Preventing Crabgrass

 

Crabgrass is very often incorrectly identified. Crabgrass is an annual plant; it comes up from seed every spring. It develops into to an aggressive spreading plant in June through July. Very often people confuse crabgrass with other perennial grasses. These grasses are present in lawns year round. The majority of perennial grasses can not be selectively controlled.

The old adage - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - is very well applied in the case of crabgrass. Once established, it is very difficult to remove with out harming desirable grasses. Get a jump on stopping crabgrass by applying a pre-emergent control. This chemical burns up the tender young sprouts of crabgrass. The key to success is timing. If you apply crabgrass preventive too early, the chemical breaks down and allows some late seed to germinate. If applied too late, the stronger young plants will survive the pressure of the herbicide and develop into full size crabgrass. Mother nature is the best guide for timing of the application. When the forsythia bush blooms - the bright yellow flowering shrub - that tells you that the soil temperatures are warming and you are early enough to apply crabgrass preventive.

Broadleaf Weed

Weeds, or plants out of place as I was taught, can become troublesome to turfgrass managers, and homeowners alike. Broadleaf weeds can be easily controlled, and sometimes serve as indicators of unusual conditions in the turfgrass environment. Some examples of this are:

Low pH - sheep sorrel

High pH - broadleaf plantain

Compaction - goosegrass

Low Nitrogen fertility - legumes (clover)

Poor soil - quackgrass

Poor drainage, moist soil - sedges

Surface moisture - algae

Broadleaf weed control involves management practices that encourage the most favorable conditions for the desired plant species (your grass) that will make it the most competitive it can be. Maintaining a dense stand of turf will reduce all weed problems because the weeds need space, and in most instances light, to germinate in your turf. The existence of weeds in a stand of turfgrass indicates a lack of turf health and vigor and the existence of voids, or empty spaces. Voids can appear in your turf due to natural causes like environmental stress, flooding, excessive use of an area(traffic, divots), diseases, and insect damage or by management practices like improper mowing height, improper fertilization, improper irrigation, insufficient drainage, and excess thatch. Weeds usually appear in the empty areas of turf and become more of a problem as more voids occur. If broadleaf weed problems do occur, there are many cultural and chemical means available to control the situation. The steps you need to take in controlling a weed infestation are:

1. Identify the weed in question.

2. Why is the weed there ? Does it indicate something about the turf environment ?

3. Modify the environment using cultural methods.

4. Use appropriate herbicide for control.

Chemical control of broadleaf weeds is primarily done postemergence, although a few broadleaf weeds are controlled by a preemergence application of herbicide. Since the introduction of 2,4-D in 1944, chemical control of broadleaf weeds has become more refined and in most cases, easier.

Rough meadow-grass

Name: Rough meadow-grass
( rough-stalked meadow-grass, roughstalk bluegrass )

Latin name: Poa trivialis L.

Occurrence: Rough meadow-grass occurs as both an annual and perennial grass with procumbent tillers some of which become leafy stolons. It is an indigenous grassland species that has become increasingly important as a weed of winter cereals and herbage seed crops. It is found throughout the UK in all types of grassland especially newly established leys. It is native in open woods, marshes, ditches, damp grassland, rough and cultivated ground. The species is found in the hedge bottom and field margins as well as spreading into arable fields. It is common on moist and even on wet soils. In surveys around 1912, rough meadow-grass was found mainly on clay, loam and chalk but only occasionally on sandy soil.

In 1975 it was said that 20% of arable crops in the UK were infested with rough meadow-grass. In a survey of weeds in conventional cereals in central southern England in 1982, rough meadow-grass was found in 29% of winter wheat, 14% of winter barley and 7% of spring barley. In winter oilseed rape in 1985, it was found in only 3% of crops. In a study of seedbanks in arable soils in the English midlands sampled in 1972-1973, rough meadow-grass was recorded in 19% of the fields sampled in Oxfordshire and 38% of those in Warwickshire but never in large numbers. Seed was found in 1.5% of arable soils in a seedbank survey in Scotland in 1972-1978. It was the second most abundant grass weed in a seedbank survey in swede-turnip fields in Scotland in 1982, being found in 85% of fields sampled.

Rough meadow-grass is often a colonist following sward deterioration in cultivated grassland. It is palatable to stock and was an important constituent of permanent grassland but is now little sown.


Biology: Rough meadow-grass flowers in June and is wind pollinated. Plants require a period of winter cold in order to flower. Rough meadow grass can produce 200 to 1,700 seeds per flower head and 29,000 seeds per plant. In a cereal crop, rough meadow-grass may produce 1,000 to 14,000 seeds per plant. Seeds are shed between June and August. Innate dormancy is short but dormancy can be enforced by seed burial. Proximal seeds are less dormant and germinate more readily than distal seeds.

Seeds require light for germination which ensures that only seed at or near the soil surface will germinate and establish. Germination on the soil surface is largely confined to the autumn after shedding. Wetting and drying of the seed enhances germination. However, germination is reduced when seeds are at a high density in the soil. Seed from grassland populations is less dormant than seed from arable situations. In grassland, peak emergence is in September. In cultivated soil, seedling emergence occurs from March to October but is affected by the depth of burial and timing of cultivations. The optimum depth of emergence is 0-10 mm and the maximum is 30 mm.

