Plants And Garden Blog

Houseplants Perfect For Beginners

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With many spending more time at home its important to introduce some houseplants to help with your air quality and wellbeing. This post will show you some of the best houseplants for beginners and easy care.

Who knew plants could be so fun? The five featured plants are all popular choices with their respective benefits and are, relatively speaking, easy to care for. There’s a wide variety of species available too, so our top five is just the beginning!

5 Perfect House Plants for Beginners

Many people now spend more time at home than ever before. This means that indoor plants are more popular than ever. With the added demand, we have seen an increase in the number of folks interested in adding some greenery to their homes. However, not everyone is familiar with the basics of houseplant care.

Our 5 Perfect House Plants for Beginners is for those folks who want to add a little something green to their homes but aren’t sure where to start.These five plants are all popular choices with their respective benefits and are, relatively speaking, easy to care for. We’ve selected a wide variety of species available in the trade, so our top five is just the beginning!

1 – Philodendron ‘Emerald Ripple’

Philodendrons are some of the most popular indoor plants. There are more than 600 varieties, making it easy to find one that will work well in your home. Most philodendrons prefer bright, indirect light. This plant is also known as heart-leaf philodendron, oleander, and putu. It can grow to be 5 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. If kept watered properly, a healthy plant will last for years.

  • Size: 5 – 6 inches
  • Care: Bright indirect light, water actively when the top 4 inches of soil is dry then water thoroughly in 10-20 minutes. Keep the soil evenly moist.
  • Tip: The leaves of this plant are poisonous if eaten.

2 – ZZ Plant (Haworthia)

ZZ Plant is a low-growing succulent with gorgeous, pointed leaves that grow in clusters. It can grow to be a foot tall and wide, making it a good choice for those looking for “floor plants.” It is hardy, requiring very little maintenance. It’s name comes from the fact that it can survive long periods of drought. It is slow-growing, so it’s a good plant for beginners.

  • Size: 3 – 4 inches
  • Care: Bright indirect light, water as needed when soil begins to dry out. Water thoroughly in the morning and let the soil completely dry out between watering. Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist with fresh water at all times when growing indoors.
  • Tip: ZZ Plant is a succulent. If you see your plant losing its leaves, don’t panic, this is normal! Succulent plants have evolved to respond to drought and water shortage by dropping their leaves (deciduous). This allows them to go dormant until the conditions are more favorable for growth.

3 – Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen makes a stunning houseplant. It is a slow grower that usually only needs to be watered once every few weeks. It likes indirect light and thrives in cooler temperatures. This plant is also known as money tree or friendship tree.

  • Size: 2 – 4 inches
  • Care: Bright indirect light, water as needed when soil begins to dry out. Water thoroughly in the morning and let the soil completely dry out between watering. Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist with fresh water at all times when growing indoors.
  • Tip: If your plant becomes too dry and drops its leaves, don’t worry. This is natural! The plant will grow back in time.

4 – Snake Plant

Snake plants are environmentally friendly, as they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen at night. They are also low maintenance, requiring little to no water and light. This low-growing succulent can grow to be 2 feet tall and wide and does well in offices or bedrooms. The leaves are leathery, making it an attractive option to use as a backdrop for accents or pictures. It is also known as mother-in-law’s tongue and mother of thousands.

  • Size: 2 – 3 inches
  • Care: Bright indirect light, water as needed when the top 2 inches of soil begins to dry out. Water thoroughly in the morning and let the soil completely dry out between watering. Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist with fresh water at all times when growing indoors.
  • Tip: The leaves of this houseplant are poisonous if eaten.

5 – Areca Palm

Areca palms are an easy-care plant that enjoy high humidity and warm temperatures. The palm’s leaves resemble the shape of fans and the crown is completely fan-shaped. It has been popular in Asia for centuries as a status symbol because it’s considered to embody beauty, grace and wealth. This is also known as royal palm tree or Indian fan palm. It can grow to be 8 feet tall but is usually pruned to 4 feet.

  • Size: 2 – 3 inches
  • Care: Bright indirect light, water as needed when soil begins to dry out. Water thoroughly in the morning and let the soil completely dry out between watering. Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist with fresh water at all times when growing indoors.
  • Tip: Areca palms are toxic if eaten.

