Plants and Flowers

The Chinese magnolia is generally called as a perennial shrub or tree. This dicotyledon is not native to the United States (as you may guess from its name). Most actively it grows in the spring period. The Chinese Magnolia has dark green leaves and noticeable purple flowers, with plain brown fruits or seeds. The greatest bloom as a rule can be observed in the early spring and fruit and seed production begins in the spring and lasts until summer. Leaves are changed year from year. The Chinese Magnolia has rather long life span comparatively to most other plant and a moderate growth rate. In its full size the usual Chinese Magnolia reaches up to 30 feet high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 30 feet.
This tree can be easily found in nurseries, garden stores or ordered in the Internet. It can also be propagated by bare root, cuttings or seeds.
This plant grows best in temperate weather conditions and cannot survive exposure to temperatures below -8°F. It also needs moderate sunlight and sufficient watering.

The Japanese honeysuckle or Lonicera japonica is a perennial vine. This plant most actively grows in the period in the spring-summer period. The Japanese Honeysuckle has mid-sized green leaves and nice white flowers. This plant usually blooms in the late spring. It changes it leaves every year. The Japanese Honeysuckle has rather short life span if to compare with the most other plant species and a fast growth rate. The usual Japanese Honeysuckle reaches in its full size up to 1 foot high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 1 foot.
The Japanese Honeysuckle is distributed through the nurseries and garden stores. It can be also propagated by cuttings, seed and shoots. The ability to spread through seed is rather slow. It needs warm conditions for seed germination and the plant cannot survive exposure to temperatures below -13°F. This vine has medium tolerance to drought and insufficient water conditions.

These colorful plants has huge red, white or pink flowers of 6 to 12 inches in diameter and bloom from midsummer until first frost. Garden varieties may grow up to 8 feet tall if you manage to provide very moist soil all the summer.
Hardy hibiscus grows in temperate climate and tropical hibiscus demands a frost free climate. The last one is a very popular plant, it is often grown as an annual in cold climates, or grown in pots and containers that can be brought indoors for the cold period or in the winter. Both varieties do best in full sun but will tolerate light shade. Soil for your hibiscus should be damp and well-composted.
Place plants about 3 feet apart. When setting out plants place the crowns, or tops of the roots 3 to 4 inches beneath the soil. To grow a new plant from seeds, sow it early in spring; the new one-year plants will produce only a few flowers the first year, but will bloom fully during the fallowing years.

This is a perennial plant which likes full sun, and bloom from mid summer till autumn. It is 1-3 feet and requires well composted soil, moist during growing season or well drained when dormant.
Shasta daisy is the creation of plant breeder Luther Burbank, who for 15 years interbred wild species from different parts of the world to produce this modern flower of perennial garden. The flowers may reach 6 inches across, such ones come in single, double and anemone forms, and are nearly all snow white with occasional tints of yellow.
To do well these flowers need a soil fertilized with organic material such as compost, leaf mold or cow manure. They also need abundant watering during the growing season and good drainage during dormant period in the winter.
Every gardener may easily grow it from seed in the spring, but flowers grown from seed will not bloom until the next season. Division of sprouts is the best method of propagation, which can be done in the spring. To prolong the bloom period you should pick off flowers as soon as they fade. And to prevent overcrowding, separate your painted daisies and Shasta daisies after three or four years of flowering.

Zucchini demand accurate watering. Try to keep the water off the leaves and foliage. And the fruit will fall off before it matures, unless you provide sufficient watering. Leaves may wilt during very hot weather, but recover very quickly when watered.
In growing zucchini you may face some problems.
Powdery mildew and mosaic virus are the main problems in growing of this vegetable. To prevent the development of these diseases, the gardener should not handle the vines when they are wet, plant in an area with good ventilation, and keep the garden clean and free of weeds and debris. Most insects that attack zucchini can be controlled by spraying with a good herbal or natural insecticide.
Harvesting won’t take much time, but will please you.
Pick zucchini early and often. Note that fruit that is 4-6 inches long will have the best flavor, and picking encourages more fruit.

In Europe zucchini is known as courgettes. This vegetable is best when picked very young. Bushes are quite fruitful and the plant is ideal for containers. It has elongated shape and both green and yellow varieties are available for gardeners. Young zucchini is excellent in salads and the older varieties are better when cooked.

Zucchini like warm weather and will not survive in frosts. It need a lot of sun and will grow well in almost any soil with good drainage. Zucchini is a heavy feeder and the addition of appropriate fertilizer will greatly improve results. Keep the garden free of weeds and cultivate it lightly so as not to disturb the shallow root structures.

