photo credit: Hair Squared

I have been an avid outdoor gardener for many years but each year I find myself growing more plants indoors. For me a short growing climate, weather concerns and the fact I like to be surrounded by living plants has lead to this change.

I also find indoor gardening easier in many ways.

For those who in cities and have limited space the indoor garden is a perfect solution gardening. And it’s a proven fact that plants help clean and purifies air adding health and less stress into many peoples lives.

Some plants are low maintenance and require little light, while others will need constant care. So choosing the amount of time you want to spend on plants will be an important consideration. And remember, all plants require watering and fertilizing.

Indoor growing considerations

First, identify the lighting conditions in each of the rooms where you plan to grow plants. Mark each room as either dim, bright direct or bright indirect. Then, for each room, consider only plants that thrive in that lighting condition.

Palm plants will require direct light, herbs and vegetables grow in bright sunlight, and bamboo plants can grow in dark indoor conditions. With the wide variety of plants and lighti9ng that can be added to the home, it is now possible to grow almost any plant.

photo credit: stevecadman

Temperature and moisture as the next most important factors after lighting. If the temperature of your indoor space ranges from 65 to 80 F, you should only consider plants that thrive within this temperature range. You also need to check for drafts. Many plants will not handle a draft or cold wind.

Look at the space you have available. Some plants vary in height from a few inches to several feet. Fortunately, you can control the height of the plant by the size of the pot. Use small pots to restrict plant growth. And you may want to look into vertical growing or growing walls.

I have seen growing walls that add light, color and even seem to add additional space in a room. Vertical growing makes the most out of available space and has numerous growing advantages.

One overlooked area in plant care is the needs of your favorite plants. Besides watering, most plants need fertilizing, trimming, repotting  and often leaf picking.

I had absolutely no luck growing African Violets until my neighbor told me they need and thrive in northern lighting. I switched my plants location and the plants grew beautifully!

photo credit: Bitman

And last but not least, buy plants that are either practical or appealing to you. If a plant isn’t aesthetically pleasing, consider growing a vegetable that you can eat. Many vegetable and herb plants are beautiful.

Indoor gardening is an area that I will being using more, both for flowers and vegetables. I plan to use container gardening, vertical gardening, small space gardening ideas and greenhouse gardening. I also hope to try a little hydroponic gardening methods.

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Today our side yard has one Amish buggy in the lower drive and one draft house tied to a tree near the barn. A group of Amish are starting to harvest the small branches needed for their furniture.

They only select branches under four inches and cut the trees in such a way that they will grow back, usually with more small branches that can be harvested in four or five years.

The Amish have cut Hickory off of our property on and off for about 15 years. Part of the deal often includes an Amish rocking chair or Amish love seat.

Eli, one of the Amish, told me they would be here cutting for about two weeks. He asked for permission to park the buggy by the barn and tie the horse to a tree. At the end of the their job they will bring several draft horses to haul the hickory bundles off the hill and load them into a wagon.

photo credit: Jan Tik

One year they harvested Hickory in the late spring when there was a foot of snow on the ground. When they came to haul the wood away they used an old wooden sled that could be pulled by horses. The sled was over 10 foot long and six foot wide with sides to hold the hickory bundles in place.

I asked about the history of the sled and was told it was over 100 years old and has been passed down through the family for generations.

So far today the Amish have collected about five bundles of branches. They cut them in four to eight foot sections. They then sort them before they are bundled by length and for what purpose they will be used for later. At this moment they are sorted by length and propped against my front trees.

The harvesting of the hickory will make for an interesting few weeks. The Amish in my area do not allow photographs to be taken. They are from an older sect and their beliefs are more controlled. They believe that the photographic image steals their soul.

So any photos in the article are from Amish groups that allow photographs to be taken.

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I have had many questions about the Staghorn fern. I have written two articles before,  Indoor Plants: The Staghorn Fern and its Care, and the other, How to Grow and Ariel Theme Garden. 

But recently I had a question on how to divide a Staghorn fern that was bought in a pot. Some people grow the Staghorn ferns this way and they are beautiful.  The question was how to divide a plant that was bought this way and place it on a board.

