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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
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.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
How to plant and grow peonies, one of the most carefree of all perennials PEONIES are one of the best-known and most dearly loved perennials. This is hardly surprising considering their sumptuous beauty and fragrance, trouble-free nature and longevity. Peonies also thrive almost anywhere in the country. Many varieties can even survive a zone 2 winter (that's a low of -50 degrees F). If a peony is well situated and happy, it may bloom for 100 years or more with little or no attention. This means it's worth spending some time up front, choosing the right planting location and preparing the soil. That said, there are many stories about forgotten peony plants found blooming in the woods against old cellar holes. But like all plants, peonies will be healthier, more vigorous and more floriferous if they have ideal growing conditions.
Peonies prefer a sunny location with well-drained soil. Good air circulation around the plant is also important. These growing conditions help peonies avoid their only serious disease problem: botrytis. Like other fungal diseases, botrytis is present in most soils. It usually only becomes a problem if the plant is weak, the weather is unusually cool and wet, or if there are other infected plants nearby. Signs of botrytis are blackened buds and stems, and sometimes rotting at the base of the plant. Cut off and dispose of any affected areas (put this material in the trash, not in your compost pile). The best strategy for botrytis problems is prevention, and that goes back to proper planting. A special note for gardeners in the warm climates: Peonies will be more robust and their blooms will last longer if the plants receive some shade during the hottest part of the day. Peonies are an iffy prospect in warm zones, and impossible in some. To find out of they can be grown in your area, check with a good gardener in the neighborhood or your cooperative extension. To prepare the planting hole for a bareroot peony, dig the soil to a depth of 12-18". Use a garden fork to loosen the sides of the planting hole as well. Add a shovelful of compost and a handful of an all-purpose, organic, granular fertilizer, to the bottom of the hole and then add a shovelful of the original soil. Build up a "cone" of this amended soil inside the planting hole and then position the peony root on top of the cone with its roots hanging down the sides. It is very important that the "eyes", or growth nodes, located near the base of the old stem, end up no more than 2" below the soil surface. If the peony root is positioned deeper than this, the plant may grow well, but it will produce few if any blooms. Container-grown plants can be planted similarly. Just dig a hole that's twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Amend the soil as above. When planting, make sure the soil surface in the pot is at grade when the new plant is in the ground.
Peonies rarely bloom the first year after planting. It often takes three years before you see an abundant display of flowers. But once the plants do start blooming, you can look forward to a lifetime of beautiful flowers. Peony plants rarely need dividing. If a clump becomes too large for a given space, or you wish to share some of the plant with a friend, fall is the ideal time for dividing. Cut back the foliage and carefully lift the entire plant out of the ground. Use a sharp knife to cut apart some of the plant, making sure to create generous clumps of roots with at least three to five eyes per clump. Reposition the original plant back in the hole, taking care not to break off any of the relatively brittle roots or leave large pockets of air in the planting hole. Water until you are sure the moisture has reached the bottom of the hole and that the soil has settled around the roots. Plants that have been divided in the fall may not bloom the following spring, but will return to normal the next season. A yearly application of organic, all-purpose fertilizer and a top-dressing of compost is all a peony requires for good health. If you mulch your flower beds, be sure to keep the mulch away from the base your peonies. If the base is covered with mulch, the plant reacts as if it has been planted too deep, and will produce few, if any, flowers. Depending on the variety and the growing conditions, you'll probably want to provide your peonies with some support when the flowers are in bloom. This is especially true for the double or "bomb"-style blossoms, which can become waterlogged and very heavy. The supports should be positioned early in the growing season, before the plants get more than a few inches high. Once the plant has filled out, and especially when it's in bloom, it is nearly impossible to set up an effective support system.
