Seed to Feed Me: January 2015

Saturday, 31 January 2015

HOW TO GROW ORCHIDS

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Orchids always look exotic and some species are now commonly grown as a house plant. But often after the flowers fade so often you are left with a pot of a few green leaves that looks insignificant. With a little care you can bring these orchids back into bloom.

There are more than fifty species of orchid growing in the British countryside and although it is illegal to collect them from the wild some can be bought from specialist nurseries. Popular varieties include the spotted orchid Dactyorhiza maculata, the pink flowered Chinese ground orchid Bletilla striata and Pleone formosana. For a long lasting profusion of orchid flowers indoors choose the moth orchid Phalaenopsis.

Phalaenopsis are epiphytes, growing in trees supported by aerial roots in their native country. These roots require light and water in order to keep the plant healthy. Indoors many orchids have aerial roots which are often supported in clear pots supported by bark.

These aerial roots are a good indicator of the plants condition. If the ends are white or green then the orchid is health but if they are yellow or brown then the plant requires attention. Place your orchid in a well ventilated position but away from draughts. Causes of weakness includes too much sun, an excess or lack of food or water, or too low a temperature. Use rainwater for orchids whenever possible or, as a second choice, cooled boiled water.

In order to prolong flowering remove spent flower spikes but cutting back with secateurs the stems to the point at which the bloom first appears. Side shoots will then develop and produce new flowers between six and eight weeks.

Orchids need a humid environment to thrive but roots can rot if plants are over
watered. To increase humidity stand the pots in trays filled with moist clay balls or gravel and spray the plants with water. All plants should be kept moist from April to September but great drainage is key.

Epiphytic orchids such as Phalaenopsis should be watered by soaking the pot in a bucket of water once per week, increasing this to twice weekly in hot weather. Terrestrial orchids such as Cymbidium should be watered over the surface of the compost until excess runs out of the base. After re-potting do not water for ten days and then so sparingly for several weeks to allow the new roots to develop.

Some orchids respond to feeding in the growing season, others do not. Refer to the needs of individual species before feeding. You can preserve the bulb strength of your orchid by removing the flower spike once the flowers have developed in the first flowering season. This will ensure that the flowers do not sap the plants strength. You can still enjoy the flowers by placing the spike in a vase of water for several weeks.

Re-pot orchids after they have flowered or when new leaf growth appears. Use orchid compost and a pot one size larger than previously used. To help promote healthy growth wash the old compost off the roots before re-potting and trim off any dead roots with scissors.

You can successfully grow orchids in your greenhouse. Select a hybrid that has been specifically bred for the greenhouse. Insulate the greenhouse with bubble wrap to reduce heat loss during the winter. Stretch it out tightly 5 cm away from the inside of the glass. Some orchids may not flower unless there is a marked drop in temperature at night so leave a little ventilation in your greenhouse but avoid draughts. Dampen the floor of the greenhouse in order to maintain humidity.

Monday, 26 January 2015

EARTHWORMS

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Earthworms are indispensable in your garden because they aerate the soil, pull down and digest decomposing organic matter and create humus. They are invaluable in improving the soil and are also the main stay of numerous other creatures including badgers, beetles, birds, centipedes, hedgehogs,moles and slugs.

There are some twenty-five species of British earthworm of which Lumbricus terrestris, the common earthworm, is the most often seen. It usually measures between 10-25 cm in length. The giant earthworm Microchanetus microchaetus is the longest, reaching up to nearly 2 metres in length.

You can encourage them to take residence in the garden by keeping the soil moist, mulched and manured. Worms are sensitive to vibration, which they associate with rainfall. Drumming on the soil will bring them to the surface in search of moisture, a fact which birds have exploited for many years..

Up to eight million earthworms may live in a hectare of grassland, even more in deciduous woodland. Earthworm numbers can be a indicator of how fertile your soil in. Dig a spadeful of soil and count the number of earthworms it contains. If you have six or more present you have a fertile soil in which plants should thrive. If you only have a few dig in plenty of organic matter into the soil to improve its fertility. Worms can live up to ten years old. Charles Darwin estimated that the worms in a single acre would shift between 8-18 tons of soil per year.

You can enlist the help of worms to keep fruit trees free from scab, a fungal disease that causes black or brown blotches on the leaves and fruit of apples and pears. The fungus grows on dead leaves and releases spores. You can run a mower over the leaves in the autumn to keep them small and worms will pull them underground before the scab spores have a chance to infect healthy trees.

