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Flower Baskets and Window Boxes & Planters

Hanging baskets or window boxes full of flowers or foliage plants give a color boost to your house and garden. They can be used effectively even in a very small space. If you choose plants carefully, you can change the plantings to suit every season.

1. Soak the sphagnum moss overnight in very warm water.

2. Squeeze as much water out of the moss as you can. Pack the moss in between the wires tightly from the inside of the flower basket. Make moss lining 1 inch thick, extending up 4 inches.

3. Add soil mixture to flower basket, going up as far as the top of this first layer of moss.

4. Water plants well before planting. Crumble peat pots away from plants grown in them so that it will not wick water away from the roots. Pinch off flowers on new transplants to promote sturdy growth.

5. Fill the lowest tier with flowers or foliage plants, and then add enough potting soil mix to cover the roots of plants completely. Firm the soil.

6. Continue to fill and plant the window box or flower basket in 4-to 6-inch layers. Plant the last group on top.

7. Hang the flower basket or window box and water gently.

PLANTS FOR WROUGHT IRON WINDOW BOX PLANTERS,  CONTAINERS AND FLOWER BASKETS 

Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Washed sand
Topsoil
Peat moss
Charcoal
Perlite
Bucket
Roasting pan
Small potato
Aluminum foil
Meat thermometer
Step 1
Mix together two quarts of clean sand, topsoil and peat moss in a bucket. Mix in 1/2 cup charcoal and 1/2 cup perlite.

Step 2
Stir in just enough water to make the indoor plant soil damp. Place the soil into an old, large roasting pan. Level it out so the soil is not more than four inches deep. If it is, divide it into two pans.

Step 3
Preheat your oven to 180 F. Stick a potato down deep into the center of the pan. It should be completely covered with soil. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Step 4
Make a small hole toward the center of the foil, but away from the potato. Place a meat thermometer through the hole and into the soil.

Step 5
Place the roasting pan of soil into the oven. When the meat thermometer reaches 180 F, set the oven timer for 30 minutes.

Step 6
Remove the pan and check the potato. If it's cooked done, that means the heat of the oven passed through the soil successfully. Your indoor plant soil is now sterilized. Allow it to cool before you use it.


How to Make Peat Pots

Many gardeners like to start seeds in seed trays, especially if the soil outside is still too cold for direct planting. The trouble with using just trays is that young plants can be traumatized when their patch of planting soil is removed from the trays and placed in the soil outside. Peat pots remove that risk of trauma; you can simply plant the entire pot into the outside soil, because the pots themselves will dissolve shortly after they are planted.
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Cardboard toilet paper or paper towel tubes
Newspaper or sheets of sketching newsprint
Peat planting mix
Step 1
Cut the toilet paper or paper towel rolls down to the height you want your peat pots to be--usually 2 to 3 inches--meaning that you will get two tubes from the toilet paper roll and four or five from the paper towel roll.

Step 2
Cut pieces from your newspaper or newsprint long enough to wrap two or three times around the tube and 1 1/2 inches longer than the tube.

Step 3
Fold and tuck the extra length of newspaper up into the tube, wadding it in. This will be the bottom of your pot.

Step 4
Pull the toilet paper or paper towel tube out of the top of the paper pot. The pot should stay rolled up.

Step 5
Fill the pot with your peat material.

Step 6
Repeat until you have all the pots you need.

Step 7
Plant your seeds in the peat pots and place your pots into plastic seed trays or any other shallow container. Water your peat pots by pouring water into the bottom of your container so that your pots can draw water up through the bottom. When you're ready to plant your pots, simply place the entire pot into the soil. After a short time, the paper will break down and the plant will be able to send roots out from the pot and into the soil around it.



Tips & Warnings
If your newspaper doesn't seem to want to disintegrate after planting, you can pull the pots back out and simply cut the newspaper away from the peat material, then place the plant back in the soil.

 

How to Use Peat Pots

Ask any garden enthusiast and they will tell you that peat pots are perfect for starting seed for your garden. The seed starts can be vegetables or flowers but plants like to begin their life cycle in a pot of their own. Read on to learn how to use peat pots.


Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Peat pots
A plastic or wooden tray
Potting soil
Seeds for planting
Step 1
Look for peat pots at your local garden center or superstores garden department. They usually come bundled in packages of 50.

Step 2
Buy a tray to hold your pots unless you have something at home that will work instead. Any flat pan or cookie sheet will also work.

Step 3
Purchase a good quality potting soil to use in the pots.

