Page 173

A Beginner’s Guide to the Portland Rose Festival

Few events can compare to the Portland Rose Festival. If you have the chance to attend, you should not pass it up. But before you arrive, you should also be aware of what to expect. That way, you can get the most out of your visit.

Each year, the “City of Roses” hosts a festival that justifies its name. If you happen to be in Northwest Oregon during the early summer months, the Portland Rose Festival is an event that you wouldn’t want to miss. This article will give you a brief background on the festival and clue you in on what you can expect to take place.

History of the Portland Rose Festival

Before you head out to the Portland Rose Festival, you should take some time to appreciate the history of this occasion. Delving into the origins of the festival will only enrich the experience you have when you visit.

The first Portland Rose Festival took place in the early 20th century, making it now over one hundred years old. At the time, Portland was a relatively new city and was aiming to gain some acclaim throughout the nation. As a part of that effort, the city established the festival to prove Portland’s worth as a summer destination.

Since that time, Portland has experienced significant growth, but the spirit of the festival remains relatively the same. Today, the Portland Rose Festival is a way for Portland residents to express their diversity and sense of community. As of 2010, the Portland Rose Festival gained recognition as the official festival of the city.

When Is the Portland Rose Festival?

Each year, the schedule of the Portland Rose Festival is slightly different. But in general, you can expect the event to begin in late May or early June. The festival will then last for a few weeks, during which time there will be numerous events and attractions. On average, the entire event will span two to three weeks. As you would guess, this time of year is also when many of the hundreds of rose species you can find in Portland are in full bloom.

Events at the Portland Rose Festival

Since the Portland Rose Festival lasts for multiple weeks, you can expect to see multiple events take place during that time. These events have been a part of the festival since its inception. And while some of those original events have gone away over the decades, a few others have held their place as a part of the ongoing festival traditions. Some of the most popular events that take place are the parades, including the Starlight Parade and the Grand Floral Parade.

Another significant event at the festival is the crowning of the Rose Queen. Each year the Rose festival has a royal court which consists of one senior female student from each of the city’s high schools. Of those court members, one will become the Rose Queen. Part of the prize for the Queen is a college scholarship.

Outside of those main attractions, there will be plenty of other chances for entertainment. Through the weeks, you’ll find opportunities to see fireworks, art displays, and much more. With so many exciting events taking place, the Portland Rose Festival is something you won’t want to miss.

An Introduction to RHS Chelsea Flower Show

It’s the jewel in the Royal Horticultural Society’s crown and it’s run almost every summer for over a century. Learn why the Chelsea Flower Show is the largest and most celebrated horticultural event in the world.

Visit London during a certain week in May, and you’ll be there at the right time to visit what’s known as the Great Spring Show – the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show. This spectacular celebration of all things floral and growing is a staple of the British horticultural calendar.

It takes place in the scenic, historic grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year—including members of the British royal family! At this remarkable event, gardeners and plant lovers can see the best flowers and exhibitions, learn tips and tricks for their own gardens, and get an exclusive look at new products and tools.

The Best Of the Best

Every year, the finest gardeners enter their plants, vegetables, herbs, photography and floral arrangements to win prestigious awards. Thirteen special awards are on offer ever year, and judges also award medals in five categories:

Flora for floral exhibits and gardens
Hogg for trees
Knightian for herbs and vegetables
Lindley for educational or scientific contributions
Grenfell for celebrating pictures, photographs, and floristry

Medals come in four classes: gold, silver-gilt, silver and bronze. Winning a coveted RHS medal is an achievement that anyone can be proud of. Even the humblest of vegetables can be displayed in its most perfect shape and color, and perhaps be a winner. A simple parsnip can be elevated to a first prize art form!

Another big draw is the garden design category. You don’t even have to be a professional to throw your hat into the ring. Anyone can apply to build a garden, and if their idea is original, interesting and will spark conversation, their entry may be selected to go on display. Indoor or outdoor, rock garden or floral, from the fanciest and rarest plants, to the most common shrubs: everything is represented in this feast for the eyes. Visitors love to walk around these gardens and get inspiration for their own green spaces.

It is said that Queen Elizabeth II loves the show so much that she has only missed it twelve times. The Duchess of Cambridge seems to feel the same way: in 2019 she designed a community garden for the show.

Weird and Wonderful

If you’re wondering how anybody could get excited about plants year after year, consider this: the Chelsea Flower Show is famous for its special exhibitions, which showcase cutting-edge gardens and technologies. In 2011, Diarmuid Gavin presented his Irish Sky Garden, which is entirely suspended in the air. In 1993, Julie Toll won best garden for her seaside garden, which was planted on sand dunes instead of traditional soil. And in 2016, 50,000 people crocheted 300,000 poppies to create an amazing display that covered 2,000 square meters of the Royal Hospital Chelsea grounds. Every year, something new and incredible shocks and delights visitors.

The show is a great opportunity for plant breeders to launch new cultivars. People are always excited to see new colors of old favorites, or cultivars that might be hardier or more reliable in their own gardens. Historical garden buffs have also revived many older, heritage species with a display at the Chelsea Flower Show. There are fashions and trends in gardening as in anything else. You’d be surprised by how many gardening fashions are started at the Chelsea Flower Show. For example, in 1968 a huge display of hostas made them a suddenly-popular garden choice, even though previously they had been considered rather old-fashioned and boring.

Gardening With a Purpose

When given the opportunity to present a garden or exhibition at the Chelsea Flower Show, many people over the years have decided to spotlight an important social or ecological issue. Take, for instance, a 1967 entry which was called the first garden for disabled people. The Royal Horticultural Society themselves have tried to stay with the times, too, banning ecologically damaging products and making space for children, community organizations, people with disabilities and prisoners to create gardens.

