden dowels or steel rods. The more grabbing opportunities you offer, the better, so even if you have a nice trellis, consider adding some twine “helper” lines, or covering your trellis with a grid of trellis netting.
Depending on the vigor of the plant and the type of trellis you have, you’ll probably need to do some “trussing” during the season to help support the vines and keep them attached to the trellis. Both fishing line and twine work well for this job.
Pruning and Care
Clematis vary in their need for pruning. Some types flower on last year’s vines, so you want to avoid cutting them to the ground in the spring. Others flower on current-year vines, so they don’t mind being cut to the ground each year. Rather than driving yourself crazy trying to keep track of the ideal pruning technique for each cultivar, try this common-sense approach: leave the prior year’s growth in place until mid-spring. Begin pruning only when you can see which vines are dead and which ones are starting to leaf out.
A happy clematis plant puts out an amazing amount of flowers and foliage. Feed your plants well to keep them healthy and vigorous. In early spring, surround the plant with a shovelful of compost and a handful of granular organic fertilizer. Feed again, once or twice during the growing season, with a water-soluble organic fertilizer.
Selecting
Clematis have become a hugely popular perennial, and today, the average local garden center offers dozens of different choices. When selecting a Clematis for your garden, you’ll want to think about a couple things, which include its mature height, flower form and color.
If you have room for a vigorous 10- or 20-foot (3 or 6 m) Clematis vine, there are many wonderful cultivars that will fit the bill. There are also more compact varieties that are perfectly happy growing in a small garden or even in a pot on the patio.
The standard Clematis flower form is a large blossom with 6 or 7 petals, measuring 5 to 6 inches (12.5 to 15 cm) across. There are also cultivars with smaller blossoms, double blossoms, and lovely bell-like flowers. Colors range from white to wine red, lavender to deep purple, and there are even a few yellow ones.
It can take several years for a Clematis vine to mature and begin flowering vigorously. To shorten the wait and help ensure your success, it’s best to purchase a plant that’s at least 2 years old. Look for a container-grown plant in a quart or gallon-size pot. If you’re shopping for your Clematis at a garden center or nursery, select a robust plant that’s showing vigorous growth, rather than a weak plant with a beautiful picture.
Where to Plant
Hopefully you have a planting location in mind before you bring home your new Clematis . Ideally it’s a sunny spot.
Clematis prefer moist, well-drained soil that’s neutral to slightly alkaline in pH. If your soil tends to be acidic, you should sweeten it periodically with limestone or a little wood ash. Dig a good hole for your new Clematis, working in lots of compost and some granular organic fertilizer.
Be very gentle when settling the plant into its new home; the roots, crown and emerging vines of Clematis can be easily broken. Position the plant slightly deeper than it was growing in the pot, so the first set of true leaves is just under the soil surface. Water weekly for the first season, to help the plant get established. If you can get your Clematis through its first year, chances are good that it will continue to thrive. Mulching around the base of the plant will help conserve moisture, but keep the mulch several inches away from the crown, where the vines emerge from the soil.
Clematis are happiest with cool shade at their roots and warm sun on their foliage. Mulching around the roots will help keep the soil cool, as will the foliage of a low-growing perennial.
How to Support
Like other climbing plants, the growing end of a Clematis vine is searching for something to grab onto, and if it can’t find anything, it will stop growing. Make sure you provide it with something to climb on from day one.
A Clematis vine does not climb by twining around something, as a Pole Bean or a Morning Glory does. It climbs by wrapping its leaf stems around something. Because these leaf stems are not very long, anything that’s more than about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) in diameter is too wide for the leaf stem to twist around. The easiest things for a Clematis to grab onto, are twine, fishing line, wire, thin branches, wooden dowels or steel rods. The more grabbing opportunities you offer, the better, so even if you have a nice trellis, consider adding some twine “helper” lines, or covering your trellis with a grid of trellis netting.
Depending on the vigor of the plant and the type of trellis you have, you’ll probably need to do some “trussing” during the season to help support the vines and keep them attached to the trellis. Both fishing line and twine work well for this job.
