House Plant Care Tips

Plants are commonly found in homes across North America and Europe. With an endless supply of types available for purchase, there is a variety for everyone. Unlike many things, adding the living touch of a plant to your home or office can be very inexpensive, with little to no cost to maintain. As water, fertilizer and light are the only requirements for a plant's survival, it comes as no surprise that quite a few people have tried to grow plants.

Its a fact that many folk are taking home plants a step further and taking up home hydroponics.

Hydroponic growing allows you to grow plants indoors without the need for soil and is now very popular.

Because so most have killed purchased house plants that they have tried to care for, many people believe they have black thumbs. Without proper soil, your plant cannot survive. By fertilizing the soil, you can ensure the roots of your plant has access to all things required to make sure your plant alive and well.

If you are still having issues keeping your plants alive, you should look for other reasons that your plant is dying. Things like bottled water may be the cause of plant death, as some variants strip the water of all nutrients, which your plants need to survive. Another common cause of plant fatality is the exposure to pets or children. Pets and children can harm the leaves, which can result in plant death.

Even if you have always believed you have a black thumb, it is not impossible to learn how to keep plants thriving. You might even try growing your own with home hydroponics one day, after all having all of the plants even closer to you, indoors ensures that your plants will get a greater chance to thrive thanks to hydroponics!

The Pleasant Surroundings Of A Japanese Landscape

Making A Japanese Garden

The Beauty of Bamboo Landscaping

Bamboo landscaping is really quite appealing. Moreover, bamboo has long been an accepted product used in gardening and landscaping but today with so many folks concentrating on ecology, bamboo landscaping has skyrocketed.The explanation is that bamboo is more like a grass than a tree. When bamboo is trimmed, it grows back fast.

While bamboo can be used in any garden, it is frequently incorporated in the creation a Japanese garden. For this style of garden, there are very specific elements and materials used. Furthermore, there are different styles that can be built. With the dry garden, sand is used, raked carefully into patterns that reflect the rippling of waves. In the center of the “pond”, a rock is placed, which represents an island.

However, the most amazing styles for making making a Japanese garden are plant life and water. This type of garden would generally have a small water fountain, which would include a waterfall, pond, or stream. As a part of the pond you would think about adding a small bridge, a deer chaser, post light, and different styles of plants such as floating lilies.

Then, Japanese garden fences are also a common dynamic, which are made from bamboo. These fences are utilized to create a feeling of privacy. The whole idea of the Japanese garden is balance of beauty and harmony. This is the one place where after a hectic day, you will be able to sit or walk, finding rest for the body, mind and spirit.

In Japan and even some of the bigger Japanese gardens in the US, a teahouse will be erected. Now, in creating Japanese landscaping, the teahouse does not need to be big and complicated, just a small area where you can sit and relax and take in the beautiful nature of the garden. In fact, many home improvement companies and gardening centers actually sell kits if you want to do it yourself.

The bottom line is that while there are many types of gardens, it is difficult to surpass the beauty found with a well thought out Japanese garden. Incorporating bamboo construction and landscaping, Japanese garden fences, lots of trees, plants, and flowers, as well as the other elements cited, the appearance would be finsihed. With the garden being completed, you are certainly to be the envy of every other person in your neighborhood and for good reason.

Again, to gain a better understanding as to the making of a Japanese garden, you will find hundreds of fine books that can be used for guidance.

Also, the internet is an abundance of information. While surfing, you can look at the various pictures, taking the different elements you like the most and designing a garden based on personal preference, yard size, yard configuration, and budget.

Get more ideas on outdoor remodeling visit Outdoor Landscaping Ideas and for more visit Landscape Designs For The Southwest

Wild Orchids Could Be Growing In Your Town

Everybody "knows" that orchids are strictly tropical or subtropical plants. But in fact, orchids can be found in almost every part of the globe outside of the deserts and the polar regions.

