|
|
Welcome to Hortchat.Com, your Horticulture and Gardening Tips website!
Hortchat is an interactive community web site in which you can get information on garden and plant tips, ask questions and make comments.
I would like to personally welcome you to the site. My name is Kris and I will be your host. I have a degree in horticulture and have studied and worked with plants for many years. I have also volunteered as a Master Gardener for 17 years.
At Hortchat, we share the trials and tribulations of gardening and growing plants. We may not know everything but we’ll try our best to help. If you have a suggestion or solution to a gardening / plant problem , we would like to hear about it. We are interested in giving folks the best gardening tips and creating a great community of expert gardeners!
For current updates go to Seasonal plant tips…
Sign up for our monthly gardening newsletter!
Thanks SO much for visiting, check our site often for the latest articles and comments on your favorite posts.
Feel free to email me anytime at: kris {at} hortchat.com
Warmly,
Instead of discarding your poinsettia after the Holiday season, take on the challenge of re-blooming it for the next year.
Here’s what you need to do.
Maintain and water the plant indoors until March to May. If the plant becomes leggy and bare cut it back to 4-6 inch stems in Feb/March. This will stimulate new growth from the buds in the leaf axils.
Place the plant in a sunny spot with temperatures of 60-70F.
Start feeding your poinsettia with a well-balanced houseplant fertilizer every 2-3 weeks and continue throughout the growing season.
When new growth starts to show, repot the plant in fresh soil and a larger pot if needed.
In mid-May/June, move your poinsettia outside (when night temps are above 50F) to partial shade, protected from the afternoon sun. You can sink the pot into your flower bed. Be sure to rotate the pot periodically so the roots don’t grow into the soil.
If the plant gets too tall and misshapen pinch back the lateral shoots between July-August to produce a bushier plant. Use the cuttings can also be rooted as new plants.
Initiate blooming
In the fall, when temperatures get below 45ºF for an extended period bring your poinsettia indoors. Poinsettias need short days and long nights to bloom. To initiate blooming you must expose the plant to 14 hrs of uninterrupted darkness (no cheating, even a small amount of light will break the cycle) followed by 10 hrs of bright light for a period of 8-10 weeks starting late September. Keep it in a room that you don’t use in the evening or place it in a black plastic bag or a box. (Don’t forget to take it out during the day.)
Grow indoors
Poinsettia needs a cool, bright location during the day with temperatures ranging from 60 to 70F. Water when the soil surface is dry and drain any excess water. Don’t let your plant sit in water as that can cause the roots to rot.
Continue to fertilize lightly every 4 wks with 15-16-17, or 20-10-20 until flowering begins (mid-December). Once the plant is in bloom stop fertilizing and resume again in March.
It takes 60-85 days depending on variety, temperature and light intensity for the bracts to show color.
Reblooming poinsettia requires persistent attention but can be a rewarding challenge!
more info Poinsettia care
Grow Gerbera Daisy
Gerbera daisy (Gerbera Jamesonii) also known as African daisy, Barberton Daisy, and Transvaal Daisy originates from South Africa, Madagascar to South American and tropical Asia.
Gerbera daisy is known for its bright vivid colors and large daisy-like flowers that grow on bare stems 10-18 inches tall. It is hardy in zones 9-10 and usually grown as an annual or tender perennial that can be brought inside during the winter. This eye-catching flower attracts bees and butterflies. In a NASA study for indoor air improvement, Gerbera proved effective in removing chemical vapors and toxic gases.* 
Soil and location
Plant gerbera daisy in a sunny location protected from the hot afternoon sun. Full sun is best for more flower production. It should be planted in rich well-drained soil when the night temperatures are in the 40′s at night. As with many plants, they don’t like wet, soggy soil. If you have clay soil, one that holds moisture and stays wet, you will need to amend the soil by adding organic material such as peat moss, compost,etc. to improve drainage. If the soil cannot be amended, then a raised bed or container is suggested. Plant the crowns above the soil level, too deep will invite crown rot.
Care
Water early in the day and allow it to dry slightly between watering. Avoid overhead watering. Improper watering and poor drainage will lead to problems such as crown rot and poor flower production.
Feed monthly with a 1/2 strength balanced fertilizer and every two weeks during the flowering period (spring and summer). Maintain the plant by removing spent flowers and old leaves.
