Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Houseplants Part 2

Watering practice is crucial. More plants are killed by overwatering than from becoming too dry. Most of the big stores will have care tags on the plants. Be sure to read and follow directions. I have found that sometimes the care tags can be misleading. It is best to consult a houseplant book for accurate information if you have one. African violets will droop if overwatered. This is a signal the plant is being kept too wet. The medium should become dry between waterings. Fertilizing properly will keep the plants happy. One can go by the instructions on the label, although you may prefer to make more frequent, diluted applications such as quarter strength, weekly. About once a month it is wise to flush the medium with clear water to avoid buildup of excess soluble salts. Most foliage plants will be perfectly happy without fertilizer application between now and March, when days are short and light intensity low. They can't use the fertilizer during this period. Many of the flowering plants can be fertilized lightly during the dark months. More next time on Pests and diseases.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Houseplants

Orchids seem to have superseded African violets as the popular flowering houseplant, but we still see the bread-and-butter plant family of Aroids-such as pothos and philodendron, Boston and Dallas ferns, ficus trees and parlor palms. Whatever the choice, there are a few basics that must be followed to keep the plants healthy and beautiful. Determine the preferred light level, temperature and watering schedule. African violets thrive in bright shade or dapple sun in a north or east window. They also do well under lights with warm white and cool white fluorescent fixtures. Popular vining plants will enjoy moderate shade. Ferns don't like it as dark as some believe. They appreciate morning sun. Ficus trees need full sun to thrive, and the palms enjoy bright shade and morning sun. No matter what the gardener's preference, the plants must be kept clean so they can manufacture their food from the applied fertilizer. They can be wiped with a moist soft cloth or paper towel or set in the sink and given a shower. More on houseplants next time.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Things to do in the flower garden for October

In the flower garden:
  • Finish planting spring-flowering bulbs except tulips.
  • Wait another two wees to begin planting tulips.
  • Shred fallen hardwood leaves and use for mulch.
  • Finish planting, transplanting spring and summer-fowering perennials.
  • Order dormant roses, lily bulbs for November planting.

In the food garden:

  • Harvest Brussels sprouts from the bottom up.
  • Plant radishes for Thanksgiving dinner.
  • Leave leeks, carrots, beets, spinach in the garden for harvest as needed.
  • Wait until after frost sweetens kale, parsnips to begin harvest.
  • Bundle spent corn stalks for Halloween decoration.

In the house:

  • Deprive poinsettias, holiday cactus of all light from sundown to sunup.
  • Make succession plantings of paper white narcissus.
  • Allow amaryllis to go dormant.
  • Water succulents only every three to four weeks, just enough to keep them from shriveling.
  • Pinch back leggy vines for fuller grownth.

On the lawn:

  • Keep leaves raked from grass.
  • Continue mowing until growth stops.
  • Treat germinating checkweed with a selective herbicide.
  • Lime any time between now and spring.
  • Fertilize if none has been spread since September.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Fall composting in the garden

Fall composting in the garden- Leaves, grass clippings great additions to a compost pile By RICHARD POFFENBAUGH News Journal columnist Compost is to fertile soil as clean air is to healthy lungs. Both are vital to our survival. Composting is a process in which bacteria and fungi break down organic matter into humus -- the black crumbly material that improves soil structure. There is no substitute for generous amounts of organic matter in soil for the growth of healthy plants. Generally, it takes a year to produce compost. The process can be speeded up if selected materials are included in the pile. Over the many years I have combined grass clippings (pesticide-free) with shredded leaves as an excellent base for compost. The nitrogen in the clippings gives the compost pile a kick-start to generate heat for the composting process. Keeping the pile moist and turned every week or two will add to quicker break-down of plant material. Urban gardeners lack access to cow or horse manure. Compost from leaves and other plant matter offers an effective substitute. If added to a garden each year, the soil will become fertile, loose and receptive to root growth. The better the soil, the better the roots and more productive a plant. It's that simple! My garlic and sweet onion plants are planted in the same general area each year. It works well without rotation. These two crops are not eaten by deer and thus don't take up valuable space in my fenced-in garden. These are deer-proof vegetables. But each year a generous amount of compost is worked into the onion/garlic patch. This is done in the fall just before garlic is planted (this week). As a result, the soil is loose, fertile and easy to work without tilling. The compost does wonders for the production of these two crops. If you don't have a shredder to chop up the leaves, a rotary mower can be used as a shredder. For a finer product, mow over the leaves once. Then attach a bag to a mower and mow over the leaves again. The bag will accumulate leaves that have been chopped up twice. These will be ideal small-size particles to add to the compost pile. Some do's and don'ts for composting: DO recycle fallen leaves and other plant refuse into compost. It's a cycle that occurs naturally in woodlands and forests. DO start or add to a compost pile each fall. This provides a continual supply of organic matter for soil enrichment. DO make the compost pile at least 4 feet tall and wide, a 4 foot cube. If smaller, the material loses heat and won't heat up properly. DO locate a pile so it is convenient to water and turn the material over. DO begin the pile on soil with a layer of coarse material like corn stalks or other tough stems. This allows some air to enter from the bottom. DO create the pile like a sandwich. A layer should be at least 4 inches thick with a one-inch layer of soil between each two layers. Pest-free grass clippings combined with shredded leaves provides nitrogen and heat that will begin the decomposition process. DO chop or shred leaves, stems and other plant materials to increase their surface area. This will increase the rate of decomposition. DO add several shovels of finished compost to a new pile and mix thoroughly. This will introduce microorganisms to the new material. DON'T add these items to a compost pile: charcoal, meat or dairy materials, fish scraps, bones or fat, pet droppings, pesticide-treated grass clippings of other treated materials; or any materials that will attract rats, dogs, raccoons, skunks or other animals. DON'T compost diseased plant materials. While some pathogens may be destroyed due to heat inside the pile, odds are some will survive and be carried over from year to year. DON'T compost weeds that have seed heads. Seeds are survivors and likely will produce more weeds when the compost is spread over a garden area. DON'T add materials such as poison ivy or black walnut plant residue. This is a case where avoidance is the best protection against carryover of unfavorable chemicals. DON'T worry if you don't have a composting bin or enclosure. All it takes is a pile in a sunny location with a mixture of shredded materials and kept evenly moist. DON'T layer a pile higher than 5 feet. A tall pile is awkward to turn and the organic matter becomes compacted with poor aeration.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Planting Bulbs

October is a great time to plant spring-flowering bulbs. The soil temperatures in early fall are ideal for good root development. With a little planning and effort this fall you can be enjoying their cheery bloosoms next spring. A soil temperature of 60 degrees is ideal. To learn more on how to plant bulbs correctly...