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This is the time of year to start those seeds.Growing plants from seeds is reasonably cost effective and is a way of acquiring plants that don’t normally appear in the markets. As we discovered last season with the tomato blight, it is also a way of acquiring disease free plants. Most serious gardeners have at one time or another started plants from seeds. Each grower has his own methods and over the years develops special techniques and tricks to facilitate the process.
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Tips to Prevent Damping Off |
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Damping off is the bane of those who start their own seed. One day seedlings will be growing in sturdy profusion and the next the stems will turn watery at the soil line and fall over. Despite the fact that the top of the plants look fine they will rarely recover. It is doubtful if there is a cure once damping off hits a seedling.
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Adventures in Floral Paradise by Sandie McClure |
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One of the most memorable places I visited during my recent trip to the Hawaiian Islands was the Maui Tropical Plantation. It is located in the Waikapu area of Maui. (The island of Maui is shaped like the upper torso of a woman, and the Plantation is in the neck area.) Our narrated tour on a tram made several stops for taking pictures. The 60-acre working plantation grows a variety of crops--papaya, guava, mango, macadamia nuts, coffee, avocado, bananas, sugar cane, and star fruit. We had views of the Haleakala Crater from the Plantation.
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We've all seen the expensive seed tapes and while they may seem a timesaving way to plant and to space your seeds evenly, they do have their draw backs. One is the price and the second is the limited varieties of seeds that are packaged this way. Here is a simple method of making your own.
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Not Your Grandma's Morning Glory |
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Plants can surprise you in an infinite number of ways but nothing is more startling than to find that a nondescript or common little thing that you may remember from your grandmother’s garden has undergone a renaissance. And as you are coming to terms with the exotic forms and colors of your erstwhile humble cottage garden plant you find that it has a fascinating history as well. Prepare to be astonished by the common morning glory.
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