One of the advantages of these plants is that they retain the glossy black color throughout the year. This is more applicable for those in warmer areas, but, in colder regions, the condition of the foliage may deteriorate during winter. However, black mondo grass is found to be a wonderful non messy plant for growing and the following paragraph deals with how to grow black mondo grass properly.

Black Mondo Grass Care

If you plan to grow black mondo grass, it will be always better to a basic understanding about the plant and its requirements. This plant requires well drained soil, which is acidic and rich in decomposed organic matter. You may plant them at locations that provide them with full sun or partial shade. Prepare the soil by tilling and adding some compost. You may also add a small amount of slow release fertilizer. If you want to plant black mondo grass in containers, use a good quality potting mix with good drainage. Once done, make holes that can accommodate the root ball of the grass. If there are more than one, keep a distance of at least eight to ten inches between them. Plant black mondo grass and water the soil thoroughly. The soil should be kept moist, till the plants get established.

As black mondo grass is said to be resistant to drought, regular watering is not required. But, during growing season, you have to water them thoroughly, once a week. You may remove those dead leaves from the plant, but, avoid cutting them in whole, as it takes quite some time for them to regrow. Some people resort to mulching during fall. Black mondo grass propagation is usually done by separating the young plants that develop from the roots. Even black mondo grass seeds can be used for this purpose. Another advantage of this plant is that it is resistant to pests and diseases.

To summarize, black mondo grass can be a wonderful addition to your garden or landscape. Growing them is also easy, as compared to some of other plants that can be messy and require a lot of care. The above said is a brief overview about growing black mondo grass and if you have further queries, get them cleared from a horticulturist, before venturing into the task of planting them.

Similar to the misconception that revolved around genetically modified foods, lots of questions have been put forth regarding the introduction of hydroponic tomatoes in the market. People are concerned about the hydroponic tomatoes nutrients, taste and quality. According to avid gardeners, hydroponic tomatoes taste is superior than the store bought ones. Instead of picking at the immature stage, the green tomatoes are allowed to ripen in the plant itself. Also, the nutrients fed to the plants are adjusted to ensure great taste and high nutritional value.

How to Grow Hydroponic Tomatoes at Home?

The method of maintaining plants in water is definitely a boon for gardeners who are left with unsuitable soil or no spare land for nurturing plants. This gives a chance to implement their personal skills and enjoy their hobby. In fact, there are several advantages of growing tomatoes hydroponically, such as easy plant maintenance, efficient use of water and fertilizer, high yield and easy pest control. If you are interested in knowing how to grow hydroponic tomatoes indoors, the following are simple to understand guidelines for you.

Choose the System
Consider the type of cultivar, tomato size and available space while selecting the hydroponic production system or setting up homemade hydroponic system. A popularly used model is expandable drip system, configured with the usual drip irrigation. Over here, the planting system is positioned at a higher level than the nutrient reservoir. The nutrients from the reservoir are fed to the plants, which then circulate back by gravity.

Tomato Propagation Mode
Needless to mention, hydroponic tomatoes are maintained as a part of indoor gardening. For growing hydroponic tomatoes, you can start with seeds or purchase young tomato plants from nursery. Seed propagation is preferred to avoid pest problems, and also to reduce cost. Either you can use rockwool starter cubes (presoak with water) or simple garden tray containing perlite and peat moss. Sow seeds, and keep them moist and covered till they germinate. Then, transfer the sprouts under fluorescent light for maximum light exposure.

Tomato Seedling Transplantation
Tomato seedlings are ready for transplantation when you notice true leaves. This is one of the crucial steps of growing hydroponic tomatoes indoors. So, go through the user guide provided with the system. First, prepare the hydroponic nutrient solution as directed in the label and fill the reservoir. Directly transfer the seedlings from the starter cube to the individual pot, provided in the hydroponic system. Cover them with porous rocks (haydite) to give support to the plants.

Hydroponic Tomato Care
On an average, 1 gallon of nutrient solution is required for feeding tomato plants. Besides this, caring for hydroponic tomatoes includes providing optimal light (use metal halide to give 16-18 hours light daily), total darkness for respiration (8 hours), temperature (70-80 °F is preferable), pH (preferably 5.8-6.3) and humidity (70-75 percent is ideal). Keep a close eye over the plants for any notable changes in the leaf color and flowers, so that you can correct the problem as early as possible.

