Gardener's Guide

[One Witchy Woman]

A place to post any tips or tricks you have for a beautiful garden. Have you got an awesome gardening tip or trick to share with your fellow Sparkles? If so, post it here. Have you got a question that you just gotta get answered? Then ask away and your fellow Sparkles will help you out, then just let us know how it worked out.

 

[One Witchy Woman]

Basic Planting Tips

To help you get started here are some easy suggestions and tips:
1. Plant according to season and your hardiness zone. Some plants do better depending on the time of year you plant them. Your hardiness zone can give you certain options about what to plant and when. This is a great link to find that out... http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
2. Remember to weed and feed. Weeds and grass can and will choke out and kill your plants so you have to get in there and pull them out. If this is just NOT something you want to do, try a weed tarp. You put this down on top of your prepped soil and pin it to the ground. Then you cut holes were the plants are being placed and plant in the holes. Plants are living things and they need nutrients as much as you do. Just remember to give plants a little mulch or plant food every couple of months and your plants will thank you with growth and beauty. *Note: Make sure to NOT put the mulch or fertilizer ON the plant but around it as some products can burn the plant.  

[One Witchy Woman]

Coffee As Plant Food?!

Do you need nice easy plant food thats pretty cheap and NOT stinky? Think COFFEE! That wondrous substance that sustains us all also makes the crops grow. Mix the used coffee grounds into the soil when you plant the flowers, seeds, or bulbs. You can also sprinkle used grounds around the plant base and gently mix it into the soil near the roots to promote growth. As for the coffee itself? I like to save the unused coffee in a dish until the end of the week so that i can 'water' my plants with it. A little goes a long way.
Now if you are doing your own compost then remember NO MEAT! Meat is NOT good in composts. It will not only cause the compost to go bad, but it can harm your plants if used on them.  

[One Witchy Woman]

Perking Up Petite Produce

For those of you with veggie gardens that are having problems with 'petite' produce, the answer will likely be found in your hardiness zone. Check your hardiness zone before you plant to know the BEST possible time to plant a specific plant. Not all veggies germinate at the same rate and have different planting seasons. If your ground is cooler than a warm rooted plant would like then an easy trick is to put black trash bags over the ground and then plant the plant through the bag. It locks in the heat. Also, another cause of tiny produce is over watering/fertilizing. Too much fertilizer will hinder the roots causeing your plants to bare tiny produce and over watering, especially in coastal areas can happen easily. To prevent this, keep your plants on a strict watering schedule. Try watering three times a week unless it rains and ensure your garden has really good drainage so the excess can run off the plants rather than waterlogging your root systems.  

[One Witchy Woman]