Pruning and Care
Clematis vary in their need for pruning. Some types flower on last year’s vines, so you want to avoid cutting them to the ground in the spring. Others flower on current-year vines, so they don’t mind being cut to the ground each year. Rather than driving yourself crazy trying to keep track of the ideal pruning technique for each cultivar, try this common-sense approach: leave the prior year’s growth in place until mid-spring. Begin pruning only when you can see which vines are dead and which ones are starting to leaf out.
A happy clematis plant puts out an amazing amount of flowers and foliage. Feed your plants well to keep them healthy and vigorous. In early spring, surround the plant with a shovelful of compost and a handful of granular organic fertilizer. Feed again, once or twice during the growing season, with a water-soluble organic fertilizer.
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1
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
EVERY flower gardener should know the pleasure of growing clematis. If you already have one in your garden, you're probably scheming about how to squeeze in another! New to clematis? Read on and discover how easy it is to be successful with the "queen of climbers."
Selecting a Plant
Until fairly recently, only a handful of clematis cultivars were readily available in the U.S. Some of these traditional favorites include Jackmanii, General Sikorski, Henryi and Comtesse de Bouchard. But clematis have become a hugely popular perennial, and today, the average local garden center offers dozens of different choices.
When selecting a clematis for your garden, you'll want to think about a couple things, which include its mature height, flower form and color.
If you have room for a vigorous 10- or 20-foot clematis vine, there are many wonderful cultivars that will fit the bill. There are also more compact varieties that are perfectly happy growing in a small garden or even in a pot on the patio.
The standard clematis flower form is a large blossom with six or seven petals, measuring 5-6" across. There are also cultivars with smaller blossoms, double blossoms, and lovely bell-like flowers. Colors range from white to wine red, lavender to deep purple, and there are even a few yellow ones.
It can take several years for a clematis vine to mature and begin flowering vigorously. To shorten the wait and help ensure your success, it's best to purchase a plant that's at least two years old. Look for a container-grown plant in a quart or gallon-size pot. If you're shopping for your clematis at a garden center or nursery, select a robust plant that's showing vigorous growth, rather than a weak plant with a beautiful picture.
Where to Plant It
Hopefully you have a planting location in mind before you bring home your new clematis. Ideally it's a sunny spot. Though some clematis cultivars will bloom in partial shade (such as Nellie Moser and Henryii), to reach their full potential they need at least six hours of sun each day.
Clematis prefer moist, well-drained soil that's neutral to slightly alkaline in pH. If your soil tends to be acidic, you should sweeten it periodically with limestone or a little wood ash. Dig a good hole for your new clematis, working in lots of compost and some granular organic fertilizer.
Be very gentle when settling the plant into its new home; the roots, crown and emerging vines of clematis can be easily broken. Position the plant slightly deeper than it was growing in the pot, so the first set of true leaves is just under the soil surface. Water weekly for the first season, to help the plant get established. If you can get your clematis through its first year, chances are good that it will continue to thrive. Mulching around the base of the plant will help conserve moisture, but keep the mulch several inches away from the crown, where the vines emerge from the soil.
Clematis are happiest with cool shade at their roots and warm sun on their foliage. Mulching around the roots will help keep the soil cool, as will the foliage of a low-growing perennial.
How to Support It
Though there are some types of clematis that have a bushy habit, most of them are born to climb. Like other climbing plants, the growing end of a clematis vine is searching for something to grab onto, and if it can't find anything, it will stop growing. Make sure you provide it with something to climb on from day one.
A clematis vine does not climb by twining around something, as a pole bean or a morning glory does. It climbs by wrapping its leaf stems around something. Because these leaf stems are not very long, anything that's more than about 1/2 inch in diameter is too wide for the leaf stem to twist around. The easiest things for a clematis to grab onto, are twine, fishing line, wire, thin branches, wooden dowels or steel rods. The more grabbing opportunities you offer, the better, so even if you have a nice trellis, consider adding some twine "helper" lines, or covering your trellis with a grid of trellis netting.
Depending on the vigor of the plant and the type of trellis you have, you'll probably need to do some "trussing" during the season to help support the vines and keep them attached to the trellis. Both fishing line and twine work well for this job.
