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Growing your own Raspberries

Posted on July 14, 2011 by gardeninfo

If you are fruit lover then it is hard to ignore raspberries due to their awesome taste and attractiveness. These fruits resemble strawberries in many ways and perhaps trail them only in terms of popularity. They come in so many varieties as well as colors ranging from black to red as well as purple and even yellow. According to the United States Agriculture Department, these fruits are best cultivated in Hardiness Zone 2 but if you live in an area where summers and winters are not too severe then you have a huge chance of successfully growing these fruits.

You will be thrilled to know that once you get everything right in terms of soil preparation, site selection, variety selection, etc., then your raspberries will be bearing fruit for about a decade without any problems whatsoever. Just make sure you cultivate your plants in a fully sunny area where the soil has great drainage and with a PH ranging from 5.5 to 6.5 and you are on the right path.

Raspberries can either be grown from young transplants or seeds and in my experience; the latter option has always produced the best results. Seeds should be sown around late fall and they should be placed in moist sawdust or peat moss at temperatures of about 3 degrees Celsius for about 30 days. This will enhance their germination and when they spring up and become sized enough, and then they can be independently placed in cold frames to continue growing. The young plants should then be taken to their fixed sites for transplanting, at the start of the spring.

Experienced raspberry growers have noticed that weeds are the main inhibitors to the healthy growth of these plants and you should therefore make sure that effective weed control measures are put in place. Your plants should be regularly watered and pruned when necessary. Mulching is also very important to the successful cultivation of raspberries and the best materials for this include straw and sawdust. However poorly drained soils should not be mulched as they could lead various infections including rotting of your plant roots.

Every year, the soil in your yard should be fertilized twice, preferably firstly in March and 30 days later, after cultivating raspberries as they tend to be heavy feeders of plant nutrients in the soil. Pruning is also vital to the growth of your raspberries and should be done at least once per year.

You can expect to begin harvesting your raspberries after two complete growing seasons and this is done by picking fruits as soon as they ripe and come be used for numerous purposes ranging from being eaten freshly or as an ingredient in jams, jellies, cakes and pies.

Hydrangeas with its many flowers

Posted on July 7, 2011 by gardeninfo

Hydrangeas are beautiful plants that produce stunning flowers, which can change the outlook of your home or garden. As a result of their beauty, many gardeners fall in love with them and decide to plant them in their yards or gardens. If you are interested in planting your own hydrangeas then keep on reading.

There are important tips that should be followed if you desire to generate the best results from your hydrangea cultivation and the first condition that you have to consider is the type of soil in your yard or garden. These plants grow very well and produce outstanding blooms when they are planted in soils with excellent drainage and therefore you should ensure that the soil in your yard does not hold water for extreme periods. If you realize that the soil is too heavy and therefore holds water then it will be time to dig it up and add some mulch, to solve this issue, especially if you plan to cultivate the Oakleaf hydrangea or similar varieties that easily rot off when exposed to water logged soils.

Sunlight is another important condition for generating optimum growth and attractive blooming flowers from your hydrangea plants. Hydrangeas are generally unsuitable for areas with lots of shade and that is why you have to ensure that you plant them in an area where they get access to direct sunlight. If you live in tropical regions or extremely hot climates then some varieties will grow well when exposed to partial shade during the afternoon, when the sun becomes too hot to bear. It is also important that you plant them away from large trees because they will not only act as canopies for your plants but they also have long roots that will compete with your plants for the nutrients in the soil.

Hydrangeas are normally propagated from seeds or from transplanted seedlings and as a beginner, it may be best to seek young seedlings from your locality to transplant in your yard. The best time to transplant hydrangeas when they become dormant i.e. when all their leaves wither and this usually occurs at the end of fall or during winter. Also, don’t forget to water them immediately after transplanting and later in the spring when temperatures begin to rise substantially. Hydrangeas generally start blooming sometime in the spring to later in the summer even though different varieties have different blooming periods. However, their blooms usually last about three months, making them one of the longest blooming flowers around.

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Japanese Anemone

Posted on June 30, 2011 by gardeninfo

Do you know about many plants that mature and display attractive flowers from August to the end of October? Well the Japanese anemone is one of the few documented ones and these are truly rewarding plants that will keep you watching with admiration at every stage of their life cycle. Many varieties of these flowers also typically grow well, with common heights of around 3 feet and even though many gardeners are unaware of this, the majority of the common varieties on the market today have been around for more than a century, after their discovery by gardeners in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe in the 1880s.

Well just like many popular flowers, the main reason why gardeners decide to add Japanese anemones to their gardens is their aesthetic value. You can often see the distinctive white and pink flowers of these plants across many yards and gardens, no matter how attractive the other flowers present may be. The simplicity of the growth procedure behind these plants has also made it a darling among many gardeners, after all who wouldn’t be happy to grow a flower that tends to survive all climatic and soil conditions no matter how harsh they may be?