There are hundreds of peony varieties on the market today, from heirloom favorites that have been enjoyed for centuries, to exciting new colors (peach, coral, yellow), interesting flower forms (spiders, singles and semi-doubles), and different heights and bloom times. You might also want to try your hand at growing tree peonies, which bloom earlier than herbaceous peonies, have larger blossoms and can grow up to 6 feet tall. Frequently Asked Questions How come my peonies don't bloom? Failure to bloom is usually caused by two things: improper planting and/or insufficient light. When planting peonies, make sure to plant the eyes (the point at which new growth emerges) no more than two inches deep. Also make sure your plants get plenty of sun — 6 or more hours a day. If they're planted in a shady site, they will not flower well — if at all. Also note that newly planted peonies usually don't flower the first year, which is spent developing a good root system and foliage. By the second spring after planting, you should see your first blooms. What are tree peonies? Although tree peonies are related to regular (herbaceous) peonies, they are much larger, reaching up to 6 feet. Their form is actually more like a shrub than a tree. In colder zones, they will not grow as tall — 3 or 4 feet is typical. Plants bloom just before the regular peonies; flowers are equally fragrant. Can peonies be divided? Yes. Unlike most perennials, peonies rarely need to be divided. The only reason to do it is to get more plants — or share them with friends. It's best done in the fall. Dig up the clump and use a sharp tool to divide it into sections, keeping three to five eyes in each division. Be sure to water the transplants thoroughly, unless you get plenty of rainfall. Keep in mind that divisions (and transplants) might not begin blooming again for two or three years. Ants are crawling all over my peony buds. Are they going to eat the flowers? No. These insects are merely enjoying the sugary syrup produced by the buds and are doing no harm to the plant. The foliage on my peony has blackened and wilted. What can I do? Peonies suffer from very few pest and disease problems. Nevertheless, they sometimes get fungal diseases, such as botrytis blight, which you describe. Other similar problems include blackened and/or rotten stems, withered buds, gray mold near the base of the plant. In all cases, remove and destroy the infected plant parts. Make sure the plants aren't getting overwatered; avoid sites with poorly drained soil. Good air circulation around the plant will also minimize fungal problems. Powdery mildew can be a problem near the foundation of a house, where there is lots of roof runoff and splashing. Consider moving the plant to another location if you see powdery mildew every year. To prevent problems, do a thorough clean-up after fall frosts. Cut the stems to 3" from the ground and clear away the foliage. We recently moved to Florida and want to grow peonies like we did in Connecticut. Is there a way we can do it? Unfortunately, you cannot grow peonies successfully in Florida, southern California and most of the deep south. Zone 8 is the warmest zone for peonies. And if you're growing them in zone 8, it's wise to check locally to see which varieties are known to thrive. My peonies are gorgeous, but when it rains, the flowers bend to the ground. How can I prevent this? The best solution is a grow-through support, which helps keep the top-heavy blooms upright. Ring supports will also work, but they aren't quite as "invisible" as the grids. Be sure to put the grids in place in early spring — before the plants are more than a few inches tall.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
ONIONS, shallots and garlic are members of the allium family that belong in the vegetable garden. But there are many ornamental alliums that deserve a hearty welcome in your perennial gardens. Alliums are plants of exquisite beauty in both flower and leaf, with tough constitutions. These easy-to-grow bulbs come in a broad palette of colors, heights, bloom times and flower forms. They make excellent cut flowers for fresh or dried bouquets. Even crowded gardens can accommodate a few alliums because they don't take up much space. What's more, alliums are relatively resistant to deer, voles, chipmunks, and rabbits
Ordinary Onions They're Not There are more than 700 different types of alliums in the world. It wasn't until the late 1800s that this vast group of plants started to intrigue plant lovers. Russian botanists began collecting some of the spectacular alliums from Central Asia and introducing them to avid horticulturists through the Imperial Botanical Garden in St. Petersburg. Of course, it didn't take long for the consummate plant hunters, the British, to get wind of this "new" family of garden-worthy plants. Their expeditions yielded many more interesting alliums varieties. Hardy, Easy-Care, Deer- and Rodent-Resistant Ornamental alliums are hardy to zone 4 and they have very undemanding cultural requirements. They will grow in most any soil, as long as it is well-drained. Alliums adore sunlight and will perform best when they can bask in it all day long. Since most of them multiply naturally, they can be left untouched in the same area for years. Alliums are drought-tolerant plants that actually prefer to be grown on the dry side. There are no serious diseases or insect pests that bother them. And you won't ever have to worry about rodents or deer, since they seem to have no appreciation for the taste of onions — ornamental or otherwise. Just remember, there's only one time of year you can plant alliums: in the fall. Daffodils, tulips and crocuses are easy to find at most garden centers, but alliums are not as readily available. To make sure you have the bulbs in hand when it's time to plant, the best thing to do is order them by mail. That way, they'll show up at your door at proper planting time, and there's no chance you'll have to live another year without these beautiful, long-lasting, bee-friendly flowers in your garden. Some ornamental alliums grow more like chives and what you plant is a clump of roots rather than bulbs. This type of allium is usually sold as a potted plant, and may be more available in spring than fall.
Favorite Alliums There are dozens of varieties in cultivation; here are some of the best. Purple Sensation: the 2″ to 4″ diameter purple globes bloom in early June, right after the late tulips. Purple Sensation's sturdy stems rise 24″ to 30″ high, so the flowers appear to float above the foliage of newly emerging perennials./p> Globemaster and Gladiator: The tallest and most architectural alliums have huge, globe-shaped flowerheads on 3- to 4-foot stems. Bloom time is early to mid-June. A group of deep-purple Globemaster or Gladiator alliums is a real eye-catcher, especially when planted with white or pink peonies, delphiniums or tall bearded iris. The white-flowering Mount Everest is a bit shorter and looks sharp in front of shrubs with deep-green or burgundy foliage or rising out of a groundcover of periwinkle (Vinca minor). Corkscrew allium: Drought-tolerant corkscrew allium (Allium senescens ssp. montanum var. glaucum) makes a good edging plant in the dry soil at the top of my stone retaining wall. Its blue-green leaves twist like loose corkscrews. Bloom time is late summer.
