General Types of Plant Fertilizer For Garden and Farm Use

Plant fertilizer has been around for ages. Fertilizers are often needed in boosting the quality of the soil so that plants can grow healthier, produce more fruits, and remain in best of health regardless of the outdoor elements that may come and go. Most farmers and even gardeners make use of fertilizers especially when their soil has been through planting and harvesting already since they need added nutrients to help the seeds or plants to grow bigger and stronger. Fortunately, there are lots of gardening stores out there that do sell various plant fertilizer nowadays. However, it is best that you double-check the type of fertilizer you use since each type caters a specific plant, condition or season.

There are basically five types of plant fertilizers that are being sold nowadays. These types are used in different cases that is why if you are planning on raising crops or tending your garden you should know each by heart. Moving on to the types, the first one is inorganic plant fertilizer which is often used in times when plants or crops are badly out of shape. This type of fertilizer produces ammonia quickly that help bolster the nutrients that plants need to stay in good shape.

Liquid fertilizer is the second type of plant fertilizer that is being sold nowadays. If you want your plants to absorb up all the nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong then this is the best one to use since the liquid penetrates the soil quicker so that the roots can absorb it faster. However, the use of this fertilizer is only for short-term basis and you might require re-fertilizing in just a few months and are not cost-efficient when land area is vast.

The third type of plant fertilizer available nowadays is the plant specific fertilizer. As the name suggests, this type of fertilizer is only for specific plants since over-fertilizing can be quite destructive. If you want a particular type of plant in your garden or farm to grow better or quicker, then you might want to look at this one to help you meet your needs. You can get your hands on this fertilizer easily enough since most gardening shops do have dozens at the ready and at prices that are just right for your budget.

Time release fertilizer is the fourth type and is one of the most commonly used nowadays. This fertilizer slowly releases its nutrients over a period of 2 to 6 months so you won't have to re-fertilize every once in a while. When water and moisture are present, the release of the nutrients is faster. Although this is one type of plant fertilizer that is commonly used, its price is somewhat steep but is well worth investing on.

And last but not the least is the fertilizer with pesticide. This one is fit for farms or gardens that have to deal with pests all the time. This combination of both plant fertilizer and pesticide is one that is worth using if you want to save your crops or plants from being destroyed by those pesky little critters that roam your garden. However, you might want to make sure that the amount of fertilizer and pesticide is balanced so you won't kill your crops either

How Creating a Microclimate Will Help You Grow Any Type of Plant

There are many areas where you can plant seeds, keep them watered and after a short while you will have a lovely plant in your garden. However if you live in certain midwest states there will be a limited selection of plants you can grow naturally. This can pose a problem for someone who wants to grow different plants in an environment which may not be suitable.

Fertilizers can help your plants grow where they wouldn't normally, but this involves using a bunch of chemicals in your garden. While this method can be successful not everyone wants to grow a garden in this unnatural way. Edible foods also might be a problem as exposing food you want to eat to so many chemicals isn't really a good idea.

Creating microclimates is a good alternative if you are looking to diversify your garden. You would create a microclimate for each plant by controlling the sunlight, shade, and moisture as well as wind each plant is exposed to. Of course this is not an easy task at all.You can however create a situation that's ideal to all the plants you are trying to grow. Things you can try include using a shading umbrella, more water on some plants, a variety of compost and something to block out the wind.

Start your microclimate by planning out exactly what it is you want to do. Get a plant or a bush that grows fast and will grow large enough to provide shade as well. You can use this tree to facilitate the growing of another plant that is more to your liking. A fence can also be used to provide shade for you as well.

Use the shade from the fence or from the tree along with a screen to cover a larger area and plant your seeds next to it. The fence can also be good against strong winds if your are growing a plant that is more fragile. This shade that your create will act as the environment for your new plant to grow in. The process takes time so make sure you plan your garden correctly.

For your next plant, if it desires more moisture when it's planted a miniature pond will serve your well. The pond can also provide protection against evaporation and make sure your area stays hydrated. This can also be done with the use of a fountain as well. Try to choose a fountain or pond that will add to the overall beauty of your garden.

There are many more things you can try when you go to set up your microclimate. It really just depends on where you live and what you are trying to grow. You can pretty much grow any type of plant if you use your creativity when your start designing your garden. Make sure you also research what types of plants thrive in what area as this will save a lot of headaches for you in the future and you won't be disappointed if a certain plant just can't grow.

The Types Of Plants That Grow Well In An Aquaponics System

People have been farming in the soil in basically the same way for thousands of years. Equipment and technology may change but the basic concept has stayed the same. There is a growing trend of farmers who have decided to leave behind this outdated method of growing food.

Many have moved on to hydroponics, which has great potential. And now aquaponics has become the new frontier in farming that appears to be showing the greatest potential. Aquaponics is a way to get all the benefits of hydroponics and grow plants in a 100% organic way. It eliminates the chemical and sterile growing techniques that are so common with hydroponics.

Aquaponics is not only a revolutionary way to grow plants, it may be the future of fish farming too, which is a key component to this system. It allows fish farming and the growing of plants to take place within the same system and provides both of them with the ability to get the most out of the same resources. It is a system where the positives of both systems are multiplied and negatives of each are cancelled out by each other.

Many plants do well with this type of system, including ornamental plants, aquatic plants, vegetables and I have even seen work being done with growing fruit trees in an aquaponic system. Most of the common garden vegetables do well with aquaponics, except for a lot of the root vegetables like potatoes, onions, garlic, etc, At least not in floating raft systems. In order to grow these you may need a medium like sand. Growing root crops with aquaponics is possible but they can be tricky in this kind of system.

Common fruit bearing vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, squash, peppers, melons, strawberries and even corn if supported will grow beautifully. Leafy greens like lettuce, cabbage and herbs like basil grow amazingly well. Common legumes like beans and peas also do quite well. Viney plants like pole beans and cucumbers are great because they can be rooted in the grow bed, and the rest of the plant can grow off in some direction and take advantage of space and light away from the grow bed.

If there is a type of plant that you question whether it will grow well in an aquaponics system, sometimes the best way to know, and also the most fun, is to plant some and give it a try. Seeds are usually relatively cheap to buy and easy to germinate, so give it a try.

Facts on Plants - What Types of Plants Grow Well in the Shade?

Hostas, Ligularia, just two plants that grow well in full shade. Dark garden areas may benefit from the spark of color provided by shade-tolerant plants. A collection of beautiful ornamental plants and trees will solve the problem posted by unusually secret locations. The cypress trees will always adapt to secluded areas and will encourage other shrubs and trees remarkably well.

