Mother plants are essential for maintaining a continual propagation system. A strong mother plant is the first step to taking perfect cuttings. Weak cuttings turn into slow and sometimes weak plants. A weak clone is very susceptible to pest and disease problems. The plant is already under going immense stress and an unnoticed infestation can kill it. Here are 7 tips to keep your plants healthy and inevitably take stronger cuttings.

1. Trim off yellowing, brown, dried, wilted, and dead leaves – Dying leaves are a great place for bugs to hang out. Your beloved plants may be wasting energy trying to save dying leaves. Cut your losses and focus the new growth.

2. Use small amounts of nutrients – Salt lock up and over-fertilization are the last thing you want to transfer to clones.

3. Try Mother Plant nutrient formula – I have personally not tried this bio-organic formula, but I have heard it works pretty well. There seems to be a lot of buzz about it in the indoor gardening magazines.

4. Use a big container if you plan to take many clones from a large mother plant – Roots are a vital part of healthy vigorous growth. A dense root zone will allow your mother to recover from cuttings quicker. Bigger roots means bigger plants.

5. Water frequently – Use a drip system or hydroponic method to ensure your mother plant gets as much water as it needs.

6. Do not cut more than 20% of the healthy foliage at a time. Taking too many cuttings at a time can stress your mother plant. The plant should recover, but it may actually slow down growth because of the amount of energy it takes to recover. The plant needs leaves to catch sunlight for photosynthesis.

7. Watch closely for bugs and pests – Use a magnifying glass to check your plants! You never know what you may find. Any small pest infestation on your plant will transfer to your clones and potentially your whole cloning system. If it makes it to the next stage before you notice you may be dealing with a major infestation later on. Preventative pest control is the best pest control.

Source by Max Nelson

Homeoplasmine is a plant-based, homeopathic remedy in pomade form intended for skin irritations. It is only officially available in France. Homeoplasmine contains extracts of plants as well as an antiseptic. Homeoplasmine ointment is intended to alleviate the irritation of nasal membranes commonly affected by colds and rhinitis. According to Boiron Laboratories (the product manufacturers) it is also effective on scratches, grazes, bruises, and cracks of the skin.

Homeoplasmine was originally created to heal the nasal passages from colds, allergies, and freezing temperatures-which is why it’s highly effective on lips when temperatures drop in harsh climates during winter. Parisians have been using it for decades as it is widely available and effective.

Homeoplasmine has been used by make-up artists during winter fashion shoots and runway shows to treat wind-chapped, windblown, and jetlagged models suffering from skin peeling from the cold. Minutes after application, skin looks hydrated again, radiant, and portrays an image of health. Gwyneth Paltrow’s site Goop.com further indicates Homeoplasmine’s efficacy stating, “Meant for skin irritations, Homeoplasmine is a life-saver when it comes to dry, winter-ravaged skin.”

An effective method of use when doing make-up is to apply Homeoplasmine ointment liberally to red and chapped areas below the nose and on the lips for a few minutes, then wipe off and apply foundation as normally done. Homeoplasmine has a matte finish. According to Style Magazine, “Pretty much every makeup artist, Francophile, and international beauty junkie swears by Homeoplasmine as the go-to for chapped lips and dry patches. Unsurprisingly, it’s as awesome as they say and the aluminum tube is really satisfying to use.”

Further accolades include Stylist.com (UK), which adds, “Another perennial backstage beauty must-have, Homeoplasmine is the insider’s alternative to Vaseline. An emollient that cures chapped and dry skin; it softens lips with a matte velvety finish.”

Homeoplasmine ingredients are Calendula officinalis, Phytolacca officinalis, Bryonia, Benzoin, Boric acid, and Vaselinum album. It is not for children under 30 month’s old, or pro-longed use at any age. It should not be applied to breastfeeding areas. Short-term use is recommended at 1 to 3 times per day to clean skin.

The product is mildly scented with a slight tint, and packaged in an aluminum sealed tube. Plans to sell Homeoplasmine directly to consumers outside of France have not been made public at this time. Reasons for manufacturers limiting their marketing mainly to France are unclear given the product’s simple ingredients list.

