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Eliminating aphids from ornamental plants can be straightforward. Aphids, small insects that attack various plant species including both indoor and outdoor plants, appear in green, black, or grey colours and feed on shoots and leaves by sucking sap. They reproduce rapidly through parthenogenesis, where fertilization by males is unnecessary, quickly forming dense colonies that cause affected areas to wither and become coated in honeydew—a sticky substance. This feeding habit, drawing on sugar-rich plant sap low in protein, necessitates the elimination of excess sugars.
Among ornamental plants, roses are particularly susceptible to aphid attacks. Aphids target these plants to feed on stem sap, resulting in stem and foliage destruction, weakening the plant significantly and impacting its flowering.
Managing Aphids: Effective Strategies
Aphids thrive during spring and autumn, multiplying swiftly, underscoring the need for immediate action upon their appearance. Besides sap consumption, aphid honeydew poses an additional challenge, attracting sugar-seeking fungi that further harm plants.
At the onset of aphids, manually washing affected plants with a watering can help...
If your balcony is small, you can still enjoy lush blooms by choosing plants suitable for small pots. Here are some varieties to consider, with a special focus on dwarf hybrids.
Begonias (Begonia semperflorens): These plants bloom continuously from April until late autumn, producing small flowers in white, pink, yellow, and red. They thrive in 12 cm diameter pots.Calceolaria: This annual herbaceous plant flowers from April to June. It features small, heart-shaped leaves and uniquely shaped flowers in shades of orange, red, and brown, with contrasting spots. Suitable for 12 cm diameter pots.Kalanchoe: A succulent that blooms from March to June and requires little water. It grows well even in 10 cm diameter pots.Lobelias: Related to Campanulas, Lobelias include about 400 species with fan-shaped flowers. Blooming from April to October, their colour and flowering period vary by species.
Selecting the right evergreen climbers for your terrace involves considering climate, sun exposure, and the desired function of your "green wall"—whether for privacy, wind protection, or decoration. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you choose the best evergreen climbers for your terrace.
1. Creating a Dense 'Green Wall': For a thick, protective green wall to shield from wind or prying eyes, choose varieties with compact and fast growth:
2. Decorative Covering with Flowers :For concealing walls or columns with flowering plants, consider:
3. Covering Horizontal Surfaces: For pergolas or arbors, consider:
Growing aquatic plants is relatively straightforward and can be done in gardens or in pots on a terrace. In gardens, these plants are typically used in ornamental ponds or along the edges of watercourses or natural ponds. On a terrace, you'll need a large container with a diameter of at least 60 cm that can hold a substantial amount of water. The container must be watertight and made of durable material.
Where to Grow Aquatic PlantsAquatic plants are defined by botany as species that float on bodies of water, not requiring soil but needing basins at least 60 cm deep. These plants are often visually striking and produce brightly coloured flowers. The most well-known aquatic plants include Lotus Flowers and Water Lilies.
Lotus Flowers (Nelumbo): There are many hybrids available, offering a wide range of colours from white to orange and various shades of red. Popular varieties include Nelumbo lutea, which blooms in late spring with large white or yellow petals, and Nelumbo nucifera, known for its purplish pink petals.Water Lilies (Nymphaea): Known for their large leaves and distinctive flowers, water lilies come in many varieties, with colours ranging from pink to red, purple to yellow, and orange.Water Hawthorn (Aponogeton distachyos): This lesser-known aquatic plant produces long stems with fragrant white flowers from June to November.
Heat-loving plants thrive in sunny spots and can withstand drought conditions. Here are some top choices for a vibrant summer garden, suitable for both garden beds and pots.
1) Dwarf Begonias: These plants are unfazed by heat. For abundant blooms, add a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants to the irrigation water every 10 days.
2) Bella di Notte (Mirabilis jalapa): From June to October, this plant produces many small, fragrant flowers. It prefers full sun and needs frequent watering, especially in summer.
If you have a sunny balcony or terrace, growing tomatoes in pots will bring you great satisfaction. The delightful scent of the plant and the taste of home-grown tomatoes are incomparable. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you get started.
Garden centers offer many tomato varieties suitable for pot cultivation. Opt for those with small growth habits, typically not exceeding one meter in height. Cherry tomato varieties are ideal for pots, as they tend to produce more fruit compared to large-fruited varieties.
For a bountiful harvest, place your tomato plants in full sun for at least six hours a day. Be mindful that cooler temperatures in early Autumn can signal the end of the plant's natural growing cycle.
Tomato seedlings are usually sold in small soil clumps at garden centers. These should be transplanted into larger pots immediately, ensuring to attach a stake to support the plant as it grows. Alternatively, you can start from seeds, which is more cost-effective...
Understanding how to select weed killer for the garden is crucial as it enables us to address specific problems effectively. Weed control demands tailored solutions depending on whether we're dealing with a vegetable garden, flower beds, turf, or unplanted areas like paths and patios.
Why use weed killers for Weed Control?
Those passionate about gardening don't resort to weed killers without careful consideration, but sometimes it becomes necessary. For instance, to eliminate grass or moss that can create slippery pathways when wet, or to prevent weed growth in unplanted areas.
Weeds not only compete for nutrients, light, and space but also deprive our garden areas of essential water.
While common garden techniques like mulching or using mature manure, as well as manual removal with tools like weeders and hoes, can mitigate the problem, weed killers offer an alternative solution.
While slugs may be a nuisance, there are numerous natural remedies available to combat them in a vegetable garden.
Ask any gardener what are the worst pests they come across in the garden and it’s pretty much guaranteed that slugs will be up there. Let's explore some remedies to deal with them..
Slugs prevention
Slugs and snails need a very moist and water-rich habitat. They use a mucus veil to move around, which allows them to move quickly only on moist soils. In fact, they are most present in the wet, rainy months and tend to come out at dusk to nibble on young seedlings in our vegetable gardens. On muggy summer days they hide in the soil waiting for the rain to return. Consider these preventative measures:
