Monday, October 11, 2010

How to Grow Orchids - A Few Simple Tips for Beginners

Many of us want to be experts at growing orchids at home. By knowing how to grow orchids with a few simple tips, you can grow orchids like a professional. Orchids are gorgeous exotic flowers that are relatively simple to grow as long as you know how.

Stabilizing the Stem - The stems of an orchid can grow rather tall. If you have ever purchased an orchid, you have probably noticed that it was held up by a stick and clip. You can purchase clips and these sticks at any flower or hardware store. By using a clip you can stabilize the stem so that its natural weight does not make it collapse.

Keeping Temperature - Knowing how to grow orchids relies on essentials, such as temperature. You should always ensure that your orchid stays in an environment maintaining a temperature of 75 to 85 degrees during day light and 60 to 70 degrees during the night time. As long as you maintain consistent temperatures for your orchid, you will notice that it blossoms successfully.

Understanding Roots - Often you will find that your plant begins to sprout its roots out of its pot. Though it may be tempting to simply shove them back into place, this can actually harm your plant. Instead, move your orchid to a larger pot where the roots will have ample room to grow.

Use of Hanging Baskets - Orchids such as the Dendrobiums, will grow very tall and heavy. If you purchase a wooden orchid basket and hang them from the ceiling this can assist them in growing with that weight. Not to mention this is a gorgeous way to display your blossoming orchids.

How to Treat a Sick Orchid - Just like any other plant, orchids can get sick. If you notice that your plant is showing signs of sickness, quickly move it away from your healthy plants. Plant diseases move very quickly and isolating it is the only way to treat it effectively without contaminating the entire bunch.

Insecticides - When it comes to using any insecticide, it is best to go all-natural. There are numerous recipes online where you can create your own natural insecticide. Spray this homemade mixture onto your orchids using a spray bottle. This will rid your plant of any harmful insects that may try to poach its nutrients.

A few simple steps will help you understand how to grow orchids successfully just like the professionals. Always purchase books about the species of orchid you are growing to ensure you are giving it the proper watering, temperature, and light.


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Ladybugs for Sale and Other Things That Garden Centers Should Keep

There are many garden centers; some people have them as a hobby while some others take it as a good business. There are few things that every good garden center should have. In this article we will discuss all these things and the importance of their presence in your garden. Here is my list of all the essential things that garden centers should have:

Organic

The center should either be completely organic or if that does not sound possible to you then you should at least have an organic corner. This corner shall comprise of all the organic products.

Pots

You can have many different types of plants in your garden. The ones with the long roots or the large trees are always there but the potted plants should never be missed out. They make the garden center more attractive and beautiful.

Seeds

It is obvious and well understood to have seeds in your nursery otherwise it would be incomplete.

Compost and Mulch

Either you can have them made yourself or buy them from somewhere, keeping them in your nursery is important.

Orange Oil and liquid seaweed

These can be used to clean and kill the weeds.

Beneficial Insects

You can buy beneficial insects from the market as it is very important for your garden. You can easily purchase ladybugs for sale and nematodes at reasonable prices from online and onsite stores. However, be careful not to buy preying mantises as they will prey on the beneficial insects and almost everything.


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Sunday, October 10, 2010

A Guide To Planting And Growing A Grape Vine

Wine industry worldwide and growing grapes go hand in hand. If you do not grow grapes you will not have grape wines. Grapes wines are the finest in the world to taste. More than 70% of wines come from grapes. Some of the grapes are used for the fresh fruit grapes. I like to eat grapes just like that. A few of grapes grown go into dried grapes.

Wines are made from other fruits too. Primarily the best wines are from grapes. The reason is the character of grapes best fit the wine making process. Wine needs certain mix of properties like sugar for fermentation, strong flavorful grapes are preferred and of course wines are selected according to colors too. So flavor, sugar content and color are basic deciding factors of wines selections.

There are grapes like Vitis labrusca grapes very specifically grown in the American continent. Wine industry likes loose skins because they need to take the skin off before they process it for wines making. Grapes grown in Europe, the East and Asia are called Vitis vinifera grapes. This is now almost all over the world beginning to be cultivated, the downside is it grows well and very profitable but has a tight skin.