Secluded locations may appoint an official get-away point in a garden. A combination of shade-loving plants like, Hostas, Cypres low growing trees, Weeping Cherry trees, along with a seasonal variation of flowering small plants to use in pots, like Begonias, Hydrangeas, potato vines, will compliment a garden during hot summer days and nights. When including a rock garden to a shaded area, consider plants like Sedums which will adapt well to shaded areas and grow nicely between rocks and on stepping stones. Fruit trees are also an excellent addition to a shade loving-location. Ferns, Daisies, and a collection of bulbs will bring about color to the design of the shaded garden.

Because of the reclusive nature of a shaded-location the water will be sufficient to cultivate the plants around the area. Grass is always an excellent addition as well, but a lot of irrigation most be applied to keep it. Instead, rock gardens, patio surroundings or sand garden areas along side with a shaded garden will make a small, new habitat for wild life creatures. There are no strict rules when planning and planting a garden. Special consideration to the value of rare and exotic plants, is a matter of consideration when deciding on the types of plants to buy.

Ideally spreading the plants and potted plants in a colorful variety of shapes colors and forms is easy to apply. The addition of extra ornaments like statues and furniture is also indispensable during design. Adding a grill for cooking may also cause further allure to a shaded garden, in which case edible plants and shrubs may be of use. When planning a large garden, on a budget, plant seeds may help in reducing the cost and will reach a large alignment with remarkably little effort. Perennials and annuals, there all can be found in bulk at any garden shop or flower farm. Over time over grown or reproduced plants can be thinned out or transplanted to other locations. A shaded garden can be accentuated with small sun breaks, to give a bit of warm to the soundings.

Four Types of Tea

How many times you go to order a cup of tea then you are asked which one you would like? Then to find out there are hundred of different types available from black, green, herbal and fruit. I will try explaining to you about these different ones available today.Basically you can find four types of tea in the market, which is Black, Green, White and Oolong tea. All theses four tea groups are made from the leaves of tea plant also known as the Camellia Sinensis. Other herbal teas such as ginger tea, chamomile or even red teas are made form the rooibos leaves. Therefore are not made from the tea plant so they do not count.The difference between the four different types of teas is the way they are made or the process. Also the different teas have unique flavour and aroma and come with different health benefits too.

Green

This tea has become a very popular in China, Korea and Japan for many years. With the recent revelations of the health benefits in lowering cholesterol, increasing metabolic rate and preventing cancer it has started to become popular in the western world too. The tea is prepared by fermenting the leaves after oxidant and drying the leaves. Green tea is served simple and plain with no added milk or sugar. The water added to the green tea leaves should not be boiled.

Black

This is the tea of the west and is a strong flavoured tea. The tea can be served with a lemon or sugar with milk. Black tea is made from oxidized Camellia leaves and when you serve it plain it has no fats, carbohydrates or calories what is great for the healthy people. The caffeine content is lower than coffee but black tea is the highest among types.

Oolong

This is the traditional Chinese tea which you find though out the world served with most Chinese food. The word Oolong tea means black dragon and got its name from the long leaves that when brewed looks like dragons. The unique taste and aroma comes from the process of the tea plant which will include sun drying, oxidization, cooling and finally the drying process. This will finally make for a light strength when compared to a black variety.

White

White is a rarer and much more expensive tea than the others above. This tea came from Fujian in China and is made of the young leaves of the tea plant. The leaves are frying or streaming before fermenting and then drying. The name comes from the fact that the leaves are harvested from the leaves when the buds have white hair, hence white tea. This type has the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amounts of antioxidants.

How Are the Thousands of Tomato Types Classified?

There are literally thousands of different tomato types out there and anyone who is new to the hobby of tomato gardening is sure to be confused as to what all of these classifications mean, and more importantly, which variety of tomato should they be planting? Fortunately, only a basic knowledge of the way tomatoes are classified is required to make an educated decision on a particular species that is right for you.

Determinate vs. Indeterminate

The first basic way tomato types are broken down is by the manner in which the plant grows. Determinate tomato plants are those that grow only to a specific height, and no higher. They are also known as bush tomato plants due to their appearance. Determinate tomato plants produce their crop of fruit during a short period of time, and then cease to produce any more tomatoes for the rest of the season. A good characteristic of these plants is that since they don't continue to grow to taller heights, they don't need to be supported by staking or caging. You can also get by skipping the pruning ritual too. Overall, the determinate tomato plant requires less maintenance by the gardener.

The indeterminate tomato plant, on the other hand, will continue to grow wildly and need to be supported by stakes or cages. One of the things many people prefer about the indeterminate is that it produces tomatoes all-season long. When you pick ripened tomatoes from this plant, you can be sure that it will continue to give you nice, delicious tomatoes throughout the rest of the growing season. These plants also commonly require more care and should be regularly pruned.

Heirloom vs. Hybrid

The next breakdown in tomato types is heirloom and hybrid. Everyone has surely heard of heirloom tomatoes, but most people don't know what it really means. To put it simply, it is a tomato variety that has been grown continually for 50 or more years, and has not been cross-pollinated or mixed with any other tomato species. The seeds are saved from the tomatoes and planted season after season to preserve the tomato's desirable properties. They are known to be the tastiest tomatoes around, and every tomato gardener longs to have a garden full of delicious heirlooms. Unfortunately, heirloom tomatoes are more susceptible to problems, such as fungal diseases and insect infestations. They usually don't produce as bountiful of a crop as hybrids do either.

That brings us to the alternative to the heirloom, which is known as a hybrid tomato. These tomatoes have been "engineered" to contain many of the best qualities of several different species of tomato by cross-breeding them together. They have been bred this way to be more disease resistant, less vulnerable to pests such as nematodes, and to produce a more reliable crop of the fruit. Hybrids were first designed by commercial growers, and are most likely to be the type you buy in the grocery store. I don't' have to tell you what you already know, store-bought tomatoes don't taste near as good as a home-grown heirloom. That's the negative of hybrids, but there are quite a few that have been developed that are quite flavorful, and you can try planting several to see which ones you like the best.

There are lots of factors that may influence which tomato types you ultimately decide to plant. Things to consider are your experience in gardening, how much time you have to tend to your tomatoes, and your priorities in the fruit that is grown. Some people want tomatoes all summer long for sandwiches and salads, and some like to jar all of their tomatoes for sauces and winter consumption. You should consider these and many other priorities when deciding on a type of tomato, but nobody says you can't plant 4 or 5 different types and enjoy them all!

Types of Orchids - It is About Orchid Plants, Not the Flowers

When discussing orchids the most basic distinction to be made is about the types of orchids. Most amateur orchid growers often say orchid types but they are actually referring to the orchid species.