Japanese anemones are usually propagated from cuttings instead of seeds and their high popularity means that you could easily get access to them by visiting your local nursery. Always look out for seedlings that have grown well and characterized by huge sizes because these have better chances of getting well established in your garden. Do well to plant them in an area where they receive minimal disturbances as it can affect their initial growth and cover them with organic matter after planting. Also make sure they are planted in areas with semi shade so they can benefit from the full force of the sun in the morning and some protection from extreme temperatures during the afternoon.

While some Varieties of the Japanese anemone thrive well when planted in the middle of the summer, others require spring or fall propagation. They grow well in almost every type of soil from sandy to clayey but you can enhance your results by mixing the soil with organic manure or compost to improve its fertility.

Japanese anemones are also very attractive to birds, bees and other living organisms and can help transform your garden into a natural paradise you can be proud of.

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Lovely lavender

Posted on June 23, 2011 by gardeninfo

Lavenders are special and one of the flowers you cannot keep ignoring in your yard or garden if you want to have an elegant one and one positive thing is that you can virtually have lavender blooming in your garden all year round. This is especially true for people living in USDA Hardiness zones 5 and 8.

Lavenders can be propagated either from seeds or cuttings from parent plants and it will be up to you to decide which method you prefer. I would personally recommend that you propagate them from cuttings even though it can be expensive due to the fact that it is quick and has a high success rate. Also lavender seeds are hard to come by, especially when you want to plant varieties such as Spanish, Yellow and a host of others. Lavenders seeds may also need a substantial time to germinate (about 14 days) and requires many conditions such as light and high temperatures to be successful.

Growing lavenders in soils with optimum drainage is one of the most critical conditions to ensure that your plants grow well and ultimately bloom attractive and sweet scented flowers. It is always a good idea to mix the soil with organic compost to reduce its heaviness and improve drainage. It is also important that you avoid soils with high acid content and instead find soils with PH ranging from 6.5 to 7.5.

Lavenders have a hard time competing with weeds for water and other soil nutrients and this is why you have to make sure you get rid of any weeds in your yard or garden if you intend to plant lots of lavenders. Weeds can also be minimized by applying mulch to your garden immediately after planting.

Lavenders can be grown in raised beds if the climate in your area is extremely hot, while making sure that there is ample space between your plants for optimum aeration. Alternatively lavenders can also be planted in large containers or pots and do not forget to place them in areas where they get direct access to sunlight. Make sure you irrigate your plants if you live in a drought hit or extremely dry area to ensure the survival of your plants.

Many pests such as deer find lavenders repelling and therefore do not feed on them. This means you can mix lavenders in your garden with other plants that are susceptible to these pests to protect them.

Lavender flowers maintain their sweet fragrance even after drying and can be used to improve the aroma of your cakes and salads.

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Campanulas or Bellflowers

Posted on June 16, 2011 by gardeninfo

If you are looking to establish a very vibrant flower garden then campanulas will definitely be a great addition regardless to the number of flowers you may already have planted. Campanulas are also known as bell flowers due to the fact that they produce bell-shaped flowers when its bloom time. There are numerous species of this plant available leading to many differences in terms of size and colors. For example while some varieties only reach just a couple of inches tall, others can reach a height of around 6 feet.

There are not many complications surrounding the growth of this flower, meaning even if you are a beginner in gardening, there is a higher probability that your plants will grow successfully and bloom beautiful flowers. In addition, some varieties are annuals, while others come as perennial or biennial and mostly originated from different regions in the United States and Europe. Generally people living in USDA Hardiness Zones 1-9 are able to grow different varieties of campanulas successfully.

If you desire to include campanula in your garden or yard then you can either choose the option of planting them from seeds or from transplants. There are a couple of measures that should be taken to ensure that you get the best plants in your yard. Firstly, make sure you sow your seeds before the advent of the spring season and make sure you create planting cells for sowing. Each cell should contain a maximum of 4 seeds, which should be covered with soil. The cells should then be moved to a spot where they get about 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. The planting cells should be watered regularly for the next two weeks or so, after which young seedlings will start springing up.

You can also purchase campanula seedlings and transplant them onto your garden or yard. The advantage of this method is that it is easier compared to direct sowing from seeds. However this can also be expensive and recommended if you have a tight budget.

Keep in mind that even though the plants will usually start blooming at the beginning of the summer, some varieties will only do in the next season and therefore do not be alarmed if you experience such a situation.

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Hebes, popularly known as Evergreen Veronica

Posted on June 9, 2011 by gardeninfo

Hebes continue to be one of the most sought after flowers among gardeners in different countries and there is little wonder why this is the case because there are so many benefits that can be derived from planting them in your garden or elsewhere.

