Monday, 29 July 2013
Thursday, 4 July 2013
Tuesday, 2 July 2013
How to Take Care of House Plants and Flowers
Having plants indoors can be very beneficial for your health and well-being. Besides being aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and great for decorating your home, plants provide fresh oxygen, help to clean the air in your home, and much like pets, they can help to reduce mental stress by making you feel calmer and happier. Many people love the affect of having indoor plants, but unfortunately not everyone has a green thumb to know how to care for plants in the home. One of the keys to understanding how to care for plants indoors is to understand how they naturally thrive outdoors. The only three things plants require to thrive is water, sunlight and the right temperature environment.
Different plants have different needs depending on the climate that they derived from. Many people don't quite understand the fact that plants are living things much like animals. Plants have the ability to grow, reproduce, and absorb nutrients just as any other living creature. Plants are also highly receptive to their environment, therefore in order to successfully care for an indoor plant you have to treat them with sensitivity.
Mistake No. 1
The biggest mistake most people make in regards to caring for indoor plants is over watering. Where most people go wrong is that they water the plant and let the plant sit in the water instead of letting the water drain out which is how plants naturally receive water outside when it rains. When a plant is left soaking in water, even though the top of the plant may be dry, the bottom of the plant is being over saturated with water which ultimately drowns the plant and causes root rot. In order to keep this from happening, whenever you water your plants, let them sit outside and allow the water to drain from the plant's container.
Mistake No. 2
The second mistake that people often make has to do with sunlight. Either they don't allow their plants to get enough sunlight or they shock their plants by transferring them from a darker area to a highly sunlit area. Basically, plants get accustomed to their surroundings, given that they are similar to how the specific plant naturally survives in the wilderness. Any sudden changes for a plant such as transplanting or moving from indirect to direct sunlight, or drops in temperature will have a negative effect on the plant.
Caring for Flowers
When someone gives you a bouquet of flowers, the first thing you should do when you get them home is to cut the bottom of the stems at a 45-degree angle. You also need to make sure you remove excess leaves below the water line (however much water your flowers will be submerged in), which can take away water supply from the bulb of the flowers and also contribute bacteria in the flower water, which can also kill your flowers. Then you need to make sure you put them in a vase with ample water supply and make sure you change the water every two to three days. If your flowers came with flower food, make sure you use this which will help to kill bacteria in the water and help your flowers to last longer.
Different plants have different needs depending on the climate that they derived from. Many people don't quite understand the fact that plants are living things much like animals. Plants have the ability to grow, reproduce, and absorb nutrients just as any other living creature. Plants are also highly receptive to their environment, therefore in order to successfully care for an indoor plant you have to treat them with sensitivity.
Mistake No. 1
The biggest mistake most people make in regards to caring for indoor plants is over watering. Where most people go wrong is that they water the plant and let the plant sit in the water instead of letting the water drain out which is how plants naturally receive water outside when it rains. When a plant is left soaking in water, even though the top of the plant may be dry, the bottom of the plant is being over saturated with water which ultimately drowns the plant and causes root rot. In order to keep this from happening, whenever you water your plants, let them sit outside and allow the water to drain from the plant's container.
Mistake No. 2
The second mistake that people often make has to do with sunlight. Either they don't allow their plants to get enough sunlight or they shock their plants by transferring them from a darker area to a highly sunlit area. Basically, plants get accustomed to their surroundings, given that they are similar to how the specific plant naturally survives in the wilderness. Any sudden changes for a plant such as transplanting or moving from indirect to direct sunlight, or drops in temperature will have a negative effect on the plant.
Caring for Flowers
When someone gives you a bouquet of flowers, the first thing you should do when you get them home is to cut the bottom of the stems at a 45-degree angle. You also need to make sure you remove excess leaves below the water line (however much water your flowers will be submerged in), which can take away water supply from the bulb of the flowers and also contribute bacteria in the flower water, which can also kill your flowers. Then you need to make sure you put them in a vase with ample water supply and make sure you change the water every two to three days. If your flowers came with flower food, make sure you use this which will help to kill bacteria in the water and help your flowers to last longer.
How to Take Care of Bamboo
bamboo has countless uses, not the least of which is to add beauty to a landscape. In many cases, bamboo is a hardy and generally low-maintenance grass. These steps will help you get the most out of it.
step 1:Water the bamboo.
If it's planted in the ground, water twice per week while the plant is getting established. Once per week thereafter is usually enough. Bamboo likes a lot of water. But, like other grasses, it will develop a more robust root system if it is made to grow deep to get water.
If it is planted in a pot, you may need to water more frequently. Be careful to not keep the soil wet, as dirt that is too wet will cause root rot.
step 3:Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch, but no more. Bamboo loves the stability of temperature and soil moisture that mulch provides. But adding too much can enable rodents to nest in it and damage your bamboo.
step 4:Fertilize your bamboo with a high nitrogen fertilizer during the spring and summer, such as one rated 24-8-16 (or a common lawn fertilizer if that is all that is available). Switch to a low nitrogen fertilizer such as one rated 3-10-10 or even 0-10-10 for the fall. Don't fertilize in the winter, especially if the fertilizer has nitrogen in it.
tips
The bamboo can survive in minimal sunlight locations.
If you notice the leaves of your bamboo curled up, forget everything written above about making it work for water. Give it water as soon as possible, as curled leaves usually means the plant is dehydrated. After giving it water, see if you can figure out why it got dehydrated. Perhaps there is not enough soil for it. i.e., it has outgrown it's pot, etc. Perhaps it is planted on a hill and the water runs off before soaking in. Adjust your watering schedule or landscape to accommodate.
If you notice the leaves of your bamboo curled up, forget everything written above about making it work for water. Give it water as soon as possible, as curled leaves usually means the plant is dehydrated. After giving it water, see if you can figure out why it got dehydrated. Perhaps there is not enough soil for it. i.e., it has outgrown it's pot, etc. Perhaps it is planted on a hill and the water runs off before soaking in. Adjust your watering schedule or landscape to accommodate.
Warnings
Some types of bamboo can be highly invasive in certain climates.
Things You'll Need
Bamboo plant
Garden hose and sprinkler, or other watering system
A few cubic ft. of mulch - leaves, bark chips, etc.
Nitrogen rich fertilizer for spring and summer
Nitrogen poor fertilizer for fall (autumn)
Garden hose and sprinkler, or other watering system
A few cubic ft. of mulch - leaves, bark chips, etc.
Nitrogen rich fertilizer for spring and summer
Nitrogen poor fertilizer for fall (autumn)
Monday, 1 July 2013
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