Rose can be classified in five types based on number of petals in blooms. Single: blooms that have one row of five petals. (Occasionally there are two or three additional petals inside the main row.) Semi-double: blooms that have two or three complete rows. Moderately full: blooms that have 1 5 to 25 petals....
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Mushroom compost is a dark, crumbly material. It is the growing medium for commercially cultivated mushrooms, which having been used once is discarded because mushrooms are extremely vulnerable to soil-borne diseases and each crop is grown on fresh, sterilized compost. It is good for improving the texture of the soil but as it contains...
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Autumn leaves take a long time to rot down but are well worth collecting and making into leaf mould. In a dry, shady area make a simple frame from four posts pushed into the ground and with wire- netting stretched arotind them. Fill with leaves, pressing down each layer as you add it, and...
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Worm casts are very rich in nutrients in a form that is readily available to plants, so the compost produced in a worm box is closer to a fertilizer than a compost. The worms used are brandlings which are used by fishermen, and are available from fishing shops. In the base of the box,...
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Here are some of the proven tips on creating good compost: - Make the size of the container as large as you can: 1 sq m/3 sq ft is the minimum practical size. If your garden is very small, purpose-built compost bins are available. - Use good insulating materials for the container to help...
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Common names : Vase plant, Aechmea bromeliad, Urn plant Have you ever wondered why the leaves of aechmea are always arranged in a rosette? In the wild most aechmeas are epiphytic i.e. it grown on some other plant but not as parasite and gets its food from air, rain and things around it and...
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Ever wondered why cut daffodils are always massed on their own, rather than mixed with other spring flowers? It is because when daffodils are cut, their stems give off a slime which dissolves in water and is poisonous to other cut flowers. If you want to mix daffodils with other blooms, you must stand...
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There is no difference between daffodil and narcissus. The botanical name narcissus is used for both plants. The separation into narcissus and daffodil is an entirely artificial one that has been created by gardeners. Gardeners tend to use the name daffodil for narcissi with long trumpets. When they talk about narcissi, they are referring...
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Cutworms are fat brown or grey caterpillars 1-2in long. They are usually found just below the soil surface. Cutworm is a general name for several different kinds of caterpillar, all of which have similar habits. The main pest species in gardens are the larvae of the large, yellow underwing moth, the turnip moth and...
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If the clumps of daffodils scattered in your established borders have healthy leaves but give very few flowers then most like cause is that they have become overcrowded. You just need to lift them, separate them gently – and replant them farther apart. The time to lift the clumps is after the daffodils have...
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