Types of orchids is a reference to the most basic orchids' categorization and it does not refer to the many thousands different flowers. A different orchid flower is produced by a different orchid specie.

The categorization of orchid plants begins with distinguishing between the different types of orchid plants. Many beginner orchids lovers will be very surprised to find out that there are only two basic types of orchids; terrestrial and epiphytes, or aerial.

Occasionally we can run into one of the few exceptions to the rule and find an orchid which is both.

The terrestrial type of orchids grows similarly to any other garden plant by spreading its roots underground. Now, we should specify though that the 'ground' in most cases is not really ground, or at least not what we use in our gardens as plants soil.

This type of orchids are called terrestrial because they grow at 'ground level' but the composition of the soil they like to grow in is very different from what we usually call soil.

In their natural environment terrestrial orchids choose to grow at ground level in a tropical forest environment in a 'soil' which contains a very low percentage of minerals and mostly organic matters as dead wood, barks, decomposing leaves, insects, animals and a set of very active fungi.

So, basically the terrestrial type of orchids grows in natural occurring tropical forest compost... not in the ground. Keep that in mind when preparing the medium for this type of orchids.

As an example, the most popular of the terrestrial orchids' type are the several Cymbidiums species. Among them you can find all typical differences usually found among orchid plants. Some grow in low lights and need less water. Others need more light and more water.

In general though, the terrestrial orchids' type thrives in shadier settings compared to the aerial orchids' type.

The second of the two types of orchids, the aerial, are epiphytes. Scientifically speaking the term epiphytes is not specific of orchids. It is a general botanical term used to signify that the plant roots grow above ground.

Epiphytes orchids were originally though to be a sort of tree parasites which would take the necessary nutrients from the trees they like to grow on. It turns out though that they are actually very nice to the trees and don't take any of the tree nutrients.

Their roots slightly cling to the tree bark, just enough to falling or flying away in the wind. The aerial orchid plant roots store water either by absorbing humidity directly from the air or sucking up rain water.

Rain water also provides this type of orchids the nutrients by carrying minerals and organic material as it runs down the tree bark. Small insects, dirt and other debris get stuck between the roots and as they decompose they are absorbed and feed the plant.

That is exactly why when fertilizing our orchids we mix the minerals with the water and let the water run through medium and roots. We are basically trying to reproduce the way this type of orchids sustain themselves in their natural habitat.

As you become more experienced, just by paying attention to the color of the root you will be able to know when it is time to water your orchids. A healthy root system will be green when storing water, it will gradually become a lighter green as it dries up and eventually turn white, or almost white, when dry and in need of more water.

When you start caring for orchids though I suggest you use a moist meter to decide when it is time to water your plants. Moist meters are fairly inexpensive and they give you accurate readings on the amount of humidity within the orchid's medium.

That is my suggestion because different species in different locations will retain humidity differently, therefore needing watering at slightly different intervals.

As a rule of thumb the two types of orchids differ from each other by the amount of light they need. The terrestrial kind needs less light than the aerial type of orchids and the amount of light they receive determines how quickly the root system will dry up.

Different Types Of Planting Seeds To Plant In Spring Time

If you're thinking of planting flower seeds, you better get your gear ready and wait for spring to come. What makes the spring perfect for sowing new flower seeds are the spring rain and the mild temperatures of the season. For most cases, flower seeds can be planted when frost is no longer a threat. Particularly, annual flower seeds depend on warm weather and spring rain for it to withhold and blossom. When the flowers are not exposed to the rain due to warm weather, do make sure to generously water the flower seeds. When the condition of the soil is too dry, adding a potting soil or peat moss mixture would be helpful in ensuring the flower seeds develop and blossom into nice flowers.

You can consider planting flower seeds in other season of the year but the best outcome that you can get would always be when you start planting in the spring. The rain and the mild weather will allow the flower seeds to easily sprout. When the ground has finally softened and shows no symptoms of frosting again, you can ready the flower seeds for the garden. The best thing about planting in spring is you don't have to wait for the dormant period to settle and this would means a longer life span for your dear flowers. If you are living in dry areas, take extra care of your flowers and remember to water them regularly so they would have enough supplies to live. If the dry condition persists, you might want to add fertilizer, peat moss and mulch as well.

Though annual flower requires mild weather to grow, the more hardy annual flowers and those who have can actually withstand frosty ground can be planted at the very beginning of the spring season. Starting annual flower seeds indoors in the late winter or early spring and later transplanting them outdoors once the weather permits is a rather good choice for those who couldn't wait to see their flowers bloom. It also will lower the gardening budget as one would not have to purchase the expensive plants or seedlings from a nursery.

As we move on towards the middle of spring, where the weather is lovelier and the frost is long gone, regular annual seeds that require warm temperature can be planted. For hardy annuals you can plant them in the early spring as they have a strong resistance towards cold spring frost. While you plant your hardy annuals, you can simultaneously plant your regular annual flower indoors and later transplant them outdoor when the weather settles. Once you have the regular and hardy annual flowers in your garden, you can see the result of having the prettiest garden as your flower would bloom continuously throughout the season. Besides annual, a lot of other varieties of flower seeds also can be planted in the season of spring as well.

During the early spring, when the temperatures are still teasingly cold, perennial flowers can be planted naturally in the soil. This is because most of the varieties of perennial flowers need a little bit of cold weather to germinate before they began sprouting. This is also to ensure that they would have matured nicely and can withstand the cold and harsh condition when winter arrives. Not only that, growing perennial early in the spring would also guarantee that you would have a blooming garden with flowers earlier than any type flowers. Although not very suitable to plant in warm climate countries, those who simply insist of having them needs to keep them refrigerated before planting to give them time to germinate. Even if one is staying in a cold weather country, and had bought the seeds a little bit too late in the spring they still have to conduct the same practice of refrigerating these flowers. The beauty of perennial however is their life span as they can easily last for three years or more. Their life span would be longer if one takes good care of the seeds and nourish them appropriately.

During the early spring, when the temperatures are still teasingly cold, perennial flowers can be planted naturally in the soil. This is because most of the varieties of perennial flowers need a little bit of cold weather to germinate before they began sprouting. This is also to ensure that they would have matured nicely and can withstand the cold and harsh condition when winter arrives. Not only that, growing perennial early in the spring would also guarantee that you would have a blooming garden with flowers earlier than any type flowers. Although not very suitable to plant in warm climate countries, those who simply insist of having them needs to keep them refrigerated before planting to give them time to germinate. Even if one is staying in a cold weather country, and had bought the seeds a little bit too late in the spring they still have to conduct the same practice of refrigerating these flowers. The beauty of perennial however is their life span as they can easily last for three years or more. Their life span would be longer if one takes good care of the seeds and nourish them appropriately.

