Rose Garden Mania

Orchids are wonderful plants that in most cases are very hardy and will thrive when their basic needs are met.  Over time, one of the often overlooked needs is that orchids periodically need to be repotted.

It is necessary to repot orchids when one of two conditions is present.  The first is when the plant actually starts overgrowing the pot.  The roots spilling over the sides and the leaves resting on the edge of the pot are two good examples of an orchid in need of a larger container.  The other time to repot is when the potting medium or compost in the pot has become compacted.  This impedes drainage and reduces aeration around the roots, both of which can cause root rot and other problems.  Generally speaking, if the orchid has not been repotted in the last two years, it is most likely time to do it.

When the decision to repot is made, there are a number of important things to keep in mind to ensure that the procedure is successful and the orchid continues to thrive.

It is important to remember that repotting is a significant temporary shock to the plant, so it should not be done while the orchid is flowering or in a growth phase of the season.  For most species it is best to repot after flowering has ended, in the later winter or very early spring before the spring growth period starts.

Before repotting, the orchid plant should be in good health, unless of course it is unhealthy because it needs to be repotted.  Make sure that there are no insect pests, yellowed leaves from overwatering, fungal infections on the plant, etc.  If the orchid is suffering from any health issues before the repotting, the stress of it could kill the plant.

When choosing a new pot for the orchid, try to avoid plastic pots unless they have a lot of holes for drainage.  Clay (terracotta) pots are best as they are porous which allows for some evaporation below the surface, which helps prevent root rot.  The other advantage of the clay pots is that they are heavy and the orchid is much less likely to get knocked over than if it were in plastic.  When an orchid falls over and is jarred in the pot, some of the roots can break.

Regardless of what type of pot is used, before adding the potting mixture it is a good practice to put some rocks or polystyrene (packing peanuts) in the bottom of the pot which will be a tremendous help with the drainage in the pot.

When it comes time to put the plant back in the pot, dampen the potting mixture somewhat before putting it into the pot.  This will help the plant to get some water easily, but won’t give it too much.  This leads to the next tip, and that is that after repotting, do not water the orchid for between two and three weeks.  Even if the utmost care is taken when repotting, some roots will have broken and/or there will be some wounds from roots that were trimmed off.  If the soil is too wet in this crucial healing time, there will be an increased risk of fungal or bacterial infection.  Keep the humidity level high and slowly start watering toward the end of the three weeks, and the orchid will be just fine.

The last key tip is to stake the plant after repotting.  Some people skip this because they don’t like the way that it looks, but it is crucial to a successful transplanting.  The plant needs to be kept stable in the pot all the time, but especially at this time while the new root growth is taking hold.

Orchid repotting is a necessary part of maintaining the long-term health of the plants and when done properly, the plants will continue to thrive for years and years.

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About the Author:
Andrew Bartlett has been gardening and caring for plants for over 30 years. Go to www.orchidsinfo.com for more information on repotting orchids as well as many other aspects of orchid care.
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Plant Glossary

Here is a glossary of terms and tools used for the house hold plants.

Miticide:

Produced for the elimination of mites, especially spider mites.

Sting:

Spines of cacti and roses.

Clay:

The clay soil is partly composed of silicate of alumina and its main property is to retain water, maintain soil moisture constant. It is a soil that drains poorly and therefore not suitable for many plants.

Drench:

This is to spray a fine mist of water on the foliage of the plant.

Propagation:

It is to recreate a new plant from one part of the original plant, provided that this element of the plant is able to regenerate itself by rooting. Cuttings can be buds, stems, leaves and even roots.

Heather:

The peaty soil is a land where heather grows and found in the forest, generally. It can be the poor, sandy, acidic, and siliceous. Mixed with soil or compost, it is suitable for many types of plants.

Limestone:

It is an alkaline chunk, composed largely of calcium carbonate. The limestone soil has the characteristic of a good drainage but remains very fertile because of its lack of nutrients.

Compost:

Compost is a mixture of several organic components forming an enriched soil, very nutritious for plantations.

Drained:

When the ground (earth) is sufficiently light and airy to allow liquid to reach the roots and be removed easily.

