Propagating Houseplants by Leaf Cuttings

photo credit: Nadia308

As might be expected, most plants suited to this method of propagation have comparatively soft and fleshy leaves. There are two types of leaf cuttings : those that make use of leaf and stem and those requiring the leaf alone. An example of the first is the dainty African violet and of the second, the gorgeous Begonia Rex.

Merely knock the plant from its pot, tease away some of the soil from the roots and with a sharp knife cut away the new shoots together with the roots closest to them. Pot these up in fresh soil. Well grown Saint Paulias or African Violets after a time grow to a stage where they should be divided if they are to continue growing and blooming. In this case again knock the plant from its pot and gently ease away much of the soil, damaging the roots as little as possible. It will be seen that instead of a single plant there are in fact a considerable number and many of these can be gently separated from the mass and potted up individually.

A considerably more artificial derivation of the layering process is known as air layering. It is particularly useful for the following reason. Many plants such as the rubber plant gradually lose their lower leaves so we are left with a long, naked stem with a tuft of foliage at the top. This is both hideous and a demonstration of our inability to grow the plant properly. If we can take the tuft at the top and make a new plant from it, then we can begin again.

Actually it is possible merely to cut off the green and growing tuft at the top of the plant and to strike this as a cutting, but high soil temperatures and humidity are required, so we can use instead the following simpler method.

The begonia leaf can be cut into several sections and so long as each cut has been made to sever one of the prominent veins, roots will grow from this part. The spear like Sanscvieria can be cut into two inch sections. Each of the sections, from begonia or sansevieria, should be planted with the end originally nearest the stem or base into the soil.

The new plant (for that is what it is) can then be cut away from the naked stem below and potted up in the usual manner.

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How To Grow Bonsai in The Most Popular Styles

Simply put, the miniaturized versions of bigger trees are what we call Bonsai trees. They’re alive and they’re not plastics that look similar to each other. There are indeed different bonsai styles like the bigger trees. In fact, their shapes and forms are what please the bonsai tree holders. These styles are formal upright, informal upright, cascade, semi cascade, slant and windswept. These are the different types of bonsai trees available for shaping, training or forming. Knowing the styles enable the bonsai lovers to choose specific pots for the specific style the bonsai tree is trained to be and decide which caring tips they need to grow the trees beautifully.

Upright styles: Formal and Informal

Formal upright style is the style where the trunk of the tree is straight upwards and the first lower branches are far wider than the rest. The preceding branches will then proceed to shape an overall triangular look for the tree. This is a great shape for beginners to practice with. Trees that are suitable for these types of bonsai trees style are Pine, Larch, Juniper and Spruce. The informal upright style is similar to the formal upright except that the top branch needs to be extended forward instead of upwards. This lends the tree an impression of motion.

Slant types of bonsai trees

If the Informal upright types of bonsai trees style are suitable for Beech, Japanese maple and Trident Maple trees, this slant style can be chosen for almost all bonsai trees. This is the style wherein the trunk extends to one direction while the lowest branch extends to the other direction. This style is quite common and very easy to shape and train.

Cascade style Bonsai

If they do not like the simple styles of upright and slant, then they can choose among the cascade and semi cascade styles. These styles have a sloping effect plus the trunk is vertical and turned to one direction. Aside from that, the branches are trained to slope or cascade lower than the surface of the pot. Sometimes, some people do not want the trunks turned into one direction so they choose the semi-cascade style, which is the same as the cascade style except the trunk gradually slopes.

Windswept style Bonsai

The windswept style looks like the bonsai tree has been beset by strong winds. It looks a bit unruly and beautifully unkempt. These are most of the common styles that bonsai plants are usually trained to be.

Prune to produce different styles of Tree

Getting the style of bonsai tree you want is easy. All you have to do is prune and trim. These styles have been practiced for centuries as an art form. This is one of the most important maintenance issues of this particular plant. Aside from shaping the bonsai into the desired form, pruning and trimming could maintain balance of the bonsai tree as you reduce growth taking place above the ground.