If you're the type who wants to start with a simple flower and one that does not really need TLC (tender, care and loving), you might want to try your hands on wildflowers. Even the name suggested that it's a very independent type of flower that requires very little maintenance. Its resilient nature is due to the fact because its root can take in easily in the soil. Another big plus to this flower is the cost of buying the seeds are relatively cheaper from other flower seeds. This would be good news for those who is still exploring about your gardening skills and are not very confident in it. And if you succeed in planting them, which I presume you will, you will be surprised at how beautiful these flowers can turn out to be.

However, it does not necessarily means that you should expect the flowers to grow without any intervention. Sometimes you may need to do some tilling of the ground, to get them a better chance at surviving. Apart from that, if you're staying at a hot or warm climate country, you still have to water these plants regularly. Because of the ease in which they can blossom almost effortlessly, there is no wonder why most countries around the word choose to plant them near highways and roads. This is not only to beautify the scenery and the country itself; wildflower is also a good and established method to prevent erosion from happening. So for those of you who want to try their hand on gardening at home, you might want to start with wildflowers. Happy gardening!

Which of Your Plants Fall Into This Category?

Different kinds of plants are categorized in many ways. One specific method classifies plants depending on how they are used. These uses include food, medicine, industry, or simple decoration.

Category number one is plant you can eat. These are plants that are cultivated by agriculturalists from farm crops, both commercial and privatized. These edible plants are the majority of what farms turn out. Most of the edible plants we are discussing are vegetables or fruits, but there are also many others that qualify as plants that can be eaten. Some of these are herbs, seasonings, nuts, and legumes. Nuts are nothing more than dried and hardened fruit seeds. Herbs, whether fresh or dehydrated, are just flavorful plant life. Seasonings are simply different fruits or scraps of bark that have been dehydrated for market. Some beverages, like coffee and teas, are also procured from edible plants.

Plants used for medicine is our second category. This category includes all plants that have medicinal benefits, many of which are cultivated specifically for use in prescription drugs. Medicinal plants only count in this category if they do not need to be modified chemically. Opium is one such plant, and it is used in several pain relief drugs. Codeine and morphine are two good examples. Opiate drugs are manufactured with poppy sap after it has been refined and dehydrated.

Some plants that are medically beneficial do not require any processing whatsoever. For example, witch hazel is a wonderfully effective anti-itching agent when massaged into the skin. It can be a great help for those with chronic dry skin or anyone suffering from insect bites. The yarrow plant will help the body ward off poisoning. Many plants are used as antibiotics, including garlic, which can help cure infections. Peppermint and dandelion are often employed to aid problematic digestion.

Other plants that have medicinal properties are eaten or used raw. Witch hazel can be rubbed on the skin and is helpful with itching that accompanies bug bites and skin dryness. Yarrow is a type of plant eaten to relieve poisoning. Garlic is an antibiotic and can stop infection, while dandelion and peppermint are used to treat digestive problems.

Plants used in industry are very common, as well, and as such are our third category. Some plants produce usable oil, such as the oil palm. Other plants produce fibers that can be used for clothing and other materials, such as hemp and flax.

Our last category is the decorative plant category. If you live in or travel to the suburbs regularly, you will see that it is very fashionable! Many suburban homes will have extravagant, multi-colored gardens displaying many plants from this category, as they have no use besides their aesthetic appeal. Ivies, poinsettias, tulips, a number of trees, and many types of shrubbery all fit into the decorative definition.

Placing plants into usage categories can be a practical manner if defining different kinds of plants. People should always remember how many uses these various plants give us, and how much our lives would be inconvenienced if they didn't exist. This is a prime motivation to defend these plants' natural habitats!

Orchid Types Any Plant Enthusiast Should Know About

There are many orchid types, and because of a huge number of species to choose from, you may get confused on what to choose. But among all the different hybrids, there are only two orchid types, the terrestrial orchids and epiphytes."Epiphyte" was derived from Greek word "epi", meaning "upon" and phyton meaning "a plant". They are plants that derive moisture and nutrients from the air and rain. They usually grow on another plant but are not parasitic on it. This refers to any plant system that has a root system above the ground. An example of this type is the Dendrobium.

Dendrobiums can be found in tropical conditions such as South East Asia, Australia and Polynesis. They are the best known ephiphytes, and are available in reddish tones, including pink and orange. They are perfect for indoor gardens and warm houses. They also require much head and light. They are easy to grow, but do not flower on a regular basis.

Next to the Dendrobium is the Phalaenopsis, which is also another widely known epiphyte. This type does not grow well when it is exposed to direct sunlight. They thrive when there is ample heat and when placed in a location with a diffusion of sunlight and shade.

Phalaenopsis orchids also do not like dry periods. Without enough water, these orchids will die. The roots will begin turning white and this is a sign that your plants need more water. The ideal temperature of a Phalaenopsis orchid is between seventy five to eighty five degrees Fahrenheit. They are best kept indoors as well.

Epiphytic orchids are found naturally in the canopy of trees. These are the main group of tropical orchids. They establish themselves by their fleshy roots on branches or bark of trees. Their roots can sustain the plant through wet and dry periods. The core of the root is surrounded by a spongy covering that can absorb water easily. When it rains, the cover soaks up water, and turns green when saturated.

The Terrestrial orchid is the second orchid type. Terrestrial Orchids as their name would suggest grow and flower on the ground. Although terrestrial orchids have roots that grow beneath the surface of the soil just like most other kinds of plants, some terrestrial orchids are semi-terrestrial. This means that they have both underground and aerial roots.

Among the terrestrial orchids are Spathoglottis, Cymbidiums, the slipper orchids and the Chinese ground orchids. Cymbidium orchids can be found in their natural habitat with extends from Southeast Asia to Japan and they can also be found in Australia.

Cymbidiums bloom and grow well in cool regions, like those in the pacific coast. They are found in brown, pink and yellow colors. There are also green and white hybrids. This type of orchid should be watered more during summer or hotter months, and watering should be reduced once it becomes fall or even winter.

Taking care of orchids is not as complicated as you think, and there is so much to learn aside from finding out different orchid types. Orchids are such fascinating plants to care for and grow, you just need to be knowledgeable and take the right steps to make them thrive and bloom.

