Garden Tips

By Gerry Restrivera

Growing orchids is a very challenging task, they usually grow in the wild and you have to copy the environment from where they usually bloom and grow. To be able to grow beautiful orchids is a very rewarding experience and like any other houseplants, you can successfully grow beautiful orchids if you know how to care for orchids.

Orchids are very beautiful flowers with thousands of different species and they need special care and set-up to grow. Here are some helpful tips on how to care for orchids.

Proper light. One very important factor in the proper care for orchids is the light requirement of this plant. Watching the leaves of your orchids will help you determine if the plant is getting too much or little light. If the leaves become reddish or yellowish it means that your plant is getting too much light and you need to move the plant to more shade. If the leaves turn into dark green, then you need to move it to more light. A correct light will produce a light grass green leaves.

Watering. Of course like other plants, knowing how to care for your orchids includes correct watering. It is best to use rainwater than chemically treated water like tap water. There are a lot of factors to be considered in watering your orchids. One factor is the climatic conditions; you need to water more in the summer or when the weather is warm and less in the winter. The size of the pot is also another consideration when watering your orchid, small pots need frequent watering since it dry out faster than large pots. Correct watering will result in good, firm and healthy roots and over watered orchids will result in unhealthy and brown dead roots. Over watering is not a proper way to care for orchids; it will drown the roots and will easily kill your orchids. Orchids can stand being dryer than being over watered or moist.

Orchids need air. Proper care for orchids includes providing the needed air for their growth. Remember that in their natural habitat, orchids usually grow anchored in a tree with little or no soil and a lot of fresh air. Orchids can be planted on containers purposely designed to allow air circulation on their roots. Hanging baskets with coconut fiber is also another option that will allow air circulation on their roots. Air is very important in growing beautiful orchids.

Growing beautiful orchids is not as difficult as you think it is if you know the proper techniques on how to care for orchids. Do you want to learn how to care for and grow amazing orchids using easy to follow step-by-step techniques? Visit Orchid Care Expert

Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including How to Care for Orchids. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.
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By Diane Crawford

Not very many people are willing to even to attempt to grow or care for orchids, as it can be a very daunting task, even for the most skilled gardener. Orchids are very expensive plants to purchase, and since they come from exotic places, can be difficult to care for properly in the more extreme climate of the United States, but it can be done. To really care for your orchids, you have to take the time to learn about them, and their requirements, so that you can provide them with everything they need to grow and be beautiful. You can find a lot of information on the Internet about caring for orchids, or may want to visit your local gardening shop, florists shop, library, or bookstore for even more resources. Once you have read up on caring for orchids plants, you should be ready to try your hand at it.

One of the first things you need to do is pay special attention to the type of orchid that you have, so that you can more accurately gauge just how much water and food it needs. Many people are not successful in caring for their orchids because they mistakenly give them too much water, which in some cases, can be even worse than not giving them enough water. Orchids do well in humid environments, but you have to make certain that you don't overdo it. Some types of orchids need extra water, and their soil should always be a little damp to the touch, such as the Miltonia, Cymbidium, Paphiopedilum, and the Odontoglossum varieties. You should check the soil for moisture daily in these orchids, and add water as needed, remembering to do so a little at a time, so as not to overdo it.

Other types of orchids do well and only have to have water about one time each week, and you don't really have to worry about keeping the soil moist, as they actually do better in drier conditions. If you have Vanda, Ascocenda, or Phalaenopsis orchids, you don't really have to worry about them as much, at least not when it comes to watering.

If you care for other plants, then you know that they require fertilizer to grow properly, and the same is true when it comes to caring for orchid plants. Your best solution when it comes to fertilizing your orchids is to purchase a brand that is designed specifically for orchids, and then make certain that you follow the package directions closely. If you give your orchids too much fertilizer, you could easily damage, or even kill them.

Just about all plants require light to grow, and orchids are no exception. To get those full, beautiful blooms, your orchid has to have adequate light. The amount of light that your orchid requires will vary, depending upon the exact type of orchid that you have. Cattleyas and Dendrobiums need more light than any other type, and thrive on it, so if you have these types of orchids, make certain that you have them in an area that gets lots of sunlight throughout the day. Phalaaenopsis and Paphiopedilums do not require as much light, and will do well in almost any area of your home.

There are ways to tell if your orchid isn't getting sufficient light. If you look at the leaves of your orchid, and notice that they are very, very dark green, they probably need more light. If they appear red, of have a reddish tint to them, then you probably are allowing them too much light, and should think of moving them to a better location. If you have a difficult time placing your orchids in a good spot, you can purchase a specially designed light, that can provide them with artificial sunlight, and in fact, many gardeners prefer this type of light, as they are in control of it, and can monitor exactly how much exposure their orchids get each day.

