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Reasons
why plants do not bloom
- Wrong location with the wrong plant:
tropicals are a challenge in the north.
- ph value of the soil changes.
- Fertilizing (over or under).
- Looking for the bloom at the wrong time of
the year.
- Maturity of the plant
.
The plant has an insignificant bloom to begin
with and you missed it.
First year it does not bloom (biannual).
Has already boomed when purchased (like
perennials).
Buds have dropped off due to early warm
season and then cold spring.
Trauma.
Acidity of the soil is incorrect for the
plant material.
Wrong kind of fertilizer.
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Seeds That Are Easy
To Sow
Directly In The Soil
Basil
Black Eyed Susan
Cleome
Cosmos
Larkspur
Marigolds
Sweet peas
Melampodium |
Pole Beans
Morning Glory
Rose Campion
Poppies
Nasturtium
Sun Flowers
Black-eyed Susan Vine |
| (In fact, transplanting these wonderful
flowers might be more difficult than sowing them directly into the
soil) |
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FERTILIZERS
10-10-10 is a nice all around spring fertilizer. Use 2-3
weeks before planting.
16-4-8 is a slow release fertilizer for southern lawns.
Organic fertilizers are safer. Chemical fertilizers may,
in time, build up salts.
Milogranite is a wonderful fertilizer that does not
burn.
Try and fertilize before a rain.
More damage is done by over fertilizing than under fertilizing. Less is
more.
Do not fertilize during the fall or the winter.
Ironite is made up of natural minerals. It is a natural fertilizer and
supplement. It will not burn.
Epsom salt can be used to ""green-up"" and
fertilize a plant. It is magnesium sulfate.
Annuals don't particularly like manure,
even old manure. It has too much nitrogen. Use only if composted for a
long time.
Compost is not a fertilizer.
Fish Water
(from a reader)
I stumbled on your website while I was looking
for advice on forgetmeknots and found it very nice.
I just wanted to pass this along to someone.
A few years ago I had an excessive amount of
fish tank water due to poor filtration and had to put it in jugs
to throw it away. One day I decided to utilize the water and
started to water my plants with it. I swear, they stood up at
attention.
They grew and matured so much that I had to
repot them all. Now, my tank is super clean and I can't do that
anymore. I know they sell fish emulsion but this was easy.
Just thought you could pass this on to people
that have tanks and change out the water.
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PLANT TIPS
In keeping your hydrangeas blue use aluminum sulfate. To
keep them pink, use lime.
The thinner the leaf, the more water it needs to sustain
life. The thicker the leaf, the less it needs.
It's not always green over the septic tank. It's a poor
place to plant and you should never do so. Roots will disrupt the ability
of the tank.
For color, annuals will bloom all summer. Perennials are either early
bloomers, mid-season bloomers, or late fall bloomers. Look for long
blooming perennials.
Pick flowers early in the morning for best results for fresh
arrangements or preserving.
Pick flowers for pressing after they have
dried from morning dew.
Always look for white roots in the bottom of a planted container. This
indicates that the plant has been raised properly and is healthy.
Pay attention to what grows in your zone. Stretching the zone only
works in created microclimates.
Companion planting is a good idea for vegetable growing. It may
diminish the insects (i.e. tomaotestes love carrots, marigolds deter all
sorts of insects., mums keep the mosquitoes away.) Plants with high scents
make a great addition to fighting insects.
All vegetable gardens need a minimum of 6 hrs of sunlight.
Divide and conquer all perennial beds by the end of
three years. Some may need it
sooner- some later.
Always keep in mind the maturity size of your plant
material when selecting for a site.
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