Landscape Design and Ideas - What Types Of Plants You Should Use

Creating your perfect landscape design is the first step to landscaping your yard. Two common questions that I always receive are what types of plants should I use in the sun or shade? And, what's it going to cost me? Well, both of these questions are very broad and general. In terms of plants to use, there are so many plants available that it would take a long time to list them all! In terms of budget, some landscape jobs may cost $1,000, and some could cost over $1,000,000. It really depends on what you want, but no matter you want your end result to look like, a common goal is to use plants and shrubs that live long and thrive.

If the location of the area you are landscaping is shady, you may want to veer away from using plants that require a lot of sun. Even though your landscape design may include many beautiful flowers that would just make a specific area perfect, it would be impractical to plant something that is going to wilt or die rather quickly due to a lack of sunlight. I know it may seem that your options are limited if the area you plan to landscape is covered in shade and doesn't get direct sunlight, but there are plenty of options for you that I think you'll like. Some of the better plants to use are ones like ferns, astilbes, day lilies, monarchs, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas. Perhaps my favorite are the hydrangeas, they have beautiful vibrant colors and are a very popular among many landscape designers. One thing to keep in mind, though, is never to start fertilizing your hydrangea at the end of summer. Hydrangeas start to go dormant in the Fall, and the last thing you want to do is stimulate new growth.

If you plan to landscape an area that receives more direct sunlight, you are going to open a whole new world of possibilities! Most plants and flowers require an adequate amount of sunlight, so you'd do well to pursue landscaping one of these areas of your yard. Types of plants that do better in sunlight include the shasta daisy, coreopsis, verbena, aster, lamb's ear, purple coneflower, blanket flower, and Russian sage. While many people will include these in their landscape design, my personal favorite is the baby palm tree. Baby palms are just like palm trees only, you guessed it, baby! Adding a baby palm to your backyard adds a world of excitement. You may even feel like you're on vacation year-round! I don't know about you, but being on vacation year-round sounds like something I want to do.

I hope that you gained some knowledge and will be able to create your own landscape design to implement in your own yard that fits your needs and budget. It's usually not easy, but in the end, it's extremely worth it.

Which Types of Plants Are Easily Grown?

Easy-to-Grow House Plants

A lot of indoor plants are popular for the beautiful foliage and therefore have great decorative value through the different seasons. The plants discussed here are very easy to grow and will do great in your home, office or shop, all you need to do is provide a bit of love and care.

Ficus, philodendron and ivy of any kind are all very attractive and easy to grow options. For wall or pillar covering, plants with a climbing nature and those with skinny, long shoots which need support are quite suitable for adorning your home. Some plants are grown for the foliage alone and others for the beauty of the leaves.

The plants listed on the following list have become common and popular because they can withstand dry conditions and can withstand any environment quite well.

Asparagus plumosus

The plant above, has dark green, fern-line "foliage" on very delicate, wiry stems that vine with support and grows several feet long. It should not be confused with the Asparagus plumosus nanus, which is smaller and more compact and not a climber.

Cissus

This plant is great or trellis or any support structure to which you must tie the stems securely.

Euphorbia

Owing to its semi-succulent nature, this beautiful flowering plant is ideal for growing in a sunny window. Because of its succulent nature, this flowering beauty is great for growing on a sunny window ledge.

Hedera (Ivy)

This plant has many different varieties, some have green while others have variegated coloring. These plants are among the heartiest of house plants.

Hoya carnosa

These plants are more commonly known as waxflower, they have a slim, corded stem which can be easily trained to grow in any position. The flowers bloom on the older flower spurs in bunches that must not be cut.

Monstera deliciosa

As a potted plant, this one has become widely popular in recent years. It is easy to recognize because its leaves are large and irregularly shaped holes. Younger plants are small and bushy, but the plants will eventually get long stems which need to be supported.

Passiflora

This plant is a true climber with spiral springy tendrils which will easily adherer to anything available for support. It will also get shoots that can be up to several feet long.

Philodendron

This plant is a great plant to train to climb to a frame. It will covers its support surfaces with a large mass of shiny green foliage. Some species have aerial roots and this will fix to support posts if they are covered with a thick layer of moss of some kind.

Window Sill Gardens

Growing flowers or foliage plants on a window sill is a form of gardening, most people can easily do this. For those who live in flats, and other people who do not have a garden, especially shut-ins who are confined to their home, this option provide them with countless pleasures with this type of gardening.

Window sill plants could be more popular if it were not for the fact, it takes a great amount of time to fill and empty the pots. Additionally, there are also watering problems, draining water drips on the heads of people in the street and this can be very annoying.

However, by taking some easy precautions during construction of the containers and setting the up in position, problems like this can be avoided. These kinds of problems will be addressed at the end of the chapter.

There is a wide array of outdoor and indoor plants [http://www.plant-care.com/blog/90/apartment-plants-5-easy-care-houseplants-for-a-touch-of-nature] which you have to choose from and there are many ways a beautiful way displays can be gotten.

A popular method involves planting during the spring and summer seasons to show of the beautiful blooms. The can be achieved by adopting the same planting method that is used to display plants in a flower bed, in an open garden.

For people who are not familiar with types of plants used for this reason, a visit to the public parks should assist in understanding. This means speaking with gardeners and other people knowledgeable about how the best bedding plants can be found. Many plants chosen for bedding are also just fine for window boxes, but only dwarfs are better used for this purpose.

DNA Barcoding in Plants & Its Potential Applications

Today, barcodes conceived by Bernard Silver, a graduate student at Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia, PA, and his friends Norman Woodland and Jordin Johanson in 1948 are used universally. They play a critical role for identification purposes, relational information, and tracking. They are especially useful because scanners are relatively inexpensive, extremely accurate and highly efficient at obtaining and transmitting information from barcodes and their databases.

Natural barcodes (a short strand of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (the genetic code unique to each living organism and some viruses) that consists of between 300-800 base pairs (bps) - Adenine (A)-Thymidine (T), and Cytosine (C)-Guanine (G)) that can be represented by different colors) also exist and are well established in the animal kingdom. Through sequencing of the cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) gene (inspired by biologist Paul Hebert's futile efforts dating back to the 1970s to identify 2000 species of moth in Papua New Guinea (because of their taxonomic and morphological similarities), his "retreat to water fleas" (of which there are only 200 species) and subsequent 2003 paper in which he described "the diversity of life as a 'harsh burden' to biologists" and suggested, "every species on Earth... be assigned a simple DNA bar code so it would be easy to tell them apart" as written in Scanning Life (National Geographic, May 2010)), which is present in the mitochondrial DNA of every multi-cellular organism, scientists are able to readily determine phylogeny (identification) on a molecular level and store it in databases for easy retrieval. Per P.M. Hollingsworth, DNA bar-coding plants in biodiversity hot spots: Progress and outstanding questions (Heredity, 9 April 2008) "DNA bar-coding is now routinely used for organismal identification" in animals and "has contributed to the discovery of new species."

