Flower Poem

It's Easy to Learn Flower Drying

The Best Methods for Flower Drying...

Before beginning the process of flower drying, it is important that you choose the right flower for the right project. To do so, you must bear in mind two key characteristics of the blossoming bud. The first truth is that in order to keep that color vibrant, you must dry it as fast as you can. However, the second truth is that the more heat you apply, the more shrinkage will occur.

There are two points to keep in mind when you dry a flower. First, the faster you dry a flower, the more color it will retain. Second, the more heat that is applied, the more shrinkage you will have of your flower. It is good to keep these points in mind as you choose the flower you want to dry and when considering your use of the dried flower.

Since silica is actually a form of sand, you can substitute it with clean sand, borax or cornmeal. To use this method, you will need a dry container with a lid. First, line the bottom of the container with a thin layer of the gel. Next, place the flower in the container while adding more gel around the bloom in order to avoid crushing it. Once it is secure, sprinkle some gel over top and cover it with the lid. Let it sit for about a week or until completely dry. When it is ready, a small paint brush can be used to remove the silica.

Using a dehydrator is your best bet if you are making potpourri. This is the speediest method as well as the most efficient for preserving fragrance. Remember, the more heat, the quicker your flower will dry.

If your project calls for the flower to remain pliable once dried, glycerin should be used. In order to do this, place the stems of the plant in glycerin and allow it to be absorbed. Keep in mind that glycerin may turn you leaves and flower to another color. Try a sample flower first if keeping the color is important to you.

Author, Villette Mastase, designed and manages the Flower KI website for the flower enthusiast. To read more about Flower KI, go to http://www.flowerki.com.

Rose Planting Serenade

Planting Roses in Pots

In years past, serious rosarians would never consider having a potted rose on their property unless it was just waiting for its home to be prepared in the garden.

Times have changed and potted roses now have a place in the lives of condo and apartment dwellers, city slickers who don't live within sight of a tree, and anyone who has an empty space on their terrace or patio in need of the beauty that only a rose can bring.

Not all roses are good candidates for growing in pots. The following varieties have been found to do best. However, you should feel free to experiment with any other varieties, even climbers, and see how they make out.

* All that Jazz
* Ballerina
* Blush Noisette
* Bonica
* Cecile Brunner
* Clotilde Soupert
* Green Rose
* Gruss an Aachen
* Hannah Gordon
* Hermosa
* Katharina Zeimet
* Mrs. Oakley Fisher
* Peace
* Perfume Delight
* Precious Platinum
* Sea Foam
* Sexy Rexy
* Souvenir de la Malmaison
* Stanwell Perpetual
* The Fairy
* Valentine
* Whiskey Mac

Planting potted roses is relatively easy, as long as you do your planting in the spring after any chance of a frost is long past. If you live in a warm climate, then hold off planting until autumn when the ravages of July and August are far behind.

When you're ready to plant, choose an appropriate sized container with drainage holes. Make sure that the container has enough room for your plant to grow without having to transplant too soon.

Fill the container with garden soil that contains some compost or organic fertilizer. Dig a hole that's large enough to spread out roots without bending or cutting back.

Knock the rose loose from its shipping container, and set it in the hole so that the bud union ("knob" from which canes grow) is just above soil level. Dig a shallow trench or moat around the base of the plant to hold water, then water it well.

Potted roses are susceptible to the same diseases as garden roses, and they require feeding, pruning and all of the other rose care basics. Potted roses aren't less work or responsibility; they simply take up less space than a regular rose garden. Don't plan to treat your roses as if they were ordinary potted plants, or you will lose them.

People often ask if they can grow potted roses indoors. The answer is: "Maybe, but it's a risky proposition." That's because roses need high humidity and a lot of direct sunlight. Most modern homes with air conditioning do not have high humidity. However, if you live in a warm, humid climate, and you don't have air conditioning, then you can probably get away with it as long as you put the rose in a sunny spot.

Of all the rose varieties that are likely to survive indoors, miniature roses are your best bet. Miniature roses are regular roses that have been bred to grow into smaller, more compact plants with equally small flowers. They do very well in pots and are quite beautiful. If you're willing, go ahead and experiment. You've really got nothing to lose and you just might discover a whole new aspect of rose gardening!

Author, Ron King. Visit Ron's website http://www.grow-roses-now.com to learn more about this popular gardening activity.

Rose Gardening Serenade

The Tools of Rose Gardening

Like any job you tackle, it's always easier if you have the right tools. Before heading out to your rose garden, make sure you arm yourself with these basic rose gardening tools.