Ozawa allium (Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa'): A tidy, clump-forming plant that grows 18″ to 20″ high. Among the last of the perennials to bloom, its flowers often don't open until late September or October. Bees love it. Another late-bloomer that flowers in autumn. Its pink flowers pair well with coreopsis, gaillardia, solidago and other fall flowers. Schubert allium (Allium schubertii): Quite dramatic, though only 8″ tall . Its foot-wide umbels look like an exploding pink fireworks display. Sure to elicit comments from garden visitors. Seed heads add interest for a month or more after blooms fade.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
IMAGINE if your pots and planters always looked fabulous. "Wow!" your friends would say to one another, "How does she do it?" Gone are the days when you could feel good about just picking up a couple red geraniums and some pink wax begonias. The pressure is on. Your pots and planters need panache! So this spring, before you head out to buy plants for your porch, deck or patio, learn what it takes to create planters with style. Chances are, the gardener who planted up that beautiful pot may have shopped at the very same nursery as you. They may have traveled down the same isles and may have chosen among the same 200 kinds of plants and 10,000 possible plant combinations. The trick is all in the choosing.
1. Plan the structure The structure of your container planting, that is. When you're selecting plants in 4" or 6" pots, you need to think about their eventual height, shape and growth habit. Most plants are either upright, broad or trailing. The most successful container combinations usually include at least one of each form. Start with a tall, upright plant, such as Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') or a fancy-leaved, dwarf canna lily. Add one or two broad, mid-height plants such as heliotrope, coleus, African daisies (osteospermum) or dwarf dahlias. Then select one or two trailing forms, such as ivy geranium, sweet potato vine, bacopa or licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare). Of course another sure-fire way to create a strong, architectural statement is to place just one bold plant in the container. Candidates for this effect would include a thick, upright clump of bamboo or the perfect symmetry of New Zealand flax (phormium). Consider flanking an entryway with a pair of dwarf Alberta spruce or false cypress. A clump of ornamental grass, such as feather reed grass, makes a bold statement. Or you could focus all the attention on a trailing form; envision a tall, celadon-green urn filled with nothing but a burgundy-colored sweet potato vine.
2. Consider the growing conditions If you fill a windowbox with shade-loving impatiens and then put it in a sunny, west-facing location, those impatiens will struggle to survive. You will also fail if you try to grow sun-loving ivy geraniums on a shady porch. Think about where the pot will be located and then select plants that will like living there. Plant labels usually list sun/shade requirements (you'll also find a few recommendations at the end of this article). It's also important to combine plants with similar moisture requirements. Desert-loving portulaca won't be happy growing in the same pot with moisture-loving hibiscus. Soil preference is also important. A pot filled with rosemary, bay and thyme should contain a sandy, sharply drained soil mix that mimics the Mediterranean conditions these plants prefer. Fuchsia, on the other hand, wants a humusy, moisture-retentive soil that's similar to what's found in a wet tropical rainforest. Plant labels (or a well-informed sales associate) can provide this information.
3. Contrast textures Foliage is just as important as color in creating a successful container planting. Once you've gathered a group of candidates, think about the size of the leaves and their surface texture. Leaf textures range from waxy (ivy geraniums) to shiny (croton), to prickly (asparagus fern) or velvety (dusty miller). Contrasting foliage really grabs the eye. For an exciting texture combination, imagine a hair-like tuft of the lemon yellow grass known as ogon (Acorus gramineus), with the spiky lime-green succulent Angelina (Sedum repestre), the waxy burgundy leaves of Sedum 'Garnet Brocade', and the lacy flowers of Coral Flying Colors diascia.
4. Be bold with color A well-composed container planting can be as visually stimulating as a great painting. Generate energy and excitement by combining complimentary colors such as purple and orange or yellow and blue. Or paint a more visually soothing composition by limiting yourself to related colors such as blues and pinks or reds and yellows. You can also create a stunning, very sophisticated look using nothing but greens, whites and silvers. When selecting flower and foliage colors, you may also want to think about the color of your house, the color of your deck or patio pavers, and the color in adjacent beds and borders. That said, pots and planters present a great opportunity to experiment with dramatic color combinations that you'd probably never dare to use in your permanent landscape. Creating winning plant combinations is easier than you might think. Check out the slideshow, above, for more inspiration. If you need more ideas, the Proven Winners website has photos of about 500 different plant combinations.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
ACCORDING to the Gallup Gardening Survey, less than half of the country's home gardeners use any kind of fertilizer on their lawns or gardens. What's unfortunate about this statistic is that it means gardeners aren't getting as many flowers or as much produce as they should. And they're probably struggling with disease and insect problems that could be avoided. Well-fed plants are healthier, more productive and more beautiful. This article covers the basics of why and how to fertilize your garden.
