Expand Your Garden by Propagation

Did you know that you can grow an entire garden starting with just one plant? It’s true. By buying and caring for just one small plant, over time and with the proper care, you can end up with many, many more… all at no additional cost. It’s done with techniques known as propogation, and dividing.

Many common indoor and outdoor plants can be multiplied easily using basic dividing and propogation techniques. And once you know how it’s done, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing this before now.

Dividing a plant simply means to break it up into smaller pieces. This is often done when a plant becomes too large for a container it’s growing in, or too large for the garden space it’s planted in. You can divide a plant almost anytime though, as long as it is healthy and not too small.

To divide a plant, you’ll need to dig it up out of your garden first, Clean the roots off a bit with water so you can see them well - you can clean the soil off the roots by simply rinsing them gently with a watering can.

Once the roots are clean, it’s usually fairly easy to tell where you should divide the plant at because often it looks like you have two or more plants all growing together to begin with. If this is the case, then simply pull the plants and their roots apart into multiple pieces.

If the plant doesn’t have an obvious place to divide it though, don’t worry, it’s still easy to do. Just use a very sharp knife, and cut the plant into pieces from the base through the roots. Be sure you’re leaving plenty of roots for each section you’re cutting off, so the plant can continue growing healthy and strong.

Once you have the plant pulled or cut into multiple smaller plants, then you just need to replant them in separate spaces. You can still have them all in the same garden bed if you’d like, just space them apart as if you’d bought multiple plants at the store, and care for them as you normally would.

Another way to get multiple plants off of one is to simply take cuttings. My mom used to do this with her houseplants actually, when a stem got broken off. She’d simply place the broken stem into a glass of water and sit it in the kitchen window. Within a few weeks new roots could be seen, and she’d plant it into a new pot of it’s own.

You can often do the same thing with outdoor plants too, and you don’t always have to wait for a stem or branch to break. Go outside and cut a branch off one of your plants. Try to cut it several inches from the tip and just below a leaf. Then pinch off at least the bottom three leaves on the branch, and place that into a glass of water. Sit it in a window which doesn’t get too hot, and refill the water in the glass every few days.

You can also just place the cutting into moist vermiculite, and you may find the new roots developing faster.

Do any number of these techniques regularly and you’ll soon find yourself overflowing with many beautiful plants.

Find out about propagation in the greenhouse

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Rose Gardening - a simple guide

Roses have gotten a bad wrap over the years for being difficult to grow and maintain. If you are thinking of rose gardening don?t let this rumor stop you. While rose gardening can prove to be challenging, once you get the hang of it, it really isn?t that bad.

When you first start rose gardening, you will have to choose what type of rose you wish to plant, and no, I?m not talking about the color. You will have to choose between bare-root, pre-packaged, and container-grown roses. Bare-root roses are sold in the winter and early spring. They should be planted as soon as frosts are over and the ground is warm and workable. Pre-packaged roses are bare-root plants that are sold in a bad or box with something around the roots to retain moisture, such as sawdust. Container-grown roses are grown; you guessed it, in containers. They will be either budding or already in bloom when they become available in the early spring.

Planting in rose gardening is not that much different than any other type of plant. The most important thing, as always, is good, healthy soil and a prime planting area. It doesn?t matter whether your roses are bare-root or container-grown, the planting methods are the same as any other shrub. Make sure the spot you choose has good drainage, gets plenty of sunlight, and will not overcrowd your roses. Before planting, any dead leaves and thin or decayed shoots need to be cut off. Any damaged or very long roots also need to be trimmed. Soak bare-root roses in water about 10-12 hours to restore moisture in the roots before planting and water the soil before planting as well. Make sure the hole you have dug is large enough for the root growth of the rose. Also it is a good idea to use compost or mulch. After all, roses like extra nutrients just like any other plant.

Roses need the same things as other plants; they are just a bit needier. One of the most important things to remember in rose gardening is that roses are heavy feeders and will need several fertilizer applications. Fertilizing should be started in early spring and discontinued in early fall. Make sure not to over-fertilize (fertilize should come with instructions) and water after each feeding. Roses require large amounts of water; a thorough watering twice a week should be enough.

