How to Raise House Plants from Seeds Easily
The principal house plants which are easy to raise by sowing seeds are Aloe (succulent plant), Asparagus species, Begonia semper-florensundB. rex, cacti (many kinds), Clivia, Cyclamen, Eucalyptus, Fuchsia (varieties), Grevillea robusta, Opuntia, Passijiora, Phoenix (palm), Primula malacoides and P. obconica, Ricinus, Rochea (succulent plant), Saintpaulia (hybrids) and Solatium capsicastrum. The most suitable compost It is best to sterilise the compost, and it should therefore be heated in a sterilising apparatus for 10 minutes at a temperature of 18o° F. After this partial sterilisation, the compost must be spread out on a bench to cool before use. Watering a seed pan by partial immersion A simple method of sterilising the compost is to water it with Cheshunt Compound steriliser. This chemical can be obtained from any seed store. It consists of a powder which, when dissolved in water, is sprinkled over the compost before or after the seeds have been sown.
It is perfectly safe to use, and does not injure the smallest seedlings. Seed boxes and pots can be sterilised by this method and thereby made pest free. A satisfactory seed compost may be obtained by sterilising the loam only, and then adding the peat, sand and fertiliser. Preparing the seed compost The soil ingredients are sifted through a sieve having a |-mch mesh and thoroughly mixed. The pots or seed pans are given plenty of drainage crocks which are covered with rough siftings from the compost, and the receptacles are then filled with the compost. This is made moderately firm by pressing it with the fingers; it is then moistened by holding the receptacle in a pail of water.The water must not come above the rim of the pot because it is necessary that the moisture should rise up through the compost. As soon as the surface of the soil becomes damp, the pot is set aside to drain for a few hours before seed sowing is commenced. The depth to which the seeds are covered depends on their size. Very fine seeds, such as those of Begonia, require only a fine sprinkling of silver sand, whereas larger seeds should be covered to the depth of their greatest dimensions. When the seeds have been sown, the receptacles should be covered with panes of glass and shaded with sheets of paper. Each day the glass should be reversed to prevent the condensed moisture from dripping on to the soil, and setting up decay. As soon as the seedlings appear, however, the paper covering must he removed and ventilation of the receptacle begun. The glass covering should therefore be tilted slightly. This is conveniently done by means of the plant label, and the amount of air is increased in this way until the covering can be removed altogether. Pricking out the seedlings As soon as the seedlings have developed their first true leaves they are pricked out ˝ inch apart in pots of fertile compost such as John Innes Potting Mixture No. 1, and immediately watered in. They are shaded from bright sunlight until they are established. This generally takes 7-14 days, after which they are given more light and air. The 'cuttings' are taken in the usual way, by severing them just below a node (where a leaf is inserted in the stem). They are then fixed in the mouths of small-necked bottles where they remain suspended. The bottles are filled to within a fraction of an inch of the top of the necks with water, preferably rain water. To prevent green scum (algae) forming in the water, it is best to place a few small lumps of charcoal in it. If this operation is done in the spring, the bottles of 'cuttings' can be set on the window-sill, and roots will form in a few weeks. Potting must be done immediately roots begin to form. Visit: http://www.realniches.com or http://www.realniches.com/archives/category/gardening/ for some useful tips on home indoor gardening. ** Attention Webmasters / Website Owners ** You can reprint this article on your website as long as you do not modify any of the content, and include our resource box as listed above with all links intact and hyperlinked properly.
