Learning About the Daisy Flower

The daisy flower is the blossom of one the most popular perennials chosen for gardens everywhere. It's a natural for indoor vases, and there are literally dozens of different daisies to choose from. The most popular breeds are African Daisies and Shasta Daisies. These are great for those who are new to gardening, and those who enjoy the hobby but don't really have a green thumb.

When you grow daisies, year one is the year you plant them, and they will bloom from year two onwards. If your daisy flower plants get to crowding each other too much, you can separate or divide them and spread them out a bit. You don't want the plants competing with each other for nutrients. If they do, the blooms will be much smaller.

Daisies are happiest in full sunshine, and in well-drained, rich soil. But they are a very forgiving and hardy plant. They will tolerate lesser soils and some shade. They don't need much attention throughout the year, either. If you give them a bit of fertilizer when they are young, it will help your daisies to grow strong leaves and big stalks. If you want to help each plant to have an even more beautiful daisy flower, give it a fertilizer with a good phosphorous content right before it blooms.

Daisies are not very often bothered by disease or insects. They don't normally need any fungicides or pesticides. If you do have a problem with disease or insects, just treat your plants with a fungicide or insecticide at the first sign of problems, and that will usually take care of it.

Some of the most popular plants in the home garden are in the class of the daisy flower. They have earned their popularity outdoors and indoors by their attractive blooms, and their ease of growth. They are as at home in containers as they are in flowerbeds. And they are an excellent choice for arrangements and flower vases. They are often used as corsages for weddings and proms.

Most daisies are perennials, and the white-colored Shasta Daisy is among the most popular in that group. Some are annuals, with African Daisies leading the popularity in that category. People who are new to home gardening, as well as children, will find these plants easy to care for, and the perfect first plant to grow. If other flowers were as easy to grow as daisies, we'd have lots more types for beginners to choose from.

You can grow daisies from seed or by starts. You can simply plant seeds into a flowerbed, with good results. If you start them indoors, they may bloom the first year. Wherever you plant them, you will enjoy the perky and happy daisy flower.

By Peter J Lee

Want to find out about lilac facts and stephanotis facts? Get tips from the Plants And Flowers website.

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Phalaenopsis Orchid Care - What Should I Do?

Phalaenopsis orchids are one of the most popular varieties of orchids, so much so that they represent around a staggering 75% of all the orchids that are purchased. Much of their popularity is due to the fact that they have long flowering periods and do well as houseplants. Out of all the orchid varieties, these are probably the easiest to cultivate.

There are many types of phalaenopsis orchids and they originate mainly from misty, mountainous regions such as the Himalayas or Indonesia. They have a characteristic butterfly appearance which results in their nickname "the moth" and exist in a range of vibrant colours. To keep them happy and replicate their natural habitat as much as possible, pay particular attention to the following factors:

1. Light

Phalaenopsis orchids like a generous amount of radiance but take care to protect them from harsh, direct sunlight. Place them near a southern facing window; you may need to install a net curtain to diffuse the light in summertime. If you live in a cloudier climate, you can supplement illumination levels by simulated means using a specialist daylight lamp.

2. Temperature

This variety does best in daytime temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees; this is not at all hard to achieve in the average house, even in winter. The plants do require a significant overnight temperature reduction of about 15 degrees, so, if you leave your central heating on while you sleep it is advisable to switch off any heaters that are located nearby.

3. Water

The general rule with every kind of orchid is to avoid over-wetting and hydrate as sparingly and as infrequently as possible. The same applies to phalaenopsis'. They are very susceptible to root-rot and definitely prefer drier conditions. Don't allow their roots to dry out completely, but exercise caution by checking the dampness of the planting medium with your fingers or a wooden stick before adding any extra moisture. Housing in containers made of natural materials is a good idea as these will be more porous and absorb excess moisture.

4. Humidity

This family demands high humidity quantities which can be quite difficult to achieve in the average home. Create extra mistiness by placing damp pebbles or bowls of water close by your plant. Spraying a fine mist in the surrounding area can also help.

In addition to the above factors, it is also essential to feed your phalaenopsis with specially formulated orchid-feed available from garden centres. Different compositions of feed will be needed depending on whether the orchid is in its flowering or its resting phase.

It will also be necessary to re-pot your bloom every 12-18 months as the roots do tend to outgrow their containers quite rapidly. When re-housing, choose a container that is only slightly larger than the original pot to avoid the risk of the planting matter become too wet and waterlogged.

Look after your phalaenopsis and it will have a long life and reward you with weeks and months of beautiful flowering.

