Learn About Gardens

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Aqua Globes Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 12 Pack
Price: $16.97
Aqua Globes Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 12 Pack

Aqua Globes Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 12 Pack

Aqua Globes Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 12 Pack

Fall is normally the time for harvest as well as planning for the following year. While keeping busy with the fall season, gardeners make it a point to buy tools, bulbs, supplies, gardening stock etc. to prepare for the next season.

Tools : Tools are essential equipments that are required for leaf cleanup process in the fall season. One can also employ leaf blowers to ease things up. However, if you find the noise produced intolerable then you can initiate the kids into a raking party to clean things up amicably. The fall leaves make wonderful compost if put into a compost bin and allowed to rot during the winter season. In case you are not in possession of a compost bin, fall is the most appropriate time to go shopping or it. There are many types of compost bins like round barrels and wooden boxes available in the market.

Bulbs : It may be necessary to pluck out few tender bulbs that may not be able to withstand the winter frost. Other kinds can be planted during the fall to give them ample time throughout the winter to go dormant. So, both digging up and planting of bulbs essentially happens during the fall. You should ideally start with picking out whichever bulbs you may feel necessary and then follow that procedure up with planting the others with the help of special tools designed to make the task easier and quicker.

General Supplies : Fall is also the right time to get the lawn ready for the next season. It is quite common to subject the lawns to fertilizer sprays with weed killers that can assist the lawn to put up with the winter cold and curb the weed growth as well. Many gardeners seed the following years lawn in the fall season itself. To get on with this process, general supplies like tool, bulbs, supplies, gardening plants etc. are required along with some lawn care goods as well.

Garden Maintenance : Once the necessary tools, bulbs, supplies, gardening materials have been purchased, it is imperative to go around he garden and trim the dead plants. If neglected, it can result in deadly plant diseases. Mulches also need to be purchased along with the fall gardening products to get the beds for following spring ready and help the plants to retain their moisture levels during winter. After getting through with all these processes, one should clean, sand and oil the tools prior to taking them away for safekeeping.

Making purchases of the essential items like tools, bulbs, supplies, gardening materials etc. can be a tiresome process due to many other simultaneous activities in the fall season. However, if planned properly, one can do justice to all of them in a satisfying manner.

In most books on rock gardening, a large part of the space is devoted to the description of plants, and of individual varieties. This is as it should be, and to those who are taking up seriously this fascinating form of gardening, the acquisition of at least one or two of these larger volumes is by all means recommended. Anyone planning a rock garden should conduct more research than simply what this article contains.

Bulbs for a Rock Garden:

To one who thinks of bulbs in terms of Darwin tulips with three-foot stems, and the modern Giant Trumpet daffodils, in the spring garden, or of gladiolus and dahlias throughout the summer months, the rock garden would seem to offer no suitable place of residence for this important group of flowers. Many “complete” catalogs of rock garden plants contain never a whisper concerning bulbs, though often including shrubs, evergreens, and garden fountains (http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=1071).

It may be argued that the bulbous flowers, even when dwarf enough to merit a place in the rock garden, are not sufficiently similar in habit of growth to other rock plants to entitle them to recognition. This, of course, is a matter of taste and not to be dogmatically settled one way or the other. The contention that bulbs are not legitimate subjects for the rock garden has had more weight abroad among the advocates of alpine gardening, pure and undefiled than it has in the states.

In most American rock gardens, bulbs have been made welcome and are likely to be used more rather than less in the future, as knowledge concerning them becomes more widespread. For one thing, they may be successfully grown over a much wider range of climatic conditions than the true alpines.

But the fact that there are some bulbs which may be welcomed into the rock garden, makes it no less necessary to have them qualify as to size, habit of growth, and character. The first point is easily settled. The most extreme novice at rock gardening would hardly think of including Darwin tulips or gladiolus; in general, 12 or 15 inches will mark the limit in height. These types of bulbs fit well with rock gardens with classical garden features, such as those found in the Williamsburg Collection, http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9HrZ2bNaiGk.

Failing to pass in habit of growth and character, are such obviously formal things as hyacinths, double tulips, and most of the Early and Cottage varieties-even most of the daffodils are a bit too bulky and stiff and garden-border looking.

But, fortunately, we have left a most gay and companionable little company which includes such things as the smallest of the daffodils, which are lost among their more robust sisters in the garden border, even though they may be grown there; many of the fascinating little tulip species; the trooping company of the brave-hearted “minor bulbs” which come to meet the spring almost before the earliest of the rock plants have opened an eye-the grape hyacinths, snowdrops, scillas, chionodoxas, and dainty little wild crocuses.

One should never want to be without these little treasures in their rock garden, even if located where all the most difficult and rare alpines might be grown. There are many others equally desirable, including numerous native American species which are gradually becoming available, to extend the season of little bulbs in the rock garden from the grape hyacinths, through the later blooming scillas, to the autumn flowering crocuses in the fall.

