July 21, 2005
Garden Delights For Midsummer
Author: Marie K Fisher
We have once again reached the wonderful magical time of midsummer, when the garden is aglow with sensational blooms and a fantastic array of colors. Many of these wonderful blooms fill the air with their tantalising perfume.
I often pause for a while especially at twilight when the scent from the blooms are at their stongest, and feel extremely proud of the effort that I have put into my garden.
This is when I really appreciate how worthwhile it has all been.
No doubt your garden is looking really special as well, but if by any chance you feel there are any gaps, or plants that you think could be doing better, might I suggest that you take some inspiration from some of these wonderful blooms which I find truly magnificent.
In my opinion these are some of the blooms that will enhance any garden and delight the senses with their combined scents.
Rose eglanteria - This sweet briar rose is valued for the strong apple aroma which comes from the leaves, but there is also much more than a pink flower in summer, it is followed by a deep red in the autumn. I think that it is an extremely handsome bush, and it also makes an impenetrable hedge.
Agastache faoeniculum (anise hyssop) - This is a stately herbaceous perennial, whose silver green leaves release a liquorice aniseed fragrance. The rich violet blue color flowers are particularly loved by bees, butterflies and goldfinches among others. I find the rich beautiful color delightful when it bursts into my garden in the late summer, and lasts right through to autumn. Cytisus battandeiri (Moroccan Broom) - When planted around the walls of the house or around the patio, the crushed pineapple aroma which comes from the cones of the yellow blossom will pervade the air. It truly excites the senses on the warm still days of June and July, with its wonderful aroma wafting into the house or patio area. It should be encouraged to flower freely so that you get the most from this absolutely wonderful flower.
Magnolia grandiflora - The large chalices are a joy in late summer with a wonderful lemon zest aroma. It should be helped to bloom when young by espalier-training the shoots against a warm sunny wall. Train them horizontally, and shorten new shoots to five leaves in August.
Dianthus (Brymton Red) - These lovely old fashioned dianthus have a lingering clove fragrance and the "Brymton red" is a true peacock among them. They yield a brilliant display of single deep red flowers laced with darker markings, and are just scintilating in June. Be sure to deadhead flowers weekly to channel your plants energy into producing more shoots and blooms.
Eucryphia nymansay - This elegant evergreen is famous for its summer and autumn display of large honey scented white flowers. The flower is coveted by nectar seeking bees. It needs a warm and sunny location. I absolutely adore these.
Ferdinand Pitchard - This is an old fashioned rose with the beckoning smell of fresh picked raspberries. The globular pink blooms striped with crimson and purple will be your reward for planting this fatastic rose. It thrives on humis rich soil in full sunlight, and it will bring color to the summer season most beautifully.
Other Flowers To Bring A Fesival Of Color And Delight.
Gladiolus communis - Until recently people looked down their noses at gladiolus but they do make really good border flowers. They are excellent at cramming the other colors, and they barely take any space at ground level.
Scabiosa "Ace of Spades" - This is one for the chocoholics, "Ace of Spades" is a mass of velvet and maroon with little white pins that have a pincushion effect. What a beautiful flower this is, nestle them among the green foliage of alchemilla for comptempory color scheming. Allow the last flowers to self-sow.
Delphinium Belladonna Group - If you are looking for grace and charm then Belladonna hybrids are for you. They are ideal for summoning a romantic effect, look wonderful around cottages, and bring an English type of charm to your garden. For a full season of color grow with peonies, poppies and dahlias. Cut down the first spikes once they have flowered for a second flush of blooms.
Papaver " Lady Frederick Moore" - A charming peach poppy is much softer on the eye than the traditional pillar box red oriental, and is easier to blend with the pastels of early summer. Grow in the sun and hope for gentle weather to prolong this tissue paper like flower.
Monarda "Capricorn" - Think magenta, think hardy geranium? Why not try an unusual monarda instead with its beautiful aromatic foliage and spidery petals totally adored by bees. The stunning color and shapes make it a good contender with spikes of lythrum and veronica, best planted in the sun where the soil does not get too dry nor the space too crowded.
