Category Archives: Plants

Tips To Grow Roses Easily

From western culture it has been believed that Roses were created by the goddesses of love Aphrodite. According to the legends, her tears and her lover, Adonis’, blood watered the ground from where roses grew.

Apart from the legend now we have started growing roses for the beauty of our heart in the garden. It needs more care and softness than its petals are.

There are more than 150 varieties of rose across the globe. Though this plant thrives best in temperate climate conditions but in torrid temperatures also it blooms in winter.

Ideas:

Roses not only represents romanticism but it also shows the true form of art. Some ideas to grow roses are:

  • Gate: Most people like to form gates with rose plants, and it looks gorgeous when it blooms.
  • Container: Now it has been an overcoming trend for all gardeners to have roses in pots.
  • Indoor: Some peoples are even growing roses in their homes, with a plentiful of sunlight. This gives a delightful fragrance which will make a relaxing feel.
  • Bushes: Rose bushes are very common if it been cultivated in a large scale. But many grow it in their gardens too.

How to take care of your rose plants?

  • Choosing a plant: Choosing a plant is the most important step to grow any plant. Roses could be broadly categorized into two types Indian Variety and English Variety. Indian variety are small in size but it grows throughout the year even in equatorial regions and has it’s max bloom during winter. Whereas English Variety are larger but only grow in winter in equatorial regions. And both of them blooms well throughout the year in cold climate regions.
  • Collection of a plant: Roses are mainly propagated through cutting and grafting. Grafted ones are easier to grow.
  • Soil: Though Roses are hungry plants, during the plantation its no need to provide a high quantity of fertilizer. It could be grown best in laterite or alluvial soil. But it could also be grown in mixture of compost 40%, sand 20%, garden soil 20%, bone meal 5% and horn meal 5%.
  • Sunlight: It requires at least 6 hours of daily sunlight. But in high temperature regions it should be only provided in winters, during summer it should be kept in shades. Better to keep it under green nets.
  • Watering: Soil should be well drained, and deep watering should be done as roses are water loving. As it loves moisture, water spray is also necessary. But all types of watering should be done in the earliest morning or the plant may get shock.

Advanced care: 

Fertilizer:

To fertilize your plants you need an expert knowledge of what each component, you are using, have its effect on the plant. And obviously the amount to be used. Roses mainly requires NPK, Magnesium, Sulphur, Calcium and copper, zinc, iron, manganese, boron are also required in very small quantities.

  • Organic: It’s better to use organic fertilizer to each and every plant. It will not give an instant effect but is a good choice for long run. Organic fertilizer could be used once a month. And surely to be given just before winter. Now there are two recipes 
    1. Solid: vermicompost 40%, used tea/coffee leaf 20%, neem cake 20%, bone meal10%, fish meal 5%, egg shell5%. Precaution: This is not to be provided for newly planted plants. This is to be given in adequate amount. 50gms for small plants 100gms for large plants and 500gms for large plants (only in soil). No undecomposed fertilizer to be added as there will be a chance of fungus. 
    2. Liquid: In 5 litres of water mustard cake 100gm, neem cake 200gm, banana peel 200gm, orange peel 200gm to be decomposed for 10 days and then the water could be provided to the plant after dilution.  
  • Inorganic: If you are not satisfied with the organic fertilizer and want to have a quick effect on plants then you may use PGP (Plant Growth Proteins), Seaweed Fertilizer, Micronutrients, Vitamins etc. But remember in case of inorganics a plant uses only a little amount and the rest are stored in soil which makes the fertilizers unusable for future and that’s acidify the soil. So if you use inorganic fertilizers then apply less than the amount mentioned to apply on the soil.

Pruning:

Roses are most prone to bacteria and fungi. And rotten flowers, half yellow or brown leaves will boost up the fungi attacks. For this it need to be pruned (2-3 inches) whenever you see an old flower or yellow leaves before it starts to rot. This will also increase flowering rate by raising branches. This is known as soft pruning.

Removing Suckers:

In cases of grafted rose plants suckers grow from the stock i.e. the mother plant. These suckers take up much nutrients and let the plant to reduce its growth and flowering. So how can it be identified? Simple, you will see that Suckers are the stems that will grow from below the place of grafting, near the ground. And normally roses have 5 leaved compound leaves but suckers have 7 leaved compound leaves. So you just need to cut it off.