Pruning and Care
Clematis vary in their need for pruning. Some types flower on last year's vines, so you want to avoid cutting them to the ground in the spring. Others flower on current-year vines, so they don't mind being cut to the ground each year. Rather than driving yourself crazy trying to keep track of the ideal pruning technique for each cultivar, try this common-sense approach: leave the prior year's growth in place until mid-spring. Begin pruning only when you can see which vines are dead and which ones are starting to leaf out.
A happy clematis plant puts out an amazing amount of flowers and foliage. Feed your plants well to keep them healthy and vigorous. In early spring, surround the plant with a shovelful of compost and a handful of granular organic fertilizer. Feed again, once or twice during the growing season, with a water-soluble organic fertilizer.
Selecting a Plant
Until fairly recently, only a handful of clematis cultivars were readily available in the U.S. Some of these traditional favorites include Jackmanii, General Sikorski, Henryi and Comtesse de Bouchard. But clematis have become a hugely popular perennial, and today, the average local garden center offers dozens of different choices.
When selecting a clematis for your garden, you'll want to think about a couple things, which include its mature height, flower form and color.
If you have room for a vigorous 10- or 20-foot clematis vine, there are many wonderful cultivars that will fit the bill. There are also more compact varieties that are perfectly happy growing in a small garden or even in a pot on the patio.
The standard clematis flower form is a large blossom with six or seven petals, measuring 5-6" across. There are also cultivars with smaller blossoms, double blossoms, and lovely bell-like flowers. Colors range from white to wine red, lavender to deep purple, and there are even a few yellow ones.
It can take several years for a clematis vine to mature and begin flowering vigorously. To shorten the wait and help ensure your success, it's best to purchase a plant that's at least two years old. Look for a container-grown plant in a quart or gallon-size pot. If you're shopping for your clematis at a garden center or nursery, select a robust plant that's showing vigorous growth, rather than a weak plant with a beautiful picture.
Where to Plant It
Hopefully you have a planting location in mind before you bring home your new clematis. Ideally it's a sunny spot. Though some clematis cultivars will bloom in partial shade (such as Nellie Moser and Henryii), to reach their full potential they need at least six hours of sun each day.
Clematis prefer moist, well-drained soil that's neutral to slightly alkaline in pH. If your soil tends to be acidic, you should sweeten it periodically with limestone or a little wood ash. Dig a good hole for your new clematis, working in lots of compost and some granular organic fertilizer.
Be very gentle when settling the plant into its new home; the roots, crown and emerging vines of clematis can be easily broken. Position the plant slightly deeper than it was growing in the pot, so the first set of true leaves is just under the soil surface. Water weekly for the first season, to help the plant get established. If you can get your clematis through its first year, chances are good that it will continue to thrive. Mulching around the base of the plant will help conserve moisture, but keep the mulch several inches away from the crown, where the vines emerge from the soil.
Clematis are happiest with cool shade at their roots and warm sun on their foliage. Mulching around the roots will help keep the soil cool, as will the foliage of a low-growing perennial.
How to Support It
Though there are some types of clematis that have a bushy habit, most of them are born to climb. Like other climbing plants, the growing end of a clematis vine is searching for something to grab onto, and if it can't find anything, it will stop growing. Make sure you provide it with something to climb on from day one.
A clematis vine does not climb by twining around something, as a pole bean or a morning glory does. It climbs by wrapping its leaf stems around something. Because these leaf stems are not very long, anything that's more than about 1/2 inch in diameter is too wide for the leaf stem to twist around. The easiest things for a clematis to grab onto, are twine, fishing line, wire, thin branches, wooden dowels or steel rods. The more grabbing opportunities you offer, the better, so even if you have a nice trellis, consider adding some twine "helper" lines, or covering your trellis with a grid of trellis netting.
Depending on the vigor of the plant and the type of trellis you have, you'll probably need to do some "trussing" during the season to help support the vines and keep them attached to the trellis. Both fishing line and twine work well for this job.
Pruning and Care
Clematis vary in their need for pruning. Some types flower on last year's vines, so you want to avoid cutting them to the ground in the spring. Others flower on current-year vines, so they don't mind being cut to the ground each year. Rather than driving yourself crazy trying to keep track of the ideal pruning technique for each cultivar, try this common-sense approach: leave the prior year's growth in place until mid-spring. Begin pruning only when you can see which vines are dead and which ones are starting to leaf out.
