How to Grow Gollum Jade or Crassula Portulacea Plants For Dry Landscapes or Easy Houseplants

Posted on March 22, 2011 by

Gollum Jade or Spoon Jade succulent plants are great choices for dry gardens. These plants are easy to grow in hot dry areas and also make great houseplants. Their care is similar to cactus (without the thorns). One of my favorite succulents is named Crassula portulacea, commonly called Horseshoe or Spoon Jade. Recently they’ve been called Gollum Fingers, Hobbit Plant or ET Fingers because their dark green leaves look like fingers with reddish tips. These plants can take full sun to light shade. They are happy indoors or outdoors, in the ground or in containers.

Water-wise crassula portulacea like heat and sun whether you grow them indoors or in the yard. They are just as easy to care for as their cousin, crassula ovata. Both succulent plants can take up to 6 hours of sun a day. If they develop yellow or brown spots on the leaves, it is either stress or sunburn. If they are in a pot, try moving it to an area with less sun. If they’re outdoors, try giving them a nice soak and they should perk up.

Grown in pots Spoon Jade will remain small and are often used for bonsai. They will grow slowly and can be trimmed into the shape of trees. In the ground they will eventually reach a height of 4 to 5 feet tall. Older plants take on an otherworldly, gnarled look.

I love succulents because they are easy to grow and care- free. They are great if you don’t have time to fuss over a plant. Crassula happily oblige and even produce blooms in later winter. This increases their value as a landscape plant in my book as winter blooming plants are uncommon. They produce flower clusters that look like tiny bouquets of daisies. Bloom color can range from light to dark pink, some have a salmon/orange tint. The plant I started as a small cutting two years ago is blooming for the first time this year. Established plants should bloom reliably each year.

They are called succulent plants because they store their water in their trunks and leaves. This allows them to get by with little water. All that stored water can make them susceptible to rot if they sit in a pool of wet dirt. Let the soil dry out between watering to keep them happy. Crassula are best grown in USDA Zones 9b – 11.

Normally, the plants in my succulent garden are able to take a light frost for a few hours. This year we had freezing nights for a few days in a row and the top 1/3 of my plants became frozen and brown. The stalks that survived are now sprouting new leafs. They need overhead protection in winter if you are in a cold area. They also have a better chance of surviving frost if the plants have been kept on the dry side.

Xeriscaping with drought tolerant cactus and succulents has become popular out here in the southwest where we sometimes have water rationing and shortages. These succulent plants add a dramatic touch and look like some sort of sea plant or coral to me. to see photos and read more. Crassula are and easy and reliable addition to any water-wise garden.

Laura Zinkan is a writer in California. She cultivates a gardening site at http://www.theGardenPages.com with plant profiles, growing tips about succulents and native plants.
She also cooks up http://www.MomsRetro.com where you can find retro art and kitchen tips for busy cooks. 2009 by Laura Zinkan. Article may be reprinted if author credit is given with a website link. All rights reserved.

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How to Care for Aloe Vera Plants

Posted on March 21, 2011 by

The Aloe Vera plant makes a great choice for growing at home. It’s easy to look after, and has some interesting side benefits.

The aloe vera plant is a short-stemmed succulent perennial, which grows 60-85 cm tall. It has thick spiky green leaves which grow in a rosette formation from the base of the plant. Found predominantly in hot, dry climates, the aloe looks a lot like a cactus, although it’s actually a member of the lily and onion family.

The leaves of the aloe vera plant can grow to over a foot long and about 3 inches across. The leaves are thick and fleshy and hold a lot of water, which means the aloe vera plant can survive extended periods of drought. In all, there are roughly 200 species of aloe, although the plant that has come to be cultivated the most is Aloe Barbadensis Miller, also known as aloe vera or literally, ‘true aloe’. You’ll find it growing across Texas, Mexico and around the Mediterranean.

Aloe Vera plants are very easy to care for and easy to grow in frost-free climates – either as houseplants or outdoors. However aloe vera plants do need a lot of sunlight, so it’s best to place them in a sunny spot, or near a window that gets lots of sunlight. A common mistake that many people make is the tendency to over-water. Remember these plants are succulents – they hold water in their leaves to cope with long periods of drought. So they need less water than you might think.

