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Post by The March Hare on Apr 24, 2006 7:53:26 GMT 1
To fluff up dried roses, hold rose head over a steaming kettle and gently tease out petals. To remove dust from silk flowers, put some table salt into a paper bag, put flower heads into back and shake vigorously. Remove flower from bag and it will be dust free
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Post by The March Hare on Apr 24, 2006 7:54:37 GMT 1
Poppies keep longer if you singe the stems over a naked candle flame. To revive dropping tulips or roses, wrap tightly in newspaper and put into water up to their necks. Leave overnight.
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Post by The March Hare on Apr 24, 2006 7:55:41 GMT 1
If your roses are wilting, cut 1cm off stem, wrap in paper, plunge stems into boiling water for approximately 10 seconds, then put into deep cold water. The sap of the Euphorbia (of which the poinsetta is one) is an irritant - always remember to wash hands after handling.
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Post by The March Hare on Apr 24, 2006 7:56:37 GMT 1
Don't place flowers next to fruit as fruit gives off a gas which prematurely ages flowers. Remove dead flowers as these also give off gases which affect the others. Non-scented flowers last longer!
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Post by juicyjude on Apr 24, 2006 21:01:51 GMT 1
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 7:36:36 GMT 1
Gardeners Diary for the week of April 24th 2006 Control weeds in lawns with a selective weedkiller. Don't cut the grass for at least a week after applying. Don't put these grass cuttings on the compost heap. Thin out seedlings, leaving the strongest growing plants. Water the soil gently beforehand to reduce soil disturbance. Regularly water trees and shrubs that were planted last autumn and winter. Their root won’t have had a chance to fully develop yet. Protect plants from slugs and snails with slug pellets, course grit or traps. Alternatively try to encourage birds, hedgehogs and frogs to your garden - all prey on slugs and snails. Cut grass weekly, long grass takes more nutrients out of the soil. It is also harder to cut and may leave yellow patches in the lawn. Apply a weed and feed to established lawns. Water in with a hose after a few days if it hasn't rained. Remove cloches in late spring. Open cloches ends to allow pollinating insects access to flowering plants. Plant up new ponds with aquatics, including oxygenators. As daffodils fade, remove the flower heads. Don't cut back the leaves - leave them to die back naturally. However if you want to tidy them up, wait until the leaves have yellowed before removing. Feed established roses with a rose fertilizer. Lift and divide primulas and polyanthus after they have finished flowering. Now is the best time to plant lavender. Widely grown for its scent and foliage, lavender is ideal for borders or a low hedge. Available in shades of purple, blue, white and pink it is a magnet for bees and butterflies April is the peak flowering time for orchids. Lift, divide and replant chives. April is the best time to plant an evergreen, such as laurel or box. Remove the dead heads of spring flowering bulbs. This will encourage the plant to store energy in the bulb rather than wasting it on seed production. Begin regular cutting of your lawn. If the grass is long increase the height adjustment of the mower to the highest setting once this first cut has been done, go back over the lawn and cut it again on a lower setting. Don't be tempted to buy your summer bedding yet, unless you have a greenhouse, conservatory or cold frame that you can store them in. A late April / early May frost is not uncommon in the UK. Your pond may have started to turn green and cloudy. This is due to a rapid increase in algae, which flourish in the warmer spring temperatures. Once the pond plants start to grow again, especially the oxygenating plants, these will use up the nutrients and create shade, reducing the amount of algae. To speed up the clearing of the water, drop a string bag of barley straw into the pond. As it begins to breakdown, it will use up the excess nutrients, reducing the amount of algae and also blanket weed. If you have a fountain or waterfall, try to position the barley underneath this, in still ponds weigh it down so it floats just below the surface of the water. Remove the barley after about six months, before it completely rots down, polluting the water. Tidy up any remaining leaves and general garden rubbish. It's home to slugs, snails, vine weevil and woodlice and can introduce disease and infection into your garden. Remove algae and moss from patios and paths with a proprietary patio and path cleaner or tar-oil winter wash. Take blackcurrant cuttings. Cutting should be 10' long - the size of a pencil. Plant upright in a 'V' shaped trench with sharp sand in the bottom, then back fill with soil. Keep an eye on the weather forecast. Cover shrubs that are likely to be damaged by frost with garden fleece, sacking or an old light blanket.
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 7:38:55 GMT 1
Lily stamens should be removed as soon as the bloom is sufficiently open as the pollen can damage fabric and polished wood surfaces. If the flower head is too heavy and the stem is hollow, put a garden cane up inside the stem to support bloom.
Soak vases overnight in bleach to remove bacteria. Dirty vases shorten the life of cut flowers considerably
To help when repotting plants into larger pots, place the current pot into the larger pot and push compost firmly into the gap between the two. Gently remove the inner pot which leaves the correct size hole into which the plant can be dropped.
