Go-Green

Plant roses in rich, well-draining soil. When planting, mix organic matter, such as compost or ground bark, into excavated soil you will use to backfill the planting hole. Add a 2-3-inch layer of coarse, organic mulch around roses. Coarse mulch helps reduce foliage diseases on roses because it reduces the amount of water splashing onto leaves (splashing water drops can spread fungal diseases). Irrigate roses deeply but infrequently, applying water directly to soil using soaker hoses or drip irrigation. Water needs vary based on weather and soil, so check soil with your finger. Water often enough to create consistently moist soil – not overly wet, not bone-dry. To prevent diseases, keep foliage dry, especially if you must water late in the day.

Marigolds are easygoing plants that bloom reliably, even in direct sunlight, punishing heat and poor to average soil. Although they are beautiful in the ground, growing marigolds in containers is a surefire way to enjoy this delightful plant. Read on to learn how to grow marigolds in containers. Any type of marigold can be grown in containers, but keep in mind that some types, such as African marigolds, can reach heights of up to 3 feet (1 m.) and may be too large for standard containers. Don’t crowd potted marigold plants, as healthy marigolds require plenty of air circulation. One marigold is enough for a 6-inch (15 cm.) pot, but you can grow two or three in a 12-inch (30 cm.) pot, and five or more small plants in a large container with a diameter of 18 inches (45 cm.).

Growing hibiscus is an easy way to add a tropical flair to your garden. When you know how to care for hibiscus plants, you will be rewarded with many years of lovely flowers. Let’s look at some tips on how to care for hibiscus. Hibiscus plants prefer a cozy fit when growing in a container. This means that they should be slightly root bound in the pot and when you do decide to repot, give the hibiscus only a little bit more room. Always make sure that your growing hibiscus plant has excellent drainage. When you care for a hibiscus, you should remember that hibiscus flowers best in temperatures between 60-90 F. (16-32 C.) and cannot tolerate temps below 32 F. (0 C.). In the summer, your hibiscus plant can go outside, but once the weather starts to get near freezing, it’s time for you to bring your hibiscus indoors. When hibiscus are in their blooming stage, they require large amounts of water. Your hibiscus will need daily watering in warm weather. But once the weather cools, your hibiscus needs far less water, and too much water can kill it. In the winter, water your hibiscus only when the soil is dry to the touch.

A trouble free crop that enjoy cooler weather. Sow them directly into the ground from March to June. Peas need a deep watering right at the time of planting in order to help them establish themselves in their new home. Provide at least one inch of water per week and try to keep the soil from drying out completely, checking moisture levels daily. Also, do remember if the climate is too hot then increase the one inch supply of water so that the moisture is maintained.

Apple trees are prone to a host of pests (such as codling moths, photo, right) and diseases (such as apple scab, photo, above). Keeping the area around a tree clean by pulling weeds to prevent nutrient competition and clearing any plant debris to reduce disease transmission go a long way toward preventing problems. In addition, Elmer recommends killing pests during the season and spraying apple trees with dormant oil every year to protect trees from overwintering pests, larvae, and eggs. Organic sprays are available, but they should be used with caution; follow the package directions to the letter. Pruning an apple tree every year is not just recommended—it’s essential. You will need to prune your apple tree—to train it to a central leader the first year and for maintenance every year after that—to stimulate fruit production and to keep the tree open and balanced. Without regular pruning, an apple tree produces lots of vegetative growth that then turns into fruiting wood. If a tree has too much fruiting wood, it begins to produce too many apples, which weakens the tree and results in inferior—and eventually fewer and less palatable—apples. The key is to achieve a healthy balance of vegetative growth and fruiting wood so that the tree has enough energy to produce healthy apples.

