Water gardening is easy and fun. Usually when you mention water
gardening a mental picture comes to mind of a tropical oasis with a
cascading waterfall surrounded by ferns and filled with the beauty of water
lilies or a serene Oriental garden setting highlighted by bamboo, stones
and a small statue set off with schools of bright koi swimming around. In
reality though, anyone can have a water garden and the miniature tub
gardens are the answer to enhance any balcony or patio. The tub should
hold at least four gallons of water and be completely sealed. Ceramic
pots, old crocks, wash tubs and galvanized horse troughs make excellent
tub gardens. For how to plant and what to plant, see your local California
Certified Nursery Professional.
Finding space where there's little or no space to garden is an intriguing
game that many gardeners have to play. Container gardening is the
answer for those with restricted space. There are many advantages as
condensed space brings all plants into sharper focus. Even a single
geranium in a clay pot stands out as a proud specimen. You can even
plant vegetables in baskets or other such containers. Of course, some
regular sized vegetables automatically fit into a container such as
radishes, carrots, eggplant, bush beans and more. Of course, a flowering
container is an eye catching mass of color and to create this use petunias,
ageratum, lobelia, marigolds and zinnias.
A convenient way of planting that's portable, self-contained, low-cost and a
breeze to take care of is a plain Jane bag of soil mix which is available in
4, 8, 16 and 40 quart bags. Planting it is easy. Punch a hole large enough
to insert a garden hose, and water slowly but thoroughly until all soil
pockets are moistened. Punch holes in the top and sides equal to the
number of plants. Then add a slow release fertilizer. Just be sure to plant
near the edges so the foliage hides the sides of the bag. Four inch spacing
will assure instant coverage. In most cases, within weeks, you'll have an
invisible container covered with a veritable mound of flowers or
vegetables. As an added bonus, at season's end the soil mix is still
reusable in other containers or in a regular garden plot.
The bedding geranium known as a zonal geranium seems to have been
around forever and a day. Yet, this timeless friend can add a pleasing
touch to almost any yard. While the geranium is really a perennial in some
areas, it is treated as an annual by many. The zonal has leaves which
show color rings and the flowers are double or single clusters reaching
five inches in size. The colors range from the whites through the reds,
pinks and salmon with a few bicolors too. This friend of the gardener can
be grown from seed and loves the sun except in extreme heat. The soil
should be light and have good drainage. Like all plants that are heavy
bloomers, they should be fed regularly throughout the season.
When you want a plant that will produce large daisylike flowers and one
which supplies these in a variety of vibrant to pastel colors, think of
Gerbera or what is more commonly known as the transvaal daisy. This
plant is fast becoming a favorite of many gardeners. It brightens up any
garden scene and is an excellent cut flower which lasts up to three weeks
in a vase.
The Gerbera is a perennial but is usually treated as an annual. Each flower
appears on a stalk by itself in various pastel shades but also blooming in
pure red, brilliant orange, vivid pink, sparkling yellow and many shades in
between. There are some compact varieties with the stalk less than a foot
tall, while others reach up to 18" in height. The leaves are large and may
remind some of spinach. Planting in rows is fine for the purpose of having
a bed of cutting flowers, but the gardener wanting to add a focal point to
his garden, plant them en masse.
The days of just a yellow or gold marigold have long since disappeared as
today's choices are staggering. You simply cannot visit your local garden
center to purchase a few marigolds without finding that this choice
involves more than you thought. Marigolds are now available in many
colors and in many heights from a few inches to three feet tall with every
size in between.
Another choice facing you is the flower size. There are petite blooms as
well as on up to large ones. The colors of the flowers run from the straw
shades through the yellows and golds and reds, bronze and fancy
combinations such as those with a deep red center and rich gold on the
outer edge.
The so-called petite marigolds make excellent plants to color up the border
of a flowerbed or use as an edging. The larger size plants can be used as
a background planting. In fact, you could create a whole flowerbed of
marigolds from tall to short and none of them will look like the other. The
impact of an all marigold flowerbed is close to an explosion because it's
so vibrant with color. Check at your local garden center for the latest
varieties.
