Grow houseplants from kitchen scraps

AVOCADOS ROOTING IN WATER

WE RECENTLY BLOGGED ABOUT HOW TO GROW AND MAINTAIN MINI CITRUS TREES INDOORS. 

HOW ABOUT USING EVERYDAY KITCHEN SCRAPS? WHETHER YOU EAT AN AVOCADO, APPLE, PINEAPPLE, YAM OR LEMON!

WE ARE TAKING THOSE FUN SCHOOL PROJECTS A FEW STEPS FURTHER. IT IS A FUN, NUTRITIOUS, REWARDING AND A EDUCATIONAL PROJECT FOR YOU AND/OR THE KIDS.

....AND BEST OF ALL YOU ARE CREATING YOUR VERY OWN INDOOR GARDEN. 


We’ve all heard of soaking and rooting avocado seeds indoors. Did you know you can also grow apple and lemon trees from seed? Growing pineapple plants is also easy. Pineapple tops transform into attractive plants and yams create a long, handsome vine.


Growing apple trees indoors
Apples make an attractive indoor tree. Plant several apple seeds at once—germination is not high. If possible, try various apple types. Before planting, soak apple seeds overnight in warm water. Apples may take a month or more to germinate; be patient.


Growing avocado trees indoors
When grown indoors, avocado trees won’t fruit, but they will become large, tropical floor plants. First, wash the seed and let it dry overnight. To plant, peel off the brown outer skin. Stick four toothpicks in the center of the seed at equal intervals. Place in a jar of water with the flat side of the seed down and the pointed side up, leaving one-third of the seed in water. Store in a dark place such as a kitchen cabinet. 

Roots will grow in the water and a stem will rise from the top of the avocado seed. When the stem is about 6 inches high, cut it off to half its size. Put plant back in the dark and wait another few weeks until the roots have thickened and a new stem has grown and reached about 6 inches. Bring the plant out into the light and wait for the leaves to green up.



Next, plant the avocado in soil. Be careful not to damage the roots by making a hole in the soil before sliding the plant in. Gently fill the hole with soil and tamp lightly. To encourage the avocado tree to grow full and bushy, pinch off new leaves. For every two new leaves pinched, four should grow in their place.



Growing your very own citrus tree indoors from seeds

We recently talked about how to purchase and grow a mini citrus tree indoors. But what fun it would be to actually grow your own tree from seeds. Try doing this and let us know info@hibiscusflowershop.com how it worked out. Send photos too!!

Seeds of oranges, lemons, grapefruits, limes and tangerines are easy to grow. They will become small trees. In the right environment, which includes ample bright light, you may eventually get blooms and fruit, but that will take years.


To plant citrus, rinse seeds in warm water and soak overnight. Plant each seed ¼-inch deep and 1 inch apart. Water and keep moist. Seeds can take a month or more to sprout. Once they emerge, place plants in the sunniest window of the house. When plants have some foliage, encourage bushy growth by pinching off new leaves.

PINEAPPLE

The prickly top of the pineapple can be removed from the fruit and planted. When 4-6 years old, the plant may produce a fragrant pink or red flower which bears a small fruit.

 Cut the top off a ripe pineapple, leaving about 1 inch of fruit attached. Bury the fruit portion of the pineapple in potting soil, leaving the green crown exposed. Water well and place in a warm, sunny spot. Within one to two months the pineapple will root and begin to grow. 

PINEAPPLE TOPS IN SOIL

FYI:

Did you know that a pineapple is 
a cactus that is edible.





Growing yams indoors
Yams will grow long vines. Take an elongated yam and scrub well. Cut off one end and stick the bottom with four toothpicks at even intervals. Place in a wide-mouth jar filled with water, the cut end immersed. Vines will grow from the eyes in the upper portion of the yam.

Place yams in bright light, but no direct sun. White roots will fill the jar and purple leaves will sprout from the top. Leaves will become bright green as they grow. Always keep the jar filled with water and change the water when it becomes cloudy.

YAM WITH LEAVES

Eucalyptus-Benefits & Uses

Eucalyptus is native to Australia, and is the main food source for koala bears. Aboriginal people have been using it for centuries to treat a number of medical conditions, and it has also been a part of other traditional medicine systems in Europe, Greece, India and China.
There are many species of Eucalyptus, ranging from the size of a large shrub to giant trees. The blue gum, or Australian fever tree, is most commonly used in medicine, and can reach up to 230 feet in height with 4-12 inch dark, shiny leaves.