Mango trees grow easily from seed. Get a fresh mango pit and slit the hard husk. Remove the seed inside and plant it in seed starter mix in a large pot. Situating the seed with ¼-inch (.6 cm.) protruding above the soil surface works best for growing mango trees. Keep the soil evenly moist and place the pot where temperatures remain at least 70 F. (21 C.). Sprouting may occur as early as eight to 14 days, but may take up to three weeks. Keep in mind that your new mango tree seedling will not produce fruit for at least six years. Mango tree care is similar to that of any fruit tree. Water the trees deeply to saturate the long taproot. Allow the top surface of the soil to dry to a depth of several inches before watering again. Withhold irrigation for two months prior to flowering and then resume once fruits begin to produce. Fertilize the tree with nitrogen fertilizer three times per year. Space the feedings and apply 1 pound (.45 kg.) per year of tree growth. Caring for mango trees must also include watching for pests and diseases. Deal with these as they occur with organic pesticides, cultural and biological controls or horticultural oils.

ORANGE 1. Water needed for growing orange trees varies by climate and yearly rainfall totals, but as a rule of thumb, orange tree care involves regular watering in spring to prevent wilting and withholding of irrigation in fall. When taking care of an orange tree, remember that water lowers the solid content of the fruit. Depth of planting also affects how much water you provide during orange tree care. Growing orange trees usually need between 1 and 1 ½ inches (2.5-4 cm.) of water per week. Fertilization– Fertilization of growing orange trees depends on the use of the fruit. Extra nitrogen fertilizer results in more oil in the peel. Potassium fertilizer decreases oil in the peel. For high productivity of edible oranges, 1 to 2 pounds (0.5-1 kg.) of nitrogen should be applied yearly to each tree. Fertilizer should include potassium and phosphorus as well as a range of micro-nutrients. If your older orange tree does not produce fruit in abundance, take a soil test of the area where growing orange trees reside to determine what fertilizer ratio is needed. Additional fertilization is often applied by spraying the leaves of the tree once or twice a year. Pruning– Pruning the orange tree for shape is not necessary. However, you should remove any branches that are a foot (31 cm.) or less from the ground. In addition, remove damaged or dying branches once they are noticed. Fertilization of growing orange trees depends on the use of the fruit. Extra nitrogen fertilizer results in more oil in the peel. Potassium fertilizer decreases oil in the peel. For high productivity of edible oranges, 1 to 2 pounds (0.5-1 kg.) of nitrogen should be applied yearly to each tree. Fertilizer should include potassium and phosphorus as well as a range of micro-nutrients. If your older orange tree does not produce fruit in abundance, take a soil test of the area where growing orange trees reside to determine what fertilizer ratio is needed. Additional fertilization is often applied by spraying the leaves of the tree once or twice a year. Pruning the orange tree for shape is not necessary. However, you should remove any branches that are a foot (31 cm.) or less from the ground. In addition, remove damaged or dying branches once they are noticed.

Spinach needs about one to one and a half inches of rain or irrigation per week. If you don’t get any rain, you will need to manually water your spinach plants. Instead of one long deep soak, spinach plants will do better with three or four light waterings per week.

Gardenias are cold-sensitive and may die during severe winters, therefore, gardenias are typically grown outdoors where the winter weather is reasonably tolerable, or grown in pots and moved indoors for winter. Fall or spring is the most suitable time for planting the gardenia bush.The gardenia plant can also be successfully grown in containers and treated like houseplants indoors. However, when growing a gardenia bush indoors, you must keep in mind that it requires bright light and high humidity.The soil, which should be loose and organic, should be kept moist, but take care not to overwater. Monitor the soil frequently for moisture and water thoroughly as the top inch (2.5 cm.) of soil dries. The gardenia plant should also receive cooler nighttime temperatures and warmer daytime temperatures. Gardenias require frequent fertilizing to ensure healthy plant growth. Fertilize monthly between April and November using a fertilizer that is specifically formulated for acid-loving plants. Be careful not to over-fertilize gardenia plants. Too much fertilizer can lead to salt accumulation, which can damage the shrub. Do not fertilize gardenias in the fall, which can stimulate growth. This tender, new growth will quickly die when exposed to cold winter temperatures.

Although sunflowers require a lot of water to germinate, they only require an inch of water per week during the growing season. Use a watering nozzle to easily water once a week until the top 6 inches of soil is moist. If you prepared your soil with compost and/or manure, you shouldn’t need extra fertilization during the growing season. If you feel your plants require better nutrition, you can work a balanced, slow-acting granular fertilizer into the soil surrounding your sunflowers. Sunflower fertilizers are available in a few garden centers, but a basic fertilizer is really all you need. One of the greatest sunflower challenges is weed control. Weeds compete with sunflowers for moisture and nutrition. Unless you want to till, hoe or pull weeds by hand, you’ll want to put down a generous layer of mulch to fight weeds. Add up to a 4-inch layer of organic mulch to your sunflower garden. Leave an area of bare soil around each sunflower stalk to help deter pests and disease.

The soil that your Jasmine plant should be planted in can vary quite a bit. I like to use an organic blend of porous material as well as bark, peat, and other soil that drains well.Jasmine plants like bright sunlight, so if the plant is indoors, make sure that it is getting sunlight for up to four hours a day. Having the plant in front of a southern facing window will do wonders for its growth. During the winter months, the plant will not need quite as much direct sunlight.Being a tropical plant, Jasmine plants are able to handle hot and humid temperatures, but they will not survive cold, winter temperatures. When growing Jasmine, try to keep the temperature between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. After the plant is through blooming, you can keep the plant in a cool room, but no cooler than 41 degrees.

When considering how to grow watermelons, know that it is not that difficult . The plant does all the work. They grow great in the south during warmer seasons, but if you live in the north, there are tips for growing watermelons that can be followed so you are successful in your endeavors. One of the better tips for growing watermelon plants in the north is that you should start early varieties in the house and plant transplants instead of planting the seed directly into the soil. While the plants can be started indoors and then put outside, don’t start them too early because large growing watermelon seedlings don’t do well when transplanted. Watermelons prefer sandy loam soil over others. Growing watermelons also requires space, as the plants are vines and take up a lot of room. Seedlings should be planted 2 to 3 feet (.60-.91 m.) apart. You should definitely include 7 to 10 feet (2-3 m.) between rows.Another thing to consider as part of your basic watermelon plant care is that they need plenty of water . You should especially give them water when it gets dry, as it often does in the dead of summer.

In addition to proper papaya growing conditions, suitable care of papaya fruit trees is also important. In order for papaya trees to thrive, they require some fertilizer. Provide young plants fertilizer every 14 days using ¼ pound (113.5 g.) of complete fertilizer. Fertilize older trees with 1 to 2 pounds (0.5-1 kg.) of fertilizer once a month. Also, be sure to take a soil sample and amend it as necessary. Water trees frequently for best fruit production. Mulch trees with 4 inches (10 cm.) of wood chips to help retain moisture, taking care to keep the mulch 8 to 12 inches (20-30.5 cm.) from the trunk. Protect developing fruit from pests by placing a paper bag over them until they are ripe.

Super-easy to grow root vegetable.Beetroot can be sown directly into moist ground from March to July. Generally speaking, a good watering schedule for beets provides an inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week. This is a combination of rainwater and supplemental irrigation. If you receive a half inch (1.5 cm.) of rain, you only have to provide an additional half inch (1.5 cm.) of irrigation water.

Radishes need water, but not too much. Radishes will thrive in a seedbed with proper drainage. Keep the soil evenly moist, but not soaked. Don't allow the soil to completely dry out before watering. This causes the roots to crack. The soil should always feel wet to the touch. If you live in an arid climate where evaporation is a problem, mulch around the plants with a 2-inch layer of lawn clippings. The mulch keeps the weeds down.

Plant potatoes during late February and March in potato bags that are only part filled with compost. When the green shoots begin to appear above the soil, simply cover them with more compost. Repeat until the bag is full. Generally, potatoes need between 1-2 inches of water per week; this could be provided by rain events or you to make up the difference. Water needs for your crop throughout its life goes a little something like this… Planting to 30 days: Water needs not high or critical 30-60 days: Water critical for vegetative growth and early tuber formation 60-90 days: Water critical for tuber bulking 90-120 days: Tops begin to yellow and die back. Water needed but not excessively before harvest