A happy clematis plant puts out an amazing amount of flowers and foliage. Feed your plants well to keep them healthy and vigorous. In early spring, surround the plant with a shovelful of compost and a handful of granular organic fertilizer. Feed again, once or twice during the growing season, with a water-soluble organic fertilizer.
0
0
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月23日
Iron chlorosis affects many kinds of plants and can be frustrating for a gardener. An iron deficiency in plants causes unsightly yellow leaves and eventually death. So it is important to correct iron chlorosis in plants. Let’s look at what does iron do for plants and how to fix systemic chlorosis in plants.
What Does Iron Do for Plants?
Iron is a nutrient that all plants need to function. Many of the vital functions of the plant, like enzyme and chlorophyll production, nitrogen fixing, and development and metabolism are all dependent on iron. Without iron, the plant simply cannot function as well as it should.
Symptoms for Iron Deficiency in Plants
The most obvious symptom of iron deficiency in plants is commonly called leaf chlorosis. This is where the leaves of the plant turn yellow, but the veins of the leaves stay green. Typically, leaf chlorosis will start at the tips of new growth in the plant and will eventually work its way to older leaves on the plant as the deficiency gets worse. Other signs can include poor growth and leaf loss, but these symptoms will always be coupled with the leaf chlorosis.
Fixing Iron Chlorosis in Plants
Rarely is an iron deficiency in plants caused by a lack of iron in the soil. Iron is typically abundant in the soil, but a variety of soil conditions can limit how well a plant can get to the iron in the soil. Iron chlorosis in plants is normally cause by one of four reasons. They are:
Soil pH is too high
Soil has too much clay
Compacted or overly wet soil
Too much phosphorus in the soil
Fixing Soil pH That Is Too High
Have your soil tested at your local extension service. If the soil pH is over 7, the soil pH is restricting the ability of the plant to get iron from the soil. You can learn more about lowering soil pH in this article.
Correcting Soil That Has Too Much Clay
Clay soil lacks organic material. The lack of organic material is actually the reason that a plant cannot get iron from clay soil. There are trace nutrients in organic material that the plant needs in order to take the iron into its roots. If clay soil is causing iron chlorosis, correcting an iron deficiency in plants means working in organic material like peat moss and compost into the soil.
Improving Compacted Or Overly Wet Soil
If your soil is compacted or too wet, the roots do not have enough air to properly take up enough iron for the plant.
If the soil is too wet, you will need to improve the drainage of the soil. If the soil is compacted, oftentimes it can be difficult to reverse this so other methods of getting iron to the plant is usually employed. If you are unable to correct the drainage or reverse compaction, you can use a chelated iron as either a foliar spray or a soil supplement. This will further increase the iron content available to the plant and counter the weakened ability of the plant to take up iron through its roots.
Reducing Phosphorus in the Soil
Too much phosphorus can block the uptake of iron by the plant and cause leaf chlorosis. Typically, this condition is caused by using a fertilizer that is too high in phosphorus. Use a fertilizer that is lower in phosphorus (the middle number) to help bring the soil back in balance.
What Does Iron Do for Plants?
Iron is a nutrient that all plants need to function. Many of the vital functions of the plant, like enzyme and chlorophyll production, nitrogen fixing, and development and metabolism are all dependent on iron. Without iron, the plant simply cannot function as well as it should.
Symptoms for Iron Deficiency in Plants
The most obvious symptom of iron deficiency in plants is commonly called leaf chlorosis. This is where the leaves of the plant turn yellow, but the veins of the leaves stay green. Typically, leaf chlorosis will start at the tips of new growth in the plant and will eventually work its way to older leaves on the plant as the deficiency gets worse. Other signs can include poor growth and leaf loss, but these symptoms will always be coupled with the leaf chlorosis.