Hebes, popularly known as Evergreen Veronica, are very easy to grow and believed to be native to South America and some areas in the Pacific including New Zealand. There are many different varieties of Hebes and therefore each one comes with its own features including size, color and nature of leaves. While some varieties flower during the summer and autumn months, others are noted for displaying their blooms during the winter. However many varieties do not grow well in the UK due to the nature of their climate, particularly winter, which causes many Hebes to die off. Strong winds also have many adverse effects on Hebes and that is why it is always a good idea to protect young Hebe plants from them, especially the ones with variegated leaves.

Hebe plants provide good foliage throughout the whole year and its attractive flowers can be seen in any growing season. To generate the best results, Hebes should be planted in soils with good drainage and be placed in a spot protected from the direction of the wind.

One of the most important things to do before planting a Hebes is to place its roots in water for a couple of hours and dig a big hole with afterwards to plant it in. You should add some fertilizer to the dug soil and use it to cover the hole after tucking the Hebe plant in it. You should then soak the plant in lots of water.

Depending on the type of variety you planted, your Hebes plants will begin to display small clustered flowers from around June and while some varieties bloom white or pink flowers, others show blue, lilac or purple ones. Hebes leaves are noted for their beautiful appearance throughout the year and usually come in numerous colors including silver, green, grey and red, which serve as a great attraction to butterflies, bees and other insects.

Hebe plants can be grown in your patios and rockeries if they come in petite sizes. The larger ones are more suitable for gardens where they are used as a type of hedge. They can also be grown in various areas throughout your garden to make it more colorful and attractive.

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Echinacea or Coneflower

Posted on June 2, 2011 by gardeninfo

There are numerous benefits that can be derived from growing Echinacea in your garden, including the fact it springs up very eye catching flowers that can make your garden look splendid. It comes with medicinal benefits that improves the nervous system as well as provides relief for infections such as cold and flu.

Echinacea is native to the mid-western parts of the United States and its roots have been prominent in herbal concoctions by Native Americans for hundreds of years due to numerous natural ingredients.

Echinacea thrives well in spots that are very sunny and the fact that it is resistant to periods of dryness means that it will likely survive droughts. However, it will be a good idea to water young plants for a while after planting. It does not grow very well in areas with lots of rainfall and if you live in countries such as Britain then you will be better off growing Echinacea in a green house or an area that does not allow too much rain.

There are options that can be explored when trying to grow Echinacea and one of the most convenient ways is to purchase young seedlings from a local nursery to transport to your yard or garden for transplanting. The other option is to sow Echinacea directly from its seeds. Seeds can be obtained from seed dealers in your locality and once you get access to them, it will be important for you to read any instructions on its label to know the best times to sow them in your area as well as the correct sowing hole depths and spacing distances.

You should find a warm spot to sow your Echinacea seeds and do not forget to add compost to the soil before sowing. It’s also important that you apply some mulch on top of the each hole after planting, to improve the chances of your seeds germinating, which can take as long as 1 and a half months.

Do not forget to uproot weeds or use other methods of getting rid of them regularly as Echinacea does not thrive well in the midst of weeds. You will likely see the beautiful flowers of Echinacea blooming around June to August, which will be a very special time as you will begin enjoying the benefits of your labor.

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Rudbeckia or Black-Eyed Susan

Posted on May 26, 2011 by gardeninfo

If you desire to make your garden or yard around your home look attractive and lively for several weeks around the summer then Rudbeckia is definitely one of the first plants that should come into your mind. Rudbeckia aka Black-eyed Susan is an attractive daisy-like herbaceous perennial flower noted for its golden yellow flowers, which makes it standout wherever it may be.

No matter where you live or the type of soil in your yard or garden, there is a variety of this popular flower out there that will grow well for you. However, the most suitable conditions for optimum growth for this plant are well drained fertile soils and plants should be situated where they receive direct sunlight, for the best results. However, you will surely encounter no problems whatsoever planting these flowers in a not-so-fertile soil as long as full sunlight is guaranteed. You can also make the soil in your yard more suitable for growing Rudbeckia by mixing it with compost, manure or other types of organic fertilizers before planting.

Rudbeckia can be propagated whether through the seeds of the flower or from young transplants. If you decide to propagate from seeds then do not forget to treat the seeds well to ensure that they do not just germinate but grow up to become disease and pest resistant. On the other hand you can contact nurseries in your locality for young Rudbeckia seedlings for transplanting in your yard or garden and if you decide to explore this option then make sure you transport the plants carefully to ensure that you don’t break their stems and render them unsuitable for transplanting. The fact that you derive them from a local nursery also guarantees that those species will grow well in your local climate and will be highly resistant to unsuitable conditions that may be present, such as droughts or excessive rainfall. Watering is essential for at least the first few weeks after propagation regardless of whether you generated your seedlings directly from seeds or transplanted them from a local nursery.

