Jude Wright asked:


Now that you have planted your flowers, foliage, or vegetables in their containers, you need to know how to care for them. Just like your outside garden, container gardens require nurturing to keep the plants productive and healthy.

One of the challenges of container gardening is the fact that a pot is an unnatural place for flowers and vegetables to grow. Soil dries out faster and roots can become cramped.

Also, the containers themselves are prone to drainage and decay problems. In addition, they need to be tended more often because they are so visible on your patio or deck. Plants that are not maintained properly can get pretty ugly.

On the plus side, many containers can be moved easily, allowing you to protect plants in poor weather and to move them into sun or shade as necessary.

Also, because they are well contained, managing the container plants is not an overwhelming task, nor does it require a great deal of time. If a plant should die, it’s a simple matter to replace it.

Here are a few things to think about when caring for your container garden:

Watering

Watering is one of the most important aspects of plant care. Without water, plants will not live produce flowers, vegetables or herbs. In an outside garden, plants can extend their roots to find the moisture they need when the soil next to them runs dry. This is not possible, however, in containers.

For this reason, any plant in a pot requires more regular watering than one planted in an outside garden the general rule for almost all plant varieties, whether inside or outside, is to keep the soil moist but not soggy during the growing season.

If your plant has wilted leaves or flowers, it is probably stressed from lack of water. A container with a dry plant will weigh less than anyone that is properly watered.

Fertilizing

When a container plant runs out of food, it has nowhere to go to replenish it. Even if you buy potting mixes that contain nutrients, the plant will use them up within a month or so. Some of it is taken up by the roots and some is lost through drainage.

The solution is to mix in some fertilizer twice a month with your watering, or to periodically add compost as a top dressing. The nutrient most necessary to plants is nitrogen. it helps the development of leaves and its growth.

Nitrogen deficiency shows itself by turning the leaves a pale shade of green or yellow. Too much nitrogen can delay a plant’s bloom or crop.

The other nutrients that plants need are potassium, for hardiness and color, and phosphorus, for root formation. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are available in complete fertilizer form or as separate ingredients that you can mix yourself.

When you apply fertilizer, make sure that the soil is moist by watering beforehand. This will help to prevent chemical burns.

Pruning

Most plants will require some pruning, especially those grown in containers. Some people may be afraid to prune their plants for fear of killing them. However, if a mistake is made in pruning, it will not usually kill the plant.

Pruning includes the removal of dead or dying stems or branches so that the strongest can survive. Sometimes, trimming also means clipping flowers, normally only toward the end of their bloom. This is called deadheading.

Controlling Pests

Pests are just as apt to visit container gardens as an outside garden. It is fortunate that pests are easier to control on plants that are planted in pots.

The key to pest control starts with the plans that you select and the soil that you use. Some plants have a natural resistance to pests.

Do not use soil that has been used before unless it has been sterilized. Better yet, purchase new soil for new plantings.

Inspect plants periodically to check for bugs and larvae. Sometimes all you need to do is pick them off your plant leaves. Other times, they will require chemical or natural insecticides.

Diseases

Usually by the time you know that a plant is diseased, too much damage has been done to it to save it. These plants should be quarantined or removed. Signs of disease include rust colored leaves or spots on the plants.

Container gardens are less likely to become diseased than those plants that are planted in a regular garden. And, if they should become diseased, it is easier to isolate them from the rest of the garden.

Caring for your container garden is not a difficult task if you use common sense. The main thing to remember is that container gardens will dry out much faster than a regular garden. That is the most common reason that plants do not grow or produce as expected.

Julie Williams asked:


Organic gardeners always prefer to use methods that have the least negative effect on the environment. By growing strong healthy plants we eliminate the threat of having large scale pest invasions. But when some pest populations do build up in our garden we should be asking “how can I encourage more predators?”, rather than “what should I do about all these pests?”

For every pest you have in excess there is at least one, and probably many predators that would happily relieve you of the excess. Sometimes is takes predator populations a little longer to build than it does the pest it feasts on, so give it a little time before pulling out the big guns – insecticides.

Remember that ‘organic’ does not mean less poisonous and that most sprays are indiscriminate. Bearing that in mind, here are some organic ways to deal with a few persistant bug problems.