LLathyrus latifolius - A delightful sweet pea that is everlasting but without the sweet scent,so you can never quite have it all. However, with the strong aromas from the flowers above this pretty flower, I think that it is worth having in your garden. The flowers are much bigger than the annual L.odoratus,with iridescent shells for petals and twining tendrils that obliginly twirlup small trees or wires on sunny fences. Give them the occasional folier feed and cut down last years foliage in winter.
Acunthus mallis - Most perennials have unremarkable leaves, but not this stunning bear's breeches. Acunthus makes a versatile backdrop for classic herbaceous borders or jungle style foliage. The dark glossy leaves and spikes of dusky hooded flowers will make a show all summer long. Water well in dry summers.
Achillea "Walther Funcke" - If pastels are not your bag, spice things up instead with paprika shades of "Walter Funcke"! Add a scattering of yellow day lilies and mix in the wispy blonde leaves of ponytail grass, (Stipa tenuissima), for good measure. It makes a compact drought tolerant mix for a sunny border where space is tight.
Thalictrum delavayi - Verbena bonariensis is not the only see-through plant. The tall meadow rue is wonderful airy for the front of a border, with perenial ferny foliage and clouds of tiny, fluffy flowers on skinny purple stems. Grow on the cool side of the garden where the soil does not get too dry in summer.
These are just a few of my favorite wonderfully scented flowers and plants that I think will add a soft to dramatic color to your garden. So why not let your imagination and flair for color work magic on your garden. I can tell you that I feel like a true artist when my garden is in full bloom.
About the author: Marie K Fisher is an avid gardening enthusiast with a passion for exotic flowers and wondeful colors. She is a regular contributor to Garden Center Showplace a leading online Garden Center. For more details of the superb range of products offered, and also more Featured Articles And Tips on Gardening visit http://www.gardencent ershowplace.com
Posted by Richard at 07:34 AM | Comments (0)
July 20, 2005
How to Grow Sweet Corn
Author: Linda Paquette
Purchased corn, whether on the cob or in a can can’t compare for taste! Sweet corn is easy to grow in the flower and fruit gardening guides home garden with just a little know how and a few corn facts. Corn needs warm soil temperatures (50° - 65° Fahrenheit) to germinate. Warm temperatures cause sugars in corn to turn into starches and results in loss of sweetness and creamy texture. Sugars also begin converting to starches immediately after harvest. Sweet corn is divided into three types according to its sweetness: (SU) normal sugary or standard sweet corn, (SE) sugary enhanced, and (Sh2) super sweet. Standard Sweet Corn (SU) Normal sugary is the traditional variety of sweet corn. Less sweet than the other types, it will tolerate low temperatures at planting time.
Sugary Enhanced (SE) (SE) corn is the preferred choice of many of today’s flower and fruit gardening guides home gardeners. Sugary enhanced is sweeter than standard corn and retains sweetness longer than either of the other types. While not as sweet as super sweet, it has a creamier texture and tolerates lower soil temperatures.
Super Sweet Super sweet (Sh2) kernels differ from the other two types of sweet corn by their shriveled, small appearance. Although the sweetest of the three, (Sh2) needs a soil temperature of at least 65° F to germinate. Another drawback of (Sh2) is that its texture is drier and its sugars more rapidly convert to starch after harvest.
Sow your seed in a very rich garden soil and give it access to ample moisture. Because corn is a high-nitrogen feeder, even the best soils may need to the addition of aged manure or nutrient rich compost to produce an optimum crop.
Plant corn in two or more rows for pollination to be successful. Plant kernels in hills of three, spaced about a foot a part with rows three feet apart. Plant kernels from one to 1 ½ inches deep or ¾ inch deep for super sweet types. After germination, preserve the most robust plant in each hill, discarding any other seedlings that have sprouted.
Water rows well after planting, especially in the case of super sweet kernels, which need to absorb more water to germinate. Keep plants well watered throughout the growing season. Corn needs moisture in order to form tassels and silk and to develop healthy ears.
Cultivate frequently to control weeds, but shallowly so as not to damage stalks or roots.
Corn is ready to harvest when silk becomes dry at the ends, ears feel full, and a thumbnail puncture produces a milky-white substance. The sap from under ripe corn will appear watery. Each stalk should produce one large ear of corn. Many varieties also develop a second, smaller ear. Generally, from the time the silk is visible to harvest is about 20 days.