Pruning is an essential part to flower gardening. It increases blooms and encourages healthy plant growth. Different varieties of roses have different instructions for pruning, so you might want to read up on your rose types and see what is suggested.

The main thing to remember in rose gardening is to water, water, and water some more. One other thing about rose gardening is the amount of fertilizer and nutrients you will need to use, and the pruning that needs to be done to keep your roses under control and healthy. Even though rose gardening takes a little more time and roses are more work, they are one of the most unique and beautiful plants, and definitely worth the extra work.

Find out more in rose gardening books.

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How to go about planting seeds

Any reliable seed house can be depended upon for good seeds; but even so, there is a great risk in seeds. A seed may to all appearances be all right and yet not have within it vitality enough, or power, to produce a hardy plant.

If you save seed from your own plants you are able to choose carefully. Suppose you are saving seed of aster plants. What blossoms shall you decide upon? Now it is not the blossom only which you must consider, but the entire plant. Why? Because a weak, straggly plant may produce one fine blossom. Looking at that one blossom so really beautiful you think of the numberless equally lovely plants you are going to have from the seeds. But just as likely as not the seeds will produce plants like the parent plant.

So in seed selection the entire plant is to be considered. Is it sturdy, strong, well shaped and symmetrical; does it have a goodly number of fine blossoms? These are questions to ask in seed selection.

If you should happen to have the opportunity to visit a seedsman’s garden, you will see here and there a blossom with a string tied around it. These are blossoms chosen for seed. If you look at the whole plant with care you will be able to see the points which the gardener held in mind when he did his work of selection.

In seed selection size is another point to hold in mind. Now we know no way of telling anything about the plants from which this special collection of seeds came. So we must give our entire thought to the seeds themselves. It is quite evident that there is some choice; some are much larger than the others; some far plumper, too. By all means choose the largest and fullest seed. The reason is this: When you break open a bean and this is very evident, too, in the peanut you see what appears to be a little plant. So it is. Under just the right conditions for development this ‘little chap’ grows into the bean plant you know so well.

This little plant must depend for its early growth on the nourishment stored up in the two halves of the bean seed. For this purpose the food is stored. Beans are not full of food and goodness for you and me to eat, but for the little baby bean plant to feed upon. And so if we choose a large seed, we have chosen a greater amount of food for the plantlet. This little plantlet feeds upon this stored food until its roots are prepared to do their work. So if the seed is small and thin, the first food supply insufficient, there is a possibility of losing the little plant.

You may care to know the name of this pantry of food. It is called a cotyledon if there is but one portion, cotyledons if two. Thus we are aided in the classification of plants. A few plants that bear cones like the pines have several cotyledons. But most plants have either one or two cotyledons.

From large seeds come the strongest plantlets. That is the reason why it is better and safer to choose the large seed. It is the same case exactly as that of weak children.

There is often another trouble in seeds that we buy. The trouble is impurity. Seeds are sometimes mixed with other seeds so like them in appearance that it is impossible to detect the fraud. Pretty poor business, is it not? The seeds may be unclean. Bits of foreign matter in with large seed are very easy to discover. One can merely pick the seed over and make it clean. By clean is meant freedom from foreign matter. But if small seed are unclean, it is very difficult, well nigh impossible, to make them clean.

The third thing to look out for in seed is viability. We know from our testings that seeds which look to the eye to be all right may not develop at all. There are reasons. Seeds may have been picked before they were ripe or mature; they may have been frozen; and they may be too old. Seeds retain their viability or germ developing power, a given number of years and are then useless. There is a viability limit in years which differs for different seeds.

From the test of seeds we find out the germination percentage of seeds. Now if this percentage is low, don’t waste time planting such seed unless it be small seed. Immediately you question that statement. Why does the size of the seed make a difference? This is the reason. When small seed is planted it is usually sown in drills. Most amateurs sprinkle the seed in very thickly. So a great quantity of seed is planted. And enough seed germinates and comes up from such close planting. So quantity makes up for quality.

