flora14

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Watering House Plants - The amount of water a plant need depends on temperature, humidity and the size of the plant in relation to soil and light. A plant in a warm, well-lit position may use twice as much water as one in cool shade. If a plant is making new growth, its water de... more

Seed Sowing and Germination - The actual sowing is governed by the same rules as for outdoor sowing. Scatter flat seeds - such as those of lilies, hippeastrum, and grevilleas-thinly and evenly over the soil or other medium, and press each seed gently on one side with a pencil or point... more

Repotting Bonsai - Since a bonsai remains in a container for life, soil becomes a very important matter; the potted tree cannot extend its roots and find moisture or food like a tree grown in the ground. The roots do continue to grow, but they eventually become potbound and... more

Pruning Established Roses - Remove any diseased or dead wood. Old wood left for several years tends to become infected with diseases and insect pests. The bark of winter-damaged wood generally is brown or discoloured and must be cut back to healthy wood, which has a white or greenis... more

Propagating Cactus by Cuttings - The best time to take cuttings is early spring. Once the cutting has rooted pot up in the usual way. Another way to obtain offsets is to temporarily deform a plant by beheading it. This forces the plant to produce offsets around the edge of the cutting.... more

Repairing and Old Rose Bed - If a gap is to be filled, first remove the soil for each new bush to at least 12 in. deep and 18 in. across and exchange it for soil from another part of the garden where roses have not been grown. (In the case of well-established climbers and ramblers ma... more

Types of Roses - Roses come in so many types, plant sizes and forms that an entire landscape planting could be made from them alone. The best way to judge roses is to see them growing. Many public gardens_ botanical gardens and parks make a feature of rose collections. In... more

Soil Substitutes for Sowing Seed - Substitutes for soil are often used for indoor seed sowing. Most popular of these are vermiculite, perlite and milled (pulverized and sifted) sphagnum moss. The latter is especially advantageous when sowing seeds of plants such as snapdragons, which are s... more