Every plant professional or serious gardener sooner or later learns about the possibilities of vermiculite. Vermiculite, a form of mica, is a soft, spongy mineral, practically worthless before being processed. Deposits are found throughout the world. In the US it has been mined in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. After […]
Archives for January 2009
Organic
Organic – In popular usage, all products of natural origin are organic. In fertilizers: manure, fish, and sludge, are organic; chemical plant foods derived from the air or from minerals and synthetically produced are called inorganic. Proponents of organics point out that soils become less “friable” when inorganics are used. Users of inorganic plant foods […]
House Plants Something Old Something New
Indoor house plants and foliage plants should be decorative, since adding beauty to the indoor scene is their primary purpose. Equally important, however, is their durability, and the ease with which they may be grown. Often we are apt to be so “taken” with a plant’s appearance that we buy it without giving a thought […]
Herbicides
Herbicides are chemical substances used to kill plants. They may be non-selective and kill all vegetation to which they are applied or sterilize the soil. Others which destroy one type of plant without appreciably affecting another are called selective herbicides. Weed-and Feed lawn fertilizers are examples of fertilizers with selective herbicides incorporated. They destroy broadleaved […]
Growing Tuberous Begonias
Many landscape gardeners in the sizzling sections of Mid-America have ruefully concluded that tuberous begonias are something denied to them for outdoor garden decoration. Usually they have come to this conclusion after several summers of failure with these beauties. Thank goodness, evidence is accumulating that we have been wrong. Apparently tuberous begonias CAN be grown […]
NPK
NPK – The symbols for the big three nutrients needed by plants. N is for nitrogen P is for phosphorus K is for potash The percent of each element in a package or bottle of fertilizer is always shown in NPK order. For example a 16-16-8 fertilizer is 16%, 16% and 8% per cent potash. […]
Orchid Bloom Sheath Forming
Maybe only an Orchid hobbyist will fully appreciate this – but this is what happened to me. Several years ago I bought an orchid plant in the fall for a couple of dollars at a bargain sale. It grew nicely and developed several leaves, each with a sheath. By spring I was rather disgusted because […]
Stepelia gigantea
A plant of the giant starfish cactus, Stepelia gigantea, occupied an exalted position among the rare plants in my little greenhouse. I had been told that the flower had a slight odor; one person said it was not so bad but that the beauty of the flower would make up for the scent. By and […]
Malathion
Malathion – Has been used for decades. Malathion is a safe insecticide in the hands of the gardener. Malathion has a wide range of insects it controls.
Garden Inventory Check Tools and Equipment
This is a perfect time of year to check over your garden and your tools and equipment. Inspect the garden structures – walls, walks, fences and replace and realign them. Check plants for mechanical or insect damage and treat them before it is too late. Some plants may need replacing or replanting to give your […]