Step 4
Open the package of peat pot strips carefully to prevent damaging the pots. Separate the stacked pots.

Step 5
Fill each pot three-fourths full of potting soil.

Step 6
Place two or three seeds in each pot. Cover with more potting soil to the depth recommended on the seed package.

Step 7
Place the peat pot strips in the tray or other flat surface. Water until the pot is soaked through.

Step 8
Keep the pots moist until seedlings begin to appear. As the plants grow, thin the seedlings to one plant per pot. Water the pots as necessary to keep moist.

Step 9
Plant each individual peat pot in your garden when seedlings have reached the desired height and weather conditions are favorable. Plant the entire pot into the ground or larger container.



Tips & Warnings
Peat pots are easier to handle during the seedling stage if left in strip form. Separate when ready to plant. In some parts of the country, these are referred to as Jiffy Strips or Square Jiffy Pots. Buy your peat pots early in the season as they are usually one of the first items to be sold out at most garden centers and superstores.


 

How to Preserve Strawberry Seeds
 
Strawberries are the favorite fruit of many people, and are one of the easiest fruits for the home gardener to produce. To grow strawberry plants from seed, you'll need to start with an heirloom or natural variety in order for it to remain true to the characteristics of the parent plant. Here's how to preserve strawberry seeds in order to enjoy those berries for many years to come.


Instructions
Step 1
Begin with non-hybrid plants. You can grow these from seed or purchase the plants.

Step 2
Use mature fruit. Leave the fruit on the plant until it has fully matured, and then harvest the strawberries. These berries will be mushy and past their prime for eating or preserving.

Step 3
Extract the seeds. There are two methods that can be used for this. One is to allow the fruit to dry and then, holding it over a clean container, rub it between your finger and thumb to allow the seeds to fall off. The other method is to press the pulp of the mature fruit gently through a sieve, leaving the seeds in the sieve, and wash the seeds under running water while they are still in the sieve.

Step 4
Dry the seeds. The seeds must be allowed to dry thoroughly before being stored. You'll know they are dry when they no longer cling to each other and can be moved easily in the container.

Step 5
Store the seeds. Keep the seeds in labeled envelopes in a cool, dry place until you're ready to plant them.

Step 6
Sow the seeds. To start your seeds growing, fill small pots with a commercial seed soil mix. Sprinkle the seeds on the surface of the soil, and then cover with a fine layer of the soil mix. Mist with a spray bottle and keep the seeds moist. Transplant the seedlings to the garden area when they are ready.

Step 7
Repeat the process. Since strawberry plants will remain vigorous for only about 2 years, you'll need to repeat this process regularly to maintain your supply of seeds.


 

How to Start Seeds
 
It's rewarding to start your own seeds and grow varieties of flowers and vegetables that aren't commonly found in garden stores or nurseries. Most seed packets or seed catalogs include specific instructions for starting the particular seed contained inside the envelope, but here are some general rules, hints and tips.


Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Seeds
Potting mix
Flats or large, shallow pots
Trowel or shovel
Gloves
Step 1
Fill your flats or pots to about 1 inch of the top with potting soil.

Step 2
After you fill your flat or pot with soil, gently pat it down to compress it a bit.

Step 3
Give the flat or pot a gentle shower with the hose.

Step 4
Scatter small seeds evenly over the surface of you flat or pot. For larger seeds, such as beans, poke holes of the correct depth into your potting mix.

Step 5
Cover with soil, and then gently pat the soil down with your palm.

Step 6
Gently sprinkle with water.

Step 7
Put your flat or pot in a sunny place and remember to water it daily to keep the surface layer moist.

 

Tips & Warnings
The black plastic flats you can get at nursery stores for a dollar or less work just fine. Make sure that you give the seeds plenty of room: if a seed packet has 300 seeds in it, for example, you'll want to use an entire flat. Some packets have very few seeds in them; in this case, you can use a black plastic nursery pot. You can use a screwdriver or pencil to make holes for large seeds. Some seeds are called "light-dependent germinators," which just means that they need sunlight in order to sprout. Your seed packet will mention this if it's a requirement. In this case, all you need to do is scatter the seeds over the soil surface and then gently pat them into the soil with your palm. Some instructions might mention that it's good idea to cover your seeds with clear plastic to keep them moist and warm. However, this can cause new sprouts to burn, shrivel and die if it gets too hot.
 