Worm casts can make a nutritious top dressing. Leave them to dry on the lawn and use a brush to sweep them over the grass. Never apply a lawn dressing that contains worm killer as the benefits of worms in the lawn far outweighs the inconvenience of a few worm cast. You can remove them by switching or applying sulphate of ammonia as worms dislike acidity.

For related articles click onto:
Ant facts
Bee facts
Can starfish grow back their arms?
Earthworms
How many seas are there in the world?
What is a sea sponge?
What is a cuttlefish?
What is a ladybug?
What is a sea anemone?
What is a starfish?
Why is the Dead Sea so salty?
What is the difference between a butterfly and a moth?
What is the difference between a bee and a wasp?
What is the difference between an insect and a spider?
What is the difference between a snail and a slug?
What is the difference between a millipede and a centipede?
What is the difference between a frog and a toad?
What is the difference between a fog and a mist?
What is the difference between the sea and the ocean?
What is the difference between hibernation and sleep?
What is the difference between a toadstool and a mushroom?
What is the difference between a zebra and a horse?
Worm facts
World largest insect

Thursday, 22 January 2015

HOW TO GROW TULIPS

Click here for the 'Seeds of Eaden' seed shop

In the late 16th century Dutch professor of botany, Carolus Clusius, brought home from a collection of tulip seeds from Turkey. He raised bulbs from this stock and started a craze that has lasted until the present day. Within a few years 'Tulipmania' swept Holland and precious bulbs changed hands for hundreds of pounds and fortunes were wagered on new varieties.

Most popular were the striped or blotched tulip varieties that were created through viruses. Inevitably the frenzied speculation end but not before the tulip had become a firm favourite throughout Europe. Tulips are still widely grown and there are more than 100 species and 2000 varsities to enjoy.

Planting and care

You will need to take into consideration that the lighter the soil, the deeper the bulbs should be planted. On sandy soil plant the bulbs to a depth of 20 cm (8") whilst on heavy soils do not plant deeper than 15 cm (6").

To ensure easy lifting at the end of the season you may choose to line the planting hole with a bulb baskets or mesh. This means that you can lift the clump of bulbs by pulling gently on the edge of the basket.

It is better to grow species tulips on their own instead of through other spring flowering plants as tulips deteriorate rapidly if their leaves are covered by other foliage. This lack of light will mean that the bulbs do not produce flowers the following year.

At the end of the flowering period deadhead your tulips. Do not remove the fading yellow foliage as the nutrients from the leaves are being drawn back into the bulb to replenish the bulbs strength and ensure it blooms again the following year.

Do not leave bedding tulips in the ground as they will degenerate from year to year and will yield fewer and fewer flowers as time passes. Wait for the foliage to yellow before lifting and store in a dry place until autumn when you replant. You can lift tulips as soon as the flowers fade and replant in an out of the way area. Wild varieties can be left in the ground all year round.

If tulips fail to flower there are two possible causes. The young buds may have been destroyed by heavy frosts or the bulbs planted may have been very small and require time to develop before flowering. In which case fertilise well and inter plant with larger tulip bulbs to ensure a good display.

For related articles click onto:
Aphids
Can you keep bees in your garden?
Differences between vegetables and fruit
Drainage
Feeding plants
Growing herbs
Herbaceous borders
How do I attract bees into my garden?
How to build a cold frame
How to grow tulips
How to grow orchids
How to grow primulas
How to grow seeds indoors
How to propagate using division
How to propagate from seed
Patio gardens
Patio Garden Plants
Plants for free
Preparing a seed bed
Shade loving fruit and nuts
Soil structure
What is a loofah?
What is a potager?
What is a vegetable?
What is the difference between a vegetable and a fruit?

Sunday, 18 January 2015

PATIO GARDEN PLANTS

Click here for the 'Seeds of Eaden' seed shop

Patio gardens are located close the house and so showcase your plants all year round. Therefore pots and containers are often planted up with seasonal bedding plants accompanied by hardier dot planting.

There are certain plants that will thrive in pots and give a star performance throughout the season. Look closely at the textures, forms and colours of your plants and position to contrast or compliment each other.