The gladiolus, one of many flowering bulbs, is a popular favorite among many gardeners. The gladiolus colors are available in just about any color you want except for a true blue. These flowering bulbs name is derived from the Latin word “gladius” or little sword. The gladiolus originated in the Mediterranean and South Africa.  

Gladiolus planting is normally done in the spring after the threat of frost. It is best to start planting them as soon as you can work the soil. Gladiolus bulbs, when planted in heavy soil, only need to be four inches deep; but if planting in light soil, they should go down as far as 6 inches. If you plant gladiolus over a few weeks period of time or with bulbs that mature at different times, you can prolong the blooming season. If you live in an area where frost occurs regularly you must dig out the bulbs for storage before the frost comes. In the warmer frost free areas gladiolus bulbs can stay in the ground all winter.  

Gladiolus should receive some humidity and they like the warm regions of any country. The growing conditions for these flowering bulbs are no different than any other garden flower or vegetables. They should receive plenty of sun and the soil needs to be fertile and well drained. Gladiolus care is not difficult but you do need to keep an eye on them. Watering is important because the rain seldom supplies them with enough moisture. Their flower bed should receive at least an inch of water weekly. Once the plants sprout about 5 leaves you need to start watering. You do not want to crowd the bulbs together or too close the foundation of a building. They also do not want to fight the roots of shrubs or trees. If you have no other choice but plant in these conditions you will need to provide them with extra water and food. They also do not want to compete with weeds; the sooner you start weeding the better these flowering bulbs will do. New corms or bulbs, along with their roots, will form on top of the old during their growing season.    

If you are going to plant several gladiolus bulbs together, you should leave four to six inches between them; the more room they have the larger the plant will grow. This will give you a beautiful display of summer flowers. You should start seeing some blooms about 3 months after planting. Since the stems will grow quite tall it would be a good idea to stake them during their growth. This will help keep the flower stem nice and straight. Gladiolus will generally bloom between July and September and can grow to a height of sixty inches. .

The gladiolus does have one enemy and that is the thrip insect. It is a very small winged insect that can suck all the juices out of the plant. It also leaves an appearance that is very silvery that will cause the plant to turn brown. The flowers could possibly become deformed and some of them may not open because of the thrip. If you should see any thrips on the bulbs while planting, remove them all before planting. Once the bulbs are planted and their leaves are about six 6 inches high you can start to spray with a fungicide. This should be done on a weekly basis, but more often if it is rainy, all through flowering time.

The flower stems can be cut when only one or two flowers have opened up; the cut should be done on a slant and the stem placed in water immediately. The remainder of the flowers on the stem will open in time if kept in the water. When you cut your flower stems you want to be sure to leave five leaves on the plant so the bulbs can continue growing to maturity for the following season. You should continue to keep the weeds under control even after the blooming time but you do not need to water unless conditions become dry.

Aqua Globes AG011706 Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 2 Pack
Price: $4.86

• Waters plants perfectly for up to 2 weeks
• For use with houseplants, hanging plants and patio plants
• Easy to use, just fill and insert into soil
• Never worry about leaving plants unattended
• Genuine Hand Blown Stained glass

Aqua Globes AG011706 Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 2 Pack
Product Description
Aqua Globes are an attractive solution for automatic houseplant watering. Fill he hand blown stained glass globes as the plant needs it. Aqua Globes are a great alternative to the daily chore of watering plants and an excellent choice for automatic watering while on vacation. How Aqua Globes Work As soil becomes dry, it releases oxygen into the Aqua Globe, which in turn releases the exact amount of water your plant needs. Automatically waters houseplants for up to 2 weeks. For indoor and outdoor potted plants. Hand-blown glass designs adds beauty to your plants. Includes gift boxes for sharing with friends & family Assorted Colors
Aqua Globes AG011706 Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 2 Pack

Aqua Globes AG011706 Glass Plant Watering Bulbs – 2 Pack

As a group,flower bulbs are outstanding plants—colorful, showy, and generally easy to grow for container gardening. Many have evergreen foliage; with others, the leaves ripen after flowering and the bulbs are stored and started again, year after year. Some flower bulbs are hardy, others, tender, though what is, and is not hardy, in a particular area is a matter of winter temperature averages. In cold regions, tender types—tuberous begonias, gloxinias, and calla lilies—can be treated like summer in container gardens. This gives the gardener a wide variety to grow from earliest spring to late fall.

Dutch flower bulbs include crocus, snowdrops, eranthis or winter aconites, chionodoxas, scillas, grape hyacinths, leucojums or snowflakes, Dutch hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips, the pride of northern spring gardens. Though hardy, they are not adapted to garden containers outdoors where temperatures drop much below freezing. They require the protection of a shed, unheated cellar or cold frame. Gardening Pots can also be dug into a trench in the ground for the winter and covered with a thick blanket of marsh hay or straw. Where temperatures do not go below freezing, Dutch flower bulbs can be left outdoors in gardening pots over the winter.

