Gardeners Supply Plant Care & Gardening Advice/Tips/Secrets @ HortChat.com®

How can you propagate wisteria. I live in N. Louisiana?

There are several ways to propagate wisteria.
1. seeds 2. cuttings 3. grafts.

You can take soft stem cuttings in later summer; dip it rootone and plant in sand, perlite, vermiculite or a mixture of all three. Keep moist and when you see signs of new growth you’ll know there are some roots. Not all cultivars will root or be true to the cultivar. Wisteria will bloom 2-3 yrs from stem cuttings-better than 10 yrs. when started from seed.

Another method is by digging out suckers and or roots. The roots will produce a true cultivar. You can also try layering - which is done by covering part of a one year old stem that has been bruised with soil and leaving the shoot tip above the soil line. This will take as long as a year and produce the same plant. When the plant develops new roots you can sever the stem from the main plant and transplant it . Well now you have some choices to make. Have fun

Growing hops

In recent years the popularity of microbreweries and home brewing has been on the increase. Unfortunately, due to less production and higher demand, the rising shortage of hops has increased the cost of beer production. Hops, the bittering agent that gives beer its distinctive flavor is a key ingredient. There are many varieties of hops, each imparts a different aroma and flavor to the beer.

Hops (Humulus Lupulus) is a hardy perennial that is grown from the rhizome of a female hop plant. It can grow vines up to 25 ft in one season which will die back in the winter. It requires 120 frost-free days to produce ripe flowers and given the right conditions will yield 1/2-2 pounds of dried flowers per vine.

Growing hops
Plant the rhizome in full sun and deep in well-drained soil, with a ph of 6-7.5. The top of the rhizome should be 1 inch below the soil surface. If you plant more than one variety, plant them at least 5 ft. apart to avoid mixing of vines, otherwise plant them 3 ft apart. When the vines are 1 ft tall be sure to provide a trellis or support ( twine) to climb on and choose the best 2-3 vines to wind around the support. Leave a few for backup (in case of frost destroys one) and prune away the rest . Once they get started they can grow as much as 12 inches per day. Around the end of June the plant will grow sidearms (flowering stage) which produce the hop cones.

The first year of growth is critical in establishing the root system, so be sure to keep the plants well watered (not soaked) weed free and mulched. A side dressing of a balanced fertilizer or compost tea during the growing season will help produce optimal growth. You may not get many hops the first year but production should increase in subsequent years.

Harvesting hops
Usually, there is little to pick the first year but by the second year, there should be enough to harvest. Typically, they can be picked at the end of August or September before a frost. The cones should be yellowish to a pale green color and feel papery and light. To test if they are ready to pick squeeze a mature hop between your fingers, if it stays compressed, feels soft and damp , then they are not ready. If it springs back and emits a “hoppy”aroma then it is mature enough to pick. Mature cones will have a dark yellow powder known as lupulin which is in the center of the cone. Lupulin contains all the acids and oils that emits the hoppy aroma and can make you “loopy”. It is what flavors the beer.

After harvesting, hops need to be dried or they will spoil. A food dehydrater works nicely. If you don’t have one, place your hops on a screen and dry outdoors away from direct sun or dry them in your oven at a low temperature. Place dried hops in vacumn sealed or ziplock bags squeezing out as much air as possible, then store in a freezer. To test if your hops are dry enough, pull on the petals if they break off easily and the inner stem is brittle enough so that is breaks instead of bends, then your hops are dry enough to store.

Hop rhizomes can be purchased at homebrew supply stores as well as on the internet.
Even if you’re not a brewer, hops make an attractive ornamental vine which can be used to make decorative wreaths.
source: www.uvm.edu/-pass/perry/hopsmore.html http://brewery.org/brewery/library/HopGrow.html

When You See Poinsettias in Stores-You Know Christmas is Near!

Poinsettia plants have long been a symbol of Christmas. With brightly colored red flowers they blend well with holiday decorations. If your decorations are anything but red, there are still options for you, because the Poinsettia comes in various colors-pinks, yellows, marbled and reds.

Today, it seems that some nurseries are even coloring plants to make them more appealing. The original Poinsettias are just as beautiful, and as long as you take care of them, they’ll last for years-far beyond the holidays. So, even though they are thought of as a Christmas plant, they can adorn your home or yard throughout the years.

There Are Many Ways to Display Poinsettias

Choose location carefully and ensure no sudden changes in temperature. There should be no cold or drafts, nor vents that overheat them. They like sun, but not direct sun.

If you’re looking for a holiday theme, Poinsettias blend in well. By bunching them in certain areas they will add beauty to your home. Place in rooms that need brightening. Some say it’s best to coordinate the plants with the decorations you choose, but that’s really not necessary since the flowers lend themselves to any décor during the holidays.
Before buying, make sure the plant is healthy. Check the stems for firmness, they shouldn’t be soft or pliable, put you finger in the soil to see if it’s damp not dry. Check for brown spots on leaves, mites or other insects that may have infested the plant.

Caring for Your Poinsettia Plant

Keep the plants at a temperature of 60-70 degrees and in a well lit area. Water them well, then allow them to dry out before watering again. Poinsettias are sensitive plants and require a little more care, but they are worth it when you see the beauty of the holidays. Once the plant is past blooming, fertilize it with an all purpose fertilizer. Enjoy it beyond the holidays by following these easy steps:

- When the holidays are over and the plants begin to droop, pinch them and cut the stem back a few inches in order for them to become bushy and full later.

-When spring arrives, you’ll have a gorgeous plant that you can bring out and care for. Water only when the soil feels dry, the Poinsettia can be destroyed if over watered.

- Bring the plant out in the spring to a sunny location, feed and water regularly. Place in full sun for the summer, after the chance of frost is gone. Before autumn, decide to leave them outside, or bring them back indoors to rebloom.

Poinsettias make great gifts, purchase them with care, treat them with love, and give them a chance to grow back next season!

About the Author: Angela Lytle is a self-employed mother of four and publisher of Christmas Decorations Online a website featuring holiday decorations from Artificial Christmas Trees for your home to Outdoor Christmas Lights to brighten up your holiday display.