Seeds & Plants

Hydrangea Macrophylla are must-have shrubs for shade and with their pink or blue flowers they can light up any garden. Hydrangea Marcophylla are easy to propagate using one of two techniques detailed in this step-by-step photo article.

Jul 20, 2005 - Kenneth Joergensen

Plenty of readily available hardy ferns which grow well in most of north America can be found in garden centers or online. These ferns will generally multiply on their own and are easy to propagate by division. In this article we will look at the anatomy of ferns, and explain how to propagate and grow them.

Apr 24, 2005 - Kenneth Joergensen

Caladium can be propagated by a technique called division. To produce tubers capable of dividing, it helps to grow small tubers into larger tubers. One way is to produce plants with more leaves capable of photosynthesizing, e.g. building up starch in the tubers. One of the best way to do this is using a technique called "scooping" which will remove the dominant growing point and produce more leaves. The result is a more attractive plant with will build up more energy and create greater enjoyment for the viewers. Learn the "scoop" in this article.

Feb 1, 2005 - Kenneth Joergensen

seed geranium. The red pelargonium is one of the most popular flowers in summer. Learn how to grow them from seed. In the process I also take a detour around the biological nomenclature which is the way all organisms are cataloged.

Jan 3, 2005 - Kenneth Joergensen

Growing tuberous begonias from seed

Dec 5, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Transfer outdoors after last chance of frost. If you have ever grown plants from seed you will surely have heard this expression. It sounds like great advice, but unfortunately this particular statement has become so standard; almost mandatory; to the point where it has completely lost its meaning, and even starts to mislead gardeners. Since catalogues are now flooding the mail boxes, now would be a good time to set the record straight. In the process learn about the optimal soil temperatures for growing caladium bulbs, and how soil and air temperatures are related in spring and fall.

Nov 4, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

purple winter creeper is a nice dwarf shrub which is very vigorous and tolerant of even dense shade. In spring and fall it put on a lot of growth. Instead of just pruning away these excess branches, you can very easily root and propagate the shrub to create many more plants. This shrub is extremely forgiving and easy to propagate, and in this article we will look at various methods which may suit your style.

Oct 5, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

One of the nicest and best performing seed grown petunias is the Wave Petunia. Started in 1985 with the now famous "purple Wave", the petunia is today available in 6 colors and several new related varieties, too. This plant is very easy to start from seed, and produce offspring (F2 hybrids) which are equally as good as the parent plants. Learn how to harvest, store, and grow your own F2 hybrid Wave Petunias this year. The savings can be quite substantial when you consider the prices being charged for the original F1 Wave Petunia seeds today.

Sep 5, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Today there is a movement towards using species plants as opposed to modern hybrids. To make an informed decision in this respect, learn about what a hybrid is and the advantages and disadvantages. This article will take you through an explanation of genes, traits, hybrid vigor, and at the same time also tell the tale of the tulip. Lean the difference between an F1 and an F2 hybrid.

Aug 3, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Lilies multiply very easily producing large clumps. If you have never wondered what the small white or pink pea-sized lumps were that you found in the soil after cutting back the brown stems in late fall, you may have come acros miniature lily bulbs... learn how to encourage, harvest and grow FREE lilies. In the process we will also explain how to tell real lilies from other plants borrowing their name, and illustrate the differences between Oriental lilies and Asiatic lilies. Finally we will go through the preferred propagation methods for each of them. Do you have enough free lilies ?

Jul 4, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Fertilizing is very important especially to young plants, but unfortunately the topic is very often misunderstood. Too much emphasis is put on the 3 NPK elements and the remaining elements ignored. Also, gardeners are increasingly advised to use products such as Epsom Salts on Roses, Iron on Lawns, without knowledge why and what it can and can not do. This article will explain what fertilizer is, how and when to use them.

Jun 5, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Selection of a quality growing media and good potting techniques are the backbone in the production of quality bedding plants. What may not be so obvious, however, is that the why a growing media is watered can have profound influences on the final result. That plants need water to survive may not be a big surprise, but how to water, and how to avoid overwatering are techniques which must be learned. If you are not familiar with physical properties of water, such as cohesion, adhersion, and capillary action then this article is for you.

Apr 25, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

The way a gardener handles growing media can profoundly affect the final quality of the bedding plants even if all other factors, such as light, water, and temperatures are optimal. Air porosity is a key factor in good root growth, and thus the final quality of bedding plants. Air porosity is affected not only by the choice of growing mix, but also by the way the containers are filled. In this installment we will look at the right way to fill containers.

Mar 15, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

The growing of quality plants depend on a number of factors of which the selection of the growing media, potting and watering techniques are absolute key to success. Compared to soil, soil-less growing media excel in the amount of air it makes available to the roots which makes it ideal for indoor seed starting. In this 3 article series we will look at requirements to a quality growing media, how to pot to ensure maximum water and air available, and finally how to water the plants.