In a nutshell, simple tricks to be noted regarding how to grow hydroponic tomatoes successfully are selecting appropriate cultivar, hydroponic system and giving diligent care. Once you are familiar with this innovative gardening technique, you can grow similar garden vegetables like, cucumber, lettuce, pepper, salad veggies and herbs in your hydroponic system.

During summers, water can get hot, and so the little creatures need cool areas around. Additionally, you need to remember that, leaves would fall on the water, so you need to think of measures to clean them. So these were some of the most important points which you need to keep in mind while going for koi pond construction, now let’s take a look at the cost of constructing a pond. You may like to know about koi pond maintenance so that the pond remains clean.

Koi Pond Construction Cost

The cost of koi pond construction depends of several factors, the first and most important being the cost of koi fish. Then you need to consider all the building materials like the size of the pond liner, cost of stones or rocks which need to be used at the bottom of the pond, pump and filter which needs to be fitted, UV sterilizer, fittings and PCV pipes and not to mention the cost of labor. Moreover, you also need to consider how big the pond would be, bigger the pond, more the money you would have to spend. Usually for a standard sized pond of 19 ft. in depth and width, and 4 ft. depth, you may need to spend about US $8000, and this amount does not include the cost of koi.

How to Build a Koi Pond

While thinking of how to build a koi pond, you need to remember to plant as less plants as possible on the bed of the pond. That’s because these fish have some plants, so avoid planting them. The position of the pond should be such that rain water does not flow into the pond as it may carry chemicals and fertilizers to the pond which may be harmful for these little creatures. If you live in a cold area, then you may need to build a deeper pond so that, all the water does not freeze in winter. While digging the pond, make sure a portion at one end of the pond is deeper than the rest. The water filter should be buried besides the pond, so that they can filter the water well. You can also opt to use a concrete wall around the pond with a coating of fiberglass so that chemicals and other harmful substances does not enter your pond.

So these were some important points which you should remember while going for koi pond construction. When you construct a pond, it’s always better to consult a professional so that your pets can live a healthy life.

Bogs and sphagnum mosses share a symbiotic relationship. Bogs and all vegetation that thrive there are completely dependent upon rainfall to derive nutrition. Sphagnum moss has an important role to play here, as it has the ability to trap and store air and rainwater within its cells that can be used by the rest of the bog after the rains have ceased. Let’s take a look at some other interesting facts about sphagnum moss.

Sphagnum Moss Facts

Check out these interesting facts about sphagnum moss and you’ll realize that this particular moss is much more than a bog-shroud. •The largest number of Sphagnum species occur in the Northern hemisphere including the Arctic tundra biome where they can be seen in the summer months growing over moist, soggy, summer marshes. A few species are also found in the Southern hemisphere, especially in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, sub-tropical regions of Brazil and Tasmania.
•Like all other species of moss, the sphagnum moss is also capable of dispersing its spores aerially.
•Due to its ability to lock large amounts of moisture and air within its cells, peat moss is widely used as a soil conditioner for gardening and horticulture.
•The absorbing capability and acidic composition of peat moss made it a popular dressing for wounds during both World Wars, since it acts as an anti bacterial agent and fungicide.
•Peat moss is considered as an organic alternative to chlorine for purifying the water of swimming pools.
•Mushroom grow well in peat moss conditioned soil.
•Peat covered bogs, due to their acidic environment, are known to have been used for preserving food items like butter and lard.
•Sphagnum moss is also useful in dissolving septic tank effluents where the soil is inappropriate for such activity.
•Despite all its anti-bacterial and fungicidal properties (owing to its acidic environment), peat moss is often known to be a host to the Sporothrix schenckii fungus which can lead to Sporotrichosis on contact with broken skin.
•There are about as many as 300 species of moss that compose of the sphagnum genus.
Sphagnum moss is often cultivated by gardeners and horticulturists for enlivening their bog gardens as well as to condition and replenish garden soil and act as a fertilizer to other flowering plants and ferns. Growing sphagnum moss is quite easy. The simplest way to cultivate sphagnum moss is to lay some dead peat at the bottom of a vessel full of water and laying a little live moss culture on top of it. Leave the vessel out in the rain and allow the sphagnum moss to grow and spread. This way, you may be able to create your very own bog garden.