About 85% of orchid types will inded be found in the tropics and subtropics, but that leaves a large number to the more temperate zones. Among other things, this means that you will not be out of luck if you live in a cool area and want to grow orchids, but do not have a greenhouse or other heated area in which do so so.

The number of known orchid species is in the tens of thousands. You might be amazed to know that there might be orchids growing in your own neighborhood, even if your home is in one of our more northerly locations. Take the relatively common Lady Slipper.

Lady Slippers (also written Lady's Slippers and Ladyslippers) is a name given to a large subfamily of orchids, the Cypripedioidea, with many species that grow in cool climates across North America and Europe. If you live in the New England states of the U.S., or the Appalachian mountain region, or even in Canada, you might find Lady Slippers of one variety or another growing in the woods near your home.

A species of Lady Slipper is the state flower of Minnesota. Another is the official state wildflower of New Hampshire. The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island has a Lady Slipper as its official flower.

If you're considering growing orchids, especially in an outdoor garden, you would do well to consider a native species. It will already be adapted to your particular climate, and--if you live in a place that experiences low temps in the winter--you might not even have to bring it inside when cold weather arrives.

One of the prettiest native-American orchids is the Yellow Lady Slipper. It is also among the easiest orchids to grow in a garden. On the other hand, the Pink Lady Slipper is extremely difficult to grow.Although both of these orchid types are beautiful, you should choose the Yellow Lady Slipper for your garden -- unless you have a lot of experience.

Nurseries that specialize in orchid plants tend to run out of stock from time to time. Nevertheless, Lady Slippers are generally some of the easiest orchids to acquire. These are also more inexpensive, generally speaking, than plants from exotic or distant regions of the world. They are a great orchid for getting your thumb green, so to speak, before you take on the challenge of rarer or more "foreign" types.

All of the rules governing successful orchid cultivation apply to the Lady Slippers and similar plants. You need accurate information before you begin trying to grow these or other orchids, and  the best, most complete guide to modern orchid cultivation, without a doubt, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded from the web. Mr. Howard's guide is a complete course in itself, suitable for beginners as well as the more experienced. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing database of articles on many aspects of orchid cultivation.

Many Options: Gardening

There are many options when deciding to start gardening, such as what type of garden to start.  Home gardening is becoming more popular again, although not always in the traditional ways it was in the past.More people live in apartments and condominiums that ever before, so traditional methods of gardening do not work in those situations.  However, that does not mean that those people have to miss out on the rich rewards offered through the experience of gardening.

Options for Apartments

Container gardening is one of the best options for gardening in a smaller place such as an apartment or condominium.  All that container gardening means is that the plants are grown either indoors or on a deck or porch where they are potted in containers where they grow.  There are ways to grow flowers and vegetables in these containers as long as the care that is required goes into the entire process. 

Container gardening requires that the soil in the containers is potting soil so that it holds the nutrients and also the water that is needed.  Container gardening also requires that the plants be watered more frequently than outside plants of the same species, since they tend to dry out more quickly in the smaller pots.In addition, although the plants require sunlight, plants in containers get much hotter than those outside in direct sunlight, so the container gardener should be careful to monitor where the pots are placed and give them plenty of water.

Options for the Health Conscious

Organic gardening is a great choice for those who are health conscious and do not want to put foreign chemicals in their bodies.Organic gardening means that the gardener does not use traditional pesticides or fertilizers in growing the plants.  Extreme organic gardeners do not even buy seeds that are not certified to be organic.  That way they can be assured that the vegetables and fruit from start to finish are safe and healthy.

Organic gardening does take more preparation on the front end than traditional gardening, as well as research as different pest problems are encountered so that they can be solved through organic means.However, the payoff for the extra work is great when fresh, organically grown vegetables and fruits grace the salads and meals.

The way that organic gardeners get around the fertilizer issue is through the use of compost.It is easy to begin piles of compost; with just a few grass clippings or leaves the gardener is on his way to great mulch.