Fertilizers:

There are many fertilizer formulas specifically suitable for different types of indoor plants. They are found most often in the form of granules, liquids or sticks.

Etiolated:

They say a plant when it is wilted foliage fade because of a lack of brightness.

Fungicide:

Product intended to fight against fungal diseases such as mushrooms character.

Humus:

Organic compounds derived from decaying matter, it is used as compost.

Inflorescence:

Flowers layout at the end of a rod or spike, clustered in an umbel, etc.

Yellowing:

When the foliage yellows is a plant that the plant is diseased, infested or it runs a major shortcoming.

Ligate:

Action that can weld two parts with a link plant, often to treat a wound.

Indirect Light:

Light steady but not caused by direct exposure to sunlight.

Medley:

It means so the foliage or flowers that consist of two shades and more.

Pinching:

This is to cut the tip of a branch young enough to encourage the expansion of other branches of a plant.

Fold:

To cut the top part of a plant to support its growth in width.

Rejection:

In most cases, these are the shoots that arise from the stem mother and that it calls into the ground to make a new plant.

Potting:

Operation that involves moving a plant to relocate to a new home or best suited to its needs.

Planting:

These are new plants that are transplanted into the ground from seed.

Stand:

Period of dormancy of plants, it is the time when their growth is stopped.

Repellent:

Product sold in specialized stores, intended to repel pets away from plants. Ideal when the plants are toxic.

Normal soil:

Soil that is left to dry on the surface between watering.

Soil:

Topsoil is composed largely of organic waste.

Peat:

In general it is of peat moss and is found on the market in specialty stores.

Toxicity:

Possibility that certain plants cause poisoning.

Pesticide

Pesticides are used to kill insects which can damage the plants.

For more information on plant observatories, visit our business directory

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About the Author:
About the Author:Content writer and specialist
Website:
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When you buy a plant at a nursery or garden center you want one which will perform it’s best when you get it home. If it’s an annual you want to see it covered in flowers all summer long and for a shrub you want to see it making a bold statement in the garden. I’ve laid out here a few tips for buying the best quality plants.

Any plant should be well established in its pot. If it is newly potted you will be growing it on through its ‘baby’ stages with an increased risk it won’t survive. If the surface of the compost looks loose and fluffy or the plant lifts from the compost when you gently pull on the stem it may mean it’s a plant to avoid.

Check it’s not Starved

At the other end of the spectrum are plants which have been in their pots way too long. Check whether it has a thick mass of roots growing from the bottom of the pot. Also take a look at the color of the foliage. If it is turning yellow or bronze (and that’s not the natural color for that variety) then it is probably starved of fertilizer and will take longer to grow away.

Another sign of a pot bound plant is the amount of weed growth. It is perfectly healthy to see a few small weeds around the top of a pot, but if a weed is well established then it may prove impossible to remove without damaging the plant. Also watch for weeds which have perennial root stocks (such as dandelions) and for anything growing within the central crown of the plant which will prove difficult, if not impossible, to remove.

Avoid Pests and Disease

Any plant you take home which has pests or disease will not only be unhealthy itself but may also infect or infest the rest of your garden. Look carefully at the growing tips for signs of aphid. A cloud of small flies which take flight when you touch the plant is whitefly. Twisted and contorted leaves could be one of a number of problems. Also look out for: cuts and holes in the foliage; white ‘powder’ on the leaves (powdery mildew) and orange ‘fluff’ under the leaves (rust). ‘Burnt’ leaves may indicate that a plant hasn’t been watered enough, or it could be a sign of serious disease.

If plants are grown too close together they will stretch upwards to reach the light – what a gardener would refer to as being ‘drawn’. For a herbacious perennial this may only affect this years growth but an annual or a shrub which is drawn will probably remain top heavy and never form an attractive shape.

Shrubs and trees will probably have been pruned by the growers, if so check that their work has left a plant with a clean, open shape, and that growth is not one sided. Also watch out for stems which are crossing or rubbing against each other as this may provide a path for infection.