Bug Juice – A very effective insecticide. Collect an assortment of pests – grasshoppers are excellent – from wherever you are having pest problems in your garden. Liquefy them in a blender with the addition of about a third of the volume of bugs. Strain and dilute to about 5ml of bug juice per 1litre of water. Spray on affected plants.

Snails and Slugs. Fortunately there are a few easy ways to deal with these ravenous creatures as they can devour your tender seedlings overnight. Ducks are great snail and slug hunters and will delight wandering around the garden in search and destroy mode. The only minor damage you can expect is from their heavy feed, but they’ll generally not eat your greens as chooks would. Of course you can collect the snails and slugs and throw them to your chooks if you keep them – they’ll be delighted! The best time for collection is dawn and dusk when it is moist. You can also make this job easier by having cardboard or similar on the ground where they will gather.

If you don’t have chooks or ducks another method is similar to the bug juice above. You need to gather some snails and/or slugs into a container with some sugar and water. Allow it to ferment for a few days then place in the blender. You can dilute it with water if you don’t have much ‘juice’ and sprinkle it around problem areas.

Another method is to make a coffee spray. This works by spraying it thoroughly on and around the seedlings you want to protect. When the snails or slugs cross areas that have been sprayed they absorb the caffeine and die. Dilute one part strong espresso coffee to 10 parts hot water. When it’s cool, pour into a spray bottle and spray on plants that you want to protect and the immediate area around them.

Then there’s the time honoured traditional snail catcher – yes, the beer in the jar trap. Partly fill a jar with beer (stale of course, you don’t want to waste the good stuff) and lay it on its side where they are most active. They are attracted to the beer, get drunk and die. What a way to go! An alternative to this is vegemite dissolved in water. They are attracted to the yeast.

Mealy bugs look like white, fluffy slaters. They are sap-sucking insects that cause leaves to wilt and go yellow. You may find them feasting away on your fruiting plants and ornamentals such as palms, ferns, orchids and succulents.

They prefer the sheltered conditions of a glass house or indoors. Mealy bugs exude a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew which can lead to sooty mould fungus and ants (ants feed on the honeydew).

The best way to deal with them is to prune off the most damaged parts of the plant and then kill any remaining bugs by dabbing them with a cottonwool ball dipped in methylated spirits. This will dissolve their waxy protective coating, they will dehydrate and die.

Scale are sucking insects that feed on plant sap. They form in thick clusters on the leaves and soft growth of many garden plants. They also produce honeydew as a waste by-product of their feeding. Heavy infestations can cause stunted growth and wilting.

If you only have a small infestation you can scrape them off your plant with your fingernail or a toothbrush. Larger numbers can be sprayed with a solution of homemade oil spray. You can also use the oil spray to eliminate citrus leaf-miner and red spider mite. When you coat them thoroughly, the pests are suffocated by the oil.

Home-made oil spray.

1. Add 500ml of vegetable oil to 250ml of pure liquid soap to a bowl.

2. Mix together in a blender and then store in a jar.

3. Dilute 1tablespoon in 1litre of water. Spray, making sure you get under all the leaves.

Have kitchen utensils and a blender that are dedicated specifically for the purpose of spray preparation.

Use all sprays with extreme caution and do not eat from any plant that has been sprayed for at least two weeks.

chad kimball asked:


In 1912 a small box of Iris bulbs was shipped to the United States from Japan. It found its way quietly across the ocean and was delivered to an unsuspecting home gardener somewhere in New Jersey. Unknown to the shipping company, the postal worker, and the gardner, this small box of iris bulbs also contained a tiny beetle which would eventually cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to plants throughout the United States.

By the 1970s, infestations of this beetle were reported in 22 States, mostly east of the Mississippi. These beetle infestations continue to spread southward and westward, leaving massive damage in their wake.

This notorious pest is called the Japanese Beetle. Today, these beetles destroy more lawns than any other pest, costing more than $460 per year. They also destroy trees, shrubs, and many kinds of plants.

The Japanese Beetle is around 1/2 inch long with a green, metallic body, bronze wings, white hair along the sides of the body. The females burrow 3 inches into your grass and lay 40-60 eggs during early summer. A couple months later the eggs hatch into grubs, which feed on the roots of your lawn and garden plants until fall, when they lay dormant until the next spring.