You should be able to purchase an aloe vera plant near you, at a garden store or nursery. Some aloe vera plants have small white markings on the leaf. This is nothing to worry about, and will fade as the plant gets older. Look for a healthy plant, with thick leaves and dry soil. You certainly don’t want to give aloe vera plants too much water, and in the winter, even less. So make sure the roots aren’t waterlogged, and the soil is sandy.

Aloes like to have some room to grow, so do re-pot them as necessary. Expect that a mature aloe vera plant (about 4 years old) maybe about one metre high and 50cm across the widest part of the leaves. But the pot won’t have to be that large, because the stem and root system is quite shallow. If the outer leaves start to sag or show their age, they can be sliced off, or gently pulled away from the stem.

Once you have an aloe vera plant, you’ll have many! You’ll find that you’ll get lots of aloe vera pups – small plants that grow from the lower part of the main plant. You’ll have to remove these gently and re-pot them, or give them to your friends. They make great gifts! If you leave them with the main aloe vera, they can sap too much energy from the main aloe and cause it to wither.

With a little care and attention, aloe vera plants can live for many years, and provide a fascinating addition to your home or garden, as well as a wonderful source of aloe vera gel. To obtain this gel, just remove one of the lower leaves, cut it in half along its length, and rub the inner pulp over the affected area of skin.

Jo Johansson loves writing and exploring all things related to natural health and nutrition. For more information on pure aloe vera products, check out http://AloeandYou.com.

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Streptocarpus or Cape Primrose

Posted on March 20, 2011 by
Streptocarpus or Cape primrose

Streptocarpus or Cape primrose

I acquired one of these after a neighbor threw it out. As a plant, it is a very satisfying one, because it seems to take all the knocks and still comes up smiling with many flowers over the season. It produces numerous trumpet shaped flowers from spring right through to the autumn and in some conditions will grow all year round.  

There are two types of Streptocarpus, stemless and stemmed. The stemless variety is more common for growing as indoor container plants. Some stemless plants form only one leaf and die after flowering.  In the more common or popular plants the leaves are arranged in a rosette shape. The flowers growing from the bottom of the leaf carry varying numbers of flowers depending on the health of the plant.  

Caring for your Streptocarpus is easy, as they do seem to survive a hard life. The plants prefer a bright position but with out being in direct sunlight. Plants also seem to cope with a medium light and still consistently flower well. All Streptocarpus grow through the year in ordinary home temperatures, but if the situation they are in exceeds 25 degrees it is wise to provide a tray with water in the bottom standing the plant on stones to keep the roots cool .When the room temperature drops the plant may go into a rest period, growth and flowering slows.  

Water as you would any ordinary plant on a regular basis, allowing it to dry out a little between watering. Streptocarpus needs feeding every two or three weeks, achieved by the addition of a high phosphate liquid feed to their water.Repot when the roots are coming from the drainage holes in the pot. Usually after a couple of years but does depend on the growth rate of the plant in the preceding timeframe. Repot into a slightly larger pot with a potting mix containing perlite and vermiculite. These are shallow rooted plants, so a shallow rather than deeper pot is in order. Repot these during a growth period. during a growth period. A plant in a rest period does not send out new roots quickly and you may end up with the plant dying from soggy roots.  

Propagation is fascinating, remove a good leaf and slice into two or three pieces across the leaf, noting the top and bottom of the middle leaf.  Place the cut end of the leaf into potting mix and cover the bottom with one centimeter of mix. Keep the cuttings just damp and under medium light conditions. In six to eight weeks, all being well you will start to see the new plantlets forming where the leaf and potting mix meet. When you consider the plantlets are big enough, repot into another size appropriate container. Springtime is the best time to try this for good growing conditions.

 Common varieties worth growing are Streptocarpus Constant Nymph and Streptocarpus John Innes.

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Gardening Information – Add Color and Variety with Container Plants

Posted on March 17, 2011 by
Pots and Containers

Pots and Containers

Container Gardening Tips for Newbies

Even if you are a city person in the center of everything, container gardens an add a real splash of color and life on a busy street, rooftop, or balcony. You can make any space be it patio living room or rooftop more inviting and refreshing with beautiful containers of flowers and green foliage. No only will you be delighted at the effect of adding a plant here and there or grouping containers where there is space for a garden area, you will also have the enjoyment of choosing, planting and taking care of your plants.

