Home And Garden

Q: How often should I water my orchid? A: Many people make the mistake of assuming that since orchids are native to tropical rainforests, they must be watered several times a week. Unfortunately, watering this frequently will kill the roots of any orchid in short order. The general rule of thumb for orchids grown in the home is to water every 5 to 12 days, depending on the type of orchid, the temperature the plant is grown in, and the time of year. During the warm summer months when days are long, more frequent watering is required than in the cooler, shorter days of winter. There are three basic types of orchids, as far as watering is concerned: those that should be kept evenly moist at all times; those that should be allowed to nearly dry out between waterings, except when in active growth; and those that should always be allowed to dry out a bit between waterings. The guidelines below list the major varieties of orchid in each type. Varieties to keep evenly moist (not soggy or ...

Verbena is one of those garden essentials that bloom from spring to fall with very little fuss. In frost-free climates it is grown as a perennial, but most of us will have to grow it as an annual. Plants grow in clumps that reach a height of six to ten inches. Flowers can be mauve, purple, white, pink, apricot or red. Verbena is a popular hanging basket plant, and it also looks good in rock gardens or as an edging, and in window boxes. You'll find them in your local garden center in little pots and big hanging baskets, but you don't need to spend a lot of money on verbena because they are easy to grow from seeds. These charming little plants are relatively carefree. In fact, the main cause of problems with verbena is over-pampering, especially overfeeding and overwatering. There are just three things you will need to do to keep your plants healthy and blooming all season. 1. Deadheading Deadheading is picking off the faded blooms. If you don’t deadhead your verbena, it will qui...

Quick Tips: Planting Period :   October until the end of April. Flowering Period :   Late December until the end of June. Flowering time is 7-10 weeks. Larger bulbs produce more flowers. Always store un-planted bulbs in a cool place between 40-50 deg. F.  Amaryllis-One of a Kind Of all flowering bulbs, amaryllis are the easiest to bring to bloom.  This can be accomplished indoors or out, and over an extended period of time.  The amaryllis originated in South America's tropical regions and has the botanical name Hippeastrum.  The large flowers and ease with which they can be brought to bloom make amaryllis popular and in demand worldwide.  The amaryllis comes in many beautiful varieties including various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange.  There are also many striped and multicolored varieties, usually combining shades of pink or red with white. Preparation for Planting The base and roots of the bulb should be placed in ...

Common Name: Chinese hibiscus Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen Family: Malvaceae Height: 4 to 10 feet Spread: 5 to 8 feet Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer Bloom Color: Red to dark red Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium General Culture: Hibiscus are drought tender and frost tender and prefer a position in a sunny location in a rich, moist soil protected from strong winds. In warmer areas, hibiscus appreciate abundant watering and fertilization when newly planted, but requires little care once established. They can be trained into an informal hedge with hand pruners, pinching the tips of developing branches in spring and mid-summer. Since plants flower on new growth, this type of pruning will increase flower production. Untimely pruning often removes flower buds. From April through September, small monthly applications of a complete fertilizer are beneficial. Container-grown plants will require more frequent applications. To bloom and grow profusely, h...

Although tropical in appearance, Lotus plants are hardy perennials. There are two recognizable species of the genus Nelumbo: Nelumbo lutea, native to the United States, and Nelumbo nucifera, native to the Orient. Lotus do well in geographical areas where there is enough summer heat to bring them into flower. Temperature extremes (outside the appropriate range) will result in wilted blooms or no blooms. They are a sun loving plant, so plant them in full exposure. If they do not receive enough hours of direct sunlight, (a minimum of 6) they may not bloom. Lotus are day-bloomers, meaning the flowers open in the early morning and begin to close by mid-afternoon. They will do this for three consecutive days. Some lotus are "changeable"; their colors will gradually change over the three-day period. They bloom later in the growing season than lilies; even their leaves appear later in the spring. Lotus are shipped as tubers. Whether you have a new arrival or a mature lotus that...

