A-Z Garden Tips: Zigzagging

How does your garden grow? Well, maybe Mary-Mary of the old nursery rhyme planted her flowers all in a neat little row, but I surely don’t. Personally, I find it a lot more interesting and visually appealing to mix things up a bit.

When I pick out my annuals in the spring, I like to grab a variety of bright colors. I might buy cosmos, dahlias, dianthus, geraniums, gerbera daisies, marigolds, violas, and zinnias. And I may even plant them in the same bed.

Usually, I cluster similar flowers in odd little bunches. Long ago, a veteran gardener and floral arranger told me the best flower groupings are done in odd numbers. I’m not even sure why, but the habit was formed.

Instead of lining my plantings all up in rows, I zigzag them. I guess I must have something against too much order in my garden. I guess I prefer splashes of color to stripes – at least for planting. And I think the flowers fill in nicely and look fuller and prettier this way.

Maybe it’s just me and my quirky garden. But I like it.

Marigolds

Public domain photo

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Freshening fake foliage: How to dust artificial plants and flowers

Fall is coming, and autumn cleanups don’t stop at the front porch. What about those indoor artificial plants and silk flowers? Haven’t they been collecting dust through open windows all summer?

Low-maintenance is in!

Silk flowers and faux trees need no watering, fertilizing, or pruning! Leaves and blooms never wilt or fade, and you don’t need a green thumb to keep them looking lovely and lush. Some even look nearly natural.

However, within a few months, they do tend to grow a bit dusty and musty. How do you clean these without losing leaves or upsetting the beautiful floral arrangement?

No one has the time to wipe each individual leaf. But there is a much faster way! In fact, on an ongoing basis, three strategies are helpful. Here they are, listed in increasing amounts of effort and thoroughness.

1. Give artificial plants a gentle whisking to prevent dusty build-up.

At least once a week, you can use a soft feather duster to shake dust off the leaves and branches of your artificial plants. Be careful! If flowers or leaves fall off, try to re-affix them to the proper spots. Often, you simply have to snap the loose items back onto the right branch stubs.

2. Try a simple spraying solution.

Every week or two, you can lightly apply a thin layer of clear disinfectant spray (such as Lysol) to the blossoms and leaves of your artificial plants. This will minimize dust collection.

3. Give them a cleansing rain.

Every few months, you will want to do a more thorough cleaning. Take the artificial plant outdoors to the deck, driveway, sidewalk, patio, or another solid surface. Test color-fastness by soaking one or two leaves with clear water. Let the sample leaves dry, then shake them lightly to see how clean and shiny they have become.

If this has proven to be successful, then it is time to tackle the entire plant. First, check inside the pot. Is the filler made of Styrofoam, cardboard, or paper? If the filler is water-soluble, you will need to remove the plant from it before proceeding. If the container itself is not waterproof, you will also want to remove it.

Use your garden hose and a spray nozzle (set for a light shower, spritz, or gentle mist). Tip the plant slightly, so the water will shake off onto the ground, instead of into the plant base. Spray the entire plant thoroughly. Then shake off as much water as possible.

Set the plant in a sunny spot, sheltered from the wind, to dry for a few hours. Once it is completely dry, you can re-pot it and put it back in its spot.

What about cleaning artificial plants or silk flowers in an apartment or condominium?

A city dweller can accomplish the same ends by misting synthetic plants with a water-filled spray bottle in the shower. Place your potted items on a deck or balcony to dry.

Avoid costly cleaning products, as these are not needed for this job.

Artificial plant cleaning products are available, but they are quite costly and quite unnecessary. Household cleaning chemicals may damage the color of the leaves as well.

These simple steps will keep your plants looking fresh and healthy and perhaps even realistic.

Image/s:

Public domain clipart

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Z is for Zippy Zinnias

Bright and bold, zinnias are an annual favorite for the home gardener. Grown from seed or nursery seedlings, zinnias make lovely borders, fillers or even cut flowers for decorative arrangements.

The most popular colors for zinnias include orange, pink, purple, red, white, and yellow.