Fixing Iron Chlorosis in Plants
Rarely is an iron deficiency in plants caused by a lack of iron in the soil. Iron is typically abundant in the soil, but a variety of soil conditions can limit how well a plant can get to the iron in the soil. Iron chlorosis in plants is normally cause by one of four reasons. They are:
Soil pH is too high
Soil has too much clay
Compacted or overly wet soil
Too much phosphorus in the soil
Fixing Soil pH That Is Too High
Have your soil tested at your local extension service. If the soil pH is over 7, the soil pH is restricting the ability of the plant to get iron from the soil. You can learn more about lowering soil pH in this article.
Correcting Soil That Has Too Much Clay
Clay soil lacks organic material. The lack of organic material is actually the reason that a plant cannot get iron from clay soil. There are trace nutrients in organic material that the plant needs in order to take the iron into its roots. If clay soil is causing iron chlorosis, correcting an iron deficiency in plants means working in organic material like peat moss and compost into the soil.
Improving Compacted Or Overly Wet Soil
If your soil is compacted or too wet, the roots do not have enough air to properly take up enough iron for the plant.
If the soil is too wet, you will need to improve the drainage of the soil. If the soil is compacted, oftentimes it can be difficult to reverse this so other methods of getting iron to the plant is usually employed. If you are unable to correct the drainage or reverse compaction, you can use a chelated iron as either a foliar spray or a soil supplement. This will further increase the iron content available to the plant and counter the weakened ability of the plant to take up iron through its roots.
Reducing Phosphorus in the Soil
Too much phosphorus can block the uptake of iron by the plant and cause leaf chlorosis. Typically, this condition is caused by using a fertilizer that is too high in phosphorus. Use a fertilizer that is lower in phosphorus (the middle number) to help bring the soil back in balance.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月23日
Every swelling bud in the garden is like a little promise from your plants. When these buds collapse for no reason, it may bring a gardener to tears. It may feel like all the love and care you’ve given your plants and the time you waited to see them finally bloom was wasted. But fear not, fellow gardener; flower bud blast may be disappointing, but it’s rarely a serious condition.
What is Bud Blast?
Bud blast is a term used to describe flowers that have prematurely aborted before or soon after opening, such as with scape blasting in daylilies. Most often, flowers develop to a certain point and simply stop growing. Other bud blast symptoms may indicate the exact cause of flower bud blast. For example, flower buds that become paper-thin and dry may be suffering from botrytis blight, a common landscape fungus.
What Causes Bud Blast in Flowers?
More often than not, the cause of bud blast is a problem in the environment. This is good news, though, because treating bud blast only requires you to figure out what the problem is and fix it for good. To help with your bud blast care, the most common environmental problems are listed below, along with solutions for treating bud blast: Improper Watering – Improper watering causes a great deal of stress to many plants. Under watering may cause plants to redirect water from enlarging buds to food-producing areas in an act of self-preservation. Over watering often leads to root rot, or other fungal infections that may destroy developing flower buds. Water plants when the top two inches of the soil is dry, and add two to four inches of organic mulch to keep moisture levels more even.
Temperature Extremes – Extremes in temperature can influence developing buds, especially in indoor plants. When temperatures fluctuate madly, plants get stressed and may respond by dropping all excess baggage in an attempt to survive. Flowers are costly and are often the first thing to be jettisoned, especially when temperatures are more often very cold than very warm. Moving indoor plants may correct the problem, but not much can be done for outdoor plants, although covering them with cardboard boxes on very cold nights may help. Wrong Lighting – Light has a direct effect on how well the plant can produce food and survive. Often, buds fail when high light plants are in low light settings, if they are initiated at all. At the same time, plants accustomed to low light situations may overheat in direct sun, causing buds to fail. Move these plants to more appropriate lighting conditions or provide supplementary light indoors.
Too Little Humidity – Insufficient humidity can interfere with proper bud formation, especially in tender indoor plants like orchids. Too dry of conditions or humidity that fluctuates considerably will lead to buds that drop. If your indoor plants are experiencing this problem, you can place them on top of some rocks in the center of a pan filled with water to increase the humidity in their immediate area. Young Plants – Younger plants often lack the root structure to support blooms, though they may try to set them regardless, leading to aborted blossoms. If your plant has been recently transplanted or the one with problems is a perennial you divided in the last season, pick any blooms off to allow the root system to expand before permitting it to bloom.
What is Bud Blast?