But take the case of large seed, like corn for example. Corn is planted just so far apart and a few seeds in a place. With such a method of planting the matter of per cent, of germination is most important indeed.

Small seeds that germinate at fifty per cent. may be used but this is too low a per cent. for the large seed. Suppose we test beans. The percentage is seventy. If low-vitality seeds were planted, we could not be absolutely certain of the seventy per cent coming up. But if the seeds are lettuce go ahead with the planting.

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Planting and growing ornamental grass in your yard and garden is a wonderful low maintenance way to add beauty with color, texture, and interesting focal points. Ornamental grass tends to grow quite high in many cases, so this adds an extra dimension of vertical interest in your yard and garden. And while some ornamental grasses can grow as tall as 20 feet, they don’t usually need to be trimmed or cut in the same way regular yard grass or bushes do.

Planting ornamental grass in bare spots of your yard can create a brand new look in the area. The grass can be used for naturalizing multiple areas of your yard, or it can be added to flower beds and gardens too. Some types of ornamental grass can be invasive though, and some might grow tall enough to block your flowers from receiving enough sunlight. So choose the ornamental grasses you plant in flower beds wisely.

Unlike regular grass, ornamental grass has little disease or pest concerns to worry about. And again, it doesn’t need to be trimmed. In fact, trimming ornamental grass too often will actually weaken it, and you can kill it by mowing or clipping too often.

Like other types of plants and flowers, there are a wide variety of ornamental grasses which can be planted and grown too. Some will create just small clumps of color similar to the way a groundcover does, while others will create large focal points in your yard similar to the way trees and bushes do.

Some ornamental grasses produce wonderful colors to accent your yard with too. The ornamental grass commonly known as Rubra usually displays a deep, dark red color mixed with a very deep green color that can be quite striking. Red switch grass is another favorite for the fall colors it produces.

Aside from producing wonderful colors and textures in your yard, many ornamental grasses also produce unusual and beautiful seed pods too. These can be left on the plants to further enhance their beauty if you’d like, plus they’ll draw more birds to your yard too. Some can even be picked and dried for use in decorating the inside of your home too.

Also like most flowers and decorative plants, some ornamental grasses will produce flowers too. And some will grow best in shade, while others prefer sun.

Choosing which ornamental grasses to plant in your yard and gardens might be the most difficult part of the process, but you’ll find that some grow as annuals so it’s easy to experiment with those first if you’re not familiar with growing them.

Growing Clivia
An evergreen amaryllid, Clivia produces umbels of salmony orange flowers. Because of its bulk, it is not generally a money maker for the small greenhouse, but you should know about it and perhaps grow a few as a trial. It is stunning in flower, and rather decorative in leaf, too.

This amaryllid grows from heavy rootstocks rather than from a bulb. The dark green leaves remain on the plant for 2 or more years. Clivias require the same soil and light as amaryllis, but they need somewhat different care during their rest period. While they should never be allowed to go dormant, they must have at least 3 months in a cool (50-degree) temperature to form buds. Blooming time is variable, but usually from Easter until midsummer.

Do not repot more often than absolutely necessary, as clivias are temperamental and seldom produce flowers the year they are repotted.

Clivia miniata, the most popular one, has large umbels of salmon flowers; C. caulescens, a good one for collectors, slender orange-and-green flowers. Seeds of either bring as much as $1 each; mature plants of clivia miniata sell for around $20.00;

Haemanthus
Haemanthus, better known as the African blood lily, is fast becoming a popular pot plant. This is an excellent item for collectors, growers of rare house plants, or the gardener who wants one or two “conversation” plants. One firm now lists seven species, and you can get an effective start toward stocking your greenhouse by purchasing a bulb or two of each. I have procured seeds from Africa and grown many of my haemanthus from them.