How to Grow Herbs From Seeds
Growing your own herb garden can be fun and beneficial. With so many different types and uses for herbs, having a garden variety means more creative dinners or more decorative planters. Most herbs can be grown from seeds. They are also grown by divisions, cuttings and layerings. Taking different sections of leaves and stems and replanting them is a productive way of increasing your herb garden, quickly and easily. If you are considering starting your own herb garden and you've purchased an assortment of herb seeds, learn how to grow them.


Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Clay pots Potting soil Herb seeds Garden shovel Water soluble fertilizer Organic mulch
Step 1
Purchase little clay pots, one per herb type. Or, you can purchase a larger clay pot, 24 inches in diameter and grow many herbs in one.

Step 2
Fill each pot halfway with a houseplant potting soil blended with polymers. A well drained soil is best for growing seeds indoors. Most herbs prefer sunlight.

Step 3
Push about 5 seeds per pot into the soil 1/4-inch below the surface. Sow fine seeds in shallow soil. Plant coriander, dill, anise and fennel directly in the outdoor garden as they do not transplant well.

Step 4
Let the seeds germinate for about eight weeks, at which time they will be ready for transplanting outdoors. Do not transplant when the soil is cold. The best time of the year for outdoor planting is in May.

Step 5
Prepare the area outdoors where you will transplant the herb seedlings. Work the soil until it is fine and slightly wet. Marjoram, thyme and savory grow best if sand is blended into the soil.

Step 6
Plant the seeds in narrow rows and firmly compact the dirt above them. After four leaves have formed, add a 1/4-strength water soluble fertilizer to the soil.

Step 7
Water your herbs with 1 inch of water per week, either by rainfall or supplemental watering. It's best to use a fine spray to prevent washing away the seeds. Add organic mulch to the soil to prevent drying out.

Step 8
Fertilize sparingly, as too much fertilizer can ruin the aroma and taste of the herbs. Note that chervil, lovage, fennel and summer savory require more fertilizer than other herb types. Well-rotted manure is a good choice for slowly releasing nutrients into the herb root system.

Step 9
Add a bushel of peat or compost every 100 square feet of soil to improve the condition and retain necessary moisture.




Tips & Warnings
Individual herbs require different amounts of water, sunlight and treatments. Always read the seed packets to ensure that you plant each specific herb properly.Red spider mites invade low growing plants in hot dry weather. Caraway, dill, fennel and anise are susceptible to aphid infestation.

 

 Suggested plants for spring, summer

Bronze-leaf begonias (will take some sun)

Impatiens

Pentas (will take some sun)

Strapleaf caladiums (shorter than fancy-leaf)

Plants for winter color

Small-leaved cyclamen

Pansies

Violas
 

Easy tips for growing herbs in a window box.
Garden pots and window boxes filled with herbs can help add a fresh touch to your foods and give a boost to your landscape and house.


Window boxes and containers, overflowing with lush plantings, can do more than add a "wow factor" to your home, patio, deck or balcony.

Filled with herbs, those containers can be welcome partners in the kitchen as well as hardworking members of your gardening team.

The oils in herbs that flavor teas, accent salads and kick up the character of our culinary concoctions also play a role in the health of a garden.

"I would plant herbs in my garden if I weren't even cooking with them because they attract beneficial insects that control all the pest insects," says Rosalind Creasy, the Los Altos, Calif., author of numerous garden and food books. "Both cooks and gardeners benefit from an herb's aromas because you don't need to use environmentally disruptive chemicals to protect them," writes Jeff Cox in "The Cook's Herb Garden" (DK Publishing, $18). Cox, Horticulture magazine contributing editor, cowrote the book with food writer Marie-Pierre Moine. It's a one-stop guide to growing culinary herbs, packed with photos, tips on propagation, storage, weed control and pests, as well as recipes, harvesting tips and more.

Herb pot tips:

Here are tips from Cox and Creasy for anybody filling window boxes or patio pots with herbs.

Grouping: Combine plants that need the same amount of water and fertilizer, Creasy says. Plant drought-tolerant Mediterranean herbs such as oregano, rosemary, thyme and marjoram in one container, and herbs that need more water and fertilizer (say, parsley, basil, cilantro, chervil) in another.

Size things up: "Genovese basil can grow to 2 ½ feet tall. You put that in a window box, it's not going to look very good," Cox says. "If you're going to put herbs that tend to grow tall in a window box, keep pinching them back."

Shopping savvy: Buy healthy plants growing in good-size pots, Cox says; avoid the leggy ones. Too much top and too little pot means the herb has been watered with liquid fertilizer, he says, "so [it] hasn't needed to grow a lot of root system and put its energy into growing a large top." Once the plant is placed in soil, it won't have the root strength to sustain itself.