Rough meadow-grass seedlings that emerge in the autumn become vernalised over the winter in preparation for flowering the following year. Plants remain winter green but there is little growth before April. Spring emerging seedlings are unlikely to become vernalised and will therefore not flower in the current year. Rough meadow grass is cold tolerant and remains winter green but makes little growth until April.


Persistence and Spread: Rough meadow-grass has relatively persistent seeds for a grass. It has been suggested that based on seed characters it should persist longer than 5 years in soil. Seeds have been recorded in large numbers in the soil beneath pastures even when the plant was poorly represented in the vegetation.

Reproduction by seed is very important but rough meadow-grass also has long creeping stolons that ensure vegetative spread.

Rough meadow-grass seed has occurred as a contaminant of cereal seed. Proximal seeds tend to clump together at and after dispersal due to threads at the base of the seeds. It is difficult to separate them out when they contaminate herbage seeds. The seeds are ingested by earthworms and viable seeds have been recovered in wormcast soil. Seed germination increased from 66 to 90% following passage through an earthworm.


Management: Seedlings have fibrous roots and are easily dislodged by harrowing and other cultivations. Studies have shown that cutting seedlings at the soil surface is more effective than partial burial. Complete burial, alone and after uprooting seedlings, is the most consistently effective treatment. There is the potential for recovery if seedlings are left on the soil surface or if just the roots are buried. Shoot fragments can regenerate after cultivation. Shading from the crop canopy improves the level of control.

After crop harvest, ploughing buries the freshly shed seeds but this may lead to a future weed problem. Delaying stubble cultivations allows seeds a period to germinate on the soil surface and reduces the number of viable seeds that may persist after burial.

Winter cropping favours Poa species, as does increasing the water holding capacity of soil by straw incorporation. Rough meadow-grass seedlings that emerge in spring barley do not become vernalised and will not flower and set seed. Spring barley can therefore be used as a cleaning crop provided the rough meadow-grass plants are destroyed after harvest. A sown boundary strip around the margin of an arable field will delay but not prevent the spread of rough meadow-grass in to the field.

In permanent grassland, rough meadow-grass is favoured by increased soil fertility. Both percentage cover and seed numbers in the soil increase. It does not persist under close mowing

Rough meadow-grass seeds are consumed by ground beetles. and is susceptible to trampling. However, rough meadow-grass will invade permanent grassland and become established under severe grazing.

Euphorbia hirta L .

Synonyms: Euphorbia pilulifera, Chamaesyce hirta.

Common names: Common Spurge, Asthma weed, Cats Hair.

Common Hindi name: Dudhi.

Plant: 15-50cm. Common annual herb.


Leaves: Vary from green to coppery-red, depending on its habitat.

Flower: 7x6mm across.

Native to India and most tropical countries. Seen along roadside from coast to plains, up to 1,400m on the hills.


Used in traditional medicine and eaten as vegetable. A famine food, used when all else fails.

As per some recent researchers: The sap contains a latex which is toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally, causing photosensitive skin reactions and severe inflammation, especially on contact with eyes or open cuts. The toxicity can remain high even in dried plant material. Prolonged and regular contact with the sap is inadvisable because of its carcinogenic nature.

Asthma weed has traditionally been used in Asia to treat bronchitic asthma and laryngeal spasm, though in modern herbalism it is more used in the treatment of intestinal amoebic dysentery. It should not be used without expert guidance, however, since large doses cause gastro-intestinal irritation, nausea and vomiting.


The plant is anodyne, antipruritic, carminative, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge, galactogogue, purgative and vermifuge. The aerial parts of the plant are harvested when in flower during the summer and can be dried for later use.


The stem, taken internally, is famed as a treatment for asthma, bronchitis and various other lung complaints. The herb relaxes the bronchioles but apparently depresses the heart and general respiration. It is usually used in combination with other anti-asthma herbs such as Grindelia camporum and Lobelia inflata. It is also used to treat intestinal amoebic dysentery.


The whole plant is decocted and used in the treatment of athlete's foot, dysentery, enteritis and skin conditions. It has been used in the treatment of syphilis.


The sap is applied to warts in order to destroy them. The treatment needs to be repeated 2-3 times a day over a period of several weeks to be fully effective.

Tribulus terrestris L . - Puncture Vine

Tribulus terrestris, Caltrop Family ( Zygophyllaceae ), Puncture Vine. Also called Bull Head, Bull's Head, Goat's Head, Torito, or Toboso.

Annual, mat forming, prostrate vine - generally less than 1" high, spreading to about 5' long. On the Arizona Department Of Agriculture is classified as a Regulated and Restricted Noxious Weed that Arizona wants to keep out.

This is an obnoxious weed whose seeds are incredibly painful to step on, they easilly puncture your bicycle tires, and sometimes have to be pulled out of your pets' paws.

George can often remember when as a barefoot child, growing up in Arizona, he would accidentally run into a patch of these aweful bullheads. Ouch!

On the good side the plant may have some medicinal purposes.

 

The plant has been used in folk medicine throughout history, treating such wide-ranging conditions as headache, nervous disorders, constipation, and sexual dysfunction. In China, it has been touted for use in liver, kidney, urinary, and cardiovascular remedies. We have noticed that it is now showing up in health food stores and drug stores in Arizona.

Look at the flowers of the bottom two photos and compare them with the top two photos. A defense mechanism against drought is that when it is near the middle hot time of the day or if the soil becomes dry, the flowers do not open their petals. The bottom two photos were taken during a hot time of the day.