Although colour combinations is down to personal taste, there are some tips for ensuring an excellent display. In order to prevent your patio garden from becoming too busy it is often best to restrict the pallet to three colours. You may wish to choose shades that will harmonise with each other or make a contrast with more striking colour combinations.

The following plant list details some of the star plants that are regularly used in containers and baskets that will give a knock out display each year.

Spring
Anemone
Aubrietia
Azalea
Bergenia
Camellia
Chiondoxa
Clematis
Dianthus
Erysimum (wallflower)
Fritillaries
Helleborus
Hyacinth

Hyacinthoides non-scripta (bluebell)
Magnolia
Muscari (grape hycinth)
Myosotis (Forget me not)
Narcissus
Ployanthus
Primulas
Rhododendron
Tulipa
Vinca minor (periwinkle)

Summer
Alyssum
Antirhinum
Aster
Begonia
Calendula
Campanula
Clematis
Cistus
Felicia

Fragaria (strawberry)
Geranium
Helichrysum
Hosta
Impatien (Busy Lizzy)
Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea)
Lilium
Lobelia
Nicotiana
Pelagonium
Petunia
Rosa
Salvia
Tagetes (marigold)

Autumn
Acer (japanese maple)
Anemone hupehensis
Aster
Aster amellus (Michaelmas daisy)

Chrysanthemum
Cotoneaster
Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus)
Cyclamen
Dahlia
Erica (heather)
Fushia
Kale (ornamental cabbage)
Sedum

Winter
Bergenias

Buxus sempervirens (box)
Crocus
Euonymus
Galanthus (snow drops)
Gaultheria
Hellebore
Hedera Helix (ivy)
Ilex aquifolium (holly)
Iris histriodes
Mahonia
Polyanthus
Skimmia
Viburnum tinus
Violia (pansy)

For related articles click onto:
Aphids
Can you keep bees in your garden?
Differences between vegetables and fruit
Drainage
Feeding plants
Growing herbs
Herbaceous borders
How do I attract bees into my garden?
How to build a cold frame
How to grow tulips
How to grow seeds indoors
How to propagate using division
How to propagate from seed
How to grow orchids
Patio gardens
Patio Garden Plants
Plants for free
Preparing a seed bed
Shade loving fruit and nuts
Soil structure
What is a loofah?
What is a potager?
What is a vegetable?
What is the difference between a vegetable and a fruit?

Thursday, 15 January 2015

PATIO GARDENS

Click here for the 'Seeds of Eaden' seed shop

Patio gardens are made up of many planted containers to give an overall effect of a planted garden. Because everything is grown in pots they are a great way of introducing many flowering varieties of plants into one area.

Patio gardens can be a great way of hiding problem areas such as unsightly concrete slabs, softening hard lines or dull corners. Tall pots or climbers and other tall growing plants can be especially valuable in bringing height to large flat areas, creating instant screens or dividing up space.

Because all plants are grown in containers they can be changed frequently to ensure a bright and colourful display.This gives greater flexibility in planning your design and and allows every bit of space to be exploited. Pots and plants can be mixed and matched to keep your patio garden looking good throughout the year.

Carefully chosen plants can make all the difference between a dull patio and one that is full of colour and interest. House plants can even be given a holiday and used to brighten up dull corners when the summer arrives.

Patio gardens are often located next to the house and so can be viewed all year round. Planting up pots regularly will ensure that you have something of interest to look at every day. If you use your patio a lot in the evenings choose big and bold containers and plants with strong, architectural shapes. White and blue flowers show up well in low light levels and many have the benefit of night time scent

The type of pots and containers you use can make a huge difference to the area. Matching your pots through shape, colour or material will give a much better flow to the area and set the scene for your planting. You can extend your garden by installing planters on your walls too.

Choose plants that harmonise with each other for a restful effect, or those that contracts for a more striking and exciting display. Hot colours such as orange, red and yellow will draw the eye and foreshorten the view, whilst pastel colours wil have a more tranquil effect. It is often best to select no more than three colours in order balance the display and to avoid your containers looking too busy.

Patio plants are observed at close quarters so you need to ensure that your plants are looking their best. Choose plants that thrive in that location. A dark north facing patio doesn't have to be dull if you choose plants that thrive in a shady spot. Ferns, variegated leaves and foliage plants will look stunning.