However, per Mark W. Chase, Nicolas Salamin, Mike Wilkinson, James M. Dunwell, Rao Prasad Kesanakurthi, Nadia Haidar, and Vincent Savolainen, Land plants and DNA barcodes: short-term and long-term goals (Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society, 2005) this has not been the case with plants until recently since their CO1 gene does not have the ability to serve as a barcode gene and because they "have had the reputation of being problematic for DNA bar-coding" due to "low levels of variability" and lack of variation in "plastid phylogenetic markers." This view prevailed until 2008 when a team led by Dr. Vincent Savolainen of Imperial College London's Department of Life Sciences and The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, studied the functionality of the megakaryocyte-associated tyrosine-protein kinase (matK) gene located in the intron of trnK chloroplast genes found in plant leaves. Their research found that the matK gene (which "contained significant species-level genetic variability and divergence, conserved flanking sites for developing PCR (polymerase chain reaction, a process that enables scientists to produce millions of copies of a specific DNA sequence in about two hours while bypassing the need to use bacteria to amplify DNA) primers for wide taxonomic application, [and] a short sequence length... to facilitate... DNA extraction and amplification") as reported by W. John Kress and David L. Erickson, DNA barcodes: Genes, genomics, and bioinformatics (PNAS. Vol. 105, No. 8. 26 February 2008) and in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (Gene Almanac. Dolan DNA Learning Center and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Inc. 2009) could be used to differentiate between at least 90% of all plants, including those that appeared identical to the human eye, known as cryptic species because of their identical appearance and genetic differences.

The matK gene, though, was found ineffective in distinguishing between up to 10% of plant species because of two major factors:

1. When variation resulting from "rapid bursts of speciation" was small, and

2. Based on Anna-Marie Lever's article, DNA 'barcode' revealed in plants (BBC News, 6 February 2008), when plants were hybrids whose genome was rearranged through natural and artificial cross-breeding, which "confuse[d] matK gene information"

When discovery that the matK gene could serve as a natural barcode in plants was made, its location was consistent with that in animals - the barcode genes in both are located in cellular energy centers outside the nucleus (mitochondria serve as "tiny powerhouses" in animal cells while chloroplasts are involved in plant photosynthesis) since per Anna-Marie Lever, DNA 'barcode' revealed in plants, "nuclear genes usually evolve too rapidly to distinguish between [organisms] of the same species." However, consistent with mitochronidrial genes in animals, "chloroplast genes [in plants] evolve at a slower rate, allowing for [distinguishment between the same species, and] fast enough for differences to occur in the DNA code between species."

The only exception between plants and animals is the range of effectiveness for their respective barcode genes. The CO1 gene can be effectively used to determine and record phylogeny in nearly 100% of animal species while the matK gene is ineffective in about 10% of plant species. The key reason for the 90% effective range with regard to the matK gene can be attributed to natural crossbreeding, which is significantly more common to plants than animals. Because of this, matK gene information needs to be supplemented by data from another gene. Although studies utilizing trnH-psbA genes that share similar characteristics to matK showed promise (when sequencing of matK and trnH-psbA was utilized involving plants of the nutmeg family (Myristicaceae) the effective range for correct identification rose to approximately 95%), a panel of 52 leading barcoding scientists opted on using the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) gene (also located in plant chloroplasts) outlined in a 2009 paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences as reported by Daniel Cressey, DNA barcodes for plants a step closer (Nature, 27 July 2009), to effectively complete the barcode for the 10% group.

While discovery of the phylogenetic usefulness of the matK gene is relatively novel, studies indicating the phylogenetic usefulness of the rbcL gene date back as far as 1986 when Jane Aldrich, Barry Cherney, Ellis Merlin and Jeff Palmer reported in Nucleic Acids Research that sequencing of rbcL genes showed petunia and tobacco and alfalfa and peas are 97.3% and 94.1% genetically identical when comparing their bps.

Additional studies, to name two, added further evidence of the phylogenetic usefulness of the rbcL gene. One, reported by Mitsuyasu Hasebe, Tomokyuki Omori, Miyuki Nakazawa, Toshio Sano, Masahiro Kato, and Kunio Iwatsuki in rbcL Gene sequences provide evidence for the evolutionary lineages of leptosporangiate ferns (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, June 1994) utilized PCR-amplified rbcL fragments in 58 species of leptosporangiate ferns, which belong to the pteridophyte class (vascular plants that produce spores to reproduce in lieu of flowers and seeds) which has the longest evolutionary history of any vascular land plant (consequently enduring the greatest loss of plylogentically useful data) to capture their evolutionary links. The other, reported by Hiroaki Setoguchi, Takeshi Asakawa Osawa, Jean-Christophe Pintaud, Tanguy Jaffré, and Jean-Marie Veillon in Phylogenetic relationships within Araucariaceae based on rbcL gene sequences (American Journal of Botany, 1998) utilized rbcL gene sequencing to successfully determine the pylogenetic relationship between 29 species of Araucariaceae (a sample representing nearly every existing species of the ancient family of conifers that achieved maximum diversification during the Jurassic (c. 199.6± 0.6 to 145.5± 4 million years ago (Ma) and Cretaceous periods (c. 145.5 ± 4 to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma)).

During the study that led to the discovery that a plant's matK gene could serve as a primary barcode gene, Dr. Savolainen's team compared eight potential candidate genes and analyzed more than 1600 plant DNA samples obtained from the tropical forests of Costa Rica and the temperate region of Kruger National Park, South Africa, two of the world's leading biodiversity hotspots.

Through sequencing of the matK gene (which has a slightly different code for plants of different species and a near identical code for plants of the same species), they were able to distinguish between a thousand orchid species - plants known for their difficulty to differentiate because of their near identical appearance, especially when sterile. Consequently, per Plant DNA 'Barcode' identified (Medical News Today, 6 February 2008), "...what was previously assumed to be one species of orchid was [found to be] two distinct species that live on different slopes of the mountains [with] differently shaped flowers adapted for different pollinating insects."

Scientific analysis, in which the matK gene was divided into five sectors has determined that the sector 3 (known as 3') region is the most effective area in providing useful phylogenetic information. When broken down further, 140 out of the 306 bps of the 3' region were phylogenetically informative.

Establishment of the matK gene's barcode function supplemented by use of the rbcL gene, represents a major breakthrough in plant science since it offers a diverse range of potential applications that can be used by scientists and plant taxonomists/systematists as well as an opportunity to close the large gap that presently exists between plant and animal barcoding.