I also like the look of the Staghorn fern on a piece of wood and to me it adds to my home décor and can be hung anywhere where the growing conditions are correct. In warmer climates many people hang them on fences or trees and leave them out year round.

If you get a Staghorn in a pot and want to divide it and place it on a board you need to check the plant and make sure any division or “pup” as they are referred to has at least two fronds or stems. Division is best done in the spring or summer when the sterile “shield” fronds are brown.

First thoroughly water the Staghorn to be divided. Next, use a sharp knife and cut through the sterile fronds at an equal distance between the parent plant and the pup. I pack wet moss around the new section of the plant immediately and also pack the area with moss where I removed the small plant form the original. This encourages new root growth and keeps the area from drying out.

Make sure the pup is oriented (placed up) the same as it was on the parent plant when placing the plant on a board.

Squeeze most of the water out of the moss and pack it around the pup. Using the fishing line, cross back and forth tightly over the shield on the pup, close to the fronds, hooking the line around the nails. When it is securely fastened tie the end onto one of the nails. Using the technique described above apply a “patch” of moss into the area where you removed the pup from the parent plant.

Your new plant should thrive. And if by change you need to wait for a bit for you plants to develop more fronds before separating they will do well in a hanging pot. Care for them as you would a plant placed on a board

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When my brother raised pumpkins he also raised Indian corn for fall decorations. We had a corn husking party; bent the husks back and tied in bunches to dry. The barn was full of Indian corn hanging from the barn rafters to dry. It took about four days.

I made a few Indian corn husk wreaths and was hooked on the easy and beautiful fall wreaths. Below are directions for making your own wreath

How to Make an Indian corn decorative wreath.

Start with a metal or grapevine wreath form. I usually use a grapevine wreath because it is a fuller base to work on. Lay the base wreath on a table along with the dried Indian corn, dried flowers and any ribbon or other decorations you have.

Look at the colors of the corn and flowers, and place them around the wreath to see how they would look. This may be randomly placed or even. Remember when placing the corn that you want the wreath to appear balanced and centered when placed on a wall.

Use the same method for the dried flowers, spacing them so that they create a balanced composition. I also like to add cornhusk that I have fluffed to add more fill to the wreath. Sometimes I will lightly dye the husks in light pastel colors.

photo credit: zimpenfish

Wrap the dried corn and flowers with florist wire. (Florist wire is a thin wire that is coated in a green plastic, commonly used to wrap floral arrangements.) Place the Indian corn and flowers where you want them on the wreath base ands bind them in place with the florist wire.

Hook the end of the florist wire into the back of the wreath and wrap it around the wreath. This method will securely attach the flowers and Indian corn to the wreath. Continue this process until all your items are securely in place on the wreath.

Step back and take a look at the wreath. Are there bare spots or corn or flowers that need a slight adjustment? Would a ribbon bow add to the wreath? When you feel the wreath is finished its time to spray the wreath.

To make the wreath last longer, spray it with an acrylic clear varnish. This step should be done in a well-ventilated area, like outdoors and away from plants and the house. Hold the spray can at least 12 inches from your body and from the wreath.

Spray the wreath quickly not lingering on one area too long. Allow the spray to dry completely in a warm area, at least 55 degrees. I ignore the wreath for about 24 hours.

Once dry, hang indoors or out. These wreaths make great gifts and will last for years.

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Indian corn, also called “Flint” corn, comes in many different colors. It is used primarily for ornamental purposes. But a few varieties are edible and some people buy Indian corn to grind up as flour. Popcorn is also another popular Indian corn variety that is both edible and decorative.

There are many different varieties to choose from. Garden catalogs or the Internet will help you in choosing a variety and colors available.

How to grow Indian corn

It’s best to start growing Indian corn by choosing one variety. Later you may want to grow several varieties.

Buy blue Indian corn if you want to grind up the corn to make blue flour tortillas.  Strawberry Indian corn for popcorn is perfect for ornamental uses and grows to two to three inches. Miniature Indian corn is also great for drafting with and will grow to about six inches.