The nutritional value of any fruit is very important to people who consume it. So the grape has many good scores on this account. It has rich carbohydrates, fats and the fat is free of cholesterol. What more do you want?

Most of the vineyards around the world are large owned by multimillion corporations for their own wine industries. But we cannot ignore the fact that there million of very small farmers and hobbyists who cultivate vineyards in their backyards too.

You see unlike many other cultivation, grape growing is not a very difficult process or occupation. There are a few important factors that govern a successful vine yard. You follow those simple rules you will be a success.

Find a location first. A flat is not recommended a slope much better because vines do not like stagnation. They need to be drained well for the roots to spread and go deeper. The root system is the backbone of the industry. The stronger the ground root system is the fuller and grater your crops of grapes will be. Very hot temperature is not recommended. Cooler the region they like it.

There are other considerations like air and plenty sunshine. Air and sunshine do come from open spaces. Crowded yard is bad. See that there no tall building surrounding which will clock the light and air. You should Take care of the plant from diseases. A successful vineyard keeper will take daily care and inspection of the grapes and make sure they are doing well.


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Choosing the Best Pots for Orchids

Factors including the pots for orchids, the potting soil, the watering, fertilizing, and the growing area definitely have a huge impact on the growth of your orchids. If you are a first timer in this field, then you may find this to be a little confusing. However, you can use the most common pots that are easy to use for planting and growing orchids. These are the pots that are made from either plastic or clay or in basket form.

There are a variety of pots for orchids out there. Some of these are made of metal, wood, ceramic, hard plastic and coal. Some also have fabric coatings and are even made in transparent materials. Also, there are pots that are colorful, well-designed and full of decorations. But as an orchid planter, your goal is to provide your orchids with the best pots where they can thrive and grow. So be careful if you are considering buying a decorative pot for it may harm your orchid. Furthermore, if you're thinking about a wood-made pot be aware that worms and maggots may feed on your orchids.

But the best pots are those that are made of plastic or clay, particularly the terracotta clay. Plastic pots can be used at home and in greenhouses but they do not have a good water drainage system. On the other hand, terracotta clay pots are excellent for outdoor planting and growing areas, as these are heavy and stable.

Factors including the pots for orchids, the potting soil, the watering, fertilizing, and the growing area definitely have a huge impact on the growth of your orchids. If you are a first timer in this field, then you may find this to be a little confusing. However, you can use the most common pots that are easy to use for planting and growing orchids. These are the pots that are made from either plastic or clay or in basket form.

There are a variety of pots for orchids out there. Some of these are made of metal, wood, ceramic, hard plastic and coal. Some also have fabric coatings and are even made in transparent materials. Also, there are pots that are colorful, well-designed and full of decorations. But as an orchid planter, your goal is to provide your orchids with the best pots where they can thrive and grow. So be careful if you are considering buying a decorative pot for it may harm your orchid. Furthermore, if you're thinking about a wood-made pot be aware that worms and maggots may feed on your orchids.

But the best pots are those that are made of plastic or clay, particularly the terracotta clay. The plastic variety can be used at home and in greenhouses but they do not have a good water drainage system. On the other hand, terracotta clay pots are excellent for outdoor planting and growing areas, as these are heavy and stable.

There are also basket pots which enable air circulation around the roots, however, the potting soil dries up quickly. Remember: that in choosing the right pots for orchids, it is not just about the planting and growing of your orchid but it's also about propagating them. Since the three pots for orchids mentioned are the most common, we'll elaborate a little further.

Pots for orchids made of plastic are light in weight and may have several holes in it. These are more suitable indoors where it is less likely to be blown away by the wind. The one aspect of plastic pots is to slow down the drying of the potting soil. When it comes to features, the best plastic pots are thick, light in color, and do not heat up rapidly or maintain a high temperature. Nowadays, the popular plastic pots are the clear polythene pots, because they allow more light to pass to the roots of the orchid.

Terracotta pots, which are made of clay, are heavier and more stable than the plastic and basket pots. But unlike plastic pots, these pots have only one hole in the bottom, making it more likely that the plant may become waterlogged. But the moist, drought-tolerant epiphytic type of orchids is able to thrive and grow in this kind of pot.