The beautiful and conspicuous bright yellow flowers of your Rudbeckia plants will begin to bloom in the middle of the summer and will likely remain so until later in the fall. These beautiful flowers come with many uses including decoration of both interior and exterior parts of your home or office. These flowers also attract birds, bees and other beautiful animals into your home or garden and thereby help create a naturally beautiful environment that can be enjoyed when you need some time to relax and de-stress.

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Purple Salvia

Posted on May 20, 2011 by gardeninfo

If you are looking for some of the most vibrant flowers to plant in your garden then salvia is definitely one of the best choices you could make. Salvia is a highly resistant flower to many diseases. These flowers can do well in many types of soils but the most optimum type is well drained soils with direct sunlight or at least some form of shade in areas where the sun is exceedingly hot. If you want to attract lots of animals to your garden then salvias will definitely be a great addition as numerous birds, butterflies, and bees will troop to your yard or garden once you plant these flowers due to their attractive flowers and sweet nectar.

Another great way to cultivate salvias in your yard or garden is to create outdoor beds and plant them inside. However if you realize that the soil in your yard retains water a couple of hours after rainfall then you should either try to improve its drainage or look for somewhere else to plant your flowers such as a pot or large container filled with good draining soil.

You can either plant salvia plants from their seeds or alternatively transplant young plants from growers into your yard or garden. If you plant directly from seeds then make sure you cover them with compost after planting in the bare soil or bed and water them a couple of times until they start germinating. On the other hand if you decide to purchase young plants for transplanting then make sure you carry them cautiously to prevent breaking their stems and rendering them unsuitable for re-planting.

The flowers of salvia start springing up in the summer, specifically around June until the beginning of winter and feature prominently in bouquets on the market. The flowers which are normally scarlet, rose, purple and blue are very attractive and can be used to decorate both interior and exterior parts of your home, making it one of the most rewarding flowers you can plant.

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Red Valerian

Posted on May 14, 2011 by gardeninfo

Red Valerian is one of the most beautiful perennial flowers in the world and its ease of cultivation has helped to endear it to many flower gardeners all over Europe and the United States. The plant originated from the Mediterranean but has taken a firm place in gardens in other parts of the world due to the fact that you can practically just plant it and forget about its existence with the full confidence that it will nonetheless grow well and spring up attractive blooming flowers. It grows well in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 meaning it can be found in so many places across the United States.

The red valerian is normally spotted growing in uninvited places such as old walls, dry banks and stony waste grounds as a result of its love for alkaline PH soils. It comes with flowers that are attractive but mild in terms of fragrance even though the scent is very pleasing. It is endowed with deep taproots that ensure its survival during unfavorable weather conditions such as dry climates.

The flowers of the red valerian bloom enormously well during periods such as June to August and they are normally spotted in red but there are a couple of varieties that have been found with pink or even white colors. You can secure new blooming flowers right until frost by pruning old flowerheads immediately their blooming stops. They come with highly conspicuous petals normally numbering five with one of them facing the opposite direction while the remaining four face a common direction. The flower usually comes with one stamen situated in the middle of the petals which bulges outward and this causes the flower to attract butterflies, moths, bees and other related insects due to their long proboscis which enables them to feed on the nectar of the flower to ensure their pollination.

Red valerian thrives in many types of soils and blooms in areas where they get direct access to sunlight. They survive equally well in many other types of soils with the exception of extremely wet soils where they get no access to the sun so it’s important to keep in mind that good drainage is very essential to the successful growth of these types of flowers. You can ensure that your flowers thrive by adding ground limestone to a specific portion for the cultivation of red valerian if you realize that the soil in your garden is acidic. Even though red valerian is highly resistant to dry periods, watering the flowers at least once a day will come in handy for the plant.

Red valerian is easily propagated and the fact that it easily self-sows means all you have to do is to search for seedlings from existing plants for transplanting, which can be easily found in nurseries in your locality. It can equally be grown from its seed or even through division of its cuttings. The flower requires minimal maintenance after cultivation, notable amongst them is the fact that they have to be deadheaded after flowering to ensure proper spacing between the plants.

Red valerian is also famous for its high resistance to many diseases and pests, in fact there are no known pests and infections for the plant at the moment. This means you will likely not have to worry about finding pesticides or any form of treatment for your plant, unlike many flowers out there.

There are numerous benefits that can be derived from the cultivation of red valerian in your garden. Firstly, its attractive corollas and breathtaking flowers help to make your yard and garden beautiful, which will attract the envy of neighbors and friends. Red valerian can also be cut and used to decorate the interior parts of your home and if kept in water, it can last about a week. The roots and leaves of the red valerian is also consumed by many people all over the world and used in salads, soups and various other recipes. Other people also use them for medicinal purposes even though there is no scientific evidence to back their effectiveness.

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