Source by Don Holm

Furniture with natural material finishing usually will attract some people, not only because of its natural impression but also because of its exclusivity. It becomes more special if the designer creates the unique design furniture, when using natural material like rattan, bamboo, and plant fiber. Cane work (wicker) and the flexibility of rattan style become the art work.

Plant Fiber such as banana fiber often amazes many people. Chair from banana fiber gives unique style, so people are anxious to touch it. Generally people have an opinion that rattan and any other natural material are susceptible to termite and easily broken. But this is the wrong opinion. Manufacturers of wicker furniture have made special preparation of their natural material (rattan, bamboo, plant fiber) before they used it as furniture material. Some processes have been done to make the natural material will have some important properties i.e. weather resistant, durable and anti-termite. Usually plant fiber is using only as finishing touch where wood solid or some metals are used as its frame.

Most popular plant fiber is rattan. To make furniture, we can only use the rattan skin, inside material of rattan, or can be combination both of them. Many kinds of rattan are categorized based on its origin, strength, and diameter size. One of popular rattan is Kalimantan rattan (Kalimantan is one of island in Indonesia). This rattan has 3mm – 6mm diameter, termite resistant, and high water resistant. It is usually used in whole because of its strength and its diameter quite small. But not all kinds of rattan are termite resistant and high water resistant like rattan Kalimantan. That is why if rattan especially rattan inside material is used, it must be protected with anti termite first.

The signal of a termite presence is usually marked with white powder came out from the rattan. Separate this rattan immediately from the good rattan and apply/spray with anti termite.

Beside rattan, bamboo also is quite popular. Betung type bamboo has diameter 10cm – 13cm, most used as platform for sleeping (amben), table, and chair. Recent popular bamboo types are Cendani and Mayan. Cendani bamboo has 1cm – 3cm diameter, while Mayan bamboo has 5cm – 10cm diameter. Even though the diameter of these 2 kinds of bamboo is smaller than Betung bamboo, they have good strength. Mayan and Cemani bamboo are good to be used as rack, cupboard or room divider.

Other plant fiber using for furniture material is from banana plant. Banana fiber is taken from stem of the banana bunch. After dried, banana fibers are twisted and then applied to furniture frame. Same processes usually apply to water hyacinth (enceng gondok) and water pandanus. These kinds of material are better using for interior only, not for exterior. Even though they are using as interior furniture, we have to place them at the area where enough sunlight is able to reach them. They are susceptible to water and moisture. When the condition is wet and moist, these kinds of materials are dilatable and mold can easily grow there. And as a result, color will change and material will decay. If you found these materials are wet, quickly dehydrate them with dryer or dry it in the sun to avoid mold growing.

Source by Kirana R.

This short article on Plumeria Flower tips and tricks is something I wish I ran across a long time ago. I’ve lost some plants which had grown into trees due to my ignorance along with some extra cold weather.

Even though the Plumeria Flower is one of the easiest plants I’ve ever seen grown; it does call for some special attention if you want to get the greatest number of flowers from the plant.

The flowers are by far the primary reason this plant has such a raving fan base. The color combinations are music to the eyes while the fragrance is simply addictive.

Many of us raving plumeria fans got our first dose of our addiction from seeing or receiving a Hawaiian flower lei while in Hawaii.

When I was given my first flower lei I was overcome with its beauty, fragrance, and even its weight! It was truly love at first sight. Perhaps that’s why I choose to keep several of these plants within eyesight of my office even though my property is filled with other plants as well.

So what are the key basic elements to a thriving plumeria plant?

Let’s list them in order importance:

Plant Temperature:

The plumeria is a tropical plant. Even so, it can be grown in Alaska if you’re willing to take a few simple steps:

Maintain the plant in temperatures above freezing at all times. If the plant spends even a couple of hours in temperatures near freezing you will experience plant damage and very possibly lose the entire plant.

People who live in climates that experience freezing temperatures should keep their plants small enough to be moved indoors during the cold months. Your garage or basement are fine because during this dormant period the plant does not need light or water for that matter.

Even though the leaves will drop off the plant during the dormant period, the plant is still alive and well. When the days get longer and the temperatures rise well above freezing the plant can once again go outside and receive water.

Light:

The plumeria is a true sun lover. Full sun is best, and six hours a day of good light is pretty much the minimum in order to produce flowers. The shadier the location the fewer flowers you’ll produce as a general rule of thumb.