Watch your crop closely after the first silks appear. This is the “milk stage” which lasts for only about a week. The best corn is always the freshest corn! Grill it, steam it, roast it, microwave it —- enjoy it
About the author:
Linda is an author of Gardening Tips Tricks and Howto’s of Gardening Guides and the Lawn Care section of the Lawnmower Guide. She writes and inspire you to try new ideas from her own experience.
Posted by Richard at 07:39 AM | Comments (0)
July Garden Chores
Author: Sandra Wilson
It’s getting hotter every day or so it seems. There are still some things that can be done in the garden even at this time of year. Below are a few gardening tips for those that love the summer warmth. For you who aren’t particularly appreciative of the hot hot, then do your gardening chores early in the morning.
As the flowers in your garden start to fade, you should see seed pods begin to appear. What does this mean as far as the plant’s growth is concerned? How does it affect the appearance of your garden?
It means that the plant puts most of its resources towards the seeds and creating them. If the seed pods are allowed to remain, the plant will not continue to give you flowers like it would if the seeds were removed once the flowers go by. You could end up with a garden with lots of seeds and few blooms. This of course, depends on many factors. Therefore, faded flowers should be cut off. You can go around every day as you go about youyr gardening with some type of trimmers or scissors and cut off all the dead flowers. You can add this organic matter to your compost pile.
But,there are, of course, exceptions to every rule. There are a some plants that are grown because of their colored or shaped seed pods. Among these are the Chinese lanterns plants. It is a low-growing plant with white flowers that some may think are not as pretty as many other flowers, but when the flowers have gone by, balloon-like seed pods gradually appear. At first these are green, but in time they will change to a brilliant orange-red. They can be used in vases in the house throughout the winter to brighten the decor.
At this time of year, you might find a beautiful flower on some plant in your garden and you just want to save the seed. Tie a piece of string around the stem so you can identify it later and very carefully remove the other flowers from the plant as they fade. Then, when the seed is ready, you can cut the stem bearing the seed. After leaving it in a warm dry place for a few days, carefully seperate out the seeds and put them away for another day. They should be kept perfectly dry. This is one technique towards creating your own special garden and an interesting gardening technique as well.
In some cases, it is a good plan to sow seed as soon as it is ready as it grows more quickly and more surely than seed that has been kept. For annuals, this may not be practical this late in the season. This, of course, depends upon your growing season, how long the individual plant actually takes to set seed and other factors. With perennials, you might be able to get a head start on next spring by planting the seed in a protected area for the winter. Maybe in a cold frame in a protected area. On the other hand, there are some seeds that just do not grow for a long time. Some seeds require a certain number of hours of cold temperatures or even below freezing temperatures before planting. You will have to research the individual plant you have seed from to see what is practical.
If you have carnations in your garden where the calyx has a bad habit of splitting, try these old time fixes. That’s the green portions that surrounds the petals. First stake each individual stem upright so it will not bend over. If that doesn’t work try putting tiny rubber bands around the calyx to prevent splitting. It could be fun explaining to guests your gardening technique here.
Keep watering, weeding and putting the mulch on the soil to the proper depth around your flowers, shrubs and trees as described in other articles on our website. Heed the warnings in those articles as well.
Roses have chores that should be done this month too. Be on the look out for suckers coming from the roses in your garden. Where roses grow on their own roots, maybe reared from cuttings, there should be no suckers at all. But many roses we buy have been grafted to a stronger root stock and sometimes this root stock will send out suckers. Any suckers from the roots, or from the stem below the graft, should be removed as far below the surface of the soil as possible carefully. (You may wish you could remove other suckers from your life as easily as with your gardening.)
Also, at this time, rose budding can be done. It is a very interesting project. There are many points to learn and do. These are: the right stage at which to take a bud, how to trim the bud, how to make the cut for the bud and where, how to insert the bud and how to secure it. This topic will be covered in our gardening tips more fully at another time.
About the author: © 2005, Sandra Dinkins-Wilson. Find more articles for Flower Garden Lovers at our informative website, http://flowergardenlovers.com.
Posted by Richard at 07:37 AM | Comments (0)