These grubs continue feeding on the roots of your plants for a month or so, and finally emerge as adult beetles, ready to lay eggs again. This beetle has few natural enemies in North America, which has allowed the beetle population to grow largely unchecked.

Is Japanese Beetle Control Possible?

The simple answer is answer is yes, Japanese Beetle control is possible! But unfortunately, it usually requires a combination of tactics, including traps, introducing natural enemies of the beetle to your yard, and other methods. The reason why it is so important to use a well chosen combination of Japanese Beetle control methods is that simply applying pesticides and other chemicals can at times be counterproductive, costly, and environmentally damaging.

Here are a few Japanese Beetle control methods:

-Chemical pesticides, applied to both adults and larvea. Please be aware of the risks to your family and pets before choosing the pesticide to use.

-Traps

-Chemical insecticides. Again, be aware of the risks. It is probably best to consult a professional before choosing this method of Japanese Beetle control.

-Biological methods. This usually involves introducing natural enemies of the Japanese Beetle to your lawn, including microscopic parasites that feed on Japanese Beetle larvae, natural bacteria such as milkey spore, and larger parasites that feed on adult Japanese Beetles.

-Planting Japanese Beetle-resistant plants.

The development of your plan will require research, an inventory of all the plants in your garden and lawn which are suceptible to the Japanese Beetle, and an understanding of the methods being used by others in your area for Japanese Beetle control. You may be able to join with others in the community to develop a community wide approach to Japanese Beetle control. This is important because the beetles can fly quite far and may travel up to a mile before they settle in your lawn.

Robert Johnson asked:


Nature provides us with beautiful lawns to enjoy and appreciate, and we have a responsibility to care for them. The irony is that some of the traditional lawn care products that were designed to enhance our lawns, are actually killing them.

The U.S. National Wildlife Federation reports that where pesticide is used, 60 to 90 percent of earthworms are killed. Earthworms are vital for healthy soil, and act as very good indicators that the soil in your lawn is healthy enough to support the growth of vibrant green grass. While the use of pesticides is intended to protect your lawn from pests, these chemical treatments are actually killing earthworms and creating a serious environmental disruption.

Practicing natural lawn care will reduce the tendency to be dependant on chemical fertilizers and pest controls. Organic lawn care creates a healthy lawn that is naturally resistant to disease, insects and weeds. Follow these natural lawn care basics to create a beautiful, earthworm-friendly lawn:

Soil Improvement

Natural lawn care begins and ends with healthy soil. Start your natural lawn care regime by testing the pH level of the soil. The ideal pH level for lawn soil is between 6.5 and 7.0, giving it a slightly more acidic property than regular loam soil. If your lawn soil is not acidic enough, add some sulfur into the soil. If it is too acidic, sprinkle lime liquid over your lawn. These materials are available at many garden centers.

Soil testing is a simple process that you can do independently as part of your natural lawn care regime, with pH tester packs readily available at $40 – $60. If you prefer, lawn care professionals are also available to test the soil for you.

Grass Varieties

Understanding grass varieties and their growth cycle is an important part of your natural lawn care plan. You should be aware that grasses vary in the type of climate they prefer. They may also differ according to the amount of water and nutrients they require, sun preference, shade tolerance, and the degree of traffic they can stand. If you do not know which variety of grass is best for your lawn, ask your local garden center to recommend the type best adapted to your area.

Mowing

Don’t give your lawn a crew cut. If you mow too short, the surface roots may become exposed, allowing the soil to dry out faster and reducing surface aeration. As a general natural lawn care rule of thumb, do not cut off more than one-third of the grass height at any one time. You may have to mow more often, but it’s worth it when you discover that your lawn thrives with more frequent mowing at just the right height. Most turf grass species are healthiest when kept between 2.5 and 3.5 inches tall.

Watering

Thorough watering encourages the development of deep root systems, making the lawn tougher and more drought-resistant. However, it’s important to let your lawn dry out before re-watering. As a general natural lawn care rule, when the grass colour looks dull and footprints stay compressed for more than a few seconds, its time to water.

For a truly beautiful and healthy green space, remember to “keep it green”. Forget the chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and opt for easy and inexpensive natural lawn care treatments instead. You’ll have a beautiful lawn, naturally.