Height: Up To About 1 inch. Spreading out to about 5 foot wide.

Flowers: Yellow tiny solitary flowers, on short stalks in leaf axils. About 1/4 inch wide; sepals 5, ovate, pubescent; petals 5, to 1/8 inch long, yellow, drying whitish; tips rounded or lobed; stamens 10.

Blooming Time: May to October.

Leaves: Opposite, short-stalked, ?-2 inches long, even-pinnately compound; leaflets 6-14, oblong to narrowly ovate, up to ? inch long, less than 1/6 inch wide, sparsely silky-hairy; margins entire; tips pointed or blunt.


Fruit: 5-segmented, 1/4 inch in diameter, hard, dry, each segment with 2-4 stout spines to 1/3 inch long; seeds 2-5 per segment, small. At maturity, the fruit is dry and split into five segments, called nutlets. Viable seeds can also lie dormant in soil for up to 20 years.


Shape: Prostrate, branched, radiating to 5 feet from top of taproot, hairy, becoming nearly glabrous.Elevation: 0 - 6500 Feet.


Habitat: On cultivated, waste and fallow land, roadsides, yards. It also can be found in perennial fields and on cultivated land.


Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken June 5, 2005 In Glendale.

Carl Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus(Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as About this sound Carl von Linné , 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778 was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology.

Linnaeus was born in the countryside of Småland, in southern Sweden. His father was the first in his ancestry to adopt a permanent last name; prior to that, ancestors had used the patronymic naming system of Scandinavian countries. His father adopted the Latin-form name Linnaeus after a giant linden tree on the family homestead. Linnaeus got most of his higher education at Uppsala University and began giving lectures of botany there in 1730. He lived abroad between 1735–1738, where he studied and also published a first edition of his Systema Naturae in the Netherlands. He then returned to Sweden where he became professor of botany at Uppsala. In the 1740s, he was sent on several journeys through Sweden to find and classify plants and animals. In the 1750s and 60s, he continued to collect and classify animals, plants, and minerals, and published several volumes. At the time of his death, he was renowned throughout Europe as one of the most acclaimed scientists of the time.






The Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau sent him the message: "Tell him I know no greater man on earth." The German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote: "With the exception of Shakespeare and Spinoza, I know no one among the no longer living who has influenced me more strongly." Swedish author August Strindberg wrote: "Linnaeus was in reality a poet who happened to become a naturalist".






In botany, the author abbreviation used to indicate Linnaeus as the authority for species names is simply L.

Lactuca serriola . L

Family: Asteraceae






Status: Exotic

 common name:Prickly Lettuce

The Prickly Lettuce plant - Lactuca Serriola (scariola) is believed to have originated in Europe but it has become native throughout North America . Over the centuries wild lettuce has enjoyed great versatility as a medicinal plant. The Romans used wild lettuce on their banquet menus to help prevent intoxication (from the alcohol that inevitably accompanied the meals).

New mothers used to drink tea brewed from the leaves to promote lactation. Wild lettuce sap has also been prescribed in herbals as a diuretic and as a soothing lotion for chapped skin.

Synonyms:

 Lactuca integrata (Greneir & Godron) A. Nelson


Lactuca scariola Linnaeus, a later variant spelling


Lactuca serriola Linnaeus var. integrata Grenier & Godron


Lactuca serriola Linnaeus forma integrifolia Bogenhard






Lactuca serriola is a tall herb. It has milky juice and yellow flowers. The leaves are lobed and have small spines. The stems are leafy to the inflorescence which is highly branched. Unlike Sonchus, the achenes are beaked at the summit. The inflorescence on Lactuca serriola is longer compared to its width than that of Sonchus. Lactuca serriola is found in disturbed areas and wasteground.

Cyperus rotundus L ,NUTGRASS

CYPERUS ROTUNDUS L. - NUTGRASS



Common name

Musta, mustaka, ko - bushi, nutgrass, tirirca, nutsedge, purple nutsedge, adru, coco-grass.

Family

Cyperaceae (Sedge family).

Overview

Nutgrass is a common perennial weed in Suriname; herbaceous perennial with purple - brown, bisexual flowers.

The fruits are achenes; purple nutsedge grows up to 2½' tall.

The leaves are dark green, grass-like, with a prominent vein on the underside.

It has red-brown spikelets with up to 40 individual flowers.


Triangular stems bear tufts of leaves atop; strong clumps of many stems are formed under good conditions.


The dried tuberous roots are collected, dried and used in traditional medicine.


The young white tubers are bitter but they are edible and have nutritional value.


It is called Rhizoma Cyperi.


In India, nutgrass is used in hair - and skin care products. It stimulates sebaceous glands near hair roots.


Also interesting is that the oil, an amber viscous liquid, extracted from this plant is used in perfumery.


Pharmacology


The rhizome contains: flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins and fatty oils (glycerides).


In Indian traditional medicine, extract from the tubers has wound healing activity.


In China it is used as a painkiller, aphrodisiac, bactericide and tonic; it is a sedative with a calming effect on the stomach.

Suriname's traditional medicine



It is used against fever, to treat nausea and is also for diarrhea.






Action & uses


Stimulant, tonic, demulent, diuretic, anthelmintic, stomache, carminative, diaphoretic, astringent, emmenagogue and vermifuge.



Hardiness


USDA zone 9 - 11.


Propagation


Seeds and rhizomes.


Culture


Full sun, every soil type; plant in frost free spots.


