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Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Tuberose
What
is tuberose?
The tuberose is a night-blooming plant which is thought to
be native to Mexico, as is every other known species of
Polianthes. Polianthes tuberosa is a plant related to the agaves. It is a herbaceous perennial
tuber bulbous plant with erect leafy stems and broadly linear leaves. It grows in elongated spikes up to 45 cm (18
in) long that produce clusters of fragrant waxy white flowers that bloom from
the bottom towards the top of the spike.
For more than 400 years, the tuberose has been a secret seductress
giving passion and fire to thousands of perfumes. A symbol of dangerous love
and voluptuousness to the Victorians, tuberose's rich, the heady fragrance is similar to the gardenia. The
tubular flowers that scale the spikes of the tuberose are typically snowy white
and last up to 14 days.
The flower consists of twelve species and is a prominent plant in Indian
culture and mythology where it is used for weddings, garlands, decoration and
various traditional rituals. Tuberose, like jasmine, has a heady floral scent
that continues to produce itself. Tuberose can thrive in warmer climates and
survive the outdoors well. They bloom in the late summer best when they receive
ample sunlight daily.
Names of Tuberose
·
Common names: Tuberose
·
Indian names: Rajnigandha,
Sugandraja
·
Botanical name: Polianthes tuberose
Characteristics Of Tuberose
·
Life-Cycle: Perennial/annual (depending on
growing conditions)
·
Height: 2 to 3 feet
·
Width/Spread: 1 to 2 feet
·
Flowering Season: Year-round
·
Flower: Tuberose
·
Varieties: Calcutta Single, Mexican Single,
Phule Rajani, Prajwal, Rajat Rekha, Shringar, Hyderabad Single, Pune Single,
Arka Nirantra, Calcutta Double, Hyderabad Double, Pearl Double, Swarna Rekha,
Suvasini, Vaibhav.
·
Design Ideas: Containers or
Hanging baskets
Growing Details
·
Sunlight: This requires full
sun but can be grown indoors with bright light.
·
Water: As tuberose grows, provide roughly
1–1.5 in. (2.5–3.75 cm) of water once a week. Tuberose prefers this to
more frequent watering in smaller amounts.
·
Sowing season: Tuberose bulbs are
best planted in early spring, but this
requires a warm climate with a growing season at least 4 months long.
Sowing method: –
·
Care: Plant in soil that drains well and
has a pH of 6.5-7.5. Place the rhizomes 2 to 4 inches deep and 6 to
8 inches apart, in well-draining soil in a sunny spot.
·
Pests: Thrips and aphids are usually disrupt
the plant. Use general pesticides to fight them.
·
Harvest: – For loose flowers, the individual flower is plucked regularly which
are used for various purposes whereas for cut flower the spike is cut from the
base so that longer spike is available.
Caring: –
·
Water sparingly until plants emerge. Keep the soil
fairly dry, but water before it dries out fully. Within a few weeks, green tips
should emerge, and root systems will develop that allow the plant to handle
more water.
·
Pests: Thrips and aphids are usually disrupt
the plant. Use general pesticides to fight them.
·
Water moderately during the
growing season. As tuberose grows, provide
roughly 1–1.5 in. (2.5–3.75 cm) of water once a week. Tuberose prefers
this to more frequent watering in smaller amounts.
v Reduce watering if
rain occurs, so the tuberose only receives a total of approximately 1–1.5 in.
(2.5–3.75 cm) of water each week.
v Take care not to
over water, as tuberose rots easily (the reason you really need well-draining
soil).
·
Apply a balanced fertilizer. An 8-8-8
fertilizer, with equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, is
recommended for tuberose. Apply solid fertilizer around the soil of the plant once
every 6 weeks, or apply liquid fertilizer according to packaging instructions.
·
Feel free to cut flowers to arrange indoors. The flowers
typically emerge about 90-120 days after planting, usually in the late summer
or early autumn. Removal of the flowers for house display will not harm the
plant, so enjoy bringing the scent into your home.
·
If the weather is turning cold and the plant has
not yet flowered, transplant the tuberose
to a large pot, and bring it to a warm location indoors. Remember, the pot must
be well-draining, with a hole in the base and something beneath it to catch the
water.
·
Keep in mind that the tuberose flowers are very
fragrant. They will be at their peak of fragrance during the evening hours.
·
Support the flowers if needed. The flowers
will start to weigh the branches down when they start to bloom, so you may want
to add some form of support. Place a trellis in the ground next to the plant or
use a cage to help support the plant from all sides.
·
Prune to encourage growth. Even if you
don't bring flowers indoors, remove the withered flowers to encourage new
growth. Do not remove any leaves until they are completely yellow.
·
Stop watering when the flowers and leaves die. Once the
foliage is yellow or brown, the plant is done growing for the year. Move on to
the next
·
Do not apply any fertilizer while the plant is not
growing.