Soil:

Using a plant soil mixture that drains well is very important to the overall health of the plant. If the soil does not drain well the roots aren’t happy. A sure sign of too much water or poorly draining soil is soft/spongy branches which can threaten the life of your plant

Water:

Many people have the mistaken idea that plumerias need a ton of water.

This is not true and I’ve seen more problems with too much water than not enough. There needs to be a balance between how well the soils drains and how much water you offer the plant. The soil should never remain soggy for long.

When the temperatures get hotter the plant calls for more water.

Fertilizer:

Plants need a lot of nutrition to produce flowers. This is definitely true for the plumeria. Depending on the nutrients found in your soil mixture you will most likely need to add plant food to generate the quantity of flowers you’re looking for.

One of the secrets to having a plant which generates a lot of flowers is to use a fertilizer that is high in Phosphorus.

Space does not permit us to elaborate at length on how to produce the quality and quantity of flowers you’ll want but does provide a good basic foundation you’ll need to get started. Once the plumeria flower bug has really bitten you’ll then be ready for additional tips and tricks for keeping your plumeria flower plant as happy as possible!

One of the secrets to having a plant which generates a lot of flowers is to use a fertilizer that is high in Phosphorus.

Space does not permit us to elaborate at length on how to produce the quality and quantity of flowers you’ll want but does provide a good basic foundation you’ll need to get started. Once the plumeria flower bug has really bitten you’ll then be ready for additional tips and tricks for keeping your plumeria flower plant as happy as possible!

Source by Donna Diaz

While January and winter weather means an end to gardening activities in many parts of the United States, it is prime time to plant in southern California.

Plant fruit trees: A variety of bare root fruit trees are at nurseries ready to be planted in January. Varieties include apricot, blueberries, plum, apple, pear, peach and raspberries trees. Give the trees a boost by adding organic compost planting mix to the soil to increase soil aeration and to keep in moisture.

Add Artichokes: Add artichoke plants to your garden. Plant them 4 feet apart. They start their growing process in winter and begin sprouting artichoke heads in spring. These hardy, perennial vegetables can produce artichokes year after year.

Plant Garlic Cloves: Separate cloves from a garlic bulb. Plant them with the pointy part up the clove up-and about 7 to 8 inches deep. Garlic plants will soon poke their heads from the soil and grow during winter. They can easily withstand cold winter nights. The new garlic bulbs with their juicy cloves will be ready for harvest in late spring or early summer.

Keep Applying Mulch To Cut Down On Weeds: Every rainfall (no matter how infrequent) means more weeds in the garden. Weeds seem to go more quickly than any vegetable or flower plant. To keep weeds under control, make sure you have a several-inch layer of mulch wherever weeds may appear. If weeds are already taking root, remove them before covering the area with mulch.

Plant Wildflowers From Seed: First, rake the flowerbed area. Sprinkle California poppy and other wild flowers and cover gently with soil. Sow more seeds just before a rain to encourage continued flower production in spring.

Move Living Christmas Trees Outside: Living Christmas trees should stay indoors for as little time as possible. Once planted outdoors, pine trees can easily grow 40 to 50 feet tall. Their strong root system, over time, will spread and can easily crack concrete walkways that stand in their way. Make sure you plant your tree in a location that can accommodate such a large tree.

Extending the Life of Poinsettias: Poinsettia flowers will usually remain healthy into March. After March, cut back the stems to no more than eight inches tall. By June, new growth will begin. Keep the plant in indirect, natural sunlight and the soil moderately moist. When the weather warms, bring the plant outside and transplant into a bigger pot. Prune as needed so the plant is bushy. Flowers will begin to grow in October and reach their peak of beauty in November and December.

Purchase A Rain Barrel: Don’t let rainwater roof runoff go to waste. Many cities and counties offer rebates when purchasing rain barrels. These barrels can typically hold 50 gallons of water– water that can be used to irrigate your garden.

Source by Bill Camarillo

Wanted to share this tidbit of “harvesting trivia” on chives – garlic and regular.

During HerbFest I’ve noticed when I talk about “cutting chives” there are lots of people who are surprised to learn that chives are not to be cut from the top but the bottom of the plant base.