Basket pots are made from plastic, mesh, wire, wood or pottery. These pots are suitable for orchids that blooms flowers or orchids with heavy and sprawling root system. The main advantage of these pots is that it allows air to circulate around the root system of the orchid. When orchids are placed in basket pots, water them frequently, as basket pots allow fast drying of water in the potting soil.

These are the three most common types. You can choose to use them or not. But whatever type you want, there is always a wide variety of pots that are available for your selection.


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Soil Considerations for Your Vineyard

Growing grapes offers excellent opportunities for the backyard gardener. The hobby requires a lot of time and effort but yields many rewards. In order to ensure the best and most productive plants, a primary consideration is soil.

Grapes can tolerate a wide range of soil including alkaline soils. However, they tend to grow best in well-drained loamy or sandy soils. Heavy clay soils hold water around the roots of the plant. This produces the same effect as over watering. Because grapes have deep root systems, they don't need to be watered as much as other, more shallow-rooted plants. When deciding where to plant the vines, put them where they can be heavily watered but water them infrequently.

Different soils have varying affects on the grapevine. The amount of water in the soil directly affects the water balance in the vine. This is important because water balance affects the heat retention properties of the soil. This is thought to be one of the single most important considerations in selecting soil for planting your vines.

Soils which are particularly sandy will allow water to pass through without enriching the vines. If the clay content is too high the plants will drown because the water will not drain. If the soil is too fertile you will get a high yield but the quality of the grapes will be lower. The best soil needs to be somewhere in-between.

If grapes are overwatered, they often become iron deficient. This condition results in pale, small, yellowed leaves with dark green veins. In the most severe cases, the edges of the leaves dry up and turn brown. The fruit yield is normally very poor in plants suffering from this condition.

Another consideration is the pH value of the soil. Grapes tend to thrive in soil that is slightly acidic. That means that the best soils will have a pH value between5.5 and 7. The pH value of the soil is important because when the pH levels are too low, below 5, the clay particles start to dissolve and aluminum ions are released. These ions prevent magnesium and calcium cations from binding to the soil. This will adversely affect the ability of the plant to produce.

Grapes also grow best in soils that are loose. The ground needs to be loose to a depth of about 3 feet in order to insure that the roots can take hold and nourish the plant.

Once you have selected your site, prepared your soil, and planted the rootstock, you need to devise a soil management plan. Mulching is by far the preferred soil management strategy for backyard growers. You should mulch a depth of 4-6 inches for most vineyards.

Grapes usually lose in any battle with weeds, grass, and other organic matter. You might need to do some basic cultivation work. Just make sure that you dig only deeply enough to remove the surrounding vegetation that is competing with the vines.

Grapes also require nitrogen fertilizer. For most backyard growers, 1 ounce of ammonium nitrate per vine should be applied once the growth begins in the early spring. Spread the fertilizer in a circle around the plant and 10-12 inches away from the trunk. The application should be repeated six weeks later. Just before the growth begins in the spring of the second year, apply 4 ounces in a 4 foot circle around each vine and again, make sure it is 1 foot from the trunk. Apply 4 ounces again in the third year. If the soil also requires phosphorous and potassium, you may find that a mixed fertilizer such as 10-10-10 will be sufficient.

Once established, if you care for your vines it is unlikely that you will need to do any additional fertilization. If you see that the average cane growth is 3 feet or less, you may need to think about adding additional nitrogen.

Following these guidelines should give you a good foundation and set you on your way to a successful vineyard. Enjoy!


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The Best Growing Conditions That You Will Need for Your New Rose Garden To Bloom

If you are aiming for a good looking and healthy rose garden, preparation is as important as cultivating the roses into their full bloom potential.

Before you purchase any rose bushes, some vitally important decisions must be made about where they are going to be planted. The quality of site selection will save the gardener much stress and heartache later on.

The rose bush will come with recommendations of the type of environment in your garden where it will thrive. Rose bushes usually have two main requirements to get the best quality of blooms from your roses: drainage and sun.

Watch your garden as it rains, or as you water it, to get an idea of which section drains the best. If the rose bush is planted in a waterlogged or soggy part of the garden, you will most likely get poor results. The worst that can happen is that you will kill the bush. This is one of the best ways to achieve natural drainage.