Right Timing
Take into consideration the timing of the year when you are going about transplanting the roses. It has been seen that late winter to early spring is the best time to carry this forth and help in the growing roses process. It is during this time that the rose plants are in their dormancy and therefore the shock of being transplanted and acclimatizing themselves to a completely new environment will be lowered. They aren’t in bloom either so that will make it even more easier for them. Even though it helps transplanting roses in the early spring, transplanting roses in summer or transplanting roses in fall can be done just as successfully if the right steps of transferring are taken underway.

Preparing for Transplanting
Select the area where you want to transplant the roses. Dig individual holes of 15-18 inches in depth and 20 inches in width. Maintain a 10 inch gap between each hole. Next, prepare the soil by mixing it with organic matter so that the roots of the plant have sufficient nutrition when transferred. Water the soil and keep it moist. Pruning roses before the transplanting process is necessary for maintaining their health.

Digging Out the Rose Bush
Water the rose bush for a week before transplanting it. This will allow the roots to have maximum moisture and help in the transplanting. Dig a clean circular hole that is about 10 inches against the roots of the roses. Slowly dig with a spade, being careful not to harm the root which can be achieved by making the soil loose with water. Dig for about 10 inches and try and collect whatever roots you can. Anything beyond that needs to be cut out with clean strokes. Dig deeper till you reach the ball of the roots and can dig the entire bush out. Dig it out and let the soil fall off from the root surface. In case of transplanting climbing roses, you’ll need to untie the rose canes and carefully tie them so that the roots don’t break. Then follow the same method of transplanting roses and learn how to grow roses well thereafter.

Transplanting Roses
Make a mound of soil to place the plant on. Place the plant on the mound and take special care in spreading the roots out. After the plant has been placed on the mound, fill the surrounding hole half way over and then pour water over it so that it spreads around. Let the water dry out. After it does, fill the hole with more soil. Make a ring around the rose bush at the roots and water. This will help hold the water in. Once this water has been soaked in, add more soil. Add an inch of fertilizer and mulch over the roots so that it continues to get the required nutrition. Water the plants with an inch of water every week thereafter for essential rose bush care.

These were some comprehensive steps on how to go about transplanting roses successfully. Now that you know the kind of precautions and steps you need to take for making this happen, I’m sure you’ll will transfer the roses just fine and make them bloom right through.

Here, let me share the procedure of softwood cuttings propagation, which is effective for many flowering plants. Most shrubs and bushes can be propagated by following the below steps.

Taking Softwood Cuttings
When cutting the cross section of the stem to be propagated, it is important to know the timing as to when the softwood cutting can be taken. A softwood is basically a region in a plant which is in a growing phase, neither very young and nor very woody. So the best time to take these cuttings is end of May or in June or July. To determine whether the stem is in the softwood stage or not, take a section of the stem and try bending it. If it snaps instantly, then the stem is ideal to be propagated. The best time in the day to take these cuttings is immediately after day break, when the plant is quite hydrated. Lateral shoots that grow on top of the plant make the best softwood cuttings. Taking these cuttings in the wee hours of the morning is much recommended as these shoots, if exposed to sunlight, will dehydrate and wilt quickly. The cutting size should be approximately 3-5 inches ans should have at least some foliage.

Rooting Softwood Cuttings
The next step of the entire propagation procedure is rooting the softwood cuttings. So first, remove the lower set of leaves to open out the wounds to let the rooting happen. Then, dip the stem into a solution of water and rooting hormone powder. The rooting hormone powder helps in a faster rooting process as the powder contains the same auxins used for initiating the root growth in plants. Now place the cutting in a shallow pot with a good drainage, containing a perlite mixture (60% perlite and 40% soilless mixture and coarse sand). A perlite mixture helps in better draining of soil, as too much of moisture can rot the rooting. Now, plant the cuttings in the soil and trim the remaining leaves to reduce any loss of transpiration. To enhance the root development, small wood stakes can be fixed on the corners of the pack. And then place the whole potted cutting inside a plastic bag, which will create the appropriate humid condition required for the rooting to take place. Place the plant in a shaded region of your garden, where it gets little sunlight and more shade.

Checking for Root Development
After 4-5 weeks, results are much noticeable. One can check the bottom of the pot and small white roots would have erupted through the drainage holes of the pot bottom. If the roots are not visible, try pulling the cutting and if it is exhibiting resistance, it means, the roots are still developing and your plant is just fine! With a healthy growing environment with requisite sunlight and moisture, the primary and secondary roots start emerging gradually and within 6 weeks, you will see a young shrub sprouting out of the pot. Once the rooting is complete, transfer the shrub to its new pot which contains 80% soil and 20% perlite. Water the soil with kelp based fertilizer and nutrient rich sea weed. Come monsoons, one can transfer these young shrubs to a sheltered nursery where they can continue growing and blossoming until late winter.