By accident I was wiping dust from a plant with a wet sponge containing fabric softener. Not only did the plant shine for about 8 weeks, it smelt wonderful.
To make tulips stay upright poke a pin through the stem just below the head.
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 7:41:23 GMT 1
Vinegar Kills grass on walks and driveways. Kills weeds. Spray full strength on growth until plants have starved. Increases soil acidity. In hard water: one gallon of tap water for watering rhododendrons, gardenias, or azaleas. Deters ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances and along other areas where ants are known.
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Post by The March Hare on Apr 25, 2006 15:34:47 GMT 1
When taking cuttings use one of the cheap plastic beakers which you can buy 25 at a time in whatever size you want. Fill it with vermiculite, dip cuttings in rooting powder and put several in the beaker. Water in but only until the water reaches halfway and leave in a warm place. This method enables you to see if cuttings have rooted and you do not need to tug them to check.
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Post by The March Hare on Apr 25, 2006 15:35:35 GMT 1
If you start your own seeds put them between some wet coffee filters to check the germination rate. Then when planting in pots, put a wet coffee filter in the bottom of the pot, this will hold in the dirt yet let the water seep out gently
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Post by The March Hare on Apr 25, 2006 15:36:58 GMT 1
A small length of hosepipe wound between plants helps keep off cats and birds as they don't like snakes.
-- Protect tender plants during winter by lining hanging baskets with straw then turn over and place over plant. - A piece of wood placed upright in a plastic water barrel will prevent the barrel splitting when it freezes.
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 17:11:00 GMT 1
Those tips are already on page 2 Bob
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 17:12:15 GMT 1
Grow varieties of plants that require little or no staking and plant closely so they support each other.
When planting container grown plants, disturb the roots as little as possible so that they continue to benefit from the compost they are grown in. Water as usual after planting.
Put support stakes in before you plant a new tree to avoid the possibility of damaging the roots.
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 17:12:59 GMT 1
As long as you don't mind how they look, old car tyres make a good temporary cold frames for new seedlings. Sow the seeds inside the tyre and place a piece of glass or clear plastic on top. The rubber absorbs the heat during the day and releases it over night
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 17:13:46 GMT 1
If you find handles of tools, mowers and shears uncomfortable to hold try buying a foam bicycle handlebar grip. Slip the grips over the tool handles, using washing up liquid or Vaseline if it proves difficult. If the handle in question is continuous try slitting the grip horizontally to allow it to be slipped over the handle. Pipe insulating foam may also work.
Always buy strong, good quality tools and look after them well. If you can afford it buy stainless steel as they will last a lifetime and are easier to clean. When choosing tools pick them up and try out for balance and weight
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 17:15:03 GMT 1
To get rid of ants, locate their hill and sprinkle a liberal amount of talc powder around and on it. The ants dislike the talc and will move their colony several feet. Just continue sprinkling with the talc until the ants are moved to where you want them. Boiling water poured into/onto the nest also works quite well.
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Post by jj on Apr 25, 2006 17:16:27 GMT 1
Cheap home-made recipe for killing moss and fertilising the lawn 2 gallons water 3 oz. Sulphate of Ammonia 1 oz Sulphate of Iron Mix in a small quantity of warm water before adding to the bulk of the water. Use a watering can with a fine rose to apply to the lawn and wet well. Moss will turn black within a few hours and grass will start growing in a few days. These ingredients can be purchased in large quantities e.g. 25 kgs. each which reduces the price considerably and will produce enough to treat a relatively large lawn several times. You can mix as much or as little as you like at a time, large amounts can be mixed in an old dustbin, perhaps even share it with a neighbour.
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Post by jj on Apr 28, 2006 6:17:45 GMT 1
Gardening Basics
Planting Seasons
It's sometimes confusing when looking in gardening books, or looking at seed packets when the seasons start and end. Below is a rough guide to what month relates to which season.
Early Spring March Mid Spring April Late Spring May
Early Summer June Mid Summer July Late Summer August
Early Autumn September Mid Autumn October Late Autumn November
Early Winter December Mid Winter January Late Winter February
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Post by jj on Apr 28, 2006 6:19:38 GMT 1
Gardening Basics
Plant Characteristics
Heights
Plant height is dependent on a number of factors including position, weather conditions, proximity to other plants and soil conditions. The scales below are plant heights when grown in Britain under average conditions.
Trees
Small - Up to 35ft (up to 10m) Medium - 35 to 60 ft (10 - 18m) Large - over 60ft (18m)
Shrubs
Dwarf - 1 to 2.5ft (30 - 75cm) Small - 3 to 5 ft (1 - 1.5m) Medium - 6 to 10 ft (1.5 - 3m) Large - over 10ft (over 3m)
Hardy - able to withstand average British winter temperatures in open ground.