Propagation
Gerbera daisy can be started from seed 10-20 weeks before the last frost. No pretreatment is required. After collection, seeds should be germinated within 1-2 months. They may even reseed themselves during the summer. Keep in mind that plants grown from seed may differ from the parent plant. You can also divide the plant in the spring or take basal cuttings in the summer and dip in rooting hormone.
Cut flower
Not only is Gerbera daisy attractive in the garden or as a potted plant; they are also a favorite cut flower. The long vase life of up to 14 days and a myriad of available colors make this a favorite for floral designers. Hybridizers have produced hundreds of varieties with almost every color available except for blue and purple.
*Eco Friendly House Plants/Wolverton
Problems: Thrips, leafminer, spider mite, caterpillar, botrytis, powdery mildew, fungal rot and crown rot.
How to make winter spruce top planters
When frost turns the contents of your outdoors planters into a blackened mushy mess; rather than dragging the pots into storage, think about sprucing up and adding a little green to your planters for the Holiday season. Winter planter gardens are a great way to continue to “garden” during the winter months.
A great way to redecorate your outdoor container is to add a spruce tree tops along with assorted evergreens and foliage such as pine tips, blueberried juniper, incensed cedar, oregonia, red huck, ruscus, or dyed seeded eucalyptus. Insert a spruce tree top into the soil in the center of the pot and add pine tips or greens all around the edge of the planer to fill in.
Once you have the basic design, get creative! Peruse your yard for additional natural items such as sticks (Red twig dogwood), birch sticks, curly willow, Winterberry, dried pods, and pine cones. These will add a vertical accent to your planter garden. To brighten your planters add colorful holiday picks, artificial berries and finish off with holiday lights.
You can purchase many items at your garden center or local craft stores. Once you are finished arranging your winter planter continue to water until a freeze. Freezing temperatures will harden the soil surface and keep your container intact through the winter. Spraying the greens with a wilt stop will also help keep them green.
A video is worth a thousand words. Here’s a demostration from Hawthorn garden center on how to make your own spruce tree top container the quick and easy way. http://youtu.be/u NVrJeBLnVQ
Hardy mum winter survival care tips
I had saved my hardy chrysanthemums in their original plastic pots and put the potted plants into the ground to over-winter. Now, I want to remove the plants from the plastic pots and transplant directly into the soil. When is the best time to do this?
Not many of the “hardy” potted mums bought in autumn in zone 4 will survive the winter. Even though they are called hardy mums, their hardiness can vary. Cold winters and poor draining soil are some of the factors that have an affect on their survival. In addition, when growing mums for the market, growers pay more attention to color, shape and abundance of flowers than to cold hardiness. The result is a beautiful plant with a root system that cannot support it.
Buying mums
When buying mums make sure they are hardy cultivars that fit your climate. In northern climates early blooming mums are more suitable. In zone 6-7 mid-season mums are better. Choose plants with buds that are just starting to open and show color.
Watering
By the time your potted mum hits the market, the plants are usually pot bound and full of roots. They will have a tendency to dry out much faster and need to be monitored every day for watering. If allowed to dry out, the lifespan is reduced.
Planting mums
Planting in the fall, doesn’t always work because there may not be enough time to develop a good root system, so for any chance of success plant in early fall or 6 weeks before the first frost.
Best time to plant hardy mums is in the spring. In your case, try transplanting in the spring, when the soil is workable; if any viable roots wintered over, you should see some green shoots emerge when the weather warms up. Otherwise, buy hardy mum plants in the spring and see how big they get by autumn.
To help hardy mums survive the winter outdoors cut them back down to 6″ after they are done blooming leaving some of the stems to trap winter snow for insulation. Also mulch your mums after a hard freeze with several inches of straw, pine needles or evergreens, the added insulation will protect the root system. Avoid using leaves as they tend to mat down and add little insulation.
Save your mums
Too late to plant outdoors? Keep your mums through the winter and plant them in the spring. Bring your mums inside before a hard freeze. Leave the plant in the pot and don’t trim it. Store your mum in a cool spot such as a garage or a shed. Water occasionally to keep the soil from drying out completely. Check on them periodically during the dormant winter season. In spring, when new growth emerges at the base of the plant, trim the dead stems and plant in the garden.