Herbs And Other Interesting Edible Ideas – Part 1

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Sometimes you just want to do something in the garden, but you don’t really have any motivation. I wrote this article because a lot of people have trouble coming up with interesting things to do in the garden in their spare time and I thought throwing a few ideas out there might inspire! And why not?

Gardening is something I think everyone can enjoy, but not everyone is mobile enough to do some of the bigger gardening tasks. but there are smaller things that you can do in your garden that will allow for interesting and edible outcomes! Herb gardening is one of my favourite, having a selection of herbs at your finger tips will make cooking and baking a real treat, especially since fresh herbs are 100% better.

 Deciding On What You Want

First things first, you’ll have to decide whether you want a herb garden that is either indoors or outdoors, outdoors will give you more of a choice in the size and shape department, depending on what your garden is like. If you’re going for an indoor garden, you are only going to be limited to the space you have around your windowsill or wherever you will be putting your new herb garden.

Starting Your Herb Garden

15535656765_027089c89e_oBuying your herbs will be the first step into the planning of your herb garden. you’ll need to decide which herbs you want, check how difficult they are to grow and  you want to research which herbs will be able to grow together. I would suggest buying seedlings instead of seeds because growing from seed can be quite difficult. I would also suggest starting with some of the easier herbs such as Basil, this will allow you to see whether you are watering enough or too little, as bazil visibly wilts when it has too little water.

Once you’ve selected the herbs you’ll be using for your garden, the next step is to choose whether you will be planting directly into the ground or using a planter, hanging basket or window box. There are of course endless possibilities for containers, and it’s completely up to you what you decide.

Watering The Herbs

Making sure your herbs have enough water can be difficult and confusing at first. You don’t know whether you are giving them too much, or too little. One thing you have to remember, is herbs are not houseplants. A houseplant can take one substantial watering per week but herbs require regular watering especially in the summer. Overwatering can be negated by a simple hole in the bottom of your planter or by lining underneath your flowerbed with rocks.

Pruning

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Pruning your herbs might start earlier than you think, even though your plant is small and young, pruning can still benefit. To start pruning, it’s the same as every other herb, make sure you cut just above the growing leaves. This will stop the stem from growing but allow 2 new stems to grow.

 

The Amazing World Of Heirloom Tomatoes

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If you’re not familiar with the tomato scene, you may not know much about heirloom tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes have been growing very popular as of late, with people enjoying picking up and growing interesting varieties completely new to them. This is great news, as many different breeds of heirloom tomato have actually been lost due to the mainstream and attractive properties of the commercially sold tomatoes.

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So let me first explain what an Heirloom tomato is. Heirloom tomatoes are basically tomato varieties that have been in circulation for more than 50 years. These heirloom tomatoes have all kinds of interesting characteristics that differentiate them from your standard supermarket tomatoes. Colours, shape and size will vary, taste, textures will also be different.

It’s an enjoyable experience trying out the different heirloom tomatoes. You’ve got some wonderful colours that can brighten up your garden in the summer, from pink , green and even purple!

Here are a look at some of the varieties of tomato courtesy of Tomatofest.com!

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Now if that doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will!

Some may have not realised there were so many different varieties of tomatoes, and gardeners like myself would like to sustain the diversity of the heirloom breed, so try growing your own heirloom tomatoes and have some fun!

Galvanized Planters, Square Planters and Container Gardening

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If you find yourself with a garden a bit on the small side,  there will always be a few plants and herbs that you’ll just love to develop. Container gardening is usually an attractive option for those with patio gardens, small gardens or perhaps not much soil because you’ll find it hard to plant everything you want in the backyard. Using a planter is the solution but picking the correct planter is important. You require a container that can protect your plants, provide them with sufficient space to develop and is of course attractive. Square planters and tall planters are a couple of choices and are accessible from lots of different outlets

Types of planters

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The selection of planters falls in to three different types; terracotta planters, planters that are plastic and galvanized planters. Planters made from plastic are available in a range of different colours. they are affordable, however they fade in the sunlight, are inclined to-to crack after several frosts, and aren’t very powerful for big, heavy plants. Terracotta is really desirable, but heavy, and offers a cottage garden look, but they tend to crack and fracture, and can be quite fragile when being moved. they also might splinter after large frosts. They are going to need to be lined, plus they’re also extremely porous, meaning they lose plenty of water. They are also available in a number of colors and sizes styles, reasonably lightweight but effective and rust-resistant.