Be careful though; this is a very invasive weed.

Leaves

Function and structure

The principal function of leaves is to absorb sunlight to manufacture plant sugars through a process called photosynthesis. Leaf surfaces are flattened to present a large area for efficient light absorption. The blade is the expanded thin structure on either side of the midrib and usually is the largest, most conspicuous part of a leaf (Figure 11).
A leaf is held away from its stem by a stem-like appendage called a petiole, and the base of the petiole is attached to the stem at a node. Petioles vary in length or may be lacking entirely, in which case the leaf blade is described as sessile or stalkless.
The node where a petiole meets a stem is called a leaf axil. The axil contains single buds or bud clusters, referred to as axillary buds. They may be either active or dormant; under the right conditions, they will develop into stems or leaves.

A leaf blade is composed of several layers (Figure 12a and Figure 12b: click on images to display larger versions.). On the top and bottom is a layer of thick, tough cells called the epidermis. Its primary function is to protect the other layers of leaf tissue. The arrangement of epidermal cells determines the leaf's surface texture. Some leaves, such as those of African violet, have hairs (pubescence), which are extensions of epidermal cells that make the leaves feel like velvet.
The cuticle is part of the epidermis. It produces a waxy layer called cutin, which protects the leaf from dehydration and disease. The amount of cutin on a leaf increases with increasing light intensity. For this reason, when moving plants from shade into full sunlight, do so gradually over a period of a few weeks. This gradual exposure to sunlight allows the cutin layer to build up and protect the leaves from rapid water loss or sunscald.

The waxy cutin also repels water. For this reason, many pesticides contain a spray additive to help the product adhere to, or penetrate, the cutin layer.
Special epidermal cells called guard cells open and close in response to environmental stimuli, such as changes in weather and light. They regulate the passage of water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide into and out of the leaf through tiny openings called stomata. In most species, the majority of the stomata are located on the underside of leaves.
Conditions that would cause plants to lose a lot of water (high temperature, low humidity) stimulate guard cells to close. In mild weather, they remain open. Guard cells also close in the absence of light.
Located between the upper and lower epidermis is the mesophyll. It is divided into a dense upper layer (palisade mesophyll) and a lower layer that contains lots of air space (spongy mesophyll). Located within the mesophyll cells are chloroplasts, where photosynthesis takes place.

Buds

       A bud is an undeveloped shoot from which leaves or flower parts grow. The buds of temperate-zone trees and shrubs typically develop a protective outer layer of small, leathery scales. Annual plants and herbaceous perennials have naked buds with green, somewhat succulent, outer leaves.
Buds of many plants require exposure to a certain number of days below a critical temperature before resuming growth in the spring. This period, often referred to as rest, varies for different plants. Forsythia, for example, requires a relatively short rest period and grows at the first sign of warm weather. Many peach varieties, on the other hand, require 700 to 1,000 hours of temperatures below 45°F. During rest, dormant buds can withstand very low temperatures, but after the rest period is satisfied, they are more susceptible to damage by cold temperatures or frost.
A leaf bud is composed of a short stem with embryonic leaves. Leaf buds often are less plump and more pointed than flower buds (Figure 10a). A flower bud is composed of a short stem with embryonic flower parts. In the case of fruit crops, flower buds sometimes are called fruit buds. This terminology is inaccurate, however; although flowers have the potential to develop into fruits, they may not do so because of adverse weather conditions, lack of pollination, or other unfavorable circumstances.

Location

Buds are named for their location on the stem (Figure 10b). Terminal buds are located at the apex (tip) of a stem. Lateral (axillary) buds are located on the sides of a stem and usually arise where a leaf meets a stem (an axil). In some instances, an axil contains more than one bud.
Adventitious buds arise at sites other than the terminal or axillary position. They may develop from roots, a stem internode, the edge of a leaf blade, or callus tissue at the cut end of a stem or root. Adventitious buds allow stem, leaf, and root cuttings to develop into entirely new plants.

Buds as food

Enlarged buds or parts of buds form the edible portion of some horticultural crops. Cabbage and head lettuce are examples of unusually large terminal buds. Succulent axillary buds are the edible part of Brussels sprouts. In the case of globe artichoke, the fleshy basal portion of the flower bud's bracts is eaten, along with its solid stem. Broccoli is the most important horticultural plant with edible flower buds. In this case, portions of the stem, as well as small leaves associated with the flower buds, are eaten.

External plant parts

      External plant structures such as leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds are known as plant organs. Each organ is an organized group of tissues that works together to perform a specific function. These structures can be divided into two groups: sexual reproductivevegetative. Sexual reproductive parts produce seed; they include flower buds, flowers, fruit, and seeds. Vegetative parts (Figure 1) include roots, stems, shoot buds, and leaves; they are not directly involved in sexual reproduction. Vegetative parts often are used in asexual forms of reproduction such as cuttings, budding, or grafting

Planting Annual Seeds and Transplants in the Landscape

Description/Purpose:

Annual flowers add a splash of color to summer gardens. Unlike perennial flowers, annuals do not live through the freezing temperatures of winter. Most vegetables are also annuals. While annuals are usually planted into the landscape as transplants, they can also be direct seeded outdoors.