Most bulbs send out many offsets, and these can be removed when they are about a year old. Since the older bulbs retail for $1.50 to $10.00, these offsets, especially those of the rarer sorts, are easy to sell. Almost all species are good seed setters. The usual method of pollinating is to rub your hand over the flowers every day while plants are in bloom. This insures pollen distribution of the small flowers.
While the majority of haemanthus grow best in bright light, the white-flowered one, haemanthus. albiflos, flowers only in a shaded location.

Haemanthus Katharinea produces a hundred or more tomato-red flowers and supple green leaves; H. multiflora, with its beautifully proportioned flower head, is recommended for the beginner. The neck of the bulb is speckled red, and the flower scape, 12 to 14 inches high, firmly supports the ball of red flowers. Other varieties, as H. magniftcus, and H. coccineus also are red or reddish orange, while H. albiflos and its variations have tassels of white flowers.
Haemanthus requires little rest. Some of the red-flowered varieties shed their foliage about 4 to 6 weeks before sending up bloom scapes; H. albiflos remains evergreen, shedding only some of the older leaves. I keep my haemanthus in the greenhouse the year round, never setting them in dark quarters for a dormant period.

Sprekelia (The Jacobean Lily)
Slender, tapering, red petals give Sprekelia an exotic aspect. It sends out but one flower to a scape, and it requires the same general care as amaryllis. The most common complaint with novice growers seems to be, “I can’t get it to produce flowers the second year.” While in active growth it must never become dry. Too, the Jacobean lily requires constant fertilizing. I alternate fertilizers—one time a complete commercial type, next time fish emulsion. The plants are sturdy enough to stand summering in the garden, but if you live in a cold area, do not set them out until you are certain danger of frost is over. I once planted a number of sprekelias in the garden on Memorial Day; the following morning there was a freeze so hard the bulbs took the whole summer to recover, and they did not bloom the following winter.
Bulbs are reasonably priced—about 50 cents each in catalogs. Potted plants in bud or bloom bring you about $2.00 each. If you want to try for intergeneric hybrids, this might be a good plant for you to work with. There are reports of hybrids between Sprekelia and Crinum.

Zephyranthes (FAIRY LILIES)
Of easiest culture, the fairy lilies are ideal for the indoor garden, patio, porch box, or greenhouse. The bulbs are small and can be planted singly in 4-inch pots, or several to a bulb pan. The flowers in shades of rose, white, and yellow look like tiny amaryllis. Culture, including rest period, is like that of amaryllis.

Profit Ideas
An Illinois grower has excellent results with amaryllids. His ridge-type greenhouse is 10- by 16-feet with one glass end, the other attached to his home, a prefab, it cost about $400.00. He orders Dutch bulbs through a wholesaler and immediately retails them to local and mail-order customers. Keeping files on the collections of his customers, he encourages them to try

special varieties. These are ordered for them and shipped at the proper time.
Leftover bulbs are planted in flats, and allowed to bloom. The choicest are pollinated, and seeds from them are sold. Older bulbs are kept and sold as larger stock or as flowering potted plants.

A California grower stocks a variety of amaryllids. Larger ones like Agapanthus, Clivia, and some Haemanthus, are used by his customers as unusual landscaping material. Cyrtanthus is a favorite with collectors, arrangers, and corsage-makers. His customers, local and mail order, can always depend on him to supply them with the newest in amaryllids.

An Oklahoma grower reports a neat profit from sales of her greenhouse-grown zephyranthes used in corsages for her retail trade. I sell seeds of the Dutch amaryllis, fifteen for $3.00. Haemanthus seeds go two for a quarter, and small haemanthus bulbs at $1.25 to $2.00 each.

A few rose garden tips can be very helpful to the beginner,if your wanting to grow the best rose garden that you can grow.Some ignore these tips because they simply think that it is a waste of time to educate themselves with the knowledge that it takes to produce a successful rose garden.

A Few Rose Garden Tips:

1)Planning for your rose garden.

When laying out a plan for your rose garden, you should plan by asking yourself these questions.

2)Where should I plant my rose garden?

The location of this garden should be thought out seriously.You want your rose garden to be in an area where it can be seen.You cannot move the garden after its location is been selected,unless your planning to do double the work in re-planting your garden.