Diseases and Cure

Here I have already mentioned many times that rose plants needs special care and are very prone to diseases like bacterial and fungal attack. And many insects attack roses. 

Here also you can use organic medicines. To make it use baking soda 10ml, neem oil 10ml and a small amount of mild soap in 1 litre water. This should be sprayed at the earliest morning or before the sunrise and not only the upper portion of leaves to be sprayed but the underneath too. And as an inorganic medicine there are different types of fungicides available in the market. Use it but in less amount.

So get a Rose plant and have a plentifully of roses this winter. As it is now easier for you to grow plenty of gorgeous roses. For the beginners I will suggest that have a regular look over those plants.

To know more about your rose plants comment here and follow the site.

Top 38 Indoor Plants could be grown easily

In the world of growing technological developments many of us are aware of ever increasing pollution. And some of them have involved them in various works to reduce outdoor pollution. But we should now look up at the indoors too. There are various pollutants that are being formed at houses. In that case indoor plants are most effective. 

Most of us thinks that indoor plants are too difficult to grow and a lot of care is to be provided to them. But you will be surprised that these are too easy to grow and could be grown by those also who get a very less time to care about the plants. The only thing you need to do is to choose the correct plant. Plants those are under mentioned can be grown easily. For knowing how to grow these plants easily, see my another article Grow Indoor Plants Easily.

  • Peace Lily
  • Snake Plant (Mother in Law’s Tongue)
  • Lucky Bamboo
  • Bamboo palm
  • Chinese Evergreen 
  • Jade Plant
  • English Ivy
  • Dragon Tree
  • Rubber Plant
  • Aloe Vera
  • Philodendron 
  • Philodendron Birkin
  • Geranium
  • Money Plant
  • African Violet
  • Begonia
  • ZZ Plant 
  • Crown of Thorns
  • Bromeliad
  • Kalanchoe
  • Air Plant
  • Spider Plant 
  • Table Palm
  • Christmas Caclus
  • Ponytail Palm
  • Dieffenbachia 
  • Cast Iron Plant
  • Asparagus Fern
  • Fiddle Leaf Fig
  • Schefflera
  • Pleomate
  • Calathea
  • Guiana Chestnut
  • Yucca
  • Peperomia
  • Phalaenopsis Orchid
  • Anthurium
  • Aralia

For more information about the plants comment here.

7 Important Tips To Grow Indoor Plants Easily

In today’s world we are running with an ultra-high speed of technological development. And some where we are forgetting about the nature. So it’s high time now that we think about it and start planting trees. But most of us have a very restricted place to do so. For them indoor plants will be an ideal one.

Benefits

Now a days planting small plants indoor have become a trend. This not only give you a feeling of in-between the nature but also keep the indoors fresh and full of oxygen. For those who lives in regions with high pollution level, must have plants indoor.

What types of plants do you choose?

In case of choosing plants for indoors, you must have some criteria.

  • Shade Lovers: Collect plants that could be grown under shades easily. But for almost every indoor plants you need to provide them partial sunlight once a week. 
  • Oxygen level: Some plants like Aloe Vera or types of snake plants provide a little amount of oxygen even during night time. So choosing that type of plants are good choices.
  • Toxicity: If you have pets or have your children at home then you must have special care as some plants maybe toxic if swollen or eaten. Like money plant or spider plant or some types of succulents.

Best Indoor Plants to grow

According to NASA Report this plants ranks best as indoor plants;

  • Bamboo palm
  • Chinese evergreen
  • English ivy
  • Ficus
  • Gerbera daisy
  • Janet Craig
  • Marginata
  • Mass cane/Corn cane
  • Mother-in-law’s tongue
  • Peace lily
  • Pot mum
  • Warneckei

For more indoor plants to know about see my other article 38 Indoor Plants To Grow.

How to grow them easily.

1. Soil: For indoor plants it is been referred to use mixture of coco peat and compost.

2. Watering: Watering plants doesn’t only mean to pour water in the soil. For indoors watering is proposed to be done by spray.

