How To Choose And Pick A Healthy Rose Plant For Your Garden.

Roses are a beautiful addition to any garden and can be easily grown in pots or containers,but whats most important is that you need to start first by choosing and buying the right plant that looks healthy and disease free,how do you do that well it very easy  and simple ,here are a few pointers to keep in mind when buying rose plants.

Mistake number one which happens to be the most commonly made one and I am sure most of you would agree with me, is that never get tempted to buy a rose plant by just looking at the flowers on it,check the stems and leaves before the roses,leaves often speak volumes on the overall health of a rose plant.

The leaves should be bright green and glossy and should not have yellow or brown spots which are an indication of fungal infections. neither should they be curly or deformed which are a  sign of pest infections like aphids ,mites,white flies etc.Once you have checked the leaves thoroughly give the underside of the leaves a quick check as well.

Rose plants that are available in nurseries are sprayed and overdosed with chemical pesticides and fertilizers so that they bloom profusely and the buyers are attracted and tempted to buy the plants instantly I like to call this the "Nursery Syndrome" and how do you get your rose plant to snap out of it very simple trim all the flowers and most of the stems leaving a few nodes for new growth ,most of you would think I am bananas for asking you to cut a newly bought plant but trust me if you don't do it now you will be sorry later here is the reasoning.

Because of the overdose of fertilizer the plant does not get enough time to absorb it and the effects of these fertilizers are temporary,rose plants require severe pruning and the sooner you adapt to this habit the healthier your plant will grow, cutting or pruning helps the plant branch out and put out new shoots,old faded blooms do not look appealing and need to be removed also as roses are heavy feeders they will end up absorbing the excess fertilizer and thus will end up getting stabilized in the process once all the nursery laden chemical fertilizer effect fades away you can introduce your plant to organic fertilizers .And with new growth will come more roses.

If you are buying a rose plant in a nursery bag ( the black poly plastic ones ) check to see if the soil inside is dry and not boggy or soaking in water,if the soil seems to be too wet allow it to dry out before transplanting the rose plant in a pot,this reduces the chances of the soil breaking and falling off  which can expose the roots,and it also helps in keeping the root-ball held together thus reducing chances of transplant shock.

Never buy roses that are Pre potted in pots or containers majority of the times bigger plants are potted in smaller containers,always go for the smaller plants in Nursery bags this way you can buy a pot according to the desired size giving the root-ball more space to spread and grow.

Never buy rose plants that have only one stem or plants which have stems that look lanky,frail and thin or are brown in color, always go for a rose plant that has multiple stems which are thick and green in color.

Pick a rose plant as per your growing space depending on how much sun the spot gets each day if its windy,shady etc,as there are different varieties of rose plants available that can be grown in shade,partial shade,full sun,partial sun etc,So pick the one according to what suits your available growing space.

Then comes the type for those of you who are unfamiliar with roses or first time buyers,you might get a bit overwhelmed with the wide variety of choices of roses that are available,there are so many types,colors,sizes, and cultivars,but to make things  easy and to keep it simple bear in mind your growing space and size ,then go for the type that would suit you best like creepers,shrubs,bushes,miniature,hybrid teas,bourbon,damask,china rose, etc.

Last and most important point never take suggestions as to what should you buy or which plant looks good,which plant should i buy,could you please recommend something  for me etc. from the nursery keepers,caretakers or owners they will always hand you down something that will not make it, use your own head instead just ask for common details like breed,requirements,type etc.

Remember that roses are just like any other plant, they require basic nutrients,sun and water just provide them with these three vital necessities  and also keep in mind the points and tips mentioned above and  that's it your all set  now to go ahead and buy yourself that perfect rose plant .

 Till Then Take Care And Happy Gardening !!

How To Grow And Care For Mexican Tube Rose/Polianthes Tuberosa In Pots Or Containers.

Polianthes Tuberosa is native to Mexico hence its also known as Mexican Tuberose it belongs to the Agave family.It is a half hardy  bulbous perennial .It is also known by other names such as Rajnigandha,Nishigandha ,Gulcheri,Josephs staff,Azucena,Gul Shaboo etc. Its perfect for scented gardens,exotic gardens or any garden.

Mexican Tuberose flowers are borne in clusters on a single stem that emerges out from the tubers beneath the soil.The flowers begin to  bloom from the bottom towards the spike at the top.They are highly aromatic, waxy  and are generally white in color, there are cultivars such as The Pearl, that have double petals and the buds are slightly pinkish in color.The flowers are used in floral arrangemets, in making artistic garlands.floral ornaments,bouquets,buttonholes or as cut flowers.There are four varieties of Polianthes Tuberosa Single,Semi Double,Double and Variegated.