Keeping Calm and Carrying On

In its whole 108-year history, this trailblazing show has been cancelled only four times: in 1917, 1918, and during the Second World War when the land was needed by the War Office. In 1947, the show came roaring back, a much-needed spot of beauty and national heritage. The success of the show even at the end of wartime should tell you a lot about how much people in Britain and internationally love this horticultural event.

Carnations: The Official Flower for Mother’s Day

Who doesn’t love to receive a beautiful bouquet on Mother’s Day? But, did you know that the official flower for Mother’s Day is, in fact, a red carnation? The history of how this came to be is fascinating and you can read about it here.

Unlike Father’s Day, initially celebrated with a red or white rose, Mother’s Day was and is still hugely associated with bouquets. While you could give your mother anything from a professionally arranged bouquet as an adult to a handful of dandelions as a child (or vice versa), there is one official flower for Mother’s Day: the carnation.

The Official Mother’s Day Flower: The Carnation

The official Mother’s Day flower is a red carnation. While this may seem like a cheap choice when there are fancier flowers, the carnation has been the official flower ever since the holiday’s inception. (And no, shockingly, Hallmark didn’t make it up.)

The story starts with Ann Jarvis in the 1800s. Having lost 8 of her 12 children, Ann organized coalitions to combat childhood illness, raising money for medicine, providing nursing care for the sick, and inspecting food and milk. During the civil war, the coalitions cared for wounded soldiers. When the war ended, Ann organized a Mothers’ Friendship Day to bring together mothers from both sides to encourage reconciliation. All this while raising her remaining four children, including her daughter Anna.

Anna and her mother were quite close, and her mother’s death in 1905 devastated her. Anna pledged to establish a national day to honor not only her own mother, but all the mothers for the contributions they make to society. She organized a memorial for her mother at her mother’s church and passed out 500 white carnations. Why white carnations? They were her mother’s favorite flower.

After that, Anna wrote to local, state, and national politicians to gain their support for making Mother’s Day a national holiday. Unlike Father’s Day, which took decades to receive national recognition, it only took 10 years for 46 states and other nations (including Canada and Mexico) to adopt the celebration.

Carnations became the official flower of Mother’s Day. Over time, white carnations became reserved for honoring mothers who had already passed on, while pink carnations represent gratitude and red carnations represent admiration.

(As for Mother’s Day cards, Anna Jarvis was so firmly against the commercialization of the day that she then lobbied for the end of the holiday.)

How to Honor the Memory of a Deceased Mother?

To honor her memory, then either wear a white carnation pinned to your lapel or place a white carnation bouquet in your home or on her grave.

How to Arrange Carnations

Carnations have an undeserved reputation as a cheap, filler flower. That’s not true at all! Arranged with style, they can have a romantic or vintage style to them. And since carnations come in a variety of colors, there’s no end to the color combinations!

For a stylish bouquet, skip the grocery store bouquets and head to your local florist for an arrangement. Or try arranging your own for that extra-personal touch. Look for any local or online flower arranging workshops for tips. Locally grown and organic flowers are a great environmentally friendly option!

Carnations will last two weeks with proper care. Change the water daily to prevent bacteria from growing. If you receive a wrapped or tied bouquet (as opposed to a pre-arranged in a vase), then cut the stems at a 45-degree angle before putting them in water. This helps the flowers absorb the water and last longer.

While carnations may be the official flower, they’re not the only option. Like Anna Jarvis, think of what your mother’s favorite flower is. She’ll appreciate the extra thought.

An Introduction to Keukenhof Tulip Show

Simply blooming marvellous, Keukenhof Tulip Show is a flower display with a difference. Within this article, you’ll find out all there is to know about this striking spectacle, and you’ll even discover how you can be a part of it.

Are you a tulip lover? Do you admire all things bright and beautiful? If so, the Keukenhof Tulip Show is the ideal place to go. In this article, we’ll talk about:

What’s the history of the Keukenhof Gardens?
What is the Keukenhof Tulip Show?
What can it offer you (including its facilities)?
When is the best time to visit?
How can you get your hands on some tickets?

History of the Keukenhof Gardens

Would you believe that the history of Keukenhof goes as far back as the 15th century? It all began with Countess Jacoba van Beieren, commonly known as “Jacqueline of Bavaria”, who collected fruit and vegetable for the Teylingen Castle kitchen from the kitchen dunes (Keukenduin).

In 1641, Keukenhof Castle was erected, surrounded by land in excess of 494 acres. Louis Paul Zocher, alongside his father Jan David Zocher, both landscape architects, redesigned the gardens in 1857 and paved the way for Keukenhof’s style of today.

The mid 90s saw a visit from 20 people with a vision. Flower bulb growers and exporters alike generated and executed a plan to make Keukenhof a spring park, opening the public gates in 1950. It became an instant sensation.

Now, Keukenhof prides itself on being a worldwide attraction, luring visitors in from all over the globe.

Keukenhof’s vision? To uncover the full glory of the Dutch floricultural sector, and to allow the 100 companies that partake to show off their incredible array and continual hard work.

What Is the Keukenhof Tulip Show?

Every year, Keukenhof Tulip Gardens puts on a show that isn’t to be missed. Based in Amsterdam, Holland, this vibrant display of tulips covering 32 hectares (around 79 acres) is sure to take your breath away. They plant 7 million bulbs annually, including 800 different tulip species, to show the variety, uniqueness, and true essence of this incredible family of flowers.