Plant Nutrients 101 Plants need to be fertilized because most soil does not provide the essential nutrients required for optimum growth. Even if you are lucky enough to start with great garden soil, as your plants grow, they absorb nutrients and leave the soil less fertile. Remember those tasty tomatoes and beautiful roses you grew last year? It took nutrients from the soil to build those plant tissues. By fertilizing your garden, you replenish lost nutrients and ensure that this year's plants have the food they need to flourish. There are six primary nutrients that plants require. Plants get the first three—carbon, hydrogen and oxygen—from air and water. The other three are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen helps plants make the proteins they need to produce new tissues. In nature, nitrogen is often in short supply so plants have evolved to take up as much nitrogen as possible, even if it means not taking up other necessary elements. If too much nitrogen is available, the plant may grow abundant foliage but not produce fruit or flowers. Growth may actually be stunted because the plant isn't absorbing enough of the other elements it needs. Phosphorus stimulates root growth, helps the plant set buds and flowers, improves vitality and increases seed size. It does this by helping transfer energy from one part of the plant to another. To absorb phosphorus, most plants require a soil pH of 6.5 to 6.8. Organic matter and the activity of soil organisms also increase the availability of phosphorus. Potassium improves overall vigor of the plant. It helps the plants make carbohydrates and provides disease resistance. It also helps regulate metabolic activities.
There are three additional nutrients that plants need, but in much smaller amounts: Calcium is used by plants in cell membranes, at their growing points and to neutralize toxic materials. In addition, calcium improves soil structure and helps bind organic and inorganic particles together. Magnesium is the only metallic component of chlorophyll. Without it, plants can't process sunlight. Sulfur is a component of many proteins. Finally, there are eight elements that plants need in tiny amounts. These are called micronutrients and include boron, copper and iron. Healthy soil that is high in organic matter usually contains adequate amounts of each of these micronutrients.
Organic vs. Synthetic Do plants really care where they get their nutrients? Yes, because organic and synthetic fertilizers provide nutrients in different ways. Organic fertilizers are made from naturally occurring mineral deposits and organic material, such as bone or plant meal or composted manure. Synthetic fertilizers are made by chemically processing raw materials. In general, the nutrients in organic fertilizers are not water-soluble and are released to the plants slowly over a period of months or even years. For this reason, organic fertilizers are best applied in the fall so the nutrients will be available in the spring. These organic fertilizers stimulate beneficial soil microorganisms and improve the structure of the soil. Soil microbes play an important role in converting organic fertilizers into soluble nutrients that can be absorbed by your plants. In most cases, organic fertilizers and compost will provide all the secondary and micronutrients your plants need. Synthetic fertilizers are water-soluble and can be taken up by the plant almost immediately. In fact applying too much synthetic fertilizer can "burn" foliage and damage your plants. Synthetic fertilizers give plants a quick boost but do little to improve soil texture, stimulate soil life, or improve your soil's long-term fertility. Because synthetic fertilizers are highly water-soluble, they can also leach out into streams and ponds. Synthetic fertilizers do have some advantages in early spring. Because they are water-soluble, they are available to plants even when the soil is still cold and soil microbes are inactive. For this reason, some organically-based fertilizers, such as PHC All-Purpose Fertilizer, also contain small amounts of synthetic fertilizers to ensure the availability of nutrients. For the long-term health of your garden, feeding your plants by building the soil with organic fertilizers and compost is best. This will give you soil that is rich in organic matter and teeming with microbial life.
Foliar Feeding? Plants can absorb nutrients eight to 20 times more efficiently through their leaf surfaces than through their roots. As a result, spraying foliage with liquid nutrients can produce remarkable yields. For best results, spray plants during their critical growth stages such as transplanting time, blooming time and just after fruit sets.
What About pH? Even if proper nutrients are present in the soil, some nutrients cannot be absorbed by plants if the soil pH is too high or too low. For most plants, soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0. A soil test will measure the pH of your soil. You can send a sample to a lab (contact your local extension service for a low-cost kit) or buy a home kit and do it yourself. Lime or wood ash can be used to raise pH; sulfur or aluminum sulfate can lower pH. Keep in mind that it's best to raise or lower soil pH slowly over the course of a year or two. Dramatic adjustments can result in the opposite extreme, which may be worse than what you started with. Once again, a helpful solution is to apply compost. Compost moderates soil pH and is one of the best ways to maintain the 6.5 ideal.