The really cool thing is you can vary the color scheme of any area with flowers, the color of your choice to fit your mood. When the plant is done blossoming you can always replace it with another annual or store the container till next season. You may choose to harmonize or contrast colors and heights of your plants. You get to choose the shape and texture of leaves, tall thin leaves can contrast short wide ones the variety is endless. If you have the space you can
you can germinate seeds and start new plants. With containers and electric lighting you can garden all year round.

The containers themselves permit you to flex your creative muscles and really let yourself go. You can of course go to the store and buy the containers and there is a wide variety of pre-painted and decorated pots available. You may also use old bowls or urns you can create your own with tiles and wood there again, no limits to what you can do.

If you do buy ready-made pots terracotta look great and many are brightly painted to add a festive atmosphere without plants. If you like you can use dried flowers and make a beautiful corner piece, no watering, no fuss. Cheap plastic pots can be hand painted as you desire. You must have some saucers for the bottoms so water doesn’t damage or stain your floors and window sills. Don’t forget the benefits and possibilities of family togetherness or “quality” time when gardening. You spouse and children can all get in on the fun.

Good quality potting mix is available for your containers and insures you plants are happy and well fed. You will see signs of yellowing if you over-water or if the plants need more nutrition.

Healthy plants on the ends of each step leading to the front and back doors are pleasant can colorful ways to add a sense of welcome and hospitality to your home. Depending on your personality you can plan on where you want o put a flower decide which kind and color and then order the plant and have it delivered or you can order a bunch of plants and then decide where they fit the best. The “shotgun” method. You should at least have an idea of whether you want sun lovers or plants requiring shade, however or you may waste some money of plants that won’t do well fo you.

Try different combination of plants together in groups of even and odd numbers and see what you like many say that groups of odd numbers are more attractive but I think it is up to you. Say isn’t that just so.. you decide which flowers, which pots, where you place them, how many you place, boy are you feeling the power here?

No doubt you will have a garden your friends will admire and, sadly, some poor souls will envy, boo-hoo.

Learn great gardening tips and find lots of resources at you beck and call by visiting my website. You’ll be so glad you did.
You’ll find great information and lots of gardening resources at http://www.squidoo.com/containerplantsflowers also http://www.squidoo.com/mailorderplants 
 

 

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Gardening Hints for Healthy, Happy Plants

Posted on March 16, 2011 by

Happy,Happy Plants

Plants – like all living things – have basic, minimum requirements to sustain them. Generally, they are food, water and a suitable environment. But if you want them to thrive you need to get more specific. One of the best things to do is look around your neighborhood and see what kinds of plants look great. It means they love your local conditions and are probably easy to grow.

With real estate, the 3 key things to remember are location, location, location. With plants it’s preparation, preparation, preparation! Your plants will thrive if you take care of the basics before bringing them home. You need to make sure your soil is enriched with organic material, providing ongoing, accessable nutrients.

This will also help with conditioning of the soil, encouraging helpful micro-organisms and creating the correct PH levels. Continue to add organic matter to the soil for as long as you want a healthy garden.

Be sure to plant your new plant(s) in a suitable place for them in your garden. Some plants cannot tolerate full sun. Others need a minimum of five hours sun to do well.

Also, take into consideration the mature size of the plant. If you have a small courtyard planting a seedling that will mature into a large tree could be a costly mistake. Read the label on your plant or ask the nursery staff if you’re unsure.

Watering is essential to keeping your plants healthy and happy. Deep watering once or twice a week(depending on your rainfall and the season), rather than surface watering often is far more beneficial to plants as it encourages them to grow deeper root systems.

Deeper root systems allow plants to access water and valuable nutrients and gives them the ability to withstand longer periods without water. Mulching with organic material is also beneficial to your garden, preventing moisture loss, soil erosion and helping with weed control, while adding organic matter.

Remember to experiment with your garden. That’s the only way to discover what plants love living in your area and those that don’t. Try different things and see what works for you. You could chat with your plants or even try planting with the cycles of the moon.

Children love to be involved with the garden. If they show interest you could offer them a small plot of their own to look after. They will be delighted with their efforts when they see tiny seeds mature into food or flowers, and so will you.

 

Hi, I am an avid organic gardener and recycler. I live on a small country property in South Australia. It is my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening. Please visit my website for more great organic gardening tips & information.
Happy gardening, healthy living…
Julie Williams
www.1stoporganicgardening.com

 

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Simple Succulents!

Posted on February 22, 2011 by

Money TreeSucculents are plants that have evolved and adapted to the natural environment.