3)When should I plant my rose garden?

This step is critical,by educating yourself on your local climate;you will know exactly when are the best conditions to plant your rose garden.

A few rose garden tips can make your planning a rose garden more easier.You also have to rememmber that rose gardening is hard work,but rewarding.After you have chosen the types of roses you plan to grow,you will have to educate yourself in preparing the soil, and maybe have a soil sample test done to determine the nutrients that your soil lacks.

After your rose garden is well on its way,you might want a few tips in pruning and caring for the rose plants. Pruning is important for shaping, and beautifying your roses.A few rose garden tips for pruning will enhance your roses in their blooming stage.You will see more beauty in your roses,instead of small inferior blooms.You should be aware of the right time to prune your roses.Cold weather is not suitable for this step so be careful,and choose the correct weather conditions.

A few rose garden tips will bring your garden into full bloom.With this in mind,take precaution in the tools; and equipment that you will use in caring for your rose garden.For example,choose the correct pruning shears for your pruning.Make sure your shears are sharp,for clean quick cuts.Shears that have a cutting side and a support side are highly recommended.

If your planning to have a top of the line rose garden, and your searching for a few rose garden tips to make your hobby a success. Go to a great website that will put you well on your way for some great educating knowledge Go Now To:A few rose garden tips

If your planning to have a top of the line rose garden, and your searching for a few rose garden tips to make your hobby a success. Go to a great website that will put you well on your way for some great educating knowledge Go Now To:A few rose garden tips

Planting a garden to grow flowers or vegetables can be relaxing but it can also be hard work. In order to give your plants the best chance of growing, you need to properly prepare the soil for them. You will find most soil lacks the essential nutrients to grow plants well without additional help.

Pay close attention to how far you have to dig into the soil in order to plant your items. You want to follow these directions precisely. Some types of flowers and plants seem to grow well in any type of soil. Others require it to be loose and full of nutrients. One of the easiest ways to do this is to create your own fertilizer.

You can take the leaves from your yard, scraps from your kitchen, and various other items. Place them into a collector in your yard with a lid that will keep animals out. This way you can have all the fertilizer you need when you are ready to use it. This will also help the environment because you won’t be using any harsh elements to get your products to grow.

Make sure you also have the soil level in the garden area. Otherwise the water will run downhill. This can result in some of it not getting enough water and other areas getting too much water. There is also the risk of the nutrients running from the top down preventing many of the items in your garden from being able to grow.

Too many people neglect to take care of the soil in the winter after they have harvested their garden. However, if you work hard to take care of this detail, you will have less work to do when spring rolls around. It will help your soil to maintain plenty of nutrients so that you aren’t going to have to add so many of them.

One of the easiest ways to preserve your gardening soil over the winter is to add plenty of compost. You can collect it yourself or you can purchase it. Make sure the compost is several inches thick so it will penetrate deep into the soil.

The success of your garden depends on how well you prepare the soil before you start the process. Don’t look for shortcuts and make sure you give your garden everything it needs to be successful. You can have delicious tasting vegetables and fruit and beautiful flowers if you do so.

Try the Himalayan Health Secret - Goji Juice!

I’m not a Bonsai expert, but really enjoy looking at them, so I asked Anthony Smith to write a few words about Bonsai trees and their care. I think he’s come up with some interesting information. I hope you enjoy it…

Bonsai trees have often been thought to have originated from Japan. However, records of more than 2,000 years old show that bonsai trees have been growing in China, not only as part of landscapes, but also in shallow containers. Approximately 1,500 years ago, Bonsai trees were first grown individually after being collected from mountainous regions. Bonsai trees can be seen on many ancient Chinese line drawings. It was several centuries later that the Japanese began to grow and train the trees in pots. The Chinese and Japanese styles of Bonsai are very different. The Chinese styles are more freeform and mainly trained by pruning, and the Japanese styles are particularly groomed and shaped, making them appear more natural.