In many parts of California April is the month to plant a vegetable garden.
The danger of frost is over, the soil has warmed up and is ready to be
planted. Check with your local California Certified Nursery Professional for
the best recommendation of varieties to plant in your area. Be sure to
include tomatoes & peppers for salsa, eggplant for grilling, and melons for
a mouth watering treat.
APRIL ARTICLES
BRING ON SPRING WITH COLORFUL CONTAINERS
Dress up the outside of your home or even hide an architectural flaw by
putting in a window box garden. You can plant them up with annuals such
as marigolds, zinnias and petunias or try ivy geranium, fibrous begonias
and even vegetables and herbs. When selecting a planter box, make sure
it is sturdy in construction. A redwood box or one made out of plywood
lined with sheetmetal or plastic trays works well. The container should be
7 to 19 inches deep to handle the root systems of most plants. Caulk the
seams to prevent the water from leaking out and staining the house and
locate drainage holes toward the outer edge of the box. Be sure to check
into strong supports to secure this under your window.
Those dependable, colorful annuals can be planted now to have a garden
show that will match the bright, cheerful atmosphere of the summer
season. There are an enormous number of annuals available to fit into
practically any type of garden situation from edging a walkway to sprucing
up a balcony or patio or having hanging baskets brimming with color.
They'll also bring color to areas between established shrubbery and
completely fill flowerbeds with flowering beauty. High on the list is
portulaca, a plant that blooms in yellow, white, rose, pink and orange and
all on one plant if you desire. Delicate alyssum with its small flowers which
bloom in profusion, favorites like marigolds and zinnias, petunias, verbena,
ageratum and lobelia are all high on the list to plant now for spectacular
summer color.
Salvia blazes into the garden scene with dark green leaves topped by tall,
dense spikes of scarlet flowers. Because of hybridizing, they can be found
in a size for every use and also in rose, violet blue and white. Salvia is
easy to grow and its not particular about soil but does need a generous
amount of water during those hot summer days.
Remember a loved one this Easter with a living plant. Those that flower
are especially appreciated such as the Easter lily, azalea,
chrysanthemums and more you will find at your local garden center.
CROTON PROVIDES A COLORFUL SPLASH INSIDE
No one can overlook the Croton wherever they may find it. This tropical
beauty steals the show with its flamboyant colors of red, purple, bronze,
yellow, pink and all sorts of variations upon the green background of its
leaves. The leaves not only have this explosion of color but come in every
shape imaginable from skinny, up to 18" long, to flat wide leaves with
lobes, wrinkles, twisted forms like corkscrew or just with crinkled edges.
A native of Malaysia and many of the Pacific Islands, the Croton has over
100 varieties with many others being hybridized for the houseplant market.
You may have first become aquatinted with them in a terarium but many of
them can reach 20 ' in their natural habitat. Those grown in the home
usually obtain a height of 3 feet. Slightly larger ones are found in atriums of
many shopping malls.
Crotons have, at times, been unjustly accused of being a difficult plant.
They do have a few basic needs but the problems are few to none for the
home gardener. To begin with, the natural home of this plant is in the sun
so give it at least four good hours of light. In a southern or western
exposure. This will enrich the colors on the leaves. It also has no desire to
be near an air conditioning vent. Keep it happy with a temperature range
from 65 to 80 degrees. To provide the moisture in the air that all tropicals
need, try using a humidity tray. Fill a large, shallow container with one or
two inches of fine gravel. Fill it with water to the top of the gravel and set
the plant, saucer and all in the tray. As for watering the plant, keep the soil
barely moist and feed it every two months from spring to summer with a
rest in fall and winter.
Some of the common problems are leaf drop because the temperatures
are too cold or the plant has had too much or too little water. Brown tips on
the leaves mean that the air or soil is too dry while brown edges are a sign
of too much cold air.
