Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Flower Culture #6 and 7

Today I pulled some more weeds. (We did not have much time today.)

My Tomatoes and Sweet Peas are doing well:
Roma Tomato

Sweet Pea and Grape Tomato

Friday, April 22, 2005

Flower Culture #10

What is the purpose of a soil test?

A soil test helps you find the pH factor, which has to do with the chemical balance and the essential nutrients of your soil.

Flower Culture #9

Identify three flowering plants adapted to each of the following conditions:
  • Full Sun: Bear's-Breech, Fern-leaved Yarrow, Common Yarrow
  • Partial Shade: Spark's Variety Monkshood, Spring Adonis, Japanese Pearly Everlasting
  • Well Drained Dirt: Bear's-Breech, Fern-leaved Yarrow, Japanese Pealy Everlasting
  • Wet dirt: Hollyhock, Columbine, Wormwood

Flower Culture #8

Which three plant nutrients are most important to flowering plants?
  1. Nitrogen makes the plant grow faster.
  2. Phosphorus makes the plant more colorful.
  3. Potassium helps protect plants from disease.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Flower Culture #7: Weekly Perennial Post

Yesterday I helped pot/plant These three plants: Sea Thrift, Bleeding heart, and Lily of the Valley.
I also weeded the back deck with Beth.

Flower Culture #6: Weekly Flower Post

As you can see my grape tomatoes:


And my roma tomates:


Are both doing well.

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Flower Culture #5:Window Boxes

Widow boxes can
  1. Elevate your garden
  2. Make your house look attractive
  3. Give you a garden to care for upstairs
  4. Blow beautiful sents to you when the wind blows and the window is open.
To build one you
  1. Make a box that is big enough for your plants
  2. Paint it with a couple layers of exterior-grade acrylic latex
  3. Mount it on the wall of your house
  4. plant plants

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

New link.

I have a new blog and it is on my book list.

Flower Culture #4: Controlling Pests

I have to list three pests and one way to control them (other than chemicals).

  1. White Flies: Properly space plants so the air can move around them.
  2. Cut Worms: Home made cardboard collars that are stapled at the sides.
  3. Slugs and Snails: Circle the inside of the flower bed that is being attacked with rough sand, ashes, or ground limestone.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Flower Culture #7: Weekly Perennial Post

Today I helped Beth weed and I watered the plants in the backyard. We really didn't have very much time.

Flower Culture #6: Weekly Flower Post

A quite a few tomato plants have come up now, along with a few sweat peas.

My other tomatoes haven't come up yet but I am not suprised because my first tomatoes took a while to come up.

Flower Culture #3: drainage

Sometimes plants need drainage to do well. From what I understand, if you have a flat layer of clay below your plants then when you water them the water will collect down at the bottom and you plants won't do well. So (I think) the solution is to lay a pipe or lay rocks in the bottom of the bed and fluff up the soil. Make sure the rocks or pipes are inclined in the direction you want it to go.

Monday, April 11, 2005

Flower Culture #2: Hotbeds and Coldframes

Hotbeds and coldframes are boxes in which you would put plants that you want to prepare for the great outdoors. A hotbed has an electric wire running through it to keep the plants warm. However, a coldframe does not have this ability. For a coldframe you have to pile dirt or mulch around it. On both of them however when it gets hot you a have to open it a little ways. The hotter it is outside, more open it should be.