You will have to water your pots regularly to ensure that they keep performing. Plants in a sunny south facing patio will dry out quickly so ensure you plant in a large pot, add water retaining gels to the compost and water daily in the summer if required. Terracotta pots are porous and will lose water so you could line the inside of your pots with plastic sheeting to help conserve water. Add a soluble feed to your water

Pick over your plants regularly to remove dead flower heads as this will encourage repeat flowering and extend the season. Change the position of the pots regularly to get the best display and sit back and enjoy.

Sunday, 11 January 2015

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ALLIGATOR AND A CROCODILE?

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Both crocodiles and alligators are large, predatory lizard-like reptiles that are closely related to each other. These large, semi aquatic reptiles belong to the order Crocodilia which includes the true crocodiles (Crocodylidae), the alligators and caimans (Alligatoridae), and the gharial and false gharial (Gavialidae).

Crocodiles and alligators belong to the sub group Eusuchia. This group appeared 100 million years ago during the late cretaceous period and includes three families, Gavialidae, Crocodylidae and Alligatoridae.

Both are found mainly throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. They have long flattened snouts lined with sharp teeth which deliver a powerful bite. Their eyes, ears and nostrils are located on top of the head, which enables them to see above water whilst submerged almost entirely by it. Confident swimmers, they are also capable of walking on land, and can in fact reach considerable speeds.

The skin on the back is toughened and armoured with embedded bony plates. Typically solitary and territorial animals they are largely carnivorous, feeding on the fish, snails and other invertebrates, birds, frogs, and mammals that come to the water's edge. They use their sharp teeth to seize and hold prey, swallowing small prey whole and shaking apart larger prey into manageable pieces

During the breeding season males stake out their territory, posturing and defining their area. Males will approach females and gently rub head to head, after which the female will either swim away or raise her body to encourage copulation to fertilise her eggs. Females dig the nest in sandy soil above the water line and deposit their eggs. They remain close to the nest until the eggs hatch.

The easiest way to distinguish an alligator from a crocodile is by looking at the teeth. The large fourth tooth in the lower jaw of an alligator fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is not visible when the mouth is closed. This does not happen in crocodiles whose fourth tooth on the bottom jaw of the is visible when its mouth is closed.

Crocodiles have a slimmer, pointed snout than the wider, 'u' shaped snouts of alligators. Their habitat differs too, with crocodiles living in salt water environments whilst alligators are found in freshwater marshes and lakes.

Alligators

There are two living species of alligator, the American alligator and the Chinese alligator. In addition, several extinct species of alligator are known from fossil remains.

Alligators are usually found in freshwater, in slow-moving rivers as well as swamps, marshes and lakes. Because they do not have salt glands they can tolerate salt water for only brief periods.

Alligators grin is different from the crocodile as they hide all their teeth when they close their mouths. Alligators have between 74 and 80 teeth in their mouth at a time and they are replaced with new teeth as they wear down.

The average size for an adult female American alligator is 2.6 meters and the male is 3.4 meters. Large males can reach a weight of nearly half a ton or 1,000 pounds.

Alligators usually remain in a small area but this are is extended during the courting and breeding season. Unlike most other reptiles, alligators care for their hatched young. Young remain with their mother for several years before they are driven out by the group. Young can be distinguished from adults by the bright yellow stripes on the tail; adults have dark stripes on the tail.

Alligators undergo periods of dormancy when the weather is cold, excavating a gator hole in the muds which fills with water. These tunnels can be as long as 20 meters and provide protection during extreme hot or cold weather.

Crocodiles

Sunday, 4 January 2015

HOW TO OVERWINTER GERANIUMS

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Geraniums (Pelagoniums) belong to the same plant family as the hardy Geranium. They are are a great bedding plant and often used in summer floral displays.

However they are tender perennials and so are not frost hardy in cold regions. You may decide to buy new plants in the spring or propagate by cuttings but as an alternative you can keep your existing geraniums for next season by overwintering them carefully.

You may decide to cut the plants back to encourage regrowth in order to make the plants more bushy or you can keep the plants as they are. Prune the geraniums back to 1/2 to 1/3 of their original height. Prior to digging your plants up check them for signs of disease such as rust and clean off any dead leaves or flowers.

Before the onset of frost, around end of October, dig up your geraniums from the garden.
Geraniums require a free draining soil and do not like to be waterlogged so good drainage over winter is essential. Carefully pot them up into individual pots using a free draining compost which incorporates 30% perlite or grit and water gently.