Half hardy - will be able to withstand average British winter temperatures if protected from frost and or snow, or planted in a sheltered location such as against a wall or amongst other plants. Half hardy also applies to plants only grown in the summer, such as begonia, marrow, marigold.
Tender - susceptible to frost, snow and low winter temperatures. Tender plants will need protection, bringing indoors or moved to a heated greenhouse. pH - acidity or alkalinity of soil. A pH level of 6.5 to 7 is neutral (green). Below 4.5 and the soil is very acid (red), above 7 and the soil is alkaline (blue) - high lime content caused by underlying chalk or limestone.
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Post by jj on Apr 28, 2006 6:23:14 GMT 1
Gardening Basics
How plants get their names.
It's often asked why plants have difficult to remember Latin names when their common name is far easier to recall. Even the term 'Latin name' isn't strictly correct as many plant names are derived from other languages including Greek and native ancient languages. Although whatever the origin of the name they are treated as Latin. The less confusing term for these long-winded names is botanical or scientific name.
Common names of plants are often misleading and vary in different areas of the country and the World. For example a bluebell in Scotland is usually called a harebell in England. Other plants have numerous common names, Pulmonaria is commonly known as Jerusalem Primrose, Jack and Jill and Soldiers and Sailors. Sloe and Blackthorn are the same plant (Prunus spinosa). The other reason for using Botanical names is that with over quarter of a million different species of plant, not all of them have a common name. Therefore names have to be given to avoid confusion, these are unique throughout Britain and the rest of the World.
How are these botanical names derived?
The Romans and Greeks created the basis for plant naming by describing a particular characteristic or use of a plant, for example erectus meaning upright, pendula meaning hanging, purpurea for purple, alba for white etc. Monasteries, in the Middle Ages, where Latin was commonly used, continued this naming conversion.
Carl Linnaeus, an 18th century naturalist, devised the scientific system that we use today, where he classified plants by giving them two names, the first name being the genus and the second the specific name. Put together they provide a name that only one plant (species) can be known.
When the characteristics of plants are similar they are grouped into a genus. Genera that resemble one another are then grouped together in a family. For example the genera Malus, Sorbus, Prunus and Rosa all belong to the family Rosaceae. The naming of plants (nomenclature) is controlled by two international codes.
International Code of Botanical Nomenclature - control the botanical naming of plants (both wild and cultivated). International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants - control the naming of cultivars and group species. Let's take a plant and work out what it's name means. Hibiscus syriacus 'Oiseau bleu'
Hibiscus - genus/genera (and is normally shown in italics with a capital initial letter. Abbreviated to a capital letter with a full stop or in bold type and all capital letters). Hibiscus is a member of the Malvaceae family, which is not shown in this example. When documented the family has a capital initial letter and follows the Genus name i.e. HIBISCUS - Malvaceae (the family name is often not included in the plant name at all).
syriacus - species/epithet (is normally shown in all lower case italic letters). A species is the second part of the scientific name. They are a group of virtually identical, usually interbreeding plants. In this example the genus Hibiscus could be any of the Hibiscus, but Hibiscus syriacus refers to only one Hibiscus species. 'Oiseau bleu' - cultivar/cultivated variety. (shown in single quotes). Not all plants of the same species grow the same. When certain specimens of a plant are found in the wild that have unusual but desired characteristics (flower colour, drought tolerance, size etc.). They are cultivated by propagation (cuttings, division or selected seeds). Because they are derived from the native plant they share the same botanical name. If a name is given without being in single quotes this is a group name and is given a capital initial.
In this example 'Oiseau bleu' is French for Blue Bird and gives a very good idea of the flower colour.
Other terms you may encounter when looking at plant names: Subspecies (abbreviated to ssp. or subsp.) - a distinct variant usually because of growing location (i.e. inland vs. coastal), these are recognised as a different subspecies.
Variety/varietas (abbreviated to var.) - slight differences in plant structure. Forma (abbreviated to f.) - minor variations in colour of flower or leaf.
Hybrid (abbreviated to X) - in some circumstances two species of plant cross-fertilise to produce a hybrid. They show characteristics of both parent plant. If the parent plants are in different genera X precedes the genus name. If the two parent plants are in the same genera an X is placed before the species (between the genus and species).
F1 hybrid - a term applied to a seed created by crossing two closely related pure-bred varieties, usually for flower colour. Common names (usually in double quotes) - easier to pronounce names that usually describe the shape, colour or use of the plant Synonym - Often it's found that a plant has been categorised, in the past, incorrectly, if this old name was dropped in favour of the new classification confusion would arise (typically from reference books and records) so often the old name is given as a synonym (abbreviated to syn. or the old name placed in brackets) after the accepted name.
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