Tools and Equipment:

* Shovels and rakes as needed to prepare soil

* Small garden trowel

* Water source

Step-by-Step Process:

For both seeds and transplants, prepare the garden bed by amending soil as necessary. Soils can be improved by incorporating organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings, peat moss, well-rotted manure, compost or other material. Also incorporate 2 pounds of 5-10-5 or 12-12-12 fertilizer per 100 square feet. Work the soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. The garden bed can be prepared as soon as the soil has dried enough to be worked in spring. Annuals can be seeded or transplanted outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.

1. Planting Seeds After preparing the soil as described above, level the surface with a garden rake, breaking up any clumps of soil.

2. Seeds can be sown in rows or by broadcasting over the soil. If seeds are sown by broadcasting, they should be thinned later to obtain the correct spacing. Most seeds should be sown at a depth of one to three times their greatest diameter. Very small seeds are sown on the surface and covered only very lightly.

3. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Use a mist nozzle to gently water the seeded area thoroughly, avoiding the formation of puddles. Be careful to not wash away the soil covering and expose the seeds.

4. Mist the seedbed regularly to keep seeds moist until most have germinated. Then let the surface dry out between waterings.

5. When seedlings are about 2 inches tall or have developed their first two true leaves, they should be thinned to the recommended spacing.

1. Planting Transplants When purchasing annual plants, select healthy, bushy plants. Prepare the garden bed as described above, and level the surface with a garden rake, breaking up any clumps of soil. The best time to transplant annuals is on a cloudy day or in the evening, so that plants have some time to recover from transplant shock before being exposed to hot sun.

2. Annuals commonly are available in cell packs consisting of 4, 6, or 9 plants. Larger individual plants are also available. Holding the cell pack sideways, remove each plant by gently crumpling the cell and pushing the roots out of the cell pack. Do not pull the plant out of the cell pack or container by the stem, as that could cause severe root breakage or the stem could break away from the roots. If several plants were grown in one larger cell pack, gently break apart the root mass to separate the individual plants.

3. Usually, the plant will have a distinct root mass the shape of the cell pack.

Using your hands, pull the root mass apart slightly to encourage roots to grow out into the soil once planted.

Pulling Root Mass Apart

4. Using a small garden hand tool, dig a hole deep enough to allow the plant to be planted so that the final soil level will be the same level where the plant was previously growing, or no more than 1/2 inch deeper.

Hole Digging Planting Plant

5. After setting the plant in the hole, firm soil around the root mass to the level the plant was growing in the container, or slightly (no more than 1/2 inch) deeper.

Firming Soil

6. Gently water transplants thoroughly until established.


7. Keep annuals well watered and fertilize every 6-8 weeks during the growing season. For most annual flowers, removing faded blooms (deadheading) before seeds are formed will encourage more flowering.


This implementation report is based on landscape projects completed by University of Minnesota students enrolled in landscape design and implementation courses, Department of Horticultural Science.

growing_plants at bbc

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Plants Potentially Poisonous to Pets

          More than 700 plants have been identified as producing physiologically active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in animals. Poisonous plants produce a variety of toxic substances and cause reactions ranging from mild nausea to death. Certain animal species may have a peculiar vulnerability to a potentially poisonous plant.







Attached is a list of some of the common plants which may produce a toxic reaction in animals. This list is intended only as a guide to plants which are generally identified as having the capability for producing a toxic reaction. We recommend that you print it out and keep it in an accessible place.

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How to Plant Flowers

    Planting annual and perennial flowers is an easy task, but with a few tips, your flowers will get off to a fast, healthy start that will reward you with bigger and better blooms down the road.

        It's best to plant when it's not especially hot or sunny. An overcast day when rain is forecast is ideal − your watering will get done for you.


       Plant most annuals and perennials after or before your season's last frost date. While spring is the most popular time to plant, perennials often do fine if planted in early fall in the North; late fall in the South. Northern gardeners also have the luxury of planting throughout much of the summer as long as the day isn't especially hot − say, over 75 degrees.

How do you grow a plant from seed?

              Did you ever wonder, when you took the seeds from a fruit or peeled a vegetable in your kitchen, if the discarded material would grow if you planted it? Many of these seeds and discarded plant parts will indeed grow in your home and produce an attractive houseplant. It can be very educational for children to watch this development take place on a sunny windowsill, and the best part is that it's free. If you have a room with lots of sunlight, almost any fruit or vegetable seed will grow with proper care. There are, however, some varieties that perform better than others in average household conditions.




            Avocado pits easily sprout and produce attractive miniature trees. Clean the fruit from the pit, press toothpicks into it to hold it in the top of a jar or glass. Fill the glass with water, and make sure the bottom inch or so of the pit remains under water. To encourage branches to form, when the stem is six inches tall, trim it down to three inches. Plant it in potting soil when new leaves form on the stem, and when it reaches twelve inches tall, trim it again to six. Avocado plants grown indoors rarely bear fruit, but they are attractive.






            Carrot tops can be planted in potting soil to produce feathery foliage that resembles a fern. Cut off the top inch and remove the outer leaves, and plant it in potting soil. Keep it in a partially shaded spot, and an attractive clump of foliage should fill out in about a month. This plant won't last long, but it will be an interesting addition to your display.




              Oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and grapefruit are also easy to sprout. Don't let the seeds dry out. Cover them with a half inch of potting soil, place in a warm spot, and keep the soil moist. It may take a month for the seeds to sprout, so be patient. Citrus trees take many years to bear fruit, and most won't in your house, but sometimes they will bloom and the fragrance is wonderful.