Container choices: Use containers that have good drainage (holes on the bottom are a must, for starters). Cox puts a plastic tray in the bottom of a window box with drainage holes, then layers in some stone or gravel.

"When you water, the water isn't just running through and putting soil onto the deck or patio." Also, he adds, "don't set a pot with a drainage hole directly on a deck. The water can stain."

Clay, such as terra cotta, won't rot, Cox notes,  . If you're putting terra cotta pots in a window box, it makes it nice and easy to take them out to work on.



Soil matters: Choose a good-quality, fast-draining soil, Creasy advises.

It needs to be lightweight in a window box, but that's also practical for containers you'll be moving around a patio. She recommends that the soil have a water-holding medium; these may be pricier, but they are more practical in the long run.

Room to grow: Don't cram herbs in too tightly, Cox says. "Give them a little elbowroom because that really translates into root room and a healthier plant," he says.

Sun and nutrients: Most herbs require full sun, although several (mints, for example) can handle some shade. Pay attention to their growing needs, especially if they will be in one place (like a window box) for the entire season.

Creasy recommends using a good-quality, organic slow-release fertilizer. Because the soil in containers dries out quickly, plants may need daily watering, especially when it's hot outside.

Snip away: One of the biggest benefits of growing herbs is that they love to be used — so don't be afraid to snip them. Herbs in containers especially benefit from constant harvesting, Cox writes, which also keeps plants under control in their restricted space.
 

Planting a flower garden

Planting a flower garden may be an overwhelming experience for anybody let alone a beginner gardener. The good news is there are easy ways to get around it by following these simple steps. Read on to find out what these simple tips are for planning your garden landscape and what lawn decor to choose to get what you want from the sweet escape in your backyard.

Before you head to a nursery or garden center, make sure you have a plan. Think about where you want to put your flowers and garden accessories, what colors you want where, how many and so forth. This will make your shopping experience much easier and faster and probably less expensive. You'll want to enjoy a garden that's in bloom from early spring to late fall by choosing annuals (plants that do not come back every year) and perennials (plants that do come back every year) based on when they flower. Refer to plant tags for specific information that pertains to your garden. When picking plants at the nursery pay attention to the height and width before assigning them a permanent home. When it's time to divide your perennials, offer to share your extras with your garden-savvy neighbors in return for plants you don't have yet. Make sure to observe your yard's sun and shade areas. Look for wet or dry spots. Watch for sandy soil and dense clay. By knowing your garden's conditions, you can plant flowers where they'll thrive. For soils that do not produce thriving plants consider putting garden accessories such as garden statues, gnomes, wind spinners, wind chimes, stepping stones, mulch, rock, and other lawn and garden decor. When choosing garden accessories for additional lawn decor around your garden, consider potting perennials and/or annuals in containers and placing them around your yard. Garden planters are an easy way to create colorful accents. Many plants benefit from deadheading, when faded blooms are removed to encourage new growth. To deadhead, cut off the spent slower close to a bud that's lower on the stem or above a leaf node. To enjoy perennials or annuals indoors, cut the flowers in early morning or late afternoon, submerge them in lukewarm water and add a floral preservative.

Garden accessories are a great way to add a little extra something to any outdoor space. The nice thing about garden accessories is that they come in all forms, shapes and sizes. Choosing the right lawn decor for your garden or backyard is always a fun experience because there is so much you can do with it. Garden stepping stones make transitioning from one place in your backyard to another very easy and it is also very decorative. Stepping stones can be anything from limestone rock, cement blocks or slates to flat plaques. Don't forget about your avian friends. Putting bird houses, bird baths and bird feeders in a flower garden invites even more color and entertainment to enjoy. There are tons of different kinds of bird feeders out there; some are decorative, some are for specific kinds of birds and some are very plain-jane bird feeders. Which ever strikes your fancy your avian friends will be sure to re-visit your flower garden. Other garden accessories you can consider putting up in your flower garden are wind chimes and wind spinners. You can find many different kinds of hook stands out there for hanging these types of garden accessories as well as brackets for the side of a post or wall.

Your flower garden will look amazing after following these simple steps in planning for a garden. The nice thing about garden accessories is that they are versatile. You can put them almost anywhere and plant flowers around them or accent some already planted flowers and plants with the garden accessories. Whatever you choose to do you will be happy with the result it produces.

 

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