For best results in a container garden, start with fresh, firm, large-sized flower bulbs each fall. Insure good drainage in the bottom of each garden pot and use a light soil with bone meal added. If in clay pots, plunge during the rooting period in damp peat moss to prevent rapid drying out. If this occurs too often, roots will be injured and flowers will be poor. When weather permits, after the danger of freezing passes, put your container garden outside where they are to flower or in a nursery row until they reach the bud stage. After blooming, move your container garden where foliage can ripen unseen.

For fragrance, concentrate on Dutch hyacinths, excellent for bedding large planter boxes or raised beds. Daffodils look well grouped around trees or large shrubs, as birches and forsythias. Tulips, formal in character, combine delightfully with pansies, violas, wall flowers, forget-me-nots, marguerites, English daisies, and annual candytuft in container gardens.

As already indicated, in cold areas, Dutch flower bulbs cannot be potted or planted in small window boxes and left outdoors unprotected for the winter. They can, however, be set out in large planters and boxes, deep and wide enough to contain plenty of soil. The garden pots should be one and a half to two feet deep and about two feet wide. Set flower bulbs, with at least six inches of soil above them, planting them early enough in the fall so that they can make root growth before soil freezes hard. In penthouse gardens in New York City, Dutch bulbs have been grown successfully in this way, but it is always a risk. It makes no difference whether garden pots are made of wood, concrete, or other material; it is the amount of soil they hold that counts.

Actually, it is not the freezing of the soil that injures flower bulbs (this occurs in open ground), but it is the pressure and counter pressure exerted by frost on the sides of containers, which are firm and do not give. As a result, flower bulbs are bruised and thrust out of the soil, their roots torn. Where there is no hard freeze, but sufficient cold weather, hardy flower bulbs can be grown successfully in garden containers of small size.

Here is a partial list of flower bulbs that thrive in container gardens. They will help you with your container garden design

Achimenes are warmth-loving trailing plants with neat leaves and tubular flowers in blue, lavender, red and white. Related to gloxinias and African violets, they are nice in hanging baskets and window boxes or in garden pots on tables, shelves, or wall brackets. Start the small tubers indoors and give plants a sheltered spot with protection from strong sun and wind. Achimenes, an old standby in the South, is worthy of more frequent planting.

Agapanthus or Blue Lily of the Nile is a fleshy-rooted evergreen plant, with strap leaves, often grown in tubs and urns on terraces and steps during the summer, when the tall blue spikes unfold. Culture is easy, but plants require a well-lighted, frost proof room or greenhouse in winter. This is an old-time favorite, often seen in the gardens of Europe. It is a perfect flower bulb for container gardening.

The Calla Lily is Showy, and outdoors in warmer regions, but a tender pot plant in the North. Most familiar is the white one with large, shiny, heart-shaped leaves. Start bulbs indoors in February or March in rich soil and, when weather settles, transfer to large gardening pots and take outdoors. Calla lilies do well in full sun or part shade, are heavy feeders and need much water. There is also a dainty yellow one with white-spotted leaves. Rest your flower bulbs after foliage ripens and grow again.

Colorful and free-flowering Dahlias provide bounteous cut blooms. Tall, large-flowering kinds can be grown only in large planters and boxes, but the dwarfs, even freer flowering, are excellent in small garden containers. Attaining one to two feet tall, they grow easily from tubers in average soil in sun or part shade. They may also be raised from seed sown indoors in February. If tubers are stored in peat or sand in a cool, frost proof place, they can be grown for years. Check bulbs during winter, and if shriveling, sprinkle lightly.

Gladiolus, the summer-flowering plant has spear like leaves and many hued spikes. Corms can be planted in garden containers outdoors after danger of frost is passed. Set them six inches apart and four to six inches deep. The best way to use these in container gardening is to planting a few every two to three weeks, giving you a succession of bloom in your container garden. Stake stems before flowers open. After the leaves turn brown, or there is a frost, lift corms, cut off foliage and dust with DDT to control the tiny sucking thrips. After dusting, store corms in a dry place at 45 to 55 degrees F for future planting.

Gloxinias, another Summer-flowering plant and tender with large, tubular blooms of red, pink, lavender, purple, or white, and broad velvety rosettes of leaves. Start tubers indoors and don’t take outside until weather is warm. Since the leaves are easily broken or injured by wind or rain, put plants in a sheltered spot. The low broad eaves of contemporary houses, with restricted sun, offer an appropriate setting for rows of pots or window boxes filled with gay gloxinias.

Now you have some great ideas for your container garden design. It’s time now to start planting your flower bulbs.

Happy Container Gardening!

Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Check out this video about garden centers:

This spring many garden centers are offering bulbs that have been prepared to bloom this spring. This is a great way to add some spring color to pots and small gardens in your landscape.

Making Blooms Indoors

Spring flowering bulbs can bloom inside. Start the process of forcing bulbs in the fall for lovely winter blooms. Growing bulbs indoors is easy and fun, and takes up very little space. Creating a fake short winter is the trick. By placing potted bulbs in the refrigerator, in a cool closet, or in a foam cooler on a patio or balcony, they will think that it’s winter. This causes them to grow sturdy roots and start to sprout in preparation for spring.

Continue Reading »