Friday, July 31, 2009

Annuals or Perennials Explained

What type of plants or flowers do you have. Depending on what part of the country you live in some perennials are annuals and vice versa.

I'll explain the difference between Annuals and Perennials below.

Annuals means usually only one growing season, completing its life cycle in one growing season. They could be seeds, flowering, or fruiting plants during that period. Most vegetables, are considered annuals. Wild flowers and weeds can also be annuals. The duration of a cycle is varied, it may be a few weeks to several months, depending on the species. Annual flowers and plants are used for that showy one time use in landscaping. They will have to be replaced the following season or cycle season.

Biennials these plants complete their life cycle in two growing seasons. The first season it produces only the basal leaves, grows its stem, produces flowers and fruits, then dies in the second season. The plant usually requires some special environmental condition or treatment such as exposure to a cold temperature to be induced to reproductive phase. Although annuals and biennials rarely become woody in regions where seasons rarely change, these plants may sometimes produce secondary growth in their stems and roots.

Perennials they are herbaceous plants that grow year round and through the adverse weather conditions. They will live through the summer, fall and winter seasons. They will also flower and fruit a variable number of years of vegetative growth past their second year. Many perennials survive the harsh cold season as dormant underground roots, rhizomes, bulbs, and tubers. Examples are ornamental trees, all varieties of bermuda grass, numerous landscaping shrubs, daylilies, and some bulbs.

Herbaceous Perennials are those with bascially, succulent stems. In climates that rarely change the tops die after a season of vegetative growth, sometimes dying down
In tropical or subtropical climates the tops of herbaceous perennials may die down, due to natural causes leading to a period of rest following flowering and seeding, or they may remain alive for long periods. Many bulb plants are considered herbaceous perennials.

Woody Perennials these are plants that become woody and soft. They are usually vines, groundcovers and some species of Roses. Some plants, however, growing as woody perennials in their growing habitat, take on the characteristics of herbaceous perennials when grown where their tops freeze to the ground in the winter but where the temperature is not enough to destroy their roots.

House plants these plants are adapted for indoor use. They are grown in containers, usually slow growing, and may be flowering or foliage plants. Here is a small list: Sansevieria, Rubber plants , Philodendrons, Aloe Vera plant, Pothos, and many more. You can make many annuals perennials by adapting them for indoor use. Example of houseplants here: Houseplants

Bedding plants are considered annuals they are used for planting outdoors in flower beds. They are either seedlings or started from seeds. They can be transplanted later in the growing season. Here are some good bedding plant examples: Chili, Petunia, Zinnias, Pansy, and Marigolds. Sometimes Geraniums will get through the winter season in the southwest.
More bedding plants here: Bedding Plants

Thanks from Paul Guzman

Monday, July 27, 2009

How to make your flowers bloom


Make your flowers bloom more often


What is it that makes flowers bloom? It really is simple. You need more phosphorus in your soil. So what is phosphorus? It is a natural occuring element or an inorganic phosphate. I could get into the whole scientific meaning but for our purpose this is what we really need to know. It make your plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs bloom. Without this element our world we be....well colorless.


Most fertilizers contain this element and is the middle number or symbol that describes the product. It is sometimes referred by the letter or symbol "P".


If your flowering plants are not flowering you are missing this natural occuring nurtient in your soil. Over time heavy watering or rain fall will depelete the natural occuring nurtients in the soil. This is why we need to fertilize our plants and trees.


Want to get more blooms more often? Purchase a fertilizer with a high content of phosphorus. Remember it is the middle number on most fertilizer products. And always read the instructions on the correct mixture and application of all fertilizer products. Too much and you could burn the root system. Too little and you will not get the results you are looking for.


Here are two products that I use. GreenLights Super bloom and Carl Pool's Br-61 works wonders. Ask for them at your local Greenhouse or Nursery.


Sunday, July 26, 2009

When should I fertilize my lawn

How often should I fertlize my lawn?

This is a question I get all the time at Color Your World Greenhouse. Here is my standard answer. Typically you should fertilize once when grass starts to turn green, again in early summer and once more in early fall. You are bascially wasting your money fertilizing warm seasonal grasses during winter. If you have evergreen lawns such as fescue or Kentucky blue grass you should apply a winterizer during the winter season.

If you want your lawn to look exceptionally good try to fertilizing once per month when your grass start to turn green.

The winterizer is NOT a fertilizer but more of a root stimulator to help lawn roots become much hardier.

Always apply the recommended mixture of fertilizer that your product recommends. A good mixture of 16-8-8 will work very well.

For more information about making your own look good all year long visit the follow website.
http://www.guzmansgreenhouse.com/lawn-care.htm

Thanks from Paul Guzman