Poinsettias

Poinsettias are traditionally Christmas time plants. Many people throw out their Poinsettias after the holidays are over. Did you know that you can keep these plants looking beautiful all year long? If you want to put in some effort, you might even get them to re-bloom.
If you plan on keeping your Poinsettia after the holidays are over, you should fertilize it about once a month. However, do not fertilize during its heavy blooming period.
Keep Poinsettias watered regularly, but do not let the soil stay too wet. Allow them to dry out somewhat between watering. If you let you Poinsettias get too dry, they will lose many of their leaves. See if you can strike the correct balance.
Make sure to remove your Poinsettia from a plastic sleeve. If your Poinsettia came in a foil sleeve, you can leave that in place. Just make sure that it has drainage holes on the bottom.
Give your Poinsettia bright indirect light for about six hours a day. Don't put them too close to cold windows. If they are going to be in a South facing window, try to filter strong summer time light with a sheer curtain. During the late winter or early spring, you will want to pinch you Poinsettia back to about 4 - 6 inches in height. Otherwise, the plant will become tall and leggy. Pinching the plant back will promote the growth of side shoots and will keep your Poinsettia bushy and full.
In the early spring, you may want to repot your Poinsettia. Before you do this, however, be sure to check if it is really necessary. If there is still plenty of room for the roots to expand, don't repot it now. Choose a pot one size larger than its current pot, but no larger. Make sure that the new pot has drainage holes on the bottom and a saucer to catch any water which runs off.
You may want to put your Poinsettia outside for the summer. There is nothing like the way plants will thrive if they are placed outdoors. Your Poinsettia is no exception.
Make sure to wait until all threat of frost has passed. A good rule of thumb for this in the New York area is to wait until Mother's Day to put any house plants outside.
When you first put your Poinsettia, or any houseplant for that matter, outside, keep it in a place where it will get indirect light, but no direct sun. If you put your Poinsettia outside and right into the direct sun, you will burn it and it may die. After a few days of acclimation, place it in a sunnier spot. Some afternoon shade would probably be a good idea.
Make sure to turn the pot on a regular basis. Otherwise, you'll wind up with a Poinsettia that has grown only on one side. Also, you'll want to fertilize every couple of weeks during this time period.
This is a task which should not be attempted by the faint of heart! You can keep our Poinsettia as a regular house plant and it will be lovely. It may even put out some leaves with color for the next holiday season.
If you are daring, give this a shot. Poinsettias will only re-bloom when they have had short days and long nights. They require nights of at least twelve hours from the end of September through the middle of December.
Once you bring your Poinsettia in from outside, place it in a room which will not get too much night time light (even light bulbs count). You will need to keep it from getting any light at all for those long twelve hour nights. Place a dark paper bag or something similar over the top of it every night. Leave it in place for at least twelve hours. You should also reduce the amount of fertilizer you are giving it during this time.
For more information regarding the care and re-blooming of Poinsettias, check out www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia/history.html. If you have lovingly covered your Poinsettia every night for a couple of months, and followed the other instruction in this article, you may be rewarded with a second (or more) season of colorful blooming. However, if you have done your diligence and your Poinsettia has not re-bloomed, know that you are not alone. This can be a difficult task. At least, you will have a lovely, full, healthy plant for years to come.
 

[One Witchy Woman]

Valentine's Day is on its way and with it will come all those lovely flowery tokens of affection. Here are some tips on how to keep the flowers pretty longer and how to preserve them for posterity.
To keep them nice longer its important to prepare them right.
1. Cut all stems at a diagonal angle just above the cut 'scar tissue'. This lets the water get in better.
2. Remove the leaves along the shaft that is going to be submerged. This cuts down on mold.
3. Use lukewarm water or room temperature water in the vase. Too cold of water will shock them and make them fade faster.
4. Crush one to two asprin and mix in the water. this will help the flowers keep their color and smell longer.
Now say you want to preserve them. There are several ways to do this.
1. Press them. Remove extra stem and lay them flat after letting the blossom dry for a day or two. Lay the flower between two pieces of paper and place in the middle of a large book. In a few weeks you will have a pressed flower.
2. Another way is to dry them. You can use a dehydrator or even a microwave. For the microwave use low temps for a minute at a time and reposition the flower and petals if needed but be careful, the dryer it gets, the more brittle.
3. You can preserve them using a silica gel. This comes with instructions so just follow those.
4. Freeze drying. You can buy a machine to do it a home or just take them somewhere like a florist to have it done. This method can be costly.
5. Last is air sealing. Use an air tight bag and seal the flower inside by removing the air. They sell those everywhere, vacuum sealers are a dime a dozen and not too expensive.

So good luck and have a fabulous and romance filled holiday.
 

[One Witchy Woman]

Irish shamrock, or white clover, is a hardy plant that grows well indoors as well as outdoors. The best way to ensure that your shamrock plant grows strong and healthy is to establish its roots early in its germination. Shamrock grows in a similar way to grass, establishing long, narrow roots that go deep into the ground. Keep these roots strong by fertilizing about once a month with an all-purpose fertilizing liquid such as MiracleGro. Do not overwater. Shamrock is virtually disease-free when growing in a contained pot indoors, but keep on the lookout for wilting. If your shamrock begins to wilt or turn yellow, you may be overwatering it. Prevent root rot by watering your plant no more than twice a week.
WARNING
Irish shamrock may be poisonous to your cat or dog. Do not keep Irish shamrock in your house if you have a pet. Although outdoor cats and dogs are also exposed to Irish shamrock, they are only at risk when they are in an area with large amounts of shamrock and ingest it. Because shamrock usually grows in small patches, there is not much of a health risk for outdoor pets. If you have a large container of Irish shamrock growing in your house, place it in a high or enclosed area where your pet cannot reach it. Irish shamrock is not harmful to humans if eaten. If it's ingested in large amounts by a cat or dog, the pet may experience dizziness, disorientation and stomach problems.