Bud blast is a term used to describe flowers that have prematurely aborted before or soon after opening, such as with scape blasting in daylilies. Most often, flowers develop to a certain point and simply stop growing. Other bud blast symptoms may indicate the exact cause of flower bud blast. For example, flower buds that become paper-thin and dry may be suffering from botrytis blight, a common landscape fungus.
What Causes Bud Blast in Flowers?
More often than not, the cause of bud blast is a problem in the environment. This is good news, though, because treating bud blast only requires you to figure out what the problem is and fix it for good. To help with your bud blast care, the most common environmental problems are listed below, along with solutions for treating bud blast: Improper Watering – Improper watering causes a great deal of stress to many plants. Under watering may cause plants to redirect water from enlarging buds to food-producing areas in an act of self-preservation. Over watering often leads to root rot, or other fungal infections that may destroy developing flower buds. Water plants when the top two inches of the soil is dry, and add two to four inches of organic mulch to keep moisture levels more even.
Temperature Extremes – Extremes in temperature can influence developing buds, especially in indoor plants. When temperatures fluctuate madly, plants get stressed and may respond by dropping all excess baggage in an attempt to survive. Flowers are costly and are often the first thing to be jettisoned, especially when temperatures are more often very cold than very warm. Moving indoor plants may correct the problem, but not much can be done for outdoor plants, although covering them with cardboard boxes on very cold nights may help. Wrong Lighting – Light has a direct effect on how well the plant can produce food and survive. Often, buds fail when high light plants are in low light settings, if they are initiated at all. At the same time, plants accustomed to low light situations may overheat in direct sun, causing buds to fail. Move these plants to more appropriate lighting conditions or provide supplementary light indoors.
Too Little Humidity – Insufficient humidity can interfere with proper bud formation, especially in tender indoor plants like orchids. Too dry of conditions or humidity that fluctuates considerably will lead to buds that drop. If your indoor plants are experiencing this problem, you can place them on top of some rocks in the center of a pan filled with water to increase the humidity in their immediate area. Young Plants – Younger plants often lack the root structure to support blooms, though they may try to set them regardless, leading to aborted blossoms. If your plant has been recently transplanted or the one with problems is a perennial you divided in the last season, pick any blooms off to allow the root system to expand before permitting it to bloom.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月23日
To a gardener, rain is generally a welcome blessing. Wet weather and plants are usually a match made in heaven. However, sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. Excessive rain on plants can cause plenty of trouble in the garden. Overly wet weather causes diseases via bacterial and fungal pathogens fostered by long term moisture on foliage and root systems. If your garden is in region of plentiful rainfall or has just been hit by storms, you might be wondering how to garden in wet ground and what are the effects of wet weather on the garden.
Effects of Wet Weather in Gardens
As mentioned above, excessive rain on plants promotes disease often evidenced in stunting, spots on foliage, decay on leaves, stems or fruit, wilting and, in severe cases, death of the entire plant. Extreme wet weather also keeps pollinators at bay affecting bloom and fruiting. If your plants exhibit these symptoms, it may be too late to save them. However, by monitoring and early recognition, you may be able to avert disaster in the garden due to excessive rain on plants and the resulting diseases that plague them.
Wet Weather Diseases
here are a number of wet weather diseases that may afflict the garden. Anthracnose – Anthracnose fungi spread on deciduous and evergreen trees during overly wet seasons and usually begin on lower branches, gradually spreading up the tree. Also called leaf blight, anthracnose appears as dark lesions on leaves, stems, flowers and fruit with premature leaf drop. To combat this fungus, rake and dispose of tree detritus during the growing season and fall. Prune in the winter to increase air flow and remove infected limbs. Fungicidal sprays can work, but are impractical on large trees.
Powdery mildew – Powdery mildew is another common disease caused by excessive rain. It looks like a white powdery growth on leaf surfaces and infects new and old foliage. Leaves generally drop prematurely. Wind carries powdery mildew spores and it can germinate even in the absence of moisture. Sunlight and heat will kill off this fungus or an application of neem oil, sulfur, bicarbonates, organic fungicides with Bacillius subtillis or synthetic fungicides. Apple scab – Apple scab fungus causes leaves to curl and blacken and black spots appear on rose bush leaves during rainy seasons. Fire blight – Fire blight is a bacterial disease that affects fruit trees, such as pear and apple. Iron chlorosis – Iron chlorosis is an environmental disease, which prevents roots from in taking enough iron.