Negotiate a Bargain

Now you know how to find a quality plant you may be able to use your knowledge to your advantage if you want to get a bargain. If:

* a plant is simply starved or drawn, or newly potted (but always avoid plants which are diseased have pests),

* you don’t mind waiting a little longer for it to grow,

* you have a space at the back of a border, or a lot of ground to fill, then

you may be able to bargain with the nursery owner to get plants at a discount. You never know, he may be as pleased to get rid of some old stock as you will be with the money you save.

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About the Author:
Mike Sutton has helped run a family plant nursery in Southern England at http://stmargs.co.uk for over twenty years and also runs a social networking website for gardeners at http://plantality.com
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Afternoon Everyone!

This post is the final in my short series on Organic Gardening.  It will cover Organic Fertilizers and Compost. I have enjoyed writing it for you and I hope you have found it useful.

Organically fertilizing your plants is not quite as simple as it is when you use chemicals in your garden.  Chemical fertilizers are certainly convenient, although not environmentally friendly.  Most of them come in a form that only needs to be mixed with water and sprayed onto plants, yet they still provide a very real danger of toxins for both humans and animals alike.

Organic gardeners need good, organic fertilizers and compost for fertilizing their plants.

So here are some steps you can take to help you in your selection and use of the correct products:

1.         If you’re going to purchase a pre-made organic fertilizer, you need to pay careful attention to the information on the package.  Plants generally need nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash.  Some are high in one of the major plant nutrients, but low in the other two.    You should first research which of these nutrients your particular plants need, so that you purchase the correct type.

2.         Some common types of organic fertilizers include blood meal, fish emulsion, cottonseed meal, compost, manure, and seaweed fertilizer.  Many of these can be purchased, but a lot of them can also be made at home.

3.         You must be mindful that it is best to fertilize when the ground is warm enough.  Organic fertilizers need organisms in the soil to break them down and release the nutrients they contain.  So make sure the soil is warm and moist so the organisms in the soil will be active.

4.         Cottonseed meal is one of the common organic fertilizers. It is a byproduct of the cotton manufacturing process.  It is great for acid-loving plants, because it has an acidic reaction in the soil.  It generally contains about 7% nitrogen, 3% phosphorous, and 2% potash.  Cottonseed meal is usually used for flowering plants like azaleas and rhododendrons.

5.         Fish emulsion is a very popular organic fertilizer.  It is made of a blend of decomposed fish.  It is a high-nitrogen fertilizer, and contains a lot of trace elements which are very beneficial for plants.  Fish emulsion is a nice, balanced fertilizer.

6.         Blood meal is the blood of cattle that is collected from slaughterhouses and then dried and powdered.  This is high in nitrogen, and care must be taken to ensure it doesn’t burn the plants.  Be most careful not to exceed the recommended dose, as this could really harm your plants.  Blood meal is also high in several trace elements like iron.

7.         Manure is a well-balanced fertilizer, however it is relatively low in the nutrients it contains.  Although it is a very popular fertilizer, it just isn’t high enough in these important nutrients to make it a viable or strong choice for home gardeners.

8.         Seaweed fertilizer in the form of a seaweed tea is popular and often used by organic gardeners.  Dried seaweed is added to water and steeped like tea, then applied to plants like other liquid fertilizers.  This can be a very good fertilizer, and won’t burn plants.  It is very high in nutrients.  Use dried seaweed, and be sure it’s not roasted or seasoned.

9.         This one generally raises a few eyebrows.  Some people use sewer sludge for their fertilizer.  It is made from recycled material from sewage treatment plants.  You can purchase activated sludge, which is higher in nutrients, or you can buy composted sludge, which isn’t quite as good.

It is generally found in a granular form. There is some concern over the safety of sewage sludge, because it can contain buildups of heavy metals like cadmium.  This can build up in the soil in potentially harmful levels. So if you are going to include this as one of your fertilizer choices then make sure you are clear about its use and application.

Image by Becoming Green via Flickr

Well, that is about it from me on the Organic Gardening advice train. I hope you have found this little series helpful and if you have any questions….or, hey! if you have any advice you would like to share with us or our readers, please go to our contact page or use our Submit A Post. We would really love to have your input.

On that note, if you enjoy a cold larger or a good pint or,  like Sherry and Margarita, a smooth Sherry or a well mixed cocktail, then this surely is the time to do it.

I am!!  Bottoms Up People!

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