The Heat of the Day

Now that we are back home from our three week spring vacation, attention has been turned to outdoors. We have opened the pool, bought a few plants and we are getting to know our new property. I actually discovered a gooseberry bush yesterday! What I have noticed is this is definitely a hot property. Unlike our last house, there is very little in the way of shade. Our last house was so shaded

Preventing Damping Off

This is the time of year where I have multiple trays and pots of started seeds in various stages from just planted to just emerging to seedling and young plants. There is nothing more frustrating than to see damping off go through a carefully cared for seed tray. Damping off is a fungal infection that affects seeds before germination or young seedlings. The very conditions of warm and wet that

Talk to Your Plants

Years ago as a newlywed way back when terrariums were all in vogue there was a movement encouraging talking to your plants to stimulate healthy growth. Some likely thought that this idea was a sure sign of an unhinged gardener heading to the confines of a padded cell but you know talking to plants has a lot of merits. I talk to my plants even name some of them. The benefits of talking to

Avoiding Plant Stress

Just as with humans, any factor whether external or internal that affects a plant is known as a stressor. The stressor can be beneficial or harmful or both. For example, rhinovirus causes the common cold in humans which can be harmful if a secondary infection sets in. At the same time the common cold helps to strengthen the immune system which is beneficial. The same is true in plants.

Using Fertilizers

Yesterday I discussed what fertilizers are and understanding the numbers on the label. If you recall, fertilizers are either organic or inorganic and are labeled with the N-P-K content but some may also include the S content in the form of N-P-K-S. It is important to choose a fertilizer based on the plant's needs. If you want a nice, bushy plant with lush greenery, choose a fertilizer high in

Understanding Fertilizer

Home gardeners at some point will turn to using a fertilizer. If growing in containers indoors or outdoors, the use of a fertilizer is a must. The reason being, the nutrients in the soil in the container become depleted by the growing plant so they must be replaced. There are two main categories of fertilizers: organic and inorganic. Many home gardeners concerned only with the vegetable/fruit