Related News
ROTARY ANNS’ OPEN GARDENS CULMINATING AT THE EXCEPTIONAL LE DOMAINE! - My Pressportal (press release)
A Sustainability That Aims to Seduce - New York Times
A Sustainability That Aims to SeduceNew York Times, United States -21 hours ago... from strict conservationism — the Hillan-Robertson project is typical of an emerging movement in environmentally conscious landscape and garden design. ... |
Price back in the saddle as agricultural extension agent - Palestine Herald Press
Bay and beyond Clear your head. Gape at the view. Get some ... - San Francisco Chronicle
Leaving green: Saving water starts with innovative landscaping - Salt Lake Tribune
Reaping the rewards - Lake Oswego Review
Lake Oswego Review |
Reaping the rewardsLake Oswego Review, OR -5 hours agoDennis’ Seven Dees Landscaping and Garden Center in Lake Oswego is alive with color, and ideas. Assistant Manager Nicole Forbes encourages locals to enjoy ... |
Homeowners mix vegetables and flowers to save money - Laconia Citizen
Western Trade Days lengthens schedule - Denton Record Chronicle
Western Trade Days lengthens scheduleDenton Record Chronicle, TX -11 hours ago... clothing, furniture, jewelry, gardening and landscaping products, kitchen items and food vendors. The location also features the Tioga Heritage Museum, ... |
Garden diary: Gardeners, Get your tetanus shots - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
Garden diary: Gardeners, Get your tetanus shotsThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com, NJ -22 hours agoThe classic tetanus-inducing mishap is stepping on a rusty nail, but landscaping and yard work actually account for about a third of the cases reported in ... |
August beautification award winners announced - Emporia Gazette
August beautification award winners announcedEmporia Gazette, KS -6 hours agoThe garden shed is used for many gardening projects. A snowball bush, a lavender chrysanthemum and perennial hibiscus planted around the shed bloom ... |
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Pressure Washing Decks
A beautiful wooden deck, properly maintained, can add
greatly to the aesthetic and resale values of a home.
Getting Started with Garden and Patio Design
The art of managing outdoor space
Designing a patio - or a garden, is much like designing a living room or a park. It's all about space, and how you use it. To start with, you have empty space with nothing in it. Then you add plants, statues and other decorative items to fill that space and make it feel like a homey, comfortable space.. but wait! You don't want to actually fill it with stuff. Then it would look cluttered, which is not what you want. What you want is a balance between empty space and decorative items. The real issue, then, is how do you achieve that balance?
Tips for Choosing a Chiminea for Your Backyard or Patio
Imagine that you want to stay warm in your backyard on a cool, starry night. One of the ways you can do so is to invest in a clay or cast iron chiminea. A chiminea is nothing more than the modern version of a traditional Mexican outdoor fireplace. This type of outdoor fireplace was used for hundreds of years as a source of warmth and a place to cook. Nowadays you see them in many backyards as sources of warmth and as accent pieces adding charm to a patio or garden.
Why Patio Benches are a Great Place to Relax and Enjoy
Having an outdoor patio offers the opportunity and place to sit outdoors where you can relax alone on a lazy Saturday morning or enjoy a barbecue with family and friends. To enhance a patio while providing additional seating, more and more people are turning to patio benches. Although traditional patio furniture is still nice, patio benches do not take up as much room, they can easily be moved from the patio to the lawn, and many designs on the market feature compartments underneath a padded seat for storage.
Gardening on a Budget
When we moved into our south Anchorage log home I had glorious plans for the 1/3 acre lot. Some previous owner had chopped down every tree counting on the neighboring woodlands for green and shade. The house was near the street with a lumpy hilly and narrow backyard that ended in the neighbor's goat pen. I was young, enthusiastic and confident that my green thumb could transform our piece of Alaska into a glorious landscaped garden. Now, 20 years later the neighborhood has evolved from birch/spruce woods to suburban sprawl and I'm still working on the transformation and enjoying every season.
The String Algae Blues
Now that Spring is upon us and things are coming back to life in your pond with the warmer weather, many of us are battling with string algae. String algae is caused primarily by a combination of the buildup of organic nutrients in the water, and sunlight.
Ultra Violet Pond Filter
Having an ultra violet pond filter will give you a much better chance at keeping your pond water clear. When used in conjunction with your regular pond filter, it's more than likely that you will have nice clear pond water.
What Is One Flower Benefit That You Know Of?
The biggest flower benefit of all is the fact that flowers make you happy.
Gardening During Hard Times or Emergencies - You Can Feed Yourself!
Do you ever worry about always having to rely on getting seeds and fertilizer from the store? What would you do in a survival situation, if you could not go to a store to purchase these things?