Usually, softwood cuttings of deciduous plants root fast. And when taking these cuttings, it is important to keep them hydrated for a period of 2-6 weeks before the propagation procedure. Propagating plants from cuttings is a very effective means of growing plants, shrubs and trees. Many deciduous garden shrubs and trees can be propagated by softwood cuttings taken in summer. Below listed are some of the deciduous green shrubs/trees which can liven up your flower gardens, are propagated by this procedure:
•Butterfly bush
•Crape myrtle
•Blue mist shrub
•Deciduous azaleas
•Flowering quince
•Japanese maples
•Magnolias (Magnolia tree)
•Rugosa rose
•Smoke tree
•Honeysuckles
•Lilac
•Willows
•Wintercreeper
•Forsythias
•Virginia sweetspire
•Winter hazels
•Daphne
•Redtwig dogwood
•Beautyberry
•Witch hazels
•Chinese stranvaesia
•Slender deutzia
•Viburnums
•Beautybush
So, this was all I had to share with you about the softwood cuttings and propagation. So if you are planning to liven up your yard and garden with the above mentioned beautiful shrubs, do follow the procedure carefully and you will find a lush green leafage adding to the chic look of your home and garden. You may also try propagating roses from cuttings and the myriad colors of the roses will only beautify your garden all the more! And this is of course, a good start to hone your gardening skills! Good luck…!!
 

Garden Layout
Imagine your small garden as a whole component without dividing into different sections. Already you have a limited area, and separating into different sections will look messy. Of course, you can include hidden paths in between the garden for maintenance purpose. But, the theme of your flower garden layout should be such that you can enjoy the garden stretch as a whole (in one view).

Gardening Approach
In order to design a small garden like a professional landscaping person, the first step is to be firm with what you want in your garden. Are you maintaining a garden just to beautify your yard with colorful blooms? Or you want to grow seasonal vegetables too? Accordingly, you can proceed with the further steps of selecting plant varieties and decorating your small garden.

Garden Components
Designing a small garden doesn’t mean that you cannot erect trellis, arbors, bridges, gazebos, etc. They serve a simple way to separate the garden space into two parts. You can plant vines and flowering climbers to give a complete look. Another option to create illusion is making flower beds at different levels. Adding such features will maintain the garden flow, while increasing curiosity for the viewer.

Selection of Plants
Being the most important elements in a small garden design, you should be choosy while selecting the type of plants for your landscape. There is no room for all plants that you love to grow and see them bloom in your yard. So, pick the best of your choices, considering the required care level and adaptability in your area. Make sure that flowers bloom for at least two seasons.

Pattern of Color
Selecting some of your favorite flowering plants that complement the small garden design is easier said than done. Also, the plant height, growing condition, blooming period and maintenance should be taken into consideration. Instead of going for a blend of vibrant colored flowers, go for light colored ones. That way, you can make your garden look larger than the actual space.

Garden Design Ideas
A easy way to add depth to small garden design is including a water element, may be a small waterfall or fountain. If possible, make curved flower beds for creating diversity in a plain looking garden. In the borders, you can place ornamental rocks to improve the texture of the yard. Last but not the least, a perfectly maintained hedge with evergreen shrubs and bushes will give privacy to you and your family members.

The plus point of a small garden design is you can pay close attention to your garden, while spending less effort for maintaining it. With less number of carefully selected plants, you can still enjoy an elegant looking landscape design. You should be watchful over the flowers, and remove those that do not perform up to the mark. Remember that there is no space for less performing or diseased plants. So, implement these tips and ideas for garden decor and convert your small garden into a lively space.

Bogs and sphagnum mosses share a symbiotic relationship. Bogs and all vegetation that thrive there are completely dependent upon rainfall to derive nutrition. Sphagnum moss has an important role to play here, as it has the ability to trap and store air and rainwater within its cells that can be used by the rest of the bog after the rains have ceased. Let’s take a look at some other interesting facts about sphagnum moss.

