Can you get potted Poinsettias to rebloom?

Everyone buys poinsettia for holiday gifts or for home decorations.  They are the flower that represent Christmas.  They are given as hostess gifts every year in the thousands.  Many folks really enjoy receiving them and giving them.  Now if you are a green thumb gardener the thought of tossing a spent poinsettia in the trash is unheard of.  Below we give you some tips on getting them to rebloom.

When trying to get a potted poinsettia to rebloom you don’t need to repot the plant.  Just treat them like you would any potted houseplant.  Make sure they get lights, allow them to dry out slightly between watering and feed them with fertilizer according to the label.  When the flower petals fade and fade off cut back the stems to just below the flowers and let them continue to grow.

Come next spring, place them outside in indirect sunlight. Let them grow and if necessary repot them into a larger garden container.  By the end of summer bring the pot indoors again.  Now the hard part starts.  The potted poinsettia needs 15 hrs of darkness, so daily cover them with a box from 5 at night to 8 the following morning.

If you do this successfully in November your plants will color and you can end this covering situation.  Set them back in indirect sunlight and they should be good to go for the whole holiday season.

Did you know that growing Spinach in a garden pot is really easy to do for a number of reasons?  It likes the shade and you can grow it indoors on a windowsill.  Do you eat a lot of fresh spinach and are tired of that bagged stuff from the grocery store?  Then read on and learn how simple it is to grow your own spinach in a flowerpot.

The best size of pot to start growing spinach in should be at least 8” deep.  This is considered a standard flowerpot size and easy to find.  We sell Italian clay 8”garden pots that would be perfect.  Next decide if you want to fill the pot with seeds or starter plants.

Each spinach plant requires approximately 3” of space so make sure you give them that.  If you think you may want to wait to harvest the leaves till they are larger then give them 5” of space or if you like the idea of eating tender small leaves give the potted plants 2” space.  You decide and pick a container accordingly.

If you are thinking about trying this growing idea in the Fall then place the garden container in a sunny spot.  In Spring & Summer when it gets really hot place the flowerpot in a area that gets some shade, especially in the afternoons.  You don’t want to burn those tender leaves that you plan on eating so move the planter accordingly.

Always use a quality growing mix and make sure the planter you use has drain hole.  You don’t want soggy soil.  When watering, avoid watering the foliage and keep the soil damp not soggy or wet.  Don’t get overly concerned about water, just make sure the soil is moist.

Growing indoors requires a pot that has a drain saucer.  You want the over water to drain off the soil but a saucer will be necessary to catch it.  Use smaller pots that fit into your window and plant fewer plants in each.  A window will provide enough sunlight but not all-day sunlight so it’s prefect.

When the spinach stem has 5 leaves you can start to pick them off and eat them.  Start with outer leaves and leave the inner leaves so they will grow larger.  Once all the leaves are gone, cut off the whole plant at the base and it will re-sprout again.

Let’s grow a pumpkin in a flowerpot!

If you find yourself limited to a deck or patio and no yard in sight then we have the solution for how to grow your own pumpkin.  Put them in a flowerpot.  It is not that difficult and really a fun thing to do.

Of course, as with anything you are going to grow in a garden pot start by picking the container.  Pumpkins need and like room, so think big.  The larger the better.  If you want to grow mini pumpkins you can get away with a smaller container but honestly they need room to grow.

If you are a apartment dweller and only have a balcony you should use a long rectangle window box as big as you can manage.  Try to get one that is 36” long if possible and make sure whatever you use that there are drain holes in the bottom.  As with other plants the roots of these pumpkins do not like soggy soil.  Drill extra if necessary.

When selecting soil pick a potting mix that is good for containers.  Mix equal pots of mix and compost.  The compost improves the water’s retention which pumpkin vines like.  Add in a slow release fertilizer to the soil and fill the container up to 2” below the rim.

Time to add the seeds. We recommend following the seed packet directions.  Make sure to water frequently since pumpkins are thirsty. There are many varieties you can grow but we suggest you start with smaller varieties or mini pumpkins.  Get your feet wet with the little ones and then get bigger from there.

Now that Fall has arrived what do you garden planters look like?  If you are tired of cleaning out your summer containers and leave those same planters empty all fall and winter than there are a few suggestions of fall flowers that are easy, colorful and fun to pot up.

Visiting your local home and garden center will show you many of the fall flowers that are available and ready to take hope and plant in your patio pots.  During this time of the year they are so important for providing color and texture to a garden or yard that may be looking a bit worn out and tired.

Consider these flowers when redesigning your garden pottery for the yard, porch or patio.

Sunflowers – who doesn’t love these cheery yellow flowers that will last till the first frost.  They can attract songbirds and are prefect to cut and bring indoors for a decorative touch.

Daisy is another cheerful and bright addition to any plant container.  They attract butterflies, also make great cut flowers for indoor arrangements and come in many wonderful colors.

Aster is a fall flower that blooms in yellow, orange and red which means they will compliment any fall mixture of plant materials you group together in a flowerpot.  They love the sun.  Autumn crocus is similar to the spring blooming crocuses and grow up to 6” high.  Great when placed in the center of a garden container with smaller flowers surrounding it.  They require little maintenance and are perfect for all containers.

Pansies are always great for fall and perfect for garden pottery.  They have the sweetest little faces and come in all shades of colors.

Ornamental Kale & cabbage have become more and more popular and are seen planted in most fall containers.  Their colorful purple and deep green ruffled leaves add aesthetic qualities that other flowers do not.  The colors of potted cabbage and kale intensifies as it gets colder outdoors.

We hope we gave you some good suggestions on different types of flowers to pot up for fall and that you give one of them a try.  We think you will be pleased and your garden pottery will look stunning!

Air Plants – Have you heard of them?

We are certain that you have seen these funny looking plants at the grocery store or garden center that look like they are flying on the air.  Well, if you are wondering what those actually are then let us explain.
Air plants are plants that can grow without potting soil.  The are tropical and won’t survive in freezing temperatures, so you will usually see them as potted houseplants.

An air plant will anchor its’ roots onto a tree or shrub without harming them.  They absorb moisture and nutrients from the air through their leaves.  This makes them easy to grow indoors.  You can grow them in a terrarium, on wire frames, or small tiny mini pots.  There flexibility makes them a fun and creative way to add a touch of green to any room.

Potted air plants come in a large variety of leaf shapes and styles.  They are very forgiving of neglect so kids and college students tend to love them even more.  Air plants love sunlight but can survive in fluorescent light also.  There are a couple of ways to water a potted air plant but we think the easiest is to mist them several times a week.

Air plants require easy maintenance.  Remove discolored leaves at the base, no fertilizing is necessary and all you need to do is mist occasionally.  How much easier can it get?