Posts Tagged ‘plants’

10 Best Herb Plants Ideal for Indoor Gardening

Herb planting is one of the most promising venture you can engage in your indoor garden. Being a herbalist, you’ll enjoy the aromatic smell of most herbal plants and a good ingredients in all your dishes.

It’s important to have your available supply of these herbs in your home, so that anytime you need them, they’re always at hand.

In order to have a continuous herbs in your kitchen, you’ve to list down what plants you’ll include in your indoor garden, the necessity and demand for the particular plant in your mix of ingredients.

10 Ideal herbs You Need for Your Indoor garden

1. Oregano. This herb is easy to grow. Just cut it from your mother plant if you have or buy from your nursery supplier. Plant them in a container and place them where there’s a little sunshine at least 3 – 5 hours day in your window.

2.

Parsley. Parsley is grown from seeds or from a clump. This is a sun loving plant, so you need to expose them to the sun for at least 5 – 6 hours a day. Place them in areas in your window where the sun rays directs to the plants.

3. Basil. This plant is germinated  from seeds and should be placed in pots facing in the south window. Allow it receive lots of sun and warm weather condition.

4. Rosemary. Rosemary is planted with cuttings, and love to keep in moist soilless mixture until it roots developed. It tolerates favorably in a south-facing window.

5. Bay.  A perennial plant, bay grows well in containers and can provide you with a continuous supply all year long. You can grow them in pots with soil mixture rich in compost . Place them in an east or west direction in your window, but be sure not to get them over crowded and needs available air circulation to have a vigorous growth.

6.

Sage. Grown from tip cutting, get a cutting from sage in outdoor mother plant to start in your indoor garden. They’re tolerant to dry season, but needs at least 6 – 7 hours sunlight for the day. They response well with available air circulation during its entire growth period.

7.  Chervil. Chervil is propagated from seeds starting in late summer. It tolerates  in low light intensity but needs 65 to 70 degrees F temperatures to produce good yield.

8. Chives. Propagated from a dug clump chives can be planted in pots and place outside until the leaves dries out. At the onset of the winter, transfer them in a shaded area. When fully recovered, transfer them to bright area in your window to catch the morning sunlight.

9. Spring Onion. Grown from bulbs, onion tolerates full or partial sunlight. If grown in partial sunlight, it should receive at least 5 -7 hours sun especially in the morning in your window.

10.Tarragon. It become dormant in late fall or early winter. Place the mature plant in a container and place outside until leaves dies out. After a couple of days, transfer the plants in a cool area with an available sunlight during its growing period. Fertilize them with an organic liquid to maintain their proper growth development.

Happy gardening!

Artificial outdoor plants have been widely recognized for its overall versatility and practicality; in fact most commercial owners have utilized these decorative ornaments to highlight the beauty and wonders of their own premises. For long years now, this industry has become even more popular as it able to compete with other types of hottest products in the current market. More than that, the existence of fake flowers, plants and trees could be one of the excellent solutions for people who don’t have time to nurture their growing plants. Perhaps, this helps solve the issue of up keeping real or living plants. With its significance, numerous manufacturers have created various varieties of artificial plants in order to cater the needs or demands of prospective customers worldwide. Furthermore, these are made available in a wide array of customized designs, sizes and forms. Nowadays, outdoor artificial plants have been used as lovely decorations by prominent commercial establishments and business centers. In fact, you could observe them hanging around the balconies, patios, pathways or even on windows of commercial areas such as spas, resorts, hotels as well as restaurants. Indeed, its bountiful multicolored effects could greatly enhance the beauty and elegance of the entire place. More than that, the seemingly attractive designs and shades of fake flowers bring a sense of balance and cohesiveness within such areas, which make the place more appealing to everyone’s eyes. Likewise, it has been made of high grade materials that make it even more stable amidst the threat of humidity, heat and water. Furthermore, with the significance of faux artificial plants, most business owners and even engineers have been convinced to include it as part of their project plans or landscaping styles. On top of that, it comes in sophisticated and unique forms in fact some are available in customized sizes and colors to fit in well with the demands of various users. Moreover, outdoor artificial trees and plants are typically infused with UV inhibitor chemicals that would ultimately protect them from the damaging rays of the sun. In such case, you will be assured that your fake plants or trees would remain colorful and vibrant for long years to come.  Some home owners and even building planners and developers have suggested that outdoor artificial plants are among the exceptional ways to enhance the panoramic view of the entire areas. In addition, you will be saved from incurring costly maintenance with bugs and insects infestations. Indeed, with fake plants and flowers everyone would surely experience a stunning landscape in a very affordable way. 

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Outdoor plants and flowers are elegant decorative ornaments that would complement any types of window boxes, flower pots or plant containers. In fact, you could see them standing beautifully in every corner or even on patio, balcony porch and entryway. With its bounty and multi colored appeal, the entire place would look exceptionally attractive. Nowadays, even prominent commercial establishments such as hotels, resorts restaurants or retail centers have displayed it on any areas of their premises. The varying shades of foliages and petals would surely add color and life most particularly to barren and rugged areas. More than that, most building developers and owners have utilized it as part of their landscaping designs, with the thought that it would be an excellent way to enhance the beauty and elegance of the entire place. In addition, outdoor artificial plants are known for its versatility and practicality. In fact, its existence has been a great help for people who don’t have time to nurture or maintain their own garden. Indeed, it is true that these types of plants don’t need your time on regular watering and maintenance, which could mean a little slashed from your daily expenses. Moreover, regular up keeping is not even necessary, in fact with just few minutes of washing your fake plants and flowers would look fresh and clean. Nowadays, it has been known that silk outdoor plants are ideal solution if you want to highlight your window ledges or any hard to reach areas. In addition, these types of plants have been infused with UV inhibitor formula that prevents it from constant fading, peeling and deterioration. In such case, you could place them on the exterior facade of your home or offices to create a more striking ambiance. Each material has been creatively made by skilled craftsman who only want to produce the best quality fake plants and flowers that would bring ultimate satisfaction to countless numbers of garden aficionados. Artificial geraniums are some of the few types of artificial outdoor plants and flowers, which becomes one of the best alternatively to costly real or living plants. In fact, most garden lovers have recognized it for its lovely colors as it brings life to the place where they are usually displayed. On top of that, each artificial geranium bush, cleft leaves as well as its brilliant clusters would surely bring pleasure to everyone. It’s lovely blooms and authentic look would bring a pleasing pop to every exterior.