Styles of planters that are galvanized

Galvanized planters can be coloured in green, blue, yellow, or red to sprinkle a little bit of magic into your own garden. Round pots are actually pretty good for single plants,  for example an olive tree ; rectangular planters create a more ornate effect, and are ideal for window-boxes, and etchings. In the event that you are interested in organic gardening then buy several of the large planters that are galvanized with handles and try your hand a-T developing some veggies organically. You’ll be able to put tiny window box planters for the herbs, tall, square planters for crops with roots, troughs in polished steel finish that appear great grouped together; the option of planters is end Less. Planting with galvanized planters!

What To Do With Hedgehogs

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Hedgehogs are sweet little creatures that are becoming rarer and rarer. It is said that less than 1 million now exist in Great Britain down from 30 million back in the 1950’s. So if you have a hedgehog in your garden, what should you do?

The simplest way to tell the difference between an injured hedgehog who might need assistance to a hog which has simply woken up to find more food, is that an injured hedgehog will probably be found drifting in the daytime, daytime is not really when you see hedgehogs as they usually take a nocturnal pattern. Another reason to see hedgehogs in the day could include moving from a nest that is waterlogged or damaged. A wounded hog might have come under attack from a sizable dog, been caught by a strimmer, or it could have been hit by a car.

Hogs which are of 600g or above can be left outside to hibernate, provided they’re well enough. Otherwise, they’ll want bringing inside. It’s unwise to place the hedgehog in a garage that is being used, as they are very vulnerable to exhaust fumes.

it’s not unusual to have Mites, ticks, and fleas, get in touch with your local veterinarian on how to tackle these parasites  . There are various ways. Be alert in case your hog has open wounds as they can additionally fester away in them, and assess for maggots.

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In the case of saving a hog with all the aim of returning him to the wild – if you are rescuing a wild creature, which is what your aim should be – then do not attempt to civilise and tame the creature. In case the hedgehog still tries to run and hide when you approach, encourage this behavior as not all humans will be friendly toward your spiked house guest.

Hedgehogs are amazing creatures that need to be maintained as they are fast becoming extinct. Having a hedgehog house is an effective strategy to keep a hedgehog alive and stop them from being exposed to the general risks which are found to them in the exterior world. They always require a place to hibernate and by providing a safe place there is no need for them to have to go out into the wild they also won’t have to go into the streets where they could be run over and where they can be attacked by other animals.

Organic Lawn and Landscape Maintenance

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It’s never been simpler to tend to landscapes and lawns employing natural and organic treatment methods. With the spike in popularity, a wide range of organic lawn and landscaping products are readily available to homeowners. For those who prefer to have a professional lawn care company provide annual routine maintenance, many businesses are including organic and natural options to traditional programs. Following a basic schedule can guarantee a gorgeous landscape that is also pest-free.

Among the first jobs of the organic gardening schedule is to administer dormant oil, frequently called horticultural oil. The most desirable time to apply dormant oil is in the months of January and February whenever there will be a period when the temperature will not drop below 50 degrees for at least twenty-four hours or longer. Dormant oil is sprayed onto landscaping to eliminate harmful and annoying insects and fungi including scale and spider mites. It is highly toxic to annual flowers, though, so it’s best to cover any plants that might be in the area being treated.

The months of February and March are prime times to aerate your lawn and landscaping. Proper aeration is essential to provide the means for water, nutrients and oxygen to permeate the soil to get the best results. Liquid aeration contains soil microorganisms and humates and is applied to the landscape. Mechanical core lawn aeration can be done with any one of a number of instruments for that purpose. This method works extremely well on St. Augustine grass that has suffered from severe winter weather.

Fertilizing at the outset of winter with a product that is abundant with potassium, magnesium and sulfur will make sure that a landscape has the proper nutrients stored for spring growth. Even though your lawn and landscaping may appear to have died, they are actually just dormant. It’s important to provide the proper fertilizer to support them through the severe winter months.