Shot hole, peach leaf curl, shock virus, and brown rot may also assault the garden.
How to Garden in Wet Ground and Prevent Disease
As with most things, the best defense is a good offense, meaning prevention is the key to disease management during rainy seasons. Sanitation is the number one cultural technique to manage or prevent disease. Remove and burn any diseased leaves or fruit from not only the tree or plant, but from the surrounding ground as well. Secondly, select cultivars that are resistant to disease and situate them on high ground to prevent root rot. Plant only those cultivars that thrive in wet environments and avoid those that are native to drier regions.
Disease spreads easily from plant to plant when leaves are wet, so avoid pruning or harvesting until the foliage has dried off. Prune and stake the plants to improve aeration and increase dry time after heavy rainfall or dewy mornings. Improve soil drainage if it is lacking and plant in raised beds or mounds.
Remove any infected plant parts as soon as you see them. Remember to sanitize the pruners before moving on to other plants so you don’t spread the disease. Then either bag and dispose or burn infected leaves and other plant parts. Finally, a fungicide may be applied either prior to or early in the development of disease.
Effects of Wet Weather in Gardens
As mentioned above, excessive rain on plants promotes disease often evidenced in stunting, spots on foliage, decay on leaves, stems or fruit, wilting and, in severe cases, death of the entire plant. Extreme wet weather also keeps pollinators at bay affecting bloom and fruiting. If your plants exhibit these symptoms, it may be too late to save them. However, by monitoring and early recognition, you may be able to avert disaster in the garden due to excessive rain on plants and the resulting diseases that plague them.
Wet Weather Diseases
here are a number of wet weather diseases that may afflict the garden. Anthracnose – Anthracnose fungi spread on deciduous and evergreen trees during overly wet seasons and usually begin on lower branches, gradually spreading up the tree. Also called leaf blight, anthracnose appears as dark lesions on leaves, stems, flowers and fruit with premature leaf drop. To combat this fungus, rake and dispose of tree detritus during the growing season and fall. Prune in the winter to increase air flow and remove infected limbs. Fungicidal sprays can work, but are impractical on large trees.
Powdery mildew – Powdery mildew is another common disease caused by excessive rain. It looks like a white powdery growth on leaf surfaces and infects new and old foliage. Leaves generally drop prematurely. Wind carries powdery mildew spores and it can germinate even in the absence of moisture. Sunlight and heat will kill off this fungus or an application of neem oil, sulfur, bicarbonates, organic fungicides with Bacillius subtillis or synthetic fungicides. Apple scab – Apple scab fungus causes leaves to curl and blacken and black spots appear on rose bush leaves during rainy seasons. Fire blight – Fire blight is a bacterial disease that affects fruit trees, such as pear and apple. Iron chlorosis – Iron chlorosis is an environmental disease, which prevents roots from in taking enough iron.
Shot hole, peach leaf curl, shock virus, and brown rot may also assault the garden.
How to Garden in Wet Ground and Prevent Disease
As with most things, the best defense is a good offense, meaning prevention is the key to disease management during rainy seasons. Sanitation is the number one cultural technique to manage or prevent disease. Remove and burn any diseased leaves or fruit from not only the tree or plant, but from the surrounding ground as well. Secondly, select cultivars that are resistant to disease and situate them on high ground to prevent root rot. Plant only those cultivars that thrive in wet environments and avoid those that are native to drier regions.
Disease spreads easily from plant to plant when leaves are wet, so avoid pruning or harvesting until the foliage has dried off. Prune and stake the plants to improve aeration and increase dry time after heavy rainfall or dewy mornings. Improve soil drainage if it is lacking and plant in raised beds or mounds.
Remove any infected plant parts as soon as you see them. Remember to sanitize the pruners before moving on to other plants so you don’t spread the disease. Then either bag and dispose or burn infected leaves and other plant parts. Finally, a fungicide may be applied either prior to or early in the development of disease.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月23日
Grafting cacti is a process where a cut piece of one species is grown onto a wounded piece of another. It is a straightforward method of propagation which even a novice gardener can try.