If there isn't such a good spot available, the next best is an area which remains fairly dry. This spot can be tested by digging a hole, 18 inches deep, and filling it with water. If the hole drains after 6 - 8 hours, then the natural drainage is sufficient for the roses needs. If it doesn't drain properly, you will need to consider the installation of a drainage system that will dispel water away from the roots of the bush.

On the other hand, too much drainage could also be a problem. For instance, if you have sandy soil, the water will drain too quickly to allow the roots sufficient time to absorb enough for their needs.

You will need to prepare the soil if the water drains under six hours during your drainage test. The addition of organic material such as peat moss and compost manure will improve the drainage to retain some of the water.

When you water a rose bush, you actually water the base of the plant only as a way of reducing the chance for disease by getting the leaves wet. Adding organic material such as peat moss and compost manure will help hold some of that water in place.

If your site has a major problem with drainage, then raised beds can be built to grow roses. However, care must be taken in the construction of the raised bed as some timber products can be toxic to roses.

Potential areas for the planting of rose bushes need to be checked for the quality of light that is available in both the morning and afternoon. Several species of rose bushes will tolerate full exposure to the sun, but unfortunately, they may fail if there is too much shade.

Generally, rose bushes need to be exposed to full sun for a minimum of 6 - 8 hours per day. The more sun your rose bushes is exposed to the more blooms it will yield.

The light from the morning sun is preferred for rose bushes as its leaves are given a good opportunity to dry off the morning dew. This will help prevent the formation of mildew and other diseases on the leaves and petals.

Roses need to be planted in such a way as to provide a good air circulation around the bushes. This means that they are not to be planted close together or in the vicinity of other plants or buildings. If they are crowded, clear air movement is restricted which increases the probability of a disease infection.

It is of high importance that bushes should not be planted in areas where large trees and shrubs will compete for naturally available organic food. At the same time, make sure that new bushes are not planted near neighbour's plants as your expensive feed may be diverted to his plants that may have larger and deeper roots!


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How to Make a Garden Beautiful

So many people ask themselves this question when they look out at their baron and desolate patch at the back of their home. It isn't just a case of planting a few flowers and mowing the lawn, it takes a lot more creativity and planning than that. If you look at some of the most exquisite gardens you will see that everything blends together so seamlessly. There is a kind of fluidity throughout the whole garden and the colors and choice of plants are perfectly suited next to each other.

To make a garden beautiful you need to consider so many elements. Starting with the lawn. Can it be made into something that is neat or does your current lawn need to be dug up and re laid? If it does need relaying then you want to check deeper than just the grass itself and look at the type of soil that is underneath, and then the ground underneath that. If the lawn is in fairly good condition, or it can be worked on and made into a decent lawn without any major surgery required then you should look at killing off any weeds off and getting the lawn into the best condition possible.

Also required if you want to make a garden beautiful is a choice of plants and colors that you want running through the garden. Work out what plants flower at particular times of the year and what colors will go best together. You should also consider how big the different types of plants will grow as you don't want one area of you garden to be overcrowded while another area has just a couple of smaller plants. To make a garden beautiful is to find the perfect mix of everything contained within it. Research the different types of plant that you think you would like and then narrow the list down until you have found the right mix and blend between them all. There are plenty of resources online that you can look at to determine what you feel is right for your garden.

Another element you need to consider if you want to make a garden look beautiful is any man made features such as a rockery or a waterfall, or a raised garden bed. Features such as these can really transform a garden and bring it to life. It can really enhance the whole area so it is well worth putting in the extra work to create one or two prominent features.

So to make a garden beautiful is possible for anyone with careful planning and research and a pre conceived plan. Don't forget the different elements that make a garden beautiful, then piece them all together until have a solid plan to work too.

Paul is a keen gardener and has learned from his own experiences from the few properties he has owned and gardens he has worked on. He also has a few websites that help people with information on gardening and products that will help. His latest is a website about lawn mowers and he has written a review on the Bosch Rotak 320 lawn mower

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_T_Hooper

Paul T Hooper - EzineArticles Expert Author

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