And if the prospect of walking among a multitude of tulips isn’t blissful enough, Keukenhof even puts on an annual theme, so you can expect a distinct experience each and every year.

What Can the Show Offer You?

Keukenhof isn’t just a phenomenal flower show, it has breath-taking ponds, terraces and pavilions. If you’re a nature lover, Keukenhof Tulip Show offers a peaceful sanctuary to stroll at leisure and process your thoughts. You could even find a quiet spot to do some mindfulness!

Would you rather get active? Try cycling around the grounds, or hiking the 15km trail for stunning floral views. If you’re feeling peckish, the gardens offer a range of eateries, including restaurants, cafés, and pop-up food stalls.

Keukenhof is a fantastic day out for all. Not just one for the adults, it also offers exciting facilities to keep the children entertained all day, including playgrounds, a petting farm and a scavenger hunt. If you fancy getting lost with the family, Keukenhof’s maze will do just the trick.

And last but by no means least, Keukenhof Gardens is a place to network if you’re in the floricultural business. With 500 flower growers, and thousands of budding anthophile visitors, you are guaranteed to find people with common interests and hopefully some money to spare.

When Is Best to Visit?

Unfortunately, due to COVID and the lockdown restrictions, the public weren’t able to witness Keukenhof’s display in person in the 2021 season. However, 20 million people took the time to view the gardens virtually.

With 2022 looking up, Keukenhof is hoping they will be able to open their gates to the public once more from March 24th – May 15th. The gardens will be open from 08:00 – 19:30 every day of the week during this period.

The gardens experience 3 flowering periods:

First period: this sees an appearance from indoor tulips and outdoor daffodils and crocuses.
Second period: once the daffs and crocuses have wilted, the gardens come alive with hyacinths and early tulips.
Third period: in this final season, all of the outdoor tulips will be in bloom and the trees will be a vibrant green.

Of course, the timeframe of these blooming periods is dependent on the weather.

Keukenhof Gardens is an easy place to get to, accessible by public transport, car, taxi, bike or walking. You can also book a guided tour from Rotterdam, Amsterdam, or The Hague. For more information, check out the FAQ section on Keukenhof’s website.

How to Get Your Tickets

Tickets for the 2022 show aren’t yet available, however, be sure to snap them up in November 2021, as this is when they will be on sale.

10 New England Native Shady Plants With Spring Blooms

In the wild, New England native plants thrive in areas of low light and offer a splash of color in the springtime. If you want to add some vibrancy to your garden after a long winter, look no further than this fantastic selection of spring-blooming plants!

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Jack-in-the-pulpit gets its name for the rounded spadix in the midst of its large “pulpit” of a spathe. It thrives in moist floodplains or within deciduous forests. All parts of the plant are extremely toxic. Jack-in-the-pulpit flowers are pollinated by gnats; they visit male flowers, where they pick up pollen, but are unable to escape female flowers, so the pollen can get drawn from their dead bodies.

Interrupted fern

The Interrupted fern is native to parts of Asia and North America. It gets its name from a gap that’s left when the fern’s fertile portions wither and fall off. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant for native, traditional and wildlife gardens. It has also been used for erosion control.

Bunchberry dogwood

Bunchberry dogwood (Cornus canadensis) is a herbaceous, flowering perennial plant that grows along the ground and spreads by underground rhizomes. Bunchberry dogwood flowers bloom in the spring, followed by clusters of red berries that ripen in summer. This plant attracts birds, deer and other wildlife. It is commonly planted in gardens.

Dutchman's breeches

Dutchman’s breeches gets its name from the shape of its flower petals. The petals form an upside-down “V” which resembles a pair of pants, or “britches.” Dutchman’s breeches is found in the woods and blooms in early spring, making it some of the first food for bees and pollinators. It goes dormant towards the end of summer.

Yellow trout lily

Yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum) is a spring-flowering plant found in woodland areas throughout North America. The common name Yellow trout lily was given to this plant because its leaves coloration resembles a species of trout.

Virginia bluebells

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) is native to eastern North America. However, it’s being increasingly threatened in its original environment by both destruction of habitat and the obstruction of natural river flooding. It has nearly hollow stems, so they’re fragile and break easily. Flowers start off pink, and then gradually turn light blue.

Wild blue phlox

Wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) also goes by the names of woodland phlox or Louisiana phlox, and it’s indigenous to eastern North America. The flowers sit atop hairy, sticky stems. In the wild, it loves to grow along stream banks. ‘Phlox’ is Greek for ‘flame’ because some flowers of this species have intensely vibrant colors.

Bloodroot

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a plant species native to eastern North America. In the wild its early spring blooms can be seen spreading across the forest floor or along riverbanks. Its common name comes from its reddish orange-sap, which can be made into a dye. Bloodroot seeds are often spread by ants who take them back to their nests.

Columbine meadow-rue

Thalictrum aquilegiifolium is a species of flowering plant in the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family known by the common names Siberian columbine meadow-rue, columbine meadow-rue, French meadow-rue, and greater meadow-rue. Its native range extends through Europe and temperate Asia, with a naturalized distribution in North America limited to New York and Ontario. Growing to 100 cm tall by 45 cm wide, it is an herbaceous perennial, with leaves composed of frilled leaflets resembling those of aquilegia. In early summer it bears clusters of fluffy pink flowers in flat-topped panicles. The plant contains an alkaloid ‘Thalidisine’, which is also present in other Thalictrum species. The cultivar ‘Thundercloud’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Heartleaf foamflower

Heartleaf foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) is a perennial plant that will grow to 14 inches tall. It has lobed, heart-shaped leaves at the base and tall hairy stalks ascending from the base. From May to July, white flowers bloom profusely along the stalks. It produces seeds from June to August. It prefers moist soil with partial shade such as in woodland and forest areas.