Eucalyptus oil is made from the leaves and tops of the branches. The leaves contain tannins, which are thought to reduce inflammation, plant-based antioxidants, and volatile oils.


Health Properties of Eucalyptus

Analgesic – Relieves pain
Antibacterial – Kills bacteria
Anti-catarrhal – Removes excess catarrhal (inflammation of the mucous membranes)
Anti-infectious – Fights infection
Anti-inflammatory – Reduces pain and inflammation
Antiviral – Fights viral infections
Insecticidal – Kills insects
Expectorant – Relieves respiratory problems

What to do With Eucalyptus Oil
Rub on your chest and under your nose to ease congestion. The smell of the oil will loosen mucus and clear breathing passageways. Dilute some in a spray bottle with peppermint oil and mist onto your body to cool off. This is perfect for hot outdoor days and strenuous exercise. The oil will also help ease fevers and hot flashes. Massage oil directly onto chest, back and throat to ease coughs. 

Also, diffusing the oil or misting it into a room can help ease coughing.
Use for household cleaner. Because of its anti-fungal and bacteria fighting abilities, eucalyptus makes a powerful household cleaner. Combine with vinegar for a cleansing scrub.

Apply oil to the abdomen during a bout of the flu to ease diarrhea. Diffuse into the air to kill the flu bacteria. Use this oil for aromatherapy, to wake you up after a long night or when recovering from jet lag. Rub some oil into your hair to kill lice. Help fight muscle pain by rubbing oil onto sore areas. Great for before and after workouts. Rub the oil into clothing prior to washing to remove stains and give a boost to your load of laundry. 

Get rid of sticky things – great for removing wax, oil, stickers, etc. Rub under your arms as a natural deodorant. Mix with distilled water and spray as an air freshener. Ease the pain of bug bites by rubbing oil directly onto them. Mix oil with vinegar for bug spray, or flea and tick control for pets. Drop some on your carpets before vacuuming for a great smell all over the house.

Important Note: Never take eucalyptus oil orally.
Additional Note: Because eucalyptus oil can be irritating to the skin if applied at full strength, it is best to dilute it in a carrier oil such as sesame or olive. Try 15 – 30 drops of eucalyptus oil to 1/2-cup of carrier oil.

hibiscusflowershop.com


Sources:
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/eucalyptus

How to Grow an Indoor Orange Tree

Did you know you can grow oranges indoors? 

Dwarf orange trees are smaller varieties of traditional citrus trees that produce an amazing amount of fruit for their size. 

Dwarf orange trees are one of several varieties of indoor fruit trees that are specifically designed to grow in containers indoors. Some of the other popular types are Meyer lemon, lime, pomegranate, tangerine, and even pineapple! Within the orange family, several types are available, like navel, blood oranges and traditional juice oranges.

Pomegranate

More About Dwarf Orange Trees
With proper care, your tree should bear fruit within a year. These trees are very hardy. Even beginning gardeners have great success with indoor citrus trees.

Lime

At full maturity, a dwarf orange tree will reach about four feet in height. The oranges themselves will be similar to what you find in a grocery store in terms of size. Generally, they will be sweeter and juicier due to the smaller size of the tree, because the full energy of the growth system is devoted to producing fruit.


Even when the tree is not bearing fruit, it will make a wonderful addition to any room in your home. They have a pleasant, almost tropical scent. The leaves are a glossy green and white flowers will bloom as well. 

Care Tips
These trees are very hardy and easy to care for, but there are a few tips you'll need to know. First, place the container in an area that gets plenty of sunlight. This is key. To thrive, it will need about six hours of sun per day. A western or southern exposure works best, but any sunny area will do.

Next, water the tree when the soil is almost completely dry. You will find that in most cases you will need to water once per week. In the interim, mist it with tepid water from a spray bottle. Indoor citrus trees like humidity, and misting them not only provides more humidity for them, but it prevents nuisance pests, like fruit flies.

Finally, if possible, place your tree outdoors on a patio or balcony during the warm summer months and into the early fall. Bring it inside again when temperatures start to drop near 40 degrees at night. While it is not a requirement to place your tree outside, we find it helps growth and fruit production. Further, the tree will become naturally pollinated by bees and other insects.

Be sure to follow the simple care tips, like providing adequate sunlight, misting and weekly watering. 

