How to Raise House Plants from Seeds Easily
(ContentDesk) June 9, 2005 -- The principal house plants which are easy to raise by sowing seeds are Aloe (succulent plant), Asparagus species, Begonia semper-florensundB. rex, cacti (many kinds), Clivia, Cyclamen, Eucalyptus, Fuchsia (varieties), Grevillea robusta, Opuntia, Passijiora, Phoenix (palm), Primula malacoides and P. obconica, Ricinus, Rochea (succulent plant), Saintpaulia (hybrids) and Solatium capsicastrum.The most suitable compostIt is best to sterilise the compost, and it should therefore be heated in a sterilising apparatus for 10 minutes at a temperature of 18o? F. After this partial sterilisation, the compost must be spread out on a bench to cool before use.Watering a seed pan by partial immersionA simple method of sterilising the compost is to water it with Cheshunt Compound steriliser. This chemical can be obtained from any seed store.
It consists of a powder which, when dissolved in water, is sprinkled over the compost before or after the seeds have been sown. It is perfectly safe to use, and does not injure the smallest seedlings. Seed boxes and pots can be sterilised by this method and thereby made pest free. A satisfactory seed compost may be obtained by sterilising the loam only, and then adding the peat, sand and fertiliser.Preparing the seed compostThe soil ingredients are sifted through a sieve having a |-mch mesh and thoroughly mixed. The pots or seed pans are given plenty of drainage crocks which are covered with rough siftings from the compost, and the receptacles are then filled with the compost.This is made moderately firm by pressing it with the fingers; it is then moistened by holding the receptacle in a pail of water.The water must not come above the rim of the pot because it is necessary that the moisture should rise up through the compost.
As soon as the surface of the soil becomes damp, the pot is set aside to drain for a few hours before seed sowing is commenced.The depth to which the seeds are covered depends on their size. Very fine seeds, such as those of Begonia, require only a fine sprinkling of silver sand, whereas larger seeds should be covered to the depth of their greatest dimensions. When the seeds have been sown, the receptacles should be covered with panes of glass and shaded with sheets of paper.Each day the glass should be reversed to prevent the condensed moisture from dripping on to the soil, and setting up decay. As soon as the seedlings appear, however, the paper covering must he removed and ventilation of the receptacle begun. The glass covering should therefore be tilted slightly.
This is conveniently done by means of the plant label, and the amount of air is increased in this way until the covering can be removed altogether.Pricking out the seedlingsAs soon as the seedlings have developed their first true leaves they are pricked out ? inch apart in pots of fertile compost such as John Innes Potting Mixture No. 1, and immediately watered in. They are shaded from bright sunlight until they are established. This generally takes 7-14 days, after which they are given more light and air. The 'cuttings' are taken in the usual way, by severing them just below a node (where a leaf is inserted in the stem).
They are then fixed in the mouths of small-necked bottles where they remain suspended. The bottles are filled to within a fraction of an inch of the top of the necks with water, preferably rain water.To prevent green scum (algae) forming in the water, it is best to place a few small lumps of charcoal in it. If this operation is done in the spring, the bottles of 'cuttings' can be set on the window-sill, and roots will form in a few weeks. Potting must be done immediately roots begin to form.Visit: http://www.realniches.com or http://www.realniches.com/archives/category/gardening/ for some useful tips on home indoor gardening..
Recipes for your baby shower
Sunflower Cheese BallsIngredients: 3 oz. package of Philadelphia cream cheese ? cup of shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, American or Brick cheese) 1 cup of sunflower seeds 2 tbs. toasted wheat germDirections: Leave the cream cheese out for 30 minutes in room temperature. After the 30 minutes have expired, proceed to mix the cream cheese with shredded cheese. Add sunflower seeds to the mixture and stir them in well.Once the mixture has been prepared, make 1 in.
cheese balls from it, and for the final touch roll the balls in wheat germ until they are fully coated. This recipe serves 12 people.