If you do a good job in caring for your orchids, they could live for many, many years. As your orchids grow, you will probably need to plan on repotting them about every other year or so. When you repot an orchid, it is important that you don't do it while the orchid is blooming, as you could possibly kill or damage your plant. It is important that you choose a pot that is large enough to hold the orchid and allow it room to grow, and that before you replant the orchid in a new pot, you carefully remove any dead leaves or roots from the orchid. Once you transplant the orchid into its new pot, you should leave it alone for about a week, and then carry on with your usual water and fertilizer routines.

You will find that caring for your orchids really isn't that difficult, once you learn how to do it properly. Once you have a routine down for providing adequate light, food, and water, your orchid could essentially live as long as you....imagine that!

A lot goes into caring for orchid plants. Diane recommends learning all you can for free at: http://www.orchids.gardenbot.com
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By Jonathan Ya'akobi

More and more people are aware today that the attitude we hold towards something we do, determines to a great extent the results that actually take shape. After over 20 years in horticulture, I can trace my own professional achievements and failings to my mind set at the time. I've also, by casual observation of many home gardeners, learned to see where certain attitudes lead and the effect they have on the garden. Without a doubt, a grateful, appreciative attitude tends to lead in time towards a harmonious, balanced garden, whereas the grumpy scowl of the permanently dissatisfied usually has the opposite effect.

*Patience is a typical characteristic of a grateful person. It is not possible to have a fine garden without it. Patience allows us to plant bushes at the correct distances from each other, while we wait a year or two for them to grow in. It means we will consider including some slow growing plants in the composition. Due to impatience, many excellent species are ignored in favor of entirely unsuitable ones. I remember an art lecture I attended once, when the speaker pointed out that the space between subjects in a painting is as crucial to the composition as the subjects themselves. Relaxed, patient people are more likely to appreciate this when looking at their plants, whereas the impatient tend to be irritated by "holes" in the garden, and are forever stuffing in more and more plants.

*A responsible attitude goes hand in hand with a grateful one. The most precious, irreplaceable item in a garden is the mature tree. No other garden element comes close in its power to move and inspire us. Just think of a great tree you once saw in a park, a wood or maybe one you grew up with. Is there a sculpture in the world that compares to its magnificence and grandeur? In a park or garden, the great tree you see, planted perhaps 150 years ago, stands there at least partly, because of the sense of responsibility amongst the generations of staff. Pruning was carried out meticulously. The workers could have been slovenly, brutal and lazy when removing limbs from the plant, but if they had, the tree would not be standing today, rot and decay having caused its early demise. The tree is our gift to future generations. Which mind set permits us to see that and be able to give and which attitude is liable to blind us?

*Self esteem is another quality related to gratitude. Those with a healthy attitude towards themselves are more self reliant and less dependent on the approval of others for their sense of well being. The syndrome of "the other man's grass is always greener", or of jealously wanting what the neighbor has, leads directly to the big spoiler of gardens - FASHION. Not appreciating what we have and always demanding more, pushes us in the direction of the latest "in" plant. But plants are not blouses and trousers which can be discarded at any time. An ill-advised choice of tree, prompted by the need to be fashionable, can ruin a garden, while some spectacular flowering plant, recently introduced by a local garden center, could turn out to be a dangerously invasive weed.

*An attitude of gratitude makes us see the garden as a place of opportunity. It probably has greater potential than is at first realized. An ordinary bush can be limbed up into a small, sculptural tree, or you suddenly notice that the dappled shade from a shrub forms an interesting silhouette on the wall. Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying; "The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common". All this does not mean that there can be no room for some dissatisfaction. Things can always be improved and upgraded. However a critical eye and a desire to get more from the garden, should preferably be coupled with the humble recognition that to own a garden is an incredible privilege, one we should be deeply grateful for.

About the author - Jonathan Ya'akobi. I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to share my knowledge and experience with you. So you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com
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By Kent Higgins

When you hear the word orchid, you likely first think of beauty and color. The beauty of the plant itself is amazing, but the colors of the flowers are even more intense. There are plenty of different varieties of orchid varieties. Most of them are aerial plants, with their roots found in the air or on tree trunks.

New orchid varieties are being discovered and created all the time. To date, there are over 25,000 varieties of orchids. They thrive in humid climates, so they are naturally found in tropical rainforest's.

Well Known Orchid Species

One of the most common type of orchid is the dendrobium. The flowers of the dendrobium can be white, purple, or yellow. They are mostly found in Asia (including it's tropical islands) and Australia.