Carl Harrison is an orchid enthusiast. For more great tips and advice on phalaenopsis orchid care, visit http://www.theorchidresource.com

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Home Vegetable Garden Basics - Convenience and Exposure

Many people think that the first criteria when picking the "best spot" for a home vegetable garden is good soil; however, although good soil is important, good soil is made, not found. You can rebuild the soil once the spot has been chosen. When you are choosing where you want your garden patch to be, you must focus on its convenience and exposure.

Convenience means your garden area should be "close by" or as close to your house as possible. You may think that a difference of only a few hundred yards cannot be that significant; however, if you have to largely depend upon spare moments for working in it and for watching it, convenience will be much more important than you think.

Don't wait till you have had to make a dozen time-wasting trips for forgotten seeds or tools or gotten your feet soaking wet by going out through the dew-drenched grass to gather those "vegetables of the day" to realize that "close access to your home vegetable garden" is important.

Another point to remember is that the garden area does not have to be set in an ugly spot in your backyard or hidden behind the barn or garage. If you carefully plan, plant, and care for your vegetables, this little patch can end up not only producing very nourishing food for you, but it can also end up being a most beautiful and harmonious part of your landscape. Thus having your area in close proximity to your house can lend a touch of comfortable homeliness that no shrubs, border, or flower beds can ever produce.

The next most important criteria when picking out your area for your home vegetable garden which is to give you hours of joy and yield delicious vegetables all summer, or even for many years, is the exposure.

Pick out the "closest" spot or plot you can find where your garden will slope a little to the south or east, will catch the sunshine early and hold it late, and will be, as much as possible, out of the direct path of the chilling north and northeast winds.

It's important to get seedlings growing as soon as possible and to keep them growing; therefore, if a building, or even an old fence, protects your vegetables from the chilling north or northeast winds, your vegetables will be helped along wonderfully.

If this garden patch is not already protected, a board fence or a hedge of some low-growing shrubs or young evergreens would be most helpful. The importance of having such a protection or shelter is greatly underestimated by the amateur.

To summarize, when you are choosing that "best spot" for yourhome vegetable garden, make sure you consider these basics: Find a spot which is convenient and close to your house and make sure your garden is positioned so that it gets lots of sun and is somewhat protected from the elements.

By Marcie Snyder

Bio: A gardener for years, Marcie has learned the value of composting and using it to put nutrients back into the soil. You can download her newly released Free ebook at http://www.OrganicVegetableGardeningGuide.com/blog

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How to Choose the Right Gardening Tools

No matter what size your garden is, there's no doubt that gardening tools can help make the job of maintaining your garden a lot easier. However there are so many tools available that it can be difficult to know which ones you really need, particularly if you're new to gardening. It's tempting to avoid the confusion by just buying everything, but that just means you'll end up with no money and a storage area full of tools you don't use.

So which tools are worth buying? Gardening involves moving dirt around, so a digging tool is always a good choice. If you're mainly working in pots or containers, then a sturdy trowel is a fabulous investment. A shovel is better if you're going to be moving large amounts of soil around, or to assist you with planting trees, vegetables and flowers. It might be tempting to save yourself some effort by choosing a power tiller or plough, but unless you have a very large garden, they're probably involve more expense and trouble than they're worth.

Another worthwhile tool to buy is a rake or hoe. Again, if you're going to mainly be working in smaller areas, a pot-sized equivalent is a good idea. These tools can be used to smooth soil and remove weeds. This sort of work can be done by hand, but it's easier with the right tool, particularly in a large garden.

Although they're not technically a tool, good gardening gloves are also useful. It may be worth having a couple of pairs - some heavy duty ones for rough work, some thinner ones when you need to feel what you're doing.

Once your garden is established, then at least one pruning tool is a necessity. Depending on the size of your plants, choose anything from pruners or secateurs through to large tree loppers. It's worth spending a little extra to buy a solid, reliable pruning tool, otherwise it may be ruined the first time you try to cut anything with them.

A few more tools that you can probably survive without, but will make life easier depending on the size of your garden, include:

- Wheelbarrow
- Garden fork
- Watering can
- Hose & hose reel
- Rake

Again, it's easy to find cheap tools, but if you're serious about using your tools for a long period of time, think of buying good quality tools as an investment. Cheap tools don't usually work as well, and tend to be less sturdy and easier to break. Happy gardening!

By Jean Murphy

If you want to learn more about choosing garden tools, click over to Jean's site at http://www.gardeningzoneonline.com

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