Just made it!
A simply idea that makes your herb outdoor garden stylish & cute :)
0 Comments
Orchids are beautiful and colourful flowers that are easy to care for once you have found the most suitable environment for them – preferably on a sunny windowsill. In the followings you can read 7 detailed tips and tricks on how to keep your orchids beautiful and healthy. I hope you will find them useful! 1) Light You know that your orchid gets enough light when its leaves are bright green and fleshy and it grows a new leaf immediately after another withered. Dark green colour indicates that the flower gets not enough light, meanwhile reddish blotches (and later dark, black blotches) on the leaf indicate way too much light or direct sunlight and sunburnt leaves. Also, when the plant gets too little light it won’t start to grow flowers. Don’t start worry when a leaf of the orchid starts to get yellowish – this just means that the natural lifecycle of the orchid came to a point when it feels it has to grow new leaves instead of some old ones. 2) Water
This plant requires watering only every 5 to 10 days. These orchids natively live in moist environments and rainforests but they don’t like to be overwatered – this will easily make the root start to rot. In fact, the Phalaenopsis prefers to be kept almost dry between two watering. Also make sure your plant never ‘sits’ in water as this will cause it to get rot as well. Only water if you look at the bark under the plant and you see that it is dry or approaching to dryness. 3) Temperature In their natural habitat, orchids usually live in warm temperatures, where the thermometer shows 20 to 35°C, but indoor, near people they got used to temperatures between 15 to 35°C as well. Temperature lower than 15°C can cause the plant to become frost-bitten and die soon after that, meanwhile temperature above 35°C causes a heat stroke for plants that can also cause its death. The ideal is if the daylight temperature is somewhere between 25 and 30°C, and at night orchids prefer a 6-8°C drop in temperature compared to daylight values. 4) Humidity This is the most difficult issue to overcome when caring for an orchid, as 60-70% humidity is the best for the plant. This level is usually very high for a normal family home, so occasionally lightly mist the plant with a small bottle and take them to the sink and give them a light shower with tepid water at least once a month. For the best environment place a fan in the room on hot days but don’t expose the plant directly to the blow and mist the room. These plants need more humidity during winter, when there is not that much sunlight, so mist them more often then. 5) Pruning After all the flowers fell down from the flower stem, you must cut the old stem just above the leaves – the closer to the soil, the better. After this the orchid will start to grow a new flower stem. If your orchid looks too small or you can see no new leaves to grow at all, then you better cut the new flower stem off to encourage the orchid and not to let it weaken itself by ‘sending’ all the nutrients to the new flowers. Also, check the plant weekly and cut down all the dead roots and leaves if it is needed. 6) Repotting You only have to repot your orchid every few years, when you can see the signs that the place in the pot is too small for the flower. 7) Nutrient Solutions The best solution is to give it some kind of special nutrient solution for orchids, every 3rd or 4th week, when you can clearly see that the leaves may need some more nutrients. Herbs are great fun to grow indoors. They're the perfect companion for the curious cook who isn't afraid to take a few chances. Start with a sunny windowsill and a few herb seeds and -- snip-snip, you have an instant gourmet meal. Well, it may not be quite that simple, but fresh herbs are still a great asset to have in the kitchen. To get your herb garden started without any major problems, make sure to choose healthy plants, or grow your own from seed. This means that you should inspect plants before you bring them home and discard any that show signs of insect activity. If a plant looks suspicious, pass. Other things to keep in mind are:
Now that you have a thriving indoor herb garden, it's time to start growing your vegetables indoors, too. Yes, indoor tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce! You'll be a household farmer in no time.
My favorite flower! Every spring I'm taking tulips bulbs for my balcony. Every time are red! That's the best color. Here's some tips for Growing Tulips:
If you are planting other bedding plants among tulips; it is a good idea to plant them before the bulbs, so as not to damage the bulbs with the trowel later. Sandy soil is best for Tulips (or any bulb) to increase and flower in later years. Good Drainage is essential. For best results plant bulbs in October or November. As a rule of thumb, the depth that tulips should be planted is approximately three times the length of the bulb. Tulips are very disease resistant; however can be troubled by "Tulip Fire". Stems and leaves of plants become deformed and stunted. Later they will display brown patches. If this occurs bulbs should be destroyed. Over crowded bulbs can also cause problems in your garden. If this occurs, dig up your tulips just before all the foliage has completely died down and divide by pulling smaller new bulbs from the base of the old bulb and replant them. After flowering, it is ok to deadhead your tulips but always allow the leaves to die off naturally. If you are concerned about the appearance of the fading greens, try braiding the leaves. Tulips make excellent cut flowers and usually last about a week in a vase. Don't forget to add a little sugar to your water to prolong the life of your bouquet. |