How to Choose a Fertilizer In most cases, an all-purpose, 5-5-5 fertilizer will provide the nutrients all plants need for healthy growth. If a soil test reveals certain nutrient deficiencies, or if you want to tailor your fertilizer to the needs of particular plants (tomatoes vs. flowers), you can select a special formulation. What you choose will depend on your soil and what you are growing. The three numbers that you see on a fertilizer label, such as 5-5-5, tell you what proportion of each macronutrient the fertilizer contains. The first number is always nitrogen (N), the second is phosphorus (P) and the third is potassium (K). This "N-P-K" ratio reflects the available nutrients —by weight—contained in that fertilizer. For example, if a 100-pound bag of fertilizer has an N-P-K ratio of 5-7-4, it contains 5 pounds of nitrate, 7 pounds of phosphate (which contains phosphorus), 4 pounds of potash (which contains potassium) and 84 pounds of filler. Note that the N-P-K ratio of organic fertilizers is typically lower than that of a synthetic fertilizer. This is because by law, the ratio can only express nutrients that are immediately available. Most organic fertilizers contain slow-release nutrients that will become available over time. They also contain many trace elements that might not be supplied by synthetic fertilizers. Fertilizers offered by Gardener's Supply are either all-organic, or contain primarily organic materials. To build the long-term health and fertility of your soil, we recommend using granular organic fertilizers. Supplementing with a water-soluble fertilizer ensures that your plants have the nutrients they need when they're in active growth
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
Special techniques bring showy flowers into bloom GROWING bulbs indoors lets you enjoy the colors and fragrance of spring when it's still months away. The key to success with indoor bulbs is to plan ahead. Many people don't realize that there are two types of bulbs for indoor growing: those you need to chill and those you don't. Here's how to tell the difference.
Bulbs That Don't Need Chilling These bulbs are native to warm climates, so they don't require a cooling period to trigger blooms. Amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus both belong in this category. You can grow these bulbs in a pot filled with soil, or just place them in a shallow bowl and use pebbles to hold the bulbs in place. Add water, and they'll usually bloom just four weeks after "planting". To help keep stems short and sturdy, start them out with indirect light and temperatures of about 50 degrees F. for the first two weeks, then warmer, brighter conditions after that. If you're growing your bulbs in a bowl with pebbles or marbles, the water should cover no more than the bottom quarter to third of the bulb. Amaryllis are available in many interesting colors and forms: There are bright reds, as well as white, pink and peach. For more information, read Amaryllis Care. Paperwhites offer delicate beauty and an intense fragrance. Buy a couple dozen paperwhite bulbs and store them in a cool, dry place. Start some every few weeks for blooms right through February.
Bulbs That Need Chilling All other spring bulbs require a chilling period before they'll bloom. This includes tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, Dutch iris and scilla. Cool temperatures stimulate a biochemical response inside the bulb that "turns on" the embryonic flower so it starts developing. Most bulbs require 16 to 18 weeks of cold before the flower is fully formed. At that point they're ready for light and warmth. If you cut the cooling time short, the flowers may emerge but they will probably be stunted and deformed. For indoor blooms, the easiest bulbs are crocus, hyacinths, muscari, and mini-daffodils. Tulips and standard daffodils can also be forced, but they require more careful attention. Bulbs look best in a shallow, wide pot that's 4" to 6" deep. There should be at least 2" below the bulbs for root growth. The very top of the bulbs can be even with the pot rim. Use a standard potting mix (2/3 soilless mix, 1/3 compost/soil). Potted bulbs also look best when they're crowded, so snuggle the bulbs together about 1/2-inch apart. It's also good to stick with one variety of bulb per pot, because cooling and bloom times vary. Water thoroughly after planting, and label each of your pots with variety name and planting date. Otherwise, you won't remember what's what when they are coming into bloom. Finding the right place to chill your bulbs is usually the biggest challenge. Once planted, the bulbs need to be kept at 35 to 45 degrees F. for the entire cooling period of 16 to 18 weeks. If you live where outdoor winter temperatures rarely get below 25 degrees F, just keep the pots of bulbs moist and store them right in the garden beneath a layer of straw. If your winter temperatures are colder than that, the potted bulbs can be stored in an unheated basement, a ventilated crawlspace, or a cold frame. Check the information at right for specifics about how long to chill your bulbs. Generally, if you want to have flowers blooming in January, you should plant your bulbs in September or early October. For February flowers, plant mid-October. For March blooms, plant in late October or early November. Keep the soil moist, but not wet for the entire chilling period. And keep the bulbs in the dark or they may start growing before they're fully chilled.