A Beginner’s Guide to Plant Propagation

It’s possible to turn one plant into many through propagation. Learn about the differences between sexual and asexual propagation and what it takes to start plants from seeds and get a plant to sprout from a leaf or cutting.

Buying new plants is an expensive way to expand your garden. A better strategy? Propagate the plants you already have.

With the right techniques, you can soon fill your empty garden space from the offspring of a few parent plants. Here’s how to get started with plant propagation at home.

What Is Plant Propagation?

Put simply, plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from ones you already have. Different methods of propagation are classified into two categories: sexual and asexual.

Sexual Propagation

The most common way plants multiply is by producing viable seeds through sexual reproduction. Though there are exceptions, this method usually requires the pollen from one plant to reach the flowers of another. Under the right conditions, these seeds will germinate and grow into plants genetically similar (but not identical) to their parents.

This genetic diversity allows gardeners to create new varieties over time, but it can be a tedious strategy for increasing the plants in your garden.

Asexual Propagation

Asexual propagation, in contrast, skips seed production and instead uses vegetive plant parts like the leaves, stems, roots, and more to make a genetic clone of the parent plant. Most asexual propagation methods produce new plants more quickly than going from seed, and the clones will be virtually identical to the parent plant.

This means that gardeners will know precisely what the character traits of their propagated plants will be, but it also limits genetic diversity. Over time, it can make plants more susceptible to environmental stresses and disease.

How Do You Propagate Plants? Seven Methods

There are many strategies for propagating plants at home. Here are seven strategies that work for most varieties.

1. Cuttings

A “cutting” is a vegetative part of the plant, such as stems, leaves, or roots, that you separate from the larger parent and plant on its own to regenerate into a whole new plant. Cuttings are often classified based on the material they come from and whether it comes from old growth (hardwood) or new growth (softwood).

One popular propagation strategy is to place a cutting in a glass of water. Within a few days, small roots should start to form. You can plant the cutting in soil after several weeks of root growth.

2. Layering

For this propagation method, you will bend a branch from an existing plant until it’s at ground level. Cover the branch with soil and allow it to root. After a month or longer, it should develop a strong root system. At this point, you can cut it away from the main plant and plant it elsewhere.

Because it requires an entire branch of an existing plant, layering will only work for propagating a few plants from each parent at a time.

3. Division

As the name implies, this propagation technique requires you to divide up the roots system of existing plants to replant some of them elsewhere. It’s an excellent strategy for perennials that need more space to spread out.

As a general rule, plants that flower in the spring should be divided and replanted in the late summer or fall, and those that flower in the summer should be divided in the early spring when they are still dormant.

4. Grafting

Popular for trees, grafting is a propagation strategy where you cut the twig from one plant and join it onto the stem of another, so they function as one plant. This lets you combine positive character traits of multiple varieties for a better plant overall. For example, fruit growers often combine the rootstock of disease-resistant varieties with the trunks of tastier, but more finicky varieties, so they get the benefits of both characteristics in the final plant.

It’s also possible to make multiple grafts on the same plant. For example, someone with a small yard might graft multiple varieties of apples onto one trunk to maximize its production potential.

Grafting works best when done in the spring before new growth appears. Popular techniques are known as whip, bark, cleft, and side grafting.

5. Budding

This propagation method is similar to grafting but requires you to take a single bud with minimal wood and insert it into the rootstock to grow as one plant. It works well for plants that don’t produce viable seeds or for grafting new varieties on the tops of trees when other grafting strategies aren’t possible.

6. Tissue Culture

This relatively new propagation technique is more advanced than the others listed here and is typically used in commercial settings. Tissue culture works to propagate plants within a glass propagation tube and makes it possible to start hundreds, even thousands of new cultivars at once from a single parent plant.

The resulting clones are small and easy to ship, making this a popular propagation method for large nurseries.

7. By Seed

Finally, it’s also possible to propagate plants by seed. While the best method will vary based on the variety you’re working with, it’s usually possible to harvest the plant’s seed head once it turns dry and brown. Store it in a cool, dark place, and plant the seeds once seasonally appropriate the following spring.

Note that many plant varieties, such as hybrids, produce seeds that won’t be “true” to their parent. These seeds can develop unexpected, often undesirable character traits. Avoid this problem by researching the traits of the varieties you are growing before saving seeds to ensure you aren’t wasting your time.

Try Propagation for a More Prolific Garden

Learning how to start new plants at home is a cost-effective way to expand your garden. Experiment with these different propagation strategies in your garden, and you’ll never be short on plants again.

A Guide to Potting and Re-potting Your Plants

A Guide to Potting and Re-Potting Your Plants

When your plants get too big for their container, it’s time to move them somewhere more spacious. Learn how to safely pot or repot your plants to ensure that they have the space they need to thrive.

Potted plants can improve any décor, but it doesn’t take long for them to start looking worse for wear. This constrained environment means that even small changes in your plant’s size, water intake, or soil quality can make a significant difference in how healthy it is.

If you want to keep your potted plants in prime condition, you need to learn how to pot and re-pot them. Here’s a guide for getting started.

Why Re-Pot Plants?

Re-potting plants serves two purposes. First, it provides the opportunity to give expanding plant roots more space to grow. Second, it allows you to change out the potting soil when it becomes nutritionally depleted.

In general, plants need to be re-potted every 12 to 18 months, but this can vary based on how vigorously it’s growing. Slow-growing plants might stay content within the same pot for years, though you may need to refresh the soil on occasion.