The translation of bonsai growing is ‘plant in a tray’. It is a satisfying hobby which combines both horticulture and art. Bonsai trees are typically described as ‘living sculptures’. As with any pot plant, it is essential that the plant is kept healthy and in excellent condition. It does require a certain amount of artistic imagination to prune and shape bonsai trees. The origin, species and general health are dependent upon the timescale to create an impressive bonsai. It will take longer to grow a bonsai tree from a seed or a cutting.

You can become to appreciate bonsai trees very quickly. They can become a very important part of your life. It is essential not to be afraid to experiment with pruning and shaping. Patience is something which is necessary by each individual when creating bonsai trees, as it is a process which should not be hurried. A good Bonsai can be trained in a very short time, providing that the suitable material is selected firstly.

Something which is fundamental to all plant life is watering. The tree will certainly die of thirst in as little as 48 hours, if it is left in a dry bonsai container. It is essential however, that the tree is not over watered. This is how many bonsai trees die, as newcomers to bonsai growing panic and over water the plant. It is important to water thoroughly, but only when a bonsai needs it. You can test as to whether the bonsai needs water by scratching the surface to expose the soil immediately below. If the soil just under the surface is wet, then do not water it. If the soil is only just damp, then you can water it. And if it is dry under the surface, then it should most certainly be watered.

Bonsai soil contains little or no nutritional value to a bonsai tree. Your bonsai depends entirely upon you for its nutritional requirements. There are a wide variety of plant foods available for your bonsai. However, it is essential that the plant food contains the three basic nutrients of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K).

It is essential for the survival of the plant that it receives sufficient daylight or good artificial light. However, it is essential to understand the difference between sunshine and sunlight in order deliver the correct bonsai tree care. Direct sunlight can be harmful for many species of bonsai, especially through a glass window. It is also essential to remember that whether your bonsai tree is inside or out, it will benefit from a certain degree of shade from the hot summer sun.

More Bonsai Tree information articles written by Anthony Smith can be found at:http://bonsai-tree.relatedinfo4u.com

If you want enchanting flowering plants for shade, you cannot beat growing fuchsias. Whether in individual pots, window boxes, or hanging baskets, lady’s ear drops, as fuchsias an sometimes called, are gorgeous plants noted for their grace and splendor. There are hundreds of varieties, single and double, in rose, purple, and white shades, and in both upright and hanging types. Fuchsias are particularly popular in California, where the summers are cool and the winters sufficiently moderate; but they make handsome container plants in other climates too.

Except for the hanging types, fuchsias are by nature upright shrubby growers, fine as specimen plants for containers. Under proper conditions, some attain considerable size. The dark purple-and-red Reiter’s Giant grows to five feet or more, and the single red Mephisto is even taller. Alice Hoffman, a semi-double white and pink, is a dwarf, to two feet, as is the three-foot Camellia, a double white and red.

Tree Types
Tree, or standard, fuchsias are always greatly admired. These are simply the usual fuchsias trained to tree form. With patience, you can develop your own, starting with a four- to five-inch cutting kept tied to a strong four- to five-foot stake. At the desired height of two, three, or four feet, the single stalk can be pinched back and allowed to branch. In the meantime, do not remove all leaves from the stem, because they are needed to manufacture food.

Good varieties to train to tree form include the purple-and-red Muriel, the red-and-white Storm King, the double lavender-and-red Gypsy Queen, and the all-white Flying Cloud. Tree fuchsias lend themselves to the simplicity of modern architecture; the large specimens are always attractive on the terraces and patios of contemporary ranch houses. On the other hand, they are also handsome with houses and gardens of traditional design.

For Hanging Baskets
Many gardeners believe that the best way to appreciate fuchsias is in hanging baskets, because their exquisite blooms are seen at or above eye level. They are most decorative for patios, entrances, lath houses, and on walls and tree trunks. They can be suspended in redwood slat boxes and in glazed or plastic containers. In moss-lined wire baskets, they require more water because the roots dry out more quickly.