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There is a strong belief among many people, that Australian Natives are beautiful but have no perfume. A stroll through the bush will dispel that rumour easily.

The fragrance of crushed leaves and scented blossoms can be almost overpowering at times. But many of the natives have a more subtle fragrance; you have to be close to them at the correct time to appreciate the flavours and scents.

The perfume of native plants is often produced at different times of the day or night. Perfumed native flowers include many of the Grevilleas (some like G. biternata and G. G. buxifolia have a strong honey-like perfume others like G. buxifolia have a light fragrant perfume), Boronias ( e. g. B. floribunda, B. serrulata and B. megastigma), Sowerbaeas (Vanilla Lilies), Xanthoreas (Grass Trees), Banksias, Eleaocarpus reticulatus (Blueberry Ash) which has a strong almost aniseed scent, Hakeas, Pittosporum undulatum (Native Daphne) — the perfume of this species may becoming overpowering in the evening –, Leptospermum species (e. g. L. flavescens), Homoranthus species (which has a Baked Biscuit scent) and Hymenosporum flavum (Native Frangipani). Many of the white flowering Eucalypts, Melaleuca and Callistemon species have a strong honey scent.

There are a number of fragrant orchids particularly the Dendrobium species: these tend to be strongest from early morning to the early afternoon. While some of the Cymbidium species such as C. suave have a good perfume during the middle of the day). The Sarcochilus species have what is best described as a spicy aroma.

The aroma released by some plants foliage is not revealed until it has been disturbed, crushed or brushed against. These include the Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle) which is probably the best of all native lemon scents and is also used commercially as a cooking ingredient, while the foliage of B. anisata is strongly scented like aniseed; Eremophilas, Eriostemon species, Prosantheras,

Leptospermum petersoni (Lemon-scented Tea-tree — also good as a hedging plant), Darwinia citriodora (a light lemon scent) and some Melaleucas (Paperbarks) also have scents.

Of course you can’t forget the Eucalypt family with its famous eucalypt scent, which is redolent of our bushland. But now many other countries are growing vast plantations of them for timber, firewood and revegetation programs on every continent bar Antartica. One species, the E. citriodora gives off a strong lemon-come-eucalypt scent while Agonis flexuosa has a combination of eucalyptus and peppermint scent.

Calomeria elegans has been used as a substitute for lavender. Some species of Boronias also have strongly scented foliage.

And let’s not forget the grassy type plants, the lomandra’s and the Grass trees, both of which give a lovely honeyed smell when in flower.

So why not think about using some fragrant native plants in your garden. Not only will you get the benefit of supporting your local environment. But you might also get other benefits, like attracting birds, other wildlife and butterflies to your garden.

By : Bare Bones Gardener

Have you ever gone outside to enjoy a summer evening only to be driven back inside because of mosquitoes? In New England this is a common occurrence. I do not like to use harsh insect repellents so I decided to find alternate ways to keep the mosquitoes at bay.

I learned that there are many common plants that you can include in your garden that will help deter mosquitoes and look pretty at the same time. One of my favorites is Rosemary. Not only does it repel mosquitoes, it is inexpensive, nice to look at, and can be used in many of my favorite recipes. The climate where I live is not a good one for growing Rosemary in my garden, but it grows easily as a potted plant on my deck.

Marigolds are another plant that repels mosquitoes. I can understand this since they repel me as well. I have never card for the smell of them, but I am willing to put up with it to keep the mosquitoes away. Marigolds can be very inexpensive to use in your garden since they can be easily grown from seeds.

Then there is a plant actually named the Mosquito plant. It is a special genetically engineered geranium that has a sweet lemony scent, like citronella. Geraniums are usually grown as potted plants and placed outdoors during warmer weather. The first year the plant will grow a foot and, if grown inside, can reach a maximum of three to four feet high.

The plant that is the most effective at repelling mosquitoes is catnip. Studies have shown that catnip can be ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET. It is easily grown from seeds and not only works to repel mosquitoes, but will keep your cat in a good mood as well.

To take advantage of the mosquito repelling properties of the plants, when you are not in your garden, you can use their essential oils. The easiest way to do this is to rub the leaves of plants on your skin.

You can also make natural repellent sprays from citronella, cedar, verbena, pennyroyal, geranium, lavender, pine, cinnamon, rosemary, basil, thyme, allspice, garlic, and peppermint. To make a natural repellent combine one of the listed oils in a ten to one ratio with rubbing alcohol and shake well before each use. Just keep in mind that repellents from plants do not last as long as chemical repellents and will need to be reapplied at least every two hours.

So go ahead and plant some of these flowers and herbs in your garden. Then go outside on a warm summer night, favorite drink in hand, and sit back and enjoy a mosquito free evening.