By Berni: I have what I would say is a healthy Gardenia plant. I have bought this type of plant before and not had a problem. This time it has not bloom all Summer, and there have been many buds. What could be the problem?
Answer By The Flower Expert: In Gardenias, if there is a water stress in a heavily budded plant, many buds will fall before opening. (water regularly but make sure the soil is not wet)We should realise that when the plant is in bud, there should not be large variations in soil moisture. One can use mulch and avoid cultivation around the base of the plant to help maintain adequate moisture.
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You still have time to find the perfect plants for your garden at Plantation Heritage Park, 1100 S. Fig Tree Lane. The Broward County Plant Affair continues from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Chatsworth will be transformed inside and out for its spectacular floral festival, as more than 25,000 tulips and other spring flowers are used in traditional and modern displays to decorate the opulent rooms in the house.
By Hasan: I want to grow Lantana Camara but its not available in the local nurseries. So please can you tell me how to plant it, I mean that it is grow from seeds, cuttings or babies from roots?
Answer By The Flower Expert: Reproduction is through seeds in Lantanas. It's a low maintanance flowering plant, which can be grown from seeds.
By Ginger McKinnon: I have four different varieties of calla lilies in my garden. They have been growing for about three or four years and since I life in the deep south they continue to come back and bloom bountifully every spring/summer. My quesiton is that they are getting so tall that they fall over. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Also, can I dig some up and plant in other locations in order to spread them around more?
Answer By The Flower Expert: The only thing you can do is tie up the plant in the middle from where the larger leaves start their growth. The plant spreads through rhizomes.
These calla lily bulbs can be dug up, and planted in another places. They can also be propagated through seeds but, propagating through bulbs is the best and preferable.
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By Jackie: when can you harvest the seeds-do they need to dry out and how do you store? Larkspur
Answer By The Flower Expert: When the seed pods become mature and dried out, when they look yellow, you can harvest the seeds.
Harvesting the larkspur seeds: Take the dried flower stalks and tie them and put them in a paper bag. Hang out this paper bag in a cool indirect light. When you shake it, the seeds are collected in the bag. When the seeds are dried out, pack them in a dry conditioned paper bag or a box. Whenever you want to sow the seeds of larkspur you can do it by sowing the dried seeds directly, without cold treatment.Refrigerator is not advisable. because the plant cannot survive exposure to temperatures below -18°F.
By Karen: I live several miles from Bradenton, Florida. There is a frangipani tree at the end of my drive. I have lived here three years and it has never flowered. It is the size of a small tree and fills out nicely each year with leaves but no flowers. Can something be done to have it flower, or do some of these never flower?
Answer By The Flower Expert: Frangipanis will not bloom if temperatures drop below the comfort zone. Frangipanis need water only during spring and summer, But no water in winters. You can give some fertilizer around the drip line which may help in encouraging flowering. Thinning out 15 to 20 per cent of the mature frangipani may help you.
Kick off 'Finally Fridays' with 'Spring Open' in Cazenovia when all shops are open until 8 p.m. Stroll Albany Street and celebrate spring Friday, April 30, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, the fest will kick off in Kingwood Hall with a seminar featuring three veteran gardeners who will share tips on getting the most from fruit and vegetable gardens.
Thousands of flower pickers who are expected to have lost millions in daily wages following non-movement of fresh produce arising from the closure of the European skies, are set for another depressing period as the low key May-October harvesting and sales season sets in.
Answer By The Flower Expert: It is a scarlet hibiscus.
Scarlet hibiscus is a slender shrubby herbaceous perennial that dies back in winter and re-sprouts in spring. They are five petaled flowers which are brilliant crimson red flowers, lasting only a single day.
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A Japanese landscape gardener is building Europe's largest full-scale Japanese garden in the northwestern part of Lithuania, one of the three Baltic states in northeastern Europe.
The union representing workers in the flower sector, Kenya has issued a strike notice that could further hurt the local horticulture sector that has been facing a host of foreign difficulties.
By Lisa: I HAVE A CONFEDERATE JASIMINE PLANT THAT DID NOT GET WATERED WHILE I WAS ON VACATION IT IS STARTING TO COME BACK SHOULD I CUT OFF THE OLD DEAD LEAVES OR LET THEM FALL OFF ON THEIR OWN?
Answer By The Flower Expert: CONFEDERATE JASIMINE PLANT can tolerate drought once established. There is every chance of your plant's survival. You can very well remove the old dead leaves and water the plant frequently.
By Donald: I have heard that they only live 2 to 3 years. Is that true? How long can I expect them to live?
Answer By The Flower Expert: They (Pentas)last more than 3 years. They are evergreen plants. The plants can be annuals and biennials, perennials, shrubs according to the temperature conditions.