It’s usually best to re-pot plants in early spring before they hit their growth surge for the year. However, you may need to do so sooner if you sense your plant is struggling.

Ten Signs You Need to Re-Pot Your Plants

How can you tell it’s time to re-pot your plant? Here are ten tell-tale signs it’s time for an upgrade.

The plant is making the pot top-heavy and tips over easily.
Roots are coming out of the soil and pushing the plant up above the planter.
You see roots growing through the drainage hole at the bottom
The plant takes up more than three times as much space as the pot
You notice a sudden slow-down in overall growth that’s not seasonally appropriate
The plant is drying out quickly and requires frequent waterings
Water sits on the top of the soil and doesn’t absorb into it
The soil’s surface looks dried out, and you see signs of salt and mineral buildup
It’s been years (if ever) since you last replanted it
You want to take cuttings from one large plant to split it into several smaller ones

Do You Really Need a Bigger Pot?

The first step for re-potting a plant is determining whether the planter itself needs to be replaced. Often, refreshing the soil is all that’s necessary to perk up one that’s wilting.

If you do replace the pot, don’t fall for the common mistake of believing you need to go as big as possible. Scale up too large, and you may unknowingly attempt to compensate for it by overwatering. Too much water combined with the stress of transplanting can quickly weaken a healthy plant.

As a general rule, try to keep the pot’s size within three inches (7.5 cm) diameter of the previous pot for tabletop planters and within six inches (15cm) for floor planters. It’s better to scale your planter up to a large final size in multiple small steps rather than going too big at once.

Six Steps for Potting or Re-Potting Plants

Here are the basic steps for potting or re-potting your plants for the best chance of success.

1. Gather Supplies

First, collect what you need for potting. This includes the plant itself, the planter you are moving it into (if required), fresh potting mix, and a trowel. You may want a handful of lava rocks or similar material for drainage, but they aren’t necessary if the planter already has a drainage hole.

2. Remove Plant From Current Pot

You want to move your plant from its current location as seamlessly as possible to reduce the risk of transplant shock. If possible, turn it sideways so you can gently grip the main stem and tap along the bottom of the pot until you feel the soil loosen. It should start sliding out, and if not, give it a few tugs until it does.

3. Spread Apart the Roots

Next, use your fingers to gently loosen the plant’s roots and prune off any threadlike or extra-long pieces. You’ll know the roots are rootbound if they formed themselves into a tight circle at the base of the pot. If so, carefully unwind them to provide extra room to stretch out.

4. Prepare the Pot

The steps here vary slightly based on whether you are reusing the same pot or starting fresh. If reusing, pour out the old soil and wash it with water. It’s a good idea to disinfect it with a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water for at least ten minutes—especially if you saw signs of disease on the plant in it previously. This reduces the chance that pathogens will linger and recontaminate it.

After this point, the steps are the same. Add lava rocks or other bulky material to the bottom if there aren’t drainage holes, and pour in a layer of new potting soil into the planter, packing it down with your fingers to remove air pockets. Aim to fill it about ¾ of the way full.

5. Add the Plant

Grab the plant and place it where desired in the planter. Centered is better from a root growth standpoint, but you may prefer it off-centered if you plan to plant more than one within the same pot.

Holding the plant upright with one hand, gently add more potting mix around its base to cover the roots. Keep adding soil until it seems stable, but refrain from packing it in too tightly around the stem, as you want the roots to breathe.

6. Water Thoroughly

Help your plant feel at home again by giving it a generous drink. Water slowly and thoroughly, noting if the plant shifts in the planter, as that’s a sign of released air bubbles. You may need to add more potting soil as it starts to settle. Ensure the planter is on a runoff tray to collect excess water and water it until you see it seeping through the bottom.

Potting and re-potting your plants is a straightforward process, but it takes careful attention to perform correctly. Take the time to observe your plants so you can determine if and when they need a new planter and give them the best chance of a healthy life in your home.

25 Garden Plants Make People Sting and Itch

Some plants just want to be left alone. The species on this list have evolved a variety of defenses aimed at making sure that nothing messes with them. Steer clear of these types of plants if you want to keep your skin intact or avoid a nasty rash!

French rose

French rose (Rosa gallica) is a flowering deciduous shrub native to central and southern Europe. It was one of the first rose species to be cultivated in Europe; French rose got its domesticated start with ancient Greeks and Romans, and was later used in medieval gardens. Today, this cold-tolerant flower’s numerous cultivars adorn gardens worldwide.

Tea rose

The first Tea rose was created in 1867 by Jean-Baptiste Andred Guillot, who operated his father’s nursery in Lyon from the age of 14. The Tea rose did not become popular until the Soleil d’Or was cultivated at the beginning of the 1900s in France.

Leatherleaf mahonia

Leatherleaf mahonia is planted as a hedge. Its evergreen leaves, edged with spines, can deter outsiders from intruding. In addition to its very distinctive foliage, it is also very recognizable by the large bunches of dark purple fruits it produces in summer. Birds eat these fruits and help spread the seeds, so this plant is widely dispersed and even considered aggressive.

American holly

Ilex opaca, commonly known as American holly, is a medium-sized evergreen tree, commonly found in southeastern areas of North America as an understory tree in humid forests. Its bright red fruits are poisonous to humans but are a very important source of food for numerous species of birds.

Great bougainvillea

The Great bougainvillea is best known for its bright flowers. It has spread around the world as a garden plant. This plant thrives in warm environments. The Great bougainvillea is a woody, climbing plant that winds its way around other plants as it grows. It also has thorns that aid in its climbing habit.