Such potential applications include but are not limited to:

1. Accurate identification of plant species, especially those of cryptic species that are difficult to differentiate that could potentially lead to discovery of new species. Presently as stated by Anna-Marie Lever, DNA 'barcode' revealed in plants only a "few experts [can] accurately identify the plant composition of biodiverse hotspots."

2. Accurate identification of botanic components in foods and medicines.

3. Detection of undesirable plant material in processed foods by health inspectors.

4. Tracking of plant species (e.g. migration).

5. Locating of endangered species for habitat preservation.

6. Detection of illegal transport/trade of endangered species to protect them from potential harm.

7. Confirmation or identification of plant-insect associations.

8. Expansion and facilitation of botanical medical research.

However, before this can be achieved, the following steps must be taken:

1. Establishment of a genetic database that can be uploaded into a portable scanner so that data can be readily available based on the analysis of a mere leaf/tissue sample. To enhance identification of known species and speed up discovery of new species, such a database must be massive and available online.

2. Establishment of a search method or algorithm to search and access DNA barcode information from an online database.

3. Establishment of a set of reference standards (which includes barcoding based solely on bp extractions from matK and rbcL genes) utilizing existing plant DNA specimens held at botanical gardens, herbariums, museums and other DNA repositories. For example, the Consortium for the Barcode of Life based at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. has identified over two million of the estimated ten million species of plants, animals, and fungi (many still unnamed) while the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew currently holds 23,000+ plant DNA samples. This is especially important since fresh collection efforts aimed at obtaining the DNA of every plant species, are impractical since they would require significant effort and time.

4. Collection efforts conducted in accordance with international laws (e.g. Convention of Biological Diversity) to protect habitats and ensure specimen integrity. Per W. John Kress and David L. Erickson, DNA barcodes: Genes, genomics, and bioinformatics, such collection efforts are necessary since existing specimens are limited in quantity and may consist of degraded DNA. Currently collection efforts are being made in temperate (Plummers Island, MD and New York City, among others) and tropical (Forest Dynamics Plot, Panama, among others) regions.

With a stamp of approval from the United Nations that declared 2010 "the International Year of Biodiversity," vigorous global efforts aimed at barcoding 500,000 out of the 1.7 million named species of plants, animals, and fungi by 2015, are being pursued by international teams of scientists as well as by groups/projects such as the Consortium for the Barcode of Life and soon, the International Barcode of Life (iBol) project, which is slated to launch in July 2010. Furthermore, Paul Hebert, the biologist who inspired the barcode movement and a major participant in the iBol project, per Scanning Life (National Geographic, May 2010) declared, "the approach is scalable to the planet [so that by 2025 every] species humans encounter frequently will [have been] barcoded."

With regard to plants, as technology is enhanced to exploit the genetic code of matK and rbcL genes through the establishment of a uniform database, production of inexpensive portable scanners capable of analyzing leaf/tissue samples and matching the DNA barcode with database information, the field of botanical phylogenetics and research will benefit greatly especially since plant identification and classification will be available to more than a few experts. In addition, such identification and classification will be more accurate than that provided by sole reliance on visual examination and physical morphology (especially with regard to cryptic species) while endangered species will be able to be easily tracked and better protected, and people will have greater assurance pertaining to the food, drinks, and/or medicine they consume.

The Cape Floral Kingdom and Flower Conservancy

South Africa has many beautiful hotspots within its borders; however one particular site is a world famous treasure: The Cape Floral Kingdom. The area is a belt of famous shrubbery, bright flowers and an incredible variety of plant families and species. Due to the floral diversity and large number of differing species in such a relatively small space, the area is one of six noted floral kingdoms in the world.

Most of these floral kingdoms span extremely vast distances, sometimes entire continents made up of "floral provinces", yet the Cape Floral Kingdom is unique as the area is small, comprising just single province. The Cape Floral Kingdom is located in the Western Cape and contains eight protected areas situated from the Cape Peninsula to the Eastern Cape. The regions within the Floral Kingdom that contain fynbos have been designated as priority eco-regions for conservations. The area has also been declared a biodiversity hotspot.

The Cape Floral Kingdom has also been named a World Heritage Site due to the many ecological and biological aspects associated with the vegetation, some of which are unique to this kingdom, and fynbos plant family.

The concentration and diversity of the flora in the area is one of the highest in the world. The scientific value of the area is also a natural wonder as plants have adapted to fire, have unique reproductive processes, disperse seeds by insects in specific patterns and contain adaptive radiation: a rapid evolution of change.

The Luscious Green Belt

The Cape Floral Kingdom is situated in the Western Cape in South Africa as the area enjoys a Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and warm dry summers. This Floral Kingdom area spans from the Western Cape in the South West to the borders of the Eastern Cape Province; the area where the climate begins to change to a tropical climate and summer rainfall is experienced.

The majority of the flora in the Cape Floral Kingdom consists of various species of fynbos, meaning "fine bush" in Afrikaans. This is a reference to the needle shaped leaves of many fynbos species, a large number of which have hard leaves.

Fynbos

Fynbos is a very diverse plant species that includes the protea, heath and reed families which prefer acidic sands and nutrient poor soils, making the plant an excellent helper in conservation efforts. As they like poor soil, the fynbos plant assists in binding soil and preventing too much surface run off which chokes rivers and generally wreaks havoc with the water cycle. In fact, many conservation efforts, such as sustainable development projects, help in this regard by providing work for locals planting fynbos to grow the population of the plant, bind soil to prevent run off into rivers and streams and also to educate locals on the importance and unique make up of the plant.

Proteas

The various types of proteas are also an attraction of the Cape Floral Kingdom. These large flowers are easily visible on the landscape and provide a stark contrast to the other fynbos flowers which are generally small and delicate. The protea is only found in the southern hemisphere and more than 1,400 species of protea occur in the Cape Floral Kingdom fynbos.

The other plants and vegetation which grow in the Cape Floral Kingdom are scrubs in the Strandveld, daisies on the Renosterveld and graminoids and geophytes in the coastal regions.

The Cape Floral Kingdom is truly a natural wonder of the world. With differing parts flowering in different seasons, blooms are always visible and beautiful to behold. However, this was almost lost due to ignorance of fynbos' rarity and uniqueness. Fortunately today they are protected and helped in their growth and survival through various conservation projects, protected areas and community projects.

Author Bio:

Grootbos Private Game Reserve is located in Gansbaai in the Western Cape and provides luxury eco tourism holidays which educate tourists and visitors to the reserve and lodges about the importance of nature. Grootbos practises flora and fauna conservation in the reserve which is situated in the Cape Floral Kingdom.