               Date pits will grow into a five foot palm tree, if given proper care. Cover them with a half inch of potting soil, and keep them warm until they germinate. Dates take even longer than citrus to sprout, sometimes up to three months. Keep them cool in winter and re-pot every year.




              Sweet Potatoes make a pretty vine that looks great on a kitchen windowsill. As with the avocado, find a jar or glass and insert toothpicks to hold the sweet potato in place, the pointed end of the sweet potato down. Make sure that the end stays covered with water. You will see results fairly soon, and within a few weeks the vine should begin to fill out.




           Pineapples are bromeliads, some varieties of which can be quite expensive. Leave the top two inches of pineapple flesh attached, and let it sit out and dry for a few days before planting. Cover it to the bottom of the leaves with a sandy, well drained mix of soil. Keep the soil moist and place the pot in a sunny spot, preferably with high humidity. After a few weeks, roots will develop and the top will begin to grow. It will eventually produce a large plant, and it is possible to get the plant to bear fruit. To do this, you can try placing the plant in a bag with a ripe apple. The apple produces ethylene gas, which induces the pineapple to flower. It may take a couple of months for this to work, and of course the apple should be replaced.




           With very little time and effort, it is possible to produce attractive and fascinating houseplants from plant material we would usually throw away. If you love watching plants grow, I encourage you to try some of these varieties in your own home. For the small investment of a pot and soil, the returns are enormous.

the Best Tips for Planting Grass Seed?

        Cultivating a beautiful lawn means planting grass seed in a manner that will allow the seeds to grow and produce a smooth and uniform carpet of grass. To get the best results, the actual process of planting grass seed involves more than simply spreading some seeds onto the ground. If you want to create the ideal lawn, here are some tips that will help.
   Before you ever begin to plant grass seed, it is important to prepare the soil. When seeding a new lawn, the first step is to loosen the top layer of soil. If there are any types of debris such as small rocks, remove them as you turn the soil. The idea is to create a pattern where the seeds can be sown uniformly across the yard, allowing the seeds to take root.
When planting grass seed in an existing lawn, mow the existing grass as low as possible. This will make it easier to identify the bare spots across the expanse of the yard. Loosen the soil in the bare areas, taking care to remove any weeds or other types of debris.
Once the lawn is prepared, you can begin the actual process of planting grass seed. For small areas, this can be done by hand. In larger yards or when seeding a new lawn, it will be easier to use a mechanical seeder to evenly distribute the grass seed. Follow the instructions that come with the seeds to make sure you achieve the right amount of coverage. Spreading too few seeds in a given area will result very thin growth, while too many seeds will lead to thick patches that may be hard to deal with later.
The final step in planting grass seeds involves covering the green grass seed. A very light covering of the soil will be sufficient to keep the seeds in place while still allowing the seeds to be warmed by the sun and to retain moisture as you lightly water the lawn on a daily basis.
Over the course of a week, the growing grass seed will begin to produce the first green shoots of grass blades. Continue to water daily, but make it a point to never saturate the space. This will help maintain the right balance of moisture, nutrients, and sunlight that the seeds need to fully develop. Allow the grass to grow until it is at least tall enough to provide a soft carpet to bare feet.
Planting grass seed is not as difficult as planting many other types of plants. By preparing the soil, sowing the seeds evenly, and making sure to water the seeds just enough, you’ll soon have the beautiful lawn that you’ve always wanted.

Hydroponic onions , nasa

What does genus species mean?

Genus and Species are the two least inclusive taxonomic groups that scientist classify living things in (species is the least inclusive. Genus and Species are both part of the scientific name of an organism. i.e. Citrullus lanatus > Watermelon .

Planting a Tree : step-by-step guide

               Planting trees is an easy and effective way to beautify your property, provide shade in summer and wind protection in winter and enhance privacy all while increasing real estate values at the same time. Since a tree is such a visible part of the landscape care must be taken to ensure proper growth conditions are maintained.  A tree is far more difficult - and expensive - to replace, once mature in the landscape, than most shrubs.  However, with some advance planning, trees too can be easily maintained. 

Choosing a Tree

 

The first step in tree selection is to determine the type of tree appropriate for your property and your needs.  Climate and soil play big roles.  A date palm might have a tough time surviving a Minneapolis winter, for example.  And a water-hungry willow would starve in the desert sands.  Make sure that the tree species you are considering can flourish in your local climate and soil conditions (designated hardiness zone).  And don’t forget some of these other important factors:

 

Matching tree to site is a key part of the tree selection process.  What is the size of the site on which your new tree or trees will be situated?  How big will that spindly three-foot sapling be in 30 or 40 years?  Is an oak or a willow, either very large when fully grown, the best tree for a small front lawn in a city?  On a large suburban lot, on the other hand, will a single small tree or bush be lost in a vast expanse of lawn?

A crucial factor to consider is proximity to buildings, sidewalks, driveways, streets, utility lines, overhead and buried, and septic systems.  Trees spread out both above and below ground and branch overhang and root growth can cause considerable damage and incur considerable expense if a tree is poorly situated. Consider the planting location with respect to foundation, concrete and asphalt structures,  and drainage structures.

Trees can play an important role in climate control. Deciduous trees planted on the south, west and east perimeters of a lot will provide shade during the summer while allowing scarce sunlight through in the winter when leaves have fallen. Evergreens, on the other hand, planted on the north and west sides of a property, can reduce winter heating costs by serving as windbreaks.