Plant the seeds in spring when the soil has completely warmed. Plants can be sowed indoors 4-6 weeks before to speed the harvest. To sow directly outdoors, place several seeds 1/2 inch deep hole. Leave 3 feet between these “holes”.
When they germinate, remove unwanted seedlings by cutting them off with scissors at ground level.

Do not forget to observe soil and plants for insects both on top and underneath the leaves. If you notice any pests, spray with Soap-Shield. Take the plant out of the pot and check the soil for any signs of slugs. If slugs are present, you d better to wash off all the soil and transplant your plant using fresh potting mix.
Choose only healthy plants to bring indoors or take cuttings from them.
Before bringing the whole plant inside, cut it moderately.
Water the plant carefully. Excessive watering is the main course of destruction of plants grown indoors during the winter. Use the finger test: press your finger into the soil and if the soil feels dry it is time to water.
Humidity levels are low in most houses during the winter, and this can encourage spider mites. Hold the plants damp or place them on a tray filled with water. This will help to create humidity around the plant.
Do not over fertilize, because plants need less food during the winter: their growth rate is slower and they need some rest.
Place the plants in an area where they can receive the maximum amount of light. You may need to add an artificial light source. Fluorescent ones do a great job.

Rosemary
Water the plant the day before you plan to transplant it. This flower need good drainage and does not like to have its roots sit in water. You can avoid standing water by adding small rocks or haydite to the bottom of the container you are going to be using, then add potting soil that has been previously mixed with vermiculite. Put the plant to the container and water it well. Make certain that the superfluous water drains out. Place the plant in a sunny area and water once a week.

Bougainvillea
Bring in your hanging basket from the garden, but first check it for any signs of insects in the soil and on the leaves. Prune the plant back in the autumn and put in a cool place during the winter. The plant will now enter a dormant period where it should be kept dry. In March, move the plant to a warm place and start watering. This flower is hard to get to re-bloom, but it worth the effort.
There are some other plants that can be easily brought to spend the winter inside: coleus, geraniums, basil and begonias.

When the summer season comes to an end a gardener may feel sadness, but one can also consider an alternative to bring the garden indoors for the winter.
There are some annual plants which will grow through the winter quite easily if the proper steps are taken.

Fuchsia
There are many ways for fuchsia to go through the winter. Take some cuttings in late summer and place in a soilless solution. When they take roots, transplant to separate pots and put in a bright sunny place. During the winter the plant will produce only foliage. Make some notes, if the cuttings were from different plants. Another option is to keep the entire plant dormant for the winter. Before the first hard frost, put your pot plant in an area that is maintained between 40° and 50°F. Observe the container for signs of insects both on the leaves and in the soil. You should water the plant once a month. In February or early March cut the plant back to the old wood. This will encourage new branching that will produce many more flowers during the summer.

Yellow balsam or Impatiens noli-tangere
Impatiens, as well as New Guinea Impatiens, can also be easily grown indoors during the winter. In late summer take stalk cuttings from the plants, place in perlite or coarse sand. When they take roots, transplant into containers filled with a soilless potting mix. And also do not forget to label each container. Put your plants in a bright, sunny place or arrange an artificial lighting. You can also bring in Impatiens that have been growing in containers, but first cut back the plants leaving only one-third of their original height.

Sometimes bananas need two frost-free seasons to begin bear fruit. The best time to plant bananas is in April or May. This plant need consistent watering, so you must be sure in sufficient water supplies either by irrigation or by lots of rain.
You can get a small tree in a nursery or garden center, or divide an already existing banana tree. A good size sucker is the ideal for propagation. But you should make certain that it has a good root system.
Mulching is also critical to bananas. It helps soil to retain moisture, and helps the plant to absorb the fertilizer better. For this purpose you may use older banana leaves and dying banana stalks that have either frozen out or a plant that has borne fruit and needs to be cut down.
If you observed that the fingers are plump, green and almost ready to turn yellow, your bananas are ready for harvesting.
Homeowner have just a few problems with bananas, but these problems can be disastrous to the commercial industry. Careful protection from freezing temperatures (below 28 degrees) and foliar damage from wind exposure are in fact the main concern of home gardeners. If you faced these problems, just cut the plants at ground level and suckers s appears in the spring.
Gardner may face the challenge of insects, but as a rule they are not troublesome to the bananas.