Another type of orchid is the Cattleya. It can be found in South America and Asia, and is extremely beautiful. It is actually quite similar to the dendrobiums, in that the flower colors are typically white, yellow, or purple. Instead of growing up though, the cattleya spreads out. They bloom between one and eight flowers in a blooming season.

One of the more strange looking versions of the orchid is the Vanda species. It's leaves grow on a single stalk, with leaves growing singly on each side. The stem of the flower comes from the base of the leaves, with five to twenty blooms coming from each stem. It is often found in the Philippines, India, China, Australia, the Himalayas, Indonesia, and New Guinea.

It would be impossible to explain all of the different varieties of orchid species here. The three above are just a small sample.

One thing that all of the species have in common is their beauty. Choosing a variety to grow at home can add a unique aspect to your decorating. Orchid care is not that difficult. It is also a fulfilling experience to nurture these plants, helping them survive so far from their natural homes.

Learning orchid care is what taught me how to grow plants. Caring for orchids is not more difficult than other houseplants. Visit http://www.plant-care.com/phalaenopsis-orchid-care.html to learn more on caring for orchids in your home.
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By Dwayne Haskell

The discovery of misting was a huge turning point in plant propagation. Prior to misting, plant propagators had very few reliable ways of asexual propagation. One common method was to take a cutting of a plant, stick it in moist sand, and place a glass jar over it. The jar would let in light and retain moisture around the cutting.

This method does work, but the success rate was not high. Plants would burn if too much sun penetrated the glass. The glass would concentrate and intensify the light ( think magnifying glass) which would burn tender cuttings. Another drawback was fungus. Fungus thrives in moist environments. Having the cuttings under glass with no air movement to help dry it off, usually meant the cutting would die from too much moisture. Frequent removal of the glass helped to replace the stale moist air with fresh air, but was very labor intensive with large numbers of cuttings.

Later, it was discovered that if the cuttings were misted frequently by hand throughout the day, greater success was achieved. Again, very labor intensive.

Misting systems allowed propagators to keep the cuttings moist, but not overly wet, and saved considerable time. Cuttings are usually placed out in the open or an open enclosure, not under a sealed enclosure, which allows the circulation of fresh air which the plants require for it's respiration, cooling, drying, and watering requirements. Because of the automation, many more cuttings could be done at one time.

All mist kits have the same basic components.

- A timer to turn the system on and off daily.
- A timer to control the misting duration and frequency.
- A transformer to reduce the voltage to the voltage the solenoid requires. Please note that transformers and solenoids are AC voltage and others are DC voltage! Voltage for the solenoid and transformer

MUST be the same!

-A solenoid valve that controls the flow of the water to the mist heads.
-A reliable water supply.
-A reliable electrical supply.
-A manifold to carry the water to the misting heads
-mist heads to spray a fine mist over the cuttings

A simple misting setup would be assembled as follows: A 24 hour timer set up to turn the system on in the morning, and off in the evening. This timer can be hard wired to an electrical circuit, or a simple plug can be installed to facilitate the systems remove for the winter. The 24 hour timer is wired to another timer that controls the duration and frequency if misting. This frequency varies from geographical location and season, but a 10 minute frequency with a 6 second duration is a good place to start.

This in turn is wired to a step down transformer that reduces the voltage to what the solenoid requires. If in question, a competent electrician should be sought. The transformer is then wired to the solenoid. The solenoid will need fittings installed so a common garden hose can be attached. Proper installation of these fittings is essential for the solenoid to work properly. The solenoid is DIRECTIONAL, meaning there is an IN and an OUT.

Next, the outlet of the solenoid is attached to a PVC manifold that will carry the water to the mist heads. The connection of these heads can be done a few ways depending on the application. Some are suspended from overhead, others are simply attached to a manifold on the ground and raised to allow the spray to cover the cuttings. One option I recommend for the system is a filter. Small particulates will clog the solenoid or render your mist heads inoperable. The cost of a filter is far less than the frustration from losing cuttings due to a plugged head.

Modern technology has given us even better equipment than the two separate timers mentioned. The transformer can also be eliminated due to the fact that it is built into the timing unit. One timer in particular will operate six completely separate stations.

This means you could have six separate mist beds, six different irrigation zones, or a combination of the two; one mist zone and up to five irrigation zones.

This comes in quite handy, if you have a mist bed and potted plants, grow beds, perennial gardens, or anything else you need watered.
For areas that do not have electricity readily available, there are also units that are strictly battery operated.