Time for Spring! Once you remove your bulbs from cold storage, allow three or four weeks to bloom time. Wake the bulbs gradually, starting with about two weeks of indirect sunlight and 60 degree temperatures. When shoots are three to five inches high, move the pots to a 68-degree environment and a bright, sunny window. Once buds color, move the pot to indirect light again to prolong bloom. After blooming, most people discard potted bulbs. If you find that impossible, keep watering the pots and start adding some fertilizer. When the foliage yellows (usually after a month or two), you can remove the bulbs and plant them outdoors. Just remember, it may be several years before the bulbs build up enough reserves to bloom again. Paperwhites and other tropical narcissus will not rebloom.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
GREEK mythology brings us the story of Amaryllis, a love-struck maiden who longed for the handsome but cold-hearted Alteo. Desperate to win his love, she pierced her heart with a golden arrow and then visited his cottage daily, shedding drops of blood along the way. On the thirtieth day, beautiful scarlet flowers bloomed along the path. Alteo was enamored, Amaryllis' heart was healed, and our favorite holiday bloom got its name. That is, until it was reclassified in the 1800s under the genus hippeastrum.
Whatever you call them (and we'll call them amaryllis here), these dramatic tropical blooms herald the holidays with a natural beauty that only a living plant can bring. Here are 12 things you might not know about amaryllis:
Amaryllis means to sparkle in Greek. Hippeastrum is derived from the Greek words for horse and star. In nature, amaryllis bloom in spring or summer, but are commonly forced into early bloom for the holidays. The U.S. imports more than 10 million amaryllis bulbs every year, mainly from Holland and South Africa. Plant breeders have developed more than 600 named varieties!
Amaryllis reproduce by growing "daughter" bulbs next to the "mother" bulbs. It takes three to five years for a daughter bulb to reach a marketable size. You can grow amaryllis from seed, but it can take up to six years for them to reach maturity and produce flowers. Amaryllis are tender perennials; most are hardy outdoors only in zones 9 to 11. Properly cared for, an amaryllis plant can live for 75 years! Amaryllis make dramatic and long-lasting cut flowers. The genus Hippeastrum has yielded several substances with medically useful properties, one of which has shown promise as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
Answers to frequently asked questions about starting seeds indoors
I’VE talked to so many gardeners who are experienced at growing plants outdoors but hesitate to start seeds indoors. To me, starting seeds is one of the most rewarding parts of gardening. It gets my hands in the soil (or at least the seed-starting mix) during the dark, cold days of late winter and early spring. And it's so amazing and rewarding to plant a seemingly lifeless seed and watch it sprout and grow. Here are answers to some of the hundreds of questions I've been asked about seed starting. When you see how easy it is, I hope you'll give it a try! Why start seeds indoors? Gardeners start their own seeds for all sorts of reasons. First of all, if you start your own seeds, you can plant hard-to-find varieties. You'll likely find fewer than a dozen varieties available as plants at your local garden center, but hundreds more are available as seeds.You can save money, too; a packet of seeds costs a few dollars and usually contains a dozen or more seeds — a single plant often costs more than an entire packet. Nurturing a little patch of green indoors is a great way to beat the winter blues, and I think it's particularly rewarding to grow a plant from seed to harvest. What seeds are easiest to start indoors? If you're new to seed starting, begin with easy, reliable seeds, including tomato, pepper, basil, zinnia, marigold, cosmos. These all germinate readily and grow quickly. Once you've mastered these, you can try your hand at more challenging plants. When should I sow my seeds? When you're starting seeds indoors, timing is everything. The goal is to grow seedlings that are the ideal size for transplanting into the garden at the proper time. Sowing dates depend on: your average last spring frost date; whether the plant prefers cool or warm growing conditions; how quickly the seed germinates and grows. Most seed packets suggest a planting time, such as "sow seeds indoors six weeks before your average last frost date." To calculate your planting date, start by determining your average last spring frost date, mark it on a calendar, and count back in one-week increments. Learn more: When to Start Your Seeds How do I know my last frost date in spring? The easiest way to find out is to ask a neighbor who's an experienced gardener. You can also contact a local Master Gardener program (part of your state's Cooperative Extension) or ask staff at your local garden center. The date of the actual last spring frost varies from year to year so the "average last spring frost date" is just an approximation, but it gives you a starting point. Can I grow on a windowsill or do I need special grow lights? Although it's possible to grow seedlings on a sunny windowsill, you'll get much better results if you grow them under lights. That's because the sunlight in early