 History
Derived from the Greek word pepon meaning large melon, the word pumpkin went thru several changes. The French nasalized pepon into pompon, the English in turn pronounced it as pumpion and the American colonist (rebels that they were) changed it to pumpkin. Its long history dates back many centuries but originated in Central America.
There are many benefits to this Native American fruit (yes, it is considered a fruit). Pumpkins were used not only for food but medicine and other items. The seeds were thought to expel worms and prevent prostate problems. The Native American used to roast seeds and strips of pumpkins on an open fire and eat them. They would also dry flattened strips and make mats out of them. Pumpkins were used for removing freckles and healing snake bites.
The first pumpkin pie happened when Colonist cut the top off, removed the seeds, poured milk, spices and honey inside, then baked it in hot ashes. The pumpkin was then the crust, not the filling. Today, Pumpkins are still used as a vegetable, in soups, breads and pies. The flowers are edible and the seeds are still roasted and enjoyed as a delightful snack.
Pumpkins have come a long way; they vary in size, shape and color adding new avenues to creative decorations as well as culinary delights. Stemming from a large gene pool, some have been hybridized for unique shapes and coloration while others for their seeds, texture and flavor. Heirloom pumpkins seeds maintain the genetic bio-diversity that is important to future crops. Each unique variety that has been passed down for generations has developed some resistance to disease or pests which can be used to breed into modern varieties. 
The Seed Savers Exchange works diligently to preserve and save the genetic history of many crops from extinction. If you have some heirloom seeds to share, contact the Seed Exchange (seedsavers.org).
How to grow pumpkins
Pumpkins are a warm weather crop and do not tolerate
cold temperatures. In cooler climates they can be started indoors in pots, one month before the frost-free date and then planted outdoors when the weather permits. Seeds can be planted directly in the garden when the soil warms up, after the frost-free date. 
Pumpkins need full sun (8-10 hrs) and well drained soil with lots of room to grow. Before planting, till the soil and add compost or organic material or add a 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of 1 1/2 lbs per 100 sq. ft..
Pumpkins are heavy feeders. Feed the plants with 10-10-10 every 2 weeks during the growing season.
The plants need 100+days to produce pumpkins before the frost.
Common Problems: Squash vine borer, powdery mildew
Need to know how to harvest & store your pumpkins?
Jasmine polyanthum also referred to as winter jasmine, pink jasmine or Chinese evergreen jasmine is a native of China and a member of the Olive family (Oleaceae). It produces very fragrant, star-shaped white flowers that start as rosy, pink pointed buds. The woody vine is a vigorous grower that can with support climb up to 20 ft outdoors. It is grown as a ground cover, on a trellis, in a container or in a hanging basket. It can be grown outdoors year round in zone 9 and up.
Care:
Jasmine prefers well-drained fertile soil. It needs at least 4 hours of bright direct sun and can be grown in full sun outdoors. Water regularly during the growing season and fertilize every 2-3 weeks with a high phosphorous fertilizer (15-30-15) to encourage blooming.
Bloom set
J. polyanthum is a seasonal bloomer that will set bud when exposed to temperatures below 40-60 F for 4-6 weeks. It blooms primarily in late winter into spring and then sporadically throughout the year.
Winterover
In colder climates, bring the plant indoors when night temperatures reach 40 F and treat it like a houseplant. Place your jasmine in bright filtered light and keep the soil slightly moist but not soggy. Provide increased humidity during the winter by placing the plant on a pebble tray . Once the flower buds are set, move it in a sunny bright, cool location. J. polyanthum requires less water in the winter.
Pruning
To control the vigorous growth, Jasmine needs frequent pinching. Cut the plant back after blooming and during the summer to control growth and prevent tangling.
Repot into pots 1-2 sizes larger every 2-3 years in the spring after flowering.
Propagate in the summer from tip cuttings or by layering. They can also be started from seed which do not require stratification.
Problems
Spider mites, aphids, mealy bugs and scale.
It can also be susceptible to iron chlorosis (yellowing leaves with dark green veins) which can be corrected by adding chelated iron to the fertilizer when needed.
More info on Confederate Jasmine
Whether you grow your own or purchase them, lilies make great cut flowers to use in a vase or floral arrangements.
When cutting fresh lilies from your garden to enjoy indoors, leave 1/2 to 2/3 of the stem of the plant so it will not harm the plant for future bloom.