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Different Types Of Cactus Plants

Mealybugs and scale insects can be two of the most aggressive bugs to attack cacti and succulents. New seedling plants are also subject to damage, but the main pest of these plants is when they are over watered by their owners.

There are many varieties, more than a thousand to choose from, and we are going to list a few of the more popular ones. For many reasons, these types have proven to be great houseplants.

A Christmas Cactus, which also goes by the name zygocactus truncatus, is admired for its mid-winter flowers. It grows in a cluster of leaf-life joints extending from a single base. The flowers run up to 3 inches long, are deep red in color and will bloom from October to January.

This particular cactus is aided by being placed outside during the summer months. It should be only be watered sparsely once it is brought back inside. This is only necessary until it shows signs of blooming again, then watering should be increased. It should be planted in loose soil, and it does not need sand, unlike other varieties of cacti. It tends to be droopy and would be best planted in a hanging basket.

The Peanut Cactus is another popular cactus of the succulent family. It is very different from its cousin the Christmas Cactus. It is a lower growing plant it seldom grows over 3 inches tall. It is made up of clusters of joints that are covered by soft white spines. It has large, funnel shaped flowers and it propagated by cutting the joints.

Another variety is the Night-Blooming Cereus, as the name implies, it flowers will only open at night. There are many different varieties of the Night-Blooming Cactus. Some of which can grow to be very high in stature. In the houseplant variety, it can grow to a height of 3 or 4 feet and it blooms large white colored flowers.

The Orchid Cactus, is also in the same family as the Christmas Cactus. But this cactus blooms in the spring and summer, as opposed to the winter time. There are dozens of types of this cactus, all have exquisite blooms and can reach tremendous height and size.

Aloes are in the succulent family, they grow heavy lily-shaped leaves that sprout from a single base. They can be either fully green or green with white and silver stripes and spots.

Aloes can often be mistaken for the Agave, the Century Plant. They strongly resemble each other. The Crown-Of-Thorns is known by the botanical name Euphorbia. It can be grown upright or trained to vine, it has a thick stem and succulent spiny leaves. This plant needs more moisture and humidity than many other succulents or the yucca cane.

The Jade Plant, or Crassula, is another typical succulent plant, it has flat, round leaves that are bright green or can be variegated in color as well. This plant is easy for a even a novice to grow, and will withstand almost anything except over watering.

Technorati Tags: Crassula, Euphorbia, Flower, gardening, Gardens, Home, Jade Plant, Plant, Succulent plant

Gardening And The Environment

photo credit: tomsaint11

People generally don’t realise that gardening has an effect on the environment. What I mean by that is carbon dioxide is released through tilling the soil, so there is a small effect on global warming. The soil contains good types of fungi and when you cultivate the soil and compact it, it destroys these fungi. Also fertilisers like nitrogen and manure may leach out of the soil and enter the water table.

In untilled soil, there are beneficial fungi known as the vesicular-arbuscular-mycorrhizae or VAM for short. VAM actually forms a symbiotic relationship with plants. Their filaments increase root hairs and provide nutrients to the plant. They give out zinc, copper, potassium and phosphorus. Plants provide carbohydrates for the fungi in return. It is possible to have a garden without tilling the soil at all just by mulching heavily until the soil is soft and easily crumbled.

Many gardeners through ignorance waste manures and nitrogen by using too much. Always follow the instructions on the packaging because not only is this a waste of money, but it means extra nitrogen may leach into the water table.

The best gardening advice that can be given to those concerned is to do all things with moderation. Keep in mind that too little and too much of something does not usually give the best results. This is probably one of the key secrets to successful gardening.

It’s a little known fact that soil on the Earth’s surface gives out carbon dioxide to the atmosphere at approximately 10 times that of all human activity creates. The carbon dioxide comes from living organisms in the soil, microbes, fungi, worms, and bugs when they breathe; digest food, and when they die. Of course we all know about photosynthesis and how a plant cleans the air, but as we cut trees and extend arable land around the world over, all this ability is diminished.

This can be minimised by mulching or sheet composting where possible.

Technorati Tags: Arable land, Carbon dioxide, Earth, Gardens, Global warming, Manure, Plant, Soil