Plant zinnias in the garden after all danger of frost has passed (usually after Mother’s Day in the northern hemisphere). Choose spots will full sunlight and rich, well-drained soil.

Here’s a bonus on these beautiful blooms. Zinnias attract butterflies to the garden.

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Need more information on zinnias and annuals?

Check out these informative articles on zinnias and other annual flowers, published by a variety of garden writers.

Fun Flower Facts About Zinnias – Genie Walker

Here are some fun facts about zinnias, including their history, name origin, what zinnia means in the language of flowers, and planting instructions.

Poisonous Native Plant Perennials Found in Arizona – Tina Samuels

Take a look at the plant profiles of three poisonous plants found in Arizona: the Desert Zinnia, the Mountain Goldenbanner, and the Scarlet Milkvetch.

In Full Bloom: Full Sun-Loving Flowers – Linda M. McCloud

Do you love flowers? Do you have a yard that gets full sun, most of the time? I do. I find it extremely hard to find flowers that can handle full sun. But I did some research and found some that thrive in full sun. Exactly the kind made for my yard!

How to Make Your Yard Attractive to Hummingbirds – Karen Gros

Hummingbirds are one of nature's most fascinating creatures. We love to watch them but how do you attract them to your backyard?

Planting a Colorful Seasonal Garden – Christine Bude Nyholm

A successful garden can contain both annual and perennial plants. The perennials are staples, that come back every year, and make an excellent backdrop to the annuals, which are usually more showy and bright.

Annuals Vs. Perennials: Which will Work Best for You? – Jennifer Wagner

Learn everything you need to know about the difference between annual flowers and perennial flowers, and read about some of the most popular plants and flowers from each class.

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Last year’s A to Z post: Zoom for Zucchini

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Zinnias

Creative Commons Licensing/Wikipedia Commons Photos

2012 A to Z Blogging Challenge logo

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I is for Impeccable Irises

Open your eyes outdoors, and you’ll likely identify irises in gardens soon.

Grown from rhizomes or bulb, planted in late summer or early fall, these beauties may be bearded or beardless. Irises are hardy in most climates, multiplying quickly and readily.

From dainty Japanese Irises to the giant European varieties, such blooms are gardeners’ perennial picks to fine foliage and fancy flowers.

In what colors are irises available?

Look for irises in purple, yellow, pink, wine, white, multi-colors and more.

Are you itching to add irises to your own garden?

I’ve identified an assortment of practical gardening articles, all about irises, from several fellow writers. Take your pick!

Where and How to Plant Bearded Irises – Freida Thomas

Easy tips on where and how to plant Bearded Irises in your home garden.

Peonies, Irises, and Other Flowers: "Is Bigger Better?" – Vincent Summers

Increasing the size of a flower and increasing its beauty are not always the same thing. In fact, increasing a flower's size may lead to its downfall!

Irresistible Irises – Sandy Mitchell

A look at the history, planting, and care of that elegant plant, the Iris.

How to Grow a Japanese Iris – Yolanda Palmer

Once you have come upon a blooming Japanese irises I am sure that you will want to include them in your landscape.

Beautiful Yellow Bulb Flowers – Crystal Ray

Consider the following beautiful yellow bulb flowers for your yard or flower garden. These attractive yellow bulb flowers grow well in most hardiness zones, and they would make a wonderful addition to any yard or garden.

Use Irises to Purify Runoff Water – Juniper Russo

Water pollution from lawns and gardens can cause serious ecological problems. Find out how to plant irises in your lawn or garden to purify your runoff water.

Last year’s A to Z post: Idols' Identities

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Irises

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Gaga for Gardening

Gaga for Gardening

(posted for the A to Z Challenge)

G is for Garden.

Goodness, gracious! My garden is full of gross old garbage.

It’s time to get out there and start digging. The dead perennial plant matter, autumn leaves and neighborhood debris have got to go.

Poking around a bit, I am finding spring shoots. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other promising plantings are trying to push their way to sunlight.

Image:

Garden Tools photo by David Lally

Creative Commons Licensing

How does your garden grow?