For basket planting, you will like the double magenta-and-carmine Anna, the single red-and-white Claret Cup, and also the semi-double purple-and-red Muriel, mentioned for tree-training. Among the most brilliant varieties are the double, bright red Marinka; the nearly orange Aurora Superba; the carmine-rose and orange-red San Francisco; and the rose-purple-and-pink Amapola. It is more effective to grow but one variety in a container.

Espaliers and Pyramids
In planters or raised beds of containers, fuchsias can be trained into interesting espalier forms against a wall or fence where the space may be too narrow for other plants. Though not difficult, the espalier plant requires time and patience. First make a trellis of wood or wire. Five to seven tiers are customary. Then train your plant as it grows, pinching growth frequently to induce branching and to avoid bare stems. Varieties to espalier include the red-and-scarlet Falling Stars, the blue-and-rose Coquette, and the red-and-white Dr. John Gallwey.

Fuchsias can also be trained into pyramids in the manner of formal English ivy plants. Since the young fuchsia shoots tend to break easily, it takes patience and a steady hand to tie them properly to the form. Fully grown plants are delightful in a formal setting, and a pair for an entranceway are distinctive indeed.

Fuchsias are tender woody plants that do best under cool, humid conditions. They are especially successful in coastal areas, where fog and humidity prevail, though some varieties, as the single all-red Mephisto and the red-and-white Mme. Cornelissen, will thrive in hot, dry inland regions. They are great favorites because they bloom in shade, not the heavy shade of low-branching trees, but high, open shade and that found on the north side of a building. In dense shade, plants get leggy and flower sparingly. In hot, direct sunshine, however, they dry out and the leaves burn. In hot climates, lath houses provide ideal conditions. Windy locations should be avoided because of the delicate flowers and brittle branches.

When growing fuchsias, moisture is essential. Plants show dryness by wilting. In containers, they usually need water every day and sometimes more often, particularly in the summer. Good drainage is important. In the bottom of the container provide sufficient rough material such as broken flower pots, pebbles, or cinders to insure free passage of water.

Do not allow pots to stand in water, and in hot weather sprinkle the foliage to remove dust and increase humidity. Fuchsias require an acidic soil. The mixture should be rich in organic matter. A good combination consists of one part good garden loam, one part leaf mold or peat moss, and either one part old manure or a small amount in dehydrated form.

Containers should be large enough to allow for full development of plants during the summer growing season. A small plant needs a six-inch pot; if two or three are grown together, use a ten- or twelve-inch pot. Starting with young plants is preferable, although large specimens are satisfactory if they are healthy and vigorous.

When fuchsias are wintered in containers and are not treated as annuals, you can enrich the growing medium the first year by scooping a few inches of soil from the top and replacing it with a fresh mixture. The next year, take plants out of containers in early spring, cut back the tops and some of the roots and repot in fresh soil in the same container. Drastically cutting back branches in the spring, before growth commences, will make plants branch well.

Increasing Your Supply
When you want to increase your collection, take three-inch cuttings from the tender spring growth, dip the ends in a hormone powder and insert the lower inch of each stem in a mixture of half leaf mold and half sand. Protect the cuttings from sun and either spray them lightly from time to time or cover with polyethylene plastic to prevent their drying out. When roots have formed, transfer the plants to small pots in a mixture of light loam and leaf mold. Cuttings can also be taken in late summer or early fall for small plants that are easier to winter.

Fuchsias require regular feeding through the growing season. Give liquid fertilizer once a month, following directions on the package. Fish emulsion, applied monthly, will give especially good results.

During the winter, store plants at 45 to 50 degrees to keep them dormant. Water sparingly, just enough to prevent wood from shrivelling. Outdoors, hardy fuchsias will survive to 25 degrees, but where hardiness is questionable, it is safer to winter plants in a greenhouse, cool room, shed, or in a cold frame. During this period, cover the roots with a layer of peat moss.

Insects likely to attack fuchsias include aphids, red spiders, white flies, thrips, mealy bugs, and leaf hoppers. Use a safe insecticide from your local gardening supplier, and apply regularly, especially before an infestation is heavy, will keep these enemies under control.