Drainage is yet another issue to consider. Young trees do best when planted in good-quality, well-drained loamy soil. Heavy clays in poorly-drained sites present particular problems as many species of trees including white firs, yellowwoods, beeches, red oaks and yews will not tolerate ‘wet feet.’ In all cases, stagnant water pooling around roots can lead to ‘root rot’ caused by lack of available oxygen. 

You can do a general test for soil drainage by digging a hole in the planting area and filling it with water. If the water hasn’t drained away in a couple of hours, drainage may be an issue. In areas where drainage is a particular problem, planting in raised beds of 12 to 18 inches of well-drained quality topsoil may be a solution.

 

Soil quality in new subdivisions often presents tree-planting problems. Construction materials, in addition to creating unsightly and difficult-to-work rubble, can alter the soils fertility by raising or lowering pH. Chemical and petroleum spills, which often occur during building construction, pose additional concerns. In cases where soil contamination is severe, the only solution may be to scrape away the contaminated soil and replace it with good quality topsoil at a depth associated with your planting objectives.

Personal taste is another key consideration. Think of how different kinds of new trees can enhance the attractiveness of your property. Make a list of the kinds of trees you admire and think about how they would look. Consider how your selection will fill in to the planting area over time. Make a few sketches or, if you don’t trust your own artistic talent, consult available landscape design software, or a landscape designer.

Types of Trees

 

Balled and Burlapped

Container- Grown

Bare Root

Trees purchased from wholesale and retail nurseries and garden supply stores generally come in one of three forms:

Balled and Burlapped
The roots of the tree and the ball of soil containing the roots are bound in burlap.

Container-Grown
The plant is sold in the container in which it was grown.

Bare-Rooted
The plant is sold with the roots exposed.  Not very common with trees.

When to Plant Trees

Climate plays a deciding role when determining the appropriate planting time.  Newly planted trees do best when exposed to moderate temperature and rainfall and they need time to root and acclimatize before the onset of intense heat and dryness of summer or the freezing temperatures of winter. Spring and early fall, therefore, are generally the best planting seasons (depending on your location) with spring preferred over fall in the more northerly latitudes.  In the southern United States, however, which do not experience an intense winter, planting can take place during the winter months.

How to Plant a Tree

While planting each of these different types of trees differs in the details, all trees eventually end up in a hole. But not any old hole will do. The most common mistake when planting a tree is a digging hole, which is both too deep and too narrow.  Too deep and the roots don’t have access to sufficient oxygen to ensure proper growth.  Too narrow and the root structure can’t expand sufficiently to nourish and properly anchor the tree. As a general rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were originally grown.  The width of the hole should be at least 3 times the diameter of the root ball or container or the spread of the roots in the case of bare root trees.  This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root structure to establish itself. When digging in poorly drained clay soil, it is important to avoid ‘glazing’.  Glazing occurs when the sides and bottom of a hole become smoothed forming a barrier, through which water has difficulty passing.  To break up the glaze, use a fork to work the bottom and drag the points along the sides of the completed hole. Also, raising the centre bottom of the hole slightly higher than the surrounding area.  This allows water to disperse, reducing the possibility of water pooling in the planting zone. Planting Balled and Burlapped Trees. Balled and burlapped (B & B) trees, although best planted as soon as possible, can be stored for some time after purchase as long as the ball is kept moist and the tree stored in a shady area.  B & B trees should always be lifted by the ball, never by the trunk.  The burlap surrounding the ball of earth and roots should either be cut away completely (mandatory, in the case of synthetic or plastic burlap) or at least pulled back from the top third of the ball (in the case of natural burlap).  Any string or twine should also be removed.  Backfill soil (combinations of peat moss, composted manure, topsoil, etc.) is then placed in the hole surrounding the tree just to the height of the ball or slightly lower to allow for some settling.  Be careful not to compress the back fill soil as this may prevent water from reaching the roots and the roots from expanding beyond the ball. Planting Container Trees. Container trees (though subject to greater heat and drying conditions than B and B) can also be stored for a brief period of time after purchase as long as the soil in the container is kept moist and the tree stored in a shady spot.  The procedure for planting container trees is similar to that for B & B trees.  In the case of metal or plastic containers, remove the container completely.  In the case of fibre containers, tear the sides away. Once carefully removed from the container, check the roots.  If they are tightly compressed or ‘potbound’, use your fingers or a blunt instrument (to minimize root tearing) to carefully tease the fine roots away from the tight mass and then spread the roots prior to planting.  In the case of extremely woody compacted roots, it may be necessary to use a spade to open up the bottom half of the root system.  The root system is then pulled apart or ‘butterflied’ prior to planting.  Loosening the root structure in this way is extremely important in the case of container plants.  Failure to do so may result in the roots ‘girdling’ and killing the tree. At the very least, the roots will have difficulty expanding beyond the dimensions of the original container.  To further assist this, lightly break up even the soil outside the planting zone.  This allows roots that quickly move out of the planting zone to be more resilient as they anchor into existing surrounding soil conditions. Once the tree is seated in the hole, the original soil is then back-filled into the hole to the soil level of the container.  Again, remember not to overly compress the back-filled soil especially by tramping it with your feet.  Compress gently using your hands instead. Planting Bare-Rooted Trees. Planting bare-rooted trees is a little different as there is no soil surrounding the roots.  Most importantly, the time between purchase and planting is a more critical issue.  Plant as soon as possible.  When purchasing bare-rooted trees, inspect the roots to ensure that they are moist and have numerous lengths of fine root hairs (healthy).  Care should be taken to ensure that the roots are kept moist in the period between purchase and planting.  Prune broken or damaged roots but save as much of the root structure as you can. To plant, first build a cone of earth in the centre of the hole around which to splay the roots.  Make sure that when properly seated on this cone the tree is planted so that the ‘trunk flare’ is clearly visible and the ‘crown’, where the roots and top meet, is about two inches above the soil level.  This is to allow for natural settling.