Care
For maximum enjoyment, cut them early in the morning, when they
are just about to open. Use a sharp knife or shears for a clean cut. Remove lower leaves that may be underwater and place your cut flowers in tepid water with floral preservative.
When the buds start to open, remove the anthers (male part of the plant with the yellow pollen). This will lenghten the life span of the flowers and avoid petal stain.
Take care not to get pollen on your clothes as it will also stain. If you do, brush it off with a dry paper towel, that should remove most of it.
Store your lilies in a cool room away from direct sun, cold drafts and heating vents.
Tight buds
If the buds are tight and you need opened flowers, here’s something you can do to coax them to open.
Recut the stems and place them in lukewarm water with cut flower food. Warmer water will open them faster. Another trick is to place a plastic bag over the whole bucket of stems to increase the humidity and temperature. The cut lilies should start to open in a day or so. Keep the bucket away from direct sun until you remove the plastic cover. When the buds start to open, remove the pollen from the stamens. This will prolong freshness and avoid any pollen stains.
If the buds don’t open, they may have been damaged from poor storage such as ethylene gas exposure. If the lilies start to open too fast, place them in a cooler environment away from light.
Optimally, cut lily* stems should last 7-14 days. Individual flowers last 4-7 days.
*depends on variety
Zinnia a native of Mexico is grown as an tender annual. It tolerates the summer heat and produces one of the best colorful display of flowers during the summer.
With so many varieties, zinnias come is all sizes from 6 inches to 4 feet tall. The flowers, which attract butterflies range from 1” button shape to large double flowers that are 7” across.
Care
Zinnias are one of the easiest annuals to grow. Plant them outdoors in full sun in rich, fertile soil. They stand up to summer heat but will not tolerate cold so be sure to plant them when night temperatures are above 50F. Zinnia should be spaced ½ distance of their mature height. For example, if the variety’s mature height will be 24” tall then space them 12 inches apart. Plant taller varieties in back of the flower bed. Fertilize at planting and then once a month during the growing season.
Water
As with all plants, zinnia should get at least 1“ of water per week. Water in the morning and avoid getting the foliage wet. Mature plants will tolerate dry conditions but for best bloom be sure they get enough water during hot weather.
Start from seeds
Plant seeds indoors 4-5 weeks before setting outside. Sow seeds 1/4″ deep and keep the soil moist. For good germination maintain seed flat with a bottom heat of 70 F. Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days @ 75F. Once germinated you can reduce temp to 60F. Seeds started at lower temperatures 50F will germinate less or rot in the soil. Transplant seedlings into cell packs or small pots when they develop 2 pairs of true leaves.
You can sow seeds directly outdoors in rich well drained soil after danger of frost has passed. Depending on variety space plants 4”-24” apart. Pinch back your plants when they have 4-6 leaves to get bushier plants. You should have flowers by midsummer until frost.
Maintenance
Deadhead-Remove faded flowers for longer bloom.
Support taller plants with stakes. 
Disease
The biggest problem with zinnia is powdery mildew which shows up during hot days and cool nights. Avoid crowding plants and good air circulation.
Cut flowers 
Garden zinnias (Z elegans) make excellent cut flowers to use in arrangements.
For cutting flowers grow the large-flowered class such as
Giant cactus – Big Top and Fruit Bowl- which produce large 6″ ruffled flowers and gets 22″-24″ tall.
State Fair Mix 5″-6” flowers. Popular variety. Good resistance to powdery mildew and alternaria.
Ruffles Series F1 is also a tall variety 24“-30” with 2 ½” ruffled double flowers.
For garden plantings
Peter Pan- large 3” slightly curled, double flowers get 10-12” tall.
Pulcino – 2 ½” flowers, get 10-15” tall. Is more resistant to disease than most zinnias
Pumilas – 2’-2 ½’ small pompon flowers on bushy plants that get 1 ½-2’ tall
Lilliput- semi-dwarf grows 12” tall and produces small pom-pom or conical shape blooms
Thumbelina extra-dwarf 1 ½ “ double flowers and grows 6-8” tall nice compact plant great for edging
Zahara series- new variety with larger flowers and disease resistance gets 12″-18″ tall,
Mexican zinnia (Z. baageana) 1 ½”-2” flowers, single, double, gets 12-18” tall. Comes in red, mahogany, yellow, orange, some two toned. “Persian carpet” one of my favs.
|
|