For ordering information.

Contact gardens@hibiscusflowershop.com

World's Largest Wedding Bouquet

Let's see how many brides can hold this down the isle!!

It contains 400m of thick tree branches,
45m² moss,
150 potted plants,
36m yarn and
more than 10,000 cut flowers.

And... you can walk inside it. 

A Pretty cool wedding bouquet!!

How to make a multi-color rose

Follow these steps:

1. slit the bottom of the stem in four--you may want to use a light color rose for the best effect.

2. take 4 glasses of water and place food color dye into them--choose the color combination 

3. place the glasses tightly next to each other so each stem can be placed inside of the glass

4. remove once you see the flower fully colored

(time varies)

This is a fun project for teachers and their students. Or at home.

Try it and send us an email with comments and photos.

info@hibiscusflowershop.com  

You can also comment directly on our blog. 

The best rose will receive a gift certificate to our shop.

All about the Marigold

Marigolds, also known as Ganda, Holligold, Caltha, Marybud etc., belong to the sunflower family and are easy to grow, blossom reliably all spring, summer, fall and have few insect and disease problems. They have understandably been the favorite annual plant for many years. Marigolds enhance the look of gardens due to their bold and bright colors and resiliency. Marigolds are comprised of two broad genuses, namely Calendula and Tagetes. Pot Marigolds are included in Calendula where as French Marigolds and African Marigolds are included in Tagetes. 

Color of Marigolds The color of Marigold flowers ranges from yellow and gold to orange, red and mahogany. Several striped, bi-color and creamy white cultivars are available. Marigold leaves are finely cut and fern like. Signet marigolds leaves are much finer than those of other types. Foliage (plants) color is rich dark green and in many cases, is scented. They make a beautiful accent to wedding bouquets.


In African marigolds, the fragrance is not pleasant, but some other types are grown for their aromatic fragrance. Old English authors called this flower as Golds or Ruddes. It was, however, later associated with the Virgin Mary and in the seventeenth century with Queen Mary. Marigolds are used for color massing, edging, borders, cut flowers and container plantings. Most varieties bloom from early summer until hard coolness. Marigolds require full sun and grow best in well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. In order to plant marigolds, the flowerbeds should be prepared by mixing in pine bark or leaf mold to 6 to 10 inches deep. Most marigolds are hybrids.


African Marigolds

These marigolds have large, double flowers from midsummer to frost. Flowers may measure up to 5 inches across. African marigolds are excellent bedding plants. African marigolds are often called American marigolds.






French Marigolds

French marigolds are small, bushy plants with flowers up to 2 inches across. Flowers may be single or double, yellow, orange, mahogany-red or multi-colored. Plant height ranges from 6 to 18 inches. French marigolds bloom from spring until frost. They hold up better in rainy weather than the larger African marigolds.


Signet Marigolds

These are small and bushy flowers with lacy, lemon-scented coolness. Small, yellow, orange, or rust red single flowers cover the plants in summer. Many people who do not like other marigolds admire the delicacy of signets. The flowers of signet marigolds are edible. If blooms slow during midsummer, shear back the plants by one-third to encourage additional blossoms when cool weather returns.


Pot Marigold

Pot marigold is not a true marigold. This cool-season annual is grown for its bright yellow and orange flowers. It can be planted for early spring bloom near the coast or for spring or fall bloom in the rest of South Carolina. Pot marigolds are often grown as herbs.


Mule Marigolds

Mule marigolds are fusion of French marigolds, which are small in size and African marigolds that are rather large. These sterile hybrids generally grow between 12 to 18 inches in height.


Medicinal Uses of Marigolds Marigolds contain several medicinal properties and are widely used in Ayurveda and Homeopathy. Marigolds are considered as an age old remedy for curing headaches, swelling, tooth-aches and also prevent wounds from getting infected. In homeopathy, this flower is used in treating bruises and minor injuries. This flower is also used for healing warts, calluses and corn. Moreover it is also used in treatment of stomach and mouth ulcers, viral infections, skin disorders, eczema etc.


Marigolds are also used in aromatherapy and also as eyewash. Moreover, Marigolds are also used in cooking several dishes like soups etc. 

In India, Hindus use marigold for religious purposes also and devote the flower to gods and goddesses in worship. They are also used traditionally in Indian weddings. 

