Flora Music

Posts Tagged ‘water’

Herb gardening indoors is as simple as finding an empty flower pot. Window boxes are attractive places for herbs, as is a hanging basket. Outdoor gardens are subject to the vagaries of weather while growing herbs in pots indoors lets you pick your produce out of the rain. No special environments are required indoors, the same growing requirements exist for herb gardening inside or out.

Three things are needed to successfully grow any plant; soil, water, and sunlight. Herbs are no different. Whether outdoors or in, sunlight is critical to the growth of any plant, including herbs. To get optimal sunlight, place your potted herbs in a room with west or south facing windows. While different herbs have differing light requirements, most need lots of sun. If your herbs are not getting enough sunlight then using grow lamps, or other artificial lighting, can supplement.

When it comes to soil, herbs need soil that is not “too rich” and well-drained. For best results, mix two parts sterilized potting soil with one part perlite or course sand for container herb gardening. To ensure good drainage place about an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot prior to adding the soil mixture. Most herbs benefit from a soil that is sweetened with lime; one teaspoon of lime per 5-inch pot is sufficient.

Growing herbs in pots also requires attention to water needs. Herbs tend to prefer humid conditions which can be simulated by moistening the pebbles and using a mister on the foliage. While container grown herbs require more water than those grown in an outdoor garden you should avoid getting the roots drenched or soggy.

Moving your plants about as you please is a distinct advantage to having container grown herbs. While annual herbs do quite well left indoors, perennial herbs should be placed outdoors during the summer as these do much better there. To avoid losing foliage bring all our your herbs inside before the first frost. The exceptions to this rule are mint, chives, and tarragon. When subjected to a light frost these herb varieties briefly go dormant then produces new and firmer growth.

While some herbs do better than others all herbs can be grown in pots. A precaution regarding mint; it should be grown in a container, even outdoors, as it will spread over the entire garden. All things considered you can easily maintain an indoor herb garden. When grown in the kitchen it becomes second nature to snip some nearby fresh herbs for cooking. This will add a whole new dimension to your family meals.

Periodic light feeding and yearly re potting will ensure optimum vitality of your herbs. Also remember to replant annuals each year and move perennial herbs outdoors in late spring until early fall. Use all the herbs you desire in cooking and arrangements or simply harvest occasionally to put on the dehydrator. All plants benefit from pruning and herbs especially so. This will give you plenty for use in recipes or treat your friends by giving them fresh herbs.

Following the simple steps above, and with a little practice, your care and attention to your herbs will guarantee a strong healthy plant.

Possibly Related Posts:

• A Christmas Gift
• Flower- the Story of Evolution
• Garden Stepping Stones – What Are They?
• The Greenhouse that Wouldn’t Lie Down
• Is Cedar Wood the right choice for decking

Gardening has become one of the most popular hobbies, and you probably know a gardener or two that would love a gardening gift for their upcoming special occasion.  There are hundreds of gardening gifts to buy for both the beginner and expert gardener, and the great thing about gardening gifts is they can be bought just about anywhere: online, nursery, feed store, farmer’s market, even your local Wal-Mart or grocery store.

If buying a gardening gift for a beginner, an instructional or informational book is always a good idea.  Books like this will give tips on how to eliminate gardening nightmares like disease, insects, and weeds.  They will tell gardeners which kind of plants thrive in different climates, as well as how much sun, water, and nutrients various types of plants require.  Books like this can be purchased at nurseries, online, or at your local bookstore.  If your gardening friend is a “computer nerd”, a gardening information CD might be a better gardening gift for them than a book.

Whether giving to a novice or expert professional, a plant is always a great gardening gift.  Whether buying the traditional gift, like a poinsettia at Christmas, or just some random plant random, like moss, a plant is sure to be greatly appreciated and enjoyed.  Another idea is to buy seeds or just a bulb for someone to transplant.  Giving a perennial would be a gift that keeps on giving.

Theme gardening gifts using plants can also be loads of fun.  An herb can come with an attached card including a recipe using that herb.  A plant that produces nectar and will attract butterflies can be coupled with a book on butterflies.

Possibly the best and most common, gardening gift is gardening tools.  This can be anything as simple as a hoe or rake to something more high-tech like an electric blower or vacuum.  These are good for removing debris, leaves, or grass from driveways and side walks.  Other favorites are gloves, hedge trimmers, and sprinklers.

An excellent gardening gift that is rarely though of is a calendar.  Calendar’s can serve dual purposes; it can be decorative with beautiful gardening themes, or can be used to keep up with the moon phase that affects most all plants.  A farmer’s almanac is also a good idea, it is full of information regarding the weather, moon phase, when to plant, when to prune; it is the best guidebook to gardening there is.

The ultimate gardening gift is for any gardener is a gift certificate to a nursery or store where gardening tools or plants are available.  This way, your friend can get any tool they do not have in their collection, or any kind of plant their heart desires.

Gift giving is a difficult task at best, but if you have gardeners for friends, a gardening gift is an easy way out and makes your gift buying simple.  Gardening gifts can range anywhere from tools to actual plants and with gardening gifts you have a wide range of costs to choose from.  You can give a cheap pair of gloves or an expensive power tiller.  So the next time you go gift shopping, thing about a gardening gift for your friends with green thumbs!

Possibly Related Posts:

• A Christmas Gift
• Flower- the Story of Evolution
• Garden Stepping Stones – What Are They?
• The Greenhouse that Wouldn’t Lie Down
• Is Cedar Wood the right choice for decking