Transplanting a Rose Bush

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

It is important to know that transplanting rose bushes should be done properly so that the roses continue to bloom. For this, varied factors like the variety of roses and the time of the year, as well as several other factors will come into play. Let us try and understand what some of these factors are and how to undertake transplanting knockout roses or any other variety for that matter. Here are the basic ways of how to go about transplanting roses from cuttings.

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. Continue reading →

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Softwood Cuttings Propagation

Posted on April 25, 2011 by admin

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. Continue reading →

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Ideas for Designing a Small Garden

Posted on April 23, 2011 by admin

There is no doubt that any garden style fits in a limited landscaping area. However, simple small garden design plans work better and look elegant, as compared to mixing varied aspects. Do not forget to incorporate sitting areas with classy garden furniture, where you can relax after a tiring day. Small garden ideas reflect the personal taste and creativity of the gardener. So, come up with fabulous plans and implement them to make your gardening project a fruitful one. Factors to be considered for designing a small garden are highlighted below.

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 Continue reading →

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Sphagnum Moss Facts

Posted on April 18, 2011 by admin

A close scrutiny of the green vegetative layer that spans across marshes and wetlands would reveal that there are actually two distinct layers of vegetation involved. The upper, topmost surface that faces the sky is actually made up of a layer of live-growing moss cover, while the subsequent layers that lie underneath this surface layer is composed of decaying vegetative matter which is known as sphagnum peat moss. Sphagnum moss belongs to the phylum Bryophytes which is a lower strata of the plant kingdom that also includes lower plant forms like seaweed and algae. Like all other mosses, protists and fungi, Sphagnum mosses undergo metagenesis. The hahaploid gametophyte releases archegonia (female gametes that produce eggs) and antheridia (male counterpart that produces sperms). The sperms swim across the water to access the archegonia and fertilize the eggs contained therein. The fertilized eggs are known as diploid zygote and these turn into sporophytes which, on maturity, manufacture and produce haploid spores. On germination, these spores become gametophytes and the entire cycle starts all over again.

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. Continue reading →

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What is the Best Grass Seed for Shade?

Posted on April 18, 2011 by admin

So, your lawn falls in a shaded area, and you want to grow the best grass seed for shade? For any type of lawn, selecting grass seeds suited for the particular location and climatic conditions in the area is a mandatory step. Search for lawn grass types and you will come across a plethora of them, which call for specific growth conditions. Your main objective is to choose varieties that are tolerant to shade or low light exposure. Following this, you need to sort out those that are perfect for your garden soil pH, water availability and climatic zone in your region.

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.

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