Let’s say you’re doing a baked potato and only need a smidget of chives so you don’t want to cut the entire stalk down so you snip across the top harvesting only what you are going to use. What you just did was kill the stalk from where you cut to the ground, which is waste and also not good for the plant.

Here’s what you need to do…

• Cut from the base the number of stalks you need.
• Now cut from the top of the stalks harvested the amount you need tonight
• Chop them, but do not chop the remainder of the chive stalk or you release the oils which is what you are after for flavor and fragrance
• Take the remaining stalks and put in freezer bag and put in freezer
• Next time you need chives remove stalks from freezer and chop which release oil you had saved in stalk by not cutting up upon original harvest.

This process also encourages the chives to expand their base and you get more chives year after year.

It should also be remembered that chive blossoms are edible flowers but be careful to eat the garlic chive blossom hesitantly as it’s more garlicky than garlic itself!!

Source by Bob G Johnson

A discussion on fertilizer for home gardening plants seems like a dated topic. Yet the importance is utmost as per the interest of growers and gardeners. For all the gardeners, the knowledge of using fertilizers and ways to apply them is crucial. For attaining the vigorous plant growth, you must know about the hardiness of plant zones. In order to grow the plants, we are continuing the brief discussion on why, how and what multivitamins should be applied on the plants.

All ideal fertilizer for garden plants carry three chief elements named as Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.

• Nitren is important for promoting the leaf development and growth. It helps iogn the development of chlorophyll. Basically, it helps in converting sunlight into food.
• Phosphorous is very important for the growth of stems, roots, blossoms and fruits.
• Potassium is another important element helping your plants in digestion and making of food.

Why do they need Fertilizers?

Often, we may wonder that, all the important nutrients are available in soil and air, so fertilizers are important? Fertilizers act as a mediator as some plants cannot get complete access of soil nutrients. So, the choice of nutrients also depends on the type of soil, the plant is growing into. Some modern farming techniques, traffic and construction can disturb the soil’s nutrient chemistry leading towards limited nutrient base. For such reasons, the gardeners must use fertilizers to help plants reach to their full nutrient capacity.

Some Homemade Options:

1. Seawood:

This fertilizer type has the long-held lineage of 1000+ years. It is considered as all-embracing organic option. However, it carries mannitol which can increase the plant’s ability to absorb more nutrients. You can use fresh or dried seawood in this regard.

2. Fish Emulsion:

Fish emulsion works like a homemade option which is obtained from fish-waste. The results with this have been truly great. However, it works very gradually. Also, the smell can bother you a little more.

3. Aquarium Water:

The aquarium water while cleaning the tank also works as a great source of fish waste for plants. It is easy and anytime available option.

4. Coffee Grounds:

Used coffee grounds are a good source of two percent of nitrogen. It can also provide some phosphorous and potash. Let them dry and scatter lightly over your plants.

5. Egg Shells:

Egg shells can be the most ideal and practical fertilizer option. They carry calcium which makes an important element in cell growth. You can simply crush in grinder and sprinkle over the soil.

Fertilizer for home gardening plants needs to be applied on proper timing. Garden plant nutrition thrives, if the fertilizers are fed during early spring.

Source by Sneha Patel

PARSLEY

Grown extensively in many vegetable gardens, parsley is a biennial herb most often treated as an annual. The culinary uses of parsley are many. Its crisp green leaves are flavorful and nutritious additions to salads. Parsley can be sprinkled over potatoes-whether mashed, whole or salad style-and its use in flavoring sauces, soups and stuffings is extensive.

Planting and Culture

Parsley is usually planted in March or April when the moon is waxing. (i.e. increasing illumination) It is a biennial which does well either in open sun or partial shade. Any ordinary garden soil which does not dry out too rapidly, is rich in nitrogen and is not excessively alkaline, is suitable.

Moon Phase Planting of Parsley

Parsley should be planted when the moon is in the 2nd Quarter (i.e. waxing) and in the following Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Since parsley seeds germinate slowly, it is best to soak them in lukewarm water for 24 hours before planting. The seeds usually require four weeks to germinate. One packet of seed should sow a 100-foot row. Place seed in a shallow trench that has been fertilized with compost and well-rotted manure and cover with about 1/4 inch of fine soil. Plant rows about 12 to 16 inches apart. For a thick growth, unwanted seedlings should be thinned so that the mature plants stand at least six inches apart. The leaves also may be clipped. To avoid damaging the shallow roots while weeding, plant radishes among the parsley. The radishes will force out weeds and help to mark the parsley rows.