Propagation of Mexican tuberose is done by diving the bulbs.Mexican tuberosa reproduce fast and in no time clumps will have mature bulbs that can be divided further to produce more blooms .Pull the bulb like tubers from the main tuber separating each bulb into a new individual plant.Its important to plant the tubers immediately after dividing them.

Any type of organic fertilizer can be used  also a layer of Organic mulch can be applied before the plant sets out to bloom it keeps a check on unwanted weed growth and provides nutrition .

Use good potting medium mixed with composted matter or matured cow manure if growing Mexican Tuberose in pots or containers.Also make sure to use well draining soil.A little moisture and humidity is required for optimum growth of Mexican Tuberose.Place the plant in a spot that receives full sunlight or in a place where the plant can get at least 5 to 6 hrs of direct sunlight.It can also be grown in partial shade.The plant needs deep watering so water it regularly to help it in establishing its rootstock.

Keep in mind that once a bulb sets out a flowering stem it will not bloom again so its best to remove bulbs that have bloomed for the season or has finished blooming .The only pests that effect Mexican tuberose plants are snails and slugs to get rid of them you can sprinkle broken and  crushed eggs shells or place snail and slug baits in the garden.

Remove dead spent blooms to keep the cluster looking neat and fresh,if using Mexican Tuberose as cut flowers in a vase add half a teaspoon of sugar to the water before placing the flowers in and change the water daily they will last for many days this way and will also keep fresh.

                                                   Happy Gardening To All !!

How To Grow And Care For Cypress Vine/Hummingbird Vine In Pots Or Containers.

Cypress vine is also know by other names such as Hummingbird Vine,Star Glory.Cardinal Creeper,Cypress Vine Morning Glory etc.It belongs to the Morning Glory family.Its Botanical name is Ipomoea Quamoclit .The flowers range from red,white to pink in color,the most common one being the red colored .

                       

It is a annual vine that gracefully twines and bears beautiful trumpet flowers that are shaped like a five pointed star the leaves are pinnate, fern like and delicate,the flowers bloom in the morning and wither by afternoon,once the flower drops a  capsule shaped seed pod forms, each seed pod contains four tiny black seeds that look like little  grains of rice.

         
                               

                     

The vine can be easily grown from seed in any soil type,the seeds need to be sown about 1/2 an inch deep in potting soil and the seeds should germinate within a week,once the vine takes off a trellis or a stake should be provided as support and  to help the vine creep as they are very fragile and can break or snap off easily .

Cypress Vine loves the sun so place it where it will receive atleast 4 to 5 hrs of direct  or part  sunshine if growing it in pots or containers.Make sure that the pot or container has enough drainage holes as Cypress Vine do not like soggy  or wet waterlogged soil  well draining soil is a must.

Use any good  Organic fertilizer like aged cow manure,seaweed brew or homemade compost tea etc.once a month or as  and when required.The Cypress Vine otherwise is easy to grow and maintain with little care required.

The Beautiful delicate star shaped red flowers of the Cypress Vine are rich in nectar and attract pollinators like Hummingbirds,butterflies and bees in the garden,they all love to sip on the sweet nectar that is produced by the flowers of the Cypress Vine.

The Cypress Vine grows very rapidly sending of new shoots and growth,hence its best to train the vine to grow in one direction this way it will not latch on for support or take off on other plants in the garden which can hamper their growth.the vine can grow to height of 10 feet and above its perfect to cover up walls,posts,fences or trellises.

The Cypress Vine can get affected easily by garden pests like mealy bugs,fungus and aphids so keep an eye out for them.Do not water the vine over its leaves it may cause the delicate leaves to turn yellow and burn.Water early in the mornings or after the sunsets.Once the vine has set root and is properly established  it can tolerate drought like conditions.however regular watering makes the vine grow faster and  helps to produce more blooms making the vine look full and attractive.

Make sure you let the flower dry and fall off on its own so that seed pods develop for sowing the following season.Harvest the mature seed pods once it has completely dried off and has turned brown in color.The Cypress vine will give you bumper yield of seeds  for  your next growing season and you will still have enough of seeds left to share with others.

The Cypress Vine will last till summers.Seeds can be sown in the month of May to start new saplings ,within 30 days the Cypress Vine plant will begin to grow, flower and flourish .Its often considered as a weed in some places due to its self seeding habit.

Deadheading spent blooms of the cypress vine will encourage a longer prolonged blooming season.In tropical warm climate the Cypress vine may grow as a perennial. 