Dwayne Haskell owns and operates Hidden Hills Nursery. He also enjoys teaching others how to grow their own landscape plants from rooted cuttings. After building his own misting system for his nursery, he realized he could design and build a system for home gardeners who are interested in starting their own plants from cuttings. He offers complete misting kits, individual components, and advice at Mistkits.com.
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By Anthony Causey

Flower Garden Rooms And Shrubs Adds Beauty To Your Home. Flowers Gardens are a reproductive area of amazing shrubs and plants,which means year after year, they will reproduce if no harm comes to the plants or shrubs. Disease,and bad weather conditions can cause considerable harm to these plants.

These wonderful plants not only fills the air with fragrance, but also will appeal to our sight. Flower Gardening seems simple; and most people want to plant and forget, but this is not the case if you choose to have an exceptional flower garden. There are a lot of things to consider when starting your own flower garden.

Consider the climate that you live in and search for what will grow best in your conditions. The amount of moisture is important, it plays a big role in the food source of many flowers. One in particular is the Rose. The Rose flower depends on a lot of moisture and sunlight to flourish out and bloom beautifully. Using manure is highly recommended to fertilize in organic gardening,so is peat moss. There are several organic substances you can find on the market. Organic growing are probably the best remedy for having an outstanding flower garden.

Planting shrubs can be a reliable source in your flower garden. By planting shrubs,your sunlight can be regulated by the amount of shade the shrubs provide. Suppose you have an area that is out in the broad open sunlight,by planting shrubs around in areas that will block sunlight at certain times of the day works fantastic. Having shrubs in your flower garden will also help bridge the gaps that exist.Shrubs can also be used as a guide line; to separate different sections of your garden room.

FLOWER GARDEN ROOM:
Their are many ways that you can add more beauty to your home with flower gardens. Adding a garden room is certainly one of these ways. These spaces that you create, will perform the duties of creativity, planting and growing; and for the most part, displaying solutions and ideas. Garden Rooms are created by you and no one else. This act of creativity will reveal your imagination limits only. Setting your sites on having a certain theme for your garden room will create intense enjoyment.

Dividing your landscape into different sections are also known as garden rooms. Each Garden Room will express a different theme. These themes could be in a Rose Garden, you could have a water garden; which will involve plants that grow in water, or just a section of different color flowers.

Planting and growing your own Flower Garden is time consuming and to most a challenge. But, these challenges will pay off in beauty and fragrance. People will envy your shrubs and flowers; as they pass by, or stop to view the beauty in a face to face manor. I can provide you with even more information on Rose Gardening at my website:
http://www.acauzee.com/Roses/
Flower Garden Rooms And Shrubs Adds Beauty To Your Home.
I can provide you with even more information on Rose Gardening at my website: http://www.acauzee.com/Roses/
Flower Garden Rooms And Shrubs Adds Beauty To Your Home.
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By Juni Daniel

The reasons why you should learn organic gardening principles are many. It might be because you want to start a new garden, but you do not want to damage the environment. Maybe you want to transform your current garden. You may want to serve some delicious, organic fruits and vegetables to friends and family. Whatever your motivation maybe, you should always consider certain things when planning a garden.

Your goal as an organic gardener should be to produce high quality products while using no outside resources. Following organic principles, means you should not use any nutrients, fertilizers, or pesticides. Better yet you should avoid using water tap, instead you should use rain water.

You should try using natural materials, it's a challenge, but it will worth your while.
You should start a compost heap instead of throwing away vegetables and other waste food. This is one of the best way to manufacture your own nutrients for your garden. You will discover that there is not really shortage of materials for you compost heap. When the lawn is mown, all of the grass should be put into the heap. All of your waste food should be added to the pile, and once it is ready you can spread it on your garden and watch the plants grow.

Some people use chickens as part of their organic gardening. The allow the chickens to roam their garden. Chickens are easy to sustain. The will spread there manure in your garden, and you probably will never have to buy them food. The use of maggots is popular. Everything that cannot go into the compost heap such as leaf over meat products and dead animals, could be place in the maggot bin, and in a couple of weeks it will be full of maggots that you can feed your chickens.

With these systems in place, almost none of your leftovers are put to waste. You simply have to start thinking along the lines of saving all of the nutrients you can, and converting them into energy that your garden can use to grow healthy, delicious fruits. It's a cheaper way to maintain a garden, it's healthier for the environment, and it creates better, more natural products.
With this system in place, none of your leftover go to waste. You should now be thinking along the lines of saving all the nutrients you can, and converting then into energy for use in your garden, so as to enable you to have a healthy garden. It's a cheaper way to maintain a garden, and it is healthier for the environment. It also produces a better product which is of course natural.

Juni Daniel is an internet marketer and the moderator of the website Article banker.com Article Free Niche
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