By Lisa: Not on the new shoots of birds of paradise, but several of the other leaves have som browning along the edges and tips.
Answer By The Flower Expert: If the leaf edges are turning brown then there might be 2 things happening. 1. Too much water to the plant. 2. Spider mites can also make the birds of paradise plant leaves to brown. So, check whether there is any material not pertaining to the plant
This is a special year for the Oklahoma Orchid Society. It's the group?s 60th anniversary, and the American Orchid Society has chosen Oklahoma City for its annual meeting this weekend.
The society will host its 16th annual Rose & Arts Festival May 1-2 at the Temecula Community Recreation Center. This year's theme is "A Moment of Magic."
"The Jaipur-based International Horticulture Innovation and Training Centre (IHITC) will provide advanced eight-week training in horticulture to Afghanis from April 26 as part of a Dutch-funded programme, 'Support to Agriculture Education in Afghanistan', working towards the restoration of Afghanistan's once very vibrant agricultural sector," said S Ahmed, chairman, IHITC and additional chief secretary, agriculture, Rajasthan.
Four new books by Texas authors offer detailed practical information for Texas gardeners or for those who just like to enjoy the state?s many varieties of wildflowers.
By Donna: I am wondering if you can tell me what the pods are that I have in a calla lily flower. They appear to be much like a pea pod with little pods inside of them. I am curious as to actually where does a calla lily bulb come from?
Answer By The Flower Expert: The calla lily pods contain seeds in them. The calla lily plant can be grown with the help of seeds also when sown.The seeds can be sowed when we want the plants.Usually calla lily bulbs can be got from the gardens, malls, neighbours or friends as gifts if the mother plant has outgrown and is overcrowded.
By Cindy: I have this type of plant: Caring Peace lily: Spathiphyllum 'Lynise'. It has developed some type of white powdery substance on a few of the leaves. Looks like pollen. Have heard that this could be some type of fungus. Is this true? Or is it nothing to worry about? What should I do about it?
Answer By The Flower Expert: It looks like mold, the white powdery substance. Wipe out the white powder and observe. If it comes back then it might be Mold.Try to spray with a little amount of soap water.
A sure sign of spring is the 2010 annual Southern Tier Orchid Society Show at Center Court in the Oakdale Mall in Johnson City. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. A raffle of orchids and related objects will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Organizers of Dakota Garden Expo 2010 expect hundreds of gardeners to come to the Bismarck Civic Center Saturday for what they are calling North Dakota's largest gardening event.
Just like some orchids attract males for pollination by mimicking the scent of a female insect, scientists have now created a new scent by breeding two orchid species to lure male bees.
Spring 2010 is early in Sikkim. Till last year, peak flowering season was around mid-May with unusually good flowering of Rhododendrons, Primulas and many other wild flowers.
As flights resume in Europe, Kenya's vital flower industry is racing to make up for the $10 million loss that occured when tonnes of roses wilted or were destroyed while aircraft swere grounded, a flower grower's body said.
The Cherry Blossom in DC is home to The National Cherry Blossom Festival (501(3)(c) non-profit). The festival is a two-week, annual event that celebrates springtime in Washington, DC as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the long lasting friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. The event begins March 27th through April 11th, with a parade on Saturday, April 10th beginning at 10am.
Prior to this intangible peace treaty, 19th century imperialism drew clear lines of separation between these two great nations. Through it's strict policy of isolation, Japan remained untouched by western ways until the Treaty of Amity (1854). Although, feelings of mistrust and resentment continued to ride due to early U.S. Naval Leaders gunboat diplomacy upon Japan. In order to lessen tensions and restore peace, mutual Cherry and Flowering Dogwood tree offerings were given.
DC Attractions include multiple festivals, museums, monuments, and more. The National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization that coordinates, produces, and supports creative and diverse activities promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty and the environment, and community spirit and youth education. It's also begins peak season for an influx of tourists to Washington, also brought in by the thousands of historical landmarks, museums, and other buildings. Some of the most popular DC Tours include Hop-On-Off Double-Decker Bus, Discover DC Segway Safari, Mount Vernon & Arlington Cemetery, and Washington DC After Dark.
The National Museum of Crime & Punishment, located in Washington, D.C. contains excellent depictions of historically famous crime scenes along detailed information concerning past wars, forensics, organized crime, and more. Feel free to stop by our website and get a preview of some of the most notoriously famous crime scenes in U.S. History. There's plenty of information on featured exhibits in our crime library along with a vast amount of Crime Data at our Forensic blog.
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Spring is plant sale time and the big daddy of them all is the Arboretum Foundation FlorAbundance Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Magnuson Park.