Sphagnum Moss Facts

Check out these interesting facts about sphagnum moss and you’ll realize that this particular moss is much more than a bog-shroud.
•The largest number of Sphagnum species occur in the Northern hemisphere including the Arctic tundra biome where they can be seen in the summer months growing over moist, soggy, summer marshes. A few species are also found in the Southern hemisphere, especially in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, sub-tropical regions of Brazil and Tasmania.
•Like all other species of moss, the sphagnum moss is also capable of dispersing its spores aerially.
•Due to its ability to lock large amounts of moisture and air within its cells, peat moss is widely used as a soil conditioner for gardening and horticulture.
•The absorbing capability and acidic composition of peat moss made it a popular dressing for wounds during both World Wars, since it acts as an anti bacterial agent and fungicide.
•Peat moss is considered as an organic alternative to chlorine for purifying the water of swimming pools.
•Mushroom grow well in peat moss conditioned soil.
•Peat covered bogs, due to their acidic environment, are known to have been used for preserving food items like butter and lard.
•Sphagnum moss is also useful in dissolving septic tank effluents where the soil is inappropriate for such activity.
•Despite all its anti-bacterial and fungicidal properties (owing to its acidic environment), peat moss is often known to be a host to the Sporothrix schenckii fungus which can lead to Sporotrichosis on contact with broken skin.
•There are about as many as 300 species of moss that compose of the sphagnum genus.
Sphagnum moss is often cultivated by gardeners and horticulturists for enlivening their bog gardens as well as to condition and replenish garden soil and act as a fertilizer to other flowering plants and ferns. Growing sphagnum moss is quite easy. The simplest way to cultivate sphagnum moss is to lay some dead peat at the bottom of a vessel full of water and laying a little live moss culture on top of it. Leave the vessel out in the rain and allow the sphagnum moss to grow and spread. This way, you may be able to create your very own bog garden.

The kind of grass seed for shade will depend on how much light the planting site receives on a daily basis. Say for instance, grass that is resistant to partial shade will not grow luxuriantly in full shaded areas. Hence, first determine the amount of sunlight exposure and also, the temperature condition. Popularly opted grass seed types for shade include saint augustine grass, centipede grass, rough bluegrass, carpet grass, zoysia grass, red fescue and sheep’s fescue. Of these, the best grass seed for shade is saint augustine, followed by rough bluegrass and zoysia grass. You can learn more on ornamental grasses for shade.

Tips for Planting Grass Seed in Shade

Considering the fact that grasses are native to full sunlit areas (not forest floor), following correct grass seed planting tips is of utmost importance for growing a healthy turf in shade. A simple trick is to clear up anything that reduces exposure of grasses to sunlight. Say for example, you need to remove fallen leaves or grass clippings on a regular basis to allow optimal light. Hoping that you have selected the best grass seed for shade, refer to the following tips for planting shade grass seed.
•Clean the planting site and remove plant debris, weeds and large rocks. Using correct tool for gardening, loosen the top soil layer (at least 2-3 inch) to ensure quick development of roots. Also, do not forget to level soil evenly.
•Plan the grass sowing time in such a way that there is sufficient time for growth after grass seed germination. The seedlings should have enough time to develop leaves prior to leaf fall.
•Regarding the query ‘when to plant grass seed’, it is best to sow grass seed for shade before the arrival of fall season. This makes sure that the sprouted grass seeds are not covered by leaves fallen from the deciduous trees in the yard.
•Using seed spreader, sow seeds to cover the area. You can use a garden rake to lightly cover grass seeds with soil. Water lightly after sowing, and if possible, cover seeds with straw to avoid drying.
•Even though bluegrass is a fast growing grass variety, applying fertilizer is indicated to promote healthy growth. The same is with saint augustine grass and fescue grass. You can select lawn fertilizer with less nitrogen content.
•Avoid overfeeding lawn grass, or it will increase grass maintenance level. Excess fertilization not only leads to rapid growth of grass and thatch buildup, but it also increases risk for disease infestation.
•Last but not the least, reduce shading effect of shrubs and and tall trees. What you can do is trim off the branches that are at 6 feet height from the lawn grass. This will enhance air circulation and light penetration to the grasses.
Follow correct grass growing tips to maintain a uniform green lawn. In case, you notice thinning patches or grasses that are getting dried, it may be a sign of reduced light intensity. For heavy shade condition, planting shade tolerant ground covers is a better idea than growing grass seed for shade. So, make a prompt decision and proceed with your gardening project.