Parsley will overwinter if given the protection of a light mulch during severely cold weather. One of the earliest green plants to show in the spring, parsley blossoms in the second year. To prevent the herb from going to seed, the blossoms, which look like QueenAnne’s-lace, should be cut off as soon as they appear.

In the fall the herb may be dug up, potted and brought indoors where it will continue to provide fresh leaves throughout the winter months. Care should be taken to dig up as much of the root as possible, and some of the outside foliage should be cut from the plant. Potted plants may also be started from seed indoors.

Harvesting

The first tender sprigs may be cut as soon as the leaves are well formed. From then on, the leaves, with a portion of the stem, may be cut as needed. Customarily, the outer leaves only are cut. This practice permits the heart of the plant to continue to grow and produce more leaves.

For use as flavoring, the leaves may be cut and dried. The tender parts of the stems are cut from the plants and placed on a screen in a shady, dry, well-ventilated location. When thoroughly dried, they may be crushed and stored in small, tightly covered containers.

Parsley may also be frozen for winter use. Pinch off the foliage and spread it on a cookie sheet. Quick-freeze and store, airtight, in a plastic bag to use a little at a time

Varieties

Champion Moss Curled is mild in flavor and crisp. Giant Italian is a strong producer. Hamburg is favored for its prolific growth and hardiness and its thick, edible root.

Source by Gene DeFazzio

Nature, health, save money, no chemicals, better taste

The following 10 reasons will definitely encourage you to plant organic products instead of using chemicals in your garden or farm. By sticking to the organic option, you are contributing, in a positive way, to the wellbeing of our planet. You need to plant organic products for the following 10 reasons:

1 of 10 Reasons

Total satisfaction – if you plant organic vegetables you will be mentally happy that you are eating healthy produce from your garden itself. You can never be sure whether the vegetables and fruits that you pick up from the market are of good quality or not. This is the first of the 10 reasons to take up organic farming.

2 of 10 Reasons

Wildlife – It’s one of the best ways to invite wildlife into your garden. Although some of the wildlife might cause some damage, most of them will help in transporting pollens and seeds from one place to another. You will also find them helpful in controlling slugs and other similar creatures.

3 of 10 Reasons

Save money – by growing your own vegetables you will be able to save a valuable amount of money every month. So, plant organic vegetables in your garden or farm and reap the benefits for the whole year.

4 of 10 Reasons

Healthier option – you are assured of a healthy option when you plant organic fruits and vegetables. You will see your health improve when you stick to organic farming.

5 of 10 Reasons

Say no to chemicals – when you plant organic, you are avoiding the use of chemicals that are known to be harmful to the soil. You only need to use different types of organic compost to make the soil fertile.

6 of 10 Reasons

Help solve food shortage – every year, the world’s food shortage problem remains unsolved. If you plant your own organic fruits and vegetables, you are potentially helping to reduce the food shortage problem.

7 of 10 Reasons

Truly nature friendly – since you avoid any kind of pesticides, other wildlife are able to hunt on the insects that are left in your garden. So, you are helping to preserve the food chain in your surroundings when you plant organic.

8 of 10 Reasons

Enjoy the taste – you will enjoy the taste of the fruits and vegetables that are grown in your garden, as they are ripened without using any chemicals. Thanks to this, you will be able to enjoy the true taste of your garden products. This is another of the 10 reasons that needs to be lapped by you so that you stick to organic farming.

9 of 10 Reasons

Avoid the Chemicals – Chemical fertilizers can eventually harm your health and that of your loved ones when you use chemical fertilizers in your garden. On the other hand, organic farming is totally safe. You can bet that it will not cause you any harm in the short or long term. Don’t forget that it will probably be a lot of fun too!

10 of 10 Reasons

Show your commitment – You can be proud of the fact that you are producing fruits and vegetables in a natural, organic way. This will help you to gain respect in your neighborhood. You will also be able to inspire others to take up organic farming. This is the last of the 10 reasons for sticking to organic farming.

Source by Michael Bayard