Home And Garden

Introduction Growing and propagating cacti is relatively easy to do and can be quite rewarding. For the most part there are three environmental variables to consider to ensure your experience with growing cacti is successful. These are: Soil Water Light We'll examine these three conditions in greater detail shortly, but first let's note that there are at least two different groups of cacti. There are the desert cacti which is certainly the first type to come to mind whenever someone hears the word "cactus". However, there are also jungle cacti which grow in rain forests and other environments that most would consider the least likely habitat for a cactus plant. I'll address growing conditions for the two separately beginning with the jungle cacti. Jungle Cacti Jungle cacti include those species in genera such as Acanthocereus, Disocactus, Epiphyllum, Hatiora, Hylocereus, Lepismium, Rhipsalis, Schlumbergera, Selenicereus, and perhaps a few others. Alm...

Common Names: pineapple, commercial pineapple Family: Bromeliaceae (bromeliad or pineapple Family) Description The pineapple is a bromeliad, like Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) and ball moss (T. recurvata), but pineapple is a terrestrial bromeliad, growing on the ground, rather than an epiphytic bromeliad that grows on a tree. The pineapple plant grows as a rosette of evergreen, stiff, spiny edged dark green leaves about 3 ft (1 m) long. In summer it sends up a 12 in (30 cm) cone shaped cluster of little purple flowers in yellowish bracts. These give rise to the well known pineapple fruit, a delicious, fleshy, juicy, swollen stemlike structure (called a syncarp), usually red or yellowish in color. The pineapple "fruit" is actually composed of 100-200 fused berry like fruits. It is about a foot (30 cm) long and may weigh up to 14 lbs (6.3 kg). The fruit is topped with a rosette of small leaves, that forms a new, smaller pineapple plant. 'Red Spanish' is the m...

Norfolk Island Pine The secret to keeping Norfolk Island pine healthy is to give it ample light and humidity. In low light, the lower branches may turn brown and fall off. If the air is too dry, it becomes a prime target for spider mites, a common houseplant pest. In its native habitat, Norfolk Island pine can reach 200 feet tall, but don't worry -- indoors, it seldom grows taller than 10 feet. Why We Love It: This tree is perfect for decorating for Christmas -- or giving as a holiday gift. Outside the holidays, its soft texture adds a cozy feeling to any room. Name: Araucaria heterophylla Growing Conditions: Bright light; 60-75 degrees F.; allow the soil surface to dry between waterings Size: To 10 feet tall and 5 feet wide Grow a Fragrant Windowsill Spa Try growing scented geraniums on your kitchen counter or windowsill. These alluring houseplants put the scents of lemon, lime, rose, cinnamon, and even chocolate at your fingertips. Just pinch a leaf to release relaxing...

Bamboo is one of the most widely-used plants in the world. Over half the population uses it in one way or another. There simply is a high demand for quality bamboo. Looking to make some extra cash or start a new career? Then you should consider growing bamboo for profit. In addition to being one of the most widely-used plants in the world, it is also the fastest-growing plant. The current record is a bamboo plant that grew 47.6 inches in 24 hours! It also has many, many uses. Scaffolding, water pipes, parrot stands, vases, privacy screens, medicinal and many more. Your bamboo plants can make you a nice profit in no time. Before you start growing bamboo, you need to think about the climate in your area. Certainly warmer climates will be able to grow more varieties of bamboo, but cold ones can too. Be aware though that if temperatures in the wintertime frequently drop below zero F. then you should consider growing something other than bamboo. If temperatures consistently stay above ...

Growing plants for profit is a great way to turn your gardening skills into serious cash. While most of us immediately think of tomatoes or salad greens, the most profitable plants are specialty crops that are not always found in a home vegetable garden. Many specialty crops can bring as much as $90,000 per acre, and are quite easy to grow. Best of all, most specialty crops can be grown without a full-time commitment. If you have a few extra hours a week, then you can be a specialty crop grower. Here are eight specialty crops worth growing: 1. Bamboo.  Landscapers and homeowners are paying as much as $150 each for potted bamboo plants, and many growers are finding it hard to keep up with the demand. Why is bamboo so popular? It’s a versatile plant in the landscape, as it can be used for hedges, screens or as stand-alone “specimen” plants. Bamboo is not just a tropical plant, as many cold-hardy varieties can handle sub-zero winters. Using pots in a bamboo business, it’s possib...

In the late '80s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America studied houseplants as a way to purify the air in space facilities. They found several plants that filter out common volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Lucky for us, the plants can also help clean indoor air on Earth, which is typically far more polluted than outdoor air Aloe (Aloe vera) This easy-to-grow, sun-loving succulent helps clear formaldehyde and benzene, which can be a byproduct of chemical-based cleaners, paints and more. Aloe is a smart choice for a sunny kitchen window. Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside an aloe plant can help heal cuts and burns. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Even if you tend to neglect houseplants, you’ll have a hard time killing this resilient plant. With lots of rich foliage and tiny white flowers, the spider plant battles benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene, a solvent used in the leather, rubber and printing industries. As an ad...

Love flowers but think your garden doesn't get enough sun? These shade flowers grow happily even without a lot of direct sunlight. Lily of the Valley These tiny white flowers grow well in deep shade, emit an enchanting fragrance in late spring and early summer, and brighten up dark corners. Alpine Forget-Me-Not Add clouds of color to your garden with a patch of tiny azure-blue flowers. They thrive in dry shade, conditions that can be particularly difficult. Jacob's Ladder These bell-shaped, purple perennials adapt well to flower gardens and tolerate both shade and sun. Solomon's Seal Gracefully arching stems support clusters of tubular white flowers and long, bright green leaves. A perfect plant for a shady border. Anemone Blanda Blue Also known as the winter windflower, Anemone Blanda Blue thrives in partial shade. Its purply-blue, daisy-like flowers will add a festive touch to your patch. Lungwort These are good groundcover plants for deep shade, with h...