Benefits Of Tuberose
·
Tuberose oil can relieve a person of stress and
anxiety. It can calm down the agitated nerves by giving a soothing sensation.
·
The oil extracted from tuberose can also help in
reducing inflammations relating to the respiratory
and nervous system.
·
This essential oil also stimulates and increases
blood circulation throughout the body.
·
Propagation: Bulbs are used for
propagation.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Mulching
Intro
Mulching or Mulch
means applying
shredded matter (organic or inorganic) over the top-soil or
simply a protective layer of materials
that is spread on top of the soil. Mulches can either be
organic -- such as grass clippings, straw, bark chips, vermicompost and similar
materials -- or inorganic -- such as stones, brick chips, and plastic. Studies conducted at the
Morton Arboretum in Chicago have shown that applying organic mulch increases
the organic matter in the soil. Microorganisms that are naturally present in
the soil degrade the mulch depositing decomposed organic material at the
plants’ roots. This organic material provides necessary nutrients and holds
moisture in the soil for the plants. Access to these nutrients and moisture is
visible above ground in the healthy growth and appearance of the plant.
Benefits of Mulching
Mulch is important for trees health and care because Mulch insulates
the soil helping to provide a buffer from heat and cold temperatures. Mulch retains
water helping to keep the roots moist. Mulch keeps weeds out
to help prevent root competition.It also gives your garden a neat and tidy appearance. A mulch is
usually, but not exclusively, organic in nature. Mulching is an excellent method to reuse and
recycle organic waste of garden, instead of burning it and releasing
air-pollution. Organic mulch also serves the purpose of providing a
slow-release organic fertilizer for soil
that doesn’t get washed away during heavy rains.
For as long as trees have grown in
forests, leaves and needles have fallen to the ground, matted together, and
formed a natural protective mulch over the soil.
Mulching reduces the impact of heavy
rainfall on top-soil. When water droplets land on bare soil, the impact
causes soil particles to fly in all directions, resulting in soil crusting and
slow water infiltration. Most mulches break the impact of the droplets,
reducing soil erosion and improves the penetration of water into the soil.
There are many different natural and
synthetic mulches are available today, but all perform the following basic
functions:
·
conserves
soil moisture
·
checks
and suppresses weeds
·
protects
plant roots from extreme temperatures
·
improves soil
porosity for better air and water circulation
Types of Mulches
·
Cocoa
Mulch. Chopped cocoa bean hulls add a rich dark color to landscapes — along
with an exquisite, chocolatey smell that lasts two to three weeks. ...
·
Straw. A
favorite among vegetable gardeners, straw is the stalk of grain plants. ...
·
Grass
Clippings. ...
·
Chopped
Leaves. ...
·
Compost.
...
·
Mushroom
Compost. ...
·
Fresh Wood
Chips. ...
·
Pine
Straw...
·
Bark
chips...
·
Sawdust...
·
Shells...
·
Shredded
newspaper...
·
Cardboard...
·
Wool...
·
Animal
manure...
·
Pebbles...
·
Rubber Mulch...
·
Plastic Mulch...
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Mulch
Mulching is the placing of organic
matter such as straw or lucerne on top of your garden soil. Every gardener
should mulch both their vegetable patch and their garden on a regular basis as
it is a great foundation ingredient for
good soil and is beneficial for almost all plants.
But contrary to popular opinion continually mulching your garden beds
can cause problems for some types of crops, especially in cooler climate and
higher rainfall areas. Knowing its shortfalls
can help you maximize the benefits that mulch gives to your garden.
Below is a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of using
mulch.
Advantages
of Mulch
·
In Summer mulch can reduce evaporation rates by as much as 75%.
·
Mulch retards the heating of the soil by the sun which can inhibit the
germination of seeds in the cooler Spring months.
·
Reduces
water use by up to 75% as it protects the soil from evaporation.
·
Provides
valuable nutrients as the mulch breaks down.
·
Encourages
worms, which aerate the soil and provide fertilizer
in the form of worm castings.
·
Reduces
the number of weeds by inhibiting the
germination of weed seeds.
Disadvantages
of Mulch
·
Mulch
retards the heating of the soil by the sun. In Summer this is not a
problem but in early/mid Spring when you need all the warmth you can get from
the sun's rays it can inhibit the germination of seeds, especially those seeds
that need a higher soil temperature to germinate. Lower soil temperature
can also reduce the growth rate of seedlings.
·
Offers
great cover for small slugs, which can be devastating on crops such as peas and
carrots.
·
Can be
unsuitable for crops that need fine sandy soil to flourish (such as carrots) or
are subject to collar rot in moist conditions (such as garlic). It
doesn't mean you can't grow them in a mulched vegetable garden but you have to
be more careful.
Mulching Materials
There is a huge range of mulching
materials that are available for the home gardener. The key factors in
determining what is best for your garden are cost, quality, and availability. Below are listed mulching materials that
I use or have used. It is by no means a complete list of all mulches available.