spring isn't nearly as intense as summer sun, and the days are shorter, too. Seedlings growing on a windowsill will reach for the sun, resulting in long, weak stems that bend toward the light. Plants grown under the consistent, bright fluorescent lights of a light garden, on the other hand, will have strong, stocky stems that will adapt better once they're transplanted into the garden. Learn more: Gardening Under Lights Can I use garden soil to start seeds? Garden soil tends to drain poorly, especially when it's used in small seed-starting trays. It can also harbor disease organisms that can damage or kill young seedlings. You'll get the best results by starting seeds in a lightweight mix formulated specially for seed starting, such as Germinating Mix. These mixes drain freely yet retain enough water for seedling roots, and they're free of fungi and other disease-causing organisms. Learn more: Choosing the Right Soil for Seed Starting. What type of pot should I use? While you can start seeds in any container that has drainage holes, specially designed seed-starting pots and trays provide optimal conditions. They let you start lots of seeds in a small space, and they drain freely to prevent rot. Some people prefer biodegradable pots, such as Cowpots; others prefer reusable trays. Self-watering, all-in-one seed-starting systems are convenient and foolproof. Learn more: How to Select the Right Seed Starting System How deep do I plant the seeds? Most seed packets tell you how deep to plant. A rule of thumb is to sow seeds two or three times as deep as they are wide. Take care not to plant seeds too deep. A seed contains a limited supply of stored food to nourish it during germination. If you plant it too deep, it will run out of food before it reaches the light and grows big enough to start producing its own. Some seeds require light to germinate; the seed packet should say this. Sow these seeds on the surface of the planting mix. Which is better, watering from the top or from the bottom? Bottom watering is usually preferable because it keeps the soil surface dryer, helping prevent disease problems. For small seeds or surface-sown seeds, top misting keeps the surface moist for better germination. Self-watering seed-starting systems, such as our GrowEase Seed Starter Kit, use a wicking fabric to supply water from the bottom, providing a steady supply of just the right amount of water to plant roots. You just fill the reservoir and don't need to worry about over- or under-watering. When do I remove the greenhouse cover on my seed starter? The greenhouse cover holds in moisture, raising the humidity for fast germination. As soon as you see the first tiny sprout, remove the cover. This allows air to circulate around seedlings, minimizing disease problems.
How close should the grow lights be to the seedlings? Keep the lights a few inches from the tops of the seedlings to promote strong, stocky growth. Our light gardens have adjustable lights that are easy to raise as the seedlings grow. Do I leave the lights on all the time? Most seedlings grow best when lights are kept on for about 14 to 16 hours per day. They need a period of darkness (as they would in nature) to rest and prepare for active growth when the lights are back on. An automatic timer makes this easy. Do I need to thin my seedlings? A few weeks after seeds start growing, they may start crowding each other. When that happens, it will be time to thin the seedlings. This is the hardest part of seed starting for most gardeners. Choose the strongest seedling and removing the others nearby. This gives the remaining seedling room to grow. Although you can try to separate seedlings and replant, invariably you'll damage some roots, setting back growth. The best way to thin is to snip off extra seedlings at the soil line. When should I start fertilizing my seedlings? The first set of leaf-like structures aren't leaves at all, but are the seed's food storage structures, called cotyledons. The second and subsequent sets are true leaves, and they resemble the mature plant's leaves. Begin fertilizing seedlings when they're an inch or two tall, or when they have their second set of true leaves. How do I know when it's time to transplant into larger pots? Tomatoes and other fast-growing plants may outgrow their pots before it's time to move them into the garden. About a month after sowing or when seedlings are about 4" tall, gently remove one of the seedlings from its pot. If the roots are beginning to fill the space, then it's time to transplant them into a larger pot. Avoid waiting too long, because root crowding can stunt plant growth and make it difficult for plants to recover after transplanting. What is "hardening off" and how do I do it? Hardening off is simply acclimating plants to outdoor conditions. Seedlings grown indoors have been coddled — you've been giving them just the right amount of light, moisture and nutrients. Outdoor conditions are more challenging, with fluctuating temperatures and light levels, more variable soil moisture, and wind. About a week before you plan to set the seedlings into the garden, start hardening them off. Place them in a protected spot outdoors (partly shaded, out of the wind) for a few hours, bringing them in at night. Gradually, over the course of a week or 10 days, expose them to more and more sunshine and wind. A cold frame is a great place to harden off plants.