For more about gardening please visit www.organicgardeningzone.com

Bringing Orchids Into Your Life and Heart

Nowadays, we have a wonderful choice of plants available to us, whether for decorating our homes or brightening up our offices. Further, we never tire of them, regardless of how familiar they become; in fact, we seek out more of them, and want to add new ones to our home and work places.

Flowers especially have a powerful effect on most human beings. Lots and lots of folks are undeniably drawn to the aristocratic orchid, among all the flowers in the world.

Orchids are called "conquerers of the light" by some. They astonish upon first encounter and continue thereafter to exert a profound fascination. Nature has been extra kind to the orchids. Their flowers are elegant and bright. The orchid's odor is a sweet one, but it is never cloying. Their texture is then, which misleads many into assuming they are delicate. Yet they can last longer after being cut than many another ornamental bloom. Really, the only thing they "lack" from the standpoint of aesthetics is thick foliage. But this is not a serious deficiency: one can always fill the space around them with fern leaves for an attractive arrangement.

For a long time, people assumed taht these wonderful flowers were too delicate to grow with ease. This was a mistake. It's not as difficult as many people assume to cultivate orchids; in fact, many hobbyist growers can outperform professionals when it comes to producing extraordinarily striking plants. The key is to study up first, using a good modern guide to the art and science of orchids and orchid growing. By getting educated on the subject, you can assure yourself of success.

It is a common myth--yet a myth nonetheless--that orchids require high heat to thrive. Not true! Certainly, most orchids come from the tropics ultimately. However, a large number of them in their native habitats grow high on mountainsides exposed to cool, crisp air. Subjecting such plants to high temperatures would retard their development--if it didn't kill them.

Whether you consider yourself a green thumb or not, you can grow these loveliest of flowers. Imagine "gifting" a lover or friend with an orchid that you grew yourself. Envision yourself growing breathtaking orchids so nearly perfect that they win prizes. Picture yourself going so far with your orchid growing hobby that it becomes a business, perhaps one big enough to provide you with a living. These things are all possible to you, even as an orchid newbie.

One of the best and most complete guides to modern orchid growing is undoubtedly Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, available online. Now, there's tons of information out there about orchids. But Howard's is the most complete all-in-one reference that I've ever seen. You might also want to visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing database of articles on all aspects of orchids.

Here's to a great orchid experience!

Take Care When Transplanting Plants

Transplanting Plants Takes Care

You may have a plant that has outgrown its current residence or you may need to thin out another, whatever the reason for transplanting plants, care needs to be taken.  For the best results care of the root system is adamant.

The cooler weather and fresh spring rains can add to the success of your transplanting project.  If you live in a milder climate area successful transplanting can be done almost any time of the year.  But in the harsher climates where there is the transition from a cold winter, mild spring, to a hot dry summer, springtime is the best.

Entry Plants and Backyard Patio Plants

You may have plantings in your front entry garden that need transplanting and you were hoping to put the transplants in the backyard or back patio area.  If you live in a mild climate this may work well, but if you live in an area where the backyard receives lots of hot sun, a plant moved from the shade will not survive in the direct sun.

First, find the perfect location for your transplanted plant, then prepare the area.  Have the hole ready and fresh soil on hand to gently pack your front or backyard plants into place.  Be sure to keep the root ball intact with a small amount of soil while moving it to its new home.

A healthy root system is vital to successful transplanting.  While a certain amount of pruning of the roots is good, too much may kill the plant.  A small stem with a bit of fresh growth with a large root area is best.  Too much growth on top and a small, weak root will not do well.

Once you have the front or backyard plants roots cut, lateral roots will grow.  These new roots are extremely fibrous, which makes them capable of absorbing nutrients and water quite well.  Once the plant is in the ground in the new location, you will find the new lateral roots actually produce a much healthier and stronger plant.

Rock Plants

Rock plants that have been planted to fill in the spaces between the rocks on a garden retaining grow mostly in a mossy type soil.  They seem to do well when transplanted as long as they receive the same amount of water, drainage and are planted in the same type of soil.

Find more info on outdoor landscaping visit Landscape Designs For The Southwest