Flowering quince

Flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) is a deciduous shrub that’s native to China. Its edible fruit appears in autumn and is often used in jams and jellies. The plant can also be used as a privacy hedge that will attract hummingbirds in droves.

Common barberry

Common barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is a shrub with unpleasant-smelling flowers and red berries. The flowers can be used to create dye while the berries can attract birds and small mammals. Common barberry is used as a hedge in some countries, but it is susceptible to rust disease.

Pomelo

Pomelo (Citrus grandis) is a greenish, tropical and subtropical fruit originally that is larger than any other citrus fruit on the planet (thus the species name – “grandis”). Though it is the ancestor of the commonly cultivated grapefruit (citrus x paradisi), the Pomelo has a thick, hard-to-peel rind and doesn’t have a lot of juice. Nevertheless, it is commonly eaten in southeast Asia.

Mandarin orange

The Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is a citrus fruit tree. It is famed for its Mandarin oranges, a commonly consumed fruit which can be eaten plain or used in salads. During the Chinese New Year, the fruit is considered a symbol of good fortune.

Trifoliate orange

A native to Northern China and Korea, Trifoliate orange is recognizable by the large 1.2 to 2.0 in thorns on the shoots and its deciduous leaves. It is also unique as a citrus plant because its fruit has a downy fuzz similar to a peach. The ripe fruit is very bitter but can be used to make marmalade.

Salmonberry

Salmonberry is a shrub growing to 40-160 inches tall. It is known for its fruit, which bears resemblance to a raspberry. This plant earned its common name due to the fact that these berries were traditionally eaten by Native Americans with salmon or salmon roe. The taste of the berries themselves is somewhat bland but depends on the climate and site of growth.

California blackberry

California blackberry (Rubus ursinus) is an edible berry indigenous to North America. Its genus name of ‘Rubus’ means ‘bramble,’ and the specific epithet ‘Ursinus’ means ‘bear.’ Larvae of the western tiger swallowtail butterfly love to munch on it. Native Americans ate it and also used it medicinally. If you have a creek bank that needs stabilizing, this plant will do it.

Jujube

Jujube or Ziziphus jujuba is also known as red date and Chinese date. It is a deciduous tree that is often grown for its small fruit. When immature, the fruit resembles a crisp apple. When ripened, the fruit wrinkles and resembles a date.

Russian olive

The name of Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) came from its resemblance to an olive tree. However, it’s not even remotely related. It is indigenous to central and western Asia, and is listed as a noxious weed in other countries including the US, where it was initially imported as an ornamental. Russian olive produces showy, fragrant flowers and attracts birds with its berry-like fruit.

Western jimson weed

Western jimson weed (Datura wrightii) is a flowering perennial plant in the nightshade family. It is commonly cultivated as an ornamental flower due to its good ability to tolerate drought. Western jimson weed is toxic to humans and pets, and could lead to convulsions and coma if ingested. Nevertheless, it was once used by several Native American tribes as part of a rite of passage.

Bird of paradise

Bird of paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii) is a perennial evergreen shrub that will grow from 7 to 10 feet tall. It has attractive lacy foliage and showy clusters of yellow flowers that bloom in summer. Bird of paradise attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. It prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil.

Prairie crabapple

Prairie crabapple (Malus ioensis) is a flowering, colorful tree with pink blossoms native to the United States. In summer the plant’s dark green leaves become purple and red. Wildlife eats the fruit of this tree.

Rugosa rose

This tall shrub is known for its hardiness, surviving in many climate zones and poor soil conditions. They produce large flowers from summer to winter and their hips attract birds (and are tasty to humans too!). With such beautiful flowers one might be surprised to hear that the Rugosa rose is considered an invasive species in some regions.

Lady banks's rose

Lady banks’s rose is a species of rose with pale yellow flowers which is popularly planted in gardens worldwide. The largest specimen of Lady banks’s rose (Rosa banksiae) in the world is in Tombstone, AZ. This is where the famous ‘Gunfight at the O.K. Corral’ took place. A clipping that eventually became the bush was sent over from Scotland in 1885, making this rose over 130 years old.

Wild cucumber

Wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) is a sprawling, annual plant vine that grows wild across North America. Its vines can create a dense ground cover over large areas. Wild cucumber acts as a food source for many insect species and is susceptible to some bacterial plant diseases. Certain Native American tribes used to create beads out of the plant’s seeds.

Rattlesnake master

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is a herbaceous perennial plant species that grows best in full sunlight and dry soil. Rattlesnake master is drought tolerant and erosion resistant. The leaves of this coarse plant have been used by Native Americans to create both baskets and sandals. Monarch butterflies love the nectar from this flower, giving them nutrients to complete their yearly migration south.

White prickly poppy

White prickly poppy (Argemone albiflora) is a deciduous annual plant that can grow to be 1 to 3 feet tall. It is a single flowering plant with a cupped white flower growing at the top of its prickly stem. This species blooms from April to August. Its nectar attracts bees. White prickly poppy is toxic to humans.

Cardoon

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) grows 3 feet to 6 feet in height, and 2 feet to 3 feet across. Its leaves are jagged, razor-sharp, and a silvery-gray color. Its flowers are blue or violet and thistle-like. It was first brought to the United States by Spanish and French settlers in the middle of the nineteenth century.

Screw pine

Screw pine (Pandanus tectorius) is a perennial tropical tree that is salt tolerant and grows in poor, salty or sandy soils. Screw pine is used to help stabilize soil conditions along coastal and beachfront properties. It also thrives in hot, windy areas and prefers full sun to semi-shade. Plants are dioecious with separate male and female plants. Male flowers are small, fragrant and short-lived. Female flowers are pineapple-like and are followed by fruit heads. Fruits are edible.