Omega 3 Sources: How To Get Omega 3 From Plant Foods

We all know that a lot of our forefathers lived healthy, long lives as mainly vegetarians, and that many of the foods that come from the plants kingdom are well known as rich and hearty in fatty type acids. So then naturally if you are a vegetarian, maybe perhaps a vegan, then you might assume that you can get all of the needed fatty acids you will need from simple plant sources instead of from eggs or fish products.

A single concept that we like to highlight is that it is not simply a quandary of obtaining the right quantity of the omega-3 acids, but providing as well your system with the perfect ratio, or balance, of omega-sixes to three's. And for us vegetarians, research suggests an adequate and safe balance of those omega's that lie somewhere between two:one and four:one. A lot of the hardship for the present day's omnivores and vegetarians alike starts with the truth that omega-6 acids are a lot more easily obtained within foods than omega-3's. People that are vegetarians especially are vulnerable to an amount more that needed of omega-sixes in relation to omega-three's.

Another big consideration really is how good our bodies change over the plant sources of omega-three's. People can take in omega-3's simply by eating hempseed, flaxseed, walnuts and canola oil. It's noteworthy to add though that these foods have the parent omega-three particle, ALA. For a variety of reasons, the human body is not really that efficient in changing over ALA to its much more productive derivatives, EPA, and DHA. While ALA does have decent anti-inflammatory end results, it isn't nearly as instrumental or protective of our health like EPA or DHA.

Giving yourself as straight a source that is possible of both EPA as well as DHA would be number-one recommend way to go, regardless of whether you are vegetarian or not. Ingesting both DHA as well as EPA straight away is especially beneficial for those of us that have greater needs, for instance pregnant or breastfeeding women, than those who have diabetes or any other persistent inflammatory processes, as well as those who have neurological disorders, the elderly, premature babies,and then vegetarians, those whose diets are naturally lower in DHA, especially lower in EPA.

The good news is that it's possible to upgrade your natural capacity for converting parent omega-three's into EPA as well as DHA. Partly because your of body's efficiency for running these changes depends upon a few factors that we have absolutely no control over, which are genetics and age. Conversely, there are some factors you are able to control that greatly impact this conversion of our EFA's. A good example would be that consuming protein, copper, pyroxidine, calcium, biotin, zinc and magnesium have been proven to improve the conversion activity. The best source for these certain nutrients has always been wholesome fresh foods.

New Uses For Old Plants

Plants continue to play and important role in our lives. Modern science is finding new solutions to problems by closely examining the plant kingdom. These new discoveries make us realize how much we depend on nature, despite all of our technological advances. Below are three examples of new discoveries found in age-old plants.

The AUSTRALIAN CHESTNUT THREE (Castanospermum australe) may be the source of an anti - AIDS drug. The National Cancer Institution is investigating an extract from the tree's seed. Laboratory tests show that the chemical, castanospermine, prevents AIDS virus from killing healthy cells. Tests have also proven this tree to be and attractive, low maintenance houseplant. So this exotic tree may one day be a well - recognized plant.

Experiments being done by the USDA on the desert plant, LESQUERELLA, are gaining attention. Seed oil extract can be made into a new type of plastic, which is tougher than most on the market today.

Development of lesquerella could bring desert regions of the country to new agricultural importance.

The seed of the NEEM TREE (Azadirachta inica) produces an extract which is deadly to over sixty insects that attack crops. Tests have shown this extract to be so powerful as to repel feeding locust. Identifying useful, sage and effective ways of keeping pests in check is an important challenge for modern agriculture. A Wisconsin company has patented a neem - based pesticide and will begin selling it in the near future.

Scientists have studied only a tiny fraction of the plants on this earth. With new discoveries occurring so frequently, we may see science lead us into a second Green Revolution even greater than the one seen by the last generation.

In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. The facility has grown over the years, and is now 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover.

 

Tips For Orchid Flowering

What makes a flowering orchid so special? A flowering orchid is a spectacle that provides the grower with a sense of fulfillment and helps to make the plant beautiful. This article will provide you some information about the flowering orchid with the Cymbidium as an example.

Is your Cymbidium orchid flowers with yellow spikes that are starting to wither? Are you unsure as to whether you should cut the spike or simply let it wither away? This article will help solve this problem, but first you need to consider some basic facts about this type of flowering orchid.

When it comes to orchids, the Cymbidiums are the most popular of al water and spring blooming orchids that have their own unique flowering features. The Cymbidium has a thick and waxy flower with five pointed petals on each bloom. This specific orchid has a genus of about 44 species that are all native to the Asian continent.

The Cymbidium has three types of bulbs: The Old Back Bulbs with no leaves, which can save their food for emergency times; the Old Bulbs with leaves that can support growth and produce flowers and lastly the New Bulbs or Leads, which have sites where flowers can grow.

The Cymbidium flowering orchid is very beautiful. These orchids come in a wide range of beautiful colors, which make them perfect for decorating any room in your house. While this orchid is flowering, the bud will open and the spikes will bloom for two to three months.

The plant should be taken inside whenever the atmosphere becomes hot and dry because of artificial heating. The warm dry atmosphere causes the plant to drops its leaves. The flower spikes don't have to stay on the plant until the flowers die. This can cause the plant to become non-flowering in the next seasons.

After about four weeks, the flower will become fully open and at this time, you should cut off the spikes so there is no interference with the next growing cycle. If the plant doesn't flower then you need to force the plant to flower by placing it in a sunnier condition.

During the growing season, you should always water the orchid and pour off any water that isn't absorbed. In the summer months, you should feed the orchid with fertilizer at least once a month.

Every two to four years you should repot your orchid and is best done when the plant bulbs fill the pot. A healthy orchid needs to have a minimum of one to two new bulbs each year from the previous year's bulb. Once you repot the orchid make sure you tease the roots apart so you can get rid of the old potting mix and trim dead roots as well.

If it is needed, you make have to divide the orchid into two or more plants. If you have to do this, you should twist and tear the bulbs apart. If you want to have a beautiful flowering orchid then your Cymbidium should be as large as possible. For about two years, you can expect the orchid flowering to be retarded.

Now it is time to consider the answer to the question raised in the first paragraph. You should trip the spike at the point that it emerges from the flower. As explained earlier in the article, the Cymbidium requires light and can grow outside.

You should start by growing the plant in a semi-shade location and then move it into full sunshine. Every other week you can feed the orchid one teaspoon per gallon of plant food.

During the fall, the plant takes up to forty degrees and needs cooler temperature in order to produce new buds for the following flowering season. Often orchid flowering occurs once a year so you don't have to worry.