The best thing for you to do is to speak to experienced gardeners in your area
and see what they use. Below are some ideas,
Straw
Straw is the mulch
that is used in the most garden.Add
nutrients and remove weed seeds.
Advantages
- Fairly cheap.
- Contains fewer weed seeds
Disadvantages
·
Relatively low in nutrient value.
·
Still cost money, whereas stable sweepings can usually be obtained for nothing.
·
It is fairly hard on the hands when handling it
without gloves.
Pea Straw
Pea straw is dried
pea bushes after the pea crop has been harvested. It is the second most common
mulch material I use.
Advantages
·
As pea
straw is a nitrogen-fixing plant pea
straw mulch is much richer in nitrogen than straw or hay.
·
cheaper
than Lucerne, the only other nitrogen-fixing plant that's readily available
as a mulch.
Disadvantages
- More expensive than
straw.
- As well as
containing weed seeds it also comes with some residue pea seeds that
readily sprout.
- Has a very hard
texture, which can be hard on the hands.
- The irregular
leaves of pea straw plants bind the straw quite firmly together, making it
much harder to spread than straw or hay.
Sugar Cane
Mulch
Advantages
- Contains
no weed seeds, a very big plus as most other mulches contain at least some
weed seeds.
- Is
soft to touch and is of a uniform texture, which makes it easy to spread.
- Takes
a reasonably long time to break down, though not as long as straw.
Disadvantages
- Sold wrapped in
plastic, which is not very environmentally friendly.
- It is quite
expensive when compared to most other mulches available.
Sawdust
Sawdust is not normally considered a mulching material as fresh sawdust
actually draws nutrients out of the ground as bacteria tries to break down the sawdust's tough cellulite
structure. But if it is processed correctly it can be used both as a mulch or as
part of the material used in the seedling
potting mix
Advantages
·
Either
free or very cheap.
·
Easy to
spread.
Disadvantages
- Draws nutrients
from the soil.
- Needs to be
processed first before it can be used on a vegetable patch.
Pine
Needles/ Pine Bark
Pine needles have a very low PH (acidic) which makes them unsuitable as
a general mulch. However, they are
ideal for plants that love acid soils such as blueberries and strawberries.
Pine bark is long
lasting, and when it does break down it enriches the soil with organic
material.
Advantages
·
Ideal for acid-loving plants such as strawberries,
blueberries, and raspberries.
·
Freely
Available or low cost.
·
The acid
soil conditions the pine needles create inhibit the growth of weeds that prefer
alkali soils.
Disadvantages
- Not good for any
plants that like a neutral or alkali soil.
- Pine needle mulch
usually comes with pine sticks and twigs, which do not break down easily.
Other than above, Compost is
also can use as a mulch.It is full of nutrients that we want to get down in the
soil to feed the plants through their roots. In contrast, mulch is
the layer of organic materials placed on the top of the soil as a protective
cover.
Leaves are also a wonderful
natural mulch. They are most effective when ground
or chopped because smaller pieces will lay flatter and stay in place a little
bit better than whole leaves.
Some inorganic mulches
- · Plastic sheets: These are popular in commercial agriculture.
- · Stone, gravel and lava rocks: All of these can be used as a mulch to prevent weed growth and to retain moisture.
- · Rubber mulch: Rubber mulches tend to be used more on playgrounds than in home landscapes. Their primary purpose seems to be to provide a safety cushion for running and playing children.
Mulching Tips
- · Organic mulch usually takes about 2-3 months to fully decompose, depending on the weather. Therefore, keep applying a new layer of mulch every 2 to 3 months.
- · Avoid applying mulch too close to the stem of the plants, as it may cause rot and may prevent good air-flow for the roots.
- · Check for the depth of the mulch if the soil already has some mulch in it. There is no need to overfeed the soil as excess mulching may prevent good air and water penetration into the soil. Rake the old mulch to mix it properly with soil and to improve the porosity of the top-soil.
- · The best time to apply the mulches in the garden is after spring when the soil is warm and humid. It will prevent the unwanted seeds from germinating and growing as weeds, with the beginning of the warmer months.
- · Leaves collected during the fall season are good for mulching as they are already in the half-decayed and dry state.
- · Apply mulch with the beginning of the winter season, to protect the roots of the plant from soil-frost and cold damage.
Conclusion
Mulch helps
to suppress weed germination, retain moisture, insulate the soil, and reduce
erosion.Newspapers
are a cheap option to mulching and effective in controlling weed growth.It is
preferable to use organic rather than inorganic mulches, as they have soil conditioning properties. Organic mulches not only provides nutrients to
the soil but also improves the porosity and water retention capacity of the
soil.
A 1- to
2-inch layer of fine mulch should be sufficient, while a coarser material
should be 3 to 4 inches deep. Too much of either type can
suffocate your plants. In areas where you simply want to keep anything from
growing, you can lay it on as thick as you like.
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