Pansies are one of the earliest flowering plants, blooming right alongside your spring bulbs. These members of the violet family herald in the new garden season with a wide variety of bright, brilliant colors. They include almost all colors of the rainbow including black, and many bi-colors. There are so many combinations of these profuse bloomers that we don't' think any two are alike! Pansies are popular, easy, and fun to grow. Fill an area or entire bed with Pansies for a striking spring effect! They also are great in windowsills and containers. Propagation: Pansy are grown from seeds. Pansy plants like full to partial sun. Pansies can be directly seeded into your flower garden or seeded indoors for transplanting later. For spring blooms, you need to start your Pansies in pots and containers indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. Sow  Pansy seeds early in the season and cover lightly with 1/8" soil. Water thoroughly once. They germinate slowly. ...

Geraniums are one of the most reliable plants in the home garden. They can be obtained in flower in late spring and will add color to the garden until frost. The new cultivars offer almost shatter-proof flowers that withstand wind and rain. Geraniums can be obtained as seedlings or established plants. Planting: Set out plants in the spring after danger of frost is past. Geraniums that have been injured by cold temperatures will produce little growth and the foliage will often be red. Planting in late May is preferable for the most productive plants. Plant geraniums where they will receive sunlight for best flower production. Select a site where water drainage is good. Geraniums will grow in almost any type of soil if well-aerated and porous. Heavy clay soils should be improved by adding organic matter each year. An inch of coarse sphagnum peat moss, partially-rotted manure, or compost spaded in when preparing the beds is ideal. Geranium plants are generally available as roote...

Blue passionflower is a twining vine that can grow to 30 ft (9.1 m). The shiny leaves are usually palmately lobed with five parts, but they can have as few as three lobes or as many as nine. They are evergreen in tropical climates, but deciduous where winters are cool. The white and purple-blue flowers which appear in summer may be as large as 4 in (10.2 cm) across. They are followed by egg-size deep orange fruits from late summer through fall. Of the many cultivars of P. caerulea, the most widely known is 'Constance Elliott', which has fragrant white flowers and bright orange fruits. 'Regnellii' has exceptionally long corona filaments. 'Grandiflora' produces 8 in (20.3 cm) flowers. 'Chinensis' has pale blue flowers. Numerous crosses have been made between P. caerulea and P. racemosa, P. alata, and P. 'Amethyst'. Location Blue passionflower is native to southern Brazil and Argentina. Culture Blue passionflower likes loose sandy or gravelly...

Quisqualis indica is an elegant scandent shrub. It is commonly called Niyog-niyogan, balitadham, tartaraok, Rangoon creeper and Chinese honeysuckle. This large growing vine spends the start of its life as a bush. It is a evergreen (in warmer climates) creeping shrub that can reach as much as 70 feet height. The plant flings out its thousands of sweet-scented flowers, which change their tint from white to red. They are fragrant and grow in pendent racemes, quickly changing to pink then red, making a spectacular show. They are mostly present in summer and fall. Some call it fruity, while others liken it to toasted coconut. The thorns on a Quisqualis are formed when a leaf drops but the petiole remains. In a little time this petiole stiffens, grows stronger, and becomes a very effective climbing hook. While not sharp, like a cactus thorn, these can make pruning a bit tedious, and can draw blood on impatient gardeners. The plant fruit is ellipsoidal, long, with 5 prominent wings le...

Instructions Spring Rose Care 1-Prune roses in early spring once the rose starts to show signs of new growth, usually in the form of tiny red buds swelling. These buds will become new branches. 2-Cut out any obviously dead or damaged branches first. Then cut out all but four or five healthy stems, each ideally about as thick as a pencil. 3-Cut the rose bush back by 1/3 to 1/2, depending on how tall you want it to be. Make these cuts right above an outward facing bud - that is, a red bud that's on the outside of the rose bush. This directs the bud to grow up and out, leaving the center of the rose bush open for a prettier shape and better air circulation. 4-Fertilize roses regularly during the growing season. Roses are hungry plants, demanding lots of nutrients for best growth and flowering. Each rose grower has his or her own favorite method. One of the easiest is to buy a slow-release granular rose food and work it into the soil so it can feed the ...