Katie Collins asked:


Whether you are an ordinary gardener, or an organic gardener which doesn’t use of any sort of chemical additive for fertilization or pest control, a quality compost becomes one of the most important factors in determining the ultimate success of your garden. Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments. With a good quality compost there is no need to use any sort of commercial fertilizer, and one of the best features of compost is that it can literally be made without spending a dime.

What Exactly Is Compost

Compost is the remnants of any organic material that has been aerobically decomposed. Compost is often also called humus. In earth science “humus” is defined as any organic matter which has reached a point of stability, where it will break down no further and can remain essentially as it is for centuries, or even millennia. So both words, for practical gardening purposes, basically mean the same thing; the end product of decomposed organic matter. It is also important to note that this decomposition is a result of a aerobic process as opposed to an anaerobic process. For example, vegetables placed in an airtight plastic bag will still decompose but will do so in an anaerobic manner since there is limited oxygen available. Anaerobic decomposition is what produces the foul odor that most of us are quite aware of.

The Compost Decomposition Process

The decomposition of organic matter is actually a process of repeated digestions as organic matter repeatedly passes through the intestinal tracts of soil animals or is attacked by the digestive enzymes secreted by microorganisms. Compost is the end product of this complex feeding pattern involving hundreds of different microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, worms, and insects. In reality composting simply replicates nature’s natural system of breaking down materials on the forest floor. But fortunately for us, the organic gardener, this process results in a product that significantly improves soil fertility and helps keep the soil in a healthy balanced condition where nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally.

Compost Ingredients

Although almost any organic material can be used for compost pile, caution should be used when backyard composting as most backyard systems will not reach high enough temperatures to kill pathogens or deter vermin. So generally pet feces, non vegetarian animal manure, meat scraps, and dairy products should not be used unless you can be sure that an adequate temperatures will be reached.

To ensure proper composting your compost pile needs the right mixture of carbon rich “brown matter” and nitrogen rich “green matter”. Brown matter can consist of such items as dried leaves, straw, sawdust, wood chips, and even non-inked paper and cardboard. Green matter can include green plant material such as grass clippings, fresh cut hay, weeds, animal manures, fruit and vegetable table scraps, seaweed’s, and coffee grounds.

The Composting Process

This speed by which the composting process will occur will depend to a large extent on amount of effort you desire to put into creating the compost. Passive composting obviously takes the least amount of effort on your part. You simply mix the materials together in a freestanding pile and allow them to sit and rot on their own. This process may take a year or two but eventually you’ll have compost.

However, by actively managing your compost pile, you can often get finished compost in as little as one month. You can actively decrease the amount of time it takes to create compost if you’re willing to take the time to chop up your materials since shredded organic materials can heat up more rapidly and decompose quickly.

Heat is an important factor in effective composting. Hot composting allows aerobic bacteria to thrive. The ideal condition is for pasteurization to occur in a hot compost. Pasteurization will occur when the temperature reaches 55° Celsius (131°F) or more for three or more days. This will kill most pathogens and seeds. Pasteurized compost is valuable to the home gardener since the pasteurization process is otherwise both expensive and complicated, and adding chemicals to produce pasteurization is not an acceptable alternative for organic gardening.

Compost Tumblers

For many gardeners, space is often an issue, and even you have adequate space in your backyard you may not want to have a large unsightly compost heap. Compost tumblers offer a reasonable and effective alternative to the compost pile. And while the claims of some compost tumblers to produce compost in as little as 13 days may be slightly exaggerated, they do offer several benefits over the standard compost heap and they actually can accelerate the decomposition process because of their convenience.

There are a number of benefits of compost tumblers. First, they are generally easy to use and come in a number of sizes and styles that make the turning of your compost piles much easier. Second, because they are fully enclosed they are pest proof from such common pests as squirrels, raccoons, rats and dogs. Also, because tumblers are in a closed environment it’s much easier to retain moisture so your compost doesn’t dry out. Also in wet weather it won’t get too soggy. The enclosed environment also keeps unpleasant orders inside the compost tumbler (however if you’re keeping your compost properly aerated by proper turning there should not be any unpleasant odors).

Whether you garden by more modern means, or are a strict organic gardener, one thing is certain; healthy plants come from a healthy and nutritious soil. By making your own compost (a.k.a. gardeners black gold), not only are you being environmentally friendly and very economical, you’re producing your own natural black gold for your vegetables, herbs and flowers and providing healthy, safe, and great tasting food for your loved ones.