 

 Water, Mulch and Fertilizer

 

Watering

Newly planted trees should be watered at the time of planting. In addition, during the first growing season, they should be watered at least once a week in the absence of rain, more often during the height of the summer. However, care should be taken not to overwater as this may result in oxygen deprivation.

If you are uncertain as to whether a tree needs watering, dig down 6-8 inches at the edge of the planting hole. If the soil at that depth feels powdery or crumbly, the tree needs water. Adequately moistened soil should form a ball when squeezed.

Regular deep soakings are better than frequent light wettings. Moisture should reach a depth of 12 to 18 inches below the soil surface to encourage ideal root growth.

One new way to ensure a constant supply of moisture is through the use of superabsorbent polymer crystals that absorb moisture when the surrounding soil is moist, and release it again when the soil dries out. 

Mulching

To conserve moisture and promote water and air penetration, the back filled soil surrounding newly-planted trees can be covered with mulch consisting of material such as bark, wood chips or pine needles (although the acidity associated with pine needles is not suited for many plants). Mulch depth should be between 3 to 4 inches. Do not, under any circumstances, cover the area surrounding the tree with plastic sheeting since air and water movement are prevented. Porous landscape fabric can be used since it freely allows water and air penetration.

Fertilizer

 

Since all soils have a history, it can be beneficial to get soil analyzed properly for macronutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), micronutrients, pH, soil type, and drainage. Although many trees survive without fertilizer at time of planting, the majority of plants suffer root loss and stress associated with movement between ideal nursery grown conditions and the final planting.  

To compensate for root loss during planting and to alleviate transplant shock, treat your trees with mycorrhizal fungi and fertilizers with the right formulation for the type of tree you are planting.  A biostimulant can also aid in root development and general tree health.

Staking and Guy-Wiring

 

Young trees should be able to support their own weight, but when they are transplanted, they often need time to reestablish themselves.  Also, many nurseries plant their trees very close together to maximize use of space and stake them to promote height growth at the expense of trunk strength.  When shopping for trees, look for trees with branches all along the trunk - not just at the top.

Once a tree is planted, it will concentrate its energy on standing upright.  If it is unable to do so, try thinning out the upper branches to reduce wind resistance.  If that is not enough and you find you have to stake a tree, remember the following"

1. Only stake the tree long enough for it to be able stand on its own. 

2.  Stakes should not be too tight - there should be room for the tree to sway in the wind.

3. Stakes should not be too loose - the tree should not rub against the stakes.

4. Stakes should be buried at least 1.5 feet underground to provide ample support.

Wrapping and Pruning

 

Wrapping

 

Wrapping refers to the technique of winding a crepe-type paper around the barks of trees. Generally speaking, you only need to consider doing this in the northern United States and Canada to prevent the ‘sun-scalding’ of thin-barked trees like soft maples and crabapples during the first one or two winters after planting. Commercial tree-wrap is sold at nurseries and in garden-supply stores. To wrap a tree, start at the bottom and wind the paper around the tree to the level of the second branch. Fasten the paper at the top with a tack. Don’t forget to remove the wrapping each spring to prevent moisture buildup, disease and insect infestation.

Pruning

 

Use restraint when pruning your newly-planted trees. Prune only to remove damaged or broken branches. Do not prune the top of the tree as this may alter the structure of the tree excessively (check species requirements) and may hamper carbohydrate production.  Do not paint the cuts with compounds (e.g. Latex) that prevent air from accessing the wound, thereby slowing the healing process.

Transplanting Trees

 

There is always danger in moving plant material from one location to another.  Root material is sacrificed, and depending on the previous state of the plant, this can be a severe stress.   If necessary, it is possible to transplant trees from one area of your property to another. The key lies in ensuring that the tree to be transplanted has a good healthy root ball and that the tree and ball together are not unmanageably heavy.

•  Start by tying the branches together loosely.

•  Then dig a two-foot deep trench around the tree at least one foot larger than the size of the root ball (or as much intact viable root material as practical). Once the trench is dug, undercut around the shrub. Carefully prune the roots extending from the ball as you dig down.

•  When the ball is partially exposed, begin to wrap the ball in burlap starting from the base of the tree down using twine to secure the wrapping. Keep digging until the ball is undercut and sitting on a soil pedestal.

•  Then carefully tilt the tree and ball and finish wrapping and securing the burlap underneath.

•  Then carefully tilt the tree and ball and finish wrapping and securing the burlap underneath.

To help your tree establish itself when transplanted, treat the planting area with mycorrhizal fungi, a specially formulated fertilizer and biostimulant.

The do-it-yourself approach is useful only for small trees. For large trees, hire a professional who has the specialized equipment and knowledge to do the job safely.

 Conclusion

Well that wasn’t so difficult, was it?  Now all you have to do is remember that it can take a year or more for newly planted trees to adjust to their new surroundings.  During that time, you should make sure that they are receiving sufficient water.  In some cases, you may want to fertilize as necessary.