Ocotillo

Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) is a flowering plant species native to the southwestern United States. Ocotillo is most commonly found in the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert. While it grows in the same conditions as cacti, Ocotillo is not technically a cactus. This species yields branches which can be used for walking sticks, and its flowers can be turned into herbal tea. In cultivation, Ocotillo can be planted throughout the year in arid regions as a living fence.

How To Deal With Plant Disease Problems

There’s nothing worse than watching a plant start to wither and die because of a disease problem. Learn how to spot the early signs of disease so you can keep your plants in pristine condition all season long.

Your plants looks so good, but suddenly they start to turn brown and wilt. The weather is perfect, and everything is getting adequate water, so what’s the problem? You may be dealing with disease. Pathogens can infect plants quickly and show up as a range of symptoms that are tricky to address, meaning you need to know what to look for right away.

Here’s an overview of plant diseases and what you need to know to better protect your green friends.

Plant Disease Defined

A plant disease is an impairment in a plant’s normal state that affects its functioning, usually in a negative way. All plant species are susceptible to disease, but cultivated plants tend to have the most problems. That’s because they’ve developed over time through human intervention and didn’t evolve the genetic defenses to fight them off as their wild counterparts did.

The Two Types of Plant Disease

There are thousands of plant diseases that could infect your plants today, all of which are split into two categories: infectious and noninfectious.

Infectious diseases are caused by a pathogenic organism that infects the plant material. They can be a fungus, bacterium, virus, nematode, or even a parasitic flowering plant. These pathogens are capable of reproducing within the host and spreading from one plant to another, which makes them highly contagious.

Noninfectious diseases, in contrast, come from unfavorable growing conditions like temperature extremes, inadequate moisture levels, and nutrient deficiencies. They won’t spread from plant to plant, but plants growing in similar situations are likely to develop them.

Factors That Affect Plant Diseases

Environmental conditions make a significant difference in the development and spread of plant diseases. Here are some factors to be aware of.

Temperature: Every disease pathogen has an optimal temperature for growing, which may vary based on the development stage. Generally, warmer weather leads to more plant diseases, as it encourages germination and spore production that causes them to spread.

Humidity: Warm, wet conditions lead to rot and fungal spore production, so high humidity is a leading cause of most leaf and fruit diseases. You can slow down the spread of disease by lowering the air humidity (if indoors) and avoiding spraying plants on their leaves.

Soil Moisture: Saturated soil keeps plant roots wet, which contributes to root rot and other fungal diseases. Refrain from overwatering so you don’t raise the carbon dioxide levels in the soil that encourages the growth of these pathogens. Likewise, other plant diseases are most problematic when the soil stays too dry.

Soil pH: The acidity of your soil affects the kinds of pathogens that proliferate within it. A soil test will give you a sense of its natural pH for information on what diseases are most likely in your conditions.

Soil Type and Fertility: Soil fungi and other pathogens all have preferences for certain soil types. Some thrive in heavy clay, while others need high concentrations of organic material. Elevated levels of certain nutrients can also influence the development of diseases like powdery mildew and leaf blight.

Signs of Plant Diseases

The best way to know whether you’re dealing with plant disease is to look closely at the plant.

Start by looking at the leaves and other foliage. Irregular coloring, size, shape, or signs of blights and lesions are all indicators of fungal or bacterial pathogens. In the early stages of a bacterial infection, you’ll likely see dark, water-soaked spots with distinct margins, almost like a halo. Look for dark specks in these dead areas, as these may be signs of mold growth or fruiting bodies filled with spores.

Viral diseases, like mosaics, show up as discolored, yellowing patches and sections that look dried out.

Next, inspect the plant’s trunk, stems, shoots, and branches. Any sunken, swollen, or discolored sections may be caused by bacterial canker infections, and they can lead to plant wounds that become infected by other pathogens. Galls, overgrowths on the stem, trunk, or branches, are often a sign of crown gall infections.

You can assume the plant is diseased rather than injured from insects or another cause if the change occurs gradually and there isn’t a clear distinction between the healthy and the unhealthy parts.

Below the soil line, root diseases are prevalent and can have consequences for the entire plant. They can come from soilborne creatures known as nematodes as well as bacterial or fungal pathogens. You might see stunted leaves, poor coloring, wilting and dieback, or sudden declines in your plant’s vigor and productivity.

Note: Many of the symptoms associated with plant diseases can be caused by a range of other factors like frost, heat, nutrient deficiencies, and more. In these cases, treating the “disease” won’t have any effect because you aren’t addressing the real symptoms.

One way to tell whether a plant disease is really to blame is to see whether multiple plant species in an area seem to have the same symptoms. Most plant diseases are highly specific and will only affect closely related plant species.

How to Treat Plant Diseases

Treating and preventing plant diseases comes down to proper identification and determining what is causing it in the first place. This process takes careful observation and attention to detail to ensure you make the correct diagnosis.

Once you know what kind of pathogen is involved, you can take steps to eradicate it from your plants. In many instances, a topical spray will help kill off the pathogens and restore the plant to full vigor. You may also need to provide it with nutrient-rich compost to give it the strength to fight off the attack. Sometimes, the only option is to cut off the diseased portion to prevent it from spreading throughout the entire plant.

Dealing with plant diseases is an inevitable part of gardening, but they don’t need to be discouraging. Monitor plants closely and understand why infections occur, and you can prevent your plants from suffering from devastating outbreaks.