Croton ' Elaine ' is a popular plant with lance like leaves that are green with
bright yellow veins tinted with pink and red. Her average height is about
two feet. Another favorite would be Croton 'Joseph's Coat ' which has a
more oval, oaklike leaf with yellow veins and yellow splotches of color as
well as leaves with red veins and splotches.
DAHLIAS ARE PURR-FECT
As one of the more striking, fanciful plants in the yard, the dahlia purrs with
perfection. From the dwarf bedding plants to the dinner plate size award
winners which tower up to 5 feet, the dahlia's brilliant colors and forms
attract immediate attention.
The exhibition plants are grown from tubers and require staking. Now is
the time to plant. Place the tuber on its side in a hole about six inches
deep or if you have heavy clay soil, plant only 3 - 4 - inches deep. Cover
this with only two inches of soil and continue this as the plant grows to fill
the hole. Don't forget to put in the stake at the time of planting so you avoid
stabbing the tuber at a later date. The smaller plants which are treated as
annuals are also planted at this time. With the proper care, you have
dahlias in bloom all summer as well as in the fall. Dahlias like the sun but
will tolerate some shade in the hotter areas of the state. Being a heavy
bloomer means that they are a heavy eater. Frequent light fertilizing will
help their performance. Use mulch not only at the time of planting but
throughout the growing season.
The dahlia comes in many forms so there will be at least one that will suit
your fancy. The colors run from brilliant hues of red, orange, yellow and
purple to the pale pinks, whites, bronzes and almost every combination
you can think of. The single flowered ones have open centers and can be
as wide as 4 " even though they are used for bedding plants. The
anemone or pincushion type dahlia has a tuft of tiny petals in the center
ringed by flat petals. The collerette has an open center surrounded with
almost a shredded- like set of petals which has a larger, flatter petal
outside of this layer. There are the decorative type which can be dinner
plate size or the small bedding plant.
The varieties and forms of dahlia flowers to choose from doesn't end here
because there are still the ball and pompom plants which produce double
flowers. Last, but not least, is the cactus family of flowers. These popular
plants have fully double petals that are curved almost to the point of being
tubular with pointed tips. The color range is vast and the flower size
ranges from 4" to a 12". Try some of these dazzlers in your garden this
year.
BEAUTIES WITH GOOD TASTE
What could be more appealing than to have some beautiful plant that not
only dresses up the landscape but also gives a treat to the taste buds?
This isn't hard to achieve because all you have to do is plant a citrus in the
garden or in a tub for your patio.
The year round appeal of citrus can easily be satisfied by the multitude of
varieties available today.
There are navel oranges for summer as well as the winter months. The
blood oranges, fruit from the Mediterranean, are becoming popular as well
as tangelos, mandarins, kumquats, grapefruit, limes and lemons. Now is a
good time to plant because the danger of frost is over and the citrus will
have an excellent length of time to establish themselves before next
winter's cold.
If you live in a borderline area in regards to the amount of cold weather,
remember that some types of citrus are hardier than others and that fruit
covered by foliage on a tree is much less bothered by frost than others.
Among the hardier choices of fruit trees are kumquat, Meyer lemon,
mandarin, orange and tangelo. The lime, grapefruit and pummelo are the
least hardy but even they can do well if the placement is right.
In choosing a location for your citrus, choose a sunny location where the
ground isn't in competition with the lawn. Dig a hole twice the size of the
container or balled plant and be sure to add an ample amount of humus
with a planting fertilizer to the soil and mix in well. The addition of a basin
around the tree is a must.
Regular watering and feeding practices throughout the year will provide the
proper balance in order to produce a good crop. If having citrus in your
yard means that you must use a container, then plant a dwarf tree. The
selection is as readily available as the standard size tree. In cold weather
areas, you have the option of moving the container to a protected place
when needed.
Why not plan on enjoying the evergreen foliage, fragrant flowers and tasty
fruit of a citrus by planting one in your landscape today?