Cathy is the Owner of Baby Shower Moments and the author of Baby Shower Moments A to Z Guide. If you are looking for baby shower recipes pay Cathy a visit. Recipes for your baby shower
Seeds > Recipes for your baby shower
Seed
The Amazon jungles, mangroves, virgin forests, tropical forests and even plants in a kitchen garden have all originated from seeds. Many plants have survived over the ages through wind dispersals and alternative forms of reproduction. However, the predominance of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants in all landscapes confirms the importance of a seed.
A ripened ovule of a gymnosperm or angiosperm is called a seed. An angiosperm or a flowering plant has a seed enclosed in the ovary that later forms a fruit.
Gymnosperm, conifer and related plants seeds lie open to the elements. A seed contains an embryo, which facilitates growth of a new plant under favorable circumstances. It also has a supply of accumulated food and is wrapped in a seed coat. This stored food is initially a tissue called endosperm derived from the parent plant. Over time, the endosperm becomes rich in oil starch and protein.
In some species, the embryo is embedded in the endosperm, which will...
Seed
Seeds > Seed
How to use flax seed
You can eat whole flax seeds but you need to chew them good to break them up. Your stomach will not dissolve whole flax seeds and many of them will come out in your stools. Chew about a tablespoon in the morning. Then drink 8 oz of water. Make sure if you chew flax seeds that you drink water since the seed expand and become gelatinous.There are brown and golden colored flax seeds.
The golden cost more but there is not difference in their nutritional value.You can grind them up in a grinder and add them to your smoothies. It is best not to use them in any cooking recipes. Heat destroys the value of the flax oil and makes it toxic. I don't recommend you buy ground up flax seeds as found on websites or in health food stores. Once you grind your flax seeds, you need to use them in your drinks or food soon after grinding so they don't lose their nutritive value.
Even though Nutri Flax, ground up flax seed, is packaged so the flax seeds don't see light or oxygen, what happens...
How to use flax seed
Seeds > How to use flax seed
Johnny Appleseed ... A Lesson In Sowing And Reaping
Remember the story of Johnny Appleseed? Good old Johnny would travel from place to place sowing apple seeds.As soon as he planted seeds in one place he'd move onand begin again.Ezine writing is a lot like that. The seeds are our articles and we reap traffic, new subscribers and sales.So what lessons can we learn from Johnny Appleseed?1. Don't expect immediate results.Imagine if Johnny sat and waited for each of his seedsto take root. He wouldn't have covered much ground.Keep sending out your articles, don't wait for individual results.2. Don't try to determine ahead of times which articleswill get a good response.When planting apple seeds John knew some would take rootand others wouldn't.
He didn't know which ones to plant.He planted them all.3. Think long term.An article that may not have done well when you first released it, may end up in an ecourse or ebook, months later.4. Know that you will get results if you're persistent.Keep sowing. Know that over the long haul you'll...
Johnny Appleseed ... A Lesson In Sowing And Reaping
Seeds > Johnny Appleseed ... A Lesson In Sowing And Reaping
The Container Vegetable Garden
If you live in an apartment or town home, you probably think you don't have enough space to grow vegetables. Lack of space is no longer an excuse since many modern vegetable varieties are perfect for growing in containers on a sunny window ledge or patio.You can grow salad vegetables and herbs in almost any sunny spot and enjoy fresh ingredients all year round. Snipping off a sprig of fresh herbs from the window ledge garden in the kitchen while you are cooking cannot be bettered.Here are some tips for the perfect container vegetable garden.Choice of container. The easiest choice is to go to your local garden center or home improvement store and pick any gardening container that takes your fancy. There's a wide variety available in plastic, ceramic, wood or clay.
Before you pull out your credit card though, take a look around your home and see whatever containers you have lying around. Almost anything that will hold soil can be used for growing, whether it is an old bucket, an...
The Container Vegetable Garden
Seeds > The Container Vegetable Garden