March, April and May are generally the time to apply natural fertilizer. When working with a natural fertilizer, there is no need to worry about over-fertilizing or having the fertilizer wash away. Natural fertilizers contain microbers that break down gradually, so that they supply nutrients slowly. If there are any acid loving plants such as azaleas, hollies and photinias in your landscaping, they will benefit greatly from an application of organic sulfur. Apply another round of organic fertilizer from around September to November. It will help supply lawns and landscaping a boost after having suffered through the heat of summer.

Choosing organic compounds, fertilizers and procedures is not any more time consuming, expensive or challenging than using conventional ones. It’s safer and far better for the environment.

Looking for professional lawn care in Coppell? Diamond Lawn Service, Inc. has been serving the lawn care and landscaping needs of our neighbors in Coppell and throughout the DFW area since 1983.

Jason shows you how to get your lawn looking tip top for this summer and the preparation starts right now.

First Post – Coffee Grounds

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Hello There,

My name is Josh, i’m a huge gardening fan and I really enjoy writing about plants, gardening and the countryside. I thought I would start this blog to share my love of all of those things, and hopefully bring some interesting tips to the table for those who are interested in freshening up their gardening techniques.

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The first thing I wanted to talk to you about is Coffee grounds. Coffee grounds can work extremely well in fertilizing your garden and repelling pests. Now i’m a stickler for coffee, I can’t get enough of the stuff. I’m the kind of guy who enjoys grinding my own beans and then running hot water through the grounds, none of this instant Nescafé stuff that they pump fake smells into.  But for years I had been wasting these grounds by throwing them in the bin and thinking no more about them, but about two years ago I read about the benefits of using coffee grounds in your garden.

 

Coffee grounds are jam packed full of trace minerals, you’ll find magnesium, potassium, calcium and most importantly nitrogen within your coffee grounds and this can add nutrients to the soil. There are several ways to go about this, whether it be adding some grounds into the top layer of soil and mixing it, or just pouring it onto the topsoil and leaving it. Either way, watering the soil will make sure that your grounds are thoroughly combined. Leaving coffee on the topsoil is also a great way to deter slugs, the abrasive and acidic nature of the grounds will help in keeping snails as slugs at bay!

Another way to administer coffee grounds to your garden is to infuse it with water. 10 gallons of water and 4 cups of coffee grounds can go a long way, just mix the ingredients together, leave it overnight and then in the morning you’ll have yourself a nice ol’ liquid fertilizer.

Why Choose a Chia Herb Garden?

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Many chefs and cooks purchase their herbs cheaply from the supermarket. They either buy growing plants that they use as necessary and can cut, or freeze dried in containers that are ready made that they can keep in their cupboard.

Both systems have their advantages, yet nothing beats growing them yourself. Sadly, plenty of people find it hard to grow their very own herbs, which is where a Chia herb garden might help.

A Chia herb garden is a simple method to begin in growing and getting your own herb garden as is virtually fool proof.

Each kit comes with everything you have to produce your own indoor range of herbs. You’ll shortly have many herbs growing in your very own kitchen. Since the sole thing you need is water, the process made as easy as possible!

The indoor Chia herb garden can be displayed very attractively. This can make it the ideal gift for grandma or the mom, particularly if they love gardening but don’t have a lot of time. They have a tendency to be well priced, it’s almost always a good idea to Truly Have A search online to determine what is available and possible of sale. Let your fingers do the walking first!

1. An Assortment of Terracotta Pots- These are to grow your plants in and are long lasting and porous to soak up water.

2. Terracotta Saucers- these function to make certain no water leaks out and sit underneath the pots.

3. Growing Compound – These kits supply a fertile ground for the plants to grown and feature an increasing sponge which does away with all the dependence on using compost of any sort.

Instead of grouping them all together should you want when ordering your Chia herb garden place the herbs in various places in your kitchen.

Most herbs flourish when placed in a warm sunny locations grown best. Its best to place them at various spots than having a long trough in one region.

These miniature gardens are simple to grow and as such they can also make an ideal first growing kit for children that are interested in growing plants and possibly could like to a livelihood or a life time interest be it for food or just enjoyment. The chi herb garden makes it simple.