THE FIVE THOUSAND YEAR OLD PLANT
You must assume from the title that we are going to talk about one of the
redwoods or a bristlecone pine, but we're not. This is about that old
standby, the sunflower. The Western Plains of North America was the
home of the wild sunflower back in 3,000 B.C. For most Indians, the
sunflower was lightly roasted and ground into flour to use in making
breads and along with vegetables.
However, the Indians being an ingenious lot, found other uses for both the
seeds and parts of the plant. The Zunis treated rattlesnake bites with
sunflower and the Dakotas and others used an infusion for chest pains.
The Cochite used juice from the stems for healing cuts and wounds. The
oil derived from the plant had many uses including that of the base for
paints as well as hair dressing. Even the yellow ray flowers produced a
yellow dye and a purple one was obtained from soaking the seeds.
Explorers took the plant back to Europe where it was grown for its beauty
until the late 1600's when attempts were made to find other uses. One of
the first attempts at making a flour and cooking with it caused the person
to state the flavor was similar to turpentine. Nevertheless, by the end of the
1700's, the flavor had been described as more like almonds and the high
oil content was noted. This oil content has caused the sunflower to be
ranked second among all oil seed crops in the world as an important
source of edible vegetable oil.
The sunflower seeds, sometimes referred to as ' bird food ' is very high in
many vitamins, minerals and essential acids. Protein content alone is 24%
putting it in the same league as beef. Other nutrients include thiamin,
vitamin E, iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and the fatty acids,
linoleic and oleic. The iron content is higher than all foods except liver and
egg yolks while the potassium level is similar to raisins, nuts and wheat
germ. The only draw back is the high calorie count.
While the sunflower is grown as a commercial crop, it also makes a great
plant for the children's garden or even as a part of the regular vegetable
garden where it can be used as supports for pole beans and cucumbers.
Some of the more ornamental types make excellent plants to place within
the vegetable patch because they attract bees for pollination as well as
giving the birds a tasty crop of their own. The sunflower can be planted
just about anywhere as long as there is an abundance of sun and no
standing water. The better the soil, the better the plant but be sure to plant
the seeds about 1/2 inch deep and 6" apart. Now all you do is water deeply
and feed the plant. Enjoy!
POOL SETTINGS TO ENJOY
Whether your pool is one for swimming, or a pond or stream that
meanders throughout your yard, the proper mix of plants adds dimension
and beauty to the setting.
For the garden pond or pool that no one swims in, you will want to add
greenery right up to the edge and color in gentle patches. Ajuga and baby
tears make excellent ground covers for their quiet beauty. Azaleas so
often seen around the pools of Japan give color and character to the
setting. Other plants that do well can be some forms of heavenly bamboo,
daylilies and agapanthus. A swimming pool adds a few problems because
thorny plants and those that attract bees are not good choices as well as
plants that seem to forever fill the pool with debris.
Yet even with these restrictions there are many plants that can give color
and character to the swimming pool setting. Containers of annuals can be
placed around the area out of splash range and give a great deal of color.
Masses of geraniums make great color statements. Gazanias offer color
without being a feast for bees and clumps of agapanthus or the fortnight
lily can add just the right touch. In fact, agapanthus, commonly known as
lily of the Nile, is a favorite. Their ball-like bloom on top of a long stem can
be blue or white. There are varieties which grow to a foot tall and those
that range to a full four feet. This useful plant with its straplike leaves
survives well in the sun except for the very hottest areas. It does well in
small or large plantings, in containers or even among the rocks.
Small patio trees in containers are another exceptional item to use as are
the tropical looking plants such as the philodendrons, palms or ornamental
banana tree. If you need large plants for privacy, the choice can include
camellias, hollies, pittosporum and privets. Each has a look of its own. For
shrubs in the medium height range, use India hawthorn, escallonia, and
some juniper varieties. If you have the right place for a vine, look for
Clematis armandii, hardenbergia, and gelsemium sempervirens.
|