Move to a frost free greenhouse, conservatory or windowsill. Geraniums like warm and sunny position. If the plants are warm and in good light, they are very likely to continue to grow and flower during the winter. The most important factor is to keep them frost free at all times, ideally at around 5 C/41 F.

Keep the air surrounding the plants dry to prevent the onset of moulds and rot by ensuring you have good ventilation. Continue to water when the soil becomes dry as the plants are still growing and will require some moisture to the roots. Occasionally pinch the geraniums to produce stocky, well- branched plants.

Geraniums can be replanted back into the garden in the spring after the risk of frost has passed, usually from May onwards. Remember to harden them off for a few weeks before placing them in their final positions.

For related articles click onto:
Feeding plants
Growing herbs
Growing herbs in pots
Herbaceous borders
How do I attract bees into my garden?
How to grow coriander
How to grow garlic
How to Grow Ginger
How to grow lavender
How to grow mint
How to grow geraniums
How to grow geraniums from seed
How to grow parsley
How to grow rosemary
How to grow strawberries from seed
How to grow thyme
How to make compost
How to overwinter geraniums
How to propagate using division
How to propagate from seed
Plants for free
Preparing a seed bed
Potagers
Watering plants

What is a potager?
What is the difference between a geranium and a pelagonium?

Friday, 2 January 2015

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GERANIUM AND A PELAGONIUM?

Click here for the 'Seeds of Eaden' seed shop

Geraniums are a great summer bedding plant. I remember visiting my local park as a child and seeing bed upon bed of geranium planted out as part of the summer bedding display. This still continues today with many high streets adorned by geraniums growing in hanging baskets or giant free standing containers.

However the half hardy perennials that we commonly refer to as geraniums are in fact classified as Pelagonuiums. True Geraniums are not classified as Pelagoniums.

The confusion of the names is due to the fact that both pelagoniums and geraniums are related and belong to the same family Geraniaceae. When pelagniums were first brought to Europe from South Africa they were grouped with the European Geranium as they shared many similarities. It was later found that they differ in several ways and so were separated into two distinct genus in 1789.

Today the confusion continues as many nurseries and garden centres label pelagniums as geraniums as this is what most people recognise them as. Plants sold as "Ivy Geranium", "Scented Geranium" and "Zonal Geranium" are in fact three species of pelagonium

Geraniums

Also known as hardy geraniums and cranebills, true geraniums are herbaceous plants with deeply divided leaves and cut symmetrical flowers. They are mounding in habit with long slender stems emerging from a central core and fibrous roots.

The flowers have five identically shaped and sized petals and ten fertile stamens. Geraniums are named after the shape of the seed pod, which are curled enabling them to be flung from the parent plant to disperse them.

Geraniums prefer a cooler climate than pelagoniums and because they are herbaceous plants and die down in winter they they can tolerate our colder weather.

Pelagoniums

Pelargoniums are a group of evergreen and tender perennials and occur naturally almost entirely within South Africa. They are adapted to summer drought and have thick, succulent stems and hairy leaves. Often used as colourful summer bedding, these half hardy plants require protection from the frost.

Pelargoniums have bilaterally symmetrical flowers made up from five petals, of which the upper two differ in shape and size from the lower three. They have ten stamens but only up to seven are fertile.

Pelargoniums are so called because their seedpods resemble the beak of a stork (Pelar means stork). Seeds have a feathered end that enables seeds to float away on the breeze.

There are six distinct groups of pelagoniums including:

Zonal: Mainly derived from P. inquinans and P. zonale these upright, bushy, succulent-stemmed perennials are grown for their single or double flowers and attractive foliage.

Regal: These are bushy evergreen perennials and shrubs with rounded leaves, sometimes lobed or partially toothed. They produce single rarely double flowers in shades of mauve, pink, purple or white.

Angel: Mostly derived from P. crispum these plants are similar to regals but are more compact and bushy.

Ivy-leaved: These are trailing, evergreen perennials with stiff, ivy shaped fleshy leaves and a single or double flowers.

Scented-leaved: Cultivated for their scent, these shrubby evergreen perennials and shrubs and there leaves are often distinctly lobed, toothed, incised or variegated.

Unique: These include shrubby evergreen perennials that do not fall into the above categories.

What is a potager?
What is the difference between a geranium and a pelagonium?
What is the difference between a cactus and a succulent?