You will need to start Indian corn as early as possible. Indian corn requires a long growing season of at least three months. The corn needs to mature before the first autumn frosts hit your growing zone.

photo credit: jmuhles

Plant Indian corn at least 100 feet from other types of corn. If you plant several different varieties of corn in the same area, cross-pollination may occur and you might not get the type of corn you planted. I grow several kinds of Indian corn and place them by the barn, garage or row of tress to make sure cross-pollination does not occur.

Grow at least 5 rows of corn. The more rows of Indian corn you grow, the more likely they will pollinate. The rows can even be short, but you need a block of corn to get a better pollination. Corn is wind pollinated, but the closer and you plant corn the better the pollination. And better pollination means a full ear of corn.

Keep the Indian corn well watered during hot summer months. Corn uses a high amount of water for ear production. You may find that using mulch will help retain water in the soil and lead to less watering.

It’s time to harvest the crop after the hair on the corn turns brown. Pull back the husk of the ear of corn slightly and check to see if the corn kernels are formed and full.

Indian corn kernels will likely be all different colors (unless you get a specialty color like blue or red). The kernels should also be firm to the touch and dry. Gently pull down on the “ripe” ear and pop it off the stalk. Hang up the corn for a few days in a warm place to dry. Then it’s ready to use.

When you dry the corn make sure to hang it high so that raccoons or other animals will not be able to reach it.

What I like about Indian corn is you never know what the crop will look like until you peel back the husks. Each ear is like an art piece, colorful and unique.

In a few days there will be an article on making a cornhusk wreath. These wreaths will last for years and add color to your backyard, garden areas and even indoor holiday flair.

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photo credit: Ian Muttoo

With Thanksgiving approaching the addition of dried corn stalks, Indian corn, and pumpkins with give your yard, patio or porch area a festive look. The corn stalks can be left outdoors. The Indian corn can also be left outdoors and can later be sprayed with a clear varnish to preserve then for another year. Note: Make sure the Indian corn is stored in an area that mice will not bother it.

Pumpkins need to be covered if there is a frost at night and brought in if there is a freeze. If you clean them well with a bleach and water mix when you first purchase them to kill any germs that may have entered a cut, the pumpkins will last until after the new year.

photo credit: alecim

Gourds, mini pumpkins and fall flowers also make a nice garden art arrangement in a yard. Place them on a hay bale or in a wagon for a farm like feel. And with the fall flowers you can bring them indoors and enjoy the flowers. Mums are particularly easy to move indoors and by pinching them back you will have flowers through the holidays.

I also like to clip the mums and start new plants. Mums will produce roots easily in a rich potting soil. I use a liquid rooting hormone and cover the pot with clear plastic wrap and have a new plant in a month. I them place it in my greenhouse until spring. It has protection form the freezing weather but will go dormant until spring and better weather returns.

Fall is a wonderful time for fall arrangements and bright splashed or yellows, reds, and orange colors. They seem to stand out more vibrantly in the cloudy fall skies we have in NW PA.

photo credit: Chrissy Olson

Check out Backyard Oasis for a few more fall decorating ideas for you backyard and patio areas.

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As I was doing outdoor chores and picking up the yard and gardens and preparing them for winter I was distracted by last years gourd collection. The gourds were dry early this summer and I cut and cleaned the interiors about a month ago. I have about 20 I have selected for bird feeders or for hanging plants.

I still need to sand and clean the exterior and seal the insides (if used for plants) to prevent the gourds from attracting moisture and slightly molding. You should not seal the interior of a bird feeder. The sealer will affect the seed and hurt the birds.

You also need to use a pot inside the gourd if you want your gourd planter to last several seasons. Gourds and water really do not mix well, unless the gourd has been sealed on the inside and out.

photo credit: timlewisnm

If I get my outdoor chores done this week I will start on my gourds next week. I have an art show coming up that I would like to display some of the finished gourds.

I have grown gourds in my gardens since my very first garden and each year they add interest and usually a few horror stories for my family member to tell the neighborhood. Many people consider gardening to be a bit boring, but they haven’t visited my gardens!