Gloves

"You can complain because a rose has thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have a rose." - Tom Wilson.

The rose garden is no place for thin, wimpy gloves. Unless you enjoy feeling the thorns pierce your skin, opt for leather work gloves with those big, fold-down cuffs.

Pruners

A good pruner is one tool that you will use almost daily. There are two types of pruners on the market. One is called an "anvil" pruner, and the other is called a "bypass" pruner. An anvil pruner has blades that meet on top of each other. Bypass pruners have blades that pass each other like scissors. Always use bypass pruners so you don't crush your canes and stems.

Loppers

When your rose garden starts to mature there will come a time when loppers will be indispensable for cutting back old, thick canes that are too much for pruning shears. If you are just starting your rose garden, save your money, since you won't need this for a few years.

Kneeling Pads

Some people prefer the big 8"x15" water-resistant pads with handles, while others prefer strap-on knee pads. The kneepads are more convenient because they move when you move, but the one-size-fits-all knee cups may not work for you. In that case, the pad with handles should suit you fine.

Short Digging Fork

This tool is indispensable for turning and loosening soil in small patches. Choose a good quality model with steel tines and a sturdy handle.

Watering Wand

Great for watering potted roses and for giving your other roses a good root soaking. Choose a model with a quick shutoff valve on the wand itself, and a quick release fitting for the end that attaches to the hose. Spend the money to get a wand with brass fittings instead of plastic. It will last years longer.

Long-Handled Shovel

Choose a lightweight model with a strong handle. Shovels with fiberglass throats are good choices. Spend a few extra dollars and get one with a padded handle, and it will save you lots of blisters as the years go by.

Wheelbarrow

Avoid the temptation to buy the cute garden "carts." You are going to need a real wheelbarrow. As your gardening addiction--I mean hobby--takes off there will be no end to the things you will be hauling in and out of your garden. Some of those things will be very heavy and you'll be glad that you have a real wheelbarrow to help you.

Garden Rake

This is the rake with the sharp steel teeth that you use for leveling and smoothing beds. Choose one with a sturdy handle and steel tines.

Leaf Rake

You'll use this tool often for cleaning up clippings, leaves and other garden debris. You may want to buy both a regular size rake, and one of the smaller "child size" rakes for pulling debris from tight quarters.

You shouldn't have any trouble locating these basic rose gardening tools. Your local garden supply store will likely stock them, or if you don't mind purchasing gently-used items, check out yard sales for your gardening supplies.

Enjoy yourself!

Author, Ron King. Visit Ron's website http://www.grow-roses-now.com to learn more about this popular gardening activity.

Gardening Bugs Verse

The Debate Around Controlling Pests In Our Gardens

An important hobby for many Canadians, and one that is increasing in popularity is gardening. "I have a firm belief that the gardening industry is getting bigger," says Mark Cullen, President of Weall and Cullen Garden Centres. Mark is well known across the country for his gardening expertise and from his syndicated radio show and TV program on Better Homes and Garden Television.

"This is an exciting time to be in the gardening business," he says. "We are seeing a growth in demand. We are also seeing younger gardeners in their twenties and thirties embracing gardening - especially first time homeowners." Cullen notes that the business is also getting very competitive as mass retailers and others compete for a share of the pie. He notes that the focus of his company is on providing outstanding customer service and answers to their customers' questions, especially in the area of plant selection and plant health.

To maintain a beautiful and healthy garden and home landscape, gardeners turn to a variety of tools to control pests that can otherwise damage sensitive plants. One of the key tools used are pesticides.

Cullen has seen a trend, particularly with younger gardeners, toward more environmentally friendly pest control solutions. This includes ready to use formulations of lawn and garden pesticides as well as organic pest control products. "People do not want concentrated products on their shelf, and they want to ensure that their pets and children are safe." He notes that retailers are responding to consumer's concerns by selling more ready to use products as well as organic and other non-synthetic products. He also sees homeowners embracing some of the principles of integrated pest management in terms of spot spraying only where there are weeds or insect problems.

Cullen himself combines a variety of tools including cultural, organic and where needed, pesticides in his approach to gardening. He sees an important role for pesticides in terms of being one of the tools available for gardeners. Believing that consumers should look very closely at the toxicity of the products they are buying - whether synthetic or organic. "It is important for consumers to continue to educate themselves on what is safe to use," says Cullen. "There are some synthetic pesticides that are in fact safer to use than some of the organic products out there." He says that toxicity should be the criterion for use instead of labeling a product as either being a synthetic chemical or not.