What Went Wrong? EVEN the most experienced seed starters occasionally have problems. Here are some symptoms, and possible causes. Poor germination. Although most common vegetables and annual flowers germinate readily, some types of plants have notoriously poor germination rates. Often, this is indicated on the seed packet (with the suggestion to sow extra seed). First of all, be sure you've given plants enough time to germinate. At sowing time, mark the pots with the type of plant, date of sowing, and days to germination (found on the seed packet). Some seeds take two weeks or more to sprout. Poor germination can be caused by overly wet or cold soil, which causes seeds to rot. (The latter can be remedied with a Heat Mat.) If the soil was too dry, the seeds may not have been able to absorb enough moisture to sprout. And if the soil dried out even once after they began growing, the fragile new roots may have died before the shoot even emerged above the soil. Poor germination can also be caused by out-dated seed, and seed that hasn't been properly stored. Damping off. If, after a few days, some of your seedlings keel over, as though a tiny lumberjack felled them at the soil line, then you're probably seeing the effects of damping off. This is caused by soil-borne fungi attacking the stem. There's no cure, and the seeds won't resprout. Start over with clean containers and sterile seed-starting mix. Allow the soil surface to dry out slightly between waterings, and place a fan in the room for good air circulation. To disinfect used containers, sterilize them in a 10 percent bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water.) To learn more, read the article Damping Off Mold and algae growth. If you see fuzzy white growth or slimy green patches on the surface of the planting mix, or on the outside of biodegradable pots, it's probably mold or algae. Although generally harmless to the seedling, they both indicate that the seed-starting mix is too wet. Allow it to dry out slightly between waterings and use a small fan in the room to increase air circulation. Pale, stretched-out seedlings with weak stems. "Leggy" seedlings are often the result of inadequate light, both in intensity and duration. Place plants under grow lights, arranging them so the lights are a few inches above the tops of the plants, and keep the lights on for about 14 to 16 hours per day. Leggy plants can also result from too-warm room temperatures and overcrowding. Inadequate fertilizing can lead to pale, weak-stemmed plants. Discolored leaves. If seedling foliage is pale green, yellowish green, or has a purple cast to it, the plants may need a nutrient boost. Begin fertilizing seedlings when they're an inch or two tall, or when they have their second set of true leaves. Use a water-soluble fertilizer that's diluted to half-strength, applying weekly for the first few weeks. After that, you can go up to full strength applied weekly. (Be sure to follow the label directions for dilution rates.)
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
GIVING and receiving flowering plants at the holidays is a time-honored tradition, but one that's fraught with anxiety. Unlike a box of chocolates or a pair of gloves, a living plant requires care to keep it healthy. Holiday houseplants, such as cyclamen, are particularly worrisome for most folks because their flowering cycle and general care are unfamiliar, even to seasoned gardeners.
Florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) start showing up in grocery stores and garden centers between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Flowers with swept-back petals resemble shooting stars and their heart-shaped leaves are embroidered with intricate, silvery patterns. In the right conditions, the plants will bloom continuously for a couple of months. Like many other plants in their native eastern Mediterranean climate, cyclamen naturally bloom in the fall, winter, and spring when the weather turns cool and damp. During the hot, dry summers, cyclamen become dormant; their foliage yellows and dies back and plants show no signs of growth. They store energy for the next flowering season in their round tubers.
The key to keeping cyclamen happy and healthy is to replicate their natural environment as closely as possible. They thrive in cool temperatures that drop as low as 40 degrees F. at night and rise into the 60s during the day. Place them close to a bright south-, east-, or west-facing window for maximum sunlight. Cyclamen are a bit fussy about watering. It's best to let the soil get somewhat dry between waterings, but not to the point of wilting. When the pot feels light or the soil feels dry just below the surface, water it thoroughly and let it drain. Pour out any water left in the saucer so that the soil doesn't stay soggy. Fertilize with regular houseplant fertilizer for flowering plants.
To keep plants blooming, remove flowers as they finish by cutting the stems near the base of the plant. Sometimes the petals will fall off and leave a round seed capsule that resembles a flower bud. Remove these, too. True cyclamen flower buds are long and pointed. Also remove yellow and withered leaves. In the spring, let the soil dry out and keep the pot in a cool dry place for the summer. The plants will look dead, but as long as the tubers remain hard and plump, they are only resting. Begin watering in the early fall and put it back into a cool, bright window for another season of bloom.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月24日
Dummer. ゛☀
START by finding the right pot. Most important: the pot must have a drainage hole. Second, it needs to accommodate the bulb. Choose one that's an inch or two wider than the diameter of the bulb. Check the depth, too. Ideally, you have room for an inch or two of soil below the bulb once it's been planted. Keep in mind that your amaryllis will be a bit top-heavy when it blooms, so a heavier pot is better.
Use fresh potting soil and moisten it before planting the bulb. This makes it easier to work with. If the soil goes in dry, it's hard to get the bulb situated. Do not use regular garden soil; it will not drain properly and your bulb might rot.
Position the bulb so the top third will remain above the soil surface. Leave an inch or so between the soil surface and the rim of the pot. This will make it easier to water the bulb thoroughly. Be sure to pack the soil around the bulb, giving the plant a good foundation for when it's in flower.
Place the pot in a relatively cool, bright location. Direct sunlight is not essential. Water sparingly until you see about 2″ of new growth. In some cases, the flower stalk appears first; sometimes it's the strappy leaves. Either way is fine. Once the plant is in active growth, water regularly and turn the pot periodically to encourage the stalk to grow straight. Buds will appear and blooms will begin to open within five to eight weeks. To prolong the blooms, keep the pot away from heat and direct sunlight. Sometimes the long flower stems benefit from a little extra support. An amaryllis support stake does the job nicely.
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