Cacti are easy to propagate through grafting, stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, seed or offsets. Growing cactus from seed is a long process, as germination may be unreliable and growth is at a snail’s pace. Broadly, cacti that do not produce offsets can be propagated by grafting as long as there is a compatible rootstock. The grafted part is called a scion and the base or rooted part is the rootstock.
Grafting Guide
Cacti are grafted for a variety of reasons. One may simply be to produce a different species mechanically, but the process also produces disease free stems, to provide a new stem for an existing stem that is rotting or to enhance photosynthesis in plants that lack the ability. Grafting cacti is also done to create unique forms, such as weeping plants.
Grafting is common in fruiting plants because it increases the maturity of an existing cultivar for earlier fruit production. The scion becomes the top part of the plant with all the originating species’s characteristics. The rootstock becomes the roots and base of the plant. The union is at the vascular cambium where the wounds of scion and rootstock are sealed together to heal and join. Once the joining wounds have healed, no special grafted cactus care is required. Simply grow it as you would any other plant.
Rootstock Cactus
The generally approved rootstocks for grafting cactus are: Hylocereus trigonus or Hylocereus undatus, Cereus repandus and Echinopsis spachiana.
Also, if the rootstock and scion are in the same species, the compatibility is excellent. Compatibility decreases as the family relationship decreases. Two plants in the same genus may possibly graft, but two in the same genera are rare and two in the same family are very rare. The appropriate cacti for grafting are, therefore, the ones in the same species and with as close a relationship as possible for the best outcome.
How to Graft a Cactus
Use very clean, sterile instruments when making cuts. Choose healthy plants and prepare a scion. Cut off the top or at least a 1-inch (2.5 cm) stem. Then prepare the rootstock by beheading a cactus to within a few inches of the soil.
Set the scion on top of the cut portion of the still rooted rootstock so both vascular cambium are situated together. Use rubber bands to hold the pieces joined as one.
Grafted cactus care is the same as ungrafted cactus. Watch for any insects at the union or rot. In about two months, you can remove the rubber bands and the union should be sealed.
Cacti are easy to propagate through grafting, stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, seed or offsets. Growing cactus from seed is a long process, as germination may be unreliable and growth is at a snail’s pace. Broadly, cacti that do not produce offsets can be propagated by grafting as long as there is a compatible rootstock. The grafted part is called a scion and the base or rooted part is the rootstock.
Grafting Guide
Cacti are grafted for a variety of reasons. One may simply be to produce a different species mechanically, but the process also produces disease free stems, to provide a new stem for an existing stem that is rotting or to enhance photosynthesis in plants that lack the ability. Grafting cacti is also done to create unique forms, such as weeping plants.
Grafting is common in fruiting plants because it increases the maturity of an existing cultivar for earlier fruit production. The scion becomes the top part of the plant with all the originating species’s characteristics. The rootstock becomes the roots and base of the plant. The union is at the vascular cambium where the wounds of scion and rootstock are sealed together to heal and join. Once the joining wounds have healed, no special grafted cactus care is required. Simply grow it as you would any other plant.
Rootstock Cactus
The generally approved rootstocks for grafting cactus are: Hylocereus trigonus or Hylocereus undatus, Cereus repandus and Echinopsis spachiana.
Also, if the rootstock and scion are in the same species, the compatibility is excellent. Compatibility decreases as the family relationship decreases. Two plants in the same genus may possibly graft, but two in the same genera are rare and two in the same family are very rare. The appropriate cacti for grafting are, therefore, the ones in the same species and with as close a relationship as possible for the best outcome.
How to Graft a Cactus
Use very clean, sterile instruments when making cuts. Choose healthy plants and prepare a scion. Cut off the top or at least a 1-inch (2.5 cm) stem. Then prepare the rootstock by beheading a cactus to within a few inches of the soil.
Set the scion on top of the cut portion of the still rooted rootstock so both vascular cambium are situated together. Use rubber bands to hold the pieces joined as one.
Grafted cactus care is the same as ungrafted cactus. Watch for any insects at the union or rot. In about two months, you can remove the rubber bands and the union should be sealed.
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