Viewing Meredith79's Garden Diary: Gardening Basics
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Artemisia Cutting InformationPropagation by Cuttings
Artemisia australis is easily grown from cuttings. Use tip cuttings 3 to 4 inches long. Remove the lower leaves and about half of each of the upper leaves to reduce transpiration. Rooting hormones are not necessary, but Criley found that weak hormone solutions speed up rooting.
Use a well-drained medium such as 3 parts perlite to 1 part vermiculite or a mix of 1 part potting mix to 2 or 3 parts perlite. Place the containers in a shaded, covered location and water every other day until rooted. Maintaining a high humidity environment results in better rooting than placing the cuttings under intermittent mist. Rooting takes place in 4 to 8 weeks. (Criley 1998; Koob 1998; NTBG 1998)
Monday, June 23, 2008
Cleaning and Disinfecting Plant ContainersAs warmer weather approaches many of us are digging out previously used plant containers for use again this gardening season. Whether the pot is clay or plastic, mineral deposits and other debris can accumulate that may harbor disease organisms and cause problems for your plants. It is important to clean and disinfect old pots each time you use them. Mineral salts can be both unsightly and damaging to plants. The salts leach through clay pots forming a white film on the outside of the pot creating an unsightly container by some gardeners standards. Salts can also accumulate around the rims of both clay and plastic containers. Salt deposits on container rims can dehydrate plant stems resting there.
To disinfect pots, soak them in a solution containing one part household bleach to 9 parts water for a minimum of 10 minutes. Then put pots in a dish detergent and water solution. To clean clay pots use steel wool or a wire-bristle brush to remove mineral deposits and other debris. If mineral deposits remain, use a knife to scrape them off. Rinse pots thoroughly and soak them in a bucket of clean water until you are ready to use them. Dry clay pots can wick moisture away from the potting medium dehydrating newly potted plants. Plastic pots are easier to clean requiring only a scouring pad. Mineral salts remaining can be scraped away with a knife. Smooth any rough edges with steel wool. Rinse the pot and it is ready for reuse.
Proper cleaning and disinfecting of pots requires just a minimum amount of effort, yet can mean the difference between the success or failure of containerized plants. Take those extra few minutes to assure success.
This article originally appeared in the March 16, 1994 issue, pp. , 1994 issue, pp. 23-24.
by Sherry Rindels, Department of Horticulture
Thursday, May 29, 2008
UNH Soil Testhttp://ceadmin.unh.edu/soils/form/index.cfm?review=6
Monday, March 17, 2008
How to Calculate the Amount of Mulch NeededTo determine how many cubic feet of mulch is needed, you need to calculate the surface area and the desired depth of coverage. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. One cubic yard will cover a 324-square-foot area with an inch of mulch. Figure out the square footage of your bed, that is the width times the length for square or rectangular shaped beds. The square footage of a circular bed is the distance from the middle of the circle to the outside, multiplied by itself and then multiplied by 3.14 (which is pi).
Multiply your square footage by the depth desired (in inches) and divide by 324 square feet. This will tell you how many cubic yards you will need.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Sun ExposureFull Sun - 6 - 8 hours of strong, direct (unobstructed) sun.
Part Sun - 4 to 6 hours of afternoon sun or a combination of morning and afternoon sun.
Part Shade - 3 to 6 hours of direct morning to early afternoon sun and filtered sun (such as from a high canopy of trees).
Shade - 2 to 3 hours of direct morning or filtered sun.
Monday, January 28, 2008
SoilLOAM - Any good well-kept garden soil fits this category. Yearly additions of organic matter help develop a good loam. Where a poor soil is to be planted for the first time, it should be amended by mixing in at least 4 inches of organic matter.
SANDY LOAM - This type of soil is required mainly by plants that need excellent drainage. If the original soil is a tight clay, large amounts (at least 50 percent) of sand will have to be added to achieve this type of soil.
ORGANIC SOIL - Some plants require a soil very high in organic materials that have an acid reaction. Where soils are not naturally this way, liberal amounts (up to 33 percent) of peat moss can be mixed thoroughly with the soil to achieve this condition, and annual applications of sulphur may be necessary for maintenance.
WOODLAND SOIL - Such a soil is usually required for the wildflower garden. It results from decomposition of leaves and is fairly high in organic matter. It is not necessarily very acid soil. Add liberal quantities of leaf compost or peat to prepare this type of soil.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Soil MoistureWELL DRAINED - Periods of standing water on the soil are damaging to perennials both in summer and winter. In heavy soils add liberal amounts of organic matter to ensure good internal soil drainage. If external drainage is poor, consider raised beds or drain tile below.
DRY - These plants will not tolerate moist conditions very long, but they will withstand considerable dryness.
MOIST, WELL DRAINED - Plants in this category do not tolerate drying, but they also do not tolerate any water standing around their roots. In the garden they need regular watering during dry periods.
WET - Plants will tolerate boggy conditions or even standing water. However, they are not the aquatics such as waterlilies.