Easter lilies have a grace and beauty that is their own. They also signify spring and are an extremely popular Easter flower. Their pretty blooms and amazing fragrance fills any home or garden with beauty.
photo credit: Koshyk

Forcing the lily to bloom in early spring for the Easter holiday makes the lily plant seem rather fragile. Forcing a plant takes a toll and the response is fast flowers and blooms but also the fast decline in the plant. But with a few simple steps the life of the lily can be extended for you to enjoy longer.

First, choose a healthy plant with dark green foliage. You will also want the flowers to be in various stages of bloom. The plant should have 2 to 3 partly opened flowers and several unopened buds. These buds will bloom in the next several days.

The decorative foil around the plant’s pot adds more flair to the flower arrangement but it will need to be removed for the health of the plant. Water the plant when the soil feels dry, but do not over water. Also make sure the plant does not sit in standing water. This is why I always set a plant on pebbles and plant tray.

For the best watering results, hold the lily plant over a sink and allow the water to drain out through the holes in the bottom of the pot. Using this method you will the soil has been well saturated and that the plant is properly drained.

Easter lilies thrive in cooler temperatures around 60 to 65 degrees so keep the plants away from a heater. Also avoid sitting them in a drafty area. I place my lily plants in front of a window in bright, indirect sunlight. Do not keep the plant in direct sunlight.

Also remove any flowers that have started to wither. Even withering flowers take energy and the small buds will be affected.

As beautiful as the lily is the plant is very toxic to cats so place the plant out of reach of any small animal or child.

After the lily plant has died down, pull off the dead stems and let set for a few weeks. Lilies will re-flower if left alone or planted outdoors. They are actually a hardy plant and can grow up to eight foot tall in the right environment. So save the bulbs for later planting as  the lily is a beautiful plant and adds to any garden.

Technorati Tags: flowers, indoor plants, plant care

This summer I decided to make plans to open a perennial garden business next year. My plan was to do it in such a way that I did not have to take out a loan and have a large overhead in inventory.
photo credit: laudu

I was lucky enough to attend an auction at a greenhouse where I picked up around twenty different perennial varieties.  I also traded plants with friends, which lead to another 15 varieties. Scavenging at a few local abandoned houses (anyways ask first) lead to another 15 varieties and last but not least there is a wholesale $2 a shovel perennial business nearby which I purchased $20 and divided up the plants into around two hundred new plants. I also plan to start a few perennial plants from seeds so I will have close to 75 varieties of plants for my first year with very little money in the project… but a lot of time.

If your thinking of starting a small perennial garden business you can read my first article here, How to start a Perennial Garden Business

In September I tilled the ground and worked leaves and star into the soil each week for the entire month. This made the soil more workable and this material will break down and add nutrients to the soil. The last week I added well rotted sheep manure and then added my plants. This is a working garden. I plan on transplanting the plants from here into other gardens but I still want an interesting look so I laid the garden out into 6 small sections and planted the perennials by size and color combinations. In between the small sections I placed flat rocks to add interest and to create walkways.

The plants have been watered each week and are doing well so far.

My next step in the business for this year is to make sure all my plants are marked well for easy identification in the spring, to make sure the gardens have a good mulch covering to protect the newer plants and their root system and to make raised beds for some of the other gardens I will add in the spring.

During the winter months I will be making the raised beds over in the barn out of salvaged barn boards. I will also be planning out the layout of additional gardens and starting perennial plants in a small greenhouse. So far I have spent less than $50 and have a nice start for a future business.
photo credit: Markles55

I hope to start perennial herbs in the spring, pick up a few additional plants and possibly put in a cutting garden. In the spring photos will follow of my progress. If you have a small perennial garden or wish to start one contact me. Denise

Technorati Tags: Backyard Flower Garden, perennial flower, perennial garden business

It’s time to bring your indoor plants in at night and any plants that you want to over winter.

Indoor plants

If you leave your indoor plants out when the nights get colder, in the low 40’s or lower, they suffer from shock and it takes too much of a toll on the plant to recover. So bring them in after 5pm and if you wish set them back out during the day as long as the temperatures are in the high 50’s.

Geraniums

Many people bring in their geraniums and save them over the winter months. There are two ways to do this. You can bring in pots or pot them up and put them in a cool place and cut back on watering them.

Or you can take the geraniums out of the soil and take off all the soil, them place in a brown paper bag and store until spring. I usually use the brown bag method. I find the plants do better in the spring in my zone 5 area. You will need to bring the plants out in late march and replant them. Cut the plants back and water. Wait until you see new growth and give them a liquid fertilizer. I will often place plastic bags over the plants to give them a greenhouse-growing atmosphere.

I also save mums, begonias, potato plants and tomato plants.

Tags: bringing indoor plants in in the fall, overwintering geraniums, The Gardeners Rake weekly gardening tip