In some parts of the world, the rainfall is seasonal and the plants growing there have to provide for their water needs by storing it within their tissues. Succulents have achieved this, although as always there are exceptions to the rule. You will find the Agaves and Yuccas under the succulent label but they differ because their leaves do not appear to store water but they are considered drought resistant plants. These plants can be grown in either a container or a garden!

Many succulent plants grow inside, but they are equally happy in a warm spot in the garden or a rockery. The flowers of succulents tend to be nondescript, as they are grown more for their interesting foliage and ability to stand more abuse than some of the demanding houseplants. In their natural surroundings, these plants grow in a sunny environment so to grow them well inside, a well-lit, sunny spot is required. Turn these plants each day so that each side of the plant gets a dose of sun. This prevents the plant from growing in one direction and becoming disfigured.

The succulents are heat-loving plants and are happy in our living conditions, but do enjoy cooler conditions in winter. This replicates the climate from which they originate. Take houseplants outside during the year on the warm days. Leave tender plants with fragile leaves inside if rain is imminent because of the likely hood of rain damage. Translucent covers whether plastic or glass give protection from the rain if you wish to leave them outside.

 These plants with their natural water storing abilities are what make them easy to look after, but again consider their natural habitat. The growing period is during the wet season, after the rain however, they rest and receive little water but they do get some.

So water your plants with this in mind. Adequate watering in the growing season but limiting the water in the rest period ,enough to stop the pot from drying out but not so much to rot the roots!

Water the plants that have fragile leaves from the base tray; leave the pot long enough for the water to reach the top of the potting mix. Don’t have the time to do this, then get a watering pot with a narrow spout and water from the top. This avoids water splashing and damaging the delicate leaves.

Fertilize these plants every 6-8 weeks, do not over feed, as the plant may become top heavy with lush weak growth. Some of the plants do not need feeding. You can use your own judgment as to their requirements.

 Most of the succulents will only need repotting once a year into a larger pot, some I find can happily be left for 2-3 years. The optimum time is generally when the plant is coming into the active growth season. If you plan to use ordinary potting mix, do add some coarse sand or perlite. Suggested proportions are two parts potting mix to one part sandy mixture.

The Crassulas and Echeverias almost plead to be multiplied! The leaves break off very easily, and it is just a case of planting the broken piece in another pot!  If you want to move these plants, it may pay to leave them to dry out a little so they are softer and easier to move. Succulents also multiply from leaves, cutting off the leaf with a sharp knife and left to dry. Plant on an angle in a pot, the angle is where the new plant will appear.

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10 Basics of Container Planter Design

Posted on February 18, 2011 by

You see beautiful potted plant designs in yards, at businesses and along city streets and wish that you had that kind of green thumb. Wouldn’t such a pot with those colors and that texture be beautiful in your yard or on your deck? How do those gardeners create such wonderful potted plant designs? They follow the ten basics of container planter creativity and then they let their imaginations run wild. As you begin to dream about you container planter design, it is good for you to know the basics of container planting so that your decision produces the effects you desire.

Style
Generally you will see two styles of design with some variations among those styles. The most common style for upright containers uses the focal point, the filler and the trailer. A focal point plant stands out above the rest by being taller and/or more colorful. The focal point is the first to attract your attention. The filler plants are use to compliment the focal plant. They are good for providing the color and texture and are used to cover the bare parts of the pot. The trailer plants hang over the edge of the pot and add softness to the design. A second style of design is to use the same type of plant, in bulk, with variations to create the difference in look. It is best to use plants that are dense and will cover or fill the entire pot.

Type of Pot
Your design choice will be greatly affected by the size and type of pot that you are working with. Almost anything can be used for a container planter. First choose your plants with the size of pot in mind. A simple pot may use more exciting plants as an emphasis while simple plants may leave the emphasis on an ornate pot. Another consideration is whether your pot is an upright planter or a hanging planter. The hanging planter will require plants that have genetics for hanging rather than growing upright.

Size
Determine the size of pot that you are planting and from that choose plants that will fit the pot. A beginning rule is to choose plants that will be two times the height for the focal plant and one and one half times the width of the pot for the filler plants. This is not a rule set in stone, but a guideline. For a quicker, complete look of your planter design, choose plants that are not too young (immature) but may be closer to the size desired for the design.