FTD.COM, Inc., a subsidiary of United Online, Inc. has launched Smithsonian Flowers by FTD(R), a line of potted orchid plants and wrapped floral Tussie Mussie bouquets, inspired by the rich and distinctive Smithsonian Horticulture Division collections.
Syria is famous for growing many kinds of flowers and ornamental plants and producing new kinds and colors with natural beauty around the year, not only in Spring.
April is the month when garden club and botanical garden plant sales produce all kinds of opportunities for easily grown plant bargains. After all, many of them grew in another other gardener's yard so happily that divisions or seedlings are waiting for you.
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Ethiopia horticulture industry has lost 1.75 million Euros this week after cut flower exporters were forced to dump over 180 tonnes of roses following the air space closure caused by ash clouds.
Dutch flower traders have been among the companies hardest hit by the flight ban across Europe that has blocked the export routes of their highly perishable products.
By Veronique Acres: How long do you cut the stem of a rose and other flowers to fit in a cubic vase 4 X 4 X 4, so it looks like a pillow in the middle of the table?
Answer By The Flower Expert: That depends on the type and shape of arrangement.
If you want the flowers to be placed very near to the base and corners of the vase, then around 4-5 inches of height is suffiecient.
If you want the flowers like roses to be placed in the middle of the vase, then a slight increase in height is needed.
By Christy: Where do "black roses" come from and where can I purchase them? The best ones...high quality?
Answer By The Flower Expert: There is no Black Rose exists as such.
However, there are some red colored rose with such a deep Red color as to suggest Black. In some popular online florists, you can get red roses resembling black.
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The Department of Floriculture in Kashmir is using a Central Government sponsored-scheme to offer financial assistance to the state's unemployed youth to attract them to flower cultivation.
Flower exporting countries like Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia have announced, one after another, that they are unable to send their shipments to Europe and Scandinavia.
South Africa has temporarily halted flower exports to Europe after a cloud of volcanic ash caused flight suspensions across much of Europe, an industry official said on Monday.
The Walker Gardens in Bigler offers a spring showing for the public to view thousands of tulips and other flowers in bloom as a display of tulip time in Clearfield County.
The recently opened Utopia Orchid Park features a unique 131,500-square-foot indoor botanical garden at Kibbutz Bahan in the Emek Hefer region north of Tel Aviv.
African flower and vegetable exports to Europe have been halted by flight restrictions on the continent and are unlikely to resume before the end of the week, industry associations said.
By Lisa: I bought what looked like a very healthy Gardenia potted plant. There were dozens of nice size buds. Not one flower opened on this plant. What did I do wrong? I have had many of these plant in the past and always had flowers.
Answer By The Flower Expert: Your is a healthy gardenia plant. The bud drop is a common problem seen in gardenias.There are many common causes for bud drop in gardenias. They include low humidity, over-watering, under-watering, insufficient light high temperatures, rapid temperature fluctuations, cold drafts or repotting in another areas.Usually, If water stress occurs in a heavily budded plant, many buds will fall before opening. In the same way, if there more warmth than needed by the plant, they just bud drop.
By Jen: I would like to know how big petite hydrangeas get.
Answer By The Flower Expert: The height of the hydrangeas plant may be between 3 feet - 20 feet. The average head size of the hydrangea flowers may be between 4 - 16 inches in diameter.
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By Kath Graham: I wonder if you could help me please. I'm looking for a 'coffee' coloured rose - is there such a variety available?
Answer By The Flower Expert: There would be no chocolate colored roses, but you can have a floribunda which is a warm chocolate orange bloom in clusters on a bushy healthy plant.
There can be flowers with chocolate colored shadings.
By Ann: Could you please tell me the types of flowers that are safe to use as decoration on a wedding cake, the wedding is in the fall, the month of October. The color scheme will be red, so roses definitely, but what other fall flowers could be used.
Answer By The Flower Expert: Some of the commonly used to decorate wedding cakes include:
By Cindy: Your information is helpful. I usually water it 1-2 times a week with about 2 cups of water (bottled water, our tap water is high in chemicals). If the leaves start looking a little droopy, does this mean they need water? Where should I cut off the brown flower, at the top or bottom of the stem?
Answer By The Flower Expert: If your plant (Spathiphyllum Lynise)becomes severely wilted... place it in a bath tub or large sink and run plenty of water thru the soil to re-moisten the root ball.
When the flower becomes brown, then the flower stalk comes up right next to the leaf petiole. Remove the flower and the flower stalk as far down as possible without cutting the leaf off. Be sure to cut the stalk and do not try to rip or twist it out.