Colorado Blue Spruce And Lush Red Roses
Set in a broad expanse of lush green lawn a length of split rail fence forms a corner. Carpeted with a thick layer of soil preserving and plant protecting cedar mulch, three tall Colorado blue spruce offset the right angles of the fence. Lush red roses climb and meander along the fence setting off the soft color of the spruce and livening up the grounds. A bench of rustic-cut native stone rests casually near the edge of the cedar chip mulch with views of sunset beyond the roses, and lush rose gardens toward the back of a rough hewn log cabin in the foreground.
Buying a Lawn Mower
Anyone with a lawn, no matter how small will at some point need to cut the grass, up root any weeds etc. Like most people, I normally manage to do this at weekends. Unfourtunately for me, recently, the cable on my lawn mower was cut when trimming the grass at the weekend.
Balcony, Patio, and Courtyard Gardening
People choose balcony, patio, and courtyard gardening for many different reasons. Some are moving from a large house to smaller accommodation, some don't want the hassle of a large property, and some chose to live in rental property to avoid the high-cost of owning a home. Whatever the reason, this doesn't mean we can't garden. No space is too small for a small space garden. One plant in a container is a garden. In fact, ever more gardening options are available in terms of pots, half-barrels, window boxes, troughs, cast-iron planters, recycled materials ? the list is unending with possibilities.
Wildlife in Winter Ponds
This may seem contradictory, but you want to leave a little bit of debris in the pond when preparing it for winter.
A Bit About Bare Root Roses...
Scents from the rose garden filling the air as you walk by... it's a lovely summer scent that you can enjoy every year. Many gardeners know that the rose is referred to as the queen of all flowers, and you can see the history in the rose by traveling back in time to Europe. The rose is a plant whose scent predominates the historical gardens all over the world. Historical gardens in Europe include the use of Roses, Peonies, Honeysuckle, and a few other strongly scented plants. The rose creates the feeling of royalty, color, and elegance all in the same instant
Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening
Do you have clay or layer of hard subsoil problems in your garden?
Then gypsum may be the answer to help loosen the soil structure. It is not considered a miracle substance and you will find that it doesn't work right away, but a 3 year program of applications should help improve the poor soil conditions. It is not expensive and is easy to spread where needed.
Sculpture Can Bring Life to Your Garden
I should know: I've been a sculptor most of my life, and I have plenty of years behind me of experience. Most of my sculptures reside in the gardens and landscaped outdoors of residences. My work is also in public places such as parks and downtown areas. But in this article, I want to focus on residences.
Basil: The King of Herbs
One of the most popular herbs is Ocimum basilicum commonly called sweet basil. Often called the 'king of herbs,' basil can be grown indoors or out. Sweet basil has inch-long, oval-pointed, dark green leaves and a clove-pepperish odour and taste. Sweet basil makes a handsome, bushy small plant, growing to a foot or more indoors. A purple-leafed variety, 'Dark Opal' is decorative, makes a lovely houseplant, and is equally useful in cookery. Do not let basil bloom, or it will go to seed. Instead, pinch out the plant tops and they will grow into compact little bushes.
The Zoo-Doo Man - Or How to Make the Best Compost in the World!
Is your garden soil great? Does it produce an abundant crop for you without any great effort on your part? We were once told "By the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread . . ", and with several thousand years' rain, snow, wind, and crops removing the minerals from the land, we very rarely see fertile ground anymore.
Fall Flowering Bulbs
Deciduous trees dazzle us with the brilliance of the golds, oranges and reds they display before dropping their leaves in the autumn. However, you don't have to be satisfied with autumn leaf color alone. Consider planting fall flower bulbs.
How to Grow Basil
Today there are sprays, scented candles, plug-ins, and even discs that promise to freshen your air by putting a variety of aromas into your home. However, when you know how to grow basil, you can have enough variety of fragrance to package your own potpourri! The most commonly grown basil is the annual, ocimum basilicum that carries a minty fragrance that smells like? well, it smells like sweet basil. In addition to having a wonderful fragrance, sweet basil is an essential ingredient in soups, stews, pesto sauce, and just about any tomato dish. Knowing how to grow basil is a must for every herb gardener. You can grow herbs both indoors and outdoors
|