What You Need to Know About Fertilizer

If you want to grow healthy plants, you need to know what to feed them. Learn all about the benefits of fertilizer, what to look for in a fertilizer blend, and the best strategies for applying it to your plants.

When you’re looking to grow the healthiest plants possible, sometimes they need a boost. Fertilizers promise to give you long-lasting blooms, bigger harvests, and more productive plants. But, knowing where to start with fertilizer can be overwhelming when you’re first getting started.

Here’s a closer look at how fertilizers work and what you need to know to choose one for your garden.

What Is Fertilizer?

Plants pull everything they need to thrive out of the soil through their roots. Over time, they absorb such a large concentration of nutrients that the ground becomes depleted. Adding fertilizer to your garden replenishes these nutrients so that plants continue to grow well.

Put another way, adding fertilizer to a garden is like putting money back in the bank after draining your savings account.

How Does Fertilizer Work?

Though fertilizers can contain dozens of compounds that promote plant growth, three primary nutrients make up almost the entire formula: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. On a soil bag, you’ll see these represented as N-P-K, or as numbers in place of each letter to represent the ratio of each nutrient within it.

For example, a 100-pound bag of fertilizer could be labeled 5-7-4. This means it contains five pounds of nitrate, seven pounds of phosphate (phosphorus), four pounds of potash (potassium), and 84 pounds of filler materials.

Here’s why each nutrient is important:

Nitrogen

As one of the most common elements in nature, nitrogen is critical to all forms of life. Homemade compost and animal manures contain lots of nitrogen. This nutrient is responsible for giving plants vibrant green foliage, and too little leads to stunted leaves. However, excessive nitrogen can be just as problematic, as it makes plants prioritize leaf and stem growth at the expense of producing flowers or fruit.

Phosphorus

This nutrient is critical for root growth and bloom formation, making it an essential component for all fruiting plants. A lack of phosphorus will lead to stunted tomatoes or squash plants that never develop blossoms. Good sources of phosphorus include bone meal and rock phosphate.

Potassium

Potassium promotes photosynthesis and helps the interconnected systems within plants function together. Without it, plants look weak and spindly. Wood ash can restore potassium levels, though too much can burn plants.

Other Key Plant Nutrients

Beyond these three main components, plants need smaller quantities of other critical nutrients.

Calcium: Improves soil structure, binds particles together, helps neutralize toxic materials.
Magnesium: Essential for plants to process sunlight.
Sulfur: The primary component of many proteins.
Boron: Promotes cell division for plant growth.
Copper: Activates plant enzymes that promote plant synthesis and aid respiration.
Iron: Helps synthesize chlorophyll and produces green pigments.
Molybdenum: Promotes healthy leaf formation and prevents a buildup of nitrates.
Zinc: Helps plants withstand cold temperatures and converts starches to sugars.
Chlorine: Aids photosynthesis and helps take in and release gasses like oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Manganese: Supports healthy plant cell functioning.

An all-purpose 5-5-5 fertilizer will typically provide an ideal ratio of nutrients plants need to thrive. If your soil has specific deficiencies, you will need a specialized formula that can address them.

Organic vs. Synthetic—Does It Matter?

One primary decision every gardener needs to make is whether to use synthetic or organic fertilizer.

Synthetic Fertilizers

Synthetic fertilizers are made through a chemical process that typically uses oil and other nonrenewable resources. Most synthetic fertilizers are water-soluble and prioritize the three main nutrients (NPK), which means plants can take them in fast and show improvements quickly.

However, these fertilizers tend to be deficient in other essential nutrients, potentially leading to problems for plant health over the long term.

Organic Fertilizers

In contrast, organic fertilizers come from naturally occurring materials that may include mineral deposits, bone meal, fish emulsions, or composted manure. In most cases, organic fertilizers are not water-soluble, which means they release their nutrients into the soil over time.

Ideally, you want to apply them in the fall so that they can break down over the winter and be available for your plants by spring.

Beyond feeding plants, organic fertilizers improve the soil’s structure and create habitat space for beneficial soil microorganisms that aid plant growth. They also tend to be more complex than synthetic options and will provide plants with all the necessary secondary plant nutrients.

Which Is Best? A Summary

So, in short, synthetic fertilizers are easy to use and offer fast results but often don’t support long-term plant health. Organic amendments work more slowly, but they promote overall soil health and give plants a better balance of essential nutrients.

Some gardeners may find a blend of both works best. Consider using organic fertilizers in the fall to enrich your soil and promote microbial life, and apply synthetic fertilizers as needed over the growing season to keep things vibrant.

Understanding Different Fertilizer Applications Methods

Fertilizers come in multiple forms depending on your preferred method for feeding your plants. Here are some to be aware of.

Dry Fertilizer: As the easiest type of fertilizer to apply, dry fertilizers can be scattered by hand (wear gloves!) or dispersed over a larger area with a spreader. You can add more around the base of plants over the growing season to aid their growth.

Slow Release: This fertilizer typically comes with a coating that breaks down over time after heat and water exposure to slowly release its nutrients into the soil. This makes it possible to fertilize without fear of burning your plants. To use, sprinkle directly into the ground.

Liquid: Plants can absorb nutrients up to 20 times more efficiently through their leaves than the roots. For this reason, liquid fertilizers are usually sprayed directly onto plant leaves, so it absorbs the nutrients directly. Any that drips into the soil will get taken in by the roots. This provides plants with a quick nutrient boost and is one of the best ways to revive fading plants. As liquid fertilizers are potent, you must take care to dilute them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Choosing the right fertilizer for your garden is an important decision. Take time to research what’s best for your plants, and your garden will thrive from your effort.