by Keith Markensen
The majority of your houseplants require year round care, but what indoor gardeners don’t consider is that the level of care provided may need to change with the season. Most houseplants actively grow and bloom in the spring and summer months, which tapers off as fall approaches and often ceases altogether as the winter months take hold.
These growing cycles are predicated on a few different variables. The main one is sunlight and the amount of that valuable resource that is available to them. This naturally lessens in the winter as the days become shorter, and the sky itself becomes more overcast in general. The second is simply continuing on the naturally growing cycle they experienced in the wild, which again was also influenced by the weather. Even though the ‘weather’ and temperature in your house is typically uniform and static no matter the season, this genetic disposition in the plant still holds some sway.
Here’s what you can do to take advantage of their natural growing cycles. Firstly a good fertilizer should be applied near the beginning of spring, as the plants are about to enter their growing spurt even in dry desert landscapes. This needs to be cut back in the summer, and then completely discontinue in the winter. If applied haphazardly, this extra feed can burn out a plant, causing root destruction and the plant’s untimely demise.
August 28, 2008 (2 weeks ago) – 5:57 pm
by Keith Markensen
You can bring life and color to your home’s interior - and make the air you breathe cleaner — by adding houseplants. Houseplants are relatively easy to grow; some species require only occasional watering and pruning. Many will thrive in relatively little outdoor light and require no fertilizer.
Growth rates vary widely from species to species. Some grow so quickly that you can notice a change from week to week, and some take years to grow in any noticeable way. To help your plants grow more vigorously, re-pot them often. While some grow so quickly they can split a clay pot, others become interior design staples because they remain relatively unchanged for years.
Different plants thrive at different times of the year, so it’s relatively easy to find one that suits your schedule and decorating plan. However, a Chamaedorea seifrizii or Bamboo palm can be used all year round. Some species come into full flower soon after the end of winter, while others bloom only in late summer, and there are many variations in between. If you choose your variety carefully, you can have displays of color for many months.
August 25, 2008 (2 weeks ago) – 3:45 pm
by Keith Markensen
Solar spotlights are a great addition to any yard, and can serve a variety of purposes, from acting as a security light that will activate every night whether you’re home or not, to a warm and comforting light that will shine softly down on your garden and make those night-time strolls through your backyard garden, or late evenings entertaining friends on your deck that much more memorable and ambient.
Solar lighting is a safe and easy way to light up a path, shine light on your pool for those late night swims or spotlight a particular spot of interest in your yard. They can be easily placed in any location and moved around with ease, unlike traditional lighting which is restricted by wires. These lights are also completely safe around water, as there’s no electricity of any kind. In fact you can find numerous solar light products that can be set to float right alongside you in the water.
August 24, 2008 (2 weeks ago) – 5:31 pm
by Keith Markensen
If you are considering adding plants to your home, you are in the right place. Here you will find all types of information about caring for indoor plants, and how to care for a variety of plants at the same time in your home. Plants can live in just about any room of your home, as long as you have a window for a little light, and the temperatures are not extremely cold.
Potted plants are going to live for a long time when you care for them with watering weekly and when you keep the pets or your children from them. The attraction for animals is often times the cat, who wants to use the largest of pots as a litter box. Children are just attracted to what they are not allowed to touch, so you might want to include your child in the care of the plants and they will learn to leave your plants alone so they can thrive and grow.
This is a preview of
Mega Choices in Flowers, House Plants and Pots for All Homes
.
Read the full post (506 words, 0 images, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)
August 22, 2008 (3 weeks ago) – 6:36 am
by Keith Markensen
Geraniums, known technically as Pelargonium’s, are one of the most common flowering house plants grown in the country. While their stoutness may be in question, their beauty and ease of maintenance is not, making them perfect additions to a window garden or table centerpiece. They Begonias, Geraniums have come to be grown in a large variety of sizes, shapes and styles. In fact some can resemble trailing vines when fully grown, with others more accurately resembling bushes five to six feet in height.
The various Geranium strains have been broken down into four major classifications for easier identification, and we’ll look at those four major groups now.
First up is the Fancy Geranium, also known as The Show, or Lady Washington. The plants bloom with large, vivid flowers in the summertime, usually lasting throughout the summer months. They grow in a vast range of colors, with many of petals containing striking black dots in the center.
| 
| 
| 
BlogoSquare