The cypress vine provides a dazzling display of color with the dark green foliage as the backdrop and the bright red star shaped flowers that stand out against it.Perfect for screening and cheering up dull and unsightly spaces in the garden.

                                                       Happy Gardening To All !!

How To Grow Sweet Marjoram In Pots And Containers

Sweet Marjoram also known by names such as Knotted Marjoram and Marjoram is a herb that belongs to the Mint Family.Sweet Marjoram can be grown in pots,containers,hanging baskets or simply in the ground.Makes a great addition to any kitchen garden.

                                               Sweet Marjoram / Knotted Marjoram

The leaves of Sweet Marjoram have a gorgeous grey green color that are oval in shape they are soft and fuzzy with fine hairs on them,the leaves grow opposite each other.

                                       Close Up Photo Of The Leaves of Sweet Marjoram

The leaves of Sweet Marjoram give out a very strong lovely fragrance when bruised.The flowers of the sweet marjoram are tiny and white in color.They can be added to butter to make a Sweet marjoram flavored Butter.The herb can be used fresh and dried as well.

                                              Cascading Stems Of Sweet Marjoram

Sweet Marjoram can be easily grown by stem cuttings that can be directly placed into starter soil after stripping some of the leaves off also the stems tend to catch root wherever they touch the soil .

                                          Beautiful Grey Green Foliage Of The Sweet Marjoram

The Herb can be used as a seasoning for various dishes like pastas,pizzas,sausages,eggs,potatoes,
roasts,flavored butter,passata etc.

Sweet Marjoram

The plant needs full sunlight to grow 5 hrs to 6 hrs of sunlight is more than sufficient.It grows well in any soil type needs moderate watering.Regular pinching and harvesting will lead to new and bushy growth.

                                                   Close Up Of the Leaves and New Shoots

                                                   Harvested Some Fresh Sweet Marjoram Stems.

How to grow and care for garden balsam in pots or containers.

Garden Balsams are also known by other names such as Touch Me Not,Impatient Balsamina,Jewel Weed,Ladies Slippers,Rose Balsam,Spotted Snapweed,Policeman's helmet and Jumping Betty.They are native to India and Burma.Garden Balsams are flowering annuals.Garden Balsams can be easily grown in pots or containers.Garden Balsams are a perfect addition to any garden as they add color and look vibrant. Such is the beauty of Garden Balsams that were used to landscape gardens during Victorian times.Garden Balsams are easy to grow and they reseed easily.

Garden Balsams plants grow upright with slender juicy stems the leaves are long and saw tooth shaped,the flowers bloom close to leaf axis near the stem.Once the flower blooms and drops of a seed pod forms,when the pod is fully ripe the slightest of touch makes it bursts open thereby scattering its seeds in all directions hence the name Touch me not.They come in an array of colors such as pink,peach,red,orange red,white,yellow and purple.Bi-colored varieties are also available.Garden Balsams can be single petal or double petaled.The double petaled variety of Garden Balsam gives it the appearance of a rose hence the name Rose Balsam.

Garden Balsams can be grown from seeds,if grown from seed sow the seeds mid April,you will see that the seeds sprout within 6 days however it takes at least 60 days for the plant to completely grow and flower,so plan and plant accordingly.Garden Balsams plants can also be bought from the nursery and transplanted.

Garden Balsams are best grown from seeds although they can also be propagated by stem cuttings .Use rich moist soil to sow the seeds.

Garden Balsams do well in full to partial sun or partial shade.When grown in pots or containers make sure the soil remains moist at all times but not waterlogged.Garden Balsams get infected by powdery mildew and leaf miners.

Garden Balsams are beneficial as they attract a lot of pollinators like the bees,nectar feeding birds and butterflies love them.They can make even the dullest of gardens look like granduer making them come alive with their vibrant colored flowers.Growing them can be such a delight.Most of the times if you grow different colored garden balsams together you will find the bees cross pollinate them  the next season you will find a new color of balsam like I did.

Garden Balsams are used in traditional and folk medicine.In Vietnam the women use the juice of the leaves to color their hair and  to also make it grow long.Juice of the leaves are used to treat snake and insect bites.The flowers are applied to cool burns.A paste of the flowers and leaves  when applied on fingers and left to dry overnight gives a bright orange color similar to henna.If you soak the roots of the plant in colored water the next morning you will see the plant has changed it color to that of the water.Kids will love this plant a lot.

Garden Balsams are easy to grow and low in maintenance.Collect the seed pods before they burst, label and store them in a ziplock bag in cool dark place so that you can use them in the garden the next growing season.   

                                                           Happy Gardening !!