GROWING FROM SEED:

1. Seeds can be sown in small pots or trays using any moist, well drained soil mix. For best results, we recommend using a packaged seed starting mix.
2. The seeds should be distributed on the moist soil surface and lightly covered with additional soil. Use 1/4 teaspoon of seeds for 1 square foot of area. The pot or tray should be placed in a shaded location until the seeds germinate, which will be in about a week. Keep the soil moist and do not allow soil to dry out. After the seeds germinate and leaves appear move to a SUNNY location.
3. When two or three true clover leaves (3 Leaf) have formed, you can begin fertilizing with an all-purpose fertilizer at the recommended rate for the container. If necessary, thin-out weak plants. Plants should fill out in 8-10 weeks.
4. Transplant when roots appear at the bottom of the pot drainage holes.

TRANSPLANTING:

Depending on how you started your seeds, you'll want to transplant to a larger container when roots appear out the bottom of the pot or tray. Be careful not to damage the roots when transplanting. Use a well-draining soil mix. After transplanting continue fertilization as before.

INDOOR CARE:

Keep plants well watered (make sure container drains well) and keep in a SUNNY location. Continue fertilization as before. Try to keep tips in contact with the soil and remove any damaged leaves. Growing outdoors in full sun is preferred for best growth and flowering.

OUTDOOR CARE:

Outdoor care is the same as indoor care, except increase the fertilization to the recommended outdoor amount for container plants. Clover can also be planted in outdoor beds. Plants will go dormant during winter and re-emerge in the spring. A garden shed always comes in handy when planting outdoors.

SEED STORAGE:

If you are storing seed for future planting, seal seed package and store in a cool, dry area. For prolonged storage, you can refrigerate or freeze seeds.  

[One Witchy Woman]

How to Grow and Care for Sweet Peas

Lathyrus odoratus or the sweet pea is the ‘birth flower’ of April, much like the diamond is the birthtone. The Sweet Pea has long been a favorite of gardeners because of the wonderful fragrance of the clusters of two inch, bright blue, pink, purple, red or white flowers. Sweet Peas grow and bloom best in cool, mild climates. They make great cut flowers for your home!

Growing Requirements for Sweet Pea Plants

The Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus, is usually considered to be a vining plant that easily climbs to a height of six to ten feet, but there are also varieties of Sweet Peas that are more bush-like and only grow to a height of 30 inches. Sweet Pea plants should be grown in rich, moist, slightly alkaline soil. They require regular watering during the summer months or they will quickly fade away. A heavy application of mulch will help keep the roots cool and moist, and allow it's cultivation in warmer regions. Remove the old blossoms promptly as they fade, to keep your Sweet Peas blooming until the first frosts of Fall. Cutting the plant back will stimulate new growth and flowering. Sweet peas are not succulent so they do need water, but as always, beware of overwatering. The blooms can easily burn so light shade is recommended.

Growing Sweet Peas from Seed

Sweet Peas can be grown from seeds which germinate and begin to grow rapidly in 10-14 days. For the best results and quickest germination, soak your Sweet Pea seeds for 24 hours in room temperature water before sowing them directly into a sunny area of your garden in late March. In zones 8-10, the seeds should be planted in late fall. Plant the seeds two inches deep and three inches apart. Thin out the seedlings to six inches apart when they are three to four inches high. The vining types of Sweet Peas will need the support of a trellis, netting or fence on which to climb.  

[One Witchy Woman]

How to Use the Hardiness Map

So I have been asked to explain the hardiness map. The hardiness map is color coded to show the annual temperature ranges for your specific state. Plants and seeds are usually coded to a specific region. For example, a citrus tree will usually say on the tag best in zone 10. Zone 10 includes Florida. This helps you to know what will grow best in your area. You just have to find your state on the map and click it. Once on your state just find were you are in the state and match the color of the area to the code on the side of the main map. This will tell you your zone. I will also be doing an article on one state each monthly issue to help. The first will be Alabama, so look for it in a news issue near you and as always, if you have questions just post them and I'll do my best to get you your answers.