By Cindy: We have what is nicknamed a "peace plant". (It's characteristic is two long stem leaf type flowers coming up the middle. One of the flowers has turned very brown. WHAT'S WRONG? My guess is I over-watered. Would love to know how to properly care for it, as it was a gift after my mother-in-law's funeral.
Answer By The Flower Expert: Since you are telling that you have overwatered them, I feel that the plant can withstand that a little bit.
Usually after the flower blooms and then later turns brown and finally die.
Caring Peace lily: Spathiphyllum 'Lynise'
Give water 2 - 3 times per week.
If your plant becomes severely wilted... place it in a bath tub or large sink and run
plenty of water through the soil to re-moisten the root ball.
Repeated wilting will cause leaf spotting and brown leaf edges.
I have three window boxes and they receive FULL SUN... last year, my flowers died because of too much sun exposure. What would be the best flower for these boxes?
Here is the dialogue I just had with an online Rep - don't pay full price!!! Thank you for choosing 1-800-flowers.com. A representative will be with you shortly. You are now chatting with Patricia. Matt: Would you waive the service charge - it's 25% of the cost??? Can I have a coupon code at least? Patricia: Hello! How can I help you with your order today? Matt: Would you waive the service charge - it's 25% of the cost??? Can I have a coupon code at least? Patricia: I'm sorry, I can't waive the service charge, but as a courtesy I can discount the order by 10%. Matt: That would be nice Matt: How do I do that? Patricia: Place the order, and then give me the order number. Patricia: I will discount it manually for you. Matt: I typed my order number here Patricia: Very good! Patricia: Anything else I can help you with? Matt: That's it??? YOU ROCK! Have a Happy Valentines day R/Matthew Patricia: You too! Patricia: We aim to please! Patricia: Thank you for chatting with 1-800-Flowers.com. We value your feedback. Please click the â??CLOSEâ?? button at the top right to answer a few questions about your experience with us today. matthew.bruno@cox.net
Valentine's Day is only days to go and I am glad to introduce the Valentine's Day Gift Guide for the help of valentines online. I request you to add your inputs so that we enrich the Valentine's Day Gift Guide and make it the best guide online for Valentine's Day gifting.
Most people consider a flower only for what it looks like. Then there are a few oddballs (like me!) who will grow a flower just because it has an interesting history behind it. Maltese cross is such a flower.
Bright red in color, Maltese cross flowers bear a resemblance to those symbols by the same name that you've seen on flags, badges and coats of arms. If you've read much history, you may know that there's a long history behind the Maltese cross symbol -- as well as its namesake plant.
Floral Art School of Australia and International Floral Design School Learn to create beautiful floral designs including corsages, bowl and basket arrangements, posies tributes, bridal bouquets and wedding designs the professional way. Floristry Diploma CoursesClasses and Correspondece Home Study Courses www.floral-art-school.com.au
Your water lilies will grow, thrive, and bloom much better if you
get in the habit of fertilizing them regularly.
The good news is -- It's Easy!
you can either remove your water lily from the pond to fertilize
them, your sometimes you can even do it with the plants still in
the pond...
I prefer to remove them so I can inspect to see if they are
becoming overgrown, and possibly need dividing. This is really
the best way, and a good time to kill two birds with one stone.
So, first - remove the pot from the pond. Then drain out any
excess water, so you can see the surface of the soil and
Rhiozome..
Next, here's a trick I use to fertilize my lilies quickly and
easily...
Have a fairly wide tipped flathead screwdriver nearby, and then
use it to punch a clear path into the soil and through the
existing roots. Then give it a good twisting to hollow our your
hole.
You'd be surprised how hard it can be to push a fertilizer tab
down into a dense root pack - so try this next time and tell me
if it isn't 100% easier.
Now that you have your 'holes' dug - take 3-4 water lily
fertilizer tabs out (we like the Tetra Pond fertilizer tabs), and
push them down into the holes with your index finger..
That's it -- you're done!
Then just cover up the holes and top off the plant with some
fresh dirt, as we discussed in our last article - and you're
ready to move onto the next one.
Once you've fertilized all your lilies, just slowly lower them
back into the pond..
Here's another trick I use - Don't just drop the pot back into
the pond, as trapped air bubbles can sometimes uproot the lily or
some soil..
This is espcecially true new pottings, as the soil has not been
properly 'set'. Here's what I do:
Lower the pot into the water, just enough to fill it with water,
then raise back up out of the water until you see all the air
bubbles disappear.
Do this a few more times, until you think you're removed all the
air bubbles from the pot - then slowly lower it down into the
pond.
There's nothing more frustrating than having a newly potted lily
(or any plant) suddenly lift up out of the pot, dumping dirt all
over the pond, and having to be repotted.. I'ts happened to me
more than once..