At last! Spring is here! Go enjoy your glorious garden!

Image:

The Gardener’s Daughter

from The Art Album

by Edmund Evans

1861

Public Domain – copyright expired

Weeding Out Weeds from Your Garden

Weeding Out Weeds from Your Garden

A plant is growing fast and strong
Amid the blooms it can't belong.
If you didn't plant it, as seedling or seed,
The chances are, it must be a weed!

Look! Is that a wildflower or a weed in your garden? It can be tricky to tell.

Exactly what is a weed?

Basically, a weed is anything that voluntarily or suddenly appears in your cultivated garden or lawn areas. You can spot these unwelcome plants quite easily. Weeds are the ones that seem to pop up in your garden and grow much faster than anything out there!

Common Weeds

Chickweed, an annual weed, forms dense mats in the garden with shallow roots. Bright green leaves and small white star-like flowers are the keys to identifying this intruder. Chickweed seeds itself and spreads out with its creeping stems.

Curled dock, a buckwheat relative, is marked by its fleshy rosette-like foliage and its rust-colored taproot. The dark green heart-shaped leaves of this weed have frilly edges. The flowers are usually yellow, and they dry into a rusty fruit.

Dandelions, perhaps the most pervasive weeds, are also the simplest to recognize in the garden. The lobe-like leaves and bright yellow flowers may be spotted throughout the countryside from early May through the summer months. As the flowers dry into fluffy fly-aways, the wind-dispersed seeds repopulate elsewhere.

Knotweed usually appears in grassy areas, but this weed may encroach upon garden beds as well. This grassy weed has dark green leaves, which form a flat mat. Purple buds open into yellow or white flowers in midsummer.

Mallow can be an annual or perennial weed. Round or heart-shaped leaves are usually 2" to 3" wide. Flowers may be white with purple accents. Mallow produces flat disk-like fruit.

Mints and root ivies may appear lovely, but they are extremely invasive in the garden, much like weeds. Mint or ivy leaves may be round, heartlike, or kidney-shaped. They may be smooth, viney, rippled, or ridged. The roots may burrow horizontally under the ground, with new colonies popping up in unexpected places of your yard or garden. Most varieties of mints and ivies do produce flowers, which propagate through seeding.

Plaintains are cool-season perennial weeds. Their curly and veiny leaves naturally form rosettes. From May to October, plaintains may flower, with tall stalks of tiny blossoms. This weed reproduces by seeding itself and spreading roots.

Purslane, a summer annual weed, is marked by fleshy purplish leaves and stems. Purslane boasts five-petaled yellow flowers in midsummer. This weed multiplies by seeding itself.

Thistles are biennial weeds that reproduce by seeding themselves. These spiny-leaved weeds are extremely aggressive. From June to October, they may produce large spiny purple flower heads.

Yarrow may be a flower or a weed. The wild weed variety can be quite aggressive in the garden. Flowers may be white, pink, yellow, or other colors. The fern-like foliage and tiny clustered flowers of this weed are distinguishing features.

Wild clover, garlic, strawberries, and violets may look promising, but they can quickly become problematic in the garden.

If you do spot weeds in your garden, or other aggressive plants, you must pull them out by the roots. A fractional root may recover, and the unwelcome weeds vegetation may return with a vengeance!

You can also spray weeds with a broad-leaf post-emergent herbicide (weed-killer).

Be careful that you do not mist your flowers and other welcome plants when you spray the weeds in your garden.

Related Articles of Interest:

Bring Spring

Dandy Day

Flower Master

Garden Bugs: Friends or Foes?

Gardening: Cultivating to Control Weeds

Gardening With Children: Growing Green Thumbs

Home-Grown Fertilizer

Lovely Ladybirds

Wasting Walkway Weeds Without Whacking

Weed Worries

Zoned Out – Roars About Chores

Click here for “Which Weed Is Which: Picking Out Intruders Among Your Plantings.”

Do you love poetry? Check out Simply Snickers, a brand-new weekly poetry prompt. Or click here to visit Linda Ann Nickerson’s poetry and humor blog, Nickers and Ink.

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