                                                 

Let's Talk SOD

Before

After

If you want the instant gratification of a green and lush lawn, knowing when to plant sod is critical to your success. The good news is that unlike grass seed, you have more options when to plant sod. 

In most regions of the country, sod can be planted at various times during the year. The exception is the most extreme conditions.

For example, in the upper midwest, you can't plant sod in the winter for obvious reasons (frozen ground and snow). 

You should also avoid the middle of summer as the heat of July and early August can burn the sod out.

In the deep south, the heat of the summer is the worst time to plant sod. But in some areas of the south, the winter months may be an ideal time to plant sod. You'll also want to avoid times when you know the weather will be too rainy. 

The rain will be great for the sod, but it might not allow you to prepare the soil properly. You'll have to till the soil thoroughly and get rid of any weeds or debris. This can be difficult in the mud. Ask when is the best time to plant because it can vary on the kind of sod you're installing.


Here in New York, it is ideal to plant sod in early fall and early spring. However, please be aware of the weather. It is not a good idea to plant in very hot heat. You generally don't need to worry too much about the first and last frosts, just remember that establishing a root structure in new soil is the most important factor in green, lush sod.

STEPS

1. Make sure the weather is ideal for the sod. Have your area prepared prior to ordering your sod. Pull any weeds and old grass that you do not want to mix with the new sod that will be installed. Sod should be installed and watered immediately after being delivered.


2. SOIL depth should be between 4"-6" with good drainage under the soil. Add some lime and starter fertilizer to the soil and rake in. Make sure to rake in the starter fertilizer and do not let sod just sit on top of starter fertilizer as it can damage the tender young roots. Remember, sod is cut grass so the root system needs to be re-established.
3. RAKE out the soil surface as smoothly as possible. Level the area where the sod will be installed. Light rolling of the soil surface will insure total root contact with the soil. Any root area not touching the soil will dry out and die.


4. DAMPEN the ground where the sod will be installed. Sod will root quicker to a cool, moist soil condition that to a hot, dry soil condition.


5. STAGGER the sod strips in lines. Be sure each strip touches the next, but does not overlap the next strip. Try not to leave gaps in between the strips. Gaps will allow air to get in between the strips and dry the edges out. Staggering layers helps the seams to fill in quicker.


6. WATER newly installed sod frequently! Sod should receive 1" of water daily. (You can measure this by putting a small can such as a tuna fish can where the water hits from the sprinkler. When there is an inch of water in the can, you know you have an inch on the lawn.) When the sod has rooted into the soil (usually 10-14 days) sod should receive at least 1" of water per week.
7. MOW your lawn as soon as it needs mowing. A suggested mowing height is between 2" - 2 1/2". DO NOT mow to short, it can cause the sod to brown.


8. FERTILIZE your lawn after sod has taken root in the soil (usually around 5 weeks after installation). Use a complete fertilizer-one containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. BE SURE FERTILIZER IS WATERED IN!! Follow instructions on the fertilizer bag - DO NOT RISK BURNING YOUR SOD WITH TOO MUCH FERTILIZER! A heavier application of fertilizer is suggested in late November. This will aid in root growth during the winter.

9. WEEDS and INSECTS can travel from nearby areas into your lawn. A preventative maintenance program will insure that your lawn will not fall prey to insects and weeds.
For more information on SOD or a FREE CONSULTATION; email us

info@hibiscusflowershop.com

August Birth Flower

The Sword Lily

The gladiolus aka Sword Lily is the birth month flower of August, bringing luck to all births in August. Symbolically this flower signifies remembrance, infatuation, and strength of character. Its name comes from Latin's "gladius" meaning "sword" for its sword shaped leaves. Thus the other name used--SWORD LILIES.

This flower has also represented the Roman gladiators who carried swords. In mythology, there are many tales told of gladioli springing from blood shed by a sword.

Grown between July and September, the gladiolus require full sunlight and are easy to grow like the rose. For this reason and because of its stunning beauty, these flowers are extremely popular in cultivation, hybridization and floral arrangements. A tall stalk of flowers branching come in a rainbow of colors--(yellow, orange, red, white, pink, purple, etc.) are the best way to describe the gladiolus. 

Gladiolas are versatile and can be used creatively. Some may associate them as the funeral flower. However, they are used in large wedding arrangements and event displays because of their elegance.

Some medicinal uses are to cure common colds, diarrhea, painful menstruation, and constipation.

hibiscusflowershop.com