In terms of safety, Cullen says he is confident in the safety of pesticides when they are used responsibly. "We know that our regulators in Ottawa operate to more stringent standards than in any jurisdiction in the world. This gives me confidence in what we are selling when it is used as directed."

Cullen notes that the debate around pesticides is a complicated issue and that some special interest groups and even politicians try to make it a clear black and white situation when it is not. A balanced approach is needed with both sides playing a role in the debate. "It is unfortunate that the pesticide industry is dismissed outright as biased, as the industry does have credible information to offer."

To ensure that pesticides or other products they sell are used properly, Cullen's staff focuses a great deal of time on education with their customers. "We actively support all of the products we sell and provide our customers with the information they need to use these products properly. Most consumers lead busy lives, so they trust our staff to make the recommendations that are right for them."

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Funky Gardening Opus

Funky, Fun Garden Plants

I have a love for funky, fun and unique garden plants. Here's one to try. It's called Sea Holly, and it's actually in the thistle family.

Sea Holly is a perennial garden plant, which means you plant it once and it comes up year after year, somewhat depending on your climate.

This plant never did fail to bring attention and comments from people seeing my garden. It grows about 3-4 feet high, very branchy and the branches are a brilliant electric blue color. It's stunning!

The only drawback to this lovely plant, in the fall you must cut it to the ground and burn or compost the plant. Do not let it go longer than that, casting it seeds or you'll soon discover it's family trait of being in the thistle family, if you know what I mean. The following spring, it'll come back again to it's beauty.

It is an easy plant to grow and does best with full sun, or as much sun as is available to you. I live in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. so we get a lot of rain and fairly mild summers and yet it seems to be enough for this plant.

You can search for Sea Holly seeds in seed catalogs or sometimes you can find it in some nurserys. An internet search would surely find you a source for this lovely plant.

I thought I'd let you know about one of the coolest, funky plants for outdoors I've ever run across. It's called Evening Scented Stock, it is NOT the common stock, however.

This is an annual plant, that needs to be sown early spring, directly into the soil where it is to bloom and grow. I recommend planting it nearby windows and doors, porches, etc. This plant really doesn't look like much in and of itself, it's not a pretty plant per se..but when about 5:00 PM rolls around watch it do its stuff! This plant has a VERY powerful fragrance similar to hyacynths or lilacs. At the gentlest breeze it sends a waft of fragrance to die for. This is why it's so excellent to plant near a window, door or pathway. When you open up your screen in the evening, this will scent your entire house.

One place that I have found the seeds for this rare plant is at Fragrant Path, PO Box 328, Fort Calhoun, NE 68023 They were about $1. a packet but the price may have gone up. Please write and ask them. Enjoy!

Here's another one to try. This one is called Autumn Crocus.

In this case you can tell a lot by it's name. You generally purchase it as a bulb, which are usually quite large. It does return year after year without needing to re-plant it.

In the spring it shoots up a lot of foliage, this is preparing the plant for it's autumn blooms, be sure to just leave this alone. Come about June or so, this foliage starts looking like it's dying, again just leave it be.

In late August/early September, when most of the flowers are past their prime and the garden is starting to look sparse, out comes the Autumn Crocus, with their beautiful lilac colored blooms. They bloom for quite a long time when few things are blooming. A fun plant, give it a try!

This one is an annual (only lives 1 growing season) plant called Love Lies Bleeding. It's as strange as it's name.

It is very easy to grow. You just simply direct seed it in the soil (full sun preferably) where it is to grow in the spring. It's height seems to vary greatly. I've seen it be as small as about 2 feet high, and reach up to 6 or 7 feet high. It's "flowers" are long, burgandy colored ropes that hang. It is simply stunning. Always gets attention! It will usually re-seed itself so you'll get new plants the following year without doing anything.

It's best to try to find this seed in an unusual type seed catalog. It is in the amaranth family.

Here's the last one. Ever tried the hellebore family? There are many varieties. They are perennial which means they come back year after year. These are best planted in shady areas, but where they will get sun in the winter, like under leafed trees or something of that nature.

What is so unusual about hellebores is that they bloom somewhere between Dec. and March. There are very few plants that do that! One variety is called a Christmas Rose. It's quite striking to see flowers in the midst sometimes of snow.

These plants usually must be puchased at a nursery. Check out your local nursery for this wonderful family of plants.

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