Here’s a link to my one gourd garden that that still pops up in local neighborhood conversations. Grow your gourds on swing sets.

And one more fun thing to try with gourds is shaping them while they grow. Creative gardening: Shaping your Gourds

I’ll share a few of my finished gourds in a few weeks.

Technorati Tags: country living, fall gardening chores, gourd crafting, Gourds, grow gourds on tee-pees, shaping gourds

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photo credit: Handolio

So I am not burned out on gardening this year and there are areas I want to experiment in. One area is small space gardening techniques, growing a variety of plants in a small space to see exactly what I can successfully grow.

Another area is hydroponic gardening.

When I first read about hydroponic gardening I was put off on this style of gardening. The list of chemical made me think the food would be toxic! But as I read more these are chemicals in the soil and are needed to grow. We also need these chemicals in our systems to be healthy.

So this winter I will be experimenting in different styles on hydroponic gardening. Vertical gardening, growing walls and greenhouse hydroponic will all be in the plan.

photo credit: _foam

So if you are a pro in hydroponic gardening join in and offer suggestions.

And if you are a novice, like me, be prepared for an adventure.

In the next few weeks you will see a lot of articles by guest writers who know about this topic than I do. And hopefully in the late winter and spring I will have a wonderful garden to show off.

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photo credit: *Micky

I don’t have all the outdoor garden chores done plus I am really not ready for winter weather so I hope they are wrong. Mid October seems too early for a snowfall although I know we usually have a few warning snowfalls before winter sets in.

The leaves are still hanging on the trees and hopefully we will enjoy their beauty for a few more days after our taste of winter weather.
photo credit: dougtone

I believe this might be what they call Squaw Winter, which is usually followed by Indian summer.

As our summer was cold and wet and made for problems with gardens and crops I hope we have a long Indian summer.

For those who make apple cider it is also said that you need a good frost to bring out the best flavor in cider. We have made cider on and off for many years and I do think the best cider is made later in the season.

And for those who follow signs in nature, most wooly bear caterpillars show a long harsh winter. And the Oak trees and Apples trees have few fruit, which usually signifies a mild winter.

So do you believe we will have a harsh or mild winter?

Update: We missed the snow during the day but by Friday morning the snow was clinging to the tree limbs and covered the ground. ANd as typical for the first snow, it is gone, but still cold.

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photo credit: farmerjulie

Soil is always the key to a healthy plant. For containers and hanging baskets use an artificial soil composed mostly of peat moss.  Good soils such as Fafard or Pro-Mix use perlite, peat, and other ingredients to produce a soil that will not compact over the summer.  I also use homemade compost in my container plants. (It makes great compost tea.)

Real garden soil compacts and turns into concrete under the pressure of regular watering.  And when that happens the plant roots stop growing because they require good open spaces to move into and absorb nutrients. Hard, compacted soils do not grow good plants so do not use real soil in your containers. It’s also lighter than real soil.

Tip: I re-use my artificial potting soil from year to year.  I dump it out of the pot when the season is over or the plant needs re-potted. Break up the soil mix with a shovel to cut up all last year’s roots. Next add approximately 10 % of compost. The compost will create air spaces and gives plants a boost of nutrients.

Feed your plants regularly.  Nitrogen is needed by all plants and is used up quickly.  I use a fish-emulsion liquid feed with seaweed to provide all the trace nutrients my plants require.  I also use compost tea, which I have a supply on hand at all times. You can use any liquid plant food (like Miracle Grow) to promote growth.

Watering your plants. And finally, no matter the size of the container, it is important to soak it all the way to the bottom at each watering.  Continue watering until water emerges from the pot bottom.  This ensures the roots can reach all parts of the container and grow properly. I also set all my container plants on pebbles that sit on trays. This adds humidity around the plant and also makes sure the plant has drained well. Plants do not like wet feet (roots).

photo credit: daryl_mitchell

These tips will keep your container plants and indoor plants healthy.

Technorati Tags: container gardening, gardening, gardens, growing indoors, landscaping

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