3. Sunlight: Keep the plants where they could get at least 1 hour of partial sunlight. If not possible keep it outdoors in partial sunlight once a week.

4. Pots: Use plastic pots to avoid messing the room. And should look over the water level in it.

Medicines

Normally indoor plants are less affected by insects. In case insects’ attacks it can be removed by any insecticide neem oil is mostly preferred.

But the most infected diseases are root rot or fungal attack. For that anti-fungal should be used and kept in sunlight (partial or direct as per requirements).

For further information on indoor plants comment here.

Are you doing this to your Plants (Bonsai)?

Bonsai is one of the oldest art form of humankind. Though it simply means the art of growing ornamental, artificially dwarf variety of trees and shrubs in pots. But it’s not so easy to grow a bonsai from beginning. After reading this it will be easy for you to make a cool bonsai plant.

Choosing a plant

For making a beautiful bonsai your first work is to choose a plant. For which there are some criteria, such as 

  • The Climate you live in: Climate is the most important factor. You can’t grow a deciduous plant in very hot temperature, or can’t grow an evergreen in extreme cold.
  • Variety of Plants: For beginners it is better to choose dwarf variety plants. But obviously bonsai made with tall variety plants looks gorgeous.
  • Leaves: If you can choose a small leaf variety plant it will look better later. Though you can reduce the leaf size of your plant afterwards.
  • Sunlight: Those plants that require a low sunlight will be difficult to grow in high sunlight areas.
  • Pots: Flat pots are best to grow bonsai. It gives a vintage look.

There are much more but for starters it’s necessary.

How should you care your plant?

“Time and patience are the only thing you need for transforming your regular plant into a bonsai. “

Different plants have different ways to take care about. You should have proper knowledge about your plant you are trying to grow. 

  • Soil: For most of the beginners soil is the most difficult things to choose. Now it depends on what type of plant you are growing. But as a common there should be well drainage. You may use the mixture of approximately 40%compost, 10% vermicompost, (20-30)%sand, 5%small stone chips ( under 10 mm), and (15-25)% garden soil.
  • Drainage: Usually we grow our bonsai in small pots so there should be a well drainage system such that the roots doesn’t rot. For which you have to make holes (as per your pot size) and keep some stone chips on it to make sure it doesn’t cloak.
  • Sunlight: Now sunlight is a big deal for shade lovers you need to grow them not under direct sunlight obviously. But for some plants for which you want to reduce leaf size, you should leave it under direct sunlight such that it could be able to create its required form in small part of its leaf and will not increase its length.
  • Watering: For less rainfall months you need to water regularly. But don’t overwater them. Rather water them twice. And for high rainfall months you should water them when it requires. And sometimes dry up the soil to avoid root rot.

Advanced care

  • Fertilizers: You need to study about your plants what they require. But for bonsai you need to give less fertilizers so as it get stout not grow fast. Sometimes you may use slow fertilizers like bone dust, horn dust or egg shell You should avoid nitrogen base fertilizer and use carbon or potassium based ones. But don’t overfeed them.
  • Root Pruning: You are growing your plants in a pot so you do loosen roots by dig the soil once a month. And in the middle of rainy season you pluck the plant with soil. Trim the roots or rearrange it and again plant it. Don’t disturb the roots too much. You may repot them during this time. And keep watering it daily after this for some days.
  • Shoot Pruning: There are different designs to make with your plants. And for this pruning your stems are important. So whenever you prune keeping mind that cut just over a node or internode, such that it will grow its stem from there. And look that you should cut over a node which is facing the direction in which you want to let it go.
  • Wiring: Sometimes we require to further design our plants. In that case use 6mm aluminium or copper wire but not iron. It is greatly recommended that do the wiring with hand so that you can know the rigidity and strength of the stem, such that it doesn’t break.

Medicines

Pesticides are more or less required to all plants and as per requirements use it over your plants. But what I do is, I have made some neem tree bonsai and kept it in my bonsai collection and for that reason insects are less attracted. Other than neem you may plant any such types of medicinal plants. 

And lastly you should have patience and love for your plants and work you are doing for your plants.

Now it’s very difficult to elaborate everything in one article so to know more follow my website Green Gardens and comments if you have any questions about your bonsai.

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