Mar 1, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

This article will take you through the developments taking place in a seed from the time it is planted until it starts to grow as a plant. Learn the biological terms used by nursery professionals.

Feb 23, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Azaleas are fantastic shrubs with year round appeal, and contrary to common belief they are not difficult to propagate at all. Cuttings taken in early summer, or late winter, can be rooted indoors. If you have ever wondered what it means to 'stike a cutting' then this article is for you.

Feb 16, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Multiply your stock of lilies ... free !!! Lilies can be propagated by scaling without damaging the mother bulb. Scaling is very easy and fun. Next time you buy a lily, try removing a few scales and reproduce 20-30 more lilies in as little as 2-3 years.

Feb 9, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Hippeastrum are also better known as the Christmas Amaryllis. It is a so-called tunicate bulb which can be propagated through a technique called dis-sectional cutting. Cuttings are easy to do indoors during the winter and the new bulbs will flower in less than two years. This article also provides growing information for the Hippeastrum so don't miss it. The techniques described for the Hippeastrum can also be used to propagate hyacinths, onions, tulips, and daffodils, among others.

Feb 2, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

This article explains the physiological changes taking place inside plants when cuttings are made. The article centers on two hormones: Auxins and Cytokinins. Auxins, the same hormones, which are responsible for plants bending towards the light, can also be an important help in producing top quality bedding plants. Cytokinins are created in response to Auxins and together they balance the growth of a normal healthy plant, but Cytokinins will also allow broken plant parts to regenerate roots – the principle behind all vegetative plant propagation today. Knowing how these hormones work together inside the plant can help us perfect our techniques so make sure you read this article before cutting and pinching.

Jan 25, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Fertilizing is one of the most critical factors in successful seed starting. Even so, most home growers are resorting to very general guidelines, such as “use a 1/4 strength fertilizer”. Some plants consume more fertilizer than others and the concentration of various fertilizers can also vary so how do you differentiate between plants which require more fertilizer, or less? and how much more fertilizer does petunias require compared to pelargonium, and to impatiens? To get around this problem the greenhouse industry has established a universal measurement commonly referred to as PPM: "Parts Per Million". By using this measurement we can move on from the imprecise guidelines and vastly improve the quality and performance of our bedding plants. But we do not have to calculate in millions. In fact, in this article you will learn to dose fertilizer precisely in teaspoons, gallons, even scoops and tanks, if you like. The methods are all the same and are based on the PPM principle. Do you know your PPM ?

Jan 18, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Starting pansies from seeds is an excellent choice in January. Beginners will enjoy the lower temperature requirements, and the plants are usually moved outdoors, away from the indoors growing area making room for the fast growing summer annuals. Pansies make beautiful additions to the home landscape. Some have blotches ("faces") and they come in many different colors. Since they will withstand mild frost they are excellent companions to spring flowering bulbs. Contrary to common belief pansies are fairly easy to grow from seed, even for inexperienced growers. Lean the truths and myths about these early spring jewels.

Jan 13, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Starting with seeds, part2 looks at the many aspects of seed growing, from planting the seeds, temperature and water requirements, positioning of the fluorescent lights to transplanting and hardening off outdoors. None of these factors are difficult to learn, but to succeed you need to know what to expect. If you are unfamiliar with terms such as "watering from below", "bottom heat", and "cotyledons" then this article is for you. You will also find useful information such as how seedlings germinate by color, a link to a great seed raising guide, and an indept explanation of how to succesfully water seedlings. Learn about selecting seeds, timing, sowing, transplanting, growing on, and hardening off.

Jan 8, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Starting seeds indoors yourself is a very exiting proposition and everyone can do it. Contrary to common belief it is not hard at all and you do not need any special equipment, other than what you can buy at a local garden center and a home improvement store. In the long run it will be cheaper to grow your own flowers or vegetables, and you can even try cultivars which are not readily available at garden centers. But this is really not the reason why I recommend that you try seed starting. Starting plants from seed is a fantastic experience nobody should be without, it is inexpensive and easy to try, and you will become a much better gardener from growing your own transplants first. It is the best plant learning experience you will have. January is an excellent time to buy the few items you do need. So visit your garden center and home improvement store now but make sure you read this article first. This is part 1 of “Starting with Seeds” where we will discuss what equipment is important. Next installment will detail the setup, planting and growing.

Jan 2, 2004 - Kenneth Joergensen

Growing bedding plants indoors require an active fertilizer program to produce healthy transplants. What makes a good seedling fertilizer ? Mistakenly, it is usually believed that high phosphorus fertilizers are mainly responsible for good root growth and thus the fertilizers of choice for starting bedding plants but is this really the case ? In this article we will discuss the goal of fertilizing seedlings, look at the physical characteristics of a good fertilizer and discuss why nitrate nitrogen is preferred over commonly available urea or ammonium fertilizers.

Dec 14, 2003 - Kenneth Joergensen