Desired Effect
Decide if your container planter will be a focal point of your landscape design or a compliment to the rest of your landscaping and choose accordingly. This may affect your choice of size and desire to blend or stand out.

Color
The color selection is wide open. A good starting point is to choose colors to either match or compliment a landscape or home. For a mixture of colors, pick colors that are opposite of each other on the color wheel. For a more monochromatic design, pick one color and use different variations of the same color.

Texture
Some plants are chosen for their texture rather than their color. Texture is generally a factor of the plant leaves and can add an alternative option to creating a different style. Choose plants with a variety of texture and sizes of leaves for added effect to your design.

Sun vs Shade
It is important to choose plants that are adapted to the area that the container will be located. Plants are generally labeled as to whether they are able to thrive in full sun, light sun or shade. If you have a container that you can move with the seasons, you can be more flexible with your choices.

Wet vs Dry
It is also important to know whether a plant needs a lot of moisture or is adapted to a more dry soil. Do not combine plants that have considerable differences in moisture needs or your plant design will suffer from loss of plants.

Season
Choosing plant designs can also be influenced by the season. If you are choosing a planter design with flowers, you will need to determine when the plants flower and how long. Also, some plants thrive better in cooler weather and others prefer warm or hot weather. This will determine how long your design will perform for you.

Plants
Lastly, choose plants that are available in your area or that you have access to. Also, choose plants that, from your experience, you will be able to take care of. Some are easy to grow and others may require a more a green thumb with more expertise.

The ten basics of container planting can help you get started in creating beautiful container plant designs. Fortunately for us, many master container gardeners are willing to share their ideas and recipes and with a little searching, you may find just the one to suit you. A good place to look is at ProvenWinners. Keep the above basics in mind when choosing a pre-designed pattern for your pot or planter so that you will obtain your desired results. Even if you don’t use a pre-designed pattern, you have the tools to let your imagination create a piece of enjoyment and beauty. Plant away.

Debra Yeik is the owner of Cornerstone Yard and Garden Decor and enjoys the beauty of a well designed yard and garden as an extension of the home. Cornerstone Yard and Garden Decor emphasizes on items for ornamentation and functionality in your yard and garden and features the beautiful Bloom Master side planter. Visit Cornerstone Yard and Garden Decor to be ready for this spring growing season.

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Growing Cactus

Posted on February 17, 2011 by
Cactus

Growing Cactus

The hot dry places in gardens are never the easiest places to plant and keep looking good.
Choosing plants for these spots generally means choosing those that have come from the drier countries of the planet. Cacti come under that label, and are found in many interesting shapes and sizes.

The reason they are easy care is that their leaves are designed to hold water. As you can see from the fat leaves or stems. The one draw back is that they all generally have sharp points, spikes, and pointed leaves.

Cacti love hot and sunny gardens or pots inside in a sunny corner. They are easy to look after, as their watering needs are very light. This really suits busy people who do not have to remember to water their plants every day or even repot too often! 

The root system of cacti does not fill the pot with roots very fast, unlike other plants with rapid growth. Plant a number of them in shallow pots or trays, something like a bulb planting pot.  They do like to be watered despite urban myths of not watering at all. They are happy having a little water every week or two. Ease off on this over the winter and cut watering back to monthly or when you remember! Avoid splashing water on to your cactus because it does leave marks on the leaves. It is possibly better to stand the pot in water and remove when the mix appears to be saturated. 

Handling cacti done easily with gloves to avoid getting pricked or hurt from the spikes on the plants. Another way is rolling a newspaper up and looping around the plant, then grasping the two ends together to move or lift the plant.

It is easy to increase the number of plants you have or want to give away to friends. Choosing the right pot for a cactus depends on its shape. Some are squat, others are tall so care is needed to allow for root growth and be aesthetically pleasing. Cacti getting dusty inside? Try using an old soft brush to move the dust.

 Cacti flowers are unfailingly beautiful, but only put on a display for a short time. The colors are clear and bright, in most colors except for blue. The flowers and shoots grow from areoles. There are several popular cacti, one of the most popular is the crab cactus or Zygocactus and can put on a stunning flowering display should conditions be to its liking. It is a little different in that it prefers a filtered light in which to grow. I find it prefers the same conditions as the maidenhair ferns. Filtered light and a morning sun. Another is the Crown Cactus that is easy to grow and replicate, it has flowers that come in white through to red or purple. Others are the Strawberry cactus and Chin cactus

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